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This story contains descriptions of consensual sexual contact between males, adult and minor. As such it is homoerotic, designed for the entertainment of mature adults. If you are not of legal age to read such material, or if the subject matter would create irresolvable personal moral dilemmas, please exit now
Note: I would like to thank Colin and John for their continued support and patience while I try to write this story. Their support and efforts at editing and correcting my errors not only keep me in line, but contribute significantly to the reader's pleasure.
Chapter Fifty-Three: New Horizons
Arthur and Linda sat in the study and talked with Jeremy's therapist, Dr. Kelley Richardson, who had just completed a counseling session with the boy.
"Arthur, I understand that you and Linda want to help the boy and are anxious to see him make a full recovery. You need to remember that he endured two years worth of treatment designed to break him down and make him feel he is something less than human. They deliberately wanted to break his will and any desire to think and act on his own. They wanted to make him into the perfect slave."
"Kelley, Linda and I do understand that. What we are asking you is to advise us on what we can do to help him move along. It just seems as though he started out making rapid progress and then stalled. Are we wrong?"
"Simply stated, yes. He hasn't really stalled; he is making progress. The problem is you aren't looking for the right signs. The love and attention you and Linda have given the boy has worked miracles. Think back to when he first came here. He was a trained slave. Did he ever just speak out? When he did speak, did he look right at you? Remember the trouble you had getting him to sit at the table and eat?" Kelley smiled as he talked because he could see the look of recognition in their expressions.
"Linda has shown me the videos she made of you and Jeremy in the pool. Arthur, you may want to watch those videos yourself and pay particular attention to the expressions on his face. Initially, he showed fear and distrust. He did what you said because he was trained to obey or suffer the punishment. It was amazing how quickly you were able to win him over and on the latest video his expressions show trust and happiness. The big problem now will be to get him to hold onto that trust away from here." Kelley paused for Linda and Arthur to absorb what he just stated.
"Kelley," Linda began, "are Jeremy's two friends helping him any. He seems to be really becoming attached to them. I think what I'm trying to ask you is, is he becoming too attached or too dependent on them?"
"Too dependent on them? No, I don't think so. Ted and Derek are lifelines for Jeremy. I have a tape where I've edited parts of my conversations with Jeremy. Normally, ethics say I shouldn't play this for you. I contacted our professional advisory counsel and they agree with me that this is a very unusual situation and we can just apply 'best interest of the patient' judgment here. I'll need your personal word that this information, and anything I tell you about Jeremy's friends, is given in strictest confidence because of the personal nature of the information. I'm just going to play the part that's at the beginning of a couple of our sessions." Arthur nodded and then Linda nodded and began to wring her hands, nervous with anticipation.
"This tape begins after our first couple of sessions which I used to get him accustomed to me and get him to talk to me. Later, I realized that all I had to do, really, was tell him he had to talk with me. However, I preferred that he feel as though he could speak freely. After our session, I inserted comments for my own reference. You'll hear those also."
Kelley: Good morning, Jeremy. How are you feeling this morning?
Jeremy: Sir, good. Thank you, sir.
Kelley: Jeremy, do you know why you and I are here, in this room, together?
Jeremy: Sir, I have been told that I must talk and answer your questions, sir.
Comment: The boy continues to respond in the style required at the slave training schools. The primary improvement with his responses is evidenced by this last question and answer. During our first session Jeremy would have given very short, crisp answers. His response to this last question included a voluntary explanation of what he had been told. This is significant since a response of this type to a true master could result in punishment to the slave.
"I believe this is an excellent example of what I was saying earlier regarding looking for the right signs." Kelley continued his explanation. "A slave is taught to give short, crisp answers. Notice that Jeremy first gave the respectful address, then stated his orders, and ended with the respectful address. A slave is not allowed to express an opinion or question a thought. Now, listen to this next segment."
Kelley: Hi, Jeremy. You look as though you're doing well. Ready to talk some?
Jeremy: Yes, sir. I'm real good. What are we going to talk about?
"Notice the difference? This second part was about ten sessions after the previous portion you heard. Jeremy is now giving me responses you would expect from almost anyone. A slave would begin the response with 'sir'. Notice, he didn't do that here. Also, notice that he asked me what we would be talking about. There is absolutely no way that a slave would question me like that. So, you see, the boy has made considerable progress."
Arthur and Linda looked at one another and then, Arthur squeezed Linda's hand before speaking. "Kelley, I think we both see what you're talking about now. He's with us all the time so we didn't pick up on the changes. There was a difference in his voice that I noticed, too. The first section you played, Jeremy sounded almost mechanical and monotone. In the second segment his voice sounded more upbeat. Actually, it felt good to hear the way he sounded. So, can you give us your assessment or recommendations?"
"Arthur, I don't want to pop your bubble, but I need to caution you about something. Right now the boy sounds good because he's learned to adapt to his new environment. He knows you aren't as demanding and strict as his former master. He knows he can interact with you some, also. By the way, when we talked I could tell that he really looks forward to the time you spend with him in the afternoons. My guess is that his natural father didn't take that kind of time with him before he was enslaved. The significance of his looking forward to those sessions is that it tells me he's beginning to view you as someone he can trust."
"Arthur, are you aware that he put you to a test early on?" Arthur initially looked surprised and then, curious. "It's true, he told me. Evidently, shortly after he came here you spoke with him and he was going to have sex with you. I don't remember all the specific details, but you told him he was not here as a pleasure slave and was not expected to have sex with anyone. Remember, many men told him they loved him and wanted to make him happy. Those same men wound up using him for sex. They taught him not to trust any adult male. You did the opposite and that became the beginning of the bond between the two of you."
"Linda, you shouldn't feel left out. He's told me about you tucking him in at night and how you sometimes sit there and talk with him. The part he really likes is when you rub his back. In fact, he practically admitted that he looks for a reason to lie on the sofa and put his head in your lap. Remember, all boys like a mother's gentle touch." Kelley smiled as he finished the statement.
"Kelley," Linda spoke up, "has he said anything about wanting to go out, away from here? When Daniel was here we took him to the auditorium where they held the debate. Jeremy and Daniel seem to have made a connection and Jeremy wanted to help. When we got there though, you could see the fear in him and we held him back. Fortunately, we had a couple of his friends with us. They stood on either side, kind of like protectors for him."
"He's mentioned Daniel several times. He knows that Daniel was once enslaved and has already gone through what Jeremy's experiencing now. Understand that you have created a secure world for Jeremy here, but not outside. He still has to learn to deal with that part of it. He told me that Daniel has invited him over to New Horizons for a visit. I think that might be a good idea for a couple of reasons."
"First, Jeremy and Daniel have a common bond ^Ö slavery. Both were used as pleasure slaves, although I understand in Daniel's case it was very cruel. Jeremy has told me about some of his experiences and many weren't nice, but they didn't approach the level I understand Daniel experienced. If he visits New Horizons, that will move him outside the home boundaries and he can experience functioning in the outside world. I know he'll be entering another protected world over there, but in between here and there he will see more of the outside." Kelley paused before continuing.
"The second reason is a little simpler. Jeremy needs to learn to be a boy again. He must learn to interact with boys on the outside. The New Horizons environment may not be the best example of the outside world, but there are a lot of boys there that can understand or relate to what Jeremy has endured. They can help him adjust and blend into the crowd. That acceptance will help Jeremy quite a bit."
"Linda," Arthur spoke up, "why not call Daniel now and let's see if we can't arrange a visit for Jeremy and Daniel. If Daniel agrees, we can take him over there whenever he says it's alright." Arthur then turned back to Kelley. "What about the relationship he seems to be building with Derek and Ted? Are they good for him?"
"Absolutely. Remember, they are boys close to his age. None of his peers ever hurt him, only adults. I would say those two boys have had a very strong, positive influence on Jeremy. By the way, and it's important that this stay confidential, Jeremy's pretty sure that Derek has a crush on him and thinks Ted may have one. I asked him why he thought that and he just told me that as a pleasure boy you learn to recognize these things. He says Derek is definitely gay and Ted is just experimenting at this point and hasn't made up his mind. Derek's also jealous of the amount of time Ted gets to spend over here. I'm only telling this part so you can watch how things progress. It would destroy Jeremy right now if either or both of those boys was just using him." Linda then interrupted the conversation.
"Kelley, Daniel would like to speak with you." Linda handed the phone to Kelley and then joined Arthur.
"Linda, did you hear what Kelley just said about Derek and Ted? Jeremy told him that Derek is gay and has a crush on him, plus he's jealous of Ted. Ted also has a crush on Jeremy but isn't sure if he's gay!" Arthur was still astonished and wasn't sure how to react. They both sat quietly while Kelley finished his discussion with Daniel. Soon, Kelley hung up the phone.
"Daniel says he can take Jeremy whenever we feel it's in the boy's best interest. Right now, I would suggest you speak with Jeremy and find out if he would like to go. Daniel also said they could accommodate Jeremy's friends. I think Jeremy might feel more secure if they were with him. All three can relate to the boys that Daniel has over there and should fit in with no problems."
"There's one other issue we really need to discuss. You've told Jeremy he is to be set free. That could be critical. Right now, he is still a slave, and he knows it. Until that cloud is removed, it will always be in the back of his mind that he has to watch what he does or says. Remember, there are laws in effect for slaves that can be enforced by anyone. Arthur, I don't have to tell you the implications. Jeremy also knows what could be done to him if he broke one of those laws, even with your permission. For him to at least see the wheels in motion towards obtaining his freedom would mean a lot."
"Oh, Gaahhd, Richard! Man, what'd you do to me last night?"
"Me!? What are you talkin' about, you're the one that was an animal. Man, my dick's so sore and raw it's not funny. Thing is, I don't know if it was from you swallowing it so much last night or from me pumpin' your ass so much. All I know for sure is it's sore, and the rest of my body is in about the same condition. I feel like I've been beat with a two by four."
"The way my ass feels, it's got to be sore from pumpin' me so much last night. Damn, I can't ever remember havin' a night as hot as last night. What got into you, anyway?"
"I tried to warn ya yesterday. Remember, I said I hadn't ever seen so much young ass bouncin' around like they have here. Man, I thought this was going to be easy. Just volunteer to come here and help and learn the system so we could get Jamie back. I'm gonna have to learn to control what I'm lookin' at or what I'm thinkin'. I don't see how those guys can stay around this much sweet stuff all the time and not go crazy. You heard Daniel, the kids are off limits."
"That's not what he said. He said the little ones are off limits. If there's one that's older, in puberty, and wants to play around, then it's okay so long as he wants it and isn't forced into anything. Right now, though, I don't think I could handle one of 'em. You got be worn out, now. What time is it anyway?" Richard reached for his watch.
"Almost seven. If we're going to get some breakfast we better get moving. Daniel said we had to share the shower with the boys, but I don't hear anyone up. Let's go and maybe we can get done first before they get moving."
Richard and James stepped out of their shared private dorm room. They had expected to see a room full of young boys still sleeping and were surprised when they saw that most of the boys were gone. They stopped a moment, surprised, looked at one another and then shrugged their shoulders as they proceeded to the shower area. Both young men were normally well groomed, being very particular about their hair styles, the clothes they wore and keeping freshly shaved.
As they entered the shower area they noticed that it looked just like the pictures they had seen of old army barracks where forty guys shared one area. Fifteen sinks were lined up on one wall with a mirror in front of each. There was a narrow shelf mounted on the wall just below the sink that ran the full length of the wall. Opposite the sinks there was a horse trough type urinal. On another wall were fifteen toilets without any privacy walls. Another room acted as the community shower room. It was just one big room with twelve showerheads. Between each set of two heads was a soap and shampoo dispenser mounted to the wall. A set of shelves mounted just outside the shower room held a number of towels. Something else the two young men noticed, as a number of the boys passed them they gave them a wink and a funny looking smile. It was as though the boys knew something was going to happen and thought everyone was in on the secret.
Richard and James shrugged off the boys' actions and attributed it to them being the new guys in the dorm. A couple of the boys had been courteous and said hello, hi, good morning or some such other casual greeting. Richard and James both appreciated the boys wanting to make them feel welcome and appreciated. Knowing most of the boys were gone from the dorm, they both knew they needed to hurry if they wanted any breakfast. When Richard and James walked into the dining hall, the boys sprang their surprise.
"Heeeyyy, Mr. Dan'l! Here's the howling duo that's givin' TJ and Evan a run for the money. Check their necks, Mr. Dan'l, and see if they got branded."
"From what we heard last night it want't their necks catchin' all the action. The brand oughtta be a little further down. I'd say around their butts." Another boy yelled out to the amusement of all except Richard and James.
Richard and James stopped dead in their tracks, unsure of what was going on. Suddenly, half the room stood up and began to whistle and applaud. When Richard and James realized what the boys were talking about, they both turned crimson. The two young men turned to look at Daniel, sure they were going to be asked to leave. They were somewhat surprised to see Daniel laughing hard enough to have tears running down his face. Daniel motioned the two young men over to the table.
"Guys, as you can probably tell, it's no secret around what you two were up to last night. According to the boys in the dorm, one of you is a real howler. The other thing they're spreading is that one of you also has a lot of endurance. They wanted to ask you who has the sore butt, but I stopped them. We didn't want to embarrass you too much. Right now, I suggest you turn around and take it or they will make your stay here rather miserable. They're just teasing you. Be happy, it means they accept you being here. Oh, and I want to see you in my office after breakfast."
Richard and James just looked at one another when Daniel let them know he wanted to see them. They thought this was over, except for the ribbing from the boys, which they knew they could handle. Two of the boys on kp duty brought them trays.
"James, if any of the boys start to say anything, just ask them if they're jealous 'cause they don't have the endurance we showed 'em last night. It doesn't matter what their answer is, it won't be good for them. It they say 'yes', which I seriously doubt, then they are admitting they don't have our endurance. No boy wants to admit that. If they say 'no', they're still admitting to not having the endurance; they just aren't jealous."
After breakfast, Daniel met with his entire staff, except Barry and Rob, plus Richard and James. Mark was visiting his parents at Daniel's insistence but had assisted Richard and James in constructing the files. The Captain and his men had most all of the boys at the athletic field. When the two young men walked in they were relieved to see the staff members. Both felt that Daniel wouldn't be saying anything to embarrass them in front of the entire staff, or would he? Daniel entered right behind the two young men.
"Fellas, relax. I know after what happened this morning you probably think I asked you hear to chew both of you a whole new one; that's not the case. Besides, I think the boys did a pretty good job on you this morning, don't you?" Daniel smiled and so did the other staff members. Richard and James blushed, again, and tried to laugh with the rest of the group. Daniel continued.
"Gentlemen, these two blushing young men are volunteers from the state university. They traveled with Jeff and Mark on their trip to pick up the new boys. Not only did they travel, but they managed to accomplish quite a bit while riding along. They constructed personal files on each of the boys. I understand they were also able to build a pretty good rapport with most of the boys. I'm afraid that's the extent of my knowledge at the moment. Would either of you care to pick it up from there and fill us in?"
Richard and James looked at one another, their expressions now becoming very serious. Richard spoke for the two. "The files are really very basic. We first entered the information that was in the files the different offices handed over. After looking over that information we started thinking in terms of what additional information would we need to track down or locate family members. The additional information we thought about was names and addresses, plus phone numbers, for grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings. We asked them about where their parents worked and what they did. Of course, for the younger boys, they really didn't know much about the work related information. The older boys did know some information." Richard paused to allow the men to view the screen with the additional fields.
"Using the information the boys gave us and then cross referencing into the people finder program through Westlaw, plus cross checks with census data, tax records and a few other sources, we believe we have been able to locate families for at least four boys and possibly more. We say 'possibly' because we have a number of boys with very common names. The same situation exists with their parents, so we have some reliability concerns about whether we are locating the correct parent or a similar name." Richard paused to feel comfortable that everyone followed his explanation.
"Three of the boys that were picked up are brothers. Mark spoke with them during the trip and the information he received makes us believe they were being pimped out by their own father. The kids have hardly ever worn any clothes, have had minimal schooling, and can tell you just about anything you would ever want to know, and probably a few things you don't want to know, about sex. The youngest boy told Mark that their dad fucked one or more of them every day. At night, the dad had friends over and the boys were required to entertain them. The friends were very generous with the money."
"We did some checking on their court case. The boys were pledged as collateral for a loan and then the father defaulted. That isn't uncommon. What is uncommon is the timing. The loan was secured by a UCC filing listing the boys as collateral. We called the courthouse and found out the note was for fifty thousand, due in thirty days. The father never bothered to answer the court filing and was defaulted, final judgment entered, and papers issued for attachment and seizure of collateral. We thought the whole thing kind of stunk, so we decided to do some more digging."
"The first thing we looked into was the father. We checked the assessor's records and then the official records from the clerk's office. The father owns a farm not far from town. When we say owns, we mean he owns the land free and clear of any liens. The assessed value on the land is pretty low because it's classified for agricultural use. However, the assessor does keep some records on market value without the agricultural benefits. The assessor's estimate of market value for land and improvements is over a half million. There's nothing to suggest the father tried to sell any of the land or take out a loan against the land to save his sons. We believe this was a setup to sell the boys into slavery. Next, we decided to check the creditor involved."
"We ran the creditor's name through the public records in the clerk's office. This was the third case like this in the same county in as many months. We checked two other counties for the past year and bingo. Same modis operendi. These people are using the system to enslave innocent children whose parents are interested only in money."
"We traced the creditor's name through the corporate filings with the Secretary of State. Any local or foreign business organization wanting to do business in this state must register with that office. The filings also list officers and directors for each group. The current filing was the only data available on this entity. We decided to dig deeper and ran a name search on each director and officer." Richard paused to open one of the files. "This is a list of entities they, meaning the group sometimes individually and sometimes with two or more, are involved with. We haven't had the opportunity to do any more research, but we personally believe this could very well be a racket." The staff stood or sat quietly, thinking about what Richard had just told them. If he was right, this could be very serious. This could also be very dangerous.
These are the people that would oppose the injunction on the sale of children and have the money to get a strong bill moving through the legislature. There had always been rumors that the mafia used slavery to launder money. What better way than to pass some off to parents for their kids and then give some to the state for the purchase of slaves. The slaves could then be resold, and the money is clean. The children become pleasure slaves identified initially by a number; then any name their new master wanted them to have. Is it possible the same connections controlled the activities all the way down to the pleasure palaces?
"Fellas, how many people know about this information?" Daniel asked in a very serious tone.
"Aside from all of us in this room, just Mark, Kevin and your father, Dr. Thompson." James answered. "They both helped set up the files and do some of the research. You know there's still a lot more to be done before we can put the whole thing together."
"Right now, and I want everyone in this room listening carefully, we do not do any more research. Do not talk about this to anyone. When we leave here, I'll find Kevin and have a talk with him. I'm also going to call Mark and let him know to keep quiet. Gentlemen, I think we have stumbled on to a real bombshell here. We just need to make sure that when it blows we're all out of range. I'll talk to the Captain this afternoon and then call Caruthers in Tallahassee." Daniel paused to be sure everyone understood how serious the situation was or could be, and then continued.
"Richard, you said you found other cases. Did any of them affect any of the other boys we just brought in?"
"Yes, each case affected one boy; the boys are here. We found another common thread, Daniel. All the boys affected are between nine and fourteen; late pre-pubescent or early pubescent. Of course, that may change if we can see the files from other counties. We didn't get to see the files from the two adjoining counties. Also, we can't do any more research this weekend, at least not in the state records, because the computers are being serviced. It's standard procedure this time of the month." Richard paused for a moment to open another file on the computer.
"Now, we also found information on some of the boys that aren't involved with this particular creditor. We know two are from the bankruptcy court. We believe we have the right contacts now to return some of the boys." As Richard completed his statement, the phone rang.
"Hi, Mom. Sure I'll be glad to let him visit. Is there anything special he needs help with? You know that Mark stayed over there; he could possibly pick him up on the way back here. . . Okay, let me speak with Dr. Richardson."
While Daniel handled the phone call, Richard and James worked through the data files on the computer. They separated the files of the cases that appeared to be related to the suspicious creditor from the other files. When they finished, they had created three categories of files. The first were files related to the suspicious creditor. The second set of files were those they felt they sufficient information to be able to contact family members who could take custody and care for the boys. The third, and largest, grouping consisted of files requiring additional research.
Daniel's call ended and he turned his attention back to the young men. Daniel studied the screen as James explained the organization.
"The first set are the files we just talked about. The second set are files we think we have a good probability of being able to return the boys either to their parents or a family member. The boys provided us with information that we used as a base and then did additional research on the internet to complete the files. The third set, labeled 'research', requires just that. Some of these files could end up being transferred over to the first set. With the exception of the files requiring additional research, we're at a standstill until someone gives us some direction." James concluded his statement and looked around the room, wondering who would give them the needed direction.
"Paul," Daniel began, "do we have the papers we need from the state to turn these boys over to their families?"
"We have the necessary documents in the computer. They're actually an attachment to an email we received a couple of days ago. It will only take a few minutes to create a file for them."
"Good. I was going to ask Richard and James to help you with the process and with contacting some of the people. Right now, they've impressed me enough with their research that I think their time and talents are best utilized there. Since Kevin has been working with them, we can ask him to sit in here and help. The only thing bothering me right now is that if we could get all this information while traveling on a bus, why couldn't the law enforcement people do the same thing?" Daniel's tone revealed mixed feelings of confusion and frustration. Daniel shook his head and took a deep breath that he exhaled slowly before he continued.
"Gentlemen, I just set a personal goal for myself. Paul, I'd appreciate it if you would get the papers set up in the computer. Richard and James, I'll need your guidance when we get started. Right now, we're going to break up and check on the boys. I need to hear them and see some happy faces. After lunch, I'm going to talk to the Captain and then I'm coming back here to start making phone calls. The goal I just set is to return at least one of these boys to their home before this weekend is over. With luck, we might be able to return more."
Daniel, accompanied by Richard and James, walked out to the athletic field. Paul started out with them but as they cleared the building, the phone rang. Paul's eyes rolled up, but he returned to take care of business. Daniel spotted the Captain and took his two guests over to introduce them.
"Captain, how are our boy's doing. Think we might have any future pros out here?" Daniel smiled and greeted the Captain.
"Well, if talent could be measured strictly by enthusiasm, most of them would be pros." The Captain noticed the two young men and turned to greet them. "Hello, the boys around here just call me Captain. Mainly, because I'm a captain in the Orlando police department."
"Good morning, sir. I'm Richard, and this is James. We're here as volunteers to help Mr. Thompson."
"You fellas know anything about baseball? We could always use some extra coaching help."
"Yes, sir, a little. We both played in high school, but we weren't good enough for a scholarship. Never tried coaching, though."
"There's nothing to it. With the enthusiasm these boys have, just show them the correct way to hit, pitch or field a ball and they soak it right up. The only thing we don't teach them how to do is dive face first into a base." The Captain smiled and when Richard and James thought about it for a moment, they broke into laughter also.
"Yeah, I guess a face first slide could be rough on the apparatus, especially if the protective gear is as invisible as their uniforms." Richard responded with a big smile and a slight blush.
"Tell you what, why don't the two of you go see that gentleman right over there, his name is Eddie, he's also a policeman and is short on coaching staff today. I'm sure he would appreciate all the help he can get right now." The two young men nodded to the Captain and Daniel, and then ran over to Eddie.
When Richard and James were gone, Daniel explained to the Captain who they were and how they happened to be at New Horizons. Daniel also revealed some of the information the boys had uncovered. When Daniel started telling about the suspicious creditor and the father that had been pimping his sons and now appeared to be enslaving them illegally, the Captain gave Daniel a grave look and told him they needed to talk in private. Before Daniel could get an explanation, Paul approached with the portable phone.
"Daniel, the hospital is on the phone. It's nothing really serious, but it appears one of the patients wants to speak with you. It's a Grandpa Smith?" Daniel's expression changed from concern to a smile.
"Grandpa, it's been a while. How are you?"
"Well, I think that all depends on you, Daniel. I think I'm ready to call in an invitation you extended to me more than once. You haven't been here with the boys in a while and this place is getting stuffy and dull. I was thinkin' maybe a couple of days in the fresh air and watchin' those young colts of yours have a good time might do me some good. I hear you just had some new accommodations put in down there." Grandpa knew he had covered all the right bases to get the answer he wanted from Daniel.
"We stand by our invitation. You're welcome here any time. But, may I ask, how do you plan on getting here? Also, our grounds are not exactly ideal for a wheel chair."
"Oh, don't worry about that. When you're in my condition, the state provides all sorts of transportation services. I should have a nice little toy with me that you may want to try out." Grandpa's tone then changed from jovial to serious. "now, Daniel, I don't want to be a bother. If this isn't convenient, you just let me know."
"Nonsense." Daniel responded matter-of-factly. "Paul will have a room set aside for you in one of the new modulars. We should have a master bedroom with a private bath that's wheelchair accessible. By the way, I know there's a couple of the boys here that will be happy to see you. Should I tell them you're coming?"
"No." Grandpa answered laughing, "let's surprise them. They're good boys and it'll be nice to see them again. If you don't mind I should be able to be there around mid- afternoon."
"We'll be looking for you." When Daniel hung up the phone he smiled to himself. He knew Grandpa would want to see TJ and Evan and it most likely wouldn't be to just say hello. The two boys had always been favorites with the older man and he was a favorite of the boys, somewhat of a surrogate grandfather to them. Daniel also knew the three of them had sex every time the Cherubs served lunch at the hospital. Sometimes, Daniel wondered who enjoyed it more. He would talk to the boys after Grandpa surprised them and remind them that they were no longer obligated to entertain a free man's wishes. Daniel would also advise them on what to say so they could decline Grandpa's invitation to play without hurting his feelings. However, if they voluntarily wanted to stay with Grandpa, Daniel knew he was going to allow it to happen.
Daniel sat in his office looking through the files Richard and James had constructed. Several files appeared to have more than sufficient information for the sheriff to be able to contact family members. One boy's file, Tommy Matthews, had notes stating they tried to call the father more than ten times at various times of the day and night but no one answered the phone. The last entry noted the phone was no longer in service. Daniel decided to try the other numbers in the file. The other numbers were labeled as belonging to an aunt or uncle. No grandparent's were listed.
There was no answer at the first two numbers Daniel tried, not even an answering machine. Daniel understood the frustration and disappointment some of the officers must have felt when they couldn't contact anyone. He decided not to use the numbers the sheriff's office had entered in the file and turned to some of the research Richard and James had done. They had entered a number that was identified as 'sister'. Daniel didn't know whose sister it was, but that didn't matter. As he dialed the number, a large black van with heavily tinted windows pulled up in front of the administration building.
Daniel continued to watch out his office window as the driver of the van got out and walked around to the side door. Daniel knew he had seen the driver before but didn't immediately recognize him. The reason Daniel didn't recognize the driver was because he had only seen the man wearing an orderly uniform. At the moment Daniel recognized the driver and realized who had just arrived, a voice answered on the other end of the phone.
"Hello." Was the simple but pleasant greeting from a lady.
"Yes, my name is Daniel Thompson, and I'm trying to reach a Mr. Mark Matthews please."
"I'm sorry, but Mr. Matthews doesn't live here."
"Mrs. Gardner? The information I have says that this number belongs to a family member. I was hoping someone might tell me how to contact Mr. Matthews or assist by getting a message to him?"
"What did you say your name was? This is an unlisted number. How did you get it?" The lady was now sounding suspicious and a little irritated.
"Mrs. Gardner, all I can say right now is that my name is Daniel Thompson and I'm with New Horizons. We are a private organization that provides foster care to children, and^Å"
"I'm sorry, but we do not conduct charity business over the phone. If you would like a donation you may send us some literature in the mail and we will consider the request. Please do not call here again." The next thing Daniel heard was the dial tone.
Stupefied, Daniel looked out the window and saw Grandpa rolling out the side door of the van in what had to be the Rolls Royce of golf carts. Even after the phone call and abrupt ending from Mrs. Gardner, Daniel had to laugh.
"Grandpa, welcome to New Horizons." Daniel greeted Grandpa with a smile and a handshake. "You said the state provides transportation. I'll have to admit I never imagined anything like this. What is it?"
"Daniel, it's good to see you again. The state provided the van. This little piece of transportation is mine. It's actually just a common golf cart that's had a few modifications. They're built by a company outside of Orlando. Each unit is custom built. You can get a body that is modeled after a number of the antiques and classic cars. You can even get one built to look like a hot rod. Me, I always wanted a Rolls Royce; this is as close as I'll ever get." Grandpa answered with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. "Care to take a ride with an old man?"
"I don't know about the old man part, but suppose you drive us over to where the boys are? Most of them are playing ball games right now."
Daniel settled into the passenger side of the front seat and directed Grandpa towards the ball fields. As they rode through areas where the boys were playing, everything stopped while the boys ogled Grandpa's Rolls Royce. Once they arrived at the main diamond it took only a minute for TJ and Evan, and everyone else, to spot them. When TJ and Evan recognized who it was, they came running with their manliness swinging from side to side, much to Grandpa's delight.
"Grandpa!" the two boys called out simultaneously, surprised.
"Hello, boys. Thought I'd come down for a little surprise visit. How are my two favorite Cherubs getting along?"
"Swell, Grandpa. Are you staying here tonight?"
"I am if Daniel can put up with me." Grandpa turned and smiled at Daniel as he answered the boys and saw Daniel nod. "Of course, I may have to have some help getting around that place up front. An old man like me can't do much for himself; needs takin' care of."
"We'll take care of ya, Grandpa. We'll take real good care of ya." The boys looked at one another, exchanging the unspoken meaning of their words and smiled back at Grandpa.
As Grandpa spoke with the boys, Daniel decided he was in good hands. He was hearing more than he really wanted to right now, so he decided to exit the cart and return to his office. As he started to move, Grandpa reached over and held Daniel's forearm. A quick look told Daniel not to leave. When the boys returned to their game, Grandpa turned to Daniel.
"Daniel, you aren't anyone's fool and I'm not going to treat you like one. I'll just be honest with you up front. You've gotten yourself into a little more than you bargained for. The boys were an excuse for me to come here, not that I won't enjoy their company. But, you and I need to sit down in private and talk. Believe me when I say it's in your best interest and the boys' best interest."
Daniel looked at Grandpa feeling more than a little confused and wondered, "Just who is this man?"
End Ch Fifty-Three
To Be Continued: comments welcome; contact Dwight Wilson at adm2780@yahoo.com