David

Young Dragon

Part 2

Recovery

Chapter 1

I woke up again. This time there was sunlight coming in the window and I was able to see much better in the room. What I could see convinced me I was in a hospital. This was very good. It told me somebody had found me. The bearded man. He came after me, to save my life. The men that came to take me down off the cross didn't know they were there. Military types or special cop types. Those four men saved my life and I wanted to thank them in person. I smiled as the lady in white leaned over me. I closed my eyes and slept again. The next time I woke up it was daylight again. I blink in the daylight and I look around the room. I was still in the same room. My dreams of being back there was just that. Dreams. I wonder how long I have been here. I am sure I will find out in time. The restraints are gone now. I am relieved about that. I still hurt in places but it's not as bad as it had been. That's good. I notice my left arm is in a cast. I wonder what happened to break the arm. Did it break while I was on the cross? I sigh and the door opens and a lady walks in. I raise my head and she notices that. She steps backwards out the door and then comes back in. I'm sure she told someone that I was finally awake. She comes over to where I am and takes my hand.

"You're in a very safe place. You are in the Juvenile Intensive Care Unit in Children's in Tempe, Arizona. I'm Julie," she said. I tried to talk but all I could manage was a gurgle.

"Don't try to talk. Your vocal chords did sustain some damage and they are still healing. You haven't used your voice in some time so it will be some time before you can talk. We can give you paper and a pen to talk to us," she said. I nodded in understanding as the door opened and two doctors walked in. They approached me slow giving me the chance to get used to seeing them.

"I'm Dr. Mallory," the doctor on the left said. "My friend here is Dr. Tomoshi." I nod and they walk up to me. I watch as they begin to examine me carefully. They nod to each other once they are done. Mallory turns to me.

"You have been in a coma since you were brought in here in June. It's July now. I am pleased to tell you that you will heal up just fine. It will take some time so please be patient. There are a few things we can do to help you in the meantime. One of those things will be to give you liquid medication to help your vocal chords. You voice might not completely recover but you will be able to talk again. We will keep you completely in the loop on everything we will do to help you. The very important thing you need to know right now is that you are very safe here. You are in a secure area. That means anybody wishing to see you will have to get past the security out in the next room. They are volunteers from the State police, Navy Seals, and the Army. The other kids that were rescued are someplace safe in Arizona under the protection of people from the Army, Navy, Secret Service, State police, and other law enforcement people. They do want to talk to you and ask you all kinds of questions and find out what happened to you so they can make sure these… filthy degenerate monsters will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We want to make sure these people pay for what they have done to you and the others," Mallory said.

"For now we just want you to relax and rest. Concentrate on getting well," Tomoshi said. I smiled and nodded. Julie came back with a legal pad and a pen for me to use. I reached for them and she pushed the small table close to me.

"Thank you. I still hurt a little. I want to know how badly I was hurt," I wrote. The two doctors looked at each other and hesitated.

"Okay. We can talk later then," I wrote. Mallory nodded. "Sounds like a plan. You did just wake up. We can talk later." I nodded and both of them left as I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

Over the next few days I began to be more alert. I spent time writing down what I could remember and looking out the window and watching the cars moving on the freeway not too far away. Mallory and Tomoshi would drop in every now and then and read what I had written. I was telling them what they needed to know so they could try to undo some of the damage done to me. Unfortunately there wasn't much they could do. A lot of it had to heal on it's own and that was very frustrating. The next thing they did was to remove the tube from inside my cock. They sedated me a bit and then slowly removed it taking the time to do it. Once it was out I felt a lot better. The first time I peed it hurt unlike anything I'd ever felt before. They had discovered I had no control over myself and I had to start wearing diapers now that the tube was out. The doctors didn't want to leave it inside of me long term thinking I would get too dependent on it. Going to diapers was one of the steps towards regaining control of myself once more. I was cool with that once the reasoning behind it was explained. I finally got a bath. An orderly by the name of Mikey came into my room later in the day and carefully slid me onto a gurney and covered me up with a sheet. He roiled me out of the room and was watched by people in the hall as he took me to another room. Inside the room was a tub. It wasn't a normal looking tub like you would find in a house. This one was elevated so he could reach into it without straining himself. He pulled my wet diaper off me and ran hot water into the tub and then very carefully put me into it. Oh did the hot water feel so good on my skin! I sighed and stretched a bit as I reclined against the rubber in the tub. He started with my hair, what little there was of it. His fingers felt good on my scalp. He took his time in washing me clean. His hands felt so good on my body. I felt myself get hard and blushed a little.

"That's okay," he smiled. "Very normal to happen to a guy." I relaxed after hearing that. He kept on going until I was really clean. Felt good to be clean. He got me dried off and then moved me over to another table face down.

"Going to give you a massage. The purpose of it is to get you relaxed, to get your blood circulating, and to help your muscles," Mikey said. He got to work. I can't describe how wonderful it felt to me. I felt like I was in heaven. He took his time and worked me over good. When he turned me over my penis was standing up hard.

"Eager little fella," he said with a smile. "Don't worry, he'll get his turn." He actually did it. He took it in hand after he massaged the front of me and gently stroked me off to a dry orgasm. He taped a fresh diaper back on me and took me back to my room. Mallory was there.

"Bath?" he asked.

"And massage. Responded very positively to it," Mikey said as he laid me back in a clean bed.

"Very good. Every other day then," he said. Mikey saluted him. "Aye aye sir!" And every other day I got a bath, massage, and masturbated by Mikey.

Mallory introduced a doctor to me a day later. He was a dermatologist, a doctor that specialized in the skin. He examined my tattoos and gave his professional opinion. He showed me pictures of the two tattoo removal procedures and stated his opinion that I shouldn't even consider them because of the potential damage that could be done to my skin due to the fact that my tattoos were too big. I wish I had fought back against the Asian. His mental mutant abilities were too strong for me to resist. I had worked with a sketch artist in making a drawing of the man's face to send out even though it happened too long ago. There was the hope that someone out there would recognize him and call in. We eventually did find out the Japanese Yakuza knew who the man was. The Japanese Secret Service even knew the man and both organizations called a truce to search for the man and take him into custody.

"There is no honor in his actions," the Yakuza had said. "He will be punished." A lot of people agreed with what they said.

I was still very weak from the ordeal I had gone through. I wasn't quite up to walking just yet. Julie had left and a new lady came in. She was a large black lady that seemed to be very friendly. Martha Thomas instantly became a force to be reckoned with. She didn't take any crap from anybody and never backed down from anything. Where Julie had to do what she had to do to help me and bitched about having to change my diapers Martha did it without complaining. She decided that I needed a change of room and went to the doctors about it. They agreed right away provided Martha became my primary caregiver to which she agreed instantly. We were about to find out just what kind of woman she was.

When she arrived the next morning Julie was just leaving. She didn't say anything and just walked out. The Secret Service agent sighed in relief.

"So glad to see her go," he said. "She bitched about everything last night. David hasn't said anything about her but I have the feeling she scared him."

"She's been fired," the hospital administrator said. "She'll never come back." Everybody smiled at that. She had intimidated me a lot and just scared me with what she said. I was glad to see Martha arrive. She set a couple of bags on my bed and sat down on it and gave me a big hug. That made me feel good to know that someone cared about me. She checked my diaper and then changed me. Turning to the bags she opened one and drew out a red sleeper with a NASCAR racing car on the right side going into a turn and the NASCAR logo on the left side. She helped me get into it and zipped it up from the crotch to my neck. Oh it felt so nice, fit right, and looked really nice. I didn't mind. I really liked it. Dr. Mallory arrived an hour later and smiled when he saw the sleeper on me. They checked the tubes going into my arm and noticed the sleeper didn't bother them at all. Martha had clipped the tubes to the collar of my sleeper so they would stay in place.

"That looks really nice," Mallory said. "Once we get you started on regular food the tubes won't be a problem."

"A pizza with everything on it except anchovies, olives, and onion," I said. People laughed at that.

"Your new room is ready and we shall transport you down there right now," Mallory said as the orderly with a man behind him walked into the room.

Mikey lifted me up on the gurney and rolled it down the hall to the elevator once Martha made sure I was comfortable. This room was nice. It looked almost like a regular room with a rocking chair in one corner, a TV, the hospital bed, a larger window that overlooked the large garden some wealthy patron had built for the patients to enjoy while they recovered, and a large bathroom. The bed was comfortable. I sank down into it and relaxed as I watched people moving around to do some last minute things to the room and then they left. Martha turned to me and made sure I was comfortable before turning to the bags she had. I blinked as she pulled all kinds of baby things out of it and set them aside. I realized what it was she was going to do. She was going to 'mother me' until I was well enough to leave the hospital. The more I thought about it the more I got comfortable with the idea. Wouldn't hurt to try it. We did talk about it some and I told her I'd give it a try. She beamed and I knew I had said the right thing.

The next morning she embarked on a program that was designed to help me start my physical recovery right after Mikey had given me my bath and the extras. Having been in a coma since June did weaken me even more. Dr. Mallory sat down with her and approved what she had intended to do with me.

"This room is large enough for the physical therapy to be done in," I said.

"What I had in mind," Martha said after reading what I had written. One of the goals was to help me start talking once more once my throat and vocal chords recovered. They were healing nicely Mallory informed me the last time he checked. Tomoshi said the cast on my arm would be coming off in another few weeks. I was happy about that. We never did figure out how it got broken.

Once I was dressed in shorts and t-shirt we started with moving my arm and legs to start getting my muscles used to movement once more. That would take up about two hours each morning. I guess that's how my exercise routine got started. Then it would be trying to get me on my feet. The first attempt was a failure. She decided to back up some and try to get me to at least start crawling around on hands and knees. That succeeded to a degree and we were happy about that. In the early afternoon she settled me on her lap with a baby blanket over me and introduced me to warm milk while holding me and gently rocking back and forth. Just to be sitting on someone's lap lying in their arms did something to me way deep down that I don't think I could ever describe. All I can say is that I started feeling a lot better about myself. Martha did a lot for my psyche and when I left there I was on my way to a full mental recovery. One morning Mikey decided to do something different. He moved up between my legs and came down on my penis and took it into his mouth and began to suck me off. On my God did that make me feel really good! So this was what pleasure was about! I shuddered a few minutes later and relaxed. Mikey smiled down at me.

"That's called fellatio, or a blowjob. It's supposed to make the recipient feel really good. I hope you liked it," he said.

"I loved it," I said. "Please don't stop doing it!" Mikey's special bath treatments never stopped.

A week later it was decided to remove the IV's from my arm. It was due to Martha's carefully introducing me to food once more. I had been drinking from the bottle and taking baby food into me and it was working out better than anyone hoped. I was glad to see it go. I couldn't wait to get rid of the cast on my arm. The physical sessions were starting to pay off. I was getting stronger and was able to crawl around on the floor with no problems now. Martha decided to start the transition to walking the next week. My voice was getting better. Unfortunately I would be talking with a slight rasp to my voice for the rest of my life. I was just so glad to have my voice back. During this time I had been writing down every detail I could remember about what happened to me, starting with Molson and ending with Terrosa. People took what I said seriously and went right to work taking them all down. I wasn't told anything about the investigation and Martha made sure I didn't see the nightly news (something I never watched anyway) because she didn't want my recovery set back at all. I didn't blame her for that the more I thought about it. Plenty of time to find out things later.

I took my first steps two weeks later. I was extremely happy and so was every one else. We celebrated by having a little party in my room with pizza the Secret Service guys went to get. I felt really good about what I had accomplished and was determined to keep it going. I wanted to get well and walk out of here under my own power. I was still having nightmares over what happened to me. It wasn't so much that they weren't in my head anymore, I had defeated those demons while being crucified, it was the memory of what had been done to me that was affecting me still. I knew I would be undergoing therapy for that when I left here. That was another item for discussion that would be happening later. People knew I didn't want to deal with that right then and there and respected my wishes. Truth was and I knew deep down it was, I was really afraid of psychiatrists. I didn't trust them after what had happened to me with Grayson. People didn't blame me at all and left me alone about it. There would be plenty of time to discuss it later. I tried to deal with the nightmares the best I could by writing them down and talking to Martha about them. She'd get angry at the people who hurt me and it actually did me some good to see that someone else was angry at those who hurt me. There was no doubt she was on my side.

By late August 1976 I was a lot better. I was walking normally by now, my body was starting to fill out, and I was in the process of toilet training. Imagine an eleven year old going through potty training a second time in his life. It went a lot quicker this time and a month later I was back in big boy underwear. I really was happy about that and so was everyone else. My physical recovery had been astounding and I had to give Martha all of the credit for it. She had done a lot to help me and I'd be forever grateful to her for what she had done for me.

I sat down with a group of people later that month and started discussing going into a residential psychiatry treatment program to help me with my mental problems.

"You're not crazy, or mentally disturbed, or whacko," Mallory said. "You simply need help with what happened to you. The people who hurt you may not be in your head anymore but the memory remains of what they did and said to you. That's been affecting you and you need help in dealing with all of that." I considered his words for a time and then decided to sit down and start writing. I wrote about what had been done and said to me that I could remember in the best chronological order that I could remember, everything from the first meeting with Grayson in his office in Thousand Oaks to the final event on the top of the butte. I wrote it all out, including the dreamtime events I experienced. That flipped all of them out completely, including Janet Reno who was heading the prosecution. I still had trouble believing it all. The more I thought about it the more I realized they were right about getting mental help, especially after the FBI informed me of my family being killed. The killers had left notes telling me I had not better testify against Terrosa, Grayson, and Molson or I would be killed. Security got doubled. Dr. Mallory introduced Dr. Jack Franks to me one afternoon and left the both of us alone to talk. Dr. Franks had seen everything I had written with my permission and we discussed that for a time. He told me everything about Sagebrush and what went on inside there. I liked the idea that the staff dressed casually. The only way you would even know they were staff was the fact that they were the only adults there and they wore ID cards with photo ID and information. Franks told me the rules the staff had to follow, the rules the residents had to follow, and other things. It was an interesting afternoon and people left me alone about it and didn't press me about it and I appreciated that. It was to be my decision and mine alone.

I arrived at a residential treatment program for trouble teens like me called Sagebrush the middle of September 76. Dr. Franks came to get me and took me there. What I saw I liked. It was a series of buildings spread out on the grounds, done in a desert ranch style. I really liked the looks of the place. The only indication I had of an institution was observing security being really obvious around one building.

"That's the extreme violent ward," Franks sighed. "That's where the extremely violent kids are housed. They are sent here by the courts because of the violent nature of their crimes. All of them have been diagnosed as being severely disturbed."

"That's sad," I said. He nodded. "I agree. The worst part is that they will never recover, and once they reach age, being eighteen, they will be transferred to the state institution for the rest of their lives, never to leave." That really scared the hell out of me and it must have shown on my face. We parked in the parking lot and Franks turned to me.

"That will never happen to you, David. I have the feeling you will benefit from being here and that you are headed for great things. Just be willing to be honest with yourself," he said. "We will help you." I believed him. We got out of his Suburban. I carried my duffle up to the front doors and followed him inside. Just inside the front doors stood a big black man. I blinked at the size of him. The memory of the black guy at Terrosa's place flashed in my mind and I took a breath and let it out.

"David?" Franks turned to me, concern on his face having seen my reaction.

"I'm okay," I said. "Just a flashback." The big black guy stepped forward. "Did a black guy like me hurt you?" he asked, his voice full of concern. I nodded. "Yes. Quite a few times. I know you are not him but seeing you made me remember him."

"I'm sorry if I caused you pain. My name is Billy," he said, extending his hand to me and I took it and shook it.

"Mine's David. It's okay. Something I need to work out in my head, ya know?" I said to him. I knew right away I'd get along with him very well and in time we did.

"Yo Jack, his quarters is ready," Billy said, turning to Franks. "I saw to it myself. He's gonna like it."

"Jack?" I asked, being used to using his last name.

"Everybody calls me that," Franks said. "I'm used to it and it's okay with me. Billy will escort you into your assigned room. I'll drop in later."

"Okay," I replied. "Lead on MacDuff." Billy smiled and assumed the air of a dramatic actor. "And erred him be that cries enough!" he said with the dramatic hand wave.

"Shakespeare," I said as I picked up my duffle. "I read his books in the hospital." Jack roared in laughter, as Billy looked deflated. I smiled as he sighed and went to the door. He opened it as it buzzed.

"Everybody's got to be a damned critic," he grumbled as I walked through. Billy led me to the room I was to have and showed me around it. I even had a private bath! I liked it immediately and spent the next half hour settling in. Billy left and I sat at the desk by the window. I had a blank notebook on the desk in front of me and I decided to start keeping a journal. I opened it and started writing, going way back as I could physically remember. I wrote a lot in the hour I waited for Jack to show. When he did show I was amazed at how many pages I had written. He came in when I invited him to and we sat down in the two small chairs in the corner. I made a decision, one that would have an extremely positive effect between us and would be a positive force in my treatment. I decided to allow him access to my journals.

"Here," I said handing him the first one. "This is my journal. In here you will find a lot of things that I will be writing about. Emotions, feelings, thoughts, and memories of my entire life and what has happened to me. I hope that you will find a place to start helping me in here." Jack leaned back and thought about what I had just said.

"It will stay in here. You will find it on my desk. I give you permission to enter my room when the door is open to read it. You are the only one authorized to read it," I said as he nodded.

"I am touched by your gesture of faith and trust in me. This is a very good start in our friendship. Thank you," he said. He took it from me and read what I had written. I went to get some tea for the both of us as he read what I had written. I returned to find him writing notes to himself as I set the teacups down on the small coffee table between us. He took his and sipped it and then set it down.

"What you wrote about your early years was good. It gave me some understanding and insight into your world. It definitely gives us a place to start," he smiled. "So, here we go." He asked me a question and I answered it and added to it. By the end of the hour I realized I had indeed made a good start. I set the journal on the desk and followed him out to tour the place. I liked the place. It was really nice inside my section. Two rooms that intrigued me were the gym and the music room. I wanted to check them out but what Jack said next dampened my enthusiasm.

"To get in there you have to earn the privilege," he said. I nodded. "If I have to jump through hoops to get them, then I don't need them. You can keep them. Thanks for nothing." I turned and headed back to my room and closed the door behind me. I sat in my office chair and thought about the incident and why I had said that. Then I reached for my journal and began writing once more. I wrote about the games Mom and Robbie used to play with me, what I called the "this for that" game. Do this for me and I'll give you that. Robbie had been very notorious with it. He knew what I wanted and he played it well with me. It had hurt and frustrated me to no end back then. Now Jack was going to play it on me and that didn't sit well with me. I put the journal back on my desk when I finished writing and leaned back. I looked at the time and it was nearly dinnertime. I stood up and headed to the dining room. I was hungry and I wanted to meet some of the other kids. I didn't see Jack enter my room.

I walked into the dining room to see a number of the other kids in there already. I sat down at one table and waited for the serving line to start. It did and I got in line and got my food. I sat down at a corner table and started eating when a Hispanic kid walked over and stood there.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked me. I nodded. "Sure. You're welcome to join me."

"Name's Miguel," he said, sitting down. "You just get in here from the world?" I had an idea what he meant with that. "This afternoon. Got here from Children's hospital in town. My name is David." He shook my hand. "Cool to meet ya. Listen, a few things you need to know about this place. It's not what it appears to be." He then described the head nurse of our section as a nympho who liked little boy cock, Jack as a dictator, and Billy as a sadistic child abuser. I listened and decided to document what Miguel had said.

"So don't trust them," he said as I finished my dinner. I nodded. "Thanks man. I'll watch my back." I left the dining room and headed down to my room and closed the door behind me and wrote up everything that Miguel had said. I didn't want this kid causing trouble for anyone. I went around the section over the next few days and observed things and people, talking to the other kids and being very sly with the questions. I eventually came to the conclusion that Miguel was a little demented and should be very carefully handled.

"I must agree with your assessment of Miguel," Jack said as I walked into my room one afternoon after classes. I had started to go to the small school that was part of Sagebrush. I had been tested to see what it was that I knew and where I stood academically wise. I was actually surprised when the test results said I was just slightly above average. If I had done better with the math I probably would have scored higher. I sat down in a chair across from him.

"I didn't like how he was talking about you guys," I said. "So I went round and talked to a few of the other guys and they told me what I had written down in the journal about Miguel."

"Good that you did. Now I can take action and have him moved to another section. We do not need people like that here. Now we need to discuss the situation that happened a few days ago and what you wrote about it," Jack said. For the next hour we talked about it and what I had written about Mom, Lynda, and Robbie playing the "this for that" game. By the time he left I think he had a much better understanding of my position over the issue. What the end result of the issue would be I didn't know. Hopefully I had given him something to think about.

I eventually settled into the scheduled routine and added to it. I had started doing some exercises every morning. I'd get up, hit the bathroom, start stretching out, and then doing the basics. After that it would be into the shower, and then sit down to write in my journal. Some mornings I'd have a lot to say, and other mornings not very much. I'd write about what nightmares I had or what I dreamed of. Then it was out the door to breakfast, followed by school. School wasn't a long drawn out affair like it is out in the world. It covered just English, math, social studies, science, PE (I was glad to see that class. I did a lot of running in there to build up my endurance), and one other. Classes went from eight to two every day. Weekends were considered kickback days. Then there were the required group sessions. Everybody went, but not everybody participated. The first few times I sat there and just listened. What I heard absolutely convinced me I wasn't alone in a lot of my feelings. Nice to know I could talk to the other kids about what I was feeling about things we knew.

The private sessions would take place in our rooms. Jack wasn't the only psychiatrist in my section. There were a few of them and they went around and saw several of the guys each day for an hour each session. Jack was going to be the one to counsel me and I was cool with that. He smiled when he touched on that after I had written about it.

"Thank you," he said. "Would it change things if I told you the board here assigned me to you after reading what you had written in the hospital?"

"No," I said. "Believe me when I tell you I'd go and shake their hand and say thanks for hooking me up with you." Neither one of us knew it but I'd get that opportunity very soon. It would change things between us as well.

I had been there for a month and was doing fairly well. I was getting used to the routine and things were going fairly well. Well, said routine went out the window early one evening in December. I had just come out of my private bathroom when I heard what sounded like a fight going on in the hall. I opened my door and found Jack trying to keep Miguel from stabbing him. Miguel had gone crazy. I raced over and tackled Miguel and pulled him off Jack. Jack was bleeding from a wound in his side. Miguel had tagged him once already. When he turned on me I could see the psychotic gleam in his eyes and I knew he was really gone. He began trying to stab me as Jack gasped out in pain. Both of us rolled on the floor trying to get control of the knife Miguel was holding. I wasn't that strong to begin with and Miguel figured that out. His smile grew as he began playing with me. I moved him away from Jack as we struggled. Billy came walking out of the staff room just as Miguel shoved me up against the wall, banging my head against the wall hard.

"Jack's been stabbed!" I yelled. "Help him!" Billy took a step back into the staff room and hit some kind of alarm because the hall quickly filled up with security and medical personnel. Miguel got distracted and I shook his hand off my right one, pulled back and put everything I could into a right fist into his face. Miguel dropped, having been knocked out. I held out the knife Miguel had and it was taken from me by security. I turned and faced the wall and assumed the position to be frisked. They cuffed me and took me to a security cell and put me inside. I sighed as I sat down on the bed. I hoped Jack would be all right.

The head of security came to see me the next morning. I sat down in front as a guard stood behind me. Donaldson placed a tape recorder in front of me and before he started recording the conversation looked at me.

"Wanted to let you know that Dr. Franks will be just fine," he said and then started the tape recorder. I started telling him the events of last night and he listened. Once I was done he asked a few questions and then ended the interrogation. I was returned to the cell and put inside. I sat there until I was escorted to the conference room the next morning to find out what the board of directors decided. I sat down in the place I was told to sit. The people walked in and things got started.

To make a long discussion short, I was cleared and returned to my room and commended in my role in the event. Miguel was ordered to be transferred to the violent ward for the remainder of his stay. Donaldson shook my hand and thanked me for jumping to save Jack. Billy did the same.

"He's a good guy. He's done a lot to help me," I said as the head of the board, a graybeard named Dr. Elmers sat in a chair in my room.

"That he is. What interests me is that you jumped in to help him despite your dispute with him in regards earning the right to use the gym and the music room," Elmers said as he sipped a cup of tea.

"I had to do something to help him. I was honor bound to," I said. He nodded. "I shall be seeing you until Jack returns. I will be taking his place here."

"In that case I give you my permission to read my journal. The only restrictions there is that it stays here in the room and that you tell no one what I write in it unless you ask me first," I said.

"Of course. Very agreeable," he said. "I shall look forward to talking with you at our first session."

He showed up the next morning and sat down with my journal as I went out the door to start my day. I did look in as I broke from my classes for lunch. He wasn't there but my journal was back on my desk. I headed off to lunch and then the rest of my day. When I showed up for the group session he was there. He nodded at me as I took my usual seat and started things, as Kenny was the last to arrive. I have to give him credit. He really knew how to draw out people. The ones that I called bumps on the proverbial logs actually said something. After the group session he followed me down to my room and inside. We sat down in the chairs and started talking.

Elmers stayed for the rest of December and all of January 1977. He helped me make it through the holidays and my depression. Billy and Elmers were the solid rock I needed to get through those dark days. Jack got a grand welcome home from all of us and I was glad to see him back. He looked good.

"Jack, I am so happy to see you back," I said as the three of us sat down for the private session the next afternoon. "I was so worried about you."

"Thank you for saving the life of an worthless old man like me," Jack said.

"You are not old and worthless. Stop that defeatist shit," I snapped. "You had no idea Miguel was gonna go postal on you. The whole situation was his fault." Jack nodded. "Regardless, you saved my life and I am grateful. Thank you." From there we discussed the situation in regards to the gym and the music room. It was eventually decided to allow me access. I was delighted. Now I could go forward with my desire to get back in shape and develop my musical skills. I had wanted to learn guitar for the longest time and now I was getting the opportunity. I had wanted the chance to build myself up and now I was getting that chance to.

"I'm rather curious as to why nobody uses the gym and the music room anyway," I asked as the session ended. Jack sighed. "It's because nobody has ever expressed an interest in going in there. You are the only one." I didn't take the opportunity lightly. I treated it with care.

I went into the gym the next morning instead of doing my exercise routine in my room. I was glad it was Saturday as I spent most of the morning cleaning everything in there. I looked at the punching bag in the corner and the memory of Molson using me as a punching bag floated up into my mind. I reached for a pair of gloves and pulled them on and began punching the bag hard, envisioning Molson's face on it. I sweated as I hit it hard for fifteen minutes and then backed away once I got tired. I sat down on the floor and leaned up against the wall. I jumped a little when a bottle of water appeared in front of me. I took it from Jack, opened it, and drained half of it in one go.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time," I admitted. "Sure felt good." Jack nodded. "Then you have just done yourself a good thing by doing it this way and not actually doing it to him. You just put into action one of the anger management therapies. There are others of course and you will learn them all, but this is by far the best thing you have done."

"I don't feel so angry about being his punching bag any more," I said.

"But that is what it was meant to do. Help you work your anger out," he said. We talked for a bit and then he headed off to his next session. I knew we would be talking more about it later.

I went back to work and had the place cleaned up an hour later. I started working on the various stations just to see what they did and what muscles they affected. From that day on I started working out in there every morning. At first my workout were geared to improving my body. Then it was to work my anger out of me. Then as I increased the intensity of my workouts it was the desire to never be a victim again. Billy would watch me as I worked out and admired my desire to stick with it and he taught me a lot about working out. I really appreciated his help.

Cleaning up the music room Sunday morning was fun. Couldn't believe how dirty the place was! It wasn't that hard to clean up, just a lot of dust to vacuum up and wipe off things. I found a manual in there on how to use the recording equipment in there. I knew I would have fun playing and recording in there once I learned how to play the various instruments in there. I took an acoustic guitar back to my room and began working on it. By the end of the week I had the basic chords down. A few days later I was able to play a simple song. My musical accomplishment was making me feel very good and I was on cloud number nine. By the time I left Sagebrush I'd be making music of my own and that to me was exciting.

Not everything was great. I did hit a few speed bumps along the way. I dealt with them the best I could with a little bit of help from Tommy and Billy. I got through them okay. The biggest obstacle was dealing with what happened to me. Sometimes talking about being a victim hurt. I'd get emotional during those sessions. Tommy was patient with me and he'd hold me at times when I needed it. Billy was helpful too. He was there for me when I needed a little help. Working my anger out on the weights and the punching bag did help a lot. Billy was a kick boxer as it turned out and he began teaching me how to do it. That was my introduction to the martial arts.

Learning the martial arts with Billy as my instructor was fun. He taught me the basics of karate and kickboxing. I looked at it as a great cardiovascular workout. Later on I would regard it as the best thing that ever happened to me. It would lay the ground for learning Twin Dragon from the spirit of a long dead master of that particular art. I would use it to avenge those who couldn't fight back and to aid those being tormented by bullies. It was the right thing to do.

Another thing I was dealing with was my sexual identity. I had conversations with Jack about it and he really listened and paid attention to what I wrote about it. I never mentioned the special treatments I got from Mikey in the hospital. Something's are best left unsaid. I was very honest with Jack when I told him I felt something for him. He didn't laugh or put me down for it and explained that sometimes patients will form attachments to their psychiatrists and that it was normal. I relaxed knowing he was cool about it and that it didn't bother him any. The teacher in science was about to do a unit on human sexuality and the timing was kind of perfect. It was scheduled to be done for a whole week. As I sat there reading the books and listening I began to recall the books I had read in the Thousand Oaks library. I mentioned them to Jack one Sunday afternoon and we spent the hour discussing the books I recalled reading. Jack was impressed I had remembered them. The book I was reading for that unit in science was much more descriptive and I understood things much more clearly. There was a big debate over gays and I chose to come out to the class and did it nervously. The reaction I got was interesting. Only one guy gave me a load of shit over it and he got escorted out once he was done cussing me out. The rest of the guys simply took the attitude that it was my own business. A few of them did admit to having tried it and liked it, but chose to chase girls. I mentioned a study I had heard of that was exploring the question of people being born that way. I stated my own opinion of it and got a lot of agreements over it. With Jack I talked more about my desires and I went a bit further than I would have in the class or in the group.

"You want to explore gay sex with another boy," Jack said.

"Yes. I'd like to experience it with a willing partner," I responded. Jack smiled and I knew I had said something right. "You hope he will be a willing partner. That tells me you would sit down with him first and discuss it for the simple reason that it would involve him too."

"Yes it would," I said.

"Sagebrush has guidelines in place in regards to sexual behavior between two boys here. They are very specific in what is allowed and what is not. I will leave a copy with you. One item in particular I must and am required to point out to you is that if the intended partner says no, you must respect that. Sexual contact between a boy and an adult is not allowed. Please read the guidelines for the rest of the details," Jack said.

"I will. Thanks for informing me of them," I said.

"There is a book I can give you," Jack said, lowering his voice. "It's called the Joy Of Gay Sex. It just came out a few months ago and I am very sure that it would answer a lot of your questions about how it is done. Keep it in your room and don't show it to anyone. I'll get it to you in a few days." I couldn't wait to read it.

Chapter 2

"Real simple," I said in the group session one afternoon when one guy asked me point blank about being like some of the marchers. "I don't intend to do that scene. It's not me. Yes I am gay, but not to that level. I am a guy. I walk like one, talk like one, cuss like one, and dress like a guy. I like guy things, like watching football, hot rods, muscle cars, and so on. The only different thing about me is that I would like to be in a relationship with a guy."

I stated my opinion of the politics involved and a lot of the guys agreed with me once they understood what I was saying. I know I had changed a few minds in that session.

I watched the guys over the next few days and nothing really became of it. Besides I was enjoying jacking off by myself and decided to stick with that for now. When I left Sagebrush I would think about getting involved with a guy. Jack approved of my decision in a private session a few days later.

"Good thinking," he said once I explained my thinking and reasoning behind it. "Yes, your recovery here is important and deciding to concentrate on it was the best decision you could have made."

It really had been. I wasn't sure if one of the guys in my section wanted to play from all of the confusing signals he was sending me and I eventually decided to not get involved with him and that proved to be a good decision. It would cut into my therapy time as well and I wasn't willing to do that. My therapy was far too important to me. I still had a long way to go even though I had made some great strides. I did meet a really nice kid and we ended up doing mutual masturbation once he turned me on to the joys of it in his shower or mine after morning workout. It was time to put the issue of my sexuality back on the shelf and work through the rest of the issues I was facing. Jack thought that was good thinking on my part and so did Billy. Life went on as usual.

February turned into March. My daily routine didn't change much. I went to school. I worked out, learning guitar (and doing very well at it too), and kept up on my Japanese. Jack would get me the Japanese language newspaper every morning and I kept the Japanese channel going on my TV every day. I was fortunate to discover a Japanese community in Tempe, Arizona. There was an older man who volunteered there and once he discovered I spoke Japanese we started meeting for afternoon tea and spent many hours talking. He'd tell me stories of his childhood in Japan and I liked hearing them. We discussed a number of things Japanese and he brought me a number of books in Japanese to read and then we'd talk about them afterwards. Mr. Yatamoto certainly did his best to educate me on Japanese society and I soaked it all up like a sponge. He even taught me a few customs, like the Tea Ceremony, the courtesies, and a few more things Japanese men would do. I definitely learned a lot from him. We continued our friendship right up to the day I left there.

It was early one evening in March I was watching the news when it was reported that the Terrosa trials were due to start. Both sides were now beginning the early stages of making motions and so on. The reporters, the legal experts, and the commentators speculated as to what would happen. My name did come up a lot and one person said I was to be one of the key witnesses on the stand. I listened to the rest of the news and then turned to my journal once the news was over. Naturally Jack, Billy, and Elmers were concerned. The board met and it was decided that I should have legal representation to help protect me. I was informed of the board's decision the next day when I was invited to meet them. Janet Reno and her team was there along with the representatives from the Secret Service, the FBI, CIA, the Postal Service, and other law enforcement agencies

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the board, Mrs. Reno, and representatives from the various law enforcement agencies. It is an honor to meet all of you. I thank you all for inviting me here," I said, starting my comments. "I have been talking with Dr. Franks, Dr. Elmers, and Billy about the upcoming trial and what it means to me. I know it will be a very unpleasant business and a lot of things will come out as it goes on. Being a young person I have no idea of the judicial process and I am sure I will know by the time all of this is over. I really appreciate the board being concerned about me and acting to secure legal representation for me in the upcoming trial. I have not yet met with the person and would like to prior to meeting with Mrs. Reno and her assistants."

The board nodded as I sat down. Dr. Elmers stood up.

"David, we have hired a well known Arizona attorney Greg Devlin based on the advice of Miss Reno and other respected citizens of our fair city. He will have access to you here at Sagebrush anytime he needs to speak to you. So without further ado, here he is," Dr. Elmers said.

I turned to see a man in his late thirties walk up to me. We shook hands and then agreed to meet in my room right after the conference. Mrs. Reno then stood up and spoke about what my role in the trial would be and the fact that I would be given lots of protection during the trial. The various groups represented there would be involved and be working in a joint effort to get the man and his fellow hoodlums as the gentleman from the postal service called them put away for the rest of their lives. People nodded at that as Reno stood up and looked at the man from the postal service.

"A number of them no doubt will be going to jail for a very long time. In the case of Terrosa and his top men, and the ones who participated in the killings, I plan on asking for the death penalty. They deserve it," she said.

A memory floated up from the dark place in my mind and I spaced out as I relieved that moment. I blinked as Dr. Elmers gently shook me by the shoulders.

"David?" he said softly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded and let out a breath and then told them of the memory I had just relieved. "They stood there below me and pointed and laughed at me while openly masturbating while I screamed my head off asking for mercy and to get me down. They even opened bottles of champagne and celebrated my being there."

Reno was trembling in rage as she heard what I had to say. "I will need you to look at a bunch of photographs to find them so I can make them pay for that. Do you feel you can do that?" she asked me.

I nodded. "I want my revenge on all of them and I will get it in two ways. One is to testify against them all. The other is to live my life and live it well with honor."

Reno nodded. "Very wise. I will work hard to see that you get that opportunity to testify against them."

Devlin stepped forward and looked at me. "I'll do everything I can to protect you while you do testify and to make sure you get that chance to."

"Thanks. I appreciate that," I said.

We discussed a number of things and then I headed back to my room to think about what had been said. On the spur of the moment I headed into the music room and picked up an electric guitar, plugged it in and started playing. I imagined a band behind me and just went for it. I had gotten really good at playing guitar and enjoyed it immensely. It was one of the best things I could have done and was glad I had taken the time to learn from Eddie, one of the boys who lived here. He had shown up one day and found me messing around with the guitar. He had his with him and he sat down next to me and started teaching me. Naturally I couldn't read music at the time but he taught me how to do it and what was really amazing was the fact that I had an ear for it, a fact that Eddie found extremely hilarious because I had a 68% loss in my right ear. Hey, go figure. He must have done something right because it didn't take long for me to get the hang of it. So now in the evenings after dinner, I went to the music room and played for three hours every night from six to nine. I had my favorite bands I liked to play, but I was open minded enough to play what I liked from other groups. I was starting to develop an interest in trying to write my own music and actually started to. I played right up to dinner and then went back and played some more. Then Ray, one of the security officers, knocked on the door as he always did every night to tell me it was closing time. He was an older guy and he was really nice. Everybody there liked him.

"Sounded good tonight, kid. Keep it up," he said as he locked the door.

I smiled. "I intend to Ray. How ya doing?"

"Ah you know, the usual. Nothing ever changes," he grinned.

"Is that why you like hanging around us brats?" I teased.

He gave me a funny face and I had to laugh once more. He walked me to my room and I went in. I sat down at my desk and wrote in my journal for a half hour and then went to bed. It had been a long day.

Getting up the next morning early I wrote some more in my journal and then headed out to the gym to get my workout started. As far as I was concerned the day was just like any other day, really nothing happening outside the normal routine. The only thing different was the Terrosa trial on my mind. The second thing that was different was when one of the guys in the group session spoke up.

"I'm just curious as to why you haven't chased us guys or tried to hit on us," Benny asked.

Oh damned good question! I thought about that for a moment.

"I guess the reason why is that I've decided to concentrate on resolving my issues and my problems before thinking of developing a relationship with someone," I replied. "Besides you guys might not appreciate getting hit on and I'm not going to make anyone uncomfortable knowing that I want them in my bed."

"That's cool," Benny said. "Like I said I was just wondering."

Jack nodded at the exchange. "Good thinking David. I was curious about that myself. Reason I say that is because just before you arrived we had a fellow who was trying to hit on everyone."

"I can understand people being cautious. Don't have to worry about me okay?" I said. "I'm not going to do that."

That settled the issue and we went on to other things.

I kept on with my daily routine. I didn't see any need to change anything just because of the upcoming trial. I did pay attention to the news every night and even though they were saying a lot of things, not much new information was coming out. It seemed the Terrosa defense attorney was doing a lot of talking and showboating in front of the cameras. Reno and her crew were avoiding the media completely. Devlin said it was because she didn't want to give Terrosa any kind of clue as to what she was going to do. I saw the point in that and thought it was a wise move on her part.

"Keller's an idiot," Devlin said. "He likes to make long winded speeches in front of the cameras and he's too busy trashing Reno and that tells me he's not thinking in terms of a defense for Terrosa."

"If you were defending Terrosa, what kind of defense would you come up with?" I asked him.

Devlin smiled. "You're thinking kid. I like that. One of Reno's assistants asked me that in a meeting two mornings ago. Everybody sat up and really listened to what I had to say. People took notes, people asked questions, and they asked why. They certainly had their thinking caps on. I asked the guy why he wanted to know. His response was that he was trying to come up with arguments to counter any kind of defense they would encounter. Reno commended the guy and so did I. This kid's sharp. He'll be going places if he gets his chance."

"So I really shouldn't worry then," I said.

Devlin nodded. "Just tell your story. That's all you got to do."

I nodded and that ended our conference. I headed back to my quarters and did some writing in my journal and then headed for the group session. Just another normal day.

I sat in the music room Saturday afternoon and started working on a song that I had running around in my head for the longest time. I called it Remains Of Me. It was dealing with what happened to me and how I felt right afterwards. I knew how I wanted the guitar parts to it done and worked on the second guitar after I had laid down the first guitar tracks. It took me about an hour to get it right and then lay it down on tape. Then I worked on a Led Zeppelin song I was learning, Dazed and Confused. I liked the live version that Jimmy Page did in the concert film and managed to capture the song just right. Jimmy Page was definitely one of the best guitar players I'd ever heard. I'd like to meet him someday.

I relaxed and worked on the album version of the song and just lost myself in the music. I was having a really good time playing it and feeling good at the same time. I wasn't worried about anything at the moment. I'd deal with the trial once I got there and not before, something that Tommy commented on saying I had the right attitude about it all. I didn't want to worry needlessly about it.

The news that evening stated the opening arguments was getting started the next morning. They also stated that parts of the trial would not be televised due to the graphic nature of the evidence that would be shown. Devlin had informed me about the video and the photographic evidence that had been recovered showing what had been done to me. I had gotten angry when I heard they had videotaped what they had done to me. It was a hard thing to deal with and that made me very moody for a few days. One of Reno's people came to see me and told me that everyone had been appalled by what they saw in the videos.

"It's made us even more determined to put this asshole so far away in the deepest darkest cell we can find until we fry cook his ass," the man said. "Believe me we will convict him. That's our promise to you and all of the kids he hurt and killed."

I believed him. Devlin believed him. I hoped that they would convict him.

I started keeping to myself and writing more in my journal. I spent a lot of my time in the music room trying to keep my mind off things. Playing guitar or working out really hard helped me quite a bit. I also jacked off a lot more than usual to deal with the stress I was feeling. Jack and Billy spent time with me talking about what I was writing in my journal about the trial and my testifying to the court. Arrangements were now being made to keep me in a very secure location and Navy Seal Team Six out of Hermosa Beach, California, allowing the other law enforcement agencies to work other problems, would handle my personal security. I was cool with that and I wondered once more who that guy was the morning I had been taken off the cross and then gotten rescued by him and his three buddies. I would have liked to meet them and said thank you. I asked the Reno aide if it was possible and he said he would pass the request up the chain and not get my hopes up. I told him I understood and he told me to hang in there.

The Tuesday morning the trial was to start rolled around. I sat down in one of my comfortable chairs in my room and turned on the TV. The commentator for the Phoenix news station was talking outside the courthouse and then at the right moment the view changed to the inside of the courtroom. The judge came out and sat down, and things got started. He laid down the rules for conduct in the courtroom and stated that there would be times that the TV cameras would not be allowed in the courtroom due to the extreme graphic nature of some of the evidence to be presented. After that Reno took the floor and gave her opening statement. She gave a damned good one. She was strong, resolute, and firm. I liked that. Keller was next and the sumbitch went right for Reno's throat almost immediately. I was shocked by the intensity of his attack. Now I wanted to testify more than ever. I wanted to take the arrogant fucker down hard.

I went into the gym and started pounding the punching bag very hard to cool down I was so angry. I did cool down after a half hour of serious hitting the bag. I headed back to my room and the commentators were making their comments about the opening statements. The legal experts stated that Reno had come out strong and they had said she would win the case because she was in much more control than Keller was. I thought about that while I was in the shower and decided they were right. All Reno had to do was to show her cards slowly, one at a time and hope Keller shot his way too soon. I came out of the shower and sat in front of my TV for a bit longer until they were done for the day at three in the afternoon. I turned it off and headed for the dining room. I was hungry and I hoped Devlin would show up. He arrived just as I finished my sandwich. He sat down at my table and grinned.

"That asshole in my opinion did more than flap his gums. The fucker literally shot himself in the foot," Devlin said.

"With a Stinger missile," I said as I stood up and cracked my back.

Devlin laughed out loud. "Nice thought kid. Reno's got him cold."

"Just because he screwed up with his poor choice of words this morning doesn't make him any less dangerous. We still need to be careful of him," I said.

I knew deep inside this thing was far from over. The battle was just beginning.

As we swung into April, I had the feeling that things would be happening soon. Things I would have no control over and that bothered me a lot. I hoped that I would be ready for those events and started spending more time with Jack. Jack and I talked about what it was I was feeling and he told me I was very perceptive. The current owners of Sagebrush were running into money troubles and had to come up with ways to save their collective asses. That bothered me because this place was just too important to close down and I said so to Jack.

"A few of us said that in the big staff meeting a few days ago," he sighed. "The owners said they knew our work here was far too important to ruin that."

"Good," I said and we returned to the current subject.

The trial was moving forward and I could see which way it was going. Keller was trying to block all of Reno's efforts and I could tell she was getting frustrated. I wrote a note and had it delivered to her telling her to keep up the good fight. The next morning she seemed to be a lot more focused and I think it was because of the note I had sent her.

My nightmares were coming back with a vengeance. I'd wake up sweating in the early morning around two. I'd get up and head down to the gym and spend a half hour pounding the bag just to tire me out and redirect my anger and frustration. Billy or Jack would find me slumped down against the wall and they would sit down and talk to me. I'd go back to my room afterwards and write in my journal. Eddie would come into my room on the sly and get into bed with me and hold me close to him. He'd touch me and caress me, kiss my back in a very erotic way and then stroke my penis until I had my orgasm. Then I was able to sleep better. Jack decided it would be best if he handed all of his patients to somebody else and worked with me. The board cleared the request and Elmers stepped in to help. The guys in my section understood and offered their support. That gave me a boost knowing I had a lot of people behind me now. Jack and I started some very intensive therapy similar to what I got when I first arrived. We would talk for hours and I'd let everything out. We really worked hard on the issues I was going to be dealing with when I went to confront Terrosa and his people. Devlin had reported that a lot of the guys were rolling over on Terrosa, Red, and a few others. I knew they were trying to save their own lives and I really didn't give a damn. They were just as guilty as Terrosa, Red, and the other guys were in my thinking. Hell, they were there the day I got put up on the cross and they acted like it had been great sport to them and turned it into a party atmosphere with the booze and jacking their cocks while I screamed my ass off in pain up there. The anger I was feeling was starting to resurface and I spent time in the gym working hard on the weights and the punching bag. I needed to work off my anger so that I went in to testify it would be with a clear head. Then I was informed I would be on the stand in early May.

I worked hard to keep my mind off that date. The plan was now that I'd be flown out there by a military helicopter with Seal Six protecting me. Apparently there had been a lot of threats against me for getting Terrosa in trouble. These people declared I would be punished for my illegal testimony against Terrosa and assisting the Janet Reno crime family. I had to laugh at that. I thought it was hilarious that these crazy people were threatening me and saying those things. Reno made a public statement that these people would be caught and prosecuted. I would be flown to the top of a hotel and escorted to the Presidential suite and guarded there until I was needed. I packed my bag for a two week stay and planned on taking my acoustic guitar as well. I didn't want to be without it. It had been my constant companion through everything.

I was watching the trial one evening when Reno stated her intentions to call witnesses starting next Monday. I knew for sure this was going to be it. I stared out the window in my room at the setting sun and thought about what this was going to mean for me. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. I also knew deep down that this was going to be a part of my recovery process. Confronting him would be the real test. If I stood up to him then I knew I'd be okay. If not, I'd never be able to let go of all of this. I'd be in recovery for life.

"You are right," Jack said as we sat down for the evening session. "This is what the board has been talking about. If you do succeed in standing up to him on the stand, then you will succeed in whatever you decide to do in life."

I nodded, knowing he was making sense. We spent the rest of the evening discussing my thoughts and feelings on this part of my recovery, facing him down.

The nightmares changed. Instead of seeing what they had done to me, they were standing around me as I was strapped down into a chair yelling at me and calling me a little weakling, and so on. This continued on for a whole week with variations. I finally got tired of it and managed to break out of my restraints and got out of the chair. They vanished away the moment I did so. Cowards. Too scared of me. That was fine. They would be running scared the moment I walked into there. My time was coming. I would have my revenge against them and enjoy it.

I flew out of Sagebrush a week later. Seal Team Six saluted me the moment I arrived onto the front lawn to board the big helicopter. I was surprised by that and accepted it. The chopper lifted off once I was secure in my seat. It was the second time I'd ever been on a helicopter and it sure left a great impression on me. I watched out the window as we flew into Phoenix, Arizona with a pair of Apache helicopters as escorts. Everything went well and we landed on the roof with no problems. The hotel manager greeted us and he shook my hand as he introduced himself. We entered the suite that had been given to me and shown the amenities. I liked the place and said so. He left and one of the Seals turned to me and said that Reno would be up later in the evening. Would I like anything from the refrigerator? I chose orange juice because I was feeling dehydrated at the moment. That was one of my big problems. I constantly needed to drink something because of having been kept dehydrated by Terrosa. Watching someone drinking bottled water in front of you and knowing I couldn't get any did a number on me. If it hadn't been for that rainstorm that night, I know I would have died of thirst.

I settled into the bedroom. The bed was big and very comfortable. I had stretched out on it and was in the process of jacking off when one of the Seals walked in. I looked up in surprise and he put his finger to his lips. He closed the door quietly and approached the bed. He reached for my feet and pulled me sideways so my legs were dangling over the side. He got on his knees and reached for my penis. He put it in his mouth and gave me the most incredible blowjob that topped Eddie. I felt a lot more relaxed afterwards. The man smiled at me and I smiled back. I got my pants back up as he slid out the door quietly. I sat down in the living room with my acoustic guitar and started playing songs I knew until Reno arrived. I had just finished Patience by Guns and Roses when she sat down.

"You have talent," she said. "Keep it up."

I put down the guitar. "Thanks. How did it go today?"

She sighed. "Keller's trying his very best to stop me, that's for sure. He did his best to counter all of the video and photographic evidence I presented this week showing what they did to you. I get the feeling he knew about a lot of this."

"Really nice guy," I said.

"No kidding. I would love to get something on him," she said.

I sat back drinking the OJ. "Wouldn't surprise me if Terrosa is blackmailing him into defending him and getting him out of this. I also believe he's behind the threats."

"You're not the only one who feels that way," she said. "A lot of people are saying the same thing."

"So let's watch his visitors and find out where they go and who they talk to," one of the Seals said.

"Getting that cleared through the secretary of the Navy now," she said.

I smiled. "Itching to hunt someone down?"

"Big, bad, and nasty? Sure," the man smiled.

Reno turned back to me and we began discussing tomorrow. I knew it would be a long day and hoped I would be ready for it.

I stared out the window of the Suburban as we turned onto the street where the courthouse was. I could see people lining the streets with signs and nearly all of them were positive. They were showing support for me. That gave me the strength I would need. We turned into the underground parking and stopped by the elevators. I got out after it was called clear with my acoustic and followed my guide into the elevator. We rode it up and I was shown to the room where I was to wait. A Seal sat down in a chair across from the door that went out into the hall and kept his weapon pointed at it. Four others spread themselves around the room as one sat down on a couch by the phone. The waiting had begun.

By noon I was completely bored. I pulled my acoustic out of the hard shell and started to play a few tunes. By three it was obvious I wasn't going to be called. I was escorted back to the hotel and to my room. Keller had managed to block my testifying that day. But he knew that sooner or later I would get onto the stand and give my testimony. It was eventually decided I would stay in the hotel until I was really needed. That way I wouldn't get run back and forth all the time. I liked that idea. I started using the gym in the hotel and continued my workouts every day. The Seal guys helped me and suggested a few things to help improve my workouts. One of the guys began giving me massage in the early evenings and slowly turned it sexual over the course of the next few evenings. He got brave one night and sucked me off, making me orgasm. Mike kept giving me pleasure to the day I went back to Sagebrush. I was glad to get help from them but I wished it had been the guys who saved me that day. Reno had told me she passed on my request and hadn't heard anything yet.

Jack continued giving me intense therapy. I talked about how angry I was and started taking my frustrations out on him. I screamed, yelled, and cussed him out constantly. Thank God he never took any of it personally or I'd be out in the cold without his help. He told me I wasn't the first to get pissed off at him and get extremely vocal at him. He knew it was the situation getting to me and let it pass on by. Once I knew he wasn't pissed off at me I relaxed a bit and settled down once more. I wished I could get up there and get it over. Keller's knowing I was there and throwing all kinds of roadblocks in front of my appearing was part of his game plan. He knew by the time I got up there I'd be so worked up that I wouldn't be thinking straight and that he'd be able to derail my testimony with ease. That epiphany at three thirty one morning made me sit up and realize he wasn't as fucking stupid as we originally though. This dude was a real snake and he was slowly revealing his true colors. I shared my thoughts with Reno at seven the next morning and she agreed with me.

"Don't worry," she said confidently, all traces of her frustration gone. "I'll just go snake hunting this morning. I'll do what I can to get him shut down."

"Good luck. I don't know why I didn't think of this before," I said.

"Same here. He really had me going for a while there," she said. "No more."

I smiled as I hung up the phone. Now that I had stumbled across his battle plan quite by accident and shared it, things would go a lot smoother now.

I watched the trial start up on the TV as I ate breakfast. Reno came out with her head up and a look in her eye that would send people running for their lives. Keller entered looking so smug and confident that I wondered what he was up to this time. The judge took his seat and Keller stood up. He actually turned to look down his nose at Reno. I saw his face change from a smirk to confusion. Reno smiled and I could see him getting even more nervous. She was about to chop him down into itty-bitty pieces. She had managed to shake him up some. Keller turned and made a new motion designed to keep me off the stand. Reno stood up and in her rebuttal to the motion declared that everything Keller had done in trying to block my testimony was due to the fact that he knew exactly what Terrosa had been doing and was trying to keep him from going to jail by doing everything he could to discredit me. Reno even speculated that Terrosa was blackmailing him into doing what he could to disrupt the court to the point he would be able to get his client off very easy. Keller jumped to his feet and vigorously denied the charges. He made his first serious mistake. He accused Reno of being a part of a conspiracy to frame his client for crimes he never committed. The judge finally blew his top and ordered Keller to sit the hell down. Then the judge issued an order to have me appear at one in the afternoon to start my testimony. Keller made his second mistake in attacking the judge and got slapped with a huge fine. Keller had finally fucked up.

I stood before the mirror in the living room and tried to tie the damn tie. Mike stood behind me and reached around me after asking my permission to do so and showed me exactly how to do it. He suggested leaving it like that when I took the tie off.

"Don't completely pull it apart. Pull it open just enough to get it off. That will make it so much easier to put it on in the future," he said.

He turned me around and then gave me a really nice kiss that made me feel good deep down inside. That made perfect sense and I decided to do just that from now on. A knock sounded on the door and one of the US marshals was there when the Seal at the door opened it. ID's were checked and the man was admitted. That was the first time I met Philip Gerard. He shook my hand and I instantly knew he was going to be a friend. Good friends are hard to find these days. He nodded at me and handed me the official summons from the judge. I read it over and handed it to Devlin. He looked it over.

"It's genuine kid," he said.

I looked at the time. "Let's not keep them waiting."

Once more the procession of cars moved through the streets to the building. Once more I was escorted to the room. Right at one the Seal in the hall opened the door and nodded.

"He's been asked for," he said.

This was it. This was the moment I had waited for and dreaded. I nodded and started walking, the Seal in front of me leading me to the doors of the courtroom. The two guards opened the doors and I stood there for a moment or two. I looked up to see Keller and Terrosa smirking at me, I got angry again. I took a breath and calmed down. I walked down the long aisle and passed through the small doors and stopped in front of the judge. He nodded and the bailiff approached me and directed me to the witness stand. He swore me in and I sat down. Reno stood up.

"For the record, please state you name and age," she said.

I nodded. "My name is David Austin George. I am twelve years old."

"Can you please in your own words, tell us about Rico Terrosa and what they did to you?" she asked.

"I can, and I will," I said.

I stared at the prosecution table and the table faded away to be replaced with the memories of what I had suffered at Terrosa's hands.

"Rico Terrosa bought me from Robert Molson and Dr. James Grayson in California for a lot of money," I said, beginning my testimony.

It took almost an hour to tell everything. I kept my gaze on the prosecution table, not wanting to look up at Terrosa for fear of losing my nerve. Keller tried to stop my testimony by objecting and I didn't stop talking, just kept right on going. The judge ordered him to object later. Devlin and Jack later told me when I didn't respond to any of Keller's comments or accusations they had started to worry. When I finally finished telling everything, the courtroom was so quiet that you could have heard a rat fart down the hall. Reno then asked me if I had been coached by anyone and I said no. Reno then asked me if I had made any of this up and I said no. She sat down and then Keller stood up. I didn't look at him as he began firing question after question. I answered his question or at least tried to but he'd cut me off. He finally got to me when he stated that my supposed tattoos were faked. I lifted my head and looked at him. I stood up and pulled off my jacket, my dress shirt and tie, and my t-shirt to reveal my tattoos to the courtroom. He started looking away and messing with papers in his briefcase as I stood there.

"Do these look fake to you?" I asked quietly. "The pain was very real."

There was no answer. Devlin stood up.

"Greg Devlin for David George your honor. I have medical documents that will testify to the tattoos from very well respected physicians at Children's in Tempe," Devlin said, lifting the folder from his briefcase.

"All of them faked and forged," Keller snapped.

Four men in the back of the court stood up and I recognized them. Martha was with them as well and she nodded to me. Given a chance I think she would have taken all of them out and down.

"They are present and are willing to testify as to their findings and their reports that they filed as prescribed by the law sir," Devlin said.

The judge nodded for a moment and then turned to me. "Son, you can put your shirts back on and leave. I see no need to drag you through any more of this."

I picked up my shirts and pulled them back on me and stepped into the tiny office behind the witness stand and tucked everything back into my pants and then reappeared back into the courtroom. I walked back down the aisle and out the door, the Navy Seals falling in around me. The press kept calling to me for a statement and I said nothing. I had come to do what I needed to do and now it was over. I was tired and needed to sit down and rest. I sighed as I got into the Suburban and left the building. We got back to the hotel and I was taken back to my room. I flopped down on the couch and Jack sat down next to me.

"David?" he asked, concern in his voice.

I nodded at him. "It's done. I beat them. I walked away the winner. I got my revenge."

"I'm glad," Tommy said.

I got up and went into the bedroom as Mike followed me. We stripped down and got into the shower. Mike took his time in washing me, making sure to make me feel good. His touches sent shivers down my spine. He rinsed me off and dried me off. He carried me to bed and got in with me and held me close to him.

I woke up late the next morning. Mike was gone. I pulled on a t-shirt and went out into the living room and sat down on the couch. Jack turned to me.

"You should have heard the news last night. A reporter repeated your testimony but gave a scaled down version of what you said, just enough to state you had suffered terrible abuse. The reactions got even worse about your tattoos. A local tattoo parlor owner and his lawyer were interviewed and both stated for the record that tattooing a minor is considered a class A felony, punishable by twenty years. A dermatologist was interviewed and stated that current tattoo removal methods were not effective and showed why. A psychiatrist stated the mental damage from such a forced tattooing was permanent and the victim never really recovered. He went on to say that the Sagebrush program was the absolute best place for you to be and that your chances of fully recovering was excellent," Jack said.

"A definite credit to you guys," I said, waking up now that I had a bit of coffee inside of me. "What's Greg up to this morning?"

"Helping Reno with the other boys. The judge asked him to step in and be their advocate," Jack said. "Since you have been dismissed by the judge we are flying you back to Sagebrush later on in the morning."

"Good. Be nice to get back there," I said. "With your help I can put this fully behind me and move on with my life."

Jack smiled. "That's the idea kid."

I reached for the acoustic and started playing Over The Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin as a Seal cooked breakfast in the kitchen. It was going to be a good morning.

The helicopter settled on the front lawn around eleven in the morning. It was nice to be back. Seal Team Six would hang around for a few days to make sure everything would be okay and then leave. I'd hate to see them go. I liked their stories of the impossible missions they had taken on and accomplished their objectives. I pulled Mike aside and told him what I remembered of that particular morning.

"Do you think you could find out who it was and pass a message to the guy?" I asked him.

He sighed for a moment. "I can try. You have given me something to work with. I can't promise anything okay?"

"I understand," I said.

Each man shook my hand as they left a week later. Mike had given me his very private goodbye in the shower that morning by sucking my cock. I loved it. I had enjoyed working out with them and getting tips on improving my workouts. A few of them were musicians and on a Saturday night we put on a big jam for Sagebrush and really rocked the place. It was something I don't think anyone would ever forget. I know I won't.

Jack and I did talk about the events there. I had been feeling a lot better since having done it and I felt it had advanced my recovery a lot and Jack agreed.

"Your nightmares and flashbacks have stopped," he said. "You're easier to approach, you're not as jumpy, and you have come out of your depression."

"I feel as if I have left the darkness behind me," I said. "I feel that I can handle anything now."

"That's good. Many people were praying for you," Jack said.

He knew how I felt about that particular subject but he said it anyway to tell me that there were a lot of people supporting me in that time.

"That's cool," I said to spare his feelings.

Jack was right about my improving a great deal. I had come a long way and my life was starting to get better. I was feeling as if a big load had been taken off my shoulders.

Chapter 3

Billy was the first to go a week later. He went around and told people goodbye as the new security officer in our section followed him around. I was the last person he talked to. Billy and I had spent a few hours the day before talking about all kinds of things and he had given me sound advice for the future. I was glad to have known him and said so.

"I love you kid," he said. "Take care of yourself." Then he was gone. The new guy came to see me later and told us guys when he found us in my room talking that he was just following orders. We nodded and he was okay after that. I informed him of a lot of things around Sagebrush and he nodded.

"A lot of us noticed things and we intend to keep them that way," he said.

A few days later Jack along with three quarters of the staff in our section was dismissed and that really scared a lot of us. The guys were really scared now and I didn't blame them at all. I knew for sure my time was short. I had been lucky to get the acoustic and all of my recordings out of the music room before it was locked. The gym was locked the next morning as well. I simply accepted that and went back to my room and made sure I was packed and ready to go for when they kicked me out. I was playing an acoustic version of 'Going To California' the morning they came for me. They stood there and listened as I played. When I was done the new head doctor nodded.

"Very well done young man. I must ask you to vacate the premises," he said.

"May I ask why?" I asked him.

"The new policies state that gay teenagers are not allowed here," he said. I nodded and stood up. I extended my hand and we shook hands. "No hard feelings here. I do wish all of you well."

I turned and put the guitar into the hard case and made sure I had everything before I walked out of there. On the front steps I hoisted my pack on my back, picked up the guitar, picked a direction that I felt I was being pulled into, and left. My life now was taking on a new direction. It was obvious my time there was done and it was time to move on.

It was hot. No, it was fucking boiling. I was glad for the three one liter bottles of water I had with me and the hat I was wearing as I headed into Tempe. I decided I would get there and then see if I could get a bus ticket into California. In the last few weeks I had been seeing an old Japanese man in my dreams teaching me something called Twin Dragon. I had started learning the martial arts from Billy in addition to the kickboxing I had learned from him.

I walked into Tempe and found out where the bus station was and tried to get a ticket for the bus. I was a little upset when I was told I couldn't get one because I was a minor. I shrugged my shoulders and walked out of there. I got on a local bus and rode it to the other end of Tempe and got off it. I stopped to get a cheeseburger at a little grill in a strip mall and noticed a jewelry store two doors down. I looked in the window and noticed they were advertising a special. If you bought a pair of earrings the piercing was done for free. I went inside and had a pair of colored hoops put into my right ear, the blue one in front of the gold one and left the place feeling good. That was as far as I was going to go concerning my gay identity and nothing else. I wasn't about to start looking like one of those weird gay guys in drag or anything else. I was me and that's how I intended to stay. I started walking down the road once I made sure my water bottles were filled. I wondered just where and how I would meet this old man. I decided not to worry about it and just head for California. When the time was right I'd find him.

I did find him. I had gotten dropped off in the middle of a small desert town on the California side of the state line. I walked into the tiny store and there he was. We looked at each other for a moment and then he nodded.

"I am the one you seek," he said as he bowed.

I returned the bow. "Sir, I am honored to have been chosen to learn from you."

"You were found worthy," he said. "Now come. It is time we traveled to there."

"What is there?" I asked him. He smiled. "It is a place where I shall train you at. Time there has no meaning. Once you complete your training I shall return you to this place and the time you left."

"I trust you sir," I said. He nodded. "Good. You have passed your first test."

He turned and walked out of the store and headed into the desert. I followed him. He led me to a small outcropping of rocks and I discovered the mouth of a cave there. He smiled at me and led me into it. I felt something wash over me and saw a bright golden light. When the golden light faded I saw a forest in front of me. The air was fresh and clean. I followed him for a mile and he walked up to a small house.

"Welcome to my humble home," he said. I returned the bow. "I am honored to be a guest in your home."

"You speak Japanese well," he noted. I set down my pack and guitar and sat down on a rock. I sighed and then told him how it happened. He frowned as he listened.

"This man practices a dark magic and used it on you for a reason. This Terrosa chased him off because he was angry at the man. This ended what control he had on you," he said as he examined my tattoos. "He has not completed them. The sigils are not there. This means you are not tainted with his evil. He will not be seen again, he was destroyed when he attempted to corrupt another. He is no more. I can put other ones for power and protection in place if you so wish."

I sighed. "Please do. I'd appreciate that."

I got settled into a small room inside the house and spent the rest of the day looking around and getting familiar with the area. I liked it and told him so.

"I find it very peaceful here," he said. "Perfect for teaching and meditating."

I decided to cook dinner that night and served up a nice stew and he was delighted.

"A good talent to have," he complemented. We spent the rest of the evening talking about the training and I was really looking forward to it now and he liked that.

"I do make a solemn vow before you master," I said. "I swear to use my skills only to defend those who cannot defend themselves, and to fight for justice."

He nodded. "Well said. I believe you."

I was up early the next morning. I left a pot of tea to the side of the fire and went to a large rock I had found the evening before and to my joy discovered it overlooked a small lake. I sat on it and closed my eyes and concentrated of feeling the sun on my face. It wasn't long that he came and sat next to me.

"What is it you feel?" he asked.

"The sun on my face," I said.

"Good," he said and began to teach me meditation. By the end of the hour I was catching on and he was pleased. I made breakfast and we ate while he taught me things. My training had begun.

In the two years I spent by my reckoning in his dimension, I learned everything he could teach me, from meditation to the Way of Katana. He started me out with the basics of karate, teaching me Tai Chi as I got into karate, and from there moved me up into Twin Dragon, and ultimately, ninjitsu. When it was time to teach me Katana, he insisted I should craft my own.

"Every warrior crafts his own. He becomes intimate with it. It becomes a part of him, his soul, spirit, mind, heart, and body. It becomes natural to him," Sensei taught me one night. "So starting tomorrow, you shall craft your own blade."

I forged my own Katana in a small forge he had there. Since I was wearing fundoshi I'd slather on the sunscreen to protect my skin from the extreme temperatures the metal I was working with needed to be at so I could fold it over and craft the Katana properly. I worked hard at forging it and in the process learned how to craft one. The one I crafted was magnificent when I got done with it. It had blood grooves on both sides of the blade. I etched dragons on both sides up close to where the tsuba would be and filled them in with gold. The Katana was forty inches [1 m] long from tip to base. I used ten inches [25 cm] of it for a handle and created a nice redwood handle for it, using checkering to improve the grip. The scabbard was made of the same wood and varnished nicely to match the handle. Sensei approved it immediately.

I worked so hard to learn everything he had to teach me. Some of the jutsus were hard to learn, others fairly easy. But I learned them all and in the process became a very powerful ninja. Oh sure there were days when I'd get banged up from the training but I considered the bruises I got an incentive to work harder. I even got a deep tan due to wearing the fundoshi that I decided on my own to wear for the training and in the forge. He was pleased with everything I did and told me so. He did add to the tattoos I had and put the sigils he spoke of for power and protection in place on me. He even added a small red hand to the web of my left hand.

"That is the mark of the oldest ninja clan in existence, called The Hand. They will know you when they see the red hand here and give you aid if and when you need it. Some of them are light ninja, ones who walk the path of light. Some are black ninja, and they walk the dark path, practicing the dark arts. Beware of them," he said.

I bowed. "Yes master."

Now I felt truly complete. I loved living there and I got stronger physically and mentally. Not every day was spent working hard. He allowed me to have time of and to go exploring the forest, to go down to the lake and swim, and to relax. I continued to jack off every other night in bed. I would play my guitar at night after dinner and he would enjoy the music.

"You are talented. It is good that you have something to balance your life with," he said.

"Thank you. I learned how to play at Sagebrush as a way to deal with stress and to pass the time," I said. He nodded. "Keep doing it. A well rounded warrior is a good one."

Then came the morning that he announced that I had completed the training, that I had learned everything that he had to teach me and I had learned well.

"Your dedication to your training has paid off. You have learned everything I could teach you. You are now worthy of ninja. You are truly worthy of Twin Dragon," he said.

"I wish I could stay with you," I said. "Your destiny awaits you out there," he said. "You cannot stay."

"What is my destiny?" I asked him. He sighed. "Only karma knows. Only life knows. Be aware."

I gave him a hug and thanked him for everything he taught me. He gave me his blessing and then I hoisted my pack and Katana on my back and bowed to him one last time before heading back down the road back to my time. I blinked as I stepped out of the cave he led me into. I filled up my water bottles at the small stream of water near the mouth of the cave before leaving the place. He had been right when he said I'd be returned back to the time I had left. Barely fifteen minutes had passed here and I was amazed at it all. One of these days I'm sure I'll understand it all. That's how I became a part of the oldest ninja tribe there is, a tribe called The Hand.

I made it to Bakersfield before getting picked up by the cops. They found me at the local McDonald's getting some thing to eat. The cop approached me as I sat eating the Big Mac.

"You look like you're enjoying that," he said.

"First real burger in a week," I said. "Lucky I had enough for it."

He nodded. "Are you David Austin George, the Young Dragon?"

"That I am sir," I said.

"Well, I have to take you in. Before I do, let me get you a Big Mac and fries to go," he offered.

"Thanks. I appreciate your generosity." I sat in the squad room waiting for someone to tell me what the hell was going on. I finally got tired of the waiting and picked up my hard shell guitar case and pulled my guitar out and tuned up. I started playing some Led Zeppelin and that got attention. People went quiet as I sat there and played for a time. Even the old man that called himself Captain Stevens came out of his office and listened. He liked what he heard.

"Never heard Led Zeppelin played that way before," he said as he headed back into his office, his phone ringing. "Be right back."

He came out moments later. "Okay kid, the feds are coming for you tomorrow morning to take you to Ventura County. Seems there's some unfinished business you have there."

"Dr. James Grayson and Robert Molson," I said. "They need to answer for what they did to me. From the way you said that it sounds like they got busted."

"Right after you testified against that Terrosa guy. Reno gave orders for Bradbury and his crew to take them down and they did. From what I heard there's more than enough evidence to get them. Bradbury's going for the death penalty."

I looked shocked. "Really?"

"Yup. They killed at least six kids," he said.

"Bastards," I spat.

"That they are," Stevens said. "That they are. You're staying in a hotel close by. Nice place. You'll like it."

I stood on the runway in the cold grey dawn the next morning with Gerard and another man. I was glad to see him.

"Good to see you again," I said. Gerard smiled. "Same here. You seem different."

"In a good or bad way?" I asked.

"In a good way," he said. "Obviously testifying against Terrosa was a good thing for you."

I nodded. "It was. I'm a lot stronger now."

Gerard nodded. "Glad to hear that."

We turned our attention to the plane when the pilot came out and informed us that he was ready to go. We were in Ventura County by mid morning.

I met Bradbury early afternoon. He shook my hand and then showed me the copies of the statement I had made in Arizona at Reno's request.

"We started investigating and discovered just how dirty the three of them were. You were right about Gephart. She was very involved. We got inside the underground rooms you described. Guess what? We found the little baggie with your blood inside of it jammed between the wall and the toilet tank," he said.

I sat up. "You did? I completely forgot all about that."

I told him how I did it and he grinned. "We knew it was your blood from the DNA profile we got from Arizona. This DNA thing is going to be a very effective tool in the future of law enforcement. Thank you for leaving blood evidence for us to find."

"You're welcome," I said. "I hear you're calling for the death penalty. Who's the target?"

Bradbury nodded. "All three. Molson did the actual killings but the other two are just as guilty. I'm going to work hard in getting them."

"My testimony should help," I said.

"It will. You're the only one," he said.

I cracked my neck slowly as I worked to control my anger.

"Yeah," he said. "The opening crap is already out of the way. You go on the stand in the morning."

"I can't wait," I said. Bradbury nodded. "Just tell the truth okay?"

That's exactly what I did.

All three of them were extremely shocked to see me walking into the courtroom the next morning. I smiled at them.

"How nice to see you folks again," I said. "We do have unfinished business."

I imagine they expected to see me come in crying and carrying on and looking like a mess or something but my appearance shocked the hell out of them. I was wearing slacks and a nice polo shirt. My face was tanned. I looked like I had filled out a bit thanks to all of the working out I had done in the time I had lived at Sagebrush and with sensei. Going very intense on the weight pile does change a person's body and mine had grown a bit. Molson blinked at me and then smiled, leering at me. He hadn't changed, and never would. I smiled back.

"Oh, you have turned into a very handsome boy, have you? I'd love to get my hands on you once more to feel those lovely newly minted muscle," he drooled openly.

He did exactly what I hoped he would. He'd just blown the defense right out of the water. The defense attorney named Marvin Glass slapped his forehead and sighed.

"Robert, kindly shut up!" he snarled. Molson didn't. "What kind of sexy undies are you wearing?" I didn't reply. Molson was really digging his grave now.

"Too bad I couldn't get your brother. I would have enjoyed seeing him swing on my dickie," Molson said. I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to get me all worked up to come after him. Well, I wasn't going to do that. I went and sat down in a seat behind the defense.

"Playing hard to get sweetie? I'd love to soften you up a bit before giving it to you nice and hard," Molson kept on going.

"Don't object. Let him keep talking. Sure is making your case easy," I wrote the note to Bradbury. Bradbury nodded as he studied his papers in preparation for the start of court. Molson pursed his lips like he wanted to kiss me. I didn't react. The bailiff walked in at that moment and introduced the judge. I stood up and then sat down as the judge sat in his place. He looked down at Bradbury.

"Good morning. Are we ready?" he asked.

Bradbury rose. "Yes sir. We have located the witness David Austin George and he is prepared to give testimony."

"I object sir. The witness should be excused on the grounds that Bradbury has coached him into what to say to this court. His testimony is suspect," Glass stated.

The judge looked at him. "Can you prove that?"

"I will during the cross examine," Glass stated. The judge nodded. "Please take the stand, Mr. George."

I stood up and turned to face the bailiff and got sworn in. Bradbury approached me just like Reno had back in Arizona.

"For the record, please state your full name and occupation," he said.

"My name is David Austin George, and I work hard at being a kid, or at least I try to," I said with a smile.

That got a laugh from people in the courtroom as the judge tried to suppress a smile on his face and failed.

Bradbury sighed as he looked at me.

"Well, you did ask what I do for a living," I said. Bradbury shook his head and then sighed. "David," he said softly as he looked at me, "please tell us in your own words what happened with Mrs. Janet Gephart, Mr. Robert Molson, and Dr. James Grayson."

I looked at Bradbury as the memories rolled in on me, starting with Mom meeting Gephart and went from there. I talked for an hour, the defense interrupting me with all kinds of objections and comments from Molson. I managed to keep my cool the entire time. Bradley looked like he wanted to choke Molson but managed to keep his cool. I stared at the defense table, relieving memory after memory. Then I presented a theory as to how they operated. What I didn't know was how accurate I was until Molson turned to look at Gephart.

"How the hell did he know?" he asked.

Damn. I was right. I looked at them carefully and then it hit me. Molson and Gephart had to be related because they looked identical. I decided to test that theory.

"Your sister Janet must have inherited the brains from your mother, Bobby. She seems a lot smarter than you," I said. Molson went off like I wouldn't believe. What he said confirmed that they were related.

"Sister Janet always got the best of everything and I got shit!" he yelled, jumping to his feet.

Janet jumped to her feet and got into Molson's face. "That's because you could never do anything right!"

Marvin and Grayson both sighed. Everything had come unraveled for them and both knew they were finished. Bradbury turned to look at me with a look of shock on his face. That was something totally unexpected. I sat back and watched the fight between Molson and Gephart continue until the judge had enough.

"QUIET!" he roared.

Molson and Gephart both jumped and then blinked at each other. As it slowly sank in what had happened both of them turned to look at me with fury on their faces.

"You bastard," Gephart snarled. "How did you figure it out?"

"Simple," I said. "I looked at your face as both of you were sitting together. I mentally cut your hair to match Molson's, trimmed his mustache off and both of you became identical in every way. I'm sure Bradbury will be checking your backgrounds really closely first chance he gets."

At that moment a man came into the courtroom and handed Bradbury a stack of paper. Bradbury looked them over and nodded.

"Just confirmed," he said. "They are twins. Gephart was born first. Gephart is her married name."

Gephart sat down and sighed. She knew she was done for. There was no hope for the three of them.

"Court is dismissed for the day. Mr. George, you are dismissed. In the light of today's events, I believe your testimony has been very effective. I wish you luck in your future," the judge said.

I headed back to the Holiday Inn on the beach where I was staying. I was exhausted.

"You did us a huge favor," Bradbury said a few days later on a Saturday afternoon as he sat at the small table. "All of them are trying to outdo each other with all kinds of evidence. We now have a lot more evidence than we ever had, and we now know where all of the bodies are."

"Good. Then the families will have closure," I said.

"Yes they will. We also know where they hid their money from all of the videotapes they sold of what they did to the kids and you," Kincaid said. Reno had uncovered that evidence in Arizona and the State department was now in negotiations to have that money brought back to the US.

"Going to take some time to collect it all," Cathy said.

I nodded. "I'm sure. But most banks do want to do the right thing and I'm sure these folks don't want to be connected to child abusers and killers."

"That's a card we don't want to play unless we have to," Kincaid said.

I nodded. "Hopefully they will do the right thing."

They excused themselves and left me alone. I sat there for a time and then headed downstairs to walk on the beach. I had a lot of things I needed to think about. I wondered just what was going to happen to me next. I wasn't sure what direction life wanted me to go in next so I decided to relax for a few days and see what happens. Having made that decision I turned to head back to the hotel and watched a pair of little eight year old running through the surf laughing and having a good time. I hoped that they would never have to find out how cruel the world is. I watched them go up to their parents and get hugged. I felt a pain in my heart as I thought about my early life and the fact that I really never got hugged like that. I watched them head back to the sidewalk laughing and having a good time. I wished my childhood had been different. I sighed and turned back to the ocean and watched it for a time, the waves rolling in. I walked to the rocks north of the hotel and stopped to watch a group of surfers. I sighed once more and turned back to the hotel. It was time to make a decision and get my life going.

Continued in the 3rd story: FIREFIGHTER