Chapter 1: Český Krumlov
Chapter Text
“That– ah that feels good.”
Elias felt a slight tug on his hair as Jonathan Fanshawe’s body grinded against his. He felt the slight pull of the other man’s cock pressing into his thigh.
“You’re eager, aren’t you?” Elias pulled Jonathan even closer and traced his lower lip with his tongue. Elias tasted the lime of Jonathan Fanshawe’s seventh or eighth gin and tonic– the last one Elias was certain was a double.
Jonathan Fanshawe laughed again, a sort of girlish giggle that had Elias certain he was the precise amount of intoxicated he needed to be. Elias first imagined this mission to be difficult, but forgot how quickly academics were to get their egos– and other things– stroked.
All Elias had to do was sit at the bar and listen to Johnathan Fanshawe tell anyone and everyone about his scientific mark on the cadaver world, something Elias’ agency was sure to find interesting as he sat with a tape recorder hidden in his pocket– hanging on to every word.
When Fanshawe finally said something innocuous enough for a random passerby to feign interest, Elias took that moment and said he must buy the man a drink. And then another.
And then another.
And then Fanshawe was buying them rounds, and hardly noticed he finished Elias’. Getting up to his room had been far easier; just casual flirting and the ever reliable physical touch angle. Elias insisted he’d love to know every detail about his research as he maintained eye contact and rubbed his hand lightly over Fanshawe’s inner thigh.
Now, in Fanshawe’s hotel room, Elias returned the drunken enthusiasm by ruffling his hair. Fanshawe let out another playful laugh and let himself fall into Elias’ hold.
Elias checked the time just before they went upstairs to Jonathan Fanshawe’s hotel room; he was to meet Peter Lukas in two hours. Elias considered this more than enough time for Fanshawe to have likely the best orgasm of his life, pass out, and forget what Elias’ face even looked like.
But he still needed to make sure he could get him sober enough to remember to meet him tomorrow. Of course he has the phone number he could give him, but Elias would rather not have any further point of contact if he could avoid it.
“Kiss me some more,” Fanshawe whined, lips plopping over Elias’ face.
Elias allowed himself to be pulled into the hold, he opened his mouth wide and returned the gesture. The kiss was fine, Elias didn’t mind the moans in his mouth, the slight twitch of his own cock as Fanshawe pulled his arms around Elias’ waist.
As Jonathan Fanshaw began unbuttoning his shirt, Elias let his mind wander for a bit to his partner for the mission. Peter Lukas. A large man- probably a good half a foot taller than Elias- stocky build, dark hair that seemed to be turning white at the roots, and his beard a very nice salt and pepper. Not that Elias didn’t have his own bits of grey peaking through his dark hair that he was desperately trying to ignore. But Peter Lukas wore his aging– rather well. His beard was trimmed and styled, and while he dressed rather plainly, he dressed well for his body.
Peter was quiet, Elias didn’t find him rude necessarily, but determined quickly that he was not one to press for information in any form. Elias found that– different– considering their line of work. But as Gertrude Robinson– Elias’ handler– had put it, Peter was mostly muscle. And for this mission, the muscle was necessary.
“Wanna taste you,” Fanshawe whined, drunkenly fumbling with Elias’ belt.
Elias laughed and helped him get his own pants undone while Fanshawe laid him back on the hotel bed. Elias could tell by the hesitant laps at his cock that Jonathan Fanshawe had not sucked a lot of cock, and was clearly nervous about it.
“That feels good–” Elias encouraged, running his hand through his hair. He rocked his hips lightly to meet Jonathan Fanshawe’s mouth, knowing if he was going to come at all he’d have to do some of the groundwork.
Elias kept feeding him the praises the man wanted to hear, despite doing what he could to fuck Fanshawe’s mouth without overwhelming him. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the sensation, the soft hums coming out from Fanshawe’s throat everytime Elias gave him another played up moan.
Elias’ mind wandered right back to Peter Lukas.
The muscle.
That muscle was apparent, Elias noticed immediately the way his sweater framed his thick biceps, obviously toned from working with such heavy weaponry. He was a long range sniper, apparently one not directly affiliated with Elias’ agency but contracted from his family’s own practice– the last name Lukas unfortunately ringing several alarm bells of Elias’ past.
But Elias wasn’t ready to think about the Lukas family. He wanted to think of Peter’s defined pecs in his tight sweater. He couldn’t help but let the image of Peter using those muscles–
Jonathan Fanshawe replaced his mouth with his hand, and Elias felt the saliva trail down his cock. He jerked into the touch, looking up and laughing playfully at Fanshawe.
“A– are you going to come for me?” He asked, voice still filled with that near giggling.
Elias grinned, grabbing a hold of Fanshawe’s arms as he focused on the task at hand. He still wandered back to his first brief meeting with Peter.
When Peter chose to speak, it was often pleasant. He wasn’t quite rude– if you weren’t noticing. But he spoke like he may have noticed more, but wouldn’t say it. Elias had done his own digging into Peter Lukas and his family prior to their mission together, finding out not as much as he’d like despite his extensive access to the Agency’s database. Just everything he’d already known; there was no direct affiliation with the agency and the Lukas family had it’s hand in many, many other things.
Peter’s grandfather, Mordechai Lukas, was the name of benefactor Elias recognized from his time in university. His old life. But he knew very little other than the family was wealthy and not one to mess with. Either Peter Lukas was involved because he wanted to be or he was forced into.
And Elias couldn’t decide what fascinated him more. And why unlike every other field agent Elias worked with, Peter felt no need to display his credentials like a stage magician. He talked about other things, the wine, the city, nothing about how many weapons he noticed Elias had on his person or about trying to guess how many he had hidden on himself. He didn’t try to woo Elias with his skill, to outshine him, and he ordered one of the cheaper menu items simply to say it sounded the best.
The pressure of Jonathan Fanshawe’s full palm tugging lightly at Elias’ cock sent him right where he needed to be. He tugged onto the sheet of the bed as he finished into Jonathan Fanshawe’s hand. When their eyes met he could see the pure excitement in his blown pupils.
Elias laughed at himself as he wondered how some ridiculous aristocratic academic like Jonathan Fanshawe got involved on the agency’s radar. All Gertrude had informed Elias about his target was that he was a medical doctor with leading research that the Agency felt to be a threat. The supposed research was classified in the Agency’s database even with all of Elias’ credentialing and less than approved hacks.
Elias supposed it didn’t matter, Fanshawe’s public profile was enough to tell Elias what he needed to know. He was heavily involved in Cardiovascular research at St. George’s University of London, with numerous first author publications. Elias had seen the type before, the smug headshot and hardly legible CV, Elias knew exactly what Fanshawe needed to get himself off and overlook his own safety.
These kinds of targets were some of Elias’ rather easier missions.
And now– Fanshawe was meant to be on holiday in Český Krumlov, a small city outside of Prague. A truly lovely area, Elias thought while Fanshawe was still pathetically pawing at his thighs, saying he wished to be inside him.
“I think you need some sleep, dear–” Elias insisted, gently holding his face into his palm. He now had the opportunity to get tomorrow planned. “But I do believe another meeting would be exquisite. I feel like we hardly got a chance to talk about your work. Are you free tomorrow?”
Jonathan Fanshawe nodded with that same naive eagerness exacerbated by intoxication.
“I uh– I’m going to the Festival tomorrow–”
Elias grinned.
The Five-Petalled Rose Festival, the namesake taken from the city itself, was an annual event held to honor the Summer Solstice. The entire town would be dressed in Renaissance clothing, the city bustling with people in costumes. A perfect crowd. A perfect place for the execution of Jonathan Fanshawe that could not be traced back to Elias.
Hidden completely in plain sight.
“Excellent. I’ll be there as well,” Elias tucked his hand underneath Fanshawe’s chin and put his lips to his ear. “I’d love to meet you there. I assume you’re dressing up, I plan to as well, maybe we could pretend we’re strangers again.”
Elias pulled back and saw the look of excitement spread across Fanshawe’s face.
“Yes! Please let’s meet–”
“Four o'clock tomorrow?” Elias asked, thinking of the town’s layout he memorized before even arriving into the country. “Let’s meet near the river, hm? I’ll look for you?”
Jonathan nodded, and Elias saw him nodding off from sleep. He’s halfway tempted to message Gertrude and ask why he can’t just do this now, but he knew that if there were anything to lead him back from the crowded hotel room up to there, the mission would fail. And Elias had worked too hard to keep himself in field work.
So, Elias took a pin from the nightstand and wrote the location and place Fanshawe should meet him tomorrow and tucked him in to likely the last night of his life.
–
Elias had exactly twenty minutes remaining of the allotted two hours to double check the location for tomorrow, clean the room of any trace of him being there, and make it down to the bar to meet Peter Lukas.
He doesn’t quite understand the twinge of excitement settling in the back of his neck when rolled back his shoulders and made his way to the hotel bar and saw Peter Lukas sitting alone in the back corner booth.
Elias stood above him, Peter still nearly at Elias’ height even as he sat.
“Warm evening for June,” Peter said; speaking in the code phrase.
“Hm, it’s even warmer on the west coast.” Elias’ response indicated that the mission was successful.
Peter gave a very stiff nod yes before taking a sip of his drinks.
“Stay for a drink?”
“What are you drinking?” He asked Peter, looking at the nearly empty glass on the table.
“Brandy.”
Elias nodded and went to get another for Peter and a glass of Chardonnay for himself. The bar was relatively empty, all other guests either sitting just at the bar or closer to the front of the hotel lobby. That didn’t mean they could speak freely, but the feeling of being watched subsided for a moment.
Elias grinned as he placed a new glass of brandy on Peter’s side of the booth and sat down. That was part of the plan of course, for them to drink and discuss tomorrow’s mission, but Elias let himself relax for a moment when he slid onto the other side of the booth.
“Pinot grigio?” Peter’s eyes fixated on Elias’ wine glass.
Elias shook his head and took a sip before answering.
“Chardonnay.”
Peter nodded.
“You had a gin and tonic yesterday,” he observed.
Elias noted that is still not that same observation that other field agents would use in an attempt to flash their training. Peter asked because he saw Elias like a puzzle to solve.
“You met Gertrude Robinson, I don’t believe anything other than gin can get me through an evening with that woman.”
Peter’s smile reached his eyes, the first time Elias had noticed since their introduction the previous evening. He nodded, as if filing away the information, and took a sip of his brandy.
“The festival is tomorrow,” Peter’s voice was level as he spoke, returning to code– to their mission. The reason they were both here and not actually two men perhaps flirting at a bar. “Will you be attending?”
“I will be,” Elias nodded. “Going to spend some time along the river actually, around 1600 hours there will be a lovely view.”
Elias watched Peter take in the information, studying a mental map of the area. Another thing that he was not doing to be impressive.
“Near the old castle, is that right?” Peter clarified. “A bit remote in terms of structure but certainly a good place for a view.”
“Correct. I’ve done my research.” Elias assured him, not feeling as though he’s being tested, but wants to show that he’s being thorough.
“You’re as good as they say,” Peter commented, his voice lined with a fake pleasantry that Elias can’t quite get a read on. He missed the genuine smile that reached his eyes.
“You don’t seem one for crowds,” Elias observed, taking a drink of his wine.
Peter was silent for a moment before shrugging.
“Can make the work messy. But it should be quiet,” Code Elias knew that meant Peter would have a silencer. The shot would be clean and undetectable. “Near that castle should work as a vantage point. As long as you’re there right at 1600 t o tell me where to look for this view, there won’t be a problem.”
Elias twirled the contents of his wine glass, thinking forward to tomorrow. Peter spoke with an assurance that he found– relatively comforting.
“We could visit the riverbed after then, there’s a lovely remote walking trail just a few feet down.” To discard the body. Peter nodded.
“Know the river. Haven’t had a chance to walk along the Vtala since I docked off of Port Radotín.”
Elias' interest suddenly piqued.
“So you know the area?”
Peter nodded again, taking another swig of his glass of, the one Elias got from him nearly gone while he stayed nursing his own wine.
“Been a long time,” Peter looked almost nostalgic as he looked past Elias and far off into a memory. “But yes. I’ve docked in Prague a few times. You?”
Peter seemed to care for the answer. Elias studied in Prague briefly during his graduate degree; he also spent time at the Vtala river. But that was another life.
“It’s been a long time for me too,” He finally settled on responding. “It will be nice to see it again.”
Even if he’ll be dragging a body to it.
They drank in silence after that. Elias wanted to know more, to hear about why Peter was operating a ship, to know what kind of relationship he had with Mordechai. How the Lukas family was involved in this operation at all.
Before he could fully press, Peter spoke again.
“Turning in for tonight,” He said, setting down his glass and wiping the excess liquid from his mustache.
“Goodnight, Peter.” Eilas said with a smirk.
Peter Lukas stood up and let his eyes linger on Elias for just a moment before he smiled again.
One that Elias was certain reached his eyes.
–
“And you’ve coordinated disposal of the contents?” Gertrude’s stern voice rang through Elias’ headpiece as he continued getting ready for the festival.
“We have,” Elias informed, strapping a knife carefully to each ankle. “I’ll send you the coordinates to send in your clean up crew once it’s been completed.”
“And Lukas has a place scoped out?”
“Is that something you should be asking his handler?” Elias asked, now putting on the period accurate tunic. His disguise was simply to blend in; a tunic with a hidden bulletproof vest underneath, trousers, and a cloak draped over him to easily conceal his face.
“You talked to him, I’d assume he’d relay some sort of plan.”
“He acted as if he had everything under control, Gertrude.”
The line was quiet for a moment before Gertrude hummed with discontentment and spoke again.
“If the mission is not complete by 1700 hours we will ensure you are extracted before anything can go wrong.”
Elias had to stop from rolling his eyes, as if he couldn’t navigate his own way out of a crowded festival. As if he’d be noticed at all. The point was to blend in, not cause some sort of large scene getting him out of there.
“I appreciate the concern, Gertrude. But this is not my first mission.”
“No. But this is your first mission with Peter Lukas.”
Elias paused. Why was that important?
“Is he dangerous?” Elias doesn’t know why the question prickles the back of his ear. Why the idea of him being a threat– a risk to him, seemed almost enticing.
Gertrude paused for a long time.
“He doesn’t tend to work with others. If something goes south it is likely he will do very little to do anything but save himself.”
“Why, this sounds personal.”
The line was silent again.
“1700 hours, Elias.” Is the last thing he heard before the line went dead.
–
The smell of fried faire food was almost sickening. Because it was much later in the day, the heat settled over the entire area, and the smells not just of the fried food– but the beer and heat and sweat– were permeating through the entire festival. The crowd was loud, drunk, and paid no mind as Elias slipped through to continue his search for Jonathan Fanshawe.
Elias’ time-accurate cloak was fairly durable and shielded him from the bright midsummer sun. He walked past individuals dressed as all sorts of themed characters; from jesters, to knights, to bar wenches. He’d occasionally be stopped for a brief demonstration or request to move to another tent to watch sword fighting or archery. He would politely decline and move along with little trouble.
Occasionally Elias would test the small headpiece in his ear to see if he was within frequency for Peter to hear. They only operated on a very secure channel that lead them to only being able to communicate within a very short range.Elias would say a few words in code as he walked throughout the festival, but had yet to receive a response. He tried not to worry, tried not to focus too hard on the unknowns but everything he could control.
He felt the anxiety alleviate a bit when he saw the familiar face of Johnathan Fanshawe among the crowd. He wore a similar costume as Elias; a tunic with a period-accurate pair of pants. Although Elias was certain that he was not carrying any weapons.
Elias approached Fanshawe with an easy smile. Fanshawe took a moment before recognizing him and then immediately went to extend his arms for a brief hug.
“I was worried I scared you off last night!” Fanshawe admitted.
Elias laughed into the crook of his neck, making sure to breathe lightly onto the other man’s skin.
“Not at all, I had a delightful time.”
“What’d he do? Pass out mid blow job?”
Peter’s voice through the headpiece almost made Elias jump, but he was a professional. He did bite his lip to suppress a laugh, shocked at Peter’s much more forward conversation than last night.
“It’s great to see you again, Richard, truly!”
Elias almost forgot the fake name he’d given him. He smiled again, pulling out of the embrace and motioning for him and Fanshawe to get out of the way.
“You’re going to have to say something to assure you can hear me, you wanna tell him he was the best lay you’ve ever had?”
“Last night was such a lovely evening,” Elias responded, hoping that would suffice Peter’s request. “One of my favorites, I do believe. I truly am happy that you were able to meet again here.”
“Guess that’s good enough, I’ll know if you can get the codeword and not freak out when he’s bleeding out on the ground.”
“Would you like to get a drink, Richard?” Fanshawe asks, just as enthusiastic as he was the night before.
“Surprised you’re ready for another one after last night,” Elias teased.
Fanshawe looked to the ground, still a bit embarrassed from the night before.
“I’ll definitely be taking it slower tonight, but a beer in the summer heat really goes down quite well.”
“Oh I couldn’t agree more–”
“You have about fifteen minutes to get him to my vantage point.” Peter warned and Elias knew that they would not have time to stand in line for an overpriced mead drink.
“I can get us something then–”
Before Fanshawe could wander off, Elias lightly grabbed at his arm, running his fingers up his bicep.
“Why don’t we have a little fun first? I found a lovely shaded area down by the river that could be quite a lovely spot to, well–” Elias playfully tugged at Fanshawe’s sleeve, giving him a suggestive look.
“Still wanting to pretend we’re strangers again?” Fanshawe took the bait, smiling wide.
Elias returned the smile and Fanshawe laughed as he motioned for Elias to lead the way.
“Hope if you have a final moment with him you spare me the audio.”
Elias let the smile appear on his face, knowing it would help his cover with Fanshawe. Elias led the two of them down easily through the area he was certain Peter could see. And thankfully it was as vacant as he expected. Not too empty to arouse suspicion of them there, but just secluded enough that no one was focused on them at all.
“What do you think of this spot?” Elias asked, serving as a question for both Fanshawe and Peter.
Fanshawe pulled him for a greedy kiss and Elias tried desperately to ignore the taste of fair food on the man’s mouth.
“I can see you both clearly. Just say the code when you’re ready.”
Elias made a hum of acknowledgement that thankfully sounded more like a moan against Fanshawe’s mouth. He already moved from Elias’ lips to his neck, his drunken enthusiasm from the night before not seeming to have wavered.
Good.
“I’ve been thinking about you all morning,” Fanshawe admitted, his tone low but giddy.
“Is that so?” Elias asked, running his hand up and down his hair. Fanshawe nodded and let his hand slip underneath Elias’ cloak and underneath his tunic.
“Shot’s clear.”
“What have you been thinking about?” Elias asked, his voice barely a whisper.
“Thinking about having you again fully tonight, underneath me, how good you’d feel–”
“Well wouldn’t that be quite the sight to behold.”
The shot was quick, almost impossible to hear.
Elias only registered that Fanshawe had been hit when his body fell forward into arms. He held Fanshawe steady and petted the back of the man’s hair.
“Heading to the river.”
“”Let’s get you back,” Elias said in case any passerbys notice the near collapse. He heard Fanshawe's soft plea for his life just against his ear.
Peter shot him in the back, he’d die quickly but not immediately. Elias was able to cover him in his cloak and get him down to the river.
One thing people tend to often underestimate about Elias is his strength. But how else would his have worked if he didn’t have the ability to carry a dying man down the river and outside of the public eye.
Elias found Peter at the rendezvous out on the riverbed, just far enough out of the festival to avoid anyone prying. Peter’s not dressed in any sort of costume, but combat boots and form fitting dark clothing that really accentuate the muscles underneath the shirt. A common trend for him, Elias noticed but certainly didn’t mind.
Elias grinned when he got close enough. Peter helped take Fanshawe’s body and positioned it at a tree by the bank.
“He go down easy enough?” Peter asked, assessing the bullet hole in his back and snapping his fingers in front of Fanshawe’s face to check for a reaction.
“Definitely quietly,” Elias admitted, watching as Peter continued checking the body.
Peter finished the job by swiftly snapping Fanshawe’s neck, and then moving towards his pockets without a second guess. Elias couldn’t help but to hear Gertrude’s voice in his ear.
He doesn’t work well with others.
Peter continued searching Fanshawe’s clothes, removing his wallet and phone from his pocket and discarding it to the side. Elias watched as Peter meticulously searched the man’s body, as if he were looking for something specific.
Elias wasn’t familiar with Peter Lukas’ handler; he was able to search the agency database but only saw the name of Peter’s handler to be a ‘Lukas, N’. Family no doubt, but that was all Elias could pull together. Peter could have an additional assignment or to look for something further on Fanshawe’s person– adding a bit more context to his previous conversation with Gertrude.
Elias checked his watch, 16:35; ten minutes before Gertrude would be checking in. He could notify her now but for whatever reason– Elias waited. He watched as Peter moved through Fanshawe’s person and finally pulled something out from a hidden inner pocket in his shirt.
“Wasn’t as clueless as he seemed,” Peter muttered, Elias thought mostly to himself, as he unfolded the paper.
“Did you expect that to be there–” Elias asked; he tried to move behind Peter who quickly stood up, not letting Elias get in the back of him.
“Had a hunch, here,” Peter willingly handed the paper to Elias.
So his additional orders were either not meant to be a secret or Peter didn’t bother to follow that protocol. Regardless, Elias took the paper and read over the contents.
A business card, something small and hardly noticeable and so important it wasn’t even kept in the man’s pocket. The card read the name of a library for Albrect Von Closen– but there was a message on the back.
Von Closen’s collection is nearing completion. Send off your research to his library. You will be contacted again.
-The Architect.
After the script, the bottom contained coordinates. Likely the location of the library.
Elias read the contents over two more times. He swallowed.
“Hand me his phone, Peter.”
If Peter noticed any distress, he didn’t comment. He handed the phone by Fanshawe’s wallet to Elias. Elias grabbed the device and was able to place Fanshawe’s fingertip to unlock it.
He checked the time at the top of the screen; seven minutes. If there was information about The Architect, Elias would be the first to know and to control that information.
“You still need him?” Peter asked as Elias nearly frantically scrolled through the text messages and contacts.
“No. Discard and lock the coordinates. I’m supposed to report back in–”
“Seven minutes, yeah?”
“Well six now,” Elias didn’t take his eyes away from the device.
“You looking for something specific, then?”
Elias didn’t respond, he finally found what he was looking for; the text thread between Fanshawe and The Architect. He scrolled through their last few messages– all cryptic and in a code that Elias knew he couldn’t break in the six minutes that they had.
Peter dragged Fanshawe’s body closer to the river. Elias continued scanning the messages, then jumped to the ones from Vaughn Closen. Finally he found one damning piece of evidence that confirmed his suspicions far more than he wanted to. A text message that apparently took place after the acquisition of some of Fanshawe’s data only to be met with the following response.
“Tell Robert.”
That was all Elias needed to know.
When he looked up from the phone, Peter was already back, studying him. His face remained neutral, but Elias met his gaze and knew that he was being observed. Normally, Elias didn’t like that feeling of being so keenly watched. But something about Peter’s eyes– Elias almost felt like was showing concern.
Elias took out his own phone and texted the coordinates to Gertrude Robinson. She responded immediately.
“It appears that they’ll extract us from the hotel.” Elias responded, watching Peter shrug his shoulders. “They’ll send a car at 19:00.”
Peter just nodded, looking back quickly toward the direction of the castle.
“Gives me plenty of time to get my equipment and regroup.”
“Perhaps we could grab another drink at the hotel bar?”
Elias doesn’t know what possessed him to ask, but Peter smiled a genuine smile and nodded.
“You want a glass of Chardonnay before extraction,” Peter commented. “Or would that be enough time with Gertrude Robinson that would also warrant a gin and tonic?”
“Given that we’ll likely be on a plane together– I think it best to start with the gin.”
Peter grinned.
“Order me one then, I’ll meet you there when I finish up.”
Elias didn’t know why, but there was a heat under his skin.
Chapter 2: Amsterdam
Summary:
“You’re needed in Amsterdam.”
Elias paused, checking the time on the corner of his computer. The time was nearly two in the morning.
“When?”
“Four hours.”
Elias sighed, he didn’t know what he thought there’d be more time. At least when he was notified to leave for Prague, Gertrude gave him a six hours notice– plenty of time to select his Renaissance Faire costume. He assumed this mission would not be as public.
“I suppose it’s a good thing I wasn’t going to sleep–”
“I’ll be sending you a secure message in about thirty seconds of your target. Similar song and dance as last mission, Elias.”
Notes:
Bit of a delay in getting this out but this ended up being a bit longer than I anticipated!
And thanks so much to everyone for the nice comments on the first chapter, I really am having a blast writing this AU so the support has been great to see!
CW: violence, gun violence, strangulation, dubcon using alcohol, alcohol use, blow jobs
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Elias typed furiously on his computer, trying his best to work as quickly as possible. He was working on a secure server, typing away code to try and get a program that would successfully allow him into the Agency’s secure database. Elias had access to some parts of their database, but was searching for more than just mission assignments and schedules. The credentials required to access the intel he was looking for required someone with a higher clearance than even Gertrude, but Elias was determined to know what the Agency was hiding from him.
The code he created ideally would trick the software into thinking his usual credentials gave him administrative problems. When he ran the code, he typed in his typical login information and was greeted with bright red text.
Access Failed
The screen flashed the failure message like a siren. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he continued to work. He ran his hands over the keyboard, thinking of the potential codes he could possibly know to try and alter his credentials to the system. He typed away another line of code, thinking back to one of the older tricks he learned before joining the Agency. The screen flashed his failure again.
Access Failed
Elias' jaw was clenched, far too focused on trying to break into the system. He felt the agitation in his muscles, hating that there was something he couldn’t break. He took a deep breath, scanning his work again, looking for something that he missed.
He remembered when he’d have a partner, someone to talk out things with to see what was wrong. Someone who told him to wind down and would run his fingers briskly against Elias’ shoulder. Someone that would tell him to take a breather– not that Elias had time to then and certainly didn’t now. He shook his head from the memories and kept reexamining the code. As it always tended to, something clicked and he was able to rework the script to do something just slightly different.
He held his breath as he typed.
Access Granted.
Elias smiled, finally allowing himself to exhale. He knew he didn’t have long before something would alert the Agency’s security that there was some sort of glitch in the database and boot him out of the system entirely. He searched at the top of the screen for the few codewords he knew.
The Architect
Elias clicked the only populated name in the system attached to the alias: Robert Smirke. He ignored the trembling in his hands as he clicked and opened the file. The anticipation wasn’t warranted however; there was hardly any information on the man. Only a list of public available records along with the small bit of intel Elias and Peter gathered from their last mission.
Searching for Fanshawe yielded the same amount of disappointment. Elias sighed, if the Agency knew more than this, then they were keeping things wrapped up tighter than he could currently hack into. Or they really were as in the dark as Elias, which almost worried him more.
He ran his fingers across the keyboard, not wanting to quite yet accept defeat. Knowing he had only a few more minutes. Elias typed in another name.
Peter Lukas.
The screen took a little longer to load than it had with Smirke. The results were much more promising, populating several names. Most of them were related to other members of the Lukas family, all connected of course to the Lukas patriarch; Mordechai. Someone Elias wish he didn’t have the pleasure of ever meeting.
Elias clicked on Mordechai’s name first, going through the list of known corporations, affiliates, and funds associated with the Lukas family at least known by the Agency. The more Elias combed through the files, the clearer the picture of Peter Lukas’ relationship to his family came in his mind. Elias gathered that Peter was a part of a very tight knit family with gruesome expectations. From Peter’s skill set along with build, Elias could only imagine he was not working for the Agency of his own volition.
Elias flashed back to Peter snapping Jonathan Fanashawe’s neck. Elias had killed before, most in the field had, but Peter’s snap decision was different in a way Elias still wasn’t sure he could quite explain to himself. Did he want to paint this other picture? Of a man forced into a family business he had no control over? Elias wasn’t quite sure why that made the image of Fanshawe’s neck snapping a tad easier to sit with.
Or the idea of his chest tightening when Peter remembered Elias’ drink of choice by the end of their mission.
He forced himself to move on. After scrolling far too long on another larger document regarding the Lukas family, Elias finally brought himself to click on Peter’s name. His image displayed on the screen– he looked a bit younger in the photo, still as muscular. He wore a sailor’s uniform.
Elias studied the photo for a moment, then scrolled down to see the words Tundra.
Before he could click further on the document, his phone rang, nearly making him jump in front of his laptop. The caller ID was blank, and Elias could only assume that it was Gertrude on the other line. He took in a breath to settle himself before sliding his phone across the screen.
“Watcher,” Elias answered curtly. Always despised the ridiculous code names that sounded far more conspicuous than just stating a fake name. Elias just always assumed Gertrude had a poor sense of humor.
“Archivist,” Gertrude’s stern voice responded.
“The Institute is closed.” Elias responded back, informing Gertrude that the line was clear.
“You’re needed in Amsterdam.”
Elias paused, checking the time on the corner of his computer. The time was nearly two in the morning.
“When?”
“Four hours.”
Elias sighed, he didn’t know what he thought there’d be more time. At least when he was notified to leave for Prague, Gertrude gave him a six hours notice– plenty of time to select his Renaissance Faire costume. He assumed this mission would not be as public.
“I suppose it’s a good thing I wasn’t going to sleep–”
“I’ll be sending you a secure message in about thirty seconds of your target. Similar song and dance as last mission, Elias.”
Elias was thankful Gertrude couldn’t see his eyebrows raise over the phone as he wondered what the same song and dance as last time exactly meant. He saw the notification alert on his phone and scrolled through the intel on his next target– Albrecht Von Closen.
“Another outdoor festival?”
Elias asked as he skimmed Von Closen’s details; mid forties, Librarian, rare collector. He studied the man’s face, wrinkled but not more than the typical amount for his age. The headshot provided to him had him in rather prestigious clothes, clearly a head of his department and rather full of himself.
Elias knew the type too well. Almost was the type himself if things had perhaps gone a bit differently.
“Hardly. But he’s on the move and collecting intel far too quickly. The Agency wants to know why and then terminate. But he’s rather– paranoid. We will need you to follow your usual protocol and Peter Lukas will cover the rest.”
Elias felt the heat in his chest at the mention of the name.
“Lukas?” He tried to keep his voice level.
“Quite. He seemed to work well enough with you that we have decided to permit another mission together.”
Elias bit back the smile, making sure Gertrude couldn’t hear it in his voice.
“He knows the job.” He commented, even if Gertrude was the only one to hear the compliment.
“And he played nice, so we will call that a bonus for everyone involved.”
Elias thought again of his file, his family, why Peter could have possibly been with the Agency in the first place.
“Whatever will get the job done,” Elias continued trying to remain as neutral as possible. He wondered if Peter requested this, if he wanted to see Elias again. If Peter had any more say on who he worked with than Elias.
“A car will be out front in six hundred hours.”
Gertrude didn’t say anything else and hung up the phone.
“Always a pleasure,” Elias said to the dead line.
His own computer screen went blank, removing his access to the Agency’s database. He sighed, but got himself up and began collecting everything he needed for his mission.
–
Elias sat across from Peter Lukas at the Waldorf Astoria’s Peacock Alley, the prestigious hotel bar that they were meant to sit at for the majority of the mission. Sat between them was a bottle of overly priced Chardonnay and a tiny bowl of caviar. Peter Lukas hadn’t touched his glass or the small bites of fish eggs since they’d sat down.
As soon as Elias arrived to to the city, he was expected to meet Peter at the Peacock Alley to sit and wait for the arrival of Albrecht Von Closen, who was scheduled to speak at a conference at the University of Amsterdam the following day. The presentation was expected to give away far too much information regarding– something– that the Agency wanted hidden. Gertrude was worried that Elias and Peter would draw too much attention at the conference, so they had to wait for Von Closen’s arrival at the hotel lobby. They had less than twenty four hours to eliminate him.
Elias watched as Peter took long drinks of the brandy he’d ordered, thinking about how Gertrude would react if Elias were to order something off her pre-selected course. The Agency only permitted a glass of red wine with a meal, and since the two were sitting and expecting to actually lounge for most of the day, he was lucky he at least got a bottle. Peter didn't seem to have any restrictions, or if he did, he did not follow them.
“You think he’ll actually show?” Peter asked, setting down the glass and leaning back in his chair. He was dressed the same as he’d been in Prague; tight dark clothing that accentuated the muscles Elias had been enjoying to see again. His beard had grown out just a bit more than had it been a month or so prior, and Elias noticed darker circles underneath his eyes. He was sure his own face looked similar, having hardly slept except for on and off on the plane.
“The conference offered him a gift certificate for this restaurant for today only,” Elias said with a cheeky smile, speaking a bit quieter than Peter.
Peter raised his eyebrows, understanding that the Agency was able to very easily guide Von Closen there, for Elias to meet him.
“Let’s hope he didn’t get any better offers,” Peter laughed, sipping his drink again and looking at the caviar. Elias noticed a slight twitch in his hand as if he was going to reach for the contents but decided against it. “I guess nothing better to do than get drunk.”
Elias laughed again and sipped his wine. It’d take more than a bottle of an overpriced white wine to get him anywhere fun.
“A shame we don’t get a view of the canal,” Elias shrugged, reaching for and grabbing a spoonful of the caviar. Peter eyed him with an almost disgusted look.
“You enjoy that stuff?” Peter asked, shaking his head.
“I’d much prefer a slice of cheesecake,” Elias told him, but took a bite of the caviar. He remembered seeing some sort of lemon cheesecake on their limited menu, but knew that the caviar was meant to add to their appearance of sophistication Von Closen was clearly drawn to.
“Who wouldn’t?” Peter watched Elias eat with a sour look on his face. Elias found it amusing, once again left wondering how on earth Peter Lukas ended up in a world like this.
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a few men walking and talking loudly up the bar. Elias studied their features; they looked like a group of academics. He narrowed his eyes into one of the two men.
“It appears Amsterdam’s library is open today,” Elias immediately switched to the code phrase.
Peter reacted just as quickly, turning his head to where Elias’ eyes laid.
Albrect Von Closen stood in between two other men, ordering some sort of local beer from the sound of it. Elias listened in to the conversation, the bartender commenting that they weren’t the only group of English people he’d served today. Elias noticed the slight motion over to Peter's seat and turned his attention right back to Peter.
“Do you think the library will be open all day?” Peter asked, in the same casual tone as he had asked Elias about the caviar. He was asking how he thought it would take to get Elias to convince him to either meet elsewhere or the following day for a hit.
Elias grinned, taking another quick assessment of Von Closen in his peripheral; he wore a ring, and he recalled in the debrief that he was married to a woman. But the Agency chose to send him, indicating they knew that he had proclivities.
A closeted man that liked to experiment with his blatantly repressed sexuality when he was out of town. One of the easiest things for Elias to work with.
“It could be open for a while,” Elias agreed, “However, I hope that I’ll be leaving before dinner.”
If Peter had a quip, he didn’t say it. He sat back again in his chair and observed. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a moment as Von Closen and his colleagues settled just a table over from them, setting their beers down as they continued to talk to one another.
“Perhaps we should order dinner?” Elias asked Peter, speaking up at an almost matched volume as Von Closen’s group, “Since you seem to want something other than caviar?”
Peter let out a breathy laugh but was interrupted.
“So the bartender was right, more English men!”
Elias turned to see one of the men that Von Closen was with and raised his glass to the two of them.
“Always a pleasure,” Elias said, raising his own glass. “And what brings you all this evening?”
“A conference over the University,” Von Closen’s companion responded, and Elias noticed the subtle shift in Von Closen’s body language. As if he didn’t want people to know why he was there, or who he was.
“The University of Amsterdam?” The other men nodded and Elias leaned in, locking eyes with all of them individually to show his interest, “Are you all presenting research then?”
“He is!” The man exclaimed, putting his arm over Von Closen. He shifted again, standing up a little taller to preen.
“That is remarkable,” Elias said with a wide fake smile. He saw the flattery, or perhaps it was the beer, work its way through Von Closen and his face start to visibly relax.
“What brings you two here, then?” Von Closen asked, seeming to keep his eye contact with Elias, clearly enjoying the attention.
Elias grinned.
“A holiday. With my– husband,” Elias reached over to affectionately squeeze Peter’s knee, watching Von Closen’s enthusiasm deflate just for a moment. “Although he really is just humoring me, aren’t you darling?”
Peter’s knee went slightly stiff under Elias’ touch but he bounced back from the surprise cover rather quickly.
“Think the city– and caviar– can be a bit overrated. But this one loves to spend money,” Peter said cheerfully.
“Well we uh– we won’t keep you,” Von Closen said, the disappointment evident on his face.
“Please, you're welcome to sit down and chat. We’ve been on Holiday for about three days now and I honestly wouldn’t mind some different company,” Elias gave Peter an easy smile, trailing his finger off of his knee and back around the wine glass. He motioned his hand to their empty seats, inviting the men to come sit with them. “And I’d just love to hear about your presentation.”
Von Closen looked over at his colleagues who all offered shrugs of indifference as the three of them sat down with Elias and Peter.
They spoke for a while, Elias doing everything that he can to make Von Closen feel noticed and important. He laughed at his jokes, maintained an eager level of eye contact, and did his best to push him to continue constantly in conversation. They had two more drinks together and right as Peter offered a last round, the other two men said that they were ready to turn in for dinner.
Von Closen looked at Elias with an almost sadness at the idea that he wouldn’t see him again. Elias smiled, knowing that his very obvious flirtations with his supposed husband in front of him was enough to stroke Von Closen’s ego just enough to think he mattered to Elias at all.
“We’ll be here most of the evening, perhaps after dinner we could grab another drink here?” Elias’ eyes moved from both Von Closen to Peter, both giving apprehensive nods. “Excellent. Why not around nine?”
Von Closen smiled.
“Perfect.”
–
Elias and Peter sat on the large sofa in Elias’ hotel bedroom, hearing Gertrude mutter back to him through his phone as they debriefed her on successfully making contact with Von Closen. However, hearing about their evening plans for a night cap was clearly not good enough.
“Tonight at the hotel will not work for the mission, you will have to lead him out of the building.”
Elias sighed.
“I’m quite aware, Gertrude. I believe this will work in a similar fashion as Fanshawe, we can just agree to terminate somewhere in the city.”
Elias and Peter are met with another one of Gertrude’s long pauses. The kind that said she wanted to argue with Elias, but couldn’t find a good enough reason. Elias rolled his eyes before she finally started speaking again.
“He cannot give that talk tomorrow, Elias. You are cutting it rather close.”
“The entire job seems a bit rushed, wouldn’t you agree?”
Another long pause and Elias thought he could hear her mixing a drink.
“Just execute away from the University and don’t draw any further suspicion.”
She hung up the phone and Elias turned to look at Peter.
“A lovely woman, truly,” He joked, sitting up to grab his phone from the center of the table.
“Think we should try and take him out tonight?” Peter asked, legs crossed as he sat, looking completely unbothered by the phone call.
Elias considered the options; too many people saw them together. Unless they managed to fake some sort of accident which may have been doable in a few more hours time, Elias didn’t think it’d be worth the risk.
“I should be able to lead him somewhere tomorrow. A breakfast cafe, somewhere quick and remote enough to not arouse suspicion.” Elias looked at his hands while he talked, lost in the image of trying to ensure everything fell into place.
Peter nodded.
“I trust your judgment,” He noted.
Elias looked at him, thinking for a moment how– nice it felt for not to be questioned. Elias almost wanted to ask, is this a bad idea? Does Peter think that Elias is going to get them killed? Does Peter care?
“Well it’s appreciated,” Elias offered, standing up and walking away from Peter. “I’ll meet him down alone, give him some sort of story about how fascinating he was, ask if he wants to go to bed–”
The same song and dance. Elias would get him drunk, give him some sob story about his unfulfilled marriage, praise Von Closen’ for his intelligence, take him to bed, and convince him to meet him again in the morning. He would tell Von Closen to run away with him or whatever ridiculous story these men would believe when they were able to get Elias spread open underneath them.
“Seems like I got the easy job,” Peter said with a nod.
Elias grinned.
“Pretending to be my husband?”
Peter grinned back, but didn’t respond.
Elias was shocked at the feeling of– some sort of warmth in his chest.
“No, that sounds quite demanding,” Peter finally said with a slight smirk, standing up from his spot on the couch and stretched. Elias watched as his muscles tightened in that same tight shirt.
The two took the moment to search for a cafe with the best vantage point. Settling on somewhere far enough from the University that there wouldn’t be a large enough crowd. Elias walked Peter out of his hotel room.
“I’ll let you know the time for tomorrow once I’m back in the room.” Elias said as he watched Peter nod in agreement and walk down the hall.
Elias didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that he almost called out and asked Peter to– what? Stay? Have another drink? Come back to his room after? None of that would’ve gone over too well he believed, not when he had other things to focus on. Not when had to worry about Albrect Von Closen and his relationship to Robert Smirke and in turn, what information he could inadvertently have about Eilas’ past.
Elias shook his head and took a brief moment to wash up before putting on his usual facade and going back to the lobby.
–
“Your husband seems– fascinating,” Von Closen told Elias, as he watched his face grow redder throughout the night. When Elias walked back down to the bar to meet him after dinner, Von Closen was already finished with his first drink. He proceeded to throw back several of the double shots of jack and cokes that Elias continued ordering for him. He’d finally seemed to be on the edge to let a secret slip. To want to know just how far Elias was willing to go.
“He’s a bit of a bore, really,” Elias laughed as he sipped his wine, maintaining his eye contact, “Decided he was too tired to come down for a drink. Typical.” He shrugged as he licked the bit of liquid from his mouth, a subtle hint at suggestion.
Von Closen leaned in a little closer.
“But you are just so–”
Elias raised his eyebrow.
“I thought you had a ring, Albrect.” Elias said, the flirtation heavy in his voice.
“Isn’t that what a bit of holiday fun is for?” He asked with a grin. “Meeting someone new and different, no worrying about husbands or wives or–”
Elias cocked an eyebrow, leaning in.
“Or what?”
Von Closen shook his head, looking back down at his hands. Elias cursed himself for pressing, he knew he shouldn’t have, he should have waited on asking on any intel he would have on The Architect. He knew his mission was to eliminate Von Closen and nothing more.
“That’s not something I don’t believe I should be discussing with you, James.” He said Elias’ fake name like a parent scolding a child. Elias tried not to sound agitated.
“You can talk to me, Albrect,” Elias reached his hand out to rub his thumb alongside Von Closen’s palm.
They locked eyes and for a moment Elias noticed the lingering of something in Albrect’s stare. He wanted Elias, that much was certain from how he acted as soon as they’d gotten back down to the lobby. But for a moment he looked almost pained– like he was desperate to tell Elias something.
Elias gave his hand a gentle reassuring squeeze, trying to coax out whatever secret the man had bubbling up.
“I think I’m– I think I’m in trouble, James,” He eventually said quietly. Elias cocked an eyebrow
“What kind of trouble?” The anticipation swelled in his chest as held on to Von Closen’s every word.
“I’m– my research,” He admitted, wrapping his hand around Elias’ as he spoke. “I was approached to continue my library but a man– god he this will sound ridiculous to you I’m certain he goes by some alias, the uh– the Architect. Desperate for some balance on how to maintain and sort information, really. He’d heard about my work and promised me– well he promised me a great deal. That's why I’m here James. To give this grand speech and I just don’t think I’m safe.”
Elias kept his face completely neutral.
“And you believe the Architect is hunting you, Albrect?”
Von Closen shook his hand furiously but didn’t take his hand off of Elias’.
“No, no nothing like that. I think people are after him and now they’re after me! I noticed some alerts on my computer, people trying to hack my email and such. I think they want all of my information, to sell it or– to kill me! It’s clear how important they find my work, my contributions to science.”
Elias raised his eyebrows, luckily his surprise worked for the conversation. He was shocked Albrect was smart enough to figure out that the Agency had been tracking him. But the self-importance was almost painful to witness.
“I’m so sorry, Albrect. That must be terrifying,” Elias gave his softest voice, and another gentle squeeze to Von Closen’s hand.
He nodded, squeezing back and running his own fingers across Eilas’ palm.
“I’m uh– I’m sorry.” He said, looking down at his glass of jack and coke, nearly empty compared to Elias’ hardly touched glass.
“I’m happy to listen, Albrect. Your work sounds rather important, if it’s this dangerous,” Elias assured, now moving as close to him as he could. The hand not holding Von Closen’s running across his thigh.
“Well thank you then, for listening. Another round?” He cupped his waist around Elias’, pulling him closer.
Elias gave a light laugh at the closeness and moved to meet Von Closen’s ear.
“What if we had a drink in your room, hm?”
Von Closen smiled.
–
The sex was surprisingly better than Fanshawe. Von Closen, although married to a woman, seemed to have a bit of a habit of picking up men when he was at conferences. Peter Lukas only crossed his mind toward the end– when Elias wondered what it’d feel like to have his mouth around him.
Von Closen was not clingy either, he fucked Elias like he was a secret and exactly how Elias had planned to be fucked. He was worried if Fanshawe hadn't died he would’ve asked him to move in with him by the end of their second meeting.
“Can I see you again?” Elias asked, putting his clothes back on. He knew that Von Closen wouldn’t try to be the clingy one but preen at the idea of Elias still needing him. “We could have breakfast tomorrow, before your talk?”
Von Closen seemed to consider the offer, as if he’d had enough of Elias for that evening. Something Elias had a contingency for should he choose to say no– one that just lead to him dying sooner– but he seemed to settle.
“Will your husband be attending?” Von Closen asked.
Elias shrugged.
“He doesn’t have to.”
“Then I’d like that, I think.”
Elias smiled again.
“Excellent. Why don’t we meet at a cafe around eight? I can come and get you and we could walk over?”
Von Closen agreed, and they coordinated their meeting for tomorrow. Elias texted everything to Peter on the elevator ride back to his room, and then sent another text to Gertrude, telling her that the crises had been averted. They’d be able to eliminate him a more remote place before the talk.
Peter responded back.
“Enjoy dessert.”
When Elias arrived at his door, he found a slice of cheesecake laying outside his room.
–
Elias knocked almost eagerly on Von Closen’s hotel room door that morning, thinking more about how he could pry any additional intel on Smirke before the termination. He had his headset in his ear, but was unable to hear Peter since he left earlier that morning to set up the vantage point.
“Lovely to see you again, Albrect,” Elias greeted when Von Closen opened the door. “I’m honored that you’d want to meet me again just before your talk.”
Von Closen smiled, soaking up the flattery like a fresh, egotistical sponge. He looked a tad rougher than he did the day before, clearly feeling the effects of the several double jack and cokes and likely lack of sleep before bed.
“Of course, and you’ve been to this cafe before?” He asked, leading the way down to the elevator.
“I have,” Elias said, “A wonderful place for a light breakfast if you’re nervous.”
“Hardly nervous,” Von Closen nearly scoffed as he walked by Elias’ side. Clearly his paranoia from the night before was primarily fueled by alcohol.
The two walked together and made casual conversations about their morning. Elias conducted for some reason on the cafe when he couldn’t sleep the night before, realizing that although he and Peter supposedly picked it together– the cafe had some previous dealings with the Lukas family. Information Elias couldn’t think too much on now, nor did he think it’d be safe to ask Peter when he was about to have a long range weapon pointed in his vicinity.
“I’ll admit talking to you last night helped me quite a lot, James, I’m uh– I’m happy I was able to share some concerns with you.”
Elias smiled at him and nodded. So he did remember his confessions.
“I’m happy you felt that you could share that with me as well.”
“It’s just, perhaps it sounds silly to think my work is just that important, but surely it is, you know? I contacted the Architect last night, told him I was worried that I was being followed and he told me I very well could be. Was going to send me some additional protection, even!”
Elias cocked an eyebrow, was that so?
“Well that’s lovely, Albrect,” Elias assured him, leading the way as they walked down the street, wondering if he was within range for Peter to hear anything. Since there had been no witty remarks in his ear, Elias assumed not.
“I thought so as well.He said they have plenty of upgraded data protection softwares, that I can give my talk and continue to make it through my research without too much worry of others finding it. I’m just thankful I was able to talk to you about my concerns.”
“So you were able to listen to him and now he’s in love with you?”
Right on cue. Elias felt the smile reach across his face.
“We should be coming up to the place on the right,” Elias said, also hoping Peter would register that they were close.
“Lovely, after last night I wouldn’t mind a bit heavier of a meal, even despite the nerves,” Von Closen laughed, walking faster to match his pace with Elias.
“Well they have several options, sweet and savory.”
“I’m not big on a sweet breakfast myself,”
Elias hummed in agreement, although he never would turn down the opportunity for french toast. He listened to Von Closen go on about some technique in Dutch cheese, something Elias would normally admit to being fascinating but given the way Von Closen spoke to him like he’d never heard of cheese before, he was starting to grow terribly bored.
“You think he gets off on hearing himself talk? Is that how you two spent the evening? His foreplay just listing off the most boring bits of information until he comes?”
Elias couldn’t laugh but enjoyed that Peter was sharing the sentiment. This man was terribly dull to hear, and without the day drinking buzz he had from yesterday, the constant talking seemed to settle at the front of his head like the start of a headache.
After another nine minutes of solid speaking, Elias finally interrupted him by placing his fingers to his lips.
“Good idea, yeah I can shut him up whenever you’re ready.”
Von Closen suggestively moved his eyebrows as Elias leaned in and finally whispered in his ear.
“Beholding.”
Elias thought he’d go down a bit faster, he felt the brunt of the shot but Von Closen didn’t seem to go down immediately. Elias held onto him, locking eyes.
“I– I’ve been shot,” Von Closen breathed out.
“Is he wearing a fucking vest?”
The realization hit Elias at the same time Peter said it out loud. He felt the panic sit at the bottom of his chest, trying to creep forward through the rest of his body. He held onto Von Closen’s arms trying to keep him in position so Peter could re-position.
But Von Closen, for all of his ego, was a bit stronger than Elias had originally estimated. He was able to fight him back, screaming in Elias’ face.
“You! You orchestrated this! You’re one of the men following me–”
“I’m trying to help you, Albrect,” Elias insisted, thinking on his feet.
“By holding me still, for what? That man with you, your husband, I bet he’s trying to kill me!”
Before Elias could act again he felt a hand around on his throat. Elias’ eyes widened as he processed that he’d been pushed to the corner of the alley, already feeling the tight grip around his throat.
“What–”
“I know what you are! You’re after my research!”
Well, at least he wasn’t wrong. Paranoid fool.
“I’m coming to you.”
Elias couldn’t argue, but Peter would be breaking protocol. Confirming they were together could get them in serious trouble. Elias miscalculated, he should’ve known that the paranoid egomaniac had come prepared, his over inflated ego heightening his self preservation further than Elias would have initially thought.
Von Closen’s grip wasn’t nearly as tight as it needed to be to kill Elias effectively. But he was bigger than him, enough to where any attempt at Elias resisting or trying to fight back would just likely make him lose air even faster.
Instead of struggling, Elias decided to wait for Peter to potentially ruin their mission and help him. Von Closen’s hands were shaking, his grip around his throat sweaty and his hands were trembling, as if trying to decide if he can go through with taking a life.
Elias was certain that he wasn’t, but he was unfortunately stronger than him and likely didn’t know the amount of pressure he was applying to properly kill him or not. He tried to wrap his hands around Von Closen’s arms to pull off, but he was losing breath far too quickly.
Elias was angry as he felt his eyes closing, angry that one simple inconsideration and his focus too focused into Robert Smirke and admittedly Peter Lukas caused him to let his guard down. He felt his body stop struggling, unable to really focus on anything as he felt the bruising around his throat.
“Just… Just hang on.”
Were the last words Elias heard in his ear before he closed his eyes.
–
Elias woke with a pounding in his chest, his ribs felt cracked and he had a throbbing sensation in his lungs. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was on the ground, the paved asphalt was hot against his hands. Before he could properly register why Peter Lukas was next to him, hands on his chest with a look of concern over his face, he began to cough. The sound was rough and his throat started to burn when he couldn’t stop.
He felt the tightness around his neck with another sharp intake of breath then finally remembered the last thing that happened. He was being strangled by Albrect Von Closen. Elias looked around to see that they weren’t the only two on the ground of the alley; Von Closen was as well.
He looked at Peter.
“Was able to pull him off of you, finish the hit,” Peter told him, his hands still on Elias’ chest, as if to feel him breathe.
“I– I’m sorry,” Elias admitted. “I didn’t think to check for a vest.”
The defeat felt like humiliation, but he now owed Peter a debt. Peter shook his head, the look of concern still on his face and Elias felt his fingers run over his chest in a soothing motion.
“I don’t think either of us were properly briefed about the uh– paranoia.”
Elias remembered Gertrude mentioning something. But he was too sidetracked with the idea of working with Peter Lukas again.
“Is it really paranoia if he’s right?” Elias asked, his voice still raspy and he let out another weak cough.
Peter’s hands tightened around his chest again, like that would really do anything to help. But Elias leaned into it, into the touch, into Peter. He could smell his cologne, a strong smell of cedar and iris– Givenchy no doubt. Elias breathed it in.
For a moment their eyes locked and it felt like they were about to have the same idea, they were so close to pressing their lips together. But Elias was painfully reminded that there was a body in the middle of a public alleyway and he’d already made a round of mistakes for a lifetime. His eyes flickered back to the body and Peter seemed to understand, nodding and finally removing his hands from Elias’ chest.
Peter stood up first, then extended his hand to help up Elias.
“Should be easy enough to dispose of, protocol’s going to be the same regardless of whether or not he wanted to strangle you.”
Elias laughed, the motion hurting his entire chest but he didn’t care.
“Then I suppose I’ll contact Gertrude.” Peter paused for a moment, prompting Elias to continue. “I’ll simply tell her the mission was completed.”
Peter nodded, seeming content enough with the response. He moved back to the body of Von Closen, sitting him up against the wall of a building and going through his pockets.
“Need his phone?” Peter asked, already handing it to Elias.
He appreciated that Peter didn’t pry, he went back to handling the body as soon as Elias grabbed the phone. Elias had spent enough time watching Von Closen type the code the night before that he didn’t even need the dead man’s thumbprint to unlock the phone. He quickly scanned for any correspondence about Smirke. He knew he didn’t have time to do a deeper enough investigation, Gertrude expecting a call sooner rather than later.
He allowed himself to scan through the few text threads he had with someone saved in Albrect’s phone just as “RS.” The last thing it said was the listing to some data storage code. Everything else had been wiped.
Elias sighed, admitting defeat of his skill set for the second time that day and took out his own phone to inform Gertrude that the mission had been a success.
“Is it raining in Amsterdam?” Gertrude asked when she answered the phone.
“It rained earlier, but I believe it will be clearing up in about half an hour.” Elias responded with the code. He tried his best to hide the hoarseness in his voice, unsure he was able to fool her.
Gertrude paused before responding and Elias liked to imagine her looking through some key to ensure he was using the correct code and not assessing the damage to his voice.
“There will be a delay with the extraction.”
Elias felt anxiety settle in his stomach. He never enjoyed a change of plans, that’s what often leads him to slip ups– like getting strangled.
“How long?”
“Tomorrow morning, at five hundred hours. Your reservation has extended to another night.”
Elias looked at Von Closen’s phone in his pocket, then at Peter dragging the body further into the alley for disposal and grinned.
“I will inform my companion.”
–
Elias spent the majority of his evening recovering in his room. After informing Peter of the extraction delay, the two had parted ways, knowing it was dangerous being seen together while Peter finished disposing of Von Closen.
When Elias returned to his hotel room, he was more than happy to spend the time going through Von Closen’s phone and avoiding– everyone. He had his laptop working on unlocking all of Von Closen’s encrypted data, which translated to him waiting on his programs to run codes as Elias twiddled his thumbs, and was forced with his own thoughts. He tried his best to sip on the bottle of wine he’d purchased from downstairs and ignore the shaking in his hands, to ignore the feeling of bruising against his throat. To ignore the close call of almost–
Smirke. He needed to focus on finding what Von Closen knew about Smirke. The Architect. Elias suspected that as soon as the Agency had a hold of the phone or any intel they’d put it behind the difficult encrypted database for Elias to never see again. He knew they didn’t want him to know. But Elias didn’t care what the Agency wanted. He had his own reputation to maintain.
He swallowed another small sip of wine, wincing at the pain of the liquid moving down his esophagus. He tapped his hands across the keyboard. Elias let his mind wander to Peter; how quickly he was to break protocol to save Elias. Peter had performed CPR, Elias knew from his likely broken ribs. They at least gave him a different pain to focus on. A pain from being saved.
Peter would rather save him than listen to the rules outlined by the Agency. And that meant far more to Elias than he realized. The look of concern on Peter’s face felt burned into Elias’ mind, something he hadn’t seen another on another person in so long– about him.
He heard the beeping of his computer and saw that his program successfully opened whatever ‘encrypto-robo–’ password protected application Von Closen had installed. Elias was able to access several files, doing a quick search for both ‘Robert Smirke’ and ‘The Architect.’
Before Elias could view the search results he heard a soft knock at the door. He immediately shut his laptop and stared at the door. He heard another three soft knocks after that. Only two people knew his hotel room and the secure code: Gertrude Robinson and Peter Lukas.
Elias took a deep breath and another quick sip of wine as he stood up to answer the door, really truly hoping that there was no reason Gertrude Robinson would need to make a physical appearance in Amsterdam.
Despite the earlier part of the day where he almost died, Elias still felt like something was looking out for him when he looked through the small peephole to see Peter Lukas standing on the other side. He let out a breath he only realized he was holding from the pain in his ribs and opened the door.
“Peter?” Elias asked, feeling almost foolish.
“Can I– Can I come in?”
Elias ushered him inside and motioned him to the couch.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“What are you having? Chardonnay?”
Elias felt a bit of heat in his cheeks and really couldn’t convince himself that it was from the wine. He bent over to access the hotel fridge, seeing that yes all he had was indeed a chilled nearly full bottle of Chardonnay.
“I do have Chardonnay, yes. I could perhaps order you something downstairs if you’d prefer something else–”
“I’d like to try that.”
Elias turned around to raise an eyebrow at Peter. The same man who wouldn’t touch the bottle they’d sipped on the day before with the caviar.
“If you’re sure,” He finally said, getting out the bottle and pouring a glass for Peter and topped his own off. He sat the glass down on the small end table next to Peter and took his own seat at the other end of the couch.
Peter took the glass and the smallest sip Elias has seen the man take yet. It was almost comical, watching him practically lick the contents of the glass rather than actually taste it. Peter cocked an eyebrow, noticing Elias’ gaze.
“Something funny?” Peter asked, his tone light.
“Just surprised is all,” Elias said, fighting back his smile. “Do you like it?”
Peter looked back down at his glass as if offended him, running his tongue along his lip.
“It’s not bad.”
Elias smiled again.
“Just say the word, Peter and we can grab a drink downstairs.”
“Company’s better up here.”
Elias felt that ridiculous heat in his face again, covering up the blush with another, actual drink of his wine.
“Not that I don’t mind the company,” Elias said carefully after regaining his composure, “But is everything– alright?”
Peter nodded and looked down at his glass again. He took a proper sip, making less of a face than earlier but still didn’t seem to enjoy the flavor.
“Wanted to see if you were alright. Looked like you were still in a bit of pain when you took off. And well– even now.”
Elias felt a prickle on the back of his neck, hiding the feeling of panic that Peter seemed to know that Elias was in pain, even from walking him over a glass of wine.
“I’m managing,” he raised up the glass to demonstrate and took another drink. “Nothing that won’t heal within a week or so.”
Peter hummed a response, taking what appeared to be a final but longer sip of his glass and setting it back down on the end table. He looked– Elias would say uncomfortable– but Peter never really looked like he was trying to take up space in a room. They sat there for a moment, in silence, as Elias waited for Peter to speak again.
When he didn’t, Elias continued.
“Is that the only reason you’re here, Peter?”
He saw the slight twinge of a smile form on the corner of Peter’s lips. A look in his eye that Elias was all too familiar with.
“Wanted to make sure you were alright,” Peter repeated, but shifted closer to Elias on the couch. “Because I thought of a pretty decent way to pass the time before the extraction tomorrow.”
Elias’ own smirk creeped across his lips.
“Don’t think I can take care of myself?”
“I don’t think Von Closen would have known how to handle you right. And I’m still playing your husband after all.”
Elias didn’t miss the beat, he seized the gap between them on the couch and ignored the pain in his ribs moving to kiss Peter’s lips. Peter eagerly kissed back, parting his lips instantly and putting his hand gently on Elias’ waist, deliberately avoiding his ribs as moved him a little closer.
The taste of Chardonnay was heavy on Peter’s tongue, and Elias knew it was on his own as well. He didn’t mind, but assumed– in the few times he did fantasize about kissing Peter– he’d taste like some sort of brandy.
Elias tangled his fingers into Peter’s hair, tugging lightly at the longer strands as he deepened the kiss. He shifted his weight to move in between the space of Peter’s thighs, his tongue sliding into Peter’s mouth, running against his bottom lip.
They kissed for a few moments before Peter pulled them apart, mouth open and breath heavy as he looked over Elias. The hand on Elias’ side ran down his thigh and squeezed gently, palm moving just over Elias’ cock. Peter’s was able to cup Elias easily in his wide hand. Elias was wearing lounge pants, the fabric thin as he felt his erection growing from the pressure of Peter’s hand.
Elias moaned, the kind that almost surprised him. Not his usual fake sounds of pleasure but one that for the first time in a long while had Elias wanting more. He grinded his body against Peter’s palm. Peter’s lips were back on Elias’ chin and down his neck. His beard felt nice against Elias’ skin, even as his mouth danced lightly around the forming bruises on Elias’ throat.
Despite Peter’s wonderfully gentle touch, the pain grew too much to ignore. Elias tried to cover up the wince, but the mix of a kiss with a bit too much pressure on just the wrong spot and Peter trying to pull Elias closer led him gripping hard in sudden pain onto Peter’s neck.
Peter stopped immediately, pulling away from Elias to assess him.
“I’m– I’m fine, Peter–”
“Don’t want to make it worse on account of me,” Peter said, but Elias watched as he looked him over, a slight grin on his face. “Could think of another way to make you feel good tonight.”
Elias knew Peter felt the twitch in his own cock on his palm.
“And how do you suppose–”
Before Elias could properly get out the question, Peter was gently untangling himself from Elias, but kept his hands around his arm. He pushed very lightly to motion Elias to lay on his back on the couch and Elias understood immediately what Peter was after.
The pain in his ribs was minimal once he positioned himself on his back in a way that he could still see the smirk on Peter’s face.
“Sounds like you get a lot of bad head in your line of work,” Peter teased, tracing the elastic of Elias’ lounge pants, fingers dipping down to feel the well trimmed pubic hair underneath his boxers. His hand sat there a moment, mindlessly rubbing up and down Elias’ groin, teasing at the base of his cock. Elias jerked his hips into Peter’s palm, his breath heavy as he let out another low moan.
Peter’s smirk formed into a full smile, and after what felt like an agonizing amount of time, he finally began to slide Elias’ pants down to his legs. Elias’ cock laid exposed for Peter, hard and red and aching to be touched. Peter cupped Elias’ thighs and moved up back to his groin in his same light touches that had Elias biting his lip.
“Peter–” Elias breathed, beside himself for being this needy underneath Peter’s teasing hand.
“You– you’re beautiful you know?” Peter said, “I want my mouth on you.”
“Please,” Elias bucked his hips again, his cock twitching as thought of Peter’s mouth.
Peter didn’t hesitate, he positioned himself off of the couch to sit on his knees. He took Elias’ cock fully in his palm and began pumping it, thumb running across the bit of precum already leaking from his tip to run down to Elias’ base.
“You look so good like this.”
Elias moaned his response, a sound that grew louder once Peter took his cock on his mouth immediately taking all of him. His hands went right back into Peter’s hair, grabbing lightly as he let Peter’s mouth set the rhythm.
Peter’s mouth was amazing. His tongue knew exactly when to work the underside of Elias’ cock, when to suck him in and come up to lick his tip with a pop of Peter's mouth. Elias almost wondered if Peter perhaps gave a better blow job than he did. A thought he couldn’t consider for too long as Peter quickened his pace, keeping his hand on Elias’ thigh as he met Elias’ thrusts with ease, taking him down to Elias’ balls.
“Peter I–” Elias’ voice was hoarse, his throat still but that didn’t stop the desire in his tone. He was much closer than he anticipated.
Before he could Peter took Elias’ cock back in his hand and stroked him much slower. The pace was agonizing, Elias trying to go faster to chase that orgasm, but Peter clearly wanted him to wait.
“Wanted to see the look on your face, Elias,” Peter said, and his eyes stayed looking right at him as his thumb added pressure to his tip. “I want you to come in my mouth, but first– I just want to look at you again.”
Elias felt himself get close to his climax again despite the horrible slowness of Peter’s hand on his cock.
He almost wanted to push himself back onto Peter’s mouth, to feel that perfect hollowing of Peter’s cheeks– but Elias remained patient. His cock was swollen around Peter’s fingers, twitching and leaking onto him, trying so hard to wait. He barely noticed the dull ache in his ribs, the bruises on his throat. All Elias could think of was his cock back in Peter’s mouth.
“I can’t wait either, Elias,” Peter said in a light laugh.
Before Elias could respond, his words were lost as Peter’s mouth was back around him. He lapped his tongue down Elias with a purpose, one so deliberate Elias had himself wondering how long had Peter been thinking about–
“I’m–”
Elias was met with a gentle squeeze of his thigh and a look from Peter’s eyes that told him to let go.
Elias came hard into Peter’s mouth, his fingers tangled tightly in his hair as he breathed out his name. The bruising on his throat had his cries turning more into heavy whispers but Elias didn’t care, he wanted Peter to know how good this felt, how good he felt as he finished.
When his orgasm peaked, he lay there, spent and panting as he felt himself soften on Peter’s tongue. And just when Elias thought that Peter couldn’t surprise him more, Peter wiped Elias’ spill from his mouth and planted a soft kiss to his thigh.
“As I said Elias, you’re beautiful.”
Elias felt the fluttering in his chest. He couldn’t believe him, how good Peter just made him feel. How long had it been since Elias came that hard to being out of breath, his body having residual tremors, thinking of Peter’s touch.
“That was–” Elias’ voice was still hoarse; mad that he started coughing, his throat too dry. Peter said nothing, he simply stood up from his spot on the couch and handed Elias his wine from earlier.
He laughed, knowing all that would do would burn his throat. Peter seemed to make the realization too late, laughing at himself and taking the glass back.
“I’ll get you some water.”
–
Elias felt Peter’s chest rise into his back as his arm draped over Elias’ waist. He knew that Peter was unconscious by the sounds of sleep in his breath against his ear. Elias wanted to sleep too, Peter was warm and his body was still recovering from the attempt at his life and the mind blowing orgasm.
But, Elias had to make sure he had everything he could find on Robert Smirke on Von Closen’s phone and with extraction in less than three hours, Elias didn’t have a choice but to distance himself away from the comfort of Peter’s body.
He snuck out of Peter’s hold easily enough, an already practiced skill from years of leaving without a trace. At least this time he didn’t have to sneak out of a top story window.
He grabbed his laptop and as quietly as he could took it with him to the bathroom, not opening it until the door was closed and the bathroom fan was on.
The search results from earlier were still populated on the screen. Elias skimmed through the handful of files Von Closen had on his phone discussing The Architect, finding some correspondence from who Elias assumed was Smirke.
He saw mentions of a some sort of relative; a woman with the surname Keay that Elias faintly recognized. The woman owned a book shop that served as a way for Smirke and Von Closen to trade intel. Elias took mental notes in his head, trying his best to skim through everything as fast he could.
The other few files were much more brief, mostly talking about the titles Von Closen had acquired for his collection. Elias easily remembered the tidbits of information and books from his collection to focus on. He felt a sense of relief at having some sort of plan, sensing a bit of energy from the leads into what and who Smirke could be involved with– and how much of Elias’ own past life played a part of it.
The last file in the phone was much smaller; a list from a notes app titled Casualties that listed far too many names Elias recognized. The last one however, felt like a bigger hit to Elias’ chest than Peter’s fist.
The screen read angrily the name Elias hoped he’d never have to read again.
Barnabas Benette.
Notes:
Thanks again for reading! Comments really mean the world and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Chapter 3: London Part 1
Notes:
Feel like I got this out a little later than I had hoped and it was going to be way too long for what I originally planned for the chapter so I upped the chapter count!
CW: discussions homophobia, use of the "f" slur for a gay man used as a slur, family trauma, discussion of murder
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Edinburgh: 20 Years Earlier
He tapped his fingers on the desk, keeping his gaze shifted to Robert Smirke at the center of the room, then his attention would easily wander back again around the small classroom. He kept wondering the time, knowing that he glanced at the clock again it would have hardly budged. Smirke also hated the habit, so he kept his eyes on anything but the clock. Tragically, the room was painfully dull.
Smirke continued droning on, someone had made the mistake of asking a question that highlighted a positive in a Roman structure that led Smirke to trashing the aesthetics of Roman Architecture for the last half an hour. He’d grown terribly bored, from tapping his pen on the desk, to thinking about the end of the lecture, to avoiding watching the clock.
Barnabas Bennete would just be finished from his meeting with Mordechai Lukas, and he knew they were both free for a solid hour after that. They could sneak away to the locked space Smirke has given him to use as a makeshift office; the department having apparently no room for workspace for graduate students. So they made do. Smirke’s extra workspace had plenty of room for one person– allowing for a desk and a small couch. Meaning that he and Barnabas has enough room on the on the small couch for–
“Magnus? Your thoughts?” Smirke asked, robbing Jonah of his daydreaming.
He cleared his throat, trying to recall the words Smirke had been going on about. Something about the Greeks. Jonah swallowed before responding.
“The beauty in primal simplicity.” He answered, watching Smirke’s eyes lit up.
“Precisely, Jonah! Something that should absolutely be modeled after when coming into this post modern era!”
Jonah smiled politely, feeling the gaze of the lecture hall shift to him. He didn’t mind how he was perceived by the other students; everyone knew Smirke had taken on his first master’s student in nearly a decade and seemed fairly annoyed anytime Jonah got any sort of special treatment.
When all Jonah did half the time was quote Smirke’s book.
–
The lecture ended, Smirke thankfully did not call Jonah to stay behind to discuss anything on his project. His thesis, the idea of a hexagonal restoration of the Millbank Prison, was something that drew Smirke in immediately when Jonah had written in his entrance exams requesting to work with a man with a reputation for denying students. But thankfully, there was no extra work required on that today, and Jonah was free to be dismissed at his usual time with the rest of the class.
He walked out of the room with a slight bounce in his step as he made his way to the office of Mordchai Lukas, knowing Barnabas would be there, either finished with the meeting and waiting outside for Jonah, or almost ready.
They were just wrapping up, and Jonah stayed out of sight in the hall but enough in vision for Barnabas to notice him as he walked out of the meeting. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw Jonah waiting for him.
“Smirke didn’t keep you today?”
“I’ll admit, I didn’t wait long enough for him to ask me anything. But no, he didn’t stop me. Think he was far too caught up in his rambling about the Greeks.”
Barnabas let out a snort, shaking his head as he waited for Jonah to lead the way, letting Jonah decide how they would spend their gap hour between Jonah’s lecture and Barnabas lab shift. Jonah grinned, motioning in the direction of his office.
“Lukas is rather– unpleased,” Barnabas admitted as they walked, speaking in a low tone which led Jonah to walk closer to him. Their hands would occasionally brush each other as they walked, but Jonah was aware of the consequences should anyone notice any of their intimacy.
“Perhaps it has to do with the fact that you still haven’t written any of your thesis since proposing?” Jonah half teased, half scorned.
“I’ve been a tad distracted,” Barnabas said with a smirk, eyes moving up and down Jonah’s frame. Jonah grinned in response, unable to resist Barnabas’ infectious smile.
Although Barnabas was clever, Jonah knew that his mind was rather– one tracked.
“I believe I’ve been involved in the same extracurriculars as you, Barnabas,” moreso even, but Jonah wasn’t going to let Barnabas know about that.
“Yes but you seem to enjoy living on caffeine and work,” Barabas argued as they rounded the corner to the office. Jonah already was fishing the key out of his front pocket.
“And I’m on track to graduate by the end of the term,” Jonah laughed, noticing Barnabas’ gaze on his wrist as he turned the lock and opened the office.
The door always made a loud, creaking sound that never seemed to stop being funny to either of them. They practically rushed into the room to lock the old creaking door behind them, nearly desperate to get their hands on one another.
Jonah barely had the key back in his pocket when he felt Barnabas’ hand around his waist, pulling him in to place his lips to the crook of his neck.
“Thought about you the entire meeting, Jonah,” He told him, lips ghosting the skin. Jonah felt the warmth in his body at the idea of them sitting rooms apart and aching for this.
“You crossed my mind,” Jonah teased met by a light scoff from Barnabas.
“Just your mind then,” Barnabas grinned, palm sliding over the fabric of Jonah’s slacks, palming lightly at his cock.
“Mm, perhaps other places,” Jonah admitted, letting his hip rock a bit meeting Barnabas’ palm.
They managed to get no work done within their hour together.
Present: London
“Scott?” Elias repeated the name of his next target back on the phone.
“Correct,” Gertrude responded in her usual flat tone. She seemed entirely disinterested in Elias' response to the mission. He tried to keep his thoughts under control, his heart raced but he used every technique he knew to calm himself.
“And this will be with Peter Lukas again, correct?” Elias focused on the positive. On seeing Peter Lukas.
“Did you not receive the debrief, Elias?”
Elias took in another calming breath before responding.
“Received, Gertrude. I’m a little– surprised– given what you’ve said about the man in the past.” That Peter was volatile to work with, and still they decided on them to work a third mission together in such a short period of time.
The Agency was clearly getting close to uncovering the Architect. Nothing Elias could directly confirm, since they seemed to be keeping the information out of their own database.
“Seeing as you two aren’t causing any trouble for us, the Agency will continue to use its assets as it sees fit.”
Right, Elias was just another tool. He knew this.
Even as he recalled Peter’s mouth around his cock, taking the extra few days of aching ribs because the feeling was worth it.
“A car will arrive at fourteen hundred hours. Anticipate arriving in late and be ready to make Scott’s ground breaking ceremony the next day.”
Elias hummed a response as he scrolled through the debriefing packet on his phone; the image of George Gilbert Scott. He was older since Elias last saw him, the greys finally going through his hair. He always looked stern, and that didn’t change at all with age. The prospect of a young excited twenty something year old was gone.
Elias swallowed, knowing he’ll need to find some way to deal with this without getting found out.
“Elias?” Gertrude asked, how long had she been talking while he said nothing?
“Fourteen hundred hours, the groundbreaking is the following day. I’m following along.”
“Don’t be late.”
Elias heard the click of the phone, leaving the line to go dead.
Elias spent the rest of the evening worrying. How did the Agency miss this? Did they know there was any connection to Elias and Scott when they assigned him the mission?
Do they want him to fail?
Elias had heard rumors of the Agency eliminating people from the inside, often nothing that can be proven and all sounding ridiculous, even for some of the work Elias has been tasked with. He knew he’d have to keep his guard up, come up with a plan that involved getting Scott eliminated as fast as possible before he had any chance in recognizing him.
And then, as he continued worrying, there was the settling of calm in his chest at the idea of seeing Peter again.
He spent the night packing and pacing, happy to not have to go far but reminded by the light breeze blowing from his window that he would have much preferred to leave the country. London was about to be hit with a heat wave, and he just hoped that the Agency found a hotel with air conditioning.
–
Elias felt the sweat on his forehead as he sat down outside the Connaught. The inside bar area was packed with people trying to get out of the heat, and Elias didn’t like that he was unable to properly assess the crowd. So, he took his gin and tonic and brought himself outside, trying to enjoy the humid evening air.
The heat wave was as predicted, rippling through London. Elias saw the misery planted on everyone else’s faces that also sat outside to avoid the crowd. He thought about Amsterdam, just a few short weeks ago, and how nice the evening was.
Even if he didn’t actually leave his hotel room.
But London was miserable. Even with the air conditioned room. Elias sipped his gin and tonic, knowing at least another one would help him get past the heat and fall asleep.
“Gertrude with you?”
The voice caught him off guard, but he felt the smile spread across his face as soon as he looked up to see Peter Lukas, his own drink in hand, take a seat at the bar. Even he wasn’t immune to the heat wave, wearing a short sleeve tight black shirt and his usual dark jeans. Elias enjoyed the view of his exposed arms for a moment, sipping his gin and tonic to hide the obvious gesture.
He almost raised an eyebrow at Peter’s initial question, until the taste of the gin and lime hit his lips, bringing another smile to his face at the fact that Peter remembered.
“She isn’t, thankfully,” Elias said after setting down his glass. “But I needed something a tad stronger to tolerate the heat.”
Peter let out a scoff in agreement. And Elias noticed the bits of sweat on his own forehead as he drank whatever glass of liquid he had in two gulps.
“A bit miserable,” He admitted, wiping the residue from his mustache.
“Especially on a night that we’re off,” Elias added, thinking about how it could have been a lovely evening for– something. In a city he’s far too familiar with. He assumed Peter was too.
“Couldn’t risk getting caught,” Peter stated, eyes focused on his Elias then back to the gin and tonic that sat nearly in between them. “Surprised they even put us in a hotel for the evening.”
“Likely to keep us familiar with the area,” Elias laughed, not that he grew up anywhere near Mayfair. Even if he had grown up in London, the area was far out of his family’s price range.
“The groundbreaking ceremony is over there, correct?” Peter asked, motioning towards the building with his eyes so as to not draw suspicion.
Elias followed his gaze to the strange looking lot, not even half a mile away from the patio they sat at. The creation of George Gilbert Scott, the Architect in charge of plans for some strange bank that Elias was able to see the blueprints of the evening before. Of course the work was intricate and overcomplicated. Scott hadn’t been a student under Smirke, but rather one of Smirke’s pupils; Henry Roberts. The entire line of Architects known for their rather unique designs, always trying to send some sort of message.
Apparently Scott’s message drew far too much attention to the Agency, leaving him needing eliminated before he could add whatever additional plans the Agency thought he’d concocted to the building’s construction.
“The very lot,” Elias confirmed.
He watched Peter’s eyes flicker around the area, determining his vantage point.
“They’ll want me in the room.” He confirmed. “Open access.”
Elias looked up to the window, wondering where they put Peter’s room. Normally that information is offered in the debriefing packet but Elias noticed that it was absent, likely to give him deniability should anything fall south.
“It seems we’ve got our work completed for the evening,” Elias laughed, knowing there was nothing he could do regarding Scott tomorrow. And although the idea had been eating at away at him, he couldn’t think about that anymore tonight.
“Then we’re back to a night off.” Peter said with a grin.
“So do you plan to drink the evening away in the hotel lobby?”
“Is that what your plan was?” Peter asked with an easy smile.
Elias felt the flirtation in Peter’s voice, and felt the heat rise in his cheeks at the idea. Knowing that if he didn’t take Peter upstairs, all he’d be doing is sitting down in Mayfair worrying about a problem he can’t solve until the morning.
But now, he was presented with a distraction.
Elias sipped his drink a little quicker.
“I could think of another idea.”
–
The two were back in Elias’ hotel room within moments. The idea of them having an actual proper evening together where Elias’ ribs weren’t broken and he could breathe had him buzzing with excitement. That and the last gin and tonic he finished rather quickly as soon as Peter confirmed that the idea of going upstairs was far more preferable.
That and it felt much better being in a room with air conditioning rather than a humid outdoor patio or a crowded indoor bar. Elias considered his elevated mood to be the gin, and Peter’s hand around his waist.
“Going to unbutton that shirt of yours?” Peter asked immediately, already wanting his hands on his. Already excited for what they would do together.
Elias worked quickly to undo his button down, then started on the buttons of his slacks. He paused for a moment, watching as Peter did the same; taking off his jeans and tight shirt, exposing his bare chest.
Elias took a moment to truly admire Peter’s physique. The best word to describe him, Elias thought, was broad. In every sense of the word. Peter was not small, his shoulders were wide, the muscles in his chest were well defined, his stomach a bit softer.
“You’re staring,” Peter commented, but he didn’t move.
Elias grinned.
“You’re quite lovely to look at,” He countered, dropping his own shirt to the floor.
Peter hummed, finally looking away as he laid down on the bed, motioning for Elias to sit next to him. After fully removing his slacks and discarding him in the same pile as his shirt, he crawled into the bed next to Peter.
Elias was typically the one to act first, to guide a drunken target’s hands to his cock, down his sides, to seize the gap between one another’s lips.
But not this time. Instead, Peter acted first.
His hand, strong and big, wrapped around Elias and sat on his back. The pressure instantly felt good as Peter pulled Elias closer to him. Elias sat there for a moment, letting Peter take his time to touch up and down Elias’ back, at his sides, his stomach, across his chest. Like he was learning him, paying attention to how Elias reacted, and to his own surprise, Elias reacted a lot.
Peter’s touch was firm at some spots and gentle in others, causing a variety of jerks and breaths as he found a new spot to touch in a series of different ways.
He was mapping out Elias’ entire body.
What surprised Elias more, was that he let Peter take his time. He wasn’t taken back to the series of men he’d been with before that would shove their mouths around Elias’ cock, or his own hand down their pants for something quick.
Peter was not in a hurry. And for a brief moment, Elias was taken back to his time in another life, in a tiny office space with Barnabas Benette.
“You’re lovely to watch,” Peter finally spoke, tracing his fingers around Elias’ collarbone.
Elias closed his eyes for a moment and let himself just feel Peter’s touch, only then realizing that he was hard. That he wanted Peter to touch just more than his chest and back, he wanted Peter to touch all of him with that same careful consideration.
When Elias opened his eyes to see Peter, the look on his face indicated that he shared the sentiment. That he wanted to figure out all of Elias, to continue touching him until he understood him. This was what Peter wanted. Elias noticed Peter’s own erection underneath his boxer briefs and smiled.
But before he moved anywhere lower, Peter’s hand cupped Elias’ face and pulled him into a deep kiss. Elias kissed back with fervor, his lips parted and his tongue already sliding across Peter’s lips. They kissed for a moment, heavy and deep, almost making Elias reach his hand down and stroke himself, desperate for contact.
Peter seemed to know his desperation, breaking their kiss and moving his palm to Elias’ cock, adding a slow but firm pressure as Elias tried to catch his breath.
“Ah-”
Peter’s mouth moved down Elias’ body, in those same spots his hand had been earlier to make Elias jerk and moan. At Elias’ collarbone, his ribs, his stomach, paying just as much attention as he had earlier with his hand. He let Elias take the time to twitch, to put his own hand across Peter’s bicep and grab onto it as Peter planted deep kisses on his body underneath him.
When Peter’s mouth finally reached Elias' hipbone, his hand tugged at the elastic on Elias’ boxer briefs. With Elias’ help, he slid the article of clothing down his legs and tossed them to the side of the bed. Elias would probably have made a comment at poor handling of his clothes, if he didn’t do the same thing to his shirt and slacks earlier, and if he wasn’t so desperate for Peter’s hand back around his cock.
Just the sensation, the friction of something on him felt good enough for Elias to let out a low, satisfied moan. Peter stroked him slowly, as he had with everything else. Although Peter was rather familiar with Elias’ cock already, he still took his time to get the reactions he wanted out of Elias.
“Peter–” Elias moaned his name, hips arching into him.
“Been thinking,” Peter said as his lips moved to Elias’ thighs, planting wet kisses on the skin, tasting the beads of sweat that were already forming down his hip from the outside heat. “About you, about tasting you again.”
Elias felt his cock twitch in Peter’s palm. He couldn’t formulate a proper response.
“I want to taste all of you, Elias. Can I do that?” Peter asked, a genuine request. Something that felt so genuine Elias was almost taken aback to respond.
“Ah– please,” Elias stammered, surprised at himself for being so caught off guard.
Peter grinned.
“Do you have lube?”
“Mm, in the bathroom.”
“Don’t move.”
Elias didn’t know if he’d even be able to, far too caught up in the feelings of Peter. In his absence, he put his own hand around his cock, trying to mimic Peter’s slow but heavy strokes, thinking about his mouth back between his thighs.
Peter returned to the bed quickly enough, smiling as he watched Elias for another moment, laid out open and exposed for Peter to admire. Elias grinned, playing up the next arch of his hip, moaning a little louder, wanting Peter to know what he was doing to him.
“You’re fucking something, Elias,” Peter said in that same easy laugh. He wrapped his hand around the hand Elias had on himself and gently guided it off of him, leaving his cock aching to feel something.
Within a moment, Peter’s mouth was around Elias’ cock, taking all of him to the back of his throat with ease. Elias hands grabbed Peter’s hair, feeling the scratch of his facial hair against his own skin.
“Fuck,” He moaned, feeling Peter’s tongue lap at the underside of his cock.
Elias let Peter bob his head up and down his cock, his hand squeezing underneath his thighs, up Elias’ ass and to his balls, again with the same deliberate, slow pace that attempted to observe his reactions.
Elias kept his hands firmly in Peter’s hair, even when Peter let go to look back up at him with a sly smile.
“Taste all of me, Peter,” Elias insisted, feeling Peter’s hands underneath him again.
Elias hoisted up his legs around Peter’s shoulders. Soon Elias felt the tickle of Peter’s beard against his entrance. Then his tongue pressed flatly at his rim, sliding inside and out of Elias before fully pressing deep inside of him. Peter’s mouth drew out another low moan earning a tug on Peter’s hair.
Peter’s tongue flattened as he pressed his face into his entrance, causing Elias to rock his body onto as much of Peter’s face as he could. Elias closed his eyes and tilted his neck back, continuing to shift as much of his body into Peter Lukas as he could allow.
As Peter’s tongue worked inside of him, exploring every muscle of Elias, he realized he could hardly recall the last time anyone bothered to open him up this much. To take his time just learning all of Elias’ body before going straight to fucking him. It was– nice. And god, it felt good.
That thought of how much Peter worked to understand had Elias’ cock firmly pressed into his thighs. He grabbed the sheets, arching into Peter’s mouth. His body spread open, held between Peter’s hands as his tongue covered every bit of his rim.
“Peter–” Elias released a genuine and loud moan. “God, Peter, please–”
Please use your fingers. Use your cock. Fill me up. Elias wanted all of it. Wanted all of Peter.
Then he heard Peter apply more lube to his hand, face still buried inside of him. Elias felt the cool liquid and the careful pressure of Peter’s finger, just underneath Peter’s chin. What Peter didn’t lap up with his tongue he began working open inside of Elias, a slow and exploratory sensation. Peter being deliberate in order to learn, to see what made Elias moan louder or arch further into the touch.
When Peter added in a second finger, Elias felt his lips on his cheeks, his breath against his skin as he took the time to properly work Elias open.
Elis watched as Peter kept his face tucked between Elias’ thighs, working diligently to keep his body open and prepared. Elias’ entrance was slick with lube and Peter’s saliva and nearly moaning at every slight curl of Peter’s finger inside his body.
“You feel amazing Peter, fuck–” Elias breathed out, eyes half closed as he moved in rhythm with Peter’s hand.
“God you’re so open for me,” Peter commented as he removed his face and lovely tongue from Elias’ body. “And it’s going to feel so good inside of you.”
Elias was panting, knowing half from the heat and the other half from every move Peter made to get his body to react. He wanted Peter, his cock leaked for him, but he knew this required patience. Elias had to wait, to allow Peter to take his time as he continued to stretch and work Elias’ muscles open.
The twitch in Elias’ own cock made him wonder if Peter felt just as desperate. If his own cock was leaking just as much as Elias’ was for him. He cupped his hands around himself, slowly rocking into his own palm.
He only stroked himself for a moment before Peter took his hands out from him, and grabbed his wrist.
“Can I fuck you, Elias?”
“P– god please,” and Elias meant every plea.
Peter gently put the wrist Elias had to touch himself back on his cock, moving his hand with him as Elias touched himself in a slow and steady rhythm.
Peter’s face was enthralled, his eyes moved up and down Elias’ body in admiration. Elias didn’t feel self-conscious, he’d been marveled at before by plenty of men. Kept his physique, made sure to be perceived as desirable as possible for his line of work. But something about the look in Peter’s eyes suggested something more– Elias felt like Peter was admiring all of Elias.
Not just his body.
Peter took his hand away and quickly removed his pants and boxer briefs. Elias shamelessly sat up to glance at Peter’s cock and wasn’t disappointed. He was so firm and deep red, leaking at the tip. Peter applied more lube on his hand and took himself in his palm, pumping himself slowly.
For a moment they sat like that, touching themselves as they admired the other’s body.
Peter broke the stride, hand moving back to spread Elias’ thighs open, he felt his muscles twitch as he waited for Peter to be inside of him. He watched as Peter placed the condom around his cock, still standing firm against the wrapping.
Both of them let out heavy breaths when Peter’s cock pressed inside of him. Elias felt even with the time Peter had taken to work him open, the slight resistance as he breathed to adjust to pressure of Peter’s cock.
“God you’re still so tight,” Peter breathed, putting a hand around Elias’ hip. And Elias was and Peter felt so good inside of him.
Elias moved first, a slow but firm motion of his hips, meeting Peter’s body. Peter smiled at the movement, rocking his own hips to meet Elias.
They moved slowly at first, taking their time. Their bodies slick with sweat, skin sliding against one another. Neither of them seemed to mind the heat, just enjoying that they were moving together, feeling their bodies connected.
From the prepping and Peter’s mouth, Elias was already painfully close. He wanted to keep the feeling of Peter moving inside of him for the rest of the night, but knew as soon as Peter increased his speed, his hips sinking deeper inside of Elias, that he wasn’t going to last much longer.
“Peter you–” Elias couldn’t finish the sentence, caught up by another low groan as Peter’s skin met his when he bucked his hips deep inside of him.
“I want you to come Elias,” Peter told him, keeping his hips held tightly in place. “Want to feel it while I’m inside of you.”
That was all the permission Elias needed, another wave of pleasure rocked through his entire body and all Elias had to do was stroke himself again. He came loudly, trying to form out Peter’s name as he released onto his palm.
When Elias opened his eyes to look at Peter, he noticed a firm look of determination across his face. A bit of skin between his teeth from his lower lip as he thought, brows furrowed as he worked inside and out of Elias.
“You have no idea what you’re doing to me,” Peter said, face still determined but a slight smile as his wide blown pupils met Elias’ gaze.
“I think I do,” Elias said, arching his back and himself fully onto Peter’s cock, not caring that his own was spent.
That motion seemed to be enough to start to send Peter over the edge. His rhythm became erratic and Elias could catch the beads of sweat that dropped from his face as he fucked Elias hard, fingers likely planting bruises on him to trace for days after.
“Going to come, Elias,” Peter said.
“Come, Peter,” Elias nearly ordered, desperate to see it, to feel him fill up the condom while inside of him.
There was a stillness for half a breath before Peter let out a low moan and another deep thrust as he came. Elias’ hands grabbed tightly on Peter’s sweat soaked forearms.
“That’s– fuck Elias, that’s it,” Peter said, his voice a low and breathy sound as he rode out the rest of his orgasm.
They sat there for a moment, Peter still inside of him as they worked to catch their breaths. Soon after they seemed to steady, Peter rolled off of Elias and kept his distance, their bodies still too hot to be that close from the heatwave.
Still, Peter’s eyes met Elias and they both smiled, almost a half laugh, as they looked at one another. They were sweaty, bodies warm, and spent.
But god, Elias felt his muscles twitch when he watched Peter’s large chest take a big inhale of breath, exhaling with a hearty laugh.
“I think we need a shower.”
–
It didn’t take long for both of them to shower, getting the heat and the smell of one another off of them only to go back to the same bed where Elias had been so thoroughly debauched earlier. Peter showered first, saying he’d offer normally for them to shower together but the space was far too small, when Elias took his turn– he understood. He wasn’t sure how Peter even fit in the tiny shower by himself, knowing it had to be uncomfortable to stand underneath the water and actually get clean.
His own shower was quick, he washed his body thoroughly and let the water run on his hair for a moment, but didn’t spend any time further than necessary.
Elias considered for a moment when he stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist and hair damp against his skin, that maybe he should change into regular clothes and ask if Peter wanted to leave.
Then he saw Peter, shirt off, lovely chest exposed lying with the thin sheet covering his waist. He greeted Elias with a smile and gently patted the space next to him.
He wanted Elias next to him. And honestly– Elias wanted that too.
Keeping the towel wrapped around him, Elias slid next to Peter on the bed. Peter kept his chest open and inviting, Elias knowing he had permission to wrap his arm around Peter’s waist and lay on him, content. Peter smelled like the shower, some sort of typical body wash and shampoo, but he was clean and warm. And Elias caught the traces of his usual scent underneath the layer of soap.
Nothing about this situation felt typical, but Elias had a hard time caring as he felt the wave of the day mixed with the heat exhaustion finally hit him. He was sore in the best way, but his body clearly fatigued.
“I’m happy we had an extra day,” Elias admitted, eyes closed as he talked mostly into Peter’s body.
He felt Peter let out a light laugh in his chest. Not a mocking sound, but– pleased.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Peter told him as he let his hands run up and down the skin of Elias’ back. “Well, thinking about you, actually.”
Elias opened his eyes, cocked his neck up to look at Peter. He wasn’t looking back, rather his eyes were looking far off to the side of the room. More like he was thinking than actually talking. Elias stayed silent, seeing if Peter would speak more.
“I’ve been doing this job for a long time,” Peter continued, Elias feeling his heartbeat on his chest. “Family obligation. You’re from London so I’m sure you know the Lukas family?”
Elias felt a pit in his stomach as he thought about Mordechai Lukas. But he didn’t need to respond, Peter continued on his own.
“I was a ship captain for a long time before this. That’s more where I wanted to be, I think. Didn’t have a lot of aspirations growing up. We were all home schooled, siblings and I. My parents didn’t believe in sending us to any form of education. A lot of religion went into that too, but even when I was younger none of that was really for me. Kind of pointless to think that religion mattered in schooling when they sent their youngest off to be a long range hitman, but I think my family is pretty good at convincing themselves they’re always right.
My mother noticed more than my father about me, I think. My father didn’t mind that I was more or less disinterested with the family name, the family ties, any of it. Thought he could fix the other stuff. He thought the boat would be good for me. Set me straight–”
Peter paused to laugh again, Elias considered it was likely at the double entendre. He ran his own hands across Peter’s chest hair, urging him to continue.
“Well the boat had its times. A lot of rumors and just general talk out at sea, eyes and ears everywhere. That’s the main problem with the Lukas family I think, well probably for everyone that isn’t one. We’re a silent sort. We stay quiet, out of the way. We observe. That’s what you need to watch out for. You’ll think you’re in the clear then get back and your family’s found out you’ve slept with half your crew. They didn’t like that. Ruined a reputation. A faggot son.”
The way Peter discussed his family made sense from what Elias had already assessed about him. That he was quiet, thoughtful in what he paid attention to. Never seemed to brag about the information but kept it close to his chest. He’d used it when he needed it, like to ensure Elias would have a slice of cheesecake waiting for him outside of his hotel room in Amsterdam, or to order him a glass of Chardonnay when they had an extra thirty minutes before their extraction.
Elias also related to what Peter meant about his family. His own father and mother had been disappointed when they’d learned of Elias’ proclivities. Not that they had the reputation to ruin or money at all, but what little help they could’ve offered for Elias after secondary school was taken from him.
It seems that both their choices led them to this life, for one reason or another.
Elias kept rubbing Peter’s skin and let him continue.
“The Agency was apparently the only other choice. Well, the only one they'd consider. Always was a good shot when they’d take me hunting. A bit more training, and well– here I am. They can keep tabs on me and because of the often solo nature of the work– up until the last few months of course– it was easy to keep me out of the public eye. I have my nights out, sure, but my family’s name isn’t plastered on me like it was. And pays the bills, I suppose.”
Peter didn’t seem at all bothered as he spoke, his voice the same lighthearted tone as when he always spoke.
“Have you thought of just– well leaving?” Elias finally asked, quietly. He was sure he knew the answer.
“Leaving the family hasn’t boded well for others in the past.”
Elias knew firsthand what happened when someone crossed a Lukas.
“I’m sorry, Peter.” He settled on saying, looking up again to see that Peter still wasn’t looking at him. But he did give him a soft smile.
“You’re the most fun I’ve had on a mission in a long time.”
Elias felt that same tightness in his chest, a warmth that covered his body in a way he knew he hadn’t felt since university.
“The sentiment is the same,” He assured him, stifling a yawn.
Of course, Peter noticed.
“Get some sleep, Elias.”
Elias really didn’t need to be told, but something about the way Peter said it made him feel– well cared for. A feeling Elias didn’t think he’d ever really experienced, at least not in over twenty years.
And Elias really didn’t want to think about how he ruined that. He didn’t want to think about Barnabas. He didn’t want to think about how quickly he’d be able to handle George Gilbert Scott before blowing their entire mission.
He wanted to think about Peter’s large hand around his back; Peter’s fingers moving up and down as body, lulling Elias to sleep.
Notes:
Thanks so much for reading! Comments are super appreciated.
Feel free to talk to me on tumblr and bluesky at @beheldandcompelled
Chapter 4: London Part 2
Notes:
Hello! It's been a two months and I'm so sorry for the delay. August was nonstop busy and I'm posting for the Rusty Quill Big Bang, plus some other related projects. I wanted to say the comments and support and this fic have meant so much to me and have kept me very determined to update! So thank you all again and I really hope you enjoy this chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Twenty Years Earlier
“I think I’m in trouble, Jonah.”
Jonah was almost asleep. His fingers had been running through Barnabas’ chest hair for the past ten minutes or so. They laid there, in Jonah’s tiny one bedroom flat, unclothed and having just cleaned themselves up.
Jonah had been working relentlessly on this thesis, finally finished up enough to permit himself a break.
Barnabas had come over not an hour earlier. They had meant to go to dinner, but Jonah found other ways to decompress. Barnabas seemed to have needed it too. He didn’t protest when Jonah ignored his options for dinner and ran his fingers around his waistline.
Jonah hadn’t realized how tired he was until they lay there after their shower, naked and warm and tangled into Jonah’s sheets.
But his eyes darted open when Barnabas said he was in trouble.
“With your thesis?” Jonah asked, keeping his hand resting on Barnabas’ chest but stopped moving his fingers through the hair.
Barnabas was quiet for a long moment, his body tensed under Jonah’s.
Barnabas had been slacking on his graduate work. The past weeks as Jonah worked relentlessly to perfect his draft to send to his committee, he knew that Barnabas had been in meeting after meeting still trying to settle on a topic. He often waited until the last minute for nearly every assignment. He was certain his advisor and a primary benefactor to their department, Mordechai Lukas, was growing rather tired of Barnabas’ lack of drive.
“It’s more than that.” Barnabas whispered.
Jonah sat up, wanting to assess the severity of the situation on Barnabas’ face.
Barnabas was beautiful, strong and broad. His hair fell over his face, messy from their evening in bed. But his face was plastered with a worry that told Jonah that more than his academic career was at stake.
“What happened, Barnabas?”
Barnabas wouldn’t make eye contact, he looked up and away, focused on Jonah’s hideous popcorn ceiling as he began to speak.
“Look Jonah, I’m not– I’m not like you. I didn’t work like you have to get to where I am. I’ve always been a bit, I don’t know, self-conscious about that. But Mordechai Lukas, he helped me get into school here. He actually paid for my tuition. Not because of my love for architecture. Or even because I’m particularly good at academics. But because of my family, he used me as a way to get property he wanted.”
Jonah didn’t react, he kept his face perfectly still as Barnabas confessed. He supposed he wasn’t too surprised, Barnabas seemed to be more familiar with Mordechai than Jonah really understood. Not that Jonah spent really any time with Lukas if he could avoid it.
Barnabas let out a loud sigh before he continued.
“I suppose I owe him a debt, he paid for my degree, got my parents out of their own debt, and now wants this thesis to go a certain way. Has a job lined up for me and everything after this. After I’m supposed to graduate. But Jonah– I don’t like architecture. Not like you do. But apparently that doesn’t matter. He called me– well he considers me an investment. His family is involved in some heavy stuff, too.”
Jonah cocked an eyebrow.
“Barnabas, what are you talking about?”
Barnabas sat up and ran his fingers through his hair.
“I shouldn’t be telling you any of this. I just am so tired of keeping secrets, of keeping the Lukas family secrets. I feel like no matter what I’ll be in some sort of debt to him and I just– I hate it, Jonah.”
Jonah blinked, processing the information. Barnabas had been here through some sort of obligation. He wanted out.
“And you can’t just, I don’t know, leave?”
Barnabas smiled then, finally looking back at Jonah. He grabbed his hand in between his and kissed it softly.
“I suppose that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, actually.”
Jonah didn’t know why he felt his chest tighten. He didn’t know why he wanted to tell Barnabas to stop talking, why his body went stiff when Barnabas brought Jonah’s hand to his lips and placed a delicate kiss on his skin.
Jonah said nothing, waiting in dread for Barnabas to continue.
“I’m getting out of all of this, Jonah. Out of Architecture. Out of London. Out of the debt of Mordechai Lukas. I don’t care what my family wanted to pawn me off for. I’m tired of it, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life this way. I uh– well I’ve been in contact with some people. I’ve looked through and found out how to change my identity completely. I don’t have to be at Mordechai’s beck and call as a fussy academic for the rest of my life. Uh– no offense.”
Jonah continued staring. Waiting for Barnabas to say what Jonah knew was coming.
“I know you like this life, Jonah. But maybe– we can start over. Somewhere else. Together.”
There it was.
The words hit Jonah like a punch in the stomach.
He stayed silent.
Barnabas was so beautiful, his dark eyes beamed with the idea of a future that wasn’t– couldn’t be real.
“Barnabas,” Jonah started, wanting to tug his hand free but Barnabas’ eyes on him were too much. “I don’t–”
“I know. I’m sorry I sprang this on you, before dinner even. I guess, I guess I got a bit carried away.”
Barnabas ran his fingers on Jonah’s hand, giving him a soft embarrassed smile.
Jonah didn’t know how to even begin to tell him that was an understatement. Is that what he really wanted? To run away with a new identity, leaving everything here behind and to take Jonah with him? Did Jonah mean that much to him?
Did Barnabas mean that much to Jonah?
“I think–” Jonah started the words carefully, finally willing himself to withdraw his hand from Barnabas’ hold. “I think I need some time to think. Would that be alright with you?”
The rejection fell immediately on Barnabas’ face. But only for a brief moment before he regained his composure and kept his beaming eyes back up at Jonah.
“Of course, Jonah. Of course. I do– I tried to give you as much time as I could. But I’m meeting with Mr. Rayner– the uh– the man who can help me out of this– at the end of the week. He said he can get everything taken care of for me. For– for us. Hopefully.”
Jonah looked away, but it didn’t help the hopeful gaze that burned into his skull.
“Of course, Barnabas. By the end of the week.”
Jonah didn’t have the heart to tell him that his mind had been made up. Barnabas could hold onto that dream for a little longer.
Present
When Elias’ alarm sounded on his wristwatch, he seriously contemplated removing it from his wrist and throwing it across the room. Where he could lay in bed for another few hours, warm and with–
When he extended his hand to wrap around Peter’s waist, the bed was empty.
The feeling was enough for Elias to fully open his eyes and check the time. He’d been asleep for roughly three hours, which should have been plenty of time to feel rested. But he was sore, in a good way, and reminded a bit too much of how nice falling asleep in someone else’s arms really was.
He tried to shake away the thoughts as he got up from the bed and began getting ready. He knew Peter was likely setting up in his own room, ensuring that he had access at the vantage point they had scoped out yesterday.
Elias noticed the condom in the wastebin as he brushed his teeth and felt warm recalling their previous night together.
That feeling, Elias knew, was dangerous.
He spent the rest of the morning assembling his guns, strategically hiding weapons throughout his body and re-reading the mission's debrief.
On paper, the plan had been simple. He would disguise himself as one of the partners of the firm, introduce himself with that alias to Scott and prepare him to the vantage point for Peter. Likely Scott’s phone, as the other targets, would have plenty of information regarding Smirke’s plans against the Agency, or perhaps, Mordechai Lukas for the Agency to extract.
Elias would be left in the dark, and he and Peter would part ways.
But Scott was likely to recognize him. And that worry stayed throughout Elias with every ounce of preparation he made. He hid extra weapons, considered different approaches to break protocol in order not to be discovered.
There wasn’t a way around it. Outright disguises were never quite Elias’ forte, always doing much better at displaying his body rather than concealing it.
Which just made the objective of this mission far more terrifying for him in terms of what the Agency was hoping to achieve. If they did know there was a connection to Scott and Jonah Magnus, and that Elias Bouchard had once been Jonah Mangus–
This could be Elias’ last mission.
And that thought left Elias nearly chewing a hole through his lip.
He put on his belt, hiding another knife just in the secret pocket under the waistline and looked back at the bed. He thought about Peter, laying at the end of it. Elias thought about his legs spread around him, tugging in his hair as he could feel Peter’s tongue working inside of him.
He sent a quick encoded message to Gertrude stating his position and placed the communication earbud in his ear.
“Think I’d have enough time for room service?” Peter’s cheerful voice flooded a wave of comfort in Elias’ ear.
“How long have you been repeating that phrase hoping I’d finally respond?” Elias quipped back, knowing the smile was evident in his voice.
For once, Peter Lukas didn’t respond and Elias almost laughed if he didn’t have to walk out of his room and down the elevator.
The two stayed silent in their headsets as Elias made his way down to the lobby to mingle with the rest of those in attendance for the ceremony.
The lobby was crowded; several men and suits stood around the continental breakfast waiting impatiently in line for a self-serving breakfast trolley that likely had plenty of essential breakfast foods, all likely exquisite given the luxury hotel they were in. But Elias’ stomach was in knots as he made his way to the back of the line.
Elias stood behind them, easily blending in. He kept his focus on the two men talking just a few bodies in front of him.
“A very interesting design they’re giving the building.”
“I’ve seen the blueprints and I will agree, it’s a bit flashy. All about those open concept work spaces nowadays and just swanky builds. I think there was some bribery involved.”
Elais stayed focused, taking in all of the conversation that he could and keeping mental notes.
“Always about who you know, isn’t it? That’s probably where they got the grand idea to host one of these things this early. What were they thinking? Don’t these sorts of things make a lot of noise?”
“Can’t argue with champagne before nine I suppose.”
“They just might put me back to sleep,” Peter commented through the headset.
The corners of Elias' mouth twitched.
The two men said nothing more of note, but Elias would remember the conversation of potential bribery involved for his debrief with Gertrude, should he make it out of the mission still working for the Agency.
Once he reached his turn to the heaps of food, he made himself a plate of breakfast from the buffet; a bowl of oatmeal and a single orange. Eating anything else would likely make him sick. Elias hated feeling nervous. He forced himself to grab a piece of sausage, just in case he’d end up in any sort of combat. Finally, he poured himself a cup of coffee with the intent of waking up enough to observe those coming in and out of the dining area. He set his mug on his breakfast tray and found himself a booth in the back corner.
Elias found himself highly aware of the fact that Peter could likely hear every move and bit of noise around him. The noise of him slowly sipping his coffee as he watched people come in and out of the lobby. He couldn’t ask of course, so he tried to be quiet as he tried to eat a few bites of the sausage.
Once the crowd settled, Elias noticed the group of men with badges matching the one that Gertrude made for him to look nearly identical. He sighed, preparing his back story again as he joined the men at the table, introducing himself.
The story was simple enough; from a separate part of the firm, newer to the area, an email easy enough for Gertrude to fabricate to get Elias in without rising suspicion.
The group of men don’t seem to mind or care, hardly thinking anything of a partner from a different location. Elias sat and mingled, putting on his usual charm and could see the men around him soaking it up. How they’d speak to earn recognition, brag about whatever it is they could for Elias to notice.
They already treated him like he belonged there, filling him in on office structure, asking about his previous employment, how familiar he was with the project. Elias could give simple answers that focused on the other men, getting them to talk about their favorite thing– themselves.
He waited for the group of men to get up and make their way across the street for the ceremony. Something that was apparently to last until lunch, and Elias was more than thankful he’d convinced himself to eat that piece of sausage.
Elias walked with his new group across the street to the groundbreaking sight. Even though it was still early, the air was warm and thick from the rolling heat wave. Several of the men complained about sweating in their suits. Elias nodded along, following them to a private area meant for those with their level of access– for those involved with the firm or the immediate building plans.
Jacob Hoggan, the gentleman that first introduced himself to Elias, immediately began showing him off around the small back area.
“Here we can meet plenty of other firm members along with the lead architect on the project.”
Elias tried to ignore the sweat that ran down the back of his neck, almost thankful for the growing humidity to hide anything that could be perceived as nervousness.
Out of his peripheral he was able to make out a silhouette that Elias instantly knew was Scott. He didn’t react at all to the recognition, not wanting to draw Scott’s attention too soon. Instead, he shook the hand of the man that Hoggan had introduced him to and tried to ignore the approaching architect.
“And ah, James so sorry to interrupt–”
Elias was tempted to find any excuse to simply leave the area, but knew breaking protocol had a much more certain fate than turning his head.
“Not a problem at all,” Elias said in a smooth voice, turning to meet Hoggan and now very clearly, George Gilbert Scott.
He’d filled out a bit since university, his hairline much thinner and the rims of his glasses a bit thicker. He was however without a doubt, the same man Elias would see far too often in his classes, doing what he could to try and stand out.
“This is George Scott. The head architect of the project. A rather cunning design, as we know. Scott, please do meet James Wright, a newer hire from our firm.”
Elias watched Scott watch him, the flash of recognition on his face to confusion, to simple acceptance. After a moment, Scott extended his hand to shake Elias’.
“It’s uh– quite a pleasure to meet you,” Scott said, the apprehension still in his voice. “And we haven’t met before?”
Elias was thankful that the different name could plant all sorts of doubt into Scott’s memory. Scott’s brain would hear a different name and suddenly Elias might look nothing like the Jonah Magnus Scott once knew.
At least for the time being.
Elias extended his hand, keeping his smile.
“I don’t believe we have although I am familiar with your work, particularly on this project. What a magnificent contribution you’re making to the London skyline.”
Scott preened at the compliment, the tension dissipating from his face.
“Well, certainly wouldn’t have happened without the help of the team. But I’ll save that for the speech.”
“Of course.”
“These types are all the same aren’t they?” Peter laughed to himself from the headset. “Just stroke their ego and you can get away with anything.”
Elias swallowed, wondering just then who all was lumped into that category.
He didn’t let himself get caught up with it, staying focused on the mission. To get through the ceremony, let Scott make his speech, then lead him to the vantage point and dispose of the body.
Simple, really.
Except for Scott continued to look Elias over more closely, and he still wondered if he was set up to fail.
“How long did you say you’d been with the firm?” Scott asked, placing a hand on Elias’ elbow. He avoided flinching from the touch, but barely.
“Not very. I just moved over from Fletcher Priest about five months ago,” Elias recited the information in his debriefing packet.
Scott paused, continuing to look him over.
“Did you study Architecture?”
“Oh hardly,” Elias laughed, “No, my focus was on logistics.”
Elias wondered if the Agency had put that detail in his background purposefully.
“And did you go to school in London?”
Elias swallowed briefly. He had an answer prepared of course, but Scott’s scrutiny was concerning.
“Cambridge,” He nodded, watching as Scott’s face scrunched in frustration. “If I recall from your work, you attended the University of Edinburgh?”
Scott nodded, smoothed again by the praise.
“You must just have one of those faces, James.” He said with a big smile, patting him a bit firmly on the shoulder. The motion made Elias want to take out the knife he’d hidden there and run it through his stomach.
But he smiled back.
“You have no idea how often I’ve heard that,” Elias agreed with a smile.
Before either of them could say anything further, a man and a woman with headsets and clipboards ushered Scott over saying that the ceremony would begin soon.
Scott looked back at Elias with a fond smile.
“Perhaps we can chat more after the ceremony.”
Elias flashed a wide grin.
“That would be lovely.”
–
“These things can certainly drone on, can’t they?” Peter spoke through the headset while another person continued their speech on community outreach. This was the second speech on the topic, the first from the CEO of the firm, the second from marketing of the bank being constructed, and now some sort of community leader after the first community leader was going on about the importance of an accessible bank in the area. That the open concept designed employed by such an important architect showed the community that this bank was committed to serving the community–
Elias was thankful he had coffee that morning, but felt as though he could do with another cup or two because Peter was indeed, correct.
“I have to ask, you sore sitting in that chair?”
Elias coughed to mask his laugh.
The speaker finished, receiving light applause from the crowd when the woman from earlier stood at the podium and began speaking again. Elias noticed Scott standing by the area they were at earlier that morning. What felt like a lifetime ago after sitting through all of these speeches.
And he really didn’t want Peter to know that he was indeed, rather sore.
“And without any moment longer,” The woman began, loudly clearing her throat into the microphone. “We would love to invite our head architect, George Gilbert Scott, to say a few words about the building’s construction and design. Scott received his degree in Architecture from the University of Edinburgh, working closely with Henry Roberts, who studied under Robert Smirke.”
There was a bit of murmuring from the crowd. Smirke’s name had dominated the field for decades now, even when Elias had first taken an interest in Architecture. Connecting Scott to his name clearly made him far more fascinating than just his own work. The speaker paused for a moment before continuing.
“Scott’s known for his work with designing lower income residential areas and has taken his unique design eye to help with the creation of our newest branch. This is his first project with our firm and we are very excited to oversee its development. Please give us a welcome to George Scott.”
Elias clapped lightly as Scott made his way onto the stage and immediately began speaking. Elias was reminiscent of their time in university.
“I could just shoot him now,” Peter said through the headset. “Would be a bit hectic navigating the crowd, but it would shut him up wouldn’t it?”
Elias of course, didn’t respond, but could very easily picture the disaster that Peter was painting. Shooting Scott then would be far too frantic to go to the body and confiscate his belongings that way. But Peter was right, it would just simply shut him up.
After what felt like another half an hour of Scott stroking his own ego and Peter making ridiculous quips in the headset, more men came up to the podium handling a shovel and hat. Scott put on the hat and held the shovel, taking a series of photographs before placing into the earth with a wild smile.
“One more thing,” Scott said, and Elias felt the rest of the crowd uncomfortably shuffling in their seats. “I would like to say it’s been a great honor getting to where I am now and would like to say a thank you to my mentors, Henry Roberts, who of course studied under Robert Smirke.”
Scott looked right at Elias in the crowd as he talked.
“Smirke had quite his lineage of students. All unforgettable.”
Elias hid the nervousness building in his body and kept a polite smile as his eyes stayed locked with Scott.
“I can hear your breathing.” Peter said from the headpiece. “You know him?”
Elias didn’t answer. He simply clapped along with the crowd as Scott continued to take photos with the building crew.
Once the crowd was free to dismiss, Elias was up from his seat as quickly as he could be without drawing suspicion.
“We need him eliminated ASAP,” Elias whispered quietly into his headpiece, hoping he was far enough away from everyone.
He was panicking.
He felt in his body that he was panicking.
“That is the goal,” Peter said, slowly. As if knowing Elias wasn’t thinking clearly. “Get him to the vantage point and I’ll make that happen.”
Elias took a deep breath in to calm himself. He couldn’t lose focus, he had to get back to Scott and get him out of that room full of people before anyone could find out what was going on.
He was thankful to be back in the access-required area where he first met Scott that morning. The cool air helping him think a bit more clearly, he hadn’t realized just how it had gotten outside.
Slipping back to the crowd was simple, but finding Scott alone proved to be a bit more difficult.
Where Elias had entered, a large variety of food had been spread out; from sandwich cuts, fresh fruit, cheese, and pickled vegetables and condiments. The line to the food had begun and getting around it to get to Scott, who Elias saw talking to a member of the press across the area, was not going to be easy.
So, for the second time that day, Elias stood in line, assuming it was the easiest way to move with the crowd. Scott’s eyes were locked on him, even while Elias saw him keeping up a conversation with someone else.
Good. Elias stared back.
If they continued trying to catch one another’s eyes, the easier it would be for them to slip away from the crowd of people and speak.
Elias continued down the line, grabbing a plate and a handful of turkey, cheese, and gherkins to avoid attention, and made his way to the next line of people trying to talk to Scott.
“Ah Mr.-- Wright.” Scott said when Elias and him were face to face.
“Just James is fine,” Elias corrected.
Scott raised an eyebrow.
“And what about Magnus?”
The fear shot up Elias’ body, but he remained perfectly still.
“I think it best we go outside and chat,” Elias said in his perfectly smooth voice.
“What’s going on, Elias?”
The genuine confusion in Peter’s voice made Elias almost feel comforted. That bit of reassurance that told him Peter really wasn’t hiding what he knew about him.
“Please lead the way,” Scott motioned.
Elias threw his untouched food in the trash and led the two of them near the vantage point.
“Could you walk a little slower!” Scott said out of breath as he was rushing to catch up with Elias’ quick movements. “I have questions, you know.”
“He won’t have long to ask them,” Peter commented. “Although this is turning out to be a bit different than expected.”
Elias stopped just away from the crowd, to a small utility building that looked directly across from the hotel. He wondered which room Peter Lukas sat in, rifle to his face with his eye in a scope, waiting for Elias to say the words.
Elias turned to Scott and cocked his neck, as if waiting for him to speak.
Peter spoke first.
“When you’re ready, Elias.”
“You’re– you’re him aren’t you?” Scott stammered out. His face flushed from the heat and walking, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and frustration. “The one that was with Bennette when all of that went down. Smirke’s student– Magnus–”
“Beholding.”
Scott paused, first by the interruption and then to process he had been shot, running his hand to the back of his head. Peter didn’t go for the chest this time, not making the mistake of bullet proof vests. Scott looked at his hand, now covered in red and then back at Elias.
“Smirke’s–”
Scott didn’t finish the sentence. When Scott fell to the floor, his phone slid out of his pocket.
“I’m coming down there, Elias.” Peter said through the headset.
Elias didn’t have a chance to respond, he bent down and grabbed the phone, noticing it had been on a call the entire time. The screen displayed the caller on the other line clearly.
The Architect.
Elias immediately slid his thumb across the screen to hang up.
“Peter, you might want to hurry.”
“Wasn’t working alone?”
“I’m afraid not.”
Elias continued to look through his phone, able to use Scott’s fingerprint to unlock it and check his messages from the Architect.
He is here. I believe. That student of yours that disappeared. I know you were worried about him investigating you and well it seems that’s the case. Will call after speech. Try to draw him out.
Smirke’s response was simple.
He might be dangerous. Be careful.
Elias clicked his tongue reading the messages. What did Smirke know about him? What on earth was Smirke involving himself with? Elias didn’t have the time to play detective when he knew that Smirke had likely been following Scott’s location on the phone and was now likely on his way to him.
Elias ran his hand along where his gun was stashed, assuring himself if he stayed with his back to the wall, he wouldn’t be able to be caught off guard.
And then Scott’s phone started ringing again.
Elias immediately hung it up, refusing to talk to Smirke.
Another ring.
“I’m not answering you,” Elias said, turning the phone off completely.
“Someone’s trying to call him?” Peter asked and Elias forgot for a moment he wasn’t alone.
“The Architect. Yes.”
“On the first floor now, making my way to you.”
Elias nodded, knowing Peter couldn’t see it. He kept looking around, trying to notice any movements that weren’t Peter’s coming from the hotel.
Then he would look back down at Scott’s body on the floor, the blood now pulled around his head as his eyes stared widely at him.
Elias wanted to shut them. But he knew he couldn’t move the body.
The urge went away when he heard the sound of Peter approaching. The air was muggy and the black suit he was wearing couldn’t have been comfortable. He took a look at Elias and then at the body.
“Was his phone being tracked?”
“I think he pinned his location.” Elias admitted, still holding tightly onto the phone. “I checked a few of his messages but couldn’t for long once the calls came in.”
Peter clicked his tongue, looking back over Scott’s body.
“They keep throwing us curveballs,” Peter said, mostly to himself.
“You noticed that, too.”
Peter looked at Elias and for a brief moment, offered him a small smile. That reassuring look that it was actually nice to see him, despite the circumstances. Elias’ mouth formed into a soft smile.
“If it isn’t a bulletproof vest then it’s a man with some sort of contingency that doesn’t seem to want to stop talking.” Peter finished, bending down to assess Scott’s body.
“He clearly thought very highly of his own skills–”
“You know what his problem was, Jonah,”
The voice came from behind the building. “Something I had warned Henry when he agreed to take him on.”
Peter stood up quickly. Elias felt his gaze onto his as the man approached them. Peter kept his stance defensive. He was ready to strike, even from this close of range.
Elias didn’t tense, not in the same way. He didn’t put his hand over the weapon hidden in his jacket pocket, he didn’t think to grab the knife stashed in the harness underneath his pants.
He did however feel his chest tighten and his stomach churn as he was faced eye to eye with a man Jonah Magnus thought he’d never see again.
“Hello, Robert.”
Notes:
Again thank you so much for reading! We have one chapter left until the end of this part and I'm really excited to give some answers. I'd love to know your all's thoughts too! Comments are super appreciated!
Chapter 5: London Part 3
Notes:
Okay I'm back and updated the chapter count again, sorry! This was going to be the final chapter but it got a little let's just say emotionally intense so I wanted to break it up and expand on a few things on the last chapter.
I promise I will try and have the final chapter posted by like next week I have it fully outlined and everything and I'm taking a break from another long fic to get this finished because they have been on my mind heavily.
Thank you all so much for your comments! Reading them has really kept me going.
CW: blood, gun violence, murder, bullet in the head, burns, spy gadets that make little to no sense
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
20 years Earlier
Jonah hated the nerves that ran throughout his entire body as he paced the hallways. They felt pricks on his skin, picking at each individual cell. He’s there to tell Barnabas that he can’t go with him. He can’t ruin everything he worked for– for this. For them.
For an emotion Jonah didn’t like putting into words.
He knew however that he owed Barnabas an explanation, and was forcing himself to face that horrible conversation. Quite frankly, Jonah didn’t want to be involved with something as intense as what Barnabas has mentioned at all. Especially involving someone with such a high social status. Jonah had no doubt Mordechai Lukas was involved in some far deeper things than he was willing to learn more about.
He approached the tiny office they promised to meet at. The office where, not even a full week ago, they spent Jonah’s only thirty free minutes unable to keep their hands off of one another. Barnabas’ hands had undone Jonah’s belt and he begged to have his mouth on him for the majority of that time. When Jonah knew that in that quick time together, as he panted quietly into the couch, coming down Barnabas’ throat, he was actually happy.
Now, Jonah’s stopped in front of the office where he has to say goodbye.
Before he can walk in, he’s stopped by a voice from down the hall.
“Magnus.”
Jonah felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest.
“Mr. Lukas,” Jonah replied smoothly, turning right to him and smiling to ensure his face wasn’t on his face. “How are you this afternoon?”
“Jonah,” Robert’s voice came from behind Mordechai.
Jonah assessed the situation and realized that Robert did not look alright. He wasn’t wearing his usual cocky grin, instead his mouth formed into a thin line of concern.
“Robert?” Jonah didn’t care to use his first name in front of Mordechai, wanting to establish their professional relationship. That Robert saw him as an equal.
“I think it’s best you come with me to my office. Mr. Lukas wants to discuss a few things.”
Jonah’s eyes went from Robert to Mordechai, knowing immediately who was really in control of the situation. His eyes lingered on the door of his tiny office.
“I’m guessing you would prefer to meet now?” Jonah asked, eyes still on the door.
“If you would, Jonah.”
Jonah nodded, forcing himself to look away at the office door, knowing Barnabas would wonder why he didn’t show up.
–
Jonah felt like a child being scolded as he sat across from Mordechai and Smirke, neither of their expressions changed since approaching him in the hallway. Jonah noticed that Mordechai looks a little too big for Robert’s office, making the entire room feel far too small. The air was stiff, it was difficult to breathe. Jonah knew he was close to panicking and was forcing himself to keep it together.
Jonah said nothing since they walked him into the room and closed the door behind him. He knew better than to start any part of the conversation. He wondered briefly while being walked down the hall if this had something to do with his thesis. Given the terrible atmosphere of both men, he knew nothing about what was happening was positive.
But he waited, letting himself sit with the horrible festering nerves squirming in every part of his body. They weren’t pinpricks anymore, they were sharp angry knives trying to creep into his body.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Jonah,” Robert started them off, clearing his throat after. He was nervous, Jonah could see that plainly. “Mr. Lukas had a few questions he wanted to ask you, specifically about a uh– friend of your’s.”
Jonah immediately knew what this was about.
“And which friend is that?” Jonah asked, smiling politely as he feigned ignorance.
“Barnabas Bennette,” Mordechai said plainly.
Flattery would get him nowhere.
“Happy to answer what I can,” Jonah said, not letting his confidence falter.
The other men were silent for another moment, and Jonah felt a sudden hot wave of more terror creep over him. He was being judged.
“There have been some discussions across the department that you two spent a– well let’s just say decent amount of time together,” Robert said in a way that Jonah would describe delicately.
“Seems there’s been some other talk, too,” Mordechai added. “The reason Bennette can’t seem to complete this thesis.”
Jonah clicked his tongue.
“How Barnabas chooses to manage his time is none of my concern,” Jonah said sharper than he meant. “I have already applied for graduation–”
“That is something I’m certain you would hate to lose then, is that correct, Magnus?”
Jonah’s eyes widened as he looked at Smirke, who refused to meet Jonah’s gaze.
“What are you implying, Mr. Lukas?” Jonah asked, feeling the heat sit on his throat. The overwhelming fear that the last few years of his life had been a waste because of some bigot.
“Jonah, Mordechai Lukas can grant you an exceptional career path should you uh–”
“Cooperate,” Mordechai finished sternly.
Jonah couldn’t speak. He couldn’t believe that he was being dragged into whatever it was Barnabas was running from.
“What exactly requires my cooperation?” Jonah pressed, his jaw clenched. He couldn’t continue playing nice, he was far too nervous for that now. The heat filled the entire room, he felt sweat creeping down his back.
He watched Robert eye Mordechai with that same nervous look on his face. Jonah had to remain still, wanting to scream and run out of the office, but knew that wasn’t going to be an option.
Not if he wanted to graduate, apparently.
“Barnabas Bennette is threatening to expose some very… delicate information regarding my family and my other projects. I had initially helped him to go to school here to hire him as a main sail architect, but it appears he’s slacked off far too long for that.”
Jonah tried his best to ignore the judgemental look Mordechai threw at him as he continued speaking.
“I need to stop this information from being made public. I believe that if you lead him to me, Jonah, I can very easily rectify that situation. It’s honestly quite simple.”
Jonah glared.
“That’s it?”
He watched Robert stiffen in his seat as Mordechai let out a dark smile.
“I know he’s planning on trying to run away, he’s not quite as inconspicuous as he’d like to believe. I think he will be taking that information with him, so I just need to stop that from happening.”
“And if I say no–”
“I would certainly hope that isn’t the case, Mr. Magnus. I’ve seen your marks and you certainly have a promising future in Architecture ahead of you. I’d hate for that to be wasted.”
“You aren’t giving me a choice,” Jonah said plainly, unable to stop glaring at Robert for letting this happen at all. For letting Mordechai have any kind of power over him at all.
“I’m giving you a consequence,” Mordechai responded as if he was talking to a petulant child. “And will expect your answer before you leave this room.”
Jonah’s chest tightened as he sat with the weight of the situation, the heat of the room, and finally the pathetic look of guilt sitting on Robert Smirke’s useless face.
Present
“It’s been a long time, Jonah.”
Robert Smirke wasn’t that much older than Elias when he’d taken him on as a student, despite his widespread and quick notoriety as an Architect. He didn’t have to do nearly as much teaching because of his growing career, and taking on so few students only added to his level of legacy.
Now though, as Robert stands across from Elias and Peter, he looked as if he aged a lifetime.
“Jonah?” Peter asked, looking at Elias, repeating the name that Scott had said as well.
“Given your line of work, I know that’s not what you're called now, is it?”
Elias shook his head.
“I wouldn’t consider you privy to that bit of information, Robert.”
“Jonah, I know you’re angry with me about Bennette, I know that’s why–”
Robert shouldn’t get to say that name.
“Robert. I suggest you stop talking.”
Elias drew the small handgun from his jacket pocket, fully prepared to shoot him if he needed to. Peter’s stance hadn’t shifted next to him; he was still guarded, defensive, and ready for a fight.
Robert threw up his hands.
“Goddamnit, Jonah,” He shook his head, “Let me explain, please.”
Elias looked at Peter who seemed to be keeping an eye on him as well, waiting for an order. Elias was furious with Robert, would never stop being mad at him after he–
He sighed but shook his head.
“We need to go, now,” Peter’s voice was level, but Elias detected the urgency, the bit of anxiety surrounding his words.
Robert nodded.
“In my pocket I can hand you an address to a shop that won’t be tracked by your– agency. If you can meet me there, I can explain everything with a bit more safety. And well, quite a bit more time.”
Elias felt his phone buzzing in his own pocket, knowing Gertrude had likely been checking in. They needed more time.
“Take it out of your pocket, slowly,” Elias instructed, keeping his gun pointed.
Robert did, sticking his hand in his front pants pocket to take out a small business card to very slowly extend out for Elias to grab.
Elias kept the gun in a position he knew Robert couldn’t disarm and reached quickly for the business card.
“When you get there, say you’re looking for the books taken from the tomb of Johann von Württemberg.”
Elias repeated the phrase to himself to memorize the code.
“We need to move,” Peter said, looking around and suddenly very alarmed.
“Meet at seventeen hundred hours Jonah, tonight. I’m going to leave now, will you shoot me if I put my hands down and take off?”
“Go, Robert.”
Robert Smirke did exactly as he said he would and left.
Elias and Peter stood far too close to the ground breaking ceremony where they just drastically broke protocol. Elias wanted answers. He wanted to know why the Agency sent him to Scott.
“Agency’s going to be after us if we don’t report this,” Peter stated in his falsely cheerful tone. As if he was waiting for Elias to make the call.
Elias drew his phone out of his pocket and swiped away the Unknown Caller. He turned the phone over and took it apart, immediately stepping on the tracking chip hidden inside of it. Then, he broke the phone entirely. Finally, he removed his earpiece and did the same.
Peter followed suit.
“I suppose we need to get to Pinhole Books,” Elias finally said, looking at the place of business on Robert’s card.
–
Elias and Peter said very little to each other leading up to the rendezvous point with Smirke later that evening. Elias wanted to give Peter more context of how he knew Robert, but he didn’t have the time to get into that much of his past.
Rather, they spent the rest of their day being practical. They became difficult to track, acquired new clothes, new phones, cash, and made appearances throughout the city so they couldn’t be spotted in one place. They stayed on high alert looking for anyone from the Agency or anyone that looked remotely suspicious. They were able to spend the day looking like tourists in the city, making sure they looked entirely unremarkable.
That didn’t leave room for Elias’ tragic past. Or even for him to question why Peter was sticking around at all. And Elias wasn’t ready to admit to himself that he really needed the company.
By the evening of walking around the city looking lost, the two made it to Pinhole Books right on time.
The shop was small and old, and Elias wondered for how long the same business had been around. What other secrets it may have stored inside of it.
Inside, there was a man at the front counter reading. He was dressed in dark clothing, had several facial piercings, and a large tattoo of an eye resting on his throat. He looked bored when he took his focus away from the book to greet the two of them.
“Looking for something specific?” He asked, placing the worn book folded in his place on the glass counter.
“The books that were taken from the tomb of Johann von Württemberg,” Elias said plainly.
The man’s tongue clicked and Elias heard the clacking of a tongue ring against his teeth.
“Did the Architect send you?”
Elias’ eyes narrowed, he didn’t know the meaning of the question which made him worry more that he was being led into a trap. And worse, that Peter was with him and could also be in danger from this.
“Yes,” He settled on answering, holding in his breath as he waited for the man to respond.
“Follow me,” He said, standing up from leaning on the counter and taking them to the back of the shop and to another door that looked like a back office.
Elias and Peter looked at each other and immediately put their hands on their weapons before following the man back into the room. He opened the door, revealing Robert sitting at a small table at the back of the room.
“Company,” the man said, leading a guiding hand toward the entrance of the room.
All of his joints on his hand and on the backs of his palms were tattooed with more eyes.
“Hope you all found the place, alright,” Robert looked far more relaxed than he had outside of the groundbreaking ceremony.
A look Elias thought was foolish, given the fact that he and Peter still hadn’t decided if they wanted to kill him.
“You all are free to sit. Kept you all by the door in case you felt trapped.”
Elias looked at Peter and they both decided to sit across from one another to cover each side of the room.
“Is this your headquarters, then?” Elias asked, looking at the room that was covered in books, scraps of papers, and a pinboard with bits of information and scraps of news taped to it.
“One of them. The point is not to have one designated place, but a series of areas throughout Europe. As it seems your Agency has discovered,” Robert said bitterly.
Elias couldn’t bring himself to care about the work he destroyed.
“What are you doing here, Robert?” Elias asked, not trying to be pleasant.
“That’s a complicated question.”
“Well, we’re now wanted by the Agency for breaking protocol and abandoning a mission to make sure you were alive to tell us what the hell is going on. So, we have all the time in the world.”
Robert’s face fell to a deep frown.
“The Agency that’s killed all of my men.”
“That was me,” Peter offered and Elias tried not to smile.
Robert’s eyes fixed on Peter and he looked at him for a long moment.
“You’re the spitting image of Mordechai,” Robert finally responded.
Peter stiffened at the comment and admittedly, Elias did, too. Now that it had been said out loud, Elias really couldn’t’ unsee the striking similarity.
He tried not to shiver.
“And I assume you’re not his favorite considering you’ve run off with Jonah, here.”
Elias glared, taken back to that terrible afternoon in Smirke’s office where he was forced to choose to sell out Barnabas Bennette.
“It’s not hard to piss off a Lukas,” Peter quipped back.
“My boy, you have no idea how right you are.”
Elias shook his head. He knew.
“What is this about, Robert? Why drag us all the way here? Why involve me at all?”
“Well it’s either convince you that you’re on the wrong side, or take my chances as the next to get murdered. I hoped to reason with you and your… companion.”
Elias rolled his eyes.
“I feel like I need to start at the beginning,” Robert said again. “Since you left University."
Elias really didn’t want to think about that day, but nodded.
“Make it quick.”
“After you disappeared, Jonah. Well, let’s just say Mordechai was fairly furious. He wanted to track you down, but honestly it became low on the priority list for a while since nothing really happened after you left. I reminded him what felt like daily that you didn’t have any physical intel on him or his family, just word of mouth, which would hardly hold anywhere. And after things were quiet for about five years, it felt written off, so to speak.
However, the crimes of the Lukas family were becoming far more… egregious. He had half the University in his back pocket. There wasn’t any balance, I think he wanted to hoard information as technology continued to progress, and so I worked to begin putting a stop to it. I worked in secret, making sure I could get out of the Lukas clutches swiftly while still trying to do what Bennette wanted to do years ago, expose his crimes.
My associate, Albrecht Von Closen, had a digital library that would’ve been able to reveal every crime the family had committed, as well as a way for people to add anonymously. He was being funded by the University of Amsterdam until he was… eliminated. Scott and Fanshawe had their own roles, too. Fanshawe was a brilliant cardiologist, but losing all sorts of work after crossing paths with Mordechai and Scott stayed around a bit after you left. I think he saw the influence the Lukas family had and clearly was just as frustrated as I was. Everything was falling into place.
Until of course, the murders.
It took me a while to figure out who was targeting my men, as you know, the Lukas family does well to cover their tracks.”
Robert looked right at Peter before he continued.
“I did a lot of research into the Lukas family, Jonah. I was desperate to try and find out who would be next. Who on earth could be responsible for this. And well, honestly I was shocked when I just heard that you might be at the groundbreaking ceremony from Scott. And then, when I received his confirmation message… I knew the best way to approach this was to tell you that you’re working for the wrong side. Either that or be the very next target.”
Robert’s eyes stayed on Peter, clearly afraid.
Elias listened to Robert’s story, reminded of how long winded he was. And still unsure of how much he could really believe. He saw first hand nearly twenty years ago what Mordechai was capable of, they both did. He could’ve approached Jonah before the meeting, he could’ve saved Barnabas–
“I work for Hill Top Agency,” Elias corrected. “I’m a glorified mercenary, Robert. I don’t have the morals you can argue to. That died the same day as Barnabas.”
Robert frowned again, and Elias saw that he looked down, completely avoiding his gaze.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Jonah. I’m sorry for all of it. But a lot can change in twenty years and I promise you, we can work to stop this.”
Elias stayed silent, looking at Peter who seemed far more uncomfortable than Elias thought he’d ever seen him. He hated how much of his past Robert is bringing up without context. Hated how much he couldn’t yet share with Peter.
“Stop what, exactly, Robert?” Elias countered. “I’m certain the last hit would’ve been you, and as I’ve said, we’ve already broken protocol. I could save myself and take you out now. I could easily claim to the Agency we were both taken by you and fought our way out.”
Elias knew how horrible it would be to have to beg the Agency to allow him to still work there, forced to sit and hack files all day without ever seeing the field again.
But it was better than being next on their target list.
“Do you think it’s any coincidence they hired the Agency you work for, Jonah? Who knows how long they’d been sitting on all of this. Two birds with one stone, as it were.”
“He’s got a point,” Peter offered, the first full thing he’s said since they’d been sitting there.
Elias looked at him and for a moment felt the wave of betrayal run through his body.
“Peter– were you–”
“No,” Peter shook his head quickly, letting the relief wash over his entire body. “But I felt like they expected something like this to happen. It’s happened before, I’d been paired with a person for a few missions, and then they’d be listed as my final hit.”
“Ah.”
Elias recalled the rumors regarding Peter Lukas. Of course, he didn’t work well with others because he took them out after. Elias felt like an idiot.
“You don’t have an Agency to return to, Elias. If the Lukas family wants you out, you’re out.”
For a moment, Elias completely froze. He only felt like he had miscalculated this poorly once before, and a time he swore he would never do again.
Once again, Mordechai Lukas had bested him.
Before he could say anything else, there was another knock on the door. All three men looked at each other, Robert’s face showing a large amount of concern as the same man from earlier opened the door.
“Another guest,” The man said and Elias turned immediately to see who walked in from behind him.
A woman with fiery red hair and a soft face walked into the room, something about the look in her eye made Elias suddenly very nervous as she looked directly at him and Peter.
“Gertrude sends her regards.”
The words sent a pang of worry in Elias’ chest. He didn’t have time to react.
Elias saw the woman he knew only by reputation as Agnes Montague draw the tube of lipstick from her hand and twist.
“Elias!”
Elias heard Peter shout.
The flames were sudden, an older gadget, one clearly tweaked from its original intent as a pistol to some sort of fire starting device. But not just fire, the tube served as some sort of heat controlled flame thrower.
Elias smelled the smoke and felt Peter’s arms wrap around him.
He heard Robert scream.
But Elias couldn’t think about Robert. Not when Peter had gone limp and fallen on the floor.
“Peter?”
His clothes had been burned badly, and he could see the large open gash on his side. As if the device cauterized his flesh. Peter’s eyes were open and he looked to be in a great deal of pain.
He was at least alive.
“Peter, let’s go,” Elias moved in autopilot, lifting Peter up as gently and as calmly as he could to get them to the back of the building where Elias knew from the area would be a back door.
He had to get them out of there. And fast. He could hear another twist of the tube and right before he could assess the damage, he found the door in the back and yanked, getting them out onto the street.
Elias was able to get a car flagged as soon as he reached the main street from the alley.
“You lot alright?” The cab driver asked, stopping as Elias got Peter in the car and positioned comfortably on the back seat.
Peter didn’t speak, didn’t react at all, but Elias knew from the horrible wound that he was in agony. He grabbed his hand in a reassuring squeeze and directed his attention to the driver.
“I will pay you everything I have to take me to Edinburgh.”
–
20 Years Earlier
Jonah felt the horrible sensation sit in the pit of his stomach as he left Mordechai’s office. He didn’t want to face Barnabas, he didn’t want to explain anything. He just wanted to go home and be miserable.
But now, that wasn’t an option.
It wasn’t fair is all he could think as he walked across the campus.
“Jonah?”
Barnabas’ voice felt like a punch in his stomach. He turned around to face him, his eyes were swollen, likely from crying.
“Jonah!” He ran over to him, careful not to touch him too much now that they were in public. “I saw you– I saw you talking with Smirke and Lukas?”
Jonah swallowed, his mouth felt dry and hot and horrible.
“Mordechai– he stopped me. When I was on my way to talk to you.”
He saw Barnabas’ face fall.
“Is– is everything okay?”
Jonah couldn’t answer, he just shook his head.
“Jonah? What happened? What– what did you tell him?”
Barnabas’ voice was raised, he was panicking but he was also drawing attention. That wasn’t good.
“Barnabas, please,” Jonah whispered. “Can we talk about this somewhere– well private?”
“Sure, fine,” He huffed. “Your office?”
Jonah shook his head.
“No let’s– let’s take some air.”
Jonah turned to walk down the hall and to the first floor of the building, to a tiny courtyard that he and Barnabas would sit and have lunch at sometime.
Right where Mordecehai told Jonah to take him.
“What did you tell him?” Barnabas asked again, quieter this time but with the same intensity.
Jonah shook his head.
“I didn’t have to tell him anything,” Jonah said in a whisper. “He knows. He knows everything. He wanted me to stop you. Said he’d tank my career if I didn’t.”
Barnabas’ face fell from anger to horror.
“Jonah– Jonah, I’m so sorry.”
He reached for Jonah’s hands but he didn’t let him grab them. Instead, he watched Barnabas fall further into himself.
“I don’t know what all you’ve gotten yourself into with him, Barnabas. But it’s rather clear you didn’t think this through.”
Jonah hated how hollow the words sounded.
“Jonah, I can fix this. The person I’m talking to can make sure we are completely wiped off the grid. Lukas won’t find us, Jonah I promise.”
Jonah doesn’t know how to tell Barnabas that he had originally gone there to tell him no anyway.
“Jonah?”
Jonah hated the tears that were behind his eyes, ready to pour out as soon as he spoke the words.
“I didn’t want to run away with you, Barnabas,” Jonah finally choked out. “Before Lukas stopped me, I had– I had come to say goodbye.”
Barnabas’ eyes lingered on Jonah and he saw on his face the moment he broke his heart.
“And now you have to take me to him? Jonah, do you understand what he’s capable of?”
Jonah wanted to say that he absolutely did. He threatened his entire career, his graduation. Everything he worked for. He just wanted Barnabas to turn in the information and this could be over and done with.
“Look, Barnabas, just give back what you’ve taken from him and assure it won’t happen again–”
Barnabas shook his head.
“Jonah, you don’t understand! He’s a killer. He’s a–”
Barnabas didn’t get to finish what Mordechai was. Because in a swift motion, Jonah watched a bullet go through his head.
In that moment, Jonah realized he was entirely wrong about what Mordechai was capable of.
“Barnabas?”
There was no response. Within a breath, Barnabas was dead on the courtyard floor.
Notes:
Writing that last bit had me shaking a little god I feel so bad for Jonah and Barnabas. Sorry ya'll. I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading and comments are super appreciated! They've really helped me stay motivated for posting this.
Chapter 6: Edinburgh
Notes:
I can't think everyone enough for the support of this fic. From sharing it on tumblr to just leaving comments, everyone's words have made me smile so much. I was worried a bit that the Spy AU would be a little strange but this lore has been really fun to develop and I've loved hearing everyone's thoughts!
CW: guns, descriptions of wounds, gunshot wounds, explosions, fire, some angst, and a pissed off Gertrude Robinson
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Elias was doing his best to stay busy. He had spent nearly half the morning cleaning the already small kitchen and living room area of his secluded safe house just outside of Edinburgh. He dusted, he swept, he mopped. He reorganized the handful of soup tins in the cabinet probably four times already.
Peter had been sleeping. And he wanted Peter to be sleeping; Elias wanted to ensure Peter was resting and not trying to get up from the bed and damage the crude dressing Elias had made to treat Peter’s burns.
The contraption Agnes had used had been modified to literally cut through someone with flames. Peter had been foolish enough to try and get Elias out of the path and got himself hit in the side.
It had been a week since Elias and Peter had been hiding in Edinburgh, and the burn finally seemed to start healing despite the rudimentary medical equipment Elias had to offer. He hadn’t been to his safehouse in ages, thankful that there were at least some supplies there at all.
When they arrived, Elias immediately got to work, treating Peter’s burn the best he could by cleaning it and keeping him comfortable. Peter had a fever for the first days, worrying Elias, but all he could do was continue treating him the best he could. Hospitals were out of the question.
They were both thankful Elias had enough scotch.
Still, even with Peter healing, Elias couldn’t keep himself settled. He didn’t like sitting around and waiting. Neither of them had any contact with the Agency. Elias was far too worried to hack into anything until Peter was more healed.
So he stirred, constantly. Desperate for something to change sooner rather than later.
He walked into the tiny one bedroom with more gauze and some breakfast for Peter. He was only able to prepare shelf stable food: canned sausage and a small thing of dry cereal. And some very old tea. Another obstacle that likely slowed down Peter’s healing.
Peter stirred as soon as Elias opened the door, turning to face him with a smile.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Peter asked, his voice sounding better than it had all week.
“Far too restless, I’m afraid,” Elias agreed, sitting on the edge of the bed to hand Peter his meal.
“You could sleep in here, you know. I’m sure the couch isn’t that comfortable.”
Elias looked away, not sure why he suddenly felt suddenly perceived at his sleeping arrangements.
“Maybe after you heal a bit more, the bed isn’t big enough and I want to make sure you’re comfortable–”
“Come here,” Peter said, sitting himself up with a slight wince and motioning for Elias to move further on to the bed.
Elias froze a bit. Worried about injuring Peter further. But he laid there, shirtless and a bit disheveled from sleeping, that it was far more enticing to set down his breakfast and gently crawl himself on Peter’s good side of the bed. He let his arm wrap around him for a moment.
The warmth was nice. Elias probably could have fallen asleep if he laid there long enough. His mind finally winding down enough that he could finally stop thinking.
He sighed, burrowing into Peter for a bit longer before pulling away and giving him a look that made Peter respond with a playful eyeroll.
“You should eat something, and let me change that bandage.”
“I can do most of this myself. You’ll hardly let me get up to piss.”
Elias laughed, willing all of himself to sit up and move back to his supplies he kept in the drawer on the end table. He grabbed fresh gauze and walked back around to Peter’s injured side. He uncovered the bandages to see most of the skin looking scabbed over. The swelling had also gone down tremendously. Elias was thankful as he sanitized his hands and began to clean the area with the dressing he made.
“Fucking itches,” Peter complained, shifting a bit.
Elias smiled, he could move much better than he had all week.
“I don’t have to tell you not to scratch it,” Elias said, putting the gauze over the medicated dressing.
“No but I have to tell you to come back over here.”
“Fine, eat your breakfast first.”
“I’m so sick of Lucky Charms El–”
The hesitation of saying Elias’ name hung between. Elias finished tending to the burn quickly and got up from his seat, grabbing the food from the nightstand.
“Elias is fine,” Elias finally said quietly.
They hadn’t really talked about anything that had happened. The logistics of course, Elias telling Peter where the weapons were hidden, how to escape. They discussed if Robert was still alive, and wondered how on earth he’d be able to make any sort of contact if he was. When they think it would be safe to go into the city.
But Peter didn’t ask about the story of Jonah Magnus. And Elias wasn’t quite willing to offer the information. Not when he wasn’t sure what Peter would think about him if he knew why he couldn’t be called Jonah Magnus any longer.
“You don’t have to talk about it, I’m sorry. It hadn’t come up and I–”
“It’s alright, Peter,” Elias stopped him, shaking his head. “It was a long time ago. But clearly Mordechai had been keeping tabs on me ever since.”
“So you did know him?”
Elias nodded with a heavy sigh.
“I did, yes. He was my former– he was my boyfriend at the time’s academic benefactor. When I was in graduate school.”
The words felt wrong. He and Barnabas never labeled themselves, Jonah had never labeled anything. They just were.
“Bennette?” Peter asked softly.
Elias nodded sadly.
“We were in a graduate program for Architecture. I studied under Robert Smirke. Barnabas was set up for everything after graduation. Lukas had paid for his education and had a job lined up for him as a sail architect. But Barnabas didn’t want to do that, he–” Elias shook his head and laughed, the memories that were almost too painful to think about now felt familiar. “He wanted to run away. From Mordechai, from Architecture, from all of it. He was going to blackmail Mordechai and start a new life. He asked me to go with him.”
Elias stopped speaking for a moment, needing to gather himself before going any further. He’d never told anyone this, never said anything about Barnabas Benette out loud again.
He felt Peter’s gentle squeeze around his arm. The gesture wasn’t to press, but to let Elias know he wasn’t alone.
“Barnabas didn’t know what I worked for to get to where I was. I didn’t grow up well, with any of those connections. I worked hard to study with Robert Smirke. Networked. I did everything– well I perceived it as the right way. I suppose that’s up for debate. I wasn’t going to run away with him, and I had to tell him that. But Mordechai, he told me to bring Barnabas to him, said he was just going to talk to him. To get what Barnabas had taken. Foolishly, I agreed. When Barnabas came to meet me– Mordechai had ordered a hit.”
Elias’ voice was hoarse, his entire body felt raw and exposed. He blinked through the tears threatening to creep down his face. He didn’t know how long it had been since he cried about Barnabas but he didn’t want to start again.
He didn’t want to think about Barnabas’ dead eyes looking up at him from that courtyard.
Peter’s hand was rubbing gently up and down his arm, in a smooth even rhythm that made Elias feel calm.
Not that he deserved that.
“You didn’t know,” Peter finally spoke.
“I didn’t,” Elias agreed, laughing bitterly. “And the last thing I did before I got him killed was break his heart.”
Elias had killed so many people since that day. He thought nothing of it. But seeing Barnabas laying dead on the ground, his last words a warning about his own fate.
Peter’s arm wrapped around Elias fully then, squeezing him tightly. Elias turned to face him, laying back down on the bed and let himself lay on Peter’s bare chest, carefully avoiding the wound on his side.
Elias was thankful Peter didn’t ask any follow-up questions and didn’t try to assure him he was a good person. He just held him tightly, and let Elias’ tears silently fall onto his chest.
–
Elias didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep. He woke up on top of Peter, unsure of how long he’d been out. He blinked a few times, peeling himself off of him and stretching on the sliver of the tiny bed.
“It was nice to see you sleep,” Peter said. “Usually had to take off before.”
Elias nodded, feeling that heat in his cheeks again. He hated waking up to an empty side of the bed in that London hotel.
“I didn’t mean to,” He admitted, his voice raw from crying earlier. “But it was nice.”
Peter was nice.
“Well I ate my Lucky Charms, passed on the sausage though.”
Elias couldn’t blame him.
“I can get you some painkillers if you need,” He went to move from the bed but Peter stopped him.
“Let me stand up, Elias, please.”
He didn’t realize how nice it was to hear his name. He nodded, letting Peter get himself up from the bed and make his way out of the bedroom.
He came back a bit later with some tea and a protein bar, handing them to Elias. Elias realized he also needed to eat something.
Elias ate in silence, a little embarrassed how much of himself he shared with Peter. But he recalled their evening together just before the hit on Scott, how Peter shared his own past.
“How are you feeling?” Elias asked, trying to break his cycle of thoughts.
“Better,” Peter said, rubbing his wound. “Still sore, but I think I’m tired of taking pain medicine. I’d like to be awake for longer than a few hours at a time.”
Elias understood.
He finished the protein bar, and took a sip of the slightly oversteeped earl grey Peter had made for him. It probably wasn’t Peter’s fault that the tea had been there for ages. He set it down, knowing he wouldn’t be able to finish it, and looked up at Peter.
He was still shirtless, his entire upper body now exposed since he wasn’t laying down. And Elias wasn’t ashamed about his staring.
“Perhaps, if you’re up to it–” Elias said, giving Peter a sly smile. “I could think of something to do for today.”
Peter raised an eyebrow.
“And what did you have in mind?”
“Well it still involved staying in bed,” He admitted, motioning for Peter to lay back down. “But I think it’ll be worth it.”
Peter grinned, nodding before laying himself back on the bed.
Elias moved quickly, first to cup Peter’s face and press their lips together. He knew he tasted like peanut butter granola and sleep, but Peter didn’t seem to mind. He kissed back with a groan against Elias’ mouth, letting his tongue slide along his lower lip.
The two stayed like that for a moment, kissing and enjoying the contact of one another’s body. Elias’ hands moved from Peter’s face down to his neck and sides, finally onto his chest. His fingers lingered there for a moment, soothing himself in a steady rhythm of moving up and down.
After another moment, Elias broke the kiss and moved his lips down the rest of Peter’s body. Peter tensed a bit as Elias moved, as if he wasn’t sure this was something Elias wanted to do.
“Let me take care of you, Peter,” Elias said, lips pressing onto the soft skin of Peter’s stomach.
“If– if you’re sure,” Peter responded, running his hand softly through Elias’ hair.
Elias had never been more sure.
He slowly slid down Peter’s sweat pants, revealing that he hadn’t been wearing anything underneath. His cock was half hard, sitting on his well accentuated thighs. Elias smiled as he gently held it in his palm for a moment.
“You won’t break me, Elias,” Peter said with a desperate laugh, bucking his hips a bit into Elias’ hand.
Elias fought the urge to respond that being around him long enough will.
Instead, he flicked the bit of precum leaking from Peter’s tip down his shaft, drawing out a low groan from Peter before taking his cock in his mouth.
“Fuck,” Peter tightened his grip in Elias’ hair as he bobbed his head up and down Peter’s hardening cock.
There wasn’t any way Elias could get all of Peter’s inside of him, so he kept his hand around the base, squeezing a bit as his tongue lapped underneath of him.
“God, that’s good,” Peter moaned again.
Elias may have been showing off a bit, wanting to make sure Peter knew he was far from an amateur at sucking cock.
And Peter was a lot more vocal than Elias had expected. In their previous encounters, Peter had been the one with his mouth occupied, making the frequent groans and words of encouragement had been a pleasant surprise.
Elias swallowed heavily what he could of Peter, continuing to suck in a steady quick rhythm. His hand moved from Peter’s base, to his balls, to his thighs in equal measure. He enjoyed the feeling of Peter’s hair in his fingers; thick and nice against Elias’ skin.
Peter continued breathing heavily and stroking Elias’ hair. He tasted the precum and licked around the tip, sucking there for a moment. Peter’s thighs jerked at the motion as he moaned again, loud and satisfied.
“God you— you feel so good,” Peter’s words were a bit shaky, making Elias quicken his pace.
He knew from Peter’s much more erratic rhythm that he was getting close to his climax, his hand trying to hold steady on Elias’ head without fully fucking his mouth.
Had Elias not been so fixated on the feeling of Peter’s cock in his mouth he might have told him not to hold back. But he was enthralled, sucking hard and taking all of Peter in that he could. He hollowed his cheeks and then tightened, sucking hard once getting back to the tip of Peter’s cock.
“I’m– god I’m almost there, Elias,” Peter groaned again, then keeping his hand steady on the back of his head. He held him in place as he moved in and out of his mouth.
Elias moved his hands down Peter’s thighs, pressing his fingers into the skin as Peter chased his orgasm in Elias’ mouth.
He came with a gasp followed by a stillness as Elias felt Peter’s release down his throat. He swallowed, continued sucking until Peter lightly tugged at his hair to stop.
Elias removed Peter’s cock from his mouth with a final lick at the tip, smiling to meet Peter’s eyes when he looked up at him.
“Come here,” Peter said, motioning for Elias to meet him at the top of the bed.
Elias met him for another deep kiss, Peter moaning a bit at the taste of himself on Elias’ lips. Peter’s body was so warm, and Elias felt his eyelids start to close again as he broke the kiss and laid back on him, tracing the hairs on Peter’s chest.
They stayed still for a moment. Elias thought about the last time he had felt this happy with another person. And for once, he let his mind wander to pleasant memories of Barnabas.
He wouldn’t be able to tell Peter how he felt, and he didn’t think Peter would either. But he had killed for him, they both had broken protocol.
They ran away together.
Something Elias never thought he’d be capable of.
He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep again until a gentle snore from Peter startled him awake.
–
“I think we should try accessing– some sort of outside information,” Elias said one morning.
They had spent five more nights in the safehouse, now Elias slept next to Peter in the tiny bed.
Peter sat across from him, now finally able to move around on his own without pain. He hadn’t needed a medicated wrap in his burn in at least two days, and was far more mobile. He was also able to work Elias open the night before for the better part of an hour, and fuck him with Elias facing the front the bed and on his knees without any complaints.
For all intents and purposes, Peter had been healing well.
Enough to where they were both growing stir crazy, not just Elias. And it seemed like if accessing the Agency’s database would trigger them finding their location, then they would be able to make their way out quickly.
“You finally think I’m not dead weight?” Peter said with a soft smile, indicating he was teasing.
Elias sipped his tea, not rewarding Peter with a response.
“I might have a very old laptop stored around here, it’s relatively untraceable. I can try and access the Agency’s database if I can update it without sending alerts. However, it is a risk.”
Peter nodded.
“I think it’s worth a try.”
–
By that evening, Elias was finally able to locate the hidden laptop, charge it, and update it with necessary equipment to hack into the current software of the Agency’s database. The process had been tedious, and by the time Elias was finally able to access anything, his neck and shoulders ached from messing with the laptop for the majority of the day.
Before he even said anything about stiffness, Peter was behind him, massaging into his muscles. Part of Elias wondered if he was just bored, but the gesture was far too needed to question.
“I’m updating my code to get into their server now,” Elias said, flexing his fingers a bit before continuing to type.
“And you went to school for Architecture?” Peter asked with a light laugh, setting his thumb in Elias’ shoulder blade, looking at his screen.
“Formally, yes. Although, I didn’t graduate.”
Elias continued typing the code, rerouting to the main database he had accessed before. He searched the same key terms, Lukas, The Architect, and found about the same lack of information as he had the first time. It at least confirmed that even with new intel, the Agency still kept the information hidden.
Elias clicked his tongue, thinking. He didn’t have a lot of time before notifying their cyber security of a breach. He strummed his fingers across the keyboard in thought.
“Unable to find anything?” Peter asked, hands still working his muscles.
“They have to store the reports somewhere,” Elias said, thinking mostly out loud.
He typed in a few more lines of code, trying to see everything available on the server. Finally, he found something that caught his eye.
Württemberg.
Part of the codephrase Robert gave them to get into Pinhole Books. The Agency knew after all.
Elias searched the name into the database and found– everything. It was almost too much, there was no way they’d be able to comb through the information in the amount of time. The files were encrypted, but Elias would easily be able to break through that to get them all to open. The problem was the sheer amount of information stored.
“Does that mean you found it?” Peter asked, watching Elias’ wide eyes scroll down the screen.
“I’m going to have to copy all of this file onto a drive,” Elias said. “That would be the only way we’re able to read through it all.”
Peter stopped the soothing motion of his hands and moved to face Elias.
“Whatever you need to do,” He told him.
Elias nodded, doing what he could to take the files onto his computer, knowing the threat it posed of being discovered by the Agency. But there were far too many secrets stored here for Elias to let go of.
“This will narrow our window of being discovered down significantly,” Elias said, anxiously tapping his fingers as the files downloaded. “We will need to be on high alert.”
“Always am,” Peter said with a shrug.
Elias was, too.
–
“It looks like Smirke’s disagreement with Mordechai was roughly five years after I left University,” Elias said, rummaging through the files.
He had spent the last two hours reading through everything he downloaded, learning everything that he could that the Agency had on Robert Smirke, Mordechai Lukas, and Jonah Magnus. He finally stumbled upon an email thread that actually mattered.
“Robert wanted information on an emerging company,” Elias read through quickly, “Was concerned with the ethical practices, and Mordechai overcharged him on intel, apparently.”
“This all started over a financial disagreement?” Peter shook his head. “I’m not surprised.”
“Honestly, neither am I. But given what Robert found on the company– the CEO, Hopworth, was into– oh.”
Elias didn’t want to read the words out loud.
“You alright?” Peter pressed.
“Human experimentation,” Elias said, knowing he did have enough time to go down the rabbit hole of the construction of some gym Hopworth wanted that Robert refused to build. “Mordechai only offered to look into it for a price, but according to the records here– the Lukas family had a shell company that was somehow funneling Hopworth. Robert didn’t discover that, it’s an annotation to the thread.”
“That’s concerning,” Peter said, still pleasant but Elias could tell he was just as unsettled as he was.
“Quite.”
Elias continued to read through the file, mildly concerned that Robert didn’t start his argument for discovering Mordechai’s transgressions. Clearly his ego had been too big, and the first thing brought attention.
“It looks like whatever Lukas patriarch that’s in charge now–”
“Nathaniel,” Peter stated simply.
“He had a much more aggressive approach to handling Robert. I think Mordechai was willing to cut ties. But with Nathaniel in charge, he’s the one who decided to act on taking out both me and Robert by hiring the Agency.”
Elias looked at Peter, seeing if he would be able to make any more sense of this but he simply shrugged.
“They just tell me where to go,” Peter said. “I know that’s not very helpful.”
“It’s alright,” Elias felt defeated.
He didn’t know what any of this would really do to benefit either of them, other than knowing that Nathaniel wasn’t going to stop until Elias was taken out.
He caught eye of something else he almost missed within the email thread. A name he’s only seen a handful of times.
Annabelle Cane.
“This is interesting,” Elias said, clicking on a new email thread. “I don’t think Hopworth was the only person interested in human testing. Does the name Annabelle Cane mean anything to you?”
Peter thought for a moment before finally nodding yes.
“She’s who Nathaniel was speaking with from the Agency. I met her once, during the negotiation.”
“She’s the head of the Hill Top Agency,” Elias explained. “And it appears intel extends to human alterations too–”
Before Elias could finish reading through the document, there was a loud bang at the door. His eyes caught Peter’s and they both immediately fell into a defensive position.
“I thought we’d have more time,” Elias whispered, shutting the laptop and quickly putting it in the emergency pack he and Peter had prepared be ore whoever it was made their way through the door.
“Could it be Robert?”
Elias never actually saw him die, but he certainly wouldn’t have given him this location. He shook his head, slinging the backpack around his shoulders and pulling out his gun.
Peter had his hand on his own gun, but before they could make their way out of sight, the door opened revealing Gertrude Robinson.
20 Years Earlier
Jonah knocked wearily on the old door, looking back at the paper in his hand. The numbers read correctly to the address written down, but he still couldn’t help but think what if it was the wrong place.
An older man answered the door, he had on dark sunglasses and a cane. Jonah immediately knew that he was blind.
“Forgive me,” Jonah said, the embarrassment sat on his face, “I believe I’m at the wrong place–”
“Magnus?”
Jonah paused, nodding before clearing his throat.
“I– yes,” He said. “And you’re Mr. Rayner?”
“Come in,” Maxwell Rayner said, walking back inside. “Close the door behind you.”
Jonah followed, obeying the request and shutting the door tightly behind him.
They were in a small office building, Rayner sat at a large desk, getting papers together. They were tabbed by some system that allowed Rayner to sort through them with ease. After collecting the packet, he handed everything over to Jonah.
“Feel free to assure everything is in proper order,” Rayner instructed.
Jonah opened the packet to find a passport, ID, and bank cards. He sorted through and found references from previous landlords, recommendations, previous jobs, everything.
In his hands was his new life.
“Everything we discussed is present,” Jonah said after getting to the final page. “And the job?”
Rayner nodded, fishing something else out of a drawer. Jonah watched his long, bony fingers wrap around a large bulky cellular phone. He sat it on the table for Elias to investigate.
“You should be receiving a call from my assistant, Manuela, in the next few days. She can get you in touch with an Agency who will provide you all the training you’ll need.”
Jonah nodded again, feeling the phone’s weight on his hand.
“And the flat–”
“Key is in the back of the folder,” Rayner said, his tone sounding annoyed at the questions. “Should you have any additional questions you may call on that phone only.
Jonah nodded, taking in a deep breath.
“I– thank you, Mr. Rayner. For getting everything together so quickly.”
“For the correct price, everything can be rushed.”
Jonah nodded, clutching the folder to his chest. He wanted as far away from Robert Smirke and Mordechai Lukas as he could get. He drained every last penny he had, finding the name and phone number for Maxwell Rayner cleaning out Barnabas’ desk.
Jonah knew then what he needed to do.
“I will let Manuela know if I need anything additional,” Jonah said, standing up and backing away from the desk.
“Enjoy your new life, Elias Bouchard.”
Present
“I must admit, Elias, I really didn’t see this coming from you.”
Gertrude seemed unfazed by the gun pointed to her chest. Her lips pursed into a thin line. She looked tired, swallowed by her long grey cardigan, but alert.
“I’d say I’m sorry to disappoint Gertrude, but unfortunately, I’m not.”
Gertrude hummed as Elias cocked the gun.
“You might want to rethink that,” She said, eyeing Peter. “Do you really think he’s able to travel in his condition?”
“Healed just fine,” Peter said cheerfully, his own gun drawn at Gertrude.
“Only a week and a half with a burn that deep,” Gertrude shook her head. “No matter, you hardly think I’d come here alone.”
As if on cue, an older man stepped in behind her. He was shorter than her, portly and his white hair was thinning at the top of his head. He was wearing some sort of vest, and Elias noticed the odd utility belt around his waist.
“Did you run Agnes off?” Elias asked, watching Peter’s aim shift to the man behind Gertrude.
“She’s not one for house calls,” The man said.
“I trust everything is in position, Arthur?”
Elias recognized the first name. Arthur Nolan, trained in explosives similar to Agnes.
“Locked and loaded.”
Elias felt the panic sit in his chest.
“Excellent. Now, before you two think about firing your guns, note that Arthur here has planted explosives around the home. Should you open fire, he’d be able to detonate.”
Elias looked at Peter, silently sharing the sentiment that this was far from good.
“You expect us to go with you quietly then, Gertrude?” Elias asked in an attempt to stall.
“I never expect you to fully cooperate, Elias. That I did anticipate. But no,” She shook her head, eyes moving back to Peter. “Only Mr. Lukas will be returning with us. You’ve been instructed to be eliminated.”
Elias clicked his tongue.
“I must be worth the price if you’re willing to get rid of me.”
“Not my decision, but my oversight. Annabelle Cane agreed to the order. Robert Smirke was making far too much of a fuss and well, you were Nathaniel Lukas’ top priority. That’s why he sent his best assassin after him. Although the outcome was– rather unexpected.”
“Is that so?”
Elias shifted his gaze quickly around the room, making a calculated guess where Arthur could’ve planted the explosives. They had to be far enough away for at least three out of the four people in the room to make it out alive.
Or, Gertrude was perhaps bluffing. Something that may have been too risky to consider, if his only other outcome wasn’t death.
“A bit of a love story, it seems,” Gertrude said the words so dully it sounded like someone had served her the plainest meal on the planet. “No bother.”
“Annabelle Cane,” Elias shook his head still in an attempt to stall. And to avoid the word love being said out loud again. “I see you’re fine with human experimentation now, Gertrude?”
He caught a flicker of something in her eyes that disappeared just as quickly.
“What rumors you’ve planted about Hill Top Agency are none of my concern. And your attempt at stalling won’t do you any better. We’re going, Elias.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen, Gertrude,” Elias said.
“Well Elias, we both know you won’t shoot–”
Elias fired the gun.
“Go!” He screamed, turning to Peter.
The first explosion hit the back room first. Gertrude wasn’t bluffing.
“Trudy?” Arthur screamed.
Elias fired the two more times, mostly trying to keep the chaos between the two of them so that he could get out.
Another explosion went off, closer that time.
“We’ve got to move, Elias,” Peter had genuine panic in his voice.
And once again the two were escaping another fire, this time at least, Peter wasn’t injured from. At least not yet. But just before they could get past Arthur Nolan, he flew another explosive right in the middle of them.
The blast was so loud, Elias’ ears were ringing. He wanted to cuss and scream, but instead he focused on the senses he did have, what little sight he had to get his way out of the flames.
“Peter!” He called, knowing he could get another explosive thrown at him but had to make sure Peter was safe.
“Get out, Elias!” Peter’s voice was so faint and the ringing in Elias’ ears was so loud he wasn’t sure he actually heard him at all.
The smoke was too thick, Elias began coughing from the fumes.
His self preservation won, he needed to make sure he could see. He was able to knock down a bit of a wall, knowing the front door would be occupied.
Then he felt a sting in his bottom calf.
A bullet, settling just above his Achilles tendon. He took in a breath and tried to ignore the pain, keeping as brisk a pace as he could to get out of the safe house.
He thought he heard another gunshot right behind him but the ringing was still too gooddamn loud.
Elias finally made it out of the smoke.
“Peter!” He called out, once outside. Not caring if he gave away his location.
“Peter!”
Silence.
He had to get out of plain sight, not knowing who else Gertrude could have arrived with in case something like this happened. He scanned the area quickly to find enough of a bush to wedge himself between as he tried his best to watch the house, still waiting for Peter.
Elias felt the sting in his calf then, the wound would need to be treated sooner rather than later. He kept staring at the house.
When he finally saw Peter’s silhouette walk out of the burning safehouse, his hands were bound. Arthur Nolan was walking him out, also supporting the weight of Gertrude on his shoulder, pushing Peter in the opposite direction of Elias.
The panic stabbed Elias in the chest.
Peter had been captured.
The Agency at least won this.
Elias watched a car pull up to their position, thankful that whoever the driver was either didn’t manage or wasn’t instructed to go after him if he had made it out alive.
Just before Arthur got Peter in the car, his eyes darted around, as if to lock onto Elias’ in the bushes.
Elias swore he saw him wink before being shoved into the car, then getting Gertrude carefully positioned in the front seat.
As the car drove off, Elias let the tears fall down his face, trying to convince himself they were from the bullet in his leg.
Notes:
Okay, so I really debated on how to end this and I went with the ending of the possibility of a second part. I have ideas on what to do (and have since I started writing), but I have another long form fic that I really want to finish before outlining here. Also, espionage is hard as fuck to write, so it would likely be into 2026 before I could get part two going, but I'm having too much fun with the lore that I really wanted to get more into what was going on with the Agency in the second part.
So again thanks so much for reading. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. It feels good to be finished (for now) with this story and I'm glad the spies have hooked ya'll as much as they've hooked me.
Comments are super appreciated! I'd love to hear any theories/thoughts you may have!