Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 03:00:34 -0400 From: Jamie Haze Subject: SOMERSET FARM 24 SOMERSET FARM Chapter 24 By Jamie Haze The Trenton Challenger touched down in Los Angeles. Only Will and Joe were on board. They were a day early. Officially they were there to pick up Don Thomas and the twins then fly back to Newark International, where they would meet the rest of the Trenton party for the flight to Ft. Lauderdale to begin an open-ended cruise of the Bahamas. Don Thomas met them. He was alone. They went directly to Bucky's suite and spent a quiet afternoon talking about the boys, their homosexuality, and how it could affect their futures. They talked around Bucky Trenton, not his known business interests, just the areas that few people knew about. The three avoided any mention of the evening's business until after dinner, over coffee and hundred year old brandy Don Thomas provided from his cellar. He poured from a bottle with no label. "About payment," Don Thomas began. "I have no idea how much these things cost. I brought along a half million, and there can be more, any amount tomorrow. Each time I've talked to Bucky he puts me off." Will smiled, "There would have been some sort of cash payment initially, but since Bucky sampled a few of the vintages you sent, he's wondering if you'd consider sending him a case of wine now and then instead of money. He'd also enjoy having you as a guest in his home whenever you come east to visit the twins during the school year. The first time you visit Trenton Hall, perhaps you'd help him to build a really great cellar, not the actual cellar, he has that, just the best wines to stock it." Joe laughed at Don Thomas' look of amazement. "He looks forward to some happy wine tastings with you and wants you to educate him. In short, he'd like you to be his friend." "That's all? Well of course I'd be happy to stock his cellar." Will shook his head. "Nope. He specifically said he does not want you to do that. He'll stock it himself. He just wants you to advise him about the best labels and years and maybe attend some auctions with him. Bucky likes collecting things. I think wine is going to be one of them." "I'd be happy to, if that's all he wants of me." Don Thomas agreed. "I certainly look forward to meeting him face to face. I hope we can become friends," he added. Joe turned serious. "He does too. You see friendships for Bucky are his rarest most valued collection. He thinks of a friendship as something priceless." Don Thomas nodded. "About tonight," he began. Joe stopped him with his hand. "Everything is done I think. Associates will have him about now. He was watched after he left in the taxi. He was staying in some fleabag motel by himself. The women went their own way. We haven't been watching them, but we can find them quickly if you want them." "No I don't think so, unless poor Thelma becomes an annoyance to my grandsons in some way. But I don't think she will. The stupid bitch was happily converting all of her share of what they were able to plunder from my daughter's estate into unset diamonds without the slightest regard for quality. Toby and Terry are having some of the better ones made into earrings as gifts for all their new friends." Don Thomas giggled, "Including you gentlemen, so be prepared to get your ears pierced. Oh, and please act surprised when they give them to you, I shouldn't have told you." Will smiled, "If not surprised, we're certainly honored to be included." "If we're finished then Don Thomas?" Joe asked and stood up. "Please, just Thomas or Tom, I barely speak Spanish. Pepe and the others at the ranch insist on using the honorarium, and I think the boys heard him using the title when we first met at the airport. It seems to have stuck." Don Thomas shrugged. "Still it suits you. You'll never get the boys to stop. They've kind of adopted you as their communal grandfather. So Don Thomas, do you need any instruments?" Will asked in the elevator. "We have a Doctor there if he's needed. He'll assist you if you want, or just do it for you." "Thank you. There may be some hemorrhaging. I'd be glad to have his assistance. But tell me if you can, if something unforeseen occurs, how does one dispose of a body? I wondered about the people who kidnapped Doug. How was that handled? There's never been a whisper about it in the press, the kidnapping I mean." Will shrugged, "A casual associate of Bucky's owns a chain of cemeteries, some with cremation facilities. Bucky bought the property the next day and the house was torn down the day after that. A car and a van went to a recycling center and came out as pressed blocks of metal. The maid was reported missing. All of her things disappeared from the house. The authorities assume she ran off with some man and aren't really looking for her. Her brothers were unknown to exist," he shrugged again. "Doug had the misfortune to run bare foot to the lake and ran through some broken beer bottles thrown away by workmen building Bucky's new home." "Poor Doug, he's such a nice young man. My grandsons idolize him. How's he doing? I meant to ask earlier." "The orthopedic surgeon that operated says that he'll be fine after some physical therapy. They used over eighty stitches and staples. Two of the lacerations were deep enough to slice tendons, but he'll be fine," Will paused to laugh, "IF he can survive all the nursing he's getting, between Buck and Patrick, and all the others." Patrick and David arrived at the apartment door at the same time. They both wore boxer shorts and nothing else. Both were sleep tussled. They planned to shower and dress after they cared for Doug. It was seven o'clock in the morning, and time to get their patient up, bathed and dressed for the day. The Challenger was due to arrive from California around noon. The passengers were Will and Joe, Don Thomas and his twin grandsons, Toby and Terry. Everyone was to meet the plane at the airport and after refueling, fly to Ft. Lauderdale to begin a cruise. "Top o' the mornin' to ye!" Patrick hailed David. "And just how does the mornin' find our Dead Eye David?" He giggled at David's grimace. "I'm fine Patrick. Oh, I forgot, `And the rest of the day to you.'" David recited. "And will you PLEASE drop the Dead Eye? You started that, now that's what they all call me." "Aye, I did and you are. The more you go about protestin' the harder the title sticks." Patrick laughed and opened the bedroom door. "These two young hellions love you an' so do I for the savin' of Douglas' life. You're their chief bodyguard now because o' it." Patrick bent his neck to look at the back of David's waist. "You aren't armed this mornin'?" David shrugged and grinned, "I don't think I'll need it just to help you give Doug a bath." He whispered. "Aye, true he's out numbered three to one, but he's an eel in the tub. He's more `an just Buck an' me self can handle, which is why I took it on me self to be invitin' you." They climbed the steps to the boat bed. Doug and Buck were still sleeping soundly. Doug was lying on his back. His legs were out straight and slightly spread. His feet were huge, first bandaged, then wrapped with soft foam rubber held in place with ace bandaging. Buck was curled on his side against Doug's leg and used Doug's relaxed concave belly as a pillow. The tip of Doug's full-blown morning erection was a fraction on an inch from Buck's lips. The boat bed was a shambles of extra pillows, empty Coke cans, and discarded bedding with half-full bags of corn and potato chips mixed in. David was surprised to find that he was excited by the picture Doug and Buck formed as lovers while they lay asleep before him. The scene was both innocent and erotic. He couldn't see Buck's cock, but he was willing to bet himself it was as hard as Doug's and probably just as large since they were the same size when limp. He turned away from Patrick and quickly smoothed the front of his silk shorts. He needn't have bothered. "Aye, they always have the same effect on me self. Beautiful creatures both, that they are." Patrick grinned at David's red face. "Ye may as well be given up hidin' yourself, it's a natural reaction bein' around these two more than somewhat." Doug's eyes flew open. "We aren't dead you know." He ran one hand through Buck's hair, then over his apparently sleeping face without lifting his head. Buck snuggled against Doug a bit closer, but remained asleep. "Well one of us isn't. Top o' the mornin' to ye Patrick me lad! He sang then grinned, "How was that? Did I get the accent right?" "An' the rest o' the day to ye Douglas! Aye ye did just fine," Patrick grinned back, "but what accent were ye usin'?" He sniffed the air. "Not too stenchy this fine mornin' but sufficent. It be bath time if you'd be so kind as to rouse your nurse up." "I'm awake. I was just practicing. Pretty good huh?" Buck sat up and stretched, then twisted his body back and down to kiss Doug. Doug responded by pulling him closer. "Aye Buckminster lad, if they give them Academy Awards for sleep actin' you've won hands down." Patrick forced Doug's arms apart. "Best go no further with sayin' good mornin' until we get our patient bathed. I brought David to be helpin'." "Oh no," Doug moaned, "reinforcements. I don't need a bath. I'm fine. I just got the water out of my lungs from last night." He looked at David, "Good morning David. You can go back to bed now I don't need a bath." Doug struggled to move to the opposite side of the bed. Patrick grabbed one of Doug's legs near his knee and pulled him back. "But you do lad." He looked at David. "Well?" He asked. "Get a hold on him. We'll carry him between us. He can bide a bit on the toilet while Buck runs up the tub." David hesitated. Buck stood on his knees and pushed Doug into a sitting position. David saw he was right, Buck was hard and Doug remained hard even with his intensified struggles and giggles when Buck tickled him to move him closer to their side of the bed. David put his arm around Doug's back then bent down to reach for Patrick's hand behind Doug's knees. His head was close, way too close. He couldn't move his eyes from Doug's waving erection so he closed them and grabbed Patrick's hand quickly. They straightened up with Doug between them sitting on their locked arms. Doug stopped struggling as soon as they lifted him. He put his arms around their backs to hold on. His hand on David's shoulder felt more like a caress. "You can open your eyes now Dave. It's not going away anytime soon." Doug explained with more giggles. His hand traveled David's back with impunity since David couldn't get away and his hands were busy so he couldn't push Doug's away either. David tripped on nothing when Doug slipped his fingers between his waistband and skin then moved it lightly over his clenched crack. Buck scampered ahead of them, stepped down on the bench seat that ran around the spa tub and turned on the water before he sat down and stretched out with his hands behind his head. Hot water, preset at one hundred-four degrees gushed from a fat golden dolphin's mouth forcefully. He sighed as the water rose around his body quickly. Patrick and David placed Doug on the toilet carefully then closed the door on the alcove. "This is fucking hard to do with my legs stretched out you know." Doug complained through the door. "I'll be fetchin' your bedpan if you'd prefer." Patrick answered. "Never mind. I'll be fine." A resigned voice mumbled. Patrick giggled, "I thought that would be the case." He pushed off his shorts and joined Buck, then looked up at David while he pressed a recessed button that started the jets; the pool became a boiling cauldron of water and bubbles. "If ye want to be hidin' that, this be the place," he invited David. The red in David's face intensified. He nodded and stripped his boxers off his legs. Buck clapped his wet hands. "Wow, really nice body for an old guy. Well hung too," he giggled at the speed and dexterity David used to step down into the pool without killing himself just to hide his erection. He prayed he'd be back to normal before it was time to collect Doug for his bath. David's prayers went unanswered. Doug admired him from eye level then touched him accidentally on purpose when he stooped to join hands with Patrick again in the confines of the toilet area. "Very nice." Doug complimented him. "Please Doug," David begged in exasperation. "I'm engaged and this is hard enough to do without being handled." Doug grabbed David a second time and held on. "It wasn't before, but it is now," he giggled. "Relax Dave, if you really, really weren't considering it you wouldn't be all hot and bothered like you've been since you walked in our bedroom. Sex is sex. It has nothing to do with loving your fiancee. But since you don't want to now, we'll stop." Patrick and David stepped down into the pool with Doug between them. Buck took one ankle in each hand and placed them gently on his shoulders. He sat down in the water as the two men lowered Doug. "Hey what's this WE shit? Are you hiding someone up your ass? I sure wouldn't be messing around with David if he was about to hold MY head above water to keep ME from drowning." Patrick directed David to sit opposite Buck, then floated Doug into his lap, so Doug leaned with his back on David's chest, with the top of his head under David's chin. David wrapped his arms round Doug to keep him from drifting away while Buck held his injured feet on his shoulders to keep them high and dry. Doug could feel David's hardness slipping around under his ass, so he pushed himself higher until he felt it pop up in his crotch. He grinned, winked at Buck and closed his legs on Buck's neck, then flexed his powerful thigh muscles. David moaned and bent his head to rub his cheek on Doug's. "You want to try it?" Doug whispered. David nodded with his eyes closed. Doug reached between them while he arched his body, then lowered himself again into David's lap. It was Doug's turn to moan. Patrick knelt on the bottom of the pool and frowned at them. "Now David lad, rapin' this poor defenseless invalid while he's in his bath is just a wee bit inconvenient. What am I to be doin' while you be getting' finished? I'll be lookin' like a prune by that time." "Rape?" David croaked. "How about seduced?" Patrick giggled, "Whatever, ye could have done it far easier to him in the bed." "No! I mean HE seduced ME!" Doug interrupted their argument about semantics. "Damn Patrick, what a cry baby." He lifted his cock then arched his body so it appeared above the water. "You could clean the periscope if you want to. Buck didn't have time to do it yet this morning." Patrick grinned and nodded eagerly. "Aye that will pass the time nicely." He lowered his mouth so Doug's periscope disappeared. "Hey! What about me?" Buck protested, "All I get is sore feet." Doug giggled with Buck, then looked back and up at David's flushed face, "Hey this is neat, kind of like a triple safety. There's no way I can drown like this." He attempted to imitate Patrick, "Bide your time Buckminster lad. Someone will be getting to ye shortly." "Well all righty then! But someone better hurry up." Will parked their rented Ford in front of a walk-in clinic flanked by closed and boarded up derelict buildings. "A medical clinic?" Don Thomas asked from the rear seat. "Very thoughtful. I pictured an abandoned warehouse." Joe shrugged. "This is neater. There's an emergency entrance in the back and I mentioned the doctor standing by." Inside, the same boss suit Don Thomas met at the Fair house greeted them. He was subdued and subservient at this second meeting, particularly toward Will and Joe, whom he recognized as his ultimate employers from the corporate office in New York. "He's ready as requested, sitting up so he can watch. The Doc gave him a local ten minutes ago. He didn't like where the needle went and maybe has some idea of what's going to happen to him. He's been crying and begging us to let him go. He even offered us some numbers for a couple of off shore accounts before I had him gagged." The man frowned, "I think he was holding out on us at the house. Sorry about that, it kind of reflects badly on my workmanship." Don Thomas patted his back and smiled. "Your name? We weren't introduced then." "Vincent." "Well Vincent, he only thought he was holding out on you. There were statements in his luggage. I'm a banker among other things. Those accounts are now closed. He has nothing left to barter. Your work is above reproach. Thank you again for all your help." Vincent looked relieved. He had his hand on a doorknob. "Before we go in, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?" "Certainly." "Could I watch? I mean real close like. I never seen a guy get nutted before." Vincent glanced at Will and Joe. "If I ever get asked to do it, I want to do it right, you know." "Of course, you can even assist. I'm sure there's an extra pair of surgical gloves around here." Vincent fished into his coat pocket and produced a sealed package. "I brought some. I always carry them. You never know, you got to be prepared." Kevin's head snapped up when he heard Don Thomas' voice. He was naked and gagged, strapped to an examining table in a sitting position. His legs were spread with his bare feet taped in stirrups normally used for gynecological examinations. The Doctor had him prepared for the procedure. He was shaved. His flaccid penis was taped to his lower belly and he was liberally painted with brown vile smelling antiseptic. The glimmer of hope Don Thomas saw in Kevin's eyes disappeared when Don Thomas greeted him. "Ah Kevin, how nice to see you again, one last time. You know, had you been patient, you could have had everything I possess through your sons, my grandsons, but you couldn't wait. You remarried after only six months of my daughter's passing and to a slut at that. You imprisoned my grandsons in private schools for over three years and prevented me from seeing them, so you could plunder their estates, or try to. You fool, you were stealing from yourself while you defiled my daughter's memory." Don Thomas pulled on rubber gloves and casually cupped and hefted Kevin's vulnerable nut sack. "These seem to be a large part of your problem, most likely ever since you became of an age to use them. Initially I was planning to relieve you of these, grill them while you watched, then force feed them to you, but I've changed my mind." Don Thomas saw some hope return to Kevin's face. "No, I'm still going to take them from you, but then I'm going to return them to you in this." He picked up a small wide mouth jar half full of clear liquid. He sniffed it and made a face. "Formaldehyde is rather smelly stuff isn't it? You can keep them and look at them whenever you want to recall what you could have had. I hope you live a long life so you have ample time to reflect on your errors in judgment." Tears streamed down Kevin's terrified face. He shook his head violently pleading and begging mutely. The gag turned his words into a constant humming sound. Don Thomas picked up a disposable scalpel from a tray. He smiled as he lowered it. "What is it that Doctors are fond of telling us? Oh yes. Relax now, this won't hurt a bit," he recited, "or something like that." He asked the Doctor to cauterize newly severed arteries then allowed him the suture the neat incision. The Doctor also washed the excised testicles before he placed them in the jar. He frowned at the light pink color the formaldehyde acquired and offered to rewash them and replace the preservative, but Don Thomas shrugged his indifference. Kevin fainted when the first blood appeared and still hadn't regained consciousness when he was transferred to a rolling stretcher and restrapped for the trip, his last, to the sanitarium where he would be maintained in the best of health for the remainder of his life. One limp hand was securely taped around the jar containing his gonads. The airside reunion between the younger boys and the twins was as if they hadn't seen each other for years instead of days. Bucky walked forward quickly when he saw Don Thomas appear in the hatch. They shook hands enthusiastically as Bucky led his new guest and hopefully, friend, to the other adults and introduced him. After he accepted their thanks for his gift of the wine, Don Thomas excused himself to go and say a special hello to Doug. The twins hid and the other boys clustered around Doug's wheelchair. The twins were in the process of handing out the diamond ear studs while one explained excitedly where they came from and where she had them hidden. Toby was interrupted frequently by words like yuck and no way. He finally cocked his head and turned his brother's with his hands so they could all see their earrings already in place. Terry offered them full assurance that all the diamonds had been sterilized so no pussy juice remained in the event the heavy plastic bag the bitch used to store them in leaked. "Gramps let us watch the search. These big burly dudes stripped her so fast! Man, they were pros. Two of them forced her to the floor and put their knees on her chest so she couldn't move. Then they each grabbed a leg and yanked them real wide and back almost over her head. The boss dude, he was the biggest, he actually brought rubber gloves along. He felt around deep inside her big old box. You should have heard her screaming and calling them names until one of them slapped her so she shut her big mouth. The boss, he grinned and added a couple more fingers. Bingo just like that he pulled out this really wet slimy baggy." Toby ran out of air and nodded to his brother. Terry continued, "Next it was Dad's turn. He wasn't very helpful in taking off his clothes so he lost some shirt buttons and maybe a chipped tooth. Then since he didn't have a pussy to search he started his big mouth running after they got him naked, and said something smart like, `There, satisfied?'" You should have seen his face just before it hit the floor. The same two dudes spread his legs AND his crack so the boss got a real good view of where his fingers were going next. Dad screamed worse than the bitch, while she laughed at him. Anyone would have thought that Will was fucking him instead of just a couple of big fingers. Patrick cleared his throat loudly and frowned. Will turned red and rolled his eyes. "Language gentlemen." Patrick said softly, then added, "And I misdoubt Will needs his endowments advertised neither." "Sorry Will." Toby and Terry both apologized. Will shrugged, "No problem." He held up his diamond. "Thanks for this. Now we need to find a place where we can get our ears pierced on the way to the boat." Buck agreed, "Yeah, but finish the story. Did they find any loot?" "Nope, our father kept all of his in cash, all hundred dollar bills," Terry continued. We thought Granny bitch was packing a real treasure the way she fought the guys off, but it turned out she was just being modest. Her stash was all in her suitcase, almost two hundred pounds of Krugerands, that's over seven hundred thousand dollars worth, plus she had all of Mother's sterling flatware in there too." The fuel truck drove away and the pretty cabin attendant waved to Bucky. "Okay everyone let's get on board. Doug goes first. He gets a lounge chair so he can get his feet up." Willing hands lifted him and his wheelchair and carried him to the steep stairs. First they tried to get him up the steps feet first and he nearly did a backward somersault out of the chair. Bucky frowned. "Excuse me Thomas I need to establish some order before they kill him." He ran to the group and gave them a highly arched eyebrow. "Anyone who hurts Doug from fooling around now or any other time will discover whether I really do have a meat grinder. Is that clear to everyone?" Everyone backed away from the chair. Bucky motioned to Will, Joe and David. Will scooped Doug up in his arms and carried him up the stairs and into the cabin. "Fuck, Bucky was pissed. Even Buck backed way away from me and he's so much like his father he can scare me when he gets pissed off." "He's still on a guilt trip about you getting kidnapped and almost killed. On the one hand he's glad they didn't snatch Buck, on the other, he's sorry it was you instead of Buck. Kind of mixed up thinking, understand? This whole boat trip is for your benefit because he knows you like boats." "Shit! My boat is a sixteen-foot catamaran. I shouldn't even be going along. What am I supposed to do, sit in a corner guarding my fucking feet with Bucky watching for anyone who wants to give me some shit? I knew they weren't going to drop me. We were just having some fun. Where's everyone going to sleep? All jammed in some little boat. Bucky doesn't even know if it's air-conditioned." Doug complained. Will laughed at him. "Trust me, it's air-conditioned and there will be room enough for everyone. You should know Bucky well enough by now to know he likes to be comfortable." They were interrupted when the others boarded, adults first. They found seats in the forward part of the cabin near the hatch. They surrounded Doug. The boys walked past him quietly and made themselves comfortable further aft. There was no difference in the seating. The Challenger was an elongated luxurious flying living room. After take off Doug kept looking back at his friends each time someone laughed. Patrick watched him. After Doug sighed deeply for the third time in resignation, and politely rebuffed all adult attention, Patrick left his seat to whisper to Bucky. Bucky nodded and moved to Doug's side. "I'm sorry Doug I didn't mean to isolate you. I just didn't want them to hurt you from all the rough housing. Want to join them?" "Yeah!" Doug grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "I won't break, plus I'll get even with them all as soon as I can walk and figure out how." Doug was about to ask that Will move him, when Bucky picked him up and carried him aft himself. Bucky surveyed the seating, empty or occupied, and decided the seat Marc was sprawled in was ideal for Doug's use. Marc was busy taking pictures of the guys. Bucky was blocking his view of Dylan. He lifted the lens and focused until Bucky's frown was crystal clear. Marc quickly relocated to the sofa on the opposite side of the plane. After Bucky placed Doug in the seat he shocked Marc by sitting down beside him and asked if he had any recent prints with him that Bucky hadn't seen. Don Thomas moved so he could also see the photos, and by the time they landed at the Executive Airport in Ft. Lauderdale, the adults and teenagers were evenly spread out through the length of the plane. The pleasant afternoon surprised everyone Two limos rolled to a stop and parked near the big jet. Paul carried Doug to the closest. "Okay." Bucky announced, "You guys can have that car. The driver is experienced, and works out of the Miami area, so he knows his way around. David will go with you." He looked at Will and Joe, "You guys can go with them or with us." He saw Patrick was already sorting luggage and directing the Wilcott brothers, the twins and Peter in transferring it from the jet to the cars. "We'll tag along with them. We need to get our ears pierced, and this trip will be one of the last we make with them officially." Everyone knew Joe meant as bodyguards, and that they'd be going into the city to work after they returned but would continue to live at Trenton Hall. "Good," Bucky nodded. "The boat leaves Port Everglades at eight tomorrow morning. You can do your thing this afternoon. I'll make reservations for dinner tonight at Shula's on the Beach if you like steaks and want to join us." Buck surveyed the guys with his eyes. "Are you buying?" He asked with his eyes twinkling. "We like steak you know, can you afford us?" Bucky laughed and refused to take the bait. "Okay, seven o'clock tonight. See you then. Have fun and stay safe." Buck patted the back of David's shirt. "Don't worry, Dead Eye will take care of us." David rolled his eyes, picked Buck up and tossed him in the back of the car. Buck landed on the back seat half on Doug's lap. Doug pulled him the rest of the way and tickled him. "You are one bad ass fucking troublemaker," he told Buck between giggles as Buck first tickled him back before one hand found it's way into the front of his shorts and Doug got busy protecting himself. Their first stop was a tattoo parlor to get their ears pierced. They refused the small gold studs the shopkeeper recommended to start with while the wound healed, and each handed over their diamond when it was their turn. When they left the shop each had a small bandage that covered their earlobes and the stones, so the first thing they did after returning to the car was to carefully remove the Band-Aids. Then Doug produced a bottle of peroxide from his bag that he would begin using to dissolve the scabs from his wounds. The peroxide removed the dried blood from the small entry and exit wounds and cleaned the diamonds. David sat in the front seat with the driver and continued to admire his stone in the visor mirror. He was surprised when the twins introduced themselves to him, then Terry handed him one of the small black jeweler's boxes, after a brief whispered conversation with Doug and Buck. He turned beet red and shook his fist at Buck and Doug for squealing on him after the twins eyed his shorts openly then winked at him together. "That was a one time thing," he stammered. "I just got carried away. It won't happen again," he promised the twins and himself before he thanked them and got very busy stowing luggage to hide the bulge in his shorts and force his mind away from the twins' matching bodies and the possibilities contained under their clothes. The twins giggled in harmony, "Wanna bet?" They asked him in unison. Buck suggested that they visit a couple of marinas since he overheard Will and Joe discussing the purchase of a boat and the possibility of looking at some since they were so close. Their first stop was at Pier 66. They thought they could just walk up and down the docks but quickly discovered that marinas were as security conscious as Bucky. All the docks were protected of self-locking gates. Will and Joe were content to just look from a distance, but Buck wasn't. He spied a yacht broker's office in the marina. He was Doug's official wheelchair pusher but all the other guys wanted to help, and Buck refused to relinquish his position so he wheeled Doug to the office door, then backed him inside to find someone who would show them available boats. While they waited, they studied pictures and thumbnail descriptions on a display wall. Of course they looked at the biggest first. A broker joined them. They were treated with condescension. Slight furrows appeared in Buck's brow. Doug grinned. "First warning," he mumbled. Then Buck mentioned that his father had chartered a boat named Sea Song. The broker laughed at them. He knew of the Sea Song, everyone knew the Sea Song, it was currently docked at Port Everglades, and it was never available for charter. "Nice try kids, now beat it." The broker laughed. "OOPS!" Doug managed to get out before he started laughing. Buck's frown went to ridges and valleys before he grinned. "Okay asshole, you just be out on the jetty a little after eight tomorrow morning, we'll wave to you." Buck started backing Doug out the door. Doug stopped him with both hands on his wheels. He grinned at the broker; he hoped maliciously, "Just for future reference, you should find out the names of people before you offend them. My buddy here for instance is Buckminster Trenton the Fourth." Doug looked up at Buck standing behind his chair. "I guess we can just look through the fence, there's some nice ones in close." The broker suddenly looked ill when the driver of a stretched Lincoln who had been watching them through the window from his leaning post on the front fender, rushed toward them to hold the office door open. "All right I'll show you around. You won't know which ones are for sale," he added desperately. Buck giggled, "Are you for real? Everything in this world is for sale if the offer is high enough. See ya!" When they returned to the dock gate, they found Will and Joe deep in conversation with a guy who looked to be near their age, old, in his mid-twenties. He was dressed like he'd been born on the water, old cargo shorts, a paint stained pullover, a cap with an extra long bill to keep the sun from his gray eyes and well worn boat shoes. "The asshole in there laughed at us." Buck announced, still frowning. "No problem." Will smiled, "This guy is a naval architect. He designed and built that fast looking bitch over there," he pointed to the flared bow of a sleek sixty to seventy footer. "Josh, this is Buck and Doug." Josh shook hands like he meant it. "Hey guys, wanna see it? I built it on spec, ah speculation, hoping that I could sell it before I'm totally bankrupt. We were just waiting for you, come on." He led the way to the next dock gate. "It doesn't matter if you can't afford it, just showing it to someone who likes boats is fun and I get to practice my sales pitch," he laughed. Three hours later, they were still on board. Will and Joe were sweating in the air-conditioned unfurnished salon and Josh looked like his dog just died. They'd just docked after a test run, a fast test run at a cruising speed of nearly forty knots, out into the ocean. "You mean it? Really, you really want to buy my boat?" Will looked hopefully at Joe. "If you want to, I guess we can afford it. Should we ask Bucky to look at it to see what he thinks?" Buck giggled, "Shit, Doug knows more about boats than Dad, and I know you can afford it." "How do you know that?" Will asked. Buck rolled his eyes and tapped his head. "DAH! We're a family business, remember?" "Oh yeah." Will offered his hand to Josh. "Looking at any others wouldn't be helpful, too much choice would only confuse things." "Holy SHIT!" Josh shouted. "Now I can afford to build my cat." Doug perked up. He was sitting in a high fixed leather padded chair at the salon control station so his feet dangled. "Cat, as in catamaran?" "Yup." Josh nodded happily. "My first love, but stink pots sell faster, so I mortgaged my soul to build this baby first. I've got an eighty footer designed, now I can start the molds." "I'll look you up some year after college. I'm getting a hardon just thinking about conning a cat that big." Doug looked down at his shorts, grinned and turned the chair forward. "Horny young bugger." Patrick whispered to Buck. "Yeah always." Buck laughed then blinked, mentally adding an asterisk to Josh's phone number. "YOU WILL ACCEPT THIS GIFT!" He shouted to himself. It was ten o'clock when they walked out of Shula's. The guys all ordered the restaurant's famous forty- eight ounce steak, but only Will and Paul were able to finish theirs. They all carried commemorative footballs that bore their individual pictures and allegedly, Don Shula's autograph. "I wonder if the footballs are more profitable than the big steak?" Doug asked Buck while they waited for their car. "Hey, can we take a little walk on the other side of the street? I'm stuffed." "You're on wheels fool, walking won't help you, but it will me." Buck announced his intention to walk for a while and crossed Atlantic Avenue without looking back to see if anyone followed them until they reached the ocean side sidewalk. He turned to see everyone followed. David and Patrick were closest. David was working, he looked everywhere. Patrick studied the sidewalk in front of his feet since he enjoyed an Irish whiskey or three before dinner and wine with dinner. The rest of the guys were strung out behind them. Joe and Will acted as rearguard. The limo driver cursed them all as he attempted to pace them on the opposite side of the street. A young boy sitting on the sea wall watched them approach him. When they were close he jumped down and walked beside Buck. He smiled. He was shorter than Buck and looked up at him speculatively. "Nice night." Buck enjoyed looking down on another guy. "Yeah it is." The kid eyed the two footballs Doug held on his lap. "You just eat in there? Was it good? I heard it was, but too rich for me." He talked fast without waiting for answers. "Say, would you guys be interested in a little companionship tonight? I'll give you a group rate, twenty bucks, but only fifteen if the crip just watches." Doug twisted his head to look back. The kid was talking to Buck. He realized suddenly that he was the crip or cripple the kid was referring to. He reached out to grab the kid but wasn't fast enough. "Come a little closer kid, I'll show you crip," he challenged. "Can you believe this punk? Where's your sister stashed?" He giggled. Buck laughed, "Yeah, she's probably forty, with every disease known to mankind for twenty bucks, or fifteen if you just watch." Buck thumped Doug on the top of his head. "How about if you fuck her and I'll watch, and Marc can take pictures for your next article." "Fuck you!" Doug laughed. "NO! Not me, the kid's sister!" Buck stopped pushing Doug so he could bend over and hold his stomach. The kid pushed Buck and kicked Doug's wheel in frustration. "I don't have a fucking sister, I meant me." He said softly. Tears started to form in his eyes and he turned away to bump into David standing behind him. Doug and Buck stopped laughing and looked at each other. The kid turned away from David into Patrick. Suddenly the streetlights disappeared. He was surrounded by shadows cast by the other guys. He attempted to squeeze between Paul and Morgan and escape. They grabbed him. "Let me go you mother fuckers! I'll let you be, just let me go! PLEASE!" He begged and started to sob. "What'd he do?" David asked, puzzled. Buck shrugged, "I think he propositioned us." He giggled, "Ten bucks to do me, and five for the crip here to watch. Is that too much?" He asked and ran his fingers through Doug, the crip's hair. "Please let me go," the kid begged, then without waiting to see if they would, he pulled his leg back and kicked David in the shin. He got free of Morgan's hand and followed the kick with a fist in David's balls. "OUCH!" David managed, and grabbed the kid with both hands on his upper arms, then lifted him off the sidewalk so they looked each other in the eyes. "What'd you do that for? Pick on someone your own size." The kid, by then crying and desperate, pulled back one dangling leg and sent his knee crashing into David's crotch a second time. David dropped him as he bent over. "Now that one hurt," he managed through clenched teeth. Morgan grabbed him in a bear hug as the kid started to run and Paul grabbed his legs. "You may as well stop struggling," Doug advised "No one's going to hurt you, except the guy you kicked in the nuts, but only after he starts breathing again. Are you a baby hustler, or what's the story? I'll give you twenty bucks just to talk to us. The kid stopped fighting and held out his hand. "In advance," he demanded. Doug reached into his shorts pocket and brought his hand out empty. "I don't suppose you take credit cards?" Even the kid had to smile at the question while the guys laughed their asses off. Doug tilted his head back until he looked at Buck up side down. "Can I borrow a twenty?" Buck shook his head in disgust. "I guess so since you aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but the interest is fifty percent." He warned with a laugh. He pulled out his wad of money and looked through the pile. "Will a hundred do?" "Sure." Doug looked at the kid with a grin. "You got change?" The boy grabbed the bill. "I don't suppose you'd consider eighty as a tip?" He asked playfully, then offered the bill back, while his eyes remained glued to Buck's wad of money. "This is no good to me." "Why not?" Doug refused the bill. The boy shrugged. "I'm a street kid, if I went to buy something with it, I'd get change for a ten. Why bother?" "What's your name?" Buck asked. "None of your fucking business." "Hmm, long name. Do you mind if we just call you little asshole? Just your first name." "Evan." The boy mumbled. "It's Evan." He managed louder. "You said you were a street kid. What exactly is a street kid." Doug asked. "I just live on the streets, that's all." "And you hustle to eat, to support yourself?" Marc asked as he raised his camera. Evan quickly turned his back. "I know what I look like. I don't need any pictures." "Shit," Marc let his camera fall. "That was a good one too. You're kind of scruffy but you'd clean up well." Marc studied Evan's face then looked at Buck, then back at Evan. He grinned. "Where you from Evan?" "Around. Just around." Marc started laughing. The others waited for him to explain. "I was just thinking that Bucky must have spent some time in the great city of around because you sure do look alike. Not twins but brothers, definitely. Buck and Evan studied each other. The guys studied them both. The twins yawned. "So they're half brothers maybe. We're still on California time." Toby complained and offered Evan five twenty-dollar bills. "Here you can get a room and something to eat. Keep the hundred. You can break it at a bank. Can we please get to the boat now?" "Boat?" Evan looked animated for the first time. "You live on a boat, really? That would be so cool. Anytime you get bored, you just up anchor and go someplace else." Buck grinned. "Want to see it? You can stay over if you want and save your money. Someone can fix you something to eat too." Evan was about to accept Buck's invitation when he hesitated and looked around suspiciously. "This isn't going to be a gang bang or nothing is it? Then you take your money back. There's too many of you and I only got one condom." Patrick bristled with indignation. "No one o' us will take advantage o' you laddie, I promise personal. You'll be safe with us. All you'll get is a hot meal an' a clean bed, oh, an' a bath, provdin' this Sea Song boat has facilities for such. Evan blinked, "Sea Song? The Sea Song? Is that your boat? Fuck me!" Buck explained that his father chartered it and they hadn't been aboard yet. Then looked back across the street at the car. David whistled shrilly and the driver made a U-turn to stop at the curb in front of them. Evan looked around frantically after he stared at the limo for a few seconds and realized that Buck was probably legitimate. He pushed his way through the guys grouped around him, ran the low wall that separated the beach from the sidewalk and disappeared. "There goes two hundred bucks worth of blow jobs." Marc shrugged. Buck looked hurt. "Too bad, I was beginning to like him, and the idea of having a little brother, maybe." Doug agreed, "Me too. I hope he makes it around here, of course taking him home is not quite like finding an abandoned puppy." They had some fun manhandling Doug into the car since Bucky wasn't around, loaded his wheel chair and climbed in them selves. Dylan was about to pull the door closed. "WAIT!" Evan screamed from the dark beach. A medium size backpack thunked on the sidewalk from the wall, and Evan followed it. He lugged it by the straps to the open car door. He grinned at them. "I keep my stuff buried in the sand. Here catch!" He tossed the pack at Dylan. Sand rained on the back seat. Evan dove in the opening to land on his belly across Doug and Buck's laps.