Hey all

Here is the next chapter. It's been a while. Enjoy

Chapter 7

'The tank is ready.'

Riki heard voices, all around him, but they sounded so far away. He couldn't make out which voice belonged to whom. He was in an out of consciousness, every time he could make out the voices a little clearer. They really are brothers. His body was weak, and he still couldn't open his eyes or move his body but if he could, he would have shaken his head, listening to the Mink brothers squabbling.

'Will you sit down; you're going to wear a hole in my floor.'

'This better work Abel, otherwise you may find yourself in there as well.'

'Trust me, Brother. I know what I'm doing. I mean, if you want me to hop in and hold him, all you have to do is ask?'

Riki heard the hard punch and the 'ow' before he was felt himself being lifted and gently submerged in liquid. It was warm and felt nice on his cool, clammy skin. He figured he must be in a healing tank. Obviously they hoped to snuff out whatever was happening to him. He wanted to desperately open his eyes to be a witness to the bonding moment between the two, but they felt like they were glued shut and his throat was made of sandpaper. Fuck. His ears could just pick up on the sounds around him and the mask on his face was helping him breathe, but it seemed he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. They began to burn. He began to struggle. He tried clawing at his throat, but his limbs were like lead. Dead weight and spots of light would appear in the darkness.

Iason's strained voice spoke into his ear as if he was right beside him. 'Be calm, Riki. You are safe. Just take a deep breath.'

Calm. Dammit. I'm on fire.

'Riki. You have to relax or the drug in your system can't be flushed out and you will die.' Abel rushed in.

'He isn't going to die' Iason snapped.

'There is still poison hiding inside his body; it knows what we are trying to do. The antidote can't work its magic unless he remains still.'

Riki tired, but his whole body was burning up from the inside. Just like when he had fainted before. He could actually hear the beating of his heart and the swoosh of his blood pumping through his body. Hurts. Hurts so fucking bad. Hot to cold. Cold to hot. Was this how he was going to die? Was this Death?

But just as he felt like the flames would finally engulf him entirely, they subsided and a cooling, almost hypnotic sensation washed over him and he was able to breathe again. 'That's it.' Riki heard Iason say. Drawing in deep gulps of air through the mask, Riki felt the tug of unconsciousness grip him mercilessly and for once, he didn't fight it.

…

'He's asleep.' Abel tapped the screen which had Riki's vitals showing a steady rhythm. 'Everything looks good.'

Abel turned to Iason and smirked. 'Thanks for not having your men shackle me to my bed by the way. Some of them were eyeing me up like a piece of meat.' He shivered for dramatic effect.

A secret door slid open to his left and Rand had arrived with a mountain of what looked like books. Something he had not seen in years. Intriguing. The furniture placed them delicately on the table in front of them and retreated without a word, but he didn't miss the heated look between Rand and Abel. Choosing to ignore their silent conversation, he picked up a heavy faded green binder; well it looked green and turned it over. He couldn't read the cover through the layer of dust and blew it off, which made him cough.

'How have you come into possession of these books? I thought they had all been lost. And what has these got to do with Trinity?'

'You don't want to know,' Abel also picked up a book and wiped the cover, 'but it required a fair bit of haggling and a lot of pain. The man has a mean grip. But he did say that these old books have records in them from the time when Jupiter was first created. I remember I had them when I was being escorted back to my fortress of solitude and the possibility of being tied up to my bed, again. You're welcome.'

Iason didn't bother to respond to Abel's familiar sense of humor and flipped through the books, glancing at the words written on the page, managing to make out a few sentences here or there but most of it was written in the old text. In his mind he was trying to at least make a connection as to why this terrorist group, Trinity, had resurfaced after so long in hiding and what was there purpose by targeting Riki. To get to him? From what he could make out they were defiantly radical in their thinking and very dangerous, and judging by their actions, they weren't scarce on manpower if they were willing to sacrifice their people for their cause. A cause he couldn't seem to understand. What is it they want? And why come out of hiding now? A hundred and fifty years later. Images of the Trinity medic committing suicide played out on a continuous loop behind his eye lids and his ominous words echoed inside his mind

For a new world. Free of all that is weighing it down

E6P3458.

'Abel'

'Yes, dear?'

Iason ignored the sarcastic endearment, 'What do you think 'E6P3458' means?'

Abel thought for minute, tapping his chin. 'Not sure. Could be a code or registration number?' he then turned to Iason. 'Why?'

'Trinity's minion was repeating it before he committed suicide.'

'What else did he say?'

'That Trinity has spies everywhere. And no one is safe.'

'Hmm,' was all Abel said and Iason had to wonder what was going through his brother's chaotic mind. He had seen what Abel was capable of and quite frankly, it scared even him. But despite his brother's unstable nature, in this moment, he was the only one Iason could trust. Because right now Iason was unsure where to go from here. And being unsure was something he wasn't accustomed to. Riki was stable, but what was this Trinity's next move. He clenched his fist and went and stood in front of Riki's tank. Relieved to see colour had finally come back to his tanned skin and the bleeding had stopped. Once he regained consciousness, maybe Riki would remember who poisoned him. And then Iason was defiantly going to rethink any of Riki's expeditions in the future. He would relish in the sparing match he would have with Riki once he learned his intentions.

He turned around and found Abel in his personal space, looking at him intently. Iason moved his head back and took a step away. Abel still eyed him curiosity.

'What?'

'You've changed. Has Riki made you soft?'

Iason scoffed, 'Shut up and get reading.' He threw the book he was holding back on the pile and turned to leave. He was not going to discuss his private affairs with his brother, not now. Not really ever 'I have some information of my own to look into.'

'Does it have to do with the man you found murdered in district 6? Garrett, right?' Abel asked sweetly.

Iason didn't stop and didn't bother asking Abel how he knew about that. Even being locked up, he still had his minions with their ears to the ground, gathering material. That's what made them so alike. They think alike. His intelligence network was almost as good as Iason's. Almost. But that wasn't really what he wanted to investigate, part of it was, but he wanted to know more about the device residing in Abel's body, and how to get rid of it. His twin was good at hiding his true intentions and kept his cards close to his chest. But they fact they did it right under his nose was enough for him to want to destroy Trinity. He didn't look back at Abel as he slipped out the door, but he knew Abel had a look of absolute enjoyment on his face.

…

The look of amusement dropped the instant Iason left the room and was replaced with undisguised annoyance. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to relieve the stress building behind his eyes. Trinity resurfacing was something he wasn't expecting to come across when he decided to take his little field trip to Midas a couple of days ago, but could be fun. Life was getting a little dull. Abel went to stand in front of Riki's tank and tapped his chin in thought while looking at the mongrel floating inside.

Could targeting Iason's pet just be the appetizer and we haven't even had the first course yet.

One of the computer screens flashed, indicating there was an incoming call. Abel made sure that Riki was truly asleep before he pressed the green button and one of his spies came on screen. Even confined to this house, didn't mean he wasn't aware what went on in the rest of the world. And Daryl made an excellent man on the outside. He was certain Iason would not be a happy camper if and when he found out that he was using his Ex-furniture as his eyes and ears, but Abel liked dancing with the devil. Iason may not have dropped by in the years he was confined, at the council's request, but Abel was certain Iason had kept a watchful eye on him, while Abel did the same to Iason. This was why he knew about Riki.

'Please tell me you have information on the Darkman called Colton. I believe I owe him a bomb shoved down his throat.'

'He has been harder to track but I have his last known whereabouts I'll send you the address.' Daryl paused, 'I also have some found out a little about the assassin that administrated the virus into Riki.'

'A name?'

'He goes by the name of winter.'

'Winter?' Abel thought back at the image of the man he had seen in the long coat disappear into the crowd. 'Ok send me all you have through the usual channel.'

A nod and Daryl disappeared. The screen went dark leaving his murderous stare gazing back at him. The chase was on. You can run, but you can't hide lovelies. The site where he had been injected with the device started to pulse. Dammit. He didn't like surprises, just like the little one they planted inside his body. He instinctively when to touch his chest when he heard the sharp intake of breath. He smiled but didn't turn around.

'How long are you going to stand there?'

A pause before a soft murmur. 'Why must it always be you?'

Footsteps echoed of the chamber walls and came to stand behind him. Abel turned and his blue eyes became heated when they landed on Rand, the glowing liquid from the tank illuminating his lover's face. His features might look like they were made of stone, but his own blue eyes were a dead giveaway to what the younger man was feeling. And with how many years they have been together and the many situations that had happened between them, Rand could never hide how he felt from him. And his emotions went from worried, to angry, then back to worried. Obviously warring within himself as what do feel first. And he didn't blame him; Abel was hard to live with at times.

'Unfortunately, I seem to attract the worst kind of luck, my love.'

'Joking while you have a bomb in your body? Why doesn't that surprise me.' Not a question, but common knowledge. Rand took a couple of steps forward to stand right in front of Abel and reached out his hand to hover just over his wide chest.

'Because it's the only way I'm surviving right now.' Abel said with a wistful smile, allowing the sadness of situation they found themselves in, to show. With Rand he allowed his walls to come down and not be the emotionless, sarcastic shit he likes to show the world.

Rand lowered his hand. 'You don't have to be strong all the time, Abel. We have been through enough to not do this tip toeing around each other. I have seen you at your absolute worst and your absolute best and everything in-between.'

Abel knew that Rand still had so much more to say but realized it was not the time, nor the place to speak of the past. For Rand may be his Furniture, but in name only. Without all the BS that came with becoming one. It was the only way he could stay by his side. The only way Abel could keep him close. He understood Iason's serious obsession with the mongrel, even if his delusional twin won't admit it, but it seemed once the Mink brothers set their sights on someone, hell if they were going to let them go.

Speaking of close, he stepped forward as Rand took a step back, stopping when he hit the edge of the table and Abel had taken position in between Rand's legs. He leant down until his face was inches from Rand's and grabbed a book from behind him, not missing the look of obvious desire from his lover and stood back up, walking away before things got any more heated. Or any more questions were asked.

…..

Every now and then, Riki heard voices. Abel's. Iason's. They were always arguing about something. He was even sure he heard Raoul's but he was too weak pull himself out of the comatose state he found himself in. An eternity later, Riki managed to wade through the spider webs of unconsciousness and open his eyes. First he realized he was in some sort of room. Not the hospital like he thought but a plain yet nicely furnished room. There were no computers or monitors, or even noise outside. Dead quiet. That was a giveaway that he wasn't in Eos anymore.

Or even Tanagura for that matter.

He slowly sat up and realized he was naked. Looking around he found a pair of black pants resting on the armchair in the corner. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and tested his balance. He was a bit unsteady but took one step at a time until he came to the chair and put on the pants. There was a small window that let in the only light in the room to his left, so he glanced out and was amazed to find himself in a forest surrounded by thick mist. He frowned. Defiantly not in Tanagura. Or maybe even Amoi. He also thought he saw shadows walk around through the mist and had to do a double take. Yes, there was defiantly something slithering around out there. But it wasn't just the shadows or even the atmosphere made the place more mysterious, it seemed like the place was from another world.

Could this be Abel's home in Diedo's misty forest?

Riki could recall the absolute look of pure panic and dread from Iason that day. He had never seen the look before. The composure and aloofness was gone. There will be no living with him after this. He would never be let out again. Be locked up forever. Can't think about that right.

Riki stepped away from the window and slowly crossed over to the door, his legs still feeling like jelly, but he managed. Opening the door, he peered out and was greeted by a quite stillness. He was almost afraid to breathe just in case it was too loud and broke the peaceful atmosphere. Where the hell was everyone? He stepped out and got a couple of feet down the long hallway, keeping himself steady by leaning against the wall. Riki came to the end and peered around to come to another long hallway. It was lined with doors on either side He suddenly felt the world spin for a moment and shook his head, obviously still disoriented from his long beauty sleep. He spotted a faint light underneath one of the doors and went towards it. He suspected to find it locked but it opened and he looked inside. It was a room with shelves filled with books, floor to ceiling and to say Riki was fascinated. Books with paper. Something he thought he would never see. They were defiantly old as the hard bindings had faded and the pages had a yellow tinge.

He was about to touch one when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned and found the man that had been at Iason's door that morning standing there, a mixture of amusement and exasperation on his face. Not directed at him, but obviously something else.

'You're awake.

'Where am I?'

'Abel's home. Well, more like his prison, since he is confined here.' He gave a small smile.

'How long have I been out?'

'A week. There was fear you wouldn't make it.' The man said quietly, 'I'm Rand.'

'Riki' He glanced at the books again. 'I've never seen real paper before.'

He saw Rand nod in the corner of his eye. 'Not many have. Abel acquired them through a merchant who deals with antiques. Being confined to this house for years, he has read them all, many times.'

Riki caught the note of affection in the Furniture's voice. He remembered Abel confessing that he was locked up for trying to off Iason. 'Did Abel really try and kill Iason?'

'That night….' Rand paused when there was a loud thud, followed by a small bang shaking the house slightly. Rand sighed and turned towards the door. 'You woke up just in time.'

'For what?'

Another bang, but this time louder. 'Sparing practice.'

To be continued…