-1-

He’d been drugged.

The wine.

Of course, the wine.

Colfax Winthrop drags a fingernail down Haley’s bare back and the sensation sends a warmth through his tightly coiled body. Haley shifts his body as much as he can, but he’s trapped in Colfax’s lap—blinded and gagged, his wrists bound behind his back and ankles chained to the table with weighted chains.

Colfax had never drugged him with an aphrodisiac like this before, but tonight was different.

Colfax had  brought a guest  to Control and he was using Haley to put on a show because, if nothing else, Colfax Winthrop was a little psychopath.

When they first met, nearly a year and half ago, Haley was surprised how young Police Commissioner Wintrhop's son and special assistant was. Colfax was only 20-years-old and, much like Haley, the boyish features of someone much younger. At first even Haley had been fooled by his looks, thinking Colfax would be apprehensive or nervous, but Colfax had the sureness of someone who had never faced consequences. He was so confident in his perversions and desires that Haley wondered if someone innocent had suffered at the hands of his cruelty.

And then there was that one thing about Colfax.

Colfax Winthrop looked so much like Harlow Haley—the bastard brother he probably didn’t even know he had. The resemblance made it easier when Colfax wanted him to fight back, but other times he had to look everywhere but in his watery dark eyes.

Getting information had proved easier than Haley had thought—Colfax liked to take more drugs than his body could handle and when he would pass out Haley would go through his Syndicate and send the information he could to Minnow Dory.

She found most of the information he found to be unusable, but when he’d found the date of a surprise raid at Mojave Blade Company headquarters he’d made a $10,000 bonus.

Haley was blinded  but he was sure Colfax’s guest  was older. He had to be a co-worker in the Justice Office, maybe even a rank and file justice officer. He was sure Colfax had no friends.

 The two men were on their second bottle of Hotel Rose Noir wine while Colfax chain smoked, blowing smoke on Haley's neck. Haley tried to listen to  their conversation for any usable information but the drugs were clouding his mind and he was easily distracted by Colfax’s erection pressing into his lower back.

“Fuck, I—I—I really shouldn’t be here,” Colfax’s guest says for the 5^th time that hour.

Colfax snarls. “Stop being a pussy. You asked me to bring you.” 

Colfax rakes his hand through Haley’s hair and his spine straightens.

“Is that Clarity on the bar ?,” Colfax’s guest asks apprehensively. “Can you just take it or--”

“You have to pay, but yes,” Colfax says curtly. “Do you want something?”

Haley feels a strange hand on his cheek, this one rough, shaking with little tremors and likely belonging to Colfax’s guest.  Thanks to whatever drug Colfax had slipped him the touch feels good and  Haley lets out an involuntary grunt. The man slides his hand down Haley’s neck, chest and bare stomach but stops just above his navel before pulling away.

“You sure he can’t see me ?,” the man asks. “What is he reports us to internal affairs ?,”

“He can’t see you,” Colfax spits in a frustrated tone. “ But who cares if he could ? I’ve been coming here for months. Do you see internal affairs breathing down my back ? Do you want to do  the Clarity or not ? I’ll join you."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Haley can’t see anything beneath the eye blind but the man must shake his head or mouth no because Colfax makes an annoyed sound.

“Fine. You told me  you wanted to get into something fucked up, I’m not answering stupid questions all weekend. If this is too much just go back to your fucking wife,” Colfax says.

“I did—I mean—I’m just not into….what about those girls ?” his companion says quietly. “I think they may be more my speed.”

Haley suspects he is talking about the McQuillan triplets, who always ate meals together at this time dressed in identical mini skirts and nothing else.

“You can talk to them, but they won’t do anything else unless you pay,” Colfax says, kissing the side of Haley’s face.

This kiss undid him, Haley moans underneath his gag again, his body shifting against Colfax’s.

“You want my hard cock in your cunt ?,” Colfax whispers loudly, lighting up a new cigarette.

“You drugged me, asshole,” Haley tries to say through his gag but it comes out as nonsense beneath the gag so he only also nods his head, playing the part he knows Colfax wanted.

Colfax slides back the chair, and uses the small slack in Haley’s chains to bend him over the table.

“Dude, what the hell ?,” his friends says suddenly. “You can’t do that out here.”

“I can do whatever I want. I warned you I wasn’t going to tone down tonight.” Colfax sneers, letting the stray ash from is cigarette drip on to Haley’s back.

Colfax was one of his many clients that got off on having an audience. Haley had never got used to it. He imagined everyone in the room was staring at them—reading and gawking at the taboo tattoos that made him seem less like a person and more like an object.

 “Come on man, I don’t need to see that,” his colleague says.

“Then go talk to those three blondes,” Colfax says. “But first give me your gun.”

“Why ?,”

“Just give it to me.”

“I can’t, it's against protocol--”

“How about I call your  stupid wife and tell her where we are tonight ?”

Haley shivers because of how much the drug is making him feel but also because he  knows what Colfax wants to do with the gun. He can hear Colfax’s Guest unhooking his weapon when suddenly Haley's chains, eye blind and gag release their hold on him and fall away--freeing him.

For a split second Haley gets a glimpse of Colfax’s Guest, a uniformed Justice Office with a name tag that reads Lawson.

Then the club goes completely dark and three short tones play over the speakers. When the lights come back up Lawson makes a sudden, spastic  run for the exit but the door is locked.

The escorts all stay frozen in place, while the clients look on confused. Most of them upset to have their fun interrupted.

The escorts knew what the three tones meant; there was about to be an emergency shut down. It had only happened once before--when a Virtue escort had been found murdered  in her room.

 “Hello dear patrons,” Charlotte’s clipped voice comes through the intercom. “Unfortunately, Control is now closed. All rates will be reimbursed and rescheduled with three free drink tokens/ All patrons will need to please exit the premises immediately. All escorts should head back to their rooms. Thank you.”

“Did you just hit a fucking panic button ?,” Colfax suddenly accuses him.

“No--”

Colfax slams Haley's head against the table.

“You’re such a pussy,” Colfax spits and despite himself Haley shoves him. Colfax liked to fight and some days so did he.

"You have to go," Haley says.

Instead Colfax grabs a fistful of his hair and drags him across the emptying room, Haley tries to fight back as Colfax forces him to his knees in the middle of the now empty bar. The escorts  had  all followed orders quickly and cleared out, retreating back to their rooms for further instruction.

“I'm not doing this. You have to leave,” Haley says. “ I think something bad happen--,”

“You fucking little bitch, all this because you didn’t want to be fucked ? It’s your job.” Colfax sneers, pressing the burning end of his cigarette into Haley’s side. “I didn’t pay to drink with Lawson all night.”

When Charlotte comes down the steps seconds later and sees Haley with Colfax she gives Haley the cold stare that he  knew meant ‘he shouldn’t be in here, get him out’—before disappearing down the hall.

“Please.You have to go,” Haley says.

“You’re going to really fucking make this up to me next time,” Colfax says walking out.

 Haley stays on his knees until he hears the door close behind Colfax.

 “You should have been in your room--,” Charlotte snaps, clacking back into the room.

“I know but Colfax--”

“Just cover your tattoos and get upstairs. Right now,” she says in a clipped voice.

She looks slightly distressed and Haley obeys, quickly  going to his room and changing clothes and joining the procession of Control staff going up the four flight of stairs and into Virtue. Haley stayed silent but listened as the rest of the Control escorts in line murmured about what they thought was happening.

Haley wasn’t used to seeing the Control escorts like this, all together in one line and in the daylight.  He finds a place in line between two men who worked in the cold room at the end of the hallway that Haley decidedly ignored  and  Hana, the woman with  engorged breast he’d seen on the first day. 

None of this was normal. Even when the Virtue escort had been murdered the Control staff hadn’t been allowed upstairs in Virtue. Haley wonders if something had happened to Jean—but  when he gets upstairs he sees the man sitting in  the middle of a large circle of  chairs that held Virtue escorts—who reminded Haley of Isla’s old doll collection when they were all sitting together, knees together, hands clasped in front.

Jean was slumped in his armchair and when Charlotte whispered something to him, he strokes her face. s She says a few words  and kisses her quickly on the lips. Charlotte frowned—he hardly ever did anything but yell at her. She takes her place standing behind him, her head bowed.

The Control staff were lead to a row of mismatched chairs behind the circle of Virtue escorts and once they last person sits, Jean stands.

“Alright, children let’s get this over with.” Jean Dory smiles, slapping his palms together and standing. “We are closing down the club for a while because Rayne Washington’s funeral will be in a few days.”

A few exchange shocked looks and one Virtue escort makes a saltire on her chest but no one says anything.

A braver soul, a red-headed Virtue escort, raises her hand.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dory—when did Mr. Washington die ?,” the girl asks.  Haley knew she’d been sent to Rayne’s house a few times a week in the last few months.

“He hasn’t. Not yet. That’s what the funeral is for,” Jean laughs. “Washington’s and their traditions. Anyway as far as you all are concerned he’s gone. As you know my godson…well,  all you need to know is that I will be too busy to keep this place running as it should. Charlotte will contact you when we re-open. Oh, and some of you will be working the funeral afterparty so prepare your sad faces. That is all.”

As the Virtue escorts retreat back upstairs to their rooms, Jean stops and talks to a few, brushing away anyone else’s attempt at condolences. Once they have cleared the room, the Control staff head back down and  Jean  stops Haley with a light touch on his shoulder.

“You can ride with us to the funeral,” Jean tells him.

“I don’t think I should go--”

“Rayne trusted you—he added you to the list of poor idiots who get to watch him die.”

“Jean, I’m sorry for your loss--,” Haley says suddenly, remembering himself.

“No, you’re not.  I’m not even that sorry.” Jean smiles. “But this is going to be some heavy shit for Rias and I need a good fuck and bender before I deal with that shit.”

Shaking his head Jean saunters upstairs.

“Charlotte !,” He calls and she exchanges a sympathetic looks with Haley before following Jean upstairs.

 

***

- 2-

The day of the funeral Haley is surprised by just how ordinary Jean Dory’s home residence looks. 

Treasure Island was a four story building, hidden deep in the Sprawl without even an elevator. Haley jogs up to the second floor and knocks on the door to Jean’s unit. A camera in the door  blinks on  as the doors unlock and slides open.

Jean’s home wasn’t  anywhere near as opulent as his suite at Virtue.

Haley is struck by plainness.

And  the mess.

The papered walls of the living room are lined with oversized storage containers overflowing with clothes, at least two dozen mismatched blankets were piled on the couch and the large dining room table was stacked with hundreds of paperback books. The open kitchen looked clean, but every counter was neatly lined with gadgets and grocery delivery boxes stacked two deep.

“Up here !,” a familiar voice calls from upstairs.

Haley takes the steps and follows the voice into a  modest sized bedroom crowded with more overflowing storage boxes of clothes and paperback books and a wall  stacked with unopened sex toys.

On the neatly made bed sits Charlotte. She’s wearing a black dress made up of layers of a thin gauzy material, secured at the waste with a gold belt and black heeled boots. Her dark hair is pulled into a tight bun and resting on the bed next to her  is a rose shaped  fascinator  with a short veil.

She’s swiping across several tablets that are laying in front her-- arranging schedules. When she sees Haley  she rolls her eyes towards the attached bathroom where Haley can hear a shower running.

“Charlotte !,” Jean barks, swinging open the attached bathroom door and emerging from the bathroom in a long black robe. Jean Dory looks different to Haley with his wet hair  and soft stubble on his cheek. He looked older.

“Where the fuck is my aftershave ?”

Jean Dory rubs the dark shadow around his face and Haley can’t help but to think it is a good look for him.

“I don’t know--,” Charlotte begins

“There it is!,”  he says picking up a green glass bottle from a large pile of bottles on what was probably a nightstand. “I swear, Haley. She is so god damn useless sometimes.”

He disappears back in the bathroom slamming the door. Seeing nowhere to sit, Haley leans against the doorframe.

“He’s not taking any of this as well as he thinks he is,” Charlotte explains, not looking up from her tablets.

“Did you stay here last night ?,” Haley asks.

“Of course I did,” she says. “I live here.”

Haley had always wondered about about she and Jean’s relationship, she wasn’t as conventionally attractive as the other women Jean spent time with and he always seemed to treat her much more poorly than he did anyone else despite all the work she did.

“Oh..I…I guess I didn’t realize you were together,” Haley says quickly.

Charlotte looks at him and frowns and Haley wonders if he’s gone too far.

 “That’s disgusting, you know Jean’s my Dad.”

Haley can feel his face growing red and she just laughs. He’d never seen her laugh.

“I’m sorry--”

“You didn’t know ?” she asks

“I—no one mentioned it--”

“Yeah, they never do. They all kind of assume everyone knows everything.”

Jean emerges from the bathroom, the stubble gone, and his gaze goes right to Charlotte.

“What’s so funny ? You know we’re all about to go watch a man die ?”

“All this time and Haley didn’t know we were related,” she explains.

At this Jean’s amused gaze lingers on Haley.

“I--I—guess I assumed because she calls you by your first name,” Haley tries to explain.

“Yes, well having a 19-year-old daughter reminds people of how damn old you are,” Jean says advancing on Haley and cupping his chin. “And the only people calling me Daddy are cute little ingénues like yourself when  they’re are begging to swallow my cock.”

He says the last part in a low whisper but Charlotte rolls her eyes and makes an audible groan. Jean turns to her quickly,  opens his arms dramatically and  jumps to sit next to her on the bed—causing her tablets to shuffle on top of each other.

“Oh, don’t be so upset,” Jean says dramatically, kissing her forehead and nuzzling her cheek with his nose while she grimaces. “Daddy loves you too, my love.”

“I’m not upset. We’re just going to be late--”

Jean wraps his arm over her shoulder and forces her head into the crook of his shoulder and turns to Haley.

“You see in my early days of working I  didn’t know what I was doing and unbeknownst to me I wasn’t as careful as I should have been,” Jean explains. “After Charlotte got out of the cute baby phase her mother got tired of her and abandoned  her at a police station. They ran DNA test to find her father and since I’m not in the system she ended up at my parents door and my mother promptly brought her to me as a sweet little bundle of I-fucking-told-you-so.”

“Jean we have to--,” Charlotte says impatiently, projecting an image of the time.

“I was going to give up my parental rights too and let the government have her,” Jean continued. “But you know how Sara is about how hard it is to be a ward of the state." Haley didn't know how she was about that but notes. "I admit I was pissed at the time to be suddenly stuck with a bratty little girl, but in the end Sara was right.”

Jean turns and  pulls Charlotte into a tight hug against his wet chest, she looks annoyed, but eventually leans into the hug and he let’s her go.

“Is there anything else I should already know ?,” Haley asks hesitantly.

Jean picks up Charlotte’s fascinator from the bed and begins to lovingly pin it to her head.

 “Hmm….Well, there’s the whole Rias-was-kidnapped-as-a-baby thing but of course you know all about that,” Jean says around the hat pins in his mouth. “The only other one is that  Alan Gray being a bio-android made by his mad scientist mother in an secret illegal Tempus project.”

“Wait--”

“Oh, and Luce’s father tried to take Luce with him in a  murder-suicide---fuck, you know what ? That one may have been a need to know. Don’t tell Luce it will crush him--”

“We’re late,” Charlotte cuts in as they fight over adjusting her hat.

“What are you in a rush for, darling ?,” Jean asks sprawling out on the bed. “I was there the last time this Washington style murder-funeral things happened. Sara and I were new to the cartel then and let me tell you it was fucking barbaric. I mean Mr. Washington, Rayne’s father, was  gone, completely brain dead at that point but Rayne couldn’t pull the damn trigger. His knee’s buckled. The man wept. Wept. ”

“I think Rias can do it,” Charlotte says quietly.

“Of course you do. I’m sure you’d love to trade places with him wouldn’t you ? Put a bullet in my head to shut me up, darling ?,” Jeans smiles like he is joking but his words sound venomous.

Charlotte casts her eyes back to her tablet and Jean heads back into the bathroom, slamming the door.

“I can’t imagine being raised by him--,” Haley starts but she cuts him off with a sigh.

“Don’t do that. Don’t pity me. He’s selfish, he’s told me as much my whole life,” she says. “I went to Akrham when I was eleven so that made it easier and I’ve had some normal role models. But since he’s so disconnected I don’t think he can function without me anymore. Especially since Minnie’s so busy with Rayne—well, with Rias now I guess. We’re dysfunctional, but it works. Don’t judge.”

She moves the schedules in silence, working and occasionally yelling back and forth with Jean about appointments and clients  until he comes out of the bathroom, in a well fitted charcoal gray suit, his hair cut close to his head and styled conservatively.

“Let’s get this over with,” Jean says putting an arm around Haley and Charlotte and heading for the door.

***

Haley had never been to a cartel funeral before and he is shocked by every moment of this one. Rayne’s brain had been gone a while and his body was only functioning because of the machines--Rias doesn’t cry or show much emotion as he lays a bullet into his father’s skull.

Once they are outside of the mausoleum, Jean tosses his suit jacket to Charlotte, kisses Haley on the mouth and pulls out a flask.  

“Dibs on the Maybach, motherfuckers !,” Jean Dory shouts, taking a long sip and then turning to high five someone.

Haley spots Luce standing in guard mode by his family’s Escalade and slips quietly away from Jean. Luce’s eyes are alert and his hand is casually on his weapon as he scans the crowd. When Luce spots him walking over he gives him a quick half smile.

 “Luce, I’m so sorry about--”

“Don’t do that,” Luce cuts him off. “Mourning is over, it’s time to move the fuck on.”

Haley nods unsure of what to say next.

“You know you could have told me Charlotte was Jean’s daughter.”

“What did you think they were ?”

“I thought she was just his employee and they were…,” he trails off.

Luce smiles and lets out a shot laugh.

“Are you coming to the wake?," Luce asks. "It’s more party than wake…I gotta get Ma and Ri there,”

Haley nods and turns to leave and Luce takes his hand, he holds it for barely a second before letting their fingers fall.

 

***

-3-

Jean Dory only manages to get drunker as the night goes on and doesn’t let go of Haley throughout the entire wake. It’s only once it’s gotten past midnight, when  Jean spots a pair of long legged Virtue escorts sitting at the bar together, that he disappears into the guest room upstairs with them.

The party had been going on for nearly six hours and the penthouse had mostly cleared out, despite all of Jean’s introductions Haley doesn’t know anyone else left at the wake--except for Alan Gray who lay unconscious in the middle of the living room rug with hearts drawn all over his face in dark pink lipstick.

Haley paces the room slowly until he  spots Minnow Dory, sitting alone on the lushly decorated balcony. She’s barefoot, reclined in a chair  and drinking out of a coffee mug while looking out over the balcony into the Mojave desert landscape.

Haley cautiously slides open the balcony door to join her.

Minnow turns around defensively, but her face softens into a  careful smile when she sees him. She turns back to look at the landscape, bringing the coffee mug to her lips.

 “Let me guess. You want to talk about the Maxwell hit ?,” she says sipping what smelled like strong hot tea.

“No. Of course not.” Haley says, closing the screen door and sitting on an ottoman in the corner.

“Why not ?,” She says, her voice hitching. “ All these years. It’s all you ever ask about. It’s normal. I need fucking normal right now.”

“I think I lost my ride back to the Sprawl. Again.” He had to stop getting rides from Jean.

“Feel free to cuddle up on the floor next to Alan,” she says throwing a glance to where he was still sprawled on the  floor. Haley notices the color of the  hearts drawn on Alan's face match the pink smeared all over her coffee mug rim.

“I was going to see if I could find Charlotte-,” he says.

“Don’t. That poor girl is already always worried to death about her idiot father. I hope she’s out having some fun right now. It seems to be our burden sometime… you know ? To keep the boys in line. It’s fucking exhausting. Look who I’m talking to…Of course you don’t know.”

“Is Jean okay ?,” Haley asks. “Is there anything I can do to help him ?”

“He’s just not good with serious shit, he’ll get unbelievably shitfaced, almost kill himself, throw a tantrum or something and then he’ll be back…look, I’m sorry about this Maxwell hit and how Rayne and I never got to it….But it’s complicated, you know ? Even more so now.”

He didn’t know why is was more complicated but he nods.

“Rias will still uphold Rayne’s promise to me, right ? I know he’ll need time to adjust but maybe within the year ?”

She sets her mugs down, purses her full lips and shakes her head.

“Rias isn’t so hot on us being killers-for-hire. He’s sensitive," she says. "Almost too fucking sensitive but he makes a good point. Plus, Maxwell’s too high profile now , it could be a mess--”

Haley feels a sudden rage he didn’t know he had building up in him. Everything he’d done had been about making sure Maxwell didn’t get the life he always wanted. And as bad as he would feel for Maxwell’s new family when it happened he couldn’t give up on what he wanted.

“No,” Haley snaps, trying to swallow some of his sudden anger. Trying to ignore how red his vision had gotten. “You promised me--”

 “My promises don’t mean anything,” she balks.  “Fuck, is Maxwell even worth it ? You grew up poor, right ? You have a shit ton of money in the bank now. You can have anything you want now. And besides if we killed Maxwell he’d just end up a martyr.”

 “You promised me, Minnow,” he reminds her. “Rias listens to you. You have to tell him to do this one--”

“I don’t have to fucking do anything,” she snaps.

“I don't understand. I let your brother use my body, I took on Colfax as a client for you and sent everything I found, I’ve done every single thing you asked.” he reminder her, his voice rising with each word.

 “Don't yell at me. Look, I’m just talking and I’m clearly drunk,” she grumbles. “We can talk about this with Rias in a more appropriate setting, okay ? Just fucking drop it and treat me like a grieving human and not your magical mother god fairy or whatever the fuck.”

Noticing just how glassy-eyed she was for the first time Haley nods, letting his anger simmer underneath his skin as he patiently listens to her ramble for nearly an hour. She talks about her fears for the future now that Rayne was gone, she fills the night with them until she falls asleep. Haley pulls the still full tea cup out of her hand and his hand hovers over his Syndicate.

It was late.

The last train would be gone. He could call Luce and stay the night in the penthouse, he’d done it a few times before and Luce’s presence in bed with him always felt indulgent.

But it was also confusing.

Their nights were usually silent and painstakingly platonic but the last time he’d stayed over they’d both woken up early and pretended not to notice  each other as they masturbated. Haley couldn’t remember who has started it, but it was weeks ago and they still hadn’t talked about it.

Deciding that he’s better off not bothering the Banner/Grace/Washington family today he slips out of the loft and orders a car to the Sprawl.

***

It costs him $800.00, the most money he’d spent in years, to get back to the Sprawl in  private car.

Since the club was still closed he goes through the brilliant front doors of Virtue instead of the dark back alley entrance of Control.  All of the Virtue escorts had happily gone on extravagant vacations or back to their expensive homes so the club was quiet. He takes his time, walking around the opulent club he wasn’t allowed in during operation hours. 

He thinks about how strange it had seemed the first day he’d walked in.

He heads for the back of Virtue and down to Control, conflicted about how familiar it felt to be down there—how it felt like home. His step falters when he sees Hana standing behind the bar in a thin green floral sundress, carefully looking through the liquor bottles.

Most of the Control staff didn’t live at the club like he did. Most had found other temporary gigs or went to their homes. Haley had stayed in his room for the past two days, assuming he’d been alone in the club.

Haley walks past the bar, intent on ignoring Hana like he ignored everyone but she had other plans.

“You’re back. Will you have some cookies with me ?,” she asks, turning towards him, filling a glass with seltzer water from the bar's spigots.

His eyes focus on her face, on her pretty big green eyes, as he coached himself not to look at  where  her nipples were straining against the thin material of the dress.

Haley wants to say no to her,   to be more like Luce and just walk away but the way she worded it made it seem like she was waiting for company.

“Okay,” he says and then quickly adds. “But I’m kind of tired.”

And that was the truth. The funeral had started at 11AM and he’d been up all night.

Her smile brightens and he follows her down the hall. Hana’s room was as the end of the hall, near the cold rooms Haley didn’t like to think about.

He'd never seen her room, or any of the other rooms in Control. Hers was far larger than is own,  a cozy studio apartment,  complete with a mini kitchen. It looked like something out of a fairytale, with a white wrought iron canopy bed, a large padded easy chair, floor length drapery, enormous fresh flowers and soft colors.

Against the far wall, half of a whitewashed table juts from the wall with two matching bistro chair, the bottoms covered in a floral seat cushion. She motions for him to sit in one of the bistro chairs and he does as she patters to the tiny kitchen and  carefully pulls square shaped cookies out of a glass cookie jar and on to a tray with a tiny set of tongs.

The room smelled sweet and clean and he felt like he could fall asleep on any surface of it.

“Tell me. How was the funeral ?,” she asks placing the plate of cookies in front of him.

Again, he wishes he was Luce. Who would ask why she the hell she suddenly wanted to talk to him after spending years only exchanging pleasantries.

But instead he politely picks a cookie off the tray and she smiles, before picking one up herself.

Hana was the only person who had ever been remotely nice to him in Control, though she was nice to everyone. She was the only person in Contol who was always in a good mood, sometimes she sat at the bar and just chatted with anyone but sitting with her now made him want to crawl out of his skin. He wasn’t used to interacting with people like this.

“The funeral was awful,” he says, biting down on the cookie. It tasted lemon-y and sweet “But short. I don’t think Mr. Dory is taking it well.”

“He never takes anything serious well. Remember poor Ella ?,”

He nodded. Ella was the Virtue escort who’d been murdered last year by her client. Later, Luce had told him she was killed over an old grudge between the Mjollner and Shy Cartel and she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Escorts from both Control and Virtue got scared and quit and Jean got so mad he had cut everyone’s rate for a weekend and threatened to fire everyone if anyone else left.

In  the silence Haley absently goes to bite the cookie but it’s gone.

“Oh, please have another,” she beams. “There one of my great Uncle’s many recipes. My ex used to love them but I hardly get anyone to bake for these days. Not that I get the time. It’s usually so busy around here for me.”

He hated that he liked the cookies and he hated that he didn’t know  exactly what was in them.

“You know I’m glad we get this chance to talk alone,” she says. “I’ve always thought we should work together.”

“Why ?”

She absently rubs her fingers through her hair, while he’d never known exactly what services she offered   she was always seeing clients, sometimes multiple at one time and always had a smile on her face.  Her clients loved her, they’d hug her when they left or bring her gifts for no reason

“Because we’re such opposites,” she says. “I see how it is between you and your clients. They’re so cruel and ugly."

“I can take it...“I’ve had worse.”

“Well, in all my time here no one’s ever been cruel to me,” she continues. “You see clients  come to your for pain and mine come to  me for my comfort—we’re opposites. If my clients treated my like yours did I'm not sure I would last and you look like you need a change of pace. Work with me and you may learn something new about yourself.”

 “I don’t want to learn anything,” he says. “I don't need anyone to be nice to me as long as they pay.Everything I let them do has a price…I’m only here for the money.”

 “I’ve noticed,” she said. “I’m here because lots of people have a  breast fetish and I'm not conventionally beautiful enough to be upstairs. Being here gives me freedom to give clients whatever they want, no matter how unconventional and we both get pleasure out of it. It's a dream job, sure but I also like money. It buys me nice things. We could make a recording and split the profit. How much do you want to make ?”

He shakes his head and begins to tell her he’s not interested when a tear escapes his eye.

“What’s wrong ?,” she asks reaching across the table to wipe his eye.

The small gesture opens the floodgate and hot, tears of frustration slide down his face.

“Sorry,” he apologizes. “I don’t know why I’m--It’s just so complicated.”

“Yes you do. Tell me," she says pushing her chair next to his.

"I don't think I'm allowed--"

"Sure you can. I've been here forever. I've seen a lot. Maybe I can make it better."

She was treating him like a client. She slowly brings his head to her  shoulder and  he lets it fall. She runs her hand gently through his hair and the sensation is odd to him.

“You can’t make it better.”

“Try me,” she says.

“I’ve been working here to pay to have someone assassinated,” he says and it feels like a confession. “But now they won’t do it so I guess I don't need money anymore.”

Her hand stills. He expects her to be shocked, to  push him away, but she only brings him closer.

***

He wakes up the next day like a dream, in Hana’s bed with no memory of what happened after he confessed to her about the assassination. Hana's on the opposite side of him, her hand soothingly rubbing his arm as she quietly read one of Jean’s paper books. He sits up violently and it takes him a moment to catch up where he is.

“Did I blackout?,” he asks. He'd gotten caught up at the wake and had more drinks than he'd had in his life.

“You did. After talking to me about Maxwell for a few hours, ” she said. "I can see why you want him assassinated now."

"I talked about him for hours ?,"

"You repeated yourself, alot," she smiled.

He shakes his head, unable to shake loose a memory of what he’d said last night. He'd never told anyone about what happened with Maxwell, not even Isla or Luce. Isla hadn't asked and Luce didn't need a reason once Haley said he wanted Maxwell dead.

“I need to leave,” he says turning to the door.

“Can I ask you a question ?” she calls.

He turns to her.

“I don’t know much about illegal business," she says. "But….have you ever considered just…doing the hit yourself ?,”

“I can’t,” he says and walks out the door.

But the idea turns in his head, turning and morphing until at the end of the month he takes a day off and walks into a firearm dealers.

***

- 4 -

He'd decided on the Grand Federation Day Parade because he could mix with the crowd after it was done.

Haley hadn’t meant to sleep at the Luce’s the night before.

He'd come by in the afternoon and wanted to tell Luce his plan but Twyla was at the house with Pretty Boy, the Shy Cartel tattoo artist. When Luce  and Twyla left to give his brother his medicine, he said he’d only be gone an hour and that hour turned into 7 hours. And after all that Haley didn’t want interrupt the normalcy of the night. He decided he wanted Luce to remember their final night together as it had always been.  

He’d meant to go to the Federation Day parade with Luce’s precision rifle and kill Maxwell on their float but then he’d overheard Rias say Major Lansing Prescott was the speaker at the MBC Family Brunch.  It felt like a sign from God.

If he really wanted to ruin Maxwell's life he should take out his husband first.

Haley had saved the tie Maxwell had first bound him up with in Camp Harmony. He'd used it for a number of things over the years but on the day of Maxwell’s death he winds the fabric around his hair.

----

He’d meant to walk right up to the podium at the MBC brunch and kill Major Lansing Prescott, his finger itched to pull the trigger but at the last minute he doubted their love. What if their marriage was fake and Lansing Prescott meant nothing to Maxwell ?

He’d meant to turn the gun  on Maxwell but then he saw the scared children and  the true fear in Maxwell's eyes and he thought

What if ?

The children could be his ultimate payment.

Then his bullet missed.

He’d only had one shot to make it all worth it and he’d missed.

He's accepted that he'd fucked up his life forever and part of him is glad he didn't have a dead child on his conscience too.

He’d never meant for Twyla to pick up the gun.

Or for Luce to try and save him from his punishment.

----

“I never meant for you to save me or any of this,--” he tells Luce when they are upstairs in the Shy cartel safehouse.

They'd managed to escape captivity  from the Federation and he and Twyla Banner had been alone in the safehouse for weeks now. Haley knew when Luce burst through the gates of the safehouse by himself and ordered Twyla out of the  bedroom that it wasn’t with good news.

“Shut up, we don’t have time for that,” Luce says quickly. “Minnie made a deal with MBC and Maxwell’s campaign--”

“Campaign ?”

“Yeah, the asshole is running for president. He just announced. It’s all good though. Maxwell’s agreed to let this all go. It's going to be okay but my little brother still has to show how big his balls are. He’s going to punish you for going against his wishes. He’d probably going to cut off a finger but he might do something worse--”

“Like what--”

“I don’t know… but just in case I can’t do this later I thought I’d do it now--”

“W-“

Luce takes Haley's chin lightly, tilting it upwards slightly and then gently presses their lips together.

The peck only last a moment and Haley breaks away. There is a beat of silence as they sit on the bed, staring at each other. Haley's lip quirks and Luce dips his head, devouring Haley's mouth in his own. The kiss was hungry and Haley feels it in every nerve ending of is body. All of the things he did as part of his routine at Control suddenly felt natural as he straddled Luce’s lap, their clothed bodies rubbing together as the kiss deepened. 

Luce’s broad hand is under Haley's shirt, his fingers trailing his stomach and Haley is about to tug down Luce’s jacket when the door downstairs slams open and the recognizable banter of the Dorys and Alan Gray fills the downstairs

They pull away from each other slowly, adjusting their clothes.

“Rias is going to be down there,” Luce says, his voice breathy and his hand still running through Haley's hair.“If you want him to go easy on you act like you’re really apologetic and sorry that this happened.”

“I am. I really am.” Haley tells him and Luce seems surprised.

Haley quietly accepts his punishment and agrees to pay back the money the cartel lent to Maxwell's campaign. He doesn't  break eye contact as Zacharias Washington cuts his middle finger clean off. The initial shock lasts only 24 hours and then it leaves him numb.

When he returns to Control, Hana sends him messages, apologizing and leaving cookies as if any of it were her fault.

He should have succeed, he should have just killed Maxwell but he over thought it and took everyone down with him.

He writes a message to her, detailing what happened but leaves the rest of Control to whisper about where he’d disappeared to for the last few weeks.

- 5 -

“Hiding from me since your little bitch move ?” Colfax greets Haley at the bar in Control when they see each other again.

It takes Haley a moment to remember the last time he'd seen Colfax had been the days before Rayne died, when the club shut down. That had been months ago but he'd been putting off Colfax on purpose. He didn't want to deal with him but tonight seemed as good of a night as ever to see him.

“You’re so self centered,” Haley says. “I told you, that had nothing to do with you. Someone died--”

Colfax’s fist finds his jaw quickly. The impact behind the hit was weak, but it's what Haley needed to get him riled up.

“You must have a death wish, today. You can’t fucking talk to me like that,” Colfax spits. “Get your ass over the table.”

Haley cuts his eyes up to look at Colfax but instead of bending over the table he steps on to it's surface and sinks to his knees. He reaches his hand out slowly, taking Colfax’s full beer bottle and bringing it to his own lips. The expensive beer goes down cool but it  tastes awful. Still, Haley finishes it and tosses the empty bottle on the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with you ? You know you're supposed to be a good little bitch and obey me--"

"Make me,” Haley challenges.

Before Colfax can hit him again, Haley puts his hand around Colfax's neck and  kisses him,  biting down on Colfax's lower lips until he draws blood. Colfax makes a small sound of pain but instead of backing down he grabs a handful of Haley's  hair and brings him closer, forcing them into a bruising kiss that tasted like alcohol tinged with the coppery taste of blood.

"You're finally going to listen to me now, bitch ?," Colfax grunts against him.

"No," Haley whispers, grabbing a handful of Colfax's short brown hair and pulling. "Break me."

Haley could sense they were getting an audience and even though his lips were swollen and sore  he refused to back away. Colfax tears at Haley's his shirt as his hands roughly grope all over his body and settle between his legs.

“You're horny today. I’m going to fuck you pretty little ass out her for everyone to see,” Colfax seethes against his lips. “They’re going to see your little erection and hear the sounds you make as you come on my dick--,”

“That’s a lot for you to do in 15 seconds,” Haley says, shoving Colfax away from him.

Colfax’s entire face  goes red with rage and partially with confusion over Haley not following protocol. His hand shoots out and closes around Haley's neck, cutting of his oxygen.

"Do you want me to fucking kill you today ? Is that it ?"

Haley has a response on his tongue but he can't get it out with Colfax cutting off his air supply, he scratches at Colfax's hand--he didn't want to pass out just yet.

His feet disappear beneath him as Colfax picks him  up, and carries him roughly across the room, and throws him on top of the smooth wooden bar. His world goes silent for a moment when his head bounces off the wooden bar. 

Haley can feel every eye in the bar on them as Colfax hoists himself on the bar as well. Haley had purposely worn a long shirt and no pants, making it easy for Colfax to pull his underwear off and  use it to tie his wrist before forcing his his knees back.

Haley's eyes wander, he surveys the bar, his eyes gliding over Colfax, the other clients and escorts in the bar until   he’s making eye contact with the man sitting at table just behind them. The man who had to duck under the door frame when he'd come in moments earlier and  who now sat with his shirt unbuttoned to reveal a chest tattoo that was done by the same hand that had done Haley's.

Only his was of a curling snake, a cover up job for the RLA symbol that once marked him.

The End(ish)

---

A/N

So,  up next is "Glassdoor" which is a Maxwell POV thing...I know this is the last thing some of you wanted and I never thought I'd write but it just kind  of came out of me. It's going to take place after Haley's assassination attempt....also I may actually keep the name Glassdoor.

Virtue was kind of this weird thing that was rolling in my head and it's so weird that it's all done now. I think I'm going to feel that way about everything I post from now on because it's all just these small scene ideas that roll around in my head and I kind of try and squish into the timeline. For Virtue, I originally just wanted to explore a little bit about what Haley did at Jean's brothel, I had the scene between Luce and Haley when they have lunch at the brothel but then stuff just kept coming up.