Andrew moaned as Lucas leaned over him and captured Andrew’s earlobe between his teeth. That was a guarantee for a photo finish.

The ancient spy whispered against his lover’s ear, “Let’s give them a grand finale.” One hand released Andrew’s hip and moved frontward, teasing and pleasing.

A giver.

Andrew bit his lip, and his eyes rolled back, ready to let go—

The stupid fucking device in his palm vibrated.

Ignore it.

Keep going.

The hand coaxing so much pleasure from Andrew vibrated, and the Progeny, known as Conscience, could shit kittens he was so mad. Especially as his palm device vibrated again.

Lucas chuckled at Andrew’s frustration as they separated in ecstatic agony.

“Cut!” Iuo called from behind the projection camera. One of his crew members snapped a scene clapper, a novelty Reipon had adopted from Earth. “All right, everyone. Give them some privacy.” Said the King Elect, who immediately crossed the extravagant suite to the bed. He held up his hand, vibrating visibly from three feet away.

Andrew groaned. “It’s Xelan, isn’t it? How did he know we were with you, Iuo?”

Lucas wrapped a sheet around him, hiding what modesty couldn’t afford. Sometimes Andrew thought the extremely well-endowed Icarus hid his biological miracle to prevent jealousy. Or fear.

With a casual flip of his sandy blond hair, Lucas said, “I believe he’s calling everyone.”

Iuo assured, “I never disclose details of a production.” Suddenly, he blossomed into a grin, black and blue eyes sparkling. “You two were fantastic. Do you think we can pick up where we left off?”

All three of their palm devices vibrated, and Andrew sighed. “I doubt it.”

They all answered, and Xelan appeared in a projection, looking ready to pull his hair out.

“Sorry to call you at two in the morning, but the instruments detected a spike in the activity Andrew reported. In the last seventy-two hours, the Probabilities within the Matrix shrank from several hundred million to only ten thousand.”

Holy.

“Shit,” Iuo hissed.

Andrew couldn’t help but notice Lucas didn’t look shocked. He looked relieved.

After the dramatic pause, Xelan continued with the update. “Matt and Lucy discovered the vice lords responsible for the child trafficking ring have all committed suicide within the last six hours. Among others. Pehton’s reports cite fear of the shrinking Probability Matrix, but some fringe gossip implies Celindria was controlling their volition and forced the suicides.”

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Tameka came on the line next. “I know we ask a lot of the Shadow, but we’re calling ‘Banana.’ Overtime and all hands on deck. We need a strategy for how to respond to the Matrix shrinking and to brainstorm methods of luring Celindria out of hiding. Korac and Sagan went on some spiritual retreat to commune with the Atheneum, so we’re down a Seamswalker. Be patient with T.a.o. as she brings each of you to the bridge for this state of emergency. For the good of peace, we will always remain.”

When the image disappeared, Iuo pouted. “I guess I won’t finish tonight.”

“That makes three of us,” Andrew grumbled.

Lucas laughed. It was bright and happy, relieved and joyous. It did not match the situation, and Andrew caught himself staring in suspicion.

No.

Either trust this man—the man Andrew loved—or don’t. The back and forth was a betrayal to their relationship. He reached out and squeezed Lucas’ hand. The golden-eyed Icarus, still smiling with good humor, kissed Andrew’s knuckles.

Lucas said, “We can finish filming once this is over.”

Yeah, his non-responsiveness—almost flippancy—at the Probability Matrix should raise a red flag, but Andrew had made his decision. No checking his lover’s intentions. Not that it had ever gotten him anywhere with Lucas before.

Encumbered, Andrew raked a hand through his hair with an exasperated sigh. “We should report before T.a.o. shows up while we’re still naked.”

Iuo thumped the marble column acting as a bedpost. “You got it. I’ll be outside when you’re ready to go.” Before he left the room, he paused in the doorway to ask, “But we’ll finish shooting this, right?”

“Count on it,” Lucas called, much to the King Elect’s delight. When the door closed behind Iuo, Lucas said into the quiet, “I’ve never filmed one of these before.”

There was a significance to the way he said it—A weight. Andrew quirked a brow, hoping he’d answer at least this much.

Lucas stepped out of the sheets and went searching for their clothes. Without meeting Andrew’s eyes, Lucas said, “In every other Probability, I always said no.”

Andrew frowned. “We aren’t together in any other Probability.” Some of which were now dearly departed from existence.

Lucas tapped a finger to his lips, staring off and considering. After another second, he admitted, “You know? I think that’s exactly why. You bring out my sense of adventure.” His appreciative grin was everything.

That got a chuckle out of Andrew, who could not for the life of him find his boxers—

Thwap!

They smacked right into his face after Lucas sent them flying across the bed. “Hurry and get dressed. Our Co-Emperors have summoned us.”

Andrew stepped into them, staring in fascination across the room as Lucas slipped elegantly into a teal button-down and black slacks. The shirt matched Andrew’s eyes. He swallowed before he could say, “You know they’ll ask you. Will you help them this time?”

With his back to Andrew, Lucas buckled his belt with a curt, “No.”

Fuck.

“Can you tell me why not?” Andrew almost added, ‘please,’ but he’d get the answer Lucas wanted to give either way.

Lucas faced Andrew, and he looked bone tired, his eyes giving away his age. Lucas said, “Because they will try to stop it.”

Andrew wet his lips before asking, “Should we not be afraid of ceasing to exist?”

With a gesture, Lucas encompassed the room—no, the universe—as he said, “This Probability is the one shattering others into existence. It’s the control, if you will, while the others are the variable. The Eternal Bind will reduce all other Probabilities but this one. If…”

That sounded really reassuring until the ‘if.’ Andrew asked, “If what?”

The weariness seemed to weigh down Lucas’ bones as he leaned one forearm on a bedpost and his forehead against the arm, resting. His words were filled with so much anguish and said so softly Andrew almost didn’t hear Lucas.

“If I got it right this time.”