Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:05:35 -0700
From: h.schreiber@hushmail.com
Subject: Chapter 29 of Rock and a Hard Place by Hans Schreiber

Warning!  This story is a work of fiction written by a legal age adult. Any
similarity between the fictional characters and any live person is purely
coincidental. This story contains fictional descriptions of sexual activity
between consenting minor youth. If you are under the age of 18, and/or if
you are offended by this content, and/or if it is illegal in your
jurisdiction to possess or read such material, please leave now and do not
read this story as neither the internet host nor the author can be
responsible for your actions. Please, always practice safe sex; no
momentary thrill is worth your life.

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be transmitted or reproduced
in whole or in part in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system without the written permission of the Author or Publisher,
except where permitted by law. Copyright (c) 2012 by Hans Schreiber.

Special thanks to my editors, Pablo, Flip, Smallfox, and Lisa for their
valuable help and input.

Note: This is the second to last chapter. It is long and intense just like
a good sexual climax should be. Chapter 30 will wrap this tale up. I know
it has not been the journey many of you anticipated when you started
reading, but I hope you will revel in the afterglow of the ending.

                           Rock and a Hard Place

                                 Chapter 29

                                 Rock Rolls

      I started Mom's Audi and pulled out of the school parking lot. Some
couples were leaving the dance early. It wasn't even eleven yet and I hated
the thought of going back to an empty apartment. I thought about crashing
Adam and Justin's sleepover, but decided I didn't really know them well
enough for that. Pretty much anyone I could think of to go hang with was at
the dance. Then I had an impression to go visit Pastor Morgan. I dismissed
it because it was so late in the evening, but the impression came again
even stronger. I decided to act on it and headed over to the Rock of Our
Salvation church.

      When I arrived, I was surprised to see a light on in the Pastor's
office and Mrs. Thames' beat up old car in the parking lot. I wondered why
William's mom would be there so late. I parked and walked into the
church. The lights in the sanctuary were on and I walked in and sat in a
pew. I folded my hands and bowed my head. "Father, I don't know what you
have in mind for my future. Guide me. Show me the way I should go." I felt
the warmth of His spirit flow into me. I felt a peace I had not felt for
some time. My spiritual meditation was interrupted by the calling of my
name.

      "Kyle? Is that you? Are you all right?" It was Pastor Morgan's voice
and there was a note of real concern in it.

      "What? Oh hello Pastor. Hi, Mrs. Thames. Yeah, I'm fine, I guess. I
just needed to talk to someone and I got the impression I should come
here." Without thinking about the implication of the question, I asked,
"What are you two doing here so late?"

      William's mom clutched her sweater and pulled it tight over her
shoulders and chest looking nervously away. Pastor Morgan stepped toward me
and said, "Mrs. Thames works two jobs and can only meet late in the
evening. She is distraught over the disappearance of Mr. Thames and I was
counseling with her. Now let me ask, why are you here so late?"

      I was embarrassed by the realization of how my question must have
sounded, and I stammered a bit, "I didn't mean to ... I, er, I guess I'm
here for the same reason. I need some counsel. I'm sorry. If I'm too late,
I could come back another time."

      "No, of course you're not too late. Come into my office." He motioned
for me then gave William's mom a brief hug and said he would see her the
next morning at services. She scampered out. Pastor Morgan shut off the
light in the sanctuary and walked over to lock the entry door before
escorting me to his office. He took his place behind the desk and I sat in
the nice leather chair on the other side.

      "So, what brings you here this evening, Kyle?"

      I wavered in my decision about talking with him. But I knew I had
been directed to come. "I'm just a little confused about my life right now
and I needed someone I could trust to talk to. Can I trust you?"

      "You already have trusted me by coming here. Yes, Kyle, whatever you
speak about with me is just between us and God."

      I stared at my hands that I was wringing in my lap. "I, I'm gay. Does
God hate gays?"

      "No Kyle. God loves all his children, straight and gay. Why would you
think he might hate you?"

      "Well. I just recently learned that there was a God from William. He
got me started praying and I get these really warm, good feelings when I
do. Sometimes, I get like messages from God. Not like crazy stuff, just
more like feelings or thoughts that I just know aren't my own. Do you know
what I mean?"

      "Yes, Kyle. I know exactly what you mean. Tell me about these
messages."

      "Well, they're just like thoughts that come in my head and I feel
warm feelings inside me when they come and usually they are things I should
do for others. Like going to check on William that night Mr. Thames was
taken by those thugs he was mixed up with. And well, like feeling that I
needed to come here tonight and talk with you. Crazy huh? I mean, if
William's mom hadn't kept you here late, you would have been in bed, and I
couldn't have met with you. But somehow, I just knew I should come anyway
no matter how late it was."

      "I see. I'm glad you have learned to trust in the inspiration you
receive from God. You are a very spiritually inclined young man. But, what
about your concern that God hates you?"

      "Well, almost every time I follow my feelings I get fu ... I, umm end
up getting into some kind of huge trouble. When I went out to the ranch
cabin and defended Rochelle against Dig's attempted rape, William ended up
getting hurt back at the bonfire and he blamed me for leaving him. We
talked about that before when I was here, if you remember. When I defended
William against Tyler at school over the pictures he was passing around, I
got in trouble over that. The worst one is when I tried to go help William
when those thugs were at his trailer, the ones who ended up taking
William's dad away, and then when I followed them. I ended up in
Juvey. When I tried to do the right thing in there, I nearly got raped and
my ball ... testicles cut off. Now, I've been banned from ever returning to
my old school and ..." I got emotional. The words literally stuck in my
throat and Pastor Morgan slid a box of Kleenex toward me. I wiped my eyes
and blew my nose.

      Stammering, I continued, "I, I fell in love with one of my classmates
and I'm ... I'm just so afraid that now we can't be together and see each
other all the time, he'll forget about me. My mom is divorcing my dad and
she's sleeping with Reverend Rick. She denies it, but I know she is. I
ruined my relationship with my dad and I can tell he's not really there for
me anymore. He's just into his work. I'm stuck living with my mom in a
crummy apartment in a new town with a new school and they don't even have
wrestling there. I got kicked out of the school dance tonight because I've
been banned from the campus over the gang thing in Juvenile Hall, and I was
supposed to spend a special night with the boy I love after the Fall Formal
dance, but now I can't. My dog even died. I'm losing everything I love just
because I tried to follow the messages from God and do something good for
other people. I don't get it. The only thing I can think of is that it's
all happening because God hates me and is punishing me for being gay. I
didn't try to be gay, and I used to feel really guilty whenever I had gay
thoughts, but I know that was stupid. I am how I am." I broke down and
started to sob. "I'm sorry, I, I, I don't know why I get so emotional."

      Pastor Morgan stood up and walked around his desk. He pulled me up
out of my chair and gave me a hug, allowing me to cry against his chest. I
don't know how long I was there in his comforting grasp but it felt so good
to get it all out. When I was done, I sat back down and he pulled another
chair up next to mine. He placed his large hand on my knee and said, "God
does not hate you. He loves you. Let me read you a scripture." He took the
Bible off his desk and flipped through it. Here it is."

      He read from Matthew 10:22, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my
name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Skipping down
a bit he continued, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell. ... Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at
variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they
of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it."

      Pastor Morgan closed the Bible and looked me in the eye. Christ was
doing what the Father sent him to do. Yet, it didn't always go so well. The
apostles were sent out by Christ to do good works, but He warned them in
the passages we just read that it wasn't going to go well for them either
all of the time. Christ was hated for the things He did and the truth He
told. He was persecuted for it. Nothing about his life and ministry was
easy. He was ultimately crucified. Most of the apostles were also martyred
for what they did and taught. But it wasn't because His Father hated him or
because Christ hated his apostles. The Father loved Christ and Christ loved
the apostles and He loves you.

      "Kyle, stay true to your convictions. Do what you know is
right. Follow the inspiration you receive and continue trying to do good
for others, no matter the consequences. You will eventually be blessed and
rewarded for your efforts - if not in this life, in the next. And, you have
done a lot of good. More than you probably know. You have made a wonderful
difference in William's life and I thank you for that. You made a
difference to your friend, Dig, as well. You probably saved him from great
personal crisis. You may yet make a difference in the lives of your
parents. And, I think you have made a very big difference to Scotty."

      A powerful warm confirmation of the Pastor's words and the Bible
verses overwhelmed me and tears of joy and peace trickled down my
cheeks. "Thank you. I was inspired to come here tonight. You know, I always
planned on being a lawyer, but I think I'd like to be a pastor like you and
help people the way you do. But, I guess that's impossible if I'm gay."

      "Not necessarily so, Kyle," Pastor Morgan said. "Old fears and
attitudes about that are changing. Just last year, the General Assembly
issued over 100 pages in their report on the topic of homosexuality in the
church. They adopted several standards that permitted some 'wiggle room'
for local authorities to ordain homosexuals who are living in committed
relationships into the ministry. It is still a very divisive issue in the
church and don't get me wrong, acceptance will be slow, but I see it headed
in that direction. The church, and I agree with this, still has very
definite issues with anyone, gay or straight, who is engaging in
licentious, dangerous or rampant sexual behavior. Unfortunately, that kind
of lifestyle often plagues the gay community."

      "It's not just with gays," I objected. "Sex has become an emotionless
act without any boundaries. I mean, look at Reverend Rick sleeping with my
mom while she's still married to my dad."

      "Yes, and look at the harm that has done to your family. Sexual urges
are the downfall of many men, even good men and sometimes, even clergy. But
to deny the ministry to someone whose sexual identity is that of a gay
person, such as yourself, provided they are living within the confines of a
committed, monogamous relationship or in celibacy if single, seems wrong
and counter intuitive to God's teachings. Especially if you believe, as I
do, that being gay is part of the individual's innate makeup and not an
acquired or chosen behavior. I may be wrong about that, and the
conservatives in the church may be right that God is displeased with acting
on gay tendencies, but I do not feel that in my heart."

      "So you think there is a chance I could be gay and still become a
minister? Because I know I'm gay, and I know I can't change that. And I'm
really not into all that wild and crazy sex stuff. I won't lie, I've been
doing some of it and I've felt uncomfortable about it. I just want to be
with one person I love and who loves me back. I want someone who really
loves me, not just says it - a person like my best friend who I don't want
to lose."

      "I don't know whether it will work out in the long run between you
and Scotty. You're still both very young, but I promise if you live up to
your convictions and follow God's inspiration, you will be blessed in the
end and I'm sure he will help guide you to a loving partner for your life."

      I was stunned. "Pastor Morgan, how did you know I was talking about
Scotty?"

      He smiled politely and a bit condescendingly, "It was pretty obvious
to me at the youth group meeting. Scotty would never have come to my
congregation if he hadn't been drawn here by you. You must have a pretty
strong hold on him. Besides, I could see how you two looked at each other
when you thought no one else was looking. He is a fine young man and I
approve of your choice, by the way. I hope your love for each other can
endure."

      "I want a relationship with Scotty like his parents have with each
other. I've never seen more genuine, honest love between two people. It's
just amazing to witness." I said.

      "Yes, I think everyone who knows the Simons' are jealous of their
relationship with each other. They are a model for us all. Scotty is
blessed to have grown up in that environment."

      "There's one other thing that really makes me sad about being gay," I
said.

      "What's that?"

      "Scotty and I love children, but being gay, we could never have
any. I think that's a really hard thing to give up. It seems so unfair not
to be able to share our love with children."

      "Attitudes and laws on that are changing too, Kyle. It's becoming
more and more prevalent for gay couples to adopt children. Especially when
there's a family connection of some sort. If it's in God's plan for you, it
may happen. If not, you can always be a mentor to children. The Big
Brothers Big Sisters organization is always looking for good people to
mentor.  I get great satisfaction from my work with children and youth as a
pastor. Leave that part up to God."

      "Wow, thanks. I guess I better go. It's pretty late and I bet you're
tired. Thank you so much for all of your help. I feel so much better now."

      "I'm glad. Helping and counseling people like this is why I chose
this path for my life. Please, if nothing else, remember that God does not
hate you and never could. God is all about love and has no room for hatred
- displeasure at the way we behave sometimes to be sure, but never hatred."

      I stood and reached for his hand and he took it but pulled me in for
a hug instead of a handshake. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him
back. We smiled at each other - his was a kindly smile and mine was full of
appreciation. Before heading out, I asked if I could use the bathroom. When
I stepped up to the urinal and pulled Little Rock out of my fly, I
remembered back being in there with Tanner, the red headed kid who enticed
me to suck his balls for him. I felt a new wave of guilt over having done
it and felt again like I'd cheated on Scotty. I came to understand to a
small degree what Pastor Morgan was saying about being committed to one
person. It was just innocent teenage sex play and I admitted it to Scotty
afterward and he seemed totally unbothered by it, but still I felt it was
wrong. I resolved that as long as I was with Scotty, I would never violate
that trust between us in any way. I washed up and left.

      I got in the Audi and saw it was past midnight. I thought how Scotty
and the gang were at Great America probably riding a roller coaster and
having fun, but I didn't feel cheated. What I had just experienced was
better than a roller coaster with my friends. I'd just experienced an
epiphany and a glimpse into the value of my life and came to understand
that God loved me. I knew he did. Nothing could change that. A confirming
chill ran down my spine to verify that thought. There would still be hard
times, but I could endure them now. A magnificent joy filled me and the
spiritually charged experience that fell over me right there in the car was
more powerful and satisfying than the strongest orgasm I'd ever had. It was
exhilarating and calming at the same time. I pulled my phone from my pocket
and sent Scotty a text, "Have fun 2 nite. ILU"

      My phone buzzed for a return message, "Thx luvu2" I shoved the phone
back in my pants pocket and just sat in the church parking lot listening to
a soft rock station just drinking in all that had happened. Coincidentally,
the Death Cab song When Soul Meets Body came on. I sang along to the first
lines,

	I want to live where soul meets body
	And let the sun wrap its arms around me
	And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing
	And feel, feel what it's like to be new

      Then these words made me think about Scotty and wonder if what Pastor
Morgan said might come true, whether we may drift apart or our love
endure. I sang along until the song faded out,

	And I do believe it's true
	That there are roads left in both of our shoes
	But if the silence takes you
	Then I hope it takes me too
	So brown eyes I hold you near
	Cause you're the only song I want to hear
	A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
	A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
	A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere
	A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

      As I started the car and put it in reverse, intent on heading home
and facing my new life with my mom, my phone rang. I stepped on the brake
and unbuckled my seat belt to fish my phone out of my slacks pocket. They
were deep and I had trouble retrieving it. I got frustrated and put the car
into park and stretched out as straight as I could and finally got the
phone, wondering who could possibly be calling me. To my irritation, it
stopped ringing just as I got it out, and I groaned when I saw it was
Scotty who called. I quickly redialed.

      "Scotty my love, what's up? You headed to Great America?" I asked.

      "No. I talked to Jennie about skipping Great America and when I sort
of explained why, she not only said it was okay, she practically insisted
on it. She thought it was romantic. Actually, I think she was kinda glad
she wouldn't feel obligated to hang out with me and she could just go be
with her friends."

      "Wait. What are you saying?" I asked, almost unwilling to get my
hopes up.

      "I'm saying that the bus just left for Great America and I'm not on
it. And if you don't get your hot little ass back here in the next ten
minutes, I'm gonna start hitchhiking home."

      "Holy shit! I love you! This is sooooooo awesome. But what about your
parents? I mean what will they say when they come to pick you up? Or are
you just gonna have me drop you off in time so you're back there when the
bus shows up? But what if they get there before the bus and you're not on
it? Shit, who cares? I'm on my way to come get you. Where should we go? Why
don't we go back to my mom's apartment? It's a little bit of a drive, but
we'll have everything we need there. Plus, I don't think we can rent a
hotel since we don't have a credit ..."

      "KYLE," Scotty shouted. "Take a breath, dude." He started laughing
and I then I burst out laughing. "I wouldn't do this without clearing it
with my parents first. I already talked to them about my feelings for
you. They know I'm gay and they know I'm in love with you. We talked all
about it after the whole jail thing. They said we can go to my house. They
weren't thrilled about me riding in the car with you, but they agreed to
let me with a little begging and a few promises since it's not very far. So
shut the hell up and get over here, now. I got a massive boner that needs a
nice cozy place to play snuggle in."

      "Dude, I'm on my way. See ya. Oh, and you really rock, you know
that?"

      "Cool! I rocked my Rock's world. Awesome." He hung up and so did I.

      "Woo-hoo! Hot Damn! Scotty's gonna fuck me, Scotty's gonna hump me,
Scotty's gonna love me tonight, Oh yeah!"

      I headed back to the school, trying desperately to obey the speed
limit. My mind kept wandering and I was so excited that I kept accidentally
speeding. Every time I looked down and saw I was ten to fifteen miles over
the limit, I'd freak out a bit and search for cops. I pulled into the
student pickup lane and there was Scotty looking sharp in his nice grey
suit. He smiled that delicious smile as I drove up and I popped the door
locks. He jumped in and I took off. As soon as I rounded a couple of
corners, I stopped at the next stop sign and put the car in park. I turned
toward him and didn't even have to say it. He smiled, undid his seat belt
and climbed over the console and we started making out.

      We were swallowing each other's tongues and groping our faces and
necks. We were lost in mad, wild, lustful love. Forget that I'd already cum
twice before in the day, I was boned up as hard as I'd ever been. Scotty
reached down and gripped my boner through my black slacks and I moaned in
anticipation. I reached down and grabbed his trapped hard-on and squeezed
it while we continued kissing with intense passion. Our little impromptu
make-out session was interrupted by a car horn. He jumped back into his
seat and I sped off around the corner.

      I headed toward Scotty's house skirting along the industrial district
and stopped at a red light. What I saw next, sickened me. Already, my
newfound resolve to do the right thing no matter the consequence was being
tested. Passing in front of me was Lenny's old, beat up Celica and there
were two desperately frightened boys in the back seat. The boy on my side
turned a pleading face toward me and my headlights illuminated his face as
they drove past. It was Pablo from Juvey!

      "Did you see that?" I asked Scotty.

      "Yeah. It was that Lenny creep. Let's get the hell out of here."

      "No, not that, the boys in the backseat. The one by our window was
Pablo. The bigger one is probably Bull. They're never separated. Did you
see the terrified look on Pablo's face? I swear he said 'help us'." Then I
added resolutely, "Bull saved my life in Juvey."

      My light turned green and I crept slowly into the intersection. My
good sense told me to press the gas pedal and drive straight to Scotty's
house. My intuition and conscience made me turn off my lights and follow
Lenny.

      "No. Shit no. Kyle, we can't do this again. I told my parents ... I
promised my parents we would come straight home and we'd be careful. Turn
around. You don't know they're in trouble."

      I just stared at him, a bit disappointed. He squirmed and said, "All
right, they're obviously in trouble, but there's nothing we can do to
help. Let's just go report it to the police."

      I looked at him again and shook my head. "Sure, We'll just drive over
to the police station and tell the nice man at the desk that we had so much
fun in the stolen car last weekend that we decided to do it all again, only
this time in my mom's Audi. Then we'll just explain about seeing the Celica
with the bogus license plates, that I don't think the cops ever believed us
about, drive past with two kidnapped homeless boys. I'm sure they'll get
right on it and send us on our way with a lollipop. I'm NOT going to the
police and risk ending up in Juvey again. Forget that."

      Scotty slumped and put his hands over his face. "Shit," he groaned.

      I stayed a significant distance behind them. Some of the buildings
seemed familiar from the week before. When we crossed the train tracks, a
chill ran up my spine and my blood ran cold. I was glad my bladder was
empty. My heart was racing and I had no real idea what I would even do when
I found out where they were going. They proceeded down the dead end street
and I stopped in the shadows of a large tree and turned off my engine. I
watched as Lenny pulled into one of the warehouse building driveways and
waited for a garage door to open up. There was a group of maybe six or
seven young guys milling around, quite obviously gang members. My heart
raced even faster and I was sweating. My mind was swirling. Scotty was
frozen in fear.

      I thought about calling my dad, thinking he would know what to do,
but he'd probably not even answer since he would be at work or asleep and
almost certainly wouldn't answer if he saw it was me calling. Besides, he
let me go to Juvey last time and I was not risking that. Although, I
doubted he would do that again. I really didn't know what to do. I was
gripping the steering wheel in fear and panic was welling up inside of
me. "Scotty, what are we gonna do?"

      He just looked at me. His face was white as a sheet and I'm not sure
he wasn't suffering from shock or a panic attack. He didn't speak, but
shrugged his shoulders and put his face back in his hands.

      Then, the passenger door of Lenny's Corolla was flung open and a
couple of gangsters pulled a large boy from the opposite side of where I
had seen Pablo sitting. It was Bull. His hands were tied behind him and
they threw him to the pavement. They began kicking and beating him with
clubs. He squirmed and kicked at them at first, but then he curled into a
ball and took the abuse being heaped on him. I assumed it was retaliation
for what happened in Juvenile Hall. I broke into tears as Lenny drove into
the open roll-up door and the door began to close.

      "Dear God, if ever I needed your help in order to help someone else,
this is it. Please help me know what to do." I earnestly pled.

      Immediately, the idea popped into my mind to call Officer Milsap. I
dug the phone from my pocket and desperately searched for his number in my
contacts. I found it and pressed it to dial. It rang several times before
Officer Milsap's tenuous voice came on the line, "Hello, who is this?"

      I almost couldn't speak from the relief I felt at him
answering. "Officer Milsap, it's me, Kyle. I need your help. BAD!"

      "Kyle, what's going on? Where are you?"

      "I'm back in town in the industrial district."

      He interrupted me, screaming, "You're where? Are you crazy? Get the
hell out of there now!"

      "No, listen to me, I can't leave. I saw that Lenny guy, the one I
told you about who was at William's trailer that night and who chased us. I
followed him to this warehouse on a dead end street and he had Pablo and
Bull in his car. He kidnapped the two homeless guys that were in Juvey with
me. Bull's the one who Renaldo made him put me in the sleeper hold so he
could fuck me and who ended up turning against Renaldo and killed him in
the end. Oh, I wasn't supposed to say that. I mean, pushed Renaldo off me
before he slipped and hit his head. Anyway, a bunch of gang members are
beating the shit out of him. I think they're planning to kill him. Hurry,
please hurry."

      "Kyle, where are you? I have to know where you are!"

      "I don't know. There's no signs. It's a dead end past the railroad
tracks."

      "Kyle, there's two dozen or more of those in the industrial
park. Find a business name or something we can go by."

      "It's too dark. I can't see any. I started out on Seventh Street
headed west and then I turned left and then we wound all over the place. I
didn't see any street signs. Oh God, I swear they're killing him and God
only knows what's happening to Pablo inside the building."

      "Kyle, you have to give me something to go on to find you. Think!"

      I said a quick silent prayer again and yelled into the receiver,
"LO-JACK!"

      "What?" Officer Milsap asked, sounding confused.

      "I'm in my mom's Audi and it has Lo-Jack installed in it. Can't you
trace it?"

      "Yes, but it will take a while. We don't have a tracking device in
this squad car. We'll have to call it in. I need the tracking
information. Give me the VIN number off the registration."

      I opened the glove compartment and pulled everything out onto
Scotty's lap. I dug through it frantically until I found the
registration. Scotty just watched. I read it to Officer Milsap and he had
to tell me three times to slow down. He made me repeat it along with the
make and model and license number three times. Finally, he said, "Okay, I
got it." He told me to stay on the line and I heard him call in to the
station. I watched in continued horror as they pummeled Bull. For all I
knew, he was already dead. Suddenly, he sat up and then stood. I could see
he was screaming at them. I could hear his voice and the fury in it even as
far away as we were parked. He began kicking his assailants and he caught
one of them squarely in the balls, doubling him over. His defiance was
short lived, however, and they ganged up on him and tackled him back to the
ground. One of the larger gangsters grabbed him by the ears or the hair and
forced his face to the curb. He was trying to force Bull's mouth over the
edge of the curb and then one of them pulled a gun and pointed it against
his skull.

      "Oh God, they're gonna shoot him." I dropped the phone between my
legs. Bull went limp and allowed them to force his mouth over the curb. I
already had the Audi started and pulled it into drive. I hesitated, knowing
I was putting the guy I loved more than anyone in the whole world at danger
by getting involved, but failing to act would almost certainly mean the guy
who saved my life in Juvey would be killed. I was truly between a rock and
a hard place.

      The gang member who Bull had kicked in the balls had his foot raised
up over the back of Bull's head ready to drive it into the back of Bull's
skull. He clearly intended to break out Bull's teeth on the curb they had
just forced him to bite. I turned on my headlights and hit the brights and
then started honking the horn.

      "Are you completely nuts?" Scotty yelled at me. "They have guns!"

      They all turned and faced me as I sped directly toward them. As they
realized I wasn't stopping, they all scattered. I could hear Officer Milsap
yelling at me on the phone not to be a hero. I snapped the phone off,
cutting the signal.

      I couldn't just let them kill Bull. Not after he saved my life in
Juvey. I screeched to a halt just before running poor Bull over and killing
him myself. I opened my door, stepped one foot onto the pavement and yelled
for Bull to get in the car. He scrambled to his feet and ran to the rear
passenger door. He pulled on the handle but nothing happened. I forgot
about the automatic safety locks and fidgeted with the controls on the door
handle until I hit the unlock button.

      Suddenly, my head was propelled forward so forcefully that my face
smashed into the door jamb of the Audi leaving me stunned. I dropped to the
pavement and was dragged away from the car. I watched as another gangster
threw my phone on the ground and smashed it with his club. I was thrown
onto the sidewalk and a knee jabbed hard into my back. I was lying next to
Bull. He didn't speak, but he shrugged as if to say, "Thanks for trying."

      Scotty landed hard next to Bull and was screaming and crying that we
wouldn't tell on them if they'd just let us go and begging them not to hurt
us. He was hysterical. They started kicking and smacking him with a club
until he shut up.

      In a minute or so, the older guy with the foreign accent and the BMW,
who had been at William's house, came out of the building and inspected the
scene. "Bring those two inside and get their blood type. NOW!" They picked
me and Scotty up and dragged us toward the building. "And get that car
inside."

      "Hefe, what about theeze one?" He kicked Bull brutally hard in the
ribs, extracting a painful cry.

      The old man turned and snarled, "I told you he's not a match and that
you can torture him all you want, but do it out back where you won't leave
an obvious mess. And when you're finished, clean up your mess back there
and stick his body in a bag and throw it in the crematorium truck." They
started dragging Bull to the side of the building, while one of the
gangsters climbed into my mom's car to drive it through the rollup door
that was opening up again.

      We were physically forced into the stark white, industrial building
through a garage area where the old man's BMW and Lenny's Celica, along
with two other very nice cars and a panel van, were parked. I counted at
least four angry looking Hispanic men with large guns positioned around the
perimeter of the garage. Scotty and I were pushed through another door at
the back of the garage area and into a small room with an assortment of odd
looking medical equipment in it. We were each forced into a couple of blue
vinyl chairs with black plastic arms. Our wrists were taped palms up to the
arms of the chairs and a small man in medical scrubs rushed in and poked a
needle into our arms. Then he pushed a vial into the receptacle at the end
of the needle and I watched my blood rush into the tube. He pulled it out
when it was full, removed the needle, and put a Band-Aid over the prick
mark. He did the same to Scotty.

      Then we were cut loose from the chairs and taken forcefully back
through the garage area into another room off to the side. In this room
were rows of cages, some of them filled with muzzled dogs, who became
agitated and began circling about wildly, and the remainder of the cages
were left empty. On the other wall was another row of cages, empty except
for two. In the two occupied cages were small monkeys lying listless on the
metal floor of their enclosures. Scotty and I were roughly shoved inside a
small room and the door was slammed behind us.

      "Weto! Whachu do-eeng here?" Pablo asked in shocked surprise.

      There were several other young boys our age cowering in the back
corner. They appeared as shabby and unkempt as Pablo and appeared to be
about my age. I assumed they were all runaways and homeless boys like Pablo
and Bull. There was a white porcelain shitter and a sink in one corner of
the room, open to view just like in Juvey, and wooden benches on one
wall. The sides of the shitter and the floor surrounding the shitter had
dried puke on them and the stench in the room made me gag. The floor was
grey painted concrete with splotches of blood here and there. Next to the
sink, lay a pile of shabby clothing with no occupant for them. Otherwise,
the room was completely empty and without any windows and only the one
locked, steel door. "Pablo, what's going on here?"

      "I don' know, buey. Theeze assholes take our blood an' steek us in
here. We really scared, man. Where eez Bull at?" I didn't know how to
answer Pablo. I couldn't bring myself to tell him they were killing him out
back. I just shrugged.

      "Buey, we gots to stop meet-eeng like theeze, no?" He tried to break
the tension in his own way with some humor. Even though I found no humor in
it, I definitely agreed with him.

      "Pablo, this is my friend, Scotty." I turned toward Scotty who had no
color left in his face except for a trickle of blood from the cut on his
cheek he got from being slammed into the sidewalk outside. The red streak
on his chalk white face made him look like a little kid made up as a
Vampire for Halloween.

      "Chu don' look so good, buey. Chu better seet down, man." Pablo and I
helped Scotty onto the bench. He put his elbows on his knees and his face
back in his hands.

      I found out that Pablo and Bull hadn't been transferred from Juvey
into another facility like I was told. Instead, they had been taken
straight back to child services and then they had been placed with an out
of town foster family. They had kept them together with the same foster
family for a change. But just as Pablo had told me back in Juvey, the two
of them ran away at their first opportunity, after stealing whatever money
they could to tide them over. They had returned to their old camp by the
canals. That's where they were when they got kidnapped by Lenny and the
gang members. One of the gang members apparently recognized Bull from
Juvey, according to Pablo. I wondered why he hadn't recognized me.

      After about thirty minutes, two large guys walked in pushing a
gurney. The old man with the accent followed them, smiling like he'd won
the lottery. "Strip naked. Quickly," the old man barked at me.

      "Why?" I demanded.

      "Because otherwise, I am going to shoot you dead." He drew a gun and
pointed it at me.

      I gulped and Scotty wailed.

      "Good reason," I said. "I'm doing it, don't shoot me." I kicked off
the Reverend's expensive shoes and pulled my socks off. I unbuttoned my
white dress shirt and black, suit pants and pulled them both off. I slid my
boxer briefs off, followed by my white undershirt and stood there stark
naked. I put on hand over my privates and wrapped my other arm around my
bicep and started shivering uncontrollably, more from fear than from cold.

      "Climb up on the table." He gestured to the table with his gun. I
didn't ask why. I just did it. The two goons strapped my hands and feet to
the gurney and then strapped my head down with a leather strap tightly over
my forehead. I started to get panicky being constrained like that. I
continued to shake all over and my throat was tightening up.

      "Why are you doing this to me? What the fuck is going on? I called
the police on you assholes, you know. They're on their way, I
swear. Whatever you're planning you better fucking stop it now."

      Scotty desperate to try and do something out of his love for me,
jumped up and took a swing at one of the goons. The ugly, large man flicked
him off like a bug, sending him sprawling on the floor, but he jumped up
with fire in his eyes. He flung himself into the large man's midsection and
stepped behind the man's knees and performed a masterful takedown.

      Pablo jumped up and yelled, "Chess, geet heem, Weto, geet heem!"

      The second goon ran to the other man's aid and I heard a dull thud
and Scotty groan.

      "Kick his ass, Scotty!" I yelled.

      "Shut up." The old man stuck the barrel of his gun in my mouth and
snarled, I felt the cold steel pressed into the roof of my mouth. "Do you
understand?" I nodded as best I could with my head strapped down.  He
removed the gun and I was wheeled out. Scotty was lying on the floor
whimpering in pain.

      "I love you Scotty. I'll always love you," I called out as they
hauled me away. "Please forgive me for getting you into this mess. Please
forgive..." The door slammed shut.

      They wheeled me into a very clean, white room and rolled me under
super bright lights. The room smelled sterile and everything was shiny. A
heavy set doctor dressed in full scrubs, masked and gloved, walked up to
me. Something about his eyes was familiar but I couldn't place them. When
he looked at me, his eyes widened in obvious surprise.

      "We have gotten very fortunate," began the old man. "After your
blunder with the last match, I thought we were most certainly dead
men. This stupid boy, who literally fell into our hands, is an excellent
match. Hurry up and get this done and let's get out of here. This place is
getting much too hot and we need to abandon this facility and move on."

	The doctor said, "Oh, this one will be a pleasure to work on." He
pulled the mask free from his face and gave me a sinister grin. I gasped in
complete terror. It was William's asshole father, the barnacle.

      "I can't believe our fortune getting ahold of you." The barnacle
sneered, "You're the little, rich bastard who ruined everything for me. You
got William's ball smashed and that ended up getting his dick straightened
out which ruined everything for me. Just when I was making progress in my
research, you got involved and fouled it all up. If it weren't for you, I
would have succeeded in correcting his curved dick and making it grow
larger. I was so close. I would have been rich beyond my wildest dreams."
Turning to the old man who was now gowned and masked as well, he said, "I'd
like to cut this one open without the gas. I want him to feel the pain of
my scalpel as I carve him open and remove his liver." The barnacle laughed
maniacally waving the scalpel in my face.

      His words sunk in suddenly and I became frantic, pulling at my
restraints and crying out. "What are you talking about? What are you
planning to do to me? What is this place?" I had a million questions but
those three spilled out from the top of the pile.

      "This is a research lab, you nosy little asshole. We do experiments
on dogs, cats, monkeys, rats, homeless people and other useless animals
that can't be done in a regulated laboratory. We also supply animals to
researchers on the sly, for their own research, like the ones I used for my
male genitalia research. The cash crop, however, is harvesting organs from
homeless people and runaways for the drug cartel. We perform transplants
for rich people who couldn't otherwise get them. It's a nice side
business. Once I've worked off my debt, I plan on staying on and making
some nice cash. Things will be different for me from now on and no
shithead, rich, doctor's brat like you, or an idiot kid like William can
get in my way this time. I just wish I had time to cut your balls off and
feed them to you before I harvest your liver. I'd enjoy that."

      "Get on with it!" The old man yelled.

      "All right, I'm gonna slice him open without the gas," the barnacle
said. He lowered his scalpel and I felt pressure and then a stinging
sensation from just under my right rib cage across my rippled abs. A second
cut was made from my sternum down to meet the first cut. Searing pain
reached my addled brain and I began screaming and thrashing against the
straps holding me down.

      The old man approached and slapped William's old man hard across the
face. "Listen, you idiot. The son of a high ranking, drug cartel leader is
lying in the next room waiting for this boy's liver. If you screw this up
over some sadistic need for revenge on this boy, I'll personally strap you
to a tree and tie your small intestines to the bumper of my car and drive
off while you watch your guts unravel into the street. Give him the fucking
gas and then finish this job right and do it RIGHT NOW!"

      "All right, all right!" William's father reached for a mask and moved
it toward my face. I was actually thankful that I would die without any
more pain. Then he added, "Or I could just slit his throat and watch him
spit and gurgle until he dies."

      "You can destroy my body, but you cannot destroy my soul," I said,
quoting the scripture I had just heard from Pastor Morgan. "Your soul, on
the other hand, is beyond redemption, you worthless bastard. Rot in hell!"
I spit at him but he just laughed with even greater amusement as he put the
mask over my face and bent down to turn the gas on. I sucked in a large
breath before he did and held it.

      Then I heard a sickening sound, a muffled gunshot. I realized Bull
had probably met his end. It was followed by a series of gunshots and I
thought how much it was like these filthy fuckers to riddle his body with
bullets for their sadistic pleasure. I felt the cool rush of air against my
face and heard the hissing sound of the gas flowing. I held my breath. More
gunshots erupted. They were closer. There was confused yelling and
screaming. The barnacle stood up and the old man pointed to a side
door. They both rushed out together. I felt the wet blood from the gashes
in my abdomen dripping down my side. I knew I couldn't hold out much longer
as my lungs burned for lack of fresh oxygen and my brain screamed at me to
breath. It was like being in an inescapable wrestling hold and fighting off
getting pinned to the mat until the round expired. I realized what must be
happening just as I heard a commanding voice yell, "Police, freeze!" More
gunshots erupted, and more screaming.

      "Uhhhhhhh." I pulled in a long gasping breath. I couldn't hold out
any longer. The poisonous gas they were killing you with was odorless and
tasteless. I supposed it was too late for me now but I held my breath again
just in case one breath wouldn't finish me off. Fearing the worst, however,
I prayed to God, "Father, I'm coming to live with you now. Take my soul
into your loving care, Father. Forgive me for my mistakes and show me
mercy. Help me forgive others in my life. Bless my dad and bless my mom and
help them find their way. I forgive them, Father. I forgive them for how
they treated me. Most of all, please bless Scotty. Save Scotty,
please. It's not his fault. Don't let him die because of me. I love
him. Amen." I closed my eyes and prepared to die. I sucked in what I
assumed would be my last breath.

      I was surprised to still be conscious when the door burst open with
an enormous crash. There was shouting and much confusion. The mask was
ripped from my face and a paramedic pressed something against my
abdomen. Suddenly, I was being wheeled away. Through the corner of my eye,
I could see dead bodies lying all around the garage area. I was sickened by
waste of life. But I can't lie, when I caught sight of the fat barnacle
slumped, lifeless against a wall, I felt no remorse for him. I felt he got
what he justly deserved. "Rot in hell, you asshole," I muttered. Outside,
there were swarms of police and emergency vehicles with their lights
blazing. I was unstrapped and placed on an ambulance stretcher and then I
got the second ambulance ride of my young life. I hoped it would be my
last. "Dear God," I prayed, "Please let Scotty be all right!" I closed my
eyes. That's all I remember until I woke up in another hospital.

      Thinking I was dreaming, I saw Officer Milsap's face peering down at
me.

      "I'm thirsty," I moaned. The kind officer shoveled ice chips into my
dry mouth. I savored them and asked for more. It wasn't a dream after
all. Once I'd consumed the entire cup, I stretched and felt the pull of the
taped bandages and stitches in my abdomen.

      Looking up at Officer Milsap, I said, "Thank you for saving me. If
you hadn't given me your number, I'd be worm food right now."

      "I'm so glad you thought to call me. I'm proud of the way you acted,
but you really shouldn't have tried to be a hero." It was a mild rebuke.

      "Yeah, I'm no hero. I guess what I did was pretty stupid, really,
driving down there like that. I put my life and Scotty's life at risk, and
it didn't even end up saving poor Bull after all. Is Scotty all right? Did
he get hurt?"

      "Scotty's fine. He's a little freaked out and he's got some bruised
ribs and a nasty gash in the back of his head. He's in a safe house under
FBI protection at the moment, along with his family. He said to tell you
he's thinking of you and ... that he loves you. Your friend William and his
mother are also in a safe house, so don't worry about them either."

      I pressed my palms together and pointed my fingers heavenward. "Thank
you God," I said with tears of relief trickling from the corners of my
eyes.

      "Oh, and you're wrong about not saving Bull's life," Officer Milsap
continued, "Bull's in this same hospital recuperating. He's beat up pretty
badly, broken ribs, concussion, possible loss of sight in his left eye, and
his front teeth busted out, but he is definitely going to live."

      I started crying for joy. "You mean, I really did save his life?"

      "You really did. So I guess you are a hero."

       "If you see Scotty, tell him that I love him back. Why is he in a
safe house and why is his whole family in a safe house? And why William and
his mother too?" I asked. I was very relieved that they were safe, but I
was concerned about the implications of his entire family being in a safe
house.

      "Kyle," Officer Milsap said sternly, "I can't believe you still don't
get how dangerous these people are. They don't mess around. They are
connected with a major drug operation in El Salvador. We've been
investigating them for a while and you and Scotty dropped us right into
their central operation in our valley. We've already scored some very high
level arrests from last night's raid. Look out your window; you're in an
out of town hospital. There were skyscrapers in the horizon.

      "What about Pablo?" I asked.

      "He's also safe under police supervision until he can testify for
us."

      "What will happen to him after that? Will he be deported or put back
in the system? If he goes to another foster family, he'll just run away
again. It's what he and Bull have always done ever since Bull got abused by
a foster parent. Then, they'll just end up on the streets again and the
gang will kill them." I was very upset and shaking just thinking about it.

      "Bull is a legal age adult now, so he will go into the witness
protection program. He's key to our case against the gang and the drug
lords. Pablo is also a useful witness against the gang members running the
drugs in the juvenile justice and prison system, as well as supplying stray
animals and humans for the unthinkable experiments they were performing. A
deal will be worked out to get him legal status in exchange for his
testimony. There is already a pretty good plan in place for those two if it
works out like I think it will. They're going to get a real shot at a good
life."

      "What is it? What's the plan for them?" I asked, eager to know.

      "I can't say right now. Just trust me that they are going to be
okay." He rested his hand on my shoulder and smiled kindly.

      "What's going to happen to me?" I asked.

      "That depends. It's not exactly sorted out yet. Your parents have to
make some big decisions and right now, they're not on the same page. Hell,
they're not even in the same library. We had a difficult time even finding
your mother until early this morning. She was off at some spa retreat
leaving you home alone, which really infuriates me. But I guess you knew
that. Hopefully, we resolve your future with them today." He yawned long
and wide and said, "I gotta go get some sleep before I drop where I
stand. I'll be back later. There are two guards at your door. You're safe
here. Don't worry."

      "Officer Milsap, thank you for everything. Can I ask one more
question before you go?"

      "Sure, and you can call me Peter when it's just us together. You
don't need the Officer formality crap. What do you want to know?"

      "Well, if William's pathetic old man turned the poison gas on me
before he ran out, how come I didn't die from it?"

      "Oh, that's a good question. I don't really know. I'll see if I can
find that out from the detectives or maybe the paramedics." He waved and
left. I couldn't believe how kind he was for a cop. He seemed so
understanding and wasn't just all about being tough and nasty. Surely, God
brought him into my life like a guardian angel. After he left, I lifted the
sheet and my gown and inspected the bandages over my lower rib cage and
abdomen. I wondered what horrible scars would be left on my beautiful
body. I thought about all the scars Bull had from being cut up. I marveled
at a human's capacity for cruelty and meanness and contrasted it with
Peter's capacity for kindness and ability to do good for someone he really
didn't even know. He talked about me being a hero, but he risked his life
every day to protect people he doesn't even know. I thought about Corrie
ten Boom and her willingness to risk her safety for strangers and the
incredibly evil cruelty she was subjected to because of it. Yet she
forgave.

      The rest of the day was filled with the typical hospital routine. The
evening news was full of the big story about the police raid on the drug
cartel and illegal medical lab. Apparently, the warehouse was not only a
medical lab but a large drug warehouse and distribution point as well. The
police were being very vague in their responses to the media and it was
mostly speculation being reported by the news stations as if it were
factual. I was surprised how much wrong information was being given out
with almost breathless conviction of 'having just learned' or 'this just
in'. So far, it seemed that they had managed to keep Scotty's and my name
out of it. One station mentioned that homeless youth and animals were being
held in cages and that unspeakable human experiments were being conducted
on them similar to what Josef Mengele had done under the Nazi regime in
Germany.

      Around noon, my father called. "Hello Kyle," he said, "How are you
doing? Are you recovering well?"

      "Hi Dad. Yeah, I'm doing fine. They sewed me up and I guess I got
some replacement blood."

      "Well, that's good. I don't know what to do about you. You just can't
keep out of trouble, can you?" he scolded. I could tell he was exasperated
and even sort of angry with me.

      "I guess trouble just seems to find me."

      "You don't make it too hard on trouble to do just that when you do
the stupid things you do. Why can't you just go out and get drunk and laid
like every other normal high school kid? Why do you have to take on gangs
and drug cartels and rescue every lost puppy you see? You can't live this
way. You've put a lot of people around you in danger." He obviously had
tried to keep his conversation surface level, but he just couldn't control
his urges to spill out his frustration with me. I didn't get mad. I was
past getting mad. I'd done the right thing. I'd saved some innocent
lives. I helped expose evil and crippled, to some degree, the drug trade in
our valley. More importantly, I followed the inspiration from a higher
power and I didn't need my parent's approval or even understanding about
it. Like Pastor Morgan had said, "He who loves father or mother more than
God, is not worthy of Him."

      "Dad, I'm sorry I've inconvenienced your life. What's going to happen
with us? Can you please get me back from Mom and maybe we could move away
and start over?"

      "It's a difficult problem. It's not so easy for me to just pick up
and move. The FBI is pressuring your mother or me to do just that. She
doesn't want to leave her precious Reverend and I don't want to leave my
work here at the hospital. I've created something special here. We are on
the verge of some exciting and promising breakthroughs in our cancer
research."

      In the long agonizing pause that followed, the irony of what he just
said slammed me in the gut. "So ... neither of you want me. I'm too much
trouble. I wish the gas had worked. It would have made it easier on
everyone."

      "What are you talking about? What gas? And don't be ridiculous, of
course we want you, it's just a very difficult position you've placed us
in." my father said. "As soon as you're well enough, probably tomorrow,
we're going to meet with a judge regarding custody. I'll try to get custody
and we'll just have to move with the FBI's protection. I don't see any
other real solution. Your mother will not leave Reverend Rick so I'm
... I'm needing to step up and protect you. But for God's sake, after we do
move, no more crusades, understand?"

      "Yes."

      "Goodbye son."

      "Goodbye." I hung up with my father, set the phone down and dialed my
Father in heaven, "Dear God, please give me the strength to forgive
them. They just don't understand. Amen." I struggled with how Dad was about
to say he was stuck with me, but he caught himself and said he needed to
'step up' instead. "Let it go, Kyle," I said out loud to myself.

      Monday morning, Peter brought me a letter from Scotty as well as news
that I was considered well enough to leave. He brought me new nice clothes
and I dressed after reading Scotty's letter,

      Kyle, I'm so worried about you. I hope you are getting better fast. I
love you, man. Even if you are crazy. My family and I are all in FBI
protective custody. I guess the people you messed with are some real bad
asses. I don't know exactly what's going to happen to us. They can't tell
me what's going to happen with you either. It's a big, scary mess. Whatever
happens and however long it takes, we will find each other. You're my Rock
and I'm your Banana Boy forever. Love, Scotty

      I clutched it to my chest and thanked God for Scotty. Whatever the
future held, someday we would be together. I felt it with every fiber of my
heart and soul. Around noon, after the doctor examined my wounds, the head
nurse said I could get dressed to leave. Peter signed me out. He wheeled me
outside since the hospital policy required it, even though I was capable of
walking. We drove into the city where arrangements had been made to meet
with my parents and their lawyers in front of a family law judge. I dreaded
it and welcomed it at the same time.

      Finally, my father and I could be together again, move away and start
over rebuilding our relationship, however long that took. Scotty and I
would find a way to communicate and find each other someday and my life
could be filled with joy and love again. We entered the large courthouse
from the rear alley and parked underneath the building in a special
lot. Peter flashed his badge to the security guard and after checking his
list, he waived us through. We went through a series of security checks and
Peter left his weapon at one of them. When we exited the elevator, there
was Dad and his lawyer, Mom and her lawyer and Reverend Rick. They stood to
greet me and Mom came over to me acting all concerned and motherly. I put a
protective hand over my abs and held the other one out to stop her from
giving me a hug. "No hugs," I said sternly. "My gut still hurts too much."
Mom stepped awkwardly back not knowing how to react. The Reverend stepped
up and put his arm around her.

      "How come you didn't call or come see me in the hospital, Mom?" I
asked, intending to embarrass her. I succeeded.

      "Well I wasn't allowed to. The FBI is involved in this mess, you know
that." She squirmed as she said it.

      "Dad called." She scowled at him but didn't speak. I nodded toward
Reverend Rick and asked, "What's he doing here?"

      "He's my spiritual counselor," Mom retorted with a tone that
indicated I shouldn't go where she knew I could go and really wanted to go.

      I didn't go there though, and just responded, "Oh, I see." I walked
over to my dad and shook his hand and sat next to him as an obvious display
of which team I was rooting for to draft me.

      We all sat in very uncomfortable silence until a middle aged woman
came out and said, "Judge Tennyson will see you now."

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

Next chapter will be the wrap up and conclusion of this story. I appreciate
the readers who have taken time to email me and share their thoughts along
the way. I cherish some of the internet friendships that have grown out of
it. Sincerely, Hans. h.schreiber@hushmail.com