Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2018 23:09:32 -0500
From: rw6789@aol.com
Subject: "A Trial Of Strength" - Part 397  by Rob Williams

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 397
By Rob Williams

CHAPTER 397 – "LARRY'S WILD SEXUAL INITIATION"

IN THIS CHAPTER:

Mike, the handsome middle aged bar owner, and his younger lover, the hot
stud Larry, have hit a rough patch and might even split up.  But the other
boys take over and lure Larry out to the desert to make him see sense by
initiating him into the tribe.  Larry's induction is intense – he gets
simultaneously butt-fucked, tit-tortured and sucked off by his buddies
while his best friend Jamie spills his load all over him."
_____________________________________________________________________


************ In the previous chapter *************

The cop Mark and his lover Jamie were on a week-long vacation in their
beach shack in the remote dunes along with the Marine Hassan and his boy
Eddie.  After they had played out their fantasies and frustrations in
sexual games ranging from rough to romantic, Mark received a phone
invitation from their good buddy Mike, better known as Uncle Mike.

Still fit and handsome in his late fifties Mike owned a popular leather bar
in Palm Springs where he lived in a sprawling house with his lover Larry, a
much younger man in his early twenties. Mike invited the guys to come and
spend the last weekend of their mini-vacation with him and Larry.  The
senior boy of the tribe Pablo and his boy Tyler would also be there.

They all thought it would be great to see Mike again after so long.  Young
Eddie gushed, "Can't wait to see Tyler out there.  You know, I became that
kid's first friend that day he first dropped in on us at Uncle Mike's house
– I mean literally dropped in from his peeping-tom perch in a tree."

"It'll be great to see Larry again, too," Jamie said.  "We have a long
history together but we haven't kept in touch as much as we should.  I mean
he pretty much stays out there all the time taking care of Mike's house and
helping him run his bar. We've got a lot to catch up on."

But Mark looked uneasy and Hassan asked what troubled him.  "Dunno really,"
Mark said.  "Just a hunch, but when I spoke to Mike on the phone he was
excited about seeing us, but there was something in his voice ... a kind of
over-eager tone ... like he really needed us to visit.  And when he
mentioned Larry he faltered a bit.  Then again, nah, maybe I'm imagining
things."

It was a long drive from the coast to the desert where their arrival
naturally caused considerable excitement.  Pablo and his boy Tyler had
already arrived and Tyler now raced out of the house and into the arms of
his pal Eddie as he leapt from Hassan's jeep.

Pablo greeted Jamie by pulling him into a macho shoulder bump.  Larry hung
back looking slightly bashful, Jamie thought, so Jamie gave him a long,
warm hug.  "Lot to tell you, dude," Larry said. "I need to share some
... well, we'll talk as soon as you're settled in, eh?"

While Larry took the two junior boys Eddie and Tyler to help him in the
kitchen, Mike sat out by the pool drinking beer with Mark and Hassan, and
the senior boys Pablo and Jamie.  At first conversation flowed easily.
Mike had a stream of questions about the tribe and they reassured him that
everyone was doing just fine back in L.A.  Eventually Mark smiled, "But
enough about us, Mike.  How about you?  Things going well with you, Larry,
the bar and all?"

"Sure, can't complain," Mike replied blandly.  "Pretty much same as
always."

But they could tell from his lack of enthusiasm that that was clearly not
true.  They all knew and loved Mike as the solid, self-assured older man
who had built a very comfortable life for himself out here in the desert.
He was always cheerful, the rock on which others depended.  Mike was the
only one who ever called boss Randy `boy', and Randy looked up to him with
huge respect.

But right now he looked weary somehow, his shoulders hunched and there was
almost a defeated look in his eye.  "You OK, Mike?" Mark asked.  "You seem
a bit ...deflated somehow."

"What?  No, I'm fine, like I said.  I ... I ... oh shit, who am I kidding?
Guys, I am so glad you're here.  I really needed to see you ... to unload
on you, I guess.  It's Larry.  You know how crazy I am about the boy
... he's made me feel young again and we were both great together."

"Were?" Mark frowned.

"Yeah.  Thing is ... I think Larry's gonna leave me."

"Bullshit," Hassan said.  "We've seen you two together and there's no way
that boy ..."

"No ... no let me finish, buddy.  See, when we first met I was surprised
that a hot young guy like him would find me sexy.  I thought at first he
might be a gold-digger, you know, out to find a rich guy to keep him.  But
when we started to have sex I came to realize that he was genuine, the real
thing.  So I took the plunge and asked Larry to come out here and live with
me."

"And it worked just great," Pablo said.  "We could all see that, and Randy
said so too, and he's never wrong about stuff like that."

"Yeah, and he was right.  We've had a terrific time together but ... well
in the last few weeks I've noticed a restlessness in Larry.  See, out here
in the desert you can get a sort of island fever, stuck in a small world
... and this is a small world.  I know Larry loves me, but right from the
start I've been scared he might one day leave me for a younger guy, a guy
his own age."

Mike choked up.  "And now I think it's happening.  There's a hot young guy
called Franco, same age as Larry, who's been hanging round the bar a lot.
Nice young guy, I like him ... and so does Larry – more than like him.
At first I thought it was good for Larry to have a buddy his own age until
... until Larry and him had sex ... they made love."

"How did you find out?" Mark asked.

"Larry told me.  He has always been totally honest with me and he came to
me and told me face to face.  He closed the bar on his own one night and
Franco was still there so Larry went home with him and – that's when it
happened."

"And ... what?  What else did he say?"

"Not much, except that he's confused, says it's like he's walking in the
dark, he don't trust himself anymore.  Says he loves me as much as ever but
he liked having sex with Franco and it's thrown him for a loop.  It's
thrown me for a loop too.  I'm sure he's gonna leave me, guys.  Dammit, how
can I, a guy pushing sixty, compete with a hot young stud of 23?"

Mark protested, "Hey, don't you think you're jumping the gun a bit, Mike?
I mean, it just happened – one time.  Maybe Larry does like this kid, a
guy his own age, but you're projecting that into him leaving you. That's a
bit of a stretch, buddy ... kinda paranoid don't ya think?"

Suddenly Pablo stood up and clenched his fists.  "It's the other guy's
fault, trying to break you two up.  I've seen assholes like him before.
Don't worry, Mike.  Tell me where this guy lives and I'll sort him out real
fast."

Mike chuckled.  "That's exactly how your dad Randy would react, Pablo.  You
really are a chip off the old block.  Thanks, kid, but `sorting out' Franco
is not the answer."

Pablo sat down, a bit deflated, then Jamie spoke up.  "Mike, Larry and I go
back a long way as you know.  I knew him when we were running wild as
skinheads, long before I barged in on the tribe and Mark, er, sorted me
out," he grinned. "Would you mind if I spoke to him?  Maybe I can find out
what's at the bottom of this, how he's really feeling.  I think Larry would
confide in me."

Mike looked searchingly at Jamie.  "I guess it couldn't hurt. Thanks Jamie.
If it's OK with Mark."

Mark nodded.  "I think it's a great idea.  If anyone can get through to the
boy, Jamie, you can."


********************** CHAPTER 397 *********************

The sun was climbing toward midday but a cloud had fallen over what should
have been a joyful reunion between the host Uncle Mike and the men of the
tribe – Mark and Hassan, and the senior boys Pablo and Jamie.

Once they had decided that Jamie should speak to his old buddy Larry, that
should have put the subject to rest for now, but this was too fundamental
of an issue to be ignored.  They were all shocked and saddened to hear of
Mike's fears that his boy Larry would leave him for a younger man but, out
of deference to their old friend, they did not try to stifle it under a
change of subject to trivial distractions.

They all remembered the technique of their therapist Doctor Steve, who had
told then that, once a patient had answered a question, Steve stayed
silent, a silence that got so uncomfortable that the patient would jump in
again with words straight from the heart, more significant than the first.

So they let Mike talk, which is what he had longed to do as he waited
anxiously for their arrival. "Guys, I'm sorry to unload on you but this is
all so new to me.  When my long-time lover died some years ago I threw
myself into my work at the bar and turned my back on romance.  Losing him
was so painful to me that I determined never to let myself become that
vulnerable to love and loss ever again.  I was done with love
... determinedly single.

"Then, out of nowhere, along came Larry and pretty soon, though I fought
against it, I found myself falling in love ... and with a guy in his early
twenties!  What the fuck was I thinking?  A hot young stud like him falling
for a guy pushing sixty like me?  I thought it couldn't be real, couldn't
last, but you know what?  It was real and it did last, all this time until
..."

Mike choked up again.  "I wish I had never met Larry.  No, no!  Strike
that, I didn't mean that.  I love, Larry.  I'm crazy about him ... I just
can't bear the thought of losing him."

Mark grabbed Mike's hands across the table.  "Hey, hey.  You're not gonna
lose him, Mike.  Maybe a few little adjustments round the edges, but you
are not gonna lose him, trust me."

A glimmer of hope came to his eyes at Mark's words.  "The hell of it is,
Larry says he still loves me, but tell me this.  How can a young guy still
be in love with me while he's hanging out with a hot guy his own age, and
now butt-fucking him?"

"Easy," Pablo said.  "Hell, I'm in love with Randy and I still fuck with
Jamie and the other guys – and what's more I've got a lover, Darius.
And Randy don't mind – in fact he encourages it.  So wrap your mind
around that lot, Mike."

"Yeah but that's different.  I mean you guys are in this tribe of yours
where you're almost all fuck-buddies.  But how would it work if one of you
went to a bar like ours, met a stranger and went to his place and fucked?"

"Oh, no, that wouldn't happen," Pablo said.  "There's a rule Randy made
years ago that whatever goes on inside the tribe nobody, but nobody, gets
to fuck outside of it.  Actually it did happen once, I'll never forget it.
Darius met this guy in a bar who wanted to make a mold of his cock for a
dildo and Darius went home with the guy, got drunk and fucked him.

"He confessed to Zack of course and he hit the fucking roof.  You never
wanna get Zack that mad, let me tell you, it's a scary sight.  He almost
chucked Darius out, but he punished him instead – big time."

"But Mike," Mark said, "why do you say `this tribe of ours'?  It's your
tribe too, yours and Larry's.  You may live way the hell out here but
you're in the tribe too.  Randy made that clear some time ago, and he has
the last word on stuff like that.  Man, he looks up to you so much, he
thinks it's an honor to have you in the group."

Mike perked up a bit.  "You don't say.  Well how do you like that?  Big
stud like Randy."

"Uncle Mike," Jamie asked.  "Does Larry consider himself part of the
tribe?"

"I shouldn't think so," Mike said.  "We've never talked about it.  No, he
thinks all he's got is me."  His mood darkened.  "Until Franco came along,
that is."

A look passed between Jamie and Pablo, a silent understanding, the dawning
of a plan maybe.

The group had strayed back onto thin ice but fortunately Larry appeared,
pushing the drinks cart followed by Eddie and Tyler carrying trays of
snacks.  They spread them on the table and Eddie and Tyler sat down.  As he
passed behind Mike before sitting next to him Larry pressed his hands
lightly on his shoulders.  Without looking round Mike reached up and
covered one of his hands with his.

That almost imperceptible intimate gesture summed up for Mark the anguish
they were going through and his heart went out to them.  Mark himself had
gone through some difficult episodes with Jamie, one quite recently, and he
knew how delicate relationships could sometimes be.  God knows, he thought,
how much harder it was when there was an age difference of 35 years.

There was a contemplative, rather awkward silence for a while until Eddie,
who was unaware of the problems, chirped up, "Why the long faces, dudes?
You guys look like a rainy Tuesday night.  Did somebody die or something?"

Jamie frowned at him and shook his head slightly as a warning.  Eddie
realized he had put his foot in something and pursed his lips to stop
himself from asking, `Who? When? Where? How?"

But at least Eddie had melted the ice and the conversation picked up,
hesitantly at first but then gaining in confidence when Mike asked about
their trip to the dunes.  Mark began a rather bland account of events but
Eddie finally un-pursed his lips and sailed forth.  He took over the
account with machine-gun delivery, complete with lurid descriptions and
exaggerations.

Often Eddie's motor mouth could be annoying, but this time it saved the
day, amusing Mike and Larry and stunning young Tyler with his colorful
descriptions of the cop's homoerotic `punishment' of the Marine captain,
and the subsequent fantasy where Eddie had played the role of rookie Marine
recruit being initiated by the horny captain.

They all relaxed, but under the placid surface there still flowed the
unease about Mike and Larry's trouble and the uncertainty of what came
next.

***********************************

As the pace of the conversation slowed and several of the men closed their
eyes to snooze in the sun Larry said to Jamie, "Hey, buddy, you wanna see
what I've been doing to the garden?"

It was clearly a transparent ploy to be alone with Jamie, who promptly took
his cue.  "Sure, dude.  Let's go take a look."  Jamie cast a quick
unobtrusive glance at Mark who nodded slightly. Jamie got up from the table
and followed Larry to the far corner of the extensive grounds where a small
grove of trees shaded a wooden garden bench.  They sat on the bench and
turned to face each other.

"This where you come to be alone and meditate?" Jamie grinned.  "I know, I
have the same kind of hideaway on the grounds of the tribe's compound.
Great place to decompress.  If I had used it more I might not have had that
meltdown I had in the office.  You probably heard about that."

"Yeah," Larry said.  "Eddie called to talk to his former boss Mike and
spilled every last detail."

Jamie chuckled.  "Yup, that would be megaphone-mouth Eddie.  Nothing stays
secret for more than a minute and a half when that kid has a story to tell.
You heard the way he rattled on over drinks just now."

"But everything's OK now with you and Mark?"

"Oh sure – better than ever."  Jamie paused, proceeding carefully.
"Which probably can't be said about you and Mike right now eh?  Mike told
us all about it while you were in the kitchen – he seemed anxious to
unload.  Do, er, do you wanna talk about it, Larry?"

"Sure," Larry grinned sheepishly.  "Why do you think I brought you over
here?  I needed to unload too, and you are my best buddy, dude.  I had
nobody else to confide in."  Jamie waited for more but Larry hesitated.
"It's kinda hard to know how to begin, though."

Well," Jamie said gently, "why don't you start by telling me about your pal
Franco?"

Larry smiled.  "He came into the bar a month or so ago ... he had just
moved to Palm Springs from New York.  He didn't know anyone out here so he
hung around the bar a lot.  He's a real good guy, Jamie, you'd like him
– laidback, funny, kind, and we get along real well."

"Sexy too?"

Larry grinned and shrugged.  "Yeah, that too.  Real handsome in a dark,
Latin kinda way – comes from an Italian background.  Anyway, we started
hanging out together after my shift ended at the bar.  Mike didn't seem to
mind – he encourage it, glad to see me with a friend my own age.  We
went to the gym together and became gym buddies.  And then ..."

"Then ...?"

"Oh shit, I guess it was inevitable really.  We went to his apartment one
evening, had a few drinks and ... and we ended up fucking ... no, making
love ... fucking too.  You know ..."

"Was it a one-night stand?"

"That's the hell of it, dude, I don't know.  I mean, it was great sex and
we both wanna do it again, probably will but ..."

"But Mike ..."

"Yeah, of course.  Don't get me wrong, I love Mike a whole lot and sex has
always been great between us.  I love living with him and I know he's nuts
about me, tells me so all the time ..."

"But ..."

"But I ... this is just between us eh?"  Jamie nodded.  "Well, it's got
where I need to be around someone my own age – just to hang out and have
sex with too.  But I can't tell Mike that.  He's already self-conscious
about the age difference between us so that would get him real worried."

"It already has, Larry."

"I know, I know, and the last thing I want to do is hurt such a great guy
as Mike.  I mean, how do you do it with Mark?  Er, can I tell you
something?  I've always been a bit jealous of you, Jamie, and what you have
with Mark.  It's always been plain sailing for you two."

"Huh, don't know where you got that from, dude.  Early on I was always
paranoid about Mark leaving me.  And we've had our ups and downs ... one
time so bad that he almost threw me out.  I had fallen in with a grungy
crowd of surfers, druggers, and Mark caught me doing crystal meth with
them.  He went totally apeshit, said it was all over between us and was
even gonna have my `MM' tattoo removed from my arm.

"We managed to survive that crises, but then another time Mark got it in
his head that I was gonna leave him for Jason, who's younger than Mark –
that same `younger man' bullshit Mike's going through.  But we sorted that
one out too, and we're now rock solid.  Relationships always have rough
patches, dude, like the one you're going through now."

"Yeah, but you and me, we're different, Jamie.  Another reason I've always
been jealous of you is that you've got this tribe of great-looking guys who
like and respect you, and it's OK for you all to fuck around with each
other.  So, like, if you ever get horny for someone younger than Mark
you've got it right there – you can fuck with one of the boys. And Mark
don't mind – as long as you're his boy and are always there for him."

Jamie frowned, "But that reminds me of something weird that Mike said –
that he and you have never thought of yourselves as members of the tribe
– I guess just because you live out here in the desert.  I mean, when
did you last come into L.A. and spend time with us?"

"Can't remember," Larry shrugged.  "Long time ago.  Anyway, I would never
really fit in.  I mean, I'd never measure up to you, Jamie.  You've got
this classy thing about you, they all look up to you, and you're the boy of
a gorgeous cop, one of the senior men.  But me ... not so long ago I was
still kinda trailer trash in St. Louis until I got on a bus to come here
and find you – and I met Mike.  Nah, I'm not really tribe material,
dude, and you know it."

"I know no such bullshit thing, Larry, and now you're starting to make me
mad.  Of course you and Mike are in the tribe.  Trouble is, you never take
time off from the bar and come and visit us.  Only time I ever see you is
on our trips out here like this one.  We used to be so close in the old
days and I often miss you, dude?  Hell, if you lived in L.A. we'd probably
be fuck buddies."

"You think so?" Larry asked with a hint of shyness.

"Yes I do – and it's what you need, Larry.  Oh, I know the customers in
the bar like you and get on real well with you, but they're mostly older
guys.  I tell you this – if you were living with the tribe none of this
stuff with Franco would ever have happened.  You could have your cake and
eat it – be lovers with Mike and still fuck around with us younger guys
when the mood hits you."

That was a lot to take in, but Larry was focusing on one thing.  "You
really think we'd be fuck buddies if we lived closer, dude?"

"Hell yes.  As I recall we fucked once before, didn't we?  You're a hot
fucking stud, Larry, but you're just feeling insecure right now.  Man, what
do I have to do to convince you?"  Jamie slid along the bench, wrapped his
hand round the back of Larry's head and pulled him into a churning kiss."

When they finally pulled apart Larry panted, "Wow."  Jamie got up, pulled
off his T-shirt and stood facing Larry with his arms open wide.  "See?  I
ain't exactly chopped liver either, am I?"

Larry grinned, "You're fucking gorgeous, dude, and you know it."

"So what are you waiting for, big guy?  Here am I, there you are ... so
shut up and suck." Jamie dropped his board shorts and his cock sprang out
inches from Larry's face.  Instinctively Larry's jaw dropped and Jamie
grabbed his hair and pulled his face forward on his cock.

Jamie was surprised at Larry's skill and fervor as a cocksucker –
evidently he had plenty of practice on Mike, Jamie thought.  Damn, he's
almost as good as Eddie – well, no one's as good as Eddie, but still.
He even had Eddie's talent of `edging' – clenching his throat muscles
round Jamie's cock and bringing him to the edge of his climax before
releasing it at the last minute and denying his orgasm repeatedly.

Jamie looked down at the tousled dark hair and the handsome face chowing
down on his cock and gasped, "Oh, man, you're bringing me so close but I
don't wanna cum yet."  He yanked his cock free, put his hands under Larry's
armpits and pulled him to his feet facing him.  "Shit, dude, you must've
had a ton of practice on Mike, he's a lucky guy. You really had me going
there."

"You got a prime piece o' meat there, buddy.  Went down my throat a treat."

"But what do you really want, dude?" Jamie asked.

"Jamie ... when I went with Franco I fucked him.  And next time I was gonna
ask him to fuck me."  Suddenly Larry's face broke into a mischievous smile.
"But getting fucked by a cop's boy can't be too bad so – I guess you'll
do instead."

"Asshole," Jamie laughed as he grabbed Larry and wrestled him to the
ground.  The two young jocks wrestled playfully for dominance until Larry
lay on his back on the grass and Jamie straddled him on his knees.  He
reached forward and pulled Larry's shirt off over his head.  "Damn," Jamie
said, admiring his ripped torso, his bulging pecs and razor-sharp abs.
"You've really been working out hard, man."

"The gym's about all there is to do around here," Larry smiled ruefully.

"And those fucking tits ... I'd forgotten those huge hard nipples.  Biggest
I've seen."

Larry's eyes sparkled.  "Well they get a major workout from Mike and I love
it.  I'm a real nipple whore, dude.  Mike works on them for hours."

"Well we ain't got hours dude but what we lack in time we can make up in
force.  Like this."  Kneeling astride him Jamie clamped his fingers on the
big solid nipples.  He squeezed hard, twisted, and ground them in his
fingers, watching the handsome face grimace and thrash from side to side,
his long hair whipping across his handsome face as he groaned in ecstasy.

And this was the young jock face that Mike saw every day, and Jamie knew at
that moment what excited Mike so much about his lover and why he was
desperate not to lose him. Tears came to Larry's eyes as he moaned, "Yeah,
shit I love that.  Your nails, dude, use your nails."

So Jamie dug in with is fingernails, sending Larry into a delirium of
painful pleasure.  Suddenly Jamie pulled off ... and began flicking at the
ultra-tender nipples, then rubbing them, slapping them, then scrubbing them
with his fingertips.  "Aaagh ..." Larry howled, his body arching up for
more.  "Aaagh ... fuck me, dude, fuck my ass.  I wanna feel your dick in my
ass."

Swiftly Jamie moved back, pulled off Larry's shorts and pushed his legs in
the air.  "You sexy mother-fucker, you wanna feel a surfer jock's big dick
up your ass while he punishes your tits?  Here it comes, big guy."

Jamie's cock was still wet from Larry's mouth and he pushed it between his
ass cheeks and drove it deep in his ass.  Larry's eyes opened wide and he
moaned, "Oh, shit, that feels so fucking hot, man."  He looked up at the
blond jock, muscles flexing in his ripped body as he fucked, his thick
blond hair falling over his handsome, smiling face.

"This is what you need, Larry – to get ploughed by one of your buddies.
And it's all OK, `cos after we've both busted our nuts I'll go back to my
man Mark and you'll go back to Mike and turn him on by telling him all
about it.  But first, I'm gonna send you through the fucking roof, you sexy
son of a bitch."

A gleam came to Jamie's eye as he quickly accelerated the pace of his fuck,
plunging in faster and deeper.  He licked his thumb and forefinger on each
hand and reached forward to the already raw nipples, making Larry gasp at
the very first touch.  His wet fingers slid over the nipples, sending jolts
of pain and pleasure through his chest and whole body.

It is said that a man cannot feel two sources of pain at the same time, but
Larry did – the pounding in his ass from the jackhammer cock matching
the searing pain in his tits.  And it drove him wild, his body rearing up
under the dual attack.  He grabbed his cock and pounded it in his fist,
adding to the euphoria that was consuming his entire body.

"Fuck you, man," he yelled, bucking wildly beneath Jamie.  "Yeah, work
those fucking tits, let me feel that dick reaming my ass.  You're fucking
beautiful, Jamie.  Shit that hurts ... you're gonna make me cum.  Please,
man, let me feel your jizz in my ass.  It hurts so bad ... aaagh ... I'm
gonna cum ... I'm gonna fucking cum ... yeah, fuck yeah ... aaagh!"

The pornographic sight of the tortured young jock blasting cum all over his
writhing body was enough to make Jamie give a last savage twist to his tits
as his cock exploded in his buddy's ass.  Tears were running down Larry's
face as he looked up at Jamie and moaned, "Un-fucking-believable, dude.
God I love you Jamie."

But as soon as the euphoria began to wear off and the physical pain
subsided it was replaced by the familiar emotional ache as thoughts of Mike
came flooding back.  He stared up at his friend and said plaintively, "Help
me, Jamie.  Please, will you help me?"

"Of course I will, dude," Jamie smiled.  "That's what a buddy does.  And
after all, kid, you're a member of the tribe, aren't you?"

**********************************

Of course the group round the table heard the yelling coming from the far
side of the garden, and knew it could mean only one thing.  Mark accepted
it as a positive sign and smiled knowingly at Hassan.  Mike looked uneasy,
though, afraid Larry was being hurt, but Pablo said softly, "Don't worry,
Uncle Mike, it's all part of the plan.  Jamie would never make his buddy do
anything he didn't want to – it's a rule of the tribe."

As for Eddie, his eyes were gleaming.  He knew he was in the middle of an
event that would be talked about for a long time (at least he would talk
about it, for sure, and he tried to remember every detail so he could tell
the story to Darius later – on camera).  He was bursting to say
something now but, just as Jamie had done earlier, Pablo signaled to Eddie
with his eyes to keep his mouth shut.

The wide-eyed young Tyler was sitting across from Eddie and kept kicking
him under the table but Eddie, in silent frustration, mouthed to him,
"Later, dude."

Soon after the yelling died down Jamie and Larry reappeared, both shirtless
in shorts. Larry had not put his T-shirt back on knowing that the fabric
would rub against his raw nipples and get him hard again.  Mike looked up
anxiously and saw Larry's bulging red nipples, a sight he saw often when he
worked on them, so he knew exactly what had happened.

Mike reached up and squeezed Larry's hand.  "You OK, kiddo?"

"Sure I am, sir.  Jamie and me are buddies.  Hey, you guys, anyone wanna
join me in the pool?"

It was Larry's way of avoiding any follow-up questions, but several of the
guys realized that he also needed to cool off his burning nipples in the
water.  Eddie eagerly joined Larry, they quickly shed their clothes and
jumped in the pool.  Tyler glanced at Pablo who grinned his consent, so he
too got naked and leapt in too with a joyful shout.

Pablo said, "Hey Jamie, as the boys seem to be otherwise occupied, you
wanna give me a hand clearing the table and taking these plates to the
kitchen?"

"Sure, dude," Jamie said, a little too eagerly, and they quickly gathered
the plates and went into the house.

Mike smiled at Mark and Hassan and sighed.  "You know, guys, I've always
made it a point to be in control around here and stay on top of things.
But I gotta tell you I've kinda lost the plot right now.  I feel like I'm
swimming upstream and losing the struggle."

Hassan smiled and put his arm round his shoulder.  "You know, Mike, there
have been times in L.A. when we men have fucked up and the shit has hit the
fan – with Randy usually throwing the first pitch, eh Mark?"  Mark
grinned ruefully and nodded.  "But when stuff like that happens," Hassan
continued, "we occasionally leave it to the boys to sort things out.  They
may seem hyperactive and impulsive sometimes but they've got cool heads on
their shoulders – it's the way we've brought them up.

"Now you may have lost the plot, buddy," Hassan grinned, "but I'd bet that
right now Pablo and Jamie are hatching some kind of plot of their own in
the kitchen.  And my advice is to leave it to them.  I know how worried you
are, and Larry's obviously confused, but those boys probably have their
finger on the pulse on what's going down much better than we do."

"I agree," Mark said.  "What the captain here is saying, Mike, is stop
swimming upstream and just go with the flow.  Here, have another beer."

"God, I'm glad you guys are here," Mike said.  "OK, you're right.  I'll
just kick back and let nature and the boys take their course."

All three men lolled in their chairs, put their heads back and closed their
eyes against the sun.  But it wasn't long before Jamie and Pablo had
finished in the kitchen and came back out. Jamie nodded to Pablo who
cleared his throat.  "Er, Hassan.  Whenever you're out here don't you
usually go and check on that little house of yours out in the desert, the
one with the, er, black room in the basement?  Or were you and Mark gonna
go out there and do your thing?"

"Hah," Hassan chuckled, "no Pablo, Mark and me already `did our thing' as
you call it out at the beach, as Eddie described to you earlier in glorious
Technicolor.  But you're right, I should go out and check on the place
stuck out there in that remote place.  But not yet.  Hell, I've had enough
driving for one day after that long haul here from the beach."

Pablo glanced at Jamie who said, "Well, sir, why don't you stay put and let
Pablo and me take a run out there and check on the place for you.  All you
have to do is give us directions, `cos all those roads out in the desert
look the same.  Unless maybe Larry knows the way."

"Sure I do," said Larry from the pool.  "I go out there from time to time
to make sure the house hasn't burned down or anything.  I could take you
there in my new SUV."

"Perfect, thanks dude," Pablo said.  "Hey kid," he said to Tyler, "you
wanna come with us?"

"Sure I do, sir," Tyler said."

"And what about me?" Eddie wailed.  "Hell, I'm the senior junior boy and
Hassan says I'll soon be the junior senior boy, so I have to go."

Jamie laughed.  "You're right, dude, we can't go without a senior-junior,
junior-senior whatever, so you're in.  OK, guys, get dressed."

As the boys climbed out of the pool and reached for towels talking noisily,
Mike said quietly to Mark and Hassan, "Bit contrived, don't you think,
guys?"

"Sure," Hassan chuckled.  "But like I said, it's all part of the plot –
and the plot thickens."

************************************

The boys gathered outside the gate and Larry backed out of the garage in a
brand new SUV.  He jumped out and said proudly, "How do you like my car,
guys?  I bought it three weeks ago.  Well, Mike co-signed the loan for me
but I'm responsible for the payments.  It's the first car I've ever owned,
except for that old truck Mike let me drive."

The guys `oohed' and `aahed' as they walked round it and Larry said
apprehensively, "OK, Pablo you're the expert mechanic.  What do you think?"

Pablo's face broke into a broad smile.  "Sweet, dude, real sweet.  Great
choice ... this make is real solid, one of the best.  Pop the hood for me
and start it up and let me take a look."  He raised the hood, Larry started
the engine and Pablo examined it with an expert eye.  "Yeah, it's a beaut.
This'll be good for at least a couple of hundred thousand miles and then
some – provided you service it regularly.  When it's time, bring it into
L.A. and I'll check it out for you."

They all piled in, Jamie up front with Larry proudly behind the wheel, and
Pablo in the back with an excited Tyler and Eddie.  They roared off and in
a few minutes were out in the open desert, speeding along empty,
featureless roads that, as Jamie had said, all looked alike.  But Larry had
been out several times to check on Hassan's small house and drove
confidently as they went deeper into the desert.

Larry was feeling better than he had for weeks.  He was not only with a
bunch of guys more or less the same age as himself, give or take a year or
two, but he was leading the way, driving them in the car he was so proud
of.  He thought of Jamie as his best friend, of course, and he knew he had
Pablo's support, though he was always a bit in awe of the boss's boy, in
much the same way as boss Randy intimidated a lot of guys.

As for the two younger boys, Larry was happy they had come along as they
kept things light with their effusive chatter so the heaver topic of his
problems with Mike were avoided.  Eddie was trying to prepare his young
friend Tyler for the house they were headed for.

"See, dude, Hassan got this little place when he first came to this country
looking for Mark, so he could make amends for all that torture stuff during
the war.  You already know about that so I won't say any more on that
subject."  Jamie looked in the rear view mirror and grinned at Pablo,
rolling his eyes.  "If only," he muttered.

"No, Jamie, but it's important Tyler knows something about the place before
he sees it.  As I'm Hassan's boy I can tell you what he likes most and
that's privacy ... well, he likes a good blowjob more than anything but
that's a whole nother whole story.  So he got this place in the middle of
nowhere for complete privacy and contacted Mark and asked him to meet him
there.

"And here's the part you will not believe.  When Mark finally found the
place he went down to the basement and ... wait for it, dude ... he found
Hassan naked and chained to the wall, just as Hassan had chained Mark all
those years ago in the war.  And ... get this ... Hassan wanted Mark to
dish out the same treatment he had given Mark.  How d'you like that?!"

Larry smiled at Eddie in the rearview mirror.  "Eddie, when I read reviews
of movies on Netflix some of them say `Spoiler Alert' to let me know
they'll be giving away the plot.  Same goes for a lot of things – like
seeing a new place.  Guys like to be shocked when they see something
unexpected like Hassan's basement.  But you've pretty much blown that."

"Oh I don't mind," Tyler said, coming to his friend's defense.  "I like
listening to Eddie talk."

Jamie opened his eyes wide and stifled a laugh, but Pablo said, "Don't go
there, dude."

Larry loved this boy banter.  It's what he had missed so much being
surrounded by older men like the patrons of the bar he worked in.  He not
only missed the company of younger guys ... he missed their touch too,
which is why he had enjoyed sex with Franco so much.  Only difference was,
these boys' company was encouraged by Mike, but sex with Franco could be a
deal breaker, the end of their relationship.

"You guys are the best," he said.  "I don't have buddies like you out here.
That's why I hooked up with Franco, but then we ... well you know ... we
did what we did.  Hanging out with a guy is one thing, but sex is something
else again – totally different."

"Yeah, ain't it though," Pablo said, digging Jamie in the back through his
seat and exchanging a conspiratorial grin with him in the mirror.

*********************************

Eventually Larry turned off the road onto a sandy track that was so faint
it could easily be missed.  They bumped along for five minutes or so until
a small house came into view, shimmering in the distance.  It stood there
baking under the blazing desert sun, with peeling paint whose colors had
been long ago bleached a dirty white.

But it was surprisingly self-contained, with running water and electricity
provided by a single line that looped into the distance on poles
disappearing over the horizon.  Larry found the key where he had hidden it
on his last visit and they went it.  "Ooh," Tyler said, "it's like being in
one of those ghost movies where a shape leaps out at you and ...

"... and gotcha!"  Eddie grabbed him from behind and Tyler yelped with
nervous laughter.

"Sorry to disappoint you Tyler," Larry said, "but this ain't no ghost
house.  A bit musty is all from being shut up for so long, but the walls
are thick so it stays cool.  Let's just open the windows and air it out for
a while.  And then ... ta dah ..."  He held up a 12-pack of beer he had
brought with him from the car."

"Now you're talking my language, dude," Pablo said.  "That little patio out
there looks nice and shady under the old awning, and there are plenty of
old chairs.  Come on, guys, let's chill."

A few minutes later they were sprawled in chairs sipping beer and feeling
good about themselves.  They didn't talk much, they left that to Eddie, but
even he fell silent after a while and they leaned back and closed their
eyes, each with his own drowsy thoughts.

Larry kept his eyes open and looked around at his friends.  He thought of
Jamie as he had been earlier, leaning over him naked, fucking him and
squeezing his tits.  He looked at Pablo, the handsome mestizo, tough
mechanic and boss's boy, always in charge the way his dad Randy took charge
of the tribe.  Then at Tyler, the newest kid, pressed close against his
master Pablo, idolizing him.  And adorable Eddie, the sexy young rascal of
the tribe, a chatterbox, though now he was unusually quiet, his eyes closed
with a blissful smile on his face.

They were all so good looking, each in his own way, and really sexy.  Sure,
his pal Franco was handsome and great sex, but nothing like Jamie had been
out in the garden.  This whole group, the whole tribe, seemed to feed on a
diet of sex – sex and love.  He could see why Randy had made the rule of
no sex outside of the tribe.  But is that what he had done with Franco?  Is
that what made Mike so anxious that he would leave him?

Pablo shook him out of his reverie.  "Great ain't they, buddy?  Why look
outside the tribe when you got a bunch of guys like this to choose from."
Pablo squinted.  "Hey, that looks like some fucking boner you got under
those shorts.  Beer always do that to you, does it, dude?"

"Asshole," Larry grinned.  "'Course it's not the beer, it's you guys.
Anyone would get a hard-on being with a group of guys like you."

Pablo gave a broad grin of satisfaction.  It was working.  He jumped to his
feet and said, "OK, listen up, guys."  They all opened their eyes.
"There's one man here nursing a giant hard-on, and never let it be said
that this group ever let a good boner go to waste.  So it's time we checked
out Hassan's basement here, the one that spoiler-alert Eddie already
described.  Let's get this show on the fucking road – or into the
fucking basement."

*********************************

All the guys except Tyler had seen this room in the past at one time or
another, but it never failed to impress.  Tyler's jaw dropped in amazement
at the room, all-black except for the floor to ceiling mirrors on each
wall.  He reflexively grabbed Pablo's arm, nervous at the sight of the
chains on the wall and sex-game equipment lying around.

Pablo pulled him to one side and said quietly, "Don't worry kid, nothing
bad's gonna happen to you – you're my boy.  But I do want to make sure
of something.  I've told you before that no one's ever gonna make you do
something you don't want.  It could be that one of these guys will want to
fuck you and I will only allow that if you want it.  I know you're fine
with Eddie or Jamie – and me, of course – but how do you feel about
Larry?"

"I think Larry is real hot, sir.  I've always thought that and if you let
him fuck me I'd be fine with that – I think I'd like it.  But you
wouldn't leave me here, would you, sir?"

"Not on your life, kid.  You're my boy.  OK, guys, pull up a bench and
listen up. There's something I have to say to Larry."  They all sat down
and Pablo took charge, standing under the red spotlights shining down from
the ceiling beam.

"Larry, the fact that we have all ended up here is not really by accident.
It's something Jamie and I cooked up between ourselves.  See, we were
surprised and disappointed when Mike said you and him didn't really think
of yourself as members of the tribe.  Well that's bullshit – of course
you are.  Randy says you are and that's good enough for me.  And if you two
had realized that, you might not be in the mess you are now."

"It's partly our fault though.  With you being out here all the time
working the bar we didn't think to invite you to our place in the city
often enough.  If we had you could have had what I'm gonna offer you now.
You spend a lot of your time with those customers in your bar, and they're
all great guys but they're mostly older than you, so I can see how you were
attracted to this Franco character if he's as hot as you say he is.

"What you need is, dude, is young meat, dude – and I mean young meat.
It's only natural, and that's where we come in.  You know our rule that
guys only fuck around within the tribe.  Well we're all in the tribe, over
eighteen, and hot to trot.  So we want you to dip your toe in that water
– much more than your toe, actually," he grinned – "to sort of
welcome you into our group, right guys?"  There were eager murmurs of
agreement all round.

"Good, so here's want we want to offer you, buddy.  Ass.  Seems you already
got some ass from this Franco, but you ain't seen nothin' yet, dude.  Here
we are – me, Jamie, Eddie and my boy Tyler.  You already took it up the
ass from Jamie, but you're a fucking hot stud, man and a guy like you has
to fuck.  And, hell, you've got a huge boner to prove it.  So you get your
choice.  Who's it gonna be, dude?"

Pablo took his seat with his buddies and Larry stood up.  "Guys, I kinda
suspected something was up when you suggested this trip out here.  I've
heard how you circle the wagons as you call it when one of the boys is in
trouble and I figure that's what you're doing for me."  His eyes got moist
and he choked up for a second.  "It would be a privilege to be a real
member of the tribe, and if the price of entry is fucking ass, well lead me
to it."

He paused and looked at the group on the bench.  "Damn, I would love to
fuck any of you ..."

"Group fuck, group fuck ..." Eddie chanted and Larry laughed.  "Not yet
Eddie, I haven't graduated to that yet.  But you're right, Pablo, I do have
a need for a fresh young butt, so if I have to choose just one I would go
right now for the youngest among you ... you Tyler."

There was a ripple of approval and Larry said, "You are of age, aren't
you?"

"Sir," Tyler said indignantly, "I'm eighteen and three quarters, almost
nineteen."

"He sure is," Pablo said, "and I guarantee riding this young colt is a hot
experience.  I do it all the time, eh kiddo?"  Tyler nodded, his eyes
shining.  "His ass is real precious to me, Larry, but I will loan it to you
as a token of my personal welcome to you.  You still ready for this,
kiddo?"

"Yes please, sir," Tyler said eagerly.

"OK, Larry, he's all yours."

Larry held out his hand and Tyler got up and faced him.  "You sure you want
this, Tyler?"

"Yes, sir.  Very much."

"Good, so let's take a look here."  Gently he pulled Tyler's T-shirt off
over his head and ran his hands over the boy's bare chest.  "Damn, you've
changed since you first dropped in on us out of that tree.  Looks like
Pablo's been working you out hard."

"Yes, sir – and if I work real hard he fucks me at the end of the
workout."

"I can see why – you have a great young body.  Let's see the rest."  He
unbuttoned Tyler's shorts and let them drop.  He walked round him and
stared at the perfect while globes of Tyler's butt.  "Wow, lots of squats
in the gym too, I bet.  Great glutes, kid.  Hey, Pablo, your boy is pretty
nigh perfect.  Better watch out or someone'll steal him from you."

"I'd like to see them try," Pablo growled.  "They have to deal with me
first."

Tyler blushed, being talked about like a boy for rent, but it really turned
him on.  Larry led him gently over to an old mattress on the floor and
said, "I think you know what to do, boy."

Tyler willingly lay on his back on the mattress, hooked his hands behind
his knees and pulled his legs back, offering his ass to Larry as he had
done so often to Pablo.  "Oh shit, that looks so fine.  Pablo, I can see
why this kid is so precious to you.  Thanks for letting me do this, man.
It's just what I needed."

Towering over the awed Tyler Larry pulled off his shirt and dropped his
shorts.  His eight-inch cock sprang out hard as iron from a thick bush of
black pubic hair, and Tyler inhaled sharply.

Larry knelt on the mattress behind his raised legs.  "Don't worry kiddo, I
promise I won't hurt you.  Wouldn't dare with that man of yours watching,"
he grinned.  "Good, I see the room comes fully equipped," he said, reaching
over to a jar of lube by the mattress.  He dipped his fingers in, then
eased two fingers slowly into Tyler's ass.  Tyler sighed deeply but Larry
could see in his eyes that he welcomed the intrusion in his butt.

As Larry pulled out his fingers and lubed his cock he said gently, "Tell me
you want it, kid.  It turns me on to hear that from a guy."

Tyler looked over at Pablo who smiled and nodded, and the boy looked up at
the naked young muscle jock and his dark, rugged face.  "Please, sir, I
want you to fuck my ass.  I wanna feel your dick inside me, sir."

Larry smiled, "And I bet a handsome boy like you gets just what he wants
from his master, and you will from me.  Take a deep breath."  Larry pressed
his cock against the smooth, tender ass and gently slid it inside, over the
sphincter then down the chute slowly, inch by inch.  When it stopped
against the warm membrane deep inside Larry said, "You OK, Tyler?  Does it
feel OK?"

"Feels awesome, sir.  I love it."

"Good, `cos I'm not only gonna fuck your ass, boy, I'm gonna make love to
it."

He was as good as his word, and it was one of the tenderest, most sensuous
fucks the boy had known.  Pablo was a great fuck, of course, driving him
wild alternating gentleness with spurts of savagery – a combination of
love and raw lust.  But Larry was all tenderness and warmth as he leaned
forward, braced his hands on the mattress and smiled into Tyler's big blue
eyes.

Larry had needed this for a long time.  He was used to the older, bawdy
crowd in the bar with their lewd jokes and raucous laughter and enjoyed the
compliments he received as the hot, shirtless young bartender.  But he was
never the mature, commanding figure nurturing a younger man – until now.

As he looked down at the eager freckled face, wide blue eyes, tousled brown
hair and lithe young body writhing beneath him, Larry was the one in total
control and it boosted his confidence in his own masculinity.

"Your ass is so sweet, kiddo, so warm and tender.  I could make love to you
like this forever."

It was not forever – Pablo had first claim on that – but it did last
a long time, as the other three guys looked on in awe and rubbed their own
bulges.  The two guys relaxed into each other and made love endlessly, it
seemed.  All the time their eyes were fixed on each other until at last
Larry bent lower and licked Tyler's open lips, then clamped their mouths
together in a hungry kiss, their searching tongues pressing against each
other.

When he pulled back Larry said, "Tyler, would you like to feel my juice in
your ass?"

Tyler looked up at the macho square-jawed face, the dark eyes burning into
his, and felt the long shaft easing in and out of his ass.  He stroked his
own cock and replied softly, "Yes please, sir.  Very much.  And will you
let me cum too?"

"Duh," Larry grinned. "After making love like this we gotta cum together,
kid.  You ready?"

Tyler nodded eagerly and Larry pumped faster.  "You're beautiful, kiddo,
and you're making me cum ... here we go, boy ... yeah ... fuck, it feels so
good ... let me see you cum, kiddo ... now!"

As Larry flooded the boy's ass with his sperm Tyler jerked his own cock,
pointed it up and shot a spray of cum on Larry's chest, followed by another
and another.  Looking on in wonder Eddie shouted, "Damn, will you look at
that, guys?  He's another gusher, just like me."

That broke the tension as the group erupted in laughter, joined by Larry
and Tyler as Larry fell on Tyler, held him tight and smothered his face in
kisses.  When they finally broke free they fell on their backs and looked
up ... at Pablo, clapping his hands slowly and smiling down at them.  "That
was real hot, Larry, and I could see that my boy loved getting his butt
ploughed by you.  Man, when you come into town I'll loan him to you again
... maybe work on him both together.  What do you say, kiddo?"

"Yes please, sir," Tyler beamed and Pablo pulled him up off the mattress.

There was a momentary silence as Pablo stroked his jaw.  There's just one
thing though, Larry – a rule of the tribe that maybe I neglected to make
clear to you."

As he lay on the mattress Larry had a sense that Pablo was playing with him
but the sight of the muscular young mechanic, shirtless in jeans as he
always was at work, made Larry's cock stir, despite his explosive orgasm
minutes ago.

"See," Pablo said, with a sparkle in his eye, "when a master loans out his
boy's ass to another guy it don't come free – there's a fee to pay."

"And that fee would be ...?" Larry grinned.  "No, let me guess ... the
other guy's ass maybe?"

"Bingo!  Come on guys ... let's see if Larry here has what it takes to be
one of us."  Pablo dropped to his knees, yanked open his jeans and pulled
out his cock.  He scraped Tyler's cum off Larry's chest and used it to lube
his cock.  Then, copying Randy's impulsive no-foreplay technique, Pablo
pushed up Larry's legs and drove his cock deep in his ass.  "Come on guys,"
Pablo shouted, "I'm gonna need a hand with this hot damn stud."

"Fuck you, man," Larry grinned, "I busted my load already."

"Yeah, in my boy's ass.  Now you pay."

Eddie and Tyler looked to Jamie for their cue and he said, "Boys, I happen
to know that Larry's tits are really, really raw right now, from when him
and me tangled earlier.  So when I tell you to eat his tits I mean it in
the gentlest possible way."

"Gotcha, dude," Eddie grinned.  "Come on Tyler, let's do the honors."  As
Larry got butt-fucked by Pablo, Eddie knelt on one side of him, Tyler on
the other.  They bent their heads ... and flicked their tongues at Larry's
nipples.

"Ah, no guys, not my tits.  I can't take that and Pablo's dick."  But Larry
had no choice and he howled in painful ecstasy as the boys licked and
sucked on his ultra-sensitive nipples while the stud mechanic pounded his
ass.

Larry stared wildly up at Jamie. "I blame you for this, buddy. Come on,
man, show some mercy."

Jamie shrugged.  "Not much I can do about it, dude.  My advice is lie back
and enjoy."  Jamie pulled out his cock and stroked it, grinning down at the
muscular jock being tripled teamed.

Larry was mesmerized by the mechanic's chiseled mestizo face with its
square stubbled jaw and high cheekbones, and the rippled muscles of his
torso flexing over him.  He reached up to Pablo and pressed his hands
against his chest in a futile attempt to push him off.  He dug his fingers
into his bulging pecs but Pablo just laughed.  "When I'm in full fuck no
one pushes me away, dude.  Only relief you're gonna get is when I bust my
nuts in your ass, and that's gonna happen real soon.  Here, maybe this'll
help."

While he ploughed his ass Pablo grabbed Larry's already hard cock and
pounded it.  And that was Larry's real induction into the tribe –
getting butt-fucked and tit-tortured by his buddies while he got jacked off
and his best friend got ready to cum all over him.

"OK, guys," Pablo yelled, "you ready?  Let's do it.  Welcome to the tribe,
dude – you're one of us.  Here it comes, you sexy mother-fucker.
Aaagh!"  As Pablo's cock exploded in Larry's ass the two boys pulled off
his tits and stood up with Jamie.  Larry looked up and saw three streams of
jizz pour down on him and splash on his face, and he gave a jubilant yell
as his own cock erupted for the second time in that dark desert dungeon.

**************************************

As they helped Larry up to his feet Pablo said, "So let that be a lesson to
you dude – you want young juicy sex, you know where to get it.  And
let's not hear any more bullshit about you not being one of the tribe.  And
once in, you can't get out."

"Just like the Mafia," Larry grinned.  "And that would make you the Capo
dei Capi, I suppose."

"No, dude, that would be Randy.  But I'm the Capo's boy, and don't you
forget it.  OK, guys, now we've got that settled let's get the hell out of
here.  I need a cool swim and a cold beer."

They shut up the house, made sure it was secure, and in half an hour they
were back at the house.  Mike, Mark and Hassan were lounging by the pool
when the boys came in and it was clear right away that the clouds had
lifted from the glowing Larry.  He went straight up to Mike and hugged him
tight.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused, Mike, but I promise that everything's
gonna be just fine from now on.  No more crap about me leaving you.  If you
or I wanna fuck anyone else there's a whole hot tribe of men to choose from
– your buddies as well as mine."

"Thanks, kiddo.  You've made an older man very happy.  And of course you
can still hang out with Franco and be good buddies – maybe even fuck
buddies when we both know him better.  Listen, the guys and I have been
talking, and I think it would be good for you to spend a week in L.A. with
the boys.  We've got a slow week coming up at the bar with so many guys out
of town, and I can handle it with the relief bartender.  You could go back
to L.A. with the guys when they leave here and in a week I'll come into
town and pick you up.  Sound good?"

"I'd like that, Mike.  Hey, sirs," to Mark and Hassan, "think you can put
up with me for a week?"

Hassan grinned but Mark seemed distracted.  "What?  Oh, yeah, sure.  Be
great, just what you need, buddy.  Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked there.  I
just had a call from Bob and it seems there's a big problem brewing between
Randy and Zack.  They've been best buddies for years, but they're both
hotheaded alpha males and they've clashed before."

"Yeah," Mike said, "kind of inevitable, I suppose, like two stallions in a
pissing contest to mark their territory."

"I guess so.  Only this time Bob thinks it's more serious.  Zack's even
talking about leaving the construction company and setting up on his own."

"Ah, don't worry, Mark," Mike said.  "I know Randy and his hot temper, but
I don't take no bullshit from him, he listens to me.  I'll be out there in
a week, so maybe I can do something."

"Let's hope so, buddy.  Someone has to.  But enough about tribal pissing
contests, let's just enjoy the weekend.  Hey guys, how about we all take
Mike and Larry out to dinner?  It'll be a bit of a celebration as their
troubles seem to be over.  You boys took care of that."

"Yeah we did didn't we?" Eddie said proudly.  "OK, sirs, and it's time you
heard how we did it."

Hassan grinned, "And you're the one to tell us, eh Eddie?"

"You got that right, sir."  Eddie spread his hands.  "So ... you will not
believe ..."

*************************************

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 398


Hey guys, this is Rob Williams.  I hope that chapter got you off, and I
welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in
planning future chapters.  E-mail me in confidence at rw6789@aol.com.

ALSO, I invite you to visit my own Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You
can read the whole story, with extras, including pictures and biographies
of all the characters.  Click on the green `Chapter Synopses' button to
browse all the chapter descriptions.  Enjoy

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