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But how did it get so far?", "description_bbcode_parsed": "We know Ned decided to blackmail Vince after being tricked into bottoming. But how did it get so far?", "writing": "[b]The Measure of a Man\n\nChapter 5: An enemy who has lost his temper[/b]\n\nNed wasn't quite sure how he had gotten to where he was. That was a recurring problem for him, when he ran into something that angered him to his bones and he didn't get back his faculties until he'd already let his emotions get the better of him. \n\nIt had happened in high school when a jock cheated off him and got him into detention, sullying his record and making him be waitlisted for his favourite college instead of accepted. The anger had fuelled him to break into their network and check every admittance letter for plagiarism until he had exposed enough students ahead of him that Ned would be admitted.\n\nIt had happened in university, when one of the professors had come close to sexually assaulting one of the students. Ned heard the teacher threatening to expel Ned if he talked to anyone about what he'd seen, but his mind was already elsewhere, focused on revenge. By the time he could think normally again, the teacher was in jail.\n\nAnd it had happened in a gay bar, where Ned had been fucked by a horse who had tricked him. One moment he had been too angry to think, the next he was watching Vince on a monitor, two other victims beside Ned, all looking at the horse putting on a chastity cage as part of an elaborate blackmailing scheme.\n\nNed could remember how he had gotten from point A to B, but it didn't feel like he was fully in control in between.\n\nIt had all started with that gnawing suspicion after he'd lost the measuring game. He'd gone to the bar every week to observe and have drinks in a booth in the corner. He flirted with the people who approached him and always slyly asked them about the hot bartender. Everybody wanted to sleep with Vince yet nobody knew how he selected his partners. Just that he never went for someone on their first night in the bar and that he preferred tops.\n\nNed saw it the night that the horse flirted with Bill and brought him to the backroom, only to have Bill come out later with a very familiar expression on his face. The expression of a man who'd been fucked without expecting he would. A few weeks later, the same thing happened with Lenny.\n\nWith his suspicions heightened, Ned broke one of his own rules and went after Thundrel's surveillance systems. As a gay man, he wasn't supposed to use his skills against the queer community. Ever since he'd gotten fired at his tech job for refusing to help create a program that would facilitate tax evasion for the wealthiest scumbags alive, he'd tried to direct all his skills against an upper class whom nobody else held accountable. A local gay bar would normally deserve his protection, not his scrutiny.\n\nHe tried to make up for it by writing in an additional layer of protection so that nobody else would be able to use his exploit again. The security before his improvements had been fine, but far from perfect. Any time camera footage was consulted, a signal went off to a central privacy watch dog. But there weren't enough protections in place to prevent a malicious actor, like Ned, from intercepting that message and spoofing a receive confirmation.\n\nAnd the footage said everything. He found the evidence of Vince stealing money, found even more victims of his deceit, and then finally found his method of cheating using a USB stick with spyware to get around the bar's security. When Ned knew what to look for, he could see evidence of the tampering in the security logs. While the footage Ned could access only went back twelve months, the logs showed that Vince had been doing this for years.\n\nNed collated everything like this was just another task for him. Like the perpetrator was some random sociopathic CEO, instead of a member of their shared community who should've known better.\n\nAnd the anger just kept growing. Ned had recognised Vince as one of the bullying jocks in high school, but in the bar Vince had been kind and sweet and interested. But then he had cheated in a game, just like his jock friends had cheated on their tests by looking at Ned's answers. And that was the confirmation that Vince had not changed. He was dangerous and needed to be stopped just like any other greedy bastard Ned took down for a living.\n\nWith just a single button press, he could send proof of the stealing and put Ned in prison. Yet, that wasn't enough. It didn't feel like enough karmic justice for what the horse had done. He tried to think of alternatives, but he wasn't much of an idea man when he was this angry. The furthest he got was to doctor some of the footage, using skills he didn't have, hoping Vince would be tricked into selecting a victim that was actually more well-endowed than Vince was. His head was too focused on wanting to achieve revenge to brainstorm ways into getting it.\n\nHe needed help. And fellow victims were the obvious choice.\n\nFrom twelve months of footage, Ned had eight names. Three didn't respond when he reached out, one couldn't be identified, two didn't care about being cheated because they had still enjoyed the experience, and the final two were eager to help. Just like Ned, they didn't think prison would be enough punishment for the horse.\n\nIt was Bill who suggested they blackmail Vince, because any other trick they tried to pull would have the slimy horse try to slip out away from them. It was Lenny who suggested chastity as the karmic punishment for abusing the size of his dick.\n\nAnd it was Ned who thought they should make him do the tasks. Vince had made them play a game, and as blackmailers they would make him play one too. Ned wanted to test the jock, and show the weakness of his character. He wanted to expose Vince as an imposter. They would give him a fair challenge and when Vince lost, showing his true colours, he would have nobody to blame for his prison time other than himself.\n\nThe planning began. They gathered the resources they would need and started designing the tasks. Bill and Lenny had great fun brainstorming torturous tasks, even if not all of them were viable. And Ned spent more time than was reasonable composing the first messages and creating code names for everyone. All the blackmail material itself was stored on a hard drive in a strong black box. A truck could run over it and it wouldn't be destroyed. They had pasted the chastity keys on the side and Ned had deleted all other records besides the low-quality version he would send Vince at first contact. The box would either be going to Vince or the police. And that would be the end of it.\n\nDespite Ned's protests, Bill and Lenny hadn't decided on a full schedule of tasks when they started. They insisted they would have to watch the horse's reaction and tailor the challenges to how well it was going.\n\nAnd after everything was set up, they sat anxiously behind a computer as they watched the horror on Vince's face after he'd received the first messages. \n\nThe horse was hesitating and it proved all three of them correct.\n\n``Told you it was a waste to get more tasks ready.'' Bill said. ``He can't even get over the first one.''\n\n``He just needs some encouragement.'' Ned said. Vince would break, but not so soon. With a few more messages, they convinced Vince to take them seriously. And as soon as Vince did, the horse trapped himself in a chastity cage.\n\nBreaking Vince down felt just as satisfying as going after capitalist scum. And it made Ned lick his lips. The chameleon had wanted to fuck Vince on the night they met. The horse was hot, no matter how much of a bastard he was. Ned wanted to fuck him the night they met in the bar, and now seeing him naked but for the chastity cage, Ned wanted to fuck him even more.\n\nNed would never get to, because Vince would break.\n\nAnd then Vince didn't break. He just kept obeying, completing task after task. He took a public shower, he actually went on his knees in front of the dragon shopkeeper, and he inserted plugs like a good bottom. They had been sure Vince wouldn't play the measuring game knowing he'd lose. That the horse would chicken out, or would let something slip due to his inflated ego, or would break the rules in some other way. All three of them knew how the humiliation felt. Vince was walking a mile in their shoes.\n\nLenny and Bill were annoyed by it. Ned couldn't help but admire it.\n\n``What's the next task?'' Ned asked as they watched Vince stay behind in the locker room and clean up after himself.\n\nThe other two looked at each other. ``We don't know. We never thought he'd get past this. We'll have to think about it.''\n\n``I want to do the diaper tonight.''\n\nThey waved him off. ``Sure. That'll buy us some time.''\n\nGetting into Vince's apartment again was easy. All three of them had been in there at one point or another. Every time it had been to quickly put up a surveillance system, or drop some items off as quickly as possible. They had always been in a hurry. But this time Ned had the time to dally a little bit. To appreciate how clean Vince kept his apartment, and how scarcely decorated it was. Vince didn't really keep any pictures or mementos from his youth. His bookcase didn't even have their school's yearbook.\n\nThey had moved so quickly with the plan that Ned had never paused to look around. They had made assumptions about Vince from the way he had wronged them, and Vince was proving those assumptions wrong. There was a part of Ned that admired Vince for that.\n\nHe arranged the diaper on the bed so Vince would see it as soon as he walked in. And he put the back-up items in the bottom of the bedside table in case Vince wouldn't play along and needed some extra humiliation. That was his strategy for every task. A baseline difficulty with options to add deadlines and additional punishments. They were pulling Vince along by a leash, but that only worked if they had more tools than only the threat of completely unravelling Vince's life.\n\nNed left the way he had come and made his way back to the hide-out. Lenny and Bill were excited as they presented their new plan.\n\n``Absolutely not.'' Ned immediately said. ``It's needlessly cruel.''\n\n``It's necessarily cruel.'' Lennie countered. ``We've been pushing him, but he hasn't had a pure punishment yet. You're the one who suggested he wear a diaper like a colt. Why not have him spanked like one too?''\n\n``We're testing his conviction, not his pain tolerance.'' Ned said.\n\n``There's not much difference.'' Bill said. ``Determination and discipline are cornerstones of conviction.''\n\nNed didn't feel right about it. ``Everyone around him will expect him to act like he enjoys it. If the body's in pain, there's reflexes he won't be able to control.''\n\n``He'll be gagged.'' Bill said. ``That'll keep the worst of his cries to himself. He won't fail this task until he uses the safe word gesture. An entire night on that bench is still nothing compared to what he did to us.''\n\n``And there will be nothing left to move on from. What's left after this? How do we escalate this further?''\n\n``This afternoon you were angry because we couldn't escalate beyond the reversed Measuring game, yet we just did. We don't have to have anything else figured out until he succeeds.''\n\nNed tried to consider their words, but this was so far beyond what they had done so far. Ned wasn't sure if he could blame Vince for refusing a task where he'd have to be strapped in and beaten for hours on end. ``No. This task won't work unless I set it up. And I won't. There has to be something between nothing, and making him take the paddle for a full night without any impact training.''\n\nBill looked angry, but the Lynx next to him held him back.\n\n``Now come on, Ned.'' Lennie said, smoothly. ``This is only an issue if he accepts. All three of us know he's not the kind of person to follow through. Do you think he'll allow himself to be seen in a chastity cage in front of all of his coworkers? All of the patrons?''\n\n``No.'' Ned admitted. ``He won't.''\n\n``He's still thinking there's a way out without harming his reputation, which gets him back to doing what he's always been doing. He won't accept this task, because he has too much pride.''\n\n``And what if he does?'' Ned challenged.\n\n``If he does... do you know what will happen during half-time? They'll roll him behind stage to be by himself. And we can congratulate him face to face for his bravado. Before we fuck him.''\n\nNed felt his cheeks turn red, but tried to stay strong. ``We don't need the spanking bench for that.''\n\n``But can you imagine it? We'll have him tied down, a crimson ass on display. Can you imagine the sounds he'll make when we fuck his ass when it's that sensitive? Don't tell me you haven't thought of it. We see you staring at that screen whenever he's undressing.''\n\n``He's a handsome horse.'' Ned tried to deflect.\n\n``He's a cheater and if there's any justice to be had, we are going to take what he stole from us when he rigged that damned measuring game.''\n\nNed still didn't like it, but he couldn't get the image out of his head of the horse submitting to the lizard. It had been the mental image that had blinded him last time into being tricked, and it was still powerful enough to push him now. ``Okay, I'll put in the call.'' He had to make the fox think he was being given a day off, while the bar owner had to think the fox was taking a sick day. Easy compared to some of the other things he'd pulled.\n\n``We'll let you at it then.'' Bill said. ``And I'll be practicing my swing.''\n\n``Come on.'' Lennie said. ``We'll swing by the shop so you can pick a spanking instrument to practice with. We have some top-of-the-line horse whips that just came in.''\n\nNed had a bad feeling, but he had no time for regrets. He had another task to oversee. Taking position at his desk, he looked at the six screens arranged in front of him. He always felt in control there, yet the feeling had been soured somehow. He was supposed to be the leader of the group, yet the other two were pushing back at him. He'd been convinced they'd been doing right, but now he was unsure if they were going too far.\n\nVince stumbled into his apartment without turning the light on, ruining the carefully laid out scene he was supposed to stumble onto.\n\nWhen Vince undressed in front of the camera, Ned was again reminded just how much he liked seeing that naked body. How much he liked seeing Vince's large cock trapped in a cage. He had really been looking forward to seeing him in a diaper too. He had masturbated over a dozen times to a video of a unicorn diapering himself, each time imagining it was Vince.\n\nAnd when Vince had trouble figuring out how to proceed, Ned sent that same video along.\n\nThis was a fair challenge. Vince was being forced to do something he didn't like, but he was doing it anyway. He was trying his actual best. Ned was supposed to enjoy it, but all he could think about was the task that was coming next. The pain that Vince would endure. Ned had been planning to stretch this out, but he wanted to get it over with.\n\nSo he gave advice on how to accomplish this task and he encouraged Vince to talk.\n\nAnd the horse did three things that Ned had never considered possible. Vince explained how he was nothing like the jocks in High School. He explained why he had been playing the Measuring game in a way that Ned could almost understand.\n\nAnd he apologised.\n\nVince, the jock who cheated others for fun, apologised. He showed remorse and sounded like he was genuine in wanting to make amends. Vince was not the irredeemable monster that Ned had assumed he was. And it was with that clarity that Ned realised Vince would never back down from the next task.\n\nAs soon as Vince was asleep, Ned turned off his computer and went to bed. Until then, he had set his alarm every few hours to make sure Vince was still following the rules. But they were far beyond the point of thinking Vince would cheat on his tasks like he had cheated in the Measuring Game.\n\nFor the first time in days, Ned went to sleep without feeling that burning rage inside of him. Now there was just doubt and a whole host of conflicted feelings.\n\nThe next morning, he didn't turn the cameras back on. He didn't want to watch Vince. Not when it kept reminding him of the next task they would put him through. A large part of Ned wanted to call it off, no matter what the others had said. But they had started this together. Ned had sought allies not just for physical help, but also because a group of victims were more likely to choose the right form of justice than Ned alone.\n\nAlone, Ned was fallible. Together, they were Parci: the three fates. They were destiny and karma. Ned was but one voice in the group. It wasn't enough for Ned to think the tasks were severe enough that Vince getting through them would be his redemption. They had to be severe enough that at least Lenny or Bill thought so too.\n\nThe chameleon hadn't expected he'd be the first one to forgive, but by definition, one of the three of them had to be first. The tasks would continue to increase in severity, until a second person forgave Vince, at which point there would be a majority in favour of no further escalation. That was the only fair way to do this.\n\nSo Ned still set up the circumstances for the task. He used a voice modulator so he would sound like the fox who usually volunteered for the spanking bench, calling Vince's boss and reading from a script that he thought would be most convincing.\n\nIt was easier with the cameras off. Ned didn't see Vince until they went to the bar in time to see the naked horse being wheeled out. Ned couldn't hide how tight his pants were as he stepped close enough to see. He was close enough to touch, which was so much better than seeing the naked horse through a camera lens. He could make out the sweat on his furry skin, hear the heavy breathing.\n\nAnd then when the wolf hit him, Ned's head did not have enough blood left to think about what he saw. Vince liked it. The horse that Ned had wanted to mount from the first night they had met in the bar, was moaning into his gag for being spanked. It wouldn't be total torture then. It wouldn't be the worst thing that Ned had feared.\n\nExcept of course Lenny and Bill took that moment to step in and escalate. Ned closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the worst of it. He heard the fakeness in Vince's sounds now, especially after he had heard Vince's sincerity the night before.\n\nThe strangest thing about it, was that Ned's erection only grew harder. He wanted to care about Vince's feelings, and he had always made a big deal of consent with all his partners. But his body didn't care about the morals of his mind. The hot muscular horse in front of him was completely at their mercy. When Ned looked again, he saw how red the ass cheeks already were and while his head wanted someone to release Vince, his cock wanted someone else to step up and turn that ass a deeper red.\n\nBy the time Vince got his break, Ned's head wasn't thinking anymore. Ned's dick was making all the decisions. He got a front-row seat as Vince was fucked not by one giant cock, but by two. And then Ned got to have his own turn. He hoped he was gentle, but honestly, he couldn't remember. The need to mount Vince had simply outgrown any rational thought. It was what he had been waiting for ever since Vince flirted with him at the bar. It had been so long coming that Ned was outside of himself.\n\nIt didn't even fully hit him what the three of them had done until they were already fleeing back to the hideout. He was so confused. He'd argued so passionately to spare Vince from this fate, yet he had been the one to enjoy it most out of all three of them. He regretted not stopping Vince from taking a second shift, especially considering how much worse it would be with Lenny's order not to clean himself. But there was also that pride he felt that Vince was rising above their challenges. Much as Vince seemed capable of change, he was still deserving of punishment, and he was taking it like a good boy.\n\nAnd now the other two would have to see it too.\n\nAs they sat down in Ned's home, it was time to declare what was next. ``Have you had any ideas for the final tasks yet?''\n\nBill shrugged. ``There won't be any need. Pull up the camera feed. He'll have tapped out by now.''\n\n``He won't.'' Ned said, even as he went to the computer to prove it. They had a good angle that showed Vince was still being abused. It was almost as good as standing next to him.\n\n``That can't be right.'' Bill frowned as he looked at the images. ``He won't last the full shift then. He'll use their safe word. His colleagues won't see it right away, just like it happened last time someone on that bench used the signal, and that bastard will wallow in the misery of being spanked beyond his limit knowing that the police is waiting for him when he's finally released.''\n\nThat was similar to what Bill had claimed about the first shift too. That Vince wouldn't make it through five minutes of actual pain. ``You need to start brainstorming for what to do when he does make it through.''\n\nBill made himself larger. It looked like he wanted to argue further.\n\n``Let's make some coffee.'' Lennie said, coming between them. ``The best way to settle your disagreement is by waiting.''\n\nThe atmosphere stayed tense. And that only became worse as the night continued and Vince showed himself capable of getting through it. At no point did he even look tempted to use the safe word.\n\n``There's only fifteen minutes left.'' Lenny said. ``\n\n``There's no way.'' Bill said, stubbornly. His face was glued to the screen until the very final moment, when Vince was pulled away again.\n\n``He made it.'' Ned said. ``We need to figure out the next task.''\n\n``Fuck this.'' Bill said. ``The little faggot enjoyed the pain! That's the only way he could've gotten through this.''\n\n``We don't use the f-word.'' Ned said. ``Not in that way.''\n\n``I'm done playing with that fucker.'' Bill gestured wildly. ``We should just release the material to the police and be done with it.''\n\nNed's eyes widened, feeling as if he had been struck a physical blow. ``Excuse me?! That's not what we're doing here!''\n\n``Ned's right.'' Lenny said, coming between them. ``He's not going to beat us at this game.''\n\n``It's not a game for me.'' Bill snapped at the lynx. ``He ruined my life and I won't rest until we ruin his life in return!''\n\n``Get a grip of yourself.'' Lenny tutted. ``It won't hurt him nearly as much if he doesn't cause his own ruin. Let's take a walk outside. Ned told us to think of a new task. Let's do it.''\n\nNed grit his teeth as the other two left. He had a bad feeling. He checked all his work. Every bit of evidence they had was stored on a singular hard drive, which also had the chastity key taped on its side. All the surveillance they had undertaken had only been stored for as long as they needed to check it. There were no weaknesses in his security. He had the drive. And neither of his co-conspirators could do anything with it without Ned knowing.\n\nYet he was tense, all the way until the both of them returned. Even when they sat down, presumably ready to present their suggestions.\n\n``We make him ride a dildo in the middle of a crowded mall.'' Lenny said, proudly.\n\nNed flinched back. ``That'd get him arrested.''\n\n``Exactly. No way he'll go for that.''\n\n``That's not... you'd be asking him to expose himself to strangers. To children!''\n\n``Ooh, that was the second idea. We make him go to a high school and preposition a minor. Either he refuses and gets sent to jail, or we make sure the cops find him and he'll be put away even longer.'' Lenny was glowing with excitement.\n\n``What the hell is wrong with you?!'' Ned shouted. ``This isn't the plan! You're ruining it.''\n\nLenny and Bill shared a look, crossing their arms. ``No, you've lost sight of what we're doing here. We're making sure that scumbag is sent to jail where he belongs. No matter what it takes.''\n\n``Veto.'' Ned said. ``I refuse to keep going like this.''\n\n``That's fine.'' Bill said, far too nonchalantly. Like he had been expecting Ned's refusal. ``We don't need you.''\n\nNed swallowed. ``I have all the material.''\n\n``And you've stored it all on that hard drive. We don't need you. We just need the hard drive.''\n\nThey were getting closer now. Ned grabbed the drive and held it to his body protectively. ``I won't let you have it.''\n\n``You won't have a choice.'' Bill said. He dove forward.\n\nNed darted out of the way. He ran towards the hallway. Lenny was quick and covered the front door. That only left the bathroom for Ned. He dove in and locked the door behind him. He pulled out his phone. He needed to call the cops, but that was exactly what the others wanted. To have the cops here so they could hand over the evidence and give a tour of Ned's illegal surveillance set-up.\n\nNed didn't have anyone else. He didn't have any friends who would help him. His professional contacts were always kept at a large distance. There was nobody who would come to help Ned. But there was one single person who would come help Vince. And that was Vince himself.\n\nNed quickly found Vince in his contacts and considered how to most quickly type in his address and explain why it was urgent.\n\nBill was pounding against the door, using his whole weight trying to break in.\n\nNed simply sent the location code. He managed a quick `help' and `hurry' before Bill crashed through the door. The split second that Bill was still dazed, Ned ran out and made for the window in the back of the house. Ned managed to open it and was halfway out when Bill got a firm grip on one of his arms.\n\nNed kicked with all his might, but Bill wouldn't let go. They struggled, until finally Bill managed to pull Ned back in. He held Ned in place, while Lenny made for the hard drive. Ned kicked and struggled, making it as hard as he could for Lenny to get a grasp on the drive.\n\n``I have blackmail material on the both of you!'' Ned shouted.\n\nAnd finally they calmed down a little.\n\n``I never planned to use it, but I had it as security before I invited you into my home.''\n\n``We'll just have to take that too.'' Larry said.\n\n``It's on a remote server with a dead man switch.'' Ned said. ``If I don't refresh every 48 hours, it all gets sent away.''\n\n``He's bluffing.'' Bill said, though he didn't sound sure.\n\n``I have access to the cameras in the gym and the sex store. I saw you stealing health powders Bill. And Lenny, I know about the amateur porn you're shooting. Both of you would get fired if the footage gets to your bosses.''\n\n``You'd get us fired just to protect that piece of shit?'' Lenny asked, ice in his voice. ``Well fuck you. I don't care about my job that much anyway. Getting fired would be worth it. Right Bill?''\n\n``Y-yeah.''\n\nNed tried to push away again. His feet reached the ground and he pushed away, crashing the both of them into different pieces of furniture.\n\n``Just give it here! It's time!'' Lenny shouted.\n\n``No! He did what we told him! The whole point was to put him in a cruel but fair situation he couldn?t cheat his way out of! He's doing as he's told!\"\n\n\"No, the whole point was to get revenge on him!\" Bill shouted in return. ``To hurt and humiliate him!''\n\n``And to get him arrested!'' Lenny added.\n\nNed shook his head. They had corrupted the plan. Ned had designed a fitting karmic punishment for a cheater, and these two were going to cheat in their revenge. It wasn't fair.\n\nLenny got a good grip on the drive and was pulling now. Ned held on as well as he could, but he could feel his fingers slipping. It was only a matter of time.\n\nSuddenly Vince ran into the room and tackled Lenny away. It startled all three of them, but Ned recovered just a little quicker. He'd been hoping Vince would come, while the others had no idea. Ned managed a sharp jab into the distracted bull's body which let him slip away.\n\nHis hands were empty. Lenny had gotten the drive and Vince was trying to wrestle it away. Vince would win that fight, but only if Bill was kept out of it. Ned wasn't as strong as Bill was, but he was determined and vindictive.\n\n``You told him where we were?!'' Bill shouted, the anger of his realisation coming out with spittle.\n\n``We're done hiding.'' Ned tackled Bill's lower body and brought him to the ground. As long as Ned could stay on top of him and have the advantage of a wrestling position, he could pin the stronger bull in place.\n\nVince had managed to grab the hard drive away from Lennie. He threw it against the wall, denting the plaster before falling to the floor unharmed.\n\n``What are you doing?!'' Ned demanded.\n\nBill took advantage of the mayhem and turned their positions around. Ned felt a fist against his face which made him cry out.\n\n``I'm destroying it!''\n\nVince wouldn't be able to. He could run a truck over that drive and it would survive. And while he was trying, Bill would knock Ned out of the fight and team up with Lenny to snatch it back. Vince needed to run away with it, except that wouldn't work either.\n\nSomehow, Ned hadn't thought this through. He'd been so preoccupied with keeping Lenny and Bill from releasing the material, he hadn't stopped to think Vince would destroy it. He just wanted to go back to the way things had been. For Bill and Lenny to see reason long enough that they could finish the game fairly.\n\nNed hadn't thought this through. But he was a quick thinker. And there was no way out of this if that drive survived. He squirmed under Bill so he could reach into his back pocket to grab his emergency magnet. He tossed it through the air at Vince. ``Use that!''\n\nNed could see it flying through the air. He saw the look of panic in Bill's eyes as he released Ned and scrambled after it. Lenny was trying to get up to make a grab for it too, but tripped over himself. Vince had a calculating look in his eyes, and then he moved.\n\nAnd Ned had never seen such speed before. It was like Vince flew through the air, grabbing the magnet and pressing it against the hard drive in a graceful feat of equine athleticism.\n\n``No!'' Bill and Lenny cried.\n\nBut it was done. None of them moved. They were all just panting, the physical exertion catching up with them.\n\n``It's not over yet.'' Lenny tried. ``Ned got all that footage once. He can get it again.''\n\n``Except I won't.'' Ned spat back.\n\nBill grunted, clearly frustrated. ``All this has done is cut out the middleman. We'll just have to beat up your face ourselves, horse boy.''\n\n``Then you're the one getting arrested as soon as the police get here.''\n\n``You spent the whole night getting beat up in a gay club. They're not going to notice a few more bruises.''\n\n``No.'' Ned had made his way to the computer. He had his fail-safe program up. ``You touch one hair on his body and your life is ruined.''\n\n``I need more than what I got.'' Bill shouted. ``I'm not satisfied!''\n\n``Tough! You could've had your revenge if you'd stuck to the rules, but you broke them and now you'll have to settle with this. Leave my house or I press the button. Harm either of us in ant way, I press this button. Don't bother either of us again, and be grateful we're not asking for anything more!''\n\nBill was breathing heavily, and he looked like he might do something stupid. But then Lenny put a hand on his arm. ``Let's leave it. We're not getting what we want.''\n\nBill looked one more time at Vince, and then stalked off out of the house. Ned followed after them and locked his door behind them.\n\nBehind him was Vince, holding a corrupted hard drive. His chastity key was taped to the side, now in his possession. There was nothing more that Vince needed of Ned. ``I'm going to make sure they're off your backs. They were too angry to see reason, but once they've cooled down they'll understand what's at stake for them.''\n\n``Like I did.''\n\nNed flinched. ``Yeah. Look, I'll leave you alone too. I just... can I have a moment today to uninstall the cameras? They were expensive and if I don't return them I'll be in some trouble.''\n\n``No.'' Vince said.\n\nAnd Ned supposed he deserved that.\n\nVince tossed something small through the air, and Ned caught it by instinct. \n\nWhen Ned opened his paw, he saw a metal key on his scales.\n\n``We're not finished yet. I promised I'd work to get your forgiveness.''\n\nNed didn't know what to say. \n\n``This better count as the eight task though. Its not easy giving you my key.''\n\n``Of course.''\n\n``And you can't push me as much as you have been. I know where you live now.''\n\n``That you do.''\n\nSomething relaxed in the air between them. Vince shook out his hand, which seemed sensitive from the earlier violence.\n\n``I'll get you an ice pack.'' Ned said.\n\n``I just want to go home now.'' Vince said instead. ``Take a long shower.''\n\n``You're sure you don't want to wait in case Lenny or bill try something?''\n\n``I know I'll be safe.'' Vince said, a smile creeping over his face. ``You'll be watching me, right?''\n\nNed couldn't take his eyes off the horse if he tried.\n\nTo be continued\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "The Measure of a Man

Chapter 5: An enemy who has lost his temper

Ned wasn't quite sure how he had gotten to where he was. That was a recurring problem for him, when he ran into something that angered him to his bones and he didn't get back his faculties until he'd already let his emotions get the better of him.

It had happened in high school when a jock cheated off him and got him into detention, sullying his record and making him be waitlisted for his favourite college instead of accepted. The anger had fuelled him to break into their network and check every admittance letter for plagiarism until he had exposed enough students ahead of him that Ned would be admitted.

It had happened in university, when one of the professors had come close to sexually assaulting one of the students. Ned heard the teacher threatening to expel Ned if he talked to anyone about what he'd seen, but his mind was already elsewhere, focused on revenge. By the time he could think normally again, the teacher was in jail.

And it had happened in a gay bar, where Ned had been fucked by a horse who had tricked him. One moment he had been too angry to think, the next he was watching Vince on a monitor, two other victims beside Ned, all looking at the horse putting on a chastity cage as part of an elaborate blackmailing scheme.

Ned could remember how he had gotten from point A to B, but it didn't feel like he was fully in control in between.

It had all started with that gnawing suspicion after he'd lost the measuring game. He'd gone to the bar every week to observe and have drinks in a booth in the corner. He flirted with the people who approached him and always slyly asked them about the hot bartender. Everybody wanted to sleep with Vince yet nobody knew how he selected his partners. Just that he never went for someone on their first night in the bar and that he preferred tops.

Ned saw it the night that the horse flirted with Bill and brought him to the backroom, only to have Bill come out later with a very familiar expression on his face. The expression of a man who'd been fucked without expecting he would. A few weeks later, the same thing happened with Lenny.

With his suspicions heightened, Ned broke one of his own rules and went after Thundrel's surveillance systems. As a gay man, he wasn't supposed to use his skills against the queer community. Ever since he'd gotten fired at his tech job for refusing to help create a program that would facilitate tax evasion for the wealthiest scumbags alive, he'd tried to direct all his skills against an upper class whom nobody else held accountable. A local gay bar would normally deserve his protection, not his scrutiny.

He tried to make up for it by writing in an additional layer of protection so that nobody else would be able to use his exploit again. The security before his improvements had been fine, but far from perfect. Any time camera footage was consulted, a signal went off to a central privacy watch dog. But there weren't enough protections in place to prevent a malicious actor, like Ned, from intercepting that message and spoofing a receive confirmation.

And the footage said everything. He found the evidence of Vince stealing money, found even more victims of his deceit, and then finally found his method of cheating using a USB stick with spyware to get around the bar's security. When Ned knew what to look for, he could see evidence of the tampering in the security logs. While the footage Ned could access only went back twelve months, the logs showed that Vince had been doing this for years.

Ned collated everything like this was just another task for him. Like the perpetrator was some random sociopathic CEO, instead of a member of their shared community who should've known better.

And the anger just kept growing. Ned had recognised Vince as one of the bullying jocks in high school, but in the bar Vince had been kind and sweet and interested. But then he had cheated in a game, just like his jock friends had cheated on their tests by looking at Ned's answers. And that was the confirmation that Vince had not changed. He was dangerous and needed to be stopped just like any other greedy bastard Ned took down for a living.

With just a single button press, he could send proof of the stealing and put Ned in prison. Yet, that wasn't enough. It didn't feel like enough karmic justice for what the horse had done. He tried to think of alternatives, but he wasn't much of an idea man when he was this angry. The furthest he got was to doctor some of the footage, using skills he didn't have, hoping Vince would be tricked into selecting a victim that was actually more well-endowed than Vince was. His head was too focused on wanting to achieve revenge to brainstorm ways into getting it.

He needed help. And fellow victims were the obvious choice.

From twelve months of footage, Ned had eight names. Three didn't respond when he reached out, one couldn't be identified, two didn't care about being cheated because they had still enjoyed the experience, and the final two were eager to help. Just like Ned, they didn't think prison would be enough punishment for the horse.

It was Bill who suggested they blackmail Vince, because any other trick they tried to pull would have the slimy horse try to slip out away from them. It was Lenny who suggested chastity as the karmic punishment for abusing the size of his dick.

And it was Ned who thought they should make him do the tasks. Vince had made them play a game, and as blackmailers they would make him play one too. Ned wanted to test the jock, and show the weakness of his character. He wanted to expose Vince as an imposter. They would give him a fair challenge and when Vince lost, showing his true colours, he would have nobody to blame for his prison time other than himself.

The planning began. They gathered the resources they would need and started designing the tasks. Bill and Lenny had great fun brainstorming torturous tasks, even if not all of them were viable. And Ned spent more time than was reasonable composing the first messages and creating code names for everyone. All the blackmail material itself was stored on a hard drive in a strong black box. A truck could run over it and it wouldn't be destroyed. They had pasted the chastity keys on the side and Ned had deleted all other records besides the low-quality version he would send Vince at first contact. The box would either be going to Vince or the police. And that would be the end of it.

Despite Ned's protests, Bill and Lenny hadn't decided on a full schedule of tasks when they started. They insisted they would have to watch the horse's reaction and tailor the challenges to how well it was going.

And after everything was set up, they sat anxiously behind a computer as they watched the horror on Vince's face after he'd received the first messages.

The horse was hesitating and it proved all three of them correct.

``Told you it was a waste to get more tasks ready.'' Bill said. ``He can't even get over the first one.''

``He just needs some encouragement.'' Ned said. Vince would break, but not so soon. With a few more messages, they convinced Vince to take them seriously. And as soon as Vince did, the horse trapped himself in a chastity cage.

Breaking Vince down felt just as satisfying as going after capitalist scum. And it made Ned lick his lips. The chameleon had wanted to fuck Vince on the night they met. The horse was hot, no matter how much of a bastard he was. Ned wanted to fuck him the night they met in the bar, and now seeing him naked but for the chastity cage, Ned wanted to fuck him even more.

Ned would never get to, because Vince would break.

And then Vince didn't break. He just kept obeying, completing task after task. He took a public shower, he actually went on his knees in front of the dragon shopkeeper, and he inserted plugs like a good bottom. They had been sure Vince wouldn't play the measuring game knowing he'd lose. That the horse would chicken out, or would let something slip due to his inflated ego, or would break the rules in some other way. All three of them knew how the humiliation felt. Vince was walking a mile in their shoes.

Lenny and Bill were annoyed by it. Ned couldn't help but admire it.

``What's the next task?'' Ned asked as they watched Vince stay behind in the locker room and clean up after himself.

The other two looked at each other. ``We don't know. We never thought he'd get past this. We'll have to think about it.''

``I want to do the diaper tonight.''

They waved him off. ``Sure. That'll buy us some time.''

Getting into Vince's apartment again was easy. All three of them had been in there at one point or another. Every time it had been to quickly put up a surveillance system, or drop some items off as quickly as possible. They had always been in a hurry. But this time Ned had the time to dally a little bit. To appreciate how clean Vince kept his apartment, and how scarcely decorated it was. Vince didn't really keep any pictures or mementos from his youth. His bookcase didn't even have their school's yearbook.

They had moved so quickly with the plan that Ned had never paused to look around. They had made assumptions about Vince from the way he had wronged them, and Vince was proving those assumptions wrong. There was a part of Ned that admired Vince for that.

He arranged the diaper on the bed so Vince would see it as soon as he walked in. And he put the back-up items in the bottom of the bedside table in case Vince wouldn't play along and needed some extra humiliation. That was his strategy for every task. A baseline difficulty with options to add deadlines and additional punishments. They were pulling Vince along by a leash, but that only worked if they had more tools than only the threat of completely unravelling Vince's life.

Ned left the way he had come and made his way back to the hide-out. Lenny and Bill were excited as they presented their new plan.

``Absolutely not.'' Ned immediately said. ``It's needlessly cruel.''

``It's necessarily cruel.'' Lennie countered. ``We've been pushing him, but he hasn't had a pure punishment yet. You're the one who suggested he wear a diaper like a colt. Why not have him spanked like one too?''

``We're testing his conviction, not his pain tolerance.'' Ned said.

``There's not much difference.'' Bill said. ``Determination and discipline are cornerstones of conviction.''

Ned didn't feel right about it. ``Everyone around him will expect him to act like he enjoys it. If the body's in pain, there's reflexes he won't be able to control.''

``He'll be gagged.'' Bill said. ``That'll keep the worst of his cries to himself. He won't fail this task until he uses the safe word gesture. An entire night on that bench is still nothing compared to what he did to us.''

``And there will be nothing left to move on from. What's left after this? How do we escalate this further?''

``This afternoon you were angry because we couldn't escalate beyond the reversed Measuring game, yet we just did. We don't have to have anything else figured out until he succeeds.''

Ned tried to consider their words, but this was so far beyond what they had done so far. Ned wasn't sure if he could blame Vince for refusing a task where he'd have to be strapped in and beaten for hours on end. ``No. This task won't work unless I set it up. And I won't. There has to be something between nothing, and making him take the paddle for a full night without any impact training.''

Bill looked angry, but the Lynx next to him held him back.

``Now come on, Ned.'' Lennie said, smoothly. ``This is only an issue if he accepts. All three of us know he's not the kind of person to follow through. Do you think he'll allow himself to be seen in a chastity cage in front of all of his coworkers? All of the patrons?''

``No.'' Ned admitted. ``He won't.''

``He's still thinking there's a way out without harming his reputation, which gets him back to doing what he's always been doing. He won't accept this task, because he has too much pride.''

``And what if he does?'' Ned challenged.

``If he does... do you know what will happen during half-time? They'll roll him behind stage to be by himself. And we can congratulate him face to face for his bravado. Before we fuck him.''

Ned felt his cheeks turn red, but tried to stay strong. ``We don't need the spanking bench for that.''

``But can you imagine it? We'll have him tied down, a crimson ass on display. Can you imagine the sounds he'll make when we fuck his ass when it's that sensitive? Don't tell me you haven't thought of it. We see you staring at that screen whenever he's undressing.''

``He's a handsome horse.'' Ned tried to deflect.

``He's a cheater and if there's any justice to be had, we are going to take what he stole from us when he rigged that damned measuring game.''

Ned still didn't like it, but he couldn't get the image out of his head of the horse submitting to the lizard. It had been the mental image that had blinded him last time into being tricked, and it was still powerful enough to push him now. ``Okay, I'll put in the call.'' He had to make the fox think he was being given a day off, while the bar owner had to think the fox was taking a sick day. Easy compared to some of the other things he'd pulled.

``We'll let you at it then.'' Bill said. ``And I'll be practicing my swing.''

``Come on.'' Lennie said. ``We'll swing by the shop so you can pick a spanking instrument to practice with. We have some top-of-the-line horse whips that just came in.''

Ned had a bad feeling, but he had no time for regrets. He had another task to oversee. Taking position at his desk, he looked at the six screens arranged in front of him. He always felt in control there, yet the feeling had been soured somehow. He was supposed to be the leader of the group, yet the other two were pushing back at him. He'd been convinced they'd been doing right, but now he was unsure if they were going too far.

Vince stumbled into his apartment without turning the light on, ruining the carefully laid out scene he was supposed to stumble onto.

When Vince undressed in front of the camera, Ned was again reminded just how much he liked seeing that naked body. How much he liked seeing Vince's large cock trapped in a cage. He had really been looking forward to seeing him in a diaper too. He had masturbated over a dozen times to a video of a unicorn diapering himself, each time imagining it was Vince.

And when Vince had trouble figuring out how to proceed, Ned sent that same video along.

This was a fair challenge. Vince was being forced to do something he didn't like, but he was doing it anyway. He was trying his actual best. Ned was supposed to enjoy it, but all he could think about was the task that was coming next. The pain that Vince would endure. Ned had been planning to stretch this out, but he wanted to get it over with.

So he gave advice on how to accomplish this task and he encouraged Vince to talk.

And the horse did three things that Ned had never considered possible. Vince explained how he was nothing like the jocks in High School. He explained why he had been playing the Measuring game in a way that Ned could almost understand.

And he apologised.

Vince, the jock who cheated others for fun, apologised. He showed remorse and sounded like he was genuine in wanting to make amends. Vince was not the irredeemable monster that Ned had assumed he was. And it was with that clarity that Ned realised Vince would never back down from the next task.

As soon as Vince was asleep, Ned turned off his computer and went to bed. Until then, he had set his alarm every few hours to make sure Vince was still following the rules. But they were far beyond the point of thinking Vince would cheat on his tasks like he had cheated in the Measuring Game.

For the first time in days, Ned went to sleep without feeling that burning rage inside of him. Now there was just doubt and a whole host of conflicted feelings.

The next morning, he didn't turn the cameras back on. He didn't want to watch Vince. Not when it kept reminding him of the next task they would put him through. A large part of Ned wanted to call it off, no matter what the others had said. But they had started this together. Ned had sought allies not just for physical help, but also because a group of victims were more likely to choose the right form of justice than Ned alone.

Alone, Ned was fallible. Together, they were Parci: the three fates. They were destiny and karma. Ned was but one voice in the group. It wasn't enough for Ned to think the tasks were severe enough that Vince getting through them would be his redemption. They had to be severe enough that at least Lenny or Bill thought so too.

The chameleon hadn't expected he'd be the first one to forgive, but by definition, one of the three of them had to be first. The tasks would continue to increase in severity, until a second person forgave Vince, at which point there would be a majority in favour of no further escalation. That was the only fair way to do this.

So Ned still set up the circumstances for the task. He used a voice modulator so he would sound like the fox who usually volunteered for the spanking bench, calling Vince's boss and reading from a script that he thought would be most convincing.

It was easier with the cameras off. Ned didn't see Vince until they went to the bar in time to see the naked horse being wheeled out. Ned couldn't hide how tight his pants were as he stepped close enough to see. He was close enough to touch, which was so much better than seeing the naked horse through a camera lens. He could make out the sweat on his furry skin, hear the heavy breathing.

And then when the wolf hit him, Ned's head did not have enough blood left to think about what he saw. Vince liked it. The horse that Ned had wanted to mount from the first night they had met in the bar, was moaning into his gag for being spanked. It wouldn't be total torture then. It wouldn't be the worst thing that Ned had feared.

Except of course Lenny and Bill took that moment to step in and escalate. Ned closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the worst of it. He heard the fakeness in Vince's sounds now, especially after he had heard Vince's sincerity the night before.

The strangest thing about it, was that Ned's erection only grew harder. He wanted to care about Vince's feelings, and he had always made a big deal of consent with all his partners. But his body didn't care about the morals of his mind. The hot muscular horse in front of him was completely at their mercy. When Ned looked again, he saw how red the ass cheeks already were and while his head wanted someone to release Vince, his cock wanted someone else to step up and turn that ass a deeper red.

By the time Vince got his break, Ned's head wasn't thinking anymore. Ned's dick was making all the decisions. He got a front-row seat as Vince was fucked not by one giant cock, but by two. And then Ned got to have his own turn. He hoped he was gentle, but honestly, he couldn't remember. The need to mount Vince had simply outgrown any rational thought. It was what he had been waiting for ever since Vince flirted with him at the bar. It had been so long coming that Ned was outside of himself.

It didn't even fully hit him what the three of them had done until they were already fleeing back to the hideout. He was so confused. He'd argued so passionately to spare Vince from this fate, yet he had been the one to enjoy it most out of all three of them. He regretted not stopping Vince from taking a second shift, especially considering how much worse it would be with Lenny's order not to clean himself. But there was also that pride he felt that Vince was rising above their challenges. Much as Vince seemed capable of change, he was still deserving of punishment, and he was taking it like a good boy.

And now the other two would have to see it too.

As they sat down in Ned's home, it was time to declare what was next. ``Have you had any ideas for the final tasks yet?''

Bill shrugged. ``There won't be any need. Pull up the camera feed. He'll have tapped out by now.''

``He won't.'' Ned said, even as he went to the computer to prove it. They had a good angle that showed Vince was still being abused. It was almost as good as standing next to him.

``That can't be right.'' Bill frowned as he looked at the images. ``He won't last the full shift then. He'll use their safe word. His colleagues won't see it right away, just like it happened last time someone on that bench used the signal, and that bastard will wallow in the misery of being spanked beyond his limit knowing that the police is waiting for him when he's finally released.''

That was similar to what Bill had claimed about the first shift too. That Vince wouldn't make it through five minutes of actual pain. ``You need to start brainstorming for what to do when he does make it through.''

Bill made himself larger. It looked like he wanted to argue further.

``Let's make some coffee.'' Lennie said, coming between them. ``The best way to settle your disagreement is by waiting.''

The atmosphere stayed tense. And that only became worse as the night continued and Vince showed himself capable of getting through it. At no point did he even look tempted to use the safe word.

``There's only fifteen minutes left.'' Lenny said. ``

``There's no way.'' Bill said, stubbornly. His face was glued to the screen until the very final moment, when Vince was pulled away again.

``He made it.'' Ned said. ``We need to figure out the next task.''

``Fuck this.'' Bill said. ``The little faggot enjoyed the pain! That's the only way he could've gotten through this.''

``We don't use the f-word.'' Ned said. ``Not in that way.''

``I'm done playing with that fucker.'' Bill gestured wildly. ``We should just release the material to the police and be done with it.''

Ned's eyes widened, feeling as if he had been struck a physical blow. ``Excuse me?! That's not what we're doing here!''

``Ned's right.'' Lenny said, coming between them. ``He's not going to beat us at this game.''

``It's not a game for me.'' Bill snapped at the lynx. ``He ruined my life and I won't rest until we ruin his life in return!''

``Get a grip of yourself.'' Lenny tutted. ``It won't hurt him nearly as much if he doesn't cause his own ruin. Let's take a walk outside. Ned told us to think of a new task. Let's do it.''

Ned grit his teeth as the other two left. He had a bad feeling. He checked all his work. Every bit of evidence they had was stored on a singular hard drive, which also had the chastity key taped on its side. All the surveillance they had undertaken had only been stored for as long as they needed to check it. There were no weaknesses in his security. He had the drive. And neither of his co-conspirators could do anything with it without Ned knowing.

Yet he was tense, all the way until the both of them returned. Even when they sat down, presumably ready to present their suggestions.

``We make him ride a dildo in the middle of a crowded mall.'' Lenny said, proudly.

Ned flinched back. ``That'd get him arrested.''

``Exactly. No way he'll go for that.''

``That's not... you'd be asking him to expose himself to strangers. To children!''

``Ooh, that was the second idea. We make him go to a high school and preposition a minor. Either he refuses and gets sent to jail, or we make sure the cops find him and he'll be put away even longer.'' Lenny was glowing with excitement.

``What the hell is wrong with you?!'' Ned shouted. ``This isn't the plan! You're ruining it.''

Lenny and Bill shared a look, crossing their arms. ``No, you've lost sight of what we're doing here. We're making sure that scumbag is sent to jail where he belongs. No matter what it takes.''

``Veto.'' Ned said. ``I refuse to keep going like this.''

``That's fine.'' Bill said, far too nonchalantly. Like he had been expecting Ned's refusal. ``We don't need you.''

Ned swallowed. ``I have all the material.''

``And you've stored it all on that hard drive. We don't need you. We just need the hard drive.''

They were getting closer now. Ned grabbed the drive and held it to his body protectively. ``I won't let you have it.''

``You won't have a choice.'' Bill said. He dove forward.

Ned darted out of the way. He ran towards the hallway. Lenny was quick and covered the front door. That only left the bathroom for Ned. He dove in and locked the door behind him. He pulled out his phone. He needed to call the cops, but that was exactly what the others wanted. To have the cops here so they could hand over the evidence and give a tour of Ned's illegal surveillance set-up.

Ned didn't have anyone else. He didn't have any friends who would help him. His professional contacts were always kept at a large distance. There was nobody who would come to help Ned. But there was one single person who would come help Vince. And that was Vince himself.

Ned quickly found Vince in his contacts and considered how to most quickly type in his address and explain why it was urgent.

Bill was pounding against the door, using his whole weight trying to break in.

Ned simply sent the location code. He managed a quick `help' and `hurry' before Bill crashed through the door. The split second that Bill was still dazed, Ned ran out and made for the window in the back of the house. Ned managed to open it and was halfway out when Bill got a firm grip on one of his arms.

Ned kicked with all his might, but Bill wouldn't let go. They struggled, until finally Bill managed to pull Ned back in. He held Ned in place, while Lenny made for the hard drive. Ned kicked and struggled, making it as hard as he could for Lenny to get a grasp on the drive.

``I have blackmail material on the both of you!'' Ned shouted.

And finally they calmed down a little.

``I never planned to use it, but I had it as security before I invited you into my home.''

``We'll just have to take that too.'' Larry said.

``It's on a remote server with a dead man switch.'' Ned said. ``If I don't refresh every 48 hours, it all gets sent away.''

``He's bluffing.'' Bill said, though he didn't sound sure.

``I have access to the cameras in the gym and the sex store. I saw you stealing health powders Bill. And Lenny, I know about the amateur porn you're shooting. Both of you would get fired if the footage gets to your bosses.''

``You'd get us fired just to protect that piece of shit?'' Lenny asked, ice in his voice. ``Well fuck you. I don't care about my job that much anyway. Getting fired would be worth it. Right Bill?''

``Y-yeah.''

Ned tried to push away again. His feet reached the ground and he pushed away, crashing the both of them into different pieces of furniture.

``Just give it here! It's time!'' Lenny shouted.

``No! He did what we told him! The whole point was to put him in a cruel but fair situation he couldn?t cheat his way out of! He's doing as he's told!"

"No, the whole point was to get revenge on him!" Bill shouted in return. ``To hurt and humiliate him!''

``And to get him arrested!'' Lenny added.

Ned shook his head. They had corrupted the plan. Ned had designed a fitting karmic punishment for a cheater, and these two were going to cheat in their revenge. It wasn't fair.

Lenny got a good grip on the drive and was pulling now. Ned held on as well as he could, but he could feel his fingers slipping. It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly Vince ran into the room and tackled Lenny away. It startled all three of them, but Ned recovered just a little quicker. He'd been hoping Vince would come, while the others had no idea. Ned managed a sharp jab into the distracted bull's body which let him slip away.

His hands were empty. Lenny had gotten the drive and Vince was trying to wrestle it away. Vince would win that fight, but only if Bill was kept out of it. Ned wasn't as strong as Bill was, but he was determined and vindictive.

``You told him where we were?!'' Bill shouted, the anger of his realisation coming out with spittle.

``We're done hiding.'' Ned tackled Bill's lower body and brought him to the ground. As long as Ned could stay on top of him and have the advantage of a wrestling position, he could pin the stronger bull in place.

Vince had managed to grab the hard drive away from Lennie. He threw it against the wall, denting the plaster before falling to the floor unharmed.

``What are you doing?!'' Ned demanded.

Bill took advantage of the mayhem and turned their positions around. Ned felt a fist against his face which made him cry out.

``I'm destroying it!''

Vince wouldn't be able to. He could run a truck over that drive and it would survive. And while he was trying, Bill would knock Ned out of the fight and team up with Lenny to snatch it back. Vince needed to run away with it, except that wouldn't work either.

Somehow, Ned hadn't thought this through. He'd been so preoccupied with keeping Lenny and Bill from releasing the material, he hadn't stopped to think Vince would destroy it. He just wanted to go back to the way things had been. For Bill and Lenny to see reason long enough that they could finish the game fairly.

Ned hadn't thought this through. But he was a quick thinker. And there was no way out of this if that drive survived. He squirmed under Bill so he could reach into his back pocket to grab his emergency magnet. He tossed it through the air at Vince. ``Use that!''

Ned could see it flying through the air. He saw the look of panic in Bill's eyes as he released Ned and scrambled after it. Lenny was trying to get up to make a grab for it too, but tripped over himself. Vince had a calculating look in his eyes, and then he moved.

And Ned had never seen such speed before. It was like Vince flew through the air, grabbing the magnet and pressing it against the hard drive in a graceful feat of equine athleticism.

``No!'' Bill and Lenny cried.

But it was done. None of them moved. They were all just panting, the physical exertion catching up with them.

``It's not over yet.'' Lenny tried. ``Ned got all that footage once. He can get it again.''

``Except I won't.'' Ned spat back.

Bill grunted, clearly frustrated. ``All this has done is cut out the middleman. We'll just have to beat up your face ourselves, horse boy.''

``Then you're the one getting arrested as soon as the police get here.''

``You spent the whole night getting beat up in a gay club. They're not going to notice a few more bruises.''

``No.'' Ned had made his way to the computer. He had his fail-safe program up. ``You touch one hair on his body and your life is ruined.''

``I need more than what I got.'' Bill shouted. ``I'm not satisfied!''

``Tough! You could've had your revenge if you'd stuck to the rules, but you broke them and now you'll have to settle with this. Leave my house or I press the button. Harm either of us in ant way, I press this button. Don't bother either of us again, and be grateful we're not asking for anything more!''

Bill was breathing heavily, and he looked like he might do something stupid. But then Lenny put a hand on his arm. ``Let's leave it. We're not getting what we want.''

Bill looked one more time at Vince, and then stalked off out of the house. Ned followed after them and locked his door behind them.

Behind him was Vince, holding a corrupted hard drive. His chastity key was taped to the side, now in his possession. There was nothing more that Vince needed of Ned. ``I'm going to make sure they're off your backs. They were too angry to see reason, but once they've cooled down they'll understand what's at stake for them.''

``Like I did.''

Ned flinched. ``Yeah. Look, I'll leave you alone too. I just... can I have a moment today to uninstall the cameras? They were expensive and if I don't return them I'll be in some trouble.''

``No.'' Vince said.

And Ned supposed he deserved that.

Vince tossed something small through the air, and Ned caught it by instinct.

When Ned opened his paw, he saw a metal key on his scales.

``We're not finished yet. I promised I'd work to get your forgiveness.''

Ned didn't know what to say.

``This better count as the eight task though. Its not easy giving you my key.''

``Of course.''

``And you can't push me as much as you have been. I know where you live now.''

``That you do.''

Something relaxed in the air between them. Vince shook out his hand, which seemed sensitive from the earlier violence.

``I'll get you an ice pack.'' Ned said.

``I just want to go home now.'' Vince said instead. ``Take a long shower.''

``You're sure you don't want to wait in case Lenny or bill try something?''

``I know I'll be safe.'' Vince said, a smile creeping over his face. ``You'll be watching me, right?''

Ned couldn't take his eyes off the horse if he tried.

To be continued

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