Warning: Rated for language, some violence and adult behavior.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
Yumi got out of the hospital on Monday morning, with instructions to call if any of her symptoms came back. She got back to her dorm room, much to the relief of her roommate, Jessie. After recounting her tale yet again, Yumi was finally able to settle down and rest.
The rest of the week was spent getting back into the groove of school and resting. Allen called her several times, but they didn't meet. He specifically told Yumi that she was not to come by the office until she had gotten a weeks worth of rest or he or Desmond called her.
Her parents called, first her father, then her mother. Her father explained that her mother and Rachael Stern had left and didn't come back until Monday evening. She had to reassure her father that, yes, she was truly alright, and she really was feeling better.
When her mother called, she told Yumi what she had done, then Yumi surprised her by saying she already knew, that Ulrich had told her. Mother and daughter spoke of many things, her escapade, Ulrich's mother and Ulrich.
One thing kept bothering Yumi though, the way René and Raymond acted at the party when they kissed. Something about was wrong, and not because they were guys, or she didn't think so. She thought for a while, then decided to talk to the only person she knew of that could help her figure her problem out.
It was a week after Yumi was released from the hospital when she to see Peter Maxwell.
Peter was having a good day. By that, he was resting comfortably, not coughing, and his pain was being successfully controlled by the medications he was given. The nurse told Yumi that he already had a couple of visitors with him, but she could go ahead and see him.
"Ah, my adopted sister," he told her when she knocked on his door, "come in! Meet the rest of my family."
Yumi walked in. There were two other people there, a man and a woman. They were both dressed casually, and had smiles on their faces.
"Yumi, this is Leon and Tia, they're friends of mine," Peter said, "guys, this is Yumi Ishiyama, my dad's latest project."
The two peopled nodded and said a polite hello.
"I'm sorry to disturb you and your friends, but I wanted to talk to you about something," Yumi began, "could we talk alone for a couple of minutes?"
"If it's personal, sure," Peter replied, "otherwise, ask away. There's nothing you're gonna say that my friends can't hear."
"Well, I'm a little embarrassed about this," Yumi said, "but I wanted to ask you about guys kissing."
"You mean like this?" Leon said as he leaned over and drew Peter into a very long, loving kiss.
Yumi blushed and Tia laughed. "I wonder how you would react if I kissed you," Tia told the girl.
Leon broke the kiss and sat back, laughing. "Well, what do you want to know," he said, "it's no different for us than it is for you."
"Well," Yumi said, "Friday night week before last, I saw two men kissing, and it looked strange. By strange I mean strange, not just it was two guys."
"Like they were trying to hold each other in place?" Tia asked, suddenly serious.
"Exactly," Yumi replied.
"Buggers," Peter said.
"What?"
"Buggers," Peter said again, "I've never seen them, but I've heard about them. Guys or gals kissing, or guys and gals kissing, seemingly getting off on it, but they don't look like they care for the other, or what they're doing. We call them buggers, 'cause they bug the hell out of us."
"How long has this been going on?" Yumi asked.
"I first started hearing about them about three years ago," Tia said, "my girlfriend said she saw a couple do it, two girls. She said they looked like kissing was the last thing they wanted to do, but got off on it in the end. Funny thing is although they looked like they felt the pleasure, they didn't enjoy it. I thought she was pulling my leg, until I started hearing the same story from others."
"Do you hear of a lot of these stories?" Yumi asked.
"Not a lot, but enough that a label has been attached to them," Peter said, "enough that people are starting to talk about them. So you saw a couple, huh?"
"Not only did I see them, I wound up spending some time with them," Yumi replied, "I think they tried to make me one of them, but it didn't work."
"Yumi," Leon said, "you can't catch being gay. You can be born that way, or decide to be that way, but you can't be infected with it."
"Well, maybe not," Yumi replied, "but it's looking like you can catch whatever it is that makes you a bugger. They found something weird in my spinal fluid at the hospital, something no one can identify."
"You wound up in the hospital?" Peter said, "you never said that."
"I hadn't gotten to that point yet ," Yumi told him, "they also tried to kill me."
"Well it sounds to me like you should stay away from them then," Peter said, "dad would be real disappointed if you got yourself killed over this."
"Yeah, so would I," Yumi said with a small smile.
"Well, we'd better be going," Leon said, getting up. He gave Peter another kiss and went for the door. Tia walked over and pecked Peter on the cheek before she left.
"Well, see you 'round, Yumi," Tia said, "and if you ever want to find out what it's like, give me a call."
After they left, Peter laughed and said, "I wouldn't take her up on her offer, Yumi. She likes it a little rough, and it might scare a novice. She was kidding anyway, I think. So, tell me more about Friday night..."
When Yumi got back to her dorm, she almost literally ran into Detective Barns.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" she said to the man.
"Ms. Ishiyama, I was just looking for you," he replied, "do you have a couple of minutes?"
"Certainly."
They walked over to the dorm's lounge, and sat down on a couch.
"You said that one of the men was named Raymond?" the detective started.
"Yes, that's what René called him, anyway," she replied.
"Would this happen to be him?" Barns next asked as he showed Yumi a photograph.
It was Raymond, but not as she remembered him. He definitely looked different.
"Yes, that looks like him, but what's wrong with him?" she asked.
"He's dead," was the response, "he was found on the banks of the Potomac this morning. His neck was broken. Any ideas as to why?"
"No," was all Yumi could say, the shock evident on her face, "maybe René would know."
"I'll be sure to ask him when I meet him," Detective Barns said, "now, you've never seen this man before that Friday night?"
"No, who is he?"
"Raymond Nellis, age 28. He worked for the Office of Management and Budget. I'm trying to get as much as I can before the FBI shuts me out."
"Why?"
"The Office of Management and Budget is a Government organization. The FBI investigates when a federal worker is murdered, and Mr. Nellis was more than a clerk. If what I've found out so far is true, he was some kind of auditor overseeing covert government projects, trying to account where the money goes and stuff like that."
Yumi tried very hard to keep a neutral face. An auditor, tracking money for secret government projects? And René wanted to know about the Kadic Group!
"Do you know more than you are telling me, Ms. Ishiyama?" Detective Barns asked, "I'd hate to think a nice girl like you was tied up in a mess like this. And I can tell you from experience that when the shit starts flying, it flies everywhere and sticks to everything. It could get real bad for you if I find out later on that you're involved and didn't tell me."
"I really don't know what you're talking about," Yumi replied, "I never saw Mr. Nellis before that Friday night. How did you know that this was the Raymond that kidnapped me?"
"Autopsy report. They found that little bug they found in you in him, everywhere," the detective replied, "CDC is going nuts over it. From what I've heard, it's almost a new life form, an artificial life one at that. The Biowar boys in the Army are itching to get their hands on it. I'm surprised they haven't scooped you up yet."
"I'll keep an eye out," she said, "say, Detective Barns, have you ever heard of 'buggers?'"
"Buggers? To me that means gay men," he replied, "I take it you've heard another definition for it?"
"A friend of mine told me about men who kiss, but don't like it, like they have no choice in the matter. It seems these people are called buggers in the gay community. I think Raymond and René are buggers."
"Well, I haven't heard that one before," Barns said, "I'll have to ask some of my snitches. Well, you've given me a bit to think about, Ms. Ishiyama. I'll take my leave of you now." He got up to leave. "If you think of anything else that might help, anything, call me."
When Yumi got back to her room, she called Allen and told him what she had found out.
"I never even thought about asking Peter," he said, "I guess that's my shortsightedness. I'll get this off ASAP. Something else, you won't have to worry about the police much longer. I'm setting things up so this is done federally, and under our control, so we can maintain cover. That was probably the last time you'll hear from Detective Barns, but if he keeps hounding you, let me know."
