[Author's note: This chapter was originally the second half of Part 5. Suggestions from several readers (thanks, guys!) led me to expand that chapter, so much so that it made sense to split it in two.
At the end of the previous chapter, our hero (Aaron Goodman) was feeling on top of the world. He and a young co-worker were celebrating his reprieve from punishment, bonding in an isolated meadow above the camp, when suddenly they discovered they weren't alone... ]
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The two boys looked at Bill and Allan in shock.
"Where did you come from?" Aaron asked unthinkingly.
"Nowhere in particular" Bill laughed. He looked at them and smiled. "You guys are hot. We got some great pictures."
"Why did you sneak up on us?" Buz said angrily, sitting up and reaching for his jeans. "You guys are _f_u_c_k_ing perverts!"
Bill stepped on Buz's jeans. "You don't need those."
"_f_u_c_k_ off!" Buz demanded. "Leave us alone!"
Bill shook his head and grinned. "You don't want us to do that. Not if you want what you were doing kept private."
"Why should anyone care?" Buz snorted. "What we're doing is our own business."
"Oh, they'll care" he smiled. "Get their clothes, Allan. Stow them in your backpack."
"What are you doing?" Aaron asked apprehensively. "You can't take those!"
"What do you want with us?" Buz asked, seeing Aaron's fear.
"Oh, lots of things. The money Aaron owes us, for one thing."
"I don't have the money" Aaron said guiltily.
"What does he owe you money for?" Buz asked.
"He bet us he wouldn't put out for us" Bill smiled. "He made it a challenge when we were out on the trail, trying to pretend he didn't want our pricks up his ass."
"So you figured that was an invitation to rape him?"
"Something like that. But he ended up wanting it. Isn't that right, kid?"
"Oh, sure" Aaron said bitterly.
"You're not going to deny it, are you? Or try to welsh on that bet? After all, you did put out for us."
"I can't pay it. I don't have enough money. Not for both of you, anyway."
"That's not smart. We're going to have to start charging you interest."
"Yeah, like a _f_u_c_k_ a night" Allan grinned.
Bill smiled. "I was thinking more of what he'd get on his ass."
"Oh, _f_u_c_k_ all that" Buz said scornfully. "You guys can't collect on a bet like that. No one would ever believe your claim."
"The kid won't deny it" Bill smiled. "He can't. We got some great pictures of him coming off while being _f_u_c_k_ed out there. Between those and what we got just now, nobody will ever believe he didn't want it."
"Is that right?" Buz asked Aaron. "They got some compromising pictures of you?"
"Yeah" Aaron sighed. "I expect so. They took a lot of pictures."
"The ones we got out on the trail are hot" Bill grinned. "They'll give anyone who sees them a hard-on."
"But they're not as good as seeing the two of you making out" Allan laughed. "The two of you together are really something."
"Yeah" Bill smiled. "We should apologize. We interrupted you."
"We were just playing around" Aaron said defiantly.
"Jesus! Now you're lying to us. I thought you told Darrell you were't going to do that any more."
"Oh, knock it off, Bill" Buz said impatiently. "So we were making out. So what?"
"Well, for one thing, you gave us some great pictures." He grinned at Aaron. "We'll put a souvenir package together for you and your dad."
"A souvenir package?"
"Yeah, a souvenir photo album. What do you think will turn him on most? The ones of you sucking Buz's prick or the ones showing you spurting cum from your hard-on when Allan _f_u_c_k_ed your ass? I bet it's the ones showing you getting your ass _f_u_c_k_ed. You were really turned on by that."
Aaron looked at him in horror.
"Don't look so shocked. You'd like your family to know how much you're enjoying life here, wouldn't you?"
"Don't pay any attention to him, Aaron" Buz said scornfully. "He's bluffing."
"You think so?" Bill laughed. "His dad is well-known. It won't be hard to find an address to send them to."
Aaron knew that was true. "Please don't do that!"
Bill smiled. "What will you do for us if we don't?"
"Anything!" Aaron whispered.
"You're a _f_u_c_k_ing prick" Buz said angrily.
"You mixed up the words" Bill sneered. "Our pricks are going to be _f_u_c_k_ing you."
"Oh, _f_u_c_k_ you! And _f_u_c_k_ your blackmail!"
"I don't think so." Bill was still smiling. "It works, doesn't it?"
Buz looked at Aaron. "Oh, it works, alright" he nodded bitterly. "I'll give you that."
"It's really just a matter of obedience, anyway" Bill sneered. "You'll both do whatever we tell you, won't you?" He smiled at Aaron again. "You certainly will, Aaron. Unless maybe you want us to punish you for disobedience again."
"No!" Aaron said in horror, too shocked to realize Bill was playing with him.
"You know what happens to your ass then, don't you? You don't just get punishment for that offence. You also get everything that was suspended this afternoon."
"Don't try to _f_u_c_k_ his mind like this" Buz said angrily. "You know you can't do that on your own."
"Why not? It's our duty." He looked at Aaron and smiled. "You don't really want to risk that, do you?"
Aaron shook his head fearfully. "I'll do what you want. I said I would."
Bill shaken his head. "Not good enough. It's got to be both of you. You get it on your ass unless Bill agrees too."
"What do you want us to do?" Buz asked bitterly.
"Oh, I think you know. You looked real good sucking each other. I'd like to get some more pictures of you kids _f_u_c_k_ing each other and being _f_u_c_k_ed."
"You can't do this!" Aaron whispered.
"No? I thought you said you'd obey us."
"Oh, don't fight it, Aaron" Buz said wearily. "He's got you trapped with the pictures he's already taken."
"But pictures of us _f_u_c_k_ing each other will be even worse!"
"They'll be hot, that's for sure" Bill grinned. "I know what you're like, kid. And I saw how hot you guys are for each other. You snuck up here to _f_u_c_k_ each other, didn't you?"
"Oh, _f_u_c_k_ you!" Buz cursed angrily.
"That's true, isn't it?"
"No! It's not true!"
"Well, it doesn't matter. You'll do what I want." He looked at Aaron and smiled thinly. "I know you will."
Aaron shook his head. "Not that" he whispered. "I can't."
Bill's smile got even fainter. "You want me to cut a switch for you? That should change your mind."
Aaron didn't reply.
Buz sighed. "There's no point getting your ass beaten again, Aaron. It won't make any difference in the end."
"That's right" Bill smiled. "Just do what we tell you, Aaron."
Bill made Aaron lie on his back over a nearby log and then got Buz to get down over him so they could suck each other hard. Then Bill got Buz to _f_u_c_k_ Aaron, while Allan took over sucking Aaron's prick.
It didn't take much to keep Aaron's prick hard, once Buz started _f_u_c_k_ing him. Buz tried to be gentle at first, but soon got lost in the euphoria of _f_u_c_k_ing Aaron's ass. Aaron, too, was excited. In spite of all their inhibitions, both boys were secretly turned on by the idea of having _s_e_x_ with each other, especially after what they had been doing when Bill and Allan appeared. Now that they were actually doing it, they quickly became obsessed.
"You guys are hot" Bill grinned. "Come take some pictures, Allan. Make sure you get both their faces when Buz comes."
Aaron and Buz were both inflamed now, Buz especially so. Buz lunged into Aaron's ass in abandon, holding down Aaron's legs as he _f_u_c_k_ed. Aaron bucked against Buz as he felt Buz's prick ramming up inside him, holding himself up on the log with his hands while his hard-on throbbed. Allan circled the two boys taking pictures as Buz climaxed.
"God!" Buz whispered afterwards. "God, that was good!"
He held himself above Aaron for a moment, looking down on him with a faint smile. "You're something else, Aaron."
Aaron returned to reality when Buz pulled out.
"Now it's your turn" Bill grinned. "Get up so Buz can get down for you."
Aaron shook his head. "I don't want to do it. I can't!"
"Sure you can" Bill laughed. "Lie with your chest on the log, Buz, so Aaron can _f_u_c_k_ you from behind. That way, Allan can _f_u_c_k_ Aaron while he _f_u_c_k_s you. That should make for some great pictures."
"No!" Aaron said, shaking his head stubbornly. "I won't do it. You're not taking pictures of me doing that!"
"Please, Aaron, don't be a fool" Buz pleaded. "Do it for me, okay? They'll just beat the _s_h_i_t_ out of us if you don't. We're in this too deep now to pull back."
"Okay" Aaron reluctantly agreed.
"Get his prick hard" Bill demanded.
It took a while for Buz to suck Aaron's prick hard. When it was, he got down on the log and opened up his ass for Aaron to push in.
It took a while for Aaron to become really excited. But once he started _f_u_c_k_ing Buz and felt his prick moving in Buz's ass, Aaron's natural instincts quickly became inflamed. Allan plunged into Aaron almost immediately he saw that happen.
The combination of Allan's prick lunging into his ass and his own prick being gripped by Buz's asshole was like nothing Aaron had ever felt or dreamed about. He came in a rush of excited cries, feeling Allan cumming inside him at the same time.
"Wow!" Aaron exclaimed breathlessly as they untangled. "That was _f_u_c_k_ing amazing!"
"You were hot, kid!" Bill grinned. "I just hope all the pictures I took turn out."
"Can we get dressed now?" Buz asked.
"Are you kidding?" Bill laughed. He'd put the camera away. "It's my turn to have fun. Both of you lie on your stomachs over the log while I go cut myself a switch. I want to see your asses move before deciding which one I'm going to _f_u_c_k_."
"Haven't you done enough?" Aaron begged.
"_s_h_i_t_, no!" Allan laughed. "Neither of us have."
"Do as he says, Aaron" Buz sighed. "It'll only be worse for us if you don't."
"I'll warm them up for you" Allan laughed, pulling the belt out of his jeans. "That okay?"
"No, hold off doing that until I'm back. If you want to do something useful, get a rope out of your backpack and tie them both down on the log."
"You can't do that!" Aaron said fearfully.
"You'd rather I sent the pictures to your dad?"
Aaron shook his head.
Bill grinned at Buz when he returned. "I think I should start with you, Buz. It's been a long time since I beat your ass. I think you've forgotten what it feels like."
Buz shook his head, holding his shoulders up off the ground. Allan had tied both of them to the log, winding ropes around their waists and cinching them to the log.
"Why him?" Aaron asked. "He's done nothing wrong."
"Oh, we'll do it to you too, kid, if that's what's worrying you. But first I want to ask your buddy here a few questions." He looked at Buz. "You had a long chat with Darrell and Rod this afternoon. I gather it was partly about Allan and me."
"I don't know what you mean" Buz said apprehensively.
"Oh, I think you do. Pete told us a little about what Rod said to him afterwards. Just enough to make us want to query you about it."
"I didn't say anything significant" Buz shrugged. "I just wanted to express concern about how much Aaron was getting."
"You really are sweet on each other" Allan grinned.
Buz looked at him in disgust. "I guess we like and respect each other, if that's what you mean. That's more than I can say about you."
"That's okay" Allan laughed. "I don't care about what you say or feel. I just want to _f_u_c_k_ your ass."
"You were pretty persuasive" Bill continued. "You got them to call off the punishment. Got him reassigned to work with Rod and Pete, too. What did you tell them about us?"
Buz shrugged. "As it happened, I didn't need to tell them anything. They'd already decided all that."
"I think you're lying. And you know what you get for that."
He reached back and swung, slashing the switch down on Buz's ass. Buz flinched, but took it without a sound.
"Oh, the strong silent type" Bill grinned. "Well, you know what they get."
He slashed into Buz again, this time down onto the underside of his buttocks. Buz grunted in obvious pain.
Bill beat Buz mercilessly, slashing blow after blow across his buttocks as he shouted questions. Buz mostly didn't answer, clenching his fists to control himself.
After a dozen blows with no response from Buz, Bill became angry. He changed position and started slashing blows down between Buz's legs, slashing into the underside of Buz's buttocks and insides of his thighs. Buz broke down under the onslaught, shrieking and sobbing from the pain.
"Answer me, you _f_u_c_k_ing liar!" Bill kept yelling. "Tell us what you told them!"
Buz kept pleading that there was nothing more he could say. By the time Bill finally stopped in frustration, Buz was sobbing in raucous agony.
"Maybe you should give it to the kid" Allan suggested. "Maybe he knows what happened."
"He doesn't know anything" Bill said. "_f_u_c_k_! Let's just give it to both of them and then _f_u_c_k_ them!"
The two cowboys started alternating between the two targets, Bill beating with the switch, Allan with his belt. They lit into the boys with more and more excitement until Bill finally dropped down on Aaron's ass. Allan raped Buz at the same time.
After they'd climaxed, Bill and Allan climbed off and cracked jokes, laughing at the boys' sobs. Then they left, taking the boys' jeans and T-shirts with them.
"We'll leave these by the lake" Allan laughed. "Maybe you can put on a show for the other guys in camp."
"Oh, thanks" Buz said bitterly.
Aaron was sobbing too raucously to say anything.
The two boys finally pulled themselves up, pulled on their boots, and stumbled back towards the camp, stopping when they came to where they could see the camp.
Aaron looked at Buz. "We can't go in now. The others will see us."
Buz nodded. "We'll wait until it's dark." He looked at Aaron in concern. "You okay?"
"No, I'm not okay" Aaron said miserably.
"I'm sorry" Buz sighed. "I shouldn't have brought you here."
"How could you know this would happen?" Aaron shrugged. He looked at Buz guiltily. "I shouldn't complain. You were the one that got beaten the worst. Bill really had it in for you."
"Yeah" Buz sighed. "He will again, too. He's sure I squealed on him."
"Did you?"
"Yeah, I did." He laughed harshly. "Not that it did much good."
They waited without speaking as the sun slowly descended. It was almost down behind the mountains now.
"I'm an idiot" Buz suddenly said. "I'm going down now."
"But it's still light" Aaron said in surprise.
"We should both go down and find Darrell. We've got their cum inside us: Bill's in yours and Allan's in mine. That gives us all the medical evidence we need to accuse them of rape."
Aaron looked at him in horror. "You want to let everybody know what happened?"
"_f_u_c_k_ing right! This is our opportunity to nail the bastards. The DNA will provide all the proof we need that they raped us."
"But that'll prove we _f_u_c_k_ed each other, too!"
"So what? Why should that matter?"
"Are you _f_u_c_k_ing naive? How can you prove that we're not gay, that we didn't entice them up there because we wanted them to _f_u_c_k_ us? All the DNA evidence would show is that we give our ass to everybody."
"Oh, _f_u_c_k_!" Buz said angrily. "Don't you want to nail them?"
"Not if we nail ourselves. I won't do it, Buz. It'd be _f_u_c_k_ing stupid."
"All right, I'll do it alone."
"Oh, yeah" Aaron said bitterly. "And brand me as a pervert. Thanks a lot."
Buz looked at him angrily. "I'm trying to help you, too, Aaron."
"Okay, then get smart. Whose cum is in your ass? Is Bill's?"
"No" Buz said unhappily. "Just yours and Allan's. I guess you're right. There's not much point doing it if you don't come too."
"I won't. Have you any idea what a smart defence lawyer for Bill could do to us with that kind of evidence? Bill would never be convicted. And we'd be tarred for life." He looked at Buz scornfully. "No, thanks. I'd like to see the bastards in prison, too. But there's no sense shooting blanks. Or, worse still, shooting blanks at them and real bullets at ourselves."
Buz sighed. "I guess they were cleverer than I thought."
"No. We were dumber."
"I'm sorry, Aaron. I shouldn't have suggested we come up here. I let my prick be my guide instead of my mind."
"Oh, it's not your fault. We both made the same mistake."
"Maybe so." He looked at Aaron bitterly. "I guess we won't do that again, will we?"
Aaron laughed curtly. "Not with them around, that's for sure."
"Would you ever do it again if they weren't?"
Aaron looked at him with a wan smile. "You're not Bill, Buz. And I can tell the difference." He looked out at the setting sun. "It'll be dark in an hour. Think we can find our way down in the dark?"
"There'll be enough light" Buz shrugged. "We can get closer while it's still dusk." He looked at Aaron. "Sorry, kid. This was a real _f_u_c_k_-up."
Aaron put his hand on Buz's shoulder. "It's not the end of the world" he smiled ruefully. "Isn't that what you told me this afternoon?"
They crept down at dusk, waited until it was dark, and managed to sneak to the lake without being seen. They found their clothes and pulled them on.
"Where the hell have you been?" someone asked quietly in the dark.
"Who's that?" Buz whispered.
"It's me, Darrell." He came out from the shadow of some nearby trees.
"_s_h_i_t_!" Aaron said in embarrassment.
"I saw Bill and Aaron come back and leave your stuff here. They claimed they'd found them on the trail, said they hadn't seen you. I've been waiting for you, worrying about what happened."
"Nice of them to bring them back" Buz said sarcastically.
"Yeah" Darrell nodded. "They said they brought them back as a joke, to make you walk in here stark naked."
"They got a real laugh out of that" Buz laughed bitterly.
Darrell smiled. "So what actually happened?"
Buz looked at Aaron. "You tell him."
Aaron shrugged. "They caught us in a compromising position, up there above the ridge."
"I figured it was something like that" Darrell said grimly. "What'd they do to you?"
Aaron shrugged again. "Usual stuff. They beat our asses and...." His voice trailed off.
"What else?"
Aaron squirmed in embarrassment. "I'd rather not say, Sir."
"Buz?"
"They made us do a lot of other things, Sir, things we'd rather not talk about."
Darrell looked at them in the darkness, wondering how far to push them. "You want to lay a charge against them?"
"I don't think so, Sir. Aaron and I have talked about it. We don't think we could make it stick, Sir. Not without a lot of personal embarrassment. And probably not even then."
"Is that so, Aaron?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron said bitterly. "They trapped us, Sir. We were stupid not to be more careful."
"I won't argue with that" Darrell smiled grimly. "How badly did they beat you?"
"They beat Buz real bad, Sir."
"Why Buz?" Darrell asked in surprise.
"They tried to make him say what he'd said to you this afternoon. They seemed sure he'd squealed on them in some way."
"Oh yeah? What did you tell them, Buz?"
"Just that the decisions you made were your own, Sir. I think they finally accepted that."
"You think so, Aaron?"
"I don't think so, Sir. Bill was pretty frustrated when he stopped beating Buz. I don't think he believed Buz."
"He beat you too?"
"Yes Sir. After he stopped questioning Buz with the switch, he and Allan beat both of us and then...."
"Dropped down on you?" Darrell probed.
"Yes, Sir."
"They assaulted you, did they?"
Aaron didn't say anything.
"I can't do anything to help you if you don't tell me" Darrell said gently. "Did they rape both of you?"
"I don't want to talk about it, Sir. I'm sorry, Sir. I don't think you could do anything even if we did tell you more."
"Okay" Darrell sighed. "Talk to me any time you change your mind. You too, Buz."
"Yes Sir. Is everybody else in the bunkhouse?"
"Yeah, most are probably asleep. They all think you guys snuck off somewhere to make out."
"I guess they were right" Buz shrugged in embarrassment.
"Go get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
Aaron and Buz crept into the bunkhouse without waking anybody.
[Day 9]
When Bill saw Aaron and Buz the following morning, he was talking to Buck and Pete. He smirked at the two boys in undisguised glee.
"You guys will never guess what I found these two doing last night."
Buck smiled. "Something tells me you're going to tell us."
"You remember how they came onto each other at dinner? Well, Allan and I were walking around after, up there on the ridge. We came across them _f_u_c_k_ing each other. Boy, were they hot!"
Aaron blushed as Buck and Pete looked at them.
"Oh, don't pay any attention to him" Buz said impatiently. "He's always peddling this kind of _s_h_i_t_."
"Aaron's blushing" Pete grinned. "Must be something in it."
"Oh, let him be, Pete" Buck smiled. "I'm no fan of peeping Toms. If he and Buz want to get it on, that's their business."
"You're right" Pete nodded. "I've got to get things organized, anyway." He looked at Aaron and Buz. "So do you. Rod wants us to be off in an hour."
"I've got work to do, too" Bill said curtly.
He turned to walk away. "Just remember, you owe me, kid. I'll expect that money soon. You know what interest you're giving us in the meantime."
"What was that about?" Pete asked.
"_f_u_c_k_ed if I know" Buz shrugged. He looked at Aaron and grinned.
Aaron didn't grin back. He remembered only too well what Bill and Allan had meant by 'interest'.
Just then, Darrell appeared with Rod.
"Good!" Darrell grinned. "All four of you are here. We got to talk about how you can work off that overhanging punishment, Aaron."
"How do you mean 'work off'?" Aaron asked warily.
"You don't want that hanging over your head indefinitely, do you? You remember what I said? One misstep and you get it all? You remember what it is? Another hundred and twenty blows?"
"Oh, yeah, I remember" Aaron nodded, thinking of the leverage that gave Bill. "Believe me, I do."
"Okay, this is what you can do. While you're out with Rod and Pete, you can work it off one-for-two by taking it in small doses. Each time you take fifteen or twenty of the strap, you take twice that off the remaining total. That's only for the strap, mind you. The punishment for lying to us remains as we left it."
Aaron looked at him in shock. "You expect me to voluntarily do that?"
"You don't have to" Darrell shrugged. "Depends on how much you want to risk getting it all at once."
"It's a good deal, Aaron" Buz told him. "Three sets of twenty is all it takes to wipe the slate clean."
"Or four sets of fifteen. You don't need to decide now" Darrell added.
"One strapping a day will do it" Rod smiled.
"One a day" Aaron repeated, shaking his head in dismay. "Jesus!"
"How about if I take some of the batches for him?" Buz asked Darrell. "He did me that favor when you beat the two of us, remember?"
"Yeah, I do remember" Darrell nodded. "You sure you want to do that? You're pretty badly battered, aren't you?"
Buz shrugged. "I can manage, Sir."
"How much do you want to take?"
"How about I take half? That'll make it two batches of fifteen for each of us."
Buz saw Darrell shake his head. "It's only fair, Darrell. I was supposed to be responsible for his training, after all."
"Well, that's true" Darrell nodded. "Okay, you can do that, but only if Rod thinks your ass is okay to handle it. And also only if Aaron matches you each time."
"Sure" Buz nodded. He looked at Aaron. "First batch tonight? That'll cut the total overhang in half."
Aaron nodded reluctantly. "Okay."
"Fine" Rod smiled. "We'll do that after we set up camp. Buck told you when we're leaving?"
"An hour from now?" Buz confirmed.
"Yeah. Be here then on your horses. Give Pete a hand with the packs first, Buz."
"Come see me after you've done that, Buz" Darrell ordered.
Pete looked at Buz with respect as they went to organize the packs. "That was a class act, Buz."
"I was afraid he wouldn't go for it."
"I think you're right. You made him do the right thing."
"Maybe. Anyway, what I said to Darrell is true. I do owe him for what he did last week. He took punishment for me even though it was almost his first time. That was a lot more of a class act."
Pete smiled. "You really like him, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. He's a good kid."
"A little overwhelmed by all the punishment he's got."
"You don't know the half of it."
"Bill?"
"Yeah."
"Was any of what he said true? Aaron blushed when he talked about it."
"Yeah, I know. The kid must have led a really sheltered life. He's so naive, you wouldn't believe it."
"What happened?"
"Oh, Bill and Allan trailed us, made us get down over a log, and then beat us and raped us. They made us _f_u_c_k_ each other, too, while they took pictures. I think the pictures are for blackmail."
"Seriously? He did all that? Couldn't you get away or resist?"
Buz shook his head. "They'd already taken some pictures of Aaron that were pretty compromising. Pictures of the two of us doing it, too, before we realized they were there. Bill threatened to send the pictures to Aaron's father if we didn't do what they wanted."
"Bill is even more of a _s_h_i_t_ than I thought. Did you see the way he smirked when he talked about that 'discovery' this morning?"
"Oh, for sure. He's a _f_u_c_k_ing pervert."
"What are you doing about the pictures?"
"I don't know. If I knew where Bill kept it, I'd steal his camera and expose the film."
Pete smiled grimly. "And if you're caught?"
"That's a risk" Buz shrugged. "Kind of moot, though. I've done a quick run through his cabin without finding it."
"What about Allan's stuff. Did you check through that?"
"You know, I didn't. That was stupid, wasn't it?"
"It doesn't matter. We've got some time. They can't do anything with the film as long as they're here. I'll talk to Rod about it. Maybe he'll have an idea."
"That'd be great. Thanks."
"Oh, no problem. We'd better get these packs done."
An hour later, all four cowboys were on their horses, about to leave.
"You got maps the kid can study?" Darrell asked at the last moment. "Hold on, I'll get a set."
He went into his cabin and brought back several maps, sealed in a plastic envelope. "Here, kid. Put these in your saddle bag. Buz can teach you how to read them, trace out your route."
"Thanks" Aaron grinned. "I'll learn it all."
"He probably will" Buz laughed.
"Let's go" Rod smiled. "See you in four days, Darrell."
The four of them rode out. Riding was painful for both Aaron and Bill, for Bill especially so. Fortunately, it was an easy trail the first day.
They stopped early that first afternoon. When they'd taken care of the horses, Rod told the two boys to strip. They'd stopped at a campsite set up for guests, with picnic tables and fire pits, so Rod told the boys to get over opposite ends of the table and hold on.
Rod gave Aaron a beating first, slashing into him hard with the strap used on the previous day. Surprisingly, Aaron found the strap easier to take than before. Rod hit hard, and each blow hurt like hell, but somehow the pain wasn't as bad. More important, fifteen blows didn't seem like all that much after what he'd received the day before.
When Rod went to beat Buz, he looked at Buz's ass and stopped.
"Those bastards really gave it to you."
"It was pretty bad" Buz nodded. "Bill gave me a lot."
"Your ass is still raw. I'm not going to give you any of the strap, not before that ass heals up a bit." He looked at Aaron. "Did you know Buz's ass was beaten this badly, when you let him offer to take some of what's coming to you?"
"No." Aaron shook his head. "I haven't seen it."
"You'd better take a look at it. There's no way he can take part of what's coming to you."
Aaron got up off the table and looked. "_s_h_i_t_!" he said in surprise. "I knew they'd given him a lot, but I didn't think it was this bad." He looked back at Rod. "You're right."
"So what do you want to do about it?" Rod shrugged.
"I don't know" Aaron shrugged. "I guess you'd better give me what you were going to give him."
"No!" Buz protested. "I can take it better than the kid can, Rod."
Rod shook his head. "I don't think so." He looked at Aaron. "The kid doesn't think so either. Right?"
"Right" Aaron grimaced, getting back down on the table. "Give it to me now, Rod, while I still have the nerve to take it."
Rod did. The second fifteen were a lot worse, but Aaron somehow managed to take them without too many shrieks of pain. The fact that he knew it was only fifteen helped a lot. He'd become used to getting a lot more.
[Day 12]
The next three days passed quickly. There wasn't much work to do on the trip, so Rod and Pete both had time to teach Aaron a lot of things Buz hadn't told him. Buz learned things too, especially about how the ranch business worked. Rod knew a lot about that, and Aaron asked the right questions. Aaron also studied the map at every opportunity, memorizing trail routes and key view markers as they rode.
Rod stopped early on the third day to administer the second set of prearranged strappings. This time, Buz took one of them. Rod was almost fatherly afterwards, giving Aaron and Buz hugs and congratulating them for taking it so well.
"That's it for you" he grinned at Aaron. "No more overhang!"
Aaron found it hard to believe. He looked at Buz and grinned. "Isn't that fantastic?"
"You want to celebrate again?" Buz laughed. "I know the nicest isolated meadow near here...."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way!" Aaron laughed, punching him on his shoulder. "Never again!"
"Hey, it's perfectly safe."
"Yeah, you said that last time." He suddenly became serious. "I can't help feeling afraid they'll show up here suddenly."
"Bill and Allan?" Rod asked.
"Yeah. I still get nightmares about what they'll do to me."
"No chance. Not here, anyway. But we need to talk about what to do about them. We'll do that now."
Rod got Pete to to sit down with them so they could talk about the problem posed by Bill. To Aaron's surprise, Rod knew almost everything that had happened. Darrell had of course told him what he'd learned from talking to the two boys. Buz and Pete had also both talked to him extensively.
"These two guys have convinced me that Bill has to go" Rod told Aaron. "But we'll have to convince Darrell and Mr Haempel. The ranch can't just fire him without cause. Are you willing to testify against him if he sues the ranch for wrongful dismissal? Buz will if you will."
"I said I wouldn't unless you will" Buz explained.
"I don't know" Aaron shrugged. "What can we say without compromising ourselves?"
"You mean without opening up yourselves to questions about your own _s_e_x_ual orientation and activities?"
"Yes."
"You could testify he beat you unreasonably."
"Sure" Aaron nodded. "Would that be enough?"
"I don't know" Rod shrugged. "Darrell took pictures of what they did to Buz's ass before we left camp, so your testimony would back up that photo evidence. The decision will be Mr Haempel's. And of course Mr Ames. It gives them something to work with."
"What if they decide not to do anything?" Aaron asked.
"How do you mean?"
"I'm afraid of what they may do to Buz and me. They'll do that again."
"Beat you and rape you, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"I'm concerned about the pictures he took, too" Buz stated. "He could use those to blackmail us."
"You and Aaron, you mean." Rod sighed. "That's a problem."
"Would they provide evidence against Bill?" Pete asked.
"I doubt it" Buz shrugged. "He was pretty careful to stay out of all the pictures. Allan's in some of them, but not Bill."
"I think Allan took some of him beating me out on the trail" Aaron volunteered. "Maybe he took some of Bill _f_u_c_k_ing me too. Bill was so wrapped up in what he was doing that he might not have noticed he was being compromised."
"Really?" Rod said in surprise. "You think he was dumb enough to let that happen?"
"It's a long shot, but it's possible. I remember him telling Allan to make sure no faces were in the photos. Somehow I doubt that Allan was that careful."
"Allan's the last person I'd rely on to be careful" Pete said contemptuously.
"Interesting" Rod nodded. "Allan may be the weak link. Did Bill take some of Allan _f_u_c_k_ing you out there when you were alone with them?"
"Yeah" Aaron nodded. "I'm pretty sure he did."
"Even if Bill's not in any of them, we could use pictures of Allan to blackmail him into testifying against Bill. That's if we could get them, of course. We've got to find some way of getting that film."
Rod thought for a moment. "I have an idea. I don't want to talk about it until we get back and I talk to Darrell. In the meantime, let's stop talking about this. You and Buz stay clear of Bill when we get back, Aaron. After what happened, you've got the perfect excuse to stay away from him, so use it to avoid contact. Same goes for you, Pete. Avoid him as much as possible."
[Day 13]
When they got back to the base camp, Mr Haempel was there. He'd ridden up the day before with two new summer workers. They were both local kids studying at B. C. universities.
Aaron didn't see him for a while. He and Buz had plenty to do getting the horses unsaddled and fed. When they were done, they reported to Darrell for more assignments. Mr Haempel was with him.
"I hear good things about you from Darrell and Rod" he told Aaron. "You're turning out even better than I expected."
"Thanks, Sir. Buz has helped me a lot."
"That's good. Congratulations, Buz."
Buz smiled. "Thanks, Sir, but he's the one who should get credit. He learns fast, Sir."
"Even better. How do you find the job now, Aaron?"
Aaron grinned. "It's fine, Sir. Actually, it's starting to be really great!"
Much to Aaron's surprise, the beatings he'd received on the trip had provided a huge boost in his morale. Maybe it was just the fact that they were over. Or maybe that they hadn't proved as painful as he'd expected. Whatever the reason, his self-confidence had soared.
There was of course just one problem: Bill. He didn't know how much Haempel had been told about it and didn't know whether he should ask. Bill and Allan were still out on the task to which they'd been assigned. But he knew that Bill would not let up on them once he'd returned to the camp.
"There's just one problem, Sir" he said to Mr Haempel. He looked at Darrell questioningly, but Darrell remained poker-faced. "I believe that's it's being dealt with. At least, I hope it is."
"I'm aware of that" Mr Haempel nodded. "I presume you're referring to our personnel problem."
"Yes Sir."
"This isn't an appropriate time to talk about it. We'll do that later. In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you and Buz would help the two student workers settle in."
"And train them" Darrell added.
"Sure, of course" Aaron nodded.
"I think it would be wise if all four of you stayed together. That'll be the fastest way of bringing them up to speed." He smiled. "Maybe you can help them learn things a faster and easier than you did, Aaron."
Aaron laughed. "I hope so, Sir. I sure wouldn't wish my training regime on anybody else."
"It seems to have been unusually severe" he nodded. "Especially given the problem you referred to, which we will cure."
He looked at Aaron with respect. "From all I hear, Aaron, you've come through all this with honor. You too, Buz. I'm very impressed by what I've heard about what both of you have done for each other. You both have even more potential than I anticipated."
"Thank you, Sir" Aaron said in surprise.
"Does that mean I can ask for a salary increase?" Buz grinned.
"You can ask" Mr Haempel grinned. "Just don't expect an answer. Not before I talk about it with Mr Ames, anyway."
"Seriously? You'll recommend one?"
"Yes, I will. You keep outperforming my expectations, Buz. You deserve recognition for that."
"No kidding!" Buz grinned. "Wow!"
"Hey, don't count on anything" Mr Haempel smiled. "I just said I'd talk about it with Mr Ames. He may not accept my recommendation."
"Oh, I'm sure he will, Sir. That's fantastic! Thank you, Sir!"
"Thank me if it happens, Buz."
"I thank you anyway! Thank you, Sir! That's really great!"
"Okay, okay!" Mr Haempel grinned. "Enough! Go find those students."
"Yes Sir!" they both chorused.
"Oh, I almost forgot" he suddenly remembered. "Aaron, I have a letter for you." He took a letter out of his case and passed it to Aaron. "It's from your father."
Aaron took the letter. "Thank you."
Aaron excused himself after they left and found a quiet place to read the letter.
"Dear Aaron,
"If you get this letter, you should by now have been working at the ranch for a number of days. From what I was told about how the ranch works, the first few days may have come as an unwelcome surprise. The fact that you're getting this letter means you've survived that, however it turned out. So congratulations on doing that!
"I asked Mr Ames to keep this letter until you'd stayed on the job for at least a week and not to forward it to you if you did decide to quit. I would perfectly understand your decision if you did quit, rather than submit to ranch discipline. If in the future you decide to do so, please know I will understand and respect your decision. If you need help of any kind, financial or otherwise, you know you need only call me.
"As you may or may not know, Mr Ames apprised me before you arrived of the nature and potential severity of ranch discipline. I have no idea what you've experienced since arriving and so do not know whether it has in fact proved severe, but if it did and you're still there, you have my admiration and respect. I did not talk to you about it beforehand because I did not want to influence your choices.
"I know you fiercely desire to be independent and respect that. You are a grown-up man now, son, and your desire for independence is admirable. I know you are determined to make your own way without depending on me --your present job is hard evidence of that-- and I want you to know I respect that.
"I also want you to know that I think even more highly of you for turning down my offer to work in my firm. While your current choice of graduate studies and career is certainly not what I had in mind for you, I have to --and do-- respect your determination to do what you believe in. Your mother and I are both very proud of you.
"Needless to say, if you at any time change your mind and want to join me in the firm, I would feel both honored and delighted. But I have nothing but respect for your decision to go your own way. Your life and what you do with it is far too precious to tie to the apron strings (if that's the right simile) of an over-doting father.
"If you have a chance to write, your mother and I would love to hear from you. I hope you're having some fun as well as working and learning on the job. I hope also that the work is interesting and a useful experience. My guess is that it will certainly be the latter.
"All the best from... your Dad.
"PS: Your Mom joins me in sending our love. She says she misses you. We both do."
Aaron smiled wanly to himself as he put the letter away in his pocket, imagining the kind of letter he could write. Yes, Dad, I have survived. But not by much. The experience has indeed been severe. I've been beaten and _s_e_x_ually assaulted and...
He put his head down on his knees and sobbed, thinking of everything that had happened. He'd been on the verge of telling Mr Haempel that he'd quit if Bill was kept on, but had held back at the last minute when the foreman had said they were dealing with the problem. He'd learned enough about how the ranch hierarchy worked to know that any intervention by him could easily backfire if it wasn't asked for.
He didn't want to leave. The job was great in many respects. And he really did need the pay. But he had no idea what if anything Darrell and Mr Haempel could or would do about Bill and Allan.
He didn't see how he could stay if Bill did. He couldn't take more of what he'd received from Bill and Allan. It wasn't so much the beatings. They hurt, but the hurt wasn't permanent. It wasn't even being raped. What scared him was what they'd forced him to do with Buz. They were _f_u_c_k_ing with his mind....
Buz found him there some minutes later, still bent down in misery.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Bad news from home?"
"No, it's just me" Aaron sighed. He looked at Buz. "Oh hell, you might as well read it." He handed Buz the letter.
Buz took the letter and read it. "Your father's a good man" he said in surprise. "I thought you were estranged from him."
Aaron smiled ruefully. "No, we just differ about what I should do. And now he's caught me again."
"How do you mean?"
"Oh, look at what he says. All that 'admiration and respect' stuff. How can I quit this job now?"
"Do you want to?" Buz asked in surprise.
"I don't know. I may have to if Bill stays on."
"Oh, that" Buz nodded. He looked around. "We shouldn't talk about that."
"I know" Aaron said moodily.
"You might as well know. If you quit, I'll quit too."
Aaron looked at him in surprise. "You're kidding!"
"No, I'm not. For lots of reasons."
"What would you do?"
"Look for another job" he shrugged. "Maybe it wouldn't be as good, but if that's the breaks, that's what they are. What would you do?"
"I haven't a clue."
"Well, I'll just say my usual refrain to you, Aaron, about not jumping too quickly. Let's stick together. Okay?"
"Okay!" Aaron grinned. "Let's go find those students."
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EPILOGUE
The ranch did fire Bill and Allan, doing so without warning when Bill and Allan rode back into the camp. Mr Haempel made it very clear to both of them that the ranch would press charges against them if they tried to contest their dismissal or tried to get back at Aaron and Buz in any way. Bill and Allan left vowing vengeance on the two boys.
Aaron was very afraid of what they might do. But, to his surprise, nothing happened, at least not in the weeks after Bill and Allan left. Bill and Allan had been escorted from the camp immediately after being fired. They left without their possessions, which were carefully searched before being turned over to them later at the ranch. Nobody found the film containing the compromising pictures the two cowboys had taken.
As time went by, Aaron came to like ranch life more and more. He was careful to do what was expected of him, neither requiring nor receiving additional punishment again from Darrell. By the time he'd spent another month at the camp, he was confident that he never would. He grew more and more relaxed as time went by, more and more confident that everything that had happened was behind him.
Whether his confidence was justified is another story.
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[That's it for now, guys. If you have ideas or suggestions for future stories (whether or not about Aaron), please send them to me by emailing Jim_piston@hotmail. com. Comments always welcome!]
[If you're interested, some coauthored stories are listed under "Nathan and Jim" in the author index.]
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