Mechanical Heart [Defense Troopers 1]

CHAPTER1 "Marty, this is not a good idea," Bryton said as he followed his best friend to the small building. "Bryton, I told you before, if you're uncomfortable you can leave, but I know my dad's new guys are up to something and it's no good," Marty said as he bent down and gave the door lock on the front of the building a good once over. Bryton sighed, "Marty, you know where you go I go, but this is breaking and entering. We could go to jail, damn it, and the way I look, you and I both know I would be someone's b***h in seconds." Marty turned his head and laughed. Bryton was the same five foot two as he was. Both had black hair that went to the shoulder and wore make-up that enhanced their beauty. They had been best friends since preschool. They dressed the same, talked the same, thought the same, even walked the same. Hell, they came out as gay to their parents on the same day. People often mistook them for twins, and they even tended to attract the same guys. "Bryton, we both would have issues in prison and you know it." "The difference is you might like it. I, however, am saving myself for marriage," Bryton responded with a sniff. Marty laughed. "Bry, we're both f*****g virgins." "Yes, but mine is by choice. Your problem is your nails. If you would come with me to Magenta Magic, we could take care of that immediately. Really Marty, how can one be gay and not tend to all your needs?" Bryton said with a tilt of his nose in the air, and then burst out laughing. Looking back at the lock, Marty pulled out his pick and started working on the locked door, whispering, "I fix junk to resell, Bry. Not even magic can keep them long and strong and as Magenta Magic's owner, you have to look that way." "It's hot as hell out here. Are you almost done? Too much sunshine is not good for my skin," Bryton complained. Hearing the snick of the lock, Marty stood and turned the knob, "We're in." Following Marty into the building, Bryton's voice lowered to the point Marty could barely hear him, "Tell me, why we're doing this again? I mean, if I'm going to risk prison shouldn't I know why?" Marty looked around the room, picking things up and setting them down, "I told you, I watched the new guys my dad hired to salvage things from his yard taking stuff in here. Their job is to go through the larger piles and bring them to me so I can fix them up to sell. I think these guys are stealing stuff and I'm going to prove it." Bryton looked around, took his finger and swiped the dust from a shelf in the room. Shaking his head in disgust, he whispered, "These guys need a cleaning lady. From the looks of it, a decorator wouldn't be a bad idea either." "It is strange, isn't it? I mean, the guys have nothing personal in here at all. Not a knick-knack or even a family photo are in here," Marty muttered. Snorting, Bryton replied, "Maybe they're ex-cons. I mean, your dad does have a big heart and often takes in strays." Marty scoffed, "That's true. He did take you in." "My parents moved to Maine to be with my sister and I was right in the middle of completing my cosmetology classes." Marty defended. Bryton snickered, "Bry, you graduated three years ago and still haven't moved out." "I don't like change," Bryton replied, following Marty into the next room. "Come on Marty, let's just go. Your dad is grilling the hot dogs and hamburgers and Mrs. Edington made her prize-winning apple pie. I want to get there before there's nothing left and all the fireworks are shot off," Bryton whined. Marty sighed and turned to his friend. "You want to rush out of here because you hope to hook up with Michael Cox. Maybe if you'd help me and stop bitching we could find what I'm looking for and go." Bryton marched over to the closet in a huff and pulled the door open, "You know you've become a huge ass ever since Donny broke up with you. And it's Nick Wilcox I'm hoping to hook up with." Opening the dresser drawers, Marty mumbled, "I dumped him, not the other way around and Nick is engaged to marry Donna Southerland." "Nick is as gay as we are, he's just afraid to come out of the closet," Bryton muttered. They searched in silence until Bryton grumbled, "My goodness, these men have some serious wardrobe issues. They don't even have anything hanging here. What do they...ahhhh..." Marty rushed to the closet, "What happened? Bry, are you okay?" Bryton rubbed his sore ass. "I'm fine but I can't say the same for the wall." "What did you do?" Marty asked as he entered the closet and saw his best friend on the floor and lying half in the closet and half in another room. "I moved a damn hanger and the damn wall came down," Bryton complained. Helping Bryton up, Marty whispered, "You didn't break the wall, Bry. It's some kind of secret room." Seeing all the electronic gadgets, and even some car parts, Marty gasped, "See, I told you I saw them bringing things in here that belonged to my dad." Bryton shook his head. "This s**t doesn't make sense at all, Marty. Why would someone want this junk?" "I have no idea," Marty replied looking around. Picking up a small box, Bryton turned it one way and then another. "This is weird. I don't know electronics like you do, but even I know this isn't something normal." Marty went to his friend and took the device in his hand. "It almost looks like a game boy, but it doesn't look like it has a place to put the games." Shrugging Bryton said, "Maybe it's the newest version?" Shaking his head, Marty replied, "That isn't due out for another four years." Bryton turned his head, whispering, "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" Marty asked still looking at the gadget in his hand. Bryton tugged on Marty's arm, hissing, "Damn it, Marty, someone's coming. We need to go." The sounds of footsteps getting closer to them caught Marty's attention and both men looked around, "Hide!" Marty and Bryton rushed behind a large bookshelf. "Damn it Marty, why did you bring that?" Bryton hissed quietly, pointing to the device Marty had been checking out. Realizing what he had done, Marty groaned, "s**t!" Stuffing the thing in his back pocket. When he went to put it back, Bryton grabbed him, hissing, "There's no time. Let's just hope he doesn't notice. How many guys are we talking about?" "Two. I've only seen them from a distance, and that was when I saw them carrying stuff in here," Marty whispered. Hearing sounds in the room, both men held their breath when they heard someone yell, "Alarm breech is in here!" Bryton quietly moved an engine part to the side so they could see who was entering the little room. A very large man that had to have been close to seven feet tall, with long straight black hair, and muscles so large he looked like he could bench press an eighteen-wheeler stood there, followed by three others just as tall, just as big. "This is more than two, Marty," Bryton said low and close to Marty's ear. Bryton felt his c**k harden immediately when he looked at the luscious specimen getting closer to him and Marty. The guy was as tall as the first guy and if it were possible, he had even more muscles then the dark haired one as well. However, streaks of white ran down sections of his hair and Bryton felt a pull to run his fingers through each strand. "Valkin, did you discover what triggered the alarm?" one of the men asked. Marty shook with fear as Valkin searched the room. Bryton was so intrigued by the man named Valkin, he forgot all about his own terror, instead wondering if the man's hair was as soft as it looked or if Valkin's c**k went with his height. It would be sad if all those muscles were brought on by steroids, because everyone knew what that did to a guy’s junk. "I'm not finding anything. What about you, Faruke?" Valkin said in a deep baritone. It didn't take long before Faruke returned, "Sir, there are no signs of anyone. Whoever broke in must have already left." With a sharp nod, Valkin replied, "Whoever the intruder is took the battle capacitator." "s**t!" One of the men angrily hissed. "Do you think it was Marston and his men?" another man asked. Shaking his head, Valkin replied, "I don't think so, but we can't be sure. Faruke, Greton, Corbal, search the building. If the intruder is in here, I want him found," the beefy hunk ordered. "Yes, Valkin," the men said as one, then turned to do as they were instructed. Bryton watched as the men all filed out of the room. Strangely, he felt a sense of loss instead of relief. However, by the sound Marty made next to him, he clearly didn't feel the same way. "We need to go," Marty rasped quietly. Needing some time to think and try and understand his thoughts and feelings about what just happened, Bryton started making his way to the door. Just as they were about to exit, four large shadows appeared in front of them. "Look at what we have here," Valkin said in a low, deadly tone. Bryton didn't say a word. He was too transfixed on the weapons being pointed in their direction. Not so much because they were guns, but because these guns were in place of hands and in a couple of instances, arms. It was as if they pointed their hand towards them and that appendage became a weapon. "What the hell are you guys?" Bryton muttered in awe. Valkin stepped forward. "We are defense troopers from Apparati. You have three seconds to return what you have taken or I promise you, you will die."