The Mutant Companion

A Favour Recalled

The difference in the air in the city was noticeable as Joffrey walked the short distance to his appointment. It pleased him to see that his atmospheric filtration system, only recently completed, was having a positive effect. If only more people could now be persuaded to switch to alternative power plants for their transport, their power needs and for industry. It would take years now to reverse the pollution even if everyone did so immediately.

The pollution in the city still required the use of an all enclosing smog suit and breathing filters, but no longer completely blocked out the sunlight and one could see other users, buildings and vehicles now without having to resort to special lenses and lidar way finding. The light was still dull yellow, but it was a vast improvement on the dirty yellow-brown of a few years earlier. He wondered whether they would ever be completely free of the toxic contamination that had reduced humanity so dramatically, caused the mutations so many suffered with, and all but destroyed the environs for miles around any urban hub.

Arriving at his destination, he pressed the access request call point, and waited. A lamp indicated a response, so he held his suited wrist to the reader, then entered when the door opened. Waiting until the lights indicated that the atmosphere was now clean, he opened the inner door and stepped through.

“Mr Wantage-MacCoilligh?” An attractive nurse in well fitting scrubs greeted him.

“I am he,” replied Joffrey, carefully opening his suit and preparing to remove it.

“Natalie, or Nate, Tomkins, sir. I am to take you straight to Dr Hurkerburger.” The nurse smiled. “She’s ready for your examination and I am to accompany you.”

“Thank you, Natalie — or do you prefer Nate?” Satisfied his pollution suit was now safely in the decontamination cabinet and secure, Joffrey turned. “It’s very good of her to give me such prompt attention. Thank you.”

Dr Hurkerburger’s examination of his genitalia was extremely thorough, and her questions sometimes verging on the extremely intimate. Both the examination and the discussion were observed and recorded by Nate, who, Joffrey had established, shared the same mutation as himself.

“Dr Prudence was correct, Countess. I will take some tissue from you and will begin to culture the cells. It should be possible to create several ova for you, which can then be fertilised with the Earl’s sperm.” She paused, still seated between Joffrey’s raised and spread legs. “However, it is extremely likely that your offspring will have the same mutation as yourself, or the Earl.”

“I understand.” Joffrey wished he could lower his legs and at least make an attempt to cover the fact he was extremely aroused and showing it, despite having the large speculum still holding his vagina open. “Do you wish to take the tissue now?”

“If you wish. I will also need some of your — ah — ova-sperm, since they also can be adapted. Is that in order?”

Joffrey hesitated. “If it is essential, then do so.” He blushed. “Though it usually requires — ah — special stimulation.”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, I understand. If you prefer, I will allow Nate to assist you in taking the sample? Since he shares your condition, he will know how best to make it pleasant.”

Glancing at the nurse, Joffrey noted his agreement. He nodded. “That will be very kind.”

“Then I will proceed. It may cause a little discomfort and you should avoid intercourse for a few days.” She smiled. “The Earl is a very lucky man. I hope he knows it.”

Joffrey walked home with his mind in a pleasant fog. It was as well, he reflected, that Devlin was away on business. The tissue sample had been uncomfortable, but Nate had known exactly how to make the taking of the ejaculation sample extremely pleasant. Now it remained only to await the confirmation that Dr Hurkerburger had achieved the creation of viable ova.

Entering Fontle House, he stripped the pollution suit, placed in it decontamination and walked to the small dining room for a light lunch. He hoped for a positive report from the Doctor, and then he could offer his beloved Devlin the one thing he knew Devlin wanted, but believed he could not have. He looked up from his meal as Konrad Konsbruck entered. “Mr Konsbruck, what has happened?”

“I have had a call from Ms Armitage, of the Palace Restaurant. Her youngest daughter has been forcibly taken by the Recreational Recruitment Squad. She is on our files, and there is a Team working on her case, but this changes everything. She is a registered she-male who chooses to live as a female. They claim she entered their service voluntarily, a claim she and her mother deny emphatically.”

“Then we shall have to deal with this immediately, Konrad. Where have they taken her?”

“A private house, sir, one known to us as a place where reluctant committals are ‘broken in’ as they term it.” He paused. “It is well guarded.”

“I know the house. In Basset Place? A building of three storeys built in a square, with a dome over the central court?”

Konsbruck looked surprised, then recollected Joffrey’s history. “That is the house, sir. They’ll have her in the basement cells.”

“That is their usual procedure.” Joffrey paused, frowning. “Does the Foundation have access to a Judge? Can we obtain a warrant demanding her immediate release?”

“The Earl has such contacts, Countess, but we don’t normally use them …”

“Perhaps wise. However, I may have something that can help us.” Joffrey stood, adjusting his coat absentmindedly. “Wait here, I will fetch it. If you have someone who can discreetly deliver a message anonymously, I believe I know a way to overcome this.”

Mr Konsbruck found Joffrey in the Winter Garden. “The message was delivered, Countess. This was the response.” He passed a small package. “And a verbal message. ‘Consider it dealt with.’”

Joffrey accepted the package, weighing it in his hand, his expression neutral. “Excellent. I think we may safely leave it there then.”

“I understand, Countess.” Konrad Konsbruck hesitated. “I’ve no wish to pry, sir, but the Earl will wish to know …”

Jerking out of his thoughts, Joffrey nodded. “And I shall tell him, Konrad.” He sighed. “Many years ago — before my own engagement in the House of Recreation — I knew someone, and helped him evade the consequences of a serious breech of the law. He said then, that should I ever need a favour, I had merely to ask and to send him a certain memento of our acquaintance.” Turning toward the glazed wall, he stared at the bleak ‘garden’ beyond. “He has been true to that promise on several occasions now, before I came to his lordships service and became his life’s partner, it was this man that took care of me when my … urges could not be controlled by the usual means.”

“Does he have the means to carry out this rescue, Countess?” Konrad sounded doubtful.

“I believe so, Konrad, perhaps more suited to swift action than ours.” Joffrey turned, smiling. “He is extremely resourceful and well placed within his own section of society.” His laugh was quiet. “We who live in a world of power, wealth and luxury often underestimate the power wielded by those who choose to live outside of it, and by their own rules.” He weighed the package in his hand. “I considered suggesting my acquaintance be recruited to the work of the Foundation, but I suspect it would be counter to his own activities, and possibly detrimental to ours.” He smiled. “I am sure you will hear from Ms Armitage in the next day or so … please advise me when her daughter is returned. We will need to make sure she is placed in a safe environment.”

“I understand, Countess.” Konrad made to leave. “I will advise you as soon as I hear from Ms Armitage.”

“Thank you, Konrad,” Joffrey gathered the papers he’d been studying, slipping the small package into a pocket. “You might wish to warn her to not advertise her return though, but to maintain an ignorance of her daughter’s retrieval.”

Mr Konsbruck retired, closing the door behind him. For a moment longer, Joffrey stared at the garden, then followed, climbing the stairs to his Dressing Room. In the privacy of the room, he retrieved the locked box he kept on a top shelf, opened it with his magnetic key, then drew out the package. It was the work of a few minutes to unwrap it and reveal the small and beautifully detailed carved figurine of himself, naked, knees drawn up, legs splayed, his vulva open, with his head thrown back in ecstasy.

He smiled, carefully replaced the figure in its box and restored it to its position within the larger box. He well remembered posing just so, as a teenager, innocent and still discovering sexuality. The artist, himself the victim of the same mutation, had been a bootboy working in Joffrey’s parents’ house. They’d learned to cope with it together, and to enjoy at least one aspect of it through shared sex.

Turned out when their liaison had been exposed, Josh had turned to crime to survive and escape the fate that overtook Joffrey. They’d managed to remain in contact, however, a matter of some importance to Joffrey, who felt, in part, responsible for Josh’s situation. In the early years he’d worked secretly to help and protect him until his own situation had made it impossible. By the time he’d been released from the Recreation Centre, Josh was well established as leader of a very successful gang of thieves, and had helped Joffrey in very subtle ways to remain undetected. The exchange of the figurines meant that Joffrey now owed Josh a favour, though it would never be ‘demanded’. Their arrangement didn’t work that way.

He locked the casket and restored it to its position. The matching figure — modelled on the ex-bootboy who suffered the same mutation as himself — was now safe with its original model. Until they needed one another again.

Making his way back down to his study, Joffrey marvelled at how differently their life paths had developed. Josh was now the leader of one of the city’s crime syndicates. I would probably appall Konrad Konsbruck to know that his employer was connected to a crime lord …

“Countess, I have a message regarding the Armitage youth.” Konrad Konsbruck paused. “It states simply that the ‘package’ is safe, but needs a ‘safe place’.”

“Ah. Is the messenger still available?”

“I don’t know, sir. The method of delivery was — unusual.” Mr Konsbruck frowned. “It was brought by a rat. Cook is more than a little discommoded.”

“The rat survived, I hope?” Joffrey stood, Josh had always had a way with animals, no doubt a reason for his success at his ‘trade’. “Is it still available?”

Mr Konsbruck smiled. “It survives, Countess. It was somewhat quicker than the Cook. Young Joe noticed that it carried a message tube. He has a way with creatures, and managed to entice it to come to him.”

“Young Joe? Ah yes, our new maintenance man for the smog suits.” Joffrey smiled. Joe was one of their ‘rescues’, incapable of living in ‘normal’ society due to the nature of his mutation — one that had made him very attractive to certain tastes in a House of Recreation. The youth was possessed of exceptionally large genitalia, his penis being as thick as his wrist and almost eighteen inches in length, and his scrotum proportionally large. It meant he needed a special harness to contain it, and could only wear a specially made kilt. “Send him to me — with the rat.”

The conversation with Joe did not take long, and the message, attached to the rat, dispatched. Then Joffrey turned to the youngster. “Now, Joe, I desire you to go to Mr Konsbruck, and inform him I am sending you to Ms Arundel. You will be assisting her in the Clinic for a few days.”

“Yes, Countess.” Joe grinned. “I’ll tell Mr Konsbruck, but how am I to get there?”

Joffrey laughed. “Mr Konsbruck will arrange the steam car. Do you have a suitable smog suit?”

“Yes, milord, but it’s more like a sort of mummy sack. I can’t walk in it. It’s what the House used to put me in to send me to clients.”

“Ah.” Joffrey paused. “Hmm, we shall have to amend that. For now, see Mr Konsbruck, I shall tell him to arrange a closed car for you. Make sure you deliver that letter to Ms Arundel as soon as possible.”

Watching the youth leave, Joffrey picked up the voice tube and blew. When Konrad Konsbruck answered, he said, “Mr Konsbruck, I have sent Joe to you. He has a message to Ms Arundel, and will be remaining at the Clinic once it is delivered. As he lacks a proper smog suit, please arrange for him to travel in the closed steam car you use to deliver me when I am — ah — indisposed.”

Joffrey looked up as he heard the door open, wondering if Devlin had forgotten something. His vulva was still swollen and his vagina, despite a large dose of the hormone neutralising gel inside it, filled with his husband’s sperm. They’d indulged their passion to the full the previous night, and Devlin had needed some further attention when they’d awoken.

It was a reason Joffrey wore a pair of tailored leather leggings this morning. Coupled with hist special underwear, they prevented any embarrassing leakage showing and disguised the aroused state of his crotch. He hid his disappointment as the Earl’s Steward entered.

“You have news, Mr Konsbruck?”

“Mr Armitage is safely delivered, Countess.” Konrad Konsbruck advised Joffrey. “He had this with him.” He handed over a carefully wrapped package. “He insisted it be given to you immediately.”

Joffrey studied the package, and recognised the meaning. “I see. Is there any other message?”

“Yes, sir. ‘Josh says he has trouble and must vanish’.” Konsbruck watched Joffrey’s face. “Does it mean what I think, sir?”

“It does, Konrad. I hope he has supplied some indication of where he is, or how I may contact him.” Joffrey unwrapped the parcel revealing the small figurine. A note was wrapped round it. “As I hoped.” He studied it. “I shall need the land yacht, and a distraction. This is something I must attend to myself, Konrad.” He raised a hand to stop the protest. “But I shall be obliged if you’d gather a team of your ‘special’ workers. I shall explain what is needed in the garage.”

Retrieving a few items from a secret drawer, Joffrey walked as swiftly as his aroused and sensitive pudenda allowed to the garage, to find a number of men gathered with Konrad Konsbruck. “Excellent, you’re here already. Konrad, Josh is in hiding at this address. I propose to take the Landyacht to the premises of my physician in the same street. I will be seen to disembark and enter, a few minutes later ‘I’ will leave and re-embark, but first, I will need this message and package to be delivered to Josh in his hiding place. It is under surveillance, so you will need to enter and remove him without the watchers seeing you.”

Konrad glanced at his team. “Well, George? You know the place? Where will the watchers be?”

The men studied the address, discussed it briefly, then George replied, “They’ll have watchers opposite, and behind. There’s two places likely. But, if we goes in at number 47, three doors down, we can use the linked cellars,” he grinned, “not many knows of them, to get to where Josh’ll be. And get him back the same way.”

Joffrey nodded. “From there you need to get him to Dr Phillips premises where he will change smog suits with me. Konrad, once Josh is aboard the Landyacht, it must leave and return to Fontle House, I will board the unmarked steam car and take a different route back here.” He paused. “You will need to give him this, or he will not trust you.” He handed over the carefully wrapped figurine. “How long will you need to gain entry to the cellars and reach Dr Phillips chambers?”

Joffrey dismounted carefully to join Ms Peter, then strode to the door and entered the airlock. Inside they both removed the heavy smog suits, and were ushered into the private waiting room. “Dr Phillips will join you shortly, Countess,” the nurse advised them. “He has received the package you forwarded.”

“Excellent.” Joffrey took a seat carefully. A moment later the interleading door opened, and the doctor invited them to enter.

“I’m not sure this is altogether wise, Countess, but,” the doctor shrugged. “Your package is a little damaged. I suggest he receives further attention as soon as possible.”

“Josh,” exclaimed Joffrey. “You’re injured.” Turning to the doctor he said, “I’ll see to it he gets the attention he needs. Ms Peter, help me get him into my smog suit, then you must get him aboard the yacht as he is feeling faint I think.”

“Sorry to give you this trouble, Joff … Countess. Allays knew it would come eventually. Never thought it would be my own what turned though …”

“You shall tell me later, Josh. Now we must get you to safety. Can you walk? Can you imitate my stance?”

“Enough, I think.”

“He’s weak, Countess. The wound is deep and nasty, and I suspect he’s other injuries.”

“Then we shall take extra care. Where are those who did this likely to be waiting, Josh?”

“They’ll be watching Fontle House, maybe this street. They know I know you …”

“Then we’ll have to take steps to end that.” Joffrey stood back to allow Ms Peter to complete the closure of the smog suit, then, while the doctor escorted their patient through a different door to the disrobing and robing vestibule, Joffrey and Ms Peter walked back through the public area to don their own smog suits — except Joffrey now donned a different suit as Josh joined them. The doctor took his leave and Ms Peter escorted Josh into the airlock, while one of the men from the team joined Joffrey, then followed him out to the short walk to the waiting stylised steamer.

Seating himself, Joffrey ordered, “Take the delivery route, please. We may be followed.” He settled back in his seat, hoping the watchers would be followed by the change of smog suits. Josh was obviously in a bad way, but, with care and proper attention, hopefully could recover.