"Who am I?" Serge grabbed Raven by his collar and shook him viciously. "Why are you tormenting me with these images?" His eyes were burning so fiercely that they threatened to leak blood over his cheekbones. There was nothing but madness in his expression, the look of a man who had been pushed too far.

The tall, calm and collected captain allowed Serge his moment, pondering over the sudden outburst from him. It had been expected, of course, but it didn’t make the scene any less spectacular. Already, they had attracted a small group of officers as spectators. Yes, this would indeed be a day to remember.

"I don’t have the power to put such nonsense into your head," Raven said casually, although not without his usual passive tone. "It would be different if you had an implant in your brain but you do not. Everything you are imagining are the thoughts of a delusional man. One who is making far too many accusations…mistakes which will no doubt lead to punishment."

"Don’t threaten me!" The veins in Serge’s forehead pulsed angrily as his blood pressure rose. He would not let Raven get away with it this time. In the beginning, Raven had given him an ultimatum. To join S.T.A.N.D. or be arrested and thrown in jail for his crimes, one of which was making an attempt on Raven’s life. Serge had wanted to murder the captain of Stand, to silence the nightmares that stemmed out from that same man. All the suffering, the unexplained memories and the visions of his own death included Raven right in the middle of them. But, he had given in, had been unable to end Raven’s life because of the man’s superior mind and fighting skills. Joining S.T.A.N.D. seemed to be the worst decision that Serge had ever made.

Raven regarded Serge coolly, estimating the damage that either of them would endure if there were to be a conflict. "I don’t make idle threats. Now, remove your hands from me or I will be forced to deal with you in a most unkind manner." Still, his voice and posture remained unchanged but the malice in both those areas was quite evident. Although Raven did have a hidden agenda where Serge was concerned, he would not have his authority challenged in plain sight. Better to knock the man down a few pegs before taking on his temper in a private place.

Debating the pros and cons over knocking Raven’s head off didn’t help Serge’s pride. He released the captain’s collar with a slight shove which didn’t do more than draw a smile from his superior. *Damn you, Raven!* "You will find some answers for me or this isn’t over." Serge brushed past Raven, trying to tip him off balance with another shove. Further aggravating the other man, Raven kept his feet firmly planted on the ground and instead sent Serge stumbling.

**

Inside S.T.A.N.D.’s main base of operations, the control room was buzzing with fresh gossip. Most of it was being spread by Erika who happened to have her ears glued to every wall in the facility. She didn’t need to be nosy or loud with her questions or speculations. All Erika needed was someone to listen to her and gently prod her into giving away every bit of information she had available. Then, after the news had taken flight, she would sit back and feign innocence.

"I’m betting on Raven next time," Jouichirou snickered just as Serge was entering the room. He had a habit of getting himself into trouble because of his reckless behavior. However, the captain had never told him off so he kept at it, hoping that his good luck would hold for a few more minutes. "Raven only needs to look at Serge to scare him. And what’s with that collar that Serge wears around his neck? It belongs on a dog." Jouichirou glanced up from his station when Mirei cleared her throat. Now what?

Serge grabbed onto the back of Jouichirou’s chair and yanked it out from under him, sending the younger man sprawling over linoleum. "What did you call me?" The flames from earlier on were gleaming inside of Serge like a wicker candle which refused to melt away. He was bent out of shape over his encounter with the captain earlier in the morning. All he needed was a touch of motivation to kick the crap out of Jouichirou. And even then, if he got none, he would still beat Jouichirou into a bloody pulp. He was sick and tired of hearing the man call him ‘rookie’ and ‘loner’ among other things.

Quickly getting to his feet, Jouichirou raised both of his fists and bit into his bottom lip angrily. He had disliked this newcomer from the start, been suspicious of him. Now was the time to settle their differences. "Come on, Serge. Let’s see who the better man is."

"It won’t be you, kid." Serge grinned when his opponent started to become unsure. "Haven’t you heard everything?," he taunted. "I’m a clone of some guy called Dr. Miran Treyn. That would make me old enough to be your father. Now, show me some respect and get out of my face!" He pushed Jouichirou away, sending him into Erika’s lap.

"HEY!" Erika batted away Jouichirou’s hands which tried to grip her legs to get back up again. He was turning red with embarrassment from the position they were in. "Get off! You guys are so childish!"

"Erika…shut up!" Serge turned on her, knowing why all the rest of the team had more information than he did. Erika had been there when his only friend, Ryo, had exposed some of Raven’s secrets. The only part that Serge had heard over the comm-link was how he had once been another man. It explained how he had so many memories of a life he couldn’t recall living. But, Raven had deprived him of any comprehension when that line had been blocked. Only Erika and Raven had heard the rest of Ryo’s dying words before the virus infected man had passed away. And Erika hadn’t even had the courtesy to reveal those truths to him. She had found it best to keep them to herself or otherwise use them as simple conversations to pass the time.

By then, Macus was moving towards them, his hands upheld to try and soothe them all over. "Serge, I think that it would be best if we continued this discussion in private. We don’t need this hostility amongst ourselves."

"Go to hell!" Serge ignored Erika’s tearful expression, warned Jouichirou to stay down with a sideways glance. Then, he walked straight on up to Macus, never flinching or batting an eye. "I know that you were part of this conspiracy with Raven…and that woman I keep seeing in my dreams. So, you tell him that he can take my variable gear and shove it up his ass."

And that was the end of a very unproductive day. Even Mirei couldn’t function very well on the net after witnessing the anguish of her friends. Erika was hiding something, wouldn’t even tell her best friend. But, Mirei didn’t take it personally since there was more going on than any of them knew about. To hear that Serge, the newest member of S.T.A.N.D., was just a clone…it was too much to handle. Mirei decided to spend the rest of the day hacking into the structure of a recent virus case. Anything to escape the harsh realities of the situation.

**

Inside of his quarters, Serge traced the outline of his collar with one sharp fingernail. Why had Raven given him such an outlandish weapon which seemed to mark him as a faithful pet? *Bastard!* Could Raven have a totally different interest in him than any of the others suspected? And so what if he did? Serge could use that to his advantage, teach the captain a valuable lesson. He had morals, clone or no clone, but tearing Raven apart didn’t phase on any he cared to remember.

A sharp knocking at the door caused Serge to nearly jump out of his skin. Who would have the nerve to disturb him when he was in the foulest of moods? He slid out a knife from a concealed spot under the mattress of his bed. Then, he slowly opened the door to find his despised captain peering past the door-frame, down to the angle of where the weapon was not visible. "Shouldn’t that be in the dining hall?" Raven knocked the blade out of Serge’s striking hand with the palm of his hand. "Your manners are less than stellar, Serge. Be careful or I may regret coming here to speak with you."

"You’re going to tell me everything?"

"As much as I see fit." Raven entered and checked out the room for no other reason than to appear uncommitted. He would turn and leave if Serge said one wrong thing or offended him.

This was perfect. Too good for Serge to ever hope of planning anything equally rewarding. Raven was in his quarters, alone, and withholding very appealing information from him. It was something that the captain would regret in the future.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Serge went to the bar and took out two tall glasses, filling one with straight brandy. The thought of what he was going to do turned his blood cold with anticipation. All he required was a little kick in the right direction. He turned back to see Raven shrug. So, Serge set to work mixing the most alcoholic, toxic beverage he could possibly put together. In the end, he passed it to his commanding officer, biting back the laugh which would expose his dirty mind. And, he watched intently as Raven took a sip, attending to the drink as if he were at some extravagant dinner party. *Pompous fool! Now, we’ll see who gets the upper hand.*

Halfway down the glass, Raven began to feel a tingle of warmth in his throat. But, the only sign he gave Serge that he was off his game was to smile more openly. Serge was going to learn the hard way that it was impossible to drink him under the table. He could take any concoction offered to him, humoring the person attempting to drug him. "You’re barely touched your drink." Raven placed his empty glass onto the table in front of him with careful precision.

It was now or never. Any normal man would be drunk out of their mind after a drink like that, especially after it had been laced with something special from Serge’s pocket. He moved closer to Raven on the couch, noticing that his captain was absently reaching for a nearby wine bottle. *I’ll give those brainless twits something to gossip about tomorrow morning.* The corners of Serge’s mouth turned up in a crafty grin as he grabbed onto Raven’s shoulders, using his weight to lower his captain into the cushions. *I’m sure that Raven won’t mind rumors of how he sleeps with all the new recruits.* Serge pressed Raven further into the couch, moving his hips down to crush the taller man. That’s when he saw the quiet fury unleashed in his prey.

"You give yourself far too much credit, Serge." Raven swung one of his arms up, releasing it from Serge’s grasp. It knocked the man over the coffee table, sending liquor and a vial of tranquilizers rattling off of the table and out of Serge’s concealed pocket. "This meeting has been most enlightening. In the future, I will be sure not to underestimate you…or your crude advances."

"I know you want me!" Serge stormed over to block the door from Raven. He was surprised to find that he was more enraged over being rejected than not getting any vital information. He couldn’t believe that the captain had the nerve to turn him down with all that he had to offer. "Why else would you set me up to join Stand and give me this…," he yanked at the collar fastened to his neck, "…piece of worthless metal! You’re probably into all that kinky shit…the chains, leather and this damn collar. Admit it, you gutless bastard!"

The action which Raven took against Serge’s repulsive accusations stunned both of them. One minute, Serge was coming close to bodily preventing his captain from leaving the room, the next, he was lying on the floor. Serge growled at Raven, clutching at his bruised ribs. "Go then! I don’t want you in my bed."

"I could not agree more." He swept his long cape over his shoulders and exited as politely as he could manage. There was the distinct possibility of him being seen by one of his officers and he didn’t want to appear upset. If he did, Serge would get his wish and tales of their encounter would become falsified. As Raven was turning a corner, collecting his emotions into a tight bundle, he ran into someone not bothering to look ahead. On any other occasion, Raven would have let the man fall but he was feeling lenient. Nobody could be as annoying or conniving as Serge. So, Raven caught the man by his arms and steadied him before letting go.

Jouichirou gazed up at Raven and gulped inwardly. He had nearly decked his commanding officer, not to mention while returning from being chased by some police officers. He had a very bad habit of speeding while piloting one of S.T.A.N.D.’s very expensive vehicles. The only reason he did this was because they didn’t have the jurisdiction to charge or arrest him as soon as he entered the main base. They couldn’t even pursue him within the perimeter of the compound. All of his stunts gave him a sense of power and he felt exhilarated after racing past more than a dozen cop cars.

Now, looking at Raven and knowing how Serge had gotten his ass kicked several times by the captain, Jouichirou was not feeling lucky. "S…sorry, Captain Raven." He also had a clear image in his mind of how his emotions had gotten the better of him once. Mirei had been on the verge of being assimilated by a virus and Raven wanted nothing more than to protect S.T.A.N.D.’s system. A group of Mirei’s hacker friends had nearly finished formatting the implant in her brain, therefore eliminating the virus. But, Raven presumed that S.T.A.N.D. was more important than taking such a careless risk. He was about to shut down the link between Mirei and her friends when Jouichirou had come forward. And his complaint to the captain turned into a physical slap to the face when Raven refused to listen. Jouichirou felt that sooner or later, Raven was going to get revenge. It appeared that today was a pretty good day to hit him back.

"Jouichirou." Raven nodded to the young man, encouraging him to move along. The incident meant nothing more to him than a casual accident. He had long forgotten Jouichirou’s insolence as it had turned out to be a positive objection to his judgment. As Jouichirou was edging past the captain, thankful that he hadn’t been reprimanded, Raven suddenly changed his mind. "Do you know anything about the recent speeding tickets which the EX Driver has become flooded with?" He heard a low groan and Jouichirou turned back to give him a sheepish grin.

"Um…I was testing out the new engine I installed in it." *Oops!* That slip-up intrigued Raven into paying more attention to Jouichirou.

"Where did you get the authorization to install a new engine into one of S.T.A.N.D.’s most irreplaceable vehicles? This is the first time that I have heard of any modifications done to the EX Driver." He should have sounded disturbed or unsatisfied with Jouichirou’s activities but only a hint of curiosity was evident in his voice.

"Authorization?" Jouichirou felt his confidence slipping away. "I didn’t think it was important enough to require authorization." Now, he was going to get a long lecture on how any decisions concerning S.T.A.N.D. material had to go through Captain Raven. Then, he would be put on probation or suspension for a long time to consider what he had done.

Instead, Raven seized the straps of Jouichirou’s short jacket with one hand and tugged on them, bringing him very close. "You like to live dangerously?" Raven was now whispering into Jouichirou’s ear, brushing back light, brown hair out of the young man’s eyes. "You picked a really lousy day to mess with my patience, pretty-boy." He leaned down further until he was almost at Jouichirou’s level, touching his lips to that ear. Although he would never admit it, Serge had aroused certain emotions within him. Some desires which could be detrimental to his position as team captain. Raven had thought that his attraction to others, men and women, was under his firm control. Any relationship outside of his working career would only serve to complicate his life. *Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t convinced Serge to join S.T.A.N.D. He truly gets on my nerves.* And now here he was, nudging one of his soldiers into a tight corner, his pulse rate rising steadily.

"I’m sorry," Jouichirou tried again, nervously backing away. Here he was in a deserted hallway, being seduced by his much older, superior officer. Was this what went on in the top ranks? Maybe Raven had slept around to get his position as captain. Then, could Raven be inviting him to move up a couple of ranks? If so, Jouichirou felt comfortable right where he was. Whether it be in the middle of S.T.A.N.D.’s fortress or stuck halfway devoted to his job, anything was better than imagining being led to Raven’s bedroom. The worst part was that Jouichirou was attracted to Raven, could barely tolerate being pressed up against him. How would it look if one of his colleagues found out that he preferred to admire his captain in the place of a pretty girl?

"This is my final warning to you. Stay clear of the law…keep S.T.A.N.D.’s reputation shining or I will have to discuss this matter more intimately with you." It proved to be too difficult for Raven to keep a straight face considering the circumstances. He found his favorite soldier avoiding his gaze, unsettled by their proximity. *Does he think I’m going to detain him? Or can he sense what I want?* Then, Raven’s lips were moving over Jouichirou’s, covering his mouth as he drew him impossibly nearer. He couldn’t help but be delighted when his victim swooned in his arms, not resisting at all. Was it because Jouichirou enjoyed the attention or was too afraid to say ‘no’ to his captain? Raven couldn’t go through with it, not with the fear of being discovered. How would it look if someone were to witness his devious passion for one of his underlings? The fifteen years age difference between them was also something which would not be looked kindly upon. No, Raven’s desires were second to his chain of command. He was immediately disgusted with himself for giving into his cravings.

Jouichirou was beginning to respond to Raven when he felt the moment fade. Sharp footsteps rang down the hall, causing Raven to temporarily panic. He pushed Jouichirou into what turned out to be Mirei. "Watch where you’re going next time," he said, clearing his throat. Captain Raven quickly rushed down the hallway leading to his own private quarters. To him, it appeared to be a quick pace but anyone else would only see a very well composed, dignified man taking long strides to make up for lost time.

"What was that all about?" The youngest member of the team gave Jouichirou a fond grin but got none in return. She was puzzled when he continued to ignore her, following Raven down the hall with his gaze. It was strange to her because Jouichirou usually never failed to swamp her with attention and compliments. Actually, now that she thought about it, everyone had been acting weird lately. Oh well, so long as it didn’t affect her. She shrugged to herself when Jouichirou remained in his own little world, moving back along her route to get something to eat.

**

A few days went by with no sign of Raven in any of the social circles that he would randomly sift through. It was as if he couldn’t be bothered to waste his time with chatter and worthless niceties. Even though Raven chose to drop out of the visible scene for a while, Serge could not have been more obvious. He had suddenly decided to act decent and restrained in the presence of his peers. Where Erika was concerned, Serge acted as if she was the queen of Tsaihe (the conglomerate which is responsible for the actions of S.T.A.N.D.), apologizing for his outburst and treating her like some goddess. They had their moments in battle where Serge would throw himself on top of some virus infected monster to prevent Erika from being injured. He would rather deny his failed scheme from earlier on in the week. It hadn’t turned out the way he had planned and there was no sense dwelling on it.

Raven still posed a threat to Serge with his guarded secrets which could not be pried out of his head. There was also the fact that the man was just too magnificent to behold. With Serge licking at Erika’s heels, he assumed that his lust for Captain Raven would dissipate. But, it was just as strong as ever, making him wonder who he really wanted. Was it Erika, his sweet, sensuous girlfriend, or the man who made his heart ache with both hatred and ardor? There was still plenty of time to decide. Even if Serge was not young, the body he inhabited was.

Serge leaned over the railing which supported the walkway above one of Stand’s cargo bays. Down below, Jouichirou was attracting a small crowd by the S.T.A.N.D. Razorback. The Razorback was the largest and most powerful flying craft which S.T.A.N.D. possessed which was why it was always guarded. Currently, the two armed guards were keeping their distance from it. Five girls, including Erika and Mirei, were listening to one of Jouichirou’s tall tales. He liked to brag and boast about his accomplishments to pick up the ladies. This was one day that Jouichirou would be throwing his fish hook back in empty.

"Hey!" Serge climbed down a ladder from the observation deck to notice Erika racing over to him. He caught her in his arms, kissing her deeply. "Jouichirou," he continued. "I have a present for you."

A snicker was what Serge got for his efforts. "I don’t want anything from you." The tension rose but Serge played it cool. It was fun to toy with Jouichirou when he was so easy to offend. That was his rival’s weakness, extra-sensitivity and a short fuse. Jouichirou went back to spinning a short blade on his index finger, a magnetic talent of his.

"Maybe not from me…but, the captain told me to give you this." Serge saw a peculiar flicker go through Jouichirou’s eyes. Something like guilt or wariness of an oncoming predator. He eagerly passed over a folded piece of paper which got snatched up by trembling hands. "He wants you to report to him immediately to pay for those speeding tickets." He paused, waiting for the reaction to set in. The girls were keenly moving closer to get a better look at the legal document in Jouichirou’s hands. "You’re in a bit of a bind, kid. With your wages being what they are, you can’t afford to take out all these lovely ladies and pay that enormous fine."

"Kiss my ass!" Jouichirou crumpled the paper up into a ball and whipped it into Serge’s face. Then, he hurried out of the main bay doors, losing whatever composure he had by swearing repeatedly.

Having gotten rid of the competition, Serge moved in for the kill. He was going to get on the honor list of every man and woman in all of Stand. That way, there would be quite a rally backing him if Raven tried to cross him again. He hardly realized that his Erika had become misplaced in a jealous, over-excited crowd.

**

*It wasn’t my fault. My foot slipped on the gas pedal.* Jouichirou frowned as he stalked towards his captain’s office. "No…he won’t buy that." An officer turned to look at him and got a dirty look for his nosiness. *Serge was driving. I told him to slow down…* That brought a quiet laugh from him, the image of Serge getting suspended with no pay for speeding and endangering a fellow officer’s life.

When Jouichirou knocked on the door, he nearly fell inwards when it was suddenly opened. It slid back into the wall crevice, revealing Raven inside with a stern glare about him. He silently entered, the near kiss from before long forgotten. Nothing got his stomach more riled up then the promise of punishment. He could feel the butterflies, could see his pay flying into the heavens with those winged creatures. How was he going to afford his next vacation?

"Serge…he…" The lie got caught in Jouichirou’s throat as the door slid shut. And Raven wasn’t saying a word. Captain Raven had gone over to the window, gazing down at the city below. They were at least ten stories up and the view was pretty spectacular since the city sloped downwards. It was also the first time that Jouichirou had ever had the pleasure of visiting Raven’s office. Now, seeing how immense the room was, he began to feel very small.

"What about Serge?" There was that calm attitude again. He would not ask any questions of his own accord. Rather let the victim doom himself by stumbling over whatever path he mapped out. Raven waited, still watching the warm sunshine, a flock of birds. When it became blunt that Jouichirou had nothing left to say, Raven turned around. "Do you know why you’re here?"

Then, Raven began to advance on him slowly, his boots hitting the carpeted floor with barely any noise. Jouichirou’s attention went anywhere but to Raven’s face. First, he took in the high ceiling, the black, marble pillars rising up to support it. Then, the cleared desk in front of the window. There were so many hiding spots behind those pillars, where the light could not reach. "Because I tricked S.T.A.N.D. into covering my speeding tickets?"

"Really?" Now, Raven was fascinated. He hadn’t realized that the paper given to Jouichirou had been out of date. So, now the boy owed S.T.A.N.D. and not the law. In some ways, having a debt with S.T.A.N.D. was far worse than the police department. Everything eventually got passed over to the highest authority in power, Tsaihe. One could lose a lot when messing with people who had no compassion for the farsightedness of youth.

"You didn’t know?" *Good going, idiot!* Jouichirou nearly fled from his skin when Raven’s fingers pressed to his throat. He couldn’t move, his body betrayed him by freezing where it was. Perhaps the captain knew techniques which could force the truth from him. Every untruth that he now told was going to be put up for inspection. What a way to make a bad situation worse. He nearly sighed with relief when Raven moved away again.

But, the captain was not finished with his interrogation. He was very interested in Jouichirou’s nervousness, in the crazy intervals of his pulse rate. "No. I do now. Tell me, Jouichirou…is there anything else which you are keeping from me?" When the young man looked up for a moment, Raven found his own heart skipping a beat. *How very strange.* He wanted to see those eyes again, to bask in their innocence and beauty. "The first rule of lying is to make eye contact with the person you are telling the story to." Raven waited until Jouichirou looked up again so that he could continue his game. "That’s better."

"Is Tsaihe going to charge me?"

"They don’t know nor will they ever. I have no intention of getting you into more trouble than you are aptly capable of doing on your own."

Jouichirou now had his head spinning. The game of cat and mouse was tiring him out. He wondered what the cat, Raven in this case, was after. "So…?"

"So, you may leave."

"What..?" He looked up to see that Raven was sitting behind his desk. The man was acting as if he were no longer there. Already, a stack of folders had appeared in front of Raven which he was studiously attending to. "Just like that?"

"Yes."

"Um…Captain?"

"Jouichirou?" Raven lifted his dark, blue eyes from his desktop and fixated them on his little mouse. He was having too much fun to release the tail yet, better to drop the mouse back into a maze. See how motivated Jouichirou would be to claim the prize at the end of the trap. He was in the dark where incentives were concerned. Unknown to Raven’s prey, there were plenty of gifts being offered to him.

Trying to act casual, Jouichirou sat on the corner of Raven’s desk, smiling gratefully. Boy, was he ever relieved that all of his worries were over. "Is there anything that I can help you with? I owe you for letting me off for my small mistake."

"Small?" A fit of laughter escaped Raven, startling Jouichirou into knocking some articles onto the floor. "You call taking money from Tsaihe small? This talk between us has amused me." He got up to search for the fallen objects. "No…there is nothing that you can help me with. Go on…"

When Raven straightened up with a stack of paper in one hand and some photos for evidence in the other, he bumped into Jouichirou. It was not entirely coincidental because Raven had been timing it, pausing long enough for Jouichirou to hop down from the desk. The papers fluttered back to the floor, creating a diversion where Raven physically detained Jouichirou on top of his desk. His hands found the boy’s wrists, holding them down, open palmed to deter any struggling. One of his knees pressed down into Jouichirou’s thighs, keeping his legs still. How simple it had been to catch his little mouse.

"There are other things I would be interested in." Raven’s eyes traveled over Jouichirou’s body, taking in his slim waist, narrow hips and lean musculature. He hardly paid attention when he felt a twinge of resistance, not anything which would threaten him. It was probably a strain for Jouichirou to fight him to no avail because of the difference in their physical size and height. It was a no win situation for Jouichirou. "Or, are you not in the mood to play with me?"

Too many conflicting emotions were exploding inside of Jouichirou. He couldn’t have cared less what Raven did to him, within good reason. However, his experience was lacking and he did want some sort of reassurance that this wasn’t an elaborate trick to shame him. "That depends…are you going to tie me down and just have your way with me?" That almost brought tears to his eyes, imaging how his idol would only want him for a brief period of time. Then, he would be hurled out of the office, threatened never to go near his captain again.

It puzzled Raven that Jouichirou would ask such a thing of him. He thought that all of his crew were aware of his pride and conscience. The last thing he craved was to use someone he cared deeply for. Raven moved one of his hands from Jouichirou’s wrist to stroke his thumb underneath the boy’s eyes, drying his tears as they fell. So, Jouichirou had been affected by that encounter in the hallway. It had meant something to him after all, just as it meant a lot to Raven. "When you are ready…we will discuss the bedroom. For now, I think that it would be best to slow it down." He released Jouichirou’s other wrist, easing his weight off of the younger man a bit. "Is this better?"

"Yes." Jouichirou wrapped his arms around Raven, shaky from the way things were going. He relaxed when he was embraced tightly, a light kiss touching his cheek. "I thought…you and Serge…" Jouichirou nearly choked when that slipped. Only one name caused Raven to become unhinged.

"That is another matter," he answered cryptically. "At least I now know why you detest him so much." Another rare grin found him very amicable towards Jouichirou. He was delighted that he was worth scuffling over. It also gave him some insight into the activities of his team. Why they acted the way they did around each other and other such nuances. But, only Jouichirou piqued his eyes and ears into responding with such tenacity, guiding his hands into acting. He discovered that he could easily smother Jouichirou with his arms but that was not an appreciative thought. "You’re envious of the time I spend with him?"

"Hardly!" Jouichirou became defensive, preventing Raven from taking too much credit. It was true that he did become jealous on occasion, but there was more of a conflict of personality than anything else between him and Serge.

Raven lifted Jouichirou up and then onto his leather chair which he pulled close to the desk. "Then you would not protest to my meeting with him tonight…in my quarters."

Again, Jouichirou took the bait, flushed red and folded his arms in front of his chest. "If you keep teasing me, I’m going to leave."

"Please forgive my bad sense of humor." He held back on any other jokes he had on reserve to lean down onto Jouichirou. Wasting no time, he pressed his lips up against Jouichirou’s, feeling them warm and enticing. At first, he started out slow and cautious, experimenting to see how willing his guest was. He got down on his knees to reach Jouichirou’s level, kissing him with a firmer resolve. It rapidly escaped into a few moments of passion where Raven couldn’t contain his desires. His tongue penetrated Jouichirou’s mouth, assaulting him with hot demands which had trouble being met. Their fingers became woven together as they held hands, Raven squeezing Jouichirou into the chair. But, Raven was not satiated with just kissing, he freed his hands which began to wander over the jacket in his way.

Fabric tore as Raven snapped off all the buttons on Jouichirou’s jacket, ripping it open and off of his shoulders. He sensed that his erratic actions were making Jouichirou a bit uneasy. But, Raven canceled out the perplexed reaction by stroking his hands over Jouichirou’s soft skin. Moving them up and down the boy’s arms, over his shoulders and onto the armor which prohibited him from going further. With one simple movement, Raven had disconnected the armor’s straps from behind, causing it to fall out of place.

"Wait…," Jouichirou managed to protest as he was left naked from the waist up, now only clad in his skin-tight, white jeans and high, black boots. It might have been chilly in the office but Raven’s body heat kept them both out of any danger.

"What is it?" Raven held Jouichirou by his arms, breathing hard, gazing into his brown eyes. "Oh…" He shook his head, noticing that Jouichirou was shy, despite the fact that he liked to attract attention. Once he got too much of it, he didn’t know what to do with it. "Trust me." Raven returned to kissing him, grasping at his hair and listening to the soft moans responding to him. He swept his hands up Jouichirou’s back, feeling how smooth his flesh was, crushing him to his own body.

In return, Jouichirou tried to hold onto the armored shoulder pads of Raven’s cloaked jacket. He felt helpless beneath Raven, but when he couldn’t grasp anything sturdy, he gave up. Relying on someone else, trusting them, was not a pleasant scenario for Jouichirou. But, he would have to start somewhere and the sensations he was receiving were far too good to exchange for a bit of comfort. He almost laughed when Raven’s long, ebony hair tickled his ribs and arm. That laugh was cut off by a startled cry when Raven’s arm sank into the chair, between his legs. The noise was unexpected and alien to him. It nearly caused him to dig a hole to crawl in for embarrassing himself.

What Raven did to remedy Jouichirou’s cry was only to move his arm away, a bit worried about the accident. "Forgive me," he whispered, kissing Jouichirou’s chin, moving down his throat to his collar bone. He lingered there for a moment before moving back up to savor one last kiss. During those minutes when he was encompassed in Jouichirou’s sweetness, Raven put aside his own pleasure to see if it was shared. He was mildly shocked to feel the fierceness of Jouichirou’s fingers winding in his long hair, the tenseness in his arms. Ending it was not good reassurance that his conduct was justified or correct. Giving out the wrong impression by letting go now was what worried Raven the most. But, he had no choice where the available time was concerned. Their little rendezvous had to be kept discreet and not suspicious.

"I have…a meeting I must attend." Raven pulled Jouichirou against him in a very affectionate embrace. "Please don’t be offended."

"I’m not." How could he possibly be offended when the adrenaline rush refused to run out? Everything was a blur to Jouichirou but it would soon come back to him. Hopefully in a convenient, private place with Raven later that night. Already, he couldn’t wait to see the older man again when they were still together.

There was a dreamy, breathlessness to Jouichirou’s voice, as if he couldn’t come down from the cloud he was suspended on. *How fortunate I am to have someone as beautiful and understanding as my Jouichirou.* Raven gave him a final squeeze before getting up to brush off his white uniform and cape. If anything were to be wrinkled, he would lose the respect of Tsaihe. They looked down upon untidiness, failure to respond promptly to crisis situations, and anyone who wasn’t of a scientific caliber. Being the perfectionist that he was, Raven had yet to find a subject which he didn’t excel in.

"You go first." Raven patted Jouichirou on the head, watching him fasten his armor on, then draw the jacket over his shoulders.

"Will I see you…tonight?"

The optimism in Jouichirou’s eyes did not fail to reach Raven’s heart. He smiled briefly before returning to his usual, powerful resolve of silence. "We’ll see." Then, his adoring subordinate was out the door, quickly disappearing into one of the elevators.

**

Early in the evening, a couple of officers began to track down a well cooked meal to make up for the inevitable bad day at work that they always had. Nobody employed with S.T.A.N.D. had anything close to a good day. Monday through Sunday was ‘virus’ day with all varieties from one part of the city to the other. Most of the lowly officers at S.T.A.N.D. had to keep up to date with the police force, following and matching every move of the viruses. If it could not be handled by the cops, and almost always wasn’t, then S.T.A.N.D. got called in to clean up.

The only officers of S.T.A.N.D. who battled the viruses were Serge, Macus, Jouichirou and Erika. They were the ones who had to suit up in variable gear, armor which had a limited affect on the virus if it was used properly. It also protected them from being infected and therefore ‘taken over’. Mirei stayed in the Razorback to monitor the progress of the team and direct them to the source of any distress call which they picked up. Overall, they collaborated well, even with a few withstanding disputes between them.

On this day, each of the S.T.A.N.D. team figured that it was too late for any viruses to poke around on the surface. They had responded to a call for help a few hours ago and weren’t expecting more for a while. So, among the officers heading out for dinner, all of the five main operatives were present. None of them were bickering, that could wait until after the food was served. They even sat as a group at the same table in the dining room, talking quietly and discussing the virus of the day.

"Something wrong, Jouichirou?" Serge inspected his rival’s face, attempting to see a fraction of antagonistic quality. It shocked him when the younger man shrugged, wolfed down a large portion of the cook’s slop and then gulped the remains of his glass of milk. "You like that crap?" Still no answer. "Do you know that you’re skinnier than the girls are?" He couldn’t help but chuckle at that one but Jouichirou didn’t so much as blink. "Hey! Don’t you want to call me an idiot? Maybe tell me to shut up?"

"Nope." Jouichirou grinned and set to work finishing his apple pie. *Let him come to his own conclusions. I have what I want.*

"Serge, if Jouichirou is willing to set aside your differences, then so should you." Erika wrapped her arms around Serge’s neck and leaned onto him, nearly flattening the cake beneath his nose with his face. She started to giggle, elated for receiving a gorgeous pair of ruby earrings from her boyfriend. They were more of an apology than anything else but she appreciated them. It showed how much he cared and thought about her.

If Jouichirou had no problem then neither would Serge. He preferred to dwell on methods to make Captain Raven talk. Having the cocky, taunts of his competition erased was one less thing to argue over. "Okay," he gave in. And Erika was so convincing, so striking in the skimpy attire she called a uniform. It wasn’t her fault since it was standard issue and Mirei was wearing a similar one. Might as well make the most of the night. Serge swung Erika around in his arms and kissed her in front of all to see.

"Um…guys…" Mirei felt ill watching the vulgar actions of her older teammates. She debated over whether to take her dinner to her room or not. This wasn’t her idea of proper dining etiquette.

"Serge, cut that out!" Macus came stomping up to their table, making them wonder when he had left it. "We have an emergency down on the east side, a warehouse filled with explosive material is under attack by a virus." Now he had their attention. "There are people trapped inside and even more dead. I want everyone to get to the Razorback ASAP and wait for Captain Raven’s orders." Until Raven made an appearance, Macus was second in charge. He was their acting leader most of the time.

On the way out of the dining room, Macus almost knocked Raven into the hallway. Macus was by any definition, a giant, and capable of bruises and broken limbs. He was about to apologize when Raven faced them calmly, ignoring the mishap. His eyes roamed over his team of warriors, watching them respectively lower their gaze. Only Jouichirou held it, questioning him. Then it became obvious, Raven was buying time, thinking of an excuse. A plausible reason to keep Jouichirou with him and out of harms way. When he couldn’t, he merely turned and started to head for the holding bay where the Razorback was. Along the route, he began to inform the team of what they were facing.

"The explosives inside of that warehouse are potent enough to destroy every living creature along the east side of Neo Hong Kong and beyond. If there is any leakage of gases, a signal spark is all it will take to set everything off. Your strategy is to confront the virus from all four sides, using only physical attacks. No gunblades, shooting and Mirei…do not attempt to fire upon the virus if it escapes the building. You have to use extra caution in this situation because of the lives at stake. Especially your own lives…" Raven shot Jouichirou a lengthy glare, silently warning him not to do anything foolish. If Jouichirou were to be hurt, his pain would also render Raven incapacitated. That was the extent of which he cared for the younger man. He prayed that this would be a routine extermination with no surprises.

End of Part 1