Rack & Ruin (THIRDS 3)

“Like I said, I’m not gay.”

“Bullshit. What the hell is going on with you?”

Ash bolted to his feet. “You and your boyfriend need to get off my fucking back. I know what I’m doing. Just keep those two away from me, okay?” Ash gritted his teeth, his fists clenching before his expression softened. “Please. Keep them away. I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but do me that one favor.”

Sloane nodded slowly, though he had no idea what he was agreeing to, only that Ash was asking him to do something for him on faith. How was Sloane supposed to keep Dex and Cael away from Ash if they were all on the same team? And why was Ash so adamant about it?

“Thanks. This was nice. For the most part,” Ash said quietly. Something buzzed, and he flinched. “I gotta go.”

“Okay.” Sloane watched his friend walk away. The buzz had come from Ash’s pocket. His cellphone. Was it the Coalition calling? Is that where Ash was running off to? He tried not to think about what his best friend would be up to tonight. He picked up the bouquet of flowers tucked beside him on the bench and started walking along the edge of Sylvan Water. He stepped onto Sylvan Avenue, walking past the Egyptian pyramid, its entrance flanked by a statue of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus.

Sloane had numbly walked down this path more times than he cared to remember. Finally he was on Lake Avenue where, after a couple of feet, he veered off to the right. He could close his eyes and still find it. Gently he laid the bouquet of flowers on the freshly cut grass and looked past his reflection to the white letters chiseled into the gleaming black marble. The familiar lump in his throat was accompanied by an equally familiar ache in his chest, and although it still hurt, the pain had dulled. His lungs no longer burned when he inhaled, and his eyes didn’t sting. A part of him felt guilty for it, but his heart told him it was time. He stood, and with a deep breath, he addressed Gabe’s tombstone.

“You probably know why I’m here. If you could hear me, talk to me, you’d probably ask me what the hell took me so long. Then you’d tell me what’s been in my heart for months now. I know you’d want me to be happy, and I am. When you left, I thought you’d taken everything I had with you. Dex helped me see how wrong I was. You left everything there for me to give to someone else crazy enough to love me. I’ll never forget you, Gabe.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long chain, the small dog tags clinking together.

Sloane didn’t bother to hide the tears in his eyes. He smiled and let out a shaky breath before placing the dog tags on the tombstone. He put his fingers to his lips for a kiss before moving them to the black marble. “Good bye, sweetheart. Thank you for everything.”

Sloane barely slept that night. He was too worried over whether he’d fucked things up with Dex for good. There was only so much someone could take before they walked out on you. At least that was Sloane’s experience. The next morning at HQ after he’d showered, changed into his uniform, and hit the canteen for coffee, he’d been working up his courage to speak to Dex when a call came. Another dead body. The Coalition was at it bright and early, and this time it was really bad. Where Therians were concerned, dead wasn’t the worst that could happen to a victim.

Initially Sloane had intended on talking to Dex last night, but he’d needed some time. Dex had given him his space. He hadn’t called, but he’d left Sloane a text telling him he was there if Sloane wanted to talk. Even with Sloane hurting him, Dex was still there to offer his support. He met the rest of his team in the armory as they geared up, and he headed for his locker beside Dex’s.

“Hey.” God, he sounded like such an idiot. He felt like an idiot. And a jackass.

Dex gave him a solemn smile. “Hey.”

“Be careful.” He always said that to Dex when they headed out. Usually Dex followed it with a joke or flirty remark. Now Sloane only received a nod. Sloane waited for their teammates to start for the corridor leading to the parking garage before he took Dex’s arm. His partner stopped and patiently waited for him to say whatever he was going to say.

“I know we don’t have time now, but can I come by tonight? Please.”

There was a slight pause before Dex nodded. “Sure.”

The fact Dex hadn’t asked what it concerned didn’t bode well. Dex hated waiting, especially when it was in regards to their relationship. There was so much Sloane wanted to say, but now was not the time. They headed out, most of the team chatting away in the BearCat. It was good to see Calvin and Hobbs talking again. Well, Calvin talked, Hobbs mostly listened, but at least the two were communicating again, though there was still something missing. Calvin seemed to have lost some of his lightheartedness, and Sloane wondered what could have caused it. Cael was chatting with Rosa and Letty while Ash seemed to be lost in thought.

Sloane’s own thoughts started edging toward Ash working with the Coalition. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Dex, but something had to be going on there. There were a lot of things Ash could be accused of, but a traitor working for the Coalition? Whatever he was mixed up in, Sloane hoped they got to the bottom of it before Ash found himself so deep there was nothing Sloane could do for him.

The BearCat pulled up to a pizzeria at the intersection of Old Fulton Street and Front Street with the area having been secured by Recon before Defense Agents arrived. There were tactical vehicles and flashing lights everywhere. Additional teams from Unit Alpha had their Defense agents posted around the taped-off area making sure no one got in. Just outside the restaurant was the forensics tent. That could only mean one thing. Sloane and Dex slipped inside the tent and found Hudson and Nina crouched over a zipped-up black body bag. There were bloodstains where all the blood had pooled covering the sidewalk.

Hudson took hold of the zipper, pausing to look from Sloane to Dex. “I hope you lads had a light breakfast.” He unzipped the bag, and Dex turned away, his fist to his mouth to keep himself from throwing up.

“Jesus.” Sloane nodded, and Hudson quickly zipped the bag back up. “Where’s the rest of him?” Nina pointed over to a second black bag.

Fucking hell. The guy had been shredded beyond recognition with his lower body having been torn off. It was clearly the work of more than one feral Therian and, from the looks of it, two large Felids. His thoughts immediately went to the tiger Therian and cougar Therian hunting with the Coalition the day they’d found Cristo.

“Any ID?” Sloane asked.

“We’ll have to wait for dental records to come in. There was no wallet or personal belongings found among the remains.”

“Witnesses?”

Nina’s frown deepened. “If there were, no one’s come forward. Recon’s working on it.”

The CSAs mounted the body bags onto a gurney, and they all headed out of the tent. A familiar white-and-blue van rolled up to the scene, and Hudson groaned.

“Bloody hell. Here we go. Nina, let’s get this body out of here right away.”

“Got it.”

“Fucking reporters.” Sloane tapped his earpiece. “Sarge. Press is here.”