Chapter 8

Theo stomped around the living room while Sam hid in her bedroom.

“Fuck!”

His face was red. He sweated profusely. The second he arrived home with Sam his barely concealed anger came out. Not directed at her, or anything really. It was something that had been bubbling under the surface for a long time and finally erupting. Sam crept to the door and listened.

“Bullshit. It’s all bullshit. This shitty apartment. This fucking city. Fuck all of it. Fuck CaliaCorp. Fuck them all.”

She cracked the door open and looked out as Theo crashed backward onto the armchair and lounged. He removed his shirt, and Sam couldn’t help but take a glance at his body. He was in good shape. She liked that. His skin looked smooth, and a light sheen of sweat covered him.

“Coming out or are you gonna hide all day?” he said.

Sam sheepishly walked into the room.

“Sorry I-”

“Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn’t blow up like that around you. I know you don’t like it, I just…”

“I know.”

“I can’t stand having no control over anything. I didn’t want this. To be here. And shit just keeps getting worse.”

“I know.”

Theo threw his head back and let his arms drape over either side of the chair. He shut his eyes, and Sam again took a moment to enjoy the view. She hated the anger, but the smooth chest and tight stomach she saw made her feel much better. She wanted Trish but sometimes Theo could be appealing. Mostly when his clothes were off. The long hair helped. Something about long brown hair was really appealing, even if Trish was blonde. She wasn’t thinking of Trish though, her eyes traced down Theo’s body to his crotch and Sam bit her lower lip, then Theo opened his eyes and sat up. If he had seen Sam looking, he didn’t show it. He was always a bit oblivious to others.

“He’s gone, isn’t he?”

“Theo, I… I don’t know.

“Fuck.”

Again, Theo threw himself backward. He bristled with nervous energy.

“We can’t do a damn thing,” he said to no-one in particular.

Sam didn’t reply. He was right. Ben was gone. His place lay empty, he didn’t answer calls or messages. It had been days. Best case scenario, he’d moved and left his stuff and didn’t want to talk to them anymore. Worst case. Sam didn’t want to consider it.

A knock at the door interrupted her worrying. Theo walked over and answered it as an insistent series of knocks followed. Marc pushed past him into the apartment.

“Where’s Trish?”

“At home, why, what’s going on?” Theo said, shutting the door.

“Call her. Get her over here.”

“Marc, what’s going on?” Sam said.

“CaliaCorp. It’s them.”

Theo walked over to Marc and put a hand on his shoulder. Sam stood next to Theo.

“I fucking knew it.”

“Marc, how do you know?” Sam said.

“Ok, well I don’t, not yet but I found a video on Ben’s computer and–”

“A video?” Theo said.

“Yeah, yeah that’s right.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, it was about working for CaliaCorp, but like she’s telling you to–”

“Marc, did you jerk off to a porn video in Ben’s place?” Theo asked.

Marc’s cheeks flushed. He pushed Theo’s hand away.

“Look I think this is–”

“Marc, you already thought it was CaliaCorp. Maybe it is, but what do we even do with that information?” Sam asked. “Go to their office and say our friend watched a sexy video and went missing, did he get a job here?”

Marc looked at the ground. “No, I… I thought it was important. She said to apply for a job there.”

“She? She who?” Theo asked.

“Calia.”

“Marc, we don’t even know if she’s real. I don’t know if you know this, but people tend to age. She’s looked the same since I was a kid.” said Sam.

“Yeah but… what if Ben was watching and…” Marc trailed off. “I don’t know. I just want to find him.”

“Me too, Marc, but there’s nothing we can do without proof,” Sam said.

Theo nodded his agreement. “I hate them, Marc, you know that. I hate CaliaCorp more than anyone. I’m pissed off. I’m ready to go to war if they did something to Ben, but Sam’s right. We need something to be mad about. Something we can bring to their headquarters and shout about. That’s not a jerk off instruction video.”

“Ok, ok, then I’ll try to hack into his C-mail account. If he applied for a job, it’ll be through that right?”

“Yeah,” agreed Sam, “good idea.”

Marc nodded and made for the door. “I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

The door shut behind him, leaving Theo and Sam alone together, standing very close to one another. Sam offered a smile and looked at the floor for a moment.

“Do you think it’s strange, Sam?”

“What?”

“All of it. Ben. The world we live in. You and I living here together. Everything.”

Sam blushed and swept a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You don’t think it’s weird, we’re basically opposites and… I don’t know, maybe it’s the stress.”

Theo leaned close to Sam and wrapped his arm around her.

“Theo, I…”

He pulled her close to his body and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

“It’s ok. Just… don’t say anything.”

Sam let Theo’s body engulf her small frame and melted into his arms. He felt solid, but yielding. Surprisingly gentle. Safe. For a moment, she could breathe and forget everything that was going on. Theo’s body, so close, feeling his bulge pushing against her stomach, her head falling onto his chest. It felt good to be held. Protected. If only she could feel like that all the time, but there was always something wrong, always some problem. Sam wished it could all just go away. She wanted Trish, maybe even loved, but she would take Theo if it meant being cared for. She rarely saw this softer side of him, he seemed almost scared to show it to anyone else. It happened when they were alone. It was what she needed. She put a hand on his bicep and trailed her finger down past his elbow. Theo shivered. Sam let out a tiny moan and felt Theo pull her closer. His body felt so warm, and she felt her hands roam down to his belt.

“What are we doing, Sam?”

She looked up at him and saw a sad, confused face. Not what she expected.

“I… I don’t know, it just feels right. Like I need to.”

Theo took Sam’s hand in his.

“It’s not right though, is it? We’re supposed to be finding Ben.”

Sam had forgotten. How had she forgotten that?

“Right, I know, it’s just–”

“You just need comfort,” Theo said. He brushed his hand down Sam’s cheek. “You need to feel safe.”

“Yeah. I’m scared.”

“I know, I know, it’s ok.”

Theo kissed the top of Sam’s head and held her close. She took her arms and wrapped them around his waist, letting herself relax into the embrace and forgetting about the momentary spike in lust. She didn’t like Theo like that, most of the time. This was better.

“It’s going to be ok,” Theo said.

“You think so?”

He put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet her eyes with his.

“I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”