Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2002 19:46:45 -0400 From: Jamie Haze Subject: SOMERSET FARM 26 SOMERSET FARM Chapter 26 By Jamie Haze Anton resumed watching the boys' antics in their bathroom but he concentrated on Evan instead of Buck. Evan was a survivor. Anton was a survivor; he'd survived the War, just barely. After the War, Europe became a land of opportunity for an enterprising teenager. One unprotected carton of American Camel cigarettes, sold by the pack allowed him to purchase more cartons in the black market. Cartons became cases, then a truckload. He added other luxury items to his inventory and truckloads became ship's cargoes. The sale of cargoes allowed for the purchase of ships and apparent legitimacy. There was money to be made everywhere if one was enterprising. Anton was enterprising, shrewd, and as ruthless as he needed to be to succeed. The Nazi's were good teachers. He watched helplessly from hiding while they murdered his family, his mother, his father and his sister. One smiling SS Lieutenant, one bullet in the head of each while his squad looked on in boredom, just because they were Jews, and not even very good Jews. For thirteen-year-old Anton, his fear and terror became hatred. That night, Anton carved a permanent smile in the Lieutenant's neck while he slept in his parent's bed. Anton's home became the Lieutenant's funeral pyre. The Nazi's always portrayed all Jews as being short, with dark hair, eyes and complexion. This worked to Anton's advantage since he was tall for his age, blond, and looked at the world with intense blue eyes. He was more Aryan in appearance than the majority of the Nazis. He moved among them freely, frequently wearing one of their uniforms. His proficiency with his knife grew with his reputation in the underground. Anton liked numbers and math, and he counted his officer kills. He was disappointed when on VE Day; his tally was only twenty-three. He never counted common soldiers those kills served only to bring him to orgasm. Anton's knife was his surrogate penis, his use of it served him as a fuck and enemy blood was their contribution to his orgasm. Cum on the body became his signature. Early on, like the boy Evan, Anton knew to the penny what his available resources were. Of course he would never display his wealth like Evan did that evening. Anton was never so trusting. He was a loner, with subordinates and business friends, but no close friends. Laughter and splashes interrupted his maundering. The mega-yacht's baths were large, but still not designed for so many. Perhaps just two lovers. Evan played, fought, wrestled and giggled with the others, but through it all, Evan the opportunist, took a thorough if somewhat chaotic bath. Patrick attended Evan as he did Doug, except Doug was gently placed on the bed to be dried with a bath sheet with his hugely bandaged feet hung over the foot. Evan stood in the middle of the floor to be dried and equally pampered. Cleaned and nearly dry, Evan's shaggy hair was sun white gold. His tiny patch of pubic hair was almost invisible against his snowy white skin always covered by shorts. Patrick disappeared to his baggage and returned with barber scissors. Evan balked. "No fucking way." He backed away from the chair Patrick turned from the desk for him to sit in. "Yes way!" Buck argued. He shook his own darker blond head violently and his hair fell in place mostly. Patrick shaped it with a fast comb. "We let him trim ours. See? He does just as good as my stylist," he grinned at Doug. "Doug's too, although you can't tell when his is combed and when it isn't." "I can't help the curls," Doug retorted defensively. He held himself up with his elbows. "If you think about it, my mop is convenient. He grinned at Evan, "PUPPY! SIT!" He shouted then giggled when Evan gave him the finger before he sat down on the chair and Patrick draped a towel over his bare shoulders. "No worries lad, I trimmed the Master's all the while he was ill until the day o' his passin'." Evan giggled, "What'd he die of, blood loss when you cut off his ear?" Patrick grinned, "Ye know laddie, such sarcasm and laughin' at me humble skills don't mix well with me scissors. OOPS!" Patrick jumped back suddenly, studied Evan, and then shrugged. "That wee mistake `ill grow back in time." Evan hunched his shoulders. "Okay, I get the message." When Patrick finished, Buck took Evan's hand and towed him to the bathroom. They studied themselves in the mirror. "Wow! That does look pretty good." Evan admired his haircut. Buck rested his arm over Evan's shoulders. "You know you do clean up well like Marc said. Something else too, we do look alike kind of." Buck giggled and pushed Evan back into the bedroom. "Hey guys, I can't wait until Dad sees us together. He'll just shit bricks if he really was playing around on Mom thirteen or so years ago." Evan frowned. "Well I can fucking wait and I have, I mean had a father. Yours is liable to throw my ass overboard. What's he gonna do when he just sees me?" "He'll be cool, you'll see." Buck assured him. "Yeah? Exactly how many other street kids have you dragged home, or in my case invited on a fucking cruise on one of the biggest yachts in the world yet, without asking him first?" Evan was justifiably concerned. Doug looked up from watching Patrick unwrap his feet in preparation for applying new bandages for the first time since he left the hospital. "Well he didn't exactly drag me, but after we made it together for the first time, Buck, the little asshole, called his father right away and told him about me. That was not exactly what you call confidence inspiring, especially when Bucky, his dad, invited little old me to lunch so he could meet me the next day. I thought I was dead meat AND the main course." He giggled with Buck. "Actually, he welcomed me to the family, that was cool." Everyone gathered around Doug's feet when Patrick peeled away the inner pads covering the wounds. Evan looked horrified. "Holy shit! I'm really sorry I called you a crip, crip," he giggled. "What the fuck happened?" They took turns telling him the story of Doug's kidnapping and skipped the deaths at the end. Evan saw the obvious gap and asked what happened to the kidnappers. "I can read you know and I read the news papers. They might be a day old but I get to them. There was nothing about any rich kid up north gettin' snatched." "They're dead." David answered simply. "Buck's dad is kind of influential and it was hushed up. It never really happened." "Yeah but what happened to the bodies? How'd they die?" Buck remained silent while David, Doug and Patrick told the first part of the story. He touched Evan's arm. "I shot one. It was an accident, he didn't even have a gun, but I shot him, so we're both killers. One of them shot his own sister, then he was going to shoot Doug in the head before he killed himself. He was using Doug as a shield and pushed Doug's head over with the barrel of the gun. He exposed his own head. David got him. David's really our bodyguard. Will and Joe too, or they were; now they run one of Dad's companies that takes care of all security for us. Our driver today was a guard. There are probably others all around us we don't see." "But what the fuck happened to the bodies?" "Leave it alone Evan." Doug warned. "Bucky is influential sure, but he's also powerful enough to make shit happen with no questions asked. We haven't asked, so don't you. You are totally safe around us, so let's change the subject." He half smiled at Patrick. "Can we leave off the padding at night from now on?" He flexed his feet experimentally, "They really don't hurt much now and we'll be careful in bed." He looked at Buck and grinned, "Won't we?" Buck giggled, "So far, so good. We're lucky there's nothing wrong with your knees and I never have straddled your feet to get at you." He snapped his fingers. "We were having so much fun in that little bath tub I forgot to see if that hand held shower head unscrews. I'll be back, don't do anything in that bed without me." "Hey what about me? Do I really have to sleep on the floor?" Doug laughed and nodded playfully. "Shit," Evan moaned, "I'll never earn that Ben Franklin. I'd be careful too and I'm not into feet." Doug relented. "Okay, it's a king-size bed, I guess there's room for four of us." He grinned at David with his eyebrow raised so there was no question who the fourth was. David turned a beautiful red while he looked for his clothes. "I can't Doug, what about my girl friend? I'll never be able to look her in the eye again. She'll know I've been screwing around. That first time was a lapse of good judgment." Patrick sided with David, "Aye David, you best go find your bed down below. I'll just be slidin' in here." He had Doug roll around so he could pull the comforter off the bed and fold it nervously. Doug giggled, "Oh no you don't Patrick me lad. You heard Anton." He cleared his throat and attempted to imitate Anton's unique accent, "If you don't like accommodations, TOUGH! Off you go across the hall. Don Thomas is a neat guy. You've got to see what he's offering. It doesn't make any difference who pays you, we'll still all be together for the whole school year, and who knows what we'll be doing summers and holidays." "You're right o' course lad, I guess I should." Patrick found his shorts and pulled them up, I'll be goin'," he brightened noticeably. "But first I best check to see if the twins be needin' to be tucked in, then I can report to Himself that they're safe an' sound. Good night then lads, I'll see you on the morrow." Evan watched Patrick leave from the middle of the turned down bed, sitting like a little Indian with his legs crossed. He started to rub Doug's thighs casually. "Do you guys all go to the same school?" "Yup, we're all going to room together. And David and another guy, a new guy," he grinned at David, "a gay guy will be guarding us. We'll have a blast." "Holy shit! When do you ever find time to study?" Evan asked while he watched Doug's cock grow up to cover his belly button, then lift itself clear of his belly." Doug shrugged, "We haven't worked out those little details yet. We'll manage." Evan lifted Doug to stand vertical and stroked him slowly. "I always liked school, I kind of miss it. I go to the library and kind of study things I like on sunny days." Doug giggled, "Why sunny?" "Oh, a few clouds don't matter, but if its really cloudy and raining there's no point, they throw street people out, because everyone goes there or a mall to get out of the weather. I hide my pack mostly, but them others, some aren't too bright if they aren't complete wacko's, and they try to bring all their shit, their stuff in with them. Garbage bags, old suitcases and cardboard boxes, shit like that. Lots of them never wash and they try to set up camp like and read magazines, really just look at the pictures. Some of the library people and the security people, you can see they feel sorry for them, but who wants to sit in a chair after someone like that's been sitting there all nasty and shitty? You can't really blame them." "Being homeless doesn't sound like much fun. It's dangerous too isn't it?" David sat on the side of the bed frowning. He forgot he was going to dress and leave the suite. Evan nodded. "It can be. A pimp's been after me for six months. He wants to add me to his stable." Evan laughed. "That's why I hang close to the beach. You can always see him coming in that niggerized Caddy he drives and he won't chase me in the sand. He doesn't want to get dirty, and he isn't fast enough anyway." Evan shuddered, "If he ever catches me he'll get me hooked on something, then it's all over. Young girls and guys don't last long working for him." David swung his feet up on the bed and leaned against the headboard. He messed up Evan's new hairdo. "When we get back, you and I will take a ride together. You just point this dude out to me. I promise he won't bother you or anyone else again after he gets out of the hospital, if he needs one." Evan leaned back against David's chest and made himself comfortable. He started stroking David's upper legs. "Would you really whack him for me? It wouldn't do much good though." Evan sighed in resignation. "Someone else would take over his operation in a day or two. Nothing would change except the face, but thanks, it's not worth you getting arrested for." David rubbed Evan's skinny chest. "I think it is. We'll still take the ride." ___________________________________________ Anton smiled, approving of David's determination. His eyes kept moving between two scenes on the split screen. He also watched Buck, wondering why the boy would unscrew the tub's sprayhead from its hose. He grinned after he watched Buck use the hose, then scamper to the toilet and smile in satisfaction. Evan turned his head and began to nuzzle one of David's nipples, while one of his hands kneaded the other. He slowly twisted his body and legs. He bent one leg at the knee and started rubbing it over David's cock. David pulled Evan in tight and rubbed his back. Doug grinned and rolled to the edge of the bed. He reached out to a small rectangle of buttons on the wall behind the night table. Some were lighted with green, some red. He pushed the first red, and the ceiling track lights winked out. He looked closer to see that they were all labeled. He shut all the lights off, then pressed one marked, `Night'. Soft light glowed from tiny lights around the room near the carpet. Buck stopped in the doorway and looked at the bed. Doug grinned at him and nodded toward the busy Evan and the mostly helpless David. He patted the space he made at his side. Buck scooted to the bed with his erection swinging and bobbing wildly. Anton expected to see the raw passions of teenage males released, but he watched lovers familiar with each other's body, their preferences, their desires to please and titillate. Buckminster the younger was subservient while Douglas was dominant but attentive. Both were mildly distracted by the other couple they shared their bed with. Evan appeared to be dominant, but he actually played the roll of seducer at first while he worked to overcome David's long suppressed inclinations. Then he assumed the roll of instructor and happily used Doug and Buck as living breathing teaching aids with frequent whispers of, "Look," and, "See?" Gradually, David's protests, "But you're just a little kid," and as his resolve weakened, "You haven't even reached puberty yet," was followed by a moan of defeat as Evan pushed, pulled, kneed and squirmed his way under David's lightly muscled athletic body. David was breathless when Evan lifted his own legs and complied with his final hurriedly whispered instructions, "Lift up, I'll guide it." David felt Evan's small slippery hand and wondered how it got slippery. He didn't see Evan drop the tube of KY to the carpet. He was about to ask when Evan used both hands on his ass to pull him down and in. Evan sucked in a lung full of air, "Oh yeah! Now you just move like Doug is." David giggled in Evan's ear after a quick glance at Buck and Doug. "I think I know what to do from here on," he mumbled and stifled Evan's answering laugh with his lips. They were awakened just before seven the next morning by a vibration and then a distant humming. Doug found himself being used as a pillow by Buck as usual, on one side with his head on Doug's belly, and Evan on the other snuggled comfortably on his side in the crook of Doug's arm with his very blond head on Doug's chest. The earlier reluctant David was spooned against Evan's back. Buck, Evan and David looked to Doug since he possessed the most maritime experience, for an explanation. Doug shrugged, "If I was running this tub, I'd probably start the engines about now so I could take in the land lines." He was forced to explain further when he received blank looks. "DAH, like water, shore power and telephone? If we're leaving at eight." "Oh, is that all." Buck reached to pull the sheet over his head so he could nurse Doug's cock in privacy for a few minutes, all that generally was required the first thing in the morning to get him off. Evan had the same thought and joined him. They bumped heads. "Goddamn Evan, don't you ever get tired? You just did him. It's my turn. Go chew on David." He giggled with Evan. They pushed each other's foreheads and pulled Doug's cock like it was inanimate. "I just did, well an hour or so ago, Doug was hours ago. I just taught David how to sixty-nine. You really slept through all his old lame ass arguments? Boy you're getting old too." Evan answered from under the sheet. David lay on his side with his head propped on his hand. Red glowed through his tanned face. "Jesus H. Christ, Evan, why don't you go find the PA system and let everyone one know everything?" He grumbled, but grinned at Doug. There was a quick rap on the door. It opened and Bucky walked in smiling. David joined the younger boys under the sheet, but not before Bucky saw him. "David! Good morning, I wondered where you'd end up sleeping. This is great, now the boys won't feel inhibited around you. They can be themselves." David sat up and let the sheet fall, thankful that it still covered his fast deflating hardon. He nodded to his employer and remained speechless except to mumble, "Inhibited? When was that?" In bug eyed disbelief. "Good morning Bucky." Doug said cheerily while he held the sheet up to his chest. He started to wiggle and giggle when Buck began tickling him. He let the sheet go to grab Buck's hand. It slipped and the top of Evan's head appeared. Bucky frowned. "Buck?" "Yes Sir?" "You can stop whatever you're doing and surface." Bucky's frown deepened. "Did you bleach your hair?" There was an overlong pause. "No Sir." Buck got defensive. "How come you walked in on us? You never did that before." "You usually lock the door if, ah, you're busy in the morning. It wasn't locked and I thought you guys were already up." "Nope, no one but Doug is up and I was trying to do something about that now." Buck tried to answer without laughing but failed. Doug punched the lumpy sheet with both fists. "Very fucking funny," Doug grumped as he turned as red as David. His blind punches were answered with two distinctive ouches. One was deep, gravelly and sincere, the second was higher in pitch and accompanied by a giggle. Bucky stepped forward, grabbed the sheet and snapped it back. He blinked in surprise. Evan was already in motion, crawling up Doug's body seeking protection and pulling a pillow over to cover himself. Doug surrounded Evan with his arm. "Ah, Bucky, this is Evan. He kind of looks like your asshole son doesn't he?" Bucky eyes crinkled at the corners, his frown disappeared and he burst out laughing. "Oh no! There can't be two of them. I have trouble keeping track of the first one." Buck sat up and laughed with his father. He looked at Evan. "See? I told you he wouldn't be mad that we invited you to go on this cruise with us." "WE?" David and Doug said together incredulously. "Yes, WE! At least you never said no. No one did, even Joe and Will. They thought it was a great idea." "What did we think was a great idea?" Will asked from the doorway. He was frowning and grinning. He winked at Evan. "We met Evan last night after dinner. He's a little down on his luck right now, so we invited him to go along with us on this trip. After, we, that is Joe and I thought we could maybe help him out, kind of get him back on his feet." David pointed at his chest. "Oh, David was in on this too." Bucky nodded, "Well okay then. Welcome aboard Evan, the more the merrier." He reached out to shake Evan's hand while the rest of the guys and their parents filed in the room. There was a mad scramble for the sheet by the four on the bed. Bucky looked around to see that all his guests seemed to be present. "Hey everyone, while you're all in here, the young man with the towhead is a new friend of our boys', his name is Evan. Evan, this is Martha and Bill Henderson, Doug's parents. This is John and Elise Wilcott. Their sons are Paul and Marc. This gentleman is Don Thomas, the twins' grandfather." He hugged Becky to his side. "And this is my wife Becky. Of course we lay claim to the smart ass hiding beside you." "Damn! What is this a circus? Are we sinking and the dinning room and the lounges are all flooded or what?" Doug asked from under the sheet. Martha Henderson screeched and beat a hasty retreat, pushing Bill in front of her. "Yes, breakfast is a good idea. We'll see you in the dinning room." Elise Wilcott elbowed her grinning husband. "Come on you." Marc was snapping pictures of the foursome, all he could see were glaring eyes and uncombed hair above the sheet. She reached up and caught Marc's ear. She twisted it and lifted. "You don't have any corners on the smart asses, we've got two of our own. We're leaving you to your privacy aren't WE Marc?" "Damn Mom, you just spoiled a great shot. Ouch! Come on Mom cut it out." Marc went up on his toes as his mother turned him toward the door. The uniform of the day for the guys sleeping on the lower deck was Speedo tank suits. Buck admired Marc's body as his mother turned him. "Hey, where'd you get that little suit? It's too small for you so it isn't Doug's. I have one those colors." Marc winced in pain and giggled at the same time. "You mean you HAD one these colors. I shopped your wardrobe the last time I was over. What goes around, comes around, as they say," he sang. Patrick pushed his way through the exodus. "The doctor is here Bucky." Doug disappeared at the mention of `Doctor'. Bucky was frowning at Peter as he left the room. Peter noticed and hurried his pace. He didn't know what he did wrong, but no one liked being on the receiving end of Bucky's frown. "Oh great, come in Doctor. Your patient is under that sheet somewhere. Come on guys, the women are gone. The reason I came in is that I hope I have a nice surprise for you Doug. The Doctor is going to waterproof your feet so you can swim at least." Doug dropped his share of the sheet and squirmed his way to the foot of the bed so his feet hung over. When Bucky introduced him to the Doctor, he was ready to kiss the man on the lips; he was so delighted with the thought of getting into the water again. David got off the bed and froze where he stood looking down at a foot long, thick knurdle of KY jelly that shot from the open tube Evan dropped from the bed. "SHIT!" Evan rolled to his belly and peeked over the side of the bed. "OOPS! I was wondering where that disappeared to. Well it's your turn to buy more." David reached for Evan's neck, but he wasn't fast enough. Even ran to the bathroom and returned with a damp face cloth. David ignored him and started to pull on his shorts. Doug stopped him and pointed to his unopened bag. "Grab a suit David, I've got lots of them." Evan giggled after he watched David pull the little suit up his legs and attempt to adjust his equipment so he didn't show. "Give up Dave. There's no way anyone can hide anything in one of those." He laughed harder, "You look goofy with those tan lines from wearing an old man's bathing suit all the time." Buck hit Evan in the face with one of his suits. "You will too little brother, when you get yours on. You both tan easy so those lines will be gone by sundown," he promised. He patted his little ass, "Besides, no one will be wearing anything after breakfast, up on the sun deck." Evan looked at Buck strangely, then at Bucky to gauge his reaction to Buck calling him `little brother'. Bucky winked at him but looked distracted. He excused himself after the doctor removed the light bandages Patrick applied to previous evening. Evan shrugged mentally; "It will be fun to make believe I am Buck's little brother for as long as this trip lasts." He thought happily while he pulled up the borrowed swimsuit. His expression changed when he looked down at himself. "I think I'll just skip breakfast. I'm not letting your moms see me wearing this little thing, no way." Evan thought Buck would attempt to persuade him, but Buck just shrugged. "Whatever, there'll be some leftovers then, that's all. You eat too much anyway." Buck adjusted his cock so it curled down over his balls. He did a set of jumping jacks then checked his bulge again. He grinned at Doug, then Evan, Doug nodded his approval and giggled before the Doctor opened a box he brought with him. The Doctor held up a pair of boots, made of latex like gloves, but heavier, thicker. He gently stretched them over Doug's feet. The tops reached halfway up each calf. Doug was about to ask what was to keep water from leaking in around the tops, although they were stretched reasonably tight, when the doctor produced a common caulking gun. He rolled the top lip of each boot down three inches, then squeezed a double bead of the gun's contents around each calf. He explained that the material was light clear grease. Then he rolled the boots back up over the grease and added a wide elasticized band with a Velcro closure around the top of each boot to spread the grease and seal the boot. Doug was delighted with the result. The Doctor left him the box containing several more of the pair of the special booties and cautioned him about trying to walk yet, getting near coral and removing them when he was done swimming for the day so his wounds could get air. Buck handed Doug a speed suit and held his chair steady while he slipped into the seat, then had to run to catch up as he wheeled himself a break neck speed to the dinning room and breakfast. Patrick, wearing an old pair of shorts, pushed Evan out of the room in front of him to the dinning room. The sight of the breakfast buffet cured the last of Evan's modesty. Bucky appeared with Anton at his side. He invited Anton to have breakfast with them and loudly insisted that he take all his meals with them for the rest of the trip. Anton allowed himself to be persuaded. Bucky filled a plate then took a chair beside Peter. Peter cringed inwardly at Bucky's smile and was about to apologize for whatever he'd done to irk Bucky but he didn't get the chance. "Peter I'm embarrassed. I need to apologize to you. In all the excitement I completely forgot about your parents, to invite them on this trip I mean." Peter was so relieved he blurted, "Is that why you were frowning at me earlier?" He giggled. "I thought I screwed up somehow, and I was dead meat as Doug says. No one likes getting you pissed off at them." "Yes, well I frown for other reasons too. Anyway, I just got off the phone. They'll be joining us in Nassau. The chopper is waiting for them at the office, and a plane is ready at the airport. They'll be there before we will. They'll wait for us at a hotel on Paradise Island. I'm sorry about that, it won't happen again. In the future, they'll be included in all our family adventures." Bucky lowered his voice. "There's one thing though, about Doug's kidnapping." Peter interrupted, "Excuse me, what kidnapping?" Bucky squeezed Peter's arm. "Exactly, some things are strictly inner family business. Thanks, I'm pleased you understand." Anton found a place across the table from Evan so he could watch and study him, to get to know him better. Evan looked diminutive sitting in the high backed, elaborately carved baroque armchair, one of twenty that surrounded the table. Only nine were antiques, along with the table. The rest were exact recreations and replaced whenever one of Anton's agents, who scoured the world for desirable antique treasures, found additional chairs, which matched the set. The boy managed to make himself appear smaller by piling a dinner plate with so much food in the event that second helpings weren't allowed. Marc looked down on Evan, then at Anton. "Say Anton, do you having any phone books handy?" Anton shrugged. "What country do you wish? Give me name and address, computer will give number," he answered and began to eat from his own well-piled plate. Marc winked and giggled. "The super shrimp here is going to get hurt if anything falls off his plate and he's buried in hot eggs and sausage. I was thinking of like the Manhattan directory, you know the real book, or maybe a kiddy booster seat." Evan frowned when he realized he was the super shrimp being discussed. He delicately took a bite of sausage, then in one smooth motion detoured his fork under the table. Marc jumped and grimaced in pain, then jumped again when hot coffee from his cup sloshed to his chest and belly. A real steward came to Marc's rescue with a towel. "Wise ass," Evan whispered. "Why don't I just go tell your mom I'm a poor little defenseless street kid and you've been picking on me? If she doesn't kick your ass, I will tonight when you're asleep." Evan smiled angelically up at Marc's red face. Inwardly, Evan was delighted to be picked on since none of the guys had any mercy for any of their peers. Marc rubbed his thigh where there where four distinct red marks from being jabbed by Evan's fork. Anton laughed at the brief exchange and continued to eat hurriedly. Evan watched him. "Say Anton, you ever been hungry when you was young?" Evan asked quietly, leaning forward. Anton realized the question was asked seriously and confidentially. Anton nodded and swallowed. "Yes little Evan, during war, very hungry. Potatoes, cabbages, dry bread. Steal food. When I find food I eat fast," he motioned with his fork to his and Evan's plates. "Old bad habit eat much and fast when available. Understand?" Evan nodded and grinned when they both made a conscious effort to slow down the movement of their forks from their plates to their mouths. The yacht's horns blasted the hubbub of the dinning room to silence. "We cast off now, get underway." Anton announced. "You come to bridge to watch close?" He asked Doug, and included Evan with a smile. When all the guys started to stand, abandoning their breakfasts, he stopped them. "Later please, in ocean everyone is welcome. Just now boat lovers only please." Evan touched Anton's arm before he started to push Doug's chair. "Don't you have to stay around to help clean up?" One of four stewards grinned at the question. Anton noticed, so did Evan. Anton frowned at the brief grin, "I help only if all others fall overboard during cruise," he answered loudly enough to be heard by everyone in the dinning room. "I am big boss of stewards." He added before they left the room. While they waited for the elevator Evan looked around them to be certain they were alone. "That one guy understands English, Anton. You said no one did." "Yes, he fibs when hired or is learning since perhaps. Unimportant for now." Anton offered Evan a European shrug of unconcern, but he was very concerned. The steward had been on board for two years. Crewmen were hired only if they spoke no English, since Bucky spoke nothing else; it was their common language when they met. They could and always did speak freely onboard and the questionable steward served them as frequently as any of the others. It would be necessary to ask questions very early some morning while they were at sea after his guests departed. Anton sighed; any answers the crewman gave would be ancillary to his original dishonesty unless it was discovered that the man was studying English on his own and had gained some proficiency. If he had, having one other aboard with English might prove beneficial if he could be taught not to react to guest conversations. The boat deck was ideal for interrogations. If necessary, there was the chain hoist, the deck could be cleaned with a high-pressure hose and the stern could be opened if the yacht's speed was reduced to just above steerage. Steerage was the ideal speed for trolling large live baits, which leaked small amounts of blood from the twin hook wounds in the armpits. He thought of little Evan's stepfather and smiled inwardly. The elevator opened on yet another lounge, which, like the main deck lounge faced aft to the empty sun deck spa pool and the four passenger Bell Jet Ranger lashed securely to its pad. Forward were the officers quarters, the communications center, the yacht's control room or actual nerve center and the bridge. Anton wheeled Doug along the open dockside railing and stopped him just short of the open door to the bridge. The captain stood there wearing earphones with a microphone attached. He spoke into the mic, then looked forward and aft. Doug leaned through rails and looked where the captain looked. Dock workers cast off the bow and stern lines and a space between the Sea Song and the dock widened quickly as deck crew pulled in the lines. Water boiled at the bow and stern. "These are what is called side thrusters. Move boat out from dock to leave, or in for tying up on side without forward motion. Understanding?" Anton explained. When they were far enough away from the dock to see the waterside of the cruise ship docked in front of them, the tide took hold and the Sea Song started drifting backward in the channel. The Captain nodded, smiled in satisfaction and spoke again. Someone engaged the engines and the yacht started moving forward. Anton congratulated the Captain for a perfect departure in Italian then introduced him to Doug and Evan. Anton translated for them as the captain welcomed them to the Sea Song and invited them into the bridge. Doug made a face to show his frustration as soon as he was wheeled inside. Anton looked where Doug looked and understood why. The views port and starboard (left and right) and forward were panoramic if one was standing, but Doug's view was limited to the desk height console, the ships' controls, and built in monitor screens above, but below the chest height windows. There were five high back leather armchairs mounted on pedestals equally spaced along the console, none was occupied. A crewman stood at the wheel in front of the center chair, two officers flanked him. All three alternately watched the closest screens and the channel in front of them. Evan nudged Doug and giggled. "Look at the dude doing the steering. Man, if I was him I'd be sweating my ass off and my balls would be eyeing my tonsils with two bosses lookin' over my shoulders." Anton laughed and translated. Everyone laughed. The crewman at the wheel ballooned his cheeks and smiled, but his attention remained on what he was doing. "Gregor is most excellent helmsman for moving Sea Song from or into port. Is teaching young officers right way to steer in heavy traffic and close quarters." Anton spoke to the two rookie offices and they left their posts to lift Doug from his wheelchair and gently settle him in the fixed chair to the helmsman's' left, the owner's chair but the young guests didn't know that. Anton showed Doug the chair's controls. They were much like a car seat control panel; there was even a lumbar support adjustment. One swiveled the chair, but the best for Doug was the button that lifted it so that he could see out the windows. He giggled when his head reached that of the helmsman's. Gregor turned the wheel and the Sea Song turned to enter the inlet channel. Smaller craft, including one sailboat under sail prudently yielded the right-of-way without contest. The Sea Song knifed through the incoming waves and confused currents in the restricted confines of the inlet. Gregor relaxed visibly as they reached the first outer marker. He asked Anton a question and winked at Doug. Anton nodded and the two officers shifted Doug to the vacant chair behind the wheel. Gregor pushed a button on that chair's armrest, and it moved forward until Doug could reach the wheel comfortably. "Can I?" Doug asked Anton before he would touch the wheel although he flexed his fingers excitedly. Anton nodded with a grin, hoping that Doug wouldn't know that as owner, he superseded the captain's authority when he was on the bridge. Gregor should have asked the Captain if Doug could take the helm for the sake of appearances. Doug didn't appear to notice the apparent error in protocol, but Evan did. Evan climbed into the owner's chair and made himself comfortable when Anton patted the seat after Doug was shifted. He played with the chair controls, watched Doug actually steering the big yacht and used his peripheral vision to watch the Captain and lessor officers ready to kiss Anton's ass if he asked one of them. Anton looked hopefully at the Captain and smiled. "In the future, perhaps we can all continue with the polite fiction that I am the chief steward?" He glanced at Gregor, that message was for him. "Now if we are clear of traffic, set a course for Nassau and go up to cruising speed. The boy is having great fun at this speed, let us see how he likes forty knots. Let him have the wheel for an hour, then if I'm not present, make motions to the little one to see if he would like a turn. I'll leave you now, please call if there are language difficulties or other problems." Evan saw Gregor stiffen his back at the rebuke before he recovered and grinned at the Captain. He apologized to Anton for his lapse and prepared to boost power when the captain asked. Anton stepped back out of the chain of command and watched Doug's delight as the ship increased speed dramatically. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Doug roared and giggled. "How fast will this bitch go Anton?" Doug looked down at himself then grinned at Evan before Gregor pointed to a central screen and thumped it rapidly. He spoke faster without looking up. Anton laughed. "Gregor wishes the helmsman to please pay attention to screen. Bow of little boat shown there must always point to arrow. Too much left, we visit Europe, too much right, West Coast of Africa. Is this understood?" Doug looked at Gregor sheepishly, "Oh yeah, sorry about that. Driving something this big kind of gives me a hardon." Evan giggled. "Like you need excuses." He leaned forward, watching Doug and Gregor intently, then jumped down from the chair to stand close to Doug so he could get a better view of the screens and the control console. Doug saw Evan's eyes filled with awe and desire. "Hey Anton, could Evan take over for awhile? He loves these big stinkpots, but I love that big cat down on the boat deck. Could I take that out when we stop somewhere, now that I can get my feet wet?" Anton spoke rapidly to the Captain. Gregor held the course while Doug was returned to his wheelchair and Evan replaced him in the big chair at the helm. He leaned forward bent almost double to hold the wheel. His feet dangled above the footrest. "Fuck this chair." Evan mumbled. He moved it back slightly then hopped down to stand on the footrest and lean his little butt back against the front of the seat cushion. His movements jiggled the wheel slightly and the Sea Song responded with a double lurch. "OOPS! Sorry, just getting comfortable. I think I just discovered Sea Song has power steering!" Anton laughed with Doug. "Am hoping guests not drinking coffee or big mess for old Anton and all angry at boat driver. I fail to mention most sensitive steering. Sea Song has jet drive propulsion, like water beetle boat toys. Big turbines suck water in then squirt water out. No rudders. Steering changes direction of squirt very quick like bunny. Understand?" Evan nodded without looking back. "Yes, thanks, I understand I think. I have another question Anton. Don't get mad or nothin', but are you really just a steward? These guys are ready to kiss your ass, and I don't know what you told them, but you've been giving the orders here since we walked in. If you can boss the captain around, wouldn't that make you like the owner or something?" Anton rolled his eyes. His locked with Doug's since he couldn't see Evan's. He shrugged, "I am caught, not good at acting, also not good at having guests. Buckminster, business associate for many years, his father very close friend. Sea Song is built for fun and young people. Original intent was to have lots like you and your friends; just I did not know any to invite. Sea Song is my home." Anton hesitated, then limped to Evan's side. "Perhaps young Evan would consider Sea Song his home also, henceforth? No more hiding on dock and looking. I am old loner and you are young loner perhaps together we be not so lonely." Evan started to answer without lifting his eyes. Anton stopped him. "Think over for now. Not answer. Talk later and I will answer all questions before decision is made." "I should be the one answering questions Anton. I've done some bad stuff, really bad. You'll take back your offer after I tell you. Could I just steer Sea Song awhile longer before we talk?"