First Boy 5

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First Boy  by Ganymede

Chapter Nine.

Dinner with a hundred wealthy Democrats consisted of surf
and turf, a barely edible but generous portion of salmon and a
slab of bloodied meat. I picked at the food, concentrating on the
conversation around me, trying to remember who was who, and which
one might be someone worth knowing in the future. All of the
guests had paid a thousand dollars for a seat at the table and a
chance to shake the President's hand.

After the plates were cleared, Shelley and Alexis headed off
to play video games in the second floor study. It was nearly
eleven o'clock when I set out to find Jack Seidelman. He was not
averse to getting down to business, although there were still a
few guests hanging around. What was discussed was couched in
terms that anyone overhearing would have no idea of the real
nature of our agreement.

"Well," Seidelman asked, "Have you had a chance to talk
with him about the arrangement?"

"We talked. He's willing," I replied.

Seidelman nodded slowly. "That's good. You know, Bob, it'll
be very good for you in the long run if this lasts."

"Lasts?"

"Once is seldom enough in these situations. It takes time to
get his attention."

"How long?"

"It depends on what you want, Bob."

"I want help with the foreign competition. Some very
aggressive enforcement of trade violations would be nice. I want
the dumping to stop. I also want to take over their imports as
soon as it arrives at the border."

"I'm sure that can be arranged, if you can help with
locations."

"I can do that. There's one more thing. I want assistance
getting my own imports into the country."

"That's harder to arrange."

"I'm prepared to increase the donation to a million dollars
every year."

"It's not just a matter of money."

I smiled slightly. "A million dollars a year plus visitation
rights."

Seidelman laughed. "Visitation rights. That's one way of
putting it. You'll get your money's worth. What you asked for is
one thing. What we can do for you over the next few years is the
icing on the cake."

"I assume he'll be safe?"

"Safe? Oh, I understand. I was going to ask you the same
question." Seidelman reflected for a moment. "Not that it
matters. From what Alexis and Roger tell me, there's always latex
involved. It's a intelligent decision considering the dangers."

"I'm not surprised," I answered. "What are the plans for
tonight?"

Seidelman glanced around. Without saying a word he took my
elbow and guided me towards the French windows and away from the
half dozen other guests on the terrace.

"He'll start out sleeping in the guest bedroom with Alexis.
He's playing computer games there right now so he'll know where
he has to go. I'll have the room next door. I'll come to get him
when the time is right. Make sure he baths properly and his teeth
are clean. There will be an enema bag and tube in the vanity.
Have him cleaned out so there's no chance of an accident."

Seidelman released my elbow. He smiled innocently. "You know
the money is unimportant if your boy does what he wants. He's an
absolute doll."

"What about Alexis?"

"So you figured that out. Alexis is getting too old. He's
been shaving his crotch the last few months. For a while he was
on a treatment program using some stuff we've managed to get from
the National Institute of Child Health. He was taking pills for
the last two years. It worked great but his dick and balls have
shrunk," Seidelman chuckled.

"And now you're looking for a younger boy to replace him?" I
prompted.

"Yes. Your Shelley is ideal," Seidelman answered. "The
President likes him, Bob. He likes him a lot. If the kid makes
out okay in bed, he'll be the one. Assuming of course, you'll
agree."

I nodded slowly, trying to appear thoughtful. "I know
Shelley's got a thing for older guys. He's been screwing around
with one of my men for a few months now. So far, he doesn't know
that I know what's going on between him and Robbie. If he's going
to let a man fuck his ass I'd rather it was the President than
some forty-grand-a-year bodyguard."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," Seidelman said as he turned
away.

I left immediately, taking the grand stair to the second
floor. I passed four or five doors. The second door opened into
the room where the President would be staying. There were three
grey-suited agents inspecting every nook and cranny. Another
agent waved a black metal wand over the furniture to detect bugs.
I smiled to myself and continued on my way. It was very unlikely
that they would perform a similar search on an already naked boy
going to the President's room in the middle of the night. It was
cause for another sigh of relief.

Shelley was losing in the Cool-Boarders game that he was
playing with Alexis. However, he was not that far behind that he
could not catch up. I stood in the doorway and watched the two
boys leaning over their controls, rocking to and fro as if the
effort could somehow keep their player from slamming into the
obstacles. Slowly Alexis pulled further ahead, and while Shelley
gave it his best effort, he was unable to close the gap. It was
interesting to watch as they hurtled down the white twisting
slopes. Shelley threw caution to the wind, taking more risk than
the other boy. Twice he lost control and ended up in the
conifers. It was an interesting character trait. He had nothing
to lose so he gave it all that he had. I grinned, feeling the
immense pride that a father feels when his son surprises him with
an extraordinary skill.

Finally, his player waiting behind the finish line, Alexis
rolled onto his back laughing as Shelley threw down his
controller.

"Now you owe me a thousand bucks," Alexis laughed. "You want
to play again?"

"No way," I interrupted. "He can't afford it and neither can
I."

Shelley spun around, grinning from ear to ear. "I almost had
him. At the start he cheats."

"Well, cheaters never prosper," I repeated the old adage.
"And ten-year-old boys need to have a bath and get ready for
bed."

"I'm sleeping with Alexis," Shelley informed me.

I shrugged. "I know. It's your choice. Come on. You need to
get cleaned up."

Shelley followed me out of the room and down the hall. A
sideways glance showed the four agents still examining the
bedroom I had just passed.

Once inside the bedroom where I was to spend the night
alone, I closed and locked the door behind us. Shelley stepped
forward, his arms lifting up as his eyes closed. His lips met
mine. We kissed, gently at first and then with increasing urgency
as our passion began to mount. A week apart was a long time. I
needed to be inside him, to feel his taut rectum squeezing
against my penis, to absorb his vibrant heat. The last thing I
wanted was to send him to another man's bed.

Shelley hugged me, kissed my cheek, my chin, my forehead. He
slurped over my lips, stuck his tongue out so I could suck it,
pushed his immature sex hard into my thigh and ground against me
until I had to pry him away.

"I don't want to," he whispered. "Not with him. Not with
anyone else except you."

"I know, lover boy. That's what it's like when you're in
love."

"Do I have to?"

I nodded slightly. "If we do this, it means we'll be able to
live together from now on. That's the only reason why we're doing
it. One time is worth it, Shelley. I want to be able to call you
'son', and wake up in the morning and have your dick jabbing
against my stomach."

"And I won't have to go back to her?"

"Never! You won't see her, or Robbie, or Calvin ever again.
it'll always be just the two of us."

"And Maria! Promise?"

"Promise!"

Shelley sighed. "Okay."

I smiled reassuringly. "Okay. You need to get in the bath
tub and wash everything and everywhere. I'll come in a few
minutes and do your hair. Have you ever had an enema?"

Shelley paled. His lips pressed together. He clenched his
hands. He nodded. It was obvious that it had been a very
unpleasant experience for him.

"What happened?" I asked.

"She gave me one."

"Julia?"

"Yes. Do I have to have one."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Why did she give you an enema?"

"After Robbie,..."

"After Robbie had sex with you?" I prompted.

Shelley looked down, ashamed and reluctant. I reached out
and lovingly stroked the back of his head, curling my fingers in
his silky hair and scratching behind his ears. Eventually he
answered.

"I couldn't go for a week after the first time,... you know
to the bathroom, Rick. It was really painful when I tried. I
guess he hurt me inside or something. There was blood and stuff
coming out of me for a while afterwards. It hurt so bad that I
couldn't sit down without feeling terrible."

I seethed with anger. Julia had known what her son was doing
to Shelley and made no effort to intervene or protect the little
boy who had been placed in her care, albeit temporarily. There
was no love, just animal lust.

"So she gave you an enema?" I asked.

Shelley nodded slightly. "It was gross, Rick. It really was.
I couldn't help it. It came out all over the floor, and she
slapped me and made me clean it up. I nearly puked it smelled so
bad."

I pulled him against me and his head burrowed into my chest.
I stroked his back, reaching down to the start of his buttocks
before going up again.

"It'll be different this time."

"Why do I have to?"

"Because he wants you to be clean back there, I expect."

"Does he have to put his cock in me there. I could suck
him," Shelley volunteered. "Wouldn't that be enough?"

"Maybe. I don't know what will happen. Maybe you can get him
to cum and he won't want anything else. He was pretty drunk when
I saw him a while ago. Maybe he'll be happy just to get off in
your mouth. Hell, maybe he can't get an erection."

"I'll do whatever I have to so I can live with you," Shelley
said softly. "I'll call you when I'm ready for my hair to be
washed."

He broke away, not distraught, but not eager. He was stoic
in his acceptance. Some things had to be done no matter how much
you did not want to do them. He was a lot like me. I watched him
disappear into the bathroom. It was all I could do not to follow
him, if only to watch him undress.

It was nearly 11.30 p.m. when I opened the door again.
Shelley was dressed in a blue and yellow track-suit. Around his
neck was a gold chain. He was clean and fresh and his hair
smelled of apples. He was nervous, but he was also courageous. He
smiled at me, returning my loving squeeze of his right hand with
one of his own. He walked down the hall and stopped outside the
room he was supposed to be sharing with Alexis. He waved
erratically and reached for the door handle. A moment water he
was gone from my sight. Further down the hall, two black Secret
Service agents stood guard outside the President's room. One gave
a quick glance in my direction. I tensed and abruptly closed the
door to my room. My stomach churned as walked slowly across the
seat in front of the window. I sat down, picked up the Walkman,
slipped the headphones over my ears, and began to listen.

I expected nothing much would happen until after midnight
and I was not wrong. It was shortly after midnight when the boys'
chatter stopped. They had talked about a lot of things in half
and hour, none of them sex. Suddenly the silence was broken.

Alexis: "Okay, you better get ready. He'll come for you a
few minutes."

Shelley: "Who'll come?"

Alexis: "Jack. What do you have underneath those sweat
pants?"

Shelley: "Boxers."

Alexis: "Take them off."

Shelley: "Why?"

Alexis: "Because I said so. Because he doesn't like you to
wear anything underneath."

Shelley: "What should I wear then?"

Alexis: "Nothing. No one will see you."

Shelley: "Are you sure?"

Alexis: "Just do it. You have a nice body. There's nothing
to be ashamed off."

Shelley: "Now what?"

Alexis: "I said take everything off."

Shelley: "Okay."

Alexis: "That's better. Here, put this on."

Shelley: "What's that?"

Alexis: "It's a necklace, you dummy! Have fun, kid. Don't be
scared. His dick isn't all that big."

Jack: "Hi boys."

Shelley: "Hi Mr. Seidelman."

Alexis: "He's cute."

Jack: "So?"

Alexis: "He's going to fuck the crap outta you."

Jack: "Come with me Shelley. He's waiting."

There was a loud click, the sound of another door opening,
and then another door. There had to be connecting doors between
the three rooms. I had a good idea of what would happen later in
the night. I sat forward, breathing heavily, listening despite
the unsettling fear in my stomach.

President: "Come get him at six."

Jack: "Sure. Anything else?"

President: "You tell me."

Jack: "There's a box of rubbers and some K-Y in the drawer."

President: "That's all I needed to know. How's Alexis taking
it? being replaced?"

Jack: "He'll get over it, I'm sure."

President: "He's not as smart as his brother, Jack. I'm
worried about him."

Jack: "He knows to keep his mouth shut."

President: "The last thing I need is for this to get out."

Jack: "Not wrong. He'll keep quiet about it."

President: "I want you to arrange a special present for him.
Something Roger will be surprised by. Your friends can find the
right gift, I'm sure."

Jack: "I'll pass the word along."

President: "Good night Jack."

Jack: "Good night Mr. President."

I heard the sound of the door closing. Shelley was alone
with the President. I turned the volume up. The sound of
Shelley's heart was suddenly comforting. It seemed to be beating
very quickly. I heard a rustling sound and took it to be from his
arms rubbing against the bare skin of his chest. He was cold. He
was frightened. I swallowed. I hated myself, hated how I had
placed the boy I loved in such a position, promised myself that I
would never hurt him again, that I would spend the rest of my
life making it up to him.

President: "My you're a beautiful boy, Shelley. Don't be
embarassed. I've seen lots of little boy dicks before, and I hear
at least two other men have seen you naked before me. I've been
waiting all night. That's better."

I heard the distinct sounds of clothes being removed,
dropping to the floor, footsteps. I resisted my urge to get up
and run down the hall. Deliberately I pushed the record button.

President: "Now we're both naked aren't we. Do you like my
cock? You're a very lucky boy. They're aren't many boys who can
say they've seen the most powerful cock in the world. It is, you
know. It may not be that big, but it's powerful."

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "Yes sir? That's good, boy. Do you like men's
cocks?"

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "Do you like my cock?"

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "Would you like to hold it? Of course you would.
Take it in your hand."

Shelley: "It's hot."

President: "So are you! You're so fucking beautiful. That's
right, rub it boy. Rub it nice and slowly. That's how I like it,
with you hand around it. Up and down."

I heard him grunt, shuffling footsteps. The sudden intake of
breath left no doubt in my mind that he was touching Shelley's
naked body. I hoped the soft sigh was feigned.

Shelley: "You're hard."

President: "Yeah, I am, aren't I?"

Shelley: "And wet too."

His giggle went through me like a knife. I could envision
his little thumb making slow circles over the end of the man's
erection. He liked to smear my pre-seminal fluid and put his
finger in his mouth. When he took it out again, he always kissed
his fingertip with a wet plop.

President: "You like having my pre-cum on you?"

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "How does it taste?"

Shelley: "Salty. You're sure making a lot of it."

President: "Yeah, I am, aren't I? You're fucking incredible.
Shelley, isn't it?"

Shelley: "Yes sir. You want me to suck you?"

President: "Sure, but not for long. I've got something else
in mind."

I wanted to turn the volume down but the insistent beat of
Shelley's heart stopped me. My hands were shaking. Now matter how
many times I had sex with Shelley, I was still fascinated by what
he could do with his lips and tongue. And now, he was using that
special skill on another man. I shuddered. I heard the gradual
increase in his heart rate, the interruption in his breathing,
the wet sounds of his mouth hard at work.

Shelley: "Okay?"

President: "Yeah it's okay. Suck that cock boy."

The sounds resumed, the air passing into Shelley's lungs
becoming quick gasps as he went further down. TIn my experience
there were very few ten-year-old boys who could deep-throat a
man's penis, and Shelley was one of them.

President: "Fucking hell. Jesus, boy where did you learn to
do that? Man! Oh God. Jesus! Fuck! You'd better stop that before
I cum in your throat."

I heard the unmistakable sound of Shelley giggling, wiping
the excess saliva from his chin and cheeks, his tongue licking
the man's throbbing penis. If he ran true to form he would have
nibbled the corona, biting just hard enough to balance the
pleasure with a little discomfort. I could feel his tongue
sweeping across my own glans, his lips compressing the head as he
sucked for all he was worth.

President: "Okay, you'd better stop. Get up on the bed."

I groaned aloud

Shelley: "How do you want me, Sir?"

President: "How do I want you? Every fucking way I can.
Let's start with you kneeling. It'll usually go in easier that
way. Put that pillow under you."

Shelley: "That's cold."

President: "You want to do it dry?"

Shelley: "No way. You'll hurt like hell."

President: "You one hell of whore, boy, but I love you. Pull
your ass cheeks apart and let me see that boy-pussy. It doesn't
look like it's been used that often, but you sure aren't a
virgin. When did you do it last?"

Shelley: "It's been a while. Just go slow until I'm used to
it."

President: "Sure thing."

Shelley: "You're in the wrong place. Lower. Ouch! Oh!
Jesus!"

President: "That the right place?"

Shelley: "Yes sir."

I had to listen. That was my job while Shelley was doing his
job. I would have given anything to throw the Walkman out the
window.

President: "Push back."

Shelley: "I am."

President: "Man, you're a lot tighter than Alexis ever was."

Shelley: "...Can't help it,..."

President: "Push!"

Shelley: "I'm trying. Jesus!"

President: "God!.... Oh man your ass is so fucking
tight,.... Going in now.

Shelley: "No,... Please,..."

President: "Shhhh. Not so loud. I bet you can feel my cock
in you now, can't you boy."

Shelley: "Yes sir. I feel it."

I knew he was gasping, breathing through his mouth, trying
to hold back his cries. He groaned. His heart was pounding. He
groaned again. A cry strangled halfway out of his throat.

President: "Be quiet you little whore. You wanted this. Your
old man knows you're in here with me. He expects you to get your
ass worked over. Now you're getting all of it."

Shelley: "Ohhhh,.... Noooooo,..... Noooooo,.... Ohhhhh!"

President: "Quiet! If you've got to scream, push your face
into the pillow."

I heard the slap of flesh against flesh and I cringed. I
realized my hands were trembling. I tasted my bile in my mouth.
Another slap, then another. Then the unforgettable sound of wet
suction as the man's penis pulled through the boy's body.
Shelley's groan. His heart pounding a staccato. grunting for
every breath. Slapping. Groaning. Faster. Faster.

President: "Take it all boy."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "Yeah, squeeze that little ass of yours."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "God, you're hot."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "Fuck! I can't believe how good this feels."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "It's so much better than my fucking wife. I
almost forgot what a tight little ass feels like."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "Take it. You want it deep and hard, don't you?"

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "Feel that boy? It's right up your ass now."

Shelley: "Ohhhh."

President: "I've never fucked anything this tight before."

Shelley: "Ohhhh. Oh God, faster! Do it faster!"

Knowing that Shelley was getting close to orgasm was the
worst thing that had ever happened to me. Why did he have to
enjoy it? Why couldn't he just lie there and pretend as though he
liked it until the man was finished?

President: "Yeah, you like that, don't you whore?"

Shelley: "Uh-ahhh-ooooo-ahhhh."

President: "Yeah, fuck yourself on my cock. Push your
beautiful little butt back and let my cock fuck all the way up
you."

I heard the man's balls thumping against Shelley's thighs,
the urgency of Shelley's gasps, the frenzied beating of his
heart, the slapping of the little eggs as they bounced back and
forth in his scrotum, the sloppy juices stirred into squelching
oleaginous slickness. Then, in an instant the sounds stopped. I
tensed, shaking with fury, unable to stop what was happening. The
sounds of the lunging, thrusting, stabbing continued, and then
even that stopped. Shelley's voice was panicked as he began to
realize.

Shelley: "Faster. Oh! Oh God! Do it faster, Rick!"

President: "Cumming! I'm fucking cumming in your ass, boy.
You can feel me squirting my cum, can't you?"

Shelley: "Oh, God! No! Not ready!"

I heard the man's organ being yanked out, the boy's wail of
misery, the interruption in action leaving an unsettling silence
that was broken only by erratic breathing and Shelley's frenzied
heartbeat.

President: "God Almighty. I've never cummed that much
before."

Shelley: "It's all over my balls."

President: "Too much cum for your ass. I had to put it
somewhere."

Shelley: "I was almost there."

President: "Yeah, I thought you were. Maybe next time."

Shelley: "Next time?"

President: "Yeah, next time. You do want there to be a next
time, don't you?"

Shelley: "Yeah, I guess."

President: "You guess? Hell, I'm going to fuck your ass
every chance I get boy. Just wait until I get you up to Camp
David. There's a cabin where you can scream your head off and no
one will hear you.

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "Yes sir? By the time I'm finished with you
tonight it'll be more than 'yes sir'. You'll be begging for my
cock in your ass the same way Alexis used to."

Shelley: "Yes sir."

President: "Now get your pretty little butt in the bathroom
and clean it up. I want you to close the door and stay in there
for a while. I'll tell you when to come out. I've got to talk to
a friend for a few minutes. He knows I like boys but there's no
point in him knowing about you, at least not for a while longer."

Shelley: "Yes sir."

The bed springs squeaked as the man and boy climbed off.
There was the rustle of clothing. The sounds of footsteps on the
floor. They went in separate directions, one into the adjoining
bathroom, the other to the bedroom door. I heard the tinkling
sound of a fountain and smiled as I realized the source of the
stream of water. How often had I watched Shelley urinating after
sex, his thin fingers holding his penis and wavering to and fro
to make his stream splash from side to side. Reluctantly I
switched channels. The sounds changed.

President: "I'm expecting a visitor in a few minutes. I've
got to talk with Harry Grey."

Agent: "Yes sir. Should I let him know you're ready to see
him."

President: "Wouldn't hurt. It's getting late. Just send him
right on in when he gets here."

A minute passed. I heard the knock on the door. This was it.
I willed Shelley to stay where he was, not to come out of the
bathroom no matter what. I breathed out. This had to be it. The
intermediary had to be Harry Grey. I heard the sound of a door
opening and closing. I swallowed.

Grey: "Took you long enough."

President: "Shut up. Listen closely, I've only got a few
minutes."

Grey: "Okay, I'm all ears so get to the point."

President: "It's going to happen whether I sign off or not.
The Congress is behind the NSA on this. There's fuck all I can
do. If I don't sign, I'll look stupid."

Grey: "Cut the crap. Give me the details. Our friends can
worry about it."

President: "In a minute. There's something else we have to
talk about. That boy Alexis, I want him taken care of."

Grey: "I thought you liked him. You sure as hell fucked him
often enough."

President: "It's over. He's too old."

Grey: "Hell! He's too old! I went out on a limb to get that
stuff from the doctors. It doesn't work?"

President: "Yeah it worked. Up till a few months ago there
wasn't a hair on him. The only problem was his dick shrank. He
had a bit over two inches when he refused to keep taking the
pills."

Grey: "Too bad."

President: "Just get rid of him."

Grey: "Okay, Alexis won't be a problem after the weekend.
Now give me the details about the NSA thing."

President: "It's in my wallet on the table."

Grey: "You got copies safely?"

President: "Of course! I photographed the pages with the
digital camera. I brought the memory stick with me."

Grey: "Good idea. Okay, we'll get back together in two
weeks."

President: "It'll have to be after that. I'll be in Texas in
three weeks."

Grey: "That'll work. You found another boy I hear? Where is
he?"

President: "In the bathroom."

Grey: "Can we trust him?"

President: "No idea. That's why he's in there and why we're
out here. There's no way he can hear through that door."

Grey: "What's his name?"

President: "Shelley!"

Grey: "Jesus! His last name?"

President: "Let me think. Christ! Jack told me. Walker! His
father is here as well. His name is Bob Walker."

Grey: "Bob Walker. He wouldn't be about forty plus or minus.
Tall guy, about six-two or three. Brown eyes, really intense."

President: "Might be."

As Harry Grey started to laugh I was already out of the seat
and headed to the door. My mind was in turmoil. What were the
chances? A thousand to one? I knew Harry Grey only by reputation.
He had a memory that was awe-inspiring. How did he know me? I
kept the headphones locked to my ears.

Grey: "Fuck!"

President: "What's the problem?"

Grey: "If he's the same guy, we have a big problem."

President: "What are you talking about?"

Grey: "About four years ago, when I was ambassador to
Mexico, there a problem involving the CIA. Apparently, they got
one of their agents to infiltrate a Central American cartel. He
was in control for about a year and apparently did quite a bit of
damage until someone caught on."

President: "Get to the point, Harry!"

Grey: "I am. It turned out that this guy was a lot like you.
He liked boys! In fact, the story was that he even had a little
Mex boy living at his villa in Acapulco. Apparently he became
pretty fond of him. One day the kid turned up in the back of a
truck. He was in real bad shape."

I clenched my fists, trying desperately to block out the
memory of Manuel. He was covered in blood, barely breathing. I
heard myself shouting his name as I felt his little body struggle
to take one last breath, the final wheezing before he slumped
back in my arms. His grandmother stood behind me, sobbing. His
father was in the driver's seat, two bullets in his brain.

President: "Someone tried to kill the kid?"

Grey: "They succeeded. The agent blew the operation, killed
the head honchos of the rival cartels, and went back to the
States. I heard he took out two CIA agents in Texas who gave the
game away. His name was supposed to be Bob Walker."

President: "No way! Seidelman checked him out. Sure he's a
drug-lord, there's no question, but there's nothing in the file
about him being CIA."

Grey: "Well he is, you can bet on it."

President: "Fucking hell! What do we do?"

Grey: "Get the kid of the bathroom."

I walked down the hallway. The two agents turned slightly,
stiffening to attention. I felt the adrenaline surging through my
body. They were not going to let me past them.

President: "Come on out here. I have somewhere who wants to
meet you."

Grey: "What's your name?"

Shelley: "Shelley Walker."

President: "See! I was right."

Grey: "Your real name!"

Shelley: "That is my real name."

Grey: "He's not your father, is he?"

Shelley: "Yes. Of course he is."

Grey: "Liar! Damn! Did you check him for bugs?"

President: "Of course I did. I always do what you suggested.
I never let a boy in here without making sure he's naked first."

Shelley: "Let me go."

Grey: "Shut up! Did you check for scars? Lumps?"

President: "Of course. He's fine."

Grey: "Get on the bed!"

Shelley: "You're hurting me. Ouch! Hey, don't! You're
hurting my balls."

Grey: "I'll squeeze them until they pop, if you don't shut
up and lie still."

Shelley: "Don't! Jesus! Don't! It hurts."

Grey: "Stop squealing and I'll let them go. Turn over!"

President: "See, I told you."

Shelley: "Let me go!"

Grey: "Christ, you didn't waste any time, did you? Okay! He
looks like he's clean. He's got to be a plant."

President: "Should I send him out?"

Grey: "No! When's Jack coming back for him?"

President: "In the morning. I fly back to DC at nine."

Shelley: "Can I go now?"

Grey: "Shut up you little faggot! Listen, there's something
really strange about all of this."

President: "Why don't we talk about it in the morning? Maybe
you have the wrong Bob walker?"

Grey: "Jesus! Shut up for God's sake and let me think."

Shelley: "Why can't I go now? Hey! No! Don't! Stop! God,
you're hurting me!"

Grey: "Nothing like I'm going to. Is he your father?"

Shelley: "Yes! Stop! God! No! Don't!"

Grey: "I'm going to tear your fucking balls off in a second.
Is he your father?"

Shelley: "I told you. No! Don't! No!"

Grey: "Last chance, faggot!"

Shelley: "He is! No! No! Don't! Don't No! No he's not!"

Grey: "That's better. Who is he?"

Shelley: "I don't know! No! Nooooo!"

President: "Jesus, take it easy Harry. You're lifting him up
by his ballsac and cock!"

Grey: "Shut up! WHO IS HE?"

I stopped in front of the agents. They were glaring at me,
each with his hand reaching into the front of their jackets. It
was a warning that was unmistakable.

"I have to see the President," I said urgently.

"Sure you do!"

"It's the middle of the night. It can wait until morning."

Shelley: "Don't! Not again! No! Please! Barrett! His name is
Rick Barrett."

Grey: "That's better! Next time don't wait so long. Is he
with the CIA?"

"It's really urgent," I implored. "He has to talk with me."

Shelley: "I don't know."

Grey: "When did you meet him?"

"Look Sir, there's absolutely no way you're going to see the
President tonight. He has someone in there with him."

Shelley: "A few months ago."

Grey: "Good! Now faggot, I want you to tell me what you're
doing here?"

Shelley: "What does it look like?"

Grey: "Don't be a smart ass if you want to keep your cock
and balls where they belong. You let him fuck you for a reason!
Why?"

I stepped back a few feet. In a few seconds I would either
be dead or inside the room. I tried to avoid giving any
indication of an impending attack as I readied my muscles for
action. I tried one last time.

"I know he's with Harry Grey."

The two agents exchanged a mutual look of surprise.

Shelley: "Cause I wanted him to. Owwww! Shit!"

Grey: "Next time is your last, faggot! Why?"

Shelley: "Because he's a spy!"

I heard Grey's laugh through the headphones, the sickening
thud of Shelley's body, the gurgling cry that was strangled in
his throat.

"What's the problem?"

I spun around. There was a tall black man behind me. He was
scowling, holding a cell phone to his ear. He was the agent in
charge. Against three trained men, I had no chance.

"I've got to see the President," I said with finality.

The man sneered for a moment and then he smiled. "Okay!"

He pushed past the other two agents and knocked lightly on
the door. I could hear the horrible sound of Shelley being slowly
throttled, his breathing stopped, his heart racing. I clenched my
fists, tensing for a lunge that would probably result in nearly
instant death.

Grey: "What the fuck?"

President: "Someone's at the door!"

Grey: "Damn! I'll take the brat into the bathroom!"

President: "You've killed him!"

Grey: "Not yet!"

President: "Don't!"

Grey: "God! You're crazy. The kid could put you away
forever. Just being in here with you is enough to get you into
deep shit."

President: "No! The agents are discreet. They know, okay?"

Grey: "They know? They know you fuck little boys?"

President: "How could I do it otherwise? They're with me
every second."

Grey: "That what?"

President: "Trust me."

Grey: "Jesus!"

The door opened a fraction of an inch. The President's face
appeared.

"What's up?" he asked as if there was nothing wrong.

"Excuse me, Mr. President, but we have reason to believe you
might be in danger."

"Danger? Hardly, I have Harry Grey in here."

"Just him? No one else?"

"I have a young friend as well."

"Is there a problem with him?"

"Of course not. He just isn't feeling very well right now."

I stepped forward, elbowing one of the agents to the side.
"I want to see him," I said brusquely.

"I'm sorry. Not at the moment! Maybe in a little while. I'll
have him brought to your room when he's feeling better, Mr.
Walker," the President said quickly.

"The hell you will. I want my son now!" I shouted. "If he's
not out here with me in ten seconds I'm coming through the door
and getting him."

The door opened slightly as the President turned back to
talk to Grey. When he turned around again, the front of his
bathroom was open. There was still a condom on his limp penis,
the end forming a little translucent bulb of creamy fluid.

"Your dick is showing, Mr. President," I said crudely.

He snorted and hastily closed his robe. He swallowed. "He's
feeling a bit sick, that's all. He isn't hurt."

I pushed past him and stepped through the doorway. Shelley
was lying on his side, his hands at his face as he coughed and
gagged. He looked up suddenly as I approached. His face was wet
with tears, his neck reddened. Without saying a word, I leaned
down and scooped him into my arms. I backed away. Harry Grey's
eyes followed me out of the room. The last I saw of him, he was
trembling.

Shelley: "I love you, Rick."

Chapter Ten

The worst was over, but the mission was still unfinished.
It would remain that way until Shelley and I had secured our
future. I was nervous as the Boeing 767 made its final approach
into the Atlanta Airport. Shelley had been very quiet almost the
entire flight. He was content to have my arm around his shoulders
while he read a book. Every few minutes he would glance up and
smile. He was happy, not sparkling with transient satisfaction
but experiencing the sort of deep seated happiness that comes
from utter contentment. It was the sort of happiness that most
people never experience. It seemed as if a lifetime had passed
during the last week.

I heard the low rumble of the flaps being extended, the
slight vibration as the airflow was disturbed, the whine of a
distant electric motor. I breathed out in frustration. Flying out
of Cincinnati had been a mistake, but I had been too eager to
finish the assignment go by road. We were expected in Atlanta.
Our names would appear on the passenger list, and although there
had been ample time for a welcoming committee to be prepared for
our flight, it would be very unlikely. I was certain that our
departure went unnoticed. It was a hundred to one shot that
someone would be waiting for us.

I was nervous as the plane taxied to the assigned gate.
Seated twenty rows back, a long way from First Class. I checked
my watch, aware that we had a few minutes to wait and there was
nothing I could do to make the time pass faster. Then, it was out
turn we moved into the aisle. I led the way with Shelley falling
in behind me. We entered the terminal. Within seconds I realized
that Wilderstein had taken every precaution. There must have been
a dozen undercover agents. They did not have the clean-cut FBI
look. Perhaps they were all outside contractors. Wilderstein
appeared in the entrance to an adjoining gate and beckoned for us
to follow him down the passageway. There was nothing else I could
do except follow, but I could feel the hair on the back of my
neck rising. I reached down and gripped Shelley's hand. The last
thing I wanted was for him to panic. The surprising thing was the
destination above the check-in counter--'Albuquerque'.

There was no point in trying to avoid what was waiting
ahead. I began walking, sensing the eyes of a dozen men on me. As
soon as we were through the doorway, the doors automatically
closed behind us. There was no sign of Wilderstein. We walked
down the empty ramp, wondering what lay ahead. At the hinge, I
stopped. The door to the plane was open. I was reminded of a
similar situation a dozen years ago. The Agency had kidnapped a
Chinese informant in much the same way. When the plane landed
again, the unwilling passenger had disappeared. I felt uneasy.

I stepped across the threshold and into the plane. A
stewardess smiled and made no effort to look for our tickets. She
gestured slightly, indicating that I was to continue on. He was
sitting two rows back in the window seat.

"Sit down," he said softly, patting the cream-colored
leather-upholstered seat beside him.

"Fuck you!"

"Just sit, Rick. Shelley, you sit across the aisle."

I sat down next to him, staring ahead.

"Tell me what happened!"

"I don't know what happened."

"Let's start with the easy stuff. How does he pass on the
information?"

"Let's start this over again, Jacob." I smiled. "You have
something I want. I have something you want."

"I have it here," Wilderstein said. He tapped his chest
pocket. "All legal. As you probably know by now, the judge signed
the adoption papers early this morning. I didn't expect this
thing to go down so fast. His name is now Shelley Barrett. He's
legally yours to fuck whenever you get the urge."

"Fuck you! And the rest of it?"

"You know that too so why pretend, Rick. The rest of the
money is in the briefcase." Wilderstein gestured to a brown
leather briefcase on the floor between his legs. "It's all there.
You can count it if you want."

I smiled and leaned forward, watching Wilderstein's face
from the corner of my eye. He showed no sign of nervousness.
Slowly I straightened up.

"It's clean. I've held up my part of the deal."

"And the disappearing act?" I asked.

"When I get what I want, this plane will take off. You and
the kid will be the only passengers. It'll fly to non-stop to
Albuquerque in New Mexico. A car will be waiting there. You'll
have a short vacation at the Grand Canyon and drive on to Salt
Lake City. You have a job waiting for you there. You'll be a vice
president for Marriot. Great pay, excellent benefits, the lot. A
year or two from now you can even retire if you want."

"Okay." I nodded slowly.

"Tell me!"

"The President talks in his sleep."

"Rick, don't fuck with me."

I shrugged. I took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I
saw Sam Underhill there, Jacob."

"No way!"

"Wilderstein, don't be an ass-hole. You always have a back-
up plan. With someone in the Secret Service, you were already
where you needed to be. You didn't need me, except as back-up.
With Underhill you had the smartest black in the Agency."

"I don't like working with niggers, Rick. Even smart ones. I
needed you and the kid to be in there."

"There's only one thing I don't understand."

"What's that?"

"How Sam knew what was going on in the bedroom."

"No idea."

"Don't fuck with me, Jacob."

"I'm not. Maybe Underhill had the room bugged."

"I'm sure he heard what was going on in there. The way he
acted when I saw him. The only problem is that the bedroom was
checked out by the Service boys beforehand. I walked past when
they were doing it. There was no way it was bugged."

"How then?"

"That's what I want to know. I figured maybe he had a second
Walkman like the one you gave me."

Wilderstein shook his head quickly. "There's only one for
each transmitter." he glanced down into his lap. Did he seem more
nervous than usual?

"I took this from Underhill's room this morning," I said.

I took the cell phone from my jacket pocket, looked at it
with interest and finally held the thing out to Wilderstein.

"So? It's a cell phone."

"I wondered whether it works like the Walkman." I regarded
Wilderstein patiently. "The thing is that key here. It looks like
a normal 'END' key,... only it changes the screen if you hold it
down for a few seconds. It goes blank and then it shows 'C1 and
C2'. It makes you think, doesn't it? I've never seen a cell-phone
do that before. Maybe it means Channel One and Channel Two, just
like the two channels the Walkman receives on. What do you
think?"

Deliberately, I pushed the 'END' key. After a few seconds
the 'C1' and 'C2' appeared. 'C1' was highlighted. I smiled. I
held the phone to my ear, hearing the familiar sounds of
Shelley's heart beating and the soft sigh of his breath. I
glanced sideways. He was looking out the window, pretending to be
disinterested in the conversation across the aisle.

"Shelley," I said. "Go back to the last row of seats and sit
down. I want you to say something when you get there."

"What should I say?"

"Anything you want."

He grinned as he stood up. I watched his back as he walked
away.

"Listen Rick,..." Wilderstein said awkwardly.

"Yes?" I turned back to face him.

"When you arrive in New Mexico, I've arranged for you to
take the kid to one of our doctors. Like you, he's retired from
the Agency, but he maintains a private clinic just outside Taos.
He'll take out the transmitter. You can stay there for a few
days. Once the transmitter is out, I'm sure you'll feel better
about the whole thing."

"The hell I will. Shelley lost a ball, Wilderstein, for no
fucking reason. You already had a man close enough to tell you
what you wanted to know. You didn't need him."

"Yes I did. There's something else."

"What?"

"Rick,..." He tensed up. He glanced away, then quickly
turned back. His voice was low and showed more stress than seemed
warranted under the circumstances. "The Russian's technology is
good but we still couldn't trust it. Not for something this
important."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Remember the one I showed you?"

"The one? The one what?"

"The transmitter. The one I showed you. The one in the kid-
sized ball."

"Yes," I answered uncertainly.

I swallowed dryly as I felt the blood drain from my face. I
could not help but feel nervous. There was something important
that Wilderstein had planned not to tell me. Instinctively, I
sensed that it involved Shelley.

"I love you, Rick."

Shelley's voice came from the cell phone as clear as a bell,
the soft, soprano of an unbroken voice, of a voice that would
never know the baritone tone of puberty. I wanted to return his
endearment with words of my own, yet he would not hear me. The
nagging worry at the back of my mind suddenly raged into my
consciousness.

"God!" I breathed. I heard the words spilling out of my
mouth as I stared at him in disbelief. "You didn't."

"There wasn't a choice, Rick."

"There's never a choice with you, is there? Fuck! That's
what you were trying to tell me, wasn't it? Each transmitter has
its own frequency. There's only one receiver that is tuned in to
it. There are two receivers so there has to be two transmitters.
You,... you took both of his balls!"

"Yes. I know it seems pretty bad right now, but you've got
to remember,..."

"Shut up! Christ! Damn you! How could you?" I groaned. "Both
of them? Jesus! The poor kid."

"There was no other way. When you get right down to it, does
it really matter all that much whether it's one or two. You even
said he's not going to want kids of his own because he's gay."

"But that's not your choice to make! Hell, taking one ball
was one thing but you've fucking castrated the poor kid!"

Without thinking I turned around in my seat to make sure
that Shelley was not on his way back to the First Class cabin. I
tried to control my anger.

"Rick, there wasn't a choice."

"Sure there was, only you don't work that way. You don't
like taking a little risk, do you Jacob."

"I'm sorry. There was no other way."

I sighed. "Before when we were talking about one ball, you
said he'd mature slowly. Now what happens?"

"Obviously starting puberty the way he is now, is
impossible. If you want him to grow up normally, there are drugs
he can take."

"Shut the fuck up!"

I tried to control my anger. I needed to be in control. I
also had a very bad feeling that we would never arrive in New
Mexico, or if we did, it would be a very hard landing after a
30,000 foot free fall.

"I'll arrange for the doctor in Taos to tell you more about
the hormone treatments and how to get them," Wilderstein
persisted. "Other than a weekly injection or two, it shouldn't be
a problem."

"Okay," I said at last. "There's nothing I can about it, is
there?"

Wilderstein shrugged. "It wasn't my doing, Rick. It wasn't
an option. The Director gave the order."

"Damn you! You always pass the buck, don't you? Maybe one
day you'll learn the meaning of the word 'responsibility'. You
arrange to cut the balls of a perfectly healthy little boy in the
name of national fucking security. I don't like it, but I can
live with that on my conscience. But you're too weak to look me
in the eye and tell me it was your idea."

Wilderstein shrugged again. His expression was cold. He
stood up and stepped past me into the aisle.

"If I know you, Barrett, you'll make it up to him. The
report?"

He held out his hand. I reached into my jacket and extracted
the envelop. It contained a single sheet of paper. It was enough
to indict the President should the Director wish to proceed. With
that in hand, Wilderstein turned and walked away. I hoped I would
never see him again.

I clenched my fists, seething with anger. In a way,
Shelley's loss, despite how terrible it was to me, was a small
price to pay. I still held the cell-phone, musing about the life
Shelley and I would have together if we managed to survive the
next twenty-four hours. I smiled, suddenly aware that I was
hearing the rhythmic reassuring sounds of his hearts and lungs.
He was so alive that it made my heart beat faster. Sometimes I
had to run just to keep up with him. He loved me. I loved him.
Was anything really important given that? Idlely, I switched the
channel to 'C2'. The sounds changed. There were many background
noises, amplified and unidentified, their sources within the
range of two hundred feet. Some sounds were from the terminal, a
gate steward checking tickets for a plane's departure, a baggage
loader discussing a baseball game with a co-worker, the muffled
noises of suitcases moving up a motorized belt and being placed
in a hold. There were also voices in the cockpit.

"He's off!"

"About time. Check the gate clearance, Bob. We should still
have priority even if our departure is ten minutes late."

"Okay." A few seconds passed. "You got it. Take A-6 to
Runway 2. We're second in line if we leave right away."

"Okay! Run through the departure check while I get it
cranked up. Sue, you want to make sure our two passengers are
belted in."

"Sure thing, Captain."

I placed the cell-phone in my lap and turned down the volume
only seconds before the hostess appeared in the cabin, smiling
widely like any normal hostesses would to her First Class
passengers.She picked up a microphone and still giving me the
toothy smile, began the standard introduction.

"Good afternoon. I'd like to welcome all of our passengers
and to thank you for flying Western Air. We're preparing the
plane for take off in a few minutes. If you'll return to your
seats and fasten your seat belts,..."

As her voice droned on, with warnings about electronic
devices and escape routes in the 'unlikely event of an
emergency', Shelley slipped into the window seat beside me. I
leaned over and whispered in his ear. He giggled.

"Er, Miss, I wonder if your could pass me one of the
blankets from the overhead," I asked as soon as the hostess had
finished speaking.

She nodded and quickly passed me a blanket, fresh and clean
in a plastic bag. "Would you like something to drink, Sir?"

"Sure. I'll take a glass of your best Chardonnay. My son
will take a regular Coke."

I heard the faint whine of the engines, gradually increasing
to a low hum. The plane lurched back. I breathed out. So far so
good. I figured we had about an hour and a half. As soon as we
were taxiing, I spread the blanket out so that it was completely
over Shelley and half-over me. He grinned at me and winked
seductively as his hands fumbled at his waist. I heard the
unmistakable sound of a metal zipper opening. Had the cell-phone
or Walkman not been turned off in compliance with FAA
regulations, I would have heard the sudden increase in his
heartbeat as his arousal intensified.

"Don't take them all the way off," I warned.

He smirked and shook his head. The now-obvious little lump
in the blanket showed that his jeans were at least open at the
front. Slowly my free hand slid under the soft wool. I
encountered his shirt, pushing it higher so that my fingers
grazed across his smooth bare belly. He was warm and alive. It
was almost like touching a baby's skin. My fingers inched
downward after circling his tiny navel a dozen times. His eyes
lowered, following my encroaching hand. I touched the slightly
warmer skin of his crotch, the barely distinguishable mound of
his hairless pubis, the little fold of skin that formed when his
penis was limp. He moved, parting his legs, bringing one thigh
against my legs. His fingers brushed against mine, guiding me to
his already rigid penis. It was hot and moist and literally
jumping with anticipation.

I felt the plane stop, then the engines grew in noise to a
nearby, yet unobtrusive roar. The plane vibrated and began to
move forward. As we lifted off, I mercilessly gripped the small
hard spike between Shelley's legs, squeezing the blood out of
him. He lifted upward, tensing his thighs and belly muscles as he
strained to make himself harder. It was his way of offering
himself to me, a willing gift of his boyhood. I felt his penis
stiffening even more, swelling proudly under my massaging
fingers. I rubbed my finger across the tender rounded head of his
penis. It was both hard and spongy and it seemed to bulge more
than ever before so that the ridge under the glans was very
prominent. Shelley sighed as I began to stroke along the
sensitive shaft of flesh and corded veins, pushing and pulling on
the slack skin. I used long strokes, fondling his velvet-smooth
scrotum and the bean-sized aliens within. It was both bizarre and
strangely exciting.

He climaxed quickly, gasping for air as his penis jerked a
half-dozen times. It was dry, of course, but a miracle
nonetheless. I felt his penis flexing under my fingers. It was
his sign that he did not want me to stop. Unlike mine, Shelley's
penis did not immediately wilt. It was still very hard, throbbing
and eager for more. After a few moments, my fingers continued
their steady stroke, working from 'knob to nuts'. Shelley grinned
up at me and nodded slightly, using his muscles to make his
erection pulse and jump. Only then did the realization come to me
that this is how it would always be for him. Certainly, it could
be argued that the joy of ejaculation had been taken from him,
but he gained something back. There was no post-orgasmic let down
to worry about. Had he been cheated, or richly rewarded for his
service to his country? Undertaking the mission was hardly a
matter of patriotism, but from another perspective, he retained
almost all of the pleasure, the opportunity to repeat it as often
as he wanted, and none of the mess. However, I had always been
something of an optimist.

I masturbated Shelley for the best part of an hour. By the
time he finally pushed my hand away he had achieved climax, if
not actual release no less than three times and was well on the
way to number four. Being castrated had apparently not affected
his capacity for pleasure or the ability to respond to it. The
tip of his penis was crimson, slightly swollen, and still dry.
One minute passed while Shelley lay quietly, absorbing the
lingering sensations in his groin until his penis shrivelled and
lay limply against his scrotum. He smiled shyly, his eyes half-
closed in mesmerizing joy.

"Okay?" I whispered.

"Very okay. God, I wish we could do it. I've missed you so
much. It's been a whole week, Rick."

"I think you need to rest for a while," I teased. "Besides
there'll be plenty of chances to make up for the lost time later
tonight. get yourself closed up down there."

"Are we going to be okay?" Shelley asked. His voice was
anxious. His hands fumbled under the blanket as he tugged on his
zipper and fastened the metal button of his jeans.

"I don't know," I said.

I lifted the cell-phone back to my head, turning the volume
up slightly. Again there was a cacophony of background noises
that made it difficult to hear what was being said in the
cockpit.

"We've got clearance all the way to Albuquerque."

"Good. How are our passengers doing?"

"Fine the last time I looked. The man was reading a magazine
and the boy looked like he was asleep."

"Strangest damned thing, I've ever seen. Cancelling the
flight and then putting it back on with only two passengers."

"Those asses in Atlanta have no idea how to route."

"Go figure. I guess they made a mistake. What's the ETA into
Albuquerque?"

"Five-twenty."

"Damn it's weird. I keep getting a really bad feeling about
it. Go back and check on them again, Sue."

She came into First class just as I was refolding the
blanket. The little tease sitting next to me looked up and
grinned at her when she asked him whether he had a good nap. I
handed her the blanket, still warm from Shelley's body.

"Thank you, Miss," I interrupted. "Would you be so kind as
to ask the pilot to step back here for a few seconds?"

"I'm sorry sir that's not possible at the present time. He's
very busy in the cockpit and flight regulations do not allow him
to come back here once we're in the air, unless there's an
emergency."

"Then please tell him that you have an emergency," I
replied.

"I'm very sorry sir, I can't,..."

"Just fucking do it!" I said loudly.

She moved quickly. Less than a minute later the uniformed
pilot appeared. He walked up and stood over me, his face a
mixture of consternation and polite curiosity.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"There may be." I glanced around the plane. "Rather empty
this afternoon, isn't it?"

"Not really." His voice was flat and unemotional, a voice
that was used to giving orders and convincing passengers that it
was perfectly safe to fly.

"I'm surprised you aren't more curious about your two
passengers."

The pilot shrugged. "I don't know why I should be. Should
I?"

"You had passengers with tickets?"

"They went on a different flight."

"Oh! Why do you think my son and I received special
treatment?"

"I don't know. You must be someone important."

I gave him a wry look. I took a chance, basing what I said
on the news story I had been reading on the previous flight.

"No, not that. I just finished giving evidence against
Michael Lambrosi in the Federal Court Building in Atlanta."

The pilot suddenly looked at me with more interest.
"Lambrosi? It's been in the news for the last few days."

I nodded slowly. "I used to work for him. There's a good
chance the evidence I gave today will put him away for life." I
smiled weakly. "Only there's a slight problem."

"What's that?"

"There's also a good chance there's a bomb on board," I said
boldly.

"A bomb?" He breathed slowly. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't trust the Feds. They do a bad job sometimes,
especially when there's a lot at stake. In my business if you
want to live to be an old man, you learn to trust no one. Did
they stow any bags underneath in Atlanta?"

The pilot's face changed instantly. His expression revealed
what had happened well before I heard the words.

"We hadn't started loading when the flight was cancelled.
All we have on board is some Postal bags that we put on in
Pittsburgh and the three suitcases that were carried across from
the Cincinnati flight. I saw the ground staff doing it. I assume
those bags were yours?"

"Two probably are. The third isn't," I said icily.

"You mean? Jesus! There's a bomb?"

"It's more than likely. If I was in your job I'd want to get
this plane on the ground as quickly as possible."

"Why? What makes you think it's on a timer? It could be
based on altitude just as easily."

"True. If it's altitude, there not a damn thing you can do
about it. Landing now or an hour from now, makes no difference.
If it's a timer, then you have a chance." I paused. "There's
another reason."

"What's that?"

"The terrain." I glanced at my watch. "It's four-thirty.
Let's say we're about three hundred miles out of Albuquerque.
However, another fifteen or twenty minutes you'll be flying over
some of the least populated and rugged parts of the country."

"Jesus! I guess we ought to land at Amarillo. Just to make
sure."

I nodded slowly. "I would, if I was you. Another thing, I
wouldn't report the chance of a bomb aboard before you land, just
in case they can set it off by radio."

"How come you're so calm?" the pilot barked.

I shrugged. "Years of experience working with Lambrosi.
There's no point in panicking."

He turned and hurried off. I winked at Shelley, again
holding the cell-phone to my ear as the pilot gave instructions
to the co-pilot. The radio transmission was perfunctory--'a
possible problem with the engines'. The plane banked sharply and
began a quick descent. I silently prayed that my assumption was
correct.

THE END (for now)


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