Fragments of Deceit

The moon was harsh against the overly ornate silk drapes that hung in the far too spacious room of the President’s mansion. The streaks half-lit the space, softening around the serene form of a sleeping Lu Jia like a halo. Theron wishes he could feel that kind of peace. Instead he found himself relentlessly pacing in front of the massive window, his mind a swirling storm of uncertainty.

There was too much silence. The tiny device implanted in his ear, usually a constant stream of Harry’s techno babble, Catherine's harsh warnings or Siyana’s insistence that the target was ready to be taken down, was instead a still and deafening silence. The absence of his team’s response left him with so many questions. Had they already retrieved the President? Was the safehouse secure? How long did he have before he had to witness Lu Jia’s world crumbling around him. Before Theron was left to defend an ever disintegrating façade. He was angry at himself for caring, for being so torn. President Wang Ming was a monster who needed to answer for his crimes. Catherine was right. He had gotten too close. He couldn't even trust his own emotions anymore.

Lu Jia's deep voice cut through the stillness of the dark bedroom, thick with sleep. "Peter?" Theron's heart ached at the name, the one he had chosen to seduce the president's son. In this moment, he wanted to be Peter, the charming Oxford grad student on holiday from his studies rather than himself—a spy and a liar. He wished he could stay in this fantasy forever, but he knew time was running out. Any second now, Lu Jia's security team would barge in and reveal that the president had been captured. Before the night was over, Lu Jia would uncover the truth. One way or another, he would discover who Theron truly was.

Lu Jia rose from the sea of silk sheets, gliding across the dimly lit room with an ethereal grace. His silk golden robe clung to him, as if a second skin. Theron took in the way the moonlight painted his beautiful face with shadow and light, the way his smooth black hair shined against the glow. He moved like a shimmering snake, sliding closer to Theron until they were only a breath apart. It took every professional instinct within Theron to withhold the temptation to whisk Lu Jia away right then, disappear into the dusk and start a new life. Become the lie he had created. Would it be so bad, a life as Peter Wainwright? Could he pretend forever and be content? No. He needed to focus, he needed to remember the mission. The flutter in his chest needed to be suppressed, replaced with the cold determination of the trained operative that he was supposed to be.

Catherine had been right to keep him off of the capture teamᅳhe had become too compromised, his feelings for Lu Jia clouding his better judgement. President Wang Ming is a monster, he repeated to himself. He said it over and over, like a mantra. Praying that the words would steel his fluttering nerves.

Lu Jia bore into him, bright brown orbs searching Theron's face for answers, his normally smooth forehead creased with worry and confusion. Theron wondered then, when exactly it was that he had become so transparent. He was failing to access even the most basic of his skillsets. And the beautiful man before him was undeniably the cause.

“What's going on, Peter?” Lu Jia asked, his voice thick with concern. Theron struggled to find the words to explain the turmoil inside him - the mission that had gone wrong, the seduction that had become real, the betrayal he never intended.

“My name isn't Peter.” He choked out, voice barely above a whisper. He had meant to be resolute, but the statement limply hung there. He watched as every emotion shifted across Lu Jia's face - from concern to confusion, finally settling on a chilling emptiness. The reaction surprised Theron. He had been prepared for histrionics, for some kind of soap operatic wailing of betrayal. The worst part was that Lu Jia didn't even look surprised. After all, this had been his constant, ever present fear. This was the reason the younger man had rescinded into his shell for so many years, turned away even the most available of suitors.

It had been the hardest part of Theron's mission, to break Lu Jia out of that shell, to convince the distrustful young man that he was not using him for any kind of nefarious purpose. To see him curl inwards on himself now hurt Theron in a way he did not expect, the harsh realization of how much damage his lies have done.

"Who are you with then? CIA? Mossad?" Lu Jia's tone was cool and calculated, a far cry from the passionate lover Theron had known just hours earlier. The question was surprisingly direct. Theron took for granted that despite his naivety, Lu Jia was not stupid.

"MI6," he admitted, feeling the weight of his confession like a physical burden. A hollow laugh escaped Lu Jia's lips. "So at least the accent is real, then." Theron winced, wanting to explain the tangled web of deceit and genuine feelings that had led him here. But before he could speak, they were interrupted by heavy footsteps approaching. Lu Jia's security detail flooded the room, their faces grim. Though Theron's Mandarin was rusty, the urgency in their clipped pronouncements was unmistakable. The President had been shot, whisked away to an undisclosed location. They were here to take Lu Jia to him.

No. No. No. This wasn't part of the plan. Catherine had been adamant about capturing the President alive and unharmed. She knew bloodshed was an invitation to an international war. Not even the trigger-happy Siyana would dare to go against Catherine’s final call. Which meant this wasn’t his team, this was something else, something terrifying and unknown. A rogue faction, perhaps, a variable he hadn't accounted for. Panic clawed at him, and he hated the unfamiliar sensation of not knowing what was going on. Where was his team? Were they even alive? He was supposed to be the one who always had all of the answers, who was always one step ahead, and right now he felt like he was trying to piece together a puzzle that made no sense. He looked at the four men who hovered near Lu Jia, a guttural instinct filling him with an indescribable dread. He didn't like the way they were looking at the younger man, the urgency in their tone. Theron didn't know a god damn thing. But something had gone wrong.

“Come with me," he pleaded, gripping Lu Jia's arm delicately. "We need to get out of here before it's too late." But Lu Jia's response was harsh and bitter, laced with the reminder of Theron’s betrayal. The younger man pulled away, suspicion etched on his face as he accused, "How can I trust you after what your people did? My father’s been shot!”

Theron shook his head vehemently, desperation seeping into every syllable. "No, that wasn't us. I don't know what's happening here, but that wasn't our mission. You have to believe me." But Theron could tell that Lu Jia was unconvinced, his eyes stormy grey and filled with years of ingrained cynicism. “Believe you?" he spat, "Every single word out of your mouth from the moment I met you has been a complete lie. How do I know you don't just want to lure me away to kill me?"

Theron desperately grabbed Lu Jia’s face in his hands. Forcing him to look up into his pleading eyes. “I didn’t lie about everything. Not all of it.” he explains. “And deep down you have to know that I wouldn’t hurt you.” Lu Jia stood, wavering, unsure of who to trust. Just then, the security detail closed in around them, their hands reaching for Lu Jia's arms with an impersonal brutality, Theron saw panic flicker in the younger man's eyes.

One look at Lu Jia's desperate face was enough for Theron to completely sideline his original mission. Protecting Lu Jia became Theron's new purpose, and he moved with a quick and blinding focus. All of those long years of training echoed in the back of his mind as he moved with precision and speed, disarming the guards with ease. He tried to ignore the look of surprise on Lu Jia’s face, on the realization that his mask had been entirely ripped away, torn clean and now only the ugly underbelly was left exposed. Could Lu Jia love Theron the same way he had loved Peter? Theron had no time to dwell on the thought, he heard the distinct footsteps of more men approaching. "We have to go," he growled, grabbing Lu Jia's hand and pulling him towards the large window. It was no longer a request; it was a command born out of love and desperation. Theron led them over the balcony and down the trellis, running on adrenaline alone as they made their desperate escape. He knew he needed to regroup with his team and figure out what went wrong with the extraction, but first and foremost, he needed to get Lu Jia somewhere safe. Even if it meant defying the iron law of Catherine. Even if it meant abandoning his mission. Even if it meant betraying his team.

The two men took off in a sprint towards the tree line at the edge of the palatial estate, Theron pulling Lu Jia along as the younger man lagged slightly behind. He could have carried Lu Jia if need be, but he sensed the other man needed to feel like he was somewhat in control of where they were headed. Once under the cover of the trees, Theron slowed their pace to a fast walk, straining his ears for any signs they were being pursued. He risked a glance at Lu Jia - the poor man looked dazed with shock and fear, eyes wide and lips parted as he gulped in panting breaths.

Ever so gently, Theron reached out a hand, lightly touching the younger man on the arm. "Are you hurt?" he asked softly, worried that his voice would carry. Upon seeing a slight shiver, Theron shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it around the other man’s shoulders. Lu Jia remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. He absent-mindedly clung to the oversized jacket, drawing warmth and comfort from the soft fabric. More than anything, Theron wanted to pull him into a warm embrace, to promise that everything would be okay. But he could tell by the fire in Lu Jia’s eyes, that the other man would recoil from any further touch.

"I'm so sorry, Lu Jia," Theron murmured. The words were hardly enough. They were pathetic, practically worthless. "I never intended... I didn't want to hurt you like this.” He hated the lameness of his words, but he didn’t know how to say what he needed to, without it sounded cheap or rehearsed. He tried again, “Despite my mission, what we had was..."

"Real?" Lu Jia interrupted with a biting sarcasm. "You took advantage of my fear. You used it to gain access to my father.” The accusation bit deep, not because it lacked truth but because Theron detested becoming the embodiment of Lu Jia's deepest insecurities.

"You're right." His admission was heavy. "I was sent to get close to you in order to find a way to your father. It was just a mission, nothing personal.”

“Nothing personal!” Lu Jia's voice echoed before he remembered their delicate situation. His eyes darted in a quick panic, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Everything we shared...what we did tonight. That felt pretty personal to me.”

“Please just let me finish." Theron implored. "Let me get it out just once. In the beginning it wasn’t personal.” Theron paused, his gaze locked onto Lu Jia, pleading for understanding. “But as I got to know you, my feelings changed. When we were together, I really felt like I was Peter Wainwright. I'm not playing a part or going through the motions. The name was a lie but those moments, what I felt was real."

Lu Jia stared at him for a long moment, issuing no response. Theron couldn't tell if he was starting to get through to the younger man or not. With a resigned sigh, he turned away from Lu Jia to scan their surroundings again. He needed to get them away from the estate grounds and regroup with his people from a secure location. If Catherine had gone rogue and had the President harmed, Theron would do everything in his power to protect Lu Jia. But that begged the question - protect him from what? His own father's security forces who may have unknown hostiles mixed in? His father's government if the extraction intel was accurate? His own people if Catherine's team had been compromised?

The only thing Theron knew for certain at this point was that Lu Jia was no longer safe surrounded by the people he should have been able to trust. And that Theron trusted no one but himself to keep the young man safe. He turned back to find Lu Jia staring at him intently, an unreadable expression on the younger man's face. "Can I at least know your real name?" Theron turned in surprise at the soft spoken words. Lu Jia’s eyes betrayed a vulnerability, exposed the tragic truth that despite everything, he still loved the person he had thought the other man was.

“Theron.”

“Theron.” Lu Jia repeated slowly, tasting the word on his tongue, as if deciding if it were poison or wine. He studied Theron further before continuing. "If what you're saying is true...if people really are after me and my father has been harmed or taken...if you're people really had nothing to do with it, then I don't have a choice. So I’ll go with you. But make no mistake. Just because I need you doesn’t mean I trust you. And it doesn’t mean I forgive you."

Theron swallowed the harsh words, not having the luxury to dwell on the ache in his chest. He instead focused on the depth of the situation and the heavy weight of responsibility that had settled over him. No longer was this just about gathering intel or even protecting assets. This was about a man - a good, decent man despite his parental connections - whose life was potentially in danger by unseen forces. A man whose life was made infinitely worse by the misfortune of ever having met Theron Langhorne.

Meeting Lu Jia's gaze steadily, Theron injected every ounce of sincerity into his words. "I promise, on my life, that I won't let any harm come to you. If you can’t bring yourself to trust me, you can at least trust that."

For a moment, neither man spoke, letting the vow hang heavily in the air between them. Then, finally, Lu Jia gave a small nod of acceptance. Of fragile trust. Releasing a shaky breath, Theron felt the weight of his mission shift entirely. He reached out and took Lu Jia's hand in his, softly running his thumb over the younger man's knuckles. Unlike the first time he had grabbed Lu Jia's hand in an attempt to escape, this time there was no resistance or doubt from Lu Jia. Just acceptance of whatever was to come next.

"We need to get away from here and regroup," Theron said, temporarily pushing aside his swirling feelings in order to formulate a tactical plan. "I'll get us somewhere safe, then try to make contact with my team leader to get sit-rep on what the hell is going on." Lu Jia nodded again, his expression one of grim determination despite his fear and hurt over the evening's events. In that moment, Theron felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness and admiration for the younger man. Lu Jia didn't have anywhere near the training or life experiences to deal with a situation like this. Yet here he was, placing an incredible amount of trust in Theron despite his revealed deceptions.

As they set off further into the trees away from the estate, Theron couldn't help but steal glances at the man by his side. Lu Jia's hand in his was an anchor, grounding him amidst the storm of chaos and conflicting emotions, of uncertain alliances and unseen betrayals. He was determined to honor Lu Jia's faith and protect the man he loved, no matter the consequences.