Untouchable (LGBT - SciFi - Romance)

Chapter 31

Captain Lang sat opposite Martinez, watching as he seated himself and fiddled with the com unit. He was black haired and olive skinned, but there all resemblance to the Master ended. Martinez was only medium height, considerably less than two metres, his shiny black hair brushed back from a wide forehead, heavy black brows over deep brown eyes, a long straight nose and beautifully curved lips... What the hell was he thinking? Since when had he ever noticed men's lips? He changed position on the chair and tried to concentrate on his story. This was serious, his career, his freedom even, were at stake. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

"So, how long have you known Mario Rossi?" asked Martinez, once he was settled. Robin Lang looked as if he had aged ten years since he last saw him. His dark blond hair was cut short in an old fashioned military style and he appeared to have lost weight. His body now seemed thinner and tight with tension, rather than the well-muscled fitness he had displayed before.

"Who?" Lang was genuinely puzzled.

"Mario Rossi, the man whose body was found at the Sahara."

"Aah. I wouldn't exactly say I knew him, I certainly didn't know his name." Lang hesitated, he didn't want to tell Martinez anything about their history but he could see he wasn't buying the story that they'd met for the first time that night.

"But he knew you," Martinez stated politely, but firmly. He paused but the other man was silent, waiting for him to continue. "Perhaps I should mention that we found your name in the com unit in his apartment. On a list."

"A list?" Lang moistened his lips.

"Along with six other men. So, how long had you known him?"

"As I said, I didn't know him, but ..."

"But?"

"We had contact, off and on for the last two years."

"Contact? What sort of contact?" pressed Martinez.

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry."

Martinez raised his brows. "Captain Lang?"

"Sorry, I know I should, but I can't." Lang was adamant, his face pale and tense.

"Ah." Martinez thought he finally understood. "Those other six men, all of you hold significant positions of power in business or public office. Was it blackmail? Were you being blackmailed, Captain?"

Lang let out a deep breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "No." Martinez waited patiently. "Not then. That came later, a couple of days before Max was kidnapped."

"How did they contact you? Do you know who it was?"

Lang was already shaking his head. "It was anonymous. One of those disposable wristcoms was delivered to my house in a package. There was enough information on it to convince me the threat was real, and a demand that I 'lose' the evidence against a minor criminal. No-one important, obviously a softener to lure me in. A test. I refused and the next day Max was kidnapped."

"Do you still have the wristcom?" Martinez asked, already suspecting the answer.

"No. I put it straight in the disposal unit." Lang replied. "I didn't want anyone else to see it."

Martinez gave him a wry look.

"I know. I know what I should have done, preserved the evidence, but ... I guess I'm no different to anyone else being blackmailed. I just wanted to get rid of it, make it go away." He gave Martinez a twisted smile. "I can give you the name of the criminal involved, you can check that I didn't do anything to her records, but - that's not going to help is it?" he realised. "I could give you anyone's name. There's no proof now of anything I just said."

Robin Lang was at the station for another few hours, going over the events of the night in question, when he had killed Rossi. Eventually Martinez got to his feet. "You're free to go for the moment, Captain Lang, but I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to remain on Capella until further notice. I'm sure Colonel Young, or whoever he puts in charge of this case, will want to see you personally."

"Colonel Young?" Lang's heart sank even further if that were possible.

"Once I discovered this case involves men on at least three planets and two star systems, I had no choice but to refer it on to headquarters." The look he gave him was not unsympathetic. "I'm sorry." But he didn't offer to shake hands.

"I understand, Captain." Robin Lang held himself together until he reached his hotel room. Then he made himself take a shower, changed into an olive green singlesuit, strapped a miniature stunner to the inside of both ankles and went to find Max.

XXX

Max Lang peered through the crowd of men already filling the All Stars. He spotted Lee sitting at a small table with two drinks in front of him, fending off the advances of a man who looked old enough to be his father. Lee looked hot in an emerald green shirt, open to his waist. No wonder he was attracting attention, Max would have made a pass at him himself if he hadn't already been his date. He tried to tear his eyes away from the smooth brown skin, the ripple of abs, the glimpse of a dark nipple as Lee twisted around to search the crowd. His face lit up as he saw Max, coming towards him as fast as he could without actually knocking anyone over in the process. Lee adjusted the shirt slightly as if he had only just realised it was gaping open and smiled at Max. "Hi."

"Uh, hi!" Max wondered if he dared reach over and kiss him. This was their first date, he tried to look into his eyes instead of at his chest. Lee took the decision out of his hands, leaning forward to kiss him on the mouth. He sat back, smiling. "So how was your day?"

His lips tasted of brandy and Max wanted to kiss him again, tongue to tongue this time. He took a sip of his drink instead. He frowned, "A bit weird, actually. Dad came to see me, he said he had to make some sort of statement to Captain Martinez, but I think he just wanted to check up on me. Check that I was okay after the kidnapping, you know?"

Lee nodded.

"He's not normally very demonstrative, at least not since I grew up, but this time he told me at least three times that he loved me. Even gave me a sort of manly hug. Weird, huh?"

"He was probably just glad to see you were okay," Lee suggested. "He must have been worried about you."

"Probably," Max agreed, only half convinced. Perhaps he'd go and see him tomorrow, check that everything was all right. He put his father to the back of his mind and concentrated on Lee.