Little Big Man

LITTLE BIG MAN – a serial novel by Travis Creel

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE: THE LIE DETECTOR

Previously: the Prince Regent informs Dmitri he will be arriving in St. Petersburg to take back his missing sons (as well as slave 3914, a.k.a. Declan) – after staying for the Saturday night party'. Ruslan allows Prince Abdullah one last nightly fuck' of Matti, in exchange for a chance to bone Declan; Prince Jamal is offered Alexei; he initially declines but then agrees, if Matti is the only witness. Alone, Jamal reverses himself again, instead questioning Alexei and Matti what it's like to be a slave, and then shocks them by revealing that he was raped by Matti's replacement Ilya – and liked it. Unaware of this development, Dmitri and Ruslan nonetheless have suspicions about Jamal, especially after learning that he only had Alexei suck his cock for a few seconds and didn't fuck him. Dmitri decides to call his friend Tcherepnin, and have him bring a lie detector.

DMITRI: SATURDAY, 28 JANUARY, MORNING – MASTER BEDROOM

Having slept on it, my decision to call Tcherepnin last night seemed rash in the morning. And yet . . . I wasn't sure. I needed Nikolai's advice. I told him what I had done, and why. To my relief, he supported my idea. I suggested he chat with the princes to get to know them better, and earn their trust.

As it turned out, at 9:30 there was a replay of yesterday's Champions League football match between Dynamo and Leipzig. One of Leipzig's best players, Rami Iqbal, was from the princes' country, making the German team a favorite in their nation. Abdullah, at least, was known to be a football fan. Although the outcome was known (Dynamo emerging victorious – the reason the match was rebroadcast), the boys would not have known this, and presumably would enjoy watching, especially given that Iqbal had scored a goal that gave Leipzig an early lead.

Nikolai offered to invite them to the library, where they could watch the game on the large screen, while becoming more comfortable with his presence.

I called Sasha in to help me figure out sleeping arrangements for tonight. Grigory's return had used up the Gray Room, Nikolai had taken the Green, the princes were in Peach and Lavender, and I had housed Tompkins in the Silver. This left only three remaining guest rooms – Blue, Amber, and Crimson. The Blue and Amber, being the nicest, would go to the Prince Regent and Khalid – but for tonight's party I was expecting Horst, Semyon, Misha, Tcherepnin, and Bobrovsky, plus Sasha and Oleg (who did not live here) – all of whom would expect to stay over until the morning.

Fortunately, there was a luxury hotel (with views of the Gulf of Finland) about six miles away, where I could house some of them. Sasha volunteered to stay there with Oleg, and I could send Tompkins there. Tcherepnin and Bobrovsky could share the room freed up by Tompkins, so maybe I could give the Crimson Room to Horst; Semyon and Misha would have to either stay at the hotel or drive themselves home. As alcohol was freely indulged in at these parties, driving home was not advised.

We agreed that we'd have to tell Pyotr and Tompkins not to drink at the party so that they could ferry others to the hotel. Pyotr would not be happy about having to abstain from drinking, but I'd make it up to him somehow – perhaps give him extra access to the slaves' asses next week.

And that, I thought, was that – until Tompkins appeared with a message.

• I just got a text from the Prince Regent. He wants me to meet him at the airstrip at 3:30. They should be here between 4 and 4:30.

• Very good, thanks.

• There's another part of the message, though.

• Yes?

• I think I'll just read it verbatim, sir. `Have Yuri's boy – the wrestler – at the party tonight. Khalid wants to fuck him.'

Excuse me, Your Majesty? You're now giving me orders about who to have at the party? Three slaves isn't enough? And you think I can order Yuri to bring Rodion? What about Yuri's own plans for the evening? And Yuri hadn't even been invited.

I picked up the phone.

• Hello, Yuri?

ALEXEI: SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, LATE MORNING – GRAND HALL/ CONFERENCE ROOM

The doorbell rang, startling me. It was way too early for party guests to be arriving. Was Master having a business meeting on a Saturday? Today, while the princes were here? Seemed unlikely. It was. I opened the door to admit the two FSB men, Tcherepnin and Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky held a large, rigid case, somewhere in size between an attaché and a suitcase. A small feeling of stimulation ran through my balls at the sight of him, and when I displayed I felt a pair of hands caressing my globes lovingly, his finger teasing my hole. He said (while caressing my right buttock):

• Sorry, boy. I know you want me inside, but I can't fuck you now. But don't worry – we've been invited to the party, where I will plunder your sweet ass and give you everything you crave. Because you crave my cock, don't you, boy?

The thought of Bobrovsky's cock penetrating my bowels did indeed make me horny. As much as I loved the feel of Ruslan's monster inside me, there were still others who made me go gaga at the sight of their cock – and their handsome faces. Pyotr was one of them. Bobrovsky was another.

When I stood, I was rock hard.

• (Bobrovsky) See, Gennady? He does crave my cock. Look at that. That's not a gun in his pocket, he is glad to see me.

• (Tcherepnin) He doesn't have any pockets. Anyway, perhaps it's me he's glad to see.

• (Bobrovsky) Shall we ask him?

He took hold of my cock and stroked it for a few seconds. My heart rate raised about twenty beats. Damn, the man was hot. Reckless and conceited, but nonetheless hot.

• (Tcherepnin) I'll concede the point. You're closer to his age, and almost as mature. Boy, where is your Master?

• He's in the Conference Room. I'll take you to him, Sir.

Bobrovsky handed me the case, which was quite heavy. I wondered what was inside.

I hoped my erection would fade on the way to the conference room, but no such luck. Master eyed it when I entered the room, casting his eye over at Bobrovsky, who grinned. Damn, he had the world's second sexiest grin. (You know who has the first.) I remained at full staff.

I imagined what Master was thinking: "Alexei doesn't do that when he comes into MY presence". And I cursed the independence of my middle leg. I so wanted to add Master to the list of instant turn-ons that included Ruslan, Pyotr and Bobrovsky, but, while I could easily manipulate myself into an erection, it didn't happen spontaneously upon sight or smell like it did with the others.

I watched FSB men unpack their equipment. Unless I was very much mistaken, this was a polygraph.

RUSLAN: On a text from Nikolai, I had wandered into the library with about fifteen minutes left in the football match. Dynamo had just pulled ahead, 3 to 2, and would win by that score, but Rami Iqbal excited the boys with a daring charge that only a miraculous save by the Dynamo goalkeeper had prevented from tying the game.

Afterward, Nikolai departed with the younger brother ("Come, Prince Jamal, I have something interesting to show you"); I engaged Abdullah in conversation before he could decide to follow. He looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and camaraderie. He remembered me as the ally who had helped him save Matti. He also regarded me as a rival for Matti's possession. It was the latter sentiment which seemed to dominate his mood.

• So, Your Highness, how did you enjoy fucking Matti last night?

• Is that why you came in here? To ask if I had a good fuck? Yes, I had a good fuck. Did you have a good fuck?

• I did. Declan is very sexy, for a trusty. Did your brother have a good fuck?

• He said he did.

• That's good.

• I'm assuming you came into this room for something more than exchanging cordialities about fucking slaves.

• I did. What are you going to say to your father and your uncle when they arrive?

• Do you know when they're getting here?

• Late afternoon. In time for dinner.

• You should serve them camel meat.

• Your Highness? There are no camels here.

• It was a joke. I've never had camel meat myself, but we serve it to the slaves when there is a supply. It's not really camel meat. It's actually –

• We are not here to discuss the menu. We are here to discuss what you are going to say to your father. Do you still refuse to go home with him?

• Not without Matti.

• Matti faces a trial. You want to see him on the dome?

• I'll make it a condition. I go home if – and only if – I take Matti with me and they guarantee the result of his trial.

• You think they'll agree to that?

• No. Father might, but Khalid never will. And he speaks for Mustafa. Together, they control enough votes on the jury to do what they want with Matti. And even if Khalid agrees, I don't trust him. I'm not going back there, and that's it, period.

• Your father could take forcible action. He could order the slaves – and Tomkins – to take you to his car. And Dmitri could order his employees to do the same.

• Would he do that?

• He can't afford to alienate your father, especially now when your father may not completely trust that Dmitri played no part in your coming here.

• Then we should leave before they arrive. Where's Tompkins?

• What makes you think Tompkins would take you? He's your father's employee, and already worried about his job security. If I'm him, I'd rather defy you than your father.

• Then I'll leave on my own. I'll hide out in the woods until they leave.

• Number one: it's cold outside. Number two: Ever hear of bloodhounds?

• Shit! Ruslan, what am I supposed to do? Give in to my father?

• I think it would be best if he at least thinks so.

• Best for who? For you, sure – but for me?

• Your Highness, if your father thinks you are cooperating, he's less likely to take forcible action. He's not planning to leave until tomorrow. It gives us some time to figure something out.

• Us?

• Us, Your Highness. Believe me, I'm on your side. So is Dmitri. Trust me.

ALEXEI: I waited for Master to dismiss me, but he didn't. Who was the lie detector test for? I couldn't imagine that it was for me – I think Master trusted me to be honest with him – and what could he possibly suspect me of? But there was no one else in the room – until there was. Nikolai entered, with, of all people, Prince Jamal in tow. The boy saw the two FSB men, and the equipment laid out on the conference table, and his eyes widened.

• (Jamal) What's all this?

• (Master) Your Highness, this is Colonel Gennady Tcherepnin of the FSB and his assistant, Nikita Bobrovsky. Colonel Tcherepnin will be conducting the interrogation.

• (Jamal, terrified) Interrogation?

Tcherepnin took over from there:

• Could I see your passport, please?

• Passport? It's in my room. Well, the room I'm staying in.

• Does it have a Russian immigration stamp?

• I . . . no, I . . . we didn't come in through . . . it was all arranged – Abdullah took care of it. And Tompkins, it was – they paid somebody. I had nothing to do with it.

• So you are in this country illegally.

• We all are, I guess. Technically. Why are you asking me?

• You realize I could arrest you for being in the country illegally.

• I'm a prince! I am royalty. I'm not some peasant who crossed the border from Syria or something.

• Syria does not border this country. But it does not matter. You are on Russian territory, you are subject to Russian laws, and you are in the country illegally.

• I want a lawyer. Can I have a lawyer?

• This is not America, Your Highness. You've been watching too many American TV shows. But relax – I do not intend to arrest you. As long as you cooperate.

• Cooperate? What do you mean, cooperate?

• We just want to ask a few questions.

• I told you, it wasn't me. Ask my brother. Ask Mr. Tompkins. Ask the pilot.

• It's not about that.

• What about, then?

• So you'll consent to the questions?

• Y – yes. If you promise you won't arrest me.

• I promise we won't arrest you. If you agree to a lie detector test.

Master, looking somewhat compassionate, decided to take the reins.

• Your Highness, there is some information we want to find out, that may help you and your brother in your efforts to avoid going back to your home country.

• Why do you need a lie detector test?

• Let's just say it gives us confidence that the information provided is accurate.

• This isn't a trick? This isn't like – you get me to confess to something and then I have to go back to my home country or stay here and go to jail.

• (amused) Do you have something to confess to?

• (a pause – a long pause) Not a crime or anything.

• Then you have no worries about going to jail, does he, Gennady?

• (Tcherepnin) None whatsoever.

• (Jamal) Okay.

• (Master) Now, who would you like to ask you the questions? Colonel Tcherepnin? Or me? Or would you prefer Nikolai?

• (Jamal) Nikolai.

I saw Master exchange a look of satisfaction with Nikolai. He was hoping the boy would choose Nikolai, though I had no idea why. The older man took over and took a reassuring, almost soothing tone with him, unlike the tone he ever showed me or Matti. I could see that Jamal trusted Nikolai for some reason.

With Nikolai's first question, I understood why I was present for this. But not why this was happening.

• Your Highness, there is a slave standing in the corner. Did you fuck him last night?

• What?

• Just yes or no. Did you fuck that slave last night?

• . . . No.

• Why not?

• (Tcherepnin) You can't ask open-ended questions. They have to be yes' or no'.

• Oh, sorry, I forgot. Did you agree to fuck the slave last night and then change your mind?

• Yes.

• Did you put your penis in his mouth?

• Yes.

• Did he suck it until you ejaculated?

• No.

• Was it in his mouth for more than a few seconds?

• No.

• Do you like fucking slaves in the ass?

• . . . Yes.

• (Bobrovsky) Deception.

• (Nikolai) Let's try this again. Do you like fucking slaves in the ass?

• (very long pause) No.

• When Ruslan was at the royal palace pretending to be a slave, did you say you thought it would be fun to have food served off you and did you ask if you could do it sometime?

• Why are you asking me this?

• Just answer the question, Your Highness.

• . . . Yes.

• And when your uncle said that sometimes he wondered if you would rather be a slave than a master, did you answer `Maybe I' without completing the sentence?

• I . . . I'm not sure. I don't remember that.

• Jamal, would you rather be a slave than a Master?

• I'm not answering that question.

• (Tcherepnin) Conditions in Russian prisons are harsh. Especially for teenagers.

• Look, I've answered all of your questions.

• (Nikolai) All but one. Would you rather be a slave than a Master?

• (extremely long pause; whispered) I don't know.

• (Bobrovsky) Anxiety heightened but not definitively true or false.

• (Nikolai) Have you fantasized about being a slave?

• . . .

• (Nikolai) Have you, Jamal?

• So what if I have? It's just fantasy. It doesn't matter. It's what you do that matters, that's what Father always says.

• (Nikolai) Your father is correct. It's what you do that matters.

• (Master) Colonel, turn off the equipment.

• (Jamal) You're not going to tell my father this, are you? You can't, you absolutely can't. I can't go back there, you have to understand, I can't go back there, not after . . .

• (Nikolai) Not after what?

• . . .

• (Nikolai) Not after what, Jamal?

• There are people who think I'm not ready to be a Man. They whisper behind my back, but I hear about it.

• (Nikolai) Not after what, Jamal?

He looked down at the table, then across at Bobrovsky, who was releasing his arm from the polygraph.

• I'm not answering that.

He rose from the table and shot me a look that said `Keep your mouth shut', and ran out of the room.

The conversation turned to Russian. From the facial expressions, voice inflections, and body language involved, here is what I am guessing they said:

• (Nikolai) Should I go after him?

• (Master) No, let him go. We've put him through enough today.

• (Tcherepnin) Did you notice the way he looked at your slave before he left?

• (Bobrovsky) Yeah, it was almost like a warning.

• (Tcherepnin) Your boy knows something, I'm certain of it.

• (Master, switching to English) Alexei, come here. Sit where the prince was. Bobrovsky, hook him up.

Were they going to administer a lie detector test to me? This was a gross insult, although I could never let that show. When did I ever lie to Master, other than hiding my acknowledgement of being gay from him for a few months? Never. And now he wants to test my honesty?

Yes. They hooked me up to the polygraph.

• (Master) Alexei, I know you tell truth. But other peoples – they might not. So we use lie detector to show, to prove them that you truth. You not in trouble unless you lie. Is clear?

• Yes, Master.

• (Tcherepnin) Okay, boy, I'm going to ask you some questions. Some of them will be open-ended, which the lie detector won't like, so after you answer, I'm going to rephrase what you said into a yes-or-no question that the machine can record. Understood?

• Yes, Sir.

• Very well. Were you alone with Prince Jamal last night, Friday the 27th of January?

• No, Sir.

• Alexei, for the lie detector, you don't have to add `sir' to your answer. Who else was with you?

• At first, Prince Abdullah and his slave Declan and also Master Ruslan and his slave Matti. And then it was just Prince Jamal, Matti and me.

• So there was a time when you and the slave Matti were alone with Prince Jamal?

• Yes.

• Before then, Prince Abdullah, Master Ruslan and another slave were also present. Is that correct?

• Yes.

• And when they left did someone tell you that Prince Jamal would fuck you?

• Yes.

• And after they left did Prince Jamal tell you he was not, in fact, going to fuck you?

• Yes.

• And did he tell you not to inform your Master of that fact?

• Yes. However, I told him that if Master asked me about it directly, that I would have to tell him.

• Did the Prince put his penis in your mouth, so that you could truthfully say that you sucked his cock?

• Yes.

• And did you suck him for more than a few seconds?

• No.

• When you were alone with the Prince and the slave Matti, did Prince Jamal say anything to you not directly related to the sex he was, or was not, going to have with you.

• . . . Yes.

• Did he tell you anything that you thought he might want to keep secret?

• . . . Yes.

• What was that?

• He said he had been raped.

Tcherepnin let out a low whistle and said something in Russian that, from the tone of his voice, could have been something like `Holy shit!' Master looked stunned. Bobrovsky was grinning that sexy grin of his.

• Let me clarify that. Did Prince Jamal tell you that he had been raped?

• Yes.

• And by that, did he mean that another Man's penis had been inserted into him?

• (hmmm, technically I'd have to say) No.

• I'm confused. Was he physically forced to fuck someone? Is that what he meant by being raped?

• No.

• Alexei, you're not making sense. It has to be one or the other, or else it's not rape.

• (Tcherepnin) Was he raped by something other than a penis?

• No. Master, may I explain?

• (Bobrovsky) I think I know. Alexei, was he raped – not by a Man, but by a slave?

Master swore at him in Russian in a tone that said, "Don't be ridiculous. Such a thing could never happen."

• Yes.

• (Master) What? Are you telling the truth, Alexei? Prince Jamal said he was raped by a slave?

• Yes.

• (Tcherepnin) That's punishable by death.

• (Bobrovsky) Level four.

• (Tcherepnin) There's a slave going around who should be executed. Did he tell anyone else?

• Yes.

• (Tcherepnin) Who?

• He told Declan – the other slave.

• (Tcherepnin) Are the three of you the only ones who know?

• No, Sir. I believe everyone at the palace knows. The Prince Regent asked Declan if anything unusual had happened that day, and Declan told him what Prince Jamal had said.

• (Tcherepnin) Unbelievable. Well, at least justice will be done. Did he know the slave who raped him?

• Yes.

• (Tcherepnin) Did he tell you who the slave was?

• Yes.

• (Tcherepnin) Tell us.

• It was Ilya.

• (Master) WHAT?!! Are you telling me that Ilya raped Prince Jamal? Our Ilya?

• Yes.

Master swore some more in Russian.

• (Tcherepnin) I knew your boy knew something secret.

• (Master) No, that's not it. Because if everyone at the palace knows about it, then what . . . Alexei, did he tell you something else that he did not want you to repeat?

• Yes.

• What was that?

• He said he liked it. He preferred getting fucked to fucking.

• For the record: Did Prince Jamal tell you that he liked getting fucked in the ass?

• Yes.

• Ruslan was right. The boy is a Bottom. He must have gotten a recessive gene of some kind.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, MID-AFTERNOON – LAUNDRY ROOM

Ivan had assigned both Matti and me to prepare the rooms for tonight. Apparently the party tonight was going to be large (I remembered Bobrovsky saying that he was invited) and there were going to be some changes to the sleeping quarters, so everything had to be super-clean, and, of course, all the sheets needed to be changed.

I was putting some sheets into one of the washers when Declan came in.

• Hey, how are you?

• (Am I allowed to answer that?)

• What's the matter? You aren't allowed to speak?

• (shrug – I don't know)

• In the palace, we can speak when there are no Men in the room. Did your Master tell you not to speak to me?

• (shaking my head, no)

• Then?

• (nervously) He said that Matti and I could not speak to each other.

• But he didn't say that about me?

• No.

• Then you aren't disobeying him. Trust me, I've been a slave for fifteen years, I'm pretty good at getting the protocols right. And the loopholes. Hold on a moment, I've got an idea. Do you know where Matti is?

• Cleaning one of the rooms. He'll probably be bringing down sheets in a minute.

Right on cue, Matti appeared. He gave me one of his famous grins in greeting and waved at Declan.

• (Declan) Matti, we've decided that you and Alexei can speak with me, even if you can't speak with each other. So, there's nothing in the rules that says you can't say something to me that you want Alexei to hear.

• (Matti, grinning) Declan, I think Alexei is the sexiest being on the face of this earth, and I wish they would let me fuck him tonight.

• Declan, I think I am only the second sexiest being on the face of this earth, and I wish they would let the actual sexiest fuck me tonight, although I wish he would wipe that stupid grin off his face. Actually, I don't, I like that grin.

• (Matti) I think I like this mode of conversation. Declan, can you stay around for a while?

• How long are you staying, anyway?

• (Declan) Do you think they share that information with a slave? I have no idea.

• (Matti) Okay, here's the big question. Why are you here? By which I mean – why are they here?

• (Declan) Prince Abdullah wants you back.

• But if Matti goes back, won't he have to face a trial?

• (Declan) I don't know. Not something they tell me. Fifteen years at the palace, but I still don't understand Arabic. So even if I overhear them talking, I don't know what they're saying.

• Prince Abdullah didn't say anything to you?

• (Declan) He's not informal with me, like he was with Matti. I'm his father's slave, not his.

• So why are you here? I mean, I understand that Ilya – why he couldn't bring him – but why you, if you're not his slave? And why bring a slave at all? Matti and I could have attended to their needs.

• (Declan) I don't know – for sure.

• (Matti) But you have an idea.

• (Declan) Maybe.

• (Matti) Spill it.

• (Declan) It's – it's a bit awkward.

• (Matti) What isn't?

• (Declan) I might be totally wrong about this but – Matti, when your Master was at the palace, he and I . . . well, last night wasn't the first time we had sex.

• (?!)

• (Declan) I think your Master – Ruslan – has maybe some attraction to me.

• I don't want to crush your ego, Declan, but Ruslan would fuck a manicotti if he could get inside.

• (Declan) Well, he – I think it's more than that, but anyway. I think maybe Prince Abdullah is hoping that Ruslan will take me as his slave in exchange for you.

• (Matti) Omigod, really?

• (Declan) It's just speculation, I have no idea. But the princes were supposed to go to some convention in one of the `Stans' and they could take a slave. I can't imagine why he chose to take me instead of one of the smaller boys, especially when he knows the role I play for his father. I don't even know if the Prince Regent agreed.

• Do you think it might be me they want to trade for? Prince Abdullah told me his father still wants to acquire me.

• (Declan) I don't know.

• (Matti) You're a font of useful information, Declan. You might as well be a Swede.

• (Declan) You have something against Swedes?

• He's Finnish. Apparently there's a rivalry thing.

• (Declan) Ironic. We're practically a stone's throw from Finland.

• (Matti) Well, if you have the stones, throw me there. (indicating me) Him, too, if you can swing it. He's from Wisconsin, but I love him anyway.

• No accounting for taste. As evidenced by my affection for Matti.

• (Matti) They call us Romeo and Julian.

• Actually they don't. And I'm not crazy about the comparison.

• (Matti) We're star-crossed lovers, wouldn't you say?

• Yes, but their story didn't exactly end well, did it?

• (Matti) We're together now.

• For one week. And that might end tomorrow.

• (Matti) I'd better get back upstairs or Ivan will have my ass in a sling.

• Figuratively. Tonight, it may be literally.

• (Matti) Nice chatting with you, Declan. A shame I didn't get a chance to talk to Alexei, him being so close by and everything. I really do love him, you know.

I was trying to come up with a witty reply when we were interrupted by the American, Bill Tompkins. He looked straight at Declan, beckoning with his finger.

• Come with me, boy.

Declan followed him out of the room. Matti and I, no longer having an intermediary to communicate to each other through, looked at each other. Oh, well.

Little did I know that Tompkins' appearance marked the beginning of a chaotic twenty-four hours.

[COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX - FATHER VERSUS SON]