Henry was out of the van the moment he saw Scott exit the stairs.
"What the hell happened?" he asked, his voice echoing in the mostly empty garage. "Why'd you leave the kids with them?"
"We don't have the legal ground to take them," Scott answered as he kept on walking.
Henry grabbed Scott's arm to force him to stop. "What do you mean 'we don't have the legal ground'? They kidnapped them."
"No they didn't." Scott raised a hand to forestall Henry's objection. "Look Mac, I've already gone through this with Peter and we don't have the time to get in it here. Brandon let us go, but I don't want to take the risk he's going to change his mind."
"Fine," Henry said releasing him, "but this conversation isn't over."
"Yeah, I know. How many people can you and Katherine take?"
"Six," Henry said after thinking on it, "seven or eight if they don't mind being cramped."
"Ok, take seven; we should be able to fit the rest in the other vans. We're heading to the AMA office since Thomas is there, we'll meet up there. I've already let Jean know.
Henry raise an eyebrow at that news, Scott hadn't used his cell to call her. He looked the crowd over. "Maurice, you and six of your friends are riding with me."
"Everyone else follow me," Scott said, "our rides are outside."
* * * * *
"Maurice!" Alicia ran to him and kissed him hard as soon as the older man got out of the van.
They had been the first ones to arrive since the other had to walk a few blocks to where the minivans were parked. The original plan had been for Thomas to take the scientists there as they were freed. The underground parking lot didn't have any other vehicles, only them and two dozen AMA agents forming a half circle between them and the entrance to the office.
Like the other scientists Henry found himself looking away in embarrassment from the display of affection as he exited the Beauville. He stopped and forced himself to look at them so he could study his reaction.
He watched as Maurice buried his nose in her neck.
There was no logic to his reaction, even with the age difference there was nothing wrong with showing love. He shouldn't be ashamed of it, he should be proud that they had found each other. They were a beacon of joy in what was turning out to be a rather poor day for him.
"How are you doing?" Thomas asked him.
Henry had been so intent on the couple he hadn't noticed him moving next to him.
"Not good." He just glanced at Thomas as he spoke and kept his voice level. "We had to leave the kids behind." He wanted to take his boyfriend in his arms, hold him close to him and take comfort in his warmth.
"Why?" The moment of silence before Thomas asked that told Henry that he wanted to do the same, but they had to control themselves.
"No sure," Henry said, "legal issues. Scott didn't have time to explain, but I'm going to get it out of him when he gets here." Henry might not care right now if others realized he was gay, but if he got demonstrative here it wouldn't be just him that would pay for it. Thomas' career could be destroyed.
Thomas' father would prevent any stigma from hurting him within his own office, but he wasn't always going to be there to protect him so this one time Henry was going to keep tight control over his needs.
The thought wasn't done going through his head that Henry was standing in a vast empty space. Thomas was next to him with a similarly surprised expression, but there was nothing else only whiteness as far as he could see.
"I figured you two could use some privacy," resonated Jean's voice around them, "don't worry I'll let you know if you're needed for something."
Henry looked at his boyfriend and tentatively moved a hand toward him. Thomas mirrored him and Henry was mildly surprised when the hands touched. He ran a finger across the palm before linking his fingers with his. It felt real, right down to the ridges on the skin. His next thought was pushed out of his head when Thomas grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
Henry responded avidly and pressed into him. Thomas had to take a few steps back under the force of the kiss until he was stopped by a solid surface. Henry only accorded himself a moment to wonder where it had come from before going back to focus on his lover's delicious lips.
Henry shivered when he felt Thomas' finger caress his lower back and he squeezed the man's cheek in response, pulling him closer against him. It's only when their groin touched and he could not only feel how excited they both were, but the heat of skin to skin contact that he realized something was odd.
He pulled out of the kiss only long enough to confirm they were both naked before going back to it.
"Hmm guys, you might want to tone it down," Jean said around them, "There's only so much I can do to keep your bodies from reacting to what you are doing."
"We should stop," Thomas said between kisses.
"Yes," Henry replied, but not stopping, "It isn't fair to the poor woman that she has to see us doing this while she babysits our bodies."
Even agreeing to do it, it took them more than a minute before they could pull themselves apart. Henry took a step back panting heavily. He looked his boyfriend over and licked his lips hungrily. Thomas straightened up as he looked back at him with a lecherous smile on his face and emphasized that he was at full mast.
It took Henry all his will power not to go down on his knees and go for it.
"I think we should get dressed," He said as he tried to look away from his lover's pride.
"Sure, as soon as you tell me where our clothes are," Thomas' tone made it clear he was in no hurry.
"This is a mindscape. We need to will them back on."
"Oh," Thomas said disappointed.
"Well?" Henry asked after nothing happened for a minute.
"You're not going to believe me, but I'm trying. I don't know why it's not happening."
Henry understood Thomas' confusion. He had received basic training in resisting telepath and that made him adept at forcing his mind to do what he wanted it. Not that he was complaining, he was quite enjoying looking at his naked form.
Henry realized what might be the problem. He cast a glance down at his own patently obvious excitement and forced himself to want to see Thomas clothed. When he looked up the man was wearing the suit he'd been wearing earlier.
"I think we're linked in an emotional feedback loop. We both need to want it to happen."
"That might cause a problem then," Thomas said with a lopsided smile, "'cause I can't see that I want to see you wear anything right now."
"Try?" Henry pleaded. A moment later he was wearing his clothing again.
"I guess that's why we're so hot for each other right now."
Henry nodded. "My need is feeding yours which is feeding mine back. We're lucky we're both strong willed, otherwise we might be in trouble."
"If we stay here much longer we'll still be in trouble. It's getting harder and harder to stop myself from ripping your clothes off and taking you right now."
Henry groaned in desire at the thought. They both knew that he wouldn't resist even if he wasn't overloaded with his need for Thomas.
"You two are going to want to be here for this," Jean said.
And Henry was back in his body, causing it to flush as it caught up to the way he was feeling. His pants suddenly became uncomfortably tight. Fortunately he was standing at the back of a large meeting room and everyone was looking at the front of it. Thomas was standing a dozen feet away from him, also against the wall. Thomas looked at him and gave him a quick embarrassed smile before Scott called for attention.
"Before Commander Trey talks I want to tell you what condition Brandon gave for releasing you. He doesn't want any of this to reach the media."
"He's kidding, right?" a woman said, "we should be dragging his ass in court and making him pay." Many others echoed her sentiment.
"I'm just passing along his message. I won't tell you what to do, but I want you to remember that he was able to arrange to have all of you kidnapped and suppress the investigations. That means he has resources not just here in the US but across the globe."
"So what, he just gets away with it?" asked someone with a thick Russian accent.
"Hardly," Commander Trey said. He was a short and stocky man who radiated his authority without even trying. "The AMA will be looking into this now. We will be looking at the investigations the police should have done to find out why nothing came of them. If we can find even the finest thread that leads back to Brandon you have my guaranty that he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
"How do I get home?" the same Russian asked.
"We will be contacting your Embassies to make arrangements. We will also arrange to get anyone else who needs help getting home. In the mean time, we have setup some interview rooms for those who which to have their statements taken down. The cafeteria is also available as well as rooms for those who want to rest."
The scientists were escorted out of the room.
"As for the lot of you," the Commander said once all the scientists and personnel had left, "I don't appreciate not being informed when another office runs an operation in my jurisdiction."
"This wasn't an AMA operation," Scott stated.
"Don't give me that bullshit, what are these two doing here if they aren't involved?"
"Jean and Tom are friends, we asked for their help and they gave it."
"Is that true Agent Black?" The older man pierced Thomas with his gaze.
"Yes sir. The office was never made aware of what we were doing."
"That's bullshit and you know it. I know your father, boy. There's no way you pulled this off without him finding out about it."
"Yes sir. My father might very well be aware of it, but the Commander of the New York office was never officially told about this."
The Commander eyed Thomas. "Better be careful when using semantics, boy, some people aren't known to appreciate them."
"Yes sir, I'll keep that in mind, sir."
"Do the lot of you need a ride back to New York?"
"As long as our vans aren't being impounded for your investigation we have our own way back."
"No, we don't need them. Just sign out with Clarisse when you leave." The Commander looked each one of them over before leaving.
There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence.
"Ok Mac, out with it," Scott said.
Henry was surprise to find that his anger was mostly gone. His time with Thomas had replaced it with someone he'd take care of on the way home, as long as he could convince everyone else not to ride with them.
"Why'd you get off on the third floor? You had clear access to the parking lot."
Scott studied Henry, surprised at the lack of animosity. "You texted me to do it."
"No I didn't," Henry replied flatly, "I told you to take the stairs. When you left them I sent more to find out why, I even tried to call you but you ignored me."
Scott put his cell on the table and slid it to Henry. He opened it and looked at the text in question.
"This is impossible," he said as he handed it to Katherine.
"Brandon's security guy must have sent it," she said as she looked over the cell's history, "there's also no sign he received your call."
"He can't be that good. He would have to have figured out which provider we use, hacked their system as well as found my number and Scott's under three minutes." He looked at her. "We're very good, do you think that even working together we'd be able to do that?"
Katherine looked at him, but couldn't answer.
* * * * *
"Henry, wait," Alicia yelled across the parking lot.
Henry turned as he opened the door to the Beauville. Thomas was already seated in the passenger seat. It hadn't taken any work to convinced the others not to ride with him, he'd forgotten that with four vehicles each couple would be driving by themselves.
"I wanted to thank you," she said as she hugged him, "You have no idea how much this means to me."
"I think I have an idea," he replied softly as he hugged her back. "I saw how precious he was to you." He waved at Maurice who was standing by the entrance. "Now, you take good care of the old man, it's been a pretty harsh time for him."
She hugged him again before joining Maurice.
"Do you think it's going to work between them?" Thomas asked once Henry was sitting.
"They will make it work; she's going to keep him young," Henry replied as he turned the ignition, "but lets not think about them. We need to find a secluded place so we can take care of us."