Maiocxx

Cody and Lucas

A Personal Slaveboy Story

Chapters 12-13

Chapter Twelve

When they arrived home, a letter was waiting for them.

From Gregor:

Greetings to Cody, Lucas, Donnie, Ronnie and all friends in North America from myself and beloved Uncle Alexei in Russia. We trust all are well as are we. Pardon, but my English is slipping.

We survived first real winter on land where we begin our enterprise which we named Uhura, African word means 'Freedom".

You remember Consul Soboloff from stay in your city. He is now Interior Minister and very, very helpful to getting our enterprise begun.

He found us plot of land, 20,000 hectares (77 square miles) southwest of city of Khabarvosk in the Far East of our land. Is about four days travel by Trans-Siberian Railway from Vladivostok, our port on Pacific Ocean.

Land is excellent for our purpose. A great bowl, ringed by hills, lots of water, great expanse for cattle grazing. Could not have chosen better for us.

By fate, in very center, stands abandoned Russian Army Warehouse. Defense Minister says no knowledge of such warehouse. So, we pretend is not there and use supplies and building anyway. Minister Soboloff very persuasive.

Everything needed for full Division to set up base and stay one year: food, fuel, trucks, building material, winterized tents, field kitchen, medical place. Only arms and ammunition removed! It beyond our belief.

Uncle happy not to purchase these things. Contributed to War Veteran Relief instead.

Now have about thirty workers here helping us to build. Most have families with young children. All are serfs, but skilled craftsmen, and have adapted to our life here with much enthusiasm. Minister Soboloff very helpful in choosing first settlers.

First crops planted. Horses and cattle to come next spring. Paloma promised us breeding stock and Paulie and Toby visit with them.

We work very hard to build permanent buildings. Which is reason for this letter. Would four of you and Billy share summer with us? I confess it will not be easy holiday with much rest and relaxing. But might be kind of adventure you like. Uncle says I ask too much of you but I know you better than he.

With grateful heart for good friends,

Gregor Ivanevich Romanoff

"Go to Russia? Help them build Uhura? See Gregor again?"

Neither Cody nor Lucas had ever seen the Twins quite so excited.

Billy was a problem, however, as he had planned a summer-long camping trip with young Oleg when they would visit all over North America. He and Oleg shared a deep, wonderful, love and he would not want to disappoint the boy. Perhaps Uhura another summer, and maybe Oleg could go along!

Cody quickly communicated this to Gregor and suggested Tommy and David as replacements.

"How thoughtless of me," Gregor wrote back. "Tommy and David most welcome. Now six workers instead of five!"

When Lucas posed the question to Clara and Dr. Barton, he chuckled. "Well, Russia's not quite as far as the Gates of Hell. Of course they may go. An opportunity like this does not happen very often."

Now there were four teens bouncing off the walls.

There still was, of course, school to finish. And passports and visas to secure. And transportation to arrange.

Somehow the Crown learned of their plans and, by coincidence, of course, there was a Royal Air Force courier flight going from Colorado Springs to Vladivostok on June 1st and they were welcome to be aboard.

A last minute frenzy of activity finally had them ready and they bade a joyful farewell and flew off on their summer adventure.

The flight aboard the RAF Condor was comfortable to the point of opulence. "We should travel this way all the time," observed a completely sated Ronnie. All six of them were simply overwhelmed. Prince Harry had left them a one-word greeting, "Enjoy!"

At the Russian port, they were met by an official from Customs and Immigration who quickly issued them their internal ID cards and whisked them all off to their first-class compartment on the west-bound Trans-Ural Express.

The further west they rode, the more excited they got, although the seemingly endless landscape passing outside their picture windows soon drove home just how vast Russia really is. The stops along they way were not many, but did afford them opportunities to stretch their legs and savor the exotic flavors of this unknown land.

Finally, Khabarvosk swam into view and they tumbled off the train and into Gregor's and Alexei's arms. Russians tend to be a very demonstrative people, but even casual bystanders were amazed at the excess of their greeting.

They finally settled down enough to get aboard the military personnel carrier Gregor had driven up to take them to the ranch. "I sorry we not have more comfortable ride," he explained. "But road is not yet good and these were in warehouse, so we use."

After about an hour, they came over a small ring of hills and there was Uhura spread out before them. Gregor stopped to let them observe the anthill of activity with building and fences going up, a line of squad tents, field kitchen and, dominating it all, the Warehouse.

"Gregor, it's everything you said," said Cody enthusiastically. "What a great spot to build."

"You see those tents? One of them is your deluxe cabin with all outside facilities," Gregor told them. They knew he wasn't joking.

"Where did the railroad tracks come from?" asked Lucas. "You didn't mention them in your letters."

"Oh those," chuckled Alexei. "Well, one morning over hills came Russian Army Engineer Company. Track right up to doorstep. Then discovered should be seventy kilometers west. Captain shrugged shoulders and he and men went away. Such is bureaucracy in Russia." And he laughed and gave them a big wink.

"We have fifteen more workers since letter, with families, many children. Sometimes I think I run nursery school."

The visitors found their deluxe cabin quite comfortable. There were no bunks; just sleeping bags and mattresses on the canvas floor. "Looks like a great place for sharing beds," observed Tommy. Hopefully, the kerosene stove at one end would not be needed.

That evening, they got their first taste of army field rations. Not exactly haute cuisine, but no one complained.

Afterward, Gregor joined them for a while and they enjoyed each other fully. He had lost none of his enjoyment of boy-sex, and was hungry after having been denied so long. "No kids here my age," he explained, tearfully. "All too young!"

The residents of the Village included a smattering of free citizens, attracted by the adventure of bringing Uhura to life. But most were serfs, even families of them, and Alexei had been correct about his nephew's training. Gregor could empathize with them and they with him. He alone could inspire their trust… the trust that allowed them to embrace this, new life,

The next few days, they all had a short on-the-job course in construction skills. There seemed to be an endless supply of buildings to be assembled. At first, they were part of one of the 'work gangs' Gregor had organized, but after a few weeks, they were their own 'work gang'. Although in quite good physical shape, they all found the work punishing and often climbed into their sleeping bags exhausted. But, they wouldn't have been happier anywhere else.

They had been there about a week, when the village awoke to find two huge boxcars on their siding. Cody had brought with him a satellite phone as a gift, and it got its first official use to call State Railway officials. It had already been tested out with regular calls back to both sets of parents in North America.

The local Railway official had no knowledge where the boxcars had come from or what their contents were, but could they please unload them so he could have his cars back. Only in Russia…

One car was a reefer, full of frozen and fresh meat and vegetables. "Oh great joy!" exclaimed Gregor. "I very tired of field rations." Fortunately, the village's fixed refrigeration building had been completed, so there was ample room to store everything.

The other car contained building supplies and lumber. Altogether, it took two days to unload and store them. The Railway official personally accompanied the shifter sent to retrieve his rolling stock. He enjoyed a good laugh with them all.

That summer would be the first time Tommy and David had been away from their parents for more than a day or two. Admittedly, one of those trips… down from Mt McKenzie… had been a harrowing experience, but this summer brought the four boys closer together and closer, too, to Cody and Lucas. They all shared their beds and bodies without reservation.

David frequently chose Lucas as his bedmate. They shared a bond the others did not; they had both been slaves, and could contrast their experience against that of the serfs at Uhura.

But as the summer days passed, it was clear the bond among the four boys was growing stronger every day.

As he lay in his brother's arms one night, Lucas asked, "What do you think about our four 'sons'?"

"I think they're pretty special," came Cody's teasing reply and he giggled at his brother's exasperation.

"Really? I thought you were ready to sell them. No, I mean about their friendship. How strong is it, do you think? Are they as close as we are?"

"I don't think so yet. But who knows? They're still pretty young."

"When I was their age, I was absolutely sure," continued Lucas.

"Well, you didn't have much choice. You were my slave."

"Come on; get serious."

"OK, I'm sorry. I don't think either of us know how it might turn out. I can see that David favors Donnie and Ronnie is most comfortable with Tommy. However things might turn out, it will be beautiful! And I know you well enough that we will both be very, very happy."

"Yeah, you're right about that," said Lucas. "How do you think Clara and the Doctor might react?"

"I don't know. You know them better than I do. I suspect it could be a problem. All we can do is love them and support them no matter what. I couldn't stand to see them suffer like Bill and Charlie did when they were growing up."

But the summer was not one long love-in, either. Even though they were warmly received by their Russian friends, they were still the 'outsiders' and the rigorous building schedule added lots stress to their daily lives. That, in turn, led to some minor conflicts among them, particularly when they were tired.

One night, Cody and Lucas returned from a late meeting with Alexei and Gregor to find all the boys strangely in their own sleeping bags. They were not asleep, but there was no conversation, either.

The next morning, Donnie appeared for breakfast with a beautiful 'shiner'. Tommy and David also showed signs of the aftermath of a fight.

Both Cody and Lucas resisted asking for an immediate explanation, reasoning that the boys would tell them when they were ready. But all that day, the four were just short of tears and their work was desultory.

Finally, after supper, Tommy was the first to 'break'. "Cody, I'm so ashamed! We had a fight." And he broke down in tears. "It was stupid! It was childish! You'll think we were little kids!"

The other three had joined him and started to weep, too, as their story all came tumbling out.

It had started as good-natured bantering but turned serious when Tommy disparaged the Twins' Native American background. He didn't mean it to be, but it came out badly. Shoving and pushing developed into punches being thrown as Donnie took on Tommy. David then laid into Donnie, defending his brother. Ronnie managed to steer clear, but was frightened by what had happened.

Anger soon gave way to way to remorse and then to shame, but four young egos had been badly bruised. They were all very ashamed they had let something so trivial come between them. And they didn't know quite how to repair the breach.

"We love each other very much. How could this happen?" they wailed.

"First of all, you're not infants for having had a fight," replied Lucas. "It shows you cared deeply about something, maybe too deeply, but that's not what's important. You had a fight and now you want desperately to make up."

Four young heads nodded vigorously.

"When you love someone, it doesn't mean you will never disagree," added Cody. "Lord knows Lucas and I did. Not very often and he was always the one who was wrong."

Lucas stuck his tongue out at his brother and the boys chuckled at the byplay. The tension had been broken.

"But we simply said we were sorry and went on with life. I think our little 'fights' actually made our love stronger, because we always knew that was the most important thing in our lives. Our love for each other couldn't be broken because we disagreed."

Donnie immediately saw where Cody was headed. "I think the simplest way might be for us all to get in a 'hugging' circle and all of us together say 'I'm sorry'."

The others agreed enthusiastically and the fight was over.

"The other thing I think we all need," announced Lucas, "is a good, old-fashioned orgy!" In a matter of seconds they were all naked, hugging, licking and sucking… one orgasm after another. They fell asleep in a tangle of arms and legs.

Except for Gregor, the rest of the village would have been astounded by their gay abandonment. Gregor would have happily joined in. But, unfortunately, he hadn't been invited.

They had been there but a few weeks when, early one morning, Alexei came rushing into their tent, looking for Cody. "We must go to Khabarvosk at once," he gasped. "Three little boys from your country in grave danger!"

They jumped into a vehicle and headed toward the city. On the way Alexei explained what had happened.

"A friend, the Khabarvosk Criminal Court Clerk, had alerted him that, yesterday, the authorities there had taken custody of three young boys who had been caught hiding on the Far East Express when it stopped in the city. They had no papers, could not speak Russian and were unable to explain why they were on the train since they spoke only English. Zarkoff, the Chief Judge of the Court, declared them runaway slaves and sentenced them to be hanged later today. The Clerk was positive they were not slaves, but he was ignored."

Arriving at the Court they were taken to a holding cell where three young boys waited in terror to find out what was going to happen. They were naked, filthy, hungry and very frightened, but otherwise unharmed. They cowered in a far corner. The guard let Cody into the cell with them.

"I understand you speak English." He began.

"Yes!" the three squealed in unison, as they dashed to him. "What are they going to do to us? How can we get out of here? Are they going to give us to the man who killed our father?" they wailed

"Well, who are you and how did you come to be on that train?"

"I'm Tom," answered one of the boys, "and these are my brothers Dick and Harry. We were on the train trying to escape from a kidnapper who murdered our father. Why won't they understand?"

"They think you're runaway slaves."

"But we're not! We're free boys! From North America!"

Cody examined all three very carefully. They had no slave markings, but they did have small scars where the new BNA identity chips had been inserted into their bodies. He was convinced they were exactly what they said they were.

He gave each of them a hug to try to dispel their fright. "My friend and I are going to go see the judge and get this straightened out," he told them. "We'll be back."

He and Alexei left and were soon waiting to see the judge. Alexei explained that a single judge can sentence runaway slaves without a hearing and without consulting his two colleagues. But all other hearings must be held before a three-judge panel.

Alexei told the Zarcov what Cody had learned and what he had observed and the judge dismissed them out-of-hand. A shouting argument between Alexei and the judge ensued, with Alexei pounding the table. Cody was growing increasingly angry, too. Alexei later told him, "I said that if boys harmed would be very grave international incident and Moscow would blame him for it. That got his attention."

Zarcov agreed to vacate the sentence and call a three-judge-panel for later that afternoon. "But, if you want to save them, you had better hurry," he snarled. "They are getting ready to hang them in a few minutes."

The Clerk, Cody and Alexei dashed the length of the building and out into a courtyard where three scaffolds were already set up. One of the boys was already on his scaffold, blindfolded, arms and legs secured, with the noose around his neck. His naked body shaking with terror and crying hysterically.

Two guards were busy blindfolding and securing the other two boys.

For a moment Cody was stopped in his tracks as visions of another hanging flashed through his mind. For a moment he was almost overcome by them. Then, brushing them aside, he leaped up on the scaffold, lifted the boy in his arms, and fought to remove the noose. Terrified when Cody grabbed him, the boy lost all control and peed all over himself and Cody.

Meanwhile Alexei and the Clerk argued with the guards and finally convinced them to release the other two boys.

At last managing to free the boy on the scaffold, Cody carried him down to the ground, sat down and held the quaking, crying boy close. "It's OK! You're safe! You're not going to be hanged. Your brothers are OK.!" Despite his soothing words and embrace, the boy continued to cry for almost ten minutes.

Cody needed some time to get himself under control. He was thoroughly shaken at how close they had come to disaster. The specter of William Bland's hanging hung over him and he had trouble escaping from it.

When all of them had quieted, the Clerk led them to a room off the Courtroom and went off in search of their clothes. He shortly returned with clothes for the boys and food for them all. The boys ate ravenously.

Court convened at 1:00 PM. In addition to Zarcov, there were two other judges, one of them a woman.

Cody, with Alexei translating, told the court what he had observed about the boys and then the boys told their story.

They had come to Russia with their father to study after he and their mother had divorced. In Moscow, their father couldn't find a job and gradually gambled away the funds they had. He was finally hauled before the Russian Mafioso and ordered to pay up or else.

Since he had no money, the Mafioso offered to take the three boys in payment. Their father had attacked him and, in the struggle, was killed. In the ensuing chaos, the boys managed to escape.

Constantly on the run, at first they hid out in the city, stealing food to keep themselves alive. Realizing, they would be found eventually, they fled to the rail station just as the Far East Express was getting ready to pull out. They managed to sneak aboard by convincing the gate guard they were mutes who were with another couple.

All went well until just before the train arrived in Khabarvosk when they were found. Handed over to the authorities, they were stripped and thrown into the holding cell to await their fate.

The judges listened carefully and then held an acrimonious debate among them selves. Zarcov, Cody found out later, still wanted to hang them!

At last they came to agreement. The Court would drop the Runaway-Slave charge and charge them only with theft of state property for being on the train. They were sentenced to be flogged and then deported!

Cody immediately started to object, but Alexei cautioned him not to make a scene. He, too, was horrified at the sentence, but realized it could have been much worse, so he restrained him.

Cody told the boys, "It's almost over! Unfortunately, they are going to whip you, but try to be brave. As soon as it's over, we'll take you to a place where you will be safe."

The boys nodded tearfully and were led away to prepare for their punishment.

Cody and Alexei sat impatiently in the courtroom waiting for the boys to be released. They were both surprised when the Clerk came for them. "Zarcov orders that you must witness their flogging," he told them and he led them to another room in the building.

The three boys had been stripped again and their wrists fastened to a bar high above their heads. Their ankles were fastened to rings in the floor, leaving them painfully stretched. Looking at them naked and vulnerable, it was all Cody could do to keep his anger in check.

A guard, carrying a whip entered and stood behind each boy. An overseer announced that each boy was to receive twenty lashes. It was all Alexei could do to restrain Cody.

The three guards swung in unison, the whips cracked and a red line appeared on the back and rump of each boy. Their shrieks were deafening!

By the third lash all three boys were gasping and crying, snot and tears running down their chests. Cody hid in Alexei's embrace; he couldn't bear to watch.

After eight lashes, all three boys were unconscious.

The overseer stopped the flogging and threw buckets of cold water on the boys to revive them. The flogging then resumed.

By the twelfth lash, the boys simply hung by their wrists, their bodies jumping when a lash landed, their backs and asses a mass of red welts and cuts, some of them bleeding badly.

Cody could take no more! Wrenching himself away from Alexei, he ran to the first guard and grabbed his arm just as he was about to strike again. "STOP! YOU'RE KILLING THEM!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The guard snatched his arm away from Cody and looked down at him with tears running down his cheeks. Then, he threw the whip down and stormed from the room, weeping bitterly.

The other two guards followed him.

White with anger and concern, they freed the three boys, and laid them on the floor face down. They were unconscious again, their backs a mass of bleeding welts. Blood coated their legs along with urine and feces.

Cody reached for his communicator. "Lucas! Are you there?"

"Yes Cody."

"Drop whatever you're doing and get Gregor! Rig one of the personnel carriers to carry three litters and come to the Courthouse in Khabarvosk. Gregor knows the way. And hurry! We have three badly injured boys to transport to Uhura."

"We're on our way!"

The Clerk entered the room with a doctor and three orderlies following. Together, they moved the boys gently to another room where there were a number of bunks.

They carefully washed the boys' backs, asses, and legs with warm antiseptic soap and water and the doctor sprayed them with something to stop the bleeding.

As they waited for Gregor and Lucas, the boys began to regain consciousness. "It's over!" Cody told them. "Just lie quietly. Don't turn over; your backs are full of open cuts. Someone is coming to help us care for you. We're angry and sorry beyond words you had to go through that."

He stormed at Alexei, "Is this the way justice is done in Russia? Brutally beating young, innocent children? No wonder you are a backward, half-civilized country!"

Alexei just sighed. He knew how Cody must feel after seeing these beautiful, twelve-year-old boys beaten and abused. "Now you know why we need Uhura," he replied gently. "We have centuries of savagery to overcome."

"I'm sorry, Alexei. Forgive me, I'm just so upset."

"There is nothing to forgive. You have right to be angry. I ashamed for my country to do such as this."

They sat quietly waiting for the others to arrive, comforting the three boys as best they could.

Gregor, Lucas and Donnie came pelting into the room carrying three litters. When they saw the three boys, they almost lost it.

Donnie knelt down beside the first boy who turned his head to look at him. Suddenly Donnie's jaw dropped open in shock. "Tom?"

"No, I'm Dick" came the weak, almost inaudible reply. "Tom's over there. Is it really you Donnie? It can't be! I must be delirious."

"How did you get here, Dick? What happened to you?"

Dick started to cry again. Donnie looked up at his Dad, his face still a mask of shock.

"Do you know these kids?" asked Cody

"They're the Norden Triplets! They used to go to our school!" Donnie gasped.

The whole group was simply speechless.

Finally Cody said, "OK, no more questions now. We need to get these kids back to the Village where they can be treated." They moved each boy onto a litter as gently as possible and secured it in the personnel carrier.

The trip back, took about two hours as they tried to go as gently as possible. It was after dark when they arrived and waiting for them were most of the Village people, including Ronnie, Tommy and David. They were as shocked as Donnie had been to see three former schoolmates.

Two of the Village women had some nurse's training and they insisted on caring for the injured boys. The Twins and Tommy and David helped to feed them and treat their cuts and stayed with them until Lucas shooed them off to bed.

At the nurses' directions, the three boys' hands and legs were tied gently to the side rails of the beds. "You're not being punished," Lucas assured them. "It's to keep you from rolling over and opening the cuts on your back." They nodded that they understood.

Cody was exhausted. "No more questions tonight," he told the others. "I'll fill you in tomorrow." His dreams were haunted by scenes of savagery.

The next morning, he met with all the Village people and explained, with Gregor translating, how they had rescued the Triplets. There was a good bit of anger at the authorities for having acted so cruelly and hastily. But everyone was anxious to help restore the boys to heath.

Alexei had contacted Minister Soboloff and told him what had happened and he, in turn, consulted with the British Ambassador, Lord Hume. The two of them arrived the next afternoon by helicopter.

Once he had talked to Cody and seen the boys, Lord Hume was furious and took his ire out on Soboloff. "How dare you treat the King's subjects in this manner. What kind of incompetent fools are in charge here?"

The minister kept his cool. "Your Excellency, I share your anger and dismay at what has happened. I assure you those responsible will be punished harshly. I will not countenance child abuse! Please allow my government to help correct this situation in any way we can. The important thing is the health of the boys."

They had brought the embassy doctor with them. His report was they were in good hands with the two nurses and needed only rest and food to heal. There would probably be some scaring, but not a lot. Since they had friends here, he did not think moving them was a good idea.

Lord Hume accepted his advice and told the boys he was trying to contact their mother and would bring her to them as soon as possible. That brightened the boys' spirits.

A Moscow police inspector had come along, too, and he questioned the Triplets about the murder of their father. He asked them if they could identify any of the Mafioso's gang and seemed almost relieved when they said they could not.

The Twins and the Barton Boys fell over themselves trying to be helpful and comfort their three friends. One of them was always at their bedside. But Lucas had to step in and insist they get at least some of their regular work done, too.

By the beginning of the next week, their backs were healed enough so they could leave the medical unit. They were to check in once a day to see how they were doing. They were even able to help with some of the ongoing work.

Their 'deluxe cabin' became rather full with nine sleepers each night, but they were OK. Each of the Triplets joined one of the boys in bed, so there was always someone right there if they needed help or comfort. The Twins and Bartons understood completely they could hug or comfort, but no sex play for the time being.

The third night, Tommy and Tom were together. Lucas was awakened by a scream, "No! I won't, father! It's dirty! I don't want to!"

Startled, he sat up to see an equally shaken Tommy also sitting up.

Lucas slipped quietly over to him. "I didn't do anything. He's still asleep," Tommy whispered.

"OK. Go back to sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning,"

The next morning, while the Triplets were having their backs checked, Cody and Lucas and their boys discussed what had happened.

"I know Tom doesn't like being hugged very much," said Tommy, "so I didn't try to. He just jumped and started to holler. And then went back to sleep."

"I don't think we know the full story about them yet," observed Cody.

"I agree, Cody. Can the 'crew' do without me today?" asked Lucas. "I think I'd like to take our visitors on a short walk."

"Good idea," agreed Cody. "Maybe you can get us a little better understanding of what they've been through."

After lunch, Lucas gathered the three and led them to a lookout over the lake, away from the activity of the Village. It was secluded enough so they would not be disturbed. They all knew what had happened during the night, and the Triplets were plainly upset by it.

Putting them at ease, Lucas asked them how they were feeling and got a tepid response. They were OK, but…

Then he asked them, "Guys, do you trust us?"

"Yeah," came a puzzled reply.

"Do you really trust that Cody or I or our boys would never do anything that would harm you?"

"Yes."

"Do you really believe we would always try to help you?"

"You certainly saved us all from death." Answered Tom, warily. He knew all eyes were on him. "I'm sorry about last night. I had a bad dream."

"Nothing to be sorry about," continued Lucas. "In your dream, it sounded like your father wanted you to do something bad."

Tom stared at the ground and began to cry softly. "Yes," he sobbed.

"Will you tell me bout it?" asked Lucas gently.

And in bits and pieces, sobs and tears, their story unfolded.

Like all young boys, they had discovered their budding sexuality. Their father caught them having a circle jerk and spanked them. The second time he caught them exploring their newfound feelings, he took a belt to them, much to their mother's dismay. That was when the fights between mother and father started.

"But you kept on doing it, didn't you?"

"How did you know?"

"I was eleven years old once and had a brother I loved dearly," replied Lucas. That made them giggle.

"Why did you keep on doing it, after you were punished?"

"Because it felt so freaking good and exciting." Answered an embarrassed Dick.

"But after you came to Russia, your father made you do sexy things, didn't he?"

The last dike had been breached and the story came pouring forth.

Their father was a gambling addict, and he had lost his job at Kings College because of that. The family moved south, but he lost another job for the same reason. He beat his sons regularly and apologized tearfully every time. After a short time, he divorced their mother, took the boys and moved to Russia.

At first, the three were excited to be in a foreign country with new and exotic customs and people to explore. Their father even told them they could do sex play so long as he could watch.

But their old nemesis crept in and they were soon low on funds.

The three of them were very attractive boys, and the father soon hit upon a way to exploit their beauty. The fact they were identical triplets lent them an exotic quality.

It started out with the three posing for some fashion designers. That was fun and they got to wear some far-out clothing.

But it didn't stay that way.

Soon they were posing in skimpy shorts and swimwear. From there the leap to nude pictures and sexually suggestive ones was not great. It was exciting! Hard core sexual poses were next. And after that, they started to be 'rented out' to men and expected to fill their sexual wishes.

The gambling increased and soon their father was hopelessly in debt despite the money the three boys were earning as high-class whores. That led to the showdown with the Mafioso, their father's death and the boys fleeing and an even more dangerous existence.

By the time they were finished with their tale, they were all staring at the ground in tears. Lucas tried his best to hold and comfort all three of them as they continued to lament, "It was wrong! It was bad! It was dirty! But he made us do it. We're so ashamed!"

After they had cried themselves out, Lucas told them gently, "You have nothing at all to be ashamed of. Your father is the one who should have been ashamed and I believe he probably was but couldn't figure out how to stop. And the Russians who took advantage of him and you; they're the ones who are shameful."

"Sex is a beautiful thing when it is between people who love each other. Cody and I have sex as the expression of our love for each other. Our boys have sex with us and each other for the same reason."

"But when someone forces you, it is degrading and painful."

The three nodded tearfully.

"I think you can guess," Lucas continued, "that all of us have grown very fond of you. We would do anything to make you feel happy and loved. But none of us will ever force ourselves on you. I'm sure our boys would like to have sex with you, but they will never ask until and unless it's something you want, too."

The three raised their tear-stained faces. "Lucas, do you think the ambassador will find our mom?" asked Harry.

"Yes, but I think it will take some time."

"What will happen to us, if he can't? Will we be made slaves?"

"Guys, you will never be made slaves. Cody and I will adopt you before we allowed that to happen."

Three open mouths and three sets of shining eyes stared up at him.

"Oh!" And they threw themselves into Lucas's arms and cried some more.

"We have always been entirely honest and open with our boys and David and Tommy, too," said Lucas. "May I share what you have told me with them?"

"Oh, yes!" came the unanimous reply.

"One thing more," put forth Tom. "You know that police inspector? He was one of our 'clients'. But he was pretty nice to us." Lucas later revealed that to Alexei, but they both decided no good would be served by pursuing it.

That evening, there was quite a love-fest in their 'deluxe cabin'. Each couple slept together naked for the first time: Tommy and Tom, David and Dick, Harry and Donnie. That left Ronnie to snuggle down between Cody and Lucas and try to satisfy both of them at once.

The three boys began to help where they could on the 'crew'. And to repay the whole Village for their kindness. But they were anxious to hear from their mother.

Nighttimes, even with loving and eager bed partners, were hard. There were still a few bad dreams… and would be for years… as they all understood how close they had been to an untimely, painful death.

Their backs healed well and they began to put on weight again. They were very attractive boys who could probably earn a comfortable living as models. But they were anxious to hear from their mother.

Finally, after about four weeks, Lord Hume called with great news: their mom had been located and was on her way to them. She would arrive the next afternoon.

As she alighted from the helicopter, the three boys approached her warily. She too looked at them apprehensively. After all, she had abandoned them to their father. Then, she dropped to her knees, held out her arms and the three flew into her embrace with tears of joy.

Teri Norden was a no-nonsense, but very loving, mom with an open mind and heart. The boys freely told her what had happened and they all shed a tear for their late father. "He wasn't a bad man," she told them. "But he had an illness. He loved you all, but he was desperate. He would never have allowed the man to take you; he gave his life for you. Always remember him as a hero, because he was."

She was introduced to all their friends and former schoolmates. And, finally to Cody and Lucas. She stood gazing at them, her eyes full of thanks. "How can I ever thank you for rescuing them. It's more than I can imagine. And you have seen they were cared for, like they were you own sons. They told me you would have adopted them if I had not been found. It's just too much." And she began to weep.

Cody put his arms around her. "We've come to know the boys and become very fond of them. They are truly special to have survived some pretty awful things. Both Lucas and I are proud to have been there to help them. We're just so glad they have found you and you will be a family again."

"I'm going to move back to Colorado Springs so they can go to school near their friends," she told them. "The Russian government has promised us a sizeable compensation, so that will get us started until I can find a job. My biggest problem may be getting them into their old school again."

"When you get back to Colorado Springs," Lucas told her, "go and see Professor Dora Washington. Tell her that we sent you. She's raising three little girls and a teen-ager as well as running a new department, so I am sure she can use some help. That will make your boys eligible to attend Kings Middle School again."

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" And she gave each of them a loving kiss.

The next day the Triplets spent the time saying goodbye to everyone. "We'll be back when school starts," Donnie assured them. "And we'll have some great times together."

The next morning they were gone.

"Now, how about we get some work done!' Cody admonished the Twins. "Slave driver!" teased Ronnie. And, work did move forward as the Village began rapidly taking shape.

But then, disaster struck. They lost a child.

Tanya, a bright, vivacious four-year-old, was the daughter of one of Uhura's original families. Everyone searched everywhere for her to no avail. She had last been seen playing with a small yellow dog that had wandered into the village. Both child and dog were missing.

After almost a week without success, they called off the search. Opinion was that she had been abducted and taken away. The authorities in Khabarvosk were of absolutely no assistance.

Then, another child disappeared, five-year-old Sasha. Once again, he had been seen in the company of the strange little yellow dog.

A prime suspect in the disappearance of both children was a so-called 'holy man' named Rasputin, who lived in a cave in the hills just outside Uhura's western boundary. At Alexei's insistence, the regional gendarmes interrogated him and searched his cave. They found no evidence of the missing children.

The whole Village was in an uproar. Receiving no support from the authorities, Cody and Alexei decided to set a trap for the abductor and enlisted the help of sever-year-old Yuri.

He bravely withstood them inserting a tracking chip into his buttocks and became their bait. He was told to follow the yellow dog if it appeared again. If he was captured by someone, he was not to try to escape. Cody and Lucas would follow him and rescue him. Using some of the army night-vision gear from the warehouse, they would be able to track him day or night.

Yuri had been saddened and frightened by the disappearance of the two other children, so he was proud and eager the help find them.

The dog appeared and led Yuri away from the Village toward the same overlook where Lucas had talked to the Norden Triplets. And waiting there was Rasputin.

The 'holy man' immediately seized Yuri, rendered him unconscious and bound him hand and foot. Hoisting him to his shoulders, he carried him off toward the west.

Resisting the impulse to rescue Yuri at once, Cody whispered to Lucas, "Go back to the Village and have Alexei call the gendarmes and tell them what we've found. I'll follow him with my communicator on so you can find me again."

"OK, but be careful! No telling what this mad-man has up his sleeve!"

Cody followed Rasputin, careful not to be seen. They soon left Uhura and climbed into the hills toward the cave. But, Rasputin continued up the hill to another cave completely hidden from view. He went in; and, after a while, came out carrying what looked like a small cut of meat which he took with him to his living quarters.

The wait for the gendarmes was pure torture. But they finally arrived, along with Lucas and Alexei. Cody told them what he had seen and the captain sadly shook his head. There had been several similar disappearances of young children from Khabarvosk. But, since they were serfs, the authorities had not been willing to mount a search.

Deploying his men skillfully, the captain soon had Rasputin in custody. The 'holy man' screamed curses and obscenities at them.

Followed by Cody and Lucas, the gendarmes climbed toward the hidden cave and entered. Running back out they tried to bar them from the cave, but reluctantly allowed them to enter.

What they saw caused them both to empty their stomachs.

Two cages along one wall contained Sasha and Yuri, trussed up like chickens ready for roasting. They were uncomfortable, dehydrated and very frightened, but otherwise unharmed. At Cody's appearance, they both burst into tears.

In two more cages lay the two boys from Khabarvosk. Rasputin had gelded them and was evidently fattening them like two prize steers for butchering.

But on a blood-stained butcher's table in the center of the cave was a horror almost too terrible to describe… the half-consumed body of little Tanya.

After viewing this, the captain, walked out of the cave to where his men were holding Rasputin. Placing his pistol against Rasputin's forehead, he blew the back of his head off.

By morning, the two city boys had been whisked away to hospital and the Uhura kids were reunited with their tearful and grateful parents. Several men from the Village fashioned a small coffin and brought Tanya home.

They buried her the next day on the lookout over the lake. Her parents, like Russian serfs had done for centuries, grieved but moved on with their lives. But the sadness lingered for days.

Work went forward, however, and they soon completed the first major building which would become their community dining hall. Only some final caulking along the roof ridge remained.

Young Josef was the son of one of the original free families. He was a bright, 11-year old, learned his lessons well and was becoming an accomplished carpenter under his father tutelage. He insisted on putting the finishing touches on the building and scrambled up the ladder, caulking gun in hand. His father had gone into the city and would miss the event.

He had worked his way halfway across the pitched roof, when he shouted and pointed. Over the hill into the Village came a truck loaded with heavily armed men.

"Everyone down on the ground!" shouted their leader and Gregor made sure the North Americans understood and continued to translate.

Alexei had been busy with paperwork in their makeshift office, but now came charging up to the leader.

"Is it not enough that you send your cowardly dogs to kill my nephew, you now attack us with a squad of thugs, Mikhail Androvitch Suslov, you worthless piece of camel shit?" bellowed Alexei.

Before Suslov could answer, a shot rang out, and Josef screamed and tumbled off the roof. Everyone froze. Except for Lucas and Donnie, who, despite being told to stay on the ground, immediately converged on him.

Lucas cradled Josef's body in his arms, horrified at the spreading red stain on the boy's chest.

"Mama!" screamed Josef. "It hurts! It hurts! It… " He gasped once, blood spraying from his mouth, and was still. Lucas wept and hugged his still body. Donnie stood up and shrieked, "HE'S DEAD. YOU MURDERED HIM!"

Cody jumped to his feet and took off toward Suslov. Gregor managed to grab him. "Let Uncle handle this," he implored. "No good will be served if you are killed, too." And he continued to translate.

"You fool!" hissed Suslov to the man who had fired the shot. "I told you not to fire unless I said so."

"But, Mikhail, the boy had a weapon!"

"It was a caulking gun, you ignorant boil on the ass of a donkey!" And he grabbed the rifle from the man and beat him over the head with it.

Turning around, he found himself face to face with an enraged Alexei.

"I'm sorry about your nephew. That was a mistake; they were to frighten you, not kill him. They are both currently learning to be lead miners, without their testicles,"

"That boy," spat Alexei at him, "was the finest flower of Mother Russia: obedient, respectful, a scholar, and a fine craftsman at the tender age of eleven years. And you, out of your unbounded ignorance and greed, have cut his life off."

Suslov winced at his words. Alexei's next words struck him like physical blows. "You disgust me, Mikhail Androvitch! You are worse than nekulturi! You are an ignorant fool. A TRAITOR TO MOTHER RUSSIA!"

At that point, Josef's mother came running to where her boy lay. Lucas gently placed him in her arms and he and Donnie withdrew. The woman began to keen shrilly and rock back and forth with her son in her arms.

Shame and sorrow had replaced arrogance and bravado on Suslov's face and he stared at the ground, unwilling to meet Alexei's angry gaze. "Lower your weapons," he told his men.

And then he did something so unprecedented that everyone gasped. He, a free citizen, strode over to Josef's mother, placed his hands on her shoulders and said humbly, "Little Mother, your son lies dead because of a terrible misunderstanding and I, alone, am to blame. I cannot expect you to forgive me, but I will grieve and mourn with you, for his life. He was a good boy. And he is a hero."

He arose and returned to his men.

Alexei addressed him again, a bit less angrily, "You can kill all of us. Destroy what we have started to build. Bit I tell you, Mikhail Androvitch, you will never destroy Uhura! Freedom will sweep across our land and you will be buried just as were the Tsars. This village is the hope of our great people, the hope of Mother Russia."

Mikhail sighed. "Why do I listen to you, Alexei Nicholiavich? I'll tell you why. Because, in my heart of hearts, I know you are right. I do not understand completely what you are doing here, but now I wish you all success. We will trouble you no more."

"Leave your weapons and go, Mikhail Androvitch," ordered Alexei.

The rifles were left in a heap, the gang boarded their truck and disappeared over the hill. The whole Village stood in awe of Alexei.

"When minister Soboloff hears of this," observed a still shaken Gregor, "Suslov and his gang would be wise to loose themselves in remotest Siberia."

"What shall we do with these weapons?" asked one of the workmen.

"Destroy them, lest they bring us greater sorrow," answered Alexei as he went to comfort Josef's mother.

The buried Josef the next day, beside little Tanya on the overlook. Uhura now had two martyrs to the Cause of Freedom.

In mid August a BBC Television team visited. The producer was Richard Perry, known throughout the world for his award-winning documentaries. With him was Richard Dimbleby, perhaps the best know voice on television.

Gregor, with the camera Cody and Lucas had given him, had faithfully documented Uhura from its very beginnings. Using his footage to contrast their own footage, the two media experts put together a splendid record of the Village and all its people.

One scene featured a little girl standing uncertainly as she looked over the Village yet to be constructed. In the contrasting scene, she sat comfortably in David's lap as he read to her, an arm hugging him.

Two small graves on the overlook gave mute testimony to sacrifice and sorrow, especially interspersed with Gregor's footage of young Joseph.

They entitled their film simply UHURA. It would be shown round the world in both Russian and English.

One evening at dinner late in August, Alexei was nearly bursting with news, but forced his team to wait until their usual daily meeting afterward.

"I receive call from Minister Soboloff today. He had great surprise. The Baikonur Cosmodrome is retired. Have 167 boys ages 9 to 17 who need home. All orphans. Older boys all trained construction workers."

"You will take them, Uncle?" asked a clearly excited Gregor. The others were speechless. They knew what an opportunity this was for Uhura.

"We must! But how we provide living space? Who will lead all crews? I overwhelmed."

Cody immediately saw the problem. Trying to more than triple the population of the Village and get ready for the approaching winter was a massive undertaking. He looked at Lucas. Lucas just nodded and Cody left to make some phone calls. No matter if it was the middle of the night in North America.

Early the next morning, he gathered the four boys and Lucas together.

"How would you like to stay another three months to help Alexei and Gregor solve their problem? Before you answer, I've talked to your parents and my folks and they will be quite satisfied with whatever we decide."

"WOW!" said Donnie. "Can we really make it possible?"

"I think we can," answered an equally excited Lucas.

"What about school?" asked Tommy.

"I talked to Professor Washington and she is sure the Middle School will count this as your Semester Abroad even though most students don't do that until their junior year in High School. I warn you, though, you'll have a lot of catching up to do when you get home."

"This is huge!" said David. "Yes! I want to do it! How about the rest of you?"

The motion was carried, unanimously!

So Cody went to see Alexei with a question. "Would it be helpful to you if we all stayed another three months?"

Alexei was so shocked he could not speak for several minutes. "I not ask you to do such a thing. Is too much! I cannot ask"

"You're not asking. We are offering," replied Cody.

"I! I! I!" stammered Alexei. Then he began to cry. "How can I ever begin to repay you? You have done so much to help!"

"The payment will be seeing Uhura blossom and grow. I take it your answer is yes?"

Alexei just nodded dumbly. His enterprise had just been saved!

As the news spread rapidly about the Village, everyone was excited beyond measure. They went out of their way to thank the six North Americans. Gregor simply could not hug them enough.

The new Dining Hall was large enough to accommodate the influx, although they would have to eat in shifts until the kitchen could be expanded. The biggest problem was sleeping them and once more the Warehouse came to their rescue… twelve-man squad tents, fifteen of them. It took the entire existing crew most of two days to get them erected and equipped. Shower and latrine facilities would be crowded, but they would make do. Enough cottages had been finished for all the current families, so they were well situated for the winter.

Two days later, two more reefers and three additional boxcars of food arrived, the Russian Government's contribution for agreeing to take the boys. With the rations still stockpiled in the Warehouse, they should now have sufficient food to carry them until next year's crops came in. Minister Soboloff was prepared to send more if they needed it.

With a lot of foreboding and anxiety, they were ready.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome had served the Russian space effort since the days of the Communists. Beginning about five years ago, the government had tried massively to reduce the costs of maintaining the facility. To that end, they had collected over two hundred orphan boys from ages nine to seventeen and trained them for that purpose. The boys twelve and older were organized into work crews and trained in construction skills to take over all of the non technical maintenance of the sprawling facility. Those younger than twelve would serve as personal servants for the cosmonauts and other base personnel.

It was a stroke of genius. The boys were thrilled to be part of the Russian space effort and performed their duties proudly. They also received a primary education up through the ninth grade level. They were fed well and received adequate medical care and clothing… things that most of them had never had before. They worked their hearts out in gratitude.

The closing of the base was a huge shock; the new space facility at Yerevan did not need them. Of the original 225, 167 remained, the others having left the program as free citizens when they reached age 18. The original thought was to offer them as indentured servants to anyone who would take them. The boys rebelled at that: they were a well-trained team and could not conceive of being separated.

Then someone thought about Uhura.

They arrived by train on the last day of August, a Monday. With them, fortunately, came supplies of clothing, medical equipment, even some food… anything the Baikonur people thought might be useful.

Accompanying them was a Russian Army Battle Surgeon, Col Rostov. He had decided to retire and remain with the boys he had come to love. They were, as he explained, his sons… all 167 of them. With the two nurses from the original residents, they would form quite an effective Medical Department.

Feeding 'the 5000' was mass confusion for the first few days, but everyone handled it reasonable well. By weeks-end they had settled in and were ready to go to work.

It was decided the original residents' work crews would remain intact and continue to take their assignments from Alexei. They would concentrate on the 'working' buildings the community needed: a medical facility, expanded food preparation and storage, an assembly hall, cattle and horse barns, and crop storage.

The Baikonur Boys, as they came to be known, were already organized into six crews of twenty, each with it's own leader. One of the North Americans would be assigned to each crew as liaison and Gregor would be responsible for scheduling and assignments for them. For some strange reason, the six crews came to be known by the name of the North American assigned to them. Thus they had Cody's Crew, Lucas's Crew, Ronnie's Crew, Donnie's Crew, David's Crew and Tommy's Crew. The Russian leaders accepted their new partners with enthusiasm and they were soon fast friends.

The 47 boys younger than twelve would spend half their days in school and the other half in various tasks around the Village. A few of the older ones for their half-day, were assigned to the crews they would be joining in a year or two.

The initial assignments for each of the Baikonur crews were to construct the dormitories they would occupy. That gave them a big incentive to build well and quickly. Once their assigned project was finished, they could move in. Each dorm was designed to house the entire crew plus eight of the younger boys.

But each crew spent one full day a week in school as well. About a dozen of the original residents were former teachers and the local authorities, after some not too subtle prodding, agreed to supply textbooks and other materials for both them and the younger boys.

The 'chief' of David's crew, was 17-year-old Dimitri, a talented leader and an excellent craftsman. The got along well together and their crew was soon acknowledged as the best in the friendly competition that grew up among them. After a few weeks, both the Baikonur Boys and the North Americans were fluent enough in each other's tongues to converse in a mixture of Russian and English without the need for Gregor to interpret.

Their only problem was young Boris.

He had been born on a lavish estate where his mother was a house servant and his father took care of the stock. When he was six, his father was killed in an accident, leaving his mother as his sole support. So, Boris became a house servant, too.

One day, while he was polishing the glassware in the formal dining room, he smashed a very expensive wine decanter. The Master of the house was enraged and beat him severely. Only his mother's tender care saved him from permanent injury.

But, when the Russian flu pandemic took her when he was nine, the Master was only too happy to send him to the Baikonur recruiters.

At Baikonur, he was assigned to assist one of the senior engineers as a servant, errand boy or wherever else needed. He was a respectful and enthusiastic boy and the engineer became very fond of him. He quickly recognized a keen intellect hiding within and made sure Boris received a good primary education.

At Uhura, he insisted he was 12-years old, just small for his age. He wanted to be part of a team… to build things. With some reluctance, Dimitri accepted him on his crew. He proved to be the 'spark plug' that kept the crew over-performing. But he had another effect on the two crew co-leaders.

For reasons only the gods of love understand, he fell deeply in love with David. When not working, he found every opportunity to be at David's side. For his part, David was as smitten as Boris was. The problem was, so was Dimitri.

To their credit, neither David nor Dimitri allowed this to affect their friendship, but Dimitri felt sad whenever he saw the two of them together. "Oh well," he thought, "David will be going home soon. Perhaps then." The Twins and Tommy teased David about his new boyfriend, but he took their teasing with grace.

At noon one day, Cody, Tommy and Lucas sat together at lunch when Boris came up to them and asked, "Have you seen David?"

"He and Dimitri are over at their site."

Boris thanked them and dashed off to find them.

"I think our little boy has a bad case of hero worship," observed Lucas.

"I think it's more serious than that. A bad case of first love." replied his brother.

"And David is just as much in love with him," added Tommy. "That's the way he is… he loves all his friends so deeply."

"How do you feel about that?" asked Cody

"I think it's great," replied Tommy. "It's really the only time he's had a close friend outside the family."

"How about Cody and me and our boys?"

"Come on! You are definitely family. Don't pretend otherwise."

"He and I have talked about his friendship with Boris and it is beautiful," continued Tommy. "He's a neat kid. I wish I had him on my crew. You remember how David was with Little Bruce? He took his death so hard. I think he's been looking for a little friend ever since. He thinks of Boris as a little brother, or even a son. It doesn't change his relationship with me or any of you at all. As you once said, he has such a capacity for love that it's truly amazing."

For Tommy it was a very grown-up statement on a subject he didn't usually share with Cody or Lucas. They were thrilled and humbled by it.

"Yes, but what happens when we go home?" asked Cody.

"David knows that will happen and he would love to take Boris with him. But he knows he can't. So Boris will always be in his heart. Maybe he can visit sometime, but he will always love the little guy."

"David really is a special boy, isn't he?" mused Lucas.

"More than you can ever know. I can't imagine life without him, or without you and the Twins, either. But I know our paths may separate some day. Ronnie told me one time that you all have a special ability to be together even when you're not. I think David and I are part of that, too. I have always felt that way ever since you had David strip me at your house when he was trying out freedom."

"Do you really think so? You can feel us there?" asked an astonished Cody.

"I think he just may be right," interjected Lucas. "My little voice says 'sure they can.'" It was very quiet for a while as they all digested this startling but wonderful revelation.

Boris had found David and Dimitri and plopped down on the bench beside David, putting his arm around him. He gazed up worshipfully at his mentor. Without saying a word, David looked down at him with adoration. Dimitri was almost reduced to tears, excused himself and fled.

David's crew had the walls up on their dormitory, the roof trusses in place and was ready for the final roof beam. Boris had insisted on helping David get it into place. He was on a ladder at one end and David on the other end as they both struggled to lift the heavy beam in place over their heads and secure it. In hindsight, it was a dangerous accident waiting to happen.

It did.

Boris lost hold of the beam and it fell striking David on the head, knocking him from his ladder. He fell to the ground, hitting his head on the fortunately soft turf and lay unmoving.

Boris's scream rent the quiet afternoon as he jumped from his ladder and dashed over to his unconscious friend. "I HURT HIM! I KILLED HIM! DIMITRI, I KILLED HIM!" he bawled as he hugged David.

Dimitri joined him and sought to calm the shrieking boy. "No you didn't, Boris. He's breathing. Go get Col. Rostov, he instructed one of the other crew members.

Dr. Rostov swiftly arrived on the scene, followed by Cody, Lucas, the Twins and Tommy. The doctor examined David; he had a nasty gash and bruise where the beam had struck him on the head and another where he had struck the ground.

"Not find scull fracture, I think," said Rostov. "Bad concussion. Must get him to medical building."

One of the nurses had arrived with a stretcher. They carried him into the new medical facility and laid him gently on his back on one of the beds and got him out of his clothes. The doctor gave him a more thorough exam and confirmed his earlier diagnosis. "May regain consciousness soon, maybe several days, maybe not at all. May have disability," he told the anxious crowd.

Cody and Lucas stood with their arms around the Twins and Tommy. "Oh God," thought Cody, "He can't die. I couldn't bare to have to tell Clara and the Doctor that we lost their son." And he began to cry, soon to be joined by the others. Dimitri held Boris in his arms, trying vainly to comfort the sobbing child.

Lucas saw their distress at once and spoke up, "He's going to be all right. He'll be OK. It's just going to take a few days. Trust me!"

Dr. Rostov looked at him, "How you know this?" he asked skeptically.

"Never mind," replied Cody thru his tears, "He just does. And he's never wrong about such things!"

"I hope you right," growled the doctor. "Now, nothing to do but wait. Could be days."

They agreed there should be one of the 'family' with him at all times until he regained consciousness, to help and comfort him. So, Cody pulled up a chair and sat on one side of the bed, beginning what would be a long vigil, while the others left after a short while. But Boris refused to leave.

"Please Cody sir! Can I stay with him? It's my fault he is hurt!"

"It's not your fault. Boris. It was an accident. We must learn to be a little more safety minded. It is sad that we had to learn that lesson this way. But you are not at fault."

"I still want to stay with him. He my very good friend, my, my, my"

Cody searched for the right word, "special friend?"

Boris nodded, "Please Cody, let me stay."

"OK. Sit on the other side of his bed and you can watch with me."

Boris knelt on the floor, reached for David's hand and lay his cheek against it. He stayed that way for several hours, finally succumbing to sleep. Cody picked him up gently so as not to awake him and laid him on the other bunk.

When Lucas came to relieve him, Cody told him, "I put the little guy to bed. He'll probably be upset when he wakes up. He wanted badly to comfort David."

"Yeah, I guess he probably will be. He'll feel that he abandoned him. I'll keep a sharp watch. I sure wish my little voice would tell me how long this is going to be. By the way, I don't think we should call the Bartons until he's awake and we can see if he'll have any after effects."

"Good idea," replied Cody.

Cody was right. Boris was angry and distressed that he had fallen asleep. "Now either calm down or you will have to leave," Lucas told him.

Boris gulped and tried to wipe away his tears with his grubby hands.

"I want you to go take a shower and then bring us both some breakfast." Lucas continued.

Boris nodded and went off to do as he had been told.

He was back shortly, clean and carrying food for them both. The sat on opposite sides of David's bed to eat.

"Boris, you can stay with David and help watch him. But you have to promise to be completely honest with me."

Boris nodded warily.

"How old are you really?"

Boris hung his head, "Eleven," he sobbed. "Please don't take me off my crew!" he said in panic.

"No, you can stay on your crew, bit I want you to go to school in the mornings. You have a very quick mind and can benefit from all the schooling you can get. Uhura needs boys like you who can be come educated and lead the community. Don't keep your talent just to yourself."

Boris looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you Lucas. I knew I couldn't fool you. You are wise and understand things about young boys," And he walked around the bed and gave Lucas a big hug before returning to his vigil.

Two days later, in the middle of the night, David regained consciousness. Tommy was with him and the three of them hugged and hugged.

Then Boris ran screaming through the Village, "HE'S AWAKE! HE'S OK!"

Dr. Rostov came running and examined David from head to toe. The sun was just coming up when he finished. "Well, your friend said you recover. I glad he was right!"

David could not remember anything about the accident, to they gently filled him in. "What some people won't do to get out of work," Cody teased him.

"Please don't make me laugh." He implored them. "My head hurts too much."

He wrapped his arms around Boris and told him, "Thank you for keeping watch. That was a very brave and loving thing to do. I'm proud of you and I love you very much, little one."

He was a little shaky and it would take several weeks before he was fully recovered. He would not lack for attention, however. Boris stuck to him like a leach. Later that afternoon, Boris helped him take a shower. Shucking his clothes, he got into the shower with David and they mutually soaped and rinsed themselves.

Pointing to David's boy parts, Boris asked, "You want me make feel good?"

David was a little shocked but managed to answer, "No, not today. Would be too much excitement. Doctor Rostov says I must not get too excited for a few days. But, I promise you that you can after I'm feeling stronger."

Boris nodded that he understood, but gave him a long and deep kiss.

Gradually the Village returned to its regular rhythm. There was still a lot of work to accomplish before winter. David's crew moved into their new dormitory and the crew went on to building cottages. The North Americans were honored with the first new one completed, but they kind of missed their cozy field tent.

One afternoon, true to his promise, David intercepted Boris as he headed for the crew following his morning at school. "Come with me, little one." By this time, Boris was quite fluent in English; he had almost as much flare for language as Gregor.

If puberty had been late for David and Tommy, it had arrived in force over the summer. Their little-boy bodies had changed dramatically… very attractive young teens, with broad shoulders and solid muscle replacing most of their childhood curves. With Boris holding his hand tightly, the two of them made a very beautiful couple.

David led him to one of the unoccupied cottages where he had spread some blankets. Tenderly, they undressed each other until they stood naked.

Boris was trembling.

The little boy had been sexually abused, and David suddenly realized he had never before given himself willingly and lovingly to another person.

Enfolding the shaking boy, David drew him down onto the blankets and pressed their naked bodies together. "Don't be frightened, my little friend. Your body is yours. Do whatever makes you feel good."

"You mean like now?"

"Yes. Only if another person forced you to do this would it be bad."

"What if I liked them and wanted them to?"

"It's your body." And David began to rub Boris's very hard little prick. "How about this?"

"Yes! I like it! It feels sooooo good!"

Boris began to rub David's tool like David was doing to his and watched him as he shivered and moaned. He then took the tip in his hands and looked at the glans closely as it pulsed and bobbed in his hot little hand.

He rubbed David's aching erection several times making the skin slide over the tip and he giggled as David groaned and moaned. "You like this a lot don't you David?"

"More than I thought I ever could! Please don't stop!"

Boris took David's prick in both hands and rubbed with a gentle intensity David could not have believed possible. "I like making you feel good David."

He smiled at David as David tensed his whole body up in expectation of the orgasm that was rushing up. "Boris, something is going to happen, stuff will come out of it, don't be scared!" he gasped at him as the moment came.

Streams of pent up semen shot from his pulsing cock in a fountain of sperm that squirted and oozed over Boris's stroking hands. David grunted and groaned in ecstasy and lust.

He gasped for breath as his climax subsided and he floated back to earth. "Good God , that was so good." He smiled at him with love and newfound feelings for the boy.

Rolling him onto his back, David puckered his lips and wet them with his tongue. He gently placed his lips on Boris's glans and kissed it softly. Boris giggled hysterically with spasms of newfound pleasures. He kissed it again and opened his lips a bit before wrapping his lips around it and love kissed it with his tongue tickling the little hole.

"WOOOOOOWWWWWWW!" Boris moaned.

"Like it?" David asked.

"God that feels so great."

"Want me to continue?" he asked knowing Boris would not refuse.

"Please David!"

David went back to kissing and licking Boris's pole like an ice cream cone. Boris moaned loudly and grabbed his head as he suckled the boy's rod with love and tenderness.

Boris began to thrust his hips into David's face as his first orgasm crept up on him like a lover in the night.

"David! Something is happening!"

"Let it happen. You won't regret it."

They coupled gently and lovingly. Boris grunted and groaned as David pushed him toward orgasm. He whined as he slammed into David's mouth and then he suddenly went rigid and huffed loudly.

"Oh god, oh god! I can't believe it!" He blacked out as his body convulsed against David's face and David cradled him lovingly until his eyes fluttered and opened. "

"Oh David, I can't believe how good that felt!"

"So you liked it?" David smiled at him.

"Ohhhh yessss!" He hugged David tight and rubbed his small frame against his body. "I love you David." David kissed his forehead gently and stroked his tight ass.

"I want to do what you did."

"Are you sure?"

"Yess, yes, yes!"

He started to lick David's knob for a while before bravely opening his mouth wide and sucking it into his hot little mouth. He sucked and kissed David's manhood with care and love. It wasn't long before the bobbing head pushed him toward orgasm again.

"I'm going to shoot Boris!" he groaned as the boy's mouth pleasured his cock in ways he never imagined.

He didn't say a word. He just sucked and bobbed harder, sliding his tender tongue over David's tingling tool with eager desire and abandon.

The first spurt caught him while he had David's penis buried deep in the back of his throat. He mumbled in surprise and refused to take his head off as David filled his mouth to capacity with boy cream. He tried to hold it all and take the entire load without swallowing or spitting.

Soon the capacity in his small mouth had been reached and he had no choice but to swallow or spit. He gulped loudly and downed all the semen in one gut wrenching load. With his mouth cleared he continued to milk the tender meat for every drop he could as David floated back to earth.

When David softened again he crawled back up to his arms and cuddled in the glowing afternoon.

"How was that David?"

"Fantastic!"

"Really?"

"Really boy. WOW." Boris lay on his belly and let David rub his back and rump as they slowly came back to earth. They took turns sucking and stoking each other until nearly dinner-time. Boris had at least six orgasms; David managed three.

"Is this what it was like for Lucas the first time he took me into bed?" David wondered. "Oh it must have been so WONDERFUL!"

But, finally their idyll had to end. As they slowly dressed, Boris asked, "You are going back to North America, soon?"

"Yes, in about two weeks."

Then came the question he dreaded. "Will you take me with you?" The little boy looked up at him with tears of hope in his eyes.

"Boris, my little love, if it were just a matter of my heart, I would take you tomorrow. But I cannot."

The hope disappeared and sorrow replaced it in the boy's eyes.

"I love you very very much and you will always be my special friend, but you are the future of Uhura. The future of Mother Russia. It would be very unfair for me to steal you away. Can you understand that?"

Boris nodded, tears running down his cheeks. "But you are my special friend. How can I live without you?"

"No matter how far we may be separated, you will always be alive in my heart and I know I will always be in your heart. But, I know there is someone else here who wants very badly to be your special friend."

"Dimitri?"

"Yes. Has he asked you?"

"I told him I already had a special friend. I was afraid you might be jealous."

"Boris, you and I will always be special friends, but Dimitri can be your special friend, too. If you just ask him.

Boris continued to weep for a few minutes. Then he threw his arms around David. "Oh David, I love you and I understand why I cannot go with you."

And he ran off to find Dimitri.

David sought out Gregor and told him what had happened.

"You know you've crushed his dream?"

"Yes, I know. And it nearly broke my heart, but he needs to dream a different dream. A dream of greatness for his homeland. If he were with me that would never happen. I just couldn't do that to you and Alexei."

Gregor smiled. "Now I know why Lucas says you are a very special boy."

David blushed. He thought for a minute. Then it came to him; an idea.

The idea left Gregor breathless.

Later that evening, he explained his idea to Cody, Lucas, Tommy and the Twins. Tommy and the Twins were ecstatic! Cody just shook his head in wonder; it was such a simple idea, really. Lucas said, "Way to go, David!" They all agreed not to divulge the idea until just before they left.

The next two weeks were a whirlwind, but at last the day of their departure drew near. Alexei announced there would be a great celebration of thanks the day before they left.

The night before the celebration, Gregor joined them for a final night of love and affection. Since the arrival of the Baikonur Boys, Gregor had been able to find some bedmates his own age. He had also chosen one of the younger boys, a gorgeous, blonde, ten-year old, as his protégé and was starting to train the boy to follow in his footsteps. Shortly, they would be 'special friends', too.

But their final time together that night would always be a very special time in the lives of all of them.

The entire Village crowded into the newly enlarged Assembly Building after a banquet that strained the capacity of the kitchens. It was a time for everyone to thank the North Americans for their help and friendship. Little Yuri was given the honor of presenting them with a gift: a set of Matryoshka dolls… Alexei, Gregor, Cody, Lucas, Ronnie, Donnie, David, Tommy and Boris.

They were all floored. When had these wonderful friends had time to produce this work of art? His voice cracking with emotion, Cody told them, "We are the ones who should give you gifts. You have given us the privilege of being part of your great enterprise. It has been one of the seminal experiences of all our lives and we can never repay your kindness and generosity. I can tell you that four young boys who came here in June will leave tomorrow as four young men. And Lucas and I have grown, too, with your love and affection. Spasibo! Spasibo! Spasibo!"

That evening also was the 'World Premier' of a DVD, entitled 'Uhura'. It opened with the question, "Just what is UHURA?', and went on to tell the story with Gregor's clips skillfully interwoven with the footage taken by the BBC Crew and Richard Dimbleby's inspired narration. When the closing scene appeared, the crown began to chant, "Uhura! Uhura! Uhura! Uhura!……."

It took more than two hours for everyone to hug and shake the hands of the slightly stunned North Americans. It was a 'goodbye' to remember.

Cody had asked Gregor, Dimitri and Boris to remain after the others had gone, and Alexei was still there, too.

David walked over to where Boris stood with Dimitri's arm about his shoulders. Dropping to his knees, he held out his arms. Dimitri gave Boris a shove and he ran to David.

But David didn't take him into his arms; he simply held the boy by his shoulders and looked deeply into his eyes. "Boris, my special friend, I have something for you, a gift, but you must give me something, too."

"What is it?" asked the puzzled boy.

"Your mind. Your very best schoolwork."

"I don't understand."

"If you study hard and keep your grades up, when you are sixteen, Gregor will help you get a student visa. Come to me and Tommy and we will see that you finish high school and go on to the best college education in all of North America, at Kings College so you can return here to be a leader of the next generation."

For a moment, Boris could not speak.

Looking up a Dimitri, he managed to stammer, "Did you hear? I'm to go to North America! And study." Gregor translated the stream of excited Russian.

"Yes, little one. David told me a week ago. I think it's a grand idea."

Turning back to David, Boris hugged him hard and then hid in Dimitri's arms so no one would see his tears of joy. After all, he was a big boy now!

The journey home was a bitter-sweet one. They had all been a vital part of an unfolding miracle and it was hard to say goodbye to such good friends and fellow workers. Particularly with half the Village waving from the train platform as the Far-East Express pulled out. But home was calling. It would be good to be with family again.

The four boys had all worn out or outgrown every bit of clothing they had brought, but they looked very sharp and grown-up in Russian Army Officer Battle Dress. Cody and Lucas managed to find enough good-looking clothes so as not to look like ragamuffins.

The Twins, tall and slim, had not changed so much, but it was doubtful Clara and Dr. Barton would recognize the young giants returning to them.

They had all grown tremendously, and not just physically. Their bonds of love and affection for each other… particularly the four boys… were now unbreakable. They had lived and worked together daily for seven months and it would be hard for them to be apart once they were home. They understood completely that this had been a very special time. It was possible there might be other visits to Uhura but this time would never come again.

The pass through outbound customs at Vladivostok was as smooth as when they had arrived and the RAF Condor was waiting for them: coincidently, of course.

The Condor dropped Cody, Lucas and the Twins at Pacific International Airport before continuing on to Colorado Springs with the Bartons. After clearing His Majesty's Customs, there was John waiting for them.

Despite the warm, enthusiastic greeting, Cody could tell immediately something was wrong. "What is it Dad?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Chapter Thirteen

The Condor dropped Cody, Lucas and the Twins at Pacific International Airport before continuing on to Colorado Springs with the Barton Boys. After clearing His Majesty's Customs, there was John waiting for them.

Despite the warm, enthusiastic greeting, Cody could tell immediately something was wrong. "What is it Dad?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

John gave a great sigh. "It's your Mom, guys. She's very ill."

"Is Grammie going to die?" asked the ever-astute Donnie.

"Yes, Donnie, I'm afraid she is."

"Dad! Why didn't you tell us? We could have come home!"

"Lucas, you know very well she would have boxed my ears if I had. There's really nothing you could have done, and she believed it was important to finish what you had begun in Russia."

"How long does she have?"

"Six to nine months, so the doctors tell me," replied John. "This will almost surely be her last Holiday Season and she wants it to be special for all of us. So, try not to grieve and make it a happy one for her and us."

The Twins had been trying very hard not to cry; after all, they weren't little boys any more. But, for the second time, the most important woman in their young lives… their Grammie… their Shining Star… was going to leave them and they were devastated.

Despite all, that Holiday Season was the most joyous they could remember. Ruth was not as strong as they remembered, but she celebrated with them without missing a beat.

But the New Year came and it was time for the four to return home. They would talk to John and Ruth nearly every night. As John said, there was really nothing they could do; Ruth was receiving fine care from the local hospice group and she insisted on running her household until the very end.

The four headed east on January 2nd. Climbing out of the Imperial Valley, they soon were met with heavy snow. A strong storm had swept in from the Great Basin and it soon became clear they would have to stop until it abated.

They managed to reach a town named Bristol and found a room at a small, but spotless motel, run single-handedly by an elderly gentleman, John Adams. It soon became clear they would be there for several days. There was a restaurant adjoining the motel, so they could really be quite comfortable, even though they were anxious to reach Colorado Springs.

They called their folks on the coast to let them know they would be delayed and then called the Bartons who were looking after their house. "Not a problem," said the Doctor. "Your house is ready whenever you get here. But please hurry. I have our two and Teri Norden's three who just can't wait for the Twins to get home."

Cody told him about his Mom and asked the doctor to talk to David and Tommy and the Triplets so Ronnie and Donnie would not have the pain of telling them when they got there. "I'm so sorry, Cody, to hear about your Mom. Please, if there is anything we can do. I only met her once, but I can tell from knowing you and Lucas that she is a great and wonderful woman. Our prayers will be with you all."

When they had checked in, they saw a notice board in the lobby, but paid little attention to it. On their way back from supper, Donnie checked it out. "Dad! Come here and look at this!"

What had taken his attention was a poster showing a young boy, twelve or so years old. A good-looking kid, with dark, shaggy reddish-brown hair, dark skin and a build that would put most weight lifters to shame. He was naked, gagged with a mouth bar, his legs shackled and his arms fastened outspread to an overhead bar and wearing a chastity cage around his cock and balls. The markings on his body said, "Property of Bristol County Juvenile Work Camp."

He was for sale!

"Is he a slave?" asked Ronnie.

The motel proprietor overhearing them answered, "No, but he will be if someone doesn't buy him."

"Would you care to explain this?" asked a puzzled Lucas.

"Well, you're looking as one of our finest products," explained Mr. Adams, his voice full of sarcasm. "A fine young boy who has been beaten into submission is completely docile and ready for a lifetime of service to anyone who wants him. It's our answer to juvenile crime."

They looked at Adams, dumfounded.

"A couple of years ago, this outfit wanted to build an ore processing plant on the edge of town. The County Council wasn't keen on it, but then they said they would run it as a work camp for delinquent boys, at no cost to the county. They guaranteed the boys incarcerated there would be punished for their misdeeds, but not abused, and taught to be law-abiding citizens when they were released."

"Sound too good to be true? It was! But the Council bought into it, hook, line and sinker."

"What did this kid do and why is he for sale?" asked Cody.

"He spray-painted an uncomplimentary picture of the mayor on the sidewalk in front of his house. He was angry that one of his friends had been sent to the camp. His name is Austin Phillips and he got eighteen months at hard labor."

All four gasped.

"This sounds like Deadwood all over again!" screeched Ronnie.

"Yeah, we head about them," said Adams, "and the Council was careful not to make the same mistakes. Say, now I know why your names are familiar," he addressed Cody and Lucas. "You're the ones who helped to shut them down."

"Yes, we are," answered Cody.

"Well, much as I'd like to see it, I don't think you would have much luck here. Keeps the taxes low. The citizens love it… until it's their son or grandson that's swept up, stolen away and returned as a basket case."

"Of course we have very little juvenile crime. The word has gotten around among the young, 'You don't want to go there!'. Although, I'm told among a certain strata of boys, 'going to camp' is a way to prove their manhood. What they don't realize until it's too late is when they get out, they'll have precious little manhood left."

"Right now there's only three or four boys at the camp. In fact, the managers are looking for ways to increase the camp population. Contacting other counties and offering to take their delinquent boys. Even offering to allow parents to commit their sons without a criminal action."

"You still haven't explained why this kid's for sale," Cody reminded him.

"I'm commin' to that. You see, while they don't actually abuse the boys, they work the hell out of them, sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. They keep them naked… cuts down on expenses… feed them a gruel diet… the minimum… they get eight hours off at night and hosed down with cold water once a week. And they put those damned cages on their privates so they can't play with themselves or each other. They rarely get to go outside, except when they're paraded around town as an object lesson to other boys. The place is dark, hot and dirty. They don't beat them, unless they refuse to work. If a boy gets really violent, they take his balls. There's one there now like that; he's in for ten years… if he lives that long. They've had two boys commit suicide. "

"Wait a minute. How do you know so much about it?" interrupted Lucas.

"My kid brother works there. He always was a bully and now he can beat up on kids to his fill."

"The thing is, the constant work and the harsh treatment reduces a boy to almost nothing. My brother says they put something in their food that keeps them under control, too. It destroys their will. Turns them into zombies. It's a pretty grim existence. Especially for a minor childhood mistake."

Adams was nearly in tears. And only shock at what they were hearing kept Cody, Lucas and the Twins from tears.

"The worst part is when their sentence is up and they're released," the old man continued. "If he was in for less than six months, the boy usually recovers in a week or two, but with precious little kid left in him. More than six months, it might take months for the boy to function like a normal human being again. One of my friends had a grandson who served nine months for petty theft and it took his parents over a year to get him back to almost normal again.

More than twelve months, the parents will likely be caring for an oversized three-year-old for the rest of his life. Some parents can't take that and they just let the Camp sell their son. That's why Austin is for sale. His parents abandoned him and moved away. If he's not sold, the Mine will take him and in less than a year he'll be dead."

"Oh no!" cried the Twins together.

Their host paused to wipe a tear. "He was a good kid. A little rambunctious, but, hell, he's a young boy fer God's sake. Was a neighbor! Helped me with lawn work. Bright, cheerful, fun… he and I had many great times together… his parents mostly ignored him., so I kinda filled in. I guess he was the grandson I never had."

"He was very upset when his best buddy was sentenced to eighteen months for skateboarding on the courthouse steps. But he got in trouble himself and ended up there. He shouldn't have had to suffer for what he did. But, they've destroyed him! He'll never be a boy again!"

"I thought about buying him. No one else will; he's damaged goods. But I'm seventy-eight. It breaks my heart, but how would I take care of this boy?" And he broke down in sobs.

Finally, he got himself together, "I'm sorry you had to hear all that. But you asked."

"Yes we did," replied Cody. "Thank you. I can tell it was hard for you."

"Dad," began Donnie, "we gotta…."

"No Donnie!" interrupted Cody, "we can't. How would we care for a special needs kid like that? We've got Mom to think about. It's too much!"

The other three stared at him with looks that made his skin crawl. "But, Dad!"

"Absolutely not! End-of-discussion!" He had never done that to them before and it made him feel like a complete heel.

That night Cody tossed and turned, visions of boys working and dying dancing through his head. When he finally slept, he dreamed about the boy who was for sale. Then, suddenly it was Lucas, then Donnie, then Ronnie who was on the poster. When he awoke from his nightmare, he faced a revolt.

Cody," admonished Lucas with tears in his eyes, "please don't ever do that again… cut us off like that. It took me hours to settle the Twins down. They were deeply hurt. And so was I."

Cody stared at the floor in shame, "I know and I feel wretched about it. Can you forgive me?"

"You once told us that we would always be forgiven," answered Ronnie softly. "That applies to you as well."

Lucas held him by his shoulders, "Cody, you said we needed to think of Mom. Well, I did and I kept asking myself, 'What would she do?' I think the answer is pretty obvious."

"Dad, we just can't leave him here. He'll die in the mines," added Ronnie.

"We'll find some way to take care of him. Please! Please!" implored his brother.

Cody knew he was beaten. But in his heart of hearts, he also knew he could not have abandoned this child. "You're right. We've got to take him with us".

They went to see Mr. Adams and told him what they had decided. The old man, near tears, could hardly believe it. "Do you guys know what you're getting into?" he asked.

"Not exactly, but we'll work it out," answered Lucas. "Now, please tell us how we go about buying him."

Following Adams's instructions, they four of them went to the Camp. The storm was over and roads in the valley were mostly open, but it would be a day or two yet before the mountain passes were cleared enough for them to get home.

Arriving at the camp, they went to see the Manager. "We're here to buy the boy you have on sale," Cody told him.

A look of surprise crossed the Manager's face. "Are you sure? Do you know what you're getting into?"

"Yes!" replied Cody, clenching his jaw.

The Manager punched an intercom on his desk. "Lieutenant, put number 09-00022 on display. There's a potential buyer here."

Shortly the answer came back, "He's ready," and the Manager led them to another room.

The boy hung there, just like in the poster, only now his feet were a few inches off the floor, forcing him to bear his weight on his shackled arms. He was dripping wet; they had given him a cold water dousing. He was quiet, breathing softly and his expression was of absolute submission. But, in his impossibly green eyes, they all could see anger and despair bubbling just beneath the surface.

"How much?" asked Lucas.

"Two hundred pounds plus another seventy-five for the shackles and the chastity cage."

"I don't want them. Take them off."

"What? Do you know what you're doing?"

"TAKE THEM OFF!"

The lieutenant complied and the boy slumped to the floor and then stood again, facing them.

"Does he have clothes?" snarled Cody.

"Nah. We sent them back with his parents when they brought him in."

Turning to the twins, Lucas said, "Please go to the car and bring all the blankets you can find."

"Right away, Dad." And they returned a few minutes later with a stack of them

With his shackles removed, Austin stood silently, his hands hanging at his sides. His eyes clouded over; he was clearly somewhere else, locked in a dream world.

"Does he talk?"

"Not since he found out his parents dumped him. You're sure you want him?"

"YES!"

The Manager produced a set of papers, which both Cody and Lucas signed. Cody paid him and Austin was theirs. "Go with them, Austin. You belong to them, now," ordered the Manager.

The boy held out his hands, waiting for the cuffs. "No. No cuffs. Never again," said Lucas.

They wrapped the unresponsive boy in blankets, got him unto the SUV where Ronnie and Donnie held him, and returned to the motel.

When they got back, Mr. Adams was waiting for them. "Oh my little friend! What have they done to you?" he cried. That set them all off. The Twins had managed not to weep through the purchasing ordeal, but now they cried in their dads' arms while Mr. Adams wept with his arms about Austin.

The boy's hair and skin were filthy and his whole body had a metallic odor. They guessed he hadn't had a proper bath in eighteen months, so the twins climbed into the shower with him. He stood there, mute and unresisting as they soaped and scrubbed him, not even flinching when they gently washed his boy parts.

Removing eighteen months of grime from his hair and body, took four separate soap and rinse cycles. But when it was done, there was a huge transformation. His hair was a bright mixture of red and light brown and his skin was quite fair with a splash of freckles across his cheeks. His green eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. He was a very beautiful child. Just looking at him took your breath away.

Adams was amazed at the transformation. "He looks like I remember him. Oh, if he could only be a boy again!" They had discovered he would follow simple commands without complaint, but showed no willpower to direct himself.

Lucas and the Twins went out for hamburgers and fries and brought them back to the room. Cody told Austin to eat. He gobbled down three of them… and promptly threw them up. They would have to go easy on his digestive system.

Lucas's clothes were a bit large for him, but would do until they got him home. But he resisted all their attempts to dress him, tearing the clothes off as fast as they put them on. So, he would remain naked for the rest of the day and night. They tried to interest him in television, but he just sat rigidly in a chair, staring straight ahead. Lucas shook his head sadly; how could they possibly care for him.

That evening they told their Dad what they had done. "I'm surprised," he said, "but I couldn't imagine you doing anything else. You've a very difficult task ahead, but I have every bit of confidence that you'll be successful. That's the kind of young men you are."

The Twins took Austin to bed with them, so he would have someone close to him if he needed help. Shortly after midnight, bloodcurdling screams rent the building, followed by sounds of overturned furniture and smashed lamps.

Cody and Lucas dashed into the Twins' room to find them unsuccessfully trying to subdue a wildly thrashing Austin. He was enormously strong… eighteen months of hard labor had left their mark… and it was all the four of them could do to pin the hysterical boy to his bed. They held him there for over an hour until, at last, he drifted off to sleep.

Sending the Twins to their beds, Cody and Lucas kept a vigil for the rest of the night. "What have we gotten ourselves into?' Cody asked himself.

The next day was more of the same. They all tried to 'reach' him without success. Austin was obedient and docile, but completely unresponsive otherwise. They soon discovered he would have to be directed to perform even the simplest tasks of daily living. Eighteen months of a completely controlled existence had taken their toll on his will power. He had none. He was completely submissive.

For example, after he had been awake for a while, even though he was in 'his other place', Donnie noticed that he seemed to shake like he was in physical distress. He suddenly realized what was wrong; Austin had not relieved himself since the got him. Obviously, in the camp, he could only go to the toilet when the guards told him he could.

Donnie dashed into the bathroom with him, positioned him on the toilet and told him to go.

Austin emerged a few minutes later with a much-relieved look, but that soon faded as he once more withdrew into his private world.

They tried everything they could think of to get thru to him, but nothing seemed to work. They had even considered trying to stimulate him sexually, but abandoned that, as they had no idea what the consequences might be.

That evening, Mr. Adams brought them a big bowl of stew, which he said had been Austin's favorite food. They did get him to eat some of the stew, but, after eighteen months of slurping gruel from a pan, they had to direct Austin to use a spoon and to chew before swallowing. At least the food was not the disaster it had been the previous day.

By this time they were all tired, discouraged and almost overwhelmed with thoughts of the task that lay ahead of them.

Austin seemed to be a bit more comfortable with Donnie, so he was elected to take Austin into the shower with him. The soaping and rubbing seemed to relax him a bit and Ronnie was waiting with towel in hand when they were finished.

He began to dry Austin while Donnie returned for his towel. When he reappeared with his towel draped around his shoulders, Austin immediately dropped to his knees, crawled over to Donnie, took Donnie's prick into his mouth and proceeded to suck him.

Donnie's first inclination… based on their earlier discussion… was to push him away. "You'd better let him finish," cautioned his brother and went to summon Cody and Lucas. Ronnie quickly explained what had happened and Cody nodded to the distraught Donnie to let him keep going. "Might as well enjoy it," he advised his son.

Donnie grit his teeth at first, but soon began to succumb to the action on his prick. He began to gasp and with a final screech, he filled Austin's mouth with his cream and stood panting in front of the boy.

Austin looked up at him questioning. Sensing what the question was, Donnie replied, "Yes, it was very good." Austin almost smiled, but slipped quickly back into his private world. Donnie laid him in his bed and the boy was asleep in seconds.

They were all rather shaken by this turn of events.

"I think," said Cody, "giving a blow-job every night.… probably to one of the guards… must have been his last task before going to sleep. Last night we didn't let him do that and what we saw and heard was him punishing himself. Does that make sense?"

The others agreed that it did.

"So much for the idea that they were not abused," continued Cody. "I think I need to talk to Mr. Adams." And he left them to find their host.

After hearing Cody's description, Adams said, " Yeah. I was afraid that was going on. My brother said some of the night staff were pretty strange."

"I used to hug him a lot," continued Adams. "He really liked that; it's not something he got from his parents. We never did anything sexual, though… boys aren't my thing. But I know he and his friend, Jayden, fooled around. I sort of stumbled on them one day and they were really into it. They were deathly afraid I was going to tell their parents, but I assured them I wouldn't. I told them what they were doing was part of boys' growing up and to go ahead and enjoy it but to be a little more careful in the future. I suspect they did it a lot after that."

"Then, when Jayden was taken….." He gasped. "You don't suppose Austin deliberately got himself in trouble so he could be with Jayden, do you?"

Cody though back to that time years ago when he had been ready to be hanged with Lucas so he could be with him in the next world. "I think you might be right," he answered. "He probably thought he could help his friend."

Adams sighed. "It all fits, now. Why didn't I see this before?"

"Austin begged me to go with him to Jayden's hearing. Hearing hell; it was a kangaroo court. He hoped and believed the judge might let Jayden off with a warning. I tried to prepare him for the disappointment that was inevitable, but he wasn't hearing me."

"When the judge announced Jayden's sentence, it was all I could do to keep Austin from attacking him. As they led Jayden out in shackles, he saw Austin standing there. The look of anguish on both their faces was worse than I can describe."

"I managed to get Austin out of the courtroom and into my car before he did something foolish. All the way back here he was deathly quiet. I brought him into the office and there he lost it. He screamed, he fought with me, he cursed the judge and threatened to kill him. He went on for almost two hours."

"I finally held him in my arms and he cried himself out… I thought. Once he was quiet again, I let him go home. I thought the worst was over and he would be OK."

"How wrong I was. He was far from OK. When I didn't see him for the next week or so, I asked his parents if he was sick. They told me he had been arrested and his hearing was scheduled for the next day. I couldn't believe it."

"I went to the hearing and sat in the back. His parents didn't even bother to show up. When they led him out in cuffs, I couldn't hold back any longer. I sat there in that courtroom and cried like I haven't done since I was a little kid. I didn't care what the other people thought. My boy was being destroyed."

"Jayden's term ended a month ago. His parents wouldn't take him back. Neither would anyone else, so they sold him to the Mine. And now Jayden is gone from Austin's life forever! No wonder Austin's in the condition he is!"

When Cody told the others, they tearfully agreed with him. Fortunately, there were no screaming fits that night. But, the next morning, Austin was the same. Cody took him into his arms and gently told him, "Austin, it's over! Jayden is gone and we know you are very sad. But you are free again and we love you and want to help you be a boy again. Can you understand me?"

There was no response.

About mid morning their Dad called again and Lucas gave him a complete account of their efforts and frustration. "It's like he's somewhere else. I guess that's how he was able to endure the horror of that place and the loss of his parents and his best friend. He had to do his work, but he didn't have to 'be there'. I don't know how we're going to cope. I sure hope there is someone at Kings who can help us. But, none of us feel this was a mistake. We could not have done anything else; the kid needed us and we had to respond."

"I know you did, and you can't begin to imagine," said his father, "how proud your Mom and I are that you did. By the way, a thought occurred to me. Have you considered asking Michael Connor for help?"

"That's too much to ask…."

"He thinks you two are pretty special after the way you helped with Tristan," interrupted John. "The kind of environment at Paloma might be just what Austin needs."

"You think we should admit defeat?" asked a dispirited Lucas.

"It's not a matter of defeat," answered his father. "It's a matter of what is best for the boy. Think about it."

"OK. We will." After he hung up, he turned to Cody and asked, "What do you think? Are we in over our heads?"

"I'm afraid we might be," replied his brother. "I'd like very much to see Austin become whole again, but it may be more than we can do. I'm not willing to sacrifice our sons' happiness trying to do something we're not able to. I really think it would be asking a lot of Michael, but I don't know where else to turn.

Lucas nodded, and Cody placed the call to Paloma.

After greetings and a few pleasantries, Cody got to the point. "Michael we need your help. We have another damaged kid for you." And he told him Austin's story.

Michael whistled. "Wow! You guys don't pick the easy ones, do you?"

"I know it's much too much to ask of you but…"

"Now cut that out, Cody Davidson! After what you guys went through to save Tristan, nothing you could possible ask is too much. I will need to talk to a few people about this, so let me get back to you in an hour or so. Don't despair, you here! You guys did the right thing and I admire you all for it."

Late that afternoon, Michael called. "OK, we'll take him. Don Alfredo and his people are going to care for him. He says he owes you a big debt of gratitude for keeping Donnie and Ronnie free. I can't think of anyone better qualified, can you?"

"Can you hang on there for another day or two? You're closer there than you would be in Colorado Springs. The passes should be open by tomorrow, so I'll send a team to pick him up."

"Oh Michael, how can we ever thank you?"

"I get my thanks every time I see Tristan beginning to be a boy again. Every time a see a smile on Garrett's face. And I remember how Lucas tried to help Toby and his brother. That's the kind of thanks that means most to me."

A relieved Lucas called his father to give him to good news. They also told an overjoyed John Adams their plans for Austin.

About noon the next day, the team arrived from Paloma: Paulie Connor and Garrett Weathers, trailed by a young slave.

As soon as the Twins spotted him, forgetting he was a slave under discipline, they dashed over to him. "Cousin Julio! How are you? What are you doing here?" The slave immediately went to his position of respect.

Julio looked up at Paulie and asked, "Master Paul, may I speak?"

"Yes Julio. You are released and you may call them by their names."

"Thank you Master," replied Julio, as he rose and embraced the Twins. "Greetings, Cousin Donaldo and Cousin Renaldo. I am well; thank you and I trust you are too. I am here because Don Alfredo chose me to care for the boy who is injured."

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Ronnie. "His name is Austin and he needs help badly. Come on! We'll introduce you to him." Cody and Lucas welcomed Paulie and Garrett and introduced John Adams and they all sat down together. "It's great to see you looking so good, Garrett."

"I'm feeling great, too," said their friend. "Dad is fine; Michael keeps him pretty busy. And Tris is doing well; he's off the colostomy bag and is scheduled for spinal surgery in Chicago in the spring."

"That's, indeed, good news," said Cody, "but I know you are anxious to get moving." And the three of them told their two friends everything they could about Austin.

"What a tragedy!" said Paulie, "I sure hope we can help him. Julio helped us with Tristan from time to time and he's an excellent choice for Austin."

The Twins and Julio emerged from their room with Austin. Cody decided to make one more attempt to get him into some clothes. "Austin, there are some people here who have come to take you to a place where you'll be safe and loved and have a family again. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The boy nodded!

"But it's too cold out to go without clothes. Will you let us dress you?"

The boy nodded again. And did not resist as they dressed him warmly. They each gave him a hug and Julio took him by the hand and led him toward their vehicle. As they were going out the door, Austin turned to Donnie, gave him a big hug and uttered the first words he had spoken in almost six months.

"Thank you!"

After they had gone, the five of them sat quietly together. "I hope, perhaps, I might visit him after he is better," said Mr. Adams, wistfully. "I still think of him as my grandson."

"I'm sure you would be more than welcome," observed Cody.

Adams left them and the four continued to hold each other and just basked in their mutual love. "Why do you think he chose me?" asked a bewildered Donnie.

"I don't really know," replied his dad, "but I think he may have seen in you some of the same qualities he saw in Jayden. You're better at projecting your empathy than any of the rest of us. I think he just saw a soul mate. And from just the little we saw of him, I think Julio will do just fine."

"Wow!" said Donnie. "He chose you, 'cause you're the best," said his adoring brother. And they were quiet for some time.

"Well, guys! It's time to go home."

When they went to check out, their host said, "No charge friends, humor an old man. I'm just so happy you could save him. I'll miss him, but it's enough to know that he's safe and has a chance to get better, to be a boy again. Maybe some day, he'll visit."

Late the next afternoon, they pulled into their driveway, to find both the Bartons and the Nordens waiting to welcome them home.

Despite the sorrow of Ruth's illness hanging over them, they immediately plunged into their lives again. The Twins, along with Tommy and David, had a full semester's work to catch up on and Cody and Lucas rejoined Dora Washington in her quest to make the most of the human potential in their community, slave or free.

They had only been home for a few days when the Twins appeared at bedtime with their 'we-have-something-very-important-to-discuss' faces.

"What's up, guys?" asked Lucas.

"You know," began Donnie, "we got to spend a lot of time with David and Tommy last summer and fall. The four of us have talked about it since we've been home."

"We want to be Lifemates with them," announced his brother.

It was quiet for a moment. Both Cody and Lucas had seen this coming, but it was still an emotional time for them.

Finally, Cody took a deep breath. "I hope you both know that we would be happy whatever you choose and we are thrilled with your decision. I can't think of two finer young men you could mate with."

"You know they are very precious to us," added Lucas, 'almost as precious as you are."

"We know we're too young to pledge," said Ronnie. "But we wanted you to know how we felt. We want to live together… the four of us… and adopt and raise some kids, just like you did."

The lump in Cody's throat just wouldn't go away. "You have just given us the greatest gift of trust you could give us. No matter what you decide, we will be there to love and support you."

"I knew we could count on you!" And they both hugged their dads.

"What do the Bartons' think of your decision?" asked Lucas.

"They're going to tell them tomorrow. We all agreed we wanted you to know first," replied Donnie. "Thanks for being the best dads in the whole world."

After the Twins has gone to their own room, Cody and Lucas lay awake in each other's arms.

"God! They're growing up so fast!" lamented Lucas. "They are definitely not our little boys any more!"

"They never were!" mused his brother. "God just let us borrow them for a few years to see what we could do with them. Besides, we were almost that young when we told Mom and Dad, so we didn't think we were too young. We've often said they're precocious about a lot of things."

"Yeah, but it's different when you're the dad. But you're right. I'm so happy for them. I can't think of anyone else who I would like to see them mated with!"

"How do you think the Bartons will react?"

"Could be a problem. Could be a problem." How great a problem, they could not have guessed.

The next evening, they were all asleep in Lucas's bed when the doorbell rang. Cody pulled on a robe over his naked body and went to see who it was at that time of night.

What he found were two young teens, barefoot and wearing only under shorts, shivering in the winter cold and gently falling snow. "My God! What's happened? Get in here out of the cold!"

"Mother threw us out!" sobbed Tommy. "And Father told us to come here!" added his brother.

By this time, Lucas and the Twins had appeared. The four of them immediately sandwiched the half frozen, crying boys between then and held them until they stopped shivering.

While hot chocolate was restoring warmth to two chilled bodies, Lucas called Dr. Barton. "This is Lucas. The boys are safe. I don't know what happened, but I will be over to talk to you in the morning. They could have died out there!" he shouted and slammed the phone down.

Back in the common room, Cody and the Twins were cuddling Tommy and David. They had mostly stopped crying, but still were traumatized.

"Will you tell is what happened?" Cody asked them gently.

After a few moments choking back his tears, Tommy explained.

"Tonight, we told Mother and Father about our plans to mate with Donnie and Ronnie. Mother went bananas!"

"She screamed and shouted at us," added David. "She said she wouldn't have two queer boys living in her house and we weren't her sons any more. Father was as frightened as we were!"

"She wanted us out! Right away! Father tried to reason with her and she actually hit him! That's when he told us to come to you."

The Twins were incensed.

"How could she do this to her own sons?" screamed Donnie. He was ready to fight both Bartons.

"She put them out naked into a snow storm!" shouted an equally enraged Ronnie.

"Calm down, guys," admonished Cody. "It won't do anyone any good to be so upset. There's a big problem of some sort and we'll just have to sort it out calmly."

To Tommy and David he said, "I told you once that we think of you as part of our family and if something happened that you could no longer live with your parents, you would always have a home here. So why don't you and the Twins settle down for the rest of the night. I promise you, we'll get this straightened out."

After the Twins and their erstwhile mates had withdrawn, Cody turned to his brother. "What do think set her off?"

"I think it was the sudden realization that her sons were gay," replied Lucas as the two of them crawled back into their bed.

"I don't understand that. We've been friends for years and she knows we're gay."

"But we're not her sons. Just good friends," answered Lucas. "In any event, we just can't sit here and watch their family disintegrate."

"Would you like me to go with you tomorrow?"

"No, my love. I think this is something I must do. After all, I'm the former slave who is a Lifemate."

"You think that has something to do with it?"

"I don't know, but it could." And they simply held each other until fitful sleep came.

None of them slept much the rest of the night, and it was late when they all stumbled, bleary-eyed into the breakfast room. The underwear Tommy and David had arrived in were still drying and, since nothing of the Twins would fit them, that is what they wore… nothing.

"What's going to happen to us?" they wanted to know.

"I promise you," Lucas told them, "I will find out what's wrong."

"Will we have to live with you?" asked a tearful David.

"I hope not." Replied Lucas.

"You don't want is either!" cried Tommy.

"We told you last night, you will always be welcome here," Cody reminded them. "But none of us wants to see your family destroyed. That's why Lucas is going to see them this morning."

"Yes, my little voice assures me everything will work out… but not how." Turning to the Twins, he said "I think you better stay home from school today."

"Yeah, we were planning to go to the library today for some research, anyway."

"But we can't go!" interjected Tommy. "We don't have any clothes."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the front door. Cody opened it just in time to see Dr. Barton pull away in his car. There was a neat bundle of clothes and shoes and their winter jackets for both boys, with a note.

'I thought you might need these.

Lucas, please come as soon as you can.

Edward.

Of significance was that it was only one day's clothes.

"I'll call Dora and tell her we won't be in and let the School know, too. If you guy's want, I'll take you to the library."

All four nodded.

"Yeah, I can walk," added Lucas.

Trudging through the snow to the Bartons', Lucas felt his anger rising. He stood for a while on their porch, letting his wrath cool, before ringing the doorbell.

Dr. Barton ushered him into the living room, where Clara sat, tear streaked and glaring. "This is none of your concern, Lucas Davidson. It's a family matter!" she growled at him."

"Clara, last night I had two young teens sitting in my living room, so crushed they could hardly speak. And two sons who were… and still are… so angry at what had been done to their best friends. So, don't tell me it's none of my concern!"

"You have almost destroyed two young teens that Cody and I and the Twins love very much by cutting them off from a loving Mom. Lord, David has already been through that before… are you going to put him through it again?" he shouted at her. Then, more softly, "I thought Cody and I and the Twins were like family to you. I guess I was wrong."

Clara blanched at his words, "I won't have two queer sons living in my house!" she snarled.

Lucas took a deep breath and began again. "You've known Cody and me for years. Surely you know we're gay!"

"But you're not my sons!" she screamed at him. Then, she burst into tears and fled from the room.

Left alone with Dr. Barton, Lucas rounded off on him. "And you! How could you stand there and do nothing? Sending them out in a storm practically naked. They could have died."

The Doctor hung his head in shame. "You are absolutely right, Lucas. You have every right to be angry with me. I was a coward, but I've never see Clara this way before. My only thought was to get them away from her before she hurt one of them. I thought they would grab their jackets and boots on the way out. I knew you would keep them safe!"

Lucas took a deep breath. This wasn't going as he planned. Before his glib tongue could do further damage, Clara came back into the room, and took him by both hands.

"Lucas, you are right. You are family," she wept. "I pray I haven't lost you, too. I've already lost my sons."

"No you haven't Clara. They want their Mom back, but they don't understand what they did to make you so angry. They would do anything to make amends. But they don't know how. And I don't know how to help them."

"It's not their fault, Lucas. It's mine!"

She took a deep breath and began, "I was raised in the wilds of northern Scotland. My family was grim and very conservative. My father taught me that all slaves were vermin. Anyone, child or adult, who was enslaved, deserved it. And homosexuals were worse than vermin. Needless to say, we owned no slaves."

"I met Edward at Oxford and we fell in love and were married. At Oxford, too, I too met some queers. They didn't seem much different than normal people, but I shied away from them. I didn't want to know them; they were vermin. We became good friends with David's family and our two boys were inseparable."

"And then David came to us, the victim of a horrible tragedy. Despite the law's insistence that he was a slave, I couldn't bring myself to think of him that way. He was just a sad, frightened, lonely little boy who needed a Mother's love."

"I refused to help teach him slave behavior. Edward and Tommy did that and they trained him beautifully. I knew he was sad he couldn't go to school and be freely with his friends except for Tommy, but I couldn't do anything about it. The law was the law."

"When we came here to Kings, it was the first time I had to deal with large numbers of slave children and their masters. They were just like David… kids who had suffered and now were growing up in families that loved them. But, they still were slaves. Had my father been wrong about them?"

"And then, we met you and Cody. Yes, I knew you were gay, but you were good people, good friends! It didn't matter you were gay. It just didn't matter! Was my father wrong about that, too?"

"You encouraged us to free David and adopt him. And you helped both David and Tommy get ready for that day. But it took me a long time to get ready. David was a slave and I was afraid that he would somehow taint our family. I am deeply ashamed of those feelings."

"You took our boys to Russia last summer, on the adventure of their lives. And when they came back, they weren't our little boys any more. They had grown up! They wanted to begin to make their own choices about life."

"When they announced they wanted to be Lifemates with Ronnie and Donnie, all the old bigoted and hateful memories came flooding back. These can't be my sons. They can't be doing this to me! It's David's fault! He led my innocent Thomas into depravity!"

"When Thomas defended David, I knew it was too late. I just wanted both of them out of my house and out of my life."

"And now they're gone forever! Oh, what have I done?" she wept bitterly. "How can you forgive me? How can they forgive me? I don't deserve to be their Mother."

Lucas had sat spellbound through Clara's tale. "Clara, they're not gone. They are just waiting to be invited into your arms again. Trust me! I understand! You were wrong, but now you know that. Your family can never be quite the same again. But I believe it will ultimately be stronger for it."

"Cody and I want you to come to dinner this evening. Six o'clock. Be there! In the meantime I think you and Edward have some talking to do, so I'll say goodbye for now." And he let himself out.

That afternoon, he shared with Tommy and David what Clara had told him. They were astounded to learn of their Mother's struggle and were more than ready to help her any way they could. "Just be her loving sons again," Lucas assured them. "That's all that's necessary. And remember, Cody and I love you, too."

The Bartons arrived on time and they all went into the common room. Clara and her sons stood looking warily at each other, at first.

Then, she dropped to her knees, held out her arms and they fled to her. They led her to Donnie's room to be alone with her.

They hadn't been there but a few minutes, before Tommy reappeared. "Ronnie and Donnie, Mother wants to talk to all of us."

The Twins looked at him nervously. He walked over and put his arms around them. "Please! For me!" They got up and followed him.

Lucas turned to Dr. Barton. "I can appreciate what you and Clara and your boys are going through. She wants to accept them as they are and loves all four of them deeply. But it's hard for her. Acceptance is tough. It took me a long time to accept the idea that I was a full member of my family.

"I can recall exactly when it took place. I was still a slave and Cody and I inadvertently put ourselves and Mom and Dad in great danger. We escaped the danger, but it rocked me to my very core. I can still remember every word of what I told Cody."

"When I heard you might have to suffer because of me, I was terrified for you. But then Sir said he would give his life if necessary to save you. I wasn't really surprised; you're his only son! But, then he said he would give his life to save ME!

"Me!

"A Slave!"

"Sir said he would give his life for me! And I knew he would!

"Once again, Lucas," said the doctor, "you are the professor and I am the student. How fortunate indeed was the day we met both you and Cody and your extraordinary sons!"

Clara and the fours boys emerged from Donnie's room full of tears of joy and forgiveness. There were smiles where there had been frowns. The Barton family was one again, and ready to accept two other boys: Tommy and David's true loves and future Lifemates.

Clara left the boys and walked up to Cody and Lucas, who had moved to stand together. "How can I ever thank you? You have always been such a part of our family. I am ashamed of myself for ever doubting."

Before either one could reply, she continued, "I know, you'll tell me there is nothing to forgive. But I want you to know this. You are facing a very sad time as your Mom prepares to leave us. When that day comes, I'll be there for you as long as you need me."

Cody and Lucas were nearly overcome as she swept them into her arms.

The four boys returned to school the next day. Word gradually got around about their pledge to become Lifemates. Most of their schoolmates were happy for them. The few who thought ill of them were not about to take on the four biggest, toughest kids in the middle school.

But their school was about to be rocked to its core by some ideas from Dora Washington's fertile mind.

While Cody, Lucas and the twins had been busy in Russia, Dora had had her undergraduate students hard at work. For the first time in the history of Kings, they surveyed every slave-holding family.

What they found was not particularly surprising, but vital to some of the ideas that Dora was working on… how to maximize the worth of these human resources:

· Day to day slave discipline among the families varied widely, ranging from very strict to practically none. Most families fell in the less-strict category.

· · In all but a handful of cases, the Slaves ate meals with their families. Only one family continued to feed their slave the unappetizing Slave Ration.

· · Within the household, all slaves went naked until they reached puberty. After puberty, many were still naked until they were freed, but others wore minimal genital coverings.

· · Within the household, all but a few were permitted to move freely about and freely engage in conservation.

· · The duties assigned to slaves were generally those that helped to maintain the household: laundry, cleaning, cooking, child-care. Some of those involved a good deal of hard manual labor. Only one or two worked outside the family home and those were in a family owned business. Several were part of the grounds crew for the College.

· · When out in public, all families enforced the code of correct dress and proper behavior for slaves. The vast majority took part in the Sunday Family Time when all slave discipline was suspended.

· · Most pre-pubertal slaves over age eight were freely permitted to engage in sex play with peers of their own sex or, when invited, with free children their own age. Pubertal slaves were, with their owners' permission, generally permitted sexual relations with both sexes but were scrupulous to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

· · All but two of the families planned to free their slave(s) sometime prior to their eighteenth birthdays. One exception was a family with a slave boy who suffered from uncontrollable bi-polar disease and would probably have to be placed in custodial care by the time he was a teen. The other family had a delightful little slave girl who was a "Downs Child."

· · Every family was diligent in complying with the requirement to educate their slave. None of them used the government issued education program for slaves.

· The quality of the education afforded their slaves was the concern unanimously voiced by all families. The government-issue program was designed for slaves who would likely never be freed. It was definitely not designed to allow a slave to be a full, productive free citizen of British North America, and the families rejected it for that reason.

Every family had developed some method for circumventing this problem, usually a home-study course from another source or, in a few cases, private tutors. While the quality varied greatly, both were expensive and many families struggled with this burden.

A few resorted to a different, but not entirely successful stratagem. They simply freed their child slaves so they could attend the public school in their neighborhood or the one run by the college. Because of the background from which these children sprang, the results were often disastrous. They were deeply resented in their neighborhood schools and often had great difficulty 'keeping up' in the Kings school. They also lost completely most of the value they had as laborers within the family. The whole process left them often unable to compete successfully as free citizens.

The solution, as Dora saw it, was deceptively simple. Allow the young slaves to attend an expanded school run by the college.

Her colleagues in the School of Education cautioned her about the problems elementary age slaves might have in that setting and agreed enthusiastically to develop a comprehensive home-study course for elementary students using the same materials and curricula as in the Kings Elementary School.

Because of the need for laboratories and other specialized facilities in the middle and high schools, they completely agreed slaves of those ages should go to Kings Prep, as the school was known. Admission would be by a qualifying test for those who had completed the equivalent of sixth grade with remedial instruction provided to slaves whose schooling to that point left them unable to qualify.

The Board of Chancellors announced the program to an excited College Family, scheduled the first qualifying exam for February 15th, and prepared to welcome the new 'students' on March 1st.

And lit a firestorm of criticism from the secular authorities.

The College was quite within the law and was not subject to either local or BNA authorities owing to its Royal Charter. The local press had a field day. The neighborhood schools expelled all of their former slave students and their free siblings and many of the College families decided to move on or near the campus to escape the wrath of their outraged and bigoted neighbors.

The local authorities threatened to cut off utilities and supplies to the College. The Crown, in turn, notified both the BNA and the local authorities any such move would be interpreted as a move against the Crown! That brought a swift end to the 'rebellion'. The Tory politicians were quite ready to express high indignation at what they viewed as apostasy. They were not, however, prepared to foment treason.

That brought a swift end to the furor as well. The local press and political establishment continue to voice their doubts. The whole scheme was sure to fail!

Thirty-eight slaves out of forty passed the entrance exam and joined their free brothers and sisters on March 1st.

Since the slaves and masters all knew each other from the Sunday family times, their reception went very smoothly. The student slaves had all been given blanket permission to enter into academic life fully and were enthusiastic and thankful for the opportunity. They dressed the same as the free students except for their slave tags. They were polite and respectful to both teachers and their peers. Indeed, the whole spirit of the school was boosted by their presence.

Several things did set them apart, however.

First, they had to be freed sometime before high school graduation. By law, a slave could not receive a full High School Diploma. So, in addition to academics, each family had to prepare their slave for that momentous occasion. Some families proceeded prematurely and the newly freed child often had some difficulties at first. No one 'dropped' out' however; that would have been unthinkable.

But these kids were hungry for learning and for freedom and made the most of their new status, helped immeasurably by their free compatriots.

The other difference was they could not participate in extracurricular sports. That would have inevitably brought them into contact with free students at other schools who might not be inclined to look favorably on what Kings had offered them.

Also these activities took place after class. The slaves still had their regular duties to perform and this gave them time for that. The academic work was rigorous and a slave really had to work very hard to keep up. But their fellow students were ready to offer help where needed.

Nevertheless, the Soccer Captain complained bitterly that the two best strikers he had ever seen were home doing the family laundry or housecleaning instead of playing for Kings Prep, as the school was know in athletic circles. He was not successful in changing their status. Both boys were loyal to their masters and content to wait until both they and their families agreed the time for manumission was right.

The Kings Experiment intrigued some parents within the city. They wanted to enroll their slaves and free children at Kings. The College briefly considered opening their rolls, but decided to assist these groups to form their own charter schools instead. Cody and Lucas were assigned as liaison, a duty they took to with relish.

One afternoon in late March, Lucas was returning from a meeting with a charter school provisional board. As he crossed the college campus toward Dora's office, he heard someone call, "Lucas. Lucas Wainright."

He stopped dead in his tracks and stood paralyzed for a moment. Then he turned shakily toward the voice and saw a young woman sitting on a bench. He did not recognize her at all… then something clicked in his memory.

"Anna?"

"Oh Lucas! It is you! Come sit with me, please.?"

He did as she asked but stammered. "Is it really you, Anna, after all these years. How… what… why…"

She reached up and placed her finger on his lips. "It's a long story. But first I should apologize for getting you into trouble that awful day."

"No! Don't apologize! Being sold to the slave dealer by my so-called father was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was a slave, yes, but I found my real family… a Mom and a Dad and a brother who loved me deeply. My real Mom and Dad!" he blurted.

"Then you know that your so-called family on the 'block' wasn't your real family at all?"

He nodded.

"Well, I have a surprise for you. You and I are brother and sister."

It took Lucas some time to grasp what she had just told him. "But how?" he gasped.

"After your so-called father sold you, we all fled to England and almost all us kids were abandoned. Our so-called parents simply disappeared and the authorities put us into care. Eventually we were all purchased by families in England."

"Do you remember Joshua? Well, he and I were both purchased by a doctor and his wife. They loved us and saw that we were educated and treated us like we were their own children."

"Almost all kids, slave or free, are DNA typed in England these days, and we were all astounded to find out that Josh and I were twins. Being a physician, my father investigated further, but didn't learn too much more. But he believed… all of us believed… that every one of the kids on the 'block' probably came from a common birth mother. So, it's almost certain that you are my twin as well."

"And the other kids?"

"Father did a DNA search, but found no more matches, so either they were never typed or they moved elsewhere. Or we were wrong."

Lucas was silent for a few moments, but something about this young woman, tugged at him… she really was his sister his little voice told him… and he decided he could trust her completely. So he told her about Dr. Lombardy's findings, confirming what she and her family had already guessed. He held her gently as she wept on his shoulder. "Joshua and our father were both killed in a fire three years ago. He looked exactly like you. I miss him terribly!"

Finally, he asked, "But how did you find me?"

"Mistress… she freed me years ago, but I still call her that… we were watching a special TV show entitled 'Uhura'. There is a scene where you are holding a little girl and it was Josh that I saw. We bought the DVD and have just about worn it out. In the program, they called you Lucas and said you were at Kings College, but didn't give your last name."

"Mistress saw how excited I was and she insisted I come to North America to see if I could find you. The College didn't know a Lucas Wainright, but they had a Lucas Davidson and told me where to find you. I've been sitting on this bench trying to get enough courage, to go into your building. That you happened by sealed it."

They both sat quietly for a while, holding each other.

"You've got to come home and meet my brother Cody and our sons." He explained that John and Ruth lived on the coast.

Anna looked doubtful. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that, Lucas. It's been a great shock finding you and all."

"Please, do it for me… and Joshua."

She relented, "Well, my flight back to England doesn't leave until three AM. So I guess I could meet the family."

He literally dragged her across the campus and down the tidy street where their house was. Bursting into the house, they found Donnie starting to prepare supper and Ronnie and Cody had just arrived.

Supper was pretty much forgotten as they sat around and heard Anna's story. Cody even persuaded Anna to talk with John and Ruth. She was reluctant at first.

"Anna, our Mom is dying! She hasn't much longer. It would mean so much to her?" Cody took her to his room and, after introducing her to his astounded parents, left her in privacy. She talked with them for over two hours.

When she came out, Cody and Lucas both held her tenderly. "Oh Lucas," she wept. "I found my true family and now my Mom is going to die!"

"Don't be sad! You haven't lost her," Lucas told her. "She will love you from the next world."

They spent the rest of the evening sharing memories with Anna. Tears were copious. The Twins watched all this quietly. Their new 'aunt' and her story were simply more than they could absorb all at once.

As the time for her departure drew near, Cody wanted to drive her to the airport, but she insisted on calling a cab.

After she had gone, none of them were quite sure it had been real. "How many other brothers and sisters are out there?" wondered Ronnie. "Could be dozens," observed his brother.

There wasn't a lot of sleep that night, but there was a lot of hugging and gentle lovemaking. Their conversation with Ruth and John the next morning went on for hours. Their definition of 'family' would never be quite the same again.

The Twins arrived home one April afternoon to a surprise… the Weathers family was there for a visit. Cody and Lucas arrived a few minutes later and joined in the noisy welcome for their friends. Tristan was on crutches, but both Robert and Garrett looked positively wonderful.

"We're on our way back to Paloma from Chicago and Tris's surgery was completely successful," explained Garrett. "In a few weeks he'll be walking straight again."

"And I'm not carrying around a bag full of my shit any more," added Tristan.

"That is just simply great," they all agreed.

After supper, they all sat in the common room and the Weathers brought them up to date with Paloma news. "The ranch is doing phenomenally well," reported Robert, "and we couldn't be happier anywhere else."

"You never wanted to go back to Deadwood?" asked Cody.

"No," replied Robert. "There really wasn't any life for us there. I stay in touch with a few friends, but it's been very hard for the town to recover. A lot of the kids have had a really tough time even with the counselors. In fact, two of the boys who were friends of the one who choked to death decided to join him; they hanged themselves. The two with their penises glued to their crotches both had to have a penetectomy."

"Oh no! How terrible!"

"No, we're in the best possible place we could be. I guess, Ronnie and Donnie, we're technically some kind of uncle and cousins to you two. The Acoma have welcomed us completely."

"Which reminds me, I have a letter for all of you." And he handed Cody a message written in a boyish scrawl.

To Cody, Lucas, Ronnie and Donnie Davidson!

I am so thankful to have friends like you. I don't remember very much about my time with you, but they told me you saved me and made it possible for me to come to Paloma. I love this place and the people. For the first time I have a real family who loves me.

Michael Connor (he says I must not call him 'Master' since I am a free boy) says that you would be insulted if I said that I owe you very, very much for saving me. So, I won't.

But, I will always think of how kind you were to me and I hope I will be able to thank you in person some day.

Your very good friend, Austin Phillips of the Acoma

"It looks like he is doing well," observed Lucas, "I'm so glad. I will write to him, but please tell him we would be thrilled to have him and Julio visit whenever Michael feels he is strong enough."

"Yes, he is doing well," replied Robert. "Oh, he has days when he is in that 'other place' but they're getting fewer. He's able to take care of himself, pretty much, but really freaks out if he's left alone. Julio sticks to him like glue, so that doesn't happen very often."

"He still has an unreasonable hope that he will be able to find and save his friend Jayden some day, but that's OK for now. It gives him something to focus on, a reason why he must get out of his depression and get well again. Michael has made inquiries, but the Mine refuses to say whether they have Jayden or where he is, so it's not likely to happen. But, who knows."

"Now that he's getting regular meals again, Austin's really blossomed physically. He has a body that would make any wrestling coach weep. But, during his 'good' days, he spends time with the little kids of the ranch, reading to them and playing games with them. He is just so gentle and loving with them and they all adore him."

"Mr. Adams was there for a visit last month and that gave him a big boost. Their reunion was so touching. I'm not sure who benefited more, Austin or his 'grandfather'."

* * *

"Please, young master," implored Julio, "you must get up. There is someone here to see you."

Julio had made some progress helping to restore Austin's shattered mind and spirit, but he was far from well. One thing he had been able to do was convince Austin he did not have to give him a blowjob every night. That isn't to say they did not have sex; on his 'good' days, they often enjoyed each other.

Most of the time, it was Julio and Austin between them. But Austin had learned when Julio addressed him with his formal title, it was something very important and he had better play attention. "Who would come to see me?" he asked his slave/mentor.

"His name is Mr. Adams," answered Julio. "And he says you are his friend."

Austin struggled to keep his focus instead of slipping into his other world. He still spent a lot of time there; it was still hard to stay in the real world, even though Julio told him he must. "Do I know someone called Mr. Adams?" he thought.

The word 'grandfather' popped into his mind. He didn't have a grandfather… or a mother… or a father! They had run away from him! Why would the name Adams make him think of a grandfather?

Suddenly he shrieked, "Mr. Adams… Grandfather! It all fits!"

And the dam broke.

All his memories came flooding back! Most were very sad and frightening. A few were happy. But he now knew who he was and could face what had happened to him. And, most importantly, he knew who Mr. Adams was… his 'grandfather'.

"Julio, I must go to him! I must see him and talk to him. I have hurt him very much and I must apologize! Take me to him, please."

"Right away, young master," replied his astounded slave. "But you had better put some clothes on, first."

"Yes! Of course!" He had refused to put clothes on that morning and was still naked. "Why had he done that?" he asked himself. "That was dumb!"

He scrambled into shirt and shorts and Julio led him to a common room in the house where an elderly man was waiting, full of hope.

They flew into each other's arms, cried and hugged and laughed and cried some more while an amazed Julio watched.

"Oh Austin! I have missed you! I though you were gone forever."

"Grandfather, I missed you so much, too. I was afraid you would be angry because of what I did. And might not want me any more!"

For the longest while, they just sat looking at each other.

Finally, recovering his wits, Austin led the old man over to where Julio was standing. Julio immediately went to his position, but Austin grabbed him by the shoulders. "Julio, this is the man I call my grandfather. Please get up and greet him."

Julio rose and then bowed low saying, "Welcome to Paloma, honored sir. I am so very happy you have come to see my young master. You have made him very happy."

"Julio, please, he is family. You may call him by his name."

"Thank you Austin. Welcome Grandfather Adams."

"Julio has been taking care of me and helping me to be well again. Even though he is a slave, I think of him as my big brother. He is almost as dear to me as you are and as, as……" He swallowed, but could not go on.

"Jayden?" asked his grandfather softly. Austin nodded as the full horror of the camp descended upon him again. But he could bear it; his grandfather was here and so was Julio. And he was safe; the camp guards couldn't hurt him any more.

"May I tell Master Michael he is here and how happy you are to see your grandfather again?" asked Julio.

"Yes! Yes! Please!" replied Austin.

With a quick bow, Julio ran off to find Master Michael, leaving the two of them alone.

"Grandfather, I was such a fool for not listening to you."

"Austin, you don't have to explain. I don't want you to feel…"

"No!" interrupted Austin. "I want to tell you. No one else knows how I felt and I will feel much better if I tell you what happened."

The old man pulled Austin onto his lap. "I will gladly listen to anything you want to share with me."

"I was so angry," Austin began, choking down his sobs, "at the judge when he sentenced Jayden, I was ready to kill him. I know you tried to tell me that's what he would do, but I wasn't listening. And when Jayden and I looked at each other, I felt so bad for him… for us… I can't describe it."

"The next thing I remember was you trying to comfort me back at the Motel. Again, I wasn't paying much attention. I was going to help Jayden some way, any way I could. Right then, I decided I would get arrested and go to the camp and be with him. My parents wouldn't care."

He looked at the floor shamefully. "I forgot you would care."

"It was a very brave and unselfish thing you did," consoled Adams.

"Yes, but it was stupid! And it hurt you! And I soon found out just how stupid it was." And he wept bitterly for some time before he could continue.

"When I got to the camp, I was stripped and examined by the camp manager. He even probed up my ass to see if I was hiding anything there. He put a wire thing on my privates to keep me from getting a hard-on. It hurt a lot, but I got used to it. The only clothes I was allowed to wear was a jock strap. It was hot and dark and the whole place smelled bad."

'When I saw Jayden for the first time, he looked like hell. He didn't even recognize me. I wasn't allowed to talk to him or even touch him or any of the other boys. I shared a bunk with him for almost a year, but we never spoke or touched."

"Hell, instead of helping him, I made it worse. How could I have been so dumb? I should have waited until he got out and, then helped him, I thought. I didn't know his parents would dump him and he would be sold."

"My hands and ankles were chained most of the time and I had to work every day hauling ore and feeding the furnace. It was so hot, I thought I couldn't stand it another minute. I complained to one of the guards and earned a gag in my mouth for the next few weeks. I was often paddled with a big wooden paddle while I was hanging from a bar over my head. It hurt like hell and I screamed. So did the other boys when they were paddled."

"At night, we were given a pan of some kind of glop which we had to eat with our hands. Then, the guards would fasten our hands behind our backs, take off our cages and mess around with us. One of them made me suck him off the whole way every night. He made me swallow all his cum; said the protein was good for me. If I dribbled any, he smeared it on my face and in my hair."

"Afterward he liked to play with me and make me hard. It got so I didn't feel a thing when he did it."

"One of them liked to fuck Jayden up his ass. He screamed every time, but they just laughed. Called him their 'pussy boy'."

"Their favorite trick was to make us swallow a pill that got us all hard and horny and then leave us that way all night. With our hands behind our backs, we couldn't even get relief. Mine was always still hard in the morning and it hurt like hell when they put my cage back on. The day guards were rough and cruel, but at least they weren't perverts."

By this time he was gasping and had to stop to catch his breath. Adams just held him gently and let him continue when he was ready.

"One of the day guards did try to help us a little. "Come on, you can do it.' 'Just try harder!' 'Good Job!' And if I did a good job, he patted me on the head. He tried to assign the toughest jobs to the older boys. If he saw that one of us was about to collapse, he found some technical reason to stop the job until the boy could get his breath again. But, if we screwed up or goofed off, he would punish just as hard as any other guard. We all really tried extra hard when he was on duty."

"Another day guard was just the opposite. He tripped us and hit us and tried to make us fail so he could punish us. One time he tripped me and I spilled a whole load of ground ore. He pushed my head in it and held me there. I couldn't breath 'cause it got in my mouth and nose and I almost passed out. Then he made me pick it all up with my hands while he beat me across my shoulders with a cane. We all hated him."

Adams had no trouble guessing who that guard was, but he was ashamed to tell Austin.

"Once a week we were hosed down with a fire hose. But we were always dirty and sweaty and smelly. One boy fell and cut himself badly. They took him away and we never saw him again."

"We got a few new boys. One of them was a friend of Jayden's. He ran away when Jayden was arrested and was caught later and got eight years! Another really little boy had been in a fight at school and they cut his balls off!"

"One boy's term was up and they made is watch when his mom came to get him. She brought clothes, but didn't even try to dress him when she saw him. Just picked him up in her arms and left with him, crying. Some other boys just disappeared. I guess they were sold to the Mine."

"After a while, none of us could remember what it was like to be free."

"One day, Jayden disappeared and they told us his parents didn't want him any more and he was sold to the Mine. I got beat that day for screaming and crying!"

"When they told me my parents had done the same thing, it was no biggie. They never loved me anyway. But I decided I no longer wanted to think about being free again. It wasn't going to happen, so I simply shut my mind down. It was easy to slip into another world where there was no pain."

And he sighed as if a great weight had been lifted. Truly, it had. Sharing his memories, horrid as they were, with someone who loved him was a very necessary catharsis.

They sat quietly for a while. Then Adams told him, "That was very brave for you to tell me all of that. I know it was horrible for you. I'm just so glad it's over and I have you back and you're going to be all right."

"But I hurt you terribly, too," cried the now distraught boy.

Adams nodded sadly. "Yes, but what you did you did out of your love for Jayden. And I'm very proud of you."

"Then you forgive me?"

"Always, Austin! You are very special to me!"

"And you'll help me find Jayden and set him free, too?"

"Any way I can."

"And you'll love us both and care for Jayden, too."

"To the best of my ability." The old man simply hadn't the heart to tell Austin that Jayden would probably never be found.

Austin hugged and kissed his grandfather. Then he was serious again. "Julio says that some friends bought me and made it so I could come here. But he doesn't know their names."

"They are Cody and Lucas Davidson and their sons Ronnie and Donnie," replied Adams.

"Yes, I faintly remember the one called Donnie. He showered and washed me and his hands felt so good rubbing me. I wanted to thank him, but I forgot how."

"You did. You told him 'Thank you,' just as you were leaving with Julio."

"But I must thank the rest of them, too. Will you help me?

"Sure."

Just then Julio returned. "Master Michael would like to speak with you, Grandfather. And Austin and I should go to lunch. But please join us for supper."

"Julio, please come here," said Adams. And he gave the startled slave a huge hug and whispered to him. "Thank you Julio for what you have done to help Austin. I will never think of you as a slave. You are Austin's big brother and maybe my other grandson."

Julio was speechless for a moment; no free person had ever treated him that way before. Then he gulped and led Austin away.

Michael was waiting for Mr. Adams in a small private dining room.

"Well, it seems you have been just the medicine our young patient needs. By the way, please call me Michael and, if I may, I'll call you John."

Adams nodded.

"Your visit has been a huge success", continued Michael. "Until now, he's been lucid in fits and starts, despite Julio's best efforts. He had come a long way with Julio's help, but you gave him the spark of love and that is what he needed most."

"You realize I'm not really his grandfather?"

"You may not be related to him by blood, but you have earned the title 'grandfather' in his love and esteem and that is much more important. We owe you many thanks for coming to him."

"Michael, I am the one who owes thanks. You took him in when we all despaired of him ever getting well, and your choice of Julio was a stroke of genius."

"Well, to give credit where it is due," replied Michael, "it was the choice of Don Alfredo, the leader of the Acoma people. I'm sure you know that Julio is a slave… for life… as are almost all the others here at Paloma. Their entire people were unjustly and cruelly enslaved many years ago. The only exceptions from their people are Ronnie and Donnie Davidson.

What my father and I started and now Paulie, my son, and I continue is to provide them a safe haven where they may have a life that is satisfying and productive. The law may consider them slaves, but I tell you they are more free than most of us can ever hope to be."

"We're no strangers to damaged kids. Paulie's personal assistant, Toby, came to us as a basket case, without hope and without his manhood. Garrett Weathers and his little brother Tristan are refugees from the Deadwood debacle and are still in the process of healing. Every beaten and abused child we can save is what brings me the most happiness."

"Fortunately, we have friends like the Davidsons, Sir John and his wonderful wife Dame Ruth. You've met their sons and grandsons and I challenge you to find four more outstanding young men on the face of this earth. Sadly, I've learned that Ruth is terminally ill. Yet Cody and Lucas and the Twins responded unselfishly to Austin's needs even in the face of their own sorrow."

"That is just amazing! You do it all so quietly. No fanfare! No fuss!"

"At first we didn't want a lot of people prying into what we do here. It would make some folks very nervous. But particularly since William has ascended to the throne, the atmosphere has changed somewhat and I would like to encourage others to do what we have done. Which brings me to why I asked to see you, Professor Adams."

"Alas, I am undone!" John sighed.

"Yes you are! A world-renowned historian and writer. I have read every one of your books and you have a gift few others have."

"But I'm retired now!" protested John.

"Yes, but you have one more book to write. Would you consider being our historian-in-residence and write the history of Paloma? We would be very honored to have you join our family. And that way, you can be near your boy, too"

"I'm just astounded and flattered," replied John Adams. " I will consider your offer seriously."

Michael chuckled to himself. He knew what John's answer would be.

* * *

"Julio's been a big, big factor in Austin's recovery," continued Garrett. "Couldn't have chosen a better person. You should really get to know him; he is a truly amazing guy. Bright, articulate, very loving and patient. Living proof of the huge injustice that has been done the Acoma."

"And, how are you doing, Garrett?" asked Cody.

"I'm doin' great!" he replied. "The exercises Dr. Hoffman gave me have really helped. I can walk nearly straight, even run a little. My hips and knees still ache, but that's getting better, too."

"And Chico is helping me remember what fun sex is… oops. He's just a good friend, you understand."

"Yeah, like the two of you are lovers!" smirked Tristan.

Garrett turned bright red and stammered a bit.

"You didn't really think we noticed you were more than 'just good friends'?" asked his dad. And they all chuckled at his embarrassment.

"I hope some day I can have a lover," said Tristan, wistfully.

"You will! I promise you!" replied Garrett as he put his arm around Tristan. "Trust me, bro!"

"We wanted to continue on to the coast to see your folks, but Michael told us about your Mom's illness. We're so sorry to hear about it," said Robert.

"I remember so clearly," added Garrett, "how they took us in without a second thought and how hard they both worked to get the rescue mission underway. And I especially remember how your Mom held me in her arms and gave me her love when I needed it most. If only my Mom could have done that."

"Emily truly loved both our sons," said Robert sadly, "but she wasn't strong enough to bear the burden thrust upon us. Ruth was strong and she helped us both immeasurably."

"Don't be too hard on your wife, Robert. Mom didn't have to face having both her sons snatched away and tortured to death," said Lucas. "And, I'm sure Mom and Dad would very pleased to see you."

"None the less," said Robert, "she is a great and wonderful person and so is your Dad and we will mourn her passing,"

The next morning, their visitors were on their way west and daily life resumed. But, inevitably, came the phone call they dreaded.

"Boys, I think you had better come home!" choked their Dad.

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