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He moved a step closer and spoke in an undertone. “I’ve heard reports… they’re suppressed, of course, to prevent unrest, but I’ve heard of rioting in the Quarterlands. The government is doing its best to clear those places out and persuade those that live there to leave and join the IS scheme, but we have to do our bit, too, Alex, or this country could end up like large areas of Europe – completely lawless, with scavengers running riot all over the place. I don’t think you realise how lucky we are, or how thin the divide is between civilisation and total anarchy. It could all fall apart in a heartbeat.”

“Do you really think that?” Alex asked, startled by his serious tone. “I mean, they’ve started building these floating cities now, and if they’re a success, then surely the land crisis will be solved soon?”

“We’ll see,” his father replied dourly. “I’m just trying to warn you – don’t take any of this for granted.” He waved his hand at the neat rows of apartments.

“We have to do our bit to keep things stable, to stop people from taking to the streets, to prevent them rising up and anarchy sweeping the land. That’s why we must treat our IS employees well, in addition to common human decency. Don’t ever forget that.”

Taking him back to the factory, Noah finally showed Alex the design studio. He’d spent hours here as a child, but now he noticed that the designers were all middle-aged, stolid-looking people. That probably explained why they never produced anything exciting or innovative.

“Could I start work in here?” he asked eagerly.

“No – you’ll start on the factory floor, like I did.”

“Look, I have ideas; I think I could impress you, if you let me. ”

“You can start by impressing me with your hard work and dedication – then we’ll see,” Noah said firmly.

“I’ll do my best,” Alex said, swallowing his pride.

His father smiled approvingly. “I believe you will, son. You’ve stayed on the straight and narrow these past few years: you’ve kept off drugs, and you haven’t pissed away your monthly allowance. I’m proud of you.”

Alex bowed his head, feeling guilty. He quietly resolved that he’d do his best to be worthy of his father’s faith in him. “So, welcome to Lytton AV. Let this be a new beginning for us both. Now – off to the factory floor with you and get working.”

He was given a locker and a pair of Lytton AV overalls to wear and then took his place on the factory floor. Some of the work was done by robots, but labour was cheap after the Rising, and Lytton AV was always behind the times when it came to tech, so there was still plenty of work for humans to do.

The other workers shot him surreptitious glances all day, but nobody struck up a conversation with him; they just gave short, polite responses to his questions that went nowhere. The majority of them were wearing Lytton AV ID tags, and he knew those that weren’t would be forced to take them before long if they wanted to keep their jobs. The morning passed slowly and miserably.

At lunchtime, when he returned to the changing rooms to retrieve his nanopad, he overheard voices from behind a row of lockers.

“Typical – the hero brother visits for one day, but we get landed with the loser brother forever.”

“Forever? What do you mean?”

“Well, Charles is a celebrity, isn’t he? He already has a career, but the croc-head doesn’t. I’ve a feeling old man Lytton is grooming him to be our new boss one day.”

“You’re shitting me! That little fucker – in charge here?”

“Yeah, makes you puke, doesn’t it? They should’ve locked him up for years for what he did, but instead he’s swanning around here like he owns the place – and I bet he will, one day.”

They shut their lockers noisily and left without noticing he was there, but Alex could feel the heat in his cheeks as he closed his locker door. It was as if he was back at school again, being bullied for not fitting in.

He made his way to the canteen and more faces turned to look at him as he entered, none of them friendly. He would even have sat with Neil in the circumstances, but there was no sign of him.

He was about to walk straight out again when he saw Spencer, sitting with a little group of people. Spencer saw his predicament and waved, and Alex heaved a sigh of relief and joined them. Although Spencer’s friends soon made their excuses to leave, the young man was a kindly soul and stayed until Alex had finished his meal, making small talk.

Several mind-numbing hours later, Alex changed out of his overalls and grabbed his suit jacket from his locker, feeling like an idiot for wearing an expensive suit in the first place.

The usual throng of people were outside the factory gates, begging for a job. Lytton AV’s security team did a good job of keeping them off the premises, but there were always pleading faces pressed up against the railings.

Lytton AV was well known for being a good houder – people actually clamoured to wear its livery and ID tag. Alex suspected that most of them lived in the Quarterlands and slunk back there at night before returning to beg for jobs, food, and money again in the morning. Some were clearly croc-heads, with red eyes and vacant expressions, while others were on harder drugs, like sable, their acned skin and pinched faces giving them away.

He remembered Isaiah and knew his father wouldn’t have any difficulty replacing him. Putting his head down, he shoved past them. After the day he’d had, the last thing he wanted was to spend the evening in the flat with Neil. Then he caught sight of a thatch of blond hair ahead and remembered that he had at least made one friend here today.

“Hey – Spencer – wanna go for a drink?”

Spencer turned around, startled. “Um… I don’t know…”

“As a thank you – for rescuing me in the canteen earlier. That was kind of you. Let me buy you a couple of beers in return. ”

Spencer shot him an adorably shy smile and nodded. They went to a nearby pub and spent the next few hours chatting over drinks.

“So, tell me – what’s it like being my father’s assistant?” Alex asked.

“Mr Lytton is a great boss.” Spencer beamed. “He was so happy about Charles winning at the Paralympics that he gave us all the day off and laid on a party for the entire village. It was fantastic.”

“He doesn’t seem too happy now. Clearly the golden glow didn’t last for long.”

“Oh, he’s incredibly proud of Charles, but now the Games are over he has the company to run, and I don’t think business is going well.” Drink seemed to have loosened Spencer’s tongue.

“In what way?” Alex asked quietly.

“It’s like you heard earlier – Lytton AV faces strong competition these days, and your father has had to make some cuts in the factory.”

“He should be investing in new designs rather than making cuts.”

“I don’t think he’ll do that. He’s always chosen people over machines, and I think that decision has caught up with him. Lytton AV can’t compete with companies like Tyler Tech, with their Aquacruise range.”

“Well, nobody could ever accuse George Tyler of not investing in tech. No wonder Aquacruise is streets ahead of Lytton AV.” Alex rolled his eyes. He was alarmed to hear all this, but not surprised.

“Your dad’s trying hard, though,” Spencer said anxiously. “He works long hours, and he’s good to his ISs. We all adore him.”

“Yes, he’s a good man,” Alex murmured into his drink.

“Tell me about Charles. He seemed so lovely when he visited us, but what’s he really like, in private?”

“He is lovely.” Alex tried not to sound bored answering the same question he was always asked. “Everybody loves Charles.” Feeling pleasantly tipsy, and because Spencer was sweet and attractive, he decided to make a move. “You’re cute.” He put his hand over Spencer’s and stroked. “Would you like to come back to my place?”

Spencer’s Adam’s apple bobbed convulsively. Looking at Alex like a startled rabbit, it took him several seconds to pull himself together enough to give a shy nod .

Alex put his arm around the young man’s shoulder as they walked to the flat, feeling hazily happy. His first day at work hadn’t been an unqualified success, but at least it’d seen the start of a promising new friendship.

The flat he shared with Neil was airy and spacious, which was good as it meant he was able to avoid him for most of the time. He didn’t want to avoid him tonight, though. He wanted him to know just how much he wasn’t wanted. Hopefully, he’d get the message and move into Lytton Village, and then Alex would have the place to himself.

He pushed Spencer against the wall the minute they got inside, grabbed his face, and leaned in for a kiss. Spencer moaned softly, his lips opening up under Alex’s insistently probing tongue. There was something deliciously coy about him. He acted like a shy virgin, and maybe he was, but with his pretty face, Alex doubted it.

He pushed Spencer’s legs open and pressed in close, so that their groins were touching. Spencer wasn’t hard yet, but Alex was sure he could change that.

He heard footsteps on the wood floor behind them and a startled “Oh! Shit!”, and he grinned, never taking his eyes off Spencer.

“Don’t worry – it’s only Neil. He’s not important,” he said, grabbing hold of Spencer’s hand and tugging him towards the bedroom, winking at Neil maliciously as they passed.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Spencer squeaked as they entered the bedroom. “I mean, if Neil is your boyfriend…”

“He’s not. It’s fine.”

“What about your dad? I mean, does he know about you being…” Spencer’s Adam’s apple jerked wildly.

“Bisexual? No, he doesn’t. Are you going to tell him?”

Spencer shook his head, his eyes wide. “Um, not if you tell me not to, sir.”

“I told you already – don’t call me sir.”

“Sorry.” Spencer ducked his head shyly.

Leaving the bedroom door open, because he wanted Neil to hear, he led Spencer over to the bed. His new conquest stood beside it, being adorably passive as Alex slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

“You’re so pretty,” he murmured, nuzzling Spencer’s pale throat, then pressing a flurry of little kisses to that prominent Adam’s apple, enjoying the way it bobbed crazily in response.

Kissing his way along Spencer’s collarbone, he reached the ID tag attached to his shirt and drew back. “Fugly thing. When I own the company, I’ll make sure you get to wear pretty ones; I’ll design them myself.”

“That’s what you like to do – design things?” Spencer asked as Alex sank to his knees in front of him.

“I do, yes. Amongst other things.” Alex grinned up at him suggestively and then opened his trousers. Spencer’s cock was half hard now, and he moaned as Alex wrapped his mouth around it and sucked.

Spencer’s hands fluttered helplessly in the air and then came to rest gently on Alex’s head. He glanced up to find that the young man’s eyes were tightly closed, and his head was thrown back.

“Scream all you like – be as loud as you want – I don’t mind,” Alex encouraged, wanting to send this sweet boy wild with pleasure. If Neil heard, too, then that was a bonus.

Spencer moaned and whimpered as Alex took him to the brink of orgasm – and then purposefully tipped him over the edge. He could feel Spencer’s knees trembling as he came, so he grasped his legs to stop him falling over.

When his orgasm was done, it only took a tiny push to deposit him on the bed. Spencer fell back, looking dazed and sated, a combination that Alex found irresistible. He sat down on the bed beside him, laughing.

“You’re acting as if you’ve never had a blowjob before,” he said, tracing a gentle line along Spencer’s jaw with his finger. Spencer’s Adam’s apple bobbed erratically. “Oh, you haven’t…” Alex purred. “How come, sweetheart? You’re so cute.”

“I never liked to ask,” Spencer said softly, looking endearingly coy again. “My girlfriend, she’s not… We don’t get much time alone, and I mean, well, I wouldn’t know how to ask her.”

“Your girlfriend?” Alex paused in the act of toying with Spencer’s left nipple. “You’ve got a girlfriend?”

“Yes, well, a fiancée really. We got engaged last month. ”

“You’re engaged.” Pulling back, he looked into the young man’s guileless blue eyes. “Spencer, have you ever been with a man before?”

“Uh, no. No, I haven’t.” Spencer sat up, an anxious look on his face. “Why? I was okay, wasn’t I? I tried to be okay.”

“Yes, you were okay. You were more than okay. When you had your eyes closed, were you thinking about your girl?”

Spencer gave him an agonised look.

“It’s fine, you can be honest.”

“Well, I wanted to get hard as I didn’t want to disappoint you, so I… yes,” the lad admitted miserably. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise. I asked for the truth.” Alex felt a tight ball of anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach. “Spencer…” He almost didn’t want to ask, afraid of the reply. “Did you want to come back here with me tonight? Did you want me touching you?”

“I…uh, I just… You wanted me. I’ve done four years at Lytton AV. In another year I’ll be eligible for an apartment, so I can move out of the dormitories and then Emily and me can get married. I can’t lose that. I don’t want my contract to be sold on. I could end up anywhere, and I can’t afford to pay back my signing fee to get out of my indenture.”

“You won’t. Your contract won’t be sold on, I promise. And now, you should go,” Alex said abruptly, standing up.

“Don’t you want me to… do something for you?” Spencer gestured vaguely in the direction of Alex’s groin, looking confused. “I mean, I might not be very good, but I can try.”

“No, that’s fine. Go back to your girl and don’t tell her about what happened here,” Alex said urgently. “Just be happy, and forget this ever happened. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.” Spencer stood up and rearranged his clothing. “I haven’t upset you, have I, sir? Um, sorry… Alex?”

“No, not at all,” he replied gently. “I’m sorry – I didn’t realise…” He paused, because that wasn’t a valid excuse. He should have realised. Spencer’s reality was so completely different from his own that it sounded ridiculous to plead ignorance.

He was so used to the easy sex he’d found at university, to the bright young things who’d fluttered in and out of his bed because they genuinely wanted to sleep with him, that he’d forgotten how different it was out in the real world.

This man wore the Lytton AV ID tag, so Alex’s family pretty much owned him. Of course Spencer’s perception of Alex’s interest in him was completely different to his own intentions. That seemed obvious now, but he could have kicked himself for not realising it before.

“You should go now. I won’t trouble you again, I promise,” he said firmly.

“That’s okay. I mean, I didn’t mind. See, it was good.” Spencer reached out a hand towards his shoulder and then paused, as if he didn’t dare touch him. “I enjoyed it.” His eyes exuded shock as he spoke this truth.

Alex sighed. “Spencer, you’re not gay – I just have a talented mouth, okay? Don’t let any of this confuse you – you still love your girlfriend, and women still turn you on. I’m sorry that I didn’t pick up on the fact you were being my friend because of who I am and not because you genuinely desired me or my friendship. I’m really sorry about that.”

“I’m sorry, too. I thought you just wanted sex, so I should be obliging.”

“No, I wanted to make a new friend, too, but I made some wrong assumptions instead. It looks like we both got our wires crossed.”

“Yes. Sorry. Look, I don’t think we can be friends, to be honest,” Spencer admitted anxiously.

“No, I can see that now. My apologies. Forget about this.” Alex escorted him politely out of the bedroom and down the hallway.

“I’ll see you at work tomorrow then, um, Alex,” Spencer said, pausing awkwardly by the front door.

“Yes, of course – and I think you should call me ‘sir’ from now on, Spencer.”

A look of intense relief flooded Spencer’s face. “I’d much prefer that, sir – thank you.”

Alex shut the door behind him, but the tight knot of tension in his stomach remained. He made a run for the toilet but didn’t quite make it in time and vomited over his suit pants. Crawling the rest of the way to the toilet, he threw up again .

“Idiot. Stupid, fucking idiot,” he berated himself as he clutched the toilet bowl with his arms. The roiling sensation in his stomach overcame him again, and he spewed up some more. His head ached, so he rested it against the cool porcelain and tried to calm himself.

He heard a sigh behind him, and then a pair of strong arms lifted him up.

“I think I might have raped someone, Neil,” he rasped into his flatmate’s shoulder.

“No, you didn’t. You were just an idiot, as usual,” Neil said, undressing him as if he was a child. He stripped off Alex’s stinking clothes and threw them into a pile on the floor, then he pushed Alex under the shower, washed him down with warm water, pulled him out, and dried him.

“I didn’t think,” Alex said, his teeth chattering, as Neil wrapped him up in a towel. “I didn’t think that was how he’d view it – how he’d view me. I thought he wanted to… I thought he liked me.”

“You have to be more careful.” Neil put an arm around his shoulder and escorted him back to his bedroom. “It’s different now – you’re not at university anymore. You have to remember who you are, who they are, and what you are to them.”

“Fuck.” Alex sat on the side of the bed, still shaking. “What’s it like, Neil? Being an IS? Does it really feel that precarious?”

“Yes,” Neil answered bluntly. “Anytime your father wants to take his patronage away, I’ll be out there on my own, taking my chances in the Quarterlands, or joining the army just to be fed.” He opened Alex’s chest of drawers and threw him a clean tee-shirt.

“I heard there was rioting in the Quarterlands,” Alex said softly.

“I heard it, too.” Neil tossed a pair of boxer shorts at him.

“It’s a fucked-up world.”

“Yes.”

“And it could all fall apart so easily – that’s what Dad said: civil disorder, breakdown of society, and wars. We could end up like Western Europe, with people living like rats, fighting over what’s left of the land… scavengers – hunting, fighting, killing…”

“It won’t happen here. We’ve got a system that works,” Neil said firmly .

“Yeah, but our system is built on people like Spencer having sex with people like me in case they end up with nowhere to live and no way to support themselves.”

“Oh, there are far worse fates than having sex with you,” Neil said with a sly grin. “And there are far worse people out there than the Lyttons. At least your father wants to take care of his indentured servants. He’s one of the good guys. You are, too, or you wouldn’t care about what just happened. For what it’s worth, you just gave that kid the best sex of his life. I should know.”

He disappeared for a moment and then returned with Alex’s shoes in one hand and his soiled clothes under his other arm.

“Leave those. I’ll sort them out in the morning,” Alex said, lying back and resting his pounding head on the pillow.

“Your shoes are okay.” Neil peered at them closely, and then put them tidily in the closet. “I’ll get your suit cleaned.”

“You don’t have to clear up after me. I can take care of my own clothes.”

“You don’t even know how to work the washing machine, let alone where to take this fancy suit to be cleaned.” Neil snorted.

“I can learn.”

“But you don’t have to, because I’m here. See – you still need me. You’d be useless by yourself.” He leaned over and kissed Alex’s hair. “And one day you’ll realise that.”

Alex waited until Neil had left the room, then he opened his bedside table, reaching, instinctively, for the small packet of croc inside before remembering what his father had said about being proud of him. He knew that if he was ever going to turn his life around, then he had to start somewhere.

He went over to his window, opened it, and threw the croc out into the night, away from temptation.

It was time for a fresh start.