Fic, Silk and Steel, Part 59, AU, 18
Sep. 8th, 2010 06:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fredbassettTitle : Silk and Steel, Part 59
Authors : fredbassett & munchkinofdoom
Fandom : Primeval
Characters : Thomson/Rees, Becker, Leek, Lyle, Lorraine
Rating : 18
Disclaimer : Not ours, no money made, don’t sue
Spoilers : None
Summary : Rees reports to Thomson with the preliminary results of the drugs tests on Lester and his captain wants more than just a report.
Warning : Slave!fic. Some elements of non-con.
A/N : Captain Thomson appears by kind permission of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
deinonychus_1 , Matt Rees appears by kind permission of telperion_15 .
*****
Lieutenant Matt Rees hesitated for a moment outside the closed door of the office that until a couple of hours ago had been Captain Ryan’s domain, then drew himself up to his full height and knocked once.
“Enter.” For a moment he thought Captain Thomson’s voice sounded tired, but it wasn’t like his superior officer to display any human frailty and, when Rees entered, he found Thomson seated behind Ryan’s desk, staring intently at the computer screen.
Rees saluted and stood to attention. His captain was a stickler for protocol.
“At ease, Matt.”
The use of his first name was rare and usually indicated that Thomson was in a good mood. He supposed the fact that Section 42 had succeeded in taking control of the ARC for the military was enough to please anyone, even his notoriously short-tempered captain. He’d caught a whisper to the effect that Oliver Leek was now Acting Director, but he found it hard to believe that the man was anything other than a cat’s paw.
He relaxed slightly, hands linked loosely behind his back. “I have the preliminary results of the drugs testing, sir.”
Thomson raised his well-marked eyebrows questioningly.
“The full results from both the blood and urine samples will take a while longer, but the first thing we went looking for was short-acting barbiturates. There was no evidence of any benzodiazepines.”
“In English, please,” said Thomson with a slight smile.
“I was looking for something called rohypnol. It’s in the valium class, the so-called date-rape drug.”
“And did you find it?”
“No. As yet, we haven’t actually found anything, sir. I’ve obtained various glasses and mugs from Sir James’s room and have sent those for analysis as well, and if there is anything, the screening should throw it up, but at the moment it isn’t looking very likely.”
“So he wasn’t drugged?”
“It doesn’t look like it.” Rees decided to chance his luck and ask a question. “Do you think that makes him complicit, sir?”
“Does Sir James Lester strike you as a traitor?”
Matt Rees shook his head. He knew Lester’s reputation as a hard bastard with a ruthless streak a mile wide, but he didn’t seem the sort to betray his employers, and for the life of him Rees couldn’t see what the man would have to gain by bringing his only project into disrepute by engineering a major debacle.
While Rees was still pondering his captain’s question, Thomson stood up and walked around the desk to lean against it, legs slightly spread. Rees dropped his eyes to the other man’s groin, and the bulge in the captain’s black combat trousers was not exactly unexpected. There had been a lot of adrenaline flowing in the last couple of hours. Rees hadn’t been surprised to learn that Thomson had let Miller off the leash long enough for the sergeant to indulge himself.
Miller’s tastes were well-known in the unit: they were one of the reasons he’d trained as an interrogator. He liked inflicting pain. In Rees’s experience, most torturers did. He’d heard it said that torturers made good lovers, understanding better than anyone the fine dividing line between pleasure and pain, but he found that hard to believe of Miller. The man was a bloody animal, and it took someone as strong as Thomson to control him. Allowing him the occasional perk was just one of the ways Thomson kept Miller’s loyalty.
And speaking of perks ... Matt Rees had worked for Thomson long enough to know what was expected of him. The medic sank to his knees on the pale grey carpet tiles of Ryan’s office. Thomson helpfully unzipped his trousers and freed his hard cock. Rees leaned forwards and wrapped his lips around the swollen head. He very much doubted this would take long. The young medic placed his hands on each side of Thomson’s hips, gripping the edge of the desk for balance, and took the other man’s cock slowly into his mouth, hollowed his cheeks and sucked. Thomson ran his hands through Rees’s thick, dark hair, and then started, slowly and deliberately, to fuck his mouth.
Rees wrapped his lips over his teeth, knowing that Thomson might like giving pain when he was in the mood, but he didn’t like being on the receiving end. He did his best to relax as Thomson’s thick cock slid over the roof of his mouth. Matt Rees tried hard to suppress his gag reflex; if he started choking, Thomson wouldn’t be impressed.
Saliva started to flood Rees’s mouth and he swallowed hard, tasting the sharp flavour of Thomson’s pre-come. The captain was breathing hard now and his thrusts were deepening. Rees struggled to breathe through his nose, trying to draw breath into his labouring lungs, hoping for some respite, however brief, from the vigorous face-fucking.
The sound of booted feet approaching down the corridor made his stomach execute a painful lurch. He hoped to hell that it wasn’t Miller coming to report to Thomson. He didn’t want the sergeant to see him like this. The footsteps came to a halt outside the door and the sound of two sharp raps broke the silence. A hot flush suddenly suffused Rees’s cheeks. He knew that knock.
“Enter,” Thomson said, pausing but not withdrawing totally from Rees’s mouth.
The door opened and Matt Rees didn’t need to be told that his own lover was now being greeted by the sight of him on his knees, lips stretched wide, sucking off their commanding officer. Any hopes he might have entertained that he would be spared further embarrassment by the siren song of the anomaly detector were doomed to crash and burn.
“You wanted a report on our operational capacity, sir,” Becker said, his voice as tightly controlled as Rees had ever heard it.
“Thank you, Captain,” Thomson acknowledged. “Have Stringer and his team arrived?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve briefed Captain Stringer on the fact that he and his men will now take over the role of first response team. Mr Leek has made it plain that Lieutenant Lyle is to retain command of Ryan’s unit whilst remaining in the role of Mr Leek’s personal bodyguard. The Acting Director has categorically refused to stand any of Ryan’s men down.”
Matt Rees felt Thomson nod his head, and then a large hand curled around the back of his neck and pulled him forward onto the cock in his mouth, almost causing him to gag again. It was a not very subtle reminder that his participation in this act was still required despite the presence of an audience. He hollowed his cheeks again and sucked hard, pressing his tongue against the underside of Thomson’s cock and flicking it against the taut ridge of skin in the way he knew the captain liked. His cheeks were still red and flushed, but at least Becker wasn’t in a position to see the shame burning his face.
“I’ll discuss that with Mr Leek shortly,” said Thomson. “But we have no evidence to implicate any of Ryan’s team. Several of them have been assigned to guard the scientists, anyway, and I shall expect that to continue. Liaise with Lyle about that. It would be sensible to get one of his unit to baby-sit Professor Cutter as well.”
Rees swirled his tongue around Thomson’s leaking cock and teased at the slit. Without any warning, Thomson climaxed and warm, thick fluid flooded Rees’s mouth. He swallowed quickly and schooled himself not to pull away. He knew from past experience that the captain became almost unbearably sensitive after an orgasm, so once Thomson’s dick had finished spurting, Rees simply licked any remaining come from the head and sat back on his heels, eyes glued to the floor as he tried to bring his breathing under control.
“And the ex-Mrs Cutter?” asked Becker, his tone strictly neutral.
Thomson allowed a long, slow breath to escape his lungs. “I think she’s more than capable of looking after herself, Becker. I’m sure she’d only misconstrue any attempt to keep her safe.” The rustle of clothing and the sound of a zip being drawn up signalled an end to Rees’s part in the proceedings. “Thank you, Matt,” Thomson said, running a hand through his hair the way a man might stroke a favourite dog.
Matt Rees’s face burned again, but he rose to his feet with as much grace as he could muster and saluted his commanding officer. Thomson returned the salute, his face slack and relaxed, pupils blown wide, and then stepped around Rees to make his way to the door.
“I’ll attend Mr Leek in the Director’s office, Becker. Matt will brief you on the results of the drug screening.”
“And what of Lester, sir?” Becker queried.
“Confine Sir James to his quarters and replace his guards with your own men. That should be quite sufficient.” Thomson paused briefly in the doorway. “Captain Ryan is to be allowed to remain in the infirmary under guard – again by your men – until Owen deems him fit to be confined in a holding cell.”
Becker betrayed no surprise at the order. “Sir.”
Thomson closed the door behind him, leaving Matt Rees alone with his lover in Ryan’s office, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Without a word, Becker closed the distance between them in one quick stride, pulling Rees into his arms and holding him tightly. Matt Rees stiffened for a moment and then relaxed into Becker’s embrace.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he mumbled against Becker’s shoulder.
His lover’s arms tightened around him for a moment. “Been there, done that, got the stains on my tee-shirt to prove it,” Becker said quietly. “It’s not your fault, Matt. That would have been me if I’d reported before you. Forget it.”
Rees felt Becker’s hands on his cheeks, tilting his head to face his lover, and then gentle lips pressed a light kiss onto his swollen mouth. They rested their foreheads together for a moment and then drew back. Rees automatically checked his black uniform for any tell-tale stains and dredged up a grin from somewhere. It was time to face the rest of the world again.
* * * * *
“Coffee for Captain Thomson, please, Lorraine,” Oliver Leek said as Lester’s – now his – secretary ushered the soldier into the large office.
Thomson saluted and remained at attention.
Leek glanced up at the clock on the wall. 8.30pm. He couldn’t remember when he’d last eaten anything and, despite the events of the last couple of hours, he realised he was starving hungry.
“Should I arrange some sandwiches for you, Mr Leek?” Lorraine asked, with her usual finely-honed anticipatory abilities.
“That would be wonderful, Lorraine, and I’m sure Captain Thomson and Lieutenant Lyle would appreciate some as well.” He smiled at Thomson ingratiatingly, out of habit as much as anything else, whilst waving the soldier to a chair. Lyle had been lounging in the black leather sofa, but he’d come to attention as the captain had entered the room, his face schooled into an expression of blank respect. Another wave of Leek’s hand sent Lyle back to his place, although the lieutenant remained alert.
Leek faced Thomson over the expanse of Lester’s desk. The captain looked a damn sight more relaxed than Leek felt. He wondered who Thomson had found to work off his own adrenaline surge with. He’d heard the rumours, everyone had. The Section 42 operative was perfectly capable of using his own men for his pleasure, officers included, something that Ryan had never done. Thomson’s men obeyed his orders because it was their job – and because they were afraid of him. Ryan’s men followed him out of personal loyalty and hard-won respect, and Leek didn’t believe for a moment that he’d betrayed their trust, no matter what the security footage showed. He knew perfectly well that was capable of being tampered with.
Thomson sat in silence, and Leek realised with surprise that the man was awaiting an order to speak. He didn’t know what was at the root of Thomson’s new-found deference, but he found it even more disconcerting than the casual arrogance the captain had displayed so often in front of Lester.
“Well, Captain?” he said, hoping that was enough of an opening. His own energy levels had dipped badly, and he was too tired for much in the way of power play.
“We have the results of the drugs screening on the blood and urine samples taken from Sir James.”
Leek raised his eyebrows questioningly, conscious of the fact that he was mimicking Lester’s gestures.
“Negative,” Thomson said. “Lieutenant Rees is supervising further tests, but frankly, the chances of Sir James having been doped seem slender in the extreme.”
“What of the security footage? Is that still being checked?”
Thomson nodded. “Temple is examining the material. Once he has finished, I will arrange independent verification of the results.”
“Why? Don’t you trust him?”
“I’m not the trusting sort,” said the captain, with a shark-like smile. “Anyway, it’s for Temple’s own protection.”
Leek nodded slowly. “Yes, of course. Such a talented young man.”
The tap of approaching heels heralded Lorraine’s return with a large tray loaded with coffee and sandwiches. Leek’s stomach emitted a loud rumble and even Lyle looked up hopefully at the sight of food. Lorraine poured the coffee, handed around plates and asked Leek whether there was anything else he needed.
Leek shook his head. “Go home, Lorraine. It’s been a long day and I’m sure Captain Thomson will have no objection to making an exception to the lockdown where you are concerned. Thank you for your support.”
She did a good job of masking both her surprise at his words and her resentment that he was sitting in Lester’s chair. For a brief, uncomfortable moment, Leek saw himself through her eyes: a slimy little man who had no doubt been instrumental in both Ryan’s torture and Lester’s removal from power. He was painfully aware of the fact that he was universally loathed by almost everyone who now answered to him in the ARC, and that he owed his life – and his continued safety – to a soldier he had personally flogged and then buggered with a whip-handle. His mouth went suddenly dry and he looked down, unable to meet Lorraine’s dark eyes.
“Thank you, Mr Leek,” Lorraine said, quietly.
Leek took a mouthful of coffee, but his appetite had gone. He picked up one of the sandwiches and toyed with it while first Thomson and then Lyle loaded their plates, wolfing the food down quickly and without ceremony. A dark look from his bodyguard told him that Lyle had noticed he wasn’t eating. Leek succumbed to the unspoken pressure and managed to eat the sandwich in his hand. A sudden rumble from his stomach took him by surprise and two more followed that one in quick succession.
When the tray had been emptied, Leek leaned back and his chair and tried to appear more confident than he felt. “So, Captain, what happens next?”
“I suggest Lieutenant Lyle accompanies you home, sir, and you try to get some sleep. The Prime Minister will no doubt wish to speak with you early tomorrow morning. I’ll ensure a full briefing is on your desk by 7am. If you have no objection, I intend to keep Temple and some other key staff here for the moment, but I’ll announce a relaxation of the lockdown so far as the rest of the staff is concerned.”
“Thank you,” Leek murmured. He had finished his report to the PM and emailed it to Downing Street just before Thomson’s arrival, but he was rapidly running out of steam.
Thomson glanced over at Lyle. “Ensure one of your men goes with you, Lyle. Sleep isn’t optional where you’re concerned either. If you need any additional resources, speak to Captain Becker.” The man switched his attention smoothly back to Leek. “Captain Stringer’s men are now on site and will handle any anomaly responses. Sir James has been confined to his quarters and Becker’s men are on guard, both there and in the infirmary. Ryan will remain under medical supervision until Owen is satisfied with his condition.” Thomson hesitated for a moment then continued, “I took the liberty of assuring Ryan that he would not be subjected to any further questioning of that nature. Subject to your approval, of course, sir.”
Leek was surprised and let it show. He had a reputation to maintain, after all. He drew the moment out and saw a flicker of uncertainty in Thomson’s eyes. Leek schooled his face into an expression of magnanimity. “Granted. I’m happy to leave such matters in your hands for the moment, Captain. Do I take it from that you consider there is little more to be gained from questioning Ryan further under torture?”
“We prefer to call it ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’, sir.”
“I know perfectly well what it is!” Leek snapped, unable to bite back the words in time. “I helped draw up the guidelines, remember. Do you really believe Captain Ryan and Sir James Lester were responsible for the sabotage, Thomson?”
Thomson’s eyes widened in surprise at the question, he clearly hadn’t expected Leek to take the direct approach. He shifted in his seat, glancing instinctively over his shoulder into the now empty outer office.
“For the record, sir,” Thomson said quietly. “No, I don’t. But someone introduced a virus to the servers and cut those wires, and civilians died. And it’s my job to find out who was responsible.”
“And what’s my role in all this?” Leek asked, floundering for words in the aftermath of the soldier’s revelation.
“It’s your job to prevent the ex-Mrs Cutter taking over the ARC, sir.”
In the silence that followed Thomson’s words, Leek thought he could almost hear the beat of his own heart thudding in his chest. Helen Cutter had the makings of a very formidable opponent indeed.
And he clearly wasn’t the only one thinking that.
Authors : fredbassett & munchkinofdoom
Fandom : Primeval
Characters : Thomson/Rees, Becker, Leek, Lyle, Lorraine
Rating : 18
Disclaimer : Not ours, no money made, don’t sue
Spoilers : None
Summary : Rees reports to Thomson with the preliminary results of the drugs tests on Lester and his captain wants more than just a report.
Warning : Slave!fic. Some elements of non-con.
A/N : Captain Thomson appears by kind permission of
deinonychus_1 , Matt Rees appears by kind permission of telperion_15 .*****
Lieutenant Matt Rees hesitated for a moment outside the closed door of the office that until a couple of hours ago had been Captain Ryan’s domain, then drew himself up to his full height and knocked once.
“Enter.” For a moment he thought Captain Thomson’s voice sounded tired, but it wasn’t like his superior officer to display any human frailty and, when Rees entered, he found Thomson seated behind Ryan’s desk, staring intently at the computer screen.
Rees saluted and stood to attention. His captain was a stickler for protocol.
“At ease, Matt.”
The use of his first name was rare and usually indicated that Thomson was in a good mood. He supposed the fact that Section 42 had succeeded in taking control of the ARC for the military was enough to please anyone, even his notoriously short-tempered captain. He’d caught a whisper to the effect that Oliver Leek was now Acting Director, but he found it hard to believe that the man was anything other than a cat’s paw.
He relaxed slightly, hands linked loosely behind his back. “I have the preliminary results of the drugs testing, sir.”
Thomson raised his well-marked eyebrows questioningly.
“The full results from both the blood and urine samples will take a while longer, but the first thing we went looking for was short-acting barbiturates. There was no evidence of any benzodiazepines.”
“In English, please,” said Thomson with a slight smile.
“I was looking for something called rohypnol. It’s in the valium class, the so-called date-rape drug.”
“And did you find it?”
“No. As yet, we haven’t actually found anything, sir. I’ve obtained various glasses and mugs from Sir James’s room and have sent those for analysis as well, and if there is anything, the screening should throw it up, but at the moment it isn’t looking very likely.”
“So he wasn’t drugged?”
“It doesn’t look like it.” Rees decided to chance his luck and ask a question. “Do you think that makes him complicit, sir?”
“Does Sir James Lester strike you as a traitor?”
Matt Rees shook his head. He knew Lester’s reputation as a hard bastard with a ruthless streak a mile wide, but he didn’t seem the sort to betray his employers, and for the life of him Rees couldn’t see what the man would have to gain by bringing his only project into disrepute by engineering a major debacle.
While Rees was still pondering his captain’s question, Thomson stood up and walked around the desk to lean against it, legs slightly spread. Rees dropped his eyes to the other man’s groin, and the bulge in the captain’s black combat trousers was not exactly unexpected. There had been a lot of adrenaline flowing in the last couple of hours. Rees hadn’t been surprised to learn that Thomson had let Miller off the leash long enough for the sergeant to indulge himself.
Miller’s tastes were well-known in the unit: they were one of the reasons he’d trained as an interrogator. He liked inflicting pain. In Rees’s experience, most torturers did. He’d heard it said that torturers made good lovers, understanding better than anyone the fine dividing line between pleasure and pain, but he found that hard to believe of Miller. The man was a bloody animal, and it took someone as strong as Thomson to control him. Allowing him the occasional perk was just one of the ways Thomson kept Miller’s loyalty.
And speaking of perks ... Matt Rees had worked for Thomson long enough to know what was expected of him. The medic sank to his knees on the pale grey carpet tiles of Ryan’s office. Thomson helpfully unzipped his trousers and freed his hard cock. Rees leaned forwards and wrapped his lips around the swollen head. He very much doubted this would take long. The young medic placed his hands on each side of Thomson’s hips, gripping the edge of the desk for balance, and took the other man’s cock slowly into his mouth, hollowed his cheeks and sucked. Thomson ran his hands through Rees’s thick, dark hair, and then started, slowly and deliberately, to fuck his mouth.
Rees wrapped his lips over his teeth, knowing that Thomson might like giving pain when he was in the mood, but he didn’t like being on the receiving end. He did his best to relax as Thomson’s thick cock slid over the roof of his mouth. Matt Rees tried hard to suppress his gag reflex; if he started choking, Thomson wouldn’t be impressed.
Saliva started to flood Rees’s mouth and he swallowed hard, tasting the sharp flavour of Thomson’s pre-come. The captain was breathing hard now and his thrusts were deepening. Rees struggled to breathe through his nose, trying to draw breath into his labouring lungs, hoping for some respite, however brief, from the vigorous face-fucking.
The sound of booted feet approaching down the corridor made his stomach execute a painful lurch. He hoped to hell that it wasn’t Miller coming to report to Thomson. He didn’t want the sergeant to see him like this. The footsteps came to a halt outside the door and the sound of two sharp raps broke the silence. A hot flush suddenly suffused Rees’s cheeks. He knew that knock.
“Enter,” Thomson said, pausing but not withdrawing totally from Rees’s mouth.
The door opened and Matt Rees didn’t need to be told that his own lover was now being greeted by the sight of him on his knees, lips stretched wide, sucking off their commanding officer. Any hopes he might have entertained that he would be spared further embarrassment by the siren song of the anomaly detector were doomed to crash and burn.
“You wanted a report on our operational capacity, sir,” Becker said, his voice as tightly controlled as Rees had ever heard it.
“Thank you, Captain,” Thomson acknowledged. “Have Stringer and his team arrived?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve briefed Captain Stringer on the fact that he and his men will now take over the role of first response team. Mr Leek has made it plain that Lieutenant Lyle is to retain command of Ryan’s unit whilst remaining in the role of Mr Leek’s personal bodyguard. The Acting Director has categorically refused to stand any of Ryan’s men down.”
Matt Rees felt Thomson nod his head, and then a large hand curled around the back of his neck and pulled him forward onto the cock in his mouth, almost causing him to gag again. It was a not very subtle reminder that his participation in this act was still required despite the presence of an audience. He hollowed his cheeks again and sucked hard, pressing his tongue against the underside of Thomson’s cock and flicking it against the taut ridge of skin in the way he knew the captain liked. His cheeks were still red and flushed, but at least Becker wasn’t in a position to see the shame burning his face.
“I’ll discuss that with Mr Leek shortly,” said Thomson. “But we have no evidence to implicate any of Ryan’s team. Several of them have been assigned to guard the scientists, anyway, and I shall expect that to continue. Liaise with Lyle about that. It would be sensible to get one of his unit to baby-sit Professor Cutter as well.”
Rees swirled his tongue around Thomson’s leaking cock and teased at the slit. Without any warning, Thomson climaxed and warm, thick fluid flooded Rees’s mouth. He swallowed quickly and schooled himself not to pull away. He knew from past experience that the captain became almost unbearably sensitive after an orgasm, so once Thomson’s dick had finished spurting, Rees simply licked any remaining come from the head and sat back on his heels, eyes glued to the floor as he tried to bring his breathing under control.
“And the ex-Mrs Cutter?” asked Becker, his tone strictly neutral.
Thomson allowed a long, slow breath to escape his lungs. “I think she’s more than capable of looking after herself, Becker. I’m sure she’d only misconstrue any attempt to keep her safe.” The rustle of clothing and the sound of a zip being drawn up signalled an end to Rees’s part in the proceedings. “Thank you, Matt,” Thomson said, running a hand through his hair the way a man might stroke a favourite dog.
Matt Rees’s face burned again, but he rose to his feet with as much grace as he could muster and saluted his commanding officer. Thomson returned the salute, his face slack and relaxed, pupils blown wide, and then stepped around Rees to make his way to the door.
“I’ll attend Mr Leek in the Director’s office, Becker. Matt will brief you on the results of the drug screening.”
“And what of Lester, sir?” Becker queried.
“Confine Sir James to his quarters and replace his guards with your own men. That should be quite sufficient.” Thomson paused briefly in the doorway. “Captain Ryan is to be allowed to remain in the infirmary under guard – again by your men – until Owen deems him fit to be confined in a holding cell.”
Becker betrayed no surprise at the order. “Sir.”
Thomson closed the door behind him, leaving Matt Rees alone with his lover in Ryan’s office, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Without a word, Becker closed the distance between them in one quick stride, pulling Rees into his arms and holding him tightly. Matt Rees stiffened for a moment and then relaxed into Becker’s embrace.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he mumbled against Becker’s shoulder.
His lover’s arms tightened around him for a moment. “Been there, done that, got the stains on my tee-shirt to prove it,” Becker said quietly. “It’s not your fault, Matt. That would have been me if I’d reported before you. Forget it.”
Rees felt Becker’s hands on his cheeks, tilting his head to face his lover, and then gentle lips pressed a light kiss onto his swollen mouth. They rested their foreheads together for a moment and then drew back. Rees automatically checked his black uniform for any tell-tale stains and dredged up a grin from somewhere. It was time to face the rest of the world again.
* * * * *
“Coffee for Captain Thomson, please, Lorraine,” Oliver Leek said as Lester’s – now his – secretary ushered the soldier into the large office.
Thomson saluted and remained at attention.
Leek glanced up at the clock on the wall. 8.30pm. He couldn’t remember when he’d last eaten anything and, despite the events of the last couple of hours, he realised he was starving hungry.
“Should I arrange some sandwiches for you, Mr Leek?” Lorraine asked, with her usual finely-honed anticipatory abilities.
“That would be wonderful, Lorraine, and I’m sure Captain Thomson and Lieutenant Lyle would appreciate some as well.” He smiled at Thomson ingratiatingly, out of habit as much as anything else, whilst waving the soldier to a chair. Lyle had been lounging in the black leather sofa, but he’d come to attention as the captain had entered the room, his face schooled into an expression of blank respect. Another wave of Leek’s hand sent Lyle back to his place, although the lieutenant remained alert.
Leek faced Thomson over the expanse of Lester’s desk. The captain looked a damn sight more relaxed than Leek felt. He wondered who Thomson had found to work off his own adrenaline surge with. He’d heard the rumours, everyone had. The Section 42 operative was perfectly capable of using his own men for his pleasure, officers included, something that Ryan had never done. Thomson’s men obeyed his orders because it was their job – and because they were afraid of him. Ryan’s men followed him out of personal loyalty and hard-won respect, and Leek didn’t believe for a moment that he’d betrayed their trust, no matter what the security footage showed. He knew perfectly well that was capable of being tampered with.
Thomson sat in silence, and Leek realised with surprise that the man was awaiting an order to speak. He didn’t know what was at the root of Thomson’s new-found deference, but he found it even more disconcerting than the casual arrogance the captain had displayed so often in front of Lester.
“Well, Captain?” he said, hoping that was enough of an opening. His own energy levels had dipped badly, and he was too tired for much in the way of power play.
“We have the results of the drugs screening on the blood and urine samples taken from Sir James.”
Leek raised his eyebrows questioningly, conscious of the fact that he was mimicking Lester’s gestures.
“Negative,” Thomson said. “Lieutenant Rees is supervising further tests, but frankly, the chances of Sir James having been doped seem slender in the extreme.”
“What of the security footage? Is that still being checked?”
Thomson nodded. “Temple is examining the material. Once he has finished, I will arrange independent verification of the results.”
“Why? Don’t you trust him?”
“I’m not the trusting sort,” said the captain, with a shark-like smile. “Anyway, it’s for Temple’s own protection.”
Leek nodded slowly. “Yes, of course. Such a talented young man.”
The tap of approaching heels heralded Lorraine’s return with a large tray loaded with coffee and sandwiches. Leek’s stomach emitted a loud rumble and even Lyle looked up hopefully at the sight of food. Lorraine poured the coffee, handed around plates and asked Leek whether there was anything else he needed.
Leek shook his head. “Go home, Lorraine. It’s been a long day and I’m sure Captain Thomson will have no objection to making an exception to the lockdown where you are concerned. Thank you for your support.”
She did a good job of masking both her surprise at his words and her resentment that he was sitting in Lester’s chair. For a brief, uncomfortable moment, Leek saw himself through her eyes: a slimy little man who had no doubt been instrumental in both Ryan’s torture and Lester’s removal from power. He was painfully aware of the fact that he was universally loathed by almost everyone who now answered to him in the ARC, and that he owed his life – and his continued safety – to a soldier he had personally flogged and then buggered with a whip-handle. His mouth went suddenly dry and he looked down, unable to meet Lorraine’s dark eyes.
“Thank you, Mr Leek,” Lorraine said, quietly.
Leek took a mouthful of coffee, but his appetite had gone. He picked up one of the sandwiches and toyed with it while first Thomson and then Lyle loaded their plates, wolfing the food down quickly and without ceremony. A dark look from his bodyguard told him that Lyle had noticed he wasn’t eating. Leek succumbed to the unspoken pressure and managed to eat the sandwich in his hand. A sudden rumble from his stomach took him by surprise and two more followed that one in quick succession.
When the tray had been emptied, Leek leaned back and his chair and tried to appear more confident than he felt. “So, Captain, what happens next?”
“I suggest Lieutenant Lyle accompanies you home, sir, and you try to get some sleep. The Prime Minister will no doubt wish to speak with you early tomorrow morning. I’ll ensure a full briefing is on your desk by 7am. If you have no objection, I intend to keep Temple and some other key staff here for the moment, but I’ll announce a relaxation of the lockdown so far as the rest of the staff is concerned.”
“Thank you,” Leek murmured. He had finished his report to the PM and emailed it to Downing Street just before Thomson’s arrival, but he was rapidly running out of steam.
Thomson glanced over at Lyle. “Ensure one of your men goes with you, Lyle. Sleep isn’t optional where you’re concerned either. If you need any additional resources, speak to Captain Becker.” The man switched his attention smoothly back to Leek. “Captain Stringer’s men are now on site and will handle any anomaly responses. Sir James has been confined to his quarters and Becker’s men are on guard, both there and in the infirmary. Ryan will remain under medical supervision until Owen is satisfied with his condition.” Thomson hesitated for a moment then continued, “I took the liberty of assuring Ryan that he would not be subjected to any further questioning of that nature. Subject to your approval, of course, sir.”
Leek was surprised and let it show. He had a reputation to maintain, after all. He drew the moment out and saw a flicker of uncertainty in Thomson’s eyes. Leek schooled his face into an expression of magnanimity. “Granted. I’m happy to leave such matters in your hands for the moment, Captain. Do I take it from that you consider there is little more to be gained from questioning Ryan further under torture?”
“We prefer to call it ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’, sir.”
“I know perfectly well what it is!” Leek snapped, unable to bite back the words in time. “I helped draw up the guidelines, remember. Do you really believe Captain Ryan and Sir James Lester were responsible for the sabotage, Thomson?”
Thomson’s eyes widened in surprise at the question, he clearly hadn’t expected Leek to take the direct approach. He shifted in his seat, glancing instinctively over his shoulder into the now empty outer office.
“For the record, sir,” Thomson said quietly. “No, I don’t. But someone introduced a virus to the servers and cut those wires, and civilians died. And it’s my job to find out who was responsible.”
“And what’s my role in all this?” Leek asked, floundering for words in the aftermath of the soldier’s revelation.
“It’s your job to prevent the ex-Mrs Cutter taking over the ARC, sir.”
In the silence that followed Thomson’s words, Leek thought he could almost hear the beat of his own heart thudding in his chest. Helen Cutter had the makings of a very formidable opponent indeed.
And he clearly wasn’t the only one thinking that.