There was an uninterrupted flow of traffic outside the window of Vitto and David's apartment that continued in a ceaseless monotony as the two lay in bed…breathless, sweaty, and spent. They just had sex. It had been a while since the last they'd done it too, given the hustle and bustle of the last few days. And as far as a refractory period goes, it was too long. They'd never gone this long without intimacy in five years of their relationship. And they needed it. After everything that they'd been through, it was a welcome relief.
The reason Vitto loved sex–it allowed for a release of tension. And he was so much in his head sometimes, he needed it. And David just liked sex. So the two worked well together. Exhausted, Vitto gazed languidly at the traffic moving slowly outside the window. It was like a form of meditation to him. It soothed him. The kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Regular cars, taxis, garbage trucks, public buses…Thank God, the glass was soundproof! Although an occasional low-pitch rumble of some particularly heavy-duty vehicle would still make the walls shake, it calmed Vitto. Usually. But not right now.
Right now he was unusually tense. And even sex didn't relax him. The whole thing with the stones and the fifth element was weighing hard on him. How could he possibly relax? There was too much at stake. And not enough time! There was never enough time. It was a mess! And, for the love of God, he couldn't figure out how to fix it. He sighed. It was fucking frustrating is what it was. And if sex couldn't distract him, nothing else could. He might as well give up right now and stop trying to relax. He ought to get back to business.
He sat upright. What was he even supposed to do with the stones? And the boy? And the whole mission, for that matter? There was hardly anything more important than this. Something needed to be done and he hadn't got a clue what to do about it. Ironically, he was a priest who needed guidance. If only the gods' ship wasn't destroyed. They would have all the answers but they were dead. Now he was all alone in this.
David reached out for him, giving him a gentle pat on the back (a try), but Vitto didn't even seem to notice. He was all up in his head again, thinking about the stones. David sighed. The best he could do was leave him alone right now and try again later. Let it resolve itself what was bothering him. Which he didn't really understand what it was. But he was trying to. So he lay on his back, relaxed and naked, a beautiful Greek god, available for Vitto to do with him whenever he wanted to do. Only Vitto wasn't paying attention to him. He was studying the stones instead, laid out in front of him on a coffee table. Right now they were all he could think of. They were obscured from the public eye for the last five thousand years. How was it possible he had them in his apartment right now? He couldn't wrap his head around it. It just didn't make sense. Yes, of course, he remembered bringing them here himself. But that was only because there wasn't anyone else. It wasn't supposed to be that way. He wasn't supposed to have them. And yet, there he was…
Every time he touched one of the stones, he got the chills. They were the only weapon humanity had against evil. None other! And he had little doubt the evil in question was going to present itself soon. How could it be that the fifth element was out there somewhere and the stones were here? They were supposed to be together, inseparable, undivided as one. Something must have gone terribly wrong if this happened. Someone fucked up, big time!
David was looking at the stones too now, trying to understand why Vitto was looking at them. His stare was so intense. He looked so troubled. David just wanted to help. But he didn't know how. So he put his chin on Vitto's shoulder and asked, "What you're thinking?" His usual conversation starter, in case Vitto ever turned silent on him. Which, it didn't happen too often. Usually, it was the other way around.
For a moment, there was no response. Vitto wasn't replying to him. So David waited, patiently. If Vitto was going to say something, he was going to do it in his own time. David had learned as much in the five years of their relationship. It was best not to push him. David watched cars fly by while he waited, wondering how could Vitto possibly meditate on them. He found them irritating instead. But what you're gonna do? This was a part of life here in the city. It was a studio apartment the two were living in, at the sub-premium two-hundred and sixtieth level. Right outside their windows, there was a busy 12-lane. It was busy day and night; there was no stopping it. The view was good though. And it was more than David could hope for. Since he wasn't paying for any of it.
"I can't seem to figure it out," Vitto said suddenly. "What am I supposed to do, David?"
That was David's cue. He put his hands around Vitto. He rarely spoke to him like that. David ought to have seized the moment. "What are the options?" he asked, simply. He just wanted to let Vitto talk.
Vitto thought about it. "None! We need to find the boy, David. We have to! Otherwise, all will be lost," Vitto said. "But I haven't got a clue how to do this because I don't know where he is."
"But if you knew where to find him, just for the sake of argument. What would you do?" David asked. Vitto gave him a puzzled look. What did he even mean?
"If I knew where to find him, I would bring the stones to him, David," Vitto said. Duh! "That's the only way to go. They belong together."
"So, that's what you should do then," David said. Vitto frowned but David continued, "When the time comes, you'll deliver the stones to him. I mean, if that's what was supposed to happen, it'll happen anyway. Right? That's just how it works. And there's nothing anyone could do to stop it. And, instead of worrying, you should collect your strength. Because you'll probably need it soon."
Hmm. Sometimes David surprised Vitto. Vitto stared at him. Well, he wasn't wrong. There was some logic to the way he was thinking.
"You might be right, David. I haven't thought about it like that. Thank you," Vitto said, suddenly surprising himself. He rarely thanked David for anything, if at all. And he never admitted David was right about something.
David smiled. He managed to give Vitto peace of mind without resorting to sex. This was a first. He felt proud of himself. It was a beautiful moment between the two of them. Only, it didn't last long, because the very next second the entrance door was blown off its hinges and–
Flew right across the living room. Swoosh! Boom! Bang! Before it landed right in front of Vitto and David. Who both blinked at it wide-eyed–
A cloud of smoke followed. And, coming out of the smoke, there were half a dozen armed-to-the-teeth dog-faced. They were barking and yelping, and their guns had the Zorc Industries logo on them. To the casual eye, they looked positively ominous.
"You gotta be kidding me…" Vitto cried out before he could stop himself. And then he'd turned and taken a look at the dog-faced. "Umm, hello?" Taken aback by their appearance, as most people were, he stared at them, mouth agape. Made him forget he was naked.
Acknot stepped forth, separating himself from the group and identifying himself as the leader. The others calmed down. Then he spoke, "We want the stones…" He raised his weapon to Vitto's chest. "Give them to us!"
Vitto gulped.