Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2015 21:07:25 -0500 From: Eff Del Subject: Green Grow the Rushes O-Chapter 29 Green Grow the Rushes O- Chapter 29 By Eff Del Nolitimere156@gMail.com *If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride - and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards.* *No matter what has happened to you in the past or what is going on in your life right now, it has no power to keep you from having an amazingly good future.* I was very confused as my eyes opened up to gaze upon a blazing blue sky. I blinked several times and my memory became whole. As that happened, I was terrified about what I might soon be learning. "Please lay still Sir. You've suffered minor head trauma and sudden movements could complicate things." The voice was familiar. Suddenly, so was the face. He was one of the four doctors who had so patiently put up with my boorish behavior while at the same time guiding me back to health after my `joyride over the cliff in my Jaguar'. "Mohamed?" The face above me smiled. "I'm very pleased that you recognized me Launcelot. Yes, I'm the same Doctor who you considered such a pain in the ass after your plunge over the precipice a short time ago. You certainly lead an interestingly active life. I don't suppose suggesting that you stay home and spend your time reading would do any good with you would it Sir?" I giggled and then cringed as my head hurt so badly that I thought it would crack open. "Mohamed, tell me what happened." "If you promise to lie still and just listen I'll tell you everything I know...yes?" I didn't even try to nod my head. I just mouthed the word; `yes'. "I learned last time not to say `no' to any of the four of you." He smiled down at me. "Well at least for now, you've only got to contend with me although you'll discover that Joseph is on duty at the infirmary back at Joyous Gaurde. Now be still and I'll tell you what we know so far... Sometime in the middle of the night, a private yacht drifted alongside your ship and issued a distress call indicating that the ship had lost all power and had been drifting for several days only coming upon your ship by the kindness of the tide. Suspecting nothing wrong, your night crew threw them a few lines and pulled them alongside. Their kindness was repaid by treachery and the night crew was quickly overwhelmed and as the rest of the pirates climbed onboard, the ship was quickly invaded. Most of the crew just surrendered...after all, they aren't trained SKUGGOR but Richard...'Galahad' is and though he was asleep and naked, he killed four of the invaders as they broke into his cabin. Eventually, of course, they overcame him and beat him near to death. He is stable now and we've already flown him back to the mainland. We intend to bring him to one of our own medical facilities. Unless he sustained more severe internal injuries than we suspected after triage, he should be fine." "They worked quickly taking over the ship but you had wisely set a thirty minute limitation on lack of contact and a group of Skuggor helicopters was launched from the mainland promptly. Obviously, all of our copters have `feather technology' and can hover with almost perfect silence. As they looked down and saw the yacht tethered to the `Magnolia', they launched a half dozen `shadow flies' to ascertain the situation. It was immediately obvious that the `Magnolia' had been taken. The Skuggor were preparing a rather standard three-point attack to re-take the ship when almost at the same time, it became obvious that the pirates were preparing to dump Richard..excuse me...'Galahad' overboard I tried to clear my mind. "And Jack?" He scowled and nodded his head. "Severe concussion. That man really clobbered him. He's also being flown to our medical facility and truly I'm certain of a full recovery." "How about Doctor Swaim?" "He's fine Sir. Some bruises but no broken bones and as he is fond of saying; nothing that a `Jack and water' won't cure." I swallowed deeply and then asked the question I was so afraid to ask; "Brian...what about Brian?" I could tell by his face that he didn't want to answer that question. "So, they brought you all on deck and grouped you together. They apparently declared their intention to kill Richard and brave little Brian ran in to his aid. They shot him in the stomach the cowardly bastards! A twelve year-old boy and they shot him!" He lost all of his professionalism and began to sob. He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. "He was alive when we put him in the helicopter and by now, he should be under the surgeon's knife. Almost the same time that they shot Brian, a SKUGGOR helicopter dropped a concussion grenade onto the ship which of course, knocked everyone to the deck. Taking back the ship was relatively easy." I smiled. "May I get up on my feet Mohamed?" He smiled back. "If you CAN, than you may sir." I rose slowly and noticed that my headache was rather considerable. I smiled quietly and decided that Doc Swaim already knew the best cure for that. "Who is in command of this operation Mohamed?" "Skuggor Level 10 William Sir." "Please have him meet me in my cabin and Mohamed, I feel like you've saved my life once again." He smiled and nodded. "Protecting Launcelot is the prime duty of every SKUGGOR. Nothing else matters. "Sean! Where is Sean?" "He's fine and below deck with Doctor Swaim. We told him that he couldn't be near you while we were treating you. Little boys can get in the way Sir. He's totally fine but of course, frightened and confused. I found my little boy and he rushed to cling against me. "Dad, why did these guys do this to us?" "Because they're evil greedy men Sean. Sadly, you'll be dealing with men like this your whole life. The way to deal with them is to get rid of them and that's what we're going to do." There was a knock on my cabin door. "Sir, I'm William Sir. I am of course at your service." "William thank you for your expedient service to my family and me. Now, I need for you to help clean up this mess. The Crew of the Magnolia will continue to recover the sunken bullion. You William will have this rented yacht of theirs sailed just off the coast of Sable Island. Make certain that the crew of pirates are all bound, and then scuttle the yacht. I don't want there to be any survivors I'd reserved a few of the invaders for individual punishment. First was the man who had shot Brian. He was terrified as he was dragged before me. "My son may or may not live but you shot him like he was a rabbit or a game cock...you shot him for no reason except he was showing compassion for his friend. He is a twelve year old boy you fucking monster! A grown man shooting a naked twelve year old boy...how much more of a worthless piece of shit can you be? You shot him just because you could you cowardly scumbag! I'm going to keep you alive until we learn if my son lives or dies. If he lives, then you'll live as well but you'll live without your balls and without the ability to do anything like this again. If Brian dies, then you'll die but it will be slow and very cruel. I promise you that the last thing you'll do on this earth is scream. My name is Eric Tucker and I assure you that `Tucker Justice' is swift and without mercy. William, strip him and bind him. He's to go to the `Steel Cunt' The next was the man who had clubbed down Jack. He'd heard what I'd said to the man who shot Brian and the fear was all over his face. "Mister, Mister...I only done it because I thought he was trying to do something that was gonna get him shot! Honest, I was really trying to keep him safe...I didn't want him t' get shot. He's just a boy! You seen it yourself. These guys, they don't care about shootin' chileren. Mister, you gotta believe me, I knocked him down to pre'tect him. They'd a shot him Mister. I'm sorry that he's hurt but Mister...ain't that better than bein' dead?" Tears were streaming down his face and I decided that either he was a wonderfully talented actor or he was being honest and sincere. My decision as to his fate changed at once. I thought about the island and decided that would be appropriate for this man. "I believe you and so, you will have your life and your man-hood." When he realized what I'd just said, he collapsed on the deck and crawled to my feet bawling like a little baby, He grasped my right foot and murmured; "Mister...thank you Mister...thank you." "You'll never be free again but your life will not be terrible. You'll be taken to an island in the South Pacific and you'll work as a groundskeeper for a private resort. You'll be out in the sun and you'll have lots of time off. To many people, the prison I'm sending you to would be like a life-long vacation. I'm doing this because I believe you and therefore thank you for saving my son's life though I detest your method of doing it." As he was taken away he was sobbing. "Thank you Mister...thank you Mister." It turned out that the man who had punched me in my cabin was the same man who'd clubbed me on the deck. He was surprisingly little. In a fair fight, I could have easily kicked his ass. He was putting on a brave face but I knew that there was terror lying just below the surface. "You are a dead man. I suspect you know that. What remains to be determined is how horrible your death will be." "Who gives a shit you rich mother-fucker? You grew up calling all the shots. Well, last night, I got to call the shots and you had to do what I wanted you to do. I got to control your whole life even if just for a few hours." "Did you enjoy that? You'd never met me before. I've never done anything to you or for you for that matter. Did you enjoy being cruel to me, my sons and my crew?" I suspect I'd confused him. "Yah. I fuckin' enjoyed it." "I'm glad that you got some pleasure at the end of your life. You'll join your gang on the sadly doomed yacht but not before I return a favor to you." I was surprised at the strength of my blow to the side of his head. I remembered the old French expression; a bon chat, a bon rat. The Skuggor dragged him off and onto the yacht . Shortly, it pulled away from the `Magnolia'. I watched the yacht that was soon to never be seen again above the water. Finally, Doctor Kyler Moss was brought in. "Well Professor, how am I supposed to deal with a man who threatened and injured my family?" He smirked. "In this particular case Mr. Tucker, I'd suggest a fair share in the loot. I was hoping for fifty percent but my little scheme failed and you are the victor but sir; I did most of the research and you simply had the technology at hand. I'm sincerely sorry if your little son dies but he certainly behaved imprudently don't you agree?" I held myself under tight control because I already knew what was going to happen so I allowed him to be smug and arrogant. "Well, Doctor Moss, your dream of a billion dollars isn't going to happen but I am going to allow you three bars of gold bullion. That's a good bit more than a hundred thousand dollars. William, would you bring them out for the good Doctor?" William returned with three canvass bags each containing a brick of gold bullion. " These are each about 28 pounds of gold Doctor Moss. Grace the Doctor with his loot William." William quickly looped the straps over the man's shoulders. He smiled at me and said; "I assume that one of your helicopters will take me to the mainland Mr. Tucker?" I smiled and indicated the door. "Actually Doctor Moss, I'm afraid you're going to have to swim. William would you be so kind as to show the good Doctor the exit? I'll accompany you." The big SKUGGOR commander grasped the suddenly baffled man and in a quick motion, turned him over the rail and into the ocean. His face was completely baffled because he thought he had been in complete control. I actually hated the fact that I enjoyed his terror as the 84 pounds of gold slung to his body pulled him under the surface. His eyes were almost imploring as he sank below the water. No one would ever get away with threatening my family. No one would ever survive such an attempt. *************************************** Our helicopter landed at the SKUGGOR medical location and we three hurried into the facility. Jack was awake and totally lucid. Sean ran to his side and hugged him as he cried. "Rufus, Rufus, what would I do without you?" "Tadpole, don't you ever worry about that. I'll never leave you alone." They hugged and wept and I didn't even attempt to interject myself into their reunion. I moved on in order to see how Richard was doing. My god but he looked like Hell. He had been beaten so badly. His face looked like chopped meat. He was being kept under a morphine drip so he certainly wasn't awake. I gently stroked his forehead (the only place he seemed to not have been beaten.) I leaned in and kissed him. My brave Galahad had damned near died trying to save us. I couldn't stop sobbing but I had to see my little Brian. Sean was already there and he was crying softly as he leaned over the rail of the hospital bed. "D-Dad, how could someone have done this? How could somebody be that mean? Brian ain't never done anything but be good and gentle an' brave. He's never done nothin' but be good an' friendly to everyone. He was only tryin' to save Richard...they were gonna kill him. Brian was tryin' to save him. Is he gonna die for that Dad? Is Brian gonna die?" "I don't know Sean but I certainly hope not. We need to have faith and hope. Brian is strong and I trust he'll be able to survive this. The man that did this has already been punished. I should have allowed you to be part of that, but Doctor Swaim needed you at that time." He nodded his teary head and then bent over his brother crying like the world was going to end. "Come with me Sean, we need to eat and then we need to sleep. The world will be better after that. I promise." The dining room in the SKUGGOR medical center was actually excellent and the beef stew we selected was astonishingly delicious. After we'd eaten, I took my little boy up to our rather mediocre room. I helped him remove his shirt and then pulled down his shorts. His boxer briefs followed down his legs and over his feet. I held him tightly against me as I filled the bathtub with hot water. I raised him up and lowered him into the warmness. He sighed as he sank into the comfort of the bath but very soon, he began to sob. Everything that had happened sank into him and he could not handle his sorrow and his anger. "Did you kill them Dad?" I ran my hand down his little back and replied softly; "Yes Sean. Yes I did." He smiled with a funny look in his eyes. "Good. That's good Dad. People like that don't deserve to be alive. We didn't do nothin' to them. They didn't have no right to try an' do anything to us." I closed my eyes and thought that I was surely looking at the future Launcelot...the future of `Magnus Venatus' the head of the family. My wonderful little boy had what it took to eventually control this large empire. Jack would control the SKUGGOR and (if he lived) Brian would oversee the financial web that had been created...'Magnus Venatus' controlled by three brothers. My father would smile at that prospect. I guided him out of the little tub and gently dried him off as he limply stood before me. "It's a little bed so we'll be cramped I'm sorry to say." He reached up and pulled me down into a kiss. ""We'll be together Dad ain't that good enough?" "Yes Son...that's good enough." I placed him on the bed and climbed alongside and wrapped him in my arms. He was my sun and moon. He was the total reason for living. This little boy was why I was still alive. I hugged him to me tightly and kissed him furiously. As I hugged Sean I realized that Jack was alright. Richard was probably going to recover. Brian was questionable and therefore, the greatest concern. I breathed in the sweet smell of boy as I clutched my little Sean against me and amazingly, sleep overtook me swiftly. ********************* "It's rather wonderful almost miraculous news Eric. The bullet didn't even nick a major organ and entirely missed his spine. It just went through his body without doing any major damage. After some rather minimal care and lots of bed rest, Brian should make a complete recovery. Our major concerns are infection and his rather substantial loss of blood. We have him on painkillers and an IV. We're hoping that morphine won't be necessary but a stomach wound can be extremely painful." "Doctor Mohamad, you're like a good luck charm. I'm thinking about having you permanently assigned to Joyous Gaurde." "That would be you're call Sir." "Thank you. May I see him now?" "Yes sir. I think that will please him a great deal." Typically, Sean burst into the room. Brian was sitting up in his bed and his smile was almost an answer to every question. "So Baby Boy, how are you doing?" "Dad, I'm doing fine `specially since I was pretty sure I was dead." His grin was like sunshine on a cold winter day. I rubbed his shoulder. "I love you little boy. More than you can ever know." He had tears in his eyes now as he looked up at me. "Oh, I think I do know Dad and I hope you know how much I love you and my brothers. It would sure have been a gyp if that guy had killed me. I'd have missed out on everything." I didn't want to sob but it was unstoppable and soon I was weeping as I held him closely. Sean was standing close by rubbing my back and Brian's arm. "Ain't nobody that can beat Spider not nobody." Then he burst into tears. I suspected he'd held himself together as long as he could and now that he saw his brothers were all right, he simply lost it. I clutched his little body close to me and we cried together while poor little Brian sat in his hospital bed trying to comfort us in any way he could. What irony eh? *********************************** Now that I knew Brian was alright. I sent a message to `Slida av Stil' (the steel cunt) and ordered the man who had shot Brian to be castrated and then, the thumb on his primary hand be removed. He was then to be brought to a remote part of the desert and released with a hundred dollars placed in his pockets. I thought to myself that if he made it out of the desert, he could buy himself a few beers to toast his lost man-hood and if I ever found out that he'd learned to handle a pistol with his other hand, I'd have the other thumb taken off and perhaps his cock as well. This was as close to mercy as I could allow myself to display. The anger and hatred inside me was only beginning to disapate Doc Swaim and I sat together enjoying a drink. "The bullion is almost entirely retrieved and it will be taken to Jacksonville, Florida where we'll convert it to cash. Our crew will receive twenty-five percent shared equally between them. That's about 625 million between a crew of thirty. Every member of this crew shared in the danger and the work They should have comfortable lives if they're careful. The rest of the money will be put into an account to support the NEST. That should be enough of an endowment that my financial support should need to be minimal in the future. Our people will manage the annuity and the Academy should actually be able to stand on its own financially. There was a knock on my door and I opened it to find Jack standing there. I wondered if I could hold back my tears as I drew him into my arms. "My sweet son." I managed to mutter as my face was pressed against his shoulder. I couldn't keep from weeping after all. He stood placidly as my body heaved in relieved sobbing against him. As I finally calmed down, he took my hand and kissed it softly. "I actually came down here to see if I could get a beer." I wiped my eyes and grinned. "Not great choices here Jack. It's mostly Budweiser or Bud Light." "Isn't there an old saying about `any old port in a storm' Dad?" I smiled as I opened a cold Bud and poured it into a glass. He soon was seated next to me and we were pulled into a tight hug. "We're going to fly home tomorrow. Richard needs to recover a bit longer so, he'll stay here for a while. Things will get back to normal, I promise. He grinned at me. "Nothing this year has been normal Dad," I returned his smile and kissed him. "That's certainly true son." **************************** I was aboard a SKUGGOR helicopter to watch the sinking of the yacht off the coast of Sable Island. She sank quickly and all hands on board assumedly perished quickly as well. We then returned to the mainland I, along with Sean, Jack, Brian and Doc Swaim boarded the SKUGGOR jet and took off for home. ************************** Of course, everyone at home already knew what had happened and they were waiting for us. Brian and Jack were quickly helped upstairs; Jack to his own room and Brian to our medical facility on the second floor of the East Wing. When Brian realized that he wasn't going to be allowed to sleep in his own bedroom, he howled in protest. "I just got that room and now I've gotta be someplace else?" Doctor Mohamed and Doctor Joseph gently slid the angry little boy up onto the gurney. Mohamed leaned down over him and said softly; "Brian, are you intending to be as big a pain in the ass a patient as your father was?" The brown-haired boy flashed a big smile. "I don't know about him Doctor, but until I get to go to my own room, I'm gonna be as big a pain in the ass as I can." Mohamed and Joseph looked at each other and rolled their eyes as they wheeled Brian away. ****************************** Daniel being wise and professional as usual. He escorted us down to the library and made us all a drink including Sean. We gratefully took sips from our tumblers. Daniel stood there looking uncomfortable. "What's up Daniel? Go make yourself a drink." "Sir...Eric, the latest information we've received is...well, it doesn't look like Richard is going to make it. The trauma his body sustained was extraordinary. They really tried to beat him to death." "Make yourself a drink Daniel and sit with us." He walked to the bar and poured himself a drink and sat down on one of the couches. He took a long sip and then his big body began to heave in sobs. He completely lost it and his crying was overpowering. Sean wrapped his little arms around the big man and pulled him into a hug. "Daniel, it's gonna be all right. Richard is the toughest man I know. Nobody could beat him up that bad. You'll see Daniel, he'll be back with us." Daniel wiped his eyes and stood up. "Aside from the time I picked you up into a hug, that was the most unprofessional thing I've ever done. I apologize to you Sir and I'll expect to be fired if something like this ever happens again. Sean, thank you for your kindness. You're the finest young man I've ever known." He turned quickly and left the room. I looked at Doc and said that it was time to say goodnight. He nodded and rose from his chair. I walked him to the back door with my little boy in hand. We rode the elevator up to bedroom land and he slipped out of his tee shirt and shorts like a little magician. I smiled as I pulled off his sneakers and socks and the finally pulled his boxer briefs down his long little boy les and over and off his feet. "It's really gonna be alright Dad you'll see." I took off my clothes and climbed next to him. I pulled him into me so closely that for a moment I feared that I might hurt him. I decided to adopt my Son's optimism. Richard WAS a tough man and that gang of creeps didn't seem capable of beating him down. The little boy in my arms was suddenly making little humming/squeaking noises that told me that he was asleep. I kissed his dark haired little head and very soon followed him into slumber. **************** Brian was an angry little boy when we visited him in the infirmary the next morning. "Dad, these guys say that I can't have any breakfast and I can't even drink anything!" I'd anticipated this because being a young boy, he had no real sense of his own mortality and with the joyful impertinence of youth, felt indestructible. "Brian, you're a very bright boy. Let's think about this. You have a hole in your tummy that goes right through your torso. If the bullet that went through you had traveled a different course by micro millimeters, you'd be dead or dying right now. By what has to be divine mercy, you're alive and healing but Brian, until that wound heals, you're going to receive your nourishment pretty much from an IV. Son you're young and strong. You'll heal quickly...I promise you." A large tear rolled down his cheek. "So, I really did almost die?" I hugged him around his neck and pulled him to me. "Y-yes my little Brian. That damned man did his best to kill you." "Why Dad? What did I do?" I took a deep breath. "What you did Spider, was demonstrate love and compassion, bravery and selflessness in front of a man who had no concept of those values. They are so foreign to him that he felt compelled to destroy them and in order to do that, he had to try to destroy you. We won, but you're one of the people paying the price. Think about this though; once you've healed, don't you think Mrs. Edwards is going to go out of her way to fatten you back up? I can't imagine what goodies she's going to prepare for you." He smiled though his golden brown eyes were still moist. I left so that he could visit with Sean and Jack. ******* "The magnolia is about a day out of Jacksonville Eric." Barry said as I sat sipping on a steaming mug of coffee. Phil has already negotiated the sale and the transfer of the bullion. He can fill you in on the details but it seems that the estimated value is something like three billion. A lot of money Chief ." "Yeah but if we lose Richard was it worth it?" His eyes were moist as he turned to me. "Please don't make me start crying Boss. Losing Walter was the worst thing that ever happened to me so far in my life. If we lose Richard, I don't even know how much more use I'd be to the Skuggor. We're so fucking good, how in the hell do tiny little shitasses do this?" "Because they're tiny little shitasses and we don't see them coming Barry. We spend all of our time looking for the big threats." Brutus entered the room. "Eric, they need you in the infirmary for Brian and also, there is information about Richard." I rose quickly to my feet. "Thank you Brutus though I don't suspect any of this will be pleasant." The big man tried his best to look encouraging but I could see that his eyes were glistening with unfallen tears. (To be continued) Thanks for the responses that you've sent and screw the ones who've been too lazy to make such a simple gesture what lazy jackasses you are. My life is coming to a close but I can proudly say that I've expressed gratitude almost every inch of the way. You selfish bastards who take but don't give even a little like a short note to an author acknowledging that you've read a story. I hope that you're content and someday you'll wonder why you can't read this stuff anymore.