Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2009 12:31:23 +0000
From: Jacob Latson <jacob_latson@hotmail.com>
Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 28

Disclaimer:

This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as
a divorced man who has been devastated by the divorce and into a new
life of wealth.  This story will include descriptions of male sex,
including M/M, M/T, M/b, T/b and b/b.  If stories involving sex between
consenting males of all ages, including mainly gay sex, offends you, go
back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading
pleasure.  Don't expect constant descriptions of erotic sex in this
story.  I always want to develop a plot and characters before the hot
action starts.

There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names,
places, and events are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life
are coincidental.

Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but
references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are
fictitious. This story will include references to the United States
government, the FBI, CIA and other agencies.  Any references are purely
fictional, and only used to develop the plot and characters.

Bill worked his magic again in editing this chapter for me.  Thanks, Bill!!


Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 28 More War!

Butch Mendez was in his office on Saturday morning, and was talking to
Helen Baxter about the new people that John had hired in Onaway.  Helen had
brought in cups of coffee and said that she was only staying long enough to
fax the employment applications to the Arrowhead Lodge so John could
complete the hiring process for Keith and Marty Wadsworth.  Wesley Baxter
was waiting in the hallway outside Butch's office with his best friend,
Carter Benson, and was impatient to leave so they could watch television at
Carter's home.  The mischievous boys had more intimate plans that would
have to wait until Carter's parents left the home.  Butch's cell phone
rang, and he immediately answered.  His security officers only used Butch's
cell phone in case of emergency, and Butch was immediately concerned.

"Butch here!" Butch said.

"Butch, we've got three down, and one of them is John!" Lindsey said
excitedly.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Butch screamed!  "Don't you dare tell me that John's been
shot!"  Helen screamed when she heard Butch's side of the phone call!  She
started sobbing and begged Butch to tell her that John wasn't shot!  Butch
put his cell phone on the speaker, but closed the door to keep the two boys
from hearing the call.

"John's been shot along with Derek and Lou!" Lindsey screamed.  "This is a
Code Red!  Get the strike teams here, FAST!"

Butch was sickened.  Two of his security officers and his boss had been
shot!  He immediately reverted to his military training and ran for his
desk and hit the special button to alert both of his strike teams to the
"Code Red" alert.  He knew that all 32 members of his two Rapid Response
Teams would be at Metro Airport within 45 minutes to respond to the
emergency pages.

"Tell me how bad!" Butch demanded of Lindsey.

"John's down with wounds to his head, arms and legs," Lindsey began.  "He's
unconscious, and I really don't know if he'll make it!  He's lost a lot of
blood.  Derek and Lou got hit with buckshot, but they're both alert and
we're taking care of all of them!"

"GODDAMMIT!" Butch screamed.  "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT JOHN, NOT GET HIM
SHOT!"

"He was wearing his vest, but he got hit by several shotgun blasts,"
Lindsey said.  He knew that he and his buddies were in deep shit with
Butch, but all he cared about was taking care of John until the ambulances
arrived.  "The head wound's superficial, and he was shielded from the
direct blasts when he grabbed one of the shitheads and used him as a
shield.  He took a hit in his leg that opened his femoral artery, and
that's our biggest concern.  We've slowed down the blood loss and
ambulances are on the way!"

"Did you get the bastards who shot John and our men?" Butch asked.  He was
still upset, but prayed that John and his men would survive the attack.

"I haven't taken a body count, but I'd guess at 10 shitheads down and
totally out!"  Lindsey said.  "One of the dead's a teenaged boy!"

"Tell me that you didn't waste a kid!" Butch demanded.

"His own family gunned him down when he ran to help his father," Lindsey
said.  "He ran into the line of fire from his own family members, and they
blew his head completely off!"

Helen passed out when she heard the details of the shootings in Onaway!
Butch grabbed her before she hit the floor, and he yelled for Wesley to
come into his office.  "Take care of your mother!" Butch yelled at the
teenager.  He took his phone off from the speaker setting so he could talk
to Lindsey in private.

Wesley was sobbing after listening at the door to Butch's office and
hearing that John Miller had been shot!  He held his mother and prayed that
John wouldn't die!

"Stabilize John, Derek and Lou and get them to the hospital!" Butch
ordered.  "I'm coming up there with the strike teams, and I'll call the
State Police Post in Cheboygan and get the Commander to send his SWAT Team
to the hospital.  I've worked with Alan Helmuth before, and he owes me some
favors.  Don't you let anyone near John, Lou or Derek unless you know that
they are legitimate medical people!  I want you armed and ready for
trouble, and I'll deal with you guys later when this shit's sorted out!"

"The sheriff deputies confiscated our weapons, but I sent Ross back to the
lodge to get replacements," Lindsey said.  "I've got to go now so I can
ride with John in the ambulance!"

Butch ended the call and felt sick!  His boss had been shot, and his men
hadn't done their jobs!  He saw that Helen was regaining consciousness, and
he got her a glass of water before saying, "I've got to leave and get to
the airport!  I don't want you driving!  I'll have someone drive you and
the boys home and I'll call you when I have more news about John!"

Helen struggled to her feet and hugged her son and his best friend, Carter.
She sobbed at the thought of John being shot, and prayed that her boss and
friend would survive.  She staggered to the elevator and was met at the
main floor by four security guards.  She was ready to pass out again when
two of the guards caught her and carried her to the security van.

Butch jumped in his Cadillac Escalade, and raced for the airport where he
would meet the two strike teams.  He called his wife and told her the
terrible news and that he was leaving immediately for Onaway, Michigan.  He
promised to call Elizabeth when he had any news about John, Lou or Derek,
and prayed for his friends.

In Onaway, Keith and Marty Wadsworth were stricken with grief after seeing
their friends cut down by the Walker and Longhurst gunmen.  His two
bodyguards pushed them away from John Miller, and they watched the men
administer first aid until the ambulances arrived.

Everyone was sickened by the sight of the dead bodies and the moans of the
few people still alive after the fierce gunfight!  Bobby Longhurst was
still alive, but he died before the ambulance attendants could do anything
to save his life.  John was loaded into the first ambulance, with Lindsey
taking a revolver from Ron Balcolm before jumping inside the ambulance to
protect his boss and friend.

People from town had heard the gunfire, and jumped in their cars to follow
the ambulances to the Balcolm farm.  News spread like wildfire that many of
the members of the Walker and Longhurst families had been killed, and that
John Miller was wounded along with two of his bodyguards.  All of the
businesses in town closed their doors, and the entire town rushed to the
hospital or went home to watch the news on television.

"We interrupt our regularly scheduled program for breaking news from
Onaway, Michigan," the announcement on WOMI television broadcasted.
"Details are flooding into our station about a gunfight at the farm of Ron
Balcolm where unconfirmed reports indicate that at least ten people are
dead, and many more are wounded.  Please stay tuned to this channel for
more details!"

Television stations across the nation picked up on the news broadcasts from
WOMI, and interrupted their own broadcasts when they learned that John
Miller, CEO of the Sea & Jungle Imports, Limited, was wounded.  Rumors
bounced around the media, and it was erroneously reported by several
networks that John Miller was dead!

In Detroit, Margaret Miller was watching television with her two sisters
when the new bulletin interrupted their Shopping Channel telecast.  At
first they were pissed, until they heard that John Miller had been shot and
an unconfirmed source had reported that he died from his gunshot wounds.

"YIPPEEE!" Margaret screamed in joy!  "I wish that I had been the one to
blow his fucking head off!"

"SHIT!" Liz Williamson screamed.  "If he's dead, we won't be able to sue
him!"

The phone lines at the NAO Headquarters lit up, with associates phoning in
to find out if the television broadcasts were true!  The building normally
had a skeleton crew on weekends and the call center was flooded with
reporters trying to get more information.  Every outlet store in the United
States was notified and security was immediately tightened.

Butch met the men and women of his two strike teams, and quickly told them
what he knew of the attack in Onaway.  All of the strike team members
carried emergency pagers, and knew that when the pagers went off, they had
45 minutes to get to the private hangar at Metro Airport or be left behind.
Two large helicopters were waiting, and the team members grabbed their
duffle bags from the lockers and jumped aboard!  Inside the duffle bags
were body armor, toiletries, extra clothing and any medication that would
be needed.  Another set of lockers held the weapons and ammunition for each
team member.

Butch used his communication system to update everyone during the flight
from Detroit to Onaway.  "We've got three men down, and one of them is John
Miller," Butch began.  "This is a Code Red, and you're authorized to use
deadly force if necessary!  Chopper 1 will land at the hospital where John,
Derek and Lou are being treated, and Chopper 2 will land at the Arrowhead
Lodge and secure the perimeter.  The Michigan State Police have called out
their SWAT Teams to the hospital and the town is under State Police
control!  According to our men, the body count is now 11 shitheads with two
more who will probably die!  Lou and Derek are down, but conscious with leg
and arm wounds from shotgun pellets.  I still don't know the status of John
Miller, but I'm hoping for a call soon from Lindsey."

The strike team members put on their body armor, and got ready for battle!
They were all seasoned veterans of military combat, and they were trained
to kill without remorse!

Lindsey refused to leave John alone when the gurney was rushed into the
Trauma Unit at Mercy General Hospital in Onaway.  He checked the
identification of every nurse and doctor that came into the area, and stood
guard in case of any attack.  John was unconscious, and Lindsey prayed for
the life of his boss and friend.

"Get a blood type, STAT!" the first doctor ordered.

"He's O Positive!" Lindsey yelled at the doctor.  "All of us carry this
identification card for him that shows his blood type and emergency contact
information!"

"Get me five units of O Positive and push it!" the doctor ordered.
"Operating Room 1 is open and waiting for us, so let's get moving!"

Lindsey followed the gurney, but was pushed aside and ordered to stay out
of the operating room.  He stood guard and waited for news, and was alert
for any intruders.

Ross Johnson had rushed into the hospital after retrieving weapons from the
lodge, and ran to the operating room where Lindsey was standing guard.
"Have you heard anything?" Ross begged.

"He's still alive." Lindsey replied.  "He's lost a lot of blood, and they
just took him in there to remove the buckshot!  I'll stay here and you go
watch over Derek and Lou!  Call Butch if you have any news to report, and
I'll call you if I hear anything about John!"

The hospital came alive when the State Police SWAT Teams arrived and took
over security.  Lindsey and Ross refused to turn over their weapons, and a
tense confrontation brewed at Mercy General Hospital.  The SWAT Team leader
was ready to disarm Lindsey and Ross by force when he got the call from his
commander, Alan Helmuth.

"Secure the hospital and remove all of the visitors!" Alan ordered.

"We have armed men who refuse to give up their weapons!" the SWAT Team
leader said excitedly.

"Lindsey Smith and Ross Johnson are bodyguards for John Miller!" Alan
ordered.  "I'm ordering you to leave them alone and let them keep their
weapons!  Secure all entrances to the Operating Room Floor and the Trauma
Unit Floor!  Remove all visitors and secure the hospital!"

When Strike Team One landed on the helicopter pad at the hospital, Butch
ran inside the hospital with his team following closely behind.  He met the
SWAT Team leader and told him that Strike Team One would take over security
on the Operating Room Floor.  When everything was secure, Butch called
Strike Team Two to get a status report.

"All's quiet here!" Dan Wisniewski reported.  "We're inside the lodge and
have the security cameras sweeping the grounds!  We established a perimeter
to watch for any intruders!"

"If you see any armed intruders, pull back to the lodge," Butch ordered.
"Don't open fire unless they fire first!  Use the outdoor amplifier to warn
any trespassers that you're armed and will return fire!"

Johnny and Kirsty were visiting Kirsty's parents, and were watching Little
John playing in the back yard when the neighbor jumped the fence and
started yelling.  "Johnny!  Your father's been shot!  It's all over the
television stations right now!"

Johnny screamed and ran inside the house.  He had left his cell phone
inside the house and quickly grabbed it.  He had missed over 20 calls.  His
hands were shaking so bad that he couldn't push the buttons to retrieve his
voicemail!  The phone rang again and he immediately answered the call.

"This is Tayshaun Jones from the Security Office!," Tayshaun said
excitedly.  "Your father's been shot up in Onaway, Michigan, and we need to
know where you are so we can get you to the airport where a helicopter's
waiting for you!"

Johnny had tears running down his face when he listened to the information
that his father had been hit by shotgun blasts, and had been taken into
surgery at Mercy Hospital.  His knees gave out and he collapsed on the
couch, with Kirsty begging to hear the phone call.  He let his wife turn
the speaker on so she and her parents could hear the terrible news.

"Don't believe the television reports that he's dead!" Tayshaun said
emphatically.  "We have security officers with him, and they just reported
that he lost a lot of blood but was still alive!  How long will it take you
to get to the airport?  Bobby Goldman's already there and waiting for you!"

"I can be there in 20 minutes!" Johnny replied.  "What can I do?"

"Pray!" Tayshaun replied.  "Pray for your dad and the two security officers
who were also shot!  Take your cell phone and keep it on so we can contact
you with any news!"

"I GOTTA GO!" Johnny screamed to his wife and in-laws!

"We'll take care of Little John!" Jeff Walker said to his daughter.
"Kirsty, you go home and pack some clothes and I'll drive you up there so
we can be with Johnny at the hospital.  Karen, call some of your friends to
help with the baby while we're gone!"

Helen was in her family room, watching the television reports and answering
a flood of phone calls from concerned associates and friends.  She was
abrupt with the callers and asked them to stop calling so her line would be
free for any call from Butch about John's condition.  Tom was in New
Zealand, entertaining a customer on a dream hunt, and she felt helpless!
She took the frantic call from Betty Anderson and Martha Jenkins, and
promised John's two aunts that she would call them as soon as she heard
anything from Butch.

When Johnny and Bobby arrived at Mercy General Hospital, they ran to the
Surgical Waiting Room and got the latest information about John's condition
from Butch.  "He's still in surgery," Butch said.  "A bunch of rednecks
have been poaching on the Arrowhead property, and they started a fight in
Joe's Bar a few days ago.  John and Lou kicked their asses, and this is the
result!  From what I've learned, the Walker and Longhurst families own a
large tract of land outside of town where they allegedly grow pot and cook
ecstasy.  The local law officers are afraid of the clan, and have been
useless until today."

"How bad are his injuries?" Johnny asked.

"Lindsey said your dad was hit in the head, arms and legs with buckshot,"
Butch replied.  "The head shot was only one pellet that grazed his skull
but didn't penetrate.  It tore his scalp, but that's not the worst injury.
His right leg's the one that we're all worried about.  He was hit in the
femoral artery and was bleeding profusely before Lindsey applied pressure.
He's lost a lot of blood."

Johnny felt sick!  His father was bleeding to death, and he couldn't do
anything but pray and wait for the surgeon to come out of the operating
room!  He hugged Bobby Goldman and prayed for his father!

The surgery lasted for over three hours.  Dr. Wallace Medford walked into
the waiting room and asked for the family members of John Miller.  "I'm
Wallace Medford, and I'm cautiously optimistic that your father will
survive," he said to Johnny.  "My specialty's Vascular Surgery, and I was
able to repair the femoral artery in his right leg, and Doctor Capilletti
removed the buckshot pellets and sutured up his wounds.  We've listed his
condition as `Critical, but Stable' and now we'll keep him in the Intensive
Care Unit."

"When will he be conscious?" Butch asked.

"If everything goes right, he might regain consciousness in about four
hours," Dr.  Medford replied.  "The human brain goes into shock from
traumatic injuries like his, and it might take longer than four hours.
Someone performed a miracle in slowing down the blood flow from his leg
wound, or he would have bled to death.  A simple tampon was pushed into the
leg wound, and it swelled up and kept him alive!  Someone was very smart,
or we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"My men all carry first aid kits, and we learned that tampons are very
effective for plugging any wound," Butch said.  "Each kit has tampons
inside."

"What about Derek and Lou?" Johnny asked.

"They're both gonna be okay," Butch replied.  "I've posted guards with them
and they're both in recovery right now.  I'll make some phone calls and
then I need to debrief my men to see what we could have done better to
protect your dad."

North of Onaway, a furious family gathering was taking place.  Ellie May
Walker was enraged that 11 members of her clan had been killed, and she was
devising a plan to attack the hospital and kill John Miller and all of his
bodyguards.  Her 15-year-old grandson was among the dead, and she wanted
revenge!  One of her cousins was a janitor in the hospital and had reported
that Mercy General Hospital was filled with State Police troopers and
private security officers.

"We'll wait until the time's right and then we kill all of them!" Ellie May
screamed.  "No one hurts one of our clan without dying!"

Helen got the call from Butch and felt a small amount of relief when she
heard that John was in Critical, but Stable condition.  She knew that John
had planned on flying to Europe to be with Nicklas, and she realized that
the international news agencies would be broadcasting the terrible news.
She ignored the time difference and dialed the number for the orphanage.  A
sleepy Kvetka Paulikova answered the phone.

"Kvetka, this is Helen Baxter and I have some bad news for you and
Nicklas," Helen began.  She tried to choose her words carefully because she
knew that Kvetka's English skills were weak.  "John won't be able to fly
there for Nicklas' surgery!  John's in the hospital!"

"What happened to John?" Kvetka asked excitedly.  She was now fully awake,
and terrified that something bad had happened to John Miller.

"He's been shot, and he's in Critical but Stable condition!" Helen replied.
"I just got a call from the hospital, and the doctors believe that John
will live, but he's still unconscious!"

"Holy Mother of God!" Kvetka choked out.  Tears flowed down her face and
she wished that she understood the English language better, or had recorded
the tragic phone call.  It was 6 a.m. in the Czech Republic, and she
wondered how to break the tragic news to Nicklas and the other people at
the orphanage.  She turned on the television and saw the news broadcasts
about John Miller and his bodyguards.  The Czech network was reporting that
John Miller, owner of Proud Les Domo and Chief Executive Officer of the Sea
& Jungle Imports Company had died of gunshot wounds in the United States!

"The television says that John's dead!" Kvetka sobbed.

"He's alive!" Helen repeated emphatically.  "I'll call you when I get more
information about John's condition!"

"Please call us, no matter what time it is!" Kvetka insisted.  "We will all
pray for John!"

When the call ended, Kvetka quickly dressed and ran to the front porch of
the main building of the orphanage.  The children were still asleep, but
she didn't want to wait to tell them the terrible news.  She was afraid
that someone would have seen the television reports that John Miller was
dead, and she grabbed the air horn.  Everyone at Proud Les Domo knew that
one blast on the horn meant that John Miller was arriving, and two blasts
meant that there was news about their favorite man in the world!  Kvetka
grabbed the air horn and blasted it repeatedly!

Everyone on the grounds of the orphanage heard the first blast on the air
horn, and then was shocked when at least 10 more blasts rang around the
buildings and countryside!  Children and adults put on the bare essentials
of clothing and ran to the front porch!

Nicklas was one of the first to arrive, and he saw the tears flowing down
Kvetka's face!  He was terrified that something horrible had happened to
his lover, and screamed for Kvetka to tell him that nothing was wrong with
John!

Kvetka hugged Nicklas and sobbed, "John's been shot!  He's in the hospital
in Michigan!"

Nicklas passed out and collapsed on the front porch!  Other children ran to
his aid and someone splashed cold water on his face!

Kvetka waited until Nicklas was conscious before using the amplifier to
say, "I have terrible news from Helen in Michigan!  Our John Miller has
been shot!"

Screams of agony filled the air!  Everyone was sobbing and couldn't believe
that the man who had rescued them from lives of poverty had been shot.

Kvetka composed herself and said, "The news reports on the television say
that John is dead, but they are wrong!  Helen told me that John is in
Critical Condition, but he's still alive!  She promised to call me when she
hears any news!  We have to trust the doctors to save John's life, and I
want all of us to pray for him!"

Kvetka hugged Nicklas and tried to console him.  The terrified boy had wet
his shorts and couldn't stand or stop sobbing.  Sasha carried the hopeless
boy into the main building and up to the master bedroom where Nicklas had
slept with John.  He undressed the boy and bathed him and put the boy in
the huge bed.

Dr. Johan Kovar came into the room and gave Nicklas a sedative to put the
boy to sleep.  Everyone was in shock after hearing the terrible news, and
they all prayed for John's recovery.

John's condition stabilized, but it was over 10 hours before he regained
consciousness.  His entire body ached, and his vision was blurred, but he
recognized the voice of his son.

"Where am I?" John asked.

Johnny was elated that his father was conscious, and he kissed his father
on the forehead and replied, "You're in the hospital!  You were shot, but
you're gonna live!"

"My men!  What about my men?" John choked out.

"Derek and Lou were shot too, but they're both gonna be okay!" Johnny said
excitedly.

"I fucked up!" John said.

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Johnny insisted.  "Those shitheads were
going to rape that young girl and they started the gunfight!  You saved
that girl's life!"

Two doctors rushed into the ICU and pushed Johnny aside to take John's
blood pressure and examine him for any problems.  "You gave us a big
scare!" Dr. Capilletti said to John.  "Your vision will be blurry for a few
hours, but all of your vital signs are good!  Right now you need to rest!"
The doctor pushed the button to release pain killer medication into John's
body before talking to Johnny and Bobby.  "I'll upgrade his condition to
Fair," he said.  "The hospital spokesman will make an announcement to the
media if that's okay with you."

"We don't want anyone bothering Johnny for any details of the altercation
at the Balcolm farm or his father's condition," Bobby said.  "What can we
expect now that my buddy's regained consciousness?"

"He's going to need a lot of rest and some physical therapy, but he's in
great shape and should make a complete recovery," Dr. Capilletti replied.
"We'll keep him here in the ICU for at least another day, and move him to a
private room in this wing if he continues to make progress.  Just try to
keep him calm.  Please don't tell him that 13 people died!  That would
upset him, and could affect his recovery time."

Johnny was relieved, and ran to the waiting room to spread the good news
that his father had regained consciousness.  The word spread throughout the
hospital, and everyone but Kelly Sue Walker was relieved.  She used a phone
to call her cousin, Ellie May Walker with the news that John Miller would
live!

The good news from Mercy General Hospital spread throughout the Sea &
Jungle organization, and everyone was relieved!  Philippe Ducharme was in
the waiting room and was using his cell phone to call all of the Vice
Presidents with the good news.  Television broadcasts showed the news
conference with David Kemp, Mercy General Hospital Public Relations
Manager, reporting that John Miller's condition had been raised to "Fair,
but Guarded".

It was almost 10 p.m. in the Czech Republic when Kvetka got the phone call
from Helen Baxter.  Kvetka was relieved with the good news, and tears of
joy flowed down her face when she heard that John Miller would live!
Ignoring the late hour, Kvetka ran to the front porch and blew the air horn
two times!  Children and adults ran to the front porch and waited for
Kvetka to give them the news about John Miller.

"I just got a call from Helen Baxter, and she said that John will live!"
Kvetka announced excitedly!  She waited for the cheering to subside before
telling everyone that John had regained consciousness, but would be in the
hospital for a long time until he recovered.

Nicklas Zednik sobbed openly when he heard the good news!  He loved John
with every fiber of his body, and he wished that he could be in Michigan to
be with John at the hospital.

"We have to do what John would want us to do now that he's going to
survive," Kvetka said.  "He would want all of us to take care of each
other, and I promise to call us together when I get another phone call.
Helen promised to call me at least once a day, so please continue to pray
for John."

It was two days later before John was fully conscious and the doctors
decided to start his physical therapy.  For the first time in many days,
John was standing next to his bed, with two male orderlies helping him try
to walk.  He only took a few steps before he was exhausted, but it was a
wonderful sight for Johnny, Kirsty, Bobby, Butch and Philippe to witness!

"It's time for you to be honest with me!" John insisted.  "No one will tell
me if anyone died in that terrible gunfight, and I want to know the truth!"
He looked at Butch and saw that his friend was reluctant to tell him the
truth.

"The doctors told me to keep that information away from you," Butch said.
"Derek and Lou have been released from the hospital, and they're
recuperating at the Arrowhead Lodge right now."  He paused and decided to
be honest with John.  "13 members of the Walker and Longhurst families died
in the shooting.  Toby Balcolm was hit with one pellet, but he was treated
and released the same day, and one sheriff deputy had minor injuries that
didn't require hospitalization."

"13 DEAD?" John choked out.  "IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

"BULLSHIT!" Butch exclaimed!  "They started the fight, and our men did what
they're trained to do!  Their own family members gunned down the teenager
and his father!  You protected Samantha Balcolm from being raped and
killed, and I'm proud of you!"

John was upset that 13 people had died, and still blamed himself for the
fight at Joe's Bar and the gunfight at the Balcolm farm.  "I hope that
you're not pissed at me or the four security men who were involved," John
said to Butch.

"I was pissed at my men for not protecting you, but after I talked to
everyone, I realized that they did what I expected of them," Butch replied.
"Everyone was wearing their vests, and that kept all of you alive!  I'm
keeping both of the Rapid Response Teams here, and have brought in more
people who will stay until you're ready to leave."

"Now I know why we need a strong security force," John admitted.  "Remember
the former security guards at the NAO Headquarters?  Imagine what those
retards would have done when faced with an army of rednecks!"

"When you hire the best, you get the best!" Butch replied.  "Just rest up
and let us protect you and your family."

John wanted to call Nicky to explain why he wasn't with his special boy,
but Butch told him to wait until he was released from the hospital.  He
knew that Helen was talking to Kvetka every day, and he tried to focus on
getting well so he could leave the hospital.

It was three days later when John insisted that he be released and he
wanted to return to the Arrowhead Lodge where he would feel safe.  He
grumbled when the doctors insisted that he ride in a wheelchair to the
Cashier's Office, but he had to follow their orders.  He got out of the
wheelchair to sign the papers and pay for his treatment, and thanked Butch
for helping him stand up.  He heard a door open and saw a huge fat woman
rush into the office area along with four other people.  He saw that she
was holding a pistol, and he lunged at Butch and knocked them both to the
floor before several shots rang out!

Four members of Strike Team One immediately returned the fire!  The room
was filled with the echoes of semi-automatic weapons and the discharged
gunpowder seared everyone's noses.  The entire gun battle only lasted a few
seconds, and all five attackers were dead on the floor!

Butch jumped up and made sure that John was okay before he ordered his men
to kick the weapons away from the attackers, just in case anyone was still
alive.  He knew that his men were trained to kill and he doubted if any of
the attackers had survived the intense gunfire.  He looked at the wall and
saw the bullet holes and patterns of shotgun blasts.  If John hadn't
tackled him, they would both be dead right now!

More strike team members rushed into the office and guarded the doors.
Butch looked over the counter and saw the female clerk on the floor,
shaking with fear!  The stench of human waste filled the room, and Butch
noticed that the clerk had filled her slacks with a combination of feces
and urine!

"Let's get John out of here!" Butch ordered.  He told his men who had fired
their weapons that they would have to wait for the Crime Scene
Investigation (CSI), but ordered, "Remember to tell the CSI people that the
shitheads fired first!  I see surveilance cameras on the walls, and the
recordings will prove who fired first!"  He helped John into the wheelchair
and told his other men to clear the way to the parking ramp.

"I'm gonna puke if you don't get me outta here!" John choked.  "This is
horrible!"

"The human body often empties all waste when a person dies," Butch said.
"Do you see those holes in the wall?  Let me stand where I was standing
when you tackled me!  Do you understand that I'd be dead right now if you
hadn't tackled me?  You saved my life!"

"I didn't have time to warn you, so I just tackled you!" John admitted.

Butch wheeled John to the parking ramp where a convoy of vehicles was ready
for the trip to the Arrowhead Lodge.  Butch was still in awe of his boss
for saving his life, and continued to praise John during the ride to the
lodge.

When the convoy arrived at the front gate, armed men were waiting.  One of
the HumVees was blocking the gate and it was obvious that the men were
ready for trouble.  When they arrived at the lodge, Butch insisted that
John ride in the wheelchair.  The front door opened and Marty Wadsworth
raced to hug John and give him a kiss on the cheek!

"We've been so worried!" Marty said with tears flowing down his face.

"Are you okay?" Keith Wadsworth asked.  "Your bodyguards just told us that
there was a shooting at the hospital!"

"Five more shitheads were neutralized!" Butch answered for John.  "This guy
just saved my life by tackling me in the Cashier's Office!"

"I speared him!" John said excitedly to Marty.

"You aren't supposed to spear anyone when you tackle them!" Marty replied
while laughing.  "Spearing is illegal!  That's how you get spinal injuries!
Coach Carter said that he'd kick anyone off the team if they ever speared
anyone!"  He was relieved that John was safe and the laughter broke the
stress.

"He's a smart man!" John replied.  "I didn't think!  I just did what I had
to do!"

"My dad's girlfriend is here and she's got food ready for you," Marty said.
"Her name's Alice, and she's a great cook and wonderful lady!"

"We have them staying here in the lodge until things settle down," Butch
offered.  "We have men deployed to the caretakers' home, at the front gate,
and we blocked the place where the trespassers were entering the property."

Derek came into the living room and welcomed John home.  "It's great to see
you again!"  Derek said to John.  "Lou's doing fine, and he's in the
boathouse with some of the other men, but we're both thankful that the
doctors were able to patch you up!"

"I'm worried about our security officers," John admitted.  "I don't want
anyone to get hurt!  Should we just get everyone inside this lodge?  This
place is bullet proof!"

"Let me do my job!" Butch replied.  "In case you don't remember, you gave
me TOTAL control of security issues!  If we have any armed intruders, our
men will pull back to fortified positions and we'll call in the State
Police.  We've got enough firepower here to hold off any attack force!"

"Then I need to decide if I want a Manhattan or a huge draft of Michelob in
a frosted glass!" John teased.

"You're on antibiotics, so you get Kool-Aid or iced tea!" Butch insisted.

"Keith, do you know how to make a Long Island Iced Tea?" John asked,
knowing the drink was loaded with alcohol.

"I know how to make that drink, but I won't do it!" Keith insisted.  "You
might be my boss, but Butch's in charge here!"

"SHIT!" John exclaimed.  He grumbled, but surrendered to Butch's orders.
After eating lunch, John insisted that he could walk to the elevator for
the ride to the top level of the lodge.  He was using a cane and was
limping, but he wanted to continue his physical therapy.  He went inside
the office and decided to call the orphanage.

"Proud Les Domo, this is Kvetka Paulikova, how may I help you?" Kvetka
answered.

"Kvetka, this is John Miller," John said.

Kvetka screamed with joy when she recognized John's voice.  She tried to
talk in English, but she was too excited from hearing John's voice, and
used a mixture of English and Czech to find out the news about her boss and
friend.  She sent Sasha to find Nicklas, and was thrilled that John had
called.

"I'm doing fine, but the doctors won't let me travel," John said.  "I'm
very upset that I'm breaking my promise to Nicky that I'd be with him for
his surgery."

"He understands," Kvetka replied.  "He's more upset that you were shot!
He's here right now and he's trying to pull the phone away from me!"

"JOHN!" Nicky screamed when he got control of the telephone.

"Hi, my little Czech Mate!" John said to his young lover.  "I love you!"

Nicky was sobbing with joy, and started talking so fast in Czech that John
could only understand bits and pieces of the conversation.  John apologized
for not being with his little friend, and Nicky said that he understood
why.  John didn't tell Nicky about the recent attack at the hospital
because he didn't want to alarm the boy.  They talked about the new
arrivals at the orphanage and how the boys had formed a soccer team.  When
the call ended, John was relieved, but exhausted.

"We need to have a meeting in the game room so everyone knows my plans,"
Butch said to John.  "We could try to meet here in your office, but it
would be crowded."

"I called Dr. Capilletti and he said I could have alcohol in moderation,"
John said.  "After talking to Nicky, I need a Manhattan!"

Butch relented, and John was pleased when Johnny made him his favorite
drink.  Keith wanted to learn how to make John's special recipe, and he
watched Johnny.

"Mike just called here" Johnny said to his father.  "He's been in Brazil
and Chile, scouting areas for hunting and fishing, and was out in the
jungle and no one could reach him.  I talked to Mike, and he's headed here
on a company jet.  He was terrified when he heard the first reports that
you were dead, and he feels guilty for not being with you to protect you."

"I sent Mike there to scout out areas for hunting and fishing," John
admitted.  "Can we keep him away from here?  I sure don't want him to be in
danger."

"You couldn't keep him away using all of my security officers!" Butch
laughed.  "He'll be safe if he lets our people do their jobs."

When everyone gathered in the Game Room, Butch said, "Things are getting
tense around the Walker/Longhurst farm.  I sent two of my men on a
reconnaissance mission, and they came back with some disturbing
information."

"I thought that no one could get on their property without the shitheads
knowing about it," John said.  "From what I hear, it's all swamp land and
the only road into the property is guarded around the clock!"

"I sent in two former Navy SEALs," Butch said with a smile.  "Brad and
Kelly can slip inside a military base without being detected, and that
swamp's no challenge for them!  They saw a bunch of vehicles with Kentucky
license plates, and they counted at least 30 armed men on that property.
We think that they're going to attack us, maybe even tonight!"

Everyone was afraid!  Hearing that 30 men were at the redneck farm caused
everyone to shrink in fear!

"We have some federal agencies ready to take action," Butch continued.
"The DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms)
have been watching some farms in Kentucky, and then followed some of the
vehicles to the Walker and Longhurst farm.  They're gonna use the Michigan
State Police SWAT Teams to raid that farm, probably tomorrow!  Right now,
we need to all work together so everyone's safe!  I want everyone to stay
inside this lodge and follow the instructions of my security officers.  We
have people positioned around the perimeter of the property, and they'll
radio in if they see any trespassers."

"Is it safe for our men to be outside of this lodge?" John asked.  "I sure
don't want any more of our people to get shot!"

"Their assignments are simple," Butch replied.  "If they see any danger,
they'll radio in the position and number of hostiles.  Then they know to
pull back to fortified positions.  We won't fire unless we draw fire from
the shitheads!  If it's after dark, our people have night vision equipment
and I'd be surprised if the visitors will have similar equipment.  We'll
use the amplified system to warn them to leave, and if they get close to
the lodge, we'll turn on the floodlights.  Hopefully, they'll realize that
attacking us is futile and they'll leave.  By that time, the SWAT Teams
will be in place to arrest them!"

"You don't know these people!" Keith Wadsworth interjected.  "The Walker
and Longhurst families aren't afraid of anyone!  They use brute force
whenever anyone crosses them!  They gang up on people and beat them to a
pulp!  They have the sheriff deputies around here scared shitless!"

"It will be a BIG mistake if they start shooting at us!" Butch warned.  "We
have 60 people stationed outside, and all of them are armed with AK47
Assault weapons!  We have 10 expert snipers here in the lodge that will use
the gun ports next to the windows if necessary!  If I sense any danger, I
want everyone to come into this room and STAY away from the windows and
wait until I give the `All Clear' signal!  Does everyone understand?"

Butch waited to hear that everyone understood his instructions before
saying, "I'll be using the living room as a Command Post, so please do what
I tell you to do, and you'll all be safe!  Now, let's have supper and try
to relax."

"What about our people outside?  Are they being fed?" John asked.

Butch was pleased that John was concerned about his security officers, and
told John that all of the people had rested and had food and water that
would last the entire night.  He said, "You probably don't understand how
military people are trained.  We can spend a week away from the comforts of
home without getting tired or needing any supplies.  With the equipment
that you supplied us from that home in Bloomfield Hills and what was found
in the gun room here, we could take on an army!"

Mike Mahon rushed into the lodge and hugged John and shed tears when he saw
that his favorite man in the entire world was alive.  "I should have been
here with you!" Mike sobbed.  "You look terrible!"


"Relax," John said while hugging his special friend.  "Did you find any
good places for us to take our customers?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid of what's going on here," Mike replied.

"Butch is in control, and our security officers can handle the shitheads if
we do what Butch tells us," John replied.  "Let's have something to eat and
you can tell me where we should take our special customers."

Alice had cooked beef stew with rolls, tossed salad and chocolate cake, and
everyone enjoyed the home cooking.  Things were quiet until 10 p.m. when
Butch's radio came alive.

"We have vehicles on the main road that just turned off into a trail that
leads to our property," a voice said.  "They're headed to the place where
the fence had been cut near the lake."

Butch used the intercom in the lodge to order everyone into the Game Room.
He knew that the trail onto the property had been blocked with boulders,
and that any attackers would have to leave their vehicles and walk onto the
property.  His radio was busy with reports from two different directions
that indicated that at least 25 men with firearms had entered the property.
"Don't engage!" Butch ordered.  "Fall back to the fortified positions!
I'll alert the State Police SWAT Teams!"

Things were quiet for almost 30 minutes before the radio cracked, "SHOTS
FIRED!  SHOTS FIRED IN SECTOR 2!"

John had asked to stay with Butch during the assault, and was relieved when
Butch let him stay in the living room while the other people were all in
the Game Room.

"SUPPRESSION FIRE AND FALL BACK!" Butch ordered.  He keyed the amplifier
system and announced professionally, " ATTENTION ALL TRESPASSERS!  YOU ARE
ORDERED TO LEAVE THIS PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY!  WE ARE ARMED AND FULLY CAPABLE
OF PROTECTING THIS PROPERTY AND ALL OCCUPANTS OF OUR BUILDINGS!  LEAVE NOW,
OR WE WILL RETURN YOUR FIRE!"

More reports came over the radios, and Butch realized that the attackers
were shooting at his men and were approaching the main lodge.  He keyed his
radio and said, "This is a Code Red!  Remove your night vision equipment!
Lights will be on in 10 seconds!  Return all fire!  Repeat, RETURN ALL
FIRE!"  He waited 10 seconds and turned on the floodlights that had been
strategically placed around the property, and the intense lights blinded
the attackers.  The stupid attackers were out in the open when the lights
went on, and they started shooting at the lights and the men behind the
fortified positions.  Even with the thick walls of the lodge, John and
Butch could hear the flurry of gunfire that echoed around the countryside!

Many of the rednecks were cut down by the AK47's, and others turned and ran
back to their vehicles!  The State Police SWAT Teams were in position, and
immediately came under fire from the attackers who had fled away from the
lodge.  Before the shooting stopped, all of the attackers were either dead
or had surrendered to the troopers!

"All Teams, sweep the area!" Butch ordered.  "Medics, proceed with caution!
Do NOT confront the troopers!"

Reports flooded in with information about dead and wounded attackers.  Two
of the security officers were down with minor wounds, and Butch was
relieved that none of his men had been killed or seriously wounded.  He
looked out the window and saw a huge fireball in the distance.  It looked
like a large bomb had been detonated, and he immediately was alarmed!  The
lodge shook with the shock wave from the explosion, and everyone in the
Game Room screamed in fear!

"That's the direction of the Walker and Longhurst farm!" Butch said
excitedly to John.  "That's a huge fireball, and I don't know what caused
it!"

More reports came in, and Butch started a tally of the dead and wounded.
The State Police reports indicated that five attackers were dead and four
were wounded.  Three had been disarmed and arrested.  His own men reported
10 dead and six wounded and in custody!

"The State Police and local fire department are responding to an explosion
and intense fire at the Walker/Longhurst farm!" Butch said to John.  "Our
two choppers are in the air, and they've reported that the main farmhouse
has been leveled and four trailers are burning!  From the color of the
flames, my men think that a methamphetamine lab blew up and leveled
everything within 100 yards!"

John stayed up all night, and the reports were worse than he could ever
imagine!  Every television network in the world was reporting the
horrendous battle in Northern Michigan and media trucks swarmed into the
area for live reports.

"Alan Helmuth's at the front gate!" Dan Wisniewski reported via radio to
Butch.  "He wants to come in and talk to you and John before he addresses
the media."

"Let him in!" Butch ordered.  He turned to John and said, "Alan's a friend
of mine.  He's the commander of the Cheboygan State Police Post, and I'm
sure that he has more details of the body count and what happened at the
Walker/Longhurst farm.  Get Bobby here and let him do the talking for you!"

Alan Helmuth came into the lodge along with a woman that he introduced as
the legal representative for the State of Michigan.  Over cups of coffee
and sweet rolls, the events were discussed, with John in shock from what he
heard.

"Cathy Armbruster will join me for the press conference," Alan said.  "This
is the biggest bust in the history of the State of Michigan, and we don't
want to mess up when the media starts grilling me!"

"Zach Stevens from ATF will be here in a few minutes," Butch said.  "Troy
Adams is at the front gate right now, and he'll fill us in on what the DEA
has been doing too.  Federal agents have raided several places in Kentucky
and from what I've heard, over 50 people were arrested."

"Jesus!" John exclaimed.  "I'm overwhelmed by the magnitude of all of
this!"

It was two hours later when the press conference began at the front gates
of the Arrowhead property.

"My name's Alan Helmuth, and I'm the Commander of the Cheboygan State
Police Post," Alan began.  "With me is Cathy Armbruster, legal counsel for
the State of Michigan, Zachary Stevens, Assistant Director of ATF, Troy
Adams, Field Director of the DEA, Roberto Mendez, Chief of Security for the
Sea & Jungle Imports Company, and Robert Goldman, Chief Attorney for the
Sea & Jungle Imports Operations.  We will give you an overview of the
tragic events that have occurred here in Onaway, Michigan, but please
realize that our investigations are ongoing, and we can't comment on
certain aspects of the investigations."

John wanted to be at the press conference, but Butch insisted that he stay
in the lodge where he would be safe.  There was still the possibility that
other dissidents could be in the throng of media sharks, and Butch didn't
want to take any chances with John's safety.

"We became aware of trespassers on this property several months ago," Alan
began.  "Because of jurisdictional issues, the Michigan State Police
allowed the Calhoun County Sheriff Department to handle the complaints.
Over a week ago there was an altercation in a local restaurant and bar
where members of the Walker and Longhurst families allegedly attacked John
Miller, CEO of the Sea & Jungle Imports Company and Mr.  Miller's personal
security officers.  Later that week, members of the Walker and Longhurst
families allegedly trespassed on the farm owned by the Ronald Balcolm
family where people were starting construction on a new barn.  When one of
the Walker men allegedly assaulted Samantha Balcolm, shots were fired and
13 males were killed and five men were wounded.  One of the wounded was
John Miller, along with two of his personal security officers, Derek
Kaufman and Lou Williams.  At the Mercy General Hospital in Onaway, another
altercation took place when five members of the Walker and Longhurst
families allegedly attacked Mr. Miller and his security officers in the
Cashier's Office.  Two females and three males were killed in that
altercation.  Last night I was alerted that armed people had trespassed on
this property and shots were fired at security officers from the Sea &
Jungle Imports Company.  A fierce gun battle erupted near the buildings on
this property and at the property line where SWAT teams from the Michigan
State Police Department were deployed.  Twenty-five males were killed in
the fierce gunfight, 10 were wounded, and 12 others were arrested.  All of
the dead and wounded were members of the Walker and Longhurst families."

John and his friends in the lodge were watching the live press conference
on the television in the Game Room.  They were all shocked when they heard
the details of the body count.

"During the gun battle here on this property, an explosion destroyed most
of the buildings on the Walker/Longhurst farm," Alan continued.  "I'd like
Troy Adams, Field Director of the DEA, to describe what we believe happened
on that farm."

"My agents have been investigating the production and distribution of
methamphetamine in this State and across the nation," Troy began. "We had
reason to believe that the farm was being used to produce illegal drugs
along with growing marijuana.  Fire investigators have determined that a
large methamphetamine laboratory ignited, resulting in the explosion that
leveled a large farmhouse and five trailers on the Walker/Longhurst
property.  Twenty-two members of the Walker and Longhurst families died in
the explosion and resulting fires, and 12 women and children are
hospitalized.  A joint operation between the DEA and ATF was launched in
Kentucky, and I'll ask Zachary Stevens, Assistant Director of ATF to
describe that operation."

"I'm Zachary Stevens, Assistant Director of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms,
and I have limited information on the operations in Kentucky to report
today," Zach began.  "Sweeps of several locations in Kentucky resulted in
the seizure of illegal firearms, a large quantity of methamphetamine and
cocaine, and over $2,000,000 in cash.  Our investigation is ongoing, but we
believe that the people arrested were relatives of the Walker and Longhurst
families here in Michigan.  Under the provisions of the Racketeer
Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly called RICO, the federal
government plans to seize the properties here in Michigan and in Kentucky.
Thirty six people were arrested in Kentucky along with 25 here in Michigan,
and we believe that all of them will be charged with production and
distribution of illegal drugs, possession of illegal firearms, assault of
Federal Agents, and attempted murder!"

"Due to the sensitivity of this large investigation, we will not answer any
questions at this time," Alan Helmuth added.  "More information will be
shared when the Attorney General of Michigan, the Attorney General of the
State of Kentucky, and the Attorney General of the United States of America
file the charges against the alleged perpetrators.  Thank you for your
understanding in why we can't comment further or answer any questions
today."

The press conference ended, and the media frenzy began!  Reporters were
making live broadcasts from the Arrowhead property and yelled questions at
the officials who had just spoken to the public.  They were frustrated that
no one would give them any further details, and they immediately found
residents of Onaway and asked them about the Walker and Longhurst families.
Reporters flooded the town of Onaway to interview the residents and the
newscasts took on a circus atmosphere with some honest reports and
exaggerated claims that defied belief!  Newspapers around the world covered
the events, with constant television news alerts interrupting the scheduled
programs.

In a suburb of Detroit, Margaret Miller and her two sisters watched the new
broadcasts and were livid that John Miller was getting his name in the
news!  They called their new attorney and insisted that he serve the papers
that would start their lawsuit.  They were excited about the new wealth
that they knew they would get from the lawsuit that claimed that John had
concealed his new job during the divorce proceedings.  The three fat pigs
were salivating at the thought of being millionaires, and they started
planning the vacations that the new money would fund.

Stay tuned!!!

Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com