Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 16:49:17 -0500 From: Eff Del Subject: Flights of Angels chapter 24 Flights of Angels-Chapter 24 By Eff Del We were sitting across from each other in old comfortable leather chairs in the library. He was still wearing his grey Deer Run Club blazer though his blue and red tie was loose and very askew. He wore a typical goofy Jack grin as he sipped his beer and his handsome face was aglow with pleasure. He flushed into a magnificent blush as he quietly confided that at different times during the dance he had sneaked off with Alicia and later Amanda, to make out in one of the dark corridors of the big club house. It was almost as if slowly but certainly, he was shedding the reptilian skin of his past existence and was emerging as a wonderful happy boy of sixteen. The truth of course, was that aside from the enforced homosexual conditioning of his NEST `special training', he was actually quite innocent. I was pleased and proud as he sat with me and told me of his evening. "Amanda said that I was so sexy, I made her pants wet. What's that mean Dad?" It was an honest question because, being raised in the NEST, Jack had very little understanding about girls and was just beginning to understand the existence of heterosexual relationships in general. "Well Jack, I think that was her way of saying that she likes you a lot." I smiled and hid my grin by taking a sip from my beer. "Know what Dad? John was right. All the girls made a huge deal over the bruise on my left eye-brow.' I chuckled as I reflected on our conversation yesterday. I had urged Jack to protect his face and John had implied that a bruise or a cut would in effect make Jack appear sexy to the girls at the dance. Jack had won his fight last night although it had taken him all three rounds and a judge's decision to do so and the husky African American boy he had fought had landed two strong punches to his face. Had it not been so violent, it would have been almost cute to watch Jack's reaction. He was almost surprised anytime an opponent landed a good punch and thus the other boy's two quick shots to the face had actually startled him. He had reacted quickly though, and soon had the kid against the ropes and was punishing him with body blows when the final bell rang. Richard was still overseeing the confinement of the captured outriders within the confines of `Slida av Stall 4' but, he'd tele-conferenced us in order to congratulate Jack. Walter had apparently called him and told him all about the bout and it seemed that Jack and Richard had a big brother/little brother relationship going on though Richard never mentioned it to me. We had planned to spend Saturday in a lazy manner. While Jack was out on his driving lesson with John, Sean and I had taken the Red Kitty out to the far end of the property to see how the construction was going on. This newly acquired real estate was originally going to be the site of high-end condominiums. After I had purchased the land, I'd decided to allow the construction to continue in that manner because I felt that over time, I would certainly need quality living arrangements for key employees. I'd realized pretty early on that I was unlike my father in this regard. I felt a need to keep my important people close to me...almost like a family while my father had (as a rule) kept them distant and apart from his personal life. He had exceptions to this of course, specifically, Walter, Uncle Phil, Martha and to a certain extent, John. I'd noted that the gate between the new property and the original boundary of Joyous Gaurde seemed a bit flimsy but I did not give it that much thought because, in a few more months, the expanded perimeter wall would enclose all of the new property into the estate. As I walked around examining the construction, I felt Sean closely at my side. At first, he didn't say anything but I could tell from his clingy behavior that something was on his mind. I found a large boulder that looked comfortable enough to sit upon and I pulled him up onto my lap. He cuddled up against me and buried his face into my chest. I gently stroked his back feeling the vertebrae of his spine through the material of his pole shirt. As I ran my fingers through his thick black hair, I heard him emit an almost silent little squeak and his chest heaved ever so slightly. All of the NEST boys were enigmatic because, while being unnaturally experienced and skillful in carnal matters, they were almost childlike in normal social and emotional development. I'd often considered that Jack, for example was in many ways, sixteen going on fourteen. Sean was even more of a conundrum. I had removed him from the NEST before he had been exposed to all of the sexual training and abuse and therefore, he was a remarkable innocent. He was wise beyond his years so far as knowledge of facts went, and he was certainly a remarkably athletic and highly competitive boy. He had a heart and a capacity to love that was astonishing but he was truly pure...like an angel fallen from heaven, he had no concept of malice or spite or jealousy. Even the horrible kidnapping he'd been subjected to up north was really something he'd been unconscious through and therefore, was a very vague memory to him. He presented himself as so mature and well-rounded that it was easy even for me to forget that though he was twelve, in many ways, he was more like an eight year old. At this particular moment, I sensed the eight year old was surfacing. I grasped him and gently pulled him up so that he was looking directly into my eyes. His were glassy, shimmering in the subdued light we had in the shade of the tall live oak tree we were sitting under. "I'm so bad Eric...Dad. Sometimes I wish it was like it was when all you were thinking about was me. We didn't even have our whole year contract together an' sometimes..." He was trying so hard not to cry and as he snuggled tightly against me he let out a series of little hiccups and squeaks. "I know how bad it is to think like this but I can't help it. I miss when it was just you an' me Eric and not alla the kids in the world. I'm so bad, so selfish to think like that I know but, I do sometimes Eric...I just do." I hugged him tightly against me and ran my hand through his jet-black hair. "Oh, Sean, I know...I understand so well and I miss those times too, but, can you understand why everything is happening? Can you understand why I am doing what I'm doing? It all arises from my love for you. It's all about how much I love you and everything that you've taught me about love. Before you Sean, I had lost that entire concept from my life... I agree that it was so much simpler and so sweet when it was just you and me but Sean...my little man... our love has made everything since then necessary...made everything important. It was you my little love...it was all you that made everything that is about happen even possible." I put my hand on his chin and raised him so that he was looking straight at me. "Sean, I will never love anything in this world more than I love you. You are my angel...you are the one who saved my life. As you get older, you'll understand all that, but until you do, just believe that to me, there is nothing more important...more loved than you." His body softened as he clung to me and after a short while, he asked in a soft gentle tone; "Could we maybe...sometimes...go some places together just you an' me? Could we maybe just do a few things together just sometime? I held him against me and took a deep breath. "My sweet Sean. Sometimes you are so good and so wise that I make the mistake of forgetting that you're still just a little boy. You have kind of been getting the short end of the stick these past few weeks and I'm so sorry about that. You're not unhappy that we're going to adopt Jack are you?" "Oh, no Dad! If I could have had a wish after you adopted me, it would have been that you would find Jack and make him part of our family...an' then you surprised me `cause you'd already found Jack. No, it's nothing' like that, it's just that I miss OUR time a whole lot. I'm just so selfish." "No, you are not Sean and we're going to fix this situation. Now starting Monday, Walter has some important stuff to do with his Doctor and at the same time, there's some critical stuff happening with my...secret project that you don't know about." I tickled his ribs as I said this and he giggled and squirmed on my lap. We both knew that he understood what I was alluding to. "Of course, in another week there's soccer try-outs and it will be you turn back in the spotlight...but I know that's not what you're talking about. I've got to hope you can be patient for one more week. If everything goes according to plans, we are going to the courthouse to adopt Jack into our family next Friday. We will not be having a big party as I gave you for a few reasons mostly because Jack does not yet know as many people as you did, but we WILL be going out to dinner and having a celebration amongst our Joyous Gaurde family. After all of that is finished, you and I are going to spend a week together doing some just `Sean and Eric' stuff OK?" He sniffled a little and gave me a tight little hug. "Thanks Eric...Dad. Uhhm, can I sleep with you in our bed tonight?' "Sean, you're always welcome to sleep with me little man, in fact, I actually miss you in bed with me a lot. You're the best cuddler I've ever known." That caused him to raise his face and flash me a `Sean smile'. "So, today, how about you and me go to a movie or something?" "Nah, I'd rather do something more special... how about we go for a hike together...maybe up to the top of Hawkes Hill and we could go into the cave? I told you, I think I was there with Kyle. I'd like to see it again with you Dad...before you get too old to hike up there." He flashed me an evil version of a `Sean Smile' and burst out into an almost uncontrollable fit of giggles. I didn't help the situation as I tickled his ribs in retaliation for that `old' comment. When I'd finally let him go. He dropped to the ground breathing heavily and totally exhausted from the ordeal. He was none-the less smiling and I knew that `WE' were all right. *************************** I had to hunch over as we entered the enclosure that Kyle and I had named `the cave'. It seemed essentially unchanged since Sean and I had been here those many months ago when he was still `out on contract to me'. I was curious as to why he'd been so insistent that we hiked up here. I knew that while in his chemically induced coma during his kidnapping, he somehow believed that he had met and interacted with my dead brother Kyle. Sean insisted that it was Kyle, who had more or less stopped him from following the path to the light, which I interpreted as meaning death. Before the time was right for him to go down the path back to me, the two of them had sat around the fire pit laughing and talking. Then and now, I was ready to believe anything. Far too many miracles had happened in my life since Sean had entered it for me to doubt anything. Sean fussed over the fire pit and seemed a bit exasperated by not finding anything. Finally, he sat down on one of the log benches with his chin in his hands. After a few moments, he looked up at me. "Dad, if this was just a dream, then that's OK but somehow, in my heart, I know it was real." "Sean, just because you can't find physical proof of something, doesn't mean it's not real son...three are all kinds of `real'. Baby boy, even if it's only in your mind, it's still there. Honest, I believe everything you've told me." He gave me a cute little puzzled look and then...suddenly...he seemed to freeze like stone. "T-there...Did you feel it?" And I did. I felt it just as surely as I'd ever felt anything in my life. It was a distinct warm loving kiss planted firmly upon my lips. My fingers flew to the spot and I could see that Sean was touching his own mouth in wonderment. "What...What in the hell?" I fell down flat upon my ass and sat there completely bewildered. Sean was still sitting on the other side of the fire pit looking at me with those wide beautiful eyes. "Kyle! It was Kyle did it." Sean said without a trace of humor. "He wanted us both to know he remembers and that he loves us! You see, it WAS real...he just kissed you too didn't he Dad?" He was looking at me with a very serious expression on his face and his eyes were glassy. He got up and walked around the fire ring and was standing looking down at me. "See, Dad? I told you. I really was here with Kyle the whole time. You believe me now right?" I reached up and pulled him down to me. I wrapped my arms around him and I rocked us slowly as I felt the tears dripping down my cheeks. "Of course I believe you Sean. I always believed you but THIS...I don't know how to explain other than to accept it for what it is. You are a very special little boy Sean and so was Kyle. I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on you that you two would have hit it off and had a special relationship. It seems like you managed to make that happen despite the fact that everything I know about the world makes that completely impossible. The other night, Gary...Mr. Sellers was trying to explain to me that he believed in a world where anything was possible if you just listen and believe. I just never...I just couldn't...I..." The violent sobbing washed over me like a tidal wave- sudden and completely unstoppable. I hugged my little boy tightly as I rocked back and forth howling like a lost and empty soul. Through it all though, I knew that I wasn't crying out of actual grief, it was more like I was emptying myself of dark, bad, useless baggage so that I could then be refilled with lighter more positive things. In some minor and undeserved manner, I felt as though I was experiencing an epiphany. Sean sat with me wordlessly and uncomplaining for I do not know how long. Eventually, I stood up raising the boy with me as well. I looked down into his wet blue/green eyes; he had been weeping along with me it seemed. "Sean, I...I'm so sorry little man. I don't know what came over me." He rewarded me with a magnificent `Sean smile' as he reached up and flicked away a residual tear from my cheek. "It's OK. Even big tough Dads are allowed to cry sometime you know." I had no words. I ruffled his hair, took his hand as we left the cave, and walked back down the path to Sean's `Red Kitty'. "We have to come back here more often Sean. This has become a place or real love." ****************************** We were all sitting on the patio by the wildflower garden. John had announced Martha was getting the evening off, and that everyone was invited to a barbeque hosted by Jenny and him. John was manning the barbeque and the ribs were sizzling slowly over the very low heat. The aroma was driving my two little boys crazy. They kept sidling up to John who without an iota of mercy shooed them away. "They'll be done when they're done!" He'd exclaimed waving a long set of tongs at the retreating young men. Jack had attempted a feeble protest and received stern marching orders as his reward. "Jack, you get your butt inside and see if Jenny needs some help with the potato salad and the beans." Sean had been wiser in his own plans and had sat down next to Walter, who was quietly enjoying his whiskey. "Dad said you got a port installed today Walter. What's that?" `It's something the doctors install so that when I go for my chemotherapy, they just plug in a tube and don't have to stick needles in me all of the time." He unbuttoned his garish Hawaiian shirt and pulled it opened to show the appliance to Sean. "See here? This little lump on my chest with the little hole is the port. It was minor surgery because inside me, this little guy is connected to a big vein so the medicine gets right into my bloodstream. Monday, I'm getting my first dose of chemo and I can't wait to see how well this works. They say that I just sit down in a comfortable chair and they plug me right in. You know Sean; I always figured that the day was going to come when people would just be plugged in for whatever they needed, I just didn't expect to be around to see it. I asked my doctor if I could plug my iPhone into the port to recharge it but he didn't find that very funny." He took a sip of his drink and turned in my direction. "I'm certain that I'll handle the chemo just fine Eric, but just in case, Richard is flying in tonight. Our `guests' are currently getting used to their new accommodations in the Steel Cunt...OOPS! Forgive me Martha that was rather crude of me." She smiled at him and said; "Crude? Why Walter, it's always a wonderful day when I get to learn a new word. You'll have to tell me what it means later." That was as far as she got before she broke out into a fit of giggles that turned her usually rosy red complexion into a dark shade of crimson. "Sean, are you going to give us the pleasure of singing for us all after dinner?" Doc Swaim had placed a huge hand on the little boy's shoulder. "Sure Professor. If everybody wants to hear that is" "Oh, I don't think you should have any doubt about that young man." Suddenly Jenny was standing at the door and she surveyed us all in one swift eagle-eyed glance. "Chris and Sean, come help Jack and me carry everything out to the table. The rest of you have got time for one more very quick drink." Chris hopped to his feet and followed quickly by Sean, marched into the kitchen to do the behest of `she who must be obeyed' While this was all happening, John had removed the many slabs of baby-back ribs from the grille. As he lifted each rack, the pungent juices and sweet barbeque sauce dripped down onto the fire causing impatient hisses of smoke to rise from the coals. Setting the ribs onto large platters to `rest', John walked behind a hedge and wheeled out a cart that he's hidden there. It contained four bottles of champagne chilling in buckets of ice and several crystal champagne flutes. I raised an inquiring eyebrow at him and he just grinned at me in answer. He filled each of the glasses just as the kitchen slave emerged with bowls of beans, potato salad loaves of bread and carrot sticks with a bowl of ranch dressing. When these were properly placed upon the table, John called for everyone's attention. He was grinning like the famous Cheshire Cat. "Jack and Sean, would you please pass out these glasses to everyone and make certain that you each have one also. You are all like a family to me...but I didn't have to say that because you already knew it. My life changed forever one evening when a lanky confused teenaged boy was about to get himself beat up in a pool hall and didn't even know why it was happening. The next thing I knew, I was living here in this wonderful place with this wonderful group of people...even new people like you Chris." This elicited polite laughter from everyone and I suspected that I was the only one who knew what was about to happen. "Well, as most of you know, about a year and a half ago, Mrs. Edwards...Martha, hired on a beautiful, bright, wonderful young college student as her part-time assistant. Moreover, she must have envisioned some possibilities because that crafty woman kept finding reasons to bring us together until I finally got up the nerve to ask her out on a date. Things developed after that. Last night while Mister Jack here was driving us both home from his first dance, I decided the time was right. Right here in this wildflower garden, Miss Jennifer Crane made me the happiest man in the world by consenting to become my wife." I don't know how much of that last sentence was even heard by most of the people on the patio because they were after all, very quick on the up-take. Little Jenny was mobbed by well-wishers and those that couldn't get near her initially were all over John; pumping his hand and hugging him. Sean, though smiling. Was confused I could tell. The concept of marriage not to mention hetero-sexual relationships was currently out of his range of experience. He certainly knew that it was considered a reason to be happy for John...jenny as well, and he responded accordingly. I suspected I'd be fielding questions in the bedroom tonight. I claimed the right to the first toast which was followed by a round of others until finally, we'd finished the champagne. I'd noticed that John had certainly not scrimped in that regard; `Veuve Clicquot, la Grande Dame 2004', was certainly not something a poor man could afford. John however, was not a poor man. None of my key people were if the truth be told. Dinner was served chuck wagon style and therefore, everyone was soon served and enjoying the feast the two of them had prepared. I loved watching the boys attack their individual rack of ribs like only boys would possibly do. It seemed as though it had only taken seconds for them to be covered fingertips to elbows and lips to ears with barbeque sauce but their grins of appreciation were unmistakable despite all of that culinary camouflage. The sauce itself turned out to be Jenny's grandfather's secret recipe but she quickly agreed to share it with Martha but only her. Desert was a simple three flavor drop-cake topped with generous scoops of ice cream. While we adults enjoyed modest helpings, Chris joined Sean and Jack in going back for seconds. After we'd all finished, the table had been cleared, and everyone had a drink, Sean was urged to go get his guitar. He returned to the patio a few moments later and sat on a stool in front of John and Jenny. After checking his tuning, he began a slow but driving finger pick rhythm as he changed through strange but not discordant progressions. This continued for a while until his raised his face to look at John and Jenny. `He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts Rest assured this troubadour is acting on His part. The union of your spirits, here, has caused Him to remain For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name There is Love. There is Love." We listened as Sean's sweet voice wove a lyric of love and joy. I realized that he'd chose this song instinctively from his almost encyclopedic knowledge of music. He had no idea that this sweet Noel Paul Stookey song was really intended to be sung at a wedding, he just knew it was something that felt right tonight. `As it was in the beginning it is now until the end Woman draws her life from man and gives it back again. And there's Love. There is Love.' He drew a slow upward fan of his little fingers across the strings and then damped the instrument to a sudden silence. It took a moment for everyone to react...to actually realize that the song was finished but soon everyone was clapping and expressing their appreciation and there were very few dry eyes on the patio. Jenny was up in a flash wrapping her arms around the bewildered little boy. "Oh my God Sean! That was so beautiful! You were almost my first friend here and now..." She hugged him so tightly that he almost had to fight not to drop the guitar. It was Martha who finally leaned forward and though she was still wiping her eyes with a tissue exclaimed; "All right then my sweet little Nightingale...give us something to stomp our feet to. I'll bet you don't know `The Wild Rover' do you?" Sean grinned up at her. "Mrs. Edwards, you're so silly. `Course I do.' He'd taken up a pick in his right hand and almost violently slashed it down across the strings. `And it's NO, Nay, NEVER No nay never no more... Will I play the Wild Rover No, never no more."' As he launched flawlessly into the only slightly bawdy Irish folksong, the mood on the patio changed from one of joy to just plain happiness. I noticed for only the second or third time that I'd known him, John had most certainly overindulged and with a sweet smile, Jenny excused them as a couple and guided him back to the garage apartment. Poor little Sean wasn't allowed to put his guitar down for another two hours. Everybody left happy and I felt so wonderful for my friend John. Jack must have sensed that something had happened today because as the three of us left the elevator up in `bedroom land', he simply smiled and bid us both a goodnight before entering his own room and shutting the door. ***************** With a smooth and elegant grace, he was out of his slacks and shirt and stood grinning at me in the half-light of the bedroom. "Do you ever remember the first time we slept together in this bed? After all the time I'd spend finding you and choosing you like you were some...some experiment, there you were and I just loved you so much that I was almost afraid to get into bed with you...like I was afraid you'd disappear or something." "I think about it alla the time Dad. I just had my first ever bath an' you carried me in here and I wondered if we were gonna' sleep in jammers or underwear and YOU told me that we weren't gonna sleep in nothin'. I knew that as long as I was with you, life was gonna' be wonderful. I just never knew how wonderful Eric...Dad. If I think too hard about it, I'll `happy cry' I just love you so much!" I turned the lights down and for long hours that night, we'd shared the smooth hot feel of our flesh against each other as we shared pleasure in our own private way. Eventually sleep over-took us and if I dreamed that night, they were not retained in my memory when I woke up to his dazzling smile as he straddled my body looking down at me. ******************** Sean was going to spend the morning helping Martha prepared dinner. His Sunday morning pool lesson had been cancelled by mutual understanding of John's exuberant partying last night. Likewise, Jack was not going to having a driving lesson and so, he chose to spend the morning working out in the gym. In the afternoon, both boys were going out to Fish Camp to help Professor Swaim with a project he was working on and then, the three of them were going to meet Andy at the gun shed and murder a bunch of clay pigeons. I headed up to the Control Center. I passed a few rooms that had young men busily working over monikers and, if they even noticed me, they didn't make any acknowledgment. As usual, I was the last one to show up. Walter, Richard and Barry were huddled over the big screen and Barry had a big tablet on the table and was making motions as he was talking to the other two in his typical high speed fashion. I smiled to myself and wondered if he ever slowed down. They noticed me at the same time. Richard and Barry smiled in acknowledgement. Neither of them were yet comfortable to speak to me first; before I'd spoken to them. Walter on the other hand, had no such qualms; "Well, Good morning Sleeping Beauty! Glad you could join us." His sardonic grin tempered the otherwise unkind words and for the thousandth time in my life, I looked at him and thought what a magnificent looking man he was. Not for the first time, I considered that if he were no like my uncle...or even second father, I'd jump his bones in a second. Strangely though, Walter's sexuality was as mysterious as most of the rest of him. He was, from my childhood, an almost super hero type figure, shrouded in mystery but exuding strength and confidence. The more I'd become familiar with the scope of my family `organization', the more my respect and awe for him grew. None of what I knew in anyway lessened the love I had for him. I remembered when I was little, when I'd somehow felt I'd angered or disappointed my father, it was Walter that I'd run to for comfort and assurance. He'd only allowed those to be private moments...he always maintained his cool professional demeanor in front of anyone else. "Hell Walter, you know I've always been one for being fashionably late as well as a big fan of dramatic entrances." Before he had an opportunity to retort, I strode over to the coffee bar. "Anyone else need a cup or a refill?" Receiving no reply, I poured myself a cup and walked over to where they were grouped over the computers. "Let's sit down and brief Eric on what we've got." Walter said. As I took my chair, I smiled at them and said; "Well, welcome back Richard. That was a smooth and well done adventure on Cooks Island. All of the boys are safely back at the campus in Houston. We'll talk about our `guests' later. Right now, we've got a rescue to finish." All eyes turned to Barry. In this situation he was in his comfort zone and easily took over the briefing. "Our friends have done very well. As we'd assumed, no one knew about their brief little visit with us here at Joyous Gaurde. Right on schedule, they picked up Bobby and took him back to the Montana ranch. Garry did his part by insisting that he be allowed to `schedule' time with Bobby as soon as possible. He arrived at the ranch last night and the both of them are together in a cabin about a quarter of a mile from the main house. Bobby; bless his brave heart, has already done the most important part. He's placed six `shadow flies' in different places around the main house. Gary has placed his six `flies' around the exterior as he `took a little walk'. These are two brave guys Eric. We're ready to move. We're only waiting for the signal from Gary that he and Bobby are safe. Not knowing how this is going to unfold, they both know that they may come under the influence of our knock out chemical, but they understand. We've got the power of numbers on our side because there are really very few of them. Despite their hi-tech defense system, they really still think that they're up against a small group of amateurs. We've got an assault wave ready to move in from all sides just waiting for our signal." "Will that be soon Barry?" I asked as I took a sip of my coffee. "That will be NOW Eric...or at least as soon as we get the safe signal form Gary. We want them to be as far from possible harm as we can. I'm going to activate the twelve `shadow flies' right now so that we can slowly get a reel time idea of what's going on there. I won't move the four carrying the `go to sleep juice' until it's time. I'm going to move over to my multi-port station and you guys can watch from this big screen here. You know you'll get the best view." "Thank you Steven Spielberg." Walter said. Barry grinned and in a matter of minutes the big screen was filled with an image that slowly moved through what I realized must be the big house on the ranch. The image changed and the view became confusing but Walter assured me that Barry hadn't yet decided upon a `master view' between all of the images he was receiving. Suddenly the screen was filled a picture of Gary an Bobby . "Hello guys, we've planted those little peanuts like you asked so everything is ready to go. Bobby and I are together in this cabin...the only problem might be that he's got to got to `assembly' at six o'clock and I've got to leave tonight at nine. So I'm pushing the button NOW." Barry turned to me waiting for my order. "Goddammitt...let's go. and make certain everybody knows getting those two out is the first priority." "I've activated the `sleepy time flies" Barry said and seconds later the screen showed the big house was filled with people (including the young boys) slumped down into sudden unconsciousness In a matter of minutes, the screen was filled with gray clad Skuggor . I sat back in my comfortable leather chair and took a nice long sip from my cup. There was absolutely no resistance from outside the building. It seemed that we'd struck at a time when everyone was inside. "Mission accomplished "I reflected. I hoped we'd got all the boys and hopefully all of the men involved in their abduction. It was Barry who finally told me. "Eric, we've got all the boys out of there and we're hustling them back to Houston but...Eric...Martin Longstreet and Garry and Bobby are not accounted for. Unless something changes in our assessment, we've got to assume that Longstreet has taken them." I looked at him...brave competent Richard...and I had no words. We spent the next three hours making certain that the boys were comfortable, un-traumatized and ready for transport. No one had been killed during the entire operation but our brave couple...the two who had given up certain freedom and future happiness in order to help this mission where gone, along with the most dangerous of the Outriders. That could not be a coincidence. I kept thinking to myself that probably, Gary and Bobby, knowing what was about to happen, had hidden themselves and soon they'd turn up. That would be the normal and clever reaction after all. I was certain that they would turn up shortly just as I was sure that Martin Longstreet would be found hiding someplace in the compound. I was pouring myself a cup of coffee when Richard approached me. "Eric, there's a telephone call for you and I think you need to take it." I could tell from his look that this was not anything ordinary,, and I accepted the instrument from him. "Hello, this is Eric Tucker." "Mr. Tucker. You are a selfish son of a bitch. You think you can enjoy the fruits of the vine of youth but not share them. You think you can destroy the grand old source of pleasure while you still sip from the wine of its vintage. Well you arrogant fucker, you have just learned you cannot do that. I've got some people that you want and you've got some people of mine but, much more important...you've taken over and are trying to destroy something very important to me and a great many other people. I'll give you some few hours to taste the ashes of your defeat and then we'll discuss the return to normalcy that these lives will cost you. "Oh, I know it will only take you seconds to find out so let me simply tell you that my name is Choa... though you stupid westerners can never get that right so I move through the world as `Charles'. I am Charles Chang and I demand my source of joy be returned. We will talk again in three hours and after that, strictly upon schedule, I'll be sending you your people part by part and bit by bit. I'll enjoy that but they won't Eric Tucker." I hung up the phone feeling angry, outraged and full of despair. Despite the intricate network that my Skuggor had created, this man had discovered who I was and the fact that I was behind the entire take-over and reorganization of the NEST. Immediately more important was the fact that he held Gary and Bobby and intended to use them as tools or weapons. "I don't know how this happened Eric but rest assured we'll find out," Richard was standing as close as he dared to be. Something came over me and for the first time I felt like a man in charge of a large worldwide network of many powerful tentacles. For the first time, I think I felt like my father felt...I felt powerful and ruthless. I took a deep breath and it somehow felt wonderful. I turned to my three commanders of my secret army. "Walter, nothing is more important than your health. After your chemo we'll talk about your new position in the organization. Until then, Richard is in charge of physical ops and Barry is in charge of Technical...EVERYTHING...for chrizzakes, he's Barry...there aught to be a whole term for him. "Guys, we rescued the other boys but we fucked up and let our friends down. I won't settle for anything less than total victory and I know you understand what that means. As I got up to leave, I noticed that I had a voicemail from Bernie Turnbridge. I touched play; "Uh...Hi Eric...I just membered that that I probably shoulda' told you that I mentioned you were involved in the take-over when I told the ...fuck I'm sorry Eric...I guess the whole board knew. Well since it all went well it's ok...uh...bye." If I could have reached through the phone and strangled him to death I would have but of course... "So now we know, and we know what we've got to do. I expect results by the time we meet tomorrow gentlemen." Walter's facial reaction was all that I needed to accept his approval. I knew that in that instant I had taken over control of the Skuggor and therefore, the empire my father had created. At this point though it was not good to be king. There was an anger in me that I hadn't known existed and I knew I was going to end this evil forever. (To be continued) Guys, your notes of compassion and encouragement have brought me to tears on several occasions. Thanks for loving this story and thanks for your interest in my personal battle. You are the best and I love you all.