Honeytrap - Chapter 2
Honeytrap - Chapter 2 of ?
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Adam/Kris
Summary: Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts - and buried feelings - to kick in.
Disclaimer: Pure fiction. I do not own anyone. I have researched some information on the spy game but not too much. Mostly based on TV shows.
Warnings: violence, dom/sub, sexual situations, dubious non-con, angst
A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
NOTE: I hope it’s not too confusing jumping back and forth between Adam and Timothy. They are the same person; just remember where Reggie is concerned, it’s ‘Timothy’, otherwise it’s ‘Adam’.
Masterlist - http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/93228.html
CHAPTER 2: THE TRAP IS SET
It took a month to get everything in place and to complete Adam’s physical transformation.
Reggie was very specific in his taste in boys. While he was in his fifties, he preferred men in their twenties … thirty-five tops. Adam was thirty-two so they decided to leave him at that age. The syndicate boss liked blondes, natural or not, so Adam dyed his black hair. Au naturale, Adam was a ginger so his light body hair somewhat matched the new hair. The older man liked his boys edgy but not too edgy. To meet these requirements, Adam pierced his nose with a small hoop and his earlobes and he had a bar pierced into the shell of his right ear. To finish the look, the young agent had a tattoo sleeve done. When he was a teen, Adam had wanted one but his parents wouldn’t authorize it. By the time he was old enough to decide for himself, he’d gone into the police academy and a tat sleeve was the last thing on his mind. Over the years, he’d gotten only one tat on his right hand. It said ‘Oofta’, a Norwegian term to express surprise, a souvenir from his longest relationship to date. His new wardrobe consisted on designer suits and accessories but he also had some special clothing set aside for honeytrap purposes. Reggie liked his men to wear make-up and Adam had no problem with that. During his teen years, he was a club kid, constantly painting his face outrageously and changing hair color like most people changed socks.
Back then he went crazy; this time it had to be tasteful.
To complete the transformation, Adam needed a new life. His cover was a single man and a successful freelance graphic designer, originally from Denver, Colorado. Adam had artistic ability so it was easy to pull that off even though it meant spending three weeks drawing and mounting his ‘work’ for display in his home. A portfolio of fake clients was created, all of them agents. He would work out of his house, a 20’s style bungalow in a quiet LA neighborhood.
By the time they were ready to put the operation into action, Agent Adam Lambert had faded away into temporary obscurity and Timothy Fairchild took his place.
While Adam was getting his part in this sting organized, Kris and his fellow agents were setting up Adam’s support team. Timothy Fairchild’s house was wired for sound and discreet video cameras were installed in every room but the bathroom. This was not only for Adam’s protection but to tape Reggie if their trap worked and he came to Timothy’s home. The support team set up shop in a house three doors down from Timothy and had security cameras overlooking the street. Kris and Matt would man it 24/7 while the rest of the team assisted and helped with outside operations.
For his own protection, as well as for more info, Adam himself would be wired. The bar piercing was actually a microphone, activated when he pressed the back of it. There was also a GPS component to it so they could keep constant track of him, even when the audio feature was off. Utilizing satellites, Adam could be heard within a 100 mile radius and physically located anywhere in the world.
Kris tried to think of this as any other sting operation but he couldn’t help dwelling on what Adam was going to do - seduce the kingpin. A honeytrap wasn’t a new concept to him but it was usually women seducing men. On occasion, a male agent seduced a female suspect but Kris had never heard of a male agent seducing another man. Any way you sliced it, Kris didn’t like it, no matter who was seducing whom.
Another group of agents had been tracking O’Dowd’s movements. They wanted to see what establishments he frequented in order to set up the chance meeting. During a briefing, it was agreed that O’Dowd had to seek Timothy out, not the other way around. This way, O’Dowd wouldn’t be suspicious of some guy trying to get close to him. Adam had reviewed the personal file on the target, memorizing his likes and dislikes, anything that could give him an edge and attract his interest.
This night Adam, Kris, and Ashley were sitting around the bungalow, trying to act normal in an abnormal situation. Ashely was watching TV, Adam was sitting on the couch trying not to chew on his newly manicured and painted fingernails, and Kris was running over all the details in his head. With everything in place, they were just awaiting word from a field agent that they had located Reggie O’Dowd out in public.
“The guy hasn’t been seen in public in four days,” Ashely sighed.
“Then he’s due to show up,” Adam replied, running a thumb over the gunmetal polish, “I forgot how funny this feel.”
“Did you use to paint your nails?” she asked.
“Oh yeah … I was a wild child Ash.”
“I find that hard to believe. You seem so … I don’t know … responsible now.”
“Old age will do that to a person,” Kris teased.
“Watch it buddy, we’re the same age.”
Kris’ phone rang and they all jumped.
“Hey, it’s Matt. O’Dowd has been located. He’s at an Irish pub with two associates. He just arrived so you better get your asses moving. Don’t know how long he’s going to hang around. I’m sending you the address.”
Kris got the address and sent it to Adam’s cell while Adam headed to the bathroom to check his look before going out. He wanted to be tempting but not trashy so he went with tight black jeans, pointed dark boots, a dark charcoal gray, long sleeve button-up shirt unbuttoned to the perfect spot on his chest, and a darker grey vest over that. His newly blond hair was short at the sides and high on top, the bangs dipping down a bit over his forehead. He checked his necklace, bracelets, and rings before touching up the black eyeliner that accentuated his smoky eyes and he finished with a bit of gloss to highlight his lip freckles.
Before leaving the bathroom, he pushed the back of his bar piercing.
“Testing. Do you hear me Matt?”
There was a brief pause then Kris called from the living room.
“Roger that.”
“Good,” he said into the unwired room, “I’m turning off until I reach the pub. I’m out.”
With that, he clicked the bar again.
“You’re disconnected,” Kris called out again.
“Adam, you’re beautiful. Get your ass out here!” Ashely yelled.
“Coming.”
The trio left Timothy’s house, locked up and headed to their cars. Kris and Ashley would arrive first, posing as a couple. They would seek out a spot to watch both O’Dowd and Adam. Kris had a phone earpiece that wouldn’t look out of place. When Adam activates his piercing, Kris would be able to eavesdrop on the conversation. Adam, a.k.a. Timothy, would arrive ten minutes later in his black mustang and would seek out the best spot to catch the kingpin’s eye. At first, Adam was concerned O’Dowd might frequent places Adam went to and he could be possibly recognized but as it turned out, the older man was more conservative and that wouldn’t be a problem.
~ xXx ~
When Kris and Ashley got to the pub, they found it fairly busy but there were good seats to be had. Looking around, the agents located their target and occupied a booth that gave them a clear view of him and his companions. Reggie O’Dowd was a large man, a few inches taller than Adam’s 6 foot 1 inch frame, and bulkier. Adam could still take the man down but part of this disguise was that Timothy was a ‘bottom’ so O’Dowd would feel a sense of control and hopefully be less suspicious of him. The three men were deep in conversation and O’Dowd didn’t seem to take notice of anything happening around him.
Adam would have his work cut out for him.
“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”
“I’ll have an iced tea and what do you want honey?”
Kris moved his attention to his ‘date’ and then the server.
“I’ll have a draft beer.”
The server left and Ashley glared at him.
“Do you think that was wise?”
“What?” he absentmindedly replied, eyes on the entrance.
“Having alcohol. You need a clear mind Kris.”
“One beer isn’t going to affect me. Besides, it looks more authentic one of us drinking liquor since we are in a bar … that and you can drive us back after.”
A tall figure appeared in the doorway and Kris snapped into agent mode. Adam looked around and spotted his friends - only acknowledging them with a sustained glance during which Kris tilted his head slightly in the direction of O’Dowd. Adam took his time looking around and spotted their target. A small round table with two chairs was within ten feet of O’Dowd’s table so Adam casually moved his way through the crowd and took a seat, making sure he was in the older man’s line of sight.
“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”
“Good evening,” Adam replied, his tone softening a little but his voice still strong, “Do you carry Midleton?”
“Yes we do.”
“Wonderful.”
Though Adam wasn’t a whiskey drinker, their research showed O’Dowd’s favorite drink was Midleton 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, a hard-to-come-by beverage from County Cork, O’Dowd’s birthplace. While he waited for his drink, he leaned back, crossed his long legs and looked around. He could hear the conversation at O’Dowd’s table but couldn’t make out what was being said over the noise of the other patrons. He kept his eyes to the other man’s table and waited. Adam’s whiskey was half gone by the time O’Dowd looked up and they made contact. Holding up his drink in a one-sided toast, Adam smiled and cocked an eyebrow. O’Dowd smiled back at him and then got distracted by the man beside him.
Shit, Adam was going to have to something less subtle to get his attention.
He tried to think but it was hard with the racket from the jukebox. He loved music but this wasn’t music, it was caterwauling. Adam was even more stumped when a cheer arose - maybe they were cheering because it was the end of the song. It took a moment but he finally caught on that the bar had a karaoke machine and some drunk was singing.
Maybe ….
Getting up, he approached the gal in charge of the entertainment and arranged to sing. Looking down the list of songs available, he came upon the perfect choice. O’Dowd was a huge fan of the Beatles and this one song had the right tone and perfect lyric to grab the older man’s attention.
The music started and so did Adam.
♫ I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And thought the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh …. ♫
The song started slow and contemplative. Adam kept his eyes on the lyrics for the first verse then raised his gaze for the second. O’Dowd was looking his way, interest on his face. Making eye contact and not letting go, the singer seductively declared:
♫ I want to tuuurrrrnnn … youuuuuu … onnnnn …. ♫
The music went from somewhat acoustic to psychedelic, growing in volume and intensity. Adam let the sexy feel of the music flow through him. Adam let his mouth go slack suggestively like he was being stroked and then he bite his bottom lip as if he was holding back a groan. O’Dowd didn’t stop looking at him. In fact, one of the associates tried to say something and the kingpin held a hand up in his face, effectively shutting him up.
The tone of the music lightened and so did Adam’s performance. He smiled and played the crowd, making sure to return his eyes to O’Dowd. The older man was smiling.
Kris and Ashely watched from their booth.
“Adam’s got him,” Ashley declared triumphantly.
“Let’s hope he keeps him,” Kris replied warily.
The song ended and the crowd roared. Adam tried to return to his table but the patrons demanded an encore. Over at his own table, O’Dowd was also applauding and calling out for an encore. In that case, Adam had the perfect song to land the big fish. No Irishman … or Irishwoman worth their salt … could resist this song. He told the gal beside him what he was going to sing next and when she moved to call up the musical accompaniment, Adam stopped her. He was going to sing acapella and as soon as the first three words left his mouth, the bar fell into silence.
♫ Oh Danny Boy …. ♫
You could have heard a pin drop until the second verse when slowly, the listeners joined in and became a chorus. Kris noticed O’Dowd was singing along and he hoped Adam had noticed too. He knew Adam had done musical theatre when he was a kid and teenager but he’d never heard him. With pipes like that, Adam could have become a world famous singer. Then again, if he had pursued music they never would have met and Kris wasn’t sure how his life would have turned out without his best friend.
♫ But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come … to … me …. ♫
Once again, the patrons erupted, many jumping to their feet. Kris and Ashley lost sight of O’Dowd and when people started sitting, they noticed O’Dowd’s table was empty. Damn it all to hell. There was no way Kris could let Adam know they’d lost their chance.
Adam slowly made his way to his table, manoeuver between people clapping him on the back and complimenting him. He was nearly at his table when he crashed into a brick wall … a brick wall that caught his upper arms in a vice grip as he lost his balance. Adam looked up and came face to face with the man of the hour.
“Thanks for catching me,” he smiled, regaining his balance.
Under the pretense of checking his hair, Adam activated the mic in his piercing. When Kris’ earpiece came to life he nearly knocked his beer over. The moment he heard the deeper voice, one kind of anxiety left and another took its place.
“No problem. May I join you?”
“Why not?”
The men sat down and the server appeared.
“I’d like to buy you a drink. What’s your poison?”
Adam smiled slyly, “Midleton.”
“Midleton Irish Whiskey?”
“Is there any other?”
“Not as far as I’m concerned. Two Midletons. You hungry?”
“No, no … I’m good.”
“That’s everything.”
The two men sized each other up. O’Dowd had dark red hair in a ponytail and wore a black on black on black monochromatic suit popular at the turn of the millennium. The server returned with their drinks and O’Dowd chugged his down. Adam noticed his hands were huge with lots of rings and manicured nails, an ironic visualization that the criminal tried not to get his hands dirty.
“You a singer?”
“No, just a hobby of sorts. I’m a graphic designer … freelance.”
O’Dowd reached out and took Adam’s hand, inspecting it.
“Not surprised. You have the hands of an artist.”
“Thank you Mr. … ummmm ….”
“Call me Reggie.”
“Thank you Reggie,” the young man smiled, “I’m Timothy.”
Reggie was still holding his hand, looking intently like he was reading a map.
“You’re not a natural blonde. Fine red hairs on your skin … and freckles. Do you have lots of freckles Timothy?”
Timothy curled his fingers around Reggie’s while licking his own bottom lip. Reggie must have noticed the freckles on his bottom lip and grinned.
“I have freckles everywhere.”
“Everywhere?”
“Every - where.”
“I wouldn’t mind confirming that,” Reggie said slowly.
Adam took his hand back and relaxed into his chair. The table was small and their legs were close together. Taking advantage of their proximity, Adam slowly rubbed his foot against the older man’s calf.
“I’m game.”
Kris listened intently while Ashley kept a visual check on them. The men shared small talk for about fifteen minutes. As anyone would ask when getting to know another, Adam asked Reggie what he did for a living. Of course, the older man didn’t cop to being a smuggler and criminal; all he said was that he was in the export/import business. Timothy said that sounded interesting and gently pried but couldn’t get any more out of him. Ashley touched Kris’ arm to get his attention. O’Dowd’s two associates were back and one of them was heading to Adam’s table.
Adam looked up and around quickly when another man joined them to whisper in Reggie’s ear. Reggie listened and nodded. The other man left and Reggie got to his feet.
“I’m sorry I have to cut this short but I have business to attend to.”
Adam extended his hand, “That’s too bad. It was nice to meet you Reggie.”
Reggie clasped his hand, “I was nice to meet you Timothy.”
Reggie released his grip but Adam held on.
“Can I call you sometime?” he asked casually.
Reggie thought for a moment and replied, “No … but I’d like to call you.”
Adam smiled and when he got his hand back, he reached into his pocket and handed over his business card. Reggie took it and looked it over.
“Fairchild,” he uttered (they hadn’t gotten around to last names yet), “you certainly are.” He pocked the card.
“I’m free tomorrow,” Adam joked.
Reggie laughed, “I’m not. How about Friday?”
“Friday’s good.”
“I’ll let you know when and where.”
With nothing more, Reggie turned and left. Adam relaxed and got the server’s attention, ordering a black coffee and something to eat before he attempted to drive home. Back at the booth, Ashley was on her phone checking in with Matt. Kris looked towards Adam, willing him to look back.
Adam felt the stare but didn’t dare look in case he was being watched. The coffee arrived and as he led the mug to his lips, he spoke loud enough for Kris to hear him: “Stop worrying … he’ll call.”
~ xXx ~
A Day in the Life by the Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53Dh-I0_m5Y
Danny Boy (acapella) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY2bujHpxFY
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Adam/Kris
Summary: Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts - and buried feelings - to kick in.
Disclaimer: Pure fiction. I do not own anyone. I have researched some information on the spy game but not too much. Mostly based on TV shows.
Warnings: violence, dom/sub, sexual situations, dubious non-con, angst
A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
NOTE: I hope it’s not too confusing jumping back and forth between Adam and Timothy. They are the same person; just remember where Reggie is concerned, it’s ‘Timothy’, otherwise it’s ‘Adam’.
Masterlist - http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/93228.html
CHAPTER 2: THE TRAP IS SET
It took a month to get everything in place and to complete Adam’s physical transformation.
Reggie was very specific in his taste in boys. While he was in his fifties, he preferred men in their twenties … thirty-five tops. Adam was thirty-two so they decided to leave him at that age. The syndicate boss liked blondes, natural or not, so Adam dyed his black hair. Au naturale, Adam was a ginger so his light body hair somewhat matched the new hair. The older man liked his boys edgy but not too edgy. To meet these requirements, Adam pierced his nose with a small hoop and his earlobes and he had a bar pierced into the shell of his right ear. To finish the look, the young agent had a tattoo sleeve done. When he was a teen, Adam had wanted one but his parents wouldn’t authorize it. By the time he was old enough to decide for himself, he’d gone into the police academy and a tat sleeve was the last thing on his mind. Over the years, he’d gotten only one tat on his right hand. It said ‘Oofta’, a Norwegian term to express surprise, a souvenir from his longest relationship to date. His new wardrobe consisted on designer suits and accessories but he also had some special clothing set aside for honeytrap purposes. Reggie liked his men to wear make-up and Adam had no problem with that. During his teen years, he was a club kid, constantly painting his face outrageously and changing hair color like most people changed socks.
Back then he went crazy; this time it had to be tasteful.
To complete the transformation, Adam needed a new life. His cover was a single man and a successful freelance graphic designer, originally from Denver, Colorado. Adam had artistic ability so it was easy to pull that off even though it meant spending three weeks drawing and mounting his ‘work’ for display in his home. A portfolio of fake clients was created, all of them agents. He would work out of his house, a 20’s style bungalow in a quiet LA neighborhood.
By the time they were ready to put the operation into action, Agent Adam Lambert had faded away into temporary obscurity and Timothy Fairchild took his place.
While Adam was getting his part in this sting organized, Kris and his fellow agents were setting up Adam’s support team. Timothy Fairchild’s house was wired for sound and discreet video cameras were installed in every room but the bathroom. This was not only for Adam’s protection but to tape Reggie if their trap worked and he came to Timothy’s home. The support team set up shop in a house three doors down from Timothy and had security cameras overlooking the street. Kris and Matt would man it 24/7 while the rest of the team assisted and helped with outside operations.
For his own protection, as well as for more info, Adam himself would be wired. The bar piercing was actually a microphone, activated when he pressed the back of it. There was also a GPS component to it so they could keep constant track of him, even when the audio feature was off. Utilizing satellites, Adam could be heard within a 100 mile radius and physically located anywhere in the world.
Kris tried to think of this as any other sting operation but he couldn’t help dwelling on what Adam was going to do - seduce the kingpin. A honeytrap wasn’t a new concept to him but it was usually women seducing men. On occasion, a male agent seduced a female suspect but Kris had never heard of a male agent seducing another man. Any way you sliced it, Kris didn’t like it, no matter who was seducing whom.
Another group of agents had been tracking O’Dowd’s movements. They wanted to see what establishments he frequented in order to set up the chance meeting. During a briefing, it was agreed that O’Dowd had to seek Timothy out, not the other way around. This way, O’Dowd wouldn’t be suspicious of some guy trying to get close to him. Adam had reviewed the personal file on the target, memorizing his likes and dislikes, anything that could give him an edge and attract his interest.
This night Adam, Kris, and Ashley were sitting around the bungalow, trying to act normal in an abnormal situation. Ashely was watching TV, Adam was sitting on the couch trying not to chew on his newly manicured and painted fingernails, and Kris was running over all the details in his head. With everything in place, they were just awaiting word from a field agent that they had located Reggie O’Dowd out in public.
“The guy hasn’t been seen in public in four days,” Ashely sighed.
“Then he’s due to show up,” Adam replied, running a thumb over the gunmetal polish, “I forgot how funny this feel.”
“Did you use to paint your nails?” she asked.
“Oh yeah … I was a wild child Ash.”
“I find that hard to believe. You seem so … I don’t know … responsible now.”
“Old age will do that to a person,” Kris teased.
“Watch it buddy, we’re the same age.”
Kris’ phone rang and they all jumped.
“Hey, it’s Matt. O’Dowd has been located. He’s at an Irish pub with two associates. He just arrived so you better get your asses moving. Don’t know how long he’s going to hang around. I’m sending you the address.”
Kris got the address and sent it to Adam’s cell while Adam headed to the bathroom to check his look before going out. He wanted to be tempting but not trashy so he went with tight black jeans, pointed dark boots, a dark charcoal gray, long sleeve button-up shirt unbuttoned to the perfect spot on his chest, and a darker grey vest over that. His newly blond hair was short at the sides and high on top, the bangs dipping down a bit over his forehead. He checked his necklace, bracelets, and rings before touching up the black eyeliner that accentuated his smoky eyes and he finished with a bit of gloss to highlight his lip freckles.
Before leaving the bathroom, he pushed the back of his bar piercing.
“Testing. Do you hear me Matt?”
There was a brief pause then Kris called from the living room.
“Roger that.”
“Good,” he said into the unwired room, “I’m turning off until I reach the pub. I’m out.”
With that, he clicked the bar again.
“You’re disconnected,” Kris called out again.
“Adam, you’re beautiful. Get your ass out here!” Ashely yelled.
“Coming.”
The trio left Timothy’s house, locked up and headed to their cars. Kris and Ashley would arrive first, posing as a couple. They would seek out a spot to watch both O’Dowd and Adam. Kris had a phone earpiece that wouldn’t look out of place. When Adam activates his piercing, Kris would be able to eavesdrop on the conversation. Adam, a.k.a. Timothy, would arrive ten minutes later in his black mustang and would seek out the best spot to catch the kingpin’s eye. At first, Adam was concerned O’Dowd might frequent places Adam went to and he could be possibly recognized but as it turned out, the older man was more conservative and that wouldn’t be a problem.
~ xXx ~
When Kris and Ashley got to the pub, they found it fairly busy but there were good seats to be had. Looking around, the agents located their target and occupied a booth that gave them a clear view of him and his companions. Reggie O’Dowd was a large man, a few inches taller than Adam’s 6 foot 1 inch frame, and bulkier. Adam could still take the man down but part of this disguise was that Timothy was a ‘bottom’ so O’Dowd would feel a sense of control and hopefully be less suspicious of him. The three men were deep in conversation and O’Dowd didn’t seem to take notice of anything happening around him.
Adam would have his work cut out for him.
“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”
“I’ll have an iced tea and what do you want honey?”
Kris moved his attention to his ‘date’ and then the server.
“I’ll have a draft beer.”
The server left and Ashley glared at him.
“Do you think that was wise?”
“What?” he absentmindedly replied, eyes on the entrance.
“Having alcohol. You need a clear mind Kris.”
“One beer isn’t going to affect me. Besides, it looks more authentic one of us drinking liquor since we are in a bar … that and you can drive us back after.”
A tall figure appeared in the doorway and Kris snapped into agent mode. Adam looked around and spotted his friends - only acknowledging them with a sustained glance during which Kris tilted his head slightly in the direction of O’Dowd. Adam took his time looking around and spotted their target. A small round table with two chairs was within ten feet of O’Dowd’s table so Adam casually moved his way through the crowd and took a seat, making sure he was in the older man’s line of sight.
“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”
“Good evening,” Adam replied, his tone softening a little but his voice still strong, “Do you carry Midleton?”
“Yes we do.”
“Wonderful.”
Though Adam wasn’t a whiskey drinker, their research showed O’Dowd’s favorite drink was Midleton 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, a hard-to-come-by beverage from County Cork, O’Dowd’s birthplace. While he waited for his drink, he leaned back, crossed his long legs and looked around. He could hear the conversation at O’Dowd’s table but couldn’t make out what was being said over the noise of the other patrons. He kept his eyes to the other man’s table and waited. Adam’s whiskey was half gone by the time O’Dowd looked up and they made contact. Holding up his drink in a one-sided toast, Adam smiled and cocked an eyebrow. O’Dowd smiled back at him and then got distracted by the man beside him.
Shit, Adam was going to have to something less subtle to get his attention.
He tried to think but it was hard with the racket from the jukebox. He loved music but this wasn’t music, it was caterwauling. Adam was even more stumped when a cheer arose - maybe they were cheering because it was the end of the song. It took a moment but he finally caught on that the bar had a karaoke machine and some drunk was singing.
Maybe ….
Getting up, he approached the gal in charge of the entertainment and arranged to sing. Looking down the list of songs available, he came upon the perfect choice. O’Dowd was a huge fan of the Beatles and this one song had the right tone and perfect lyric to grab the older man’s attention.
The music started and so did Adam.
♫ I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And thought the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh …. ♫
The song started slow and contemplative. Adam kept his eyes on the lyrics for the first verse then raised his gaze for the second. O’Dowd was looking his way, interest on his face. Making eye contact and not letting go, the singer seductively declared:
♫ I want to tuuurrrrnnn … youuuuuu … onnnnn …. ♫
The music went from somewhat acoustic to psychedelic, growing in volume and intensity. Adam let the sexy feel of the music flow through him. Adam let his mouth go slack suggestively like he was being stroked and then he bite his bottom lip as if he was holding back a groan. O’Dowd didn’t stop looking at him. In fact, one of the associates tried to say something and the kingpin held a hand up in his face, effectively shutting him up.
The tone of the music lightened and so did Adam’s performance. He smiled and played the crowd, making sure to return his eyes to O’Dowd. The older man was smiling.
Kris and Ashely watched from their booth.
“Adam’s got him,” Ashley declared triumphantly.
“Let’s hope he keeps him,” Kris replied warily.
The song ended and the crowd roared. Adam tried to return to his table but the patrons demanded an encore. Over at his own table, O’Dowd was also applauding and calling out for an encore. In that case, Adam had the perfect song to land the big fish. No Irishman … or Irishwoman worth their salt … could resist this song. He told the gal beside him what he was going to sing next and when she moved to call up the musical accompaniment, Adam stopped her. He was going to sing acapella and as soon as the first three words left his mouth, the bar fell into silence.
♫ Oh Danny Boy …. ♫
You could have heard a pin drop until the second verse when slowly, the listeners joined in and became a chorus. Kris noticed O’Dowd was singing along and he hoped Adam had noticed too. He knew Adam had done musical theatre when he was a kid and teenager but he’d never heard him. With pipes like that, Adam could have become a world famous singer. Then again, if he had pursued music they never would have met and Kris wasn’t sure how his life would have turned out without his best friend.
♫ But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come … to … me …. ♫
Once again, the patrons erupted, many jumping to their feet. Kris and Ashley lost sight of O’Dowd and when people started sitting, they noticed O’Dowd’s table was empty. Damn it all to hell. There was no way Kris could let Adam know they’d lost their chance.
Adam slowly made his way to his table, manoeuver between people clapping him on the back and complimenting him. He was nearly at his table when he crashed into a brick wall … a brick wall that caught his upper arms in a vice grip as he lost his balance. Adam looked up and came face to face with the man of the hour.
“Thanks for catching me,” he smiled, regaining his balance.
Under the pretense of checking his hair, Adam activated the mic in his piercing. When Kris’ earpiece came to life he nearly knocked his beer over. The moment he heard the deeper voice, one kind of anxiety left and another took its place.
“No problem. May I join you?”
“Why not?”
The men sat down and the server appeared.
“I’d like to buy you a drink. What’s your poison?”
Adam smiled slyly, “Midleton.”
“Midleton Irish Whiskey?”
“Is there any other?”
“Not as far as I’m concerned. Two Midletons. You hungry?”
“No, no … I’m good.”
“That’s everything.”
The two men sized each other up. O’Dowd had dark red hair in a ponytail and wore a black on black on black monochromatic suit popular at the turn of the millennium. The server returned with their drinks and O’Dowd chugged his down. Adam noticed his hands were huge with lots of rings and manicured nails, an ironic visualization that the criminal tried not to get his hands dirty.
“You a singer?”
“No, just a hobby of sorts. I’m a graphic designer … freelance.”
O’Dowd reached out and took Adam’s hand, inspecting it.
“Not surprised. You have the hands of an artist.”
“Thank you Mr. … ummmm ….”
“Call me Reggie.”
“Thank you Reggie,” the young man smiled, “I’m Timothy.”
Reggie was still holding his hand, looking intently like he was reading a map.
“You’re not a natural blonde. Fine red hairs on your skin … and freckles. Do you have lots of freckles Timothy?”
Timothy curled his fingers around Reggie’s while licking his own bottom lip. Reggie must have noticed the freckles on his bottom lip and grinned.
“I have freckles everywhere.”
“Everywhere?”
“Every - where.”
“I wouldn’t mind confirming that,” Reggie said slowly.
Adam took his hand back and relaxed into his chair. The table was small and their legs were close together. Taking advantage of their proximity, Adam slowly rubbed his foot against the older man’s calf.
“I’m game.”
Kris listened intently while Ashley kept a visual check on them. The men shared small talk for about fifteen minutes. As anyone would ask when getting to know another, Adam asked Reggie what he did for a living. Of course, the older man didn’t cop to being a smuggler and criminal; all he said was that he was in the export/import business. Timothy said that sounded interesting and gently pried but couldn’t get any more out of him. Ashley touched Kris’ arm to get his attention. O’Dowd’s two associates were back and one of them was heading to Adam’s table.
Adam looked up and around quickly when another man joined them to whisper in Reggie’s ear. Reggie listened and nodded. The other man left and Reggie got to his feet.
“I’m sorry I have to cut this short but I have business to attend to.”
Adam extended his hand, “That’s too bad. It was nice to meet you Reggie.”
Reggie clasped his hand, “I was nice to meet you Timothy.”
Reggie released his grip but Adam held on.
“Can I call you sometime?” he asked casually.
Reggie thought for a moment and replied, “No … but I’d like to call you.”
Adam smiled and when he got his hand back, he reached into his pocket and handed over his business card. Reggie took it and looked it over.
“Fairchild,” he uttered (they hadn’t gotten around to last names yet), “you certainly are.” He pocked the card.
“I’m free tomorrow,” Adam joked.
Reggie laughed, “I’m not. How about Friday?”
“Friday’s good.”
“I’ll let you know when and where.”
With nothing more, Reggie turned and left. Adam relaxed and got the server’s attention, ordering a black coffee and something to eat before he attempted to drive home. Back at the booth, Ashley was on her phone checking in with Matt. Kris looked towards Adam, willing him to look back.
Adam felt the stare but didn’t dare look in case he was being watched. The coffee arrived and as he led the mug to his lips, he spoke loud enough for Kris to hear him: “Stop worrying … he’ll call.”
~ xXx ~
A Day in the Life by the Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53Dh-I0_m5Y
Danny Boy (acapella) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY2bujHpxFY