Storiesonline.net ------- My Bloody Valentine by The Scot Copyright© 2010 by The Scot ------- Description: Larry Lawrence vowed never to return to his home town. Now, a cryptic message draws him back to the hell hole and the horrible memory that has plagued him for years. Will he find release... or death. Codes: MF cons het myst cheat violent ------- ------- Chapter 1 Larry Lawrence sat beside the window of the Southwest Airlines 737, casually searching the ground below. In some strange way, he had hoped to be able to spot Dyson City as they flew over northern Alabama. To this point, he had not spotted any recognizable landmarks. Dyson City, Alabama, was a small town of less than ten thousand, located in the middle of the north central part of the state. It was a typical redneck community, about an hour north of Birmingham and a few miles south of Cullman. It was also the town he had fled in humiliation and despair some twenty years earlier; a town that he had been determined to never visit again. Well, that had all changed with a surprise phone call from his past. When the captain announced they were on the final approach into the Birmingham airport, Larry knew that they had long since passed the area where the town was located. It wasn't a real surprise that he hadn't noted anything that looked familiar ... just as he had changed over the years, so had the town. He was certain neither would have recognized the other. As he gathered his bag and exited the aircraft, he reflected on the events of that dreadful Valentine Day ... the events that had drastically altered his life forever. 'Do I really want to go back into that hell-hole?' he asked himself. 'If only I hadn't received that strange call; a call that released the demons that had been locked away for years.' "Be here on the fourteenth," she had said. "It's time for Madison to be avenged." Larry had tried to immediately call the woman back at the number shown on his phone's ID, but was told by a robotic voice that it was not a working number. That raised his hackles even more than her phone call. After spending sixteen years in army intelligence and four years as the vice president and senior troubleshooter of a major security company, it took a lot to get that kind of reaction from him. Since a mysterious call had precipitated this trip, Larry wanted to make sure that it would be almost impossible for anyone to track him, or trace anything that occurred in Alabama back to him. Therefore, he had used the same research, planning, and tradecraft tactics honed during his years in Army Special Operation Intelligence (SOI) to hide his true identity, and the path he would travel. Thus, in the previous week, Larry had traveled to Denver, New Orleans, and Salt Lake City as part of his normal business activities. In each city, he had made late night visits to hotels close to where he was staying and had used their business services computer to acquire the tickets and boarding passes for the different sections of the trip. Each of these had been purchased using a selected created identity and a matching prepaid credit card. On February 13, Larry traveled from Kansas City to Seattle to lead the investigation concerning a security breach at a client's location. In actuality, he only stayed in Seattle long enough to make a face-to-face visit with the client, and advise Jerry Maples, the lead man on the investigation, as to what needed to be done concerning the investigation. The meeting with Jerry also included a discussion of what was needed to cover Larry's absence. To many, a secret shared was no longer a secret, but Larry had complete trust in Jerry. Sergeant Maples had been part of his old army group and was totally dedicated to his old Major ... legal or otherwise. "Jerry, I need you to cover for me as best you can. If the client asks, I'm chasing down some leads in the outlying communities. Also, here is my cell phone. Use it to make a few local calls using my identity, as well as to call my office to periodically check my voice mail. Before I leave, we'll pick up a couple of prepaid phones for any needed communication between us, including relaying important calls and e-mails." "I understand, Boss. If you're here, you can't be 'there'." "Sergeant, I think you have the picture." From Seattle, Larry had flown to Las Vegas, using an altered appearance and a different identity. After checking into a cheap motel near the airport, he changed his appearance and supporting identity to that of an elderly man. After checking himself carefully in the mirror, the 'old' man walked next door to another motel and took a shuttle back to the airport. In an airport gift-shop, Larry added a cane to his disguise. A short time later, the 'old man' boarded the next flight to Dallas-Fort Worth. At the Dallas airport, he slowly hobbled into a busy restroom and entered a handicapped stall. A few minutes later, that identity disappeared and Larry emerged with a new identity, complete with different clothes, glasses, bushy eyebrows, a dimple in the middle of his chin and a different carry-on bag. He loved the soft bags that could be carried inside another. The clothes he had been wearing were now helping him to appear thirty pounds heavier. After leaving the restroom, Larry, wandered around the airport for more than three hours, killing time until the last flight to Nashville. While waiting, he used the prepaid phone to call Jerry Maples to check on things. "A woman just called and left a message," Jerry relayed. "She said to meet her at the Krystal in Rawlingsville at one thirty." "Anything else?" "Nada." Larry must have sounded different somehow because a concerned Jerry asked, "Boss, are you okay, and if you don't mind me asking, what's going on?" "Jerry, I wish I knew. It has something to do with a nightmare from my past. For the moment, I'm having to proceed a step at a time, using all my past experience to try to cover myself." "Do you know who this woman is?" "I have my suspicions, but right now, you know almost as much as I do." "Does it have anything to do with a girl named Madison?" Shaken to his very core, Larry asked curtly, "What do you know about Madison?" "Just at times you used to cry out her name in your sleep, especially when it appeared that you were having a bad dream. When you said a nightmare from your past, I suspected there might be some relationship between those dreams and all this." "I suspect you may be right, but at this point, I'm not sure. That's why I'm being so cautious. This whole thing in someway relates to the horrible events that precipitated my leaving Alabama twenty years ago." "And, what was that?" asked Larry's concerned friend. "Jerry, you don't need to know the details. It's bad enough that I have to carry their weight ... and I lived them." "I hear you, Major, but we've been through too much shit together for me to ignore your struggles. Do you think this woman is planning on blackmailing you, or something?" "There's no basis for blackmail, as I was one of the victims." "That's good to know, though I can't imagine you being any sort of victim," "Thanks for the thought, but Sergeant Maples, but do you remember that the Army builds men?" "Yes, Sir." "Well, twenty years ago, I was a nerdy kid who only weighed a hundred and forty pounds. I was blindsided, knocked unconscious and beaten almost to death. At the same time, my girl, Madison, was gang-raped and beaten. She committed suicide within an hour after arriving home from the hospital." The stunned retired master sergeant responded, "And now you're going to make the bastards pay?" "Jerry, I don't even know for sure who the rapists were. I'm just following a couple of cryptic messages from some unknown woman to see where they lead." "Well, good luck, and I'll make sure you're covered from this angle." "Thanks. I'll probably talk to you sometime tomorrow." It was after one in the morning, when he finally landed in Nashville. He had a five hours layover before his flight to Birmingham. He wandered around the almost deserted terminal for a while, finally taking a seat across from his departure gate. It wasn't the most refreshing place to sleep, but after all his time in the army, Major Lawrence had learned to sleep anywhere, anytime. After exiting the plane in Birmingham, Larry headed toward the front of the terminal. Once past the security area, he entered another bathroom and did another identity change. Plasti-skin was removed from his face, revealing a scraggly four-day beard. A dark wig formed into a classic mullet style haircut covered his short light brown hair, and colored contacts replaced the fake glasses he had been wearing. His khaki slacks were replaced by some well-worn jeans, and his shirt was covered by a Crimson Tide hoody. The finishing touches were a beat-up University of Alabama hat, and a mass of something that resembled chewing tobacco placed in his cheek. After checking his appearance, Larry briefly reviewed the itinerary and maps that resulted from his research using a map program, along with Google Maps and Google Earth. Satisfied that he was as prepared as possible, he departed the airport through the front entrance, where he caught a taxi that had just discharged its passenger. A few minutes later, he was dropped off at a cheap motel on First Avenue. Once the taxi was out of sight, Larry walked to a used car lot in the next block, where Al, the owner, was holding an older Ford Bronco that the two men had discussed over the phone. After briefly checking out the car, Larry counted out the agreed upon thirty-one hundred dollars. In turn, Al handed him the bill of sale, a temporary insurance policy, and signed over the title. After verifying that everything was in the name of 'John Madison', Larry was quickly on his way. The first stop after filling the Bronco with gas was the main FedEx location, where several packages shipped to John Madison were waiting to be picked up. That done, he went two blocks over and picked up another package at the UPS office. Finally, he made a quick stop at a gun shop to pick up three magazines for a Glock model 22 and another stop at a Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of boxes of .40 caliber hollow points. By eleven fifteen, he was on Interstate 65, traveling north out of Birmingham. Rawlingsville was two exits south of the exit leading to Dyson City and was at least twice its size. Once he was off the interstate, Larry headed for an old self-service car wash that he remembered. Using Google Map, he had observed that a modern drive through unit had been added, but the old-style wand pits were still in use. He pulled into one of the older pits and stopped the car with the front just over the floor drain. With the car now in a position to obscure his actions, Larry removed a gallon of black water-born primer that had been in the box picked up from UPS. Verifying that no one was in an obvious position to observe him, he opened the paint and slowly poured it down the washing stall's drain. When he was finished, the frame of a Glock model 22 rested on the grating. With that part of the job completed, Larry inserted four quarters into the wash control and quickly soaped down the car, along with the gun frame that was still resting on the drain grate. When everything was clean, he changed the machine's setting and rinsed everything, including the primer can and its lid. Next, he pulled the car over and pretended to be using the vacuum. What he was actually doing was opening the other boxes and pulling out the appropriate pieces from a conglomeration of various machine parts that had been thrown into the boxes. At a quarter after twelve, he had a complete pistol ... loaded, cocked and ready to fire. In addition, he had two full magazines in the front pouch of his hoody. Looking around, Larry noticed that the building next to the car wash was an auto supply store. He smiled when he realized that there was an open dumpster in the back. He drove over to the store, parked near the dumpster, and walked around to the front. A chime sounded when he entered the store, and a middle-aged man asked, "Can I help you?" "I hope so," answered Larry with a county-boy accent. "I need a pair of aviation style sunglasses with the mirror lenses. My old ones have upped and disappeared, and I can't do squat without 'em." "Certainly, Sir. I have some quality ones on this counter." "Good," replied Larry. After trying on several pair, Larry announced, "I think these'll do." "They do look good on you. Is there anything else you need?" "Yeah. I need one of those steering wheel covers and some Armor-all wipes. I'm tired of burning my hands on that stupid thing after the car sits in the sun a spell." "Would that be an elastic cover, or a more permanent leather one?" "Give me both. I'm a wanting the leather, but it'll have to wait till later for me to slap it on." "I understand. Is there anything else?" "Naw, that'll do it." Larry paid the man in cash for the items, but as he started out the door, he turned and asked, "By the way, I'm parked near your dumpster. Do you mind if'n I toss some trash from my car?" "That's not a problem. We never fill the thing anyway, and they're scheduled to pick up early in the morning." "Thanks, I 'preciate it," replied Larry. At the car, Larry threw the boxes and paint can into the trash. Then, after pulling out some latex gloves from his bag, he proceeded to use the armor-all to wipe down any interior surface that he might have touched. As a final touch, he placed the elastic cover over the steering wheel and placed the gloves back into his travel bag." A few minutes before one, the Bronco pulled into the local Krystal, and Larry parked where he could observe everyone as they entered. Now, he waited for the mystery woman he was to meet. That question was answered twenty minutes later when a silver Grand Am pulled up close to the door. The very sharp looking strawberry blond who climbed out of the car was about five six and a hundred and thirty pounds; she also looked like an older version of Madison. 'This has to be Madi's older sister, Allison, ' thought Larry. Now more confident about this meeting, Larry quickly jumped out of the car and met the woman as they went through the entry foyer together. Approaching close behind her, Larry whispered, "Alli, don't scream or act surprised. Just remember we're here together." "Larry?" the woman managed to ask in a soft casual tone. "In the flesh. Now, let's quickly order and find an out of the way table." Glancing at her sister's ex-boyfriend, she replied, "I like the improvements. As for a table, I've a better idea. Let's get our meals to go, and I'll lead us to a place where we can talk." "That'll work," Larry responded as he picked up an empty cup from a table and spit into it. "Eew! That's a nasty habit." "It's not what you think. I'll explain more later. It's part of my camouflage, just like this Bama shit I'm wearing." "I was wondering if you'd come over to the 'dark side'." "No, I'm still as much an Auburn fan as I was back then. This just helps me blend in with the local rednecks and white trash." "And to think, I was almost ready to call you 'Bubba'," she laughed. Allison ordered a Crispy Onion combo, and he ordered the same. They returned to their cars, and Allison led them to a house about five blocks away. They pulled into the driveway and parked in the back, out of sight from the road. "This is my cousin's house," Allison explained as the couple approached the door. "She, my mother, and my aunt have conveniently gone to Branson this week." "What about your dad?" "He died in a car wreck about six years ago. They claim he had been drinking, but I don't think my father had ever even had a beer. I think he was onto something regarding Madison, and they shut him up ... permanently." "Do you know anything?" asked a pensive Larry. "I do now. That was the primary reason for my call, though there are other aspects that come into play." "Then tell me girl. I've waited twenty years for some payback." Allison turned to Larry and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a deep kiss that lasted well over a minute. At the end, their tongues were dueling and their hearts were racing. Their breathing had reached the point of a panting. When they finally separated, Allison responded "Wow!" Larry shook his head and replied, "Ditto." Allison smiled at Larry's reaction and said, "I know you want payback. So do I, but please be patient with me for a little while. In a short time all will be revealed, including how this can be settled, once and for all. In the meantime, let's eat and catch up on our lives." Larry took a bite of the small, thin burger placed on what was more of a dinner roll than a bun. He had eaten Krystals when he was young, but that was a long time ago. These had a new twist ... crispy French fried onions had been added to the cooked chopped onions, mustard and pickle that had long been the components of the tasty little meal. "This is pretty good," he stated. "I agree," she answered between bites. "They're a lot better than the plain Krystals. Now, tell me what happened after your beating and Madison's rape." "From what I understand, when the guys left, Madison made her way the hundred yards or so to the highway. Here, she was able to flag down a car. Of course being naked made it easier. She told the driver, Mrs. O'Brian from the library, that I had been beaten and was in pretty bad shape. After seeing my injuries, Mrs. O'Brian was afraid to move me, so she rushed Madison to the hospital, which created all sorts of chaos." "I can imagine. I know what it was like when my parents and I arrived almost an hour later." "Anyway, the old woman sent an ambulance crew for me and called my dad. He called the ambulance company and told the dispatcher to have me taken directly to Huntsville. It seems he had some pretty strong suspicions that the Rat Pack was behind the whole thing, and with the political and financial power of their parents, he wanted me completely out of the area." "They were right in doing that, as their suspicions were dead on the money," responded Allison. "The stupid sheriff wanted to charge you for the rape and the beating, but Madi rejected that idea while still in the emergency room. Her statement, coupled with the ambulance crew's description of your physical condition at the scene, caused him to quickly drop that idea." "Yeah, it's hard to rape someone when you have a concussion, four broken ribs, a cracked tibia, a broken nose, and bruises over most of your body. The first time my mother saw me in the hospital, she fainted." "I knew you had been hurt, but I didn't know how badly." 'Well, one nurse told my dad it was easier to list where I wasn't hurt. Of course, they kept me drugged up for more than a week, so I healed a lot before I was finally able to see my body." "What happened then?" "While I was being treated in the Huntsville hospital, my parents decided that the best solution was to get me away from Dyson City, at least for a while. The next morning, they went by the high school and picked up my transcripts, along with letters of recommendation from my teachers." "So, they weren't planning on moving?" "Not right away, but when Madison committed suicide, they felt it was best if the whole family left the area. They packed our clothes and key personal items and left town in the middle of that same night. The next morning, they met with their attorney in Cullman, and after explaining the situation, they gave him the power of attorney to sell both the house and the dry cleaners, including all equipment and furnishings." "I remember the cleaners being closed for a while, but I wasn't sure what all had transpired. Where did y'all move?" As soon as I was released, we headed to Greenville, South Carolina, where we temporarily stayed with family. Shortly after we arrived, Mom tried to enroll me in the local high school, but the administrators said that I had missed too much school and would have to restart my junior year at the beginning of the next school year." "But weren't you close to graduating here?" "Yes, but by their criteria, I was just a junior. It didn't matter that I had taken the SAT with very high scores, or that I had tested out of most of my junior courses. In fact, my 'testing out' was much of the problem, as they wouldn't accept those courses." "What did you do?" "Mom found a military prep school in Virginia that would accept my existing grades and allow me to take individual studies for most of my remaining classes. I had to attend during the summer and part of the fall, but I was able to graduate by the following Thanksgiving." "Were you able to attend college, and how did you develop this gorgeous body?" "The school's Commandant was a retired major. After learning what I had gone through, he made sure there was no bullying, and the typical hazing that occurs in a military school was kept to a minimum. In addition, he assigned a retired master sergeant to act as my advocate, advisor and personal trainer. It was his goal to see me get to a muscular one sixty-five before I graduated." Allison laughed, "That's still a long way from where you are now. What are you, six two, two twenty five?" "That's pretty close. I kept up the exercise program over the years, and even with my current busy life, I still try to work out three times a week at a local gym, as well as running five miles and swimming two on the off days. I also took up martial arts while in Virginia, and I'm now a multi-degreed black belt in three different disciplines." "That would do it," she laughed. "What about college?" "The Commandant arranged a full scholarship to the Citadel. This worked well with my family, as by that time, they had purchased a dry cleaners in Summerville, South Carolina, less than twenty miles away from the college. By the end of my first year, I knew I wanted a career in the army, so military science and criminal justice were my majors." "I know you now work for a security firm, but how long were you in army?" "I was given a medical retirement after sixteen years. It seems there is some policy about you can only receive so many purple hearts." "Since you went to the Citadel, I assume you were an officer." "I was a major when I retired. In my specialty of intelligence, that was about as far as I was going anyway." "Married?" "Only to the Army. After Madi, I could never open my heart to another woman." "Larry, I can't be Madi, but we both loved you. If you want to know the truth, we flipped a quarter to see which one of us would get the first crack at you. Do you think you could open your heart to me?" "It's possible, but you're a married woman." "True, but I suspect that, by tonight, I'll be a widow." "Now, that's a loaded statement," replied a rather shocked Larry. ------- Chapter 2 Allison reached in her purse, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to Larry. Inside, he found a simple card that asked, 'Will you be my Valentine?' It also contained a separate piece of paper listing twelve names. Responding to Larry's puzzled look, Allison explained, "Those are the twelve members of the Rat Pack that attacked you and Madison at the state park." Carefully remembering back twenty years, Larry said, "That pretty much covers the membership of that gang of thugs and bullies at that time." "It does, and the ones who refused to participate all died mysteriously within six months of the attack." "In a perverse way, that makes sense. Now, how are you involved in all this?" "In three ways. First, the top name on that list is my husband, and part of the reason for the attack was to convince me to accept his protection from some unseen group that would do this to my sister. Of course, they never expected Madi to commit suicide, but her death and your departure made me extremely vulnerable. As a result, Brad Thornton and I were engaged by the time we graduated and married four months later." "You said that you were part of the reason. What composed the rest?" "You. They resented your obviously superior intelligence, your ability to take their bullying and climb back on your feet, and worst of all, your refusal to bow down before their supreme being, Bear Bryant, and his 'all holy' Crimson Tide. I think the final straw was your joke about Bammers and maggots." "That they both could live for years off a dead 'bear'?" "That's the one. I thought it was hilarious and rather fitting, but in their eyes, you had committed blasphemy. Their reaction was similar to that of the Islamic Mullahs to those Danish cartoons ... it was an act worthy of death. You would have not gotten that kind of response if you had announced that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a whore." "Twenty years older and wiser, I can see the truth in that. Now, you said that was the first influence. What are the others?" "One, I think Brad is beginning to get suspicious that I may have overheard too much. If those thoughts solidify, I could well end up dead. "Second, my first two children were girls, and he and his cronies pretty much left them alone. My son is just turning ten, and they are already trying to turn him into bully and a racist. I'll explain the final problem later this afternoon, as it may also relate to our solution." "Allison, can't you take this to the local authorities?" "Larry, these men ARE the local authorities. They control virtually everything in the county. Even Wal-Mart pays them for the right to remain open. There's even talk of trying to get one of the group into congress and another in the governor's mansion." "Now, THAT scares me." "Me too. That's why I and the people of this state desperately need your help." "Alli, it sounds like you've got some sort of plan. Where do I fit in?" "I'll explain later, but right now I need to be held, comforted and loved." "I can do that." Larry responded. "I thought you might. Now, take me to bed and make me forget the past twenty years." Allison led the couple back to her cousin's guest bedroom, where she had already prepared with scented candles and fresh sheets. Larry pulled her close and began a long slow kiss that continued until they were both beginning to pant. Still clothed, Larry sat down on the bed and pulled Alli close until she sat on his lap. With her back to his front, he began to softly kiss her neck and ears. She had her first small orgasm when he gently sucked the skin just below and behind her right ear. "Ooooooh, that feels soooooo goooooood!" "Yes, and you smell delicious," Larry responded. Larry continued and Alli finally, in frustration, removed his hands from around her waist and pulled them up to cup her breasts. Even here, his gentle caresses and soft kisses almost drove her insane. It felt nothing like the mauling she usually received from her husband, and that alone caused her emotions to run rampant and her pussy to feel like a swamp. "Larry," she cried, "I can't take any more. Please make love to me?" "I thought I was." "Then fuck me! I need you inside me in the worst way." Larry didn't say a word, but he did begin to slowly unbutton her blouse. Her bra fastened in the front, so he removed it and the shirt at the same time. Eventually, Alli's impatience took over, causing her to stand and jerk her jeans and panties down to her ankles. After kicking off her shoes, she started in on Larry. She got his jeans down to his knees before she finally saw the size of his cock. Unable to wait any longer, she jumped on his lap, facing him and crammed his cock into her gushing vagina. "Larry," she proclaimed, "this is a Star Trek episode." "How is that?" he asked as he started to rock back and forth and moving in and out of her steaming cauldron. "You've boldly gone where no man has gone before. You must be at least two inches longer than Brad." "Alli, I'm not that much bigger than average." "Then I now have another reason to see that lying fucker dead. I've been putting up with his little weenie for years, thinking that that was all there was." "He must have had enough in order to get you pregnant three times." "After feeling you, I don't know how. It must be my laying with my butt on a pillow, using gravity to force his semen just to reach where your cock begins to blast its cum. If I wasn't protected, you would probably give me triplets." "Are you on the pill or an IUD? "I'm on the pill, but I promise I won't be the next time we do this. I don't care if you marry me, or even want to be a part of the child's life, but I desperately want your baby." That was the final straw in Larry's mind, and he blasted into her with all he had. When she felt him cum, it set her off with a stronger orgasm than she could have imagined. "Wow!" she proclaimed. "I never knew that it could be like that." "Actually, it can be even better, but you kind of rushed things after the first few minutes." "That may be true, but at this moment, I needed just what you gave me. Besides, we have a time schedule, and we need to clean up and get out of here." Based on that statement, Larry followed Allison to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, they were dressed, the bed was made, and they were out the back door. Alli was holding her new lover's hand as she led him to the rear of her car. Opening the trunk, she asked, "Do you know what these are?" "I do indeed. How did you get a hold of them?" "Brad and the others are part of a militia group that is planning to use violence, intimidation, and bribery to try to return this state to what they consider the good old days. I did as much research as I could on this stuff; is there anything else we need?" Larry looked through the items and answered, "Yes, some good earplugs." "Then, you can pick them up while I establish my alibi." "And what would that be?" "I'm going to be shopping at Wal-Mart. I'll make sure I'm seen by a dozen or more people before I leave my mostly full buggy with my niece in the garden area. I'll go outside to look at some plants, and you pick me up there. It's only an eight minute drive from the store to the park where you were beaten and Madison was raped." Then, I better move this stuff to the back of the Bronco, but how do you know when they'll be there?" "They have a meeting scheduled for five tonight at our house. I'm supposed to be there with wings and beer, but I'll be missing. Instead, Brad's gonna find a pad near the phone with your name, a bunch of doodled hearts, the name of the park and the time of five thirty. I figure by a quarter to six, they will come busting out of their cars, ready to kill the two of us." "Alli, you were awfully sure of yourself to set up something like this." "Larry, I wasn't sure of myself; I was sure of you." Dwelling on Allison's response, Larry grabbed the surgical gloves from his bag and moved the three boxes from the trunk of the Grand Am into the rear of the Bronco. As he shut her trunk, Alli said, "We've got just enough time for me to show you the back road to the park. Then I need to get back here and start shopping." "How easy will it be for me to find my way back to Rawlingsville?" "It's only three turns, so if you pay attention, it shouldn't be a problem." "Then, as soon as we get to the park, you head back to do your shopping. Just keep an eye out for me in the pharmacy area. As soon as you spot me, head to lawn and garden." "Yes, Sir!" Alli replied with a salute. At four thirty, Larry found the picnic site he wanted to use. It wasn't the same one from twenty years ago, but it was in the general area. Due to this being the twentieth anniversary of the attack, he was afraid of creating a situation that was too much of a 'coincidence'. One of the key features of the selected site was that there was a gravel path that came from further up the parking lot, in addition to one that was right in front of the site. This would enable them to move to and from several places in the parking lot without leaving any footprints, or tire tracks. It took him about twenty minutes to set up everything as he wanted. At that point, he quickly returned to Rawlingville to pick up Alli. He parked as close to the front door of Wal-Mart as he could and rushed inside. He went immediately to the pharmacy and purchased some wax earplugs. While he was standing at the counter to pay for them, Alli passed so close he could have touched her. He made it back to the car and maneuvered where he could easily pull up beside her and drive off. Two minutes later, she appeared, looking though rows of bedding plants. He pulled to the curb and she jumped inside. He was pleased when he saw she was wearing some cotton gardening gloves." "How did it go?" she asked. "Everything's ready, so now it's a matter of them showing up on time. How about with you?" "I chewed out the butcher for the way he cut his roasts, I complimented the produce guy for the quality of his green house tomatoes, and I tried on the same dress in several sizes, complaining that they were all mis-marked. I also ran into at least six women who have known me for years, and my car is having its oil changed. My presence here during this time will be well established." "Good, and no one knows me, or knows that I'm in the area. That will leave the investigators with little evidence to work with. Also, I plan on taking all the trash with me from the picnic site." "That sounds like a plan." At five twelve, Larry pulled up to the parking area a hundred yards or so from his chosen site. It was far enough away to not be spotted from someone entering the park, nor could it be seen from the selected site because of a stand of trees. Holding hands, the couple quickly walked to the site. Then, as Larry connected a couple of wires to the control he pulled from his pocket, Allison formed the wax he had given her. In moments, it was ready to be placed deeply into her ears. Once they were both ready, Larry picked a spot that was partially shadowed from the security light some thirty yards away and sat on the bench part of the concrete picnic table. He pulled Allison close, unbuttoned her blouse, and released her bra. As they waited, he just held her close, placing his face between her tits. To help both of them stay focused, he talked to her about his home in Kansas City. At five forty, a car pulled into the park just far enough for its lights to spot the couple. As soon as Larry spotted the car, he said, "It's show time," and proceeded to kiss her and nuzzle her breasts. The car turned around and headed away. "What do you think that was?" she asked. "A scout. When they return, it will be on foot, with a plan to surround us. That way, we can't escape, and even if I was armed, I couldn't take on all of them." "Are you armed?" "Yep! But I hope I don't have to use it. Now, here are my two wax plugs. Put yours in now, and when I give your breast a slight nip, pretend to be pulling my head to you as you place mine in my ears. I want to wait until the last possible moment to make sure I get everybody." Alli nodded, and they continued their show for at least ten minutes. Suddenly, Larry's conditioned hearing picked up the quiet sounds of the men trying to sneak up to the picnic site. Larry gave her right breast a little nip, and Alli pulled his head harder into her clearly visible tits. As she did this, she inserted the plugs in his ears and gave a long moan of pleasure to misdirect the attention of the men who were approaching. "Well, bitch, it looks like I caught you this time," proclaimed a voice from the darkness. Then, as the group of twelve men stepped from the shadows carrying baseball bats, bicycle chains and sections of lead pips, the voice added, "As for you, Lawrence, I can't believe you had the balls to come back here after all this time." Alli played her part to the hilt and gave a shocked gasp and then a scream. Then, with everyone's attention on the 'frightened' woman, Larry pressed the center button on the control he had hidden behind Alli's back. In a three second period, thirty claymore mines exploded around the picnic site, one every tenth of a second. It sounded like one long roar of thunder. When the smoke cleared, all twelve men were torn to shreds. Alli and Larry were both safe, though they would both have problems with ringing in their ears for months. Larry quickly ran for his car, while Alli disconnected all the wiring. At the same time, she found Brad and checked his shirt pocket. Finding the tattered remains of her 'invitation to the party', she place it in a zip lock bag she had brought for just that purpose. Larry backed up as close as allowed to the site while still remaining on the pavement. He popped the trunk and the two of them started filling the boxes that had brought the claymores with their burned out remains. There were obviously pieces missing, but both had made sure that neither had left a fingerprint on anything. In fact, the only prints ever found belonged to Brad and another of those who had died in the explosion. As soon as everything was packed, Alli and Larry headed back to the Wal-Mart in Rawlingville. He pulled up and let her out in the same spot where he had picked her up, less than an hour earlier. "Where do we go from here?" asked the exiting Alli. "My little Valentine, we'll get together soon and work out your moving to Kansas City. After such a tragedy, I'm sure everyone would understand your wanting to get out of the area. Now, get back inside and complete your alibi. Also, make sure that phone pad disappears, as soon as you get home." "I'll do that. When can I call you?" "I would wait until at least past the coroner's inquest and use a prepaid cell phone. It would be best if you were a least as far away as Cullman." "Do you really want me in your life?" she asked wanting that reassurance. "After today, I cannot imagine a better helpmate. I'll work hard to make us a happy family." Allison's response was a smile that would have taken ten undertakers three days to remove. She closed the door of the Bronco and removed her garden gloves. Then, grabbing a couple of trays of plants, she returned to her waiting cart. Larry returned to the auto parts store, where, after making sure the store was closed and there were no observers, he fold-sealed the boxes containing the remains of the claymores and threw them into the dumpster. From there, he headed for the Interstate. In three hours, he would be in Nashville where he would store the SUV with an army buddy for several months. From Huntsville, Larry called Jerry Maples. "Hi, Jerry, how are things there?" "Excellent. We found the security breach and have taken care of the problem. I told the company president you would probably meet with him tomorrow." "That shouldn't be a problem if I can get a timely flight out of Nashville." "Then keep me posted. Did your trip work out okay?" "Much more than I ever expected. I think my bachelor days are numbered." "Is it too early to offer congratulations?" "Probably, but all the details could be resolved by the end of May." ------- Four weeks later, Larry's secretary laughingly announced, "Your Valentine's on line four." "Hi, Alli. How are you doing this morning?" "Much better than I expected. Brad left me a very wealthy widow, and I've already put the house on the market. I was going to wait until the end of the school year, but the kids want to get out of here as quickly as possible. I had no idea of the abuse these kids were getting from their father. Abuse they were afraid to reveal to me prior to his death." "So, they're not upset?" "I would say it's more likely they would want to hang a medal on whoever did it. Of course, according to the investigators, finding the killers will be next to impossible." "Have they come up with any clues?" "The only thing I'm aware of is a doodled heart that was forced into Brad's body by one of the projectiles. For that reason, they are calling it the Bloody Valentine Killings." "Killings?" questioned Larry. "Yes, killings. It seems that because all the men were armed with both pistols and 'blunt objects', they can't exactly call it murder. In fact, some are speculating that it was self-defense." "Now, that's interesting." "Actually, it's a reflection of how happy this community is to be rid of the bastards. "So Alli, what happens next?" "Do you think you're up for company next weekend? I want the kids to meet you and for us to spend time together." "Sure, I've got plenty of room," Larry happily replied, "and I look forward to meeting them, as well as seeing you again." "Larry, I would like nothing better than to stay at your house, but for this trip, I think it would be smarter for the kids and me to stay in a hotel. That way, our initial meeting can be explained as an accidental reunion of old friends. From there, it would not be unnatural for us to get reacquainted and even date. Three or four months from now, it won't be anyone's business but ours." "My wise little Valentine, I can't wait." ------- The End ------- Posted: 2010-02-09 Last Modified: 2010-02-11 / 08:58:55 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------