The Professionals Circuit Archive - The Proper Perspective	   The
Proper Perspective

 

by Madelein Lee

  
 Bodie hugged Liz and dropped a kiss on her cheek. "Sorry to run out on
you but Major Cowley wants Ray and me to accompany him back to town.
Besides, I think a little peace and quiet is in order for you and the
Shaw's, don't you?" 

She shivered with aftershock. Both she and Judy had behaved superbly
during the danger but both were ready to collapse into the nearest beds. 

"I'll call you later," he offered kindly, knowing he'd never see her
again, at least not socially. Everyone was anxious to erase these memories
forever; nothing killed passion in civilians quite like very real danger. 

Tiredly, she hugged him back. "Thanks, Bodie. I don't know what we'd have
done without you and Ray." 

"Bodie!" 

The peremptory summons jarred him. 

"Coming, sir," he responded automatically. 

Breaking away, he left her without a backward glance. Doyle was already in
the backseat with Sally so he clambered in next to him. Cowley sat in
front next to Inspector Cross who'd been commandeered into driving them
all back to London. Typical of the Controller, the helicopter he'd arrived
in had been dismissed in favor of cheaper transportation now that the
crisis was past. 

Bodie was tired but didn't want to sleep. Bad dreams were just around the
corner and he didn't want to wake screaming. Might make the old man
nervous. 

Beside him, Ray dozed. Grimly he fought heavy eyes. Without willing it, he
began to think of Georgie, but not wanting to remember, he clamped down on
the thoughts. Then because he thought it shameful to shy away from bad
memories, he called them up purposely to examine them coldly and
analytically. 

He'd begun to suspect that particular villain's inclinations right after
he and Vince had finished bashing him about for trying to protect Liz. The
beginnings of an erection had signalled Georgie's excitement and Bodie had
sussed the other man got off on violence. Out in the garage, he'd been
sure Georgie was on a power trip. He'd parlayed with him, trying to avoid
a direct confrontation, but all the while leaning over the motor, his skin
was creeping under the man's avid gaze. 

"Fixing motors isn't difficult if you have the right tools. Don't know how
long this'll hold." He knew he was just talking to divert Georgie's
attention, but it was better than thinking about the hot gaze on his arse.


"Too bad we don't have more time--I'd like to see you work with the right
tools." 

Bodie tightened another bolt, feigning ignorance of the intended innuendo.
"Should do this way." Finishing up, he laid down the make-shift wrench and
turned an assessing look on the gunman. He could almost see the wheels
turning as Georgie tried to nerve himself to try something out here.
Despite all the "civil servant" discussion earlier, Bodie knew his
demeanor was throwing the other man. Still, Georgie looked too eager, and
right then he promised himself if the man tried anything, one of them
would die. Nobody would ever have him that way again--not without his
consent anyway. 

"Shall we go in and tell the others it's ready." he said coolly,
straightening up and brushing past Georgie. 

As soon as he did it, he knew he'd made a mistake to present the other man
with his back. One minute he was on his feet and the next, cold metal
connected with his occipital region, and he was stunned and down. 

Georgie was on him then, tearing at his clothes, yanking down his pants.
Half conscious, he struggled to regain his senses and his feet, but a
well-placed kick left him folded up and gasping. A zipper rasped and rough
hands mauled him. 

Instincts drove him to curl inward, trying to escape the inevitable
violation. It was a surprise when he was yanked to his feet, swaying
drunkenly. Focussing dizzily, he saw the shiny sweat of fear on Georgie's
face before he was shoved hard against the car where he clung, gratefully
upright. suddenly he realized they were no longer alone; Vince was
standing nearby arguing loudly with his assailant. He'd been granted a
reprieve of sorts. Evidently Vince found raping girls normal but
considered Georgie's vice a perversion. 

Georgie's low snarl reached him where he leaned up against the motor. 

"Just belt up will you; anyway, it's none of your bloody business what I'm
doing." 

"Albie wouldn't like it either. . . besides he's supposed to be fixing. .
. ." 

"Give over, Vince; he is and it's coming. Go tell Albie we'll be there
when it's ready." 

After Vince left, Georgie came back to Bodie. "He saved your arse,
sweetheart." Gun steady, he indicated Bodie's fallen trousers with his
free hand. 

Flushing hotly, Bodie leaned over to grab them but was overcome by a wave
of vertigo, and before he could prevent it, the other man was pulling them
up for him. From somewhere he summoned the presence to push away the
unwelcome hands. 

"Bastard. Do it mesel'," he muttered. 

The man's face twisted in derision. "Don't get too pushy, pretty boy.
You're not out of this yet." 

Anger leaked out around the edges of Bodie's narrow-eyed response. "Your
mate doesn't much like your abits, does e?" 

Georgie's temper, obviously frayed by his encounter with Vince, snapped,
and he pushed the CI5 agent up against the bonnet, gun pressed into his
throat. "Don't you worry about MY mate, sweetheart, worry about YOURS." 

More shaken than he'd admit by the implied threat to Ray, Bodie pulled
himself together, ignoring the throbbing in his head. He wanted Georgie
dead, but he didn't want his volatile partner touched by what had almost
transpired in the garage. Swinging into the vehicle, he turned the keys;
the engine caught the second time. Breathing easier, he tried to put his
remaining rage on hold until he could release it without endangering Ray
or the other hostages. 

Georgie swung into the seat beside him. "Take it around t' the front." 

He took the opportunity to draw several deep, calming breaths, using the
familiar motions of driving to help soothe himself. By the time he'd
brought the car to the house, he had himself under a semblance of control.


The ensuing events prevented Doyle picking up on his emotions, and
Cowley's later arrival, while resolving the situation, had prevented his
exacting any personal revenge. Now, the recollection of his own near
humiliation and pain was crowding back in. That Georgie could have had him
but didn't was no consolation. He'd been rendered helpless, vulnerable to
the other man's whim; and he'd been unable to exact any retribution for
that almost rape. 

The revived emotions left him angry and depressed and he slumped further
down into the seat, his eyes straying to the sleeping face of his partner.
If Doyle'd known what was up, he'd gone berserk. Neither partner dealt
well with the other's pain, and in his own way, Ray was more possessive
and just as protective as he was. Vaguely comforted by that thought, Bodie
laid his head back on the seat, trying to relax. 

As if aware Bodie was thinking about him, Doyle shifted in the seat, his
head slipping to one side. Bodie moved closer and let the curly mop ease
onto his shoulder. Doyle sighed softly and sank into a deeper sleep. 

Bodie smiled then, everything sliding into the proper perspective.
Postponing his vengeance was worth this trust. No one, least of all
Georgie, must ever think CI5 agents were easily molested, but Ray and
their partnership came first, must always be protected. The irony of his
position did not escape him. By elevating Ray's importance in his life, he
had violated one of his basic tenets: don't get involved. Certainly, he
cared enough to conceal distressful facts from him, not wanting Ray to
know about the attack or that he intended to follow up on the episode.
However, he knew if he weren't circumspect in his revenge, Doyle would be
involved by any repercussions, no matter how innocent he was; he also
realized if he'd killed Georgie when he'd tried to rape him, Doyle would
have absolved him, but he would condemn cold-blooded revenge. As a
supremely practical man, Bodie couldn't really see the difference whether
Georgie died now or later, but he knew the law as Doyle perceived it, did;
So, Georgie's true sentence would be delayed and he would serve his time;
but, and Bodie smiled wolfishly, one day soon after his release, Georgie's
body would be found. Just another dead villain. And Ray, in his fine
idealism, wouldn't be touched. Relaxing further, the matter settled to his
satisfaction for now, Bodie drifted into a light sleep. 

-- THE END --

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