CARGO could almost laugh at the absurdity he was witnessing. Alexei’s renowned attack dog stacking up his sugar cubes that Cargo had provided for tea.

The little towers surrounded James mug while he waited for his drink to cool. There was much to discuss yet the blond seems to be in no rush.

 He appeared content to keep stacking sugar cubes and popping the occasional one in his mouth.

This gave Cargo time to fortify himself with Earl Gray.

 He needed the caffeine to deal with this.

 After all he’d more than heard about James he’d seen the man in action. He gave ‘spring cleaning’ a whole new meaning with the amount of red he’d painted the walls.

James chomped on another sugar cube remarkably like a noisy puppy with a bone. Cargo wiped the comparison from his mind unwilling to view the dangerous individual in such a light.

He set his mug down and leaned forward. The weight of the knife he’d gotten from the couch earlier reassuring in his left hand. The same hand which remained obscured by the table.

“Oh, is it’s question time.” James perked up plopping yet another sugar cube in his mouth.

Cargo frowned. “You came here…Why?” There's been questions of my motives and loyalties lately, of my commitment to the cause. Are you here to sniff out the truth? Cargo gauged James reaction. No, Alexei’s bloodhound was being hunted not the other way around.

“Not going to lead with why I’ve been following you?”

Cargo snatched a sugar cube from James pile fighting down a twitch when the blond merely huffed.

“That I understand.” He allowed picking up a spoon. “The part where you force your way into my apartment kill a man on my roof?” He trailed off stirring his tea to dissolve the sugar. The metal of the spoon chinking against the porcelain of the mug.

“The bit where you demand my help with your problem and drink my tea is what I'm still trying to process.”  Cargo smiled over his mug and was satisfied when James flinched.

See not a weapon merely a napkin I am placing on the table. Jumpy are we?

“Ah that," James considered him,"lot of use of the word ‘my’, possessive much?’

“Making the boundaries clear. That's the way you handle mutts.” Cargo idly noted letting his bravado fuel his tone. James hadn’t killed him yet and is unlikely to it’s not his style.

Alexei didn’t like things subtle he preferred to broadcast any messages he wanted sent to the whole city.

“He doesn't own me… you know, Alexei.” James grimaced around the name irritation flashing in his eyes. Cargo took another sip of his tea declining to comment. His new found companion seemed the sort to want to fill empty silences.

People always said more when given the chance to speak.

“Look.” The blond sighed running a hand through his hair and Cargo understood he was staring at a man just as frustrated and tired as he was. “I wasn’t given teeth just to curl my lip over them.” The man often known as the mad dog snorted self decrypting.

“Alexei not letting you off the chain enough?” Cargo challenged keeping his voice even as he sipped his tea willing himself not to give away his nerves.

“Close.” James shot back a step away from anger. “When all this started . . . our group- the Syndicate, being absorbed by Them wasn’t in the plans. Let’s just say it could be I’m considering changing leashes.” The blond admitted taking a sip of his own tea.

 Now that Cargo examined him closer he noted the deepening shadows under the man’s brown eyes and the taut lines of his face.

“It’s not looking like that change is optional.” Cargo put in referring to the pursuers from last night. It was worthy to note the Syndicate itself wasn’t after James.

The organization he’d been monitoring was. Curious. Someone big enough to put out a hit on Alexei’s ‘go to guy’ was not a land mine he’d be ready to step on yet. The fact a bastardized version of horizontal merger was taking place was what he’d been relying on to implement his plans.

 It appeared certain members were getting lost in the shuffle or delivered permanent severance packages without the Syndicate knowing? That was either sloppy work on the Syndicate’s part or excellent work on Their part. The fact that James had come to him of all people was the truly fascinating bit.

“You know what They have planned.” James ventured frame coiled tight. He was a cornered animal waiting to strike.