Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 03:40:49 +0000 From: Jacob Latson Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 27 Disclaimer: This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as a divorced man who has been devastated by the divorce and into a new life of wealth. This story will include descriptions of male sex, including M/M, M/T, M/b, T/b and b/b. If stories involving sex between consenting males of all ages, including mainly gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading pleasure. Don't expect constant descriptions of erotic sex in this story. I always want to develop a plot and characters before the hot action starts. There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names, places, and events are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life are coincidental. Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are fictitious. This story will include references to the United States government, the FBI, CIA and other agencies. Any references are purely fictional, and only used to develop the plot and characters. Thanks to Bill for editing this story for me. Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 27 War! "I need a big drink!" John said to his friends when they returned to the safety of the Arrowhead Lodge. He went to the bar on the main floor and found the ingredients to make a pitcher of his special recipe of Manhattans. "Do you guys mind if I join John?" Lou asked the other bodyguards. "After what happened in that bar, I need something to calm my nerves!" "We're in a fortress that no one can penetrate, so I think all of us can relax with John," Derek said. "Not only do we have a great boss, but he's a real ass kicker too!" John was excited that his friends were drinking with him. He sorted out what he wanted for supper and enjoyed the drink and the company in the kitchen while everyone pitched in to put away all of the groceries. "The boats are ready for use, along with both of the HumVees," Derek told John. "Maybe tomorrow we can take a ride around the lake so you can see what a HumVee can do!" "Three boats will be delivered tomorrow," John offered. "It's almost 7 and Marty and his dad should be here soon. I'm going to cook on the outdoor grille if that's okay." "Someone's at the front gate," Lou said. "I heard the buzzer." John went to the control panel and asked, "Who's there?" "Keith and Marty Wadsworth" was the reply. John pushed the button to open the gate and walked to the front door to greet his guests. He saw a battered pickup truck pull up to the circle drive and was excited about the first visitors to the lodge. All five men walked outside to greet the guests and saw that Keith had a large cast on his left leg and was using crutches. "I'm John Miller and we all welcome you to our lodge!" John said. He shook Keith's hand and then Marty's before introducing his bodyguards. "I hope that you're both hungry, because I have a special meal planned." "I'm always hungry!" Marty said and then apologized to his father. "Teenaged boys are like sharks, they'll eat anything!" Keith teased his son. He ruffled Marty's hair and then hugged his son. "Would you like a drink?" John asked. "I can't believe this place!" Keith exclaimed when he looked around. He had never seen so many valuable furnishings, and the size of the lodge overwhelmed his senses. "I've been asking around about you," John admitted to Keith. "Everyone in town says that you're an honest man with a fantastic son. That's why I told Marty that I want you to take over managing this property." "I'm honored that you'd consider me, but you can see that I'm not able to do much until I get this cast off in two weeks," Keith said. "I heard that you're a great planner and organizer, and that's what I'm looking for," John replied. "I don't expect you and Marty to do all the work around the property. You can hire people to cut the lawn and trim the trees and shrubs or do any required maintenance. People in town want to come here to hunt and fish, and I need someone to be fair and control who comes here." "I can mow the grass!" Marty blurted out. "I heard that you might be moving soon, and I'd like you to consider moving into the caretakers' house out near the front gate," John said. "Joe Taylor can supply windows to replace the broken ones, and I'd like to hire some local people to install them. Local people can be hired to clean the caretakers' house and this lodge too." "I can clean both places!" Marty interjected. He knew that his father had medical bills to pay and he wanted to do whatever he could to make money. "My son's a hard worker, but sometimes I wish that he'd have time to be a boy instead of the main breadwinner in our family," Keith said. "Do you play sports?" John asked Marty. "I used to," Marty replied softly. He choked back his tears when he thought about playing football for the Onaway Raiders, his high school team. He was the quarterback last year, but had to quit the team to make money to help pay bills. "He's a great quarterback, but he quit the team when I got busted up," Keith admitted. "I'll hire both of you if you'll do something for me," John said. "Name it and we'll do it!" Keith promised. "Here's my job offer," John said to Keith. "First, I want Marty to quit working at the grocery store and bar and see if he can join the football team again. You may not know it, but I played wide receiver in high school and had a football scholarship at the University of Michigan until my knee got wiped out. I'm sure that summer practices have already started, and the coaches need all of the players to get in shape for the football season. You'll be hired by the Sea & Jungle Imports Company headquartered in Detroit, with an annual salary of $50,000 and full benefits. Of course we'll cover your past and current medical bills and you can live in the caretakers' house free of charge. How does that sound?" "It sounds fantastic!" Keith said excitedly. "Marty will be hired too at a salary of $25,000 a year for helping take care of this property," John added. "I'm going to have some people live here in the lodge until we sort out the problems with the Walker and Longhurst families. We have excellent security officers who can handle any problems that arise." "You mean I'll earn over $2,000 a month?" Marty asked excitedly. His mind was reeling from the thought of making that much money! "We'll get you an American Express card for you to use to buy food, clothing and anything else that you need," John said to Keith. "When Marty's ready for college, he can apply for a scholarship from our associate fund. Until then, all of your living expenses will be paid by my company." Keith and Marty wiped away their tears of joy! They couldn't believe that their terrible financial conditions were a thing of the past, and they hugged everyone and celebrated. "I have some things on the grille outside, and I could use a helper," John said to the handsome teenaged boy. "I'd love to help!" Marty blurted out. "What are we having? I'm starving!" The adults laughed, but remembered when they were 16 and ate everything in sight. "We're having SOS," John teased. "What's SOS?" Marty asked. "Chipped beef on toast, but some people call it `Shit On a Shingle!" John teased. "YUKKK!" Marty yelled. "I saw what you bought at the grocery store, and I sure didn't see any shit!" "Then maybe we'll have a tossed salad, sweet corn, baked potatoes, porterhouse steaks and lobster tails," John replied. "AWESOME!" Marty exclaimed. "What can I do to help?" "I have the steaks marinating and the lobster tails thawed out," John said. "I'll handle the grille and you can purify some butter." "How do I do that?" Marty asked. "You melt the butter on the stove and then skim off the waxy stuff that floats to the surface," John said. "When everything's ready, you can pour the purified butter in the special servers and light the candles underneath to keep the butter hot." They ate on the balcony and were stuffed with the fantastic food when John left and came back with two warm apple pies. "Normally I make the pies from scratch, but I cheated this time and bought pies that were ready for the oven from the grocery store," John said. "Who wants some vanilla ice cream on top of their pie?" Marty ate two huge helpings of the fantastic dessert, and couldn't remember when he had eaten such a wonderful meal! When it was time for Keith and Marty to leave, they thanked John and his friends for a wonderful meal and fantastic new jobs. Marty gave John a big hug and even kissed him on the cheek before he left. "I think you made a great decision in hiring them," Derek said to John while everyone was cleaning up the dishes. "They're good people who just happened to fall onto hard times." "I'll call Butch tomorrow and let him decide how many security officers we need here to protect the property after we leave," John said. "I don't want Keith and Marty to be subjected to any abuse from those rednecks." "Can I sign up to live here?" Lou teased John. "I'd even take a cut in pay to live here so I can hunt and fish!" "Butch will be flooded with volunteers," Lindsey said. "This will be the best assignment in the world!" "Let's go to the game room and play some pool and talk about what we need to do during the rest of the week," John suggested. "I'd like to take a ride in the pontoon boat and scope out the lake." "Did you see this map of the lake?" Ross asked when they were in the game room. "It's a contour map and shows the depths and structure." "This is great!" John exclaimed when he looked at the map. He pointed out areas that would be great for fishing, and couldn't wait to wet a line. "After we take the pontoon ride, we can give one of those HumVees some exercise on the trails around the property," Lindsey suggested. "We need to see where the poachers are getting in so we can be prepared. Those shitheads that got their asses kicked might want to retaliate." "We need to service all of the vehicles and get the caretakers' home repaired and cleaned," John said. He was making a list of everything that he wanted to complete in the next week. "On Saturday, I'd like to visit the Balcolm family and see if they need any help with the barn construction. I'll call Helen and get the paperwork sent up here to hire Keith and Marty. I'll talk to Keith in private and take care of any lingering bills that he hasn't been able to pay. I want him to make a clean start with no pressure from bill collectors." "Marty was so excited I thought he would cum in his pants when you told him about his pay," Derek said. "I could see a big bulge in his jeans, and he was so excited that he boned up!" "I'll bet that he and his friend, Toby Balcolm, do more than practice football together," John joked. "My Gaydar went off several times when Marty was here." Marty was driving his father back to their apartment when he said, "I feel like this is a dream and I'll wake up and be back to bagging groceries or sweeping the floor at Joe's Bar." "I'm still in shock too," Keith said to his son. "We're deep in debt, and I'm gonna do everything I can to justify the trust that John Miller just gave us! In my best year as a carpenter, I never cleared $50,000!" "He invited us back tomorrow to go fishing!" Marty said excitedly. "We'll be the first guys to fish Arrowhead Lake in years! I can't wait!" "I was about your age the last time I fished there legally," Keith admitted. "John gave me a check for $10,000 as a signing bonus! We can pay our utility bills and have some decent food for a change!" "Are you okay with me trying to get back on the football team?" Marty asked. "I always felt guilty that you quit to work more hours to help pay our bills," Keith admitted. "I just hope that Coach Carter will let you join the team again. I can't wait to see you throwing passes for touchdowns!" In the swampy area north of Onaway, several men were having a heated discussion about what happened in town. "There was six or seven of them!" Jimmy John Walker said to his mother. "They ganged up on us and look what they did to me and Bobby!" "I sent you to town to scare that fucker off!" Ellie May Walker screamed at her son and cousins. "Now we got niggers here, and I just called our kin in Kentucky to come up and help us drive them out of that lodge! They'll be here this weekend, and then we'll finish them off and take over all of the Arrowhead property!" John was in the game room making his list of plans for the next week, and loved having his bodyguards relaxing for the first time. He played bartender and served his friends and kept adding to the long list. "Let's go into the office so I can send email to Helen about our new associates," John said. "I'd like to talk to Butch about our plans, but I don't want to bother him at home." "You don't understand Butch!" Derek said emphatically. "He's on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week! I know his background, and he told all of us that he'd put his life on the line for you! If you won't call him, I will!" John listened and decided that Derek was right. He dialed the cell phone number for Butch and the call was immediately answered. "I hope I'm not bothering you when you're with your family," John said. "I've got you on a speaker phone so everyone can hear what we talk about." "You're never bothering me!" Butch exclaimed. "What's up? I'm drinking a cold beer and watching `Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' with my family. Hang on while I go to my office so we can talk business." "We had some trouble in town today, and I just wanted to let you know what our plans are for the rest of the week," John said. "I heard that you kicked ass today!" Butch teased. "I've never had a boss who would step in and punch the crap out of a bunch of shitheads!" "I don't think we've heard the last of the Walker and Longhurst families," John said. "I'm hiring some people to take care of this beautiful property and I don't want them harassed by the rednecks up here." John then read off the list of things he wanted to accomplish before he left for the Czech Republic, and answered Butch's questions. "I'm sending four more people up there tomorrow," Butch said. "I'm tempted to send in our strike teams, just in case we have another altercation. I did some checking, and there are warrants out for at least eight members of those two families for everything from shoplifting to attempted murder. The local sheriff deputies are scared shitless, and won't even try to serve the warrants. There's only one way in and out of the property that those families own, and they watch the road and warn their kinfolk when a strange vehicle starts up the road. By the time any law enforcement officer arrives, the targets have fled into the swamps." "The man that I hired today to be the caretaker is still recovering from an accident at work and has a cast on his left leg," John said to Butch. "Keith's a great person and he has a wonderful son! I want to be sure that they don't get harassed." "Just promise me that you'll always wear your bullet proof vest," Butch asked. "Some day I'd like to go up there and hunt and fish with you, but I'm really busy with L. Brooks Hardison right now. He's jealous of my new job, but we're getting close to nailing down the entire cocaine distribution system from Columbia to this country." "If I get lucky up here, I'll bring you some frozen walleye filets!" John offered. "I heard that you got lucky with Christina the night before your announcement," Butch teased. "Someone around here has a big mouth!" John retorted. "What happens in the Bahamas stays in the Bahamas!" "Just keep your head down and follow the instructions of my men," Butch said. "My wife and kids wanted me to thank you again for including all of us on that beautiful cruise! They're still bragging to their friends about that ship and they have digital photos to prove it! You've treated me and my family like we were part of your family, and I love working for you." "We're in this together, and we're all part of the Sea & Jungle family!" John replied. "I still don't understand how an ugly guy like you convinced Liz to marry you!" Butch laughed and knew that John was teasing him. He thought back to his initial interview with John Miller and how elated he was when he learned that John was offering him the Chief of Security position. "I have other redeeming qualities besides my good looks!" Butch retorted. "Thanks for taking time away from your family to talk to me," John said before he ended the call. He was relaxed after talking to Butch, and played pool with his friends before going to bed. After breakfast the next morning, the men got inside one of the HumVees and drove away from the lodge. When the paved road ended, they turned onto a trail that led around a series of curves before they got to the farm land. "HOLY SHIT!" John exclaimed. "STOP THE TRUCK!" Everyone looked out on the hay field and saw a herd of whitetail deer. They couldn't count how many deer were feeding in the field, but they all saw bucks with huge racks of horns! "There must be over 100 deer out there!" Derek exclaimed. "Some of those bucks are huge!" "Now I KNOW that I'll be here when deer season opens in November!" John exclaimed. "Some of those bucks have at least 12 points!" They decided to continue their driving tour of the property, and saw all kinds of wildlife when they traveled the difficult trail. They were able to drive over downed trees and through three streams, and everyone was impressed with the power and agility of the HumVee. One of the trails led out near the road, and they saw evidence that someone had cut the fence to trespass on the property. John made a mental note to hire someone to repair the fence and push boulders on the path to keep vehicles out. When they got back to the lodge, John cooked soup and made sandwiches for everyone. He was excited about going fishing on the lake, and couldn't wait for Marty and Keith to arrive at 4:00 p.m. He wanted to take a pontoon ride right after lunch, and saw that his friends were all armed with handguns and rifles before they left the boathouse. "I've never seen a pontoon boat that was powered by a stern drive!" John admitted. He had lifted the cover of the engine and was shocked to see a 351 cubic inch Ford V8 engine! "I bet that this thing can fly if we open it up!" He turned on the electronics and watched the display that showed the bottom, structure and fish beneath the pontoon boat. He drove to a spot that he had remembered from the lake map and slowed the boat down to idle speed. "I've never seen water this clear!" Derek said. "How deep's the water here?" "50 feet!" John replied. "The screen's lit up like a Christmas Tree!" "HOLY SHIT!" Lou exclaimed. "I see something down there that looks like a submarine! There's another! And Another!" "Those must be sturgeon!" John said excitedly. "The water's so clear we can see all the way to the bottom in over 50 feet of water!" "They could sink a fishing boat!" Lindsey exclaimed. "Is it legal to fish for them?" "I'll have to check the Michigan fishing laws," John replied. "I think you can legally only catch one of them a year!" While John was driving the pontoon boat and watching the screen of the electronics, two of his bodyguards were using binoculars to scan the shoreline. They were on the job, and knew that the occupants of the pontoon were out in the open and in danger if anyone trespassed on the property. John found several places where the fish locator screen was solid with fish, and he marked the waypoints with the GPS system. He couldn't wait to wet a line and catch some fish! When they returned to the boathouse, everyone was excited about the fish that had been marked on the fish locator. John had a Manhattan and couldn't wait for Marty and Keith to arrive so they could go fishing. He put fishing rods and tackle boxes in each of the two Champion bass boats and listened to his bodyguards in how they would be split up for the fishing trip. Marty drove the pickup truck up to the front gate and punched in the security code that John Miller had given him and his father. He and his father were excited about going fishing, and they hoped that they would have fresh fish for supper! Marty ran up and hugged John and begged him to get out on the lake to catch some fish. When he heard that John wanted to seine some minnows for bait, he didn't hesitate and took off his tennis shoes and jeans to wade out in the water with one end of the net. John was wearing shorts and instructed Marty in how to move the net to catch the minnows. Marty was wearing white boxers, and when they got wet, his sizeable package was revealed to everyone. John saw the large bulge when the water made the boxers transparent, and he was very impressed! Marty was packing a whopper of a cock, and everyone easily saw his dark pubic hairs. "I should have told you to wear some shorts," John said softly to Marty. "You've got a whopper there, and I bet the girls go wild if they see it!" "I'm gay," Marty whispered to John. "I see a whopper in the front of your shorts too!" John filed away that information, but didn't say anything to his bodyguards about Marty's secret. He decided to concentrate on fishing, and divided the minnows into two pails so each boat would have some fresh bait. John drove one of the bass boats with Marty, Lou and Derek riding along. Derek drove the other boat with Keith and Ross. Everyone was looking forward to fishing, but the bodyguards were heavily armed and on constant alert for any form of danger. When they got to a rocky point in the lake, John shut down the outboard and started rigging a pole for Marty. He selected a lead headed jig, tipped it with a minnow and told Marty to let out the line so the bait was on the bottom. The boat was drifting with a gentle breeze, and John started to rig his own pole when Marty screamed, "I've got a bite!" The spinning rod bent over and John left his own pole to grab the landing net. He listened to Marty screaming and waited for the fish to tire out and come to the surface. When he saw the walleye, he was shocked. He expertly netted the fish and pulled it out of the net before handing it to Marty. "This fish must weigh 12 pounds!" John exclaimed. "What a whopper!" Marty was in heaven! He lifted his fish and showed it to his father and the men in the other boat and screamed with joy! Keith was thrilled that his son had caught the first fish, and joined in the celebration. His own rod bent over, and he yelled that he had a fish of his own to fight. Derek netted the fish and Keith bragged that his fish was larger than Marty's! In less than two hours, both live wells were filled with huge walleyes. Even the bodyguards took their turns fishing, and Keith was thrilled that his 15-pound walleye was the largest of all of the fish that were caught! "You guys can't come fishing with me again!" John blurted out. Keith and Marty were shocked! They had hoped that they would be allowed to fish the private lake, but were hearing that they had just been on their last time on the lake. Marty was upset and tried to apologize to John Miller. His apologies were silenced when John said, "I don't like to be humiliated on my own lake by two visitors!" When he saw the shock on his guest's faces, he started laughing and said, "I was just kidding! You guys are excellent fishermen, and I'll never challenge you to a fishing contest again! Let's clean these fish and have a meal together of walleye!" John thought that he was experienced at filleting fish, but Keith was even faster! When he saw Marty slicing through a nice walleye, he realized that both of the Wadsworth men were experts! John rinsed off the filets and headed into the kitchen to get some potatoes ready for the grille. He chose the redskin potatoes, cut them into chunks and put slices of Vidalia onions and hunks of butter between the chunks. He showed Marty how to wrap the combinations with aluminum foil and put them on the grille. He accepted a Manhattan from Derek and asked Marty to melt some butter. When it was time, John filled the grille with walleye filets, covered the filets with melted butter, seasoned salt and fresh lemon juice. The aromas of the special potatoes and the grilling fish tantalized the senses of everyone, and they were all anticipating their first taste of the special supper. Everyone was stuffed, but John brought out a tub of vanilla ice cream. He scooped out generous portions of ice cream and topped it with crushed strawberries and whipped cream. "If we eat like this every day, I'll need that tractor to haul my fat ass back to Detroit!" Derek teased. "I've never tasted fish like these!" "The only way the fish could be fresher is if we had run up the hill from the boat to the fish cleaning table!" John teased. "Fresh fish always taste better than frozen fish! This was a wonderful maiden voyage on Arrowhead Lake!" "I have some great news," Marty said after eating his second helping of dessert. "I talked to Coach Carter, and he said I can join the football practices starting tomorrow!" Everyone congratulated Marty and promised that they would attend at least one of the practices before they had to return to Detroit. "Why do you have to leave so soon?" Keith asked. "I made a promise to a young boy in the Czech Republic," John began. Just thinking about Nicky brought tears to his eyes. He missed his little friend and told Keith and Marty an abbreviated version of the plight of Nicklas Zednik and his scheduled surgery to repair and reconstruct his nose. He pulled out his wallet and showed Keith and Marty the picture of the boy who was waiting for him in a land far away. "Whoever did that to his nose should die a painful death!" Keith said. "How old is he?" "Almost 13, but he's small for his age," John replied. "He wasn't fed properly, and puberty hasn't even started for him. I bet that he doesn't weigh 90 pounds right now, but he's getting fantastic food and special care at Proud Les Domo. Translated, the name of the orphanage is River Forest Home, and I support it financially." "You're being too modest!" Derek interjected. "John doesn't support the orphanage financially, he owns it and pays all the workers and all the bills! I've been there and saw how the children lived before John took over and how they're treated now. The children were in rags and starving, but now they eat four meals a day like the one we just shared." "Four meals?" Marty asked. "In Europe they have a second breakfast," Lou added. "The area's much like Arrowhead, with thousands of acres of forest, a huge lake full of fish, and a beautiful set of buildings. We're all going there for Christmas, and I can't wait to see the faces of the children when they have their first real holiday season with great food and presents to open." "It sounds wonderful," Keith said. "I'm beginning to understand what makes you tick! You could be a rich snob, but you look out for other people and help them have a better life. I'm proud to know you!" John tried to be humble, but everyone was giving him compliments and praise, and he was embarrassed. "Thanks for a great fishing trip and awesome meal!" Marty said while giving John a big hug and kiss on the cheek. "This was the best day of my life!" "Next time let me catch the biggest fish!" John teased. "We'll stop by your apartment tomorrow before you have to go to practice." Keith and Marty left, and John sipped a Manhattan and talked to his friends. "What do you guys think about giving Marty the Jeep that's in the garage?" John asked. "He needs a vehicle to drive to practices and to school, and that pickup truck doesn't look like it'll last another six months. I want to let Keith pick out a new vehicle so he can get around this property too. I'm thinking that an extended cab 4 wheel drive pickup would be a great fit. He can choose the brand, as long as it's not a Chrysler product!" Early the next morning, John drove the Jeep into town with Derek riding with him. The other three bodyguards were in the Suburban, and they found the apartment easily. When they got inside, they saw boxes packed in preparation for the move to the caretakers' house. "How far away is the high school?" John asked Marty. "About three miles," Marty replied. "I either walk to practice or ride my bike, but the bike has a flat tire right now." John had asked Keith's permission to give Marty the Jeep, and was ready to spring his surprise on the handsome teenager. He smiled at Keith and tossed the keys in the air for Marty to catch. "Your dad said that it's okay for me to give you a present," John said. "Your present's outside in the parking lot!" Marty tore out of the apartment and was shocked to see the shinning bright red Jeep Laredo! Lou and Ross had waxed the Jeep, and it looked fantastic! "IS IT REALLY MINE?" Marty screamed with tears of joy running down his face! When he saw his father and John smiling and nodding their heads, he ran to his new wheels and jumped inside. "That's the only Chrysler product that I owned, and I really want to get rid of it!" John said with a smile. "Why don't you take your dad for a quick ride! We'll follow and then make a stop in town." Marty was in heaven! He loved his Jeep and couldn't wait to tell Toby the fantastic news that he would be able to drive them both to and from football practices. Everyone shared in the excitement of the happy boy and loved seeing him driving his own vehicle for the first time. After the special ride, Marty grabbed his bag of clothes and headed for the football practice. The men followed in the Suburban, and arrived at the high school and waited for the practice to start. When the boys ran out of the locker room in their practice uniforms, the men were waiting at the football field. "John Miller!" a voice yelled out. "Son of a Bitch! I haven't seen you in years!" John wheeled around and faced his former teammate from the University of Michigan football team. "Jason!" John yelled. He ran up to his old friend and hugged him! "You know him?" Marty asked John. "How do you know Coach Carter?" "We were teammates!" Jason said excitedly. "I read about you in the news and saw you on the television reports! You're the luckiest man alive! What are you doing here?" "We're spending a week at the Arrowhead Lodge," John replied. "Marty and his father are going to take care of the property for us!" "I'm thrilled to have Marty back with my team," Jason admitted. "He's the best quarterback in the state, and now he's back where he belongs!" He looked at Marty and decided not to give the boy a big head, and added, "He might not even make the team if he doesn't get the lead out of his ass and get out on that track and run five laps!" John stood with his college friend and got caught up on Jason's history. He learned that his buddy was married and had two children, and was teaching Math and coaching football at Onaway High School. "With the State funding cuts, we're struggling to get equipment and uniforms for the varsity players," Jason admitted. "Governor Granderson's a real bitch, and all that she wants to do is increase welfare and raise taxes! I wish that we'd send her back to Canada along with the Canadian trash that keeps coming into our state!" "I sure didn't vote for Jennifer Granderson!" John said. "What do you need in the way of equipment?" "Everything!" Jason replied. "We don't even have enough helmets for everyone and the uniforms are worn out and filled with patches. We look like shit, but we win football games!" He watched his boys running the laps, and shouted out encouragement to the few boys who were lagging behind the rest of his team. "Here's my business card," John said. "Figure out how much money you need to buy the best equipment and uniforms for all of your players, even the Junior Varsity players! Kids need modern equipment to prevent injuries!" Jason was in orbit! He already knew what was needed for his players, and thanked John for his generous offer! "I'll try to make it up here for one of your games," John said. "This will be my last year of officiating high school football games because of the responsibilities of my new job. I'd love to see your team in action!" When they were ready to leave the field, John asked Keith, "What brand of vehicles do you like the most?" "Chevrolet!" Keith replied. "Why?" "Because you work for the Sea & Jungle Imports Company and can't be seen driving around in that old pickup truck!" John replied. "If you could pick a new vehicle to drive around the property, what would you choose?" "A Silverado 4 wheel drive," Keith replied. "I can't expect you to supply a new truck for me! My pickup's old, but I keep it maintained and it'll last me a long time!" John just laughed and told Derek to drive into Wheeler Chevrolet. The dealership had a large selection of new pickup trucks, and John told Keith to pick out what he wanted. When he heard Keith ask Henry Wheeler to look at the S-10 Series of trucks, John jumped in and told the salesman that he wanted Keith to have the best. "I've got several 2500 Series trucks that are loaded!" Henry replied. "All of them have the Z71 package, and have some large rebates and cash back offers!" "I see that I have to choose the truck, but Keith gets to pick the color!" John teased. John liked the bright red truck with black leather interior, but Keith finally chose the dark blue Silverado with gray leather interior. "We'll take the dark blue one and the bright red one too!" John said to Henry. "The red one will be kept on the Arrowhead Property for me to use when I'm in town!" Henry was thrilled that he was selling two fully loaded trucks, and immediately agreed to have both trucks ready for delivery the next day. He thanked John for the business and was pleased when John gave him a business card with the security code for the front gate of the Arrowhead property. To celebrate, John and his friends went to Joe's Bar. "Welcome back!" Joe Nahler yelled when he recognized the new arrivals. "You sure came into town and made a lasting impression on everyone! Do you want your usual?" John laughed and realized that Joe was already treating him like a frequent customer. He and Keith had cold beers, but the bodyguards all chose soft drinks or iced tea. They chatted with Joe and got caught up on the latest town gossip. After they finished their drinks, John made a stop at the Spartan Food Stores. He was surprised when he recognized Joyce Krzyewski's voice on the speaker system in the store. "Everyone! Pay Attention! The man who stole Marty away from us is in the store!" All of the employees flocked to the front of the store where John and his friends were standing in shock. Instead of being criticized, everyone wanted to meet John and his friends and thank them for rescuing Marty and Keith Wadsworth! John met all of the store employees and told them that Keith would be in charge of who was allowed to hunt and fish on his property. The employees were excited that Marty was back on the football team and told John that they couldn't wait to see the team play football! John bought some more groceries and got ready to make another special meal for his friends back at the lodge. The meal consisted of barbecued chicken on the grille, along with baked potatoes, fresh salad, sweet corn and cherry pie. Everyone was stuffed, and headed for bed to get ready for Saturday morning and the trip to the Balcolm farm. Early on Saturday morning, John cooked breakfast for his friends and then headed to the Balcolm farm. When the Suburban got out on the main road, they saw a string of trucks filled with equipment and materials heading for the Balcolm farm. They followed the string of trucks and arrived at the farm in time to hear a heated discussion. "Joe, you know that I can't afford to have your contractors put up my barn!" Ron Balcolm said excitedly. "Everything's been paid for!" Joe insisted. "We're gonna build a 60 by 120 barn for your family!" "I can't accept charity!" Ron argued. "I sure don't have the money to pay for a huge barn like that! If it's paid for, tell me who put up the money!" John realized that Joe was trying to honor his wishes to remain anonymous, but he decided that he had to step in and diffuse the argument. "My name's John Miller, and I own the Arrowhead property," John began. "I know that you farm some of my land, and the deer, pheasants and other critters depend on your crops for food. I paid for your new barn because I want you to keep farming my property!" Ron Balcolm shook John's hand, but still didn't want to accept the new barn. He was too proud to admit that his family was in trouble after the dismal crops, and refused to let the contractors start working. John asked Ron to walk away so they could talk in private before saying, "I hired Keith and Marty Wadsworth to take care of my property, and I'd like to hire you to work for the Sea & Jungle Imports Company. I'm offering you a job with a salary of $50,000 a year if you're interested. All that you have to do is keep farming my land and help take care of the maintenance of the property and lodge." "Are you serious?" Ron asked. "I'm dead serious!" John replied. "I'll pay for all of the seed, fertilizer and any other costs associated with the crops on my property. You can use my farm equipment on your land too if you accept my offer." "Why did you pay for my new barn?" Ron asked. "God put us on this earth to take care of each other," John replied. "You're my neighbor, and I wanted to help you through some tough times. Whatever crops you harvest from my land are yours to sell or use to feed your cattle. I want you and your family to stay here and make this a better place for everyone!" "I can't believe this, but I accept your offer!" Ron said while trying to hold back his tears of joy. "How can I ever repay you?" "Just be yourself!" John replied. "Now I'd like you to go and talk to Joe Taylor and let his contractors get started on your new barn!" Ron hugged John and then led him to the porch of his home where his wife and children were waiting. The Balcolm family was in shock when Ron introduced John Miller to them and told everyone about his new job! John met Ann Balcolm, and her children: Toby, Samantha and Bobby. It was a beautiful family, and John was especially pleased when he met Toby. The young teen had blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes and a face that lit up with deep dimples when Toby smiled. He wondered if Marty and Toby were lovers, but decided not to ask any questions. A delivery truck arrived, and everyone was treated to hot coffee, hot chocolate and fresh donuts from the Spartan Store bakery. Everyone celebrated, and the work began to dig the holes and set the support poles for the new barn. Keith and Marty arrived in Marty's Jeep, and John wanted to see how Toby and Marty interacted. He wasn't surprised when the boys ran and hugged in front of everyone. When the boys broke the hug, John was sure that both boys were erect and ready for some intense bonding. The work progressed, and before noon, all of the main poles were in place. A delivery truck pulled into the driveway, and two teens started unloading boxes of pizza and coolers filled with ice and soft drinks. John had ordered the refreshments the previous day when he was in town, and he was pleased to see everyone running for the food. John was nailing a board to support the last post when three pickup trucks pulled into the driveway. He recognized the men from his altercation at Joe's Bar, and was afraid that there would be BIG trouble. Jimmy John Walker walked up to the building site and said, "We're here for some pizza and beer!" "That's Samantha Balcolm!" Billy Joe Walker said to his father. "She's the bitch that won't give me any pussy!" "There's no beer here and you aren't welcome on my property!" Ron Balcolm said emphatically. "Get off my property or I'll call the sheriff!" "The sheriff knows his place, and he won't do shit if we decide to have some pizza and pussy!" Jimmy John Walker yelled. He grabbed for Samantha and ripped open her T- shirt before yelling, "Son, here's your pussy! Rip her clothes off and bust her cherry so I can watch!" John saw his bodyguards running for the Suburban, and knew that he had to take action! He had a hammer in his right hand and he swung the hammer down, shattering the right arm of Jimmy John Walker. The man screamed in pain, and things happened fast. The other pickup trucks emptied and several men ran out, brandishing shotguns. John was in a survival mode, and he pushed Samantha to the ground before grabbing Jimmy John. He grabbed the man with both of his arms and wheeled Jimmy John around to face the attackers when gunfire erupted! John was using Jimmy John as a shield when he felt the impact of several blasts from the shotguns. The air was filled with the reports of gunfire, with all four of John's bodyguards unloading their Glock semi-automatics on the attackers. John lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground, with the body of Jimmy John Walker on top of his body. The massacre only lasted a few seconds, but dead bodies covered the ground! The last two members of the Walker and Longhurst families turned their shotguns on the two sheriff deputies that had just arrived, but the rednecks were cut down in a cross fire from John's bodyguards and the two deputies. Lou and Derek were down with shotgun wounds, and Lindsey emptied his Glock before running to take care of his friends. He saw that Derek and Lou were wounded, but conscious, and he ran to pull Jimmy John Walker's body off from John Miller. He was sickened when he saw the blood streaming down John's face, arms and legs, and feared that his boss was dead! Stay tuned!!! Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com