"I'm home." Justin called as he entered the house an hour later. "In here." Hunter called from the living room. He was sitting in front of the TV eating chips. "You're going to spoil your appetite." Justin admonished. "I'm 17, I could eat a nine course meal and still eat seconds at dinner." Hunter said sarcastically. "Anybody call?" "Yeah, that tutor guy Brian hired. Said he wouldn't be here until ten Monday." "His name is Martin, Hunter." Justin said kicking Hunter's feet off the coffee table. "He's a nice guy. Kinda reminds me of Ben." "I don’t know if I like him." Hunter said. "What's not to like?" "He's tough on me." "That's cause he knows you're capable." Justin said dismissively. "Even though you try to make it appear as if English is your second language half the time." "Hey." "What? I've heard you. And, the way you smart mouth him." "He gets on my nerves." Hunter said angrily. "He always answers my questions with fucking a question. It's annoying." "Makes you figure things out for yourself." Justin offered. "That's how you learn." "Whatever." Hunter said standing up. He wrapped up the chip bag and headed into the kitchen. Justin shook his head and followed him. "Uncle Bri?" John called as he came in the front door. "Justin? Hunter?" "In here." Justin called. Hunter set the chips on top of the refrigerator and then opened the door. Justin closed the fridge door and gave Hunter a stern look as if to say, stop. Hunter just rolled his eyes and sat down at the counter. "What's up?" "Look at this." He handed a sheet of paper to Justin. "It's the paper I wrote for social studies. I got an A+." "That's great." Justin said with a smile. "Yeah, great." Hunter said unenthusiastically. "Anyway, I get to read it at a assembly next Tuesday." John said proudly. "And, I'll receive a certificate of merit from the school." "Terrific." Justin said smiling. "Do we get to come?" "Yeah." John said then looked at Hunter. "You can come, too, Hunter." "Great." Hunter drawled unexcitedly. "Stop it." He said nudging Hunter in the ribs. "What time Tuesday?" "One o'clock." John said. "The whole 8th grade is gonna be there." "Well, we'll be there." Justin said. "No doubt. And, your Uncle wouldn’t miss it for the world." "What wouldn't I miss?" Brian said. "When'd you get here?" Justin said turning to greet his lover. He moved over and kissed him on the lips. "Your nephew is going to read his A+ paper at an assembly next week and we get to go." "Which paper is that?" "Social studies." John confirmed. "Me and two other kids got the highest scores in the whole grade." "That's pretty cool, Sporto." He turned to Justin. "I'm going to go change. What's for dinner?" "Beef with noodles." Justin called after him. "Speaking of noodles." Justin said and hurried in to add the egg noodles to the beef concoction he'd put in the slow cooker that morning. "That's pretty cool, dude." Hunter said to John after Brian and Justin were out of earshot. "Thanks." John said pleased with the older boy's praise. "So, are you going to come to the assembly?" "Yeah, I think I can fit into my social calendar." Hunter smiled at John's over zealous 'thanks' shaking his head before heading in to the kitchen to help Justin if he needed it. -- "And, here it is." Lindsay explained to Justin as she pointed out an area of the gallery near the front entrance where one of his paintings now hung. "This is great, Linds, but what about the other artists." Justin asked. "I mean I told you not to show me any preferential treatment." "I'm not." Lindsay countered. "Sidney was the one who told me that your work should be shown prominence. Guess he knows genius when he sees it, too." "Really." Justin said not completely believing the blond. "Of course." Lindsay said. "You can't not know just how amazing your work is, Justin." Justin shrugged. "Well, trust me. Your work is fantastic. It always has been." "Thanks." Justin said smiling shyly. Just then the phone rang. "I'll be right back." Lindsay said disappearing into the back office. Justin turned around to admire his painting hanging where the whole world would see it. He smiled brightly then his gaze locked with Brandon's who was standing just to the right of him. Justin's smile faded and he glanced toward the door to the office wondering when Lindsay would return. Brandon moved in behind Justin crowding him. "Yes, fantastic work, Sunshine." Brandon whispered very close to Justin ear. Justin stepped away angrily. "Don't call me that." He snapped. Brandon smiled condescendingly. "And, such intensity for someone so fresh and young." Brandon continued ignoring Justin's comment. He smiled a predatory smile and moved closer to Justin. "Leave me alone." Justin said through clenched teeth. "Can't do that, Sunshine." Brandon said purposely using the nickname to keep Justin flustered. "What do you want?" "I told you what I want." Brandon said casually. "And, I always get what I want." "Not this time." Justin said. "Stay away from me." He warned as he walked toward the back office hoping that the other man wouldn't follow. Just as he got there, Lindsay walked out surprising him. "Justin." Lindsay said startled. "I need to head over to the printers to pick up the last of the posters. Want to go with?" "Sure." Justin said relieved not be left alone with Brandon. Brandon sighed and continued to stare at Justin's painting. -- Justin was only half listening as Lindsay babbled on about the show. He had looked behind them several times just to be sure that Brandon wasn't following them. He hadn't seen the other blond, but he wasn't completely convinced that Brandon wouldn't pop out somewhere along the way. ". . . as you are now?" Justin caught the last few words of what Lindsay had to say and then realized that she was looking at him oddly. "Are you even listening to me?" She asked looking back the way they'd come wondering what Justin was looking at. "What?" Justin asked. "I'm, I'm so sorry, Lindsay. What did you say?" "I asked you if you were going to be as distracted at the show as you are now?" She said looking back the way they came once more. "Who are you looking for?" "No one." Justin said trying to sound nonchalant. "It's nothing." "Who was that young man looking at your painting at the gallery?" Lindsay asked. "He was kinda hot." "He's just a guy." Lindsay looked at him expectantly. "It's nothing, really." Lindsay pursed her lips but then let it slide. "Well, I hope these posters are right this time, -." She launched into another enthusiastic discussion about the show when Justin saw Brandon standing on the corner ahead of them watching him the predatory smile still on his face. -- Brian picked up his cell phone and looked at the call ID before answering. Justin. He thought with a small thrill. He'd been thinking of the blond all morning. "Hey, Sunshine." Brian said smiling. "Wanna be my lunch?" "Hey, how did you know I was going to ask you to go to lunch?" Justin teased. "Well, it’s nearly noon and a growing boy has to eat." Brian said with a bad southern drawl. "Can you meet me at the diner?" "No, I'm swamped." Brian said shaking his head. "How about I call in an order at the sandwich shop around the corner and you pick it up. Then, when you get here, I can pick you up." He added seductively. "Sounds good." Justin agreed. "I want one of those tuna clubs like I had last time. That was awesome. And, one of those mango punch smoothies they make." "Tuna?" Brian asked teasingly. "Something you need to tell me, Justin?" "Very funny." Justin chuckled. "Just order the sandwich. I should be there in about 20 minutes." "See ya then." Justin felt better after just talking to Brian. He knew once he got to Kinnetik, he'd feel even better. He smiled to himself, stuffed his phone back in his jeans pocket, and quickened his step. He was actually looking forward to lunch now that his stomach not so tied up in knots. -- Brian's stomach rumbled. He looked up from his work and glanced at the clock on the wall. He frowned. It wasn't like Justin to be late without calling. He thought. His phone rang and picked it up smiling and answered it without looking at the ID. "Did you get lost or something?" He said smiling. "Mr. Kinney?" A female voice began. "Yes." "This is Theresa at Bill's Soup & Sandwich." She continued. "Did you forget you order, Sir?" "Forget? No. My partner should have been there to get it already." "No one's been here." She said. "Do you want us to deliver it?" "Uh, yeah, just drop it off at my assistant's desk." "Okay, Sir. Thank you." Brian disconnected the phone then called Justin's cell. It went directly to voice mail. Brian frowned. He dialed the house. "Yellow." Hunter answered. "Yellow, my ass." Brian grumped. "Is that how you answer the phone?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Is Justin home?" "Nope." "Has he called today?" "Uh-huh." "Well, have you seen him since breakfast?" "No." Hunter said dropping the PITA game when he realized Brian was concerned. "What's up?" "Justin was supposed to pick up our lunch and bring it here almost an hour ago." Brian explained. "He never showed at the sandwich shop and when I tried to call him, his phone went directly to voice mail." "I haven't seen him since he left this morning." Hunter said feeling like a jerk for playing around. "Fuck." Brian cursed. "Hunter, give Michael a call see if Justin stopped by the shop for some reason." "Okay." Hunter said concerned. "He's all right, right?" "Probably." Brian said. "I hope." Brian disconnected his phone once more and called Lindsay's number. He remembered that Justin had said something about meeting her to talk about the art show he was going to be apart of. The phone at her apartment rang several times before she answered. "Hello." She said out of breath. "Where the fuck were you?" "I was trying to run from the elevator to the door carrying groceries and holding your son's hand so I could answer the God damned phone." She shouted. "Sorry." Brian said. "Listen, did you meet with Justin today?" "Yes." Lindsay said. "He was excited about the show and where his painting is to be hung." "When did he leave?" "What?" Lindsay paused to think. "He and I went to the printer's down the street around quarter to twelve. He left from there." "Did he tell you where he was going?" "No." Lindsay said concern edging her voice. "Is something wrong?" "I don't know." Brian said unsure about anything at the particular point. "He called me around noon and was supposed to pick us up some lunch, but he never got to the sandwich place. They just called here." "What are you going to do?" Brian paused thinking. "I think I'm going to call Carl." "You don't think something has happened to him, do you?" "I don't know." Brian began. "But, it isn't like Justin to be this late without calling." "Should I call Debbie or Jennifer?" "Not yet." Brian said too quickly. "It might be nothing. Let me talk to Carl; check some other stuff out first." "Call me as soon as you hear from him." "I will." Brian disconnected his cell phone and picked up the office line. He dialed Carl's office number and waited. "Detective Horvath." "Carl, it's Brian." "Brian." Carl said. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?" "I need to talk to you. Professionally." "What's up?" "I'm not sure." Brian said sounding completely exasperated. "Justin called here around noon and was supposed to pick us up some lunch. He never got to the sandwich shop." "You think something's happened?" "I don't know." Brian said. He hated repeating that word over and over like this. "I do know that Justin would have called if he knew he was going to be late." "Which sandwich shop?" "Bill's Soup & Sandwich." Brian said. "It's right around the corner from Kinnetik. They called here to say that no one had picked up the order. When I tried Justin's cell number, I got his voice mail." "Hmm." Carl grunted. "Was he supposed to meet anyone?" "No, he had just met with Lindsay. She said he left shortly before he called me." "It's probably nothing, Brian." Carl said trying to allay Brian's obvious fears. "I'll talk to Lindsay, check around and let you know what I find." "Thanks." He hung up the phone and buzzed Cynthia. "Cynthia could you come in for a minute." "What's up, Boss?" Cynthia asked as she walked in the office carrying the bag from the sandwich shop. "Your lunch, I presume." "I don't want it." He began causing her to look at him strangely. "Look, clear my schedule for this afternoon. I need to go." "You okay?" "Family emergency." He said hurrying out the door ignoring the shocked look on her face and the obvious questions she would have. End chapter two.