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Theo ran the last kilometer as hard as he could, which left him barely able to breathe by the time he reached the house. The orgy, which had happened two weeks before, and the attack afterward, had been a reminder that since his rescue by the Orrs, the extent of his exercise regiment had been sex. It might be recognized as a valid regiment, but Theo had decided to get back into running.

He'd been surprised to find multiple running paths on the islands, even one that went over all of them, with a force field path marked where he could run over the water between islands.

Of course, this being an Orr property, the path was lined with many places for people to rest, relax and have sex, and Theo enjoyed some of them every day.

He waited until he could breathe before stepping up the porch and to the door. "Any updates on the attack?" He headed for the drink dispenser and took the steaming cup of coffee waiting for him there.

"Yes, but nothing helpful," Cass answered. "Where do you want it?"

Theo sat at the table. "Here works." Files and documents appeared on the table. "I'm surprised it took this long. I'd have expected the Orrs to go at this hard."

"As far as I can tell, they didn't get involved. Even Uncle only stayed at the periphery. My guess is that it's because you were the target and not one of the known family member."

"I'd have expected Eric to go to war because of this."

"He might have wanted to, but that would mean making who you are public knowledge. It looks like they aren't ready for that."

"Good. Maybe this will reinforce that I'm just one of Tucker's friend." Tucker had stayed away since the attack and since the others didn't bother informing Theo of what was happening, he didn't know why.

The document Cass had copied from the police department only dealt with the seven attackers. All of which worked for the same construction company. They were the construction company actually. Two of them had served in the Orr Corp army until they were discharged for reasons not stated in the forms. Black Ops? If what had caused them to be kicked out hadn't officially happened, it would be tough to explain it.

Three had served and left the moment their first term was done. The other two didn't have any indication of being part of the military, but they had arrest records. Obtaining goods without consent; theft.

"Did they find any link between them?"

"Nothing that connects them all before the construction company. Some knew each other, and it's possible to connect them that way, but it's indirect at best."

Theo nodded. "Black ops get kicked out, but they liked it too much. Civilian life didn't work for them. They form the construction company and recruit people they knew, and they bring in a friend or two. Where are the financial records?"

A document flashed, and he picked it up, looking at the scrolling text.

"The individual's finances are unremarkable. Within the median for construction workers."

"The company's a different story," Theo said, still reading. "According to this it brings in twenty percent more on each job than other companies. Where does it go?"

"Reinvested into equipment."

"Except they aren't hiring more people, they aren't taking on larger jobs. Always the same kind of jobs. House renovations. Have any of the jobs noted here happened? Or is this just code for whatever else they did?"

"Permits were filed, purchase orders for materials are on records. Customers signed off on the work, signed it was all done properly."

"Has anyone gone and talk to those people?"

"Not yet. It's on the list of things still needing to be done."

"Can you access any historical records? Did anyone see the work being done?"

"Not without breaking privacy laws. Do you really need the confirmation?"

Theo shook his head. "No. This is good work, but we've set up enough cover stories to be able to recognize one. The question is who hired them."

"If it wasn't for Uncle's assurance he changed the records enough you can't be recognized as the person involved in what happened on Mars, I'd say it could be any of the corporations."

"But if we take Mars out of the equation, that only leaves one."

"Vanguard does have a history of going to great lengths to repatriate citizens. As a corporation it is rather possessive."

"And considering mom and dad broke their contract when they took me away, it would make them want me back pretty hard."

"And you are proof they stole genetic material from Eric. Your existence links Vanguard to Eric's kidnapping thirty years ago. So long as you're walking around, that little incident can come back and cause them a lot of trouble."

"Can you link the attackers to Vanguard?"

"No, as far as I can tell, the payments are always local."

"That's easy enough to make happen."

"Yes, the police is looking into that angle, not Vanguard directly, but in trying to work out who paid them. They--"

"Cass?"

"Sorry, Trevor contacted you, he found something."

"How? I thought he did analytics, or something like that."

"He doesn't say, but he wants to meet. Tell you in person."

"Where? And can you confirm it came from him?"

"It's routed through the corporate building and it has his messaging identifying. I can try to untangle the provenance within the building, but with the number of people there it's going to take a while. As for where, in the building, Room 7628."

"Did he give any details as to what it's about?"

"No. I've asked on your behalf. He replied that it's too sensitive to discuss in any way that could be intercepted."

Theo stood. "That would mesh with Vanguard being behind this. Tell him I'll be there in an hour. I need a shower and food first."

* * * * *

The seventy-sixth floor was still low enough to deal mainly with the day-to-day life of the corporation. The people here had the haggard expression of people who had to put in long hours, or deal with customer service. Many of them had the wild eye expression Theo knew he'd worn his first time here.

Now, the large hallway with walls and ceiling projecting outside scenes no longer registered, neither did the occasional couples having sex. By the number of people gawking at those, Theo guessed that even for a country as sexual as the Orrs, people thought there were places that should be respected, and the corporate headquarters was one of those.

"It's the room at the end of the corridor, but I can't read anything inside the room."

"Empty, or shielded?"

"Shielded. No signal in or out. No scanners in it. None of the scanners outside can see through the walls."

Theo slowed. "Where's Trevor?"

"I can't find him. If I try to message him it comes back as unreachable."

"As if he was inside a shielded room?"

"Yes, or if he blocked all communication."

"The shielded room is more likely." He reached the door, and it opened. He looked in. Four meters square room with a table and chairs in the middle. No one in the room, but there was a door opposite him. "What's through the door?"

"No idea. Could be a bathroom, or another room. It's part of the shielded section. Even with the door open, I can't scan through the walls."

Theo looked around. No one was paying him undue attention. "If this is Vanguard trying to catch me, you have to admire their boldness." He stepped in and the door closed behind him.

"I don't think you're going to say that when you wake up in one of their cells."

The opposing door opened, and the mongoose's eyes went wild.

Theo was speechless.

The mongoose had his arms around him before Theo could react.

"Theo, thank God you're okay. They told me they'd captured you. I tried to explain to them you weren't the bad guy. I was so worried about you."

Theo shook himself. This was so fucking worse than Vanguard. He grabbed Marcus by the shoulders and pushed him away. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the job."

"What job?"

"The managerial one. Can you imagine it? Orr Corp wants to hire me. I don't think they've ever had someone from SolGov work in this building."

"What are you talking about?" This made no sense. Tensions were as high between Orr and SolGov as with Vanguard, but hiring a SolGov citizen to work in the headquarter? They'd never do that. And Marcus? There was no way this was a coincidence.

"I got the offer two days ago. They even paid to fly me here. It was on a public hover, an Orr one, so you can imagine what they were doing, but still they paid to bring me here. I can't believe they have sex even here. In this building. It's their headquarter for God's sake, you'd think they'd have more decorum here."

And Marcus actually believed they wanted to hire him?

The mongoose smiled at him. "Do you work here too? Did they finally believe me and release you?" He motioned to the room. "This is really private, we can celebrate our reunion."

Theo just stared at the man. What did he think this was? One of Cass's porn movies? He should get out of here. Walk out and not look back, but he needed to know what this was. Who was behind this? Why would Orr Corp do this?

He turned Marcus toward the table. "Sit."

The mongoose sat on the table, facing Theo and spread his legs. How he could be hard in this situation was beyond Theo's understanding.

"On the chair. Damn it Marcus, this isn't a game."

Marcus' face fell. "I'm sorry." He sat, looking meek and broken. Theo cursed himself for snapping, but this was serious. He took the chair opposite Marcus.

"Start from the beginning, Marcus."

With a grin, the mongoose said, "well, in the beginning I was born--" the words and grin ended when he noticed the hard look Theo was giving him. "Sorry," he whispered.

"Marcus, You need to take this seriously, okay?"

Marcus nodded. "They found me tied up where you left me. I played the victim, like your message said to, but then they started saying really horrible things about you, and I had to set them straight. You're not a bag guy Theo, I know it." He placed a hand over his heart. "Here. It didn't go over well. The more I tried to convince them you were a victim too, the more they tried to get me to admit I was in league with what you were doing."

He threw his hands up. "I didn't even know what was going on. I mean I heard about it, but by the time I woke up it was over. You were gone, and all I had left of you was your message. Then they told me they had caught you and you'd given me up to save your tail. Well, I knew that was a lie. You'd never give me up, what we have is special. They said I'd go to one of the work camps on Luna if I didn't tell them everything." He shuddered. "I heard rumors about those. Not pretty." He smiled. "So I told them how we were lovers and how much you loved me and that once all that was cleared up we were going to spend the rest of our days together. It didn't go over all that well."

"Marcus, I'm not--"

"But then things did clear up. I was released, put on a SolGov ship and send back to Luna. I didn't hear from you. I guess they wouldn't let you talk to me while you were a prisoner. I never heard you'd been released. The last thing I did hear was that you'd been taken in for intensive questioning. It was all over the news. I guess it's after that they released you."

Marcus gave him a small smile. "I lost my job. Seems there was some confusion with whoever it was who took over my identity on Mars. They did my job pretty well from what I was able to find out, but I won't be allowed anywhere near the government after that."

His smile broadened, and he grabbed Theo's hand. "But it's for the best, now we're together again, and we're both working here. It's going to be amazing."

Theo fought the urge to pull his hand away. "What about this job you got offered?"

"There were no details. This was supposed to be where I'd find out. I guess you found out I was here and couldn't wait to see me either."

How someone could be so deluded, Theo had no idea. Carefully he extricated his hand from Marcus's. He didn't want to be here. Fuck he didn't want to see Marcus's broken heart, again. Every seduction was based on the idea he wouldn't have to be there when the breakup happened. He wouldn't have to see the pain he'd cause in the pursuit of his job.

Maybe that made him a coward.

"Marcus." He thought about walking out, but if nothing else, he owed him this. He owed him a clean break, the opportunity to move on with his life. "There is no us."

"Of course there is. Our time on the Mercury was wonderful. I've never been with anyone who got me as much as you did, who didn't push me, let me--"

"Marcus, I researched you. I know you better than you probably know yourself. I made--" he swallowed, eyed the door. No, not this time. Someone had orchestrated this, and when he found them, he would tell them how little he appreciated it, but Marcus was a victim here. Through all of this he'd been a victim. Victims deserved closure even if it was the painful kind.

"I made you fall in love with me."

Marcus scoffed. "You can't do that. Love isn't something you--"

"Marcus, I gave you what you wanted. Someone you could be yourself around, insecurities and all."

"I'm not insecure."

Theo didn't comment on that. "I watched the Bondo movies days before we met because of your last name and because you enjoy them."

"But you know so much about them, you liked talking about them."

"Come on Marcus. You have access to the net just like I do, it's all there. And to be honest, I can't stand those movies. They're all poor excuses for action scenes and sex. I'm not even going to comment on the spy stuff because I could spend hours tearing each movie apart."

"But we watched the movie together. We had..."

"You initiated that."

"You liked it." Marcus forced a smile, but he fell when Theo didn't echo it.

"Of course I did. I like sex, but I didn't like it because I was in love with you. I just like sex. I used it to help make you fall in love with me."

"But you held me. We made plans. We were going to be together."

Theo found he had trouble speaking. "I lied. I'm sorry."

"No." Marcus's voice broke. "No. I don't believe you. What we had was real. Why are you saying this?"

Theo took a breath. "Because it's the truth. I'm a spy, Marcus. My job was to replace you on Mars, use your position to infiltrate a building and acquire information. They have to have shown you the recordings of my passing myself off as you in the government center."

"They did, but it could have been any tiger."

"You know that isn't true. You know me intimately. Why do you think I was so surprised when you were in your apartment?"

"You let me help you do whatever you were doing, rescue your friend."

"I used you, Marcus. You have to see that."

The mongoose shook his head. "I helped you. You needed my help, and I was there for you."

"You weren't supposed to be there. You were supposed to be on your way to Luna, remember? I arranged that too."

"No. I don't believe you."

Theo wanted to scream. The man was dense.

"Believe it. Marcus, whatever you think is between us, it's in your imagination. You need to move on and forget about me."

"No, I can't do that." Marcus's voice was weak, broken. He looked at Theo, tears falling. "You mean everything to me."

"Not to me," Theo replied flatly.

"Please, there has to be something about me you like. I tried so hard. You said you liked my painting, was that a lie too?"

Theo began to say yes. A reflex, of course he'd lied, it was all Theo did when with a mark. "No, I do like your paintings. You're very talented. You should do that instead of working for SolGov, or Orr Corp."

Marcus snorted. "Like anyone'd care about my art. But you do, we can build on that, can't we?"

Theo shook his head. He couldn't win here. Marcus would find a way to turn everything around so it would reinforce the idea they have, or can have a relationship.

"Forget me, Marcus. Try to forget I was even in your life. Use a Psychologist program, you need it if you ever want to have a healthy relationship."

"Theo, please, I'll do whatever I have to, just stay with me."

Theo stood. "There is nothing you can do. You need to move on Marcus. I did. The moment I abandoned you tied to that chair."

Theo left the room to Marcus's whimpers.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the closed door. Maybe it was for the best; he wasn't a spy anymore. He wouldn't have to ruin any more lives.

"Looks like the reunion went well."

Theo's eyes snapped open. A tiger was leaning against the opposite wall. Before he could ask, Terrence's name appeared next to him. Like all the Orrs, he wore the belt, and the clothing was loose and comfortable, although on him it was cut more like what Theo was used to seeing on corporate types.

It was the smug expression that made Theo cross the hall and punch him. "You set this up." He told the tiger on the floor.

Terry glared up at him, wiped his mouth and snarled at the blood on his hand. "I could have you arrested for this."

"Go ahead. I'm surprised you haven't done it before. Oh wait, you tried. Daddy stopped you."

Theo took a step back, giving Terrence the space to stand. "Dad's got a blind spot the size of the moon's shadow when it comes to you. I know what you are, even if he can't see it." He pointed to the door. "That's what you do. It's what you're going to do to us if you're allowed to be free."

"You think I wanted that? It was my job!"

"Right, your job is to use people and throw them away broken."

"You think I aimed for it to happen this way? I was supposed to die on Mars."

"Excuse me?" Terrence stiffened.

"Not me, me. Theo Laramie. My cover. Marcus was going to reach Earth and when he tried to contact me again, he was going to find out Laramie died in an accident while doing a repair. He would have been broken-hearted, but he'd have a few month's worths of good memory, of being in love with a guy who loved him back enough to make plans for the future. Trust me, that guy needs that kind of memories, but instead his fucking ship breaks down and he gets dragged into the mess I'm stuck in. Every time I try to convince him I'm no good, he goes and twists the memory around."

Theo rubbed his face. "He's so fucking desperate for a relationship he told me he'd do anything to stay with me."

"So?"

Theo glared at the other tiger. "So fucking what?"

"Are you going to take him back? Honor your promise to him?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? He doesn't need me in his life. He needs to get counseling. Which you're going to see to it he gets."

Terrence smiled. "Excuse me?"

"I was out of his life. He was going to have to move on even if he didn't like it, but because of what you just arrange, he knows I'm here. He's going to obsess about getting back with me."

"My, quite the opinion of yourself you have, don't you?"

"Did you fucking look at his personality profile? He has obsessed about one person after another. Being so clingly they had to kick him out of their lives and block him on all front. He's convinced himself he was the one who broke it up with them because they were too possessive. If you'd bothered looking you would have known just how momentously stupid this was."

Terrence shrugged. "I'm just going to send him back to SolGov, so he'll be out of your hair."

"Excuse me? Were you born this stupid, or do you just work really hard at it?"

"Watch how you speak to me, Theodore. I run this country, so you're going to show me the respect I'm due."

"Then act like you're fucking smart enough to hold the job and weren't put there because no one else wanted it. Fuck, do you really want your kids to know you treated someone the way you're treating Marcus? What kind of role model are you planning on being?"

"Leave my kids out of this. I didn't destroy this man, you did."

"And I was in there telling him it was all a lie. I looked him in the eyes and admitted what I did. Are you going to go there and tell him he was just a pawn in whatever your problem with me is? Or are you going to do what every corporate head does? Move pieces on a board and let other people do their dirty work?"

Terrence simply glared at him.

"That's what I thought. So, not this time. You got him here with the promise of a job. You're going to deliver on that promise."

"Do you seriously think I'm going to let SolGov into this building?"

"Then find him a position elsewhere. I don't care, just do it."

Terrence crossed his arms over his chest. "You seem to be under the misconception that you have some kind of say in what happens in this country."

Theo took a step toward the other tiger and Terrence stiffened, prepared to fight. Theo adjusted Terrence's collar, which had come turned over in his fall.

"Terry, I was taught a set of skills that make me very good at making things happen that other people don't want happening. I'm going to guess that AI of yours is good enough he's been able to work out some of the things I've done. If not, let me say that there are people out there who used to be quite powerful, and aren't anymore, because of me. Don't force me to turn those skills toward you."

"You're bluffing. Uncle would have found something."

Theo smiled. "Test me, Terry, just remember that this corporation is built around your family. I'm just going to target you, but there's no way any of this won't splash on them, and your kids, Terry, imagine them having to grow up without the stable structure your corporation currently enjoys."

"If you do anything to--"

"Just you, Terry. No one else. So why don't you make it easy on both of us and just make sure Marcus has the kind of job his skills entitle him to? And access to a good shrink program. If you don't want him here, I'm sure there's plenty of Orr operations in space that could use a good manager."

Terrence glared at him silently. Theo brushed his shoulder then turned and walked away.

"You--" Cass began.

"Theo," Terrence called after him, "if you ever threaten my children or my family again, I will kill you."

"Then don't give me a reason to, Terry. We're both going to be happier that way."

"You didn't make a friend," Cass said.

"It was bound to happen."

"Doing that in the open wasn't smart, what if someone walked in on the two of you?"

"The moment I knew it was Terry, I knew no one would interrupt us. He probably set the whole floor off limit. He wouldn't want witnesses to whatever was going to happen."

"So, about the threat? You want me to let something slip to Uncle? I'm thinking that if I point him toward Carmichael Harigan, it would be enough to--"

"No. This is more effective if Terry has no idea how far I can go if pushed. Can you reserve me a hover? I want to be as far from this place as I can while Terry cools down."

"Where to?"

"New Pitts is supposed to have plenty of stuff to do, and not just sex."

"Alright, Hover reserved and flight plan filed. You want me to find you a place to stay or is this a day thing?"

"Get me a place. Nice, but not too ostentatious. Do we need to pay for this ourselves? That might limit the possibility."

"No, we're on a corporate account, listed as Free Agent."

Theo chuckled. "Was that on purpose, or just irony?"

"Uncle was involved in setting it up, so I'm going to guess he was being purposely ironic."