Seek Him What Made Them Seven
Stars
By
Waddie Greywolf
Chapter
88
"The techniques of Monet or Degas can be copied; their
principles of design are not obscure, they can be learned. If
you want them for yourself you can have them�for a price. And
the price is dearer than you may think. Not only will you have
to put in at least as much time as they did in developing the
same skills, all your living days, but the real price you will
have paid is that you will have succeeded in becoming them,
and will have missed becoming you." ~ Peter London
It was still early evening when they finished with the Colonel.
Arrangements were made for the four NSA representatives and the
four military men to leave the ranch in the large Chinook chopper
soon after the Colonel was brought around from his twilight sleep.
Bryan Isobel and Bill Devers were away getting their families
settled in for the night while Billy and his posse refurbished the
Colonel. They were going to fly back to the base where the chopper
was from with the other men, drive their vehicles home, call
Billy, and he and his men would gather them to rejoin their
families for the night. They would have breakfast in the castle
and Billy would transport them to their homes if everything was
all right with the two young children. Billy was pretty sure
Sherry Isobel could go home, but the Devers family agreed to leave
little Danny Devers at the ranch until other arrangements could be
made.
Billy told them they should make their house their main priority,
because he couldn't promise when or if some of the other Devers
family members might start to show signs of Radon poisoning. It
would be to their advantage to get out of there as soon as
possible, while their bodies were strong enough to fully recover
from what exposure they already experienced. The other military
men who stayed and watched the Cowboy-Angels work on their leader
were at the back of the pack and didn't hear the conversation
about what Billy and his band of healer's discovered. Billy
figured the Commander and the Captain were so thrilled by their
refurbishment and enhancement they wouldn't be disturbed by what
they found and would keep their mouths shut, but as chance would
have it, other than agreeing to cover for the Colonel, they knew
nothing.
After seeing the NSA and military men off, while the Angels were
de-winging and getting ready for a relaxing time in the tubs, they
got the Colonel up and walking. Billy walked him to the large
floor-to-ceiling mirror in the dungeon area and let Hank Halfablap
stand before it to see his transformation. What Hank saw looking
back was a much younger warrior more perfect than when he first
went into the Marines some forty-five years ago. He no longer saw
the battle scared warrior but instead he was looking at a young
cowboy he left behind many years ago to serve his country at a
time when he was na�ve enough to still believe there was a chance
for him to make a difference, and he might help steer his country
back from the cliffs of self-destruction urged on by the corporate
overlords and the criminal one percent.
The Colonel was so moved he was overcome with emotions, placed his
face in his hands, and started weeping uncontrollably. Billy went
to him and gently took Hank into his young strong arms. �Shuuuu,
Paw-paw, ain't no need for tears. You're whole again. It's time
for rejoicing and thanking them ancients for enhancing your
cowboy-grandson with the gifts and power to bring you back to a
more comfortable age for you,� Billy said.
�Forget the goddamn blow-job! Make no mistake, it was greatly
appreciated. It was almost a religious moment for me. However, as
fine as it was, as much as I enjoyed it, you can't know how much
it meant to me. How will I ever repay you, Son?� Hank asked.
�Who said anything about pay-backs, Hank? We agreed, and sealed
our troth with a big buckaroo kiss, to a one-time payment for me
to catch your first platoon of crotch commandos, and I did. Boy
howdy, were they a tasty lot. Each one sweeter than the next.
Strong and beefy, too. You got a good scald on them tiny critters,
Colonel,� Billy said and smiled as he helped Hank put on his robe.
�You're a wonder, Son. I got me such a bro-crush on you, my new
cock will stay at half-mast until I get a chance to lope it when
I'm alone by myself,� Hank said.
�Later, if you still feel the same way and need relief, you got a
new grandson what's ready to catch a load from his Grampaw from
time to time,� Billy said and smiled.
�That's a comfort to know, Son,� Hank said sincerely.
�In the meantime, I got me a feeling you're gonna' be so busy and
preoccupied with other things, you ain't gonna' have time to think
much about it for a while,� Billy said.
�Like what, Son?� Hank asked.
�What about your wife and youngest daughter still at home? You
told me they both got the cancer,� Billy said.
�Would you help them, too, Son?� Hank asked.
�How do you think your wife's gonna' feel if her husband comes
home looking thirty-five to forty years younger, Colonel,� Billy
asked.
�I was so caught up in my own transformation, I didn't stop to
think about them,� Hank replied with remorse.
�No problem. You get a good night's sleep. We'll call them in the
morning. We'll go get them, bring them here, and take them up to
the big house where our women created a refurbishing room just for
ladies. We can heal and process them tomorrow,� Billy said.
�You would do that for me?� the Colonel asked getting watery eyed
again.
�You're family now, Hank. We sealed a bond between us. It's what
families do for each other,� Billy said.
The Colonel shed a few more tears, �I guess I been living in a
world where nobody keeps their word no more. I become jaded to
expect the worst from people. You'll have to forgive me, Son. I
forgot the old ways I was taught when I's grow'n up,� Hank said.
�I understand, sir, I have my own difficulties when it comes to
trusting folks. In the meantime, I need to know more about you and
your childhood. Do you remember much about your past?� Billy
asked.
�Oh, yeah, I can remember back to the time I's just a little tyke.
Ain't much to tell, but I'll tell you everything I know,� Hank
replied.
Billy walked arm and arm with Hank to the great dining hall to
join a few of the men lingering to have some refreshments. The
others moseyed on down to the tubs to enjoy the hot water. Billy
wanted to get some of the heavy-duty herbal Texas Tea in the
Colonel so he would remember everything.
* * * * * * *
Colonel Hank's Story~
The earliest thing I can remember was coming home in the back of a
buckboard at the end of a long day. Before that day, I can't
remember nothing. It was like you walk into a movie, sit down with
your popcorn and drink, the movie starts, and the story begins.
What I come to reason, we done the same routine so many times, all
them days just melded into one, and it was that day my brain
became aware and began to record my life from that point on. At
that moment, I knew who I was, who I belonged to, where I was, and
what we were doing. I remember it as a happy moment when I looked
up at my old man and smiled. He must have known something turned
my lights on because he looked down at me riding by his side,
smiled back at me, and spoke. I didn't know what the words meant,
but I knew the sound of his voice. He was telling me I was safe,
and I was his boy. I knew he loved me. He was the 'other' who took
care of me, fed me, changed my diapers, played with me, talked,
sang to me, and put me to bed at night. He was the first face I
saw every morning, I depended on him, he was good to me, and I
loved him.
The man I come to think on as my old man was the only parent I
knew. He worked his ranch by himself. He would hitch up a team of
horses, load me in the back of a buckboard, tether his pony to the
back and ride to the part of the ranch where he was going to work
for the day. He would free the horses to graze and leave the wagon
parked in the shade of a tree. He would come back at noon, change
my diaper, feed me and him, play with me for a bit, and go back to
work. In the evenings he would whistle to the horses, they would
come to him, he'd hitch them up to the wagon, tether his work pony
to the rear, and we would ride back to the house together.
It became our usual routine, unless it was bad weather or he
caught up on his working the cattle; then we would stay home and
spend time together. It was just me and him. We didn't have nobody
else. He was Norwegian, but he spoke some broken English. He
taught me to read and do simple math when I was four years old. By
the time I was old enough to go to school, I was already reading
at a third grade level. He told me he named me after his dad who
was named Hinnerick Hieffernablaupt. When I went to school, they
shortened it to Henry Halfablap, and it became my name.
�His granddad homesteaded the large ranch we lived on, and he grew
up there. He didn't talk much about his family or his past, but
when he got older and too sick to run the ranch himself, he
transferred ownership to me as his only heir, and I took care of
the ranch from there. Me and my young family took care of him
until he died,� Hank said with a look on his face like he was
remembering the man.
�Did he tell you he was your dad?� Billy asked.
�No, I never knew he weren't my dad until he took me to enroll me
in the first grade at school. He told them I was his cousin's son
who died in the war and his wife died giving birth to me. Back in
them days, in a small rural community, lots of kids didn't have
birth certificates and were living with family members who
survived the war. They never questioned him, and I started
school,� Hank replied.
�Was he good to you, Hank?� Billy asked.
�On, yeah, I loved him. Baug Hieffernablaup was the only adult in
my life. Funny thing, after I learned what a 'dad' was at school,
I called him that once, but he set me down and patiently explained
to me he wasn't my father, and I should never call him 'dad.' He
insisted he was just 'Baug' and that's what I should call him. I
never thought much about it after that. He was my family, and I
was his. He was quiet and stern, but he had his moments of humor,
and he wasn't stingy with his love and compassion for me.
"The only time he ever raised a hand in anger at me, I was was
going through a stage where I got it in my head it was funny to do
mean things to animals around the ranch. I was a stupid kid and
didn't use good reason. That weren't the only reason. I was
starting to go through puberty, and didn't understand the mood
swings I was experiencing from hour to hour. He watched me do a
few things I ain't proud of today, but I didn't know no better
then. I was mean to our female cow dog who loved me like I was her
own pup. She looked out for me since I learned to walk, and she
would give her life for me if I was in trouble. Not just once, but
several times I done something mean to her.
�One day, Baug, had enough, took off his big, wide, thick black
belt, made me pull down my Wranglers, bent me over his knee, and
whipped my ass until I was screaming, crying, and yelling for him
to stop. He kept asking me how I liked someone being mean me? I
told him I didn't like it a bit, and I promised I would never be
mean to Sadie again. He just kept on until Sadie growled at him,
showed her teeth as a threat, lunged at him, grabbed his belt in
her mouth, ran away with it, and hid under the house.
�You see, you little fool! You see how much that damn dog loves
you! She would give her life for you. She don't know how I will
react. She took her life into her own paws to protect you from me.
Now I gotta' go in the house, get my .45, come back out here, and
shoot her,� he yelled at me.
�No, no, Baug! Please, don't shoot her,� I yelled through my
tears, �It was my fault. It weren't Sadie's. You're right! I'm
wrong! I'll do anything you ask. I'll crawl under the house and
get your belt. She didn't do you no harm. She didn't threaten you,
she just disarmed you to keep you from hurt'n me any more. Punish
me, but don't kill Sadie,� I begged him.
�Sorry, Son, you made her upset the peck'n order around here. If I
let her get by with challenging me, she'll think I'm afraid of
her, and she's top dog. Once't a dog attacks her master, she'll do
it again to get her way,� Baug said, and I was convinced he meant
what he said.
�Then you'll have to shoot me first, because I won't let you kill
her,� I said pulling myself up to make myself as big as I could
standing before a giant of a man who could easily knock me out
with one swift blow.
�That's mighty brave of you, Son, but why should you care? You
done some awful things to Sadie in the last couple of weeks. Mean,
thoughtless things to hurt her. Sometimes you didn't think nobody
was look'n but I saw. I watched you. I'm surprised she comes
around you anymore,� he said.
�I know, and I'm ashamed of myself, Baug. I don't know why I done
them things. Something's happening to me I don't understand.
They's times when I think I'm going crazy, and if Sadie's around,
I take it out on her or some other animal. Sadie ain't the only
one I hurt around here,� I admitted.
�Have you tried jack'n off, Boy!� he asked.
�What's jack'n off?� I asked him.
Baug sneered at me like I was a moron. �I'll tell you later, right
now I got me a dog to kill,� he said and started to the house.
I ran to the front steps and got down on my knees and begged him.
I told him I would do anything he asked if he promised not to kill
Sadie. He finally broke. �All right, I'll let you know what your
punishment will be. I'll have to think on it for a day or two, but
in the meantime you better be one good little boy. I promise I
won't shoot Sadie, but it ain't because of your begging me not to.
You know why I won't shoot Sadie, Son?� he yelled at me.
�Because you love her as much as she loves me?� I cried back.
�That's a big part of it, but it's because Sadie done the right
thing. She broke my reason to do physical harm to you. Now you
learn a lesson from this and learn it good. From now on, I want
you to make an effort do the right thing. I don't never wanna' see
you be mean to any critter on this ranch again including them damn
horny toads,� he yelled at me.
I promised him I wouldn't, and I never did. Baug was a huge man;
almost a giant. He wasn't good looking, but he had a good heart,
and he tried to live his life as a good man,� Hank
said.
�Did he decide how he was going to punish you, Hank?� Billy asked.
�Baug thought it was punishment, but it weren't to me. He started
making me take care of every sick critter around the ranch, from
hop toads, land tortoises, possums, baby deer; all manner of sick
wild animals including our cattle. I got so into it, my punishment
became my hobby, and I continued through high school, won a
football scholarship to Texas A&M, and graduated from their
school of Veterinary Medicine.
�The very worst thing he ever made me do was put down Sadie when
she was so old and in such a bad way it would have been inhuman to
let her live another day. I begged him to do it himself, but he
refused. Baug insisted it was part of what a good veterinarian
would have to do. Then he told me it wouldn't be right for him to
put her down. It should be done by the man she loved and trusted
the most. As an adult, I could go into battle and kill the enemy
without much remorse, but I swear on the name of some unknown god,
it was hardest gotdamned thing I ever had to do in my life. It
left an indelible scar on my heart and taught me to appreciate and
respect the cycle of life. Sadie knew why I come into the barn
when she saw the gun in my hand. I said my goodbyes and shed some
tears. Sadie licked my hand one more time like she knew it was her
last, turned her head away from me, and I pulled the trigger.
�I laid there next to her holding her body in my arms until she
turned cold, and I cried until I passed out. When I awoke late in
the evening, there was a blanket thrown over me, and Sadie was
gone. Baug took her away and buried her under her favorite tree.
It took me a while, but I finally came around. I admitted I was a
better man for having done the responsible thing; and, he was
right; Sadie wouldn't have wanted anyone else to pull that trigger
but me,� Hank said and wiped a tear away.
�Did you ever work as a veterinarian, Hank?� Billy asked.
�No, I passed all my exams. I was licensed in the state of Texas,
and I've kept up my license all these years thinking if I decided
to retire one day, I would have something to fall back on. I
joined the Marine Corps right after graduation from medical
school, and they immediately sent me to pilot training. I flew in
Nam, the first Gulf War, and Iraq, where I got shot down,� the
Colonel replied.
�Then you are also Doctor Halfablap as well as Colonel Halfablap?�
Billy asked.
�Yes, I am, but I rarely use my 'doctor' title,� Hank replied.
�Are you familiar with DNA readouts?� Billy asked.
�Yes, I went back to school to take refresher courses to keep
abreast of modern veterinarian medicine. I have a working
knowledge of the subject. I can read test results,� Hank replied.
�Did Baug tell you about masturbation, sir?� Billy asked and
grinned.
�He didn't just tell me, he showed me how to do it. If that
weren't enough he got all kinds of human sexual reproduction books
from the library and made me read every damn one of them until I
could speak 'bird-and-bee' fluently. He never talked dirty to me
about sex, and if we discussed anything it was with the utmost
respect for the subject. He told me sex with a woman is the
ultimate a man can hope for, but you must be gentle and tender
with them. They break easily. I asked him why he never found a
woman to please and marry him. He told me he was left with a big
ranch to run by himself. I came along, and he didn't have time to
court a woman and raise a child; besides, what woman would want a
man who already had a child? I never understood what he meant by
'I came along,' like I was just dropped on his doorstep,� the
Colonel said.
�Maybe you were, Colonel. Would it bother you to know?� Billy
asked him.
�No, not really. I had too many wonderful, fun-filled years with
Baug. He was my father, my mother, my big brother, my buddy, and
my best friend, all rolled into one giant package. He saw me
through every childhood disease a kid could get in them days, and
he never left my side. Baug was a unique human. He lived his life
for me. He taught me to be a man. I loved him very much, and I'm
quite certain, our world will probably never see his likes again.
He weren't a religious man, but he took me to church to keep up
appearances. He warned me about religion and told me to respect
those who believe, but not to get caught up in it. When I began to
hear and learn about the story of Jesus, I thought to myself I
didn't need no lightweight like him. I had Baug to worship, and
keep me on the straight and narrow. Besides, Jesus didn't wear no
cowboy boots,� Hank said quietly. Billy laughed.
* * * * * * *
Billy slipped Oatie three vials of blood marked: B.D. (Billy
Daniels) H.H. (Hank Halfablap) and N.D. (Nathan Daniels) Oatie had
a service he used which could get a readout of animal or slave DNA
in eight hours. The following morning, Oatie would have his
courier, an Irin slave assistant, gate to Uncle Tom's Cabin and
drive to the lab the first thing the next morning. She would also
pick up the results that afternoon and gate back to Doc Oatie's
clinic. The men continued to talk until Bryan Isobel and Bill
Devers called. Billy and his men went to get them and the Colonel
asked if he could go with them. After everyone returned it was
getting late. The two NSA men joined their families and Billy gave
the Colonel his choice to stay in a room in the castle, or he was
welcome to come with him and his family to Billy's new home he
called 'The Falcon's Lair.' The Colonel could have his own small
private apartment.
The Colonel didn't want to intrude on Billy and his family and
opted for a room in the castle. Bart Langstrom overheard Billy's
conversation with the Colonel and spoke up, �I have an extra
king-size bed in my apartment with fresh linen the Colonel is
welcome to use. I'd be happy to take him under my wing, so to
speak, and see to his comfort this evening, Master Billy. It would
be an honor, sir,� Bart said speaking directly to Hank.
�Why, thank you, Young Man. I'll take you up on your gracious
offer, if it's all right with you, Master Billy,� the Colonel
said.
�Fine with me. You couldn't do better for a more kindred spirit to
see to your comfort this evening than Master Langstrom, sir,�
Billy agreed and complimented Bart.
The men began to break up in groups and go their separate ways.
Oatie, Jethro, Elmer, and Vox were getting ready to gate back to
their ranch. Elmer and Vox knew Billy's granddad intimately and
couldn't get over how much the Colonel looked like Daws Daniels.
They were glad to hear Billy and Oatie were working on the mystery
and even put Billy's hounds hot on the trail. Billy swore to them
he would have a definite answer by the following evening.
�I don't agree with Nathan and Tron, Billy. I think you should
talk with your grandmother as soon as possible and prepare her.
Your grandmother is a much stronger women than they give her
credit,� Vox said and Elmer agreed with him.
�I'm going to call her as soon as we part and see if she feels
like talking with me this e'nin,� Billy said.
�I think it would be wise, Billy,� Elmer said and the others
agreed with him.
Everyone left, Billy whipped out his cell phone, and punched his
grandmother's number. �Billy? I was just thinking about you. I
need to talk with you about something personal,� Kate said.
�Good, glad I called. I have something I need to discuss with you.
May I call on you this e'nin, Pretty Lady?� Billy asked with mirth
in his voice.
�You know you're welcome anytime, day or night, Silly Boy. Come on
up to the house. I'll be in the kitchen. I'll put on a pot of
tea,� she said.
Billy gave each of his family a hug, and they gated to the
Falcon's Lair. Billy gated to the front hall in the big house and
walked into the kitchen. He went to his grandmother, took her into
his arms, and gently kissed her on her forehead. Kate stole a kiss
from him and laughed. �I don't get one of those often enough to
suit me,� Kate gently chastised him, �I'm almost suspicious
there's something ominous afoot,� she added raising an eyebrow,
�And when you call me 'Pretty Lady' I know it has to be something
out of the ordinary,� she said and laughed.
Billy laughed with her and continued to hold her for a minute, �I
wouldn't say ominous. Surprising and potentially wonderful, but
that description might hinge on your opinion,� Billy said, and the
kettle began to whistle.
�Mr. T. Kettle calls,� Kate said, smiled, and left Billy's arms to
go to the stove, �I could use something wonderful and surprising.
I'm having some adjustment problems lately, questioning where I
fit in, and just how useful I am of late,� she admitted to her
grandson.
�All you have to do is ask, my love, and I will drop anything I'm
doing to be by your side,� Billy reassured her.
�I know and appreciate that, but you're always so busy of late.
I'd like to have just one evening this week or next with no one
else around but you and me. I'll make us a nice supper, something
simple, and later we'll go up to the ballroom and you can play the
Steinway for me. We haven't done that in a long time. We don't
have to talk about anything, just relax, and enjoy each others
company,� Kate said and Billy could feel the need in her words.
�Give me a one day notice, and I am yours, totally, for the
following e'nin from supper to midnight,� Billy promised.
�I'll hold you to it, Maestro,� Kate said the words sincerely and
smiled proudly, �Now what do you have for me?� she asked.
�Grandma, how much do you know about granddad's side of the
family?� Billy asked.
�Oh, I don't know, probably as much as any wife knows about her
husband,� Kate replied, �Why?� she asked.
�Was granddad an only child?� Billy asked almost afraid to hear
the answer.
�Well, yes and no,� Kate replied, �Yes, he grew up as an only
child, but he was born as one of a set of identical twins. The
other twin disappeared from their backyard when they were only
about a year old, and they never found him. The boy's mother was
home alone while her husband was away in France fighting in the
war. She was washing clothes one morning and put the boys in a
play pen under a big tree near her clothes line. She went into the
house to gather another load of wet clothes and by the time she
got back one of the boys was missing.
�She yelled and looked for him and barely caught a glimpse of a
man on horseback riding into the mesquite thickets heading down to
the river. She was distraught and called the Sheriff of the
county. They came out to investigate, and she told them what she
saw. It took them until the next morning to get a posse on
horseback together and go after the man. By that time, he was long
gone, and they lost his tracks. They gave up, but the sheriff told
her he would call the other towns around the area and ask them to
keep an eye out for a cowboy on horseback with a baby boy. No one
ever called.
�Your Great-grandma Daniels was so distraught, she lost all
confidence in herself to have and raise children. She refused to
have any more babies. She blamed herself. She saw herself as a
failure, and she never fully recovered. As a result, she wasted
away, and died young. Her last words on her deathbed was to ask
God and her missing son to forgive her,� Kate said looking at
Billy watching his face for clues. Kate set her cup down slowly,
looked up, and saw the awe and wonder in her Grandson's eyes. She
could read him like a book. �Tell me, Son, I'm stronger than you
think,� she said almost in a whisper.
�The lost has been found, Grandma. The unintended prodigal has
returned,� Billy said almost as quietly.
�Then Zelma's Angel's prophecy is being fulfilled and my
suspicions are correct,� Kate said like a statement, �The Colonel
is my late husband's twin brother,� she added.
�Prophecy? What prophecy? How could you know, Grandma?� Billy
asked.
�After her husband died, Zelma wrote me a long letter� almost a
novella, telling me about an experience she had where an Angel
came to visit her in her bedroom one night. She was about to
grieve herself to death. Zelma wasn't eating, she was drinking way
too much trying to drown her sorrow, and not taking care of
herself. I never allowed myself to believe a word of it, and I
forgot about it, until I got a call from her after you got your
wings and healed Randy. I went back and re-read her letter and
everything was happening the way she wrote about, including your
great uncle returning to become the corner stone and solid rock of
your foundation on Earth.
�Until his appearance, your life and your progress would be
singular. I won't tell you anymore, because it might upset the
balance of the future, and so far, the future is still unfolding
as described in the 'Z' document, as we named it. Zelma and I
decided the name 'Z' document has sort of a nice sci-fi, fantasy
fiction ring to it,� Kate said and giggled, �I knew it was your
great-uncle when I saw him walking up the drive. His walk and the
way he carried himself spoke volumes to me. The way he looked at
me; his voice; his use of cowboy idioms; and, if that wasn't
enough, he uses the same after-shave your granddad did which few
men use today, Lilac Vegetal,� Kate explained.
�You're amazing, Grandma. I told him before I tasted his DNA, he
reminded me so much of my granddad it was uncanny. One taste of
the Colonel's DNA rocked me and my men on our boot heels. Ain't no
doubt about it, he's a Daniels, and after we repaired and
refurbished him he looks like a carbon copy of granddad,� Billy
said, �Uncle Nathan and Mr. Garrett didn't think you could handle
the news,� Billy said.
�Fiddle-sticks! That's a spare-the-little-women projection on
their part, Son. That's so last century, but alas, I'm afraid in
the Hill Country, our clocks won't turn over to recognize the new
century until 2050. You know the old saying, Texas is fifty years
behind the rest of the country. The truth is, your uncle and his
better half ain't sure 'they' can handle the truth,� Kate snapped
back and grinned.
�I might have known you would be suspicious. If I've learned one
lesson in life, it is to never underestimate my grandmother,�
Billy said and they shared a laugh. �Is there anything in the
family records, Grandma?� he asked.
�Daws had boxes of family pictures, and if I recall correctly,
there were two baby books complete with locks of hair from each
boy,� Kate said, �They're downstairs in the basement in the safe.
We can go down and take a look,� she added.
�That would be great. If we could get DNA from the hair, it would
prove Hank Halfablap is my great uncle,� Billy said.
Billy and Kate walked down to the basement and Billy opened the
heavy door to the walk-in safe. They found the large box in a
corner and carried it back to the kitchen. Billy set it on the
table and they began to go through many years of memories. At the
bottom of the box were two blue baby books. One was labeled Daws
Butler Daniels and the other was labeled Oran Augustus Daniels.
Billy opened Oran's baby book first, and to his surprise, there
were two baby footprints, and two hand prints with perfectly
preserved finger prints. There was an envelope with several
strands of blond hairs. There were pictures of Oran alone and
pictures of him with his brother. There was only about five pages
and the last page read: 30 March 1938. Whereabouts unknown. May
the ancient voices guide your way, my Sweet Angel, to come home
safely to your family Oran.
Billy took several strands of Oran's hair and put it into a
plastic Ziploc bag Kate gave him, and he carefully labeled it with
a waterproof marker pen. He removed the page with the foot prints
and the finger prints. Billy placed it in a manila folder for him
to take to Aunt Helen. He would ask her to photocopy and enlarge
the prints. Billy also took several strands of his granddad's baby
hair and put it into another Ziploc bag and labeled it, too. Kate
wondered if Billy wasn't going a bit overboard with his genetic
sleuthing. On the other hand, she considered if it was important
to make a point, one should probably seek every manner of means at
your disposal to produce the desired results, and when it came to
family, Billy was like a starving dog fighting for a juicy bone.
They sat for a moment smiling at each other. �You're amazing,
Grandma. Every boy should be so lucky,� Billy said quietly.
�When do you plan to bring the Colonel's ladies to the big house
for refurbishing?� she asked.
�Would tomorrow be inconvenient for you?� Billy asked.
�Not soon enough,� Kate replied and winked wickedly at Billy, �An
old woman can dream can't she?� she asked, and they shared a
wicked laugh together.
�You wouldn't!� Billy challenged her.
�No, I married the right twin. I'll remain faithful to him, but it
won't hurt none to stir my juices. And don't sit there with that
smug look on your face. Knowing the way you idolized and worshiped
Daws, I saw the crush in your eyes, and I felt the hunger in your
soul when you looked at the Colonel like he was a fresh baked hen,
hot from the oven. You won't rest until you've had yourself a
little taste,� Kate said and grinned.
�Too late, Grandma,� Billy said and laughed, �I sinned against the
goodness of my gifts. We made a bond, cowboy to cowboy, and sealed
our troth with a kiss. I charged the Colonel for my services to
return his genitals to his body. We agreed, I would be his catcher
for his first hot batch of baby batter,� Billy said and grinned.
�There ain't nothing wrong with that; better than spilling it on
the ground. There's too much made of two people sharing a little
comfort between them. Your agreed bond was certainly more holy
than many a priest can claim,� Kate said firmly and smiled. �Did
you ever catch for your granddad?� Kate asked bluntly.
Billy was somewhat surprised by the question, but then he realized
he shouldn't be. They were talking intimately. �I was too young,
Grandma. I was only ten years old. I hadn't even shot my first
bullet out my little gun, but I was already experiencing the need
for a strong male bond between us. Suddenly, it was ripped away
from me, and as you know, I was devastated. After the puberty
monster discovered me hiding behind my closet door in my bedroom,
you can't imagine the number of times I manipulated myself
dreaming of having my granddad make love to me or me providing him
with a little cowboy comfort. I never meant to move into your
territory, but granddad became the god of masculinity in my
adolescent imagination. I refused to let him go, but I didn't know
how else to conjure him.
�Granddad was my fantasy cowboy hero. I worshiped him. I liked
Hoppy, Gene, Lash, Rocky Lane, and Roy real good, but my main
cowboy was Daws Butler Daniels. Granddad was more cowboy than them
men put together. Why do you think I wanted them old pairs of his
boots? My smaller feet would swim around in them boots, but they
excited me because I was wearing the boots of my god. I'd
manipulate myself until I shot my load. I also hid away a number
of pieces of his clothes, from dirty Wranglers, socks,
undershirts, and western shirts he wore. I kept them in my closet
and pulled them on to imagine he was with me and surrounding me
with his love and comfort. For a while, I could almost feel his
presence. I would close my eyes and dream of him holding me. My
granddad was the man I always wanted to become. I held on to those
fantasies and dreams much longer than I should have, but I didn't
know no better. Life, to me, became one big take-away after
another, until I got the Devil dropped into my lap, and I
surrendered my little boy to him,� Billy said, and they shared a
laugh.
�Nick and Boomer have been wonderful for you. I don't think it was
until then I watched you start to become your own man. I have no
complaints about your family, Billy,� Kate said, �As good as Nick
is to you, he ain't no Devil. Family's should be defined by their
love for each other and their good works, not whose bed they sleep
in,� she added.
�Amen, to that, Grandma,� Billy agreed.
* * * * * * *
As soon as Billy went through the gate to the Falcon's Lair, he
pressed Oatie's number.
�Hey, Little Brother, what's up?� Oatie answered.
�You coming wiff' Jethro for breakfast tomorrow morning before you
go to the clinic?� Billy asked.
�I's planing on it,� Oatie replied.
�Good, I got some baby hair samples to send with the blood,� Billy
said, �Two bags, one wiff' Hank's, and the other hair sample is my
granddad's,� he added.
�Damn, if they's a match, there ain't no doubt,� Oatie said.
�That ain't all. I got hand, fingers, feet, and toe, baby prints,
of my lost uncle,� Billy said.
�Wow! That should wrap it up for sure. You worried there might be
a fly in the ointment, Little Brother?� Billy asked.
�No, I'm ninety-nine point forty-four one-hundred percent sure the
Colonel's my great uncle, but I just wanna' hit a home-run on this
one,� Billy said.
�I think I can understand, Cowboy. We got chore' back, Brother,�
Oatie said, �See you in the morning,� Oatie said, and they
disconnected.
* * * * * * *
Billy went upstairs to his and Nick's bedroom. He opened the door
quietly not to disturb his pa, but Nick was sitting naked on the
big leather couch watching a DVD. Billy walked behind the sofa,
leaned over, put his arms around the big, rough looking
Cowboy-Angel, and bussed a kiss on his cheek. Nick raised his hand
to caress Billy's head, �You finished, Kemosabe?� Nick asked
hitting the pause button on the remote.
�Yes, thank some unknown god, I'm in for the night. I'm totally
yorn. Is there anything I can do for my pa, my beloved Tonto, this
e'nin? Will he be requiring my services?� Billy asked and stole
another kiss.
�We ain't done us one a them heavy-duty, balls-out Kagoli demon
fuck-fest in sometime. You ready to ride the demon stallion from
Hell, Buckaroo?� Nick asked and grinned wickedly.
�We always sleep so much better for several nights after one of
them exhaustive demon marathons. Let's do it, Tonto!� Billy
exclaimed as he started to throw off his clothes and head for the
shower.
�Nix on the shower, Kemosabe! You know how much you enjoy the
heightened male Kagoli demon body odors. They turn you into an
animal,� Nick said and Billy grinned.
�Right! Fuck it! Morph into my beloved monster stallion, Tonto. I
will become your Kagoli slave and worship at your big red feet,�
Billy said.
�You promise to suck your master's toes, Slave?� Nick growled.
�I'll suck anything on your hot body I can get my Kagoli demon
lips around, Tonto,� Billy responded. He kicked his boots off,
took off his Wranglers, ripped off his shirt, and morphed into a
Kagoli demon himself. They already left the launch pad and were
heavy into their passion when Billy's cell phone rang. They
stopped for a minute to look at each other. �Fuck! Should I
answer, Tonto?� Billy asked.
�See who's calling,� Nick replied.
Billy got his phone from his western shirt. �Oh, shit! It's Bart
Langstrom. Bart would never bother me unless it was important,�
Billy said to Nick. He pressed the button to receive, and then put
it on speaker so Nick could hear both sides of the conversation,
�You got, Billy! Speak to me, Little Brother!� he answered.
�Master Billy, the Colonel just got a call from his daughter on
his ranch. His wife just died, and she called to ask him what she
should do. I told him to tell her he'd call her back in a minute
so's I could have a chance to contact you. He's sitting here
weeping,� Bart said.
�You got chore' speaker on, Son?� Billy asked.
�Yes, Sir,� Bart replied.
�Don't bother to dress. You and the Colonel go next door and shout
there's an emergency and Master Billy needs ten Cowboy-Angels or
more on the double. Tell them not to bother dress'n if'n they's
naked, and meet me and Captain Nick in the dungeon, ASAP. Then you
men come down with them. Understand, Son?� Billy asked.
�We're on our way, Master Billy. We'll meet you there, sir,� Bart
said and disconnected.
�Come on, Colonel. We got us some work to do,� Bart barked.
�It's no use, Son. She's dead,� the Colonel said through his
tears.
�Y'ain't dealing with no ordinary paramedics, Colonel. Look what
Master Billy and his men done for you. He can save your wife's
life. I seen him do it before; more'n once't! Now, get your big
jar-head ass off that bed, stop feel'n sorry for yourself, pull
yourself together, and come wiff' me! That's an order, Colonel!�
Bart shouted at him at the top of his voice.
The Colonel looked up at the young cowboy like he just slapped him
across his face and gave him a reality check. Hank grinned from
ear to ear. �Thanks, Son! I deserved that! You're right! If
there's even a slim chance, it's a damn sight better than nothing
at all,� the Colonel said.
They ran next door and Bart yelled who and what he needed. �Don't
bother to grab your pants!� he shouted.
Hank, Buck, Marcus, Wilbur, Zeke, Balthazar, Clyde, Cowboy Andy,
Grover, Slipweasel, Rumdum, Garth, Mack, Meat, Gabriel, Michael,
Raphael, and several others were ready to go. Most were naked.
They didn't bother to run down the back steps. Clyde opened a
gate, and they stepped through. They found two enormous Kagoli
demons waiting for them. They stood and watched as Billy and Nick
transformed back into their human form. Despite his anxiety, the
Colonel got a big smile on his face. It was all so bizarre. No one
in the government would believe a word of what he just witnessed.
They would lock him up in a padded cell and throw away the key.
�Call your daughter, Colonel! And put her on speaker!� Billy
barked at him.
The Colonel did as he was told and a soft female voice answered,
�It's Daddy, Sweetheart. I want you to do exactly what I tell you.
Leave your phone on and walk out the back door,� he said as calmly
as possible.
�Why, Daddy?� she asked.
�No time to explain. Just trust me, Jennifer, and do what I tell
you, Sweetheart. It's important!� the Colonel barked at her.
�All right, Daddy. You don't have to yell at me,� she said and
headed to the rear of the big ranch house. She walked out into the
warm summer night, and she could see the stars shining brightly.
�I'm in the backyard, Daddy,� she said.
�Good! That's my girl! Now leave your phone on and look for a
bright blue gate to spring up on your right, Sweetheart,� he said.
�Billy did a quick calculation and opened a gate about twelve feet
away from the Colonel's daughter.
�I see it, Daddy!� she said and Billy motioned for the Colonel to
lead the way. Hank went through the gate and walked over to his
daughter, Jennifer. The Colonel had his pants on, but was
barefooted and wore no shirt. He looked different to his daughter,
but she knew it had to be him. He was followed by about fifteen
naked men of all sizes and ages and several Bigfoot monsters. One
was pushing what looked like a gurney, only it didn't have any
wheels, and floated through the air. One of the men even had a set
of colorful wings. She thought he looked like an angel whose
mother might have been fucked by a parrot.
�Daddy, I'm so glad you're here, but who are these men?� she
asked.
�No time to explain everything. We still got time to save your
mother,� the Colonel replied.
�Let's wing up out here, Gentlemen,� Billy said to his posse. They
disappeared and reappeared with their magnificent wings.
�You brought angels to save mother, Daddy?� she asked.
�Yeah, I'll explain everything later, but right now, take them to
your mother, Darling,� the Colonel used his best military voice
and his daughter complied.
* * * * * * *
Bart stayed with the Colonel to keep him company while his
daughter escorted Billy and his naked posse of angels into the
house and to her mother's bedroom. Two old ranch hands, Deek
Swanson and Bafra Bootles, who worked for the Halfablaps for many
years came walking up from the bunkhouse hidden from the big house
by an overgrown mesquite thicket. The Colonel's old man, Baug
Hiefferinablaupt, hired them when Hank started his junior year in
college, and they were still working the ranch. They heard the
hubbub and came to see what was going on. They managed to get
their boots and hats on, but they were only wearing their white
long john's. Each one had a shotgun in his hand. Their eyesight
wasn't too good, and they had to squint to see what was going on.
They saw naked men running from some kind of mysterious gate and
several monsters followed by an angel with colorful wings.
�What the Hell is that thing, and who are them men, Deek?� Bafra
asked his partner.
�Fuck! I don't know, Brother. You think we should shoot and ask
questions later?� Deek asked.
�We might hit one of them men or that cowboy with them outrageous
wings, Deek, and I don't want to have to answer to God or Jesus
why I done went and shot one of his angels,� Bafra replied.
�Good point, Brother,� Deek said.
About that time one of the men and a young cowboy waved, hollered
their names, and they recognized the Colonel. �Well I'll be
damned, if'n it ain't the Colonel what come wiff' them men,� Bafra
said, "He shore' looks different.
The two men walked up to the old cowhands and the Colonel
introduced Bart. The Colonel explained what was going on, for them
to go back to the bunkhouse, and go to bed. He came to get his
sick wife and take her to a hospital. It was an emergency, and
they didn't have time to send a Medivac chopper. The Colonel
decided to use some new-fangled top-secret troop moving device to
get to the ranch and back by just walking through a gate. The
Colonel told them he didn't have time to explain everything, but
he promised he would when he returned. He planned to make a visit
to the ranch within the next couple of days depending on his
wife's progress. He planned to take his daughter with them so he
wanted them to watch the place for the family. They promised they
would and returned to their bunkhouse.
After the Cowboy-Angels gathered in the small room and began to
bring Mrs. Wilma Halfablap around from the dead, the Colonel took
his daughter to the living room and talked quietly with her.
�Daddy, I could swear that young naked cowboy who seems in charge
of those other angels looks like Billy Daniels. Mother and I never
miss one of his Barnyard Concerts. We've become quite fond of him.
He reminds me of you when you were a younger man. Mother told me
she's almost sure, Billy Daniels is an angel,� she said.
�It is Billy Daniels, Sweetheart. And your mother was right, he is
an angel. I'm staying on his ranch for a few days, and we'll take
you and your mother there. He and his angels will cure you and
your mother of your cancer. They will enhance you and give you
another chance at life,� Hank told his daughter.
�Is that why your scars are gone, and you look so much younger?�
she asked.
�Yes, and see my right hand,� he said, as he held it up and flexed
it for her, �Master Billy and his band of angels grew me a new
hand, a new leg, and they replaced your father's manhood, Dear,�
he said and Hank's voice brightened, �I'm bigger and better than
ever,� Hank bragged.
�I'll just bet mother will love to hear that,� Jennifer said
rolling her eyes. It was so unexpected she got a laugh out of her
hard-nosed military father.
�Why would you say a thing like that?� Hank asked.
�She told me when you lost your manhood she was going to buy some
mortar and a trowel to plaster her vagina shut, and hang a sign on
it that says, 'Permanently Out Of Order,'� Jennifer replied, and
they shared a nervous laugh.
�That poor dear, the loss of my manhood must have come as a great
disappointment for her,� Hank lamented.
�I don't think that's the way she meant it, Dad,� Jennifer said.
�Oh, � I see,� the Colonel said and his face fell like a slowly
deflating balloon. He didn't comment further. Hank's masculinity
took a direct hit, his ego suffered a flame-out, the ground was
rushing up to meet him, and if that wasn't bad enough, his eject
button failed. At that very moment he felt a deep empathy for Wile
E. Coyote.
�I'm sorry, Dad, I thought you knew. Mother looked on her
impending death as her great escape. She was ready to go,�
Jennifer said quietly.
�What's wrong with this picture? I get granted a reprieve by some
cowboys enhanced by ancient aliens. For some terrible things what
happened to me over the years, I was offered a new start, I
accepted, and got me a new lease on life. I thought sure your
mother would want to share it with me. Damnation, Daughter! My
whole world has become topsy-turvy; angels rush in where fools
would never tread. I guess I'm the biggest fool, but that ain't
what's important here. I couldn't let Wilma die knowing there was
a chance Billy Daniels and his angels could save her,� Hank
lamented,�What was I suppose to do? Let her die, like a cowboy
would put-down an old horse past its worth, and claim she had a
good run? Whatever the outcome of our intervention, if she wants a
life without me, so be it. I'll admit I weren't a very good
husband to her,� he added.
�I shouldn't have said anything,� Jennifer lamented and pulled a
kerchief from her pocket and daubed her eyes, �Mother grew
paranoid and became deathly afraid of being alone. That's why I
never got married. Someone had to take care of her. When she came
down with cancer and none of the treatments worked, mother
resigned herself, it was for the best. When I got cancer, I shared
her misery. I knew my life was over. I would never have any other
options. I would never marry, and I would never have children.
Fortunately, I don't have long to feel bitter about my life. My
last trip to the doctors, they told me not to come back. They've
done all they can,� she said quietly.
�I'm so sorry, Jennifer. I don't know what to say. I thought your
mother loved me,� Hank said and Jennifer watched one tear fall
from her dad's eye and roll down his cheek. She offered him her
kerchief. Hank took it and wiped his tear away.
�You were away so much of the time...� Jennifer started, but
paused, choosing her words carefully, �We expected you to retire
from the service and come home to become a rancher twenty years
ago, but you kept putting it off another five to ten years. If a
garden isn't tended regularly, it slowly withers and dies,� she
said, �And so does a ranch. Deek and Bafra are so old, they can
barely saddle their horses and ride them without an accident which
incapacitates them for weeks. I began to wonder if the Marine
Corps came to represent your lost manhood, and it was the only
place you could feel masculine and powerful,� she added.
�You're probably right. I won't deny it might have been a major
part of it. I thought, why should I go home? I couldn't satisfy
your mother. The only place I could be a man was in the Corps, but
that's in the past. Wouldn't you like to have another chance,
Daughter?� Hank asked.
�To spend another twenty or thirty years taking care of my mother
on a secluded ranch in the middle of nowhere? Thanks, but I don't
think so, Dad. Been there! Done that! I love my mother dearly, or
I never would have stayed with her this long. I've done my part.
I've been a good daughter. I sacrificed my life for her and
indirectly for you. I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but tell your
angels to keep their hands off me. Just let me die!� Jennifer said
bitterly.
There was a long silence between them. �No, I won't!� Hank said
firmly, �For all the mistakes I've made, I'm still your father. If
your mother survives, whatever happens between us, doesn't involve
you. If she made those impositions on you to stay home and devote
your life to her care, no matter her mental state, then she
certainly isn't without her own guilt. Save a couple of them
stones from that pile you gathered to throw at me and toss a
couple her way. Her sins went against the laws of nature; after
all, birds gotta' fly; fish gotta' swim. Her mental state not
withstanding, you can't claim she was the best parent she could
have been.
�I'm not angry with your mother over this revelation. I won't lie
to you, Jennifer, I'm disappointed. I envisioned a new start for
Wilma and me, but I will let her go with no prejudice if it's what
she wants. No, on second thought, it isn't just what 'she' wants.
In the name of some unknown god, I won't suffer her rejection
without equal consideration on her part. As the words from an old
hymn goes, I once was blind, but now I see. It could never be the
same with us again. I plan to take a different path, and it will
not include her. Neither will I discuss it with her. She's made up
her mind. I'm a Colonel and a cowboy, but I'm not a beggar.
Wilma's on her own. I will see to it, both of you are financially
secure, and you will have a good life. I can meet my
responsibility to you and your mother by providing you with a
comfortable cushion, but I can't guarantee happiness. Happiness by
it's own nature must be left to the individual.
�One thing I've come to learn recently is everyone deserves a
piece of the pie, and the only answer is compassion. I will make
sure your mother is comfortable. As far as you and I are
concerned, with the assurance of a better future, I can rise above
disappointment and find new happiness for myself and so can you,
Jenny. You will be free of disease, look twenty to thirty years
younger, and you can start over again,� Hank said and took
Jennifer's hand in his, �Accept the bounty. Look on it as your
reward for having been a good daughter,� he said and smiled.
�Can they really do those things, Dad?� Jennifer asked.
�How old do I look to you?� Hank asked.
�It's hard to say in this light. Thirty-five or forty, maybe a
year or two older,� Jenny replied, �You look better than you did
before you went to Vietnam,� she added.
�You saw the Cowboy-Angel with the multi-colored wings who walked
through the gate. How old do you think he is?� Hank asked.
�Early forties?� she replied.
�He's seventy-three, Darling,� Hank said and smiled.
�Even if I look younger, I'm not sure I could go out into the
world on my own and find someone to love me,� Jenny said.
�You'll never know until you try, Sweetheart, but I plan to make
damn sure you have the opportunity if it's what you want,� Hank
promised.
�Let's not get the cart before the horse. I'll wait to see how
mother responds,� Jennifer said.
Billy came out of the house. Hank introduced his youngest
daughter, Jennifer, to him. �We managed to revive Mrs. Halfablap
and gave her enough to stabilize her. We need to take her back to
our ranch and let her rest until morning. Tomorrow we can heal and
refurbish her. Everyone needs some rest and you look like you
could use a good night's sleep, Miss Jennifer. We will be happy to
remove your cancer and give you back the years you took care of
your mother, but you should have time to think about it,� Billy
said quietly. He could tell by Hank and Jennifer's auras they were
unsettled and Jennifer was unsure.
Jennifer agreed she would go with her mother, but she would have
to think about Billy's offer. She asked her dad and his companion,
Bart Langstrom, if they would carry her mother's and her bags
through the gate. She kept two bags packed for such an occasion.
The major portion of the Billy's posse, including Billy himself,
departed for the Daniels ranch but they left the gate open for the
Colonel and Bart who stayed behind to close up the house. It
didn't take them long. Bart worked side by side with Hank and
exchanged light conversation.
�Can you open gates, Son?� the Colonel asked.
�Yes, sir, but once you become fledged as an Angel, during the
time your body is adjusting to your wings, me or any Cowboy-Angel
can teach you to physically jump from place to place without a
gate. Once't you get the hang of it, and do it several times, h'it
ain't hard. We use gates for convenience, so's we don't have to
wing-up,� Bart replied.
�Are you happy living as a Cowboy-Angel with the Daniels' family,
Son,� Hank asked.
�I'm happier than I got words to express, Colonel. I thank them
ancients, and the better, more compassionate intelligent beings in
the universe every morning when I wake up. I'm part of a family I
love, and trust. I'm confident they love and appreciate me for
what small talents I bring to them. They gave me another chance at
life. Master Billy transformed me from a castaway cripple in a
convalescent home, where I probably would have remained for the
rest of my life, into a strong, capable, ready to learn, Cowboy.
Who wouldn't love people like them, sir?� Bart asked.
�I agree, Son. Who indeed?� Hank asked in reply.
They locked the front door of the ranch house, walked through the
gate, Bart shut it down behind them, and the Cowboy-Angel and the
Marine Corps Colonel climbed the stairs from the dungeon to Bart's
room in the giant's apartments.
* * * * * * *
Billy and his posse took a moment when they returned to get
dressed before they opened the final gate to take Mrs. Wilma
Halfablap and her daughter, Jennifer, to the big house. The ladies
were awake and waiting for them. They fixed up a small two bedroom
apartment on the back side of the house down from the kitchen past
Roz Cumber's room. There was a small sitting room, and a full bath
between the two rooms. It was warm, inviting, and comfortable.
Wilma was in a deep sleep, but they gently transferred her to a
nice comfortable bed and left one of the young Irin women to sit
with her for the night. The Irin cowgirl was in training to be a
nurse. They showed Jennifer her room, and she was pleasantly
surprised it was nice and comfortable. The Daniels ladies thought
of everything. Jennifer thanked them and got ready for bed. It was
a long, emotionally exhausting day, and because of her failing
strength, she was exhausted.
* * * * * * *
In Bart's room, the two men readied themselves for bed. Bart let
the Colonel shower first. After the Colonel finished, Bart went in
to take care of his evening routine. When Bart returned he noticed
the Colonel was standing naked before the large, floor to ceiling
mirror in the room admiring his own image. Bart smiled to himself
and thought the older Warrior had every right to admire himself. A
few hours before, he was a mess. Bart's heart went out to him, and
he had to admit, the new Colonel was an impressively attractive
male package. Bart removed his damp towel and threw it into the
hamper in the closet. Bart gathered the Colonel's and threw it in
the hamper on top of his. He moved to the side just behind the
Colonel to get a good view of his backside as well as his
exceptionally well-hung front.
�You're a new man, Colonel. Them cowboys did a wonderful job
restoring your body, sir. How do you feel?� Bart asked.
�Thank you, Son. I appreciate your kind words. I feel like a new
man just coming into his prime,� Hank said, and turned, revealing
his masculine glory. The Colonel looked at Bart like he was
looking into his soul, �Son, I need to know something about you.
Us military type can be brutally blunt sometimes so forgive me, I
don't mean to be insensitive by what I'm about to ask you, but do
you prefer men or women?� the Colonel asked.
Bart neither hesitated nor looked upset by Hank's question, �My
honest answer is, I'm undecided, sir. I ain't never been with a
woman or a man. I'm a virgin to both, and I'm twenty-eight years
old. Most cowboys would be ashamed to admit it, but you gotta'
consider, I done spent a number of years paralyzed from my waist
down from a bull riding incident at our local rodeo. The bull won.
I think a lot of men become cowboys because they don't want to be
with women, but are too afraid of the male-squared sex-stigma.
They become cowboys because the image of the silent, stoic,
rough-edged, hard-working loner goes unquestioned as the epitome
of a strong, brave, Western man; and, as long as a cowboy does a
good day's work, nobody gives a damn what his personal sexual
preferences might be or what church he attends.
�I'm uncomfortable around women because I ain't never been taught
how to act. I don't go around them much because I'm afraid of
making a fool of myself, but when I am around them, I feel like a
cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. I prefer
the company of men. I feel more comfortable around men. Here on
the Daniels Ranch, I see men who are bonded and seem very much in
love with each other, and I ain't ashamed to admit it piques my
interest. I'd be a liar if'n I's to say I ain't curious about it.
I can't take advantage of the weight-lifting room because I'm
prone to get erections when I'm around that many good looking
naked men. I suspect there may be a reason I ain't considered.
Forgive me, sir, but in the same spirit of bluntness, why do you
ask, Colonel?� Bart asked.
�Nothing to forgive. You have every right to ask, Son. This may
sound crazy, but since Master Billy and his posse repaired and
enhanced me, my mind has been opened to many new ideas I never
would let myself consider before,� Hank said, "and there's just
something about your cowboy butt what keeps my new pony aroused
and starts my brain to think'n some terrible nasty thoughts," he
added.
�It don't sound crazy to me, sir. Neither does it sound nasty.
After Master Billy healed and enhanced me, I experienced the same
thing. I understand what you're talking about. I have the same
thoughts. I've thought about other men in the castle and wondered
what it would be like to lie down with them, but I'm too
inexperienced and fundamentally shy to talk with anybody about it.
I mostly keep myself busy so's I don't allow myself time to think
about things like 'at, but every now and again, them nasty
thoughts creep into my mind, too, and it upsets Little Bart
Junior, some'um fierce,� Bart admitted and smiled.
�To my way of thinking, he ain't so little, Son. I think I'll call
him Bubba Bart, the one-eyed bandit,� the Colonel said as he
looked at Bart's cock and grinned.
�Bubba Bart? I like that name better, Master Halfablap. I got me a
good buddy, Brent Sparks, who lives in town. He comes out on
weekends with his little dog, and they share my room with me.
They's good company. Brent was good to me and befriended me when
the rest of the world forgot about me in the rest home. He came by
several times a week to visit, read to me, or play games. If there
was a good movie at the local theater, on Saturday nights, he
would take me to see it. He bought me a used computer in good
shape, refurbished it, put in a new operating system, and taught
me how to use it. To say it was a 'god-send' to open new doors of
communication with the outside world for me, wouldn't be strong
enough. I think Brent might be a gay man, but it's never been
discussed between us. Ain't none of my business. Brent is a
gentleman. He would never consider taking advantage of a cripple,
and I don't need to know his preferences one way or t'other. It
don't matter none noways. He's my friend. We definitely have a
brotherly affection for each other. I ain't ashamed of it, but
just between you and me, I don't care to share my bed with my
brother. It would be like incest between Brent and me,� Bart said
and grinned.
�I understand. Would an old refurbished Marine Corps Colonel
qualify as a contender for your curiosity, Son?� Hank asked
spreading his open hands from his powerful body like he was
inviting Bart to take a good look and decide.
�Absolutely, sir. Without a doubt. You're my fantasy image of a
dad I ain't never had. I know I'm probably taking a risk of
scaring you away, but it's why I volunteered to share my room with
you, so's I could be in your presence and pretend I was your boy;
however, I never would have suggested such a thing other than to
offer my hospitality, sir,� Bart replied.
�I know you wouldn't. You're a cowboy, and you believe in the
cowboy way. I have no problem with your image of me. As a matter
of fact, I find it a right-nice compliment. It makes my tired old
heart feel warm and fuzzy inside. I ain't never had me a son or a
grandson. Maybe we could help each other, Bart. As you know, I
done had me a rough evening, and I'm feeling a bit vulnerable
right now. That sounds pert-damn wimpy, like something a jilted
woman might say. It's certainly not a comment you'd expect to hear
from an old, hard-nosed, no nonsense, bad-ass, Marine Corps
Colonel; however, if the boot fits, I was taught early-on, a
cowboy should own-up and wear it. I come to find out today, the
life I been living all these years is a lie, but the worst part
is, it's mostly my fault. My house of cards I done built over the
years has come falling down around me. Ain't a card left standing.
I poorly mismanaged a healthy balance between the military, my
family, and the beholding to the roots of my belonging. I didn't
know when to quit the Corps. I should have retired twenty years
ago at the latest and went home to my family to do what I do best,
just being a cowboy.
�I been given a second chance, and here I am standing in the dead
center of a four-way crossroad. In my mind, I imagine it to be
somewhere smack-dab in the middle of Kansas surrounded by a sea of
tall corn as far as the eye can see, and I ain't got me a gotdamn
clue which way to go. At this moment, I ain't never felt more
alone in my frick'n life. A military man without a battle plan is
dead in the water. All I got for my devotion to the Marines, and
the armed forces in general, was a broken body of no use to my
wife and family, and a bunch of medals I couldn't even pawn for a
good meal. I need to be close to somebody this evening and hold
them in my arms like a life-buoy thrown to a drowning man from a
sinking ship, and I can't think of nobody I'd rather be close to
and have them hold me than the handsome young Cowboy-Angel who so
graciously offered to share his room. I promise I will be an
officer and a gentleman. I'll hold you close, and maybe steal a
kiss or two, but if you find me to your like'n, you're more than
welcome to steal 'em back again.
�I might move my artillery into position during the night, and you
may feel my new canon resting comfortably in the valley of yore'
petite mounds insinuating a rear assault, but I assure you, it
will only be a show of power. A big gun should be kept warm until
ready for use. By the rules of the Geneva Convention, Boy, I
promise, I won't make an advance to take advantage of my position.
I would never do such a thing until we got to know each other much
better, and I was convinced it was something we both want, we both
need, and our bonding becomes so important, we can't wait another
minute. I respect you too damn much to force myself on you. If'n
it ain't freely given, I don't want it. I got me a feeling, if you
find me worthy, and consent to my courtship, the day may come when
you will gladly give yourself to me. If we decided to follow that
path, when I think you're ready, I will consider taking you for my
boy. We will draw up a plan of action and begin to work together.
Over time, I will train you how to take care of and please your
Chief of Staff. But before we draw up battle plans and launch a
full scale operation, would you consider doing me the great honor
this evening of sharing a bed with this newly refurbished old war
horse, Son?� Hank asked and smiled like a man without a country.
�Certainly, Colonel. It would be my pleasure, sir. I would be
honored to share my bed with you,� Bart replied.
�Then do me another honor and call me, Hank, Son,� the Colonel
said.
�Hank it is, sir� in private,� Bart agreed, �I beg your pardon,
but I reserve the right to call you Colonel or Master when I feel
the moment calls for my respect,� Bart added.
�Agreed! Ain't never heard it put no better'n 'nat, Son. As a new
recruit, you show promise,� Hank said, smiled, and opened his arms
for the young cowboy.
Bart moved into the larger man's arms and threw his around Hank.
Bart laid his head on the Colonel's massive chest and let out a
sigh. �Does it feel as right for you as it does for me, Son?� Hank
asked.
�Better, Master Hank, much better,� Bart replied, �But I have one
final 'brutally blunt' question for you, sir,� Bart said.
�What's 'zat, Son?� the Colonel asked.
�Does as much bullshit come out chore' ass as it does your mouth,
sir?� Bart asked.
�That bad, huh, Son?� Hank asked, and broke up laughing
�Naw, sir, I done heard worse. I's just see'n if you can laugh at
yourself. You passed the test. Ever' last word you said was like
listen'n to cowboy poetry for me, Hank. I had my doubts about you
being a real honest-to-god cowboy, but not anymore. That speech
could only come from a home grown Texas buckaroo. It's time you
give up that set of wings what failed you when you needed them the
most, and grow a pair what won't never let you down. It's time to
come home to your roots, Colonel,� Bart said firmly.
�You're right, Son, and that ain't no bullshit on either of our
parts. Retiring my commission will be the second step I take to
get me out of that cornfield in Kansas,� Hank said.
�And your first step would be?� Bart asked.
�To give you a buckaroo kiss what will melt your cowboy heart and
curl your toenails,� Hank replied and pulled the handsome
Cowboy-Angel into a lip-lock which lasted several minutes. Neither
seemed in too big a hurry to break it off, but Hank finally did.
After a little more banter, they went to bed and Hank was good to
his word. He was a gentleman as well as a fine officer. Aside from
a few more kisses on both their parts, they drifted off to sleep.
Bart slept most of the night being held by the big Marine Colonel
and got the best night's sleep he had in a while. Hank swore he
hadn't slept so well in years.
They were awakened early in the morning by someone in Bart's room
trying to be quiet. Bart saw it was Hank and Buck. They brought
the Colonel western clothes for the day and left them folded on
the dresser and a nice new pair of boots Buck set by the chair.
Before they left, they told the men the staff in the dinning hall
would start serving breakfast in thirty minutes.
* * * * * * *
Billy and his posse were already in the dinning hall with the
Isobel and Devers families. It looked more like a great family
gathering. The young ones were eating with the adults. Little
Danny Devers and Sherry Isobel were hooked up to their favorite
watcher's teat sucking away like it might be their last meal for a
while. The Devers decide to leave Danny with the Daniels. Billy
planned to take him up to the big house to be with Kate and the
other ladies when they went up to take care of the Halfablap
women. Little Sherry was much better and Bryan Isobel and his wife
were jubilant. Billy took advantage of the early hour and slipped
the packages of baby hair to Oatie to add to his other Daniels
family package to send to the lab in Houston. Billy talked Ruth
Rutherford into letting Randy and Kayla stay the week with his
family due to unexpected happenings in which they were working to
help keep things in order.
�You two got anything for me this morning?� Billy asked Randy and
Kayla.
Kayla looked at Randy, and he nodded for her to speak, �Randy put
in a request to his go-between with the Irin for the information
you need, Master Billy. They spoke with Ramrod Quigley and he
assured them we would have us a DVD before six p.m.� Kayla said.
�Good. We don't wanna' overdo our requests with them, but they
certainly are a great resource to have when we need them. I got me
a feeling, we might need them more in the future,� Billy said.
Randy and Kayla agreed with him.
When the Colonel, his host and chaperon, Bart Langstrom, came into
the hall, Billy stood and the other men automatically stood in
respect. Hank Halfablap and his young cowboy escort positively
glowed and Billy could see their auras surrounding them moving in
and out of their magnetic fields like they were caressing and
making love to each other. The younger members of Billy's family
could see them too and got big smiles on their faces. Billy
grinned, started clapping, and the other men joined him. The two
cowboys blushed and bowed to the men in the hall.
�Thanks for the cowboy civvies, Master Billy. I feel more at
home,� the Colonel said.
�You men look great. I take it you got a good night's sleep?�
Billy asked as everyone sat back down.
�Best sleep I had in years. Looking forward to today and tomorrow.
What's on your docket for the day?� Hank asked.
�First, we take care of your wife, and then your daughter. They're
having breakfast up to the big house with my grandmother and her
ladies. We'll go up after our breakfast. Would you like to
accompany us to see your wife before we work on her, Colonel?�
Billy asked.
�While I appreciate the consideration, that won't be necessary. I
will see her after she's had some time to recover and is stronger.
The same for my daughter. Jennifer and I said our piece with each
other last night. I'm sure my daughter will relay our conversation
to her mother. Ain't much more to say, but I would appreciate it
if you keep me posted,� the Colonel said.
�Certainly, sir. Is our young cowboy being a good host, Master
Halfablap?� Billy asked.
�I only have good words for Mr. Langstrom. He's a man among men;
an excellent host, a well-met, intelligent spokesman for your
family, and an excellent all-around man Friday. He's been quite
considerate and helpful. If he was a Marine, I would put in a
command order to place him on my staff immediately,� Hank
complimented Bart.
�You're more than welcome to come to the big house where our
ladies have made a nice, comfortable room to repair and refurbish
the ladies. You're welcome to watch our progress with your wife
and daughter,� Billy offered again.
�Thank you for your gracious offer, but I will see them later,
sir. For this morning, I would like to offer my help to the young
ones who were abducted. Have you taken their information and
debriefed them, sir?� Hank asked.
�Lord no, we been so disorganized because of everything going on.
We're barely keeping our heads above water. We're doing good to
get some of the younger ones together and either ship them off to
their families or make arrangements for their families to drive to
the ranch to pick them up. So far, we've only managed to connect
three boys with their folks, but only one girl. We're getting
calls and e-mails from all over the country with pictures and
names of lost children. The numbers are staggering, and it makes
us wonder just how many are being abducted and never seen or heard
from again,� Billy said.
�I would like to offer my help, but I would also appreciate it if
I might have access to abduction numbers. Maybe we could break the
figures down into areas of greatest abduction reports. With your
permission, I would also like to take the figures back to Houston.
I may be called to Washington, and I would like to have some
figures for them. I don't know if they'll do anything. They're
still debunking UFO sightings and making fun of anyone who reports
strange phenomena. However, sometimes they can be swayed by
numbers,� Hank said, �I'm afraid the bottom line of our new
administration is, if it don't concern us or our corporate
masters, it ain't worth looking into,� Hank added.
�More's the pity,� Billy lamented, and paused for a moment as if
he were considering something, or listening to a faraway voice.�We
gratefully accept your generous offer to help with our abductees,
Colonel. I'll leave them in your and Bart's capable hands,� Billy
said and smiled.
The two NSA men, Bryan Isobel and Bill Devers, cornered the
Colonel before they were about to gate back to their homes in
Houston to start their day. �We need a coherent cover story when
we get back, Colonel. Got any ideas, sir?� Bryan asked.
�What about the other two men?� Hank asked.
�They already told us they'll go along and 'A-men' whatever we say
as god's gospel truth. They fell in love with the ranch as much as
we did. They wanna' return, and you can't very well do that and
kill the goose what laid the golden egg,� Bill Devers said.
�The Commander and the Captain have as much to be grateful for as
us men. They wouldn't consider upsetting the apple cart, and the
chopper pilots swore they will claim they never left the belly of
the bird, so they don't know nothing,� said the Colonel, �The
golden egg you just mentioned? That's our cover,� added Hank.
�We don't understand, Colonel,� Bill Devers said.
�Remember, the great golden ship what made the crop circle of
Master Billy and his horse? It had them little silver orbs what
actually made the picture?� the Colonel asked.
�Of course! It's brilliant, Colonel! The big golden ship was
responsible for the raid on the aliens, and rescuing the kids. The
small silver spheres, what dropped the bodies in San Diego, were
scout ships from the gold ship, and the captain of the giant ship
just dropped the rescued children in Master Billy's lap. He knew
Master Billy and his family would take care of them and see to it
they get home to their families,� Bryan Isobel nailed it.
�May him what made them seven stars and Orion find it in his big
heart, if he has one, to forgive our not-so-greatly advanced race
of humanoids for suggesting or out-right lying, he was
responsible,� the Colonel said sincerely.
�Let's pray he has a sense of humor and believes in the cowboy
way; bullshit for freedom!� Bill Devers exclaimed. The other men
agreed and laughed.
�Would it cover our butts with him, that we's just trying to
protect Billy Daniels and his family?� Bryan asked.
�Hell, who knows? It jes' might,� replied the Colonel, �It's the
best we got. What difference does it make? We're caught in the
middle. I'd rather take my chances with the seven stars maker. Our
side wouldn't believe the truth noways,� he added and got the
other men laughing. �Just so's you men won't hear it second-hand
and be surprised, as soon as I get back to Houston, I'm submitting
my retirement papers to the Pentagon. I'm turning in a set of
brass wings for some real ones. The less they know about our trip
to the Hill Country, my restoration, and my enhancements the
better,� the Colonel announced, �I wanna' be fully retired before
anything else happens which might cause them to start sniff'n
around my flanks; and you know it ain't gonna' be long before the
sleeping giant wakes and finds they's more under heaven and Earth
than imagined in their singular money grubbing philosophy,� he
added.
The men shook his hand, �You're so right, Hank. We couldn't agree
more. Congratulations, Colonel. We're happy for you. We don't need
to ask what you will be doing or where,� Bryan said and grinned.
�No, I'll either be here or at my ranch. You men got my private
number. You know the safety codes to scramble private convos. Keep
in touch, Gentlemen, you never know when you might need a
sympathetic ear to bend, or a safe place to hide for a while,� the
Colonel said. They thanked Hank for his service, for his
friendship, and his humanity.
* * * * * * *
The Colonel and Bart returned to the dining hall and gathered the
the remaining young boys and girls and took them to the great hall
where they would have plenty of room to interview them and find
out some things about them. Cindy Lou Gates was not among them.
She was already absorbed into the greater Daniels family. Billy
hadn't gotten around to contacting the head of the orphanage in
Waco to advise him Cindy Lou would not be returning to his home
and why. After quickly reviewing Cindy's file, Hank thought he
might like to be the one to confront the man. They didn't bother
to take notes. Bart told the Colonel the robo-cams were feeding
everything into a greater computer, and they could instantly
recall any information from the storage banks they might require.
Bart seemed to be a fount of information on the subject, after a
few minutes of explaining its apps and virtues, Hank called a halt
to his narrative. �Let's get the info and then show me what you
can do with it, Son,� he said and grinned.
�Your wish is my command, Colonel,� Bart said sincerely, �I get
carried away sometimes about information gathering an how simple
these new machines can make our task,� he added.
�I ain't put'n you down, Son. I'm duly impressed with your savvy
and knowledge of the technology behind it, but like I would tell
an arm's salesman with a new weapon, don't gimme' a lesson in the
technology behind it, show me how fast and how many it will kill
in the shortest possible time. Likewise, show me what the machine
will do and then let's talk technology,� Hank said.
�Sounds like a plan to me, sir,� Bart replied and called for the
first boy to come talk with them. By the end of the morning, about
thirty minutes before the first bell rang for lunch, every
abducted child was interviewed and their personal information
recorded, or as Bart put it, 'canned lives.'
* * * * * * *
Billy walked into the refurbishing room and took Wilma Halfablap's
hand. She smiled up at him. �Good to see you're awake and smiling,
Mrs. Halfablap,� Billy said quietly.
�Call me 'Wilma,' Master Billy. How sad to see you with clothes
on,� she said and grinned.
�I apologize for me and my men's nudity. We dropped everything and
didn't bother to dress to get to you as quickly as we could. Time
was of the essence, ma'am,� Billy said.
�You should always be naked when you men come to the rescue;
especially, for an old lady like me,� Wilma said.
�Really, why, ma'am?� Billy asked.
�I resigned myself and made my peace with death. I was comfortable
allowing myself to slip away, but when I left my body and saw you
standing over me, the beauty of you and your men's bodies made me
want to live again. I suddenly remembered what life was all about,
and I didn't want to die,� she said and grinned wickedly. Billy
shared a laugh with her.
�That's why we're here this morning. We plan to make sure you're
well and have many more years to live,� Billy said and called in
his angels. He had more bodies because the night before they only
took an emergency team gathered by Bart and the Colonel. There
were three times the Cowboy-Angels and watchers crowed into the
large room. It was filled with angel wings. With the extra added
power, it didn't take Billy long to repair and refurbish each
woman. They were finished about an hour before lunch. Billy
allowed the women to take them back to their rooms to eat a light
meal. He wanted them to rest and recuperate for the afternoon.
* * * * * * *
�How do you feel, Mother?� Jennifer asked as they slowly ate their
lunch.
�Well, being freed from the symptoms of the cancer, I feel like
I'm thirty to forty years younger. It's remarkably pleasant. It's
wonderful, but nevertheless, sad in a way,� Wilma replied.
�Aren't you happy to be alive and well?� Jennifer asked.
�Yes, I suppose so, but the immediate change is so new and
unexpected. Why didn't you let me die, Jennifer?� Wilma asked
almost like she was angry with her
daughter.
�I did let you die. I only called dad to tell him, so he could
make arrangements for the mortuary to come get your body. I could
have done it, I suppose, but I felt your husband should be the
first to know. After all, he is my father, and despite your
ambiguous feelings and attempts to poison my mind against him, I
respect him and maintain a healthy balance of admiration and
affection for him; and, as you know, he's a stickler for such
things as chain-of-command. For all his military macho-bravado,
he's always been considerate and gentle with me. I didn't know
where he was or what he was doing when I called him. He was
devastated when I told him you were dead and embarrassed for
breaking down. He told me he would call me back as soon as he got
himself together, and we could make arrangements.
�He called me back, told me to take my phone outside, and all of a
sudden a strange blue door opened in the backyard. Daddy walked
through first and came to me. The next thing I knew, our ranch was
being invaded by Billy Daniels and his men; naked, with less fear
of embarrassment than Adam in the garden before Eve ate the
forbidden fruit. They simply walked through a gate from the
Daniels ranch, over a hundred miles away, in their birthday
suits,� Jennifer said, �Actually, it was rather refreshing and
more amusing than not,� she added and smiled at the memory.
�Alas, a new chance at life comes with mixed blessings and
problems,� Wilma lamented like a bad homily from a wretchedly
boring low-budget religious movie, �How much did you tell your
father?� she asked coldly.
�I told him the truth. I told him everything. At the moment, I
thought I should tell daddy the truth, and I'm not sorry I did,�
Jennifer replied.
�I think I'd rather be dead than face him,� Wilma lamented.
�Oh, please, Mother! You don't play the femme fatale role very
well. It was never one of your award winning performances. I don't
want to hear your hatred for daddy anymore. He's not a bad man. So
he wasn't the greatest husband or a perfect dad. He had more good
attributes than many. You very rarely gave him credit for those.
He was a good provider. He sent his daughters to the colleges of
their choice and paid for two extravagant weddings. He paid all my
medical bills from my bout with cancer, because our insurance
company bailed out when the word 'terminal' raised its ugly head.
As a family, we never wanted for anything.
�After he lost his manhood, it was a great psychological blow for
him. He could have packed up and left us, but I think he really
bought into the marriage vows and believed the bit about through
sickness and health. You weren't terribly sympathetic to his
plight, and it hurt him. You couldn't have been more happy you
wouldn't have to spread your legs and put out for him anymore. I
never could understand your almost schizophrenic attitude toward
him. If daddy was so bad why didn't you leave him? You had the
perfect excuse. You didn't have an anchor tied to your ass.
Instead, you chose to stay home and play the poor neglected wife
card. Get over it! Trust me, you won't have to make nice-nice with
him and suffer his affections anymore. Master Billy and his men
replaced his hand, his leg, and gave him back his manhood. They
made his penis even bigger and better, complete with a new
foreskin you insisted he must remove before you would agree to
marry him because you were a good Christian girl and your daddy
told you only barbarians were uncircumcised.
�I assure you, he's moving on with or without you, and personally,
I'm glad for him. He deserves some happiness. I know he's not
interested in hearing your sad, self-centered masochistic
complaints; especially, the neglected and abandoned wife routine.
He's here on the ranch, but I doubt he'll come visit. He won't
come unless you send for him, and if you do, I don't think you
will like what he has to say,� Jennifer said.
�Well, I don't anticipate Hell freezing over anytime soon,� Wilma
said in a bitter but resigned tone, �From your attitude I get the
idea you plan to leave me, too,� she accused her daughter.
�Not right away, but yes, it is my plan,� Jennifer said.
�Then I'll be alone again,� Wilma lamented like a sad puppy.
�Yes, if you don't change your attitudes and find a new life for
yourself, you will be alone, but the next time you will die alone.
I don't mean to be cruel, Mother, but I learned being by your side
when you died didn't really mean very much one way or the other.
I've decided when my time comes, I plan to throw the biggest party
for everyone to celebrate my passing. I don't want tears or sad
faces. Starting today, I plan to live a life filled with happiness
and joy, and I plan to leave that way. To Hell with hiding and
seclusion. It's the pits, Mother. It's a living Hell before you
even get there,� Jennifer said firmly.
�What's gotten into you, Jennifer?� Wilma asked like she no longer
recognized her daughter.
�Life, Mother! Life got into me, and it took a big fresh bite out
of my butt. As Auntie Mame said, �You've got to live! And like
Agnes Gooch, I plan to follow her advice!� Jennifer exclaimed and
smiled at the look of horror on her mother's face like she was
sure her baby girl would become a scarlet woman. The prospect
didn't bother Jennifer a bit. Jennifer didn't feel like pushing
her mother too far, but she also planned to spend more time with
her dad. She never really got to know him while she was growing
up, but she always admired and respected him. Now she had a chance
to become a part of his life, and she didn't plan to miss the
opportunity.
* * * * * * *
Bart sat at his portable terminal in the great hall after the
interviews with the abducted children and showed the Colonel what
the machine could do. Bart could arrange their information in any
manner they wanted with pictures of each child. When the Colonel
was satisfied with the results and the children's info was fed to
a larger data base for comparison, Bart hit one button and hard
copies were printed for a physical file. They were ready for
Master Billy when he came to the great hall to find them. Billy
was impressed. It would make his and his staff's work a lot
easier.
�Can you bring up the submitted files of lost or missing children
created by the general public, Bart?� Billy asked.
Bart moved the screen pointer to a tiny window and pressed
'enter.' A main page came up with instructions how to fill out a
new form and submit it. The Colonel took particular note the site
was sponsored and funded by the Daniels Family Fund For The
Humanities: A Charitable Organization. There was a box for
donations but you didn't have to donate to submit a missing child
report. The count box for the number of forms submitted was well
over ten thousand and climbing by the minute. They also had a
section for missing adults, but it wasn't as high as the number of
missing children reports. Out of curiosity, Billy asked Bart to
use his pass code and check confirmed donations. The Colonel was
almost blown out of the water when he saw the total of three point
six million dollars.
�How long have you had this site running?� Hank asked.
�Two days,� Bart replied.
�Have you had any response from the Feds?� Hank asked knowing full
well how strange his question sounded. After all, he represented
the Feds.
�Other than you and your men's visit? Not a word,� Bart replied.
�This is good. You're taking it directly to the public. You're
waving a red flag in the Feds faces. Has the major news media run
a story yet?� Hank asked.
�Not that we know of, and we now have two of the best reporters in
business on our payroll. Since their boss got fired for running
our alien video a second time on the station in Houston, we look
for him to become director of our new station here in the Hill
Country. Our men have gone to Houston to offer him the position.
They should be back no later than this e'nin,� Billy said, �We're
naming our new broadcasting system, The New Nation Network or
T3N,� Billy added to get the Colonel's reaction.
Hank rolled his eyes and grinned, �Talk about chore' red flags!
That's a name what's got a big pair of low hangers with a lot a'
hair!� he exclaimed loudly. �If that don't stir-up 'False Noise'
and grab them by their gonads to holler their loudest, nothing
will. I guaran-damn-tee-ya' it will make them silly big titted
bitches squirm in their seats or they be asleep at the wheel,�
Hank bellowed with a deep booming voice. Then he let loose with a
round of infectious laughter which got Billy and his men laughing
with him. �Sweet Jump'n Jesus, and Hoe-lee shit!� he added as a
stinger, and they laughed harder. �I swear to you, Master Billy,
and your men, I ain't never had me so much fun in years as the
brief time I been among you good folks. They's a surprise around
ever' corner,� Hank said wiping away tears of laughter.
�What figures can you milk from the reports, Son,� the Colonel
asked, gently placing his hand on Bart's shoulder. Billy smiled to
himself as he watched the big bull of a cowboy's aura start
flowing into Bart, and Bart's aura moved around to embrace it like
it was a welcome guest. Bart hit a couple of keys and pointed to
another small box and clicked on it. The screen became alive with
page after page of scrolling figures.
�What, in particular, are you looking for, Master Hank?� Bart
asked.
�Greatest areas of abductions and corresponding figures,� Hank
said, and Bart went to work.
A map of the North American Continent came up and slowly small
dots started appearing across the surface. Surprisingly, there
were a number from South America, Mexico, and many more from
Canada, but the greatest concentration of abductions was around
highly wooded areas of the Great Lakes regions, Washington state,
Oregon, Northern California. There was also a heavy concentration
in the more sparsely populated areas of Texas and Louisiana. Of
even greater surprise an overwhelming number were from densely
populated metropolitan areas with New York City having the most
reports.
�Unbelievable!� the Colonel exclaimed almost in a whisper. He was
stunned. How could this be going on without the government
responding and notifying the public they were not only facing a
threat from aliens, the aliens were also harvesting their people
for food, and possibly the livestock of ranchers and farmers? �May
I have hard copies of these statistics to take back with me,
Billy?� Hank asked.
�Of course, we ain't got nothing to hide in this department. Will
you help the Colonel with it, Bart?� Billy asked.
�Be my pleasure, Master Billy,� Bart replied.
* * * * * * *
When the third bell rang for lunch the men walked into the dinning
hall. Everyone was standing behind their chairs waiting for Master
Billy and his party to join them. They sat down and the rest of
the men and children sat down, too. There was a different air
about the table. The kids were more attentive and much less unsure
of themselves and their surroundings. Hank and Bart's efforts to
work with them gave them some hope everything would be okay, and
they wouldn't be thrown out on the streets. Several of the older
boys found hope in the gentle and caring attitudes of the two men
who interviewed them.
Billy started to bring up the Colonel's wife and daughter and give
him a progress report but decided not to. He would let the Colonel
ask. �Do you have plans for this afternoon, sir?� Billy asked.
�My faithful chaperon told me he can open gates. I'd like to take
a quick trip to my ranch to check it out and visit for a while
with my faithful ranch-hands, Deek Swanson and Bafra Bootles,�
Hank replied.
�Would you like some company, sir?� Billy asked.
�I would, indeed, Master Billy, if you and a few of your men can
get away and join us, I would be delighted, sir,� the Colonel
said.
�Are your cowhands a bonded pair, Colonel?� Billy asked and there
came a couple of chuckles and snickers from the older prepubescent
boys at the table.
�Hear! You men show some respect!� Hank barked at them in his
commanding military voice which got their immediate attention.
�Yes, sir, Colonel! Sorry, sir!� the oldest boy with the terrible
tattoos replied crisply, and he glared at the other boys who
laughed.
�Yes, you couldn't separate them two men with a twenty-ton tractor
pull, and I'm worried about them. When one goes the other will
load his .45 for the last time and eat a bullet. Then I'll have to
bury them both, side by side,� Hank lamented.
�I hear that!� Buck said across the table and looked at his mate
sitting next to him. The Colonel smiled and winked at Buck.
�They weren't always a couple. I grew up with them men, and I can
remember from the early school years up through high school they
were inseparable, but they could never agree on anything and
fought like cats and dogs,� the Colonel said with disgust shaking
his head. �When they got older, and had to fend for themselves,
they worked for a number of different ranchers in the area. They
had the reputation of being two of the best hands in the county,
but when they got through work, or went into town on weekends,
they would get drunk and get into knock-down-drag-out fights, so
bad, they couldn't work for several days afterward. Sooner or
later, the rancher they were working for, would have to let them
go,� Hank said.
�I remember it was the summer after my second year at A&M, and
I come home to help my old man with our ranch for the summer. I
was surprised when Baug told me he hired Deek Swanson and Bafra
Bootles, but I didn't question him about it. Old Baug worked in
mysterious ways I never fully understood until I got older. Come
to think on it, I still ain't real sure what his motives were, but
that's a story for another time. Anyway, they pulled the same
shenanigans while they were living in the bunk house on our ranch,
but Baug put up with it, and put up with it, time and again.
The Colonel paused for a minute and laughed, �I knew Baug to be a
patient man, but even he had his limits. After they beat the
living crap out of each other one night and tore up the bunkhouse,
he told me to stay in the house, he was going to take matters into
his own hands. I watched him reach up into a kitchen cabinet and
grab a small can of Crisco and put it into a paper bag. He
strapped on his old .45 military revolver and headed off down to
the bunkhouse. Well, sir, I weren't about to let him go out there
by his'self in case he needed backup. I snuck out the back door
and skirted around the other side of the property behind some
mesquite thickets and positioned myself under cover near one of
the bunkhouse windows. I had a front row seat to see ever'thing
what was going on.
�Baug stormed into the bunkhouse with the meanest gotdamn look on
his face I ever saw, pulled his gun, raised it above his head, and
let off three rounds what went right through the roof. Well, it
got their attention pert-damn quick! They started hollering and
trying to hide behind each other. They thought old Baug's patience
with them was completely done, he turned into a mad man, and was
gonna' kill them,� Hank said and laughed. The whole room of men
were laughing at his outrageous story.
When the men in the dinning hall settled down, the Colonel
continued, �Gotdamn it, you worthless son's a' bitches, I done had
it with your constant bicker'n and fight'n like two old broody
hens vying for the same nest. I'm gonna' set you men on a new
path, or I'm gonna' sent you up to Jesus and let him tell you what
you done wrong. Now strip! Take your damn clothes off and lay 'em
on the table in front of you!� Baug barked. When they didn't
respond, Baug let off another round from his .45 and they quickly
began to remove their boots and didn't stop until they were
buck-ass naked. �Now, pull yore' boots back on!� Baug ordered, and
they did. They stood looking at Baug for him to say something.
�You know what chore' fuck'n problem is, you slope-headed morons?�
he asked loudly.
They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. �You's so
gotdamn in love with each other you got your brains all scrambled.
You substitute anger, rage, and fighting for the good love'n you
could be sharing with each other,� he yelled at them, �Now! Open
your arms for your brother, embrace him with your naked body, hold
him as close as you can, tell him you love him more than life
itself, give him a big old wet sloppy buckaroo kiss, and don't
stop until I tell you, or you're both dead men,� Baug hollered at
them. They hesitated. Baug let off another round with his .45 and
they did what they were told. I laughed my ass off as I watched
them two men began to relax and start to enjoy holding each other.
Finally, they broke it off and Bafra told Deek, �Master Baug's
right, I done loved you since I first set eyes on you when we's in
grade school together, and I ain't never stopped. I ain't ashamed
to admit it, I love you more'n life itself,� he said.
�Same here, Brother, I don't wanna' live without you. You think
it's about time we made love and not war, Pod'na?� Deek asked.
Baug took the can of Crisco out of the sack and slammed it down on
the table. �If you men have to ask what this is for, you're dumber
than ever'body claims you are...and it ain't for cooking fried
chicken neither. I don't wanna' to see hide nor hair from you men
until that damn can of Crisco is used up! And you better be walk'n
so bowlegged them damn horses will snicker behind yore' backs,�
Baug demanded, turned, and stomped out of the bunkhouse.
�Well, sir, we didn't see them cowboys for a week. We laughed and
decided our cowboys was on a honeymoon together. Baug and I would
take groceries out and leave the boxes on the front porch.
Finally, the next Sunday afternoon they come walking up to the
ranch house, hand in hand, like two young kids with big smiles on
their faces. They thanked Baug for his strong opinions and helping
put them on the right path. They apologized and promised Baug and
me we wouldn't have to worry none about them no more; their
fight'n days were over. From that time on, we don't know they ever
had a spat with each other. They worked hard, earned their keep,
and were happy with each other. They still are today. They're damn
good men, and I ain't ashamed to say, I love them two saddle
tramps with all my heart,� Hank finished his story.
The boys who snickered started clapping and stood in respect for
the Colonel's story. The rest of the men picked it up and stood
with them until everyone joined them.
�Hosanna!� shouted Randy.
�Hosanna, in the highest!� echoed everyone around the table.
Bart handed the Colonel his bandanna to wipe a tear away.
�Thank you, Gentlemen,� Hank said.
�That was a wonderful story, Colonel. Can we offer them our help,�
Billy asked.
�I would be much obliged, Master Billy,� the Colonel replied. �As
a footnote to their story, we come to the end of that summer, and
I was leaving to return to A&M the next day. Baug took me to
our local steakhouse for supper as a goodbye treat. We had a good
time. We just finished supper and were walking out when the
sheriff and his men came in for supper. They stopped to jaw for a
minute with me and Baug and wished me well on my way back to
school.
�By the way, whatever happened to old Deek Swanson and Bafra
Bootles? We ain't seen hide nor hair of them all summer. Our jail
is so empty it echoes when you walk in, and our night jailers get
so lonely they have to hold hands on duty at night. Last we heard,
them cowboys was still working out to your place,� he said.
�They decided to stop fight'n and get married, Sheriff,� Baug said
happily.
The sheriff got a stunned look on his face, and he looked from
Baug to me like he was waiting for the punch-line, but it didn't
come. �What woman in her sane mind would have anything to do with
either one of them cowboys let alone marry them?� he asked.
�Who said anything about women, Sheriff?� Baug asked, and we broke
up together at the sheriff's stunned look.
�Son of a bitch! It makes perfect sense! Of course, them two men's
been in love with each other for years. How do I look all dressed
in 'dumb' from head to toe?� the Sheriff asked and everyone had a
good laugh.
* * * * * * *
Billy took his eight Warrior-Angels and their Watcher-Protector
escorts with him and most of his Cowboy-Angels who helped him that
morning and the night before. The oldest boy, Billy Don, of the
abducted children asked the Colonel if he might go with them to
see his ranch. Hank looked at Billy and he nodded his approval.
�Sure, Son, anyone else?� the Colonel asked and several hands went
up. �Okay, Billy Don, you, Spencer, Taylor, Wade, Ron, and Mike
can come along. The rest of you men can come another time,� the
Colonel said, and the boys followed the men.
They opened a gate to the Colonel's ranch and stepped through. The
Colonel led them down a dusty dirt road through some nasty
mesquite thickets to the small bunkhouse. Of all the buildings on
the property, it seemed to be the best kept. It was old and
rustic, but it had a certain charm about it which announced to
anyone with any sensitivity, it was home where love was shared. It
looked more like a cottage than a bunkhouse. There were
well-tended flower beds in front of the porch with many different
flowering plants and herbs growing together.
The cowboys clomped up the three steps to the wooden porch. There
were comfortable chairs on the porch and a chain swing on one end.
The Colonel knocked on the door and Deek came to answer wearing a
leather farrier's apron which he was using while he was working in
the kitchen. Billy asked the extra Cowboy-Angels and boys to
remain on the porch until they needed them, and they complied.
�Come in! Come in, Gentlemen,� Deek cordially invited them inside,
�I was just making a late lunch for me and Bafra. He's still in
bed. His gout has been bothering him a lot lately, and I'm afraid
walking to the big house last night in our long-johns weren't a
real smart move. If he gets chilled or over-heated it seems to
aggravate it,� Deek said.
The Colonel, Bart, Billy, Nick, and Grover, still wearing his
wings, Clyde, and Balthazar walked into the bunkhouse. �Well, we
can't have that! I guess we'll just have to shoot him and put him
down. Any of you men bring a gun with you?� the Colonel asked and
laughed.
They heard a groan from the king size bed. �Get the Colonel our
gun, Deek,� shouted Bafra from the bed, �It's the best offer we
had all week. I'm ready to go, Pod'ner,� he said and the men
laughed.
�I just about got the black-eyed peas and cornbread ready for your
lunch, Brother. You can't go before I feed you. It just wouldn't
be right,� Deek said, and they laughed again.
�We come to get you up out of that bed, Old Man. I done brought me
some Angels to overhaul your tired old ass,� the Colonel said.
�Who you calling an old man? You're the same age as Deek and me.
We done grow'd up together,� Bafra shot
back.
�You didn't get a good look at the Colonel last night, Baffers.
You didn't have yore' cheaters on. I swear on the name of some
unknown god, Master Halfablap don't look a day over forty-five,�
Deek said.
�Baffers?� the Colonel asked and laughed, �I love that!� Hank
declared and grinned from ear to ear.
Billy went to the door and asked his eight Warrior-Angels to come
inside. He told the Watcher-Protector escorts to remain outside.
They would be needed later. Billy asked Deek to get Bafra
undressed, but leave him lying in the bed while they winged up.
Deek didn't have a clue what Billy was talking about, but went to
the bed, pulled the covers down, and proceeded to remove his
partner's long-johns. Bafra was moaning and groaning from the
pain. He could see the cowboys removing their shirts, and there
was a great flash of light. They disappeared and reappeared with
their beautiful wings. �Holy shit! You weren't kidding about them
angels, Colonel. How long did it take you to catch that many and
how big a net did you have to use?� Bafra asked and everyone
laughed.
�It was a big-old net. I had to run pretty fast, too,� the Colonel
shot back and got a laugh from the cowboys
Billy and his angels went to work and gave Bafra a pretty good
jolt of angel juice to make him feel better and get him out of
bed. Deek got a robe out of a closet, and he helped his mate put
it on. Bafra said he felt a lot better and got out of bed to eat
his lunch.
�While you men eat your lunch, I'm gonna' take these men for a
brief tour of the ranch. We'll be back to gather you men in a
while,� the Colonel said. Billy and his men disappeared, dropped
their wings, and returned.
�Damnation, Colonel, that's a neat trick. Hell, Deek was right.
You do look younger,� Bafra said.
�Yeah, them Cowboy-Angels done it for me. Gimme' my hand and leg
back and a new improved pecker with a set of balls what would make
the biggest bull feel short changed. Bigger and better than before
with a nice set of lace curtains to keep the head of me cock
nice'n warm. I's suppose to grow me a set of them purdy wings this
e'nin. Then I'll have to learn to park them and wing-up again. So
will you men when we get through with you,� the Colonel said.
�We ain't good enough to become no Angels, Master Hank,� Bafra
said.
�I'll be the judge of that, Cowboy! Hell, if they thought I's good
enough to make the grade you men are shoe-ins for the job.
Besides, I'm gonna' need you two wranglers to be at your top
physical condition. We're gonna' clean-up this place and turn it
into a working ranch again. I got big plans and I need you men as
foreman and ramrod of this spread. It comes wiff' a higher pay
grade and benefit package. I won't tell you ever'thing because in
yore' delicate condition right now it might scare the crap out of
you. Eat chore' lunch, and we'll return in a little bit. Don't get
no ideas about trying to run away neither. I'll have them big
Watcher-critters out there on the porch hunt chu' down like a pack
of hungry dogs,� the Colonel said and laughed.
The Colonel took Billy's men and the boys on a quick tour of the
ranch. There were two large barns. The older of the two was
enormous, but it needed a lot of work. The newer one wasn't that
new either and could use some loving care. Hank showed them the
ranch house. It was a rambling style built in a horse shoe shape
with a patio and garden between the 'U� shaped wings.
You have any plans for the main house, Colonel?� Billy asked.
�Yeah, I'm gonna' gut it and have it completely remodeled,� Hank
said.
�Your wife and daughter should be pleased,� Billy said.
�They ain't coming back to the ranch, Son. Wilma and I are parting
ways, and I'll find a nice place for my daughter to start a new
life for herself. The ranch is mine: land, Guadalupe river rights,
buildings, stock, Deek, and Baffers. I had to give up certain
things to marry Wilma, and I thought she should have to give up
something, too. She signed away any and all rights to this ranch
in case of divorce,� Hank said.
�Sorry to hear it, sir,� Billy said.
�Don't be, everything is progressing like it should. You might
talk with my daughter for details if you're interested. You have
my permission. She'll tell you the truth. Wilma won't. Her vision
of the truth is so heavily one-sided she's listing-to-port and
taking on the foul waters of false imaginings so rapidly her ship
of reality is in trouble of floundering. I'll
make sure both are comfortable, but I'll give Wilma five years to become self-sufficient. After
that, she's on her own. It may sound harsh, but you don't know all
the details. I'm going to become a rancher again, but on a little
different basis. I'm going to run a ranch and school for homeless
children,� the Colonel said, �Oh, and by the way, I'm submitting
my retirement papers to the pentagon on my return to Houston, Son.
They will be effective the first of August; approximately two
weeks,� he added.
Billy was stunned. He never considered such a thing, certainly not
from the Colonel, but he remembered his granddad once told him he
would love to open their ranch to young boys to learn to become
cowboys and good men. The Colonel was ready to go one step further
and include girls. The Colonel's net worth suddenly jumped into
the mega-figures in Billy's mind. It was such a strong statement
of magnanimity, Billy could feel his heart begin to swell, and he
wondered if it was possible for one's heart to burst with joy.
They went back to the bunkhouse and gathered Deek and Bafra. The
Colonel wanted to take them back to the Daniels ranch to repair
and enhance them. They would stay with Billy until they fledged
and his posse could teach them to de-wing and transport themselves
from place to place. It was getting late in the afternoon, and
they wanted to be back by supper. Billy was anxious and a bit
nervous about the lab results from the blood and hair samples.
Nick told him not to worry. They were living under the sign of a
wandering star, and with any luck, it would come to rest above the
manger on the ranch.
End of Chapter 88 ~ Seek Him What Made Them Seven Stars
Copyright ~ � ~ 2015 ~ 2017 ~ Waddie Greywolf ~ All Rights
Reserved
Email to: Waddie Greywolf <[email protected]>
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03/27/2015
01/15/2017