A/N: This chapter is dedicated to juyeonsleftnipple and extra_tings. I'm grateful for every single vote you've given to Adler, thank you so much!

Ashton and Liam were trigger points each time I'd cross them. I'd stop and forget everything I was doing for a brief second, then recoil. I wondered if I had any effect on them but it may have been wishful thinking. They both looked perfect without me. I guessed that was why they said three was a crowd.

Then what was I when grouped with debatablely the most stuck up boys in the entire academy?

It was the scheduled appointment with Charles Bradford, who would hopefully clear the mystery on Ivanov's source.

Ben was absent, apparently busy with a homework assignment which Will translated for me meant he was with a girl. Or two. Despite this, Garren didn't care to drag him along and claimed our destination wasn't a place a monkey like Ben could be comfortable in.

That had me anxious. A place Ben would oppose to?

It only added apprehension to my own assumptions on where this supposed great techie would be lurking.

The last thing I expected was to have Garren's chauffeur direct the car into a serene, woodland residence with a Gothic landscape laid on the stretched grassy planes. There was even a bell tower with a chapel nested beneath it. I read what was painted on the large sign: HARVEY JULLIARD'S SCHOOL FOR BOYS

I'd found the building familiar and now it clicked. I'd seen it on the website, it was a nationally acclaimed Christian school that branched at the top right of elite by St. Sinclair. They normally didn't allow students to participate in any events that weren't for nonprofit organisations. They ran under a strictly giving, charitable protocol. Too pure for this twisted world to understand. I'd definitely had chosen to enroll here if I was a boy and would've undoubtedly had an undisturbed, Adler-free school life.

To imagine I would've wanted that before.

"Charles is a student here?" I guessed as I tailed the boys to walk along the entrance granite steps.

"Yes." Garren said.

"And you're sure he's a reliable option?"

"You suspect someone who attends a school like this to be involved with a shady, underhanded crook gathering people's secrets to plot against them?"

"No. I just don't see why he'd want to help you."

There was a snicker from my side before it was speedily covered. Will cracking a smile was nice to glimpse after the sour expression he'd been harbouring on his face hidden under a hoodie. Garren narrowed his eyes at my remark but he couldn't deny my query was valid.

From what I'd heard, this guy wasn't even a friend to them and if this Bradford was as good as a student as he was tech savvy, serving the Lord or not, it was downright crazy to aid a demon. And Garren was the closest thing I knew to one.

"Charles Bradford is a careful guy, maybe even more than me." stated Garren. "But he has weaknesses that blinds his sound judgement and I so luckily happen to be in custody of one of them."

"And what's that?"

"Let's just get this over with." Will cut in, quickening his pace and surpassing us. It was like he suddenly got even moodier.

Garren merely shrugged. "You'll see for yourself."

I didn't appreciate being the only one left in the dark. Nevertheless, I followed after.

Bright, cheery and friendly faces of young boys with groomed hair filled wherever my eyes could look. If they weren't in their navy blue uniforms buttoned to the collar, they were strolling with jumpers over their sweater vests and passing me greetings with contagious smiles.

It certainly wasn't a problem hanging around outside while Garren asked about for our objective's location. Even Will was a little perky when a few notably gorgeous gents said hello and he was happy to return it.

"I forgot this school's dumb policy with manners." muttered Will. "Don't they get tired of having to greet every single person all nicely? I'd go mad."

"You seem to enjoy it though." I retorted.

"I don't see you telling them to stop either." He shot back with a knowing grin. I mirrored it and we both chuckled.

The light hearted air dispersed the moment Garren reemerged. "He's at the golf course."

Will reverted back to his sour mood instantly. I'd thought of asking him the situation with this Bradford guy but I had a feeling I knew what the story would be. "Let's go then." I replied. If that was the case, I wasn't wasting a second to force him to endure any more than he'd have to.

We trekked down to the golf course and I gawked at the size. The grassy planes stretched further than I'd thought and even bordered a meadow with a lake. I knew the school had a more solidarity architectural to it but they spared no expense in crafting it to be a beautiful one.

A few men who I derived to be teachers were taking swings when we approached. Garren shook hands with a tall, muscular redheaded one, beads of sweat under his bushy brows. "You're here for Charlie? Alright, but don't think I'll be letting you go without a rematch against our champ, sonny." The man warned.

"We'll see." answered Garren.

The man peered around to the lush, green mounds and hollered to a figure gathering balls down by a sand pitch. They lifted their head and a boy wearing rimless round specs met our gazes. Garren nodded and a large smile broke out before the boy waved.

**

Charles Bradford was an average height. It was just the way in which he leant his scrawny frame on the golf club under and his tipped chin that gave an illusion he was a tower. It was rare for me to find someone who did the trick as well as Garren.

"Well," Charles began, "if it isn't the Asses of St. Sinclair— pardon, I mean Aces." He sneered. "I'd really thought I had gotten too much sun and was hallucinating. Who's the girl?"

I frowned at how his first acknowledgment was to jut the end of the club at me. I much preferred how he didn't even bat an eye when he'd hurried over from the ditch and requested for the teachers to excuse him momentarily. Now we were by a picnic table and I was feeling ready to leave as much as Will seemed, eyes on the ground.

"It's Stevie." corrected Garren. "And she's the reason we've come to this chicken coop."

Charles' grin widened but it wasn't in any way of being pleased by the remark. "Taking requests for your sexual favours now? She must be doing wonders, I'm honestly impressed."

"Get your head out of the gutters, Charlie. I only sleep with girls."

"I am a girl." I immediately piped before any misunderstandings were made.

Garren shrugged. "Until proven otherwise, anyway. We're taking our time with getting the details."

I shot him a glare and I didn't miss the glint. This was him hitting back over my comment on the steps— definitely. The childish prick draped an arm around me. "But officially, she's with us."

Charles arched his eyebrows, lips pursed. "Just when I thought you were crazy for having that stupid one around. Interesting though. So what do you want from me, newbie?"

I felt a little rattled under his hazel eyes but a gentle squeeze from the hand on my shoulder urged me on. "I need to trace an email. The person seems to be hiding their IP address or something."

"Hmmm." hummed Charles but I couldn't tell if he was even the slightest bit intrigued or pulling my leg.

Garren chimed in. "We don't have possession of the email. They were in contact with a third party account."

"Right, and are you asking me on behalf of this third party or do you not want them involved?"

"We'd prefer if your assistance was enclosed only to us. You can use any means you please to access their account as long as they're not informed."

"Alrighty." He said coolly, like we weren't discussing a crime. Then again, I wasn't complaining. "Before we get into this any further, I'm assuming you're not expecting me to use my precious time and system for nothing do you, Garren?"

"Of course not, Charlie."

That seemed to be the words the lad had been waiting for as a gleam flickered and he straightened ever so slightly. "The least he could do is say hi then instead of sitting there by the corner. This is why I detest Sinclair— they don't even know the importance of manners. It's appalling." His tone elevated but expression neutral and I realised who he was projecting it to. His hazel eyes shifted to the one person who seemed to dread coming here and hadn't uttered a word since we went to the golf course. "Just appalling, Willy."

I saw Will visibly cringe and albeit, unwillingly lift his head to meet the odd grin Charles was sending his way. "Is this conversation boring you or is your head too busy daydreaming about all the boys you could seduce?"

Will didn't reply. I'd never seen such an angst expression but what was more foreign was the layer of fear mixed in with it.

My body stepped in front as a shield to block Charles' view of the downcast blonde. "Can we stick to the subject please? What do you want in return?"

Why hadn't Garren just brought out this weakness of his already? Couldn't he tell how uncomfortable Will was?

"What do I want in return?" Charles echoed. He exchanged a glance with the dark haired boy and chuckled. "Well let's see, there are three things I would love to achieve before I leave this planet and ascend to heaven. The first would be the end of world hunger, the next to take over my stepfather's firm and rebuild it from the ground up. Then finally..."

"Finally?" I swallowed. I didn't think those last two would be in Garren's reach to acquire without murder.

"To have Willy here let me have a go at him."

That was where I paused. "... Have a go?"

Charles sighed. "And I thought the other one was slow. I'm talking about sex, darling."

I blinked. "Oh... wait, what?"

"You're more sick than I gave you credit for if you think I'd even want to touch you, Bradford." hissed Will and I could finally derive what that other expression was. Repulsion.

"S-S-So then, you're gay?" I stammered probably looking like a fish right out of the water.

"God, no." Charles pulled a face of disgust. "I'm a scientist. I make theories and hypothesis. Willy is one of my longest awaited trials I have yet to explore."

"I'm not interested in being one of your messed up experiments." snarled Will. "Go find someone else."

"It can't just be some average queer I could pick from any hole. It has to match my standards. You're perfect."

"Won't disagree with you there but I'd still rather eat dirt."

"Still such a drama queen, this one." muttered Charles with a smirk. "Oh come on, Willy. I've really thought about it and I am positive you and I could have something even the heavens couldn't deny receiving pleasure from."

There were no words to surmount what to think of that. Will's bewildered stare seemed to express enough for all of us as he shook his head. "Right, I'm going to the car before I vomit."

"Will." That was all Garren needed to seal the other boy's footfalls. It hung with authority but not hostile. He wasn't pissed, just simply in thought and couldn't have any pieces moving without his final verdict.

"Charlie," Garren began softly, "you and I both don't like to force our way. Why don't we reach a settlement?"

Charles' eyes were still fixed on the grumpy blonde and I felt the impulses to stand in the way again. Never did I think a stare could feel harmful.

"Well—?"

"I'm thinking." He said to Garren who was losing his patience. I couldn't tell if the boy was actually thinking or purely teasing. Eventually, he resigned from the unnerving stare. "... Okay, I'll trace the address for you. I just want Willy to say something for me."

Garren lifted a brow. "That's all?"

"That's all. Promise."

Garren's stoic profile gave nothing away of suspicion but his pause said enough. "Will, come here."

I was certain if it was anybody else, Will would've bolted by now. Everything from his ticked jaw and dejected posture was proof enough that he was only complying because of the voice of who was commanding it.

In roughly seven to ten steps, Will was looming over the beaming creep. "Can you take down the hood? I'd love the picture of the sunlight against your hair."

Will's eyes narrowed to slits. Nonetheless, he raised a hand and let his thick, crisp golden locks become exposed.

There was a low moan from Charles as he took it in, sheer delight. "Have you ever thought of growing it out? It would suit you."

"Charlie." The sharpness in Garren's warning could cut the air.

Wisely, he heeded. "Alright, alright. I want you to say, 'Thank you, Charlie. You've made me a very, very happy Willy.' Word for word."

There was a moment of stillness in which Will's Addams apple merely bobbed, jaw clenching and unclenching as it was clear every fibre of his being was in defiance. Yet he fought it off and parted his lips. "Thank you—"

"Hold on." Charles fished into the back pockets of his tight white trousers where I wondered how anything bigger than a strand of hair could fit in there, let alone a smartphone. "Say it into the speaker." He instructed, after issuing it on recording.

Will rolled his eyes, hands balled into fist looking ready to punch rather than anything else. Regardless, Charles stood unflinching and patiently waited for Will to proceed with the demand.

"Thank you, Charlie. You've made me a very, very happy..." There was a pause. His mouth visibly in a struggle to make his vocals form the word. "...Willy." He spat it out through grinded teeth.

On the other hand, Charles was ecstatic. He stopped the recording and happily smiled at his phone. "I'll play it every night. And when I make love to my girlfriend."

Will didn't even bother glaring anymore. He just seemed tired. Not waiting for anybody, he took off. I hurried after him and I excepted Garren to join me. Until it dawned on me much later I'd left him to be the one supplying the account details to the undesirable assistance, otherwise this trip would've all been for nothing.

It was easy to spot Will in the crowd from his angry, fast paced steps. I did my best to catch up and I wasn't even sure he was registering my presence then he spoke.

"If that sicko is going to heaven then I'll gladly take hell.”

I tried to find something decent or useful to say. I came up with nothing but a useless, "Sorry."

"Why are you apologising?"

"Because it's all my fault you had to come here."

"It was Garren's idea. I didn't have to listen to him."

"But you like him so you do it anyway."

It was a stupid, stupid reply but it just slipped out. I was scared I'd only crossed him more when his stride faltered.

"... Yeah, you're right." He let out a dry laugh. "Maybe I'm even more sick then."

What does that make me? The questioned whizzed through my mind. Before I could ponder on it, a very familiar angry voice boomed. "Oi."

Garren came storming over to us from the threshold where a kid was peacefully reading before Garren shoved the poor boy out of the way. "Did I give either of you permission to leave huh?"

We sheepishly shook our heads. When he rose a hand in Will's direction, the other boy flinched. Except it wasn't a hit that was coming. Garren hooked his arm around the blonde's shoulders, his grey eyes soft and searching. "You okay?"

The tender tone stunned me but I think it was the close proximity that had Will tensing up. "Y-Yeah. No big deal."

Garren pulled the hood back over Will's head before ever so slightly leaning in to speak again. Being taller, Will hunched to be leveled. Garren whispered it like it was a secret he didn't want getting out, but I was near enough to catch it.

"Thanks."

Garren drew back and took the lead on walking, completely oblivious to the blonde that stood still. Hands tugging the hood closer to desperately hide the streak of red flushing his cheeks.

**

A/N: So, what are your thoughts on Charles Bradford? I'd love to hear them.

Also, if anyone's interested in light hearted teen romances, you can check out my other story, Twerk or Dare