One Journey Ends

Justin watched Henderson with distaste from his seat in the airport terminal. The short, stocky man with a receding hairline greeted his three Asian teenage charges amiably and even helped one with her rather large suitcase. He chirped excitedly about their academic plans as he led them to a waiting minivan parked outside the door. A wiry man with greasy brown hair hopped out to slide the door open for them as they approached the vehicle. Once the girls were ushered into the back, he closed the sliding door and shut Henderson's passenger door before getting behind the wheel and driving off.

Justin waited until they had cleared his view before leaving the terminal himself. He quickly punched Sven's phone number into his cell as he walked briskly to his own rental.

"He has left," he said to the blonde man without preamble. "There were three of them with him."

"I have traced their identities already," Sven replied. "Only one of them is likely to fit the victim profile."

"Have you determined where he is placing them?"

"Only the other two," Sven said grimly. "They are to be placed in the suburban Boston area. The third is a mystery."

"Do you have the van in sight now?"

"Yes. I will not lose them."

"As soon as we determine where she is to be placed, we will have a viable suspect."

"Agreed."

"Keep me apprised of your location, Sven."

"Are you concerned that I cannot do my job?"

Justin grinned to himself as he pulled away from the parking space and took the same route he'd seen the van took to drive away. He knew his partner would jump to that conclusion. The Scandinavian man had become very defensive after Justin's epiphany, amusing the dark haired man to no end. He didn't push any further, content to mull over his new feelings privately for now. But it was entertaining to see the man who had once made him so nervous squirm himself.

"I am not," he assured the blonde. "I merely wish to be there to witness his deeds for myself."

"Mmm," Sven said noncommittally.

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Henderson glanced slyly to his left. Ralph easily maneuvered the van and its precious cargo through the busy rush hour traffic oblivious to his employer's glee. Even if he suspected the truth, Henderson knew the young man wouldn't care. He was an addict paid to run errands. As long as he was adequately paid for his time, he would ask no questions. That was the beauty of having a junkie for a flunky, Henderson thought happily. He looked into his rearview mirror at the girls and smiled. They were giggling and speaking Japanese, presumably discussing their plans. They looked so happy. It was a shame one of them wouldn't be going home. The smallest one would fetch him a hefty fee. His client grew impatient but after the last victim, Henderson had to insist on caution. There was nothing his client hated more than waiting, though.

"Are you excited?" he asked turning in his seat to face them.

They all nodded smiling widely.

"I've arranged for two of you to stay with families in the area," he said. "Unfortunately, I had to place one of you a little further away from Boston. I hope you don't mind. It was rather difficult to find a third family."

The girls exchanged looks but still beamed at him. They seemed to be perfectly content to go wherever they were required. This made servicing this particular client easy. Asian women were far more obedient than their American or European counterparts. Henderson turned back to the window and rubbed his hands happily.

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Sven tailed the van as it drove through the ctraftraffic. He was determined to keep Henderson from handing over another innocent victim. The thought turned his stomach and he was suddenly filled with a gnawing anger he hadn't known since Ragna and Eirik died. The untimely and violent deaths of his wife and toddler son had evoked a blind rage that demanded retribution and, once gained, sent him into a deep depression, which gave way to an ambivalent hollowness in his soul. The feeling had remained with him for years until he laid eyes on Justin.

He still didn't know what to make of Justin's sudden change. It unnerved him to realize he was becoming the prey in his own game. Whereas before he was the one challenging Justin's interests, the darker man unexpectedly made an about face and stalked him instead. Well, stalk may be too strong a word, as Justin hadn't mentioned anything more since that evening. He had been watching Sven a lot more closely, though. And he deliberately wanted his quarry to know, too. When Sven locked eyes with him suddenly one time, Justin actually smiled and winked at him. WINKED. It was something Sven had never seen the dark haired man do in all of the time he'd been watching him.

The Scandinavian man didn't consider himself gay or bisexual and had never had a homosexual encounter in his life. Indeed, he'd had few heterosexual relationships before he'd married Ragna. And, since her death, his rare exploits were limited to women who formed no permanent attachments. This strong attraction to his partner wasn't something he'd ever anticipated would happen to him again, let alone with a man. He would need to ponder his situation completely before anything further happened.

He watched as Henderson's van pulled off to a driveway and the smarmy man stepped out to help one of the girls out with her luggage. A middle-aged woman greeted the two at the front door and gestured for them to enter. The house wasn't overly large but it looked homey and normal. It was the picture of the American Dream. Ten minutes later, the fat little man returned to the vehicle and it pulled back out, with Sven following discreetly behind it. He pulled out the cell and dialed Justin.

"Hello," the crisp voice came through the phone.

"He has made the first deposit to a house on Chestnut Street."

"It was nice?"

"It seemed so," Sven said. "An older woman answered the door. I do not believe there is any danger there."

"I am on Fig Lane."

"The information states that the next girl will be dropped on Fairview Avenue."

"I am not far and will be there when he pulls in," Justin said calmly. "I am in a green Grand Prix."

"I will park my car behind you and get into yours while he delivers the second girl," Sven said, being sure to keep his nerves from sounding through.

"That will be nice," Justin purred and the Scandinavian imagined his enigmatic smile. He hung up before the blonde man could reactavinaving Sven to stare at the phone in bewilderment. This was going to be a long night, he mused.

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Henderson dropped the second girl off with the two retired schoolteachers. He stayed long enough to exchange pleasantries and get the girl's luggage into the back bedroom. Now it was time to deliver the third, and most valuable prize to his faithful client. He clapped his hands as Ralph pulled out from the curb, never noticing the green car pull out them.

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"You seem tense, my friend," Justin smiled as Sven got into the passenger seat, buckled his seat belt and closed the door.

"I am fine."

"If you say so," the darker man said watching as Henderson returned to the van. He waited a few moments before pulling out and following a few cars back from him, never losing sight of his quarry. If there was one thing Justin knew very well it was how to hunt a prey.

"I think I know how I am, Justin," Sven said hotly as he, too, followed the van with his eyes.

"I did not imply otherwise."

"You did."

"What is bothering you?"

"Nothing."

Justin kept the smile from spreading into a grin. It wouldn't serve any constructive purpose to have Sven angry with him for such a nonsensical reason. He would wait for the blonde to open up to him. It wouldn't be long, anyway.

"You are making me uncomfortable."

"With my driving?" Justin feigned miscomprehension.

"You know well what I mean."

"I do?"

"You do," Sven sighed. "Your actions of late lead me to feel stalked."

"It is not my intention," Justin replied not taking his eyes off the road.

"What is your intention?"

"I am not completely certain."

"What are you certain of?"

"That I cannot let you leave me until I have figured it out."

Sven contemplated this silently as Justin trailed the van into the countryside. He was very unsure of his last statement but there were some things Sven needed to be aware of, in the interest of fair play. He didn't know why he felt the need to be so honest with the blonde man, but it seemed of paramount importance.

"You would attempt to force me to stay?" Sven asked finally.

"No," Justin conceded. "But I would follow you wherever you go until I have my answers."

"Well, I guess I would deserve that fate," the blonde man said dourly.

"I mean you no harm," Justin said sparing a quick glance to his partner.

"Of this I am sure you speak the truth."

"How are you so sure?" The darker man returned his eyes to the road.

"I do not know," Sven said simply. "But I believe you."

Justin smiled again.