Chapter 6

After dinner, Garrett put the leftover pizza slices into the fridge while Aaron washed the few dishes in the sink. Once the kitchen was put back in order, Garrett said, “Go watch TV or something.” He left the kitchen.

Aaron dried his hands on a dish towel and avoided being near the windows even though they were covered by blinds, shades, or drapes. Now that it was nighttime and the house lights were lit, Aaron didn’t know how easily someone could see inside the home.

He wandered the lower floor and found Garrett on the computer. The machine was so foreign to him, he wanted to know all about it.

Sensing him, Garrett looked up over his shoulder.

“I’ve never seen one of those in person.” Aaron pointed to the huge white plastic monitor. Strange noises came from it. Whining, mechanical noise, and then sort of a dialing of a phone. Weird.

Garrett said, “Go get the ottoman from the living room.”

Aaron jogged out of the den and returned with the small stool. He set it next to Garrett’s chair.

“Can you draw?” Garrett asked him.

“Draw? Like with a pencil?” Aaron tilted his head.

“Yes.”

“Not really.”

“If I gave you a pencil and pad, could you attempt to draw a picture of Steinmetz?”

“Oh! Like a police artist sketch. Huh.”

Garrett handed him blank paper and a pencil. “I’m going to pull up actors’ photos online. I want you to let me know if any of them resemble your man.”

“An actor?” Aaron found a magazine to brace the paper on.

While Garrett used the keyboard, Aaron watched in awe as photographs of Hollywood actors appeared on the screen. “Whoa.” Computers were cool.

Robert De Niro, Robert Wagner, Bob Newhart…

“No, no…” Aaron shook his head and waved his hand. “Older. Way older. And this man has a receding hairline. And a white beard.”

James Steward, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda…

“No! No… ugly! You’ve got it all wrong.” Aaron tried to draw a man’s face.

Garrett stopped tapping keys on the keyboard and watched. He then returned to the computer search.

While Aaron struggled to draw, and didn’t do so well, Garrett brought different photos onto the screen.

Ian Wolfe, Bert Lahr, Halliwell Hobbes, Sig Ruman…

“Yes.” Aaron pointed to one of the photos. “Like him, but instead of black hair, gray… gray hair. And a bigger nose.”

Garrett kept searching.

Sydney Greenstreet, Charles Coburn…

“Wait.” Aaron tapped him. He pointed to Sydney Greenstreet. “Close. That’s close. But not clean shaven. With a beard. Like this.” Aaron tried to draw the goatee beard.

~

Garrett looked at the photo of Greenstreet, and then the scratchy sketch Aaron was attempting.

He printed the photo of Greenstreet.

Aaron stopped short when the noise of the dot-matrix printer began. Garrett smirked at the awe in Aaron’s expression when the photo was printed.

He rolled it out of the machine until the perforated edge showed, then Garrett tore it off and removed the side edges. He handed it to Aaron. “Show me.”

Aaron, looking impressed with the technology, added a beard to the photograph, which was in black and white.

“And erase more of his hairline.” Aaron tried to rub out the ink on the forehead. “And add glasses.” He drew round wireframed glasses. He held it up and then added more lines to the face, to make the man appear older. “There.”

Garrett took the paper.

“That’s Steinmetz.”

A sense of familiarity hit Garrett, yet he didn’t think he’d ever seen this man before. “Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be. I told you. He was always in shadow. The man was bent over and spoke with a bizarre accent.”

Garrett set the paper aside. “Thanks. That may help.”

“Do you think he’s involved in what happened to me?”

“Yes.” Garrett rocked on the swivel desk chair, staring at Aaron.

“Wow. Man. I’m such a schmuck. I was set up right from the start.”

“Maybe. Or maybe something went wrong, and you were a convenient scapegoat.”

Aaron then looked at something on the wall. Garrett spun around to see what he was staring at.

“You have that tattooed on your chest.” Aaron pointed to it. “What is it?”

“Special Forces.” Garrett closed down the photograph page of celebrities on the screen and returned to his work.

“Whoa…”

“Go watch TV.”

Aaron set the magazine, paper, and pencil on the desk and carried the ottoman out of the study.

Once he left, Garrett picked up the drawing and kept staring at it, because he sort of knew this man. But he couldn’t place him… yet.

~

Aaron returned the ottoman to the living room and aimed the television remote control at the TV set. As he stretched out on the sofa, watching Will & Grace, he wondered… how long do I have to hide?

Could the police help?

Shaking his head at trusting anyone but Garrett, Aaron rubbed his face in agony as he thought about how the fuck he got himself into this mess in the first place.

I’m an idiot. I just should have done the time in prison.

~

Garrett did a search of all the government contacts he’d made over the years. Few he trusted, some had died in combat, and others were no longer involved in espionage or war.

He thought about his commanding officer when he was in the marines. Lieutenant Colonel Theo Conrad.

Garrett opened his ‘little black book’ and looked for his contact information. Yes, it had been years. But he and this man had a special bond. Not sexual, but close.

Garrett stood, shut the door to the study, heard the TV on in the living room, and picked up his phone. Were his phones bugged? Probably not yet.

He hadn’t aroused suspicion yet . Soon. If he didn’t find Aaron and bring news of his demise, maybe. But so far, so good.

He checked the hour. It was before nine p.m.

“Hello?” a woman’s voice spoke on the other end of the call.

“Hello. Is Theo there?”

“Who is this?”

“Garrett Finnigan.”

“One second.”

Garrett heard the woman call out Theo’s name and then mutter, “It’s a man named Garrett Finnigan.”

More chatting between husband and wife ensued then Theo said, “Well, well, well… Sergeant Major Garrett Finnigan. To what do I owe the honor?”

“Sir.” Garrett respected this man a whole lot. “I have a problem. I don’t know who else to call.”

Silence occurred at the other end of the line, then he said, “Let me change phones.”

Garrett waited, listening to the exchange between husband and wife. Then, Theo called out, “Hang up now, Leticia!” and a click was heard.

“What’s going on?” Theo’s voice was deep in tone and serious in nature.

“I hardly know where to begin.” Garrett rubbed his forehead in worry.

“I know it must be dire or you wouldn’t contact me.”

“It is, sir. It is.”

“Why don’t you start at the beginning?”

After a deep inhale, Garrett told Lieutenant Colonel Theo Conrad everything he knew.

~

Growing bored with lousy sitcoms, Aaron yawned and looked towards the study. He shut off the set and entered the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water from the tap. He drank it and then set the glass in the sink. Wandering to the hall, Aaron thought he heard talking. He inched closer and listened by the door.

“… They’re asking me to kill an innocent man to cover up the crime.”

Aaron held his breath and tried to press his ear to the door without making a sound, because Garrett was way too good at sensing shit like that. It was as if he had sonar.

“… That’s the trouble, sir. I don’t know who’s involved. I feel as if I’m boxed in. If I go to the director and he’s in on it, then I not only risk the victim’s life but my own as well.”

Aaron lowered his head in anguish, wishing he could help more.

“… yes, sir.”

Who are you talking to? Aaron wondered.

“And you trust these people?”

Aaron bit his lower lip as he listened.

“Yes. I have a pen. Go ahead, sir.”

Aaron leaned his shoulder on the wall near the closed door.

“Okay. Well, all I have is a description. Aaron said his handler was very careful not to be seen in daylight. That he spoke with an accent, one Aaron cannot identify.”

Aaron sighed quietly.

“… the man, Henderson, he may have gotten wise to a double-cross. The files in his home were very damaging. Millions of dollars laundered in overseas accounts. Illegal arms trading, you name it.”

Aaron winced. Oh, my God!

“A… a double agent?” Garrett said.

Aaron began to sweat. Who? Who’s a double agent?

“I… I never considered that. Yes. Well. Wow.”

“Not me!” Aaron muttered.

~

Garrett spun around to the doorway. He held the phone in one hand and stood from the chair.

“I’ve learned to be cautious of power, Garrett. The higher the position in the government the more prone to corruption. I think you’ve stumbled on a high-level scheme of deception and graft. Remember, when you deal with operatives, no one is who they appear to be.”

“So, this Steinmetz could be an operator in disguise.” Garrett stood on his side of the door, listening. He could hear Aaron’s breathing and shook his head at his curiosity.

“I wouldn’t discount it. The dim lighting, the weird accent, the clandestine meetings, always paying cash… yes. It sounds like an operator in disguise.”

Garrett opened the door with a swish and Aaron’s brown eyes went wide in shock. He mouthed, ‘Bad boy.’

Aaron went crimson and shrugged.

Garrett sat back down at his computer, the phone on his lap while Aaron lingered near the open door.

“The name I gave you, she’s in the Pentagon. She’s a good woman. She and I go way back. I trust her completely.”

“That’s good enough for me, sir,” Garrett replied.

“I’m here if you need me.”

“I hate to involve you, Colonel. I know you retired and wanted to be through with this type of incident.”

“You and I have always had a tight bond. You did the right thing.”

“Thank you, sir. I feel the same.”

“Good luck.”

Garrett hung up the phone and set it on the counter near his computer.

Aaron approached him and put his hand on Garrett’s shoulder. “I feel responsible. I’m so sorry.”

Garrett drew Aaron to sit across his lap. “Can I ask you something?”

“Duh?” Aaron sniffed his skin at his jawline.

“Do you think this Steinmetz could have been a dude wearing a disguise?”

Aaron sat up stiffly and stared at him.

Looking into Aaron’s deep brown eyes, seeing the wheels turn, Aaron said, “Yes! Yes! That’s a real possibility! I mean, it explains a lot.”

Garrett glanced at their composite sketch while Aaron nuzzled against his neck.

“Who were you talking to?”

“My old CO. He’s retired.”

“CO?” Aaron ran his fingers over Garrett’s chest.

“Commanding Officer.” Garrett narrowed his eyes at him. “You civies are so na?ve.”

“I’m good for some things.” Aaron opened a button on Garrett’s shirt and smoothed his fingers against his skin.

Reaching over Aaron’s legs, Garrett shut down the computer and then stood, lifting Aaron to his arms.

“Wow. You’re strong. Man. I’ve never been carried before.” Aaron hung on around Garrett’s neck.

Garrett brought him to his bedroom. He placed him on his bed and said, “Let me make sure the house is secure.”

“Okay.” Aaron took off his shirt.

Garrett left the bedroom and scanned the area outside his home. It seemed serene and calm. No strange cars, no lurking men, nothing out of the ordinary. The three neighbors around him, both sides and across the street, had dogs. Those dogs were aware.

When they barked there was a reason.

All was quiet in the cul-de-sac.

With the advice of his CO running in his head, Garrett returned to his room to see Aaron, nude, on top of the bedding, touching himself.

Garrett undressed, standing at the foot of the bed, staring at Aaron.

He wasn’t sure how long the two of them had, but he figured there was no reason they couldn’t enjoy each other while they were together.

No reason at all.

~

Aaron drooled as each article of clothing was removed from Garrett’s gorgeous body. His own cock was erect and his craving to climax grew.

Once Garrett was naked, he crawled his way up Aaron’s legs and pushed Aaron’s thighs apart.

Aaron bent his knees and spread wide. Garrett nuzzled in, mouthing his balls and rubbing his rough jaw stubble on Aaron’s cock.

The zing of pleasure was delightful.

As Garrett camped out between his legs, Aaron whimpered in pleasure. Two muscular arms wrapped around his thighs and Garrett lapped at his dick and the tight skin connecting it to his inner thighs. His dick bounced and seeped precum.

Garrett then, knelt up, wiped his mouth with his forearm and went for the condoms and lube.

The stimulation from the foreplay had Aaron on the edge of a climax. He began to pant and his cock grew deep purple.

Both men were circumcised but Garrett’s cock was slightly larger than his, which made sense, since he was a bigger man.

That tattoo. Aaron knew what it was now. Hot.

Garrett urged Aaron to turn over, get to his hands and knees.

Aaron did, pressing his cheek against the soft pillow.

Garrett toyed with his hanging balls, and then Aaron felt the pressure of the spongy head of Garrett’s cock making entry.

He whimpered and moaned in bliss.

~

Garrett liked having an enthusiastic bottom to make love to. It was spoiling him. Aaron was handsome, fit, and the sexual chemistry was right. So right.

He pushed his dick into that tight ring of muscle, seeing it stretch to contain him. The turn on was intense.

He held Aaron’s hips and slowly worked his way in with gentle thrusts, until Aaron’s body accepted the act.

Once he was balls deep, Garrett leaned on Aaron’s bottom and held his cock in one hand. He jerked it as he began a lovemaking rhythm, slow and easy.

“Holy fuck.” Aaron’s cock grew to a solid rod in Garrett’s hand.

Oh yes. A real turn on.

He thrust harder, faster.

A low grunt preceded deep pulsating and Aaron trying to catch the spunk that shot out of his dick.

Once he’d made his lover climax, Garrett knelt upright, held Aaron’s hips and watched the act as he screwed him. The sight of his crimson cock inside that hole was all it took. He threw his head back and shivered in a fabulous climax, pushing as deeply as he dared.

Aaron kept whimpering and his right hand gripped the bedding.

After the pleasure waves subsided, Garrett pulled out and looked at the full reservoir tip of the condom.

Aaron rolled over with a palm load of spunk. “Oh, my God. I’m falling in love. The sex. Garrett. The sex is amazing.”

Feeling smug, because, yeah, it was amazing, Garrett slid off the bed and entered the bathroom to remove the condom and clean up.

Aaron followed him in and also cleaned up. Once he had, Aaron lowered his head. “So, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

Garrett dried his hands and drew Aaron into his arms. “Shut up and get your things. You’re sleeping in here.”

The smile he received from Aaron was awesome.

Garrett patted his bottom and nudged him. Aaron leapt up in the air and sprinted out.

Chuckling to himself, Garrett turned down the bed and then reality hit him. This wasn’t some whirlwind courtship.

And he couldn’t lose sight of what was going on.

Aaron returned with his toiletries and Garrett let him wash up first.

He sat on his bed and closed his eyes, knowing he had to keep the director ‘in the loop’. The fake loop. Because Garrett had a hunch the top man was the dirtiest of the bunch and that made his life very difficult.

If suspicion fell on him, then both he and Aaron were in grave danger.

Aaron finished washing up, smiling happily.

Garrett took his turn, brushing his teeth, seeing his own steel blue eyes in the mirror as he did.

~

Aaron felt as if he’d found the man of his dreams. It was easy to lose himself in the euphoria of their coupling. But after the sex, the slow-moving corruption scheme returned to his thoughts.

How much of the government was in on it? How high did the deception and treachery reach? He sure as hell didn’t know.

And every time he thought about it, he felt sick to his stomach at the danger to himself and now to Garrett.

When the beautiful military man shut the bathroom light and climbed into the bed with him, Aaron held him like a teddy bear, resting his cheek on Garrett’s chest for security while Garrett gently caressed him, until they both fell asleep.