Chapter Twenty One

Note: Tristan is a character I made up. I own him as he is my creation.

"He should be here any minute." Jason said as checked his watch, sighed, and resumed pacing before the table of drugs Randy had to hide, anxiously raking a hand through his long blond hair. Randy he had told him everything from beginning to end, much to Tristan's horror, and now they were sitting in a deafening silence in the dinning room just before kitchen. Randy with his head hanging in utter defeat as he sat in a chair at the table and Tristan sitting on the floor beside him with his head on his lap. And they were both waiting for Michael to come bursting in at any moment, even though he wouldn't.

"I'm sorry, I had to call him." Jason said for what must have been the tenth time and paused in his pacing to check his watch again, "John will know what to do."

"No he won't." Randy brought his head up and argued weakly, "You've only put him in danger by asking him to come here." And it was true, Jason had made a HUGE mistake in calling John and he'd tried SO hard to talk him out of it before it was too late. But after explaining everything to him in the softest of whispers that Tristan assured them couldn't be picked up by the microphones, Jason was relentless, arguing that John would get them out of this mess and called him despite Randy's adamant protesting, excusing himself to the bathroom first as Tristan went around the apartment and switched off all the cameras.

"How?" Jason frowned and didn't stop in his pacing, "Mizanin won't figure it out right away, Tristan got all the bugs for us didn't he? He turned them off?"

"Yes." Tristan briefly lifted his head and gave a slight nod, staring up at Randy who after a moment gave his hair a tender stroke, offering comfort he knew the younger man needed. "I-I don't think Michael will notice, he only watched in the beginning and for a few days after I moved in."

"Are you sure?"

Tristan nodded once more and his head returned to laying against his thigh, his arm draping over Randy's lap and made the perfect place to tuck his face into.

Poor kid. It had taken a lot for Tristan to go around and turn all the cameras off because that meant he had to blatantly defy Michael and that went against everything Tristan knew. The poor soul was so conditioned, so brainwashed and so fucked in the head that he honestly thought Michael was looking out for him and taking care of him all those years since he'd taken him in off the streets. He actually thought Michael cared and to go against the only man he'd ever known to love him was like taking his whole world and not only turning it upside down, but shaking it and destroying everything within it too.

Basically, Tristan was terrified and Randy could only think to continue offering him all the comfort and reassurance he needed.

It was just that…That meant he didn't have anything left for himself…

"Look, I know you think this was a bad idea but you don't know John like I do." Jason was trying to help but to Randy all he was really doing was getting himself into trouble. Trouble he had never before known the likes of! "He's not going to tell everyone what's happened just because he's the captain, if he thinks we can't fix this without getting anyone hurt we won't even try. Just trust me, he'll help you."

Randy knew there was no changing Jasons mind, John had already been called and it was far too late to stop him from coming over but, he had to try. John was about to walk into a world of serious trouble and the least Randy could do was TRY to save him from it. "I get that you think it's a good idea." He added to his argument in a serious tone, giving Tristan's hair another tender stroke, "And if I didn't know Mizanin so well I would too but if you think he doesn't already know that you're here you're sadly mistaken." He shook his head, rolling his eyes slightly, "And if you think he won't find out about John showing up you're a damn fool, Jason. He's got eyes everywhere, especially on ME."

"I know! And John does too! He was in your office with me when I found the bug under your desk!" Which Jason had only just told him about ten fucking minutes ago! Apparently they'd found the bugs while he was on "vacation" and decided to keep it quiet while they scrambled to figure out who, what, when, WHY?-! Not even Hunter knew!

Jason crossed his arms in his pacing and shot him a quick glance, "We know Mizanin's men have been following you, they have been for weeks."

Randy shook his head again, god damn It Jason could be so fucking thick sometimes! "Then you should know that this is a big mistake! Michael will kill him AND you if you guys don't back the fuck off!" He grabbed his phone from his pant pocket and shoved it towards Jason with a deep growl, "Call him back and tell him not to come!"

"I can't! I already told him Mizanin fucked you up!" Jason stopped and turned with an angry huff, ignoring the phone being pushed in his direction, "And god damn it Randy he already knew you're in trouble. Fuck everyone can tell something is wrong with you and frankly they're sick of your fucking attitude. You're lucky John even gave you the courtesy of sending me to check on you instead of your partner who would have hauled your ass in!"

Randy growled. What the fuck?-! "Everyone's sick of ME?-!" He was incredulous as he stood up with an angry grunt. What the fuck THEY were sick of HIM?-! How dare they! Fuck those homophobic assholes he was forced to call his co-workers! Fuck them all! "Who fucking cares, Jason?-! They never did shit for me besides make my life hell and give me grief day in and day out! Fuck them! I don't give a fuck if they're sick of my attitude! I'M sick of THEM!"

"Jesus Randy calm the fuck down! I'm just trying to help!"

"Well you're NOT! You don't know what you've done by calling John and you won't fucking listen when I tell you that this WILL get him killed! This will get BOTH of you killed!"

"You don't know that for sure-"

"Bullshit I don't! Mizanin will kill both of you and blame ME!"

"Well then," Jason put his hands on his hips in a stubborn stance, "We'll just have to take him down before he has the chance!"

"Fuck you Jason!" God damn it he just didn't understand! If it was THAT easy to take Mizanin down he'd have fixed this mess a LONG time ago! "It's not that simple!-!-!" Fucking hell did Jason really think he hadn't tried over and over to think of a way out?-! Did Jason really think he stopped trying because he wanted to?-! He stopped because it was fucking IMPOSSIBLE, Michael made sure of it! "You just don't get it!"

"Ooohhh no, I get it. I get that your pride is making you act a fool right now!" He paused and gestured wildly to the mess on the table, "That and this bullshit here!"

"My pride has nothing to do with that!" He snarled, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I have no pride when I have to do what Mizanin says or people die! I don't have a fucking choice, Jason!"

"Bullshit! You had the choice of coming to me or Adam for help and you didn't! You'd rather sit here and wallow and snort that shit than get off your ass to do something about it!"

"Hey don't you yell at him!" Tristan suddenly gasped and spoke up, rising to his feet and grabbed Randy's arm and just about wrapped himself around it. "Randy doesn't want to do that stuff but Michael makes him test the product before he sells it!" He squeezed harder, moving closer, "You don't know anything about what he's been through because of Michael and you have no right to speak to him like that!"

"Wait, he MAKES you test it?" Jason looked back and forth between them, eyes wide, "Like he actually forces you to snort that shit?"

Randy nodded, covering Tristan's hand over his arm and gave it a gentle reassuring squeeze, "Of course he does." And he'd done it enough that Randy had grown to like it. Michael was just twisted like that, he WANTED Randy to be an addict. "And I'm lucky that's all he makes me do."

"You really have no idea what he's been through." Tristan added softly, "Or how hard he's tried to figure out a way to escape of all this."

Jason opened his mouth and closed it several times, his blue eyes darting back and for between them for a long moment as he obviously struggled with what to say. But really though, what could he say? What could anyone say about all of this?-!

"I'm sorry…I didn't know." The blond finally apologized and lowered his voice to a gentle tone and softened his gaze drastically as he looked to Randy and shook his had slightly, "I thought you just started…I mean I thought you had started doing it because you had given up…And I implied that you couldn't do this on your own and that wasn't what I meant. I was only trying to show you that you don't HAVE to do this alone…"

"I'm not alone." Randy disagreed again, "I have Tristan…"

"And Cody." Tristan whispered under his breath and Randy frowned, nudging him slightly with his elbow. "Don't even start that right now."

"I know but you guys can't do this on your own anymore. You've tried and although I have no doubt that you can eventually figure your way out I'd much rather have that happen sooner than later…." He trailed off as someone gently knocked on the front door, heading towards it to let John in, checking the peephole first and paused as he put his fingers over the deadbolt, "I'm sorry Randy, I'm just trying to help…"

Tristan tugged on his arm, grabbing his attention as Jason let John in and quickly began to fill him in on the rest, "Are we going to be okay?" He asked in a nervous whisper, squeezing his arm hard, "They aren't going to take us to jail are they?"

Randy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Shit he didn't fucking know! But what he did know was that with the amount of drugs and the obvious signs of intent to distribute he was looking at at least twenty years in prison if John or Jason turned him in. He'd be completely FUCKED. "I…I…I don't know." He replied honestly, turning and eying the mess of drugs on the table with the idea that if he was quick, he could sneak a quick line and…and…Fuck… Get high? He almost choked on a lump of bile that rushed to the back of his throat as he jerked his eyes down to the safety of just the floor. Fucking hell was he really looking to that shit for comfort?-!

Oh god he did need help!

And lots of it!

"Please Randy, I don't want to go to jail. I won't survive there…"

Neither would he. Randy put his arm around him for a hard hug, fighting like hell not to close his eyes again to pretend he was Cody and bit his lip as he buried his face into Tristan's sweet smelling hair. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe from that, okay?"

"What about you?" Tristan held him too, tight and clinging to him desperately with his small hands fisted in his shirt against his back, "You don't deserve it either!"

"I don't know…" He shuddered and buried his face in deeper for a long minute before he pulled away and gave his temple a quick kiss. "But don't worry about me, I'll be fine…" Liar.

"Damn Randy," John was suddenly behind him, his eyes wide and his face pale, "Mizanin got you good."

Randy turned and Tristan let him go, hiding behind him still though as Randy nodded and tried not to hang his head in shame, "Yeah, he did. And now I guess you're going to what, take my statement before taking me in?" He shook his head, bitter anger riding and tearing over his nerves, it just wasn't fair! "Whatever, just leave Tristan out of it. Give him a deal with no jail time and put him in witness protection before you do anything else." He took another deep breath, trying like hell not to think of Cody who before all this was the one thing that always made him feel happy and safe and swallowed hard as he failed and pictured him there, holding his hand, kissing his ear as he whispered into it, Don't give up, baby…Don't give up…

"I-I don't give a damn about what you do to me." LIAR!-!-!

"Just hang on a second there Randy, I'm not here to bust you." John shook his head carefully, "Hell I'll help you get that shit on the table bagged up and ready to go before I'd take you to jail for it."

Randy frowned, his head jerking back slightly, "What? But, why?-! You could use me to get to Mizanin and finally take him down for good." He was so confused! "Why wouldn't you jump at the opportunity?-!"

John just shook his head again, smiling this time and oddly enough that broke the tension that had built within the room around them and Randy let go of a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Maybe…Maybe this wasn't the end?-?-?

"I'm not taking you in, detective. You're one of the best officers I've had and I'll be damned if you're going to go down because of that bastard Mizanin."

Wow…John really thought that? Randy was…fuck he was dumbfounded! He was a good cop?-! "But…I…Oh…"

"Just relax, Randy." John assured with another smile, "You're not going to prison for this, I promise you that."

"Yeah and we'll make sure no one else finds out about this until they absolutely have to." Jason spoke up beside John who suddenly started peaking around Randy to the younger man behind him and seemed to leave the conversation entirely as Jason went on, "I'm only going to tell Adam and no one else so this will stay between the four of us."

Tristan stepped out from behind Randy, brow arched slightly towards John who seemed to have the strangest of fascination with him, "Can I help you?"

"Maybe." John smiled and for a second Randy could have sworn he saw Tristan blush as John looked him over. "What's your name again?"

"Oh uh, Tristan..." He tucked his hair back nervously, still red and flushed in the cheeks and barely met John's gaze, "Did you want something…?"

"Coffee would be nice." John nodded, still smiling a toothless smile, "Haven't had my morning cup yet."

"Oh…" Tristan blushed some more, "I-I could get some coffee brewing." He flashed a polite smile as he excused himself to the kitchen, eyes growing wide as John quickly followed and said ever so kindly, "I'll help you."

Randy arched a brow, what the hell? And Jason chuckled, "Oh boy…"

Seriously, what the fuck?-!

"I'm going to give Adam a call," Jason continued to laugh lightly.

Randy ignored him as something close to jealous tightened his stomach into a ball of worry and he followed them, leaving Jason to make yet another phone call and stayed just out of sight in the door way to watch. He frowned. What in the hell was going on?-! Why was John suddenly so wide eyed over Tristan?-! Randy didn't like it, not one bit!

"You don't have to do that." Tristan said nervously as John came up besides him and opened the cabinets in search of cups. "I can make it and bring it out..."

"Hey give me a chance," John chuckled. "I'm a good helper, you'll see." He flashed another charming smile and Tristan went red again, ducking his head for a moment as he worked open a fresh bag of coffee filters. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." He checked around the counter tops for something before eying the pantry and quickly retrieved a small can of medium roast coffee, handing it to Tristan with a wink.

"Um...How does Jason like his coffee?" Tristan stammered as he turned and nervously busied himself preparing the brewer, tucking his hair behind his ears over and over. "Cream? No cream?"

"Heavy on the creme, easy sugar with an ice cube to cool it down."

"And you?"

"I can make my own." John shrugged and Tristan turned to him, leaning against the counter, "Hmp, you are a good helper." Tristan smirked and the entire mood seemed to change with that smirk.

"Aw shucks, you're gonna make me blush now!" John winked and shrugged once more, "It's just coffee..."

"That's not what I meant." Tristan nearly whispered, his tone deep, seductive even, "I was talking about the rest…"

"Oh,... that."

Tristan nodded, "Mm-hmm, and I'm just wondering," He paused as he reached out and touched John's chest, laying his hand against one of his strong pectorals and danced his fingers over it teasingly, "How can I help you? Hmm? There must be something I can do to thank you for coming to help us?"

John looked down at the hand on his chest then at Tristans eyes that were gleaming at him with desire and Randy held his breath again. John had better not even try! He had better just back the fuck off right fucking NOW!

"A thank you is all I ask." John thankfully turned him down kindly in such a warm tone, "The rest will come later, after you say yes."

Both Randy and Tristan frowned, "Huh? Say yes to what?-?-?"

John smiled wider, a flirtatious gleam in his eyes as he seemed so confident, "A date."

Tristan blinked and for several seconds appeared confused with a slight frown, his mouth hanging open slightly until his gaze turned seductive once more and he closed the distance between them in a flash, "You haven't asked me for a date..." He slid his slender hand down Johns stomach with a light purr, "But your eyes are asking for the same thing this is." His hand curled around John's sex threw his jeans, groping it generously as he dragged his tongue over his bottom lip. "And I'd be happy to give it to you."

John seemed to tense but still thankfully he guided Tristan's hand away from his groin and gave his chin a gentle caress, "Although I'd enjoy myself if I gave in to you right now a bigger part of me would rather treat you with respect."

Tristan jerked back slightly with another confused frown, "Respect?" And he looked completely lost again. "What do you mean?"

That was it, Randy was putting a stop to this before they went any further and stepped into the kitchen behind them, "Tristan." He called, "Enough. That's not going to work on him."

Tristan jerked away from John with a gasp, "I-I'm sorry!" He quickly came to his side as if he'd been beckoned there, visibly trembling. "I was just trying to help."

"I know, but you don't have to do those kinds of things for me." Randy sighed, if only Tristan even knew what that meant. He didn't have to offer his body to help Randy, no matter the circumstance and the fact that he even tried to was seriously disturbing…

Tristan nodded and was like a hurt puppy with his tail between his legs, his head hanging low in shame, "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Of course not." He quickly reassured and gave his head a stroke although to be honest he was so sick of having to do this. Tristan was always worried he'd done something wrong, ALWAYS. Because Michael, that truly twisted son of a bitch, had bored into Tristan's head that if he wasn't perfect every second of every day, he was completely useless. That demented fuck demanded absolute perfection from Tristan and the poor kid had spent the last twelves years of his life trying to give it to him, doing everything he asked and never once learning to think for himself.

And Randy just…didn't get it. How could Tristan let Michael turn him into his obideint little…pet-?-? Or…How could Cody?-?-?

He tucked his fingers under Tristan's chin and forced a smile to his lips as he guided him to raise his head from it's shame position, "You were only doing what you thought was best, I'm not mad, promise." He stroked his jaw and relaxed when the younger man broke a smile. "Why don't you go finish bagging the product?" He lent down and gave his temple a quick kiss, "I need to talk to John alone but I'll be there in a few minutes to help you finish up."

"Okay…" Tristan quickly agreed and left the kitchen but not before he gave John a wide eyed glance over his shoulder that made both Randy and John shake their heads. Poor kid. He honestly had no idea what John meant by respect. Shit it was almost like he'd never even heard such a word!

"Intriguing little guy." John said and Randy fully intended not to let this go any further, turning to him and shaking his head with a firm stare, "Stay away from him, John."

John frowned, his hand plopping to his hip, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I said stay away from him." John just didn't get it because he didn't KNOW. He needed to stay away from Tristan if he wanted to help him because Michael would only punish Tristan that much more if they got caught. And Tristan had suffered enough! "He's already mixed up from all of this and doesn't need you adding to his confusion and he sure as hell doesn't need you looking down on him." Randy was trying to protect him and since he'd done such a shitty job at protecting himself and Cody he had to do this right. Randy just HAD to keep Tristan safe because as crazy as it was every ounce of his being told him so.

"I'm not going to look down on anyone." John was adamant, his frown deep and his light blue eyes alive with outrage, "That much you should have figured that out by now seeing as how I'm here trying to save you from going to prison for the rest of your life."

Randy caught a whiff of the brewing coffee and stepped away to pour himself a cup, glancing at John over his shoulder as he quickly filled his mug, "This isn't about me, Tristan's not like anyone you've ever known…And there's a lot about him that you wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Randy sighed, taking a sip of the fresh coffee to decide if he wanted to sweeten it or not and desperately tried to think of what to say without putting Tristan down or labeling him a slut. Because that's what he was, Michael little pet slut…

"Well …" He continued to struggle, taking another sip and sighed again, "For starters he's been with Mizanin since he was twelve years old."

"So…How old is he?"

"Twenty four."

"Wow…Oh man…That poor kid has been stuck with Mizanin for twelve years?-!"

"Yes, so just leave him alone, John." Randy demanded as he turned and offered him a cup of coffee and moved out of his way to let him doctor it to his liking. "He's way too mixed up to understand your good intentions."

John shook his head, hovering over his cup on the counter as he stirred it's hot contents, "How about we let him decide what he wants? I'm just trying to help Randy, and I'm not saying I'm going to take him from you-"

"John-"

"He's your lover, isn't he?"

Randy's jaw dropped, lover?-! He clamped his lips shut tight and looked away. God damn it that sounded so weird! Lover?-! And fuck that meant John knew he was gay! Why that just now dawned on him he didn't know but why should he be worried?…John was also gay…Apparently.

Fuck that was weird too!

Soooo fucking weird!

"Um…" He hesitated as he shook off the last of his nerves and let himself shrug, "Sort of. But that's only because he thinks he has to be and when I DO tell him no he thinks he's done something wrong so I always just say yes to him now." That and, Tristan was truly a comfort at night when he'd other wise go mad with heart break. Even if he didn't entirely trust him.

"So then, him not being your actual lover you wouldn't be mad if I tried to help him?"

Randy frowned, scoffing as he rolled his eyes at John's confidence. "You think you're going to be able to figure this out and fix everything don't you? You honestly believe that!" He scoffed again and took a drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand quickly, "Don't be so arrogant, if it were easy I'd have dragged my ass out of this mess a long time ago and you wouldn't even be here right now."

"Yes but, I AM here." John dropped the spoon in the sink and jerked around, "And you can't be stubborn with your pride about this, Randy. You're done with that shit because I'm not going anywhere and you had better get used to it."

Randy flinched. He wanted to argue that he wasn't being stubborn because of his pride but knew that would only prove John right, and again his that ugly beast came into play. Funny how he wanted to deny it when it was so fucking TRUE. "You sound like you have a plan." Randy changed the subject and gave John a chance. And honestly, at this point and much to his own surprise, he was all ears.

"As a matter of fact," John said and a confident smirk returned to his lips before he brought his mug to his lip and took a careful sip. "I do."