Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:25:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jonathan Lukenbill <cooleststories@yahoo.com>
Subject: Lost in the Blaze 1

Lost in the Blaze
Part 1: The Difference a Day Makes

Disclaimer:

This story contains depiction of sexual relationships and acts between two
boys one of whom is a minor, if this offends you please don't read any
further. If this is illegal where you live, or are reading it, please do
not read any further.

This story has been born again hopefully for the better. I listened to a
lot of feedback prior plot and realized that it needed a few changes. So,
here it is, revised! Feel free to let me know what you think at
CoolestStories@Yahoo.com

	The rain was pounding all around me harder than I could ever
remember, the sky was a thousand shades of gray and black, none of them
settling to my nerves.  There was an a suffocating intensity raging through
the air. A bolt of lightening crashed down allowing me a glimpse of color
in the darkness. The lightning was followed almost immediately by a series
of thunder claps rocking the cement beneath me. This seemed to infuriate
the rain. It was as if the storm was a symphony, each instrument trying to
outperform the last, the lightning's grandeur stolen by the thunder only to
be silenced by the rageful intensity of the blankets of rain crashing
down. I'd been here before, had this feeling a thousand times... yet
something seemed extreme about tonight. I leaned forward and a river of
water came pouring off of my hat.
	This was my latest, but like all the others, I retrieve it, I get
paid. I never ask questions. There are no rules, this is my court, my ring,
my office. I'm damn good, We always have been. When other kids where
worried about algebra and proms, I was being learning to kill with my bare
hands, fire from great distances with deadly accuracy. I was primed into a
killing machine, yet my mission was to protect. Like my father, like my
grandfather, like all those who came before me. Sometimes things go wrong,
I was one of them.
	Leaning against the guard wall 20 stories up on top of the West End
Tower in London, my mind carries me to a different state of consciousness,
I hear the case click into place and suddenly I'm on my feet running at the
opposite wall, I sheath Peace and Prayer my only friends in this life ready
to serve me always. I increase my speed and when I leap the wind hits my
face in a strong gust zoning me into a new reality I'm weightless my Duster
is trailing in the wind. I land firmly on the ceiling of the neighboring
building, crouching, first taking the guard at left and using him as cover
The door is only 50 feet away, he makes a sufficient shield, I fire a shot
at lock and kick in the door, I have no use for the guard anymore, I toss
him at right. The stair case down to the hall is dimly lit and there
doesn't appear to be anyone guarding it. I reach for the blade around my
ankle, cut the wires straight above the door, the lights go out and I go to
night vision. First door at the left, I run straight through and toss the
duster in front of my. Three holes right through the middle. I hadn't
foreseen this, I throw my hat toward the roof. it lands three feet away
from the safe untouched... the roof is my option.
	I grab the ceiling railing and test it's weight... this should
do. I crawl along it until I'm just above the safe, with my legs locking
around the beams I release my hands' grip and drop my upper body placing a
box right above the lock mechanism on the safe. To this day it reverses the
polarity of the the lock drawing the dead bolt like pole back into the
unlocked position. BINGO. I reach i grab a flashlight and scuffle through
the safe a strange box with an ornate letter "T" on top. A portfolio with
some papers... no, none of this is what I'm looking for, I dig deeper and
my fingers strike the spine of a book. I've got it, I never ask questions,
but this is by far the most curious request I've ever had. Nevertheless it
was done now. I slipped it into the pack on my back, and pulled myself back
up grabbing the rails of the ceiling. I hear some noise outside the door,
it has my full attention. Some rent-a-cops burst through the door with
their flashlights firing in all directions at shoulder level. I wonder if
they ever even considered the element of surprise before they came banging
down the hall and pounding the door open. They surveyed the room noticing
the safe and my duster, neglecting to raise the light just a couple of feet
higher to reveal me. The one at front called down the hall that I was loose
somewhere in the building and they rushed out the door guns drawn
continuing back down the hall. I made my way back across the line of fire
and dropped back down to the floor. A fleeting gaze back at the safe before
I fled the room I saw a flash of light from the safe into my face... I was
puzzled, but there was no time to worry about it. I flew back up the stairs
nearly stumbling met by three more of hourly security's finest at the
exit. One immediately drew his gun kicking it out of his hand I pushed him
back catching his puzzled partner, they both tumbled. Number three came
running toward my and caught a high kick to the jaw. The latter drew down
and I rode it to the catwalk and the series of cascading ladders and
landings to the base of the building where I leapt into the car, the seats
grasping me I tore off, four black Vans surrounded me, it was all clockwork
we continued south and rounded a corner, the vans split ways and I caught
the silver ramp gleaming in my headlights as I drove the car into the back
of a waiting truck. the door descended shut behind me and the semi jerked
into motion whipping my head back against the headrest. Clockwork.
	I grabbed the pack and unzipped it. The book felt hundreds of years
old, the musk of it filled the car and lingered in the air. I opened the
cover and a cloud of dust blew out of it with furious propulsion spreading
through the air. I coughed uncontrollably, and laughed a little as I
reached for the button on the door sill and rolled down my window. The dust
settled and I carefully brushed some of the layers of dust off of the title
page. Again that ornate letter "T" I snapped some pictures of the curious
symbol and the cover and spine of the book. This was most definitely a
curious artifact, it seemed out of place in modern times like an ancient
bible. The car lurched again as the truck turned sharply and began driving
up a ramp. The book had reached it's destination, I slipped it back into my
pack and made sure Peace and Prayer were prepped, sometimes getting paid in
my line of work takes a little encouragement.
	The door drew up and the light flooded into the truck trailer.  I
opened the car door and walked to the end of the trailer and jumped to the
floor. Two men escorted me through a long white corridor. There were track
lights along the center of the roof and I realized that I was being scanned
for arms. I grinned at this. Both Peace and Prayer were sheathed in
materiel that would conceal them from just such an X-Ray system. The guard
touched his finger to his ear and then turned to me and asked for the knife
on my ankle, I gladly offered it up. The holsters apparently worked. The
hallway looked as though it stopped with no door, just a dead end, but as
we approached the wall slid away and the hallway lead into an large office
with a wall of windows overlooking downtown London. I was too concerned
with identifying the guns in the room to be inspired by the view. I locked
the camera in my shades on the guard standing in the corner to monitor him
as I walked across the marble tiles toward the ominous Mahogany desk in the
center of the room. Behind the desk a black leather chair was facing the
view with it's back to me. So much of my life was spent negotiating with
the nameless, faceless, voices in these chairs. I was shown toward a chair
in front of the desk. A woman's voice surprised me:

"Well done Mr. Black, quite impressive."

	I could care less about formalities and I never thanked the voices
in the chairs. I simply did my job and owed no thanks for doing it. I was
still intrigued by the woman in the chair, I wondered to myself if she too
had spent her childhood learning how to negotiate with mercenaries. Was she
a child's voice facing away in a black leather chair while I was a child
with my finger on the trigger? I automatically felt a connection with
her. As entranced as I was I was longing for her to finish all this up so I
could get back to the states.

"Well, I guess this is the part where I would write you a check and send
you on your way."

	I reached for the the handle of Peace drawing my own conclusion to
her words. This caused the guard in the corner to tense and lock in on
me. I put my hand into my pocket grabbing the concealed holster and pointed
Prayer at him.

"However..."

	I readied the guns.

"I have use for you yet."

"My part of our deal is complete, I have no intent on further service with
you."

"You really are amazing you know that Mr. Black. Shouldn't you be in
school? Shouldn't you be taking your girlfriend out in daddy's car? What is
an 18 year old doing in this game."

"My situation is none of your concern."

	She had ten seconds to make a point before I started to disturb a
little peace.

"Indeed, we are willing to offer 25 million for your services in a matter
very important to this family."

	I eased up on Peace and raced over the offer in my mind. It's not
everyday you are offered a deal like this in my line of work. With half
down up front I could take the cash and flee retiring on some beach
somewhere and leave this game behind. As I rolled this over in my head she
shocked me by swiveling the chair around and looking me up and down.

"What's it going to be Mr. Black? You would never have to work again."

"You have my attention what's the story?" "A boy. 12 years old. You keep
him in your protection for one year and then return him in living order to
us. He is in grave danger and this family has many enemies Mr. Black. We
are too big a target, he needs protection from someone who can remain
mobile. We've been tracking your work for sometime, no one should be as
good at what you are doing as you are Mr. Black, and you are a mere
child. You fall into shadow, untraceable until the next job. Staying under
the radar seems to be your forte, and whatever it is you are running from
Mr. Black, let me assure you, it's got no idea what it's in for. Take the
boy, protect him and return him after things have died down a little,
that's all we ask and in turn we will provide the two of you with
everything you could possibly need for the duration of this mission."

	This was indefinitely an unlikely scenario. I have a big enough
duty keeping myself alive, but some kid tagging along, that'd never
fly. But this was my one chance at getting myself out of this life, with
all that money I could buy anonymity anywhere I chose. I could stay
somewhere, in one place for the rest of my life... I could settle down. I
grew weary of what this child must posses to make him so sought
after. Something was obviously not being said here. I had to know.

"Who is it I'm protecting this boy from, and why exactly are they after
him."

"Ah, I was waiting for that Mr. Black. Ryan is the son of a wealthy
historian. His father discovered something of value and Ryan is believed to
know it's whereabouts. Since his parent's untimely demise he has not
spoken... doctor's believe this is some form of autism as a protective
reaction to his parents death. We fear what would happen if they were to
get their hands on him, and he was unable to provide the information."

"Does he understand when he is spoken to."

"Yes, quite clearly."

"Ten Million in addition to the 25 paid up front."

"Tough negotiator, I'm impressed. Done."

"When do I meet this kid?

"Right now!"

	She turned to the guard in the corner, made a gesture with her
hands then turned back to me. She looked me in the eye for an uncomfortable
minute and it was apparent that she was considering the wording of what she
had to say to me. Perhaps lost in consideration over how you speak to a
baby-sitter. This was a troublesome thought. I alone would be responsible
for the safety and well-being of this kid. What if he chocked on a piece of
chicken or something, was she going to come after me. Was this some big
kidnapping conspiracy? The liability in the matter was becoming
overwhelming. I strongly considered just walking out right now. I was
beyond that though, I was already planning the scenario. The cops could try
and find me, they had been for years... guess tracking a shadow in the
night would be slightly difficult. There was no one, anywhere, who knew my
real name. For that matter there wasn't a single soul out there who knew a
damn thing about me. This mission may compromise my solitude, I didn't know
how I felt about that. All I really knew at this point is that I'd been
lonely for a long time, and yeah, he's just a kid, but maybe I could learn
to confide in someone for once, that was my true motive behind accepting
this mission. It'd been too long since I heard a voice in the nights. Since
anyone had commented on the whether to me. I was missing the simplicities
of human interaction. Perhaps my only weakness. It's hard being the rock in
the river, watching people laugh and hold each other from behind dark
glasses and a newspaper.
	I was stunned back into reality as they walked him out, he was
trembling with fear clutching a frayed backpack and a torn teddy bear. He
was a surreal vision in my world. a picture of something so pure in a life
of dirty work and lies, thievery, treachery. I instantly fell in love with
his pouty ruby lips, his fair skin, brown hair blond highlights. As soon as
I laid eyes upon him I was in love. I refused from that point on to let any
harm come to this boy. I surprised even myself as I walked directly over to
him and placed a finger under his chin to turn his face up to look at me. I
could feel him quaking out of fear. I smiled and took off my glasses so he
could see the sincerity in my eyes.

"It's going to be ok now. I know it will take you some time to get used to
me, but I swear I'll keep you safe. It's all going to be all right."

	He settled a little as I told him this, I reached for his stuffed
bear and gave it a good once over, he blushed seemingly shy about the
stuffed animal but I knew better, it was his tie to the comfort he once
knew it was his security blanket, and with all that had occurred lately, he
needed it.

"Does he have a name?" I asked.

	Ryan turned away from me and stared down at the floor. I could tell
he wanted to talk to me, but he wasn't ready yet. He had been forced into a
situation where trust and faith in anybody had to be earned I felt for
him. I looked on the bear's collar it had a medallion on it that said
Johnny.

"Is his name Johnny?"

	Ryan looked up seemingly puzzled and nodded his head yes. A smile
came over his face briefly as he realized how I'd guessed, but only briefly
did it cross his beautiful face. Then he adopted the indifferent gaze once
more.

	I handed Johnny back to him, and ran ruffled his hair with my
hand. He was so beautiful, I couldn't believe anybody would have the
audacity to ever hurt this child. He brought forth something in me I hadn't
thought much about, a need to make him happy, to make him cheer up. I'd
been cold as ice for so long, I had forgotten what it was like to
care. Forgotten the value of a smile...

"The Limo is prepared to take you to the airport." She handed me a
portfolio as she spoke

"Inside you will find you new life, passports, driver's license, everything
you will need to ensure a smooth cover. No detail has been overlooked,
including his dental records. Here is a list of the medicines he is
taking. His education will be seen to by a member of our staff. Now if
you'll follow me out to the car, I'll see you both on your way."

	As we began toward the door, the guard reached to take Ryan's hand
and escort him, Ryan made a distasteful face and walked over to me, he had
a look in his eyes like he was asking me something, then I realized what he
was asking, it didn't need words, just attention. That's what it took to
hear Ryan, his face was his voice, his eyes spoke all the words I needed to
hear, I reached my hand out and he took hold of it. We walked together down
the corridor.

"How interesting," she said, " He never quite did get so close to any of us
here."

	I was struck by a comment of such ignorance from this woman whom
I'd come to expect more out of.

"Perhaps it had something to do with the armed commandos freely roving
around his bed at night." I said with malicious intent.

"Perhaps that's why we entrusted him to a lesser armed commando." A smile
drew across her face.

	The ride to the airport was seemingly eventless I could barely keep
my eyes off of him. Not only mesmerized by his form, but drunk off of a new
feeling, a feeling of companionship. I opened my mouth a few times, but no
words came out. They would in time, and I knew that. When we got to the
airport the security officers appeared well paid by our leather chair
negotiator. We slipped right through, no one questioned my possession of
the boy, or the knife strapped to my calf.

	We sat down in the seats, he had the window and I had the isle, I
was already thinking in terms of his protection. Suddenly I saw a new
emotion come over his face, he was scared again, but a new kind of
scared. I looked into his eyes and read the terror in them.

"You've never flown before, have you?"

	He shook his head "No." I reached over and put my hand over his to
try and calm him. He was gripping Johnny the bear with a vulcan death
grip. The entire situation was absolutely comical to me but I retained my
poker face trying my best not to loose any ground with him by belittling
his fear. The plane gave a jerk as it lurched into acceleration. He was
startled by this and flung himself into my arms. I ran my hands through his
hair and rubbed his back. This was priceless! He was so precious and
vulnerable which made it so easy to want to protect him! He cried a little
and his tears started flowing down my shirt, I held him closer. He looked
up at me and his eyes and nose were red from crying I used my shirt sleeve
to wipe some of his tears away and kissed his forehead.

"We made it, we are flying! Look outside."

	He spun around in his seat and glanced out the window with the same
inquisitive nature as a child approaching the tree on christmas morning. He
had forgotten all about the fear of flying, he was oblivious to all that
now, he was watching the world get smaller and smaller, the houses
beginning to look like specks on the horizon. I wagered a guess that this
was symbolic of his freedom, he was flying away to start a new life, and
leave all the trouble behind him.

	Ryan turned around and tugged on my arm and began gleefully
pointing out to me things on the ground. It was incredible to see that
smile achieve a lengthier stay on this child's face.

	The plane flight was tedious, an endless seven hours in the air. I
was hoping Ryan would fall asleep so I could catch a little REM time
myself, but no such luck. He was taking in a new experience and remained
wide-eyed and bushy-tailed throughout the whole seven hours.

	We landed down in one of Seattle's infamous rain storms, I covered
ryan with my jacket and used a newspaper to deflect the rain off of my
head. I hailed us a cab and we made our way to a ritzy hotel. I hadn't
stayed in a place this nice in my entire life. There was plush red carpet,
little bellboys in the whole get-up. I was dropping tips all over the
place... I mean come on, the suite is degrading enough, these boys deserve
something for public humiliation of that level. Ryan looked as though his
mind was spinning a million miles a second. When we reached our room my
tips had garnered us a legion of bell hops. One of them was kind enough to
open the door to our room and I my jaw hit the floor. This room was
considerably bigger than a large flat. It was about the size of a small
house. There was a bar, different rooms... a massive TV integrated into the
wall. I looked down at Ryan and he was glaring up at me giddily! I reached
down and picked him up like a groom carrying his bride on wedding night I
ran him over to the bed and we collapsed onto it. We scrambled to our feet
and started jumping up and down on the bed like there was no tomorrow. We
grabbed arms and started spinning while jumping and tumbled down onto the
bed, he fell down on top of me and we were both laughing our asses off. I
glanced over to see the bellboys staring in disbelief and our lack of
composure. I reached into my pocket and threw a couple hundreds on the
floor and Called back for them that we would no longer need them. They
scurried after the cash then hurried away.

"Thank You!" He said looking at me.

"No Prob...." I started to speak and then realized he'd just broken his
silence. He noted my pause and leaned forward and hugged me, then stood up
and started jumping on the bed again. Over the next few seconds a smile
broke from ear to ear across my face as I watched him jumping on the bed. I
stood up and tackled him down, and we wrestled around for a while and then
I went to fetch us some Coke form the bar, when I came back I looked at
Ryan he had fallen asleep, that enormous grin still emblazoned across his
face. I held him tight running my hands up and down him. He was everything
I'd needed. In a single day he'd made me the person I always thought I
could never be. Ryan completed me. I kissed his forehead tugged off his
tennis shoes discretely so as not to wake him and took note of the fact
that they blinked with red lights when they hit the ground. I chuckled to
myself and took my own shoes off then my shirt and pants, leaving only my
boxers on. I climbed back in the bed he immediately rolled over and cuddled
up against me. I drifted off to sleep embracing him.

	Sometime in the middle of the night I awoke to find that Ryan had
wet the bed. He was still sound asleep and I decided not to make a big deal
out of it. He hadn't exactly been having an ideal time as of late. I broke
away from him to go shower the accident off. Being used to being alone I
didn't even think about closing the door. I just walked in, shed my clothes
and got into the immaculate marble bath tub. I soaked in their for at least
a half hour. when I stood up to get out, I saw Ryan staring at me. It took
me a second to remember that I was standing naked in front of the boy. when
I did, I quickly covered myself. I looked down and noticed that there was a
tent in the front of his khakis.

"It's so... big!" He said, giggling.

"Thank you," I said, not knowing what to say, reached for a towel and
wrapped it around me. I decided to change the topic.

"Should we get you a change of clothes there partner."

	He looked puzzled for a second, then looked down and noticed the
wetness of his pants and turned a bright red. He looked like he was about
read to cry.

"I ... it's a problem I have... I try... but... I can't stop it. I just wet
the bed no matter how much I try and pee before I go to bed. He looked down
at the floor, a very sad shadow across his face, as though he'd been
shamed. I lifted kneeled down in front of him. His boner had died. I
grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"It's ok Ryan, I'm not gonna be mad or make fun of you, you can trust me
partner. Let's have a pact, ok? You trust me, I trust you . That's the only
way this thing is going to work all right?"

	His eyes glistened with relief.

"So if we can trust each other... what's your real name. I don't think it's
Mr. Black." He shocked me a little, but I couldn't lie to this boy no
matter what level of confidentiality I needed to keep.

"My name is Devon, you can call me Dev if you like."

	I turned him around and directed him to our bags. we dug out some
of his pajamas, they were priceless with trains and planes all over
them. He took his khakis off right there in front of me. He looked like a
miniature greek god, standing in just a tight white pair of underwear. I
just stood there not knowing what was the appropriate thing to do. but he
got shy

"Mine's not as big as yours." he said

"I'm sure it's the perfect size for someone your age though."

"I don't know, yours was so big and mines... not."

"I'm not going to make fun of you Ryan, I promise."

	I wanted so badly to see what ryan was hiding under there. my dick
was throbbing as this prepubescent god stood on the verge of nudity right
before me. I didn't see a hair anywhere on his perfect little body.

	Apparently he had mustered the courage because he pulled his briefs
down with one swift yank, and I nearly shot in my pants. he was rock hard
too, and only about 3.5 inches. It was so hard it stood straight up against
his belly. I licked my lips and looked at his face, he looked like he was
awaiting my judgment.

"You've got a very nice piece there partner."

	He smiled and looked down at it, it was so hard it was
inadvertently jerking with his heartbeat.

"Can I see yours again?" I couldn't believe he was as interested in mine as
I was in his.... this is definitely the start of an awesome friendship.

all right peeps. that's it for now, hope you enjoyed this one, hope the
improvements were IMPROVEMENTS!

You can e-mail me comments at Cooleststories@yahoo.com