It was a large room, bare of all furniture, lit only by flickering candles. On the floor, painstaking painted, was a large inverted pentogram set between two circles filled with arcane symbols. To the five people, standing one at each point of the pentogram, both the symbols and pentogram itself were meaningless, secondary to their own powers, but tradition should be upheld.
Schicksal glanced around the circle at each of his companions. He felt a sense of great pride. It had been several years since there had been five such strong council members. Now he and his companions were worthy of the Sacred Names they held. He studied each of them in turn.
To his left stood Brand the pyrokinetic. Age forty-four. He was tall and thin, almost cadaverous, with long, stringy brown hair and hazel eyes. His frail appearance totally belied the strength of his talent.
Beyond him stood the empath, Wasser. The youngest of them at a mere thirty-two. She was tall for a woman and slender. Her face was beautiful dominated as it was by a pair of piercing blue eyes and framed by waving tendrils of blue-black hair.
Moving round the circle his gaze fell upon Erde who was the strongest telekinetic that they had ever produced. At fifty-two years old she was short, plump and looked as if she should be a member of some charity committee. She had an iron grey perm and similar coloured eyes.
To his right was Luft the telepath who had only ever had one challenger to the power he wielded. Although only thirty-seven, the man looked like a successful bank manager with his smart suit, slight paunch and balding head. He was of average height and his eyes were a washed out blue.
And I�m forty-seven and the best damned pre-cog we�ve ever produced, bar one. That thought brought a frown to his face. It still galled him to know that Bradley Crawford was a better pre-cog and was even now alive somewhere. So much for Dietmeiller and his desire to reactivate a passive Schwarz. No, the team had joined their enemies and fought against them yet again.
Their capture and annihilation was on the agenda but first things first. It was time to bring this meeting to order. "The game does well. It will bring in many new talents. I foresee no problems in continuing its use."
"Those who have already arrived have been eager to learn. The subterfuge holds until they are completely ours," Wasser reported.
"It brings in mostly pre-cogs, empaths and telepaths," Luft added, "which is good as far as it goes but we need to find a way to recruit more of the other talents."
"I agree," Erde said, "the lack of telekinetics and pyrokinetics is disappointing."
"And the over-abundance of psychometrics," Brand added dryly. "They are almost useless to our grand plan. A trick for seaside piers, no more."
Schicksal nodded. "I have sent out agents to find such talents. They are rare, I know, but some will undoubtedly be found. We will be welcoming our first British consignment next month. Is everything in place ready to receive them?"
"It is," Wasser said. "They will enjoy their time with us until it is too late and it is time for them to learn."
"Excellent. Is their any other business?"
"Only the Schwarz talents and the missing empath," Brand said.
"Oh, they will turn up in due course. Of that I am certain."
* * * * * * *
The office was busy. Reichi and Crawford were studying the ferry timetables from all ports, Naru and Yuushi were checking the plane schedules, Masato was dissecting a printed out questionnaire from the Rosenkreuz site while Nagi and Chloe were online reading everything on the site in both English and German.
"Hmm, now this is interesting�"
Omi looked up from the map he was studying at Nagi�s words. His lover was gazing at his computer screen, obviously reading what was there. "What�s interesting?"
"They�re offering a visit to "a quiet retreat in beautiful Bavaria" to the English-speaking members as a prize. The first twenty to correctly answer a simple question by e-mail win."
Chloe glanced up from his own screen, frowning slightly. "There is no mention of this in German."
Omi nodded. "Sounds like they�re ready for a British group. Use Michel�s membership to respond to the question. Let�s see if we can win a place or at least find out the pick-up point."
"Does Michel have a copy of the game?" Nagi asked.
"Yes he does, but he still has to attend school. Is the question directly related to the game?" Omi asked.
Nagi nodded. "You need to run the game to find the answer." He turned to Chloe. "Has Michel had a chance to look at the game yet?"
"To be honest we haven�t let him," Chloe said. "We thought it might be safer to look at it with either you or Omi present."
Omi nodded. It was very possible that the game�s effect was subliminal in which case it would be better if he or Nagi took the first look at it. He wanted to shut the web site down but until they had some answers he had to make do with scouring it for information. "Can you ask him to bring the game to the office after school, please?" Chloe nodded and went back to his reading.
Nagi frowned. "If we can�t get hold of the game until this evening, we have very little chance of winning a place on this trip."
"When was the competition uploaded?"
Nagi grinned suddenly. "Mid-morning," he said. "We still have a chance."
Michel bounced into the office just after four and handed the game to Nagi. Omi winced at all the energy until Yohji, who had just come back from acting as bodyguard to one of their regular clients, remarked on how much like the younger Omi Michel was. Omi shot him a look but said nothing. Seemingly his enthusiasm and energy weren�t the only similarities as Michel ducked out from under Yohji�s hand as it ruffled his hair.
Nagi ran the game and made a startled exclamation bringing Yohji, Chloe and himself to stare over his shoulder. Luckily, Crawford had grabbed Michel, effectively keeping him away from the screen, as what was on it was having quite a severe effect on both Yohji and Chloe.
"This is more than simply subliminal programming," Nagi stated flatly. "The game is actually sending out some sort of wave pattern that will effect empaths, telepaths and pre-cogs."
Omi glanced at Yohji. "What does it make you want to do?" he asked.
"Nothing desperate," Yohji said, gaze still on the screen, "just an overwhelming desire to play the game and keep playing it. Whether my response is being picked up somewhere, I don�t know."
Omi was reminded of Wunder X and the effect the music had on so many. He nodded to Masato, Crawford and Reichi, who stepped forward and almost forcibly dragged both Yohji and Chloe away from the computer. "Stay away from it, both of you," he commanded, "and make sure that Schu never gets near it." He turned back to the screen which seemed like a totally innocuous puzzle game to him.
Nagi made a satisfied little sound and returned to the web site. Clicking on the contact details, he sent the answer to the question in Michel�s name.
Michel had already booted up his laptop and was ready to scan his e-mail. It took less than fifteen minutes for a reply to reach his inbox. "Looks like I�ve won a trip to Bavaria," he said happily.
Happiness was not quite the emotion Omi was feeling as he exchanged looks with Nagi. "When are they sending you the travel details, Michel?"
"It�s all here," Michel said and turned his laptop so Omi and Nagi could see the screen. "Coach pick up at Victoria Coach Station, the first Saturday of the summer holidays. Two and a bit weeks away." He smiled happily. "Gives us time to rescue them."
* * * * * * *
Yohji had been unusually quiet as they�d compared notes over dinner and was still thoughtful. Aya was beginning to seriously worry about what might be wrong with his lover. He left it until they went to bed and then asked if there was anything wrong.
Yohji gave a slight start as if he had been miles away then smiled reassuringly. "No, nothing wrong as such."
"Something�s on your mind."
"Well, yes, that whole site and game stuff. It�s just too easy for them to recruit that way. And what happens to those kids once they get to Germany and Rosenkreuz get their hooks into them?"
"They�re not going to get their hooks into these kids. We�ll make sure of that."
"Yeah, but something should be done about that site and the whistle should be blown on the subliminal effects of the game."
Aya smiled slightly. "You were so deep in thought at dinner that you may not have heard, Omi intends to deal with that just as soon as Michel and the rest of those kids are safe."
Yohji sat on the bed and started to undress. "That�s good news."
Aya frowned slightly. "Yohji, that game didn�t do something to you did it?"
"What? Oh, no, not if you mean do I have an overwhelming desire to present myself to Rosenkreuz. I don�t."
That didn�t really reassure Aya very much. He knew that Crawford had deliberately stayed away from the computer screen while the game had been running and that both Yohji and Chloe had needed to be forcibly dragged away from it. He undressed and climbed into bed. "That�s something at least."
Yohji climbed in next to him and turned to look at him, a serious expression on his face. "What bothers me is the effect that game is having on the talented kids who bought it."
"What effect did it have on you?"
"I wanted to sit down and keep playing it. I don�t know if another message would have come through later. That�s what�s bothering me. I can�t see that playing the game per say would be harmful but I only saw about thirty seconds to a minute�s worth. What if I�d sat down with it for an hour?"
"I don�t think that�s a good idea, Yotan."
"I know that but I think perhaps Nagi needs to. He saw the wave pattern being broadcast, perhaps he can decipher it. He said it was aimed specifically at telepaths, empaths and pre-cogs so he shouldn�t come to any harm."
Aya nodded slowly. "We�ll see what he has to say about it at breakfast. Personally I�d like to know more about why they�re so actively recruiting now. They must have some overall plan in mind."
"That�s true enough." Yohji sighed. "I don�t like this, Aya. I�ve felt from the moment Crashers sent their report in that we were biting off more than we can chew this time."
"If we can take out whoever runs Rosenkreuz we should be able to retire properly. Run the security business and perhaps even help talented kids ourselves, without turning them into monsters."
Yohji nodded. "That Krypton guy might be interested in getting involved with that." He sighed slightly. "The last mission then, Aya?"
"For us, I think. Krypton will want us out of the loop and finishing Rosenkreuz is the end of our work."
Yohji smiled then and Aya felt like a heavy weight had been removed from his shoulders. He reached out a hand and brushed some of Yohji�s hair out of his face. "You ready to retire?"
"Yeah. I�m happy working in the security business. I�ll be even happier when we get round to building that conservatory so we can grow some of the less hardy plants like orchids. I�ve got used to a simpler existence. What about you?"
"I don�t deserve to be as happy as I am right now. I never dreamed we�d get out of everything alive and now, to have the possibility of a whole lifetime ahead of me, I feel�more content than I should."
Yohji chuckled softly and pulled him even closer if that was possible. "You and your precious guilt. Honestly, Aya, you�ve earned every last second of happiness."
"Have I?" He didn�t pull away though. Instead he wrapped himself around Yohji and kissed him.
Yohji returned the kiss, rolling them over until he was on top then moving down to suck at Aya�s nipples.
He arched for him and moaned softly as Yohji�s tongue left a wet trail down his chest to his navel. He still found it hard to believe that his lover was here and whole and his again. Yohji reached his straining cock at that point and thought fled to be replaced by bliss.
His hand fumbled around on the nightstand until he found the lube and pressed it into Yohji�s hand. He wanted Yohji inside him and he wanted it now. He needed to feel that Yohji�s being here with him wasn�t just a dream.
Yohji was quick but thorough in preparing him, almost making him scream in frustration. He needed more than just fingers, skilful as they might be. "Yotan�please�"
Finally Yohji took pity on him and pulled him up onto his lap. Aya wrapped his legs around Yohji�s waist and eased himself onto his waiting erection, his lover�s hands on his hips guiding him and preventing him from simply impaling himself.
"Gently, Aya, no need to rush. We�ve got plenty of time."
Finally feeling Yohji deep inside of him he paused for a moment just revelling in the sense of him, hard and hot and filling him to the brim. He loved this moment. Then with a soft sigh of contentment he began to move, his arms tight round Yohji�s neck.
Yohji�s hands moved from his hips to the small of his back, supporting and angling him slightly. He was rewarded by Yohji�s cock brushing against that place inside him that whited out everything but ecstasy and he moaned in pleasure.
He rode Yohji gently for a while until the desire to move harder and faster became too strong to ignore any longer.
Sensing this, or perhaps feeling the same way, Yohji�s hands tightened on his waist and he pulled him up and down in a faster, almost frenzied rhythm. Aya cried Yohji�s name as he spurted over them both. Seconds later he was filled with wet warmth as Yohji filled him with his own gift, murmuring his name like a caress as he did so.
They clung together like limpets for long moments, neither wanting to pull away from the other. Aya raised his head and obediently Yohji read the signs and kissed him. Then, and only then, he eased himself up and away, reaching for the ubiquitous box of tissues and cleaning them both off.
When he had finished they both stretched out again and Yohji pulled him into his arms. "Every time gets even better, sweetheart."
"You know something, Yohji? You�re an incurable romantic." His throwaway remark backfired when Yohji stiffened slightly in his arms.
"Yeah. It always got me into so much fucking trouble too."
"Yohji. I didn�t mean�Oh hell. I�m sorry, I should have kept my big mouth shut."
"No. It�s my problem. It�s not your fault that I�m still having to come to terms with some of my memories. My incurable romanticism hurt you so many times. Neu, Michelle, Tsuji."
He sighed. "Tsuji especially," he said quietly. "She was the one who finally succeeded in taking you right away from me."
"It was so tempting, you know? The whole idea of forgetting Asuka, Neu, Michelle. I actually thought if I could get rid of them it would give us a chance."
"Luckily you didn�t let her see that." He cradled Yohji and kissed him gently on the forehead. "The rest doesn�t matter anymore."
Yohji�s arms tightened around him and Aya was relieved when he smiled. "You�re right. Of course, it does mean you�re the sole recipient of my incurably romantic gestures now, sweetheart. Do you think you can cope?"
"I�ll manage somehow."
~TBC~