"They simply go by 'The Crew', sir." Jacobi stated and his boss nodded for him to continue. "They have complete control over what goes in and out of Los Santos. They're good men from what I've heard. They're definitely the right way to go if you're looking for a silent smuggle of guns. Word is he's trying to keep new items from coming in and wants to get the excess out. And Vanoss' second in command is a man we've worked with before."
"Who?"
Jacobi grinned, "Delirious."
Alex glanced back at his advisor and a smile slid across his face. He held his hand out, "Get me a line with him."
Jacobi dailed and handed him the satellite phone with a smirk. "Don't get carried away, Alex."
"Can't make any promises." He said in his thick Irish accent and held the phone to his ear.
"Vanoss. I have a proposition for you."
Jonathan loved the feel of cold metal. He loved the smell of fresh gunpowder and the sting of his hand after firing a bullet. He liked to kill, but only those who rightfully deserved it. He liked to watch the life leave their wide eyes, the regret, the apology. It showed who they really were inside. He had never been wrong in his decision to take lives and he'd never regretted it. Joining Evan was something that fueled his purpose. Stealing from the rich and the corrupt helped balance his insanity until he felt like a normal human being. As close to normal as he could be.
He still wore face paint and a mask on his missions unless he didn't need it, unless he was deep undercover. The feds still didn't know what any of them really looked like and they all liked to keep it that way. He heard a shift in the music that was filtering through the armory and he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, but then he caught a whiff of a very familiar scent and he lowered his defenses.
"What can I do for you, Boss?" He asked without looking up from cleaning his guns. Evan finally made a noise, letting his presence be known as he came to rest across from Jonathan's table.
"I need to ask you something."
Jonathan finally looked up at him, meeting his rich eyes and he stopped what he was doing. This was business by the tone of Evan's voice.
"Shoot."
"Do you know a man named Alex?"
"I know a few. Why?"
Evan sat back in the chair and tapped his finger against the table, "What about Jacobi?"
"Jacobi." Jonathan repeated and a small laugh escaped his lips. "Yeah, I know Jacobi and Alex. Alex is an Irish guy who hired me on a job about six years ago. They're good guys, but their crew is batshit insane."
Evan crossed his arms, "I just got a call a few minutes ago from Alex. He wants a fuck load of guns and I need to know if I can trust him. I need to know he's not going to cut and run with the quarter million he's promising."
Jonathan's brows inched up his forehead. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? How many guns are we talking here?"
"Nine hundred. I've already got Adam on standby down at the docks with Cody and Ohm. They've already got the guns loaded on the ship waiting for my go."
Jonathan huffed in surprise and rubbed the back of neck. For a quarter million it didn't matter if he trusted them or not. "Christ, lay it on me thick why don't you?"
"I just need to know if it's even worth the trouble, Jonathan. Can we trust them?"
"Yes." He said without hesitation. "They had the option of leaving me for dead all those years ago, but they risked the entire operation to get me out alive."
Evan nodded and watched Jonathan walk around the table towards him. His grey shirt was damp and clinging tight to his shape in the warm room.
"Sounds like someone else I know." Jonathan said quietly and grinned wickedly when Evan looked up at him. He grabbed Jonathan's hand and kissed his palm, loving the way he wet his lips as he watched from above.
"Meet me in the office when you're done here and I'll discuss it with you." Evan let his hand go and stood. He bit back the urge to touch the exposed skin of his neck that was shining slick with sweat.
"You got it, Boss." It took Jonathan another hour to clean his guns and help Lui take apart his rifles and piece them back together. Then he headed up to Evan's office where he found him pinning papers and plans on the board that covered the entire wall.
"Evan."
"Jonathan." Evan said without turning around as he gave his laid out plans another once over. He tried to choose his next words carefully.
Everyone had fears, including himself, and he knew Jonathan's.
Drowning. Evan knew he couldn't swim. But Jonathan had never told him the reason he kept away from the ocean or why he shied away from the pool when everyone else was relaxing in it. Evan would never let him go under, but still, Jonathan refused.
Evan clenched his jaw. "I need you out there with me on this one."
He turned and looked at his second in command who was becoming visibly stressed the longer he thought about what his boss had said.
"Evan -"
"I know." He nodded. "But you know these guys. I need you there because you'll know if they're going to turn on us."
"They won't."
"You don't know that, Jonathan. People can change a lot in six years."
Jonathan looked around searching for another excuse but he knew he was going out there with Evan whether he found one or not. He swallowed in defeat and stood up straighter, "Okay. Walk me through it then."
Evan grinned. That right there was reason Jonathan was his right hand. Because he would do anything, face his fear and get the job done if that's what was necessary. He never gave in to it.
"I won't let anything happen to you." Evan reassured him and Jonathan gave him a weak smile.
"I know."
Evan picked up his radio and clicked the button. "Tyler, get everyone in here. Let's go over this job."
"Yes, sir."
"Alright, boys. This is what's going to happen." Evan pointed at the picture of the freighter he had pinned and let his finger follow the red line that led them offshore. "Six a.m., we follow Adam and the freighter twenty miles out to the rendezvous point on two smaller boats. Marcel, Brian, Nogla, and Jonathan; my boat. Brock, Craig, and Lui will be on the other boat as backup. Tyler and Luke will stay here to hold down the fort and coordinate."
He paused in case they had questions but none spoke up so he continued. "Now, it should go down quickly and without a problem. We meet them out there, board, get our money first, then Adam, Cody, and Ohm will load the guns onto Alex's ship. We leave, end of story. But, if they try to take the guns and run, I give the signal and Lui detonates the charges we placed on the crates. If not, we disarm them. Everyone understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, then we'll be down at the docks at 5:30 a.m. Get some rest, guys."
Evan watched them filter out of the office one by one and he caught Jonathan by the arm before he tried to leave. He turned and gave Evan a look that said he wanted to be alone, but Evan knew better than to let him go. That look always meant he wanted to be everything but alone.
"Hey, stop worrying."
Jonathan sighed and rubbed his eyes, "You don't understand."
"Then help me."
"I don't want to talk about it right now, Evan."
"Alright." He took Jonathan by the wrist and took him into the bedroom where he gently pulled the clothes from his body and guided him into the sheets where he pulled him close and ran his fingers over his skin until he was deep asleep and no longer thinking about what tomorrow would bring him. Evan followed him under and woke to Luke's hand on his shoulder.
"It's five o'clock." He said quietly in the dark. Evan rubbed his face and nodded, throwing back the sheets and watching Luke leave the room. He leaned down and kissed Jonathan awake, running his hands over his warm stomach, feeling the yawn crawl up his body while he stretched beside him. "Mm."
"Time to get this over with." Evan whispered and kissed him again before pulling him up and out of the bed to brush their teeth and take a quick shower.
Luke stopped him before Evan shut the door to the car when he got in. "Bring him back in one piece, please."
"I will."
Evan was regretting his decision the more Jonathan grew nervous as Marcel drove them through the waking city. The pier creaked beneath their feet and Jonathan's legs were weak as Evan guided him onto the boat the rocked with their weight.
"Relax."
Jonathan tried, he did, but he kept a firm grasp on the metal bar above him as Marcel started the engine at six a.m. and led them out into the endless horizon, trailing behind the freighter that housed the guns. He closed his eyes, trying not the look at the deep blue ocean that looked like glass stretched out around them as far as the eye could see. The salt water mist was clinging to his skin and he felt Evan's hand on his waist.
The sun peeked over the horizon and the ship they were meeting came into view. Jonathan saw a storm building in the distance and prayed they could be done with the deal before it reached them. A calm ocean was one thing, but a stormy one was a completely different thing. It was dangerous, waves and wind, and too many possibilities of him being thrown overboard and to his inevitable death.
Marcel pulled them alongside the ship and he followed Evan up the ladder with Brian and Nogla close behind.
"Vanoss." Alex greeted them with a firm handshake and a thick accent. His right hand man came into view and nodded at Jonathan.
"Delirious."
"Jacobi." He gave a small tilt of the head.
"You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself." The dark haired man smirked.
Jonathan shrugged, "I got lucky."
Jacobi huffed, "That's funny, considering how clumsy I remember you being."
Evan bristled at the comment but relaxed when he saw Jonathan slide his mask up over his head and laugh. He extended his hand and Jacobi took it before pulling him into a hug, laughing with him.
"So, how have you assholes been?" Jonathan asked, looking and feeling much better about the situation.
Alex motioned for them to follow as he led them below deck. "We've been making it."
They entered a control room with monitors laid out, wires running across the floor, and a handful of men who looked like they had seen their fair share of combat. Alex turned to Evan and clapped his hands together. "I assume you want the payment before we proceed."
"Correct." Evan nodded to Brian who pulled a flash drive from his pocket that had everything Alex and his crew needed to wire the money.
"So." Jonathan tried to start conversation while the guys typed away at the their keyboards. "What the hell do you want all these guns for?"
Jacobi flicked his eyes in Alex's direction, "That guy wants to start a revolution back home."
"Home, as in Ireland?" Nogla spoke up.
"That's right." Alex gave the Irish nod.
"That's funny." Brian joined in. "I don't remember Ireland having a separated state."
Nogla scoffed, "Or having any enemies of any kind for that matter."
Evan was on the verge of snapping someone's neck. If this deal went to shit because of this argument, he would.
Alex stiffened, "Well, you two Irish look like you haven't been home in quite some time, so you'll excuse me for saying that you don't know what the bloody fuck you're talking about."
Nogla bristled and stepped forward with a retaliation on his tongue but Evan gave them both a sharp look and said, "Enough."
And that was that. He gave a Jonathan a look that told him to take care of the two whenever the deal was done. Jonathan rolled his eyes. He hated having to put the two Irishmen in their place because they were so fucking patriotic and stubborn when it came to being told they were wrong. But he gave Evan a nod.
"It's done." Jacobi said and threw the flash drive back at Brian who gave him a death glare.
Evan touched his ear piece, "Cartoonz, are we clear?"
"Yes, sir. Payment received. You're clear to proceed." Luke responded.
Evan led everyone back up to the deck and gave Adam the signal and they watched as Ohm guided the crates onto Alex's ship. It didn't take too long, but he knew if he didn't get the Irishmen away from each other then a war would break out and they'd have to abandon this job all together, money be damned.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Vanoss. I'll be sure to recommend you to my contacts in the area." Alex gave him another firm handshake.
"Absolutely. Give me a call if you ever need anything else. We'll be here." Evan turned to go and watched Jonathan shake Alex's hand and give Jacobi one more small hug.
"Take care." Jonathan smirked at them and Jacobi gave him a smile that Evan would have to ask him about later. He shrugged it off and glared at Nogla and Brian as they stepped down the ladder and he nodded at Delirious before following him down. He gave Marcel a pat on the shoulder and the engine started up. He spoke into his ear piece, "Alright boys, let's head back in before this storm hits."
Evan kept his eyes for forward as he watched the dark grey storm clouds grow closer. He listened to Jonathan light a fire underneath the Irish.
Jonathan spun on them the moment the boat was clear of the ship, open water surrounding them once more, "What the fuck were you thinking?!"
Brian huffed and rolled his eyes which only made Delirious even angrier.
"You could have blown that entire job with your smart ass remarks!"
"Come on!" Nogla threw his hands in the air, "He's taking all that firepower to an enemy-less country!"
Jonathan got in his face, "Neither of you have been home in sixteen years! So it doesn't even fucking matter!"
"Hey! We still have relatives over there!" Brian stood.
Jonathan didn't back down, "Then send them a visa and a plane ticket! Next time you keep your fucking mouths shut unless he says otherwise." He pointed behind him at Evan's back. "Is that clear, you Irish fucks?"
Nogla fumed and before Jonathan could block the giant, his hands shoved him hard in the chest and he stumbled back. They hit a wave which sent him back even further until his knees hit the edge of the boat. He couldn't even scream as the fear paralyzed him. His fingers slipped off of everything he reached for and then he was being swallowed by the cold deep abyss that pulled him under the more he struggled against it.
He remembered the exact moment he last saw the view before him. The surface looked like a dream, so beautiful yet so unreal, so far out of reach as it sloshed above him. He felt so weightless. So suffocated.
He remembered. It was the prettiest blue he had ever seen and he could still feel her fingers slipping out of his and the dark as it pulled her away.
It hurt as the water filled his lungs. It hurt knowing he was going to die.
Evan.
He looked up at the surface just as his vision was fading and there he was, all perfection and purpose rolled into one swimming down, fingers reaching.
Jonathan grinned, thanking whatever deity had allowed him that small fleeting image of his lover before he was taken for good. Before his eyes shut for the last time as he breathed in the liquid cold that had haunted him for seventeen years. It was probably laughing, amused that it had taken this long to finally pull him under once and for all.
And he could feel it pulling with its strong hands. It kissed at his mouth with wet lips, calling his name and it hurt because it sounded so sweet, just like Evan.
"Oh shit!"
"Delirious!" Evan heard Brian yell and he turned to find only two men where there should have been three. His hockey mask was lying alone on the deck and the dread crawled up his throat making the hair on his head stand up.
"Marcel! Turn us around!" He yelled over the wind then he was stepping toward a wide eyed Nogla, grabbing him by his shirt.
"What did you do?!"
"I pushed and he went over! I didn't mean -"
Evan lifted him and threw him down to the deck where he clamped a hand over his throat. "He can't fucking swim!"
Nogla coughed beneath his tight grasp and Brian was panicking behind him. "Oh, fuck! Boss, we didn't know!"
Evan left Nogla stunned on his back and pointed an accusing finger at Brian. "You."
The Irish went silent, clamping his mouth shut. "You shut the fuck up, do you understand me?"
Brian dropped his head like a dog and Evan forgot about him, forgot about everything as they circled back around for Jonathan and he was nowhere to be found. Evan couldn't breathe as he searched the water for anything until he caught sight of pale fingers that were sinking, reaching for the surface.
He dove into the deep blue ocean and he swam down towards those fingers that he knew so fucking well. Those fingers that knew exactly how to take care of him, take care of his pain. He reached for them, finally feeling his hand slide into his and he pulled, meeting Jonathan's crystal eyes before they slid shut.
He kicked his way to the surface, pulling in a long breath and pushing Jonathan toward Marcel's and Brian's hands until they pulled him into the boat. He pulled himself up and over, reaching for Jonathan's pale body, pumping at his chest, breathing air into his flooded lungs. Marcel was yelling but he couldn't hear anything other than his heart pounding in his ears and the thunder in the distance. He couldn't feel anything but Jonathan's cold body beneath him. He felt hot tears run down and drop from the top of his nose.
"Come on, Jonathan!" He placed his mouth over his one more time. "Come on, baby, breathe."
Jonathan coughed and Evan lost the feeling in his legs. He dropped his head into his chest and listened to him pull in air, listened to him live. Then he felt Jonathan's heartbeat, felt his hand run through his soaked hair, heard him say his name.
Marcel looked at Brian and Nogla and shook his head, "You guys are so fucked."
Evan sat up and leaned against the side of the boat, pulling Jonathan up with him, holding tight against his chest as he shook. He looked at Marcel, "Call Luke, tell him to meet us at the docks."
"You got it, Boss." Marcel got behind the wheel and took them to shore while he clicked on his ear piece. "Luke!"
Luke was already standing on the creaky wood of the pier while he watched the two boats dock. He tried to keep calm as he helped Evan walk Jonathan to the car. He was weak and Evan was shaking, he could see it in his fingertips.
"Luke. If he had died, I'd kill them myself. But we can't afford to lose anyone. Just make sure they don't forget." Evan squeezed his shoulder and got into the car.
"They won't." Luke said and shut the door behind them, giving Marcel a nod as they pulled away. He felt the fire burning in his chest as he walked past the rest of the crew. "You boys head home, this'll take a while."
He stepped into the boat and Nogla was already pleading with him. He held up a hand, "Save your breath. You're going to need it."
"Luke, come on, man. It was an accident!" Brian had his hands clasped together in prayer.
"I said save your breath! So shut your fucking trap!" Luke cranked the boat and took them offshore once again into the open water. Once he liked how much distance there was between them and the shore he let the boat idle and stood, "Out, both of you."
"What?! You can't be serious?"
Luke pulled his pistol out and cocked it before pointing it at Nogla, "I won't tell you again."
They went quiet and shed their clothes before jumping into the ocean. The sun was high in the sky and Luke got comfortable as he let the boat drift slowly back to shore. "Now swim. If you stop, I'll shoot one of you and then you'll have to dodge sharks the rest of they way back. So, come on you fucks. Swim!"
Jonathan was quiet, which is what Evan expected as he led him inside once they were home in the hills. He took the wet clothes from their bodies and fixed them a warm shower to wash away the salty ocean, to wash away what had happened.
He put him down in the sheets and lay beside him, running his fingers over his face trying not think about how close he came to losing him. Losing everything.
Jonathan finally met his eyes and whispered, "I've never seen you cry."
Evan blinked and he felt the tears fall and hit the pillow. "I almost lost you."
"You didn't." Evan felt his lip tremble and Jonathan was wiping the wetness from his face and then Evan was burying his face against him. Jonathan kissed his cheek, kissed his shoulder, his fingers. He kissed everything he could find until he reached his mouth and that's when Evan started touching. He wrapped his body around Jonathan's, letting his hands feel every inch of his skin until was sure he was really there and not still sinking to the ocean floor. The thought alone made him sick.
"Evan." Jonathan said and the sound that came from the back of throat was a plea. "Make me forget."
Evan pulled back to look at him only to find his eyes brighter than before with his own tears. Jonathan sucked in an uneven breath. "Make me forget because all I can see is blue and her fingers slipping out of mine and I can't breathe."
"Shh." Evan kissed at his face.
"Just make me feel good again." He cried. "Please."
"Okay." Evan said between kisses. "Okay."
And Evan did what he could to make him stop crying, to make him stop hurting. He did what he could to replace the pain with something good as he ran his hands over him endlessly, slicking his fingers, working him open until Jonathan was digging his fingers into him.
Evan made love to him the only way he knew how; slowly, desperately trying to pour his feelings into the steady motion of their bodies sliding against one another's.
He whispered 'I love you's' against his skin until the sun dropped beneath the water, until they were both undeniably sated and heavy with sleep.
Jonathan was the first to wake, squinting against the pale light of the morning. He traced the scar over Evan's stomach, the one he had earned while protecting him. It wasn't the only one and that wasn't the first time he had killed for him.
Evan stirred.
"It was my sister." Jonathan spoke into the silence and Evan turned his head to listen.
"I was ten. We were at the beach and she got pulled out in a rip current. I couldn't swim, but no one was around and she was so far out. I tried but she slipped away. Like sand between my fingers."
"I'm sorry." Evan drew circles on his back as they watched the sun rise in silence. "I don't want you to be afraid anymore."
"I'll always be afraid of something."
"So will I." Evan sat up. "I'll always be afraid of losing you. So, meet me at the pool around noon. I'm going to teach you how to swim."
Jonathan thought he'd feel dread, but he felt a calm wash over him and he grinned, "Alright."
Evan dragged him out of bed into the open kitchen where they put music on and cooked enough breakfast for everyone. Jonathan didn't have a clue where Nogla or Brian were but he noticed Luke sitting at the bar looking rather pleased with himself.
Jonathan raised a brow at him suspiciously, "What did you do?"
Luke shrugged while he dug into the plate Evan sat in front of him, "Nothing unusual."
Jonathan shook his head, "That could literally mean anything."
Evan laughed warmly and kissed him when he looked back at him confused. "They're fine, don't worry. A little worse for wear, but they'll live."
Jonathan still didn't understand until the two Irish came trudging in the door, soaked from head to toe, pale, and completely exhausted.
They walked past, breathless and caught Jonathan's eye. "We're sorry, Delirious. Won't ever happen again."
Luke looked their way and they both flinched. "Save your breath, boys. Looks like you need it."
-w.a.l.k.