The sliver of the moon reflects on the golden-brown whiskey that sits in the clear drink glass being held by Senator Besserman as he sits in a gray outdoor chair that overlooks a large, open-air space. His other hand has a smoldering Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema cigar that has a sliver of smoke rising, twisting up beyond the Senator’s head as there is no breeze on this warm evening. 

In the chair next to Besserman is Shane, holding a glass of white wine as he has decided to tone down his alcohol use for the rest of the evening, but wants to remain sociable. Shane also has a cigar, holding it between his teeth as he puffs on it, drawing in the fine flavor of the high-quality Nicaraguan tobacco. Leaning his head back, Shane takes a long drag of the cigar, pulls it from his lips, then releases several smoke rings.

This makes the Senator laugh, “Funny how men are so serious with cigars, but while smoking, they can be filled with youth by blowing smoke rings.”

Shane nods in agreement.

​

From the open, large glass doors, the sounds of the serving staff clearing up can be heard. The party has wound down, with nearly all the guests having left. Shane has stayed only because of the Senator’s request. 

As Besserman takes a sip of his whiskey, he inquires, “Where is your other half?”

“Several of the servers working here tonight are Marines from Twentynine Palms. Kyle is visiting with them in the kitchen.”

Besserman nods, taking another sip from his beverage. “You know, Shane, you have been invaluable with all this work on the gallery. You came up with some great ideas and just ran with them.”

“Thank you, it’s been fun. Certainly, very different than what I’ve done in the past.”

Looking at Shane, the Senator laughs, “Oh fuck yes, you have such an impressive record, I’m sure the agency is not happy that you left.”
“For a good cause, Senator, for a good cause.”

Taking a glance towards the kitchen, the Senator dismisses the real reason Shane left the agency. The Senator doesn’t give a shit that Shane was in love when he left. While Shane’s betrayal by Cee was communicated to the Senator, he never believed that Cee would turn on the Agency and the country as she did. But Shane did experience some bad shit against him, and Kyle was kidnapped, being put in harm's way as a civilian. Even for the Senator, that wouldn’t be acceptable.

“I appreciate your effort and hope that we will continue to work together on future projects after the gallery opens.” The Senator stands, casually moving from his chair to a point where he is standing behind Shane. 

Feeling the Senator's presence behind him, Shane stands but is quickly yet gently kept in his seat by the Senator, who places his hands on Shane’s shoulders. “Just relax.”

Shane sits back as the Senator doesn’t release his hands from the man’s shoulder. “Yes, Shane, I think we can do some amazing things together.”

Now, Shane is feeling uncomfortable as he realizes the Senator is under the illusion that he can use his power to seduce Shane. But Shane isn’t interested in this man or the power that he might provide.

Squeezing Shane’s shoulder once again, the Senator continues. “Your ideas with the gallery are going to make it very successful. Along with your experience with the agency, you become a rare breed, Shane. You’re someone that I can use in my organization.”

Shane puffs less and less on his cigar, his level of anger starting to rise. Just because Shane was an agent in the government, he isn’t now and doesn’t have to accept the power of the Senator’s position.

Leaning down to Shane’s ear, the Senator speaks quietly, “A retired middle-class Marine is never going to challenge you like I will challenge you.”

Surprising, Shane, the Senator takes his tongue and lightly licks Shane’s ear. That is enough for Shane, no man tastes his ear; nevertheless, less some old, retired Senator that uses his power for sexual encounters. Yes, Shane knows the history and the backroom stories that circulate around the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. 

To make things clear, Shane pushes himself up in his seat, trying to stand. The Senator pushes on his shoulder to keep Shane seated. But that isn’t going to work, as Shane moves up with strength, pushing the Senator off balance. With his weight no longer in support of keeping Shane down, Shane spins to face the Senator. Lifting his right hand, it balls into a fist, though Shane has some restraint at the moment.
Through the front door, two people dressed in black military clothing, carrying automatic weapons with their faces covered by black balaclavas, move cautiously into the Senator’s home, their boots thumping on the tile flooring. Raising their weapons, they are disciplined in their approach, standing still as they review the space they are entering. 

As they are about to proceed, using their black-gloved hands to communicate with each other, they are surprised when one of the wait staff exits the hall, seeing the two military men. The waiter, Roman, nods, then motions towards the study doors, which are shut. The guys in black acknowledge Roman as the waiter continues into the kitchen, playing it cool so as not to alarm the other members of the wait crew. 

The two gunmen proceed cautiously towards the study, one of them turning to follow the other, their weapons poised in both directions. 
In the dining room, a male and female explore their passion while hidden behind the furniture. The woman has her leg wrapped around the man, both of them nearly stripped of their work uniforms. Hearing a large crash in the kitchen, the couple jump, pulling up their black slacks and kissing. The female gets presentable, kisses the guy one more time, then takes the large tray of glasses that had been sitting on the table, turns, and moves towards the kitchen.

Moving towards the kitchen, she glances into the living room, spotting the gunmen, screams, dropping the glasses as they crash to the tile floor. The sound is heard throughout the estate. 

​

On the patio, immediately after hearing the crash of glass, Shane moves his body into a direct line with the glass doors that lead to the living room. His instinct is to protect the Senator, even after a rather arrogant pass to get into Shane's pants.

 “Are you armed?” the Senator questions Shane.

Smiling, Shane speaks, “Senator, how do we know one of the wait staff just didn’t drop some glasses. Are you expecting something else?”
Besserman takes a drag from his cigar, remaining confident yet showing a hint of worry, “Yes, of course, not sure why I am so jumpy.” The Senator returns to his seat that faces out to the yard and away from the interior of his estate.

Shane takes a step forward, looking into the living room, not really wanting to sit with the Senator, feeling uncomfortable about the Senator’s pass.

​

In the living room, the woman who dropped the tray is kneeling, trying to clean the mess of shattered glass as she keeps a careful eye on the two men in black. She is not aware of a third gunman coming up from behind her, who reaches over her mouth, silencing her. She starts to struggle, but then sees the black, high-tech weapon the thief holds in his gloved hand, so she calms down, while fear shows in her eyes. With some struggle, the guy is able to drag her into the hall, away from the others. 

The two gunmen move slowly as they pass the kitchen, where the largest group of people is working. In the kitchen, the staff clean, laughing and have a good time as they put dishes away, with Kyle also participating in helping to clean the kitchen alongside his Marine buddies. 

Arriving at the entrance to the study, where all the art is, the two split, standing on either side of the large decorative doors. One of the gunmen comments, “There are more people here than we planned.”

“The party must have gone on longer than expected. You want to back out?” asks the other, keeping his voice low while waiting for a reaction from his partner. 

His partner shakes his head no, “Fuck no, we can handle this, plus no one is going to approach us with these weapons in our hands.” Showing his confidence, the man in black lifts his compact AM-17 which is what all three burglars are using.

After speaking, the gunman reaches for the doorknob, turning it, but the door is locked. “Shit.” Lowing his weapon, he reaches into one of the pockets on the armored vest he wears, pulling out a lockpick. Pulling the pick out of the tool holder, he inserts the tool, moving the pick to find the sweet spot, not even looking at the door. Watching on, his partner scans the room they are in, his eyes darting back and forth, his face covered by the balaclava. Suddenly, the pick finds the right position, making that magic connection as he is able to turn the tumblers and unlock the door. 

​

In the driveway, a black van backs in, moving close to the courtyard in front of the front entrance. The valets have left as all the guests have had their vehicles returned and are now home. The red brake lights glow onto the adobe wall and brick walk, as a squeak from the brakes is heard as the van parks. Swaying just a bit, the back doors swing open with a fourth gunman wearing black military style gear climbing out, being as silent as possible. Keeping his weapon at the ready, his eyes scan back and forth as he stands on the drive at the opening of the van. 

​

In the kitchen, the staff are working hard to get the Senator’s kitchen clean so they can leave. “What do you guys do after this?” asks Kyle.
Eva turns to him as she puts plates into the cupboard. “What are you suggesting?”

“A round of brews at The Oasis for old times’ sake?”

Kyle’s fellow Marines laugh. 

“You are paying?” asks Eva. 

Before Kyle can respond, Eva continues to be snarky. “After all, you’re a guest of the Senator; this is a fundraiser, so you must be well-to-do. Not living on the Marine Corps wage anymore.” Eva glares quickly at the former Marine before turning her attention back to the dishes.
“Sure, I’ll pay!” Kyle responds, ignoring Eva, who has been known to be a snob when it comes to people she considers wealthy.

There is a cheer from the group in the kitchen as they appreciate the round of beer from Kyle. The pace of the group speeds up as they hurriedly put the glassware into its proper space, clean up the trash, and wipe down the kitchen. 

​

At the large study door, the one gunman finally gets the tumblers to fall into place as the lock clicks open. The gunman turns his eyes to his partner, reflecting some relief that they have managed to enter the room that holds the loot they are after. Putting the pick back into his pocket, the gunman speaks from under his mask, “You ready for this?”

The other man in military gear nods affirmatively, steadying his weapon and firming his stance to run in. Turning the large, embossed copper knob, they use their bodies to cautiously open the heavy doors. As the doors open into the study, the lights flicker on by the motion of the door. The main guy looks across at his partner, and their eyes connect as they realize they are proceeding successfully. 

Standing, they push the doors open wider, making sure the doors won’t be in their way when they make their escape after they have gathered this plunder. 

Keeping their weapons ready, they separate, reviewing the contents of the cases that are in the study, looking for something specific. They have certain items in mind to steal at the orders of someone who has hired them. 

“Hey, over here.” The first gunman motions his weapon towards him as the other comes over, and the weight of his armored vest and gear is heard in the silence of the study. They look at each other, unsure of what to take.

The second gunman asks, “Were there instructions as to what we’re to take?”

The first shakes his head with a negative response, “No, they just wanted us to take what we could.”

Both pause in front of the case that holds the hand-drawn map, the highlight of Besserman’s collection.

​

Eva wipes her hands with a white dish towel as he looks at her fellow workers. Looking through the group again, she realizes one of the team is missing. 

“Has anyone seen Elena?”

A few others start looking around the kitchen. 

Lucas suggests, “I haven’t seen her for a bit, I’ll go look for her.” He puts down the serving tray he was drying and moves to the door that goes into the living space.

As Lucas pushes on the swinging door, the sound of shattering glass fills the kitchen, coming through the opening. 

The kitchen staff is startled as they look at each other to ensure someone hasn’t dropped another tray or dish. Kyle stops in mid-laugh, his jarhead skills flashing back into his mind. After the crashing sound, a few dishes are dropped as people are frightened and wonder what is happening. 

​

Out on the patio, the Senator sits up in his chair as Shane turns, looking into the living room from where the sound came. Quickly glancing at the Senator, Shane feels his Agency training coming back to him, goose bumps on his neck as if something is not right. 

“That didn’t sound like dishes.”, notes Shane.

The Senator stands and motions for Shane to move into the living space to examine what is going on. They both move through the sliding glass doors.

In the library, the smash-and-grab operation is now fully underway as the gunmen grab items that appear valuable, including the map that Shane and the Senator discussed earlier. Stuffing it all into their black nylon bags, which they have strapped over their shoulders, they grab a few other items from the other cases, as the thieves know they have but seconds to gather as much as they can from the Besserman collection.  

​

In the kitchen, the Marines decide to take a look at what is happening. Still, two other male waiters draw weapons, yelling at everyone, “All of you get on the floor! Including the stupid jarheads! No funny business or we will start shooting!" Kyle and his mates lower themselves to the floor, not ready to do anything at this time, knowing they need to see where this is all headed. 

​

Shane moves forward off the patio, taking point as the Senator follows cautiously. As they enter the house, they hear the final smash of glass, and the Senator knows exactly what is happening. Shane asks, “Do you have any weapons in easy access?”

​

“Yes, in the study.” Besserman is disappointed to state that his weapons are not available. Shane nods without much reaction as there isn’t much he can do. 

“We can take them, Shane!” the Senator prods Shane.

Shane isn’t that gung-ho these days, as he doesn’t know what these guys are up to or what they are armed with. Shane just isn’t interested in being hurt or, even more, killed to protect this Senator who is hiding his homosexuality!

“Patience, Senator.”

“Fucking pussy, you Agency guys are all alike.”, Besserman grumbles.

Now that this sucks, thinks Shane. This fat cat Senator is telling a former government assassin that he is a pussy. The former officer is beginning to regret the relationship he has formed with this asshole. “You’re welcome to take the lead, Sir.” 

Besserman pauses, looking at the study, not knowing who or what is in there. The Senator nods back at Shane, deciding caution would be prudent at this point in time. This makes Shane grin a bit as the truth comes out.

​

In the study, the two gunmen checked all the smashed cases, but seeing nothing, they forgot something. One of the states, “Let’s get the fuck out of here!”

Closing the shoulder bags they carry, they take control of their weapons, pointing them forward as they make their way to the doorway. They get to the opening with the points of their weapons extending beyond the edge of the doors. 

Shane sees the front of the weapons, now realizing there are two in the study. Pointing to the room opening, Shane notes to the Senator that they are planning to get away. 

Looking at each other, the two gunmen nod and aggressively run into the living room, firing off their automatic weapons, spraying the living room. This changes the situation for everyone. Shane and the Senator drop to the ground as the glass doors shatter with the bullets crashing through them. 

In the kitchen, Kyle has had enough as he hears the weapon fire in the living room.  He looks at his two jarheads’ mates, and they nod in unison. Using the element of surprise, they leap to their feet, jumping onto the backs of the waiters with weapons, pushing them to the ground. No shots are fire, as they struggle, fighting with fists flying. The other wait staff try to get out of harm’s way, crawling on the floor to the pantry where they can all fit in. 

Kyle kicks one of the automatic weapons into an opening that is out of reach of anyone. He gives a good punch to the face of the guy he has under his control. The guy wobbles, collapsing to the stone floor. The Marine then checks out his mates, who seem to have their situations under control. Looking up, Kyle sees the two gunmen with the artwork running past the opening in the living room. 
The gunmen run down the hall, headed to the garage. 

Knowing they are focused on getting out of the living room, Kyle moves into the living space, seeing Shane with the Senator. “Shane?” 
Shane sees his jarhead’s, “I’m good, man. Do what you know is right!”

Shane and Kyle’s eyes meet; their bond is strong, and they feel their love through the rough patch that seems to be creating a small distance in their relationship. Shane knows that his Marine’s first reaction is to go after these robbers, so he yells to his husband, “Go get them!”

Kyle nods, feeling strong with his husband's support. Nodding at Shane, Kyle doesn’t run after the two gunmen; he is thinking ahead as he moves out of the house to get his motorcycle, ready to give chase to their escape. 

Besserman and Shane make their way to the study, entering and finding the place in shambles. Besserman is devastated, as Shane can’t believe the destruction that has been done in such a short period. Reviewing the cases, the Senator can see that many valuable items have been taken. “We’re going to have to call the cops.”

“Shit, oh yes.” Shane can’t believe they were so involved with the events that they didn’t notify the authorities. “You want me to do that?”
“No, I’ll do it.” Besserman pulls out his cellphone, but he fakes dialing 911, slowly putting his device back into his pocket, unnoticed by the others, who are all preoccupied with other actions.

​

The two gunmen race through the garage, finding the van wide open, waiting for them. The third gunman waves them in, as the three members of the wait staff who were part of the smash-and-grab team run to the van. Slamming the doors behind the, the vehicle burns rubber as it lurches forward, quickly moving down the paved drive toward the small road that leads to the Senator’s estate. 

As the van reaches the road, Kyle, on his motorcycle, flies over the fence, landing just behind the van. A few sparks fly as the jarhead’s motorcycle hits the ground hard. Wearing his helmet, Kyle is determined to chase the armed robbers. 

Shane stands on the front porch of the Senator’s estate, watching Kyle as he makes his jump, following the black van out of the estate’s gate and onto the rough county road. The red taillights of both vehicles fade into the distance as they become out of sight.