A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

Lab Rats: Strange Bedfellows

Sal here! Good evening, whoever it is that actually remembers this story after such a lengthy hiatus!

I apologize that the update took so long, I simply have had so much going on lately that Wattpad sort of fell by the wayside. But it's finally finished- and while I can't promise how much faster I will be getting updates out in the future, because I tend to make a liar of myself when I do that, I endlessly appreciate those who will read this chapter, and I hope very much that both of you enjoy it. (Ba dum tsh)

Also: This will probably mean nothing to any of you guys, but every time C talks now, he sounds just like Daisuke Jigen in my head- which is kind of a shame, because I love Jigen.

"Still nothing," C mumbled, laying his phone face down on the armrest. "Goddamn it, it shouldn't take this long!"

Ling continued to file her nails. "How long should it take, Dr. Christopher?"

"Less time than this," he snapped.

"If something went wrong, we would know by now."

"He's also supposed to tell us once he's got the package in transit," C said morosely. "So either way, the worst news is no news."

C and Ling were huddled up in their inconspicuously parked sedan, keeping a close eye on their bait: a van full of expendables idling right where Charles Burdon had left them ten minutes before. Usually, in situations as volatile as this, the higher-ups would have been content to let the pawns handle the job by themselves. But as previous encounters had proved, to entrust all the power to a handful of burnt-out graduate students was not the wisest choice. By now they had gotten the hang of his pattern anyway; he chased them the same distance at the same speed down the very same path every single time, then returned to his guard post. If nothing else, it was nice to know that this elusive bodyguard had some level of predictability -which was more than could be said for the man he protected.

Unable to stand it any longer, C dialed the younger folks, who took their time in answering. "You rang?" a half-asleep voice yawned at last.

"Hello, Gabe. Any word from Preus?" C asked.

"Not so far, no," he replied. "Nothing from Dr. K, either."

"I'm not half as worried about them as I am about the guy who's walked straight onto the battlefield alone and unarmed."

"You always talk of them as though they are adversaries in a world war," Ling remarked.

C snorted. "Trust me, the first time some doe-eyed wisp of a woman tries to drive a knife through your heart, you start taking the danger a little more seriously."

"Yes, well, I can understand fearing her-"

"Did I say I feared her?"

"Not in so many words," Ling smirked. "But, I could not help but notice how nervous you became the other night, when she suggested you were jealous."

He sniffed. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"My point was, before you interrupted me, I understand misgivings over Ms. Samuels. B-13, however, strikes me as harmless by comparison. Volatile, perhaps, and egocentric- but delicate. Frail. Personally I do not know what draws her to him at all."

"I've got a few ideas," C mumbled. "Well- more like just one, when it boils down to it." His mouth curled on one side, making his innuendo crystal clear.

After a few seconds, Gabe broke in awkwardly, "Um, not to change the subject, but- I think I just saw her car drive past."

The two immediately straightened up. "Ms. Samuels?" Ling cried. "Are you certain?"