Chapter 7

The screams of boys in sheer terror, sticks banging, frenzied running, a scene of chaotic motion had now been replaced by a deafening silence. The sight on the field was surreal, there were boys standing, staring, motionless like statues, frozen in fear. Others were lying on the ground, having fallen while running backwards to escape, tripping over themselves and other boys in their attempt to get away. They hadn't known which direction this madman would charge to next.

Some of the boys were still holding their lacrosse sticks in a defensive posture; others had dropped them. All were facing the carnage at the far end of the field, in front of the goal. Just a moment ago, this madman had seemed to appear from nowhere. The menace was spewing blood from his head like a fountain, and there was blood everywhere. Miles and the two boys closest were drenched, and there were pools of blood forming on the ground.

Slowly the boys began to shuffle towards the horrific scene, hesitantly, staring with wide eyes and breathing heavily through opened mouths. They slowly made their way towards Miles, who was comforting Sven and some of the boys closest to him. Carl Fisher and Arthur Banks, who had stood life-less through this ordeal, now began to move closer as well. The quiet sobbing of some of the boys began to break the silence.

Dunn's instincts took command; while embracing a couple of the boys tightly, he quickly scanned the area for any signs of imminent danger, and seeing none, his attention went to the injured. Lying on the ground was the attacked student, alongside the lifeless body of the assailant. Dunn kneeled down to check on the wheezing boy, who was looking up with a frightened look in his eyes.

Sven had not let go of Miles, continuing to keep his arm clutched around his torso, and even bending down with him. Miles was not a medic, but he did have enough training and experience on the battlefield to know what he had to check for and to apply pressure to any cut arteries or open wounds. He hoped the boy's larynx had not been crushed; he needed to hear him speak.

Turning his head towards Sven, he was about to ask the boy's name, but instead, the way Sven was holding onto him, their faces made contact, cheeks, noses, and then almost lips. Miles inhaled suddenly and deeply, thoughts flashed, then pulling his head away slightly, asked, "What's his name?"

"William…he's my friend William, please help him."

Miles bent down closer to the boy, and said, "Can you talk, William, just one word?" The boy was desperately trying to catch his breath.

"Come on William, try to say something."

Miles carefully unclasped the strap of his helmet and examined the bruise that was forming on both sides of his throat; the Adam's apple was probably intact. "Come on William, speak… try to say something, anything."

"Thanks… Sven," were his first words, as he exchanged a glance with his friend. "Thank you… sir," he added next, "I… I think… you saved my life." The voice was a bit

distorted at first but was clearly coming back. He had nice intelligent features, about the same build as Sven.

Miles looked up and continued to take command and issue orders. He told one of the less shocked boys standing over them to get a blanket to cover the dead body. He saw Carl and Arthur standing like a couple of useless statues nearby, and told them they needed nurse Cahill right now, that Headmaster Daniels needed to be warned, and to call 911.

Carl had been in a daze, but now seemed to come around. His immediate thoughts were that he should be in control of this situation, not the new guy; he should be issuing the orders.

Around campus, the sound of all sports activities had gone quiet, no boys' voices, no whistles, and no coaches shouting.

Carl took charge, he told Arthur to call 911, and he sent one of the Edward twins to fetch nurse Cahill, and the other to alert Daniels. Raising both hands above his head, he told the boys to gather around him, just a short distance away from the injured boy and dead body.

"Leave your stuff at the benches, no cell phones, no pictures, no calls," Carl told the boys in a hushed voice.

A few boys headed towards the bench anyway, and Carl called them out in a very strong and authoritative voice.

"STOP, I want everyone here… NOW!"

Miles attention was back to William, "You've been lucky, boy, I did my job, but young Sven here probably saved your life."

He prodded around and found blood, but finding no apparent wound on the kid, it meant that the machete had been deflected by the boy's protective equipment. He began taking it off, starting with the helmet. There was no blood beneath the equipment, which was a relief. The blood did not belong to the young lacrosse player.

"I think you'll do fine but we'll have to wait and see what Miss Cahill has to say." He then turned to Sven, who was covered in blood and still kind of glued to him.

"You can let go now, Sven. Not that I mind, but I want to check you, too. Are you hurt anywhere… do you have any cuts?"

"No… I don't think so, but can you check for me?"

Was that eagerness he saw in the boy's face? It wasn't the time or place for it, but the thought crossed his mind and he took great pleasure in the very thorough examination that followed. In front of the others and without shame, he could freely touch what he had only been able to imagine before. With both hands, he plied and felt the velvety softness of Sven's skin, and the firm and lean muscles underneath that moved with a supple grace. Sven had none of Anthony's provocative attitude, just a smile that crept up the sides of his mouth, and an intensity in his eyes of welcome abandonment. A drop of blood had landed on the boy's chin; Miles wet a finger and wiped it away, almost touching the boy's ruby lips and lingering a little bit more than needed. That final deathblow had sprayed both William and Sven with blood.

Miles had already recovered from the rush of adrenalin that occurred during the fight and due to his military experience, was probably the only person on that field that could think clearly and assess the current situation.

Around them, a small crowd started to gather as boys from around the campus started to collect on the field. There was still no sign of nurse Cahill. Miles was concerned about the gathering boys and said to the prefects, "Make sure no one touches or steps on anything, we need to preserve the crime scene for the sheriff."

Carl added, "I don't want any pictures taken or phone calls anywhere. If you see someone doing that, then confiscate their phone." During the school day, students were not allowed to use their smartphones, but it was a rule often broken, as had been the case with Matthew.

"Is Cahill coming?" He asked Fisher.

"They haven't found her yet, they're still looking. How bad is it?"

"I don't think there's anything serious, just some bruises and scratches. Do you know who it was?" he asked, pointing at the now covered body.

"It's Ido Nakata, one of the school's gardeners. I didn't know him much, he mostly kept to himself. He has a small room in the basement of the administration building. I think he had been on vacation, visiting family in Asia, I didn't know he was back. Why would he attack the boys like that?"

Miles knew the Shanxi flu was already here in the country and now he was quite sure it was also here at the school. What he had been told by Perry was very real. It had started. Nothing could stop it.

"We will have to wait for the sheriff to elaborate on any answer to that question. Your guess is as good as mine. You know a lot about everybody, it seems."

"That's part of my job and I don't like surprises."

Miles turned his attention back to the boy lying on the ground who was trying to get up into a sitting position.

"Can you stand up William?" "I think so, sir."

"Good, then we will take you to the infirmary and wait for Miss Cahill there. She'll certainly show up soon."

As he was helping the child to his feet, headmaster Daniels came trotting across the field and joined them, wheezing from the exertion. His first words as he approached were for the boys, "How are you lads?" Then seeing the blood splattered on William and Sven, an obvious stress abruptly entered into his voice, "I'm so sorry! What happened? I can't believe it." Besides his genuine worry for his students, he couldn't avoid thinking that this episode would certainly stain the school's reputation, it would be one more trial to overcome. He was losing control of himself, the sight before him was certainly horrific.

Daniels was reacting in a manner that Miles had seen before with soldiers in their first combat experience, and he needed to snap him back, and quickly. This wasn't the time for a meltdown. Placing both hands on the sides of Daniels' shoulders, Miles looked directly into his eyes and asked, "Did you call 911, is help on the way?"

It seemed to work.

"Yes, I had Rose call while Sam Edwards gave me more details, but they won't come right away. They had an emergency."

"An emergency!" Miles repeated with a disbelieving tone to his voice. "What do they think that just happened here is?

"Did you call the sheriff directly, did you speak with Gilotti in person?" asked Fisher. "I did, but the sheriff wasn't available," answered Daniels.

Miles thoughts ran to the fact it may not be a lone attacker; in fact, school protocol required the students to shelter-in-place until the authorities gave the all clear. Run-Hide-Fight had been the mantra for some years now. Miles spoke to Daniels.

"Mr. Daniels, I believe we need to have the boys shelter-in-place as a precaution until the authorities arrive."

"You're in charge for the moment, Mr. Dunn."

Mr. Daniels turned to Carl and said, "Carl, the boys should all head indoors, can you and the prefects direct the boys into the administration building and the sports center? Those boys in the schoolhouse and science building should remain where they are, doors locked."

"Mr. Daniels," Dunn interjected, "We should have all the lacrosse players go to the infirmary where they can be checked out and wait for the sheriff. I'm sure he'll want to interview each one of them."

"Agreed."

Boys from the other sports fields had been making their way to the lacrosse field and now the crowd was getting quite large. Carl and Arthur took over and began moving the boys into the buildings. Carl gave directions to the faculty and prefects, as instructed by Daniels, telling them that this was not a drill; it was a lock down. Something they had practiced, like fire drills, a necessity in today's reality of school shootings and terrorism.

In this moment, Carl's thoughts were more engaged with the swing in authority to Mr.

Dunn, and how close he was with Daniels. He needed to get back to them, and did so, once things were moving, as they had practiced. Carl pulled out his cell phone and sent out a campus wide text to alert any faculty and students of the lock-down. Students not participating in school activities were permitted to use their phones, so this would reach those students.

Sven and Miles were holding onto William, who was now standing. Miles was looking around for any potential danger signs and asking again if any of the boys were injured; any cuts or bruises.

Carl Fisher rejoined them, just as Miles was asking Mr. Daniels, "Don't you think it's strange that the sheriff and his deputies aren't on their way here?"

"I agree, it's rather strange," said Daniels, "You see Mister Dunn, Saint Xavier has some weight in this community. When we have a problem, whatever its nature, it becomes a priority."

"I understand very well. Did they say when they would come? Did they tell you what we should do in the meantime?"

"Not really, they said they will contact sheriff Gilotti, and have him contact me directly as soon as possible."

"Ok, then, let's take the kids to the infirmary and have them examined by the nurse. We can start asking the players who weren't injured what happened, what they saw, get a jump on this. Also, as I said, we have to preserve the crime scene. Can we have a couple of faculty stay outside, out of sight, but watching and warning anyone who approaches the field? Perhaps send someone to Nakata's room to be sure it's locked; the sheriff will want to see it."

"Carl, can you have a faculty member watch the field? I need to get back to the office; Rose is preparing a statement to be sent out to the parents. I need to get her the preliminary details, not too much, just that there was an incident, and all the boys are safe. Let them know that the authorities have been notified and the campus is secured.

"Also, Carl, I'd like to personally call the boys' parents who were directly involved, can you get me that list, and note any injuries, however minor?"

"No problem Mr. Daniels, you'll have it in the next few minutes."

"Thank you, and for the moment, I think it is better to keep a low profile. Avoid the media at all cost."

Carl again was in the center of the discussion, Dunn regulated to the side, and he was eager to report to show his value.

"I told the prefects to confiscate any smartphones in use that they see, but there will be some calls, maybe pictures; there's nothing we can do about that."

"You did well. We'll need to talk and prepare for the next few days. I'll start by contacting Senator Forest, William's father, to let him know his boy is alright, and then elicit his help with the fall out. Carl, your presence will be helpful, as you were there. Mr. Dunn, please join us in my office when you have finished in the infirmary."

"Yes, sir, Mister Daniels." Miles then turned towards the infirmary, only to see Tanner Holt running straight towards them. The boy should have been in lock-down, so this couldn't be good, thought Miles. Tanner was shouting out before he even reached them. Something about how terrible it was, what a scene, blood everywhere…

Carl Fisher spoke first, "Mister Holt, catch your breath and tell us what the problem is, but be concise, please." Obviously, Fisher knew the boy and his long-winded way of speaking.

"Sir, it's terrible! I had never seen such a thing. There is blood everywhere." As he was talking, he was looking at the covered body and the blood that was seeping through the blanket.

"Yes, we know. Is that what you came running over here to tell us?"

"Oh, no, it's not that, it is really terrible. Of course, this is terrible too, but not as much as what we saw. At least yours is covered, not mine, there's blood everywhere, and the body is a mess, can't even tell who it is."

"What body?" Miles, at the mention of another body, quickly took over the conversation.

Placing his hands on Tanner's biceps, and bending down slightly so he was face to face with Tanner, he added one word, "Where?"

"Oh, hello Mister Dunn, you're right, I should have started there, but it was so terrible, so horrible. I almost passed out, and I wasn't alone, Ricky Loos and Paul Mendelson were with me. I left them there, because Paul was sick, he puked all over, and Ricky said he would stay with him. I was scared, but Ricky told me to go and get help. We had heard what had happened on the lacrosse field, so I thought everybody would be there, so I decided to come in a hurry. Who's that under the blanket? What happened here?"

"Tanner! Where is the body?" Miles was getting more than annoyed; he squeezed Tanner's biceps tightly and got right up in his face in an effort to get the boy focused. He needed the information, and he needed it now. There was no time to let Tanner ramble.

"Yes, of course, how stupid of me. You know how I am. I'll tell you. We found the body next to the dumpster, the one behind the dining hall. We saw a foot sticking out and went to investigate, believe me it was ugly."

Daniels face suddenly went flush again, as he worriedly asked, "Was it an adult or a student?"

"From his clothes, I'd say he was one of the cooks. I didn't really look that close, I turned my head away, that's when Paul puked all over. He was the one who got a closer look at it."

Miles took back the lead.

"Call the sheriff back; inform him we now have two bodies. He's got to send us someone.

We have two crime scenes to secure, at least two."

"You think there might be more?" asked Daniels, now alarmed.

"I'll go see for myself, but from what Holt told us it was probably Nakata that did it. We need to make sure everyone stays in lock-down, and not alone if possible. There shouldn't be anyone moving around, that goes for the faculty and staff, too."

Miles had a jumble of thoughts filling his head all at once, Perry's information, the news images of desolation and mayhem seen only a short while ago with Daniels, the two boys by themselves behind the dining hall, and not knowing if the school was secure or if other killers were on the loose.

Miles needed and wanted to get his gun in his room at Bear house. He also had to check on that body to see if the wounds matched with Nakata's weapon or if there was another killer still on the loose. He wanted to get William and Sven to the infirmary, and get Paul and Ricky to a safe location. Check the campus for any threats. His military training and his instincts would have him barking out orders in rapid succession, he was a major, and in times of crisis, the men would be looking to him and responding without hesitation. He knew what had to be done.

What he saw around him was the tense and fearful faces of Fisher and Daniels; like him, they knew what it probably all meant, the fall into uncertainty and danger, the coming of an unforeseen menace. He did not see men ready to jump into action.

"Miles, do you think it's that Shanxi flu?" Daniels had finally said what was on everyone's mind.

"It sure could be. Let's not jump to conclusions though."

"The flu?" It was Holt, keenly listening to what was being said. "Is it contagious?" As he said that, he backed three steps away from Miles and the two boys that had been in close contact with Nakata and whose clothes were speckled and stained by the man's blood. Fisher had the same reaction, while Daniels stood his ground. Miles understood right away the impact of those words. Everyone's heads were turned in his direction.

"I'll make sure both Sven and William are kept apart from the other kids at the infirmary, Paul and Ricky too, but from what we know, there should be no problem. I'll need a change of clothes. Holt, go to my room and pick a shirt and some slacks, whatever you find, and catch up with me at the infirmary. Don't go alone, be careful but be fast!

Let's get moving kids, I'm taking you to the infirmary since it is on the way, next we'll pick up Paul and Ricky there. I want to see that body… see if it's the same weapon, the machete, that was used here by Nakata. Mr. Daniels, I'll join you later in your office."

William was standing up, but seemed a bit dizzy. Sven was still holding onto Miles, now perhaps even tighter than before, as he saw the stares all around directed at him and the blood on his clothes.

"Let me help you William, let's go." Miles took the boy's arm to steady him and they started for the infirmary at a regular pace. "Don't worry Sven, I can assure you, you will be fine." He sure hoped so, but there was nothing more he could do besides try to comfort the boy. "You will be the star of the school after what you've done today."

***

Mike Healy was waiting for young Lukas Cooke. Everything was ready, the sheets were clean, there was a tube of KY in his desk drawer, and sodas in the small refrigerator, a prefect privilege. He had been waiting for such an occasion for weeks now, ever since that first time that he had tutored the boy, and not only in mathematics. Being a prefect and a tutor had its advantages for someone who liked boys, someone who really liked them.

He had always been attracted to boys as far as he could recall and as far as such feelings had materialized in his mind. At first, he had thought that being in an all-boys school was the reason, but soon he had concluded that it was only the most convenient place for him to find some satisfaction. He was made that way and at sixteen, he was quite sure it would not change. Of course, for his family's sake he had gone with a few girls, he even had an official girlfriend, but it was all to keep appearances and get access to boys without arousing any unnecessary suspicions.

He was a well-organized boy with a very compartmentalized life; one was a success story without asperities and the other, a secret one dedicated to fulfilling his desires. He had started early to try to reach his goals and added to them as new needs and possibilities occurred. He had striven to become a prefect, worked hard to excel, and asked to become a tutor. These two functions had helped him evolve from occasional, petty affairs to the next level that he had reached with Lukas, and two other boys before him, in the last year and a half.

The previous two boys had been short flings that had lasted only a few months. They were mostly to satisfy some base needs, the urges of youth, without worrying about what tomorrow might bring. With Lukas, it was different; he thought he really cared for the boy, and hoped the twelve-year-old had real feelings for him too. How romantic you would think! But probably rather true, even if the sexual acts he performed with the boy were also an important part of his attraction for him. Indeed, you had to consider that Lukas had been the first one that had let him discover the marvels of anal sex, and Mike was now fully devoted to that game.

It did not mean he wasn't still on the hunt or that he didn't think of other boys, after all, he was only sixteen. The showers were the perfect place to check what was available, if perhaps a bit too exposed. To prevent any unwanted detection, he always took a corner stall where an occasional hard-on could be easily hidden.

He had also been wary of Greg Stilson and his gang, and suspected they had very similar interests. They were often accompanied by younger boys, but Mike didn't like him, and he liked Greg's gang even less. He preferred going about his business alone and with the utmost discretion.

He recalled how he and Lukas had first met; of course, being from the same House, he had already seen the boy numerous times. Lukas was a pretty boy, the kind Mike was attracted to, one with real charm and wit. They had even exchanged a few words in the hallways, but unfortunately, nothing more ensued. Then one day, Lukas's name had appeared on the list of boys looking for a tutor in mathematics. Mike had applied right away and much to his delight had been granted the task. It was a tradition at St. Xavier that the older boys often help the younger ones in need by tutoring them in the disciplines and studies where they themselves excelled. This was encouraged to reinforce the cohesion of the school between grades and boys. On that point, it had been a marked success.

Mike was well prepared and had tested his method on several boys already, two of which eventually led to fleeting relationships. These relationships usually consisted of nothing more than a simple wank or a bit of petting, other times they amounted to nothing at all; either way, no harm was done and the boys seemed to enjoy the attention, if only temporarily.

When he received the news that he would be tutoring Lukas, Mike was a bit tense at first. He really wanted for it to work out this time. The tutoring took place in the library, where there were special booths that were somewhat isolated and out of sight of the main hall. These booths were equipped with computers and everything that would be needed during the lesson. The first contact came right after the Christmas Holidays. It had been auspicious enough, the boy had had no time to change after sports; he was a bit sweaty, and was wearing the very revealing sport uniform of the school. The uniform was all black and in strong contrast to the boy's pale white skin.

It had started just like any normal tutoring lesson; Mike enjoyed the boy's company, and being rather clever at tutoring, he quickly gained the younger boy's trust by showing him how simple mathematics could be when you knew a few little tricks. It was all a game, or at least it seemed that way to Lukas. All the while, Mike was performing his own little tests, mostly on how the boy behaved when touched. It was obviously too soon to do anything too drastic, he merely took mental notes on how the boy reacted when a hand was placed on a naked thigh, or on the boy's neck. Making sure it all seemed perfectly natural, Mike played with a few curls that stuck out here and there, explored a shoulder, and seized Lukas's hand to make a point. The boy appeared comfortable and not at all troubled by this familiarity.

After a few tutoring lessons, it inevitably became time to apply phase two. As the lesson was progressing at good speed, Mike proposed a short pause so that they could get to know each other better. He soon learned that Lukas was an only child and a bit lonely at home. The boy loved the school and all the opportunities it offered, but he didn't much like the studying or the workload. Mike approved of everything, hastily agreeing and stating that no one was perfect, and telling him that now Lukas had a buddy in case of need. He would help as much as he could, he even promised to cut a few corners if needed. The boy was easily seduced but wanted to know what was meant by "cutting corners". The answer was simple enough; in case of a late report or in need of help for some exercises, Lukas could come to him. The boy was a bit bothered at first, worrying that it was like cheating, but he still accepted the prospect of being relieved from some of the despicable classwork.

Step two had passed exactly as Mike had hoped it would. It was now time to return to mathematics, but after the short break, Lukas seemed to have lost much of his concentration and motivation. This was what Mike had expected. At first, Mike played the bad guy, insisting that they finish the program set for that session. The boy reluctantly agreed, but he started to become more and more fidgety. Then, pretending to see that it was not working, Mike yielded to the boy and with a smile, asked him if he wanted to see something. Having worked with curious boys before, he already knew the answer, and was met with an enthusiastic and silent nod of the head.

And so, step three was reached. Mike pulled a USB flash drive from his pocket and switched the screen to its content. Despite the restriction for unauthorized or unknown content, he was able to do this thanks to a friend who had also found ways to access most everything on the internet, and had told him everything about Tor and the dark net…but that was another story.

"What is it?" asked the boy. "You'll see."

In fact, at first it was just a selection of small movies such as could be found on YouTube. Very good ones, funny and entertaining, but played with the sound muted since he had to be cautious. Loud noises were not permitted in the library, and Mike didn't want to attract the attention of the librarian, or anyone else for that matter. The boy loved them, his eyes glued to the screen as he giggled at the antics of the boys on the videos. Mike had tested these videos on other boys many times to be sure of their effect.

"I can give you a copy, if you'd like."

"That would be cool. I haven't seen them before; I could show them to my pals!" Now was the point of no return, where Mike would know if he would be successful or not.

"Let's try this one next." He said.

At the same time as he clicked the file, he turned his head as if he had heard a noise or something behind them.

"What was that?" he asked, not turning back for as long as he deemed reasonable.

When he did, the boy's eyes where still glued to the screen, but it was no funny movie this time. It was porn.

"What the hell," he feigned surprise, "let me turn that off."

Before he could do anything, he heard Lukas say, "No please, leave it on." "Um…I can't, it's uh…not for you."

"Don't worry, I've seen some already."

The bait had worked, now it was just a question of whether he would be able to reel the fish all the way to the shore.

"Well, okay, just for a minute though. I don't want to get in trouble." "Do you have more?" the boy asked.

It was working; Lukas's hand had gone to his crotch where it was discreetly rubbing the front of his shorts.

"I see how much you like it, Lukas. Here, let me do it for you. It feels so much better when someone else does it, trust me."

"What?"

Before the boy could say anything or react, Mike had pushed aside the younger boy's hand, slipped his own beneath the shorts, pushed away the underwear, and taken possession of the rigid cockle, which he began to rub expertly. The boy could only utter a small gasp, a mixture of shock and pleasure.

"What do you think; it's much better isn't it?"

The boy was silent, his eyes growing bigger as he continued watching the screen. The movie had been well chosen for its different appeals; it started with an older teenage boy and girl having very graphic intercourse. They were both of legal age, but soon they were joined by a younger boy, similar in age to Lukas, or perhaps even younger. He was as naked as the other two and Lukas watched, mesmerized, as the younger boy presented his erect cock first to the girl, and then to the older boy.

"What are they doing?" asked Lukas "Well, sucking him. What else, silly!" "But… but they're both… boys."

"The feeling is still the same whether it's with a boy or a girl. Perhaps it's even better with another boy since he knows what it's supposed to feel like."

Lukas looked at his crotch where Mike's hand was making him feel good, and then at the older boy with a perplexed look.

"Do you want me to stop?" "No, of course not."

"Do you want me to turn off the movie?" "Please, no, let it play a little bit more."

"We haven't got much time left. Do you think you can help me like I'm doing for you?" As he asked the boy he quickly looked around to be sure it was safe.

"What?"

"Look, it's easy."

He unzipped the zipper of his jeans and pulled out his quickly hardening cock. Then, he took the boy's small, slender hand and wrapped it around his erection. Lukas did not recoil but left his hand there.

"Wow, it's big." "How does it feel?" "Big."

"Well, move it up and down like I'm doing with yours."

Lukas obliged, and wow! What a feeling! On the screen, things had also been progressing. The girl had been more or less discarded, she was watching the two boys alternating between deep kissing and sucking each other. This movie is perfect, thought Mike. They still had about ten minutes before they had to wrap things up. It would work out perfectly.

The boy let out a noise that was something between a gasp and a hushed moan, and then Mike could feel Lukas reaching his first orgasm. The slender four-inch [10 cm] cocklet in his hand jumped and pulsed for a minute or so, but no fluid came out. The boy was still a little too young for that. However, Mike did not stop stimulating it, knowing they had time for one more.

"Didja see that?" asked the boy as he recovered. "Wait, there's more to come… no pun intended."

And indeed, on the screen the teenager had taken a sudden interest in his younger partner's ass and hole, kneading and stretching them respectively.

"That is so gay." Lukas said, still watching and still very much erect. "That's a matter for debate. They are just having fun, lots of fun, like us." "No, that's not the same. Look!"

"Don't speak so loud, we're not alone." "Yes, but look!" Lukas whispered.

The older boy had taken a tube of lubrication and was coating the other boy's anus with it, using his fingertips to rub it in. Lukas, despite mentioning that it was gay, seemed fascinated. Mike was getting close, but he had to hold it in for two more minutes. It wasn't going to be easy with such a smooth, youthful hand sliding up and down his pole so delicately.

Soon the teen in the video was in position and pushing himself into the preteen boy relentlessly. They were no amateurs; they were both obviously used to the activity. The teenager entered the younger boy easily and earnestly started fucking right away. Less than two minutes later, he pulled out and squirted a large amount of sperm on the deliciously rounded globes that were offered to him. Mike and Lukas came together, and at that same time, their bond was cemented.

Lukas marveled at the amount of sperm produced by his new friend and had fun watching Mike mop it up with lots of tissue. Mike had to make sure he left no trace. Lukas was also a bit envious that he was not able to squirt yet. He was offered a taste of it, but refused. That was gross.

From that moment on, it was all downhill for Mike. Two days later, he managed to convince the boy to suck him off and shortly after that to swallow. Before long, he was allowed some ass play and after a week, he was able to start teaching the boy about sodomy, learning himself along the way. Mike was in heaven. The peak had been when he had finally been able to enter the boy all the way to the hilt and really perform anal intercourse. The feelings had been extraordinary and they had kissed for the first time that day, Mike's tongue entering and exploring the boy's mouth as he enthusiastically pounded his springy young ass.

The main problem he had was with finding places to meet the boy. They had to meet somewhere safe and private. They had been together in the barn, in a copse of trees, the bathroom, and once in an empty classroom, but nothing too glorious. They had done it a few more times in the library; he even had fucked the boy there once, placing the kid on his lap with his shorts down. It was a great experience but very risky. However, it was still the best place to show Lukas some of his large collection of porn movies.

What ended their splurges in the library was when they had almost been caught wanking together the following week. They just had enough time to tuck their cocks safely away when Mr. Shaft had come around the corner wanting to know how they were doing with the tutoring. They both blurted out that it was going really well, which seemed to be enough to satisfy the teacher.

While Mike sat waiting in his room for Lukas, he wondered, what was the boy doing now. He was hard just thinking about the kid, that hairless little cocklet, sweet lips and perfect bum. Lukas was already ten minutes late, ten minutes that would be subtracted from their limited time together. He looked out his window but saw no sign of the boy. The place seemed deserted. Which was quite unusual at this time of the day. Something was definitely wrong.

He had not looked at his phone so far. He knew that the boy would not use it even if he had taken it to class, which was forbidden. The rule was to avoid leaving any trace of their illicit relationship at all cost. However, as a reflex and out of habit, he picked up his phone and noticed that he had received a message. Apparently, the school was in lock down. What the hell is happening?

***

When Miles and the boys arrived at the infirmary, Miss Cahill was finally there. She had settled the kids who had been on the field in the eight beds of the sick bay, and it was crowded. Hopefully nobody else would come in, as every bed was now full with one or two boys. They had been asked to just sit and be quiet.

William and Sven immediately went into the examination room and were asked to take off their blood stained sport uniforms. Miles found Miss Cahill a bit strange and somewhat aloof, as if she was under the influence of something. Yet at the same time, she was levelheaded enough to not take any risks while checking the boys; making sure that her gloves and mask were in place before going near them. He also noticed that she had avoided shaking his hand.

Holt got there a few minutes later with Miles's change of clothes. He washed his hands, still tainted by the man's blood, and then put them on behind a screen that hid him from Cahill's view. He was still in good sight of the undressing boys, however, and he took notice of the longing glances that Sven sent him. There was definitely something there, Miles was sure of it. Too bad though that like Anthony, he wasn't a Bear boy. It would certainly make things easier. But now was not the time for such thoughts.

"I trust you with them Miss Cahill, take good care of those boys."

"I will, don't worry," she said. There was a coldness and a peculiar eagerness in the nurse's attitude that Miles sensed and did not like.

"Will you be back?" asked Sven who had caught his wrist with a desperate frown on his face. Miles hesitated, he loved the sight of the two almost naked boys in front of him, and he would have liked to stay and watch how the nurse performed their examination. Perhaps comfort them again and protect them from… what exactly? The nurse? That was stupid. Besides, he didn't have the time anyway, he had other duties to attend to.

"Yes, I will be back as soon as I can. Miss Cahill will take over for now. Obey her and let her do her job without any fuss, I might be back sooner than you think." Then he addressed the nurse, "they have to stay here away from the others till we know more. Is that okay with you?"

The nurse didn't look up at him but nodded as she continued with her work.

"Perhaps you could call the hospital," Miles added, "they might know what should be done. I've been in close contact with the aggressor's blood."

"I will, as soon as I have finished making sure they are okay. You can go now," the nurse dismissed him.

–

It took him only a few moments to get to the second crime scene; at least his recommendations had been followed and he met no one on the way. There were two prefects guarding the body, which had been covered by a blanket. He saw the spot where the boy had puked by the corpse's feet, and as he neared the body, he could smell the cheesy odor of fresh vomit. What had he eaten for it to smell that bad? he wondered. No, there was something else. The odor came from the victim who had probably released his bowels when he died. Miles knew from experience that this was not a rare occurrence when somebody expired. What a marvelous day!

Miles bent over the body and pulled back the blanket. He saw right away that the wounds matched up perfectly with Nakata's weapon. He had taken his frustrations out on the poor man, whose face and upper body looked like minced meat. Miles stifled back a gag and replaced the blanket.

"Do we know his name?"

"We think it's mister Mustapha. He's a cook and he's currently missing."

"That's one more answer, then. I think it was Nakata who attacked him; you can relax, but keep everyone away from the body and the surroundings. The smell should help you, sorry about that."

He hurried then to the Headmaster's office, where Daniels and Fisher were waiting for him.

"I think we can call off the shelter-in-place. I'm sure it was Nakata," announced Miles. "Finally some comforting news," said Daniels. The TV was on behind him, tuned to CNN, and with the sound muted. Daniels nodded towards the newscast, "always the same stuff on and on, nothing much worth telling you."

The headmaster picked up the remote and put the sound back on. The flu had spread all over now: the Middle East countries, Africa, Europe, basically everywhere. There were also the first images of some of the rage victims being broadcast on the air from prerecorded newscasts. Quarantines had been declared in over sixty countries, borders were being closed throughout the world, planes were being grounded, and trains had been stopped. The first rumors of outbreaks in the US were surfacing…it looked bad and was bound to get worse.

"Any word from the sheriff? No news media at the gates yet?" Miles thought that the place should be crawling with both by now.

"Nothing of the sort, incredible isn't it? I don't like it at all," said Fisher. He had started the day worrying about the club, being unmasked, and having to face justice. Now he feared for much more…his life.

"Perhaps we should watch a local channel? We would know what's going on around here," suggested Dunn.

"You're right," agreed the headmaster, "why didn't I think of that already?"

He changed it to WSCS Live 5 Local News. There, the reporters were talking about a series of serious incidents and casualties at the nearby hospital; they had little information on the details because the area had been sealed off from the media. Perry's predictions were now becoming all too real.

"They don't know much, do they?"

"That's where the sheriff and his men must be." "There's the local radios too, what do they say?"

"Perhaps you could call Senator Forest? He should be able to give us the information we need," said Fisher, "I could call Thorvald; he has all the right connections"

"If you want, but I think we all know what's going on," stated Miles.

"Once again, you obviously did not deliver all the information you got from that Perry guy," Carl said sharply, "if you want me to help in an efficient way, you'll have to tell me what you know of the situation."

Miles exchanged a glance with Daniels who acquiesced.

"I didn't want to create a panic. Unfortunately, everything can be explained in a few words. What was announced was the end of the world, at least the end of the world as we now know it. I have been told that most of the adults and females would die and the world would be left to boys such as those in this school. It would not take months at this point, but just a few weeks. Perry wanted me to prepare the school and give his boy the best possible chances for survival. He thought this place was one of the safest places available, which is why he sent Matthew here. What happened in China will soon be happening here."

"And you believe it?" asked a skeptic Fisher.

"I have been shown a multitude of files, both official and confidential, that all confirm Perry's words. You've seen the news, and everything he mentioned is coming to fruition."

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"I hope he's wrong, but I believe that he is right. We have to prepare for the absolute worst possible scenario."

"Can I see those files?"

"Of course, I put them on a flash drive. Mister Daniels, can you make a copy of it?"

"I'll have to ask Rose. I'm not very familiar with those computers and how they work," the headmaster admitted rather sheepishly.

"I just need an empty flash drive and I can run off a copy right away." "Very well, I'll go ask her for one."

"No, don't bother, I'll copy the files on your machine, and we will give the flash drive to…

Carl. Can I call you Carl?"

"In these circumstances I think it is adequate, and I'll call you Miles. No more formalities"

"Let's do that," agreed Miles.

"So, prepare the school for the worst, how do you plan to do that?"

"You heard what I said during the meeting. I think it's a good start but after Nakata's attack, we will need more security measures. I'll work on some ideas this afternoon and we will implement them as soon as possible"

"I never expected to be confronted with such an event."

"No one did," said Daniels handing him the flash drive once it had finished copying. "You can count on me to help as much as I can. I'll have a look at it, and then see how I can speed things up on those lists that are being compiled"

"Thank you Carl. Now let's make some calls. Miles, ask Rose to bring us some snacks and beverages."

Miles looked at the clock; it had been less than an hour since he had killed Nakata. He was surprised; it had seemed so much longer than that. Time was funny this way, it gave the impression of speeding up during times of action, and afterwards it always seemed to slow way down. As he stepped out of the office, he wondered what would become of him… become of all of them over the next couple of weeks. This made his thoughts return to Matthew and how he could possibly go about protecting the child in a world that may very well be over soon.

***

"William, take your underwear off and get on the examination table." "My underwear? What for? It's my throat that hurts."

"Don't tell me you're too shy to show yourself in front of me? How cute! Don't worry, I have seen hundreds of boys such as yourself in the nude, it's my job. It'll be the same for your friend when his turn comes and I'm sure he has seen you in the showers more times than you can remember."

"But why do I have to take my underwear off?"

William was indeed shy in front of strangers. It was his first visit at the infirmary and getting naked in front of the pretty nurse was quite unexpected, not to mention extremely embarrassing. Sven was seated in a corner, waiting his turn. He did not appear to have the same problem, but seemed just as startled by this demand.

"Come on William; don't make me lose any more time. I'm very busy today."

Sven felt a strange eagerness in the nurse's voice. He couldn't see her mouth, hidden behind the mask, but her eyes were inquisitive, darting here and there as if to devour his friend's exposed body. He didn't know for sure, but he could just imagine her hungry smile behind that mask. He imagined it to be a rather cruel, sardonic smile. She was taking pleasure in his friend's distress.

Finally, after stalling for as long as he possibly could, the boy complied. He bent to remove the garment, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. With evident unease, he climbed up, nude, onto the table and lay down.

"Good, you see? It wasn't that difficult. You sure are a pretty one, William; I can't see a single flaw."

She was clearly trying to accentuate the poor boy's embarrassment further, even to the extent of picking up the kid's penis as if to examine it while she almost massaged his balls with her other hand. William's cheeks had gone from pink to crimson, what was she playing at?

"You don't mind if I do a complete examination, do you? With that new disease, I have to check everything. You had blood all over your clothes so we will have to burn them. Did you get any on your skin? In your mouth? That could be bad…"

Now she seemed to be trying to make him afraid. What was this game all about? Sven had to do something. As he thought of what to do, he watched as her gloved hands were now moving all over the boy's body, tracing lines as if searching for some absent clue.

"You know," Sven finally squeaked, "William is Senator Forest's son. You should take good care of him."

Miss Cahill turned around to face the seated boy, her hands still on William's chest.

"I fully intend to, and then I'll take good care of you as well. Are you jealous, Sven? Boys your age are such wonderful creatures, discovering the world, new sensations, and secret desires."

Her hands had started moving again but in a more restrained way.

"Your body is always changing," she continued, "I think… well, I'm sure it is your first visit here, for both of you. You can come back whenever you want, for any problem or question. You will always be more than welcome."

Sven was sure he would never come back unless he had no other choice. He had visited the infirmary himself not too long ago, but Miss Cahill was absent at that time. It sure made a lot of difference with her here, and he didn't like it. He was still quite shaken by the violence, by the shedding of blood, the fear, the madness, and the impending death he had felt coming, but something else was also troubling him.

Mister Dunn was troubling him; it had been so from the beginning. Sven knew that girls did nothing for him, but that being around men and older boys like Walt was different. He was afraid he might be gay, and that made him miserable, as if Greg and his cohorts were not enough. Had they guessed? He didn't think it was possible since he was always so careful. He wasn't even sure of it himself, it was said boys his age went through phases and all, but still…

He had been stirred since he had first met Mr. Dunn for his interview, but his real thoughts had started at the pool. There he had been, even more impressed by the man and fascinated by his near nakedness and his scars. He had felt a strong attraction and immediately got a stiffy, and he was driven to get bolder than ever. Something had happened then; he had thought there was a response and that the man was showing interest. Sven had been scared of course, but at the same time, he had felt elated. He had no real idea what it was until that moment, about what it could feel like to be with a man sexually. Was he really gay?

When the hints he dropped were rejected by Mr. Dunn, he felt lost and sad. Had he been caught at his game, or had Mr. Dunn simply ignored them? The man was new and without any connections at the school, maybe he just didn't want to take any risks. If Sven himself was afraid to expose himself, he could imagine the possible consequences for an adult; it could mean prison.

Then again, this morning when Dunn had saved him and William, when he had taken refuge in the man's arms, it had been overwhelming. The smells, the heat, and the comfort he felt in those strong arms had made him become erect again, perhaps as never before. Was it despite the fear, the violence, and the blood, or maybe because of it? He had wanted to bury himself in that friendly embrace and stay there forever. The world had ceased to exist, apart from that formidable presence that held him tight. It had been almost painful when it had ended. He had felt empty and a bit ashamed, too. He had stayed close to Dunn for as long as possible to lessen the effect of the separation, and to make it tolerable for now.

Perhaps it would be worth another try, indeed, after he had rid himself of the wandering paws of Miss Cahill, but it would need utmost discretion, the right occasion and would certainly not be easy to achieve. He knew he had to try.

"Your turn Sven," said Miss Cahill, bringing him back to earth, "off with that underwear and let me see what you got."

The simple recollection had made him semi-hard again, but he didn't care. He was sure that the prospect of the nurse's examination would make it go away, and he was right. He could feel the hardness leaving his penis even before he had taken off his gray boxer shorts. Miss Cahill would find no occasion there for another ironic comment.

"You make a really nice pair with your friend, Sven, really handsome boys. You are both a delight to work on."

For once, her statement seemed genuine and without ambiguity or duplicity, indeed, her attitude had suddenly changed to better conform to what was expected of a nurse in such circumstances. It was as if she had been replaced by an entirely different person. It was weird, for sure. He was lucky; it made his own checkup much more normal. Even if she could not resist playing with his privates like she had with William, who had taken his seat after hurrying to cover himself again. Sven was sure he had wanted to dress fully, but after what the nurse had told him he was looking at the small pile of his clothes with suspicion.

Since there was not much to find, Cahill was done within a few minutes. She then put some salve on William's ugly bruises and insisted that she take their temperature.

"No visit to the hospital will be needed, boys, but you will have to stay at the infirmary until we know what should be done with you. I received a notice about that flu the other day but didn't have time to look at it. There was a phone number attached too, but I'll have to find it first. Wait here."

She was about to leave when William found the courage to ask, "What about our clothes?

We can't stay like this."

"Why not," she said, and again Sven thought he could detect a cruel smile behind her mask, "I find you lovely like that."

The irony is back, and perhaps something else, thought Sven.

"But you're right, you can't stay like that. I'll give you patient's gowns and ask your mates to bring you some clothes as soon as I am done with them."

***

There had been twelve boys on the field at the time of the attack and Daniels had called every contact given by the families. There were three he had not been able to reach, and he had to leave a message. Such had been the case with Senator Forest. Daniels had told the senator's secretary that all was fine with the boy, that there was no real injury apart from a few bruises and a very big scare. She assured him that she would have the senator call him back as soon as he was done with an important meeting at the White House.

There had been a large variety of questions from the parents. The overprotective parents wanted to come right away and take their boys home, something Daniels expertly discouraged using the argument that they were needed by the authorities as witnesses, and that he would call them personally as soon as it became possible. As an aside, he told Dunn how those parents usually never followed up on their words one way or the other, and would only do what they wanted.

Then there was the indifferent type who ended the conversation as soon as they knew that their presence wasn't required. There was also the more vindictive parents, asking for responsibilities and wondering how such an incident could have been possible. Daniels was used to it all and was able to handle them with tact and authority. Even if he considered managing those calls as important, he had no time to waste.

He had also prepared a message to send to all the families that had boys at the school, to tell them very succinctly that a serious incident had occurred on the school grounds and that everything was now under control. He knew that the students would soon get back their cell phones and call their relatives to inform them of the events, or at least what they knew of them. His own message sent by email would avoid a lot of inquiries and worry. Nevertheless, Rose and two other secretaries had been briefed and were ready to answer any calls for the next few hours.

With the crisis unfolding in the world and now here in the US, it was only the beginning; mothers wanting to know what was going on at the school and if their children were being well taken care of, and fathers wanting to know what was being done for their security. Thanks to cell phones and to the fact that most of the parents were very busy people, often on travel or abroad, they would not be overwhelmed by the calls and demands.

As Dunn and Fisher were about to leave, Senator Forest called back. Daniels put the phone on the speaker so that everyone could follow the conversation. Daniels had just received the confirmation from the nurse that William was fine, and said so immediately. He added that Forest could ask for a more complete check up by a physician either at the hospital or at the school. The Senator declined the offer, but asked many details about the incident, which Daniels gave readily.

Senator Forest kept inquiring about the role that the new security adviser and ex-Marine, Mr. Dunn, had played. Miles would have expected the man to be much more demanding, perhaps even angry with the staff, but he was rather amenable and concerned which was an interesting combination. The context soon made his intentions clearer; he was testing the waters, trying to evaluate what he could or could not say. He obviously knew a lot and his support could become invaluable in helping them get the school ready. His son was there, which obviously made the school and its safety a priority for the senator.

Daniels told him of their difficulty in getting the sheriff, mentioning that they were not getting the support or presence from the authorities immediately, which was surprising. He asked if the Senator had any information that he could share and if he could possibly get things moving.

With half words, Senator Forest confirmed that they were about to face a major crisis. The pandemic was here, and it was probably the reason why help had not yet reached them. Incidents had hit many places, and he tried to reassure them that everything possible was being done to minimize their effects and get the situation under control. Within the next couple of days, the president would be addressing the Nation on live television. Miles doubted that would be enough to quiet their fears. The senator promised to make a few calls and asked to be notified if they were not satisfied or had any problems that he could help to solve.

Daniels asked the man if he wanted to be with his son. The boy was holding up well, but it would be only natural in these circumstances. The answer, however, was clear; he was too busy to drop everything and come to the school, and he added that William was at the most secure place possible for the time being and would be better off if he stayed there.

Everything the senator said confirmed Perry's information. Then came an unexpected demand, Senator Forest wanted Miles cell phone number to speak with him in private and to thank him for his heroic action. Miles nodded and Mr. Daniels relayed the number to the senator, who promised to call as soon as he was finished talking with the headmaster.

–

"Miles Dunn speaking, I believe you are Senator Forest."

Miles was back in his office ready to study and review more of Perry's files while waiting for the sheriff, or whoever, would come. He had wanted to go see Sven at the infirmary to get closer to the boy, but thought it would look peculiar if he visited now, and so he delayed his visit until he found a valid reason to go there.

"Yes, as I said I wanted to thank you for saving my boy's life. He is all I have left after I lost my wife a few years back."

"I'm sorry to learn of that, sir. I only did my job. I would have been too late if young Sven had not been there first."

"I know Sven, he is a fine boy and a true friend of William's. If the circumstances were not what they are at the moment, I would be with them shortly to express my deepest thanks." Senator Forest then paused, "Unfortunately, it is impossible. I don't have much time, so I'll get to the point."

Here comes the real reason for the call, thought Miles.

"I have your records in front of me. I think I can trust you to keep what I have to say confidential and make good use of the information."

"You certainly can, sir. I have to tell you though, that I have a fairly decent understanding of the deep shit…er…sorry, the situation we are in. What I really need is help on a few matters."

"What do you mean? What do you know?" The Senator's voice showed his surprise and concern.

"I have received very detailed files from a parent who works for the CDC describing what was to happen in the next few weeks."

"That's confidential stuff. What's the name?"

"I think you'll find it easily, but there are more important things. Do not worry; he was very cautious not to have that information leak. I did the same, giving only what I judged essential to get things moving here, and to as few people as possible. We don't want a panic, that would be counterproductive. The man has a son here; he is only doing it to try to protect him as well as he can, while facing his obligations. That's exactly what I think you are doing."

There was another pause on the Senator's side.

"Of course, you are right. What were you told exactly?"

"That we should both be dead in the next few weeks, like most of the adults on the planet and that boys under eighteen were highly likely to survive."

"That's also why you are in the most secure place you can be. It is not only this plague we are fighting, but its side effects."

"Yes, the diseased become violent."

"Violent is a mild term, murderous would be more like it. I'm sure you already know this due to the experience you had this very afternoon. It is predicted that it will have a disruptive effect on our society in the very short term. How can you tell people that not only their neighbors and colleagues, but also their children, parents, and their own flesh and blood will want to kill them? This, if you take some precautionary measures, could be kept under control at Saint Xavier."

"I'm working on it. I have a few ideas that I will finalize today and implement as soon as possible. If someone in your staff could help me with that, I'd only need a memo to make sure that I'm on the right track."

"You'll have it. What else?"

"First, local information. What's going on? Also a list of who to call in case we can't get the things we need."

"That should pose no problem. You have to hurry; the situation is getting worse by the hour. We've kept a lot away from the public to avoid a panic, as you said, but it won't be possible for much longer. We learned this from the crisis in China, though not enough and not fast enough, I fear. There is talk of a restriction of travel and deployment of the National Guard.

Martial law and a full out state of quarantine should follow."

"Quarantine? What for? From what I understood the virus is already here, most of us have already been contaminated."

"There is still a debate going on, but it seems it could help on a technical level. There is a theory that contact with the diseased could activate the virus and accelerate the appearance of the symptoms. Either way, it could make the government's actions more effective, hopefully quiet some of the fears. We can cope with five to ten percent of the population developing the disease, but beyond that it becomes improbable."

"Loss of power, phones, will that happen? How soon?" "We are doing all we can, so that it does not happen." "From what I read, it was inevitable."

"The virus is highly unstable. It can still mutate again and become less virulent, less deadly."

"But if it doesn't?"

"It could be weeks or months, most likely weeks before we lose control. The first wave of the disease is hitting us as we speak."

"Then we will need satellite phones to stay in contact."

"I'll have my staff think of all the things that could be needed and then send you a list, whether it is counsel or equipment, you'll get it."

"I can't thank you enough, Senator."

"As you said, my son is among your charges, so there is some selfishness there, too. My secretary will send you the methods of contacting me or my staff by confidential means."

"Thank you, sir. I won't hold you any longer then."

"The life and future of those boys are in your hands, Mister Dunn. Please do your best." "I will, sir. You can count on me."

"I will remain in touch as often as possible. Duty calls, see you Major." "Hopefully sir, Goodbye."

Miles went back to work with renewed energy. There were now two boys entrusted to his care, not counting the hundreds more he felt responsible for. He did not know if he would survive this new plague, but if he did, he now had a few aces up his sleeve to make it worthwhile.

He looked at the priorities he had listed so far:

• Food, water, and energy, for autonomy
• Communications
• Medical advice
• Detection of the first symptoms
• How to isolate and restrain the sick
• Surveillance inside as well as outside the school
• Weapons

***

After the meeting with Daniels and Dunn, Carl Fisher had gone directly to his apartment on the second floor of Eagle house. He had tried not to show it, but what the ex-marine had told him had shocked him and he wanted some time to recover.

He had opened a locked drawer, taken out one of the ten hard drives stored there along with a flash drive hidden behind a shelf, which he plugged into his computer. He still had the one given to him by Dunn, but he would take a look at it later. He needed to look at his own first. Of course, both drives were encrypted, and one would not work without the other. He had always been very cautious, and all his treasures recorded over the years were well protected. He only used the best equipment in all areas, computers, and videos, and had backups for everything.

The files stored on the drive were now appearing on his screen, the names and pictures of the boys that had been secretly recorded, with and without their knowledge. Greg was there, of course, as well as Anthony, Sean, Ochii, Alex, and so many others he had known and had sex with over the years. Some of them were adults now, gone from St. Xavier quite some time ago, but others he still took to bed.

He opened a file and selected a video to watch. It was a video of Bernard, a French boy of twelve at the time, who had been lonely and lost, so easy to manipulate and take advantage of. He had been among the very first of Carl's many boys. The quality of the video was a far cry from what he could achieve now, but it was still a fond memory. The first videos of each boy were often the best for Carl, since it was the moment when they lost their innocence and first discovered the world of sex. These videos were decisive moments and accomplishments for him.

Over the years, he had honed his talents. At the time this video was recorded he was alone, the club only a figment of his imagination. He had built it up, step-by-step, like this invaluable collection. But he had lost, out of caution, that moment of revelation where he was the one taking away the boy's virginity. He had delegated that task. He still had the videos to watch, but it sure wasn't the same as being there, being the first to enter their mouth or ass, to feed them his cum. So many sacrifices he'd given to secure his safety! There were no more kinky costumes, chains, whips. He had tried it all, but after a scare, he abandoned those practices except for an occasional tie up game or spanking.

And all for nothing?

If he were to die within the next few weeks, what would become of his oeuvre? It was pointless, all that time spent, all those efforts, building an intricate network of deals and complicity. Recruiting first by himself, and then using others to do the job. Stepping in only when the fruit was ripe and separating himself, layer by layer, from any direct implication. He had been more lax recently for sure, but what he had achieved was close to perfection.

If he was to die, he needed a good fuck. That would certainly help him recover.

Unfortunately, most boys were doing sports at that time, whom could he get? Eagle house had appeared empty. He looked at the school schedule. Yes, that was a clear possibility, he decided.

He took a few more moments to watch the grainy video that was playing on his computer, giving most of his attention to the boy's face as he was being fucked for the first time. What a glorious moment, only impaired by the mediocre quality of the image. How he missed those first times! The video ended and he browsed the folder and selected a video that had been taken a few months later. Bernard was lying in Carl's bed, the boy's legs spread wide apart. He was wearing nothing but a Nazi officer's hat, a leather chest harness, and a pair of skimpy leather briefs. The leg hole of the briefs were pushed aside so that the boy's uncut erection poked out, and the boy's head was pitched back, moaning as he slid a lubed black dildo in and out of his ass.

Carl remembered taking this video very fondly, as it had been his first venture into the lewd and twisted, which led to some S&M. The then thirteen-year-old had been extremely timid at first, but because he was a bit of an outcast at the school and the fact that he had no real friends here had made the boy pliable. After a bit of sexual play over the course of six months, Carl had invested in the bondage gear from a local sex shop and had coaxed the boy into performing for the camera.

Though it was slow going at first, the kid was a natural. Carl didn't bother recording until the boy started getting into it, gyrating his hips and fucking himself with the dildo like a pro.

Once the boy stopped casting nervous glances at the camera, Carl had started recording. He had several other videos of this boy up until the time he graduated from the school, but this one was by far his favorite.

Carl could feel his loins stirring as the best part of the video began playing. With a call from the boy, the camera zoomed in to the kid's erection, which soon began to pulse as a few clear drops of cum shot out of his cock and onto his stomach. The camera zoomed in on the cum droplets before panning back up to the boy's face. Bernard blew the camera a kiss, and then the video faded out.

Feeling hornier than ever, Carl closed the video and removed the USB flash drive from the back of his computer. Now was the perfect time for a good screw… Carl picked up his phone and began to dial.

–

"Miss Eldricht. Is there any news?"

…

"Yes that's terrible. Still no sign from the authorities?"

…

"Can I ask you a small favor?

…

"That's so kind of you. Mister Daniels asked me to compile a few files and I need the help of one or two of the boys. In fact, one should certainly be enough. I thought of young Alex Masseria, he should be in the gymnasium with Mister Aims. Could you fetch him for me and tell him to join me at my apartment?"

…

"Thank you very much; I knew I could count on you. There is so much to do yet, be sure to call me when the sheriff arrives. See you at Dinner, Rose."

Only after putting the phone down did he realize he had never dared use this bluff before. Things were really changing!

–

style="font-style: normal;"It's as easy as ordering a pizza, the thought brought a smile to his face. It would take ten to fifteen minutes for the kid to get there, enough time for the Viagra to take effect. Alex was of the undemanding kind, no need for preliminaries. He was beautiful and funny, always claiming that he had an itch down there, and when you have an itch, there's nothing better than to scratch it…or in this case, to have someone rub it for you. He didn't mind when things got a little rough, which was exactly what Carl intended to do. It was something he usually never did since it was so risky. That was one of the many rules and constraints he had set for himself, to never hurt or antagonize a boy. It would be a ten-minute affair at most, since he still had a lot of work to do.

While he had been talking to Rose, he had shifted his focus to Dunn's USB flash drive and started examining some of the files. He focused on the projected survival rates, first for the adult males; one out of ten wasn't very much. Then his next thought was, but that could be enough! Also, nine out of ten of the under eighteen boys would be spared. Females would be wiped out, or nearly so.

He pondered the future… he could make it, he could survive…and then what? The idea

was really mind-boggling; it would be a challenge, difficult perhaps, even horrendous. But then again, it could be him surrounded by a world full of fresh young boys. There would be no more laws, justice, or order, only what he wanted it to be. Getting boys would indeed be as easy as ordering a pizza today and he could pick whatever flavor he wanted.

The more he thought about it, the more he was sure of it. This would be his future and he decided to get to work right away, to be sure that he stacked all the cards on his side. First, he had to study these files to see how it was all going to develop. Then, he would prepare for that announced future and find the necessary means and allies to achieve his vision.

When the boy knocked on the door,

Carl took a few minutes to enjoy him fully while reviewing all the new fantasies that could materialize in the near future. He wasn't going to be as rough as he had thought he would be with young Alex. He was starting to think that all those precautions and endless frustrations accumulated over the years could soon be a thing of the past, and he didn't want to rush it, he would take his time. He had to do what was necessary first.

Finally, it could end up being a great day after all.

***

The sheriff finally arrived a little after five pm, accompanied by two officers that came in a second vehicle. Dunn was called and was introduced to the officers. The sheriff, Gilotti, looked not only tired but also overwhelmed. Dunn sensed that he was not there of his own free will and probably had more urgent business to attend to. Senator Forest, or more likely his staff, had been at work. This was purely a formal visit that would solve nothing.

Dunn rapidly recounted the events of the morning while they walked at a fast pace towards the sports field where they were joined by Daniels, who obviously knew the sheriff. Seeing the headmaster did not do much to change Gilotti's attitude.

"I'm very sorry, but there is not a lot I can do for you today. You'll have to keep the bodies here until tomorrow at least. The paramedics are drowning in emergency calls, so much so that they have called in every possible off-duty EMT's who have resorted to using the coroner's body removal service vans since all the ambulances are constantly out. Plus, the morgue is full after the incident at the hospital."

"Incident?" commented Daniels.

"Yes, the choice of word is perhaps not the best. I won't be able to stay, but my officers will take photos of the crime scenes; our regular photographer is pretty busy, too. Afterwards they will take your deposition and those of any witnesses and victims. We will come back as soon as we have the time and capacity."

"But what do you want us to do with the bodies? We can't leave them here, where could we put them!" bellowed Daniels.

"We will take them, don't worry. My men will put them in body bags, then in their vehicle. It's not the best but it'll do.

"But, can't you ask for help from the other counties or the federals? It's a major issue, not a bar brawl!"

"I'm doing my best, Daniels. All counties are having the same problems; you've seen the news, haven't you?"

Miles spoke up, "We did, and we understand your problems. If you are needed elsewhere, you can go. I'll help your men complete their duties, and then they can get back to you. I won't have them linger more than is needed."

Turning to the headmaster, he continued, "Mister Daniels, I'm afraid this will just have to do for now. It's for the best."

The sheriff was surprised by such comprehension on Dunn's part, but did not search for explanations.

"I'll be on my way then. Sorry Daniels, you'll be among the first on my list, and I'll do my best to help out."

And he was suddenly gone, practically running back to his car.

"I think it was useless to hold him here since there's not much he can do." Miles explained to Daniels, who reluctantly agreed. "Officers, after you've taken your pictures and put the body in a bag, I'll take you to the second crime scene and then to the infirmary where our witnesses are waiting. You can ask me your questions there as well."

"Sounds good," the older looking cop answered.

They looked awfully young anyway to Miles, like they were practically just out of high school. More like a couple of children playing at cops instead of sheriff's deputies. Either way, Giletti had obviously not wanted to leave them with his best men. Dunn would almost certainly have to lend them a hand with the tasks.

"I forgot to ask if the boys could leave the school once they have testified, a few families wanted to pick them up," said Daniels.

One of the officers heard him. "I don't see why not," he said.

Miles took the headmaster aside and spoke quietly to him.

"I don't think that's a good idea. We gotta do all we can to keep the boys at the school, and all the others as well."

"But why?"

"Because this school will soon be the safest place they can be. Perry and Forest both think so, and from all the information I can see, I agree with them."

"What about what happened this morning? We almost lost two students!"

The headmaster was raising his voice more and more as he spoke, so Miles talked softer yet as a reminder to him that the conversation was private.

"If that happens in one of the safest place you can be, think about the others," he whispered, "better to keep them here in a familiar place and create some additional safety measures."

"But they'll be gone for the weekend anyway," insisted Daniels.

"The weekend is a long way from now. Many things can still happen before then." "We're done with this one sir," interrupted one of the cops, "I'll go fetch the body bag,

and then we can move to the second crime scene."

Miles nodded and waited while the officer retrieved the body bag from the trunk of his service vehicle. The police would soon be gone, and it would be up to him to look after the boys and all the staff, a burden that was weighing heavily upon him.

–

All in all, it had been an exhausting day for Miles. He had only a few moments of respite, which had been his time spent with young Sven. The first event had been a way to escape from the horror that had just occurred, while the second was much more memorable.

After helping in the unpleasant job of bagging and storing the bodies as he had offered, he had accompanied the two officers to the infirmary. They had decided to start their reports with the two boys directly involved, Sven and William.

Miss Cahill welcomed them and escorted them to the door, and then left the room. When he entered the examination room, Miles was surprised to see how the boys had been dressed.

They were wearing the shortest, lightest hospital gowns he had ever seen. If they had not kept their underwear on, you would have easily seen their bits sticking out. Furthermore, those gowns had to be at least a few sizes too small. In fact, they were nothing more than two simple pieces of cloth with a hole to pass the head through, and kept together by a belt. They looked a lot like those Greek or Roman tunics seen on some paintings and in Peplum movies. The boys were clearly ill at ease wearing them, and rightfully so.

For Miles, it was a welcome delight to see, and he very much regretted the nurse not having insisted that they get rid of their underwear as well. There was a lot of naked flesh exposed, and in quite an erotic way. Since a lot was shown, there was always the hope of getting a peak at more. It also had to be said that they were stunning boys, both in looks and physique, and they perfectly matched what Miles considered the ideal definition of a boy. He was getting hard just by looking at them; he stayed frozen, contemplating them for a few seconds before coming back to his senses.

"Well, here they are. Do you want to see them separately? I can take Sven with me while you debrief William."

"No, that won't be necessary, we're in a hurry. We'll see them together; it's not as if they have something to hide."

No indeed, thought Miles with a smile, there is nothing much they can hide.

"There isn't much room, I'll sit on the examination table between the two boys, and you can take the chairs, if you don't mind."

"That's perfect, let's start."

Soon everybody was in place. While the two officers asked their questions, Miles was inconspicuously enjoying the boys' promiscuity and soon, unabashedly and using the cover of comforting them during their recollection of the attack, taking full advantage of the exposed bodies and flesh. Who would have thought possible that he would be able to do so, in full sight of two police officers and with their silent approval?

Miles did not expect the two innocent boys, in such circumstances, to harbor thoughts such as those that filled his own mind, which were very much of the libidinous kind. The officers asking their questions and the gowns that embarrassed them kept their thoughts well occupied.

He did not consider possible a similar response from William anyway, and stayed on the reserve with him.

He did manage to get a good feel of the boy's thigh while his arm was thrown across the youngster's back, along with a few caresses of his thumb against the soft, velvety skin. He relished the closeness, the smell, and the light boy frame by his side, though. He still nurtured a few hopes concerning Sven, who had on several occasions showed signs of interest, and was now leaning heavily against him – a habit that had been taken by Matthew on his evening visits, one without any sexual innuendo. But still, it could be different with this one.

He decided to get bolder with the child, and he had only a few minutes to do so. First, he rested his hand on the boy's right buttock, lightly at first, and then gently squeezing it as if for reassurance. Despite the svelte stature of the boy, he found plenty of generous curves there, round and firm under the material of the boy's underwear.

Then he went in search of contact with some bare skin and found the boy's fleshy thigh, but he went further than he had with William. He was seeking the soft skin of the inner thigh, where it was the most delicate and sensitive. He had reached as far as a few inches from the boy's crotch, and settled his hand there without moving at first. Then he began a slow, subtle caress that became a massage of sorts.

The boy's breath changed slightly, and he turned his head and exchanged a smile with the man before discreetly pushing the hand away. Miles hand ended up on the boy's bony knee; had it been a way for Sven to say he wasn't interested? Or, on the contrary, had he felt aroused and afraid of going further in front of the cops, exposed as he was? Miles didn't have the answer, and that ambiguity was rather pleasantly intriguing. At nearly that same moment, the questions stopped, putting an end to any further chance at endeavors.

"Do you want to hear me now, officers? Do we stay here?" Before answering, one of the cops looked at his phone. Checking messages perhaps?

"That won't be necessary. I think we've got quite enough for now." "What about the other boys? They are waiting in the sick bay."

In fact, they had made a ruckus during most of the interview, so they could not have been overlooked.

"Some other time, we know where to find them. The same goes for you, if we need anything else, we'll call you."

"Let me walk you back to your car then." Miles told them, and regrettably disengaged himself from the two boys, telling them that he would see them later. He tried to catch Sven's gaze and find an answer to his doubts, but had no success.

"Mister Dunn?" "Yes William?"

"Miss Cahill told us she would get us some clothes but that was hours ago." The boy said as his cheeks reddened.

"I see, I'll ask her about them. Don't worry, you'll probably have to stay at the infirmary for the time being. I don't think you're going anywhere for the moment."

"But why?" asked Sven, "I'm fine and so is William."

"I'll tell you in a moment. Don't worry, I'll be back shortly. Come on, gentlemen."

As soon as he had escorted the police to their car, he was back at the infirmary. He exchanged a few words with Miss Cahill, who was not the least upset by the unruly boys in the sick bay. She did not seem in a hurry to free them either, or send them back to their houses. For Sven and William, she confirmed that the hospital required a quarantine and strict surveillance. They were in no way able to go back to their house for the next few days, where they would be in contact with the other students.

When he evoked the peculiar gowns, she smiled and made clear that it was in large part a joke that she had played on them. She had sent a boy to fetch their change of clothes some time ago, but she hadn't given them to the boys yet. Miles took charge of the bag containing the clean t-shirts and shorts, underwear and socks. He said to her that he would be the one who told them they had to stay at the infirmary for the time being.

She said that she didn't mind. On the contrary, she had to take care of the boys in the sick bay, the witnesses, and three other new arrivals. Two of the newcomers were recovering from bouts of diarrhea, and the third had a sprained ankle. She had to send them all back to their houses and ready two beds for her new charges. Miles wasn't too happy that she would be the one to care for them. On the other hand, she didn't seem too keen on keeping them company and would probably leave them alone, too afraid to put herself at risk.

As soon as he entered, the two boys jumped on the clean clothes he handed to them. They threw away the despised gowns, and put on the shorts and t-shirts as fast as they could. Sven got to it a bit slower, still exchanging smiles and looks with him. Miles had some time to enjoy the sight they offered, the lean bodies, the skin that was unblemished except for a few scrapes here and there. They were boys after all, and with their graceful movements, they were a joy to contemplate.

He was still trying to decipher Sven's expressions. It would have been so much simpler without William's presence, but how could he achieve that? The two seemed inseparable. He knew that he had to be careful, too. He feared that he might be over-interpreting the boy's actions. After all, he had not, like Anthony, openly come to Miles and offered himself.

It was all so damned complicated. His desire was so strong, but his doubts and fears were so rooted in him. His announced and very likely death was so confusing, and a total turnover of thoughts and ideas gave him a complete change of perspectives. He was like a butterfly held by a pin, desperately flapping its wings with no effect, not knowing how to get free. For now, he had to stay calm and do what he had to do, one thing at a time, and see how it would turn out. With some luck, it would all come to him. Anthony was a sure thing, and Sven a very attractive possibility.

"Well boys, do you feel better now?"

"We sure do," answered William, sounding relieved.

"As I said before, you will have to stay here for a few days until we are sure you are okay."

"But we are okay. Miss Cahill just told us so."

"Yes, there was no serious injury, but it is for a different reason."

Miles was searching for the right words. He didn't want to scare the boys, but he didn't want to lie to them, either. They had to know at least some of the truth.

"What is it then? That guy was sick, wasn't he?" asked Sven with perspicacity. "You're right Sven, we think he was sick."

"It was the Shanxi flu," said Sven, more of a statement than a question.

"All the boys in the upper grades are talking about it, showing videos of what it does to people. You think we might be infected?"

This time it was William that asked, and with a slight catch in his voice that was not caused by his throat injury.

"You're doing the job for me boys. I see you already know a lot, but you don't know the extent of it. I got a lot of information from a virologist working at the CDC, and also from your dad, William. I spoke with him this afternoon."

"You talked to my dad?"

"Yes, I did. He was very worried about you, but I told him you were fine and had been very brave. In fact, I think it would be a good idea if I got you your cellphone so that you could call him and tell him how you are."

"That would be great."

"Could I get mine too?" asked Sven eagerly. "Sure, why not?

But let's get back to our main topic. As I said, there is no real reason for you to worry."

"Why is that?" asked Sven with intensity. He was now focused on the man's words; there was no more room for anything else.

"It's simple: because you are boys and boys don't catch it."

"Boys can't catch it? That can't be, it's a virus, and everybody can catch it."

It was obvious to Miles that they did not believe him and thought they were being treated like little kids.

"Let me be straight with you. Most boys don't catch it until they get to be eighteen or so.

It is not one hundred percent true, but it is close enough. Even more important, the virus is already here and most of us already caught it. But everybody won't get sick, you boys least of all, that's just how it is. It seems that most of you can be carriers, but that you will not develop the symptoms yourselves.

There was silence.

"Why put us in quarantine then?"

"You're a young man that is difficult to convince, Sven, I like that, you are very right to ask any question you deem necessary. This virus is a new thing, and nothing is totally sure yet. People are afraid, your parents, the headmaster, the authorities. It's a huge responsibility, they don't want to take any chance. They don't want you with the other kids for safety reasons. It is stupid, but that's what was decided. We have to follow those regulations"

The two boys exchanged nervous glances and then faced Miles again. "Okay, we believe you. When do we get our phones?"

"You don't lose any time, do you kids? I'll see what I can do, it shouldn't take too long. You'll be moved to the sick bay soon, and then I can probably get you your phones. For now, I have to leave."

"But what about you?" asked William. "Um…what about me?"

"You're not a boy. You got Nakata's blood all over."

"That's very true, and I appreciate your concern. Let's just say that I'm strong and that I'll make it through," he answered with a wink.

"I'm sure you will," assured Sven in a very serious tone. "Come here; let's prove that we're not afraid of a petty virus."

He took them into his arms in a tight embrace, and they responded genuinely. As much as possible, he wanted to keep the memories of their young bodies and fragrance vivid. Too soon, he reluctantly parted from them and left the infirmary.

***

Mike Healy was fuming; such a great opportunity missed. He could have had little Lukas Cooke in bed for the first time today, with all the time, luxury, and privacy to make it really great. For the first time, they could have used the prefect's bedroom for their sexual play.

Malcolm, who shared the room with him, was scheduled for surveillance of the shop for the entire afternoon, due to a meeting of the board or something like that. Lukas, for the same reason, would be without classes and have plenty of free time to spend at the library or elsewhere. The prefect would have two hours alone with the boy, between three and five.

Everything was perfect, that is, until that attack that grounded everyone.

It had happened at just the wrong time, when Lukas was on his way to join him. Mike had waited so long for such an occasion, having dreamed about it since he had first met the boy. It was incredible how little private time one could have in such a place as this school, and he had carefully planned everything until it would be perfect.

It was now getting close to six pm, which was dinnertime. With some luck, he still could convince Lukas to visit the bathrooms with him before dinner where he would finally be able to relieve his unspent libido. A good fuck in a comfy bed would have been nicer, but now there wouldn't be enough time for it. Instead, he would have to settle for a quick suck in the bathroom; it would be better than nothing at all.

He wondered if the younger boy enjoyed that part of their relationship as much as he seemed. He was certainly willing enough, and Mike hoped that the boy enjoyed it as much as he did. It made the sex better to know that the participant actually liked it and wanted it just as much.

He was waiting for the boy in front of the statue of St. Xavier, which was their usual meeting place. The statue was a well-known spot for friends to meet up, and there were always a lot of boys coming and going. Here, Mike could be invisible, lost amongst the crowd of fellow pupils. Just one of many.

Not far from him, he recognized the soccer star, Bob, with his new friend. Mike tried to recall the new boy's name, was it Matthew? Both boys were quite beautiful, and a pleasure to watch. He had seen them meeting each other here quite often recently. A slightly younger boy was accompanying them this time, laughing as Bob showed him how to dribble a ball on his knees. Mike found that observing the trio was quite an agreeable way to spend time while waiting. As the three boys walked past, he wondered about Lukas. He was sure that the boy would expect to find him here after their missed rendezvous.

"Ah there he is," Mike grinned, as he caught sight of him.

Lukas had just appeared at the end of the alley. He was wearing a uniform that he had slightly outgrown and that fit very well over his elfin figure, putting his long legs well in view. He had kept it from the previous year and had already teased Mike with it several times. Lukas knew that Mike liked to see him wearing it as it often meant that he was ready for anything. Just seeing the slight bulge in the tight crotch was enough to get Mike's cock to twitch. The barn would have been fine if we had more time but it'll just have to be the restrooms, thought Mike as he checked his watch.

In no way could they show their feelings for each other in public, no holding hands, squeezing a thigh, or a gentle caress of a cheek. Mike hated being so secretive. He thought that he really loved the boy and that the boy consensually returned his love, and that they were being denied the right to show it. He was sure that Lukas had feelings for him, true feelings, and that it was not just the sex, or advantages that were being sought. After all, Lukas had never once asked him to do a report or any exercises for him. In fact, Mike's tutoring had been quite successful even before they started engaging in sex play, and the boy's grades were up.

Once again, the rule for the two secret lovers was to avoid showing any kind of friendship. They could only openly see each other during their official sessions of tutoring; otherwise, a simple wave was all that was allowed. It just wouldn't do to have anybody questioning their relationship.

Mike led the way, turning in the direction of the cafeteria. He was followed by the younger boy at a reasonable distance. He was going for a restroom in the main administration building near the classrooms, one that should not be too much in use at this time of day. He realized that Lukas had just come from this direction and it might look suspicious if they circled around. So instead of circling around and moving forward with the flow of students, he turned left, and then took a shortcut down an alley, reaching the admin building's door two minutes later. The corridor was empty, which was a good sign. The restrooms were only a few paces away, and as he entered it, he went straight for the farthest stall, their usual spot. A few moments later, Lukas was with him.

Without any exchange of words, they embraced each other and kissed hungrily, the younger boy no less passionate than the older one. Their probing hands went everywhere, trying to explore each other's bodies as completely as possible. In the restroom, the rule was silence, and the risk of accidentally being noisy was not an option.

Lukas had soon taken off his t-shirt and shorts, choosing to keep his sneakers and socks on. He wasn't wearing any underwear, proving again that he knew exactly how to arouse his mate. It wasn't long before Mike had removed his clothes as well.

The younger boy had taken the initiative, so Mike let him lead. After holding each other close and feeling their erections grinding against each other, Lukas went to his knees, taking the teen's stiffened pole into his small, soft hands. The boy opened his mouth wide and took it in with a level of reverence normally reserved for accepting a consecrated Eucharist. Lukas began sucking on it expertly, coating it with his warm saliva. When he was satisfied, he turned around, using his hands to spread apart his bum cheeks and expose his tight little boy hole. Mike was immediately ready. So it's a fuck the boy wants, he thought with a smile. He would give it generously, after all, if the boy wanted to be fucked; then who was Mike to deny him that pleasure?

But no, there was more. Before Mike could slide himself inside, Lukas had lowered the toilet seat and grabbing a support bar that was fixed on the wall, he climbed up onto the toilet with his back to Mike. Then, bending forward, he exposed his glistening hole once again. The little rascal had lubed himself! Lukas then began lowering his ass slowly into a sitting position while continuing to hold on to the support handle on the side of the stall.

Mike had soon made sense of his intentions and put himself into position, aligning his cock with its approaching target. He had nothing more to do; he just let the boy's weight secure the penetration. Once fully embedded, Lukas let go of the support and leaned his back against his suitor's torso before raising his arms and joining his hands behind the bigger boy's neck. He was now held in place by his lover's rod, who maintained his precarious balance and prevented any incident by putting his hands under the boy's buttocks.

"Are you sure?" whispered Mike in his ear. It was a quite daring and novel position, but not the most comfortable for either of the two participants.

"Yes, I'm sure," the boy answered, turning his head around to kiss the proffered lips. "You're crazy!" said Mike as he started to bounce the boy on his cock.

"You're the one taking all the risks, remember," replied Lukas, helping him by pushing on his half flexed legs to keep the rhythm.

It was quite unexpected but it felt great. The friction of his cock at such a bizarre angle, the weight, the tightness, and the bumps of the boy's back against his torso, his hands full of the boy's firm and delectable ass, he couldn't have imagined a better catch up fuck after this afternoon missed opportunity. They started going faster and faster, perfectly synchronized with each other. It lasted for a good ten minutes, their moans muffled in each other's mouths and they kissed deeply. They were running out of time but they didn't care. For the moment, everything was perfect.

Mike's orgasm was staggering, and he came with an unexpected violence, stifling a grunt into the younger boy's neck, almost biting him. He finished and brought Lukas to his climax with one of his hands, the other still locked in the same position under the boy's butt. He could feel the pulse of Lukas's orgasm around his cock as it slowly deflated. Then, he helped the boy rise back up onto his feet, holding him more firmly as his cock slipped out of its exquisite and welcoming sheath. Lukas faced him and they embraced again, kissing each other with unbridled passion. Then, Mike wiped his cock with some toilet paper and dressed while Lukas flushed the spent sperm seated on the toilet. He was the first to leave the stall, checking that the place was still empty before Lukas could leave.

A few minutes later in the cafeteria, they sat to eat their dinner, each at a different table. Mike glanced up and looked briefly at Lukas, who winked at him and kissed the air after making sure that nobody was paying attention.

***

Miles spent the reminder of the day studying Perry's files and taking notes. He was trying to find all the relevant information in them that would at best, help preserve the school, as well as deducing from them the most efficient, practical actions and measures they could set up in a short time.

Just before dinner, he finally decided to have a look at the message Perry had left for his son. It was a short message, no more than five minutes long. Besides explaining the situation and the difficult choices he had made, the man clearly stated that the boy was to trust, listen, and to obey Miles without reservation.

It was too good to be true; Matthew was only a few meters away, living in the same house, and coming to visit every evening. A beautiful child, as innocent as boys could be nowadays, showing him some obvious affection already. It would be quite easy to initiate him. Miles had dreamed of being in such a situation, but had not the slightest experience of how to get there. He had read many of those stories found on the internet where man-boy sex was easy, with the boy asking for it by the second page, but they were probably not to be trusted in real life. He did not want to hurt the boy in any way. He had done that on a few occasions, he did not want it to happen again. But at the same time, he wanted to enjoy every aspect of Matthew, from the deep friendship that was already blossoming, to the more intimate variety of sharing a bed…and much more.

He went to dinner with those thoughts raging in his head.

As soon as he entered the cafeteria, he felt a change in the atmosphere. Everyone was looking at him, and hushed whispers could be heard all around him. He even saw some of the boys snap a picture of him with their phones, probably to send to their friends or girlfriends. Even at the teacher's table, the difference was evident. Until then he had mostly been a nobody, recently arrived and certainly gone soon. Not anymore, now he was a hero, and everyone wanted to shake his hand and pat him on the back like old pals.

They told him he should be proud, and about how much they admired him. Some would say a word or two or ask for advice, ask what he thought of the situation, and when life would get back to normal. It probably should have been pleasant but Miles found it to be mostly annoying. He wanted to be invisible again. He did not want people asking questions about his life and especially not his tastes, which always came next. Hopefully over the next few days, they would have other preoccupations and forget all about him.

He seated himself between Daniels and Fisher. They exchanged a few words, but nothing more. This was not the place to discuss any of the day's issues. All around them, the Shanxi flu was the talk of the day, but it was still more a cause of interest and distraction than a cause of fear. That would come soon. Miles did not stay long, instead choosing to wolf down his dinner quickly and leave as soon as possible. He did not like all those eyes fixed upon him.

When he returned to his room, he sat in front of his laptop and prepared for Matthew's visit. The boy came as usual after his shower, and he wasn't alone.

Matthew, as was now customary, knocked and pushed open the door. Young Logan was following closely behind him.

Logan was already fairly good friends with Miles, and now those evening visits seemed like a perfect opportunity for the boy to ask him a few more questions. It could give Logan permanent access to the very interesting ex-Marine that actually listened to him. He knew he asked too many questions, but it wasn't his fault. He was just made like that; the questions came naturally and once he had thought of one, he had to get an answer. After all that had happened today, there were a lot of them.

"Come in boys," Miles said with a welcoming smile.

The sight of the two boys wearing only their boxer shorts and t-shirts thrown over their shoulders was charming and a difficult view to resist. Behind the smile, Miles would have to strain to keep control. He wasn't entirely sure whether or not he would succeed. The reasonable thing to do would have been to send them back, saying that he was busy, but he could not find the strength.

"I wanted to see you Matthew," he addressed the older boy, "I have something to show

you."

"What is it? Can I see it too?" asked Logan, his curiosity awakened.

"Sorry, Logan but it is private," he saw the dejection in the boy's eyes and quickly added, "but I'm very glad you came to visit."

Logan pouted, sticking his bottom lip out.

Matthew had taken his usual position by Miles' side, watching the diagrams on the laptop screen. He was leaning against the much bigger man with one arm slung across his neck. The contact was electrifying for Miles. Logan, not wanting to feel left out, mirrored the position on his other side.

"What are you doing? Can we see?" he had already found another topic pointing to the open laptop on the small desk. What is it? You're still studying at your age? Could you tell us what happened this morning? Give us all the details, please."

The contrast between the two boys was evident. Matthew was reserved, discreet, almost shy. Logan was a chatterbox, going from one subject to the next, but both were adorable in their own specificity.

"Wow, slow down Logan. Yes, you never stop studying in life. Don't think that when you leave school there won't be more to learn, it's a never ending process. Do you like to study?"

"Kinda, I guess," The boy answered with very little enthusiasm. "Why only 'kinda'?"

"It's boring. I prefer to ask questions."

Miles was sure the boy had good grades and no problems in any of his classes. He had once read somewhere that gifted children were often bored at school. Miles was desperately trying to concentrate on the conversation and forget the delightful, shapely bodies under his hands. However, his hands seemed to take on a will of their own, roaming around from a slender torso to a well-rounded buttock before passing over the luscious skin of an exposed thigh. It was maddening. The last twenty-four hours had undone years of defenses against his true desires.

This was the second time in a few hours that he was in direct, almost intimate contact with the objects of his deepest cravings. His cock was stirring, demanding. There was no police officer in the room this time, though. Would he dare go further? Would he be able to resist?

"As to your second question, this document shows the progression of the Shanxi flu in China during the first two weeks."

"Was it bad?" "Yes, quite bad."

"A lot of the boys are saying that it will happen here, too." "They might be right."

Logan visibly shivered.

"Could you tell us about this morning? Some guys are saying that there was a lot of blood."

"I'm not sure it's a very good story for you. Yes, it really happened. Yes, I killed someone, and it is not something pleasant. It's not something you should really be talking about at your age."

"Sorry, I didn't see it that way." Logan seemed to understand he had asked the wrong question.

"Perhaps you should go, now," said Matthew, "Mister Dunn said he had something to show me, privately."

Matthew's interruption was a bit rude. It was true that Logan had been monopolizing the man's attention with his questions, but it was only the sweet innocence of a curious mind.

Matthew seemed to want to show that Logan was only a guest, that this was Matthew's territory, and that he had precedence.

"Can't I stay? What is it you want to show Matthew? I can do something else while you show it to him."

"Sorry Logan, but it is something for Matthew only, something important that we have to do together. I can't tell you exactly what it is and it will be up to Matthew to decide if he wants to share it with you later, but I doubt he will."

Despite his incurable, intense curiosity on the matter, the boy once again accepted to be deprived of any detail and did not throw a tantrum, as Miles feared for a moment. However, his face wore the expression of a lost puppy dog, one that feared it was no longer wanted. Whether or not it was done on purpose, it worked.

"Okay then, I guess I'll leave you two alone," Logan said in a small voice.

The boy started turning to leave, but Miles threw an arm around the boy's waist to stop him, his hand landing precariously close to the boy's crotch.

"Don't go like that; we're not mad at you. You're welcome here anytime; it's only for this one evening that Matthew will need some privacy."

"How come?"

"Well," Miles took a deep breath, "without going into too much detail, there is a personal message for him from his father. I think he should have the chance to hear it for himself, and choose who he wants to tell, if anybody."

Logan still seemed a little sad, but he quietly nodded. "Okay," the boy said.

Feeling bad, Miles quickly thought up a solution.

"I'll tell you what," he said, "how about tomorrow night, when you two come to visit, you are the one that stays with me and we have some special time together? Would that be alright? Just the two of us."

Miles looked to Matthew to make sure that he wouldn't mind, and the boy shrugged his shoulders before nodding his head.

"Really?" Logan asked excitedly. "Really."

The boy's eyes lit up. "Okay, thank you so much!"

He quickly turned towards the man, giving him a tight accolade and an unexpected peck on the cheek. In the rush, Miles's hand brushed across the front of the boy's boxer shorts. Logan didn't notice, but for a split second Miles could feel the tiny bulb beneath the material that was the head of the boy's penis. The thought that this was the first boy penis that Miles had touched in years, even though it was covered, gave him an instant erection.

"I'll see you tomorrow then!" Logan said, happy once again.

The he was gone, Miles happily catching a last glance at the adorable little bottom that stretched the thin cloth of the boxers. Had Logan felt his rigid erection when he had come for the hug? If he did, he probably did not really notice it, at least Miles hoped he hadn't.

He felt a sudden alarm. What he had said to the boy could be easily misinterpreted. Being alone with Matthew, showing him something, something they had to do together…in private. If Logan had felt his erection, if he knew what it meant, he could easily jump to conclusions. The boy was definitely intelligent, perhaps even gifted. Under those innocent, naive looks, with all the answers to these innumerable questions, he certainly possessed a vast knowledge. Was sex a point of interest for him? And he had asked to see the boy alone the next day. But he had explained to him why he wanted to see Matthew alone. Or did he?

"What did you want to show me?" asked Matthew, pulling his sleeve, "You can tell me now that he's gone. Is it on the computer?"

"Yes, of course Matthew, sit down."

What the hell would happen now? Instead of grabbing the second chair in the small room, Matthew sat on his knee, pushing back to get himself comfortable. His back was against Miles's powerful chest, his smooth, perfect bum dangerously close to the waiting and very hard member. Out of reflex, Miles had just enough time to put his hand in front of it, replacing the bubbly buttocks away from his sensitive crotch.

"Better, like that?"

Why do that? I want him to feel it, ask questions, get curious, and then everything could unfold as in my wildest dreams. No, it was too early. Better to let him see the movie first, he reasoned, and at the same time horrified by the baseness of his motives.

"First I have a few things to tell you," he said in the boy's ear, which was so close to his mouth he could lick it.

"Sorry, I can't do it like this."

He seized the befuddled boy, lifting him above the desk while turning him around, and sat him beside the computer, placing his hands on the boy's comely knees.

"That's better, face to face." "But what is it about?"

Matthew was showing some apprehension. He had understood that what the man wanted to tell him was serious and important. Miles had said it earlier, but it was just supposed to get rid of Logan to have a moment with the boy alone. He knew he was special to Miles, they had arrived together, both were new at that school, and they had kind of bonded.

"It's about your dad."

"Has something happened? Is he hurt? Is he…"

"No, not at all, he's fine. He called me yesterday and we talked about you."

His hands had gone up to the silky thighs to steady the boy and he had moved closer to hold the boy's gaze to reassure him. The child was intoxicating. Miles wanted to take him in his arms, kiss his soft lips, pull off and throw away those tiny shorts. He wanted to do all the things he had visualized while masturbating after his last shower duty when the image of the naked boy had been burned in his memory. Realizing that he was actually starting to lean in for a kiss, he recoiled back in his chair and almost capsized.

"Whoa, are you alright?"

It was now Matthew that was concerned about him.

"What did he tell you? He said I couldn't call him last Saturday, and that he would be in touch."

"As I said, he is fine. In fact, he has a message for you, a video message." "A message… what kind of a message? Why not just call me?"

"It's his work. You know what he is doing?" "Yes, of course."

"You know all about that Shanxi flu then?" "Well, I guess…as much as everybody else does."

"He tells you all about that and why he sent you here in the message."

Miles had calmed down somewhat. He kept his hands away from the child fearing that his urges might overcome him again.

"Okay."

"If you're ready, I'll show you the video. Do you want to watch it alone? I think it would be better if you do, I'll be just behind the door if you need me. You can watch it several times if you want."

"I might be late for lights out."

"Don't worry about that, this is a special circumstance. You can take all the time you need."

He showed the boy where the file was located and then left the room. This gave him some time to think it over himself. It was too bad he could not find a place for a good wank, especially after the feeling of Logan's small penis head and Matthew's strong appeal so fresh in his mind. It would help him get back some control if he could, but he didn't have the time.

He still wasn't sure of what he wanted. He could use this unique opportunity and take advantage of the boy; his body was geared only for that purpose. Or, he could be responsible and do the right thing, help that poor kid get over the painful trial of losing his father. Perry did not express it that way in his video, but it was how Matthew would certainly interpret it. He might even believe that he had been abandoned if he didn't quite understand the issues at stake.

It was over fifteen minutes before Matthew opened the door, his eyes reddened and his cheeks stained with the trails of fresh tears.

"I can forward the video to you if you'd like. You can keep it on your phone or your laptop."

"What did he tell you when he called you?"

Matthew was sitting on the bed and Miles swiveled his chair to sit in front of him.

"We talked about the flu. Well, rather, he talked about it. He sent me a lot of documents that taught me a lot, but in the long run, he was only thinking about you."

"What do you mean? If he talked about the flu, he couldn't talk about me."

"You're an intelligent boy Matthew. In calling me and sending me all those documents, he took a very serious risk. It was only because of you that he did it, because he wanted you to be safe. It was the only way he could do it."

"He could have kept me with him. He could have come to fetch me."

"You know it was impossible. In fact, he left you here to save you from the flu. And not only you, but all of us. What he is doing is very important for everyone in this country."

"But he left me behind."

Miles wanted to take the boy in his arms, it was something anyone else would do, but it was too risky. His mind still wasn't set yet. Two diverging roads were open in front of him and he did not know which he was going to follow. Both had their appeals and their pitfalls.

Suddenly, without any provocation on his part, Matthew had crawled into his lap and threw his arms around the man, hugging him tight. Miles embraced Matthew, burying his nose in the soft blond hair and inhaling the boy's aroma.

"He did, I can't tell you otherwise. But he trusted you to me and there is hope that in the end, you will be reunited with him."

"You really think so? When?"

"I don't have the answer to that, but I'm sure that's what he wants more than anything else, and as soon as possible."

"Perhaps."

"Not, perhaps, it's for sure. In the meanwhile, you and I will be a team; you can help me, and I'll take care of you. What do you say?

"I'll help you?

"Yes, I'll need a lot of help in the upcoming weeks. There will be a lot of hardships, and you always need someone you can trust in such circumstances. We have always gotten along well, you and I, since we first met."

"That's true." "So, is it a deal?"

Miles extended his right hand towards the boy. Matthew took the offered hand and shook it. He was still sad, but he appeared to have accepted his new responsibility with a grim seriousness.

"Deal."

Then, like Logan had done, he threw himself in the man's open arms and cried some more, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. In that moment, Miles had forgotten all but the duties that had befallen him. Let it be so.

After taking Matthew back to his bedmates, he decided to go to bed so that he could rise early the following morning to finalize his propositions. His mind was in turmoil, conflicting ideas at battle with each other. It seemed impossible to concentrate.

As he lay in his bed, he started to wank earnestly, but this time he decided to banish

Matthew from his thoughts. From now on, the boy would be out of bounds, and would not be touched or thought of in that way. Miles had earned his father's trust, and he would respect it. Instead, he would go after Sven and William, whose lithe young bodies were very vivid in his mind. As an afterthought, he threw in Anthony for good measure. As he stroked his large cock, he imagined a wild romp with the three boys that unfortunately lasted only a few minutes. He came fast and hard, spewing his load upon his bare chest.

After lying in the darkness for a while, he still could not find sleep. His hand went again to his cock and as he slowly pleasured himself, he reviewed all the boys he had met since his arrival, especially those he would gladly welcome in his bed. He tried to imagine how each one would behave and react to his desires. The shy ones, the brave ones, the slutty ones, the ones that thought themselves straight, the ones he could fuck hard and long, and the ones who would refuse to be fucked but might be willing to suck, or not. There would be those who would come to him often for more, and those who would refuse him at first, but finally accept everything, so many exciting possibilities, and a very titillating fantasy.

Thinking about each individual boy also helped him reach a decision; he had to make some choices. He had studied most of the files, diagrams, and reports; but he was not a scientific guy. He had a good idea of what were his chances to make it through, but nothing was certain.

One out of ten survived the flu, and less than that if he counted all the other causes of death that could happen in an end of the world scenario.

He would do what he had to do for the school and the boys; that was his job and he loved it. The past few days had been stressful, but also wonderful, and perhaps the best of his life. It was too bad that it all had to end so soon. If it did not end for him, he would have a place to call home.

His second decision was that he would do all he could to satisfy those desires that had pursued him most of his life. Anthony was his first objective and Sven a close second. He would use some caution still, but he would not let go of any occasion that was presented to him anymore. He might even try to provoke them into doing something sexual with him, if the opportunity arose. He regretted that he had not found a good candidate here at Bear house, but he would keep looking. With all those boys he had met there must have been signs he had missed.

He could now be bolder since there was not that much to lose anymore.

Could Logan be a prospective candidate? That one could be easy, if perhaps a bit too young and a bit too talkative for Miles's taste. Had the boy felt his erection? That would be worth exploring on the next occasion. He could not wait for circumstances to fall into his lap anymore, he had to be proactive if he wanted to achieve even a small part of the dreams he had nurtured and refrained from all those years. The school was the perfect place to stage this transformation. It was time to accept who he was, accept his desires, and fulfill his needs.

He finally drifted off to sleep with these thoughts on his mind. He did not dream of boys that night, but instead his dreams took him back onto the battlefields he had known, and others, stranger ones. The kind that can only be found in dreams. He was fighting and fighting again without end. There was blood, there was death, but he was still standing, fighting, until he woke up the next morning at first light.

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