Being Different

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

A/N: Who is Randy Crum? Well, Damien is about to find out...

Everybody kept on eyeing us during our lunch break. Randy was being super sweet to me, which I found a bit awkward but cute nonetheless. He was treating me like a king, helping me get food and drink; not allowing me to move a muscle which really felt strange. But I then I began thinking that I honestly didn't know very much about Randy Crum. So, as we sat there talking pleasantries about the weather and what-not, I decided to throw a few personal questions his way.

"Hey, I was wondering...Do you have any siblings?" I casually asked, while stabbing a forkful of my salad.

"Umm...Why'd you ask? Planning on dating my siblings if I had any?" He cocked an eyebrow at me, smirking. It was clear that he was avoiding having to answer me.

"I can't help but be curious, after all, if we're going to be seriously dating, I'd eventually like to meet your family. You've pretty much met mine" I laughed, rolling my eyes at him.

"Oh yeah...That's your dad, huh? His looks could kill..." He remarked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What do you mean by that?" I stared at him in shock.

"I don't know. He kind of gives off this mysterious vibe..." He broke off, suddenly seeing my father coming towards us briskly.

"Damien, I need to speak with you urgently. Excuse us Randy" He nodded, pulling me up from my seat with his hand firmly wrapped around my bicep.

Randy searched my face for answers and found none. I couldn't explain my dad's sudden behavior as I was just as confused as he was!

As soon as we stepped out onto the lawn, I was astonished to find dad's operatives closing in on the school, converging on the cafeteria, and apprehending one Randy Crum. Randy looked flustered as he was dragged into an unmarked vehicle which promptly drove away on my dad's signal!

"Dad, what the hell did you do that for? He's a nice guy! Honestly, if you didn't want me to see him, you could have just told me!" I leaned closer to him and whispered for fear of anyone within earshot.

"Randy is not all that he seems to be. I meant to tell you earlier but against my better judgment I refrained from letting you know that I had done a background check on your boy...and it wasn't pleasant to say the least. Let's not talk here. I'll pick you up later, ok?" With that parting remark, I watched totally stupefied as my dad got on his motorbike and sped off, leaving me standing there.

Later that afternoon, all our teammates were wondering where Randy had disappeared to. Coach just made up some excuse citing Randy having a personal problem that he had to attend to and would be back soon.

Despite the fact that Randy could be a real dick sometimes, he still was an excellent ballplayer and an asset to the team. Since we've been together, the rest of the team had been more lenient, even friendly towards him.

I began to wonder what it was that made my father hit the panic button on Randy Crum. I couldn't help thinking about it but I had to shelve it to the back of my mind and concentrate on practice since our big game for the Nationals was coming up. Not having Randy around either was letting everyone feel antsy and nervous.

Dad came back just in time to catch the tail-end of our practice. He literally came striding over to have a few words with the coach while we went for our showers. I still went to the cubicles near the pool area since they were private, and then I rejoined the others back at the lockers but fully dressed.

The changing rooms by the pool area had been a lustful reminder of our sexual triste and it made my heart race a bit, remembering the moments. The scowl on my father's face quickly dashed my memories of Randy to the ground, as he exchanged a few scathing words with the coach, who seemed to crumble inwardly out of shame.

Such a turn of events really had me riled up now. I've never seen my father act this way, and it was clearly annoying the hell out of me. As soon as we parked the bike, I took my helmet off and tore after my father who had driven in complete silence earlier as we made our way back to the compound. Hawkes immediately led the bike back to the garage, too nervous to say a word, seeing how agitated my dad was.

"Dad, what's going on? Please talk to me! First, you get Randy nabbed by your agents and then you talk down to the coach! What the heck is going on?" I angrily reach out to grab my father's arm.

Without a word, my father ushered me into the study and closed the doors, making sure no one was around.

"Sit down Damien. I'd like to show you something important..." He offered me a seat facing his desk. He went around it and sat adjacent to me, opening his laptop. He turned the device around so that I could see the details displayed on the screen.

My eyes went wide at the information displayed as I scrolled down the document that explained everything. Randy was the son and heir to an immense fortune amassed by his father, who was heavily involved with some heavy Mafia types from Sicily, who were into money laundering schemes amongst other scrupulous projects.

Although his father couldn't be held directly responsible, since he covered his tracks pretty well, police and intel had been closely monitoring his whereabouts and soon discovered his little secrets. Undercover operatives had been slowly buying out the man's businesses, which ranged from retail merchandise to wineries to automobiles across the country, in order to keep a tight rein on his purchases, without his knowledge while arresting his cohorts in the process. In other words, the guy had a rap sheet a mile long!

I was floored...I had no idea. But then I thought...Did Randy even know what his father was even up to? It's true that he danced around my question regarding his siblings and family, while trying to distract me with his kisses.

But this was way beyond what I imagined. I only hoped that Randy wouldn't be hurt. My father promised that he was only being interrogated to find out how much he really knew about his father.

I knew that the agents would be discreet, nothing tying us to them and the entire process. Dad was later informed that Randy had only known of his father's business deals but no real details of them since he never displayed any interest in knowing, which was a bit of a relief to me.

However, dad was wary of the young man and since we were sort of together, he wanted closer monitoring of our whereabouts which I didn't object to, as I clearly understood the purpose behind the action.

Randy had been given some sort of truth serum and had his arm attached to a lie-detector, while being monitored by a doctor to ensure that there was no foul play as dad explained the process to me. Then, he was given another serum, which swiped his entire memory of ever being interrogated by the organization, then another treatment that plugged in an imagined scenario into his head, and promptly deposited unscathed just a few blocks from his residence.

I got a text later from Randy, apologizing profusely as he assumed that he had been feeling poorly and left school to go home earlier than planned, which I understood as the implanted scenario.

I was quite shocked by these methods used by the organization my father belonged to but understood the implications they would have if Randy did inadvertently blurt out locations, or describe vocal and facial recognition of his captors to his father or his father's associates, which would destroy all of the organization's efforts and plans to eventually capture the man and his cohorts. I had to accept the fact that my dad was involved in some form of espionage of the highest caliber and I had been sworn not to say anything about it, not even to my friends, and of course, especially not to Randy.

As I sat there, I realized the depth of the situation as it unfolded before me, and my part in all of it. The more I was intrigued by it, the more uneasy I felt since it had been my father's world, Rob's and Martha's world, and now mine.