The Grey Edge: Chapter Two
Taylor hit the play button again.
The video faded in, and his eyes were immediately accosted by the bare arse of a fairy. The camera continued to concentrate on the fairy’s arse, then slowly panned up to show a spread set of wings, then a spread set of legs. The owner of the familiar legs stood, and moved from what he knew from previous viewings of the tape to be a king-sized bed, to the shower. Water came on, and the owner of the legs was shown in an all-too-perfect and cinematic silhouette.
Another fairy joined the first on the window ledge, and made a move to take advantage of the first fairy’s nudity, only to be stopped by the sound of the shower, and the distracting silhouette.
More and more fairies joined the first two, until there were six watching the showering form. Two of the fairies became less interested in the shower, and performed devious acts with each other – which the video showed in detail.
The fairies weren’t what interested him, but he watched nonetheless, making sure not to blink, trying to take in all the detail, trying to capture anything he had missed. It was all information – he couldn’t act without information.
The camera turned away from the mid-coitus fairies to focus on the young woman stepping out of the shower, water glistening on her skin, make-up all too perfect, towel all too small.
The next couple of minutes showed her drying herself, with lingering shots of the areas traditionally thought of as sexy – breasts, arse, the long, perfect legs, and for some reason, her feet.
She returned to the bed, and lay there, sheets as pale as he skin, making her black eyes and feathers on her back stand out all the more. Her eyes closed, in the perfect mockery of sleep as the fairies made their way into the room and onto the bed.
Feigned surprise and false attempts to be modest were followed by badly acted lines, double-entendres and agreement to partake in coitus.
One by one, the fairies had sex with the young woman, the camera taking great pleasure in capturing every moment of the acts – the sometimes rather acrobatic and complicated acts – while the by-standing fairies would cheer, touch themselves while watching or simply take part in their own acts of coitus to fill in the time, changing size at will between their default six of six inches to human-sized, where they would fall off the bed or the window sill and continuing their acts, rolling around the floor like animals.
When they were done, the naked fairies flew off, and the young woman went back to feigning sleep for the camera.
He clicked his mouse again, pausing it just before the fade-out, the last shot of the young woman’s face, the one smiling in the afterglow of group sex with a bunch of horny fairies.
He knew the face, it was unmistakably Magnolia.
His Magnolia.
His damn recruit.
In a pornographic film.
A film that someone had been nice enough to zip up and email to him.
He ran the facial recognition program again, and it confirmed – for the sixteenth time – that it was her. A fact that he didn’t need a damn program to tell him, but it was comforting to have an external opinion.
He hit play again.
He paused it on the last shot of her face again, ran the recognition program again, and ignored the automatically-generated report that it asked him to sign, as running a single face, a single shot seventeen time was cause for it to consider that it had an error. It didn’t have an error, reality had an error.
Deciding that viewing the video four times was enough, closed the video, sent a reminder to the techs to rush the trace on the email, and opened up his underused friends list in his HUD.
[Grigori?]
A text-only reply came. [Urgent?]
[Yes, but not life-threatening.]
Again, a text-only reply came. [Give me five minutes.]
Five minutes, thirty-six seconds later, a freshly-showered and smelling-like-soap Grigori appeared. ‘Sorry about that,’ he said, leaning on his desk, ‘I was occupied with several rather beautiful women.’
‘Try and not act like yourself when I ask you this.’
Grigori required a chair for himself and he sat. ‘Ask.’
‘I need your help with…pornography.’
A momentary smile was replaced by a look of confusion on his friend’s face. ‘Specifically what?’
‘I need to track down who made a film.’
‘Should be reasonably easy, a film is a film is a film, directors have trademarks, production values narrow the field, content or fetish also helps, as does the age of the film. Do you have a copy?’
He swung his monitor around to face the Russian. ‘This stays between us,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t leave this room.’
‘Taylor, of course.’
He hit play.
Grigori watched the film without comment.
‘Play it again, please,’ Grigori said.
He hit play.
‘Pause.’ Grigori stared at the screen. ‘Play. Pause, no, no, step it forward a couple of frames. Play. Pause. Play.’
The short film took four times as long as normal.
‘I’ve got enough to work with,’ Grigori said. ‘I don’t know who made it, but I’ll follow some leads. I think I’ve seen a couple of those fairies in other films, and I could also track down the companies that put out-’
‘I want to come,’ he said.
‘Wait until I know where we’re going,’ Grigori said. ‘Where’d you get this anyway? I presume it wasn’t from cruising PornTube when you were bored.’
‘It was emailed to me. Anonymous. It was a temporary email address, I’ve put the techs on tracking it, not that I expect much from them, and I didn’t divulge the content.’
Grigori stood, walked around the desk and pulled him from his chair. ‘Come on, you need to hit something, I can see it.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘There’s a fist-sized hole in your desk.’
He looked to the other agent, then down at his desk, true to the Russian’s word, there was indeed an indent that matched his hand. ‘I don’t remember doing that.’
‘You. Gym. Now.’
‘Fine,’ he said as he followed Grigori through to the next room.
‘You didn’t know about it?’
He swung at his much-abused punching bag. ‘It’s from before she was here. The unimportant part of her life.’
‘You mean the majority of her life,’ Grigori said.
‘It’s still unimportant,’ he argued, ‘she wasn’t a recruit, she wasn’t-’
‘What you’re saying is she wasn’t Magnolia yet, well, wasn’t the Magnolia you know and love, so it’s like you’re talking about a different person.’
‘I don’t love her,’ he said, punching the bag again.
‘Turn of phrase,’ Grigori said with a wave of his hand, ‘stop worrying about what I’m saying and concentrate on what’s important.’
‘Finding who sent the video.’
‘You’ve really never spoken to her about her life before? Doesn’t it interest you at all?’
‘I read her file when I recruited her,’ he said, ‘it was enough. Before has no bearing on her life as a recruit. Ran away from home, became a criminal, nearly got grey-listed for crimes in Agency territories. Became a recruit. Became…better.’
‘And apparently did porn.’
‘That doesn’t bother me,’ he said, ‘I want to know why someone would send the video to me.’
Grigori stared at him. ‘Don’t lie to me, it bothers you.’
‘Pornography bothers me. It’s exploitative. Takes advantage of the weak.’
‘It also pays exceptionally well, especially fairy porn. It’s a thriving industry for them, and just a part of life. Hell, more than a few of them use it to pay for their castration and their lives after they’re no longer rules by urges. I know a guy, played parts in twenty skin-and-wing flicks, had his treatment and then opened a restaurant. It’s no different to girls stripping to pay their way through college, it’s just a part of life.’
‘It doesn’t have to be.’
‘Your recruit was selling her hair to eat, Taylor. Taking a day or two out to strip and fuck on video probably meant she could breathe easy for a couple of months. Don’t make this into more than it is.’
‘I’m not. What it is, is this: someone knows her history well enough to have found this film, knows her now well enough to know who her commanding officer is, and is smart enough to do it anonymously.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know, and that bothers me.’
‘Could be just to rattle her.’
‘Then why not send it to her?’
‘How do you know they didn’t?’
‘Because I checked. It was only sent to me, so far as I can see.’
Grigori sighed. ‘What are you going to tell her?’
‘Nothing.’
…I. Love. You. I have no words. I’ll be back later with a more coherent comment.
You’d better!
…then again, you always come back. 😛 *fluffs yous beanbag and sets out cookies*
…was in porn…
I’m in shock… She’s REALLY changed after meeting Taylor…
[/shock disappears]
AWESOME! Taylor is SO jealous xD
Can’t wait to hear more about Mags’ promiscuous past!
…was in porn…
Grigori pretty much got it right, sometimes there are things you have to do in order to eat, or have somewhere safe to sleep.
I’m in shock… She’s REALLY changed after meeting Taylor…
Oh yes. 😀
AWESOME! Taylor is SO jealous xD
Well, she is his favourite toy. 😛
Can’t wait to hear more about Mags’ promiscuous past!
I think I might be able to manage that.
isn’t really lying; i mean, he doesn’t even know how he feels, deep down…
…that the desk deserved to be hurt, even if he didn’t recognise it consciously.
Alas poor desk.
I do think Grigori getting him to punch things was the right move though, otherwise he might have punched his way through a little techie without thinking about it. 😛
so once they find who made the movie… is Taylor going to have a series of involuntary reactions? Will he get in trouble for that? Or is it even counted as murder if an agent does it? I mean does it like count as an “act of God” by proxy?
And of course Mags will find out, and find out he cared… she might just have heart attack or something.
How dare someone play with his recruit before she was his recruit. Its gonna be weird if it turns out he did something like bought all the hair she had sold so no one else would have it.
is Taylor going to have a series of involuntary reactions?
Desks of the world may be in danger.
Will he get in trouble for that?
Yes, from the Desk Defamation League.
Or is it even counted as murder if an agent does it?
Can an agent be tried/charged for murder? Sure they can. Whether or not it counts depends on a number of factors, but the primary one is jurisdiction, Agency law doesn’t extend everywhere, so if it happened somewhere outside of Agency territory, they would have no protection.
It’s like, remember MH, and how Ryan was telling Enid how very, very much he would like to kill her? So long as she’s in Madchester territory, killing her would be technical murder, even if she’s black-listed, and he’d have no legal recourse.
I mean does it like count as an “act of God” by proxy?
No, but that’s a very, very good saying. 😀
And of course Mags will find out, and find out he cared… she might just have heart attack or something.
Poor Mags, enough is going to happen to her in this book without giving her a heart attack as well.
How dare someone play with his recruit before she was his recruit. Its gonna be weird if it turns out he did something like bought all the hair she had sold so no one else would have it.
No…that would just be creepy as hell. >_>
dbl post
The nazi is present!
“changing size at will between their default six of six inches to human-sized” One “six” is redundant. You got three guesses.
“and their lives after they’re no longer rules by urges.” Should be “ruled”.
And there was one more, mein überfrau, but I can’t find it anymore.
PS: I like Mags even more now…. don’t you fcing DEAR to judge me…
*fixes typos*
mein überfrau
Oooh, I kind of like that. 😀
PS: I like Mags even more now…. don’t you fcing DEAR to judge me…
Not judging you, this book is kind of…well, supposed to expose you to a different side of them, so that there is a chance for you to like them. 🙂
I have waited, I dunno how long to put that into context…
… Jonesy. Mag pushed him too far and he is now going to fck with both of them. Why two weeks later? Because real vengeance is when you least expect it. Not only is he quiet but patient too.
Jonsey isn’t this evil. Besides, he likes to take whatever credit is due his way.
It’s two weeks later because…GE is now moving out on its own, and it’s skipping past the end of MS. All of the important crossovery stuff has happened, so technically you’re reading about the future.
…young was she there?
And I love it that Taylor is feeling feelings. He just doesn’t know what to do with them yet, or what to connect them to. Can’t wait for the fun stuff that’s coming up. ^_^
On the sender issue, I think it could be Grigori. Or someone from Mags’ family. Hmm…
…was sixteen or seventeen. >_> It’s past the age of consent so for fairy porn, it’s all A-OK.
And I love it that Taylor is feeling feelings. He just doesn’t know what to do with them yet, or what to connect them to.
Not that he wants to admit he has feelings.
But seriously, already his bias is showing sometimes. 😀
On the sender issue, I think it could be Grigori. Or someone from Mags’ family. Hmm…
No, if it had been Grigori, he would have shown up, disc in one hand, snacks in another, and with a little information brochure concerning the, um, equipment usually needed in order to enjoy porn. 😛
What is the age of consent over there? If I even look at a seventeen year old girl wrong I get thrown into prison for half my life and get labeled a sex offender. The US is really paranoid about younger people and sexuality but they don’t give a damn about the quality of education they get.
Actually happened: I was on the bus, reading a book, heading home from school and this girl gets on at a bus stop at the library. She is probably 15, 16, something like that. I’m 31. She sits down next to me and is carrying a book that looks kind of familiar to me. I ask her about it and it is the third in the series that I’ve been thinking about reading. We talk about books for a few min then she gets off at her stop. I then realize that people around me are giving me looks like I’m some pedo-creep trying to flirt with her. I’m reading a book. I’m always reading on the bus. She showed up with more books. What the hell people?
…sixteen here, though I think in a couple of states, it’s seventeen.
I’m reading a book. I’m always reading on the bus. She showed up with more books. What the hell people?
I think it’s a case of WHAT ABOUT TEH CHILDREN? And people wanting to see child molestors everywhere, rather than trusting anyone.
our country is even worse…
There’s been quite a few pedo scandals, and our country even is rumored to be a host of pedo network or whatever…
Since that one gut that raped and killed kids got sentenced, “walked” out of prison (i’m not making this up, he literally walked out of prison), got recaptured, the media was all over it from day one, LOCK UP ALL YOUR KIDS, THERE’S PEDO’s EVERYWHERE! bah. A mom with a little kid walking home from school, passing an old guy, who’s always in front of his house, talking to her and the kid is very frowned on…
Age of consent varies from state to state in the US too. The hard limit for porn is 18 nationwide, but for the act itself, most states are between 16-18.
Colorado for instance (the only state I know off the top of my head) has the age of consent at 17, with close-in-age exceptions for those within 10 years of age (for a minor that’s 15 or 16) and for those within 4 years of age (for minors under the age of 15)
Of course then there’s the position of trust clause that really complicates things . . .
*looks around at the silent room*
<_< >_>
>_< I swear I'm not a creep for knowing this. It was taught tome on one of my first days of high school, and curiosity led me to check it again recently to see if it had changed. *throws cookies out as a distraction* *runs away*
STOP MAKING THEM LIKEABLE AND SYMPATHETIC GODDAMNIT.
Now that that’s out of the way… 😛 Seriously, this The Secret Lives of Combat Floor arc is adding so much depth. Whereas I was pissy and had a big hate-on for them during the previous Stef parts (where, it’s now clear, things are presented from a different POV or angle), I’m genuinely starting to like these guys now.
Well, “like” is too strong a word. “Not actively want to set on fire and defenestrate” is more apt 😛 Seriously, Stormy, soo muuch looove.
PS maybe it’s because Taylor broke down significantly more than usual after the big events and is going through change DUN DUN DUUUNNNN
STOP MAKING THEM LIKEABLE AND SYMPATHETIC GODDAMNIT.
…so your vote is for me to stop writing GE? 😛
Seriously, this The Secret Lives of Combat Floor arc is adding so much depth.
You do realise that’s what I’m going to unoffically call this book in my brain now, don’t you?
Whereas I was pissy and had a big hate-on for them during the previous Stef parts (where, it’s now clear, things are presented from a different POV or angle), I’m genuinely starting to like these guys now.
See? It’s all about perspective. And whereas Stef’s perspective on things isn’t necessarily wrong, people act differently around different people, and generally they have their reasons, even if it is all born out of emotional constapation. >_>
Well, “like” is too strong a word. “Not actively want to set on fire and defenestrate” is more apt 😛
Defenestration wouldn’t work so well, there are security measures in place. 😛
Seriously, Stormy, soo muuch looove.
And I’m having so much fun writing it. ^_^ Well, once I get over my daily “GOD I HATE WRITING TAYLOR” and “GOD I HATE WRITING MAGNOLIA” fits. >_>
PS maybe it’s because Taylor broke down significantly more than usual after the big events and is going through change DUN DUN DUUUNNNN
*evil grin* You ain’t seen nothing yet.
can you make “The Secret Lives of Combat Floor” the subtitle of GE?
Wouldn’t that be a little weird, or less-than-serious?
…
I’m confused, are we trying to be serious? I mean, I’m trying to have fun, but daaaaaaark stuff keeps happening in the story. -_-
Yanno, it’s the *combat* floor… 😀
…bah to you and your logic.
I know illogic can be more fun that logic, except that i’m not made that, i have troubles at illogic…
Well now, that is an interesting suprise. Why would they send that to Taylor, maybe this is one way to meet him. Enid (sp?) maybe since she lives in Madchester now, so more fae stuff to be found.
Why would they send that to Taylor, maybe this is one way to meet him.
If someone was doing that as a way to meet him, they had better pray they can run very, very fast.
Enid, i totally forgot about her! it is possible, although unlikely imo
…Hate-on. <3
Ok, I'm back. *sits down in the beanbag chair and noms on cookies* Eh-hem.
Fairies! Mags! MAGS AND FAIRIES! Omghot.
And because I don't think I understood in the first place, what was happening to her hair after she sold it?
Yaay! Taylor has FEELINGS. Iloveit. I'm so loving his character development. He's not just AAAAHVOLCANO guy anymore. And I love Mags/Taylor scenes. And Merlin/Jonsey. And Parker/Parker.
...Finefine, I like Stef/Ryan too.
I'm happy to hear anything about the fae. As much as I love the human/agent characters, I'm really intrigued by the fae and the Courts and the gods and the crazy supernatural side of the world.
Ok, I’m back. *sits down in the beanbag chair and noms on cookies* Eh-hem.
🙂 See? Told you that you’d be back!
Fairies! Mags! MAGS AND FAIRIES! Omghot.
>_> Well, porn is supposed to be hot. I think.
And because I don’t think I understood in the first place, what was happening to her hair after she sold it?
Basically, melted down and used as a kind of permanent hair dye in fae salons – because it’s made from real hair, it never washes out, and become a permanent feature of the other person’s head, until they decide to dye their hair again.
Yaay! Taylor has FEELINGS. Iloveit. I’m so loving his character development. He’s not just AAAAHVOLCANO guy anymore.
Oh, he still is, but it’s just that there’s a volcano with FEELINGS. 😛 I mean…just wait until you see some of the stuff he pulls later in the book.
I’m happy to hear anything about the fae. As much as I love the human/agent characters, I’m really intrigued by the fae and the Courts and the gods and the crazy supernatural side of the world.
Well, there’s going to be quite a bit of crazy fae stuff in this book (though generally centered about Mags’ family), but there will be plenty of interesting stuff.
You, you’ll like #7, plenty of Court law and faerie rules getting about in that one. 😀
Sneaky Russian is sneaky. I see what he did there, perfectly reasonable excuses aside!
…Grigori is love. <3 *huggles him*
Watches Grigori grope Stormy.
…right, I probably should be wearing body armour.
Naah. Then you’d be a battle chick, and he’d find that hot. X3
I think I’m a little soft and squishy to be a battle chick.
Hehee. Well, he’d find you hot anyway. Grigori is an “anything that moves” kind of guy. Or at least he is in my mind. Does that only apply to females?
…he’s also fine, but a little more discerning. I mean, if there’s six guests in his bed, one or two of them are probably going to be guys.
here goes the lego again 😉
I am Legend!