"Riders Of The Apocalypse"
Part 5
by Osiris Brackhaus & Beryll
Starring Brad Pitt as Famine, starring Ewan McGregor as Pestilence
---
London, St. Anna Hospital
"Well, Professor McGregor - you're here to do what?"
For a split second, Pestilence was tempted to tell the truth - that he was the cosmic incarnation of disease and here to bring an end to all humanity - but then he decided against it. Wouldn't do to have Doctor Bean think him a weirdo with a sick sense of humor. At least, not as long as he hadn't found out what he had done with Famine, Pestilence decided.
"Basically, to find out if there is anything to do for me", Pestilence answered with an open smile. "Doctor Bean, to make it short, the hospital's management is acutely aware of the current development of epidemics around the globe, and was searching for an internationally renowned specialist in the field to run preventive checks."
The Russian scientists he had been working with lately had been devastated to hear that 'Professor McGregor' had to leave for a secret US governmental research facility. But none the less, they had most willingly supplied him with a pile of papers that flamboyantly prove his stellar credentials. And most of those papers weren't even forged, Pestilence had noticed with a certain glee. Mortals were so gullible.
"You look rather young for an internationally renowned specialist, Professor." Doctor Bean managed to sound astonishingly neutral, but that didn't prevent him from being hissed at by Sister Agatha.
"Doctor Bean!", she pressed out as if he had said something heretic.
"Please, Agatha - I may call you Agatha? I am used to this, and to be honest, I would be doubtful as well. It's only natural." Turning towards Sean, Pestilence smiled again, saying: "Doctor Bean, I know I am pretty young for my title, and even if I hadn't all the papers to prove my claim, my work surely will. So won't you just give me a chance?"
"Sure. Never wasn't to."
"Great. The management and I agree that even though the Avian Influenza Strain C that is currently wreaking havoc in southern Africa is most virulent, the Jerusalem smallpox is of far more concern for Britain. Especially as it has such a long incubation period and is hardly distinguishable from the standard smallpox in the first stages."
Sean had crossed his arms in front of his chest, now and then sipping on his coffee, listening with his 'serious business'-face, which basically meant his was sleeping with his eyes open.
"So to ensure we're not having the first cases here already", Pestilence continued, "the management has asked me to run the necessary tests all across the pediatric ward, and assured me of your cooperation."
"Of course."
"I have been offered to set up my laboratory on this floor, using the old delivery room. So I'll be close by and won't interfere any more with you running the daily business than absolutely necessary. Though I hope, Doctor Bean, that given some time, you'll come to see me as a colleague, and not as an interference."
"Sure."
Apparently, Pestilence noted with a tiny pang of impatience, 'Doctor Bean' wasn't overly virulent. At least, not during daylight hours. How utterly fascinating. He'd just have to get a blood sample of him sooner or later.
"So, are you going to introduce me to your little monsters?"
This time, Doctor Bean reacted with a growing smile himself, nodding. "If you think you're up to them, Professor."
"They can't be worse than some of the bacteria I've tamed. I think. Well, we won't find out standing here, will we?"
So with Sean grinning silently, they walked out of the office, thinking that life had just become much more interesting. Only for very different reasons.
***NEWSFLASH***
... good news for a change. Despite the fact that neither the US nor Russia have yet signed the Kyoto protocol, the ongoing Greenpeace studies on the effects of global warming show that during the last weeks, an astounding new development has taken place. For as yet unclear reasons, the ozone layer is recovering in what scientists have described as an explosive speed, while at the same time the amount of carbon dioxide measured in high levels of the atmosphere has declined significantly. If this is just a temporary cease-fire or an amazing display of Earth's climate system's long underestimated self-regulation is yet to be studied, but scientist all over the planet rejoice in unison at ...
***NEWSFLASH***
----
Ethiopia, near Addis Ababa
Famine was feeling intensely happy. Not only had he spent the most wonderful night of his existence in Sean's arms recently and was in love. He was also very happy about all the things he had accomplished since he had left Sean for another 'business appointment' four days ago.
To manipulate things so that people would not starve had proven easier than expected. The distribution of food still lacked a lot to be desired, especially as War was hard at work and governments in general refused to talk to each other at the moment.
But none of the other Riders really cared about things like the weather or the growth of life that was not human so he had been able to repair quite a few of the problems he had initially caused. Especially as this new-found happiness allowed him to make life grow.
It had taken him a few tries but now he had pretty much learned how to concentrate on all that made him glow with happiness and in response green life was sprouting wherever he stayed for an extended period of time.
He had been sitting on this hill outside Addis Ababa for more than a day now - invisible of course - and simply thought of Sean, how much he loved him, how wonderful their shared night had been, what they would do when he returned to London. And lately he was also thinking about how exhilarating it was to watch the people from the town realize with wonder that their land was changing in a way that could only be called a miracle.
Sweet, soft rain had been falling for the whole night. And during this day the soaked land had started to bloom, all kinds of seeds that had been hidden deeply beneath the cracked soil rising to the surface and coming to life, simply because Famine did not hunger for anything.
What a wondrous thing indeed that the simple joy of love would produce so much more happiness in so many people - and subsequently again in Famine, allowing him to provoke yet more growth.
And all because he had fallen in love with a mortal.
Smiling happily, Famine pulled out his cell-phone and dialed Sean's number. He had called him twice already in the last days, really for no reason but to say that he loved him and to hear his voice. And Sean didn't seem to mind.
It took a while for Sean to pick up the phone and when he did he sounded a little hurried. "Yes?"
"Hey love, it's me." Famine said, feeling his heart warm, just at hearing his lover again. He really had to get back to London once he was done with covering Ethiopia in greenery.
"Hey, Brad." Sean's voice softened but he still sounded tired. "How are you?"
"Pretty well. Things are working out for a change," Famine answered, "looks I'll be back with you soon."
"Oh, that would be wonderful," Sean said, "I could really use a shoulder to lean in right now. Lot's of work at the hospital."
"I'll be back as soon as I possibly can." Famine promised. "I love you, Sean. Don't overwork yourself, will you?"
"Love you, too. And you take care out there, yes?"
"I will. See you soon. I'll call when I know when I get there."
"Just call anyway. I miss you. Love you. Bye."
"Bye." With a happy sigh Famine hung up. He misses me, he thought. He loves me. I must be the happiest catastrophe on earth.
***NEWSFLASH***
... unheard of outbreak of physical violence during a diplomatic meeting that was considered a last chance to heal the differences between the two governments. According to US diplomatic sources, the Chinese Ambassador stood up during the negotiations and repeatedly slapped his American counterpart with what has until now only been named a medium sized object before security forces could intervene. Apparently, several diplomats have been slightly hurt in the ensuing 'brawl-like' situation, but the damage to US-Chinese relationship seems incomparably more grave. No comment whatsoever on the subject has yet been issued by Chinese sources, but experts all around the globe agree that there can only be one answer on such blatant a disregard for...
***NEWSFLASH***
----
London
Even after such prolonged, careful observation, there had
been no sign of Doctor Bean trying to infect him, Pestilence noted with a
certain disappointment.
Leaning against the bar of a local club, he summed up what he had learned
about the supposed carrier of the mysterious virus that had so dramatically
altered his friends behavior. Basically nothing.
With a sigh, Pestilence turned around, scanning the room
if Sean was anywhere in sight again. Yes, they were at first names by now,
they were working together most effectively at the hospital. But Sean had
been rather... reserved, at least in terms of virulence.
Which had led Pestilence to the obvious conclusion that Doctor Bean didn't
spread his germs at the place where he was working, which generally was a
pretty smart but not at all unusual thinking for a virus. So, consequentially,
he would have to spend more time with Sean outside the hospital.
And here they were, out in town for a drink, just the two of them, and nothing happened. What am I doing wrong, Pestilence wondered for the millionth time tonight. What have I overlooked? There just had to be some way to trigger his virulent state.
Oh yes, and of course there had been talk among the hospital staff about Doctor Bean's indecently young and handsome new lover. Pestilence snorted in disdain at such naive conclusions. If they only knew the bitter truth! Sure Sean was acting odd, after all he was the carrier of the most advanced germ that Pestilence had ever encountered. Which, given his obvious history, was quite a compliment for that virus. Sneaky little bugger.
"Hey, everything okay?"
'Ewan' almost jumped at the sudden reappearance of his colleague, but quickly managed to smile again.
"Sean! Of course, sure. Was just thinking about work again. I'm just not getting rid of it."
"You should relax more", Sean pointed out jovially while leaning to the bar himself, ordering another drink. "You're the only person at the hospital I know who's doing even more over-hours than I."
Pestilence just shrugged. What else should he do but work? Watch TV? That thought was ridiculous.
"And look at you now. You're just sitting here, waiting for something to happen. You're too young for that."
Now really. Pestilence almost laughed at the comment. I am as old as the world and yet too young just to sit around? Now that's kind of... sweet.
"Why don't you go dancing or something like that?", Sean suggested, sipping at his drink.
"I - I haven't been dancing for ages", 'Ewan' replied truthfully. "But it sounds like fun."
"Then be off, go, there's more than enough pretty people on the dance-floor."
Pestilence hesitated for a moment, then stood up. "Won't you come with me?"
Sean laughed loudly, triggering a smile in Pestilence in return.
"Oh, Ewan, don't you think a forty-something would look a bit odd down there?"
"No, I don't." Grabbing Sean's hand, Pestilence pulled him away from the bar. "You're not as old as you think, and you've got as little excuse to just sit around as I have."
And after all, Pestilence added with a tiny, mischievous
smile as they walked down to the dance-floor, this seems to trigger your virulent
state. I can almost smell it. You look at me with different eyes, as if I
could be a potential carrier of your disease.
And that's all I want of you right now.
So they danced, and for the first time in his existence,
Pestilence seriously forgot to think about germs. Really using his physical,
mortal body was a surprisingly exhilarating experience, and not at all as
irrelevant as he had always thought. It was fun.
Plain, good fun, and he wasn't even killing a single person in the process.
It was only when he noticed Sean's look that he remembered why he was here. There was a sparkle in Sean's eyes that Pestilence had never before seen in them, only maybe when he had been talking to 'Brad' on the phone. And the intensity of that sparkle right now matched the intensity of Pestilence's own, wide smile, he noted with scientific precision.
And apparently, intense physical contact while dancing seemed to increase that sparkle. I'm on the right track, Pestilence thought gleefully, and soon I'll know what he has done to Famine. And then I can make things normal again.
As the current song they were dancing to ended, both Sean and Ewan were laughing, breathing hard, exhilarated.
"You're dancing crazy!", Sean yelled to be overheard across the din of the place.
"Maybe that's because I am!", Ewan yelled back, still smiling widely. "What about we go somewhere less crowded?"
"Fresh air? Perfect!"
And as soon as we're alone, Pestilence thought gleefully, I bet he'll try to infect me.
----
Later, Sean wondered why he hadn't felt more warned. Sure, Ewan had just been a colleague, and on top of that a colleague he had never had any second thoughts about. At least, Professor McGregor had been just that when the evening started.
But somewhere along the line, his perception had suddenly shifted. Probably while Ewan with his irresistible smile had pulled him onto the dance-floor, the medical prodigy had changed from somewhat nice colleague to a dazzlingly charming young man.
Actually, he had changed into a frighteningly physical, sensual creature that made Sean's thoughts kind of all run into the same direction. Now what is wrong with me these days, the doctor wondered with a certain dread. I'm happily in love with the most gorgeous man I've ever met, and suddenly I'm getting the hots for my colleague? What kind of sick, ungrateful person am I? After three years of nothing, I have a hot relationship, and now I'm suddenly leering at every cute guy I meet?
Right then, Ewan pulled Sean out of the club's rear exit, the clean night air washing over them like a crisp shower. Still holding his elder colleague's hand, Ewan turned around, laughing, his face beaming with physical exertion and the plain thrill of acting silly. He looked so dazzlingly charming that Sean felt intoxicated with the other man's smile alone.
"This is fun", McGregor laughed under his breath, beaming at Sean. "Don't look so surprised!"
"Well", he replied as calm as his colleague's contagious mood allowed, "You were the one who didn't want to dance..."
"Pah. What a fool."
Suddenly stopping on the middle of the parking lot, Ewan turned around to face Sean. With only the barest hint of hesitation, the young medical prodigy slung his arms around the other man's neck, looking deep into his eyes. Sean had a very bad feeling about where this all was leading to, especially when he realized how much he actually looked forward to it.
"Kiss me", Ewan urged in hardly more than a whisper, his body clinging to Sean's, hot and full of life. "Now."
All but mesmerized by the other man's smile, Sean didn't even think of not obeying the gentle command. Their lips touched, hot and urgent, sending a fiery wave of arousal through both of them. Only when the young scientist grabbed the hair in Sean's neck much the way Brad had done, the elder doctor stopped.
"No.", he said firmly, trying to push away from Ewan. "I can't."
But the other man was firmly wrapped around Sean, his legs and arms seemingly everywhere, and definitely not intend of letting go.
"Of course you can", he insisted, his voice hardly more than a husky whisper. Still his body was clinging to Sean, hot from the dance, his crotch pressing prominently against the other man's hip. "And you want to, I can feel it..."
Slightly embarrassed, the doctor had to admit that whatever his mind thought about this encounter, his body actually was rather... enthused. Increasingly so, actually.
Behind then, a passing group of people gave then encouraging whistles, yelling at them to hide in the bushes, at least.
At his age, Sean had never thought that he'd end up in such a situation ever again, and even less that it would actually still make him blush crimson. Looking down at the colleague who was still clinging to him tight enough he could feel the other man's nipples through his thin shirt, Sean shook his head.
"Ewan, no...", he said with distinctively less conviction than the last time. "We're both too old for such a mindless stupidity."
But the younger man only snorted in disdain.
"Stop making yourself older than you are."
"I...", Sean searched for words, watching in stunned amazement as his colleague started to unbutton his shirt. "Ewan, stop it, please!"
Much to his surprise, the young man actually stopped, his eyes sparkling with indecency. Well, maybe they were only sparkling with the light of the bar's neon sign, but there was a certain threat in Ewan's eyes.
Slowly, almost languidly the young doctor untangled from
Sean, never even once breaking eye contact. Then, he took Sean's shirt, half-undone
as it was, and pulled him across the parking lot towards a giant oak tree
standing between the rows of parking cars.
Stumbling after him, the doctor followed, to overrun by this sudden turn of
events to really be able to make sense of it.
Under the tree, Ewan stopped, pulling Sean back into a tight embrace with a force he had never suspected in the younger man's frame.
"Maybe it's a stupidity, a sin, whatever", he whispered at Sean, taking up where he had stopped with unbuttoning the other man's shirt. "But I don't care, and I surely won't tell. So why should you?"
Yes, actually, why should he, Sean caught himself wondering for a second. Because of Brad, that is why, you silly dickweed, he scolded himself immediately afterwards. But how would Brad know? He's on the other side of the world once again, probably with a boyfriend who's not double his age, homely and divorced with three daughters.
"Sean", Ewan purred deeply, looking up from his work as he reached the last button before Sean's shirt disappeared into his denims. "I want you!"
Saying so, the younger man pulled Sean closer to him by his pants, a rough and direct gesture that another wave of hot air waft up from Ewan's body. There was something almost toxic to the young man's scent, so vital and manly it was worse than anything Sean had sensed before.
What little reason he might have had crumbled away under this assault of sensual physicality, replaced by an almost animalistic urge to touch the other man, feel his skin, his body. To make love to him.
Abandoning his last restraints with a vengeance, Sean grabbed his colleague by his shoulders, pushing him back against the trunk of the tree. Hitting the gnarled wood with an audible smack, Ewan's eyes all but gleamed with desire, wide and full of anticipation.
No, scrap that, Sean though feverishly. I don't want to make love to him, I want to fuck him. Hard and thoroughly, until he screams with lust.
Grabbing his colleague's shirt, Sean didn't bother with buttons.
With a ferocity he would have found ridiculous even minutes ago, he ripped
it open, grinning like a wolf as he exposed Ewan's skin, gleaming with sweat
in the low light.
Still pushing him against the tree, he bent down to kiss him, not caring for
subtleties. This was plain lust, fucking for fuck's sake, and he was going
to go through it for all it was worth. Not even in his worst hormone-laden
teenage years he had acted that unrestrained, but then again, hey, we all
only lived once.
Returning Sean's wild kiss just in like, Ewan jerked at his colleague's shirt, trying to get rid of the annoying piece of cloth as swiftly as possible.
Again, some people leaving the pub cheered at them, but Sean couldn't have cared less, and Ewan didn't even seem to have heard them. Grabbing and holding, they clung to each other, wild with desire beyond reason, two feral lovers in a cool late-summer's night.
Soon they gave up on undressing as well, concentrating on the few important parts. Almost instantly, they opened each other's trousers, immersing their hands in the other's pants. Filled with an urge that barred any reasoning, Sean grabbed for his colleague's ass, squeezing hard, massaging the firm meat. Still they kissed, their mouths locked in a perpetual battle none wanted to give up.
Ewan held Sean's erect dick like a golf club, but that was enough to make the elder man groan deeply with delight. No subtleties tonight, no prisoners. No sweet talk.
"Turn around", Sean whispered coarsely into their kiss as the pressure in his loins grew unbearable. "Turn!"
But Ewan didn't react, apparently dizzy with the happenings, his face still hanging in the kiss that Sean had broken. Grinning like a wolf, Sean took the younger man by his shoulders, showing him around that he now faced the tree. There had been enough force in Sean push that Ewan stumbled forward, bringing up his hands against the tree to support himself.
Still grinning, Sean stepped up behind him, rubbing his rock-hard
dick against the younger man's ass. Then he wetted two fingers with spit,
deftly placing his hand between Ewan's legs, searching for his entrance. A
guttural, almost surprised groan escaped the young man, spreading his legs
further apart almost in reflex.
Then Sean's fingers had found what they had been searching for, rubbing across
the firm muscle with insistence. Soon, he pushed Ewan open, taking as much
time as he could bear, which wasn't much.
As soon Sean felt that he had at least nominally ensured he wouldn't hurt his partner too much, he gave in to he urge he could barely hold in check, shoving his throbbing cock inside his colleague with one deep, almost violent motion. Groaning as he felt himself slide inside the other man, Sean held still for a heartbeat. In the deepest back of his mind, he wondered if this wasn't maybe the biggest mistake in his life, but he just couldn't make himself care.
Grabbing the mewling Ewan by his hips, he jerked him closer, ramming his dick forward. Slowly, he build a steady rhythm, deep and hard, plain lust at its most basic level. The young doctor moaned and swayed as well, staggering despite his hold on the tree, until Sean let go of him with a deep feeling of regret. Searching for the next best thing that might help them, Sean's glance fell on the hood of the car standing innocently next to them.
Well, he thought, maybe not a sports car, but at least it's red.
Once again hauling Ewan over as if he were a sack of grain, Sean heaved the younger man onto the hood, completely ignoring the car's protesting groan. What he didn't ignore, though, was Ewan's groan, lust-filled as it was, his eyes glazed over and out of focus with the same mindless passion that drove Sean.
Again grinning like an animal, Sean lifted his colleague's legs, watching the other man slide down the car's hood until his came to rest right in front of his loins. He didn't mind the jeans dangling around Ewan's knees, nor the fact that they probably ruined the car. All that mattered now was returning to this tight, sensual cave of flesh that was offered to him so conveniently, fucking the man in front of him senseless.
And so he did. This time, Sean didn't even start slowly. Ramming his cock inside, he laughed at the painful lust-filled yep Ewan gave, shuddering with the intensity of the sensation. Harder and harder his thrusts came now, building up for an orgasm that would match the ferocity of their mating. There was no holding back for Sean, no more than he wanted to increase his lust, not a single thought wasted on his partner or the surrounding world. As he felt he couldn't hold his release any longer, he let go, spurting deep inside the other man, wave after wave of pure, searing white bliss washing over him, fracturing him, dissolving him into nothing.
When Sean came back to his senses, he was lying on top of his colleague, panting, exhausted, wondering what the hell he had just done. His cock was still buried deep in the other man's ass, so he moved his hips a little, the sensation of his dick sliding out like a limp snake, sensitive to the point of pain, made him shiver.
Standing up a little straighter, he looked down on the younger man, asking:
"Ewan? Are you alright?"
His colleague nodded, his expression still drugged with good, hard sex. Grabbing for Sean's hair, Ewan pulled him down into a long, sensual kiss again, releasing him only as he felt himself sliding off the car for good. Laughing, he looked up at Sean, his hands touching the other man's face with a gentleness and gratitude that bewildered the doctor.
But then suddenly, Ewan's eyes seemed to freeze, his gaze fixed on his own hands, his expression changing from bliss to horror in less then a heartbeat.
"Where's my gloves?", he asked, his voice full of dread.
"You've left them in the disco", Sean replied, cautious at this rather erratic behavior. "What's wrong?"
"I touched you...", Ewan whispered as if he had just killed someone.
"Sure. I mean, how's what we just did supposed to work without?"
"Oh Lord above!", the younger scientist whispered, enough dread in his voice to almost make it keel over. "No, I didn't want that...."
"What is it you didn't want?", Sean asked, now seriously worried. "Ewan?"
Almost catatonic with shock, the younger man waved off Sean's hands, standing there with his denims around his knees, staring at his hands in utter horror. Then, without another word or any gesture, Ewan pulled up his pants, running away from Sean as fast as he probably could.
"Ewan!", the doctor yelled, now himself close to panic. What the hell was wrong? "EWAN!"
Already, the other man had disappeared in the shadowed alleys on the other side of the parking lot, and between confusion and exhaustion, Sean just couldn't make himself to follow him. He would have to face Ewan tomorrow at the hospital anyway, so what the fuss?
His gaze fell on the hood of the car next to him, smeared seamen accusingly glistening on the red lacquer. His seamen.
Suddenly, the whole scene repulsed Sean, a wave of self-loathing washing over him more sobering that any cold shower? How on earth could he do such a thing? What a sick bastard was he?
Feeling very exhausted, dirty and old, Sean shivered with the memory of what he had done. How would he ever be able to look at Brad again now? How on earth?
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Osiris Brackhaus & Beryll
go to PART 6