"On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses..." (A Bat Out Of Hell)

"Hey Justin, get your bubble butt out here, you have a delivery!" Debbie bellowed above the din of the lunch crowd. Banging through the door, holding a couple of pink plate specials, Justin delivered his order then joined Debbie at the counter. Sitting on the counter was a beautiful cut crystal vase with two dozen blood red roses.

"So what did the asshole do now?"

"Huh?"

"Don't give me that look. It must have been a whopper if he sent flowers."

"Deb, these aren't from Brian."

"How do you know?"

"First of all, there's no card. Knowing our history, if he were to give me flowers, he'd want full credit. But more importantly, Brian would not give me real, flow, ow, ah, AH-CHOO ! Damn, my allergies. Brian knows better than that, most of the family knows. No, these are from some, om, ah-choo! Shit."

"Put them in the back, Sunshine and take some medicine."

"Yeah. Right away." Justin picked up the heavy vase and walked toward the kitchen trying not to breathe in the intoxicating aroma of the roses. Setting them down safely on the table in the staff room, Justin looked over the arrangement for a card. Confirming that there wasn't one, he went into his locker and took out a dose of his allergy pills swallowing them dry. Hoping that he took them in time, Justin went back out into the diner to serve the lunch crowd.

"You gonna tell Brian?" Debbie asked. "About the flowers? Yes, I will. We've been getting along real well lately; working hard on our conversational skills. If I don't tell him and he finds out, he may not say anything but he'll be upset."

"I hear ya, Sunshine. Honesty is the best policy. But who would send you those?"

"Send him what?" At that moment, Brian appeared at the door of the diner. Within three strides of his long legs, Brian sidled up next to Justin and repeated the question. "Send you what, little boy?"

"Someone sent me two dozen roses."

"In a crystal vase." Debbie added.

"A secret admirer, Sonny Boy?" Brian smirked and arched an eyebrow.

"Very secret, no card."

"Did you see who delivered it?"

"No, but Deb might of."

"Deb?"

"Wasn't anyone I've ever seen before. He was wearing a messenger uniform and a baseball cap. I didn't see a delivery truck. Come to think about it, there wasn't a company name or anything. Just a black jacket and jeans. The only thing I do know is he had deep green eyes. Other than that, nothing to identify him. Do you think it's trouble?"

"No, I don't but you get to bring home the flowers. Medication or no medication, if those things come home with us I'll never get laid. He'll be sneezing all night."

"You know Brian, sometimes I think...Justin, JUSTIN!"

At Debbie's scream, Brian turned to see Justin gulping for air and turning an unflattering shade of red. Brian fished into his suit pocket and brought out an inhaler. Shaking it, he flipped off the cap and brought it to Justin's lips. Squeezing the inhaler, he commanded, "Suck!" Justin inhaled a dose of the medication. Repeating the process one more time, Brian then guided Justin to a vacant booth.

"Debbie, can you get him a cup of coffee, light and sweet. Sometimes it helps."

"Sure thing, kiddo."

Turning his attention to Justin who was now breathing easier, Brian gently swiped the hair out of Justin's eyes and softly caressed Justin's arm.

"You feel better now?"

"Yeah, much. Thank you. I took my pills but I guess they didn't kick in fast enough."

"You want me to take you home?"

"No, I'm alright. I want to finish my shift, Brian."

"Justin."

"Please, Bri. I'm fine."

"Here's your coffee, Sunshine."

"Thanks Deb."

"You should go home."

"What I should do..."

"What he should do, is finish his coffee, take another hit from his inhaler then get back to work. But maybe Deb, you can get Hunter to come in and bus for a while so Justin doesn't have to."

"Good idea, Brian. I'll call over at the store."

"Now that the drama is all over, I have to get back to the office. Some of us have real jobs to do."

Brian slid out of the booth while watching Justin do the same. He then gave Justin a kiss on the temple. "I'll pick you up when you're done, okay?" Justin nodded and brought his cup to the counter.

"Here ya go kiddo. A turkey on whole wheat, no mayo. On the house."

"Thanks, Deb." Taking his sandwich, Brian kissed Debbie on the cheek and slipped the inhaler into her hand. Brian's co-conspirator winked at him and patted his cheek. "You're a good man, Brian." Debbie whispered. "I know, but don't let it get around." Brian whispered back; Debbie rolled her eyes.

As Brian headed out of the door, Ted was coming in; Brian shouted to Justin. "Hey, Sunshine! No sneezing in Theodore's chicken salad."

Justin gave Brian the single finger salute as he shouted back, "Asshole!" A bewildered Ted stood at the door pondering his luncheon choice.

Back at Kinnetic, Brian was greeted by Cynthia. "I didn't think you accepted gifts from your tricks."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You got a delivery while you were out to lunch."

"What kind of delivery?"

"Roses."

"Fuck!" Brian went racing into his office. There on his desk was a crystal vase with two dozen blood red roses. No card.

"Cynthia, did you see who delivered them?"

"I didn't get a good look at him. He was dressed in black and wore a baseball cap. But I did notice he had deep..."

"Green eyes."

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Justin got the same delivery at the diner. Nearly killed him too. You know him and his allergies."

"Oh my god! Is he alright?"

"He's fine. Between his pills and his inhaler, we got it under control. It scared the shit out of Debbie."

"By the look on your face, it scared the shit out of you too. Who would of sent the flowers? If it was a client, there would have been a card. And I was only teasing about the tricks. I know you haven't, you know, in a while, I mean."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Brian, this vase is real crystal and these roses, well let's just say they're not the dozen for $9.99 kind. These are the expense older variety of roses, they have a scent."

"What do you mean?"

"Most roses don't have a scent anymore because they're hybrids. These have a strong scent like a classic rose. And you say Justin got the same thing. Brian, we're talking a couple of hundred."

"Fuck me!"

"Love to but I'd rather fuck the man who has this kind of money to toss around. Brian, do you think you should call the cops or maybe Debbie's friend?"

"And tell him what? By the way Carl, Justin and I got some presents and we want you to track down the gift giver. I don't think so. Just be careful in the future and observant. I think we're looking for a green-eyed wolf in black clothing."

"Will do. Leo Brown called, he'd like you to get back to him regarding the latest pitch."

"Sure thing and Cynthia, how would like two dozen roses?"

"Throw in the vase and you got yourself a deal."

"Deal. Now let's get back to work. I need to continue to afford you."

Before settling behind his desk, Brian picked the vase and put it in the conference room. With Leo Brown and his latest campaign to occupy him, Brian gave little thought to the mystery of the red roses. Around eight o'clock, he packed up his brief case, turned off the lights, set the alarm and locked up Kinnetic for the night.

Brian got into the Vette and drove to the diner to pick up Justin unaware that a wolf with deep green eyes was following close behind.