Chapter 19
Keller kept his word. At least for one night. Archie and Jughead actually spent it in chains in a cell at the station, before being sent out on the streets to do cleaning. After that, he took pity on them and allowed them to go home at night, but he stayed firm on the rest, making sure they returned each morning to pick up their orange uniforms and resume their chores.
As for his son, he agreed that his guilt was lighter, but decided that he should be punished nonetheless.
"For the rest of the week, you'll accompany Luke on patrol. Maybe that way you'll get a taste for the job," he announced.
"Wait... you mean I'll be with Luke all day, in the car?" asked Kevin, disbelieved.
"That's right. Try not to get in his way".
Kevin restrained himself from pointing out that, in his eyes, this was more of a reward than a punishment. He'd had a crush on Luke since the first time he'd seen him, when his father had invited him to spend the night in the guest room, and he'd been desperately trying to figure out how to approach the handsome young cadet ever since.
And so the days went by. Luke picked up Kevin each morning, regularly checked that Jughead and Archie were doing their chores, and went about the other duties of a peace officer. His instructions were to stay out of the Southside and leave the gangs alone as long as they kept to themselves, which didn't leave him much else to do, as the city remained fairly calm.
From Luke's point of view, after the turmoil caused by Archie and Jughead, the following days brought a welcome calm. He'd contacted his Brotherhood superiors, who'd just instructed him to keep an eye on them while they finalized their plans for the two of them, and to continue learning more about their habits and the people of Riverdale.
It was convenient, since those were pretty much the Sheriff's orders, too. And when it came to gathering information, Kevin was quick to oblige. The teenager was talkative by nature, but he seemed totally determined to please Luke. His crush was all too obvious. So much so that Luke was beginning to feel embarrassed. The memory of Nick still haunted him; and besides, he remembered well that the Brotherhood forbade intimate relations with anyone other than its members. Which, incidentally, was part of the reason he'd tried to convert Nick.
Kevin covered him with attention. He answered all his questions, was always smiling, fetched his sandwich at lunchtime, even managed the radio. The boy always smiled and made sure he was always in touch. The first time his hand had brushed his thigh, Luke wondered if it had been an accident, but since it was happening at least twice a day, there was no doubt.
And to be honest, Luke wasn't insensitive.
He had reported the sheriff's son's interest to the Brotherhood, but the Elders had advised him to play along and get as much information out of him as possible. By which they meant no real romance.
On day 3, he spilled some of his soda on his blue uniform shirt while driving. Kevin rushed over to dab his shirt with a tissue. He ended up dabbing his chest, practically straddling him. Luke had to gently push him away so he wouldn't notice his growing erection. But he couldn't stop Kevin's gaze from landing on his crotch…
On day 4, Kevin decided to take action.
“Say Luke, do you have a girlfriend?†he asked, ingenuously.
Luke was sipping coffee and nearly choked.
“You okay?â€, Kevin asked him, now worried.
“Yeah yeah it’s fine!†he answered, coughing.
Kevin remained silent but kept looking at him, obviously waiting for an answer.
“I… I’m not that much interested in girlsâ€, Luke finally replied. He felt a warmth rise to his cheeks. He probably could have nipped this relationship in the bud right then, but he didn't feel like lying to Kevin. Nor did he want to pretend to be someone he wasn't.
"Oh?" Kevin's smile widened. “A boyfriend then?â€
Nick's image immediately caught Luke's eye, filling him with sadness. Kevin must have noticed, because his smile weakened.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something…?â€
"It's okay, it's just... I had a friend. His name was Nick. I guess you could say I had a crush on him." Luke started.
“Had?â€
"I've never been able to confess my feelings to him. He was my best friend, we knew each other since childhood, we grew up together, and I think... If he didn't share my feelings, I would have lost his friendship. I never said anything to him, and now he's... gone."
Luke's voice cracked. Although he'd skirted the end of the story, he realized that he was sincere about it, and that he needed to confide in someone outside the Brotherhood. Dave had comforted him once Nick's 'erasure' had been decided, but this wasn't the same.
As he felt a tear roll down his cheek in spite of himself, Kevin took her hands between his.
"I'm so sorry," he told him softly. "I didn't mean to..."
"Don't worry, it'll be okay," Luke replied. He wiped his cheek and forced himself to regain composure. "I've grieved and it's past history now. I don't know why I'm getting emotional like this again. And so, to answer your question... no, I don't have a boyfriend right now," he finished, smiling at Kevin.
Kevin returned the smile, but didn't insist for the rest of the day.
The next day went off without a hitch. Kevin was attentive, as usual, but not excessively so.
But that evening, as he parked along a street that ran alongside Fox forest and was about to send the teenager back to his father, Kevin grabbed his hand and practically pulled him out of the car. Surprised, Luke didn't resist and let himself be dragged along a small path that went deep into the forest.
"I'd like to show you a place," Kevin told him, by way of explanation. "You'll like it," he smiled and winked at him.
"Okay," Luke replied, smiling back.
Kevin never let go of his hand. “Your gloves are so soft! You really like them, don’t you?†he asked appreciatively.
"Yeah, I like keeping my hands clean. There are plenty of opportunities to get dirty or hurt in this business, as you've noticed. Last week, I ran after Mrs. Muggs' cat for an hour."
"I hope I can still see the hands underneath," Kevin replied with a wink.
Luke replied with a smile. He liked his gloves, which were at once tight, supple and resistant, but he couldn't dwell on the subject any further since they were supplied to him by the Brotherhood. Although not a commandment as such, the Brotherhood strongly encouraged every Brother to wear them, as well as their combat boots. They symbolized that their actions were guided by the Master's hand, not their own will... and more pragmatically, they helped avoid leaving fingerprints behind when they had to act in the shadows.
Fortunately, these hand and footwears were perfectly compatible with his police outfit.
After another minute's walk, they reached the shore of a small pond. Kevin began to remove his clothes, first his jacket, then his shirt, revealing a more muscular torso than Luke would have expected.
"Uh, Kevin... I'm not sure...", Luke stammered, seeing perfectly where his young companion
was heading.
"I assure you, the water here is very good," he told him, removing his shoes. "Come take a dip with me. There's nothing like it for relaxing!"
“I… didn’t take my swimsuit!†Luke replied with an apologetic smile.
Kevin giggled. “I don’t think you’ll need itâ€, he said while removing his trousers, then his boxer shorts, revealing his full nudity.
Immediately afterwards, he dived headfirst into the pond and re-emerged a few moments later. Apparently, he knew this area well, and the water seemed deeper than one might expect.
"Come on, the water's fine!" he called.
Luke's resistance vanished. Without further thought, he unbuckled his belt, then hastily removed his shirt and boots. While in his boxers, he hesitated for a moment to remove his gloves, but made up his mind when Kevin called to him once more. He was about to dive in when Kevin stopped him with a gesture.
"Walking around in soaking wet underpants isn't pleasant. You might even ruin your uniform pants," he said with a mischievous grin.
"Kevin, I see where you're going with this, but it's not reasonable," Luke almost moaned. "If your father could see us..."
"No reason for him to know," Kevin decided. "Besides, he knows perfectly well that I'm gay. Like everyone else, for that matter!"
Luke hesitated a moment longer.
"You know, I can see you want to, just the same," he told him, glancing down at the obvious bulge in his boxers. "Like the other day when you spilled your coffee..."
The argument overcame the young man's last resistance. He stripped off the last of his underwear and dove into the water. It was colder than he thought. When he came up shivering, Kevin took him in his arms.
"Here, let me warm you up a little," Kevin said, hugging him. His body was pressed against his; Luke could feel Kevin's erection against his waist, and he had no way of hiding his own arousal. His breathing quickened, and he felt a rush of warmth, despite the cold water.
“Kevin, I-mmp?â€
He couldn't finish his sentence; Kevin pressed his lips to his and began to kiss him passionately, his hand caressing and holding his neck. Luke returned the kiss, their tongues intertwining.
They finally broke the kiss, and looked into each other's eyes. Luke felt his heart race as his member hardened further. Kevin kicked the water back against him and whispered in his ear:
“Let’s do it!â€.
Luke gave up all resistance and didn't hesitate any longer.
The two young men surrendered to each other. Thinking of nothing else, they made passionate love.
Their embrace was accompanied by some rather loud splashing. As they orgasmed in each other's arms, they were completely unaware of the dark eyes watching them from behind the bushes.
***
An hour later, Luke parked in front of his house and walked to the door of his studio. He still couldn't believe it. Making love with Kevin had been one of the most intense experiences of his life. But now that he was no longer in his company, he was plagued by doubts. How would he face the future? Was Kevin seriously considering a relationship with him?
He would have to deny it. The Brotherhood would never approve. And besides, he'd broken an important rule tonight.
There was no point in them finding out. He would have to find a way to mention Kevin in his reports without arousing too much suspicion.
Luke felt a vague uneasiness - almost the beginnings of nausea - at the thought of hiding something from the Grand Master. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice that his front door was unlocked.
So he was taken completely by surprise when he had barely taken three steps as an arm was wrapped tightly around his chest and a thick, wet pad was placed over his face.
Out of reflex, Luke tried to pull away the arm that was pressing the rag over his mouth and nose, but his assailant had a secure grip and he couldn't budge it an inch, especially as his right arm was immobilized by his grip.
The smell wafting from the pad was chemical, strong and sickening, vaguely sweet. Luke knew it all too well.
Someone was trying to chloroform him.
Luke remembered his own kidnapping. Sam and Dean had already chloroformed him twice, and at the time he didn't know what to do. He'd wasted time and energy struggling or moaning, but now he knew from his training that this only accelerated the effects of the drug.
He held his breath and tried to think. He'd gain a few seconds, but he knew that once he would start breathing in the chloroform, his fate would be sealed in less than a minute. And his attacker was clearly a professional. Besides...
Luke glanced at the glove holding the rag to his face. This glove... wouldn't it be?
"Breathe, Luke! I've got you good and I won't let go!"
DAVE!
But why was Dave attacking him?
The answer was obvious.
They already knew!
Luke let out a groan, quickly muffled by the stinking pad. He stirred in Dave's embrace. He had to explain, justify himself...
His thoughts were interrupted by a whiff of chloroform that burned his lungs and made his head spin.
“Pmmnphm, Nnfm, mmph mm mghpmnnn...!â€
"Take it easy, take it easy," Dave told him in a soothing voice. "You know you can't fight it. Just take a deep breath and it'll be over in no time!"
There was a hint of amusement, or even pleasure, in his voice. Luke remembered that Dave, like many in the Brotherhood, liked to feel in a position of power and to dominate a prey. But no one put themselves in the place of the prey...
Luke had to take another breath and realized that Dave was right and it was all over. His eyes began to water and his ears to ring, proof that the chloroform was now taking effect.
"That's right. Good boy!" Dave commented mischievously, as he felt Luke slump against him.
“mmmphhâ€.
The room began to sway around Luke, and he felt his legs begin to give way beneath him. He would probably have stumbled, if Dave hadn't held him up.
He decided to shorten his ordeal and voluntarily took a deep breath into the rag.
His brain fogged up, and his vision blurred. Another breath, and he could barely keep his eyes open. He lay motionless and limp in Dave's arms.
A final breath, and his last connection to the conscious world was severed.
He was now unconscious, chloroformed in his mentor's arms.
Luke emerged slowly. His head was heavy, his eyes dry. He slowly realized that he wasn't in bed, that he wasn't even lying down... in fact, he was sitting on a chair.
How had he gotten there?
It was only when, after a moment's daze, he tried to stand up that he realized he was completely immobilized.
He was suddenly aware of his predicament. His arms were pulled back, his wrists firmly bound by a sturdy rope tightly drawn over his gloves. His ankles were similarly bound above his boots; several strands tied horizontally were tightened by a perpendicular strand. Several more rounds of rope linked his torso and thighs to the chair's frame. And when he tried to raise his arms, he discovered that his wrists were bound to his ankles by a final rope, placing him in a kind of seated hogtie.
“MMhnph phhm...?†he started.
Instead of an incredulous exclamation, he only managed to produce an unintelligible gurgle. Only then did he realize that his mouth was stuffed with some kind of silicone bulge. More importantly, he was unable even to move his lips. A leather panel was firmly affixed to them. Luke shook his head and also felt straps all over his face, running from his gag, meeting above his nose, and going all the way around his skull, all the way under his chin. His jaws were also completely locked.
Luke had never experienced it himself, but he recognized the gag from having seen it applied to the Winchester brothers.
He'd been muzzled!
Even for Brotherhood, this was no ordinary gag. It was only applied when a prisoner was totally prevented from expressing himself. A simple gag, even an effective one, could let a few intelligible sound bites slip through. Not a muzzle.
Applied to a Brother, it was a disciplinary measure, to deprive him of the right to speak before the Grand Master's decision.
"What a disappointment!" said a deep voice behind him.
"mmmh!"
Luke struggled in his bonds, but didn't move an inch. He tried to turn his head, to meet Dave's gaze, to try and beg. But he remained standing behind him.
"There's no point in trying. I have no reason to take that gag away from you. Firstly, I saw you perfectly well in the pond, and there's no doubt about your guilt. Secondly, I've already reported to Elder Peter, and I'm only waiting for him to give me the go-ahead to take you back to the Temple. And thirdly..."
Dave sighed.
"...I really trusted you. I spoke up for you when more experienced Brothers expressed doubts about sending you out so soon. I was just coming to tell you that the plan to convert the Red Paladin was almost finalized. Imagine my disappointment when I sought you out and caught you with that uninitiated..."
“mmmhâ€
A strong vibration was heard. Dave pulled a smartphone from his pocket and put it to his ear.
"Yes, Elder... Oh, Grand Master!" he replied, obviously surprised. He almost bowed, before realizing that only his prisoner could see him. "Yes, he's with me. I've neutralized him, tied him up and gagged him, in accordance with disciplinary protocol. I... talk to him? But Grand Master, I've gagged and muzzled him, even padlocked ... no, of course, I'll remove them right away!â€
Dave rushed over to Luke's muzzle, quickly unlocked the padlocks that were locking his straps and hastily undid them. He didn't do it gently; some tufts of Luke's hair were caught in them, and he nearly pulled some of them out.
Once the muzzle was off, he undid the single strap of the panel gag. The inner plug slid out of Luke's mouth with a sucking sound.
“Gah!â€, Luke exclaimed, his mouth now free.
“He wants to speak with you!†Dave hissed. “Watch your tongueâ€.
“Grand Master?†Luke asked, as Dave handed him the phone at face level, after switching on the speakerphone.
"Luke...," he said in a drawl, "I can't hide my disappointment. You know the rules though, don't you? I'd hate to think that you had the additional intention of lying to me or hiding things from me..."
"Grand Master, I'm... I'm sorry. I was instructed to get close to him, and I got carried away," Luke tried to plead.
"Unfortunately, rules are rules. Technically, you're good for the Oblivion Crate, and I'm even going to have to order that we kidnap this kid and sacrifice him. His disappearance should be easy to justify. A bad encounter in the woods, where he usually cruises..."
"Grand Master, it's not his fault, I..."
"Didn't you just say that he's the one who got you into this situation?"
Luke swallowed. Barely begun, his defense had already been broken through.
"This is all very boring. I had bet a lot on you, and this will delay our plans for the Red Paladin and the Hellcaster. However, this prophecy worries me. Maybe there's a way to... resolve this situation."
"I'll do anything you say, Grand Master," Luke replied quickly, sensing an opening.
"That, at least. Take this Kevin to the Temple, Luke. We'll try to convert him. Our research shows that if you can convince him to join us voluntarily, his chances of conversion will be increased. This will be an opportunity to test that theory and perhaps save him from ending up like your former boyfriend..."
Luke felt his stomach knot at this reference to Nick.
"It's the only reprieve I can offer you. Try to convince him to come voluntarily and maybe you'll be paired with a Brother. If you fail... Dave will bring him back anyway, and he'll be sacrificed right away. The same goes for you!"
He hung up on him. Dave put the phone down and looked at his prisoner, whose stomach was knotted with anguish at this unexpected development.
"I guess I'll have to untie you," Dave said, sounding almost disappointed. "I hope you realize how lucky you are. But believe me, I'll be keeping an eye on you..."
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Hope you can still keep up with the story. And hope you'll like that chapter, a little bit... steamier than usual 