“I can’t even…your brother?” Brian shook his head as Elijah held open the files Matthew had found in the Creed archives. The former Assassin frontman pegged the poet with a hard look. Brian leaned back on the sofa he’d plopped himself down on, shaking his head some more.

Elijah sighed, “I know it’s hard for you to fathom. But, that’s the way of it.”

Matthew frowned. He was seated opposite the elder male gazing absently at the tattoos that covered his thick arms. Elijah smiled a little then turned his eyes back to Brian.

“He’s really not that bad a person, Haner.”

“Really?” Brian’s tone was incredulous. “He demoted Shads here and he ordered the execution of our friend, how does that not make him a bad person?” He flung both of his hands up in the air. Jimmy who was next to him smoking a cigar, a Cuban one that Elijah had offered, raised his eyebrows at his question. “What?”

“You do remember who carried that execution out, don’t you?”

“Fuck…” Brian rubbed at his cheek, shooting a quick look at Matthew. “Sorry…”

Matthew shrugged off the gesture and sat forward, clearing his throat to draw Elijah’s attention to him. “You knew I was coming. How?”

With a deep chuckle, Elijah turned to Melissa who had just walked back into the large living room the three men were sitting in. Matthew blinked slowly in surprise.

“You?”

Melissa handed him a bottle of beer as she gave a slight nod. “Since the riots I’ve been keeping tabs on you, Shadows. It’s kinda my job description.”

“You’re a spy?” Jimmy jumped in, sounding like an excited kid. She laughed softly, looking over at him as she nodded again. The tall male grinned. “Awesome.”

Matthew rolled his eyes, scratching at his left knee. “How could you even?”

The woman looked at him seriously, her eyes guarded. The expression on her face was enough to tell him that was something he really didn’t need to know, so he dropped it and asked his next question. He directed it to the elder male.

“Does anyone know, about…you and?” he allowed the question to trail off as he held the bottle to his lips and took a long drink.

“Eskino?” Elijah pushed at the sleeves of his shirt, rubbing a thumb over the ink on his wrists. “He used our mother’s name, you realise? It was a loyalty thing.” He smoothed a palm over the classified documents. “When everything went down, Peter was horrified.”

“Peter?” Brian tilted his head.

Elijah snorted, “That’s his name. Peter Masters.”

“Peter Eskino,” Matthew muttered. “General Peter Eskino.”

“Yes, that is correct, young man.” Elijah smiled then continued with his story. “Pete was devastated, but as a ranking officer, he had to follow orders.”

“Was he, y’know?” Brian jerked his head toward Matt.

“There was no Creed back then,” Jimmy commented. “That came after, right?”

Elijah nodded a grim smile on his lips. “Yes. Correct again.”

“So, what really happened?” Matthew asked, grimacing at his friend. Jimmy snorted but went quiet leaning back on the sofa.

“It’s all in the file,” Elijah said. “Senator Johnston.” He nodded to Jimmy’s questioning look, “Yes a relative of the Mayor. His eldest daughter fell in love with Matthew Pasan.” He sighed, “Johnston didn’t take too kindly to that. Spouted all this vitriol about how Matthew would ruin her, and stole her virginity…it was dreadful.”

Jimmy scrunched up his face and asked, “But, how did that lead to the accusations that were laid on you guys?”

Elijah laughed coldly, “The Senator stitched us up. False allegations. It’s all in here.” He tossed the file on the coffee table in front of the tall man. “Cast your eye over that, young man.” He returned his gaze to Matthew who had his cell phone out checking something. “Shadows?”

He glanced up, “Yes, sir?”

Elijah shook his head, “Call me Eli, son.”

Matthew smiled a little at the correction. “Yes, Eli?”

“What you’re planning will be fraught with danger,” the elder male warned.

Matthew heaved a sigh. “I know, but it’s gotta be done. And…well there’s more to it than any of these goofballs realise.” He cast an affectionate glance toward his friends. Brian and Jimmy both gave him bemused looks. He smirked at them and looked back at Elijah. “It might seem just a pipedream…but, we need to bring the scene back to life. Need to show…New Huntington at least, that it’s not all bad. And,” Matt frowned, his tone becoming grim, “the truth needs to be told.”

Elijah nodded slowly in agreement as he leaned back on his chair.

Brian spoke up then, “And maybe you could start by telling us the truth, Shads.”

Matthew sighed, rubbing at his face. “Alright…I guess I do owe you…”

Elijah interjected, “I’ll fill any details you miss.” Matt nodded to him a glimmer of gratitude in his eyes. Then he shifted so he was facing his friends. Jimmy was on his second beer, Melissa who had been silent most of them time was perched behind him, listening intently. Brian had finished his and with arms folded looked on expectantly.

“So, you know that Assassin was accused of attempting to assassinate a Senator. Senator Johnston.” Matthew licked his lips, finding that they had dried considerably. “It was all frighteningly trivial, though. He was a fundamental Christian who was against rock music of any form and he believed that only those who worshipped the Devil would have the hide to ‘destroy their flesh’ by getting inked.” He shook his head in disgust. “Then as Eli’s just told us his daughter fell for a guy in one of those bands. And, Rebel Assassin was really big in Huntington at the time.”

“So,” Jimmy started slowly, “what you’re saying is that the Senator trumped up charges on them just because one of Eli’s buddies decided he wanted in his daughter’s pants?” His incredulity was mirrored in Brian’s eyes as well and Elijah was looking grimmer than ever.

“Truth,” the elder man murmured. “Pasan fell in love with his daughter and that was just pure sacrilege as far as he was concerned.” He shook his head, disbelief on his face. “Pasan is the biggest, softest bastard I’ve ever known. Would never harm a fly, and would never do what the Senator suggested.”

“Didn’t he used to just take it when people abused him?” Matthew interjected. Elijah smiled in answer, inclining his head to him. “And I heard he never raised his voice to anyone, even if he was upset.”

“Correct,” Elijah sighed softly, a wistful expression crossing his eyes.

“What about Eskino?” Brian asked. “He’s your brother, how does that all fit with this?”

Elijah frowned at him. “He managed to convince the authorities to rub my name from the books. I don’t know how he did it, but I got to live…and my friends…” his voice trailed off a faraway look coming to his eyes. Brian recognised the expression; Matthew had worn the same one when he’d executed Luke…so he didn’t press for any further information.

The three men went quiet for a moment as they digested what had just been explained to them. To think that someone in government would lie because of something that happened in their personal lives that would then cause innocent people to be caught in the firing line. It was hard to fathom. Most people would hope that people in power would be as honest as possible, but then again perhaps the old adage that there were no honest politicians rang truer than not.

And then, the General being Elijah’s brother…that was another unexpected piece of information that was particularly intriguing considering who and what he was. The fact that he’d possibly put his career in jeopardy to save his brother surprised them, especially since he didn’t seem the sentimental type. But then, family was family. And who knew what was going through his mind at the time. General Eskino was a mystery at the best of time. Matthew definitely knew little about his superior officer’s personal life.

After several silent minutes, Elijah cleared his throat and asked, “So, Matthew, your plan? How is it doing?”

Matthew shifted his weight, crossing his ankles as he grinned at the older man. “It’s still in its fledgling stage, but I’ve got these two and Zacky, who couldn’t be here, involved now.” He jerked his chin toward Brian and Jimmy.

Brian snorted, rolling his eyes. “I’m still not hundred percent sure about this, Shads.”

“Hah, and you think I am, Syn?” Matt scoffed. “Come on, even I know this could blow up in our faces.” He smirked, “But, we gotta try, right? Anyway, Jimmy’s made himself a drumkit out of trash can lids, but…we need a real kit if we’re gonna record this song.”

Elijah chuckled softly. Brian cocked his head to him.

“You know where we could get one? I mean…other than in the Locker?”

The elder male chuckled some more and stood. “Now, I believe this is the real reason you came to me. I have something you young men need to see.” He glanced at Matthew. “Shall we?”

Matthew nodded as he got up as well. He already had an idea what the former frontman was planning to show them.

He noted the anxious and bemused expressions on his friends’ faces and smiled inwardly. Unbeknownst to anyone he had contacted Elijah earlier in the week to arrange this meeting. Sure, he acted as if it had been spur of the moment, and Elijah was also acting that out. However, they had both known that a visit would have to be carefully arranged. Considering hardly anyone in Huntington even knew Elijah was still on the radar if wind got out that the former T-One was seeing him there would be an uproar. Also, pre-planning the meeting also meant they both knew exactly what needed to be said and done.

Even if Matthew hadn’t found the classified documents in the archives he would’ve still made this call to the Assassin singer. It had been on the cards for months, having the extra information just made it all the more essential to catch up face-to-face.

And then there were the logistics of Papa Gates’ campaign. Matthew knew that Elijah had the nous to aid him in it, and also the equipment that he would need. That was why they – he, Jimmy and Brian – were really there. Not that discussing the facts wasn’t important; no, knowing those were important to making the campaign work. However, the mechanical aspects of the plan needed to be taken care of as well, and that was where Elijah would come into the fore.

Elijah smiled and nodded to Melissa. “If you could get refreshments ready for after we’re finished?”

“Of course, sir.” She flashed a smile at the three men, giving Matthew a more meaningful look as she left the room. He blinked, observing her departing figure then shook his head to clear his mind.

Before looking to the others as Elijah turned to them and motioned to a pair of doors at the other end of the room. “Through there, my friends.”

Matthew crossed the floor, Brian and Jimmy close behind. He glanced back at the elder male. Elijah winked at him as he came up behind them.

“Go on.”

With permission granted, Matt swung the doors open. Jimmy’s gasp and Brian’s sharp intake of breath heralded the room that was revealed to them.

“Holy fuck!” Jimmy blinked hard several times. Even Matt was stunned.

“Your own studio…a real recording studio,” Jimmy exclaimed. He leaned forward over his friend’s broad shoulder. Matthew smirked at him then scanned the setup.

“There’s even a kit, Rev.” He pointed to the left where a huge drum set was crouching in the space as if it owned it. Microphones were strategically placed around the set, for maximum capture of sound.

“Wow, just…wow…” Jimmy paused, but at a nod from Elijah he rushed into the studio and moved around the drums an admiring gaze lighting up his features. He ran a finger over the cymbals and tapped lightly at the snare all the while grinning as if all his Christmas’s had come at once. Matthew chuckled at his friend’s excitement.

“And so, now we have everything we need.”

Brian blinked.

Elijah added, “And, my home is kept off the radar. No one monitors this place, so no one will ever know what goes on here.” He crossed his thick arms over his chest and smiled at Matthew who nodded to him then joined his friends inside the studio.

Jimmy was seated behind the kit now a pair of sticks in his hands. He slowly went through a roll across the set a look of concentration on his face. Brian sat on a stool opposite the drums, observing his best friend. It didn’t surprise the poet that Jimmy knew how to play the drums. He was a genius and picked up anything even if he’d never physically done it before.

Matthew leaned against the wall and watched the two of them, his thoughts on how everything would gel together. And…Zacky and Johnny. They both needed to be shown the studio as well. He smiled at that thought, and switched his attention to his friends. Jimmy was showing Elijah how he could spin one stick while using the other to tap fast on the high-hat. Brian was watching on an amused expression on his face.

Matthew chuckled softly as he pushed away from the wall to join them. Now that they were here he could afford to relax a little and enjoy some quality time not worrying about what the next few days would bring. Because it would most definitely bring tension, anxiety and a lot of other things into their world. For now, though, he could enjoy the moment. After all, it wasn’t every day that one was able to spend time with their idol and just jam. Especially if doing so was illegal.

But, really, that was half the fun of it. And Matthew Sanders was long due some fun times.