Night Traveller (Gay Romantic Sci-Fi)

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three 

Captain Spier was trying hard to feel pleased that Ryan Callan had been found alive and well, but she would have been far happier if her own team had tracked him down and conducted the rescue. She felt she could have flown a spaceship through the holes in Lieutenant Oliver's story. She had sent a couple of officers immediately around to the warehouse Oliver described and their report confirmed that the Governor had been held prisoner there but still ... The only evidence they had found connecting Mo Khan to the whole affair was the rather tenuous fact that he was a part owner of the building. Hardly conclusive! 

Callan was pleading ignorance, claiming he could remember nothing from the time he was in the hotel to the moment Oliver broke into the room where he was being held prisoner and rescued him. Spier didn't believe him but so far she had been unable to get him to change his story. She took his statement about the bombing but it didn't add anything to the information she had already received from the other witnesses. 

His business partner Dane was bouncing around the reception room driving everyone up the wall with his constant questions about when he could see Callan.  

Eventually, she let him go, with the proviso that he wasn't allowed to leave Kapunda without her permission. Dane flung himself into Ryan's arms as soon as he saw him for a rib cracking hug, then held him at arm's length, looking him up and down anxiously to reassure himself that he was in one piece. 

"I thought we'd book in to the Galaxy for tonight," he told him. "We certainly don't want to go back to the Victory!" 

"Fine," agreed Callan. To his relief, his hearing was slowly coming back but his head ached and he felt tired and hungry. What he really needed was a hot shower, dinner and a good night's sleep. 

Lieutenant Oliver watched the reunion with interest from the sidelines. It was obvious to him that Dane felt more than friendship for the other man, but he wasn't certain the feeling was returned. Judging by the embrace Ryan had given him earlier, he was pretty sure he was the one Ryan fancied. 

Frankly, he had never seriously considered Ryan as a potential lover. Apart from the significant problems caused by his position as Governor, he wasn't his usual type. Oliver had always fancied younger, more delicate men, more like Dane only less sassy, he liked to be the one in control. But that embrace, when he had felt the hard muscles of Ryan's thighs pressing against his legs, his strong arms crushing the breath out of him, had made him feel ... rather breathless, to be honest. 

"I'll go with you," he told them, quick to volunteer his services. "Until we have the perpetrators in custody, it's best if you have an escort. Besides, I need to find somewhere to stay too." 

"Thanks," said Callan, offering a faint smile. "I'd appreciate that." Dane was silent, his eyes going from one man to the other. 

The Galaxy Hotel was only a few blocks away, but Dane used Callan's tiredness as an excuse to put an arm around him. Oliver wondered what would happen if he put an arm around Dane, smiling at the image this conjured up of the three of them, but he kept his hands to himself and his eyes kept a careful watch for any threat. They arrived safely at the hotel, only to be told by the Receptionist that there was only one single room available. 

"I'm very sorry sirs," he apologised. 

"Are you sure?" asked Dane. "Nothing else?" 

"Well," the man looked at the screen in front of him, "We do have a small suite, it has a king bed." He brightened, "But we could easily put up a single in there if two of you were willing to share?" 

"We'll take it," Dane answered immediately. "And the single as well," he added with a quick glance at Oliver. He turned round and smiled at the other two men as the Receptionist made the booking. 

"As we don't have any luggage to take up, can I suggest we go straight to the bar for a drink and a meal? Then we can discuss the sleeping arrangements." The provocative smile was pure Dane. 

Oliver kept quiet. He could see that Dane was expecting him to choose the single room, but maybe he wouldn't, maybe this time he'd surprise all of them. 

Before he could say anything, a sixth sense made him turn around. Someone was coming up behind him. Tate. 

He was walking cautiously, checking out the area around him, but he wasn't trying to hide. He came right up to Oliver. "The boss wants to see you. Now." 

What god awful timing! "I'm busy. Tomorrow." 

"Now," repeated Tate firmly. 

Oliver shrugged, he was fighting a losing battle and he knew it. Might as well get this over with, now that the order had been given, he probably wouldn't be able to relax again in any case. 

His two companions stared at him, confused concern on their faces. Tate and Callan exchanged cold looks. "Need any help?" asked Callan 

"No, it's alright. I'll go. I'll be back later," he tried to smile. "Don't make any decisions without me." His smile broadened for an instant at Callan's startled look, then he turned to leave with Tate. 

The two men were silent as they made their way through the streets, Oliver trying to prepare himself for the coming meeting, Tate uncertain as to why his boss wanted to see the young officer in the first place. At least he wasn't wearing his patrol uniform thank you god! He still wasn't clear on how he had managed to track down the safe house, but when Danilo had called him to come out and talk to someone asking questions about the Governor, he hadn't hesitated. He knew his boss wasn't particularly happy with his actions but he still thought he had made the right decision. He hadn't felt he'd had any choice but to release the Governor into Oliver's care, the last thing any of them wanted was the Patrol in their faces, stirring everything up and most likely making an almighty mess. It would have set Chang's plan for respectability back by years. 

Instead of the safe house, Tate led him to a dark and dingy bar, tucked away in the side streets. They went through the public room without speaking to anyone and upstairs to a small room in the back. Tate opened the door and waited until he went in. 

The first thing he saw was a man sitting behind a table, swirling a glass of brandy around in front of him. He had black hair and brown eyes, nothing particularly noteworthy about his features apart from the censorious look in his eyes. 

"So, you finally condescended to make an appearance! After eight years, you come back, just to interfere in my plans." He looked Oliver over critically. "Well don't just stand there like a pillar of salt! What have you got to say for yourself?" 

Evidently nothing had changed for the better, he wasn't going to get a warm welcome here. Oliver squared his shoulders, 

"It's nice to see you, too. Dad." 

XXX 

It was midnight before he made it back to the Galaxy. The conversation with his father had been just as awkward and stilted as he had feared. He'd only actually stayed about thirty minutes but he'd needed a long walk afterwards to try and clear his head. There was no point hurrying back to the hotel. As soon as he'd left the building with Tate, he knew Dane would have claimed the suite for Callan and himself.  

They would have had a few drinks and enjoyed a good meal, and probably a few more drinks. Callan might have thought he wanted Mike but he suspected he wouldn't have held out long against Dane's determined seduction. He tried not to imagine exactly what they were up to in the king bed.  

He thought he'd gone past hunger, he'd just go up to his room and crash. Alone.  

He had just stepped inside the room, when Dane called him on his wristcom. He hesitated, then answered, it had to be important at this time of night. Dane's voice sounded unreasonably cheerful. 

"Well, are you coming up? We've been waiting for you."