Untouchable (LGBT - SciFi - Romance)

Chapter 40

"Am I married? Do I have a wife as well as a son?" The question burst from Robin Lang. The issue had only occurred to him in the middle of the night. He was guessing that the answer was 'no', as surely Martinez or the Colonel would have told him when he offered to return to Huan, but he needed to be certain.

"Not any more. Your wife died when Max was ten, you were married for about eleven years," Martinez told him. The Captain had arrived early for their meeting with Colonel Young, and was waiting with Lang in his room.

"I find this all very confusing," Lang admitted. "I feel like I'm an om. I don't understand how I could get married to a woman, have a son. Surely losing my memory wouldn't change my sexuality?"

Martinez shook his head. "I certainly wouldn't have thought so! Maybe she was a special woman, one that you were able to love. Or maybe you simply denied your sexuality. Well, I know you did, at least in public. No-one knew you were an om."

"Are you married, Captain?" Lang asked. "I'm sorry, I should have asked before."

"No," replied Martinez. "I was, but I'm divorced," he added hastily, drawing attention to his heterosexuality.

That brought a faint smile to Lang's lips which he endeavoured to hide. "No-one to miss you, if you spend a couple of months on Tian? With me?"

"Uh, no. I'm seeing someone, but it's not serious. Yet." Now why had he felt pushed into adding that? He knew his friendship with Katrina was never going to be anything else. Something about the way Lang kept looking at him had him rattled, defensive.

"That's fine then," Lang said agreeably.

Colonel Young came into the room carrying a Captain's uniform draped over one arm. "We're going ahead with your suggestion," he told Lang. "Captain Martinez will accompany you, help you fill in any gaps because of your memory loss." And keep an eye on your activities. He didn't have to say that part aloud, each man there knew that's what he meant.

"Dr Yoshida tells me you're fit enough to be discharged, so we might as well start today. I'm assuming you want to see your son before you return to Tian?"

"Yes, sir." Lang suddenly felt anxious, everything was moving faster than he had expected.

"I've spoken to Captain Almeida on the Qatar. He's sending Max Lang down to headquarters this afternoon and you can see him there." He turned to Martinez. "You'll need to pack, the two of you are booked on the Revel for passage to Tian tomorrow. I want you to stay with Captain Lang at all times, at least until you're on the ship. His safety is your responsibility."

"Yes, sir."

"Of course when you get to Huan, you'll be staying with Captain Lang in his home. Sorry, Martinez, did you say something?"

"No, sir," Martinez swallowed his inarticulate protest. He knew it made obvious sense to stay with the Captain. If he made a pass at him he'd just have to turn him down, politely but firmly, very firmly.

XXX

Max was wondering what he had done wrong. He had been called into Captain Almeida's quarters and told he was required at Patrol Headquarters that afternoon. Now he was there kicking his heels, waiting in a small room. What on Earth was going on?

On the other side of the door, Robin Lang was trying to work up his courage to meet his son. He turned rather desperately to Martinez. "Would you tell him for me? Tell him I'm alive, but I've lost my memory?"

Martinez smiled but shook his head. "No. Go on, you'll find you know what to do."

Lang gave him a last despairing glance, squared his shoulders and opened the door.

"Dad?" The young man in front of him went as white as a sheet. He could see the family resemblance to himself in the shape of his blue eyes, the straight nose, the dark blond hair. His son looked as if he was about to faint.

Lang stepped forward without thinking and pulled Max into his arms in a fierce hug. Although he couldn't honestly say he remembered him, he felt familiar, he felt right.

"Dad?" Max pulled back a fraction to stare into his face. There were tears in his eyes. "They told me you were dead!"

"I was, well almost. I'm still not a hundred percent." He released Max and stood looking at him, his hands resting on his shoulders. "This may be difficult to believe, but I've lost most of my memory. The doctor says it's likely to come back but she can't tell when."

Max stared at him in confusion. "You've lost your memory?"

"Yes, most of what I know I've been told by Captain Martinez and Colonel Young." Suddenly he knew what to say. "I'll be relying on you, to help me with the more personal information."

"But you remember me, right?"

"I knew you the moment I saw you," Lang answered truthfully. "But I'll be honest, I don't remember many of the ... the details about my life, or your life. You'll have to be very patient with me, I'm sorry."

Max hugged him again, burying his face in his shoulder. "Don't be sorry! You're alive, that's the main thing!"

After a while Max stepped back and wiped his face. "Where have you been for the last week? In hospital?"

"Yes, Colonel Young took me away and hid me until I recovered. I've only just left there to come here."

"So what happens now? Are you still the Police chief in Huan?" Max was gradually getting his emotions back under control, trying to come to terms with the fact that his father was very much alive.

"In a way. I'm working for Colonel Young. He wants to use me to help trap Pearce, so I'll be returning to Huan and waiting for him to approach me."

"He's the man who beat me up, right?"

"So I understand." Lang reached forward to brush a lock of hair back from Max's forehead. "I'll get him for that alone."

"Where are you staying? Can we go somewhere and talk?"

"I'll just check with Captain Martinez. We have to leave for Tian tomorrow but we should be able to spend tonight catching up. Can you get leave?"

Martinez was happy to invite the two men back to his apartment. Apart from helping Lang, it would be a great opportunity for him to talk to Max, fill in some background information about the Captain, personal details that would be invaluable in their assignment together.