Maiocxx

Tales from the World of Cody and Lucas

Travels with Drew and Li

An Almost Brothers sequel

1. The Holiday Surprise – several of them

Drew and Li make a surprise Holiday visit to Drew's Mom where Drew gets a surprise gift of his own. And more surprises await on their trip home

David narrates

Almost from the first day Li Soon and his fathers had arrived at The Alice Springs School for Exceptional Boys, there had been great debate about how strong and varied were the gifts this unusual boy possessed. His Empathy far surpassed that of any of the other students. He could Teleport to any place that he could visualize and he could move… surprisingly heavy objects and even animals and people quite a distance… a gift called Telekinesis. His Telepathic skills included not only the ability to converse with others… paranormal or not… but also the power to render himself nearly invisible and to direct the actions of others who would cheerfully perform whatever he demanded.

Well, he really didn't have the power to become invisible. But he could convince someone he focused upon that he just wasn't there or turn their attention to somewhere else. At first, many of his gifts had been blocked until he could be taught how to use them properly and had matured enough to use them responsibly.

The arrival of Drew and Li's discovery of his new boyfriend and their shared empathic gifts opened a new vista for them just as they both began to explore their budding sexuality.

But there continued to be lively interest among the faculty in devising some sort of 'test' that might show just how powerful and versatile this youngster was.

By the time Li had been at Alice Springs for two years, it was generally agreed he was ready for his first big 'test' surviving in the world 'outside'. It was Drew who, unwittingly, provided the idea and opportunity for such a test as the Holiday Season drew near.

"I have an idea for a test for Li," he told me. "Why don't we visit my Mom an' Li can go along and we can see how he does with 'normals'." I thought, really, Drew just wanted to see his mom, but the idea of Li having to cope with 'normals' using just his wits intrigued me and I explored the idea with Master Keldhar. And, together, we concocted a scheme designed to force Li to use all his powers, but not destructively.

Drew and I would travel to San Francisco using our unlimited First Class passes and Li would accompany us… without a ticket. After spending Christmas with Amanda in Walnut Creek, we would fly on to London to join Eric and Peter at their parents' home just outside of Birmingham. After New Year's, all five of us would return to Alice. Li would be ticketless throughout our journey, although I would be ready to purchase one should he run into real difficulty. All of us would go first class on Qantas or Great Circle… their partner… throughout.

Keldhar contacted Alan Joyce, the CEO of Qantas, and asked his indulgence, promising to pay full fares throughout. Mr. Joyce expressed great doubt that Li or anyone could pull it off, but he was sufficiently intrigued that he held out a prize of 10,000 $AU for the school and he would absorb all the fares if we were successful. He would be the only one in the Qantas organization who was in on the whole act.

Peter and Eric were thrilled to be included in our little deception and eagerly looked forward to a visit home, especially when we told them the School would pay their fares. When we broached our plan to Li and Drew, their eyes got as big as dinner plates. "You really think I can do all that?" Li asked.

"I guess we'll find out!" I quipped.

"But isn't that dishonest?" asked Drew.

"No," I replied, "I'll reserve tickets for Li in and, if we're not successful, the School will pay for them."

That satisfied my straight-laced son and Li's usual competitive spirit was all that was necessary to fire him up. "Just so they don't taser me or clap me in prison," was his only concern; I assured him they would not. And I did make sure his passport was in order; he would be allowed to carry that.

I made reservations for all of us for our whole journey, billing all the necessary tickets to the School. Our departures were set for the morning December 23rd, meaning it would be late afternoon on the 24th when Drew, Li and I landed at SFO. Eric and Peter would fly out to London the same morning, leaving all school operations in Keldhar's capable hands. He assured us things would be fine in our absence as many of the students would also be 'home' until after New Year's. To make things a bit less complicated, we all went down to Sydney… using tickets… the day before.

Check-in for Drew and me proceeded normally and we settled into our spacious seats nervously awaiting Li's first attempt to board. It appeared we might be the only passengers in first class, although another older gentleman was listed on the manifest. We need not have worried as shortly, Li came skipping up the steps and settled into the seat next to Drew.

"Piece of cake!" he informed us.

"Well, how did you do it?" asked his boyfriend.

"I just went through the gate with an older couple, after convincing them I was their grandson, and made sure the gate attendant was busy with another passenger. At the door, both flight attendants were suddenly called away to handle some spilled orange juice and I just convinced the third one that I wasn't really there."

Well, he had certainly passed his first challenge. But a more difficult one was in the wings. More difficult than he could have imagined.

Some months ago, one of the leading electronics labs had announced a new discovery… a technique… a 'ray' if you will… that rendered a person immobile without causing pain or unconsciousness. Police and other law enforcement types now had a tool for apprehending criminals without shooting them or causing other bodily harm. They had developed a hand-held device that could be focused like a small electric torch (flashlight).

Experiments had also shown that, in very low dosages, the 'ray' would block all the paranormal gifts a person possessed without impairing his other bodily functions… somewhat like Master Keldhar and some of our other masters could do with untrained students if necessary. The victim functioned absolutely normally except that he had no paranormal powers. It ought to be noted that our boys who had been subjected to this as punishment suffered some emotional trauma, but that could be remedied. But it was a highly effective lesson for all.

We wanted to see both how effective one of the specially modified hand units was and how Li might act if he were to suddenly loose his powers in a situation where he needed them. And, I was about to find out.

We were scarcely airborne when our first-class cabin attendant arrived with dinner for us. Spying Li seated next to Drew, she stopped short. "Young man, what are you doing in that seat? It is supposed to be unoccupied."

"I'm with them," he answered sweetly, indication Drew. I triggered the device and he glanced at me in panic. "I-I-I-I," he stammered. "I'm supposed to be here, Ma'am."

"You most certainly are not," she answered him. "I'm going for the Steward." And she left at a trot.

Li threw himself into my arms, bawling. "What's happened to me? My gifts are gone!" I held him tightly and explained what I had done to him. "Please turn it off! Please!"

"I have," I assured him. "We needed to test the device and I promise you I shan't use it again. You did OK and I'm sorry I had to make you suffer." It was clear Li would need his powers to remain with us. "Now get yourself back together. They'll be back and I am sure you will be able to handle them just fine." And Li… somewhat shaken… returned to 'his' seat.

The two of them came pelting into the cabin. "There he is… but, of course he belongs there. How silly of me!" she informed the Steward. "I'm sorry I dragged you up here."

"Veronica, you need to take some time off," he answered and withdrew. I made a note to be sure Veronica was properly compensated. She served us our meals and returned with a special one for Li.

Once she had finished and left, I had Li sit beside me. "I'm sorry I had to cause you such distress. But, I couldn't warn you in advance as it would have invalidated the test. I hope I didn't frighten you too much."

"I understand, Master David," he replied. "But I was really scared… like I was drowning. It was different than when Master Keldhar did it to me. I guess it was because I knew he loved me and these people didn't. Did I really do OK?"

"You did better than any other boy your age would have."

He smiled. "I can tell you really mean that."

Throughout the entire scene, his boyfriend had sat there entranced. He had not known about the test in advance either. The rest of the flight was pretty tame. The boys spent most of it cuddled together in Drew's 'sleep-seat'.

Arriving on time in San Francisco, Li again navigated customs without blinking an eyelash. Drew and I watched with growing admiration as he skillfully directed the customs service officers attention elsewhere as he slipped through their checkpoints. He even persuaded the car-rental agent to give us a very good rate and we were soon on our way to the little house on Palaverdes Street.

I parked a bit down the block and we crept up on the house like Santa's elves. Ringing the bell, the two boys began to sing:

We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year!

The door was snatched open and a thoroughly shocked Amanda stood gaping at us.

"Andrew!" she screeched, throwing her arms about him.

"Hi, Mum," he replied. "We've come to wish you a Merry Christmas. How cool is that?"

"Very cool, you rascal. And David… I bet this was your idea," as she drew me into her embrace as well.

"Actually, it was his idea," I assured her. "We're really traveling on a mission for the school and I'd like to present the other member of our team, Li Soon Hamilton. He's the son of my assistant, Eric, and his mate Peter."

Li took her hand and, bowing, kissed it with all his charm. "I am so pleased to meet my boyfriend's mum."

"Well, all of you, do come in."

We trooped into her sitting room and arranged ourselves comfortably. "Well, this is certainly a surprise. I had planned to speak with you tomorrow by Skype, but I never thought… David Nelson, what a wonderful gift… to see my little boy again. Sorry, I guess he's not so little any more."

"An' guess what Mom? I'm pathetic! How cool is that?"

His mother looked at him puzzled and Li doubled over in hysterics. Finally recovering, he giggled, "He… he's… empathic, Mrs. Scott. You know… he can read feelings."

"Yeah, that's what I said. I'm pathetic!"

She looked at me for a minute and I explained, "Yes, he has a gift. He's an empath and a rather strong one, too. Li discovered it a short time after we arrived at the school."

Turning back to Drew she told him, "That's very cool, Andrew. I'm very happy for you. But now I have a holiday surprise for all of you. Jennie dear, would you please come here and meet your brother and his dad."

All three of us sat with our mouths open as a petite little girl entered and curtsied to me. "Does that mean you…?"

"Yes, David. I've adopted Jennie." Turning to Drew, she asked, "How does it feel to have a little sister?"

"How cool is that!" was all he could say. He held out his arms and Jennie jumped into his lap. "You are my very own big brother," she told an obviously excited boy. "I've so wanted to really meet you."

"Jenny is eight and her mum was one of my dearest friends," explained Amanda. Her da' was killed in Afghanistan and her mum passed away in October. I simply couldn't let this dear little girl go into care."

"An' I love my new mum very much. I still miss my real mum, but we are a family and now I have a big brother."

"I love you, too, Jennie. This is my very best friend, Li and I know he loves you too. You can be her almost big brother, Li. I'll be happy to share her with you."

The little girl turned to me and asked, "Are you going to be my new da'?"

"Not quite," I answered softly, "but you may call me that if you wish."

"Oh dear." fretted Amanda. "I haven't a thing in the house to feed you all."

"Mum, there are a few pizzas in the freezer," suggested Jennie.

"Well, that's hardly…"

"That will be fine, Amanda." She had unwittingly chosen a food the boys craved and didn't often get. Master Keldhar thought it wasn't good for them."

"Pizza?" squealed Li.

"Yea, pizza!" echoed Drew. "How cool is that?"

Once the kids had properly stuffed themselves with the forbidden delight… well, Amanda and I enjoyed it, too… we set out for Christmas Eve service at the cathedral.

Although the service was crowded, we managed to find a place where we could all sit together, Amanda on my left and the kids on my right… Li and Drew with Jennie between them.

Drew and Jennie had often been to Christmas Services, but for Li it was a brand new experience. I thought he would come completely undone when the choirboys… resplendent in their crimson surpluses and white cottas with red bows… processed in following the Dean and his alternate. His eyes sparkled as he leaned over and whispered, "They look just like angels!"

"Wait 'til you hear them sing," I advised.

While the music was somewhat unfamiliar to Li, using his gift, he was able to keep up and his sweet voice often caused turned heads. After the service, the Choirmaster was saddened to learn that Li was just a visitor, but he had remembered Drew being in the junior boys choir.

On the way home, we stopped at an all-night market and laid in supplies for the next few days.

Christmas Day itself was rather quiet, the principal feature being an evening show at Concord Pavilion where A Christmas Carol was enjoying its annual run. When Tiny Tim's mum led the cast in All One Family, Jennie climbed into my lap, hugged me and whispered, "That's us… all one family, right?"

Boxing Day isn't the big deal in North America as it is in England or Australia, but Drew wanted to show Li some of the city. So we took BART… it was Li's turn to be fascinated by the trains… and did mostly what North Americans call window shopping, avoiding the after-Christmas bargain hunters.

Of course, we just had to have lunch at the 'Top-of-the Mark'. And after dessert, even though it was a bit 'nippy', we went out on the deck.

Drew took Li and Jennie by their hands and, with tears streaming down his cheeks, told them, "This is where Dad propositioned me." Gawd, would he never get the terms right? "He asked if he could be my Dad an' if I would be his son. And I was so happy, I bawled. How cool was that?"

In answer, they both hugged him.

***

But, all too soon, it was time to be on our way to London.

Our flight on Great Circle Airways was scheduled to depart SFO at 8:00 PM and arrive at Heathrow about 2:00 the next afternoon. Since it was not Qantas itself, I made sure everyone had a ticket and boarding pass before tearful good-byes… Li would have his next 'test' during the flight back to Sydney after New Year's. We had about an hour to wait before boarding and were chagrined to learn the first class lounge was being refurbished and we would have to wait in the general area. Oh, well!

The boys set out to explore a bit and soon discovered the 'Special Cargo Preparation Area' was just around the corner. They peeked in and Drew almost immediately came dashing back to me in considerable distress. "Dad! Dad! There's a naked little boy sitting there in chains and their gonna put him in a coffin!" he gasped.

I was not too surprised as I knew how unaccompanied slaves had to travel. "It's called a 'slave transfer cage'," I told him. "He'll be asleep and won't mind it very much. It's not unusual and it's the way a young slave must travel." I could tell he wasn't buying my lame explanation at all and I allowed him to drag me into the packing area.

Li had 'frozen' the attendant just after he had placed the boy into the cage and inserted a catheter into his prick. "Li!" I rounded on him, and he released the attendant. The boy just lay there crying.

"I'll thank you to stay out of my way!" the attendant growled, "I have to get this sniveling brat ready for shipment."

"Does he have to go in that coffin?" Drew asked, his lower lip trembling.

"Certainly!" the attendant sneered. "He's a slave… what do you expect? First class?"

I had read that it was permissible for a slave to travel with his owner, but only in first class. Drew picked up on that, "Dad, we're going first class. Couldn't we… I'll pay for his ticket out of my allowance." He had no idea how much a first class ticket to London would cost. "Please Dad? He shouldn't have to travel that way, I don't care if he is a slave."

The little boy continued to cry piteously and I'm sure Li might have 'nudged' me a bit. I had read the tag on the cage and the child was consigned to the Heathrow Slave Mart. "Sir?" I asked the attendant, "could I take temporary custody of him and he could ride with us upstairs?" I didn't know that I could be that persuasive… a little more 'nudging from Li, perhaps… but the attendant agreed, so long as I delivered the child to the agent when we arrived. I signed a few papers and he was mine… temporarily.

That settled, we had to get him a first-class ticket and boarding pass and they magically appeared in my hand. I turned to my traveling companion who was trying his best to look innocent and sternly asked him, "Li! Where did you get these?"

"I just sort of 'borrowed' them from an old man who was having trouble finding them. He'll be OK in business class."

I should have been angry with him, but I wasn't. "Make sure you have the man's name and address so he can be compensated!"

"Yes, Master David. I already do." An overjoyed Drew grabbed his BFF and gave him a long kiss.

We gently removed the catheter, wrapped the child in a blanket and proceeded to board… Drew in front with the still sobbing little boy in his arms. Once in our first-class cabin… again, we had the whole cabin to ourselves… we removed the little guy's shackles and settled him in his seat beside me.

He looked up at us with undisguised hope. "Oh thank you, Masters! Thank you! Thank you!" From what he told us and what we learned later, we were able to piece together his sad tale.

His name was Timothy Deverill and he had been orphaned, at three years old when his parents and older sister were killed by a hit-and-run driver. Since he had no immediate relatives, he was taken into care, moved about, and eventually sold to a man by the name of Brogan who owned pecan orchards somewhat south of the Bay Area. Joining Brogan's mixed workforce of slave and free boys… all of them several years older… he soon became part of his master's unusual 'family'.

They all worked hard, but were treated well and the slave-boys were afforded a great deal of freedom to order and direct their own lives. Brogan soon became quite fond of his youngest slave… now seven-years-old…, but despite this, two successive crop failures… late frosts killed the buds on most of his trees… made it clear that he would have to reduce his workforce.

Rather than force one of his free boys out into the marketplace prematurely, he decided to sell Tim in the belief that a good and loving master might be found for him and was of the opinion… right or wrong… he might have a better opportunity in England. So he made a deal with a local slave broker to transport Tim to London and find a good master for him there.

The broker welched on part of the deal and simply consigned him to the Heathrow Slave Mart. Established adjacent to the airport, it provided ready access for incoming passengers to purchase or lease young slaves for their use. This despite the fact it was well known that it catered to abusers.

Some parts of Tim's story, as he related it, were accompanied by tears… and cries of dismay from my two young companions… and he soon was in my lap sobbing. He was crushed by his master's actions and devastated to realize he might never see his friends ever again.

"He doesn't love me any more. I must have done somethin' really, really bad but I don't know what it was. And I don't have a family any more! I'm scared! What's going to happen to me?"

While I held out little hope for him at Heathrow, I tried to comfort him by saying that Brogan had made quite a sacrifice for him and did what he thought was best for him, so that he might grow up to be a free person. He wasn't buying and only the arrival of our dinners saved him from further dwelling upon his sadness and fright. The boys knew, without asking, we would have to surrender him when we arrived.

After dinner, Drew and Li played games with him and read to him so that by the time it was time for sleep, he was somewhat calm. They insisted on taking him for the night and I agreed that might be best. But three bodies… even young ones… in a single sleep-seat made for rather crowded conditions.

When I awoke, it was already daylight although we were still many kilometers out over the North Atlantic. I was surprised to find a warm body nestled next to me. "Did it get a bit too crowded for you?" I asked my sleepy son.

"No, Dad. I just wanted to talk to you."

I could guess what might be coming.

"Dad, Tim's a cool kid and he's had so much sadness in his life… do you think we could… you know, maybe? I have a little sister now, but it would be very cool to have a little brother, too."

I looked down at those deep blue eyes so full of hope and longing. So full of love!

And I lost it.

Tears running down my cheeks, it was all I could do to just hold him close to me.

"Dad! What's wrong? Why are you crying? What did I say?"

"I'm crying because I have such a loving, almost perfect boy for a son. How could I have been so fortunate? A son who wants save the whole world from evil and he tries every day to do just that. You want to take this little boy into our family… into our hearts… and help to heal the hurts he has received, and that is just incredible!"

Drew looked shocked. "It's just that he needs someone to love and care for him," he offered. He really did not completely understand my words. That would come later.

"I know. And my answer is, yes. We will go to the slave mart and do our best to purchase him. But you must understand there may be others who want him. He's a very attractive lad and we might not be successful. Others might bid against us."

"Well, I can take care of that," declared another voice from across the aisle.

"Li! What are you talking about?" I queried him. "You can't rig the bidding. We would be found out and be in very serious trouble."

"Well, I have a plan."

"Li!" I admonished him as our little guest sat up and looked back and forth at us.

"Please, masters. What is going to happen to me?"

"Li, tell me about this plan of yours," I demanded.

"Please, Master David, it will work better if you don't know. I promise you no one will be hurt and there will be nothing bad about it. I know I have not always behaved well in the past, but I ask you to trust me. Nothing right now is more important to me than saving Tim."

I thought about that for a minute as I could 'feel' his emotions… somewhere between longing and sincere desire. But I could tell he was not trying to shape my response. I looked down at Drew and he nodded. Was I willing to place the fate of this hurting child… of all of us… in the hands of a twelve-year-old boy?

And I decided I was as I said, "OK, Li! We'll trust you."

Tim had been quite frightened by our exchange, so I said, "We have about four more hours of flying time, so why don't I take Tim with me and you two snuggle down and try to get some more sleep."

Drew got up and passed the trembling child across to me and then climbed in beside his boyfriend. Perhaps 'sleep' might be the wrong term, but then I was amazed that they were quiet and still.

Turning my attention to the little warm body next to me, I rolled on my side and pulled him into my arms. I had never had a boy quite this young in bed with me before and I marveled at how really good it felt. As Drew would have put it, I thought How cool is this?

Tim snuggled down and gradually stopped trembling but, full of concern, he asked, "Master, what has Li Soon planned. I know he likes me, but I'm afraid of what will happen when we get to London."

"There will be an agent from the slave mart waiting for you and you will have to go with him. But, then we are all going to the slave mart and I will buy you. You will be part of our family… my son and Drew's little brother. And Li will be like a brother, too." I just could not bring myself to tell him that I might not be successful; I had to trust that Li would somehow make it happen.

"You would do that for me?" he gasped, eyes full of wonder.

"Yes, and when we get home to Australia, I will free you. You will be a free boy, just like Drew and Li. And I will be a real father to you, just as I am to Drew."

"Master! How can I? How can I? How can I ever thank you? How can you be sure I will be a deserving son?"

"Trust me, I know you will be a fine and loving son." I didn't think it wise to tell him that Li had 'vetted' him para-normally and found him to be everything any father could have wanted. And thanks to Amanda's administration of 'tough love' several years ago the idea of having a new son no longer filled me with terror… only hope and challenge.

"Please understand that I will have to put your shackles on again before we hand you over to the agent."

"I know! But I trust you, Master David," he assured me.

About an hour out, I passed Tim over to Li so he could discuss what was going to happen at Heathrow and prepare the child for his part in it. Drew looked at me with some doubt registering in his blue eyes, but I just told him we would have to trust to Li to work it out.

It nearly broke my heart to have to hand this lovely boy over to the Slave Mart Agent. He fastened a chain to Tim's collar and led him away. Tim looked back at us with hope but we had found out there were only four boys going on the block that morning, so we would have to hurry to be in time.

Dashing through Customs and Immigration as quickly as we could, we were met by Eric and Peter. "Quick, guys," I told them. "No time to explain! We've got to get to the Slave Mart right away."

"What? You're buying a slave?" asked an incredulous Peter.

"We rescued a sad little boy and brought him with us," answered Drew. "And Dad is going to buy him and I'll have a little brother as well as a little sister. How cool is that?"

We made it to the Slave Mart just as the third boy was being auctioned. He was a young teen who looked like Adonis and two rather well-to-do men were locked in a bidding war. One of them finally prevailed… at a ridiculous price… and left self-satisfied. Cold fear swept over me; the looser would obviously be interested in Tim. Were we going to fail and would never see him again?

When the agent led Tim out onto the stage, we all gasped!

He looked like a walking skeleton! Weak to the point of collapse… which he did in a heap on the stage. His body was covered with myriads of open sores and he had a hacking cough. I just stared at him for a minute and then suddenly realized what I was seeing. I glanced over at Li… his eyes clamped shut and his face a mask as his whole body trembled from some very taxing effort.

He had put a 'glamour' on Tim. I had read about them but had never seen one in operation before.

The other bidder snorted derisively and Eric turned to me and asked, "You're going to buy that boy?"

"Yes. It's not what you think!" I assured him.

"Come! Who will bid for this lovely boy?" asked the auctioneer. He, obviously, could not see the 'glamour'.

"You must think we're daft!" roared the other bidder as he stomped out of the chamber.

"I'll bid fifty pounds," I announced.

Since I was now the only bidder, Tim was ours… much to the chagrin of the auctioneer. As they dragged Tim off-stage, Li collapsed.

I jumped up immediately and ran to where Peter was cradling Li in his arms. "It's just like he's completely exhausted," said his father.

"Right!" I replied, "I think he's OK. I'll be right back!" And I dashed off to the office to pay and sign for my new slave.

That taken care of, I had Tim released from his shackles and, taking him by the hand, rushed back to where the others waited for me.

Seeing Li in his father's arms, Tim, full of concern, immediately asked, "Is he hurt? Did he hurt himself for me?"

"No," replied Drew, "it's just that… Well, I guess I better explain."

"What are you talking about?" asked Eric. "And this boy is not the one we saw on the block a few minutes ago."

"Yes he is," I assured everyone. "What you saw was this boy with a 'glamour' that Li put on him. Isn't that right, Drew?"

"Yes, Dad. And it is a very hard thing for Li to do and tires him out very quickly."

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" said Eric.

"A few weeks ago," replied Drew, "Li and I were fooling around after class and I said it was too bad I wasn't a girl 'cause then he could just… well, you know."

"And all at once," said Li, struggling to sit up, "he did look like a girl with boobs and even a slit between his legs. But, then he suddenly turned back into a boy again."

"We were both so frightened," continued Drew, "that we got dressed right away and ran to Master Keldhar. He listened to our story and Li turned me into a girl again. He called it a 'garment'."

"You mean glamour," corrected Li.

"Yeah, that's what I said… a 'glamour'. He said he needed to study about it and we should not do it any more until he knew more about it. And we were not to tell anyone about it, not even you guys."

"Before we left for our trip, I asked if I could use it if I needed to," added Li, "and he said OK, but to be careful. He said he would tell you about it when we got back. I couldn't think of any other way to make sure you could buy Tim. It takes a lot of energy and that's why I sort of collapsed at the end. "

We all stood there in shock, especially Tim who threw his arms around Li crying, "You did that for me? How can I begin to thank you?"

"Hey, little brother," said Drew, "you deserved it."

"But what if you had lost control before the auction was over," I asked.

"I was sure I could make it. At least, almost sure. But, just in case, I told Tim to collapse on the stage and maybe no one would notice."

"See," he continued, "no one was hurt… except the Slave Broker and he deserved to be for not keeping his word to Mr. Brogan. I'll bet he lost a bundle on that sale."

Eric, Peter and I just stood there shaking our heads. Was there anything else this wunderkind could do that we didn't know about?

Drew pulled a sweatsuit out of his luggage and handed it to Tim. "Here, put this on. You certainly can't be naked outside. It's winter here and it's cold." It was much too large, but would do until we could get him some clothes of his own.

During the ride to Birmingham, I held Tim in my arms and told him, "Tomorrow, we'll go shopping and get you some clothes. I know you are not yet legally my son, but would you do something for me and for Drew while we are here?"

"Anything, Master! You've done so much for me. Anything at all!"

"While we are here," I told him, "I want you to call me 'Dad' and Drew, Eric, Li and Peter by their names. And I don't want you to go to your position when you greet someone. Just nod and call them 'sir' or 'ma'am'. You need to practice being a free boy because you soon will be just that. Will you do those things for me?"

"Oh, yes, Ma… Dad. But what happens if I forget and slip?"

"I'll overlook it and so will the others," I assured him.

We arrived at the Hamilton's' and I was thrilled to meet Eric and Peter's parents, Alice and John. I had talked to them by phone on several occasions but had never met them. I knew Peter's story… how they and Eric struggled with him through Peter's enslavement and I found them heroic.

But they were just regular folks and soon made all of us… including our newest family member… quite at home. Peter's favorite meal was Alice's baked meatloaf and she did not disappoint. Tim, in particular, after eating slave-ration for all those years, was in rapture.

Faced with a serious dilemma at bedtime… the boys or me… Tim finally chose his soon-to-be dad. And, once again, that little warm body snuggled next to me filled me with a peace and contentment that is hard to describe.

I had been to England, but Drew had not. So, the next few days leading up to New Year's Eve were spent 'seeing the sights'. Both Drew and Tim were thrilled… almost every venue brought forth, "How cool is that?" from either of both of them. Good Lord, I thought, Now there's two of them using that cliché! Yet that simple four-word phrase, let me know that Drew loved his new little brother and Tim adored him and he was going to be a superburb addition to our family. How cool is that? Oops!

But there were some things to be worked out.

One afternoon, Tim came to me carrying a rattan cane. "Please, Dad, will you whip me?"

I was gobsmacked! "Why ever should I do that? Did you do something really bad?"

"No," he replied, "it's just that… Well, Master Brogan caned each of us once a week. But, afterward, he would hold us and tell us what good boys we were and how much he loved us. I don't feel right without my caning."

I was too astounded to even think for a moment. But then I made up my mind. "Tim, I will never, ever take a cane to you. Nor will any one else."

He looked down at his shoes and began to cry, "Don't you want me? Haven't I been a good boy? Won't you tell me you love me?"

I could see that he was in real distress; this was evidently very important to him. "Tim," I said softly, enfolding him in my arms, "you don't have to be whipped for me to tell you what a fine boy you are and how much I love you." He seemed somewhat comforted by that. "Where did you get the cane?"

"It was Peter's. While he was a slave."

I thought for a minute; I sensed that I had to be very careful not to sound like I was rejecting him. "Tell you what. When it's time for bed tonight, if you want me to, I'll spank you with my bare hand. But I will not cane you."

He hesitated for a while, but then said, "OK."

"Now please go along and play. And tell Peter I would like to talk to him." He nodded and was off.

Peter came to me a few minutes later. "Hi David. What's up?"

"Peter, how did Tim get this?" I asked, holding up the cane.

"Oh gosh, I gave it to him. I was going through some old stuff in my bedroom and he said he wanted to show it to you. It's the one the Austrians used on me one time."

"I see. Well, he wanted me to use it on him." And I told him what Tim had said about his weekly caning.

"Holy shit! If I had known that, I would never have let him even see it."

"I know, Peter, and I'm not blaming you. But I think I had better talk to Master Keldhar. Would you ask Li to help me and then see that we're not disturbed?"

"Sure thing, David!"

With Li's help, I 'chatted' with Keldhar and told him what had happened. "I think you are probably right to spank him, if he really wants it," he told me. "But we will need to work with him when you get home. He evidently equates pain with love and that, as you well know, is not healthy. But what you agreed to do is best for now."

Somewhat relieved, I took each of the others aside and told them what I was going to do. I didn't know how much Tim would scream and I didn't want anyone upset. Alice and John were aghast, but agreed not to disturb us.

He came into my room at bedtime that night and quickly shed his jams. "Are you still sure you want this?" I asked. He nodded. "OK! Over my knees. I promise you this will hurt."

I looked closely at the naked boy draped over my lap, his two ripe melons displayed for me. I could just barely see some faint welts that were almost healed. As I gently rubbed those two globes, I thought, My God! How can I possibly do this to him? He's so trusting! But I knew I had to. I had given my word.

I had planned to give him thirty strokes. But, by twenty, he was crying piteously and I simply could not go on. I pulled him into my arms, wiped his tears away and told him, "Tim, you will soon be my son and I love you now and I always will."

"I know, now," he sniffed. "And you are brave and strong and I want to grow up and be just like you. Thank you, D-d-dad! I promise I won't ask you to spank me again."

"And I promise to hold you in my arms and show you my love whenever you wish. And so will Drew and Li and their fathers," I assured him.

But his next question stunned me even further. "Are you gonna fuck me, Dad?"

I nearly choked! "Absolutely not, my little dear! Why would you think I would ever do that?" Then I had a chilling thought. "Did Master Brogan do that to you?"

"No, but sometimes he did it to some of the older boys. An' they did it to the slave boys. An' they wanted to do it to me, but he wouldn't let them… said I was much too young."

"And he was quite right!" I retorted. "I would never do that any young boy let along one that I loved as my son. For a young boy your age, it hurts very, very much. I will never do anything to cause you pain and neither will Drew or Li or Peter or Eric or any of the other folks you'll meet when we get home. Yes, I might spank you if you misbehave, but that is different."

"But the slave boys liked it and they sometimes did it back."

"Tim," I hugged him close to me, "someday, when you are older, you will have another person… boy or girl… whom you love and want to spend your life with. And then, if you both wish, the two of you may fuck. But not until then. There will be other ways we can show our love to each other and they will be fun and exciting, I promise you."

"You mean, like this?" he chirped. And before I could even get my wits together, he slid down between my legs and took my prick in his mouth.

"Wha?" was all I could choke out. And then, I surrendered to him, filling his mouth with my spunk.

As I gasped and tried to catch my breath, he crawled up and faced me again. "You taste good," he declared.

"Did you do that to Mr. Brogan?" I asked.

"No, the boys taught me about it and I did it with them. Was I good? Did you like it? I 'member telling Master Brogan about it the first time one of them sucked me. 'Master! Liam just sucked me and I like it! It feels so good!' And he said, 'I'm glad you like it. Did you repay him?' 'What do you mean?' I asked. 'Did you suck him?' 'Well, yeah! And I liked that, too. And so did he.' 'I want my boys to enjoy your sexy little body and for you to enjoy theirs. Just don't let it interfere with their work in the orchards.' 'I won't,' I promised him."

"You were quite good," I assured him. But, then, reality set in… if he was going to be my son, we could not indulge in that. "But I think you should save that for Drew or Li. You can show your love by just hugging me and letting me hold you in my arms."

He looked at me quizzically, but then, "OK." He snuggled down against me and was soon asleep and it wasn't long 'tilI I joined him in dreamland.

It was still quite early when I awoke as he stirred, stretched and yawned. "Good morning, my almost son," I greeted him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes, Dad. It' so nice with your arms around me. Can we stay here for a bit?"

I spooned him against me and began to caress his shoulders, arms and chest. How smooth and soft his skin was… reminded me of another little boy whom I had held when he was just a bit older than Tim. He jumped and giggled when I rubbed his tiny nipples, all the while purring like a very contented tomcat.

But, after a while he wanted something more. "Please touch me here," he said, placing my hand directly on his small package.

My mind said, NO! but my heart said, YES!

"Should I really do this to him? He's so young! It's not right… is it?

"Please, Dad, please!" he implored.

But a question nagged at me. "Did Master Brogan touch you there?"

"No, but all the boys did and it felt so very, very goooood!"

My heart won out as I took his little pole in one hand and played with his little marbles with the other. Was he even old enough to have an orgasm? My question was soon answered as I felt his body stiffen and his prick throb. After a moment, he uttered a great sigh, murmured, "Oh thank you," fell asleep once more.

I lay there almost consumed by the feelings coursing through my very being! It was almost lunch time when we finally crawled out, showered and dressed.

As we entered their family room, John greeted us, "Well here are our two lazy-birds! I peeked in at you earlier and you were both still asleep, so I cautioned the others not to wake you. Eric, Peter and the boys are having a game of backyard soccer, Tim. Why don't you go and join them." After Tim had skipped off, he turned to me and asked, "How did things work out last night?"

"I think," I answered him, "we've put the spanking issue behind us… no pun intended."

"It must have ended on a friendly note," chuckled John. "I noticed his pile of pajamas on the floor. Don't be concerned; I don't think Eric ever wore pajamas the whole time Peter was enslaved."

"Come to think of it, I don't think Drew even owns pajamas," I mused.

After lunch, I took Drew and Li aside. "I think maybe our little one is a lot more worldly-wise than we might think. Living in a house full of horny young teens he must have learned quite a bit about bedtime fun. He clearly is hungry for more than hugs and kisses."

"Yeah, he just kind of oozes sex," agreed Li.

"Well, when he's with you at night, just be gentle and let him take the lead. You might be surprised where he takes you, but don't rush it. Just don't fuck him."

"Dad!" protested Drew, "we would never do that to him! That wouldn't be cool at all."

***

We began the long trip home the day after New Year's. It was twenty-two hours from Heathrow to Sydney with a lay-over at Dubai. I had planned to buy a ticket for Tim, but Li insisted he could handle things for both himself and Tim, so we deferred to his wish.

He performed flawlessly, our departure and first-class cabin crews never even questioned why there were two additional passengers who were not on the manifest. Actually, I'm not sure they ever even saw them.

We even had company with us for this trip… Sir Rolland Brooks, his wife and their four children. Sir Rolland was on his way to Canberra to take up his post as First Secretary at the UK embassy there. Drew and Li immediately appointed themselves the ones to entertain and care for the Brooks' kids and Tim. Observing the interaction among them was entertainment enough for us adults. When the Brooks entourage bade us goodbye at Sydney, it was with firm invitations to visit them in Canberra, once they were settled. Both our teen companions had demonstrated what fine parents they might be some day.

It was quite late when we arrived in Alice. So, after a quick call to Keldhar to let him know we were home, it was off to bed… with a small boy and a budding young teen snuggled on either side of me.

The next morning, Drew and I took Tim to meet Master Keldhar and it was clear that he and our mentor hit it off right from the start. "Interesting!" he told us as he held Tim on his lap. "He has a very weak empathic gift. You almost have to be touching him to feel it. We'll have to work on that." But, as sometimes happens, his gift faded completely as he grew older.

True to my promise, though, I immediately filed for manumission and adoption. And two weeks later, Timothy Deverill Nelson was legally a member of our family. "Now I have both a little sister and a little brother!" proclaimed ever-irrepressible Drew. "How cool is that?"

About a week later, Keldhar summoned all six of us to his office one afternoon after lunch. When we arrived, he introduced us to his guest, "This is Alan Joyce, the president and CEO of Qantas. He's here to pay off his bet."

"Yes, and to meet the young chap who so bedazzled my air crews," he chuckled. We all pointed to Li and he turned to him and said, "Please come here, lad. I have something for you." And he handed Li a cheque.

Li took one look at it and his eyes got big. "But, s-sir!" he stuttered.

"Oh," said Joyce, "did I get the decimal in the wrong place? Well, no matter!" The cheque was for 100,000 $AU. "Master Keldhar has told me of the device that your technicians have invented that renders a person unable to use paranormal powers and he has promised me first rights when it is perfected and goes into production. I intend to equip all my air stewards so they will be able to protect the aircraft should a rogue attempt some mischief. I would surmise all the other carriers would do likewise. You are a very brave and resourceful lad," he continued as he shook Li's hand.

"And I have invited him to be a member of our governing board and he has accepted," Keldhar announced.

"I am deeply honored," said our guest. "And so I wish to present each of you with lifetime passes for any destination that Qantas flies. Might as well; you'd just devise some way to go without them," he joked.

"How cool is that?" exclaimed my son.

Master Keldhar just sat in the background beaming.

While on an educational trip to South America, their aircraft is lost over the Amazon Jungle and Li and Drew must save themselves from a primitive tribe who doesn't want their whereabouts known by 'The White Devils'

New Char: Captain Alvarez, pilot; Henry Ashworth (13yo); Tu'a and Mel'i (12yo)

Drew narrates

I had grown quite a bit in the two years I had been at the Alice Springs School For Exceptional Boys where I live with my Dad and my new little brother, Tim, and my friend Li and his dads, Eric and Peter. I'm almost up to Dad's shoulder now. And I had put on about 16 kg [35 lb.], too. Dad says I'm about average for a boy my age. Oh yeah, I had grown a bit 'down there' too… how cool was that?

But my friend Li… well, my boyfriend… hadn't grown much at all. He still looked like a nine or ten-year old, even though he was almost thirteen. No matter, we were lovers and spent much of our free time together doing… well, you know. I didn't mind that he was physically much smaller than me… although he did when we were out in the city and someone thought he was a little kid and I was his 'minder'.

But if he hadn't grown much physically, he continued to shock us all with the things he could do with the power of his mind… moving heavy objects, transporting himself… along with me… to all sorts of places over many kilometers, 'talking' to anyone, anywhere, in their mind: these were just a few things he could do. And he had 'grown up' quite a bit and only used his powers to help others.

Some folks outside the school who didn't know better were sure he could walk on water or turn lead into gold! (Wouldn't that be cool?) Well, he couldn't, of course. But we were on the edge of an adventure full of horror and danger that nearly destroyed us both.

***

Gradually I became aware of the pain. My head hurt, my back and legs hurt; in fact, I hurt all over. I couldn't move much, something was pressing down on my belly. And those flickering lights!

I simply closed my eyes, trying to blot out the pain. After a few minutes I opened them again. I was lying on my back looking up at the roof of some sort of structure… most of it had been torn away and the flickering lights were the sunlight filtering down through the trees.

Where was I? And what was all this junk piled on top of me? Had I been in an accident of some sort? I thought about that for a moment. And then I had a fleeting memory. I was in a plane and it had crashed in a storm. And Li had been with me! "Li!" I called weakly.

No answer.

"Captain Alvarez?"

No answer.

And, then, the rest of all the memories had come flooding in.

The school year had been just about over and Dad and Tim and I hadn't made any plans for holiday, when an opportunity for a summer adventure appeared.

The government of Peru had contacted Master Keldhar… our headmaster… and requested Li's help with their restoration of an Inca ruin at a place called Machu Picchu. Li had become quite famous for his exploits during our Christmas Holiday trip last winter, but Master Keldhar was not at all sure he could provide much help to the archeologists and he told them so. But the Peruvians offered a rather large fee. And who really knew what my lover was capable of.

He had talked it over with Eric and Peter and they decided to make it a summer adventure for Li, and I was invited go along.

Tim was disappointed he wasn't invited, but Dad made plans for him to spend the summer with Mom and our little sister, Jennie, in California. He felt much better at being left behind when Mom promised to take him to visit his former master, Mr. Brogan, and all his friends.

Master Peter, one of Li's dads, would go with us and we would drop Tim off in California on the way to Peru. Once we were finished at Machu Picchu, we would fly to a city in Brazil named Manaus and have a nine-day excursion on the Amazon River. From there, we would go on to Rio de Janerio before returning to Alice, collecting Tim again on the way. We would be gone for five weeks.

Sydney to San Francisco had been the usual fourteen-hour grind… although, in first-class it wasn't too bad… and we scarcely had had time to say hello to Mom and Jennie before we had to spend another twelve hours in the air to Lima and an additional hour-and-a-half to Cusco, the nearest large city to Machu Picchu. By that time, I simply hadn't wanted to see an airplane for a while. The last 50km [30mi] to the town of Aguas Calientes… only 6km [3½ mi] from the ruin… were, thankfully, by train.

What a cool place… Machu Picchu! It sits 2430m [over 7000ft] high in the Andes Mountains and was built about 1450. How the Incas could possibly have built such a place without modern technology is a great mystery… one the archeologists are trying to solve. Master Peter, Li and I climbed over, around and under most of the buildings that had been unearthed and Li did suggest a few new spots where they might dig and even helped them move a few boulders. Of course, we would be long gone before they learned if he had been right. I think the archeologists expected miracles… I'm afraid they were disappointed, but Master Keldhar had warned them. There are, after all, limits to paranormal powers… even Li's.

To get to Manaus, Master Peter had chartered a flight… groan… but it was only a little over two hours flying time. We had been all set to leave when our plans had suddenly come apart. Peter would have to go back to Lima because of some foul-up with the Peruvian government. "Don't worry," he told us, "I'll meet you in Manaus and our pilot, Captain Alvarez, will go along on the river cruise with you."

Because of the delay, we would have to fly in stormy weather the next day so we wouldn't be late for our river cruise.

Shortly into the flight, Captain Alvarez told us, "Make sure your seat-belts are tight and hold on. I'm going to try to go north around the storm, but it may get a bit rough."

Despite the 'detour', we were soon in the midst of the storm. It was scary to be bounced about by the gusts of wind and pelted by hail and rain, but the Captain said we shouldn't worry.

Yeah!

And, suddenly, we were shaken by the worst gust yet and there was a big, BANG, and the plane began to drop. "We've lost part of our vertical stabilizer!" he shouted. "I can't control the plane! Brace yourselves! We're going in!"

I felt the plane brush the tops of the trees and then nose down into the jungle. I flew forward, banging me head on the seat in front of me… and that's all I remember, until…

I tried to sit up, but had to lie back again until the dancing black dots quit. Then, I slowly tried to pull myself out from the jumble of seats and other wreckage that had trapped me. Finally managing to wiggle free, I dragged myself across the aisle to Li. He was unconscious and had a bad gash on the top of his head. Foolishly, I tried to pull him free, but he was pinned by the wreckage from his waist down.

His eyes flickered and I asked him, "Li! Are you hurt?"

He stared at me for a minute and then asked, "Who are you? And where am I?"

"It's me, Drew!"

He closed his eyes again and whispered, "I don't know you. I can't remember! Where am I? Why can't I move?"

"We were in a plane crash! We were on our way to Cusco… the storm!"

"I can't remember! Oh my head! Please make it stop hurting! Pwease! Pwease!" And he passed out again.

I lay my head on his shoulder and just bawled, "The head injury! He's like a little child! Oh, Li, don't die on me! You can't die on me!" I could see the smashed pilot's compartment… it was filled with bloody parts of Captain Alvarez and he was surely dead.

After a while, Li's eyes flickered again, "Is that you, Drew?"

Thank God, he was still alive and knew me! "Yes, Li. Our plane crashed! You need use your powers to call for help."

I saw him concentrate, but then he gasped, "My powers! They're all gone!"

Cold horror filled me! That head wound!

We lay there all night, listening to the sounds of the jungle. My head still hurt like hell and Li moaned and thrashed. How could I save us if a jaguar tried to get in? What if a snake came after us ? All I could do was try to hold Li close and hope for the best… and cry.

Morning finally came and Li was no better… still in much pain and only half-conscious. We would just have to hope someone found us before we… well I tried not to think of that. Poor Master Peter and Master Eric and my dad and mum and my little brother and sister and Master Keldhar! How would they ever?

And then, my thoughts were interrupted! "Olá, White Devils! Existe alguém ainda está vivo?" a voice shouted in a language I didn't understand… I learned later it was Portugese. Were we going to be rescued?

I squirmed over to one of the side windows and looked out to discover we were surrounded by a group of copper-skinned natives… warriors of some kind carrying spears and blow-guns. With them, was a naked white boy about my age. Skinny and gaunt, his hands were tied behind his back and he had a sort of noose around his throat with a short rope, the end of which was held by a native boy.

I gaped at the native boy. He seemed about twelve or so with flashing black eyes and straight black hair and a body… well, he took my breath away. A pre-teen 'David' with muscles and bulges in all the right places and wearing only a very short breech-cloth. I felt a stirring 'down there' and was immediately ashamed. What was I thinking? Anyway, it was not cool!

Before I could get my wits together, the white boy shouted, "Hello, White Devils! Is there anyone still alive?"

"Yes!" I answered. "But my boyfriend is hurt badly."

He turned to what I guessed was the lead warrior and spoke in still another language. The warrior grunted and, at his instruction, several of the others lay down their weapons and lifted some of the wreckage off Li and me so I could scramble out onto the ground and pull Li into my arms.

The warriors had immediately seized us, when the white boy fell on his knees before the leader and spoke again to him. He was rewarded with a slap to the side of his face that sent him sprawling. His 'minder' pulled him to his feet again and he spoke the leader. After a somewhat heated exchange, the leader threw up his hands and stalked away, motioning the others to follow him.

The native boy smiled at us and spoke in broken English, "Please to take off clothes." I hesitated and the white boy added, "Do as he says! He just saved your lives!" I got my clothes off OK, but the native boy had to help me to strip Li. The boy stepped back and studied us for a bit and then he smiled again… he evidently liked what he saw.

Taking some ropes, he tied my hands and put a noose around my neck. The white boy picked up Li and we began to trudge through the jungle away from the crash. It seemed like we stumbled along for hours before we came out into a small village with huts made of bamboo and thatch.

The white boy, Li and I were pushed into one of them and the door was securely fastened. Taking Li once again into my arms after my hands were freed, I held him close and began to weep. "Oh my lover! What is going to happen to us."

After watching us for a bit, the white boy said, "I'm Henry Ashworth and you're the first white people I've see for a long time… I guess in over a year."

The name seemed strangely familiar and then I remembered. "Henry Ashworth, the singer?" I screeched. He nodded. "But you were killed in a plane crash. You and your parents were never found. Everyone thinks you are dead. They even held a memorial service for you back in England."

"Yeah, my parents were killed and they just put them in the river."

"In the river? I don't understand."

"Whenever they want to get rid of someone… dead or alive… they just throw him in the river and the crocks and piranha take care of the problem. That's what they did with my parents' bodies and almost to me. But Tu'a… he's the one who takes care of me… talked them into making me a slave."

I introduced Li and myself, and told Henry how we got here and about Li's powers. "If he gets better," I said hopefully, "he'll be able to call for help." But, somehow, I knew Li wasn't going to get better. That's one of the problems with being an empath… I could 'read' him and feel his despair and pain and fright.

"Why did the leader hit you?" I asked.

"I asked him to make you slaves, too. They were going to put you in the river. But it was Tu'a who really saved you. He's a twin and all the natives are afraid of them. They're the only real friends I have here."

I remembered reading about how some primitive tribes think twins are kind of like magicians… one person in two bodies who might bring bad luck if they are not treated properly. But they are also feared.

At that moment, a figure came wiggling in through the door and it was locked again. Actually, two figures… 'Pete and Repeat'… as my dad would have said. They were carrying bowls of some sort of mash. Henry spoke to them at length, and Tu'a turned to me and said, "Much pleased to meet Drew and friend, but sorry friend Li hurt."

"Thank you Tu'a," I replied. "Henry says you saved our lives. I'm happy to meet you and your brother." At that all three of them broke into giggles.

"What?"

"I said they were twins," giggled Henry, "but Mel'i is not his brother."

I stared at the two of them standing together… two absolutely perfect pre-teen bodies that set my heart tingling. True, Mel'i was a bit broader in the hips and chest, but…

"Mel'i is his twinsister," Henry explained.

I stood there with my mouth open, looking foolish as the two of them flipped up the little aprons they were wearing. Tu'a was certainly a boy… and well developed at that… but Mel'i was definitely not a boy.

"They are both very strong and brave," Henry continued, "especially Mel'i. I taught them how to arm wrestle and she regularly beats even some of the warriors. All the tribal boys are scared of her, so she and Tu'a protect me and keep me safe. Every so often someone plans to have me thrown in the river, but they are afraid of her."

They both hugged me… and Li gently… before leaving. I'm ashamed to admit that their naked bodies against mine had the usual effect. Mel'i seemed surprised at that but said nothing.

After they left, I tried to feed Li, but without much success. Then Henry and I ate while he told me about his life among these savages. He ended by saying, "The most important thing to them is keeping the 'White Devils' away and they are fanatical about that. The government has given up trying to pacify them. Lost too many soldiers who end up in the river, so they are mostly left alone. Those blow-guns have darts that are tipped with a poison that kills in less than a minute. Even a little scratch and you're done."

After that, I took Li in my arms and lay down on the sleeping mat with him. I was almost asleep when I felt Henry crawl in beside me and reach for me.

"Please, Drew. Come to me, play with me," he began to cry. "I've wanted to with Tu'a for so long, but he won't let me. Please, Drew. I know you like boys; I can tell by the way you look at Tu'a. And I like boys, too. Please hold me tight… It's been sooooo long!"

He had saved our lives, so I supposed I owed him. Laying Li down gently, I turned toward Henry and surrendered my body to him. And I soon found myself hungering for him and I did enjoy our coupling. I felt guilty, but I was sure Li would understand.

The next morning, all three of us were dragged out of our hut and put to work. The tribe had some crude fields where they raised some of their food and we had to cultivate them using sticks and our bare hands. Li could barely walk and, when he reached the end of a row, he just stood there looking dazed and lost until I could turn him around and start him back down the next row. It was hard work and we were all exhausted by nightfall. Almost too tired to eat our gruel. Too tired for Henry and me to enjoy each other.

And that was what it was like for a while… every day without exception. Some days Li was so 'out of it' that he could not work at all and Mel'i would spirit him away and hide him and try to feed him so he would not be put in the river. I could see him gradually slipping away and, despite comfort from Henry, Tu'a and Mel'i, I spent many nights holding him and weeping.

We had been there about two months when Tu'a came in after Henry and I had eaten and took me out of the hut and to his mother's hut. As the mother of twins, she was alternately adored and feared by all the tribesmen and usually got what she wanted without question. As it turned out, what she wanted this night was me.

Tu'a led me in and forced me to my knees before his mother. She gestured to the side where Mel'i lay on a pallet on her back, completely naked. She spread her legs apart and motioned for me to come to her.

I was seized with terror. Did she want…? Was I supposed to…?

"Friend Henry tell me you make seed," Tu'a whispered to me. "Mama say you put seed in Mel'i to make baby."

I tried to look up at him, "No, please! Not that!"

"Please put seed in sister or Mama put Li in River." And that was the 'whip' the tribe used on me many, many times. But I could tell he was being forced and was almost in tears as he led me over to Mel'i, made me kneel between her legs and guided my rampant prick into her.

At first, I couldn't go in very far. But then, something gave way, Mel'i squealed and I plunged in the whole way. After that I just continued until I had planted my seed in her. The feeling wasn't bad but I did not enjoy it at all. When I was finished, Mel'i put her arms around me and kissed me. "Thank you, Friend Drew."

Tu'a led me back to our hut and sat with me and told me, "Mama want Mel'i to have Friend Drew baby in belly. She say you strong and brave, not like trash boys in village. She say you baby be brave and lead whole tribe." But I felt unclean, dirty! I did not want to be a father to a child of these savages… not even to Mel'i who I did love a bit. And I spent the rest of the night sobbing in Henry's arms.

Meanwhile, Li slept on, locked in his own private world. He seemed to be shrinking, hardly awake any more.

Word of my act with Mel'i must have got around and the other tribesmen were furious. They couldn't get back at Mel'i or her mother, but they could and did get back at me. One night I was dragged from the hut to the center of the village and tied face down over a log. I heard Henry shout, "No! Please!" followed by a slap. And suddenly he was standing behind me at my ass.

"Don't fight it, Drew! I'll be as gentle as I can!" And I felt him probe my hole with his prick and then push in. He wasn't that big that it hurt very much, but I still began to cry. He began to work in and out and, in a short time, pumped his juice into me. Next, to my horror, was Tu'a… he had been told to rape me or all of us would go to the river. He was much bigger than Henry and it hurt a lot, but somehow I hung on.

And then the really bad part began. First, one warrior and then another. I can't begin to describe the pain and I must have passed out because the next thing I remember was being back in the hut where Henry and Tu'a were holding me as Mel'i applied a salve of some sort to my sore and bleeding behind. Then she gave me a sip of something and everything went black.

They said I slept for three days… three days while Tu'a did my field work… three days while Mel'i took care of Li.

But, at last, I woke, groggy and stiff and still very sore, to learn from Mel'i that both Henry and Tu'a would pay for their kindness to me.

That night, Henry did not return to the hut, and Li and I were dragged to an open space where four poles had been driven into the ground. Henry and Tu'a were tied to them so their bodies formed giant X's. The warriors then began to whip the shit out of them until blood was running down their asses and legs. At first, they both tried not to cry out, but Henry soon began to scream each time the whip struck his bloody flesh. Tu'a held out a bit longer, but he too, at last, added his cries to the tumult. I had Li by his hand and Mel'i held me tightly so I could not interfere. I don't believe Li knew what was happening… at least I hoped not… but it was the worst thing I had ever seen in my life.

Finally, the beating stopped and the warriors went to their huts, leaving us in the dark to tend to their victims. Mel'i cut them down… Tu'a could just barely walk… and she carried poor Henry back to our hut. Leaving for a minute, she came back with a pot of some kind of salve and began putting it on Henry's wounds, indicating I should do the same for Tu'a.

The wonderful feel of his ass and legs was marred by the welts and cuts and I'm afraid some of my tears got mixed in with the salve. By morning, the bleeding had stopped, but they slept most of that day and the next.

Things got back to 'normal' if you could think of our plight being normal. But, one night a few weeks later, Henry was a bit late and, when he arrived he told me the horrible news he had from Tu'a. "Drew! They're going to put all of us in the river… you, me and Li."

Tu'a arrived a few minutes later and confirmed the rumor.

"When?" I asked.

"When moon is biggest," he answered. "You must go! And Mel'i and me help you."

"But you'll be killed!"

"No. We go with you," he declared. "Is not good life for us here. Mel'i and me make plans." And that was that. No amount of persuasion would change his mind, so we began to prepare to flee on the next moonless night.

The night of new moon before we had eaten, Mel'i slipped into our hut. "You come now!" she directed. "I put sleepy juice in stew pot." To my astonishment, our guards lay on the ground unconscious. She took two of the darts and stabbed each of them and then collected their blow-guns and darts. She had just murdered them!

Tu'a was waiting with a pack of food and water.

The village seemed to be unconscious, as they led the three of us quietly through the jungle to the banks of the river. There were two guards there, whom she quickly darted. Tu'a, meanwhile, seized an ax and chopped holes in the bottom of all but one of the boats and we loaded ourselves and pushed off, followed by some hungry crocs.

We were hardly away, when we heard a great shout. The village had awakened. "Keep heads down!" Tu'a shouted as he poled the boat into mid stream. Several darts thumped into the side of the boat, but we were soon out of range.

Several of the warriors gave chase in one of the damaged boats, not realizing their peril until it began to sink. The crocs immediately left us for a more promising meal and the warriors cries punctuated the night for some time. Fortunately, Li had slept through the whole mess. I had had Mel'i give him some of the 'sleepy juice' reasoning it would be better for me to carry him than to deal with a zombie.

We drifted all night, even successfully navigating some rapids thanks to Tu'a's skill, and it was mid-morning before we came to another village. Between them, Tu'a and Henry managed to call out, "Nos ajude! Ter três meninos brancos tentam escapar de tribo. Quer ir para casa. [Help us! Have three white boys try to escape from tribe. Want to go home.]

"Um menino está muito doente. Ele precisa de um médico ou ele vai morrer." [One boy is very sick. He needs a doctor or he will die.]

Their reply was not long in coming accompanied by a hail of arrows. "Não! Vá embora! Está inimigos! Se você chegar em terra, vamos matá-lo. [No! Go away! You are enemies! If you come ashore we will kill you.]

We got the same 'welcome' at two other villages we passed. Tu'a poled us to the far side of the river which had become quite broad and there we spent a rather nervous night.

Pushing on the next day, we came to a village where several boys about Tu'a's age were swimming. Obviously we must have left the crocs and piranha behind. Henry pleaded with them, "Por Favor! A nossa comida e água estão quase acabando!" [Please! Our food and water are almost gone!] "Um menino está muito doente. Ele precisa de um médico ou ele vai morrer." [One boy is very sick. He needs a doctor or he will die.]

Two of them got out of the water and ran into the village. We were prepared to flee again when they came back carrying some water skins and a kind of bread. One of them told us, "Há uma cidade dois dias ao sul daqui chamado São Gabriel da Cachoeira. Eles têm médico e pode ajudá-lo." [There is a city two days south from here called São Gabriel da Cachoeira. They have doctor and can help you.]

We floated on and late in the afternoon of the second day we came to a much larger settlement. It had electrical poles! Never before had I been so happy to see something as commonplace as electrical poles! And there was a tour-boat tied up along the jetty. Were we finally back in civilization? I learned later it was the same tour-boat Li and I were to have taken had we not crashed.

The tour-boat captain spoke English and listened with astonishment as Henry and I poured out our story. One of the passengers was a doctor who examined Li and told us, "The boy has a skull fracture which is likely pressing on his brain. He needs immediate surgery."

"There is not an airfield here, so you will have to travel with us to Manaus," explained the captain. "I will radio ahead for them to notify the authorities and your families. Now, get aboard quickly as we are ready to cast off." He saw the looks of fright and uncertainty on Tu'a's and Mel'i's faces and said, "Bring the Indian boys with you. We'll have to let the authorities in Manaus sort them out."

We were given cabins… Li and I would share one and Henry, Tu'a and Mel'i the other… and the first decent meal Henry and I had had in months. Tu'a and Mel'i may have found the food strange but they did not complain. The passengers were all concerned about us and very kind, even coming forth with some clothes for Henry and me.

When we pulled into Manaus, there waiting on the tour-boat dock were Dad, Master Eric and Master Peter accompanied by an ambulance and a squad of soldiers.

Dad didn't even wait for the gangway but jumped onto the deck and we ran toward each other, collapsing into each other's arms. "Oh, Drew! My Drew!" he sobbed. "It's really you! You've come back!"

"Dad! I almost gave up hope I'd ever see you again. Li is hurt bad, but now we're safe and he'll get well again."

"Keldhar kept telling us you were alive; he could feel you but he couldn't read Li. And he couldn't pinpoint your location. And this is Henry Ashworth, the famous singer?"

I pulled Henry and our two friends into our hug and introduced them. "Dad, if it had not been for these friends, Li and I would have died."

"I'm sure you have quite a story to tell. But quickly now, there's a jet standing by to take us directly to London, to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Your Mother and Tim and Jennie will meet us there."

They quickly bundled Li… along with Peter… into the ambulance and set out for the airport, the rest of us following in a van, accompanied by the soldiers and their comandante in a jeep.

Li was immediately carried aboard the sleek little aircraft and into the care of a flight surgeon and flight nurses. The plane was already powered up and ready to take off, so the pilot beckoned us to board quickly.

Ushering a frightened and somewhat reluctant Tu'a and Mel'i in front of me, I was just about to board, when the comandante stopped me. "Não! As crianças não podem ir com você. Eles devem permanecer aqui e ser devolvidos à sua tribo." [No! The children cannot go with you. They must remain here and be returned to their tribe.]

"Mr. Hamilton" Henry shouted turning to him. "They want to come with us and we promised them they could. If they go back to their people, they will be killed!"

Dad nodded and told Henry what to say, "Estas crianças estão indo com a gente, Comandante." [These children are going with us, Comandante.]

The comandante barked an order, "Aproveitá-las! Não deixá-los no avião!" [Seize them! Do not let them on the aircraft!] Two of the soldiers stepped forward and were about to grab Tu'a and Mel'i when they suddenly froze in their tracks… someone had obviously intervened.

We scrambled aboard, the door came up and the jet began to move.

I was still helping a thoroughly terror-stricken Tu'a buckle in as we began our take-off roll, chased part way down the runway by a jeep full of wildly shouting soldiers and their comandante. Tu'a was trying valiantly to hide his fright… and mostly succeeding… and, as we lifted off he gave a big, "Whoop!" as the familiar ground seemed to dissolve from under him.

Henry had taken Mel'i with him and got some help with his seatmate from one of the flight nurses, but she mostly hid her eyes and refused to look out until we were at cruising altitude and then she just watched wide-eyed for the longest time. Dad sat across from Tu'a and me and Peter and Eric were in the forward compartment with Li. Oh God! Please help him get well! I prayed.

Once Tu'a had settled a bit and grown tired of watching the earth slowly… at least it seemed slowly to him… unroll, we both gave Dad an account of what had happened to us, with Henry adding in his tale, too. But I omitted any mention of my coupling with Mel'i and Tu'a was astute enough to understand I wanted to tell Dad about that in my own time. Dad just shook his head in wonderment.

After several hours, Tu'a curled up and went to sleep… he and Mel'i seemed to be able do that no matter what the conditions… and I moved across the aisle. Dad wrapped me in his arms and I felt to safe and loved. And somehow I felt I knew that Li would be OK, too.

And, after a bit, I confessed what I had done with Mel'i.

"But, Dad," I blubbered, "I'm just a kid! I'm not ready to be a father. But I couldn't let them put Li in the river!"

"I know, son," he replied. "You were forced into something you didn't want to do… may never want to do. In effect, you both were raped. But you did it to save Li and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nor does Mel'i. There may not be a baby and even if there is, Mel'i may not be able to carry one to term at her age."

"But what if she does and I have a child?"

"If that should happen, your mom and I will do what is best for you and Mel'i and the child. I promise you that you won't be faced with parenthood. Anyway, as our old friend Mr. Crankshaft would have it, 'We'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.' so there."

A sudden scene formed in my mind… a young boy standing on the rail of a bridge ready to jump to his death. And the strong arms of a man pulling me back from that awful act. At that moment, I was absolutely sure my Dad could do anything.

We had just approached the coastline, when two Brazilian jets began stalking us. The pilot of our aircraft held a heated conversation with them and they finally backed off and flew away.

The next morning, we were still way out over the Atlantic Ocean when two Royal Air Force Harrier Jets intercepted us and escorted us. After several hours, they were replaced by two F-24's from the mainland and would take us the whole way home.

We were told later that all traffic both in and out of Gatwick had been held or diverted to accommodate our flight. Keldhar must have some friends in really high places. Either that or…

It was late when the medevac landed there, taxiing to a special place on the sprawling airport. An ambulance was waiting and Li and Peter were whisked off to GOSH… as the Great Ormond Street Hospital is more often called. And it was still later until Dad, Eric, Henry, Tu'a, Mel'i and I could fight our way through London's always snarled traffic by limo to find Li already in surgery and Peter wearing a track in the carpet of a surgical waiting room.

The floor supervisor told us it would probably be hours until we would know how Li was and whether the surgery was successful. Once Henry explained this to Tu'a and Mel'i, they immediately rolled up in the blankets we had been given and slept on the floor. I wished the rest of us could have slept, also, but it was a restless night… jet-lag and all. Mom, Tim and Jennie were on the way, so we would have quite a mob of people later in the day.

Finally, just as it was getting light, the surgeon, Dr. Melton, came into our space and told us, looking about, "Your son had a sizable cranial embolism which we aspirated." Seeing the puzzled looks on some of our faces, he apologized and told us, "He had a blood-clot on his brain which we drained. And we removed a small part of his skull that was broken and replaced it with a plastic graft. He's now resting under sedation; that is, we're keeping him drugged, and will do so for a few days to allow the brain to stop swelling. So, it is just a matter of time and we will not know if there is any impairment; that is, permanent damage, until he is awake again."

Henry translated it all for Tu'a and Mel'i, but Tu'a… struggling through his limited English… asked, "Will Friend Li be well again? Friend Drew say he have much powers to do great things."

"I don't know, young man," answered the Doctor, "but with friends like you, he will surely have a good chance." Tu'a beamed at him… he had never been called 'young man' before and I could feel his pride. For all of us, the feeling was one of hope.

"Now I've arranged for you all to be quartered here," continued Melton, "so you'll be able to be here when young Li awakes. And your meals, too." Once we were all gathered, there would be eleven of us… twelve, once Henry's uncle arrived, although they would soon be leaving… and I thought it a bit unusual for GOSH to care for all of us. Did Master Keldhar have a hand in that? Stupid question.

By noon-time we were all rather droopy and Mom, Tim and Jennie had arrived, so we all went off to our assigned rooms for some much-needed sleep. Mom and Jennie would look after Mel'i… despite our pleading and tears from Mel'i and Tu'a, they could not 'room' together. I remember thinking, I'll bet Li could change their minds, if only he were awake! Eric and Peter were together and Dad and I took Tim, Henry and an unhappy Tu'a with us.

Dad thought it best if he would take Tim for the night and leave me to deal with Henry and Tu'a and that proved correct. It was actually mid-morning until we were all awake and up again. But, it was late that afternoon when Henry confided to me what was truly making Tu'a unhappy.

"Drew," he told me, "Tu'a wants to sleep with you tonight and offer you his body."

"What?" I replied amazed. "He's never wanted me that way before."

"Because it was taboo among his people. Well, now he is away from them. It has not been that he hasn't wanted to… and I know you would have been very willing. And, then there is this: he is still very ashamed of what the warriors did to you and his part in it. If he asks you, I can be with your dad if he will have me or just be alone until Uncle Albert gets here."

I looked at my friend, "You are simply amazing!" I had wanted Tu'a in my bed… no, lusted after him… since the moment I first saw him leading his naked slave-boy. Yes, I felt somewhat ashamed. My boyfriend, my lover, was badly injured and I was willing to take another boy to my bed. But I knew Li would approve and forgive.

About an hour after supper, Tu'a came looking for me. I should explain, we had got him and Mel'i to wear shorts, but they firmly refused to cover their upper bodies. Mel'i was not comfortable unless she was topless but her budding breasts were beginning to show… much to Mom's dismay.

"Friend Drew," Tu'a began, "much want sleep in your bed. Want make sexy, sexy with you."

When I looked surprised, he continued, "Tu'a very sad what people do with all White Devil Boys, but much sad warriors fuck Friend Drew. Want Friend Drew fuck Tu'a."

I drew him into my arms and told him, "You will be very welcome in my bed, Tu'a, but about fucking, we'll see."

I told Dad what Tu'a wanted and he agreed to have Henry for the night. "I think you are very brave to do this for him," he told me. "As for the fucking, you will have to decide whether to do it with him. But, I think it might be very important to him. He's likely trying to address what he thinks is a very shameful wrong on his part. I know you want him; I could see that the first minute in Manaus. So, enjoy that luscious body tonight and don't hold back." How cool was that?

Another room magically made itself available and Tu'a was standing in the middle of it waiting for me when I entered. I could 'read' feelings of shame, lust, submission and bravado all mixed up coming from him. He had a huge tent in his shorts and, at my nod, he stepped out of them and stood waiting for my next move.

There was no doubt about it.

He was gorgeous!

His exquisite body seemed to glow as he stood there with his head down, staring at the floor. His boy parts were not unduly large, but his prick stood out from him like the small branch of a tree. Not one hair to mar that beautiful skin. "Tu'a, you are so beautiful… so very beautiful!" I whispered to him. I reached toward him and he drew back and began to cry. I could 'read' that he was very frightened and, yet, longed for me.

"Friend Drew," he cried, still looking at the floor with tears streaming down his cheeks, "Tu'a much sorry how people treat all white boys. Want to put you in river, but that be wrong. You not bad; you good boys. Warriors fuck Friend Drew and that be much wrong and hurt Friend Drew. I want show Friend Drew good things; I know Friend Drew never hurt me."

"You're right," I replied. "I don't ever want to hurt you, Tu'a. I want to show you how much I love you."

"But you have lover, Friend Li. How you love Tu'a?"

How to explain this to him. "Tu'a, all people, yours and mine, have love that is as big as all the earth. Yes, Li is very special to me, but I can love you, too. I'm sure he will once he is well again."

He looked up at me through his tears. I could see and 'read' hope. "Tu'a very sorry to be such not brave boy."

"You are the very bravest boy I have ever seen!" I assured him. "Please," I asked, raising my arms. He understood and my few clothes quickly joined his shorts on the floor.

Taking his hand, I led him to the shower, where he quickly lost any inhibitions he may have had as we soaped and caressed our slippery bodies. But that was just the appetizer. The salad course came as we dried each other and I held him in my arms, our bodies pressed tightly together. Clamping my lips to his, I pinched his nose shut and forced my tongue into his mouth. He caught on at once, and our tongues played tag for some minutes.

On to the entree! As led him over to the bed, he asked, "You fuck Tu'a now?"

"No," I whispered to him, forcing him down on his back. "Something better!" I could tell he was quite frightened, but determined to be brave and trust me. And, after he relaxed, I lifted his legs… those beautiful boy-legs… over my shoulders, lay down and took his rampant boyhood into my mouth.

"Friend Drew! What you? Aieeee!" he squealed. "Is much…," he gasped. Flexing his legs, he about strangled me as I tried to keep his throbbing prick where I wanted it. But soon he began to pump his boy-nectar into my mouth. He seemed to go on forever and I had to swallow frequently to keep up with him. How could he possibly have all that in his balls? I wondered. Finally he subsided and lay there gasping like a beached whale. Dad told me later he and Eric and Peter stood outside our door so the hospital staff… hearing his squeals… would not come rushing to the rescue.

I slid out from under his legs as he lay there with the most beautiful smile on his face. And then I remembered something.

I was his first!

And I thought back to that golden night when my lover and I had each been the others 'first'. I don't know if 'courage' and 'compassion' qualified as 'gifts' at Alice, but Tu'a possessed both of them in unlimited amounts.

"Friend Drew! Is-is-is most best feeling," he stuttered. Then, "You fuck me now. Much please!"

OK. What was I going to do? I remembered Dad's words, so I asked him, "Did the warriors do that to you?" He nodded. "Didn't it hurt?"

"Much hurt first time, but no much later. Please, please to fuck me. Want feel you inside me." I gave in; I had lost the battle… maybe even the war.

Dad had given me a tube of KY-jelly and I proceeded to grease us up. He wanted to know what that was for and I told him, "It will make it easier for me to go in and will not hurt so much." Turning him over on his tummy, I put several pillows under his middle to boost his ass… that luscious ass… into the air and, straddling him, I began my assault on his innards.

It was amazing how easy it was to breech his defenses… the warriors must have stretched him… and I was soon fully in as he lay there mewing like a kitten. I started to move in and out slowly, but he soon implored, "Hard! Fuck me hard like warriors!" I obliged and slammed my body into him repeatedly before collapsing as my balls emptied their store. I just lay there enjoying the feel of his nakedness against me.

"Is good!" he said. "Now have your juice inside me, just like Mel'i. But no baby!"

"What did he mean? Was Mel'i?" I think he saw my question, but just shook his head. Turning over, he pushed away the pillows, spooned against me and whispered, "Everything be OK, now." Well, at least his world was back in balance.

We spent the rest of the night with him cuddling me. The heat off his body was amazing… it was like having a warm massage. Holy shit! With him you wouldn't even need blankets in the winter! And, I slept really well, even with that question niggling me.

"Well, how did it go?" Dad asked in the morning. I nodded vigorously. "You certainly made a lot of noise. And after things got quiet again, I peeked in and you were both lying there starkers with no covers, so I pulled the blanket up a bit."

"Yeah, thanks, but with that kid you don't need blankets."

Henry's uncle arrived that morning and, after lunch, we all sat down in a conference room so Dr. Melton could talk about our physical exams. "Henry," he began, "you are in rather good shape. A bit malnourished, a few well-healed welts here and there, but otherwise OK. So, you are good to leave whenever you and your uncle are ready. I know you must be anxious to resume your musical studies. I hope you survive the fuss the media will make over you." Both Henry and his uncle nodded in agreement.

"Andrew, you are about the same, although the last beating you took has left a few scars on your back. There doesn't seem to be any impairment from that knock you took on your head in the crash. I know you are anxiously waiting to see how your friend, Li, fares as are we all. There's one other thing, but let me come back to that in a minute."

I began to feel a cold panic!

"Young Tu'a, you are the most beautiful and healthy young teen I have ever seen. Just amazing! You are fast becoming a young man and I predict you will be an outstanding one." I'm not sure Tu'a understood everything the doctor said, but he heard 'young man' once more and his pride just leaked out of him.

"Mel'i is, likewise, a very healthy young lady, well on the way to motherhood. By that, I mean she is with child."

I thought I would die!

But the next words he spoke were even worse. "I know who the father is. The DNA is unmistakable."

Tu'a whispered something to Mel'i and she jumped up and threw herself at my knees. "She want thank you for baby," Tu'a told me. "She very happy, Friend Drew. Have child of Friend Drew in belly to grow up so fine." Well, she might be happy, but I was not. I sat there frozen to my chair.

And, then, I lost it, sinking to the floor, bawling like a little child. I dimly heard Henry and Tu'a explain how I had been forced to fuck her. How her mother had forced both of us by threatening to have Li put in the river. And Dad pulled me up and folded me into his arms. "It's not your fault, Drew. You and Mel'i have both been used to satisfy someone else… yes, Mel'i's mom. It's like you were both raped. If she carries the child to term… and she is very young for that… we will not let her… or you… suffer over it. Your mom and I will see to it, I promise."

"But Dad," I bawled, "It is still my child and her's, too. I'm just a kid! I'm not ready to be a father!"

"No one would expect you to be. We will do whatever is best for you and Mel'i… and the child. Just trust us." And I felt a wave of love and understanding wash over me. Just like that first day on the bridge so long ago. And I knew I could trust him.

Turning to the doctor, he said, "Doctor, that was cruel. You could have handled that better. And I especially didn't like your unspoken accusation. You didn't know my son and you didn't know a friggen' thing about him. So don't ever come off so high and mighty again!" Wow! I could tell Dad was angry as Melton looked down at his feet ashamed. And I felt a bit sorry for him.

But, then Melton straightened up and said, "We plan to 'awake' Li tomorrow morning and I imagine you all would like to be there, but I think it better be limited to his fathers and his lover." OK, he knew about our relationship and was not a bit put off by it. He came back up a notch or two with me.

The next morning the three of us… Master Eric, Master Peter and I… gathered in Li's room. Dr. Melton was not there; his partner, Dr. Chase, was instead. "I must apologize for my partner yesterday. He gets a bit overwrought sometimes." We all nodded and he continued, "In general, Li's condition looks good. The skull fracture seems to be healing well, but we have no idea whether his brain was damaged permanently. I thought you should know that before we 'wake' him." He nodded to the nurse who shut off the solution they had been giving him and removed the needle from his hand. "It will take about five minutes for the sedative to wear off and he should be fully awake soon after."

I looked down at my boyfriend, lying there. He looked so small and vulnerable, with his eyes closed, breathing gently as if he had just been resting. But shortly, his eyes fluttered and looked out at us confused. And then, he sat bolt upright and screamed,"WE'RE GOING TO CRASH! DREW! CAPTAIN ALVEREZ!" and sank back down on his pillows again. His scream was both physical and psychic… accompanied by a large dose of fright… and burst into our brains… all three of us and even Master Keldhar in Alice Springs. Well, that part of his gifts had returned and it was all I could do to keep from losing it.

The nurse raised the head of his bed a bit and he lay there gasping and looking about dazed. "What? Where am I? Is that you, Father? And you, Drew?"

Eric and Peter both took his hands and Peter told him, "You're in hospital in London, Li. It's a long story and, yes, Drew is here, too. You were injured in the plane crash and he rescued you and you were both brought here."

Master Eric surrendered his place and I gripped Li's hand and held it to my face. "Oh Li, I've missed you so much, so very, very much," was all I could think of to say.

He seemed to grasp what had happened and his next question was, "How long?"

"Almost four months," I replied, beginning to cry. "I was so afraid I was going to lose you and I just couldn't live without you. But you're back! And you'll get well! And we're together again! Oh Li, I love you sooooooo much!"

"I think maybe he's had enough for now," Dr. Chase broke in gently. "I'm sure the others are waiting to hear." He began to gently usher us out of the room.

"Drew! Don't go!" Li called. "Stay with me! Please hold me." Dr. Chase nodded and I resumed my place.

"I will stay with you forever, my love," as I reached up under his gown and caressed his chest, something I knew he loved. He kissed my fingers and we both sat there for the longest time.

To everyone's surprise and pleasure, Li quickly regained his strength and was out of bed the very next day. I spent most of it just holding him close. And that night the two of us were once more together in bed. No sex… I just cuddled him in my arms. I must confess I wept, "Oh Li. I was so afraid I lost you forever and we would be slaves the rest of our lives. I dreamed of being together again like this, but began to lose hope that it would ever happen again. You were so badly hurt."

"Yeah, I don't remember much at all," he replied, "But I knew you were there somewhere and somehow it would be all right. But most of the time, everything was just a big fog. Hold me tight! Don't let me go!"

And I did… that night and every night until he was strong enough for us to really enjoy each other. But it would be a while before I was brave enough to tell him the whole story of our capture and even longer before I would confess that I had been unfaithful to him with Tu'a and Henry. He got to meet Henry before he and his uncle left us and immediately bonded with both Tu'a and Mel'i.

About my times with Henry and Tu'a, he simply said, "You did for them what they very much needed and I am full of admiration for you." The feeling almost overwhelmed me. "I know absolutely that we both love each other and always will and that is all that is necessary. You have nothing to ashamed of. And surely not with Mel'i, either."

I could feel his love and trust growing ever stronger. And that was enough!

Afterward

Li did make a full recovery… with all his many powers intact. But he would never again be the happy-go-lucky boy I had known from my first day at Alice. He was still compassionate and very loving, but more serious and purpose-driven than before. Maybe it was just because we had both 'grown up' quite a bit from our harrowing experience in jungle. But, more about us in a bit.

Henry was speedily adopted by his uncle and they soon learned how to hold the media at bay so Henry could pursue… somewhat belatedly, to be sure… his music education. And, in time, he would become an important supporter and promoter of boy-choirs all over the world.

Tu'a and Mel'i posed a more difficult problem and remained with us in Alice for almost three months before they were adopted by Evonne Goolagong and her husband Roger Cawley.

Evonne had been the first internationally-recognized sports star to come from the Aboriginal Wiradjuri people and readily understood the pain a young child suffers when suddenly separated from his birth family and people. She quickly found Mel'i to be an artistically gifted child and she was soon wrapped up in her work… and the child she had carried and given life.

They decided to have Tu'a tutored the first year, to bring his English up a bit and to introduce him to reading and arithmetic. And he proved to be extremely bright so, by the start of his second year with them, he could go to the local district boys' school. He started there at third year, but soon caught up to his age-mates.

But there was one unforeseen benefit to his presence at the school. Like most schools, bullying was a continuing problem. His classmates were all several years younger and often the targets of a few of the older boys. Three of them, in particular, decided to give the 'ignorant savage' what for and quickly discovered he had courage and agility to go with all his muscles. Two of them ended up with bloody noses while the third one, wisely, fled the scene. To the adoration of his classmates, he became their protector… their 'big brother with the black hair' who would keep them safe. His appearance on the scene of a contretemps was usually enough to send the perpetrators fleeing in terror.

But, having ridden in the 'White Devil's Iron Bird', Tu'a wanted nothing less than to be able to drive one. He pursued that with a vengeance, coming from illiterate Amazon savage to fully- qualified commercial pilot in a bit less than eight years. His overriding goal, however, was to return to his people and help them come to terms with 'The White Devils' world and still be able to preserve their culture.

Mel'i's child… well, mine too… presented a frightening dilemma for me. For, in due course, she had presented the world with a little boy… yes, my son… whom she named Andrew. For many months I was torn. I was forced upon Mel'i, true, but he was still my son. It took all the love that Li and the others could give me to help me through a very uncomfortable time.

Finally, however, I bowed to Master Keldhar's counsel. "Andrew," he told me, "you had no choice but to bring that life into our world. But you were raped and he is the result which you must bear just as a woman who is raped may often face similar consequences. You are still much too young to be a parent… yet."

Well, I certainly agreed with that… the idea of having to be a real father to any child at age thirteen scared the shit out of me.

"Young Andrew is in fine hands, and will be loved and raised to know his heritage and that of his adoptive parents. You may surely visit him whenever you and the Cawley's agree… as a favorite uncle and Mel'i's 'brother'. When you are of age and young Andrew is old enough to understand, if it is your wish, you may acknowledge him. And it will be, I am sure, out of your deep love for both him and Mel'i."

"But, in the meantime, you have much growing-up to do and you and Li need to simply be the young teens you are."

How cool was that?

The whole time Li and I had been 'lost', my little brother Tim had been with my mom and little sister, Jennie, in North America, and that experience had taught us something.

Tim had not been doing well in Alice since his 'gift' had faded. All the masters and parents and the other boys treated him with love and affection and tried to involve him in all their activities. But, without a 'gift' of his own, he was constantly reminded that he would never truly be 'one of them', and it bothered him greatly. He had been a slave-boy from the time he was a toddler and had never really had the 'mothering' that little ones need and cherish. My mom could and did fill that need and Jennie just adored him. He was only a few months older than her, but he soon became the 'man of the house' on Palaverdes Street. But he would visit us often in Alice.

The other great longing he had was to be able to see Master Brogan and his friends at the pecan grove. So Mom had taken him there soon after he first arrived. As he told us later, it was a very emotional reunion and they all simply mobbed him. "Master Brogan took me in his arms and 'bout hugged the breath out of me. He was so happy he cried!" he told her.

Mom told us a few other stories about his visits with Master Brogan and the boys, too. "There were several 'overnights' and I am sure there was lots of bedtime fun with my little stud-muffin," she chuckled. "What else would you expect with a whole nest of perpetually horny boys?"

"And then he wanted to introduce Jennie to his friends and I finally relented. When they arrived and he led her into the compound, I'm told there was almost a riot as all the boys fled in panic to put on shorts or, at least, slave coverings… she was the first female to ever step inside their tight little world. It was a short visit."

"She wanted to go along again and I reluctantly agreed. But I would wait for her in the car outside so Tim could have a longer time with his friends. To my complete horror, once inside the gate, and in my plain view, she shed her clothes and utterly confounded both her brother, Master Brogan and all the boys. I couldn't believe it, but as she explained later, she just wanted to show them all she was not any better than Tim's friends. But she would hear from me, for certain, and so would Tim as I was sure he must have been in on the prank."

"But Mr. Brogan came out to greet me after a bit and said, 'Please Mrs. Scott. Don't punish her. What she did was so completely innocent. I assure you there have been no off-color remarks or salacious actions on anyone's part. My boys know how to behave themselves.' So, I decided I would just talk to her but she should not visit again. It would be purely a 'boy' thing. Am I being old and stuffy?"

Dad assured he she was not.

Dad and I made it a firm tradition to spend the Christmas Holidays with Mom, Tim and Jennie in Concord. Mom had recognized that Tim had a marvelous singing voice and he soon became a chorister at the local cathedral-church.

One Holiday, Henry Ashworth was with us and we all looked forward to Tim's debut as the final soloist at the Christmas Eve service. But he would not tell us what music had been chosen for him.

Sitting in the pew next to Henry and Jennie, I immediately recognized the introduction to his piece. I reached over and took Henry's hand and prepared to lose myself in the splendor of Tim's voice.

Panis Angelicus fit panis hominum
Dat panis coelicus figuris terminum
O res mirabilis! Manducat Dominum
Pauper, pauper, servus et humilis
Pauper, pauper, servus et humilis

When the last note had died away, I looked over at my friend and saw him weeping. "That was the piece that made me famous," he sniffed, "but he does it ever so much better."

"Henry Francis Ashworth!" I scolded him. "Yes, Tim is quite good, but no one has or ever will sing it quite like you did. It's what every choirboy strives for."

He looked up at me through his tears and simply said, "Thank you."

That night, the three of us made gentle love.

Li still had not got his growth spurt and stood a centimeter or three short of me and he would probably always be as thin as a sapling. But, at least he didn't look quite like a fugitive from primary school any more and that was cool, too.

We threw ourselves back into life at the school and enjoyed every minute of it… well, most every minute of it. I'm afraid, poor Dad was rather much neglected at night. But he understood that it was important for Li and me to be together as we both recovered from our jungle escapade. Master Eric and Master Peter at least had each other, so Li and I did spend the night with Dad occasionally. Was there sex? I'll leave you in suspense.

And then, there were 'orgy nights' when there were five of us… six, if Tim was visiting… in the one big bed in Eric and Peter's quarters. How cool was that?

Our mentor, though, it seemed, was determined not to allow either Li or me too much slack and, before long, we were off on another 'Keldhar-adventure'… one that nearly resulted in our horrible deaths. And tested Keldhar's mettle to the utmost.

But, that's a story for another day.

Yes, this 'trip' is over! You'll have to wait for the next one!

Li and Drew are sent to identify and rescue boys with paranormal gifts from a country whose sadistic ruler punishes such boys as witches… by burning them at the stake

Drew narrates

Life at the Alice Springs School for Exceptional Boys is never easy… specially if you happen to be 'star' pupils of our headmaster and mentor, Master Keldhar. But for me and my boyfriend, Li Soon Hamilton, it was a great adventure and we worked our little butts off trying to outdo each other and make our dads and Master Keldhar proud of us. Yeah, things did settle down a bit after our time in the Amazon Jungle, but there was still lots of stuff to keep us interested and it was quite clear that Master was getting us ready for a bright future with the School.

Li and I were beyond just being boyfriends; we were lovers and would pledge to be Lifemates just as soon as we were old enough. There weren't many nights we didn't show our love to each other in bed, even occasionally sharing ourselves with Tim, my little brother, when he visited from his home with my Mom and little sister, Jennie, in North America. So, how cool was that?

One day, midway through the school year, we were surprised by a visit from Mom, Tim and Jennie. Although I was happy to see them, it was a bit puzzling. For Dad, Mom, Master Eric and Master Peter… Li's dads… immediately went into a serious meeting with Master Keldhar, leaving Li, Tim and me to show Jennie about.

After meeting for some hours, Mom came out and took Jennie in her arms and told us that all three of us were to join the others. I could see that Mom was a bit upset, but she insisted that we go immediately.

After we three were seated around the table with the others, Master Keldhar began, "I know you are somewhat aware of the situation in Burundistan; it has certainly been in the news."

We all nodded.

"Unhappy with the rather modest reforms their Duke had begun to implement, some of the old, entrenched families fomented a revolt. The rebellion has been put down, but the Duke and his son were killed, leaving the throne in the hands of his grandson. The boy's name is Eldon and he is but twelve years old."

"A rather shadowy figure by the name of Barras has been named Regent. We believe he is an agent of Iran and, unfortunately, has the new Duke firmly under his thumb. He has reintroduced the most repressive features of Sharia Law and all the progress Burundistan had begun to make under the old duke is being quickly dismantled. The British ambassador, Sir Arthur Lane, has tried in vain to see Eldon, but has been forced to deal with Barras."

"The most distressing thing Barras has introduced is a witch-hunt. Although obviously a paranormal himself, he is systematically searching for young paranormals and has them branded as 'witches' and burned at the stake. Already three sixteen-year-olds, and several boys fourteen and fifteen have perished that way. He has begin to focus on younger boys, believing they are a threat to his absolute power."

All of us were shocked and outraged at the idea of boys close to our own ages being made to die in such a hideous way simply for being paranormal. Tim began to cry, "That's terrible! Can't we do something to stop them?"

"Short of invading, there is little we can do directly and outright military action by Great Britain or her allies would certainly engulf the entire region in a war that would serve no one," Keldhar answered. "But I have come up with a plan to save at least some of their paranormal boys from such a ghastly fate. And, for that, I need your help."

"Well, you can count me in," Li agreed, and Tim and I echoed him.

"You better wait until you hear what he has in mind," cautioned my Dad.

"You need to understand," Keldhar went on, "that there is some danger. Your parents and I have discussed what I have in mind and they have decided you are all mature enough… yes, that includes you, Tim… to decide whether you are willing to be the chief participants in this enterprise."

"Well, I simply refuse to sit here idly," I said, "while kids Tim's age are in danger of a terrible death for something they have no control over… for a gift given to them by God."

"Me, neither!" added Tim. "What do we have to do?"

Keldhar smiled and Dad spoke up, "I said I would not have expected anything less," and Li's dads nodded. "I know each of you are brave and compassionate and, with all three of you participating, Master Keldhar's plan just might succeed."

Holy shit! What had we gotten into?

"The British government is to announce a scholarship program for young students," Keldhar began, "in every country where there is an embassy. That includes Burundistan. University students will be dispatched to each embassy to seek out and test deserving boys and girls. And that's where you three come into play."

"But we're not university students… at least not yet," protested Li.

"But you, my young friend," Keldhar answered him, "are the key to action in Burundistan to save these kids. You have the ability to seek and recognize boys who have paranormal gifts without betraying your activity. There is no one else here at the school with that gift… except for me and I am far too well known. My cover would be blown before I got off the plane."

Turning to me, he continued, "And Drew, you are big enough and mature enough looking to pass for a young university student… we'll have to give you a crash course in regional culture, but that should pose no problem. Li and Tim are to travel with you as your slaves. Tim's presence will help to allay any suspicions that you are not what you claim to be."

"Li, you can probe for paranormal abilities without raising suspicions and Drew, you can administer the 'exams' making sure the boys… we're concentrating on boys, only at this point… 'qualify' for the scholarships. Part of your job, Drew, will be to secure the permission of the boys' parents. And Tim, you'll simply be Drew's personal servant."

"Our target group is eleven to fourteen-year-olds as I believe they will be most open to traveling. You'll have to include some boys without gifts to make everything seem fair. The ones with paranormal gifts will be sent here and those without gifts to public schools in England."

"To further cloak our mission, Tim, you and Li will be disguised as black slave-boys."

"Black!" they screeched.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"Well, no. I guess not," Li answered.

"It might even be fun," admitted Tim.

"Now, I said there was some danger," continued Keldhar. "But if there is the slightest hint that you have been compromised, we'll teleport you home immediately. Drew, you will also have full diplomatic immunity."

"So, what do you think?" asked Master Eric.

Looking his Dad right in the eye, Li didn't hesitate for a second. "Let's do it. I can't stand the idea of kids dying because they're paranormal."

"I'm in!" Tim and I echoed him.

I began my culture course the next day. And to study the 'examinations' I would be giving.

You might wonder that I might be too well known after our escapade in the jungle. But the attention had been almost all on Henry Ashworth and the two native kids, Tu'a and Mel'i. The press and media mostly ignored Li and me. That had been fine with us.

To pull off their part of the deception, Li and Tim had to be 'converted' into slave-boys, named Rufus and Toad. Using a combination of cremes and dyes, their skin was darkened until they really did look like black boys. That, together with cutting their hair short and treating it with something that made it really curly, completed their physical changes. One 'side benefit' to this transformation was that the creme made Li's skin as soft and smooth as a baby's… no pubes or other body hair, that was all gone… and it was really sexy.

But, the harder part… at least for Li and me… was learning how to act like a slave and master. That wasn't much of a problem for Tim since he had been a slave when he lived at the pecan farm. To help us, Master Keldhar had enlisted all the other masters, parents and students to treat Li and Tim like they really were slaves. He didn't tell them why, just that it was preparation for an 'adventure' he had planned for us. But that meant they both had to learn to live under strict slave discipline and I had to be a strict master to them. That was very hard for everyone to grasp as the school had never had any slaves… any boy who came here in that status was freed immediately.

I guess I considered that we had 'graduated' when, one evening after supper… Li and Tim ate slave gruel apart from the rest of us… Li bowed before me and said, "Dis heah nigga' boy give white boy big blowjob." And then dissolved into a pile of giggles on the floor, joining Tim. I kept him to his promise, but made them suck each other off first. That skill neither of them needed practice for; they were both experts.

But all three of us recognized the seriousness of our 'training'. Although Master Keldhar tried to play down the danger we might be in, we knew our safety… and the success of the mission… might depend on how well each of us performed our roles. It was like a giant, but real-life, play, and we were the stars. How cool was that?

The last night before we were to leave, Tim was snuggled between Dad and me. But I could 'read' his feelings and he was plainly frightened. I whispered to him, "Tim, you're scared about our mission, aren't you?"

Well, that was plainly not very cool as he began to cry. "I'm scared," he sobbed. "What will happen if they discover who we are? Suppose they find out who the boys are?"

In attempt to make up for my stupid question, I pulled him close to me. "It's going to be OK, Tim. We'll do great!"

"Do you really think so?" he sniffed. "I've got to stop being such a custard. Why are you taking me anyway! I'll just get in your way."

I held his head against my chest as I assured him, "You are not a coward, Tim. And your part is very important… helping us maintain our cover. I admit, I'm a bit scared, too."

"Tim," Dad cut in, "it's quite OK to be a bit scared. There are a lot of things we don't know about the situation there. But the true test of courage is not to let your fright control you. I remember a small boy in the Heathrow Slave Mart who was terrified, but did what he had to so he could come live with us. You were very brave then and you will be in Burundistan."

I cuddled Tim in my arms and we were both asleep in seconds.

The British Ambassador, Sir Arthur Lane, met our diplomatic flight when it landed at the small airfield in Burundistan's capital, Sochi. He had been fully briefed on our true mission and was as firm as we were to assure it's success. He had already published news about the scholarship program and announced that interviews and examinations would begin the following Monday.

So 'Rufus' and I began interviewing boys and their parents.

Tim mostly stayed at the embassy to assist Sir Arthur, helping to entertain and impress important local dignitaries. The Ambassador was besieged with requests to allow some of his guests to fuck poor 'Toad'… black slave-boys were considered very exotic… but managed to put them off.

Li had no trouble quickly identifying a number of boys who had paranormal gifts. But the thing that puzzled him was that their 'gifts' seemed to be blocked. But one of the parents, a retired army officer, suspected what we were about and came to us with a surprising admission.

"Many years ago," he told us, "the desert tribesmen discovered an herb that could be used to make their sons somewhat free from the frightening feelings and powers they simply didn't understand. You will find quite a number of parents using this drug to keep their young sons safe from Barras's thugs. But it has to be administered continuously. If you could take some of them with you and properly train them, they might be of great value to our people."

It was an amazing statement of trust. But both Li and I could 'read' this man and were convinced he was honest. And that he was desperate to save his young son, Salim, so we agreed to include his son in our list.

With his intercession, a number of parents eagerly came forward and, inside of a month, we identified twenty-five likely candidates… including twenty with paranormal gifts. All, were 'tested' and twenty-four 'qualified' including all the paranormals. So, we had begun to make arrangements for their transportation when disaster struck.

The ambassador came rushing into our room that morning even before any of us were up and about. "Do not go outside the embassy today," he ordered us. And then he explained what had happened. One of our paranormals, thirteen-year-old Salim, had been discovered by Barras. It was his father who had trusted us enough to work with us.

We quickly dressed and moved to the reception room from where we could watch the proceedings. Already a 'stake' had been driven into the plaza in front of the embassy in plain view and bundles of wood and other fuel collected. Clearly they wanted to send a powerful message to us.

A bit past mid morning they dragged their victim into the plaza, bound him tightly to the stake and heaped the fuel about his feet. Despite Sir Arthur's pleading for us to move away from the windows, Tim, Li and I could simply not tear our eyes away from the scene. I could clearly 'read' Salim's terror… as well as our own… but was shaken by Li's determination to intervene.

Although he knew it might compromise our mission, he was determined to save the boy. As he told us later, "I simply could not stand by and let them do that." Knowing him as well as I did, I should not have expected anything different.

Suddenly Li screamed, "I'M BLOCKED! I CAN'T SAVE HIM!" And he dissolved into a sobbing heap on the floor as Tim gathered him in his arms.

The flames were starting to lick at Salim's feet and his pain and terror rolled over me like a giant wave… a tsunami… which almost drove me to my knees. "CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING?" I screamed hysterically.

"No," whimpered Li from the floor. "I can't reach him."

Sir Arthur grasped me by the shoulders and tried to pull me away from the spectacle. "Please Sir," I sobbed to him. "Is there nothing you can do?"

He shook his head sadly, but then stiffened. "Sergeant!" he barked to one of the marine guards. "Can you hit the boy from here?"

"Yes, Sir," the sergeant answered uncertainly.

"Then put the poor boy out of his pain!"

"Are you sure, Sir?"

"Yes! Do it!"

Wrapped in the wave of Salim's pain and terror, I only dimly heard the rifle discharge. But, suddenly a read dot appeared in the middle of of Salim's chest and his screams ceased as his head dropped forward. I allowed Sir Arthur to pull me away from the window and sank to the floor beside my lover.

He looked at me, his face streaked with tears and then up at the Ambassador. "I'm sorry," he bawled. "I've compromised our mission."

Sir Arthur knelt beside him and stroked his cheek. "It's all right. I'll contact Master Keldhar and have all of you withdrawn. Perhaps we can still get the boys you have chosen out of here. The list is in my safe, correct?" Li nodded.

Actually, Li and I were the only ones who knew the list, and I could feel him reach into my mind and erase my memory of it. He must have anticipated what might happen to us, for suddenly Barras and his thugs were inside the embassy. Somehow the marine guards and the entire embassy staff were rendered unconscious. Then, darkness enveloped the three of us as well.

When I awoke, I was chained to the wall of a cell, along with Tim and Li. Tim was trying very hard to be brave, but I could 'read' his fright and… with more certainty than I felt… I said to him, "Li will get us out of here, I'm sure."

"No!" he sobbed. "They stuck him with some kind of dart and he's unconscious."

We lay there all night in the dark, trying to sleep, but our chains made that impossible. Finally Barras and two of his henchmen arrived.

"Tell us who the witches are!" he shouted. Tim had never known who was on the list and Li had done his 'erasure' on me well. When neither of us answered, he turned to one of guards and said, "Loosen their little tongues."

A wave of pain engulfed us both and we screamed and nearly tore our hands off trying to escape. Finally, Barras gave up and simply said, "Burn them!"

The three of us… with Li still unconscious… were dragged from our cell and out onto the plaza where three stakes were waiting. After binding us securely to them and heaping fuel about our feet, the mob that had gathered waited in anticipation.

I could 'read' Tim's terror and felt my own mounting second by second. We were really going to die horribly! As the fuel was set ablaze and flames began to reach up to us, despair set in.

But, suddenly, an enormous dark cloud formed above us and rain engulfed us, extinguishing the fires. A thunderbolt stabbed the earth in front of Tim and, suddenly, he wasn't there any longer. The next thunderbolt took Li away and I don't even remember a third one.

An instant later, I lay on my back in my bed in the embassy, trying hard to catch my breath and calm myself.

Tim jumped off his bed and threw himself across me. Holding me tightly, he sobbed, "We're saved! I was so scared, but Li must have saved us!"

"I'm afraid not," said a familiar voice. And I looked up to see Master Keldhar standing there with tears running down his cheeks. "Li is still unconscious. Evidently what they gave him requires some time to wear off, but I am certain he will be all right once it does. I'm just thankful I got here in time to save all of you."

"I'm deeply sorry that you were all in such distress, but we lost contact with you. Alarmed, I prevailed upon Master Oldive to bring us here and it was he who removed you from the stakes just in time and brought you here. The effort has left him in a very weakened state and he will be unable to teleport anyone for some time."

"So, we will be here for a bit and I believe I can hold off anything Barras may try until we can arrange normal transport."

I reached up and grasped his hand. "I'm sorry I lost hope, Master. And I know Li is sorry to have compromised our mission."

"No! The fault is mine," he answered. "I did not carefully consider all contingencies." And he turned and left our room. I could tell he was deeply disturbed at what had happened to us.

I lifted Tim off me and we both went to see how Li was faring. We were surprised to find Salim's father with him. Despite his obvious grief for his son, he had come to help us. "You risked your lives to try to save Salim. It was the least I could do."

"Do not fear for your slave-boy," he told us. "The potion will leave his body by morning and he will awake."

The whole city was ominously quiet for the rest of the day and night as we all waited to discover how Barras would retaliate. Sir Arthur and the marines stood guard all night, and it was mid-morning until we were again under attack.

A great mob armed with spears and knives marched up the plaza, led by Barras…with Eldon beside him… in a jeep. Keldhar immediately engaged him and brought the procession to a crawl. The young duke appeared confused and kept asking him, "Why are we here? These people are friends. Why did you try to burn those boys?"

His control of Eldon slipping as he tangled with Keldhar, Barras told the boy to be quiet. When Eldon continued to press for answers, he gave the boy a vicious blow across his face, knocking the lad out of the jeep and onto roadway.

The mob halted as if frozen.

They might have been prepared to obey this man but they would not tolerate injury and abuse of their duke. As one, they descended upon Barras and he disappeared beneath their wrath.

The driver of the jeep, jumped out and hoisted Eldon to his shoulders, setting him on his feet on the hood of the jeep. Despite blood streaming from his nose and an eye beginning to close up, Eldon shouted, "My people! This is wrong! They are our friends! I bid you go to your homes and seek the guidance of Allah and his Prophet!"

The crown slowly dispersed, dragging with them the battered body of Barras.

All of us in the embassy breathed again as Keldhar sank to his knees in exhaustion.

By next morning, Li was awake and both Tim and I hugged him with tears of joy. He was a bit shaky… as was Keldhar… but we sat with Sir Arthur and discussed ways to get us and, maybe, even some of the boys out of the country.

Shortly before noon, a messenger arrived:

His Noble Grace, the Duke Eldon, wishes to call upon His Excellency Sir Arthur Lane at the Embassy of Great Britain tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 if that be acceptable.

Neither Sir Arthur nor Master Keldhar were sure what might come of such a meeting, but he readily gave his acceptance and we all spent the rest of the day and next morning speculating.

Precisely at 2:00, a jeep bearing Eldon and his uncle… who had been named regent… pulled up to the embassy gates. Both of them stepped out of the vehicle, but Eldon turned to the older man and said, "Please Uncle. I must do this alone. These people are our friends and they will not harm me." Giving the boy a quick hug, the uncle got back in the jeep and waited.

Eldon squared his shoulders and prepared to confront the marine guard who barred his way. Having been instructed by the Ambassador, the Sergeant directed the guard to stand aside and offered his hand to the Duke and led him into the building and to the reception room where Sir Arthur alone awaited him. The rest of us waited nervously in an anteroom.

Eldon advance to within a few meters of Sir Arthur and immediately went to his knees, pressing his forehead to the carpet. "I have come to ask your forgiveness for the improper and unkind way my people have treated you and your guests," he told the astonished man.

Getting his wits collected again, Sir Arthur reached out, pulled the boy to his feet and led him over to a couch where they could sit side-by-side. Placing a fatherly arm about Eldon, he told the quaking boy, "Your Grace, you do not have to do this."

"Yes, I must!" Eldon replied. "We have acted like barbarians. We almost killed three of your subjects and I'm certain they were injured by the actions of my former regent."

Sir Arthur thought for a moment and then asked, "Would you like to meet them?"

"Yes! I must beg their forgiveness, also." That was our cue to enter and stand off to the side. He immediately went to his knees in front of us.

"We accept your apology, Your Grace," I said. "We do not believe it was your fault we were attacked."

At, that, Tim stepped forward, pulled the Duke to his feet and enveloped him in a hug. "I hope we might be friends, Eldon." I could see bonds of friendship be forged.

The shocked boy reciprocated and the rest of us joined him while Sir Arthur and Master Keldhar stood in the background with bemused expressions.

Shortly, Sir Arthur suggested some refreshment might be in order and ice cream was laid out for all in the dining room.

As we sat around the table, we introduced ourselves to the Duke. "My name is Andrew Nelson," I told him, "and these two are really not black slaves. In fact Toad, here, is really my younger brother and his name is Tim."

"And this," I said, pointing to him, "is Li Soon Hamilton and we are lovers. We go to a school in Alice Springs in Australia where we study how to use some special gifts we have been given by God."

"What kind of gifts?" Eldon asked.

"Well, my gift is called 'empathy'," I answered him. "That means I can read your feelings and send you my feelings. I can tell right now you are very curious about us and would like very much to be our friends."

He looked at me with amazement. "That's right. I'd especially like to be friends with Tim."

It was Tim's turn to be amazed. The Duke wanted to be his friend?

"But I don't have any gifts," he began to explain.

"Nonsense!" I chided him. "Don't believe him, Your Grace. He has great courage and a kind and loving heart. He really was, at one time, a slave so he knows how that feels."

"But Li here is the one who has the ability to seek out and recognize boys who have gifts."

"So you came here to try to save them?"

"Yes, Your Grace," I admitted. "But Li can do other things, too."

With that my lover deposited Tim gently in my lap. "That's called 'telekinesis'," he said. "Just watch," he said and he was suddenly on the other side of the table.

Eldon took it all in with growing excitement. "Do I have any gifts?" he asked.

Li and I looked at each other, unsure how to answer… we knew that his did not.

Keldhar saved us. "I am Master Keldhar, the head of the school that Li and Drew attend. Your gift is the ability to rule your people with wisdom and justice. And that gift is very rare. You need no special schooling as your father and grandfather have taught you well."

Eldon smiled shyly and said "I understand, Sir. Will you take the boys you have chosen with you and train them to serve our people."

"Yes, Your Grace, with your permission."

"Then your mission has been successful," Eldon beamed. "There is only one condition."

"And what is that?"

"Why that Tim may come to visit when he next has holiday." And he stood up, walked over to my completely shocked little brother, pulled him to his feet and the two of them embraced.

***

Dad was busy with his tasks when Mom arrived at the school just after lunch. She had left Jennie in the care of a friend… and immediately swept both Tim and me in her arms. "Oh Drew! Oh Tim!" she sobbed. "You were almost killed! Oh God, I was so frightened for you! Thank heavens you're both back here and safe."

After crying out her eyes for a bit, she picked up Tim… much to his embarrassment… and confronted Dad and Master Keldhar in his office. "How could you put these two boys in such danger? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? HAVE YOU NO BRAINS AT ALL? AND YOU, DAVID NELSON, HOW COULD YOU HAVE APPROVED OF SUCH A HARE-BRAINED SCHEME?"

Before either Dad or Master could reply to her verbal assault, a black arm reached up and an equally black hand stroked her cheek. "Mom! They were beating little kids like me and burning them at the stake… because they had some gifts like Drew and Li! I couldn't let that go on. I had to help any way I could!"

"And we saved a bunch of kids!" I added. "I saw and heard one being burned and I would have done anything to help save him." And, suddenly, an image appeared… an image of young Salim's execution. And Mom burst into tears.

"Li! Stop it! Stop it at once!" Keldhar rebuked him and the image disappeared.

"Yeah, we were all tortured and frightened to death when they started to burn us, but Master Keldhar rescued us. Don't be angry at him. Be angry at the terrible men who would do that to a little child, even a little girl like Jennie. Just be thankful that we stopped them and they will never do that again. The kids who have gifts like Li and me, will be trained how to use them and help all their people."

"Mrs Scott," broke in Keldhar, "you have every reason to be put out with me. I did not properly plan for every contingency and I am heartily ashamed at placing these fine boys at such a risk."

Mom sighed. She was over her anger.

"But I hope you will be proud of Andrew and Timothy and Li Soon," he added. "They are truly heroes. They saved numbers of boys and girls from a horrible death and really freed their people from a mad-man."

Mom swallowed hard and just looked daggers at him for a minute. But then her look softened. "I accept your words, Master Keldhar and I forgive you, too, David. But do either of you have any inkling how a mother felt?"

"No, Amanda, I guess we truly don't," Dad replied. "But perhaps we can learn."

"Well," said Mom, "I think it's time for Tim to come home with me."

"Aw Mom, do I have to?"

"Yes. Jennie just can't wait to see her hero-brother. Mister Brogan has been asking after you, too. And school will soon begin again."

"Mom! How will I 'esplain how I got to look like a black boy to all my friends?" he asked.

"I'm sure you will find a way," she answered sweetly.

Another trip ends.
Will there be more?
You'll have to be patient.

New Char: Achmed (13yo), Suleiman, his mentor

Prolog

At last he was about to serve The Prophet in the way his life had been ordained. Indoctrinated and trained in the Islamic State compound in northern Iraq, Achmed was about to take the action for which he had been schooled for several years… one that would propel him into the ranks of the heroes of Islam… into the very presence of Allah and the reward waiting for him. At last he would be recognized as a person of worth instead of one of scorn and hatred. He would be a hero and not just a whore for the others to use.

As he drew near to the giant statue of Buddha… the Japanese were even more blasphemous than the hated Europeans and North Americans… he observed the people gathered about. They included a group of teen-aged boys about his age and he paused for a moment.

Why do these young boys have to die? he asked himself. It was their elders and ancestors who created this abomination. Surely The Prophet must know this!

But the instructions from his mentor, Suleiman, played in his head and the voice of The Prophet called seductively to him.

He reached for the detonator switch.

The Holiday

Drew narrates

Really?

A holiday?

Not one of Master Keldhar's 'great adventures'?

It was almost too good to be true, but here we were… Li and I… part of a group of boys our age touring the great historical and scenic places of Honshu in Japan whilst our fathers… David Nelson and Eric and Peter Hamilton… attended a conference in Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. And afterward, we would join them for some summer skiing. How cool was that?

We were the only paranormals in our group of forty-five boys, but we had decided to keep that from our travel-mates and just enjoy being with other kids our age. So we had been to Kyoto, the Himeji Castle near Kobe, Itsukushima Shrine near Hiroshima, climbed fabled Mount Fuji, slept in ryokans, worn yukata, learned to eat with chopsticks and how to walk in geta… those little wooden clogs… without stumbling. How cool was all this culture we were absorbing?

But the real enjoyment was just being kids… with other kids as our friends and companions. At night in the one big sleeping room of our ryokan, there were opportunities for… Well, lets not get too personal, shall we. Our tour guides were quite understanding.

Our last stop before returning to Edo… that's the ancient name for Tokyo… was at the Great Buddha at Kamakura. After all the wonders we had seen, the truly huge statue of the Buddha sitting there with the look of peace and contentment on his face still was enough to impress even a group of teen-aged boys.

Another boy… not from our group… approached the statue. Even though he was rather oddly dressed in a voluminous, long raincoat, none of us paid him any heed until a wave of anger and sorrow broke over me.

Li and I stared at each other until a second wave hit us. "He's got a bomb," squeaked my lover. "Get everyone back on the bus. I'll try to hold him until the police arrive."

I immediately yelled, "BOMB! EVERYONE ON THE BUS!" and there was a stampede. Meanwhile, Li had backed slowly away from him and forced the boy to hold his hands over his head. I could see Li grit his teeth and struggle to hold the boy.

After what seemed like ages, the police finally arrived, took the strange boy into custody and disarmed him. Li planted the false idea that the kid had just lost his nerve, so we were soon on the way to our ryokan. It wasn't until we reached there that the others had settled down enough to begin asking questions.

"How did you know the kid had a bomb?" Toby… one of the biggest kids in our group… asked accusingly. "Yeah! How did you know and how did you stop him?" some others chimed in.

I decided that it was time to come clean. "We're paranormals."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that Drew could read the kid's intention to blow us all up and I could sort of freeze him until the police got there," Li explained.

"You mean you've been reading our minds?" demanded the growing chorus.

"No!" I answered. "Li and I can only read feelings. I'm what is called an 'impasse'."

"Empath," corrected Li.

"What do you mean you can read my feelings?" demanded Toby.

"Well," I said, trying to hide my embarrassment, "right now I can tell you are a bit scared and angry with me."

"And even if we could read minds," added Li, "we wouldn't without your permission. It's a matter of honor with us." That seemed to settle the grumbling which was replaced with curiosity.

"You go to that special school, don't you?" asked Jamie, the only other boy from Alice in the group. "It's called 'The Alice Springs School For Exceptional Boys', isn't it? And you learn all kinds of strange things?"

"Yes. And we go there because we have some special gifts… some abilities… that most boys do not."

"So you're kind of special?"

This was getting into things that Li and I hoped we could leave at home when we joined this group. We just wanted to be 'normal' boys enjoying the tour.

"But we're certainly not any better than the rest of you," I tried to explain. As is often the case, Li came to my rescue.

"Crikey!" he said. "Every one of you was born with certain gifts… things that make you a person. Toby, I know you want to be a professional footballer and you're really good at it. Isn't that your gift?"

He nodded.

"Yes, we go to special school to learn how to use our gifts. Danny, I know you have a fine voice and hope to be a singer. And your parents send you to a teacher who will help you to refine your gift."

"And Rafe," I added, "you draw and paint very well. I know you have won several competitions. And you'll go to an art institute after you finish upper school. So how different are we? And every one of us can grow up to be brave and caring men and raise families. And that's the most important gift that God gives all of us."

The room was silent for a few minutes. Suddenly we could both feel a wave of thankfulness from all our compatriots.

"Do you think some of the rest of us might have gifts like you do?" asked Ivan, the smallest and youngest of the group. "I think I can feel what you mean… about reading someone. It's called empathy, isn't it."

We really had made no efforts to recruit new pupils for our school, but Li nodded. "Yes, Ivan, you are an empath."

"Do you think I could go to your school," Ivan asked plaintively.

"Maybe," he replied. "I'll ask our head, Master Keldhar, to contact your parents as soon as we get home."

"You don't have to wait until then," a voice in my head assured me. "Thank you, Master," I 'sent' to him.

Another boy, Robbie, had sat with his head down throughout the discussion, but now he looked up at Li with tears in his eyes. "I don't know how to quite say this, but I have voices in my head alla time. I'm afraid I'm going loopy."

"No, you're telepathic," Li sent to him.

"Wow!" was all that Robbie could say.

"I'm on it!" came the affirmation from Alice.

It was a thoroughly amazed group of boys that night… not much sleep. And the next day, we scattered to the winds and Li and I went on to Sapporo.

Although the Japanese officials tried their best to keep the altercation at Kamakura quiet, there was some mention of it in the press. Because of Li's falsely planted thoughts, he and I were not connected with it, but a whole busload of our friends knew that we had saved their hides, and, perhaps, their lives.

It didn't take long for our dads to worm the story out of us and they were properly amazed and proud of us. "Even when you are on holiday," quipped my Dad, "you find ways to do good. I'm sure Master Keldhar will be impressed."

"I understand you have found some new students for the School," said Peter, Li's dad.

"Yeah! They're both cool kids and I'm glad we could help them. Now can we please go skiing?" And that was the end of the discussion… nothing more on this trip except pure fun.

The snow was just the right kind for our enjoyment. It was good quality for our skis and the weather was warm enough for us to dress as if it were summer. In fact we found several slopes that were reserved for skying in the buff… Li and I were delighted to romp in just our boots, but our dads were more modest. (They were getting older, you know.)

As a result, my lover and I arrived back in Alice with all-over tans… to the envy of all our friends… ready to tackle whatever new 'adventure' Master Keldhar had cooked up during our absence.

We had only been back for a day, when he called us to his office. "I've someone I want you to meet," he told us, shepherding us into one of the rooms in the main school building.

"Holy shit! It's the kid from Kamakura!" Li exclaimed, looking down at the body confined on one of the beds. "What's he doing here?"

"Watch the language, Li. He's here because he may be able to help solve a problem that has vexed us and could save the lives of a number of boys. He is, after all, an empath, and a very strong one as you well know. The Japanese government was happy to get rid of him since they had no idea what to do with him.

Seeing our looks of puzzlement, he continued. "It has been kept very quiet, but more than thirty young boys have been kidnapped in the past year by ISIS… the so-called Islamic State. All of them Caucasian boys from a variety of places… even two from here in Australia."

"We know it was ISIS, because the authorities were able to thwart two additional kidnappings… one in France and the other in North America. What we do not know is where they are hiding the boys. And, until recently, how they intended to use them."

"They plan to use them as human bombs!"

"So far, they have 'exploded' two boys… they simply wire them with explosives, push them out of their vehicle in a crowded place, wait until they try to ask for help and then set off the explosives remotely. They did one in Paris and one in Chicago."

I felt the tears coming to my eyes.

"Achmed… that is what he swears is his name, but we think it really isn't… is the first one we have seen who has been conditioned to blow himself up at a particular place. You two forced him to abort his mission. He is psychically constrained, but every time we relax the bonds, he reverts to a screaming, cursing monster intent on killing any of us he could lay his hands on."

"Wow!" we both said. "But how do we…"

"He simply does not relate to any of the adults here. Drew, you are the strongest empath of all our students. And you, Li, have enough power to hold him in check… at least we think so. The two of you working together just might be able to breech his conditioning. Since you are both about his age, he might accept your therapy. He has not responded to any adult here, only to someone called Suleiman, evidently one of his ISIS trainers. If you can do that, we are hopeful he might lead us to the others."

"Unfortunately, we have had to keep him restrained and catheterized and feed him with a tube. I'm not sure at all how much longer his system can endure that without severe physical problems. So you can see the need for proceeding promptly."

Both of us looked down at the peaceful form on the bed. He was really a good-looking boy, but his face gave evidence to a host of devils trapped in that slim body, and the feeding tube down his throat only added to his sad appearance.

"Master," I said, "we will do whatever we can to help free this boy and the others, too."

Keldhar smiled somewhat sadly. "I never had any doubt that you would want to. But there is something more you should know before you say yes."

A little chill ran down my spine. Keldhar's 'something more you should know' made me wary.

"Pull back the blanket," he instructed us.

"Holy shit! It's a girl!"

"Language, Li!" Keldhar chided him.

"Well, it is a girl, Master!" I broke in. "I know what a girl looks like down there and he's certainly not a boy! Or have they removed his boy-parts?"

"No, Drew. His body is not mutilated. And you are partially correct."

It was quiet for a minute. When he spoke, Keldhar's voice cracked with emotion. "What you see before you is a boy in a girl's body."

Had our Master taken leave of his senses? "I don't understand," I said, searching for an answer.

"Me neither!" echoed my lover.

"I know it's difficult to accept, but hear me out," replied Keldhar.

We both nodded.

"Every person is born emotionally and psychologically either male or female. And in almost all cases it matches their physical body. But, in a very small number of cases, it does not and we have what is called a transgender child."

"A girl may have a male body or a boy may have a female body as we see here. If the child's parents are determined to love their offspring no matter what and see to their well-being no matter how difficult, they will raise the child and help him or her to cope with their situation. But, it is a very difficult life for both parents and child and many parents find it impossible to love such a child. Almost half of the children attempt suicide."

"We don't know what causes transgender and not very much at all about how to help the parents or child. Sometimes a transgender girl will have the boy-parts removed and simulated female organs constructed and hormones can be used to stimulate breast growth during puberty, but the psychological problems remain."

"In the case of a transgender boy, we can suppress the breast growth but little else. But it is clear that love and caring is the only way these unfortunate waifs can ever hope to have a semblance of rich and fulfilling lives."

"And you want us to break through his conditioning and show him that he is loved and cherished?" I asked.

Our Master nodded.

"What a poor, fucked-up little guy," Li began to sob.

"Li, please…" Keldhar chided him gently.

"I'm sorry," Li replied, "it just slips out sometimes." Turning to me he asked, "What do you think, Drew?"

"What happens if we are not able to get through to him?" I wanted to know.

Keldhar sighed and looked as sad as I had ever seen him. "Then we would have to put him down."

"Then we don't have a bloody choice!" I exclaimed.

"Yes you do. You can say no and I would never hold it against you," Keldhar said through his tears.

"Not really! I will never refuse to try to help another boy who was so badly hurt. And had to live through the nightmare of having the wrong body. Even if we should fail. Li is right… I'm sorry for the language… but he is a poor, fucked-up kid who needs our help." I reached over and took Li's hand… we both knew what his answer was.

"May I try to reach him right now" asked Li.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to discuss it with your Dads, first?"

"If I'm going to try to explain this to them, I need to know what it means."

"And I want to be ready, too." I added.

Li walked over and straddled Achmed, taking hold of his hands, while I stood at the head of the bed and grasped Li's shoulders. I nodded to Master Adam who had been controlling our 'patient' with the beam from a psychic disruptor. At my nod, he switched it off.

The wave of anger and fright that engulfed us both almost caused me to pass out, but I saw Li grimly hanging on trying to control the thrashing boy. After about a minute, he shouted, "TAKE HIM BACK! I CAN'T HOLD HIM!" Master Adam was right there and the boy once again subsided into oblivion.

"My God, he's strong!" gasped Li as I tried to catch my breath. Looking over at Master Adam, he asked, "Is there a way you can use the ray at a reduced level to help me?"

"Yes, perhaps, "Adam answered. "We'd have to try it."

"OK," broke in Master Keldhar, "that's all until you have discussed this with your fathers. I'm afraid they are still a bit wary of me since the Burundistan fiasco. I need to have their full confidence."

I shook my head still trying to recover from those feelings that had nearly overwhelmed me. "I know you were too busy trying to control him," I told my partner, "but underneath the anger and fright, I could feel something else. A desperate loneliness and a longing to be accepted… to be loved just as he is. That gives me hope that we just might be successful."

Li and I came together in a hug as he said, "Let's go educate our dads."

***

When we had explained to our dads what Master Keldhar wanted us to undertake and the reasons for it, they gave their wholehearted approval. Not only that, but the slight breech between them over the Burundistan affair was healed. So we were ready the next morning to begin.

This time, I straddled Achmed while Li held the boy's hands over his head. At Li's nod, Master Adam remove his feeding tube and reduced the power of the confining beam to a half.

The boy screamed and fought Li's hold on him while I 'broadcast' calm and tried to absorb the fright and anger that he directed on us. We had agreed with our Master to allow no more than two sessions a day and no more than an hour for each one. That still left us mostly exhausted after the afternoon sessions. And it left him still confined and being fed by the tube and catheterized.

But, bit-by-bit, Li seemed to be overcoming Achmed's desire to strike out and kill one of us. Master Adan had been reducing the confining beam a bit at each session and, by the end of the second week Li was able to hold him without assistance. By this time also, I was 'reading' a lot less anger although the fright and longing for acceptance were still there.

By the middle of the third week Achmed was calm enough to speak to us without curses and screams. "Why are you doing this to me?" he sobbed.

"Because we want to help you," I told him gently, backing it up with feelings of love. Truthfully, both Li and I had become quite fond of him despite his continued aversion to us. And we were determined to succeed.

"Why do you wish to help me? I wanted to kill you!"

"But you didn't." I said. "You were unsure. You really did not want to kill other kids your age, did you?"

"But I failed my mission!" he wailed. "I made a pledge to the Prophet and I failed Him."

"No you did not. We stopped you because your mission was evil," I told him, as Li sat him up and took him in his arms.

'But I promised Suleiman…!"

"Whoever this Suleiman is, what he told you is a lie."

"How can that be? It's in the holy book, he read it to me… infidels must die! And he said how the rest of the boys treated me was the way all westerners treated the believers of Islam."

"If, by 'holy book', you mean the Qur'an, he was deliberately deceiving you."

"You know the Qur'an?" he asked with awe.

"Yes," I answered. "We studied the Qur'an before we started our last mission. The Qur'an calls upon the faithful to live at peace with all people. Those who would teach otherwise are an abomination in the eyes of Allah. It seems like Suleiman seeks only power for himself and his followers and he has used you and other boys as a way to do this."

"But Suleiman was the only one who showed me any kindness. The other boys quickly discovered my girl body and kept me in a cage except when they wanted to fuck me. They even made some of the really little boys stick their things in me."

"Why do you think this Suleiman decided to care for you?" I asked him gently.

"He said I was a son of the Prophet, but my parents has sinned and that is why I had this girl body. That I could atone by performing a brave act that would strike terror into the hearts of the Infidels. Then I would be taken into the bosom of the Prophet and live forever with him."

"What he told you is a lie!" Li assured him. "Why kill innocent kids like us? How does that please the Prophet?"

"NO! IT CAN'T BE!" he shrieked. "You are just trying to trick me!"

"Achmed," I told him gently, taking him in my arms, "you can read our feelings. You know we are telling you the truth."

Suddenly, Achmed's last hold upon his mentor was swept away. Suleiman… who had been kind to him, had saved him from the wrath of the other boys… was exposed as a fraud. And he spent the rest of that day sobbing bitterly in our arms.

We had started out with an hour each in the morning and afternoon, but were spending more and more time with Achmed. Master Keldhar was pleased with the progress we were making… and so were our dads… so he exempted us from other classes.

The next day, Achmed confronted us. "You say that you wish to help me. Yet you keep me confined to this bed and feed me through this tube in my throat."

"The Masters here did that to keep you from harming them or yourself," Li explained. "You have been so angry and frightened you have fought them whenever they tried to help you. You have injured several of the Masters."

Achmed looked at us in shock. And then with shame. "I'm sorry. I've just been so frightened!"

"Yes, we know. We can feel your fright. But you have nothing to be afraid of."

"But my body…"

"No one knows why you were born this way, but it is not because of either your sin or your parents' sin," I assured him. "We will do our best to help you."

"Why? Why do you want to help me?"

"Because you are a kid just like us, but you have had some very bad things happen to you. You may find this hard to accept, but we both love you, Achmed."

He looked back and forth at each of us and, then, Li decided to take a risk… a very big risk. "Achmed, if you promise to control your anger, I will have you released and you will receive regular food… the same as all the students, Masters and families here. You will have to stay in this room, but I promise you that Drew and I will be with you every day."

Achmed's eyes got big. "You would do that? Oh yes, I will promise. Because I believe you really do love me. I'm not worthy of your love, but I can tell you are telling me the truth."

At Li's nod, Master Adam turned off the beam, and Li helped Achmed to sit up. He swung him around so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed beside us. Reaching down, he gently removed Achmed's catheter. "Would you like to take a warm shower?" he asked the boy.

Achmed gasped, but then nodded.

Realizing the boy would be very weak after being confined for so many days, Li told him, "I'll help you while Drew goes to get you some real food." And, stripping off his clothes, he half carried him to the shower in the corner of his room.

Leaving them, I went to the kitchen and returned with a large bowl of vanilla ice-cream and two smaller ones for Li and me. Stopping at my room, I picked up some clean towels and a terry robe for Achmed.

Just as I returned, Li emerged from the shower with Achmed in his arms. I dried him and dressed him in the robe while Li dried himself and got dressed again.

Settling ourselves on the edge of the bed on either side of him, I handed Achmed the bowl of ice-cream. He looked at it wide-eyed. "Ice-cream! I haven't had ice-cream since my family moved to India!" As he spooned it up, his eyes got a sort of dreamy look.

We finished our bowls and then left him for the day. "Remember your promise," I reminded him.

"I will, but please hurry back."

For the first time in weeks we both slept soundly… in the big bed with all our dads.

We were back with Achmed early the next morning in time to deliver his breakfast and enjoy ours with him.

After we had finished, I asked him, "Do you trust us… Li and me?"

He thought a moment and then nodded.

"Then would you tell us your story… how you got to be with this Suleiman? And you can start by telling us your real name."

He clenched his fists, obviously struggling with thoughts and memories that were hard for him. But, then, he sighed and began. "My parents called me Charlene, 'cause they were sure I was a girl. But I'm not! I'm a boy and ……

"Suppose we were to call you 'Charlie'?" broke in Li. "Would that help?"

Achmed buried his head in Li's lap in tears. "Then you do really believe I'm a boy?"

"Of course we do," I replied, "but please go on with your story."

The boy sniffed back his tears and began again. "My name is Charlie… Charlie Dixon. From the time I was very little, I knew I was a boy. But my parents insisted I was a girl. I embarrassed them when I told others I was a boy. So they took a job in India."

"One day, a group of men came to our school and killed all the teachers and took all us kids with them. We were thrown into a truck and we traveled for days before they finally let us out. Then they took the girls away and put all the boys in a space like a prison yard. I was dressed like a boy, and told them I was a boy, so they put me with them."

And that was the beginning of his recurring nightmare… months of being raped and abused by the other boys and finally being rescued by Suleiman. He was trained to be a human bomb! In fact, he was even sent out on two trial runs before being smuggled into Japan and sent to Kamakura.

"And then you stopped me and I was brought here," he sobbed.

It took us several days to get him to calm down enough… one of us even spent the night with him… to allow us to go ahead with the plan we had agreed with Master Keldhar.

Just before noon, I told him, "Charlie, it is time you met the other masters and the students and their families who go to school here."

He recoiled with fright. "But they must hate me for what I tried to do to you and the way I acted when they brought me here."

"You will soon learn," Li assured him, "that they are just as keen on helping you through this troubled time as Drew and I are. Come. Don't be frightened. Come and see."

He definitely could not go to lunch starkers, so Dad and I had managed to scarf up a few clothes for him from what Tim had left during his last visit… underwear, socks and a ratty pair of trainers.

Peter got him a set of school shorts and shirt. The school provides a clothing allowance for each student but we had not had time to 'go shopping' with him. The clothes we were allowed to purchase were rather conservative… this is Australia, after all. Dad once had bought me a red and yellow striped shirt and Master Keldhar glared every time I wore it.

With the knots combed out of his hair, Charlie was quite presentable. And we led him out of his room and into the wider world of the Alice Springs School For Exceptional Boys.

Entering the dining room, Charlie recoiled from the looks of all the boys and masters who were gathered there. Li introduced him, "This is Charlie. Drew and I met him in Japan under very unhappy circumstances. But he has been with us for some time and wishes to know more about our school and how it can help him learn. He is an empath of some power, but untrained in it's use. Drew and I have been helping him recover from a perfectly horrible existence and he is now ready to take his place among us students."

He had said all this mostly for Charlie's benefit as Keldhar had already spoken to the entire community about our efforts to redeem him and his importance in the ongoing war with ISIS. Indeed, with Charlie's help, Coalition Forces were able to rescue most of the kidnapped boys… the girls had disappeared completely… and put an end to Suleiman and his human bomb factory.

"Welcome to our school, Charlie," John, the Senior Head Boy, greeted him. "Come and sit with us and have some lunch." And the others at his table made room for the three of us.

Charlie was so shocked at this welcome… he had expected to be shunned by everyone… that I had to take him by the hand and drag him over to his place at the table. Looking about, he finally found his tongue. "I, I, I am overwhelmed by your welcome. You don't know me. I have done some very bad things, even almost killed Li and Drew. Yet you welcome me among you. Why is this? How can this be?"

"That is simple," replied John. "You have an exceptional gift, as does every one of us. Here at our school you will learn how to use it properly. Which one of us has not done something in the past that shames us? We know you are transgender and have suffered much because of that, but you are a brave boy and we will always think of you as such."

"But I…" Charlie protested.

"We are like the boys in the 'Sandywater' stories," John continued. "We care for each other and try to help each other." Turning to Li and me he asked, "You've read 'Tales From Sandywater', haven't you?"

"No sir," I answered.

"Well, you should," he told me. "You can find it on the Internet. And I think it might help your new friend understand us better."

Later that day I searched the Internet and finally found it on the TOR network. I was surprised to discover it was a story told in pictures that I could display on my tablet. It told the stories of a group of boys who live like an extended family in a seacoast town in North America called Sandywater.

So, that night the three of us sat on Charlie's bed marveling at the artist's work and the exciting story that unfolded before our eyes… boys our age… slave and free… who care very much for each other and share ongoing adventures.

The setting was quite different than ours… for one thing, they ran about mostly starkers… even in public… and freely enjoyed each others bodies without any interference from the adults in Sandywater. They even had a rock band… unthinkable at our school. And they could decorate their bodies any way they wished. Some of them were slaves and wore things called cock cages but were quite content to serve their young masters… in every way imaginable. Above all, they loved each other… passionately.

Yet there were certain parallels to our lives, particularly that of my little brother, Tim, before we had freed and adopted him. I agreed with John… the lives of those boys expressed the same principals of caring and courage that I hoped our school would always seek to instill.

That night both Li and I slept with Charlie and tried to demonstrate our love for him physically to the extent we could, given the differences in our bodies. It was all kissing and stroking above the waist but still very satisfying to Li and me and… we hoped… comforting to Charlie.

Everyone at the school readily accepted him as a boy and he immediately began to move about on his own… attending classes and other activities. But, he still returned to his original room at night.

But, Li and I both understood that Charlie needed a family. And we were both overjoyed when Eric and Peter, Li's dads, asked to be made his guardians. That meant he could live with them and they would soon adopt him. So, I would no longer be the only one in our 'family' with a little brother. I'm sure he presented problems to them, but Li assured me they were 'under control'.

He seemed mostly happy, but there were times when his old terrors revisited him… he would need almost permanent counseling before his self-worth would heal. Li and I did our best but. sadly, it was not quite enough.

We were accustomed to meeting him for lunch when our respective morning classes broke. But one noon-time he did not appear. His morning class had been with Master Speer, 'Basic Empathy', so we asked about. Robbie, our 'recruit' from the Japanese tour, who was in his class, reported, "He seemed a bit 'down' and left class to pee and didn't return. Do you think he's sick?"

I immediately focused my gift on him and was nearly floored by the waves of despair that lingered from him. But, currently, he wasn't broadcasting anything. In a panic, both Li and I rushed to the classroom lavatory… I was almost certain what we would find there.

The room was splattered with his blood and he lay on the floor unconscious in a pool of it. I immediately clamped his wrists where he had slit them while Li summoned Master Cadfael, our doctor. Charlie was still alive, but would need an immediate transfusion to replace what he had lost. Once he was taken to our infirmary, his situation became swiftly known and there was an immediate stampede… boys lined up twenty-deep to give him blood.

Their generosity was enough to make me weep. We were like the boys in the story at Sandywater!

Li and I spent the rest of the day and the night with Charlie, utterly crushed by his impetuous act. Fortunately, we had each other to keep us from sinking into complete despair. Those strong arms around me kept reminding me to be brave and go on… I'm sure Li felt the same way… even if we failed to save Charlie. Dad and I had often discussed Charlie's situation and he also had told me almost half of transgenders attempt suicide. "Be prepared for failures along the way," he told me. His counsel was spot on.

Charlie regained consciousness about mid morning and stared up at us hovering over him. He heaved a gigantic sigh and began to cry, "Why did you save me? You should have let me go! Robbie was right; I'll never be one of you! I'll not ever even be a boy!"

I read his sense of failure, his longing and I was inclined to be gentle with him, but I was upset with his comment about Robbie. And I read Li's anger with him.

"How could you do such a thing? After all we have tried to do for you? Can't you understand?" he bawled, "we love you Charlie and I want you to be my brother, not a dead memory!"

"Easy, lover," I chastised, sending both of them feelings of calm and love. It took several minutes for both of them to settle down.

"I guess I wasn't thinking of anyone but myself," confessed Charlie. "How can you ever forgive me?"

"We can," I broke in, " if you will promised us that you will never, never try to take your life again, no matter how sad you feel."

"I promise."

"Good! We will always be here for you… that's our promise," I told him.

The crisis somewhat over, I felt comfortable leaving them. Li and his 'little brother' had some trust rebuilding to do, but I just had to talk to Robbie.

I cornered Robbie just coming out of his last morning class. "Robbie! What did you say to Charlie? He says you told him he would never be one of us."

"I, I, I, I never even spoke to him," stammered our newest student. "I w-w-w-was just saying to Danny that it was so sad a neat kid like Charlie could never really be one of us. I wasn't even talking, just chatting in my head with Danny."

"Yes, and you haven't learned how to channel effectively. He 'overheard' you."

"Oh God! You mean I caused him to…" And he dissolved into a puddle of sorrow at my feet.

"You made a serious mistake, but I'll not hold it against you nor will anyone else. Just be very careful; everyone can still 'hear' your mental conversations."

He looked so stricken, I held out my arms to him and he buried himself in them and bawled like a little child. "You made a mistake, Robbie. Now you must learn from it," I consoled him.

I was confident Charlie would not break his promise, but we made sure one of us was with him around the clock. 'Trust but verify' as some North American politician had once said.

I simply couldn't imagine him being so sad all the rest of his life, so several days later, I went to Master Keldhar. "I'm sure you know about Charlie trying to end his life."

"Yes," he said sadly, "it happens with a lot of transgender kids. I'm glad you were able to save him and I know how hard you have tried to get him to accept his condition."

"But, Master. Isn't there some way he could be changed so his body could be … like a boy?"

"There have been some recent papers on that and I have been reviewing them. But I need to study them more before I can hold out hope to him. Let me continue my study and I will get back to you in a few days."

More than a week went by, but one day after lunch, Keldhar sent for the three of us. "There's a Dr. Bernard in Capetown, South Africa, who has had some success at surgically altering the bodies of transgender girls. And he has started to try the same with boys."

"Do-do-do-do you think he might be able to give me a boy's body?" stammered Charlie, wide-eyed. Li and I just stood there with our mouths open.

"If you are willing to undergo surgery, there might be a chance for you."

"Oh, yes sir! yes sir! Please sir!" he cried, falling on his knees.

"Excellent! I thought you would want to find out more, so I made an appointment with him."

"Great! When do we leave?" asked Li. He had assumed, rightly, we would be going, too.

"Immediately!" Keldhar replied. An instant later, we stood before a very confused receptionist in Dr. Bernard's office.

"I am Master Keldhar from the Alice Springs School for Exceptional Boys," he told the startled girl, "and these are three of my students, Charles Dixon, Li Soon Hamilton and Andrew Nelson. I believe Dr. Bernard is expecting us."

Dr. Bernard was a quiet, very low-key man with an enormous shock of snow-white hair. Inviting us into his office, he greeted us warmly and soon set us at ease.

"Charles," he began, "your master has told me about your unfortunate childhood and I will do my very best to make your future a happier, more satisfying one. My team has had some good success restructuring transgender girls' bodies, by removing the male genitalia and constructing an artificial vagina. Using hormones, we have been able to stimulate breast grown so the child has a more feminine body."

"I must confess, however, we have not had as much success with transgender boys. We have operated on three to date, but the results have been some disappointing. But, we have learned a great deal and believe we will be much more successful with our next patient. If you are willing to trust us, you will be our fourth. It will not be easy for you and the results may not be precisely what we would all desire. But, I and my team, feel very hopeful you could be the breakthrough."

It was silent for a bit as we all sat here. Li reached over and gripped my hand so hard that it hurt.

Charlie looked at the carpet for a while, but then raised his head. "Doctor Sir, I do not deserve this chance you are offering me. But, I will accept it with complete trust."

Within the hour, we… Keldhar, Li and I… were back in Alice.

The next three months seemed interminably long as we all waited for the outcome. Several times, I tried to 'read' Charlie's feelings, but they were lost in the great wash of feelings coming from that part of the world.

But, finally, the day arrived and we found ourselves seated in Dr. Bernard's operating theater. In the center before us lay Charlie on a hospital bed, surrounded by the usual apparatus measuring every facet of his reconstructed body.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," began Dr. Bernard, "and especially our visitors from Australia. Today, we will see if our theories and practices will result in a fuller, more satisfying life for a thirteen-year-old boy who has had the misfortune of being born in a body that did not match his gender."

"Young Charles has been with us nearly four months and we have found him to be a cooperative and courageous patient. He is completely aware of our less-than-fully-successful previous efforts but has never wavered for one second… insisting we must proceed with our agreed-to plans."

"We've done a complete hysterectomy, leaving only his bladder and colon and also removed some of his underlying breast tissue. The hormone treatment he will be taking should prevent any further growth there without damaging his pectoral muscles."

"We have grafted a fully functional penis and testes… taken from our most recent sexual realignment of a transgender girl… on to his body and they seem to be healing well without any tissue rejection. And, in his case, we implanted a prostate and the accompanying nerve bundles… that is the important difference from our earlier surgeries. That single operation took more than nine hours."

"It's highly doubtful he will ever father a child, but we are hopeful he might be able to enjoy some sexual satisfaction from his new organs. But, most importantly, his body will look like and respond like that of a boy."

"He has been kept under light anesthesia since the procedures three weeks ago to facilitate healing and look for any signs of graft-versus-host complications and we are pleased the new drugs seem to have licked that problem. He'll need to be medicated for that for the rest of his life."

"So, this morning Charles and the rest of us will get to see first-hand to what degree we have been able to fit him with a body that will more accurately match his sexual orientation."

There was a hushed silence as Dr. Bernard drew back the sheet covering Charlie and nodded to the anesthesiologist to bring him up. After a few minutes, the boy blinked and sighed. The Doctor cranked the top of the bed up a bit so his patient could sit up and Charlie looked down to where his new body-parts were attached between his legs.

"I'm a boy!" he gasped. "I'm… really… a boy!"

Spotting Li and me in the audience, he looked at us with undisguised, excited love. "See! I'm a boy after all!" he screeched.

Li and I both sat there with tears of joy streaming down our cheeks. But, then, I saw something thru my tears.

"He sure is a boy!" I said. "Look! It's standing straight up!"

And another trip ends.

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