One Plus Two Equals... - 36

"No!" Auden glared at his boss.

"Yes," was the stern reply. "You know the rules. You go where you're needed, and right now that's New York. Your contact there has already been informed you'll arrive on Thursday."

"And if I refuse?"

His boss smiled tightly. "Just as you know the rules, you know the consequences of breaking them."

Auden did, and if things had been different he might not have thought twice about doing that. On the other hand, if they'd been different then being sent off to somewhere new wouldn't have mattered anyway.

"Next Monday and not a day sooner." When his boss gave one sharp nod of agreement, Auden left.

Twenty minutes later he walked into the condo.

Julyan came to the kitchen door, obviously expecting Duane. When he saw Auden, he started to smile but one look at Auden's face put an end to that. "What's wrong?"

"Sit down. Please."

"That bad, huh?" Julyan quickly went to the sofa, perching nervously on the edge.

"That bad. I've been…we've been reassigned."

Julyan looked at him in shock. "To where and how soon?"

"Does it matter?"

"Hell yes, it matters! I have to know what clothes to pack and…"

"You can't come with us." The look on Julyan's face at his words almost broke Auden's resolve not to let him join them. For Julyan's own safety however, he knew it wasn't an option.

Julyan stared at him defiantly. "I can. I will. Duane won't leave without me even if you will. He…he loves me too much to leave me behind."

"And we both love you too much to put you in danger." Finally Auden sat down beside him, taking his hands. "If anyone found out how important you are to us, it could put all of us in mortal danger."

"I don't understand. It's no secret I'm living here with Duane and no one's threatened me or him because of it."

"True, because as far as those who might be interested are concerned, you're Duane's cute little boy-toy he picked up to keep him company. And before you go off the deep end," he added when Julyan bristled angrily, "it's the story the boss let be whispered around to keep you safe once he found out about you."

"I don't care what he, or you, think. I'll convince Duane to take me with him."

Auden shook his head. "That would make you more than just a boy-toy and we'd be back to square one."

"It's not fair," Julyan said disconsolately.

Gathering him into to his arms, Auden muttered, "No, it's not but it's how things have to be."

"How soon?"

"We have to be in…where we're going by next Monday."

"That's less than a week!"