 
## ACE

## ipam

Smashwords Edition Copyright 2020 Pamela Joan Barlow Smashwords Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
**Cast of** **Characters:**

Buck, commander, Coast Guard, friend of Ace

Jewel Gem Smith, alive, 15 years old, daughter of Shotgun & Mary Ann

Mary Ann Smith, husband of Shotgun & sister of Ace

Mary Ann Smith, husband of Flash & sister of Shotgun

Opal Onyx Smith, dead, 23 years old, daughter of Flash & Mary Ann

Ruby Jade Smith, dead, 20 years old, daughter of Flash & Mary Ann

Pearl Azul Smith, dead, 19 years old, daughter of Flash & Mary Ann

Samuel "Ace" Attila Smith, the fourth, military judge, brother of Mary Ann

Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith, husband of Mary Ann, sister of Shotgun

Samuel "Shotgun" Winchester Smith, husband of Mary Ann, sister of Ace

Samuel "Junior" Winchester Smith, Junior, physician, son of Shotgun & Mary Ann

Samuel "Trey" Winchester Smith, III, lawyer, son of Shotgun & Mary Ann

Samuel "Quad" Winchester Smith, IV, banker, son of Shotgun & Mary Ann

Slick, commander, Coast Guard, friend of Ace

Samuel Attila Smith, Junior, grandfather of Ace
Present day and time and place

Friday, February 9th

Hot temperatures with bright sunlight and parted clouds

Interstate 10 location

City of Midway, within US State of Florida

Interior sedan setting

03:03 pm

The automobile trip had led to Cartoon Theme World, outside of Orlando, within the US State of Florida. The four young females wanted to drive, not fly. The car trip would be fun, daring and adventuresome.

Gem was a fifteen-year-old sophomore high schooler, at Saint Joseph's Preparatory Academy, which was located in the beach town of Mobile, within the U.S. State of Alabama. The girls were on vacation from their academic institution during the upcoming local Mardi Gras event, within their hometown. Gem was traveling with her three family cousins, who were more like three sisters.

Opal was twenty-three years old. Pearl was twenty-one years old and Ruby was twenty years old. The three girls had grown up together, attending the family alma mater prep school and pledged into the Tri Delta sorority.

Aunt MaryAnn was the owner of the luxury vehicle, a four door, eight-passenger luxury sport utility that was equipped with a standard four-hundred horsepower engine. The fuel tank achieved twelve miles-per-hour inside the city and nineteen miles-per-hour on the highway.

Gem had read the car's manual, mostly out of boredom. until Opal had pulled over and then stopped the vehicle for gasoline, a set of bathroom potty breaks, and some hot food snacks.

Everyone was tired, sunburned, and cranky from the fun trip to the Cartoon Theme World. So, Opal didn't want to drive anymore. She had done her turn.

Pearl was asleep, stretching out her long body inside the rear seat. Ruby was listening to music on her mobile telephone sitting beside Opal behind the driver's captain's chair. All the suitcases were piled high in the front seat.

Opal was the boss and decided that Gem was left with the driving duty for the afternoon.

Gem moved down then slid inside the gigantic driver's seat on an unfamiliar vehicle and really was feeling nervous about driving on the bigger and busier _Interstate 10_ roadway while heading in a western direction back home towards the beach city of Mobile.

Opal could tell Gem was nervous and assured the young teenager that she only needed fifty minutes, which was less an hour, to rest and then Opal would take over driving the rest of the way back home.

Gem agreed with a deep sigh of worry then cranked the powerful engine of the huge vehicle.

Gem was the owner of a tiny sports car, which was small, low, and light. The new sports car had two doors and only fit two people in a comfortable sitting position, inside her convertible sports car of light blue hue with a black tinted cloth top. The car is equipped with a standard horsepower engine that achieves twenty-two miles-per-gallon in the city and twenty-seven miles-per-gallon on the highway, without a five-speed manual transmission.

Gem wanted to learn everything about her new sports car, so she could pass her real driving test in the month of January of the new year. Her dad wanted Gem to get a manual stick on the sports car, but her mom disagreed as Gem was only fifteen years old. She possessed a learner's permit and drove around with her mom inside her small vehicle on the short narrow city streets of Mobile.

The feel, taste, smell, taste, vibration, and weight were all different on the heavy SUV vehicle from her tiny sports car. The driving conditions good sunlight, at high noon, on a clear day within the U.S. State of Florida. Gem was 14.25 miles west of Tallahassee, which was the state capital of Florida, steering ahead on _Interstate 10_ roadway and passing the small town of Midway.

The city of Midway houses a population of over one thousand citizens, within the Gadsden County, where a person can fish, hunt, and golf, as told by the cute male teenager at the local gasoline station. Small town of Midway houses a post office, a fire station, and a city hall along with a new Dee Dee's Hamburger fast food place, where the girls had collected and then woofed down a set of hamburgers, fries and sodas.

Currently on Interstate 10 roadway, driver Gem saw the red tinted pickup truck and then a bigger dark blue tinted semi-tractor trailer merging with the flowing traffic. She automatically shifted inside the left lane avoiding the slow-moving traffic while practicing the proper driving skills that she had learned in her high school driving class. She didn't like driving with the big rig trucks. The vehicles were scary and caused the heavy SUV vehicle to sway back and forth coming from the accelerating traffic wind gusts. Gem was driving the maximum speed limit of 65 miles-per-hour happily passing the two moving transports within the left lane.

The pickup truck merged first onto the interstate then sped within the right-hand lane. Then the big rig truck followed behind the tiny pickup truck by twenty feet. Without warning, the red pickup truck locked its brakes starting to stop on top of the interstate while shimmering its body towards the right side of the dirt and sand covered roadway shoulder, trying for an emergency stop. The big rig truck driver reacted and then quickly shifted towards the left side moving horizontally into Gem's left-hand lane.

Gem plowed the front bumper on her car into the rear bumper on the big rig, creating a tail spin motion with her car on top of the Interstate highway. The car's airbag imploded instantly trapping her body and blinding her two eyeballs behind the tan colored thick cloth, in front of steering wheel on her car.

The big rig rapidly applied its brakes from an out of control vehicle performing a jack-knife maneuver and cuddled one side of the traveling SUV. The forward motion on the traveling big rig locked its four squealing tires as the body of the big rig hit then sliced into the SUV exterior metal doors right behind the front row captain chairs. The angle of the big rig posed like a sharp steak knife cutting neatly the metal on the rooftop, the floor, the car's axle and suspension system like warm butter on a stick, carving, crashing, and colliding with human blood and flesh enveloping into the heated hard metal components while piercing high-pitched sounds in the hot air. Opal, Pearl and Ruby were swiftly gobbled up like a tray of squared ice cubes inside a kitchen mixer blender.

The big rig semi-tractor with the twisted SUV vehicle soared ahead low and fast across the flat, grassy media strip on _Interstate 10_. The interstate roadway exhibited a western lane of flat roadway heading towards the cities of Pensacola and Mobile, made of flat gray tinted asphalt. The eastern lane in the same solid gray pavement led back towards the smaller towns and capital city of Tallahassee, and the seaport city of Jacksonville without the U.S. State of Florida.

The big rig continued to roll ahead and roared with metal pain, loud sounds, and a fast pace through the flat grassy media, over the eastern two lanes on _Interstate 10_ and then down into a slanted dirt ditch, finally resting into a stop twenty feet into the Florida pine trees and was located south from the other half of the SUV's cab.

On top of the flat, grassy media strip, inside the other part of the SUV car, in the driver's seat, Gem opened both of her two eyelashes, smashing down the hard, rough clothed air bag inside the cockpit. The passenger air bag was slowly deflating dropping down into her lap, on the floor, over her two legs. Her head, back and shoulders were pinned straight back against the head rest. Her open mouth and two nose holes were bleeding, spitting out an array of pink-tinted, horizontal and vertical marks across her nose, both of her cheek bones, her forehead, and down on her chin coming from the snap of the air bag. Her upper body was tilted slightly forward caught inside the driver's seat belt. Her face or chest didn't hit the steering column due to the air bag. Gem dropped backwards against the head rest and exhaled a set of deep breaths of sour odor and hot air molecules.

Gem used both of her hands surveying her medical condition. A pulse arched within her naked neck muscles. She continued to breath air molecules through both of her nostrils. Blood droplets were dripping from both of her earlobes. Her chest continued to rise then deflate with air molecules also. She was feeling aches throughout her body and viewed numerous tiny skin wounds and minor cuts on both of her arms and legs. A set of bruises would form later on her biological young body, but she was alive and breathing, right here and right now, after the terrible car crash.

Inside the seat, Gem punched down the remaining part of air bag using both of her fists from the steering wheel, reaching over, and opened the driver's door with ease. She jumped off the driver's seat, standing upright on top of the grassy field, wearing a set of jumbled nerves and a set of new pains on her injured body, slowly surveying the new environment.

On the opposite side of the grassy media, on the western bound roadway, the red tinted pickup truck had flipped sideways and then rested on the top of its passenger door, on the right side of the roadway shoulder in the dirt and sand. A middle-age white colored unknown male wiggled up from the cab and crawled around, breaking out the rear back glass window, climbing out from the rear bench seat. The pickup driver stood upright on top of the dirt and sand soil, surveying his new environment, seeing the single unknown female. He waved both of his arms in the air, yelling out loud with a worried brow. "Deer, the deer..."

Gem stood in place beside twisted SUV cockpit and stared at the man with her mental thoughts.

**W** _hat deer?_

The middle-aged male had slammed down on his brake pads within his large pickup truck for a jumping deer crossing a busy roadway.

Gem had been taught at school, after watching the set of gross highway traffic training films, in her driving school classroom, that a car driver does not use the brake pedal on the car for a live animal, including a racing dog, a posing cat, a rushing opossum, a slow-moving skunk, a rapidly moving raccoon, or a jumping doe deer.

The high school driving instructor had humorously laughed and suggested to brake for a dairy cow, "Because the milk would survive..."

On top of the medial strip of flat grass, fifteen-year-old Gem spun around and viewed the wrecked big rig with a worried heart, seeing a mess of twisted metal, coming from the two different colored automobiles on the opposite side of the interstate roadway. The big rig was parked inside the depths of a lush green colored patch of wild forest woods. She dashed across the media of grass and the heated asphalt on the two eastern roadway lands towards the destroyed big rig semi-tractor trailer and following the back spine on the pickup truck driver. She stopped over the grassy field and exhaled with worry, slowly padding forward, carefully stepping around each piece of broken metal, every scattered equipment part, and damaged portions coming from both of the wrecked vehicles.

The pickup driver leaped ahead of Gem and continued to dash forward towards the mangled rear end of the luxury SUV.

The driver of the big rig semi-tractor trailer was sitting in the driver's seat inside the cab. He was both shocked and stunned. Gem didn't have time to help the big rig drivers and wanted to aid her three cousins first from the wrecked sports utility vehicle.

The pickup truck driver reached the interior walls of the SUV and yelled out loud something incoherent. Gem continued to carefully trek through each steaming and twisted metal piece with caution while hearing his loud warning. He looked up and waved both of his arms in the air, starting at Gem. "Get back! Stay back! Don't come!"

A barrage of loud sirens and horns on each emergency vehicle carrying all of the emergency personnel was advancing over the interstate roadway towards the wreckage coming from the small town of Midway. She stopped in place then spun around seeing the rushing red and yellow tinted emergency vehicles.

They have arrived so soon!

The pickup truck driver must have contacted the local police using his mobile telephone devise. She looked up with a worried brow and viewed a single helicopter in the sky, feeling the drifting tree leaves around her body coming from the powerful artificial winds. The emergency helicopter landed down on top of the grassy field two hundred feet from her position. Gem returned back with worry and viewed each parked emergency vehicle that launched a set of emergency personnel from the hatchway with emergency gear. Determined to save her three cousins first, she returned back with worry and then swiftly plowed ahead through the carpet of heated metal pieces.

The pickup truck driver had moved away from the rear end on the damaged SUV then stopped, reaching out, grabbing onto Gem. He tried to stop her forward movement into the destroyed forest with scattered metal parts on the limbs, on the grass, and on the plants, "Stay here! Don't go in there!"

"Help them!" Gem jerked her body and both of her arms from the man's powerful grip, quickly dashing ahead through the dry and wet leaves, stepping over a group of scattered large and small human limbs and pieces of sharp and glittering metal debris and then she halted with fear and screamed in horror, surveying the human body parts. She lost consciousness then dropped down, fainting over the grass with horror.
City of Mobile, within US State of Alabama

Historically, on a sandy shoreline of white tinted sand grains, a small one-story brick-covered fortress stood beside the fresh waters of Mobile Bay. The Mabila Native American Indian tribe had lived and hunted on those fertile lands for centuries, until the year 1540 A.D., when the Mabila tribe were attacked from a sea expedition by a world Spanish explorer, who was named Hernando de Soto with his band of Spanish conquistadors.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto died on the foreign soil of the New World, seven years later along with most of his Spanish conquistadors. The rest of the starving Spanish soldiers and settlers integrated with the Native American Indian tribes or left the new land returning back to Spanish ships, traveling back home to the country of Spain.

In the year 1700, the French soldiers came to the new territory and then claimed all of the warm, rich Gulf coast shoreline, starting at the present-day city of Pensacola within the northern Florida panhandle region heading western towards the present-day city of Galveston within eastern portion of Texas, which was unnamed at the time _._

In the year 1701, King Louis of France sent two French Canadian brothers, who were named Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville to the new wilderness lands. They lived and protected the new land claims starting at the present-day city of Mobile heading westward ending at the present-day city of New Orleans for the Crown of France. Jean was named as the royal governor of the new lands, which was called _La Louisiane_.

In the year 1702, the French colonists came by sea ships and then settled down on top of the white tinted sandy shoreline, constructing _Fort Louis de la Louisiane_ , on the Mobile Bay, the first capital of the _La Louisiane_ territory.

In the month of March, in the year 1703 _, Little Easy_ became the famous nickname for the seaport city of Mobile and the capital city of the colonial French _La Louisiane._ This small group of implanted Mobilians organized and then celebrated its first Mardi Gras event here, within the New World. A Mardi Gras party involves people, who dress in an ornate costume, such like, a fairy, an animal, a mythological god or goddess, a silly circus clowns, or a Medieval royal prince or princess. No peasant attire is allowed here.

Each elaborate creation is decorated with colorful feathers, a specifically designed face mask, and a long glittery body cape with an elaborate themed-costume. The Mardi Gras event is not a celebration of Halloween holiday while wearing a silly or horrible face mask, such like, a zombie, a mummy, a flying bat, a witch, but does carry a death theme. The Mardi Gras event is a celebration of life, right before Ash Wednesday, which is a day of somber peace with Almighty God or your current supernatural entity.

The Mardi Gras Day parade includes an array of colorful motorized floats featuring exquisite costumed riders, and sometimes, small live animals, leading towards the host house or the selected hotel ballroom for the one of many Mardi Gras masked balls that lasts until the wee morning hours.

Back in the country of France, within the year 1703, the Catholic bishop from the local church decided to screen and then provide a group of twenty-three young female virgins, who possessed virtue and piety and were accustomed to hard labor and diligence, for the French soldiers that were stationed in the New World, specifically at the French colony and fort which was named _Fort Louis de la Mobile._

The sea vessel named _Pelican_ sailed to the New World, docking at the new French colony of Mobile, in the year 1704, with adult passengers and twenty-three "Pelican Girls." The nickname had been assigned to the set of young, twenty-three, twenty year old virgin females that debarked that day from the named sea ship.

On the same ship, with the twenty-three French young females, the sea ship stopped for supplies, in the city of Havana, within the present-day country of Cuba, where the passengers and crew members contracted yellow fever. The ship members brought the disease into the sea port of Mobile, where some of Mobilian colonists and almost all of the Native American Indians contracted the virus, very deadly. The city of Mobile received its first shipment of imported African slaves coming from a French supply boat at the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in the Caribbean islands.

By the year 1706, the seaport town of Mobile had grown to 279 persons and then descended down to 178 persons due to the yellow fever epidemic.

Yellow fever is a disease with a very short clinical duration, presenting symptoms of a fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains, and a headache while displaying yellow tinted skin tissue. The bodily symptoms improve after five days. On the sixth day, the fever affects the body again, causing abdominal pain, liver damage, risk of bleeding, kidney problems, and another yellow-tint hue on the epidemic skin tone, right before the death act. Modern-day medication did not exist back in the year 1704. Yellow fever is caused by a virus which is spread by the bite of an infected female mosquito, that lives and breeds within a swampy wet dirt environment.

In the year 1711, _Fort Louis de la Mobile_ was abandoned due to the sea floods and the outbreaks of yellow fever cases, relocating the fort several miles downriver, constructing a new fortress the present-day confluence of the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. By the year 1712, the population had grown to 400 persons.

In the year 1720, the capital of _La Louisiane_ territory relocated to the present-day city of Biloxi, within the US State of Mississippi. The seaport town of Mobile served a military division and a trading center. In the year 1723, a second fort was constructed and named _Fort Conde_ , in honor of Louis Henri, prince of Conde.

For over sixty years, the French colony, _Fort Louis de la Mobile_ had thrived with French colonists, until a nasty invasion force came from the foreign country of Great Britain, in the year 1763. The invading British came to the New World and captured the fort.

That same year, the _Treaty of Paris_ was signed by two representatives from the continues of England and France, ending the _Seven Years' War_ , where England had finally defeated France.

In the New World, after the battle, the country of France ceded the landmass starting easterly at the Mississippi River to the country of England, which became part of the British West Florida colony for King George, the third. The name of the French fort was changed to _Fort Charlotte_ , after the wife of King George, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. However, the British colonists and merchants in the New World were not eager to lose the useful French colonists, who stayed and thrived there at Fort Charlotte.

Over additional decades, the old and new merchants, traders, priests, and colonists coming from the established New World cities of Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina assisted in the development and prosperity of the modern-day city of Mobile. In the year 1766, _Fort Charlotte_ recorded 860 individuals living on the shoreline and surrounding fertile lands.

In the year 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, people fled from the northern cities and then hid inside the seaport of Mobile and the settlements of west Florida. When the rebel colonists were dealing with the Red Coats from the country of England, the Spanish king sent into the New World his Spanish conquistadors, who entered the American fight, in the year 1779, as an ally of France. The Spanish and France soldiers and leader worked together then made numerous land grabs taking back the western portion of present-day U.S. State of Florida, which had been lost during the _Treaty of Paris_.

The plot was successful.

Bernardo de Galvez, the governor of _Louisiana_ captured the seaport of Mobile, during the Battle of Fort Charlotte, in the year 1780, and renamed the fort, _Fortaleza Carlota_ , and held the fort and surrounding lands as part of the _Spanish West Florida_ territory.

During the War of 1812, with the British king and his army of Red Coats engaged a second battle with the newly united USA. American General James Wilkinson captured the city of Mobile for the USA. In the year 1813, the seaport of Mobile, with a population of 300 individuals, became part of the USA, when President James Madison grabbed the land territory of western portion of present-day US State of Florida back from the country of Spain.

In the year 1819, the population of Mobile reached 809, when the _Alabama Territory_ was granted statehood into the USA. The seaport excelled in sea trade and was aided by the introduction of a new mode of transportation, a river steamboat. By the 1822, the city recorded 2,800 individuals.

The Industrial Revolution propelled the seaport of Mobile into higher wealth growing fields of cotton, using free slave labor and creating food stuff, new clothes, and other home and business supplies for all types of residents, slaves, and visitors.

The Industrial Revolution is also known as the First Industrial Revolution, starting at the time period of 1760 towards 1840 A.D. The change from a hand-production method to a man-made machine era saw the creation of numerous items, such like, the steam power, the water power, the train locomotion, the manual typewriter, the photography machine, the sewing machine, and the cotton gin factory, just to name a few technological innovations. This new event marked a major turning point which affected the daily life of each worker. The average hourly money wage increased which increased the standard of living for every worker, producing a better lifestyle for each family unit or individual.

During the 1830s, the happier and wealthier citizens created a home mansion boom that spread throughout the city and surrounding lands in Mobile, until the Panic of 1837, with another type of yellow fever epidemic. The waterfront property developed sea wharves, seaport terminal facilities, and brick warehouses that held walls of cotton bales. By the year 1840, the city of Mobile was the second largest export of cotton bales behind the city of New Orleans, within the US State of Louisiana.

In the year 1860, the number of individuals were recorded at 29,258 people, where the city of Mobile was the 27th largest city, within the United States of America, and the fourth largest town, within the new _Confederate States of America_ , in the year 1861. Mobile County held 29,754 citizens, with 1,195 free people of color. Cotton plantations numbered 1,785 owners of slaves, who held 11,376 people in bondage, which was one-quarter of the total population of 41,130.

The _American Civil War_ started in the month of April, within the year 1861, the city of Mobile became a Confederate city. Towards the end of the _American Civil War_ , at the Battle of Mobile Bay, the Union troops, arrived, captured and then controlled Mobile Bay, on August 5th, in the year 1864.

On April 12th, in the year 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union troops, at the _Appomattox Courthouse_ , in the city of Mobile. After the _American Civil War_ , the seaport town of Mobile was devastated by both war failure and the political control of the ruling party. By the year 1878, the personal income and business profits had dropped down from nine million dollars to three million dollars, in the year 1882.

Currently, within present day and times, the seaport city of Mobile holds 413,002 residents. The city is the third largest town, in the US State of Alabama. Within a sixty-mile radius, 1,263,013 individuals live, work, and play, which is surrounded by fertile crop lands and busy roadways with commercial businesses and residential homes near the seaport city of Mobile. Mobile is the only saltwater seaport on the Gulf Coast region and is the 12th largest seaport in the USA. The land mass of Mobile is 159.4 square miles with 117.9 square miles of flat land and 41.5 square miles of fresh water. The sea elevation stands at ten feet and three inches on top of _Government Street_ and higher at 211 feet at the Mobile Airport facility.

Some of the historical neighborhoods include _Ashland Place, Campground, Church Street East, De Tonti Square, Leinkauf, Lower Dauphin Street, Midtown, Oakleigh Garden, Old Dauphin Way, Spring Hill,_ and _Toulminville._

The weather climate, in the city of Mobile, presents hot, humid summers in the months of May, June, July, August, September at 91 degrees Fahrenheit and mild, rainy winters in the months of December, January, February, and March at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest air temperature in the wintertime was negative one degrees Fahrenheit, on February 13, in the year 1899. A shower of white tinted snowflakes is rare within the city with last recorded snowfall sheet, on December 8th, in the year 2017.

The city averages 120 days-per-year with 0.01 inches of rain. The months of July and August are the wettest months with heavy thunderstorm activity along with dangerous ocean hurricanes.
Sixteen years ago

City of Mobile, within U.S. State of Alabama

Thursday late evening

Thunderstorm and rain sheets

Attila's Hut location

Entrance door setting

10:10 pm

The front door echoed with a set of loud hand knock.

I stood upright with a sour frown from my comfortable spot on the long orange and green tinted sofa wearing a pair of faded blue jeans, a red colored tee shirt, and a pair of bare feet. I measured five feet and ten inches in height, slender but slightly muscular build possessing a head of cropped dark brown hair, a tone of olive skin, and a pair or violet colored eyeballs. I spun around and faced the front door, slowly moving ahead then stopped, grabbing the door knob, twisting my wrist bone.

The door opened. The wind and rain entered and then wetted down on top of the gold and vanilla colored marble foyer at my home on 6660 _Ansley Lane._ This was my ancient but nice Southern colonial mansion with a wrap-around porch on both the bottom and upper levels of a two-story house, that had been built in year 1833 by a native Englishmen on top of five acres of wild plants and pods of colored flowers, within the wild wilderness of the unknown _Spring Hill_ community.

Standing, crying, and whining in the rough wind and wet rain on the front porch, Opal Black was twenty-two months old with a head of rich black hair and a tone of white glowing skin, and a pair of dark brown eyes.

Pearl Azure was eighteen months old with a head of light blonde hair, a pair of dark blue eyes, and a tone of dark skin.

Ruby Jade was ten months with a head of flaming red colored hair and a pair of intense fiery green eyes on a face of pale tinted tone that had turned bright pink from wailing so loud in the rough rain.

Their mother, Mrs. Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith, Junior stared into his violet painted eyeballs while pleading, begging, and seeking comfort, in silence.

I gasped with a smile. "Come in! Come in, girls! Take the wet shoes and the clothes off, before you caught a cold, girls." I slammed opened the door the rest of the way as it hit the side wall, reaching out, grabbing a set of wet, naked little arms, tossing a child into my warm house. Each little girl entered then sat down on top of the cold marble floor, stripping out the wet gear from a little body, shaking a set of water droplets down from the hair roots, shivering the cool air of the house.

"Toss the stuff on the floor, girls." I pointed and gave a command, like an admiral in the U.S. Navy. I spun around and ran to the side closet, inside the living room, pulling out a set of clean towels, handing one at a time to each child. Each girl was very well-mannered and stood upright from the floor, wiping a little body clean of the rough rain storm.

I spun around again then rushed up the staircase, swinging around the wall corner, dashing into my master bedroom, and then stopped at my dressing bureau, pulling out a set of clean long shirts for the little girls to wear. It didn't bother me that the three girls and Mary Ann would be spending the night with at my house. I could see a single man-fist shape developing with a blue-black bruise underneath the jaw line of Mary Ann. I cinched my teeth mumbling underneath my breath. "Flash is fucking dead, after I get answers to my questions."

I was a reasonable man. I went to church occasionally, mostly, during the occasional church time events, such like, Christmas Day and Easter Day. There must be other dates that I went to church too. But I did talk to Almighty God, Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and all my heavenly angels about things going on in my life and other people's lives, too.

I always prayed really hard that I would get to beat the shit out of all those really "nasty bad" people. Sometimes, my wishes come true. Sometimes, my wishes didn't.

Almighty God decided that, and I accepted that.

But I could not accept abuse and neglect to soldiers, men, women, children, or animals. I could not see these events and turn the other cheek.

Currently on the second floor, inside my master bedroom, I gathered the items then spun around, racing from my bedroom, around the wall corner, back down the staircase, leaping off the two steps, landing with a loud thud on top of the nice clean floor. I moved ahead and presented a set of blankets and manly long tee shirts in various colors to Mary Ann.

Mary Ann continued to remove each wet coat, a pair of wet shoes, and partial wet clothes from each child body. Ace stopped and stood beside Mary Ann. She stood upright and pulled out each dry time from his two arms, calling the name of each child, dressing each child, and finally wrapping a long blanket around each tiny body. She finished dressing them with a nod.

I squatted down then gathered, standing upright, toting both Opal and Pearl into the kitchen space, placing each one on top of the chair at the breakfast table. She carried baby Ruby and followed Ace, occupying a new chair at the same table. I smiled down the wet dark brown hair roots on Mary Ann. "How about some crackers and peanut butter?"

She continued to fiddle with the blankets one each girl without seeing Ace, "Good idea! No s.u.g.a.r."

I nodded with a smile back down to the three kids then spun around, moving into the kitchen setting. I was a bachelor, living in a big house, which was a gift from my set of biological parents, after they had died. I preferred living in my home rather than on the Coast Guard base. I was a military judge on the base. I worked from eight in the morning to five or six at night, depending on how many assholes pissed me off which included the defending lawyers, as well, as the guilty prisoners. In the military, there was not an innocent prisoner, only a guilty one.

Being a single and lonely dude, I would meet a pretty mature female for my dinner meal. Or I would bum plates of cooked food from my best friend's wives, who worked at the same military base with me, the other days of the week. Each wife was an excellent Southern cook. I did possess food items, such like, crackers, nuts, chips, peanut butter for the muscles, tons of beer for the belly, and two gallons of milk for the bones.

I stopped then stood in front of the refrigerator door, seeking food for the three tiny girls. "I got it! Is a cup of warm milk okay?"

"Great idea!" She sat down and patted Ruby's wet head. The baby yawned with sleep.

I prepared an array of mini-sandwiches using non-salted white crackers and gobs of brown tinted peanut butter squashing the top of each cracker down over the filling, creating a lip smacking delight. I liked to eat my crackers with stuffing all over my fingers, so the cold glass of milk did not tumble down from my sticky hands. I placed a stack of individual crackers on a small plate for each hungry child and then carried the dish to the table. Each girl cooed with love for their Uncle Ace or maybe the cracker snack. They reached out and grabbed a cracker in each tiny hand, and then assaulted the cuisine.

I went back to the stove oven and placed cold milk inside a pot. I do not cook, but I can boil water, boil milk, and boil an egg, if need be. I spun around with a smile and hustled back to the breakfast table, assisting each girl with the messy cracker cuisine.

"Ace," She looked up and smiled at him. "Thanks!"

I looked up and winked at her, "Anytime! Don't mention it."

"I meant for not asking."

"If you want to talk..."

She shook her wet curls in silence.

I spun around from the table and moved back to the heated oven. I was not her husband or her preacher or her psychologist. I was a good friend of the family that was my role, then and now. I finished stirring the warm milk and then placed the liquid down inside a set of small mugs, lifting up, carrying the four mugs back to the three girls and Mary Ann. I continued to assist the two older girls with a mug of warm milk, and each cracker creation, which covered a set of tiny hands, fingers, lips, and tips of a cute button nose. They ate all the food and finished the mug of warm milk while Mary Ann sung a nursery lullaby at the breakfast table. Each one yawned with sleep, which was a precious sight to witness, where each little tummy was full. I ordered with a manly tone to each tiny toddler. "Time for bed!" The two older girls whined and then complained with a set of tiny squeaky like-mouse voices. Mary Ann ordered nicely for silence then stood upright from the chair. Baby Ruby had fallen asleep by herself.

I squatted down then lifted each girl from the dining room with the heavy blanket, carrying each one within my strong manly arm, leaving the kitchen, moving across the floor, and headed up the staircase. Mary Ann followed behind Ace with baby Rudy.

At 10:35 pm, in the fourth guest bedroom setting, I rested each girl down on top of the beige tinted bed spread. I really didn't have a knack for house decorating. I had left the house the way it was after my parents had died.

One of the maids had offered to renovate some of the bedrooms. It took Ace a while, but the maid really wanted some of the ancient furniture and the old bed and bath linens. So, Ace gave her what she could fill inside her car every day for a week.

Inside the guest room, I leaned over and placed Precious Cargo Number One and then Precious Cargo Number Two beside each other. They had been whining inside the kitchen setting. Now, the long trip up the staircase and the good food inside a full tummy were absorbing their baby energy, allowing them to calm and rest.

Ruby was placed inside the middle on the king-sized bed mattress. Mary Ann and Ace shifted around a set of sitting benches and sitting chairs with a set of layered blankets around the bed frame, so the girls would not fall off and get hurt, if an accident occurred.

"That's good!" She surveyed the bed construction with a nod and a whisper, spinning around and pointed at the open archway, slowly moving ahead with a stern face.

I stood in place and stared down at the three sleeping children. I was hyped. I couldn't sleep, if I had wanted to. I was keyed and as mad as hell. I moved away from the girls and followed Mary Ann back down the staircase, landing down on top of the living room floor. I didn't want to go into my bedroom setting and I was wondering if Mary Ann wanted to talk, discuss, cry, complain, or help me beat Flash to death.

At 10:44 pm, back inside the living room, I stopped then sat down on top of the long sofa, propping both of my bare feet on top of the coffee table next to hers.

She wiggled her toes and giggled with delight. "Feels good. Smooth. Antique."

"Guess so." I stared at both of our wiggling toes.

"I remember. Your mom had a fit when you, Flash, and Shotgun would bounce a set of dirty basketballs on the floor and hit the ancient furniture."

I nodded with a smile. "Yes, my mom loved her antiques. I guess that's why I still have some of them."

She gasped then turned to face Ace. "You didn't sell your mom's prized possessions for money, did you, Ace?"

"I'm not a traitor to the cause. My mom loved her prized possessions. Sis took some. The maids took some. Some are still here."

She smiled. "Ace, you are a nice gentleman but lousy with good taste."

"I didn't know a southern gentleman was required to identify scratchy, smelly, creaky old wood forms."

She laughed. "It is similar to wine tasting, pipe smoking, and flirting subtlety with a southern belle."

I laughed. "Well, my definition of a southern gentleman is pistol whipping, wine tasting, and fucking hard. I don't like cigarettes, especially the smoke. You might accidentally start a fire." I hoped that I was cheering her up. She needed some happiness for at least one night.

She laughed, "You and your mouth! One day, they are both going to get you, young man, into deep trouble."

I nodded with a grin. "It has. It does. It will continue until the day they close and nail that 43,218.59 dollars on a titanium lid that my life insurance is going to pay for over my handsome head and lean muscular bod."

She laughed again. "You're doing an excellent job of keeping me off guard."

"Good! I'm succeeding well beyond my modest expectations. I'll have to think of an encore. I get to hear you laugh one more time, maybe if you could add a snort with some green snot than I would have accomplished something very special tonight." She laughed, then snorted, and rolled to the side on the sofa. Tears were forming within her two red blood tinted shot eyes.

I continued with my monologue and my grin, "Gawd! I wished that Opal and Pearl could see the little drips of green snot from your wide nostrils. What a sight to behold?" She roared with more laughter. I smiled. "You never did win a beauty pageant, did you, Mary Ann? Did the green snot gross out the judges or what?" She continued to laugh and held the sides of her ribs, crying and huffing and pulling for more air. I smiled. "That explains you as the first runner-up all those years, always the lady-in-waiting, never the queen. I always thought you pretty good looking, but the green snot would've grossed me out, too."

She performed a mouth spat out her drooling salvia. "Gawd! Stop!"

I frowned. "Stop! I'm on a roll, sweetheart. Do you remember this? When my sister got caught saying the word shit to one of the Hired Help persons. My mom had a fit and punished her. Then, Sis started calling everyone and everything the word, snot. Snot this. Snot that. Snot you. Snot me. Snot them..."

"Stop it!"

"Only if you say, Snot says. You know like Simon says, but substitute the word snot for Simon. Repeat that for a trial run, Mary Ann!"

"Stop!"

"That's the wrong word, not stop. It is snot. I just told you. Snot says. Snot..."

"Gawd! Snot." She puffed between her giggles and laughter.

"You need to add the next word, says, to make the sentence complete and perfect. Snot says."

"Snot says."

"That's very good, Mary Ann! But what did Snot say?"

"Gawd! I don't know." She was shaking her head, wiping the happy tears and holding her ribs with the other hand.

"Snot's not good in your ski mask." I softly chuckled and told the lamest joke in the world, but Mary Ann was laughing, taking her mind off her troubles for a little while, until the sun rose in the eastern oceans water beginning a new day in the beach town of Mobile, within U.S. State of Alabama.

"So funny, Ace! I need fun." She lightly giggled.

"You're very welcome! I package fun in small, medium, large, and extra-large. So, that's 99.98 dollars for your fun pack, for the night. I have some specials going for..."

Mary Ann swiftly reached over Ace then plowed her wet lips into his lips with an open mouth. The kiss was long, passionate, and lingering.

I groaned. The tension released. The atmosphere relaxed. I felt warm, comfortable, and assured. I desperately wanted to make Mary Ann feel better, secured, and sexy. I couldn't explain the raw emotions. Seeing her with a bruise on her chin, I felt pity, angry, and compassion. I wanted to stop her pain from the physical wound and her mental torment for a little while.

Mary Ann must not be thinking right in her mind either. She was vulnerable, as well as, him.

I was her savior from the cold rainy weather and her cold dry husband. I wasn't blind. I noticed at the family gatherings the unspoken, unkind gestures. Mary Ann and her husband Flash were not in love anymore. It was more like a dedication to the cause, the tiny girls.

I didn't want to see Mary Ann tossed out of their big house, living in a small apartment with the three tiny girls in tow. Mary Ann didn't work for a living, since her husband Flash had a successful medical practice. He was an obstetrics physician delivering babies night and day.

On top of the sofa and on Ace, Mary Ann advanced onto his body, folding both of her legs at het two kneecaps, embracing his pelvis with her strong shapely legs. She was still pretty for a woman of twenty-four years old, after having three kids.

I was still attracted to her after all these years also.

She continued to kiss his lips, mouth, nose tip, both ears, and each cheekbone with her long, hot tongue while she massaged the muscles on his chest with both of her hands, unbuttoning his shirt. Her long legs were locked around his pelvis, squeezing both of her thighs back and forth, creating a burning sensation within his stomach and stimulating the top of his dick inside his pair of blue jeans.

I was growing straight and tall. I was going to have to let the pecker grow taller as I got harder. I groaned, mentally thinking that I wanted sex. I needed sex.

Point of no return!

Mary Ann was reading his mind. She reached down with her hand, snapping the button of the blue jeans open.

Don't stop. Raw emotions. Nasty thoughts. Wild dreams.

She lifted her legs upright. I wiggled out of my jeans and my briefs with her assistance by feel. She continued to smother his face with hot, wet kisses. I was blind in lust.

Love this. Want more. Ride me.

I was nude from the waist down. My long tanned muscular legs stretched across the floor resting comfortably on the antique maple wooden coffee table. My hip bones planted deep down into the old dark brown leather sofa. My white cotton shirt opened at the chest. I opened my eyes. I wanted to see. I wanted to taste. I wanted more action. My heart was pounding. My pulse was racing. My breathing was deep and steady.

During the strip tease, she had wiggled out of her trousers.

I couldn't recall what she wore as she entered my house before with the girls. Her blue jeans were off resting on top of the floor with my pair of blue jeans and my underwear briefs. She was exposed from the waist down, also. Her tiny waist was engulfed by my big hands. Her stomach muscles were flat. Her suntan colored strong legs rubbing up and down along my thighs, like a beating drum, without the music. Her brown pubic hairs were twinkling with vaginal discharge. She was ready. She looked inviting. She was flowing like the Mississippi River. I was the steamboat whining up the paddleboard.

I growled with pain and pleasure like the King of the Jungle.

She pulled back and smiled into his pair of violet tinted eyes.

I shifted my hips downward signaling ready.

She lifted her pelvis high, gently with a feminine touch, launching on the top of his hard stiff mucus spitting penis. "Gawd!" She cried out loud and landed down on top of his engorged shaft, eating the flesh with her hot, wet, slick vagina walls. She stopped then breathed deeply and smiled at him.

I grinned back and then felt terrified one of the girls might awaken from her hollering. "Kids." I muttered between my huffs of moaning.

She grunted with sour breaths from all the pleasure she had been working on Ace while undressing, massaging, kneading, kissing and pampering his naked body. "Sleep." Mary Ann told with a simple word that the situation was safe. She went back to work starting her sex dance. She pumped using her strong knees and legs up and down riding his dick, slowly.

I croaked and closed my two eyelids for the action. "Okay." I mumbled. I didn't worry about the girls, the weather, or the married wife of another man.

I enjoyed the moment. I could feel her controlled pace of the ride using both of her knees and legs, slowly gaining momentum, adding speed, adding pleasure into my brain cells, my body, and my dick. I groaned with delight and mumbled more to myself than her. "Go!" She giggled with delight, hearing his plead. She bounced up and down with more speed. She moaned.

Both of them were enjoying the moment, the pleasure, and the sex. Her breathing paced in a steady rhythm. Her strong legs shifted faster.

My dick hardened, straighten, and continued to collect with my man sperm for the ultimate explosion into her welcoming vagina. I placed both of my large hands around her tiny waist jerking her up and down harder on my penis.

Go, go, go.

She moaned then breathing deep. She was getting tired.

I didn't know how often she fucked but I had a constant set of girls just for fucking each day of the week, not Sunday. I visited my best friends for the dinner meal. It was rude to bring one of my whores to their house. Therefore, my penis could become hard as a rock fast at the first sign of pubic vagina hair and then take a long time to pop my bad seeds into the goddess chamber. Not to brag, but if I paced myself, I could fuck for hours, which I did often with my whores. I didn't think Mary Ann had that much practice, or experience even though she had been married to Flash for five years. She was getting tired. She might orgasm leaving me unfinished.

Finish. Explode. Ecstasy.

I banged her vagina harder against my hips.

She allowed Ace to step up the pacing using his large hands on her tiny waist.

They were flying in light speed.

She was tired, eyes closed, body upright and flopping like a rag doll.

Determined. Satisfaction. Fulfillment.

I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. I could feel it. The rise from the bowels of my soul! The sperm was bubbling from the end point of my shaft. I could feel the crawl. It was coming closer, the familiar sensation of ultimate pleasure, the explosion of hot little tiny tad pole-shaped sperms erupting form the tiny hole on the head on my dick. My stomach warmed. My heart ached. My muscles burned. My pulse rose. My lungs heated. My dick hardened tighter than before. I thought it was drop off my body. A sensation so familiar to the mind but indescribable to the soul!

Go, go, go little fellows.

I cheered the team onward inside my active mind as I worked her body up and down, pumping my shaft to the finish line.

Almost.

I felt the push of the ball containing the sperm in the middle of my dick, which was bloated, full, hot and moving up and up higher to the top.

Almost there.

I could feel another push of the sperm toward the head, round, fluid painful force near the tip of the head. "God is great!" I roared with pleasure. I exploded into her vagina part of me, little tiny grains of my DNA swimming back and forth trapped between the walls of life, another life form, Mary Ann Smith. I pumped her tired body up and down, draining the last of the sperm into her hole, sucking the shaft dry with her vagina folds. The action relieved the pain of hundreds of pounds of pressure of ejaculated sperm from the head. My dick became very sensitive, after the eruption. The vertical motion felt good against my shaft and my penis head.

Satisfied. Complete.

Mary Ann was leaning back from his body.

I held her tiny waist in my strong hands.

She was almost asleep. She barely whispered a sound. She was exhausted, mentally, physically, psychologically and sexually.

I lifted her from my dick and placed her body gently down on top of the sofa, standing upright, moving ahead towards the linen closet. I grabbed some clean towels cleaning up her vagina discharge and my set of leaking sperm fellows from the floor and the furniture.

Sex was messy, but great.

I wrapped another blanket around her naked body and carried her upstairs into the third guest bedroom, laying her in the bed, gently. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. I hoped that I satisfied her as well. Then I left her room and bathed inside my master bathroom removing the sweat, grind and sex from my body while thinking about what I had just done, fucked my friend's wife, a married woman, Mrs. Samuel "Flash" Smith.

Too late. Too fast. Too good.

I wouldn't dwell on the mental thought much longer. I was not going to debate within my mind that she had initiated the quickie romance. I accepted willingly, of course. Mary Ann was hurt and confused. I was mad and confused. We both had found a common solution, sex. Sex was used by everyone all the time for numerous reasons, good or bad.

Same story, different characters!

So, I was going to dwell on Flash. That asshole was going to get beaten up tomorrow morning. I did not know what the hell was wrong with Flash, but he did not treat his wife MaryAnn properly. She deserved someone better. And that someone was not me.

I liked Mary Ann and had known her, since we had attended first grade at Saint. Joseph's Preparatory Academy. But she was not my type of woman, much less wife material. She also had Flash's girls, to boot.

Wrong all around.

The best I could do was beat some sense into Flash. Then, Flash would do better. I was an attorney, also. If Flash did not change his evil ways, then I would personally defend Mary Ann in the divorce and provide for her and the little girls. She deserved that much from me.

At 11:58 pm, I dried off then moved ahead, plopping down on top of the neat bedcovers in a naked state. Sex always made me both tired and sleepy.

The next day....

Hot temperatures with bright sunlight

Flash's Fortress location

Living room setting

09:09 am

I entered the house, which was owned by Mary Ann and her husband Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith, which was nicknamed as Flash's Fortress.

The modern-looking but old historical plantation mansion was located on _1209 Springhill Street_ and exhibited a two-story frame with four fluted columns in front and four matching columns in the rear back facing a gigantic swimming pool.

I didn't have to bust the kitchen door down with a crowbar either. It was wide open. So, I entered unannounced and moved directly to Flash.

Flash was standing in the middle of the grand living room, staring in puzzlement, amazement, and surprise at Ace. Then, he was suddenly scared to death of Ace. His brown tinted tired eyes viewed an anger, mad, and homicidal Ace. Flash swiftly back pedaled all the way into the opposite living room wall, slapping his broad shoulders against the pale yellow tinted paint job and halted in horror.

I suddenly developed super human strength, reaching out and grabbed, lifting Flash three inches from the wooden floor, in the air, holding the male against the wall paint, sneering with murder, "Prepare to die!"

"Calm down, Ace!" The controlled tenor voice from Shotgun permeated throughout the living space, coming from the side wall in the room. Ace didn't turn to face Shotgun but concentrated all his energy, angry, and aura on Flash, in silence. "Let the man explain!" Shotgun slowly stood upright from the sofa, holding a cold beverage in one hand, watching both Ace and Flash.

I couldn't believe that these two guys had been my old soul mates for many moons. We had been neighbors first, friends second, and relatives third.

Here, I was holding up from the floor the fat and heavy make-believe superhero Flash Gordon in the air while readying to smash his face into a bloody pile of shit. I sighed with a set of deep breaths then slowly lowered Flash back down onto his naked feet. Flash was sweating and red hot to the touch.

Flash wiggled side to side and wore a worried brow, staring at Ace. "Look, Ace! It was an accident. I'm didn't mean to hurt Mary Ann. Gawd! I'm sorry. Gawd! Tell her that I'm a stupid ass. I'm sorry. I wondered where she went. I thought she went to Shotgun's. Gawd! I was worried. She took all the girls. I didn't know where they were..."

Flash used to be a strong healthy man. Now, he appeared overweight, out of shape, soft, wimpy and colored red.

My personal friendship with both Flash and Shotgun had corroded at the beginning of my college days. I had been a full year older and one grade higher than my two high school pals.

Mary Ann Smith was the biological sister of Shotgun. She and Ace had been in the same academic high school grade. Then I had entered the Coast Guard Academy in the US State of Rhode Island at the age of eighteen years. Mary Ann had started attending the University of South Alabama at the same age and then suddenly she had married and had a baby.

A year later, both Flash and Shotgun had entered and attended the Mobile University together, collecting a bachelor's degree, attending a post-graduation school, medical school for Flash and law school for Shotgun.

I had graduated the Coast Guard Academy at the age of twenty years old. I had been swiftly motivated to leave, since I appeared as a tattle tale. The commander of the base had allowed me to test for my academic subjects as I had serviced on one of the Coast Guard cutters within the Gulf of Mexico warm waters during all of drug raids. I was familiar with the waters and the islands of Mobile, Alabama. So, I had accepted my duty with honor and relief performing to the best of my abilities.

At twenty years of age, I had entered the Mobile school of law. I had not been a genius in books, but I studied and trained under one of the military lawyers, which gave me a big advantage over the regular kids that relied on brain cells and good luck. I had graduated at the tender age of twenty-three years and immediately started prosecuting drug users within the Coast Guard Justice Department, which was located on the military base in Mobile, Alabama.

The Coast Guard military admiral had kept his promise. I had kept my faith.

Hell! Druggies had been arrested and then sent from the four corners of the world landing down inside the Mobile Courthouse at the Alabama military base. Each U.S. military soldier had been convicted, trialed, tried, and then discharged, if the judge had worked until six in the evening.

Back inside the living room of Flash's home, "Pity him, Ace!" Shotgun sat back down and frowned at the back spine on Ace.

I stepped back with a sour frown and examined a red colored face, neck, two forearms, and both naked hands on Flash, gasping in shock. Flash was covered in a series of tiny red dots. I sneered, "Damn! Are you contagious with something medical?" I feared with deep concern and worry for my own healthy physique now.

"Hell, no! I caught a childhood version of roseola. Harmless. Itchy. High fever. Diarrhea." Flash shook a bone skull with a stern face at Ace.

I lifted both of my palms, scratching my arm with nervousness, growling at Flash, "Enough data! Am I going to look like you, tomorrow, Flash?" I dropped my arm but continued to scratch on my naked skin with worry. I hoped the vocal answer was a very loud, hell, no, coming from the swollen lips on my formal football running back of my local high school.

He moaned. "Hell, no!"

"So, where did you get your colorful red dots?" I asked with curiosity and interest seeking some more information for a legal case against Flash that might arise from Mary Ann's testimony, if the words differentiated from Flash, of course.

He frowned. "I visited the peasants down in the country of South America last week for a set of routine baby shots and then I brought the shit home with me."

I inquired further, since the three little angels were sleeping in one of my guest bedrooms, which might have to be sanitized or burned, depending on Flash's final Jeopardy answer. "Will the girls start to wear red dots also? What about Mary Ann wearing red dots too?"

He exhaled. "They are healthy and happy little girls. Don't worry! Its incubation period was one day. That's how I contracted it down south of the border."

"I believe you, since you're a medical physician." I frowned with irritation.

He started whining and confessing again. "Good! Please believe me! I'm didn't mean to hit Mary Ann."

"Keep talking!" I motioned with my hand and a stern face.

He exhaled. "We had an argument, a marital disagreement. She reached over. Then we collided like two atoms. Gawd! I swear, Ace. I'd never hurt her or the girls. I swear to Almighty God above and on a stack of Bibles."

"Ace, does Mary Ann want to press charges, file for divorce, and keep the house?" Shotgun laughed at the back spine on Ace.

"What does that mean, Shotgun?" I turned and growled at Shotgun.

He flipped his hand with laughter. "The way you had charged into the Flash's house, like a rhino, I thought she ordered an assassination attempt on her husband," he chuckled again. I smiled with amusement.

Shotgun had a technique with the English language that made you want to deck his balls in the middle of the structured sentence. He didn't threat your person with his words but used his phrases to indicate that he wanted to play hard ball, if you just pitched. As a former lawyer and current judge, I appreciated the word play.

"Mary Ann doesn't know that I'm here. The girls were sleeping late. Mary Ann was trying to prepare breakfast, without groceries." I nodded. "I was pretending a trip to Dee Dee's Hamburgers for a set of breakfast entrees. But I decided to make a detour, before I grabbed the food."

He continued to sit and smiled at Ace. "This is excellent news. I suggest we, three keep this incident to ourselves. What Mary Ann doesn't know or find out will not hurt her, right, Flash?"

Flash rubbed his red itchy neck and wore a sour frown, staring at Shotgun. "Right, Shotgun! I'm sorry, Ace. I know your temper..."

"...and your reputation." Shotgun chuckled. "I should make you apologize to Flash. But it is all a misunderstanding, isn't it, Ace?"

I returned back and grinned to Flash. "Yes, this is a misunderstanding." I spun around from Flash then slowly moved ahead towards the kitchen space, stopped, and then quickly pivoted around viewing my two former high school buddies. "But let me clear up another misunderstanding here! If your wife or one of your little girls occupies my front door step again, in the middle of the night, then I'll personally seek repercussions swiftly and immediate, Flash."

Shotgun waved his free hand and smiled at Ace, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're such a pious old fart, like your Granddaddy Smith. We grow up with a gentleman's honor code. I'll be standing next in line for Flash. After all, Mary Ann is my biological sister."

"Mary Ann is your biological sister. Good! I'm glad that we have cleared up the misunderstanding, gentlemen." I swung back around from Shotgun and Flash, slowly strolling away from the pair of evil twins. It was amazing how time, toil, and toughness had changed people. I halted again then spun around viewing each formal buddy, who not holding a pointy dagger at my back spine, in silence.

"Will Mary Ann be home tonight, Ace?" Flash continued to stand against the wall with a smile.

I grinned with a nod. "She and three girls are coming home, after the breakfast meal. So, I would have a wonderful lunch meal and numerous fun activities planned for them as a homecoming, Flash."

"Great idea! I will." He nodded with a smile.

I spun back around and slowly moved towards the kitchen setting. "Good day, Flash and Shotgun!"

"Bye, Ace!" Shotgun winked at Flash.

Flash frowned at Shotgun, "Thanks, Ace!"
Present day, place and time

Sunday, February 11th

Cool temperatures with bright sunshine

City of Mobile, within US State of Alabama

Mobile Hospital location

Hallway setting

08:50 am

I raced my four-door sedan towards the outside parking lot then skidded to a halt next to the white tinted, ancient antebellum building.

_Mobile Hospital_ stood at _2451 Fillingim Street_. The medical center was the regional referral facility for South Alabama, southern Mississippi, and the panhandle of northern Florida, including a teaching facility for the college of medicine. The building was a 406-bed acute care hospital with services including a set of _Level I_ trauma emergency rooms, a cardiovascular disease wing, a radiation oncology wing, a burn center, obstetrics floor, intense care units for children, babies, and adults and a pediatrics wing.

I walked through the front doors moving ahead towards the _Moorer Clinical Sciences Building_ , the home of the psychiatric care and took the elevator carriage to the seventh floor.

On the seventh floor, the elevator doors opened. I stepped onto a beige and pink marble floor, noting the psychiatric reception desk was empty. I ventured down a crooked corridor of dull vanilla hue while looking into every door, window, and closet, finally spotting her at the window alone. I exhale with worry then stopped, reaching out, touching her shoulder.

She turned with a smile seeing Ace. I noticed that she wasn't crying. I scoffed with worry "How is Bo Peep doing? What is her medical condition?" Mary Ann didn't answer. She returned back and stared through the glass door at her daughter, whom she loved so much by displaying no trace of tears within her set of brown eyeballs. I leaned over into the glass and gasped in deep worry.

Gem was sitting top of the neatly made gray sleeping cot. The bedcovers were neatly folded and then tucked down in-between the bed mattress. Both of her cupped palms were parked around her bent kneecaps. Her two bent legs were folded up into her chest and as she wore a dull-looking, gray-tinted, one-piece jumpsuit covering her tall, skinny body frame with a pair of bare feet. Her two eyelashes were closed and as she was humming a soft musical tune and rocking her body back and forth in the middle of the cot.

I stared and studied Bo Peep through the false mirrored glass window. I had called my beautiful and smart niece the nursery nick-name, Bo Peep, when she turned six months old while staring down at her as she slept inside her baby crib.

Gem had liked to play the baby game, Peek and Boo, with her white and pink-nosed lambie pie baby blanket. She hid underneath the blanket, until you spoke out the word, peek. Then she had jumped out from underneath the blanket as fast as a six-month old infant could and spat with a noise that sounded like the word, boo. When I laughed, she had laughed and squealed like a piglet. She had loved the game, especially with her uncle Ace.

She's mine.

Her real name is Jewel Gem Smith, fifteen years old, and a sophomore student at Saint Joseph's Preparatory Academy here in Mobile. Right now, my Bo Peep was sitting upright in the middle of the gray cot against the cold dull gray bare wall. She was not happy, not sad, not mad, but passive, quiet and distant. She was humming softly.

Humming is a very good sign.

Gem was conscious, aware, and locked up inside a gray tinted padded cell which was used for the criminally and non-criminally insane patients.

I should know but I didn't know with all of the numerous questions bombarding my brain cells.

Why was she here in the psychiatric ward? Why was she not in a regular hospital, in a regular hospital room? Why was she not at her home, in her bedroom? What was the reason for all of this mess?

My active switched gears and then mentally thought of the nursery rhyme: _Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and can't tell where to find them. Leave them alone..._

I exhaled with anger then the mental word thoughts.

Leave them alone. Leave her alone. She's mine.

I focused hard hoping that I possessed the wonderful supernatural gift of telepathy wishing that my anger silent thoughts were invading the physicians, the nurses, and the un-welcomed family members of my sister. I was the un-welcomed family member among the invited group. I was present here at the hospital, because my sister Mary Ann had called me. I wasn't supposed to be present, actually. I wasn't invited to attend the medical meeting, regarding Bo Peep.

"Mary Ann." The man stood inside the open archway and thumbed back over his collar bone. My sister turned from the glass window then walked ahead to her husband, who was my brother-in-law, my long time neighbor, and my forever childhood friend named Samuel "Shotgun" Winchester Smith, Junior.

"Ace." Mary Ann continued to move ahead and called out his before entering the small conference room door at the hospital wing. She needed his support.

I needed to understand the medical situation regarding Bo Peep also. I swung away from the window feeling hesitation, fear and angry, moving ahead, entering a dull-looking, clean-smelling, antiseptic-tasting, gray tinted conference room. I followed my sister. She continued to follow Shotgun towards the middle space with a long conference table of fake brown tinted wood while the massive but silent cold air-conditioning air blew around the room. The room was well-lighted, without a single viewing window or piece of pretty art work.

How depressing!

I stopped and stood at the edge of the conference table in front of an empty chair. I couldn't believe my two eyeballs. There sat, in a row, Shotgun and his three matching biological sons appearing like a complete set of matching living room furniture, all together on the side leg of the rectangular-shaped conference table and sitting in sequential order of chronological age, starting with father, first son, second son, and baby son.

Each middle-aged mature male son was an exact duplicate of their biological father possessing the same broad wide shoulders of a former defensive football player tight end, a heart shaped face, an acute nose, a sharp chin, a pair of flat cheekbones, a pair of brown tinted eyeballs, a head of brown curly hair, and a tone of suntanned complexion. Each son, like their father, carried the same arrogant attitude and cocky self-confidence of a demigod, who lived and played here on Planet Earth.

I, also, noted that the mixture of four men and women on the opposite side of the table sitting in an erect position carrying a variety of physical appearances, wearing the traditional white tinted laboratory jacket over a colorful business suit. A string of black tinted embroider displayed their professional name on the left side of the laboratory coat. I wondered if the four bodies contained blood and organs. Also, the room, the staff, and the guests were both silent and cold.

I selected the middle chair then sat down in-between my sister and an empty chair, slapping both of my palms down onto the table surface with a loud thump then making a set of funny noises among the quietness of the conference room.

The woman between my person was named Mary Ann Smith, possessing a head of long brown straight hair, a pair of brown tinted eyes, and a tone of dark suntanned skin tissue, measuring in a tall, slender body frame at five feet and five inches. She was married to Samuel Gordon Smith, Junior, who was a medical physician and nickname as Shotgun.

On the side edge, Samuel "Shotgun" Winchester Smith, Junior stood beside his row of sons and was the biological brother of Mary Ann Smith. Shotgun was married to her best girl friend from the local high school and her childhood neighbor from _6668 Ansley Lane_ here in Mobile.

The girls had both been named Mary Ann Smith, on purpose, by their individual mothers, of course, who had been a pair of good friends from their olden days of high school and also next door neighbors.

The two young women had looked very similar possessing a head of brown straight hair, a pair of brown tinted eyeballs with a pointy chin. Each girl exhibited a tone of suntanned skin tissue on a tall, skinny body frame which soaked up the heated rays from the Gulf of Mexico beach. And only Almighty God could explain that one. Of course, the two young girls had been a pair of best friends, until the end of the world. A tradition that never ceased to amaze Ace.

Mary Ann Smith was the sister of Ace and the wife to Samuel Winchester "Shotgun" Smith, the original model. Mr. Smith was a senator for the great State of Alabama.

_Oh yes, my three nephews_.

Their other biological children included Samuel Winchester Smith, Junior, who was plastic surgeon sole practice here in Mobile. Samuel Winchester Smith, the third was a tax lawyer, who is a sole practice in Mobile. Baby boy, Samuel Winchester Smith, the fourth was banker for the Alabama Fourth Bank here in Mobile. And baby girl, Jewel Gem Smith was a fifteen-year-old sophomore in the local high school here in Mobile.

Confusing, ain't it?

On the opposite end of the table, a male sat alone and stared into outer space without mumbling, moving, or humming. Samuel Gordon Smith had honored the fictitious cartoon character while earning a speedy reputation as the flashy and flamboyant football running back superstar at the local high school, many moons ago. Samuel Gordon had been fast, like the fictional superhero Flash Gordon, and he possessed a tall body frame at six feet and two inches with good looks, a head of long red tinted shoulder length hair strands, a tone of suntanned skin tissue, and a pair of blue eyes that attracted all the girls coming from other local schools in Mobile.

His biological children possessed the same unique features also.

The eldest child had been named Opal Onyx, who was twenty-three years, possessing a head of black hair, a tone of pale white skin, and a pair of dark brown eyes. She had been born in the month of October, which happened to also be the birthstone Onyx.

The middle child had been called Pearl Azul, who was twenty-one years, exhibiting a head of light blonde hair, a pair of dark blue eyes, and a tone of dark skin and birthed in the month of June. The word azul was a Spanish word for the color blue. Flash had picked that particular name for the infant daughter at born.

And finally, the baby of the Smith family had been named Ruby Jade and she was twenty years old, exhibiting a head of flaming red tinted hair, a pair of intense fiery green eyes, and a tone of pale skin, who had been born in the month of July.

**Side note: The three Smith children are all deceased by way of numerous individual pieces of body-road kill on** _Interstate 10_ **near the land-locked town of Midway, within the U.S. State of Florida.**

I was known as the third member of the male trio of Smith guys, a very long time ago. However, times changed. People changed. Circumstances changed. I was Samuel "Ace" Attila Smith, the third, and the biological brother to Mary Ann Smith or Mrs. Samuel Winchester "Shotgun" Smith and the uncle to Jewel Gem "Bo Peep" Smith, my little niece.

Back inside the conference room, there were no greetings, introductions, or welcomes from the medical staff, which represented a neurologist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, and finally an internist. I wondered why a varied array of medical physicians was here and present for a small girl, who possessed no mental or physical problems, only teenage fear.

Gem was only afraid. Nothing more! Nothing less!

I sighed with mint fresh breath and a heavy heart greatly desiring my Bo Peep out of this mad house. Gem needed to be back home, inside her bedroom while resting, recuperating, talking on her mobile telephone, eating dinner, listening to her music, surfing on the television, not here.

She's mine.

On the edge of the table, I asked without permission to each one of the four medical stiffs, who were located on side of my person at the conference table while breaking the silence inside the quiet, cold room. I decided to push forward both my legal and illegal point of view with the goal of removing my Bo Peep out of this hospital ward. I stared at the first medical physician, "What is the diagnosis, doctor?"

The first medical physician at the table turned from the row of Shotgun's sons and nodded with a smile to Ace. "Mr. Smith, your daughter has post stress trauma syndrome."

The second medical physician turned and sneered at the hairy rear bone skull on the first medical physician. "I disagree, doctor."

The third medical physician turned and sneered at the hairy rear skull on the second medical physician. "I, disagree, also, doctor."

The fourth and last medical physician turned and smiled at Ace. "She wasn't in a war, sir."

The first medical physician nodded to Ace. "She was in a car accident, sir."

The second medical physician continued to sneer at the hairy rear bone skull on the first medical physician. "She exhibits a psychosis, doctor."

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the hairy rear skull on the second medical physician, "I disagree, doctor."

The fourth smiled at Ace. "Psychosis come from the Greek language which means the mind and the soul possesses an abnormal medical condition, sir."

The first physician nodded to Ace. "She has an abnormal condition, sir. She doesn't have..."

"...an abnormal of the mind, doctor..." the second medical physician continued to sneer at rear skull on the first medical physician.

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "She is a psychosis patient, where I record all her hallucinations, doctor."

The fourth smiled at Ace. "She doesn't have delusions or disorganized thinking, sir."

The first physician nodded to Ace. "What is the diagnosis? She isn't talking. She only sings..."

"She hums, doctor." The second medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the first medical physician.

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "She sings the same song over and over again, doctor."

The fourth smiled stared at Ace. "What's the song, sir?"

The first physician nodded to Ace. "The musical notes sound like the musical song, _Amazing Grace_ , a religious song. I do believe, sir."

The second medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the first medical physician. "We all have heard the hymnal song, _Amazing Grace,_ doctor. We all go to church."

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "I am of the Jewish faith, doctor."

The fourth smiled at Ace. "I am not of the Jewish faith, sir."

The first physician turned from Ace then spoke to Shotgun, who was the biological father of Gem. "Mr. Smith, did she hear the song at the funeral?" Shotgun didn't answer the question but stared at the far wall.

The second medical physician continued to sneer at the nose profile of the first medical physician. "You are correct, doctor. That particular hymn is naturally played at funerals."

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "She didn't attend the funeral, doctor."

The fourth turned away from Ace then frowned at Shotgun. "Did she attend the funeral, sir?" Shotgun was still quiet and reserve during the doctor debate, not answering, not responding to any of the questions.

On the end of the table, I turned and stared at Shotgun. He was still looking shell-shocked. However, Bo Peep needed his love and support, at this moment.

The first physician returned back and nodded to Ace. "She is presenting schizophrenia features, sir."

The second medical physician sneered at the hairy rear skull on the first medical physician. "She is presenting symptoms of manic depression, doctor."

The third medical physician continued to sneer at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "Psychosis functional causes consist of bipolar disorder, server clinical depression, severe psychosocial stress, sleep deprivation and schizophrenia, doctor."

The fourth smiled at Shotgun. "Mr. Smith, what type of pharmacy medications is she on?"

I answered the posed question both swift and immediate. "None!"

The fourth returned back and smiled at Ace. "Mr. Smith, does she take drugs?"

I answered quickly. "No!"

"Are you, Mr. Smith?"

I slapped my chest with a grin. "Yes." I was telling the truth.

The first physician frowned at Ace. "Why are you answering for the girl, sir?"

The second medical physician turned then sneered at Ace. "Who are you, sir?"

"I am Attila Smith, her uncle." I slapped my chest again and nodded with a smile. I was her protector, her body guard, and her everything. She belonged to me. And I wanted Gem out of this mental ward.

She's mine.

"King of the Huns, welcome!" The third medical physician turned then laughed to Ace.

"How do you know of this medical information, Attila?" The fourth medical physician frowned at Ace.

I nodded with a smile for everyone. "She doesn't take drugs."

"Mr. Smith!" The first medical physician returned back and nodded at Shotgun, her biological father. Shotgun shook his head with the negative response, without speaking a word.

"To the younger Mr. Smiths, does she take drugs?" The second medical physician returned back and nodded to each biological brother. Each brother shook a head in silence also.

I turned then sneered at the nose profile on each one of Gem's brother, exhaling in fighting fury. Shotgun and his three family members were not addressing the medical questions for his daughter and their sibling.

Gem did not take drugs. She did not possess a personality disorder. She did not possess a mental disorder. She was a happy, smart, confident teenager, who had happened to be involved in a terrible tragic car accident.

Two days ago, on Friday afternoon, the Florida police officer on the scene had ruled the accident the fault on Gem for hitting a semi-traitor trailer in a sideways position, instead of ditching her sedan over the grassy media strip. After the two-car crash, she had seen the bodies of her three cousins Opal, Pearl and Ruby.

I had also viewed the same colored grotesque photographs which had been taken by the coroner. Grotesque was not the word that could describe what I had seen on a simple one-dimension picture.

_Body parts_.

Each young female had been a set of scattered body parts inside the sedan, outside on the leaves, up in the tree limbs, and batted ahead by ten feet within the lush, thick green tinted wooded forest. Heads had been decapitated. Arms had been flung down onto the dirt. Legs had been attached at the pelvis bone and also secured by a safety belt.

What a joke?

The safety belt did not save a live here.

Each female had no chance in hell to survive that terrible two-car wreck. Some of the human shoulders, chest, and upper body organs had not been found yet. The gang of emergency personnel consisting of paramedics, police officers, firefighters, and hospital medical personnel guessed that each body had been chewed up and then torn up by the flying sharp metal fragment like eating a steak. Thus, Shotgun, not Flash, had decided to cremate all three bodies together, since so many body parts were still missing and never to be found. The funeral had been this morning at seven a.m.

Who in the hell holds a memorial service at seven in the morning?

Mary Ann had been present at the three funeral cremation single pile of flames with her husband Flash. Flash was the father of three dead girls. He had been shell-shocked, stunned, and silence. Flash didn't cry, moan, or sob during the burning event. The face on my sister Mary Ann had been sober, solemn, and void of tears, also. I didn't blame Flash for allowing Shotgun to arrange the funeral, since Flash and Shotgun had been a pair of close buds ever since play school at the age of three years old.

Back inside the courtroom, at 11:11 am, back at the hospital, at the medical meeting, inside the conference room, the first medical physician smiled at Shotgun. "She is exhibiting psychopathologic symptoms, sir."

"Psychopathologic is the science study of origin, growth and symptoms of mental disorders, doctor." The second medical physician turned and nodded at Shotgun.

I frowned at the four medical physicians. "She doesn't have a mental disorder."

"Who are you again, sir?" The second medical physician turned and frowned at Ace.

"I am her uncle, Attila the Hun." I slapped my chest again and nodded with a smile to each physician.

"You are an amusing character, sir." The third medical physician turned and chuckled to Ace.

I frowned. "Glad, I can participate."

The first physician spoke to Shotgun. "What are your medical recommendations of each medical physician present here?"

The second medical physician returned back and smiled at Shotgun. "I recommend psychotherapy, doctor."

I tossed both of my palms near a growl and slightly shifted inside the chair and as the object shook with metal pain against the wooden floor. "Wait a minute here! Wait a minute here! She doesn't take drugs. But you are suggesting drugs."

The second medical physician sneered at Ace. "I am not suggesting, sir. I recommend that she be established on an effective treatment protocol for psychosis cases."

The third medical physician turned and sneered at the rear skull on the second medical physician. "She isn't psychosis, doctor."

The fourth returned back and smiled at Ace. "Sir, she has a minor personality change from the trauma received...."

"I disagree, doctor." The second medical physician leaned down and sneered at the fourth medical physician.

The third medical physician turned and sneered at the fourth medical physician. "I disagree, doctor."

The fourth medical physician smiled at the other three physicians. "I disagree with all of ya'll doctors."

I asked with more of an angry tone, coming from deep rich growl. "Who is her attending medical physician here?"

The first physician returned back and frowned at Shotgun. "Mr. Smith, who is in charge of the female medical patient?"

Shotgun continued to sit in the chair and stared at the row of medical physicians. "That has not been decided yet."

"Yet! Then why don't you decide the medical physician, right here and right now, Shotgun?" I sneered at the nose profile on Shotgun as his three sons didn't comment or move.

He exhaled with annoyance of the new situation, "We are taking our time reviewing all the options, making a slow decision and selecting the right..."

"Is this like buying a car while making a slow decision, Shotgun?"

"...decision..."

I banged both of my fists on top of the hard table, saying with fury at the nose profile on Shotgun, "The right decision is to remove Bo Peep from that ugly medical room, right here and right now."

"This is not your medical decision, sir." The first physician turned and frowned at Ace.

"She will receive very good medical treatment here, sir." The second medical physician at the same conference table sneered at Ace.

"What is wrong with our medical center, sir?" The second medical physician turned and sneered at Ace.

"Nothing is wrong with this hospital, sirs and ma'ams. I am deeply questioning what is wrong with everyone else here. She is not dead." I exhaled with fury and I was glad that I didn't carry my hand pistol on my person right now.

The first medical physician sneered at Ace. "She is like the living dead, sir."

The second medical physician sneered at Ace. "She is a zombie, sir."

The third medical physician sneered at Ace. "She is a living zombie, sir."

The fourth medical physician sneered at Ace. "She will improve with our medical treatment, sir."

I growled back at each physician. "Pharmaceutical drugs do not improve anything for a growing teenager, sirs and ma'ams."

The first medical physician returned back and smiled at Shotgun. "Mr. Smith, you must choose a physician for her."

The second medical physician returned back and smiled at Shotgun. "Mr. Smith, she needs to start her mediation protocols, immediately."

The third medical physician returned back and smiled at Shotgun. "Mr. Smith, we await your medical decision with her daughter." Shotgun didn't answer any of the posed questions but continued to stare at the row of medical physicians.

The fourth medical physician returned back and nodded to Shotgun. "Young Miss Smith will stay until the clinical evaluation can be completed by my one of my staff members, sir." Each medical physician stood upright from the chair, at the same time, in silence then spun around, exiting the conference room.

At the table, Shotgun did not react then slowly stood upright from the chair along with each one of his biological sons, slowly moving away from the table towards the open archway. Flash stood upright next and left the conference room.

I swiftly stood upright from my chair then reached down, assisting my sister to stand, leaning down and whined into her cheekbone. "Mary Ann!"

"Mary Ann." Shotgun stood inside the open archway without seeing Ace and shouted out loud to his wife.

I continued to hold her arm, saying with a sour frown. "I'll come over to your house later."

"No!" Mary Ann whispered then leaned over, pecking a sisterly kiss on his warm cheekbone, hugging his body and then quickly pulled, showing a smile.

Shotgun moved ahead from the open archway, into the hallway while shouting out loud for his wife. "Mary Ann!" Mary Ann spun away from Ace then dashed ahead, exiting the open archway, padding with her husband Shotgun.

I continued to stand and stared at the open archway, where all of my family members had exited.

She's mine.

Five hours later on the same day, at 05:05 pm, cold temperatures with moonlight and cloudy, without stars, at the Mobile Hospital setting, I commented in both confusion and puzzlement with my second visit to the medical center while viewing fifteen-year-old Gem through a false glass window again. "I just don't understand."

"Don't start!" His sister Mary Ann Smith stood beside her brother and stared at her daughter through the glass mirror.

I was causing trouble. I enjoyed causing trouble to people that pissed me off. I didn't want Gem inside this hospital. This indirect non-action plan was pissing me off all the way to the Pluto Ice Belt. So, until I got my way, I would continue to cause trouble. I liked to cause trouble. I mumbled under my controlled breath. "She's mine."

"She's mine!" She turned and giggled into his violet eyeballs.

I turned and smiled at his sister. "I mean to say clearly here. I love Bo Peep, like a daughter."

"You do, Ace! You do at that! I must say that you have been with her for every cough, hiccup, and burp." She sighed. "Gem seems more your daughter than Shotgun's."

I laughed. "Indeed!"

She frowned, "What does that mean, Ace?"

I continued the frontal assault, since I couldn't get Gem out of this mad house or out my active mind. "Well, I mean that also I seem more like her mother than you do."

"What!" She gasped in shock without slapping his face.

"Your action..."

"My reaction! I am both controlled and calm dealing with all of these tragedies, senseless tragedy. Gem survived. They didn't, Ace."

"I couldn't help noting no crying, no runny nose, no swollen face, no empty dirty wet tissue boxes lying around the clean floor of the hospital building."

"I understand your visual perception but not your intent, Ace. I love her, too."

I spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you. You're my sister, my relative, the only living one on the entire planet."

She returned and grinned at his sick humor during a serious crisis, staring at Gem through the glass window. "I'm upset. I'm also logical and determined."

I returned back and stared at Gem, "You're saying that your determination to help her get out."

"Out!"

I returned back and frowned at her nose profile. "How?"

She smirked at Gem. "I have a plan."

I questioned the internal motive of my sister's passive actions. "You mentioned that before. Why are you being so secretive? Why are you repeating those particular words to me?"

"My lawyer."

I gasped. "Lawyer! Trey is the family lawyer."

She ignored his comment, saying to the glass window that showed Gem. "My lawyer is a handpicked, non-Shotgun kin male, who informs me that she is not committed. Shotgun or I have not signed any papers to this institution. She is free to go home at any time."

I gasped. "What is the hold up? Do it now! Get her out of here now!"

"Gem is not leaving today but tomorrow afternoon."

I voiced in both frustration and confusion. "The time is now, older sister. I don't want to see her in there. She looks so sad and lonely."

"She is upset. She had witnessed a terrible event. She needs some time alone to digest, absorb, and excrete the disastrous, heart-breaking snapshot of her cousins or what was left of the three dead girls. The pictures made my stomach sick. My heart bleeds more for Mary Ann than Gem."

I exhaled. "Mary Ann doesn't seem upset to me either."

She returned back and frowned at her brother. "Ace, everyone is in shock and stun mode. This event had happened yesterday. Tomorrow or the next day, people will be reacting."

I frowned. "Are you still planning that fun party for tomorrow?"

She returned back and stared at Gem through the glass window. "The fun party is requirement of a senator's wife."

I nodded. "You could cancel your home party. People would understand."

"He will not."

I knew the answer, but I wanted confirmation. "His daughter's condition is..."

"Explained! The accident, the shock, the condition..."

I pestered her with a sour frown. "It is not all true."

She returned back and sneered at Ace, "Quiet!"

I sullied with my pursed lips. My sister's comment was crass. I changed the subject with my optimistic hope then smiled. "What's the signal?"

"Signal!" She returned back and stared at Gem.

I wanted to help and said with a smile into her nose profile. "When do you bust her out of this mad house?"

"You'll recognize it." She softly chuckled.

"I'm ready, able, and willing to assist you, mama."

She exhaled. "I appreciate that. I love you, Ace."

I looked back over my collar bone and viewed movement at the end of the long hallway. "I see the night registered nurse."

"The range of visiting hours has ended."

I returned back and stared at Gem. "I can't come back tomorrow to visit with Gem. I'm required in court."

She exhaled and continued to stare at Gem. "Don't worry! My hand-picked lawyer is handling all the paperwork and all the arguments tomorrow morning and afternoon. She will be free to go home, sometimes tomorrow."

I smiled with a nod. "Good!"

She returned back and stared down the hallway at the approaching stall member. "The nurse is inpatient. I think she's coming down the corridor."

"Let's go, before she commits us." I did not laugh. She laughed. This medical situation was not humorous to me. I wanted Gem out of here. I wanted action, not talk. I should get a lawyer, also, but I couldn't. Mary Ann spun around from the glass mirror and grabbed his arm. We slowly strolled ahead leaving Gem, the glass mirror window, the hallway, the floor, the lobby, and finally the hospital building.

She's mine.
One hours later...

06:06 pm

Smith Manor location

1209 Springhill Street

Dining room setting

Cold temperatures with parted clouds of dull moonlight without stars

"Where's your wife?" Samuel Winchester Smith, Junior sat in a dark blue business suit with a yellow and purpled patterned long necktie at the dining table, on the left side of his father while staring down at the grayish-brown hair roots on Shotgun. He and his family members were waiting for the house servants to bring his dinner plate for the evening meal at his home on _1209 Springhill Street,_ Mobile.

The land property was called Smith Manor, the home Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Winchester "Shotgun" Smith and their three sons and one daughter, who was missing in action, at the moment.

The current location was inside the formal dining room setting displaying four dark green tinted walls with a white ceiling of painted wooden planks and a matching baseboard trim. The ancient dining room table of dark red tinted cherry wood held twenty-seven individual chairs for a guest or family member. The table contained a formal setting, a dinner plate, a salad plate, a bread plate, three goblets displaying cold water, red wine, and sweet tea, and a set of silverware.

"Do you mean our mother, Junior?" Samuel Winchester Smith, the fourth was nicknamed as Quad and sat next to Junior, displaying a dark gray business suit with a pink and blue tinted bowtie. He wiggled in the chair and continued to play with the silverware, wearing a smile.

"She is finalizing the party arrangements with the caterer company on Government Street." Shotgun looked down at the empty plate and wore a brown tinted business suit with a red and green tinted long necktie.

"Really!" Junior frowned down at the hair roots on his father.

Shotgun looked up and sneered at his first born son, "Really! Why do you ask, Junior?"

"Is your wife coming home, tonight?" Junior questioned with a raised brown eyebrow.

"He means 'our' mother." Quad continued to wiggle inside the chair and fiddled with the drinking goblets.

"I don't know. Why do you ask, Junior?" Shotgun stared at his first born son.

"Well, she wasn't here late night or the night before." Junior implied.

"What! Are you bragging about your perfect vision, now, Junior?" Quad turned and laughed at his silly brother.

"I am just stating an acute observation." Junior continued to stare with a smile at his father.

The old fashion double half-doors swing open and revealed Samuel Winchester Smith, the third, who was nicknamed as Trey. He rushed through the dining room doors then stopped at his assigned seat at the dining room table, dropping down his worn briefcase at the bottom portion on the dining cadenza. He stood upright with a stern face and scooted around the edge of the dining room table while passing out a yellow tinted short piece of paper to each relative, "One for you, you, you and me." He encircled the table then sat down in his assigned seat, wearing a black tinted business suit with a long red and black checkered necktie, opening the document and read in silence.

Quad looked down and opened the half-paper, saying with confusion. "What's this?"

Henry, the man servant at the Smith Manor moved through the double swing doors the turned, moving down the long buffet table then stopped, placing the last silver plated tray of hot food items on top of the hard surface.

"Henry, dinner looks splendid tonight. Please, take the rest of the evening off." Shotgun ordered and stared down at his half-paper document, without looking at the man servant.

"Yes, sir." Henry simply replied to the hard surface and left the dining room without a platter, moving into the kitchen setting.

At the dining room table, Trey continued to read the half-paper and announced to each one of his relatives. "You just get served."

"Me!" Quad yelped and continued to read the document in shock.

"We all just get served." He continued to stare down at the legal document with worry and confusion.

Quad stared down at the paper. "This is..."

"Listen!" Junior looked up and stared at the side wall while hearing the commotion inside the kitchen setting.

Outside the dining room setting, the man servant Henry strolled his short, stocky body away from the kitchen setting into the servant entrance way, leading towards the servant dressing room that contained two individual private lavatories and one small lounge room, and finally the rooftop for the servant carport, which housed each servant vehicle. A few minutes later, the sound of engine from Henry's automobile roared then slowly backed out of the carport space, steering down the private driveway of the Smith Manor. Henry was gone for the evening.

Inside the dining room, Shotgun stared down at the legal papers in his hands without moving his mouth.

"This is a restraining order," Trey looked up and stared at each set of hair roots on each family member. "Do you want the bad news or the badder news?"

"Badder news!" Junior continued to read the legal document.

"It's confirmed." He nodded with a stern face to each set of hair roots.

"What is confirmed, Trey?" Junior looked up and gasped in surprise.

He nodded with a smile to Junior, "The half-a-billion dollars has been confirmed."

Junior gasped in alarm then smiled. "Is the money for us?"

"The money is only for our dear sister Gem." Trey smiled at his brother.

"She carried out her threat, Dad!" Junior turned and stared down at the hair roots on his biological father as Shotgun continued to read in silence the legal document.

"Is this legal document an official statement?" Quad looked up and frowned at Trey.

Trey nodded with a grin back to Quad, "Effective today! This is the official Last Will and Testimony of your wife, and the real restraining order coming from her and her daughter."

"How did you get this, Trey?" Junior waved the paper near his frown staring at Trey.

He nodded with a smile. "I got a telephone call from your wife's new lawyer and then he dropped his person that by my lawyer's office, delivering each item in your hands."

"You mean our mother." Quad frowned at his brother.

"Whatever, Quad?" Trey rolled his two eyeballs then looked back at Quad.

"She's mad." Junior nodded with a stern face.

"She's worried." Quad nodded with a grin.

"She scared!" Junior laughed out loud with a head nod.

"That woman ain't scare of Almighty God." Trey laughed back at his silly brother.

"She should be!" Junior growled.

"She modified her Last Will and Testament document along with each new family restraining order, a couple of days ago." Trey nodded.

He smiled. "We're fine."

Quad shook his bone skull, "We're fine as long as Ace doesn't find out."

Junior smiled with a head nod and pointed his brother Quad. "Damn right!"

Trey smiled. "Don't concern yourself with Ace!"

"Why not?" Quad frowned.

"She won't tell Ace." Trey nodded.

Shotgun looked up and frowned at the nose profile on his son Trey. "Ace would believe her. He is her brother. He would..."

"Ace handles his own mess. Your wife handles her own mess. They are just like their damn nosy grandfather. It's a family ritual." Trey nodded with a sour frown.

"What about our mother?" Quad whined.

"Stop saying that, Quad!" Junior turned and sneered at his baby brother.

Quad frowned. "I'm sorry. But..."

"Hush, boy! We don't want to hear your whining, right now." He frowned. Quad was the baby within the family of five. He loved his mother Mary Ann, regardless of her irrational girly behavior or her vicious motive against the Smith family.

"Our plans are ruined." Quad shook his bone skull with worry, "We're screwed. I'm sick as a dog."

"I am worried, too." Junior turned and nodded to Trey.

"Don't sweat it!" Trey smiled. "You're lucky that car accident had occurred last week."

"Why?" Junior frowned.

"We can implement our plan ahead of time." He smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Quad asked.

"I have a new plan." Trey softly chuckled to each family member.

"The old plan is fine." Quad whined.

"This one is better." He smiled.

"Let the man speak! What new plan, Trey?" Junior smiled.

"We use Gem." He smiled.

"Gem!" Junior frowned. "She wasn't every part of the old plan."

"She is getting a bigger role for the new plotted plan." He softly chuckled.

Junior flipped his hand in the air and shook his bone skull, "Forget it! She can't help us. The kid's committed."

"She is not committed." He shook his bone skull.

"She is institutionalized." Junior nodded.

"You are incorrect. She is in a hospital ward, like a sick patient, but only her mind is in shock." He smiled.

"She's penned up for life." Junior nodded.

"She's getting out tomorrow." Trey grinned. Junior gasped in shock.

"When is Gem leaving the mental ward, Dad?" Quad turned and asked his father.

"Tomorrow! I just told you that, Quad." He smiled at his brother Quad.

"Who arranged for that to happen, Trey?" Shotgun turned and asked his son.

"Your wife." Trey grinned.

"Our mother." Quad smiled.

"Why did our mother do that, Trey?" Junior frowned.

"Forget about it, Junior!" Trey turned and winked at his brother.

He frowned. "How did she get around each medical physicians and legal controls, within the hospital ward?"

Quad pointed at his brother with a sour tone, "You screwed up something, don't you, Trey?"

Junior laughed. "She got her own handpicked lawyer with smarts, smarts greater than Trey."

Trey frowned at his brother. "She is getting out tomorrow."

"What time is she getting out from the hospital ward?" Shotgun frowned.

"Late morning." Trey slapped his chest then pointed to Junior. "However, I plan to go down to the hospital ward and argue with her handpicked lawyer. You are coming with me, Junior, and start sidetracking the medical physicians."

"And why would I do that?" Junior frowned.

"Can you argue something about incompetence, inability, stress, trauma, nervous tension?" He asked.

"O! I get it now." Junior nodded with a smile to Trey.

Quad didn't understand, "Why are you doing that, Trey?"

"This is part of my grand new plan." Trey smiled.

"What grand new plan?" Quad frowned.

He slapped his chest with a smile. "My grand new plan!"

Junior shook his bone skull and turned to asks his father. "So, what about the other problem?"

"The other problem is progressing nicely." Trey smiled with a nod to Junior.

"That is not good." Junior groaned then shook his bone skull with worry.

"What are we going to do next?" Quad whined with worry also to his father.

"We will handle it, like always!" Trey informed.

"How are the money bribes going?" Junior nodded.

"The money bribes have failed." He shook his bone skull.

"We failed, so it is time to bail." Quad smiled.

"I agreed with my little brother." Junior nodded with a stern face.

"We can't." Trey shook his head at his brothers.

"Dad!" Junior turned and frowned at his father. Shotgun was looking down and rereading each legal document.

Junior frowned at the grayish-brown tinted hair roots on his father, "What's he reading now? I didn't get a set of those stapled papers in my hands."

"That is the divorce decree." Trey turned and frowned down at the hair roots on his father.

"Your wife is fast." Junior laughed out loud.

"Our mother is not fast." Quad frowned.

He chuckled. "Does she want the house and the cars and the family gems?"

"She doesn't want anything. She is letting our dad keep everything." Trey frowned.

"Everything!" Junior frowned at Trey.

"What is everything?" Quad smiled at Trey.

Junior frowned, "But this house is in her name ..."

"... along with all the cars, the boats, the jet plane, the vacation residence." Quad nodded.

"We knew this was coming, soonest, but just not now." Trey nodded.

"Everything is not going to our dad." Junior frowned.

"That's not good." Quad smiled.

"The pre-nuptial agreement has dedicated all of his and her possessions." Trey nodded.

Quad frowned. "Grandpa Smith is ..."

"... a smart man." He frowned.

"Can you fight against the pre-nuptial agreement?" Quad asked.

"No!" He grinned. "And we don't have a need with my new grand plan."

"What new grand plan, Trey?" Junior frowned with confusion.

"Tomorrow! I will reveal my grand new plan on tomorrow." Trey softly laughed then slowly stood upright from his dining room.

"When do we do your grand new plan, Trey?" Junior asked his brother.

"Soonest, once I work out some minor details." He scooted from the table and moved ahead to the buffet table, feeling hungry and happy, getting a plate of food. Each brother followed suite with a bright smile.
Monday, February 12th

Hot temperatures with parted clouds of sunlight

Mobile Country courthouse room setting

09:09 am

I stepped into the Mobile County courtroom, which was located on _Government Street,_ wearing a dark blue sports coat, a white dress shirt, and a pair of tan trousers with a pair of tan colored leathers. The scent of oak on the polished wooden floor and each wooden bleacher smelled like a church pew, when I had sometimes attended, sitting down during the seldom church service. However, this was not a celestial sermon with the pastor at my local church on _Government Street._ This was the legal hearing for my fifteen-year-old niece Gem for the fatal traffic accident that killed three young adult females and a single truck driver on _Interstate 10_ outside a small hunting town which was called Midway, within the U.S. State of Florida.

I strutted ahead and sat near the entrance wall on the last wooden row of smelly pews, observing the commotion. I knew the law, lawyers, judges, and the court system as I was a judge too.

Two unknown males stood at the prosecution table that represented the State of Florida prosecutors in a gray tinted business suit sitting beside two Alabama district attorneys, who wore a dark blue business suit. The last two unknown males represented the two local FBI agents in a black tinted business suit, so Gem's car accident had crossed the state line on the wrong side of Alabama.

The defense table displayed my childhood friends Flash and Shotgun, only. Each one was dressed in black tinted clothing with a matching black necktie.

Two representatives from the Tallahassee emergency services and two Highway Patrol law enforcement police officers were present and gathered in the wall corner of the courtroom. A tagged name and their employed occupation were shown on their exterior uniform jacket. The Mobile coroner was present in a set of white tinted laboratory coat.

The other occupants inside the gallery setting was dressed in a black clothing also consisting of my biological Mary Ann and her three mature sons sitting beside Flash's wife, who was named Mary Ann and minus her three dead females, of course.

The girls.

The set of pretty, whining, arrogant, and spoiled girly brats of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith, the third. I should ever spoke ill of the dead.

Superstition!

I always thought of ill-will towards the three young adult females, when they were alive, all the time, when I had encountered the three snobby little monsters. The three females were arrogant divas, just like my sister, Mary Ann Smith.

Inside the courtroom setting, the judge entered then sat against the solid dark wooden wall, without smiling, tapping on top of the wooden flat surface with his gavel, wearing a stern face. "I have reviewed all the documents, evidence, testimonies of emergency personnel, police, coroner, medical and family members involved with her case."

Shotgun stood upright from the defendant table. "Your Honor, I hoped that you reviewed the recommendations, as well."

The judge nodded to Shotgun. "Yes, I did. The family of the deceased females does not seek retaliation of the incident. But I'm a bit puzzled."

Shotgun pointed to Flash then dropped his hand, saying with a smile to the judge. "We are long time neighbors, friends, and in-laws. This was a tragic accident for my entire family. That's all! We want the best for her."

The judge pointed down to the documents and continued to speak to Shotgun. "I noticed that your last names are all called, Smith. This is also very interesting to me. Are you related in some fashion?"

Shotgun sat down in the chair. His friend Samuel "Flash" Winchester Smith, Junior continued to sit and nodded with a smile to the judge. "Samuel Gordon Smith and Mary Ann Smith are Gem's uncle and aunt. Mary Ann is my sister. I am Samuel Winchester Smith. I am her father. Her mother is named Mary Ann, also."

"I recognize you, Senator Smith. I didn't know that Gem has such an extended family with the Smiths." The judge chuckled then formed a stern face with a seldom tone. "Based on all the family testimonies, I can't ignore the Florida highway patrol has charged Miss Jewel Gem Smith with vehicular manslaughter. For those not familiar with this court statue, this charge occurs when a driver, especially a fifteen-year-old teenager, without her driver's license, drives a car in a reckless and unsafe manner results in the death, in this case, deaths of four people, including her own relatives. Based on the police report of exceed speeding, without intoxication."

"Are you going to call witnesses to testimony on the stand?" He asked.

"That will not be necessary here. I can see the representatives from the Florida emergency services personnel are present. I want to apologize, and I want you to ensure that justice will prevail." The judge looked down at his notes on the bench.

"Yes, Your Honor." He stated.

The judge looked up and explained to the gallery of people. "Vehicular manslaughter can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the situation and the circumstances. In state of Florida, any type of impaired driving resulting in death is automatic vehicular manslaughter, in addition to felony driving with intoxicated charges. But the accused wasn't found intoxicated at the automobile accident scene. In this legal case, excessive speeding or gross negligence could increase a potential misdemeanor to a felony case."

I continued to sit on the rear pew and pondered the judge's statement. The judge was telling the galley this information which he knew about. The judge was making a point to both Shotgun and Flash, maybe the impact of the event on a senator's daughter.

"Yes, Your Honor." Shotgun continued to sit and nodded back to the judge.

"The possible penalties are jail time and parole, probation, suspended sentence, fines and loss of driver's license." The judge continued.

"Yes, Your Honor." He continued to nod with a stern face.

The judge said. "Several factors are considered in sentencing for this type of offense. One of the most critical is the prior record of the convicted, including any previous DUIs, DWIs, or misdemeanors or felony charges. For the record, Miss Jewel Gem Smith doesn't have a prior record of reckless driving, since she is only fifteen years of age and presently possesses a driver learner's permit with any adult driver present in the vehicle. Secondly to note, Miss Smith was not tested for DUI, since the Florida paramedic personnel determined her fit and sound at the scene of the automobile accident. Miss Smith does not possess a suspended or revoked license for this case and this legal recording."

"Yes, Your Honor." He continued to sit and nodded with a stern face to the judge.

"The accident occurred in the U.S. State of Florida. The choice of current penalties includes monetary fines with a minimum amount of two hundred dollars up towards two million dollars and jail time up towards ten years with a five-year probation and the suspension of the driving license. What does the Florida district attorney say?" The judge turned and nodded to the prosecution table.

A short, skinny, mature female with blonde colored hair and suntanned skin, wearing a gray business suit and looked over to see the Smith family, returning back to see the judge, saying with a stern face. "The U.S. State of Florida wants to see justice for the innocent. But concerning the majority of the deaths are family related, in which, I express my sympathy to the Smith family, the only surviving witness has deposed that a single deer had caused him to steer his pickup truck to the right side of..."

I stared at the rear skull on the U.S. State of Florida district attorney, who sat at the prosecution table.

Three days ago, a young adult male driver inside a pickup truck had stopped for a loping native brown-spotted deer doe, instead of killing the dumb animal with the grill on his machine. Thus, his stupid ass driving decision had killed three young adult females plus the mature adult truck driver, who had died of a heart attack, during the awful collision with the vehicle that Gem had steered. The driver of the crashed pickup truck should be jailed or at least shot by a hand gun for being a total idiot.

Back inside the courtroom setting, at the prosecution table, the Florida district attorney said with a stern face to the judge. "The big rig overturned onto the smaller car, larger SUV. The big rig could not stop his momentum and then performed a jack knife maneuver into the moving SUV which crashed all the rear passengers within the rear seats. Miss Smith has killed four people, because of her inexperience driving record as a fifteen-year-old automobile driver, who should have declined the honor of driving on a busy U.S. State Florida interstate, The U.S. State of Florida prosecution team members demand jail time for Miss Smith and the monetary payment of the one million dollars fine."

The judge nodded with a stern face to each face. "Thank you for the summary! After reviewing all the testimonies, the depositions, and the police reports, I find her guilty..."

"Guilty! What is Gem guilty what?" I swiftly stood upright from the bench seat with a growl at the judge.

The judge turned and stared in fury at Ace. "Who are you, sir?"

"I am Judge Attila Smith from the JAG Coast Guard." I nodded with a stern face to the judge, without slapping his chest.

The judge nodded with a smile. "It is nice to meet a fellow judge, but you are a little out your district, Your Honor."

I exhaled with a nod. "I acknowledge your valid statement, but Gem is my niece. I want only the best for her too. I'm interested in hearing more of the present evidence, witnesses and testimonies..."

"This is an evidential hearing of neglect, not a trial, Judge Smith," the judge frowned at Ace.

I gasped and turned to see only my group of family members, "Where are the key eyewitnesses?"

The Florida district attorney stood upright from the chair then spun around with a stern face, seeing Ace. "There is only one eyewitness. It is Mr. Patton Turner, who saw the deer and the only living survival of a three-car accident."

I frowned at the Florida district attorney. "Where are all the medical laboratory reports from her driving condition?"

"There are not any medical laboratory reports," he shook his bone skull with a stern face.

The judge frowned at Ace. "Is there something else going on here, sir? Senator Smith has recommended..."

"Drugs and mental imprisonment for a fifteen-year-old child, who was hit by a fifteen-ton big-rig with an average weight of 10,000 pounds, when that big rig side swiped a 5,000-pound luxury automobile. No human person can survive with an impact directly to their bones, flesh, and tissues. My good gawd!" I frowned at the judge.

"Miss Smith will receive the best psychological medical treatment for causing a fatal accident involving four lives." The judge ordered to the gallery of citizens.

The Florida district attorney swung back around and faced the judge, saying with a stern face. "Miss Smith hit Mr. Turner from behind on the rear bumper as the forward automobile driver slowed for the animal ..."

"She is the cause of the accident." The Florida Highway patrol officer stood upright from the first pews and shouted out loud behind the prosecution.

"What was the documented police investigative cause of the automobile accident? Gem was not drinking alcohol. There were no drugs, no cigarettes, and no sodas found inside that SUV. How can you accuse Gem of this?" I frowned with worry.

"Pot was found inside the mangled SUV, that the teenager Gem drove," The Florida Highway patrol officer turned and stared at each face.

I gasped with alarm. "Why wasn't I told that information?" I turned and stared at the rear skull on Shotgun.

"Why should you be told that information, Ace?" Shotgun continued to sit and stared at the judge.

"A joint of marijuana was found hidden inside one of the female suitcases," The Florida district attorney continued to stand and told the judge.

"Did that particular piece of luggage suitcase belong to Gem?" I growled at the rear skull on the district attorney.

"The luggage suitcase belonged to my daughter Opal." Senator Smith exhaled with a nod.

"Was the dead body of Opal tested for pot?" I sneered at the rear skull on Senator Smith.

One of the moronic medical physicians from the local hospital stood upright from the second pew bench that was located behind the defense table, spinning around with a smile and viewed Ace. "Gem has not been tested for any type of illegal substances. She is too upset right now. She is too traumatic right now. She hums right now."

I tossed both of my arms in the air and slapped them back down on each leg, saying with a sour frown at the judge. "So, Your Honor, you are basing all your legal decisions solely on the supposition of each sketchy testimony coming from a police officer, who was trained but did not find the illegal drug. From an emergency paramedic member, he described shock but no abnormal behavior from a fifteen year old teenager. From a hospital laboratory technician, he or she did not conduct a laboratory drug test on a fifteen year old teenage. From a clinic room of medical physicians, they did not examined Gem. I read the police investigational reports also. There is no mention of a pot joint. Where was the smoking pot found again? What day was the pot joint found? Where is the psychological evaluation on Gem? Who is the attending doctor for Gem?"

"Ace!" Shotgun shouted out loud and stood upright from his chair, spinning around with a sneer, shuffling away from the defense table and advanced toward Ace. He reached out and grabbing, jerking the arm on Ace, whispering into the eardrum on Ace. "I'm in charge here. Do you want a full scale police and legal investigation on Gem? Which would include the local police detectives, DEA, FBI, law suits, psychiatrists, police offices and everyone probing, poking and pummeling needles, drugs, electrodes, restraints into her body, presenting her diagnosis, condition, treatments, without observing her current state of mind. The car accident was three days ago. She needs time to recovery."

I growled. "Gem can recovery just fine at her current home. Her personal and private bedroom setting is much better than this mad house."

"Don't you think that I want her home too? Clean out your ears, Ace! This is a legal hearing for her medical competency, only a legal hearing. The prosecution team wants a criminal trial inside a courtroom. They want to hear that Gem can be cured of her mental state and then stand trial on criminal charges of vehicle homicide. They want to fry her..."

"Fry her! What's going on here, Shotgun?" I snarled.

He exhaled with a nod. "I will discuss this matter with you later on at my house."

I exhaled with worry. "Gem is only fifteen years old."

He frowned. "Gem is my fifteen-year-old daughter. I'm protecting her, but you seem to find that hard to believe."

I sneered, "Yeah! I find all this impossible to believe, Shotgun." Shotgun grunted at Ace then spun around, slowly moving back to his assigned seat at the defense table, not looking at Ace anymore. I continued to stand and stared at the commotion with fury and fight.

The Florida district attorney continued the evidential evidence against Gem. "Your Honor, the Tallassee crime laboratory tested each automobile chair inside the damaged SUV and found evidence of pot joint germs."

I continued to stand and sneered in fury. The piece-meal legal testimony was getting on my raw nerves. I shouted out loud with a snarl at the rear skull on the district attorney. "Did you see and then test for an odor, sir? You are using an odor from a worn and used car seat as a piece of hard legal physical evidence against a fifteen year old teenage, who only possesses a learner's permit, not a valid driver's license and who drove that particular car for the first time on the accident day. Have you thought here? O! Maybe, the oldest young adult female who was Opal had used the car as a hiding place to smoke, instead of the hotel room at the Cartoon Theme Park in Orlando, Florida."

"Ace!" Shotgun swiftly stood upright again then spun around, sneering at Ace.

"Who owned the damaged luxury SUV?" The judge turned and asked Shotgun.

Shotgun returned back and sit down, staring at the judge. Flash continued to sit and nodded to the judge. "My wife owns the damaged luxury SUV, which killed my three biological daughters."

Shotgun smiled. "Gem is my daughter and owns a two-seater sports car, which is in her name only."

The judge shook his bone skull and inquired with Flash. "Flash Smith, since you are the owner of the damaged luxury SUV, how often do you clean your wife's automobile?"

Flash nodded with a smile. "I arrange for all of my personal vehicles to be washed and dried each week."

The judge turned and nodded to the Florida district attorney. "The Car Shop is located on Daphne Street here in Mobile. Flash Smith had provided the local police department with the details of the car cleaning service company. They checked out to be clean."

"Did the local police detectives ask about any previous pot joint smelly odors?" The Florida district attorney asked the judge.

Shotgun turned and sneered at the Florida district attorney. "Who are we supposed to ask, Mr. District Attorney? The three biological daughters of Flash are dead. His wife possesses no knowledge of a single pot joint on any of the girls, in any of girly bedrooms or inside their house."

"I withdraw the question, Your Honor," the female Florida district attorney sat down and shook her curls, speaking to her co-worker. "This legal case is a sick joke. Everyone is named Smith with a silly cartoon nickname, such like, Flash, Shotgun, Gem. And every person is kin to each other, like a kissing cousin of the Deep South. We should have never agreed to move the legal case to this Alabama venue. The three young adult females were nothing but druggies. And a druggie does not turn another druggie into the authorities."

"Druggies!" The judge frowned down at the blonde-colored hair roots.

I exhaled with annoyance at the behavior inside this kangaroo courtroom also. "Ladies and gentlemen, what is the basis of the physical evidence, please."

The Florida district attorney continued to sit and looked up, staring at the judge only. "The four young females were vacationing at the Cartoon Theme Park within the fun city of Orlando, in the U.S. State of Florida. The four females decided to drive from Mobile, Alabama to the family fun resort, instead by flying on an airplane. The real motive, they wanted to be away from the house, which was a great idea. Driving an automobile and smoking a joint without the parents or authorities down a busy highway was the plot, which almost worked."

The Florida Highway Patrol officer stood upright from the second bench seat and slowly whirled around the courtroom. "That mode of transportation would be a faster plan also. You can't smoke anywhere now days inside an airport, a hotel room, a public bathroom, a parking lot..."

I fumed with anger and continued to stand while staring at the rear skull on Shotgun, who sat quietly at the defense table, without defending his daughter.

At the prosecution table, the Florida district attorney continued to sit and told the gallery of people. "The assumption, which is kicking around the police headquarters, the four girls were smoking inside the luxury SUV, where the white tinted pot fumes filled the air waves inside the cabin on the sedan. The fifteen year old driver Miss Gem Smith might not be smoking a pot joint while driving, but she was breathing in all the drifting pot fumes. The pot fumes affected her brain cells the same method as haling the pot joint, causing a series of hallucinations, delusional images, slow response times at the steering column, feeling good emotions, and a high sensation of pleasure. I have concluded my case, Your Honor."

"Thank you, counselor!" The judge smiled down at the Florida district attorney.

Ten hours later...

07:07 pm

Cold temperatures with bright twinkling stars and dark sky

Ace's private residence location

Living room setting

Ace had finished his work day at the military base prosecuting numerous guilty soldiers, releasing them onto the city streets of Mobile for the local police department. At the end of the day, he had arrived back home in time for his company.

At the open archway on the entrance wall, a petite mature adult male possessed a head of shoulder length brown colored hair, a pair of brown tinted eyes, and a tone of dark skin, wearing a short-sleeved white tee shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans, smiling at Ace. "Chief." Slick greeted then moved through the archway, finding an empty seat on the one of the two long sofas.

A tall, muscular adult male possessed a head of cropped blonde colored hair, a pair of blue eyes, and a tone of pale tinted skinned, wearing a pale blue short-sleeved tee shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. "Boss." Buck smiled at Ace and moved into the same living room setting, sitting on the opposite long sofa, staring at his co-worker and friend Slick.

"Evening, Slick, Buck!" I greeted at my front door and wore a pair of faded blue jeans, a pair of maroon colored loafers, and a short-sleeved maroon knit shirt, spinning around, moving to the center of the room.

The living room contained yellow tinted walls. The entrance wall held a double-wide archway besides a row of low-lying glass windows that viewed the nicely manicured yard and pods of pretty colorful flowers. I did not mow the lawn, only stared at it. I hired a yardman to attend the grounds.

One side wall held an array of closed wooden whited tinted doors that represented numerous closets, which were filled with warm blankets and clean towels for any type of emergency inside the living room setting. The opposite wall contained a hidden man cave room through a single door with a large screen plasma television and a stereo sound system that would blow the earwax out of your two clogged eardrums. Beside the door into the man cave room, a staircase in light wood led to the second floor, where three bedrooms were nicely cleaned and neatly kept in order by my bonded maid service.

The side wall with the array of ugly wooden doors held an open archway that led into a yellow and green tinted kitchen setting with a set of newer silver tinted appliances. The kitchen setting was spotless and clean, because I did not cook, only ate. Each one of my food meals was catered by one of the numerous local restaurants down the city street for my convenience.

On the rear wall inside the living room setting, a double door stood in-between a row of low-lying windows that revealed a huge back yard with some ancient buildings from the antebellum days that needed to be removed but I did not mess around the grounds.

I had inherited the house from my dead parents electing to leave the walls, the floors, and most of the furniture pieces as I was a working man, not an interior designer. I did replace the kitchen appliances and some of the sitting furniture pieces inside the living room setting.

In the center of the living room, a semi-circle of individual furniture pieces viewed the rear wall starting at the pretty back yard lawn that provided a nice view and a topic of conversation.

Two green tinted long leather sofas faced each other and viewed the opposite side wall. A center red tinted over-sized sitting chair stood beside the edge of each sofa for a nice meeting with my friends. A light colored wooden side table stood at the edge on each piece furniture, without an ornament, only an empty spot for a refreshment food tray, but I did not entertain company, only my girls.

Surrounding the two long sofas, an array of individual sitting chairs and two loveseats in red tinted leather stood and stared at the rear wall also. I had selected the new red and green leather furniture to nicely clash with the bright yellow tinted walls as I was not an interior designer, but a male.

I moved ahead and scooted down into the over-sized chair, without a smile or offering a beverage to either on of my co-workers, who were my two friends, also. I exhaled with annoyance. "I need a ginormous favor, ya'll."

Slick smiled at Ace. "The adjective ginormous is formed from the two English words, gigantic and enormous."

"Hmm! This sounds pretty big to me." Buck smiled at Ace. "So, I'm in."

He turned and frowned at Buck. "You haven't heard the ginormous favor, from Ace, Buck."

Buck nodded to Ace again. "I own Ace about five favors. This should clean my platter for the next ten years."

He turned and nodded to Ace. "That only two special agents from the Coast Guard military branch could do, ain't that right, Chief?"

"Two special agents for the FBI would be better here, Ace." Buck nodded to Slick.

"Close!" He turned and smiled at Buck.

"Close enough!" Buck grinned to Slick.

I continued to sit and exhaled with worry, staring at each nose profile on Buck then Slick, "My brother-in-law is Senator Samuel Winchester Smith."

"Uh, huh!" Buck returned back and nodded to Ace.

"Don't comment, Buck!" Slick smiled at Buck.

"Uh, huh!" He smiled at Ace.

"Do you have a brain, son?" Slick continued to smile at Buck.

"Uh, huh!" He continued to smile at Ace.

I growled with fury. "He's dirty."

"How so, Boss?" He frowned at Ace.

I sneered, "I can't answer that question, but I bet you can."

"Me!" He gasped in shock.

I nodded to Buck. "You can use all of your snitches, hackers, crackers, pot heads..."

"...and our very bad drug lords..."

I nodded with a stern face. "Go and make no stone unturned!"

Buck frowned. "But he's a senator!"

Slick nodded with a stern face to Ace. "He's a local Alabama senator, not one of the Washington DC's smelly trash cans."

Buck turned and smiled at Slick. "He's a small fry."

Slick grinned. "He's a small fish."

"The term is small fry, inside the frying pan, and a little fishy in the big sea." He softly chuckled at Slick.

I reached down and grabbed the item on the floor, lifting up a black tinted small bag in the air, nodding to Buck. "And go and pay your resources with the items inside this small." I handed the bag to Buck.

Slick turned and smiled at the bag, "How many twenty dollar bills make up one million dollars, Buck?"

I smiled at Slick, "The answer is 75,000 Andrew Jacksons."

Buck accepted the bag then whistled with shock, cuddling the bag into his chest, smiling at Ace. "Can I get a pay raise, sir?"

I winked at Slick. "Only if you impress me, very well."

"Where is our home base at located from on this new ratty assignment, Ace?" Buck asked.

I exhaled with worry. "Your home base is here in the beach town of Mobile. Is that a problem for either one of you?"

Slick shook his bone skull and grinned at Ace, "I can get his toilet seat manufacturer in the guest bedroom without leaving my office desk at the US Coast Guard military base."

Buck smirked at Slick. "I have the world's greatest hacker living in my backyard."

He turned and winked at Buck. "Who is he or she or it? Do I know him or her or it?"

"Forget about my hacker! Get your own hacker, Slick." Buck smiled.

"I have snitches, who are faster and smarter than an old slow poke computer hacker. Words move like lightning. Zap!" He returned back and winked to Ace.

"We shall see." Buck returned back and winked to Ace.

I frowned. "Is this some type of fun manly competition, sirs?"

"It is total jealous." Slick laughed.

"Will Slick and I work together on this new ratty assignment, Boss?" Buck inquired.

I shook my bone skull. "You will work independently and off the cuff, the record, and the time clock..."

"What about the time clock? I wanna still get paid for my working productive time at my real job, Chief," Slick frowned.

I nodded. "Go to work tomorrow, home to your wives for the dinner meal, and tuck your children in bed..."

"I don't own the children." Buck laughed.

"Well, go and get some kids for this undercover job, ain't that right, Ace?" Slick laughed with Ace.

"I get it. You don't want any knowledge of us working for you." Buck nodded.

I nodded. "You're a quick study, boy!"

Slick smiled. "I can dummy the log..."

I shook my finger and my bone skull, saying with a stern face. "No, you don't. I have a bad feeling here. This is a highly illegal game that the senator is involved in."

"How do you we explain the sudden illegal criminal evidence, Boss?" Buck asked.

"We don't." Slick chuckled.

I smiled. "The fine fellows from the Mobile police department will do that for me."

"Will they?" Buck gasped.

"Are you mad, Ace?" Slice frowned.

"I'm jealous. I'm doing all the work." He huffed.

I pointed at the bag inside the chest on Buck, "Well, I'm paying you for it."

"How much are you paying to me?" He winked.

I smiled. "We can determine that later, Buck."

"I'm in." Slick slapped his chest and nodded with a smile.

"How many Andrew Jackson's do I get?" Buck smiled.

"Don't bother asking, Buck! I trust Ace. He's rich. Wealthy is the right term, ain't that right, Chief?" Slick winked at Ace.

I slapped my chest. "Very wealthy is the proper term."

"Do you have only one brother-in-law?" Buck stated.

I frowned. "I possess one brother-in-law and three 'Rotten in Denmark' nephews."

"Hmm! I sense no brotherly love within this family house." Slick smiled.

"One plus three is four." Buck smiled. "So, I receive four times the money payment, isn't that right, Boss?"

I frowned. "You're only doing one job, which happens to include more than one human."

"Still, the number four is larger than the number one." Buck laughed.

"Are you a drug lord or something, Buck?" Slick turned and frowned at Buck.

Buck turned and nodded back to Slick, "I have a nice wife and three kids. I'm always worried about their future."

Slick turned and nodded back to Ace. "Well, I want four times the money payment, too."

I nodded with a smile. "How about one million cool dollars each?"

"Agreed, Boss!" Buck smiled.

"Good, Chief!" Slick smiled.

He nodded. "I'll make my work look really good and use an electronic presentation, so you'll be impressed with my cool one million dollars."

I shook my bone skull. "Your new ratty job is to collect the data using any form available, such as, pictures, video, audio, reports, documents of legal, fiscal, compliance, and invoices. Bring to me only! No interpretations. No power point presentations." I laughed at the stupid comment. Buck couldn't operate a pin cushion but loves his mustang and his wife. I didn't know what Slick loves or his hobbies. He works for the justice department and shows up in the most impromptu time to help.

"Are you an accountant now?" Slick laughed.

I smiled. "No! But I can read any report at the summary level."

"Are you gathering ammunition for your enemy?" Buck frowned.

I exhaled with worry. "I am playing poker."

"You are playing possum." He frowned.

"I smell a dead possum in the road. Whoa!" Slick shook his bone skull at Ace.

"You mean a hangman's noose, don't you, Ace? Do you need some tougher backup, Boss?" Buck stated with concern.

I frowned. "Buck, you are assuming a guilt, without a court trial or legal evidence."

"It's more fun, when they are assumed guilty. Then more stuff pops up. The innocent people usually are really innocent." Buck laughed.

"Sick-o, Buck!" Slick turned and frowned at Buck.

"But I'm right, aren't I, Ace? I'm right." Buck nodded to Ace.

I smirked. "We shall see."

"We shall see. Now, the man is Starra Starry." Buck shook his skull.

Slick turned and frowned at Buck. "You are trying to proper reference Tele mistress Starra Starbuck from the Alien Girl series."

"Please, don't start with your sci-fi foo-foo crap on me!" Buck slowly stood upright from the sofa then scooted sideways from the leather, moving back towards the closed front door and away from Slick.

Slick swiftly stood upright from the opposite sofa then scooted sideways, quickly following the back spine on Buck, tossing both of his arms in the air. He shouted out loud at his friend, "You stated it incorrectly. I just corrected you."

He reached the door then opened the wood, stepping outside into the night, shouting out loud. "Later, Boss!" He moved ahead to his personal automobile, starting on the new assignment for Ace.

"My heroine is Tele mistress Starra Starbuck. She lives and exists in the science fiction novel _Unknown Me_ by my favorite author, **ipam**." Slick continued to follow the back spine on Buck while annoying everyone's eardrums.

I slowly stood upright from my chair with a smile then spun around, moving ahead, standing inside the open archway, still hearing Slick's voice. My two loyal, dedicated smart-ass staff members continued to debate and argue all the way towards a red tinted mustang vehicle that was owned by Buck.

I reached over and closed the front door, locking my person inside my own residential house. I spun around and moved back to the sofa, finishing the whiskey and water alcoholic drink that I had poured before my meeting while pondering the old memories from my active brain cells.

Slick was a mysterious guy. And I was very happy that he worked on my side as a military officer within the US Coast Guard. I couldn't imagine the terrible damage he would cause, if Slick had been a sworn enemy of the United States of America.

Slick was a petite man of five foot and three inches, but he could jump from the ground at his physical height, performing a karate punch directly into your deltoids. He appeared common looking with a head of shoulder length dark brown hair, a pair of brown colored eyes, a tone of light tan to dark complexion skin, depending on the season of the year here in Mobile. The small man could speak seven different foreign languages. Slick could easily become part of any crowd, party, meeting, or group, without being noticed or questioned.

Buck was bigger than an elk moose with a pair of invisible elk horns on top of his hard head. His skull wore a set of wavy cropped blonde colored hair and a matching blonde mustache. He did not shave the thing off as his wife loved it and Buck loved his wife.
Twenty years ago

Tuesday afternoon

US Coast Guard Academy location

City of New London within US State of Connecticut

Buck and Slick, the two guys had saved my ass at the academy, after I had tattled on four senior cadets, who had been smoking joints of marijuana inside the weapons shed, where a hot match could have ignited with floating oxygen.

Dumb shits!

The four older students deserved the crime and then received a dishonorable discharge with subtlety from the Coast Guard Academy by the admiral himself. Thus, I wasn't safe at the academy anymore. The admiral wasn't joshing about that fact either.

The death threats came every hour on my second day at the academy, in the form of hand written and typed on white tinted paper notes inside my locker, my bed mattress, my books, my seat, my shower, my food, and my everything.

"However, I didn't give a damn," I had quoted the fictional character Rhett Butler, who was the ultimate Southern gentleman and the rouge hero coming from the novel entitled _Gone with the Wind_. His fictional macho character had been copied and duplicated all over the Deep South, but Rhett wasn't my personal idol.

My grandfather, Rear Admiral Samuel Attila Smith was my idol. His son and my daddy, Samuel Attila Smith, Junior were the two Earth gods, that I worshiped.

Samuel Attila Smith, Junior, my father had believed in justice, honor, and equality for everyone on Planet Earth, but his goal only extended to the Mobile city and surroundings small towns within his legal district.

For me, revenge didn't wait long at the Coast Guard Academy.

Rear Admiral B. James Burbank had the four senior cadets found, escorted, and then herded into a set of closed doors, after I had barged into an official business meeting.

A few hours of heated daylight hours before, I moved passed by a tiny shed with a dark interior single room that held four drug-induced, stoned military students, while I was touring the new school grounds, memorizing my mission statement. That was my first assignment as dedicated cadet, during the first week of the Coast Guard Academy.

I was truly excited being here at the military school.

My dad wanted the best for his son. But my dad realized that politics was not my Southern black cup of hot tea. Too many fake people doing fake work while wasting fake time. I wanted to help the world and wanted to make a difference and wanted a nice place for my own future biological children too.

My Granddaddy Smith was an admiral in the US Coast Guard military branch. He made a difference in the lives of numerous men, women, and children.

At eighteen years old, I was psyched about being accepted into the Coast Guard Academy, like my biological Granddaddy Smith. I set out to learn every square inch of the campus ground, before the next morning of classes, the class mates, the class homework assignments, and the class tests. I just happened to stumble upon the four fools and happened to possess an old fashioned Polaroid camera, which was loaded with 35mm film.

My biological older sister Mary Ann wanted a picture or two of the military campus or a floating warship in sea harbor, so I was obligating. I toted the old camera from my home with the hopes of satisfying her and heading off any more future requests. I was at the Academy to learn, study, complete, and get kicked in the butt to become the best Coast Guard officer within the country of the United States of America, just like my granddaddy. I craved the displacing, the action, the training.

I strolled up to the four idiots then swiftly snapped the colorful picture while jesting to the four pot heads, saying with a smile. "Smile for the pony!" Then I reached down and grabbed two of the un-lit pot joints and then hustled away from the tiny shed, quickly moving toward the Administration Building. I glanced back to see if the four students were chasing my back side.

All clear!

The four young males were trying to figure out what had happened, who had happened, and where the two smokes had gone.

I laughed out loud and slowed my foot pace, passing the guard house while breathing deeply for new air molecules into my pair of healthy lungs. I looked back over my collar bone to see manicured grass.

No running bodies!

I immediately thought of the biblical story of Lot and his wife, who had told by Almighty God to leave the city, since Almighty God was destroying the evil inside the city. Almighty God had instructed Lot and his family members not to look back at the burning city. Else, his person would turn into a pillar of salt. Lot must have known that she had disappeared from his rib cage. I thought over and over how sad Lot must have felt while knowing his wife was not beside him. during their escape from the evil that was burning inside the city. Because, the wife of Lot had looked back to see the destruction of the city with evil.

I continued to stroll ahead and cleared my active mind from the biblical story. I had never visited the administration building before where the command staff met and held meeting at the military Academy. This was my first day at the Academy. I hoped that I was going to have more days at the Academy.

Rear Admiral B. James Burbank was the superintendent at the US Coast Guard Academy. I read his name in big, black letters on the dull gray wall as I stopped then stood in front of the first sentinel post, saying with a stern face to the soldier. "Cadet Smith, I am reporting to Rear Admiral B. James Burbank, sir." I spoke with a nervous tone to my normal voice. Here, only the head man could handle this important serious incident. I wanted to appear like a scared and shaky cub ready to pee on the clean gray floor. I passed the entrance gate through with a head nod. By the third sentry, I had developed a mousy squeak into my new highly pitched tenor voice. So, the sentry guard allowed Ace to pass.

Good actor.

I slowly moved down a busy hallway of more dull-looking gray painted walls then stopped, standing in front of the closed private office door. I reached down and pushed the office knob open. I entered without missing a beat to the marching tune inside my head. I used the same repetitive phase and nervous timber in my voice while speaking to the homely, plain, but studious red haired male secretary for Rear Admiral B. James Burbank. The male secretary motioned down a short hallway in silence towards the second closed door into the second conference room.

I marched down the hallway then entered the second conference room, which was crowded with numerous military staff members. I strolled ahead then stopped beside the admiral, smartly saluting, snapping my two heels together and shouted lout loud at the side wall. "Sir, Cadet Smith reporting as ordered, Rear Admiral B. James Burbank."

Burbank continued to sit at the table then looked up, staring with confusion to Ace, ordering out loud. "I call for a short break, ladies and gentlemen. Come in here, Cadet Smith!" He slowly stood upright from the chair then spun around, moving ahead into a smaller side room within the conference room. He stopped at the open archway and nodded for Ace to enter.

I entered first a few feet into the room then stopped, spinning around in front of a small table with four chairs in silence.

He entered inside and closed the door. "Spit it out, son!"

I didn't bother speaking but presented the colored photograph that exhibited the four cadets.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

He looked down at the photograph and then whispered. "Damn!"

"15:10 hours, the weapon shed, the physical evidence, sir." I handed him the two un-lit pot joints from my cupped hand which were slightly mushy from my wet sweat.

He turned and stared down at the two joints inside the hand of Ace, looking up with a stern face to see Ace. "You'll be investigated also, son."

I stood at attention. "Yes sir! I will co-operate in every way. In my swift defense, sir, my parents were murdered by two stoned teenagers. Drug users and drug lords should be executed on sight with a personal handgun. Less blood and low cost!"

With that, he laughed with a nod, snatching the photograph and the two joints from the hands of Ace. "Cadet Smith, welcome to my Academy. I run this base." He spun around and stomped back to the closed door, opening the door, shouting out loud. "Ted!" He handed the photograph and the two joints to the attentive officer, nodding with a stern face. "Now!"

"Yes, sir!" Ted nodded then closed the door, obeying the new order.

Burbank spun back around and motioned for Act to sit down at the small conference table. I pulled out the chair and slide down, staring at the admiral. He strolled ahead with a stern face, sliding down into another empty chair, staring at Ace. "I'm sorry about your parents, son. I have read your file and your testimonies. regarding this delicate subject."

I nodded. "I believe I can make a difference here at the Academy, sir."

He smiled. "Believe me! You did already, son."

I smiled. "Yes, sir."

He nodded. "Your placement, after graduating, is a drug trafficking position as stated on your application."

I nodded. "I would like to go back to my home city of Mobile in the U.S. State of Alabama, sir. Next to the metro city Miami, Mobile is one of the top five imports port of illegal drugs, sir."

He nodded. "You have selected well, son. Have you thought about attending law school?"

I shook my skull. "No, sir."

"With your high moral ethics, I want you to think about entering into law school. We'll pay for it."

I exhaled. "Sir, if I had wanted a career as a lawyer, then I could have attended and paid for law school, instead of a military career."

He shook his skull, "I am not talking about civilian law. I am referencing military law."

I frowned. "Military law, sir! Now, I am confused."

"Your home town of Mobile is a major entrance point of narcotics. The Coast Guard is establishing a military tribune for the southeast there, but the military base needs a set of good lawyers and judges to man the post, fighting the crimes, rewarding the prisoners." Burbank winked.

I frowned. "Allow me to clarify, here, Admiral. You want me to become a lawyer, sir."

He smiled. "I want you to become a military lawyer going to the law school there in Mobile."

I nodded. "The law school there is called the Mobile Law School."

"Yes, you would attend the Mobile Law School for three years learning each legal case. Then you apply your military career applying the legal law and then prosecute all drug users and pushers," he nodded.

"I realize there's a small problem in the military."

"The problem is small as the planet of Jupiter," he laughed.

"So, are you asking me to think about law school after graduating?"

He laughed. "Hell, no! I'm telling you, son. You have been picked to attend the Mobile Law School after graduating here from the Coast Guard Academy. So, plan your studies accordingly."

I laughed. "Yes, sir!"

He nodded. "I'll assign you to Colonel Parson. He is a lawyer and a military career guy. He can guide you properly for maximum output here."

"I'm not a car, sir."

He smiled. "You're going to be a commissioned officer, until the day I release your ass and an attorney for justice which will take up a good twenty years of your life, son."

I nodded with a smile. "Thank you for the honor and the opportunity, sir!"

He nodded. "Including the high standards, good morals, and pure ethics."

"Yes, sir."

He smiled. "When I read your file, I hoped you traded in your remorse and replaced them with good sense of not planning revenge against people."

I exhaled with sadness. "Actually, I seek revenge against all druggies, users, peddlers and lords, sir."

"I grant you permission to avenge the lot of shit asses here," he chuckled.

I smiled. "Yes, sir."

He frowned. "I'm sick to death of dope, joints, pot, cocaine, and shit in my academy and bases. I want action. I want lawyers to prosecute and judges to kick butts..."

"...into the brig..."

"Hell, no! I don't want all the scum bags. Discharge their ass home. Then let the local FBI watch them," he nodded.

I smiled. "I will not disappoint you, sir."

"And time will tell, if I have misjudged you, Cadet Smith. But you have impressed me, son. Hell of a thing, you succeeded in snapping a damn picture of stoned pussies. How?"

"My sister wanted pictures, sir. I was trying to be a good brother." I nodded with a grin.

He smiles. "Family ties are important. Don't ever forget your family, son. Very important!"

"Yes, sir."

He nodded. "The four cadets will be exposed from the military immediately with a set of shitty military and academic records, probably waiting inside my gigantic private office as I'm speaking. Then the four young men will be sent home in a couple of hours, dishonorable."

I nodded with a stern face. "Yes, sir."

He exhaled. "You will be in danger, son."

I nodded. "I can handle danger, sir."

"Doubt it!" he laughed.

I gasped. "Sir!"

He nodded with a frown. "Son, the click of cadets is tight with each other. I don't mean homos, either."

"Yes, sir."

He winked. "I mean like a pack of Nature Scouts that hold and hide honor, pride, honesty, and secrets."

I nodded with understanding. "Yes, sir."

"If you want to leave..."

"Wait!" I gasped. "You said that I would be a judge here for twenty years..."

"I was testing you, son." he laughed.

I exhaled with a stern face. "I am not leaving. I am not a chicken shit. I can handle this."

He frowned. "Handle this! You are eighteen years old, son. The next few days for you are going to be rough, tough, and gut wrenching, son. There will be retaliation here, cadet."

I frowned. "What does that word retaliation mean, sir?"

"Don't fret! I got your back spine, cadet." he chuckled.

"Is a First Year cadet really issued a personal hand gun, sir?"

"No! But they do have access. You won't be killed that's too easy and too messy," he laughed.

I exhaled with a sour frown. "Well, that is some good news. What can I expect here, sir?"

"Think of it like fucking your best friend's girl," he winked.

"Well, shit, sir." I frowned.

"You will suffer intimidation, mostly and humiliation, definitely," he nodded.

I laughed. "I do turn the other cheek, sir."

He smiled. "Good for you, son."

I frowned. "But my body doesn't like pain, sir."

"You look both healthy and fit, son."

"For the time being..."

He nodded. "I'll be honest here, son. The next two or three days will be unbearable to your psyche and your ego. If you made it, then I will not be disappointed."

I nodded with a stern face. "Yes, sir."

"The next few days goes both ways, son. Breaking of the rules means breaking my rules too."

I winked. "Only if, I get caught..."

"Only if, you get caught..."

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

He smiled. "Tell you what! I will turn a blind eye for the next five days."

I frowned. "What does that mean, sir?"

He nodded. "You take care of your business for five days. After the time limit expires, I'll take care of my Academy business."

I nodded. "Yes, sir. If my harassment doesn't stop by the sixth day?"

He winked. "I am god here on my base. And Almighty God rested on the seventh day, son. So, I will resume command on the sixth day."

I nodded with a smile. "With all due respect, sir, I'll take advantage of my five days. I plan, being honest here, to defend myself even with the intent of embarrassment or deadly threat, sir. You can't stop me, only toss my ass out of here."

He frowned. "I hope it doesn't come to that, son. I'm looking forward to building my legal firm in the Deep South."

I chuckled. "Sir, I promise. I won't kill anyone, sir. You have my Nature Scouts honor." I lifted up and exhibited four fingers with the Nature Scout signal.

He hooted with a smile. "Damn, son! You got dry bone humor, to boot."

"May I make a suggestion, sir!" I asked.

"Request it, son."

I narrowed my two eyebrows at the admiral. "Allow me to elimination all of your intimidaturds. I can save you time in the long run and my time in the short term." I was going to do that anyways with or without his permission.

He exhaled. "Are you kin to Satan, son?"

I nodded with a smile. "I'm only the fourth cousin, twice removed."

He laughed. "You possess unmitigated gall, son."

"Is that good?" I grinned.

"It is a prime quality of a lawyer."

"Thank you, sir." I nodded.

He exhaled with a nod. "Seriously here, you will be hurt. It will not be nothing permanent. You can hurt them back, but don't kill."

I gasped. "Sir, do you not trust your staff officers?"

He shrugged a shoulder with a smile. "The staff officers become bored. They enjoy all the cadet antics every once in a while, also."

I laughed with a nod. "O! I see now. You are separating the tough boys from the whining girls."

He chuckled. "You seem to understand the military culture."

I exhaled. "No sir. I don't. I expected to see discipline, obedience, and honor."

He exhaled. "It does exist here with greed, corruption, and laziness, son."

"Yes, sir."

"Son, I hope your bite is better than your bark," he chuckled.

"I bite, sting, and pee, sir."

He shook his skull with a smile. "Son, you're funny as hell."

"I promised I will not kill on the Academy grounds, sir."

He exhaled with a stern face at Ace. "Damn! You are the fourth cousin, twice removed."

"Positively."

"You're too honest, son."

"Only to my superiors, sir."

He smiled. "What about your enemies?"

I winked. "What enemies, sir?"

He nodded with a stern face. "Summary form, five days on your own. The rest of your military days are mine, which is on and off the base."

I frowned. "So, you don't mind how I occupy my time off base."

"No, son."

I nodded with a smile. "Yes, sir."

He frowned. "Tell me! Are you connected that well, son?"

I grinned. "I have more money than Almighty God and more demons than Satan, sir."

He snorted with a nod. "So, rumored and now confirmed. You're just like your shit ass grandfather." He shook his skull. "No, I don't know his person, only his bad reputation, mostly. And all of his unusual accomplishments are admired."

"I accept that insult, sir." I smiled.

"Your grandfather possessed a fucking attitude." He chuckled.

"Ditto, sir!"

"Son, I like you. You're honest, brave, and stupid."

"I accept the complement, sir." I grinned.

He frowned. "Therefore, I will overlook this brief interruption of my busy schedule, only once. Next illegal act witnessed, go up the command structure. That's the point of being in the military, Ace," smiling.

I smiled in silence. The admiral had used my nickname. I had made a friend for life. I nodded. "Is this plebian going to gallows, sir?"

He nodded. "Do not fear me, son!"

I nodded. "Sir, I only fear God Almighty and his Son, Mister Jesus Holy Christ."

He nodded with a smile. "These are two good persons to fear. I'll assign temporary guards for your protection."

I exhaled. "Sir, with all due respect, I can take care of myself."

He nodded. "I'm very aware of your Southern abilities and Yankee disabilities. One of those formal cadets was an admiral's son."

I gasped with a worried brow. "Whoa, the horses! I think I smell the manure on my shoes, sir."

He laughed. "The shit is coming out from your two earlobes. I will handle my colleague. But, the other three ass wipes are pure to the core. You will find out that we like a group of ass wipes, but only on a legal basis. And might I add, they have both friends and allies here at the Academy also."

"Sir, you're starting to scare me, a little." I slightly grinned and then feared for my natural white colored teeth, so I closed my lips. Females loved my smile as it was so sincere.

He laughed. "I doubt the fourth cousin of Satan scares easy. You will receive a personal military escort with a hand gun on the six day, if I can't find the intimid-a-turds. Then, I promise. All the deadly body threats will cease by then. Or..."

"Or?"

He frowned. "I will be expected to intervene. I don't like intervening. It gives me a stomach ache."

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

He nodded. "Dismissed, cadet!"

"Yes, sir!" I swiftly stood upright from the chair and then saluted, turning to face the closed door, rushing out the smaller room while wondering when the first death threat would commence on my perfect teenage manly body. This group of hidden and secretive shit asses will be in for a shock and lock while messing with me.

I quickly returned back to my assigned building then left my bunk again, finding a public telephone. Then I cheated. I called my granddaddy, who still lived in Mobile.

Samuel Attila Smith was Ace's biological granddaddy, widowed, and sixty years old young, full of energy, and mischief. He had been twenty-one years old and fresh out from the Coast Guard Academy, when he had married his high school sweetheart. Then his wife Emily had birthed a baby boy nine months later.

The baby boy had grown up, attended college, graduated at twenty-one years old, and then gotten married the next day to his high school sweetheart also. My mother had birthed a baby girl first, who was named Mary Ann and my older sister.

I didn't like the repeating husband pattern of an infant baby within the Smith family right after any graduation. I was too young, immature, and happy as a single bachelor. I wasn't ready to become a papa now. I didn't date. I just fucked. Fucking was easy and faster.

I had decided to postpone the act of marriage and the baby until the age of twenty-five or thirty-five or maybe forty-five.

Back at the Coast Guard Academy, swiftly moving through the manicured grass, looking back over my collar bone behind my ass for any tails. I hoped that I lived long enough to have children of my own. I returned back and entered through the open archway into my barracks seeing a piece of white tinted paper on top of my personal bed bunk which had been pinned onto the tan colored bedcover, where another cadet could not easily read the body threat. I stopped beside my bed bunk then reached down snatching up the paper threat, wadding the soft material into a ball and tossed the written threat down into my personal trash can. I slid down and rested on top of my bed bunk waiting for the evening meal, wearing a smile of victory.

My Granddaddy Smith was more than happy to comply and fulfill the tall order of eliminating each pesky rat that might try to annoy his only brilliant, handsome grandson.

If the truth had been exposed, my granddaddy was still pissed off that I had handled the three killers of my parents, by myself. Well, I didn't find the three teens at the age of sixteen years old, by myself. My team of paid Resources found the hidden three teenage males.

A Resource was not a family member, a personal friend, a friendly ally, a nasty foe, or an evil enemy. A Resource came and went like a heated lightning bolt striking the warm night air over the Gulf of Mexico ocean waters. The heated lightning bolt blinked in then out, without warning, using a non-repeating pattern and an unplanned time.

So, my set of personal, paid Resources had found the three teens.

I wasn't bias; I was mad. The three teenagers had killed my parents in cold blood.

The office building floor of smart, expensively paid criminal lawyers from my grandfather had tried very hard to prosecute the three murderers of my parents, but the three teenagers had been too young, innocent, and immature. And the Mobile police department had tried really harder to hide each teenager, where a minor child was protected by the law, which was inconvenient for Ace and his family members. However, my Resources happened to operate underneath the law, which was inconvenient for the three teenagers.

On that eventful, lonely, heated afternoon of the hot summer season, I had beaten the shit outta of each one of them first by smashing a face, two kidneys, two lungs, and twenty-four ribs, until flowing streams of red tinted blood proteins poured out from each earlobe, two nose holes, and two lips down onto the barn floor, my two fists, and my ten fingers.

The stupid three turds were aged fifteen years old, who cursed, yelled, screamed, whined, and cried with bodily threats at a seventeen-year-old Ace. Then I took my sweet tea time breaking each finger, both of their naked arms, both of their naked legs, and each one of their knee cartilages with my baseball bat. I would never think of baseball as the great American sport in the same way again.

Next, I pulled down their bloody trousers and nasty underwear, cutting off each hair ball and one wrinkled penis off their pelvic bone. The three teenagers continued to scream, cry, and sob with their pain and suffering. After all that torture and bleeding, the three teenagers were still alive. I was very pleased, impressed, and mad.

Youth!

I back stepped from the screaming, tied three teenagers, who were covered in blood, sweat, and tears, sitting back down inside the metal chair beside an erected card table, which had been provided by my Resources, inside the country barn. I thought the grotesque act of beating the three bleeding teenagers would smooth my jumbled, confused, and deeply scarred emotions.

Revenge. payback. vengeful.

I sat at the table while sobbing with my own tears, rubbing my eyes from the flowing moisture. I swallowed the tears then reached out, sucking down the last of the warm beer. I reached over and touched the stolen and unmarked hand pistol, lifting the cold barrel in the air. I didn't like to see a wounded animal suffer.

An inhuman act.

I aimed then shot the cold gun barrel right in-between each pair of eye sockets, three times. Each dead teenager stared at the entrance wall inside the barn while tied down into the hard chair.

Done. Finis. Complete.

I didn't feel anything, not even numb while staring at the dead mutilated body on each teenager.

Good. Bad. Numb. Sad. Happy.

I slowly stood upright from the chair and toted the warm bottle of beer and my hand gun, spinning around from the three dead things, strolling out from the old barn door, at an abandoned cotton plantation, in the middle of the country. I handed the bottle of beer, my hand gun and a set of vocal instructions to each one of my Resources.

The three dead, naked bodies had been placed deeply underneath an unplowed crop field of black dirt, where rows of white tinted cotton bolls had once flourished. The birds, maggots, roaches, rats, raccoons, wolves, coyotes, snakes, spiders, and the other creatures of nature would pick the warm flesh apart. A set of police officers might find the three dead bodies within a couple of years, if they had bothered looking for three missing teenage delinquents within the confide of Mobile.

Back at the Coast Guard Academy, the first attack was quite a shock to my common senses, which involved the juvenile act of stealing. I had read inside the Coast Guard handbook the following actions were not allowed and could be punished or worse, resulting in your expulsion from the academy.

No stealing.

No drinking.

No illegal drugs.

No smoking.

No sex.

No girlfriends.

No boyfriends.

No peeing.

No cursing.

No fighting.

No puking.

No shooting.

No horseplay.

No swimming.

No shitting.

I calmly strolled back to my assigned bunk. The gossip had hit the fan fast. And shit was flying everywhere inside my assigned barracks. My gray steel frame bed bunk was out of order, messy, and un-presentable. The set of tan colored bedcovers and the set of matching clean bed linens sheets had been ripped off the mattress lying on top of the clean floor along with my once clean and sanitized matching pillow, blanket, and bedcover.

My gray steel personal foot locker had been pried open, which had been located underneath the bunk belly. Now, the foot locker was hidden underneath the tossed bed linens and also flipped open. I removed the set of messy bed linens then examined the open foot locker. Some the contents were missing. I looked up and quickly examined the rest of my personal space inside the barracks.

The matching gray steel-framed open closet behind the head rest on my single bunk bed had once held two nicely ironed and neatly pressed dress uniforms and three tan and green colored military fatigues. All of my military clothing had been dumped then clumped into a large soft pile on the bottom floor inside my bunk closet. Each clothing item was wrinkled and crimpled, resting on top of the pair of spit and polished shoes and boots. I noted the clothing items also smelled with a funny odor that drifted up into my two nose holes.

So, I am to walk around naked here at the Academy.

I looked back down at the open foot locker. My personal toiletries items, my wrist watch, the alarm clock, my musical tapes, my money clip of cash, my socks, the first aid kit, the flashlight, a small tool kit, and my packs of wrapped food snacks were all missing. The foot locker contained my car keys, driver's license, Coast Guard ID, the photo album of my dead parents, my sister, my two high school friends, and two paperback books, which was a gift from my sister. I grinned down at the remaining contents inside the foot locker.

My group of assigned bunk mates were laughing, pointing, and shouting a set of rude vocal comments at my back spine. I continued to stand and assessed the damage to my possessions and the government issued property items.

So, you do not want to get caught by me.

If the secret thief had taken my car keys, my valid Alabama driver's license, or my personal photographs, then my set of personal contraband would have quickly found with a visual search by order of the admiral. Instead, the wise thief took a set of items that were common to any newbie on the military base.

I reached down and picked up the messy bed linens, the bed pillow, and the bedcover trying to remake my bunk bed. The first US Coast Guard Academy regulation was neatness, which occurred twenty-four hours, seven days per week.

I reached back down and grabbed the pile of wrinkled uniforms. The smell was overpowering into my nostrils. My bunk mates laughed their heads and asses off while pointing at my back spine with the sick humor.

I carefully examined one of the trouser legs on the dress uniforms; then I almost screamed out loud like a little girl. Some type of animal shit covered parts of the nice fabric. So, that was the source of the terrible smell. "Shit!" I moaned out loud and as my bunk mates continued to point and laughed at my back spine.

I reached down and stole a plastic bag out from my small trash can that had not been touched by the thief and placed all the dirty clothing items inside. My interior walls on each pair of shoes also contained the same smelly animal excretion as well. I placed the pairs of shoes inside also and then sealed the bag.

So, you wanna play hard ball with me.

The second USCG regulation is uniform attire.

Now, I didn't have a neatly ironed and nicely pressed First Year cadet uniform for the class orientation tomorrow. I placed the tied plastic bag back down into my personal trashcan and then started cleaning the floor, the foot locker, the clothing closet, and my bunk area with a pail of hot soapy water, a bottle of cleaning disinfectants, and an entire roll of paper towels. I sealed each dirty paper towel down into a second plastic bag, placing the smelly bag back down into the same trash can. Then I moved ahead and entered the Head washing both of my dirty hands, when I heard the sergeant's voice inside the barracks. I exited the bathroom and moved ahead toward my bunk for the inspection.

The petty officer third class was standing beside Ace's neat bed and cleared a throat. "What is that smell, son?"

I stopped then stood at the foot of my bed bunk, swallowing the bitter bile back down my tight throat. The admiral said that his staff officers enjoyed the silly antics from the cadet.

So, I had a choice to make here. I could tattle. Or I could lie. Or I could make sometime up.

If I tattled, which was the easiest of the three options, the admiral would protect my ass. At what cost though, I would become a wimpy jackass, who relied on each command officer to baby my ass and each one of my problems for the next four years. So, I concluded that mental thought was more trouble than worth.

If I lied, my fellow bunk mates would tattle a different story rather than me. I would be hauled off to the command center, tattling again on the secret thief. So, I concluded this mental thought was more trouble than worth.

So, I made something up. I told my fairy tale story. Hans Anderson would have been so proud.

I continued to stand and stared down at my messy bed bunk, "I am so ashamed to admit this, sir. I shit inside my bed bunk. I had an upset stomach." I reached over and touched the location of my heathy set of interior intestines. My bunk mates were snickering with smile. I continued to stand at attention while telling with my tall tale. "I couldn't hold it, sir. I just crapped all over the bed, the floor, and my clothes." I dropped my chin down into my chest looking down at the clean floor while appearing both innocent and guilty. My bunk mates continued to laugh with amusement.

The petty officer turned with a sour frown and yelled at one of the other cadets, "Is this true, swab?"

"Yes, sir! He shitted all over the place, sir." The cadet smiled with the lie and protected Ace or his own ass. The group of bunk mates had seen the thief and the incident. Interesting, no one had bothered to inform the officer of the day watch. But that swab would have received more trouble than Ace.

I had a reason for tattling that was both true and honest. My bunk mates didn't. They witnessed a major crime scene. Now, no one was bothering to come forth and admit it.

The third US Coast Guard regulation was honesty among each soldier.

The petty officer turned and sneered at the dropped chin on Ace. "You shitted in your pants, cadet. What's your name?"

I looked up then turned with a stern face, seeing the sour frown on the petty officer. "I am Attila Smith, sir. And I have much more to share, sir. When I changed my trousers, the shit turds hit and then went everywhere. I actually possessed a bout of diarrhea, too, sir." My bunk mates rolled with laughter.

He growled at Ace. "Fuck! Do you need to see the doc, swab?"

"No, sir."

He exhaled. "Do you feel better, cadet?"

I didn't smile. "I feel much feel, sir. I do not possess any more shit turds, sir."

He smiled. "That's good to hear. Now, go and get the bottles of cleaners and lots of paper towels for the cadet." A laughing cadet slid off his bunk bed then dashed into the side closet that held an array of cleaning supplies, returning back and stood beside the petty officer with a smile at Ace.

I gasped in shock. "Sir!"

He pointed around the floor with a smirk. "Since your ass can't control your bodily functions, maybe you can train your stupid brain to do it. I want you to clean up this bunk from the ceiling down to the floor, using all of these cleaning items. Do you understand me, swab?"

I gasped in shock. "Sir!"

He spun around with a smile and moved ahead toward the closed door. "Get started right now, cadet!" The other cadets followed his back spine, slowly exiting the barracks for some fun, before nighttime.

I frowned at his back spine. "Yes, sir."

He continued to advance towards the open archway, shouting out loud at Ace, "When I return, I want my nostrils assaulted with fresh spring-time pine odors."

"Yes, sir." I reached out and took the items from the laughing cadet, consisting of a clean pail, bottles of cleaning disinfectants, and a roll of clean rags. The laughing cadet spun around and left the barracks, leaving Ace lonely and alone.

I started with my own bed bunk, squatting down on the floor, cleaning every small inch on the floor, my four bunk legs, my bunk frame, and the inside of my bunk closet while smelling spring-time pine cone odors. I wasn't afraid of bugs, germs, and mold. But shit! I didn't want to smell shit for the rest of the night or morning or next day or day after that. I was happy to get a batch of better tools and more cleaning agents. Then I moved ahead towards the front of the barracks cleaning from the ceiling down to the floor. I scrubbed back, forth, up and down. My two naked hands became raw. My curled toes hurt from folding them inwards. My head ached from the smell of strong pine cleaning odors. My two arms tightened. My two legs throbbed with pain from squatting for a long period of time. Then I slowly stood upright from the floor and surveyed my handy work.

Not bad!

I really and truly appreciated the bonded maid staff that cleaned the mansion in the city of Mobile, which was my personal residential home. They had a shitty ass job as my paid employees. I was giving the female crew a great big bonus immediately.

The barracks door slid open and revealed the same petty officers. He stood inside the open archway then inhaled a breath of fresh pine air, nodding with a smile at the room. "Not bad, swab! I almost believe here, that I was standing with Smoky, the Bear, within the Redlands forest of California."

"Yes, sir." I continued to stand with a grin then stowed the arrogant facial expression. I had received a compliment, but more was coming. Each enlisted man reentered the barracks, reaching out, touching each wall, tapping on the floor while sniffing the room air.

The petty officer veered ahead towards the side wall then slowly moved down the side wall while sniffing the air waves inside the barracks and then he stopped, spinning around to face Ace. Ace was still located on the entrance wall holding the pail of dirty water and an armful of wet rags while awaiting further instructions from his commanding officer on the base. He smiled with a nod to Ace. "The barracks smells pretty good. How are you feeling, cadet?"

I nodded with a smile, "I feel fine, sir."

"Are you fibbing to me, cadet?"

"No, sir."

He nodded with a smile and moved back to Ace and then entrance wall. "Okay. Don't shit again in here, cadet!"

"No, sir."

He passed Ace then strolled towards the open archway. "Good! Since you were feeling sick, I want you to stay inside the barracks. I don't want your contaminated germs inside the Mess Hall while getting other swabs sick."

I spun around with a smile and stared at his back spine, "Yes, sir."

"I'll have your chow plate catered here to the barracks for the night," he stopped in front of the archway then spun around, wearing a wicked grin, staring at Ace.

"Yes, sir." I nodded with a smile. Please bring the food tray here, so I didn't have to face the rest of the new cadets and all of the soft whispering inside the Mess Hall.

That's a great idea!

The officer spun around then moved through the archway shouting out loud to Ace. "If you get sick, shit, or punk, then you do it outside, cadet." He left the barracks with the other cadets without shutting the door.

"Yes, sir." I nodded with a smile and watched the back spine every cadet. The time was the dinner meal inside the Mess Hall. I continued to stand while feeling hungry, tired and smelly. I emptied then cleaned the pail storing the cleaning items, trashing the rags into the bigger garage ben outside the barracks. Then I took a long hot shower peeling off the dirt, the shit, the smell, the sweat, and the odor from my toned and fit body. I was plotting, pondering, and planning that the thief was not getting away with this shit on my person.

By the time I had bathed and redressed in my smelly, dirty, and stingy tan and green colored fatigues, my meal tray had arrived inside the barracks. The covered food tray sat on top of my cleaned foot locker. I reached down and lifted the lid. "God Almighty!" I shouted out loud in shock. My steaming delicious food items were covered with a set of live crawling gray tinted small maggots, long red tinted earthworms, creepy brown tinted spiders, and other colorful insects that had been taken from their nature homes, the trees, the bushes, the plants and the dirt. I quickly slammed back down the lid on top of the nasty creatures and disgusting food contents. I leaned down and grabbed shuffling the food tray out from the clean barracks, strolling across the grassy lawn. I stopped and dumped the disgusting food items and the numerous insects down into the garage bin, wiping the plate and tray onto the clean grass blades.

"Gawd! I'm going to be really sick now." I mouth spat chunks of thick salvia down on the grass to keep from vomiting up the bitter bile that was gathering inside my tight throat. I didn't have much to eat, since the breakfast meal as my efficient body processed all the proteins, fat, carbs, and minerals inside my healthy and fit guts. But that gross sight of insect covering all that food made me wanna punk up my blueberry muffin.

I went back into the barracks and gathered up the cleaned rags and a bottle of disinfect, coming back out into the manicured yard. I cleaned off the dirty plate, utensils, and food tray. The service personnel would return within the hour collecting all the clean kitchen dishes. I didn't want more trouble. I decided to help out the boys and girls inside the mess hall and clean all of the plates. I left the food tray outside letting the wind carry away the pine scent odor.

I sat down on top of the brick steps, exhaling and then inhaling while calming my jumbled emotions and high strung nerves. After fifteen minutes of calm and peace, I realized I was hungry. I had eaten this morning at six, after sunrise. I had been walking around the academy base while getting familiar with the sights, the sounds, the buildings, the grassy lots, the structures, the military equipment pieces, and the new land marks. So, I had worked up quite any appetite.

No food tonight for me!

Each cadet kept a set of wrapped snacks inside their foot locker. To access the personal property, I would have to tap open the locks, which I had been trained to do. Then I would have to steal the food.

The fourth US Coast Guard regulation is integrity.

Each cadet would come back into the barracks and then purposely look to see, if I had stolen any of their food items. That meant, I was a whimpering shit ass. So, I concluded that mental thought was more trouble than worth.

Competition with them!

The best cadet won at the end of the four years their choice of ship, post, and the geographic location of the Coast Guard military base. I wasn't interested in becoming the one number cadet within my freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year. I had planned my career heading back home towards Mobile. Some of the staff officers didn't find my home state or my home city appealing or challenging. Most of United States Coast Guard cadets wanted to work in the U.S. States of California, Florida, Texas, or other parts of the world.

I had selected the career post of drug trafficking, which was hard, unrewarding, dangerous, deadly, and damning work with numerous hours and less results.

Working on sea ship, within an ocean filled of small and large sea creatures, I was not talking about a pod of friendly dolphins either, I had decided after my parents had been murdered, that I wanted to...

I was intrigued that my food tray had been sabotaged so quickly. The private conversation with the admiral was only two hours old. So, hot gossip traveled faster than the military jet around the Coast Guard Academy. Thus, the four senior cadets had some good friends in low places.

Lucky for me, I had some Resources in lower places.

I learned each First Year student was required to rotate through each department here at the Academy. I would perform mess duty, before I would ascend up into the upper rank as a sophomore. If I remembered correctly, only freshmen were required perform mess duty.

O yes!

Mess Hall duty was used, when a punishment ordered was commanded. The prison brig cell was not used for a violation of the Human Subjects Act or some stupid government acting nonsense. Therefore, the Second, Third and Fourth Year students did not perform kitchen work, only the Second, Third, and Fourth Year students that exhibited a serious attitude problem. If the military student had an academic problem, then the student was academically counseled, very quickly. If the military student couldn't pass the academic course work, then the student was terminated more quickly from the Academy, such like, a real post education institution.

So, my pot pussy new friends had other pot pussy friends that already was causing trouble for me. Thus, this behavior angle could work very well for me.

I liked to cause trouble. But I didn't like to get catch. As a matter of fact, I liked for other pot pussies to get caught for all my mischief. These little guy or girls, since both genders were represented here at the Academy, were also a pair of pot pussies, or maybe a pair of pot pushers. Normally, the pot heads received their pot stash from a pot peddler. The drug users enjoyed the smoke and the feel. The pot peddler kept their head clear while always sniffing out a new client, increasing their profit, and bragging about the high utopia feeling.

I should know. I used to be a pot head also.

I quit cold turkey the day I had discovered my parents had been murdered by a set of three high school teenagers, who had been stoned outta of their fucking mind while attempting to rob my father of his money wallet. My father had fought back while protecting my mother. Then, each stupid teenage had pulled out a stolen hand gun shooting with a lousy accuracy using all of the bullets that eventually hit a vital organ, the pumping heart on my mother and the head skull on my father.

The medical physician said my parents had died instantly, without pain, like that vocal statement was supposed to comfort me with the worser nightmare for the rest of my teenager and adult days. My parents were dead on Earth, living in heaven with Almighty God. I was left on Planet Earth with my biological sister. I would never feel the warm hug from my mother or a soft peck on my cheekbone from her sweet motherly tender kiss. I cried for days and days after I had saw the two bodies inside the cold gray morgue, which was located in downtown Mobile.

And then I changed the next day.

I sought revenge, not only for my parents' useless, senseless, and silly death, but for each victim, who died or lived. I hunted down every drug user, drug pusher, drug peddler, and drug lord. This higher institution was the first step for me in accomplishing my ultimate goal, riding the world of druggies, once and for all. I wasn't backing down then. I had a goal. I had a purpose. I had made a difference on my second day here at the US Coast Guard Academy, at the young tender age of eighteen years old.

Druggies come and get me!

The first year of the academy for the freshman was pretty easy, including class work, field work, and fitness exercises. I elected not to play football or any other sporting activities, such as, soccer. I preferred an extramural game with a female including a fucking action, not a bucking action.

A girl loved a guy in uniform. I had been informed there were five girls for every guy within the city of New London, within the U.S. State of Connecticut. So, I could have five girls all by myself, when on leave from school. That would be enough action for three days, when I finally left the military base for some rest and relaxation.

A freshmen student was restricted on the weekend with on-base activities. The admiral didn't want a fist fight or an attitude problem. The freshmen military student was given, in advance, the weekend night, where the student could accompany any superior military student to a pizza parlor, a dance hall, a Hollywood movie film, or a pool hall for fun. If the freshman student misbehaved off base, then the senior cadet and the freshman student was hauled back to base.

Not good!

Currently, I continued to sit on top of the hard brick steps, while my stomach rumbled for food. Well, I would take this new lesson in stride. But I wondered what I could expect next from the secret thief. I should perform some subtle but valid detective work on my own. I was quite certain some of my bunk mates would enjoy boasting and bragging to each other about the pot pussy friends, who was tormenting the freshman cadet.

Yeah, the plan!

I could see my group of bunk mates slowly pacing back from the Mess Hall. The foot action was slow. Each swallowed tummy had been filled with a plate of delicious smelling food. Maybe, if I cried like an innocent girl, one of them would pity me and toss me some used food crumbs from a dirty pants' leg. I bet each cadet knew about the creepy gray tinted maggots inside my food plate. Gossip traveled fasting than the military jet here.

I continued to sit in the dirt against the barracks wall. Each cadet passed by Ace expressing a loud grunt or a head nod or a soft huff, where my two eardrums couldn't comprehend. The sun was slowing sinking down into the ocean waters in the eastern horizon. The last cadet entered the barracks then closed the door behind his ass.

No handouts.

I was lucky. I had never been in a situation where I had been starving to death, but my circumstances had change very quickly. I would sleep well, since I was tired from cleaning the barracks room, even without a plate of delicious food and a tumbler of cold beverage. I slowly stood upright brushing the dirt from my stinky military uniform. Suddenly, it hit me. I didn't have a toothbrush to brush my dirty teeth. Then, the imaginary lightning bolt struck into my neurons.

_I'm rich_.

I spun around from the forest setting and dashed back into the barracks marching ahead towards my bunk bed and then stopped. I reached down and searched my foot locker. There was no coinage either. The bastard thief had stolen everything that I really needed, such like, my underwear, socks, shoes, uniforms, money, and coins.

No problem.

I turned and glanced at the wall clock on the entrance wall. The time read seven in the evening.

_Plenty of time_!

My bunk mates were teasing and taunting with an array of loud jokes and antidotes. I ignored them. I had things to do. I dashed outside the barracks and started jogging towards the end of the road, before sunset, locating a public pay telephone. The closest telephone booth was located at the recreational center. As a freshmen student, the recreation center was off limits, during the school days. I lifted up the old fashioned telephone receiver then punched the math number zero for the telephone operator. She answered with a cheery greeting. I give her the telephone number and my name. I spoke to my team of paid Resources and then ended the phone call.

Done!

I returned back to the barracks, after eight pm for the evening. I removed my dirty clothes then laid them down on top of the clean floor. I slid down into my comfortable bed bunk. The tiny piece of metal felt like a cloud on my tired achy body. I was exhausted, hungry, and plotting. As I closed my two eyelids covering a pair of tired, red colored eyeballs, I wondered if today was counted as day one or day zero within my five free days of punishment. I slept deeply without snorting.
The next day....

Hot temperatures and dull sunlight with parted clouds

06:13 a.m.

I awoke at six in the morning, dressing in the same soiled, smelly, sewer stained military green fatigues. I stood upright in front of my neat bunk bed, looking sharp. The same petty officer returned to inspect the troops and the room with a second petty officer, before the breakfast meal.

Hungry.

I was planning to eat the entire buffet, when I hit the Mess Hall.

"Cadet Smith, Attila, is that your name?" The second petty officer stood in front of the first petty officer while staring at Ace.

I nodded with a stern face. "Yes, sir."

"Attila, is your real name, son?"

"My name is Samuel Attila Smith, sir."

"Do you go by the name of Attila cadet?"

"Sir, you can call me, Ace, if you prefer."

"Ace, that is much better." He nodded. "Well, Cadet Ace Smith, I was informed about the stink you had caused in here yesterday."

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have your sea legs today, son?"

"Yes, sir."

The second petty officer surveyed the dirty and wrinkled uniform on Ace. "Son, I noticed that your uniform is out of shape. I realize, sometimes, young boys didn't like to stay neat and clean. But this is the military, not a gym locker room."

I nodded. "Yes, sir! I understand, sir. But, sir, this is the only uniform that I own."

He frowned. "Explain that to me, Ace!"

I exhaled. "Well, I had relieved himself all over my other uniforms, yesterday, sir." The other cadet softly snickered and continued to watch Ace.

"Quiet, swabs!" The second petty officer frowned at Ace but talked to the rest of the cadets. "What do you mean, relieved yourself? Why would you do that, swab?"

I exhaled. "Sir, I was very sick and very confused. I soiled every piece of clothing, but this one I'm wearing."

He shook his shaved skull and leaned over, sniffing the body on Ace, pulling back with a sour frown. "This is not good. You stink, I do mean, like shit, son. I mean, I can't allow you to be seen or smelled like this. You are a disgrace to me, your uniform, yourself, your bunks mates, and your U.S. Coast Guard. Do you understand my malcontent, cadet?"

"Yes, sir."

He smiled. "Good! You go and sit down on top of your bunk, Ace. Clark!"

Clark moved ahead then stopped, standing by the second petty officer, smiling at Ace. "Yes, sir."

"Can we go and find Cadet Ace a used uniform, somewhere?" The first petty officer smile at Ace.

A used uniform seemed to be a funny request, in my opinion. The second petty officer or the first petty officer, who was Clark, could have ordered a new uniform from the PX and then it would have been delivered to my bunk within the hour.

"Maybe!" Clark smiled. "It'll take time, sir."

The second petty officer nodded. "Order it!"

"Yes, sir." Clark didn't move but smiled at Ace.

I continued to sit on top of my bunk bed. This must be one of the staff members that enjoys watching the side lines antics from each battling swab. I figured out his vile personality from the terrible action play yesterday. This asshole was not going to find me a fresh or used military uniform, especially, before the door on the Mess Hall closed shut. If I become really sick from my hunger weaknesses, then I would be taken directly to the infirmary and placed on fluids and fed solid food. That would work but a bigger and greater embarrassment to me, my superior officer, my uniform, my bunk maters, and my U.S. Coast Guard military branch.

Shit!

The second petty officer spun around then moved ahead toward the closed door. "Cadets, except for Ace, move out for the mess hall for the breakfast meal," he opened the door and exited the barracks first. The rest of the cadets moved outside following the petty officer while laughing out loud at Ace.

I spun around then moved ahead towards the closed door, staying behind without a receiving plate of food. There was plenty of cold tap water coming from the bathroom faucet.

Fuck!

I exited the barracks and sat in the dirt leaning against the exterior wall outside in the hot weather again. My uniform smelled worse in the heated sunlight. I didn't desire to re-bath the floor and four walls this morning either. I had my second orientation class at ten hundred hours and didn't want to miss any of my academic classes. Out of the corner of my eyeball, I saw a green tinted small military jeep. The vehicle slowly rolled down a gravel pathway like the driver was looking for something or someone. I continued to sit on top of the dirt while watching the slow-moving transport. The missing rooftop on the windowless jeep stopped in front of my barracks. A commissioned junior officer slid off the seat with a plastic clip board and scooted around the front bumper, moving ahead, saying with a smile to Ace. "Hey! I'm Ensign Kingston!"

I continued to sit with a smile. "Hey, Ensign Kingston!"

He stopped a few feet from Ace and looked down with a smile, reading the paper on the hard clip board. "I am looking for a cadet Samuel Attila Smith..."

"Me!" I jumped up from the ground with a smile.

He held out the clip board with a smile. "Sign here on the dotted line, cadet!" I leaned down and signed the hard clipboard. He cuddled the clip board into his chest then spun around, shuffling back to the side door on his jeep, dropping the paperwork down in the front side and lifted up a large card board box from the back seat. He swung around and moved back to Ace, handing off the box, saying with a smile. "There you go!"

I accepted the box with a smile. "Thanks!" The officer spun back around then entered the jeep, driving away from the barracks. On top of the dirt, I controlled my excitement, since I was the alpha male of the two genders. My Resources had come through for me.

I placed the box on top of the grass then ripped open the lid with both of my hands, and my manly strength. The contents on top consisted of two nicely ironed and neatly pressed dress white uniforms and three neatly folded crispy clean work fatigues in my body frame size along with a pair of dress shoes and two pairs of shiny military boots. I picked up the heavy box, entering back into the barracks. I quickly unpacked my new clothing items inside the closet and the foot locker. I ripped the dirty gear from my body frame, took a quick shower, cleaning my body one more time, before I donned the new outfit.

Feels great!

During my call, I realized that I could not ever eat inside the mess hall unless my clothes were washed.

US Coast Guard regulation number two is clean uniform attire.

The petty officer Clark wasn't a friend or an ally, and he wasn't going to help Ace. He wasn't the enemy either. He enjoyed watching each baby cub struggle and then die on their own here at the Academy.

I placed the old smelly uniforms back inside the card board box then carted the box to the garbage bin, without soiling my new attire, dumping the entire items, spinning around from the garbage ben and strolled ahead with a smooth musical whistle towards the Mess Hall.

A few minutes later, I entered the large dining room taking my place in the short food line. I ordered double helpings of everything that my food plate could hold. I moved from the food counter and sat it down at an empty spot with my bunk mates, returning back for two tumblers of cold milk for washing down all of my food items. I sat back down then dived into the meal plate, not caring about the proper table manners that I had learned from my wonderful mother. Using the fork, the spoon, and my two naked hands, I shoved the food onto my tongue, not bothering to chew between my straight teeth, swallowing the meal almost whole.

On a second table with the rest of the swabs, Petty Officer Clark spotted Ace then left his table seat, moving ahead with a growl and then stopped, standing at the back spine on Ace. "Swab, you shouldn't be in here. Your uniform is..." He looked down at the nicely ironed and neatly pressed work fatigues with puzzlement.

I swiftly stood upright from the chair then spun around to face the petty officer. I was supposed to do that. I chewed the food twice and then swallowed, saying with a stern face. "Sir, I have acquired a new uniform. It doesn't smell. Do you want to sniff it, sir?"

He sneered at Ace. "What did you say, swab?"

I softly said. "Sir, do you care to test the cleanliness of my new uniform?"

Clark continued to stare at Ace and then the new uniform in puzzlement, confusion, and angry. He could not comprehend the new uniform on Ace without his assistance or rather his lack of assistance. I stared back without a confrontation. I wanted to eat all the food and go back for a third plate. "Carry one, Cadet Smith!" Clark sneered then spun around, returning back to his eat and his plate of food.

"Thank you, sir." I spun around and slide down, eating the plate of food.

On the pathway back to the barracks, some of the cadets enjoyed teasing and insulting Ace. Some called him, a chicken shit. Other called him, a bold eagle. However, each cadet was surprised, puzzled, and intrigued with his magic act with the new uniform.

Admiral Burbank knew Ace's granddaddy, since they were about the same age. I suspected that some of the older and more mature Academy instructors might know my granddaddy or at least his military reputation, but definitely not the younger officers. So, I was safe to assume that my fellow cadets were absolutely clueless of who I was or who I wasn't.

The rest of the day and even the night went very nice for me.

I had been admitted into the United States Coast Guard Academy, without a congressional nomination. It wasn't required, since I had a good reference. My granddaddy was a retired Vice Admiral from USCGS.

I had started my first day on Monday morning at the USCG Academy. On the second day, late afternoon, I had tattled on the gang of pot head cadets.

By the fourth day of the first week, I had enjoyed a relaxing and uneventful day inside my classroom and each meal while reading my textbooks, reviewing the upcoming assignments, ripping up each death note.

On the final classroom day of the same week, shit happened only to me, again.

I had received numerous death notes in various forms, such like, written, typed, or a stupid code, which I had deciphered within seconds. I had wadded up each piece of paper and chunked it down inside the outside garage bin.

After the last academic class session, in the late afternoon, each First Year cadet was informed that he or she could travel into the small town of New London for some nightly fun. I was very excited for sex with a girl from the new town in Connecticut. Only a week had passed since leaving my group of whores in the city of Mobile. So, I had missed the daily action and wanted to see new hourly action.

I changed out of my clean and pressed new uniform into a pair of old faded blue jeans, a clean dark green tinted designer knit shirt, and a pair of dark blue leather shoes. I placed my money wallet inside my dark blue sports jacket, grabbing my pair of sunglasses, leaving my barracks, jogging ahead towards my personal vehicle, a Lamborghini.

My automobile set in the same spot with the hot sun melting the paint job. I had paid extra for the short overhang consisting of a tin roof and four thin leg columns which held upright the tin roof. The car port had been located outside my barracks inside the parking lot.

The expensive sports car looked odd, especially since I was only a lowly swab. But I didn't care. I loved cars. I loved fucking. That car got me lots of fucking action.

I stood beside the car and unlocked the door, sliding down into the warm leather seat. I reached over and eased the keys towards the ignition switch and then stopped with worry.

Nonsense.

I tapped the keys on the steering wheel making a set of ting sounds.

Check.

I didn't start the car, instead I slid out and popped the engine hood on my sports car. I lifted up the heavy metal hood in the air and examined the engine with a keen eye. I didn't know what I was looking for. I leaned into the cold dead engine for my mechanical hunting. I probably would have recognized it immediately, if I hadn't been disturbed by the loud racket.

"What are you doing, swab?" The low growl on a baritone timber rumbled behind the eardrum on Ace.

"I'm changing the oil." I commented with irritation to the pest. The male moved ahead then slid beside Ace, staring down into the cold engine also.

My day had gone fine, until this moment within my short life of eighteen years old. One of my assailants was spying on my actions.

The male adult was a large human with a head of short cropped blonde colored hair, a pair of blue colored eyes, and tone of pale skin, talking with a slower southern drawl, maybe from U.S. North Carolina. The southern baritone voiced again coming from the big male. "It looks to me like you made a mess down here. Do you see the runoff coming from behind the rear passenger tire, swab?"

I turned then stared at the ground with a soft gasp, where his finger was pointing. Then I looked up to see the big male. The adult male moved away from Ace then strolled ahead towards a puddle of green goo which had gathered on top of the pavement between the grass and rocks. I cursed out loud. "Ah, shit!"

The guy reached down, touched the substance, smelled it into his nose with a sour frown. "Shitting right there! This is leaked brake fluid. You got a bad hydraulic pump leak there. I'd guess, swab."

"Leak! I definitely have a leak." I frowned down at the puddle of brake fluid.

He turned and smiled at the car, not Ace. "I know a local mechanic in town. He can fix you up. Gawd! This car problem is going to cost you an arm and leg, swab."

"That's not my real problem." I exhaled with worry and continued to stare down at the spilled puddle of green tinted brake fluid. I was looking forward to fucking a nice pretty girl, even a semi-pretty female would do for my free evening at her house, until my ordered midnight curfew. The week had been too long. The sun was sinking fast down in the western sky, ending the weekday and starting the beginning of the weekend. This was my only weekend off for another six weeks.

I could call a taxi cab for a paid ride into town while hunting for babe, without a car. Before that event, I would have to walk all the way down to the recreational center then move off the military base to access the taxi cab ride. Any and all unauthorized vehicles were not permitted onto the US Coast Guard military base. Then I would have to walk back to the barracks for my night of rest. If I had gotten lucky enough to find a whore, then maybe she could drive me to the entrance gate on base.

Shit!

The North Carolina accent sounded with a deep baritone at the back spine on Ace. "I'm heading into town. Do you wanna come with me, swab? I didn't mind your company. I'm craving beer and pizza. I can only take some much shit food around here. Your draw, swab!"

I quickly decided that the big guy was an older cadet with a nice set of Southern manners. One of the employed staff military members would not or could not help me, since this was their weekend off also. Every military student and officer were leaving the military base for fun night of something. Swabs were the last students to leave the base along with the other student cadets while looking for a valid transport from a buddy into the city of New London.

I spun around with a smile and nodded to the tall cadet. "I draw an Ace." I laughed. "That's my name, too."

"Hello, Ace! I'm called Buck." The tall cadet extended his hand for shaking.

I reached out and shook then released his big hand, saying with a smile. "It's a very nice pleasure to meet you, Buck. Tell you what! I'll pay for all the rounds of beer and pizzas, since you're providing the transportation tonight."

Buck laughed with a wink. "I gotta warn you first, Ace, I can eat three times my weight and liquid, when it comes to pizza and beer."

I reached over with a wink and gently patted my wallet inside my sports coat. "And I got three times my pay inside my wallet. How's that?"

He smiled. "Fine. If you ran low on cash, just let me know. Okay, swab?" Buck scooted sideways then moved ahead, pointing at his personal vehicle.

"Shore thing!" I scooted sideways and pressed the button on my key chain, locking my sports car, moving ahead and followed the back spine on Buck. If I couldn't find a female for wonderful fuck, then I'd settle on getting off the Academy base for a few hours which was worth paying for beer and my sanity.

He moved ahead further down a row of parked cars, trucks, and sports cars and then stopped, standing beside an old blue tinted Ford Mustang model sports car. I stopped then stood at the front passenger side door, staring down at his car. "You drive a classical automobile here, Buck."

He reached down and unlocked the handle with the key, wearing a stern face. "The car is okay. I really want a new one. Once I graduate and get stationed, then I buy a new one."

"Will you sell this one?" I smiled down at the car while making light chit-chat with the big male.

He opened the door then stood in front of the driver's seat. "Naw! The car belongs to my grandmother. She'd have a heart attack. I don't want to kill her over a stupid car. She insisted that I drive it, when I turned sixteen years old. I couldn't break her heart."

I smiled. "At least, it's a Stang and not an old Benz."

He smiled. "You are right about that fact. I didn't have trouble getting high school babes. But I do like the modern bells and whistles rather than the classical nostalgia models of Ford Mustang." Buck leaned down into the cabin of the car then reached over, manually unlocking the front passenger door for Ace.

"I understand." I reached down and opened the door, sliding down into the worn leather seat in black hue. The condition of the interior looked very well maintained. Buck didn't seem the type to hot dog, show off, or act silly with his grandmother's hot rod. As a matter of fact, he had a very quiet deep reserve about his person. So deep, I really didn't want to upset his taller person or run into his larger person in a dark alleyway while pissing him off. And his physical bulk was impressive for a gentle slow-moving man. He measured six feet and six inches in height with a neck circumference of fifteen inches in diameter, and an arm mass that was characteristic of the television cartoon Popeye the Sailor.

Popeye the Sailor man happened to wear the uniform of a USCG soldier in the cartoon show, exhibiting his two massive biceps when he ate a can of spinach.

Buck could hurt your body with a touch of brute strength without breaking a sweaty eyebrow on his forehead.

Inside the Mustang sports car, the engine loudly purred while Buck smoothly drove down the paved roadway heading towards downtown New London. He offered the grand tour of the city also pointing out each restaurant, library, hospital, financial bank, gasoline station, city hall, and all the other important buildings. Most of the buildings were constructed of brick that varied in color hues from red to gray toward dark brown into dark red.

Inside the sports car, I continued to sit and smiled while enjoying the tour. I was greatly disappointed that I wasn't being hosted by a pretty young female, though.

He slowed the speed then turned off the main roadway, pulling into a crowded parking lot, stopping inside an empty space and killed the engine. He pointed to the front of two-story building. The brick presented a dull-looking orange-reddish hue. The front porch cover featured four wooden columns in bright neon green paint that housed a set of double doors in the center. The doors were open inviting in a new customer. Buck pointed at the building with a smile. "Welcome to Hal's Pizza, swab! This place has the bestest pizzas, the coldest beer, and the prettiest girls," laughing.

I clapped with a smile. "I heard that last fact." I opened the door and slid off the seat, slamming the door shut. Buck continued to sit in the driver's seat, reached over, locked the passenger door, since the older ancient model mustang did not have a set of automatic locks.

I looked down through the glass window. The big finger smashed down the silver tinted manual lock. Buck pulled back and then slid out the car, standing on top of the pavement with a smile.

I looked up and nodded to Buck while apologizing for my rude behavior of my benefactor for the evening. "I'm so sorry, Buck. I forget this old model sports car didn't have a set of automatic locks."

He nodded with a smile then moved ahead towards the entrance door, flipping his hand in the air. "Forget it, swab! I respect the old girl just like my grandma."

I followed his back spine with a smile. His attitude or lack of attitude was quite endearing for the ancient car that his grandma had asked her grandson to drive. Usually, a young cocky male would have blown off his granny. But Buck was a total surprise for Ace. I definitely didn't feel that Cadet Buck was a plant from one of the pot pussy rings which was constantly sending me a death note, since Monday morning. I hadn't been burglarized, robbed, or assaulted, yet. Of course, it was only seven in the evening on Friday night.

Hal's Pizza location

Warm temperatures with dull sunlight rays

Booth setting of Buck and Ace

07:07 pm

They entered the diner. The restaurant setting was crowded.

Buck and his bulk were given a wide space from each roaming customer and every working waitress. He slowly strolled with a smile towards a corner booth in both pride and authority. He was more than familiar with the eating establishment as a regular patron. He slid down into the cushion behind the wall while watching Ace.

I stopped then scooted down on the opposite side, turning to see some of the closest customers while smelling the delicious food.

A waitress approached at the corner booth in a pair of black and white tinted sneakers, a head of wild black short hair strands which were spiked with orange and purple highlights, stopping and smiled at Ace and then Buck. "Beer from the tap and three large double cheese, extra hamburger and sausage, isn't that correct, Buck?"

"Yeah!" Buck looked up and smiled at the waitress.

"What about you, honey?" She turned and snapped the bubble gum in the face on Ace.

"I will have the exact same order, please, and give the food ticket to me. I'm buying for him and you." I winked at her. I decided to make this my official hangout after the weekday academic classes also, since I was going to be here another three and half years, if I made it for through the weekend tonight. I turned and glanced around the seating gallery which consisted mostly of cadets and rows of pretty girls.

The admiral said Ace would have five days on his own to defend his person from harm. Then the admiral would protect Ace on the sixth day, if that was needed.

Inside the corner wall booth, I continued to sit and sweated with nervousness, scanning the room, hearing the sound of laugher and cheers coming from each drunk, happy food, who was enjoying the start of the weekend.

She smiled down at the black tinted hair roots on Ace. "Sure thing, honey! Do remember? I work hard for my money." She popped her bubble gum and then winked down at his hair roots.

"I'll remember, honey." I looked up with a smile. She spun around and dashed back to the food counter with the pizza order. I turned my attention to Buck, saying with a smile. "I wanna thank you for letting a lowly swab tag along on your free night, Buck."

The waitress was quick and returned back immediately, toting a tray of four cold mugs of beer, splashing some of the liquid over the scratched wooden table surface. She tossed the towel from her hip then quickly cleaned the excess beer liquid off the hard surface while popping her bubble gum in rhyme. "There you go, honey. I'll be back with your pizza order in a jiffy."

"Thank you." I looked up and nodded to her, returning back, grabbing then drinking one of the cold refreshing brews.

Buck had finished half his beer mug and then burped out loud with a grin of pleasure. He looked at Ace. "You looked like you needed a friend tonight. The beginning is rough here at the Academy. But if you just follow each order and do it quickly, then you will do fine."

I placed the beer mug back down on the table, nodding with a smile to Buck. "Thanks for the good advice, Buck. I'll heed the warning, also," I exhaled with worry. "Yes, this has been a rough week." I reached up and rubbed the back of my neck trying to ease the tension from the week, without mentioning my personal problems. I hadn't been attacked by the thief, but I felt like someone or something was watching or stalking my butthole, since I hadn't felt that way yesterday.

Buck finished the first mug of beer and then sucked down most of the second one, burping out loud with a grin. "Don't worry! The ritual of school gets better."

I exhaled. "I haven't seen you inside any of my academic classes, Buck."

He slapped his chest with a smile "I'm Four Year."

I smiled. "Excellent. So, will you graduate from here in the springtime?"

"Yeah!" He smiled with a single word.

I had very good instincts about people. Buck was the shy and silent type, the opposite of my bold and obnoxious personality. I nodded. "What's your major?"

"Operations and computer analysis."

I laughed. "O! You're a computer geek."

"Sort of."

I slapped my chest while feeling comfort about the shy and silent Buck. "I plan to major in drug trafficking." There wasn't an academic major for that particular subject here at the USCG Academy, but I was trying to lighten my sober mood.

"I wanna be on one of the cutters which is posted in the Florida panhandle."

I frowned. "Are you kidding me?"

He frowned. "No."

I slapped my chest again with a smile. "I'm heading back there after graduation too. I hail from the beach city of Mobile, within the US State of Alabama."

He smiled. "I plan to continue my career there in Mobile at the Coast Guard base. Was your daddy a soldier and based there also?"

I shook my skull. "No. My father was a lawyer. But I have kin, who served in the Coast Guard. I enjoyed the stories of sea, ocean, and aquatic adventure. I got hooked. So, I decided the USCG was for me."

"My daddy is a retired captain from the US Navy. He traveled from one side of the ocean to the other. I didn't see him much as a young boy. I grow up on the seaside, thou."

"You sound like you possess a Carolina or Georgia accent."

"I'm from South Carolina, the city of Charleston."

I nodded. "You lived on the seaside of the Atlantic Ocean."

He nodded. "The ocean water is cold and rough. I had visited the Gulf of Mexico and the white sands of the beach as a kid. I liked the white sands and the warmer weather."

"So, I do. I'm missing the sea breeze already." I gulped another taste of the beer.

He exhaled. "Well, your academic years here at the Academy will fly fast."

I exhaled with a nod and a stern face. "I hope, real fast."

He frowned. "Why? Do you have a girlfriend back home?"

"Only whores." I laughed.

He smiled. "My lady, her name is Beth. I call her, Lady Beth."

I smiled. "That sounds very nice, Buck."

"I'm an old fashioned man. We were schooled together as a pair of youngsters. When the male hormones kicked in, I fell in love with Beth. And she felt the same way about me."

"Awe! The romantic of young love, so nice!"

The waitress returned with a smile dragging a kart with six extra-large pizzas for Ace and Buck. She placed the platters in the middle of the table that occupied the entire hard surface. She replaced the empty mugs of beers with four more full mugs, nodding with a smile to Buck. "Here's your food and beer, honey! Do you need anything else?"

Buck looked down at the food with a smile. "We are good. Thanks!"

"All right!" She spun around with a smile and pulled the kart back towards a dirty table for cleaning.

At the wall corner booth, Buck reached down and chewed one of the slices, swallowing the food with a smile. "Since the ninth grade, prom, dances, sports, and everything, we had done everything together. She is back home working on her nursing degree in Charleston. After I graduate in May, we have planned a big wedding in the month of June from the parents. Then we will move to beach city of Mobile and start a family." He placed two slices on top of each other and lifted toward his mouth, eating and chewing the food.

I reached out and lifted up one of the slices, eating the food, swallowing with a smile. "Your sea ship work is going to be dangerous along with all eradicate sea hours on top of the ocean." I drunk the beer.

He swallowed the food with a nod. "I know that. She knows that. But my Lady Beth is going to graduate as a registered nurse. A medical center needs nurses twenty-four hours per day and seven days per week, including the holidays and the weekends. So, she can flex her work with my weird schedule," Buck ate multiple pieces of pizza and chewed with a grin.

I swallowed the food. "She gets to perform the cooking and cleaning while you work your tail off out on the sea."

He swallowed the food with a smile. "No. I cook. I keep my bunk and car both neat and clean. My Lady Beth is like me, two peas in a pod," Buck ate more pieces of food, chewing with a grin.

I gently lowered the tumbler down to the table surface with a smile. "I wish I were gay."

Buck swallowed the food with a smile. "What did you say, Ace?"

I pointed at Buck with a smile. "You will make a fine wife, Buck. You cook, clean, and proven devotion to your woman while away from your home. I'm jealous," laughing.

He nodded with a laugh. "Well, I can see your view of point. Beth is a true lady. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to find and have her as my future wife and the mother of my children." Buck ate more pieces of pizza, chewing with a grin.

I frowned. "I've never met a lady." I ate the food, chewing.

He swallowed the food and then finished the second beer and then burped out loud with a grin. "Shore you have."

"I have not. Not like the one you're describing. I will one day. But, for now, are any of these girls wild loose and free for the night?"

He laughed. "Swab, you gotta be in bed, before midnight, tonight," Buck ate more pizza and chewed with a grin, staring at Ace.

I gasped in alarm. "Shit! You're kidding me."

He swallowed the food with a smile. "Don't you read the USCS rule book before accepting your duty?"

I frowned. "I thought I did. I must've overlooked the part about the midnight bedtime rituals."

"No girls. No guys. No pets. No smokes. No books. No shit." He laughed and then ate more pizzas of pizza, chewing.

I roared with laughter as I had already broken the "no shit" rule at the base. I smiled, "No matter! I'll survive. I guess." I exhaled with worry and then ate a second piece of pizza.

He swallowed the pizza with a smile. "Well, this is your last trip to paradise for the next six weeks." Buck ate and chewed more pizzas of food with a grin.

I swallowed the food with a nod. "I definitely remembered that part of my rules. Swab duty is required on the USCG Eagle for three solid weeks."

He swallowed the food with a nod. "It's a fine war ship." Buck continued to make small talk while continuing to shove pieces of pizza slices. He had consumed his three pies and was starting to eat the ones for Ace.

I didn't mind that Buck was eating my pizza pies. I could not eat three extra-large pizzas. And I was feeling filled with food and beverage, after I had consumed the one and half of the heavy monster pizzas with double cheese and tons of meat along with four beers.

The waitress reappeared and stood at the booth, sliding the food ticket over the table surface. I reached down, pulled out, and handed the waitress two hundred dollar bills near my smile. She posed with a gasp and stared at the money. "Are these really two U.S. one hundred dollar bills?"

I nodded with a smile. "Yes, ma'am. The bills came directly from the bank and all are for you."

"I hope you are not joshing a working girl, sir!" She looked down at the money without touching the two bills.

"No, ma'am! And if I'm lying, then Buck can beat the shit out me." I turned and winked to Buck.

She turned and frowned at Buck. "What do you think, Buck?"

Buck stared at Ace with a stern face. "I will certainly do that, if the swab is pushing counterfeit currency on your person."

She reached out and touched the bills with a smile. "Okay! I'll find out if the bills are real soon enough, honey." The waitress placed the money down into her waitress apron, reaching over, gathering up all the dirty dishes and mugs onto the new kart, spinning around to finish her duties and check the currency.

Inside the booth, I stared with a stern face at Buck, who seemed a little tense and suspicious. "The bills are good. I promise."

Buck patted his guts with a smile. "I'm stuffed to the gills. Are you ready to go back to the base, Ace?"

I exhaled with relief and faked a smile. "Yes! I wanna thank you for the ride into town. I needed a break from the academic base activities."

He frowned. "What about your car?"

I wiped both of my dirty hands onto the napkin, saying with a nod. "I'll make a few telephone calls when I get back on base and get her fixed." The local mechanic can contact the dealership mechanic inside one of the bigger metro cities with automobile parts and repairs.

He nodded with a smile. "Well, you're welcome to come with me another night. I always come back here. I like the cold beer and the calm atmosphere."

I turned and nodded at the calm customers. "That's sound great!" I returned to see Buck. "I should have my car fixed by then. Maybe, I can chauffeur you around for town for your goodwill trip."

"Okay!" He scooted out from the booth and moved ahead as each customer and waitress moved out of the way. I followed his back spine with a chuckle and exited the pizza dinner.

At 10:10 pm, in the parking lot setting, among cool temperatures with dark sky and bright stars, Buck swiftly moved ahead back to his personal car inside the crowded parking lot. I continued to follow behind Buck. He stopped and stood beside the front passenger door, opening the door with the car key. The old classical muscle car didn't have any type of electronic, not even the brakes. He back stepped from the open door.

I removed my sports jacket then reached inside, grabbing my wallet, transferring the wallet down into the front of my trousers pocket. The wallet missed the trousers pocket and landed down on the hard pavement. I leaned down for the dropped wallet. My two eardrums heard a sound of footballs behind my ass. The person reached out and hit my rear skull. I stumbled forward while feeling a nick on the rear of my bone skull and a warm sensation of fluid flowing down my back spine. I landed down on top of my sports jacket as a hard cushion on my chest. I was lucky that I didn't cut my handsome face on the hard black asphalt. My two eardrums heard a set of low grunts and then deep groans coming from a set of other males right above my dizzy head and as I continued to rest on top of the hard pavement. I continued to hear a set of fist action with soft thuds plus a series of shuffling shoes. A pair of hands slapped a mysterious person above my semi-conscious body while hitting more body parts, which were not mine. Then the loud noise halted.

Buck rushed around the car then stopped, grabbed, helping Ace to stand, whispering into Ace's face. "You can get up from the pavement, now, swag."

I didn't want to stand. I was afraid the big older male would slap my face for something that I didn't do. Then, a light bulb went off inside my fragile little mind. This was an attack on my person which had been conducted off base and here in the parking lot at Hal's Pizza. This silly high school game was getting serious too dangerous for me. And I believed that I was in very serious trouble here without my car or my gun.

I usually toted around my personal handgun, after my parents had been killed. I had learned to aim and shoot anything within fifty feet with perfect accuracy. My hand gun wasn't allowed inside my bunk, during my first year at the Academy, so I had left it inside my car.

I had to admit the element of surprise was a formable ally. Especially, if you, as the enemy, didn't think about the impact of cosmetic surgery on your tender face.

On top of the pavement, I grunted while standing with the assistance of Buck, waddling side to side, cuddling my dirty sports coat and my wallet with both confusion and dizziness.

"Get inside the car, swab!" An unfamiliar tenor voice whispered from a second body that stood behind Ace.

I ducked down then entered into the rear seat with assistance from a pair of strong hands, sliding over the smooth leather, sitting near the passenger door. I cuddled my sports jacket like a scared fool. Buck and another guy, who possessed a head of cropped brown tinted hair got into the front seats of the Mustang vehicle. Buck started the engine. The other guy was silent while staring out each windshield window for something. I figured someone was watching me, but I didn't count on these two guys.

Buck seemed to be genuine with his stories about his lady named Beth, moving to the beach city of Mobile for his military career, and finally getting married to his sweetheart. But I guessed wrong. This was all a ruse to get me confused and comfortable inside the pizza joint and it worked perfectly.

The ring of pot pussy males had damaged the brakes on my car. If I had seen the leaking brake fluid, then I would have started the engine, rolling the car through the stop sign and crashed into something. I could have gotten hurt or harmed someone or caused thousands of dollars in property damage which would have caused an on-site military investigation. Then I could've been exposed from USCG Academy all in my first week of school.

Now, I was getting pissy mad. I was American citizen. I had the right to attend this Academy like any other citizen within the United States of America.

The ring of pot pussy males was not going to intimidate or frighten me. I will stand my ground and fight to the death. I certainly hoped that particular outcome wasn't my end result either. However, I needed my car telephone inside my sports car calling my grandfather and my Resources.

Inside the driver's seat, Buck steered faster than before driving away from Hal's Pizza, heading back to the Coast Guard Academy military base. He didn't mumble a word, only drove straight to the base. Then, Buck parked in front of the recreational center parking lot, killing the engine.

USCG military base location

Recreational Center setting

10:31 pm

Inside the car, the other unnamed male opened the front passenger door, exiting the car and left the door open. He stood like a guard scanning the landscape.

I didn't need instructions. I slowly crawled out from the rear seat in the Mustang, standing upright on top of the pavement, looking down at his brown tinted hair roots.

The new guy was nine inches lower than my six feet and two inches of height. He appeared quiet and sober also. He swiftly scooted away from the door and thumbed back over his collar bone towards the entrance door at the recreational center, spinning around, slowly moving ahead toward the building.

I scooted sideways from the car and held my sports jacket, staring at the building, whining with trouble. "I'm not allowed inside the recreational center."

Buck appeared at the back spine on Ace then slowly shoved the swab towards the front porch, slamming the car door shut, saying with a stern face. "You're with us, swab." He moved beside with Ace. I moved ahead towards the closed door. I had been wounded and couldn't think or act at the moment.

The short dude led them towards the closed door. "Don't sweat it, swab!"

I slowly breathed in then out in deep breaths, staring at the entrance door. "The name is Ace."

The short dude stomped onto the front porch with a smile. "Don't sweat it, Ace!" He opened the door.

Buck shoved Ace through the open archway and took over the lead. "This way, swab!" He turned down the intersection, moving down a hallway with pictures of ships on top of the blue ocean.

I followed the back spine on Buck and cuddled my sports jacket while sweating with worry. I was inside a place that I should not be inside. And I was with two older cadets that I should not be with also. The shorter young adult male followed the back spine on Ace while staring at the rear skull on Ace trying to figure out the swab. The entrance door into the recreational center slowly closed shut. The other rooms displayed different types of entertainment equipment, such like, a billiards table, four ping-pong tables, standing and sitting video game stations for fun.

Buck continued to move down a long hallway of dull-looking gray painted walls with a row of mounted pictures of sea ships then halted, spinning around, pointing into a small room with a stern face. I stopped then turned to face a new room, slowly entering the darkness. Buck reached inside the room then flicked on the overhead lamps in silence. The room illuminated in light. The interior room contained a long sofa in brown tinted hue of cloth.

I moved ahead then sat down on top of the first beige tinted long cloth sofa that occupied one side of the wall, facing the opposite wall and the two unknown cadets. Buck entered the room in silence without a facial expression of happiness. The shorter male appeared next and entered the room, handing a bag of ice chips and a cold wet rag to Ace, in silence, without a happy face too. My head was throbbing, but my neck was aching more. I lifted up and held wet cloth over my head and the bag of ice onto my throbbing neck muscles. The shorter male back stepped and closed the door, standing in front of the wood, watching Ace.

"Now, talk to us, swab!" Buck sat down on the edge of the second beige tinted long cloth sofa which was posed against the opposite wall, staring at Ace.

I sorta grinned to Buck. "Thanks for the rescue! Let me warn both of you here. You do not want to get involved with this. I don't have many friends, but I sure don't want any more enemies."

The shorter male nodded with a stern face to Ace. "Heard tell! You tattled on Chad and his three buddies."

Now, I was getting concerned. These two older male cadets were some of Chad's old friends, seeking revenge for my tattle-tailing as I was alone, hurt, and unarmed. This was an interesting dilemma. The admiral had not allowed a word of gossip to spread about the four bad boys and the white smoke inside the weapon's shed. So, I would guess that would have been seen as an embarrassment for the admiral, the Academy, the officers, and my person.

The admiral told Ace that he had five days on my own. If the admiral had leaked verbal words of that capture, then I wouldn't be hailed a hero, at least within the eyes of the Coast Guard officers, unless some of staff officers had been involved. Based on my immediate assessment of Rear Admiral B. James Burbank, I was thought the word no. He would have dealt with that problem immediately. So, this was a test of my character and my integrity to Burbank. Well, I will pass here. Burbank said that I would become hurt, not killed. I guessed that was good enough. And I could kill, as long as, Burbank didn't find out. Well, I was hurt, not disabled inside this tiny room. Only the current two buddies of Chad and his friends would have really known what they were doing and what eventually happened to their classmates. These two guys seemed to be upper classmen. Buck was a Four Year cadet and seemed to know the shorter male. So, they must be friends, buddies, and pals. However, I had trusted Buck and gotten a good impression of his moral fiber, when he had offered to drive me into town for beer and pizza.

The other male was the opposite of big, blonde-haired Buck. He possessed a short, thin body frame of lighter weight, almost common looking. That was the only word where I could describe his person. He was common-looking. He possessed a head of cropped brown colored hair, a pair of brown tinted eyes, and a tone of light brown skin. His face had been flawed with a set of acne scars which made his age difficult to forecast which might be somewhere between eighteen to twenty-five years old.

The shorter male moved ahead and occupied the same sofa, lifting up, stretching out his pair of short legs across the free stool, like he was getting ready to watch the football game on a Saturday afternoon. He just needed a mug of beer and a popcorn bowl.

Inside the first sofa, I leaned back into the ratty cushion with deep breathes and as my active mind was clicking with all of my options. I finally thought of a proper response. If anything, it would be engraved on my grave epitaph. Well, maybe, the last part of my sentence, it was shorter. I exhaled with a stern face, staring at Buck then to the unknown cadet. "Drug users and drug lords should be executed on sight with a personal hand gun. Less blood and low cost." Buck roared with laughter and slapped his leg with a nod.

The shorter male continued to stand and then grinned at Ace. "Damn it! After all this time, Chad finally got caught with his girly panties down."

Buck smiled. "You did the USCG proud, swab!"

I exhaled with dizziness and moved the wet rag over my wet forehead. "Thanks! Are you going to beat the shit outta of me?"

"Naw, Ace!" Buck shook his bone skull with a grin.

"We were wondering which side you hailed from." The shorter male smiled.

"Normally, druggies tattle on each other, when they can't get their money for their stash." He continued.

I did not nod my arching head but cleared my throat, saying with a stern face. "Yes, you are correct."

The shorter male frowned. "I heard tell that you came from the beach town of Mobile. Mobile is one of the top importing markets for both drugs and illegal contraband, a druggie paradise."

I felt immediate fury and anger within my painful body and dizzy mind. I didn't like the tone that man describing my birth city, within the great U.S. State of Alabama. I had heard the same rumors. A person only needed to view the evening news or read the newspaper to understand the druggie paradise concept. But hearing it from a stranger was both embarrassing and humiliating.

Buck nodded with a stern face to Ace. "You were out of place with your expensive foreign sports car, tossing around crisp hundred dollar bills, then unexpected car trouble, a Mobile native citizen, and your arrogance..."

"Look!" I cleared my throat and shuffled the ice bag around my throbbing neck muscles. "I can see your obvious conclusion. A new guy here bringing in more dope to the Academy under the guise of an innocent sailor while wanting to learn the ropes, so to speak."

The shorter male frowned. "So, explain your presence here, Ace."

I exhaled with frustration. "I spoke the truth at the pizza joint with you, Buck. I'm not a spy or a traitor to my country, the United States of America. I'm a city boy from the beach town of Mobile, Alabama. My father was a lawyer..."

"Is your father retired as a lawyer now?" Buck asked.

I swallowed back down the bitter bile of the terrible incident in my young life. "My parents were murdered, when I was attending my local high school."

"O! I'm so sorry, Ace." Buck nodded with a sad face.

I exhaled with mixed emotions of hate and sadness. "Thanks! My granddaddy was a USA soldier for the Coast Guard military service." I continued to repeat the true facts of my short life, since I was only eighteen years old. However, I didn't want these two older cadets to know everything about me, just yet.

The shorter male frowned with suspicious. "Is there anything else that you would like to share with us, Ace?"

I smiled. "Well, I'm rich."

"Are you a little or a lot of rich with money?" Buck laughed.

I grinned. "I'm a lotta rich. I really don't need a paid education from the USA military. I could sit on my laurels and eat my sweet cake for the rest of my life. But I have a goal. I have purpose. I am fulfilling my dream. I'm going to make a difference for all Americans here at the USCG."

Buck turned and smiled at the unknown cadet, "He seems pretty dedicated to me, Slick."

The shorter male named Slick continued to stare and frowned at Ace. "You're too deep for me, swab."

He returned back and winked at Ace, "You sound like a Sunday morning preacher-man, swab."

"I'm not a preacher, only a follower. I can say that I have encountered a lifetime of tragedy coming from a set of evil people. I plan to make all evil people, like them, pay with their life in which the church can't." I sneered with anger and furious over the murder of my innocent parents.

"Did your parents die at the hand of some druggies?" Slick asked.

I exhaled with more mixed emotions, without nodding my dizzy headache. "Yes. My father and my mother were both murdered outside a restaurant while returning home, when they were attacked by a set of stoned robbers."

"Did you find the stoned robbers?"

I grinned with a wicked smile and chuckled with an evil tone. "Hell, yes! Not that the police wanted to help me or at least ever find the dead bodies."

"Understood!" Slick nodded with a slight smile.

"I am really sorry, again, swab." Buck nodded with a stern face.

I whispered with sadness, "Thank you."

Buck clapped and smiled at Ace. "So, what's your American dream here, Ace? It sounds to me like you possess a house and a hot car already. Does a future wife come with the new American dream?"

My new friend Buck had finally called me, Ace. I softly chuckled without moving my throbbing head. "No girls, only whores." My two new friends hooted with delight.
Present day and place and time

Tuesday, February 13th

City of Mobile, within US State of Alabama

Cool temperatures with parted clouds of moonlight

Fat Tuesday celebration

Smith Manor location

Living room setting

06:06 pm

The City of Mobile Mardi Gras day parade started early in the morning, around seven am. After sunrise, the socializing and drinking led into a formal costume party, which was held within the early nighttime evening hours throughout the city of Mobile. I was personally invited to attend the Mardio Gras party at the grand estate house of Senator and Mrs. Samuel "Shotgun" Smith.

Inside the living room setting of dull grays and bright reds furniture pieces, Samuel Winchester Smith, Junior sat in a red tinted leather chair surveying each invited guest. His two brothers, Samuel Winchester "Trey" Smith, the third, and Samuel Winchester "Quad" Smith, the fourth sat inside a different gray-tinted chair that surrounded their older biological brother Junior. Their father Shotgun slowly paced in front of the row of individual and colorful sitting chairs while listening to the private conversation.

Junior ate the food and then softly talked with his brother, wearing a fake smile to each invited guest. "Where is she?"

Trey ate then swallowed the food, saying with a fake smile also. "She is around."

Junior exhaled with annoyance and continued to scan each invited guest. "She is around where."

"What costume does she wear?" Quad smiled at each passing guest then sipped on the alcoholic beverage.

"A witch costume with a matching brown broom." Shotgun stopped then faced his three sons, holding an alcoholic beverage, softly chuckling with a smile.

"How appropriate!" Junior chuckled at the idea of his mother as her true witchy self.

"You had accidentally announced your description with the wrong consonant, Father." Trey laughed with Junior.

"When does the dark curtain rise for the final act, Junior?" Shotgun continued to stand and stared at his three sons.

Junior continued to eat then smiled at each guest. "The final act will be performed a little after midnight."

Trey faked a smile to each passing guest. "Why is the final act so late in the evening?"

Junior faked a smile and nod to each passing guest. "Every invited guest needs to be drunk and blurred eyed for the upcoming horrible event."

Shotgun nodded to his three sons. "And some of the guests need to be gone from here or out the door while thinning out the overcrowded living room setting."

Junior nodded with a smile. "That's the brilliant plan! We want the atmosphere to be causal, not staged."

"Good job, brother!" Trey reached over then fist-bumped with his father and his brother Junior. Quad frowned with worry and continued to observe each passing guest while sipping the beverage in silence.

At 11:48 pm, inside the living room setting, a piercing scream from one of the paid servants startled Ace out of the boring conversation with the elderly woman, who was the chairperson for one of the local charity organizations. The scared maid dashed from the dining room and wrapped both of her arms around her upright body, fleeing the house the Smith Manor. She was afraid and sobbing with tears. The front door opened then closed emitting the cold air molecules into the foyer room.

At 11:50 pm, inside the living room setting, I quickly scooted around the elderly lady then advanced through the room, halting inside the connecting archway into the dining room setting while gasping in shock. Shotgun, Junior, Trey, Quad also exited the dining room setting then halted as a group, slamming into the spine on Ace while gasping in shock at the terrible sight.

Flash and his wife Mary Ann appeared then squeezed on each side of Ace while gasping in shock at the horrible scene also.

I continued to stand in the archway and stared at the back spine on the female.

In the middle of the dining room beside the dining table, which was covered in hot and cold food platters, fifteen-year-old Jewel Gem Smith wore a dirty, gray-tinted one-piece jumpsuit and stood over the body of her mother, who rested on top of the white tinted carpet in a puddle of red tinted blood proteins. The mother of Gem is Mrs. Samuel "Shotgun" Winchester Smith and the biological sister of Ace, who was named Mary Ann.

Gem held a small silver tinted dagger dripping with numerous individual red tinted blood proteins from the sharp tip in her cupped blood-stained fighting hand. Her hospital gray-jumpsuit was covered with the same red tinted blood stains. She was barefooted and stunned, not frightened or afraid, but calm and quiet.

"Bo Peep!" I yelled out loud at the teenager, feeling both worry and panic and as a set of hands reached out, holding my body in place without leaving the archway for Gem.

Beside the dining room table, Gem spun around at the sound of the familiar male voice, standing in place while staring into his pair of violet eyes, in silence. She slowly back stepped from Ace and all of her family members, moving backwards towards the other open archway inside the dining room. Ace struggled to get freed from the numerous male muscles and the array of cupped hands, growling with fury at his family members while worrying for his biological niece Gem.

She's mine.

"What have you done, girl?" Shotgun advanced through the crowed then shoved Ace towards the side wall, slowly stomping ahead into the dining room setting towards the crumpled body of his dead wife Mary Ann, who was Ace's biological sister.

Junior dashed ahead from the huddle then slid down near the dead body, reaching out, touching her face, saying with a nervous tenor. "She's dead." He was the family medical physician.

Quad dashed ahead into the dining room then slid down next to Junior sobbing with tears, staring down at dead Mary Ann. "My mother is dead."

Trey stepped into the dining room setting and jabbed his finger, yelling at Gem. "Gem killed our mother. Gem killed our mother! Gem is insane. She is crazy. Get, Gem! Grab her!" He did not advance further into the room but held onto Ace.

"Stop her!" Shotgun looked up then screamed out loud at his daughter Gem also.

"Gem!" Mary Ann raced ahead into the room then stopped, standing beside her biological brother Flash, slapping both of her red tinted cheeks, sobbing with tears of terror for her friend and her niece Gem.

"Grab her!" Shotgun jabbed his finger at Gem while yelling at each son.

Gem reached the other open archway and continued to stare at each one of her family members, Ace, and then looking down her dead mother on the blood-stained floor. She swiftly pivoted around then raced down the familiar hallway, through the den room setting, which was connected to the living room, dashing straight into the kitchen setting, where the paid servants were cleaning all of the dirty dishes from the Mardi Gras party. She reached out and grabbed the door handle on the rear door, twisting her wrist bone, slamming open the door and ran across the back yard patio floor underneath the artificial lamps and then fled deep into the cold midnight air molecules, leaving her home, within the city of Mobile. She vanished into the light wind and bright beams of yellow tinted moonlight.

Quad appeared and stood inside the kitchen archway, catching the swinging door, trying to grab her arm. "Gem! Come back here! Gem! Don't run! Come back here!"
Wednesday, February 14th

Cold temperatures with bright stars and moonlight rays

Attila's Hut location

Car garage setting

12:22 am

I slapped the garage door device as first of six garage doors slowly lifted up in the air, exposing an empty garage floor. I parked my new Lamborghini sports car in the middle of garage space, shutting down the engine down, sitting inside the leather seat, without moving. I replayed the terrible horrible image within my active mind over and over again.

I had left Shotgun's house after talking endlessly with the local Mobile city police officers, the local Mobile FBI special agents, the local Mobile Homeland security people, and the numerous other state representatives, since Gem's father was an Alabama senator and her mother was an Alabama senator's wife.

Gem had killed her mother. Gem had killed my sister. My little Gem killed a human. My sister was dead.

"No! No! No!" I shouted out loud and hit both of my palms on the steering wheel. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" I cursed everyone while wishing for Almighty God to end my midnight nightmare. The dining room scene of blood had been real and really had happened to Gem.

I could not believe this was possible. I did not believe this was possible. I would not believe this was possible.

Gem was fifteen years old. She was a child. She was drugged. She was possessed. She was something. Something happened to her inside the mad house there at the hospital ward. It had been done by the group of medical physicians or the registered nurses or the other medical staff members or the faulty hospital equipment or the hospital medications.

"Yes, I will find out the truth about my Bo Peep." I yelled out loud while still feeling annoyed, pained, and scared. "I'm a lawyer and a judge. I promise that I will find the truth."

Then Gem ran away from the death scene and exited her own residential house, dashing away into the night air, disappearing into thin air like magic.

The local and state news media reports and photographers were going to have a field day with the daughter of a senator, Jewel Gem Smith, presenting the new dangerous and murderous information in the early morning headlines on the television screen and in the future news print.

I nodded with a smile. "I have to find her first. I would call my Resources. They could find her within twenty-four hours. Then what?" I moaned out loud without thinking through a plan to protect Gem. If I turned her back into the police, then the police would place Gem back in that mental mad house again. I would be her attorney. I was a military judge. I would help her, and I would save her.

"First, I have to find her." I reached down and opened the door, sliding out, slamming it shut with anger. I moved ahead with a sour attitude and slammed open the garage door in fury leaving it open inside the kitchen setting. I couldn't sleep or eat or drink or think. I marched through the kitchen without destroying anything as each object was nicely tucked away inside a colored wooden cabinet by my paid maid service. I continued to stomp through an empty and quite living room setting of reds, greens, and yellows moving towards the wet bar. I needed a drink right now.

At 12:18 am, on the front porch setting, the front door bell sounded with a deep dong breaking my concentration.

I halted with a gasp inside the living room then turned with a sneer to see the closed entrance door. "Shit! A media reporter had followed me to my home. I'll take care of this every swiftly." I rushed ahead to the closed door and jerked in anger the ancient oversized door, gasping in shock. Gem stood there and stared into his violet colored eyes while pleading, begging, and crying in desperation of the situation.

"Bo Peep." I reached out and pulled her loose arm swiftly into the foyer.

Gem was covered in blood stains from her hair roots down to her naked toes still wearing her gray tinted jumpsuit from the psychiatric unit at Mobile Hospital. The blood had dried onto the dagger which she held in a cupped bloody hand. Tears, terror, and hopelessness were forecasting from her pair of violet eyes, like his. Her mouth opened, without a word. Her button nose filled with wet and dry mucus from crying. Her two small cheeks and her set of full lips were both swollen red from her raw teenly emotions.

I reached down and pulled the knife from her cupped bloody hand, gently placing it down on top of the tile floor. I would remove the bloody tiles later this morning. I swiftly stood upright from the floor. Gem fainted. She fell down into my open arms, closing her eyes, resting her head on my chest.

I turned away from the front door then carried her to one of the sitting chairs, which would be removed from my home that held the blood germs later this morning. I back stepped and grabbed the throw blanket, placing over her folded body, grabbing her. I toted Gem upstairs into the bedroom placing her on top of the neat bedcovers. Then I would destroy the bedcovers with the blood germs from my dead sister later the morning also, after Gem had awoken too. I quickly undressed her out of the dirty jumpsuit that was still covered with both wet and dry blood from the body of my dead sister. I donned one of my big tee manly shirts on her sleeping body stretching the cool blanket up towards her chin, like I did, when she was little child. I spun around with a worried brow and left her to rest and sleep, halting then swung around with a growl. "She's mine."

Gem started living with Ace, when she had turned thirteen years old. Partly, because Shotgun was too strict as a father with raising three rambunctious rough and rowdy boys. Her mother, my sister Mary Ann, was too busy as a wife of a senator to care for a mischievous, pretty teen daughter. So, I was available.

Mary Ann and I were close as a pair of siblings from the terrible murder of our parents on the Labor Day weekend, which had occurred four blocks from our house.

I had relished the concept of a child caring, since I wasn't married and had no children and it allowed me to practice for the future. I kept one eye closed and one eye opened on Gem. She was a very good teenager. She enjoyed her gal pals more than any guy friends. I was pleased.

She obeyed my loose house rules. And I allowed her to stay out later than normal. She returned faithfully every night as ordered. For my peace of mind and her security, my group of unnamed Resources followed, checked, and surveyed Gem at all times as she wandered the streets of Mobile for fun with girls and the beach parties for playtime while living a safe and happy teen life.

I knew everything. Where she was? What she was doing? Who she was with?

Gem was honest. She told Ace the next morning or evening when they had shared the dinner meal what she did with girlfriends.

Inside the house, I tromped downstairs from the second floor and whipped out my mobile telephone. I typed a text message with the math numbers 549 and ended the message. I veered toward the wet bar, pouring a tumbler of straight whiskey, sitting down inside the oversize chair by the bar. I slipped one gulp. My nerves were shot. My heart was relieved. My mind was clicking. Gem had been found. She was with me, safe and hidden, for the moment.

"She's mine." I growled. I could keep and guard Gem, but for how long.

Like my southern belle lady, Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Butler, from the novel _Gone with the Wind,_ liked to quote on every social emergency. I exhaled with a stern face and sat inside the chair. "I'll think about that tomorrow." I quickly finished the whiskey while pondering my next illegal step.

My mind flashed back to the past sins and virtues of childhood playing with my two childhood friends Flash and Shotgun here in Mobile. We had fun participating in school, classes, dates, girls, guys, bad guys, good guys, football games, parties, beer, cigarettes, billiards, and illegal drugs.

Fifteen years ago, the house smelled of cigar smoke and vanilla spices from a tray of baked cookies which pleased the sweet tooth on Samuel Attila Smith, Junior, who was Ace's biological grandfather.

I trotted behind the back spine on the elderly man servant into the private den, not the living room, not the kitchen, not the study for office work, but the den. A den room is a Southern man's hideout room from life for a little, before the supper meal and the sleeping ritual.

Inside the old fashioned den room, Granddaddy Smith was sitting inside the oversized leather chair in dark red, a gray tipped cigar in one hand and a vodka in the other. He loved his vodka liquid coming from an American company in the U.S. State of Texas, not a foreign Russia company. His hand-rolled cigars came from the foreign country of Great Britain, not the country of Cuba.

I didn't like either a hand-rolled cigar or a glass of vodka, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

Side note: A manly man has no set of hurt feelings, only a girly man.

At 10:01 pm, among hot temperatures with bright sunlight, I entered into the den and sat inside the opposite chair from my granddaddy, so he could read my face and my expression. I held a lit cigar stinking up the air waves and a cold tumbler of vodka wetting my cupped hand while still smiling at my granddaddy in silence.

"Ace, my boy, your dad would be proud." He smiled and then sucked on the cigar.

"Thank you, sir." I smiled with a nod, without sucking on the cigar.

"I'm very proud of you, too, son," he grinned and then sucked down a sip of the vodka.

"Thank you, sir." I grinned with a nod, without sucking down the vodka.

"I like the idea of discharging each fool from the USCG military service. This is a good thing, son. Now, you're back home and working a good job for the USCG and ready to start the family."

"Whoa, Granddaddy! I want to be a father and married but not in that order, sir. I have some time, sir."

He puffed on the cigar creating a series of white tinted small completed circles in the air waves. As a child, I had been entertained with his smoke trick for hours. Then he gulped down some of the vodka and cleared his throat, saying with a stern face to Ace. "Children, they come straight from Almighty God, the treasure of the heavens. Do you believe me, Ace?"

I grinned. "Yes, sir."

He nodded with a smile. "Fine! I was proud to become a first-time daddy. I loved and doted on Sam, my only child." He dropped his chin down into his green tinted knit shirt, wearing a sad face. He had outlived his only child.

I exhaled with sad feelings also. "Yes, sir."

He looked up with a smile. "Well, times have changed. I respect young people and their drives and ambitions to success and conquest." He puffed on the cigar and produced the white smoke of tiny circles again.

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Now, you are a man, since you made it through New London town. And you have responsibilities, commitments, obligations that you must fess up too, Ace."

"Yes, sir."

He frowned. "So, what are you going to do about this now, Ace?"

I exhaled. "What am I to do about what, sir?"

"What are you going to do about Mary Ann?"

I frowned. "Sir! Is my sister Mary Ann unhappy in her marriage to Shotgun? I didn't realize the delicate situation."

"Have you seen the babe?"

I nodded with a smile. "Yes, sir. Mary Ann was holding the baby bragging and boasting about little bit." My sister seemed very happy in her new married life. I, on the other hand, was very busy with my new duties, overseeing the staff, protocols, and regulations as the new judge within the US Coast Guard military base here in Mobile. And I worked fourteen hour days into the late evening.

He frowned. "Are you curious about your new niece, Ace?"

"No."

He frowned. "You should be."

I frowned. "Sir, you have me at a disadvantage with this conversation. Why am I supposed to be curious?"

He grumbled. "I should let you figure that out on your own, but you have been through enough heartache." He inhaled a large amount of smoke, exhaling with a big round circle. "Ace, do the math!"

I nodded with puzzlement. "Yes, sir, I will do the math. What math am I doing, Granddaddy?"

"You need to use a calendar, counting backwards the days and nights, since you and her..."

I didn't lift my two hands which were occupied with items, "Whoa, Granddaddy! How do you know about me and her?" I frowned with confusion.

He smiled. "It is called hot juicy gossip, Ace. You possess nosy neighbors. You are living inside that old house, in that old neighborhood. These nosy neighbors get antsy with the young folks when bad things happen."

I frowned. "Did my nosy neighbors see my friend Mary Ann and her three little girls that night on my front porch, sir?"

"The night of the thunderstorm, they hear, saw, and, smelled the girls. They are a nosy bunch of pansies. But this is not my problem. It is now yours."

I frowned. "I still don't understand my problem, sir. Could you be a little more specific, Granddaddy?"

He smiled. "Mary Ann Smith, Shotgun's wife had carried a baby inside her womb for three days ago. She went into labor and entered the hospital ward. Now, she is back home and empty handed. Now, your sister Mary Ann is at home and has a new babe. What are the odds?"

"What are the odds?" I whispered for my eardrums only while staring at my grandfather as the lighted cigar continued to burn then dropped a stream of hot ash down over the wooden planks.

"Do the math, Ace?" He winked with laughter.

"Yes, sir." I gulped down the vodka as the lit cigar ashes burned down over the wooden planks.

Back into the present day and time, ten hours later, at 12:12 pm, on a cool afternoon, with bright sunshine into Attila's Hut, I escorted my two best friends and co-workers into the yellow and green tinted kitchen setting, where my paid maid service had overdone their talents. Every kitchen counter was covered in platters of hot and cold food items ranging from fish sticks to beef steaks to fried chicken breasts for consuming and tubs of cold beverages for drinking. Each person filled an extra-large plate of food item then sat down at the dark colored wooden breakfast table, staring down at the plate of food. We sat in a semi-triangle formation.

I formed the tip of the triangle and swallowed the food, staring Buck and then Slick. "What are the findings, gentlemen?" I ate more food and chewed.

Buck swallowed the food forming a worried brow to Ace, "You are not going to like this, Boss."

I swallowed the food with a nod. "Allow me to like or dislike the data, Buck!"

"You're under investigation, chief." Slick ate the food then smirked at Ace.

I swallowed the lumpy food then quenched my thirst, asking anyways knowing the answer. "I am under investigation by whom and for what."

Slick sipped the beverage. "You are accused of murdering your biological parents, Chief." He ate the food and chewed.

Buck swallowed the food then frowned. "You are accused of murdering the known three assailants that had murdered your parents, in which, I had clarified further, Boss."

I gasped in worry. "Did they find the dead and buried three teen male skeleton bodies?"

Buck laughed. "Hell, no!"

Slick swallowed the food then smiled. "Your wonderful, big mouthed brother-in-law has suggested the new and old concept into the two eardrums on each local Mobile FBI special agent and he also has successful paired it with your sister's death and Gem's mysterious disappearance." He ate more food and chewed.

"It is your family circle." Buck ate more food then chewed.

Slick swallowed the food with a smile. "The family affair is more the apt term."

I swallowed the food with a frown. "Does the family clan or the police department possess knowledge that Gem is here with me for safe keeping?" I ate then chewed the food.

Buck swallowed the food with a smile. "They don't have a chance in hell, Boss." He ate the food then chewed.

I swallowed the food with a frown. "Are we positive on this matter, gentlemen?"

"Damn positive, chief!" Slick ate the food then chewed.

Buck slid off the seat then scooted back towards the kitchen counters, filling his second plate of food. "Well, damn! Then it's all bull shit." He spun around with a smile and slid back down into the chair at the breakfast table, diving into the food plate.

I laughed. "Actually, it's all horse shit."

Slick swallowed the food with puzzlement. "What's all horse shit?" He ate then chewed the food.

I wiped my dirty mouth then revealed a smile. "I had used horse shit to cover the soil dirt. So, the nasty maggots would start to eat and digest the remains of each dead teenager, many moons ago."

He swallowed the food with a chuckle. "Gawd! Please tell me when I'm not in your good graces anymore, Chief!"

I frowned. "Why's that, Slick?"

He laughed. "I plan to leave the area of Mobile, the State of Alabama, the entire southern region of the United States, and permanently transfer to the US Marine Core, after I change my proper name. The US Marine Core is kinder than that son of a bitch."

I smiled. "I don't know your proper name, Slick."

Buck swallowed the food with a grin. "With a new name change, I bet Ace can still find your person, Slick."

Slick nodded with a grin. "You're right, Buck. Excellent point! I need to change my nickname, too."

He laughed. "That's my boy! Thinking for the long term, when things go really bad wrong."

I ate then swallowed the food, wearing a stern face. "Seriously, gentlemen, where are the findings?"

Slick sipped the beverage then nodded with a stern face to Ace. "Buck is serious, Ace. The Mobile FBI agents are coming to see you today."

Buck sipped the beverage then shook his bone skull at Slick, "No. The Mobile FBI agents are coming tomorrow on Thursday, Slick."

He frowned. "Today, the set of local Mobile FBI special agents are coming to see Ace, Buck."

Buck frowned. "No, the Mobile FBI agents are coming on Thursday."

He smiled. "I read the document that I actually stole, unlike you, Buck."

"Unlike you, I remember everything. The Mobile FBI agents are coming tomorrow on Thursday." Buck grinned.

"Today, which is the day before Thursday, the sets of local Mobile FBI agents are coming and trying to catch Ace off guard, Buck." Slick ate then chewed the food.

I waved my hand near my sour frown. "Fine! Let them come today or tomorrow. What is the data regarding Bo Peep?"

"You're not going to like this, Boss." Buck ate then chewed the food.

I ate then swallowed the food. "Don't start that sequence of silly banter, again, Buck!"

Buck swallowed the food then nodded with a worried brow. "Ace, you have been accused of child molester regarding her safety."

"What!" I dropped my fork on my plate then sneered with fury.

"I told you that he wouldn't like it, Buck. You own me fifty bucks, buckaroo." Slick turned and grinned to Buck.

Buck ignored the money bet and his friend Slick. "You are accused of child molesting, slave prostitution, and drug trafficking..."

"Is that it?" I frowned.

Slick softly chuckled with amusement. "O! Should there be more, Chief? I always thought you an upright, uptight, and outrageous Mobilian native of the USA?"

"There is not any more for the moment. However, they are still searching in your outside dirty trashcans." Buck ate then chewed the food.

I exhaled with annoyance and shoved the empty plate from my body. "I can't believe Shotgun and Flash did this to me."

Buck swallowed the food then smiled. "Mary Ann, too, her name is on the legal deposition that is against you, too, Boss."

"You got a set of some tough kin folks there, Chief." Slick ate then chewed the food.

I frowned. "May I ask why?"

Buck swallowed the food then grinned. "They need a new geometric angle away from them."

I frowned. "Who is them? I am confused."

"They killed Mary Ann, your sister." He nodded with a sad face.

I frowned. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Halt! It only takes one person to kill a body, not a crowd."

Slick nodded with a stern face. "Your talented Resources have uncovered some nasty shit regarding your not-so-nice family members which falls under a business entity, which is called Smith Incorporated."

Buck nodded with a stern face. "To add to the wonderful story of your family in-laws, the locale set of Mobile FBI boys and girls are investigating the whole family unit on drug stuff, too."

I gasped in shock. "Drugs!"

"Yeah, your nasty family members are also involved with both baby and female slave selling charges, too." Slick nodded with a stern face.

"Your nasty family members are down low dirty, B\boss." Buck frowned.

"Dirty is a term for a pair of smelly underwear. Your family members are evil, who are second cousins to Satan, you know, their true demon family ties." He laughed.

Buck laughed. "Good one, Slick! Demon family ties."

I frowned. "My gawd! I have spent half my life prosecuting drug users, possesses, pushers. Now, I find out my entire ex-family members is all of them. I can't believe that I missed that office memo."

"Are you cutting your demon family members out of your Last Will and Testimony, Boss?" Buck smiled.

"My family members were never there to begin with." I told.

Slick slid the pile of papers over the hard surface towards Ace. "Here, you go, Chief!"

Buck slid a single piece of paper over the hard surface to Ace next, "This paper contains more badder news, Boss." I looked down and read the short legal summons coming from the Coast Guard Human Relations Department and my co-worker Buck, in silence.

"Are you really suspended as the USCG judge here in Mobile, Chief?" Slick frowned.

"Ace is on a non-paid leave of absence." Buck frowned.

"Is there a court martial in your military future, Chief?" He asked.

I continued to peruse the legal paper. "No! I have friends in higher places that can take care of this minor irritation. At this point, I'm not concerned about my military career." I looked up with a sneer and a worried brow, "I have no financial worries. I'm only concerned about my girl, my niece and her welfare."

Slick grinned. "I heard that you have more money than God."

I smiled. "Actually, I'm richer than God and I possess more demons to command than Satan."

Buck laughed. "Ace, the Almighty!"

Slick frowned. "Shit! I might be filling out my transfer papers today."

I smiled. "I've always enjoyed your bone dry wit, Slick."

Buck turned and frowned at Slick. "Well, I don't. How do you know that, Slick?"

"I listen, Buck." Slick turned and smiled at Buck.

"You listen only to country music. Open up your eyes and ears to the world around you, Slick." Buck grinned.

"I do." Slick smiled.

"Do not." Buck sneered.

"Do too!"

"Do not!" Buck frowned.

I exhaled with annoyance. "Gentlemen, is there worser news, for the day, for me?"

"That's it, Boss." Buck turned and winked at Ace.

I nodded. "When are the group of gentlemen in a cheap polyester business suit set to arrive here at my casa?"

"The group of nasty gentlemen will arrive at two in the afternoon." Slick smiled.

I smiled. "May I ask a favor!"

"Yeah." Buck smiled.

Slick shook a skull. "Let's hear the favor first, Buck. I might need to visit the USCG personnel office first."

I smiled. "I would like both of you in attendance for my personal interview with the Mobile FBI."

"Your personal interview is coming from the local Mobile FBI office, the local Mobile Homeland security office, the local Mobile Coast Guard Justice office, the local Mobile police department, and finally a group of local Alabama Congressmen." Buck smiled.

I frowned. "How surprising! The list seems too short. I was hoping for a visit with our good hearted governor."

"He was busy." Buck smiled.

I laughed. "What about a visit from the Lieutenant Governor of the great State of Alabama?"

"He is busier, covering up the corruption from the good-hearted governor." Buck laughed.

I exhaled. "So, they do not truly know the whereabouts of my Bo Peep."

"No." Buck shook his skull.

I exhaled. "They don't know who killed my sister."

"No."

I exhaled. "They don't know anything."

"No." Slick answered.

"But we do." Buck slid a new paper report over the hard surface towards Ace.

I looked down with puzzlement at the paper report. "What's this?"

"The findings." He laughed with Slick.

At 02:02 pm, at Attila's Hut location, inside the foyer entrance setting, each person could sniff the smell permeating throughout the mansion air waves coming a pot of freshly brewed coffee, a tray of warmed tea biscuits, and an odor of the fresh baked smoke ham on the tiny bread slices, without the crust, which were compliments of my paid maid service. I did not cook; I just ate.

I heard the loud group of nosily foot stomps on top of the front porch while I was standing in front of the closed entrance door. I held the door knob then twisted my wrist bone, opening the door as the door bell sounded with a baritone musical tone announcing my unwelcomed guests. I faked a smile and a hand wave to a group of short and tall unwelcomed male guests. "Come in, gentlemen. Welcome to my residential home!" I back stepped away from the open door then stopped, standing in the middle of the living room and stared at each person.

"This is a mighty fine, grand house, Judge Smith." A petite, pale skinned, brown-haired male leader within the large delegation entered first and surveyed the house, stopping in front of Ace, saying with a smile and a nod. The rest of the delegation followed his back spine inside the room, forming a row of faces around Ace.

I continued to stand and smiled at my unwelcome guests. "Thank you! The house is a gift from my parents." I spun around with a fake smile and led down a long hallway towards one of the rear rooms inside my house. "Please follow me, gentlemen!" The execution squad turned and followed the back spine on Ace exiting from the living room, moving down a hallway of framed and mounted art work. I turned from the hallway then entered into an enclosed room with four beige painted walls of den space, sitting down inside a single oversized leather brown-tinted chair inside the wall corner, where I was surrounded with numerous framed photographs of both good friends and family members and gold and silver plated award trophies from my childhood sporting events and college days. I leaned down to the low table and pointed at a tray of non-alcoholic beverages and then a second tray of individual tiny finger sandwiches and tea cakes for my unwelcomed guests.

A male always consumed food come hell fire or high water.

I filled a tiny glass plate with food items leaning back into the chair. I always ate, as well, no matter the occasion or situation or sentencing.

The leader of the delegation did not select a plate of food but stared at Ace, saying with a smile and a nod. "Judge..."

"Call me, Attila, please!" I nodded with a smile. My nickname of Ace simply would not do in this auspicious instant. The name was too kind, too fun, and too sporty. Attila, the former dead king of the Chinese Huns and the reigning emperor had conquered an entire country. That nasty name had a deep dark meaning. Then I smiled with a nod to the leader.

"Very well, Attila." The leader of the delegation nodded with a smile.

The representative in a Coast Guard white tinted dress uniform sat very close to the food trays, reaching out and grabbed several finger food sandwiches, saying with a smile and a nod to Ace. "I'm Scott. We did not know each other. But I volunteered to work with this fine group of delegates to administer the short list of questions, which has been submitted from the various governmental agencies. I did this to quicken the investigative process and not waste your precious time, Attila." The Advocate General office had chosen and then sent the wormiest nerd coming from the Coast Guard criminal investigation group.

I was very pleased. My supervisor was pissed that the civilians, who were irritating my ass, during my vacation time. I liked Scott. He was an honest, minor mannered, soft spoke, knowledgeable, and gentle male, like a newborn kitten. I bet Scott didn't volunteer but had been drafted to come and see Attila.

"I appreciate your tack and good manners, Scott." I nodded with a smile to my only ally inside the den.

The leader of the delegation rattled in the air then read out loud from a single sheet of paper. "First question, tell us about the night your parents were murdered!"

I started the historical tale of my young life with a grin. "I'm very embarrassed to tell that I was with my sister on the sandy beach on the Gulf of Mexico, not at our parent's beach house. I knew that our parents spied on us. Therefore, I rented a different beach house for the weekend." This was the part where I had murdered the three stoned teenagers. My old buddies Shotgun and Flash had offered this inducement to the Mobile FBI office while attempting to run the hunting dogs off the stinky asshole of the big bad wolf clan.

"My information said the murder occurred during the Labor Day weekend. Is this correct, Attila?" The leader smiled.

I nodded with a grin. "Yes, I was inside a beach house that Friday afternoon, after school session. I was in high school as a senior student. The academic classes had started but not the first football game. I along with about fifteen friends..."

"Were teenage girls located at the same beach house, Attila?"

I smiled. "Male and female friends were staying at the same beach house while drinking, playing cards, smoking..."

"Was the smoke coming from the illegal sash of marijuana?"

I answered with a big grin on my silly face. "Smoking pot, fucking sex, everything that the teenagers do at that age." I chuckled with the others.

"How big was the rental beach house?"

I said. "I rented a four-bedroom beach house."

The leader frowned. "Let me clarify here! You rented a beach house as a teenager."

I nodded with a grin. "My parents owned two of the bigger houses on Orange Beach. But, as a mischievous sixteen-year-old hormonal male, I didn't want them arriving unexpected and discovering my dirty little secret girlfriends."

"Understandable."

"I had money. I have always had money as a trust fund baby. I simply rented another beach house along the coast line, paying with cash. The reality business enjoyed my cash services."

The leader frowned. "So, was there any questions, any signed forms, any type of identification or any type of hassle for you as a teenage for renting a beach house?"

"Not with cash as my alley. My parents spent lots of cash money in Orange Beach district. My dad was part the Orange Beach Chamber of Commerce. If the tiny beach town needed money, my daddy supplied the cash need." I chuckled.

"Do you carry around large sums of cash often?"

"Every day! It is part habit, part pleasure. Cash is easier to spend and quicker to use."

"Do you travel often?"

I answered truthfully. "Not really, I love my home town of Mobile. I'm a true home body."

"What length of time did you rented a different house from your parents?"

I continued with the boring high school story. "Labor Day commenced on Friday afternoon, after the school sessions. I and the other teens stayed at the beach house on Saturday night through Sunday night. The gang broke into groups on Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, everyone was heading home. I left around five pm or so for the drive back home."

"Where was your sister Mary Ann?"

I said. "My sister Mary Ann is...was older than I. I was sixteen years old. She was eighteen years old in college at Mobile University here in my home town of Mobile."

"How are you able to recall so many events on a precise basis like this with such detail?"

I fumed. "Well, yes, it is my life, past, and present, and hopefully future. So, to continue answering your question, after the football game, there was a fun teen party on the beach. All the beach bums came as I had provided the house, the food, the entertainment..."

"I will clarify here. You provided the hot teen girls, the cold bottles of beer, and the table of pot joints."

I chuckled. "Sex is the number goal of a young teen male stud."

"Did your sister drive back home with you from the beach?"

I said. "She had her own car."

"Did you have your own friends inside the car?"

I said. "Yes."

"Who are her friends?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "Well, back then, and still today, they are Shotgun, Flash, and Mary Ann."

"Who are these people?" The leader asked.

"Back up, who are your friends, Attila?" One of the other delegates next to the leader asked.

I exhaled with annoyance. "Shotgun, Flash, Mary Ann..."

"I thought Mary Ann was your sister." The leader frowned.

I chuckled. "Shotgun's sister is named Mary Ann also."

Scott looked down and tapped on the paper folder then returned back to see Ace. "Correct! The whole lot of you have the last sur-name of Smith. Is that not correct, Attila?"

"This is very confusing." The leader shook his bone skull with a sour frown.

"This is very intriguing." Scott smiled.

"What would be the astronomical odds of good names hoping the same sur-name here on the Planet Earth, within the Milky Way Galaxy?" The second delegate chuckled with a nod to Ace.

"Thank you, Glenn Campbell!" The leader smiled.

"The outer space name is John Glenn. John Glenn was the first man, who twirled around the earth inside a spaceship." The third delegate frowned at the nose profile on the lead delegate.

"Thank you, Mr. Spock!" The second delegate laughed.

"You would say thank you, Captain Kirk, not Mr. Spock. He was the science officer." The third delegate chuckled.

"My bad!" The second delegate laughed along with the other delegates.

I cleared my throat, not recognizing the silly chat between the grown men. "This is all confusing to you, but it is very familiar for me. This is the reason for each nickname. Every friend has a nickname. We give a nickname to our house also." I laughed. The execution squad didn't get the joke.

"That's right, Attila." Scott smiled then consumed to eat the food.

"To summarize, you and your football jocks partied each weekend starting and ending at the same time, traveling the same highway and returning home in the same cars." The leader frowned.

I nodded with a smile. "You have summarized my youth, party nicely." I chuckled with Scott.

"When did you arrive home? What did you find?" The leader asked.

"Wait! Your friends, did they go home or come to your home, after the partying at the beach?" The second delegate asked.

I commented. "Since, the partying was the entire weekend. They always went home to do their homework like a set of good little boys and girls later on the same day, before sunset."

"You arrived home on Monday, Labor Day, around five in the afternoon. What happened?" The leader asked.

I exhaled with vivid memory recall. "The house was dark, quiet."

"No one was home."

"I noticed a hand-written note on the kitchen counter, requesting that I come go over to my granddaddy's house for dinner."

"What is this dinner?" The leader frowned.

I nodded with a stern face. "My granddaddy is from, what you term the old South, with strict traditions and gentlemanly manners, befitting a Southern gent of good breeding."

"I know your granddaddy. He still is." The third delegate smiled.

I nodded to the third unknown and unnamed delegate. "Thank you, sir!"

"Please, continue, Attila!" The leader nodded to Ace.

I exhaled with deep emotions. "I drove to his house."

"Where was your sister?" The leader asked.

I explained. "My sister had beaten me back home, and then did the same thing."

"Was the house clean?" The leader asked.

I told. "My house was always cleanliness, before godliness. My mom quoted that axiom all the time."

"Gawd! I got that same lecture, too." The second delegate smiled.

"Did your household used a maid service for the domestic duties?" The leader asked.

I said. "Yes, the house employed dozens of paid maids through a maid service."

"I mean to ask. Was there a police officer, a newspaper reporter, a media type, a physician, or any other folks there at your home?"

I responded. "No."

"Please, continue, Attila!"

I exhaled. "I arrived and entered his house. My sister was crying. My grandmother was crying and wore a red tinted faced. My granddaddy was hugging my sister's body. He told me what happened to my parents at the restaurant on Friday night, after the football game. That was the last time they had seen me. I saw them in the bleacher stands, after the football game had ended."

"I am sorry, Attila." The leader said.

I exhaled. "Thanks." The memories were fading over time but still the emotions were fresh and raw while losing my parents, the only set that I had.

The leader nodded. "What did you do next, Attila?"

I said. "My sister and I spent the night with my grandparents. The next day, I was required to view the two bodies for visual verification."

"Didn't your granddaddy do that for you?"

I said. "The Mobile coroner wanted an immediate family member."

"Why didn't your sister do it?"

I said. "She couldn't. I had become the man of the family at the age of sixteen years old."

"She was eighteen and an adult."

I said. "This was a Southern gentleman thing."

"I see." The leader commented.

"So, did you view both of the bodies?" The second delegate asked.

I replied. "Yes."

"Were you mad?" The leader asked.

I frowned. "Pissing fire fucking with hell fury."

"That is quite an intense description." The leader smiled.

I exhaled. "I lost both of my parents, at the same time, in one night, without knowing three days later. Some people didn't know their parents. I was lucky to have them for sixteen years. They were stripped from me, like a damn car part. I still to this day carry the hurt, the loss, and the memory of their tragic deaths. I guess I'll carry that to my grave also."

"You're honest."

I exclaimed. "I'm a judge."

"Attila is a JAG military judge." Scott smiled then consumed the food items.

I nodded. "It is part of my fiber, honesty, integrity, morals, ethics."

"You were hurt. What did you do next?" The leader asked.

I said. "My granddaddy arranged the funerals."

"Did you parent have a ground burial?"

I said. "My parents were cremated."

"That is most unusual, Attila. Why?" The leader asked.

I said. "No, their Last Will and Testimony requested that service for their two expired bodies. I didn't really argue. I wanted to honor my parents the best I could."

"Do you regret that decision now?"

I shook a skull. "Nope! They wanted it. I accepted it. I have certain religious beliefs that I follow."

"That's an interesting point of view, Attila. The day after the funeral, what happened next?"

I said. "I missed my school classes for the rest of the week. I missed the other football games for the season. My heart and my head weren't there. I was only sixteen years old, a kid without a set of parents.

"So, you missed school and stayed home. Who did you stay home with?"

I said. "I stayed home with my sister Mary Ann, mostly. We stayed at my granddaddy's house. He was busy with all the legal and financial arrangements, deeds, bank accounts, wills, trusts and all that."

"What about the house that belonged to your parents?"

I exhaled. "The Last Will and Testimony had instructions for each child. Mary Ann was eighteen years old. She got her inheritance and trust fund immediately. She and I lived inside the big house, until I turned eighteen years old. I needed a guardian, since I was technically still a minor."

"Your grandpa didn't object to this."

I said. "Not really! My grandparents were deeply worried after our physical welfare and mental state of mind. They visited often with food, presents, and friends."

"So, you and your sister lived here inside the big house together." The leader asked.

I said. "It was almost the same for me, but I didn't hear my mom yelling at me or my dad giving me tips about the upcoming football games."

"Jump backward! Did the police interview you?" The second delegate asked.

I said. "Yeah! Let's see. The time period was both sad and confusing. I couldn't think of anything but my parents."

"What did the police ask about?"

I said. "After the funeral, the police officers had visited with me at my granddaddy's house and asked questions about our whereabouts, the weekend party, our friends, our school activities, the dates, the times and such."

"Did the police interview your friends?"

I said. "Yes, the police came and interviewed some of the high schoolers. Shotgun and Flash told me."

"Based on the old police records, the three teenagers were caught. They had robbed your mom's purse and were carrying around her jewelry."

I exhaled. "The police, or I guess, the undercover cops find my mom's diamond ring, her wedding band, her diamond bracelet, and her other gems that she had been wearing on her dead body. Then the three teenagers had been arrested that day and sent to a juvenile detention center on Government Street for safe keeping."

"Did you see them?"

I said. "I requested to see them, but I was denied."

"Why was your visual request denied?"

I exhaled. "I was sixteen years old, a minor. My sister gave permission, but my grandparents overruled her."

"Were you angry?" The leader asked.

I shouted out loud. "Hell, yes! I was angry."

"As I read through the police report, the investigation, and the hearing, the males were teenagers who were aged fifteen years old."

"Gawd! A set of young kids committed murder." The third delegate shook his bone skull.

"That's the blower. The three teens were accused. But the defensive attorney provided a strong case for their defense inside the courtroom. The judge ruled the teens could not be held accountable for their murderous actions." The second delegate said.

"Shit! You're kidding me." The third delegate frowned.

"He's correct. The three teens were let go and freed." The second delegate nodded.

"Did you attend the hearing of your parents' murderers, Attila?" The leader asked.

I said. "I wasn't allowed that either. Grandparents rules. Teenagers lose."

"Your sister attended, did she not?"

I said. "She did."

"Did you stay home?"

I said. "The hearing was during school hours. So, I was in school, not doing very well."

"Who told you the verdict of the hearing?"

I said. "My granddaddy told me."

"Were you angry?"

I frowned. "Hell, yes! I was angry. I still am anger. Those three teens got off with a murderous crime. They worked the justice system perfectly. They weren't trialed or convicted. They were set free to roam, to kill, and to intimidate other law aiding citizens for the rest of their lives."

"They were freed. What do you think happened then?"

I exhaled. "Back then, they were set free. They disappeared into the fields, the streams, the sky, and the planets."

"Do you believe that they killed, again?"

I said. "I don't know. I'm still angry, still holding my anger from years ago. Based on a criminal past, they probably repeated the same crime over and over again, until they were caught or dead."

"Is that your personal opinion?"

I laughed. "Well, after graduating the Coast Guard Academy, I attended Mobile Law School and graduated and started prosecuting prisoners inside the military here in Mobile. I was so good. I was promoted to judge."

"How do you prosecute a prisoner?" The leader frowned.

I laughed. "The US military doesn't consider innocence of a person, before the court trial."

Scott clarified. "What Judge Smith is saying?"

"What exactly is Judge Smith saying, Scott?" The leader turned and frowned at Scott.

Scott said. "Judge Smith has a unique court in JAG. He only receives narcotic inmates, if you will inside his courtroom. The military policy is very clear cut. If you are a drug user in any shape or form, you are out of this man's army.

The leader frowned. "Is there no appeal process within the court system?"

"Execution would be the next step for a druggie." I smiled.

"This directive comes from Rear Admiral B. James Burbank, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard." Scott scanned the room with a stern face.

"I see." The leader turned and frowned to Ace. "Back to the original question, do you believe your parent's murderers are dead?"

I pondered the statement. Should I lie? Should I tell the truth? Should I pretend to be stupid? "Gawd! I hope so." I laughed.

"That is not a very Christian attitude, Attila." The leader frowned.

"Shit! This is the great state of Alabama, the birth place of the KKK." The second delegate smiled.

"The KKK wasn't born here in Alabama." The third delegate shook his bone skull.

"Close enough!" The second delegate smiled.

"Referring back to the closed police report files, the three teens were released and then freed to go home. Did you see them anytime during the police search, arrest, investigation, hearing, or escort?" The leader asked.

"No." I lied.

"Allow me to re-phrase here. Did you see them on the television screen during the news reporting process?" The leader asked.

I said. "I saw them on the television screen, not in person. My granddaddy was adamant about me staying home and out of the way."

The leader frowned at Ace. "What do you mean by the term, out of the way?"

I exhaled. "I guess he was being overprotective with me. He didn't want me flashing my anger to the world. My father was a local lawyer."

"What did he do?"

I smiled. "My father was an estate planning lawyer."

"That is very easy law work."

I nodded. "The legal law work is easy with lots of work from all of his wealthy friends. They trusted him with their money."

"What happened to his firm?"

I said. "My granddaddy sold it to one of the senior staff members."

"Did that bother you?" The leader asked.

I said. "Hell, no! I was a trust fund baby. I was worth about 120 million at age of sixteen years and lots more now."

"Whoa!" Scott smiled.

"Why do you work, if you're so rich?" The leader asked.

I smirked. "Well, I can tell you that the deaths of my parents created an urgent passion and commitment to rid the world of druggies."

Scott frowned. "That's a slang term."

I said. "Druggies consist of drug users, drug peddlers, drug pushers. And if I can get my hands, legal hands a drug lord, then..."

"Drug lords aren't common here." The leader frowned.

I grinned. "I'll take the credit for that."

"Attila, I'm very glad you use your legal methods to prosecute druggies." The fourth delegate smiled.

I nodded. "You should be mad. I send all the druggies out from the military into the real world and onto the streets of Mobile."

"We get them. We tag, tail, and toss their asses in a big cell, when caught." The fourth delegate smiled.

"The Mobile military and FBI work together, identifying drug users and pushers." Scott smiled.

"Good team work!" The fourth delegate smiled.

"So, back to the teenagers, who killed your parents? You saw the teens on the television screen, is that correct, Attila?" The leader asked.

I said. "Yes, they looked like a teenager to me with a thin body and long hair."

"Did you introduce yourself to them?"

I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Did you meet them on your own time and space and place?"

I laughed. "With my granddaddy monitoring my tail twenty-four hours per day and seven days per week, I was sixteen years old. He was more worried about my pot parties, when he found out where I was hiding out during the Labor Day weekend. Gawd! I was grounded for two months. I remembered, so well. I couldn't go to a fun dance, without him and my grandma driving me. I couldn't get a girly date. No girl would have me. Gawd! I was so embarrassed."

"What happened to the weekend parties at the beach?"

"Shit! That all came to a sketching halt. One day high; the next day low." I laughed.

"What about your sister?" The leader asked.

I said. "Mary Ann was eighteen years old. She continued her partying at the beach, at the college house, at her sorority house, at her friend's house. Like I said, I was grounded. I led a priestly existence. No girls. No booze. No sex. No smokes."

"Did your body recovery from the lack of fun at a teen level?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "Not really! I had what they call, a come to Jesus meeting, sorta. Folks would say. That free time give me private moments to ponder, wonder, and think. I was a junior student in high school. I didn't know what career to pursuit. My granddaddy and I have long heart to heart chats."

"What did you chat what?" The leader asked.

Scott smiled. "Judge Smith's granddaddy is retired Rear Admiral Smith from the Coast Guard military branch here in Mobile."

"Did your granddaddy really ran the USCG military base here in Mobile?" The second delegate asked.

Scott smiled. "Rear Admiral Samuel Attila Smith ran the USCG military base here for thirty years."

Way to go, Scott!

I needed to Scott to fire the cannon and then distract them regarding this intense questioning of my past behavior.

"Did your grandfather convince you to join the CG?" The leader asked.

I said. "He encouraged me to do something productive with my life. My parents could see me from heaven. I needed to make them proud of me. I couldn't embarrass them in front of Almighty God, could I?" l laughed. My religious sense of humor winged to the left. Some people would get offended, since I lived within the Bible Belt of the USA.

"So, your sister was your official guardian. But Admiral Smith was your unofficial mentor." The leader said.

"Correct." I laughed. I was definitely entertaining the troops. I wondered if the FBI special agents had noticed that I didn't directly answer the question about meeting the three teenage killers, who had murdered my parents in cold blood, on a warm night, in a well-lighted street, in the city of Mobile, after dining in their favorite restaurant. And I did meet them. I did more than that. I killed the three bastards with a baseball bat and a hand gun which will never been found.

"Do you apply your military rules to your civilian life, Attila?" The leader asked.

I laughed. "Civilian life! I'm afraid I don't have a civilian life."

"What does that mean, Attila?" The leader shook his bone skull.

I said. "I'm pretty much live at the office, starting at seven in the morning. Court lasts until six at night. I enjoy expelling prisoners from each brig fast. I'll work the day, until I run out of warm bodies." This was the part, where I was running a set of illegal drugs out of my office and my house and off the beach coast on Orange Beach. Shotgun and Flash had dangled a carrot in front of the FBI, without the fucking stick.

"Do you really work inside the court room from seven in the morning until six at night?" The leaders frowned.

"I can verify personally for Judge Smith." Scott smiled. This was why Scoot was here to support Ace.

"How long have you been living here in Mobile?" The leader asked.

I smiled. "I was born in here and hope to die here." This questioning was getting boring.

The leader nodded. "You attended the Academy, after graduating your local high school from..."

"I can answer for Judge Smith in summary form. Swab is at the age of eighteen years old." Scott nodded with a smile.

"What is a swab?" The leader turned and frowned at Scott.

"The term for a First Year cadet at the USA Coast Guard military Academy, which is similar to a rookie within the FBI office." Scott smiled.

"Understood!" The leader nodded.

"Judge Smith graduated USCGA at the age of twenty years and then graduated Mobile Law School at the age of twenty-two." Scott smiled.

"You moved fast, sir. You graduated within two years from law school." The leader nodded.

I laughed. "I'm a genius."

Scott smiled. "I can explain. Judge Smith surpassed written exams, while at the Academy along with intense training sessions, which all had been admitted to Mobile University School of Law. He graduated within two years in criminal law and then immediately started prosecuting defendants at JAG military base here in Mobile, at the age of twenty-two years old. Receiving numerous exceptional accommodations from Rear Admiral B. James Burbank for his military service as an attorney, Ace was promoted to his current active status of JAG judge for US Coast Guard Military Installation here in Mobile, Alabama."

I laughed. "I'll restate again. I'm a genius."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" The leader asked, reading the short list.

I smiled. "Only whores."

"I'm being serious, Judge Smith. Do you a steady girlfriend?" The leader frowned.

I smiled. "I'm being serious, also, only a steady group of pretty whores."

"How is it possible to possess a group of whores?" The leader frowned.

"You're probably the only guy in Mobile that would ever admit to that." The third delegate laughed.

I smiled. "Each whore is not my wife, my sweetheart, or my girlfriend. You don't want your mom to meet them either. I fuck them. They fuck me. And I don't pay them money. I give them lots of nice things. I give them things, not money. So, they'll come back and fuck me some more," laughing.

"Do you pay your whores with money?" The leader asked.

I said. "I do not pay with money, only good clean sex. Gawd! I don't wanna catch anything. There's lots of shitty stuff out there. My girls are well-fed, beautiful, work a real job, and don't bug me with the marriage thing, the wedding ring thing, and the wedding cake thing."

"Can we have the name of your non-paid whores?" The leader asked.

I leaned over and handed a single sheet of paper to the lead delegate. "Since I'm being investigated, I've taken the time and wrote their names, phone numbers, and addresses down on this single sheet of paper for you."

He accepted the paper and started reading each name, "They know that we're coming."

I leaned back into the cushions and smiled, "Of course, I'm being investigated. I owned them an explanation, since I'm giving out their phone numbers. But, I gotta warn you here. I treat them very well with gifts, dinners, diamonds, cars, whatever they want to satisfy me, except money. So, they will be very nice, but defensive of me and offensive of you all."

"If you treat them, so well, why don't you make one of them your wife?" The second delegate asked.

I laughed. "Looking ain't the same as finding, sir."

"You must have hundreds of girls to choose from among your wealthy friends." The second delegate smiled.

I said. "Wealth is a liability for me, sir. Girls want my money, not me."

"Aw! He is a poor little rich boy." The second delegate smiled.

"Hence, the whores." The third delegate smiled.

I chuckled with a wink. "Good sex, no disease, lots of money to spend on my girls."

"Are your group of whores a set of local girls?" The leader asked.

I frowned. "Are they local as in Government Street?"

"Do you fuck a set of foreign girls?" The second delegate smiled.

I laughed. "No, sir. My whores are local and home-grown." This was the part about the slave girls that Smith Incorporated was selling in this country.

"Do you date a set of foreign girls?" The leader asked.

I frowned. "No. I do not greet or meet a foreign girl here and within the US military branch of the Coast Guard. And that is against all of the USCG regulations, isn't that correct, Scott?" I winked.

"Uh! I'll have to look that one up." Scott frowned.

"Tell me about your maid service!" The leader asked.

I smiled. "They have been with my family, since the year 1906."

"What?" The leader gasped.

I smiled. "The family business is a maid service, a cleaning and butlership service which all started at the turn of the century."

"What is a butlership service?" The leader repeated.

I laughed. "A fancy name for guys and gals that clean houses."

"Some of the prominent Mobile families possess a house staff of maids that work all day and night which answer the doors, open the closets and set the dinner tables." The second delegate smiled.

I said. "I'll give you the company name and the telephone number. Is that okay? You can contact the maid service directly. They'll want to solicit your home business as they are always looking for a new client. I wanted to warn you. This is America, land of opportunity."

"We'll remember that one." The leader commented.

"Good to know!" The third delegate smiled.

"Do you have children, Attila?" The leader asked.

I snorted. "That's what the whores prevent."

"Are you aware of any illegitimate babies within your social life with another female?"

I said. "No."

"Your sister has children. Do you attend their family functions?"

I smiled. "As often, as they invite me, I can be such a ham. I do enjoy giving my nephews and niece pretty much anything they want. It is always Christmas day, when I come over to their house. They thought Santa Claus was supposed to visit in the summertime."

"Your sister is rich." The leader asked.

I said. "Yes, she is very rich. Sister always beats me to the cool presents for the boys. So, I give my personal time mostly during family time in the evening. The nights are my own."

"That you spend with your whores." The second delegate smiled.

"Do you have one whore per night, Attila?" The third delegate smiled.

I nodded with a smile. "I have one whore per night, except on Sunday night. I get invited over for a family meal, since I didn't cook. Gawd! A homemade meal is better than sex."

"So, is family time important to you, Ace?" The leader asked.

I said. "Very important."

"What do you do with the sons of Senator Shotgun?"

I said. "When they were little, we played sports, raced cars, eating food, talking girls, and the usual with boys."

"Did you introduce them to your whores?"

I smiled. "No. That's daddy's job, not uncles."

"Did you spend lots of time with your nephews?"

I said. "I spend less time than average. They had been birthed when I had attended both the Coast Guard Academy and the Mobile Law School. I saw them as much as a single bachelor could with raging hormones.

"How much time did you spend with your three nephews?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "It was two times per week, I would guess."

"So, you spend two days per week with your three nephews." The second delegate frowned.

"Your sister, who is named Mary Ann, has a daughter." The leader asked.

I smiled. "Jewel Gem, it is a sweet name for a very sweet girl."

"Do you spend much time with her as a child?"

I smiled. "Lots of time, girls are my weakness."

The leader frowned. "How is a girl a weakness for you?"

I laughed. "I grow up with a sister. Every female smells good, and looks pretty, since the manly hormones kicked in."

"Would you say that a little girl smells and looks pretty too?" The leader smiled.

I laughed. "No! A tiny girl smells and sweats all the time."

"How so?"

I said. "When I changed Bo Peep's dirty and wet baby diapers, it stunk. When I feed her, she burped, spit, and vomited back on my clean shirt."

"Who is Bo Peep?"

I smiled. "I call my niece, Bo Peep. She liked the 'Peek and Boo' kiddie game so much as a baby that she would laugh and coo. It was our special game and her special name to me."

"You seem more attached to the daughter than the three sons." The leader asked.

"Girls are sugar, spice, and everything nice." I smiled.

"Boys are brats. I got two." The third delegated laughed.

"How attached are you with the daughter of your sister Mary Ann?" The leader asked.

I smiled. "Bo Peep won a special place in my heart. When she was born, I stared down at here, within the small crib, inside her nursery. She was so tiny, pink, and cute."

"Why do you spend more time with the daughter and not the three sons?"

I exhaled. "It was timing really. I had graduated and finished schooling, working steady for six years. I feel guilty not being there for my sister Mary Ann with the first batch of hatchlings. I wanted to help. Shotgun was a senator with daily and nightly functions for the state. Mary Ann was his senator wife, which required the first lady to attend all of the social functions. So, I volunteered to babysit, when they were off doing their royal events. My sister trusted me."

"Did you babysit the three boys?"

I exhaled. "The boys were almost grown at the ages of seven, six, and five."

"Why did you babysit your three nephews?"

"A week old baby with loud, mouth spitting, obnoxious three foot playmates, that does not mix well. I wasn't a parent much less experienced at handling a set of experienced children." I chuckled.

"Experienced children, that's a funny one, Ace." Scott laughed as the comedic relief of the group.

"Why not hire a paid nanny?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "Mary Ann hired a team of permanent staff members to care for the three boys, entertain them, mostly. I wasn't hired to care. I cared for Bo Peep, because I cared that she was my niece, my family."

"What did Senator Smith say about your babysitting activities?" The leader said.

I said. "Shotgun traveled, campaigned, spoke, dined, and entertained the troops and the rest of Alabamians. That is his job as an Alabama senator."

"Do you see the daughter more often, since she was a toddler?" The leader asked.

I smiled. "I see Bo Peep every day."

"How is that possible? Why do you see the daughter every day?" The leader frowned.

"Don't you work a job as a judge, Attila?" The second delegate asked.

I smiled. "I work. I play. I babysit."

"When do you see the daughter during the breakfast or lunch or dinner meal?"

I smiled. "It really depends on the time of the day..."

"I was told that Gem seems comfortable around you as a father figure. Why would that be true, Attila?"

I smiled. "I hope so. I try to be a good role model for her, and when necessary, I act her protector."

"Why do you act as her protector?" The leader frowned.

I smiled. "With a set of teen wolves after my little Bo Peep's sheep..."

"What about your group of whores?" The second delegate asked.

I said. "I am very discreet."

"Do you buy her things? Do you spend money on her? Do you give her money?" The leader asked.

I smiled with a nod. "I do that, and I provide all of the above. Whatever Bo Peep wants, Bo Peep gets."

"Does she have a trust fund?" The leader asked.

I said. "A very large one, but I didn't think she has access until she's older."

"Actually, she has access to her bank account, six days ago." The leader commented.

I lied. "I didn't know. My sister must have changed her mind."

"Your sister changed her will before the incident," The leader said.

"Didn't you know that information, Attila?" The second delegate asked.

I exhaled. "Mary Ann kept her private affairs, private."

"Aren't you her biological brother?" The second delegate asked.

"I am only a brother. She has a husband, three sons, and a daughter."

"Who gets all of your riches when you die?" The leader asked.

I chuckled. "Now, I wanna stop the curse that you just wanded on me. But, to answer your personal question, Bo Peep does."

"Your riches do not go to your sister, why not?"

I nodded. "My sister was much older than Bo Peep. Bo Peep was the most logical choice for all of my riches."

"What about dividing some of your riches with your three nephews too?" The leader asked.

I nodded. "The three nephews are presently slightly out of favor with me. Their mom has provided for them. I don't recall it being a crime to leave people out of your personal will and estate planning," laughing.

"What about the riches from your granddaddy's Last Will and Testimony?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "Well, that is a damn personal question to me about my grandfather which I will address to the delegation. My granddaddy, within his new estate Last Will and Testimony, will split everything between Mary Ann and me. But since, he is getting married really soon, my granddaddy will change that."

"Will there be a pre-nuptial agreement between your grandfather and his new wife?" The leader asked.

I laughed. "Gawd! My granddaddy is sixty years old. He'll probably outlive me. He is a lawyer as well and as rich as the devil. He is hoping for the 'marriage until death do ye part' deal."

"So, the daughter gets money from her mother, you, and her great-granddaddy. Am I right here?" The leader asked.

I said. "Let's just say here. I do agree with that hypothetical question."

"Bo Peep is a really rich bitch." The leader laughed.

"Is she billionaire rich also?" The second delegate inquired.

I shook my skull, "No, that is not impossible."

"Is she millions of millions rich, then?" The leader asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Well, she is really rich now. Her mom left all the money for the girl in the Last Will and Testimony." The second delegated smiled.

I gasped. "She did." I lied. I knew that answer. I hoped that the heavens did not open with heavy raindrops and lightning bolts on my hair roots.

"Why did you know, Attila?" The third delegate frowned.

I frowned. "I wasn't at the reading of the Last Will and Testimony."

"Didn't you arrange the funeral for your sister?" The leader asked.

I exhaled. "I will repeat here. I am the brother. Flash did that."

"Flash is not the surviving husband. Shotgun is the legal husband of your dead sister Mary Ann. Why did her surviving husband not arrange the funeral for his wife?" The second delegate frowned.

I shrugged a shoulder with a stern face. "Shotgun was suffering from some type of emotional trauma, after seeing his murdered wife inside his house."

"Does Gem like her biological father?" The leader asked.

I smiled. "Gem loves her biological father."

"Are you certain about that statement, Attila?" The leader asked.

"Shotgun is her father."

"But maybe, Gem loves you more." The second delegate smiled.

I laughed with a nod as I could play the mind game also. "I spoil her rotten like the old cliché states. I do enjoy doing it."

"Maybe, Gem loves the attention more from you rather than her father." The third delegate smiled.

I smiled. "I won't think so."

"Did Gem and her father argue, fight, or disagree?" The leader asked.

I laughed. "Yes, she's a teenager. Teenagers rebel against everyone, everything, every time like the old roll and rock songs I like to hum."

"A teenager needs both love and support." The second delegate smiled.

I nodded. "I agree there."

"You give her both your love and your support." The third delegate smiled.

I nodded. "I gave her my love and my support every moment of the day, when she needed it."

"Is Gem a stubborn child?" The leader asked.

I smiled. "Bo Peep is beautiful, smart, independent, popular, sweet, and proper young Southern lady."

"To me, you sound like her mother?" The leader frowned.

I frowned. "I am her uncle, who cares greatly for her well-being. I provide a loving environment for her to grow and thrive in."

"So, did you become her mommie-dearest figure?" The leader laughed.

I didn't like his tone of voice or implication regarding Gem. It was a good thing for the leader that he was with a group of eyewitnesses. I did not like my niece being used as a bunt of nasty ill-bred jokes. I sneered. "No, I am the uncle."

"There are numerous framed photographs of your niece here inside your den setting." The leader turned and scanned the room, seeing the cute pictures of Gem, Ace, and Mary Ann.

I had always cut out Shotgun and his three sons from my personal framed and mounted colored photographs. "Correct!" I used my judge's tone with the execution squad.

"And I can see that each colored photograph displays various ages, only of Gem." The second delegate turned and smiled at the pictures and Ace.

"Correct, again!" I used my judge's tone.

"Hmm! I am not seeing any pictures of your three nephews." The third delegate frowned.

I smiled. "They're grown. They didn't visit here much. I stored their photos."

"Is she your favorite family member?" The leader turned and winked to Ace.

I exhaled. "I only have a few blood kin family members left within this world. My granddaddy is alive and kicking. But he is about to remarry for the second time in his life, thou."

"Congratulations, Attila!" The leader smiled.

I said. "My granddaddy has met a sweet old lady, who will become my sweet new grandma."

"And what about your family relationship with their daughter Gem?" The second delegate smiled.

I exhaled. "Bo Peep is my dearly loved niece. I am deeply worried regarding her life force, her mental state, and her welfare."

"Do you know where she is?" The third delegate asked.

I lied. "No."

"There are numerous police warrants out for her arrest and apprehension for the murder of your sister and her mother Mary Ann." The leader remarked.

I said. "I know that. I'm a criminal attorney. I understand all the police procedures as well as legal codes."

"Do you believe that she did it?" The second delegate asked.

I exhaled. "I was there. I saw her standing over my sister's dead bloody body. I was an eyewitness."

"Do you believe that she killed your sister Mary Ann?" The third delegate asked.

I said. "Honestly, I don't know what to believe. She needs help. She needs to speak to the authorities about the cold blooded murder of my sister. She can tell you what happened to my sister, and then she needs peace."

"You sound as if you don't wanna believe that Gem killed your biological sister." The leader asked.

I said. "I am a judge. I think with an open mind. Correction! I am trained to think with an open mind, regarding all parties. I am trained to listen to all the physical evidence. My part of my fiber is honesty, morals, integrity, and ethics. I will not judge Bo Peep. I will listen to her side of the story."

"What is her side of the cold bloody murderous story?" The leader frowned.

I nodded. "There is always two, sometimes more than two sides, to a story, gentlemen."

"That is a very good point to remember, sir." Scott nodded with a smile.

"We interviewed her father and her three brothers. Each one is convinced that Gem killed her mother, on purpose, for a reason." The leader informed.

I asked with fury, "What damn reason would Gem kill her own mother? Did they tell you the damn reason?"

"I'll not at liberty to tell that particular piece of data at the moment." The leader commented.

"You seem more upset with the true facts of this murder case." The second delegate observed.

I frowned. "This isn't a murder case. This is my flesh and blood niece, my girl."

"We are not here simply to investigate your missing niece Gem. We have been instructed to probe into a series of certain acts and actions, Attila." The leader commented.

I lied, "Acts and actions! What series of certain acts and actions?"

"I must tell you, Judge Smith. Her father Senator Smith and his brother-in-law Mr. Smith..."

I laughed. "You should reference them as Shotgun and Flash. Everyone does at one point or another to separate their families, lives, and personalities."

"Very well! Shotgun and Flash have accused you of various acts and actions." The leader informed.

I lied. "What kind of acts and actions?" Buck and Slick had told me in advance all the acts and actions, before the arrival of the execution squad inside my den setting. So, I was a great actor.

"You are accused of child molestation with the daughter of Shotgun." The leader sneered.

Finally, the point of your visit to my person and the punch of a lousy joke line from Shotgun. The man was never funny, just embarrassing. I cleared my throat. "Is there anything else, gentlemen? So, I can defend myself in one sentence. I'm afraid I'm running out of tea cakes," I laughed with a wicked grin.

"This is not a joking matter, Judge Smith." The second delegate frowned.

"You received the suspension of your judgeship duties at the United States Coast Guard military base, yesterday morning." The third delegate frowned.

I nodded. "Yes, I did."

"You don't seem surprised." The leader frowned.

I said. "I work day in and out with legal matters. This is a formality that Rear Admiral B. James Burbank had to obey, command, and issue. I do not disrespect his command, regarding my personal life, since I'm a military officer too."

"Good to hear!" The second delegate smiled.

"Judge Smith, I will in a short list summarize each probed act or action." The leader rattled single sheet of white tinted paper near his sneer.

I frowned. "Accusations, isn't it? Or am I being judged right here and now?"

"No, you are being studied as we explore each act of misconduct or the illegal matter." The leader said.

I motioned with my hand like a judge, saying with a stern face, "Continue!" I dropped my hand down on my leg, missing the empty plate, exhaling with boredom. I had the secret list of acts inside my briefcase, in which my co-workers Buck and Slick had provided this afternoon during our wonderful lunchtime meal for the enlightened visit.

"You are accused of possessing narcotics." The leader read out loud from the paper and looked up to sneer at Ace.

I nodded. "A drug user is the very heart of my existence. Do you care to search my house? I grant my permission. As a matter of fact, I'll provide the grand tour. We can start in this room or the kitchen, since I'll need to refill the tea tray," laughing.

"I'm holding a search warrant, but I feel it's useless." The leader nodded with a stern face. "This body has been appointed to explore the acts and determine whether any addition attention is warranted for further examination and inspection of you, your house, or your possessions."

I frowned. "Lengthy wording for..."

".... a judgment, which is both swift and fast," the second delegate smiled.

"What is the outcome of this particular act? May I ask?" I finally understood. This wasn't an execution squad. It was a small mini-hearing, like a tiny court, passing verdict on my person inside my personal den setting.

Each delegate turned and then huddled together for a few seconds. Then the leader pulled back and faced Attila with a stern face. "The judgment is noted as inactive."

I smiled. "Is that good?"

"This is very good, Judge Smith." The third delegate smiled at Ace.

"You are accused of selling of infant trading." The leader sneered at Ace.

I gasped. "Wait! You think that I'm selling babies on the black market to black marketeers." I laughed. Scott turned and stared at Ace with concern.

"What is the judgment here, delegates?" The leader turned then huddled together, softly mumbling. Then the leader pulled back and faced Attila with a stern face. "The judgment is noted as inactive."

"I agree with that." I nodded with a smile. The Roman triumvirate inside my den was huddling and whispering in low tones like the original group in the year 60 BC with Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, which I found intriguing.

"You are accused of selling of slave trading." The leader sneered. "What is the judgment, delegates?" The heads of the delegates turned then huddled again with a set of soft mumblings. Then the leader pulled back and faced to Attila. "The judgment is noted as inactive."

I smiled. "Does this mean you won't talk to one of my whores?"

"Just for a second opinion! We will interview one or two of your girls." The second delegate smiled.

"All right!" I smiled.

The leader looked down at the paper and then returned back to see Ace, sneering his words. "You are accused of child molestation of Gem..."

"Whoa!" I held both of my palms in the air, saying with a sour frown. "Wait a second here! This is getting serious. I need to defend myself first."

"How are you going to do that, Judge Smith?" The second delegate frowned.

"We just asked a series of questions about the young teenage daughter of Senator Smith. You answered all of them with the wrong responses." The third delegate sneered.

I frowned with puzzlement. "I addressed each answer with the wrong response. How did I answer a question wrong about my blood kin family member that I love and care about?"

"You answered the question with a little too much tender loving care, Judge Smith." The second delegate growled at Ace.

I exhaled with annoyance. "I have to ponder that statement, sir. I provide love and support to Bo Peep, when Mary Ann couldn't because of her senatorial wife duties. I might add here. Shotgun didn't wanna deal with the teen girly issues either, since he was working all the time with his trips, his jaunts, his parties, and his other such."

"You played the role of daddy, when she had a biological father." The leader sneered.

I smiled with a nod of love and delight. "I would be very honored, if Bo Peep could tell me with her own words that I am her daddy..."

"Do you actually admit to that verbal statement, sir?" The second delegate gasped in shock.

"You are digging a great big hole for your person, Judge Smith." The third delegate nodded.

I frowned. "What big hole? Where is the big hole? Is there a big hole inside my den? I don't see one," I looked down and scanned the wooden planks that were nicely polished, returning back to see the leader. "Well, I must be the stupidest man on the planet. What big hole am I digging here?"

"You have admitted that you are Gem's play daddy." The leader sneered.

I exhaled with fury. "What does that word mean, play daddy? Can someone define that term of play daddy for me?"

"You are taking advantage of a teen without her parental permission while taunting the teen to visit with you every day for a set of tricks and treats which you have labeled as personal gifts." The second delegate growled.

"What exactly do you and the daughter do together when you are alone here inside your house, Judge Smith?" The third delegate sneered.

I roared with laughter and a nod of understanding. "Well, I see clearly now. Shotgun, he has gone off the edge of the fruity-tootie-loopy bowl."

"What are you referring about, Judge Smith?" The leader frowned.

I nodded with a grin. "Did either her father or one of her three brothers mention this fact? Bo Peep lives part time with me, since she turned thirteen years old." I laughed at the silly clown show from the execution squad.

"This is outrageous!" The leader sneered.

"This is total nonsense." The second delegate snarled.

"Why does a teenager female, who is not your daughter, live with you, Judge Smith?" The third delegate frowned.

I nodded with a smile. "Mary Ann, my sister asked me to care for her daughter Gem while Mary Ann and Shotgun were traveling, partying, and socializing around the great State of Alabama, and sometimes, when they traveled up north and stayed inside the White House. Bo Peep attends her local high school, during the daylight hours. She eats her dinner meal with me or her parents, if they are home from their trip. Then Gem comes home late and stays inside her private room, which is located upstairs on the second floor of my house, since she had turned thirteen years old, a teenager. I can show you her private bedroom suite on the second floor, if you like."

"Gem has been living here with you inside your home, since she had turned thirteen years of age, a teenager." The leader frowned.

I nodded with a grin. "Yes, your vocal statement is correct. Her private bedroom is neat and clean. I ask the maid service to clean it extra special. Gawd! Teenagers, the hair, the makeup, the creams, the nail polish, the goo, the poo, and the gunk, it goes everywhere inside her..."

"I can't believe the serious miscommunication," the leader turned and frowned at each shocked face on each delegate.

I turned and smiled at each delegate. "Well, we can go and ask Shotgun. Or better yet, let's just call him on my mobile telephone! I have his personal directly private mobile telephone number." I whipped out my personal mobile telephone and held it near my smile.

The leader turned and frowned to Ace. "That will not be necessary to contact Senator Smith, Judge Smith."

"I believe we should leave the home of Judge Smith." The second delegate swiftly stood upright from the shared sofa, exiting the den room, moving down the hallway in silence.

"Yes, I agree. This visit has ended now." The third delegate followed the back spine on the second delegate out the open archway in silence.

I continued to sit and smile at the leader. "It's your draw, sir!" The lead delegate slowly stood upright from the chair and stared at Ace in silence, turning to exit the den.

I swiftly stood upright and danced a little jig of happiness, following the last butthole delegate down my nicely decorated hallway, in silence. I didn't have to provide house instructions or open the entrance door. The door was opened admitting all the cold windy weather into the heated room. The last butthole delegate wiggled out the entrance door in silence while rudely leaving the front door open.

I dashed ahead with a bright smile coming from the hallway, racing through the living room then stopped, standing inside the open archway, performing a happy hand wave with a bright smile. The last car left my driveway then traveled back down the public road. I gently closed the door then back stepped in fury, standing in the middle of the living room floor.

Shotgun, Flash, Mary Ann, Junior, Trey, and Quad had pissed my dick to the limit. I was raw and sore. Nothing on this planet could smooth my wrath. Now, it was time for my formal in-laws to receive an earth bound lesson from me. I was settling this matter, once and for all. Then, the prince and the little princess will live happily ever after.

She's mine.

Four hours later, at 06:06 pm with nighttime bright stars and moonlight, at Attila's Hut location, inside the living room setting, both of my "old" friends and "new" foes had entered into my private home, which was located on _6668 Ansley Lane,_ for an invited dinner meal and an after-dinner beverage, within my new semi-formal party.

Inside the living room, the semi-circle of green or red tinted furniture pieces had been nicely rearranged by Ace, facing the center staircase, the side hallway of darkness, and the free-standing wet bar counter. In front of each furniture piece, each wooden side table formed a silent short wall of wooden protection away from Ace. Each one of my unsuspecting prey sat with a filled tummy of fresh lobster, shrimp, steak, and key lime pie slices coming from Tonya's Eatery.

I did not cook, but Chef Tonya did an excellent job. The establishment provided the hired help also, so I didn't have to waste time for preparation of set up and clean up of each messy plate, pot, pan, and dish. Currently, each hired staff member had left my house both swiftly and silently leaving behind a spotless kitchen. I will drop by next week giving Tonya a huge wet kiss on her cheekbone and a large bonus money check for her and her competence employees with the short notice of this evening.

I entered the living room coming from the spotless clean kitchen, stopped, then stood in front of the beverage bar in purple and gray granite with four high stools in purple cloth fabric. I watched each one of my prey and dinged my empty wine glass with the dull dinner knife. "Would everyone like a glass of dessert wine, after their dinner meal? I can supply a cup of hot coffee or a cup of hot tea, instead, too."

Each son was an exact duplicate of their father Shotgun possessing the same broad wide shoulders of a former defensive tight end, a heart-shaped face, an acute nose, a sharp chin, a pair of flat cheekbones, a pair of brown tinted eyes, a head of brown curly hair, and a tone of light colored tan complexion. Each son carried the same arrogant attitude and cocky self-confidence of a demi-god, who lived and played on Planet Earth.

Samuel Winchester Smith, Junior, the first born son of Shotgun, sat at the end of the row sharing a red tinted loveseat with his baby brother Quay. Junior wore a long-sleeved, purple-colored wool sweater, a pair of faded blue jeans, and a set of black and white sneakers.

Samuel Winchester "Trey" Smith, the third always answered for each one of his kinfolks, since he enjoyed the wine, the women, and the wonders of the world. "Thanks for asking, Ace. Yes, we will all enjoy a glass of dessert wine," he was dressed in a fashion designer dark blue sports coat, a white tinted knit short-sleeved shirt, and a pair of tan colored trousers with a set of tan colored shoes.

I spun around and opened the door, dragging a chilled but opened wine bottle from the cooler section inside the beverage bar console, slowly pouring the contents into numerous wine glasses and said with a smile. "I prefer opening a wine bottle first while letting the wine molecules breath for a couple of hours, before serving. The wine is nicely chilled. Is that acceptable with everyone? Or I can open up a new wine bottle from the kitchen refrigerator."

"It's alcohol for drinking." Quad waved his hand near his frown while sitting in-between Trey at the arm rest on the long sofa and his older brother Junior. Quad wore a pair of fashion designer blue jeans, a fashion designer pale blue tinted, long-sleeved wool sweater, and a pair of fashion designer light blue loafers. Ace continued to fill each wine glass almost up to the rim on the delicate crystal. Quad enjoyed every type of alcoholic beverage, especially, when the beverage was mixed with women and all types of wonders too.

"Some people drink wine immediately. Or they instead decanter the grapes in a special container for later consumption." Trey was the middle son of Shotgun and an animal with a set of different colored strips. He was very selective about his wine, his women, and his wonders of non-sorting adventures, sitting a few feet from his father Shotgun on top of the long green tinted leather sofa that stood in-between the loveseat and a single chair.

"The topic provides for a very controversial subject among each wine taster." Mary Ann, the wife of Flash and the biological sister of Shotgun sat in an individual oversized red tinted chair and possessed a head of short brown straight hair, a pair of brown tinted eyes, and a pointy chin. Her skin was pale, and her body was overweight. She wore an orange tinted wool sweater dress with a pair of beige tinted knee boots.

Each one stared at the back spine on Ace.

I carefully lifted up the item from the bar counter and then slowly spun around, moving ahead, placing the antique polished silver tray that held two bottles of dessert wine in the tiny cooler pitcher and white tinted wine in a glass on top the hard surface, in front of my old friends. I slowly back stepped with a grin from the row of low tables then stopped, standing in front of the oversized chair a few feet beside the beverage bar. I wore a pair of faded blue jeans, a long-sleeved horizontal stripped silver and red tee shirt, and a pair of red tinted athletic sneakers.

On the loveseat, Junior leaned over first and grabbed a goblet, leaning back, gulping down the entire glass of wine, without breathing in any air molecules and then he pulled back nodding with a grin to Ace. He reached down again and grabbed closest bottle of wine pouring out the contents for a second glass of wine, replacing the wine bottle on top of the tray, instead inside the cooler.

"Slow down your drinking, you backwards Bama hillbilly! You reach down and then sniff and then feel and then linger and then evaluate and then examine each mouthful with passion, Junior." Trey leaned down and gently lifted up a wine glass towards his two nostrils, sniffing the sweet aroma with a smile, without consuming the liquid.

"It's alcohol." Quad grabbed a goblet and downed the wine, pulling back with an open mouth, without a burping sound. He reached down with a giggle again and grabbed the same open bottle, pouting out another full glass of wine. He replaced the bottle on top of the tray, like his rude brother Junior and then he gulfed down the second glass of wine, pulling back with a smile.

I sat down with a smile without holding a glass of dessert wine observing my family in-laws.

Quad was the last son born to Shotgun. He had filled the crystal wine glass to the rim for a third time, holding the glass to his lips, saying with a smile, "Bottoms up!" He gulped down the contents then pulled back with a giggle, staring down at the open bottle of wine.

Trey slowly sipped then swallowed the wine for first taste, pulling with a smile and a nod to Ace. "The wine is so smooth."

"This dessert wine is a very good, Ace. I wanna say thanks for the dinner meal and the delightful treat." Mary Ann smiled at Ace then sipped, slowly swallowing the smooth-tasting wine, pulling back with a smile.

Shotgun reached down and lifted up the wine bottle near his smile, reading out loud the label, "Chateau Margaux, 1925, coming from Bordeaux, France. This wine is first rate, Ace," he looked up and nodded to Ace, wearing a short-sleeved red-tinted, knit shirt, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a pair of brown tinted loafers.

I nodded with a smile inside the chair, observing each family in-law, "Compliments of my daddy."

"You should've sold this bottle, not destroyed it. I bet the wine would fetch ten thousand dollars." Junior leaned over with a frown towards his father and studied the wine label.

I smiled. "Actually, the purchased price on the wine was fifteen thousand dollars."

"Really?" Junior sat upright on top of the loveseat with a gasp and continued to stare at the wine bottle. Shotgun replaced the wine bottle back down onto the tray, sipping his beverage in silence.

I nodded with a smile to Junior, "Really!"

"Wine is to drink, not to frame." Quad sipped then gulped the next glass of wine.

Junior finished his third glass while beating Quad to the open bottle, pouring a new glass. "Wine is made from the fermentation of grape juice, without the addition of sugars, acids, or enzymes. A perfect chemical balance creating a palatable god to the human tongue, I must note." He snickered oud loud then lifted his glass to his lips, drinking the wine, like a glass of water, pulling back with a giggle, staring at Ace, "So smooth!"

"Do tell me more!" I continued to sit and smiled at each family friend.

"Merci! You are a fine host, Ace." Quad lifted his empty wine glass in the air and complimented with a very poor France accent that assaulted every pair of eardrums while smiling with a silly grin at Ace. Junior wiggled sideways inside the loveseat while giggling like a girl, sipping his beverage. At the arm rest, on the long sofa, Shotgun chuckled at his son and held a new glass of wine.

On the same sofa with Shotgun, Trey turned and frowned the nose profile on Quad while still sipping on his new glass of wine.

Inside the solo chair, Mary Ann giggled and continued to hold her first glass of wine, winking at Ace.

"Wine is produced by crushed grapes using various types of yeast which consumes the nature sugars and converting them into alcohol." Junior sipped then swallowed the next glass of wine, pulling back with a smile, gigging with silliness and winked at Ace.

On top of the lonely loveseat, beside his wife Mary Ann, Flash stared with a smile at Ace. "Your dinner meal was nice, also, Ace." He was named Samuel Gordon Smith, Junior, a medical physician and a cartoon nickname. Flash wore an oversized red-tinted, short-sleeved, tunic shirt and a pair of loose blue jeans that covered his overweight body frame. A pair of fashion designer tan colored sandals covered his naked feet.

I continued to sit beside beverage bar, without a beverage and nodded with a smile to each invited guest inside my house. "Is everyone enjoying the wine?"

"The word, wine, comes from the _Proto-Germany_ language which was borrowed from the Latin word, _vinum,_ for fermented cup of wine or a vineyard of grape. Archaeological evidence dates back to 6000 B.C., where the earliest production of fermented grapes had been found by modern day scientists." Junior held a new glass of wine with a smile, gulping down the contents, pulling back with a smile and nodded with a series of silly giggles. Mary Ann giggled. Quad nodded in silence. Shotgun drank his wine.

Trey reached down and grabbed an item from breast pocket of his sports coat. I pointed and shook my bone skull at Trey. "No smoking is allowed inside my house, Trey. You know that also."

"I forgot that you're such a green fellow, Ace." Trey smiled and placed his unlit cigar back down into his sports jacket, slowly sipping the wine.

This was my house, not his. I smiled. "I am not a green fellow. I like my roasted lamb chops, but I don't like the smoke here inside my house. You can go outside and smoke, Trey."

"Yeah! All right! Don't have a calf in here, Ace!" Trey continued to sip then swallowed the wine, flipping his free hand in the air, staring at Ace.

Shotgun continued to seat close to his son Trey and slowly sipped on his wine glass, slapping his free hand on top of his trouser leg and smiled at Ace. "Well, Ace, you didn't arrange this little affair just for looks." He was still sipping on his first glass of wine and seemed a little tense and uptight even through the dinner meal, which was his home-grown senatorial political nature that he had not been born but acquired. Maybe, due to the fact that his senatorial wife had been murdered inside their home on the Mardi Gras holiday, by his fifteen year old daughter. And his fifteen-year-old daughter, Jewel Gem Smith had successful ran away from the cold-blood murder and had not been found by the police authorities.

"...and the taste..." Trey sipped then savored another gulp of the wine while staring at Ace.

I slowly stood upright from the chair as I wanted every invited guest to become uncomfortable in a few more moments. Each pair of eyeballs looked up to see Ace. Now, I wanted to be seen by each a pair of eyeballs and heard with every pair of ears. I smiled. "Shotgun, you know me, very well. I always have a new geometric angle for my devious way." I clapped in surprise and as each invited guest shifted uncomfortably on top of the nice leather fabric. Then I dropped down both of my hand and slapped them down on each leg. "So, I am interested in the progress towards finding Bo Peep. I wanna help here, too." The vocal discussion commenced immediately and as each pair of eyeballs was trained on Ace.

On top of the loveseat, Junior stared down at his empty wine glass, saying with a sour frown. "Good luck with that! She is gone with the Mobile ocean breeze."

On top of the same loveseat beside the single chair with Mary Ann and next to his brother Junior, Quad turned and frowned at the nose profile on Junior. "Where has Gem gone to?"

"I don't know. They don't know. Nobody knows." Junior reached down and grabbed the open bottle of wine, filling his glass to the rim, holding the bottle in the air. He stared down into the full glass of wine, without consuming the beverage.

On top of the long sofa with his son Trey, Shotgun stared down at his half-empty glass of wine. "The Mobile police officers are clueless to the whereabouts of her person, also."

Quad turned then frowned at the brown tinted hair roots on his father Shotgun, still holding his full glass of wine, "What about our room of snitches? Do they know the whereabouts of Gem, Daddy?"

"Clueless." Trey sat beside his father and continued to sip then savored his first glass of wine while staring at Ace.

Junior exhaled with worry and held the open bottle in his free hand while staring at the full glass of wine in his other hand. "Does the FBI office know of her whereabouts?"

"Interested! The FBI, these bastards are always interested in everything, everyone, and every place. They're tearing my residential house apart looking for anything of interest." Shotgun exhaled with deep trouble and stared down at his half-empty glass of wine.

Junior exhaled with worry and held the open bottle, still staring down into the full glass of wine. "What about our hired and paid private investigators?"

"Clueless." Trey continued to sip then savored the glass of wine while smiling at Ace.

He exhaled with worry. "What about our paid scouts? Do they know of her whereabouts?"

"Clueless." Trey continued to sip.

"The bottom line, no one is interested in finding her." Shotgun said with worry.

"She has been beamed up into an outer space alien ship from Planet Earth." Quad returned back and held his full glass of wine while waving his free hand at Ace.

I chuckled at the silly banter, "Really!"

Shotgun returned back and stared at Ace. "Why are you interested in Gem, Ace?"

I sneered at Shotgun. "She's mine..." then I paused with a smile "...my relative, of course."

Junior returned back and nodded to Ace. "She is the only one that you got left within the family, ain't that right, Ace?"

Quad continued to smile and waved at Ace. "You still have your Granddaddy Smith left on the planet, before he is beamed up and then onto an outer space alien ship, too, like Gem, Ace."

Trey continued to sip the wine glass and stared at Ace. "And the old sour puss man has one foot down in his grave site."

I watched each face and nodded with a smile. "Quad is quite correct. I have only a couple of living blood relatives left on the planet."

Shotgun frowned. "Look! No progress has been made towards finding Gem. Can your military types help us or not?"

I pondered the question and then replied with a nod. "I can ask."

"You can ask! What the hell does that mean, Ace?" Shotgun sneered and continued to hold the half-full wine glass.

"I thought you commanded the entire fleet of sea boats, like your granddaddy, Ace." Quad smiled and continued to wave at Ace.

I smiled with a nod. "I do, Quad."

"What can you do for me here, Ace?" Shotgun frowned.

I changed the subject. Shotgun was annoying me with his little game of small words. I smiled at each face. "So, where geographical location is the hunt occurring?"

Junior stared at Ace. "The law enforcement officers are searching inside and outside of metro Mobile and all the surrounding counties, part of lower Mississippi and also the panhandle of Florida."

Quad smiled and continued to wave at Ace. "The police officers and the federal agents are going beyond the city limits of Mobile."

Trey continued to sip the wine glass and stared at Ace. "However, that action is really not needed. She does not possess money, a transport vehicle, clothes, an identification. She is alone. She is scared. She is confused. She is hiding somewhere here in Mobile. I am most assuredly. She will turn up in a day or so probably from her hunger pains."

Junior stared at Ace and held his full glass of wine. "Homeless people live on the streets and inside shelters. She can find a plate of food there to eat. She is not hungry, Trey."

Shotgun frowned at Ace. "The police have looked everywhere here in Mobile. She is not located here. No other person has seen the girl."

Quad smiled and continued to wave at Ace. "She has vanished into thin air like a witch."

Junior stared at Ace. "A magician vanishes away in thin air, stupid brother Quad."

Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace. "A witch is a bitch, which does not vanish."

Flash nodded to Ace. "She is hiding out. But we will find her ass and then..."

Quad frowned down at his full glass of wine, dropping the other hand into his lap "Then what do we do, Flash?"

Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace. "What did you say, Quad?"

Shotgun frowned at Ace. "What! What!"

Junior stared at Ace. "She killed her mother."

Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace. "She will be arrested, soonest."

He repeated to Ace. "She killed her mother."

Trey said. "She will be trialed."

He repeated again to Ace. "She killed her mother."

Trey said. "She will be convicted."

He repeated to Ace. "She killed her mother."

Shotgun nodded to Ace. "She will be committed into a mental institution."

I tossed both of my arms into the air, slapping down both of my hands onto my legs, saying with a smile. "Finally!"

Junior stared at Ace and held his full glass of wine. "I disagree with that statement, Dad."

Shotgun turned and frowned at the nose profile on Junior. "Be quiet over there, Junior!"

I continued to watch and listen, smiling with a nod. "So, the manhunt of Gem is stalled."

"Stalled. Hindered. Mired. Stopped. Delayed. Postponed," Flash stared at Ace.

I continued to sit and smirked at each face. The intent of the verbal, slow moving conversation was serious among my friends. But I found it funny as I knew the answer to each question. And I would uncover the final answer. I smiled. "I am hearing so many verbs all at once. I am truly sorry to hear that."

"I bet you're sorry, Ace." Shotgun returned back and sneered at Ace.

Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace. "Have you not been listening to the active conversation, Ace?"

Flash looked down and counted the number of bubble remnants inside his glass of wine. "Gem, your niece, is going to be committed for the rest of her life inside a mental institution."

Junior stared at Ace. "If she is ever found..."

"What do you mean by the word, if? The statement is, when she is found." Shotgun turned and sneered at the nose profile on Junior.

"Really!" Mary Ann turned and smiled at the rear skull on Shotgun.

"Really! Is really going to be probably tomorrow?" Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace.

Quad frowned down at the full glass of wine, "How is it possible to find her tomorrow, Trey?"

"I have contacts on her fleeing tail." Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace.

"Is that really true, Trey?" Flash continued to count the tiny bubble pattern inside his full glass of wine.

"So, do you know where she is hiding at, Trey?" Shotgun turned and frowned at Trey.

"I have received a set of new data about her, Dad." Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace.

Junior stared at Ace. "Today, I saw a digital image of her wandering down at the city street which is called _Stone Street_."

Quad frowned down at his full glass of wine. " _Stone Street_ , that's a bad part of town here in Mobile."

"She could become hurt." Junior smiled at Ace.

"She could become killed." Shotgun returned back and smiled at Ace.

"She could become dead." Trey continued to sip the wine and smiled at Ace.

"She could become deader a door knob." Flash smiled down into the bubbles of wine.

I growled with fury at each one of my enemies. "That is a very interesting prospect. Thanks for updating me with all the new leads!"

Quad returned back and smiled at Ace. "You are most welcome, Ace!"

I nodded with a smile to each face. "I still wanna help. Maybe, I can contribute to the manhunt. I feel that I can contribute a lot with my money."

Junior smiled at Ace. "Money takes care of everything!"

Quad grinned. "Money is always a welcome alley to me."

Shotgun smiled at Ace. "We need lots of money to pay each private investigator, which is over my financial budget."

"Money! Money! Money!" Flash returned back and smiled at Ace.

I smiled. "Is everyone enjoying the dessert wine?"

Junior said and continued to hold his full glass of wine. "Yes."

Trey continued to sip the wine and stared at Ace. "Immensely."

"Very nice." Mary Ann returned back and winked at Ace.

"Good stuff." Quad giggled with silliness.

I nodded with a grin. "Those words are wonderful to hear while floating into my eardrums. But I must confess, since I cannot tell a lie."

"Is that a joke, Ace?" Quad laughed with silliness.

I smiled. "Honestly, this is the truth. The wine is spiked."

"The dessert wine is spiked!" Trey looked down into his wine glass with confusion.

Quad laughed with silliness and still held a full glass of wine. "The wine is spiked like I am attending a teen party."

Junior smiled at Ace and continued to hold his full glass of wine. "Good stuff."

Mary Ann raised her glass to Ace, saying with a smile. "You have good taste, Ace." She sipped then swallowed the wine, pulling back the glass, giggling with silliness.

I nodded with soft chuckles. "Thank you! As I was saying, I mixed a batch of true serum into the dessert wine."

Flash looked down into his empty wine glass. "Is there really a batch of truth serum here inside my wine glass?"

Shotgun frowned at Ace. "Do you mean that you added a truth drug into my glass of wine?"

I nodded with a silly grin. "Yes, I have added a truth serum and you have consumed a truth drug inside each wine glass."

"What is a truth serum?" Mary Ann smiled at Ace.

"Sodium thiopental is a psychoactive drug which causes a mixture of facts and fantasy. Whatever secret substance is inside this wine glass will not be revealed too fast." Trey stared down into his glass.

"Sodium pentathol, is that in my wine glass?" Quad continued to frown down into his full glass of wine.

"I didn't taste it." Mary Ann sipped then swallowed the wine, titling her face sideways with a smile to Ace.

I nodded with a stern face. "Actually, I used sodium amobarbital. A truth drug is highly unreliable. A fact that I can attest too as an active Coast Guard military officer. This particular type of pharmaceutical sedative will increase the ability for talking. Thus, the talking of words will reveal all your uncovered information to me," I laughed out loud with my evil plan.

"What type of truth are you talking about, Ace?" Shotgun frowned at Ace.

"What is Ace bumbling about?" Flash continued to stare down into the empty wine glass, recounting the number of bubble remnants from the wine remnants.

"I don't understand you or your little charade here." He said to Ace.

Junior smiled at Ace and continued to hold his full glass of wine, "Good stuff."

I explained with a smile to each face. "Sodium thiopental, ethanol, scopolamine, and temazepam, each one of these is an anesthetic induction pharmaceutical agent which attempts to obtain secret information from an unwilling host by the police department or US military branch personnel."

Quad continued to frown down into his glass of wine. "Do you mean that my glass of wine contains a real drug?"

Junior repeated to Ace. "Good stuff."

"Shut up, man!" Trey continued to view his glass of wine.

I smiled. "A truth drug possesses no taste, no smell, no color, and no immediate side effects. The sedative interferes with judgment and all the other higher cognitive functions within the human brain."

Junior repeated with a smile. "Good stuff."

"Shut up, man!" Trey continued to view his glass of wine.

I nodded. "But, most importantly, a host has no recollection of chatting his or her tongue off during the actual consumption process."

Quad continued to frown down at the wine, "So, I will not remember any of this evening on tomorrow morning."

I laughed. "I created a brilliant plan here, didn't I, Quad?"

Junior repeated with a smile to Ace. "Good stuff."

"Shut up, man!" Trey continued to stare down at his glass of wine.

I said. "The Russia Government used a batch of truth serum to determine the worthiness of their own agents, who worked in the US as a set of spies."

"Ace, what are you doing to me?" Flash frowned down at the empty wine glass, staring at each tiny bubble remnant of wine.

"What are you doing to me, Ace?" Mary Ann smiled at Ace.

Junior repeated. "Good stuff."

"Shut up, man!" Trey stared at his glass of wine.

"What are you doing to me, Ace?" Shotgun stared at Ace.

I waved both of my hands up and down in the air and said with a smile. "Next, each one of you just relax and enjoy the wine." I motioned to the row of glass windows on each wall inside my living room. Each one of my invited guests turned then gasped at the row of upright Dark Shadows that stood outside each solid glass windows, cuddling a weapon in a pair of gloved hands. Some of the upright Dark Shadows smiled and waved at free hand at each one of the invited guests inside the living room.

Shotgun gasped at each window. "These are his Resources!"

Flash gasped at each window. "Those are his Resources!"

Trey gasped at each window. "What is the meaning of his Resources here?"

Junior looked up and smiled at each window, turning to see Ace. "This is about his dead sister. What else could it be? Why else are we all located here inside Ace's hut?"

Quad stared at each window. "Ah! The song of sweet revenge comes to mind."

I nodded. "Each one of you is partly correct."

Flash sneered at Ace. "You didn't really know your sister, Ace."

Mary Ann sneered at Ace. "Your sister was not a gracious lady like you think."

I nodded. "I knew my sister very well. We are very much alike in more ways than you can count."

Quad turned and stared with fear at his father Shotgun. "Come and do something, Dad! Ace is kidnapping us for some evil, Dad."

Junior turned and gasped at Ace. "Ace is going to capture and then torture us, Dad."

I smiled. "O! Was that a wonderful compliment, Junior?"

"Ace is going to kill us, Dad." Quad returned back and frowned at Ace.

"Why are your Resources here at your house, Ace?" Shotgun sneered.

I laughed. "My Resources are here at my house for my protection, not yours."

Flash dropped the wine glass down on the floor that landed with a tiny crash while sneering at Ace. "Now, you have my one hundred percent undivided attention. I am a hostage here with you. What do you want with me, Ace?"

I nodded. "That is an excellent question, Flash. I seek a simple explanation."

Shotgun sneered. "What is your simple question, Ace?"

Mary Ann turned and sneered at Shotgun. "What are you doing to us, Shotgun?"

I nodded with a smile. "In this instant, I do believe that a colored picture is worth a thousand and one words."

Shotgun sneered. "What damn colored picture? I do not see a damn colored picture."

Mary Ann continued to stare and sneer at Shotgun. "Colored picture! What colored picture does Ace have, Shotgun?"

Flash sneered at Ace. "Ace could not have a photo. One does not exist."

Trey sneered at Ace. "Ace is lying to each one of us."

Junior smiled at Ace. "I like colored pictures. Are the pictures in a book?"

Trey sneered at his brother while looking at Ace. "Shut him, up, Junior!"

My invited house guests were now attentive, confused, puzzled, and mad. My scheme was working perfectly. I slowly stood upright from the chair near the beverage bar with a soft sneer at each one of my friends. "I'll be right back. Don't anyone move a foot from your seat!" I spun around and faced the staircase. "Excuse the pun!" I laughed and shot up the staircase to the second level bedroom. I lightly knocked on the closed door to be private. I really didn't need to do that. She was there waiting patiently for Ace to accompany her down for the final show. She slowly opened her bedroom door, wearing a face with fear, anxious, shock, surprise, excitement and sadness on her beautiful young face. She wanted the show to end also.

I stood in front of the open archway and extended my arm to her. She grabbed his arm. I wrapped her around my body, swinging us around and faced the staircase. "Come on, Bo Peep! The show is about to start. And you receive a front row seat."

Gem hugged closer to Ace in silence, staring ahead at the staircase that blocked the first floor level, where the gang of invited guests continued to sit and sneer at an invisible Ace. Gem and I slowly descended down the staircase together in silence.

On the first level, inside the living room setting on top of the occupied cushions, each invited guest continued to sit but sounded with an array of nosily grunts, gasps, and then soft grumbles to each other.

Flash continued to sit and shouted out loud. "That is her!"

Shotgun continued to sit and yelled out loud. "Damn! She is here!"

Trey continued to sit and sneered out loud. "She was hiding here the entire time with Ace."

Junior smiled at Ace. "Good! You caught her, Ace."

Quad sneered at Ace. "So, this was your play, Ace."

Mary Ann smiled at Ace. "This was his idea. This is a great idea, Ace."

Trey nodded with a smile. "Now, we all can deal with her once and for all."

Junior continued to smile at Ace. "This is good work, Ace."

Quad nodded at Gem. "Good! This is finally over for me."

Shotgun waved his free hand with his stern face, staring at Gem. "Call the police right now! They can come and arrest her right here."

Flash frowned at Gem. "No! We will take care of this little problem among ourselves. She..."

Junior nodded to Gem. "We should all be nice."

Trey frowned at Gem. "Shut him, up, Junior!"

I escorted Gem down into my old seat near the beverage bar, in front of her family members, where she was out of hand reach, not out of ear range. The oversized green tinted chair was located inside the wall corner. She slowly sat inside the chair and stared at each family member in silence.

I leaned down and wrapped a pink-tinted blanket around her teenly body, carefully tucking down each the corner, when she had been a toddler inside her tiny bed. I reached up and touched her cheekbone while speaking softly into her nose bridge. "Bo Peep, I do not want you to be nervous in here. You are with me. The bad guys aren't going to harm you. I promise. Do you believe me?" I released my hand and touched her two exposed hands with my two warm palms, feeling worry. She continued to stare at each family member and then nodded in silence without looking at Ace.

I understood her shyness, fear, and worry while hearing a loud human grunting noise behind my back spine, looking back over my collar bone at the row of sofas. Shotgun slowly tried to stand upright from the sofa next to Trey while sneering at his daughter Gem. She leaned back from the action of her father. I continued to touch her hand and loudly growled at Shotgun. "Sit back down, Shotgun!"

Shotgun slowly sat back down and whined with a sissy tone. "I have rights here, Ace."

I sneered at Shotgun and stared at Gem. "You have no rights here, Shotgun."

Quad pointed at the back spine on Ace with a puzzled brow. "What is Ace hollowing about the legal stuff, Trey?"

I released her cupped hands with a smile and finished tucking the blanket around her body with comfortable, standing upright with a nod to her face, spinning around to see my captured prey. I moved a few feet away of Gem, standing as her guardian protection. Then I scooted a few inches away from Gem, so she could see the upcoming action. I stood in place and stared at each friend, slapping my chest with a growl. "Now, I have plenty more rights than any one of you in here at the moment." I reached over and pressed the correct button on my handy remote control. I had placed the device on the bar, before I had served each spiked glass of wine. An electronic wave reached out, hit, and then signaled each window electronic mechanism that slowly moved down like a pair of enclosed shutters for an upcoming hurricane.

Hurricane Ace.

Next, the row of artificial overhead lights flickered off once. The electrical power had been diverted back to the generator momentarily while a hot current spiked and then returned back normal. Each window shutter closed down over the glass pane hiding each one of Ace's resources from eye view, not mind view. Each invited guest scanned the room with a fear of terror, except Flash.

Flash continued to sneer at Ace. "What do you want from us, Ace?"

I continued to stand in place and stared at each face, crossing both of my arms, saying with a nod. "I want the truth."

Trey returned back and jabbed his finger at Ace with fear. "I will state the truth here. We have all been captured and now kidnapped by Ace."

Shotgun returned back and sneered at Ace. "And we all have been threatened by Ace too."

Junior jabbed his finger at Gem with puzzlement. "Ace, he was the one that had kidnapped her, Dad."

Mary Ann returned back and nodded with a stern face at Ace. "That is correct. And I plan to tell the police officers all of that too."

Flash nodded with a smile. "I concur. Call the fucking Mobile police department, right now, Shotgun."

Quad nodded with a worried brow. "Ace, he is crazy, Dad."

Trey smiled at Gem. "She is a hunted fugitive and a cold blooded murderess, Ace."

Shotgun smiled. "And you are going into a prison jail as the accomplice of a cold blood murder, also, Ace."

Mary Ann smiled at Ace. "But Ace didn't kill his sister."

"Didn't say that, again, Mary Ann?" Junior turned and yelled at the nose profile on Mary Ann.

Trey turned and sneered at the nose profile on Mary Ann. "Maybe, Mary Ann was the one that killed his sister."

"Shut him, up, Trey!" Shotgun turned and yelled at the rear skull on Trey.

I continued to stand in place with crossed arms hearing the conversation from my captured prey. "How intriguing! The cat fight has begun, without me hissing." I turned and winked at Gem. She continued to sit inside the warm blanket and stared at each family member in silence. I returned back to the row of sofas and clapped my hands with a smile and a nod, staring at each invited guest. "Now, let us play fair and start the game."

Shotgun returned back and sneered at Ace. "What fucking game, Ace?"

I tossed both of my arms in the air with laughter. "The truth or dare game, of course!" I slammed both of my hands back down onto my blue jeans.

Junior tried to stand upright from the loveseat with a sour frown. "I am leaving this mad house right now."

I stood in this particular spot, on purpose. I quickly spun around and reached out, slipping the used brown-tinted horse whip from the flat bar surface. I had placed the item there beside the open bottle of spiked wine. I swung around with a sneer and released the rope, cracking the horse whip into the air, making a loud snap sound. "Sit back down, right now, Junior!" The horse whip peaked in the air then rushed back down, hitting the tip of the rope onto the floor, making a loud thump sound.

On top of the loveseat, Junior gasped in fear and slowly sat back down next to Quad while staring at Ace in silence. I nodded with a smile and rolled the horse whip back over the floor and into my cupped hand for the next unwise movement from one of my invited guests. "Good! Now, who wants to start talking first?"

Shotgun did not stand but jabbed his finger and his sneer at Ace. "You have kidnapped and then horded Gem. And, now, you are tormenting each one of us, Ace. I will personally see that your body gets the death penalty, which is the highest punishment here in the great State of Alabama."

I ignored the silly rant and rave coming from Shotgun, nodding with a stern face to each invited guest. "I will give you a little hint here. The word is **Smith Incorporated**."

Junior nodded with a smile to Ace. "That's a common name, Smith. And it is a common company Smith that offers international imports and exports."

Trey sneered. "Shut up, Junior!"

I frowned. "What kind of import stuff coming here into Mobile?"

Junior smiled at Ace. " **Smith Incorporated** loss fifteen million dollars last year which is shown on company financial statements."

I frowned. "Would you mind explaining the **Smith Incorporated** company to me in more detail, Shotgun?"

Shotgun nodded with a smile. " **Smith Incorporated** is a limited liability for..."

Flash turned and frowned at the nose profile on Shotgun. "Shut up, Shotgun!"

I laughed. "So, I guess Flash will explain the **Smith Incorporated** company to me."

Mary Ann touched her temple with a stern face. "Shotgun can't help to speak out loud, Flash. The truth drug is affecting his mind." She slightly shook her skull and stared down at the floor with dizziness.

Flash turned and sneered at Ace while answering the question as his mind was coated with the truth drug from the spiked wine. " **Smith Incorporated** is a family business."

"And Trey can finish explaining the **Smith Incorporated** information to me." I smiled.

" **Smith Incorporated** paid our taxes, our employees and our vendors." Trey sneered at Ace.

Junior smiled. "Dad, he is president. I am the vice president, Trey, he is the licensed legal attorney. Quad, he is the money treasurer. Flash, he is the medical physician."

I laughed. "What! There isn't a pretty secretary."

Junior turned and laughed at the nose profile on Mary Ann. "Yes, Mary Ann, she is the company secretary."

I turned and frowned at Mary Ann. "Mary Ann, are you really part of this too? I am so sorry."

Mary Ann turned and frowned at the side wall, seeing the closed shutters on each glass pane, softly saying. "Why are you sorry, Ace?"

I pointed at the entrance door in the wall corner, where a tall stack of stapled papers stood. "The columns of papers represent copied legal and financial document coming from **Smith Incorporated**. An exact duplicate stack has been copied and then packed for express mail delivery to the Mobile Newspaper, in case..."

"Fuck!" Trey turned and frowned at the stack of papers in the wall corner.

Shotgun continued to sneer at Ace. "We are already under investigation by the Mobile FBI office, Ace."

Flash turned and frowned into the nose profile on Shotgun, "We! You meant to say that you are under investigation by the Mobile FBI office, Shotgun."

Junior laughed. "Well, you covered us, isn't that right, Dad?"

Shotgun looked down and wiped his heated brow. "I tried."

"Son of a bitch, who is the company leak in here?" Trey turned and snarled at each family member.

I wished that I could have video recorded this nice family meeting, but it would have been too risky that all the upcoming video evidence might become misplaced or stolen and dumped into the wrong hands.

Shotgun looked up and turned with a sneer to see his friend. "Mary Ann or Flash is the leak within our company?"

I frowned. "Let's run backwards and talk about **Smith Incorporated**."

Junior nodded with a smile. "We sale everything, such like, furniture, rugs, pots, pans, dishes, chests, clothes, shoes, hats. You name it. We sell it. We do not sell the imported merchandise. We give it to the needy peopled, the church bizarre, the schools, the hotels, the restaurants, the universities, the charity organizations."

Trey frowned at Ace and touched his temple, shaking his head. "We write off each estimated import price tag for each piece of imported merchandise, which causes the company to lose money."

"Of course, this is all the American way." Quad smiled without touching his temple. He liked the mental and body sensation from the truth drug.

I nodded with a stern face to each person. " **Smith Incorporated** exhibits a big loss but no tiny money profit. Interesting! I always wondered how you made a paid living here in Mobile, Flash. A physician works without patients. A lawyer works without clients. A banker works without customers. And a set of company executives travel each week to the foreign country of South America, without a business meeting. And, finally, an Alabama senator heads the import and export foreign committee there in metro city Montgomery. Would you like to elaborate some more, Shotgun?"

"We hide the pot inside each potted plant." Junior laughed.

"Shut Junior up over there, Trey!" Shotgun turned and frowned at Junior.

I frowned. "Why didn't each potted plant of pot get checked during the import inspection at the airport or the seaport?"

Junior laughed. "No one checked any of the potted plants of pot, since Shotgun controlled the entry point here in Mobile."

Flash turned and frowned at the nose profile on Mary Ann. "Where did Opal get her stash of pot, Mary Ann?"

"She stole it." Mary Ann returned back and smiled at Ace.

Shotgun gasped. "Mary Ann, did Opal steal it from your personal stash of pot?"

She turned and sneered at her husband Flash. "Mary Ann! What does that mean, Mary Ann?"

Flash frowned. "Mary Ann, you forget to lock the bathroom cabinet door again. I told you each and every time, after your wonderful afternoon journey of smoke."

She sneered at Flash. "Or maybe, each young girl could smell your stinky body of pot, Flash, after you came home from the office, dear," laughing.

"You should have been a better role model for the younger girls, Mary Ann." Flash sneered.

She gasped. "Role model! Me! I was the only role model here when I am compared to your creepy adventures with your girls, your trips, your whores, your babies..."

Shotgun growled. "Shut her up, Trey!"

Trey turned and winked at Mary Ann. "Mary Ann doesn't feel well during the night, so just ignore her ramblings, Ace. There, I took care of it, Father."

Mary Ann sneered at Trey. "Quiet, Trey! You are the one who is creating more trouble for everyone. This is another great example of..."

"Well, you are a rotten mother." Flash frowned.

She gasped. "Shotgun, slap that frown off Flash's face, right now!"

Shotgun laughed. "Why would I do that, Mary Ann?"

"One reason, for insulting me, and, the second reason, I'm your sister." She frowned.

"That's not a good enough reason for me." Shotgun chuckled.

She huffed with a sour frown. "I took care of your spoil rotten, bratty girls."

"The herd of spoil rotten, bratty girls belonged to you, also, Mary Ann," Quad laughed.

"Did Daddy Shotgun not tell you the truth here, Quad? The three dead females, who are named April, Opal and Ruby, are the children of Shotgun, not Flash."

"What! What is Mary Ann saying here, Dad? Did you adopt a set of daughters, too, Dad?" Quad frowned at Shotgun.

"Shut up, Mary Ann!" Flash frowned.

"I had loved them very much also." Shotgun looked down at the floor and wiped off each tear of sadness.

Quad gasped down at the brown tinted hair roots on his father Shotgun. "This is news to me. Are we, three really your three sons, Dad?"

Trey laughed. "Well..."

Quad turned and gasped at Trey. "Well, what is the truth here, Trey?"

Trey smiled. "We, three are composed of flesh and blood. We, three are the sons to Shotgun. But we, three are not the sons of Mary Ann, his dead wife and Ace's dead sister."

"What is Trey shouting, Dad? Trey is kidding me." Quad whined with worry to his dad.

Junior laughed. "Trey is not kidding or joking or joshing here, Quad. Mary Ann was not you or mine or his biological mother."

Quad nodded with a stern face. "Yes, she was."

"No! She was not." Junior laughed.

Quad gasped in shock. "Then who is my real biological mother?"

"A pack of female nasty whores, Shotgun had fucked and then had gotten betrayed with. Is that not correct, Shotgun?" Flash stared and smiled at the nose profile on Shotgun.

"That incident occurred in the past." Shotgun frowned.

"Why did you kill my non-biological mother, Dad?" Quad whined.

"I will explain everything to you later, Quad." Shotgun sneered at his son.

Quad frowned. "No! You explain everything to me, right now, Dad."

Trey grinned at Quad. "I will explain everything right now, Quad. Your mom was a whore that lived down in the foreign country of South America. Are you happier now?"

"Stow it, Trey!" Shotgun sneered at Trey.

Junior nodded with a smile to Shotgun. "You have fathered six children which consisted of three sons and three daughters. Who is the mother of each daughter or all three daughters, Dad?"

Flash laughed. "It ain't the Government Street local whores, is that not right, Shotgun?"

"Something like that!" Shotgun laughed.

Mary Ann sneered at Shotgun. "Each whore was located in the foreign country of South America. Why do you think he had visited there every week?"

Junior laughed. "It is the location of our export company."

"Furniture was not the only exporting commodity coming out from South America." Trey laughed.

I gasped. "What else was exported out from the country of South America?"

Junior laughed. "We also engaged in exporting tiny babies."

"On the illegal Black Market, a newborn baby fetches one hundred thousand dollars, each." Trey smiled.

"Did we really sell a baby? Who did we sell a baby too?" Quad frowned.

"We sold numerous infant babies to a pair of very wealthy parents." Flash smiled.

"How long have you been exporting babies from South America and importing the babies here?" I asked.

" **Smith Incorporated** has been importing into the USA for over thirty years." Junior laughed.

"Flash, he also has a batch of biological children also." Shotgun turned and nodded to Ace.

Mary Ann gasped at Flash. "How many biological children have you father, Flash?"

Flash smiled. "I have fathered fifty-two tiny babies."

Trey laughed. "Shotgun, he has more biological kids than that low math number."

Shotgun slapped his chest with a smile. "I have fathered sixty-eight tiny biological babies."

"Gawd! Do you know where each baby lives and who each baby is, Dad?" Quad frowned.

"Hell, no." Shotgun turned and frowned at Quad.

"I don't understand your response, Dad." Quad whined.

"The scheme here, each one of us fucked a South American whore and got a newborn baby. Flash delivered each baby there inside a South American hospital. Then I processed the importing paperwork, delivering each baby here by airplane or sea ship into Mobile." Shotgun nodded with a smile.

Trey slapped his chest with a smile. "Until, I received my law degree and then passed the legal bar. Then I inherited the dubious honor of whore baby paperwork."

Quad turned and frowned at Trey and then Shotgun. "Why wasn't I told all of the stuff?"

Trey turned and frowned to Quad. "Quad, you are the banker. You performed the task of laundering the money from each purchased newborn baby, idiot brother of mine."

"You also got to fuck each slave girl, like me." Junior winked at Ace.

"Did I?" Quad frowned.

"Each slave girl came from South America." Shotgun winked to Ace.

"Did they?" He frowned.

"Each slave girl worked as a maid servant inside our house, Quad." Trey frowned.

He smiled with a nod. "Yeah, I did fuck the maids," Quad gasped. "I'm a slave owner."

Junior laughed. "You are a slave marketer, Quad."

"What happened to you house of maids? Every month we received a new set of maids." Mary Ann frowned

"We sold the maids for money." Flash laughed.

Quad gasped, "Gawd! We sell a slave girl also for money."

Trey winked. "We sell an individual or a pair of sex slave girls that cost five thousand dollars each."

I continued to stand in place and exhaled with disgust and angry, confusion. "How did **Smith Incorporated** lose fifteen million dollars last year on your financial statements?"

Junior turned and winked to Ace. "We only file the accounting records for each travel expenses, each trip, the new clothes, the good food, and the crappy hotels on the financial forms. Each wealthy client had paid with cash, each and every time inside one of the lush Caribbean island banks."

"Shut him up, Trey!" Shotgun yelled.

I smiled with a nod. "Ah! The island bank account is getting low, honey. It's time to make a baby or two, sweetheart. You know, I have always admired your new exotic sports car in bright blue, Trey," laughing.

Junior turned and sneered at two brothers. "Stupid greedy assholes, Quad and Trey had to possess the cars, the girls, the parties, the drugs, the clothes, the electronics, the house, and the everything."

I chuckled. "Inflation is a bitch, ain't it, Quad? The cost of everything goes up the next year. That sucks, man!"

Junior frowned. "But you cannot raise the price of pot here on Government Street or the price of a good sex whore either." Trey nodded with a sour frown to Ace in silence.

"Shut him up, Trey!" Shotgun sneered.

Trey nodded with a stern face. "As of today, the current market cash for pot..."

Flash turned and sneered at Trey, "Gawd! Did you send Opal and her sisters down to sell pot within the city of Orlando?"

"Hell, no!" Shotgun turned and sneered at Flash.

"That car ride was a real kiddie trip for the four girls, Flash." Mary Ann smiled at Flash.

"However, the real luggage contained real pot in-between the clothing. Who is to blame for that mistake, Mary Ann?" Flash sneered.

Mary Ann slapped her chest with a sour frown. "Mary Ann! Everyone likes to use or blame my name for everything. I did not give one of the girls my or your pot stash. One of them must have found the pot stash inside your private bathroom, where it is kept, Flash."

He laughed. "O! That was the real crime."

Shotgun laughed. "Where each girl had started a crime spree..."

"...with the real FBI office here in Mobile," Quad frowned.

"The Mobile FBI office was hounding us, before the girls went on their road trip to the city of Orlando." Shotgun sneered.

I laughed. "Ah! The old suppliers cannot supply anymore."

"Right!" Junior laughed.

I frowned. "You received wads of free cash inside your island bank account. Then why not close **Smith Incorporated** down?"

"Close down or quit the drug business, are your joking with me, Ace?" Flash turned and frowned at Ace.

Quad frowned. "The bank and each banker plus its external partner work inside the world of finance."

"The bank must legally invest the money for the client." Shotgun frowned.

I understood with a nod. "Ah! You cannot control the banks, only the bankers."

"No one could control the stock market either." Flash frowned.

"I didn't want to share a prison cell with a snobby Hollywood movie star." Mary Ann frowned.

"The Last Will and Testimony came from Mary Ann, your sister Ace." Shotgun smiled.

"The bank account possesses one hundred million dollars, Ace." Trey smiled.

"However, the divorce crashed all of the dreams." Shotgun frowned.

"What a divorce, Shotgun?" Flash turned and frowned at Shotgun.

Trey nodded. "Dead Mary Ann had filed a set of divorce papers six days before the lovely night of our personal Mari Gras party."

"But, it's too late for Mary Ann, now." Flash chuckled.

Quad laughed. "Yeah, Dad, you are rich now."

Trey stared with a sneer at Gem. "Gem is rich now."

I slid sideways then halted, standing a little closer to Gem. She continued to sit and stared at each family member, in silence. I exhaled with impatience. "The one hundred-million-dollar question here, who killed my sister Mary Ann?"

"My original plan wasn't for Gem to kill her mother, only wound my wife Mary Ann." Shotgun nodded with a stern face to Gem.

I retorted with angry, because I still didn't know the truth even as each mind contained the truth serum coming from each spiked glass of wine, but I was getting hotter. I sneered. "Bo Peep did not kill my sister Mary Ann. Who killed my sister Mary Ann?"

"We only wanted to wound Mary Ann and then convince her of our proper way." Flash frowned.

Mary Ann turned and sneered at Flash. "Your proper way did not work, Flash."

"You tried to intimidate Mary Ann. And your intimidation did not work either, Flash." Quad frowned at Ace.

"Yes, we did and that failed." Trey nodded with a sour frown at Ace.

"However, some person took the plotted program to the next step without permission." Flash sneered at each face.

"Yes! Who took the plotted program to the next step without permission?" Shotgun sneered at each invited guest also.

"It doesn't matter right now." Junior nodded with a sad face to Ace.

I slapped my chest with fury. "It matters to me."

"Mom would have come around to our thinking, if we have been much kinder and thoughtful." Quad frowned.

"No! She would have never come around to our thinking, Quad." Trey turned and sneered at his brother.

Junior jabbed his finger with laughter at Ace. "Mary Ann was stubborn, like her brother Ace."

"Mary Ann died from the wound which makes you responsible for killing her, Trey." Quad sneered at his brother.

"No! I did not stab the dagger into her pumping heart. Someone else stabbed a dagger into her pumping heart." Trey smiled.

I continued to stand and looked back over my collar bone at Gem. "Bo Peep, she did not have the strength to work a weapon with her tiny female hand either," I returned back and sneered at each male. "The brunt force had to come from a male or a man or a brother. So, who killed my sister Mary Ann?"

Quad slapped his chest with a smile. "I only give Mary Ann the drugged liquid in her beverage."

Mary Ann slapped her chest with a smile. "I only knocked Mary Ann unconscious with my small hand club that I have inside my purse."

Flash slapped his chest with a smile. "I was the watcher, who watched the empty hallway inside Shotgun's house that night."

Trey smiled. "I only stabbed one of her kidneys with the knife. A person only needs one kidney."

Shotgun slapped his chest with a smile. "I hit Mary Ann in the chest cavity with the knife."

I continued to stand in anger and fury. Every person inside my living room had participated in my sister's death. I wanted to find my hand gun and blow off each bone skull from a stoned human body. I sneered. "I can't believe my eardrums. I do not know who or what each one of you are now."

Shotgun turned and frowned at each face. "So, who finished killing off the wounded but conscious body of my wife Mary Ann?"

Trey turned and sneered at his brother. "There is only one of us left here inside this room that has not confessed their evil deed on the wounded but live body of Mary Ann."

Shotgun gasped and then smiled. "I told you. Junior, he is a medical physician. He would know how to kill a live person."

I gasped in anger. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph..."

"Me!" Junior laughed out loud and slapped his chest. "I had to finish the killing. Mary Ann had to die. Else, we would not possess her money and our freedom."

Trey sneered. "Else, our tail would be not pursued by the Mobile FBI office, Junior."

Shotgun nodded with a smile. "A medical physician makes sense. He would know exactly how to control the death weapon. That dagger was dull and required man-strength, not female to plummet the death weapon down through her female chest cavity and then into her pumping heart at the right angle to stop her heart organ from beating."

Flash frowned. "You sound very surprised here, Shotgun. We all know the plotted plan. The plotted plan, Mary Ann had to die."

Shotgun shook his bone skull with a stern face. "No! We wanted to wound her into a helpless state of body and state of mind. Then inside the hospital room, Mary Ann could have modified her Last Will and Testimony papers back to the original wording, where each one of us was her death benefactor."

Junior laughed. "You wanted to murder Mary Ann inside your bed mattress, that night, Father."

Shotgun turned and nodded to Ace. "You don't understand this here, Ace. Mary Ann had a plotted plan also."

I frowned. "What plotted plan did Mary Ann possess? I do not know of any plotted plan with my sister," I looked back over my collar bone and gasped at Gem. She was sobbing with tears. I spun around and dashed back to Gem, leaning down, hugging her. She was shivering with fear, angry, and sorrow. I whispered with a stern face. "I am sorry for all of this crappy show. But you must here the rest of this new information, Bo Peep. Are you okay?" She nodded in silence. I exhaled with worry. "I am okay too. Now, you hold your breath and get ready for more bad stuff." She nodded in silence again. I stood upright from the floor and spun around, shuffling a few inches away from Gem, so she could see her family members. I crossed both of my arms and stared at each face, saying with a sour frown. "For the love of money, you murdered my sister, Junior."

Junior laughed. "Mary Ann was murdered for the love of one hundred million dollars, Ace."

I tossed both of my arms in the air and smiled. "And I am worth more that." I dropped both of my hands, slamming each leg, studying each face.

"Are you really, Ace?" Quad gasped then smiled.

"How much money are your worth in both dollars and cents, Ace?" Mary Ann smiled.

"What does your statement mean, to me, Ace?" Shotgun frowned.

"Am I in your Last Will and Testimony papers, Uncle Ace?" Quad smiled.

I sneered. "Hell, no! I wouldn't leave any of you my doggie pooper scooper."

Quad scanned the room with puzzlement. "I don't see a dog. You don't own a dog, Ace."

Junior laughed. "That is his point exactly, Quad!"

Flash frowned. "So, we are back to the beginning with nothing as usual."

"Why are we back to the beginning here, Flash?" Mary Ann frowned.

"Gem, she has all the one hundred million dollars, which is in her name, coming from her mother Mary Ann." Trey sneered.

"And Gem also owns the house, all the cars, all the property." Quad sneered.

"Mary Ann was a smart girl." Shotgun frowned.

Flash continued to sit in the chair and tossed both of his arms in the air while smiling at Ace. "I propose a new plotted plan here. We take Gem, kill Ace, and then we go to the Bahamas for the rest of our luxurious life." I pointed with a nod to Gem then Ace.

"Gem is a fugitive. She cannot leave the city, the State of Alabama, the USA, for any reason, but getting arrest and then sent into a jail cell." Quad smiled.

Junior laughed. "We all travel by a private jet to the main island of the Bahamas."

Trey frowned. "We do not own a private jet airplane. We rent them."

"Ace has a private jet airplane." Quad smiled.

I frowned. "No. I am only millionaire, not a billionaire. A private jet airplane is very expensive and dangerous. I prefer driving my car."

"I want Ace's sports car." Quad smiled.

I gasped. "Shit! I'm not deaf here."

"But you will be dead here." Trey laughed.

I turned and growled at Trey. "O! Is that your new plotted plan, Trey?"

Flash turned and sneered at Ace. "We are wasting our time."

Shotgun smiled. "What about a private rental jet plane heading to the main island of the Bahamas?"

Trey frowned. "The private jet is rented for tomorrow morning, not tonight, Dad."

Flash laughed. "I have a new plotted plan. Take Gem, kill Ace, and travel to the island of Bahamas, tomorrow morning."

"You said that sentence structure already, Flash." Quad frowned.

"He is repeating everything." Shotgun reached up and rubbed both of his temples coming from the truth serum inside his head.

"It's the wine." Mary Ann smiled at Ace.

"It's the drug." Junior smiled at Ace.

I tossed both of my arms in the air again and shouted out loud. "Bo Peep is mine." I slapped both of my hands down onto each leg staring at the prey.

Flash turned and frowned at Ace. "You have said that sentence structure numerous times before, Ace."

Shotgun turned and frowned at Ace. "What does your repeating sentence structure mean, to me, Ace?"

I nodded with a smile to each invited guest. "If you want money, I have money. Apparently, Bo Peep has some additional money coming from Mary Ann's Last Will and Testimony also."

Shotgun gasped. "Do you wanna make a money deal with us, Ace?"

I nodded with a stern face. "Yes."

"What kind of money deal, Ace?" Flash smiled.

I smiled. "I will transfer some of my money into your island bank for your pleasure. But each one of you must disappear forever and foreverly."

Quad gasped. "Do you want me to leave the United States of America? I was born here."

Flash rubbed both of his hands with a grin. "How many millions of dollars are you talking with me, Ace?"

He gasped again. "Do you want me to leave my US State of Alabama? I was born here."

Shotgun nodded with a smile. "We require two hundred million dollars for each one of us to leave from the United States of America."

He gasped again. "Do you want me to leave my wonderful city of Mobile? I was born here."

Shotgun smiled. "I agree. You will give us two hundred million dollars and then we leave the USA."

Trey smiled. "How much money are you worth, Ace?"

Quad frowned. "No! I don't wanna leave my home in Mobile, which is my birthplace and birth right as an American citizen."

"I am going to leave anyway." Mary Ann nodded with a stern face.

"I will leave but I wanna come back to my birth home of Mobile." Quad whined.

"I wanna leave from here and then come back, permanently living in Mobile also." Junior frowned.

Mary Ann stared at Gem. "This problem ends with Gem. I will take Gem with me when I leave from Mobile. Then everyone will be happy."

I tossed both of my arms in the air and sneered at each face. "She's mine!" I dropped both of my hands and slammed each leg while staring at each invited guest.

"You keep repeating your sentence structure. Did you drink the spiked wine with the truth serum, too, Ace?" Flash frowned.

Trey smiled. "I have a new plotted plan. We call the FBI and turn Ace in for the crimes."

Shotgun smiled. "Well, it would be our set of words against his set of words."

Flash smiled. "Ace is harboring a cold blooded murderess and a hiding fugitive inside his home."

"Ace is a judge." Quad whined.

Trey smiled. "Ace is a military judge over the seas. He is not better than a federal judge, who is appointed over the land. This crime occurred on the land, not the sea."

"Who would believe Ace?" Junior frowned.

"Everyone would believe Ace." Mary Ann smiled.

"I disagree. No one would believe Ace. He carries the prove in that chair, also," Shotgun pointed with an evil smile at Gem.

Quad whined. "We all travel together and follow the new plotted plan."

Junior frowned at Quad. "What new plotted plan, Quad?"

Trey slapped his chest. "The new plotted plan that I have created."

"What? What is the new plotted plan that you have created, Trey?" Flash frowned.

Trey pointed at Gem and then Ace. "Take Gem, kill Ace, and get all the money."

"I like." Flash laughed.

"I don't wanna leave my home or my homeland or my home friend." Quad whined.

Flash turned and frowned at his wife. "Where are you traveling, Mary Ann?"

She turned and smiled at Flash. "I am going to live in the US State of Hawaii..."

"...without me..." Flash frowned.

She exhaled with annoyance. "I am tired of your womanizing, Flash."

He frowned. "I am making a nice living for us. I am not womanizing."

"You make a living by fucking every female within shitting distance of my private bedroom, Flash. I sick and tired of it," she yelled out loud at him.

He frowned. "Shotgun, he did the same thing as me. Yet, his wife Mary Ann still continued to stay happily married to her husband."

"Gawd! We murdered Mary Ann on the dining room floor last night. And Mary Ann, she only stayed with Shotgun, because of..."

"Of what? Why did dead Mary Ann stay with Shotgun?" He frowned.

"Forget it, Flash!" She looked down with a sad face at the clean floor.

"Why and when are you leaving me, Mary Ann?" He frowned down at her brown tinted hair roots.

She looked up with a stern face. "I am leaving you for numerous reasons. Whores, babies, slaves, drugs, FBI, pick one or all, Flash!"

He smiled. "After we take care of Gem and Ace, everything will be fine and dandy, Mary Ann. So, you don't have to leave me and go anywhere."

She frowned. "Everything will never be fine and dandy, Flash."

"Why cannot everything be fine and dandy, Mary Ann?" He whined.

"I am dying." She exhaled with worry.

He frowned. "What are you dying of, Mary Ann?"

"I am dying from AIDS."

"What stage is your AIDS disease, Mary Ann?"

She tossed both of her arms in the air and yelled at Flash. "Why do you care, right now, Flash?"

Trey turned and smiled at Mary Ann. "Tell it all to us, Mary Ann!"

She exhaled. "I have a set of diseased ovaries."

"I'm not surprised here, Mary Ann." He laughed.

Shotgun gasped. "What! Why did you say that mean sentence structure, Trey?"

Trey winkled at Mary Ann. "O! I meant to say. I am not surprised at all the men, Mary Ann."

"What is Trey talking about? What other me, Mary Ann?" Flash frowned.

He laughed. "Your wife Mary Ann is the biggest and bestest whore within metro city Mobile, Flash."

"What does that sentence structure mean Trey?" He frowned at his wife.

"Who told you that sentence structure, Trey?" Shotgun frowned.

Trey smiled. "I heard the rumor from another old lawyer, who happened to fuck your wife, Flash. Go ahead and tell them the truth here, Mary Ann!"

"Tell me the male names here, Mary Ann!" Flash sneered.

"The truth serum will set you free." Junior laughed.

Trey laughed. "Mary Ann fucks every guy within town but her husband Flash."

"Since when has this sex act occurred?" Flash frowned.

"Since, thirty years ago, isn't that right, Mary Ann?" Trey smiled.

"The truth will set me free. I agree also. I have been fucking other men, since Flash stopped fucking me thirty years ago. I was lonely and I wanted some attention, compassion and love." Mary Ann sneered at her married husband

Flash gasped. "I love you, Mary Ann."

"I contracted the AIDS virus from one of my males." She frowned.

"She admits it." Trey smiled.

"How many males have you fucked, Mary Ann?" Shotgun smiled.

He laughed. "I counted sixteen..."

"...in one night..." Shotgun gasped.

"Mary Ann is not that good of a sexy whore as the heated rumor goes. She fucked sixteen men in one month." He snickered.

"Do you tail her? Excuse the pun!" Shotgun laughed.

He exhaled. "My view had been accidently. I saw Mary Ann kissing another guy. So, I got curious. I followed her that night, the next night, the next day, the next morning, the next evening..."

"We get the next picture, Trey." Quad laughed.

"Why did you not tell me about your AIDS virus, Mary Ann?" Flash whined.

She frowned. "I found out, when the male did not show up for our regular date at the local motel. Then I found out that the male had died from the AIDS virus."

Quad frowned. "Fuck! The disease does kill people."

Junior laughed. "Tough shit, Mary Ann! You will be needing lots of money, honey."

Flash frowned. "Why did you not come and inform me about your illness, Mary Ann? I am a medical physician."

She gasped. "Tell you about what, Flash! I hate your guts."

"Why do you hate my guts?" He seemed hurt and sad.

She wiped off her heated brow, slapping her hand back down onto her dress. "All of this does not matter now. I am leaving Alabama. I am going to live in Hawaii. Then wherever?"

Shotgun smiled. "No! First, you must take the trip to the island of Bahamas."

Quad nodded with a smile. "Yeah, this is the new plotted plan, Mary Ann."

Flash smiled. "Yeah, this is the new plotted plan, Mary Ann."

Trey smiled. "Yes, this is the new plotted plan, Mary Ann."

Junior laughed. "Yes, this is the new plotted plan, Mary Ann."

"Yes, we are all heading to the island of the Bahamas for a long weekend with Gem while enjoying the beach and the sun and the sand." Quad smiled at Gem.

Shotgun frowned. "Enlighten us with the plotted plan, Trey."

I smiled. "Yeah, the lawyer is always the smartest of the lot."

Trey slapped his chest with a smile. "This is my plotted plan. We all take a family trip to the island of the Bahamas together. On the return trip, the rented private jet airplane crashes down in the ocean and is never to be seen again."

Flash smiled at Ace. "Do you use a bomb inside the cabin of the rental private jet airplane?"

Junior laughed. "Yes. The bomb explosion will be pretty over deep blue waters and no bodies will be ever found."

"There will be only body parts." Quad smiled.

Trey smiled. "The local Mobile news broadcast will announce that the two prominent Mobilian families have died together."

"But who really dies?" Flash asked.

Junior laughed. "A bomb explosion will blow your body into heaven."

Flash turned and laughed at Junior. "I do believe that the truth drug is affecting his mind."

Trey frowned. "No dumbass! Each body part would have been blown up and then landed down in the ocean. Each body part would have never been found due to the immediately shark feast."

Mary Ann gasped. "Son of bitch, you invited me to come and stay on-board the private jet plane ride, so you could murder me inside that cabin of that jet plane ride too."

Trey smiled. "Well..."

Flash frowned. "Did Mary Ann not know the plotted plan, Trey?"

Trey chuckled. "Well..."

"Well, what does the plotted plan for me include, Trey?" He frowned.

Shotgun frowned. "You are dying from the AIDS virus, Mary Ann. We do not need a dead corpse tagging along with us back to the USA."

I continued to stand in place and stared at each invited guest looking back over my collar bone at Gem. She had stopped crying and stared at each evil people herself. I needed to ensure my plotted plan was working as I did not want Gem harmed or injured.

"Who else will be the other body parts, Trey?" Flash frowned.

Shotgun smiled. "Let me rephrase the question here! Who knew about the plotted plan first?"

Junior laughed with a hiccup. "You are a pair of flesh, flash, fast..."

Mary Ann sneered. "I can't believe that you, sons of bitches were going to kill me and Flash together."

"We can't now." Junior laughed.

Shotgun pointed at Gem. "Look! Gem dies. Then we all get the money. This is so simple and easy."

"Our names are not listed inside the Last Will and Testimony, Dad. We cannot get the money." Quad whined.

"Our names are not listed inside the new Last Will and Testimony from dead Mary Ann, but each one of our names is listed inside the old Last Will and Testimony from live Mary Ann." Trey smiled.

Junior laughed. "Trey, he is the family attorney."

"That's a slick move, brother of mine." Quad smiled.

"Thank you, Quad!" Trey smiled.

Mary Ann sneered. "I am really pissed off here. You are going to kill me off, so I would not get any of the money, Shotgun."

"Mary Ann, be quiet!" Flash frowned.

"You are included on the Last Will and Testimony paper, Mary Ann." Trey smiled at her.

She huffed. "I am still flying off to Hawaii."

Junior laughed. "You cannot go. That will ruin the plotted plan for us, Mary Ann."

"Junior is correct, Mary Ann." Shotgun smiled.

She frowned. "I am sick of the lies, the cheating, the fibs, and the betrayals from everyone here. I am not boarding a private jet plane to the island of the Bahamas. I am leaving on a commercial airplane to Hawaii."

Shotgun frowned. "Mary Ann, you must participate in the plotted plan here."

She turned and nodded to Ace. "Ace, if I give you a set of very valuable information, then will you give me twenty million dollars inside a bank account within the US State of Hawaii?"

I nodded with a stern face to Mary Ann. "If your valuable data pleases me, then I will wire the money tonight into another bank on the island of Hawaii."

She smiled. "Gem is your biological daughter, Ace."

I stood in place and tossed both of my arms in the air, twirling around in a completed circle, halting back in front of the row of sofa, smiling with joy. "I have heard the truth, fucking finally!"

She's mine.

"Daddy!" Gem jumped from the chair then dashed ahead, colliding and hugged the back spine on Ace while sobbing with tears inside one of her violet colored pupils, like her true biological father.

I grabbed her arm and spun Gem around my body protecting my daughter while growling at each non-family member, who continued to sit on top of my furniture with an open mouth in awe of the truth.

On top of the loveseat, Flash turned and frowned Ace and Gem. "Is Gem really the daughter of Ace?"

"How is that possible for Gem to be the biological father of Ace?" Shotgun turned and frowned at Ace.

Junior turned and laughed at Gem and Ace. "You need to read the sign."

"What sign are you speaking, Junior?" Flash whined.

"The baby wasn't Mrs. Shotgun's." Junior laughed.

Quad whined. "Mama!"

"Mary Ann wasn't your mother, Quad." Trey frowned.

"Mama!" He whined again.

"Mary Ann is dead, now, Quad." Trey sneered.

"How did you know Gem wasn't your biological sister, Trey?" Flash asked.

Trey turned and slapped his chest, nodding to his friend Flash. "I'm a fucking lawyer. Lawyer finds these things out."

"You didn't bother to tell anyone else that secret information, Trey." Quad frowned.

"The baby wasn't your biological sister. And I do not know the name of the biological father, Quad." Shotgun frowned.

"And Dad does not know the name of the biological child either." Trey smiled.

Mary Ann slapped her chest with a smile. "I am the mother of Gem."

Junior turned and sneered at the nose profile on Mary Ann. "So, you say right here, right now, Mary Ann. Why are you announcing this announcement now?"

Trey laughed. "I require a blood test, Mary Ann. Give me your arm!" He extended his arm toward her with a smile, wiggling his five fingers.

"Shotgun, did you know that Gem was not your biological daughter? Did you know where Gem came from?" Flash frowned.

"She is not my biological daughter. I knew that." Shotgun nodded.

"I do not understand any of this, Dad." Quad frowned.

"What is the real story here, Dad?" Junior asked.

"I know. I knew," Flash nodded with a smile.

"What did you know about Gem, Flash?" Trey asked.

"Trey, your fake mother was carrying a growing fetus. The unborn fetus had a series of medical complications in the womb and then died before after two months. Mary Ann, my wife was carrying a baby, which was not deformed." Flash smiled.

"I was finally pregnant, after so many years of miscarriages." Mary Ann smiled at Ace.

"What caused each one of her miscarriages, Flash?" Shotgun asked.

"No sex." Mary Ann laughed.

"I did not want any more children." Flash frowned. "We had three little girls, Mary Ann."

"You have three dead big girls, now, Mary Ann." Shotgun frowned.

"They were not your children, Mary Ann." Flash frowned.

She sobbed with tears. "But I loved each one like they were my biological child."

"You sometimes cared for each one, Mary Ann." He said.

"Shut up, Flash!" She sneered.

"Continue the story, Flash!" Shotgun asked.

Flash exhaled. "When I found out that Mary Ann was carrying a live baby, I...I..."

"Flash sold it." Mary Ann sneered.

Shotgun gasped and stared at Mary Ann. "What in the hell are you talking about, Mary Ann?"

She nodded with a grin. "Flash, he had been sued by one of his numerous mistresses, when she encountered a miscarriage with her own fetus that was associated with her part of the money pot."

"So, what!" Shotgun commented.

"Flash promised her the money. He was going to take the white colored American child back to South American Black Market." She nodded.

"How much money did you promise the whore, Flash?" Trey asked.

"The mama whore was to receive fifty thousand dollars in cash right after she walked out from the hospital bed." Flash nodded.

Shotgun gasped in shock. "Gawd! A black market client would pay fifty thousand dollars for one single baby, Flash."

"A black market client would pay fifty thousand dollars for a healthy American baby." Quad smiled.

Trey smiled. "Back to business!"

Junior laughed. "Mangrove says that!"

Quad tossed both of his arms in the air and shook his head, slapping them back down on top of his legs. "No! No! No! Berrington exclaims that statement only, during each Quartet meeting. He nodded with a smile.

"Back to business! Who is the true biological name of Gem's father?" Trey frowned.

"When Flash found out that I was carrying a healthy baby, he arranged for me to deliver the newborn by another medical physician in a secret place." Mary Ann nodded.

Shotgun turned and frowned at Flash. "So, Flash, did you not see the new born baby? Did you not know the newborn baby? Did you not meet the adoption parents there at the secret medical center?"

"I know the answers to those questions, too." She smiled.

Junior laughed. "Of course, you know all of that, Mary Ann. You were there delivering and screaming out loud from the pain."

"But there is a twist in the rubber band, is that not correct, Mary Ann?" Trey smiled.

She nodded. "I told my best friend. Since she was my best friend at three years old of age. Mary Ann was my evil secret and sad story. So, Ace's sister, Shotgun's wife, and non-mother of children Trey, Junior, and Quad knew what my husband Flash was doing to me. She was mortified, mad, and mother-fuckingly pissed off all the way to heaven."

"Yeah, that's my sister Mary Ann." I continued to stand and nodded with laughter.

Mary Ann smiled. "My best friend Mary Ann arranged to buy my newborn baby and offered one hundred thousand dollars for my infant baby girl, before I even delivered in the hospital war. Shotgun gave Ace's sister the information of the different lawyer and a different bank anonymously, without his knowledge as he was blinded, and Mary Ann was the pretend unknown and unnamed wealthy client."

Trey turned and frowned at his father. "Did you know, Dad?"

Shotgun shook his bone skull and growled at Mary Ann. "Hell, no! I have not heard or read or typed this version of that baby story. My wife Mary Ann wanted a baby girl, without me, which meant she was going to adopt a little rug rat by herself. She had her millions of dollars of money. I did not have money and I did not give a damn."

I growled at the selfishness of Shotgun and then looked back over my collar bone to see Gem. She had started crying again, wiping off the sad tears of horror and heartache while hearing her pretend family members confess. I returned back and sneered at each arrogant human, who didn't care about other people, but their own individual sorry-ass life.

On top of the sofa with his father, Trey turned and smiled at Shotgun. "Because, by that time, you and Flash were heavy into slave and baby human trading within the confide of the foreign country of South America, my dad needed the cash allowance that Mary Ann had provided from her personal bank account without a single posed question."

Shotgun jabbed his finger with a sneer at Gem. "Well, so, I give in while not really having a choice in the baby matter. Your pretend mother and my wife Mary Ann came back home with a pink little bundle that wear a skull of black fuzz, crying. Mary Ann was happy. I was happy. Gem cried."

Trey nodded. "No questions were asked to Shotgun or Mary Ann about the new baby."

Shotgun nodded. "No answers were given from me or Mary Ann about the new baby."

Flash frowned. "So, Gem was not your biological child. Were you not curious about the new baby?"

Shotgun smiled. "No. I needed her money. Mary Ann needed a life. She picked the child. I picked the money."

Trey smiled. "Awe! The picture of a happily loving married couple."

Flash frowned. "You are one greedy bastard, Shotgun. And you are greedier for not sharing with me, your buddy and best friend."

"So, Dad, why did you accept Gem as your family member?" Quad frowned.

Shotgun winked at Quad. "I accepted you as my son."

Quad slapped his chest with a gasp. "But I am your biological son. She is not."

He smiled. "I accepted my three sons and I blackmailed Mary Ann for her money."

Flash frowned. "You are one greedy bastard, Shotgun. And you are greedier for not sharing with me, your buddy and best friend.

"So, that is the end of my demon tale with my wife Mary Ann and my daughter Gem." Shotgun smiled.

Mary Ann nodded. "A secret team of nurses and physicians coming from my husband Flash invaded the room inside the secret medical center for the delivery, assisting with the newborn baby. My friend Mary Ann paid the cash to one of the medical team members and then took possession of the infant baby girl home. All the arrangements were secretive and shut closed."

Shotgun frowned. "Were you jealous that your friend Mary Ann held, hugged, and had your biological baby girl?"

She shook her curls with a deep sigh. "Honestly, I was completely overwhelmed with the girls, the debts, the cheating, the lies, the money..."

Trey laughed. "We can visualize the pic."

"You are a depressing sight to see, Mary Ann." Flash frowned.

"My dead wife Mary Ann was good mother. Wasn't she, Gem?" Shotgun turned and smiled at Gem. She didn't speak but nodded.

I continued to stand near the beverage bar and a few inches from my daughter Gem, clapping my hands in triumph. My goal for the evening had been met. I had identified each murderer of my sister Mary Ann. I had discovered my daughter. So, I was happy and wanted the non-fun dinner party to end immediately. I shouted over the whine and noise. "Finally, you have revealed the truth that I wanted to hear."

Shotgun frowned at Ace. "How did you find out that Gem was your biological daughter, Ace?"

"Ace, how did you know that Gem was your biological daughter?" Flash asked.

Trey nodded. "Mary Ann told Ace."

Junior laughed. "No. Mary Ann did not say a word or a sentence or a grunt or a sneer..."

"Shut up, Junior!" Flash frowned at Ace.

Trey nodded. "Your dead wife Mary Ann and Ace's dead sister took care of her own personal business, Shotgun. I had told you that time and time again."

"How did you figure it out, Ace?" Flash frowned.

I laughed. "I did the math, sir."

Flash frowned. "You did the math. What does that mean?"

"Ace is referencing the night he fucked your wife Mary Ann." Shotgun frowned. "Why in the hell did each mother name their daughter the same name of Mary Ann. I got so confused, sometimes."

"It is the truth serum floating and bumping into the individual brain cells, Shotgun." Junior laughed.

"Really! Do you believe so. Did you really graduate the Mobile University School of Medicine and pass all of your biological exams?" Quad turned and sneered at Junior.

Shotgun jabbed his finger and his smile at Ace. "The sex act occurred on a cold rainy night, after your wife Mary Ann had left your home and then disappeared with your three girls. Is that not correct, Ace?"

I smiled at Flash. "You are very correct, Flash."

Shotgun jabbed his finger at Flash. "I told you so, Shotgun. Ace was more than trouble, that day in my house. Ace was too possessive of your pretty young married wife Mary Ann, that morning. He wanted to kill you, Flash. Do you remember that? Hell! I'll never forget. Something fun and sexual had happened between the two of them, that night, Shotgun. Did you not...?"

Flash turned and sneered at Shotgun. "Shut up, Shotgun!"

"That's all in the past, gentlemen!" Trey smiled.

Shotgun nodded. "Now, all these past days and nights, I understand why Ace always hung around my house while babysitting infant Gem. Gawd! Ace practically raised her..."

"...like a daughter..." Mary Ann smiled at Ace.

"Ace had Gem come and live with him here at Attila's Hut, since she was thirteen years old. I always thought Ace was overprotecting his biological sister."

I laughed. "You are correct, Shotgun. I was overprotecting both of my women in my life."

Shotgun sneered. "However, you did not do good job with your sister and my wife, Ace." I sneered at Shotgun, without words.

On top of the long sofa, Trey turned and frowned at his father Shotgun. "Listen up! We need a new plotted plan here. This one has fallen apart."

Junior laughed and pointed at Ace. "I agree with my half-brother Trey. We take Ace's money. He proposes giving us money to flee the USA. Ace can have his biological child. I don't give a damn." He felt good from the drinking the truth serum, expressing his mind, enjoying the freedom of thought while laughing for amusement.

Trey frowned at Ace. "So, what do we do with Ace and Gem?"

I continued to stand near the beverage bar and my daughter Gem while still protecting her body. I sneered at Trey. "I am standing right here, Trey."

On top of sofa, Trey reached down into his designer sports coat and pulled out a hand gun from the breast pocket, pointing the weapon at Ace. He smiled. "Not for too much longer, Ace!"

I continued to stand in place with a sour frown. I knew the hand gun was inside the breast pocket on Trey. A person did not live with a set of weapons their entire life without noticing an odd bump underneath the pressed designer clothes. The other invited guests turned and stared at the hand gun in the shooting hand on Trey while sounding with a set of gasps.

Flash turned and sneered at the gun within the curled hand on Trey. "Is that a hand gun, Trey?"

"Where did you get that hand gun, Trey?" Shotgun turned and growled at the nose profile on Trey.

"...from my breast pocket..." Trey laughed and continued to aim the cold barrel at Ace.

Quad turned and frowned at Trey. "I did not know that you owned a hand gun. How long have you owned a hand gun, Trey?"

"...long time now..." Trey smiled and still aimed the hand gun at Ace.

Mary Ann tossed both of her arms in the air, without standing. Her head was swimming with mild dizziness from the truth serum, but her eyesight was sharp. She turned and sneered at the nose profile on Trey. "My fifteen-year-old innocent daughter Gem did not kill my best friend Mary Ann. Shotgun's son, who is named Junior, admitted that he did the dirty deed, Trey. Leave Gem alone!"

Junior turned and stared at the gun, following the cold barrel towards the end barrel, seeing Ace. He laughed. "Trey, you cannot kill Ace in cold blood."

Trey laughed. "I am not. Ace and Gem will come with us and board the rented private jet airplane that is going to the island of Bahamas."

Shotgun turned and smiled at Ace. "Yes, Ace and Gem come with us and on board the jet plane tonight. Call the jet pilot and tell him to get the jet prepped for a night flight, Quad."

Quad frowned at Ace. "I wanna change the new plotted plan. Knock Ace unconscious. Take Gem with us. She is part of the new plotted plan, since the beginning."

"No. Gem is not leaving here, unless it is over my dead body." I continued to stand and slapped my chest with a sneer at each invited guest.

Trey continued to sit and aimed the hand gun cold barrel at Ace with a nod and a smile. "And I really like that idea, very much, Ace. Thanks for the forethought!"

On top of the single chair, Flash wiggled his overweight body sideways, saying with a smile at Ace. "We can rush and take both of them."

Junior started to stand then dropped back down due to the truth serum inside his head, shouting at Ace. "That's a great idea. Flash, go and grab Gem!"

Shotgun continued to sit and turned with a sneer at his son. "Stay put, Junior!"

Trey aimed the cold barrel of his hand gun at Ace. "Stick with the new plotted plan!" He turned and aimed his gun at his brother Junior.

Junior turned and gasped in terror, lifting both of his palms near his worried brow. "Gawd! Do not shoot me! Go and shoot someone else, Trey!"

Trey held the gun and sneered at Junior. "You told the truth about us and them."

Junior wiggled both of his palms, saying with a nod and a smile. "Yes, I did tell the truth from the truth serum that Ace had dumped down into my spiked wine glass. I cannot stop talking. And I will continue to talk. This is over. I will confess everything that I know to the Mobile Police Department and the Mobile FBI office, right now. Ace, go and call the police!"

Trey sneered at his half-brother. "Kill Junior! Junior caused this entire new mess. This is his fault." A single bullet from his hand gun exploded from the smoking barrel then hit into the exposed chest cavity on Junior. Junior slammed backwards into the cushions, bleeding red tinted blood proteins over the green colored fabric. His head rested sideways against the backrest with both of his two eyelids open. His mouth poured out with more of his red tinted blood proteins coming from a pair of parted lips.

On top of the same loveseat, Quad turned and gasped at his dead half-brother Junior. "Fuck!"

Shotgun stared and frowned at his dead son Junior. "Holy shit!"

On top of the chair, Flash stared and frowned at the dead body of Junior. "Damn!"

Mary Ann turned then gasped at the dead body of Junior. "Trey, what have you done over there?"

Trey turned and aimed the smoking gun barrel at Ace, saying with a smile. "Kill Ace. Ace will tell everyone. Then each one of us will become convicted, trialed, and found guilty and then sentenced to the gas chamber in the capital city of Montgomery."

Shotgun turned and smiled at Ace. "This is a better idea. Kill Ace and Gem here in this room! Dead men and little girls do not talk," he laughed with an evil tone, staring at Gem.

Mary Ann turned and sneered at the nose profile on Shotgun. "Gem is my biological daughter. Kill Ace instead! I will take Gem with me, when I leave tomorrow for Hawaii."

Flash turned and sneered at his wife Mary Ann. "You are dying, Mary Ann. You are not a good mother, selling your child for the money."

She sneered and slapped her cheat. "I only sold the newborn infant baby, for you, Flash. What a stupid ass I am!"

Trey turned and aimed the barrel of the gun at the cheekbone on Mary Ann, saying with a sneer. "Yes, you are both sick and stupid, Mary Ann." A second bullet flew from his hand gun and hit the side of her skull temple. The upper body on Mary Ann slowly slumped forward down away the chair cushion then dropped off the leather seat, landing down on top of her two parted kneecaps in front of the chair. Her personal red tinted blood proteins dripped down from her temple and pumped down over her body, her clothes, and the clean wooden floor in bright red hue.

Trey continued to sit on top of the sofa and held his smoking gun, saying with laughter. "Now, you are out of your misery, bitch. Enjoy hell fire down there with your new man Satan, Mary Ann!"

Tall, overweight, and red tinted Flash continued to sit on top of the chair and gasped in shock at the dead body of Mary Ann. "You...you killed my wife, Trey."

"Mom!" Quad turned and sobbed with tears at the folded, dead body on Mary Ann.

Trey exhaled with a sour frown at his half-brother. "Gawd! Neither of these women, who were named Mary Ann, were your biological mother, Quad."

Quad pointed down at the dead Mary Ann while sobbing with his sad tears. "But she was the only one that I had left in this world," he wailed with sadness.

Trey exhaled with annoyance. "You're a wimpy baby, Quad!" A third bullet blasted out from his personal hand gun and hit the chest cavity on Quad. Quad's heart stopped. The hole in his exposed chest swiftly squirted out his red tinted blood proteins dripping down over his body, the cushions, his dead half-brother Junior, and the clean floor. Then his body dropped sideways, slamming down onto the side table with a pair of open eyelids. Each eyeball stared at the legs on Ace, who continued to stand in front of the beverage bar.

Shotgun jabbed his finger at his dead son Quad, saying with laughter. "Trey, I did not know that you were so cold-blooded."

Trey exhaled with annoyance and shook his dizziness inside his mind from the truth serum, staring down at his dead half-brother Quad. "I cannot handle the stress. Our plotted plan is falling apart. We need a new plotted plan, Dad." He turned and aimed the hand gun at his father Shotgun.

Shotgun raised both of his palms in the air wearing a fake smile, staring at his son. "Trey, stay calm!" The row of overhead artificial lamps on the ceiling went out which created complete darkness inside the living room.

I quickly back stepped from the row of furniture pieces, Trey, and his hand gun, slamming my back spine into the beverage bar, swiftly gliding backwards toward Gem. I tumbled over her chair then passed her chair, reaching down, jerking Gem out from the chair for safety. I drag her around the chair and down onto the floor, crawling ahead and stopped, resting down behind my new steel reinforced beverage bar. I covered her body with both of my arms and my chest, for protection.

Each pair of eardrums could hear the multiple bullets coming from the hand gun on Trey. Then the same pair of eardrums heard the multiple screams of connected human flesh, bone, and blood coming from each discharge heated bullet from Trey next. Then a single red tinted pin prick dot coming from a new rifle on the second floor level appeared at the exposed chest on Trey. Then a single bullet discharged from that weapon, hitting then exiting through the heart valve on Trey. Then dead man Trey leaned back into the loveseat cushion, blooding with his red tinted blood proteins coming from his pierced wound.

The living room setting became very still and quiet.

Behind the steel reinforced beverage bar, I continued to rest and protect my biological daughter Gem. She breathed out with a set of shallow breathes that were laced with sobs of worry and fright. The row of overhead artificial lamps on the ceiling planks flickered back into power, illuminating the living room. Behind the beverage bar, I continued to rest on top of the Gem, leaning down with a soft timber, "Bo Peep, I love you. You're my biological daughter. Now, I want you to go with my very good friend. He is a family man with a nice wife and three children. I want you to stay there with him and his nice wife and three children tonight. Okay! I need to talk with the Mobile Police Department..."

"I..."

I smiled. "I am going to explain everything to the Mobile Police Department. You heard each one of your non-family members confess that they had killed my sister Mary Ann, who was not your real mother. I know, honey. This is very confusing for the both of us. But we will talk about all of this later tonight. Is that okay, with you, Bo Peep?"

"Yes, Daddy!" She continued to rest on top of the floor wiping off the snot and tears with a smile. She found out the truth. Gem had been living with her biological father, since she was thirteen years old. Ace had always been kind and understanding to her Now, she knew his reason.

I smiled with love. My daughter had called me that precious word, daddy, for the first time. "I am sliding off your body. But I want you to close your two eyelashes, Bo Peep. I do not want you to see the mess inside our living room."

"Yes, Daddy!"

I gently slid off her body with a smile and slowly stood upright from the beverage bar like a good soldier while checking for any additional enemy troopers. Each green and red tinted furniture item was torn then shredded into piles of leather particles and covered in numerous dead bodies, where each one continued to spill and squirt out their individual red tinted blood proteins coming from ripped organ with some exposed white tinted bone fragment on top of the clean floor and each one of the low wooden tables. I whispered for my eardrums only. "What a fucking mess?"

From the kitchen room setting, a set of loud footfalls erupted over the floor. Slick emerged first with Buck behind him. They both rushed ahead then stopped a few feet from the row of bloody bodies and ruined furniture pieces, staring down at the mess, in silence.

I pointed down to the floor, where I stood beside Gem. She was still resting on top of the floor while sobbing with both the new and bad information. I nodded with a smile. "Take Bo Peep home with you, right now, Buck."

"Yes sir." Buck nodded with a smile and slowly moved ahead avoiding the puddles of red tinted blood proteins that were still spilling out from each dead body.

I squatted down behind the beverage bar and leaned beside Bo Peep, reaching down, assisting her to stand. "Now, close your wo eyelashes, Bo Peep! I am going to assist you to stand. Then I am going to give your hand to my friend Buck."

"Yes, Daddy!" She softly spoke and closed her two eyelids.

I assisted with her person to stand and stood in front of Gem. Her eyelashes were closed. I didn't want my daughter to see the terrible bloody mess inside our living room setting. I leaned down and whispered into her face. "Now, my very good friend Buck, he is going to take you to his house. He has three little boys, who love to play video games and eat ice cream. How do that sound, Bo Peep?"

Gem gurgled and then sniffed up the tears and sobs. "Okay."

I smiled. "Buck is more trusted to me than the Archangel Gabriel. I want you to stay with him tonight and tomorrow. I must talk to the Mobile authorities. Is that okay, Bo Peep?"

Her eyelashes were still closed and as she whispered with mixed emotions. "Okay."

I hugged her with love then pulled back with a smile, whispering into her red-tinted swallowed teenly face. "I love you more than I did this morning, Bo Peep. Now, the truth has been told. I am your daddy, and no one can replace me." I laughed. "No one can hurt you as long as I am your daddy."

She opened her eyelashes and looked up with a pair of violet eyes, like his. "Am I your little girl, Daddy?"

I nodded. "You are my little Bo Peep, since you were born. I love you, baby." I leaned down and kissed her forehead. My eardrums were hearing the loud sounds. A squad of Mobile police cars was coming to my house. The police sirens blasted in the close distance. Some of the nosy neighbors heard the gun blasts and then called the police. I pulled back from Gem and said with a smile. "Go ahead and stay with Buck and try to sleep! I'll be there tomorrow morning. We can go to the beach house for the rest of the month, if you want to."

"Okay." She leaned over and hugged Ace, exhaling with less worry, pulling back with mile.

"Close your eyelashes, precious! I didn't want to see the mess inside our living room."

"Yes, Daddy!" She closed her eyelashes.

I lifted her hand and handed her to my truth friend Buck, saying with a nod. "I give my daughter. Bo Peep is your ward until later this morning. Please take good care of my daughter."

Buck reached out and grabbed the hand on Gem. Ace gently walked Gem closer to Buck. Buck pulled Gem into his armpit. Buck and Ace didn't want Gem to see the set of dead bodies and the numerous blood puddles over the floor, the blood splatters on the walls, and the furniture pieces.

Buck slowly spun them around to face the kitchen entranceway and moved away from the beverage bar and Ace. Buck leaned over and softly talked down into her hair roots with a smile. "Hi, Gem! I'm Buck. Do you like ice cream?" He slowly strolled toward the kitchen setting.

Gem swallowed the tears of worry and croaked. "Uh, huh!"

He smiled. "Good! I have ice cream favors of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, rocky road, bubble gum. I don't like the taste of bubble gum ice cream. But my four-year-son does. Do you like the taste of bubble gum ice cream?"

She continued to cuddle with Buck without seeing any of the dead bodies and giggled from the silly question. "I don't know."

"Then we can find out." Buck exited the living room and the house with Gem, moving back into his new Ford Mustang. The car was parked two blocks from Ace's house beside the grassy playground park, so Buck would not be seen by the Mobile police officers.

At 11:49, the living room setting displayed numerous dead blue colored bodies and tons of wet puddles of blood proteins. Each pair of eardrums on each human could the set of loud sirens, bells and whistles coming from an array of emergency vehicles, including, the police department, the fire department, and two ambulance transports. Each emergency vehicle raced toward Ace's mansion that set inside the grove of tall trees. The wind was cool and breezy from the ocean waters and nightly temperatures. Outside the mansion, the flood light burned lightness into the darkness. Inside the mansion, each dead body was starting to smell.

Slick stood in place and worked on his personal mobile telephone with the new information, looking up with a smile to see Ace. "Chief, we are ready for Act II."

I moved ahead and also avoided the blood puddles over my clean wooden floor, motioning with a hand and a smile. "Bring in the actor, please." Well, the fun part of my social dinner party was going to begin. I had written a play script with all the dead performers for the police department.

However, I knew the ending of Act I. Each invited guest was going to die, except Gem and Ace. I didn't figure on my non-family member Trey of doing the honor first. Trey saved me the trouble of killing each nasty bastard and one rude bitch in cold-blood first. Now, each dead person was serving their new time down in hell fire with their new nasty friend, the devil-man.

Slick frowned. "The actor wants updated information about his money."

I nodded with a smile. "Give the actor half of his money!"

"I am sending the exchange from one of your Resources with the actor at his car, right now."

"Give the other actor the other half of his money, after he leaves the hospital."

"What hospital?" Slick looked up with a sour frown to see Ace.

"Did you shoot him in the leg, Slick?"

"Yeah, the man whined like a baby. It was only a 'flash' wound," he laughed.

I shook my head with a wink. "No. No. No. That's a bad pun."

He smiled. "The actor agreed to the exterior makeup job as part of the acting job."

I rubbed both of my hands and nodded with a wicked smile. "Excellent work, Slick! Now, in Act III, the actor has to go to the hospital and reports the leg wound. Or the Mobile police department will become suspicious of the actor and my pretend story."

"Can the actor go to the Mobile Medical Center?"

I nodded. "Pick any medical center! I'll don't care which one. And pay cash for the actor's wound and do not provide any insurance information."

"Got it, Chief!" Slick nodded then spun around, exiting the living room.

Inside the bloody living room, I spun around and dashed ahead, jumping over blood puddles, stopping in front of the entrance door. Some of the emergency vehicles were arriving, blocking the street. I stood in front of the door and as I was a victim here. My set of Resources had lifted the hurricane protection screen on each window. Else, the police officers must become suspicious of the enclosed screen without a hurricane warning for the city of Mobile. Thus, I could see the blue and red lights through the glass windows and in-between the naked limbs on each tree. I was tapped on the collar bone then spun around with a smile, seeing the hired actor.

The actor was average height and weight with a head of cropped brown hair, a tone of pale white skin, and wore a long-sleeved white dress shirt with some nice dull-looking red tinted blood stains, which were his own blood, of course, wearing a pair of blue jeans that exhibited of his personal blood stains also. He continued to hold his wounded arm, compliments of Slick, that bleed down onto his clothes and the clean floor.

Slick stood beside the actor and smiled at Ace. "Ace, this is Mike Green, who is at your service and thanks you for the money."

I didn't extend a hand shake as the actor was holding his injured arm. I smiled with a nod to Mike. "Welcome to my home, Mike Green. I am so sorry. I have consumed all the dessert wine."

Mike laughed and continued to hold his wounded arm. "Forget it! After this bloody scene of blood and dead bodies. I won't be eating a meal or drinking a glass of wine for a week."

I smiled. "Yeah, the room does like a little messy."

He frowned. "Your living room looks really sickening. Did they really do that to each other?"

I nodded. "Yes, I had actually scripted out all of this in my play. But they acted it out very well."

He laughed. "Well, they deserve an award for acting."

I sneered. "They are serving in hell fire, instead."

He laughed. "You do not seem to be fond of your kin folks."

I laughed. "What kin folks?"

"Got ya!"

I nodded. "Are you ready for your Oscar winning Hollywood movie star performance, Mike?"

"Yes sir!"

I spun around and stood in front of the closed door. "Good! Here, they come toward the entrance door."

He smiled. "Shall I cry?"

I laughed and stared at the closed entrance door. "Naw! Fake men don't cry."

He smiled. "Got it!"

"You, go and stand on the other side of the entrance door. Remember here! We lived and they died. We tried to escape through the front door. That is why we are standing right here." I didn't bother to wait on a loud knocking sound as this was a true emergency of a set of dead, smelling bodies. Mike slid sideways and stopped, standing on the side wall near the entrance door, wiping off his smile. I reached out and opened the entrance door, quickly sidestepping into the side wall with a stern face while greeting an array of colorful uniformed individuals.

A set of Mobile police officers, three fire fighters, and two paramedics bombarded the front porch, swiftly jogging through the open archway, entering into the living room. Each individual stopped then posed a few feet from the open archway while surveying the bloody scene inside the living room.

The first Mobile police officer whistled out loud and frowned at the bloody mess. "Holy shit! What has happened here inside your house, Judge Smith?"

Mike moved ahead then stopped, standing beside the first mobile police officers, without pointing at each dead person. He was cuddling his arm wound, wearing a stern face. "They killed each other."

The first Mobile police officer turned and examined Mike Green. "Who are you? Who are they?"

I moved ahead and broke the line between the two police officers, pointing at each one of the dead bodies. "Well, they are...were my in-laws and my childhood friends."

The first police officer leaned over and said to the second police officer. "Go and call in the detective, the CSI team! Start outside and get vocal statements of each eyewitness. And call up the medical coroner!" The second police officer nodded at the dead bodies then back stepped from the row of emergency personnel, exiting the house, performing the police duty.

The two paramedics rushed ahead and surrounded Mike, treating the arm wound with a series of soft questions and medical skills.

The first police officer returned back to Ace. "What has happened in here, Judge Smith?"

The two paramedics treated the arm on Mike and as Mike shouted out loud in pain and annoyance. "A mass murder has occurred here."

The police officer turned and stared at Mike. "Mass murder, what does that mean?"

Mike slowly moved ahead and stomped over the blood puddle, stopping behind the loveseat, pointing down at the first dead body of Junior. "The first shot from the personal hand gun was fired at him."

The police officer pulled out his mobile telephone and started snapped pictures. "Who shot the first bullet?"

Mike sidestepped and stood behind the dead body on Trey. "This guy is named Trey. Trey owned the hand gun on the floor. He started shooting and killing everyone inside the room. Well, I panicked and dashed toward the entrance door, escaping from death."

He frowned. "What is your name, sir?"

"I am Mike Green."

"Who are you, Mr. Green?"

Mike nodded. "I am a member of the US Coast Guard military. Ace invited me here to help with the search for the girl."

The police officer frowned. "The girl? O! Do you mean to help search for the missing daughter of Senator Smith?"

Mike smiled. "We found her."

He gasped. "You found the missing daughter of Senator Smith. Where is she? Is she located here inside this house?"

I moved ahead and stopped, standing a few feet behind the back spine on Mike and police officer. "Gem is both safe and sound."

The first police officer turned and yelled at one of the other police officers. "Go and call the Mobile FBI office to here. The missing daughter of Senator Smith has been found."

One of the police officers spun around and exited the house for that duty. "Yes, sir."

In front of the row of torn and bloody sitting furniture pieces, Mike gently rubbed his arm wound, saying with a sneer to the police officer. "Shit! I'm hit here. I'm bleeding here. Are you finished questioning me now?"

The police officer returned back to Mike and shook his head. "No! You tell me what happened in here first."

Mike continued to stand in place and exhaled with annoyance. "Look! Ace invited me for a dinner meal to meet the senator and all of family members. And then...then all hell broke loose in here. Don't you see the blood and the dead bodies?"

The police officer frowned. "Yes, I can see the blood and the dead bodies."

Mike nodded. "Then I heard it."

"What did you hear, sir?"

"I heard the confession."

"What confession."

Mike said. "The man over there on the loveseat is called Junior. Junior is the son of Shotgun, the Alabama Senator. Junior murdered Mary Ann, the wife of Shotgun with his personal dagger, stabbing the woman in her heart organ. He was a medical physician and knew how to place the knife tip a certain angle to finish her off."

He frowned. "Finish her off! What does that mean, sir?"

Mike pointed with his free bloody hand to each dead body. "Each one of the dead bodies had stabbed Mary Ann to death during the Mari Gras Fat Tuesday party which had been celebrated at her own house."

The police officer gasped and continued to record the words of Mike Green. "Good Gawd!"

Mike nodded. "Yeah, the row of dead bodies is a set of sicko freaks."

He frowned. "Did you start shooting back at Trey?"

Mike smiled. "I do not have my hand gun with me. I came here to eat and consult with the senator and his family members."

"Do you own a gun, sir?"

"Yes."

"Where is your personal hand gun?"

Mike smiled. "My personal hand gun is at my personal home. I came here to eat a dinner meal and help find that missing girl of the Senator, who is not missing anymore."

The police officer nodded. "The missing girl has been found. And Trey shot each dead body."

Mike smiled. "Yes, that is correct, officer. Ace grabbed me off the sofa, after I had been shot by Trey and jerked my ass behind the beverage bar over there. He saved my life. Or I'll be dead like them too."

The police officer nodded. "You are shot. Judge Smith saved your life." He turned and nodded to Ace. "That was quick thinking, Judge Smith. Are you injured, Judge Smith?"

I said with a stern face. "No."

The police officer frowned at Ace. "Why did they start shooting each other? What is the interior motive, Judge Smith?"

Mike pointed with a smile at Ace. "His daughter!"

The police officer turned and frowned at Mike. "What daughter?"

Mike turned and pointed down at each dead body. "The dead woman here inside the bloody chair is named Mary Ann. Mary Ann is the wife of dead Flash on top of the bloody loveseat, alone. The missing daughter is named Gem. Gem is not the daughter of Senator Shotgun Smith. Gem is the biological daughter of Mary Ann and Ace. Ace and Mary Ann connected a long time ago, making a baby, who is really Gem."

The police officer turned and frowned at Ace. "Did you know that you had a daughter, Judge Smith?"

I lied and smiled. "No sir. This is a nice surprise for me."

He frowned. "Why is this a nice surprise for me? Most men didn't like to learn that they have a daughter, who is a teenager."

I slapped my chest with a stern face. "My biological sister is dead. Now, I had found a daughter. It seems that Almighty God takes care of us in His own way."

The police officer turned and scanned the living room setting without seeing a new face. "Where is your daughter, Judge Smith?"

Mike smiled. "Gem left the house, before the shooting."

The police officer returned back and frowned at Mike. "Why did Gem leave the house before the shooting?"

Mike nodded with a grin. "Well, that was part of the money deal that Ace made with the dead bodies. The dead bodies were hiding his daughter. The gunman brought his daughter into the house and demanded money for her life. Or the row of dead bodies would kill his daughter right before his eyeballs."

The police officer gasped and then turned to see Ace. "Shit! How much did the dead bodies ransomed for your daughter, Judge Smith?"

I exhaled. "The dead bodies wanted one hundred million dollars."

The police officer gasped. "Is your daughter that rich?"

Mike smiled. "Yes, her pretend mother Mary Ann was murdered last week. But my sister, the dead Mary Ann had left Gem everything inside her Last Will and Testimony. The amount of money total one hundred million dollars, including her house, her cars, her land property..."

"I stepped in and offered the dead bodies the money, only if Bo Peep..."

"Who is Bo Peep?" The police officer frowned.

I smiled with a nod. "Bo Peep is the nickname for my daughter, since a baby. I had offered the money of one hundred million dollars, if my daughter could leave the house unharmed."

The police officer gasped. "That was very unwise, Judge Smith. The dead bodies could have killed you and then taken your daughter anyways."

I nodded with a stern face. "That was the only chance I had to save my daughter."

The police officer nodded. "Where is your daughter now?"

"My daughter was sent from my house. And she is staying with a trusted friend from my justice office at the US Coast Guard base."

The police officer smiled. "Now, I recall. You are the Coast Guard military judge."

Mike smiled. "Ace is known as the 'no dope' judge at the US Coast Guard base."

I smiled. "I release every US military solider using a pinch of dope out from the core..."

"...onto our streets..." the police officer sneered at Ace.

"...where the FBI office collects them. So, the drug tattling goes around the circle, sir." I nodded.

The police officer frowned at Ace. "Was your daughter injured before the shooting?"

I exhaled with worry and shook my bone skull. "No, my daughter was not injured but she will need to see a child psychiatrist for the rest of her life. I am her father. That dead woman in the chair is her mother. Her pretend mother is dead. Her pretend father is dead. Geez! Everyone is dead here inside my fucking living room."

The police officer nodded. "Where are you staying in case, we have some additional questions, Judge Smith?"

I nodded. "I will leave here and stay with my granddaddy for some time. His name is Samuel Smith. He lives down the road from my house."

The police officer frowned. "Where had the dead bodies been hiding the girl? The Mobile police department and FBI office has been searching high and low for that girl, without leads and clues?"

Mike smiled. "I heard that too."

The police officer turned and frowned at Mike. "Tell me!"

He smiled. "Senator Smith had been hiding Ace's daughter inside his private business office during the day and the house at night."

The officer gasped. "That's impossible! We had searched their house and watched their house both day and night.

Mike chuckled. "Ace's daughter had moved around dressed as a maid with a hat and an overcoat."

"Why?"

Mike smiled. "Senator Smith wanted the one hundred million dollars for his person and the three sons. His wife Mary Ann, who had been murdered inside her house a couple of days ago. She had left in her Last Will and Testimony all of her money to Gem, because the three males were not her three biological sons."

The officer frowned. "This is so confusing. The three males were not her three biological sons. What does that mean?"

Mike grinned. "And Gem was not the real daughter of Mary Ann either."

The officer turned and frowned at Ace. "Is Mary Ann really your biological sister, Judge Smith?"

I exhaled with a nod and spoke softly. The reality of the moment, my sister was dead. "Yes, Mary Ann Smith and Gem's pretend mother and Mrs. Samuel Winchester "Shotgun" Smith was my real biological sister."

The officer nodded. "I am sorry, Judge Smith."

I exhaled. "Thank you."

The officer said. "How much blood money did the dead bodies want to collect for your daughter, Judge Smith?"

I frowned. "The dead bodies here inside my living room wanted me to pay one hundred million dollars from my sister's bank account and then a second one hundred million dollars from my personal bank account keeping my daughter from death. That is two hundred million dollars."

Mike said. "The plan was to wound Ace's sister Mary Ann on the night of Mari Gras, not kill Ace's sister Mary Ann. The plan was to force Mary Ann to change her Last Will and Testimony, kidnap Ace's daughter Gem and then fly on a private jet to the main island of Bahamas. On the return trip, the private jet plan would possess a remote control bomb which would explode over the ocean water, killing Ace's sister Mary Anny and his daughter Gem. Then each dead body here inside the living room would split one hundred million dollars."

The officer gasped. "But that plan didn't happen."

Mike nodded. "No. The old plan had failed, when Gem had escaped from the hospital ward and came home to see her pretend mother. Then the recent gang of dead bodies had to formulate a new plan that involved both the lives of Ace and Gem."

The officer gasped. "But that plan had failed also."

Mike gently rubbed his arm with a sneer. "I need a medical physician. I have an arm wound and a headache."

The police officer motioned at the two paramedics. "Take Mr. Green to local emergency room for his urgent medical treatment."

I continued to stand and huddled with Mike and the police officer, smiling at Mike, "Mike, don't worry about your personal car there on the side street! I'll send one of my employees to come and pick you up from the emergency room and gather all your assets." The pile of assets was the rest of his money for the great acting performance.

Mike did not bother with a hand shake but nodded with a smile to Ace. "Thanks, Ace! This has been a weird evening. The dinner meal was nice."

I smiled. "I hoped you are not too traumatized for life."

He smiled. "I'm planning a vacation tomorrow and for the rest of next week. That should smooth my nerves for a while," laughing.

I nodded. "Well, I'll go and speak to your captain and explain the terrible situation here at my house."

The police officer said to Mike. "I might need to ask you some more relative questions about the dead bodies here inside the house, Mr. Green."

"That's fine! Come and see me anytime!" Mike Green nodded.

The police officer looked down and typed on his mobile telephone. "Thank you for the eye witnessing, Mr. Green."

Mike Green moved ahead with a smile and followed behind the two paramedics, shouting out loud. "Thanks, Ace! I'll you see next week at work."

"Bye, Mike!" I spun around with a smile and viewed the back spine on Mike and then the face on the police officer, rubbing my tired face, slapping both of my hands down onto my dirty blue jeans. I said with a stern face. "Do you have any more murder questions for me? I am beat and tired and hunger."

The police officer looked up and smiled at Ace. "No. I do not have any more questions, Judge Smith."

I nodded. "I mentioned before that I am staying with my granddaddy. My daughter Gem..."

The police officer nodded. "We don't need to talk to her. But the FBI office will."

I nodded with a smile. "I will contact the Mobile FBI tonight, before my bedtime. Thanks for coming here on this beautiful night for this awful incident."

The police officer back stepped with a smile from Ace. "Try to have a nice evening, Judge Smith." He spun around and moved ahead, exiting the house.

The Mobile CSI team had arrived to take pictures and collect all the criminal evidence before each dead body would be removed from the house. I continued to stand and stared at the people activity inside my house, whispering for my eardrums only. "Bye-bye! My new plotted plan worked very well."

I had invited each murderer to my social dinner party. Each one had murdered my sister Mary Ann over greed, jealousy, and arrogance. However, I had received the confession of truth. The best truth, I had a biological daughter for the rest of my living days here on Planet Earth.

She's mine.

No one could take Gem from me ever again. I would explain the same script that paid actor Mike Green had told the Mobile Police Department. Gem would be freed from the murder charge for the death of her pretend mother, who was my dead sister. So, I had won, and my biological daughter Gem had won, also.

Cast of Characters:

Samuel (Ace) Attila Smith, the fourth, military judge, USA Coast Guard base

Buck, Guard soldier, friend of Ace

Jewel Gem Smith, 15 years old, daughter of Ace

Slick, Coast Guard soldier, friend of Ace

Samuel Attila Smith, Junior, grandfather of Ace
After the terrible, quick demise of three childhood friends, who lived near his house, in the beach town of Mobile, within the great State of Alabama, who were named Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith, the husband of Mary Ann and the sister to Shotgun; Samuel "Shotgun" Winchester Smith, the husband of Mary Ann and biological sister of Ace, and Mary Ann Smith, who was the dead wife of husband Flash and the biological sister of Shotgun, Ace quickly reflected on the three dead names, without seeing the buried bodies at the local graveyard, and then his mind rapidly moved onto the other dead people that had been present within his short life of thirty-seven years of age.

Bye!

After the terrible, quick demise of three nieces and three nephews that lived near his house, in the beach town of Mobile also, the dead six persons had been named as the following: Opal Onyx Smith dead at the age of 23 years old and the daughter of her dead father Flash and her dead pretend mother Mary Ann; Ruby Jade Smith death at the age of 20 years old and the daughter of her dead father Flash and her dead pretend mother Mary Ann, and Pearl Azul Smith dead at the age of 19 years old and the daughter of her dead father Flash and her dead pretend mother Mary Ann.

Gone!

The three dead nephews included Samuel "Junior" Winchester Smith, Junior, a former medical physician and the son of his dead father Shotgun and his dead pretend mother Mary Ann; Samuel "Trey" Winchester Smith, the third, a former legal lawyer and the son of his dead father Shotgun and his dead pretend mother Mary Ann, and Samuel "Quad" Winchester Smith, the fourth, a former banker and the son of his dead father Shotgun and his dead pretend mother Mary Ann.

Ace quickly stored each dead name back down into his sub-consciousness and pondered the afterlife of his dead biological older sister, who was named Mary Ann Smith and the dead wife of dead Shotgun.

There!

He quietly prayed to Almighty God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and all of his heavenly angels while hoping his dead sister was having fun in the heavenly rim or the equivalent of the afterlife as her six murderous kinfolks were burning and suffering down in fire hell.

Amen!
Monday, June 17th

Outlook Mountain Range location

City of Chattanooga, within the State of Tennessee

(401 miles, north, from Mobile, Alabama)

07:01 pm cloudy dusk, before sunset

86° Fahrenheit

Feeling like 96° Fahrenheit

Winds at 6 mph from NW

Visibility 4 miles

No rain

Inside a ratty lounge chair of dark faded brown hue, Ace slapped both of his cupped palms onto each chair arm and then popped open both of his two eyelids, scanning the tiny log cabin interior, smiling at his relaxing, fun, non-stressful vacation, since the last week, in the month of May, right after his newly discovered fifteen-year-old daughter Jewel Gem Smith had graduated from the tenth grade, at her private high school in Mobile.

After the terrible, quick deaths of six persons, inside his private residential house, Ace and his daughter Gem had decided to leave the four interior bloody walls inside his living room setting and then stayed with his biological granddaddy Smith, who had not minded the younger company.

A solid wall inside a building or a house with tons of splattered particles of dried or wet human red tinted blood proteins cannot be repainted or nicely stained or lovely wallpapered, only permanently destroyed starting with the blood-stained wall and then underneath plaster, diving all the way down towards the numerous lumber studs.

A wall stud, inside a residential house, is a vertical piece of lumber that measures two inches by four inches in width and is spaced 24 inches from each piece of lumber stud that functions as the framing elements within a newly built home while supporting each interior wall. Then a sheet of plaster is attached to the edge on each wall stud which is be painted or stained or wallpapered with a lovely color of bright or dull or vivid or sad color hue, depending on the human's mindset.

"I deserve this." Samuel Attila "Ace" Smith, the fourth wiggled inside old worn and torn lounge chair and jiggled the upright stool flap, sitting with both of his legs out and straight, before his two hip bones while yawning with exhaustion. The vacation had been a long month or thirty days. Now, the month was over.

His house, including each living room wall, every ceiling plank, and half of wooden floor, and each exposed furniture piece, had served as a bloody battle zone, when Ace had prepped, planned, and peppered six of his kinfolks for murdering his biological sister in cold-blood while attempting to frame first and then murder second his newly discovered biological daughter.

However, Ace beat the devil to the front door, that night.

"Tomorrow is another day." He shouted out loud and chuckled with amusement using the famous verbal quote from fictional character _Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Butler,_ coming from that popular novel, written by a famous and then deceased _Margaret Mitchell_ , which was entitled _Gone with the Wind._ He closed both of his two eyelids, inhaling deep breaths, placing both of his arms over his black tinted hair roots and then sniffed deeply. He gagged and then coughed out loud, mumbling with alarm. "What is that 'God Bless America' awful odor?" He deeply inhaled again and then gagged, coughing out loud, mumbling again. "Yeah, it's me!" He chuckled out loud and exhaled the awful air molecules from his two nose holes.

He had been too busy ferrying his two underarms of soft suitcases and his daughter Bo Peep towards the rented helicopter, this afternoon, for her day trip back to Mobile while he was working up a fine sweat in the bright sun, on top of the tall mountain peak. Now, the sun was slowly sinking behind the mountain range creating an unbelievable array of rainbow colors through the wide, long bay glass window which faced a western horizon, inside the tiny log cabin house, at Outlook Mountain, in the city of Chattanooga, within the U.S. State of Tennessee.

A tall mountain ridge, in the northwestern corner of the U.S. State of Georgia, the northeastern corner of the U.S. State of Alabama, and within the city of Chattanooga, within the U.S. State of Tennessee, is called _Lookout Mountains_. The Lookout Mountain name came from the Native American Indian tribes, who referenced the geographical region as two mountains looking at each other.

By the year 1855, twenty-five brave American families had settled and summered on the mountain peak as their vacation home.

Historically, in the year 1863, within the month of November, on the 24th day, during the American Civil War, both Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers fought on top of the summit peak, with the Union troops winning the battle, claiming the region.

Currently at the summit peak, there is a place called _Rock City_ that displays a flat rock-coated marker which reveals seven different U.S. States through a pair of human eyeballs, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, seeing the flat valleys of fresh lakes, lush forests, and numerous winding fresh water rivers.

Some of the common attractions on top of the mountain ridge include the Lookout Mountain Railway train that inclines at 72 percent on the mountain side. _Rock City_ offers hiking trails to the Lover's Leap formation and Ruby Falls that features a waterfall, inside the mountain cavern.

A visitor can enjoy the sporting activities at Lookout Mountains, including parachute hang-gliding, rock climbing, canoeing, and a white water rapids river trip.

Two days ago, Ace and his daughter had hiked over the summit and visited the least dangerous forest parks, while relaxing and enjoying the bright sunlight rays and cooler air temperatures at night. Gem had enough left around two o'clock, today, after her biological father had washed, folded, and ironed all of her personal items.

"I'm a true man servant." He continued to rest in the ratty lounge chair and smiled with love at his daughter. He had ironed all her designer clothes too for the day trip back to Mobile. He would do anything, give anything, and provide anything for Bo Peep, his newly discovered biological fifteen-year-old daughter. He also folded, packed, and then stuffed all of her clothes back in the four heavy suitcases.

"Why had she brought so much with her?" He groaned out loud and reached down, rubbing one of his aching manly muscles. He would need to decivilize Gem for the next vacation trip or accidentally leave two of the four heavy suitcases behind on top of the living room floor. He chuckled with amusement with my clever mental thoughts.

Ace didn't really care for the mountain peaks of coolness as he was a sea-faring boy at heart, but Bo Peep wanted to go someplace different rather than linger around the city of Mobile, after her completed high school sessions. His very good pal and long time childhood friend Putman offered his log cabin residence that provided fishing gear, animal trapping equipment, and any none weapon case, without pistols or rifles, within the U.S. State of Tennessee, giving Ace a month-long quiet, relaxing vacation period. However, Putman didn't hunt any animals. Hunting wasn't allowed within the wilderness resort or on top of Outlook Mountain peaks, only fishing, swimming, and sleeping.

Putman was an environmentalist individual and loved to watch all the wildlife animals, natural plants, and the rest of wild Mother Nature within her natural habitat for study, not money profit. Putman's biological grandfather owned the tiny rural log cabin first and then left all the ancient artifacts, within the internal and exterior walls, inside a log house that comprised an open living room setting with two tiny bedrooms and the smallest lavatory in the world.

Ace was very grateful that the inside lavatory was not an outside outhouse first and the temporary home provided some temporary peace from the wild concrete jungle of city life. Ace, also, needed a temporary place to stay for three long weeks, since his ancient mansion was still being renovated, after the mass murder of his "so-called" relatives, who collectively murdered in cold blood his only biological sister and then tried to frame his "true" daughter with the dirty deed.

However, his daughter Gem prevailed along with her father Ace. The six others had lost the battle and were currently serving time with their new boss Satan in fire hell.

Ace shouted out loud while laughing with an evil tone, "Praise be to the Lord! Amen!" He exhaled an array of sour breaths and then deeply inhaled a string of fresh new air molecules. An offensive odor stunk and then overwhelmed all to his manly senses. He could take sweat, perspiration, and a stinky smell, but this new scent was awful terrible drifting up his two nose holes. A pile of fresh cow shit smelled better. Ace couldn't really remember the last time he had bathed either. His three-week vacation had been simple, pleasant, and unmemorable, which he liked.

If he didn't bathe, Ace would smell up the entire small cabin with all of his bad body molecules. Then, after feeling fresh like a winter's snowflake from bathing, he would hunt a plate of fresh food. One slice of beef bologna and a couple of pieces of fresh bread provided the last meal for the late afternoon.

Bo Peep took the equivalent of a picnic basket with her person on the helicopter ride from their shared log cabin within the Tennessee wilderness, where his personal car and a rented limousine was parked. Gem would safely land at the resort helicopter pad and then enjoy a long, not quiet, ride by private transportation traveling on _Interstate 65_ and headed back to Mobile.

Ace flipped down the foot stool then slowly stood from the ratty cushion performing a strip-tease act into the smallest bathroom in the world. "Too bad! There aren't any sexy women here to see my show." He laughed then slammed the door shut. He pressed the button, feeling the heated water on his body, singing loudly off-key. The time passed eight o'clock in the evening. The night skies over the Tennessee Mountains were both clear and cool.

something. cabin. good. empty. need. telephone. vehicle. doctor. head hurts. eyes blurry. bed. sleep. get here. cannot answer.

She mentally thought the words, within her mind and as she saw an ancient cabin made of fitted reddish-brown wooden logs between chinking of red mud with a tall chimney, where a set of ancient colonists would have thrived here in America like she had read about in the American History book, at her local high school session. She viewed modern-day technology, featuring glass window panes, an air-conditioning unit, and big power generator around the side wall as she slowly opened an unlocked front door on the tiny log cabin entering into a smoothly polished log coated floor. Two small bedrooms existed on the side wall with an open area containing a living room with the fireplace and a tiny kitchen with modern appliances.

no one. lucky. head hurts. stomach growling. legs tired. eyes blurry. weak.

She heard the noise, stopped, looked, and then listened hearing fresh water running down the enclosed log-coated side wall, coming from a working bathroom setting.

shower. singing. deep lungs. male. nice voice. not good. do something.

She looked around the interior walls inside the tiny cabin while panting from fear and sweated from worry among the humid heat. Then the shower water halted.

do something. contain him. hurt me. hurt him. doubt it. stop. look. there.

She viewed a three-foot flexible chain in front of the dead fireplace beside the sitting chair made of steel holding a smooth cuff on the opposite end with an embedded key. She didn't see any dried blood stains, so maybe the chain was used to trap wildlife for study, not death.

do nicely.

She slowly limped ahead then squatted down, reaching out, examining the metal cuff with both of her naked hands. No teeth. No points. The cuff was locked with a tiny silver tinted key also. She quickly fastened the opposite bracket and then locked the mounting ring in place at the bottom of a sturdy steel pipe on the adjacent wall from the fireplace. The original wood-burning stove had been replaced with the newer gas stove. She lifted with all her strength the coil of chains and quietly stretched out the links from the wall towards a single beige-tinted, worn and torn old sitting chair near the non-heated fireplace.

hostage. little while. steal car. run away. where. anywhere. not here.

She entered the bedroom setting, where the numerous singing notes were the loudest and then stopped, staring at a parted bathroom door. Swirls of white steam floated up then out drifting up towards the ceiling inside the tiny causing heat to permeate within the small bedroom. His smooth baritone voice was louder vibrating the next chord of the pleasant song.

too bad. stay longer. help me. no. go.

Her eyeballs scanned the room then stopped on a useless object. She reached out and grabbed a single barrel hand pistol probably used for hunting rather than protection on top of an empty book shelf then she stumbled ahead towards the bed mattress.

hunters sing in the shower.

She did not make a sound then stopped, standing parallel with the edge of the messy bed mattress, holding the pistol with both cupped hands and aimed at the bathroom opening. The floor and part of the walls were wet from the moisture inside the shower which featured modern plumbing.

come on, jack. i do not have much day or night to waste. long travel. back home. not here in the mountains or forest or wilderness.

She closed both of her eyelashes while prompting both her body and mind to work together, without passing out from exhaustion and the lack of food while resting for a few seconds.

concentrate. focus. head hurts. legs ache. eyes blurry. weak.

"Geez! Hold up there, little lady!" Ace appeared and announced to the young adult female standing inside his bedroom at the edge of the bed frame, staring at a loaded hand gun. She opened both of her eyelashes and viewed him. He raised both of his hands in the air with a stern face as the bath towel swiftly shifted downwards. She didn't move. "Whoa!" He grabbed the edge of the towel with his hand, holding his free hand in the air giving the warning of not being a hostile foe, but friendly host. She didn't comment. He slightly smiled, "Look, I'm not armed." He was nude from bathing and normally didn't carry a gun into the shower stall, but he might be making adjustments to his living style. She didn't laugh, comment, or spit at Ace. His joke was pretty funny considering the delicate, acute and deadly situation. A beautiful woman was robbing him in his bedroom, naked from the bathing shower.

The guys aren't going to believe my new fairy tale.

Then Ace made the mistake taking a small step with his wet foot towards her.

She shot with accuracy as and the bullet from her hand gun pierced the wooden bathroom frame splitting the wood, embedding the heated bullet even with his nose bridge. "Shit! I get the message, loud and clear. Allow me to dress please! Then you can do anything you want to me, baby." He slightly smirked and continued to pose in the warm air currents.

She motioned with her hand gun towards the bed mattress which was beside a short dressing chest. "Thank you." He slowly padded sideways keeping the girl in his sight and the weapon in view.

She followed his parallel moves with the heated barrel on the gun while stepping on the other side of the bed mattress in-between the bed frame next to single nightstand with a short single lamp and his money wallet.

"My shorts are in here." He stopped then leaned down, touching the knob, easing the first drawer on the chest open. "Taking out a pair of my lucky drawers," he chuckled. "Do you see? The item is only a pair of walking shorts. No weapons. No knives. No guns." He raised a pair of beige-tinted walking shorts in the air for her to view then dropped the towel. She immediately turned her entire head facing the side of the beige-tinted paint while still holding the barrel of the gun on Ace.

He smiled and observed her. She was not a robber and she was not married either. Her face flushed in bright pink hue while staring down at the floor, not him. He could have easily attacked and then overwhelmed her, while she was blinded by "his light."

However, Ace was curious. He inserted one leg at a time quickly then zipped the shorts, smiling at her nose profile. "All done! That wasn't so hard, was it, baby?" He opened both of his arms like he wanted to embrace her. "Your move!" She returned back still wearing a pink tinted flush then swiftly shifted the gun to her other hand, sweeping down, grabbing the car fog from the table surface beside the bed mattress. She gently wiggled the metal fog near her stern face.

"Wow! I am so sorry to tell you this, baby. My car is parked down at the resort valley, not up here in the mountains. I took a helicopter, a whirly bird to my cabin." He made a motion with his hand twirling his fingers in the air like a chopper blade on a copter. "That's the only mode of transport up here to the mountain site." He smiled. All the color drained from her face. Her shoulders slumped forward. Her breathing almost stopped. Her mouth dropped open. Her eyelashes continued to blink. She was very disappointed with his bad news.

She would have been flown by another helicopter getting this far up the mountain side, unless she had been brought here against her will. That would seem to be the case as she appeared both lost and confused more than before.

Ace continued to talk rapidly about nothing while guessing her mental intent. Still, the girl hasn't spoken one English, Spanish, or curse word at him, only pointed her hand gun at his body.

She reached down and replaced the key fob back on top of the night stand, not bothering to look at him, swiftly handling the gun with a practiced hand, still staring at Ace. She raised her fist into her ear imitating a mobile telephone.

"I get the message. You are asking about my personal mobile telephone that I had brought, with me, here inside the cabin. You can see that there are no lines for electricity, only the power generator for electricity lighting the lamps and providing hot water. Well, there used to be some hot water, for bathing. Do you like to bath, too, baby?" He chuckled. She stepped ahead towards the bed frame while shaking the mattress with her two naked knees, pointing the barrel of the gun at his face.

"No phone, baby! I'm sorry again! Yeah, I had one. I promise. My daughter was here with me for our shared vacation period. She took the phone with her. You know teens. They can't live without modern communications, the internet, and text messaging on their personal cell." He chuckled.

She stomped her feet then stood still, frowned at Ace, still holding the gun with both of her cupped hands, turning to face the open archway and viewed the living room setting. She returned back to him, motioning with her free hand into the living room setting.

He shook his wet bone skull with a smile. "I am so sorry, baby. I'm nervous too. Let's see what you want me to do next. Okay. This is going to be a game of charades. I like to play games, too." He moved scooted sideways parallel of the bed mattress and her upright body, stepping from the tiny bedroom into the living room setting still holding both of his hands near his mouth. She slowly backed away from the bed frame while aiming the gun barrel on his head.

"That gun looks comfortable in your hands, baby. Are you a hunter here? I hope not. Hunting is not allowed here in the park. Else, you will get arrested and then send to the jail. That would be very bad for you." He continued talking as the unknown young adult girl fascinated him.

She didn't speak, growl, or grunt. No sound came from her lips, but there were plenty of visual markers on her pretty face. Someone had beaten the hell out of her face. She slowly back pedaled from the living room, pointing the gun at his head, stopping in front of the kitchen bar counter.

He stood in the middle of the floor and smiled at her. "What's the next hand signal for me? Since you don't like to talk, baby." She pointed the gun barrel down towards the ancient sitting chair. He knew the ancient chair was standing there in the wall corner without looking at the furniture item, nodding with a grin to the unknown girl, "O! You want me to sit down. I'm moving, baby." He sat down and smiled at her. She moved ahead from the kitchen bar holding the gun barrel at his face then stopped, squatted down on her two naked knees, releasing the gun with her other hand and patted his exposed kneecap.

"You want me to extend my leg." He smiled. She nodded in the affirmative.

Ace did as he was instructed from the girl performing a slow pace stretching out his long leg forward. She was within one foot of his sitting body. He could easily pop her jawline using his strong fist. Then she would be unconscious for hours. He would perform that action later. Right now, the girl fascinated him. She quickly placed the gun down on the floor and reached out, clamping the steel cuff around his naked ankle bone.

"Well, this isn't very nice. I've been a very good hostage, so far. Now, you're going to rob me leaving me all chained up, without protection. The bears might get me, baby." He whined for fun then softly chuckled at the clever plan.

On the floor, in front of his kneecap, she reached down and grabbed the gun, aiming the cold barrel at his chest, slowly scooting back on her two naked knees from Ace, before he attacked her weakened body. She slowly stood upright from the floor and displayed the tiny silver tinted key in her free hand near her grin. The barrel of the gun was pointed to the ceiling planks in her other hand.

"You're a tease as well as a robber." He chuckled with a wink.

She gently placed the gun down on top of the low kitchen bar counter along with the silver tinted key, slowly moved ahead towards Ace, and then stopped, squatting down, lifting a few links on the heavy steel chain in the air as a demonstration of her homemade invention.

He followed the length of the chain, seeing the pipe, returning back with a smile to the unknown young adult female, "The chain is attached to the lead pipe. Good plan, honey! You're a smart robber." He chuckled at her lousy idea which greatly amused his brain cells.

She swiftly dropped the heavy chain back down on the floor with loud thud then yawned, closing both of her eyelashes, wiping her dirty face with both of her dirty hand, opening both of her eyelashes and stared at Ace. She slowly stood upright from the floor then scanned the interior walls inside the tiny living room setting, returning back to see Ace. She slowly shuffled backwards towards a ratty, worn and torn brown tinted loveseat in front of the low kitchen bar counters then stopped, leaning down, shifting the loveseat around and faced Ace, grunting in pain, using all of girly strength. She slowly stood upright then exhaled with deep breaths of pain, feeling weak again.

Ace continued to sit in the home-made invention and smiled at the girl. "Keeping an eye on me! I'm harmless, baby." The night air was creeping through the sides of the front door and in-between the ancient logs of the old cabin. The temperature was dropping fast into a cooler evening.

She spun around and shuffled ahead towards a built-in closet on the opposite side wall near the kitchen bar, then stopped, opening the door, removing both warm blankets and two sleeping pillows.

sunset is gone.

The air was colder during the nighttime hours here within the mountain forestlands. A low-hanging half-moon kissed the range of mountain peaks, making another beautiful night here in Tennessee.

"Nighttime is here. This weather temperature is nice and cool for a change. I live near the water, where the weather patterns are both humid and warm. Where do you live, honey?" He smiled and encouraging her to talk. He wanted to help her.

She spun around from the open closet then moved ahead, arriving back at the loveseat, dropping a pile of blankets and one sleeping pillow on top of the worn fabric, then shuffled ahead towards Ace. She stopped without a smile and the gun, placing a sleeping pillow behind his rear skull and a single blanket over his bare chest and two long legs.

He smiled. "Thank you, baby! Wow! Is it bedtime already? I'm not really tired. How about a chat?" He continued to communicate with her using words and sentences. Maybe he should switch to a set of hand signals or a wet kiss on her lips, which would be nice but naughty.

She still didn't comment a single word to Ace then shuffled backwards from him slamming her two rear legs onto the soft fabric of the loveseat, slowly spinning around to face the loveseat. She leaned down and arranged the thick pile of blankets roughly over the soft fabric and then plopped the sleeping pillow on the arm rest, exhaling in a series of heavy breaths, reaching down and touched her waistline. She felt pain and tired.

She didn't bother looking at Ace and shuffled sideways, entering the small kitchen setting behind the low bar counter, stopping in front of the food pantry and exhaled with great disappointment. There was not a single can or boxed food item on a shelf, only a stack of white tinted paper plates, a small container of plastic forks, spoons, and knives and a tall tub of large plastic cups. She closed the pantry door then spun around surveying the empty counter tops.

Ace observed her movement then smiled. "O! I just arrived today, which was not enough time to make a great big mess in the living room or kitchen space." He lied. Ace was leaving tomorrow. One of the resort helicopters would return tomorrow afternoon ending his simple, pleasurable, and now memorable vacation trip here in the mountains of Tennessee.

She completed her circle then scooted sideways, opening the refrigerator door, pulling out an open package of bologna, a tiny loaf of wrapped white bread, and a half-jug of sweet milk placing each item on top of the clean counter.

"Food! That's great idea, baby. I'm hungry too. Stress, threats, and guns always make me hungry." He softly chuckled then tapped his five finger pads on the wooden arm rest starting to hum the military marching song: **Stars and Stripes.**

She slowly prepared a single sandwich on a single paper plate with the last two slices of white tinted bread and a skinny, thin slice of beef bologna, without any dressing. There were no condiments available, such like, mayonnaise, mustard, or butter hidden inside the food cabinet or inside the refrigerator. She used a plastic knife and cut the sandwich into equal fourths. She drained the last of the milk into two plastic cups of equal proportion also. She placed two small wedges on a second paper plate then carried the dinner meal to Ace.

Ace stopped humming then smiled at her. "Thank you, kind lady! You're very generous for a robber. Did I mention that you are really pretty too? I guess not." He accepted the small plate of food from her, dropping the item on the side table, starting to hum again while he studied her.

She spun around without fear or acknowledging the compliment then returned back into the kitchen setting, lifting a plastic cup of sweet milk in each hand, returning back to Ace, handing one to him. She kept the second plastic cup then slowly limped backwards from Ace while feeling exhausted then slammed her two rear legs into the soft fabric on the loveseat. She reached back and lifted the hand gun from the kitchen bar counter, placing the gun and the plastic cup of milk on top of the wooden side table beside the furniture piece, spinning around, grabbing the paper plate of food. She slowly swung back around and placed the food plate beside the hand gun, climbing into her new homemade bed, covering the pile of blankets over her body, reaching out, placing the weapon on top of the blankets. She reached back again and grabbed the food items, eating the two wedges fast while drowning the dry meal with the cup of sweet milk replacing the used items back on top of the wooden table.

He stuffed the food onto his tongue while chewing with an open mouth of bad Southern manners. "Mmm! Good! Tomorrow, we can get some more food. How does that sound? I want a big plate of cholesterol hugging eggs, greasy sausages, and fattening buttered biscuits. The South does it right, don't you agree, with me, honey?" He smiled at her.

She didn't answer or address his statements. She faced Ace then slowly lowered her aching head down on top of the soft pillow, reaching out over the blanket, grabbing the trigger level with her index finger. She stared at Ace from a sideways angle with her skull and her two slanted eyelashes while he continued to ramble with a set of curious questions or singing another one of his military tunes.

She closed her two eyelashes then opened them again. She closed them again then opened her two eyelashes staring at Ace. Her hand didn't move from the gun. She closed her eyelashes again.

"You will agree, too, when we are eating and sharing the breakfast meal down on the grassy park in the valley. Southern folks can cook and eat. I'm no exception to the eating, I love to eat. I love to play. I love to get out of this chain linked fence." He continued to talk louder while wiggling his steel bracelet on his ankle bone down on the floor creating a set of loud thuds over the wood.

She didn't move. She didn't stir. Her hand limp didn't move on the hand gun. Her two eyelids were closed, locked and sealed for the evening.

"Damn, man! You're unluckiest bastard in the entire world. A beautiful woman in your mist and she is sound asleep like a grizzly bear." He slowly stood upright from the sitting stretching his long arm towards the kitchen bar counter. "I'm not tall enough." Ace moaned with annoyance then reached down, grabbing the poker stick from the fireplace setting, lifting the item in the air. He leaned his tallness over the floor and reached out with the long poker, hooking the silver tinted key onto the claw, flipping it down onto the floor and scratched the poker claw and the key towards him with success. He opened the bracelet cuff and tossed the hard items to the side wall while making lots of noise then massaged his naked ankle.

He slowly moved ahead towards the girl, grabbing the gun in an elegant sweep of his hand and turned, placing it inside the unlocked weapon cabinet on the entrance wall. He didn't bother unloading the bullets, because there weren't any more.

Ace had left one bullet in the chamber for a warning more than protection. If he needed to shoot an animal or a person, he didn't want the dumber of the two grabbing the weapon and shooting him back. He softly chuckled with his smart idea.

She didn't know. After she had fired the single bullet, the pistol chamber was empty. If she had bothered to check her ammunition, then she would have found out. She was not a robber, only a victim.

Ace examined her body. She possessed a tall, slender body frame stretched around a tone of pale-tinted skin which was scattered tan colored freckles. Her arms and legs were long. Her long hair was dirty and matted but sorta matched the hue of her facial and body freckles. Ace studied her face with his two violet colored pupils and his keen mind. She hadn't move from all the noise that he made while escaping her homemade trap. She had an inch-long diagonal cut that was crusted over with dried blood above her eyebrow from a direct hit with a heavy object, a blacken eye socket coming from a human fist which was starting to turn into yellow hue around the edges, and a large bruise on her lower jawline that was colored in bluish-black from a direct hit with a second human fist.

He lifted the pile of blankets examining more of her bodily injuries from her limping motion.

She didn't stir from his movement, motion, or massage. Her body voluntarily shivered from the cool air inside the small cabin. She had a large bruise on her collar bone near the upper arm turning into midnight blue hue. She showed an array of blue tinted horizontal lines from bruising around three of her ribs, in which, she favored as she walked.

He gently placed the pile of blankets back over her body and left the loveseat for the open closet, retrieving the medical tape and an array of long gauze strips from the built-in medicine cabinet, returning back, taped the medical supplies around her set of bruised body parts. He exhaled with anger then slowly stood upright from the floor while staring down at her, saying with his natural timber. "Baby, it's good for me, that you're the cutest little thing in the South. Else, I would be really mad. Instead, we will be chatting tomorrow about the guy, who beat you black and blue, and then I'm going to find him and take all my frustration out on his head." She was so deeply asleep on top of the loveseat that she didn't hear his nasty threat or his kind protection.

Ace reached down then lifted her and all of the blankets in the air, carrying her into his bedroom for the night. He had stripped then cleaned the dirty bed linens from Bo Peep's private bedroom, because he was leaving the area tomorrow. He placed the unknown young adult female on top of the messy bedcovers, spinning around, moving back into the living area, shifting the light weight loveseat in front of the bedroom door frame. Ace would sleep here tonight guarding her from escaping the cabin, if she ever awakens. Then she would practically have to step on his head getting out of the master bedroom. He eased down inside the make-shift bed, glanced back her inside the comfortable soft bed mattress, returning back, resting his head on the soft pillow and closed his two eyelids, felling down into a deep slumber.
Tuesday, June 18th

Log cabin location

Living room setting

10:10 am

72° Fahrenheit air temperature

Feeling like 81° Fahrenheit air temperature

Winds at 4 mph from NW

Visibility 10 miles

Cloud cover five percent

Ace awoke to birds chirping, rays of bright sunshine bombarding the glass windows, and warmer temperatures inside the living room setting. He glanced around the cabin then recalled the events from last night, the girl and the gun. He sat upright on top of the cushions and looked into the master bedroom setting. The unknown young adult girl was there and still asleep. She had not moved from her warm spot.

He slowly stood upright from the loveseat and stretched out his tight muscles, entering his bedroom setting, quickly dressing in a pair of blue tinted walking shorts, a white tinted, tee shirt, and a pair of yellow tinted sneakers while contemplating the breakfast meal. He could take her down into the resort valley with her bruised face. Too many people and the police would become curious and say too many questions. So, Ace decided to search for food here inside the log cabin. He left the bedroom room and stepped outside, searching a storage room on the side of the power generator, maybe there were some lost cans of food.

The weather was beautiful in the Tennessee Mountains, during the month of June. The morning air was crisp and fresh which was different from the city haze of southern Mobile. The temperature would reach 76 degrees Fahrenheit today in the mountains. He thought of the girl resting comfortably in his bed.

When he had examined her body last night, she wore a set of gray tinted clothes consisting of a gray sleeveless top, which once was attached to a sweater. The fabric was torn and ripped in a set of fist-sized holes. The skirt was slit up on side of her legs then tied by knots of fabric exposing her other leg.

"Nice legs!" He remarked with a chuckle.

Ace found a couple of small cans of cooked, cold beans but no other entrees, only emergency equipment, tools, old traps, and other ancient equipment that had been used by Putman's grandfather. "Breakfast." He moaned with great disappointment and saved on can of food for her, entering back into the cabin, closing the side door without more uninvited forest guests. And she would be very hungry also.

He entered the living room setting then set a pretty table on top of the side tables consisting of two paper plates, a folded paper towel underneath a plastic fork complete with a plastic knife and a plastic spoon on the left side of the dish. His mother had raised Ace as a gentleman, not a slouch.

He left the homemade table setting then checked on the girl inside the master bedroom. She was asleep with the bedcovers over her head, not snoring, a nice feature for a Southern lady.

He returned back to the kitchen space and poured fresh water from the wash sink tap into two separate plastic cups, returning back to the homemade table setting. He opened both cold can of beans, after verifying the food contents was eatable. He spread the cold beans around each paper plate, starting down at the food. He was hungry also. The two wedges of bologna were not filling from last night. He sat down at the table and heard his growling stomach rapidly cleaning his paper plate of beans. She can eat her portion of the canned food, when she gets up.

He wiped off his dirty lips and hands with the paper towel, tossing the item down into the used paper plate, slowly standing upright from the sitting chair while thinking about an early dinner meal from one of his favorite restaurants in Mobile, maybe a catered meal. Ace couldn't drag the girl with him into the dining room setting that held too many eyeballs. So, he would take her home to Mobile, figure her name, her problem, then eliminate all of them, once and for all. He chuckled with his brilliant idea.

Now, he needed to awaken her for the afternoon trip and then eyed the set table.

Leave it!

The atmosphere looked homey. He also knew his friend Putman was coming up this evening. He back stepped from the homemade table setting then stomped a foot towards the bedroom setting. The time was passed eleven am. The helicopter would be here soon to the pickup.

Several loud fist knocks sounded on the front door. Ace spun around from the bedroom setting and moved ahead, stopping then opened the door. Three of the ugliest goons in the universe stood a few feet from the open archway. The taller one measured six feet and four inches with a set of broad muscles, a scarred face, a crew cut, clean shaven and dressed in hunting clothes. Ace recalled game hunting was not allowed in the mountains.

Wrong gear! Right sneer!

The man, in the middle of the row, appeared straight out of a GQ magazine, wearing a three-piece business suit in dark navy blue, a white tinted dress shirt, and a yellow and blue tinted neck tie, except for the sneer on his top lip, a diagonal scar coming from his temple down to his chin bone on the left side of his face, a head of cropped brown tinted hair, a pair of light colored eyes and pale as a ghost. Ace bet the dude was warm even here in the cool mountains.

Again, wrong gear! Right sneer!

Ace started to speak but was interrupted.

"We're looking for this girl. Have you seen her?" One of the taller goons with red tinted skin probably due to excess exposure of bright sunlight from the mountain peak burning his white colored skin, reaching out, displaying a head and shoulder photography of a young female with long tan colored hair strands down to her collar bones, a button nose with freckles across her bridge, a wonderful smile, a set of straight white tinted teeth and a pair of light brown tinted eyeballs. The glossy picture was the exact duplicate of the girl inside Ace's bedroom, without her blacken eye socket, a cut above her eyebrow, and a bruised jaw.

Ace took the picture then spun around, moving into the center of the cabin. He didn't want to seem unfriendly, not here within the great state of Tennessee. Since his arrival at the mountain resort, all the natives were friendly, nice, helpful, and smiled a lot. They possessed good teeth also. "Whoa! Cute girl! Who is she?" Ace swung back around and looked up, wearing a devilish smile. He possessed a set of good teeth too.

"That's his daughter, asshole! She's been kidnapped by a gang of bad guys! We're looking for the babe and the gang of bad guys." The other tall male wore a tone of dark tinted skin, a head of dark brown hair, a pair of dark eyeballs and stared at Ace.

"Normally, didn't you just pay a ransom and get the kidnappee back?" Ace reached out and handed the glossy picture back to the Brown Goon. However, he didn't trust the three ugly goons.

The businessman is her father. Each two-tone colored goon is one of her biological brothers. Ace is her fairy godmother. Yeah, right!

He didn't want to kill them, just yet. He wanted missing answers to his puzzling and numerous questions, especially, since the girl didn't talk, giggle, cry, sting, bite, or pee at him, last night.

"The bad guys ran away with the babe." Brown Goon accepted the photograph then stored the item back down into his hunting vest.

Ace frowned. "Gawd! I hope she's okay. She's really pretty. Is she single?" He softly chuckled.

"Man, you're sick! She was taken from her father." Red Goon sneered at Ace.

He smiled. "Well, what do you expect when you show me a picture of the most beautiful girl in the world? Is she married?"

"Have you seen the babe or not?" Brown Goon growled at Ace.

Ace nodded. "Was she kidnapped by her husband or by her boyfriend or by her co-worker?"

"Why are you asking, pal?" Red Goon sneered.

He smiled. "What do the gang of nasty kidnappers look like? What did the money ransom note say?"

"Are you a cop?" Red Goon gasped in shock.

He shook his bone skull. "No."

"Have you seen the babe or not?" Brown Goon snarled at Ace.

He shook his bone skull again then frowned. "No! I am sorry. I have not."

The businessman surveyed the cabin looking into the open archway into the master bedroom, seeing the messy lump in the blankets. "Who is with you, sir?"

He smiled and lied. "O! She's my girlfriend. She wanted to go to a little getaway spot in the mountains for romance and love and stuff."

"Where is your girlfriend located at, right now, son?" The businessman asked.

He grinned and lied again. "O! She is located inside the bathroom."

"What is your line of work, boy?"

He chuckled then lied. "Sales. Computers. Hey there! Do you need a ZR575?"

"No." The businessman replied curtly.

Brown Goon laughed. "That's why you talk so much."

Ace frowned. "Hey! I'm trying to make a living..."

"Have you seen folks other than mountain people around, kid?" The businessman questioned.

He smiled. "Nope! Just us! But some real mountain folk do live around."

"Like who?" Red Goon frowned.

He softly chuckled. "You know, where the deer and the antelope play here on top of old smoky." He laughed at his own lame joke.

"Who are the mountain folk?" He frowned with confusion at Ace's lame joke.

He pointed into the forests. "Mountain animals, you know, deer and antelope play here on the mountain top. Haven't you heard the kiddie song: _On Top of Ole Smoky?_ I think the kiddie song is about those ..."

"When are you leaving your romantic getaway spot, with your girl, slick?" The businessman asked.

He grinned and lied again. "Tomorrow afternoon, are you certain about a computer laptop? I can get you..."

"I thought you were concerned about the beautiful girl." Red Goon sneered at Ace.

He nodded with a smile and waved both of his hands in the air. "I am. But I can make a deal, too. I gotta pay for this cabin..."

"What about your girlfriend that you brought up here?" Brown Good frowned.

He flipped his hand in the air with a wink at the Brown Goon, "Girls! They come and go. But the computer laptop that I was thinking for you..."

"Let's go!" The businessman back stepped from the open archway then spun away from Ace, slowly moving ahead, sounding with a loud growl. The two other taller goons sneered at Ace then slowly spun around, following the businessman.

Ace waved both of his arms in the air and laughed out loud at each back spine on every male. "Good luck finding the girl! Hey! If you need a computer laptop, come and see me. I'm here until tomorrow afternoon." The three males slowly shuffled ahead and left the cabin. Ace gently closed the door shut. There wasn't much time. The helicopter would be here soon. He and the girl would escape from the mountains and the goons together. He spun away from the closed door then raced across the room, entering the master bedroom, stopping at the bed mattress. He reached down and lifted up the pile of blankets finding it empty. "Damn! She's gone." He surveyed the room then viewed the open window pane.

Fifteen minutes before, after the set of hard fist knocks on the front door, she had awoken then gasped in shock, finding her injured body on top of the bedroom mattress, without the unknown guy. The guy was not guarding her person. Her two eardrums heard the exchange of faint voices outside the bedroom door and inside the living room space with the guy and the other three men, that she personally knew.

wake up. morning. sunshine. feel better.

She rubbed the sleepy crumbs from each eyeball then yawned inside the comfortable bed mattress underneath a pile of warm blankets covering her injured body.

fresh. crisp. pure.

She inhaled the fresh mountain cool airt hen exhaled, shaking both of her arms.

good. working.

She shook both of her legs.

good. working.

She shook her bone skull.

bad. not working. do not shake the head again.

She stretched out both of her arms and legs high in the air.

good moves. working body.

She reached down and touched her set of bruised ribs, feeling a bandage around her body. The stranger had wrapped her injury placing her down into the bed, without beating or harming her.

nice guy.

She thought maybe he could help her get back home and then she heard the faint noises outside the bedroom, near the open front door on the small cabin.

voices. outer room.

She listened.

fear. pain. terror.

She gently sat upright in the bed closing her two eyelashes while listening to the words. Her body was nervous. Her hands were shaking. The voices were too familiar. They were talking to the nice guy.

they. them. here.

She recognized his deep, rich, baritone timber with a short stucco on the first constant. The man had beaten her. The nice guy was going to tattle to them, about her.

here. leave. run.

She moved slowly and carefully off the bed mattress barely making a sound down onto the floor. In a pair of bare feet, she slid away from the bed frame towards the side wall, standing in front of the glass window. Holding her breath, she heaved the pane open with her two arms, sending pain throughout her injured body.

easy. escape. run.

She scanned the surrounding woods with her two eyes.

wait. shoes.

She slowly back stepped back to the bed frame grabbing her gray sandals from the floor.

wait. ride. money.

She continued to slowly back step around the bed frame to the single nightstand table, reaching out, grabbing the key fog and the money wallet. She didn't want to strand the guy here, but it was her or him. She slowly moved ahead and stopped in front of the opening, carefully crawling out through the window pane, landing down on top of the hard dry black tinted dirt on her first foot, then her second foot. She surveyed the thick forestlands.

where?

She swept down onto her naked kneecaps then swiftly crawled sideways into thick grove of trees.

hide. quiet.

She stopped then crouched in-between two tall and rough gray tinted limestone rocks. She should blend nicely into the rock boulder in her gray tinted outfit. She observed and listened seeing three people leaving the tiny cabin residence. The nice guy, that helped her to the bed, wasn't with them, so he really was a good guy after all.

sound. air. wind.

She could see a helicopter approaching from the southern direction, looking down at the circle of flat dirt for the copter's landing zone, not more than two hundred feet in distance on her left side.

At 10:41 am, back inside the master bedroom, Ace stood in shock. The time was here. The helicopter was coming with or without the helpless girl. He needed to find her. His gut instinct, which was never wrong, was hundred percent correct. The three guys were the same three goons that had kidnapped, beaten, and abused the girl. He wished he had more time and more weapons to deal with them, but he didn't.

He surveyed the bedroom then slowly back stepped from the archway, spinning around, standing in the middle of the living room while developing a new plan. He needed something nature, not showy to continue the hunt for the unnamed female, without drawing attention of the three gents, who were walking slowly away from his rented log cabin, parting the row of low-lying thick plant bushes, kicking the fruit off the stems, and checking each tree limb for the missing girl.

He got a brilliant idea and moved ahead to the entrance wall, reaching out and grabbed the hand gun, filling the chamber with real bullets. If he got really lucky, he could find the girl, shoot at least one of the guys for fun, and then escape both free and uninjured.

He spun around and dashed back to the open closet spotting an empty old-fashioned brown tinted picnic basket. He had another idea. He carried the basket to the kitchen bar and tossed a set of paper items and his loaded weapon down into the pocket of the basket, lifting the pretend meal onto his arm. He whispered for his eardrums only, "You mess with her; then you mess with me." Ace swung away from the kitchen bar and dashed ahead to the entrance wall, opening the front door, exiting the log cabin. He slowly shuffled through the rough ground while looking for her, shouting out loud, patting the picnic basket with his hand, "Baby, where are you? No time for playing the childish game of Hide and Seek now. I have our lunch meal nicely prepared for us. Come and eat, baby!"

At 10:43 am, in-between the rock boulders behind a high row of plant bushes, she continued to hide and heard the guy's shouting words.

baby! foolish man.

The three known men spun around and observed the nice guy, who was screaming at the top of his lungs and carrying a picnic basket. She leaned forward and spotted the nice guy.

food. picnic basket. lunch. hungry.

The nice guy was walking in her direction also. She slowly shifted underneath the bushes hiding her body, from the nice guy and the three known males.

distracting. calling. ruse.

The nice guy was capturing their attention which was not present on her. He wasn't acknowledging the helicopter's approach either. She turned and followed the air pathway of the flying helicopter hovering right above the tree line, feeling the strong winds. The strong winds stirred up the surrounding dead leaves, whipping the tree branches sideways, and kicked up ground dust. She continued to crouch then slowly moved ahead from the rock formation while following the curative of the bush line, performing a duck-walk towards the closest array of plants beside the dirt pad, holding her shoes in one hand. She didn't expose her person.

wait. patient. stillness.

"Baby!" Ace continued to search the ground bushes and yelled out loud in worry. His brilliant plan was not working, and worse, the three goons figured out he was up to something. Worse, the helicopter had arrived landing in the clearing southwest of his rental cabin. He stopped then pulled the hand gun from the picnic basket tossing the items down to the ground as he watched in horror.

The three goons retrieve a weapon from a hidden pocket within the hunting vest. An array of bullet discharged through the air waves towards Ace. He hit the ground dodging spitting fire and smoke, slowly crawled ahead towards a line of curved plant bushes for protection. The three goons slowly advanced in his direction. Something touched his leg. "Shit!" Ace yelled with worry thinking the object was a poisonous snake, looking back over his collar bone and viewed the unknown girl. She was behind him hiding underneath the same row of bushes. So, he was having a good day after all. He smiled at her and gently placed his hand gun down on the grass, reaching back with his hand towards the girl.

Without warning, the girl reached out and grabbed his gun still smiling into his pair of violet tinted eyes. She nodded at Ace in silence then leaped up from the ground firing an array of spitting bullets at the group of advancing goons, racing towards the grounded helicopter. Her aim was accurately hitting a goon's arm. The other two goons dropped in the red clay, soiling their clothes, covering a bone skull.

shoot. keep shooting. run. keep running. almost there. there.

She reached the helicopter and touched the open hatch on the passenger side, which was reserved for one other person besides the pilot then looked back over her collar bone, viewing the nice guy, who continued to rest on top of the ground. She hated with all my heart and soul to leave the nice guy to her three abductors. They won't harm him. They wanted her. She jumped into the cockpit firing a set of warning shots in the air while keeping her three kidnappers at bay. Then the pilot slumped over the joy stick. She turned and viewed his medical condition.

dead. bullet.

She noticed the bullet had entered his frontal lobe, killing the male.

fly. home. now.

She shoved the dead pilot through the opposite open hatchway onto the dirt, sliding into the pilot chair, releasing the catch. The helicopter lifted off the ground into the blue heavens. She continued to view the three bad men, who surrounded the nice guy on the ground. Each one pointed their weapon at Ace then looked up, viewing the helicopter. The helicopter spun around then flew in a southern direction back to the resort valley below the mountain peaks.

On the ground, Brown Good held his gun at Ace and sneered with danger, "Don't think about it, dude!"

Ace wiggled upright then sat in a cross-legged pose on top of the dirt, displaying both of his hand over his bone skull, watching the helicopter leave the area. He warned them with a loud nervous tone. "Don't hurt me! Hey! I bruise easily."

Red Goon continued to watch the helicopter become a small dot in the bright blue skies on Outlook Mountain. "Can she fly a helicopter?"

"Yeah, that's part of her training." The businessman continued to view the blue sky then looked down sneering at Ace.

Ace looked up and whined to each goon. "What training? Who are you? Who is she? I know nothing. Nothing! Let me go!" He was completely puzzled and confused regarding the last five seconds of his life too.

Who was that girl? She can shoot a gun, fly a helicopter, and survive a beating. What do the three goons want with her?

He didn't know, so he decided to ask the three goons. "Leave me! Go and get her! O! I get it now! You're the ones who beat and tortured..."

"Shut him up!" The businessman continued to sneer down at Ace.

He whined. "I know nothing. Nothing! Don't hurt me! Let me go!"

"He's nothing but a wimpy puppy dog," Brown Goon imitated his kick at Ace missing on purpose while scaring the fool.

He dodged to his left side then covered his bone skull while pretending an intimidation role then shouted out loud. "Hey! Watch out! I did nothing to you. Let me go!" If these three goons only knew his true personality, their ten toes would be shaking in their boots. If Almighty God was pleased with Ace, the three goons might discover that violent act later in the evening. Since Ace was their alive, breathing, and pissed-off captive, at the moment, the three goons would learn what the words fear, and intimidation really were. He exhaled. His impromptu rescue plan was working perfectly, so far, for her. She had escaped successfully. Now, he needed another escape plan for him person, before the three goons reached the girl, again.

"Why did you save that chick?" Red Goon looked down and pointed his gun, growling at Ace.

He whined again. "Hey! I was helping her. She was crying. Okay!"

"Did you call anyone, scout?" The businessman continued to observe Ace.

He dropped both of his hands and looked up at the businessman. "No! Honest! There ain't no telephone service in my log cabin way up here in the mountains. Nobody else is up here, but us."

"You lied to me, pal."

He placed a high pitched tone to his natural voice acting scared. "I was helping her. Okay! I know nothing! Nothing! Let me go!"

"Why did you lie and say she was your girlfriend, dude?" Red Goon sneered.

Ace smiled. "I was comforting her. She was cute. I wanted to help her. Okay!"

"Help yourself to her that sounds more like it." Brown Goon laughed and continued to point his gun at Ace.

He smiled. "I was helping her."

"You're a wimpy pussy." Red Goon laughed.

He frowned and crossed his arms. "Stop calling me names here! I know nothing! Nothing! Let me go!"

"Gag him!" The businessman ordered.

"With what item?" Red Goon looked around the ground for some type of gag rag.

Ace continued the role of a wimpy computer salesmen. "Some person is going to miss me, at work, at home..."

"Doubt it with your loud mouth! We are doing them a favor!" Brown Goon laughed.

Ace continued to challenge the three goons for fun and jabbed his finger at the Brown Goon. "Hey! Are you threatening my person again? I know people."

"Use this!" The businessman handed the Brown Goon his yellow and blue long necktie.

"Your girlfriend dumped you like rat poison for that chopper." Brown Goon accepted the necktie then squatted down, sitting in front of Ace.

Ace yelled and whined louder. "Hey! Nothing! I know nothing. Let me go!"

He reached out and wrapped the cheap polyester necktie three times around the mouth, jaw, and nose bridge on Ace first, jerking Ace upright and snarled. "Your girlfriend left you here to die on the mountain peak..."

"...and suffer in our hands..." Red Goon moved ahead and stood behind the back spine on Ace.

"Your fate is ours, gnat." Brown Goon laughed in Ace's face.

Ace yelled his words that were muffled through the necktie. "Hhh!"

Red Goon pointed at Ace. "What about him?"

"He comes with us." The businessman slowly spun around and surveyed the blue sky for the next resort helicopter.

"What for?" Red Goon frowned at the rear skull on Ace.

"I don't want any more witnesses." The businessman replied.

"We need to get rid of him, right here and right now. There are lots of lush plant coverage for two blue tinted dead bodies, right here and right now." Brown Goon laughed out loud.

He spun around and sneered at the Brown Goon, "No! The gang of park rangers know that he is here, but not her. We will all leave from here keeping the area nice and clean."

"Then, we go and dump him off the cliff at Lover's Leap. I always wanted to see a body fly through the air then down onto the rocks with a soft splat," He laughed with his friend Red Goon.

"We can do that later. I need to think about a new plan." The businessman frowned.

"Where did she go?" Red Goon asked.

"She's going back home."

"What do we do about that dead pilot?" Brown Goon turned and pointed down at the dead body on top of the grass.

"Go and bury that deep body! Make the burial hole deep, so animals don't smell it." The businessman ordered.

"What about the chopper she has stolen?" Red Goon frowned.

"That helicopter is long gone. The park rangers won't think about it for another couple of hours."

"What happens when the copter doesn't show up for the next work assignment?" Brown Goon moved away from Ace towards the dead pilot.

"Don't worry about it! We're out of here. Call our helicopter pilot!" The businessman ordered and held his gun on Ace.

Red Goon stood in place then pulled out his mobile telephone, dialing a number, talking to some else on the other end then disconnected the call, nodding to the businessman, "Our chopper is passed the limestone boulder, heading towards the clearing here at the log cabin pad. He will be here within thirty minutes. So, we can go and catch her."

"No. We can't. The helicopter will have too much weight with us and him." Brown Goon pulled out tools from his hunting backpack and then started to dig a long hole in the soft soil for the dead pilot.

"He's right! Forget about catching her using our chopper." The businessman commanded.

"Where is she going?" Red Goon moved ahead to the dead pilot working on the hole with his friend.

"She's heading back to Mobile." The businessman continued to guard Ace.

"How do you know that?" Red Goon stopped then squatted down, pulling out a pick axe, digging up the ground also.

"Let's just say I know her. I can read her mind." He laughed out loud and watching the blue skies for the approaching helicopter while guarding Ace. Ace continued to stand and listened to the three goons learning of their plans.

"Where is going in Mobile? There are tons of hiding spots in the city?" Red Goon continued to work and questioned the businessman.

"Yeah, there are tons of hiding places in Mobile. But she can't hide from me." He laughed and observed the clouds. "It looks like rain is in the forecast for today. Be certain to bury that dead man deep. We don't want the rain water washing over the new soil," he looked down then growled at Ace. "Is your car parked at the resort lot, slick?"

Ace nodded in silence to the businessman as he didn't want any more punches on his body, before he could get additional help.

At 11:03 am, on top of the nicely paved helicopter pad at the Chattanooga Outlook Mountains Resort and Park, the chopper appeared in the blue sky without incident.

land.

She parked the helicopter down on the pad, killing the engine and opened the door, jumping down from the pilot seat, calmly walking in the opposite direction of the ranger station towards getting lost in the overcrowded parking lot.

hurry. faster. leave. go.

Her mind worked faster than her body. She needed to slow down and think out a plan. She studied the key fob which was attached to a short chain that read the single word: **HUMMER**. She wandered through the rows of parked cars, slowing approaching a gold colored Hummer vehicle. She pressed the key fob. The rear taillights flashed then softly beeped. She pressed the other button standing beside the driver's car door, which clicked open.

good.

She had a working transport for her getaway plan from the Outlook Mountains resort traveling somewhere else. She entered the car sitting inside a cool leather, golden colored Captain's chair.

big car.

She shifted the seat forward and pressed the brake pad barely seeing the road over the gold tinted engine hood. She ignited the switch.

good.

The vehicle roared to life. Then she noticed only the gasoline marker at half a tank of gas. This vehicle probably ate fossil fuels for breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner.

move. leave.

She jerked the gear into drive, easing the truck out of the parking lot. She wanted to squeak each big tire hitting the pavement at 70 miles-per-hour, but that action would draw attention to her, the truck, and the escape. She carefully steered ahead and followed each sign, which directed her towards _Interstate 59_. She didn't have a paper or electronic map. The vehicle had a geographical navigation system. She noticed the equipment and mini-screen on the dashboard. However, she really didn't know how to work the system.

talking commands. forget it.

She watched the front then the rear roadway in the rear view mirrors.

no cars. good.

She was not being followed by the man and his army. He won't have had time to call up his personal helicopter either. And he had to fly down into the valley parking entering his car with his hired help. So, she was still ahead of them and concentrated on each traffic sign. _Interstate 59_ headed south at the interchange of _Interstate 65_ towards metro city Birmingham.

birmingham.

She wanted to travel to Birmingham, within the U.S. State of Alabama. Like magic, the sign appeared on the road side: **Birmingham 153 miles**. If she calculated the math right, she should be in Birmingham within two hours and thirty minutes. She didn't think the half-a-tank of gasoline would get her all the way to the beach town of Mobile, which was her final destination.

later.

She merged with ongoing traffic on _Interstate 59_ driving under the speed limit of 70 miles-per-hour towards Birmingham. She didn't want to draw any attention to her or the car either.

Back at the peak on Outlook Mountains, twenty minutes later, at 11:22 am, both Red Goon and Brown Goon returned back to the businessman appearing both sweaty and smelly, after burying the dead pilot, as a new larger four-door helicopter landed on top of the dirt pad.

Brown Goon reached out and ripped off the homemade gag first then shoving Ace towards the rear door on the helicopter. "Time to go, dog!"

"Our new plan including driving his personal car from the resort parking lot and leave the resort, without any evidence. So, he comes with us for a new destination." The businessman moved ahead towards the front passenger seat on the parked helicopter. Red Goon moved ahead and entered the chopper, sitting on the opposite side of Ace. The chopper lifted into the air flying away from the rental log cabin.

At 11:42 am, the sky ride was short. The helicopter landed on top of an older pad which was located behind a recreational area of manicured parks and away from the ranger station. Each hatch door opened. On top of the rear bench, Brown Goon leaned down and whispered into the eardrum on Ace. "If I heard soft or loud noises coming from your open mouth, then you will be bleeding all over your personal automobile. Do you feel me, pal?"

"I completely understand, sir." Ace surveyed the area while ignoring the goon's threat, turning to stare at the ranger station, who were the park police. The resort valley consisted of flat paved parking lot for hundreds of automobiles which was surrounded by the tall mountain peaks and sides of lush green trees, plants, wild colorful flowers, and hidden wild animals. The resort valley was the first contact for registering your person before hiking the mountain or spending a week at one of the numerous rental log cabins. Behind the mountains, a semi-circle of cute colorful one-store fake log cabins offered gift items, clothing shops, and numerous eating establishments for a hungry hiker. Ace had not eaten down in the valley resort during his vacation stay while ordering bags of groceries through the telephone application for his person and his daughter.

The three goons exited the helicopter one at a time. The Brown Goon jerked Ace from the bench seat moving ahead through the manicured park towards the parking lot. The rented helicopter and its pilot lifted off after receiving his money from the resort valley, leaving the area.

The three goons and Ace appeared at the edge of the parking lot, slowly moving ahead through the rows of automobiles. Ace turned and observed a park ranger in a brown uniform hanging out on the front porch. So, the unnamed female was in there talking about what happened to her, spilling the beans. One look at her swollen face, the park ranger would react with drawn weapons, men, and dogs. So, Ace's rescue would be coming soon within five seconds, four seconds, three seconds, two seconds, one second, and then zero seconds **.**

Maybe, in measured minutes, the police personnel liked to ask tons of questions and then collect information, before acting violently towards the bad guy.

Ace continued to view the front door on the station, watching for movement, action, the girl, the guns, the dogs, the arrest, and finally his rescue. Brown Goon pulled Ace closer into his smelly body looking back over his collar bone, whispering to his co-workers. "The ranger station is located behind us."

"Forget about the rangers! Get to the car and then get outta of here!" The businessman followed behind the Brown Goon and Ace surveying the area.

Red Goon sneezed out in the air and whipped off the snot. "Pine needles! I'm allergic to the pine needles. Be certain and rack them off the car for me." He sneezed again.

Brown Goon returned back and shoved Ace through the rows of cars. "She could be talking to the Forest Rangers, right now."

"No, she won't." The businessman smiled.

"Why not? How do you know that?"

"None of your concern! Get to the car and get outta of here!" The businessman sneered at the back spine on the Brown Goon.

"We should go and look for her here. She could be hiding in the girly bathroom." Red Goon pointed to the outdoors bathroom building on the other side of the park.

"Where is your car, pup?" The businessman moved beside the Red Goon and followed behind Ace and Brown Goon.

"Where's your car?" Brown Goon reached out and slapped Ace's arm, pulling his arm back into his body, staring at the nose profile on Ace.

"Where's what?" Ace continued to stare at the park ranger station with puzzlement. The park ranger was not stopping the party of kidnappers that harmed the girl. The three goons were kidnapping him and stealing his car instead.

"Where is your car, funny guy?" Red Goon chuckled.

He returned back with a sour frown of disappointment and pointed ahead at the far end of the parking lot, "My personal vehicle is over there!" Then Ace stopped and stared at an empty spot. He clearly recalled parking his personal vehicle by a grove of tall pine trees for easy identification.

"Where's your car?" Red Goon stopped behind Ace.

He used both of his hands and pointed at the empty spot between the white painted lines. "I parked my car here, right here."

"Are you sure, boy?" The businessman slowly moved ahead and stood beside Ace, scanning the parking lot for any on-lookers, who were staring at them.

He nodded with a stern face and stared at the white lines. "I am very certain. I parked my car, here in this spot."

"What kind of car do you own, bubba?" Brown Goon scanned the parking lot for on-lookers also.

He did not smile but frowned at the empty spot with the two white tinted lines missing his personal automobile. "I own a Hummer vehicle."

Brown Goon slowly spun around then pointed at the helicopter pad, "Do you see that resort helicopter on top of the pad? That's the same chopper she flew. I am sure of it."

Red Goon slowly swung around then gasped in shock, "She's here."

"She's not." The businessman slowly whirled around then viewed the parked resort helicopter.

Red Goon turned and frowned at the businessman, "She is here hiding out in the girly bathroom building. That is where she is!"

"I just know. She's not here." He slowly swung back around and scanned the parking lot for on-lookers.

Brown Goon spun back around and reached out, slapping the arm on Ace, staring at the parking lot, "Where's your Hummer, dog?"

Ace continued to stand and waved both of his arms in the air, pointing at the empty spot then the clouds. "I just told you. I parked right here, but my vehicle is gone."

"She stole it." The businessman turned and scanned the parking lot with a stern face.

Red Goon spun around and sneered at the businessman, "How did she steal the car? Did she hotwire the car? Is she a car thief too?"

Ace exhaled with annoyance and continued to wave both of his arms in the air, spinning around, facing the businessman, nodding with a sour frown. He slapped both of his hands down onto each leg, "Yes, I can explain. She stole my key fob and my money wallet, from me. I left both of the items on top of the table inside my rented log cabin."

"She's smart." Red Goon nodded with a smile to Ace.

"She's desperate." Brown Goon spun around and nodded to the businessman.

"Where are you from, punk?" The businessman sneered at Ace.

Ace slapped his chest and nodded with a smile. "I hail from the beach town of Mobile, in the great State of Alabama as I stand here in the great State of Tennessee."

"That's where we'll find her. She is going to his residential home." He nodded to his two associates.

"How do you know that?" Red Goon frowned with puzzlement.

"She doesn't have any money or her personal car, so she is returning back to her roots." He laughed then sneered at Ace. "What is your home street address, amigo?"

Ace started whining again like he was scared and started waving both of his arms in the air with fake fright, shouting out loud. "Hey! I know nothing! Nothing!"

"Shut up, boy! The dead people on the mountains can heard your racket," Red Goon reached out and shoved Ace into silence. Ace continued to stand with a soft sneer at the unnamed goon.

"What is your city street address, buddy?" The businessman frowned.

"Don't harm me! That hurt." Ace frowned. "My home city street address is _6660 Ansley Lane_ in the city of Mobile, within the State of Alabama. I am 389 miles from home."

"Shut up, idiot!" Red Goon snarled at Ace. Ace frowned in silence while pondering his new escape plan.

The businessman spun around with a sour frown then causally moved ahead towards his personal automobile that had been parked at the resort valley for such an emergency, leading the party of three males around several rows of parked cars then stopped, opening the driver's door. The rest of the party stopped then scattered around an exterior door. He ordered to his two associates. "We'll take my personal automobile. Everyone, go and get inside, before the Forest Rangers get suspicious of us." He slid down into the leather driver's seat tapping on the steering wheel.

Red Goon opened then slid down into the front passenger seat, whipping out his personal mobile telephone, looking down at each new text message, in silence.

Ace stood at the rear passenger door in front of Brown Goon. Brown Goon reached around Ace then opened the side wall, shoving Ace down into the long bench seat. Ace scooted across the nice tan colored leather into the middle of the bench, wearing a slight smile with a pissed-off attitude. Brown Goon entered the rear compartment then slid a few inches from Ace while watching the unknown guy.

In the front seat, the businessman continued to sit without starting the engine, staring into the windshield at the rows of parked cars. "How many road miles is it to the beach town of Mobile from Lookout Mountain?"

Brown Goon reached down on the floor then sat upright, booting up, typing on his personal computer laptop that balanced on top of his two kneecaps. "The city of Mobile is precisely 401.51 road miles from Lookout Mountain, which takes a driver driving five hours and 56 minutes at 70 miles-per-hour."

"What is the mileage on your Hummer, roomie?" The businessman asked.

Ace commented without hesitation as he was eager to get moving and find the girl, before she got inside his house, stole more his money and then left the city, the state of Alabama and the country of America. "My Hummer truck possesses a 3.5 liter engine, 4-wheel drive gears, 5-cylinders, averaging 14 miles-per-hour in the city and 18 miles-per-hour on the highway..."

"You must love your car." Red Goon laughed out loud in the front while reading each one of his new text messages.

He chuckled with a grin. "Love it! I sleep with it."

"You don't seem upset about losing your car. She'll wreck it then steal another driving away from Mobile to another hot spot." Brown Goon continued to type on the computer keyboard saying the nasty comment.

He turned and sneered at the nose profile on Brown Goon. "You wrecked her face. I don't want my face looking the same way. Anyways, I got great car insurance."

"What was the last marker on the tank of gas inside your car, buddy?" He continued to type on the laptop keyboard.

Ace nodded. "Half full."

"No dipshit! What are the maximum gallons of gasoline that your car holds?"

Ace smiled. "My car possesses a 23-gallon tank of premium gasoline."

"Is that exactly half, almost half, forty or forty-five or fifty percent of gas inside a 23-gallon tank?"

Ace frowned. "I just told you that."

Brown Goon looked up and grinned at Ace. "I forgot! So, repeat it, again, please!"

He huffed. "My automobile currently holds fifty percent of gasoline in a 23-gallon tank, which makes for 11.5 gallons of flammable gasoline inside my vehicle."

"Are you certain, dipshit?" Brown Goon returned back then typed on the keyboard with the new information.

Ace smiled. "I am very certain. My automobile possesses fifty percent of gasoline within the tank."

"If the vehicle gets 18 miles-per-hour on the highway..." Brown Goon typed on his keyboard.

"What is the mileage distance from here to metro city of Birmingham, within the U.S. of Alabama?" The businessman asked.

Brown Goon typed then replied. "Metro city of Birmingham is 153.50 miles from Outlook Mountain park, where a driver travels in a car for two hours and 23 minutes."

"What is the mileage distance from here at Outlook Mountain park to the capital city of Montgomery within the U.S. State of Alabama?"

"From here to Montgomery, Alabama is 234.14 miles, where a driver will travel three hours and 32 minutes." He continued to type on the keyboard with a stern face.

"Calculate her maximum road miles using the rest of the gasoline inside his vehicle!" The businessman ordered.

"A 23-gallon gasoline tank divided by fifty percent is 11.5 gallons, traveling 18 miles on the highway for each gallon of gas, means she can travel 207 miles on her half-empty tank."

The businessman continued to sit without starting the car and stared out the clean windshield. "She can't travel to the capital city of Montgomery on a half tank of gasoline, so she had to stop in the city of Birmingham to refuel an empty tank."

Red Goon looked up from the screen on his mobile telephone turning to see the nose profile on the businessman. "Maybe, she gassed up the tank, before she left the resort."

Brown Goon looked up then laughed. "Not with her face all smashed up and ugly. Her gas tank is half filled with fuel."

"That's correct! So, she is running the car, until empty." The businessman nodded with a smile.

Brown Goon turned and growled at Ace, "Do you possess any credit cards inside your money wallet, pal?"

Ace returned back and stared at the rear skull on the businessman while pondering the mathematical conversation, simply saying the single word. "No."

"Don't lie to me!" He sneered at the nose profile on Ace.

He turned and nodded back to Brown Goon. "I brought a wad of cash, in case, of identity theft and you..."

The businessman patted the steering wheel on his white tinted Lincoln Navigator four-door SUV that carried easily eight passengers and six pieces of luggage. "This is my personal automobile. My tank is full."

Brown Goon returned back and typed on the computer keyboard. "The gasoline tank on your SUV hold 26 gallons of gas and gets 20 miles on one gallon of fuel."

Red Goon nodded with laughed. "Wow! With a 26-gallon tank of gas at 20 miles to the gallon, we don't need to stop for more gas."

The businessman studied the car console with his new idea, "But I wanna. I wanna find her, before she runs off again. Calculate my car at fifty percent of gas in the tank!"

Brown Goon typed on the keyboard, "The math number 26 is divided at fifty percent at 20 miles for each gallon of gasoline, where the driver can travel 260 miles."

He frowned. "That's too many road miles. Use forty-five percent!"

"The math number of 26 times 45 percent equals 11.7 gallons. The math number of 11.7 times 20 miles for each gallon equals 234 miles of travel, before stopping to refill the gas tank."

"That's still too many road miles also." The businessman shook his cropped black tinted head of hair.

Red Goon frowned and gently tugged on his arm wound, where the girl had discharged the bullet hitting his body, "What are you doing?" The injury was only a minor flesh wound, but it stung. He had tied his gentleman's handkerchief around his injury, sitting quietly in the front seat, anticipating the furious beating that she was going to get, when the Red Goon found the girl within the seaport city of Mobile.

Brown Goon continued to type on the keyboard in silence.

"I'm trying to figure out, where she'll stop the car then fill up the gasoline tank at the gas station." The businessman stared through the windshield.

"That's impossible to calculate!" Red Goon frowned.

"Not if I arrange the two tanks with the same amount of gasoline liquid that travels the same amount of miles." The businessman explained.

"What about the elements of speeding, heavy traffic, car wrecks and highway patrol cops?" He sneered.

"Shut your mouth!" The businessman ordered.

"What percent do I use next?" Brown Goon continued to stare down at the computer keyboard.

"Use forty percent for the next math calculation."

"The math number of 26 gallons at 40 percent equals 10.4 gallons. The math number of 10.4 gallons at 20 miles per gallon, where the driver will drive his car 208 miles."

"Her half tank of gasoline will travel at the maximum of 207 miles, before she needs to refuel." The businessman slapped the steering wheel with a smile.

"Damn near on target!" Brown Goon looked up and smiled at the rear skull on the businessman.

Red Goon continued to stare at the nose profile on the businessman, "How are you going to get a full tank down to ten gallons of gas? Are we going to drive around the mountainside?" He laughed out loud.

"I'm going to cipher it out." The businessman told.

"What!" He gasped in shock then frowned at the businessman.

In the driver's seat, the businessman ignored the question and started the car, carefully traveling through the Outlook Mountains resort park, steering two miles down the main roadway then turned into a designated picnic area, without people or vehicles. He stopped the car on the gravel room then exited the SUV. In the rear compartment, Ace continued to sit and observed the three idiots get out then dance around the vehicle, mumbling the new plan.

In the rear compartment, near the tiny gasoline push door, Red Goon, Brown Goon and the businessman stood in a row, staring down at the closed gasoline door. The businessman reached out and slammed the tiny door as it opened for refueling. "Pump out the excess gasoline from the tank down in the dirt."

"How?" Red Goon continued to stand in-between the businessman and the Brown Goon.

"Watch this!" The businessman scooted from the row then moved ahead to the trunk, opening the lid, retrieving a garden hose pipe, returning back to the gasoline door. He places one end of the spout down into the pipe that fed the tank, leaning down, placing his lips over the opposite end of the hose pipe. Then he sucked up captured air up from the pipe towards his open lips, repeating the procedure. Next, he grunted then released his lips from the hollow end of the garden hose pipe, spitting the nasty gasoline on the dirt. A stream of gasoline was shooting out from the open end on the hose pipe splashing down in the dirt. He ordered to Brown Goon, "Get into the driver's seat, turn on the ignition, watch the fuel gauge." Brown Goon nodded in silence and swiftly moved ahead, sliding down into the driver's seat without closing the door, starting the engine.

Red Goon rapidly back stepped from the open gasoline door, jabbing his finger at the tiny door, gasping in panic, "The...the car will explode." He stopped a few feet from the businessman and the car with deep worry.

"Naw! I wanna make the gas tank measurement close to forty percent." The businessman ordered to Brown Goon.

"Got it." Brown Goon sat half-way inside the driver's seat, observing the dashboard lights, watching the fuel gauge needle. The needle slowly descended from the one hundred full mark down to the seventy-five percent mark, going down to the fifty percent mark. Then he viewed the correct mark then shouted out loud to the businessman. "Hold!" He leaped off the seat and hollered at the businessman again leaving the running automobile. "Hold!" He shuffled ahead to the rear compartment on the car with the open gasoline door on the tank.

The businessman quickly pulled out the wet garden hose pipe loose then dropped the item down on top of the dirt, turning to see Brown Goon. "Is my tank at the forty percentage mark for gasoline?"

"Yeah, using my best guess!" He nodded with a grin.

"Good! We're ready! Let's get outta of here!" The businessman pulled out a package of hand wipes, cleaning both of his dirty hands, dropping each one on the grass, moving back to the driver's seat. Red Goon shuffled ahead then slid back down into his same seat, whipping out his personal mobile telephone. Brown Goon returned then snuggled next to Ace again in the back seat.

In the rear seat, Ace wiggled sideways with discomfort and said in a loud voice, staring at the rear skull on the businessman. "Can I go and pee?"

"Shut up, dipshit!" Brown Goon reached over and tied the two wrist bones on Ace, sitting upright, grabbing his computer laptop from the floor, started to type on the keyboard.

The SUV steered down the roadway back onto the main highway traveling towards the interstate lanes. In the rear seat, Ace closed both of his two eyelids tilting his bone head against the warm glass pretending to rest for the long, boring ride to Birmingham.

The driver reached over and turned on a radar scanner picking up each police and emergency call that squeaked loudly with sound then lovely static. Ace figured the three goons were trying to see if the girl had been arrested or pulled over in his automobile for speeding. He doubted the girl was that dumb. She was a very smart and driving below the speed limit keeping out of trouble. Ace opened both of his eyelids then turned to see the nose profile on the Brown Goon while testing the male's patience. "When we stop, I need to pee."

"If you're a good boy! Now, go to sleep and be quiet or else! This is a long boring trip to Birmingham." Brown Goon continued to type on his personal laptop computer laptop while ignoring Ace.

Ace returned back and stared out the front windshield while wiggling sideways in the rear bench seat like he was uncomfortable. He slowly withdrew his personal mobile telephone from the back pocket on his tan colored walking shorts into the cupped palms on his two tied hands. During the surprised visit of an unexpected beautiful female guest inside his bedroom, last night, he had slipped his personal mobile phone from the bedroom nightstand down into the front pocket of his shorts. She didn't notice it as the girl was looking away from his naked body. Ace would always remember that pink tinted blush tone on her bruised face.

Very cute!

During the playground assault from the array of flying bullets behind the curvy row of plant bushes ahead of the unnamed beauty babe, Ace had shuffled his telephone down inside his back pocket, when the girl had surprised Ace grabbing his hand gun, leaving Ace in the dust for the three goons to capture. He wasn't really mad at the girl, only miffed, not anger. She cleverly took advantage of the danger situation in her favor.

Very clever!

Ace had pressed the power button on his personal mobile telephone inside the plant bushes, but he had not enough time executing a help text message to the USA Coast Guard military base command center in the seaport city of Mobile.

The car ride with the three goons driving back to his home was going to become long and boring. He hoped, when the car did stop, Ace would acquire food and beverage items but that was wishful thinking. So, Ace would entertain himself another way, punching out a silly distress code on the screen of his personal mobile telephone using his nimble fingers while both Brown Goon and Red Goon were making lots of loud noises on each one of their electronic toys too. The three goons would never suspect Ace of anything but innocence. He softly chuckled with his mental words.

His set of talented fingers on his shooting hand felt around finding then swished the tiny screen that always displayed a pink, blue, and purple colored wiggling image, in which his pair of eyeballs had viewed one million and one times. Now, from memory, the smooth screen plate displayed the main menu with all of the colorful icons on the phone. He slowly tracked his thumb pad down the smooth edge on the devise then halted hovering his pad over the last icon in yellow hue that activated the text message program on his phone. He pressed the yellow tinted icon electronic button with his thumb pad hearing the soft click. The screen changed and presented a series of last text messages from his friend Buck regarding some business information. His finger randomly typed on the tiny alphabetic keyboard, showing a series of weird letters and numbers, consisting of nonsense sentences. Then he presses the send button hoping to catch the eyeballs on Buck for the rescue of his boss Ace from a gang of nasty kidnappers.

Under a normal emergency incident, using his pair of eyeballs directly staring at the screen on his mobile telephone without any vocal communication, Ace would text out a sequence of specific math numbers, such like, 111, representing him while stated: **Ace is in trouble, not anyone else.**

Then, he would add to the text message the next math number 543, which stood for a kidnapping: A **ce is in trouble in the form of kidnapped.**

Then, he would text out the next math number 227, representing a moving vehicle inside a car or a pickup truck on the flat highway or interstate roadway on land: A **ce is kidnapped using land transportation, as opposed to air or sea.**

Then, he would text out the next math number 466, which stood for his house, not just his home city within the U.S. State of Alabama: A **ce is kidnapped by car going back to Mobile, Alabama to his residential house.**

Ace would transmit the entire numeric text message of 111543227466 on his personal mobile telephone to his two employees that worked at the USA Coast Guard military base there in Mobile, Alabama.

These guys betta be working and not goofing off. This is a real fucking emergency, not a fake drill.

On top of the rear bench, inside the moving SUV, Ace continued to wiggle sideways acting out his uncomfortable situation on top of the nice leather seat placing the phone back down into the side pocket on his pair of walking short, with success. Once his co-worker Buck saw the weird text message on the tiny screen of his personal telephone, Buck would activate a built-in geographical navigation tracker on Ace's personal automobile first then follow the vehicle moving in a southern direction on _Interstate 65_. Then Buck would activate a second geographic navigation tracker on Ace's personal mobile telephone next noting Ace's phone was two hours behind Ace's automobile jumping into an emergency action while continuing to trace both the phone and the automobile towards its final destination that held a live and breathing Ace, coming from the weird mobile telephone message.

His two friends had created a private code system using a set of mobile text messages with a sequence of specific math numbers that would easily identify the questions of who, what, where and bodily medical condition on Ace or his daughter Gem or his two friends during an emergency.

For example, the specific sequence of math number 333 on the mobile telephone screen represents dead. The person is dead. The enemy is dead. The friend is dead. Or he or she or it or animal is just plain dead.

Some of the more important codes from Buck and Slick are listed in numeric order as follows:

111 ace

222 bo

227 car/truck/highway/interstate/land

237 coast guard base/military base

247 air/plane/airport/sky

277 apartment

287 business/office

333 dead

347 fire/flames

375 earthquake

432 heat/hot/desert

444 help

466 home/house/resident

487 hurricane/storm/severe weather/tornado

543 kidnapping/hostage

555 slick

582 stadium

625 mall/shop/shopping

666 drug/toxin/sick

724 school

732 sea/boat/ship

766 snow/ice/cold

777 safe/safety/secure/caution

865 volcano

888 buck

999 alert
Two hours and 34 minutes later....

02:04 pm

Town of Alabaster

Interstate 65 location

Sizzling temperatures with bright sunlight

Winds at three mph at SE

No rain

Visibility 10 miles

almost out. almost no gas.

She saw the gasoline needle drop down passed the fourth mark on the tank. That was a bad sign. She needed to refuel the tank with additional gasoline. She slowed her speed passing downtown Birmingham continuing her journey south then passed a small municipality, which was called Alabaster.

wait. further.

She wanted to leave the metro city of Birmingham as she held a "mark of distinction" that was etched onto her smashed face. She looked up and quickly examined her eye socket and jawline for the hundredth time within the rear view mirror. She didn't want a set of nosy big city slickers calling the local police officers reporting her visual injuries.

not better. what do you expect when you get beaten up by a big ugly fat bully within two days?

Time had stopped for her. But, in reality, time continued to tick away second by second, minute by minute, and hour by hour. She had lost two days, since she had been attacked and then taken from her home. She didn't think a kidnapping charge would apply here. She was not a spoiled daughter from a rich father. Her father was both dead and buried.

money.

She reached out towards the dashboard and grabbed the money wallet, slowly flipping through each side pockets. She found one hundred dollars in cash, so she could buy a tank of gasoline and maybe get something to eat. At first, she was scared that his car was following her automobile. But she was learned to calm now while driving with a steady pace which activated her empty stomach, before reaching her final destination of Mobile.

the needle hit below the fourth mark.

The gasoline gauge dropped again activating the low gasoline indicator light on the driver's dashboard. She had reached the outskirts of the smaller municipality city of Alabaster. She could see numerous plant field crops and lots of grassy hilltops. She had forgotten how mountainous the central part of Alabama. She kept one eye on the gasoline needle and her eyeball on the rear view mirror.

stop.

She slowed the speed on the borrowed automobile then signaled for turning off Interstate 65, like a proper driver should. She followed the sloped ramp towards the country road then looked back into the rear mirrors. She was not being followed by him. There was a gas station on the right side of the stop sign. She stopped then looked both ways for any on-coming traffic, veering to the right onto the old pavement, parking her borrowed automobile beside the first gasoline pump on number two. She stopped the engine then pulled out a wad of cash money from the wallet, opening the door, sliding from the driver's seat. She slid in front of the rear door and searched the bench finding a brown tinted cap that covered both of her forehead, both eyebrows and most of her eyeballs. The eye socket wound was starting to itch. That was a good sign. Her head wound was quickly healing. She discovered a large brown tinted cloth jacket also.

show time.

She donned the cap and oversized jacket over her dirty, bloody gray tinted torn clothes, zipping the jacket half-way up her chest, adjusting the cap with nervousness and held the wad of cash. She scooted around the big automobile then entered the small food and gasoline station, moving to the glass counter, placing a wad of cash underneath the plate, holding up two of her fingers for pump number two.

The clerk behind the glass looked down at the wad of cash money then up at her, acknowledging the hand signal. "Gas pump number two for sixty dollars." The female customer nodded in silence watching the store clerk underneath the cap that covered her swollen and blacken eye socket. The elder clerk cried out loud at the ugly sight on the young adult female. "Ah!" She jumped off the little stool then ran from behind the store counter, approaching the girl and hugged the skinny female with her pair of fat arms, screaming into the face. "You poor little thing!" The clerk yelled really loud swinging her face to the side door. "Vera, come in here! Come and look at this little child!"

A second elderly woman with a mixture of grayish blonde hair strands appeared in the archway then slowly moved around the rows of merchandise shelves in the direction of the first store clerk and the unnamed young adult female. She shook her curls and frowned stopping beside the store clerk and the unnamed female, pointing at the blackened eye socket. "Did your husband beat you black and blue, honey?"

The young adult female slowly nodded her curls then started to cry coming from all her worries, excitement, tension, stress, and fear. It wasn't a true statement, but her person was in danger nevertheless. Her throat was tight like she couldn't breathe with the reality of her danger from the trio of kidnappers.

"Are you running away from your abusive husband, child?" The elder store clerk with brown tinted wrinkles on her face and grayish-blonde hair strands nodded with a stern face. The young adult female nodded again producing rolling hot tears down her beaten face.

"There! There, child! It's okay. Are you heading home to your folks?" Vera asked.

She nodded again. The story was a lie, but they didn't know it. She really didn't know where her home was, only traveling to the seaport of Mobile. She didn't rent an apartment there and she didn't have any family members there either. But she had a stolen vehicle and a wad of cash money, until she ran out of both. Her tears continued to flow down her bruised face and as she felt both worry and concern with her deadly problems.

Vera flipped her hand to her biological son, who was very tall with a shaggy blonde tinted hair and a nice suntan of olive skin, "Bubba, go and put gas in little missy's car for her. Let's go and get you some fresh food to eat. When was the last time you ate, missy?" She released the body of the young adult female then slowly spun around, moving ahead into the rear portion of the store, yelling out loud her nasty words. "Men, sometimes you get good, sometimes you don't." She gathered the food items quickly then returned back to the front of the store, holding two sugary sodas in an individual bottle, two hotdogs wrapped in plastic, two bags of potato chips and a gooey brownie, laying each item on top of the store counter.

Bubba returned quickly, stopped, and stood behind the shorter female, nodding with a smile at the brown cap. "You're full with gasoline, missy. I checked the four tires. They are good too. I washed all of the outside glass windows too. So, you're good to go, little missy." He back stepped from the upright female then moved ahead with a smile returning back into the rear wall, working on his current chores.

Vera pointed down at the counter nodding with a smile. "Bubba, he filled up the gas tank. That's 56.45 dollars for the gasoline." The first store clerk rung up the gas tab then started to count out the change back to the young female. She pointed down at the array of food items, which required payment. Vera started packing each food into a little bag shaking her curls. "All of the food is on the house, little missy. Now, you get going back home to your ma and pa." She finished her task then handed the bags of food to the young adult female. The female nodded to Vera then pointed with her free hand towards the northern direction that led back toward the Tennessee state line.

Vera turned and followed the finger on the young female nodding with a sour frown. "O! The bastard lives up north, maybe he's coming after you." She returned back then smile to the younger female. "Don't worry, child! If somebody stops here that me and Bubba don't know, then Bubba will take care of him, for you and me." She laughed out loud with the first store clerk then grinned with missing teeth to the younger female, waving her hand towards the front entranceway. "Get going, child! Get back home to your folks!"

The young adult female slowly back stepped from Vera and the store clerk while nodding then waving with her free, hitting the closed glass door, spinning around and left the building.

nice people.

She returned back into her stolen automobile spreading the food items in the cup holders and on top of the first passenger seat. She felt funny taking the free food since had money to pay for the items but became too upset inside the store in front of the strangers and couldn't explain her problem. She was quite upset with her continuous, not ending delicate and difficult situation. She removed the cap then shimmed out from the tossing the two items back behind her inside the rear bench.

home.

She started the car carefully driving back onto _Interstate 65_ , heading towards the seaport of Mobile, swiftly consuming all the food items within ten minutes while driving the speed limit of 70 miles-per-hour.

calm. relax.

She powered the cruise control devise allowing the automobile to drive on its own while watching the road then reached out, retrieving the money wallet from the nice guy, reading his valid Alabama driver's license. Samuel Attila Smith, the fourth is his name. He lives on _6660 Ansley Lane,_ Mobile, Alabama.

destination. mobile.

She hadn't thought of the nice guy that she had left stranded in the black tinted dirt underneath the curvy lush dark green tinted plant bushes on Outlook Mountain. He had been very kind to her person. He must have found her very amusing also, viewing the cold barrel of a hand gun standing in the nude from his bathing shower. He was bold, beautiful, and bossy.

handsome. nice bod.

She had never seen a man naked, only caught a glance then became embarrassed. He was embarrassed, also.

dead.

The three kidnappers had murdered the nice guy. She didn't think he had the guts to do it, but she saw the hand gun too. She heard the discharge bullets. So, the nice guy was dead, because of her. She felt both guilty and mad.

survive.

She had the right to protect her own body and soul, so she had survived this. Thus, she would live a long time with the help of Almighty God too.

nice guys finish last.

She had read that axiom in a novel book one time.

nice gals never finish.

She had created that new axiom for a new book, one day. She often thought about writing, since she seemed to do that well with writing out her thoughts, her only true talent. If you could call writing on a piece of paper with a pen talent! She definitely didn't possess any other talents.

music.

She tossed the money wallet down on the passenger seat then reached out, switching on the radio, locating a rock and roll station then passed the interstate sign that read: **Montgomery, 80 miles**. That was less 90 minutes of time. Then if she added another two and a half hours traveling to Mobile, her trip totaled four hours of driving. The time passed two o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was shining bright within the Alabama sky with no rain clouds.
Two hours and 40 minutes later...

04:14 pm

Town of Alabaster

Interstate 65 location

Sizzling temperatures with bright sunlight

Winds at 3 mph at SE

No rain

Visibility 10 miles

Inside the moving white tinted Lincoln Navigator SUV, the businessman continued to steer and watched the gas tank, not the pretty scenes of grassy hilltops and groves of dark green tinted trees, saying to his two associates and Ace, "I, now, show less than one fourth of a tank of gasoline in my car, so she stopped here."

"How do you know that information?" Red Goon looked up from the electronic game on his personal mobile telephone then scanned with confusion the new lovely landscape of central portion of Alabama.

"I know." The businessman softly chuckled and continued to steer.

In the rear seat, Brown Goon looked up and then scanned the same new landscape also. "You're guessing. The weather is blistering hot outside and you ran the cold air-conditioning system, cooling down the interior cockpit of your car. So, you will eventually run out of gasoline, if you don't stop and fill up your gas tank."

"I'm hungry." Red Goon stared at the row of gas stations on top of the hilltop.

The businessman slowed his automobile, exited off _Interstate 65,_ then stopped at the closest food and gas station which was located ten miles away from the closest city which was named Alabaster.

"Your theory is flawed, but you do need gas." Red Goon smiled through the windows of the food and gas station, shutting down his telephone, storing back into his pocket. "You said she's heading back to his house."

He killed the engine and smiled, patting the steering wheel, pulling out his money wallet. "She is heading back to his house, but it doesn't hurt to track down all of the clues, before finding her, all alone and lonely." He laughed then pulled out a wad of cash, handing to Red Goon. "Here! Go and pay for a full tank of gasoline and get some snacks." Red Goon accepted the money then left the car, slamming the front passenger door shut.

In the rear bench seat, still tied on both of his wrist bones, Ace announced. "I need to pee." He really didn't need to use the bathroom. He wasn't going to escape or call for help. He wanted the three goons to leave the car and fill the gasoline tank and then keep driving, without him. The girl was more important than Ace and she was heading directly to his house, based on the brief conversation between her "pretend" father and her two "make-believe" brothers. That was a good working theory! Ace wanted to catch then protect her, before they found her, again, alone and afraid.

"You can wait." Brown Goon continued to sit and played on his computer laptop, without viewing Ace.

He whined "I can't wait another four or more hours heading to Mobile. We're only half-way there."

"Let him pee!" The businessman continued to sit in the driver's seat and stared through the dirty windshield.

Ace smiled. "I want food."

"Give a mouse a cookie, then it wants a glass of milk." Brown Goon laughed.

He turned and smiled at the nose profile on Brown Goon. "You read nursery rhymes, also. I'm impressed." Brown Goon slid the computer laptop to the side door then reached out, untying the two wrist bones on Ace. Ace wiggled his body in the seat then stretched out both of his cramped arms in the air, reaching down, cracking open the rear passenger door, slowly standing upright on top of the rough pavement in-between the rows of gasoline pumps. He watched each goon then the interior window into the store.

Brown Goon slid out the rear bench seat and stood upright, spinning around, leading Ace into the gasoline station.

Ace didn't need assistance here then swiftly dashed ahead into the store interior, rushing in-between the food aisles, entering the single nicely smelling pine-scented bathroom. He closed the door for privacy. He peed then washed both of his dirty hands. He wasn't lying about being hungry. He was starving without the breakfast meal. And his nerves had calmed down after the gun battle with the three goons and escape plan by the girl's bold moves.

She possesses nerves of steel. She shoots. She flies. She fights. What did the goon mean part of her training? Is she a secret agent or something for the US Federal Government?

Ace doubted that concept and doubted the three goons were a set of professional soldiers or government agents either. They were too dumb, too big, and too stupid. However, they wanted something from that girl, if Ace guessed correctly. Once he found the girl, Ace could ask her, too.

Inside the bathroom, he finished primping in the reflection mirror then exited the bathroom while Brown Goon was studying the food shelf. Ace moved ahead then stopped, pointed at the hotdog stand. Brown Goon nodded in silence. Ace walked to the counter nodding to the elderly store clerk with a smile, pointing down at the row of cooked food items. "Hello! I would like a hotdog with everything on it, please." He was going to make a big gooey mess on the rear seat of the new luxury SUV then piss off one or more of the goons. Then the three goons would try to kill him, so Ace would fight back and kill them all instead.

End of the demon tale!

Ace would drive the blood-stained luxury SUV with the three dead bodies. A dead body didn't bother his two eyeballs or his sinuses, only his dead body. He would arrive at his house in the seaport city of Mobile, where the unnamed princess girl would be awaiting his slick rescue.

Beginning of the fairy tale!

Behind the hotdog stand, the elder store clerk took her sweet tea time, like pouring from a ja of molasses, preparing a single beef hotdog piling the ingredients on one at a time, like she was building Jack's house with care and love and all the time in the freaky universe, like God's did.

Ace continued thinking about the beaten black and blue tinted unnamed girl. She needed his help. He was also curious at the businessman's claim: the girl had stopped here, at this particular convenience store, for a tank of gasoline in his personal stolen automobile. That was an interestingly impossible fairy tale working theory.

How did the businessman know? Was she here or not?

He cleared his throat and stared at the grayish-blonde hair roots on the old store clerk. "I beg your pardon here! Did you happen to see a tall, skinny young adult female with light tinted skin and a nose bridge of freckles stop here about an hour ago?"

The store clerk dropped the bottle of ketchup on the floor then looked up, wearing an open mouth then sneering at Ace, "Freckles! Is she your wife, sir?" The tone of her voice both dark and nasty.

He gasped in shock then shook his bone skull. "No, ma'am! Are you about finished with my hotdog?" He couldn't believe the old woman's reaction to his silly, simple question. The answer was obvious. The girl had stopped here for a tank of gas filling up his vehicle.

How did the businessman know? He was right.

The store clerked growled while handing Ace the messy hotdog in a paper cup, without speaking. He accepted the hotdog with a smile and a nod. "Thank you, ma'am." He back stepped from the hotdog stand then spun around, grabbing a can of dark soda from the glass refrigerator, and a bag of potato chips from the food shelf, taking the grocery items to Red Goon. The goon added Ace's food to the growing merchandise on the top of the checkout counter.

A second elderly store clerk added the total bill, shouting out loud through the glass protected window. "With a filled tank of gas, your total amount is 108.92 dollars. You owe me 13.47 dollars more."

Red Goon paid the money difference then handed Ace his food items, bagging the rest of the food in several brown tinted paper bags, spinning around from the store clerk, leaving the store towards the parked SUV.

Ace followed the back spine on Red Goon and exited the store, sliding back down into the rear seat again. Red Goon slid back into the front seat passing out food items in silence. The business started the engine then raced from the gas station, flying down the ramp, driving south to Mobile on _Interstate 65_ while chewing on the food, in silence.

Ace finished chewing all of his food then started gulping the cold dark soda, burping out loud for annoyance. Brown Goon turned and laughed, retying the two wrist bones on Ace again, chewing on his food while playing on his computer laptop keyboard.

The time was passed 04:40 pm. The clear blue sky contained bright sunlight, without rain clouds, on a blistering heated summertime day.
Four hours later...

06:06 pm

Sizzling heated air temperatures with bright blinking sunlight

City of Mobile, within the US State of Alabama

Historically, on a sandy shoreline of white tinted sand grains, a small one-story brick-covered fortress stood beside the fresh waters of Mobile Bay. The Mabila Native American Indian tribe had lived and hunted on those fertile lands for centuries, until the year 1540 A.D., when the Mabila tribe were attacked from a sea expedition by a world Spanish explorer, who was named Hernando de Soto with his band of Spanish conquistadors.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto died on the foreign soil of the New World, seven years later along with most of his Spanish conquistadors. The rest of the starving Spanish soldiers and settlers integrated with the Native American Indian tribes or left the new land returning back to Spanish ships, traveling back home to the country of Spain.

In the year 1700, the French soldiers came to the new territory and then claimed all of the warm, rich Gulf coast shoreline, starting at the present-day city of Pensacola within the northern Florida panhandle region heading western towards the present-day city of Galveston within eastern portion of Texas, which was unnamed at the time _._

In the year 1701, King Louis of France sent two French Canadian brothers, who were named Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville to the new wilderness lands. They lived and protected the new land claims starting at the present-day city of Mobile heading westward ending at the present-day city of New Orleans for the Crown of France. Jean was named as the royal governor of the new lands, which was called _La Louisiane_.

In the year 1702, the French colonists came by sea ships and then settled down on top of the white tinted sandy shoreline, constructing _Fort Louis de la Louisiane_ , on the Mobile Bay, the first capital of the _La Louisiane_ territory.

In the month of March, in the year 1703 _, Little Easy_ became the famous nickname for the seaport city of Mobile and the capital city of the colonial French _La Louisiane._ This small group of implanted Mobilians organized and then celebrated its first Mardi Gras event here, within the New World. A Mardi Gras party involves people, who dress in an ornate costume, such like, a fairy, an animal, a mythological god or goddess, a silly circus clowns, or a Medieval royal prince or princess. No peasant attire is allowed here.

Each elaborate creation is decorated with colorful feathers, a specifically designed face mask, and a long glittery body cape with an elaborate themed-costume. The Mardi Gras event is not a celebration of Halloween holiday while wearing a silly or horrible face mask, such like, a zombie, a mummy, a flying bat, a witch, but does carry a death theme. The Mardi Gras event is a celebration of life, right before Ash Wednesday, which is a day of somber peace with Almighty God or your current supernatural entity.

The Mardi Gras Day parade includes an array of colorful motorized floats featuring exquisite costumed riders, and sometimes, small live animals, leading towards the host house or the selected hotel ballroom for the one of many Mardi Gras masked balls that lasts until the wee morning hours.

Back in the country of France, within the year 1703, the Catholic bishop from the local church decided to screen and then provide a group of twenty-three young female virgins, who possessed virtue and piety and were accustomed to hard labor and diligence, for the French soldiers that were stationed in the New World, specifically at the French colony and fort which was named _Fort Louis de la Mobile._

The sea vessel named _Pelican_ sailed to the New World, docking at the new French colony of Mobile, in the year 1704, with adult passengers and twenty-three "Pelican Girls." The nickname had been assigned to the set of young, twenty-three, twenty year old virgin females that debarked that day from the named sea ship.

On the same ship, with the twenty-three French young females, the sea ship stopped for supplies, in the city of Havana, within the present-day country of Cuba, where the passengers and crew members contracted yellow fever. The ship members brought the disease into the sea port of Mobile, where some of Mobilian colonists and almost all of the Native American Indians contracted the virus, very deadly. The city of Mobile received its first shipment of imported African slaves coming from a French supply boat at the French colony of Saint-Domingue, in the Caribbean islands.

By the year 1706, the seaport town of Mobile had grown to 279 persons and then descended down to 178 persons due to the yellow fever epidemic.

Yellow fever is a disease with a very short clinical duration, presenting symptoms of a fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains, and a headache while displaying yellow tinted skin tissue. The bodily symptoms improve after five days. On the sixth day, the fever affects the body again, causing abdominal pain, liver damage, risk of bleeding, kidney problems, and another yellow-tint hue on the epidemic skin tone, right before the death act. Modern-day medication did not exist back in the year 1704. Yellow fever is caused by a virus which is spread by the bite of an infected female mosquito, that lives and breeds within a swampy wet dirt environment.

In the year 1711, _Fort Louis de la Mobile_ was abandoned due to the sea floods and the outbreaks of yellow fever cases, relocating the fort several miles downriver, constructing a new fortress the present-day confluence of the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. By the year 1712, the population had grown to 400 persons.

In the year 1720, the capital of _La Louisiane_ territory relocated to the present-day city of Biloxi, within the US State of Mississippi. The seaport town of Mobile served a military division and a trading center. In the year 1723, a second fort was constructed and named _Fort Conde_ , in honor of Louis Henri, prince of Conde.

For over sixty years, the French colony, _Fort Louis de la Mobile_ had thrived with French colonists, until a nasty invasion force came from the foreign country of Great Britain, in the year 1763. The invading British came to the New World and captured the fort.

That same year, the _Treaty of Paris_ was signed by two representatives from the continues of England and France, ending the _Seven Years' War_ , where England had finally defeated France.

In the New World, after the battle, the country of France ceded the landmass starting easterly at the Mississippi River to the country of England, which became part of the British West Florida colony for King George, the third. The name of the French fort was changed to _Fort Charlotte_ , after the wife of King George, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. However, the British colonists and merchants in the New World were not eager to lose the useful French colonists, who stayed and thrived there at Fort Charlotte.

Over additional decades, the old and new merchants, traders, priests, and colonists coming from the established New World cities of Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina assisted in the development and prosperity of the modern-day city of Mobile. In the year 1766, _Fort Charlotte_ recorded 860 individuals living on the shoreline and surrounding fertile lands.

In the year 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, people fled from the northern cities and then hid inside the seaport of Mobile and the settlements of west Florida. When the rebel colonists were dealing with the Red Coats from the country of England, the Spanish king sent into the New World his Spanish conquistadors, who entered the American fight, in the year 1779, as an ally of France. The Spanish and France soldiers and leader worked together then made numerous land grabs taking back the western portion of present-day U.S. State of Florida, which had been lost during the _Treaty of Paris_.

The plot was successful.

Bernardo de Galvez, the governor of _Louisiana_ captured the seaport of Mobile, during the Battle of Fort Charlotte, in the year 1780, and renamed the fort, _Fortaleza Carlota_ , and held the fort and surrounding lands as part of the _Spanish West Florida_ territory.

During the War of 1812, with the British king and his army of Red Coats engaged a second battle with the newly united USA. American General James Wilkinson captured the city of Mobile for the USA. In the year 1813, the seaport of Mobile, with a population of 300 individuals, became part of the USA, when President James Madison grabbed the land territory of western portion of present-day US State of Florida back from the country of Spain.

In the year 1819, the population of Mobile reached 809, when the _Alabama Territory_ was granted statehood into the USA. The seaport excelled in sea trade and was aided by the introduction of a new mode of transportation, a river steamboat. By the 1822, the city recorded 2,800 individuals.

The Industrial Revolution propelled the seaport of Mobile into higher wealth growing fields of cotton, using free slave labor and creating food stuff, new clothes, and other home and business supplies for all types of residents, slaves, and visitors.

The Industrial Revolution is also known as the First Industrial Revolution, starting at the time period of 1760 towards 1840 A.D. The change from a hand-production method to a man-made machine era saw the creation of numerous items, such like, the steam power, the water power, the train locomotion, the manual typewriter, the photography machine, the sewing machine, and the cotton gin factory, just to name a few technological innovations. This new event marked a major turning point which affected the daily life of each worker. The average hourly money wage increased which increased the standard of living for every worker, producing a better lifestyle for each family unit or individual.

During the 1830s, the happier and wealthier citizens created a home mansion boom that spread throughout the city and surrounding lands in Mobile, until the Panic of 1837, with another type of yellow fever epidemic. The waterfront property developed sea wharves, seaport terminal facilities, and brick warehouses that held walls of cotton bales. By the year 1840, the city of Mobile was the second largest export of cotton bales behind the city of New Orleans, within the US State of Louisiana.

In the year 1860, the number of individuals were recorded at 29,258 people, where the city of Mobile was the 27th largest city, within the United States of America, and the fourth largest town, within the new _Confederate States of America_ , in the year 1861. Mobile County held 29,754 citizens, with 1,195 free people of color. Cotton plantations numbered 1,785 owners of slaves, who held 11,376 people in bondage, which was one-quarter of the total population of 41,130.

The _American Civil War_ started in the month of April, within the year 1861, the city of Mobile became a Confederate city. Towards the end of the _American Civil War_ , at the Battle of Mobile Bay, the Union troops, arrived, captured and then controlled Mobile Bay, on August 5th, in the year 1864.

On April 12th, in the year 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union troops, at the _Appomattox Courthouse_ , in the city of Mobile. After the _American Civil War_ , the seaport town of Mobile was devastated by both war failure and the political control of the ruling party. By the year 1878, the personal income and business profits had dropped down from nine million dollars to three million dollars, in the year 1882.

Currently, within the present day and time, the seaport city of Mobile holds 413,002 residents. The city is the third largest town, in the US State of Alabama. Within a sixty-mile radius, 1,263,013 individuals live, work, and play, which is surrounded by fertile crop lands and busy roadways with commercial businesses and residential homes near the seaport city of Mobile. Mobile is the only saltwater seaport on the Gulf Coast region and is the 12th largest seaport in the USA. The land mass of Mobile is 159.4 square miles with 117.9 square miles of flat land and 41.5 square miles of fresh water. The sea elevation stands at ten feet and three inches on top of _Government Street_ and higher at 211 feet at the Mobile Airport facility.

Some of the historical neighborhoods include _Ashland Place, Campground, Church Street East, De Tonti Square, Leinkauf, Lower Dauphin Street, Midtown, Oakleigh Garden, Old Dauphin Way, Spring Hill,_ and _Toulminville._

The weather climate, in the city of Mobile, presents hot, humid summers in the months of May, June, July, August, September at 91 degrees Fahrenheit and mild, rainy winters in the months of December, January, February, and March at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest air temperature in the wintertime was negative one degrees Fahrenheit, on February 13, in the year 1899. A shower of white tinted snowflakes is rare within the city with last recorded snowfall sheet, on December 8th, in the year 2017.

The city averages 120 days-per-year with 0.01 inches of rain. The months of July and August are the wettest months with heavy thunderstorm activity along with dangerous ocean hurricanes.
06:08 pm

Interstate bridge 65 location

Sizzling temperatures with bright sunlight

Winds at three mph at SE

No rain

Visibility 10 miles

hot day. blinding sunlight.

She mentally thought the words while rolling over the tall, scary interstate bridge, flying down into the city of Mobile, leaving the _Interstate 65_ roadway at Exit 5A, turning westwards onto _Springhill Avenue_ , following the roadway for one mile, and then turned north onto _Tuthill_ _Lane._ She followed the end of the roadway which intersected at _Ansley Lane_ , the roadway of the nice, dead guy.

She turned the car westward following the city street, not seeing a house, wondering if she made a mistake. She continued to watch for a house or a mailbox on the right side of the roadway with miles of lush green tinted forestlands. She was born in the city of Mobile also but did not reside on this side of the town. This was the "prominent or proper side" of town as the folks would say. She often wondered, who were the folks that said all of these famous sayings.

6660.

The single oversize dark metal U.S. postal mailbox displayed the right math number that matched his valid State of Alabama driver's license.

this is the place.

She slowly turned off _Ansley Lane_ then parked the borrowed automobile on top of the smooth yellow tinted brick driveway, in front of the first of six different closed garage doors. The ancient house was surrounded a nicely manicured yard with short rows of plants, pods of colorful flowers, and miles of overlapping shade trees. She could hear the birds squawking through the windows.

this is not a house, but a mansion.

She had robbed the wrong guy.

dead guy.

That nice guy was dead now. She wondered if he had an extended family, like a wife.

time will tell soon enough.

When she had stopped the car at the gas station and surveyed the seats and floors, she didn't see any photos, toys, games, or books. The interior seat was clean both outside and inside.

that guy is single. teenager. daughter.

She remembered the nice guy talking about his daughter, thus she might run into his daughter, but she didn't have a safe place to live for the moment. He was rich with a built-in bank safe of money inside his house too, so she would steal more food, all cash monies, and any other valuable items that she could pawn for cash while leaving his automobile parked here. She was a thief, crook, bandit, killer, and a runaway.

house.

She noticed the interior lights through the open window glass were powered off. The nighttime hours were slowly creeping up here in Mobile. There wasn't any illumination coming from the upper floor glass windows either. That was a good side. The house must be empty. She would explore the residence then leave the house for the evening.

go.

She slowly opened the door then slid down, standing on top of the smooth brick surface, slamming the door shut. If a person was home, then she wanted that person to hear and see her. She would create a story or something about visiting her dear old granddaddy here in Mobile then confess something about getting lost. That would be an act.

thief. crook. bandit. killer. liar. runaway.

Her list just kept growing and growing.

key.

She slowly moved ahead towards the closed front door while holding a single dull gold tinted key, which was hanging off the key chain with the key fog, that opened the front door. She stopped at the front door then wiggled the keys while making lots of noise, opening the door. The interior room was dark, quiet, and quite large based on her cursory view within the darkness. She closed the front door with a loud noise standing a few feet inside the foyer room.

lights.

She reached over onto the side wall feeling for a light switch, pressing the control switch upwards. Lights hit the room. The walls were painted tan hue. The furniture cloth was draped in tan and rose tinted vertical stripes on two U-shaped sofa sectionals, three matching loveseats, and six lounge chairs with numerous light-colored wooden tables in-between each piece, creating a warm, cozy feeling. The staircase stood on the far wall intersecting the rear wall of glass. The side wall displayed on open kitchen in vanilla colors with matching appliances. The rear wall featured three sets of glass doors beside rows of low-lying glass windows that revealed a nicely manicured yard filled with pods of colorful flowers without a row of bushes or shade trees.

beautiful.

She wished that she lived here too. Actually, she wished that she lived anywhere. She wished.

tears.

She started to cry then dropped down on top of cold hard wooden floor. She placed both of her hands in her face. The tears flowed. She couldn't believe her delicate, dangerous dilemma. No shelter. No food. No money.

money.

She possessed a stack of U.S. dollar bills inside her rented apartment, in the city of Huntsville. She should have driven there instead of here. But she was afraid that Douglass, not the actor would be there waiting for her person. She left the Outlook Mountain resort parking lot, before he did. She should have. She could have. She wasn't thinking. She felt too scared, too dumb, and acted too late. Now, she was located here in the seaport city of Mobile, instead.

douglass.

She shouldn't have given Douglass, not the actor, the money. Now, he wanted more and more money. She had to do something. She didn't want to give him any more money. How did he find her? She didn't understand. She was so careful, cautious, and secretive. She wanted out. She wanted to stop. She learned her life-time lessons. She wanted a nice, quiet life. She can take care of her person. She has been doing, since she was eighteen years old. She doesn't need anyone. She didn't want anyone.

dead.

That nice guy died, because of her. She was trouble and alone and not married. Who would marry her? Douglass, not the actor or the nice guy or any other male would not with her criminal background.

next step.

She didn't know what to do. She couldn't think that far in advance. She slowly stood upright from the floor wiping the tears from her swollen, red, and bruised face.

tired. exhausted.

She was tired and exhausted. Her brain cells wanted to shut down. Her eyes were drooping. She yawned. Her body ached from the climbing, running, jogging, escaping, beating, and harassment. She moved ahead down the side wall while watching and listening for movement in the room or throughout the house.

clear. no sounds.

She entered the open doorway into the kitchen setting.

kitchen. nice. big. food.

The kitchen was larger than the square footage of her rented apartment in the city of Huntsville, displaying stainless steel appliances and a bright purple granite on top of each counter top. The area was clean. No evidence of cooking or baking. No one was definitely home for a while. She walked to the refrigerator, stopped, opening the door, surveying the food items.

milk.

She grabbed the jug of milk then checked the expiration date, that held a good day. She was puzzled. This guy was rich with monies. He must have a maid service. The wealth people were lucky paying people to collect the grocery items, laundry and clean the clothes and the dirty bathrooms. The milk was good. She drank from the jug without messy up a glass then leaving physical evidence of her thievery. She downed three big gulps again while searching for more food items inside the food pantry.

crackers.

She found an open box of fresh saltines, without salt, and cramped seven of them down into her open mouth, one at a time, of course, drowning the wet flour with sweet milk. There was an apple in the fruit bowl. She ate three bites, wrapped the reminder in a set of paper towels then dumped the rest down in the trashcan. Her tummy was full instantly. Her stomach had shrunk in size. Women always complain about getting fat from eating too much food. She had good solution. Get kidnapped, beaten, and starved to death, she guaranteed losing ten pounds. She touched her flat stomach then each bruised rib. She hadn't lost ten, maybe seven pounds.

sleep. rest. relax.

The food items immediately hit her stomach lining causing a full sensation and a bloated feeling. She yawned from exhaustion. The drive, the distance, the food, and the cold interior air-conditioning air current were all making her very sleepy and very weak.

bed. sofa. blanket.

She left behind a clean kitchen setting then moved back into the living room setting, smelling the new furniture items first, viewing the layout of the room. She marched directly to the long peach colored sofa with a rose tinted afghan throw over the top. She scanned the room finding a wall of closed doors, moving ahead, opening the first door filled with blankets and pillows. She grabbed two blankets and two pillows, marching back to the inviting sofa, spreading the items over the soft cloth, pulling off her dirty sandals, sliding in-between the warm blankets. She pulled the top blanket over her tired bone skull preparing for a short nap first before hitting the road next. She yawned then closed both of her two eyelashes falling down into a deep slumber.
Three hours and 35 minutes later...

08:10 pm

Interstate bridge 65 location

Sizzling temperatures with bright sunlight

Winds at three mph at SE

No rain

Visibility 10 miles

On top of the tall intestate bridge, flying down into the city of Mobile, the Lincoln Navigator SUV flowed with the moving traffic. The business man concentrated driving his fast-moving automobile in silence.

"How far behind are we from the girl?" Red Goon looked up and scanned the fast-moving traffic on _Interstate 65_.

"I increased my speed from the gas station near the city of Alabaster, so I am about twenty minutes behind her now." The businessman continued to fly around each slow-moving vehicle.

"What city street do you live on, dipshit?" Red Goon inquired.

"Hey, dipshit!" Brown Goon reached over then punched Ace's arm while sitting beside him.

Ace reacted to the ill-breed comment and scanned the familiar bridge and interstate roadway. "Do you happen to be talking to me, sir? My name is Ace." His badass personality had resumed to top notch Southern gentleman asshole, Alabama style.

"Dipshit! What side street do we take from the interstate roadway getting into your house?" Red Goon asked again.

He corrected the ill-bred kidnapper. "I have stated clearly. My name is Ace. I, named Ace, prefer to leave from _Interstate 65_ roadway at Exit 5A, driving in a westerly direction onto _Springhill Avenue,_ following the roadway for one mile, and then turn northwards onto _Tuthill Lane_ , following the end of the roadway for 0.02 miles, which intersects at _Ansley Lane_ , my hometown roadway."

"Gate! Do you got a closed gate around your house?" Red Goon asked.

He chuckled with his lie for fun. "My gate is opened, unless I'm home."

"Do you lock out all the home burglars too?" He chuckled.

Ace retorted. "I try."

"Do you got cash money inside your gated mansion, dipshit?"

Ace asked. "How much do cash do you need, sir? I prefer the name of Ace. That's my name."

"Do you do good for a computer salesman?"

Ace relayed. "I'm a great salesman and a great guy. How much cash money do you require, sir?"

"How much cash money do you got, dipshit?" He laughed.

"I am in possession of five thousand dollars, U.S., inside my house bank safe. Would you like part or all of that wad of cash, sir?"

"Why are you cooperating, dipshit?" Brown Goon looked up then turned, sneering at the nose profile on Ace.

Ace continued to confuse the three goons then turned nodding back to Brown Goon. "I want to live, and I like my handsome face. I will gladly provide you money, food, weapons, anything you want to save my precious life."

"We want the girl. Nothing else!" The businessman continued to drive and said with a curt tone.

Red Goon turned then frowned at the nose profile on the businessman, "But..."

"The girl..."

Ace returned back and nodded to the rear skull on the businessman. "Very well! I agree and I understand. You are welcome to come inside and take all of my cash money and that girl and then leave my house and my life!"

"You got a deal there, dipshit." Brown Goon laughed then placed his computer laptop on the floor, sitting upright, scanning the rows of houses.

The businessman slammed down on his brake pads then exited down the ramp from the interstate roadway, causing each passenger to lean sideways, pressing the gasoline pedal and sped down the city street road.

Red Goon sat upright then frowned at the nose profile on the businessman. "What's your hurry? She's there at his house, isn't she?"

"She's there at his house." He ran the traffic light at _Springhill Avenue_ , speeding down the same roadway, looking for the next road sign then slammed down on the brakes. He turned onto _Tuthill Lane_ and sped down the residential street, slamming down on the brakes and then stopped at the intersection.

In the rear bench seat, Ace instructed. "Turn to the west and exit onto this street, which is named _Ansley Lane_. My house is down the way." The driver followed Ace's instructions then viewed a tall mansion in yellow hue which was surrounded by a nicely manicured front yard without neighbors and miles of green tinted lush forestlands within the bright sunlight rays.

"Is that your Hummer sitting in the driveway, dipshit?" Red Goon pointed at the vehicle through the semi-clean windshield.

Ace viewed his house and his automobile. "Yes." The businessman was correct again. She was here at his house.

The businessman parked behind the Hummer without killing the engine on his personal vehicle then instructed to his two associates, "Leave the doors open! No noise coming from your lips!"

"Are the front doors locked inside your mansion?" Red Goon asked Ace then opened the door, sliding off the seat, standing on top of the smooth yellow tinted brick, leaving the front passenger door open. Brown Goon quickly exited the car then rushed around the rear bumper, opening the rear door for Ace, reaching inside, dragging Ace out by the arm.

Ace stood on top of the driveway with two tied wrist bones, smiling at the front door. "Always!"

"She didn't lock the front doors." The businessman exited the car, with the engine running and leaving the car door open as he smiled at the front doors.

"Why didn't she lock the front doors? That's dumb!" Red Goon continued to stand and stared at the front of the house.

"She has planned a quick escape back into the Hummer also from the house and us." He laughed.

"O! That's some smart thinking on her part." Red Goon chuckled.

"I know her." He smiled.

"Is she waiting for us?"

"She doesn't know that we're here." He nodded.

"Why not? She heard the roar of the second car, here in the driveway, didn't she?" Red Goon frowned at the house.

"She's stupid." Brown Goon stood beside Ace then laughed out loud, staring at the house also.

"She's not stupid. She's tired from the beating you gave her." The businessman growled with annoyance still staring at the house.

"If she had cooperated!" Brown Goon laughed.

"She's stupid." Red Goon grinned.

"She's stubborn. Now, quiet down!" The businessman sneered at his two loud associates while still studying the front of the house.

"Dipshit stays in the car." Brown Goon reached up and blocked his arm in front of Ace.

Ace frowned at the nose profile on Brown Goon, "My name is Ace."

"I want the five thousand dollars of cash, all of it." Red Goon spun around and smiled at Ace.

"Greedy asshole!" Ace whispered for his eardrums only.

"He stays." Brown Goon nodded with a smile.

"No! He comes inside the house too," the businessman spoke.

Ace frowned. "My name is Ace."

"Hold him close to your body! He's our live hostage, in case, she's doesn't cooperate again." The businessman ordered.

"She ran away the last time." Brown Goon sneered at the rear skull on the businessman.

"She ran into the tall mountains, without a solid wall. She is trapped in here. She is ours. Now, quiet down!" The businessman turned and sneered at the Red Goon. "Don't shoot her either!"

"She shot and hit me." Red Goon reached up and touched his bloody flesh wound.

"You can beat her up, again." Brown Goon laughed.

"Don't beat her up, either! Do you understand me?" The businessman ordered.

"Then, what can I do to her?" Red Goon asked.

"We will all discuss that later. Right now, grab the girl and get outta of the house. We got appointments to keep." The businessman softly chuckled.

"What about dipshit over here!" Brown Goon growled.

Ace sneered. "My name..."

"Stow it, dipshit!"

"He's comes inside the house with us." The businessman ordered.

"Get moving, dipshit! No sound to the sleeping neighbors!" Brown Goon shoved Ace ahead of his body while watching the forestlands and the roadway.

Ace slowly shuffled ahead with a smile. "Don't worry now! No one can hear us!"

"I want my money, before we leave the house with the girl." Red Goon followed behind the businessman laughing with delight.

Ace softly chuckled and slowly followed behind the businessman also. "Don't worry now! You all will get your just rewards, sirs."

The ancient house is painted in dull yellow hue on each cider block and shaped in a traditional Southern Colonial structure that had been built during the 1830s. The former owner had included a grand staircase on the side wall that led up towards a second level floor of three individual bedrooms and a closed parlor room on the same wall on the first floor, in which, Ace couldn't figure out what to do with the extra space, after the death of his parents. So, after he had cleaned out the parlor room, Ace created his personal man cave that held numerous modern day electronic toys for his peace of mind and personal privacy from a teenage daughter.

The ancient manor had been built by one of the numerous cotton benefactors living within high society here in Mobile on the warm Gulf of Mexico salt waters.

The rear side on the mansion sported, at the turn of the century, a set of long wooden buildings holding each working field hand, tons of newly minted red colored bricks, a carpenter shops with new furniture pieces, and a cooking kitchen of prepared food, which detailed the ancient life of every laborer and domestic servant living at the grand manor.

Now, all the ancient and old wooden structures are used to store recreational equipment and plastic containers with useless stuff inside that Ace does not want hanging around the clean sterile atmosphere within the interior walls collecting dust and spider webs while clogging up his delicate sinuses.

During the Old Mobile historical days, the original owner had lost his grand mansion, during the Bank Panic of 1837 that involved money. Then Ace's great-great-great grandfather had purchased the empty mansion, all the slave quarters, the weed infected grounds, all the unplowed cotton fields, all the silverware, porcelain dishes, all ancient furniture pieces, each oil paintings and numerous pieces of farm equipment.

Ace finally inherited the grand mansion, after his biological parents had been brutally murdered while eating their dinner meal, a long time ago. However, Ace had sought revenge and implemented his murderous plot on the cold-blooded murderers.

At 08:33 pm, the unnamed businessman slowly moved ahead towards the closed front door, stopped, tested the knob, opening the front door. He waited four seconds, before entering the dark house. Red Goon beside him. Brown Goon and Ace behind him. They entered the dark room.

"Lights." Red Goon continued to stand in the darkness with a sour frown.

"Forget it!" The businessman continued to stand beside the Red Goon in the darkness letting his natural eyeballs adjust to the darkness.

"My eyes..."

"Stop! Don't move! Let your eyes focus within the darkness!" The businessman replied. Brown Goon and Ace slowly shuffled ahead then stopped a few inches from the open doorway that provided natural lighting of a sinking sunset into the darkened room. The interior space within the living room also displayed beaming of more natural lighting coming from the rear wall of glass windows.

The living room is a rectangular-shaped setting. The entrance wall displays a pair of wooden doors and side rows of tall glass window panes on each side of the front doors. One side wall features a light wooden staircase that lead upstairs into the bedrooms. The front windows show off the manicured yard with a short groves of tall shade trees and scattered pods of planted colorful flowers, and a small courtyard, without a set of patio furniture. There is not an exposed exit door through the living room, but inside the kitchen setting. House owner Ace does not want any invited guest or any unwanted wanderer lounging inside the dainty courtyard, during the summer or winter days.

The entrance wall of glass windows, with the small courtyard and the manicured lawn, intersects a long wall of tan colored patient that displays three individual tiny storage closets with stored items ending at an open wall that houses the kitchen setting.

On the forward wall, a row of tall glass windows in-between three sliding glass doors presents the rear lawn of nicely manicured grass and scattered pods of colorful flowers, without a grove of trees while making the outdoor yard inviting but hot throughout the spring, summer, and autumn seasonal times. Behind the manicured yard, miles of lush forestlands once fertile crop fields have been grown over and implanted with smaller wild animals and wild fruit plant bushes for studying, not hunting.

Now, the current interior layout in the house displays a new atmosphere comprising tans, teals, and tiny splashes of rose hue.

Ace did not mind the girly colors inside his house as long as his teenage girl was happy. While living over three months inside his Granddaddy Smith's house, during the four-month renovation project, his daughter Gem had selected and decorated the interior colors in the living room and kitchen setting with the paid interior decorator.

The opposite side with the plain light wooden staircase nicely guards the hidden room behind a pair of double doors, which is Ace's newly updated man cave. The original man cave had been destroyed and then donated to expanse the living room setting creating a smaller, more private man cave with new electronic toys for his fun.

The new kitchen setting wall was open exposing a doorway a few feet from the bay window inside the wall corner. The bay window design carves out an eating table for two to four persons. If more people are present, then they will eat on the opposite wall corner inside a second bay window eating table. Blonde tinted wood runs through the first floor level into Ace's new man cave. Each naked space on the wall displays only paint, not pictures. All of the family pictures are mounted in the den room.

Continuing inside the kitchen setting, a few feet down from each bay window eating table, the kitchen counter is comprised of purple granite above and below rows of upper and lower sitting tan-colored wooden cabinets that holds all of the dishes or it surrounds each matching tan-colored standard kitchen appliances, which is used in the kitchen format for cooking or baking.

Yes, there does exist tan colored kitchen appliances.

However, Ace does not cook or bake and neither does Gem, but the kitchen space looks really cool and elegant.

A few feet from the edge of the purple granite countertop, a kitchen island stands, alone and lonely, kissing on six high stool chairs for sitting, eating, chatting, and socializing. A long glass vase of short rows of fresh yellow, blue, red, pink, and orange carnations mark the island with beauty, compliments of the bonded, paid maid service. Gem loves the carnation flowers and Ace loves his daughter.

The kitchen island block is used sitting, eating, and chatting, viewing a forward wall that exposed both the front and rear lawns with the colorful flowers.

The second floor level redesign was redecorated with the girly touch by Gem. Ace didn't mind as long as his princess teenager was happy.

In the middle of the single living room space, three living room settings in the colors of teal, tan, and rose strategically stand away from the entrance and exit points without stumping a naked toe bone, during the midnight run of unhealthy snacks. One set of individual pieces of furniture face the entrance wall of glass windows and view the front lawn. The other set stares at the rear lawn of flowers and grass then miles of forestland.

The back lawn used to contain rows of ancient old short buildings from the pre-civil war era. The hired contractors torn down the ancient buildings creating the lovely rear lawn of flat grass blades.

At 08:36 pm, the businessman whipped out his hand gun then cautiously moved forward, scanning the living room setting for movement. Red Goon moved slightly behind the businessman whipping out his personal hand gun also. Brown Goon whipped out his hand gun then slowly moved ahead behind the back spine on Red Goon. Ace stood in place with both of his wrist bones tied around his back spine and wore a bright sun within the fading natural sunlight bombarding the living room setting.

The businessman halted behind the first sofa holding his free hand in the air, signaling his two associates, in silence. The two males stopped and stood a few feet from the businessman. He leader pointed down at the long sofa, noticing a lumpy bump of wrinkled blankets. The businessman and the Red Goon moved softly around the sofa, one on each side with a hand gun pointed at the lump of blankets.

The Brown Goon moved ahead then stopped behind the sofa, pointing his gun at the lump of blankets too. Ace continued to stand in front of the open doorway.

The businessman stared down with a smile at the lump underneath the pile of blankets and reached out, grabbing a handful of fabric, lifting up the blankets and shouted out loud, "Surprise, honey! What!"

Ace swiftly scooted sideways then slammed into the wall corner, crouching down on top of the floor, watching the action while softly chuckling out loud. The overhead ceiling lights flicked on blinding each pair of eyeballs for one second. Then a loud popping sound bombarded each pair of eardrums. A gun shot hit an upright and stunned Brown Goon in his exposed chest, spilling out his gooey flesh and his some of busted white tinted bone fragment, exploding in the air, on the floor, at the walls, up in the ceiling planks.

In front of the sofa, the businessman gasped in alarm. "Out! Out! Out!" He yelled in fear without firing off a bullet then scooted sideways, rushing away towards the open archway while escaping each flying bullet that slammed down into the wooden floor planks, pinging into the soft newly paint plaster wall material or hitting the wooden doorway. He moved faster than an annoying house dragging the blanket behind his ass, holding his hand gun.

Red Goon scooted sideways from the businessman then dashed ahead, jumping over the dead body of his associate Brown Goon, racing through the open archway first, avoiding each flying bullet that hit the floor or the wall or the door panels. He exited the house first running to the car, sliding down into his assigned seat while watching the businessman.

The businessman exited next with fright slamming his body into the car door, grunting in pain. He swiftly scooted around the door then slid down into the driver's seat, grunting in more pain and switched the gear, reversing from the driveway then fled down the city street of _Ansley Lane_ while escaping from Ace, the girl, and the hidden shooter inside that house with his precious life.

Inside the house, Ace slowly stood upright from the floor then moved ahead, standing in front of the open archway, seeing the red tinted taillights on the Lincoln Navigator SUV leave his driveway, his house and his person, yelling out loud. "Well done, guys!"

Slick, one of Ace's most trusted Coast Guard Justice Department special agents and more importantly, best friends, practically soared down the staircase landing deftly on the bottom floor, reaching sideways, flipping on the overhead lamps that illuminated the room. He stood in place and scanned the room for any other dangerous males or females.

Buck, Ace's other most trusted friend and employee from the Coast Guard Justice Department slowly followed Slick, toting a rifle on his collar, wearing a pair of night goggles on top of his blonde tinted hair roots. He hit the first floor laughing out loud then approached the dead man, who rested behind the first sofa, stopping then kicked the leg on the dead male for security.

"It's dead!" Slick yelled out loud and shuffled ahead to Ace at the entrance wall, whipping out his switchblade then stopped behind Ace, cutting off the tied ropes on his boss.

Ace continued to stand and viewed the front yard of his house rubbing both of his aching wrist bones. "Remove it, before it smells up my house!"

"I do believe that you missed, again, Buck." Slick spun around and chuckled to Buck.

Ace spun around and stared down at Brown Goon. "Did you kill it, Slick?" He moved ahead the stopped, kicking the leg on a grounded Brown Goon, ensuring the unnamed and unknown adult male was really dead, not alive and breathing oxygen molecules.

"I never miss." Slick smiled with his rifle propped on his collar bone wearing a pair of night googles also.

"Slick had the easy target, over here. I had the hard ones with a lousy angle." Buck spun around and moved ahead surveying an array of the new tiny holes in the tan colored walls from the short gun battle while trying to hit the other two foes.

Ace pointed at the newly painted walls inside his mansion. "I see scattered red tinted blood splatters. You got someone, Buck."

"Do you see and hear? I didn't miss." Buck grunted at the new floor and wall decorations.

"I don't see a second dead body, so you missed it, again, Buck." Slick laughed out loud. "No skills. No kills."

"Close enough! There are plenty of flesh pellets against the beautiful tan painted walls." He pointed at the wall.

Ace ordered. "Call the clean-up team to come and clean up this new mess inside my house! How is she doing?" He looked at Buck. Slick spun around and whipped out his personal mobile telephone, contacting the secret clean-up team which was hired by Ace's Resources.

"She is asleep inside Bo's bedroom, Boss." Buck spun around and nodded to Ace.

"Where is my Bo Peep?"

"Bo Peep was invited to stay with the Admiral at his house, Boss."

Ace gasped in worry. "Gawd! Does she know, too?"

"Hell, no! I told the Admiral the truth. He knows. He kept her very busy during the late afternoon, after she had arrived home. They ate the dinner meal together. Now, Bo Peep is sorting through numerous personal possessions from your dead sister Mary Ann, Boss."

Ace nodded with a smile. "Has Bo Peep been here at all?"

"Naw. The Admiral told Bo Peep that he really needed her female help and such, Boss." He laughed.

Ace exhaled with relieve. "Excellent news! Gawd! I don't want Bo Peep upset, again."

Slick disconnected the telephone call then spun around, nodding to Ace. "The clean-up team will be here within fifteen minutes. Where are you staying for the night, Chief?"

Ace smiled. "I'll go and stay at the beach house."

"What about her?" Slick pointed to the second floor, where the mystery girl was sleeping peacefully.

He chuckled with a nod. "And she can come and stay with me at the beach house too."

"Really?"

He winked. "Yeah, really!"

"Who are your three kidnappers, minus one, Boss?" Buck spun around from the damaged wall studying the dead male.

He turned and frowned down at the dead body. "Hell, if I know, they wanted her, not me."

"What for, Boss?"

He smiled. "Hell, if I know, they wanted her, not me."

"You just repeated that, Chief." Slick smiled at Ace.

Ace turned and winked to Slick, "Hell, if I know, they wanted her, not me, Slick." He laughed with Buck.

He nodded. "Well, I was making sure that you wanted to repeat that particular ambiguous statement, Chief." Slick laughed with his two friends again.

"So, this is about her, not you, ain't that right, Boss?" Buck clarified.

"Does she got a name? Or do you just call her, Her?" Slick chuckled.

He shook his bone skull at Slick, "Do not ask a complicated question, right here and right now, to Ace, Slick?! Don't you know her name, Boss?"

"If she is going to stay with you at the beach house, then I guess you can ask her name tomorrow, since you might be busy tonight, Chief." Slick winked at Ace.

"Stow it, Slick!" Buck frowned.

"You were the one that started it, with her, calling her, Her." He smiled.

Ace nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I'll be busy tonight ..."

"...with her, who is named Her, Chief." He grinned.

Ace frowned at Slick. "Did you see her face?"

"Beautiful!" Buck nodded.

He exhaled with frustration. "Yeah, the three kidnappers beat the crap out of her face and her body."

"O! So, you are her new Prince Charmingly." Slick grinned.

He nodded, "Then she stranded me with them."

"Damn! You saved her ass, again. I should beat her, Her." Buck sneered.

He said. "Well, she is sleeping in my house, so I'm protect her, Her."

"While you were being kidnapped and tortured, Chief?" Slick asked.

"Was Ace really tortured? That's a wrong joke, ain't that right, Slick?" Buck chuckled with Slick.

Ace laughed with a nod. "Yeah, that's a lousy joke, isn't that right, Slick?"

"So, what is the answer, Chief?" Slick asked.

He smiled. "So, what is the question, Slick?"

"I don't get the connection, Chief." Slick shook his bone skull with puzzlement at the mystery girl and the three mystery foes.

He smiled. "What connection, Slick?"

"She stole your car, entered your house, ate your food, drank all your milk, and then fell down asleep on your sofa." Slick nodded with a stern face.

Ace frowned. "How do you know that?"

Buck pointed to the ceiling planks. "We reviewed the film from the hidden camera lenses that reside on the ceiling planks, Boss."

"Yeah, right!" Ace chuckled.

"I can't wait to hear the rest of the story, Chief." Slick nodded with a smile.

Ace shook his bone skull and rubbed his dirty face with both of his hands. "You will hear the rest of demon tale, later, maybe on tomorrow afternoon. Then we can all laugh about it."

The mobile telephone played a heavy metal rock and roll musical tune. Slick answered his personal mobile telephone, "Slick."

He paused then listened to the other party.

"Rear."

He paused.

"Yeah." He slapped the telephone call off. "They're here." Slick sung with a musical note and smiled to his friend. "Hey, Bucket! Where did that two-wordy phrase 'They're here' come from?"

"Phrase! What phrase?" Buck frowned at Slick.

"What ancient Hollywood movie film used these two words: They're here?"

"Beats me."

"Go on and guess, buddy! They're here!" Slick smiled.

Buck shook his bone head pulling off the nighttime goggles holding the rifle on his collar bone, spinning around, heading into the kitchen, waiting for the cleanup team.

An array of heavy footsteps echoed off each wooden step. Buck, Slick, and Ace spun around then viewed a dark figure on the staircase. She didn't look up and concentrated on each step holding the banister with her hand from falling down the staircase.

Ace rushed ahead then blocked the last step with his upright body. The girl hit the floor then collided into Ace, jerking back with surprising strength for a tall girl with a skinny frame. Ace giggled with silliness into her face. "Alley oop!" He held her tight, not releasing his grip fearing she might run away from him again. She performed a leg kick then an elbow slam, then some teeth biting, and finally a head butting. All her maneuvers failed as she was too tired, too slow and too old.

Ace chuckled with amusing delight at her defense posture. "Calm down, baby! Do you remember my face? You stole my gun in the forest from the attacking bears." He laughed with delight and continued to cuddle her body int his chest, slowly back stepping from the staircase, dragging through the living room floor.

"Hell! What did she do?" Buck spun around at the archway then stared at the back spine on Ace, without seeing the mystery girl.

"I thought you sedated her, Buck." Slick frowned with annoyance.

"I provided a very light dosage. I wanted Ace to have some fun tonight." He snickered.

"Thanks for thinking of me, Buck!" Ace remarked with a frown.

"You're very welcome, Boss!" Buck smiled.

Ace stopped with the girl then pointed down at the dead man on top of his newly polished wooden floor. "Look down there, baby! Do you remember his face? Now, he can't hurt you anymore."

"He can't harm you anymore either." Buck smiled at the cute couple.

"It's dead." Slick moved ahead then stopped standing behind the dead body, reaching out, kicking the guy's head with his boot. The dead man's head lobed to the right then split the neck bone exposing the blood, tissues, and bone fragments.

The girl stopped struggling within Ace's arms then stared down at a dead Brown Goon, who displayed a wound on his exposed chest. His heart was hanging out over his shirt. She leaned backwards, wobbled, then fainted into unconsciousness down into Ace's arms.

Slick looked up and smiled at the girl, "I do believe that was too much blood and guts, maybe." He laughed with Buck.

"That's not enough for me. I like blood and guts." Buck chuckled.

"You are a sick-o bastard, Buck." He looked up and jabbed his finger at Buck.

"I like to hunt too. Hunting techniques make more blood and guts, especially from bleeding dead animal parts."

"You are a sick bastard, too, Buck. Did you figure out the phrase: They're here?" Slick smiled.

He frowned. "No, I didn't. Tell me! So, I don't have to listen to your damn irritating question anymore."

"No! I want you to guess. They're here!" Slick sung the two words again as they shuffled from the living room setting into the kitchen room inside Ace's house, waiting for the clean-up crew.

The side door inside the kitchen opened and revealed a green painted face. The face shouted out loud with a smile. "Slick!" The clean-up members entered the kitchen holding numerous equipment bags for the new job.

Ace yelled to Buck lifting the girl into chest, moving ahead towards the open doorway. "Buck, I am driving to the beach house for the night, clean this mess up, and call the damn decorators again." He exited the house then shuffled towards the automobile, opening the rear door, placing her down into the back seat. He leaned down into the underneath drawer on the rear bench seat and pulled out a white tinted blanket, covering her sleeping body. He was tempted to tie her two wrist bone, but she had been tortured enough for the day, maybe the week, or maybe for the rest of the year. She couldn't escape the baby proof locks in the rear doors anyways. He chuckled then yawned feeling tired also. He had spent a long day with the three stooges, minus one, now.

Who are these men following her?

Ace wished Buck hadn't missed the other two mysterious men with the rifle, but Buck was correct. The geometric angle was bad coming from the second floor level in his house. His house was designed for pleasure, not pain.

This girl gave Ace both pleasure and pain in more ways than he could count. She was beautiful, strong, bold, tough, independent, brave, smart, tall, slim, and nameless. She had defied all the rules by not talking, yelling, screaming, or cursing at him, also.

Ace usually got one curse word coming from a female, once a day, either, one of his whores at his house, one of his secretaries at his work place, or one of his female officers at his military base.
Orange Beach is a city located on the white tinted sands grains on the warm Gulf of Mexico pale blue tinted salt waters which is known as a water sports hub. The Waterfront Park grounds contain a fishing pier and scattered pods of naked wooden picnic tables for eating in the sun and playing in the sand.

The Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum building displays numerous artifacts and historical information regarding the local Native American Indian tribes and their ancient fishing techniques from centuries ago. The Wharf building is an open shopping place with an open musical amphitheater, similar to the Roman times with plays and musical concerts.

Ace owned a beach house on the shoreline, where he had partied hard, drunk a lot, and danced stoned with his set of high school gooey friends including his dead childhood friends Flash, Shotgun, and Mary Ann Smith. Now, his fifteen-year-old daughter used his beach house for her girlfriend fun parties and was guarded by his Resources, each weekend, without Ace's present but with Ace's permission.

One hours and 25 minutes later...

09:33 pm

Blistering heat with moonlight rays and twinkling stars

Inside the automobile, the girl was resting nicely, not moving within the back seat. Ace parked the truck inside the beach garage.

The family beach house has four separate bedrooms, five bathrooms, a complete kitchen setting, a living room setting, four upper floor balconies, and three working garage doors on the first floor level that kissed the white tinted sand grains. There is a short wooden pier leading out to the white tinted sands and the greenish-blue warm Gulf of Mexico ocean waters.

The two-story house had withstood one hurricane attack after hurricane with minor damage hitting here and there. Each year, Ace would repair the house, after each hurricane attack which was becoming sometimes three times in a solar year and more money expensive than last year. The payment of beach house insurance could fuel a small independent third world country for five years.

Ace liked the house and the good memories coming from his loving parents and his deceased sister as they had spent their family time together here. He wanted the house kept up for safety reasons enjoying his own family, which included presently his newly discovered daughter, Bo Peep.

Bo Peep is really named Jewel Gem Smith, and her real mother is Mary Ann Smith, a long time childhood friend of the Smith family, who had conceived a fetus girl on a rainy summer night with Ace, after Mary Ann had escaped from her abusive husband Samuel "Flash" Gordon Smith.

Flash was Ace's boyhood friend, who along with another friend Shotgun and numerous non-related family members ended up dead on Ace's living room, after Ace took the trouble of inviting them to a nice gourmet dinner and a glass of expensive wine, for a nightly chat.

Then the nightly chat turned both nasty and mean.

Shotgun and his three sons, who were nicknamed Junior, Trey and Quad along with Flash and Flash's wife, who was the mother of his biological child all admitted under the influence of drug-induced wine that they all had killed Ace's sister for the millions of US dollars inside her personal bank account.

Everyone dies. Everyone lives. Everyone survives.

Ace found his place in society without any friends. He had acquired a set of new friends, Buck and Slick, during his Coast Guard Academy days in college. His Granddaddy Smith was loyal to his grandson Ace and was about to add a new step-grandmother, within the Smith family, in a couple of weeks.

Ace would have been without any family, if it hadn't been for his nosy Granddaddy Smith, who had probed, poked, and pruned the information from friends, family members, and his team of privately paid Resources resulting in the identification of a fifteen-year-old daughter, who was nicknamed Bo Peep or Jewel Gem Smith.

Since all of Ace's bad relatives were dead, he was without enemies, until the three goons showed up on his restful vacation at the Tennessee Mountain cabin, causing major trouble. However, trouble seemed to follow Ace.

During his college days, Ace had embarrassed four senior cadets at the USA Coast Guard Academy, on the first day of school. The four devoted friends of the exposed and expelled students wanted revenge on Ace's soul. So, Ace found himself busy with life, escaping silly traps, washing numerous barracks floors, and fighting with two fists. However, he had survived then finally graduated from the USA Coast Guard Academy literally with the help of his new two friends Slick and Buck, his biological Granddaddy Smith, and his military mentor, Rear Admiral B. James Burbank.

Ace became a commissioned officer, within the Coast Guard branch, working as a prosecuting attorney for the USCG, kicking out all of the drug users, peddlers, and pushers through the military door into the city streets of Mobile.

The United States Coast Guard worked with the local Mobile law enforcement to monitor and trap all drug users and peddlers. The human inventory continued to increase the overcrowded jail cells due to Ace's dedicated legal and moral work while making him a target for all kinds of reasons. Ace could take care of his person with the help of his Resources and the spying skills from his Granddaddy Smith.

At 09:36 pm, inside one of the beach garages, Ace parked the vehicle then killed the engine, scooting from the driver's seat, dashing around the car bumper. He opened the rear door and eased the girl out from the back seat, carrying her into the house and climbed the staircase, resting her inside the third guest bedroom on top of the lavender colored girly bedcovers with numerous coral tinted seashell patterns. He left her resting for the late evening hours. Then he yawned then left the bedroom, scratching at numerous body parts, slowly climbing down the staircase. He padded into the kitchen setting of peach and mint green colors with an array of stainless steel appliances, "This has been the longest day of my life. I need food."

He stopped then opened the food pantry looking for dinner, grabbing the item. He flipped off the tab, opening a can of cold spaghetti and meatballs, blasting the wet contents on top of a stone plate inside the microwave. Ace spun around with the radiated meal then sat down at the kitchen island black in the middle of the combination living room-kitchen space, quickly eating the warmed food item with three pieces of cold loaf bread. The food tasted terrific to his taste buddies too.

He reached out and tapped on the television remote control devise that lived on top of the kitchen island, instead of the side table by the lounge chair inside the living room setting. The television plasma screen clicked on and presented the latest news breaking stories from the world. There wasn't information about a missing helicopter pilot in the State of Tennessee.

So, Ace would have to call and provide an anonymous tip about the missing helicopter pilot that was buried underneath the bushes on Outlook Mountain to the local ranger's station, so the worried family members could find the poor, dead fellow, who had been shot by one of the murderous goons.

Why do they want her? What does she possess?

At the log cabin on Lookout Mountain, Ace could have offered the three goons both money and weapons. However, they wanted the girl. Well, Ace got the girl. So, he could ask the girl that particular question and then help her with that particular problem too.

He laughed out loud and slid the television remote control devise towards the edge on the kitchen island, reaching out, grabbing the portal computer laptop, which seemed to live on top of the island surface too, instead on top of the expensive office desk surface inside the living room setting.

Ace flicked off the television devise off then typed on the computer keyboard, accessing the internet world. He didn't know what he was searching, maybe names, descriptions, tattoos, locations, or a kidnapper web site. He snorted with amusement.

The three kidnappers were very careful and did not shout out a proper name.

Ace immediately thought of a killer hit contract. And three abductors knew the city streets of Mobile, very well, along with the state highways within the US State of Alabama. Three Alabama natives came to mind. The three kidnappers didn't care about weapons, ransoms, or witnesses.

Ace spoke out loud in shock. "Drugs! Shit!" He immediately concluded the girl must be involved in drugs or part of a secret drug ring. He became very mad and as Ace hated drug users of any sort. He pushed the high stool away from the island then stood upright from the padded cushion, shouting out loud, "Fuck!" A pair of soft fingers tapped on his collar bone. He jumped in fright then twisted around, shouting out loud in surprise. "Shit!"

The girl swiftly back pedaled three paces away from Ace. She had awoken in surprise and fright. She wasn't smiling at Ace. Her hair strands were wet and plastered down the side of her face, which contained the healing head wound over her right eyebrow from one dead goon.

When had she showered her dirty body and washed her dirty hair strands?

Ace didn't remember hearing the water running in the upper bathroom lavatory. But he was studying in deep concentration down here in the kitchen setting. She donned his long, white tinted tee shirt which fell down to her two naked and exposed kneecaps. She was a tall female in a pair of bared feet, wearing a pair of his running shorts colored in dark blue hue. He could see the dark color through the long white shirt.

"I am so sorry! You startled me. Do you remember me? I saved you again." Ace slapped his chest and nodded with a smile. She nodded without a smile but did not speak lifting both of her arms in the air, like she was a hostage. He chuckled. "It's okay. Put your arms down. I'm a friendly here." She obeyed but did not speak. He smiled. "I am not going to harm you. I guess you might have figured that out by now. I was deep in thought down here My name is Ace. What is your name?" He asked. She still didn't speak but pointed at the computer laptop on top of the kitchen island surface.

He exhaled with annoyance and wanted to yell out loud as she was playing a game of unfriendly charades, again, like she had performed inside the log cabin in Tennessee. Instead, he surrendered then pointed at the chair in front of the computer laptop.

She sat down and wiggled on top of the cushion, reaching out, pressing the mouse devise. She accessed a blank electronic page then started typing using all of her fingers on the smaller keyboard at rapid speed and stopped her typing. She spun around and thumbed back over her collar bone to the computer screen while nodding with a smile to Ace.

Ace frowned with more annoyance then leaned down over the island surface staring at the laptop screen. On the display, in a font size 22, in black tinted letters, she had typed, using the Calibri style, a set of words. He read out the set of type words at the top of the page. "Hello! My name is Fawn. I am a mute." He stood upright then waved both of his arms in the air while yelling out loud in shock, joy, relief and, surprise, pointing both of his hands at her. "Shit! You can't talk with your natural human girly voice."

She nodded with a smile to Ace then spun around on top of the cushion, typing out a response on the keyboard from his vocal comment: **That is correct.**

He moaned with frustration and slapped both of his hands down at each leg, staring at the computer screen while verbally talking to her. "Well, that explains everything."

She smiled and typed: **So, is everything okay, now?**

He smiled and continued to read her comments on the computer screen. "Yes! Everything is fabulous, Fawn."

She typed: **Good! I am glad, for you and me, Ace.**

He noticed her other ability. "You can type really fast."

She typed: **Thanks, Ace!**

"I am so sorry, Fawn. I want to apologize to you. I thought..."

I was playing a game of charades. I am good at charades but better with typing as a form of communication.

He laughed. "Okay! Do you not perform sign language?"

She typed: **No. I do not sign. I can type faster and easier using the modern day technology.**

He chuckled. "I can see that, Fawn."

She smiled and typed: **Cute pun, Ace!**

"Do you make any sounds from your vocal cords?"

She typed: **No.**

He gasped in shock and nodded with a sad face. "Well, that's okay."

She typed: T **hat's the best I got. I guess.**

He laughed. "That isn't the best you got, baby. I see lots of bests on you, one being you look great in my tee shirt."

She smiled and typed. **Thank you, Ace!**

He exhaled with disappointment. "Have you talked to a medical physician about your lack of vocal words?"

She nodded and typed: **I imagine you have thousands of questions about me, my vocal chords, and my everything. Please, allow me to type out my short and boring past and present history, then we can go from there.**

He laughed with a smile. "Baby, you can read my mind. That's a great idea. Do you want something to drink?" She nodded and continued to type. He entered the kitchen preparing two ice cold dark sodas, for her and him. He was very curious, intrigued and, fascinated. He was charmed with her brass, body, and brains. She was a mute, who could not speak with her natural voice.

Ace shook his bone skull with amazement and puzzlement. She was a defiant, rebellious, and insolent young adult female there inside the log cabin in the mountains. He opened the bottle of dark soda. Ace liked the soft drink from a real glass, not the plastic container. The plastic material made the sodas taste plastic.

He hoped Fawn liked ice cold dark sodas too, since all the cabinets were filled with tons of junk food and rows of sodas. He and Bo Peep had lived here immediately after the mass homicide inside his living room, regarding all of his formal in-laws and friends. He spun around and held both of the sweaty bottles of dark soda, noting her typing skills. He didn't want to breath down her neck waiting on her to finish the information letter about her person. She had probably received that type of treatment her entire life, since she couldn't communicate using her voice.

Ace couldn't imagine not being able to shout across the room, in which, Ace did often, when Bo Peep played her pop musical tunes to loud or watched her set of television programs for too long or wore her teenly clothes too sexy, for a father's sanity. He needed to call Gem and tell he was safely home, but he would wait until tomorrow morning, after a refreshing slumber.

However, Gem was in the care of her great-granddaddy and going through all of Mary Ann's personal possessions, because his biological older sister had faked the motherhood of Gem as her daughter, which in turn, Gem was really Ace's biological daughter.

Yeah, it is still all confusing.

At 10:01 pm, on top of the kitchen island, at the computer keyboard, the girl named Fawn, who was mute, had finished typed her story, scooting off the chair, spinning around then smiled at Ace. She pointed down at the laptop standing on the edge of the island block.

Ace handed a sweaty soda bottle with a smile. She accepted the beverage with a nod then gulped down half of the cold sweet liquid. He sat down in the chair and smiled at the long typed page on the computer screen. She scooted away from Ace then leaned over the edge on the island surface, sipping the soda, watching his reaction.

Ace read in silence the information the computer screen.

Hi, again. My name is Fawn Fong. I am 28 years old. I was born on February 14th, Valentine's Day, here in the city of Mobile, within the U.S. State of Alabama, at Mobile Women's and Children's Center. I am single, never married.

I was told that I could not cry as an infant. Numerous medical physicians determined that I would never talk. I accepted that medical fact. I entered the first day of kindergarten at the age of five years old in the Mobile Elementary School, like a regular student, passing each grade level to the next. I played the musical instrument clarinet in the concert band. I danced at the sporting games as a Pom-Pom girl. I wasn't allowed to date as a mute girl. My dad was too worried and overprotective. I graduated from Mobile High School, when I was eighteen years old, the same year my parents passed up into heaven.

I entered college at the age of eighteen years old. But I still continued to take classes and graduated with a computer science degree. I have a part time job at the Mobile Easter Seal Society as a data entry clerk, entering numbers on the computer system.

I also volunteer at the Mobile Rehabilitation Center with underprivileged kids on computers. I try to give back my time to help the kids feel normal.

I was kidnapped from my apartment on Monday afternoon, when I arrived home from work. They attacked me as I closed the front door. I kicked and punched back using my hands, fingers, and feet trying to protect my person. Then I was greeted with pulling and pushing of strange hands and arms, until a manly fist plowed into my jaw. I stumbled backwards from the attack without screaming in pain.

One manly hand reached out and grabbed my waving hand, flinging my body across the living room setting. I landed down on the square edge of the side table, hitting my face. Then I fell down on top of the floor, swiftly standing upright, fighting back, and then another manly fist hit my face.

Then I passed out into unconsciousness.

When I awoke from my deep slumber, I noted it was early evening at the location of Outlook Mountain inside another tiny log cabin. I was placed on top of a beige colored bedspread and covered in a blanket. I stood upright from the strange bed mattress. My body hurt everywhere. I tested the side glass window which opened on the first try as I flung the glass pane upwards into the slot.

I shimmied out the window pane, walking along the forest property as fast as I could in a pair of high heeled fashion sandals. It seemed that I stumbled around the rocks and tree limbs for hours, and then I came across a second log cabin. I tested the front door which opened then entered the living room, hearing the nice singing from the running bathroom shower.

I do believe the rest is history, as the historians quote.

The end!

On top of the kitchen island, Ace finished reading her typed words on the computer screen, sitting upright, staring at the computer screen. She had covered some important facts in great detail.

She has never been married. That is a very useful fact.

There were numerous questions rattling around inside his active mind. How did she meet the businessman and his two goons? However, Ace would inquire later from Fawn. If he could inquire, then he would have to buy another laptop for her, since that was the only method of communication with him.

Ace felt strange, not conversing with vocal words with another life form, inside the same room. He didn't want to make her feel alienated about her birthday handicap. However, Fawn volunteered with children with disabilities making them feel normal. So, he wanted to feel normal, despite the un-normal day that they had shared together.

He turned then smiled at Fawn in silence. She was still leaning over the edge on the island surface while chugging down the cold soda drink. She must be hungry as well. He scooted off the chair and nodded to her. "Your personal story is not boring but very interesting, to me." She grinned with a perfect set of white straight teeth showing a beautiful smile along with a beautiful body. He clapped with a nod. "How about a plate of hot food?" She nodded in silence. He shuffled away from the island surface and the row of bar stools, heading deeply into the kitchen space, saying to her. "I'm not a cook, but I can zap a plate of hot food in the microwave. Is that okay with you, Fawn?" He spun around and smiled at her. She nodded with a grin.

Ace spun back around then stopped, opening the food pantry door, staring rows of canned food items that were available for a fast, hot dinner meal. He has just eaten a whole can of spaghetti and meatballs. The food item tasted good, when zapped in the microwave. She gently placed the empty soda bottle on top of the island surface then moseyed ahead, appearing beside Ace while scanning each label on some of the food cans.

He pointed at one canned food item. "How about this one?" Fawn reached out then touched his naked arm, by accident, while pointing at the same canned food item.

i like spaghetti too.

"Ditto!" Ace smiled. Fawn gasped in shock, without making a sweet sound, lifting her hand from his naked forearm, swiftly shuffling backward from Ace. She appeared surprised on her bruised face.

He gasped in shock then spun around, staring with puzzlement at Fawn. Then he sneered. "What in the hell just happened here? You spoke to me. Didn't you speak to me?" She shook her semi-wet curls. He frowned. "Wait a minute! I heard something. You said clear as day the words: I like spaghetti too. Then, I remarked the word, ditto, because I heard your vocal words. I answered your response." She continued to shake her head. He stepped forward to her. She moved backwards from him.

He stopped in both angry and puzzlement. "What's going on here? Look! You are stunned and surprised too. I can see the stunned expression on your face. I am too. What happened in here? What happened between us? Something happened with you and me. Tell me! I'm not crazy." He exhaled with fighting fury and some fear.

Fawn continued to shake her bone head, in silence, without attempting to answer his questions. She could type a wordy response on the laptop, on top of kitchen island, if she really wanted. She was playing a game of charades, again, like she had done in the log cabin in Tennessee.

Ace wasn't deaf, dumb, or blind. The girl had spoken to him, not with her voice, but with her words coming directly into his brain cells. He heard her words inside his mind. He stared at her. She was scared and upset rather than stunned and surprised.

He advanced, without warning, rushing ahead, reaching out and grabbed her body, using both of his hands, demanding an answer to his confusing and puzzled questions. She hit the kitchen island on her back spine which stopped her backwards motion from his forward advancement. Ace continued to hold her tight with his manly grip.

Fawn was scared then mentally talked with her words directly into his mind.

do not hurt me. please, do not hurt me. tell the truth. mute. i cannot talk with my voice. i am sorry. i did not mean to angry you. i am not playing games. please, do not hurt me.

Ace heard her words clearly inside his mind. He was holding Fawn on her upper arms. She was crying and talking, at the same, directly into his mind, using a set of English words, which were both loud and clear. He didn't release her two forearms but shouted out loud in both confusion and puzzlement. "I can hear your words of pleads inside my mind. You said, please, don't hurt me. I'm not going to hurt you, baby. I can't believe this. I can hear your words inside my mind without seeing your lips move. How is this speaking thing even possible?" He was stunned into amazement. She stopped struggling then exhaled with a set of deep breaths, calming her frightened nerves, staring into his pair of lovely violet eyes.

i am a telepath. i can hear words, sometimes, from some people, not all people. i really am mute. i cannot speak. my vocal cords are damaged, permanently. i am telling you the truth.

"You are a telepath. How is that possible?" He repeated with confusion, delight, mystery, puzzlement, concern and worry.

telepathy is a form of non-verbal communication using my brain cells. i cannot offer a scientific explanation. i do not think one exists. but i can communicate with a person, if and only if i am touched.

"Telepathy! I can hear your vocal words going directly inside my mind. I'm not crazy. I thought, when I heard your vocal words: I like spaghetti too, that I was going insane and crazy. I can hear your vocal words going into my mind. You talked to me. You are talking to me, right now, also. Your vocal words are clear and perfectly articulated in the English language going into my mind." He laughed. "You have a Southern accent, baby."

She smiled then mentally talked back into his mind.

i did not know that.

"How did you figure this out? Did a medical physician test your telepathic ability inside his laboratory? Or did you test the doctor instead?" He laughed. She was a smart girl with an undiscovered talent that had been granted by Almighty God. She really possessed the ability to talk to people without moving her lips or making a vocal sound in the air but within her mind.

She mentally talked into his mind.

i discovered my gift as a young child, living with my parents. i could communicate with my dad but not my mom. i was very stunned to learn about my talent. i was also very frightened to use my gift. i never told anyone about my gift either.

He released both of his hands from her two arms, saying with a smile and a set of calmer set of emotional nerves. "Sit down, baby!" He guided Fawn back down onto the stool chair, leaning over and hugged her shaking body. He pulled back with a grin touching her arm with his hand. "I am so sorry, that I scared both you and me. I reacted. I was quite scared myself. With everything that we have been through, I thought I was losing my mind."

i am so sorry, too.

"You don't have to apology to me. How about a plate of food?"

yes. please, i am hungry.

"Okay. I'll display my great gourmet skills and open four cans of spaghetti and fake meatballs. Is white bread okay with our dinner meal? What did you call it? This telepathy thing is great. I can talk to you and you can talk to me. I like this arrangement best, baby." He patted both of her arms with delight.

i do, also.

Ace spun away from Fawn, moving back into the kitchen setting, grabbing four cans of food from the pantry, fiddling with the can opener. She sat content with a smile on top of the cushion and stared at the back spine on Ace. He said. "So, your telepathic gift worked on your father, but not your mother. I wonder why. Maybe, we could consult with one of my medical friends. Dr. Patrick is a genius medical physician. He might be able to come up with a scientific explanation for your unique talent." He laughed. Silence loomed within his mind. "What do you say?" He turned then winked at Fawn, who was sitting alone at the island and wore a frown. He gasped in shock. "O! This ain't going to work, unless I touch your forearm. Isn't that correct?" He gently dropped the can of food then scooted backwards for fun, grabbing her chair, shuffling Fawn beside the countertop. He stood beside her then started opening each canned food items for the evening meal.

She reached out then touched his arm, speaking into his mind.

you are very thoughtful, ace.

"Thoughtful! You're like a living science project. I'm intrigued, captivated, and fascinated by you." He laughed out loud.

is that good?

"Good, baby! This is great." He emptied two cans on an individual stone plate then zapped the cold contents inside the microwave, spinning around, winking at her. "You're better than my chemistry set, when I was ten years old."

did you blow up a kitchen chair?

"The garage door launched upright going a pitiful two feet and four inches while missing the intended target."

you expected a moon shot into outer space.

"Naw! I was trying to hit my neighbor's cat."

you were a mean little boy, ace.

"I still am!" He winked at her. "But I missed the damn feline and I got punished big time by my set of angry parents. No desserts. No chemistry set. No playing. No friends for two whole weeks until I drove my parents crazy with insanity and talking to them all the time almost 24 hours in the day and night." The microwave beeped. He spun around and pulled out the first plate of steaming food, placing two pieces of load bread on the edge of the plate then handed to Fawn. Then he placed the second plate of cold food into the microwave, setting the timer, then spun around smiling at her, reaching out and touched her arm for their shared telepath communication.

She accepted the plate of food then stared eating while still talking with her vocal words into his mind and touching his hand.

talking!

He smiled with a nod, "I love to talk. I can out speak every politician here in Baldwin County and surrounding counties."

She parted her lips with a huge smile then laughed out loud without sound.

he. he. he. he.

He gasped in shock and pointed at her open mouth, "You laughed without sound."

i can make a facial expression minus the sound. i am like a silent movie.

She started eating while staring at him.

"Silent movie! You give me so many new ideas, baby." He winked with a wicked grin.

She continued to eat then spoke into his mind.

what ideas, ace?

"Never mind! As I was saying, you missed my brilliant performance with the three goons."

She continued to eat and spoke into his mind.

who are the goons?

He nodded. "That's the slang term for your three abductors." The timer rung. He spun around and opened the microwave removing his dish of food, swooning back, sitting down on a second stool beside her. He ate the first bite then chewed, reaching out, touching her forearm again with a smile. "Let's experiment!"

She continued to eat the food and spoke into his mind.

experiment!

He laughed. "This is so strange. I can hear your words talking in my mind and then see you chewing the food with my two eyeballs. The combined sensation is mesmerizing for me."

**maybe, I should stop eating**.

She continued to eat then swallowed the food.

"I'm sorry to alarm you. You need to eat. I'm hungry as well. Let's continue. I'm curious. I want to know. How many body parts do I touch for able communicate with you?" He smiled.

you touch my arm, so you can hear me.

"Pretend I can't touch your arm, what else can I touch on your physical body getting you to talk into my mind?" He chuckled. "Talk into my mind! I'm relieved that Buck isn't here, with me. He would drag me ass off this stool and drag me down into the local psychiatry ward with my abnormal insanity, without waiting on a guilty verdict from the jury."

She continued to eat then swallowed the food.

i do not know. i normally perform the touching motion during my communication.

"I like that idea. Who else have you touched lately?" He smiled.

She laughed without sound.

he. he. he. he.

"You laughed again just like a silent moving picture. It's..."

... **. freaky.**

"Riveting! I'm hyped. This is better than Slick's mummy."

She continued to eat.

what mummy?

"My friend Slick possesses a mummy."

She swallowed the food and talked into his mind.

is it an egyptian mummy?

"He claims that fact. But I think it is actually some dried up smelly tree roots which packed in a set of old dirty linens that resembles a dead human body as does Buck."

She laughed out sound again.

he. he. he. he.

"Back to our experimenting! Can I touch your shoulder?" He nodded. "Do I have permission, ma'am? I would never touch a lady, without her permission."

She continued to eat and spoke into his mind.

okay.

He scooted his hand from her arm onto her collar bone nodding with a smile. "All right! I am touching your shoulder. Talk to me!"

She swallowed the food and talked into his mind.

this is silly.

"I heard your words coming into my mind. I heard that. You said, 'This is silly." He chuckled. "This is so much silly fun. How about your kneecap?" She nodded with a smile. He frowned. "Are you talking, to me, Fawn?"

i am thinking. this is silly.

"You're scared me for a moment. The vocal evidence had proven I can talk to you using the body parts from the waist up." He chuckled then shifted his hand, touching her naked kneecap.

is that important?

"That is very important."

ace, i do believe you can touch any body part with your hand. i will be able to communicate to you using my telepathy.

"I'm just making certain, baby."

i am one and teen hundred percent certain.

"How about I touch your hair at the tip, only the tip?" He reached down with a smile and touched her hair tip.

you're a silly boy.

"I heard your vocal words inside my mind again. That's great. I'm holding your hair strand. Do you see me? Do you feel me?" He held the tip of her long light brown colored hair strand in the air while laughing out loud with a bright grin.

She swallowed her food, speaking into his mind.

let go, please!

"O! I'm sorry. Of course, I conclude that I can still grab you by the hair of your chinny chin, chin and you will still talk into my mind, baby." He laughed then ate the food, chewing.

nursery rhymes.

He released his hand then swallowed the food with a grin, "My telepathic experimental is almost completed." Ace reached out and wiggled his finger in the air while asking permission with a lady. "One more experiment, I promise. Can I touch your cheek and still hear your precious words inside my mind?"

She nodded while eating the food. He gently touched her warm cheek one with his index finger. Fawn swallowed the food then stilled her face then spoke into his mind.

you are still a silly little boy.

He released his finger with a smile, "That's great. I have gathered enough data for a final conclusion." Ace ate the food then reached out, touching her forearm for their continued telepathy communication.

She continued to eat the food while talking into his mind.

which is?

He swallowed the food then smiled, "If you get mad at me, then I can't hear your string of nasty cuss words." He roared with laughter then ate the food, reaching out, touching her forearm again.

i can toss objects with deadly accuracy at moving targets instead.

He swallowed the food then chuckled. "I forget about that. You're hot with a pistol." Ace ate the food and continued to touch her forearm.

i do possess and exhibit multiply talents.

He swallowed the food with a nod then smile, "I have noticed. Hey! What happens if I touch you in multiply body spots on your skin?"

What do you mean by multiply spots?

He swallowed the food then grinned, reaching out, touching one hand to her forearm and his other hand on her kneecap, "What would happen if I touch your arm and your knee, all at the same time."

ace!

He removed both hands then smiled, "I'm just hypnotizing here. Maybe, the volume of your voice would become louder. Or maybe, you only send telepathic words in one monotone, Southern style. I guess the brain is not programmed with both woofers and subwoofers." He ate the food then reached out, touching her forearm.

She opened her mouth with laughter without providing a sound and laughed into his mind.

he. he. he. he. he.

He swallowed the food with a smile. "I can hear a high-pitched laughter tone. When you speak with your words into my mind, I hear a natural soprano. You got quite a stinging neuron there."

She continued to eat and talked into his mind.

you should feel my bite.

He gasped in shock then smiled. "I would love too. Do you take requests?"

only when i am attacked with a knife.

He chuckled. "I possess both a butcher and a steak knife, which would you prefer?" Ace ate the food, chewing.

neither, at the moment, unless your hinting for a rumble. he. he. he. he.

He swallowed the food then shook his bone skull with laughter, "Naw, baby! It's a joke, a bad joke. Could you talk to anyone else?"

i accidentally discovered my gift, when i was pointing at a play toy for my daddy to pick up from the floor when i was five years old. i sent the word, bear. my dad retrieved the bear, even though he was standing in front of the toy box, with other toys. he walked across the room and got that brown teddy bear. i learned. i remembered. i practiced.

"Did you talk to your dad all the time?" He ate the food and continued to hold her forearm.

i experienced carefully with my father. i did not want to freak him out. i did not know how he would react, if he learned that i could talk to him within his mind.

He swallowed the food then nodded. "How did you conduct your experiments with your father as a child without the benefit of a laboratory and a mad scientist, to boot?" Ace ate the food and held her forearm.

i would point to a toy on the floor. i was very lucky. my parents gave numerous presents for both my birthday and on christmas day. i touched my father's arm while saying the name of the toy inside his head.

He swallowed the food then nodded. "That was a great test for a five year old mind." Ace ate the food.

he reached for the toy each and every time, so i determined each and every laboratory test was successfully at one hundred percent.

He swallowed the food then stated. "Wow! Five years old is very young to discover your God-given gift."

i could not talk, yell, scream, cry, whine, or burp, like a baby. i learned to fetch my own toys by myself. it was easier. my parents were older. i was an active baby, accelerating at other developmental stages of babyhood, such like, walking early, running faster, jumping higher, tossing heavier toys, spitting farther.

He spat out the some of his chewed food particles over his food plate and the island surface without hitting her while laughing out laugh, cleaning off his dirty mouth with the paper napkin. "You're very entertaining. Did you potty train early too?" Ace placed the dirty napkin on top of the island surface then ate the food, reaching over and touched her forearm.

She finished the plate of spaghetti and meatballs then wiped her dirty mouth, placing the dirty paper napkin down inside the dirty dish, smiling at Ace while talking into his mind.

what for? that's the other end of my body. it works. i can fart good and loud too. do you wanna hear that too?

He swallowed the food then closed both of his two eyelids tossing his rear skull backwards while laughing hard, without sound, "Stop! I can't breathe." He huffed then puffed from his hardy laughter slowly looking down at her with a smile, still holding onto her forearm.

Her mouth was open wearing a huge smile while her lips quivered. She was giggling without sound, like a silent Hollywood movie film of the 1930s.

my father passed the 'Fawn' test. i tried the same trick on my mom, but she failed at one and ten hundred percent.

He smiled with a nod. "That is very significant here. Did you come to a final conclusion about your telepathy gift? You have had many years figuring out a reason for your gift and lack of voice." Ace ate the food then chewed.

She nodded with a smile then spoke into his mind.

yes, i had spent years trying to determine who can hear me and who cannot hear along with the how does this bizarre process called telepathy work for me and not others.

He swallowed the food then touched her arm. "What do you conclude?"

i still do not know.

He shook his bone skull wearing a sour frown, still touching her arm. "Well, that's not good enough. You're a good girl cleaning your plate of food."

thank you for the dinner meal. the food was delicious.

He removed his hand from her arm then stood upright, reaching out, grabbing both of the dirty dishes then spun around, toting the items to the wash sink. He gently placed the items down into the sink for some bathing later on tomorrow morning then scooted sideways with a grin, opening the refrigerator door, grabbing a bottle of beer. "Do you wanna beer?" She slid off the stool and entered the kitchen, shaking her bone skull to Ace. "Would you enjoy a different beverage?" Fawn pointed at the jug of sweet milk. "One milk, one Miller!" He poured the milk into a glass then handed to her, sweeping up his bottle of cold beer. They spun around and moved into the living room setting, sitting down on the same long sofa in mint green leather, propping a pair of bare feet onto the low table. He held the bottle in the air towards her glass of milk, reaching out and touched her forearm. He shouted out loud with a smile. "Cheers!" She tapped gently the glass of milk against his bottle of beer.

She smiled then spoke into his mind.

cheers!

"Can you talk to wild or domestic farm animals like Dr. Doolittle?" He sipped the beer then swallowed the cool liquid.

She sipped the milk and spoke into his mind.

**i cannot**.

He frowned "O! I'm sorry. That was a bad joke."

yeah, that was a really bad joke, ace.

He sipped the beer then swallowed the liquid, "Bad joke, aside! I bet you did same bad things using your secret telepathic words without vocal actions. Huh! Am I correct?"

what bad things.

He sipped the beer then swallowed the liquid, punching her arm, laughing with amusement "Come on! You must have some great 'Spooky scary boo' stories. You can talk, without moving your lips, baby. I bet you had some fun with the mean kids at your local elementary school."

She smiled then talked into his mind.

well, there was.

"Well! Hell! Tell!" He sipped the beer then swallowed the liquid.

She sipped the milk then frowned, talking int his mind.

you sound like a whiny girl, ace.

"Only when I want my way, I'll become gay, if need be." He grinned then sipped the beer, swallowing the liquid.

She opened her mouth then laughed into his mind.

he. he. he. he.

"You laughed again. It's so cute."

She closed her mouth then sipped the milk while talking into his mind.

you sound as if you have lots of fun as a youngster as well.

"I never allowed anything to interfere with my fun, bad or good." He finished the beer looking down into the lip on the empty bottle, frowning with puzzlement. "Can you levitate me another cold bottle of beer?"

She frowned then spoke into his mind.

excuse me!

He looked up and smiled at her. "Tele Mistress Starra Starbelt can do, can't you?" Ace pointed down to the empty beer bottle with a nod.

pardon me!

He frowned. "O! I guess you're not a science fiction fan. I'm not either but Slick and his world of magic cannot be ignored," Ace laughed.

no. i am not really a reader of science fiction novels.

He smiled. "Well, that's really surprising to me! I was wondering, if you could float me over another beer, without me having to get off the comfort sofa, with you?"

no.

He nodded with a grin. "Okay. That was fleeing mental thought that got away with my mouth. Did you get the lame joke?"

no.

He laughed with amusement and continued to touch her forearm, "Tough audience tonight! I guess I rise then sashayed my lazy butt back to the refrigerator for another cold bottle of beer. Do you want another glass of milk, Fawn?"

no, thank you.

He smiled. "That's a polite lady-like response." Ace grabbed her empty glass of milk with the same hand holding the empty beer bottle while still holding her arm.

She smiled then spoke into his mind.

i try to act like a lady, every day, when i am not being gunned down, kidnapped, or tortured. he. he. he. he.

"Touché!" He slowly stood upright from the sofa with a set of chuckles then scooted around the low table, moving ahead back into the kitchen setting, stopping at the wash sink first. He gently dropped down the empty items then scooted sideways, standing in front of the refrigerator door, opening the metal, grabbing four bottles of beer for his continuing entertaining night with Fawn. He placed the four bottles on the countertop and reached up, opening the upper cabinet, grabbing a clean champagne bucket. He filled the bucket with ice cubes from the refrigerator door then stabbed each cold bottle in-between the cubes. Ace stood in front of the countertop looking out the window, seeing the moonlight hit the white tinted sands that glittered like diamonds. He felt strange not hearing her voice inside his mind or feeling her soft skin on his arm, since they had been successfully communicating for a couple of hours using her secret and special telepathy talents. Later in the night, he would research the theory of telepathy mind communication on the internet. He wondered if his doctor friend believed in the concept of mind telepathy.

A very strange but real technique similar for bonding, yeah!

Ace felt bonded with Fawn, regarding the touch, the humor, and the words inside his head. The sensation was very exotic, unusual, mysterious, outlandish, not ordinary. She wasn't ordinary. She enthralled him. He couldn't get enough of her stories, her words, her touch, and her telepathy. She didn't present a sad or anger or mad emotion from her voice, which made it difficult to figure out how she was feeling, only directed by his touch on her arm, cheekbone or kneecap. As a matter of fact, he was full of emotional passionate ideas.

In front of the countertop, Ace spun around with a smile holding the cold bucket of beer bottles, returning back into the living room, sitting down on the soft and touched her arm. He grabbed a bottle of beer then screwed off the top, sipping then swallowed the cold liquid. He leaned into her body for their shared communication, saying with a smile. "Gimme me all of your 'spooky scary boo' stories?"

She smiled and stared ahead into the television screen, touching his arm., talking into his mind.

all right! the elementary student was named peg, who was a very nasty, mean little girl. she enjoyed name calling, hitting both boys and girls and completely understood that i was not deaf in the ears, only mute.

He nodded. "Is she dead?" Ace sipped then swallowed the beer.

no, ace.

He chuckled. "I like to guess at the end of story first, before I read or hear them." Ace sipped the beer.

ace!

"I can kill her for you. It wouldn't cost a dime."

ace!

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to kill the story line." He laughed then sipped the beer.

i did not know if she could hear me. i mentioned before, some people can. some people cannot.

"You and I need to conduct several experiments with that concept later."

She frowned then spoke into his mind.

we will discuss your proposed evil experiments much later, ace.

"Your bossy for a Telepath girl."

you should see me, when i get really miffed.

He laughed. "Can I do that right now?"

ace!

He frowned then sipped the beer, swallowing the liquid, "What did you do to nasty, mean elementary student Peg?"

when i passed her body, at her desk, i touched her leg and called her name into her mind.

peg shouted out loud in the classroom, 'what.'

no one answered her back.

so, peg ignored the silence then went back to working on her assigned school work.

i stood upright from my student desk chair then walked to the front of the room, grabbing a piece of blank paper, for our assigned art work. then I repeated the procedure about three times, walking down her row, brushing against her arm each time, calling her name into her mind.

peg yelled really loud. 'what.'

the teacher asked peg, 'why she was yelling.'

she told, 'someone was calling out her name.'

the kids were quiet and stared at peg.

peg stood and turned to face her classmates, shouting out loud, 'who called me.'

the classmates stared at her, in silence.

she yelled again, 'who called me.'

still, the kids were quiet.

peg got very frustrated and started tossing her books, her pencils, and her notepad down on the floor while shouting out loud, 'who called me.'

the teacher became frustration and stood up from her desk chair, moving ahead, grabbing the arm on peg, dragging peg from the classroom.

peg did not return back to the classroom.

He frowned. "So, Peg didn't return back that day into the classroom." Ace sipped the beer.

She smiled without sounding with her giggles and spoke into his mind.

he. he. he. he. ever.

"That week?"

never.

"That year?"

peg did not return back into my classroom both never and ever.

He laughed. "Whoa! Is that a visit to the Drop Zone or what?" Ace sipped the beer.

**o! it gets better**.

"Do tell me more, Lord Dirk, Tele Master of Evil!" He laughed then sipped the beer.

geez! Have you already forgotten that i am a girl species and my girly name? i am called Fawn.

He laughed. "O! Fawn, the Mentortress of the Mind, who goes only into my mind, so far."

so far! what does the word, so far, mean?

"It's a joke."

that is another very bad joke, ace.

"Wow! We are all sensitive, tonight, aren't we?" He smiled then finished the beer, dumping the empty one in the bucket, reaching a second one then sipped the cold liquid.

the elementary boy was a fat, mean, and bossy child.

he brought creatures, who were alive and little baby animals from his farmland to the school, which was hidden down inside his numerous pockets on his blue jeans, like tiny snakes, mice, roaches, bugs, tree frogs.

tree frogs were his favorite baby wild animal.

at playtime during school recess, he showed off within a circle of kids each poor doomed creature inside his cupped hands, placing each tiny life form on top of the hard soil and then stomped it to death with one of his heavy cowboy boot soles.

"Dead meat!" Ace laughed then sipped the beer.

She smiled and spoke into his mind.

i came up with a great idea.

"You squashed the boy."

no.

"You hit him."

no.

"You..."

let me tell the tale, before your guess the wrong ending, like usual.

He laughed. "I'm sorry! I'm just excited, since I like bad endings. I like all endings, but the baddest ones are the bestest ones." Ace sipped the beer.

baddest!

"That is a figure of speech, for my figure." He laughed then sipped the beer.

as the kids gathered around for the morning execution, i purposely sat beside the big kid, occasionally brushing my skinny kneecap against his fat thigh meat.

"Ooo! Can you do that with me tonight, right now, tomorrow?"

ace!

"I am sorry again. I am just wishing." He smiled then sipped the beer.

when the kid presented a small helpless tree, frog colored in green from his pocket, i rubbed his fat thigh meat.

then i spoke into his mind, 'do not eat me!'

He hooted with laughter. "The kid reacted."

the kid stopped petting the frog and stared down at it with puzzlement.

so, i took advantage of the situation. i spoke into his mind by bumping into his leg again, 'do not eat me! let me go!'

the kid stared at the frog then looked up and smiled at the group of kids, 'the frog talks to me.'

some of the kids teased, taunted, then turned away from him while laughing out loud.

well, the kid became an anger and then stood upright from the dirt, dropping the doomed frog down on the dirt.

i stood upright from the dirt then bumped my kneecap the side of his leg and spoke into his mind, 'do not hurt me, please! do not kill me, please!'

the kid stared down at the frog and shouted out loud, 'prepare to die, froggie!'

the other kids laughed at the silly boy.

he raised his foot in the air for the upcoming death act.

i brushed my kneecap against his leg, speaking into his mind, 'curse! i curse you, human boy!'

the kid stomped the frog dead.

"Goodbye, Froggie!" He laughed. "That's not scary. Can't you do better?"

ah!

while he was yelling at the frog, i slipped a bird's feather down his back spine inside his tee shirt.

when the frog was smashed flat down on the dirt, i bumped my kneecap into his leg again, speaking into his mind, 'curse you! i curse you until the end of time!'

the kid hit the tree trunk wearing an open mouth and screamed at the of top of his lungs in fright, 'who said that! that's not funny, lloyd.'

lloyd slapped his chest then sneered at the boy, 'not me!'

i reached over and bumped my kneecap into his leg again, speaking into his mind, 'curse you! curse you! i am an animal ghost on your shoulder! Curse you!'

the feather was tickling his shoulder blades on his back spine as the kid hit the tree bark again, yelling out loud in fear, 'that's not funny.'

well, i leaned over and bumped my kneecap in his leg three more times, yelling the same words into his mind, of course.

the kid screamed loud, louder, and loudest running away from the dead frogs, his classmates towards his school teacher, colliding into the semi-circle chairs of other teachers. he tripped then fell down on the ground.

his teacher slid off the chair then assisted him to stand.

he confessed what he did to the poor dead tree frogs.

the teacher called his parents. he went home crying and screaming out loud, slapping his collar bone, 'get froggie away from me right now!'

then the kid never stomped anymore tree frogs or other cute tiny wildlife animals again.

He roared with laughter. "Good one! You regained the lead. Did the "frog hater" come back to your elementary school?"

no.

"You're good. Two for two!"

actually, i am three for three.

"Who else got trapped in your spider's web?"

the science teacher was both rude and unfriendly to all kids including me, except for one.

"Teacher's pet, I know the kind. I had one too." he finished the beer then stabbed the empty bottled down into the bucket, grabbing a new cold one. "So, nasty bad Peg came back to your classroom."

She shook her head side to side and spoke into his mind.

no, peg did not return back into my classroom. this is a different elementary student in my classroom. abby wasn't book smart, just a smart ass.

He laughed and nodded. "Like me." Ace sipped the beer.

She smiled and continued to speak into his mind.

i made her disappear.

He was silent.

what! i didn't hear a smart ass comment.

"I'm afraid you might make me disappear?"

no, i will not do that act, tonight.

"Are you certain your name's not Tele Mistress Starra Starbelt?"

abbey would approach the desk seeking a task from the teacher, each morning.

"That is a real teacher's pet doggie." He laughed then sipped the beer.

cleaning the board, emptying her cup, duties like that.

one day, i experimented by touching the teacher's shoulder and spoke into her mind, 'abbey.'

the teacher called out, 'abbey!'

abbey stood, walked to the desk, waiting for her new task.

the teacher looked at her. abbey looked at the teacher. the teacher said, 'sit down, abbey.'

i was not a good student, so i needed tutoring for my math and spelling assignments. Thus, this teacher may me sit beside her during the school sessions.

i reached out and bumped my kneecap into her leg, speaking into her mind, 'abbey come here.'

the teacher repeated my words, 'abbey came here.'

abbey stood from the chair then stepped forward.

i spoke into the teacher's mind, 'abbey go back.'

the teacher repeated my words, 'abbey, go back.'

abbey stopped then went back to her desk with confusion.

i continued to speak a set of short instructions into the teacher's mind that the teacher shouted out loud. then abbey started performing each task in front of the classmates, instead of working on her homework assignments.

' **abbey open the door.'**

' **abbey clean the board.'**

' **abbey sweep the floor.'**

' **abbey go to the bathroom.'**

' **abbey eat you lunch.'**

' **abbey eat charlie's lunch.'**

' **abbey is fat. abbey is mean. abbey is ugly. abbey is stupid.'**

all of the other kids started laughed at the teacher and abbey.

then abbey ran from the classroom into the principal's office, tattling on the teacher.

in summary, the nasty teacher left the school and then retired from teaching the fourth graders.

"You're dark."

you're deep.

"That, too!" He frowned then sipped the beer.

the old elementary school teacher was not missed. the kids got a new nicer school teacher.

"Don't trip on Lord Dirk's shiny boots!"

don't tug on superman's cape.

"These words from that musical song entitled _Don't Spit in the Wind_ and was recorded by musical artist **Jim Croce** , in the year 1974 and his song charted at number one too." He hummed the musical song Fawn nodded then yawned really ugly covering her mouth, closing her two eyelashes. Ace stopped humming then smiled. "Time for beddy-bye!"

She closed her mouth then opened her two eyelids smiling and talking into his mind.

yeah, i'm really tired too.

"That's makes two of us." He slowly stood from the sofa first while stretching out his limbs and stomach muscles, leaning down, offering his hand and assisted her up from the sofa. Fawn possessed a set of small dainty hands like his mother. He released her hand and leaned down, picking up the wet, sweaty tin bucket with the used beer bottles, scooting sideways, sliding the bucket over the island block inside the kitchen. He spun around and viewed Fawn.

She scooted from the sofa and faced the staircase still yawning while rubbing both of her tired eye sockets. Ace moved ahead and hugged her body, guiling them upstairs back towards the third guest bedroom. She continued to yawn and wobbled as she strolled ahead and was quiet with her vocal words inside his mind.

He stopped and stood in front of the open archway, pointing into the third guest bedroom. "Pick any bedroom, but the first one, it's mine."

She turned and smiled at Ace while talking into his mind.

who is possessive tonight?

"Naw! I have good memories in that particular room." He laughed. Fawn flushed in pink hue from his nasty comment and did not speak into his dirty mind. Ace chuckled. "Lots of good memories inside that first bedroom. How about the guest bedroom?"

She nodded then talked into his mind.

yes, this is a very nice room. i'll stay here. thank you, ace! thank you for saving my life.

"You are very welcome, Milady!" He leaned over and hugged her body for both protection and safety. She and he had been through hell for the past twenty-four hours. He pulled back and slowly backstepped from her body, nodding in silence. Fawn entered the bedroom and closed the door. He spun around and slowly shuffled towards the first bedroom that had been used when he was a small boy with his family trips in the beach house to the seashore. He stopped and stood in front of the bed mattress, stripped naked, then plopped down on top of the neatly made d, closing his two eyelids, whispering for his eardrums only, "What a day!"
Wednesday, June 19th

12:02 am

Heated night with moonlight rays and twinkling stars

Master bedroom setting

Inside the first bedroom, among the heated night of another summertime day at the beach, Ace awoke from his deep slumber on top of the bedcovers and stared up at the white tinted ceiling planks, seeing an array of moon beams through each clean glass windows, hitting the walls, the furniture pieces, and the wooden floor. He wiggled sideways then slowly stood upright from the bed mattress, blinking his two eyelids while adjusting his two eyeballs to the darkness. He needed to pee from too much beer.

Then, he heard a set of faint sounds. There was not an alarm system inside the beach house.

Ace slowly tumbled towards the side wall then stopped in front of the glass window. He could see a moving object for miles over the flat, white tinted sand grains or on top of the flat gray-tinted roadway or on top of the flat ocean waves, even in the dullest moon light.

Historically, during one of his wild parties at the beach, a stupid teen and an exposed alarm button made for a stupid, noisy event, especially when the fire and police officers arrived on the scene addressing the false alarm at his beach house. Ace paid the monetary fine from his personal bank account as he did not want his parents discovering his set of wild teen parties. So, he disabled the alarm system. Ace wasn't afraid housing a hand pistol and a rifle inside the beach house down in the garage space.

What a place for storing a weapon, in the dark, while a thief is snooping around my beach house?

Ace exhaled with annoyance and scooted from the bedroom setting. Fawn was still asleep inside the third guest bedroom with the door partially closed. He left her to sleep. He can handle a stupid kid looking for money or drugs. That was the only criminals here on the beach sands. Ace would scare the kid to death, instead of beating the shit of him, which would have been too noisy, too tiring, and too early on a new day.

He slowly walked down each step hiding in the dark then halted gasping in shock. A large upright figure was walking around one of the sofas. Then the same upright figure stopped and sneezed out loud, starting to move slowly ahead bumping into the furniture pieces in the dark, heading towards the staircase.

Ace conceived an impromptu plan gliding down the staircase, veering along the side wall, parking in front of the hall closet. He opened the door then retrieved the sweeping broom waiting for the invader to come closer to the staircase. When the figure was within eye sight, Ace used the broom handle hitting the stranger in the stomach. The thief bowed over to King Ace.

Ace hit the thief behind the neck muscles. The thief fell down on the floor with a large thud.

He dropped the broom down on the floor then dashed upstairs, entering the guest bedroom, leaning down, and covered Fawn's mouth with his hand. He shook her awake and whispering into her face, "Quests."

Fawn was still half-conscious with sleep. Ace wrapped Fawn within her bedcovers and linens sheet, flinging her over his shoulder, exiting her room and swiftly jogged downstairs. He went around the side wall and hid inside the billiards room hearing the grunts from the thief.

The thief slowly stood upright from the floor then sneezed, slowly shuffling upstairs, grunting in pain, bleeding over the nice wooden planks.

On the side wall, in the darkness, Ace exited the billiards room then crossed the short hallway, slamming open the door into the storage room that provided a second door which led down an outdoor staircase onto the sandy beach. The dune buggy was located on the side of the building and half-filled with gas, when he and Bo Peep went riding the flat sands a month ago for fun. Ace was doing anything to entertain his daughter taking her mind out the terrible event at his house, when all of their blood relatives shot each other to death in cold blood.

He raced down the familiar steps then hit the dry, rough sand grains in his bare feet, moving ahead towards the dune buggy the stopped. Ace sat Fawn down inside the front passenger chair and covered the blankets over her face and body then strapping her body tight inside the bucket seat. The dune buggy was fun to ride during the day but bounced your inners loose, if you weren't prepared for the windy roller coaster ride. She didn't move a muscle.

"Okay." Ace whispered with a smile into the blanket, where she couldn't see his perfect teeth in the dark. He stood upright then raced around the front bumper, jumping down into the driver's bucket seat and buckled in, cranking the cold engine on the loud buggy, on top of the sands. He was grateful the riding machine wasn't parked inside the garage. The thief would have heard the squeaking noise of the garage door and then the loud roaring sound on the riding machine.

Ace's clever attack on the thief had produced a minor injury causing a short delayed response as he had wasted precious time too carrying Fawn from her bedroom then downstairs into the dune buggy for a quick escape.

On the second floor of the beach house, the same exterior door flung open and revealed the thief's body frame without a face staring down at the dune buddy with Ace and Fawn.

Inside the parked dune buggy, Ace turned then gasped at the unknown thief, slamming the gasoline pedal, accelerating the buggy and sprayed particles of sand in the air. The thief tumbled down the staircase after the moving transport. Ace laughed out loud and continued to slide the buggy sideways through the flat sand grains as a defensive maneuver keeping the thief away. Then the thief fell flat down on his face in the sand. Ace continued to laugh and swiftly drove the dune buggy towards his second beach house, which was located three miles down the coastline here on Daphne Island also.

The thief wouldn't have a chance in hell of finding them by road or by moonlight or by location. Not many people know about the smaller second beach house, which was owned by his dead parents as his parents always rented the place to vacationing visitors, not from the city of Mobile.

At 12:36 am, among the heated night, a blanket of twinkling stars, and the dull moonlight, Ace arrived then parked the dune buggy underneath an open carport at the second beach house that featured tan colored cider blocks. Fawn was awake and remained underneath the pile of blanket, feeling the stationary machine, unbuckling the latch. She felt worry and fear.

He jumped from the bucket set and raced around the rear bumper on the buggy, stopping beside Fawn, lifting her body from the seat and toted her upstairs to the second floor level, since she wasn't dressed.

Ace was full of manly energy from the hellacious excitement of a second escape of the day arriving at the second beach house on Orange Beach. He entered the second bedroom in bright pink tinted paint on each wall and placed her down on top of the neatly made pale blue colored dolphin-pattered bedcovers on top of the bed mattress, leaning over the pile of blankets, worrying about the medical and mental condition of Fawn.

The pile of blankets dropped open and revealed her bruised face. She did not smile but wore a worried brow reaching out, touching his face and talked into his mind.

please stay.

Fawn was afraid and frightened as Ace. He spoke. "It's okay now. I'll be downstairs on the first floor. I'm too keyed. I'll go to bed later." He couldn't sleep right now with a rush of adrenalin pumping throughout his body and neurons.

She said.

okay.

"Try to sleep! I promise. Everything's okay now. We are located at a secret place that only I know." He just smiled. Fawn was safe for the evening. She closed her two eyelashes and rolled to her side, trying to sleep. He exhaled with worry and tried to reassure his mind that they were safe for the evening. The time was passed midnight. The Alabama night sky was clear, heated and intense during the summertime days. Ace stood upright then spun around, exiting her room, moving down the long hallway, checking each room for his sanity.

The house is a two-story structure featuring a single garage space on the ground level even with a nice gravel driveway that kissed the sand grains.

He cautiously padded around the floor plan, in the darkness, without an illuminated ceiling lamp, surveying, scanning, and searching the long stretch of white tinted sands, dark rolling ocean waves, and an empty gray tinted roadway. Ace didn't see, hear, sense, smell, or taste another body inside the house or outside his sandy property. He was getting tired as his raw nerve ending settled down from the wild ride of another escape. He continued to slowly strut through each dark room one more time peeping out each glass window, like a thief. He didn't see a damn thing.

All clear!

He halted then slowly sat down on top of the yellow tinted long sofa with black tinted whale-pattern, slowly exhaling then inhaling while accessing his short-term memories. The mysterious thief sneezed and stood the same height as the male, that Ace had nicknamed as Red Goon.

How did the creep find him? Which creep was it? One is dead. Two are alive.

Ace wished that Buck hadn't missed with the rifle. All his troubles would have been solved in less than four minutes. Tomorrow, Ace will contact his Resources, who will find the two other assholes and then blow a fucking head, off a fucking body.

Final ending of the nasty book!

He pondered Fawn.

She was still in danger. They wanted her. Why do they want her? What does she possess? Her telepathy gift is an awesome God-given gift. How would they know about her telepathy?

Ace would have to ask her. That idea was farfetched and pure science fiction. No one would believe him either. If Ace told a normal person that he could hear Fawn's vocal words inside his mind, not through his two eardrums using telepathy, then he would be locked up inside the Coast Guard Hospital mental ward by both Buck and Slick.

So, Ace is not telling a soul. She is a mute.

When the guys see Fawn with him, Buck and Slick will believe that he is trying hard to communication with and without verbal cues. Fawn would tell ever, since she cannot.

Or can she? Does this possess the telepathic ability and communication mentally with Buck or Slick?

Ace would have to discuss that theory with her tomorrow. He liked Fawn. She was so beautiful. Her weakness made Fawn more beautiful to him. Ace was a true romantic and a sea-faring swash-buckling sailor like his granddaddy. He wondered if Fawn had ever visited the Caribbean islands. He wanted to take her there.

Ace wanted to take to bed also. That was the first step. Then he would take Fawn to the Caribbean islands. They would have lots of fun. He didn't want Fawn to know about his group of whores, his other girls. Maybe, he should tell her.

Nope! Secrets are best kept secret!

He yawned with exhaustion, scratching his naked belly then slapped both of his hands on the soft leather.

Time for bed!

He slowly stood upright from the cushions then carefully moved around the perimeter in the Florida room, which consisted of the one combination of a living room, a den, a dining room, and a kitchen. He peered out each glass windows. No movement. No sound. No figures. He spun around and yawned slowly padding back to his bedroom, entering the room and then flopped down on top of the bed mattress, snoring with deep slumber.

Ten hours later, at 12:12 pm, the new summer day was both bright and heated. Inside the master bedroom, Ace awoke with a heavy prop on top of his leg, arm, and chest. He looked down and viewed a new life form. Fawn was stretched over his body draping her leg around his leg, her arm across his chest, and her head on his shoulder. During the excitement, escapement, and exhaustion, he had carried Fawn into the third bedroom. He was certain of that fact.

Now, Fawn was in the same bed mattress with him. She must have awoken then climbed into his bed, sleeping with him. He didn't notice the event. She fell asleep on him for her protection. He was okay with that. She had three attempts on her life by a set of unknown kidnappers. Ace would have been concerned too, if a red goon was after him ass within a twenty-four hour time period.

What a yesterday!

The time was passed noon. The Alabama sunlight was shining bright peeking among the scattered rows of clouds within a pale blue sky over the coastline on the warm Gulf of Mexico ocean waters. Ace and Fawn had slept and wasted most of the day.

Ace grinned without moving his limb. Fawn looked so angelic and pretty and she was quiet. He didn't hear any of her words floating into his mind. She was imitating a blank computer screen. Her two closed eyelids shuffled back and forth in her REM sleep while her chest slowly moved up then down. She shifted slightly causing her arm to fall down beside her breast. He noticed her breast hanging loosely out of the blanket. She was naked.

Ace remembered that also, before tossing a pile of bedcovers and linen sheets over her body for the second rescue of the day. She didn't have clothes on. Nice breasts. Not too big. Not too small. Just right.

He scanned the rest of her body which were hidden underneath the folded beige colored linen sheet. Her waist, hips and upper legs completed covered with the bed linens, but her lower leg was exposed and pressed against his hip, too close. He reached out and touched her exposed breast with his hand, feeling a soft, warm muscle underneath the pale colored skin while grinning with lust.

He released her breast then reached down, stroking her outer thigh, getting excited. He wanted this girl and he wanted her bad. She thrilled him while taking him to new heights of anticipated pleasure and lust.

Ace didn't want to pity her but play with her. The muteness was a trade-off to her amazing mind talking ability. He felt blessed, exalted, and bonded. She was now part of him. Ace was part of Fawn, when they talked, touched, and bumped into each other using her telepathy gift during their shared communicate within an individual mind.

They were a true mind melt.

Ace whispered for his eardrums only, "She's mine." He didn't attack her body but gently guided her through the process while both of them enjoying the act and the action. Afterwards, they rolled backwards and rested on top of the rows of sweaty pillows, smiling in delight and joy. She did not talk into his mind but engaged in a short catnap.

The last time he had fucked a girl, other his whore, was his childhood friend and Flash's wife Mary Ann Smith. She became pregnant, birthed, and then sold her newborn daughter to his biological sister Mary Ann. Then with a meeting with his biological granddaddy, he told Ace to do the math.

The unplanned and lovely incident between Ace and Mary Ann on a stormy and hot thunderstorm produced a newborn girl. Ace immediately directed his attention for caring, raising, and protecting his secret biological creation from all nasty predators like a mama tiger in the Amazon Jungle and he patiently waited for the truth to be told. Then, Ace charged ahead and defeated all of the prey, without truly murdering each one, after they as a group of criminals had murdered his sister in cold blood act for her millions of dollars. Then Gem became his true daughter.

Ace wanted the same thing to happen with Fawn. He wanted her impregnated with his manly DNA, then she would never run away from him again. He wanted another child, too. A son would be nice continuing the Samuel Attila Smith family name and tradition. Ace was still a young adult at the age of thirty-seven years of age.

Bo Peep was fifteen years old years with her new teenly life, her new biological father, and a wallet of new credit cards, so she was very happy.

Ace wanted to spoil Fawn like he did Bo Peep. He wanted Fawn to become happy and content and he would be very happy with her and a new baby.

He could feel his body parts deflating. She was calm, resting, and quiet. She wasn't speaking into my mind. He deeply inhaled then exhaled while steadying his heart rate, pulse, and mind. He pushed her lump body towards his head, catching her in mid-air, landing her head on his chest. He whispered into her ear. "You made me explode into the heavens, only a real angel can do that." He enjoyed talking after sex, after becoming excited and pumped.

She was more excited and pumped than him, talking into his mind.

i am happy but tired and my body is sore.

"We'll take it easy for the rest of the day, then later this evening, before we fuck again. The workout will relieve both the tenderness and soreness, baby." He leaned down and kissed her hair roots, pulling back with a smile, still admiring her body.

okay.

"Relax. Calm." He rubbed her body with a smile as his emotions were calming. The sex act finished but the passion stirring his emotions.

She closed her eyes resting in his arms and talked into his mind.

i am.

"Great, baby! How was I?"

i...

"Don't answer that! This is your first time. You can compare me to the second time next. Then you can answer the question. The first time is the always the worsest."

does it get better?

He softly chuckled. "Oh, baby! It gets much, much better, better, longer, longer, faster, faster, deeper, deeper."

i...

"Don't think about it now! Rest. Relax. You did good, baby."

okay.

"At the log cabin, in Tennessee mountains, I wanted to fuck you while I was toting your limp body into my bed."

you are a gentleman.

"I fooled you, baby."

**you are a southern gentleman and a nice guy** _._

"I have fooled you again, baby."

i wanted to fuck you, too, ace.

He laughed and stared at the far wall of ugly peach paint. "Now, that's a funny quote!"

why is that funny?

"A funny quote comes from an angel."

i am not an angel.

"You're my angel."

thank you for the compliment.

"No compliment but a requirement."

a requirement, what for?

"That is an angel requirement for our upcoming marriage ceremony." He smiled.

She shuffled around and viewed his smile, talking into his mind.

She called into his mind.

what marriage requirement?

He grinned, "We are getting married."

we have only known each other for a day, ace.

"What a great twenty-hour hours we've had! Gawd! I felt like I was piloting an outer space starship at light speed. One minute, I was flying through the State of Tennessee. Then, the next minute, I was flying down through the city of Mobile. Then, the next minute, I am flying over the sand dunes on Orange Beach. And, finally, I landed down here, with you, in a second beach house on Daphne Island."

yeah, that was a several wild rides, yesterday.

He smiled. "Well, it has been several fantastic rides. I don't think Cartoon Theme Park in Orlando, Florida could build a faster one."

are your days like this?

He shook his bone skull, "Hell, no! My day is dull with boring work, pounding the gavel on the hard bench, every hour, kicking out numerous druggies from the military. I'm a Coast Guard judge on the military base."

o! so, you are a judge of justice.

"Damn right! I'm Mr. Justice." He chuckled at his nickname in court.

are you a lawyer also?

"I was lawyer first, prosecuting assholes that smoked pot and shit on each USA military base. I sent so many assholes home that the Department of Defense promoted me to a military judge. Enough about me! This moment is about you."

me!

He smiled. "I realized that we collided yesterday afternoon. But I love you, Fawn. You make me feel special."

i am different.

"You are both different and special with me."

we would be the true odd couple, ace.

He chuckled. "Well, right! But you're mine. I staked my claim first."

why would you stake a claim on me?

"That's another one of my bad jokes, baby. I am sorry. I'm a better liar than a comedian."

i thought you were a military judge.

"Yeah, that's another bad joke."

i do not joke or lie, ace.

"That's good for me, baby."

when do you want to get married?

"Tomorrow, if you wish to get married, baby. But my relatives are counting on a big wedding with a big cake inside a big limousine and big music..."

do you really love me, ace?

"I love you, Fawn. Baby, I haven't stopping thinking about you, since you pointed that hand gun at my naked body. Well, I was hoping for more action than that stupid linked chain."

you looked scared to me. are you certain this is love?

"I was probably more scary to you. Was that right, baby?"

i was very frightened, tired, hunger, beat, aching, and everything.

"I was very impressed, Fawn. I visually saw your facial bruises. You were a victim, a survivor. Didn't you think I would help you, baby?"

i asked about your personal mobile telephone.

"How could you use a telephone? You can't talk on the device."

i had the gun pointed at your body, so you could call up the helicopter.

"I knew the flying schedule of the resort helicopter. They don't fly at night. But you knew that as a licensed or unlicensed pilot, didn't you?"

yes, i was looking for a fast escape route.

"Instead, you fell asleep inside the ratty loveseat." He softly chuckled.

She laughed out loud into his mind.

he. he. he. he.

"You looked so cute, when you opened your two eyelashes, then closed your two eyelashes, and then opened your two eyelashes again. I escaped by dragging that tiny key off the kitchen bar with the poker stick from the fireplace down onto the floor and then towards me. You didn't hear the chain rattle, the key fall, or the poker scratch the log floor. I knew you were sound asleep and needed help."

wow! i was. and I still am at your mercy, ace.

"I, also, knew the hand gun had one bullet."

one bullet!

"I have left a single bullet in the chamber, in case of an emergency."

i did not check the chamber. the gun was loaded. i was so desperate and exhausted. if you have told me the chamber was empty, then i probably would have done something in defiance to upset you.

He laughed. "I believe that remark. You're a bold cat."

i am at that.

"I'm going to buy you're the biggest and heaviest diamond that your little ring finger can hold, baby."

do you really want to marry me, ace?

"I don't want to upset Almighty God."

why is that?

"He gave me a heavenly angel for safekeeping."

who is for safekeeping, ace?

"I will protect and keep your body safe from the 'goons,' the 'pegs,' and the 'abbeys' of the world."

i can protect you and my person.

"O yeah! You can, only with my help, baby."

you do not believe in my talent. i can prove it.

"Allow me to brag here! Who is the superhero that saved your pale tinted buttocks, three times, in one day?"

you are spoiling me.

"Yeah, I plan to spoil you for the rest of your life, baby." He leaned down and kissed her lips, pulling back with a smile.

She frowned and talked into his mind.

i do believe that you forget to ask me.

He frowned with puzzlement, "What am I supposed to ask of you, baby?"

if i love you, too, ace?

He gasped in shock then frowned with worry. "O! All right! Do you love me, Fawn? Please lie!"

i do not lie, ace.

He grinned. "This is the truth or dare moment for me!"

She smiled and talked into his mind.

i love you, ace.

He softly chuckled with happiness, "Right! Great! Correct! A fabulous answer for me and you. I love you, Fawn." He kissed her lips again.

She enjoyed the kiss and spoke in his mind.

ace, I think it is evening.

He pulled back with a smile. "I think your right, baby." Ace leaned down kissed her lips.
Thursday, June 21st

Second beach house location

Sizzling temperatures with blinding sunlight and parted clouds

11:11 am

good morning.

She leaned into his chest and spoke into his mind.

Ace continued to sleep on top of his bed mattress, slowly stirring awake, blinking both of his two eyelids open. Fawn was draped over his sleeping body as he rested on his back spine.

She was playing with his chest hair, blowing her warm air molecules across his chest while slowly awaking his mind and smiled, giggling into his head.

he. he. he. he.

"Good morning, baby!" He smiled and rubbed the sleepy crumbs from his two eye sockets.

She called inside in mind.

sex.

He plopped both of his hands down on top of her upper body, "Now, do you really want sex, right now?"

She shuffled around and smiled at Ace while talking into his mind.

sex.

He turned with a stern face and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "The time is nine o'clock in the morning."

i need a pick me up.

He returned back and smiled at her, "How about I fix us a cup of hot coffee?"

i did not drink coffee.

"Do you drink a tumbler of sweet tea?"

i did not drink tea either.

"I'll open three bottles of dark sodas. That's enough caffeine to wake the dead."

that's great. since i become really thirsty, after our event.

He frowned. "And I'll be really tired. Sex drains me physically, psychologically, and mentally."

not i!

He smiled. "So, I have noticed, baby. You seem to possess hidden pockets of solar energy somewhere in your skinny frame."

i have a secret.

"What's your secret?"

i engage in several cat naps throughout the day.

He laughed, "When are you able to catch a cat nap?"

ten minutes here and there, in the sun, over the sands, on the sofa, when you are on the telephone.

"Yeah, I am sorry for my absence. I was checking text and voice messages. Then had to call my daughter, my office, my staff, my granddaddy, my..."

you do not have to apologize to me, ace.

"I'm not apologizing. I'm telling you, who I'm talking with. I am sorry."

She shoved away from him and sat on top of the bed mattress, wearing a sour frown, talking into his mind.

you are doing it, again, ace.

He wiggled upright in the bed and reached out, hugging her body while shaking his bone skull with puzzlement. "What am I doing again? I don't understand, Fawn."

you are acting hurt every time you reference the concept of vocal speaking. i cannot talk; but i can hear. i can type. i communicate differently.

"I'm..." he smiled. "I love the way we communicate. Its turns me on every time I touch you, caress you, stroke you..."

you are treating me like a new play thing.

"No, I'm not!"

plug her in, she goes. unplug her, she stops. then store her in the closet for a later use.

Fawn tried to jerk away from his warm hug without success. He embraced her body frame tighter Her breathing was heavy. She was becoming upset. He was getting excited and continued to shake his bone skull with confusion, "No, I'm not, baby."

i am trying hard to adjust to this thing. but...

He gasped in shock then frowned at Fawn. "No! Don't you dare! I'm learning to adjust to you and us, too. Fawn, I told about my daughter, my granddaddy's upcoming wedding, my two faithful friends Buck and Slick, my nice but dead parents, and my nice but dead sister, and the gang of evil and dead family relatives. I have been honest and upfront. I am a judge for the Coast Guard military branch, and I am on vacation for another seven days. I am making new future decisions about my future life with you. I want to make all of the right future decisions, for us. We are slowly learning to adjust together, you and me. Tell me what you think now! Tell me how you feel about this!" Silence loomed inside his mind. He gasped in shock and rubbed his two hands over her body, shaking his bone skull in alarm, "O no! No! No! No! Don't you start that 'blank computer screen thing.' Talk about giving a guy the silent treatment! Baby, you're the best at that game, number one in the entire world. You can't talk. You don't talk. You can walk leaving me crying in the rain." He chuckled. "That's part of a song entitled _Crying in the Rain._ A song written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King and sung by _The Everly Brothers_ in the year 1962. The musical tune listed number six on the U.S. Pop Chart." He chuckled then frowned, shaking his bone skull. "Fawn, you can't tune me out. I won't allow it. I'll bug you all night talking, laughing, chuckling, joking, teasing, and harassing you." He laughed. "I found you. Actually, you found me. We found each other. We're the package deal, I'm not kidding. I'll talk all night long. You can't run away either. I will lock the doors and toss the key. You're a great escape artist. I'll like to see you get away from me. Well, if you try, I'll punish you. That's a warning, baby." He softly chuckled. Using his manly strength, he flipped her naked body over the side landing her on the bed, resting over her body. The heat was intense. The passion stirring. He leaned down and kissed her closed mouth working his tongue between her lips, pulling back with a smile. "Stop teasing me! I want in." She closed her two eyelashes, not seeing him. She was breathing really heavy feeling mad and lustful. He chuckled. "I give in. I'll put out. Sex. That's what you wanted, isn't it?" She didn't move or speak inside his mind. "Come on, baby! Don't be mad at me? I love you, Fawn with all heart and soul. Tell me what to say to you!" He smiled.

She didn't speak into his mind.

He frowned. "I'm not moving. We can stay here all morning, all afternoon and, all night. Gawd! I guess I'll pee on the floor, if I have to go. Have you ever since a boy pee from the side. It's really funny?"

She smiled and giggled opening her mouth, talking inside his mind.

he. he. he. he. he.

"You talked inside my mind. Gawd! I missed you so much. How long were you gone? Thirty seconds, forty seconds, that's too long for me, baby. Don't do that again! I'll get really mad and..." He paused. "Do something! Do something really naughty to you!" He laughed.

She wore a stern face and talked into his mind.

i am sorry, also. i have been on my own for a long time. you can see how difficult friends...

"You don't need friends, baby. I have plenty of friends both paid and volunteer. I love the paid friends best. They treat me nice and tell me all the good lies I like to hear to maintain my inflated ego."

She continues to smile speaking into his mind.

i am a little afraid.

"Why are you afraid? I'm here now! I'm going to protect you for the rest of my life. The goons won't come near you. I promise, Fawn."

I am not afraid of them. i am different. i do not have family members or friends. i do not have a real job. your world is different for mine.

"My world! Your world? You and I are forging a new world, us, we, you, and me. I ran out pronouns."

She smiled with laughter talking inside his mind.

he. he. he. he. he. he.

"You're part of my world now. I'm part of your world."

the point is you do not know my world.

He nodded with a smile. "That's fair! All right! Teach me. I'll a fast learner. Please, pretty please with sugar on top! I want. That's not right. I'm part of you now. Give me credit, too. I am adjusting also."

okay.

"Good, baby! Now, we can start afresh. Do you need to contact anyone like the supervisor at your work?"

i hold a part-time job that i can come and go with. there are other people that come and do the work, if i am not there.

"Is your job set up as a flex work?"

Yeah, a handicapped person has advantages. the society cannot really fire me, if I do not show up for days, maybe weeks. but I don't get benefits, such as, vacation, sick leave, and time off. i just do not show up.

"You don't have use to that word."

handicapped. disability. different.

"I think you know what I mean, baby."

i am sorry. i am used to thinking, feeling, hearing, and saying that word.

"You sound more exploited than used."

i do not feel exploited or used, just different.

"Baby, I accept you being different. Once my friends get to know you, you will feel joined, because you will become a part of my family, my friends, and my associates, which will become our family, our friends, and our associates creating our world."

okay.

"No! Say, our world will be together."

our world will be together.

"Good, baby! Now, you get another kiss for your awesome performance." He kissed her lips then pulled back with a smile. "Do you see and feel how much fun I am?"

gallons.

He frowned. "Uh! I think the expression is tons. Tons of fun!"

that was my test. and you passed.

He laughed. "You're quick."

you are not.

"I have more to do."

what!

"I have to think within my brain cells a snappy response to your acidic wit first. Then I have to vocalize using my tongue and chords for you to hear my snappy response going into your cute earlobes. If the math is correct, that's twice as much work as your single stream of vocal words into my mind."

touché!

They decided to stay in bed and enjoyed each other for the rest of the late morning, afternoon, going into the nighttime hours.
Friday, June 22th

10:48 am

Heated air temperatures with bright sunlight and parted clouds

Mobile Hospital location

Third floor medical physician office

The examination room was painted in beige tinted paint with numerous medical posters that emphasized the human body. Fawn was located inside the dressing room changing her clothes. The set of standard medical examination equipment was mounted on the side wall across from the standard examination table.

Ace's friend, Dr. Patrick presented a tall body frame, a head of cropped brown tinted hair, a pair of green tinted eyeballs, and a tone of olive colored skin, wearing a pair of dark blue trousers, a dark blue tee shirt, a pair of dark blue shoes, and a white tinted laboratory jacket. He pulled Ace from the examination room across the hallway into a second examination room, nodding with a stern face, "Ace, the word handicapped is used to describe people, who have a physical or a mental disability, that interferes with their normal lifestyle. Some of the physical disabilities include blindness, deafness, deformity, muscular and nervous disorders, paralysis, and loss of limbs. Her condition falls with deafness. Many common handicaps result from a genetic disease. Heart disease decreases strength and endurance. A stroke produces paralysis and loss of speech."

Ace stood in the middle of the sterile examination room and wore a pair of trousers in tan color, a matching tee shirt, a white tinted sports jacket, and a pair of tan colored loafers, without the socks. He asked with worry. "Did Fawn have a stroke?"

He shook his bone skull. "That's not the medical case with Fawn, that I can see. Arthritis and many bone diseases lead to deformity. Certain nerve diseases may result in blindness, deafness, and the lack of coordination. Cerebral Palsy Disorder damages the brain before, during, or after birth, which can cause speech problems, mental retardation, and muscular weakness. Lastly would be an accident that causes the handicap."

"Are you telling me that Fawn has Cerebral Palsy, which has caused her muteness?"

"No! That's not her medical case either. Cerebral Palsy also causes mental retardation and muscular weakness and lastly any type of accident can be responsible for her handicap."

Ace exhaled with frustration and shook his bone skull, "Patrick, I don't understand your deep medical sermon. What's wrong with her natural female voice?"

"Based on all my tests and interviews provided by her written explanations, I can tell you that her vocal cords aren't related to a particular medical condition. My conclusion is, they were severed."

"Severed! Do you mean that her voice cords were cut by a sharp tool?"

"They have been cut or sliced open down inside her throat canal. This would be the scientific reason for her not being about to speak, like a normal female. And I might add that she will not ever speak for the rest of her life."

Ace nodded with a stern face and wiggled both of his hands in the air, "What about some type of operation or surgery to repair the severed vocal cords? Will that fix her voice box?"

Patrick shook his bone skull with a stern face. "I don't know. I can't guess. Since I can't guess, I have no additional medical or scientific data regarding her severed her vocal cords and lack of speech. She is and will be mute for the rest of her days. I'm so sorry, Ace. You appear to be very disappointed."

Ace exhaled with disappointment. "When Fawn mentioned that she had seen numerous doctors, I automatically thought of the latest, greatest medical breakthroughs, since she was a young child, twenty eight years ago. I have wished, prayed, and hoped that you could have found a reason for using the modern medical equipment and modern medical knowledge and then repaired her vocal cords."

"I'm truly sorry, Ace. I'm a medical physician which makes me only a demi-god here on Planet Earth, not in heaven. Do you want me to tell her?"

Ace shook his bone skull and his hand. "I will do that, later tonight. Thanks, Patrick!"

"I have done everything that I can think of. I must admit I find it a mystery how her vocal cords were severed. Are her parents alive?"

"No."

Patrick nodded. "I remembered asking that particular question. That's ashamed, because they would have the answers that you and she are seeking. Do you require any more of my clinical services, Ace?"

Ace faked a smile and extended his hand to Patrick. Patrick shook then released Ace's hand. Ace nodded. "Not for the rest of the day, Patrick. Thanks for all that you did for us. Have a good day!" He scooted around the medical physician and headed towards the open archway feeling great disappointment.

Patrick swung around and stared at the back spine on Ace. "I will. Remember Ace! Many people overcome their personal handicap making some very important contributions to mankind."

Ace stared across the hallway at the closed examination door that held Fawn, "I know that."

"Bye, Ace!"

"Bye, Patrick." Ace stopped at the closed door. Patrick exited the empty examination room and scooted down to the side wall, seeing his next medical patient. Ace exhaled with frustration and disappointment, reaching out, grabbing the knob and twisted his wrist bone. The door opened.

Fawn emerged from the dressing closet wearing a pink sleeveless blouse, a matching short skirt and a pair of pink tinted sandals. She a tall and slim female with a pair of long legs. He entered the room then colliding into her upright body, pulling back with a fake smile. "Are you ready to go?"

She smiled and talking into his mind.

i finished primping. do I look okay?

"Baby, you look great. I especially like your cute outfit."

thank you. my favorite color is pink. i picked it out for you.

"And I picked you." He leaned over and kissed her hugging her warm body, enveloping her into his embrace. They exited the examination room and moved down the hallway as she sweetly chatted into his mind. He softly talked back and told a ton of lies about her medical condition, praying that Almighty God didn't strike his person down with a bolt of wicked lightning.

They left the building and headed towards his Lamborghini sports car. He opened the door. She entered with a smile. He scooted around and slid down into the car, staring the engine, speeding back to the beach house for the rest of the day.

Ace still wasn't used to her not shouting, yelling, and talking like a regular female. He felt funny without the extra noise invading his ears. He definitely enjoyed touching her a lot more and hearing her voice in his head, which too created an exotic and erotic sensation within his mind, heart, and body.

Ten hours later, at 08:08 am, in the home environment of Ace, inside the living room setting at the social pre-wedding party for his grandfather.

Samuel Attila Smith, Junior was getting married to a lovely older lady, a true blue-blood lady from Mobile, on Sunday afternoon, at the local church.

Ace had hosted a party for his grandfather as the only living blood relative on Planet Earth introducing his future step-grandmother to his neighbors, his friends, and his foes.

Just kidding about the foes, ya'll!

The living room interior walls in his residential house had been quickly repaired and then repainted with the same tan hue covering each bullet hole and protecting the lie from his daughter, after a second terrible event, within their shared home. The interior designer found the same tan, beige, and rose furniture pieces in the city of Birmingham shipping each item down to Mobile using Ace's personal credit card that also faded the façade of a loving home without invaders.

Currently Granddaddy Smith had left the house taking his future bride back to her house then retiring for the evening. Ace stood a few feet from the entrance wall with an open archway that emitted moths, flies, and June bugs into the foyer space that would die from the lack of food later in the evening. Most of the guest had left for the evening nodding nicely to Ace and his family members.

Ace wore a black tinted tuxedo suit with a purple colored dress shirt, a pair of black tinted shoes, and a purple and pink tinted bowtie. He hugged the waistline on his tall teenager, who possessed a head of long black tinted hair, a pair of violet colored eyes, and a mobile telephone hanging down from her earlobe. He smiled with a nod to the next exiting guest. "This is the love of my life, the apple of my eye, my beautiful intelligent, sweet biological daughter, Bo Peep."

Gem wore a purple tinted evening gown still listening to the telephone inside her earlobe, speaking to the row of individuals. "Daddy, please!" She flipped her free hand and rolled her two eyeballs, slapping her dress while smiling at Slick and Buck. "Daddy lives in the past." Fawn stood on the opposite side of Ace and wore an ankle-length pink tinted gown, smiling at each exiting guest.

"I'm normal." Ace frowned at Slick and Buck.

"You are abnormal." She continued to listen to the one-sided conversation coming from her friend on the mobile phone.

"She exists in that teenager stage. I don't know how to handle it or her or teens, so I let her vent, insult, curse, smoke, drink, and whatever." He chuckled with his friends.

"When do you do that that, Boss?" Buck stood on the other side of the front door beside Slick staring at Ace. He wore a dark blue colored tuxedo suit with a yellow colored dress shirt, a pair of black tinted shoes, and a yellow and red tinted bowtie. His wife was engaging with the other guests wearing a red and yellow tinted gala dress. Their three children were at home with a nice babysitter.

Ace smiled with a nod. "Whatever, Bo Peep wants, Bo Peep gets!"

"I do not." Gem frowned.

"Yes, she does, when I give my permission. I'm a great dad." Ace turned and winked at Fawn.

She reached down and touched his arm, talking into his mind.

he. he. he. he. he.

"The man spies on me every second on the clock." Gem turned and frowned at the rear skull on her father.

He returned back and frowned at his daughter, "I do not."

"Daddy, please, be honest for once in your life." She shook her curls. "You have been doing that, since I was thirteen years old."

"How did you know that?" He frowned.

"I see. I hear. I smell." She giggled with a grin.

He frowned. "I possess an ungrateful brat. I'm taking all of your credit cards now. Hand them over and the cell phone too, unless it's growing into your eardrum, then I'll run you to the emergency room on Government Street."

"They make a great comedy act." Slick wore a brown tinted tuxedo suit with a black tinted dress shirt, a pair of yellow tinted shoes, and an orange tinted bowtie.

"The Ace and Bo show." Buck laughed out loud.

"The Gem and Ace show sounds better."

"No, that doesn't sound better. I created the name first, Slick." Buck turned and frowned at his friend and coworker.

"I created a better name second, Buck." Slick grinned.

"I did."

"I did." Buck sneered.

"Stop it, Batman and Robin!" Gem frowned. "You're embarrassing the gene pool." She giggled. Buck and Slick returned back and smiled at Gem.

"Who is Batman?" Ace turned and winked at Buck and then Slick.

"I am." Buck slapped his chest with a nod.

"Why are you Batman?" Slick turned and frowned at the nose profile on Buck.

Buck lifted his height rising on his toes nodding with a smile to Ace. "Do you see? I'm bigger and better looking like Bruce Lee."

"Batman was role played by the man, who was named Bruce Wayne." Slick chuckled.

"You are a shorty, like Robin." He laughed with Ace.

Slick smiled. "I should play the role of Batman here, because I can hum the Batman theme song. Na. Na. Na. Na. Na. Na. Na." He sung out loud and danced sideways while his friends laughed out loud.

"Enough, two cartoon superheroes!" Gem frowned and shook her curls at two long-term friends of her father.

"You tell them, Bo Peep!" Ace nodded with a smile to Buck and then Slick.

"Daddy, you and I are going to talk about my nursery nickname." She turned and frowned at her father.

Ace flipped his hand in the air then frowned at his two friends, "Geez! Give a teen car keys, then the teen rules the world." He laughed.

Gem pulled her car keys, "Daddy, I'm going to stay my friend's house for the night. I'm spending the night with her, but I will see both of you and Fawn at the wedding ceremony on Sunday pm. I love you, Dad!' She leaned over and pecked her daughterly kiss on his cheekbone, pulling back with a smile. "Bye, Dad! See you later, Fawn!" She exited the house with a smile and still holding the mobile telephone near her eardrum while talking to her friend. Her luggage was stored inside her personal sports car for her short trip.

The social pre-wedding ceremony had started at four in the afternoon with a nice dinner then ended with a round of alcoholic drinks. Guests were swiftly thinning out from Ace's house. The caterer company's hired personnel started banging around pots and pans cleaning up the dirty dishes and food platters inside the kitchen.

"Mew." A cat sounded echo from each hidden wall speaker on the first floor.

"Is that a cat?" Slick looked down at his legs and then at viewed Buck's legs.

"Do you own a cat, Ace?" Buck looked down and scanned the floor with puzzlement.

Ace turned and gasped at the empty space beside his rib cage. Fawn was gone. He returned back and nodded to his friends, "Yeah, I do, and she is hungry. And, now, it's her feeding time." He grabbed the arm on Slick and then Buck, hauling them towards the lingering guests, who held an empty wet tumbler of alcohol. "Time to leave, everyone! Help Mrs. Denny to the car, Buck. Go and grab Mr. Haney, Slick!" He shoved both his friends towards the guests, who had overspent their time in his house.

Fawn was playing Ace's favorite child's game, Hide and Seek. This was the new and improved version for adults, using Fawn soft tongue sounds from her personal mobile telephone that echoed throughout each hidden speaker. Fawn would hide somewhere inside the huge house creating the 'mew' sound that she was ready for him to find her. She gave him ten seconds then Fawn moved to another hidden corner within the house, producing a new meow sound, stripping a piece of her clothing off her body.

One night it took him fifteen minutes to find her. She was completely naked inside one of the closets. They made love on the floor. He couldn't stop long enough to the bed, and then they finished. He carried her to the bed for another round of feline fun.

"Mew." The same sound crackled over the wall intercom again.

Ace roughly escorted the old woman through the open archway, saying with a set of rushed words. "Time for everyone to leave. Thank you for coming! We really enjoyed your company." He spun around and nodded to his friends. "Hustle them out, Slick and Buck!"

"Where's Fawn?" Slick slowly spun around and scanned the room.

He moved ahead and harassed the rest of the guests. "Fawn is resting. This party has stressed her nerves with all of the snobby guests."

"Say goodnight for me!" Slick shouted and escorted two of the ladies out the front door.

Ace smiled. "I will. Goodnight Mrs. Andrews. Mrs. Kent. Mrs. Sherman." He repeated the names and gently shoved the three old bats out the door on his mansion, slamming the door shut with a loud thud. Fawn was waiting for him, hiding somewhere. He started climbing the staircase searching upstairs first with a smile.
Sunday, June 23th

Restaurant location

Sidewalk setting

Heated night with twinkling stars and moon rays

10:09 pm

The short wedding ceremony at the church had lasted five minutes for the legal marriage of Granddaddy Smith and his new bride Magritte. The small party of family members and close friends had left the church arriving at the restaurant for an evening of food and fun. The wedding menu included seafood appetizers, soups, and entrees for the guests. The new bride Magritte had insisted that each couple arrive in a rental limousine at the church and then use the same transport for the rest of the evening.

Ace left the restaurant property last ensuring each family member and friend had arrived back home from the nightly festivals, walking into the humid, heated night near the midnight hour, yawning with exhaustion and held the hand of Fawn.

Fawn wore a lavender tinted ankle-length gown. Her light brown long hair blowing in the light breeze. Ace wore a white colored sports jacket without a necktie, and a lavender tinted tee shirt matching her dress while whispering in her ears.

The chauffeur slid out from the driver's seat and padded ahead, wearing a traditional black tinted suit with an oversized matching cap, opening the rear door for the young adult couple. Fawn stopped then gathered up the long hemline into an ugly ball watching Ace. Ace entered first and folded down, sliding over the smooth leather into the middle of the bench while watching Fawn. She folded down from the low rooftop, wiggling off balance on top of the flat pavement in a pair of high heeled fashion sandals.

The chauffeur reached out and grabbed her naked arm assisting Fawn into the rear compartment while speaking into her mind.

dearie!

He released her arm as Fawn tumbled over the bench seat and gasped in alarm, colliding into Ace, speaking into his mind and stared at the closed partition which blocked the front cabin from the rear compartment. She felt fright and worry.

douglass?

The chauffeur stood upright with a smile then stepped from the rear compartment, sliding back down into the driver's seat. He softly chuckled with amusement.

"Who is Douglass, baby?" Ace turned and smiled at the nose profile on Fawn, wiggling in the seat, cuddling her body. "Don't tell me now! Have you have forgotten my name already, baby? Ace! Do you remember my name now? Or Attila the Hun, if you prefer." He laughed out loud.

A weird sound echoed throughout the vehicle interior and inside each pair of eardrums. The metal door mechanism shut, clicked, and then locked the couple inside the rear compartment. Ace had heard the familiar sound before and turned, frowning at the closed door with puzzlement. "What's wrong up there, driver?" He reached over the seat then jerked the door handle, without cracking the door open, feeling concern. He sat upright and shouted at the driver. "Open the damn door, driver."

The partition slowly dropped down and revealed the chauffeur, who was the exact twin of the man from Outlook Mountain in Tennessee that had appeared at the log cabin with Ace. The male was pretending father, who was searching for his pretend daughter. That daughter was Fawn, who was sitting beside Ace inside a locked and bolted limousine.

The man had kidnapped and taken Ace for a long, boring joy ride from the US State of Tennessee through the entire US State of Alabama, arriving at Ace's home in the seaport city of Mobile. The man wanted to kill Ace and then take Fawn, who entered Ace's house and was missed by Buck's bullets.

"He missed." Ace whispered for his eardrums and sneered at the unnamed kidnapper. "What do you want now? Ah! Yes, of course, you want the free laptop computer that I had offered, before I was kidnapped and tormented by you, sir." He growled at the chauffeur.

"I'm honored, kid. Please, allow me to properly introduce myself to you, Judge Smith. I am Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, an opportunitier."

"What is an opportunitier? I have never heard that word, sir." Ace frowned.

He smiled. "I am the creator of opportunities, only for myself, by using resources available to me."

Ace gasped in shock and then nodded with a grin, "Resources! I have some Resources, interesting Resources. Why don't you drive down to Government Street? I will love to introduce you to them also?" He laughed.

"That would be might fine of you, Judge Smith. But, maybe, later tonight, we can go for a midnight ride. Right now, we some official business to conduct first. Ain't that right, dearie?" Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor smiled at Fawn.

Fawn started crying feeling sad, afraid, and withdrawal staring a Douglass. Ace was holding her hand, but she wasn't talking inside his mind. Her mind was blank like a computer screen. He snarled at Douglass, not the actor. "What do you want with us?"

"I just want to borrow her for a few days, fly boy." Douglass grinned.

"You want to borrow my fiancé for a few days. The answer is no, sir. The second answer is why, who, where, what, and how much do you want."

"You think I want your money. You are most mistaken, pal. I have other interests that don't include you, interests her, dearie."

"I insist you stop using that term, dear, for my fiancé. Her name is Fawn. I, also, insist you remove yourself from the steering wheel while you're still breathing, sir." Ace sneered.

"I'll leave you here inside your rental limo, but Dearie comes with me, pal."

"No." Ace sneered.

"Let us all be gentle of men here, I'll explain my proposal. You can debate me with your worthy points, man." He smiled.

"As long as your proposal is reasonable, and it doesn't include Fawn. You can have the limo, my wallet, and all the money that I can access from the nearest bank money machine in the next few minutes, sir."

"Didn't you tell your boyfriend the process in which you acquired your millions, Dearie?"

"Fawn told me that she was hook winked by a con artist, which must be you, sir."

He laughed with amusement. "Con artist, now that's calling the kettle black, Dearie."

Ace acknowledged. "You can have her money and my money, just tell me how much, sir."

"Her money? What a joke, mate?"

Ace asked. "I am afraid I don't understand your kind of humor, sir."

"Actually, there is some truth to that tall fairy tale, but I'll discuss it later, fly boy. Dearie, I can't believe you're still telling lies. That's not a very nice thing to do to a true gentleman of the South."

Ace repeated. "Lies! What lies, sir?"

"I can see your holding her hand, which means that you also have discovered her unique almost heavenly ability, scout."

"You are talking about the concept of telepathy."

"Ah! You can hear her vocal words coming into your mind. Congratulations, roomie!"

Ace frowned, "So, what do you want with us, again?"

"Us! You're moving faster than a freight train on this one, Dearie."

Ace sounded with puzzlement. "This one? What's he talking about, Fawn?"

"I'll get to that one later, sport."

Ace sneered. "Right now, would be a more appropriate time rather than later."

"Based on your surprised reaction to my appearance, I would guess that Dearie has told you her life story. Ain't that right, chump?"

He nodded. "Fawn has informed me of the bites and bits of her life. But we have plenty of time together to explode that option, sir."

Douglass shook his bone skull with a sour frown. "Plenty of time! I don't think so there, tike."

"What does that mean, sir?" He sneered.

Douglass smiled. "Dearie possesses another supernatural talent, dude."

"Another talent! What other talent are you referencing, sir? Fawn, do you understand his question?" Ace turned and asked her. She was silent inside his mind like a blank computer screen and continued to cry while staring at Douglass, not the actor.

Douglass snickered, "Fawn holds a supernatural ability that opens a secured lock like the ones in a money bank, ain't that right Dearie?"

"Locks! Fawn, what is he talking about?"

"Since Dearie is currently uptight and not talking and silence for once. Fawn talks all the time in my head too while giving me a headache, ain't that right, Dearie?"

"Can she really talk inside your head, sir? Fawn, can you really talk into his mind too?"

"Yep! She can talk to me, like you, pal. So, you're not a special guy, after all. She can talk to everyone, if she chooses with her mind, ain't that right, Dearie?" Douglass softly snickered.

"Can you really talk to everyone, Fawn?"

"Well, I have a gift from Almighty God, too."

Ace returned back then gasped at Douglass, not the actor, "Do you now? That's an interesting discovery. Do you want to demonstrate your God-given talent to me?"

"Naw! I don't wanna do it now, maybe later. Do you want to hear Dearie's second supernatural ability or not, cub?"

"Go ahead, sir! I'm listening here." Ace nodded.

"Well, it's a rather lengthy story. So, why didn't I just move the limo down the street? Then we can cruise and chat at the same time." He winkled at Ace then spun around facing the clean windshield, igniting the engine.

In the rear compartment, Ace stated. "That works for me."

Douglass slowly steered down the familiar city street, "Where should I begin, Dearie?"

"I want to know everything as far back as you can confirm, sir." Ace turned and stared at the nose profile on Fawn while wondering the other facts or fiction coming from Douglass.

"Well, that's quite a laundry list there, pup."

"Everything! I wanna know everything about Fawn." Ace continued to sneer at the nose profile on Fawn. She stared down with rolling of tears at her hands in her lap without commenting.

"Here comes everything, pal. Dearie was born as Fawn Fong."

"True!" Ace sneered.

Douglass continued to steer then frowned at the windshield, "Don't interrupt my storyline, slim! I lose my concentration."

Ace returned back and nodded to the rear skull on Douglass, not the actor. "I am sorry, sir."

"Very well! Fawn was cute little girl. I saw her baby pictures, cute as a button."

"What rolls of baby pictures?" Ace gasped in puzzlement.

"You're interrupting my storyline, again, chimp!"

"I am sorry, again, sir."

"The cute baby cried a lot. That's what the prosecuting attorney told the jury at her mother's criminal trial here in Mobile. Fawn's mother was a teenager and a whore on west side, who became pregnant and didn't want her baby. The teenage mother cut the baby's throat and left her infant daughter to die inside the hospital garage bin. What a stupid place to leave a dying body? Well, a maintenance guy finds the tiny newborn baby. The baby was crying with tears coming from each tiny little eye socket but no sound coming from her bloody throat. That was really strange! The guy rushed the baby to the emergency room and saved her life. The hospital made a big event with local media press, reporters, photographs, and money donations for the baby. The maintenance guy and his wife were allowed to adopt the girl, since their only son had been killed in some war battle. He was eighteen years old. Well, the baby went to a loving home. Her biological mother was found, trialed, and sentenced to death. You probably remember the story in the papers, television stations, and everywhere."

"No." Ace remarked.

"You might be too young. Anyways, life was great for baby Fawn, who received a new home, a set of new parents and a new beginning. After a medical doctor stopped the bleeding, he discovered the junkie mom missed the main artery on her throat muscles and only severed the baby's vocal cords creating lots of bleed but not a death act. The baby could eat breath, smile, and fart but not burp. The babe produced no sound from her healing throat. So sad! Life was fun and easy for little Fong girl. Everyone in Mobile wanted to be part of the show. Money, presents, gifts, and donation poured into the hospital for the baby and her new family. The maintenance worker retired from the hospital taking care of his newborn girl. The child was loved. She attended school, made friends, learned to play an instrument, ain't that right, Dearie? Then, like the fairy tale, the princess grew up, graduated high school and whatever. Now what? What happens to a handicapped girl, Dearie?" Douglass laughed.

Fawn continued to stare down at her dress while sobbing with her tears. Ace was still holding her hand while listening to Douglass. She did not speak into Ace's mind.

"Go on!" Ace nodded with a stern face.

"The maintenance guy and his wife were old, almost ancient. They lived a good life but not a very rich one. The money ran out since the old man quit his job and was in poor health. Dearie started to go to college but whatever. Oh, yeah! In high school, she was a little princess, the beauty queen, the exotic one, who was quiet, reserve, happy but not too many smarts. After high school graduation, Fawn was another unemployed graduate with no skills, no rich father, and no hope for a good future. She was a mute, to boot." Douglass laughed. "I made a joke, you oak." He laughed again. "And a second joke," he chuckled again.

"I see." Ace frowned at the rear skull on Douglass.

He stopped laughing then cleared his throat. "So, Dearie was faced with the hard reality of reality. What type of living does a handicap person do, Dearie? What type of living can you do, without a college education? Yeah, I know what you're thinking, pal. She received college scholarships for her physical disability, but Fawn was not the type to learn from reading a book. She learns by doing, don't you, Dearie? You saw her in the mountains the way she handled a gun then flew a chopper. She is thin, but not tall, like a New York supermodel. She beautiful, but can't talk, like a Hollywood movie star. Fawn can't get a working job at the local fast food restaurant saying out loud, 'May I take your order?'" Douglass roared with laughter.

"There are plenty of jobs..."

Ace started to defend all handicapped people. Then he realized that Fawn was running away from her special, different, and unique feature.

Douglass frowned, "You're interrupting my storyline, again, tyke."

He exhaled with annoyance. "I am sorry, again, sir."

Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, stopped then parked the limousine on the side of the street, beside a large building, spinning around, displaying the cold barrel on his personal hand gun at Ace. "Don't worry here! Fawn can't pull a Princess-Starra-weapon flying trick on me here."

"Too bad!" Ace sneered.

He laughed. "That's the wrong Tele talent, dude. Where was I? She is not a tall, can't talk, possessions no brains or job or boyfriend. I give you credit for that one. Males are no good, only causing trouble. Her parents died when she was eighteen years old, making Fawn both poor and in debt. She sold their house and rented an apartment, after paying all the bills. She was alone, poor, single, uneducated, and desperate. Fawn had an inkling she was not only different, but special. Her telepathy comes naturally. I can't explain it. Almighty God chooses folks for that gift. Some folks are good. Some folks are bad. Some folks are stupid. Some folks are smart. Fawn figured out her special talent. A telepath can read the mind on tons of humans. I emphasize the word tons, not all, like you might have seen on one of the science fiction programs, which is really rubbish. Every human has some type of Tele talent that comes from God. After all, how do we talk to God? How does God talk to us? Doses God use his cell phone or his telephone line or the internet waves? Don't bother answering my posed question!"

"God hears our prayers." Ace whispered for his eardrums only.

"I don't think anyone can define the term, telepathy. What is telepathy? Reading a mind or hearing a voice or seeing an image that is not there. What is it not there? Does the concept of telepathy use mystical, mysterious magic?" Douglass laughed.

Ace sneered. "She's mine."

He frowned. "What does that statement, pal?"

"I am sorry, sir."

He shook the cold barrel at Ace. "Do not sass my ass, lad! Anyways, Fawn used her telepathy gifts on some mighty important people, not that she meant to do a set of evil deeds. She was in the right place, at the right time. She's a natural. The gift flows down from her brain cells into another set of brain cells. Let the snotty scientists explain that theory, where I can't!" Douglass laughed.

"What types of important people?" He frowned.

"She duped some very important rich dudes, coming from your uppity society class here in Mobile."

Ace turned and sneered at Fawn. "I see."

He winked at Ace with laughter, "Not yet! But you will see, scout!"

Ace returned back then gasped in shock, "Really!"

He nodded with a smile. "Real! Really! I'm not lying here. Ask her? Fawn was enrolled at the local university for free, but not doing well in her studies. She took extra courses for fun and enjoyment, ain't that right, Dearie? Classes like weapon hand control, karate, rock climbing, scuba diving, pilot training for fixed airplanes and helicopters. She possesses a set of licenses, ain't that right, Dearie? She was having lots of play time and meeting some interesting guys in these adventure classes. Next thing, she was going to their house and meeting their parents or tagging along with her new man to their work job. So, one day she accidentally wanders into a bank vault."

"She went into a bank vault..."

"Yeah, the bank vault where all the real money is kept. Ain't that right, Dearie? One of her Joes..."

"Who is Joe?"

"Johns or Joes, that's my term for all young male mammals, like yourself, who wanna possess a beautiful girl. You got a dirty mind, counselor."

"Judge." Ace sneered at Douglass.

"Fawn is not a whore like her mom. Her adopted parents taught her better than that. She was intrigued with her new talents and wanted to test them. That's all!"

"I see."

"Well, Joe or John was getting some items out from his security box. Some banks kept security boxes outside the bank vault. All banks kept the vault open during the daylight hours for easy access for the millions of US bills lying around the floor and on the shelves."

"I see."

"Not yet! But you will see it all, bubba. Joe was stupid and Fawn was bored. He forgets his key to the security box and couldn't open the thing. He left her inside the bank vault fetching his key from his car outside on the city street. While she is standing there, she uses her telepathy on the lock. It opens."

"What!" Ace gasped in shock.

"O! I am sorry. She uses her telekinesis. Telekinesis is the ability to move an object from one point to another. Fawn opens the small box using her mind. Then the idea clicks in place. She walks into the money vault practicing her learned trade. The heavy steel door clicks open and swings free from the door latch."

"I don't understand. What idea clicked in place?"

He pointed to his temple, "The brainstorm idea of stealing all the money dollars from the bank vault, amigo."

"Did she really come up with the idea to steal all the monies from a bank vault?"

"I can see that you really earned that title of judge, Judge. Fawn took or borrowed the monies, without returning the monies back into the bank vault. She has stolen close to one million by the time I had caught up with her."

"Why did you catch up with her?" Ace frowned.

He smiled. "I'm a bank detective. She stole monies from my bank employers, embarrassing the shit of me all the while."

"Now, I understand. This ploy is all about revenge, sir."

"Hell! I got my revenge when I blackmailed her for the money, but she was smarter than that. She hides the monies in places that I couldn't find."

"She hides her money. Where is all of her monies hidden?" Ace asked.

"I'm jumping the gun here. When she discovered the security lock was opened, she inquired about obtaining a security box at each local bank. She learned a bigger security box was treated special with intense privacy and undisturbed by the bank tellers."

"I don't understand sir."

"If you purchase a great big bank security box, then you get a private chamber next to the vault for searching through your personal contents inside your security box, without a hidden camera or a computer monitor. A millionaire has lots of secrets that he doesn't like sharing his goody bags with his friends or family members or foes," Douglass laughed. "The bank doesn't want to lose their millions to another banking institution, so the bank managers supply the nicer perks. A big box. More time. More privacy. No guards. No cameras. A cheap security box is very small. The big one is two feet long by three feet wide. You can't hide a dead body in there, except for a dead cat." He laughed with amusement.

"I see." Ace frowned without amusement.

He winked at Ace, "Not yet! But you will see it all, bubba. Fawn scraped together her working monies and purchased an elite security box at one of the smaller banks on _Mobile Street_. Four days later, she entered the bank vault wanting to see her big security box while toting inside an extremely large briefcase. The bank clerk allowed Fawn into the bank vault examination room parked beside the open and unguarded money, which holds lots of George Washington's and Andrew Jackson's. Well, I had guessed right. She smuggled small quantities, not more than 10,000 or 20,000 dollars from the bank vault into her extremely large briefcase that day. So, she went around and visited each one of her bank institutions, asking to see her security box with privacy, grabbing the goods, placing all of the stolen money down into her briefcase. Then she walked out the examination room the bank vault, the building escaping without harm to herself or a customer or an employee, except for me."

"How did you catch her without the camera footage?" Ace inquired.

"She was too routine, too careful, and too predictable."

"O! She had established a regular routine." Ace nodded with her bank robbery plan.

"Yeah, she entered the same bank on the same day of the work week, at the same time, and stole the same amount of money. What did I say, scout! She possesses no brains, only beauty."

"I understand that concept." Ace huffed with annoyance. Fawn did not speak into his mind only staring down at her wet dress in silence.

Douglass nodded. "I observed. I watched. I studied the camera videos. I took notes. Then, pow! It hit me like a lightning bolt. Fawn was in every camera video recording that was robbed. How could you miss a beauty like that, man?" He hooted with laughter.

"You did your own investigation I presume."

"Damn right! I figured this girl was smart, robbing the banks without a gun. I followed her around for seven working days. She led me to every bank which corresponded with the missing money amounts that had been reported by the night clerk, not a day clerk."

"You accounted for the transgressions." Ace noted.

"Hell, yeah! I made up my own storyline. I had an idea too. I was going to get the money back for me, not the bank. The bank manager and board of directions didn't care. Each bank director wanted the incident covered up, so I was the cover up."

"I see."

"Dearie stole all of the money. I was returning it back, in my own way."

"Crooks! The both of you are nothing but a handful of crooks." Ace frowned with disappointment and shouted with angry at Douglass then Fawn. He released her hand then swiftly scooted over the smooth leather seat, colliding into the opposite limousine door, sneering at Douglass.

Douglass smiled at Ace, "Well, I confronted her with the paper receipts storming her apartment as a fake police man with a fake warrant. She was too shocked at first to response. Once I found the money, then I took it. I told her to give me five thousand dollars-per-week from her withdrawal. Else I would tell the world. She obeyed at first giving me the exact money dollars, where she had stolen using her telekinesis talent, which is like magic to you and me. I don't possess that gift..."

"I see."

"Then, Dearie ran away frightened from the headlights like a cute fawn," he laughed.

"She escaped like a true bank robber would do."

"You got it right like a true criminal. Do you trial all of those criminals, Judge?"

"I do that ever damn day. And each criminal is guilty in my court." Ace sneered.

He frowned. "Are you one of the local federal judges, Judge?"

"I am a Coast Guard military judge."

He laughed. "Damn! You're a tough boy."

"I am both a rough and tough boy. You should never mess with me, sir!" Ace shook his bone skull at Douglass.

"That's a deal! Fawn left my money inside my newly acquired security box inside each one of her targeted banking institutions. Then she left the seaport of Mobile and rented a new apartment in the northern city of Huntsville leaving Mobile for good, with me down and out."

Ace frowned. "How did you find out that new information?"

He smiled. "It was sheer luck! When you close a money account at the bank, you get the leftover cash from the security deposit rental box from that day. Or you have the bank check forwarded your new address, if out of town. Fawn didn't want the money from the set of bank security boxes. She had pre-paid for the year and the bank institution owned her two thousand dollars. Each bank institution had to pay her, by federal and state laws. I was sitting in the lounge room, when two bank tellers were discussing the incident, the girl, and the circumstances. I pieced it together."

"Since you're a brilliant and clever bank detective."

Douglass smiled. "Thanks! So, I accessed her bank account..."

"...illegally...."

"Legal like, the bank teller owned me a favor. The bank teller said Fawn had moved and where to. So, I broke into her new apartment and waited, kidnapping her, heading up towards the hills of Tennessee."

"Why did you beat her?" Ace sneered.

He laughed. "A telepath thinks better when in pain, scout."

"You are not a telepath."

"You are a smart man, ain't that right, your judgeship?"

"I'm a military judge."

Douglass smiled. "You're in the right line of work, pal."

"I accept the compliment, sir. What do you want with the girl?"

"Have you changed your mind, your judgeship?"

"Perhaps! I'm not accustomed with dealing or dating a crook."

Douglass snorted. "You called her right on that one. I'll take her off your hands, scout."

"For a price..."

"Well, she owes me for all these years of humiliation. I guess around about ten million dollars should cover all of my painful losses, dude."

"Ten million dollars! Do you really expect me to you from my money account ten million dollars for that girl?" Ace sneered.

He smiled. "Well, at first, I was going to kidnap her and then hold her ransom. But I had tried that plan..."

"...which failed..." Ace laughed.

"When you don't succeed...

"...you blackmail..." Ace sneered.

"You got brawn, brains, and brass. I like you, Ace."

Ace growled. "Do not use my name ever again!" He didn't like Douglass or the situation with Fawn.

He gasped in shock and nodded with a stern face. "Uh! So, I started tailing her and then you. I figured you would pay for her, but I wasn't really sure. Plus, I would have to explain why I took her."

"You could have taken me. My family members would have gladly paid a huge ransom of millions for my life." Ace nodded.

He chuckled. "Well, I'll keep that in mind. I am 62 years of age and I am ready for retirement. You're in the prime of your life, around thirty years old."

"I am thirty seven years old. My birthday is next month, so I will become thirty-eight years old."

"You're still a young bull in the pen." He snorted. "I need her to work her magic, one more time."

Ace waved his hand in the air near his sour frown, "Magic! Yes, of course, her ability to open the bank locks."

"Her ability is called telekinesis. You should look that up, homie."

"Are you open to new suggestions, sir?" Ace smiled.

"Shoot! Excuse the pun!" He snorted.

Ace turned and faced the nose profile on Fawn, extending his hand. "My engagement diamond ring, if you please, young lady."

Fawn looked up from the floor and faced Ace, wearing a red tinted face with streams of tears, removing the eight-carat diamond engagement ring Ace has given Fawn the ring last night at the social pre-wedding party. She handed the ring to Ace. Ace didn't speak a word to her then turned to face Douglass, extending the same hand with the ring. "I will give you this item to sell. The value of the diamond cut is worth three hundred thousand dollars in exchange my freedom, sir. You and the girl can proceed with your illegal act and actions, without me. I wanna retire back to my home in peace and watch my favorite television programs. What is your decision, sir?"

"Are you giving me that diamond ring? Mmm! This is a really tough decision!" He smiled at Ace.

"I'm waiting, sir."

He shook his bone skull, "Nope! You and Fawn are the plan, not me. However, if you really don't want the diamond ring, which contains some bad memories, then I'll be happy to take if off your hands." Douglass smiled.

Ace pitched the ring through the partition as it landed down into the front seat with Douglass, not the actor. "There! The ring is yours. I have too many fairy tales already. So, what is your nasty plan, sir? We can't sit in the limo all night."

He reached down and grabbed the ring, smiling down at the glittering diamond, "Good point! You, two are coming with me. I have a small apartment inside this building that will hold all three of us in comfort. Lucky for you, tonight is Sunday. Tomorrow is Monday. And all the bank institutions are open." Douglass stored the ring down into his suit.

Ace exhaled with annoyance. "Have you already selected a particular bank institution for your illegal bank heist?"

He nodded with a grin, "Yeah! We are going to rob the Bank of England."

"That is an international bank." Ace frowned.

He nodded again, "Clever! Ain't it? After the bank heist, I'm traveling to the islands and enjoying naked women and bottles of champagne for the rest of my sinful days."

"That is a very clever plan." Ace nodded.

Douglass spun around then ignited engine, slowly steering behind a row of tall ugly apartment buildings around the city street. "I have the doors locked. Don't move your ass! Especially, if my trigger finger gets itchy!"

Ace turned to face the glass window without looking at Fawn. She had shuffled to the other window inside the shared rear bench, folding both of her arms around her body. Ace couldn't hear her vocal words, because he couldn't touch her body part. He returned back and sneered at the rear skull on Douglass.

Douglass was going to hurt the both of them. The man would kill Ace first. Then Fawn would escape as an alive and breathing cute con artist carting off all of the bank's money from the local police officers.

The partition window between the compartments stayed down. Douglass occasionally looked back over his collar bone and winked at Ace while plotting out his upcoming bank heist, dreaming about his new retirement place.

At 11:44 pm, on a starry night of a heated evening, the limousine slowly steered down an empty street then stopped, parking behind a tall, ratty, red tinted brick building that contained ten floor levels and a front wall of with rows of dirty glass windows. Douglass killed the engine and spun around in the seat, pointing the cold barrel on his gun with a smile at Ace. "We're home. I'm parking here in the alleyway around the rear of the tall buildings. Don't worry! I'll take good care of your car, judge. I plan to use this luxury limousine as a newest prop for tomorrow's bank heist. Now, Fawn, get out first from the car! Do not run away! Else I'll blast his face with a hole. You're more important to me. Do you got that?"

Fawn looked up and wiped her tears, nodding in silence at Douglass. Her rear door popped open. She slid off the seat and stood on top of the uneven alleyway watching Douglass.

"Good, Dearie!" Douglass shifted the barrel at Ace. "Now, judge, you and I will get out of the car together. Be warned! I will fire on your back spine first, if you figure out a way to signal someone for help or you try to run down this alleyway without me and her. Do you compendia me?"

"Yes, I understand." Ace scooted off the bench seat and stood in place.

Douglass emerged from the driver's seat while still aiming the cold barrel of the hand gun at Ace then Fawn. "Judge, come over here and stood beside Dearie." Ace scooted around the rear bumper then moved ahead, standing beside Fawn, watching the gun. He didn't touch her or scream at Douglass. Fawn was standing still looking down at the empty potholes formed from the constant rain storms and car tires pounding the dried, cracked dull asphalt cutting through the alleyway as a shortcut in the city.

Douglass smiled at the couple. "I live on the fourth floor, apartment number 408. Sorry! There's no riding people or freight elevator. So, Fawn leads first and enters the building through that ground floor exit door, taking the staircase up towards the fourth floor. Ace will follow her. Then I will follow last." He pressed the fob key. Each door on the limousine closed shut then locked for security. He stored the limousine fob inside his suit jacket then retrieved pitching a key chain with a several keys in the air towards Fawn. Fawn continued to stare down at the pavement without watching Douglass, so the keys landed with a set of musical tings on the hard pavement. "Grab the keys from the ground, Fawn. You open the door and enter the apartment. And no magic inside my apartment," he laughed. Ace stared at Douglass in silence. Fawn was quiet then squatted down, snatching up the key chain of keys, slowly standing upright from the pavement, staring at Douglass. He wiggled the gun barrel then ordered. "Move!"

Fawn started first towards the side door on the first building which was a covered entrance then entered the door, slowly climbing the concrete staircase towards the fourth floor.

Ace followed behind Fawn pondering his new dangerous and deadly situation. Douglass could read her mind, thoughts, and emotions too. Ace felt hurt thinking he was the only one that was special with Fawn and he was puzzled and confused about the weird, bizarre event. Douglass was like Fawn, but not like her. Douglass happened to be in the right place, at the right time, witnessing the right move.

Inside the staircase, Fawn moved towards the exit door then opened the heavy door alone without the aid of Ace. Ace stood then stood behind watching Fawn with his confused emotions. Douglass stopped then stood behind Ace without speaking. She padded ahead through the heavy door while tripping over her lovely gala dress, stopping in front of the metal door that read with the math numbers: 408. She jiggled the single key into the knob opening the door, revealing a studio apartment with two glass windows facing the front of the apartment building that revealed the darkness without seeing the twinkling stars and moonlight in the clear skies over the seaport town of Mobile. She exhaled with worry then entered the apartment, moving ahead towards the front of the studio apartment stopping in front of the long ratty, red tinted leather sofa above a long row of clean windows, viewing the two-land roadway which was called _Church Street._

Inside the studio apartment, the worn carpet was beige hue with tiny black tinted dirt spots but clean, not smelly. On side wall held a tiny kitchen with a tiny stove oven and a tiny refrigerator underneath a short countertop in yellow tinted Formica materials. The other side wall displayed an open wardrobe closet and a single white tinted bathroom lavatory containing an upright shower stall, a wash sink, and a toilet.

The entrance wall was solid plaster holding a naked twin bed mattress with yellow linens decorated in blue tinted tiny ducks with a matching pillowcase in the middle of the wall a few feet from the entrance door. In the wall corner, a ratty brown tinted leather sitting chair stood, alone and lonely.

Ace entered a few feet into the single room with a stern face then halted while scanning his new environment until tomorrow morning.

Douglass moved passed Ace then spun around in the middle of room, waving the gun and his other arm in the air, smiling with delight. "Ma casa, su casa! That means, welcome to all."

He frowned, "Actually, the Spanish translation means, my house is your house."

Douglass dropped down both of his hands then pointed the gun at Ace, nodding with a grin, "Wonderfully, you understand my meaning, Judge. I'm a smart guy too. Let's see the sleeping arrangements including no sex tonight, kids." He scooted sideways then kicked the bed mattress, nodding with a smile. "The bed's mine. So, forget that thought. Sofa for the big guy. Chair for the little girl. And surprise, surprise! I have a set of matching linked ankle chains for each." He reached down then lifted up a long silver-tinted linked metal chain in the air, which was attached to the entrance wall by an individual hook. Ace sighed. Fawn was silent.

"Potty break now! Ladies get to go first." He pointed to the bathroom. Fawn spun around and slowly moved ahead towards the bathroom. He reached out and grabbed her arm, whispering into her face. "Tomorrow morning is the big act, Dearie. I have female stuff, including hair brush, toothbrush, lipstick, makeup, and new clothes for you. You're the star here, doll. Right now, your face isn't too red or swollen right, so keep it that way. I don't want any questions asked about you while we're inside the bank lobby. You got to look like princess, when you walk into the bank vault. Do you understand me?" Fawn nodded in silence. He released her hand then pointed at the bathroom. She padded ahead then closed the door preparing for bed.

"Cop a seat, Judge!" He turned and pointed to the long sofa.

Ace nodded with a stern face and slowly moved ahead, sitting down, bouncing on top of the soft, ratty leather, for fun, "I assume you were informing the girl of her role in the bank heist tomorrow morning."

He continued to stand in the middle of the room wearing a smile, "Yeah, the girl is going to walk into the bank lobby then ask to visit her big personal security box, show her valid driver's license and her security box key. The bank clerk will verify both of the items then personally escort Fawn to the security box wall, collecting the box, then escort Fawn into the VIP room for a private examination of the security box. The examination room is located within the bank vault of money, stacks of money. Fawn will leave the VIP room and open the locked bank vault, entering inside, stuffing the stack of one hundred dollar bills inside her big designer purse. Then, she will leave the bank vault pairing up with us. She will give me the designer purse. Then you and her will spun around and leave the bank building with me following behind ya'll. I will take my car and leave the city. Presto! I'm rich."

"I assume the girl will be carrying a very large fashion designer bag." Ace nodded.

He softly chuckled and pointed towards the side wall with the bathroom setting. "A very large fashion designer bag is hanging on the wall below the chair."

Ace turned and gasped at a very large canvas, beige-tinted, small tote bag that stood beside shelves of stacked dollar bills, which represented the stolen monies by Fawn. "An alert bank teller will notice that the size of the bag before and after the girl enters the bank vault of money." He continued to question the upcoming bank robbery plan as Ace didn't want to get hurt or killed during the actual nasty event.

"Not a chance! That the bag will contain kiddie balloons appearing like a large baby elephant on her hip as she enters the bank then enters the bank vault of monies. Fawn will prick each inflated balloon at the top, without the popping sound, placing inside her private security box for hiding. Then she cramps tons of money down inside her bag filling the side, closing her security box and then leaves the building with the stacks of monies."

"Hmm! That's a very brilliant bank heist plan, sir." Ace nodded with a smile.

"Thanks, Judge!"

"Twenty million dollars of twenty dollar bills is..."

"Naw! She grabs stacks of hundred dollar bills that will total about twenty million dollars that will nicely fit in that canvas bag."

Ace frowned. "Hmm! The cloth bag will become very heavy."

"Ah! You don't trust her either." He chuckled.

"I don't wanna get killed, when something goes terrible wrong with your brilliant bank heist, sir. Maybe, I should pay you the twenty million dollars tomorrow from my personal bank account. Then you and her can go and do something together and let me go."

Fawn stood inside the bathroom archway staring at Ace, listening to the nasty conversation. She tossed her long hair wearing a sour frown then scooted sideways, sitting down in the chair.

Douglass spun around with a smile then raced ahead, stopping in front of her chair, squatting down on the floor. He reached out and chained the metal bracelet on her bone ankle, pulling on the chain for security, saying with a smile. "This is a good fit, Dearie. Go to sleep. We leave from my apartment at 08:45 sharp tomorrow morning for your final bank performance." He laughed then slowly stood upright, reaching sideways, extracting a pillow and a blanket, tossing the two items to Fawn. He spun around then nodded to Ace, pointing into the open lavatory space, "You're next, Judge!"

"Excuse me!" Ace frowned at Douglass then slowly stood upright, moving ahead without viewing Fawn, entering the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Fawn shuffled the pillow behind her rear skull and the blanket over her body, facing the opposite way from the bathroom, staring at the wall with worry, sadness, and disappointment. A hand touched her naked arm. She jumped from fright then looked down, staring at Douglass.

He wore a sour frown and talked into her mind.

all this will be over tomorrow, doll. you will be free to go. take my advice here. do not go back to the judge. he will get you arrested for sure.

Fawn didn't answer his telepathic comment regarding her person and her freedom, leaving her mind blank, like a computer screen. Douglass removed his hand then slowly stood upright, laughing out loud, spinning around and moved ahead towards his bed mattress. She closed her two eyelashes falling into a light cat nap.
Monday, June 24th

09:09 am

Heated morning with bright sunlight

Apartment property of Douglass

Douglass didn't waste time or sour breaths getting his two guests awake, dressed, and ready for the upcoming bank heist that would make him a millionaire, who would retire to the Caribbean islands for the rest of his sinful days and nights.

Fawn entered the lavatory setting first decorating her face with makeup, then dressed inside the large wardrobe closet, in private, wearing the new clothes coming from Douglass. She wore a bright red tinted sleeveless turtleneck with a fitted waist tucked down into a matching pair of shorty shorts with a long gold chained belt. Around her neck, she wore eight gold necklace chains in various lengths from short down to long down that hit the top of the belt. She tapped in a pair of matching red tinted fashion designer pumps making her two naked legs long and shapely. Her long light brown colored hair strands were brushed back into a high ponytail on her rear skull. Her two pale tinted cheekbones were painted in pink hue, pale blue shadow on each eyelid, and a red lipstick hue on her pouting lips. She stood in front of the closet mirror with worry. She didn't cry a single tear from her slumber last night. Her face wasn't swollen either. Actually, Fawn had slept pretty good concerning the old mess she created for herself and Ace. She was both nervous and anxious about the upcoming bank heist. Douglass was not a nice man, only greedy and violent.

"Are you finished dressing, Dearie?" Douglass stood in the middle of the room wearing the same chauffeur suit which was neatly ironed and newly pressed for the morning's performance, yelling with a smile at Fawn. She exited the closet and stood a few feet from him. He clapped and laughed out loud. "Hot like a gold record!"

"Cold like a gold digger!" Ace continued to sit on the sofa consuming a piece of dry toast and a small plastic cup of sweet milk, wearing his white tinted sports jacket, a clean white tined tee shirt from Douglass, his pair of white tinted trousers, his shoes from last night's wedding ceremony dinner with Fawn, for his newly married grandfather. He was the pretend, carefree husband of the red hot gold digger in today's bank heist.

He turned and winked to Ace, "Are we jealous of your girl now, Judge?"

"Do you know what the term 'gold digger' means, sir?" Ace frowned then finished the glass of milk, placing the two dirty items down on the floor, slowly standing upright for his upcoming action shot.

"Sure, I do, scout." He nodded with a smile to Ace while feeling excitement for once in his long life. His plan was working perfectly especially with the two real actors, a true millionaire and a true beauty. "I will go over our plan one more time just to be sure."

Ace frowned. "You have informed us of the annoying details for the last thirty minutes, since I had awoken. I know my part, sir."

"Quiet, sport! I'll pull your limo in front of the bank building stopping at the street curb and park our getaway transport. I'll get out first and open the door like a real chauffeur for the lady."

Ace snapped. "I know what a chauffeur does, since I really am a millionaire and employ numerous servants."

"Good. Then you won't screw this up, Judge. I will open the door. Fawn exits first from the limo moving into the bank building. Then Ace follows behind her. I will follow last but dash ahead with the canvas bag for the rich bitch," he laughed. "Then I will open the glass door on the bank building, where the bank security guard will only be watching Dearie in her shorty shorts," he chuckled. "Fawn enters then Ace. I enter last again, dashing ahead, carrying the canvas bag filled with kiddie colorful balloons. Judge, you veer to the side wall and go to the bank money machine and pull out money."

Ace cleared his throat then spoke. "Do I pull out real cash money or pretend to read my bank account figures?" He softly chuckled.

Douglass thought hard. "Real money."

"Very well."

"Fawn will stop in the middle of the bank floor extending her hand, like a true rich bitch. I will give her the bag. Then she accepts her bag and then will priss ahead to the information desk table and present her security box key, without speaking." He laughed. "O! I forget. She can't really speak anyways," he laughed again.

Ace frowned with annoyance. "Is that going to be a problem, for me? Because, maybe, I should escort her to the information desk table and announce...ahem...my wife needs to see her bank security box and then wait at the table with her avoiding delay and confusion, sir."

He flipped his hand in the air with a nod. "This is par for the course, Judge. A rich diva doesn't talk anyways. All the bank clerks are used to the snobby wives of millionaires. The bank clerk is bank trained catering to the rich folks using English or Spanish or sign language."

Ace nodded with a stern face, "All right. If you insist..."

"I insist here. I'm the bank detective here. I witness rich divas coming and going day in and out. Fawn will be acting like a regular wife of a millionaire."

"The girl is a bank robber and you will become one also." Ace snorted with soft laughter.

"Actually, I will become retired from work, as of today. Back to my plan, Fawn goes to the information desk table. The bank clerk checks the number on the security box and her name on the security box that matches her personal driver's license. Then the bank clerk escorts her into the bank vault, opening Fawn's security box, toting the item into the privacy room. Once the bank clerk is gone, Fawn will prick each balloon inside her large bag, placing each balloon down inside the box, slamming the lid shut. Then Fawn will leave the privacy room and then stand in front of the true money bank vault door, using her magical fingers, sliding open the door. She will grab and then nicely stack each wrapped one hundred dollar bill package down into the bag. Do not toss the item down into the cloth bag. Place each plastic package vertically creating a uniform look on the outside of the canvas bag. Then the bank clerk will believe it is still your personal possessions inside your personal bag. I will be standing in the middle of the room at the island stand with the built-in clock and chained ink pens, scanning the people and the employees but waiting on my mistress. Ace will finish pulling out money then slowly count the bills in front of the money machine. Inside the bank vault, Fawn will grab the bag and leave the vault, closing the door, exiting the security deposit chamber and stood inside the archway. That visual signal alert the bank teller that the rich bitch has left the building, with her millions," he laughed then smiled. "Fawn will slowly pad to me and hand over her personal bag like a rich lady. I will take the bag and spun around, leading us towards the glass doors. I will exit first and enter the limousine, leaving the bank, you, two, and the city of Mobile. You and Ace can walk home and do something else. Our deal is completed. Does everyone understand the plan?"

Ace whined with the insult. "For the millionth time, I understand my pretend role." He softly chuckled with his lame joke that Douglass didn't understand.

He pointed to the close door that blocked out the bright warm sunshine. "Good! Let's go!"

They left the apartment one at a time, moving back the concrete staircase, exiting the building and then entered the parked limousine. Each one assumed their previous seat position. Douglass started the engine while softly singing a happy song for his upcoming retirement plan with lots of spending money.

Fawn stared out the glass window. Ace stared at the rear skull on Ace while softly growling with worry. She could feel his cold, anger, and murderous stare at her body. Ace and Fawn traveled in silence sitting on separate ends of the long bench seat inside the rear compartment of the rented limousine.

Douglass carefully drove through morning traffic steering down _Church Street_ to _Government Street_ , parking the limousine in front of the glass doors at the international Bank of England, which was a squat-shaped, brownish-red brick-coated building of two floors and rows of large clean glass windows.

Two outside security guards observed the roaming people, the rolling transports, and the illegally parked black tinted limousine. Douglass opened the driver's door and stood upright, nodding to the two guards with a pleasant smile, slowly pacing around the rear bumper and then stopped, lifting up the trunk hood and grabbed the small canvas bag with kiddie balloons. He did not bother to close the trunk lid then dashed to the rear door, opening the metal and assisted Fawn to stand, handing her the canvas bag. She did not take the canvas bag and wore a sour frown and a pair of dark-tinted sunglasses, slowly moving ahead towards the bank building. Each guard watched Fawn, not Douglass or Ace.

Inside the rear seat of the limousine, Ace scooted across the long bench then slid off the seat, standing upright with a smile, straightening his clothes and surveyed the crowded sidewalk with people going to work or breakfast or shopping. He slowly followed Fawn and nodded towards the two guards, who continued to watch Fawn.

Douglass shoved the rear door shut and held the canvas bag, spinning around, rushing ahead of Ace and moved towards the glass doors. Each bank guard opened the door for Fawn. She entered the bank building. Each guard released the door closing in the face of Douglass. He growled at each bank guard then opened one door, entering the building.

Inside the building, Fawn stopped then stood in the middle of the floor, beside the island of chained ink pens. The island provided a hard surface for a customer accessing the mobile telephone for their personal bank account or writing out a bank heist note.

just kidding!

She continued to stand and extended her arm while watching the bank vault clerk at the short desk beside the open archway on the forward wall.

The rectangular-shaped bank lobby displayed two side walls with an individual bank teller window that was covered in plastic bullet-proof glass for protection. The forward wall featured a slick circular archway that led into a room of small and large metal security deposit boxes and the money bank vault further down into the enclosed cold tunnel, where only the bank vault clerk and bank manager could pad.

Outside the building, one of the guards nodded then opened the door for Ace. Ace nodded with a smile and entered the building, standing a few feet from the door on top the floor, scanning the room. The entrance wall held a pair of glass doors and a pair of interior security guards with an exposed hand gun, and a money machine in the dark wall corner. He turned and strolled ahead towards the money machine which did not display a line of people, stopping then stood in front of the metal. He withdrew his money wallet and attempted to access money while keeping one eyeball on Fawn.

In the middle of the room with people floating around Fawn, she continued to extend her arm, in the air, like a rich diva, wearing a sour frown and her dark-tinted sunglasses, staring at the bank vault clerk on the forward wall. Douglass appeared and stopped beside Fawn, reaching down, carefully draping the beige bag over her arm.

Fawn did not speak to her servant then shifted the bag's strap over her collar bone, slowly padded ahead to the clerk at the bank vault low short table that did not have a line of customers, pulling out her security deposit box key and her valid Alabama driver's license from the pocket on her shorty shorts. She stopped then stood in front of the desk, placing the two items on top of the hard surface while staring down with a sour frown at the clerk, without speaking, like a rich diva. She still wore dark-tinted sunglasses also.

The clerk had noticed Fawn in the middle of the floor, like a rich diva. She wore a gray tinted skirt with a white tinted blouse, a pair of white stockings, and a pair of low-heeled gray shoes, looking up with her fake smile at the rich lady, without speaking. She reached out and grabbed the two items, looking down at the manual bank vault log book, verifying the number on the security deposit box key and the name on the driver's license, finding both items in order. She spun the log around and handed Fawn a blue tinted ink pen, "Please sign your name on the dotted line."

Fawn leaned down and grabbed the pen, scribbling her name in a wiggling line which was easy to counterfeit but hard to identify her person, tossing the pen back to the lowly paid clerk, like a true rich diva. She stood upright and faced the open archway, adjusting the bag's strap, still wearing a sour frown and the pair of sunglasses.

The bank clerk huffed in annoyance and wore a stern face, slowly standing upright from her hard chair, accepting the key, returning back the driver's license to Fawn.

Fawn accepted her driver's license and replaced the item back down inside her pocket of the red tinted shorty shorts. Douglass had stolen the clothes from Fawn's personal wardrobe closet in her home apartment in Huntsville. And the targeted bank did house the purchased extremely large security deposit box in Fawn's name, where Douglass had stolen the security deposit box key from her apartment also.

"This way." The tall, skinny, older, brownish-grayed haired bank clerk slowly spun around and moved ahead, holding two identical security deposit keys, that opened the box while rattling a key chain of loose keys. She stopped and stood in front of the closed bank vault bank, wresting with the flush lock, clicking open the latch. The heavy door automatically swung forward missing the tall skinny bank clerk then halted without slamming into the side wall of solid concrete possessing a great set of hydraulic springs.

She entered three walls of solid metal boxes and placed the chain key on her belt, turning into the side wall, walking directly into the targeted security box. She placed both matching keys into an individual slot then opened the closed door, pulling out the heavy metal box, back stepping with care then side stepped down the same wall. She stopped in front of the first open privacy room and entered the cold space, gently placing the heavy metal box down on top of the naked wooden table, without opening the lid. She spun around and handed the key back to Fawn, nodding with stern face, moving ahead then softly mumbled her jealousy. "Rich bitch."

All the rich divas knew the proper security deposit box procedure.

She left the room allowing the bank customer privacy then closed the door, returning back to her lonely desk on the forward wall, inside the bank lobby.

Inside the small room of dull beige paint Fawn continued to stand and opened the lid on the heavy box, zipping open her bag, pulling out the long needle from the side pocket. She carefully pricked each fat balloon then removed the item, storing down inside the security box. She was very fast finishing the job then spun around exhaling with nervousness, slowly padding towards the closed door. She leaned down into the metal door and listened for any other faint human voices or rumbling machines while hearing silence. She opened the door and viewed the hallway seeing no other person, exiting the room, leaving the door open. She rushed through the three walls of metal boxes and an open archway then stopped, standing in front of a circular steel-plated doorway. She exhaled with nervousness then looked back over her collar bone without seeing an employee.

She returned back and reached out touching the circular wheel that held a rolling dial of math numbers, closing both of her two eyelashes and concentrated on the built-in silver lock.

cold. steel. smooth. numbers.

She could feel the rough metal catches with the used math number sequence. She wanted to be certain that she had the correct digits. If not, the bank alarm would sound very quickly and very loudly. Lots of people would die from her silly mistake. Douglass possessed a hand gun inside the lining of his chauffeur's jacket. He had whispered the first number on the lock sequence, eighteen. She mentally thought the number over and over in my mind while touching the latch.

18. 18. 18.

The lock clicked open. The vault latch popped. The heavy door swung out without hitting the side wall of solid steel plating. She entered the familiar cold tomb, looking on the left side, stacks of wrapped one hundred bills were bundled in horizontal column, for the taking. She opened the bag and filled the stacks from the bottom first, quickly adding more columns of money, laying the last package inside the full bag, zipping it shut. She jerked the bag off the floor exhaling with heavy breaths of excretion.

the bag is too heavy.

She wanted to remove some of the money stacks making the bag feel lighter but nixed that plan. Douglass was waiting. Ace was waiting. She gritted her teeth and slowly lifted the heavy bag a few inches from the floor, balancing her high heeled soles, rising the bag onto her collar bone while grunting in pain. She slowly spun around then moved ahead, controlling her breaths, exiting the bank vault room. She slowly padded ahead and emerged in the open archway, exhaling in pain from the heavy bag of money.

On the forward wall, the bank vault clerk turned then sneered at Fawn, sitting at her desk, until the rich diva had left the archway.

Fawn didn't smile but grunted taking three steps ahead then halted in pain. Douglass stood beside the island watching Fawn and then gasped in alarm.

The bank clerk left her desk entering the bank vault. Douglass quickly padded ahead, reaching out, grabbing the canvas bag with money from Fawn, spinning around with a smile, swiftly pacing ahead towards the glass doors for his planned escape taking the limousine for his future retirement.

A few feet from the bank vault, Fawn continued to stand and exhaled with sour breaths from pain toting the heavy bag of money, darting her two eyeballs at Ace.

Ace spun around from the money machine with a wad of cash money then spotted Fawn, slowly moving away from the entrance wall, viewing Douglass with the bag of money. The bank heist was successful. He slowly back stepped from the loud commotion and slammed his back spine into the entrance wall without getting harmed or killed, hiding from the deadly guards, the panicked customers, worried employees and a dangerous Douglass.

The bank clerk reappeared and stood in the archway, pointing and screaming at the back spine on Fawn. "The money vault door is open. She stole the money. The money is gone."

On the entrance wall, the first bank guard quickly assessed the quick moves on each person then shuffled in front of the glass doors, pointing at Douglass. "Stop him! Stop him! Stop him! Sir, stop!"

On the bank vault wall, the bank manager appeared and stood in his office's archway, frowning with confusion, seeing the shuffling people, hearing the loud screams of panic. "What's going on here?"

Fawn removed her sunglasses then swiftly shuffled to the side wall of teller windows, rapidly dropping down to the floor, like the other bank customers, out of the way of the upcoming violence.

The bank vault clerk screamed in panic and pointed at the back spine on Douglass. "The limo guy, he totes the bag and has stolen the money. Stop him! Get him!" Douglass reacted with the panic and bolted towards the glass doors, whipping out his hand gun, holding beside his leg.

Fawn started to slowly pad ahead in a duck-walk pose across the crowded floor, scooting around the squatted row of bank customers, moving ahead towards the glass doors.

"Shoot him!" The bank manager continued to stand and shouted out loud from his office archway.

The first bank guard held his hand in the air and shouted at Douglass. "Halt! Stop, sir! Halt!"

The second guard stood beside the glass door and viewed the gun on Douglass, whipping out his hand pistol, discharging a fiery bullet. The loud noise deafened each pair of eardrums and the smoke blinded each set of eyeballs.

The flying bullet hit a moving Douglass sideways at his rib cage, He stumbled ahead and dropped the bag of money, tripping over his feet then fell down, landing on his face. He released the gun as it slid over the floor with a pinging noise.

All of the bank customers, bank employees, and the bank visitors screamed in panic then stood upright, tumbling over each other and stampeded the floor. Each one dashed around a wounded Douglass then exited the bank building, still screaming in fear and panic.

The two guards slowly moved ahead and pointed the barrel at Douglass. He was lying quietly on top of the bloody tile floor, not moving or speaking or snorting.

On the forward wall, the brave bank executive left his office and scanned the room, wearing a stern face then halted, pointing at the male on the entrance wall. "You! You're his partner."

Ace stood still and calmly didn't move. He stowed the cash in his wallet. He didn't want to be shot or harmed, since he wasn't the criminal, here. He frowned, "Sir, I correct you here. I am a victim, like you."

"Freeze, mister!" The second guard slowly twirled around and pointing the heated barrel at Ace. "Who the hell are you, mister?"

Ace slapped his chest and nodded with a pleasant smile, "My name is Samuel Attila Smith, sir."

The bank manager gasped in shock, "Would you be called Ace?"

Ace nodded with a grin. "That is my nickname, sir."

He turned and yelled at the guard. "Drop your weapon, guard! Ace is a board member of this bank." The guard lowered his weapon then nodded to Ace.

The first guard pointed down at Douglass. "Sir, he was with this dead guy on the floor."

Ace turned and nodded with a stern face to each person. "You are indeed correct, guard. I was with that guy as I was kidnapped by him, sir."

"What!" The bank manager gasped in shock. "Were you kidnapped for money ransom, Ace?"

Ace pointed at the bag. "Yes, he wanted a money ransom coming from the bank which was almost paid by me and you and..." he turned and scanned the room, shouting out loud with worry, "Fawn! Fawn!" He started padding around the bank floor searching for Fawn, calling out her name.

The first security guard stowed his weapon then squatted down, unzipping the bag, shouting out loud. "There are millions of dollars in this bag in stacks of one hundred bill dominations, sir."

A few minutes later, a gang of local Mobile police officers, two FBI special agents and two Coast Guard military officers, and numerous media photographers and television reporters arrived. The television reports stepped from a colorful van with numerous steel tinted microwave antennas on the rooftop. The reports invaded the sidewalks and blocked the doors on Government Street into the bank building while taking notes, snapping pictures, asking questions, re-asking posed questions of the incomplete bank heist.

Ace was the star today, instead of Douglass Fairbanks, the dead man now. Ace explained the entire affair by sequence starting with the wedding ceremony dinner at the local restaurant, capture inside the rental limousine, prisoners at the kidnapper's apartment, and finally his pretend role in the incomplete bank heist. He provided details, addresses, times, places, and money, not his.

A pair of the local police investigators left the bank verifying Ace's fairy tale. When the law officials arrived at Douglass' residence, they found the stacks of money on the side wall, the linked chains on the furniture, and a used makeup bag in the bathroom. The police investigators believed his new demon tale as the bank manager hailed Ace as the local hero.

Ace didn't do a thing to stop the crime. He was going to let Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, walk away with millions of dollars, instead luck or fate or karma intervened on everyone.

Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor died on the spot from a single bullet entering his rib cage, racing into his pumping heart, killing his body dead. Now, he was living in fire hell visiting with Ace's old friends consisting of Shotgun, Flash, Mary Ann, Junior, Trey, and Quad while doing his eternal time.

Ace did not feel sorrow or remorse for the old man.

Douglass was an evil person and cared only for himself and served by hurting others, so the old man got what he deserved.

Ace got what he deserved too finding and saving the life of Fawn, three times. She owed him a big wet kiss for this new rescue as her math count kept getting bigger. He cared for her safety inside the rented limousine, in the kidnapper's apartment, and at the bank building.

Douglass Fairbank, not the actor, could communicate with Fawn or maybe he possessed a telepathic ability from Almighty God too, but Ace could not question Douglass about it now.

During the capture, Ace only acted upset, mad, and anger with Fawn inside the limousine, so Douglass would tattle the truth.

The truth came loud and clear.

Fawn had plotted and then stolen tons of cash money from numerous bank institutions, instead of working for funds while paying her rent, electricity and food. She had a set of special talents that only Almighty God granted. But she had used them to help herself, not strangers or others. Almighty God had taken away her normal human abilities. The ability to speak, talk, chat, gossip, converse, and burp out loud from a dark soda beverage. Ace couldn't imagine how hard life was for a little child, a teenager, a young adult, and now a mutre woman, without the ability to talk.

How was Fawn supposed to make a living for herself?

Ace knew the US Federal Government provided numerous college scholarships and paid money programs for handicapped people to advance their education and live a normal life here in the USA. Fawn was labeled a handicapped person for the rest of her life. Ace accepted that medical fact. Ace and she would discuss her past, present, and future later. Now, Ace was worried about her absence. Fawn had disappeared from the building during the riot of panicked people coming from a failed bank heist.

Inside the lush office in peach and brown tones splattered on the rug, at the wall, and over each furniture piece, the bank manager sat behind is his light wooden office desk, staring at Ace.

Ace rested in a colorful chair surrounded by two Coast Guard military officers. Buck and Slick placed a matching individual chair on each side of Ace, guarding their friend, wearing their work uniform, a short-sleeved, white tinted shirt, and a pair of dark blue trousers, and a pair of dark shoes, studying each law enforcement officer.

An array of sitting and standing enforcement officers gathered in front of Ace hearing the background information regarding his fiancée Fawn.

Ace and Fawn were engaged planning the marriage ceremony this year. Fawn was the real target by dead man Douglass Fairbanks.

Ace continued the story, "The mad man attacked her for a second time but wanted the money from the bank vault, instead of her blood. He was employed as a bank security officer here or there at other local bank institutions. He would know and then told Fawn the code for opening the money bank vault. So, Fawn pretended to be my wife and entered the bank vault collecting the money inside that designer cloth bag per his instructions. The mad man held both of us against our will in my limousine and then his apartment, threatening to hurt Fawn, my girl. We had to obey and watch the mad man walk away with millions, which ended badly. Now, my girl was in danger, which is currently worse for her, not me." He exhaled with worry.

_Where did Fawn go_ _?_

She went into hiding after the panic flood of people from the bank building. She didn't believe Ace's fake words, actions, and nasty remarks. The police officers were very helpful offering advice and some new search ideas. Then Ace remembered that he had forgotten something, staring at the police officer. "What did you say?"

The lead police officer was a female with a brown tinted ponytail and a pair of light tinted eye, repeating thee question, "You reported that she had kidnapped before and her assailant had escaped. Were there only one or more attackers?"

He gasped in alarm. "Gawd! You're correct. I missed it. I forgot. She shot one in the arm, that day, we escaped from them."

"Shot!" The policeman asked. "Can she shoot a gun?"

He smiled. "Straight as an arrow."

She shook her ponytail with confusion. "This doesn't make any sense. If she can defend herself, why did she run away from you and us?" Ace shook bone skull in silence.

Buck handed Ace an item. "Look at this picture, boss."

Ace looked down at the black and white colored picture, gasping in shock. "Shit!"

"What's that?" The policeman inquired.

Buck showed the paper picture to the police officer. "This paper picture was printed off my personal computer which came from the photo surveillance recorder two minutes after the failed bank robbery."

Ace pointed down at the paper picture. "That's her! That's Fawn!"

He jabbed his finger at the paper picture, "And the dark spot is a taller and bigger person, which is not Fawn. And that dark spot is following Fawn."

Slick nodded. "Is the guy who was shot in the arm that you had reported to the police officer earlier? Didn't Fawn shoot him in the arm?"

Ace gasped in alarm. "Damn! Douglass had his backup in hiding from me and her. He grabbed Fawn, when she ran out the door. Fawn is in danger. I gotta get outta of here and find my girl right now," he wiggled inside the chair, but the police officers had not dismissed his role in the bank heist. And Ace thought Douglass was a simpleton, not a smart guy.

"Why would she not run to you?" The police woman frowned.

Ace returned back to the police woman and waved both of his palms in the air nodding with worry. "She was scared and frightened, like me. The bank lobby was crazy. People screaming. People running. People fleeing for their lives. She might've thought I was outside. I thought she was inside the bank lobby."

Buck leaned over and whispered into Ace's eardrum. "She has been captured again, boss." Ace gasped in shock then wore a stern face with a heavy heart of worry, needing to wrap up the police interview and leave the bank building, chasing after Fawn.

The police woman continued to type on his portal computer laptop. "What other information can you share about the wounded man, Judge Smith? Did he have a name or any tattoos?"

Ace exhaled with worry and shook his bone skull. "I do not..." Buck whipped out a new paper photograph and showed Ace. Ace looked down and gasped in shock. "Yeah! That's him." He leaned over and whispered into Buck's face. "I thought you killed him."

Buck frowned. "They keep coming back like an annoying mosquito. Sorry, Boss!"

"Don't worry! Third time is a charmer."

"You mean a harmer. Third time is a harmer." Buck softly chuckled.

"You're good! Harmer, I like that word. I'm going to borrow that phrase sometimes in court." He softly chuckled. "Third time is a harmer."

"Be my guest!" Buck smiled. Slick shook his bone skull while studying the two males acting like a pair of juvenile delinquents. Buck looked up and smiled handing the paper picture to the police officer. "The name of the unknown kidnapper is Kipp Haywood. He lives at the address of 22 _Orange Avenue_."

The police woman accepted the picture and then started typing on the keyboard. " _Orange Avenue_ is located on Orange Beach."

Ace gasped in shock. "Crap! That guy lives near my beach house. That's too close to my beach house."

"This will be our first place to investigate. Now, I need a description of your fiancé, Judge Smith."

Ace smiled. "She is pretty, beautiful, and gorgeous..."

She smiled. "Height, weight, hair color, eye color would be better items."

"Yes, of course! She stands at five feet and nine inches and weighs 120 pounds, long light brown colored hair down to her waistline, delicate pale skin, and light brown eyes."

"What was she wearing?"

Ace nodded. "She wore a red colored blouse, a pair of walking shorts, and red sandals."

"Was she toting a purse?"

"No."

"Does she carry her driver's license?"

"No."

"Does she possess money?"

"No."

"What is her name?"

"Her name is Fawn Fong."

Buck whispered to Ace. "Mention her disability."

Ace stated. "She is a mute."

"Muffin!" The female policewoman smiled. "Is that her nickname?"

He growled. "No. Her name is Fawn. Fawn does not have the ability to talk. She is a mute."

"Mute?" The policeman frowned.

"Mute means she cannot talk with audible words using her vocal cords in her throat."

"Can she scream?"

"No."

"Can she shout?"

"No."

"Can she grunt?"

"No."

"Does she burp?" The police officer laughed with the other law enforcement officers.

Ace growled. "No!"

He formed a stern face. "Does she make any type of sound with her tongue or lips?"

"No."

He nodded. "All right! She does not talk or make any sound coming from her throat."

"You are correct." Ace nodded.

"All right! I will start the manhunt for Fawn Fong. Where will you be located, Judge Smith?"

Ace swiftly stood upright from the chair and nodded to the officer. "I'm heading home, then to my beach house on Orange Beach. In case, she went seen first." Buck and Slick also stood upright standing slightly behind Ace.

Buck handed his business card to each law enforcement officer. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is my business contact. Please call this number anytime. The phones are manned 24 hours and seven days per week, where the new information will be immediately relayed back to Judge Smith."

The police officer continued to type on the keyboard saying to Ace, "Thank you, Judge Smith. If Fawn gets away from him and does not possess money, an ID, and cannot talk, would she come to the police station?"

Ace stated. "Yes, she would do that." He lied. Fawn did not trust any person, not even Ace at the moment, making her flee the crime scene at the bank building.

The police officer rudely continued to type on the keyboard. "She sounds like a smart girl. We will find her. Thanks for your time and your information! You may leave now, Judge Smith. I need to interview the bank clerk. Please send her in here."

Ace frowned down at the dirty blonde colored hair roots, which were natural, on the female police officer, in silence, scooting sideways, wiggling through the huddle of chairs, where numerous Mobile police officers, local FBI special agents, and Homeland security officers sat while typing on a business laptop computer or used their personal mobile telephone, collecting or receiving bites of new information. He led Buck and Slick exiting the business office, slowly padding through an empty bank lobby, where more police officers were combing the area for clues and forensics personnel were gathering blood samples on the dead body.

Ace left the building and padded ahead to the limousine, stopping at the trunk. Buck and Slick huddled with Ace. Buck shook his bone skull. "The entire police department will never find her. Fawn went into hiding."

Slick nodded, "I agree with Buck. We have to find her first. She is in real danger, since Red Goon saw her leave out from the bank building alone and unarmed."

Ace nodded. "I'm calling my Resources."

"My snitches..." Slick smiled.

"My hackers..." Buck grinned.

Ace ordered. "Let's go."

Slick spun around and dashed to the cabin, shouting out loud. "I'll drive us back to Ace's house."

Buck gasped in shock and followed his friend, "Slick, you don't possess a chauffer's license." Buck reminded.

"I know the right pedal for go and the left pedal for stop. Right?" Slick stopped then opened the door, sliding down into the driver's door, locking the front doors on the rented limousine, laughing out loud while slapping the wheel.

"Let him! I'm too worry regarding a new decision," Ace shuffled into the rear compartment seat with Buck.

Buck bounced on top of the smooth leather seat and smiled through the open partition at the windshield, "The man is a genius. She is pretty, beautiful, gorgeous." He chuckled.

"I do believe that our chief is in love." Slick started the engine then steered onto the busy roadway down the avenue.

"Shut up and concentrate on the road, Slick! I don't wanna visit the emergency room at Mobile hospital, this morning," Buck yelled at his friend then turned smiling at Ace. "Are you really in love with Fawn, Boss?"

"When are the wedding bells going to ring, Chief?" Slick continued to steer with a smile.

"After I buy them and find her." Ace exhaled with worry.

"When did this 'love thing' take place, Boss?" Buck frowned.

Slick laughed. "You are both stupid and blind, Buck. Didn't you see the 'love birds' at the pre-wedding dinner and the wedding ceremony and the post wedding ceremony?"

He said. "What wedding?"

"I rest my case." Slick laughed.

Buck stated. "When did cupid's arrow bleed your butt, Boss?" Buck asked with poor taste.

Ace smiled. He has known Buck for years from his academy days and is one of two most trusted friends in the world. "If I recall correctly, the day she stole the gun and pointed at my head, I mean...my heart." He chuckled. "You know what I mean."

He shook his bone skull with a sour tone, "Man! If I had known all of that information, then I would have beaten the shit out of her first."

Ace smiled, "Good thing, I met her first, isn't it, Buck?"

Slick stopped and parked the long limousine in front of Ace's house. Buck returned back and smiled at the rear skull on Slick. "Good job, Slick! When you screw up and get fired by Ace, you can become his personal driver for the rest of your days and nights."

Slick spun around and barely could see over the partition wall, sneering at his friend. "I'm not getting fired. I don't miss my target, but you do. I strongly suggest you test and pass the chauffeur's driving test. Then you can work for Ace, instead standing at the unemployment for the rest of your days and nights," he laughed alone.

Ace did not laugh but felt worry typing on his personal mobile telephone to his Resource. "Gentlemen, I'm heading to the beach house for a look-see. The time is after ten o'clock. Let's rendezvous at four this afternoon for an information exchange meeting coming from our snitches and hackers. Move out!"

"Yeah, Boss!" Buck slid over and opened the door, exiting the limousine, moving to his parked car in the driveway while starting the search for Fawn.

"Later, Chief." Slick opened the door then exited the limousine also, jogging to his personal vehicle on the side of the road searching for Fawn.

Ace continued to sit on the bench seat worrying about Fawn.

One hour after the failed bank heist, at 10:10 am, ten blocks from the Bank of England on _Church Street_ , Fawn continued walking ahead like a regular shopper, without admiring the nice merchandise on each business store.

go. out. move. walk.

Fawn had heard the loud female voice. The bank vault clerk hollered the vault door was open. Fawn had forgotten to close the heavy door, which was an honest mistake.

The woman had continued to scream out a warning to all people including the bank manager, employees, customers and the two interior security guards about Douglass.

After the loud commotion and violent end of Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, Fawn had kept running forward with the panicked crowd towards the glass doors, leaving the building, jogging into the heated weather element. The woman had continued to scream a warning to all the managers, employees, customers and guards about him.

him.

The bank teller targeted Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor. He had been holding the large canvas bag filled with all of the stolen cash. Fawn had cleared the bank building without harm or an arrest. People were running, shoving, and skating with Fawn as she continued to move with them out the bank doors and then into the bright Alabama sunshine.

hot. sun. heat.

Fawn had arrived outside without stopping her movement. The bank employees were standing around the sidewalk waiting for the police officers. The bank customers were leaving the crime scene, heading to a car or running down the sidewalk. The air waves sounded with numerous loud sirens, horns, and whistles from the approaching emergency and law enforcement vehicles.

However, Fawn casually turned away the bank and quickly strolled down the unknown city street at a steady pace.

run. hide.

Fawn followed the street until her feet ached from wearing the high heeled pumps. She stopped and surveyed the area. She was not located in a bad part of town but the homeless section of the district.

a good place to hide, when you do not possess money or a job or a home. and you are a fugitive on the run.

She strolled slowly among the people sitting, standing, and lying against the abandoned building without staring at them while scanning the street. She wasn't being followed by a bank employee or a police officer. However, she did not trust Douglass, who might not have acted alone, like he had claimed.

Fawn was tired and worried. She didn't know what to do next, where to go next.

no home. stay here.

She decided the safest place would be among the homeless group at the moment.

Ace did not trust her or like her now. He was very nasty inside the shared limousine last night. He didn't speak a word to her after discovering her terrible past crimes. She had purposefully stolen cash money from numerous bank institutions throughout the city of Mobile using her special gifts from Almighty God. Almighty God was not pleased with Fawn either but that was a different matter. Then Ace had called Fawn a crook inside the limousine

Fawn stopped and sobbed inside her throat, holding back the tears of shame and sadness that wanted to flow down her pink-painted cheekbones.

Ace was describing her girly appearance to the entire Mobile police department right now. Then the local Mobile police force, the local FBI special agents, and the Homeland department security people would start a manhunt searching for Fawn. She had been Douglass' bank accomplice. If Fawn became captured, she would go to jail for the rest of her days and nights.

Fawn could give some of the money back to the bank institutions but not at one hundred percent. She had been forced to give up and provide money to Douglass, when he had blackmailed her, so he wouldn't rat on her person to the local law enforcement authorities.

Fawn should have let Douglass tattle. He could have told the police department that Fawn took the cash money from each bank vault using her telekinesis, a psychic gift from Almighty God. Then police department would have laughed their heads off their bodies and the bank robbery matter would have been closed.

Now, she saw her mistake.

Fawn shook her curls and wiped the sweat off her brow, nodding with a positive attitude.

food. supplies.

The homeless district was filled with people and supplies. Fawn spotted a personal business vendor selling merchandise of pillows, blankets, pans, pots, dishes, jewelry, linens, clothes, shoes and other necessary items for a person living here on the streets. The business vendor did not represent one of the numerous department store chains, but a homeless private citizen with their table of new or slightly used goods.

Fawn needed a pillow and blanket for the night.

She didn't have money but wore the dangling gold-plated necklines, a pair of gold earrings, and a gold-plated chained belt around her body. She had rush through the open door at the bank, without tossing the items back to Douglass or on the floor during the bank heist.

In hindsight, this was very good. Fawn had some bargaining chips. She could barter for items sleeping on the street, living like a homeless person.

towel. blanket.

She moved ahead then stopped, standing in front of an old metal table with a shortened leg that was lifted by a flattened rock and a slightly bent metal surface, studying each item, pointing at a neon colored bath towel, in silence, of course.

"Two dollars." The older homeless female vendor crowed. Fawn lifted up her wrist bone, rattling the gold bracelet, wiggling the item off her hand, handing to the vendor. The vendor frowned at the item. "Is that real gold, missy?" Fawn nodded with a stern face and extended the bracelet to the woman.

The vendor accepted the bracelet then measured the weight of the gold in her palm, smelling the metal, biting the bracelet and then pressed the gold against her yellow tinted teeth. A very strange ritual! She held the gold in the air and nodded back to Fawn. "If this is fake gold, I'll go and hunt you down, girly. You ain't to not hard to find as you're a pretty one," she laughed.

Fawn lifted both of her palms near her jawline, shaking her curls, rattling the chains on her body. She was telling the truth. Fawn pointed down to the towel again.

"Do you want that orange towel, girly?" The vendor frowned.

Fawn nodded with a smile in silence then pointed down at the baseball cap in ugly brown hue and a red tinted bath towel.

The vendor pulled out each item then laughed out loud to Fawn. "Does the princess want anything else?" Fawn pointed out a dark blue blanket. The vendor smiled. "O! That's my grand prize. Seven dollars for the blanket, take or leave it!"

Fawn nodded in silence and started stripping off more jewelry items, handing over a second bracelet from her arm, three short necklines from her neck for the payment. She left the rest of the jewelry for purchasing any additional items for the next couple of days or an urgent emergency.

The vendor accepted the jewelry items with laughter. The gold was worth more than new merchandise. However, Fawn didn't have a choice staying the night here while thinking about her new plans for tomorrow.

what am i going to do now?

Fawn gathered her new items then back stepped from the table, spinning around, slowly tumbling ahead and scanned the street for a nice hidey hole on the side of the building.

"Shoes!" The vendor crowed. Fawn stopped then spun around, facing the vendor woman. The vender pointed down at the red tinted pumps. "I'll trade your shoes for these shoes." The vendor held a pair of rubber thong flip-flops in a brown background with pink tinted skull.

Fawn smiled with a nod. She didn't really desire a pair of flip-flops with human skulls but greatly desire riding her feet of the red pumps. Her feet contained blisters from the walking down the sidewalk today. She nodded in silent then removed, handing her pumps to the vendor, slipping on the pair of ugly flip flops.

comfortable.

She walked away from the vendor with her wonderful presents. She had done well for her first night on the streets of Mobile, a blanket for warmth and two towels for a pillow. She wrapped her long hair into a bun and placed it underneath the cap trying to blend into the homeless people, without gaining attention or attraction.

Fawn was deathly afraid that Douglass had a secret someone with him, who might find her before the local law enforcement officers. So, she would be cautious and careful strolling around the city streets. But the best gift of all was the flat comfortable thongs. So, there is a God in heaven.

The flip-flops and the cap matched with a light brown color and pink designs. She didn't look the entire part of a homeless girl, but she was getting close. The brown and pink clashed with the bright red shorts and blouse and the dangling neckline chains and with the pair of gold earrings still in each earlobe and a gold chain around her waist.

good spot. stay here.

Fawn stopped and studied a tiny notch away from the bright sun inside the wall corner on the abandoned building, which was the perfect spot, beside another abandoned building, not a dark alleyway. She tossed the blanket on the cool concrete, sitting down, feeling both tired and drained. She didn't feel like moving around the streets with so many people or giving up her new hidey hole for someone else.

She bent her knees and placed both of her arms around her two kneecaps. She wasn't going to remove any of the jewelry. Someone might steal them. She would not be able to retrieve them from a stronger person. She leaned against the cool brick hopefully without hidden insects while trying to find a comfortable spot, hiding from the rays of sunlight and pairs of spying eyeballs. She closed her two eyelashes, trying to forget about the string of events from this morning and last night.

There wasn't anything she could do about last night. She could have attacked and hit Douglass. However, she was very concerned about Ace becoming hurt or killed, even though he was very rude and mean to her inside the limousine, at the apartment, and in the bank building. Well, she deserved it. She should have been honest about her criminal background with Ace. But she didn't know how he would have reacted to her as an old fashion bandit.

bandit.

She liked that term. It had a nice ring. Fawn was a mute bandit, who could steal your money without a gun or a whimper or a threat.

nervous. sad.

She was nervous hoping no one was following or spying on her person. Then that person could easily capture and dragged her unconsciousness body off the street without screaming and yelling as none of the homeless people would aid her.

scared. afraid. frightened.

Ace would help her. Well, he would have helped her yesterday, not day. Ace was out of the picture, foreverly.

Fawn liked him. Actually, she loved him too. Fawn had never ever met someone that made her feel great. Ace made her feel happy, wanted, desired, and loved as she felt a single heated tear rolling down the pink-tinted cheekbone, messy up the nice make-up job.

do not cry! do not start this here!

She would receive a dizzy headache and a red tinted face while drawing attention to herself. She sniffed back the snot ball and wiped off the tiny tears. She had to be strong and smart, like usual.

right! yeah!

At the moment, Fawn was very sad and deeply missed Ace. She hoped for another man like Ace.

**yeah! right**!

Like that would ever happen to her again. She was on my own like again.

alone. safe.

She was alone but safe. No money meant no food and no shelter. She had money in her apartment in Huntsville. She had paid six months in advance for a place to live. Fawn hoped Douglass didn't trash the interior wall too badly. Else she would be paying a fine for the damage. And she hoped that he didn't find her stashed cash money bills either. Douglass had told the correct story about her past life of crime and the hidden pockets of cash bills inside her apartment.

that's it!

She will return back to Huntsville and resume her old life with her stacks of cash, leaving Ace alone and lonely here in Mobile.

transportation. bus.

The city of Huntsville was a seven-hour drive, by car, from Mobile. She could take a bus trip. A bus fare was cheat as she was on a tight budget. Cheap worked for her now. She reached up and touched the earrings, nodding with a smile.

belt. earrings.

Fawn could pawn the gold belt and earrings for cash money. However, a pawn shop would undervalue the gold items. But she needed money for the bus fare at forty dollars traveling all day tomorrow morning back to Huntsville. Now, she had a plan and would return back to her old place continuing her life without the crime, this time.

That was the same apartment, where Douglass had attacked and kidnapped her. He was not there. She didn't know, if Douglass had survived the gunshot wound. When she was walking fast from bank, the bank manager ordered Douglass shot.

So, Douglass got shot and was located in the local hospital. He could not bother her anymore. However, he was tattling on Fawn with Ace to the police officers, since he could speak. So, Fawn would sneak back into her apartment, grab all of her money and her clothes then escape from Huntsville, living on the streets.

ticket.

Fawn scanned the street. People were shuffling about looking for soda cans, talking to their self or staring into outer space. She should go ahead and purchase a bus ticket now at _Government Street_ bus terminal, which six blocks away.

**good plan**!

She slowly stood upright from the hard concrete and rubbed her sore buttocks, reaching down, grabbing the blanket. She stood upright again and exhaled with worry. She hated leaving the new spot in the corner building, but the bus fare purchase could not wait for tomorrow. She folded the blanket over her arm. The fabric was light-weight and easy to carry. She spun around and scanned the busy sidewalk, hunting for a spy.

leave now.

She faced the opposite direction and slowly blended into the crowds, following the sidewalk down to the _Church Street_ intersection, crossing the street then turned heading towards the bus terminal and a row of small business shops. She watched each side street, the cars, and the people, who were walking around for shopping or seeking a plate of food at one of the nice restaurants.

no shopping today.

She spotted a small pawn shop that presented a row of used lawn mowers on the pavement, a row of musical guitars and other electronic equipment behind the glass window with a big sign over the front door that read: **Buy Gold.**

that's the place.

Fawn entered the store feeling the cold air from the working air-conditioning system. She didn't realize how sweaty she smelled and did not care. Money for a bus ticket was her only mental thought and worry at the moment. She scanned the store which contained numerous pieces of electronic equipment, musical instruments, glass cabinet of statutes and a flat credenza of jewelry from diamonds to gold to platinum. She approached a tall, pale-skinned, rough-looking, mature male at the cash register then stopped, slipping off the earrings and the belt, extending the items to the owner.

The store owner looked at her, not speaking but smiling. He was thinking what she was thinking about herself: sucker.

Fawn laid the objects on the wooden counter top.

"Do you wanna sell your personal possession, sweetie?" he laughed. She nodded without speaking. He picked up the chain belt then spun around, placing the item on the scales, weighting the heavy gold, saying out loud. "I'm give you twenty-five dollars for the belt." He spun around and lifted the pair of earrings into his earlobe rattling the items, saying with a stern face. He placed the earrings back down on the counter, pointing to the object. "And I will add twenty-five dollars for the earrings. That's fifty bucks total, doll? Is that a sale or not?" Fawn nodded with a smile and was pleased with the money exchange. He counted out the money into her hands. She stored the money in her pocket then spun around, leaving the store. He shouted out loud at her wiggling ass. "Have a nice day, darling!" Fawn didn't look back and exited the door, hearing the bell ring again.

money. bus fare.

Fawn continued strolling down _Church Street_ and viewed the people, the restaurants, the cars, the city streets, and the alleyways, approaching the bus terminal. She crossed the street and entered a cool air-conditional lobby, approaching the electronic wall board, studying the times, dates, and departures.

A bus trip to Huntsville departs at 08:47 a.m. and arrives at 05:13 p.m. A second bus trip departs at 04:06 p.m. from Mobile and lands at 11:09 pm in Huntsville. The bus stops then picks passengers from Montgomery and Birmingham, before stopping at Huntsville then heading towards the city of Nashville, within the U.S. State of Tennessee.

departure. arrival.

She didn't have a choice and wanted to arrive during the daylight hours as she didn't have the key to her apartment either.

When Fawn was attacked by Douglass, she dropped her purse, leaving her keys, money and wallet. She received a new driver's license, after meeting Ace, moving into his house. She lied and told her license had been stolen.

So, she would sleep in late after 7:30 a.m. on the sidewalk, before she left the city of Mobile, foreverly.

city. time.

Fawn back stepped from the wall then scooted around the lobby, finding a sliver of paper, moving to the purchasing booth. She borrowed the ink pen from the counter writing her message: one ticket, 8:47 am departure to Huntsville. She presented the money and the paper to the clerk behind the window.

He read the paper back to Fawn. "You wanna purchase one single bus fair to Huntsville that leaves at 8:47 tomorrow morning, is that right?" Fawn nodded with a smile. He stated. "A bus fair to Huntsville from Mobile is 42 dollars and 13 cents." He stated counting out the change from the fifty dollars and the bus ticket back to Fawn. She grabbed the ticket and the change turning away from the booth, moving ahead with a smile.

ready. freddy!

She had a bus ticket to Huntsville for tomorrow morning. She felt mixed emotions consisting of happy, sad, nervous, scared, relieved, and rich. She possessed seven dollars and 97 cents in change, deciding to splurge, purchasing an ice cold bottle of dark soda one dollar and nine cents. She was very happy sipping on the cool refreshing beverage traveling down her dry throat.

At 11:58 am, in the bright sunlight, feeling sweaty and happy, Fawn slowly padded back down _Government Street_ while looking for a new spot, staying the night within the homeless district of Mobile.
Seven hours later....

07:07 pm

Ace's home property location

Heated day and bright sunlight

Living room setting

Inside the house, on top of the wooden floor, inside a living room of tans, beiges, and rose hue, Ace walked to the front door then pivoting moving to the staircase then spun around shuffling to the rear wall while feeling worry and concern. He stared down at the screen on his personal mobile telephone while watching for any new text message, wearing a pair of green tinted walking shorts, a green and white tinted tee shirt, and a pair of naked feet.

"You're going to wear down the carpet, Chief." Slick sat on the sofa and sipped the cold beverage, wearing a pair of white tinted walking shorts, a red tinted tee shirt, and a pair of naked feet. His shoes rested underneath the sofa belly. He didn't watch Ace but played on his personal mobile telephone.

"There ain't no carpet, Slick." Buck looked up from the screen on his personal mobile telephone, stopping the electronic game, sitting on the rose and beige tinted loveseat. He had eaten his third plate of snacks sitting on the side table along with six empty bottles of soda. He stared at Slick, without looking at Ace.

He didn't bother looking at Buck but smiled. "My sentence structure is a figurative expression, which means, Ace is driving me crazy strutting back and forth from the wall to the steps, back to the wall then back to the steps then back to the wall then back to the steps."

"You're driving me crazy, when you see things that aren't there. There ain't no carpet down here over the wooden floor, Slick."

Ace continued to pace with worry and stared down at the screen on his phone, voicing his concerns at his two friends, "Where's she at? I'm so worried about her. Why can't we find her? Where could she be? Why isn't she here with me? She knows where I live."

"She is in hiding, Chief?" Slick didn't bother to view Ace, only his phone.

"She is still running away, Boss." Buck nodded to Ace.

He talked to the phone. "Why would she run away? What's she afraid of, Chief?"

Ace stopped and stared at the front door, "Fawn is not afraid. She saw Kipp. That's it. He must have chased after her. Now, she's in hiding for her life. Where can she be?"

Slick looked up and frowned at Buck, "The police..."

"... are incompetent..." He snarled at the closed door.

Buck nodded to Slick, "The local FBI special agents..."

"... are more incompetent..." Ace growled at the front door.

He frowned. "And your resources..."

"... are exhausted..."

He frowned at the back spine on Ace. "Why would your resources be tired, Boss?"

Ace spun around and shook his bone skull, wearing a sour frown. "No! My Resources have exhausted all of their leads, even pretend ones. They are clueless and useless here too."

Slick turned and winked at Buck. "That's too bad, Chief! Are your Resources really old and cranky individuals, like a set of old tired males?" He didn't know the identification of Ace's resources, including sex, race, height, weight, or age, and was very curiosity about a secret group of paid assassins by a billionaire, like Ace. Ace continued to stand and looked down, fiddling with his phone, looking for any news about Fawn.

Buck nodded with a smile to Ace. "We need to approach this problem logically."

Slick frowned. "What does that mean and what do you mean, Buck?"

He motioned to the sofa, "Come and sit down, Ace, before you wear the carpet out," Buck laughed with Slick.

Ace continued to frown down at the phone screen slowly moving ahead, sitting down on the sofa with Slick. He looked up and nodded to Buck, "Logically, what does that term mean, Buck?"

He cleared his throat and nodded with a smile. "We should start the new search at the widest angle and then follow that angle downwards from the peak summit."

Slick smiled. "O! You wanna form an upside down triangle."

"No! What's the biggest thing in the world?" He smiled.

Slick stood upright and wiggled his body, laughing out loud, "I know. I know. I know that answer. It is my penis." He laughed with Ace then sat back down on the sofa still chuckling with amusement.

Buck shook his bone skull with a sour tone, "Hell, no, Slick! The sky..."

Slick frowned, "What about the sky? I can't see the sky as it is the night."

"The sky is the widest angle on an upside down pyramid." He smiled.

"This doesn't make any sense, Buck." Ace frowned down at the phone screen.

"Trust me, Boss. Follow my logic." Buck nodded.

"This ain't logical, Buck." Slick frowned.

"Follow my illogic, Ace!" He laughed.

"Mr. Sparkie is trying to state his famous line, but he can't remember it," Slick laughed. "This is most illogical, Captain." He chuckled again.

Ace looked up and nodded to Buck. "I'll take his illogic. Please continue your search concept, Buck."

"Thanks, Boss! How you ever searched the sky?" Buck nodded.

Slick smiled. "You really mean to say, the universe. The universe is a whole lot bigger than the pale blue sky over the great State of Alabama, Buck."

"Burn U." Buck shouted with laughter then frowned at Slick. "Fawn wasn't beamed up to an alien starship, Slick."

He nodded with a smile. "Good point, Buck! We don't have a handy-dandy molecule transporter like the one in the 23rd Century, so Fawn wasn't beamed up from Planet Earth."

"Keep thinking there, Slick!" Ace shook his bone skull and wore a sour frown.

"Actually, stop thinking there, Slick, and stay put like a damn dog." Buck sneered.

"Woof! Woof!" Slick laughed.

"Sit quietly like a damn dog, Slick."

Ace frowned. "We are searching the sky for something or someone, Buck?"

"Yeah, we are looking for planes, gliders, parachutes, and airports." Buck smiled.

"O! I get it." Slick laughed.

Ace frowned. "I don't get it."

"I can answer for all. The police officers, the two FBI agents, and your resources already did that or are already doing that or already will continue to do that, until she is found."

Ace huffed. "All of them have found nothing."

Buck nodded. "Did you search the ocean?"

"You should search the land. The landmass is closer to the sky than the ocean waters, Buck." Slick nodded.

"The ocean waters make up seventy-five percent space on Planet Earth, where we live, which makes water capacity greater than the total amount of landmass. Therefore, water is the second part of the upside down triangle." Buck smiled.

"I'll going to verify your geographically statement, Buck."

"The surface of the ocean waters is boats, ships, cruises, and seaports."

Ace frowned. "They found nothing again."

"This is a stupid game, Buck." Slick frowned.

"It is not a game. Did you search the landmass, Ace?" Buck nodded.

Slick nodded. "The entire Mobile police force, the two FBI special agents..."

"I am not conversing with you, Slick. These particular questions are designed for Ace to think beyond the obvious events."

"Okay!" Slick nodded.

Ace exhaled with frustration and worry, "All of the restaurants, shopping malls, business stores, local schools, local hospitals, rows of residential homes here and on the beach have all been checked. They found nothing. I appreciate the game but..."

"A landmass encompasses lots of territory and structures, Ace. Did you search all of the beach houses?" Buck asked.

Ace nodded. "Yes, of course, I and the local police officers did. I and they found nothing."

"Did you search his personal apartment?"

"Nothing."

"Did you search Kipp's beach house?"

"He is not located there."

"Does Kipp possess a second home address, like Ace?" Buck nodded.

"No."

"Was her apartment searched?"

Ace frowned, "Fawn doesn't have any apartment."

"All right! We continue on. Did you search the cars?" Buck asked.

"Cars? How is a car part of an upside down triangle? A car is not land or water or sky but machine" Slick frowned.

He smiled. "Did you search your personal vehicle?"

Slick frowned and shook his bone skull at his friend, "She is not hiding inside Ace's car. I think Buck is working or thinking too hardy. He's needs a quickie, quiet vacation, Chief." He laughed with Ace.

Ace nodded. "I agree. Buck, take the rest of the day off. That's an order." He chuckled with Slick.

Buck frowned. "Does your personal vehicle contain a clue to the whereabouts of a missing Fawn?"

"No."

"Did his personal vehicle possess a clue?" Buck asked.

"Nothing."

"Did Kipp's personal vehicle possess a clue?"

Ace sneered. "Kipp and his car are both missing from his ocean beach house from my personal observation along with my Resources and the police officer's search."

"O! That's not good." Buck gasped in shock wearing a worried brow.

"O! That's not good at all." Slick shook his bone skull with a worried brow.

"Does her personal vehicle possess a clue?" Buck asked.

"She doesn't have a car." Ace frowned.

"Why doesn't Fawn own a car, Boss? Everyone owns a car," he frowned.

"I didn't ask." Ace shrugged his collar bone.

Slick waved his hand in the air, "Her car is irrelevant here."

Ace exhaled with worry, "I agree with Slick." Then he gasped in shock and stared through the rear glass windows, into the nicely manicured lawn. "The limousine!"

Buck gasped in shock. "What about the limousine, Ace?"

He stared at the manicured lawn, "Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, assumed the position of the paid chauffeur in that rented limousine."

"O no! There's another dead body resting in a shallow grave somewhere between here and that restaurant," Slick nodded with a stern face.

Buck gasped in alarm. "Slick is correct. You need to contact the rental limousine service and explain what happened, Ace. That driver needs to be found and then buried by his family clan."

Ace gasped in shock. "Both of you are correct. I will do that later. The night we were kidnapped, we took that limousine. Maybe, Douglass left some clues."

Slick frowned. "Did the police officers search your rented limo?"

Ace shook his bone skull, "What for? The money was in the bank. His money was in the apartment."

Buck nodded. "Ace is correct. Let's go and take a look at the limo. Have you cleaned the transport since yesterday?"

"Cleaned it! No, I haven't cleaned it. I don't give a shit about the stupid limo. I care about my precious Fawn." Ace hissed.

"Don't get tasty! We are still looking for clues. Stay calm, Ace! Think clearly now!" He nodded with a stern face.

Ace looked down at the floor and shook his body, calming his anger and worried mind, "All right! I'm trying to stay calm and irrational." He looked up with worry. "The more moonlight that's leaks off during the evening; the more I'm worried about Fawn. She's on her own."

"She has been on her own, since she was born. She has and can take care of herself..."

"...without me. No, I don't think so, Buck." Ace frowned.

"This 'hero thing' has gone to his head." Slick smiled.

"His 'ego thing' has gone to his..." he laughed. "You stated the wrong body part, Slick!" Buck chuckled with Slick.

Ace growled, "What 'hero thing'?"

Slick smiled. "Well, you did save the girl three times, in which, you continuously tell over and over again without allowing us to store and then forget, Chief."

Ace laughed. "I won't let her forget the three times either."

"He's an evil king. What do you think, Buck?" He laughed.

Buck slowly stood upright from the loveseat then burped out loud from his full stomach of delicious snacks, rubbing his belly, saying to his two friends. "Let's go and move the limo into that empty garage bay, which holds two cars behind each other, underneath one rooftop," he chuckled, "Lucky one of your garage bays is vertically designed, not horizontally built, Ace. And lightness is better than the darkness. Then we'll search the dirty rental limousine for some additional clues." He swiftly scooted around each furniture piece then moved ahead towards the closed front door. The rental limousine still was parked on the street in front of Ace's house. Buck exited the house and quickly entered the limousine, moving into a vertical hold. Ace and Slick were hanging by the open doorway, in case, Buck hit the forward wall creating both damage and chaos. Buck parked long transport neatly inside the open space then killed the engine, unlocking and opened each door, sliding from the driver's seat, swinging each door wider for the search.

Each man attacked the exterior and interior compartments physically searching the floor boards, the seats, the hidden compartments, the hood, the roof, the walls, and the windows, turning on and off electronic equipment for any left notes, trash or chewing gum coming from Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor.

"Nothing! Damn!" Ace stood upright from the driver's seat fuming with fury, examining the transport.

"This is a stupid game, Buck." Slick sat in the rear bench seat and rubbed his hand over the smooth leather, still eyeballing the interior compartment, "This car is clean, Chief."

Buck stood in front of the rear door beside Ace while still examining the car also. "What happened after you left the restaurant, Boss?"

Ace growled. "He kidnapped us."

He turned and smiled at the nose profile on Ace. "All right! Repeat it again. But this time remember more details, maybe Douglass left a verbal clue, not physical clue."

"What verbal clue? He verbally spoke out loud to us."

"Douglass did all the talking, commenting in his smart-ass tone. Fawn didn't move or attack him as she was afraid of him." Buck told.

"That is all true."

Buck exhaled with frustration, "Ace, the man told you a clue of her whereabouts. She knows him. He knows her. She is in hiding, because she is afraid of him, and she is afraid he might find and torture her again."

"Don't remind me!"

"I'm not trying to annoy you..."

"But you're doing a really damn good job over there, Buck." Slick laughed and wiggled on the bench seat still examining the interior compartment while listening to the conversation.

"I want you to rethink the verbal conversation here inside the limo. There are clues in the back of your mind about Fawn. Where she is?" Buck nodded.

Ace exhaled with more frustration plus worry. "All right. I'm going to do this, because I'm worried and desperately concerned."

He smiled. "Good. Close your eyes and relax. Wait! Your body needs to be in the same place as your mind. Where were you sitting inside the limo?"

Slick laughed. "Ace is a millionaire. The millionaire always sits in the rear seat, like I'm doing pretending to be a millionaire, not a millionaire."

Shut up, Slick!" buck frowned. "Ace is sitting in the rear seat, so Ace needs to reseat in the rear seat while reliving his past nightmare. Where were you seated in the rear seat, during the kidnapping incident, Ace?"

Ace exhaled with frustration at his two buddies and shook his bone skull, pointing at the limousine. "I was sitting over there where Slick is seated.'

Buck flipped his hand in the air and turned, squatting down, viewing Slick in the rear bench. "Get outta of the seat, Slick! Ace needs to relive his mental and physical out of body experience, in order, to find a clue of Fawn's whereabouts." Slick slid off the seat then stood upright on top of the floor, scooting to the side while watching Ace. Ace slowly padded around the front bumper and moved down the long body on the transport, scooting around the open door, landing down in the exact spot during the kidnapping event. "All right! I am sitting in the exact place, Buck."

Buck scooted around the rear bumper collecting two folding chairs then stopped, standing beside Slick, handing a chair to Slick. Slick accepted then sat down while staring at Ace. Buck sat down in his chair and stared at Ace. "Great! Close your eyes and relax. Think only of Fawn." Ace obeyed and wiggled on top of the smooth leather in silence. He stated. "Now, tell us the entire story after the dinner meal."

Ace exhaled with annoyance. "We left the restaurant. I was holding her hand. She wore a long lavender gown that was pretty on her. She was talking to me."

"What!" Slick frowned. "How can she talk to you, Ace? She's a mute."

Buck sneered. "Quiet, Slick! Ace is having more nightmares, instead of good daydreams. Let Ace talk here about that night, not you, son!"

Slick frowned with a nod. "O yeah! I'm sorry, Ace."

Ace gasped in alarm after revealing the deep, dark secret then opened his two eyelids, staring at the rear of the front seat, losing his concentrate with his silly sentence. He performed a set of deep breaths then calmed his nerves, closing his two eyelids, focusing on that night, "I was making some silly hand gestures with my five fingers, where she was giggling, without sound, of course. happy. The chauffer held the door open for us. I entered first, sliding to the middle waiting for her to gather that long dress with all the ruffles into her hand. She was so beautiful. She slid down beside me on the bench seat. Then I heard the doors locked and bolt. Wait! I heard Fawn say..."

"Fawn can't talk, Chief. How could she say words?" Slick frowned.

He gasped in alarm still exposing his deep, dark secret, opening both of his two eyelids, staring down at the floor and said with a stern tone, "I mean. The driver spoke to Fawn and was saying something..."

"Did you get a rented driver too?" Buck asked.

"I don't own a limousine or a paid chauffeur." He continued to stare down at the floor.

Slick reached over and slapped the arm on Buck, saying with a smile, "We all ride in a limo that night after the nice wedding ceremony."

"I didn't." Buck shook his head.

"Yes, you did so, Bozo, the drunken red-nosed clown." He laughed.

Buck turned and frowned at Slick, "I did. Was I drinking..."

"... and dancing all over the hard floor to the numerous rock-and-roll musical song while hugging Lady Beth." Slick stood upright and danced in place while laughing out loud.

"O! That's why my Lady Beth didn't talk to me the next morning and the next morning after that." Buck looked with a sad face at the floor.

He stopped dancing then looked down at Ace. "Go ahead and finish your nightmare, Ace." Slick softly snickered at Buck.

Ace wiggled in the seat and closed his two eyelids again, diving down into his brain cells, narrating the nightmare, "The driver rolled down the partition down between the cab and the cabin, pointing the cold barrel on his hand gun at me and announced his name as Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor. Then he started talking, talking, talking announcing we were his two hostages and he was going to rob the Bank of England using us as the decoys on the next morning. He threatened to kill me, because he wanted to use Fawn in his bank heist. I pretended to become upset with Fawn, not him. So, he thought I was betraying her. I didn't want him to think that I cared..." He exhaled with worry. "I love Fawn. I was afraid Douglass would harm her to get to me. He seemed to understand I was mad at Fawn. He didn't threaten her but joked that he was going to ransom me for my own money. He finally stopped talking and laughing at us then drove my rental limousine away from the restaurant, so that the limo was not look suspicious on an empty city street in downtown Mobile, on a Sunday night. We all left the parked limousine and entered his tiny studio apartment. He did not feed us but chained each leg to a metal bracelet, keeping us from escaping his evil sick personality. Then we each peed in his disgusting bathroom, was chained to his furniture, and slept for the rest of the evening. We all slept then awoke the next morning, dressing in clean clothes, driving to the bank and then getting caught up in the failed bank heist. The end!" He opened his two eyelids and stared down at the floor while deeply worrying for Fawn.

"Something is missing here." Buck nodded with a stern face.

"What's missing here, Buck?" Slick asked.

"Ace, you need to think here for a moment! Did Douglass tell you some more additional information than Fawn could have. She had been through a traumatic time with the kidnapping, the mountain cabin, the helicopter, the car, the drive, the capture, the escape, the beach house, the attack, and more fun and games than a violent military video."

Ace thought in silent then turned to see his two friends. "Douglass mentioned the reason for her severed vocal chords. Her biological mother cut them with a knife, when she was three days old, attempting to kill the baby but failed. She left baby girl Fawn in a trash bin at the local hospital."

Buck gasped in shock, "Whoa! That's some heavy stuff!" Buck commented.

"That bitch should die!" Slick sneered.

Ace nodded with a stern face. "The mother was found, tried, convicted, and then executed inside the gas chamber in Montgomery a long time ago, when we were all tiny toddlers in the crib. Apparently, the newspaper story was big. The maintenance guy, who worked at the hospital, found baby Fawn in the garage then rushed her to the emergency room and saved her little infant life. The man and woman have recently loss a teenage son during the war serving his military duty. So, the hospital management arranged for the elderly couple to adopt Fawn as their own child. They raised her as their daughter. The couple was very elderly and died, when Fawn reached eighteen years old."

"That's a sad fairy tale." Buck commented.

"She received money grants from the government to attend college class but quit college for committing a series of bank heist herself."

"What!" Buck gasped in shock.

"Damn! What are doing hanging around with this dangerous girl, again, chief?" Slick sneered.

Ace smiled. "Believe this or not! Fawn can talk, without sound or moving her lips with soft words and sentences into my mind, which is called telepathy. And Fawn can open a locked door or latch without touching the metal or picking the lock using her neurons, which is called telekinesis."

"Wow! Back up! Do you believe that shit, Boss?" Buck frowned.

Slick nodded several times and wore a bright smile. "I do. I do. I do. I do want a demonstration too." He softly chuckled.

"I'm not talking to you, outer space nut." Buck looked with a sour frown and a softy hiss at Slick, returning back, shaking his bone skull at Ace. Ace might need to be tied first and then admitted into the Mobile Hospital Psychiatrist Ward second and tonight, instead of hunting down a female bank robber.

Ace continued to smile while nodding several times his bone skull, "Well, I had my doubts, too. But, at the bank heist, Fawn entered the money vault room and opened the locked and sealed vault door stealing tons of cash money, storing down in that canvas bag that was on the floor beside a dead Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor," he chuckled with Slick at the amazing, amusing, and annihilating day. "I personally asked the bank executive about the open money vault door. He commented can become opened after accessing a math number sequence unlocking the door using a special set of keys that are held by him and the bank vault clerk."

Slick whistled then smiled. "So, Fawn really opened a closed bank vault using her mind powers which are called her E.S.P. or her extra sensory perception or her telepathy or her mind control. She is really a cool girl, Chief."

"I concur with you, Slick. I believe one hundred percent in my heart and my mind that she can really do that."

Buck sneered. "Both of you need to become admitted then committed into the Mobile Hospital Psychiatrist Ward tonight. And she needs to be jailed for her numerous bank heists, since she has been committing at the age of eighteen years old. She must have stolen millions of dollars, which is part of my money savings too."

"A bank institution possesses USA Federal Government money insurance for us, after a wild act of non-violent robbery from the gang of robbers, Buck. Don't sweat ant hills! Your and my and his cash monies are safe and dandy." Slick laughed.

Ace smiled. "That's correct! I don't really say that famous saying as I usually free the bastard or bitch from the military as a free man or woman onto the busy and overcrowded streets of Mobile."

He nodded. "And that is another really weird happening in this really weird world, before the fleets of really weird starships come here with their really weird outer space aliens. She is a weird girl, Ace."

"I feel only love for her, not pity, sorrow, revenge, or shame. I forgive all her past transactions too..." Ace confessed.

"...like an honest judge..."

Ace slapped his chest. "I am an honest judge."

Buck shook his bone skull with the new information then frowned at Ace. "This is a really dumb question. Is the local district attorney for Mobile going to forgive her past bank robbery transgressions, Ace?"

"The state and local district attorneys do not know and will never know. Am I clear on this closed subject?" Ace nodded.

"I agree, Chief." Slick nodded with a grin.

Buck frowned, "Look! I feel brotherly love for you and Slick through our ten years of brotherly relationship, since our college days, but my guts are grinding with evil deceive and dishonorable deception regarding her multiple crimes. A true criminal is eventually caught and then punished their crimes."

Ace stated. "That is the only way a civilized society continues to function in a civilized matter. I agree with your statement, Buck. And I became a lawyer, who obeys the law and then a judge, who punishes the law breaker. So, I plan to catch and then punish Fawn for all of her multiple crimes also."

Slick frowned. "How! How are you going to do that, Ace? You're only a military judge without a military prison. She ain't a military soldier for the USA military branch. You cannot trial, then convict, and then jail her to a prison cell, inside anywhere USA city or town."

He exhaled with worry for his girl and his two friends. "I will not defend her crimes robbing numerous banks. However, as an Alabama license lawyer, I will argue that she did not harm a person..."

"Today!" Buck frowned.

"Let the man finish his speech, Buck!" Slick nodded.

Ace nodded. "She did not harm a living life form, which cannot be forgiven, without a more severe punishment coming from the State of Alabama and Almighty God too. She only captured stacks of non-bleeding, non-living cash monies, that is not a life form. I am a very, very rich son of a bastard as I take after my Granddaddy Smith, not my kind and gentle father. So, I will uncover all the bank institutions and all the amount of stolen monies first. Then I will personally use my personal bank account and give back all of the monies with a reasonable interest rate back to each affected and targeted bank institution. I know that I was not the criminal and I will not claim that Fawn as a victim either. She knew what she was doing, which was all wrong, not all right. However, Almighty God gives a sinner a second then third then fourth then numerous chances for redemption and finally salutation back into his flock coming from his pure love. I love Fawn and I wanna help her back into a civilized society using my God-given riches. You do not have to forgive Fawn. But I ask that you give her a chance too. Does that sound like a reasonable arrangement that you and your guts, Buck?"

Buck nodded with a stern face, without speaking. He always felt a criminal deserves punishment first. Then after serving his criminal time, he or she deserves a chance as a normal man or woman while continuing a nice life without crime. So, he felt the same for Fawn. Ace must really love Fawn using his money riches paying for all of her criminal acts. However, those acts, actions, and decision were between Ace and Almighty God. Buck was not going to judge Fawn or Ace, only pray for a good outcome.

Ace nodded back with a silence understanding and his mental promise acting on his words, because he was not going to judge a person, only assist that person with their dirty deeds, even if the action was cold-blooded murder. However, Ace usually wanted the death penalty for that nasty evil act for any man, woman, teenager or pre-teenager, who held a sound mind and a physical body that could commit such a terrible sinful heavenly act against the Ten Commandments and Almighty God.

The time clock slowly ticked off the seconds then the minutes while the three gentlemen stared at each other in silence without thinking or stirring with the newly shared information.

Slick continued to sit in the folding chair and looked down at the floor. He agreed with Ace and believed Fawn was a special girl that need to be guided onto a better pathway. He looked up and cleared his throat, turning with a stern face, seeing the nose profile on buck. "This exercise is useless, Buck."

Buck shook off the non-violent bank robbery acts from Fawn and mentally agreed with Ace, returning his mental state back to locating Fawn, who was in danger, which was his purpose now. He nodded with a smile to Ace. "No, it ain't Slick! So, far, Douglass tattled tons of information about Fawn as he knew her in their past, inside the limo, on the night of wedding ceremony reception. Ace pretended to get upset, stunned, and mad at Fawn. She didn't understand Ace's slick plan and then became upset, stunned and scared instead. Then Douglass's evil plan was to use both of you robbing the bank institution of their monies, which tragically failed."

Slick stated. "I saw the canvas bag spilling it guts with scattered stacks of neatly counted cash money. How much money was in the bag, Ace?"

Ace nodded with a smile. "Each bundle is stacked ½ inch thick. So, one bundle of crisp cool one hundred dollar bills equal to 10,000 dollars. Thus, 2,400 bundles with 10,000 dollar bills is 24,000,000 dollars."

"Wow!" Slick gasped in shock then smiled. "Douglass, the bank detective knew his bank job."

Buck asked, "How did you know that Fawn had stolen stacks of one hundred dollar bills, Ace?"

Ace said. "Douglass specifically told her to steal stacks of one hundred dollar bills?"

Slick asked. "How did she know which stack to pick from? I mean she didn't have much time mostly seconds for selecting, then picking, then stealing, then dropping down inside that canvas bag. I too have been inside a bank vault one or twice before. That steel-coated room is lined with short and tall columns and columns and columns of naked stacks of cash money. I could not distinguish a stack of one dollar bills from one hundred dollar bills."

"The paper band around the naked bundle of cold cash is color-coded. A yellow tinted band is ten dollars. A violet colored band represents twenty dollar bills. A brown band wraps around fifty dollar bills. The spilled money contained a mustard colored band which represents one hundred dollar bills, so she selected the proper stack of cool cash."

Buck asked. "How much cool cash money did Fawn steal?"

"The bank manager said she carted off a cool..."

"Don't tell him, Ace! Let me guess!" Slick smiled at Ace. Ace laughed at his friend.

Naw!" Buck frowned at Ace. "How much did Fawn steal?"

Slick giggled like a silly girl first then smiled. "The distance from the middle fingertip of your left hand to your right hand's middle fingertip when stretching out both of the arms horizontally is the height of the person. That is a one to one ration, where a person's arm span horizontally, not vertically is equal to their adult height measurement."

Buck smiled. "How much money did Fawn stuff down into her canvas bag?"

"The length of your femur bone or the thigh bone, which is the upper, not lower part of your leg is one fourth of your height measurement."

Buck frowned. "How much money was stolen from the bank vault, Ace?

"Your height measurement is equal to 7.5 heads of your individual bone skull. The human bone skull is five of your personal eye sockets in width. The human head contains 22 bones."

Buck turned and sneered at his friend, "Shut it, Slick!"

"The nose length is equal to the first two digits of your index or pointer finger. The space in-between your eye sockets is separated by one eye socket wide. The bottom portion on your nose to the outside corner of your eye socket equals the length of one earlobe. Thus, the expression screams out: Big dumb-o ears!" Ace chuckled.

Buck sneered. "Shut up, Slick!"

"The vertical length of your face equals the vertical length of one hand. Your waistline, when in excellent shape, is twice the circumference of your neck muscles. The ratio is one to two. Your neck muscle is twice the circumference of one wrist bone. That ratio is one to two also."

"Be quiet, Slick!" Buck reached over and shoved Slick off the chair.

Slick elegantly flowed with the punch, catching his falling body, standing upright while laughing out loud. "The length of one foot equals the length of your forearm. The circumference or the widest part of your folded fist is the same length of your foot," he leaned over and show his folded fist in Buck's face, sneering at his friend. "Do you see my folded fist? Do you wanna feel my folded fist too?"

"Sit down, Slick! None of us wanna feel anything right now!" Ace laughed with amusement and grateful for the short-lived comedy relieve from Slick, who knew how to diffuse a tense situation. Slick sat down and then started laughing with Ace. Buck continued to sit producing metal pain squeaks from the light weight chair and brewed with confusion. Ace nodded. "Both male and female human body proportions have been used throughout ancient history for measurements in mathematics, medicine, and art. In the math world, a cubit represented six palms. I don't know if that is a man or a woman or a monkey." He laughed with Slick. Buck stilled wore a stern face. Ace continued. "I took an art course at the Academy for fun while killing off one of my many electives, without harming or hurting one of my nasty classmates," he chuckled with Slick. Buck still did not smile. Ace continued. "In Ancient Egyptian art works, copied from artist _Narmer Palette_ , who lived in the 31st Century B.C..."

"How does an unnamed and unseen and dead and living local, state, national, and international world historian figure this shit out?" Slick shook his bone skull with a smile.

Ace laughed. "I don't know. But talented superstar artist _Narmer Palette_ established the proportions of the human body based on the folded human fist, which was measured across the row of human boney knuckles. Eighteen human fists from the ground up towards the hairline on the forehead represented the height of each male and female granite or rock statue. His 'fist around the knuckles' measurement developed the mathematical art standard for 3,000 years, unless _Alexander, the Great_ changed the world composition. I didn't like ancient or world or American or Alabama history. So, don't ask my any more questions. I remembered that boring tidbit from my college days. Slick told it right. An average person is 7.5 heads tall including their own bone skull. A nobleman of grace and riches was drawn eight heads tall. And a Greek god was 8.5 heads tall with an enhanced bigger chest muscle and a pair of longer, hairy legs, even for the female goddesses," he laughed with Slick. Buck broke a smirk but still did not chuckle.

Ace continued with a smile. "Now, we know the answer."

Slick nodded several times working the silly conversation while trying to make Buck laugh. "What answer do we know, Chief?"

"The doll industry conducted a survey of one hundred manly men, in the 1950s, before our parents and we were birthed, and found that a female toy doll was more attractive displaying forty percent longer legs than the rest of her body along with featuring a plastic body of extremely thinness, like she had been starving for six months. A male toy doll was handsomer with legs as long as the rest of their manly body and possessed a bodybuilder chest with two muscular arms and legs. Now, we know the truth that has been covered since last century and over a half-of-century, which sounds better than fifty years," he laughed with Slick as Buck formed a tight smile without laughing. Ace continued. "Ancient Greek sculptor _Polykleitos_ was birthed in the year 450 B.C., and died in the year 420 B.C. The math number of 450 minus 420 equals thirty. That man was thirty years old on his death day. He was famous for creating the bronze sculptor _Doryphoros_ following the distal phalanx of the little finger...

What the hell does that mean?" Slick laughed and Buck continued to smirk without sound.

Ace smiled. "He determined the proportions of the human body by using the little finger as the measurement. And superstar artist _Leonardo De Vinci_ placed a manly man inside circle, who ruled the wall," he laughed with Slick and Buck while nodding several times.

Buck smiled. "I still have one question. How much money did Fawn steal from the bank vault?

Slick grinned. "Fawn grabbed close too and not more than four million dollars of one hundred bundles of cool cash. Didn't she, Ace?"

Ace gasped in shock. "How in the world did you know that?"

Buck turned and gasped at the nose profile on Slick, "Is he right, Ace?"

He smiled at Slick. "Yes, he is correct. Fawn has stolen close too and not more than four million dollars in one hundred mustard colored bundles of cool cash. The precise amount was 3,840,000 dollars."

Buck smiled, "Wow! She was short by 60,000 dollars, making the bank heist almost a four million dollar loss for the bank customer and board of directors. She is a true bank robbery along with my co-worker Slick. Slick, how were you able to calculate that money without seeing the cash?'

Slick nodded with a smile. "I did see the cash money on the floor beside the dead body when we arrived at the bank building stopping the police officers from arresting Ace for grand bank robbing larceny."

"I was not a criminal but the victim there." Ace frowned.

Buck frowned. "How did Fawn steal almost four million dollars in stacked bundles from the bank vault?"

Slick nodded with a grin holding his hand in the air spreading each digit, touching the index finger. "The math distance between the opening of her index finger and the curvature of her thumb on Fawn is five and one-half inches. Ace educated us a few minutes ago. A bank stack is one-half inch thick. So, her hand spread of five and one-half inches divided by one-half inch thick bank stack is 11 one hundred dollar bill bundles of cool cash monies from the bank vault. Her arm is half of her five feet and six inches which is 33 inches. I told you a few minutes ago. The width of your arm span equals your height. However, Fawn had to use her hand and her arm for gathering each bank stack. She does not magically wiggle her earlobes or twitch her cute button nose floating an object up from the ground in the air, does she, Ace?"

Ace shook his bone skull and chuckled. "No, I have not seen these slick moves."

He smiled. "Fawn used the old fashion method of stealing with her hands. When she bends one arm and cuddles her waistline, her arm span is reduced from 33 inches and uses 80 percent from the arm joint down to her wrist bone, which is 26.4 inches. I will round the math number up to 26 inches. Thus, her curved arm span of 26 inches times each one-half thick money bundle is 52 total stacks, before she dumps the contents down into her canvas bag. Then Fawn repeated her same hand and arm motion numerous times filling up the canvas bag," Slick chuckled with Ace.

Buck stared at Slick, "O! That's how you calculated the stolen money amount."

Slick laughed. "Sorta!"

He turned and stared at Ace, "If Fawn had to stuff 52 stack of dollar bills down into that long canvas bag, why didn't the outer material on the canvas bag display bumps and lumps, indicating square-shaped stacks of stolen money bundles were hidden inside the material? Then the bank personnel would have noticed Fawn first, not Douglass."

Ace nodded. "That's a very observant question, Buck. And I'll glad that you are not a bank detective. First, Douglass told Fawn to stack the bundles down into the canvas bag, not toss them in a random order. Second, the interior of the bag was lined in leather, which was really a leather tote bag for a lady, so the exterior fabric was still smooth and un-lumpy, during the actually bank heist. When Fawn gently stacked the bundles down into the canvas bag, it was really a leather tote bag, where Douglass was probably going to discard the known canvas bag, stealing the leather bag with the money. That was an ingenious bank heist plan, which epically and financially failed," he laughed with Slick.

Buck shook his bone skull and frowned with confusion to Ace. "If Fawn had to grab 52 individual stacks of cash money with her hand, then store in her crooked arm, then dump down into that canvas bag, then I didn't understand how she was able to swiftly perform the bank heist without getting caught by the bank vault clerk?"

Ace nodded. "First, the bank vault clerk was not watching Fawn. I was watching the bank clerk, who came back from the vault and sat back down at her desk performing her work."

"Second, a leather tote bag is 12 inches in height, 13 inches in length, and 12 inches in depth." Slick continued. "A standard American dollar bill measures six inches in length and two inches in width. Now, Douglass wanted a symmetric exterior shape on the canvas bag, so the interior lining inside the leather bag would have been reduced down into a smooth rectangular shape, instead of its normal egg-shape. Thus, the interior measurements were changed into 12 inches in within and six inches in height even with the zipper line."

"What!" Buck frowned at Slick. Ace laughed.

Slick continued, "The length of the leather tote bag is 12 inches across. A dollar bill is six inches in length. So, two individual stack of bills sits horizontally on the bottom of the leather bag. The width of the leather bag is six inches. A dollar bill is two inches in width. So, six individual stacks of bills lie across the bottom of the leather bag. So, six stack sideways times two stacks across equals 24 individual stacks of bills lies on the bottom. The interior height of the leather bag is only eight inches, instead of using the full measurement of 12 inches, because Fawn has to zip up the canvas bag hiding the money stacks from the spying eyeballs on each bank teller. So, the height measurement of eight inches times one-half thick bundle of cool cash is 16 stacks that contains one hundred dollar bills. Thus, 16 times 24 stacks equal 384 bundles at 10,000 dollars, which is a cool 3,840,000, inside the leather tote bag, which is hidden inside a cloth canvas bag." Slick chuckled with Ace.

Buck huffed. "The math number of 384 stacks divided by 52 equals seven armfuls of money. How was Fawn able to collect in her hands, then store on her arm, and finally dump 384 individual stacks down in that bag without getting caught by the bank vault?"

Slick winked at Buck and wiggled both of his hands near his smile, "Because Fawn used both of her hands, saving her time and an arrest," he laughed with Ace.

He shook his bone skull then viewed Ace. "What other pieces of new data did Douglass tell you about Fawn?"

Ace exhaled with worry. "Douglass told me about her severed vocal cords, her dead biological mother, her dead parents, her schooling, her college, and her ability, which was surprising amounts of information. Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor, knew too much personal data about Fawn, which in turn, makes me furious. Douglass said she used young men to get access into the bank vault."

"Did Fawn tag along with her male date and viewed the bank vault? That would explain the idea of robbing a bank from the money."

"Did she mention a set of formal boyfriends?" Slick asked.

Ace smiled. "She is a virgin."

"Are you positive?"

He winked. "You don't think I know a virgin, when I taste one."

Buck frowned. "Back to business!"

"Berrington!" Slick shouted.

"Berrington!' Ace smiled.

The Quartet is Austin, Stu, Frank, and Tom.

Four men with equal talents, varied skills live, work, and play in hot sizzling Miami, Florida, USA.

Franklin Ferdinand Mangrove, III is a life time brother, a permanent business partner, and the peaceful neighbor of Austin.

Stuart Thant Gage, III is a life time brother, a permanent business partner, and the protective neighbor of Austin.

Thomas Edison Sawyer, III is a life time brother, a permanent business partner, and the troublesome neighbor of Austin.

Austin Bartholomew Berrington, IV is the first born non-biological brother, the head of the business, and the boss of the Quartet.

The four adult men call themselves, the Band of Brothers, but they are not biological siblings. They are blood brothers like their individual biological great-grandfather before them, in the year 1838, within the wild forests of northern Florida, who had formed the first blood pact.

Presently, the fourth generation of the Quartet, the four billionaire brothers own and operate one fourth of an international security company. The business venture is named Quartet Associates, but the owners are sometimes dubbed by their dying enemies and their sneering foes as Quartet Assholes.

Currently, Austin, Tom, Frank, and Stu are using their brains, their balls, and their billions to find the mysterious killer of Austin's godson, who violently died at the local Charity Hospital facility, in their first novel, which is entitled Jace by author ipam.

Buck exhaled with annoyance at his two friends. "Fawn got the idea to rob from following people into the bank vault. What else did Douglass say? Don't use your feelings! Think about the subject matter! What was new or different about the information?"

Ace said. "Douglass was a smart man. Fawn was stealing small amounts of money from numerous bank vaults, without using a gun. He tracked her first supporting his theory, then he blackmailed her for most of the money."

"How much did she take?"

"Douglass didn't mention a money amount. But at his apartment, there were numerous columns that contained wrapped stacks of twenty dollar bills leaning against the dirty wallpaper. I assumed all of that money came from Fawn."

Slick smile. "So, the true thief took everything she had."

Ace sneered. "Douglass took everything and then got nothing. He is the true criminal here, which I plan to use in Fawn's defense with the police department." He gasped in shock. "Wait! Douglass grabbed Fawn at the new apartment in Huntsville."

"Huntsville is a northern city from us." Slick nodded.

Buck nodded, "That's a mighty significant detail from a dead guy. What else did he tell you?"

Ace nodded. "Fawn didn't tell me about her apartment in Huntsville. Douglass said Fawn ditched him in Mobile and then she moved to Huntsville, without his permission."

Slick sneered. "Without his permission! I wish that bastard was still alive, so I could teach him the theory of permission."

"Now, Slick, we have a second one that needs some additional lessons using our Southern redneck ways." Buck laughed with Ace.

"Yeah, Kipp Haywood is on the loose and fancy free. Can I have him, Ace?" Slick grinned.

"You can him, Slick." Ace nodded.

"Excellent, master!" Slick licked his lips and rubbed his hands staring in outer space.

Buck nodded "Fawn moved to Huntsville, renting a new apartment, trying to get away from Douglass. How did he find out about her new place?"

Ace clarified. "She had overpaid each one of her security box deposits. The bank institution was required to repay Fawn all the excess monies. Douglass find out through the bank teller, who communicated her new address."

"Douglass spied on Fawn for the money."

"Douglass went and watched on Fawn at her new place. She confirmed that to me also. Fawn was attacked after work then beaten and taken to Outlook Mountains in Tennessee, where we met." Ace nodded.

"Where you met your girl?" Slick smiled.

"I met my future wife." Ace smiled.

Buck gasped in shock. "She's there."

"How do you know that?" Slick viewed Buck with puzzlement.

He viewed Slick, "How do you not know that, Slick?"

"She didn't tell Ace her old life and her old address."

Buck frowned at Ace. "Why didn't Fawn tell you about her old life in Huntsville?"

Ace had wondered the same mental thoughts then came to a logical conclusion. He exhaled with worry, "Fawn had been kidnapped, tortured, escaped, captured, harassed, escaped, and finally pampered by me. Why would she wanna leave Mobile and me?"

"Does Fawn really love you?" Buck asked.

"Have ya'll talked about marriage, love, and babies?" Slick asked.

"I told her first about my love, the marriage, and the babies." Ace grinned.

"Do you now?" Buck said.

He nodded, "I can't stop worrying about her. I think about her all the time. I pray for her safe return back to me. I can't sleep or eat, only think." Ace confessed.

"You are in heavy love mode, Slick!" Buck smiled.

"Do you really believe that Fawn has traveled to Huntsville?" Ace asked.

"That's a seven-hour drive from Mobile. Does Fawn not own a car, Ace." Slick said.

Ace shook his bone skull. "No."

"Does Fawn have money?"

"No."

"Does Fawn have your driver's license?"

"Yes."

"Does Fawn have a suitcase of clothes?"

"No. Yes. She was wearing a bright red top and shorty short. She looked cute. Douglass gave her gold jewelry consisting of numerous necklines, pair of earrings." Ace nodded.

"Did you say gold jewelry?" Buck smiled.

"She pawned the golden items for money. I would do that. I would pawn all the gold, get the money and get a bus ride outta of Mobile." Slick smiled.

"Shit, yeah!" Ace grinned.

"Let's go and get her! Now, we know her location." Buck chuckled.

Slick frowned. "Ugh! Would Kipp Haywood know her location too?"

"Shit, yeah! He knows exactly where Fawn lives in Huntsville. Kipp was with Douglass. And I didn't know her old city street address and can't ask Douglass Fairbank, not the actor. How or who do we ask? I can't go to the police. They would become suspicious of my new avenue of questions and my new avenue of searching for her missing person."

Silence bombarded the air currents.

Buck swiftly stood and slid the chair across the floor. "I'll be back." He left the garage returning back into the house.

Slick continued to sit in the chair and sneered the back spine on Buck. "This is not the time to think with your stomach or your bladder, Buck!"

A few minutes later, Buck returned and sat down, typing on his personal laptop computer. "I am going to access the local electricity company customer database. The electricity company has her money deposit and her street address which is all online in the customer database for us to view."

"No. That is for you to view, alone and lonely. Any online access is illegal, without permission from the owner of the address and the president of the power company."

This is a real life and death emergency. We're trying to save her life from the Red Goon." Buck tattled.

"Damn, right, Buck! Search faster!" Ace ordered.

Buck typed on the computer keyboard then heard a soft beep sound, shouting out loud. "Found it! Fawn resides at 157 Whitesburg Drive, in the city of Huntsville, at zip code 35785. Burn U!" He looked up and smiled at Ace.

"Buck!" Slick frowned.

"Burn U!"

"Buck!"

"I'm not sorry. That's my college team and my college theme song." Buck smiled.

Ace slid off the seat and opened the closed garage door, "Go and get into my car, the both of you." He spun around and slowly shuffled ahead towards the opening seeing the night sky. The time was nine o'clock in the evening.

"Why are we taking your car?" Buck slowly stood upright from the chair along with Slick and stared at the back spine on Ace.

"Because I'm driving all of us to Huntsville. My car can drive us to Huntsville."

He frowned. "But this an urgent emergency, Boss."

"I know that. Let's get moving before the moon sinks down into the horizon, which is called dawn and rhymes with fawn." Ace laughed and almost reached the end of the garage space.

Slick frowned at the back spine on Ace also. "I think we need some more help here, Chief."

Ace spun around from the opening then sneered at Slick, "No, I do not need any more help here. I am not calling in the Coast Guard, the Mobile police or the FBI special agents."

"Why not?"

Buck exhaled with worry. "Fawn is a real bank robber, too, Slick."

Slick exhaled with worry also. "O yeah! I keep forgetting her special Tele powers. So, we don't use ground surface, but air support," he bumped into Buck.

Ace waved both of his arms in the air, "No! No way! Go and get into my car! I promise to break all of my land speed records," he slapped both of his hands down over his legs while chuckling with amusement.

Slick frowned, "Then you will become arrested and land in jail for reckless driving without saving Fawn from Red Goon."

"Ace, I know you don't like to fly in the air on an airplane." Buck nodded.

"And it's a good thing that your granddaddy wasn't in the US Air Force." Slick laughed.

"I am waiting here and pointing at my car." Ace sneered.

Buck growled. "This is more urgent than your wussy fear of flying, Ace. We gotta get to Huntsville, before Haywood does. He knows her street address and her apartment number too. He had been hiding and waiting for Douglass outside the bank building, safely inside in his personal automobile, that was the real getaway car. When the gun discharged, he heard the sound then saw the running people leaving the bank building. He knew Douglass had failed and was arrested, so Haywood left the scene of the crime. He might have parked around the corner and viewed Fawn walking from the bank building. He dared not follow her with the flood of police, fire trunks, and ambulances coming to the bank building. Ace, you told us that he was not located at his residential home on the beach and is personal automobile was missing from the parking carport also. So, he left the bank building and drove to Fawn's apartment in Huntsville, after seeing she had escaped from the bank employees and police officers with the stolen money. The northern city of Huntsville is 357 miles or five fours by car, on _Interstate 65_. He left after 9:30 am from Mobile, so he is there now inside her apartment waiting for her. However," he sat down in the chair and typed on the computer keyboard, reading out loud the new information, "The first bus trip from Mobile to Huntsville had departed at 08:47 a.m. and arrived at 05:13 p.m. Fawn missed that bus trip as she was still inside the bank building with you and Douglass. A second bus trip departed at 04:06 p.m. from Mobile and will land at 11:09 pm in Huntsville. She is on that bus, Ace. We need to get to Huntsville before Fawn arrives at her apartment and meet Kipp Haywood, instead of you."

Ace gasped in shock, "Why didn't we go to the bus terminal and greet Fawn there first?"

Slick nodded. "Because we first conducted a manhunt around the city of Mobile as she possessed no car and no monies, only her clothes on a pair of red tinted high heeled sandals. Anyways, the police would have done that first. And she is hiding from you and the police officers also."

Buck nodded. "If Fawn needed money first, then she would have to find a pawn shop second and then pawn the gold jewelry next, which would take lots of time on foot. She probably did that later and then she went into hiding until the departure bus time of 04:06 this evening. The police officers would not be there that late in the evening, due to shift change," he chuckled. "And we had been out since ten o'clock this morning searching high and low using our paid resources. Then, we all came back here and ate some food exchanging our information." Ace nodded in silence. "Now, the current time is after nine o'clock. The bus arrives at 11:09 pm in Huntsville. We can get there before Fawn arrives and then greet Kipp Haywood, killing him inside her apartment, without mercy. Then Fawn can arrive outside the front door without seeing the bloody walls inside her apartment and call the police for a terrible burglary gone all bad," he laughed with his two friends. "Then we leave Huntsville and return back home leaving a happy life. The end!"

"Face it, Ace! Your new driving plan just sucks and not on dicks either." Slick nodded.

Ace sighed. "I will willingly surrender to the airplane ride, only because of my love for Fawn."

"He is not blinded with love." Slick smiled.

Buck sat down on the chair with his laptop computer and whipped out his personal mobile telephone, typing a new text to his friend. "I'm contacting my friend, who is a great pilot, who works quickly with large sums of cash anytime and anywhere."

"Do you possess a large sum of cash money, Ace?" Slick laughed.

Ace whined. "The money is not my problem." He touched his stomach with the mental thoughts of flying inside a loud and enclosed private business jet plane.

"Don't sweat ant hills! We get you some air sickness medicine. Then you get numb and dumb," Slick laughed again.

"Ace's problem is mental, not physical, Slick." Buck finished the text and waited on the response.

"All right! We bring ropes and cloths and whiskey." He laughed.

Ace frowned. "How long does it take to fly through the cloudy sky from here to Huntsville?"

"Our trip takes one hour and twenty-three minutes." Buck received the text from his pilot friend, who was available for a rental tonight.

Ace whined. "Geez! Do you have to be so fuckingly accurate, Buck? Can you not say maybe later in the evening or early in the morning or...?"

"Stop whining, Chief." Slick laughed then frowned. "Wait! A private jet is a thirty-minute air ride from here to Huntsville, not ninety minutes, son. Does your rent-a-pilot not know that?"

Buck stored the phone then stood upright, cuddling his laptop computer into his chest, saying to Slick. "Thirty minutes to prep the plane; thirty minutes flying the plane, and thirty getting a rental car. So, that takes ninety minutes of time, before we arrive at Fawn's apartment which is...

"...to late, Buck!" Slick sneered. "We leave here and arrive at the Mobile airfield at 09:15am. Plane is ready to fly at 09:35 pm. Plane lands at 10:10 pm. We get a car at 10:25 and then we drive around the city finding her apartment at 10:40 or..."

"So that's plenty of traveling time with twenty minutes to spare." He laughed.

Slick frowned. "The air trip is cutting it pretty damn too close to her arrival time at the bus terminal. The bus lands in Huntsville at 11:09 pm."

Buck shook his bone skull. "The bus transport lands at the bus terminal at 11:90 pm, if it's on time."

"We should have gone and waited for Fawn at the bus terminal and grabbed her there." Ace suggested.

"Kipp Haywood, he thought of her cool plan too. He was there at the Huntsville Bus Terminal building waiting for Fawn too." Slick gasped in shock.

"No! Kipp Haywood is not here but there in Huntsville relaxing and chilling and eating all of her unexpired food items inside her apartment. Why would he lounge around a loud bus terminal without cushioned seats? I won't. He isn't either. Anyways, I'm looking forward to meeting, then greeting and then killing Haywood. Why would you keep me from that honor?" He laughed with his two friends. "And if Fawn sees Ace there at the bus terminal, then she will run into the darkness and we will lose her and scare her off from Huntsville. Anyways, the bus lands at 11:09 pm there at the Huntsville Bus Terminal building. Fawn finally gets off the bus and then has to wait on the free bus shuttle service which will bring her back to us," he chuckled with his friends. "I promise here. Fawn will not get to her apartment until midnight."

Slick nodded to Buck then turned to Ace, "Do you have a friend that could pick us up at the airport, without renting a car, Chief?"

"Hell, no." Ace shook his bone head.

He shook his bone skull. "I don't either. Do you have a friend that lives in Huntsville, Buck?"

Buck said. "No. This is secret mission, without aid. We land, get the car, go the apartment, get the villain, save the princes, then buzz outta of town ending the demon tail, starting the fairy tale," he laughed with Ace.

Slick frowned. "Wonder if we miss Haywood at her apartment, then he stupidly returns back to Mobile?"

Ace moved ahead back into his house for the cash money. "Do not mess up my house again! Gawd! I'm tired of living out of boxes."

Slick spun around and followed Ace. "I'll be really careful, this time. I promise."

Buck spun around and followed Slick. "The plane is getting prepped. What gear do we need?" He entered the house with Slick and Ace.

"We need guns, guns, and more guns." Slick smiled.

Ace stopped then spun around, frowning at Slick, "Why are we bringing guns? This isn't the gun battle. We're getting Fawn."

Slick stopped and smiled. "Doesn't she own a hand gun, Ace?"

Buck stopped beside Slick, nodding to Ace, "That's good damn question. Can she shoot a hand gun?"

"Straight as an arrow." Ace smiled.

"Will she shoot at you, Ace?" Slick asked.

"No, I don't think so, but she'll be scared to death. So, we should be very careful not to upset her, before she enters her apartment."

"I got it. We bring a second set of ropes and cloths along with a full bottle of whiskey," Slick spun around and moved back into the garage, seeing the storage boxes of supplies."

Ace stared at the back spine on Slick, "Who are these items for?"

"The both of you!" Buck laughed. Ace frowned then spun around, getting the cash money for the airplane trip. Buck continued ahead to collect the guns for the upcoming war battle.

One hour and forty-eight minutes later, on 10:48 pm, at the Huntsville Airport facility, in front of the rental booth, Ace fumed with anger inside his guts but displayed a tone of controlled politeness towards an ugly, dumb, and homely female car agent with long blonde hair and a pair of green eyes, standing the desk counter. He repeated with a fake smile. "Where are my two cars, miss?"

She typed on the computer keyboard with a fake smile. "What two cars are your talking about, sir?"

"I placed an order for a sedan and a truck."

"We do not normally lease more than one transport-per-customer."

He wiggled the credit card near his fake smile. "I'll pay the premium rate, the car insurance, and all the money penalties for each transport."

She continued to type. "When did you place the order, sir?"

"I place a rental order at 09:35 pm from my home Mobile for two rental vehicles for rental here at the Huntsville Airport."

She looked up with her fake smile viewing Ace, "I am so sorry, sir. I do not see an order under the name of Samuel Attila Smith, the fourth."

He tapped the credit card on top of the counter while controlling his anger, "Do you have any vehicles? I'll take any car on the lot. Wrecked or repaired just as long as it drives from point A to point B. I don't care if it makes it back to point A either," Ace laughed with Slick and Buck.

"Let me scan the list, sir." She looked down then started typing on the computer keyboard again, finding the new information. "I have..."

"I'll take it." He handed her the credit card. She typed the data in the computer, printed the papers for Ace to sign. She gave him the key fob. They headed out from the car reservation office onto the parking lot with rows of colorful vehicles, scanning for the sub-compact car and then stopped beside the car. Buck laughed.

Slick whined with annoyance. "Yellow. I hate the color yellow."

Ace pressed the key fob and unlocked the doors. "Get in the car!"

Slick rushed around the rear bumper and stopped, standing beside the driver's seat, "I wanna drive."

"I drive." Buck slapped his chest.

Ace laughed. "You're too big and bulky to fit behind the steering wheel, Buck. So, Slick gets to drive."

"I wanna drive." He whined.

Slick smiled. "You're my navigator of places, Buck!" He slid down into the seat and studies the console, starting the cold engine. The car didn't roar with power but moaned.

Ace laughed out loud with amusement. They had arrived in Huntsville before Fawn, who was still traveling on the bus. He folded down then slid into the rear bench seat, straddling the two seats in silence.

Buck folded down then tried to fit inside the front passenger seat, without success, standing upright, leaning down and shouted at Slick. "I'm too big for the front passenger seat.

"You can have the rear seat with its long butt room." Ace slid out and stood upright. Buck slid down into the rear seat, ducking his head, straddling both of his legs into the side. Ace scooted down in the front passenger seat and scanned the console exhaling with annoyance. "There isn't a navigator devise guiding us to her apartment."

Buck whipped out his personal mobile telephone. "I got this. I'll use my cell phone and call out the directions to her place." He typed in the residential address. "First, follow the signs getting out from the rental parking lot..."

Slick followed the verbal directions and then arrived some twenty minutes later, at 11:22, slowly turning off Highway 72, steering down a winding private roadway. The apartment complex was spread over one hundred acres with manicured lawns and nicely planted short and tall shade trees, pods of colorful flowers, and short rows of plant bushes.

Buck sung from the rear seat. "We're here. This is the Whitesburg Rental Apartments."

Ace scanned the new area. "I don't see any activity here."

Slick slowly steered down the private roadway heading into the rows of two and three-story buildings covered in reddish-brown bricks. "It is almost midnight, a new day, Tuesday. A renter typically works for a living or studies at the local university. The college university is further down the highway. So, every renter and their family members and their pets are sleep, since the time is..."

"Too close to midnight! Is Fawn here now? Did she beat us to her apartment?" Ace exhaled with worry and continued to scan the dull-looking grounds from the scattered lights on poles and the bright moonlight.

"Naw, Boss!" Buck said. "The clock time is closer to 11:30 pm. Her bus arrived at 11:09 pm. She has to wait on the free shuttle bus service. Geez! Those drivers are playing on their mobile telephones, instead of listening to the controller. We have plenty of time to kill Haywood, bury his body, make dinner, and clean the apartment," he laughed with Slick. Ace still wore a worried face.

"All right! I see lots of tall buildings. There are two buildings in a column on the right side of the car. Is that her apartment?" Slick continued to slowly steer over the smooth pavement and examined each object including the manicured lawn.

He looked down at his phone and read out loud. "Fawn lives at 205 Whitesbury Drive, Building D for doggie. I'm studying the electronic map on my phone. The two buildings on the right side of our tiny car are the apartment complex office building and the entertainment building with a game room, a fitness room, and a swimming pool in the rear. We keep following this road to the end of the roadway then turn to the left, passing three more buildings until we hit Building D."

"Got it!" Slick said. "How do you wanna approach her building with Haywood watching out each window and the closed door, in the dark, Ace?" Ace was the leader on the mission while saving his girl from the bad guy.

Ace continued to survey the grounds. "Her apartment number is 205. Is she on the second floor, Buck?"

"Yeah, I'm looking at electronic layout of her apartment, which is a small studio apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom and is located on the second floor and faces north. An apartment only contains glass windows on one or two sides of the unit and a front door on the three side. The glass windows face the northern exposure. Her front door faces the west entrance point, which is blocked by a concrete staircase which covers a short entranceway. The northern window exposure overlooks the parking lot and a clump of tall shade trees. Haywood is overconfident and carries a full belly of beer and food after drinking and eating all day long, since it is hotter than hell during the evening hours here in the great State of Alabama," he chuckled with Slick. "I suggest parking our ugly little yellow tinted subcompact car in the parking lot right in front of her building, so Haywood can see the tiny car then laugh his ass off. We get out from the car and like a group of drunk college students, moving ahead to the staircase. Haywood will not suspect or expect us, since we are still in Mobile hunting for Fawn or we are sleeping on top of our comfortable bed mattresses from exhaustion.

"You should write fiction novels, Buck." Slick laughed and continued to steer the car slowly around the winding pavement, looking for Building D in the dull moonlight and poor artificial lamps coming from the scattered flood lights.

Buck smiled. "Once we silently climb the staircase, we drew out a pistol then break the door down. Fawn will have a key. Actually, if I were Haywood, I would not bother to lock the door as Fawn will have her apartment key and try to open it before understanding the door latch is unlocked. Then when the door knob is wiggling up and down, he will open the door and grab her, before she understands her new dilemma.

"You should write crime fiction novels, Buck." He laughed.

Buck grinned. "So, based on all of my working ass theory, one of us opens the unlocked door first. The rest of us shoot at Haywood. Then we enter and don't bother cleaning up the mess. Fawn will arrive here soonest, and she can call the police officers explaining that she was partying with us, and we can home and found a dangerous intruder with a gun. The end!"

"You should write murder mystery novels, Buck." Slick slowly the speed then parked the car, killing the engine, facing the new building.

Buck narrated from his phone to his two friends. "Ahead of us, there are three individual buildings which is separated by a concrete staircase on both sides. Each building features a rental apartment unit on the first and second floor and the same configuration in the rear of the building that overlooks another parking lot and then a grove of wooded forest. Her building is the one in the middle. The two-story building is covered in brick. Each apartment faces the parking lot with a small concrete patio or a white wooden enclosed balcony space and a large sliding glass door that exposed some of the interior walls from the bright light. Beside the patio or balcony, that large window represents the single bedroom setting. The front door faces west. Enter the front door, there is an open room that holds the living room setting with an exposed kitchette. Move through the living room and find a bathroom on the southern wall and a bedroom on the northern wall."

Ace surveyed the apartment on the second floor. "Good job, Buck!"

Slick continued to sit in the driver's seat and studied the apartment also. "I can't see Haywood through the glass windows."

"Because he cut off the lights, sitting on the dark, waiting for Fawn. This is a perfect setup, for us. He doesn't know that we are here and doesn't know that we are armed, and we are here to murder him."

"You should write horror novels, Buck." Slick smiled.

Ace whipped out his mobile telephone, "Haywood will not shoot to kill. He believes that Fawn is hiding millions of dollars, so he will not shoot her to death or discharge a bullet inside her apartment, which will alert the local police force here. He only wants the money for his permanent retirement plan. Once we charge through the door, he will flip on the lights. Then we shoot to kill him without any of us getting harmed. We communicate in silence with hand signals until we breach the door. That's the plan. Pull out your personal mobile telephone and then get outta of the car, standing on top of the parking lot, looking down at the screen on your telephone acting like a college student. I see Gem do this act all the time, getting out from the car, which boils my blood into poison. A kidnapper or a thief could come up behind her and then grab her. She would never see or know it until it was too late. The younger generation misses so much action. Once we all stand for a few seconds and start down at the screen, the we start walking ahead while still staring down at the phone.

"But I'll trip over my feet." Buck complimented.

"Look down at the pavement, not your phone screen, Buck! But do not look up and view the second floor window! Haywood is standing there in the dark and watching us while waiting on Fawn. Are we ready, gentlemen?"' Ace scanned the parking lot without any activity.

"Yeah!" Buck placed his free hand on the door handle.

"Yes!" Slick whipped out his phone and placed his free han don the door.

Ace opened his door then stood upright on the parking lot pavement, staring down at his phone, slamming the door shut with his foot. He had seen Gem do move numerous times. He reached down and fiddled with the controls, without looking up at the second floor glass window.

Buck opened the door then scooted out, standing upright, slamming the door shut and stared down at his phone, without fiddling with the controls.

Slick opened the door then stood upright, slamming the door shut with a smile, staring down at his phone.

Ace instructed. "That's long enough for standing here. Now, we all move ahead and stare down at the phone screen or the pavement. Do not trip or tumble, Buck!" He slowly moved ahead keeping his two eyeballs down on the pavement, heading towards the staircase, without tripping over his feet. When he padded underneath the overhang and was out of sight from Haywood. Ace stored his mobile telephone, then whipped out his pistol, holding beside his eardrum, slowly climbing each concrete step. He continued to survey the outdoor setting hearing the insects sing. He would open the door then fire on Haywood, killing the bastard first while explaining the story to the local police officers and covering for his two friends and his girlfriend Fawn. His granddaddy and his money would keep Ace from the police officers and out of jail.

Buck followed behind Ace and copies his moves along with Slick. A line of men climbed each step landing on top of the second floor concrete platform, slowly approaching the first door on the left side with an outside lamp that brightened the dark entranceway. There were four individual closed front doors with an individual outside lamp that slightly illuminated the dark entranceway.

Ace stopped and posed beside the wall next to the door, pointing up at the outside lamp then started to remove the first heated bulb creating complete darkness in front of the closed entrance door, distorting Kipp's vision from the surprise deadly attack. Buck and Slick split up then shuffled down to the three other doors, removing the heated bulb on each lamp which darkened the entranceway like the night sky. They slowly returned back and stood at the front door.

Ace stood in the middle and held the cold barrel on his gun in front of the door, reaching out, gently touching the door. Buck was correct. The door latch was unlocked. So, Haywood was here and waiting for Fawn. He violently shook the door knob then swiftly twisted his wrist bone, slamming open the door, dashing into the darkness. The lights did not illuminate. He slammed into a soft object.

Slick entered next then slide to side wall, searching for the light switch. Buck entered next and stopped a few feet from the open door in silence. The lights illuminated.

The room was messy with numerous overturned and damaged pieces of furniture items, scattered girly clothes, smashed delicate decorative items, and spilled food items, that smelled.

Buck held his nose holes, "What is that smell?'

Ace had slammed into the overturned chair, slowly twirling around, scanning the messy room and said with worry. "Haywood is not here. Where is he? Why isn't he here?" He completed the spin then quickly moved into the bedroom then the bathroom setting while examining the area. "No! There is no one here. Haywood is not here. Where is Haywood? He was supposed to here waiting on Fawn." He returned and stood inside the living room setting, shouting out loud in worry and disappointment.

Slick replaced his gun and then closed the door, scanning for any renters, who were curious with the loud noises coming from Fawn's apartment. He spun around and started to pick up the spilled food items on top of the messy floor, cleaning the air molecules, without commenting.

Buck continued to stand in place and dropped his hand still smelling the awful stench. "Haywood is supposed to be here. That is the logical move."

"Where is he at, Buck?" Ace worried then gasped in alert. "He went to the bus terminal and has Fawn. I'm too late," he dashed ahead with concern towards the closed door.

Buck reached up with one hand and grabbed the arm on Ace, stopping the man, saying with a calm tone. "Fawn is here in Huntsville. Her bus arrived at 11:09 pm. The current time is 11:25 pm. She is right now riding on the shuttle bus from the bus terminal. The bus terminal always has a police officer at the station until the station closes down for the evening. A bus terminal is one of the highest places for a terrorist attack. Use your brains, Ace! Fawn is safe and is coming here to her apartment. We stay here and wait on her. I can't answer the whereabouts of Haywood. He would know our shared information also as a criminal bank robber too. He is probably hanging out somewhere inside his car here in the parking lot while waiting for Fawn, but he is not here perturbing us. We still have the vantage point here." He shoved Ace towards the kitchette. "Calm down, Ace! We all want this nightmare to end soonest. Fawn needs to pack up all her clothes for her permanent trip back to Mobile. Go into her bedroom and find her suitcases and get packing while we wait on her. Once she gets here, we all can leave and go back home."

Ace nodded in silence spinning around, storing his gun and moved into the bedroom working on the order from Buck.

Buck exhaled with worry for Ace and Fawn, looking down at the messy floor, talking out loud. He liked to express his feelings when Buck was confronted with a new situation as opposed to Slick, who worked in silence and observed each disaster. Buck stored his gun then squatted down, talking to his two friends. "What a mess in here! Her purse is located down here on the floor. All of her possessions are scattered over the floor. Should we leave some of the mess, Slick?" He stood upright and continued to survey the messy room.

Slick stood upright from the floor holding a handful of trash items, moving ahead into the kitchette, finding the trashcan. He surveyed the room nodding with a stern face. "Yeah, that's a good point, Buck. We should leave the overturned furniture items, all of the cabinet doors, all the broken dishes, and some of her clothes items showing this place was a true robbery scene. The robber was looking for cash money for his drug fix. Fawn don't own too many furniture items, only a sitting chair in pink and yellow floral designs and a side table in dark wood. She owns a computer laptop which is not working. I wished Douglass was alive, so I could shoot his face off his skull. Why would he destroy her apartment while waiting for her? His logical is illogical."

"He's dead. Don't worry about him!" He moved ahead then stopped, squatting down, touching the object. "She used to own a large chrome and glass square shaped coffee table. The edge of the leg holds a stream of dried blood proteins. Is this her blood?"

"Yes, that's her blood. She said that Kipp shoved her into the edge of the table, cutting her face. I wished Kipp was here. Then I could take my time and rip off each body limb while laughing at his sissy, girly whines. Where is Kipp?" He squatted down in front of the kitchen wash sink and viewed a row of cleaning items. He wanted to clean the floor from the stinky smell while waiting for Fawn.

"If I had to guess, he's here hiding inside his car parked inside one of numerous parking lots. If we start looking for him, he'll just drive away. Then we have to deal with him in Mobile. I don't wanna deal with him in Mobile. Do you know what car he drives, Slick?"

Slick stood upright from the cabinet then scooted around the room, leaning down, cleaning the floor with paper towels. "Can't you look up his car model and car tag on your personal computer?"

Ace finished his task and returned standing inside the hallway archway, holding three cloth bags. He dropped them down on the floor with a slight thumping noise and smiled with happiness but still worried about Fawn, "I'm done. She only owned a plain bed mattress without the box springs or the steel frame for sleeping..."

"And a cheap card table and two folding chairs for eating her meals." Buck moved into the kitchette, examining the cabinets. "All kitchen cabinets are opened."

He thumbed back over his collar bone and nodded with a stern face. "The closet door is opened, and all of the bathroom cabinet doors are opened too. None of her clothes were hanging on the rack. I had to snatch them up off the floor then pack into her bags. Douglass performed a thorough messy search looking for her money."

"Fawn does not own a single eating dish or a cooking pot or pan. She does not cook..."

"... only eats like me," Ace laughed and slapped his chest. "That's why we mesh together so well. Where is Fawn? The time is almost midnight."

Slick scooted around the tiny apartment looking inside each wall corner with curiosity, "The free shuttle bus service is for everyone, Ace. She lives on the other side of the Huntsville Bus Terminal. She won't be here until 12:30 am or so. Be patient!"

"Be hungry! I need some food." Buck scooted to the mini-refrigerator and squatted down, opening the door, seeking some food for his growling stomach. "Douglass either ate all the food or tossed all the food items down on the floor, making a mess, creating a loud..."

The loud sound from the vacuum cleaner filled the air molecules. Slick had found the useful item and started sucking up the finer particles of food crumbs. Then the machine stopped.

Inside the open door on the refrigerator, Buck grabbed the jug and stood upright, looking for a glass in the upper cabinet. "I found a jug of vegetable juice. That's doesn't go bad. Since Fawn is running late, we should order some food. We can eat here, then in the car, and on the plane..."

Ace shook his bone skull, "I'm not riding back in that damn airplane. I plan to rent a nice luxury sedan from another nicer car rental company driving Fawn and I back down to Mobile. Ya'll can take the rental car back to the airport and leave out from Huntsville on that damn airplane."

"Ugh!" Buck poured some of the juice down into a paper cup then gasped in shock. "The juice smells fresh enough to consume, but it holds some type of buggy parasite in the green liquid."

"I'll never seen a parasite in a juice bottle," Slick left the vacuum cleaner then spun around with a grin, moving towards the kitchen countertop and stopped, standing on the opposite side of Buck and the wash sink. He leaned over the wash sink with a smile and snatched the jug from Buck, whipping out his switchblade, cutting the center of the plastic jug. The green liquid poured down into the wash sink. "That's not a buggy parasite." He whipped the blade closed then stored the weapon back down into his side pocket, holding the jug in the air.

He gasped in shock. "What is that?" Buck stared at the jug. Ace moved ahead to the kitchen counter and stood beside Buck, in silence.

Slick drained the rest of the green liquid down into the wash sink, pulling out a plastic bag, dropping the damaged jug down into the sink also. "I do believe that I have found green money, sir."

"Money!" Buck laughed. "Fawn hid all her money inside a juice jug and filled it thick, green tinted real vegetable juice, hiding the plastic item inside the cold refrigerator machine. Now, that's clever and that's why Douglass was so mad at her. How much money is that, Slick?"

Slick quickly added the bills. "She hid in one hundred dominations a total of 2,000 dollars in this plastic bag, inside a fresh jug of vegetable juice."

Buck shook his bone skull, "I will never consume green tinted vegetable juice again."

Ace gasped in alarm and scanned the room. "There's more stolen money piles here in her apartment. Fawn told me that she had been robbing the same bank, since she was eighteen years old and stopped at the age of 23 years old. She is 24 years old now."

Slick frowned. "How much money did she take over last five years, Ace?"

He spun around and squatted down in front of the lower kitchen cabinets, tapping on the wood panels for a secret compartment. "I can't ask her that question, can I, Slick?"

Buck scooted away from the tiny kitchen setting and stared down at the dark brown hair roots on Ace, "I do believe that you should ask her that question, so you can pay the money amount back to Bank of England, Ace." He was not allowing Ace to forget the promise, paying back the bank institution all of her stolen money, instead of sending her ass to a prison camp for three decades.

"Yes, I plan to do that, after I marry her. Then she can't escape from me. Now, Fawn is cleverer than Douglass. She must have found a weakened plank and hid her money there for safekeeping. Douglass was an idiot, but I'm not." He continued to scoot over the floor with a smile and tapped on the wooden planks.

Slick left the cash money on the kitchen countertop then spun around, squatting down, tapping on the wall plastic, seeking a weak spot. He told. "The local Mobile police department raided the apartments of Douglass, Kipp, and that third kidnapper was named Lark. They have confiscated their furniture, their clothes, their money bags, where all items will be sold then paid back to the Bank of England."

Buck gasped in shock, "And how did the Mobile police department find the dead man named Lark. We buried him..."

"...near the swamplands. Yeah, I went out there and dug him up from his swampy, watery gravesite and placed his dead body inside Kipp Haywood's beach house, before the police investigation from the failed bank heist. Because Buck and I had uncovered his identity through DNA means before we were informed that you and Fawn had been kidnapped and then involved in a bank heist," he grinned. "Now, Kipp is wanted for kidnapping, assault, and murder one. If the police find him first, Fawn will never see his ass again." He chuckled with Buck.

"What!" Ace stood upright from the floor and sneered at Slick. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Slick slowly stood upright from the floor and stared with a soft growl across the kitchen countertop at Ace, "Because I agree with Buck. Fawn committed acts of criminal intent using her supernatural powers. I don't think Almighty God is happy with her either. However, Almighty God and believe a person deserves a second and a third chance for redemption. I wanted to come and see her place and examine her current life style. I see and smell that Fawn lives a very meek existence here in Huntsville. Actually, I'm pleased that she does not flaunt her ill-gotten gains, without working for it. If she had been living in a mansion with expensive cars and luxury items, then I would have gone to the police department first, before Buck."

"What! What is this? What am I hearing from you, Slick?"

Slick jabbed his finger at Ace then slapped his chest, "You are hearing the truth from me, Ace. Listen to the repeating story, Chief! You found and helped Fawn, a few days ago, Ace. Now, you're going to marry a girl that you have known less than one week, without investigating her background or her past history. That's not the stable and steady son of bitch Ace that I know and love like a brother. Next, you find that she is a real true bank robbery and you are not bothered by those criminal acts, even though you have been judging and then releasing military criminals into the city streets of Mobile for years and years and years. What is wrong with you, Ace? Buck and I wanna know. What is wrong with you? How can we bring back the old son of bitch Ace again?"

Ace exhaled with fury then calmed his raw nerves down into brotherly frustration, looking at Slick then at buck, lifting both of his dirty hands in the air, nodding with a stern face. "I know. I know. I'm acting crazy in love. I love Fawn. I have never felt or acted or behaved like this before with any girl or one of my whores or even Mary Ann that produced Gem with me. I can feel my love from my heart all the way down into my toe nails going back up into my brain cells. She and I had been through hell and back up into heaven and then back down to hell and then back up to heaven and now back down into fire hell. I can explain in words, only in feelings. I don't need for you to understand. I understand what I need to do. Look! Take the car and go back to the air..."

"No! No! No!" Buck shook his bone skull and pointed at Slick, slapping his chest. "Slick expressed my feelings for your safety and Fawn's safety too. We stay and help here. But we..."

"...have changed." He nodded with a stern face then exhaled with concern. "I didn't want to announce this very important news here. But I feel that I must. I have turned in my resignation as a military officer, a military lawyer, and a military judge."

"What!" Both Slick and Buck shouted at the same time wearing a stunned face.

Ace nodded with a smile. "I love Fawn. I have stated that numerous times. I am rich. I have stated that numerous times also. So, I am retiring from the military service for the USA military forces. My time is up."

Buck nodded. "But you have served only sixteen years in the Coast Guard military branch, Ace. You need twenty years to collect your military retirement check each month."

He shook his bone skull. "I don't. I am rich. I don't need the military pension plan. I have deeply pondered this exit and I have consulted with my granddaddy, who is my only living relative. He agreed with my new plans including a new marriage and a new wife and a new family unit. Love has pierced by butt cheek. I love Fawn. She loves me. We both wanna another baby. I wanna a son to carry on the Smith name," he chuckled, "Even though, that's the most common sur-name on two continents. When we have a baby, I wanna spend time with my newborn babe. I didn't get to do that with Gem, when she was little baby. I hope the both of you will wish me great luck and god speed."

"Of course, we do, Ace." Slick nodded with a smile. "This is a little shock for my old heart. I mean we saw your funky ass teenly behavior towards Fawn. We just didn't know if it was a permanent act or passing fart gas." He laughed with his two friends.

He continued to laugh and shook his bone skull. "No! This is a permanent act for me, my career, and Fawn."

"When is your final day in the courtroom?" Buck asked.

"Technically, my military contract expires on last day of this month, June 30th, where I can become a civilian man again. But Command has asked me to fill out the Fourth of July weekdays, so the other working military staff can enjoy their holiday first. I nodded with a smile. Fawn and I will marry in the month of July. My granddaddy suggested a small wedding ceremony with some very important guests from the blue-blooded snobby society in Mobile. However, Fawn can't talk and entertain the guests and I don't like any of the very important guests, but you and Slick. So, I got the blessing from my granddaddy and my daughter and Almighty God. I do believe that's all I need."

Slick smiled. "I wish you the greatest of luck and swiftest speed to all of your blessings, Ace."

Buck winked and slapped his chest. "Does that sound like an invitation as your man of best?"

Slick gasped in sock. "Is Buck going to become your best man?"

Ace pointed at both of his friends nodding with a smile. "Both of you will stand beside me as my two best men. Gem will become the maid of honor for Fawn. That's it! A small wedding, an overcrowd living room, and numerous trays of food and alcohol for the fifteen minute ceremony. After the ceremony, Fawn and I leave my house and go in a six-month-long cruise ship trip throughout the world, which will be the start of my new life." He dropped both of his hands and slapped one on the kitchen countertop. "but first, we need to find all of her stolen monies and return back to the Bank of England. Then we need to get Fawn and get outta of here, before Kipp shows up. Then we can..."

"...anonymously call in a verbal tip to the Huntsville police force that will find murderer Kipp Haywood," Slick laughed out then winked to Ace, dropping down on the floor with a smile then started tapping on the wall again looking for a weak spot, where Fawn could have hidden her money stash.

Buck spun around with a smile and entered the bathroom setting, searching each interior wall panel also.

Ace scooted across the floor and slammed into the metal door, softly cursing, standing upright. He surveyed the kitchen counter and exhaled with annoyance, whispering for his eardrums only. "Too many cabinets with too many hiding places Where is Fawn? She could point at the hidden spot much quicker than I." He spun around and frowned at the tiny laundry closet, not a laundry room, viewing a new washer machine and a dryer. Ace would arrange for all of her furniture for donation to a local charity organization, after they were safely back home in Mobile. Now days, everything can be accomplished by a computer screen.

He reached out and touched the washer machine examining the condition of the equipment for donation or trashing, opening the lid then gasped in shock. He smiled and shouted out loud, "Guys! Come over here! You really want to see this," he reached down into the barrel and pulled out a small plastic bag in black hue that was strange inside the washer machine, stepping from the washer, standing in front of the kitchen counter. He pulled out the neat bundles of cash and quickly counted out the money amount. Slick stood upright from the floor and stared at the countertop, laughing out loud, moving ahead and stopped on the opposite side of "Ace.

Buck rushed from the bathroom setting then stopped, standing beside Ace, gasping in shock, staring down the small piles of cash money.

Ace nodded and gently patted some of the short stack. "These small stacks are one hundred dollar bills which total 520,000 dollars."

Buck laughed. "Fawn placed her illegally gotten gains in a laundry bag used for washing delicate clothes in the washer machine inside the tiniest laundry closet in the world. The cleaning products are housed on the shelves. And there's a dirty basket of clothes laying undisturbed."

Slick giggled like a girl then scooted behind a tall and wide Buck and then behind Ace, standing beside the dryer machine. "Did she or did she not?"

"What are you doing over there, Slick?" Buck frowned.

Slick leaned down and popped open the dryer door finding another yellow tinted laundry bag, pulling out the item. He spun around and held near his smile. Buck gasped in shock and Ace turned and gasped also. Slick moved ahead and stopped beside Ace, pouring the contents from the bag. Ace counted quickly the stacks of money. The new stacks of cash total 520,000 dollars also. That's two sets of 520,000 dollars equal 1,040,000 dollars, which represent her five years of numerous bank heists without a hand gun and without a dead victim. Douglass does not count."

Buck frowned. "What about the 2,000 dollars in the refrigerator?"

"Forget about it!" Slick laughed. "I suspect that is a ploy of cool fake cookie dough for Douglass to find then steal, without finding the real money bags. But he missed it. These two laundry bags had not been disturbed. Fawn is smart. Douglass missed it again. Now, Fawn is a millionaire. She has enough cash to leave the city of Huntsville as a very frugal bank robber. She didn't buy what she wanted, only what she needed. I like her."

He frowned, "How was Fawn able to steal so much money over a long period of time? How much money did Douglass, Kipp and Lark receive from Fawn?"

"We have enough clues here to answer those two questions, Buck. If Fawn is holding 520,000 dollars in cash over five years, then we must assume that Douglass, Kipp, and Lark receive the same cut of the total monies over the same five year period. 1,040,000 dollars times four equal 4,160,000 dollars. There are 52 weeks in a calendar year. So, 52 weeks times five years equal 260 weeks. The money amount of 4,160,000 dollars divided by 260 weeks that represents five years of easy work equals 16,000 dollars. A bundle of cash is nicely stacked for easy access and handling with one hand or only the thumb pad and index finger, coming in dimensions of one, ten, twenty, fifty, and hundred dollar bills. And we show hard evidence of one hundred dollar bundles on top of the countertop. So, if Fawn worked her magic and the Bank of England bank vault each week, then she carried out in secret one bundle of one hundred dollar bills that totals 10,000 dollars, one cool bundle of fifty dollar bills which add to 5,000 dollar and finally one bundle of ten dollar bills which equal 1,000 dollars. That sums to 16,000 dollars of stolen bundles of cash from the Bank of England bank vault each week for five years. Then she had to share her stolen goods with Douglas, Kipp, and Lark or else. The end! The mystery is solved." Ace clapped with a smile then Buck started clapping and cheering for his smart co-worker. Slick acted silly and bowed down at his fit waistline standing upright, smiling at his two best friends.

Ace stopped clapping and exhaled with frustration. "Where is Fawn? We have all her stolen money. We have all her dirty and clean clothes. We have her computer laptop. We'll leave all of her furniture here. I'll arrange for a charity organization to come and pick all of this stuff up from her apartment."

Slick stared down at the stacks of one million dollars. "That laptop is crushed. I don't 'think she can use it, Chief."

Buck turned and scanned the floor, finding the laptop computer, "I can't repair the shell on the metal, but I can access all of the data from there for Fawn. I can transfer it onto a new laptop computer for her. Is that okay, Ace?" He scooted from the kitchen grabbing the laptop from the floor, examining the damaged item.

Ace looked down at his wrist watch and frowned at the time, looking up with a worried face, staring at Buck. "Yes, she would like that, Buck. Where is she? The time is 12:02 am, a new morning. She is late."

Buck slid down on the floor and leaned against the wall, placing the damaged computer beside his leg, pulling out a tiny keyboard. He pressed the button. A hologram screen appeared in the air waves.

Ace smiled. "What is that thing, Buck?"

"This is the newest, greatest computer technology. This is virtual computer screen attached to a tiny physical keyboard that can be toted in your back pocket, which I did coming from the car. The internet is not a physical place but zillions of radio waves in the air space that can become accessed anywhere and anyhow by any person. I'm accessing the internet radio waves first and then bus terminal website next looking up the times of arrival to the city of Huntsville. And I have found the answer. I have misguided us, Ace. The second arrival time is 11:09 pm. But I did not take into my travel analysis that Fawn would have her apartment key with her, which is inside her purse on top of the floor. So, Fawn is still hiding out in Mobile and taking the morning bus trip, which places her here in Huntsville at five o'clock in the afternoon. The apartment complex stays open until six o'clock. She needs her apartment key. Fawn didn't know that Douglass didn't lock her front door, after kidnapping her from her apartment. I'm sorry Ace. We should have stayed in Mobile."

Ace waved his hand and shook his bone skull. "No! This is all my fault. I should have used my own brain cells pondering her next move, instead of worrying in fear. I know Fawn better than anyone. So, Fawn is still and safe in Mobile. I feel that Kipp Haywood is here at the apartment complex parking lot spending the heated night in his car, not on top of a comfortable bed mattress. We stay here and spend the night with our guns..."

"... and without food. Let's order pizza and sodas! I'm starving to death," he nodded.

Ace laughed with a nod and whipped out his personal mobile telephone, searching for a pizza house that delivered at night-late hours. "I agree." He typed in a text message for the order then paid with an electronic credit card, looking up at Buck then Slick. "Done! Food is coming."

Slick moved ahead to the side wall then stopped, killing the lights.

"Hey!" Buck frowned in the dark looking up staring at the side wall, where both Slick and the light switch stood.

Ace stood in the kitchen without moving around the dangerous darkened room, turning to stare at the side wall, talking to Slick also. "Why did you cut off the lights? Are you going to tell she-ghost stories? I like she-ghosts better than he-ghosts." He laughed.

Slick stated, "Fawn is..."

"...not coming here..." Buck sneered with a sour frown.

"I know that, Buck. But she has not been present inside her private apartment home here for days. Some of her neighbor-renters might personally know Fawn and are worried about her missing person. If one of these neighbor-renters sees the lights are powered on inside her apartment home, then they might come over to visit with Fawn, who is really not here, only us."

Ace nodded. "Good point! Keep the lights off, Slick!"

Buck said. "Bad boy, Slick! The pizza delivery guy or gal will not deliver in the darkness inside a dark apartment, since we've stolen all of the outside lamps making the entranceway darker than the dark side."

Ace nodded again. "Good point, Buck! Turn the lights on, Slick!" He laughed with Slick.

Slick flipped on the lights and continued to stand at the wall. "Well, if we keep flicking the lights on than off and Kipp is parked here inside his car, then he might believe that Fawn has arrived back home. He might come and attack us, thinking it is her, so we kill him, ending the demon tale," he laughed with an evil tone.

He smiled. "I like your working theory."

Buck whined, "But the pizza guy or gal will not deliver to a dark place."

Ace nodded with a smile. "So, we cut all the lights off for fifteen minutes. I'll go over there and stand guard over the sliding glass doors, in the darkness, watching for the pizza delivery car. Each car must wear that silly plastic hat on the rooftop. When the car approaches, I'll order the lights back on for the delivery of the pizza boxes and sodas..."

"...and Slick can dress up in girly clothes looking like Fawn, parading around the glass doors. That clever idea and girly dances will really convenient Kipp that she's here." Buck laughed with Ace.

Slick sneered and slapped his chest. "I'll too short. Fawn is a tall, slender girl. Ace can dress up in her clothes and parade around..."

"Forget that idea for both me and Slick!" Ace said. "Then after we eat our dinner meal of pizza and sodas, we turn all the lights off sitting in the dark and wait for Kipp. How's that plan?"

Slick smiled, "Good by me!"

"Okay!" Buck continued to sit on the floor and was surrounded by several black tinted coiled cable lines, working on the damaged computer, sucking out all the mysterious data on Fawn into his new laptop computer memory bank for his personal use and Ace's peace of mind.

Ace tossed both of his arms in the air the scooted from the kitchen setting, pointing at the forward wall, "Wait! Wait, Slick! Don't kill the lights yet. Let me hustle over the sliding glass doors before tripping over this mess then breaking my leg. Then I'm miss out on killing Kipp," he chuckled with his two friends then stopped, standing in front of glass doors, surveying the parking lot, the other taller rental buildings, the night sky with a half-moon of bright light and each one of the twinkling stars while still worrying for his girl Fawn.

At 12:09 am, the apartment lights flicked off.

At 12:10 am, her face slammed into the wall of wetness. Fawn gasped in shock then sat upright, staring at the wet glass window on top of the smooth leather seat. She was riding the free shuttle bus service from the Huntsville Bus Terminal, sweating from the heated air inside the cabin, as the air-conditioning system was not working properly. She wiped the sweat form her brow and smiled at her brilliant plan, escaping the seaport city of Mobile, her former fiancé Ace, and her former kidnapper Kipp Haywood.

Every bus terminal throughout the USA appeared in the same format. A large three-story building of silver metal with ceiling-to floor-glass windows, where a single security guard studied each passenger. Her bus had parked underneath the gigantic overhang at 11:09 pm releasing both people and bags.

Fawn exited the bus terminal then stopped waiting for the local shuttle bus service along with a line of late-night travelers. She was not required to pay money but had to present her paid bus ticket to the driver, handing him a hand-written note that she was a mute and provide her apartment address for the trip. She stepped on the bus, sitting in the rear seat. The bus route traveled around the outskirts of Huntsville among the bright moonlight and billions of twinkling stars, before steering onto _Whitesburg Avenue_ and _University Drive_ towards her apartment home.

Fawn did not possess her apartment key, which was located inside her purse. The key spilled down onto the floor, when she was attacked. However, Douglass did not bother to lock her front door on her apartment. So, she might have been really robbed by a gang of real thieves.

Inside the shuttle bus, on top of the seat, Fawn exhaled with worry then leaned back into the hard cushion inside a crowded bus waiting with anxious at each stop.

Eight hours ago, yesterday afternoon, in the seaport city of Mobile, after returning back from the Mobile Bus Terminal walking down the same city street with her new homeless friends, Fawn became nervous and fearful. She was not afraid of the homeless people or the police officers, only the missing second person in the bank heist, who had not identified his person or his presence to Fawn or Ace or Douglass.

Kipp Haywood had been the third kidnapper within the nasty trio, who had been a bank detective also. Douglass had professed the secret bank heist plans in order for Fawn to steal money stacks from the other bank institutions, without getting captured. So, Kipp knew Fawn's name and face, not her past history.

The second kidnapper had been murdered by Ace's friend, who worked for the Coast Guard. Ace didn't talk about the murder incident from that night, but Fawn had pieced it together with hints and clues from Slick and Buck. He had been a third bank detective that represented the other bank institutions, creating a trio of blackmailers against bank robbery Fawn.

Fawn was the true bank robber, since the age of eighteen years old as she was dating each cute rich single college guy, who would never marry but flirt with her. She had created then implemented her personal bank robbery plan, after entering her first bank environment by mistake.

Fawn would mosey into the security deposit box private room with her rented box then leave the room, using her telekinesis and opened the vault door. Then she stole stacks of money. At first, she only had stolen stacks of ones, tens, and twenties for her personal use, buying designer clothes then electronic toys then working one day a work for an appearance while lounging at home watching paid television. Then she became bored and challenged her abilities by stealing money from additional bank institutions.

Douglass figured out the subtle string of bank robbers after studying the consistent method for three long years, but he did not report Fawn to the bank authorities, only confronted her on afternoon with his new blackmailing scheme. Instead of arresting Fawn, Douglass required her to steal only twenty and fifty dollar bills, ignoring the ones and tens, giving him half of the stolen money. Then she went every day to a different bank throughout Mobile, using her bank robbery skills, stealing tons of money. Douglass drove the getaway car and waited for her on the side of the bank building.

Slowly Douglass shared his new secret with his two buddies increasing the number of targeted banks and stacks of stolen bundles of cool cash without a hand gun. Kipp and the other male worked that particular day at the targeted bank, so she could cart off the stacks of money inside her canvas bag, without harm or arrest. Then Fawn was required to share three-fourths of her stolen monies to three blackmailers. She didn't know what they did with their monies, but Fawn donated cash to the churches and homeless shelters around the city. She didn't want her apartment raided by the police officers, discovering piles of cash monies on the floor, in the closet, and underneath the kitchen wash sink. And she could not deposit large sums of cash into her personal bank account without a pair of Internal Revenue Service agents knocking on her front door. She could not buy a family house or a nice car or even a fun vacation trip to the Caribbean islands with wad of cash monies. These items required electronic payments or a personal check for the purchase. So, she continued to steal monies and provide to Douglass and his two friends.

She didn't know how much money had been stolen over the years, but she learned about the bundles of cash in the bank vault.

A stack of bills wrapped in a colored paper band held one hundred items. A one dollar band totaled 100 dollars. A ten dollar band summed to 1,000 dollars. A twenty dollar band added to 2,000 dollars.

At the age of eighteen years old, truly an immature teenage girl, she visited the bank institution entering the bank vault, toting away 2,000 dollars in the format of one, ten, and twenty dollar bills. Going four times per month, she stole an average of 8,000 dollars, which totaled 96,000 dollars, during a calendar year. That was plenty of money for her small budget of fun, without a daring adventure, and a prison sentence of 88 years.

For three years, from the age of 18 to 21 years old, Fawn had accumulated 288,000 dollars in cash. However, she spent the monies on clothes, food, electronic toys, personal items, and then donated the rest of money to churches.

Fawn would never forget that day.

The second week of January, she celebrated her 22nd birthday, alone and lonely, entering the bank institution for the first time, since the Christmas holidays, stealing the monies and then collided into Douglass outside the bank building.

Douglass was not working but watching her. He jerked the canvas bag off her collar bone, dragging Fawn into his car, dumping the stacks of money over the seat, laughing out loud. Then they forged a union of business, not friendship.

Douglass demanded that Fawn steal only twenty and fifty dollar bills. A fifty dollar band totaled 5,000 dollars. And he worked as a bank detective for four bank institutions then he started working for eight different banks, where he ordered Fawn to steal the monies. She started grabbing bundles of twenty and fifty dollar bills totaling 50,000 dollars, stealing 100,000 dollars every two weeks from the eight different bank institutions, without getting caught. At the end of the calendar year with Douglass, Fawn had stolen 2,000,000 dollars. She never stole money close on the holiday weeks, since the bank security was doubled.

Douglass should have been very happy. He was millionaire with one million dollars without paying taxes or working for the cash.

But he was also greedy and selfish bringing in a new partner in the new year, who brought in his buddy. Then at the age of 23 years old, Fawn was stealing twenty and fifty dollar bills for a total of 50,000 dollars at twenty four banks, including the Saturday morning banking hours, throughout Mobile, which was one bank heist per day. She stole 300,000 per week excluding the holiday weeks which totaled 14,100,000 dollars, at the end the calendar year, excluding Christmas holiday week. That stolen money was split three ways by Douglass, Kipp, and the other bank detective. Fawn refused to accept any of the stolen monies used by her God-given talents. However, she always wore a money belt around her waistline covered by her loose fitting dress and placed one hundred dollar stacks of money there, so Douglass and his two friends didn't see or know about her secretly second bank heist. Thus, Fawn started planning her escape from the three nasty men, before she was caught, arrested, convicted, then jailed for life.

Fawn did not own a car and could not rent or buy a car using the stolen cash either. She worked as a data entry clerk at the Easter Seal Organization, which was provided by the US Federal government as a handicapped individual. If she needed a car or a house, she had to use the US Federal Government agencies and government funds, which provided a lousy neighborhood location as she only worked one day per week keeping up her appearance at her current job, without drawing suspicion onto her person. She didn't own a phone as she could not talk. She didn't own a car as her employer provided a shuttle van to her work, the bank, the grocery store, and any physical building for her personal needs. She didn't own a credit card for shopping. She didn't need to shop at the local mall as she had a US government home computer and could order any item on the internet.

If she didn't report to work or provide an advancement of vacation time, then someone would come looking for her.

Thus, planning an escape from her work, the USA government, the nasty trio of blackmailers, and the city of Mobile was very difficult, without a car. So, she used the nighttime hours and lots of paid taxi cabs plotting her upcoming escape as the trio would take turns following Fawn during the daylight hours, protecting their greed.

At the start of the new year in January, after turned 24 years old, Fawn still played the bank robbery game with the trio blackmailers, giving them the stolen monies for that month. The next month, in February, after robbing the bank on Monday morning, she boarded a bus at the local Mobile Bus Terminal and rode off to freedom, arriving in the new city of Huntsville, at her new apartment, staring her new job the next day. Douglass and his two friends would have no clue of her absence for the next bank heist on Tuesday or her mysterious disappearance. She had cleaned out her apartment and properly removed her stuff, donating items to charity organization, even her clothes. She carried a new canvas bag with a set of new non-designer clothes and shoes, which was lined with stacks of one hundred dollar bills for her new life and her new job. She felt happy, alive, and relief.

Her life was below normal and very quiet at her new apartment. She did not make the mistake of purchasing new designer clothes or new electronic toys or items that could be traced on the computer interact services. As a matter of fact, Fawn used the free paid car services and went to each department store in person, writing down her request, paying with her stolen cash and ordering one furniture item at a time, which was delivery to her new apartment, while appearing like a struggling young adult. She also went to the grocery store for food without using the computer laptop. She did not accept the free internet from the US Federal Government, only a clean laptop for writing out her new adventure novels during the lonely evening, for her new fun.

Then that day happened.

She came home from work, opened the door, seeing the nasty trio inside her tiny apartment floor. She didn't have time to yell for help. The door slammed shut. Kipp attacked and beat Fawn into an unconscious state of mind and body. They stole all of her food items and her hidden stacks of money then tossed Fawn into Douglass's car, driving away from Huntsville, arriving an hour later at the Outlook Mountain of Tennessee. They explained to Fawn that she was returning back to Mobile with them and she was restarting the series of secret bank heists. Else they would kill her.

She agreed in silence then went into the single bedroom, recuperating from her wounds of bruises and cuts. Then she escaped that early evening while they were drinking alcohol beverages, without food items. She found the lonely log cabin and then met Ace.

And the rest of the previous three days is past history.

Presently, inside the shuttle bus cabin, on top of the smooth seat, Fawn stared down at the floor and sobbed with tears, wiping off her wet face. She loved Ace. He was a truly nice man to her and a brute to Douglass and his two friends. Ace had killed the Brown Good as he labeled the unknown male. She missed his touch and his kisses. But that was her old past life. Now, she had new life.

The tires on the shuttle bus squeaked to a halt as Fawn jolted sideways. She looked up at the driver and then turned seeing the familiar entranceway into the rental apartment complex. The driver was not steering down the long winding roadway.

Fawn stood upright from her seat and padded down the aisleway, nodding to the nice driver, stepping off the shuttle bus. She exhaled with annoyance and started walking, getting off the roadway, moving down the sidewalk towards her rental apartment home. She yawned with exhaustion. Her front door was unlocked and hopefully not wide open with an unwelcomed guest like a stray feline cat or a furry raccoon. Her neighbor-renters were quiet hiding inside their own rental apartment home without bothering to wave or spit or speak to Fawn.

Her bed mattress would be comfortable, and the apartment space would be cool and quiet. She needed sleep before thinking about her new plan tomorrow morning.

She passed the tiny guard house that never housed a true security guard human, the mailbox house and halted, back stepping with a smile, turning down the new sidewalk. She slowly padded around the mailbox stand, stopping in front of her assigned metal mailbox door. This particular apartment complex is owned and operated by the US Federal Government agency that aids handicapped persons, who want to live a normal life with their individual disabilities. The government pays the apartment rent, the electricity power bill, the water bill, and the sewer bill for the handicapped person. The government offers free internet, computer laptop, printer, and a mobile telephone also to each handicapped person.

Some of the newer apartment doors hold a box for numbers, not a traditional key, if the handicapped person does not have any fingers. Some of the interior walls house cool pieces of kitchen appliance that operate by voice or touch of a finger pad, not the traditional finger, hand and wrist bone twists.

The mailbox stand is a state of the art technology also that exhibits a push button devise, where the person pushes the correct numeric sequence than the door pops over for their individual mail pieces.

Fawn pressed the correct math numbers on the outside devise hearing the click, seeing the door pop open. She grabbed the small stack of mail then back stepped from the mailbox stand, reding each envelope from the row of bright artificial lamps, shifted through the stacks of junk, advertisements, residence of occupant then a letter from the Huntsville Easter Seal Society. She halted with a gasp then ripped opened letter, reading the contents.

Fawn had not provided a leave of absence while missing continuous days of her working job first. The director could not reach Fawn by telephone either and was wanting to know Fawn's medical and mental condition for this working job.

Fawn didn't really need the job or the money, but she could not go missing from her assigned work. The Society would start searching for her person, since she was labeled as a handicapped person. She possessed a non-talking disability and didn't own a government issued mobile telephone, because she could not talk on the thing. The Society administration had insisted that Fawn accept the government-issued mobile telephone for typing out a text communication, but Fawn refused fearing the phone company could provide Douglass her new telephone number and then her new apartment address.

Fawn must visit the Society office tomorrow morning announcing she was sound and safe then quitting her job, surrendering her apartment also. She would take the shuttle bus to the Huntsville Bus Terminal and purchase another bus ticket to a new place.

She started to shuffle away from the mailbox stand, moving onto the main sidewalk, padding ahead towards her apartment building. She stuffed the rest of the mail underneath her armpit, holding the letter in her free hand pondering her mental thoughts.

The nice city of Huntsville was past history for Fawn now. Ace, the Mobile police force, the Mobile FBI branch, and the Mobile district attorney were all looking for her and would come here to Huntsville, soonest.

Fawn enjoyed reading all the fictional _The Quartet_ novels and would re-read them for fun. She liked Tom best among the Quarter non-biological brothers.

Yesterday, around eleven o'clock, in Mobile, finding a new cubby hole on the abandoned building, she settled into the cool bricked wall then heard a series of yells and screams. A homeless person had found a dead homeless female resting against the building within the homeless district of Mobile. Well, that prompted Fawn to return back to the Mobile Bus Terminal and exchange her bus ticket leaving Mobile at 04:06 pm arriving in Huntsville at 11:09 pm.

Currently, she slowly padded down the concrete sidewalk at the Whitesbury Rental Apartment complex then looked up, surveying the rows of buildings. The night was filled with croaking insects. The air temperature was smothering. The night sky glowed in moonlight beams and twinkling stars. The city was quiet as each person worked a job later in the morning of a new day.

Fawn had decided to leave Alabama and move far away to the permanent warm weather climate in the hot sizzling city of Miami, where all of _The Quartet_ novels were based. The author nicknamed, _ipam_ , must also live in the city of Miami also as she describes in detail the roadways and the landmarks.

Fawn can rent an apartment on the sandy beach, like Quartet boss Austin Bartholomew Berrington, the fourth, enjoying the sand, the sun, and the water. She would use her stolen cash monies for the initial payment then contact the Society for another work job, without paying for the rental apartment, electricity, water, and sewer fees. Now, Fawn was on my own again feeling scared but anxious.

The concrete sidewalk ended dumping Fawn down into the active roadway. She turned and faced her residential street then stopped, looking both ways on the roadway. The roadway was the only entrance and exit point into the apartment complex ground with numerous vehicles steering too fast over the smooth pavement while going to another place. She quickly crossed the roadway then started padding down a new concrete sidewalk, staring ahead at the row of buildings. She could view the outside balcony on her second floor apartment home feeling safe again, missing her place. Her darling adventures with Ace had been fun but fun events always ended then bleed back down into the harsh reality of a hard life.

Fawn would start washing her dirty clothes then packing all the suitcases with her clothes, a few bed linens and some larger bath towels, leaving the apartment, resigning her work job and then heading off to a new adventure, without Ace. She exhaled with sadness. Ace was a great guy. Now, he was a mad man, after discovering her secret ability that accidentally led to her numerous criminal acts.

From Highway 72, in the early morning hours, a small pale blue subcompact car entered the apartment complex steering around the different roadway looking for the correct rental apartment, flying beside the sidewalk and ignored the lonely female. The driver in the car spotted the correct apartment building slamming on the brakes, squeaking the tires then halted beside the staircase. The driver opened the door then stood upright, sliding sideways, opening the rear door and pulled out the large order of six pizza boxes and six bottles of sodas. The apartment owner must have hosting a midnight party for a group of wild-ass college teens. The driver scooted around the open car doors, the rear chromo bumper, then slowly climbed the staircase, disappearing into the entranceway.

Her sharp mind clicked back into reality and as Fawn slowly her walking pace, carefully observing the pizza delivery car. It was very strange for one of her unknown and hidden neighbor-renters to order boxes of steaming pizza late at night. She had never been able to do that as Fawn could not speak into a mobile telephone and did not own a phone either. But she had seen the same pale blue subcompact car perform a putt-putt maneuver around her apartment complex while searching for the correct apartment building.

The lights inside her dark apartment home powered with illumination.

She stopped with a gasp of alarm and then slid sideways, crouching beside one of the parked vehicles out of sight while staring at the glow of lights coming from inside her apartment. At this angle, Fawn could not see the occupant of her apartment, but it was not her person. But there was one person, who knew of her life here in Huntsville.

kipp haywood.

She scanned the rows of parked cars, but she didn't know his vehicle type. She returned back and viewed the pizza delivery guy, who had returned back into his car then drove away. She studied her apartment seeing the glow of lights but dared not approach her apartment home. Kipp was there eating food and waiting for her.

Fawn didn't have a car for driving away from her number enemy either and she didn't a good or bad friend here at the complex aiding her cause, crashing on their sofa cushions. She didn't move but slowly scanned each building looking for a place to hide seeing the entertainment building.

fitness center.

She slowly performed a duck-waddle backwards from her apartment and the parked car, until she hit the smooth roadway, disappearing in the dark. She spun around the stood upright, racing ahead, dashing into the covered porch entranceway, hiding behind the brick wall. She peeked around brick wall and ensured that Kipp was not following her person, spinning around, staring at the mounted box with math numbers.

The US Federal Government agency had used more taxpayer monies and built a large entertainment center for the adults and family members of each renter with state of the art electronic code boxes, not a traditional gold-plated key.

She punched in the assigned digital code. The door unlocked. The cool air-conditioned air hit her sweaty face.

The entertainment building houses a living room setting with a gigantic television screen for hosting a party, with permission from the administration office staff. Inside the building, one side room holds a wall of video game stations for all the teenagers and a second room displays a wall of computer laptops with educational games for all the elementary kids. In the back yard, a large swimming pool for all family members. In-between the rooms of electronic toys, a fitness center offers walls of state of art exercise equipment for each adult at eighteen years old, not younger.

She dashed inside and noted that no other renter was present. She was not surprised. Each renter worked for a living like her. The front door close then automatically locked her safely inside the entertainment building. No other person could enter the private property without the proper sequence of math numbers on the front door.

She entered the women's locker room and stripped off her dirty clothes, entering the shower staff, cleaning off the dirt, calming her mind. She was safe. Kipp was here. Fawn allowed the hot water running down her back spine, washing her dirty hair strands and also cleared her mind. She finished bathing then exited the shower stall, moving to the first locker on the opposite wall, slamming open the first metal door. She searched for a set of new clothes.

Sometimes, the female adult used the locker storage and left behind a set of clean clothes after the workout.

Fawn had to visit her work job first then quiet the director's worried mind about her whereabouts second and then quit her job last. However, she needed to grab all of the hidden money stacks which were stored in a laundry bag inside both the washer and dryer machine. Douglass was too stupid. Fawn was too smart.

Douglass had not found the money after robbing her personal possessions and spoiling all of her food items and destroying all of her furniture pieces inside the apartment. Else, he would have boasted at the Tennessee log cabin and he didn't. So, her two money bags were safe. However, Fawn could not go into her apartment with Kipp and then get taken again.

She slammed open the seventh locker door and spotted a winkled, long purple colored sleeveless cotton dress that badly clashed with her pair of ugly brown tinted flip-flops. She didn't care and reached inside stealing the clean item, slipping it over her semi-wet body, spinning around from the locker and wiggled her hips with nervousness. She padded away from the locker room into the living room setting, stopping in front of the glass windows, hiding behind a long curtain drape in dark blue hue. She scanned the outside lawn without seeing a single human or stray feline cat then exhaled with relief.

Fawn was alone and safe. No one could enter through the locked door without the proper math sequence of numbers. She back stepped form the window then spun around, moving ahead to the side wall, staring at the gray tinted living room sofa and pondered her next move with a dangerous and deadly Kipp Haywood. She halted in front of the sofa then smiled at her new idea.

she would report a burglar inside her apartment, which was the truth. she was too frightened to return, which was the truth also. then she would plead for help from the director sending a security guard to arrest the burglar, getting rid of kipp and grabbing the two money bags, which was the final plan.

At 12:29 am, Fawn yawned with exhaustion then flopped down on top of the soft cushions, closing her two eyelashes and fell asleep.

At 12:30 am, inside Fawn's well-lighted and occupied apartment, Slick, Buck, and Ace finished eating all of the pizza slices while devouring six bottles of light and dark sodas. Buck continued to sit on the floor and burped out loud after each pizza slice, lounging around an assortment of empty pizza boxes and soda bottles, working on the damaged computer laptop while hearing the tiny sounds of beeps and pings.

Ace sat the cardboard table in the unfolded metal chair making soft squeaky sounds from his wiggling body moves, wiping off his face, without burping out loud. He wished for a bed mattress but settled on the small loveseat for sleep.

Slick had finished his dinner meal left his mess on top of the cardboard table, burping out loud, announcing the bed mattress for his sleeping ritual, without an argument. He disappeared into the bedroom without closing the door, resting on top of the mattress in his clothes, placing his gun on top of his chest. He closed his two eyelids and dropped down into a light slumber readying for any violent action.

Ace moved from the cardboard table and stood above, staring down at the blonde tinted hair roots on Buck. "Do you need anything else, Buck?"

"No!"

"All right! Try to get some sleep, before the sun rises! I mighty need your shooting skills later this morning," he laughed at the mental thoughts of meeting then killing Kipp Haywood.

"Okay!"

Ace spun around and flopped down inside the tiny cushions of pink and yellow flower pattern, resting his bone skull on the sofa arm rest, drowning in his worried thoughts, without closing his tow eyelids. He stared at the white tinted ceiling planks while hearing the tiny sounds of beeps, pinks and tings from Buck's computer laptop.
Wednesday, June 26th

Heated day with blistering heat and bright sunlight

10:14 am

Easter Seal Society Building location

Office of the director setting

Fawn sat in a mauve-tinted, plush oversize cloth chair inside the Huntsville Easter Seal Society office with green healthy ferns growing in the bay windows from the west sunshine. The executive suite contained a rose thick carpet with cherry wooden, six-foot office desk with a gray leather office chair with side arms, two cabinet low-lying cadenzas in front of four glass window panes, and a four matching cherry wooden file cabinet against the side wall.

Back inside the entertainment building at her apartment complex grounds, Fawn had continued to sleep in a sound slumber on top of the naked sofa cushions and then awoke from numerous rays of bright sunlight slamming down into her face as she flipped away from the glass windows rolling over while sleeping a little longer. The sun rose at five in the morning during the summertime days.

She didn't have to report to her work place until nine o'clock the morning. The apartment management office staff did not appear until eight in the morning.

At seven o'clock, Fawn had stirred a sleepy head and a tired body, sliding off the sofa seat, preparing a nice girly appearance to the director then waiting at the highway roadway in front of the apartment complex at the shuttle bus pickup point, like usual, for her free ride to the Easter Seal Society office.

Currently, on the opposite side wall, a mauve colored loveseat sat between a cherry wood side table. The walls were painted a bright vanilla complimenting the cherry wooden furniture pieces and soft mauve tinted fabric. The office setting was nice, but not the mistress in charge.

Fawn was waiting on Mrs. Mara Manville, who had reprimanded Fawn with about tardiness work ethics. However, Fawn didn't need this job and didn't like the childish treatment and then didn't do anything wrong. Fawn had missed her work days, without the permission from the director. She had a great excuse, if she could tattle that she had been kidnapped and taken to the Tennessee Mountains for a couple of days by Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor.

The tall, well-fed, obese director would probably faint, because Fawn had lied or had told the truth. If Ace was here, he could tell Mrs. Manville the truth. Then he would beat her ass for being a large mouth non-southern lady.

However, Ace was searching high and then low for Fawn. But he was about to miss her permanently. She was happy about that. Her impromptu plan escaping from Mobile to Huntsville worked perfectly and she didn't have to see Douglass either. But Douglass was sitting in jailing and tattling on Fawn. Thus, she might go to prison for life.

Fawn missed Ace, the beach, the water, and everything.

don't think about it now!

Fawn had decided to move to Florida with lots of sand, sun, water, but not another Ace.

Inside the director's suite, she could hear the brass knob slowly clicking within the latch on the closed door. She didn't want to see Mrs. Manville's ugly red and pink face from too much makeup foundation, which didn't match her skin tone. Mrs. Manville was mad at Fawn for not showing up for the work job. As soon as Fawn was introduced by the receptionist to Mrs. Manville, she started yelling at Fawn. Then, asked if Fawn had anything to say for herself.

Fawn motioned for a pen and paper. She wrote down her message **: I am sorry. I am a mute and can't talk**.

Fawn slipped the piece of paper back to the director.

Mrs. Manville quickly read the nicely hand-printed note then turned bright maroon and almost fainted down on the floor from her irrational, rude employer's behavior. The number one rule at the Society is not to embarrass the handicapped person's disability, in which, Mrs. Manville had done.

Fawn wasn't really upset. Mrs. Manville was very upset and started to cry, when she had discovered Fawn was a mute. Fawn can hear; she can't talk to another human or animal. However, Fawn had this effect on people, not animals, all the time.

get over it!

Mrs. Manville immediately left her office, closing the door and then walked down the hallway. She stopped then started screaming at her secretary, the poor woman. Fawn didn't get to tattle about the burglar and quitting her old job. However, Mrs. Manville might yell at Fawn more as her face turned red then pink.

Fawn was anxious for Mrs. Manville to return back into the office share then share the true burglar tale, getting the needed help to rid the world of Kipp, then grabbing her two money bags and hitting the bus terminal facility for a slick getaway from Huntsville.

The object appeared like an upright shadow and then felt like a mixture of hard flesh and thick bones as it rushed at Fawn, knocking the chair over on top of the girl. The object was Kipp Haywood.

Fawn recognized his red tinted face and shaggy blonde tinted shoulder length hair strands coming from the Tennessee Mountain log cabin within her fuzzy vision. He had found and then followed her to the Society office.

Kipp covered her mouth with his large hand tying both of her arms around her chest, wrapping his brown tinted trench coat around the rest of her body while concealing the bonds from a pair of spying eyeballs. He didn't speak but shuffled Fawn from the office suite, down a second empty hallway and through the exit door. They left the building padding through a nicely plot of wooden picnic tables, using a walking pathway through a grove of thick, lush woodlands. At the end of the woodlands, a late model green tinted pickup truck stood in the grass in silence.

At 10:43 am, Kipp shuffled Fawn to the passenger side and opened the door, buckling her into the front seat, sliding the trench coat from her face and upper body. He back stepped from Fawn then slammed the door hard, rushing around the bumper and slid into the driver's seat. "I talk. You don't." Kipp laughed and started the warm engine, slowly steering down the roadway, turning onto Highway 72 and blended into traffic. He wore a pair of old faded blue jeans with holes, a black tinted tee shirt, a tan colored lightweight jacket, and a pair of green colored cowboy boots. He passed rows of buildings and pointed at the bank building with a smile. "Do you see that bank? Third National Bank of Florida. I got a personal bank account there. But tomorrow, I won't. Because that's the one you'll be robbing and stealing millions of dollars for me. Or I'll kill you deader than Douglass." He laughed.

Fawn continued to view the new landscape then gasped in shock about Douglass.

He continued driving north on _University Boulevard_ passing numerous strip malls, outlet stores, restaurants, and shops then turned onto a new ramp following the curvy roadway on _Highway 72_ onto _Rideout Road_ which led directly into the army installation called **Redstone Point**. He drove another three miles then turned onto a gravel roadway, laughing out loud. "A four-wheel drive takes you anywhere you wanna go! That's a slick car advertisement. I like that advertisement and this four-wheel drive," he accelerated the speed flying over the rough terrain, heading towards groves of tall trees, short plant bushes, and a flat plain of knee-high grass then turned into a flat road of red clay dirt, driving for several miles and then finally stopped. The landscape was flat in red clay dirt for miles, without a building structure or a tiny shack or a portable bathroom stall.

At 11:02 am, he killed the engine then turned, winking to Fawn. "We're here. I'm taking you to my special hiding place. Don't get scared now! I'm not going to rape you. But you're a pretty chick." He returned back then opened the door, sliding off the seat, moving towards the rear of the truck bed then stopped. He dropped the tailgate then extended a long metal ramp, climbing up into the bed, sliding down into a terrain vehicle. He started the vehicle then carefully drove down the steady ramp hitting the solid dirt, slamming the brake pads and parked the machine with the engine running.

Kipp slid off the driver's seat with laughter then raced back to the passenger side, opening the truck door, jerking Fawn off the seat and shoved towards the running terrain vehicle. She slid down into the new passenger seat as he belted her into the webbing for safety. He didn't want his grand prize harmed until he harmed Fawn.

Kipp returned back to the driver's seat hollering out loud following the flat dirt road that turned into a white tinted gravel road, sliding the machine to the left and then compensating to the right with the wild ride. He slowed the speed then turned onto a grass roadway with an imprint of ancient tire tracks between a long patch of high weeds in the middle, increasing the speed and the wind force on each human face.

Fawn viewed miles of flat green tinted grass, groves of tall shade trees, short plant and fruit bushes, a pale blue sky, heated air temperatures and field crops of growing corn stalks in the far distance using her excellent vision.

He slowed the speed again then rolled to the left side steering beside a patch of thick of plant veins and then stopped the machine, parking beside a heavy row of tall overgrown plant bushes. He killed the engine then removed the key, wiggling the item, laughing at Fawn. She could escape from the terrain vehicle on foot, but the machine would overtake her running speed, maybe, injury her delicate human bones also.

He slid off the seat then strutted to the grill on the machine, pulling out his mobile telephone from his jacket then stopped. He dialed the familiar number and started talking in a low voice wearing a smile, pacing back and forth in front of the terrain vehicle. He stopped talking then disconnected the phone call, spinning around, jerking handfuls of loose limbs and vines from the overgrown plant bushes and started camouflaging his machine.

He finished the job then strutted down the side door, sliding in front of the tiny rear trunk, opening the hatch door, retrieving a small blue tinted backpack from the floor and flopped over his collar bone. He closed the trunk lid then shuffled to Fawn, opening her car door, unbolting the webbing then jerked her from the seat. She stood upright still wrapped in the trench coat and tied arms around her upper body without trying to escape but plotting a new plan. The terrain vehicle was not covered very well but the camouflage coating on the metal nicely blended into the overgrown bushes. The tall bushes contained a mixture of wild honeysuckle vines, low-lying bushes of black berries, blue berries, red raspberries, red, yellow and pink flowering plants, and a flat thicket of red strawberries at the end of the row.

He shouted out loud. "Follow me!" He slowly strolled down the row then stopped, squatting down on the dirt, plucking handfuls of ripe strawberries from the lovely green tinted patch of leaves with both of his bare hands. He stowed the food inside the backpack then stood upright, strutting ahead, saying to Fawn. "I don't like raspberries, only strawberries. This is our dinner meal later tonight." He chuckled and moved ahead towards a large mound of dirt that was covered in more fruit and plant bushes then halted, sweeping back vines of honeysuckles revealing a four-foot tall, circular, rusty metal door. "This entire spot belongs to NASA. It used to be a silo for testing the new outer space rocket ships. The outer space rockets were tested then launched up to the moon decades ago. Now, this place is just a plain old rat's nest," he laughed then twirled a large wheel to the side that opened the door with continuous large of hiss of stale air.

The entranceway was dark and uninviting.

Kipp pulled Fawn into the void then released her arm, spinning around, moving back to the metal door. He closed the door with a large chunk then swung about around shoving Fawn further deep the entranceway. She stepped ahead onto soft ground, not hard concrete.

He continued to push her forward then padded beside her elbow, pointing at the ceiling and the side wall. "Long time ago, the metal silo was used for testing rocket ships. My old man was an outer space engineer here on Redstone Point military base working for the US Federal Government."

Redstone Point is a United States Army post that employs 2,500 soldiers, 17,000 employees, and 1,000 military families which is a US Federal Government real estate property that is valued at three billion dollars. The working people create, design, and test missiles for any wartime event. The US military base is adjacent to the metro city of Huntsville.

The city of Huntsville holds a population of 171,000 people within Madison County which is geographical positioned in the northwestern part of Alabama. Redstone Point sits on top of 40,000 acres and includes over 4,000 numerous administrative buildings, high tech labs, flight test ranges, weapon ranges, and jet fighter planes, and other facilities, which is necessary war equipment.

Since landing the first Army boot print, it had been a matter of recorded history that the name Redstone came from the preponderance of abundant of red soil which the local crop farmers had called "clay."

The city of Huntsville borders the military base Redstone Point on the geological points of north, east, and west making up both 38,248 acres of red clay and 741 acres of water. The miles of water come from the 1,752 acres of the freshwater man-made Tennessee River running from eastern Morgan County through Madison County and into Lee County.

They continued down the flat dirt hallway. Kipp said. "My dad was a brilliant man. I had toured this place as a boy and then I had brought my girls here and fucked them. My dad retired on the pension from the US Federal Government. At eighteen years old, I entered the Army military service, worked hard, played hard in boot camp, and then graduated as an Army private. Then I came home and get drunk with all of my old high school buddies. When I came home, my dad wasn't happy. He had thrown me a great big graduation party, but I didn't show up for the balloons and all. All my kin folks were there complete with a cake and bowls of ice cream. My dad was storming mad. He advanced towards me and then slapped my face like I was a little kid or something. Then I attacked my enemy as I was trained in the Army military boot camp. I killed him in two sweeps of my hand grabbing him by the throat, breaking his spinal cord with my left hand, like a musical accordion. Yeah, the Huntsville police force the Army military police, the Huntsville paramedics and firefighters all came and went that afternoon. I was arrested for killing my own father. I got an attorney who didn't give a shit about me. He wanted the publicity. I was trailed, convicted, then and sentenced not in a regular jail, but a military jail. I did hard time for ten years killing my father. The Army judge was more understanding. When I got out, I was turned loose. Alone. Broke. Another lawyer sold my dad's house and all the furniture paying for my court trial. Then I met Douglass. He worked off and on security bank jobs for the same security company. He hired me out of pity.

"I worked here and there at the bank institution keeping my nose clean. I didn't work directly for Douglass and I didn't see him after work either. One day, Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor shows up at my place. I have a small beach house on Orange Beach. I like the openness, the calm waters, the smooth sky, the empty road, the white sands. You can see out for miles and miles. My place is almost in the State of Florida, but I'm an Alabamian boy at heart. I invited him into the Florida room. In Florida, the native call the living room, a Florida room.

"Douglass shows me money in a bag that contained thousands of individual twenty dollar bills. The money amount was 100,000 dollars for me just listening to his fairy tale, I listened with great interest, greed, and ambition..." he laughed out loud then smiled at the nose profile on Fawn, shoving her ahead of his body. "Now, we're here, doll." Kipp and Fawn continued down a long dirt tunnel without lights, metal, wires, furniture, computers, doors, or windows and devoid of natural earth grass, weeds, bushes, and plants. The tunnel ended with dull-looking artificial light source.

At 11:13 am, they stopped inside an enclosed circle made of dirt walls that went very high into the ceiling exposing the pale blue sky and rolling clouds, the earth soil of Huntsville.

He pointed at the silo opening of the testing tunnel. "NASA closed down the silo around the year 1971, before me and you were born. I found this place as a young child wandering around the cotton fields. My dad's farm was two miles from here. The farm land is okay for getting growing food then getting the vegetables. My dad purchased some of the land after the rocket testing had ceased. The NASA engineers came and removed all the equipment, furniture, wiring and stuff. I would come here and pretend to be an outer space astronaut working, playing, and daydreaming in cold black outer space. I wanted to be an outer space astronaut. But I got a set of bad eardrums. I can't equalize the pressure inside my two ears. Do you see and hear? I got a handicap too." He laughed.

They continued to stand in the middle of the dirt floor and stared at the natural sunlight. If it wasn't for the bright rays of sunlight, the place would be pitch black dark. The top portion on the man-made cylinder was exposed to the elements of nature, including sizzling heat, ice icicles, occasionally snowflakes, showers of rain, sheets of sleet, hail storms, lighting bolts, and any curious stray wild animals. The opening hole did not possess a tarp, tent, covered porch or a hanger. The dirt floor and walls were devoid of plant life also.

Kipp continued to point around the enclosed circle, "You don't' see one single plant or weed down here either. The radiation waves killed stuff here in the earth soil on the walls and the floor and then below the ground. That's how my dad explained it, when I asked. Don't fret, thou! That was a very long time ago, last century. You can't catch a radiation particle like a cold germ. Sit down on the floor! I know what you're thinking. I'm not untying you for an escape from me." He reached out and shoved Fawn towards the side wall of dirt. She slammed into the wall and spun around, slowly sliding down the hard dirt, staring at Kipp.

He nodded. "If you got to pee, then stand up to notify me. I take you outside the silo tunnel near the bushes. Don't worry! I'm not going to harm you. You are worth a lot of millions of dollars to me," Kipp looked up and smiled at the sun and sky. "You're lucky too. There ain't no rain the forecast today or tonight. The weather is hot and humid and sizzling for the month of June, like always." He looked down and winked to Fawn. "Do you got any questions?"

He sat down on top of the dirt and still held the cold barrel of his pistol at Fawn while laughing out loud. "I guess not. Okay. Let's see. We got all night here. Since you don't talk, I'll do the talking. I was telling you about the creation of the numerous bank heist plans. Douglass had come up with a great plan for getting back at all the bank managers that had employed him over the years. Douglass didn't like for the bank managers and the pay stunk like cow patties and the hours stunk too. Douglass got blamed for everything that went wrong at the bank. He told me someone was ripping off the bank manager stealing stacks of money in ones, tens, and twenty dollar bills. He couldn't catch the thief. The thief was too smart for Douglass. He finally thought of a bank heist plan for robbing all the local Mobile bank institutions himself.

"Yeah, I found that strange too. However, he did mention you. So, I guess you and he planned something together, but you chickened out from the deal. Ain't that right? Your name is Fawn. You can't talk with words, but you possess all the secret codes to every bank vault at every bank building. You marched into the bank vault then stole all the money from the vault, and then strut out from the bank building without setting off the bank alarm or using a hand gun or taking a hostage or getting jail time. The money bills that I was given by Douglass were part of your earlier and success bank heists. Honestly, I was the bank security guard at lots of banks you had robbed but I didn't know who you were either.

People come in to do business at the bank then leave and go back to their working job or their working business company or their house. I never noticed you and I never figured out Douglass' silent partner," he chuckled with his silly joke then nodded. "Then you were not cooperative about the future bank heists as Douglass put it. You suddenly and quietly disappeared from the seaport city of Mobile. You had run away to the city of Huntsville. Douglass found your new street address. His next bank heist plan was simple. We capture you, go to the bank building and get millions of dollars and then live happily ever after, like a fairy tale story. I don't kill people. I was trained with a hand gun, but I don't own one. Douglass provided the guns from my security job, so I could be employed by the security company. I walked around with a gun at work but placed the weapon inside my bank locker after work."

"That unknown and innocent helicopter pilot at the log cabin landing pad in Tennessee, Douglass killed him. I did the dirty deed and buried his body. But someone called the authorities and tipped them off. Then they found that dead pilot. Douglass didn't mention you could shoot a gun or fly a helicopter. He didn't tell me a lot of things about you, like your boyfriend is a military judge. Shit! Douglass screwed up big time, when he took you to that log cabin in the State of Tennessee. He didn't want to get caught or get recognized around the city of Huntsville. But you escaped. We captured the judge too and traveled back with him to Mobile and arrived at his residential house.

"Douglass said you would be found there. He knew you didn't have a place, job, or monies too. Shit! The judge had a set of badass bodyguards too. You were safe from us. Douglass and I fled with butts burning from the discharged bullets. I got shot by you in the mountains and then I got shot in my dominate arm and part of my walking leg by the body guard. Douglass went back to work for money. I went back home recuperating from my minor burns and injuries. Douglass wanted to kidnap you again as he wanted more money. He said that you could steal twenty million for him and me. Is that right?" Fawn nodded with a stern face while keeping up her role as a true bank robber and saving her life, until she figured out a new escape plan from an insane Kipp Haywood.

He laughed with a head nod. "Shit! The man was telling the truth! Douglass showed up knocking on my front door again. I invited Douglass inside. He had the greatest bank heist plan. He was a chauffeur inside a rental limousine that held you, who played the role of rich bitch. You would rob the bank vault of millions of dollars then return back into the limo. Then we all would drive off into the sunset and live a happy life. I liked that great bank heist plan. I was the backup plan, of course, in case, something went wrong during the last bank heist at the Bank of England.

"All hell broke loose during the bank heist that day. I was standing outside on the side of the bank building pretending to smoke a cigarette and talking on my cell phone. I heard the yelling first. Then I heard the discharged bullet second. Then I saw all the people running out of the bank building. I left the wall then raced into the crowd looking into the bank lobby. Douglass was down on the floor bleeding all over the stacks of money coming from his open mouth and his open chest cavity. He was dead. I parked on the entrance wall and quickly scanned every bank customer coming from the glass doors. Then I saw you. You were wearing all red slowly performing a priss away from the security guards, the failed bank robbery.

"I started tailing you. You seemed lost, upset, and confused. You walk really fast in these red pumps. Then I lost sight of you. You turned to the right, while I turned to the left. I continued searching for you, until lunch time. I went back for my car and parked on _Church Street_ , watching, eating, and sleeping in the car. I didn't see you walked passed me down the sidewalk or cross the street. That street district is one of the homeless sections there in Mobile. You must have found a cubby hole hiding in the dark, until morning. Anyways, the city streets were too busy with parked cars from the police, paramedics, ambulances, fire trucks, FBI, and Homeland officers attracting all the attention. Why did you run away from me? I realized you were a crook, like me. I slept that night in the car watching the street activity. When you didn't come out from your cubby hole, I went in searching for a girl in red clothes.

"Then I found a girl with your red shoes, an old ugly woman. She was wearing your shoes. When I awoke her from sleep thinking it was you, I reacted. I grabbed her throat and bent her spinal cord in the opposite direction. She died instantly, without pain. Then I fled the homeless district. You were not there and had skipped out of town. Then I remembered part of the apartment address. Douglass drove his car to Huntsville that day with me and Lark while stalking your apartment.

"So, I thought of the next logical step. You were escaping from the failed bank heist and a dead Douglass and all the armed bank security guards and the military judge. If the judge had known who you really were, then he would have turned you over to the police department. So, I left Mobile It is a five hour drive from Mobile to Huntsville. I arrived late afternoon in Huntsville. Then I couldn't remember your correct city street or recognize your apartment complex, when we kidnapped you the first time. Then I had used a piece of paper cleaning the sole of my shoe from the wad of sunbaked, sticky pink-tined chewing gum from the parking lot, after I had entered your apartment. The paper came from a short stack of letters on top of your cardboard eating table. I removed the chewing gum from my shoe then folded the paper, stuffing the evidence into my jacket while trying not to leave any physical evidence since we were kidnapping your person, not robbing your place. I still had the nasty piece of paper in my jacket pocket. I pulled it out, but I couldn't read the address, but you worked for the Huntsville Easter Seal Society which was located on Whitesburg Drive. I was born and raised in Huntsville knowing all of the old parts of town. So, I went to Whitesbury Drive and found the Huntsville _Cinderella Stamp Society_."

_Cinderella Stamp Society_ **is a non for profit, fund-raising organization that provides services for individual with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. The paid and volunteer staff members at the organization provides monthly fun fire camps for all ages and also placement services for houses, food items, transportation needs, and all type of personal items for the human body.**

The organization creative decorative stamps that adhere to your personal envelope, after you donate your monies. A "cinderella stamp" resembles a US postage stamp without true value and is used for creativity purposes on any mailing package or envelope or box, for fun.

The organization employs 500 people throughout the USA, the US territory of Puerto Rico, and the foreign country of Australia.

Kipp told. "Then I parked my car in the parking lot, like I was a visitor and walked around the exterior building ground noting all the exit doors, row of plant bushes, newspaper stands, smoking areas, service roadways, and groves of woodlands. I pretended to work there by standing in the designated smoking area lighting up a cigarette and then sitting with the some of the nasty employee smokers. I watched and observed. They exited then entered through the exit door coming and going back to their work job. So, the exit door was not alarmed and was not locked during the work house, which is an illegal move for any building throughout the USA. I really don't smoke a pack of nasty cigarettes. But I collected lots of new information that helped me plan my new idea," he laughed.

"I hang around the parking lot and watched for you all day long, but you didn't show up for your working job. When the other employees left their job for the day, I left the parking lot scouting the side streets and the landmarks. I actually parked my car in another apartment complex near the college university, sleeping in my car. The next day, I arrived early like a good worker and watched for you again. You took the shuttle bus then stepped off the platform in the bright sunlight without a hat. I recognized your slender build in that ugly purple long dress with the brown flip-flops. After you walked into the building, I waited five minutes and entered through the exit door. Some of these employees really need to see a medical physician with their nasty smoking habit, before they die of lung cancer. Anyways, I climbed the concrete steps then appeared inside an empty hallway, like an employee, hunting for you, peeking through each closed or open door. I didn't find you anywhere, but I knew you were there. So, I took a big chance and went to the director's office, seeing that ugly secretary and tattled that I was your husband, wiggling my ring finger with a fake wedding ring. I was right. She pointed to the door. I entered the door then grabbed you, exiting that office, passing the same secretary, who ignored our love spat." He stood upright from the dirt floor and stowed his weapon down into i jacket pocket, pulling out a sliver of white tinted paper, advancing to Fawn. "Now, we both are here waiting for tomorrow morning. I don't need to hold you a bay with my hand gun. That rusty door is very ancient and very hard to open. You have a set of small hands and girly muscles. You can try to escape, but I promise you here. You will never budge that closed door open, without some manly strength," he laughed with an evil tone. "So, I give you free rein and reign of your new princess hole, unless tomorrow morning." He dropped the sliver of paper that slowly floated down from his hand through the air wavs, landing in front of Fawn. "Here is the math code for the bank vault door at local Third National Bank of Florida, the new invasive species that has invaded the great State of Alabama, so I don't' mind taking all of their monies," he chuckled.

Fawn looked down and viewed the string of math numbers.

He sneered. "Memory it the paper or take it with you. I don't care. Douglass was a smart man. He had purchased a new security deposit box with your name at the Third National Bank of Florida and other local banks around here. He was going to leave Mobile then begin the string of bank heists here in Huntsville, before his untimely demise. You know the bank heist plan, but I will repeat the sequence to you. Show your current driver's license to the bank vault clerk, go into the security deposit room with her. When she leaves you alone, open the bank vault, and then steal as much money as you can using a new big girly bag in pink hue. Then you leave and get into my car. This is a simple but elegant plan. Then I will drive down the street into the parking lot of fast food restaurant, you get out of my car and go free. I leave with the money, not you for my life of ease and happy retirement in Miami. I don't kill people. So, I didn't care about you or where you go. Do you get it now?"

She looked up and nodded in silence to Kipp.

He smiled then spun around, moving back to the opposite dirt wall, swinging around, sliding down into the dirt. He whipped out his personal mobile phone and started playing a new electronic game on the screen, producing a series of soft sounds.

Fawn stared at the dirt wall and mentally thought of Ace. She wished for his company and his rescue for the fourth time. Kipp did not kill people. He had murdered two humans and was going to kill her, after he got the money bag. She leaned against the red earth. The dirt wall was hard, cool, and moist. The smell of dirt was fresh and crisp reminding her of the mountain pathway in Tennessee while stumbling up the loose rocks then down over each tree limb looking for help. She had been lucky that time, but her time was up now.

She heard a soft sound coming from the tunnel that traveled down towards the cylinder hole. Kipp was preoccupied with the soft beeps, chirps, and pings coming from the electronic game in his hands. She stared at the entrance door within the circle.

Fawn wasn't going to tattle to Kipp about the policeman or woman moving through the tunnel interior. Mrs. Manville had called the police and reported Fawn missing from her office as a runaway handicapped person. Then the local Huntsville police department had contacted the local FBI office reporting a missing person.

Fawn exhaled with relieve. She was going to be saved then discovered and then spend the rest of her days and nights in jail as a bank robber.

From the edge of the entranceway, within the bright rays of sunlight, a short dark shadow grew larger on the side wall of red clay dirt. She could barely see the stealth figure. Then the cold barrel on a silver tinted pistol appeared then embedded into the dirt wall, discharging a round at Kipp.

At 12:06 am, the flying bullet embedded on the forward dirt wall sailing by the nose profile on Kipp, while missing his bone skull. Fawn covered both of her eardrums from the sound then scooted closer into the dirt wall out of range. Kipp gasped in shock then tossed the phone down on the dirt, jumping up from the floor, dashing towards Fawn. He leaned down and grabbed her arm, swinging Fawn in front of his chest, holding his hunting knife at her throat. "Back off from me! I got the girl!"

The voice of Ace echoed into the cylinder chamber of dirt. "I am not alone, Kipp. The police officers are coming for her. Give me the girl! She is wanted for the bank robbery in Mobile, not you. I don't know you, son. Just give me the girl. She's in more shit trouble than you."

He frowned at the shadow of Ace, who hid inside the dark tunnel. "How do you know my name?"

"Duh! It was not hard, when Douglass identified your ass to the police, Kipp."

He sneered. "Douglass is dead."

"Douglass is dead. But he whispered his last word, which was your name..."

"I don't believe you. Prove it to me!"

Ace chuckled with amusement. "All right! You are named as Kipp Haywood. You live at 22 Orange Avenue on Orange Beach."

"Shit!"

"I have a beach house there in Orange Beach also."

He smiled. "I saw your beach house, but I like the dune buggy best."

"Why did you attack me?"

"You!" Kipp laughed. "I am not after you; I want the girl."

"Why?"

"Why?" He smiled. "She can get me all the millions of dollars I want by stealing them from the bank."

"Yeah, I am sorry for being stupid. I keep forgetting that part."

"I don't forget nothing."

"The girl's days are over. She has been identified by the Mobile police department, who has told the world. Now every bank institution has been informed and will recognize her face throughout the USA. Do you wanna take that big chance, hanging with a true bank robber, Kipp?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I'll still take that big chance. You'll die here, if that's the only way out of here, but she's mine."

Ace growled. "She's mine."

"I'll leave, without you, this time. I'll let the girl go, after I get my money..."

"...with the police force, the FBI agents all on your tail..." Ace laughed.

"The police officers don't know me, only you."

"They know her, not you."

Kipp sneered. "I don't believe you."

"Ask her?" Ace snickered. "You can't. She robbed with Douglass years ago for a total of about four million dollars stealing lots of people's hard earned money. The Mobile police, the FBI, the CIA, and Homeland officers and a shit load of local and state government officials want her ass, not yours. Just give me the girl and go on your way, Kipp."

"I'll be quick with her at the bank. I'll leave her at the bank for you to pick up. You just follow me tomorrow. How's that?"

"Do you wanna go to jail for her crimes? The police don't know you. I know what she did. Give me the girl now!"

"The exit door is the only way out of here. Move out of the way! Then you wanted be harmed as we leave the tunnel."

"I'm backing up. Start moving ahead, Kipp!"

Kipp used Fawn as his human shield over his chest then slowly stumbled ahead towards the entranceway, dropping the knife down on the dirt. Fawn could not see Ace. He whipped out his hand gun and shouted out Ace, "Drop the weapon, Judge!"

Ace stood in the dark shadows and yelled back to Kipp, "No! Give me the girl! You can leave. I promise. Hurry up, before the police arrive here!"

"I don't trust you."

"Then we're Even Steven, buddy."

"Who called the police on me?"

"I called the police on her."

"How did you find me?"

"I found her. I want her, not you. Give me the girl and leave the tunnel, Kipp."

"How did you find me?"

Ace smiled. "Who did you call last on your personal mobile telephone, Kipp?"

He frowned then smiled. "O! I called my girlfriend. We're getting married after Fawn robs the bank and I got all of my money."

"Congratulations, Kipp! Where did you call your girlfriend from?"

"Uh!"

"Duh!" Ace laughed.

He growled. "What did you say to me?"

"You called your girlfriend your personal mobile telephone from this spot about the ground beside the terrain vehicle here on the unused rocket silo. So, I traced the signal on your personal phone using the outer space navigation satellites, Kipp."

Kipp sneered. "The lousy government likes to spy on its citizens."

"You are the lousy citizen of the government."

Kipp growled. "Don't insult me!"

Ace frowned. "I am sorry, Kipp. Give me the girl, then go and get outta of the tunnel into freedom."

"Are your bodyguards waiting for me?"

"No! But my bodyguards, the Huntsville police department, the Army military police, the FBI special agents are coming here."

"Why aren't they here now?"

Ace frowned. "You ask a lot of questions for a future fugitive of justice, Kipp. I want the girl for her crimes. She has a money reward on her pretty head."

Kipp gasped in shock, "How much is the money award on her head?"

Ace growled. "Leave from here, Kipp! Else I'll turn both of you into the law authorities."

"How much is the money award on her head?"

Ace shouted. "The money award is three million dollars." Kipp laughed. Ace gasped in shock. "Why are you laughing? What's so funny, Kipp?"

"I can get ten million dollars for free from her."

"You're both greedy and stupid."

"You just tattled your deep, dark secret. There ain't no cops outside the tunnel, only you. And I'm bigger, stronger, and tougher than your scrawny ass. She comes with me through your wet, fresh puddles of blood." Kipp hollered.

"Damn!" Ace whispered with the wrong outcome then shouted back to Kipp. "Then I'll going have to kill you, since you ain't worth shit to me. That girl is worth three million dollars to the police then she is going to jail for her bank robbery crimes."

"That's from your point of view, judge."

"So, you're a Tele Master now."

"Naw! I'm Lord Dirk with my two magical hands, who's going to beat the shit out of you, judge."

"I got the gun."

"I got the girl and the knife. I'll slit her throat wide open, if you don't point the weapon down to the dirt." Kipp hold his knife under her throat.

"If you hurt her, say goodbye to your ten million dollars."

"She heals pretty fast too. Drop the weapon. Move aside. I'm leaving with her, not you." Kipp laughed.

Ace wanted to turn Fawn over to the police for jail but alive. Kipp wanted Fawn for money but dead. Fawn might have better odds with Kipp. Once he got his stolen money, she might be freed and alive, instead of doomed with trouble. So, she will let the winner have her. She could not run and hide, without fighting for her life too. So, the best man will win the prize.

Fawn loosened the ropes around her chest then elbowed Kipp in his rib cage. He bowed over in pain without seeing Ace. Ace shot his pistol. Fawn ducked down then quickly back pedaled from the fight, slamming into the side wall of dirt, saving her life.

The bullet cleared the human skull embedding in the soft red clay dirt wall.

Kipp looked up with a loud grunt then charged at Ace flinging Ace's gun arm up and then away from Kipp's face. The gun flew up in the air landing two feet from Fawn. Ace kicked his foot high then connected to Kipp's stomach. Kipp stumbled backwards then halted. Both men did not move but sucked in breaths of fresh air. They started circling each other anticipating the next move.

Kipp broke the circle then leaped up from the dirt in the air aiming his foot at Ace. Ace caught the foot lifting Ace's leg higher in the air away from his vital organs.

Kipp quickly jerked back his leg from Ace then tumbled backwards smashing his back spine against the wall of dirt. Ace advanced and punched Kipp's head, missing the attack point. Kipp assaulted using a foot kick from his hip connecting with Ace.

Ace landed down on the dirt floor. Kipp didn't hesitate, plowing his fist into Ace's cheek bone. Ace was penned down on the dirt shaking his brain cells back into place, turning to see the gun then Fawn. "Gun."

Fawn stared at Ace feeling fear, horror, worry, and anger. She didn't want to get involved with the fight as she was the victim here. The surviving fighter would hurt Fawn for helping the injured one. She didn't move, blink or breath, only stared at Ace.

Ace gritted his teeth from the pain while sweating and cursing.

"Get up and fight, loser!" Kipp danced around the dirt floor. Ace slowly rose on his two kneecaps then wobbled upright on his two feet. Kipp watched Ace anticipating the next surprise move. Ace leaned back and pressed his back spine against the dirt wall breathing in heavy air molecules. Kipp rushed ahead with the knife. Ace didn't stir then ducked to the side wall, reaching for the gun. Kipp pitched the knife down in the dirt and reached out, grabbing Ace's leg during in mid-air flight, landing on the floor.

Ace landed flat on his stomach and exhaled with heavy grunts, meekly shouting to Fawn. "Gun!" Fawn didn't move or help, only watched in silence without tears of worry.

Kipp slammed his elbow down on Ace's back spine. Ace grunted in pain. Kipp viewed Fawn. "Don't you dare, darling, if you know what's good for you." He returned back then laughed, thumbing Ace's earlobe, "We go one more fighting round, Judge. Then I move onto the chick. I got an appointment with the bank president and his money bags." He laughed.

Ace bucked upright tossing Kipp off his back spine, crawling ahead, climbing the dirt wall. He spun around and exhaled in pain, bleeding from his lips, staring at Kipp.

Kipp slowly stood upright and chuckled, moving backwards, leaning down and grabbed his knife. He advanced slowly towards the older man while laughing out loud with delight.

Act reacted slowly then tossing his fist two feet through the air, missing Kipp.

Kipp jumped backwards then quickly launched at Ace, slicing his knife through the air, yelling out loud. "Contact!"

Ace yelled in pain, when the blade cut across his chest ripping the shirt fabric, slicing into his skin then bleed over his body and the dirt. He danced sideways from Kipp cuddling his wound, tripping over his feet then spun around, dropping down on his back spine. He faced Kipp feeling extremely pain and dizziness.

Kipp dashed across the dirt and lifted the knife in the air then stopped, squatting down, stabbing the blade point down into Ace's heart and yelling out loud. "Strike on the old man!" Ace screamed in pain. The hilt of the knife blade stood upright from his heart organ. Kipp sneered down at Ace. "Die, old man!" He slowly stood upright then moved backwards staring at Ace laughing out loud. "He's dead now!"

From the curved dirt wall, Fawn leaped down at the grounded gun. Kipp stood upright with both of his hands in the air, his bone skull slowly dropping backwards and as he laughed with a wicked tone of murderous fury. She fired then emptied the chamber sending five slugs in a straight line hitting his chest, Adams's apple, mouth, nose, and finally his forehead. The other six bullets embedded the dirt wall. The kick from hand gun bruised her two hands tossing her against the dirt wall.

Kipp stumbled backwards then blinked twice, wobbling sideways then dropped down spraying his red tinted blood proteins from all his wounds down over the dirt.

The earth soil rumbled then shifted. Large chunks of hard red clay tumbled down from the ceiling hole.

Fawn jumped up then leaned down, grabbing Ace by his armpits, pulling him towards the tunnel entrance. He moaned in pain. She continued to yank over his body over the dirt floor through the opening while protecting him from the raining fallout of dirt, dust, and pebbles. Inside the tunnel entrance, she watched a crumbling mountain of loose red dirt land down on dead Kipp, covering him completely. The rumbling and tumbling didn't cease. Then a red waterfall of solid matter dropped down and layered dead Kipp and the floor again exposing a brighter light of sunshine rays and massive pockets of fresh air.

The ancient tunnel entrance was closed and shut off as an exit point from the abandoned outer space rocket testing silo by Kipp.

Fawn leaned outwards then looked up, seeing a large hole in the dirt ceiling that reached up to the heavens. The sky was clear and cloudless here in Huntsville.

She wanted to yell but could not. She didn't have vocal chords. She had possessed vocal chords, until her teenager biological mother cut the organs with a knife through the tender throat muscles while her infant baby daughter was crying for food.

Inside the tunnel hallway, Fawn spun around and stared down at Ace. He was half-conscious. His eyelids would open then shut. He was going to die with a knife buried down in his exposed bloody chest. She cringed at his chest wound. She had to save his life. Else, she would be trialed for murder charges, in addition to robbery and jailed for the rest of her life. Actually, she would be gassed to death in the capital city of Montgomery within a week, if that was possible.

Fawn sat on her knees then reached out, gently probing his body with her hands. The still knife hilt protruded in the air surrounded by his spurting red tinted blood proteins that were captured by his green tinted tee shirt turning into pink hue. His cheekbone wore a black tinted bruised below his eye socket and a fist print was engraved on his jaw turning deep blue. His bone skull did not contain any raised bumps or cuts around his hairy scalp. Thus, Ace did not have a head wound only a mild concession and a headache from Kipp's violent punches.

Her hands dropped down then ripped open his shirt opened exposing his bloody chest. Blood poured out from the knife wound spreading down his body, melting into the red colored dirt.

His rib cage on the left was sliced, blooding and bruised. No other visual damage existed around the outer skin regions including his stomach, liver, and abdomen, but he probably would develop some terrible painful bruises within the hour. She didn't bother stripping his blue jeans off checking for abrasions. The heart wound was enough to kill him, even if one of his leg veins was severed.

She left Ace inside the tunnel then kissing the side wall of dirt, searching Kipp's backpack, finding the item. Then she returned back into the roomy tunnel pouring the contents from the background down on the ground, seeing two bottles of unopened water, a handful of ripen strawberries, Kipp's money wallet, and a set of keys. She exhaled with annoyance with the lack of First Adi supplies then viewed Ace. He wasn't moving; he was slowly dying.

Ace couldn't die right here and right now. He didn't deserve to die. She should have received the knife wound in her heart, not Ace. He had helped Fawn, when she had needed help. He had cared for her when she had been vulnerable. He had loved her, when she had needed love.

At 12:22 pm, Ace's mobile telephone sounded with a familiar country musical song. She reached down and searched his pockets, but the continuous musical tune was coming from another direction. She must be deaf, as well as, mute. She was so emotionally upset that she couldn't think straight.

His personal mobile telephone rested on the side wall on the opposite side within the circle. She could see the phone leaning against the dirt wall, where the gun had been resting. Ace must have ejected the device during the fight.

She stood again then kissed the dirt wall, slowly hugging the curved wall, stopping beside the phone. She leaned down grabbing the phone, swiping the smooth screen, activating the call connection.

A loud tenor voice shouted from the speaker box into the air current. " _Ace! Ace! Answer me, Ace! Are you hurt? Tell me, Chief! I got no answer from him, Buck. Ace, I got your body location from the navigation system on your mobile telephone. Our arrival time is fifteen minutes. Hang on, Ace! We're coming for the rescue."_

Fawn cuddled the phone then hugged the dirt wall, crawling back to Ace, stepping back into the tunnel hallway. She squatted then placed the phone near his earlobe while the tenor voice continued to yell at Ace.

Ace didn't response to Slick's voice. Ace didn't smile or cheer or stir while appearing comatose, looking dead. However, his two friends Slick and Buck, the Huntsville police officers, the Army military police, the local FBI agents, and Homeland Security officers were heading to the abandoned silo site to rescue Ace and then arrest Fawn. Her life was over. Ace's life was almost over also.

Fawn must help Ace. She could use it. She didn't know if it would work.

She had done it once before. Fawn saved her six months old pet kitten. Her kitten had escaped from the yard, running next door, gliding with ease underneath the short wooden fence and wandered into the next door neighbor's back yard.

The yard contained a big, bad mature dog. The dog sniffed then attacked the defenseless feline biting down into the tiny kitten's stomach muscles. The kid, who owned the dog, watched in horror and yelled at his dog. The dog released the weak, bloody kitten that didn't move.

Fawn grabbed then toted her weak kitten into her bedroom while crying with sadness.

The kitten didn't move and was barely breathing air, slowly dying. The blood drained out from the dog's teeth puncture wounds down on the floor. However, the dog wound had not penetrated through an organ or the tiny bones, only punctured small holes through the kitten's fur, skin, and muscle.

If Fawn could get her pet to a veterinarian medical physician, then her baby kitten would live. However, her father wouldn't do that for Fawn. Her mother hated the pet, after the kitten had peed on the carpet and then pooped in the laundry room, not outside in the yard.

Inside her room on the floor, Fawn slowly patted the furry head. The animal was going to die. Fawn cried and prayed for Almighty God to save her pet, her only friend in the world. She placed her hand over the kitten's bloody wound trying to stop the bleeding, silently willing the animal's wounds bonded in healing love.

Fawn closed her two eyelashes and continued to pray to Almighty God. Her hand warmed with heat then gradually increased the skin temperature feeling like fire. She didn't move her hand allowing the heat to cover the kitten's body. Her hand continued to burn with fire then slowly started cooling down into a chilly, colder ice cube temperature. Fawn gasped in alarm and removed her hand, thrusting her limb in the air waves, getting blood back into the digits for warmth.

Her eyeballs viewed newly created pink tinted skin over the dog's puncture marks on the kitten's body without blood flowing from the wound site. The injury had mended then closed shut for the kitten's healing power. She had done it, actually, Almighty God had done it.

She did not tattle her secret, but she was mute and could not tattle her secret to another human. Now, she had healed an animal, maybe she could heal a human too.

Fawn stared at Ace. His medical destruction was beyond her supernatural abilities.

She held her breath and steadied his chest, reaching down, grabbing the hilt then jerked the knife blade out from his damaged heart organ. Ace screamed and lifted his head from the dirt floor, slamming his hairy rear bone skull back down on the semi-soft surface. She stared at him and held the bloody blade in her cupped hand for a few seconds then tossed the knife to the side dirt wall. It slammed into the soft wall with a soft thump embedding into the clay.

The open gap on his chest started running with a geyser of his blood proteins like a wash sink faucet.

Fawn placed both of her palms down into the warm liquid of blood which was his life treasure. No human can live without their blood proteins. She closed both of her two eyelashes and prayed to Almighty God, mending the heart wound. Her two palms started warming then heated and then flared into a pair of sizzling hot fireballs. She didn't remove her hand and squeezed her eyelashes harder mentally mending the wound shut. She breathed in a steady and deep rhyme. The fireball feeling on each one of her palms continued to intensify in heat producing rolls of boiling sensations over her exterior skin as she continued to breathe in a steady pace without feeling scared or afraid.

Then her palms reduced the heat and finally turned ice cold. Fawn removed both of her palms and stared down at his chest, seeing an array of blue tinted blood vessels underneath his newly heated pink tinted skin which appeared sewn in a set of crooked diagonal lines from her mending episode. Ace was healed. Fawn didn't perform a great job like a practiced medical surgeon. His chest skin would require skin grafting covering the terrible scarred skin tissue over his healed wound from Fawn's amazing God-given talents of healing another human, with the assistance of Almighty God.

You cannot do anything, without the assistance of a supernatural entity, which also includes Satan and his evil minions of demons.

Ace looked paler than a ghost, if that was possible. His natural dark skin tone was washed out and cold to her touch. He had lost numerous pints of his own blood. Fawn didn't have to be a medical physician to figure out the medical problem.

If Fawn could jam something into his arm, she would dump her own blood plasma down to his empty veins.

Blood proteins are created by the body. The heart pumps the blood through the body. Blood flows in and out of the arteries into the blood veins. Blood comes to the arteries through the vessels of the capillary walls. Blood is composed of four parts, including plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Plasma makes up sixty-five percent of the total volume of blood containing proteins, water, waste and digested food. Food breaks down proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, iron and copper and enzymes, such as fat and sugar. Sugar will generate more blood quicker than an infusion medical procedure.

Fawn was not blind but did not possess the mystical X-ray vision, like a superhero, reaching down, touching the stomach region on Ace.

His stomach lining formed hills and valleys and was filled with chyme, which churned all of the digested food particles. Within the churned food, she located the vitamin B12 component, which was used to build blood cells. She emptied the B12 juices down into the vessels located within the millions of capillary walls. Each capillary wall cell passes oxygen and blood into the larger veins of the body creating new blood within Ace's chemical structure.

His body automatically sucked in the newly created blood cells, like a vampire bat, flowing through his two lungs, two kidneys, liver, and finally his newly healed heart organ. His body started to heat and then warmed turning his outer skin tissue bright pink with his natural healing abilities as an awesome human.

Fawn scooted her hand down and scanned the rest his biological system.

His two kidneys were free of blood and toxins. The liver processes poisons including draining bad blood proteins. The two lungs exhale carbon dioxide then inhale oxygen molecules.

Ace was going to live, and Fawn was a pretty good medical physician.

"Ugh!" His voice croaked in pain and as his two eyelids shuttled open then shut down. Ace started to wiggle in pain and confusion.

Fawn touched his arm then mentally called into his mind.

do not move, ace. you are hurt with a chest wound. stay quiet. still relaxed. breathe in and out.

"K..."

Fawn understood Ace. He was trying to say the man's name, who had kidnapped her and almost killed Ace.

kipp is dead. you must stay still and relax and rest and try to sleep.

Ace relaxed his muscles and closed his mind, exhaling with a steady pace of air molecules.

She continued to touch his arm and mentally talked into his mind.

i am so sorry, ace. this is my fault. i was not honest with you. i am not an honest person. i lie. i am a liar. liar, liar pants on fire. a child's nursery rhyme. i lied. i lied about everything, ace. i even lied about lying. i do not live in mobile. i live in huntsville. i do not volunteer helping people. i did work for a little bit. i worked four hours on tuesday morning from nine to noon, before going to the lunch for the rest of working day. i hated my data entry job. the people were part mutants, like me, and part normal, like you, ace. the normal ones were nice, but mutant betty, who was my supervisor questioned my time off days.

the supervisor threatened to fire me but could not as i am a handicapped person. i could have sued her, the society, the city, the state, and the united states of america for discrimination. mutant betty always pointed out that i was not really a handicapped person. i could see, taste, hear, move, sit, stand, eat, breathe but not talk. mutant betty was a paraplegic, living and riding in a steel wheelchair for the rest of her life.

i couldn't argue with her visual effects. she really annoyed me. i had money. i stole the money. i admit it to you, ace. you deserve to hear the truth about me. because you deserve someone else, not me. douglass was correct. i stole all the millions of dollars from the many banks. i used my other gift with the funky name telekinesis to do the dirty deed. Some of the science fiction hollywood movie films and television programs use this psychic trick more than telepathy. but the hollywood people did not know the trick is not a trick with me. it is real, not fake.

i can really open a lock on a vault, a door and a closet. i cannot explain either. so, i did it. i really did it. i opened the bank vault by scanning the metal with my mind. i figured out which number was not flagged by the metal flaking or indentation of the lock. i moved the next sequence number to the latch then click. the heavy steel vault door opened. i used telekinesis to open and close the heavy door once i had placed the money inside my big purse.

i walked freely each day of the week into five banks where i had rented a security box. each box was empty, without my treasures. i presented my security key and my driver's license to the bank vault clerk. she opened the door. i entered. then buzzed to leave the vault room, which contained the bigger security boxes while carrying out the stolen cash bundles free and clear from the vault, without a gun or a human hostage or a bloody mess. i did not invest the money. the bags were hidden in different part of my townhouse. i was not too greedy. i realized all the money came from hard working folks like you and douglass.

when i graduated high school, life was different for me, ace. i was not that little cute mute girl in high school. my dad treated me special. he was very caring, overprotective and loving. i loved him best. he watched and protected me from everything, everyone, and every time. my mom was not nice to me. she told me that i used my handicap disability getting toys, presents and money donations from people, especially my father. my father found me in the garage bin at the hospital. he felt like my savior. And he was. he saved my life, so we bonded with a special loving care.

my parents were old around seventy years old. my father had a history of heart attacks. one day, he died never awaking up from his permanent sleep. my mother fell ill two days later, from a broken heart. they both died. i was left burying them and paying the debts, including two funerals, the house mortgage, two cars, lots of money credit cards, the utilities. the lawyer of the estate recommended that i sell everything getting out of debt. i took his advice selling the house and furniture. then i was left with nothing but five thousand dollars in a bank account, a new mattress for sleeping on the floor, a cardboard table and two folding chairs for eating each meal, and the used subcompact car for driving to college classes for improving my life and getting a good paying job.

i was a handicapped person and received us federal government monies each month for my living expenses and attending college and obtaining a college degree. i took classes that i liked.

i met lett, who was a nice college guy but not too bright. he wanted to show me the bank and place some important papers down in his security box. his father was the bank president and could walk around the bank building without getting harassed. we walked into a room filled with ceiling-to-floor metal boxes on three sides which stood beside a closed vault door. the door was open. it was really cool. i could see stacks, piles, and columns of wrapped dollar bills tied with colorful paper bands throughout the steel-coated walls.

lett had forgotten the stack of papers in his car and left me standing inside the security deposit room. the bank vault clerk walked inside and nodded to me then closed and locked the door, like it was supposed to be during the work hours. i was bored and moseyed over the steel door, reaching out, thinking about the piles of money then touched the wheel with my naked hand. then my naked hand warmed on the cool metal. i gasped in shock.

a new idea popped into my head. with my heating hand on the cool metal door, i concentrated and willed the latch to open. i heard a soft click sound. the door latch magically opened, before my eyes and ears. i did it. i really did open the locked latch. that gave me an interesting idea.

lett returned back into the room with me. i removed my hand and moseyed over to him. when he was sorting through his treasures inside his personals bank security box. i quizzed him about the banking process, procedures and money handling protocols. he was more than willing to discuss banking, since his father was the president of that particular bank institution. i asked if i could get a security deposit box. i had fake jewelry that i did not want stolen from my place. i lied.

lett arranged for me to purchase a box. he took great care in explaining the box, the clerk, the closed door policy, the privacy, and the fake camera, which did not exist, when we were sitting inside the private viewing room with the security box. he talked about the bank vault, the delivery of the money bags, the armor truck, and the armed guards. the number sequence on the vault. the bank vault clerk and bank manager only possessed the bank code.

i learned everything in one day. the next day, i experimented. i was really scared. i dressed in a nice outfit and presented my new security deposit box key and my valid driver's license to the bank vault clerk, who i had met the day before. she smiled and opened my security deposit box. i possessed a very large purse stuffed with three rows of clean toilet paper. i sat in the room and at the table, like a spoiled princess. Then she left the room. i removed the clean toilet paper from my purse stuffing down into the empty security box. my flat purse was empty and ready for the bank robbery. i waited ten seconds, before trying out my clever but bold experiment.

i moved from the room and stood in front of the locked bank vault door. i pressed my naked hand on the electronic numerical lock box. the steel was cold. using my new God-given telekinesis talent combined with my telepathy power, i felt the numbers etched into the indented metal, sensing flaked pieces of shredded metal bits, i guessed the particles were flakes when the metal collided with the other metal creating a slight friction, shaving parts of the tiny metal chips leaving an imprint. my mental mind could sense which numerical sequence would open the door. once i figured out the number sequence, i pushed the dial to the next sequence number then heard a soft click. the vault door popped. the heavy door swung slowly outward without sound. i caught the motion with my telekinesis, until it stood then stopped wide open without sounding a loud or silent bank robbery alarm.

i entered the enclosed cold, steel-plate vault room. i grabbed a handful of marked twenty dollar bills and stuffed the pile down into my purse, packing and stealing five thousand dollars for myself. I left the vault room then closed the door, returning back into the security deposit room, closing my box. i left the room and buzzed the clerk opening the outer door, leaving the bank with the money.

i was happy. you would not be pleased of me, ace. it was only an experiment that worked perfectly testing out my new supernatural abilities. i did not spend the money. i placed the bills in a box underneath my bed and waited to see if something bad would happen to me.

i waited the entire day. then i waited an entire second day. nothing happened. i was stunned and surprised. my plan worked. i could get out of the poverty life, enjoy a new life style without working and wish my life away boxed inside an enclosed business office without a single glass window seeing the bright sunlight. i thought at the time it was a good idea. i was so clever.

i scouted more bank institutions and purchased a security deposit box. i collected one million dollars all tax free. i give money to the apartment renters leaving a little bag filled with twenties on the door knob as christmas present. i gave money to all the churches placing a sealed envelope with cash. i wanted help people. i could not write a check. i did not have the money in my personal bank account. i thought about ways of giving more of the stolen money helping more people that lived around me.

someone might get suspicious and trace the money. so i gave to animal organizations buying food and blankets around the city. i love animals. i did not have a pet. my apartment landlord would not allow it. i lived the townhouse that i rented. i had been there for eight years. if could place the stolen money into a bank account, then i would have purchased a house like not yours, ace.

i could have lived in a small house for the rest of my life, without love or a husband or a child all by myself. douglass was one of the bank detectives at one of the robbed banks. he figured out my little scheme. he is not smart. he watched and waited as i was too predictable with my secret bank robbery schemes.

i marched into each bank around the same time on the same day of the work week. if you were recording my movements, then you would have seem a familiar pattern, in which douglass did.

he captured me coming from the bank building then rushed me into his car. then he drove then entered my townhouse finding piles of cash money on the floor, the walls, and the furniture. he intimidated, threatened, bullied, terrorized, coerced, and frightened me like a little child. if I did not give him all of the stolen money, then he would not kill me but report me to the bank managers and law enforcement authorities then I will go to jail for a long time.

he proposed his new blackmail scheme. i gave him all the money bags from my townhouse, which he gladly took, without guilt. he ordered me to steal more money from the banks each week and gave me a bank schedule to follow. while he watched me enter and leave with my big canvas bag full of cash money. i was trapped. i was penned. i decided to quit the biz.

i wanted to get away from douglass, the banks, the money bundles, and the security boxes. i developed a plan to move to another city, without douglass learning about it. i secretly left the city each tuesday, the day i worked my job. i did not go to work. i told douglass that i was required to work as part of my scholarship program in college as a handicapped student. he believed me.

i lied more. i lied to douglass, also, trying to get out of the first lie. douglass believed me. he did not question my place of employment or my work day. he had a paying job which required his presence also. he could not abandon his bank job, until he gave amply time for resigning. the bank manager would become suspect him for money embezzlement. that is what he told me as he was planning the world greatest big bank heist.

so i needed an escaped plan from douglass, before i landed in the world biggest prison cell. i took a bus trip to huntsville, getting a new job that provided a nice apartment on whitesbury drive. i did not bother to move my personal items from the townhouse in mobile. i gave them to the renters around me. i could not be seem moving large objects out from the townhouse as i suspected douglass was keeping an eye on me. and i was right.

i was smarter than douglass though. i purchased living items in huntsville setting up my housekeeping. the society allowed me to transfer to a new job in huntsville. i did not think you found my new apartment address, unless you had talked to mrs. manville first. the society will pay my rent and utilities for me. therefore, i did not have a rental lease, electricity, water and television cable accounts in my name. the accounts were booked by the society's name. i am very lucky for that situation.

with my residence set up and a new job waiting, i took the night bus trip to huntsville, so douglass could not follow me. i robbed then paid him the money that morning. our next scheduled robbery was not until wednesday afternoon. i was fool for making a stink about the overpaid security box. i had paid the fee on each security box, which I should have canceled, before leaving mobile. by federal law, the bank had to give the money back to me. i did not know. i did not anticipate that part of my escape plan.

i did not think fast enough. i simply gave them my new address in huntsville. in hindsight, i should have acquired a post office box and sent that money checks there instead. i am not a good thief, am i ace?

douglass always flirted with one of the younger female bank clerks and learned about my new address. she was jealous and remembered my person and wanted to date douglass. he immediately figured out what happened to me when I did not show up for the new bank heist job.

that was my mistake and i paid for with my bruised body. i spend the first night in my apartment in huntsville, which was relaxing, safe, and unafraid. i felt clam. i was away from mobile, the banks, the money bundles, and douglass. i awoke feeling happy taking the shuttle bus to the new college admission office, enrolling in a computer class, working on a new college degree.

i returned back at lunchtime and entered my new apartment. i saw douglass then froze in fear. one of his men attacked me tossing and pitching my body all over the room like a tennis ball. i was hit in the face on the table leg and then passed out. i was carried by car to the mountains of tennessee.

i awoke in pain, loud noises, and smells of the fresh cooked meat as the men ate the dinner meal during the early evening hours. i crawled out an open window walking around the forest, looking for help. i spotted the log cabin. i was so afraid. the door was open. i entered and heard the singing voice. you have a terrific singing voice along with a great body.

i saw the gun. i can shoot not from hunting skills i learned at college police course which was fun. when i was taking academic classes at the university, i took more exciting fun courses rather than book classes. i took gun shooting, helicopter flying, ocean water scuba diving, karate, car racing, and sky diving. i can sky dive jumping out an airplane. did i tell you, ace? i guess not.

i will never get the chance to tell you more about my life. we will never see each other again. i will be sitting in jail. you will be back to your courtroom sending people like me to jail.

in the log cabin, when i saw the gun, i had a plan. i was not going to shoot you, ace. i have never shot a person or an animal or a plant, only the set of clay discs in the air. i practiced at the local gun range on government street. a girl has to keep up with her talents.

i made a great homemade trap with the linked chained bracelet. i tied you to the chair. i felt safe. you were contained. i was holding the gun. i was greatly disappointed with the lack of food. i was really hungry. i was really tired. i was really hurt. after i consumed the meeker meal, i fell down into a deep, sound sleep. i really appreciated that you did not beat me anymore. i also was very grateful for you entertaining douglass in the cabin.

he was looking for me. he had formulated a plan for the greatest bank heist. i would enter the bank under the watchful eye of douglass, steal the new money bags, after the delivery by the armed truck with the two armed guards. the money bags contained twenty million dollars in dimension of one hundred dollars bills then return back into the car with his two men and drive off into the sunset. i admit it was a good plan.

i was greatly concerned about me. i did not trust douglass, his plan, his words, his meanness. and i was right.

when i awoke the next morning inside your rented log cabin, i heard douglass speaking to you in the living room setting, so i fled from the bedroom hiding under the green bushes. i saw you carrying that picnic basket. you looked cute. you were shouting out the word, baby. it was very endearing to me. i watched you walked to the bush. i watched douglass fire his pistol at you. i saw the helicopter land in the clearing. and i recalled the practical courses from my training to flying a helicopter at the college airfield.

the helicopter had room for two people, a pilot and a passenger. i was going to be the passenger. i am really sorry, ace. i took your seat then your ride. you could have escaped from douglass but not me. i should have let you escape. douglass would not have chased you back to mobile then here in huntsville also.

he wanted me to rob the bank with his new plan and receive twenty million dollars for his island retirement. i was scare, frightened, and desperate. i saw douglass capture you in the bushes. i flew then landed the helicopter at the resort air strip then i located your car. that is a nice truck, ace.

i drove as far as i could without running outta of gas and then filled the gasoline tank at a small town called below metro city birmingham using your money. the store clerks at the gas station give me free food and promised to stop my pretend bad husband from finding me. i wish douglass had encountered these two overprotective southern ladies with their great big southern male family member.

i drove to mobile, before dusk. i was tired. i was hungry. i entered your house. you own a very nice home, ace. i eat saltine crackers and drank your sweet milk then fell asleep on the couch with the intention of sleeping for a couple of hours then leaving your residential home. i did not know where i was going or what i was going to do. i had money in my apartment in huntsville. i was afraid to drive there. i was afraid douglass would be waiting for me.

i actually thought douglass had killed you, ace. i thought you were dead. i was surprised, when i awoke in a room designed by a teenager. i realized i was still inside your nice house.

i heard faint voices downstairs and found you alive. i recognized your voice. i planned to get away from you. i rapidly ran down the stairs trying to escape again. you caught me like a fly swatter. i could not escape your hold. you held me tight. i fought but i was unsuccessful.

then you showed me that guy, the dead man, on the floor. his organs hanging out of his chest. i fainted in your arms. when i awoke in another room in white, i heard the noise, the television program.

i peeped around the wall corner. you were sitting in a tall stool eating and typing on the computer laptop. i realized you were not going to harm me. in fact, you saved my life two times. i was really grateful, ace.

i felt safe bathing and cleaning the douglass germs off my aching body. i changed into one of your tee shirts. i entered the room and tapped you on the shoulder. you looked so funny, scared, frightened. but you turned into a really nice guy, not mad or angry with me, that i had stolen, pilfered, lifted, robbed, pinched, flinched, grabbed and taken you and your possessions. you really are a nice guy, ace. and a southern gentleman.

i will miss your company very much, when i am sitting in jail for my crimes, ace. i hope you would come and visit me. but that is wishful thinking, is not it?

you were entertaining with your side questions about my supernatural gift of telepathy. i cannot explain the gift or even how the scientific process works. i just know it works. i am finding out that i should have used my gifts for a better cause, not greed, vanity, conceit, and selfishness. i will be paying for forgiveness of all my earthly sins now.

you must have followed kipp from mobile to huntsville. he could not find my apartment and waited at my new job site. when he used his mobile telephone, you traced his telephone call. you are very smart, ace.

after the rescue from the mountain, i got to know you, ace. i really like you. i love you. you are a true southern gentleman and a nice guy. i was lonely. i had been stealing the money for years giving to other needy people, in my own way. but i was very lonely. i did not want anyone to discover my crimes or my talents.

i was afraid. i was called a freak in school, at parties, in church. i am different. you treated me special. i felt good about me. i enjoyed the attention and love. i will miss our love that we had created, developed and shared. i hoped that you and i could have had a beautiful future together. not now! that cannot happen, while i am in jail paying for my crimes.

"Hey!" A loud baritone voice shouted down from the silo opening that touched the sky which startled Fawn.

She stood upright from the dirt floor and moved away from Ace, leaning outwards from the tunnel entranceway, seeing the clouds and heavens. She padded on top of the pile of loose rocks and dirt, standing in the middle of the circle floor, waving both of her arms in the air. She saw motion at the opening consisting of tall dark and light figures that acknowledge her person.

"Down there!" The same baritone voice shouted to the other rescue people. "Ace, can you hear me? I can't see you down the long hole. Lower the basket and get them outta of there right now!"

Fawn stood in place and heard the loud sound coming from the mechanical gears and gadgets on top of the earth soil. Then a dangling steel basket appeared and slowly dropped down wearing an upright male on the same platform. The unknown male talked into his telephone then shouted at Fawn. "Move away from me and the basket, miss! The basket is going to land on top of the dirt. Get away from me and the basket, miss!"

She back stepped from the basket then stood inside the tunnel hallway standing beside Ace. The man jumped from the platform landing on the pile of dirt then looked up, watching the dangling steel basket, guiding it using his mobile telephone. The basket landed on the pile of lumpy earth. The man was dressed in a yellow uniform with a fire fighter patch and an American Flag on his long sleeve, spinning around, dashing to Fawn. He stopped then stared at Ace. "Is he okay?"

Fawn motioned with several head nods and both of her hands in silence.

He frowned at her than ordered into the phone. "We got wounded down here. Bring down another basket for an immobile adult male." More faint voices and loud noise occurred on the earth soil. Then a second basket dropped down with numerous people on the platform, jumping down in the pile of dirt, quickly moving to Ace.

"You take the first basket to the top while we load the male onto the second basket." He escorted then belted Fawn in the first basket signaling the command using his phone.

Her body rested on top of the basket bed. The basket lifted off the pile of dirt then rocked back and forth in the air ways. Fawn felt seasick hearing the loud mechanic levers pull the basket from the hold towards the sky and then hovered in the air current in the heated sunlight.

Away from the large hole on the abandoned silo tunnel, Buck stood on the dirt and reached up, catching the bottom on the basket leg, drawing the equipment down to the ground, opening the cage. Slick stood behind Buck then shouted out loud, pointing at Fawn. "Grab her!"

Buck reached down and grabbed Fawn, cuddling into her, "Got her." Slick presented the blanket. Buck grabbed then wrapped the blanket around Fawn, cuddling her again, smiling down at her hair roots. "Ace is going to be happy we got you."

"Don't smother her body with love taps, Buck! She might faint from your bad B.O. and Ace might get really jealous" Slick laughed at Buck then smiled at Fawn.

"I didn't have bad B.O." Buck frowned at his friend.

"Hate to tell you, man! You do shittingly stink." He winked. "That's better than Tom's fuckingly word, don't you think, Buck?" He laughed with delight.

"Do not!"

"Do so!" Slick countered clockwised.

A local female police officer appeared and wore a blue colored uniform, a tone of pale skin, a head of blonde colored hair standing behind Fawn, reaching out, touching Buck's arm, saying to Fawn, "Miss, come with me and go this way to the police car. We need you statement." Buck spun around then sneered at the female police officer.

Fawn gasped in shock without making a sound and started the female. She was going to be arrested and then questioned about her illegal activities, without saying goodbye to Ace. She did talk with him down in the hole as he rested in slumber. Sometimes, a loved one can see and hear you and your voice in their dream. Fawn hoped Ace heard her confession about her misplaced crimes. She wanted to cry but not in front of the emergency personnel.

Buck didn't release Fawn but growled at the women. "Who are you, bubba?"

She sneered at Buck and slapped her badge. "I am the local Huntsville police officer."

A new tall firefighter appeared and stood beside the police officer, wearing a yellow tinted uniform, a head of black tinted hair, a tone of dark skin, asking Fawn. "How many bodies are down in the silo, miss?"

A short Army officer appeared and wore a pair of green and tan military fatigues, a tone of olive colored skin, a head of red hair, standing beside Slick, saying to the firefighter, Buck, and the female police officer, "There are two live bodies and one body un-accounted for, sir."

A short Army general appeared and wore the same type of green and tan military fatigues, a tone of dark skin, a head of cropped brown hair standing beside the army officer, asking the next questions, "Is the unaccounted body dead, son?"

"They are still searching, sir."

"Who are you, buddy?" The female police officer sneered at the two military officers.

"The live body down in the silo hole is Judge Samuel Attila Smith, the fourth, a military Coast Guard officers, who works for us in the seaport of Mobile. This is his fiancé, who was the victim of a kidnapping incident yesterday at the bank in Mobile." He smiled at Fawn. "How are you feeling, Miss Fawn?"

The police officer sneered and slapped her chest, sneering again the general, "I'm in charge here. She is under arrest for questioning about numerous unexplained incidents at the local Huntsville _Cinderella Stamp Society_ office and her rented apartment and her..."

"This plot of weeds is owned by the US Federal Government and I am the US Federal Government, right here and right now. Why are you standing here at my unused silo, lady police officer?"

She turned and examined the weeds returning back, growling at the general, "This is a weed field. That girl has been involved in numerous activities which requires a statement..."

"Later!"

"I have authority from the mayor."

He frowned. "You do not have any authority on my military base, lady police officer."

The Army officer read his new text message from the rescue crew. "General, that unaccounted body has been found but he is buried under tons of earth and dirt."

The police officer frowned. "How can a body become buried under dirt?"

The general smiled. "That boy is stuck down in a sink hole, ma'am. Huntsville is the capital sunk hole of the South. Was he a solider of the military?"

"No, sir. He is listed as a civilian."

The general nodded with laughter to the police officer. "Dug him out and give him to the police officer for questioning, son."

The army officer smiled and worked on a new text message back to the rescue time. "Yes, sir."

The police officer pointed at Fawn and ordered to the general, "I need a statement from..."

"She cannot give you a vocal statement, lady police officer." Slick sneered at the officer.

"Why not?" The Police Officer frowned.

"She is a mute."

"Mute! What does that mean?"

Slick nodded. "She cannot talk with voice. She is a mute."

"Can she use sign language with her hands?"

"No." Slick shook his bone skull with Fawn.

"Can she type out her words on a computer laptop?"

Slick chuckled with a smile to Fawn. "No."

The officer sneered. "We need a statement for her..."

"Commander, please take Miss Fawn to the military hospital on my Army base, so she can be reunited with her fiancé Judge Smith, after his physical examination and clinical treatment." The general smiled at the police officer. She sneered in anger.

"Yes, sir. Come this way, Miss Fawn, Buck, and Slick." The army officer spun around with a smile and led the party towards a row of parked vehicles.

Nine hours later, at 09:09 pm, among the nighttime hours and starry sky outside the USA Army Hospital building on Redstone Point military base, in the patient room on the sixth floor, Ace rested on top of the white bed linens wearing a blue tinted hospital gown and a pair of naked feet, whispering out loud, without opening his eyelids. "Slick."

Slick jumped up from the tan colored leather chair and wore a dark blue pair of hospital scrubs, colliding into the bed railing, leaning over Ace. He wiggled the object over the nose bridge on Ace. "Here you go, Chief!" He back stepped and pointed to Fawn.

Buck moved away from the second chair and wore a set of green and tan military fatigues, standing beside Slick, smiling down at Ace in silence.

Fawn wiggled on top of the stool on the opposite side of the hospital bed, wearing an oversized set of military clothing, staring down at Ace. Ace opened his two eyelids and sat upright, exhaling in wearing numerous bruised and beaten body parts, leaning down into the bed pillow. He accepted the object then smiled at Fawn. "Your hand, milady."

Fawn held her hand out that displayed a wrapped bandage over her four fingers, thumb pad, and palm. He gasped in shock. "What happened to your hand?"

She gasped in shock then gently removed the dirty bandage, showing red tinted skin tissue on top of her hand and an array of tiny red tinted blisters over her palm, touching his arm and talked into his mind.

i am fine. i am healing. my hand injury is a long story.

He nodded with understanding for the story for a later time then smiled. "All right! Hold out your other hand, Fawn." She grinned then removed the other dirty bandage from her left hand with the ring finger for a diamond ring.

"She needs some practice." Buck chuckled.

"What damn practice?" Slick asked.

"You know holding her hands with his hands."

"Buck, you're mentally psycho!" Slick frowned and shook his bone skull at Ace.

"Time to leave, Slick!" Ace carefully placed the five-carat diamond ring on her hand as Fawn cringed in pain from the tiny blisters. He waved his un-bandaged hand towards the closed door, since the other hand was wrapped tight against his body, so Ace couldn't tear the new skin graft over his chest cavity coming from his leg.

"Why?" Buck grinned down at Ace.

"The love birds want to be alone." Slick said.

"Love birds! I didn't see any birds. I see humans. Human Ace in the bed. Human Fawn leaning onto the bed railing."

Slick back stepped then jerked on Buck. "I smell food."

"Where is the food?" Buck spun around and scanned the room.

"The food is located in the cafeteria." Slick padded towards the closed door.

"This is a hospital. The food stinks." He followed Slick towards the door.

"Then I'll drive you to a fast food joint around the corner from the hospital." Slick reached the door and opened the wood, exposing a busy hallway.

"That's a great plan, Slick!" Ace sneered.

"We'll be back." Buck stopped then spun around smiling at Ace.

"No, we want." Slick stood in the archway.

"Yes, we will. I'm coming..."

"They want to be alone, Buck." Slick shouted at Buck.

"Alone! What for? They can't do anything in that hospital bed. I know. I tried. It doesn't work." He winked at Ace.

"Get him out of here, Slick!" Ace dropped down onto the bed mattress exhaling in pain.

Buck reached out and grabbed a clean bed pan from the table. "I found anyway to use a hospital bed pan. Let me show you, Boss."

Slick reached out and jerked the hospital bed pan from Buck's hand, spinning around, laughing out loud then raced down the busy hallway, tucking the item underneath his armpit.

"Hey! That's mine, Slick! That's my bed pan! Come back here with my bed pan, Slick!" Buck dashed from Ace's hospital room. The door closed.

In the bed mattress, Ace did not grab her hand but smiled at Fawny. "I know what happened to your hands. You saved me. What did you do? How did you do it? What happened after I was stabbed in the chest by Kipp? I sorta passed out without hearing musical notes."

She continued to gently touch his hand with her forearm that was not burnt from her heat talking into his mind.

i pulled the knife from your chest. you screamed loud enough chasing away the angel of death and then you lived.

"No! That's not the true story. I had a knife in my heart organ. I could see it, hear it, feel it, and taste it. I shouldn't be here alive and talking with you. The blood loss alone would have emptied all of my blood veins from my body. What do you do?"

i placed my palms over your chest wound, after i removed the knife. you were bleeding all over the place on my hands, on your shirt, in the dirt.

"Fawn, tell me the truth! I promise I won't tell a soul. What did you do to me?"

i stopped the bleeding by praying really hard to Almighty God. then he gave me a new supernatural talent to heal your injured body.

"Which is?"

my palms became really hot and heated almost boiling like fireball of hot temperatures. i closed my eyelashes. when i opened my eyelashes, your heart wound was mended and repaired and healed. there was not a wound but pink skin flesh.

"O! I see and understand. That's how you burnt your palms. The boiling heat coming from your body almost melted the skin tissue off her hands. Do not do that again, Fawn."

the process is called telemetabolics, which is healing, without man-made medications or using a medical instrument. i researched the topic on the internet and books at the library.

"So, are you are telling me that you possess another supernatural talent coming from the Prime Creator?"

i can heal aces and fawns.

He softly chuckled and gasped in pain as the chest motion hurt his muscles. "Only an angel can do that."

i am not an angel.

"You talk inside my mind, without moving your pink-painted lips. You can open up a locked closed door without touching the knob, and you can heal a human body, without drugs. Damn! You are a real heavenly angel."

angels live in heaven, ace.

"So, the Prime Creator had personally sent you down from the heavenly plane protecting me here on the earthly plane. That is a miracle and Almighty God does hear my prayers too."

if i never met you in the log cabin, then you would be home, not here in huntsville healing from a knife wound in your chest. this is my fault. all of it. i have stolen...

"Ahem! We will discuss that matter later in a private conversation and away from the hospital staff and setting."

are we going to discuss this matter with the local police officers in mobile?

"Worser! You will discuss with me." He did not smile.

are you going to punish me?

"I'm still chewing that one over."

i would rather face the police.

"Be careful! Wishes do come true."

i wish.

"You're mine."

what am I? i am your prisoner now.

"You are my girl and my angel."

well, you are mine angel guy.

"Good! We both agree that we have each other. For now, I'm here. You're here. You're safe. No one is going to take you here at the military base. Kipp is dead. Douglass is dead also. A lot has happened to you and me over the last twenty-four hours. I want you to stay here in the next hospital bed for the night. Buck got permission from the director of the hospital."

do you really want me to stay?

"Plop down on the other bed. I need to sleep. I feel dead tired." He smiled. She spoke into his mind.

good night, ace. i love you.

"I love you, Fawn."

She leaned down then gently kissed his lips, pulling back with a stern face.

ace...

"I know all about your bank robbery crimes and the stolen monies. So far, the Mobile police department has ceased the assets from your three blackmailers. The assets have been given back to the Bank of England representing part of the stolen monies which totals two million dollars."

i wanna give all the monies back that i steal. i was wrong and i will go to jail for my bad crimes.

He could not shake his dizzy head or argue like a lawyer, since Kipp beat the crap of his body, so Ace whispered to his girl. "My fiancé is not going to jail! Don't worry about this matter. I found your two laundry bags of money that totaled 960,000 dollars, which was part of your stolen share of cool cash. You will pretend that you found those two bags of monies when Kipp came to your apartment and grabbed you again. I will more bags of monies giving the four million dollars back to the Bank of England. Then this matter is closed and buried down in dirt hole here in Huntsville. Then we all go back home to Mobile."

i should talk to the bank and explain what happened.

"I did all of that. I talked to everyone including Almighty God. Everyone understands and forgives you. You are going to be my wife, very soonest, for the rest of our lives. I want everyone to see and know who you are."

ace, please!

"This is one argument you are not going to win, Fawn."

is this how our marriage is going to be. you dictate. i obey.

"No, baby! I promise."

i should give the money back to the bank, where i found it.

"Each bank institution is required to purchase and carry bank insurance by the US Federal Government which covers any missing or misplaced cash and coins, in case of a crisis or bank robbery. So, the bank got four million dollars which was not found and missing from the unlimited treasure chest of the US Federal Government. Douglass Fairbanks, not the actor stole part of the missing cash and coins. And the bastard had blackmailed you, too boot. I told the police, the FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security, and the US Army officers the entire almost true story. They believed me."

s **o, we got away with it, the old cliché.**

He smirked. "No, baby! We are doing good with the money. I'm a board member at the Bank of England which you robbed. The bank gives money away all the time each year, millions and millions of dollars to charities and churches."

so, it is okay, with you, that i am a thief, bank robber, liar.

"Don't fret your pretty head about this matter! It's closed. We together will donate lots of my cash money to numerous charities making me, you and lots of teenagers very, very happy."

Her eyeballs filled with tears and as she frowned.

do you truly love me, ace?

"Yes, I truly love you, Fawn. I love you more than my life and you're not running away from me, not since I took all of your cash money." He smiled without rattling his aching body.

She smiled then leaned down, gently kissing his lips, pulling back with a wink, scooting away from his bed mattress, dropping down on top of the second hospital bed mattress. Ace went back to sleep resting his body for traveling within two days back to home city of Mobile.

Fawn stared with a smile at the ceiling then frowned with worry. Her bank robbing days were gone but she could not talk like a regular person or like a regular bride at her regular wedding ceremony or like a regular married wife with her regular family members. She pondered her new life with her new fiancé Ace, her new pseudo teenage daughter Gem, and new pseudo Grandmother and Granddaddy Smith.

**Continue the love story of Ace and Fawn in the final novel, which is entitled** _Zguys._
