Paolo

Zero

The Special-Needs Slaveboy

Chapters 9-11

Chapter 9
Discoveries

Unlike Sebbie, Zero was a quick riser. When he woke up, he was up. I was just lying there, watching him sleeping with his head on my shoulder, when his eyes popped open.

"Uncle!" He greeted me with a sloppy kiss. He was so damn cute in his gold toned gear with his new haircut and earrings.

And the bed was dry. I promised him a reward for that. He cocked his head at me, the signal that he didn't understand. I tried to explain the concept of presents. This was definitely a task for later…

"Zero, where'd you learn to do what you did with Uncle last night?" I asked.

"Sebbie," Zero replied, smiling again, putting his finger in his mouth and mimicking a blowjob. Apparently, swimming wasn't all they'd done yesterday evening. I had this image in my head of them sucking each other's fingers, since none of them could get their pods off. I had to laugh.

"Well, you did perfect, baby," I assured him.

Zero's face went hard. "Zee-whoa no bee-bee," he scowled at me. In the last day or so, it seemed, he'd been trying to form complete sentences, although he still babbled incoherently when he got excited. And he was doing OK without a diaper. I had to wonder if the stress, or lack of it now, had something to do with his progress? Perhaps this new environment, one that wasn't anything but punishments, was the key to this? How much a loving environment seemed to have helped him in so short a time!

"No, you're not a baby. That's just a word. Uncle's very proud of you," I assured him. That made everything OK again, I guess, because he smiled and kissed me again. It would have been nice to stay in the bed and cuddle him all day, but unfortunately, we couldn't.

I found that I needed a change of clothes, but I'd not brought any. After all, I wasn't planning on moving in with the Collins family! I was rummaging around in the chest of drawers, hoping to find something, when I found a framed picture. It was of a little Asian boy, his straight black hair shining with blue in the deepest shadows, and his eyes smiling at the camera.

Jian, I assumed.

I blew a bit of dust from the glass and stood the picture up on the dresser. Such a beautiful boy didn't deserve to be consigned to a dark drawer. Zero seemed to approve. After all, he loved pictures.

Fortunately, there was a robe in the lower drawer. I was going to have to do some laundry, or run home and get some more clothes – which would be two hours wasted.

I decided to head home later that evening. I needed my original data padd about Zero anyway. I wanted Zero in his home, not hanging out in the city with some temporary friends. Besides, I wasn't sure I wanted him being exposed to much more of this environment. I certainly didn't want him turning into some creepy little fetishist, or a mindless slut-boy whose only concern was sex.

According to the silly slave manual, we were supposed to establish a routine. That was going to be hard to do, I knew. For starters, I was still on the job. Even though I'd taken a personal day, there was still a lot to do. That, and while Zero might have had a bath the previous night, I hadn't. Of course, he insisted on getting in with me.

I got him out of his expensive gear. OK, I know, but I didn't want it wet, all right? I had to give Collins one thing, as Zero happily scrubbed my back – he had some seriously nice bathrooms built into his residence floor. There was even a dressing table with a ring of warm lamps around the generous mirror.

Zero was always nervous about having his genitals washed, and that whole thing was yet another part of the mystery that was my new little slaveboy. I checked over his scars, put more gel on them, a fresh gauze pad on his butt barcode, and then got him back into his gear. He was healing well already. He seemed happy with it all as I blew-dry his hair. He just sat there at the dressing table, humming some tune I didn't know, smiling at himself in the mirror and swinging his bare feet. He looked so small and innocent, but I knew better.

There was something up with Zero.

Sixty-four million 'somethings', in fact!

I was going to jail. I just knew it. Then I remembered Collins telling me whom all he knew, and that he didn't seem the least bit worried about my CR+64 million windfall. Computer error, yes… we'd say it was that! Still – how well connected was this man? In his world of slaveboys, medicine, and other 'diversified assets', what all did he know about and dabble in?

Did I even want to know?

We found Collins in the kitchen making a cold breakfast, and it looked like he'd had a rough night. His hair was a mess, he was dressed in a bathrobe, and he was yawning. Sebbie and Henry didn't look much better, either. The boys were setting the table, both of them bleary-eyed and moving slow. They both had cheerily pink butts, and neither one of them was 'dressed' yet; all they wore were their chastity pods. Well, in Henry's case, his little gold 'acorn'.

"Good morning!" I greeted them, nudging Zero over to help the boys. He greeted them both with hugs and kisses and immediately began dishing up some fruit.

"Beastly hour of the day, the only reason it exists is to keep night and noon from crashing into one another, what?" Collins greeted us. "Don't expect any miracles until at least noon, Don."

"Sorry, we've disrupted your schedule," I apologized, remembering our initial conversation on the matter of raising a slaveboy. "I hope we haven't inconvenienced you and the boys too badly?"

"Not at all, I love a good mystery," Collins replied, "Although not this early. As for scheduling, well, the boys know what to do, and Zero can play with them all day, while you and I get down to work."

"D–duh-doc," Zero greeted him, making a cute little bow. Then he held out his arms. It was such a turnaround from the wild animal I'd brought home a few nights before. I had to wonder if Collins was thinking he might be about to get punched in the face again? Fortunately, it was hugs and kisses this time. Zero had decided, I supposed, that he liked the doctor after all.

Henry and Sebbie took breakfast standing, while Zero occupied my lap and ate off of my plate. Judging from the looks of their backsides, I didn't think either of them would be sitting down much all day. I wondered if they'd done something wrong, or if that were all part of their routine? Both of them seemed to be walking funny, too, but despite looking hung over, both of them had silly grins on their faces.

"Did you sleep good, Zero?" Collins asked him.

Zero nodded. He was about to put a slice of apple with cream in his mouth, missed, and almost shoved it up his nose. I felt obliged to kiss the cream off.

When breakfast was over, I volunteered Zero to do the dishes so that Collins could get his boys ready for their day – whatever that consisted of. When they returned, they were both clean and dressed in serviceable plain metal gear that looked heavy. I wondered how much extra weight they were both carrying?

"Boys, it is almost eight," Collins told them. "You will report to the gym floor where you will work out until ten. At ten, you will commence studies in maths and history with John until one. At one, you will report back to the kitchen for lunch. And Henry," Collins leered at him, "As you're not plugged, since you can't seem to be trusted with the upgraded one that your daddy sent, I will warn you – if you have an accident, I shall remove just enough of your colon to strangle you with. Is that clear?"

"Y-yes, sir!" Henry snapped to.

"Off you get," Collins nodded curtly.

"SIR!" Both boys barked, and ran.

"Uncle?" Zero asked, refusing to let go of my hand as the boys left.

"Don't you want to go with your friends?" I asked. Collins rolled his eyes.

"Slave?" He reminded me with a cough.

"No!" Zero whimpered, tightening his grip. "wih-ooo," he whined, which I took to mean "with you".

"Zero, Uncle has a lot of work to do today."

"Uh dat?" Zero pointed at the little monitor on the wall, which was now showing John readying the physical therapy wing where the boys were headed to work out. He let go and went to the screen, tapping it. "Dat?"

"Uncle has to fix the computer, Zero," Collins told him, raising an eyebrow. He nodded to me. "Could be interesting? What with the phone thing last night?" He hinted. "Maybe Zero can help?"

I borrowed some clothes from Collins, which were a bit large, but they worked. We then made to try and solve something – anything, really! There was so much to go over – Zero's DNA scans, his brain scans, and any number of other things.

On the way down to Collins' office, I leaned over and whispered, "Zero gave me a blowjob last night."

"How was it?" Collins asked, surprised.

"He's one hell of a little cocksucker, I'll give him that," I admitted. "He says Sebbie showed him how to do it, with his fingers?"

"That's my boy," Collins smiled proudly. "Of course, the three of us got much more than that last night. Want details?"

"No," I decided, but it did explain the silly grins.

"Sebbie?" Zero looked up adoringly at him. We both laughed.

"You're not worried about John, ahhh… and the boys?" I hinted.

"He's asexual, remember? Why do you think I hired him?" Collins reminded me. "Besides, Sebbie knows better. Henry, you can't trust. But Sebbie wouldn't stand for a man trying to touch him without my permission. Some pervert squeezed his arse once in the mall, and Sebbie put him in the hospital. If he hadn't been chained yesterday, I'd imagine the mystery of your stalker would already be solved."

I wasn't sure how to take that. Was little Sebbie as dangerous as he looked then?

Matthew was just getting the office computers in order when we arrived. He gave Zero a puzzled look. I guess it looked funny that Zero was carrying my things, like a little repairman. Zero looked at him as we went by, as if he didn't trust him at all.

"We're lucky," Collins said, "Nothing until half past nine, and that's just a generic checkup for a chaste free boy."

"Ah, OK?" I replied, wondering if Zero really needed to see that.

"You see, Don," Collins told me, as he began checking over things to get ready, "Some people have slaves, some have pets, some have children. Some treat their slaves like pets, or even like their own children. Sometimes the line blurs. Such as you and Zero, if I may be so bold?"

"You may?" I smiled. "Or like you and Sebbie? One minute you're 'Daddy', the next minute and you're 'Master'?"

Collins nodded. "Very astute! As I said, the line blurs."

"But back to the slaves and pets thing? I don't understand?"

"Some children, namely unruly sons, get treated almost like slaves by their parents. It's not for us to judge whether or not they warrant it. For many reasons, such as religious beliefs, punishment, or simply the fact that they don't want their boys masturbating or having sex, some parents opt to chasten their free boys. You'd be surprised how many have it done for the sake of academia and/or athletics. This is the most common similarity. The law frowns upon underage, free-heterosexual intercourse, you know. God forbid a teenage boy get his girlfriend pregnant! The fines and legal costs would break anyone, and land the boy on the slave auction block! And masturbation can play havoc with study time. But for whatever reason, a pubertal boy who is kept chaste must have maintenance. That's where I come in."

"You maintain these unruly boys for the parents?"

Collins nodded. "Many heterosexual parents don't want to do it, naturally, because it's a sexual thing. The main aspect is a good weekly cleaning, and prostate drainage to prevent inflammation and wet dreams or unwanted orgasms. For me, it's easy money, and keeps the boys healthy. And I enjoy the work." He grinned maliciously. "I do so love to watch a chastened free boy squirm!"

I had to wonder if that had something to do with Collins having been raised as a slaveboy from earliest childhood, and having had no choice in the matter?

"So there's really that many free boys out there, fitted with devices like Zero's?" I wondered. It had never occurred to me! I smirked. Nephew would have grown up a lot differently if I'd known this little tidbit back then!

I dunno why you're so upset, Uncle? It's my dick? What's wrong with me playing with it?

It wasn't the fact that he'd played with it; it was how much he played with it, OK? I could fully appreciate chastening a boy to benefit his report card!

"Of course!" Collins laughed, as he instructed the computer to bring up Zero's DNA scans. "You know that singer? What's his name? Sebbie's just in love with him! Jason Diever? Kid with the thing for purple clothes? Recording company had him shot full of Testroxil and locked up as tight as Sebbie when they signed him." Collins laughed. "If only all those screaming little fangirls knew that he can't even see his miniaturized genitals!"

Zero was just sitting there on a stool, taking it all in. He hadn't said a word. He just kept looking around nervously, probably remembering how scared he'd been to come here and be examined. I went to hold his hand, and he just nodded at me.

"RESULTS COMPILED," the computer announced. "Subject: Zero _ Jameson. Genetic sex – male. Sexuality – asexual. Expand data?"

"Confirm," Collins told it, pulling up a chair. The screen lit up with an animated graphic, the familiar revolving model of human DNA that every school child would recognize.

"Chromosomal scans indicate the presence of abnormal sequences," the computer went on. "Molecular oxygen count, +5%, double capped telomeres indicate…"

I had no idea what that was. Collins seemed to, though.

"Computer, pause! See these red dots on the graphic, Don?" He asked. "Those represent oxygen molecules. Zero has about 5% more of them than a natural human."

"'Natural'?" I snapped, "What do you mean?"

"Zero's a space alien," Collins said seriously. Then he instantly grinned. Zero got out of his seat, walked over to Collins, and hugged him. It was obvious the boy had no clue what that joke meant.

I snorted. "Very funny."

"Seriously, though, Zero has the same O₂ molecule surplus that Sebbie does. I designed him, remember?" Collins reminded me, "When the initial fertilized cell is being programmed, it's exposed and has to be saturated in oxygen. That's why we see the abundance of red dots in the model," Collins repeated. "One corollary of this is increased lung efficiency. In the event of a suffocation threat, Sebbie or Zero would be the last person to go down."

"Dat Zee-whoa?" Zero asked, pointing at the screen.

"Yes, that's you, Zero," Collins told him. "Itty bitty little tiny parts of Zero. You put them all together, and you get Zero!"

Zero looked very serious at that remark.

"What's a telemorez?" I asked.

"'Telomeres'," Collins said, "Specialized regions of DNA. The main function of them is to allow the cell to replicate chromosome ends using the enzyme telomerase, as the enzymes that normally replicate DNA cannot copy the extreme 3' ends of chromosomes. They also help protect the DNA ends, and stop the natural DNA repair systems in the cell from treating them as damage to be corrected*. In short, the extras are to keep the customized DNA locked in. Basically, screwed on tight to keep it from coming undone – which, sadly, sometimes happens in clones and customs."

* Dr. Collins explains a bit about DNA that owes the following credit: Greider C, Blackburn E (1985). "Identification of a specific telomere terminal transferase activity in Tetrahymena extracts". Cell 43 (2 Pt 1): 405–13. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA

"Customs?"

"Genetically engineered children," Collins replied. "These caps are a dead giveaway that someone tampered with the DNA. Otherwise, it's like a car wheel with no lugnut – the wheel flies off, you wreck, and the car is totaled."

"So someone built Zero?" I gasped.

"It would appear so," Collins mused, "But why would someone build a customized boy, spend the money and time on him, bring him to term, raise him, then sell him as a slave? And a slave with no transaction datastream? Why build a custom child, then dump him on the slave market, and illegally at that? It's a huge waste of time and money! And why would any business take him to sell, thus endangering themselves by violating data disclosure laws?"

Zero seemed to understand that. He sniffled and hung his head.

"Oh, Doctor didn't mean it like that, Zero," Collins assured him, displaying yet another facet of his seemingly endless persona. "If somebody built you, just like I built Sebbie, they did a beautiful job." He tweaked Zero's nose. "Who couldn't love that sweet little face?"

"And you wouldn't be here with Uncle if they hadn't," I added.

Zero just smiled at me. It was heartbreaking. I had the sudden urge to run back down to the Clearing House and throttle the auctioneer who was going to send him on to something like pharmaceutical testing labs.

"Computer, scan for more anomalies, disregarding O² counts," Collins ordered it. There was a beep, and the image of the DNA helix got smaller on the screen. Some text with arrows pointing at the graphic popped on, blinking, indicating what I assumed to be damage.

I suppose I was relieved to see that there wasn't more of it than there was. I'd expected the worst after Collins' explanation.

"Well, this explains the dwarfism," Collins pointed out, "Here and here," he pointed to the graphic, "The small gray dots represent hydrogen. No one quite understands, honestly, how hydrogen bonds things. It's only got two particles to it. Anyway, Zero seems to be missing a few on the chromosomes that determine growth, and that one broke. You can compare," He called up another image, and the computer didn't seem to be having any problems at all. He called up another graphic of a boy who was a patient, and a little person. "This is your typical 'little person', midget, dwarf, etc. See the similarities?" He pointed to the two DNA graphics of Zero compared to 'little boy'.

I nodded.

"Only thing is, I don't think Zero was supposed to be little. I think someone messed up, or got in a hurry, since the bonds broke down here, and here…" He pointed to another flashing error on Zero's DNA.

"What's this error here?" I pointed at another.

"That's the gene for skin coloration," Collins explained, "But that's not usually… AH HAH! I see! It's recording it as an error because it's artificial!"

"What?!" I gasped. "How do you artificially color a kid?"

"This is the African gene, for the darkness," Collins explained, "It fits with the nappy hair, and the nice golden brown tone. This one, however," he zoomed the model back up, "Was implanted after the fact. It's what gives him the tint. This other one," he moved the graphic, "Eye shape? You think that Zero might be half or at least one quarter Asian? That almond shape to his eyes that Asians have?"

I nodded.

"He's not," Collins stated flatly. "That's a marker of tampering, and tampering that wasn't carefully done. Computer, pull up a graphic of typical Persian eye genome," Collins ordered it. The computer did that.

It looked like Zero's, where the error was, but only slightly shifted.

"Our boy is an African/Persian hybrid, not far Asian," Collins declared. "Someone slipped up here and there, and ended up making him look like he might have come from a parent as far east as New Burma. Fortunately, well, sort of… they only seem to have botched his height and stature." He studied the graphic. "Wow! He's got the potential to build some serious muscle mass, too!"

"You're going to be strong someday, Zero," I praised him. The boy hadn't made a sound. He just sat and stared, fascinated. Or zoned out. One or the other. I was afraid he was shutting down again, or building up to a meltdown. "But why hide the fact that he's half Persian? Why try to make him look like a Thai or something like that?"

"African Union and Mid-East hate each other. Don't you watch the news? If the AU had the money, they'd have dumped it into military by now to invade what used to be Egypt and up into Gaza. One can only imagine how Zero would be treated in either locale. Each would hate him, because he's half of the other. Asians, on the other hand? They get along great. All those import/export deals, such as rare earths and foodstuffs. Things that grow there, but not over there. Big money in the trade." Collins sighed. "Personally, I think racial mixing is great – at least for slaveboys. You ever seen a Sudanese black crossed with a pure Asian, say, what used to be Korea?"

"No?"

"Me neither, but I'd love to try it!" Collins laughed. "Wasn't that what got your initial attention to Zero? His color, the shape of his face? Now that his hair's under control, and you look past that bent nose, he's a very attractive boy."

"Pwee?" Zero asked. I had to wonder if anyone had ever told him that he looked nice. I doubted it.

"Pretty boy, yes," I assured him.

"Just damaged by abuse and neglect," Collins added. "Nothing we can't fix."

"I thought all this genetic tampering was illegal," I sniffed.

"It is," Collins agreed, "Unless you work for one of the few high-ticket labs that charge very wealthy parents to build the perfect baby and/or correct genetic anomalies in the fetus."

"But you built Sebbie?" I reminded him.

"Where do you think his mother works?" Collins grinned. "We were a match made in heaven!" He laughed. "A genetic match, that is!"

Or hell, I thought to myself!

"Zero, Doc's monitor isn't working right. Can you take the lift," he reached into his pocket for a key, "and go see if Sebbie and Henry are OK? Please? I can't get it to show me the gymnasium floor"

Zero lit right up at that idea. He reached up and tapped the screen. "Sebbie?" He told it.

"INVALID COMMAND, restate query," The computer replied. "Sebbie is located in the gymnasium."

Zero snorted. Then he grabbed the keyboard. A new window opened onscreen. I reached for his hand, but not before he'd literally smacked the snot out of the 1 and 0 keys.

The screen flicked over to show the boys, who were locked down by their cuffs to weight benches and doing presses and left lifts. To the side, I could see John working with our 'broken leg boy'; I'd forgotten his name. Apparently his parents didn't mind him hanging out with slaveboys?

"How did Zero do that?" I gasped.

"Probably," Collins replied, calling up the DNA model again and taking Zero on his own lap (Zero didn't seem to mind), "Because of this!"

He pointed at a section of Zero's DNA that was blinking in red highlights.

"Intelligence," Collins smiled. "Our boy here is a super genius!"

"You knew that was there?" I retorted.

"Of course I did, anyone can tell that Zero isn't stupid," Collins raised an eyebrow. "That little trick I just pulled was a test, and Zero passed it with flying colors. I suspected he might have a gift, be it autism related or genetic, for patterns and such. Especially after what he did with your bank account last night."

I felt awful. I admit, I'd thought my boy was slow. OK, defective. Retarded, if you will. But that wasn't it – it was just that Zero didn't really know anything! No one had taught him anything in the past! It was just like the night with Marv's phone number – all Zero had to do was see it once, and he had it. But what if his problem was that his mind was a clean slate, so to speak? How had he been raised, then, to not know anything?

"That's why the laws are so rigid, Don. Everyone wants the intelligence marker upped a bit. Sebbie has the same design. Henry on the other hand, I'd say nature forgot to give him one!" He laughed.

"Please tell me that's all," I sighed. I guess Zero could tell that I was upset. He came back to me, hugged me, and mumbled "Wuv-ooo" in my ear.

"That's all the DNA problems, if you want to call them problems. All the rest is damage from abuse and poor diet, which is nothing we can't fix in time," Collins concluded. Then he tapped the keyboard again. "Sebastian?"

"Yes, sir?" The image of the boy on the screen looked up at the ceiling.

"Do you boys need to pee?" Collins asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"Good. You can wait another half hour, then go," Collins answered menacingly.

"Yes, sir," Sebbie sighed, going back to his lifting. Even on the screen, I could see the sweat and the straining, hard muscles.

"John, how's Robbie doing?" Collins added.

"Typical muscular atrophy, boss," John replied. "Nothing a few weeks of therapy won't fix. We'll have him back on the soccer [football] field [pitch] in no time!"

"Carry on, boys," Collins closed the channel.

"What happens if Sebbie can't make it that long to pee?" I had to ask.

"Foley catheter, remember?" Collins grinned. "He hates it! He'd rather be beaten senseless than be catheterized!"

"And you enjoy it?" I had to ask.

"It's all in good play," Collins smiled, and I was again at a loss to understand this complex relationship of son/slave-pleasure/pain. "He hasn't had an accident in about two months, so he's due. I have to wonder if it's all an act, though? If it is, he sure puts on a good show with the way he howls and cries when he gets cath'ed!" Collins smiled thoughtfully.

"Sort of like the boy you rendered incontinent yesterday?" I asked.

"Yes, but he'll be so surprised when that stent falls out in a few months, when the hooks dissolve," Collins laughed again. "Of course, his Master planned it like that. He probably had such an endorphin rush at the idea, that he got high!"

"Oh." So that had all been a game? I couldn't imagine playing with Zero like that. It seemed cruel.

"Moving on," Collins said cheerfully.

So things like that were all part of the game? Keeping the slave wondering, always unsure of his punishments? Knowing that he'd get punished, but not really sure of how long they'd last or how grisly they might be? Or perhaps even rating a punishment, because the slaveboy wanted it? I remembered that Sebbie was conditioned to enjoy pain. I was confused. I would never do anything like that to Zero. My baby had had enough pain in his short life already.

"Then why can't Zero talk, if he's so intelligent?" I had to ask. "He'd have picked up language by now, wouldn't he? All that time at the Clearing House?"

"Not if he was gagged, or just given basic commands," Collins shook his head. "I doubt that socialization skills are high on their training agenda." He thought about it some more. "Probably because no one ever taught him to talk, or he's never heard our Standard language – until he got here?" Collins answered me with a question. "It seems for everything we find out about Zero, it leads to a dozen more questions!"

"What if he's babbling in a language we don't know?" I asked.

"Could be, we can test him for…" Collins began, but the chime sounded and cut him off. The whole time, Zero had just been ignoring us. He was very interested in the computer, it seemed. He just sat there, bobbling his head now and then, his beads jingling on his collar, and studying the colorful graphics while he hummed. I'd not noticed that before, either. When had he taken up humming?

"Sir, your nine-thirty is here. Adam, for his weekly cleaning and milking?" Matthew's voiced sounded over the intercom. We'd been studying Zero for an hour and a half already? And I'd gotten nothing done yet!

"Ooo-dat?" Zero jumped.

"Let's go look at the pictures of you, your insides, want to?" I asked him.

About then, a teenage boy (who else?) walked in. He was wearing an orange, skin-tight athletic shirt and black running shorts with matching sneakers [trainers]. He looked as if he'd been out jogging in the heat. He was white, tanned, and his brown hair was sweaty and in need of a trim.

"Hello, Doctor," Adam greeted him, sounding dismal.

Collins sniffed. "You know the drill, Adam. Ah! This is Don, my computer technician, and his boy, Zero."

"Hello, sir, Zero," Adam greeted us politely. I supposed, like everyone else, the sight of a slaveboy didn't faze him, they were so common.

But I had to wonder if this courtesy was part of his training? I'd met teenagers before, and most all of them were obnoxious shits! I had to admit, I'd been curious about this milking thing since I'd read about it in the slave manual. But since Zero was at least six months away from puberty (if we didn't keep him on the Luprox to block it), I knew there was no danger of having to learn it for him.

Admittedly, the idea of doing any number of the things in that book to Zero did not appeal to me.

Adam looked at Collins, and then peeled his shirt off. Zero cocked his head at him. Then he toddled over and picked up the shirt and placed it over the back of a chair, petting it. "Pwee!" He squeaked.

Adam blinked at him. "Thank you?" he said uncertainly, as he kicked off his shoes. "Your new nurse, Doc?" He grinned at Collins. Being a free boy, I guessed that he could be so familiar, unlike a slave. After all, he was a paying customer – as funny as that seemed!

"I think he just might work out for that!" Collins smiled, "Don, see what you can do with the system, would you? I won't be needing it to get Adam here properly drained for the week."

I took a closer look at Adam. He was quite toned, and I could feel myself getting hard as he slipped off his shorts. His ample package was encased in opaque material, a form-fitting device shaped like a set of genitals, probably made of plasticized metallic mesh for breathability. He wore no belt, and I assumed that the device (like the illustration in my slave owners' manual) was held on by an internal ring over his testicles that was too small to come off. The padlock just under the curved tube that held his penis confirmed this when I recognized it. It was a common device, recommended in the manual, and more discreet than a belt - for the discerning Master.

"No chaffing?" Collins asked, as a now-naked Adam got up onto an exam table, face down.

"No sir," he answered. "It's just… frustrating, is all? I guess… well… it's for my own good, though. I know I can't touch my junk, so I don't waste any time playing with it anymore." His face was flaming. I had to bite back a laugh.

"Your father called and said that your grades were up, even if your cock can't be," Collins joked.

He then strapped Adam down as he'd done the slave yesterday. He flipped a switch on the table, and Adam's butt was raised up while his head was lowered. Once he was in a kneeling position, Collins placed a mirror in front of his face. He then used a key to unlock the boy's chastity device.

The padlock came out first, there was a much smaller one behind, hidden, and it came off as well. This allowed the penis tube to slide off. It was a simple setup, and the cup portion that fit over the boy's scrotum dropped away. There was a snug ring around his scrotum, which the padlocks passed through, but this stayed on. Below that ring, the boy's ample balls filled out his scrotum in a rounded form that surely could not fit back up through the ring where the scrotum met the body.

From this ring, there was a curving polished metal rod that came off the top of it, down the shaft of the penis, holding it in a downward pointing position. The shaft, I would later see, was actually an elongated "U" with the other arm of it vanishing up into the boy's urethra. Even if he did get the padlocks off, there was no way he could get the rod out, as it went too far up inside of him when held in place by the scrotal ring. To allow removal, the ring would have to come off over his plump testicles, which it could not – not without smashing them to a pulp beforehand, at least!

I assumed that the scrotum ring would have to be cut to be removed by force, and if I was not mistaken, the inner ring was probably made of composite carbon steel – the hardest industrial metal made. As the slave manual also stated, it probably had a circular sensor in the ring that would set of an alarm if the boy did manage to cut it somehow, without mutilating himself in doing so. All in all, it was an elegant and escape-proof setup.

As soon as the penis tube was off, Adam's genitals expanded with their freedom. He began to get hard, but the urethral rod setup forbade this, keeping his penis pointed downwards. Erections had to be painful, as they still had nowhere to go! Collins then carefully used the key to release the scrotal ring, and it popped off. It's "U" attachment slid out of the boy, and he yelped.

I was amazed at how long the rod that came out of Adam's cock was, as he came to full erection. It was impressive, I admit, for a teenager.

"How long's it been since you last had a cum?" Collins asked, "A month already?"

Adam groaned and nodded. Strapped in as he was, he couldn't move to touch himself now that the pod was off.

"Well, look at it this way, Adam," Collins told him. "You're fifteen, so you've only got about four more years of this, eight if your parents opt to keep you chaste when you go off to college. I know I would!"

"Yes, sir," Adam grunted.

"I know you hate this, boy," Collins said, and I couldn't help but watch as the images of Zero loaded slowly, "But it has to be done. Besides, orgasm denial is already doing wonders for your personality. You're so much more polite."

"If you say so, Doc," Adam winced as Collins donned rubber gloves and began lubricating the patient's hole.

"You're clean, I hope?"

"I… I'm getting used to it, Doc, yes."

"Be glad you only have to rinse that thing out once a week, instead of every day," Collins advised him. "Not that it would hurt you. Then again, I know this bothers you straight boys."

"Uhmmm, yeah," Adam repeated, his face red in shame. "Doc, does he have to watch?"

"Zero, come and help Uncle, please," I said. Zero did that, but he smiled at Adam and patted his restrained hand before he left.

"How's the imaging chip, Don?" Collins asked, as he began working a finger into Adam's hole. Adam whimpered as it slid in.

"Fine, fine," I nodded, watching in fascination, as I knew Adam couldn't see anything but the tabletop. And the mirror. He had a forced view of his package, helpless to touch it, and he'd have to watch as he was milked. I could see a drop of precum forming up already at the tip of his desperate erection.

"Oh-tay?" Zero asked.

"He'll be fine," I assured him. "Look, it's you!" I pointed to the monitor, and Zero turned to it. He smiled, suddenly entranced by the 3D image of himself that wasn't animating yet.

"OWWWWW!" Adam whined, as Collins worked two fingers into him. With his other hand, he reached around and gently teased the boy's penis.

"Sorry," Collins said, but I knew he wasn't. He was grinning from ear to ear, and I knew he was enjoying it. I knew that Adam desperately wanted to cum, needed to cum after a month or more, but that he couldn't. He knew that he wouldn't be allowed to, but one could tell that he was hoping.

The first dollop of juice dripped out of his erect and throbbing cock as Collins located his prostate.

"Feels full," Collins observed clinically, testing his balls. "Very full. Let's see how much you make in a week's time."

Adam moaned. Collins applied a bit more pressure, stroking the boy's cock again. Adam shivered. Collins stopped, then pressed the boy's prostate harder.

Another large drop dribbled out of him and onto the mirror. Adam closed his eyes.

While Zero and I studied his scans, and I read the diagnostics on my laptop as the system ran, Collins worked on Adam. He'd stroke the boy's penis for a few seconds, then somehow he'd know when to stop and apply pressure to his prostate. Each time he did this, a glob of semen would run out of the boy. It was like ejaculating, but without the pressure or squirting, and without the pleasure.

All the while, Adam was making a variety of sounds. Some of them sounded like pleasure, but most of them sounded agonizingly sad.

Zero looked up at Adam once, after about fifteen minutes. "Oh-tay, Uncle?" I assured him it was OK, yes, and that Adam would be just fine. This seemed to satisfy him, and Zero went back to studying himself. I had to wonder just how much of it he understood.

The computer wasn't hanging, though. Then again, it wasn't animating. All I could tell was that there was an anomaly – a large one – in Zero's left-brain, and that it was the wrong color. I bumped the res up a tiny bit. I thought the small anomaly looked rounded. Was it a tumor?

I decided to take Zero to pee, just to be safe. I wasn't sure I wanted him seeing this milking session, to be honest. Granted, I felt like I was going to cum in my trousers at the show, but I had to think of Zero.

Adam was moaning and struggling in his restraints as we left. He'd already made quite a puddle beneath himself.

"Halfway there," Collins assured him.

"Oh, shit, I fuckin' hate this! Let me cum, Doc! Please, let me shoot! I need to so bad!" Adam cried.

Collins said one word, cold and flat: "No."

Adam moaned pathetically as I shut the door.

Zero looked at the door, looked at me, looked at the door, and I remembered that he was genetically programmed to be very, very intelligent. Hell, I wasn't pulling anything over on him! Just because he couldn't talk didn't mean he was stupid.

I mean, Sebbie had taught him the mechanics of oral sex with his fingers in just a few minutes, after all?!

"Uncle," he said, "ee ihh-ick? Dat, ee ick?" Zero asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Is he sick?" I asked. "Yes, but he'll be better. Your head hurt, Zero?"

"Oh-tay, no," Zero nodded, seemingly satisfied. More new words, even if they weren't clear! It was exciting; maybe in a few weeks, or months, and Zero could be talking to us? Maybe he'd be able to tell us his life story?

To kill some time, as I couldn't make the diagnostics run any faster – and Collins couldn't milk Adam any faster – I took Zero down to see the rabbits again. It relaxed him, and he was happy when we returned. I figured my diagnostics would be done by then, and if the computer was going to hang, it would be hung. That, and Adam would be done. I hoped.

Young Adam was still strapped to the table, and Collins was putting his chastity device back on. From what I'd read, I knew that the boy was still horny as hell, emptied of his juices, and temporarily impotent. Pod or not, he was now incapable of erection, ejaculation, and/or orgasm until his glands managed to futilely replenish those juices. The boy was in tears, and he sobbed when Collins snapped the locks closed again and gave the pod a tug.

"You did very well, Adam. Sign out with Matthew, and then you can go and shower. You're a bit smelly. Then you can lie down in recovery until you're ready to go home. If you like, you can go down and take a dip in the pool with Sebbie?" Collins suggested.

"N-no, thanks sir," Adam declined, and I had to wonder if he was frightened of little Sebbie?

"Oh, and Adam?"

"Sir?"

"Next week, if you use profanity in front of me, I will have your folks make sure you spend some quality time with a more intense milking machine that lacks the human touch. Do I make myself clear?" Collins asked in a sly tone.

"Yes, sir!" Adam agreed.

"Chin up, old boy, only four more years, remember," Collins reminded him, as Adam headed for the shower room. "Take a rabbit home for your little sister!" Collins called after him.

"What are you going to do with that mess?" I had to ask, as Collins collected an impressive puddle of 'Adam-juice' and sealed it in a test tube.

"Clean and empty, and frustrated as hell," he told me. "Just how a boy should be! I do a booming trade in selling teenage boy-juice to the lesbian community for artificial insemination," he explained. "Adam's a prime specimen." He then looked at Zero. "Where were we?" He asked, filing the sample away in cold storage with a few others.

"Dat," Zero pointed to the imaging station, which was still running.

"You want to animate it, Don?" Collins asked me.

"If we want to see anything, we have to," I replied.

We did that. A 3D Holo-Zero sprang into existence, and it frightened the real Zero. He screamed and grabbed my leg. Good thing I'd taken him to pee already. I assured him it was all right, as I cut back on the surface detail to convert it to internal views. I turned off muscle tone, made bone structure translucent, then zoomed in on the brain.

At medium-low resolution, you could see the abnormal false color generated by the computer.

Zero was trembling. I was sure he was remembering the Clearing House and the display holos there.

At moderate res, the curves and convolutions of his brain became evident. So did very fine strands of something.

"Filaments of some kind? It looks like his left hemisphere has been invaded by some kind of rogue prions, like Kruezfeld-Jakob's Disease," Collins observed, moving closer, almost kissing Holo-Zero. "Whatever these things are, they're destroying brain tissue as they expand."

"Mad cow disease? Didn't they breed that out forty years ago?"

"Yesssss," Collins breathed, "Up the res, Don. Go for broke."

I turned it up to high. At the same time, I faded out the body to conserve memory and power. We were studying a floating head with no features, a disembodied brain, if you will.

There weren't many of those tendrils, and they weren't long. They were branching out from a flat circular object that obviously wasn't a natural brain structure. It was about the size of my fingernail, and only a few millimeters thick. These tendrils were making the left hemisphere read as red, indicating higher activity, while his right side was a cool blue that indicated normal function.

"Invasive material detected, possible parasitic infection," the computer reported. "Life form readings negative. Negative organic parasite. Foreign body reads as silicon, carbon, and gold."

Carbon fibers spun with silicon and gold were branching out from this small disc and into Zero's brain – but the problem was this: WHY was there a foreign body the size of the end of my thumb embedded in my boy's brain?

"That explains Zero's tiny forehead scar," Collins surmised, "This thing had to be surgically implanted. If whoever did it had gone in through the top of his skull, we'd never see the scar, but as the bone's thinner there," He pointed to the temple, "and less tissue and no hair in the way, that's where they inserted it."

"Whatever it is," I muttered.

As we watched, rainbows of color explosions began at the object and then rippled through the left-brain image, spreading through the connective tissue of the corpus callosum that linked the hemispheres and making little sparks of color on the right side.

"WARNING, CORE TEMPERATURE APPROACHING CRITICAL!" The computer warned us.

"It's displaying real time images!" I realized, seeing the timestamp readouts, and confused, since Zero wasn't being scanned right then. The image we'd captured before was now replaced with what was going on in Zero's brain at that moment!

"Capture still image!" Collins barked, and the computer beeped.

"Ten seconds to auto shutdown!" the computer warned us.

"SHUT DOWN THE SIMULATION!" Collins exclaimed, apparently realizing something that must have been a doozey.

I glanced at Zero. He was as frozen as his holo-counterpart. His eyes were wide, his mouth moving silently, and I could see his pupils dilate.

The computers went dark then came back up dimly as they cooled. At least none of the new parts had blown and they were all working.

Collins was trembling as he collapsed into a chair, still staring at the empty space where Holo-Zero had been.

Zero fainted.

"MEMORY CAPACITY EXCEEDED," the computer reported. "DUMPING RAM-DATA FILES TO ANY AUXILLIARY PERMANENT STORAGE!"

Matthew screamed. So much for Solitaire today?

All the screens went dark again, then came back up to display a graphic of a simple white circle.

I looked closer.

It wasn't a circle – it was the number zero.

"Computer, is there sufficient memory to print an enlargement of the last still frame capture?" Collins asked.

"Negative," The computer slurred, sounding drunk.

Something in my pocket was very hot as I picked up Zero and got him up onto an exam table. His breathing was slow and even, and he simply looked as if he were asleep.

I reached into my pocket, and found that my phone had literally had a meltdown.

"Don, did you see that thing?" Collins asked.

"Yes," I admitted, although I didn't believe it. To this day, I still see that image in my head. I will never be able to forget it.

Collins shook himself out of it, very professionally, and checked over Zero – manually. His hands were gentle as the caring-parent persona moved over the boy, listening, feeling, using the manual tools of the trade that so many doctors deigned inferior.

"He's asleep, exhausted," Collins diagnosed. "Blood pressure, pulse, everything's fine." He paused, wringing his hands. "I am an idiot," He then declared. He then pulled out a small hand scanner and ran it over Zero's head to be sure.

The scanner flashed once and died. Collins looked at it as if he didn't know what to do.

"Don, we have to get that print of the still image," Collins snapped his fingers. "Laptop!"

We connected the laptop again, and it took minutes to locate the still, the system was lagging so badly. It was enormous in file size, but as I connected my portable snapshot printer, I still refused to believe it.

As Zero slept, the image began printing. It seemed to take forever.

"Don, do you realize something?" Collins held up the print.

I saw it at once, when he mentioned it. "There's no way we could capture this kind of resolution without blowing the chips!" I exclaimed. "And what are these fine tendrils in his brain, if they're not organic? Seriously? Gold? In a kid's brain?"

"So how did we get this image?" Collins reasoned.

"Fuck the image, how do we get those things out of him?" I was panicking.

"No, Don – listen to me!" Collins was looking pale, but he was also looking like a small child who'd just raided the cookie [biscuit] jar and gotten away with it. I slowly got control. Collins was the doctor, I realized, and he wasn't panicking.

"Logically, something had to be helping the system. Something had to be tapping into it, boosting it, relaying and processing the data for it, or in concert with it," I groaned, collapsing heavily into a chair. I looked at Zero.

Zero could do math like a walking calculator.
The computer didn't like playing images of Zero.
Zero had gotten my phone to say CR+64 million in the bank.
The TV had frozen when he stared at it.
The lab computers had blown out scanning him.
And now the Collins network, vast as it was, was full.
Not one single byte remained free.
I didn't want to believe what I saw in the print.

"It's a sci-fi fantasy! It's impossible!" I gasped.

"No, it's only asleep," Collins pointed at Zero. "I think now we know why someone tried to kidnap him! Someone wants him back!"

"Dammit, Collins! What is that thing in his brain?" I demanded, waving the print around.

Collins took a deep breath. "If I'm right, Don? Very possibly the holy grail of biological-technological interfacing! You work with these things. You know what it is."

I threw the print down. I refused to believe it. To think that only a few days before, I'd been a boring middle-aged, lonely man with Empty Nest Syndrome. Life can take exciting turns, can't it?

"It looks like a version of the new generation of CPU chips," I admitted. "Only a handful of us at work even know about them. Even fewer of us know how to make them, and how they work."

"They operate by routing electrical impulses, all those 1's and 0's, through human neural tissue," Collins finished for me. "It's the most conductive material known, even better that monatomic gold."

"How did you know?" I exclaimed, "You can't know!"

"I don't know. You just told me," Collins smiled.

I know my jaw must have dropped. I'd been had.

"But what I don't understand is how you plan to make a chip," he patted the laptop, "that can travel around in here without a circulatory system to feed it glucose and oxygen. Logically, you'd also have to have RAM boards and other components that can keep up with it, which would also have to be made of neural tissues."

"Hence the conundrum," I agreed. "Sebastian," I fumbled, not sure if I should use his given name or not. It wasn't like we were friends. Were we? "I… I'm privy to some of the work on this chip. I've been wanting to use the theory to improve the holo-imaging chip system. I… I have a data padd at home, in the safe, along with Zero's bill of sale padd. I think I… that we… should go and retrieve it. Tonight."

"I wonder," Collins mused, "What's in my computer system and where it came from?" He glanced at my sleeping boy. He looked at the laptop again. "Computer, display smallest data file that was most recently dumped into your memory banks," he ordered it.

On all of the screens, one single still image lit up – a smiling little dark face with a crooked nose and pleading brown eyes.

"Zero."

Collins took the print of Zero's brain and studied it. "A tiny incision, the bone healed almost perfectly," he analysed it. "It could have been delivered with a forced pressure injection, as I mentioned before. Like someone shot him in the head with a nail gun. See the damage it did, here and here, on its way in? That's why he favors his left side, and why he can't talk so well. It's just like major stroke damage. I'd imagine our boy was totally mute and hemiplegic for months after the implant. It not only did damage to vital left hemisphere tissue on the way in, but it also displaced and destroyed tissue to make room for itself." He paused to study the print further. "Fortunately, they must have put it in early. Children's brains exhibit high levels of plasticity; other areas can take over for damaged ones."

"But what about those tendrils?" I wondered aloud. "We don't have anything like that. It's almost like an octopus gone mad, with micro-thin tentacles?"

"Tentacles that are growing," Collins observed. "They had to come into being after the chip was implanted, or they'd be all torn up. The structure of the network they're forming is too perfect. Look at the pattern. It's like the petals of a flower, a natural design. Problem is, as they grow, they destroy more brain tissue. But as we saw in the holo, and given what they're made of, they're also superconductive."

"You think they're working in concert with Zero's brain cells?" I asked. "Could it even be possible? Chip and brain communicating?"

"Isn't that the aim of your new chipset? Processing at the speed of thought?" Collins replied. "We've studied the brain for centuries, and we still don't fully understand it. Why do we forget some things? Remember others? Why are some people geniuses, and others stupid?" He fixed me with a look that spoke volumes. "And just what is the maximum memory capacity of a human brain where 100% of the cells are active, all neurons firing in harmony?"

"The implications are staggering," I breathed, as it became clear to me. "If you had a brain with this prototypical chip installed, you'd want to be very careful about the data you fed into it."

"Computers, like elephants, never forget," Collins joked. "If that network in Zero's head is doing what I think it's doing – growing and using the five human senses to program itself – and logging everything it takes in, who knows what our boy will evolve into?"

"It makes no sense," I scoffed. "They genetically engineered him, apparently in a rush. They botched a few things, left behind giveaways of their work, brought him to term, raised him to whatever age he is, then sold him as a slave? That's like taking your money – if we still used paper money – and just setting it on fire!"

"There are explanations," Collins countered. "Someone wanted to do away with him and didn't have the balls to kill him. Selling an illiterate mute boy as a slave would be the easy way out, and net some profit. The kid can't tell, and I'll wager Zero doesn't even know. Like you said, be careful of what data you put into it. Zero has no social skills, he panics, and crowds scare him. He can't talk clearly because of brain damage, so there you have it. All the signs are there, in how innocent he is, that he simply knows nothing. Everything is wondrous and new to him; one can see it in his eyes. Or did they get rid of him out of fear of the implications of what he was – what he could become? Or out of disgust? Doesn't matter. Then again, someone could have sold him off to put him into hiding so that the former couldn't find him. There's evidence to support that hypothesis, since someone just tried to kidnap him."

"Or maybe it was the former trying to finish him off," I countered. "Realizing they'd made a mistake."

"Or maybe it's someone else who found out about him, and now wants him for their own gain," Collins added. "Can you imagine, Don, what this technology could someday become?"

"We could come up with fantasy scenarios until Doomsday," I muttered. "Question is, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?"

"'We'?!" Collins laughed, "You got a mouse in your pocket?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Then Dr. Sebastian X. Collins smiled at me. "Don, I have never, in my life, turned my back on anyone. I have never refused needed care to any man or boy, free or slave, for any reason, regardless of ability to pay. I've lost money, and even paid fines for refusing SHC orders for things that I personally deemed unethical. I've even taken horrible punishments that I didn't deserve to protect the ones I loved when I was a kid. I would no more throw Zero out on the street right now than I would my own son!" He assured me, offering his hand, "But still, the look on your face was priceless!" He laughed.

Ethics?

OK, so what should I have expected from such a 'unique' character, shall we say? Anyone raised as a slaveboy from the age of 3 or so would definitely have to have a few quirks.

Just a few…

"In the meantime?" I asked, in a much more subdued tone.

"In the meantime, I have patients to see. Your work for me is done, Zero's exhausted, so why don't you take him up to his bed and then enjoy your day off? The table has wheels, Don, just roll him on out."

I started to do that.

"Oh, and Don? Be careful what you teach him!" Collins smiled.

"I'm more worried about what Sebbie can teach him," I replied.

But what worried me even more was what I wasn't going to tell Collins unless I just had to: The chip in Zero's brain was much more advanced than our prototypes at work, and Zero was somewhere around thirteen years old. We were the leading designer of computer hardware, and we couldn't make the biological/artificial interface work.

So then who had designed this chip – and when?

I also had the awful feeling that whoever had, was sure to come back after it.

Chapter 10
A New Friend

So much had happened since Friday night at the slave auction that it was hard to believe that I'd only had Zero for a matter of days. It felt like much, much longer!

That next morning, I awoke very concerned about Zero. He'd slept all day after the computer incident, in which a massive amount of data had somehow dumped itself into the Collins' network while doing his brain scans. He'd not even awakened to eat, but Dr. Collins assured me that he was more than likely all right.

"How can you say he's all right when you've never seen this before?" I asked, realizing that I had no right to be angry, since I was wearing his clothes and temporarily living in his house!

"I can't, really, but you know what I mean," Collins assured me, "He's taking water, I suppose you could call it 'sleep drinking', and he's voided into his diapers. His reflexes are all working, and his pulse is good. If he's not awake by tomorrow morning, I'll go to work on him. Deal?"

I agreed.

In the meantime, Henry and Sebbie did their best to try and cheer me up. I noticed, though, that even when I was not in the guest bedroom with Zero, one of them always was. When he didn't know I had been looking, I'd seen Sebbie holding Zero's hand, whispering in his ear, sneaking little kisses. Henry would sit there looking as if he might cry, but then again, given his light complexion and the sort of blank expression he always wore, it was really hard to tell. Sebbie might have frightened me at first, (OK, I was still a bit wary of him) but there was not really much you could make of poor little Henry. His idea of trying to cheer me up was asking me – usually every hour or so – if I wanted to fuck him.

I politely declined, although I had to admit, I was giving it serious thought. There was just something about the pudgy little blond eunuch that was oddly attractive. I kept thinking back to when my nephew, Peter, had first learned to ride a bike.

Uncle, who was the sick bastard what designed a bike with a bar UP THERE?! I think I smashed my balls!

We were watching a movie that evening. Actually, the boys and Sebastian were watching the TV, which had begun working again when Zero wasn't near it. I was trying to study a technical manual. I suppose that I could have gone to the doctor's offered den, or an unused room, but there was something entertaining about watching the two boys squirm while they were enjoying the film. Sebastian, or should I say Sebastian Senior, was obviously enjoying it much more than they were. After all, Sebbie was belted and had his hands secured at the small of his back, but still so that he couldn't manipulate his butt plug. Henry, on the other hand, had been unplugged because of just that and couldn't access his useless little penis anyway because of the locked gold cap that hid it. It was clear that both boys were just bursting, but that such had obviously been the plan.

"No, Henry," Collins kept telling him. Then he'd look at Sebbie. "Nor you," he smiled.

"But Dadddddy!" Sebbie would whine, clearly in 'beloved-son-mode' again.

"Just think of how bad it'll be when you reach puberty," Collins laughed at him, which would make Sebbie stop, his jaw dropping.

"Sebastian," I had to ask, "I don't mean to pry, and since I don't know Henry's, erm, 'father' that well, I was just wondering…"

"What will happen to him when it's time to start puberty, since he's been castrated?" Collins finished for me. I nodded. "Well, obviously without testicles, Henry will have no testosterone," Collins explained. "Which might be a good thing, since the urges he already has are bad enough! They shouldn't get any worse. But there are many side effects, as you know. I think we talked about it the other day? His voice won't change, he won't grow a beard or very much body hair – if any. He won't develop the musculature of a typical teenage boy, and of course, his penis won't grow. It will remain soft and small forever, unless his Master decides to put him on hormone replacement."

He looked at me, tilting his head slightly.

"Vasectomy, even one as radical as Zero's, isn't the same thing, Don. Without Luprox in his system, he'll develop normally. He just won't be able to make sperm cells to reproduce. He'll still grow into a man, his penis will grow, and he'll be capable of erections when he's not belted." He thought for a moment. "Although I still don't think, given his mental capacity, that increased sexual urges and the defiance that usually accompanies puberty is a good idea." He looked at Sebbie. "What do you think about Luprox, son?"

Sebbie looked terrified. Henry laughed at him. "I… I think that whatever you w-want to do, Daddy, is fine by me!"

Collins held out his arms, and Sebbie hopped up for a hug. "I wish you could stay little forever," he sighed. "But then again, we have to watch for accelerated growth of the long bones, too, remember, such as with the ancient Italian Castrati. If that happens, we have to take steps to stop the growth, Henry."

"You mean I might get really tall, sir?" Henry asked hopefully, and Collins nodded at him. "I could play pro basketball!" He crowed. Then he froze, pointing at the doorway. "ZERO!"

I'd not secured the boy to his bed, and I'd stripped him of all his gear to occupy my mind in cleaning and polishing it. He was looking around, without his glasses, so I knew he couldn't see much. He looked confused, even lost, standing there in just a pair of Goodnights. And he'd been crying. He must have woke up all alone in a dim room, in a strange bed, and God only knew what he'd thought! He looked so forlorn, unsteady on his bare feet. And he was still so thin. It was heartbreaking.

I dropped my data padd I'd been reading on Henry's head and ran to him. When I got close enough for him to see me, Zero went off. He threw himself at me, screaming and crying and seeming for all the world like he was going to have a nervous breakdown. He was on me, and he wasn't letting go. What he was trying to say through those choked sobs, I had no idea. But I so wanted to.

"Sebbie, go in the kitchen and fix Zero a tray. Warm up some of the chicken breast and green beans, nothing too spicy, and some ice water." I assumed he unlocked his hands, I didn't know; I was too busy trying to calm Zero down. "Henry, go to the guest bathroom and run a hot bath. Lavender would be good. Turn on the music, something soft like piano. Don," he said louder to me, "Take Zero and have a long hot bath together. Sebbie will bring his tray. Get him to eat, when he's calmed down."

I got the idea of a bath through to Zero, although it took about ten minutes. I could feel his heart racing, and his eyes were wild. He settled down some once we were in the water, as he always did. He loved the water. More than anything, I wanted to take him home so that he could finally see where he was going to live – and that he had his own pool! (Which reminded me that Cory, the neighbor boy, was probably about to send a collection agency after me for his bill for yard care!)

Sebbie and Henry brought dinner in to us on a tray. It adjusted to fit the tub, and I figured that dining in the bath was probably the norm for the Collins family? Zero was still crying quietly, and he offered Sebbie a very wet, soapy hug. Sebbie accepted it, and so did Henry. Along with some passionate kisses. It was very clear that Zero had missed his little friends.

"Will you require anything else, sir?" Sebbie asked formally.

I dismissed him equally, then got Zero to eat. He was starving, it seemed, and the idea of eating and bathing at the same time cheered him right up. I wondered if it were normal to go from one emotion to another like that? When he was done eating, I removed the tray and set in to washing him properly. I wasn't sure what to do with his braided hair, so we just let it soak in the soapy water. Then he started rubbing his head.

"Ow-wee," Zero was whining, rubbing his temple and up from his left ear. "Bihhh ow-wee," he repeated. Did he mean 'big'?

I called for Sebbie, as it turned out, who was right outside the door with Henry. "Zero's head hurts," I told him, and off he went. Collins came back with a drink, powders dissolved in water. Zero drank it, after some coaxing.

We sat there in the bath, Zero up against me. I know I was hard, and I know he knew it, but nothing happened. He wasn't ready, and he was hurting. In fact, he was nodding off again when I finally got him out and toweled him off. "You want to go back to bed, Zero?"

He shook his head, feeling at his neck. "Uncle?" He asked, giving those soft, pleading puppy dog eyes look of his. I had a feeling that look was going to cost me money in the long run. "Cawwwr?" He asked, and I knew he was trying to say 'collar'. I asked him if he wanted to sleep without it. "NO! Zee-whoa cawwwr!" He insisted, his hands around his neck as if he were choking himself. "Uncle, pwees?" He'd gotten the 'w' into his version of 'please' this time! He was slowly learning to talk. Slowly.

I sent Sebbie and Henry after Zero's gear, and he started crying again when I collared him. He attached himself to me and didn't want to let go to have the rest put on. I put some more gel on his scars and his tattoo, figuring by the weekend that it would be healed up. Once he was finally cuffed and belted again, he held up his plug. I insisted he try to use the toilet first, and he succeeded. That lightened his mood, and once he was clean again, I slipped the plug back into him. He wiggled around, got it seated where he wanted it, and yawned.

"You sleepy again?" I asked. I knew he was. His gear made him feel safe, and he was warm, clean, and his belly was full. That, and the drugs Collins had given him were kicking his little butt, hard. I picked him up, and he clung to me, whimpering. "Zero, what's wrong?" I asked. "Uncle's here." Although I knew he couldn't tell me. Poor kid…

"Derrr," Zero pointed, when he went out into the hall. "Zee-whoa derrr," he pointed to the bedroom door. "No Uncle! Zee-whoa?" He shrugged.

"There?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Derrr! Ahhh, no Uncle derrr," he pointed at his chest.

He'd woke up, scared out of his mind, and I hadn't been there. I was nearly ill at the thought of what I'd done to him, what I'd put him through. God, what if some other monster had bought him? He'd probably be dead by now. I carried him down the hall. It sounded like Collins was getting the other two cleaned up and ready for bed, and Henry was protesting. "But tha's a baby plug!" and Sebbie was laughing.

Zero was still whimpering though, his face in my shoulder. He was trembling again, but he couldn't have been cold. Collins kept it warm for his naked boys, you see. "You want to say goodnight to the boys?" I asked.

"No."

"You want to go to bed?"

"No."

"Zero, I'm sorry! Uncle's sorry!" I tried to keep it together, although I wanted to cry with him. I really did. "I thought you needed to sleep. You were so tired, we didn't want to bother you. Did you think we left you?"

They just left me, Uncle! They just left me in the room by myself and locked the door!

Zero nodded, tears on his face, and that was it. I was finished. "Bye-bye," he sniffled. "Uh-uncle bye-bye, no Zee-whoa, der," he pointed again. "NO!" Making it clear that he didn't want to go back into that bedroom. I just held him, rocking him. He thought I'd left him with Collins, and for all I knew, in his mind, maybe leaving him with a man who'd hurt him. After the incident with the scan, who could know? And he couldn't tell us.

"Zero," I managed, "Let's go to bed. You sleep with Uncle, OK?"

He thought about it, and nodded. Then he gave me one of his famous kisses. "Wuv-ooh!"

I thought he was asleep as he snuggled up against me, his slight arm across my chest and his face in my shoulder again. He mumbled something. "What, baby?"

"Uncle, home?" He asked.

It was a new word. A clear word.

"Home," Zero repeated.

I was so proud of him. "We'll go home tomorrow, Zero," I promised him. "And you can see your new house in the daylight, OK?"

"Hooooome," He slurred it, and then he was asleep again.

The next morning, Zero woke up as usual – ready to go. He wouldn't let go of my hand, though. Once he was finally clean and 'dressed' and ready to go, though, he seemed happy to see Sebbie and Henry. He had kisses for them, and there was no sign of a headache, either. He did say his new word to Collins, though, after he kissed him. It was a sign, at least, that he didn't have any ill will towards his doctor.

"Home!"

"What, you don't like us anymore?" Collins smiled at him. Zero looked confused, then kissed him again. "I take that as a 'no', you just want to go back to your house?" Zero nodded. Then he took the orange quarter in Collins' free hand and ate it – rind and all. I was so embarrassed. We got him to sit at the table with the boys and eat breakfast. A lot of breakfast. Apparently so much sleeping works up an appetite?

"Sebastian, what do you think?" I had to ask.

"I think that if you're going home, you should have Clemens go with you," Collins replied curtly. "You've got that stalker, remember? They could be watching your house."

"What about Zero's head?" I had to ask.

Collins shrugged as Sebbie got up and served drinks. "After the download or whatever it was that he pulled off? I'd have a headache, too. Oh, and your firm is delivering some new drives later today, simple plug'n'play. I took the liberty of calling you in sick, as your personal physician, you see. I'll also take the liberty of calling Clemens for you. Sebastian!" He barked.

"SIR!?"

"Get me my phone, dial Master Clemens, thank you very much."

Sebbie did that, then stood at attention by his Master while Collins talked. Henry just stared while Zero crawled up onto my lap again.

"Yes, I think it would be a good idea, Mark. Can you trade shifts today for that area? Splendid! Really? That's even better. I'll tell Don at once. I'm sure Zero will be thrilled to see you, too! Yes, goodbye." Collins returned the phone to Sebbie. "Officer Clemens will be here shortly to escort you home, Don," he reported. "He's traded shifts to take that area for today, and he's taking some leave starting tomorrow. I think he thinks something's up. Probably planned for it, since the grocery incident."

"Something probably is up," I sighed. What were the odds, really? I go and buy a throw-away slaveboy who turns out to have a highly advanced computer chip in his head, he puts +64 million CR into my hacked bank account, melts my phone, and has autistic meltdowns when I leave him alone? Of course something was up!

"Cop!" Zero cried excitedly, which made us all jump. He was clapping his hands and smiling like it was his birthday or something. Which reminded me that I had no clue when his birthday was. I had to have another look at his bill of sale padd.

Clemens must have been nearby on the beat, because the boys had just finished doing the dishes when he arrived. Zero copied Sebbie and Henry when they snapped to attention, but it was clear that he was about to bust from excitement. I wasn't sure why, but he was very fond of Clemens. He showed it, too. When Clemens nodded, Zero was on him.

"You don't have any more candy, do you?" Clemens teased him, tickling his ribs.

"No! Ow-wee," Zero rubbed his tummy, and I figured he'd never eat chocolate again.

"You know what? I'm going to your house," Clemens told him, which got him another excited mauling. I was worried that Zero might have an accident on him.

"Well why don't you two just get down on the floor and go at it?" I suggested in pure sarcasm, and Zero grabbed Clemens' belt buckle! "I was joking!" I added hastily.

"Oh," Zero mumbled. Clemens laughed.

"Boys," Collins then told Sebbie and Henry, "You know the drill. Dismissed," he told them. Both of them paid their respects like good little slaves, but it was clear that Sebbie was upset. His hug for Zero was longer than usual. "Oh, and if you do well today with no demerits, and Don can manage it, I would bet that Zero would love to show you his house?"

The boys nearly blew one demerit right then, almost. "Yes, sir!" They both exclaimed.

"Safety in numbers, Don," Clemens explained, "I think a dinner party tonight at your place would be a good idea. Cruiser parked in the drive, lights on in the house, lots of people?"

I had to agree with that. I hadn't had guests in ages, and well, Cory didn't count.

"I'll order Madame Wong's, she has organic food," Clemens commented, still holding Zero, who was trembling in excitement and babbling.

"No noodles, no rice," Collins reminded him. "Now, gentlemen, I have work to do. Don, Mark will show you to your car in the lower level. Have a safe trip home!"

Zero made his messy goodbyes with everyone again, smiling the whole time. It was such a turnaround from the night before. He babbled all the way down to the car, ending what was probably the longest doctor visit in history.

Zero never took his eyes off of the rearview mirror. He was fascinated by the police escort, and he kept babbling about 'home' and this that and the other. I had no clue what he was saying, though. It had been cool again, another weather system moving through with heavy rains, so I'd dressed Zero. He was adorable in his red hoodie and past-the-knee khaki shorts, although he still had trouble walking in sneakers [trainers]. Aside from his expensive gold cuffs, he looked just like any old free boy. I cringed at the thought of him being dragged along on a leash, out in the rain and cold, naked. He'd probably get pneumonia or worse… the nerve of some people! And he didn't even get carsick. Yes, this was progress for our boy.

Uncle, roll the window down, I'm gonna hurl!

Of course, the sight of the police cruiser that Clemens had traded his bike for got Cory's attention at once. I should probably mention that Cory is somewhat of a fixture at my place. His dad works a lot, and his mother left when he was five or six. He's had a few nannies, but now that he's eleven or twelve, I forget which, he doesn't seem to want or need one. And of course, when his dad's not around, he spends his time with me. Extorting money, no less – but, I do have a nice yard.

Cory is your average kid. Shaggy brown hair, brown eyes, scattering of freckles. You'd not look twice at him in a crowd. The best way to describe him is 'average', I suppose, but I don't know what I'd have done without him all this time. I'm not sure if he's gay or straight, but he's a kid, after all.

But then again, so are Henry and Sebbie…?

And Zero.

I wondered how Cory would react to Zero? Or Zero to Cory? We were about to find out.

"Dude! You're so busted!" Cory was crowing, as he came dashing across the way, getting his shoes and cuffs of his jeans wet in the process. What would the neighbors think, even from two lots over, which I owned?

"ooo'Dat?" Zero asked, pointing, as I was getting him out of his seatbelt.

"Zero, this is Cory. Cory takes care of our yard and lives next door. Cory, this is Zero, my new boy. And this is Officer Mark Clemens," I introduced them all. "And I am not busted!"

"Whoa!" Cory breathed, taking in the sight of Clemens.

"You seen anything suspicious around here, young man?" Clemens demanded. "Prowlers? Odd cars? Hear anything go bump in the night? Sneak out much?"

"N-no sir!" Cory was obviously scared now.

"Cory, right? Let's get to it, young man! I'm here to protect Zero. He's Don's new slaveboy, and he's special. Someone tried to kidnap him the other day, probably some pervert what likes little boys! I'll be here for a bit, patrolling. If you see anything odd, you call me," He handed Cory a pager of some sort. "And watch yourself! You don't want to end up wrapped up like a mummy in a box on a jet headed to the Asian slave markets, do you?"

"No, sir!" Cory snapped. Of course, every school was replete with rumors of "so-and-so's cousin's friend had a friend who got snatched and sold as a slaveboy overseas!" and Cory's school was no exception. I'd heard them all, right down to sex changes in what used to be Thailand before they sold the said former-boy as a slavegirl. I had to give the kid one thing – he sure had an imagination.

And Clemens was playing on it, too. He knew how to handle the kid.

"Now, Cory," he put a hand on his shoulder, as if to talk man-to-man, "Zero here has had it bad. He can't talk very well, and he's very emotional. But he's also very intelligent. He's been abused, so you be nice to him, all right? I don't want to hear that you've upset him, right?"

"No sir!"

The kid was in a rut.

"You know about slaves, don't you?" Clemens laid it on thick. "Some of them don't have it very good, you know, but our little prince here is different."

"Yes sir!" Cory agreed.

'Prince'? Since when was Zero a prince?

Since you brought him home, I reminded myself.

"Zero, say hello to Cory," I prompted him.

"Koh-wee!" Zero greeted him with a hug, which Cory wasn't sure what to do about, so he hugged him back. "Zee-whoa home!" He held out his hand to Cory and pointed at the house.

"I think he wants you to come in," I suggested. "Your dad home?"

"Nope," Cory replied, and I could see Clemens looking him up and down. Cory might not have realized it, but he was in the prime position to end up on the slave market himself. I knew why his dad worked so much – his mother had put them into debt when she'd left, and his dad worked his ass off trying to keep afloat. One wrong move, and young Cory would be seized by the creditors and sold off as a slave.

"How's the yard?" I asked. "Pool clean?"

"Fine, yes, and you owe me 100CR, Mister J.," Cory reminded me with a smile. Clemens snorted. I could tell that he thought a different response was in order.

"You three go on in, while I check around back," Clemens said, "You got a security system?"

"Best one we make," I nodded. "No alerts so far."

"Confirmed," Clemens agreed, checking his log tablet, which resembled an overgrown phone. That also reminded me that I needed to return Collins' loaner phone tonight. "Ahhh, Cory, shoes off!" I pointed at his wet feet. "Jeans, too. In the dryer, you know the way."

Cory blushed, but stripped his wet jeans and shoes and socks off to leave him in his gray hoodie and printed superhero boxers.

"Aren't slaveboys not supposed to wear clothes?" Cory asked, and I noticed that he'd taken Zero's offered hand.

"It's cool out, and Zero's been ill," I told him, as we went on in. The house needed airing out, but the heating system had come on so it wasn't bad at all.

Once inside, I turned the heat up. Early summer in our parts was erratic, and it had gotten chilly again. It would probably be sweltering tomorrow, though. Zero promptly stripped all of his clothes off and threw them into the dryer with Cory's.

"Caw-wer!" Zero pointed his collar out to Cory. Then he showed him his cuffs and tapped the front pod of his chastity belt. I almost died right there!

"He's so little!" Cory observed, reaching to touch Zero's collar. I could see the tent in his boxers, too. Cory was hard. It wasn't much, but I could see he was turned on as he felt Zero's gear.

"No ow-wee," Zero told him seriously, tapping his pod again. "No ow-wee, dat!"

"Just like a baseball cup [box]!" Cory laughed. "I wear one of them when I play! So I don't get hit in the balls!"

"No," Zero shook his head, as if this was very serious business. I had to smile at my newest revelation about Cory. All this time, I'd never suspected. "Bosh?" Zero added.

"How come he can't talk right, Mr. Jameson?" Cory asked.

"We don't know, Cory. I think no one ever taught him to," I told him, "But ask him anything about math, and he'll tell you with his fingers."

"What's 12 times 12?" Cory asked.

Zero flashed him a 1-4-4 right off.

"I know! Square root of 2!"

Zero began signing: 1-fist-4-1-4-2-1-3-5-6-2-3-7-3-"zee-whoa"-9-5-1-

"Stop!" Cory laughed. "He's a genius, Mr. J.!" Cory was impressed as Zero dragged him off to show him his room. I know Zero was just as curious to explore it, since he'd spent so little time there himself.

"Nice yard," Clemens commented, as he came in the back door. "Well worth the CR's. Boy does good work. Pool party tonight!" He laughed. "So, is the kid, you know…?" He grinned, making a lewd gesture.

"You have got to get your own boy," I had to laugh at him, "But I think he might be. He got an erection looking at Zero." Then he turned serious.

"Don, there's adult footprints in the dirt by the azaleas," Clemens told me. "Now unless Cory had his dad over?"

"No, he works a lot, sir," I replied.

"Call me 'Mark', Don. No need to be stuffy! Zero isn't," he reminded me. "In the meantime, I'm going to call in for a scan team. You got outdoor video?" I shook my head. "Get it," Clemens went on. "Since I'm taking leave, I'm having them come and get the car late tonight. I'll hide the bike they bring in the foyer, if that's all right? I think I should stay?"

I thought of the urbane old fellow who'd seemed to be stalking us, the one who'd tried to take Zero until he'd tangled with Sebbie. I nodded. "Maybe Sebbie could stay over, too?"

"That kid's a killer, literally," Clemens nodded. "Just do NOT, whatever you do, say the phrase «aardvarks suck arse» around him. It's his trigger phrase."

"What?!"

Clemens went to the coffee maker and started it. "Sebbie's been trained in Shaolin, you know. Long story, but Doc wants his boys to be able to defend themselves. Henry, Mason, the lot of them. You met Mason yet?"

"No?"

"Ah. Right, then. Well, he's scary, too, despite the curly hair," he moved on. "You see, when Doc was a boy, someone hurt him. Long story, but his Master was really strict. Doc didn't know how to defend himself, and the prick didn't respect his safe-word. You know what that is?" I nodded. "Anyway, Doc got hurt. His best friend was in on it, too, and he went for the guy and tore him up, bad. Something changed in Doc, then. They said he was a scary little kid, and after that, he got even worse. When Sebastian Junior was old enough, he started having him trained and conditioned. He suggests it for all of our friends and their boys, and Henry and Mason are no different. Don't let the doughboy fool you, Don. He's just as lethal. Doc told you about the guy in the mall that Sebbie nearly killed?"

"Yes," I recalled.

"Let's put it this way," Clemens shivered, "I've worked out with Sebbie. Even in chains, I'm afraid of him when he's triggered. I'd rather work with attack dogs. It's like a subliminal command thing. He just goes crazy, so don't say it!"

That made me think of something else, as I kept an ear to the stairwell, listening to the chatter up there. It was clear that the boys were finding old treasures in Zero's new room.

"Do you know Henry's father or Master, Mark?" I had to ask, feeling odd calling the cop by name.

"Of course! You'll just love Antoine, although he's a bit scary at first, too. I guess we all are?" I nodded at him. "Huge man, but really a big pushover. Just between us, Henry's really a spoiled little brat!" He laughed. "You know the type?"

"Ah, yes." Of course I did. I could hear one just above us.

By then, the coffee was done. Mark poured us some. "I think you've got a real prize with Zero, Don," He told me. "I just hope I get my hands on this jerk who tried to grab him."

"So we can save him for Sebbie's training courses?" I grinned.

"Oh, yes!" Mark smiled, a dark smile.

Out of curiosity, I flipped on the baby monitors in Zero's room and motioned Mark to the screen. The boys had found Nephew's old model rocketry stuff, and they were trying to figure out how the launcher went together. I figured I'd better buy some parts for those, too. We decided to listen in and watch the show.

"Zero, does it bother you, I mean, going around naked all the time?" Cory was asking him.

"No?" Zero replied, pointing out his gear, as if to say he didn't feel naked.

"I'm scared," Cory went on, and we both leaned in for a better listen.

"Cool, you bugged his room?" Mark grinned.

"I used to learn a lot when Peter was little," I sighed. Poor fellow. He never knew. That made me wonder when he was coming home again. How would he react to Zero?

Zero put his hand on Cory's knee, as they were seated on the floor. "Do you remember your family, Zero?" Cory asked, and I was shocked to see Zero shake his head 'no'. "My mom didn't want me," Cory sighed. "She left us. Dad wanted kids, but she didn't. I miss her. You don't have anybody to miss? No mom? No grandparents? Mine died when I was really little. I never knew 'em."

"No," Zero said.

"That can't be right?" I gasped. "They said, when I bought him, that he'd been raised by his grandfather? His folks died in debt, then the old man died, and that's why they took Zero?"

"Falsified data isn't uncommon," Mark told me, "Although it's a bitch to trace and prove. I wanna take that Clearing House down as bad as Doc does."

"Mr. Jameson would be a good Master to have, I think," Cory was telling Zero. Then he smiled a wan little smile at him. "I like you, buddy. I think you got it good here. And I can tell you all this crap, and I know you won't repeat it." Cory looked at his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way! He's good to you, ain't he?"

Zero nodded. "Uncle!" He declared. "Wuv Uncle!"

"I take care of your yard, you know. Gives me somethin' to do. And the money's good, too," Cory added. "But I'd do it for free, if I had to. You know, Zero, sometimes I pretend I'm his slave, and if I don't do the work right, he'll come home and spank me!"

Mark's eyebrows went up and he choked on his coffee.

Zero looked shocked. "No! No dat," Zero told him, pointing at his butt. "No pak!"

"You never get spanked?" Cory looked surprised.

"No. Zee-whoa doowd," he declared.

"Good?" Cory asked, and Zero nodded. "You're a good boy?"

Zero nodded again. "Uncle wuv Zee-whoa!"

"I'm sorry you can't talk right, buddy," Cory offered. "I wish you could."

It was heartbreaking, and I felt horrible for spying on them as Cory spilled his guts to Zero, his new Father Confessor – and one that couldn't tell. I supposed it was good for Cory, though. At least I didn't have to worry about Cory freaking out over me having a slaveboy, or having to cut my own lawn! I would remember the bit about doing it for free, though!

"Koh-wee?" Zero asked him, "sked?"

Zero was picking up words fast now. I had to wonder if the shock to his system might have had something to do with that? Was that expanding chip taking over, then, from the damage it had done to his brain tissue? Was it learning, adapting? Just like the hypothetical simulations said it would do?

"I'm scared, yeah. If my daddy gets sick, or… or… dies… they'll sell me, Zero. Mom messed us up really bad when she left!" Cory sniffled, and Zero put his arm around him. "If they do, I… I hope I get sold to a master like yours. Like Mr. J. I'm scared someone mean will get me!" He wiped his face on his sleeve, then seemed to shake it off. "Well, if I do, I do. Can't help it," Cory decided. "Hey, have you even seen your back yard yet, Zero?" He changed the subject.

"No?"

"Let's go, then! You're gonna love your pool!" Cory assured him, and Zero's eyes lit up. He kissed Cory's cheek, which surprised him, but Cory just smiled back at him and took his hand. "C'mon!"

"They're coming down!" I switched the monitor off.

"Don't worry about Cory, Don," Mark assured me. "I'll be watching him!"

It was like Christmas morning when Cory led Zero out into the back yard. Clemens, Mark rather, had taken photos and collected his evidence, so he deemed it safe to let them loose. I had a lot to think about with what we'd eavesdropped and learned about Cory, but that was put out of my mind by the expression on Zero's face.

He was so stunned that he just stood there for a good minute, staring and adjusting his glasses. I'd dressed him again, and Cory too, and found Zero a pair of old red rubber boots to wear. Cory stayed on the paving stones, but Zero didn't. He had to smell every flower, touch every tree, as if he couldn't believe they were real. I wondered what it was like, to see those things through his eyes. How long had it been since anything in the world had held any wonder for me?

"Since last Friday," I told myself. I ran to get my camera. I took pictures of Zero as he roamed the yard, all two lots worth of it. He liked the high wooden privacy fence. I suppose it made him feel safe. I decided to not tell him that the orange lilies were fully edible [day lily]! He tried to hug the trees, but they were too large for his arms. He ran all around the perimeter, laughing and squealing and holding his arms out as if he were flying. I just let him run, wondering how long it had been since he'd felt such pure joy.

Then he stopped to study the pool. He knelt down, stuck a finger in and pulled it back.

"NO!" He laughed, hugging himself and wiggling. I figured the water must be freezing, as it was only +65F [+18°C] outside, according to the pool thermometer. The water had to be colder.

"Rule #1, Zero," Cory told him, "Never ever get in the water alone, OK? You could drown, and no one would be here to help save you!"

Zero nodded. Cory was a smart kid, make no mistake. I'd known that for a while. Little con artist, too…

He stuck his hand in as well. "Cold!" He yelled.

"Toad!" Zero mimicked him.

"Thinking about a dip?" Mark asked them. Both boys shook their heads 'no'. Zero was so cute with his hood up. I took a snap of the boys together, then one with Mark.

"Cory," I asked, "If your dad isn't home for dinner, we'll be eating around seven-thirty. You may come and join us. Is he on doubles this week?"

"Yes, sir," Cory said sadly.

"Then you must come over," Mark told him, "I'm buying. That's an official police order, by the way. Zero's friends are coming over, too. I think you'll like them."

"Sebbie! Inn-wee!" Zero crowed in delight, clapping his hands. Then he pointed at his collar, tugging on Cory's sleeve.

"Are they slaves, too?" Cory gasped.

Zero nodded, as if this were a silly question.

"Do you have a problem with that, Cory? Or will your dad?" Mark asked. "From a legal standpoint? You should call and tell him," He handed him his phone, and Cory did that, wandering off a bit for some privacy.

"Koh-wee," Zero sighed. "Uncle?" He pointed at him.

"I know, Zero," I told him. "We'll take care of him, though," I looked at Mark, who nodded. He was touching his ear, eavesdropping on his own phone, I knew. He continued to nod.

When Cory came back, he thanked Mark and gave him his phone. "Dad said it was OK. He won't be home until eleven, then he'll jus' go to bed. Are… your friends… gonna be like… in slave gear?" Cory asked nervously.

Zero nodded. After all, he liked his gear.

"Cool!" Cory breathed, but it was obvious that he was trying hard to hide his fears from us. We let it go.

"Now, Cory, before they get here," Mark informed him, "There's two of them. Sebbie is the redhead. He's a bit scary. He has tattoos and piercings, and his daddy's a doctor. Henry's a blond, and he's not too smart, so be nice to him. He's also been castrated, because he had an infection. You know what that means?"

Apparently, Cory did. I wondered how much research he'd done into boyslaves? Probably a lot, I'd have wagered, given the fact that he was only one medical condition on his father's part away from becoming one.

"Dude, he's had his nuts cut off?" Cory gasped.

Mark rolled his eyes, then pulled Cory over for a sideways hug. "'Sir' is the proper form of address, young man – not 'dude'! All right?" He added in a low tone, pulling him into a headlock and giving him a noogie.

"Yes, sir! I'm sorry sir! ARGH! Stop!" Cory corrected himself, missing the joke.

"And Henry is a 'eunuch boy'. He's fine with it, so don't stare," Mark went on. "And don't sneeze, or Doc Collins might have to examine you," he warned him.

"I… I don't get sick, much," Cory offered. "I mean, just what SHC pays for is all. I… I'm not neglected, sir!" He added quickly.

"I know," I told him. "Calm down before you sprain something, Cory! Mark here is just fooling with you."

Cory blushed. "Sorry, sir."

"He learns fast," Mark pointed out, and I suddenly had the feeling that if anything should happen to Cory's dad, that the boy would probably just 'disappear'. So much the better, I thought. Mark would make a fine Master, and it was clear that he really wanted his own boy. "I know," he added, quickly dialing his phone. "Seb? What? No, it's all good. Say, we're having a guest for dinner. Yes, about twelve?" Cory nodded as Mark glanced at him. "Bring a little something for him, why don't you? Yes, a bit larger than Sebbie, not as big as Henry. Average, yes. Good. Seven-thirty. Bye!"

"Someone's bringing me something?" Cory wondered, with a grin.

"Doc!" Zero piped up. "Wuv Doc!"

I smiled at him and held out my arms. Zero ran to me, nearly falling into the pool! "Do you know how to swim?"

"No?"

"I'll teach him, sir," Cory offered. "Soon as it warms up!"

"Why wait?" Mark leered at him.

"I… I got no swimsuit, sir?"

"So?"

Cory gulped, looking at the blue water and shivering. "But… but it'll be colder tonight after dark?"

"Yes, it will!" I laughed, and so did Zero. I didn't tell them I had turned the pool heaters on, but still, that much water wouldn't be that much warmer by tonight!

Cory and Zero played in and explored his room for the rest of the afternoon while Officer Clemens (I'd come to think of him as 'Mark') patrolled the area. He visited the other houses in the neighborhood, and although not close together, within yelling range of one another. No one had seen a thing, though. Whoever had tracked up my lawn had been careful. But how many men in town wore a size 11 shoe? A lot…

We even made a field trip of sorts to Cory's house, so he could show Zero his room. I found the house a bit austere, to be honest. It was, in fact, almost Spartan in décor. I wondered if his father wasn't selling things off to make ends meet and keep his only son?

Around three-thirty, though, Zero started tiring. He was yawning, and I could tell he needed a nap. For the second time since he'd come into my life, he was going to get to sleep in his own room. He was happy about that, but he couldn't understand why Cory didn't want to get in bed with him. Cory assured him he was OK, and that he didn't need a nap. I wondered if it might be some carry-over from Zero's meltdown the night before? Either way, Cory sat with him until he fell asleep.

Collins arrived at seven-fifteen with the carry-out, and I have to say, Madame Wong really knew how to put on a spread. It was the best Asian food I'd ever had, and I wondered that I'd never gone there before? Always too busy, I supposed. That, and I didn't trust fast food.

Sebbie and Henry were dressed in serviceable, plain black leather gear for the evening. Sebbie had all his jewelry in, including his clip-on septum ring, and Cory was fascinated by all of it. He even asked to touch Sebbie's tattoos, which of course, Sebbie was happy to allow. Cory was very polite to Collins, who gave him a business card to give his father. He called Dr. Upton, Cory's GP, a 'quack' - which the boys found hilarious. Cory even managed to be tactful (as much as a twelve year old can be) towards Henry. He only stared for a moment, but Henry caught it and just laughed. Henry had a black belt on too, but no pod; only his little cap secured by very short lengths of gold tone chain to his belt.

"Aren't you cold?" Cory asked them, while Zero helped set out the food on the patio table. I was worried about that, but we got lucky. No disasters!

"You get used to it, sir," Sebbie replied, and Cory laughed at him.

"I'm not a 'sir'!"

"Smart boy," Mark said to Collins, who nodded.

I insisted that Zero dress if he were to be outside, but he pointed at his friends and refused.

"Speaking of, Cory, we brought you a little something," Collins reminded him. "Officer Clemens here thought you might like to try it on, just for tonight?"

"We didn't want you to feel like the odd boy out," Mark assured him, "And no one is forcing you. Only if you want to, and if you do, Sebbie and Henry will help you put it on."

Collins then held up a hanger with plain black slave gear on it, complete with a silver chastity pod, locks, and butt plug.

"Oh my God," Cory breathed, his eyes glazing. He moved to touch it. "For me? J-just for tonight?"

I saw Sebbie look at his father, and saw the slight nod from Collins.

"You'd look way cool in it, dude!" Sebbie smiled, nodding.

"Of course, you're not expected to take the plug, as you're not trained," Collins added quickly. "That could lead to medical issues, and well, it's not a good idea, even if it is a small one."

Cory just stared.

"Aw, tha's just a baby plug," Henry pointed out, and Collins smacked his bare butt.

Then Cory reached for the hanger.

"I… I wanna try it, sir, please?" He asked. He didn't say it. He requested it. Then he lowered his eyes and bowed his head.

He had been studying. My stomach pitched. Just how bad off was his father's financial status? How close was he, really? God, I thought, it had to be eating the boy alive inside to have to live with the fear of it every day.

"Sebastian! Henry!" Collins snapped.

"Sir?" They both chirped.

"Take Cory to the bath, and get him properly dressed. If he wants to, he can try the plug, if and only if he's had a bowel movement today. We don't have time for a pre-dinner enema, so make it fast!" Collins ordered.

"Yes, sir!" They both replied.

"Th-thanks, Doctor, sir," Cory offered, his face flaming, as he made a curt little bow and fled with the boys. Not once did he look us in the eye.

"I'm worried about Cory, gents," I offered. "You can see how scared he is."

"You can see how turned on he is, too," Mark laughed.

"Eh, Sebbie will give him a blow job and take that little hard cock right down," Collins mused. "Then he'll lock him up!" He laughed.

"You are going to release him later, right?" I had to ask.

"Only if he asks to be released, Don," Mark smirked. "Only if he asks!" He paused, and we sneaked in and listened. It sounded like Cory was having an even bigger surprise.

"YOU NEED TO DO WHAT?! OH SHIT!?" Cory squealed.

"C'mon, let me, Seb!" Henry was cutting in, and Cory was gasping.

"Koh-wee oh-tay?" Zero asked, as he'd finished laying out the spread and come in. He'd done an excellent job, and I let him know how proud of him I was.

"Yes, he's OK, Zero," I told him.

About ten minutes later, the boys returned. I was stunned to see Cory in a collar and cuffs, not to mention the chastity belt with silver pod. Sebbie had even attached the 12" [30 cm] chains to his ankles and wrists, and the four boys were a matched set, offset only by Zero's gold. I nearly messed my trousers when I saw that Sebbie was leading Cory by a leash, though!

"It's a no-go on the butt plug, sirs," Sebbie informed us. "He'll have to start very small and work his way up, sirs."

"Not a problem," Collins agreed. "How do you feel, boy?"

"F-fine, sir," Cory nodded, looking at his bare feet connected by the chain. His face was quite red.

"But do you like it?" Mark asked him pointedly. "Because if you don't, if it's bothering you, or hurting you, we'll take it off. Just say so."

Cory seemed to think about it. One tear rolled down his cheek, but he shook his head defiantly.

"No, sir! I… I always did wonder! Seriously! I… I wanted to see what it felt like. I like it, sirs!" He assured us. "It's so cool!"

Not once did he look at any of us, though. I wondered if he were lying.

"All right, then," Mark clapped his hands. Then he took Cory by the chin and raised his head to face him. "Slaves eat standing up, behind their Masters. You can stand by me, or by Master Don. Choice is yours. Slaves don't get many choices, but you do, since it's a trial run. Like practice!"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Cory agreed, nodding. Then Mark kissed his forehead. Cory blushed. He was chewing his lower lip, and trying not to cry. When he turned, Mark gave his bare bottom a gentle slap. Cory gasped, but smiled back at him.

"Koh-wee!" Zero grinned at him, as Sebbie and Henry were looking rather smug about something.

"Tuck in," Collin announced, and the boys did just that.

Especially Zero!

Cory went to stand behind Mark, and he was smiling.

Chapter 11
Cory

Dinner went smoothly.

Zero seemed to be all right, and while I was telling Sebastian and Mark about his new words and how he'd taken to Cory right off, the boys got busy with cleaning up. Cory blended in right along with them, as if he'd been a slaveboy for a while and not just dressing up and playing a role.

I had to wonder, though. While he never looked right at us, he kept sneaking glances when he thought we weren't watching them. Dr. Collins caught it at once.

"He's extremely agitated," Sebastian pointed out.

"I can't begin to imagine the pressure he must be under," Mark added. "Poor kid." I also caught the looks that Mark was giving Cory. Ever seen a dog looking in a butcher shop window?

"True," Sebastian agreed, "It's totally different for boys who grow up free. They never know any other way of life, then BANG! They find themselves on the auction block paying for their parents' mistakes."

"He's a good looking boy, Seb," Mark observed. "Nice body, round butt, not too much baby fat left, but still not into puberty. He'd bring more than I could ever afford at the auction. They'll have a bidding war on poor Cory."

We were keeping our voices low, but I had to wonder if any bits and pieces of our talk were overheard? If they were, the boys didn't let on. Sebbie and the others, probably due to their training, did not let on; Cory, out of fear.

"I think there's a bit more going on there than meets the eye, Don," Collins told me. "You've known Cory for a long time. Any ideas?"

"Just that he's a hard worker, eager to please, and usually hungry," I told him.

"Sounds too good to be true, and probably is," Mark muttered, pulling out his tablet. "I think I'll have one of my 'bad cop' connections run a background check on the dad."

"Getting antsy, are we?" Collins asked him. Mark ignored him.

When the mess was cleaned up, and the cleanup was cleaned up, we retired to the living room to let the boys digest their meal and warm up. Dr. Collins, rather Sebastian, as I was now more comfortable thinking of him by his first name, suggested that we be a bit restrained so as not to upset Cory. It just wouldn't do to have him going home and telling his father that he'd played slaveboy for the night in some wild adventure of debauchery with grown men.

While the boys tried to decide what to watch on television, blissfully unaware that they were all in for a cold-water lesson in swimming, we were entertained with watching Cory fiddle with his cuffs, collar and belt. He hadn't been able to take a plug, we could see, but it was apparent that he'd wanted to try it from what Sebbie had said. Cory would reach down now and then, tugging at his pod, seeing if it would come off.

Of course, it would not.

I think he began to realize this about half an hour into the science fiction program they'd landed on. I kept waiting for the TV to go out, but it never did. I did notice that Zero was really into it, though. He was also into sitting there in the huddle of four boys, hands moving here and there when they thought they weren't being noticed, conspiratorial whispers…

When it was over, Officer Clemens (Mark) suggested that we retire to the pool. The boys all stood there at attention, staring at him with mouths open in shock.

"You want me to plug those pie holes with something?" He asked all of them.

Cory's face flamed, and he broke posture briefly to glance at Sebbie. Mark caught it and made him tell, reminding him that a good slaveboy always answered his Master's questions honestly.

"S-Sebbie sucked my dick, sir," Cory squeaked. Poor kid, I thought he looked like he wanted to sink right through the floor! "Right before he put my belt on me!"

I'd neglected to knock at Nephew's door and just walked in to find him and Teddy on his bed, naked, in a 69 position. "Well, carry on!" I'd mumbled.

"And did you like, it, boy?" Sebastian asked him.

Cory's face was fully a lovely shade of pink by now and he looked like he was starting to sweat. "I… I never… I mean… yes, sir!" He finally gave up. "I liked it."

"Was that your first time, boy?" Mark asked.

Cory nodded.

"Well, I hope you liked it," Mark informed him. "Slaveboys usually don't get that kind of pleasure. It's only on very special occasions. Most of the time, they never even get to see their own junk, much less have anyone even touch it. And they certainly don't get to touch it themselves!"

Cory looked astounded. His hand was straying towards the belt again.

"You can fiddle with it all you like, Cory," Sebastian told him, while the other boys looked on, snickering, "Because you cannot get it off. It's locked, and locked tight. The purpose is to prevent access to your genitals, so that you cannot get hard, you cannot wank, and you cannot have sex." He thought for a moment. "Well, you can have sex, if you're the submissive."

"What's that, sir?" Cory asked.

"'Submissive'? It means that you're on the receiving end. You're the one doing the sucking, or being fucked," Sebastian explained. "Your genitals are never involved."

I thought poor Cory was going to faint!

"I… I know a lot of slaveboys get used for sex, sirs," he mumbled, and Mark gently corrected him about that fact. "I… I just didn't know that Sebbie was going to…"

"Well, he had to get rid of that erection of yours somehow, didn't he?" I had to put in my two cents, "You've been hard as a rock almost day long!" I laughed.

Cory was so embarrassed by now. It was Zero, bless his heart, that broke the tension. "No," he told Cory, reaching over to tap on the reluctant boy's pod. Then he laughed.

"I… I didn't like, know I was gay, or anything," Cory managed. "I look at stuff online, sometimes, but… does it make me gay if I liked it?"

"Not really, but it's all right, Cory," Sebastian told him, using his name, "Lots of guys are. Years ago, there used to be a huge problem with it, but it's now pretty much accepted. A lot has changed." He checked the time. "Well, I think it's time you all hit the water, boys!"

They all looked at each other nervously. Their chains were removed, as were the plain leathers for what the chlorine might do to them, then the four of them were ordered into the pool wearing only their silver pods.

They hesitated outside. The water was steaming.

Sebastian pushed his son in from behind, and Sebbie screamed as he caught Henry with his other arm. The plump boy went in, too, but I held Zero back. I put a lifejacket on him, and I'll be damned if the little daredevil didn't jump right in!

He screamed when he came up like a cork, bobbing there and laughing and yelling for Cory to come in, too.

"Oh, man," Cory groaned. He jumped.

"IT'S COLD, Daddy!" Sebbie was yelling.

"You can get out when your lips turn blue, son," Collins informed his son.

"Not that bad," Henry pointed out.

"Yeah, well whales swim at the bloody South Pole!" Sebbie told him, and the water war was on.

So we sat in the deck chairs, sipping hot coffee and watching the boys splash around and get colder and colder. "Imagine the shrinkage," Mark laughed, "Their pods might fall off!"

"I think Cory might be wishing," I mused. "He won't know what to do if he can't get hard!"

"Don, how well do you know him?" Sebastian asked me again. "How would he adapt, as you said, if his father had to sell him?"

That piqued my interest. "I think he'd have to have a very gentle master, guys," I told them. "Cory may put on a show, but I've known him a long time. I've come home before and found him mowing, or cleaning the pool, and crying. He says it's allergies, but I know better. The poor boy's just torn up inside, but he doesn't talk about it."

"And the father?" Mark asked, his voice strange. "Is he… all right? You've never seen anything suspicious?"

"I have no reason to believe he abuses the boy," I pointed out quickly. "From what I can tell, Cory loves his father, and vice versa. They just don't' see much of each other. Bill doesn't talk much, either. Not the most friendly sort."

"Any idea why the wife left?" Sebastian wondered, but I had no idea. Back then, Cory was too little to come over much, but my nephew, Peter, had always been kind to him in a big brother sort of way.

We let the boys get out of the pool when their lips had indeed turned blue. They were shivering and dancing on the spot, teeth chattering, and it was so funny. Well, it was for us. I think it was for Zero, too. He never stopped smiling, even when the others were pointing out what he was doing wrong in teaching him to swim.

We got them toweled off, then let them come inside to get back in gear. By then, it was getting late. I knew the party had blown Dr. Collins' schedule of their day-to-day lives all to bits.

"Nothing warms up a frozen boy like a good, hot enema," He told Sebbie. "Go and fetch your kits from the car, please." I noticed that he always said 'please' and 'thank you' to the boys, even in Master-Mode.

"Emmenna?" Cory asked nervously.

"En-e-ma," Mark said it slowly. "Do you know what that is?"

Cory shook his head. Zero and the others snickered, although Zero knew he was pretty much safe, I thought. So, Mark explained it to him.

"A hose up the butt to fill you up with water?" Cory gasped.

"Of course, we can't do that to you," Mark conceded, as Sebbie returned. "I think that, legally, you should probably go and wait in the living room, boy."

I could have sworn Cory looked disappointed when the boys got back with their supplies. I wondered that it had taken them so long? I should have known they'd been up to something.

"Why not, sir? He might like it!" Sebbie smiled. "We can give him one, if he wants to?"

"D-does it hurt?" Cory asked, and you could see that he was indeed curious. Zero held up his fingers, a bit apart. "A little?" and Zero nodded. Then the he put his hands up, and pulled them apart.

"I think he means if it's done wrong, or done as punishment," Sebastian interpreted, and Zero nodded.

"Uh-huh!"

"It'll feel pretty good right now," Sebbie was grinning, still shivering. "Don't worry, Daddy can do it right!"

"Thank you for that vote of confidence, son," Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"Are you really his daddy, sir?" Cory asked. Collins nodded, but didn't explain. "I… can I watch first?" Cory wondered, and we all had to laugh at that.

"He likes to watch!" Mark snorted, "Seb, why don't you take Sebbie first?"

"Not for Zero," I reminded them. "Zero, you go get a blanket and come back here." He did that, and I wrapped him up in it and cuddled him.

So Cory got an education that night. They gave Sebbie his infusion in the utility room, as there was more room in there for spectators. Cory was fascinated, staring at the nozzle with wide eyes as it replaced the plug that had come out of Sebbie. He just couldn't seem to believe that the boys wore those ("up the ass?!") all day long, as he so eloquently put it. When Sebbie had waited his ten minutes, his father massaging his tummy, he was released to run for the bathroom. Cory was studying Sebbie's plug all the while. While Sebbie was voiding, Henry got his infusion. I had to remind Zero, before he could decide to overcome his fear while seeing his friends doing it, that he was still too thin and might get sick from it.

Once Henry had made a run for it and Sebbie was back, Cory stepped up. "I want to do it, sir," he said softly. "I want to know what it's like, please?"

Again, that submissive tone and look.

"I suppose I could, legally, from the medical standpoint of issuing emergency care," Sebastian mused, "What I mean is, if you're having distress, and have been constipated?" He winked. "Can't have a movement?"

"I haven't, not today, sir," Cory grinned.

"On the floor, then, I guess I have to log a house call," he pulled out his tablet and made an entry about an emergency house call for pains and constipation and entered data about Cory. "Sebbie, wash up a nozzle and prepare a mix while I loosen him up."

"Yes, sir!"

Sebastian immediately become 'Doctor Collins' again as he turned professional. He explained it all to Cory as he would any patient, as he pulled on a clean glove and began lubricating the boy's anus. He gently worked him with one finger, then two, until he could move them back and forth without too many squeaks and whimpers from his patient. "Cory, does Dr. Upton ever check you, inside, with his fingers like this?"

"n-No, sir!" Cory gasped.

"Bloody quack. Well, at twelve, it needs to be done. Make sure there's nothing wrong that's not visible from outside." He moved a finger in deeper. Cory gasped, clenching up. "Don't do that, relax. Good boy. Now, boys have what's called a 'prostate'," Collins told him. "And sometimes…"

"AIGH!" Cory yelped, as the doctor found it.

"Feels fine to me," he said clinically, as Sebbie handed him the nozzle and hung up the bag. It wasn't full, since it was a first time.

"It burns! I have to pee!" Cory squealed.

"No, you don't," the doctor told him. "That's a sexual feeling, coming from me putting pressure on your prostate. If you were older, it would make your semen run out of you. As it stands now, if you weren't belted, you'd be getting hard." He kept up his examination, and it was clear that he was going to bring the boy to climax. He worked slowly and gently, and Cory moaned and squirmed as he experienced new sensations he'd never even imagined before.

He screamed when he came. It was a ghastly noise, and it scared Zero!

"Dat, Koh-wee, dat Zee-whoa?" he asked me, pointing back and forth.

"You remember when we did that, Zero?" I asked, and he nodded. "You want to do that again?" Zero nodded anxiously. So he'd liked it? That eased some of my own worries.

"Oh, helllll," Cory groaned, his eyes rolled back and drool on his chin.

"My official diagnosis," Doctor Collins pointed out flatly, examining his dirty glove, "Is that young Cory is full of shit and needs a good cleansing! Prostate is healthy, though."

He loaded a syringe with more lubricant, and injected Cory's anus with it. He then began working the small plug nozzle in. "I used to use this size on Sebbie when he was like five," Sebastian told Cory, slipping between personas as one might jackets. "Tell me if it hurts."

Cory pulled a face, but he nodded. "It's OK, sir," he grunted. Then his eyes popped open wide as the plug nozzle went into him. By then, Henry was back. I intercepted him and put my hand over his mouth before he could say something silly.

"Ahhhhh, it's warm!" Cory sighed, when Sebastian released the flow of solution into his bowels. He took his time, rubbing the boy's tummy. Then Cory realized everyone was watching, and his face got pink again. As if we'd not all just watched him have a prostatic orgasm?

"Aw, you made him cum, and I missed it?" Henry sighed.

The doctor filled Cory up until he was protesting that he had to go, but he kept massaging him and making him take more. I figured he wasn't using soap, as the cramps would frighten the boy. When the bag was drained, Cory had taken almost 1½ quarts [1.42 l] and his tummy was distended some.

"I have to go bad!" He whined. Sebastian made him wait five minutes, leaving the plug in. He left it in while the boys gave him a hand up.

"Go and relieve yourself, then come right back," Mark suggested. "You did very well, boy."

Cory smiled at him on the way out, waddling awkwardly. The boys followed him. What the hell was that?!

"He did do well, didn't he?" Sebastian wondered, pulling his gloves off. "Talk about bringing your work home with you," he sighed, as he prepped another enema. "That boy must have a horrible diet. It's going to take a while to clean him out."

"He is good at cleaning up leftovers," I said.

"OH MY GOD!" Came the shouts from the bathroom. "Bail out!"

"I rest my case," Sebastian shrugged. "Phospho soda, I think, yes. Perhaps a bit of rose water?"

Cory looked ashamed of himself when he returned.

"Sir, that was really bad," the boys all reported.

"Batt," Zero agreed, still clutching his blanket.

"OK, Cory, round two," Mark pointed at the floor.

Cory looked stunned, but he complied. I think, right then, if Mark had told him to go and play in the highway, he'd have done it. The two were eyeing each other like silly teenagers.

This time, Sebastian used a larger plug on him and made him hold it for ten minutes. Cory was sweating and trembling, but he bore up well.

It took four enemas to get Cory clean to the doctor's satisfaction, and Cory was exhausted by the time he was done. After the last one, Sebbie and Henry cleaned up. Zero helped, as I knew he was feeling sort of left out. The boys took the equipment back to the car, but came rushing back in and down the hall at top speed.

"Cory, does your dad drive a black luxury sedan?" Sebbie demanded.

"No, a white compact?" Cory called back.

"What is it?" Mark demanded.

"Sir, there's a car in Cory's drive, almost in the grass," Sebbie reported. "It's parked in the shadow of the big tree, sir!"

"Everyone stay in here," Mark replied. "I'm having a look!" He then went out the door. I could imagine him creeping around the house and under the hedge in the dark. We waited. Cory finished his duty, and joined us.

"The kidnapper again?" Cory breathed.

"No," Zero whimpered, "No, Uncle!" He had a tight grip on my leg, and he was shaking.

"Let me at him!" Sebbie growled, cracking his knuckles. Sebastian swatted his butt. "Sorry, sir!"

Then Collins' phone buzzed with a text. "Called backup. Perp in house. Moving in!"

"You think he's dumb enough to have gotten the wrong house?" I wondered. "Why would he go to Cory's?"

"Because Cory hangs out with you, Don," Sebastian theorized. "Maybe they want to grab another boy along the way before stopping off for Zero? Like Mark said, Cory would fetch a good price." I could hear Cory gulp.

"No, no, no," Zero whimpered. Lord, now was not the time for a meltdown…

"Cory, you and Henry take Zero to the bathroom. Run a hot bath. You're all still a bit chilled. Sebbie will be along in a moment," Sebastian ordered them. They reluctantly obeyed, I had to coax Zero out, then returned for a shock.

Sebbie was unchained, and he was wearing a black hood with only eyeholes. He had on black gloves, what looked like thick high black socks, and he was holding a switchblade knife. Collins was just getting him zipped into a black hoodie. "Take out his tires," Collins ordered the boy, "Read his plate number, then run back. Do not be seen!"

Sebbie nodded once, then slipped out the window. Right on top of the forsythia. Thank God it wasn't a rosebush!

"Mark's busy, and Sebbie needs to keep in practice," Sebastian told me. I decided that I didn't want to know.

"Stop biting your nails, Don. If this fellow makes a wrong move, Mark will shoot him," Collins assured me. It didn't do much for the feeling that I was going to vomit, though. What if it was someone come for Zero again? Or someone come for their money that was still happily residing in my bank account?

I was beginning to realize that I just might be in serious trouble.

Not a minute later, and Sebbie was back. He stripped off down to his gear, as if nothing at all were wrong, and headed for the bathroom. "That was fun," he shrugged, and I just stared at him, at his incomplete back piece tattoo, as he headed out.

"Don't tell me he's a trained assassin," I begged.

"Right then, I won't," Sebastian nodded. "Like I said, he can protect himself. And his friends."

I remembered what Mark had told me about the code words. What was it with these people? What kind of gang had I fallen in with?!

"All I wanted was my own slaveboy," I sighed. "I'm too old for this!"

"You just got lucky, Don. You should have gotten a dog," Sebastian's words chilled me.

"What?"

He looked at me, and the same feeling of fear I got when I looked at little Sebbie was now evident on Sebastian's face. God, he looked just like him!

"You're in over your head, Don. This isn't like going to work, having Peter come home from school, take him to soccer practice or games, then put him to bed and repeat the cycle all over the next day. You've bought a dubiously-marketed slaveboy, a huge investment that's extremely high maintenance. You don't know it yet, but that child has the power to hurt you, Don – or get you hurt. And so do the people who want him back. It's time you woke up to what's going on."

It hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. Shit, Sebastian was right. Having Zero wasn't going to be like raising Peter. Hell, I had doctor that I knew next to nothing about, a cop that joked about being a 'bad cop', and a gaggle of slaveboys in my house! Not to mention one that could hack computers with his brain and steal money. Figuratively speaking, I was fucked.

Bigtime.

"Well, now that that's settled," Sebastian grinned. "Don't worry. If Mark doesn't kill him, Sebbie will."

THAT was supposed to make me feel better?

It seemed like hours later, but of course, it couldn't have been. Mark had called for backup, and a team from earlier. They arrived and surrounded Cory's house, and in the end, managed to drag one person out. I was called over to identity.

It was not our old friend.

"I don' know nothin'!" He kept yelling, "They jus' said take tha car an' grab tha boy! They gimme dis address!"

Yep, he'd been THAT dumb. Wrong house.

"Hang on, hang on," Mark was complaining, "This is the address he has! What did you want with Cory?"

"Tha old man said ter grab tha kid, too, since his daddy dint pay his debt!" The thug explained.

"What debt?" Mark demanded.

"'ow tha hell do I know?" The thug protested, "What do they gen'rally do with little boys they grab?" He grinned.

Mark slugged him, hard. He went down.

"It would seem," Mark concluded, once he took the man's wallet, "That our young Cory's daddy also has some gambling debts, then! I know this guy."

"It would fit," Collin agreed.

"Trying to raise money to save his home and son?" I wondered.

"Makes sense, sir," Another of the officers agreed. "We found rags and a can of ether on him, and a taser. And this," he held up a syringe and bottle of liquid. "The trunk of the car's padded, too, with a false bottom, and an oxygen tank setup. Looks like a covert kidnap transport car to me." He paused. "And someone cut the tires."

"Imagine that," Collins snorted.

"Take him in, see if you can get him to squeal," Mark fumed. "The Bosses 'round this area don't usually go this far. Break a few legs, torch a car, kill a pet, 'borrow' a slave – but they've yet to grab a free kid for payment." He thought about it. "This complicates things!"

"But it's not our guy?" I asked.

"No," Mark sniffed. Then he turned to the others. "Secure the area, then take my car. Leave me a bike, we'll take it in Don's house to hide it. Keep an eye out for a car like this one, with an old guy in it."

"Sir, where's the boy he was after?" One officer asked.

"He's with me," I offered. "Spending the night with my boy, until his dad gets home."

"Sir," the others all took their leave of Mark.

"That Johnson's a good kid," he told me. "Green rookie, but good. He's got the nose for it. Should have, since his daddy was a cop for all the years that he owned him. Kid practically grew up under our feet. He's got a thing for handcuffs," Mark grinned at me, "And men in uniform!"

"Don't tell me, I don't want to know," I sighed. God, was I really that old and boring and out of it? Did everyone have a slave and get up to such grand adventures? "Anyway, Sebastian thought he might be after Cory because of Zero?"

Mark thought about it. "I don't think so. Cory's dad owes money, and obviously a lot of it. It's not unheard of to steal the kid – just not around here, not with these guys. Higher-class crooks usually do that kind of move; political stuff in other countries, rich families, power plays. We'll have to make a note of it. Everyone OK?"

"Sebbie cut his tires," I sighed, "They're all in the bath, waiting."

"That's all he did?" Mark grinned. Collins grinned back.

"I'll let Johnson scope out the car and house. You know how to contact Cory's old man?" Mark asked, and I nodded. "Good. Tell him not to come home tonight. Sealed crime scene. We'll set him up with a room in town. In the meantime, we're keeping Cory for his own safety. I'll explain it to him."

Cory, of course, was nearly hysterical when I told him the story. He started crying, begging to speak to his father. Of course, Mark let him. He held the still-wet and naked boy on his lap, hugging him, while Cory talked on the kitchen phone. "I know! I know, Daddy! I know you tried. What? No, I'm safe here. This cop, Officer Clemens, is here protecting Mr. J's place. And he's got a new boy, and…"

He was starting to babble, so I took the phone. "Bill? Don here. Yes, Cory's fine with me. What? Yes, I have a new nephew, you could say. No, Cory's no problem. You just meet with the police; Officer Clemens and I will take care of things here. Cory can sleep with Zero, yes. We'll talk to you in the morning, all right? Yes, goodnight."

Then Cory lost it. He just clung to Mark and sobbed. Between gasps, I could make out "no chance" and "sell me" and "never see him again". It was wrenching. The boys just watched. Zero held my hand, sniffling.

"I… I wanna go to bed now, sir," Cory sniffled, and Mark cleaned his face with a wet paper towel. He just sat there, holding him, rubbing his back. I remembered doing that many a night.

"Koh-wee," Zero then said, stepping forward and taking his hand and pointing at the stairs. It was clear that Zero expected Cory to sleep with him.

"I need to head back to town, if that's all right, Mark?" Sebastian asked. "I take it you don't need any more help?"

"No, thanks," Mark shook his head. He and Sebastian discussed their theories while the boys packed up and said their goodbyes.

It took a while. The evening hadn't turned out at all as planned, and the boys were all quite upset. Sebbie was downright furious. Several hugs and kisses later, and Sebastian was finally on his way back to town with his two boys. He'd left a little something to help Cory sleep, and I got him to take it.

"Cory, I know you've had a lot of surprises tonight," Mark told him, "You've been very brave, and we're proud of you."

Cory wasn't sure how to take that, but Zero was smiling at him and nodding. After all, he'd met some slaveboys, put on slave gear, nearly frozen in the pool, had an enema session, a blowjob from Sebbie, a prostatic orgasm, a hot bath, and then found out that someone had come to kidnap him. Yes, all in all, poor Cory had had a big night!

And so had I. I was forced to rethink my entire life in that one night.

"It's OK, doesn't matter," Cory sighed, looking at his feet again, "I probably won't get to see any of you again, anyway. If Dad's messing with a bookie, and the mob's after him for money now too, I'm as good as sold off to some freak. Bank or bookie, who cares…"

Mark grabbed him by the arms so suddenly that Cory squeaked in alarm. "No one is taking you, Cory!" He snapped. "Do you get me? I'm not letting anyone get you, or Zero! Don't you talk like that!"

"Yes, sir," Cory nodded dejectedly. It was clear that he didn't believe it. I had this vision of Cory, just like Zero, on the block for sale at the Clearing House. It made me ill thinking about it, to say nothing of what it would do to his father. I couldn't imagine having a son, and losing him like that.

"We'll think of something, but for now, you're safe. I'm staying, and if anyone wants you, they're going to have a hell of a time getting in here and getting you out," Mark explained, "Cory, did your friends tell you how they sleep?"

"No, sir?"

"Chained to the bed, usually," I had to speak up. It was one more shock, but as Cory squirmed, I could tell that he liked the idea. "The house is wired with a security system, Cory, and if you're chained up a night, it'll be pretty hard to kidnap you."

"'tuck," Zero told him, "Sebbie, Zee-whoa, tuck, bett!" He pointed up the stairs. Then he touched Cory's collar.

"Oh no! I forgot to give Master Sebastian his gear back!" Cory fretted, and we both started at the mode of address. He looked at us innocently. "Sebbie said to call him that, sir? Master Don?" He tried the words. "Master Mark?"

"Perfect, boy," Mark smiled at him, touching his cheek. "You're a natural at this."

"I think he expected you to keep the gear," I told Cory. "This is light training or work gear. It's not heavy like Zero's. Now, I promised Zero one more thing, then you two are off to bed."

"No, Uncle, dat oh-tay," Zero waved me off, taking Cory's hand again. "Bett!"

"OK, Zero, let's put you to bed, then," I told him. I was even more proud of him, and he'd formed a sentence. Zero was turning down his chance at sex, well, 'sort-of-sex' for him, in favor of comforting his new friend. I couldn't understand, with how he must have been treated before, how the boy could have such a heart.

Back up in Zero's room, I got him into a pair of Goodnights. Cory went to pee, expressed his shock at having to sit to do it, but promised me that he never peed the bed. I cited stress and made him put one on anyway. He blushed, but accepted it. Then Zero secured his collar chain to Cory's, as well as his one wrist cuff to Cory's. He also attached their inner ankle cuffs as they lay down, locked together. I secured their other legs to the bedposts, leaving their other arms free. Zero cuddled up with Cory and kissed him goodnight, on the mouth. Cory was a bit surprised, but he returned it. He hugged and kissed Mark and me in turn, awkwardly, but he held onto Mark for a long time.

"Goodnight, Master Mark," Cory whispered.

Once tucked in, I shut the light out and left the door open.

"I feel safe here, Zero," I heard Cory saying via the baby monitor. "'nite, buddy."

"Wuv-ooo," Zero replied.

"Little man has had a big day," Mark mused, as he made more coffee. "I'll need a lot more of this, I suppose."

"You're plotting something, you and Sebastian, aren't you?" I had to ask.

"Who, us?" Mark smiled. He gave me a look over his mug. "And you're not, Don?"

"You people are a bad influence," I told him. "But Cory sure took to you, didn't he?"

"He's a good boy. Just needs trained up a bit, is all," Mark shrugged. "I couldn't believe he went for it, enema and all!"

"Did you see his face when Sebastian made him cum?" I laughed.

"The first time, dry, is something every boy should experience," Mark agreed.

"Zero loved it," I nodded.

Mark tried to keep quiet and snorted in mirth. "You know, when I pulled you over the other day, I knew there was something about your boy," he said, which reminded me of something.

"What was in your file when you scanned him?" I had to ask.

"Just your name, his sale stats, and that he was a throwaway," Mark sighed. "It also had some ID details, like race, hair, skin, retarded, you know."

I said a few choice words.

"Keep your voice down!" Mark hissed. "They do that with all slaves. You know what it'll say if you scan Henry? Street kid capture, blond, age, and 'stupid'. How's that for a description?"

"It's mean," I complained, so angry I didn't know what else to say.

"Don, you have no clue what 'mean' is. Mean is keeping a boy in a cage. Mean is making him eat those awful slave loaves instead of real food. Mean is punishing him all day long, even when he's a good boy, or treating the family pet better than the family slave. Mean is mutilating him because you get off on it. I've seen it, believe me. I've busted criminals that were keeping slaves, and I've seen things that'll make your teeth curl! You have no clue, Don," he repeated.

He was right. I didn't.

On the monitor, Cory was fast asleep on his back. Zero's arm was across his chest, the smaller boy turned to face him, spooned up next to him.

"Mean is what they did to Zero," I whispered.

"No argument, Don," Mark patted my arm. "But before I go to work, even though I'm off duty, tell me what you're plotting?"

"Let's just say that Zero has work to do tomorrow," I told him. Then another thought came to me. I wondered if Zero might not have already had the same idea?

I didn't sleep much that night, but that was becoming the norm since buying Zero. I had a lot to think about. I let the boys have a lie in, and didn't get them up until I saw Zero on the monitor. I was sitting there in the kitchen, drinking coffee, and waiting for Mark to come back when I saw him sit up and look around. Then he saw Cory, leaned over and kissed his cheek, and smiled as he looked around the room.

It was another milestone – no panic attack.

Cory was stirring when I went to get them up. I unlocked them, and ordered them to the bathroom to wash up for an early lunch. Yes, it was that late. Zero did his duty, and he was quite pleased with himself. I gave him a small rinsing enema with the bulb, and then put his plug back in while Cory washed his face and hair. I noticed that he was watching with some interest.

"Do you want to try a plug, Cory?" I asked him. "I have a nozzle tip that's fairly small, like the one last night?"

"Can I, Master Don?" He nodded, wide eyed.

"Cory, you're a guest in my house. You're not a real slave. You're just dressed as one. I won't tell you 'no', or tell anyone if you don't." I replied.

"Yes, sir," he grinned, looking a bit worried.

I got the lube out and told him to bend over. Zero patted his back. "zoh'K'Koh-wee," he said.

Cory flinched and yipped in surprise as I lubricated him. The plug went right in after only a bit of resistance. I then secured the back strap to it so he could not get it out. "Dammit, Doc Collins forgot to leave the key to this rig," I informed him, looking around.

"You mean I can't get out of it?!" Cory squeaked in alarm, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he tried to adapt to the small plug now residing in his rectum.

"Not for now," I nodded. "But it's all good, I mean, you like it, right?" I smiled at him.

"Oh, man," Cory groaned, and Zero was laughing at him.

"No-no," he reminded his new friend, tapping his pod. Then he turned to me and rubbed his belly. "Ee-ee-eat, Uncle!"

Mark came straggling in, as the boys were finishing off their early lunch. He also confirmed that the alarm worked, which scared us all. I made him a plate, with Cory's help. The boys hugged and kissed him, happy to see him back. Cory then stood behind him the whole time.

"Bit of information for you, Don," Mark grinned, looking well for having been out patrolling all night long. "That taser they took off our perp last night? Guess what? The number on it matches the one sold by your slave wear shoppe the other day. You got the receipt for you purchase of Zero's gear?"

I called it up on the laptop as I accessed my +64 million CR account. Yes, the funds were still there. God, I was so going to jail…

"Bought on the same day, within a minute of your sale!" Mark smacked the table. Zero jumped.

"So our urbane old stalker was in on it," I mused. "Know who he is?"

"Small time associate, a wanna-be. Thinks he's Don Calzone or something," Mark snorted. "Sales log says his name is Montgomery Bridger."

"'Corleone'?" I corrected him. "You been watching the classic movie channel?"

"Love the old flicks," Mark grinned, handing Cory his empty plate. He gave the boy's butt a slap as he walked by. Cory yelped. He took the dish, and brought back coffee.

We drank, and the boys stood behind us respectively. I hadn't asked Zero to, but he did it anyway. I don't know who'd made the coffee, but it was a touch strong.

"I see you're still all geared up, boy?" Mark asked Cory.

"Yes, sir. Master Sebastian forgot to leave keys, sir," Cory nodded, never looking right at him. "And all my clothes are in my room, at home. I dunno where mine are from last night, sir."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Cory, you can drop it now. We'll get you a key, and you don't have to play the act. You're a free boy, not a real slave. It might have been fun for you, but party time is over now."

I couldn't believe that Mark had said that to him! Cory looked right at him in shock, and his eyes filled. He bit his lower lip, then looked down at his chained feet. I felt Zero move, and looked up to see him giving Mark an absolutely evil glare. I'd never seen a look like that on his face before. I grabbed him and pulled him onto my lap.

"B-b-but…" Cory began, but Mark cut him off.

"Boy, you can dress up however you want to, and that won't make you a slave. You can wear any old collar and chastity device, and that won't make you a slave. You can say 'yes sir' and 'no sir' and 'master' until you're blue in the face, and that won't make you a slave. You can suck all the dick and take all the dick up your pretty little butt that you can handle, but that won't make you a slave. You're a pretender, a free boy having fun, and that is all! Just because you look like Zero or Sebbie, doesn't make you a slave like they are! You got that?" He paused.

I pondered his words. He was right. Zero was my slave. I had a huge responsibility to him that I'd never even realized until that moment.

Cory was crying now, quietly, tears rolling down his face to fall on the floor. Zero was breathing hard and trembling. He was enraged, and I had to hold him tightly. I was so stunned that I couldn't speak. Why was Clemens doing this to poor Cory? Hadn't he been through enough already?

"Do you have any idea what it'll be like?" Mark pressed on. "Are you ready to wear that collar and those chains for – maybe – the rest of your life?"

"Y-yes, sir," Cory whispered, still staring at his feet.

"What about if I told you to sleep in a cage, or hung you up from the ceiling?"

"Y-yes, sir,"

"What if I told you to suck my cock, or told you I wanted to fuck you?"

"Y-yes, sir,"

He kept going, relentlessly. Zero was growling now.

"Would you still wanna be a slave if I told you that you'd NEVER, ever, touch your junk again? That you'll never jerk off, you'll never get sucked, and you'll sure as hell never fuck anyone?"

"Y-yes, sir,"

I couldn't believe I was hearing this.

"What if I told you that there was a very good chance, that after you're sterilized, you might even get castrated? What if there's a chance, and there is, that you might even have your dick cut off, or your teeth all pulled?"

"Y-yes, sir,"

"Stop it, Clemens!" I finally found my voice. "You're killing him! Look at him!"

"'TOP!" Zero echoed me.

"And the tattoos?" Mark said, softer this time. "Zero still has to get his big one on his chest. You know how bad tattoos hurt, boy? You'll be marked for LIFE!"

"Y-yes, sir,"

"And after all that, you'd still wanna be a slaveboy?" Mark demanded.

By this time, Cory was sobbing. He could only nod.

"Shut up!" I shouted at him. "Either shut up, or leave my home!"

Then Mark smiled at me. He reached out and pulled Cory onto his lap, rubbing his chest. "If you truly want to be a slave when you don't have to be, then prove it to me, Cory. What can you possibly do to prove your worth to a Master? Why would you want to become what so many boys can only dream of escaping?"

But Cory couldn't talk. Mark had wounded him too badly.

Broken him without ever laying a hand on him.

He held him for a long time. Zero and I were too stunned to move as we watched. Slowly, very slowly, Cory got control back.

"M-mas… Mister Jameson has to get Zero up, let him out of bed," Cory fumbled, his voice so very low and so full of pain. "He has to wash him up, make sure he uses the bathroom, sees to his gear. He gets him food. He makes him do things. He has to make sure he does it all right. He has rules. He has to spend time with him. He has to make sure he's bathed, then fed, then cleaned up and put to bed. Masters have to have sex with their slaves. But they have to take care of them every day. They… they have to be with them all the time," Cory explained his view of being a slave. "I… I don't wanna be alone anymore, Officer," Cory added, his voice now cold. "And I don't wanna be sold to some monster."

"You have a very naïve view of slavery," Mark told him, noting the change in address, even though he was not in uniform.

"ooo-'ut-up!" Zero pointed at him. "Uncle, Koh-wee, Zee-whoa," Zero pointed at us all.

"Did he just tell me to shut up?" Mark looked stunned.

Zero nodded at him, then shook his little fist at him.

"Sebbie's a bad influence, I think," I had to sigh. But Mark was right. Cory did have a naïve view of slavery. Probably, he only knew what he'd seen with us, or read in fantasy stories on the Internet.

"Yes, Officer," Cory agreed. "I guess I do."

"Cory, if you truly want to be a slaveboy, in the delusion that you have of it, then prove it to me." He pulled a key to the locks that his men had put on the door of Cory's house the night before. He gave it to the boy. "Go over to your house, and bring back whatever you think a slaveboy will need. I will question you on each item."

Cory took the key and left, his ankle chain shuffling along on the floor.

"Zero, go fetch Master Sebastian's phone from the other room, please." I turned to the laptop. "We have things that Uncle needs you to do while Cory is gone."

Zero nodded and toddled off. I guessed it was the perfect time to see if Zero could do it. If Mark didn't want Cory, and possibly the same men that wanted Zero wanted Cory, I'd take them both and do… something. I didn't know what, but I would – stupid as it sounded.

"That was mean, what you did," I told Mark.

"I already told you what 'mean' was, Don," Mark replied.

I was chatting with Marv at work, calling in for the rest of the week and requesting data be sent to me at home when Cory came back. I realized that he'd walked down the drive, over to his house, which was two lots over, and back – naked except for his gear – for all the world to see. It took guts, I had to give him that.

He was just standing there in the doorway, naked. There was no suitcase. No photos, not even of his father. He was still only wearing his borrowed gear. He handed the key back to Mark.

But Cory was holding a battered old teddy bear.

He kissed it, then placed it in Mark's lap.

"The house wasn't locked," Cory said softly. "That was the key to my gear." He then shook his head, almost in defiance, like a free boy would. He was no longer using terms of respect.

His unlocked collar fell to the floor.

He didn't ask, or say 'sir'. He made the statement, flatly, looking right at Mark. He said it as a free boy.

He then picked up the collar and laid it over his teddy bear's shoulder.

Then he took a step back, bowed his head, and stared at his feet again.

"This is it, boy?" Mark asked, his voice now tender. "Out of your whole life in that house, this bear is it?"

Cory nodded, but he was not crying now.

"Once done, a thing cannot be undone," Mark told him. "If you truly think you can be a slave, and survive it, then come over here and kneel," he pointed at the floor.

I watched, but Zero was staring at the laptop. I didn't bother him. He was calm, and NOW was NOT the time for a meltdown! He was staring at the screen, full of 1's and 0's, and looking from it to a card he'd obviously found somewhere.

Cory knelt before Officer Mark Clemens.

"No master in his right mind keeps a teddy bear," Mark smiled. He then put the key in his pocket. He leaned down, and locked the collar back around Cory's neck. The CLICK was deafening.

"Stand up, boy," Mark then told him.

Cory did that, but just then, the laptop began talking.

"Transaction in progress. HIGGS, CORY ANDREW," the computer announced, "Age 12, sex – male. Status – slave, confirmed, this date of sale. Ownership by Mister Marcus T. Clemens, creditor to Mister William A. Higgs, for the sum of +16 million CR. Account status, reactivated, balance +16 million CR. Clemens account, active. Balance +16 million CR. Jameson account, active, two transactions. Balance +32 million CR."

The phone then rang.

"Incoming call from Marv, at work," the answering machine announced.

BEEP! "Marv is an asshole!" the machine announced, hanging up the phone.

Zero was still staring at the laptop, where 1's and 0's flashed by faster than I could even see them. "Dossier prepared, new Master's document mailed to Clemens, Mark T. Thirty days to register Higgs, Cory A. as a new slave, in person, for barcode scanning by certified tattoo artist. Please read owner's manual. Thank you!"

The laptop shut down.

"I am so fired!" I groaned. "And so busted!"

"You heisted 64 million? How?" Mark asked, wide eyed. "You've made me an accessory to embezzlement?!"

"Zero did it," I sighed, noting that Zero's eyes were drooping and he was nodding off. "Somehow, he has a way of making computers… do odd things. He got me the CR's, and it looks like he found a good way to spend them."

"He got access to dad's bills?" Cory asked, still kneeling on the floor. "And he HACKED THE BANK?!"

"Looks like it, but how did he get my bank info?" Mark asked. "Aren't you the least bit upset by this, Don?"

"You have no idea," I sighed. "I was hoping if I ignored it, it would go away." I pulled his wallet from Zero's lap. "I think our boy is smarter than we give him credit for!" I then had to laugh. "He picked your pocket, hacked back into the bank, and moved the money around! He made it look like Cory's dad owed the money to you, and that Cory was sold as a slave to pay his debts. He put money from my account into yours, to buy him!"

"Wait," Mark held up his hands. "That might have cleared his legal debts, but what about Bridger and his boys? What he owes to them probably isn't legal, or traceable?" Then his eyes went wider.

"Make him talk," I shrugged. "We can pay him off. Zero's seen to that. If it's extortion, you can set up a sting."

"With stolen CR's?" Mark scoffed.

"I'm sure Zero took them from a good place," I shrugged. Hell, what else could I do?

"Uncle?" Zero whimpered, snuggling into my shoulder. "Koh-wee? Dat-cop?"

"Yes, Zero, you did it," I assured him. "You made Cory safe." And I realized that I'd been had. Zero had come up with my own plan all on his own. In a way, Cory had been right – he hadn't had a chance!

But Zero had gone to sleep. He was exhausted from his efforts.

Cory was now looking right at Mark, but he hadn't gotten up. Mark looked as if someone had just hit him over the head with a heavy object.

"Congratulations," I laughed at him.

"On your feet, boy!" Mark ordered Cory, who jumped up and stood at attention. I saw that he was trembling. "Remember all those things you agreed to, boy?"

"Y-yes, s-sir?" Cory squeaked, going pale.

"I'm not going to do any of them," Mark said softly, handing him back the teddy bear. "You passed the test, Cory. You have what it takes to be a proper slaveboy – my slaveboy. You could have unlocked it all, got your clothes, and run. You were free when you left here with that key, the key to freedom, but you gave it back to me. And all you took of your old life was your teddy bear?"

"Yes, Master Mark," Cory said, hugging his poor old bear that showed all the signs that it had been (and was) clearly loved.

"And you know you have some pretty unpleasant tattoo work coming?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, that'll do for starters, for now. I'll have to ask Doc how long you have to train and prep with toys before I can fuck you, I suppose?" Mark smiled lewdly at him. "I guess I can just torture you in the meantime?"

Cory's jaw dropped, but Mark held out his arms.

"Kidding! Come to your Master, Cory, my boy!"

And Cory did just that. Mark held him tightly, and Cory began to cry again. It looked as if the local police department was going to have another slaveboy growing up underfoot.

"I don't mean to be a wet blanket here, guys," I had to say, as I carried Zero out to let him have a nap, "But who's going to explain this mess to Cory's dad?"

"Oh, shit!" Mark groaned, palming his face.

NEXT PART