And here is chapter 7, guys. Apologies for the wait, I was trying to figure out what to include this chapter.

Enjoy as the plot meddles with the romance. Gosh durn plot.

And my updating schedule will possibly be every Friday or Saturday if I have a chapter fully written up to post. Lets see how that works.

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"I still have no idea how you talked me into this," He groused back up at the roadie. Eddie's grin was bright as he led the way down the sidewalk, he casting a glance back behind him briefly before focusing on where he was headed again. The chilly air nipping at the exposed skin of Sasha's arms as he frowned a little at the roadie's back. The black leather of the roadie's vest was the only real protection Eddie had from the cold, not that he seemed particularly affected by it.

"Trust me, this shit is gonna be great,"

"You say this as you lead me to my death," The German man was finding it hard to feel enthusiastic as he toyed with the hem of his shirt. It as casual as he could get, even with this change he knew he'd still stand out. He wasn't exactly metal in any capacity. Much less metal enough to slide into a club of all things. This was worse than the disco clubs Milla subjected him to, so much worse. At least in those clubs he didn't have to be an active participant. He could hide out in a booth and lurk.

Eddie clapped Sasha on the back, "C'mon, s'just a party, a little moshin' ain't gonna kill you,"

"I hate you,"

The roadie rapped his knuckles against his own chest as he acted choked up, "Oh man- you, you're hittin' me hard here, right in the emotions,"

"You're terrible and smell,"

"Says the guy who eats fuckin' blood sausages,"

"Blood sausages are delicious," He defended with a frown, clearly annoyed at Eddie questioning the glory of the German sausage.

"Do you tell your girlfriend that?"

"Shut up,"

"Aaah, the sweet sound of German rage. Now, channel that shit," He pushed Sasha forward slightly easily able to get past the entrance with barely a wave at the bouncer. Eddie a step behind Sasha as he nudged the man towards the front.

"C'mon, I'm sure you'll kinda like this,"

"You're terribleness is rising,"

"Yeah yeah," They managed to get to the club in time for the show to start up. Some band Sasha never cared to know of nor would be remember, (really, Doublefine, who would name a band that?) started the opening chords of their song.

The German man grimaced a little as he stayed near Eddie, trying to stay balanced even with the floor vibrating like it was. It not made any better by the fact it sounded like someone was murdering a circus organist. The singer occasionally shouting about meat in a strange fashion. Sasha barely had his mind trained on that as he fell in the defensive as people slowly started to mosh. The trashing of bodies starting slow, eventually rising in energy as the music got louder and brasher. The German man fending off a few elbowings on his own, ducking a loose kick as he tried to stick close to Eddie. Only finding some vague enjoyment when he accidentally knocked into someone.

'I'm going to kill you Eddie Riggs.'

Two hours later and two drinks later, Sasha found himself on a bar stool, a touch dizzy if not irritated as well as bruised.

"Sorry you didn't enjoy it, man. I was kinda hopin' the spirit would catch you,"

He grunted into his drink sulkily. Vaguely mollified at how genuinely apologetic the larger man seemed. He sporting several bruises across his arms and hands already. "You owe me, Riggs,"

The larger man gave the 'I surrender' hand motion back. Eddie hoping he could placate the cranky psychic. "Yeah, I know,"

"You owe me another beer,"

"And a ride home, maybe a blow job by this point,"

Sasha gruffed into his drink, not sure why that joking offer made his stomach knot up so uncertainly. He staying quiet as Eddie rambled, "Okay, maybe chocolate blow jobs, though that just sounds kinda messy and weird, would you have to coat a dick in chocolate or-?"

The German man just covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. "Please stop, I don't even want to think about this,"

"C'mon, every guy likes blow jobs,"

"Usually every guy doesn't offer it so casually to their friends," He warily looked between his fingers at Eddie.

"Well, I ain't every guy. I'm a mother fuckin' stand up friend who would blow you, babe you'd bust a nut,"

He needed another drink at this rate. "Oh god, stop,"

"What? I'm just sayin',"

"Are you-?" His question half emerged before he could fully squash it.

Eddie's brow just arched a little back, "Gay, is that the word you're lookin' for?"

"No, yes- I,"

"Lemme save you the trouble of fumblin' round for a polite way to ask me that," Eddie patted Sasha's shoulder gently back, "I'm Bi, so, I'm into chicks and dicks,"

"Must you phrase it like that?"

"Yes, because it bugs you," The honesty is what did Sasha in, he just having to pinch the bridge of his nose for a solid moment. Eddie seemed undeterred simply sipping at his own beer as he let Sasha formulate a response. The simplicity of the moment was just too strange for the German man. He casting him a steely glance over at Eddie, poking him with the beer mug he had in hand. "Buy me another drink,"

"Yes sir!" Eddie laughed easily back with a playful salute. He waving down the bartender with an easy grin, "Another drink over here, man! The usual!"

The woman behind the bar nodded, clearly fond and familiar with Eddie if her smile was anything to go by as she plucked another mug from behind the bar. "Sure thing, Eddie," Sasha could only vaguely wonder how her hair hadn't caught on fire yet with all the hairspray keeping it held in place.

###

Sasha rubbed his shoulder idly back as he frowned down at his cup of coffee. He was going to be feeling sore for weeks, he already knew that. The German man wasn't really sure how Eddie managed to talk him into moshing of all things. He suspected there had been drinking involved, possibly. Or Eddie just smiled at him in that certain way that made everything else seem- less important. Sasha did his best not to dwell too deeply on that aspect of the night, the rough dancing had been more than enough for him.

"Cheerful as ever, Nein,"

"Ah, Morry," Sasha vaguely schooled his features into something less irritated as he spoke. He glancing down at the shorter man, doing his best to keep the motion more subtle considering Morry's strange fixation with height. Even with his mental landscape patched up and sanity returned, he didn't take obvious signs of his shortness well. "You know I'm not much of a morning person,"

"I do, though you seem especially perturbed by the coffee this morning," The one eyed man supplied easily back as he strode forward to get his own coffee, "The coffee too strong for you?"

"No, I simply had a rough night," He didn't elaborate any further as he sipped at his coffee. He leaning a little further back against the counter behind him. The break room surprisingly quiet this morning, odd considering there was usually some form of a coffee rush going on about now.

"You had a crazy time with paperwork and watching cartoons?"

"You could say that," It was best to never lie to a psychic, even psychics who didn't specialize in telepathy generally knew when lies were being tossed around. It led to Sasha learning the magical art of evasion.

Morry didn't seem to notice the evasion as he found his personal mug tucked away on a lower shelf, pouring himself some coffee as he answered, "Never change, Nein, never change,"

Sasha rolled his eyes somewhat back at that as he sipped at his coffee. Sarcasm wasn't hard to miss in Sasha's voice. "Thank you, Morry,"

"Add some sugar to your coffee, sounds like you need it," He clinked his spoon against his mug after stirring the contents up.

"Certainly sounds like you need more than I do, Morry."

###

He eyed his cellphone with interest, eventually picking it up to flick through it. He initially just idly going through the contents of his phone. No real direction in mind as he went through various apps and his calendar. Sasha eventually opened the contact list, scrolling down, eventually setting on Riggs, Eddie.

There was hesitation before he clicked it, bringing the phone up to his ear.

"Eddie?" He smiled warmly at the larger man's response. "Good, I'm glad to hear that, I was wondering if you would be free for lunch today,"

Sasha laughed a little as he ran his finger tips across the smooth surface of his desk. He cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder as he spoke. "Mhmm, you had better, Mr. Riggs. I expect to see you then,"

He quietly hung the phone up at that, simply settling it back onto his desk and shifting his attention back to work. Pen scrawling across the fresh white sheet of paper, scratching out his thoughts as he hummed quietly to himself.

###

"I told you, man." Eddie's grin was warm, friendly, something Sasha quite enjoyed seeing, as the two men sat together at a booth. "I told you that movie was gonna be good,"

"Yeah, yeah." He murdered softly back into his coffee mug, hiding his smile behind it as he gazed at the other man. "I'll learn to trust your judgement from now on,"

Eddie laughed, tilting his head back a little as he stretched out a little. He tucking an arm behind his head as he spoke. "I'll keep that in mind for next time we Mosh," Playfully winking back at the German man. Sasha responding purely by peering over his sunglasses disapprovingly, that response just made Eddie laugh again.

"Okay, okay, no more moshin'," He grinned easily back, he picking up a piece of bacon to nibble at it. "I think you're probably still bruised from it, light-weight,"

"Hush you, not all of us are blessed with steroid like muscles,"

"Ey, this, is all natural," He teasingly flexed one arm and waggled his eyebrows back at the smaller man. Sasha just rolled his eyes, trying to stop himself from smiling. "You are a terrible influence Mr. Riggs, I do hope you know that,"

"I do, and I am evilly enjoyin' what affects my evil has wrought,"

Sasha opened his mouth to make a smart assed remark of his own only to be interrupted by the buzzing of his cell phone. He blinked, reaching into his pocket as he spoke. "Hold on a moment," He brought the phone out of his pocket, quickly looking at it and sighing. "I'll be back in a moment, it would be best if I took this call,"

"Oh, sure," Eddie shrugged a little back as he watched the German man rise from his seat, grabbing his jacket and heading outside to answer his phone.

Sasha barely noticed the cold as he answered, "Ja? Nein speaking,"

"We're going to need you to go to the airport, there has been a large flux of psychic energy in Maine." Truman was to the point as ever, Sasha appreciated that at least as he stole a glance back at the cafe, able to see Eddie through the large windows. The roadie working on eating his waffles and bacon. Sasha feeling the pull to stay here and just finish his meal with the roadie. "A flux? A large enough one to warrant Milla and I?"

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have called you," Truman answered honestly back, his tone serious enough that it proved his point. Sasha simply bit back a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose unhappily. "The jet is waiting for the two of you and a few other agents as we speak."

"Of course, I'll be there soon. I need to finish something up,"

"Right, I'll see you soon enough, Sasha." With that Truman hung up the phone. It leaving Sasha standing out in the snowy city scape simply staring at his phone for a moment. "Damn it," He tucked the phone back into his pocket, striding back into the cafe. A lump rising in his throat as he felt conflicted for the moment. It only made worse when Eddie visibly brightened at his return, his warm brown eyes focused on the German man. Sasha not entirely sure why it made his stomach knot up so throughly.

"I'm sorry to say, but I have to leave. There has been an emergency at the office and I need to attend to it immediately," His words were a little stiffer than intended, it warranting a frown from the roadie.

"Oh, yeah. Uh, go ahead. I'll cover-"

"No, here," He slide the broad shouldered man a twenty dollar bill, "Cover the meal, I'm, sorry I have to leave so suddenly,"

"Thanks… Call me when you're free, man."

"Certainly. I, thank you for having lunch with me, Eddie. I hope we can make up for this later," He smiled slightly, happy when warmth returned to the roadie's features. "I'd dig that, man."

"I'll see you later, Mr. Riggs," He waved, tucking his wallet away as he left the cafe. Sasha shifting fully into business mode as he walked to his car. Days like this, he wished he could teleport, it certainly would have saved him the drive to the airport and getting through all of the security surrounding the jet.

###

He uncomfortably shifted in his seat, crossing his arms tightly over his chest as he watched Truman. The egg shaped man gesturing at the projector to change the slide, his motions casting a shadow as he half blocked portions of the slide he stood in front of.

"The sudden influx of psychic energy has been traced back to an orphanage on the outskirts of a resort town." He pointed at the dot on the map present on the slide. "It's hard to really tell who or what is the source of this spike of energy. Our intel has gotten a little foggy due to transmissions being cut off,"

The projector gave a click as the slides changed, revealing the next few images. Those images consisting of drab pictures of an orphanage. Grey and white walls, tiled floors with suspicious stains, scripture laying around, frightened children shying away from any adults present. "We suspect the cult we thought we had contained is trying to gather enough psychics in one place to summon their god again,"

Sasha already knew Milla was stiffening up defensively, her protective streak towards children was clearly showing. She clearly wanted to ask him if they were going in to save the children or get rid of them. The German man gently reached out, pressing a hand against her knee. The gesture enough of a comfort to pull the woman down from her edge. Her green eyes briefly flickered over at him, showing an unspoken appreciation before she shifted to her neutral business face.

"Our mission as of now is to locate the leader of the cult and slowly bring children out of the building. This is a delicate mission," He let his gaze drift over the gathering of seated psychics. "I trust each of you to keep our goal in mind when we touch down,"

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the group as Truman continued, his bushy mustache moving with his words. "Each of you will have a certain task, our main goal is to A. locate the leader, detain them and anyone else who is running this place, B. detain the children without any incidents. Our reports show they've been fed psytainium, so they are unstable," The projector clicked, the next image making Sasha's stomach lurch slightly. Several dead children lined the floor as a what Sasha thought was a woman in bondage gear made up to look like a nun's stood over them. A man in priests robes stood behind her, his features hidden by belts constricting his skin back. "If we do not contain this situation, things could become more dire,"

The projector shifted images again to a better map, Truman gesturing across it. "Here is where we'll be landing. Here is the orphanage, those who can teleport will be going in first to check to see if our intel is still good, if it is we'll send in senior agents to find the ring leader. Other agents will disperse to collect children and bring them to waiting vehicles we have in the area. You'll all be receiving maps with markers of where our agents will be and plans of the building. I want you to memorize those before you leave this plane." There was a shuffling of paper as the maps were slowly passed to everyone in the plane. Truman giving it a minute before he continued, changing the projector's slide. The image changed again to reveal a boney pallid looking woman severely glaring at the viewers. "Dahlia Gillespie was the leader of the last orphanage we cracked down on, she fled before we could catch her." He gazed out at the psychics again adding, "Do not hesitate to kill her if you cannot capture her. Dahlia cannot be reasoned with, we've lost an agent because of her,"

The quiet murmurs picked back up, several agents recognizing the sickly looking woman. Sasha knew her, he remembered seeing her in person once before she fled.

"We are unclear on how she managed to set this up again, we have some vague intel that she has a benefactor supporting this venture," Milla scowled in disapproval briefly before stashing it away as quickly as it appeared. "The unnamed benefactor is supplying staff for this place. We do not know their full origins aside from their belief in the cult," He gestured towards the emblem carved into their tight clothing. "Treat them as hostiles until proven otherwise,"

Sasha simply squeezed Milla's knee again, keeping his gaze focused on Truman as the man continued. "If you can bring Dahlia in, please keep your guard up. She is not to be trusted," The egg shaped man turned off the projector with a click of the remote he had in hand. "Any questions?"

Silence answered him, "If you have any, contact me. We'll be landing in two hours,"

With that he strode through the aisle to the back of the back of the jet. Sasha quietly focusing on looking over the map as he let his hand stay where it was on Milla's knee.