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Recruiting Procedures of the Questionable Sort

The last of the evening's light faded behind distant mountain tops. Dominating the view from inside the house through oversized windows that framed them perfectly. Professional photographers would find nothing to nit pick. A deep buzz resonated through the solid wood of a lonely table, devoid of everything but dust. Each frequent buzz seemed to sound more aggravated than the last. "This better be important," an annoyed, sibilant voice groaned. A dark gray, scaled four-fingered hand snatched up the vibrating cell phone. "Yeah?" He rubbed his eyes tiredly with thumb and forefinger, sliding his hand down his crimson striped snout.

"Is that how you properly address your superior?"

"It's my day off, I don't check the caller ID and what do you want . . . Boss?" Nalz added sarcastically as he padded, with little enthusiasm, into the kitchen. The claws on his toes clicked on the black granite tiles as he approached the stainless steel refrigerator. Both doors swung open with a wheeze of fine mist and the sound of a distant compressor. He began to rummage through the few items it contained; on the prowl for a snack.

"Keep it up. Just wait until you come to the office early tomorrow morning." The voice on the phone threatened.

"Early?" Nalz asked curiously, poking his head to the side of the open refrigerator door to check the time on the cabinet mounted microwave. He had just woken up from a nap on the couch and was surprised to realize how long he had been asleep. Not much else to do on a day off than sleep. Correction: supposed day off.

"You've got a long night ahead of you. Get your fancy suit on because I need you to go get someone ASAP." Schism's voice held an edge of seriousness Nalz hadn't been expecting on a Sunday.

"Something big coming down that can't wait until Monday?" The four-armed lizard asked as he gnawed on a piece of leftover steak he scavenged from the previous night's restaurant meal. Even half awake he still remembered to use a plate and knife. Despite his growling stomach his interest was piqued at the prospect of interesting work. It had been over a week since he'd gotten to go out into the field and get his hands dirty, so-to-speak.

"Yes, I need you to babysit someone and end a few people in the process."

He wanted to be excited about the opportunity to cause some havoc and test out his latest adjustments to his prized possessions: four completely customized - down to the grip of each weapon to conform to the slight differences in each hand - Glock machine pistols. All using a propellent powered, projectile firing pistol. They were fashionably outdated, but Nalz preferred the robust experience of firing something so barbaric over the modern, sterile laser weapons; those were also seriously expensive compared to powder cartridge weapons. However, the prospect of babysitting some random incompetent was not an appealing trade. He hated escort missions. "Wonderful."

"I'm serious, Lizard. This guy is important! He has been a huge asset to the company. Even if they don't kill him, I can't let him fall into LightLines' hands."

"For his sake, he better be." Nalz muttered around another mouthful of half-chewed meat.

"Get dressed because I know you're not, get in your car and head for Shoreford. That's where he's at. Call me once you're under way for further details. I've got to make some calls. Got it?"

"Sending me in blind seems to be a common thing lately." Nalz quipped, shutting the refrigerator doors a little harder than he meant to; he shivered from the gust of cold air that escaped between the gap in the doors. Breaking brand new appliances in a brand new condo seemed foreboding of terrible luck.

"We don't have time for your bullshit. Correction: you don't have time for your own bullshit. Straight?" Schism growled. Nalz crossed his lower arms, head tilting to the side in annoyance as he swallowed the last bite of meat. "Got it."

"Thank you!"

"Oh, one question before you go."

"Yes, yes, what?" Schism asked suspiciously. He had quickly learned to assume that phrase to be followed by a smart ass question.

"What makes you think I'm not dressed?" Nalz said as he looked down at his bare scales with a smile; light from a distant fixture reflecting off of the perfectly smooth granite onto his gray scales. He enjoyed checking himself out on occasion. Since becoming a full time employee for Hard Wire versus freelance he'd had more time to spend on physical fitness. A little narcissism never hurt anybody.

"Easy, you take your clothes off every chance you get."

"Ha-Ha." Nalz said dryly, ending the call before he received any response. He couldn't help smiling, however. When his boss was right, he was right. "Nothing wrong with being comfortable." He consoled himself as he made way for his bedroom and excessively large walk-in closet to draw his implements of destruction and formal work attire.

The benefits of the job were growing on him quickly. He couldn't imagine going back to freelance work with its extra risks and long periods of drought. The door into his oversized closet opened soundlessly and Nalz grinned broadly. "Time to dress for success."

~~

"Took you long enough."

"You can't rush perfection, Boss." Schism sighed on the other end of the phone and was probably questioning his hiring practices. It certainly was not the first time, but Nalz earned a special kind of employer's remorse. He couldn't deny that his obstinacy had a certain charm.

"Are you done?" Nalz watched a lone man slowly walk passed the front of his car as he waited at a stoplight. A simple, plain clothed man that drew out feelings that he sometimes wished he had a simpler life; nine to five job, a house and a white picket fence. The whole nine yards. The man glanced at Nalz's car and he saw the creases of a hard life etched in his features. Now he noticed the man's slight stoop as if the weight of existence was driving him into the street. Did the man even know what happiness was?

"For now."

"Whatever. Listen, I let the guy you're heading for know you are coming. He sounded a little freaked out but he shouldn't make your life too difficult." Nalz groaned and dropped his head back onto the headrest as the light turned green. The dream of a simple life faded as quickly as the memory of the bent man walking past. Without his current line of employment he certainly wouldn't have anywhere near the money or excitement his life currently contained. He certainly wouldn't have met some of the insane people he had so far that made getting out of bed in the morning more exciting.

"Awesome. How freaked out is 'a little freaked out'? Are we talking a full on asthmatic panic attack, wheezing in and out of a brown paper bag or . . . ?" There was an extended silence from Schism.

"Ready to run out of his apartment screaming 'I need an adult'."

"Allow me to repeat myself: awesome. How old is this kid?"

"Somewhere in his mid to late twenties I'd assume." Nalz cocked an eyebrow. The white lines began to pass by in flashes of reflective paint as he sped up, bouncing over bumps and pavement in various states of disrepair. Time spent thinking about what another path in life could have held decreased the more he thought about all the things he had to keep him happy in this one. All of his toys for example; motorcycles, fast cars and twisting, adrenaline filled assassination plots.

"You assume?"

"I've never met the guy! He sends all his work in over the 'net or he leaves flash drives at predetermined drops."

"Wow, so I really am going in completely blind. I might as well be deaf and dumb too." Nalz sighed, noting that he was almost to the part of town he was headed for. It didn't seem possible but the buildings and roads seemed to be in worse states of repair than the last part of town he'd passed through. The stoop of the people he passed seemed to be more pronounced as well. "Alright, I'm almost there. Where exactly am I going?"

"Wait one. Uh, 36213 Switzer street, apartment number two-oh-four." Nalz scrawled the address on a handy slip of paper. Specifically put there because his boss refused to text him addresses.

"I'm going to have to look it up on my phone. Anything else I should know about this suicide mission before I get there?"

"Once you get him, head to the downtown company house. I've got some security heading there now to check and clear it. Make sure this guy grabs anything important, especially his current project, and destroys anything sensitive. Tell him I'll pay for new, better shit once this is over and that he has a permanent job in the company building."

"How generous of you, Boss." Nalz joked.

"It's the least I can do for what he's going to go through tonight. Besides, I was thinking about hiring him on in the near future. It's a win-win."

"Lucky for him his date of hire got pushed up. If he survives the interview." Schism snorted.

"Are you prognosticating your own failure?"

"Of course not! I meant, if he survives me."

"Don't be an ass. This guy is important. Dare I say more important than you? Call me once you've got him."

Schism hung up the phone so Nalz couldn't try and get the last word, smiling to himself at his own jest. He just wanted the problem to go away so he could stop worrying about the information this guy had possibly falling into enemy hands. If that happened it would be an extremely bad day for everybody at Hard Wire. Nalz did his job better than anybody else he'd had work for him and he was confident the rescue would be successful but, sometimes he just wanted to strangle Nalz with his own ego.

Nalz harrumphed at the phone when the line went dead and rolled his eyes. Typing the address into the GPS took longer when he had to constantly glance up at the road to make sure he didn't hit some poor child out late that was crossing the street. Although, it was easier than trying to look it up on a map while driving. He certainly didn't envy the previous generations of the 'old fashioned way'. The directions popped up after a short wait and the apartment building turned out to be less than ten minutes out at his current, rapid clip. Assuming he didn't get pulled over.

When he arrived in the vicinity he parked across the street and a few buildings back. Doing so increased the distance they would have to cover to make their escape from the apartment, but if the thugs were already here he felt better parking away from somewhere easily surveyed.

He had everything he needed under his suit as soon as he stepped out of his car. Four pistol holsters hung beneath his lower arms, two on each side; each contained a machine pistol; precision machined and crafted specifically for him. Normal Human weapons did not fit well in his four-fingered hands. He subtly squeezed his lowers arms to his body for reassurance that they were all in place and that nothing had been forgotten. Extra magazines - loaded with an alternating mix of hard hitting Hyrda Shok hollow points and heavy, armor piercing rounds - sat patiently in special pockets on the inside of his jacket to facilitate quick combat reloads. An unassuming black metal clip held his razor sharp switchblade to the inside of his pants pocket. There was no such thing as being over prepared in his mind.

Nothing stood out as being out of place on the approach to the front of the building. He had scanned every car he passed and surveyed those in the distance distance. Nothing flipped the alert switch in his head. No suspicious people and no strange activity. The entrance door into the apartment building was secured and there was a rusted silver call box on the wall to the left of the door. Nalz pushed the button labeled with a nearly illegible '204'. The entire building didn't appear to be in any sort of good repair. They say first impressions are the most important.

Almost a minute passed before a voice came over the tinny speaker, quiet and nervous. "W-who is it?"

"Hard Wire sent me. Name is Nalz." He answered in a professionally calm and clear voice.

"Nalz? Y-yeah, right. They told me you'd be coming. I'm upstairs, 204."

The door buzzed absurdly loud and Nalz cringed before pushing open the dilapidated door that squealed loudly on its hinges. "Holy shit, it's called WD-40." He muttered to himself. Ascending the staircase that creaked on every single step didn't improve his opinion of the landlord. Apartment 204 was the second door on the left and as soon as he saw it he knew there was something off about it. It was darker and looked far newer than any of the others in the hallway. Nalz rapped on the door three times. The door seemed to absorb the sound as if it were completely solid. It certainly did not fit in.

A minute later the sound of metal on metal from several locks could faintly be heard being undone on the other side. When the door finally opened it was a relief after the eternity if felt like he'd waited. Nalz's friendly expression turned into a slack jawed stare that he couldn't help when the owner of room 204 swung the heavy door aside. The male was at least a foot shorter than Nalz, rail thin and even stranger looking than Schism first had been. His disheveled clothing and fur proved he wasn't taking the news that people wanted to kill him very well.

He stood just short enough that Nalz had to look down and he was the fluffiest thing the reptile had ever seen; a fluffiness that was undeniable cute. Long, pointed ears swept back in submission with several tufts of long fur bursting between them. Stripes like watercolor brush strokes swept down his fluffed cheeks from his eyes, standing out from his sandy fur. The inside corners of his brows sported a smudge of the same orange fur; effectively exaggerating his expression. Two long, wispy whiskers drooped from the tip of his snout.

"Eyrich?"

"Nalz?" He replied nervously. Nalz pushed Eyrich back inside the apartment and quickly closed the door. He took one look back at the half dozen, overly complicated locks and told Eyrich to secure them rather than wasting precious time trying to figure them out.

"You ready to go?"

"What, go where?" Eyrich asked, wringing his hands.

"He didn't explain what was going on? Fuck. Well, we're leaving. Grab all the work you're doing or have done for Hard Wire, back it up, and destroy everything else. There cannot be a single bit of data left behind."

"Are you serious!" Eyrich shouted and began pacing back and forth down the short hallway. "Shit. Destroy how?"

"Smash the drives, shoot them, explode the building, I don't really give a shit. Hard Wire will replace your gear with something better. You're going to be working for us from this point forward anyway."

"Fuck me! You make it sound like I don't have a choice." Eyrich snapped and hurried to his desk. Several monitors, empty drink cans and every sort of electronic paraphernalia coated the desk like a plague of amoebic semiconductors. His desk had enough flashing, blinking or solid LED's on it that it resembled a Las Vegas strip.

A tower-like server rack was a skyscraper in a small town the way it dominated the small room, taking up an entire corner and then some. In the window sat a small air conditioner running at its highest output - not sounding the least bit like it enjoyed it - with a makeshift cardboard duct piping the cooled air directly into the tower. Even with the cooling solution he could feel the heat radiating from the structure.

"The faster you get everything together the better. We need to go and we needed to go ten minutes ago. The people that want to kill you aren't going to politely wait for you to finish." Nalz said while discretely looking between the slats of drawn blinds. Nothing was moving in the light of the street lamps but it had started to rain lightly. He couldn't remember if he'd rolled the windows up on his car.

"Kill me! What? Why would anybody want to kill me?" Eyrich asked between furious keystrokes and desperate mouse clicks, willing the system to run faster. Nalz wasn't sure if the question had been completely directed at him or the computer. The rapid clipped speech made him guess 'no'.

"To send a message to the man you've been working for."

"I've never even met the guy! I don't even know his name!" Eyrich threw his hands in the air. He lifted his glasses with balled fists and pressed them into his eyes before returning to his task. "I knew doing this work was a terrible idea."

"Whether you wanted to get caught up in this mess or not, you're committed now."

Nalz peered through the blinds while Eyrich rambled on about his woeful position in life. A plain black SUV was coming down the street now. A streetlight momentarily revealing the driver and passenger. They were wearing unremarkable, plain black clothing, but the glint of metal in the passenger's lap caught his eye. When the SUV stopped in front of the apartment building he knew they were running out of their already limited time. "Pack it up, kid. Time's up."

"What do you mean? Wait, I'm not a kid!"

"Last chance to backup what you need. In the meantime, tell me how to destroy this stuff."

"I need ten more minutes." Eyrich pleaded, adjusting his glasses reflexively.

"You've got two and if you can't do it, spend that time writing your epitaph." Nalz could see the fear in the man's eyes and the crushing realization that he could be dead very soon. He felt sorry for the guy and thought that, just maybe, 'epitaph' had not been the best choice of word. "Look, I wouldn't be here if you weren't valuable to us. Get what you need and do it now. I'm not going to let you get hurt."

"Okay." Eyrich said numbly, returning to the keyboard and monitor, seemingly satisfied by the promise. Nalz looked back through the blinds and, seeing the empty SUV with the doors still open, knew the goons would be up the stairs at any moment. "Hey."

"Yeah?" Nalz asked.

"You mentioned destroying my hardware and in the moment I forgot to mention something. On top of the server rack is a hardened container, looks like concrete." Nalz turned his attention to the tower, noticing the unassuming container. "Okay, I see it."

"As soon as I am done transferring everything, I'm going to activate the thermite inside. That will take care of everything in a few seconds." Eyrich's voice was almost perfectly calm. His confidence increasing with his opinion of his handle on the situation. There had always been a contingency for destroying his hardware.

"Did you say . . . thermite? Nalz asked in disbelief.

"Yup."

"That's going to melt through to the foundation!"

"Yup. The front door is bulletproof too." He added matter-of-fact.

"Remind me to ask what kind of shit you get into when we're safe." Nalz said shaking his head. He had to admit the kid knew more about what he was doing than he'd first assumed.

"The heavy kind." The lizard smiled at Eyrich's egotistical grin, clearly proud that somebody found his handiwork admirable.

It was strange that the hit squad hadn't knocked on the door yet or attempted to force their way in. He hoped they weren't actually well trained professionals. "You wouldn't happen to have an escape plan too, would you?"

"No. I always expected the Feds. You know, the 'arrest you' not the 'kill you' type." Nalz considered his joke as a good sign for how he was going to handle himself when the bullets started flying.

"Listen carefully" Nalz started calmly "you're going to let them in when they get here. They don't want to kill you, at least not right away, well, until they get what they're coming for I mean. I'm going to need you to trust me." Eyrich listened quietly, obviously not liking where the conversation was going.

"I'm going to be hiding behind the furniture until the right moment. This is the only way I'll be able to take them all out. Doing it at the door would be stupid. They're probably going to be rough with you, just stay tough. As soon as the file transfers are done, hit the self destruct button and I'll take it from there. If they do threaten you or touch you, do what they say, don't resist." Eyrich inclined his head in a half nod, half resigning manner. It was clear he really wasn't ready for what was coming. Nobody ever is the first time they look down the barrel of a gun into the face of Death.

Two solid knocks at the door shattered the silence that had fallen. Eyrich spun in his chair to face the door. "Is it done yet?" Nalz hissed.

"Three minutes left." He whispered fearfully after turning back around to check the status.

"Shit. Okay, go unlock the door and let them in. I promise you'll be okay. Remember, the moment the transfer is done, kill the system. Hurry!" Nalz urged him.

Eyrich approached the front door apprehensively. Nalz could see the man's hands shaking as he undid the latches. "Just a second!" He called out to the men on the other side as the final lock was released. Nalz quickly moved to a dark corner of the main room and took up a position in cover. The door opened violently, door knob punching a hole in the dry wall, knocking Eyrich back and off balance.

The first man entered the room and his surprise at what he saw caused him to hesitate before balling his fist in the front of Eyrich's shirt. He practically dragged his struggling hostage further into the apartment. Eyrich attempted, in vain, to maintain his balance and stand. The other men followed behind, shutting the door once they were all inside. Bits of broken wall dusting the entryway.

Nalz poked his head out from behind the armchair just enough to watch the lead man shove Eyrich into view and onto the ground, his head hitting the desk chair. "Who are you guys?" He stuttered, voice cracking at the sight of the thugs' sub machine guns. These guys were at least semi-professionals; Nalz cursed to himself. The lead man crouched and contemplated the creature cowering before him. Eyrich glanced at where Nalz was hiding and he willed him to look away. The man pressed a gloved finger into Eyrich's forehead, forcing him to look up into the man's cold, brown eyes.

"I'm here for what you've got hiding in here." His accent was faint but it was from some former Soviet country. "Get on your little computer and do exactly what I say or" he paused to stand and shifted his slung weapon to point directly at Eyrich's head "things will end badly for you."

Eyrich's nodding was more like a convulsion and it took him great effort to crawl into his seat with weapons pointing at his back. His hands were shaking so badly he almost knocked off his glasses when he adjusted them. Attempting to type was an exercise in extreme self control. One minute was left on the transfer when he checked and he wanted nothing more than for Nalz to kill every last one of them. He'd never hoped for the death of somebody before. Now seemed like as good as any to start.

"Good boy. You are a boy, right? I might almost feel bad if you were a woman." The other goons chuckled. "Now, gather everything you've ever done for Hard Wire and put it on this drive. Don't play dumb." He handed Eyrich a small flash drive and turned to one of his men. "Dimi, observe him, make sure it does as it's told."

"Roger."

The man Nalz assumed to be Dimi moved up next to Eyrich and bent over his shoulder to watch each move he made. Keeping his weapon pointed at him. Nalz checked his watch and by now the file transfer had to be complete. Eyrich kept working at the computer and Nalz began to wonder why he had yet to take down the system. The lead man had begun wandering around the room; taking a closer look at whatever grabbed his attention as he slowly made way in Nalz's direction.

Eyrich glanced over at where he thought Nalz was hiding for reassurance that he wasn't alone. Dimi caught the movement of his head and looked in the same direction. There was nothing he could see but this was the second time his hostage had looked into the corner of the room. When he spoke it was in a language neither Nalz or Eyrich could understand; it was clipped, guttural and definitely of Eastern European origin.

The lead man looked directly at Nalz but there was no indication that the man saw him. He started toward the corner and brought his weapon up to an alert carry; Nalz saw him flick the safety off as he approached. If he chose to shoot first and ask later the armchair wouldn't do much to stop any bullets.

Eyrich's heart was racing and the sickening sense of guilt for stupidly giving away Nalz's position was suffocating. All he could think of to bring the attention of the gunmen back to himself was to trigger the thermite. With all eyes on the other side of the room he knew he would be able to flip the switch before anybody could stop him.

A red switch cover on the side of the tower prevented accidental activation and looked like one you would find on a fighter jet. Eyrich quickly glanced at Dimi behind him, found his attention elsewhere, and reached across the divide to his left to the switch. In a single, swift two-fingered movement he flipped the reluctant red cover and held up the silver toggle switch beneath.

Seconds later an angry hissing began at the top of the tower that quickly escalated into the roar of hellfire. All attention in the room snapped to the tower as the cataclysmic reaction of thermite annihilating everything in its path was witnessed first hand. The metal superstructure of the server tower began to warp from the intense heat as the internals burned or turned to molten slag. Expensive microprocessors, racks of silicone, copper, semiconductors and other wonders of technology lost their complex forms for that of the basic blob. Complexity beat out by simple chemistry.

The head man diverted his attention back to Eyrich - who was staring wide-eyed at the groaning tower - and yelled in his indiscernible language. Dimi wrapped an arm around Eyrich's neck and held him in the choke hold, dragging him out of his chair and away from the furiously smoking, snarling tower. By the time Dimi had Eyrich gasping for breath the thermite had already melted through to the downstairs apartment and beyond.

Chaos was on the verge of descending over the room. A fire had started burning throughout the eviscerated tower and the wooden floor beneath. Thick black, acrid smoke was descending from the ceiling. Dimi relaxed his hold on Eyrich and dropped his limp body to the floor. Nalz grimaced and clicked the safeties on his four pistols off. The men didn't appear to be very interested in continuing to maintain Eyrich's existence now that he'd destroyed what they had come for. On top of that they had indirectly mentioned that they had been sent by LightLines. Nobody else would send a hit squad to steal data from Hard Wire.

Nalz jumped up from behind the armchair and aimed his pistols. Green lasers lanced across the room through the smoky air and one landed on each gunmen, minute adjustments putting a dot on the center mass of each gunman. The smoke had made it to his side of the room and was burning his nostrils with each steady, controlled breath. His eyes threatened to water but he maintained disciplined and waited for the men to respond.

"Who are you?" The lead man shouted after some hesitation at the appearance of another strange creature; this one armed and quite possibly dangerous.

"The important question is why are you touching one of my employees?" Nalz shouted back, sibilant voice filling the room. The furthest gunmen flinched at the shout, his weapon inadvertently shifting in the direction of Eyrich's prone form. Before the echo of Nalz's voice had faded the staccato retort of a three-round burst took its place. One man crumpled to the floor in a heap with a dying whisper. The remaining three men dropped their stances but stopped short of bring their weapons up.

"Now that you know I'm not fucking around, I'm going to ask again: why are you touching my employee?" Nalz's growled and moved the pistol from the dead man, ominous green laser sweeping the room, to the closest man.

"He has something my employer wants." The lead man said with a shrug, casually disregarding the two laser dots on his chest. Nalz had to give him credit for how calm he was staying in his perilous situation, but the answer was not a very good one.

"Going to have to do better than that I'm afraid."

"Corporate espionage?" He offered with a smirk. One of the men shifted his footing slightly and Nalz noticed the lead man's grip tightening on his weapon. He glanced at Eyrich who was beginning to move until he stopped, eyes locked on the dead man oozing blood onto his floor; appearing to be in some state of psychological shock.

"That's all I needed to hear." Nalz grinned devilishly, flashing his teeth.

As if synchronized the three gunmen began to raise their weapons. Nalz hoped Eyrich didn't have an epiphany and decide to stand as he squeezed four triggers simultaneously. He cringed at the violent percussion of each shot in the enclosed space. It took three seconds to expend seventy-four individual instruments of death, brass casings cascading horizontally across the room like raindrops caught in a typhoon; clinking off the wall and floor.

Nalz considered the amount of ammo expended to be ever so slightly excessive, but if felt good to let loose every once in a while, especially when assholes were threatening the completion of his mission. He inhaled the acrid smoke that now held the bittersweet scent of sulfur and gunpowder. None of the men crumpled or sprawled on the floor so much as twitched while he reloaded each pistol methodically. The slide of each slamming home on a fresh round.

With that finished he began walking up to the ground hugging, furred drake. On his approach he visually inspected the first body, finding it fairly mutilated by the barrage. He could see at least eight grotesque exit wounds since the man was laying face down. What little body armor they had been wearing did nothing to protect them.

The fire beneath the server tower crackled peacefully, appearing to be waiting patiently to spread to the rest of the surrounding apartment and furniture until they were gone. Nalz had to watch his step around the bodies to avoid putting his bare feet in any splattered or pooling blood. He could only assume the police and fire department had been called or were about to be. He crouched next to Eyrich who had pulled himself into a sitting position, knees hugged tight to his chest and pressed into his eyes. Nudging his shoulder once did nothing to rouse him.

"Hey, Eyrich!" Nalz said, shaking the male's shoulder more vigorously. He slowly lifted his head, looked over the bodies and then over to Nalz, wide eyed and shell shocked. Nalz rubbed at a small patch of blood sprinkled across the male's snout. He noticed more spread about his clothing, but he wasn't surprised since the nearest men had almost been standing on top of him.

"You okay, are you hurt?" Nalz asked, pulling Eyrich's arm out of the way to look around him for for any blood that wasn't from the dead men. "Well, you look like you're physically alright. Hey, talk to me." One more shake made him blink and finally bring his eyes to focus on the concerned gray scaled face inches from his own.

"Can we leave now?" Eyrich whispered. His voice was unsteady and his hands started to quiver. "Yes, we're leaving. Where is the flash drive?" Eyrich reached into his pants pocket and shakily handed Nalz the finger sized unit. Nalz pocketed the drive and stood, pulling Eyrich up to his feet with him. A fire alarm started its annoyingly high pitched klaxon. He sighed and shook his head.

"Now it wants to go off." Nalz snorted. "Last chance to get anything you need, but we haven't got much time." Nalz said. Eyrich surveyed his destroyed apartment. He had four dead men he had never met who were going to kill him over a feud he had never wanted to be a part of, a blood soaked floor and walls riddled with bullet holes. Morbidly he considered that he wasn't going to be getting his damage deposit back. "I've got nothing left worth bothering with."

Nalz nodded solemnly and lightly gripped one of his shaking shoulders. Eyrich stared at the ground, appearing to be on the verge of breaking down, and allowed himself to be hurried out of his ruined home and life, down the stairs and into the night. A couple of other residents were milling around outside listlessly, glancing up at the smoke coming from a second story window. They glanced at the pair in disbelief as they left the apartment. They were on the verge of approaching the pair but decided against it. Nalz's menacing expression made them question the value of their curiosity aimed at the two strange creatures.

A solitary black SUV idled in the middle of the street with no occupants. White exhaust curled from the exhaust and dispersed in the chilly air. The pair turned down the sidewalk and quickly made way to Nalz's car. Not once had he stopped observing his surrounding for a possible threat along the way.

Wailing sirens could be heard in the distance and were approaching fast. The piercing sound was a mix of police and fire department. Nalz unlocked the car, opened the door for the smaller male and urged him in. He wanted to be as far away from the scene as possible before any police arrived and considered stopping him.

Two minutes after they had pulled away from the trashed apartment the first police car screamed passed, flashing lights casting psychedelic shadows across the surrounding buildings. Nalz allowed himself to relax slightly from his hair trigger awareness.

Eyrich stared silently at his hands and picking at his claws as if the blood of those gunman was on his own hands. The city conquered the skyline ahead, ready to swallow them, vehicle and all, as soon as the bridge they were crossing delivered them straight into the beast's patiently waiting maw. High tension steel cables flashed by in the headlights and the suburbs melted away into the curve of the bridge deck. The emptiness of the road was unsettling to Nalz. It was rarely ever this way.

The bridge began its downward slope as the river's edge neared. Eyrich glanced out the window of the car as they entered the city proper. To Nalz he seemed lost, unsure how to feel or act now that his way of life had been completely altered. Being forcefully uprooted from one way of life and dropped violently into another was not an easy thing to cope with. Nalz knew this all too well.

"Eyrich" Nalz started, glancing at him as he spoke "Eyrich, look at me," he repeated louder. His head slowly turned to face Nalz. He hadn't even heard him the first time. "Whether or not you care to listen, at least offer me the courtesy of pretending. I realize this situation sucks, a lot, for you. I'll be honest, this was a fairly normal day at work for me, but I can tell this is completely new for you." Nalz chuckled and smiled. "You know, the first time I had a gun to my head, I almost pissed myself. So I'd say you're doing just as good as I did, if not better. Your pants look dry." Eyrich nodded with the slightest hint of a smirk. Nalz reached across the center console that separated them and patted his shoulder.

"You did good, kept yourself together under the gun and not everybody can do that. Most people lock up and can't do anything, or get hysterical and end up dead in your situation." Eyrich nodded slowly.

"I thought I was going to after I destroyed the tower. The look in his eyes when he pointed the gun at me. There was nothing there. His eyes were emotionless, my life had no meaning to him." Eyrich paused, shivered and looked over. "You killed them without hesitation and I don't doubt you've done it many times before but, when I looked at you there was still life." He sighed and looked back at his hands. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"Don't worry, you're fine. Talking through it does help and that isn't some psychologist bullshit either. You shouldn't have to worry about having weapons pointed at you anymore. I can't promise it won't happen 'cause shit happens. They weren't after you because of who you are. They targeted you because of who you were working for."

"But you killed them. Won't they want revenge or something?"

"Tonight is not the first time I've dealt with this kind of situation. They attack our assets and we retaliate against theirs. Rinse and repeat ad nauseam. We just win more often and that fact is making LightLines more desperate. There attacks more brash and poorly planned." Nalz clicked on the blinker and turned down a claustrophobic alley. Eyrich stared out the windshield for a minute before adjusting his glasses.

"I almost took the contract they were offering. LightLines, I mean." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, breaking through the crust of dried blood. A disgusted look spread across his face when he saw the red flakes on his hand and quickly brushed it off. "I ended up not taking it because I didn't like the idea of working for a criminal organization. At least, known criminal ones in the circles I hang out in. Look what I ended up mixed up in anyway." He gave a heartless laugh, peering at Nalz out of the corner of an eye. "You know, if I had worked for them, would it be you trying to kill me, instead of saving me?" Nalz blinked and looked at him.

"No. No offense, but we don't go after the little guys in this war."

"I see."

"Look, if my opinion means anything to you, I believe that Hard Wire is a better company. Much less shady. Compared to my previous way of life, working for Hard Wire is a big improvement." Nalz smiled.

"I can't imagine a previous job being worse than this one."

"It was similar but the benefits package is vastly superior here. Not to mention the job security. Don't get me wrong and, as bad of a person as this will make me sound, I enjoy what I do."

"You enjoy killing people?" Eyrich's eyebrows rose.

"Only the bad ones or the ones that threaten innocent people. It's not like the only thing I do is kill people." He nodded and didn't seem at all bothered by the answer. It was one thing to be a killer, however, a killer with morals and a code he could live with.

Nalz slowed the car and pulled from the road onto a small, easy to miss driveway surrounded by tall shrubs. They arrived at the back of a tall building where two guards were standing akimbo on either side of a closed parking garage gate. Eyrich glanced uncertainly between the guards strolling casually up to the car and an unconcerned Nalz. "Who are these guys?"

"Donnie and Johnny. The Boss' left hand men, nothing to worry about."

"Where does that leave you?"

"The right hand."

The guard that arrived at the driver's side tapped politely on the glass twice. Nalz rolled the heavily tinted window down just enough that his face could be seen. "Evening, Mr. Z. The area is secure, building swept and a kettle of water is on the stove." The man said with a thick Eastern seaboard accent.

"Thank you, Donnie." The heavy metal gate barring the parking garage began to slowly roll up and the guards retook their posts, waiting until the car cleared the entrance to begin closing the gate.

"Was that some kind of code for something?"

"Huh?" Nalz asked, pulling the car into a parking spot next to the double doors of an elevator.

"When the guard said 'a kettle of water is on the stove', what did that mean?" Nalz chuckled.

"He knows I like tea." Eyrich looked disappointed that he wasn't getting in on some kind of secret lingo but found the obvious answer silly. The car's engine rumbled to a stop and Nalz opened the door. "We're here!"

Eyrich nodded and climbed out of the low vehicle, watching Nalz go back to the trunk and retrieve a silver metal briefcase. He set the car's alarm after he closed the trunk; two quick beeps the car's response. "Come on." Nalz said, waving to Eyrich after pushing the up arrow next to the elevator doors. The elevator arrived shortly after and neither of them broke the mechanical ambiance on the ride to the fifth floor.

The elevator offered a pleasant ding to sound the arrival to their floor and the doors slid smoothly open to a marble floored hallway decorated in extravagant decor. Eyrich's eyes widened in surprise at the lush surroundings. He had been expecting anything but such a nice place. Nalz walked out of the elevator with none of the awe Eyrich displayed in his wake. He knew these huge companies had money but he hadn't expected a safe house to be so frivolously decorated.

Door five-oh-three is where Nalz stopped and fished around in his coat for a key card to open the door. He slipped the card into the slot on the door, a green light lit next to the card and the electronic lock disengaged with a clack. The door opened and they were greeted by the high pitched whistle of a boiling kettle. Nalz secured the deadbolt once the door was closed and quickly made way for the source of the shrill noise.

The kettle's whistling was snuffed as soon as it was removed from the stove's glowing red coils. Eyrich walked around the expansive main room, looking around in wonderment. He had never been inside such a nice home before. High ceilings complimented the large picture windows that offered a starlit view of the city; all twinklings lights and brashly illuminated skyscrapers. From what he could tell the building was on top of a hill just on the outskirts of the city proper. His attention turned to the furniture and he found it constructed of solid wood with dark stain and a beautiful shine. He came back to the kitchen with a new appreciation for big business.

Nalz was pouring steaming water into two large, dark green ceramic mugs, placing the kettle back on the stove on a cold burner. He opened an overhead cabinet that was stuffed with every kind of tea imaginable. Four shelves, stretching to the ceiling, each stacked neatly four boxes high and wide. There were small labels on the shelving denoting each different style. Each flavor was as meticulously categorized as a library bookshelf. Nalz turned and nodded toward the enviable stash. "What kind of tea do you like?"

Eyrich didn't drink tea but didn't want to be rude by denying such hospitality after what he'd done for him. "Uhm, I'll just have whatever you're going to have."

"Not a tea drinker I take it? I can see if there is something else in this place that you might like."

"No, no, thank you. I'm perfectly fine trying the tea." Nalz smirked and went back to considering, tail calmly swaying side to side as he pondered the plethora of available options before deciding on an imported Japanese bitter green tea. He finagled the box out from beneath several others and extracted a tea bag for each mug. "Hope you like green tea."

"Doesn't that have caffeine in it?" Eyrich asked.

"Sure, but it's a small amount and all natural. Don't drink anything with caffeine?"

"Just makes me jittery."

"You'll be fine." Nalz handed a hot mug to Eyrich, who cradled it in both hands, and blew at the scalding water. He was about to take a sip when Nalz interrupted.

"Don't drink it yet! It needs to steep for a little while and you'd just burn your tongue anyway."

"Oh, right." Eyrich watched the teabag become waterlogged and start to sink just below the surface. The water slowly began adopting a green tinge as the dried tea leaves incorporated with the steaming liquid.

"Why don't you take a quick shower while you wait for the tea. Wash the, uh, blood out of your fur."

"That would be nice." Eyrich agreed with a sigh, vividly recalling the evening's earlier events. He had managed to avoid thinking about them until now.

Nalz walked him down a hall off the main room, disappearing into a door on his right half way down. More extravagance greeted Eyrich. Perfectly tiled floors with an ornate basin and brushed aluminum fixtures. The shower was an all glass unit with a sliding door and a shower head the size of a dinner plate. Plush, comfortable looking towels hung from the rack next to the shower, folded neatly and paired with a matching wash cloth. An assortment of soaps and shampoos for every possible need adorned a shelf inside the stall. "Fancy."

"Yeah, whenever I stay in this condo even I feel too poor to be here. The Boss hooks it up for us." Nalz said, looking around to make sure Eyrich had everything he might possibly need. "Just turn the knob to start the water, hot is up. The one non-fancy thing in here. I'll be just outside the door so hand me your clothes once you get undressed so I can throw them in the wash. The little door right here is a linen closet, robes are inside." Eyrich nodded and Nalz left, waiting in the hall until the door reopened a minute later. A bare arm with a crumpled ball of clothing clutched in hand appeared with a muffled 'thanks'.

Nalz continued down the hall to the small laundry room and tossed the few blood spattered articles of clothing into the wash and headed back to the kitchen. He stopped at the bathroom for a moment to listen for any out of the ordinary noises and, satisfied Eyrich wasn't doing anything that might compromise his mission, continued to the kitchen to retrieve his briefcase. By now his tea had cooled enough to sip and he pulled a laptop out of the case, setting the sleek, lightweight aluminum unit on the counter top.

Opening the laptop reminded him that he had yet to report in. He tapped the speed dial and booted the computer while the phone rang. On the third ring the line clicked. "What's the word?"

"It went about as well as could have been expected. Did you already start the damage control process?"

"Yeah, it was pretty obvious it was you from what the team heard on the police scanner. You should try being more discreet. I hear it's all the rage these days." Schism sighed to himself because he knew that would never happen.

"You know that will never happen."

"Oh, I know. Trust me. Is the guy alright?" Nalz keyed his password into the laptop with his lower hands.

"A little shaken up, but he'll survive."

"And the data." Schism asked hopefully.

"Got it all as far as I know." A long sigh of relief came through the speaker.

"Finally some good news. Anyway, I'll see you two in the morning when you get here. And make sure he gets here in one piece."

"I promise, so long as you explain to me why Eyrich and his data is so important."

"Maybe." Schism hinted before hanging up.

Nalz put the phone on the counter, slightly annoyed, sweeping and tapping a finger on the touch pad until music began playing from the laptop's inadequate, flat speakers. A progressive blend of orchestral melodies and electric guitar riffs. He unbuttoned his jacket, shimmied his arms out of it and hung it on the back of his chair, exposing the skein of straps and buckles that kept the holsters on his torso in place. Each pistol pulled easily from its holster and he lined them up methodically across the counter before him.

A rag and other cleaning gear was stashed in his briefcase and Nalz retrieved it after a sip of tea; laying out each individual tool and brush in a perfectly aligned row. Another sip of tea preceded the breaking down of the first pistol. He started the process of meticulously cleaning the soot and carbon buildup from each nook and cranny.

Several minutes of music, the scraping of a brush and the shuffling of a rag passed and then Eyrich was sitting on the chair adjacent the reptile, cupping his hands around his cooled mug. Nalz quickly reassembled the cleaned pistol and tore down the second with equal swiftness; nothing but muscle memory and innumerable hours of practice.

"Feel better?" Nalz asked cheerfully without removing his eyes from his work, stuffing the orange rag - stained with carbon and lubricant - into the magazine well. Eyrich adjusted his glasses and carefully sipped his tea. It was plenty cool for drinking purposes but it still fogged up his lenses.

"A little. I wish fixing everything was as easy as taking a shower." He said as he brushed his head fur back between his lowered ears from its previous haphazard style.

"We all have things we wish were so simple to fix." Eyrich nodded and took another sip, enjoying the pleasing heat radiating down his throat to his stomach. "This is good. Thank you."

"No problem at all, anything to make your stay more comfortable." Nalz smiled at him while putting a copper wired brush through the barrel of the pistol.

Eyrich watched the lizard working to clean the pistol with fascination. He used both pairs of hands in concert and with preternatural ease. The thought of having an extra pair of arms to do anything with sounded awesome. This was followed by less benign thoughts of what one could do with an extra pair of arms and he quickly looked down at his mug, concentrating on the flecks of tea leaves floating in smooth parabolas on the surface.

"You doing alright?" Nalz asked curiously. Eyrich glanced out of the corner of his eye before looking back at the tea.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay. Uh, what are you doing?" Nalz quirked a brow at the question which seemed to have an obvious answer.

"Well, I just finished punching my bore and then I'm going to clean the carbon from the receiver." Eyrich snorted into his mug. Luckily he hadn't quite drank any or he would have choked. "Punch your bore?" He said with a sideways grin.

"Yeah, why is that - oh, right." Nalz chuckled and started brushing the slide assembly. He sipped his tea with a free arm and set the mug down. "At least you still have your sense of humor."

"Those guys would have had to kill me to get rid of that." He hadn't meant the statement to be so morbidly delivered.

"I'm glad they didn't." Eyrich sniggered and rolled his eyes.

"Why, 'cause you wouldn't have gotten the data otherwise?" Nalz grumbled derisively and stopped cleaning to focus on him.

"Technically, the data was on the drive before they would have killed you and I would have been fine, had that happened." Eyrich grimaced and was about to speak. "But! I wasn't sent for just the data. My Boss, and in a way yours, called me, specifically, to come save you. There are plenty of other people that work for the company in the same line as me that could have done this, but he needed a guarantee of success. I don't pretend to know what he wants but I know he wants you alive. So, he sent me to ensure that." Nalz turned back to his pistol. "Besides that, I'm starting to like having you around. I'm glad you'll be working at the office."

Eyrich blinked and stared at the cabinetry in front of him, registering the heat building up in his cheeks; delighted that his fur kept his embarrassment hidden. The offhandedness of the comment made him completely forget all of Nalz's explanation and his own annoyance. He didn't believe the lizard had meant it as anything other than friendly, but he had to be certain. Even if half of him was so nervous it didn't want to dare ask. "You like me?" He immediately regretted his wording.

"Yeah. It isn't often I'm not in the company of someone that doesn't have blood on their hands or is jaded by the work and lifestyle. No offense, but you're rather plain and I quite like that." Eyrich sipped his tea and smiled. The lizard seemed to not have noticed what he'd really been asking.

"Even with the disclaimer, I think I should feel offended." Nalz smirked and started reassembling the second pistol.

"Take it how you want. By the way, you haven't told me what exactly it is you do. You said you would."

"Well" Eyrich started, leaning back in the chair and holding up a hand to count off his fingers "some coding here and there, graphic design on the side, surveillance, used to sell processor run time and hosted a cloud server until I had to destroy my tower, built computers and yeah, that's about it."

"Surveillance and some coding, huh?" Nalz asked suspiciously as he broke down his third pistol into its main assemblies. "Doesn't sound like anything serious enough to need a contingency like melting a hole clear through to the foundation of a building."

"You might say that some of the data I was hosting and numbers I was crunching could be considered highly volatile. Some government agencies don't tend to like that." Eyrich said with a self satisfied smirk.

"And that's why Hard Wire hired you on, because you're good at doing bad things."

"A little. They're not all bad, per say, just unpopular." He wasn't sure if he could tell Nalz exactly what he had been doing for Hard Wire or even if he should. Aside from saving him there was little hard proof that he worked for Hard Wire at all. He could be probing him for information and everything that had happened was an extremely elaborate attempt to get information out of him for some unnamed third party. Maybe he was a spy inside LightLines, heard about the planned attack and intervened.

Then he remembered that Nalz had the flash drive with all the data and started to panic, but kept his face stoic.

"And? What did you do for Hard Wire?" Nalz implored as he squeezed a few drops of a brown, viscous liquid from a small black bottle onto a rag. Eyrich watched him finish assembling the pistol before he spoke.

"I can't talk about it." He mumbled into his mug as he finished the last gulp of tea. Nalz looked over with a questioning glance. "What do you mean?"

Eyrich shrugged one shoulder and tried to play it off, feigning interest in something in the kitchen. "You don't trust me, do you?" Eyrich knew it was easier to keep up the truth than continue into an elaborate lie and nodded slightly.

"I just met you and I wouldn't say it was under the best of circumstances and to be honest, I really have no proof that you even work for Hard Wire. Hard to know what to believe in and who to trust right now." Nalz nodded and brushed at the carbon on the barrel of the fourth pistol.

"I hear that. Believe what you want but, I don't risk my life for no reason. How about this, reach into my jacket on the back of my chair. The flash drive is in the left pocket. You can hang on to it if it makes you feel like you can trust me." Eyrich watched Nalz continue to calmly brush before he decided it wasn't a trick. He didn't show any outward signs of being offended or upset. "Okay."

He slid from the chair - tall enough that his feet couldn't touch the ground while seated - and fished around inside Nalz's jacket until he felt the lump of the flash drive. The metallic slap of a weapon being cocked met his ears as he pulled the drive out and he jerked back with the item, clutching it to his chest, ready to find a gun pointed at his head for the second time in one evening. After a moment he hesitantly turned, looked up and found the reptile looking at him with a raised brow. "Find it?"

"Uh, yeah." Eyrich said as he stood up, embarrassed. He went to put the drive in his pocket and realized he was wearing the robe and didn't have any. "Um, are my clothes done?"

"What? Oh yeah!" Nalz pushed himself out of his chair and went down the hall. "It'll be a bit. They still need to go in the dryer."

Eyrich went into the kitchen and picked up the kettle, refilled it and placed it on the stove; taking a moment to figure out how it turned on. The water that ran down the kettle began to sizzle as he left the water to boil and turned to the cabinets; opening one at a time until he found the tea mother lode. He looked around at the variety of boxes ranging from plain to ones with intricate paintings printed on them. They were organized by type of tea and he found the green teas easily once he realized that. It dawned on him that he had no idea which one Nalz had used and sighed.

"Looking for this?" Nalz asked playfully, pressing up against Eyrich's back. The smaller male jumped back into Nalz in surprise and squeaked. "Shit!" Nalz picked out a matte black box with a green tea leaf embossed on the front in no kind of hurry.

"Sorry, didn't meant to scare you." Nalz said in a tone that meant he had had every intention of sneaking up on Eyrich. He opened the box in front of him and pulled out two teabags, holding them up for him to take. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Eyrich replied timidly and delicately took the teabags. Nalz didn't move or make any indication that he was going to and he was too nervous to move out from under him. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the heat radiating from Nalz through the robe. It was a small comfort in a night full of torment. The companionship that he yearned for so close that all he had to do was accept it. Nalz finished replacing the box and closed the cabinet, slowing to make sure the door wouldn't hit either of them.

Just when Eyrich felt the silence couldn't get any more awkward without somebody making a move - whether it was him turning around and being taken into his four arms or moving away - the kettle began to hiss. "I better get that." It was about to crescendo into a full whistle when Nalz stepped away and saved them both from having to endure the ear splitting annoyance.

He exited the kitchen and went back to his chair at the bar, leaving Eyrich alone to get the kettle and pour the water, his head full of pressing questions: why had Nalz done that? Why had he enjoyed the proximity so much? Was he seriously finding himself taking more than a platonic interest in the man?

Nalz separated the two buckles at the center of his torso and slid the chest rig from his shoulders; hanging it on the back of his chair over his coat. The weight of the magazines necessitated clicking the buckles back together so it wouldn't slip off. Eyrich came back around the bar and handed Nalz a fresh mug of tea. Nalz motioned to the cluster of chairs and couches that were centered on the massive flat screen television mounted on the far wall.

Eyrich obliged the recommendation and took the closest couch, cradling his mug as he sank into the absurdly comfortable cushions. Steam from the hot water tickled his nose as he made himself comfortable against the velvety microfiber clad couch. He couldn't deny that it was one of the most comfortable things he'd ever sat upon.

Nalz followed close behind, sitting in the adjacent recliner. He put his bare feet up on the large glass table that sat in the middle of everything, stretching and sinking into the plush seat with a pleasured sigh. "Ah, time to relax."

"You're not worried about anybody coming after us?" Eyrich asked on reflection of the evening.

"Nah, there is more than Donnie and Johnny keeping an eye out. Plus, word isn't going to pass fast enough for them to organize, find us and attack. We'll be gone tomorrow morning."

"To meet the boss, right?" Eyrich asked, blowing and sipping his hot tea, steam fogging his glasses.

"Yup." Nalz closed his eyes and leaned his head back; enjoying the few minutes of silence that filled the room.

"This is random but, how did you end up working for Hard Wire in the first place?" He saw Nalz begin to smile.

"Well, I had a mission to assassinate an important person. Went to the place and sneaked in. Things didn't quite go my way once I found my target and I ended up captured. Turns out, I'd been sent to kill the head of Hard Wire. He liked my style, appreciated my skills and decided to spare me. In exchange, I started working for him."

"So every time you mention 'The Boss' you're talking about the CEO of Hard Wire and you tried to kill him?" Eyrich reiterated in disbelief. It was outlandish enough to be completely true. "Why would somebody hire a person that tried to kill them?"

"Because it was the smart thing to do. That was a few months ago. The only time I failed on a contract. Also, the last time." Nalz grinned boastfully and recrossed his legs. Eyrich silently sipped his tea and contemplated that for a few moments. "What time is it, anyway?" Nalz turned his upper left arm, shaking his wrist to situate his watch.

"It's only twenty-two thirty."

"Huh?" Eyrich raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Ten-thirty." Nalz corrected with a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't know twenty-four hour time very well."

Nalz nodded and chugged the rest of his tea in two gulps and set the mug on the table with finality. Eyrich watched him curiously as he stood, padded around the table and plopped onto the couch next to him. Any reasonable person would consider the distance between them socially awkward for two near strangers. He couldn't resist the feeling of embarrassment that washed over him for how much he secretly enjoyed the proximity and buried his snout in his mug.

"Feeling better, less stressed?"

"Y-yeah, much better." Eyrich stuttered, voice muffled by the mug. Nalz took the mug from his hands and drank the last remaining bit of tea. He sat the mug on the table out of reach. Eyrich kept his hands busy by twisting his fingers in the robe he wore after nervously adjusting his glasses. "Maybe . . . a little stressed."

"We can work that out of you." Nalz said as he slid an upper arm onto the furred dragon's shoulders. He stiffened under the touch and his mind went blank.

Nalz sneaked his lower arm between Eyrich's waist and the couch, utilizing the two arms to pull the male tight against his side. "You've got nothing to worry about here with me." Eyrich's fingers worked the cottony robe like a baker kneading fresh dough.

"Nothing?" Eyrich asked and, feeling a spike of bravery, continued "maybe I should be worried about you."

Nalz smirked. "I'm just trying to be comforting. Are you accusing me of doing more than that?"

"You've been acting very familiar for having just met me. It's hard to know exactly what you've been doing." Nalz put a lower hand over Eyrich's to stop him fidgeting. To him the reptile's hands were warm and smooth. They didn't feel like what he imagined the hands of a killer would feel like. "Let's just say it's part of my own comforting process."

Eyrich turned his head to look Nalz in the eyes and received a look in return that he wasn't entirely sure how to take. This wasn't the first time he'd found himself attracted to someone, but the speed that it was happening at surprised him. Looking into the shifting rays of emerald bursting from Nalz's slit pupils with the radiance of a dying star. He could imagine the galaxy of memory and intellect lurking beneath the faceted shield built up with the years of difficult life.

It could all be a matter of circumstance; attaching himself emotionally due to the intensity of their mutual, savage introductory experience. He was pretty sure he'd read about something similar on the internet happening to people placed in extreme situations. It couldn't be Stockholm Syndrome. As far as he could tell he wasn't a hostage; didn't feel like one at least.

The situation was making him feel awkward, not comforted as Nalz claimed to be attempting. He'd never being so caught up in the abyss of another man's eyes that he'd lost track of time. Another part of his body was finding the situation quite enjoyable, however. Eyrich blushed and looked down at his brown fur poking between gray fingers, unable to keep his bearing under the lizard's spotlighting attention. He found it amusing how close Nalz's hands were to his stiff erection.

Teeth closed around his ear, hot breath tickling the sensitive hairs within. His body locked up and his cheeks burned. Nalz continued the gentle assault until his claws communicated his lascivious intentions. Eyrich couldn't resist lifting his snout as the blunt tips dug through his fur to the sensitive skin beneath. Chin to throat the claws dragged slowly, applying deliberate pressure down to his collar bone where they stopped and retraced their path.

His cheeks were on fire, mind a chaotic whirlwind of emotion; only his lower half was absolutely certain of itself. The reptile shifted from the shivering male's ear to his throat. Nipping at his collar bone and nosing down the folds of the bathrobe. The furred dragon stifled a groan when the claws raked down his chest, pulling the robe open to his fists. Eyrich's mind and body gave in to the delightful attention, muscles loosening up. Everything about Nalz's body language oozed dominance. He couldn't help but succumb to his persistence.

"About time you loosened up." Nalz grunted into his fluffy throat. Eyrich huffed in response, bringing a hand up to rub Nalz's head. The smooth scales gave way to soft, short crimson spines that gave beneath his palm. It took him a moment to notice how Nalz was reacting to him; nuzzling into his throat in an uncontrolled, erratic fashion.

Nalz regained his wits and pulled back, jumping up from the couch and glaring at an uncertain Eyrich who adjusted his glasses. The reptile wasted no time in unbuttoning his shirt and dropping his trousers - leaving him in scale hugging boxers and an open, white shirt that accentuated his gray scales that covered toned muscles.

Eyrich looked him up and down as he partially disrobed. Smiling to himself when his eyes caught the predominate bulge in the pale blue underwear. Nalz stood with his lower hands on his hips and upper arms crossed, grinning broadly at the dragon's hungry expression. His grin turned predatory at the displacement of fabric at the other male's crotch. Sharp white teeth hinting at the reptile's predatory evolution. Predation was definitely on his mind and his prey was hopelessly in his control. "On your back."

The situation escalated with the simple order and Eyrich fully realized what was coming. Nalz's intentions had been imaginable. Now he knew what the male wanted and he hesitated obeying the order, shifting uncomfortably. "What do you mean?" He knew exactly what Nalz meant.

Nalz grabbed Eyrich's shoulders and pushed him down onto his back. His head hit the armrest and he squeaked as the reptile came over him on hands and knees. There was no resistance and Eyrich blinked up at him expectantly. Nalz was just about to kiss him when a ring - that couldn't have been more perfectly timed - interrupted his descent.

"Fucking seriously!" Nalz growled. He was conflicted between answering the phone and just saying 'screw it'. On the other hand the call could be one of the guards alerting him to an attack, however unlikely that was. An aggravated grunt preceded him sitting back on his heels and contorting to reach his crumpled up pants. He shoved his hand into a pocket and retrieved the intermittently buzzing device. The screen displayed the I.D of the caller in clinical white lettering with a well known image.

Of course Schism would be calling.

"Yes?" Nalz asked as neutrally as he could, taking deep breaths to keep his composure.

"Just wanted to let you know that the contact team finished cleaning up." Schism's voice said through the speaker.

"How did it go?"

"You failed to mention anything about an apartment fire." Nalz suppressed a chuckle.

"It wasn't very big when we left."

"Luckily for us, it didn't get beyond the apartment; except for the hole going through clear to the foundation. What's the story on that one?"

"Thermite. Eyrich already had a plan for if he ever needed to destroy his equipment. Which worked out great for us. Can't be too careful these days." Nalz sat back up and smirked down at him. He utilized a lower hand to rub Eyrich's erection through the robe.

"Well it did a number on the structure and melted through the boiler. The tenants aren't too happy about not having any heat. I would have preferred a quieter execution but, good job."

"Thank you. I really mean that." Nalz said, completely honest. It wasn't often that the Boss gave him honest praise without a catch. Schism was suspicious at first but decided it was less trouble to believe him. At the same time Nalz's hand slipped between the loose folds on the bathrobe. Eyrich stiffened when he felt four scaled digits curl around and grip his length. His heartbeat accelerated rapidly in anticipation.

"How is he handling this?" Schism asked. Nalz paused as if he'd just been caught by his parents; going so far as to glance over the couch at the front door. He couldn't believe he had actually forgot he was on the phone.

"Eyrich?"

"Duh." Nalz grinned mischievously at the male squirming beneath his deliberate strokes. "He's doing rather well, actually. Here, I'll put him on." Eyrich's eyes widened in disbelief. He put up his hands, shook his head and mouthed 'no!'. His protests went completely unheard and his face blanched when the phone stopped at his ear.

"Hello?" Schism asked after a moment when he heard nothing but silence.

"Uh, hi?" Eyrich managed as Nalz transferred the job of holding the phone to him.

"It's nice to meet you, Eyrich. My name is Schism. I'm the one who sent Nalz to take care of you. I trust his interactions with you have been nothing less than professional." Some unshakeable feeling deep in his gut told him that he didn't believe that. In the slightest.

"Of course! Nothing but-" He clamped his hand over his snout to prevent the escape of a moan. Nalz's tongue was dragging itself up and down his flesh tantalizingly. The reptile had been very professional up until the point that he started hitting on him. Not that he was complaining. If he had to fill out some sort of after action survey or report he would give him nothing but high marks. The gritty details could be conveniently glossed over.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing." Eyrich stuttered and glared down at the reptile looking up at him innocently. How he managed to look innocent with a dick at his lips was an ability he certainly didn't possess. Nalz simply smiled and slowly, gently wrapped his tongue around his cock, easily taking his length into his maw to the base; short tufts of fur tickling his nose. "You sure you're doing alright?" Schism sounded worried.

"Of course! I mean, as good as someone can do after almost dying, ya know? Kind of traumatizing." Eyrich spit out quickly with a nervous chuckle. It was getting harder to keep a straight face, let alone keep the pleasure he felt - burning in his loins like an out of control apartment complex fire - out of his voice.

"True." Schism agreed, sounding placated. "I'll see you tomorrow when Nalz brings you in. You and I have some business to discuss about your future employment opportunities with us. I think you'll be quite pleased by what I have to offer you." Eyrich didn't managed to catch his guttural moan when Nalz found his balls, but tried to cover it up with a fit of coughing.

"Of course, of course. I'm looking forward to it! Wow it's late, I think I'm going to . . . try and get some sleep . . . talk to you tomorrow." Eyrich jabbed at the 'end call' button desperately and, upon finally hitting it, dropped the phone off the couch and let out the pent up groan of relief he'd been struggling to contain. Nalz glanced up curiously; grinning at the way the dragon clutched the cushions with fervor and arched his back. He gave his length a few long licks before raising up and crawling back over the panting male.

"You're an asshole."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist a little fun."

"At my expense." Eyrich pointed out with a frown.

"Oh hush." Nalz leaned down and finished what he'd intended to start before the phone rang, pressing his lips to the dragon's. It started light at first until Eyrich began to reciprocate. At which point it escalated from light kissing to a lusty make out session involving tongues at a level that could have passed as a dental examination. Something caught Nalz's attention and he stopped, lifting his head enough to look down at Eyrich curiously. "Open your mouth." He ordered. The dragon hesitated for a moment but complied. Nalz moved his head to get a better view of what made him stop. "Huh. Definitely was not expecting that."

"Expecting what?" Eyrich said clumsily, trying to keep his mouth open.

"Your tongue splits. That's totally awesome. Can you move them individually?"

"Sorta." He said and twirled them together as best he could. Nalz grinned like he'd just seen the coolest thing in the world. He was back on the dragon in a flash, sticking his tongue into Eyrich's maw with a purpose, probing his split tongue curiously with his own.

Eyrich turned his head away and panted after nearly a minute, out of breath. Nalz smiled amorously down at him and sat up. "Man, I can't wait until next time."

"Next time?" Eyrich asked, cocking a eyebrow.

"Nothing. Never mind. Don't go anywhere, boy. I'll be right back." With that he stood from the couch and quickly disappeared down the hall.

Eyrich glanced around the room and sat up, hesitantly shrugging the robe from his shoulders. The damp garment quickly found its way onto the floor. He sighed quietly as the open air caressed his fur, slipping between tufts like a whispering wind in lofty treetops. He was still curious what he'd meant by 'next time'. With Nalz no longer demanding his attention he had a chance to reflect. Analyzing the events of the day, from a rational standpoint, should have told him to stop Nalz much earlier. Being so out of place had complicated rationality but, at the same time, maybe he was beyond rationality anyway.

If he was to believe what he had been told about working for Hard Wire this was a chance unlike any other to start over. Nalz had said employment with Hard Wire had been his new start. A new, exciting way of life. The circle came full as he thought about what Nalz, obviously, had planned for him.

Eyrich liked to believe that he would, under normal circumstances, have gotten to know a person much better before getting naked with them. People always want to repay somebody when they save their lives - or something equally great. Perhaps going along with it would not only please both of them but quash any future guilt or future obligation to return the favor. He shrugged to himself and shifted from staring at the couch to the lizard that walked into view. The situation dictated that he loosen up, shut off his brain and enjoy what was falling into his lap.

Or rather, into his butt.

Nalz crawled onto the couch over the armrest in a manner only a barbarian would consider seductive. It wasn't clumsy but it certainly wasn't graceful. His lower hands held what resembled a condom wrapper and a bottle of obvious content. Nalz continued crawling forward - with predatory intent - until his lips pressed against the sitting dragon's. Eyrich wrapped his arms around Nalz's neck and fell back in slow motion, pulling the lizard down atop him. He melted under the lip service and firmly decided that now was as good a time as any to tell rationality to 'sod off'. Go sit itself in a dark corner and politely die.

Snouts tilted to accommodate differing physiology and deepen the kiss. Hands roamed unbound over naked scale and fur; claws scraped down sides, saliva exchange mouths, grunts and growls punctuated the silence and all other worries were thrown far across the room and out the window.

With no fanfare, Nalz lifted his hips and shimmied out of his underwear - with the help of his tail - and tossed the garment unceremoniously to the floor; joining the other carelessly discarded clothing.

"Ohh-" Eyrich cooed appreciatively as his hands realized the reptile's respectable endowment and exotic shape. Nalz showed his first sign of weakness by blushing at the dragon's compliment and sat up as he was fondled. Firm undulations like short sine waves hid beneath the taut flesh. He couldn't wait to feel them. The skin had a thick consistency, what Eyrich imagined a dolphin or whales skin to feel like. A nearly flat tip ended in a gentle point and the middle was slightly thicker than the rest. The base, where it disappeared into Nalz's slit interested him, it was noticeably skinnier than the rest, as if it wouldn't be able to support any rigorous use.

"You like it?" Nalz asked with a hint of disbelief. As far as he could recall he'd never had anybody really mention they liked his dick.

"Mhmm." Eyrich purred, stroking slowly with his soft, fuzzy palms in a way that sent delicious shivers up Nalz's spine. A few more moments of the heavenly treatment brought the reptile back down over Eyrich with a restrained moan. "I don't think I've ever felt such soft hands." Nalz breathed before giving the dragon another kiss.

"Trying to charm your way into my pants?" He gave the reptile a long tug and heavy squeeze.

"M-maybe if you had pants on to get into." Nalz growled and, in retaliation, pressed his advantage, employing his lower arms. One hand took hold of the dragon's needy erection while the other cupped and massaged his balls.

Eyrich shuddered and purred louder. Losing concentration on his own task he unwittingly rolled his head to the side, opening up his neck to the reptile; who just so happened to love biting. Nalz - not one to waste a perfectly good opportunity - dipped his head, lifted one of Eyrich's shoulders and closed his jaws around his furred flesh. The dragon instantly stiffened and gasped, body tensing as the pressure increased; pinpricks of delightful discomfort made him yearn for more. His mouth dropped open in a noiseless gasp as Nalz obliged and gave his rigid length the attention it so desired.

Remembering that he needed to breath, Eyrich groaned out the breath he'd been holding and squirmed beneath the larger male. He dragged the claws of one hand up Nalz's back, continuing up the reptile's neck, against the natural downward bend of his crimson spines. The effect was almost instantaneous. Nalz's jaws relaxed and his head pressed heavily into the arm rest of the couch. A deep, guttural growl emanated from his very core.

Eyrich grinned and continued to rub up and down the back of the lizard's head slowly. To him it felt like Nalz's dick got even harder in his hand, pre dribbling unrestrained, and that thought made part of him burn with desire; his cheeks flushed with it. While he enjoyed making the lizard shudder with the lightest touch he didn't want the docile reptile that doing so made him become. No, he wanted the dominant, strong and tough Nalz that saved him to come back and give him what he craved. The weakness that spine manipulation induced would be stored for future use if the lizard decided to be uncooperative.

The debilitation stroking his spines created ceded to his stalwart libido and he shook the cobwebs from his head. Nalz snarled and nipped aggressively at the dragon's exposed throat before forcefully rolling him over onto his stomach. Eyrich grunted and made various noises of surprise but did absolutely nothing to protest the treatment. Wholly enjoying the way the lizard handled him was the more appropriate reality.

Nalz let his body weight hold the dragon down, laying on top of him, clawing at his sides in retaliation. Eyrich squirmed and tried not to laugh, cursing his ticklishness for deciding to rear it's annoying head. The lizard smirked a most malicious smirk and proceeded to exploit the weakness. Eyrich struggled to resist valiantly, but four hands was entirely too many for him to fight against. If he didn't have such a raging boner he would have been on the verge of doing something horribly embarrassing.

"S-stop, Nalz!" He managed between uncontrollable giggles. Nalz relented after a few more torturous finger movements and laughed merrily.

"Only because you sounded so desperate when you cried my name." He leaned closer, each hot breath into his ear gravid with lust. "Nalz . . . it almost sounded like you were begging me."

Eyrich quickly forgot what little animosity he'd had and purred at the thought of begging for it, even if it did make him blush hotly. Now he had to think of a suitable reply to instigate retribution from the lizard. He'd been enjoying himself so far, very much so in fact, and there was no denying, even to himself, that he badly wanted the lizard. First, however, he wanted to make him work it. At least a little bit. "No, I wasn't begging for anything." He said after turning his head away from the cushions. "Your fat ass is just making it hard to breath."

Nalz blinked in surprise and huffed. The small distraction gave the dragon time to resist his oppressor. Getting his arms underneath himself he worked his leg and did whatever he could to make the lizard think he was trying to dislodge him and escape. Unfortunately, for Eyrich, Nalz was much heavier and stronger, although his goal had never actually been to succeed. The lizard being forceful in his assertion of authority was what he wanted. It was not long before he found his arms pinned next to his head, legs pressed apart and Nalz's weight bearing down on his shoulder blades.

"Are you done?" Nalz asked sarcastically, running his lower claws up the dragon's thighs. Eyrich blushed at how exposed he was.

"Nuh uh." Eyrich baited and floundered in response. Nalz growled and pulled the dragon's legs up to his sides so he was in a modified kneeling position. All he could think about now was the reptile's dick pressed flat against his butt. He wiggled his lower half against Nalz's crotch to entice him.

The whole event had been a test of Nalz's self control. There had been several times that he'd wanted to pull the dragon's snout down onto him and make him suck. The ultimate test was going to be going slow, he had no idea what Eyrich could handle and he didn't want to hurt the guy.

Nalz slid his lower hands around the couch in search of the items he'd brought and discarded absentmindedly. Eyrich continued to make the act of searching more difficult for fun, moving and grinding against the lizard, to great effect; who responded by nibbling the dragon's submissively swept back ears as he squeezed the contents of the bottle of lube - after finding it stuck between two cushions - onto his fingers. The cool, viscous fluid made Eyrich shiver and purr when it touched his defenseless flesh; gasping and going still when the fingers went a little further than simple application.

Being the gentleman that he was, concerned for himself and his partner, Nalz found the condom he'd brought and tore open the foil wrapper. He had to restrain his eagerness as he applied the latex barrier and readied himself.

"You've been quiet." Nalz said as he put aside the trash and bottle; wrapping the hand slick with lube around the dragon's length, thumb rubbing at the flat tip.

"Mm, not much to talk about with you. All brawn, no brains." Eyrich sighed happily with a rebellious smirk. Nalz took hold of his tail and lifted it as high as it would naturally bend, using his belly to hold it in position as he guided himself up against the dragon's tenacious tail hole.

"Well the brawn that saved your ass is about to own it." Nalz growled salaciously into Eyrich's ear before latching his teeth onto his shoulder, tip spreading him open as he curled his hips forward.

Eyrich gasped and balled his fists, wincing at the lizard's healthy endowment. It had been long enough since he'd last used one of his toys that some adjustment was necessary before he could take Nalz comfortable. He had every confidence that he could with aplomb and was eager to show how capable he was at handling more than just computers. It seemed cliche to think that what he was doing was some form of repayment. Nalz had been ordered to save him, but he still felt that showing his abundant appreciation was appropriate.

It was amazing, for how carnal an act, how quiet the pair was being. Eyrich only breathed in short gasps and purred between them as more and more of the lizard sank into him. Nalz's mouth hung agape, too busy concentrating on the way the dragon's warm, constricting tail fought futilely against his intrusion. With relative ease he hilted himself in Eyrich's inviting ass, lubricious scales meeting silken fur. A throaty moan of absolute pleasure escaped his open maw as he retracted, moist dragon insides tugging at him in protest.

The dragon moaned into the inexcusably soft cushion when Nalz plunged back inside, grinding his hips against Eyrich's fervently. Nalz continued eagerly stroking his lower hand up and down the dragon's rigid dick, digits gliding over the subtle bumps along the underside. Thumb teasing the tip every few strokes. His second lower hand shifted duties to gently squeeze and knead Eyrich's balls.

Eyrich groaned and bucked into Nalz's hand, leaking pre onto the innocent couch. It was probably not the first time the couches had been used for the same kind of licentious activity; Nalz certainly was not the only person who made use of the home. Everybody that worked at Hard Wire, that used the safe house, knew that was the case and the Boss employed an experienced, discreet housekeeping company.

Noise, or the lack thereof, from the couch was a testament to its high quality construction. A never thought of character of high-end furniture. Despite how little noise the couch made that did not mean silence prevailed over the room. The pair had started to increase the volume of their copulation but it was not at a level that any neighbors, above or below, would file a noise complaint with the building's management. Which had happened with previous temporary occupants.

Nalz nibbled lightly on one of Eyrich's ears, voice thick with lust. "Are we enjoying lizard's cock?" He punctuated the question by pressing as deep into the dragon's tail as possible.

A favorable response is what he expected; a favorable response is exactly what he didn't receive.

"About as much as I could reasonably be expected to." Nalz's brow furrowed in thought. The comment had been so offhand - he even stopped humping Eyrich - it took him a minute to process the meaning and concoct an appropriate response. Being wrapped up in the process of fucking the dragon certainly hadn't helped his reaction time. A way to fix the opinion of mediocrity Eyrich had of his performance would have to be swift. Simple words would not suffice.

The reptile hooked an upper arm over Eyrich's shoulder and planted the hand on his chest. His other arm wrapped around from the side, fingers interlocking together. Despite knowing the comment would incite the male Eyrich paid little attention to what was happening. He really was enjoying himself immensely and was concentrating on the warm, thick flesh filling him.

When Nalz shifted his knees further forward, gripped Eyrich's hips roughly with his lower hands, sat back and yanked on him that, in one fluid movement, pulled them both into a kneeling position Eyrich shouted in surprise and pain. His surprise from being caught off-guard and manhandled and the pain from the cock burying itself deeper than he imagined it could. The treatment excited him in a way he didn't even know existed.

"So what you were saying was, I'm good enough, but you've had better?" Eyrich swallowed heavily and fidgeted. The tone the lizard's voice had taken made him question whether goading him had been a very good idea.

"No?" Eyrich replied quietly with a guilty conscious, wincing as claws dug into his sensitive hips.

"Now you're going to lie to me?" Nalz said sinisterly. Eyrich could see his sharp, threatening teeth bared out of the corner of his eye as they approached from the side.

"I didn't really mean it." He attempted next.

Nalz wasn't having any of it. He pulled out of the dragon, turned him around and shoved him up against the high back of the couch in one swift motion. Eyrich whimpered as he was bent back over the cushions, hands roughly gripping his rump, along with their respective claws, to hold him up. He felt hot breath on his throat before the teeth but he still tried to jerk away, squeezing his eyes shut from the dull pain the teeth imparted with the movement; gasping loudly, voice gruff, a moment later as Nalz practically dropped him onto his cock. A hand wrapped itself around his rock hard, eager length and tended it with purpose.

The positioning may not have been the best for speed and power but it was perfect for depth and biting. Nalz bit, nibbled and nipped every place he could imagine: collarbone, neck, throat, shoulders, ears and even the dragon's chin and lips between kisses. Not even his two long whiskers were spared from the torment, sending shivers down his spine each time Nalz nipped at them. How he did it Eyrich didn't care to figure out.

All that mattered to him in the moment was the euphoria radiating from every site of a nip and bite and the delicious pressure building in his loins, growing with every ragged breath and desperate thrust from the lizard. He whimpered, moaned, groaned and made sounds he didn't even know how to describe. Blunt claws met impenetrable scale when he scraped them along Nalz's jaw, neck and back. Even in the heat of the moment he blushed when he felt Nalz's tail coil tightly down his own. An intimate act he had definitely not been expecting.

It was not long before Eyrich noticed and felt Nalz's thrusts becoming erratic and off tempo. Nalz was close and he wanted, no, yearned to feel the reptile come deep inside his tail. His own breathing became desperate as Nalz skillfully jerked him off, giving in to the overwhelming urge to bite him back, latching onto the lizard's muscular trapezius with a force that left indentations in the scales. Nalz moaned in a pitch Eyrich had yet to hear and he smiled, feeling the lizard bury himself deep as he could in his tail.

Eyrich held his breath and fought to hold off his orgasm. Despite his best efforts he came, thanks to Nalz's attentive care, seed spurting in several viscous globs onto his fur. He could feel Nalz shaking with his own exertion, every muscle tense in ecstasy. His head dropped limp against Eyrich's, panting as he resumed breathing, spent. Eyrich sighed in the afterglow and gently pet along Nalz's spines - in the proper direction. He was soon rewarded with affectionate nuzzles and a strong, four-armed hug.

Nalz shifted into a cross leg sitting position, without disturbing the connection between himself and Eyrich, settling the dragon comfortably in his lap as they both waited for him to soften and slip out. Neither was in much of a hurry to disturb the quiet and residual pleasure from the occasional muscle twitch.

"Comforted yet?" Nalz asked with a grin, rubbing his cheek against Eyrich's.

"Mm, almost." Eyrich sighed with closed eyes, entirely content with his current position. The earlier happenings of the evening far from his thoughts. Distant memories laying in wait on distant shores for his guard to drop. The baying of grotesque future nightmares falling on deaf ears. An anathema he'd yet to realize.

"Almost?"

"Yeah. You haven't tucked me in and kissed me goodnight, yet." Nalz chuckled and rolled his eyes, patting Eyrich's butt playfully.

"Are you trying to be a pain in the ass?" Eyrich shook his head, leaned back and tapped Nalz's snout with a claw.

"That, actually, would be you." Nalz snorted and kissed him lightly.

"Well then, we'd better get ourselves, mainly you, cleaned up before bed." Eyrich looked down at the mess he'd made on himself and felt proud.

"I haven't made a mess like that in a long time."

"I can't help my greatness, you understand, right?" Eyrich snorted and shivered as Nalz's nearly flaccid cock slipped out of him.

"How about you use your greatness to carry me to the shower."

"Yes ma'am."

Nalz smirked and the pair shifted position until Eyrich was sitting horizontally in his lap, who then wrapped his arms around the lizard's neck. He cradled the dragon with all four arms and stood from the couch. The dragon nuzzled into Nalz's neck as he carried him to the bathroom, not wanting to be put down any time soon.

The disparate pair showered and dried themselves, quickly ending up in the master bedroom at the end of the hallway. Nalz set the alarm on his watch before he settled in with his objective. There wasn't any particular time he had to be in. It was always good to maintain a proper schedule. Arms, legs and tails fought for comfortable positions, each eventually settling on a compromise.

"I hope you don't expect me to tuck you in."

"How about a goodnight kiss?"

"I suppose I can do that." Eyrich chuckled. The lizard may not have had the best bed side manner but he readily accepted his deceptively gentle lips, even if the 'goodnight kiss' ended up lasting for five minutes.

~~ "Can't say I see anything I don't like."

"So we have a deal then?"

"I believe we do, Mr. Venefirous." Eyrich said with a broad grin. The two of them stood and shook hands over the desk. "Please, call me Schism. We're all friends here."

"Sure thing, Schism." He said with a smile, looking back down at the half dozen sheets of paper covering the desktop in a haphazard fashion. "So where do I sign my life away?"

"I'm not that kind of gangster." Schism shook his head with a friendly smile. There were some people that did not agree with that statement of course. Those people were merely pawns on a giant chess board. One where each square was made up of a city block. Each borough its own separate board. At any one time there were a dozen different games of chess Hard Wire played in. When it came to those that worked directly with him or had some attachment to the company it was completely true. He scanned the papers and placed one before Eyrich, handing him a heavy, thick executive pen. "This one, bottom line down there. Just above your name."

Eyrich skimmed through the paper to make sure nothing had magically changed since he'd last reread it. He signed his name in elegant cursive, ending the last letter with a flourish. Schism picked the paper up along with the others and collated them. A single, heavy paperclip secured the packet and he placed it in one of the several trays stacked on the desk.

"It's official then. You now legitimately work for Hard Wire. No more of that clandestine, backdoor business for you, my friend. We'll help find you a new place to live, more secure than the last. I hope you like getting new toys. You're going to have more than you'd ever dreamed you would." Schism opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small, dark wooden box. He opened the box and withdrew a cigar. "How about we celebrate." Eyrich shook his head.

"Thank you but I don't smoke."

"Well you're no fun. Drink? No? Well I suppose I should drink at work anyway." Schism pouted, putting the box back in the drawer. The cigar he'd pulled out stayed in his hand, however. "Go out and mingle. Have Nalz show you around the place. He'll help get you settled in and find a place." The furred dragon glanced off to the side and muttered.

"I'm sure he will."

"What was that?"

"I'll go find him and put him to work." Schism laughed as he pulled the cigar from its cellophane wrapper.

"Good, he needs somebody to keep him in check."

Eyrich grinned and excused himself, leaving Schism's office with a previously nonexistent bounce in his step. It seemed strange to be in such a bright mood after yesterday's ordeal but he felt good about how things were turning out. Not only that but he'd slept great. It was amazing how Nalz didn't move an inch and slept like a rock.

Things could have been much, much worse.

"Welcome to the family." Nalz said, ruffling the dragon's hair the moment he stepped out of the office.

"You assume I signed on."

"I know you did. Had a feeling you wouldn't refuse after our long negotiation session last night." Nalz said with a lopsided smirk.

"God. You are a horny . . . thing."

"Lizard, ya dunce." Nalz corrected with an air of superiority. "Now that you're on the payroll it's time to get you working. Come on, I'll show you around the place." Eyrich smiled and followed after him.

"What's our first stop?"

"Internal Affairs." There was something about Nalz's smile that made Eyrich suspicious.

"Why there?"

"I have a feeling we're going to end up there a lot in the future."

~As always, if you thoroughly enjoyed the story (You can't fool me!) unleash your love and admiration for me in the comments.~

NOTE: The cover art was done by Blekarotva over on FA.