Chapter Seven

“So now we know who wrote and implemented the malware. All we need to do is figure out who on the inside bought it and sold out for the almighty dollar.”

“You think this is about money?” Rick asked as he took Keiji’s hand and linked their fingers together.

“We established that neither of us are going to be getting awards from the World Association of Detectives, but we’ve watched enough crime dramas to know that the most popular motives are greed, jealousy, or vengeance.”

“There are billions of dollars available on the black market for tech espionage and ransom. Vengeance could be a factor if someone holds a grudge against the military for some perceived slight or unfortunate outcome.”

“Agreed.”

“Jealousy doesn’t really track unless, I dont know… Carpenter is involved in some sex scandal with the vice president and when their relationship turned sour, they invited Vlad into a throuple so the three of them could take over the world but then Vlad and Lancaster fell in love and kicked Carpenter off the love island.”

“I have nothing.”

Keiji laughed and Rick arranged their bodies so Keiji leaned back against his chest as they sat on the bed at the motel. The nearly empty box of pizza sat near their feet and the scents of grease and cheese still filled the room. He couldn’t seem to stop touching Keiji now that they broke the seal of sexual tension between them. Broke? Hell, they’d crashed headfirst and jumped into the inferno without a care.

“We know Vlad couldn’t care less about the motives of his customers. For him it’s just about getting paid. Maybe that’s the best place to start. Tracking down the motive of the purchaser is going to be a lot harder than finding out their identity now that we know the source.”

“Why didn’t I think of that? Let’s give Vlad a ring. I’ve got his digits saved to my contacts. Or maybe we should use your phone? Then again… we could always walk right up to his front door and ask nicely.”

“I sense sarcasm.”

“No,” Rick said, exaggerating each sound. Keiji pinched Rick’s leg, and he hissed. “Okay, I deserved that.”

They were both dressed only in T-shirts and boxers, having picked up some spare clothes at a twenty-four-hour big box store. Keiji kept playing with the hair on Rick’s leg and he lifted Keiji’s T-shirt to caress his stomach. The inferno was far from extinguished, but Rick found he was enjoying the simmering burn of desire thrumming through his veins.

“Do you think it’s time to give King a call? I mean we have some tangible evidence to present even if we can’t connect all the dots yet. Maybe he can help?” Keiji asked.

“Not that I didn’t believe you, but I did some background on him along with the others,” Rick said. “Everything checked out and he got bonus points for adopting a retired working dog from a soldier killed in action.”

“Fine. But if he yells at us, I reserve the right to hang up on him.”

Rick kissed the back of Keiji’s neck as he reached for the nightstand where their only phone was charging. A ripple ran through Keiji’s frame and Rick wanted to stretch out and explore every one of Keiji’s lean muscles.

Keiji looked at the phone. “Oops, I forgot it rang earlier. It’s a different number than the one listed when King called the other day. No voicemail though.” He looked down at the keypad. “Umm, do you know how to get a hold of him? He said not to try finding him and—”

The phone rang, startling both of them. Rick took it out of Keiji’s hands and hit the Accept button. “Yes?”

“I’m going to assume that the two of you were the ones playing around in the source control repository for Battlehawk earlier today. I didn’t see any commits, and you hid your IP address well enough that no men in black could track you down.”

“Why hello Special Agent King, it’s nice to speak with you,” Keiji said.

“Hello, look gentlemen, it’s been a shit day. I had to do a notification to a family that their daughter has been raped and killed on one of the most secure military bases in the United States, I’ve got the director of CID crawling up my ass about Battlehawk, not to mention a certain lieutenant in desperate need of a Xanax calling me every other hour demanding updates on when Sergeant Major Davis is going to be brought up on formal charges.”

Rick winced. He knew he was innocent, and at this point it was safe to assume that King was in their corner as well, otherwise they would lock his ass up, busy day for the agent or not.

“I’m genuinely sorry for several of those things. However, we have some good news. We identified the hacker who wrote the malware and most likely had a hand in corrupting all three systems.”

“Three systems?”

Keiji tapped the Speaker icon. “Hi, this is Keiji. So we aren’t playing ping-pong, I took the phone from Rick. In your last message you said you knew who I am. I assumed that meant you had your team look into me.”

“Actually, I didn’t. And since we’ve gotten this far in our relationship, you might as well call me Evan. I was doing my best to keep your presence in any of this under the radar, Keiji. I’ve been busy so please without making me appear any more incompetent at my job, tell me exactly where you came from and why.”

Keiji looked back at Rick and tapped the Mute button on the phone. “I think we can trust him. Furthermore, I think we need to have someone in our corner with connections and authority when this all comes to a head.”

Rick nodded.

Keiji unmuted the phone. “I’m a software engineer and developer for Blackraptor Systems. About six months ago I discovered the weapons control system for an experimental AI weapon had corrupted malware, but when I tried to bring it to the project manager and eventually leadership team of the company, all evidence of the malware had disappeared, and the system diagnostics were clean. They demoted me to a less critical project with the explanation that they were concerned about my stress levels.”

“And your connection to Sergeant Major Davis?”

“There may have been a couple soldiers talking about a particular pain in their ass project one night at a bar. I used my connections at Blackraptor to ferret out classified details and found out about Oracle. I investigated Rick to determine his level of involvement and once I’d cleared him of any wrongdoing, I made contact.”

Rick took the phone from Keiji. “Rick here, I thought he was a nutcase. It wasn’t until several days later when a couple of MPs escorted me into the NSA that some of what he said made sense.”

Keiji grabbed for the phone again and elbowed Rick in the gut. “I confess to planting Rick’s login data into the history log of Battlehawk. I needed you to isolate him, but Rick was completely innocent and had no part in the execution of my little jailbreak.”

“I’m sorry my phone cut out, and I didn’t hear anything you said after ‘you identified the hacker who developed the malware’.” Evan said, very monotone. “Tell me, who are we dealing with?”

“Vladimir Rybicki. He’s—”

“One of the most wanted black hats in the last five years.”

“I’m impressed, agent. I didn’t think a government gumshoe followed world scale cybersecurity threats.”

“I’m surprised Rick didn’t tell you I also have a master’s in computer forensics from MIT.”

Keiji scowled at Rick, “You didn’t think that might be something you wanted to share.”

“Oops. But hey, now the two of you can commiserate over the media lab and OpenAg scandals.”

“I never confirmed that I’m an alum,” Keiji said.

“Based on the NSA profile on him I’m reading, I can confirm he is. Also don’t get me started on dirty money initiatives. We live in DC and that conversation will never end. What do you need from me?”

“Our next step is to trace who is paying Vlad. Any brilliant CID ideas on how to do that?”

“Let me see what I can do. Look, I don’t want the two of you running off half-cocked and pretending to be Sherlock Holmes.”

Keiji ground back on Rick and he closed his eyes while holding back a groan.

“That’s no half cock,” Keiji mouthed.

“Behave!”Rick said silently, only to have Keiji shake his head.

“Hello?”

“Sorry Special Agent King, I heard the word cock and my mind wandered.”

“I don’t want to know. Davis, do not engage with Vlad or anyone else in the chain of command. We have suspended Oracle usage under the order of Colonel Riggs until we’ve resolved the investigation.”

“Yes, sir, and if Lieutenant Carpenter contacts me?”

“He is under orders from me not to. I’m a civilian but in active investigations I could tell the Lieutenant General of U.S. Army Cyber Command to sit on it and rotate and he would have to ask how many times.”

Rick started laughing. “Oh my God, I would pay good money to see that.”

“Well, seeing as how I value my career, I would find a much more politically correct and polite way to address him. But I could if I wanted to. Tomorrow, I want both of you to buy a burner phone. Pacheo, I’m treating you as a confidential informant. Use those phones to call this number if you have any problems. Sergeant Major Davis, I’m officially clearing you of any involvement in this investigation. Give me a few days to process paperwork and you can report back to duty next week.”

The sense of relief that rushed through him made Rick dizzy for a moment.

“Thank you, sir.”

King hung up, and Rick looked at Keiji. “I guess he’s not one for long goodbyes. What do we do now?”

“Are you thrilled just handing over control of the investigation to CID?”

“That’s their job. Yesterday morning I was sitting in my office begging my administrative assistant for one more cup of coffee while I stared at my screens trying to find a resolution to an escalating problem that nobody but my team and my commanding officers knew about. I’m not one to pass off work, but they investigate problems within the U.S. Army. It’s kinda in the title.”

“And my job? That’s outside the Army’s purview.” Keiji sat up and turned so he could look at Rick directly. “Am I supposed to just trust that King is going to solve everything? He’s only worried about Oracle and Battlehawk. Blackraptor is not his concern, nor are they stopping production. King could take months to wrap up his investigation with a little bow, and while I get that the interruption with Oracle is not cause for imminent danger, can you honestly say the same about a weapon that could kill hundreds if not thousands?”

“But, King knows about Ascaris now. Surely he’ll connect the dots and be in contact with Blackraptor ASAP. Then all your warnings will have to be heeded. They’ll have to stop or at least pause production, right?” Rick asked.

“Yes, because a publicly traded weapons development company is going to risk billions in revenue on the off chance that some investigator who works for the Army says one of their projects might be compromised,” Keiji said, rolling his eyes.

“So again I ask, what do we do now?”

There were more questions than answers with Keiji’s Blackraptor problems. However, there was one question they could answer imminently. He shifted enough he had Keiji’s undivided attention and cupped his cheek. Rick used the tips of his fingers to guide Keiji closer, more by suggestion than demand. The space between their bodies disappeared inch by inch. Their breaths mingled and time ceased to exist. He stared into Keiji’s dark gaze. The many faces of Keiji Pacheo lurked within the inky pools. Rick searched for the answer to his unspoken question. What do we do now indeed?

Keiji closed his eyes, and their connection was severed. Rick’s heart stuttered and a deep ache filled him. How was it possible to crave such an intimate connection to a man he barely knew? But Rick knew down to the fiber of his being that he needed this man. His fingertips tingled as Keiji rubbed his cheek against them. Tiny bolts of lightning arced up Rick’s arm until they jump-started his heart.

“What do we do now, Keiji?” he whispered.

Keiji closed the distance between them and touched their lips together. Kissing Rick slowly, hesitantly as if asking for permission. Adrenaline and need had fueled their first kiss, but this time Rick nearly forgot how to breathe as Keiji claimed him. Keiji’s hands on his chest, caressing every inch made the hairs on his body stand on end. Beneath his skin, Rick’s blood rushed to the surface, making his flesh hungry. He came out of his stupor and wrapped his arms around Keiji. His hand speared through the jet-black hair that was just long enough to cover his large fingers. Their kisses followed their fingers as they explored each other’s bodies. They tossed the rest of their clothes as if the garments offended them.

Rick laid Keiji down on the bed, hovering over him in a plank until their bodies pressed together.

It was as if their bodies had known each other for all time. Their souls entwined in a way that defied explanation and reason. Rick had known lovers in his life. Some had brought him great joy, some great pain, but in this room he couldn’t seem to remember a single one of their names. He didn’t believe in love at first sight but his soul ached as Keiji explored his body with hands and mouth. They discovered a new world, one where the two of them existed on a symbiotic plane.

Keiji’s nipples hardened as Rick blew across them gently. Lean muscles danced beneath skin that was soft and yet bore the marks of life. He’d witnessed Keiji’s strength and agility. All that power coursed through the man beneath him, harnessed until the moment came when he’d unleash its power and the deities of the world help whoever was in its path.

Keiji was beautiful, and Rick wanted him with every fiber of his being. His cock throbbed and yet he also hesitated. This was not just another opportunity to get laid. This was a beginning. One that changed the trajectory of his life and by proxy Keiji’s. Or Rick hoped. Dear God was it possible he was alone in the aching desire to build a future with this man? He blinked. Words scattered to the wind in his mind, the questions critical to settling the terrors of his soul refused to pass his lips.

He commanded a thousand soldiers with confidence, but he trembled at the thought of having his world shattered by one man.

“You okay?” Keiji asked.

“I just got tangled up in my head. There are thoughts bouncing around up there that I fear would send you away screaming.”

Keiji locked his legs around Rick’s. “You are everything I want.”

Keiji exposed his vulnerability. He lay beneath Rick, watching, waiting. Rick’s breaths came faster. Keiji slid a hand between them and rested his palm against Rick’s pounding heart, stilling the beast as it raged against the cage of his chest.

“I’m yours.”

The veil of uncertainty lifted and settled the echoes of recrimination in his head. He stared into Keiji’s gaze and saw a reflection of moments and yearnings he held for the future.

Rick leaned down and he could tell Keiji expected a kiss but at the last moment he diverted to another target and placed his lips against Keiji’s chest. He linked his hand with Keiji’s right and placed it on the pillow beside Keiji’s head. He rested his lips against the pulse point in Keiji’s wrist and counted the beats, matching his breaths to Keiji’s. Rick used his mouth to map Keiji’s arms and body above his shoulders. He found spots that made him moan and ones that made him squirm.

Tremors of need quaked throughout his body as they lay there kissing. Their minds connecting, and their bodies stoking the fires of desire. Finally, Rick moved downward. He rained kisses down Keiji’s chest and brushed his fingers across both nipples, testing their sensitivity. He got to the tender flesh of Keiji’s belly and inhaled, absorbing the earthy scent of his man. That’s right, his. From this point forward they would face the world together.

He kissed each hip and ran his nose up the groove of Keiji’s Adonis belt. What lie below was clearly worthy of the god’s name. Keiji’s cock stood tall, evidence of his need glistened on his lower abs, and Rick licked the offering. Keiji hissed, but the soft sound amplified to a shout as Rick closed his lips over him and sucked the man’s cock all the way down, swallowing him in one go. He opened his throat and allowed Keiji in deep, swallowing.

He loved sucking cock. There was nothing like taking your lover to another plane of existence simply because you allowed them within your body. Depending on his mood, Rick could bring a man to the edge of whimpering need and hold back the pinnacle of pleasure just beyond their grasp, or he could open himself to be become a vessel of the other man’s desire.

Tonight he was determined to pull every secret desire from Keiji. Turn his brain to mush and fray his vocal cords with his released screams of ecstasy. He moaned, deep, and the vibrations ran through his body as he feasted on Keiji’s flesh. Harder and deeper, until Keiji’s cock blocked Rick’s screams and his need threatened to consume him.

The heaviness of Keiji’s cock on his tongue mingled with the heady taste. The scent of masculine musk mingled with a hint of soap. Keiji’s gasps echoed above his head and tiny flares of perfectly edged pain speared down from Rick’s hair where Keiji gripped the strands. Keiji was close. His abs clenched as he curled up from the pillow. Spit dripped from Rick’s lips, dampening Keiji’s ball sack. He caressed the orbs and pulled down slightly, eliciting a deep moan and desperate pleas. There were even faint whispers in Japanese coming from Keiji and Rick doubted the man even realized he was doing it. He buried his nose in Keiji’s crotch and pressed against his perineum. Keiji’s roar rivaled the most legendary battle cries.

Rick hollowed his cheeks and flattened his tongue. He looked up at Keiji, take me, he tried to impart with his eyes.

Keiji planted his feet on the mattress and thrust his hips.

Yes, that’s exactly what I want.

Keiji gripped Rick’s head and fucked his mouth faster. The force of Keiji’s thrusts was just enough to fray Rick’s vocal cords, but that knowledge only made him open his throat for more.

Rick shifted enough so he could grip his cock. He stroked the hard flesh with a ferocity that bordered on brutality, causing him to tremble and moan. It was rough; it was perfect, and he was so close, but he couldn’t come. Not until—

Keiji jerked, his gaze fierce and demanding while a deeper plea swirled within their depths. The edge of his cheekbones stood out as his mask of civility shattered and Rick faced a primal being chasing the ultimate release.

Keiji’s gaze refused to release Rick’s. There was no hiding in the moment, no escape from the maelstrom of sensations bombarding his heart and body. Keiji held Rick against him. For several heartbeats Rick’s breath seized and his vision swam. He reveled in the submission. Keiji’s balls lifted and jets of cum flooded Rick’s throat. He swallowed every drop and when Keiji begged him to leave off because of sensitivity, Rick rose. He stroked himself, Keiji’s words of encouragement filled the motel room. Rick tightened every muscle he was still in command of, desperate for the release that loomed just beyond his grasp.

He feared the moment would elude him, forever seeking a culmination beyond his grasp. Then a warm glow radiated deep within him. Expanding exponentially until Rick shook with the intensity. Starbursts exploded behind his eyes; Keiji’s deep voice reverberated in his ears. The words lost to the ether but somehow leading him home and Rick crossed the invisible threshold into an experience that eclipsed his knowledge of pleasure.

His legs gave out and Rick collapsed next to Keiji. He tried to find words to describe what was happening inside him, but no sound emanated from him. He glanced at Keiji who stared back at him. How would they move forward from here?

Keiji picked up Rick’s hand and brought it to rest between their chests. He traced Rick’s mouth with a trembling thumb and brought their lips together. They sipped from each other’s mouths. Keiji soothed Rick’s body with firm caresses, not allowing their physical connection to be severed despite the completion of their orgasms.

He wiped his hands and Keiji’s stomach clear of the cooling evidence of his pleasure. They climbed under the blankets, turned off the table lamp, and breathed slowly into the cloak of darkness. No words were uttered, they needed none as they welcomed the escape of slumber within each other’s arms.