Soundtrack: When Things Explode – Unkle (Feat. Ian Astbury)

Harold awoke next morning from a blissful sleep, he hadn't slept so well in ages. He sat himself up as his eyes adjusted to the morning light. As he turned over he realised that he was still in wearing his clothes. He hated sleeping in his clothes – he felt dirty, like the sense offenders in the outlands. He put his feet flat on the floor as he remembered the previous day, he smiled, John Reese was his. He stood up and changed out his dirty clothes, replacing them with a sharp crisp shirt and suit. He sniffed and smelt the wonderful smell of bacon. He opened his bedroom door to find John walking shirtless around the kitchen, totally caught in his own little world. Harold stopped and looked at him, and smiled. Everything seemed so perfect. John looked at and caught Harold smiling.

'Morning Mr Finch.'

'Morning, and in here my name is Harold John.'

'Morning Harold.' John smirked,

'Morning John.'

Harold sat at the bar and John placed a plate in front of him, they sat and started eating. Harold took a bit and hummed his appreciation, his eyes closing as the flavour exploded on his tongue.

'Where did you learn to cook?'

'Don't you know?' John asked, Harold stared at him blankly. 'Early Larrelle training. You effectively become a slave and you have to work for the Larrelles to test commitment and how you respond to orders, after a while they start you on the training.'

'Oh, I didn't know that.'

John frowned at him then shrugged his shoulders, not pressing the subject further. He chose a happier tone. 'Are there any plans for today?'

'Ah.' Harold patted his lips with the napkins. 'We have to watch an execution.' John froze at the name. 'I'm sorry John. As creator I am required to watch some. I don't like them, but it keeps up my appearance. If I didn't go they'd assume something was wrong. You will accompany me.'

'Is there anything else?'

'If I ask you to do something you will do it, you will also protect me if anything out of the ordinary happens.'

'Has it happened before?'

'Not for a long while. And John, remember your mask. You can't give anything away.'

The drive took them through the city, from the east and put them in the more reputable west side, where the corrupt politicians lived. Harold watched the buildings through the tinted windows, part of his knew that taking Reese out so soon was a risk. The executions were normally messy and harrowing and they couldn't let any emotion seep through. Harold cast a glance at John, he hoped John would survive it. But John was a military man, he's killed before, he's looked death in the eye, he'll be fine.

Reese pulled up at a large square building, he opened Harold's door and looked up the building. The building itself had chills, he supressed a shiver that ran down his back. He looked back down and his eyes met with Harold's, imploring him to remain strong. Harold leant heavily on his cane and they slowly walked up the stone steps. Above them, the large doors opened and a chunky, bald man walked out.

'Morning Mr Finch.'

'Morning Mr Elias.' Harold and John stood opposite Elias, he shook his hand. 'Mr Elias, this is Reese. My new slave.'

Elias looked blankly at Reese. 'John Reese? I heard you when feral.'

'Rumours sir.'

Elias nodded slowly and looked back at the building. 'Execution is at 10:45 sharp.' He walked back towards the building. Harold shot a look at Reese then followed in Elias's footsteps. Inside, the chill in the air remained and the sound of their footsteps echoed off the empty walls. Reese stood at Harold's heel, they walked through the security fence with no hassle from the guards who showed them through the maze of corridors to the execution chamber. They stood in a gallery above the chamber, bullet proof glass separating them from the sense offender below. Elias stood at the glass, a living passion in his eyes. Harold groaned and touched his hip, Reese noticed it and pulled up a chair. Harold eased himself into it.

'Thank you Reese.'

Reese nodded and stood behind his chair, he looked at Elias. Him and Elias went back years; in the first TyRon years, Elias had been the physical enforcement power. He ran the Police forces and later made the Larrelles, the new arm of the law. It was Elias who trained Reese, Reese had been his slave and he earned his keep. The day Elias set him free as the highest ranked Larrelle, had been a proud day. Elias caught Reese staring at him.

'Come here John.'

Reese looked at Harold, who nodded. Reese walked over to Elias, Elias patted his shoulder and stepped back from the glass.

'Stand here John, it's been years since you've seen an execution.'

Elias patted his shoulder again as he supressed the rising panic and anger. John locked his eyes onto the sense offender in question. He recognised the face but didn't know where from; then it clicked. A Larrelle he once worked with called Fussy? Fiasco? Fusco. Definitely Fusco. John sighed, this couldn't be happening. He risked a quick glance at Harold, blue stony eyes met his. Harold gave the minutest of nods and Reese turned his gaze back to Fusco, below him.

Fusco was dressed in a beige linen suit, covered by a heavy red leather cloak. He was surrounded by guards who walked him to the far wall and took the cloak off him. The guards starkly walked back to the entrance and loaded their rifles. Fusco turned around slowly, his head was bowed and his hands were visibly shaking. Reese was breaking inside but he had to watch. He could free Elias's dark brown eyes boring into him, if he let anything slip Elias would catch it.

Harold watched John, he tucked his hands between his thighs and the chair. He couldn't let Elias see him shaking either. He wanted to comfort John and let him know that it's ok, he wanted to take him out the room and give him the life he so desperately deserved. He hated this, he hated the damn drug he created. He kept his eyes on John, just hearing it was enough to make his stomach turn.

'The execution of Lionel Fusco is about to begin.' Boomed over the tanoy.

John watched as the firing squad readied their rifles. Three…. Place bullets in the chambers. Two… rifles to shoulders. One… pull the bolt back. Zero… squeeze the trigger. A solid loud bang pierced through the air. Fusco's body fell to the floor in a lifeless heap. John let the breath he'd been unintentionally holding go. He panted and tried to stop the tears springing from his eyes. He composed himself and turned back to the two other men in the room. Elias smiled and clapped then walked out the room, the door sliding closed behind him. John looked at Harold.

Harold shook his head, keeping all emotion from his face and eyes. He pushed himself up.

'Let's go Reese.'

'Where to sir?' asked John, keeping his voice empty and steady.

'Back to the Penthouse.'

Reese walked over to Harold and pulled the chair aside. He stood before the door, activating the pressure pad in the floor. The door opened and John and Harold walked out; outside, Elias was talking to a Larrelle, Harold walked straight past him with John in tow.

In the saloon, John leant his head against the steering wheel and closed his eyes.

'Not here John, we're not out of sight yet.'

Reese picked his head up and gripped the wheel turning his knuckles white. He angrily jolted the car into gear and sped off. In the back, Harold gripped his hand around the handle above the door, his legs stiff against the chair, keeping him in place. He understood John's anger and feared it.

'Slow down John!' he cried.

John wasn't listening; he sped through traffic lights and didn't stop till he slammed on the breaks in the underground car park underneath Harold's building. John climbed out the car and slammed his door. He walked straight up to the elevator doors, Harold followed as quickly as he could leaning on his cane. He put his hand between the doors stopping them from closing. He stood inside next to the bristling John. Harold heard John's breath being pushed through his teeth, he knew John was ready to blow and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As soon as the elevator pinged John sprung out and made a beeline for the doors. He pushed them open and slammed them. Harold leaned against the doors and listened to the smashes, shouts and pained screams from within. He closed his eyes, it hurt to hear John in so much pain, and part of him new it was his fault. He brought John into his life and condemned him to come to these things. Harold opened his eyes as the screaming shots. He put his hand on the handle and gently pushed it open. John stood in the middle of the room, his shirt suit ripped in places. His chest rose and fell in quick succession, around him, vases and bows were smashed. Harold stood and looked at him. John looked up.

'I'm so sorry Harold.'

Harold looked at him, blank faced. 'Don't worry about it.'

Harold walked past him and down one of the corridors John hadn't seen before. John watched him go. He fell to his knees and looked at the mess around him. He'd been under the influence when he knew Fusco, so they hadn't been friends. But seeing him – the real him – had been crushing, Fusco wasn't a small man but he looked tiny in that room, tiny and innocent. John felt sorry for the man before him, but he was angry at the system. They killed those who were different, those who wanted something else. John leaned forward and rested his forehead on the cold floor. He got his breathing under control then stood up and went after Harold. He turned the corner to find the corridor empty. John paused and listened; his closed his eyes and listened for any sound. In the distance he heard the slight tapping of footsteps, bare foot on a wooden floor. He followed the sound through the penthouse, turning around corners and losing his barring's. He soon came to a door that didn't fit with its surroundings: large, ancient, mahogany by the looks of it. He put his ear against the door. The footsteps walked a few paces then stopped. John looked at the bottom of the door and saw two shadows in the light.

'Enter.'

John placed a large hand on the door handle and pushed down.

CALIFF HANGER! Thank you to all those who have read this, I'm having great fun writing it, I hope this continues! Much love x