"Ready for some good news, Boss?"
Deek stood in the doorway of Jared's office with his briefcase and a _c_o_c_k_y grin on his tired face. Jared shook his outstretched hand.
"Hell, yes."
A short time later, Deek left him with a folder and a promise of more details in the morning after a good night's sleep in his own bed. Jared closed up his office and took the folder back to the penthouse and poured over the information in his study. He had hoped for more but he was happy all the same that Deek had found something.
Todd Joseph Ansley. Born in 1995 in Little Rock Arkansas. Parents William and Dara Ansley. 2001 William is killed, no information when or how. Leaving behind Dara and 6 year old Todd. 2004 Dara is placed in a hospital after contracting hepatitis and Todd is placed in the care of the state of Arkansas. Details are sketchy at best after that. Not much more on Todd in Arkansas except a footnote about him missing from his last placement in 2008 and a few police records of petty theft. There were still a lot of holes to be filled in. Jared noticed that there were no school records. That wasn't surprising. Education fell to second place behind survival after the black out.
The folder also had a large envelope with some documents and a few photos. Personal affects from Dara. Jared chuckled at a photo of Todd being bathed by his dad. Man and boy drenched. Both had matching big cheesy smiles.
Todd was a chubby little fellow. There were some wallet-sized photos of the parents wedding and some of Todd as a baby, and again at age 5. The most telling pictures was one of the three of them and Todd's dad placing him on a toy motorcycle. Jared guessed him to be around 2 or 3, there was no date on it. From the look on Todd's infant face it was love at first sight. The other was a picture of Todd at 5 on a dirt bike with his dad. Todd looked to be such a happy kid.........back then.
Studying the photos he could see the close family resemblance. Todd got his coloring from his dad. He must have inherited his build from his mom's side. Dara looked petite while William Ansley looked around the 6 foot range. Todd carried both parents in his facial features. Father's eyes and mouth and his mother's nose and cheeks. The Todd's jaw line must be a combination and Jared remembered it to be oh so stubborn. The Ansley's made a gorgeous young man. Deek had a birth certificate for Todd, a marriage license for the Ansley's and a death certificate for Todd's mother. Dara died in 2005 still hospitalized. Some kind of complication. Jared figured it was that she was not A-list personnel. Back then the split in economic classes was staggering. Still quite evident today, but things were getting better. Jared put the photos back in the envelope.
Jared leaned back in his leather chair and ran a hand over his face. Life had been pretty cruel to his little rebel. Swiveling around in his chair he looked out his study widow at the lights of Denver. Jared cursed New Years 2001 for not the first time. For the devastation it caused. He let his own memories of family flood him. He too lost his parents, both he and Brian, but he was blessed with a older brother who loved him and should God forbid that he had lost Brian there was Meg and Deek and Mouse.
Todd had only himself.
Jared continued his study of the file, over and over late into the wee hours. The next morning bright and early as promised Deek showed up for breakfast with some new faxes he just got in, and the two men went over all the information.
In Arizona Deek found a little more about the kid. Again not much, only that he had made a name for himself for his motorcross and mechanical abilities. He had kept no friends, no girl or boyfriends. Todd never stayed long in one place long. He had a reputation for being just as skilled at the pool table as he did his motorcycling.
"I didn't find much at all on him in Tucson. Just one or two people who could remember him and talk about it. I guess he only stayed there a couple months then split."
Deek did find an elderly lady in the Phoenix area, that lived next to the the kid for a while.
"Her name's Clara. Wouldn't give a last name. She's a tough ol' bird. I guess her to be about in her 60s and tight lipped as they come. But she has a weakness for handsome men."
Deek stroked his jaw mocking vanity. Jared just huffed and snorted back.
"Then how did you get her to talk?"
Blowing off the barb, Deek just grinned back.
"What can I say. Women love chocolate. Granny was eye'n this fine chocolate brother."
" Having his fun spoiled, Deek got back to business.
He related to Jared what details he had of Todd's life in Arizona.
That he lived in an old junkyard in the Tempe area. Todd's home was
an old bus close to the old woman. Deek described the home she lived
in as a collection of tin sheets and other bits of junk. Clara's been
there 20 years. She owned it. Todd showed up around 2010. "She said
that he was a quiet kid, loner type, you know? Not well educated,
meaning she said he can't read or read very well and about all he
can write is his name. But he was very smart. He was able to rig electricity
for them on his own. I saw the generator he rigged up and he was what...15
or 16.? Pretty _d_a_m_n_ impressive. And the kid's quite a welder
too. Clara, the ol' woman taught him. Said he was a fast leaner. Jared
was thoughtful as he took this all in. Making notes on details. "He
came and went a lot, Clara had no idea what he did when he was gone.
He made money by delivering for someone. She didn't think it was legal
whatever he was delivering, 'cause she said one night he came home
pushing his motorcycle, both he and the bike were in bad shape. He
had been beaten up pretty bad. Something was lost in a delivery and
he paid the price. According to her that wasn't the only time he came
home like that. But he never spoke to her on the details." Shaking
his head, Jared could just picture Todd crawling home all banged up
and acting like it was a scratch. "Well he has no criminal record
in Arizona. Police didn't have anything on him. However Clara said
that he was known to steal a motorbike once in awhile. She got real
sick about four or five months back and needed medicine. Todd boosted
a couple bikes to pay for her medical bills. And it wasn't for the
first time." Stealing and looting were serious offenses. Had he
been caught...Jared didn't let himself go to far down that road. He
was surprised at...man, he needed to learn not to be surprised by
anything Todd did. But he was. Todd was such a contradiction. He's
hostile, angry at the world. Vulnerable for split seconds then tough
as nails. Avoids affection like the plague. He doesn't want or need
anyone or so he says and then he goes and puts his cute little ass
on the line for medicine for someone else. "Yo, Jared. Are you with
me here?" Snapping his attention back to Deek. "Sorry, Deek. So
this Clara got pretty close to Todd then?" "Well, sort of. Jared smiled at that It was a good description...colorful
but it fit. "She said that one morning she found the money in a
bag on her kitchen table. All that was on it was a magazine clipping
of a motorbike so she knew who it came from and that was it, he was
gone. She thinks that it wasn't safe for Todd to stick around after
that." Jared continued to take down notes. He had other thoughts
on why Todd left. He kept them to himself. "Here are a few records
from the emergency station in Tempe and here are the ones from Phoenix.
These I just got this morning. He's wrecked his bike a time or two." Taking
the papers, Jared could only wonder why Todd did what he did. He'd
been treated several times for sprains, pulled muscles, cuts and scrapes,
a couple times from bruised ribs and more than once for minor head
trauma. Jared remembered that Todd told him once that he'd never broken
anything. Closest he came to that was the dislocated shoulder Jared
found him with. Snorting with not quite humor at the multiple notations
of the kid disappearing from the emergency room after treatment, Todd
was certainly cautious. He rarely went to the same emergency stations
twice. Just like the little brat to scoot before the authorities could
show up. It was also noted that Todd was listed as being afraid of
needles and reacting violently towards them. Making a mental note
of that. Jared tried to concentrate on what Deek was saying. "She's
crazy about the boy. I think that's why she gave up the information." "Clara?" "Yeah.
She'd like him to be safe too. And I don't have a geriatric fixation.
I'm boyishly good looking. Clara said so." Jared just grunted at
that and kept reading the file. He was glad that Todd had made at
least one friend in his short life. He jotted down more notes as he
read and talked with Deek. He'd go over them later. "She the one
to tip you a lead in Arkansas?" Deek grew serious. "Yeah. There
isn't much on him. Nothing good anyway. Not after the black out. His
dad died sometime in 2001." "Anything more on that, there must be
some records, something." "Nope...nada...nothing. Yet. I'm still
digging. His ma is dragged off to some _s_h_i_t_ hole hospital in
2004. Pretty much left to rot in there. I think we can both guess
why." Jared didn't have to say anything. Times were dark back then. "I
gave you what little personal affects they kept." "What about Todd?
What happened to him then?" "Jared I have very little on the kid
after that, not much of it is good news." "Yes, I see that. But
it's more than we had. Great job, I mean that." Deek leaned back
in his chair and blew out a tired sigh. "I've made a few contacts
in the county records department down there. I'm waiting on what they
come up with. Here's the police records or some of them any way. He's
no angel man." Jared ignored that and just read through the reports.
Nothing to be executed for, just some petty, juvie crap. Trespassing,
stealing, minor assault. "It appears that Todd likes to take on
the big dogs. Says he was arrested for jumping a guy..uh 15 when he
was...holy _s_h_i_t_!...11?." Jared knew he shouldn't be, but he was
stunned. Just the idea of an 11 year old baby beating the crap out
of someone as big as 15 was a bit to take in. And all over a _d_a_m_n_
place in line for a bus. He was placed in two state homes; not all
states had camps up and running then. Jared read on to find that
Todd ran away.....9 times in 4 years. Finally placed in a foster home
in 2008 before he ran way for Arizona. There was a notation of suspicion
of arson, a fire in the foster home but no details on the fire. Todd
was not formally charged. Jared got a weird feeling about that. There
were so many missing pieces to the puzzle Todd was. "Deacon, this
arson business...." "Yeah I know Jare... I'm looking into that.
I should be hearing soon on all this. I was told that the records
building was heavily damaged by a Tornado some years back that could
be the hold up. I was lead to believe that I can expect a more thorough
documentation. Jared then asked the one question he'd been putting
off. "Find any relatives, family...anyone?" "No. There is no one.
Todd's folks were both from single child homes. No other's, no Aunts,
Uncles, or Grand folks. Getting any sort of guardianship won't be
a problem. Paper-wise if that's the plan." Rubbing his face tiredly
Jared just looked at Deek. "Man what the hell is this kid doing out
there alone. And for so long. He's had no supervision, no structure,
no parental guidance....no...no...NOTHING. It's not right, it just
isn't." Watching his friend and boss pace and rant and rave a while.
Deek could see that this kid had really got under Jared's skin. Well
about time someone did. "Well Jared, we have some good clues. Let's
use them." Jared worked with Deek for hours going over and over
the file. Then they began to build a search plan. Deek was feeling
confident he would find Todd now that he knew more about him. Jared
started the ball rolling to obtain the legal guardianship of Todd.
He knew it was irrational of him and probably a waste of time, but
he didn't care. He was getting Todd off the streets one way or the
other. Even if it meant kicking and screaming. Deek had some ideas
now of where to look for Todd. Kid liked bikes, and hustling pool. Denver
was bigger than Todd had expected. Colder too. His light jacket was
not much protection at night. He spent most of his time dodging the
cops. Denver had lots and they really enforced the curfews here. He
had several close calls, but always managed to be one step ahead.
Up town was nice. Denver didn't seem to be as affected by the pulse
and blackouts or it recovered fast. Life uptown teemed with commerce,
there were movies playing, stores stocked with food, farmers markets
and shops and businesses, gas stations too. If one could afford to
fill a car's gas tanks. Most people walked or rode bicycles. Police
were everywhere. Not a safe place for someone like Todd. Signs every
where with rules, directions and he could not make out but half of
them. No not the place for him. It didn't take him but a week to
fall in with a crowd. A pretty rough one. They were a wild bunch of
misfits. Just what he needed to snap himself out of the slump he was
in. Todd was able to make himself a small niche in the group. He always
could adapt to most environments. He kept to himself, was a non-threat.
He was good at giving the impression that he was just some spacy,
illiterate, adrenaline junkie. He was most convincing. He found a
old gravel pit and a bunch of biker's. Some were pretty good. He hung
out there a couple days marking the ability of the others. Get enough
good riders and strong egos together and soon there is a race or some
sort of competition. Todd joined in and cleaned up. After that he
was accepted as one of them. These people lived in an area of Denver
called the Zone. Real apocalyptic down here. People living in cars,
boxes old building that should have been long ago destroyed. Perfect
place to disappear. He slept during the days and came out at night
like most of the people here. Not too many patrols after dark out
here. Not real safe for anyone in uniform. When he did go out in daylight,
Todd spent his time at the gravel pit with some other bike riders.
It was a way to make some fast cash with his mechanical or riding
abilities. He caught the attention of a tall man in his twenties somewhere,
with a really bad hairstyle. A real looser as far as Todd was concerned,
always trying to come off as cool and usually just came off more like
an idiot. He always seemed to turn up where Todd was. Todd did what
he could to avoid the guy. It did little good. The man just seemed
to be where Todd was. Todd was followed home by him one day. Home
for Todd and dozens of others was an old abandoned project apartment
complex. Roughly 4 or 5 building total. Todd had a small single room
with a shared bath. The tall skinny guy, Haskel or Hac to those he
paid to be his friends, followed him into his building and up the
stairs. He stood there leaning against the wall near Todd's door,
just staring at Todd as he tried to get the bike in the room. "
Dude! What's your damage?" Todd snapped at him. Unnerved by being
tailed like that. "No damage. Just checking out the new talent." "Yeah?
I think they call that.......s-t-a-l-k-i-n-g." That just earned
him a laugh from the horse-faced man. "Hey kid..You any good with
that bike?" "Good enough, better'n most." A big grin lit the man's
face. His black eyes danced with humor. "Care to prove it?" He got
the feeling Hac wasn't talking about bikes. Todd just started to shove
past him. "Na..don't need to prove what's common knowledge." A
lean arm blocked his path. "It could make you some cash " Todd's
temples began to pound. He shot the man an icy look. "It wouldn't
be enough." Knocking away the arm blocking his doorway he started
to push the bike in the room. "Na...man. You got me all wrong. I'm
hosting a little get together. One I think you'll want to be in on.
Like I said, there is money to be made." This could be worth listening
to. Todd stopped and leaned the bike against the door jam. "How?" "A
little competition later this week at a rave I'm having." "Quanto
Questo? "You speak Spanish?" "Enough to get my ass kicked." "What do I have to do for it?" Todd
saw no harm in it. He hadn't been real sociable since he arrived.
He never was to begin with. Maybe he could scare up game of pool.
He just shrugged his shoulders. Hac waited outside for Todd to put
up his bike and change. Todd followed Hac to his car, a well-used
Toyota hatchback, primer black with blacked out windows. Todd rolled
down the window to keep from asphyxiating on the exhaust fumes that
rolled in as soon as the engine sputtered over. "Where you from
Todd?" Todd's eye's hardened under the slouched brim of his baseball
cap. Small talk usually lead to a few things. At least that was his
experience. Someone was always buying or selling something." "Why,
you writing a biography?" Hac chuckled at him. "Na.. just curious?....
Sooo?" "Arizona." "Zona's Cool." "Not in the summer." "So I'm told...don't call me
kid." "Chill...chill...it's all good." Todd just rolled his eyes.
Was this dude for real? Over a burger and a beer that Haskel bought
him they talked about the competition and it was just what he was
looking for. Lots of money and plenty of risk. Todd was all for it.
He'd have joined it without the cash incentive but didn't volunteer
that tid bit of information. He'd been in a real reckless mood since
he came to town. This was what he was wanting. "So you game?" "Yeah
I'm in." Haskel dragged him around for several days. Todd was able
to use Hac's companionship at some clubs to get into some pool games
earn a little cash and relax a bit. Even score on a few jobs. One
club's bartender hired him on the spot for a delivery job as soon
as he found out that Todd couldn't read. Todd didn't need to read
to know what he was delivering, the chemical smell from the pick up
address was so strong he thought he'd pass out. He had little doubt
that the club's profits came from other refreshments. Not something
he was into. He made a small bundle and quit. Haskel began to make
obvious advances toward Todd. He was constantly hanging on him or
finding any reason to touch him. Todd was not an affectionate person.
It was getting on his nerves. While playing pool, Hac leaned against
Todd in a manner that screamed, "Here it is." It was too much. "Dude!
Back off. You're blocking my shot." Haskel just leaned a hip on
the table in front of Todd and studied him. "You gay Todd?" Todd
shoved him out of the way and concentrated on his shot. It was a while
before he said anything. He sunk one ball after the other in the pockets. "Taboos
and labels are bogus. They mean nothin' and imprison the spirit." Haskel
shook his head confused and tried to make his shot. He scratched.
"What the _f_u_c_k_ does that mean?" Todd took his time and sunk
his ball and then the next two. Then he shrugged his shoulders. He
didn't try to explain. It was over Hac's head anyway. "What? You
don't like _s_e_x_ or something?" "I like _s_e_x_." "With women
or men?" Leaning on his pool cue he watched Haskel prove that he
had no skill for the game. "Don't matter. _s_e_x_ is what it is." He
saw no reason to add any details. Like that he hadn't been with a
man. Not all the way. He had not been with too many women either.
Haskel walked back over and started to hang on Todd and rub against
him. Todd was put off and just walked away and set up for another
game. "C'mon, Todd. How can I get some play?" Looking at Haskel
with his bad hairstyle and horse face. No way. If he was the last
human with him on the planet, he'd go find a knot in a tree. "Na..
man. I ain't gonna kick it with you. " "Why?" Todd made a few
more shots. "I need all my juices right now....for....the rave." _s_e_x_
never had anything to do with his bike or his ability. He just didn't
want to explain that there was not a snowballs chance in hell for
Hac. Haskel just slammed down his stick and walked away, passing
a blonde man who had been watching the game and had a dollar down
on the table to play Todd the next game. He had clearly been checking
out Todd's small frame with appreciation. Hac walked up to the blonde
on his way out. "Don't waste your time...this guy is too tight with
his stuff," Haskel snapped over his shoulder indicating Todd. During
the next game the blonde warned Todd off about Haskel. He had heard
stories about him blackmailing people for _s_e_x_ual favors and dropping
X in drinks. X is a form of the popular drug from the late 90's. Todd
avoided the drug scene as best he could. He'd seen some horrible aftereffects
of drugs, enough to keep clear of them. X was cheap and easy to get.
No party was without it. Not too many hospitals either, nearly 3 in
10 were rushed to emergency from the stuff. Rumors had linked Hac
to several people waking up the morning after in his bed and no clue
how they got there. Todd would be watching his drinks closely. He
mainly drank soda and it came in a sealed can. But he did enjoy a
little beer or tequila now and then. He was not a big alcohol drinker.
He found it smarter to stay in control. Control was important to him.
Kept him safe. He won a few games from Steve the blonde that warned
him about Hac's tricks. Steve invited him to a rave that night in
hopes to win back the money he good-naturedly lost to Todd. Todd let
him down easy and said he had to get some rest for the one tomorrow
night, he'd be needing it with the fun that was planned. With his
small bundle of winning Todd called it a night. Walking up the stairs
to his apartment or what one could call an apartment. It was little
more than the remains of one with most of the walls crumbling. He
had the back half of the apartment and some big man had the front.
He rarely saw him so it was no bother. It was better than most of
the places he'd slept in. But not as nice as the cabin. He's been
trying to forget all about that. He climbed into his hammock. One
more night alone in his hammock. Todd settled down for another night
with dreams filled of a big sandy haired man. A tank of a man. Dreams
of Jared and the cabin. Jared's big body warm against him. That deep
voice, those huge cannons he called arms. No one he had ever met affected
him like Jared did. He couldn't shake the image of Jared and he tried.
He was off his game, he had plenty of willing would be partners but
no one peeked his interest. And there were some decent looking people
around. From both sides of the fence. Just not that muscle bound tank
sized man.... Jared. That morning he woke up in the old barn, he
almost went back to the cabin...almost. He couldn't help wonder if
Jared tried to find him. He'd even indulged in fantasies about Jared
coming for him. That surprised him. He had long ago giving up on those
kind of dreams. He had no fantasies however about what would happen
if he was found. He was sure Jared was royally pissed off when he
got out of the shower and found Todd gone. Just thinking about what
Jared would do to him sent a chill down his spine that caused another
reaction. Surprisingly Todd found himself becoming aroused at the
thought of being over Jared's knees. He had no idea why, he didn't
enjoy it and it had hurt. More than he'd ever admit. Todd dismissed
it to being the same reaction he got before and after a competition.
Fear and adrenaline were an intoxicating mix. He knew for a fact what
Jared would have done to him if he had found him. His "condition"
grew so he got up and took himself to the shared bath and took a shower
to take care of himself. Deek had a near positive lead on Todd's
whereabouts for the first time in weeks. For a couple days he'd been
hanging out at a small club deep in the zone. He got tipped off about
a rave tonight. Nothing new, there were raves all the time down here.
This one was different. Something big was planned for the entertainment.
Some kind of daredevil competition. Some of the expected guests were
here shooting pool. Four or five boys about 20ish were standing around
a table. All came here on dirt bikes. None fitting the description
Jared gave him of Todd. He got a good look at all of them over the
last few days. Even played a few games of pool with some of the men. All
but one. This one was slippery. Anytime he got close the kid pulled
a disappearing act. Once he tried to tail him and ended up in a dead
end alley with no idea of how the kid gave him the slip. He never
got a real good look at him. Couldn't get close enough, never closer
than a few yards in a dark, smoky bar. From that distance the boy
met all the descriptions Jared gave him and they were very detailed.
Right height, build, and so on. He was the youngest and smallest of
the bunch. The low profile cap the kid wore all the time didn't
help, he guessed that was the idea. He could see how the kid avoided
being caught all these years. He was so cautious, some might say paranoid.
Always looking around sizing up the room and its occupants. The cap
he wore so low that it hid his face from the tip of his nose up. Tonight
Deek watched the group shoot pool for a while and then slowly began
to work his way closer. During one game he got a glimpse of matching
tribal band tattoos peeking from under the short sleeved shirt the
kid was wearing. Later in the evening there was some mutual tattoo
appreciation going on. The little guy lifted the back of his shirt
and showed off his lower back. Bingo! It was Todd. He was able to
watch the kid in action. Todd was a true hustler. He watched as the
little guy shot against men and women both. Loose a game or two and
give the opponent a false sense of security and then move in and just
slaughter them. The slaughtering was done with quiet confidence. No
bragging or trash talking, he just sunk one ball after the other.
The only outward sign Todd gave was an occasional high five or a brief
apologetic grin to an opponent. For all his modest eloquence in victory
he still fleeced the defeated of their money. After the game Deek
moved in still closer as people stood up to go about their business
or refill a drink. Reaching the pool table he was stung yet again
by defeat. "Motherfu...." Todd had slipped away...again. _d_a_m_n_
that little......... It was not a total loss. Deek was able to talk
to the guys Todd just fleeced. Plying them with drinks he found out
where the rave was going to be and that there was enough hints about
the entertainment that Deek knew it was something big, dangerous,
involved bikes, money and that Todd was one of the riders tonight.
It was in less than three hours. Deek made as inconspicuous exit as
a man his size could and rushed to his car. He tried to call on the
cell phone but the zone never had good reception. He'd have to hurry
up town and report to Jared. With luck and timing they would corner
Todd tonight. After that, the ball was in Jared's court. Jared was
in his office getting ready to call it a night when Deek walked in
wearing a stupid grin on his face. "What's with you...got a wedgie?" The
grin just got wider. "Nooooope. Better. I got a lead. No...better
than that. I got visual conformation." Jared fell into his chair
and just gaped open mouthed. "Better close that before you draw
flies. "What? How?" Deek walked over and pulled his friend up
out of the chair. "Feel like crashing a party?" Deek filled him
in on how Mauhser, their computer whiz kid, was out clubbing last
night and just happened to bump into someone who invited him to a
big rave in the Zone that there were some big time games to be had.
Mauhser then passed on the information to Deek who did the rest. "No
_s_h_i_t_? Remind me to give Mouse a raise." Jared could hardly
believe it. Todd "was" in the city. And it looked like they may just
find him and if they did, Todd would be under his roof...tonight.
After that? Jared was still unsure of what he would do with Todd.
Taking into consideration his feeling and attraction for him. "Let
me get shut down and a change of clothes and I'll meet you at your
place." Jared fairly sprinted out of his office. On his way to his
own apartment Deacon stopped by Mauhser's. Something had him curious,
more like suspicious. William Mauhser was a small young man. Around
five foot five or six. A bit wild and strange but a brilliant genius.
There was nothing with numbers and computers this kid couldn't do.
Mouse as he was called had been with Jared's corporation for the 4
years it's been in operation. Meg found him sleeping in her car one
night. He had overridden Brian's garage security system and slipped
in undetected. Meg took him under her wing, they all did. Deek and
Mouse took to each other right off. Mouse had lots of males to learn
from, look up to with Brian, Jared and Deek. It was Deek who took
a more active roll in his life. Both as a big brother and rarely a
disciplinarian. Meg took Mouse in as family right off. She raised
him the last four years like he was her own. She became like an Aunt
to him. He even called her Aunt Meg. It was mainly her strong arm
that kept the boy in line. "Hey, Deek. Good hunting today?" Mouse
let him in his apartment. It had connecting doors to Meg's apartment
next door. "As a matter of fact. I'm just freshening up and then
Jared and I head out there now." "Tight! Man I hope you find him." Mauhser
hopped up and sat on the breakfast counter. "Better not let Meg
catch your tail up on that." With a big grin Mouse winked at Jared.
"Na...Aunt Meg won't catch me. We keep the connecting doors locked
these days. I'm on my own. This is the house of Mouse now." Deek
just laughed at him. Sitting there swinging his feet like a little
kid. "Well I stopped by to thank you for the lead you gave me. I
got a visual on Todd. So I think that earns you a bonus. Cool with
you, Mouse?" "Way cool! Thanks, D." "Don't thank me. Jared's the
money man. So I'm curious. Who was this that told you about the rave." Mouse
stopped swinging his feet and got off the counter. "Just someone I
bumped into at a club." His suspicions grew as he watched the young
man fidget in the kitchen. "Yeah? What club? One up town?" Mouse
moved his spiked blond head in a affirmative, negative gesture, avoiding
eye contact. Mouse was a lousy liar. "Yes? No? Which is it, William?" Mouse
flinched. He was only ever called by his real name when he was in
trouble. And he was about to be in big time trouble. Blowing out a
big breath he faced Deek. "No....um.... It wasn't one up town." It
was a hope in vain that Deek would just drop it. But the big man just
stood there waiting for him to finish. "Don't you have to hurry
or something. What does it...." "Yes.. I am in a hurry. William? "Yeah?" "Was
this club by any chance down in the zone?" That's it. He was dead.
He nodded his head slowly, yes. "Dammit, Mouse!" Deek yelled. Slamming
his hand down on the counter, making Mouse jump. "You know that's
forbidden. We've been over this before, you promised Meg no more going
down there. At least till your 21. What's it going to take William?
You getting picked up in a raid. Hell, Jared's already bailed you
out once this year for that _s_h_i_t_." Clubs in the zone were raided
often, lots of fighting and numerable unlawful activities. They rarely
bothered with ID checks. If a client had cash, they got in. Shaking
his head he looked at Mouse standing there with his head down and
fiddling with the ends of his Hawaiian print shirt. "Well?" Blue
eye's pleaded with him. "Man, don't tell Aunt Meg. Please, Deek." Deek
walked over to the phone. Picking up the receiver he dialed. "I'm
not going to tell her." Relief was all over the young mans face.
"Thanks De..." "You are." Deek held up a large dark hand to shush
Mouse. "Jared, hey. Yeah, I know. Something has come up I need to
take care of ." Deek gave Mouse a meaningful look. "...no it won't
take long." Mouse had an idea of what wouldn't take long. "Okay.
I'll meet you in the garage. 15 minutes, yeah, bye." He hung up
the phone. Deek really didn't have time for this but Mauhser had been
warned repeatedly and punished a time or two for clubbing in the zone.
Jared himself paddled his little butt once for this. Pointing to
the bedroom Deek barked two words. "Let's go." He followed as
Mouse led the way. He was going to make sure the lesson stuck this
time. "William, we have been here before. I guess it wasn't enough.
No don't argue. If it was, we wouldn't be having this conversation
now." "But if I hadn't gone. You wouldn't know about Todd..." "So
that makes it okay that you lied, disobeyed the rules. That justifies
it?" Mouse looked hopefully at him. "Works for me. Just this once?" "No.
It works for no one. Pants down, over the bed." Jared started to undo
his leather belt. "Man, this is just not right. I'm 20!" "Yep,
you are. And you should know better. To be responsible enough not
to go where your underage still. When you promised not to got to dangerous
places to party. You were warned about going there. You knew what
would happen if you did and you still thought it was worth the risk.
Let's see if you feel the same in a minute. Now get those pants down
and that butt over the bed. " Fumbling with his fly he got his jeans
down. Deek let him keep his underwear on. Not that the thin cotton
would be much protection. He laid face down on the bed and grabbed
his pillow. Deek had only punished him maybe a couple times in the
years he had been here, and with his hand only. Meg handled most of
his discipline with her hairbrush. The few times Deek had punished
him rang out clearly in his memory. Mouse closed his eyes and tried
to just accept what was coming. "William, you know why you're getting
this, right? So I'm not going to bother with a lecture. He leaned
over Mouse and placed a hand in the small of his back and brought
the belt down hard. He got a reaction right a way. Mouse's body jerked
and he jammed the pillow in his mouth and cried out. Two more and
he had a butt rolling from side to side. A little more weight on Deek's
part and that was taken care of. By the 10th swat Mouse was kicking
his legs and pleading. There would be no mercy. "WHAP....WHAP...WHAP..muph..ofph.
WHAP..pleeeeeease...ouch..... WHAP..owwwha...WHAPWHAP.........Deeeeeeeek....no
more pleeeeeeeeeeeas! WHAP. Stop....ouch......ow.......WHAP...WHAP...WHAP..._s_h_i_t_......stop
please.....no more Deek.!" "I told Jared 15 minutes and you are
going to get the full measure. You'll think twice next time. I'm making
sure of that. And when we are done you are going to tell Meg yourself.
I'm sure between the two of us we can get this lesson across. Don't
you, William?" "WHAP. Ohhwo...WHAP...owwwwie....WHAP.....Yessss!....WHAPWHAPWHAP...Yess...
_s_h_i_t_.....WHAPWHAP...hmmpha..WHAP WHAP..I'm soorry Deeek. I won't
do it again!" Fifteen minutes later Deek stopped and put his belt
back on. Mouse lay there breathing hard into his pillow. Mouse's butt
was bright red even through the white cotton briefs. He'd be feeling
that for a while. Too bad, he's probably in for a session over Megs
lap as well. "Okay, Mouse, get up." He got up under shaky legs,
desperately rubbing his burning butt. Tears barely held in check.
Deek pulled him in for a hug. "Sorry I had to do that. I better
not ever need to again. Understand? I want you to stay in your apartment.
until Meg gets home. Then you are to tell her about this. You tell
her I belted your ass good. I doubt that it will get you off the hook
with her but it might. If I get back and find out that you didn't
talk to her. I'll repeat this and then take you next door myself.
Understood?" Mouse nodded. "A year is
not so long a wait, Mouse. There are safer places to blow off some
steam until then. " With a final hug Deek left for the garage and
Mouse flung himself down on the bed, tears flowed just thinking about
having to confess to Meg. He didn't have a prayer of getting out of
a paddling. Not even the second coming would stop that. On the way
down to the zone Deek was quiet and Jared let him alone to his thoughts.
He didn't ask what the delay was. His friend was real tight lipped
when he got down to the garage. He had a pretty good idea what it
was. Poor Mouse. The kid was a regular Einstein, but just no common
sense. He couldn't seem to go but a couple months without getting
his ass toasted for one hare brain stunt or another. He smiled to
himself. Meg must spend a goodly portion of her pay just on hairbrushes. Jared's
thought drifted from Mouse to Todd. He had doubts about the rightness
of this now. Like Brian said. What could a few months make to someone
who had grown up on the streets? Who was he to tell Todd how to live
his life. How would Todd react? That he had no doubt about. Badly.
He was prepared for that. He was still stung by how Todd just left.
Todd had promised to stay put till he got out of the shower. A man's
word was something Jared was brought up to believe in and uphold,
a way of life. Even in the world now as it was. He didn't really blame
Todd. The little rebel saw an opportunity and seized it. His own way
of life. Snapping out of it, he turned his attention to where they
were headed. Deep in the zone by the looks of it. The zone was like
something out of the old apocalyptic movies. People eking out a living
by any means, living in anything with a roof or lid. Anything and
anyone was for sale here. Some years ago the city tried to crack
down on this part of town. They shut off all power and water. Police
special force teams sent in to try to contain the population. It was
a nightmare and a brutal failure for the city. For months it was guerrilla
warfare down here. Made the riots of Watts and the late 80's L. A.
riots look like peaceful protests. Things had settled down now in
the last couple years. More commerce, mostly on the outer fringes
of the area, not so much the inner hub. It was there Jared and Deek
were going. It was left alone and forgotten by the police and the
government. Only thought of as political platform from time to time.
It was truly the underworld down there. The clubs and rave's down
here were well known to be wild and vicious. Alcohol, drugs, fights
and _s_e_x_ were the main attraction. Angry and desperate people cutting
loose, tended to be very violent and unpredictable. He sent a silent
prayer that they would find Todd tonight. In one piece. Jared wasn't
sure yet what he would do when they did find him. But the deeper they
drove into the zone the more convinced he would not leave him down
there. How could he...how could anyone. "Have'n doubts there, girlfriend?" Deek's
voice broke into his troubled thoughts. He let out a sigh. "Yeah,
Deek, I am. Man what am I doing? Who the hell am I to just kidnap
the kid? _d_a_m_n_, he's going to be an adult....at least in the eyes
of the law in a few months. I couldn't honestly tell you what brain
I'm thinking with. Look at this place, would ya. Kid or adult, how
do I just leave him in this?" Deek didn't answer right away. He
did feel for his friend. The guy had it bad for this kid. Jared came
off as a real tough guy, no two ways about that, he was when needs
be, but Jared had a heart to fit his build. It bled for any and all
strays. It was his driving force behind his company. While he didn't
understand the attraction aspect, being straight and all, he did understand
wanting to help someone out of here...especially a kid. Deek pulled
over to the curb. Turning in his seat he looked at Jared. "Jared,
I don't know what to tell you. I doubt the kid will be real cooperative.
Not as independent and slippery as he is. I understand why you have
doubts. I have the same ones. But I can understand why you want to
help him out. _s_h_i_t_, what if it were Mouse we were looking for?
That little street rat got under my skin 10 minutes after Meg brought
him in the building. If he had ran off I think I would have moved
the Rockies to find him. I know Meg would have. He was just a little
kid when we all met him but what if he wasn't. He'd still be Mouse.
What if Todd was 18 or hell 20 even? Would you still hunt him down.
Would you? " Jared's answer was out of his mouth before the question
was even processed in his brain. "_d_a_m_n_ straight I would." "Then
let's just find your boy. After that, it's up to you and the kid.
We'll play it by ear. Cool?" "Yeah....cool." Jared just leaned his
head back on the head rest as Deek pulled back out on the street.
Closing his eyes to block out the bleakness passing them by outside.
Deep, all too serious brown eyes haunted him. Right or wrong and
with any luck, Todd would be sleeping safely in the penthouse tonight.
More stories by Frost Spinner