Wally rolled onto his stomach and stretched his muscles as he laid in the confines of his bed. The downy pillow and comforter locked in the heat his body desperately craved. His sensitive skin felt every tiny aberration with the stitching. Even the seams in the clothing were uncomfortable.

That's why, when he was alone, like right now, he liked to take all his clothes off and burrow into the nest of sheets, having dragged extra from the linen closet. They smelled like home and helped trap his heat against his body without feeling overly suffocating.

"Wally, we need to talk."

Wally pulled the sheets back and stared at Nigel standing in his doorway. The door had been locked. "Fuck! How did you get in my house? Did you pick the lock?"

Nigel flipped the light switch on, forcing fluorescent light to fill the space. "I'm serious. We need to talk about these last couple of days."

Wally pulled the covers back over his head. It was no good. The fabric couldn't dampen the glow. "What is there to talk about? I have a headache. I'm sick. I can't go to school."

He strained to hear the hushed footfalls against the shag carpet that had been in the house since they moved into the house. His leader's shadow fell over the fabric. His heart raced. What was there really to talk about? It was embarrassing enough that he had this strange symbiotic relationship with the Count.

He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Nigel's question didn't hold an ounce of humor. It didn't even suggest the slightest hint of levity.

"I think this is the first time I've ever been ready for a science test." His warm breath pressed back against his face.

Nigel grabbed the covers and yanked them back, out of his grip. "Wally, I'm going to ask politely, only once. Please come to the station and get a full physical exam."

He barely spared one of the sheets before his entire naked body was on full display; not that he hadn't used the community shower his entire life with the whole team present. Nudity had never been an issue, until now. "I politely decline your offer. I don't need the medical staff prodding me."

"This isn't up for debate. Get dressed or I'll drag you to the station as you are." Nigel walked over to the dresser and yanked the drawer open. He grabbed the first pair of jeans he saw and tossed them to the bed, then pulled another drawer open and grabbed a shirt.

"Can I have the privacy?" Wally asked, sliding his feet over the side, but keeping the blanket up. The whole situation made him feel like a Victorian diva, but lately, he'd been feeling exposed.

"You've proven a liability when left alone." His words cut like a well aimed knife.

"Aye, aye captain, my captain," he grumbled, trying to hold the sheet up around his waist as he wiggled into his jeans. It was awkward and the seam was uncomfortably aligned with his bare ass and balls. He dropped the sheet and turned his back to reach for the shirt.

"Wally, stop," Nigel ordered. Nigel caught his upper arm with gentle, but commanding strength that stopped him from moving. His lead pulled him back, so close that he thought his bare back would touch Nigel's shirt.

"Nigel?" He broke the silence. Despite his leader's hand on his upper arm, the stillness in the room made him feel alone again. Nigel was inches from his shoulder, yet, he couldn't even feel his leader's breath on his bare skin.

"You went to see him." That wasn't a question.

Wally licked his lips and fought the shudder. Lie! Lie! Lie! He couldn't stand Nigel Uno, the greatest operative alive knowing how weak he was. "They're old wounds."

"Wounds, as in double the amount you should have, Wally, so again, you went to the prison to see him?" Nigel tightened his hold, rightfully so. Wally wanted nothing more than to slip away from this dire conversation that made him the focal point.

It wasn't a bad idea, but he wasn't brave enough to go against his lead. Nigel was already accepted into a prestigious university and had a spot with the government when he graduated. Someone with that caliber of strength and skill couldn't be beat.

He jerked out of Nigel's hold, surprised that his lead allowed it. He pulled his shirt on, already hating the way the fibers scratched at his skin. "I can handle myself, you know. I'm the one that takes care of the team. Not the other way around."

And once they graduated, no one would need him. Hoagie was heading to MIT in Cambridge. Abigail was heading to Harvard, following her dad in the medical industry. She also talked about getting dual masters in technology. Kuki would be spending her college years in Japan, planning to get a degree in language and social studies.

His plans were limited. He wasn't smart like them. His best future decision was to join the marines, the navy or the army. That is, until the situation with the Count happened.

"Being part of a team means that many of the duties are a two-way street. I thought you knew you could trust me with any of your problems." There was evident dismay in Nigel's tone.

"It's done, okay. Game over. It's not worth your concern and I sure as hell don't want it to become anyone's issue." Besides his own, because Lord knows, he couldn't stop the Count's incessant mumblings.

"You're pale. You're always cold. Your eyes are dilated like a drug addict. You're emotional. You're unpredictable. You're making rash decisions without consulting me. You're sleeping in class. You lost your lust for the field. You're my hitter. It. Concerns. Me. When was the last time you saw the Count?"

"Last night. Okay. I'm putting in my notice. I want to be decommissioned."

"No."

"What do you mean no? You're not in control of me!" His anger surged. He fisted his hands to keep from grabbing the closest thing to him and aiming it at Nigel's head.

"I'm sorry we did this to you without more research behind the connection a vampire has with its prey, but I'm not going to let the Count ruin your life. Tough love, Wallabee Beatles, but I'm in charge of your safety and right now, I deem you dangerous to your wellbeing." Nigel officially ended the conversation on that note.

"Are you kidding? This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm not going to sit here and defend my decision to you." He started towards his door, expecting resistance. There wasn't any. When he made it to the living room, he saw why. His team, plus a few members of the teen-kid alliance stood in his living room. This was humiliating.

"Wally!" Kuki was far more excited to see him than he was at seeing her.

"Wallabee Beatles, you are officially being apprehended by the kid-teen alliance until the situation with the Count is settled and your ties are permanently severed," the new leader of KND announced. The curly red-headed boy held up an official parchment, stamped with the KND seal.

Wally's heart slammed in his chest. If he ran, he'd look like a coward. Worse, he'd FEEL like a coward. He gritted his teeth. "What are you going to do, force me back to the station? I don't want your help. I want to be decommissioned. I want to continue my life like a normal teen."

"You think your relationship with the Count is normal? He's a vampire, Wally. He is literally using you." Nigel took a step closer. In cargo shorts and polo shirt, Nigel was a mix of preppy and dangerous.

"Don't judge me! You have no idea what this is." And frankly, he didn't either. He wasn't going to say they were dating and that he wanted to be with the Count forever. He just didn't mind the euphoria that bloodletting gave him.

Oh man! This was such a mess.

"So this is about the bite?" Abigail asked.

"Bites as in more than one. Two on the shoulder for sure, but I suspect others." Nigel informed.

Wally worried his lower lip before he realized what he was doing. He straightened his posture. It would do nothing for everyone present if they knew how exposed he felt. "Apparently the trust has been broken, and with good reason. So again, I'm asking to be decommissioned. Nothing more. I don't want the medical help. I don't want therapy or anything else you push the teen alliance through. I just want to be let go."

"It's not that simple," Nigel said. Something broke in their lead, something he'd seen a handful of times over their decade of friendship; pure, unfiltered exhaustion. He was tired of the fight.

"Yes it is. I said it. Everyone heard me say it. I want out." He couldn't believe this personal moment in his life was being shared by his entire team and a handful of others. This was top on his most humiliating moments in his life.

The Count could feel his stress. In turn, a headache bloomed at the back of his eyes. He hissed and squeezed his eyes shut. There was too much light filtering in through the open curtains.

Nigel firmly grasped his shoulder, right over the bite marks. "What's wrong?"

The friction from his touch, combined with the heat and the rub of fabric, sent Wally spinning. His body's reaction was instant. His pelvis tightened. He gritted his teeth, barely suppressing the moan that lurched from his gut. The orgasm was on the brink of existence.

He tried to push Nigel back, but his effort was weakened by his state of mind. He couldn't stand everyone present while his body took such wanton pleasure from the euphoria the bites constantly offered. Every nerve danced like live wires under his skin.

"Talk to me. What's going on? What's wrong?" Concern overrode Nigel's anger. He stood so close that every breath Wally took was filled distinctly of his captain's sandalwood body wash and fresh-rain laundry detergent.

His captain's scent was clearer now, and though it wasn't something Wally should've been this attuned too, he rested his forehead against Nigel's neck, and focused on breathing. "I need to lie down."

He didn't expect to be lifted off his feet. He had no idea Nigel was even capable of lifting his weight. It made him feel petite… so utterly safe like someone else was strong enough to take his burdens. He quickly built a wall around the emotions that were threatening to drown him on another subject he didn't need.

Nigel sat him on the edge of the bed. "This thing you have with the Count isn't going to continue. At any cost, I promise you, I'm going to set you free."

"Four months."

Nigel frowned. "I don't understand."

"School ends in four months. Add another three and you're leaving for college. It doesn't matter what I do after that. It's my life and it won't concern you."

"Don't be concerned with the mechanics. I'll figure this out." Nigel watched him a second longer before leaving the room.

Wally held his breath and strained his ears, but he couldn't distinguish what was being said in the living room. He was sure Nigel was leaving him with guards. This was getting messy.

oOo

Nigel stepped into the frigid cell holding the Count. There were no bars or windows. The walls were gray cement from floor to ceiling with no vent for air circulation and no cameras to monitor the interaction. The cell held no bed, sink or toilet. He doubted the Count needed any of it. The single bulb placed inside a carved out hole in the ceiling, gave dim light that allowed thick shadows at all corners of the room.

"Don't play games with me Count, or I'll find a reason they should keep you here for another decade," Nigel threatened. He kept his back to the wall, but had the distinct feeling it would do him very little good with a vampire.

A raspy chuckle stirred the deeper shadows. "I knew you'd eventually come. I could tell that you aren't one for sharing your toys."

"He's not a toy." Nigel growled. Every fiber of his being wanted to lock in on the Count and rip the man apart; pull his undead heart from his chest and stomp on it. Every few things could make him this primal. Apparently, anything effecting his team was undoubtedly his trigger.

"This is a challenge then? Best man wins the little submissive pet?" The Count solidified in front of him. His wide grin showcased his long fangs against the red of his mouth.

"Is that all it will take? A simple challenge and you'll leave my hitter alone?" Nigel asked. His exhale of breath left fog swirling in the air.

The Count's eyes widened. The brown in his irises looked almost like rich, dark chocolate in the strange lighting. "You feel for him? How deep do those emotions run, Nigel? What would you be willing to do for your hitter? And don't lie. It's not becoming of a man with rank."

"I will take this as far as it needs to go," he said.

The Count nodded. "I see it now. You like him much more than you should. It'll never work, but you must know that. He does."

"That's not your concern," Nigel answered. His anger was starting to cloud his thoughts. The room was freezing and smelled like the frost in a meat locker.

The Count tapped the edge of his temple. "Wally's thoughts are for me to consume. Soon, I will devour every concern he wavers on until you and your team are forgotten. He won't fight this. He has nothing else."

"We'll see about that Count. This isn't over."

"Nigel Uno, I do suggest you walk away from this. You don't have the ability to satisfy a submissive of Mister Beatles extreme."

"I guess maturity doesn't come with age. I thought after four hundred years, you'd be above a proverbial pissing match," Nigel shot back.

The door rattled and the guard silently waited with an expensive goggle set over his eyes. He kept his attention firmly on the room. That was Nigel's cue to leave. He glanced back at the Count, but the vampire had vanished back into the dark corners of the dreary cell.

Nigel crossed the threshold, grateful for the warm hallway. It made his blood flow again, though his anger also helped. He brought a hand to his ear. "Did you catch all of that?"

"Sure did. This is seriously messed up. It's like he's keeping Wally on an invisible leash," Abby answered. The keys on her keyboard echoed back on the connection.

"I need everything you can find on the BDSM community. I want reference books, articles, rules, regulations, a list of tools," he rattled the tiny bit he suspected about that world.

"Taking up a new hobby, boss?" Abby's tone held a tinge of humor. He could almost see her smirk, despite the distance.

"If I'm going to win this, yes." But the prize in question wasn't some little trophy he could keep on his shelf.

The prize here was a very living, intelligent being that would eventually get hurt if he dropped his guard for a second. What did it mean to have a submissive? To be utterly in control of another's life? He had to figure this out and fast, if this was the game the Count played…

oOo

Wally dropped his plastic fork into the mashed potatoes and pulled on the durable rubber band equipped with micro electronics settled into the interior. "This is worse than house arrest. I don't think the police bother monitoring heart rates too!"

"Your bio-rhythms are important in calculating the exact influence—" Hoagie huffed when an elbow went into his side.

"Kid, it's your fault for trying to be so secretive," Abby finished where their engineer left off. She stabbed her meatloaf and dragged it through the ketchup.

It wasn't a surefire way to tell when the Count mentally channeled their hitter. The device was fairly new, given to them only the night before so they'd have it for the school week and beyond. Problem was, Wally's incredibly slow heart rate was alarming.

"Technically, I didn't do anything wrong. This is a breach of my civil rights!" Wally's voice rose as he pushed his tray away from him. Even his soda remained untouched.

"Someone's finally paying attention in government class," Kuki teased. She tossed a berry shaped fruit snack at Wally.

The cafeteria doors slammed open and Wally glanced at the racket. His blond hair drifted over his shoulders, soft with curls. Their hitter had admitted in the past that he felt self-conscious of the curls when they'd been kids. He never let his hair grow much longer than the standard cut he usually sported.

"Medical said they could meet us at the treehouse sometime after five," Abby said. She sat beside Wally and had about as much interest in eating as the rest of them. Their team took a real hit on this.

"I will still be at practice at five," Wally said, then glanced up, catching Nigel's eyes. Over the course of the weekend, his pupils went back to normal. His gray eyes didn't spark the way they use to. They were almost dull; the life almost snuffed from them.

"Can we have the medical team meet in the locker room at five?" Abby asked.

Wally huffed. "What am I supposed to tell my coach? That I have another meeting within an hour of being at practice? Can't this wait until I get back to the tree house?"

"Yo, Beatles!" Ace, captain of the Jasmine Jumpers High School football team, hollered from across the room as a small fraction of the team seized a lunch table towards the large windows.

Wally glanced over at Nigel, silently asking for permission. Something in Nigel's gut tightened, leaving him with a sense of great authority and a sense of duty. Both were confusing, but not unpleasant. Holy Moly! Had this always been right under his nose and he hadn't seen it in the past? For all his loud, brass, temperamental moments, Wally had a submissive personality!

"We'll catch up later." Nigel nodded for him to go.

Wally gladly grabbed his tray and left their table. His strut wasn't as pronounced as he easily dodged students and made it over to the jocks. Somehow, he looked smaller among them. Maybe it was his long hair and thinner body structure or the fact that he was just about the shortest member of the team.

"So what is the real game plan? Are you going to become Numbuh Four's dominant? Can I help pick out his collar? I was thinking something pink and studded would be super cute with his blond hair!" Kuki asked.

Nigel choked on his drink. "That's pretty forward. Besides, I was thinking the first plan of operation would be to get him mentally evaluated."

Kuki shrugged. "It's the truth isn't it? Wally needs someone to replace the Count."

Heat rushed up the back of Nigel's neck. Was he that transparent on his thoughts? He took another swallow of his water before finally answering. "Yes. I don't want to force Wally's hand, but I feel this has to be his decision if he wants me to—"

"Jeeze!" Kuki made the most obnoxious sound in her annoyance. "Everyone! And I mean everyone can see that the two of you carry a torch for each other. It's so disgusting how many times in a day you both glance at each other behind the other's back. Just get it started."

Nigel glanced at Hoagie and Abby who were both nodding and had a look of pity. Nigel scrubbed a hand over his face. "So everyone knows. Great."

"Not the idiot you just let walk away," Abby said. She casually pointed towards the jock table with her plastic fork.

"You should kiss him and give him something else to focus on, besides the Count I mean," Kuki said. A blush touched her cheeks that made Nigel lift an eyebrow.

"Your idiot is walking out the door with the team," Abby said, drawing his attention to the large group leaving the cafeteria.

He started to stand, then stopped and sat back down. He couldn't follow his hitter around campus when there was work to do. He glanced at the monitor watch he wore. If Wally got in trouble, it would alert him. Same goes if his hitter tried to leave the school yard. Time to do some real research and leave the babysitting to the watch monitor.

oOo

Wally woke with a start, grasping the desk with open palms and trying to breathe through the warm haze that expanded through his body. The last remnants of his orgasm milked through his nervous system leaving him both flushed and high.

He glanced at the teacher droning away at the chalkboard. He didn't dare glance back at Kuki and Abby who sat a few seats over. No one else watched him. Good. The sex had felt so loud in his dream, but apparently he hadn't made a sound.

The only proof of his sin started cooling, making his boxers stick to his inner thighs and the rest of him down there. He was embarrassed. The Count doing things to him like this in public left him feeling vulnerable and diminutive. And there was no one to hug. No one to tell him that it was okay to feel this good without the strong, inner Catholic guilt.

He slid his head into the crook of his arm and sighed. Yep. There it was. Nothing but guilt. As if thinking about God wasn't bad enough, he also had his parents' voices in his head, praising his good behavior. Good boys didn't do things like this. Good boys didn't feel utterly trashed like his spirit tried to separate from his body when he was in some elevated state of mind.

"Feeling sick! Have to go to the nurse!" Wally yelled in the quiet of the room, grabbing his backpack and swinging it onto his shoulders. He didn't hear his teacher's answer before he slid into the hallway determined to make a mad dash to the locker room to shower off his sinful nature and change his clothes.

Nigel patiently waited against the lockers directly in front of the classroom. Wally glanced back as the door slid silently shut. Abby must have texted their leader the minute he fell asleep… Maybe.

"What's up, Wally?" Nigel asked. He kicked away from the lockers, looking almost casual if it weren't for the tale-tell signs of his true leadership nature. Nigel was never fully in a relaxed state of mind.

Wally rolled his eyes and hefted his backpack over his shoulder and started walking. Every step was a reminder how easily his body responded to the Count. "The locker room if you must know. I need to shower."

Nigel fell in step beside him, leaving him nervous. Please, please, please! To any God listening, good or bad, please do not let Nigel intend on following him to the locker room and worse, stick around.

Someone was listening. It wasn't the god or devil he intended either. The minute his thoughts took form, a new heat started to coil in his stomach. No! Not now!

Every step only encouraged the nerve sensitivity in his shaft and balls. The heat and wetness from his earlier release didn't help either. Not good! So not good!

Please. Please. Please. Do not make me orgasm in front of my leader! Please! I'll visit you tonight. Please don't do this to me.

The answer was so soft. A bare ghostly whisper that brushed his brain. "You will do whatever I say, anyways, Mister Beatles. Absolutely anything. Anywhere. When I want it."

"Are you okay?" Nigel stood so close. He hadn't even seen his lead close the distance between them. Warm hands gripped his upper arms. For a second, it felt like Nigel was literally the only reason he was still standing.

"I don't think I can qualify for okay." Wally answered. His voice raised an octave with his jittery nerves. He jerked out of Nigel's hold and veered into the bathroom, grateful for the four walls that shielded him from the rest of the school.

Before he could push the lock into place, Nigel shoved the door open, pushing him back. Now there were two of them in this tiny space and this was going to happen. His body was already tight. His breathing grew shallow with every tingly nerve set on fire, ready to make his balls burst again.

"You shouldn't be here," Wally hissed at him, dropping his backpack. It was too heavy. He used the wall for support. The cool tiles pressed through his shirt brought a great deal of relief even if they couldn't clear his mind and push the brakes on his situation.

Nigel stepped into his space, hands on his hips gently guiding him to the floor. Wally rested with his knees bent and open for his lead. Nigel kneeled there, cupping his chin with gentle strength. The wave of pleasure hit him. He gritted his teeth to keep silent, but he couldn't fight the shiver that hitched his breath and nearly bowed his back.

It was good. It was always so, so, so good.

When the wave of pleasure dissipated, he found his lips pressed against Nigel's. He quickly broke it. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry."

Did he initiate it? He must have. Nigel wouldn't have. His body was liquid heat; inside and out. He took a deep, slow breath and didn't like how clear his head became. They remained where they were and he wanted to do it again. He really, really, really wanted that. But he didn't deserve the comforting hold Nigel kept on his shoulders.

"Not as sorry as I am," Nigel promised. His leader searched his face, cupping his chin and leaning in to kiss him again.

Wally sighed into it. He'd never really kissed anyone before, besides the quick, obligatory peck he gave his mom before rushing off to school, but there was no escaping that.

This, though… was not a quick little air kiss. This kiss burned from his lips down to his curled toes. He opened his mouth; really not sure what he was doing, but Nigel took control, pushing his tongue between his lips and teeth.

Wally melted into him.

oOo

"The red dot says they're like hanging out in the bathroom or something," Kuki read the red beep her mobile phone. They stopped in front of the blue door marking the boy's bathroom.

Abigail shoved past her, hand on the door and ready to push in when Hoagie grabbed her wrist and moved just ahead of her. "What if there are guys in there. You can't just barge in like that."

"I took sex education. I know what a man's diggle-ling looks like," Abigail said, her eyes darting downward so Hoagie knew exactly what she was talking about.

His cheeks reddened and he let her go. "Okay, will, that's not really the point. I mean, they might not like you just running in there."

Kuki got around him and shoved the door open. The choked sound she made had him rushing in behind her, only to stop short in his tracks. He knew it! He called it! They had no right just barging into the bathroom.

Wally sat on the floor, legs wide open and Nigel kneeled with their hitter's chin in his hands. Kissing. Like deep, soul searching kisses. Neither even realized they had company.

"Woah! About time. Calling this one, 'the day Nigel decided to become a dom.'" Abigail said, snapping a picture just as Hoagie wrestled the phone out of Kuki's hand. Her screen light up with a message from Abigail.

Hoagie glared at her and gave up, handing Kuki her phone back. "This is intrusive. We don't have a right announcing this to the world."

"Relax. It's not like anyone on the teen-kid alliance didn't see this coming. In fact, I think I even overheard a few students here questioning their relationship." Abigail still played with her phone, decorating the picture with a few hearts and a quirky message.

Wally was the first to see them. His eyes were so dazed, but it didn't take him but a second to comprehend the interruption. His hands slid off Nigel's shoulders as he pulled away. Nigel glanced back at them and his cheeks turned pink too.

"I am totes going to make this my screen saver. Add a few Rainbow Monkeys and voilà!" Kuki broke the awkward silence.

"Not cool you guys," Hoagie reprimanded.

Nigel got to his feet, offering his hand to Wally. A second later, their hitter slid his hand into his and took his help to stand. Hoagie didn't miss the way Wally leaned forward, but quickly put space between them.

"I have football," he said, grabbing his backpack off the ground and pushing past the crew, bumping surprisingly hard into Hoagie and sending him against the wall. The bathroom door slid shut behind him.

"Boss?" Abby asked.

Nigel shook his head. "It's fine. He doesn't have a way to get the bracelet off. We can continue to monitor him from the library. We need to find everything we can on vampires and its direct link to humans."

"He's still a virgin, isn't he?" Hoagie asked. The entire team's attention darted straight to him. Heat crawled the back of his neck. "I mean, in all the 1980's horror movies, vampires always went after virgins. I just thought… I mean, maybe… uh… maybe there's truth in that?"

"We've known him since elementary and even then, he never dated. His love is for field work, not other people," Abby said.

"He did turn down the only girl ever to ask him out to the movies," Kuki said. Everyone's attention drifted to her. She shrugged. "What, she sat next to me in class. I overheard her talking to her friends. What she had to say about him wasn't flattering."

"Let's research first and see if there is anything in the books about…" Nigel's jaw tightened, but it didn't stop the blush that slid into his cheeks. "Virginity that isn't just a horror movie ploy."

oOo

He kissed his team leader! He literally opened his mouth and practically begged for Nigel Uno, top dog in the kid-teen alliance, to French kiss him. It. Was. Great.

And it was so, so wrong. He wasn't worthy of this.

He looked down at what he pick pocketed from Hoagie; a few screws, a tiny battery, a couple of tic-tacs and the thin, copper flat looking bar. He pressed it against the bracelet like he'd seen Hoagie do for Kuki when her bracelet needed fixing. The straps unlatched and he caught it, keeping the flat bass at his pulse point with his other hand.

Half of the team hung out at the benches, chatting while the other half stretched at the middle of the field. He didn't have time to waste crossing the field, so he went straight to the bench, catching Jax's arms. "Hey dude, do me a solid and put this on, would you?"

Jaxson laughed, taking the bracelet from him and held it up to examine. "Is it one of those health monitor things or something?"

"Yeah. Look, it would really help me out if you'd just put it on and wear it during practice." Wally glanced back at the school, afraid that at any minute the team would be running out the doors.

"Not a problem, dude." Jax pulled the bracelet on and adjusted it, clapped him on the back and took off running.

Wally waited a second. When nothing happened, he took off straight for the parking lot at a light jog. The movement made his head swim, but there wasn't time to waste. He couldn't risk getting caught. He knew Nigel. He knew exactly what his captain would do; stick him at the station until this was over. The thought of being segregated from his addiction was too painful.

His thoughts drifted back to the bathroom, back to being within Nigel's arms. His captain's lips dominating his, the way he smelled like warm leather, old books and sword polish, the pure strength…. There was so much power in his arms, shoulders, his pectorals and back.

A sheer headache stabbed through his frontal lobe, twisting his stomach and blurring his vision.

"Don't focus on him. He can't take care of you like I can," the voice ordered. The Count had heard his thoughts.

Wally nodded as he slid into the front seat of his car. He gripped the steering wheel, trying to balance the throbbing headache and shaking nerves. The heat coming in through the window brought little respite.

He glanced at his bare wrist with a great amount of guilt. He was purposely going against a direct order. God, if Nigel had just listened to him and allowed him to get decommissioned, he wouldn't have to lie about this.

"Come baby boy. You deserve a real handler," the Count lured.

Wally swallowed hard and nodded. No one was there to see it and he doubted the voice knew he made that movement. He started the car and held his breathe as he drove off the lot. If he breathed too deeply, he was sure he'd throw up.

oOo

Nigel flipped through another book before dismissing it to the growing stack in the middle of the table. The librarian, or anyone else for that matter, would think they were crazy if they saw the sheer amount of books pertaining to mythology and legends. Except, he really had no idea why Kuki dragged a copy of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" to the table for research.

His mobile phone rang and he answered on the second ring, recognizing the number as headquarters. "What's going on chief?"

"There was a massive breakout at the Micron Maximum Security Villain Prison. It's the Count, Agent Uno. I thought you should know, given the situation with your… with your operative." Numbuh 47375 said.

"Have to go!" He didn't bother with proper goodbyes. He didn't even bother putting the books up. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and started out the library as he kept glancing at the watch. Wally's heart sped with activity, which wasn't strange since he was on the field.

"What's going on?" Kuki repeated like a broken record until he swung on her.

"The Count is on the run. We need to grab Wally and take him to a secure location," Nigel said. Like that was going to be easy. They'd have to force him into the aircraft and, without a doubt, sedate him. He didn't really want to fracture their brittle relationship, or whatever that thing back in the bathroom was willing to become if nurtured.

That's all he had to say before Abby started running top speed towards the field. Embarrassingly, she was almost faster than him, with the small head start, but he gained on her quickly. When they got to the gate that separated the field from the spectators, Nigel scanned the players.

"His band says he's here, but I don't see him," Kuki said.

Nigel hissed under his breath and glanced at the locator on his wrist. Kuki was right. The locator said he was here. His heartrate was consistent with the players running laps on the field. "How's this possible? I thought you said he couldn't take it off."

Hoagie threw his hands up in defense. "He can't. He'd need the…."

"The what?" Nigel asked, scanning the benches in case Wally was having another metaphysical attack and that was what elevated his heartrate.

Hoagie stuck his hands into his pockets and frown. He dug deeper, sticking his hands into every pocket on his cargo pants and shirt. "He took it. When he bumped into me back in the bathroom. He took the release device. That's Grade-A pickpocketing. I didn't realize we offered that class."

"It's not a class an engineer needs," Abby said.

Hoagie pushed his goggles up to his forehead. "Hey, I do field work too!"

"Guys, concentrate. We need to find Wally before the Count disappears with him. There aren't enough operatives alive to search every inch of this planet. If they go off the grid, that's it." It took a great deal of strength to keep his tone from wavering. That kiss still burned hot and new against his lips. He couldn't imagine not having the hot-tempered hitter in his life.

"You can all relax. Wally won this round, but he's not ahead of me." Hoagie pulled his mobile from his pocket.

"Can't relax until we bring our agent home," Nigel said. It was hard not to snap at any of them. They were a team. They were a family. But none of them understood what losing Wally meant to him.

"I put a tracer on his car a couple days ago. You always said have a backup plan!" Hoagie said. He added more to that statement, under his breath, but none of those words made sense

Elation filled Nigel to no end. "Oh-My-God! Hoagie! I could seriously kiss you."

"But you won't, right? I mean, I saw you with Wally just earlier today. It'd be a little weird and I'm married to my work-" Hoagie started mumbling.

Nigel ignored him. "Everyone get in the car."