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Dedication:  10 days ago my young English friend Jamie died after surgery for cancer. He was a beautiful guy, both in body and in spirit. He was an accomplished musician, traveling all over the world to perform. He was 23. My heart reaches out to the love of his life Chiaran. This one is for Jamie. HUGs.

Thanks to Bill H. my editor for his hard work and great help. John (aka JET) JETjt@aol.com

RON AND MATT

Chapter Six

“I wonder why Matt asked to see me after breakfast this morning?” asked Jason, full of curiosity as he and Darryl finished the huge meal that Mary had served to them in the breakfast room of Ron and Matt’s huge home.

“Guess, you’ll find out in a minute,” Darryl answered as he saw Matt descend the stairway from the 2nd floor. “I think they want us to go to the Thornton Center, but that’s not gonna happen for an hour or so.”

Matt greeted the guests, and after chatting with them as he drank a cup of coffee and consumed a fresh baked cinnamon roll, asked them to follow him. Obediently they trailed behind their new friend until at last they came to a pair of doors off a hallway. Opening the door they saw a room with a desk, easy chairs, a sofa and walls lined with books. Tyler was sitting in one of the easy chairs. Matt motioned for them to join Ron’s brother. Once all were seated Matt began.

“Guys, we’re really happy that you are here with us. We’d like to talk to you a little about the Thornton Center and it’s possibilities as your new home ‘til you get a bit older.”

Matt went on to describe the lifestyle planned for gay youths at the Thornton Center. He also told them that he would be a counselor there and that they were free to leave if they found it intolerable. Their eyes were full of relief and wonder as he described the family life planned there. Both boys were thinking maybe there they could finally be safe.

“I’m not asking you to make up your minds now,” Matt continued, “ but I thought it might be helpful to know what you’ll be looking at when we go there. Now we’d like to talk to Jason alone, if you don’t mind Darryl. You can wait for him anywhere you like; your room, the game room, or out on the pool deck.”

“Why do you want him to leave?” Jason asked with a thinly disguised tone of defiance.

“We’d like to ask you about some personal stuff,” Matt replied. “We thought it might save you embarrassment.”

“I don’t want him to leave. He knows all about me. We’re boyfriends now and whatever you want to ask me he can hear,” Jason said.

“That’s fine,” Tyler joined in the conversation. “We want to ask about those red marks on your back, Jason.”

“How did you…. Uh…what red marks?”

“Please remove your shirt Jason, “ Matt requested. “Don’t worry, we’re your friends and we’re here to help you.”

“I don’t know how looking at my back and bottom is gonna help me. It’s already done and over with,” Jason responded.

“Let me explain,” Matt began. “Tyler is the head of a large private investigation and security company. He has investigated many cases of child abuse. If we’re going to protect you against having to go back and live with your uncle Jake, there is no better evidence than photographs of that abuse. I’m sure you have hidden it well since your parents died, but for once that suffering can be used for your benefit. We’d also like to see if you need medical attention.”

“You can look and take pictures if you want, “ Jason said, “but I don’t want to go to no doctor. I don’t have any money to pay for it.”

“Look around you,” Tyler said. “Do you think that Ron, Matt or I are concerned if we have to pay a little money to see you healthy? We want to help. If the injuries are bad and we should have to go to court to protect you from your uncle, another professional witness, especially a doctor, would be very important. It would also show a judge, that we care enough about you to see that you get medical care if needed, and are willing to pay your medical expenses. We hope you will help us protect you by agreeing.”

“Well…. ok,” Jason said after looking into Darryl’s eyes and seeing his head nod ‘yes’.

Jason stood and peeled off the tee that he had chosen from the half dozen that Parker had purchased. He turned his back toward Matt and Tyler.

“My God!” Matt gasped as he stared at the ugly welts, stripes and bruises on Jason’s back. “I’m so sorry my friend.”

Tyler gritted his teeth and was silent.

“It doesn’t hurt much any more,” Jason said stoically. “You want to see the rest?”  

He looked at Tyler who nodded in the affirmative. He unbuckled his pants and dropped his trousers and shorts halfway down his thighs. The welts and bruises covering his buttocks duplicated those on his back. As he stood exposed, he dropped his chin and his false front of bravery started to crumble.

“I…I …I just don’t know what I could have done to make him hate me so. I never did anything bad. I cleaned the house. I did the laundry. I cooked the food. I tried hard to make him like me, but the more I tried the worse it got. He used to laugh while he was hitting me. He was careful not to hit me where it would show with my clothes on. He used to brag about it to his girlfriends.”  Jason broke down in tears.

“Just hang on there for one minute,” Tyler said as he picked up the camera and took more than a dozen photos. He positioned the camera not only directly at Jason’s back but from the sides including his face, which he had Jason turn toward the camera, so there could be no mistaking on whom the wounds had been inflicted.”

“Ok. We’re done.” Tyler said finally. “You can dress again.”

Jason pulled up his pants, buckled his belt and slipped the tee shirt carefully back over his injured back.  As he pulled the shirt to his waistline, Tyler set the camera down, and took the young boy into his arms, very gently pulling him into a careful hug.

“I can promise you, my young friend. That you will never suffer like that again. If your uncle were here, it would be all I could do to keep from giving him a taste of his own medicine.”

“He’s a pretty big guy,” Jason said smiling through his tears.

“Feel that muscle,” Tyler offered as he clenched his fist and flexed his arm. His bicep popped up into a hard mound of flesh. Jason’s small hand raised to the swollen rock of muscle and grasped it.”

His eyes widened and he exclaimed, “Wow! You’re arms are huge!”

“These muscles and their trained use, which is all stored up here,” he said pointing at his head, “are here for your protection. I have taken down guys much bigger than me. I don’t believe that violence is the proper answer to anything, but no one is going to hurt someone I love. I promise you that.”

“You love me?” Jason said in amazement.

“I love you both,” Tyler said with reassurance. “Matt and Ron do too. No adult will ever touch you again without answering for it. On that you have my word.”

Jason smiled at Tyler, then Matt and finally Darryl.

“I guess we’re safe,” he said to his companion. “I don’t know why these guys love us, but I believe they do, and I believe they’ll protect us too. We’re safe and lucky.”

“Amen to that,” Matt agreed, grateful that the young ones had not been beaten down by the cruelty of the street.

            *        *        *

Matt was riding shotgun, with Alan and Bryan seated in the back as Ron drove the silver Mercedes down the drive toward the iron gates of the estate. In the Escalade SUV that followed, Tyler and Dan occupied the front seats, while Pete and Cody, and Jason and Darryl occupied respectively the two rear seats.  Their destination was the Thornton Center for Boys.

Twenty minutes later the two-car caravan pulled into the inviting entry of the 20-acre campus. There was a forklift parked in the parking lot and two pickups.

“Hmmm, I wonder who’s working today?” Matt asked.

“No idea,” Ron replied. “It can’t be Terry.  He drives a company pick-up. Oh well, we’ll probably find out as we walk around.”

“Very impressive,” Alan said, as he scanned the campus. “What a beautiful layout.”

The two vehicles parked and the passengers got out, congregating on the sidewalk in front of Ron’s German built car.

“Let’s go over and see the housing first.” Matt said. “That first building is furnished and I have a set of keys to get us in.”

Before they started walking Pete said, “Go on ahead. I wanna look around and see who’s here. I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

Pete headed for the recreation building as the others walked toward the housing units. He let himself into the building with keys he had been told to keep for the weekend when an errand kept him a bit past quitting time Friday. As he entered the building he heard voices from the kitchen.

“Yeah, I’m really glad that we got this extra work today. I took my girlfriend out last night and it cost me almost $150 bucks!  I can use a little extra scratch after that.”

Pete stepped through the kitchen door and saw the two men working on some electrical wiring. Hearing Pete’s footsteps, one of them turned toward the noise.

“Well, lookie here, Tracy, if it ain’t our favorite fag!”

The other man looked up and with an evil grin said, “Hmmm, musta come to give me a little head, bein’s I struck out last night. And I shore am horny too! Come here, honey boy, I got somethin’ ‘bout 6 inches long that needs suckin’.”

“Just leave me alone, guys. I saw your pickups and wondered who was here.”

“Oh, spyin’ for the boss, huh?  Bet you’d tell, if you’d found us goofing off.” Tracy, the older of the two men said.  “You fags are always kissing ass.”  

“Yeah, and I bet if ole Terry would drop his trous, old Petey boy here would be on his knees in a second, suckin’ cock,” the younger added.

“I don’t understand you guys at all, “ Pete commented. “I never did anything to you. Why do you want to give me such a hard time?”

“Fags don’t have to do nothin’,” George, the younger man responded. “You piss us off just bein’ on the same planet. If I had my way it would be open-season on you butt-fuckers.”

Both men turned and as if rehearsed, removed their tool belts, dropping them at their feet.

“Come here, baby boy,” George said as he curled his thick index finger at Pete. “I always wanted to fuck me some boy ass. You’ll like it, I bet,” he said with a leer as he began to move toward Pete.

Tracy moved off to the side, effectively blocking Pete’s route to the door.

“Hey guys, leave me alone I said,” Pete pleaded quickly becoming alarmed. “I’m not here alone.”

“If you brought along any of your faggy boyfriends, we can handle them too,” Tracy said glancing outside. Seeing no one he decided that Pete was just bluffing.

George lunged for Pete who jumped from his grasp, looking for a way to escape. The young laborer knew he was no match for the two large men in strength, but just hoped that his quickness might deliver him from their attack. They began to close in on the youth who moved cautiously away, searching for an opportunity to make a break for it. If he could get outside he could run for the housing units where his friends were. As the large men moved closer, he knew it was now or never. Rushing toward an opening between the two, he leaped up on a stainless steel table and started to run down its length.  George, the younger of the two, dived for the youth, snagging his shoe and sending him crashing toward the floor. The last thing that Pete remembered was seeing the edge of a cooking range before the lights went out.

            *        *        *

Pete moaned. His head ached and he tried to remember where he was. His first rational thought was the realization that he couldn’t move. Something was cutting into his wrists and ankles when he tried. His eyes fluttered.

“See, I told ya that he was alright,” a voice said. “Not that I give a damn, a course. Just hate to have to get rid of the body.” The speech turned into an evil laugh then continued,  “before we have our fun, anyway.”  

Pete opened his eyes wide. He was freezing, and realized at once that he was naked, laying with his torso spread face down across a stainless steel table with his arms tied with wire to the far end of the table and his legs pointing straight down, each wired to a leg of the table below him. The wires were cutting into his skin and each little movement brought excruciating pain. His genitals hung over the edge of the table and his ass was exposed. He felt a hand touch his ass cheeks.

“Nice butt, don’t ya think George?”

“Yep, shore is, Tracy. He’s gonna jus’ love my big ol’ cock shoved up that hole in just a minute too, soon as I get these jeans opened and my cock all ready.”

Pete could see George set down a half consumed bottle of whiskey on a nearby counter and begin fumbling with his belt and buttons. He moved behind Pete and a moment later Pete could feel a hand on his ass.

“Please!  Please, let me go!” He pleaded with tears streaming from his face.

A stinging slap to his ass caused the pain of the wires cutting into his wrists when he jumped.

“Shut up!” George barked. “If you make me happy, I might let you live.  Ok Tracy, I’m ‘bout ready. Get over to the side and grab him by the pecker and balls. When I shove it in, give ‘em a good twist. That way he won’t notice the pain of my big ole dick splittin’ his ass open.”  

Tracy laughed, and moved to the side of the table. Pete felt the rough hand encircle his cock and testicles and another pair spread his ass cheeks as his aching head reeled in shock.

“Ready?” George’s voice said as Pete felt a large blunt pressure at the opening of his ass.

“Yep, have at it,” Tracy said as he tightened his grip on Pete’s privates.

“GET AWAY FROM THAT BOY!”     a voice boomed, echoing off the hard tile walls.

Both men looked up and saw a man standing in the doorway.

“Who’s gonna make us?” Tracy said defiantly as he released his grip on Pete’s balls and turned to face the intruder. Pete felt the retreat of the pressure on his ass and detected hurried scrambling behind him as George stuck his dick back into his pants and prepared to do battle.

“I’m the one that’s who, you sorry sacks of shit!” the voice challenged.

“Must be one of Petey’s faggy friends.” Tracy taunted. “There’s two of us, “ he said to George, “and we prolly outweigh the cocksucker by 40 pound apiece. I hope we got some of that wire left.”

“You’re gonna need it to hang yourself with,” Tyler said, “when I get through with you.”

“I hope you bleed good,” Tracy said smiling as he pulled a 4 inch long switchblade knife from his front pocket and pressed the button, resulting in a snap as the blade clicked open.

“I’ll take care of this cocksucker myself,” Tracy boasted to his workmate. “I’ll show him what a real man is made of.”

Tyler was pleased at the development. He wanted to avoid trying to take on both men at once as it lowered the odds of his success. Spreading his arms wide and bending over in a half crouch he edged to an open area of the room where he could move freely. Tracy slowly moved in on Tyler, his knife held blade up, ready to strike. Getting within arms length, he lunged, taking a swipe at Tyler with the knife. The blade only found empty air as Tyler easily avoided the older man’s crude attack.

“That was pretty pitiful,” Tyler taunted.

The older man gritted his teeth and said with a hiss, “ I’m gonna feed your guts to the roaches, pretty boy.”

He moved closer and poised for another try. Out of the corner of his eye, Tyler could see George sneaking up behind him, ready to jump him when Tracy attacked.  Tyler looked into the face of the older man, who made the mistake of nodding to his younger companion as he began his move. Tyler’s widespread legs propelled him sideways when he saw the signal and grabbed George’s arm with which he was trying to encircle his victim. Pulling the arm toward Tracy, he then jerked it to the side, toward himself. George was caught off balance, falling into the stabbing blade of his companion, which entered his side sinking to the hilt.

“AHHHHH!” George screamed. “Ya stabbed me ya asshole!” He yelled staggering forward with the released weapon projecting from his side. He reached for help from his friend, but Tracy quickly backed away, wide eyed, as blood poured from his partner’s side.

“I’m gettin’ outta here,” Tracy muttered as he looked toward the door for his escape.  As he turned to make the dash, he hesitated when he saw the figures of two men suddenly fill the doorway with their bodies. Ron and Matt had arrived. The delay was all that Tyler needed as he rammed his muscular body into the older man, propelling them both against the iron range. Losing his footing, the older man started to fall with Tyler’s bulk providing momentum. His back crunched heavily against the sharp iron of the stove’s edge and he screamed as the nerve signals to his legs stopped when the bones in his spinal column severed the nerves within their center. His legs no longer supporting him, he crashed to the floor in a screech of agony when Tyler drew back to stand up.

Tyler quickly looked around and saw George on his knees grasping the knife, around which blood poured from his body. His face was pale from the loss of blood and as Tyler moved toward the younger of his assailants, George pitched forward on his face, unconscious. Tyler saw Ron put his cell phone to his ear calling 911, while Matt was rushing to Pete’s side.

“I’ll have you out of here in a second,” Matt shouted to Pete as he rushed to the tool bags of the now defeated workers, quickly searching for and finding a pair of wire cutters. Hurrying to Pete’s side, he snipped the wires pulling at the young man’s arms and legs. Matt pulled the young man to him in a thankful hug, then helped the rescued youth to sit down on a nearby packing crate.  He retrieved Pete’s clothes from the scattered pile where they had been dumped by the attackers. Pete could feel the hurting/tingling sensations as the circulation began returning to his hands and feet.  

Sirens were heard in the distance as Ron hurried to George’s side and found that his pulse was still evident. Tyler had again turned to Tracy, who was moaning and laying in a pool of vomit that his stomach had expelled as if in final rebellion.

“Don’t move,” Tyler warned. “Your back may be broken and if you move, it could cause permanent damage.” What Tyler couldn’t know was that it was already too late.

Cody, Jason and Darryl had remained outside with Dan who ordered them to remain with him and not add to the confusion going on inside. Alan and Bryan were also standing by to help if needed.  When Dan saw the lights of the emergency vehicles approaching, he instructed the boys to run to the parking lot, to direct the police and paramedics to the building where the injured men lay. Soon uniformed policemen and paramedics with their rolling stretchers streamed toward the building where Ron, Matt and Tyler were the only ones left standing. Dan remained outside with Bryan to wave the newcomers in to do their jobs while Alan had gone inside to offer his help in attending to the wounded.

Minutes passed and the crews did their work with dispatch.  The two assailants were whisked off to a hospital in efforts to save their lives, while Pete refused to be separated from Tyler, the man who had saved him from certain harm and from Matt who had released him from bondage.

“I was so afraid you wouldn’t come,” Pete had cried as he grasped his saviors. “I was so scared.” He held on to the limbs of his friends as tears of relief continued to flow.

Once the paramedics left with their patients, the Metro officers turned to the two guys that could make sense of the chaos that the scene presented.

“Hi, I’m Officer Turnbull and this is my partner, Officer Blake.”  The young policeman said as he and his partner approached Tyler and Pete. ‘

“Hello Officers. I’m Tyler Jacobs, this is Matt Davidson and my friend here is Peter Sigler. I presume that you’ve come to take our statements.”

“Yes,” Turnbull said, “I know it’s difficult but we have to know what happened. Who can tell us how this all started?”

“I… I guess that’s me.” Pete said in a small voice.

The officer saw the trauma of the ordeal reflected in Pete’s eyes. He’d seen the look too many times before.

“We’ll try to make this as painless as possible,” the police interrogator said with a small but warm smile. “Tell us how this started, in your own words.”

Pete began to unfold the background of his job on the project and dealings leading up to the events of the day. He then described their visit, explaining how he had gone off to see who was working.  With forced words he explained his surprise at seeing George and Tracy on the job, and their subsequent threats. His words were halting, unfolding the events that had happened with accuracy at the cost of great personal pain in their recollection.  As he described the story that followed, the policemen and Tyler were drawn into the scene of the hate crime. An imagined vista of horror enveloped the scene as Pete told the story of his attack in perfect prose. The listeners were spellbound as the tale of hate and cruelty unfolded, making each listener an onlooker of the torture that had transpired. The officers practically cheered when the story reached the point of Tyler’s intercession. They sat in a trance, as Pete told of Tyler’s battle and ultimate triumph resulting in the downfall of the two assailants.

“Wow! Are the statements you just heard from the victim regarding your involvement accurate?” Turnbull asked Tyler.

“To the best of my recollection, yes,” Tyler answered. Then grinning he continued. “ I’m not sure that the part about my cape being at the cleaners is accurate. I think it was picked up this morning.”

Turnbull smiled at the attempt at levity. He knew enough about victim trauma to recognize a professional trying to defuse the mental powder keg that often destroyed the lives and happiness of victims.

“What line of work are you in?” he asked Tyler. He was not surprised when he found that Tyler was not only a licensed private investigator, but also the President of one of the largest security firms in the country.  

“We can’t tell you how much we appreciate your cooperation,” said Turnbull.  “A guard will be placed at the secured hospital room of the assailants. I’m sure that they’re in no shape to try to escape, but you can never be too sure.”

Ron joined the conversation halfway through Tyler’s little joke about the cape.  As the officer concluded his statement and prepared to leave Ron added, “Please give Sheriff Stone my best regards. This incident was handled by his department with courtesy and dispatch, thanks to you.”

Turnbull looked at the speaker and asked, “Thank you sir. And whom may I tell the Sheriff is sending his salutations?”

“Ron Turner.”

The officer recognized the name immediately, and looked shocked.

“Uh, …Uh, Mr. Turner, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, sir.”

“Not a problem,” Ron said smiling. “And the name is Ron to my friends. I hope you won’t mind if I consider you one of them.  I appreciate the courtesy and professionalism you showed my friend Pete, and my brother Tyler.”

“The honor is mine sir.” Turnbull answered. “If Metro can be of further service, you need only call on us.”

“Thank you,” Ron added. “You’re a credit to the uniform.”

“We’ll go now. We need to cordon off the scene until the detective squad completes their work. They should be through in a couple of hours.”

“Good!  If you’re done with us, we’d like to leave. I’ll have one of my construction people come by in a couple of hours and lock up. Again thank you for your courtesy.”

“Of course sir.” Turnbull added. “You’re free to go.”

Ron turned to Tyler and Pete. “Come on, lets get out of here.  The guys are waiting for us outside.”

Pete took Tyler’s arm and the trio moved out into the Las Vegas sunshine.

        *    *    *    *    *    

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.  HUGs, John Tucker