Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003 04:20:55 -0400 From: Jamie Haze Subject: Chapter 44 SOMERSET FARM SOMERSET FARM Chapter 44 By Jamie Haze Harm backed the U-Haul rental truck up as close to the residential wing lobby doors as he could get. He still had difficulty accepting his father's sudden about face concerning his move to the Trenton Hall pool complex but prudently decided not to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth. Evan, bless his fun loving heart impressed Ben Golden somehow beyond belief. The previous morning their father woke his two sons, calling them to breakfast, fortunately from the foot of the stairs after their mother had everything ready and waiting for them on the table. Harm shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if their father or mother simply woke them as usual by opening the boys' bedroom doors which one of them did on school days before they went down themselves. He and Spencer got almost no sleep because they couldn't get enough of each other and getting it resulted in a renewed raging hard on that had to be satisfied as soon as the one getting it felt his brother's spasms subside. They actually got proficient at rolling together and changing places. When their father's booming voice reached them Harm had Spencer on his belly and was brutalizing his cherry red somewhat sore butt for a final time before they got up to shower and dress anyway. They knew they were late, but it couldn't be helped. Ben greeted his eldest son effusively, apparently reconciled to Harm's move. Plans for the day were discussed. Harm was careful not to look at Spencer when he answered, "I thought we could give the guys the ten cent tour this morning and then take them to lunch at Lakeside, like all of us." He shut his mouth and waited. Spencer had his mouth full and struggled to swallow, "Not me thanks. I've got a date as soon as the breeze picks up." He really did have a date but planned to cancel it so he could spend the day with his brother and new friends. That was before they took a shower. When Harm returned to his room he was greeted with an overpowering stench from his bed, the residue of their violent night long sex bout. He called Spencer into the room; he got no further than the doorway and wrinkled his nose. "Shit!" "Exactly, you need to stay here and do some serious laundry." Harm didn't need to say anything more. "Damn, how do you guys put up with this every morning?" Harm blushed, "There's a way around it, but of course I wasn't expecting company." He explained briefly. Spencer's mouth dropped open, "Really? A hose would raise questions; I'll just get some of the bottled stuff for the next time you come home." "Yeah, right. Where are you going to hide them so Mom doesn't find them?" He asked rhetorically and continued, "Besides you said just once, how many times is once by your definition?" Spencer ignored the last question with a grin, "On the boat. Mom won't go near it." He leered at his brother, "I didn't know they came in flavors. Why do you guys get the flavored stuff?" Harm blushed again, "You can figure that out while you wash the fucking sheets and the mattress pad too just to be on the safe side." He snapped his fingers with an idea, "Hey, I'm taking the gang to lunch at Lakeside, why don't you sail over and join us there. Just say your date stood you up." Spencer tried to look insulted between giggles, "Who'd ever believe a story like that?" He patted his crotch lovingly, "None of them stands up Spencer the Great and they never say no after Spencer the Great stands up." ### "Good," Ben nodded, "lunch will be my treat. I really like that boy Evan, one minute a teenager and the next talking and acting so grown up," he glanced at Spencer, "unlike some teenagers I could name sitting to my left hand." Spencer laughed, "Damn Pop, why don't you just point me out so there's no mistaking who the black sheep is in this family?" Ben laughed and pointed obligingly, "You are not a black sheep, yet, I won't go that far until you get one of them pregnant. Since puberty you've had one thing on your mind. Just remember, the girl better be Jewish." He turned to Harm, "Is your room big?" Harm shrugged, "Yeah I guess it will be. Doug said that since I was the first to move in aside from the diving coaches, I could have an apartment inside, one that overlooks the pool when the roof is closed. The single room on the other side of the building I shared with Coach was big and there was even a little efficiency kitchen." "What about furniture is it furnished for you?" Ben pressed. "New, contemporary, really good quality, all wood, Scandinavian Teak I think." Harm didn't understand the reason for the question. "I'll be comfortable." His father scoffed, "Nonsense, you were raised to have better taste. You'll be more comfortable surrounded by pieces you love. When we get to the shop this morning go through the inventory there and in the warehouse; pick out whatever you like, the best. You should be proud to invite your new friends in, to hold your head high." Harm showed his surprise and pleasure when he saw from his father's determined expression that the offer was serious, even bordering on a demand. He thanked his father repeatedly before he started to recount the tale of Becky Trenton's outrage at being duped with counterfeits and how she ordered a plane and six bodyguards that she referred to as skull crushers to return to Europe and get even with the perpetrator of the swindle. "She took three girlfriends along too so they could go shopping after." He laughed and shook his head in continued disbelief, "Evan's mom lives on an island Evan owns in the Bahamas. Becky said they'd stop in Nassau to pick her up, just like she lived a mile away or something. They all take some getting used to. As soon as we get back, we're all, and I mean all of us, friends and neighbors and bodyguards, are taking off for that island for a vacation until school starts. "You'll need spending money. I'll give you an allowance. I don't want you to work. I want to go to the Olympics myself so spend your time swimming and winning and of course studying to help your old man get there to watch you win some gold," Ben raised his hand to stop the protest he saw forming on Harm's lips, "the money won't be enough to keep up with them, but you could treat them occasionally. I think Evan understands that the Golden's are not in his league, but he'll appreciate small gestures. Maybe buy his mother a nice house gift, a piece of porcelain from the shop; that would be nice." Spencer's spoonful of Cheerios got stuck halfway to his mouth back when Harm told them about the Bahamas vacation, "Oh man are you lucky, I wonder if they have a sail boat at that island. I'd love to sail where the water's really warm and you can see the bottom all over. Maybe sometime you can wangle your favorite brother an invitation to go along?" Harm laughed at his brother's expression, "Yeah sometime when I know them better, but you've got to learn how to stop drooling first." He pointed at Spencer's shirt, his spoon was tipped and milk dripped, "You're worse than Monica." "I don't drool!" Monica declared archly after she made sure her bib was dry. She giggled at her brother, "Don't worry Spencer, Mommy will change you. He can't go out looking like that, can he Mommy?" ### Ben was in the habit of parking his car across the street from the family store when businesses there closed or moved elsewhere. He and his wife crossed the street first. Harm followed carrying his sister. The baby was as intent on messing Harm's hair as he was in tickling her. Ben unlocked the outer front door, then the inside door and scooted across the room to shut off the alarm system within the allotted thirty seconds. Harm was about to relock the inner door, "Don't bother, Joseph and your friends will be along shortly," Ben told his son while he pressed the code to deactivate the alarm. Joseph was a long time employee, a master craftsman in both creating fine jewelry and in watch repair. Harm turned with a shrug and looked at the clock. It was nine-fifty. He felt the inner door open and suddenly Monica was snatched from his arms and he was shoved hard further into the room. His first thought was that it was Billy or Evan, that they were early and fooling around although he wasn't amused by the joke. Monica started to scream in terror. He turned then and was confronted by the muzzle of a handgun that moved from his head to his terrified sister's. The man that held her was wearing a stocking mask. "I watched you two fuckin' weeks Golden. Nothin' ever changed and today you bring the whole fuckin' family." The man's gun touched Monica's temple, he looked at Ben, "Open the fuckin' safe and be quick about it." The gun moved to Harm's chest, "You get behind that counter an' lay down on your face." Harm almost ran to obey. The gun swung to his mother, "You too bitch, behind the counter." Monica continued to scream that she wanted to get free and when the stranger didn't put her down, she started beating on the side of his head with both small fists. The man dropped her, "Ouch, run to your mommy you little cunt." He crossed the room quickly and put his weapon's muzzle on the back of Ben's head while Ben frantically tried to dial the combination on the first of two locks. The thug occasionally glanced at Harm and his mother holding Monica under her body protectively but his attention was almost riveted to the dials on the vault door and Ben's shaking hand. "Do I need to off your family to speed you up?" The man snarled when Ben made a mistake and had to start over. Harm realized he was lying behind the counter under the cash register. There was a never before needed panic button, a twelve inch long spring loaded foot plate there that was to be used in the event of a robbery. A silent alarm would bring the police. He knew also that there was supposed to be a handgun on a narrow shelf just under the register, but he didn't know if it was still there. His father didn't like guns and may have moved it somewhere else. He looked up at the shelf but all he could see were the edges of paper, the shelf was a handy place to store paid receipts. He slowly moved his hand to the panic bar and pushed it, no alarm sounded, but none was supposed to. There were sounds though, two metallic clicks as the electric locks on the two front doors snapped in. The clicks sounded like steel girders falling above Monica's whimpers. The nervous thug heard the sounds. He looked at Harm in time to see him pull his hand back. The gun moved to Harmon first, before the man abandoned Ben to run at the door, he pulled on the handle then used the butt of his weapon to pound on the bulletproof glass uselessly. Harm got to his knees while the thug's back was turned. He felt for the handgun frantically, praying that it was still there and still loaded. His arm went into the small space to the elbow before his fingers touched the cold smooth steel. The man gave up on the door. He turned at bay, "You stupid cocksucker!" His eyes widened in surprise before the look changed to terror. Harm was standing crouched behind the counter. His arms were extended; one hand held the weapon, the palm of the other supported the butt rock steady. He aimed at the man's chest with both eyes open exactly as he'd been taught. The thug raised his weapon. Harm squeezed the trigger. The report was deafening. The force of the slug drove the man's body back to slam against the locked door. The man's brief look down at his chest changed back to surprise as he slumped to the floor leaving a splattered run of red on the glass that destroyed the perfect symmetry of cracks that radiated like a spider web out from the squashed forty-four magnum slug that remained caught in the heavy sandwiched glass. Harm looked up and out above and beyond the corpse. Evan, Billy, Tommy and the four bodyguards, all with weapons showing were looking in, pounding impotently and pleading for someone to open the door. Behind them the two Suburban's bracketed the Hummer with open curbside doors. Jonathon quickly collected the boys' armament at the sound of fast approaching sirens. He just had time to toss them into the lead truck and slam the door before the first squad car arrived. The pounding resumed. Ben Golden was slumped against the vault door breathing deeply. His wife joined him with the baby in her arms. "You okay Pop?" Harm asked after he placed the big revolver on the counter, strangely reluctantly. "Yes, my son the hero!" Ben sighed with relief. "Damn Harmon, unlock the doors so they can get in before they smooch up the windows." Harm giggled, "Exactly how do I do that? I didn't know the panic bar locked them." Ben thought of one of Spencer's current phrases, "DUH, just push the button duffus!" he giggled at the success of his impersonation when Harm began laughing until he bent double and couldn't quite focus on the door release. It was noon before the authorities allowed them to leave the crime scene after interminable interviews in which different detectives asked the same questions. They sat under an awning on the restaurant terrace overlooking the lake. Ben called the waitress over to whisper and point out two small tables where the guards sat. Evan heard what was said and giggled, "That's not necessary Mr. Golden, they have money, plus you just gave them away; they like to think that they're incognito." Jonathon and Rodney both frowned in their direction. Ben shrugged and smiled, "Too late now. They deserve lunch as a reward, you all do, you would have rescued us if you could have gotten in and Harmon hadn't already shot the scumbag the police insist on calling the alleged perpetrator." He raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Tell me Evan where did you boys get those deadly little guns you were carrying? Aren't automatic weapons illegal?" Evan grinned "Are they? Squirt guns? Can't a kid own a harmless water gun anymore?" Harm interrupted everyone by pointing out to the lake and laughing, Spencer's headsail had a large red wolf head stitched on it. The white eye cutouts made the animal look predatory as it silently approached the restaurant docks. "Oh no, here comes trouble." Ben took a quick look, smiled indulgently and rolled his eyes, "Spencer the Great must have been stood up, I don't see anyone else on board." Harm laughed, "She's probably in the cabin getting her bathing suit back on." He excused himself to help Spencer tie up. "Is everything ship shape?" he asked as they walked along the dock. "Yup, I remade it but left it messed up like you usually do." A chair and place setting were squeezed in between Tommy and Evan. Everyone except Harm vied for the opportunity to tell Spencer about the attempted robbery. Harm wore a far away pained expression and stared vacantly out at the lake. He excused himself when they got to the dramatic conclusion; his father stood up and struck the pose Harm used to fire the fatal bullet, careful to fire his imaginary weapon at the lake. Evan followed Harm to the restroom. Harm stood at the washbasin mirror staring into his own eyes wearing a beleaguered look. Evan put a hand on his back, "It's one of two things," he said softly at the mirror, "either you hated what you had to do, or," he looked up at Harm's troubled face directly, "you loved it and that scares the shit out of you." Harm started to answer. Evan continued quickly. "Me, my first time, the guy was a scumbag pimp and I loved putting him out of business." Harm inhaled deeply, "I was scared at first, not for myself, for Mom and Pop and Monica. Then when I had that old cannon on him, in a split second I prayed that he wouldn't drop his gun and just give up. It became, like thrilling, I, I, I even got a hard on believe it or not. It was like I wanted him to agree to being fucked. He raised his gun and I pumped him one forty-four caliber sperm." Evan grinned, "Yeah, magnum yet. I won't tell you to forget it, you won't, you can't, but after you get used to the fact that you can do it, well I kind of get a warm feeling when I see some asshole on the news that was arrested for molesting a little kid. I think, 'man would I like to see you alone sometime, BAP!'" The word echoed off the tile walls. He had another thought, "Forget that scumbag; I really wanted to ask you about Spence. He's a really cool dude. Do you think he'd get bent out of shape about you being, well, one of us? I'd invite him to the island, but he'd know we were gay five seconds after we got on the plane. Would you mind if he found out about you? How would he take the news?" After Harm's giggles slowed he turned beet red when he thought about the previous night and how 'just once' suddenly meant something entirely different and wouldn't end anytime soon if ever. The word incestuous rose like a specter. "Ah, he already knows about me and has for awhile. He told me last night and ah, you could say he's no longer exactly straight and he's kind of fascinated with flavored douches although he hasn't tried any yet." He had to raise his voice so Evan could hear him over the younger boys' laughter. "Sonofabitch, my gaydar must be busted or maybe it doesn't work on bi guys. I guess that takes care of that, I'll invite him then he can ride back with us." "Okay, but there's a problem there, Dad's letting me take anything I want from the store to furnish my apartment, I'll have to rent a truck I guess." "Meaning your dad's cool with you moving all of a sudden?" Evan hoped he looked sufficiently surprised. Harm shrugged, "Come on, we better get back. Yup, he's even forking over some spending money." He cocked his head and grinned, "Somehow you had something to do with his about face. He's really impressed with you; you're a teenager going on forty, very mature for your tender years." Evan carefully maintained the lead as they walked back to the table so Harm couldn't see his face. ### "STOP!" Billy screamed in Harm's ear to keep him from backing the U-Haul into a hedge. The boys kept switching drivers, licensed drivers in the truck. Billy was riding with Harm for the last leg of their journey. The two unlicensed driver's hid behind the Hummer's darkly tinted glass. Spencer was supposed to be driving the Hummer. It pulled in to block the U-Haul so the front bumpers just touched. The guards parked their Suburbans at the curb. Rod did a classic double take when the Hummer's driver's side door opened and Tommy jumped down and ran toward all the younger guys, who gushed from the building to greet them. When Tommy spied Doug among the group he began telling him silently but proudly what a good driver he'd become while Doug vocalized Tommy's words. "Damn us for idiots Jon, it appears that there's been a bit of driver training going on under our inattentive noses. The lads have put one over on us to be sure." A memory stirred in Jonathan, he snapped his fingers and laughed, "The buggers did it both directions. I thought there was something odd, they switched hats and sunglasses." He shrugged, "Actually they did quite well, and I'm impressed, although we'll have to give them a good dressing down." Rodney began walking toward Evan, "I think just the ringleader will do. Damn Jonathan, do try to keep a straight face. Our young employer is totally incorrigible. If you recall it was he who promptly armed his army of two from the weapons cache and then was about to empty his weapon at the Golden's shop door. Had he done so not even you would have been creative enough to explain the weapons to the provincial constabulary." Evan saw them coming, Rod's face was inscrutable while Jon covered his mouth with his hand, but the laugh lines around his eyes gave him away. Evan and Billy stopped running long enough to pull Tommy away from Doug before all three disappeared into the bowels of the residence with their combined laughter echoing. Rod halted the chase in front of the Golden brothers who were trying valiantly to appear serious, "You two are as much to blame as those three. You were part of the conspiracy. The only mitigating factor is that you are both new to the group and perhaps subject to coercion by the Master." He spoke to them in conversational tones and Evan couldn't hear what was being said from inside the building. "Actually it was Harm's idea, Harm's and Billy's," Evan said from directly behind the men. They turned in surprise. Harm frowned, he never expected Evan to blame him and Billy for the prank. Evan continued smoothly, "We were talking about what would happen if one of us like Tommy who didn't even know how to shift gears was in the locked truck just like we're supposed to do if there's trouble and we're surrounded by bad guys and you weren't around or out of action. The easiest way to get away would be to drive away before the bad guys found a can opener. To do that we'd have to really know how, even me, on the open road wouldn't we? Now Tommy can shift and we both know what it's like to drive on a road surrounded by assholes." He grinned at them, "Assholes except for you guys of course. Come on lets get this truck unloaded." "Quite right, well done then," Rod saluted Harm casually, "except in the future, please tell us about bright ideas in advance to avoid problems like our heart failure," he joked. Later, when they were alone, "You didn't really believe that did you?" Jon asked Rod. "Of course not, they drove as a lark, but I must admit that Evan gave us a scenario we hadn't thought of and I was impressed by his quick wits in coming up with a completely plausible reason while protecting his new friend, ah make that friends. I must say that the younger brother Spencer is quite the charmer, don't you think?" After Harm rolled up the trucks' back door, everyone peered in at what appeared to be bulky blanket wrapped bundles. Harm introduced Spencer to Doug and Buck and they introduced both brothers to the younger denizens of the adjoining estates, all members of the group. Doug's eyes widened in pleasure when he discovered that Spencer was a sailor, "Really? Man that is so cool! Hey we can race each other! I don't suppose you're into multi-hull? I am I'm addicted to speed." Spencer giggled, "I've sailed a sixteen foot Hobie a couple of times, speed is good but there's no cabin, no privacy. I have a twenty-three foot sloop on the lake. It's supposed to sleep four, shit four very good friends if you know what I mean. If they aren't when they go to sleep they are by the time they wake up, but it's cool with just one other friend in the V-berth. Roll over one time," he snapped his fingers, "instant friends!" Doug checked the crowd around the truck. He grinned at Buck, "That fucking Evan called everyone and told us all to be here waiting when they pulled in because there was some kind of problem. Shit, his problem was moving fucking furniture. They don't need us. Come on Spence we'll show you around." Spencer saw that both boys wore holsters clipped in the waistbands at the small of their backs and the gray steel butts of small semi-automatic weapons when they turned. "How come you guys are packing? Are we in danger somehow? Is someone after you? Did you already hear about Harm blowing a guy away in our family's store yesterday morning?" He looked back at the group in and around the truck without waiting for answers to the first battery of questions, "Holy shit, Dylan Kelly. Harm didn't mention him being here. Say who's the guy with the cameras? He looks like a Japanese tourist." David and Noah detached themselves from the throng and began to follow their charges. "OOPS, don't look now but I hope the two guys following us are on our side. Actually the kid somehow looks more dangerous than the older guy." Buck and Doug both looked back and began laughing. Buck waved to David and Noah and introduced them to Spencer. He told Noah, "Spence thinks you look more dangerous than David even if you are a kid." "Sorry about that, now that you're closer I can see you aren't a kid. The glasses fooled me." Spencer apologized, then admitted to himself that he was attracted to Noah, "Your physique, your muscles make you look dangerous," he added shyly. Noah winked, the attraction was mutual. He shook Spencer's hand a second time while he laughed, "No problem, at least you think I look dangerous. Maybe I'm finally growing up." Both were momentarily reluctant to free the other's hand until Marc intruded a camera lens focused on Spencer's face. The camera clicked and whirred three times in rapid succession before Spencer consciously began to pose. Marc frowned and backed away. Doug giggled, took Spencer's arm and raised his limp hand palm up while he sang, "One thousand dollars please!" That caused Marc to really frown at Doug. Doug frowned back, "He gets the same deal as everyone else you cheap motherfucker. Don't be taking advantage just because he's new." He turned to Spence and explained Dylan's teeny bopper magazine and Marc as a pain in the ass at times with his cameras, "Anytime you want him to stop just do what you did, you pose for him. He likes candids." "Oh man, don't tell him all that," Marc groused, "now I'll have to hunt him like I do you guys." He patted a heavy camera with a telephoto lens and grinned at them all. David put his arm over Marc's shoulders, "Of course when you said you guys, you weren't including Noah and I were you?" His tone was slightly threatening, "Because if you were and we catch you, when you wake up you'll need help extracting that lens from your ass and you'll have a roll of candid shots of your prostate." Marc sputtered, "Damn you old guys in the goon squad should feel complimented that I want your pics not insulted." "Oh we are," Noah assured him, "it's just that anyone can buy that rag and if our pics as you call them appeared, then bad guys interested in Buck or Doug would know what we look like and take us out first and we'd rather not get taken out." He winked at David and smiled. David tightened his grip around Marc's neck so he couldn't escape. Spencer saw Noah's hand disappear between David's arm and Marc's neck just before Marc wilted slowly. David lowered his sleeping body to the lobby floor. "That was a sample," Noah whispered, "for calling us goons." "What happened to him?" Spencer was wide eyed. Doug shushed him, "He's just taking a nap. He's always agitating someone and this time he got caught. Don't worry; he'll wake up before dinner, he'll know what happened and ten minutes later he'll be ragging someone else's ass." "You know speaking of dinner," Buck patted his gut, "I better call the kitchen and tell them to set up a buffet. The guys will be hungry after lugging all that stuff and then they won't be so pissed at Evan for conning them." Spencer listened to the order vaguely disguised as a request. After Buck pocketed his phone he looked puzzled, "Shouldn't you check with your parents so THEY don't get pissed?" "My Mom the boss is in Europe and Dad won't care as long as there's something to eat when he gets in." Buck dismissed Spencer's concerns. "Come on guys, you may as well stick with us," he motioned to David and Noah to walk with them through the building and along the pool deck outside again to their Hummer. It was Doug's turn to drive so he got behind the wheel. David and Noah got in the back seat. Spencer ignored Buck's unspoken offer to ride shotgun and sat between the two guards, closer to Noah so their legs touched. They were halfway to the gate into the estate proper when the Mean Green Grading Machine roared out of the woods on a short rutted track across the lawn to the paved drive. Doug stopped the truck to keep them from being run over. Bucky was bouncing in the operator's seat and pounding on the steering wheel with one fist in time to a beat from the stereo. He also appeared to be singing. Spencer opened his mouth to change feet, "That asshole didn't even look to see if anyone was coming. We could have been squashed. Someone should straighten his sorry ass out." The truck erupted in peels of laughter with Buck nodding and laughing the hardest. He agreed when he calmed down enough, "We'll catch up with him later and talk to him, but it won't do much good, that asshole was my father." Spencer emitted a long low sickly sound while he slowly sank down in the seat amid more laughter, "This is like a bad dream. I guess it's a good thing I'm not the one who's moving here, huh?" "Relax and forget it, Dad will think it's pretty funny and who knows, he might even start looking where he's going. After all it was his only son and hopefully heir he nearly squashed." Doug took the well worn trail to the Wilcott's so Spencer could see the field house. John Wilcott came out looking for his sons. It was getting late and it was Paul's turn to cook. Buck invited him to ride back with them and have dinner at Trenton Hall. Then he called Doug's father, Bill Henderson. He disconnected with a satisfied grin, "I guess we're having an instant bachelor party." "Oh, I need to call Josh," Doug said fishing in his pocket for his phone. Buck went on instant alert. Josh had a big mouth and shared Doug's enthusiasm for catamarans and was building a ninety footer that was to be a Christmas gift for Doug from Buck. The more the two sailors talked together, the greater the risk of Josh blabbing the name of his client. "You drive I'll call him," he said quickly. "Just tell me why we need to call him." "Well, Spence sails and we could race, but we've only got the cat on the Sea Song. I was going to ask him to see if he could find another one eighteen to twenty feet. We could take it with us." "Good idea," Buck started to speed dial but caught himself in time, "What's his number?" he asked innocently. Doug grinned, fished for his phone again and handed it to Buck, "Eight." He shrugged, "You remember numbers I don't." Buck talked quietly, Doug couldn't hear what he said but John did, his eyebrows shot up and he began laughing. After Buck returned Doug's phone, he asked, "You said Doug wanted six cats or as many as this guy Josh could find." Buck shrugged, "If we're going to race boats we need competition." He looked up at John innocently, "Evan will thank me when he gets the bill, and he did say he wanted to get a fleet of different kinds for the school, I'm just helping him out." He looked up at Doug, "Josh said okay and that it was a good thing we're laying over in port one night to give him some time." John looked surprised, "Why are we staying in Ft. Lauderdale overnight? I'm almost afraid to ask." Buck and Doug both grinned, Buck answered, "Evan wants to see if there are any new recruits for the school, so we're going to cruise the streets, kind of go shopping." John covered his eyes with both hands, "We aren't quite finished legalizing the first batch yet. I had to set up an office down there to handle all those hassles and now there's going to be more?" David leaned forward and squeezed Buck's shoulder, "When exactly were you planning to tell us about this little shopping trip of yours?" "Cool it David, this is Evan's mission, he'll use his guys for dirty work if there is any." Buck tried to sound reassuring. "But you guys were just going along for the ride without telling us." "We most certainly were not," Buck got defensive before he grinned, "we need to borrow a Slurppie straw and some of that stuff. It must have skipped my mind to ask you earlier." "I'll bet. You know Joe and big Will are going to hit the roof when they find out and Joe's the only one who's really experienced with Slurppie straws so he'll have to go along." Buck was pleased that David was already making plans. "Another thing, when we go on this shopping trip, you two go without your weapons. If you're packing them you might be tempted to use them and if you got caught, your father wouldn't be able to buy you out of it," he shuddered, "and I don't even want to think about what he'd do to us. No weapons, understood?" Doug frowned and nodded, "Understood, but if you recall I couldn't do anything but sit in the car last time. I missed all the action." "Boohoo," Noah interjected. "You obey orders this time or you'll both get a good nights' sleep." "Excuse me, but what are we talking about?" Spencer was both puzzled and excited. "Whatever, it is sounds like fun if it's going to be a little dangerous." Then he made a conversation stopping comment, "You know Slurppie straws make choice blowguns for shooting spit balls, they called me Dead Eye in eighth grade." Doug slowed the Hummer to safely study Spencer in the mirror, Buck's head was twisted like an owl's, David and Noah both looked at him curiously, "Do you think you could hit a bad guy, a real fucking scumbag with something like a spitball if you knew the dude would be dead in a few hours because of it?" Noah asked softly. It dawned on Spencer what they were talking about. He'd guessed the straws' use. He thought about his answer and decided to be truthful, "I, I'm not exactly sure, I kind of think I could if I absolutely knew the dude was a total low life and the world would be a better place without him," he said slowly then added quickly, "but I don't think I could do it if I was an assassin or anything like that. Nope no one could order me to off someone for political bullshit, nothing like that. There couldn't be any, 'just because I ordered you to', not without a true reason, without knowing why." David scratched his chin while he looked Spencer up and down until their eyes touched and held. He held out his hand to Doug palm up, "Your weapon please." Doug hesitated and Spencer started to get scared, "I'll give it right back." Doug handed it over with a pout. David frowned at finding the safety off and really frowned when he pulled the slide back and a live round was ejected from the chamber. "Goddamnit Doug." Doug was already sputtering a defense, "We've been through this before David. There's no fucking point in carrying it if I have to ask a bad guy not to do whatever until I chamber a round and take the safety off. Let me see your piece," Doug held out his hand and laughed when David made believe he hadn't heard the demand. He knew David's was customized had a chambered round, that the safety had been removed and that the trigger was only a two pound pull, a hair trigger. "I rest my case." David removed the clip from Doug's gun and handed it butt first to Spencer. "Here. Have you ever fired one of these?" "Nope," he aimed at the rear view mirror until Doug's eyes appeared. "I guess I could learn, Harm said you guys taught him and he drilled a really bad guy in our shop using Dad's old blunderbuss that he bought at a pawn shop and didn't know if it would fire. Shit Harm wasn't sure it was even loaded. Did you guys hear about that?" While Spencer talked he caressed Doug's Berretta and when no one answered he continued absently, "I know I could have offed that scumbag without thinking about it," he paused, "especially with you," he added in a mumble. It took a moment for the others in the truck to realize that Spencer's last comment was said to the weapon. David looked at Noah. Both grinned and nodded. "Are you into martial arts?" Noah asked. He continued without waiting for an answer, "We were going to look for a guy like you at the school these guys are going to. We need a student on the inside, someone who can pal around with them at times we can't be with them, someone to kind of watch their backs. Not just these two, there's Marc, Tommy, Evan, the twins, Peter, shit, did I miss anyone? You won't be around all of them all the time, but you might notice anomalies, hear whispers, notice a maintenance dude who is more interested in one of them than his job; stuff like that. How would you like to finish your high school career attending a world class private school?" John spoke up, "I don't think Marc needs body guarding. No one's going to bother him but I agree that having a student watching over these guys is a good idea." David looked pained and glanced at Doug, "No one including Doug thought anyone was going to bother him either John. In Marc's case, are you sure there isn't a victim or a victim's family member out there who maybe didn't appreciate how well you defended some scumbag who did them harm? Bucky already approved this idea. Anyone in the group is a possible target. Patrick's bringing guys and we're all joining up with Evan's to form a security pool." Spencer answered Noah's earlier question, "I don't know anything about martial arts, shit, I've never even been in a serious fist fight. Will you give me lessons, even that sleepy time trick you pulled on Marc?" "I sure will, even how to put someone down for a nap," Noah answered with a squeeze of Spencer's knee. He frowned at the giggles from Doug and Buck. He reached for Doug's shoulder playfully; Doug leaned forward to get away. "I can even put wise asses in a coma," he threatened and sat back to laugh with Spence. "Can I have my piece back now?" Doug asked. He was about to drive into the cavernous garage, but braked in front of the Mean Green Grading Machine. Bucky was soaking wet from washing his toy. A big black man stood somewhat out of range and pointed at places Bucky missed. "Hey guys! Hi John! Can you stay for dinner? Just look at what a job this little machine does. It's a pressure washer! This is almost as much fun as grading roads! Go on over to the house, have a drink John. I'll be along after I finish." The black man pointed and Bucky went back to work totally engrossed and fascinated with what he was doing. Doug accelerated into the garage, parked in the middle of the main aisle and shut off the engine. "End of the tour." He jumped out and stood with Buck to look over the mud covered Hummer and then back outside. "We'll try out that thing next time; it's too close to dinner right now." Spencer stared at the very fine assembled car flesh, "Holy shit! Harm must have come in his pants when he saw these, the duffus has been restoring an Austin-Healy for two years and now that he's moved here he'll never get it done." "He should have brought it along; he could have worked on it here." Spencer shook his head, "No way, its in pieces, he'd need a flatbed. That old Healy is the reason he doesn't have a car. When he got his license Dad told him he could go pick out a nice used car. That's when I started whining about a boat then and there and I'd worry about a car later. Surprise, surprise Dad agreed just to shut me up. I got my boat and Harm had a tow truck deliver that old wreck. Dad was furious until Harm showed him a classic car book. You know that car could be worth thirty grand if it's restored correctly, not just stuck together with Bondo and paint." Buck looked up at Doug and grinned, "Restoring cars would be a neat hobby. We could help him this winter." Doug agreed with a nod and answering grin. Spencer was exactly like his brother when it came to checking out Becky's furniture in the house. Buck and Doug finally took him by the arms to march him down the second floor hallway to their apartment. "Sorry guys, I guess it's in our blood less in mine than Harm's. I kind of like to design stuff with gems, you know make jewelry. Harm likes to see if he can come up with a pedigree for each piece of furniture that comes in. That's why he's majoring in history." They were on their way to wash up and change clothes before dinner. The swampy area was particularly choice that day because of overnight showers and Doug chose the deepest part to drive through both ways. Doug, Buck and John were protected by the windshield but the guys sitting in the back seat didn't fare as well. David left them at his room door and Noah started to, but Buck winked and nodded at him to stay with them and Doug politely yielded Spencer's arm into his care. Spence smiled shyly down on Noah, reveling in the body contact. Spencer ogled the big apartment and had difficulty with the concept of having such a large independent living space in the heart of a one family home even if there were over fifty rooms in the house, but he quickly appreciated the total privacy the apartment offered. Buck released Spencer into Noah's care when they reached the bedroom. Noah's hand slipped down until his fingers intertwined with Spencer's. Buck and Doug grinned at them from the dressing room while they started to strip off their clothes. "Come on guys, let's get showered and changed. If we don't move it the Wilcott mob will scarf all the munchies," Buck urged and warned with a giggle. Spencer's eyes grew in size while he watched them undress, and Noah reluctantly freed his hand so they could remove their shirts. "I don't have any clothes to change into," he said at last when he discovered he was the only one who wasn't naked and his three new friends were watching him expectantly. Doug laughed, "No problem, we've given up trying to keep wardrobes straight. Buck and Noah wear each other's and you're pretty much my size. Just toss your stuff down the chute here and if you want them back come back tomorrow morning and hunt for them. Now quit stalling, rumor has it that the Golden brothers are, ah," Doug started to say hung alike but changed his mind, "like two peas in a pod." "Two peas in a pod," Buck asked with a giggle, "where the fuck did you dig up that phrase?" Doug responded with a finger and a shrug while he absently held the laundry chute open for Spencer. His attention was fixed on Spencer's mud spattered shorts as they fell down his tanned legs. He nodded in satisfaction with a leering stare, "Like I said; two peas in a pod." "And what a pod," Noah mumbled. "Yeah and tanned too," Buck added. Spencer's whole body flushed, "You guys are embarrassing me," he announced nervously while his eyes flicked from body to body and finally settled on Noah. Buck broke the spell, "Okay, you decided on Noah first, that's cool just remember that Douggie and I have to do some very scientific comparative research pretty soon, but I guess we can do it when we get to Dagger Cay. Let's get showered and dressed." He grinned at the soon to be couple, "And you two keep your hands to yourselves until after dinner," he warned. Warnings were forgotten when the foursome got into the showers so Buck and Doug separated Spencer and Noah by getting between them. Spencer eyed the hose dangling from one of the shower heads, "Do you know what that's for?" Doug asked. "Ah, yeah I think so, Harm told me about it, but I wasn't sure he wasn't bullshitting me." He turned shy, "If that's true, do you really have fruit flavored douches too?" Noah stretched to peek over Doug's shoulder while he fended off Buck's playful hands, "What's your favorite flavor?" Spencer's face matched his first choice, "I guess cherry tonight if you've got any. I'm not very, well experienced with guys that is," he hastened to add. "I am with girls though and I think, that is I hope the same general rules apply." Noah shrugged his ignorance, "I don't see why not." For Spencer the buffet dinner was a blur from the moment he walked into the dinning room. He remembered the table that was set for thirty-two and Buck laughing and explaining he forgot to tell the kitchen how many guests were expected so apparently they opted to be safe and added all the table sections. Then since thirty-two places were set, the chef, Spencer assumed there was a chef, prepared enough food to serve fifty diners. The serving table groaned with entrées surrounded with appropriate side dishes. The twins arrived in the middle of dinner with their half brother Diego and their friend wheelchair bound Charlie. The boys were accompanied by an older Irish guy named Patrick who seemed to know everyone already. After the preliminary greetings were over another round of introductions began. Buck and Doug whispered to the twins and all four made their way to the Golden brothers, Marc and Paul Wilcott stood by wearing huge grins. Toby and Terry shook hands with Harm and Spencer while the twins held each other's hand. Doug joined the Golden's while everyone watched their faces. The reaction was almost instantaneous among the two pairs of brothers. "Oh wow," Terry exclaimed, "we click, man do we ever!" He looked around quickly, "Diego, Charlie join in quick, let's see how this works." The Golden brothers tried to pull their hands away, their faces were beet red and they stared down at themselves thankful that they were wearing their shirts outside their shorts. Diego pushed Charlie in close, then took one of Charlie's hands and held it on Harm and Terry's clasped hands. Each of the six boys' eyes roamed over the other five. Harm and Spencer were suddenly no longer interested in breaking the empathic contact. Patrick broke them apart by walking into the group, "Now lads, I thought we talked o' keepin' the mind tricks reserved for more private times. Just look at ye, indecent is what I call it. Best get to the servin' line before ye be missin' out on dinner for sure." He herded his charges back then turned to meet Harm and Spence. His eyes dropped and widened when he saw the distinct outlines of matching very impressive erections pressing through shorts and shirt material. "Glory be!" his voice dropped to a whisper; "You boys best set an' finish your dinners. Food helps to be takin' your minds off what me lads were so boldly suggestin' here in this fine dinnin' room." Patrick was interrupted by a minor disturbance at the head of the table. Bucky stood up to be introduced to Vincent by Joe and Will. As Bucky gained his feet, Vincent sank to his knees, grabbed Bucky's hand and kissed it. Silence fell when Vincent, in awe of finally meeting his former employer impulsively and very seriously bestowed the title, Godfather on Bucky. Vincent ignored Joe and Wills' whispered entreaties to stand up and shut up. He continued to kneel, looking up at Bucky like an adoring puppy. He didn't budge until Bucky leaned down and whispered something. Vincent got to his feet then with a speed that belied his bulk and the weight of his portable armory that was barely hidden by his suit jacket. Vincent bowed formally then looked around until he spotted the twins and ran to join them at the buffet. Then rather than joining them in the line he stood with his back to them, blocking them with his body, sidestepping as they moved, and scowling at everyone in the room. Toby punched Vincent in the back and yowled when his fist connected with something hard. Vincent became solicitations, "Are you hurt Boss?" he gave up trying to identify them and resorted to calling them both Boss. He knew them well enough to know that their minds were linked so he never used the plural; if he spoke to one twin he spoke to both simultaneously. "Nope, just enough to get your attention, you need to stop frowning at everyone as if you were going to shoot them, these are ALL friends even the ones we've never seen before." Toby saw that there was a vacant chair next to Bucky. "Here, here's my plate fill it up quick and go sit next to the Godfather. I'll bet he'd enjoy some of your stories about guys you've rubbed out." Vincent looked shocked. He leaned down and whispered; "Boss don't call him that when anyone's around to hear you, even your buds. Those are the man's orders, he just told me and you don't want to piss him off. He also sent me over here to guard you and that's what I'm doin'." He looked hopeful suddenly, "But, I could maybe sit near him if you sat close by where I can see you." ## Spencer's vision cleared when he found himself alone with Noah in Noah's room. The room was stark, sparsely furnished, almost like a cell except for its size, it was huge and discounting the frescoed ceiling, the elaborately carved moldings and the paintings by modern masters, no doubt originals that graced the walls, startling and beautiful in its simplicity. He began to get nervous. He was alone with Noah a relative stranger, a stranger with a magnificent body and an unabashed gay. Noah was naked and erect while Harm was naked and surprisingly not, embarrassingly not. He stood in the middle of the austere room like a statue with a painted red face. Noah took his hand and tugged him to a cushioned mat placed in front of open French doors. There was a small balcony that overlooked the garden. "There's no hurry, I'll show you a branch of the arts the others don't know about. Lie on your back, breathe deeply and relax." Spencer complied but couldn't relax until Noah knelt at his side to begin massaging his temples with the tips of his fingers. His brain tingled pleasantly. Noah's presence faded. The tingling spread down his body. Noah spoke to him in soft echoes, "Tonight you are a satyr, a demigod with an unquenchable lust and I am the human you desire." When Spencer opened his eyes he looked down on Noah. Noah smiled back. They were on Noah's bed. Spencer looked down their bodies. He was lying across one of Noah's legs half on his side. His whole body tingled slightly but most of the feelings had coalesced in his cock and balls which had grown huge, rock hard and overflowing. His muscles felt and looked larger, more developed, his body felt heavier yet when he moved slightly to lean down and kiss Noah he thought he was floating. His need to mount Noah was overpowering, but the scene wasn't playing out like he expected, Noah was supposed to be mounting him. "What about the hose and cherry stuff?" he willed his mind to ask but didn't hear his question or feel his lips move. "That's already taken care of while you took a nap. I used them and you won't need to, not tonight." Noah's lips moved but his words came from everywhere. Spencer blinked and Noah's body was overshadowed by his new one. Noah welcomed his cock into his body with a widening of his constant smile. The need to breed, to inject his seed in the boy-man under him became paramount. If he was a demigod he was also omnipotent. Nothing else in the world mattered. His constant plunging was interrupted with shivers each time he came. The word MORE entered his mind. He didn't know if the word was a question or a demand or which of them asked or ordered. Humanity returned in the predawn, Spencer the Great was spent. His body and mind were returned and with them, concern for his lover. He pulled out slowly. He nuzzled Noah's ear, "Did I hurt you?" Noah shook his head, "Not until I wanted you to." "My God, I don't know what came over me." Spencer grinned, "Check that, I do, you did it somehow," he whispered, "Are you going to teach me that one too?" He moved his head to Noah's chest and dragged his cheek downward. "Oh yes, eventually, I can't do that to myself, but you've got a lot to learn before you get to this stage." Noah felt Spencer's nod on his gut just before there was the warm wetness of his mouth. He didn't touch Spencer's head until after he came and then only to keep the boy's mouth in place for a second shot, "Sorry, I think some of the energy rubs off," he apologized. Spencer went back to work with the slightest scent of cherries mixed with the stronger ammonia odor of his cum in his nostrils. His cock re-grew in anticipation just like it always did when he got ready to reclaim himself from a girlfriend. He wondered if a girl would ever again be as satisfying as his brother or Noah's hard resilient and equally demanding bodies as he abandoned Noah's cock to manhandle the smaller body into feasting position. ## "Hey Doug, you got a minute?" Evan asked on the stairs. They were on their way up to the apartment for the night. They were alone a rare occurrence, after Marc in the lead looked back and challenged everyone to a race with the usual consequences for the guy in last place. Doug's grin disappeared after he noted Evan's seriousness, "Sure little buddy, anytime, you know that," he couldn't resist adding, "Except when you want furniture moved." "Come on in my room. I have an envelope for you from Grandfather." Evan went to his neat collection of packed luggage lined up near the door. "Shit Evan just when did you find time to pack and why do you have so much? We're just going to Dagger where we don't need any clothes mostly." Evan picked up a titanium case and carried it to the bed after he closed and locked the door. "Jon was or maybe still is Rodney's gentleman's gentleman, his valet so he packs for me. Besides, I need to make a quick trip to Europe from the island." He opened the case. There were a few envelopes on top of a fortune in tightly packed currency that actually filled the case. "How come you're dragging all that loot around?" Doug wondered. Evan shrugged, "Its escape money, my emergency fund, whatever." He picked out one envelope with Doug's name on it and offered it. "Grandfather left you something and I should have given you this right away, but we never seem to be alone." Doug sat on the bed and turned the envelope over. The flap was sealed with red wax and stamped with Anton's signet ring. He lifted his eyes to Evan's hand. Evan answered the unasked question, "I will when my fingers grow a little, I could have it cut down but somehow that would be like cutting Grandfather." Doug nodded that he understood. He broke the seal, "Try wearing it on your thumb that might work." "Hey yeah!" Evan scooted to his luggage and began opening cases at random looking for Anton's wooden jewelry case while Doug read his letter. Doug flopped back to stare at the ceiling, "Do you know what's in this?" he asked after a minute. He turned his head when Evan didn't answer immediately. Evan sat like an Indian amid his scattered belongings. He was staring at his thumb and the unique carved emerald dagger signet ring. "Man thanks Douggie, great idea, now wearing this I finally feel a little bit like I am the Master like the Euros keep calling me. I owe you one." He shook himself, "What? Oh, what's in your letter? Nope, but I hope it's something nice and big. Grandfather liked you the best of all the guys." He giggled at his forthcoming joke, "But I can't figure out why, no one else does." Doug barely smiled, "Okay, what'd he give you?" "He gave me Dagger Cay and the whole fucking archipelago." Doug whispered. He added Anton's justification with a voice tinged with disbelief, "Just because I saved his life by taking out the scumbag who was going to snuff my sorry crippled ass while he fucked it." "Hey congratulations!" Evan ran at the bed and jumped, screaming and laughing. He sat on Doug's chest and grinned, "That's one big expense off my back! 'Am I made of money?'" he had Anton's accent down perfectly. "Just you wait until you start paying the fucking bills." His giggles dissolved into a frown, "Or do I have to keep paying like I do for Sea Song?" he asked suspiciously barely able to stop his giggles. It was Doug's turn to laugh, "No you tightwad motherfucker. Man are you a cheapo sometimes," he joked back knowing Evan was just the opposite and really didn't care about expenses or if he lost ownership of the island. "Actually there's a trust until I'm eighteen. He said to see Bucky, he'll administer it." "He who he?" Evan asked while his practiced fingers worked Doug's zipper down and his hand brought an already growing cock out for air. "Feel like a quickie to celebrate?" "Your grandfather dope, and yes a quickie would be fine just so you know how it feels to be fucked out of another hundred million bucks!" Doug laughed, grabbed Evan's arms and rolled.