With This Ring

By

Retta Michaels

Preface

Dear Reader,

In a lot of my writing, I've never felt the need to write a preface. With this story, I want you to know what to expect. For me, the story is a mixture of a whole lot of truth and a whole lot of fiction.

For me to explain it, I must sit and tell you what my conceptual plans were for the novel

IN LIFE, we are not given a set list of directions and plans how to complete it. Some people don't like the unknown, so they don't take any foreign steps into different territories. With others, they know no structure.

Rather than having a nameless character out there who could sue the fuck out of me for even inferring they're a member of the mafia, I chose to go personal and use my own name. It's a lot less messy and a lot more friendly for my lawyer.

I am not a member of the mafia. I will not say I do not know a lot of the family members from several cities, but I am not a member myself.

I will state at one time I was with a man named Gino who headed a crime family. He's since passed and this story has been released with permission and editing done by his son who is still a dear friend of mine. (Thanks Dave.)

The names I've used in the story besides my own are ficticious. The names have been changed to protect everyone. Where names weren't important, I have not used them.

I have given enough references to who the person is so if you can read between the lines, you can see who they are. With that said, I will not say more about the characters.

The story is made up. It is totally ficticious. None of the incidents happened, and nothing of the sort ever occurred. If you choose to believe it did happen, and if you choose to believe it's true, then that's on you. I will state now if I receive an email asking me if such and such part is true, I'll be polite and refer you to the Preface and leave it at that.

The reason I'm writing this preface is because I want people to know when I write, I write fiction with an air of the style of writing used by the National Enquirer or the Sun. There's an air of truth in there someplace, but it's actually fiction. If you choose to believe it's truth, then do so...I've got about twenty acres of swamp land I'll sell you and someplace on that land is a complimentary Iphone. If you can find it, it's yours.

With that said, I'll now state the characters of this story will probably be used time and time again. I think I've found a niche in this style of writing. I'll tell you now, it's done in the style of Mack Bolan “The Executioner”, James Bond, or Scarface.

“With This Ring” is the first book of the saga. It shows how someone can go from leading a normal life wanting to lead a normal life to being thrown into a complex cast of characters which require him to be more and more of what he doesn't want to be.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Now I lay me down to sleep and Steve came in. He was all grins and said, “We saw Randy making out!”

“Cool. What did you think?”

“Oh man! It was the best ever. If I had the money, I'd take me some helicopter classes.”

“Do you want one?”

“No, because if I told you I did, you'd buy one.”

“That one there's yours when they trade it in which isn't going to be much longer. Don't worry about the maintenance of it because apparently, I have enough money in some trust in Kansas City to take care of those needs.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, as long as you were gone, I told him you probably loved it.”

“I wanted to stay up there and see if he scored, but we finally had to come back due to fuel.”

“Damn the luck.”

“He takes forever to get to business.”

“Lucky her.”

“Lucky him! It wasn't all him that was doing things.”

“Did you see any bad guys?” I said sliding over to him and unbuttoning his shirt.

“We saw a lot of suspect activity. Did you know we have a lot of little critters out there in those woods?”

“I'm surprise anything could live with those snakes.”

“Me too, but I can see how they can see a long ways really fast.”

“Yes, those choppers come in good for finding kids lost at night as well as runners. They think they can burrow down and little do they know their heat signature gives them away.”

“That's what's exciting. The potential for uses with the Sheriff's department is amazing.”

“If worse comes to worse, you can learn to fly the thing and lease yourself out as both traffic and police reporter for Savannah, Charleston, and the county here.”

“Yeah, but I'll tell you now that JT would be dangerous with that thing.”

“I imagine he's never been up in one otherwise he'd have one.”

“Yeah, you said I'd love it and man, my adrenaline is going!”

“I've got a trick question, what's the hardest thing to get used to after you landed.”

“The difference between night vision and normal. I took off those goggles and it was like reality reached out and poked me in both eyes at the same time.”

“Yeah, it's amazing isn't it how accustomed to it you get.”

“Oh man, we saw heat signatures on from cars.”

“How many pot plantations did you see?”

“None, he said it was probably too early in the growing season.”

“Probably, but when you see one, you're going to be amazed at the heat signature it gives off. It's hotter than an engine.”

“Man, I want to go back up!”

“We'll arrange one for later next week. I want to get your mom up with Dave. It will be rather romantic for him to take her out viewing the sights.”

“She'd love it. Were the guys settling in for the night over at the other house?”

“Yeah, you'd be amazed at the security personnel we have around here.”

“You saw some?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, I'll ask you a question and you tell me if you know.”

“Ok.”

“How many rock stars do you have around here?”

“None that I know of, why?”

“Those personnel were probably either guarding grow houses, or meth labs....it's bound to be drug related because most people who hire security don't have them out.”

“What do they do?”

“You could lease out your chopper or you could get night vision scopes or binoculars. It's a whole lot safer because as you saw, cold blooded animals don't register and walking around here could get all sorts of problems.”

“I never thought of that. We'll have to investigate.”

“He's got it recorded on computer. He didn't say anything to you, I imagine, because he's probably not been told that's what we're looking for, but on that joystick of his is a button where he records not only what you saw, but the GPS coordinates of that location right on the information that goes to the computer. Did he circle around it?”

“Yeah, one place he went around four times!”

“I bet they're cooking up meth there. He was probably recording and taking air samples. Did you hear a sound like an air canister behind you going shoop shoop like one of those vacuums canisters at the bank?”

“Yeah.”

“That's what he was doing. I bet you'll be told tomorrow you've got a major meth lab that's cooking. Do you remember a hot spot in that house where it looked to be a huge furnace?”

“No, I was paying attention to the guys. They were walking around with rifles.”

“I bet if we go take a look at the computer download of that, you'll see at least one 55 gallon barrel glowing if not more.”

“The shoop shoop was them taking air samples?”

“Yeah, they can take air samples and tell before the chemist knows what he's got just from what's coming off of it. Were there more in the area?”

“I know there were several houses in that neighborhood who all had guards.”

“Then it's someone who got in on the ground floor and built those houses for that purpose. You're going to be amazed at what you'll find in those places. They pour concrete and as it bubbles over, it will eat the concrete up. You'll have a beautiful house sitting on gravel for a foundation because they've chewed it up so bad.”

“That's crazy.”

“They don't care. The profit is in making the stuff, not in that house.”

“We'll have to do something about that.”

“They will, but you're going to have to give the go ahead. Just remember, everyone and I mean everyone from those guys outside to the chemist inside is going to prison. There are no plea bargains in this deal. Those guys know what they're there for, so they're just as guilty.”

“I'll get that done.”

“You need to watch what you promise. If someone is paying off the prosecutor or the judge, they're not going to want to do that. Dave will most certainly talk to them and get them on the straight and narrow, but expect double crosses and expect fast retribution.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those guys are going to be blackmailed to doing what we ask. What's going to be hard for them is those charges are going to come down and when it comes to court, you're going to have the one paying people off in that room and Dave and yourself in that room. As soon as the double cross happens, Dave will probably hit a button on his fob that lets our guys know and continue sitting like a poker player watching the judge because if it's the judge who got paid, then he'll look towards the one that paid him.”

“I never thought of that.”

“As soon as that happens, I can guarantee you the man's face will be put into the database because outside there's going to be a news camera from some fictitious television station shoving a camera in that man's face asking him what he thought of the court proceedings as an average citizen. What they'll be doing is getting a voice print and all the information they can about the guy. If he refuses to speak, you'll probably be asked to detain him for 24 hours without bail.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it's not fair in this game. You'll learn there are tricks up everyone's sleeves, so you're going to have to do some yourself.”

“I didn't know.”

“Yeah, but advantage we have is we know who they are. We know where they are, and we'll know from license and fingerprint information more about them than their own guys because you'll probably be asked to get a DNA sample from either hair, or bodily fluids.”

“Man, you guys want a lot of information.”

“Honey, look at it this way. Dave's already been told there is Miami, Jacksonville, and some others here. Charleston is so out of their league with what they faced, they gave him the territory and wished him luck.”

“Oh man, I can tell why.”

“I'll tell you something else. When those houses go down, you're going to see a lot of people scurrying like rats to attempt to go into the business. They've got people hooked on the stuff and they've got demand to be met. The guy who is over them isn't going to ask questions as to why it was caught, he's going to demand to know why he's not getting money.”

“They're that way?”

“Yeah, that business is ruthless. That's why Dave's not in it. That's why Gino pulled out of it. Besides, the CIA has people all over those organizations. He's rather make money by lending it out to corporations and make it through profits.”

“So they own a lot of companies.”

“Companies and a port. Just consider this. You probably flew in a helicopter made by their company. When we go to San Diego, you'll probably fly in a jet made by their company. I already know when we go to Vegas, we've got a suite in a casino owned by their company.”

“That's big business.”

“Yeah, and getting bigger all the time.”

“And you can run the thing.” he said sounding amazed.

“Tonight, I got caught back up to speed because now that I've shown my face, the guys are going to talk and they'll be expecting me to go to some meetings and be indoctrinated.”

“What does that mean?”

“Ok, when a family's leader passes away, all the other families meet in a location which is always changing. Until three hours before they meet, no one knows where it's going to be, but what they know is a meeting is taking place on that day. What Dave will probably do is he'll probably throw a luncheon and invite everyone. What they'll know is they're going to have an indoctrination. What happens is they all get together and they all decide if it's good for the families as a whole to allow that person to run that family. I know I'm already accepted because of a business decision I made that was one of the best in this family's history. It got accredited to me and those guys are still blown away by it. It's being viewed as big as the street fights of New York, the unionization of truckers, and the decision to put them into Las Vegas.”

“Man, what was it?”

“I can't say, but Gino had a decision to make and he thought I'd keep my mouth shut when he threw the question at me. A certain huge company owed him lots of money. I mean huge amounts. They missed payments and they missed payments and finally, he had to make the decision of what to do. They came to his office and he told them the amount they owed was equal to the amount of nearly a third of the company.

They threw it out there he could have stock to that amount if he'd take it. I'll tell you now, he was in a spot because if he didn't, he was screwed, but if he did, it was a gamble of whether they'd actually do it. He threw the question at me and I told him to take the stock. Right after that, they released another model of a plane....oops, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that....and it really brought the company back. The stock went from eight dollars a share to sixty. His gamble made us the wealthiest family in one full swoop.”

“You're telling me...”

“That a manufacturer's primary stock holder is the Kansas City family. Yes.”

“I bet those guys are really pissed.”

“They have no choice. From what I understand, Dave's held onto the stock and from those dividends, he's built hotels in Vegas...well Gino bought the land, but until tonight, Dave thought Gino was stupid for doing it. Tonight I told him was the vision was in Gino's decision and now Dave's seeing his dad in a whole new light.”

He reached over and kissed me. “I'm proud of you and I never even knew.”

“Well, it's scary because to be indoctrinated, I have to go to this meeting and they'll have to put the matter up before everyone. Now, I've done other things like that which by not knowing, I put myself in a position of being seen as the new kid on the block and Gino handed over the reins.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we have a trial in our family, this is the way it goes. The boss is up there and he's the judge. He also asks questions so it's not thought anyone else is speaking bad about them. The boss knows all the evidence it took to get this man to trial and he uses it. He'll play taped recordings where the man's name was brought up, he'll play video, and he'll also have direct testimony. If a witness refuses to testify, he dies...there's no guessing he'll do it tomorrow. It's viewed as disrespect. Now, the way it goes is punishment is going to be one of three things....either it will be death, or it will be life with demotion in the ranks, or it will be innosence.”

“Why not jail time?”

“The mafia doesn't run jails. If we did, we'd be running the biggest prison in the world. It's a whole lot more economical to just kill them, get the point made, and get on with business. Now, the way it goes is the person gets three lies to tell. When they lie the first time, their words get replayed and then the boss gets down and goes over and plays the evidence or testimony that makes the guy out to be a liar. After that testimony is given, he'll take a sledgehammer and he'll mash the guy's hand with it.

I'll tell you now, it's never the trigger finger hand. Then, he's told to tell the truth and he's asked more questions. If he lies again. The whole deal happens again and the boss will come down and cut the man's hand off with an axe. He'll be brought back around and given medical treatment and then told the next swing of the axe will be his skull.

The boss asks more questions and either he gets the guy to tell the truth or he gets the guy found guilty. Usually, it's both...They tell the truth and are found guilty. It's usually decided before the man's brought to trial.”

“So it's guilty until proven innocent.”

“No, that's the American legal system. In the family, it takes more than one witness to convict. It takes proof and it take reason. I'll tell you now, if you give reason why you whacked someone, you're set free. There are all sorts of reasons, but if you whacked someone because you found your old lady in bed with him, then I'll tell you now, you'll probably be sentenced to life with the bitch and excommunicated from the family. We'll watch and she'll be told she's sentenced to life with him too. If they divorce, the family will forcibly go get them and bring them to trial and either they can lose a hand or die. If one chooses death, both are killed.”

“MAN!”

“Honey, excommunication is worse than death in the family. You can have your daddy and brothers in a family and if you're excommunicated and they speak to you, you're all killed. They're not going to do it and you sure better not try because if you do, you'll die.

Now, there's one thing worse than excommunication and that's being stripped and excommunicated. What that means is you're stripped of all personal assets and then sent out. You're wife is taken away as are your kids. They're forbidden to even help you. We'll help them, but we're not going to feed them and see their food going into your mouth. IF that happens, they disappear and are sent to another city for a period of five years. You are watched and if you're seen asking or begging for handouts, you're brought back to trial and killed. Your wife will still be receiving her punishment.”

“So she gets punished?”

“Yes, what you should know is we have the best insurance plan in the world. If you get hurt, we support you until you die. All your medical needs are paid and your family is under your plan. Your kids go to college and we pay for it. If you die, your wife will have the same thing happen. If she violates that, then she's got to pay. She knows this or she's not allowed to be your wife. The days of the little lady sitting up on the stand testifying she didn't know are over. Every one of them knows and we've got tons of video taped statements which we'll gladly hand over to a prosecutor to perjure the bitch in a trial. The deal is she raises the family while he's away and she doesn't testify to what she's been told or sees. If she attempts to do so, I'll tell you now, she'll be found dead before she testifies. If they protect her, they can give her immunity, but they can't give her immunity from perjury so she better say she was a willing accomplice or we'll put a prosecutor in that will get those charges put on her and those perjury. She'll sit beside that man before we're through or she'll be dead.”

“So all these guys have families.”

“Dave told me these guys are single for the large part. He said these guys are most likely going to stay here and those protecting us are going to be put on the payroll to be your personal security when you're in the Governor's mansion.”

“Ok, how many do I have?”

“Six.”

“How many do you have?”

“Ten”

“Mom?”

“Four, but Dave has ten, so fourteen when they're out together.”

He smiled and said, “I like him, but I'm worried about this family stuff.”

“Don't be. As you can see, they left me out of it when I really should have been drug back in kicking and screaming. They didn't. They let me have my privacy even when I was beaten. When I called him and asked for help, you see how fast they responded. With a normal security agency, you'd have waited until Monday and then would have gotten it late next week. By then your funeral could have already been held.

You see how it is with your privacy and your job. Nothing gets done until you said you wanted help. You got it, so now we're going in that direction. I'll tell you now Dave isn't stopping until he's got you in the Governor's seat. Be prepared to get there.”

“What if he can't do it?”

“Honey, take a look at yourself. What information could be used to damage you? Now, do you think they have information which could damage them? Yes. I'll go ahead and answer it. I'll also tell you the way the game's played.

Since the other guy isn't a part of a family, he's viewed as free game. You're allowed to go out and run all the ads you want to and we'll supply information. Where his balls are in a ringer is he can't come back and say you're a part of a family and any information he gets on you will be so flawed he'll have a hell of a time getting anything harmful. By that time, those county politicians are going to be locked into support and lack of support for their own man. I'll tell you now, their party will wonder what's up with a Sheriff when their guy goes into a town and there's no police escort. They'll raise hell and they'll be told he forgot and was on the other side of the county. The second time it happens, the message is clear they've got a problem. If they attempt to do anything about it, the party leader will probably be brought to Dave and he'll either make the deal or be found cooking his own food on a tropical island someplace after the election.”

“They'd do that?”

“Dave's said he's going to get you there, you better damned well know he'll do it. The dirty tricks and the games that will get played behind the scenes so it doesn't look messy in front of the press is going to be amazing. I'll tell you now, it's been done before. I'll tell you it's been done so often you'll wonder when it wasn't. Between us, the list of Presidents who've been supported into office are terrible. Take a look at the car bombings and the turf wars. Why do you think a President didn't step in to stop them? He already knew what was happening and he already knew to stay out of it. BUT, if the side that supports him loses, you can best believe the other side's leader is going to be in front of a camera and going to trial. There, he will die in prison because they sure don't want him out.”

“So that could happen to you?”

“Honey, I know the game. I've been to prison. I'll tell you now that once they take me away from you, my world's over. What matters what happens to me after that. Just be good to the kids and raise them as we would have done.”

“Don't talk that way.”

“You need to know I'm in this 'til the end. You need to know I'll give you complete faithfulness, honesty, and loyalty. I have to talk this way because everything's a possibility. One thing I'll tell you is with Charleston backing out and letting Dave in, they'll clear the way and help to get you there.

The respect thing comes into play and on the stage of families, they're a baby brother whereas we're now a major league batter. They're going to do what it takes to get our favors and we'll repay in kind. It's happened time and time again and what you need to know is there's going to be a lot of showmanship I need to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“After you left, Dave had me talk to the guys. I gave a good performance and told them how proud I was of them and then Dave talked to them and gave them a story of something I'd said already of how we were better than your deputies. Your mama heard us and she was really chuckling.”

“What did you say to him about your guys being better than the deputies.”

“It's a loyalty thing. These guys will die for us. Will your deputies? No. They'll go into a gun situation, yes, but to take a bullet, they won't. Now, how many offered to go into that house to get rid of snakes?”

“None. That'd be stupid.”

“Not if I asked my guys. They'd suit up and then go in and tell your guys to shoot them as they came flying out the windows. It would have reaffirmed to our guys they were tougher and it would have shown your guys they were wusses.”

“They'd do that?”

“Honey, think about the word loyalty. Now, think about a limo driver who goes out and gets in a limo knowing he could most likely be blown to bits if he turns the key. He's loyal. He also knows we'll protect him in the best ways we can. When we go to the Kansas City house, you're going to see a garage that's blast proof under the mansion. That garage door is two inch thick solid tungston. You could aim a fifty caliber at it and it'd not enter. When that limo enters the garage, it's entering at a full run. It's not slowing and it's not stopping until it's inside. When it's inside, it's given the best it can receive and it's protected well from the house. It might have a bomb on it, but that house isn't coming down.”

“Man, they take it seriously.”

“Honey, it was serious business until we sprung that deal. Then we got everyone's respect. Now, we're the wealthiest and everyone knows it. When they need money, we're there. When we hit that status, I'll tell you now Gino took gambles that nearly bankrupted the family because of honor. He lent money he didn't have so as to get that continued respect. Now, those payments have come in and from what Dave said, the money is coming in so fast, he's having a hard time investing it all. I gave my opinion and to be really honest, that port is going to be a Godsend to him because it can take profits and will keep him from hiding them for a long while.”

“But it's going to be a money maker.”

“Yeah, that's the problem with being successful. It breeds more and more. I'll tell you now, when that comes up, your family will be wealthier then anyone in this part of the country. I've already sprung the deal of you with your carts and your mama with the tent city, but in this case it will be a mall.”

“What about JT?”

“JT is going to have warehouses. When a company imports, they'll unload at the docks and store the items in warehouses. It's a tax situation because they can store inventory without paying the taxes on items until they're taken from the property. When that happens, they pay taxes. A lot of companies use the area as distribution centers. The plus side of it is if JT has the property and the warehouses, he's paid rent on them. You'll see jobs there and you'll see a lot of dollars.”

“Why didn't you take that”

“Hon, think about it. The pie is big enough for everyone to get fat. I took what gives the most turnover. Those cargos are going to be moving in and out like never before.”

“Did you think about Randy on this?”

“Yes, why wouldn't I?”

“What's he going to do?”

“Ok, when they take a cargo off a ship, it can either go onto a truck, or a train. With it being your property, who do you think controls that trucking and railroad?”

“Dave?”

“No, you. So what I see is Randy having a few locomotives and about two hundred trucks and about that many trailers. He hired the guys and he moves them, stores them, or whatever, but each movement he gets paid.

We'll also get him tugs and he'll have control over parking those big ships there. Each one pays the port authority to do that, and there are pilots that do nothing but that.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah, so he'll be happy and he'll wonder why we're being so nice, but to me, he's family.”

“What if he doesn't want it?”

“Then it'll probably go to you or Kevin.”

“Why Kevin?”

“Well, I'm not going to give it to a complete stranger!”

“Ok”

“What about my carts?”

“Dave said what they're going to be doing out there is they're going to be switching over to robotic carts. Apparently, with this cart, you put a bracelet on and as you walk, it follows you. When you go into a booth, it parks itself.”

“And everyone's honest with these things.”

“Honey, did I mention the thieves poles?”

“Yes.”

“No one wants to face that. Trust me.”

He chuckled and said, “The things you're doing with your hands there are getting me super horned.”

“I know. It was meant to be.”

“Well, you need to lay back because I'm going to be doing some things myself.”

We lay back and then proceeded in making blissful love to each other.

₀00₀

The next morning, we woke to the sound of a lot of voices and the smell of bacon frying. Steve moaned and rolled over and threw his arms around me. He kissed my forehead and said, “That chow trailer is here.”

“Yeah, we'll let the guys get fed and then get ours fresh.”

“What do you mean?”

“They cook all that stuff up and then they store it. It is heated, but the first batch is greasy as all get out. I wait and let the hogs get theirs and then get mine fresh from the grill.”

“You're an old hand at this.”

“No, I wish I could say I was, but what happened was they bought that trailer and they had to practice. So they had pancake breakfasts for whole neighborhoods. What we'd do was Chad and I would go there because he could knock back more food than anyone I'd ever seen. We thought we had to go early because of the crowd, but what we got instead was a trip to Walgreen's for Pepto and a large case of the trots from all the grease. Now I've learned and know.”

“I bet JT's down there in the thick of the things.”

“If he's smart, he'll be at Mabel's.”

“She charges him, so he'll be here because it's free.”

“Oh man, that kid needs forewarned. He'll be miserable.”

“What do you think they'll do first?”

“I think what they'll do is they'll walk with us and pick the boundaries of the yard and paint the line on the grass so we can get the snake barrier up. Then, they'll bring in a dozer and clear that pile over there and probably those buildings. While that's happening, They'll be down at the end of the road asphalting and bringing it up to the house.”

“All in one day!”

“There are a hundred guys. I imagine we'll be asked more questions of how we want things because not enough guys will be busy.”

“Well let's get up so no one thinks we're lazy.”

“I like it here with you. By the way <kiss kiss>, thanks for last night.”

“No, thank you.”

We lay there for about five more minutes in each other's arms and then I rolled up. “I've got to have a shower.”

“Let's take one together.”

“I need to get clothes.”

“They're in the closet.”

“When did you get them?”

“We landed and took them.”

“Did you get those camel colored lace up leather pants and that white pirates shirt?”

“Yeah, they're in there.”

“Ok”

I went over to get them out and then put the pants on.

“Would you lace me up?”

“Why'd the put the laces on the back?”

“So I'd have you help me lace them up.”

“What if you got to go to the bathroom?”

“By then, they'll be loose enough, I can slip them down.”

“I'm getting wood seeing you in these things.”

“That's why I got them. I knew I'd look good in them.”

“Damn, those guys are going to think you're hot.”

“That's the point. Last night was a first impression. Now I want them to see that I might be little, but I'm hot.”

“Why?”

“You're going to see demonstrations today of me showing them what I can do. They might think they got called in because I'm little and defenseless. If they do, then I'm fucked. Now's the time to have those guys thinking I can do a lot, but they're in here because what we're facing is tougher than us.”

“Why?”

“Honey, those guys, if you don't realize it, are a cunthair from mutiny at all times. Gino had to kill his right hand man in front of them. That was fifteen years ago. Since then, there's probably a faction of them out there that fantasize about being in the spot Dave's in, or I'm in fictitiously.

For me to hold my end of the bargain, I've got to get out there and strut. It's not Dave's job. They already have seen him demonstrate his effectiveness in this organization. Now it's my turn.”

“I'm not getting it. Didn't you demonstrate that when you were with Gino?”

'Yeah, but ask those guys how many of them remember Gino and they'll tell you they've been brought in since then. They've heard about me, but they've not seen me. Now they're looking at me and saying, “I thought he would be bigger, but he's tiny. What the fuck could he do to me?”

“Ok, so it's like the little kid on the block having to go out and beat up the bully.”

“Yeah, with you landing that copter at my house, it showed it's vulnerable. They know they're supposed to be here to reinforce it, but what if they choose to leave a space big enough to get in when it's time to revolt?”

“Honey, the guys are there.”

“Just the same. Dave got in there without anyone being there.”

“Really!”

“Yeah. He says the security system will stop 99% of the bad guys, but who do you think they're going to send to knock me off, an average Joe, or someone that will get the job done?”

“Don't be paranoid. You've got an army here, so don't fret.”

“Ok, but just the same....”

“Well, look at it this way, your security is going to be the best from now on.”

“That's what I'm worried about. If Dave has his way, he'll have surface to air missiles on the roof and where do you think my kids are going to want to be?...'OH Daddy, look at this! Whoosh!'”

He laughed and said, “I'll tell them, “Honey, Daddy doesn't want you playing with the missiles. Now be a good boy and go over and get that grenade launcher from your brother.”

We laughed and said, “We have to give them normal.”

“We'll try.”

We took our showers and the water ran hot.

“Either the guys haven't taken showers or that water heater has the biggest tank in the world.”

“No, we had to put a new one in and we used tankless.”

“Thank goodness.”

When we got out, we hugged and kissed again and he said, “I want Mom and JT to go up in it today.”

“Wait until tonight.”

“Why?”

“It looks totally different during the daylight. Whereas people aren't scared at night, they're scared during the daylight.”

“Do you think they'd mind if I went back up?”

“I'll take you. It would be good for the guys to be shown I can fly the thing.”

“You can fly it!”

“Honey, one thing Gino insisted was I learn everything and concentrate on being the best. You might let me go up alone first because I'll probably scare you to death.”

“Why?”

“Have you ever seen those acrobatic helicopter maneuvers?”

“Yeah.”

“That's my specialty. If Dave says that chopper is good, I'll find out.”

“Don't be tearing it up, that's mine!” He laughed and said, “I sound like a kid, don't I?”

“Yeah, but I like it. I won't tear it up, but I've got to make a point with the guys and then they'll know I'm not a puss.”

“Don't hurt yourself.”

“I won't.”

We went down and as soon as I got to the bottom step, a whistle rung out. I turned and it was JT. “Free grub, you better go get you some.”

“How much have you eaten already?”

“Three servings. I'm letting it settle and then I'm going to get more. The cook said polish dogs and grilled onions for lunch.”

I looked at Steve and smiled.

I turned to JT and said, “You're going to be so in love with that cook later. What's for supper?”

“Fried fish and chips.”

Steve busted out laughing and I said, “Let's go get our food.”

“Save me some!” called out JT.

Steve said, “When he can't pull himself out of the restroom, those words you said are going to come back to haunt him.”

“The cook is throwing everything greasy on the first day. He figures if he teaches them lessons, they'll not eat as much from then on out.”

“We'll probably need to stock up on toilet paper.”

“We'll get some.”

“We went through and I got sausage links and waffles.”

“You're not eating more?” asked the cook with the most sincerest of faces.

“Let me just say I know the game. These guy might not, but I'll be out here with you tomorrow and all the rest of them will be hobbling out with sore asses.”

He busted out laughing and said, “I wouldn't do that!”

“Yeah, tell someone else that. I'm the one that bought this buggy.”

“You're Rhette!”

“Yeah.”

“Oh man, thanks!”

“No problem. Thanks for getting it up here so fast.”

“Oh no problem. Anything for you.”

We sat in the breezeway with Rose and Dave. “Good Morning!”

“Hi” I said kissing her. I hugged Dave and said, “What's up today?”

“We need you guys to lay out the size of the yards and then we'll be getting those barriers up. I've got my guys coming in with trenchers and leather pants thick enough to not get them bit.”

“Ok. What we'll do to make it fast is we'll go out on a four wheeler paint the barriers.”

“I've decided to put that wrought iron up that you want, but what we'll do is we'll put in those stops out there so if anything big comes, they'll be lifted.”

“Ok. One thing I want to do is take the chopper up by myself.”

Dave smiled and me and said, “Bring it back in one piece.”

“You and he are just alike. He told me not to ruin his toy and you're telling me not to hurt it.”

He laughed and said, “So you liked your ride?”

“Oh yeah, are you for real about letting me have it?”

“Yeah, anything Rhette wants.”

“We'll take it Dave.” I said, “What I'd like for you to do is take it up later with Rose.”

“We just got back from our ride. She loves it.”

“It's great, isn't it Mom?”

“It's delightful. He took us out over the water and up and down the coast. It's gorgeous.”

“Steve said there are some hot spots.”

“I've gotten the reports. Something's brewing.”

“How much?”

“Too much. What we suspect is the entire east coast could be provided for from that house.”

“There are several.”

“No, that's what's the problem. In a close proximity, there is a meth factory and then there's several other chemicals. What is bad is the air up there is toxic. How people live down closer to the ground has to be a big question. I'm betting they're sick or dying.”

Steve said, “I need to check to see who lives there.”

“I'm a step ahead. The good thing is there are eight houses. One of them is to house those guys. Three are the labs and the other four are from Miami. Those dumb fucks are so off into making their fortunes, they don't realize they're killing themselves. If we wait three months, they'll be dead, but what's bad is if the air switches around, we've got our judge right down the street. He's probably being paid by the guy, but he's probably not aware of the danger it's posing. Another thing is he's not aware of the toxic nature of the air around him.”

“He needs to be told.” Steve said in a near panic.

Dave smiled and said, “We're working on that. What you need to do is get him to speak to me when he's able.”

“Let me think. I could get him out today for a warrant.”

“Not good enough, it's got to be his family. With this, we're going to pull them in. We can't let them go back there. If he went to tell them, they could blow that whole neighborhood and I mean clear off the map.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah. Now, what I propose is this because it's the safest measure we have.”

“What's that?”

“We blow it for them. Rather than having a ticking time bomb, we'll have them out of business and we've got the proof to send to Miami to tell them to take it somewhere else.”

“How many people would get hurt?”

“IF we time it right, we'll have no one but them hurt. We can do a pass and scan Monday morning and

pull anyone out that isn't gone. Most will be gone from the weekend and those who work will be gone to work. The kids will be at school, so that's the time to do it.”

Steve nodded and said, “You think strategically.”

“We've done things similar a time or a hundred.”

“In the low country here, I've not done but one drug arrest in the last sixteen years.”

“I can tell. Word's gotten out the Sheriff here isn't going to do anything. Now you've got all the guys coming in here and parking.”

Steve's feelings looked hurt. “I didn't know.”

“No, and it's not your fault. Think of it as a game of cops and robbers. Their job is to not get caught. Your job is to find them. If you don't know they're in the game, then how can you even begin to know where they are. If they keep it after you know, then you're as dirty as them.

Fortunately, it was found. Unfortunately, the report my guy gave me said you're really naïve to the goings on of the crime around here.”

“I've never faced this.”

“No, and the problem is the usual people who would call it to report it are the neighbors. Since all of those are profitting from the enterprise and willing to die to keep it a secret, you've not been alerted. Where you're big problem is, is that judge. The moment you would have attempted to get a warrant, he would have alerted them and by the time you got there, all you would have gotten is an empty house of where one of the drug labs were and not all of them. They would have came back in and opened up the other two and then took the house they're housing all their guys in and used it for the lab that got busted. You would have thought you got them and they'd be back in business in a week. With our plan, they all blow and you then have a platform to begin doing sweeps. The time delay we'll give them will have things back up to running where they decide to set up shop.”

“What happens if the next one is next to a grade school?”

“Not happening because where they choose is quiet neighborhoods. Rhette could have easily set up a house in his neighborhood and none would have been wiser. With a school or any populated area, the fumes coming off it would garner complaints.”

“Oh, well, let's do it Monday. I'll do what I can to pull some deputies from neighboring counties to go in and get people out. The guys I have who are dirty won't be alerting anyone.”

“Is there anyone in your department you know you can trust completely?”

“JT, that's it. Everyone else seems to be suspect.”

“When this happens, what you'll need to do is act totally surprised and call everyone in. I mean everyone...national guard, state, and all the local police forces you can get. I want that entire neighborhood canvassed and I want all the media in here to report it. We'll lay low. After all, we're construction crews. But by then, we'll have our judge in our hip pocket.”

“Is there anything in the journals you can use to get the prosecutor?”

“As we speak, I've got five people reading them. They're taking notes and they're using place markers to show me significant passages. What they'll also be doing is putting them on disks so we can have them in safe locations.”

I butted in and asked, “Have you got computer guys into the judge's computer and everyone else's?”

“Those guys are at work. Everything they do will be shown to me this afternoon. If they're still finding things, that will be in the report they make to me.” He paused and said, “I need my guys into your car and your car too, Steve.”

“What are you going to do to my car?” Steve said panicked.

“We're going to put homing devices. I'd like to give you a homing transmitter yourself so if you're taken, we'll know where you are with that chopper.”

“I'm up for it. Mom, you up for it?”

“What would they do?”

“They use a needle. What they do is deaden the area and then they put it in. You'll wear a Band-aid and then after an afternoon, you'll be fine.”

“Ok, does Rhette have one?”

“Rhette's got several. He broadcasts loud and clear wherever he is in the world.”

“OK, can you give Steve those?”

“If he wants them, yes.”

“Good. I think he'll be in the most danger if they're together.”

JT came over with another plate. Rose smiled at him and said, “Save room for lunch hon.”

“Oh, I am. The cook's really nice.”

Steve smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Dave stood up and said, “Let's go out and get those perimeter lines drawn.”

I stood up and Steve said, “Go ahead darling. You know where you want them.”

“Ok, you sure?”

“Yeah, I trust you know best.”

“Thanks love.”

When I walked away, I knew eyes were on me. Dave walked behind me about ten feet and when we got to the front yard, he said, “You've got about eight admirers.”

“Good. Any of them mine?”

“Two.”

“Ok, you need to have everyone out when I get in that chopper.”

I led him over to the stable where the four wheelers were located.

“You sure you want to do that?”

“They don't know me. They know you, but now it's time to show them I'm not a little kid.”

“Ok. I thought about that, but I wasn't sure if you'd want to do it.”

“Think of how your dad would do things. Steve wasn't catching on because he's not been in anything like this before. After I explained, he understood.”

“He really wants the chopper, huh?”

“He loved it.”

“Rose did too. She and I talked this morning.”

“Did it go good?”

“Far better than I hoped.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she's going to talk to the boys now. That's why I'm glad it's just us.”

“Good. Do you have the yard paint?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, what I need you to do is ride this four wheeler out and go along that tree line out there by the beach. When you see me hold up my arm, that's where I want you to draw the line. Then, what we're going to do is we're going to measure from the fence line up here out to there and then we're going to double that length and that will be the back edge. We'll then put about five hundred feet out there for trees and on the other side of that will be where the land starts for the port.”

“He want it?”

“Yes, but he wants to go out there to be sure. After he sees it and hears it, he'll be on.”

“Rhette, she wants a quiet life. It seems you guys want a full life. Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Yeah. I'm sure. The only reservation is raising kids in the circus, but no child's life is ideal. We'll give them all we can and hopefully, you and she can balance things out. Are you up for that?”

“Completely. You don't know how completely.”

“Thinking about buying a ring 'completely', or you're surprised how fast you're settling down 'completely'.”

“Both. That's what's scaring me. For her, she's thought about things and she's decided she served her time with James and if anyone wants to judge her, then she feels they're not supportive of her, nor were they.”

“True. She tell you much about everything?”

“Not yet, but I feel there's quite a story to be told.”

“You'll wonder what kind of man he could have been. You'll be amazed at her strength.”

“I already know it's there. Do you remember a actress by the name of Barbara Stanwick?”

“No. What was she in?”

“Most recently? Oh man. I think she was on Knotts Landing in the 80's. I know she was in a western in the sixties.”

“My God, that was ten years before I was born.”

“She was a white headed sexy strong lady. She reminded me so much of my mama. Well, what's uncanny is I look at Rose and see her. I think that's what I love most about her. Her gentle strength isn't a sex kitten and it's not a bull dyke strong, but I think if she were put up against them, she'd come out on top.”

“Yeah, I really wish you were here yesterday when you saw her with that shotgun. I mean that woman stepped up to the plate and not once did she flinch. Afterwards, she complained about soreness, but that was a woman that lost her husband earlier in the day and then had her quiet times. What I've not seen is too many tears shed for him. I think they were all cried out twenty years ago.”

“You definitely sound like you don't like the husband.”

“Don't make me talk about him. I'll tell you this. I've been around a few of the characters in prison who have the same sort of personality and they're all sorts that get off on other people's pain. The one thing about it was he never hit her. He did everything else, but not that....or at least she's not said he has.”

“Rhette, the tone of your voice scares me. You hit that low tone when you're pissed and hating something. This tone you've got going on is pure seething anger.”

“Yeah. I think if I'd gotten to know the man, he would have feared me because I would have pulled all the stops out to play him to show him for what he was worth.”

“It wouldn't have changed things.”

“No, but he would have known it was a new day dawning and his darkness would have not lasted.”

“Maybe it's best for the timing.”

“Well, if you'd told me twenty years ago, you were going to be my father in law, I would have corrected you and told you I would be your step father. Isn't it funny how time changes things.”

He chuckled and said, “Not really. Sometimes it's sad.”

“True. One thing I think about with Gino is I think I could have really developed the love I knew I was capable of with him.”

“I think so too. I think Kevin was practice for this one. Steve looks at you and he really really loves you. What I like about him is he doesn't play like he knows everything. He knows this is our forte' because we've done it and he's content in letting us do it.”

“Let's make it our goal of not letting him down. We absolutely have to do this Monday without any casualties.”

“There are going to be casualties. I'll tell you that now. What there won't be are civilian casualties.

I want to send a message out via CNN to Miami not to come back. They're going to know it's us and they were told we'd be here and to pull back. They chose to play me for a fool and I'll deal with that when the time comes.”

“No. Let me.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, are you sure?”

“Dave, I've got his permission. He knows the stakes and I want them to know they dealt with you and you weren't to be played. Anything in the future needs to look like a boss ordered it because his most trusted wasn't respected.”

“You're damned right. Man you sound like my dad.”

“Yes and that's because he would be calling a strike down there at the same time the strike happens here just to bring it home to them.”

“Do you want to do that?”

“I want to send this message and then confront them in front of the families. I want the families to know little Gino is back and he's not going to take bullshit.

It's not that often we have those meetings, but after this place gets it's facelift, I want the first one to be here. We're not in here taking over Charleston and Charleston is going to be in there on my left hand. I want San Diego in there on my right. The thing I want is the place card for St. Louis to be across the table because I want him and Chicago side by side when I'm staring people down. Miami will have to wonder if he's on trial or if my point is showing those guys I'm meaning business.”

“Why?”

“Because our next drive into cleaning someplace out is going to be my home town. Both of those are in neck deep there and if they think I'm going to flinch, I want them to know we'll go to war before I back down.”

“Rhette, do you want that?”

“What do you have in the arsenal?”

“Enough.”

“Then I do. You need to know that strength is sometimes showing you're still strong. It's not meant to sit back and let others think you've gone soft.

Our family needs to know that and the rest of them need to know that. Miami should have learned that, but apparently they view us as gone flabby. They'll learn through my taking it seriously and showing up. It's going to really hit home to the rest of them how much I took it seriously to come out of hiding.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry I let you down.”

“Fuck that. You did what you had to do. Fortunately, I remember the old days and know what your daddy taught me.

One thing you saw him do was routinely work those muscles and flex them. We thought he was barbaric, but now I know he was doing it for a reason. We should have learned long before now.”

“You're right.”

“Fortunately, I've had you and what those guys don't have is two of them who learned standing there side by side. Most of them took out their partners because of bullshit and petty jealousies. We stand and the reason we're so strong is you've given me time to recoup and go out and learn lessons. What I want you to know is when we get done with this show of strength, I'm going to duck back in.”

“Me too.”

“Is Alex still around?”

“How the fuck do you remember him?”

“The man lusted for me as much as your dad did. He never said a thing, but the eyes I looked at that night were his. He gave a slight nod and that's when I brought down that axe.”

“I'll pull him off your guys.”

“Like hell you will. Where's he at?”

“Right now?”

“Yeah”

“He's over there.”

I turned around and there he stood. He smiled and I made a motion for him to come over.

“Alex!”

He came closer smiling. “Rhette, you're looking well.”

I kissed him on both cheeks and then hugged him warmly.

“Thank you. It's a pleasure to see you.”

He looked at Dave and I said, “If he tells you to get off my protection. You tell him you'll die first. I'll stand behind you. The one person I first thought of I'd like to have on my crew was you and your name just came up.”

“Ok, but I'm not supposed to be close.”

“Well don't fucking be a stranger. To me, you're a part of the old days. All the others don't remember, but sometimes we need history books to remind us. You spread that history. Ok?”

“I always do.”

“When you get a chance, meet Steve. You'll like him.”

“I doubt if I will, but I'm sure I'll like him as long as he treats you well.”

“He will. Well, we're going to go out there and do some work. If you go out there, be mindful of rattlesnakes. The fuckers are thick.”

“Ok, but don't be getting yourself into any jams, ok?”

“I try not.”

Dave started the four wheeler and said, “I'll be out there.”

“Ok, I'll hold up my arm.”

We walked together across the gravel.

“You look different.”

“I've had a lot of plastic surgery. I got the fuck beat out of me by a bunch of guys. What you see is a total make over.”

“Why haven't you sought security?”

“I wanted to go it alone and not owe anyone anything. Now I'm having to come out of the dark. For me to do that, we're going to be making some waves, or as Gino would say, “speaking a little louder to be heard.”

“I'm surprised you weren't at his funeral.”

“I was in prison.”

“What happened?”

“I never asked for help is what happened.”

“Well, you learned from a head strong man how to be head strong.”

“Yeah, but sometimes we need to show our weaknesses to be stronger.”

“You didn't learn that from Gino.”

“No, I learned that from prison....from a man you'll meet next week who is my ex. He'll be here getting together with Steve's brother. That man, Alex, I want double protection on.”

“Why, you don't trust him?”

“No. I love him that much. Just because we're split doesn't mean I don't love him. The way I see it is I growing to love Steve and when we're together, we'll have fourteen people in that group protecting us. For he and JT, they'll have eight. I want at least twelve.”

“You need to bring it up to Dave.”

“Well, I will, but I also want you to know things. I want you to be trusted and in a spot of learning to be able to step in.”

“Why?”

“Because you were there. You showed loyalty to me. You gave me strength at a time I needed it and I know you'll do it when this family needs you. The deal I'll make is I'll pull you up, but when my kids get older, you're to put a squad on them that will all die fighting for them.”

“You've got kids?”

“No, but we will have. When those happen, I'm sure we'll have a little Gino for certain. But if we don't, then the day will come I'll tell you to pull someone up. My advice is to do it like Dave and I are and do it tag team. Dave's not real happy now because he's just learned he's business, but I'm strength. When we go to meeting, I'll be calling in and asking for a hit against Miami and giving St. Louis and Chicago notice if they get in my way, I'll strike against them.”

“We've been peaceful.”

“For too long. Now they think we're weak. You think about that. We told Miami to get the fuck out of this area and they stayed. To them, they think we're not going to do anything. I'll tell you now that's about to cease.”

“Surprising, but I think it's warranted.”

“Yes, because if we don't, we're no more powerful than Charleston who just gave us this place. I'll tell you now, when I go in seeking permission, those motherfuckers are going to be scared because they know our budget can pull in a lot of ordinance and when we're done, we could own the entire Midwest. I'll tell you now, that's not happening. If it were a smaller territory, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but not with Memphis able to come up and gain ahold of St. Louis, I won't.”

“What if you put people in those cities?”

“Man, you're good. I'll think about it. You willing to go there if asked?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, we'll give it consideration.”

“Rhette, be careful because you could end up being over all the families and that makes you king target.”

“I know that. What I need to do is get to know those people better. Gino entertained them. To me, it was like inviting a thug to the opera. Someone didn't fit and it was them.”

He laughed and said, “Your job is to tell them to buy a tux to play on your turf.”

“Well, my main job is getting Steve into the Governor's mansion. When that's accomplished, then I'll concern myself with getting myself thrown back into prison, but what we're going to need is a plan. St. Louis isn't strong at all and they spend their time riding Chicago's coat tails. We need to show Chicago they're a liability instead of strengthening them.”

“That's easy. They've got long memories. It was a Michaels who brought them their disgrace the last time.”

“Don't remind me. Gino didn't trust me completely because of that.”

“Your family?”

“Not that I know, but I doubt it. My bloodline is Italian.”

“I know that. You can tell and I think that's why you healed so nicely.”

Dave got to the point where I wanted him to be and he rode about thirty feet further before he stopped and looked back. He saw my arm was raised. He came riding back and Alex said, “Rhette, I'm going to slink back into the shadows. He's going to be irked enough we're speaking.”

“He got told last night that's how I want things. Tonight, we need to get all you guys together who are protecting me so I can lay out what I expect and won't accept.”

“They already know you're gay.”

“Any have a problem with it?”

“One sneered, but when he found out he'd get his head cracked over it, he got into line. I think two of them are.”

“Are you?”

“Depends on who's asking.”

“Ok, that's all I needed to hear. As head of my group, get that one off mine and get someone in to replace him.”

“Dave personally picked him.”

“I'll snag the son of a bitch out myself and get it done then.”

“I didn't mean to piss you off.”

“You didn't. If I'm supposed to hold weight here, then I guess I'll have to use it, won't I?”

“You pissed at me?”

“No. I'm pissed at circumstances. It's not you.”

Dave came riding up and Alex walked off.

“You're making a mistake there.”

“My mistake is letting you pick them. I've got one that sneered when he found out I was gay.”

“He'll do his job.”

“He'll do it for someone else. When it comes time to die for me, I don't want him to take the time to think about it and check out.”

“I'll get him pulled.”

“No. I'll get it done. I'm going to have a meeting with them tonight.”

“Why?”

“In case you forgot, I'm gay. In case you forgot, I dress in drag sometimes. I'll probably have to use the disguise sometimes and I sure as shit want them to know what I look like so they don't think Steve's screwing around with a woman.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, they keep mum and they think they're getting something off. Then that will lead to more and more until we're holding trial and my head's getting split open because they won. Not happening.”

He flinched and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry.”

“Dave. Listen to me. I'm not condemning you. You've done a superb job. You've gotten us so far ahead I'm like the cheerleader on the lines I'm so happy with what you've done.

You're now about to throw it in my lap and go take a break. The only thing I know with running it is the way your dad taught me. Right now, we need it.

What we're going to be doing when we go to meeting and ask permission of putting me in as head is we're going to scare a lot of people. They know what we have to spend and they know we can go to war and fight for a long time. They don't want that and their disadvantage is they don't know what I want. Because of that, they'll be more scared. Now, I'm thinking and I want to ask you a few questions.”

“Ok”

“What's St. Louis looking like?”

“Not good. They're so busy beating each other up they're punch drunk.”

“Ok, what's their situation with Chicago?”

“Chicago treats them like their slut cousin that's got the clap. The don't want to fuck with them.”

“Do you think they'd throw a bitch fit if we went in and took them?”

“I think they'd have raised eyebrows because what we just did here is we took Charleston territory and we're about to strike Miami. They'll be wondering what we're up to, but I think if I got you a meeting with them, we could arrange something.”

“Tell them I want the territory of Missouri and Iowa up to the I-80 line. We get the Southern part of Iowa and they stay out of Missouri totally. There's not enough people in Iowa to really give a fuck about so it's not a territory up there which we'll strictly enforce. What I will enforce is anything that moves in Missouri.”

“Are you forgetting Omaha?”

“Yeah, but unless they died, I know who's over Omaha and they'll let me have what I want. What they're concerned about it Omaha and Lincoln and that's it.”

“What are you planning?”

“What I'm planning is doing some jockeying of personnel. Alex over there is faithful. I know he'll pledge allegiance to me completely, so I'm thinking St. Louis could use him to head it. I need another that's old that remembers Gino who will work under me.”

“You got me dumb ass.”

“And you're the business man. You handle business. Your brain is so more into that than I could ever be. I'm wanting enforcers and the next person I want needs to be a bit of a hot head because he's going to have to face down Oklahoma City and be able to run with us if need be to protect St. Louis from Memphis.”

“Where you wanting this person?”

“Springfield. Namely, I want someone who has gay tendencies out the ass to go to Springfield.”

“Why?”

“Because the person we put there isn't the person who will end up running it. The person who will end up running it isn't even in the family yet, but I know he's loyal to me to a fault.”

“Kevin?”

“No, it's a guy from prison. His name is Tiny Ray. The man took being stabbed nine times to keep me going home healthy. He's got some health problems, but I want to bring him in and have him run Springfield. Tiny's gay and I figure if we throw the one guy in with Tiny, we'll have a couple who will pull that whole area together down there.”

“I'm seeing where you're going...protect the flanks, but make sure they're loyal enough to come running in to save us if we have problems.”

“No, I want them to be getting stronger because when I get back home, we're going to need a literal multi contingent army to take town after town at once. One of the areas we've got to look at is some really tiny towns called Maywood, Emerson, and Plevna. That's where all the meth is brewed for the entire US. It's flat and on hilltops the roads are straight and cane be seen for miles. What they have there is a tall tower they've put some really good video scopes on and those are used to monitor what they've got coming at them. The lawlessness there is to the point if a Sheriff's deputy drives into town, he's met with rifle after rifle aimed at him. He does a patrol and he gets the fuck out of there. It's to the point it's no man's land because the Sheriff won't do anything to enforce it.”

“What are we going to do?”

“We'll probably have to do what we're going to do on Monday with some civilian casualties.”

“That's not good.”

“What's not good is having a town with a hundred houses in it and about sixty of them all brewing the stuff. As I said, it's on a hill, the breeze blows it away. The anhydrous is so thick up there you'd think a hog farm was close by.”

“We'll do an aerial scan.”

“You're going to have to go real high and it's going to have to be a damn site faster than a helicopter.”

“They'd shoot it?”

“Yeah, the Governor's chopper got shot at. They got the fuck out of there and they sent the highway patrol in. They didn't make it three miles out of town before someone shot the motor in that cruiser and disabled it. Rather than continue, they listened to the Sheriff and made like they were thankful the Governor wasn't killed.”

“That's ridiculous.”

“Yeah, but I think the Sheriff is pretty smart. I think he's playing everyone and telling them all he'll stay out of the area if they keep the payments coming. Rather than being faithful and loyal to one, he's playing them all.”

“That could get him killed.”

“No, they're not asking him for protection. They're asking him to stay gone. I think there's a good number of the families who all have a tentacle to the area. I do know you've got the reputation for being up there already.”

“How do you know?”

“Guilt by association. It's easy to throw Kansas City's name out there when they're throwing Chicago and St. Louis' names.”

“So there are three towns. What's the set up you just told me.”

“All three. It's rolling hill country. You've got about thirty miles between them, but those tows are the tops of the three. If you squint your eyes, you can see each.”

“Man.”

“Here's the thing with Plevna. It's God's country and I don't mean it's that beautiful. It's so damned quiet up there you can hear the grass grow.

What I mean is it's world headquarters to Sharp who had Heartland. He's the guy who for punishment will send a kid out to stand neck deep in cow shit and call it religious indoctrination and cry First Ammendment and get it off.”

“What!”

“Yeah, the state pulled all the kids out of that school because they got a report of it happening and sent someone in to investigate. They found twelve kids out there in that cow shit pond. They pulled the kids out and he brought the lawyers in calling it his right as a religious nut.”

“What'd they do?”

“They let him get the kids back if he didn't put them in it, but now, he makes them sit in chairs around it.”

“Gross.”

“Well, my point is the man runs two counties. He owns the land and he has the most people in his little colony of nitwits. He tells them how to vote and like zombies, they go in and do it. What the Sheriff doesn't do is arrest anyone because Sharp tells them to see their errors and repent. All-the-while, his inaction is inadvertantly supporting all the organized crime because no one gets arrested for stealing his anhydrous.”

“Sounds cozy.”

“Yeah, but we can either go in and protect the anhydrous and shoot at anyone that goes near it, or we can blow the thing and get rid of everyone.”

“And you want to get rid of everyone.” he said shaking his head sadly.

“I'm sorry, but if I caught crabs tomorrow, I'm not going to just wish them away. I'm going to want them all gone.”

He snickered and said, “The thought of you with crabs is funny.”

“It's not funny. I've had them before as a present of the county jail.”

He chuckled and said, “They're nearly as big as you!”

“No, what we did was we made a paste of water and comet and put them on. It's also good for lice.”

“I'll remember that. Did Rose show you her crabs?” he said laughing.

“Yes, and those are the nice ones.”

“Well, you ready to go flying?”

“Yeah, would you tell my dumb ass brother in law the cook isn't being nice to him?”

“No. I think it's funny. He'll learn.”

“That's what I'm worried about. We'll have everyone down tomorrow with the trots and we'll be invaded.”

“No. I wouldn't let it go that far. We do need to make it a point so the guys will learn lessons.”

“Ok, I won't say anything, but if Steve does, don't be pissed. I'm trying to get those two closer.”

“Ok.”

He pulled out his cell phone and said, “You might move the Rolls.”

“Ok, I'll be back.”

I went over and got in the car. I pulled it over near the cook shack and parked it. The cook looked out back and said, “Nice car.”

“Yeah, and don't be getting too much grease all over it.”

“Wouldn't think of it. We're having grilled polish dogs and onions for lunch.”

“More grease and then more grease for supper. I think I'll have left over Kentucky Fried.”

“That's tomorrow.”

“No. you give them something baked tomorrow. We've got a strike on Monday and I can't have them worrying about going too far from the shitter.”

He laughed and said, “OK, How about Ham Potato Casserole.”

“If you use cheese that's real and not that shit out of a sack.”

“I used the shit out of a sack.”

“Then hitch your shit up and pull it on out. If I can't eat the fucking food, get the fuck on down the God damned road.”

He looked hurt. “I'll put cheese in it for you.”

“Please. While you're here, concentrate on healthy. I'll work with you on it, but I'm supposed to be here to be a part of the group. It's going to look funnier than hell when I'm not eating your food. They'll catch on and you'll find your shit getting thrown out because all my guys who are supposed to be protecting this place are in town getting something to eat.”

“Rhette, Dave ok'd the menu.”

“Listen to me. I know Dave ok'd it. Believe it or not, he sometimes doesn't know what the hell is good for these guys.

For all I know, you two might be wanting all of them down, but if we're attacked, the last thing I want is someone who's got to go take a dump instead of manning his post. Give them salads for chrissakes to loosen them up. It's got their vitamins and fiber.”

“Ok, I'll talk with you about the menu. Today's menu is stuck because I've got all of it thawed out.”

“Fine. Tomorrow, lunch is a sandwich on hoagie roll and a salad with some chips. It's easy. It's nutritious and not a whole helluva lot for you to do. Buy a lot of different cuts of meats and make po'boys if you feel adventurous, but don't get these guys so loose I can't use them.”

He came over and said, “Rhette, that wasn't my intention. What I can see is you care about them and I'll change the menu. Now, what about pies or cakes?”

“If you make cake, make white with white icing and chocolate with white icing. That's the most popular. If you make pie, you can make cherry without precooking the crust, but if you make apple, then I want those crusts precooked. Put dried beans in them and do it that way. A soggy crust on an apple pie grosses me out.”

“Anything else.”

“Yeah, if you want a time saving measure, buy your pie crust and get some long disposable aluminum pans and get some of that canned pie filling either apple, cherry, or blue berry and make cobblers. They go over way better than pies and it's a whole lot easier on you.”

“It sounds like you've cooked for a lot of people.”

“When I was in prison. I worked in the bakery, but had a black market system going where we traded back and forth and everyone got plenty to eat.”

“How'd you ice those cakes.”

“We made up the icing in a twentyfive gallon mixer and then used disposable gloves with rubber bands around the wrists. They thought they were doing us favors by giving us spatulas, but reaching in and icing a cake with our hands was faster. For the decorative swirl, we had a guy who used the spatula after everyone else iced them. We didn't ice the cakes on the same day though. We'd bake cakes one afternoon and ice them the next morning.”

“Ok, I was worried.”

“If you buy canned icing, take it out of the container and put it in a mixer. If you beat it on high, it will make nearly twice as much icing as you'd normally get.”

“Anything else you can tell me”

“Yeah, those fish pieces that look like Long John Silvers go over really good. You can bake them and it's hardly any work for you. For cleanup, put wax papter on the bottom of your sheet pans and you'll not have near the problems of stuck on food. You can also do that to hamburger patties for heat up and then grill them on the grill. No one can tell the difference.”

“I'll try that.”

“When you make any pasta, let me come in and show you how it's done for a lot of people. If you don't, you'll have a revolt on our hands and it won't be pretty. These guys are all Italian and they'll expect it a certain way.”

“I know how to cook pasta.”

“Ok, explain it to me so we see if we're on the same page.”

“I put out four pots. I add oil and salt. They get to boiling and I add my past into the first two. About five minutes in, I put the pasta into the second two. When the first two gets cooked. I pull it off and drain it into my colanders and then hit it with cold water. It goes into a long roaster and into the oven.”

“Re oil it and it'll stay unstuck.”

“Ok, I never thought of that. How much?”

“Not much maybe a quarter of a cup for a whole roaster. I'll let you do the pasta then. No one can make sauce like my Me-maw, so you'll never get it right.”

“Look up here.”

I went over and took a look. “Me-maw's recipe!”

“Yeah, Gino gave it to me.”

“He let you cook like this?”

“No. If he had his way, we'd had every meal being pasta.”

“Well, he'd have a good salad for lunch with a lite salad with the pasta for dinner. Where he would kill us is with the garlic toast. That man loved his garlic.”

“As they get older, most Italian men begin to up the garlic. I think it's something to do with the taste buds.”

“I think what I'll do is measure what I put on now and that way when I put it on later, I'll know it's me and not the garlic.”

He smiled and nodded. I heard the chopper land.

“Well, I've got to go flying.”

I ran over and got into the pilot's seat. “You sure you want to do this alone?”

“Yeah, if I don't, they'll think you're flying.”

“You're not taking it hot dogging, are you?”

“Yeah.”

“She's a little heavy on the left rudder.”

“Why?”

“It's a trait to this model.

“Ok, I'll fly it, but be shopping for two more and find one that's perfect to fly and get them outfitted. Something like that could kill you.”

“I've been saying that for the last three years.”

“OK, get it done and I'll talk to Dave.”

“Thanks” he said smiling. He shut the door and I checked my straps. All were tight.

I lifted of straight up about fifty feet and then did a check of controls. The left rudder was like stepping on concrete.

I landed and he came over to the door.

“What's wrong?”

“Tell Dave you're to have a new chopper tonight. Tell him if all of ours are this model, tell him I don't care what he does, but I want all of them replaced within a week but yours gets replaced today. This is bullshit. It's like stepping on concrete. There'd be no way I would have bought this thing.”

He nodded and I saw him walking towards Dave. I could see him speak to Dave and saw Dave shake his head no. I got on the bull horn and said, “Dave, come take a ride with me. If I crash this motherfucker, we'll die together.”

Dave came over and got in. “You can't get it Rhette.”

“Yes I can. If you're lying to me about the money, then I'll buy them myself. I know I got money.”

“I've got the money. It's the choppers you can't get.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“They have to be outfitted.”

“And you mean to tell me this man has been bitching about his chopper for three years and you can't get another outfitted. Do you know what that told that man? It told him he meant nothing to you. Now I'm telling him he means something to me and I'm getting told to piss on him. That's not happening. Who's our electronics man? Go check to see if he can do a change over. If the camera mounts need welded then get a welder to do it. IF there's no welder, then get Randy in to do it. He'll keep our confidence. I want this man to know he's worth something to us, but for me to fly this thing will probably kill me, but we're going to do it.”

I took it up and said, “Was that left rudder over there this hard?”

“Both are bad.”

“Jesus, Dave!”

“Rhette, I never really paid attention until today?”

“Do you know what the next question I'd be asking you if I were your dad?”

“Yeah, What the fuck else am I not paying attention to?”

“So, do you care to answer that because I feel like I'm behind you putting out little fires. That man over there in that chow buggy was planning on keeping the guys on the shitter for Monday. I was beginning to wonder whose side he was working on and after I told him to pack it up and get it the fuck down the road, I found out you ok'd the menu.”

“When I ok'd the menu, we didn't have a strike planned.”

“Ok, that's fair, but in all fairness to the guys, two days of grease in a row will definitely knock out the guys who weren't hit by the first day of it. He's now going to switch the menu for tomorrow.”

“Rhette, I'm sorry.”

“Dave, I love you, but if I hear those words again, I'm going to be pissed. I know you're sorry. I also know you've needed me. I needed you too and we were both so fucking bullheaded we didn't join up sooner.

Now, what we've got to do is watch each other's backs and I promise I won't make you look like a dumb ass out there in front of the guys, but you take care of business and I'll take care of the men. Ok?”

“No. I need to learn how to do it.”

“Ok, but here's the deal. I'll teach you that side, but you've got to teach me the business side. We communicate on everything and if I disagree, I'll tell you then and give valid reasons. Ok?”

“Ok, let me call and get this man a chopper.”

“Where you getting it from?”

“I don't know.”

“What's his cell number? You might find he already has an ideal one picked which is better for our use than this one.”

“Ok”

He called the pilot and asked him. He got told there were three of them all in black over in Atlanta. He got told the number to the place was in his motel room. I told Dave to tell him to take him to his motel to get it.”

“Steve's a real decent guy.”

“I think so. What brought that on?”

“I need to get to know those guys better.”

“Ok, I see what it is. You've been away from your gal too long.”

He smiled. “No. I just think about her.”

“I think about him too. It's natural.”

“You guys make love last night?”

“Yeah, why?”

“The night before you didn't. I've noticed the clothes you wear a morning after you make love are really a testement to how you feel.”

“You think these are nice?”

“I wish I could wear clothes like you. I know those clothes are off the rack, but you make them look like they were made for you. What's interesting is I'm trying to figure out if the pants are made for a man or a woman. The style says it's a man, but the laces on your ass says it's for a woman.”

“They're for a woman.”

“Do you consciously go out and buy clothes for a woman, or a man?”

“Neither. When Steve and I went in to the store I got these pants, women's was on the left and mens was on the right. I walked down the aisle and saw these. Instantly, I thought of the outfits I could put together with them. Because of them being camel, I could dress them down with men's work boots, or a pair of women's high heeled boots in camel. I can wear this shirt, or I can wear a white blouse with that black vest and it would look nice.”

“So you look for things that work as a cross over.”

“Not really. What I look for if I buy from the women's side are things which would look good for me to wear and still look like a man, but be feminine.”

“I'm sure Rose would understand it, but for me, I've learned to trust my tailor.”

“True, but that can be a bit boring.”

“Yeah, but safe.”

“There you go, boring but safe...that's my Dave.”

“DO you think that?”

“No, that's why I make the joke. Where's those houses that we're going to target?”

“Over on Hilton Head.”

“Nice neighborhood.”

“Not really. Yeah, it's nice, but it's over priced. One good hurricane and it'd be a bunch of scrap.”

“That's the way it is in mine. My house is the one Steve thinks would be able to survive a nice hurricane.”

“Don't ever be certain.”

“That's why I'm getting a bunker ducked under this house.”

“I think we'll do that too. What you need to do is make the air shaft for it and the stairwell a part of the support for the chimney it's in. If you do it with concrete embedded with fibreglass reinforced with steel, you'll have a real nice safe space. What I'd do is probably make yours and the kid's emergency exits into the chimneys. They'll think it's fun, but they won't realize how safe it is for them.”

“Do you have an architect here?”

“No, but I've got a structural engineer which is better.”

“Ok, tell him I don't want the architectural style of the brickwork messed up with the chimneys. He can take the brick down, but he's got to have them copy it when they put it back up.”

“You won't regret it and it'll be safer.”

He called the pilot and told him to get the number. When he rang off, he said, “It's Saturday, they probably won't deliver it.”

“What's your finders feel for a pilot?”

“A hundred grand, why?”

“When you call that company, you tell them we'll pay the hundred grand to have them delivered today. Now, do you think for a few hours of their time, they'll take a tip of thirty three grand?”

“I imagine they will.”

“Well, it will show that pilot he means that much to us. You ought to give him at least that much for flying this fucker safely for that long. This is ridiculous.”

“I thought it was bad, but I didn't want to alarm Rose.”

“Crashing it would have alarmed her and probably put us off the face of the map with this project.”

“Gee boss, you sure made me feel important there. Am all I to you is a means to the end on this project?”

“Gee boss, I don't know. You calling me boss of all things. That's bullshit.

Please don't do that again. I'm not the boss. Between you and I, Dave, if anything to me, you're family. I may not have gotten his love the way I wanted it, but I still feel like we have a better bond than that. What I am saying is you're that important to this project. You know how to work these guys and you've got your loyalty.

Ok, we're over Hilton Head, where is it?”

“Let's see if you can find the signature trail.”

“Ok, but I'm taking it up above range so we don't get our asses shot off.”

“If anyone shoots, you send a flare down and it will illuminate him in bright red dye. He'll be stained for a good long time. Then, when we go in, I'll make sure he doesn't ever forget my face.”

“We're not taking prisoners on this.”

“I know, but just the same, I want our guys on the ground to capture them and put them in the last lab before it blows.”

“Can it be done so our guys aren't breathing those fumes?” I asked.

“Yes it can, but that means extra weight for them to carry. They'll not care for that too much.”

“Then lets see if we can get them at a shift change when they're all in their house or something.”

“I doubt if that will happen. They'll make shift change out on the grounds. Will they all retract to the lab if it's in danger?”

I said, “Yeah, if a distress call is put out. Find out their frequency and blow the main house. What they use for a distress call, we can use against them on the frequency to pull them in and then blow the whole works. I want it to be seen as those labs blew so if you need extra force to blow that neighborhood off the face of the map, you use it if needed because I want everyone who is a civilian going, “Oh my God! But, I've got to get a news crew who will make Steve seem like Rudy after 9-1-1.”

“Great minds think alike. I want him to seem so prepared he looks like McArthur going into battle. This is going to be seen everywhere, so I want the rest of the state to feel confidence in him. He can use that to show them he'll be a secure force whenever a disaster hits the state.”

“That's what I'm thinking too. If we play this right, anything we do in this county will seem justified. One thing we're going to have to do is overstep boundaries with the highway patrol on that interstate with stopping vehicles.”

Dave said, “No, you're allowed to stop on the interstate if it's within city limits. If there's anything big, you call in highway patrol. They take them to county and then, they're booked. The advantage of it is most highway patrol cars have the video. Does he have a drug dog?”

“I can't tell you what he has and doesn't.....Oh sweet Jesus! That whole area is hitting on the signatures. What's that under the street because even the street is hot.”

“I'm thinking what they did was they put a bunker under and built the whole area over the bunker. We can blow it, but as I said, it looks to me like we're going to have a serious crater here. What we'll have here is a serious influx of investigations into who the building inspector was and who the contractor was who built this entire subdivision. Someone had to know this was done and I bet all the money ties head over to the Miami family.”

“What we'll need is a bunker buster if you have that.”

“I doubt if it's that strongly built. A whole lot of concrete would have needed to do that.”

“Can you see if you can get someone to speak to the concrete people around here?”

“I doubt if we'll have time. It's take time to gain someone's confidence when we're trying to get people who've taken money to talk with us.”

“Ok, I understand that.”

We flew around taking a visual I wanted the best video record of the houses as we could have. The tapes were recording when I came around again. About the time I was flying past the third house of the four on that side. A man came out shooting a pistol at us. I circled around and went swooping down. When I hit my strafe, we had actual firepower.

“Wrong button, that's live.”

“You telling me!”

“The yellow button.”

I hit it and the whole deck and back of the house turned red. The man dove off the deck to the ground. About then, we started receiving more shots aimed at us.

“You need to get us out of here.”

“How many dye packs do we have?”

“Eight.”

“Ok, I'm going to strafe and dye.”

He chuckled and said, “It's not a fucking video game.”

“No, but we're not average people. If I can tell Miami I want the red sons a bitches, they better get me someone who is red. We'll hold the fucking trial and I don't care if we have to pull in Miami to put them on trial. This video will show we weren't live.”

I strafed four men to their outer left. A fence was the other direction. They dove down, but one went to the fence. We quickly saw it was electric as he stuck to it getting shocked to death.

I shot a dye pack. It instantly made a fifty foot circle of red.

“I'd hate to shoot that into a crowd, it'd get everyone.”

“After this, we'll need to be on high alert.”

“Yeah, I'm glad we'll have those other choppers. You need to get on the phone and call them. Do we have other choppers with this capability?”

“Yeah, I'll get them here.”

“Get me a jet I can take to the city. I'm going to take these videos to little John. I want him to know what we've got in case we need to go to war.”

“I'll get it digital and get it sent to him. You can call him as soon as we land. Get us back home so we can get our man back in the air.”

“I'll see if we can use some of little John's choppers until we get ours in, it will sure help.”

I flew full speed toward the house. Dave sent the digital images from the chopper to his computer. When we landed, the pilot came out. I got out and said, “You've got two hundred less on your strafe. We had some confrontation over the hot zone. We've used two dye packs.”

“Sounds like you had some fun.”

“We're calling little John. You'll have support, so don't immediately think all that's up there are unfriendlies.”

“Roger.”

“You'll have three new choppers by tonight. You'll see a bonus in your pay.”

He smiled and said, “It's not necessary.”

“I think it is.”

I turned and took off towards the house. Dave hit his key fob and guys came running from all directions. They hit formation and he stood at the gate waiting.

Steve came up and said, “What's going on?”

“We had took gunfire. I had to strafe one of the houses and dye pack it. We strafed some of the guards and one of them hit the electric fence and died. All the rest of them are dyed now.”

“What's a dye pack?”

“It's a shot from a tube that when it hits the ground, it dyes everyone in that area bright neon red. It doesn't wash off, so we can tell who it was when we see them next. Now you might be getting a phone call from the judge. When you do, tell him to get his family out of there because you've been informed another mafia family is going to war against his 'friends'.”

“Are you?”

“I'm going in and calling now to get permission. What we'll probably do is get permission to go if we need, but we've got to blow that over there no matter what.

What we're going to do Steve, is we've going to get a news crew in who are very friendly with CNN. You need to have your game face on and look like McArthur going into battle. This is a do or die for your political career because when this blows, you're going to be using it to get the entire state to thinking you're the man for them when a disaster happens.”

He smiled and said, “You're brilliant!”

“Yeah, but it's a combination of Dave and I's brains together. So give him some credit there. What I need you to do is pull your mom, JT, and Randy and his family into this house. Go call them in and I'll be on the phone myself.”

“You're serious about this, aren't you?”

“Damned serious. Stay away from the windows. We'll be using our air power and that boat as best as we can if we should take attacks, but until we get more choppers here, we're sitting ducks.”

“I'll go call everyone in.”

I went running to the chow buggy. “We're going to war. Get that thing pulled back far enough away from the house so if it blows, we're not on fire.”

“What!”

“I don't have time to explain it twice.”

I flipped out my cell phone and called little John. The phone rang and it was answered, “This better be damned good!”

“This is little Gino.”

“What!”

“Get little John on the line.”

“This is he. What do I owe the pleasure.”

“This isn't a social call. I wish it were, but I need some choppers down here to Beaufort, South Carolina to get me some air cover. If you have a boat in the area, I'll need it.”

“What's going on!?”

“We're setting up here with Charleston's permission.”

“They told me that.”

“Miami was told to get out. They didn't. They've got a whole neighborhood over there with bunkers and labs out the ass. We were over taking vid shots to take them to meeting when we got fired on. I returned fire and made no kill at the house. I did dye the man who started firing. Then we received fire from four guards. We strafed. Again with no hits, but a man did dive into an electric fence and is toast.”

“You've got video proof.”

“It's downloading now. We'll get it sent to you.”

“Tell your men to go live and I'll have four choppers come down from D.C.. I'll be down myself to get you and we'll go on into Miami.”

“I'll be ready.”

“Damned glad you're back on. I was wondering why you guys were getting lax.”

“We were trying to do things peacefully, but now the gloves are off.”

“Be prepared to talk, but get me that video. They're going to lie and tell me it's not them and I'll use it to tell them it is. You do realize we'll be going to trial.”

“I'll be ready.”

“Wear a raincoat. I remember how you took a bloodbath last time.”

“Nah, I want my guys to see what I'll do for them.”

He chuckled and said, “Mine know. You've let it go too long.”

“I realize that. I didn't want to, but thank God I remember.”

“You're in already, so don't worry about not being accepted. Let's get this done and I'll do what I can so we can keep it as peaceful as possible.”

“How live can I take it?”

“Do what you need to. As soon as I get that video, you can go on the assault if you want.”

“I'll be doing that. I appreciate it.”

“Get me some of the dead. I want to be able to identify and be assured we're after the right people. If we aren't, we'll find out who they belong to and go there. The advantage is once you apologize to Miami, they'll be on.”

“I”m going to let you know now, I'm going into Miami under cover. I don't want them to know what I look like if I'm to be a target.”

“Ok, but it's not necessary.”

“Just be prepared.”

“Ok, I have a feeling I know what I'll have.”

“Good. Let me know when to be at the airport. I'll be in the Rolls Convertible.”

“A new one?!”

“Yeah”

“How do you like it?”

“I love it. I've ordered one special which will be like the old ones...red with a black top.”

“Oh man, what'd that cost you?”

“Since I'm using a color scheme of theirs, it wasn't as high as it would be if I'd used a different one. The paint is of their vintage collection.”

“Oh man, I bet that's going to be awesome.”

“When I get it, I'll give you a yell and we can ride up from West Palm Beach together.”

“Why'd you get it there?”

“They were the only ones who would speak to me.”

“Tell your man down there you'll pay him his commission on it, but we'll take delivery here. You'll get it in about a month.”

“Good, I'll do that. Also, I need to ask you a favor.”

“What's that?”

“Do you have electronics men who can get me three choppers equipped real fast?”

“I'll send them down with everything you'll need. Tell Dave to send me what they ask and I'll get them paid as my favor for welcoming you back.”

“No problem. I really appreciate it.”

“I'm sorry you're having the problem. You guys have done amazing things out there. Everyone's been looking at your guys wondering if being peaceful was where it was at.”

“I'm sorry it didn't work. We'll get it back just as soon as we can. What I will tell you is when we blow that thing, it's going to take this thing public.”

“I'm getting feeds in now. It's heat signature is off the charts.”

“It's totally under the street. If you see the street, that's why it's glowing.”

“I'm seeing the outdoor temperature and what it's giving off. Holy FUCK! Are those numbers correct for air samples?”

“Yeah, they're killing everyone with it.”

“Blow it and we'll ask questions later. I'll replace your ordinance and men. This is insane!”

“We thought so.”

“I'll have my men on their way. If you can hold off, I'll send in all I can so we can take whatever we can of their men. We'll leave a few token men there dead so they'll not swarm you, but I'm really surprised this hasn't went to the feds already.”

“That house right around the corner from the compound is a judge. He's being paid to keep them clear. We're pulling him and his family now because we'll need him.”

“Pull him, but I doubt if he'll be any good for you. Is there anyone else you can get in there?”

“I'm not sure. We're just on the scene ourselves. We just pulled our guys in last night.”

“Man, you really stepped into it here. I'll get off here so I can get you people. Be expecting us to have about two hundred men. I see your GPS coordinates. Is that a good place to put bunkhouses for my men?”

“Yeah, this is going to be my new home base.”

“Ok, we'll try getting you set up. I see it's not real secure.”

“No, not yet, but that's what we were trying to do.”

“It'll be secure before we leave. Bye now.”

I rung off. Steve came walking over and said, “Hon, how bad is it?”

“The good news is little John just got the video and air sample feeds. He's sending us two hundred and all we'll need.”

“Who's little John?”

“I'll explain it this way. He's the head of North America. There's only one above him for the world. He's next for the throne, so he's the guy to call when shit's hitting the fan.”

“Ok, so he's backing you.”

“He's amazed the feds haven't been in here yet.”

“We have the judge and his family coming out here. They heard the strafing and saw you fly off.”

“They probably got the alarm they were being strafed to him. When his family gets here, don't expect him to be treated kind.”

“I'm not. I know he's involved and you guys will have to do what you need to do.”

“I need to tell you we've got four choppers coming in from D.C. He didn't mention boats, but expect a floatilla out there before long. I'll bet he's calling everything up here now because he's seen what we're facing.

What I also need to tell you is I'll be flying to Miami with him. I'll go in down there in drag, so I'll have to go get my hair dyed.”

“Why?”

“Honey, never underestimate an opponent. If he thinks he can put a photo of you out there to his guys and order a hit, he'll do it. The advantage I'll have is I can change my looks to go for a variety of them.”

“Would you do me a favor?”

“What's that babe?”

“Can I show you a video and ask you to take that look?”

“Sure. If I can do it?”

We went into his office and he pulled up a video of Pink. The video of her was hot.

“I'll try, but I think the black dye would be too close to my natural color for this time. That make up treatment is spray painted on which is going to be a bitch to do.

I'll go in down there blonde and like that video of me on the bull. I want the guys down there to think they've got a woman boss which will seem totally foreign to them.”

He chuckled and said, “Do me a favor. When you speak to the man directly, hit your pissed off tone of voice..that deep one and make him totally shit himself.”

I laughed and said, “It's a deal. Be safe, but know we'll get this straightened out. The plus side of it is we'll now have two hundred more men and this place is going to high security. He's going to do the work as a favor of me having to come back out into the open.”

“So he thinks this mess is why you're coming back out?”

“Yeah.”

“I saw the video of your flying on the screen of Dave's computer. That was some pretty fancy flying.”

“Nah, that's what I do with a chopper that's totally fucked up. By the way, you're not getting that one. We're unloading it because something's very wrong with it. The rudders on them aren't anywhere like they should. The new ones coming will fly right. I'll take you out and teach you to fly using one of them.”

“Who taught you how to fly?”

“A pilot of ours. Gino hadn't ever had a chopper before and when he learned what the police could do with them, he got one for Kansas City. When it arrived, I went up with them and then started asking to go learn. The man was kind enough to take the time to teach me out over the cornfields of Kansas. He was out of the Vietnam war and really was amazed at the lightness of the new choppers. He's the one that taught me everything I'll show you and the guys with the new one. I wouldn't dare do it with this one because it's not safe.”

“It's that bad!”

“Yeah. It's bad enough I'll be giving that man a bonus for keeping it out of the sticks. I'm amazed he never had any accidents with it.”

“Will I be legal to fly with it?”

“I'm not able to teach, but you'll be able to pass your flights with me.”

“You licensed?”

“Yeah, I've got all of my licenses. I can fly everything from ultralights to the big ones.”

“Ok” he said smiling. He stepped forward and enveloped me into his arms. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I know this wasn't in our agreement when we got together, but you've handled it amazingly.”

“I know it's not your fault. Things happen and I know that's what the bitch of it is. We're able to land and recover running, so we'll do it.”

“Ok, but Thanks just the same.”

I stepped back and said, “I need your mom to go shopping with me.”

“You going to be safe?”

“Yeah, we'll be fine. I'll have our guys with us.”

“She's in the breezeway.”

“Ok, I'll see you later.”

I went out and down the steps to the breezeway. When I got there, Dave was by Rose. I went over to them.

Dave smiled at me and said, “I'm taking it everything's fine?”

“He's sending two hundred men. He's sending us all we need. Within an hour, I'd say we'll have four choppers in from D.C. He didn't mention boats, but I think he'll be there with that too.

He would like for us to wait until his men get here so they can be in on the blow, but he definitely thinks it needs to be done sooner than later.

1He's going to take me to Miami and we'll go to meeting with them. In order to do that, I've got to take Rose shopping and get my hair dyed. I'll be going down undercover, so they won't know who they have in case I'm a target to them later.”

“Ok”

I turned to Rose and said, “Will you go shopping with me?”

“Sure hon. What do we need to get you?”

“An outfit that says business but sexier than hell. I'll need it in a size 3.”

“Let's go upstairs. I think I have something you can use.”

“Ok, but I need my hair dyed and a whole lot of makeup.”

“We'll go in and have that done.”

We went upstairs, and into her room. “These are from when I first got married. The fashion is different, but I've got some Chanel which should serve you well. She went through her clothes and as she flipped them back, I saw a skirt suit which was gray with white accents.

“Can I try this one?”

“Sure. I'll get you panty hose over here.”

She went over and pulled me out some. Without modesty, I shucked my clothes behind her. She turned around and giggle. “My goodness you're a tiny thing.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

She laughed and said, “I mean your body size. I can definitely see you're all man.”

“Sorry for being so immodest, but I lost that in prison and when I'm in a drag show backstage, there's absolutely none there amongst the girls.”

“What you going to do with your ummmm....”

“Watch.”

I tucked and pulled. Then, I pulled the panty hose on.”

“My word. Is THAT comfortable?”

“Yeah, I got used to it. I'll need a girdle if you've got one.”

“Why, you don't have anything to keep in!”

“No, it's to make sure if I have a slip out that it's not leaving a bulge. If it can't move it shouldn't happen. I'll have to really be running for it to happen.”

“Ok, here, but it's white.”

“That's fine. With this gray, it should be wonderful.”

“Do you want a bra?”

“No. There's nothing there. The rest of the outfit will have them seeing what they want and they'll be blown away by that. IF they're judging me that closely, then they've been around too may queens and probably won't want to admit it.”

She pulled out some pumps and said, “I think these will be too little.”

I slipped them on. They fit, but they were painfully tight.

“These will do until I can get to town. At least I won't be having a whole lot of stops. Are you ready to go?”

“Sure, here use this hat that goes with it and pull down the veil a little to the left.”

I did and she said, “Are you aware, you can make clothes look ravishing on you?”

“Yeah, it's my size. Steve's jealous.”

“I imagine! I'm jealous and I'm about your size!”

We went out into the hallway. The shoes being tight had me walking a bit too much on my tiptoes, but as we went down the steps, my guys came running. They asked Rose, “Where's Rhette?!”

“I'm here. What do you need?”

The guy kind of staggered. “Ummmm ummmm”

“Yeah, it's totally different. That's what I need so them fucks down in Miami don't know it's me.”

“Boss, you're hot!”

I laughed. “Thanks. I'll be hotter when I get this hair dyed blonde. So be prepared when I get back for it to go blonde.”

“Where are you going?”

“Little John is coming down. We'll have a whole army of the guys in from him. You guys can stay here because I think I'll be safe with him.”

Alex came running at a dead run. “Where's he at!”

The guy smirked and pointed. “Umm uhh, hi Rhette, they said you'd disappeared.”

“You'll go with me to Miami. The rest of them can stay here. Where I'm going is into town now. You ride with us.”

“Ok, what are we doing?”

“We're going to get my hair dyed and me a pair of pumps that fit. While I'm there, what I want you to do is get to a quality jewelry store and get me a pair of diamond clip ons which will be big enough to garner attention.”

I turned to Rose and said, “Are you ready?”

“Yes dear.”

We went down the steps and I paused. “Hold on a second. Alex, you get in between us and help us down the damned steps. I'm on my tip toes here and if I go flying down them, I'd like to know someone will help.”

He chuckled and said, “Why don't you take them off?”

“I would, but then that'd cause a run in the hose and the affect of me being classy would take it to trashy, so give a girl a hand.”

“Rose, I'll be happy to help you since he ordered me to.” he said chuckling.

She giggled and said, “Rhette, Alex. I'm in tennis shoes. I doubt if I go flying.”

He laughed and said, “He is a knockout.”

“I think so too. He finds if offensive, but hey, if you've got it, flaunt it!”

We went out to the Rolls and he got in first sitting directly behind me. I got in and said, “Fuck, I'll need a purse.”

“We'll get it into town.” said Alex. “I'm not sure what jewelry I'll get you so we'll need the clasp to match whether it's gold or silver.”

“Get platinum if they have it. Don't go with silver because it tarnishes too easy.”

Rose nodded and as we went down the drive, we had to stop at two check points. The guys were on high alert and had previously hidden weapons out in the open.

When we got to Beaufort, Rose said, “Here's the beauty shop. She'll be able to get you in directly. Give him your keys. He'll find the jeweler's up the street about four block on his left and then he'll find a women's wear store down on the right.”

“Size 9 ½ in men's.”

Rose giggled and said, “11 ½, Alex. Those shoes he's got on are 2 ½ sizes too small. No wonder he looks like he's in pain!”

We went in and once in the beauty shop, I took off the hat. The woman looked across as us and said, “I'll be right with you!”

We sat down and I asked. “Did Dave get the choppers ordered?”

“Yes dear. He was complaining because of the extra cost, but I know what you mean about it being a Saturday.”

“Normally, we wouldn't be in a hurry, but little John's bringing his best. It'd be unforgivable if we weren't prepared.”

“He should understand.”

“Yes, but still, even in a panic, I want to show my best. When we get back, I'll stay in this, but my clothes from earlier are going to go with me on the plane.”

“Why is it exactly you're going?”

“What they've done is way over the top. Even little John was blown away. Normal everyday people were affected and the feds were really dumb not to notice. If they had, it would have put them and the whole organization on front page.

After big John got in trouble, a meeting occurred where everyone agreed to keep low profiles. For them to do it went against that agreement. It's enough on itself to go to war, but with that over there, it's two strikes against them. He's coming in to help blow it, he thinks it's so bad.

When we're in the plane, I'll tell him what we're doing in regards to Steve and he'll sign off on it. When that happens, I want you to know not only will Steve get the most publicity this state will have gotten for a Governor's race, but I'll tell you it's going to be a lock on him getting in.”

“Are you sure?'

“Rose, he carries clout in circles you and I would only dream of knowing. He can get a man into the White House, so I'm sure he can get Steve where he needs to be.”

“Why's he doing this? Favors?”

“I'll give you a little idea of the way things were. Back when Gino and I were close, he was in transformation from going to street thug to businessman. What he was able to do is take the charisma he had and channel it to make both the old timers and the new ones all like him.

One of the blessings he received was from big John after the big deal got made. Big John saw Gino pulling himself up and he took Kansas City under his wing like we're taking Charleston. What that means is when he goes to the table, it's most likely going to benefit Kansas City if not his own guys. Where it got us was in the limelight with a man named Sam.

Sam was a man who was powerful in more ways than I could imagine. If there ever was a ruler of the world, it was him. The man could snap his fingers and have a war stopped or a war started with all the major players agreeing to his terms.

When Sam smiled towards Kansas City, our power level went up about three notches. It put us above all the little cities and on a level where we were even with the biggest. That afforded us the ability to go into San Diego like we did and them agreeing to it. Unbeknownst to a lot of people, not all the people out there doing things bad are our people. Most of the time, it's a lesser known trying to get attention. That's why when they come down on them in the media, it's done in a way to really be publicized. Yet, when it's something like that one flight which was blown up, nothing ever gets found real clear as to what happened.”

“They blew up an airplane!”

“Hon, There were four guys on it who were going to go over to start a war in Italy. Them dumb fucks came over and gave faulty information to get approval for the war. It was given and they were on their way back.

What you had in Italy at the time was a whole lot of little people making a lot of trouble. They were blowing everyone up. It was thought at the time this would stop the war by having a clear victor. That's when information came in the guys had deliberately lied. That's why when I don't know it's someone, I'll say I don't know.

The men were going to London and from there, they were going to start ordering hits to kick off the war. The only way they could see fit to do it was to take the plane out because if it was done at the airport, it'd been terrible.”

“So they took out innocents.”

“Yes, but it was the best decision.”

“That's incredible.”

“Yeah, but it's also what got that war stopped. After that, an order was given to get the shit settled and to stop any more of the foolishness. When that happened, I'll tell you now, those folks knew if they didn't, they'd have a whole army of trained men coming in and when they faced them, they'd all die.”

“And that's what you went and got for here.”

“Yeah. But it's the only way to do it. This is huge. For little John to be blown away, it's huge. For me to see the whole area lit up on a scope like that just shook me. You don't know it, but when that thing goes, it will probably have everyone thinking a terrorist tried taking out someone.”

“Oh my!”

“Yeah. So what we've got to do is we've got to have it happen and take the heat for it, but at the same time, put Steve to the forefront like Guilliani after 9/11. If we can pull that off, it will be the platform we will use to get the State behind him and the national press to smiling at him.”

“You're really interesting with how this is happening.”

“I wish I could say I thought it all up. Hell, when I meet that man down there in Miami, I'm going to try not thanking him for giving me the biggest tool I could use to get Steve into office. Instead, I've got to slap that fucker in the face and tell him I'm pissed off.”

“What will happen at the meeting.”

“Nothing from our standpoint. From his standpoint, he's in a world of shit. He's got little John pissed and he's gotten me pissed. Me, I'm a little guy. Little John, well, it's like pissing off the President. He's one you definitely don't want upset.

So, we'll go to meeting and what we'll ask is payments for us to get rid of the labs. Those will be made to both of us. Then, little John is going to take something from the guy which is part of his power structure. After that, I'll be given something from his power structure like a big factory or possibly his port if I can swing it. If I do, my God we're in like Flynn.”

“What's that mean?”

“Think about it. You've got one of the top ports in the world in one hand and you're facing getting another. You're planning on building the third and what you'll see is us going from rich to mega rich as far as funds. It's like the United States going into a meeting and for not going to war, them being given all of the oil reserves in the Mideast.”

“Oh my!”

“Yeah. Here's the good thing there. We've got San Diego which is about as far South as you can go out West. It's power is amazing. We've demonstrated we could run it, so we're a genius whiz kid to the power structure because it's not our city.

Little John hasn't got that ability. I'm not banging my own drum there because it's Dave and La Don that got that pulled together, but I'll tell you now, what little John is powerful at is a close tight city which overflows into other areas. He's great at managing people, but his power is there and not really meant to be divided.

For him to come down here is a real reach for him. He's doing it because he knows our abilities of getting out of where we are and creating power where we're not supposed to be is incredible. Yeah, we traded with Charleston to get it, but not really because they didn't have anything here.”

“What'd you trade with them to get it.”

“I'm not sure. Dave probably moved a lot of money into their banks or something. Either that, he's giving them interest in a casino yet to be built. He'll hold control of it, but as our little brother, they can go out there and have bragging rights.”

“What happens if they go out there and get big headed?”

“Then we record the infractions and we go to meeting. If it's bad enough by someone high enough, we go to trial.

Most things go to arbitrary meetings rather than trial or war. When things are like they are here with Miami, we start talking war, and we gear up for it, but they definitely don't want that with us or little John because number 1, we've got the money to go in and buy enough things to blow that city off the map. Number 2, we'll have cause. Number 3, when they try to go to meeting after this, they'll be going in like the pooch that pissed on the carpet. They'd be beaten down and thrown out the door and told to come back when we're assured they've got someone who will pay attention and not do this again.”

“So what happens there?”

“A civil war breaks out. What will happen is in that civil war, you've got a leader without support that clearly knows he's not got support of the structure, and you've got a leader that will do anything he can to gain everything.”

“That's it?”

“No, when they're kicked out of a meeting, a deadline is agreed upon of when that leader will be killed so the war doesn't drag on and on. I'll tell you now, we let it happen for a reason. Without the war, you'll have a new leader come in who doesn't know who to trust. With war, you'll have a leader who knows who's for him, and who's against him. It's a lot tidier to let it happen that way.”

“I'm understanding now.”

“It's complex, but that's what we faced with Kansas City before I met Gino. Gino got it through a whole lot of fighting and building of his power structure. When we had to take it to trial, I was there and that's why we had the attempted coup. They were of the old structure and they wanted to break off and then rebuild their strength.”

“That was dumb.”

“Yeah, and it was lethal. Gino trusted one of them enough to name David after the guy. They were like brothers. What's interesting is when I was there, it was like I stepped into a void left by that man. People weren't used to the void being there, and everyone was looking at each other wondering who would be pulled up. When that happens everyone distrusts everyone else because a lot of animosity starts flaring. In one full swoop at that trial, I stepped up and stepped in and took a sledgehammer out of Gino's hands. If I hadn't have used it, Lord, I'd been so dead. BUT, when I used it, everyone was taken back by the ferociousness I swung it because it hit so hard it came back up off that table and went back down again.”

“Oh man.” she said sounding sick.

“Yeah, it's a situation that was so bad, the guy's finger broke off and sort of squirted out onto the floor in front of me. I picked up up and handed it back to him.”

She looked ill.

“I never thought about it happening, so I didn't get phased by it. When I didn't show emotion afterwards, I think everyone was blown away.”

“My God.”

“Yeah, but I'll tell you what. You've got more strength in you than a lot of the men in that organization.”

“I don't think so.”

“Hon, with what you lived through, I'll tell you now, that's strength.”

“I had no choice.”

“I didn't either. Strength is from within. If you step up and live through something, afterwards it's called strength because it's made you stronger. Since I've known you, you've shown it to me time and time again.”

She smiled and said, “Well thank you.”

“No worries. I'm proud to know you.”

She hugged me and the beautician said, “You're next.”

“Rhette, I'll be over across the street with a friend at the deli. I just saw her go in there.”

“Ok, make sure Alex knows where you are.”

I went over and sat down.

“I need a blonde dye job and I'll need a make over with manicure.”

“You're not a woman, are you?”

“No, does it matter?”

“You had me fooled until you walked over. You have no adam's apple.”

“It's there, but this is a lot of plastic surgery.”

“Why?”

“I got beat up for speaking my mind.”

“Well, don't go to any of the law here, because you won't get any help.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I've got a nephew here who's gay and he had problems with some of these hoodlums. He called the law and when the law came, he got beat up again.”

“Who was it?”

“Why, do you know them?”

“My boyfriend's the Sheriff. I know it wasn't him.”

“No, it's some of his deputies.”

“Can he give me names, or you?”

“I'll get them for you, but I'm not sure it will do you any good.”

“Hon, listen to me. Things are about to take a change around here. Yesterday, I had a deputy pull a pistol on me and he got socked in the mouth, by me. Then he was made to take it up with my boyfriend, he got an ass chewing you wouldn't believe.

I've heard some of them are bad, but we're not sure which are and aren't. If you can get me names, I'd really appreciate it. I promise if you call my cell phone, your name or your nephew's will never get brought up, but I will promise you'll see them go to jail.”

She looked at me skepticly. “I'll give you a call, but if anything ever happens to him, so help me.”

“Hon, listen, do you think with the scars on my face, would do anything to jeopardize someone else? The men who ordered this were law enforcement. He paid them to do it. They just got arrested earlier this week.

Because I didn't feel secure, I have taken to hiding because I didn't feel secure there. Now, I'm here and one thing I'll never do is put anyone in that position.

What I will tell you is Steve's aware he's got bad ones. He's also aware there are corrupt officials. You're about to see some of those go down. I can't tell you names because I don't know you. For all I know, you might be one of them's wife.”

“I'm no one.”

“You are to someone, so please don't ever knock yourself down. I think you're someone, so that's what matters.”

She smiled and said, “I'll get you names. I'll get the date it happened because he's still paying medical bills.”

“If you don't mind asking him, I'd like to meet with him and I'd like to get you to ask around and see if you can tell me who's corrupt. I'm sure you could come up with a lot more than me. Around here, I'm the nobody, but someday, I'll be a somebody and when that happens, those that made it a sport of kicking little people are going to find out what I think of it.”

“What can you do?”

“Honestly? Let a it be said a little bird told you he's running for Governor when this term is over. Yes, he's gay, but he's also someone who has a heart and hasn't taken any money that wasn't in his paycheck....well, he takes money from me, but that's different.”

She giggled. “All men do that hon.”

“Yeah, but this one will admit it. With what the little bird told you, I'll also tell you those people are going to be brought down, but it might take a while. There's a lot of cleaning up to do around here and there are a lot of things which we've got to do to make it so people get jobs in this state again and I mean good paying jobs...not jobs at McDonald's.”

“That sure could help. When people were making money, you would have had to wait two weeks to get your hair done. Now, there are days, I sit here waiting for people to come.”

“That's going to change. You might doubt me, but what I'd like to do is talk to your nephew and have him come out to the house so he can see some things and trust me. I know that's going to be a feat he'll really have to trust me on, but I want him to know he's got friends and those friends are in positions of authority.”

“I doubt if he will. You might be protected, but he's not.”

“That's where you'd be wrong. I can't tell you....well, fuck it, I'll tell you. The man who's driving my car right now, who will be in here is one of my body guards. In my troop of them, there are ten. He's the only one in town with me, but believe me when I tell you they're real. When he comes out, he'll see a whole lot of security. What I'll do is I'll get him protected. I'll put a man who's gay friendly with him and he'll be able to know he's got that protection.”

“He lives by himself. That's why I worry.”

“Does he have a boyfriend?”

“In this little town?! No!”

“Well, let me keep that in mind. Maybe we can get him someone.”

She smiled and said, “He's cute. He's nothing like you, but he's cute.”

“Well, it's what's in his heart that counts.”

“It's there. It's a lot less now since what happened, but it's hard when you see a police car and wonder if they're coming back to do it again.”

“I sure know that.”

“Is he out in the open with it?”

“Yes, he couldn't hide it if he tried.”

“Well, then he needs friends who can help. Let me make a call and I'll get that person here. Ok?”

“No. Let me talk to him and see if he wants help. I'm sure he will, but it has to be his decision. If he does and you can get something done, I'll do all I can to help you. A lot of people in this town know things and they speak their minds when they come in here.”

“I understand. I have a girl friend who's a beautician. She could tell me things which would curl my hair!” I said giggling. “But, the one thing she couldn't do was get me any information on my beating. When my memory came back, it took a lot of friends in high places to get that arrest. You probably heard of it. It was in Missouri.”

“No. I hadn't heard of it.”

“Well, ask around because the arrests made CNN. It was last week. I'm sure if he pays attention to the news, he'll have heard it. It's something people like us listen to because it's one of us that finally got something done. I want him to know his day is coming and when it does, he'll be a hero around here.”

“I doubt that.”

“Hon, don't doubt it. The good old boys might have given their licks, but they're about to know it will be taken care of in the court.”

“Not here. The judge is crooked.”

“I'm aware of that. Believe me, I know.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. What I'm also aware of is he's on a lot of people's payrolls. That's about to change. What we're not sure of is whether he'll stay in office after he's brought to light. If he does, it will be so we can clean up a lot of the drugs in this area.”

“That's another thing which will be hard to do. They're all over the place.”

“Is your nephew involved?”

“Oh no! He's a good boy. It's been hard, but a lot of good intentioned people haven't been so lucky.”

“Well, let me tell you that's going to change too. That's why I'd like to take him out to the farm and show him what we've got planned.”

“You sound serious.”

“Hon, when he comes back and tells you. I'll tell you now, you'll be the only person he'll be allowed to tell because this is so secret. What you don't know is there are a whole lot of people who are going to make changes and they're here now.”

“Really!”

“Yeah. That's why I'm wanting to learn information.”

“I know things. I'll call him and get him down here.”

“No. Tell him tomorrow. The reason I'm here now is I've got to fly out of town. This hair color and this make up is a part of it so the people don't know who I am. I'll wear it for a few weeks and then when I come back in, we'll have to do another look so I can feel safe, so I'll need another appointment.”

“Well, this hair color is going to take a few minutes. You're out at the Jackson place?”

“Yeah, but I'll need his name for him to get in because there is security out there like you wouldn't believe.”

“His name is Andrew. Andrew Webber.”

“Ok, let me call and get his name on the list of people who are trusted. Now, you be sure to let him know he'll be frisked and his vehicle will be checked, so he needs to have anything that could be viewed as a weapon out of it.”

“He doesn't have that.”

“I'm willing to bet he does. I know I did and I also know in my house was a ball bat beside the door and knives hidden all over the place because of that lack of security. It's a part of dealing with it and it's a part of feeling safe again.”

“I'll ask him. If he does, it's worse than what I thought.”

“Do me a favor. Go over to his house and tell him you talked to me. Tell him you know he's got things hid and ask him what he'd do in each room of his place for what he'd do if he felt threatened and I bet you'd be amazed. One thing I will do is I'll have his security man be patient and teach him how to defend himself with martial arts. I'll tell you now I don't know it, but I'll also tell you that's why I've got a team of body guards there to protect me.”

The door opened and Alex walked in with a few bags.

“Ah, there you are!”

He smiled and came over. “I had them put into bags so no one would see me carrying them down the street.”

“Alex, I'd like you to meet my beautician lady.”

“June”

“June, this is Alex who's my body guard.”

Alex gave me a look that scalded. “Don't be upset. I told her because we've got to get her nephew some protection. Who do you know in our troops who is gay friendly or gay, and knows martial arts that's single?”

“Besides me, I'd say you might talk to Bill.”

“Anyone else?”

“Yeah, several that know martial arts and several who are really good that teach us, but I'm not sure who is gay and willing to let you know they are.”

“Ok, would you call Bill and get him to come down?”

“Ok, anything else?”

“Yeah, tell them an Andrew Webber will be welcomed onto the property as my guest. Also, tell Dave, Andrew knows a lot about the bad deputies so we can use having a lawyer there to get his statements so we can prosecute on his behalf.”

“I'll get on it.”

He went over to the seats and sat.

She whispered, “He's cute.”

“Yeah, and he's my most trusted of men.”

“Let me get Andrew down here to meet him. Would you?”

“Sure, but tell him not to make it too obvious.”

“Ok, I'll be back in a moment.”

She went to the back and Alex came over. “Toots, I can hear what you're up to and it's not going to work. You're my main focus. Anyone and anything won't be allowed into my focus while you're under my care.”

I smiled at him and said, “If I can get you someone, you better crack open that heart.”

“You might wait on Bill. He's one that will like having someone.”

“Then you tell him to high tail it here on the double and I don't care how many red lights he has to run.”

He laughed and said, “You're something else. Tell your lady I know you're in good hands and I'll be back, but not before Bill gets here.”

“Ok, but you keep Bill on the phone and you tell him he's going to be a part of this on this guy's behalf. You tell him to find out where he lives and to figure out a way of keeping him covered at all times. If it takes four, then you do it. This guy was beaten up by deputies and that's why I want him protected.”

“Oh hell. Does Steve know?”

“I don't think so. They don't trust the police which I don't blame them one bit.”

“Ok, I'll get him here. You know, you're looking damned hot.”

“Thanks. I'll be better when she gets me blonde and with that makeup on.”

“You should have brought a photo of you in drag.”

“No, what I'll do is I'll style it when it comes out and then have her help me get it whipped into shape.”

“You going for the same look?”

“No. This one here will be Kylie Minogue. That's what I had before and I liked it.”

“Oh jeez.”

“Yeah, but two weeks from now, I'll be Pink, so we're going to have to get a man in who does body painting so I've got the tats.”

He smiled. “Steve's a lucky man.”

“He better hope he knows it.”

He chuckled and then walked out the door.

She came back in and said, “He left!”

“Yeah, he doesn't feel right. He wants any love connection to be with Andrew's security man. He said it will ruin his focus for protecting me and wants this Bill to be focused only on Andrew.

From what I hear, this Bill is hot by Alex's standards.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Are all the guys you have out there hot?”

“I couldn't tell you. I've got Steve and for me to look at another man would be stupid on my part. I'll not allow myself that to happen because it would cause my relationship problems.”

“Smart man....person.” she giggled.

“Let me get you over here and get you rinsed.”

We went over and I got rinsed. When she was through, I asked, “Do you have a really good conditioner we can put in so I can style it?”

“You don't want me to style it?”

“Well, what I'll do is start it, but I'll need you to give me the final look. What I'll do is style it and then you can see and then we'll wet it so you can do your magic.”

“Ok, a bit unconventional, but I'll do it.”

She put a conditioner in and then gave my head a good massage. The magic of her fingers had me relaxed. When she rinsed it, she gave me a brisk toweling and then I stood up and took her blow dryer and styled my hair. I was about done when a guy about twenty four or twenty five came into the shop. He looked at me in the mirror and went right over to June.

She came over and stood behind me and said, “Hon, you're gorgeous!”

“Thanks, what we'll need to do with the make up is do a shadow under my eyes on top of a light foundation with some gray with a dusting of blue. Give me some blue eyeliner and then hit it with a dark gray. Then fill in my brows and we should be home free.”

“Ok, let's get you re-wet, but before I do, I'd like for you to meet Andrew.”

I turned to him and held out my hand. “Hi, I'm Rhette. I've heard a lot about you.”

He looked uncertain and I knew instantly he thought I was the person she wanted him to meet and he wasn't attracted.

I chuckled and said, “I'm not the one. He'll be in here in a few moments. Your aunt has told me what happened to you and what I'd like to ask is you accept this man that's coming as your personal body guard.”

He really looked distressed.

June came over. “Rhette here was beaten up like you. He recently found his attackers and they got arrested. He thought you might have heard about it on CNN.”

“Where was it at?”

“Missouri”

“Really? Was the guy who did it a police chief?”

“Yeah, he's the one that ordered the hit, but there were four. What they did was they gave me this face. If you take a real good look, you'll see a lot of scars and plastic surgery. I'll be happy to show you my photos of before, during and after, but what I'd like for you to do is to know I'll help you, but it's going to take you trusting me in order to do that.”

“They're deputies.”

“I'm aware of that. What I need to tell you is my boyfriend is the Sheriff. You're going to think he's on their side, but he's not. He knows he's got bad ones and he needs evidence of someone who will testify so he can arrest them.”

“I'll tell you.” Tears came to his eyes and he said, “It was awful. I went out here to Wendy's and ordered food. I decided to eat in, but I normally didn't.

I was eating there by myself when a bunch of guys came in. One of them I knew from school and he started calling me all sorts of names. Finally, I had enough, threw away my food, and was leaving when they came out and beat me up.

I went to the Sheriff's department and told the deputy. He said he wanted to take me back to the restaurant so I could show him where it happened. We drove there in his patrol car and when we got there, he got their names.

He sat in the car and called them on his cell phone. When they got there, I was scared, but I thought I had him there so they wouldn't do anything. What he did next was he asked them to show him how they beat me up and I think they were scared too.

They did it and he kept telling them, 'No, that's not how you hit him. Show me how you REALLY hit him.' That's when the got the idea and beat me up. I was down on the ground and that's when he came over and began beating me up. He threw me in the back seat and then drove me to the hospital. The whole time he drove, he was telling me he'd get them to kick my ass again if I told.”

“Ok, I've got a few questions I need you to answer, Ok?”

“Yeah.”

“What was the date this happened.”

“March 10^th. I've got the hospital bills.”

“Ok, who was the deputy.”

“His name is Dan.”

“Ok, don't tell me any more. What I'm going to do here is I'm going to get the evidence to convict this fucker. You've told me enough to get started. What I'll need you to do is get me a sample of your blood when I ask for it.”

“Why?”

“The reason is this. You were put in that police car. He might have cleaned the back, but if he got blood on him, it'll be on the door handle and the steering wheel of his car and anywhere else he touched.

He made a phone call or calls to get them there. That will be on his cell phone's records for that date. We'll contact Wendy's and see if anyone there saw it happen either one of the times. Then, we'll have Steve call those guys in and press charges on them for beating you up once. They'll be worried, but what he'll do is he'll tell them he'll reduce the charges on them for that time if they'll agree to testify against the man.

When they give statements, Steve will turn around and regretfully press charges on them for the other time they beat you up which won't have reduced charges. Because there are two seperate incidents, any judge in the world will give them concurrent sentences which will make them have double the time in prison. Do you understand?”

“Oh man, I like that.”

“Yeah, now what I need you to do is I want you to agree to give the statements and testify when it comes time to go to court. Now, I'm going to tell you some information so you will trust me. WE're putting together a sting operation to take down the deputies and the corrupt politicians. Dan is one of them who is taking pay offs. What you've done is you just got him jail time. What we're doing is we're making it so none of these guys gets slapped on the wrist and gets back out. Instead, they'll go to jail.

Now, right now, you might doubt what I say, but I'm busy today. I will get Bill here so you can meet him and get him assigned to protect you. It doesn't cost you anything, but you agreeing to testify when the time comes. Ok?”

“Sure. Is he cute?”

“My security man says so. He also says he knows martial arts and is gay. I've probably met him, but when you come out to the house tomorrow, you'll see we've got a whole lot of men there.”

“Where at?”

“Do you know where the Jackson plantation is?”

“Yes. It's a drive up there. I doubt if I have the gas money.”

“What I'll do is I'll put an extra twenty on my bill and have your aunt give it to you so you can have it. All I have with me is my debit card. Well, wait a moment. Did you drive down here?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, take my debit card to the gas station and fill your car and come back. When you use it, put the pin number in as 6498. That means, 'always do a six for a nine and get ate.'”

He chuckled and said, “Ok, I'll be back.”

He went out and as she did my hair, she said, “Kid, I don't know you, but that's the happiest he's been in a long time.”

“Good. When he sees what we have tomorrow, he'll know what I'm saying is true. I wish I could do it today....well wait, If he'll agree to go out there today, he can meet Steve and get to see everything. I won't be there, but Dave and Rose will be. He'll be treated with the utmost respect and care.”

“You'll have to ask him. I think he's going off his trust with you.”

“Yes, but he'll need to trust Bill too.”

Just then, a guy came into the shop at a fast walk. He was about five seven with dishwater blonde hair and mustache.

He came over to June and asked, “I'm here to see Rhette Michaels.”

“It's me.”

His eyes bulged and then he smirked. “I didn't recognize you.”

“Thanks. Let's hope them fucks down in Miami won't after this.”

“They shouldn't. Last night, I saw you as a man and I didn't recognize you, so if they meet you like this and expect to see you as a man, they won't know you.”

“Well, in two weeks, this will change again, so expect Jet black hair which will be spiked short like Pink in that one video.”

He smiled and said, “You're going to look blazing!”

“Yeah, now what I need you to do is I've got a personal protection job. He's out now so I can give you a bit. He got beat up by deputies so don't trust any of them around him except Steve. When he gets back, I'm going to try to get him to go on out to the house to give Steve a statement. It'll be up to him. If he doesn't want to, I can understand as he trusts me and I won't be there. If he does, then what I want to ask him if it's ok for you to move in with him. Is that fine with you?”

“Sure”

“Ok, now he's gay, but if that's not fine with you, then tell me now to my face because if I find out you've harrassed him because of it, I'll have your ass.”

“No...no....no...I'm fine with it.”

“I was told you were, but I'm also going to tell you now, what happens between you and he is your business. Your job is to see he stays alive to get to testify against them. Your job is to report anything his statements don't include he can remember. I'll tell you now, he's been traumatized and he'll remember things. It'll be your job not to push him to remember, but to get those statements added to the statement. Ok?”

“Sure.”

“I'm going to ask you a question and I want honesty. Ok?”

“Sure.”

“When this breaks apart, are you going back or are you staying on here?”

“I haven't been told.”

“You'll be asked. I'd like to know your intentions if that comes about.”

“I'll most likely stay if that's ok?”

“It's fine with me. I'll see you're put on that list. The reason I'm asking is if you weren't, I would tell you now not to make any commitments which would leave ill feelings towards us here after you leave. My other request is you be responsible and you pull your share of things around his apartment if I can get you in there. If not, I'll get you a place close by so you can be there on the double. I'll pay for the part of you staying, but you'll make trash and you'll cohabitate, so I expect you to be the best guest he'll ever have. If you can do that, it'll be something that won't be neglected in the future when it comes to being repaid.”

He smiled and said, “I understand. Dave said you were fair and I know you're not asking anything that would be viewed as something I'd not ask of someone else.”

“That's what I expect. I'd do it if it were me. I did it for Gino and I do it there at the house. I don't know if you were staying in my house or the plantation.”

“I was at your house.”

“Ok, then you know how I expected you to live. If you can give him that, then please do. If he needs things for you to live pleasantly, you get word to me and we'll do it so he's not embarrassed. I'm not expecting you to stay on a floor.”

He nodded

June said from behind me. “He's got a two bedroom. One bedroom is an office. It's only got a desk in it and I think he'd be happy to move it to his room.”

“I'll pay the bills while he's there June. Don't let him know, but that's the arrangement we have when we inconvenience someone by our presence. You don't know me, but I've got enough money to easily do that.”

“Somehow, I sense that. I know it takes money to have security staff and you've shown me two. From the way it sounds, you've got a lot of them out there.”

Bill smiled and I said, “Yeah, you could say there are a few.”

The smile on Bill's face broadened and she said, “His smile says I'm drastically wrong.”

“You could say that.”

“Well, when he gets back, I'm sure he's going to be happy with Bill. He's even better than the last one. I don't know where you get them, but it's sure more man than I've seen in a long time.”

“Ma'am, out there you'll find it's like a stud ranch there's so many good ones. We're finding it so welcoming here, we're all happy to stay. If you're single, I could make a suggestion to one of the guys to make your acquaintance.”

“Oh dear me. I'm too old to even entertain the thought.”

“What are you? Forty?”

“You sure can give a girl a pitter patter. I'm fifty eight!” she said with a smile.

“Well, if you're single, I'll find you someone.”

“We'll have to see.” she said.

He smiled and I said, “If you have someone in mind, tell him when he's free to stop by and have her cut his hair and get one of those scalp massages she does when she washes hair. If that doesn't get him won over, then nothing will.”

He laughed and said, “Almost win you over?”

“Not! But, what I will do is I'll have to get one of those tubs so Steve and I can wash each other's hair. If he can relax me like she did, he can definitely have his way with me!”

They both laughed and I said, “When he gets in here, you stand there as nice looking as you are and I'll make the introduction. Then, you casually stroll away so I can ask him if you're fine to him. <wink.><wink> I'll notice by his eyes immediately, but I'll have to have his word.

If he finds it acceptable, then we'll get you moved in and we'll get you over there. What you need to do today is get a bedroom outfit. Tell Dave to get a requisition for it and then have him go to a furniture store and pick it out. It'll be his afterwards, so let him make the choice.”

He nodded and said, “Can I ask a question?”

“Sure”

“It's personal.”

“Hon, this lady knows a lot of things already. Go ahead and speak.”

“Well, it's in regards to living arrangements.”

“Ok”

“You're not going to make this easy.”

“She knows about her nephew and we know about you already...if that's what it is. Don't be upset with Alex, but I asked him to send me someone who was cuter than him who was gay and single. Now, is this what your question entails?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, fire away.”

“If I should happen to strike up ummm....more than a friendship with him, is that going to be viewed by you as something not to do?”

“That's entirely up to you and he. If he's fine with it, then by all means do it. Make sure you're honest with him because in our organization, he'll need to know you could be called away. One thing he needs to know is he's treated the same as any other significant other.”

He nodded and said, “Thanks. I was worried.”

“How could I ask of you what I expect others to accept. Now, let me know if within the ranks you're finding anyone treat you badly because I'll be down on them like you wouldn't believe.”

“Well, we do have some, but they're never disrespectful, however they do make it clear.”

“I'll have that matter become known. The way I'll do it is through personal security and loyalty. I'll call them out on it and ask them if it's an issue. If they say it is, they'll be out. I won't have someone who won't die for you or me because of bullshit and I sure expect them not to let it get in the way so I find myself falling for someone that's going to kick you or I when we're down.”

He nodded and said, “I really appreciate this.”

“I understand. You know when Gino was alive, he wouldn't commit to our relationship because he was afraid of it coming between he and the group. Because of that, he lost me. My life happened and now, I'm back. Because of my personal feelings, I'm not going to let feelings between us to get in the way. Our mission here is too important. When we do the sweeps and take downs, it's going to be hard and for us to go in and do the job effectively if we face a fire fight.”

He nodded and I said, “Now, I need to get my make up on. So I'll need to shut up here until Andrew comes in.”

“I'll go over here, but I'll come back over when he comes in.”

“Ok”

He went over and she said, “Hon, I'm feeling you're a mercenary group. Which kind?”

“We're a family. We're based in Kansas City. I inherited it from Gino who was a mentor/lover/friend. His son is David. We're like brothers. What we're doing is coming in and cleaning up the town so I can live peacefully here. Drugs, corruption, and all that will be history and stay gone. I want kids and if I can't raise a kid here, then I'll call in help to get it done. I did that and now they're here.

Steve's going to the Governor's mansion and I'll be there with him. What we're doing is we're going to bring a hundred thousand jobs into this area. Trust me on that because we've got a whole helluva lot of money at our beck and call.

In the next few days, you're going to hear about something that's going to happen here that's going to make national news. It will make everyone's eyes open as to what is already here. I'll tell you now that it's not us. It's another family, but it's not a part of who we are. We're the ones that will be in here doing sweeps and take downs to get people off the drugs and them out of here.

Now, if you want to know, I'll tell you. There are almost three hundred men out there. To organize that, you'd need a damned good support structure. We've got it. Some people call us mafia, I'm not going to argue.

What you don't know is it's not the shoot'em up and beat'em down sort of thing. It's a business and we are a lot better than people give us credit.”

“How'd you get in here with Charleston being over this area?”

“For you to know that means you know someone from that family. Let me say, we asked and they gladly let us in because we're better organized than them. What we're dealing with is Miami and a whole hell of a lot of drugs.

Those politicians are on their payroll and they're really head strong. For us to get them out of here, we're going to have to forcibly remove them.”

“Oh my!”

“Yeah, but let me assure you no one is going to be hurt that shouldn't be hurt. We'll have the neighborhood cleared and then what happens is going to be blamed on them, but it's us sending a message to them we took them out and they're to stay gone.”

“You're going to Miami today?”

“Yes, with the head of the operations in the US. He now knows what we have here and he's not liking it one bit. I'll tell you now, what is here is so big, it's scary.”

“I know. It's out on Hilton Head. People talk about the smells out there all the time.”

“You'd be correct.”

“I've not been out there, but from what people say, it's in the neighborhood of that judge.”

“Yes, and it's so big it's scary. I'll tell you now, when it blows, it's going to be all over the news. We're going to do everything we can to not be noticed, but I expect we'll be seen. It's hard to hide that many men. What you see is me trying to hide men and get them incorporated into this town so when things start rocking, the feds don't come a knocking. My hope is when they leave out of here, we can use the sweeps and clean up as a platform to get Steve into office.”

“I wish you luck. Now, I'm going to ask a favor.”

“What's that?”

“Can I tell friends who have kids in it?”

“I'd say 'Yes' because I know you're heart's in the right place, but I've got to say 'No', because one of those kids might alert a guy who has an AK47 who decides to make his stand by taking a whole school full of kids hostage. When that happens, we'll take him down, but how many would he take out before we got him is the question.

We work best with an element of surprise. What I can say is if you know the parents, then get word to me after their arrest and we'll get them treatment. It's safer that way.”

“I think they're beyond treatment. That's the problem.”

“Hon, let me say this real fast. To me, drugs are like booze. I spent time in prison and I know how it is for those guys. They say they're powerless over the drugs, but I'll tell you they are. If you put a fence up and have drugs on one side of it and them on the other side, you'll not see that man go near the wire to get to them because it gets them more time.

Those that learn their lessons will be clean and sober the rest of their lives. Those that don't will get out and they'll run right back to it.

One thing I'll tell you is pitty the parents. Those kids have problems and that's the real reason they're doing them. Most of the time, it's them not being strong enough to say 'No'.

Nancy Reagan had the thing of 'Just Say No' and yes, it's that easy, but having the willpower is what's hard. It's like putting you or I in a candy factory and telling us to not eat any. We would and then when no one was looking, we'd do it again and again until they had to haul our fat asses out on a flatbed. Well, that's them because they're not taking care of the problems and it's creating more.”

“I understand. With me, I could go into a candy factory and not eat, but put me in an ice cream factory and I'd be that way.”

“I know. It's temptation and it's weakness. To me, that's the treatment is getting people to think they're worth more than the word 'Yes' they tell themselves.”

“You're smart.”

“I'm smart because my drug of choice was alcohol.

I was terminally shy when I met Gino. In order to be able to go out and meet people, I had to have three drinks in me. Then it took four and then it took a lot more until I was drinking from the time I was up in the morning until I finally passed out at night.

I'll tell you now, prison saved my life. It took four years for me to stop waking up in the morning craving a drink. It took one of the loves of my life to work with me through the problems and realize I was better than what I thought I was.

Most of the people don't get help in there because they don't ask for it. Not one time did I know all I had to do was request to see the shrink and it would have happened. By the time I knew it was available, I was nearly out the door.”

“Is that why most of them come out and go back to it?”

“Yes. Because they don't know how to work through it....whatever that “it” is.

With Steve in the Governor's office, we can then begin a different form of incarceration where no one is allowed to have that free time to not be working on problems. For them to get out, they'll have to go through group therapy and for them to be found able to re-enter society, they'll have to have thirteen other men say they're fit.

I'll tell you now, those people might be able to lie to their moms, dads, sisters, brothers, and families, but when it comes to snowballing an inmate, they won't get that one off.”

“I heard they're hard on each other in there.”

“Oh yeah.”

Andrew walked through the door and came over. She put her eyeliner pencil down and sat back. He handed me my debit card and said, “It's full.”

Bill came walking over and I said, “Andrew this is Bill. Bill this is Andrew.”

Andrew did a complete body glance at Bill. His eyes retrained themselves back on Bill's package and a smile went on his face. He stuck out his hand and said, “Hi”

Bill shook his hand and said, “Hello. If you don't mind, I'll be your personal security.”

Andrew smiled and said, “That's great!”

I said, “Bill, go out and see if you can find Alex. He's probably trying to not be obvious watching this place.”

He went out the door and I said, “Andrew, is he acceptable?”

“Man! Where do you find these guys! He's a babe!”

“Good, he thinks you are too.”

“How do you know?”

“Let's see. The moment he saw you, the smile hit his face. The moment you saw him, you gave him a once over and then your eye went to rest on the package and then the smile hit your face like a million watts.”

He blushed and said, “Oh my gosh, you saw that!”

“My eyes don't miss much. Now, I need to work out an arrangement with you.”

“Ok”

“Here's the deal and feel free to tell me if you disagree with anything.”

“Ok”

“He's got a rented car. Your car is known. His isn't. My advice is to use his that way you're not a target. If he becomes a target, those who are a potential threat will be wishing they'd not become so.

For this to work best, he'll have to move in with you. From what I understand, you've got a two bedroom unit. What we'll do is we'll get a requisition to get him bedroom furniture. You pick that out because it will be yours if and when he leaves.

While he lives with you, I pay the bills. It's at your inconvenience he lives there, not his. He's to be the perfect guest and he's to pick up after himself and he's to share in all chores. I don't know where you work, but he's to be there guarding you from the moment you go into the building until you leave.

You can introduce him as your boyfriend and he's not going to be one bit shy about playing that part. If he does, then something has happened and I'll pull him. What you two do is your business. I'm sure he's completely open to things and I certainly wish you the best. Treat him like he deserves to be treated, because you've just met one person who will take a bullet for you. I hope you never have to take a bullet for him because if that ever happens, my support systems have failed.

If he says to wait, I want you to stop like super glue got on your shoes. It doesn't mean you trot on ahead and step out in front of that bullet. You will be given a key fob like this. What it does is it alerts him you need him now. You'll see him running full speed and my advice when you see him running is to hit the deck because if he's got to open fire, or beat someone up, you're best position is on the floor.

Are you ok with this?”

“Yes”

“Good. Now, what I'd like for you to do is go out to the plantation and speak to Steve. You can trust him. Know that's the man that has my heart and know he'll treat you with respect. Also know he'll take what you say seriously to the extent, you'll probably see him leave from talking to you to call Dan out there.

What you need to know, is he's not calling Dan out there to assault you any more than you have. It will be to arrest him. He'll also get those arrests made tonight for those other guys.

My suspicion is you won't be in danger because I imagine you're but one of the people who they've done this to. They will know it's you when the charges come down because the dates and times have to be on the reports.

What you should know is all their calls will be monitored closely and any threats made against you will be treated with new charges. I want these fuckers buried in that prison, but between you and I, I imagine they'll be out in around seventeen years. When that happens, we'll have a welcome wagon waiting and hopefully, you'll have been in a relationship that's lasted seventeen years.”

He smiled and said, “I'd hug you, but it'd mess up your make up.”

“That's ok. It'll be off tomorrow and I'll take it then. Do I look ok?”

“Man, I wish I looked as hot as you. Is that your Rolls Royce outside?”

“Yeah.”

“Awesome car. I looked in it and it's amazing.”

“Yeah, it was a gift I gave myself for having to leave home and moving here to get away from that back there.”

“Man, that'd suck. I don't think the car would be worth it.”

“No, but hopefully, you'll have a gift waiting for you that's better outside that door if he'd get his ass in here!”

He chuckled and said, “He's got the prettiest dimples.”

“Hopefully, one thing I will tell you right now will stick with you. Ok?”

“What's that.”

“I couldn't tell you about the dimples. That's because Steve is where I let my eyes wander. If you're smart, you'll keep your eyes on your own man and not on others. It saves heartache and it saves pain.

I know he will because as a part of our group, loyalty and honor is a part of it. When we pledge loyalty, we don't shirk it. I hope you'll pledge it to him because that's what you'll be getting. I'm sorry, but I've got to get this make up finished.”

He nodded and said, “I'll try not looking too hopeful when he comes in the door.”

“By all means do because them two should be back in here.”

June laughed and said, “Thank you. And, for your information, that lesson you just taught is one of the best I have heard. I thought about my marriage and how it should have been and I know now I let my eyes wander and so did he. It ended in misery and pain. If I'm afforded another chance, I'll definitely keep that as a part of my lessons learned.”

“How about this...why don't you come out to the farm and work in the trailer serving meals? When a man gives you that glance that's a little too long, keep him in mind and then go out and strike up the conversation. I think it'd be wonderful if you met someone. I know we've got all ages and kinds. These that are out there are single. I do know that because we made it a point of picking them so they would be able to stay if they wanted. Hopefully, with some encouragement, they'll stay.”

“I'll do that!”

“Tomorrow, the food's going to be good for dinner. Lunch isn't so hot, but it might be a little transferral if you show when a good meal is served because they'll think you might've been responsible.”

“Ok”

“Now, what I need to tell you is we're on a heightened sence of alert. You'll probably see things out there and be involved in things out there you wouldn't normally think of. If someone tells you we're under attack, you dive, walk, run, or drag yourself up under the house in the breezeway. It's the safest spot. Ok?”

“Sure. Well, let's put on your jewelry and see how you look.”

I went over and got out the pumps. I put them on and then she helped me with the necklace. I put the clip ons on and then took a look in the mirror. When I put the hat on, it was flawless.

“Ok, this is wonderful. What do I owe you?”

“Hon, you consider it on the house. For what you did for us, I should be paying you.”

“No, I insist because I can't give a tip that's fifteen percent of nothing.”

She giggled and said, “Ok, consider it even at forty six.”

“Amazing! Well, put a hundred on that card and then take that. That's what I'd pay back home.”

“I can't take that!”

“Yes, and do. Please.”

“Ok, but some day I'll do one on the house.”

“In two weeks, I've got to have another dye job. Before I come here, I'll be getting a body art tattoo painted on, so I'll need us to work around that. Are you familiar with who Pink is?”

“Yes. I know the look you're going for and I think it's going to be amazing on you.”

“Let's hope. I'll have to cut my hair some, but I think it's going to be a length which will be easier to get more styles.”

I went to the door and she said, “You have the walk and everything!”

“Thanks.”

When I went out, Andrew walked with me. I saw Alex across the street and quick as a flash, he was across the street.

“Rose is in the deli.”

“Where's Bill?”

“He's down at the end of the block.”

“What's got him so occupied he's not on his mark?”

“He thought he saw one of our men turn the corner.”

“Ok, well, I'll get in the car and I'll get Andrew in with me. Go get her and I'll have it ready.”

“I'm riding with you?”

“No, but if bullets start flying, being in here is a lot better than being out there.”

“I've never had this problem.”

“Let's hope it settles down, but I have a feeling things will get worse before they get better.”

Rose and Alex came by. Just then, Bill came up the street towards us. He saw we were in the car and I saw the grimace of recognition of him thinking he was in trouble.

“Get out and tell him he's not in trouble and then have him follow you to your place so you can ride with him, ok?”

“Sure. Will I see you again today?”

“Probably. It depends how late you stay. I'm hoping I'm not late getting back in.”

He got out and Bill leaned in. “That was one of the guys we were told to keep an eye out for. He lives up that street. I've got his address and a lay out of the house.”

“Good. You can pass it along. Follow him home and then drive him out to the plantation. We'll begin things.”

Alex got in and then Rose. I started the car and drove.

“You look marvelous! It's amazing how complete the transformation is!”

“Yeah, what you're going to see when I go through the next few months is me going from one look to another until I know this is settled. It's tough on my hair, but I'd rather lose hair and wear a wig than lose my life.”

She nodded and Alex said, “WE need to bring more people in from now on. I was nervous as all get out.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't know it'd be hard on you. It's tough for me to get used to also. When I was with Gino, we took limos everywhere because it was easier for the guys to hop in. I imagine we'll have to go to the route of having the three limos soon and that's going to really stink.”

“Yeah, but it's safer than this.”

“I'll put up with it for now, but my life where I could have a convertible was a lot easier before this.”

“They're too hard to bullet proof.”

“They're going to work on this one. It's me allowing them to do it that's the hold up.”

“Well, let them do something so you can stay alive.”

“Ok, but the idea of me having to give up freedoms that are a bitch.”

We drove home and when I got to the first checkpoint, I told them. You guys really need to get a system down where I can drive through so I don't have to stop. This is ridiculous. If someone wanted to pop one from across that highway, we'd be goners.”

“We have six men over there, if one pops across the highway, I better damned well know it.”

“What's your name?”

“Ken.”

“Ken, you radio ahead and tell them this car isn't stopping and I dare the fuckers to pop anything at us. I'll deal with this when I get up to the house.”

“You'll stop and you'll live.”

“Ken, get your ass up to the house and stand in front of David.”

“Who the fuck says.”

I got out and said, “IF you do NOT know who the fuck I am, you're the wrong GOD damned man for the job!”

He recognized my voice because it got lower. “Holy Shit! IT's you!”

“Yeah, me in disguise.”

“Ok, I'll go, but that's a helluva get up. I swear I didn't know it was you!”

“Ok, well stand down. I understand because I forgot I was in this get up. Is little John here yet?”

“No, we've heard he'll be in.”

“Make his ass stop too.” I giggled.

He chuckled and said, “Everyone stops at this gate.”

“In the future. Take a look at my nose right here and you'll see that fucked up eye socket. It's the one thing which will let you know it's really me. Ok?”

“Ok Rhette!”

I got back in the car and Rose started chuckling. “I didn't realize why he was doing it until I saw you get out and that skirt flutter.”

Alex said, “You're good. If it doesn't convince you now, then nothing will.”

“Good, because I'm not real wild about little John seeing the real me yet either.”

“He knows what you look like from before.”

“Yes, but he doesn't know me with the plastic surgery.”

“I understand. It's still you, but there are a lot of things that have changed.”

“You telling me! I look at this train wreck everyday!”

“It's not bad....well, you're damned hot, but when you know the way you looked before, it's totally different. I miss the cleft in your chin.”

“That's because you used to put your thumb there.”

“You remember.”

“You were a romantic fucker even back then.”

We pulled to the next stop and the guys smiled. I knew they'd been called already. I started to get out and got told. “He called us. Go ahead and get on up there.”

“Ok”

I drove and when I pulled up, I knew the radio chatter had everyone curious as to what I looked like. I got out of the car and went up to Steve and stood in front of him. “Can a girl get a kiss and mess up her lipstick?”

He smiled and said, “Man!” He turned to Rose and said, “Mom! I think I just went straight!”

Her laugh was real loud.

Dave came over and said, “Man oh man.”

“You like?”

“Kid, you've got it.” He paused and said, “They're ten minutes out. They've landed and are on the way here.”

“Ok, by chopper or by car?”

“Car. We're not letting anything in by air. Theirs got here and we've got this place buzzing.”

“Good, now add on the name June Meadows to your allowable to enter list because she'll be out here tomorrow to serve meals.”

“Huh?”

“She's my beautician. She's single and the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach.”

“If you say so, I was told it was through this sternum. Anything else was wasted movement”

I chuckled and said, “For an assassin maybe, but for a woman, it's that way.

She's a real nice lady and she's single. Hopefully, we can get her hooked up. By the way, we'll need some money given to Bill for a bedroom outfit as he'll be protecting Andrew.”

“I'll get on that. The usual setup?”

“Yeah, this kid's going to get us convictions. Let me tell Steve about it so he'll be prepared.”

Steve asked, “What's going on?”

“In a few moments, a kid by the name of Andrew Webber will be out here. Take him into the office and allow Bill to be with him.

Dan pulled the same shit on him that the police chief did with me back home. You'll need to order Dan's cell phone records for March 10^th, and get all the radio calls. You might contact Wendy's and see if they have video from that long ago.”

“What happened?”

“He was beaten up by a group of guys for being gay and eating at Wendy's. He went to the Sheriff's department and Dan took the report.

Dan drove with him to Wendy's, and while he was driving, he called those boys and told them to meet him there. When they got there, he had them re-enact the beating in real time and with real hits. Then, he took a few swipes at him and threw him in the back seat of his car. He took him to the emergency room and threatened him with another ass beating if he told anyone.

What you'll need to do is impound Dan's car to get any dna from the steering wheel and driver's seat as the kid's blood should be there. The door handles should be checked too. I imagine he scrubbed the back seat but didn't think of those spots.”

“Ok, I'll bring him in and arrest him.”

“Can I give you some advice?”

“Ok”

“Arrest the kids for the first beating and then reduce the charges if they'll sign statements on Dan. When they're done, arrest them for the second beating and not reduce charges.”

“Smart.”

“I try. This kid is a good kid. His aunt is going to be giving us reports on all the corruption she knows. I'll see you get reports. By the way, she knows about what's over at Hilton Head because a lot of people have been complaining. The complaints were there, all someone had to do was listen.”

“I never received any.”

“You might ask your dispatchers to notify you of any complaints. I'm surprised JT's not told you.”

“I'll speak with him.”

“Have you seen him since breakfast?”

“A few times. He seems to be withdrawn.”

“Ok, I'll go speak to him.”

“The last time I saw him, he was in the dining room.”

“Ok, I'll probably be in the office.”

I went in through the breezeway and up the steps. When I entered the dining room, JT was there reading on my laptop.

“Hi hon, what's wrong?”

“Man! You look tight!”

“Thanks, Steve said you seemed withdrawn, care to talk?”

“Nothing's wrong. It's me thinking about dad.”

“Ok, Can we go to the office to talk?”

“Sure, why?”

“I need to talk and see what you know.”

“Ok”

We went into the office and he closed the door. “I need to ask you what reports you've heard about Hilton Head and who you reported them to.”

“I've heard one of a strange smell. I reported it to Gentry. He was dispatched and found nothing out of the ordinary. Why?”

“What we're getting ready to do is blow a huge lab over there. I'll tell you now this lab is bigger than anyone's ever seen before...even in the mafia. It will probably take a good portion of that whole area with it into oblivion when it blows. In my infrared up in the chopper, it glowed so much it was like a whole city. They built the thing under the street and under two houses.”

“MAN!”

“Yeah, so we've got another two hundred guys in because I took shots today and strafed them when Dave and I were up. That's why you got told to come in and into protection.”

“No one told me anything. I've caught bits and pieces, but didn't understand some.”

“In about five minutes, a man who is like our President is coming. I'm going to Miami with him to go to a meeting with him because of this mess. What we've got is a situation that's explosive in more ways than that island out there. We've got a group that were told to get out and they didn't. Not only that, they did that behind everyone's back. If it's not them, we're embarrassed, but we'll gain their support in finding out who they are.

In a way, I hope it's not them and I'm wrong, but if it is, then their guy will be in a world of shit and probably will have a death warrant put out on him. That's how this thing works.”

I made a motion at myself and said, “What you see here is me in disguise so I don't go there and get them to know who I am so when I get back I won't be a target and get you all hurt.”

“You got my attention!”

“Your brother told your mom he now thinks he's straight!”

He laughed and said, “Well, I would too!”

“I'm sorry this is rough on you and things are out of control. It wasn't my intention. This should be a time you're mourning your dad and it's now a time where things are haywire.”

“Not really. This, to me, is exciting.”

“Where's Randy?”

“He's around here. I think he and Gina took the kids out on the gator.”

“Ok, I need to apologize to him too, but when this thing blew open, I wasn't going to take any chances. I need him to know that.”

“He does. Dave took us all and showed us the infrareds and had question and answer with us.”

“So you let me just tell you all over again!”

“No, I wanted to be sure that was the truth. It's so far fetched, I had doubts.”

“I understand. Later, when we get a good helicopter, I'll take you up in it and go show you.”

“The new copters are on their way. Their password in the airspace is JT phone Rome!”

“Who thought of that?”

“I did.”

“Ok, I didn't want anyone making fun or your name.”

“I used to get it all the time when I was little. Now, I'm used to it.”

“Ok, I was worried.”

I heard an air horn blast and said, “That would be little John arriving. I'll need to go out there.”

“Ok, be safe.”

“I will. They'll not pull shit with us there. I can't say they won't blow that lab while we're down there because I would just to prove to them it was done.

Let me say this real fast and you listen good. Ok?”

“Sure”

“When word comes we've blown that lab, you get down there in the breezeway behind the front steps and you don't let anyone move you. Those steps are concrete and bullets are going to ricochet off them. Get Randy and his bunch down there too and I'll know you're safe.”

“Steve too?”

“Yeah, but he's going to have to be playing the part of Sheriff. My advice is you could be there beside him so your face is all over CNN too, but do what they think is best and stay alive. Ok?”

“Sure.”

I went out of the room and out onto the front porch. Three limos rolled up and the front one stopped at the gate. I went down the steps and out to the front gate. The driver opened the gate and I stepped forward and kissed him on both cheeks.

In my husky voice, I said, “Welcome.”

He leaned back real fast and stared. “It's you! Man! I thought you were the lady of the house!”

I'm in disguise so those people down there don't have a clue what I really look like.”

“Sheesh, you look damned good!”

“Thanks.”

“Where's David?”

“He better be over my left shoulder because if he isn't he's probably dead.”

I turned and looked and there stood Dave.

“Made you look. Didn't I? HAHA!”

“Yeah, but I'm paranoid.”

“Dave, we need to talk. My guys are down here. They'll be here, but it could take until tomorrow afternoon. When I get down there, I'm going to call and if I say Sunrise, that means we'll do it on Monday. If I say Shadows, it means I want you to have that hit done and video sent to me as soon as possible. Ok?”

“No problem.”

“You got enough ordinance?”

“More than enough. My guys are back there practicing now and what I'll do is tell them we're going live and have them prepared to go in. Do you have a clue what the wattage is on their fencing?”

“I imagine it's 20 kilovolts. What I'd do is use a acid grenade and just walk through rather than cut.”

“WE're practicing that, but we're also thinking about hooking into it to try something new. It's a new sort of pulse gun.”

“I'd go for the fastest, but if it's something that is working well in trial, give it a go.”

“We'll probably have both. With our pulse if it's anything more than 25, we'll have one of our men dead because it will explode.”

“Ok, you might see if you can get close and take a reading.”

“We're thinking about that if we have time.”

“Well, I'll make up my mind when we're in the air. You ready to go Rhette?”

“Sure”

I got in the limo and scooted over.

“So how the hell have you been?”

“I'm doing well. How much do you know and I'll fill you in?”

“I know about the beating from CNN. You look amazing, now how much is you and how much is disguise?”

“Under the make up is enough plastic and reconstruction to make you look like me. It's all brand new.”

“Man, you want them all dead?”.

“No, the one that's dead already is the one I wanted dead. He's the one that ruined my relationship.”

“Tough nuts. He was a nice guy.”

“You met him?”

“I ordered some union advertising from him and then went down to get him the banners. I wanted to know what he looked like in case I had to kill him.”

“Ok, but he wasn't involved.”

“Well, he should have stayed faithful.”

“You and I both know, but he made no loyalty statement.”

“Just the same, he did to you, so that's what he should have done.”

“Yes, but I still love him.”

“Then what are you doing with the Sheriff?”

“When you love someone and don't trust them, you've got to let them go.”

“No, you attend a funeral.”

“Well, I let him go. It's working out, so I've no complaints. He's going to be out here and will be getting together with Steve's little brother.”

“Mmm hmmm, and what then?”

“He lives a life where he'll stay faithful or that's it. I'll not let him hurt someone like I got hurt.”

“That's why you dispose of your goods and let the wreckage settle.”

“Ok, what about yourself?”

“What do you know.”

“Nothing. That's why I asked.”

“Well, Dad got copped and since then it's been business. We've tried staying clean, but it's been damned rough. We've got all sorts of competition and it's a real chore to stay ahead in the game.”

“I imagine. Fortunately, we have enough of a presence, we don't lose the respect. In a city the size of that, I imagine it's significantly harder. I don't envy you.”

“Well, we're going to work on that for you. We need to talk.”

“Ok, which topic first?”

“What do you want?”

“Which location?”

“Ok, let's do Miami first and then we'll do your city.”

“Ok, In Miami, I'll ask you what you want first.”

“No, because you're the one damaged. I'm there to enforce the family's position.”

“Can I have what I want?”

“You can have the whole fucking place as far as I'm concerned. With what I feel for the man, the only reason I wouldn't whack him is because a lady's going to be present! HAHAHAHAHA!”

“If I can do it without breaking a nail, I'm going to probably break his jaw. With his lie, I'm disgraced.”

“Yes, and now you want the news?”

“Yeah, what do you know?”

“It's them. Our man down there said about the time you strafed them, an alarm sounded and then suddenly everyone went running to their video room. From what I hear, they've got you on tape doing it.

Afterward, they started talking about war and then he had to get out of the room.”

“Ok, how good of a look did they get it was me?”

“Not a good one. You had the helmet on and your face was covered with all the gear. They definitely won't recognize you in this.”

“Good. I'll be changing the look every two weeks until what I have going gets settled.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“My guy is going to the Governor's office. He'll be running in the next election.”

“You want to make that formal and ask?”

“Not until I know for certain we have our ducks in a row. What we're doing now is positioning him so when the lab blows, he's out there on CNN and getting his face ingrained in the minds of his constituents.”

“Say the word and I'll support him.”

“Ok, I'll make it formal when the time comes. You want it in meeting, or to your home.”

“Let's do it at home. I've not had a dame decorate the place in a while.”

“You should.”

“The moment I do, I've lost the city.”

“Then find one and keep it down low.”

“You're too fucking tempting.”

“Thanks, but I'm taken.”

“I know. Gino was a lucky man. It's a damned shame he let his mind rule his heart.”

We arrived at the airport and drove into the hangar.

“You got a bigger jet.”

“Yeah, I can stand up in this one. The last one was too tiny. This one gets me there and I can do it in comfort.”

“What is it? A 737?”

“Yeah”

“If I ever pick my own, I'll go to Russia.”

“When you do, let me know and I'll arrange for it.”

“Ok, get me the Rolls and I'll be real happy.”

“It's arranged. I saw the digital of it and it's amazing. You really like it?”

“Love it. When we get back, I'll let you drive it and you'll fall in love. A lot of people have told me it reminds them of the early seventies Cadillacs with the ride.”

“Nice...like you're on a cloud.”

“Yeah.”

We got on the plane and he motioned to a seat.

“We'll be there in an hour. We'll need to talk about this business first. Then I'm going to get onto what's really on my mind.”

“Ok. If I can have what I want. I want the port.”

“Why?”

“Because we're going to build another up here.”

“Lotsa money in them, but a beehive of feds.”

“Yeah, but we're getting good at running them, so want to expand into them.”

“Anything else?”

“What's their biggest significant item of income?”

“Power.”

“Then I want it. I want them to know they got took off at the knees just so I could bend them over and get them fucked.”

“Ok, then what we'll do is I'll arbitrate and they'll posture of how you fucked them. Then, I'll pull my man in and demand to see their videos sent to them. If they say they don't have them, them we'll go to trial.”

“Do you have the evidence?”

“More than enough. First of all, there's your videos and your air samples. I've got the architect. I've got the contractor. I've got the concrete man and I've got cancelled checks. Since it's been up and running, I've got reports and income statements from their banks. I've got a conviction of a driver who was hauling to them, and I've gotten his statements he made to his attorney.”

“You've been busy.”

“Like Gino, I collect this stuff, and I hold onto it. When you called, it had escaped my mind, but when I went to the files, I dug it all out.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“What I want you to do is stand down and let them think you're a dame in training. The insult will be when they think I'm giving a dame their city and then start giving you their assets. They won't know they're screwed until I turn to you and refer to you by name.”

“Which one, little Gino, or Rhette?”

“In our family, you're little Gino. That's what your guys know you to be, so that's what you were indoctrinated in under.”

“Ok”

“I wish there was a way we could pull that off you, but there's not.”

“No, it's actually my face now.”

“Damn. I think what I will do is disfigure them.”

“No!”

“Why the hell not!”

“Because what I want to happen won't happen if they're disfigured. Do you know the likelihood of them being fucked long and hard repeatedly is if someone's puking on them while it happens?”

“Oh, well, I'll arrange the men to do it because I want every day to be the longest of the rest of their lives.” He paused and then asked, “You are arranging to get them life, aren't you?”

“I'm trying. That's the next subject though.”

“Ok, let's go into that.”

“What do you want to say and then I'll start making requests.”

He laughed and said, “Geez, how did I know you'd be prepared!

Ok, what I want you to do is to start putting an organization together to reach out and touch St. Louis. Give me a time and I'll contact them and tell them it's not working and we've got to reorganize.”

“Well, here's what I've got. I've got a guy I want to put in there. He's from the old day, but he is around my age. You might know him. His name is Alex.”

“Yes. He's been faithful for a long time.”

“Yes, and he's sworn allegiance to me.”

“He loves you.”

“I know and there's not a thing I can do about it. He'd be wonderful, but it's not meant for this life. I need a soldier who will be there and not a lover who'd be distracted.”

“Good thinking. I see you're keeping the two seperated.”

“Steve accepts me in this role. I doubt if many would.”

“Then he's special. Let's hope it's not a liability to him.”

“There are a lot of liabilities we'll have to overcome, yes.”

“What do you foresee with it if you get more territory?”

“Can I throw it out there what I want and then see if it's acceptable?”

“Ok”

“I want all of Missouri and Iowa up to the I-80 line. I know that's going to encroach upon Chicago and Omaha, but Omaha doesn't really count or care about Iowa, so I'm fine there. Chicago has never culitvated it, so to me, it's not theirs.”

“True. Now, do you want to know what I want you to have?”

“Ok”

“I want you to have Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa. The parts of Illinois, I want you to have are from I-72 down and on over to Indianapolis' territory.”

“Ok, now what if Chicago balks.”

“Chicago is all about Chicago. They're too busy with the city to take care of the downstate. I'm leaving them Rock Island, Peoria, and the greater area. By rights, I should give those to you, but you're right, they'd balk and I'd not get someone in who could take care of it the way it needs to be done.”

“IF we can arrange it, I want everyone out of the meth zone.”

“Oooh”

“It's enough to make or break this deal.”

“Ok, but what I'll have to do is find a place for it to go.”

“That's fine. Put the shit over in Indiana. It would be closer to you.”

“No, I'm thinking about Denver.”

“Far enough away from me to keep me happy.” I said laughing.

“You really don't like the drugs do you?”

“No. It's something I really don't want in my zone. There's too much headache and heartache involved.”

“What will you do if they don't move out?”

“I know of three small towns that will be wiped from the face of the earth. In their place, we'll have three caverns where the explosions ripped that deep from what I throw at it.”

“Ok, let me think and I'll give it to you. Now, what I ask in return is two years. It will give you time to get people prepared and everyone used to the idea.”

“Ok, now, can I ask your help in something?”

“Yeah.”

“You promise? Because I've not asked.”

“Anything for you because I've got another subject and you'll probably not like it.”

“Ok. I want all the information you have on what David's been up to.”

“What do you mean?”

“You've tilted your hand. I know you have information as to what I've been doing. I also know you have information on Miami. If I'm going to go in working in tandem with him, then I want to know if he's doing anything that isn't being told to me and is planning on doing behind my back.”

“Ok, I'll get you the files. They'll be sent to you through your computer and as soon as they're read, I want them shredded and your computer taken out into the ocean and dropped overboard.”

“I'll get another computer, my writing's on the one I have.”

“What writing?”

“I started writing gay romance stories. They're awesome.”

“One moment. Where are you publishing them?”

“Online. There are two sites.”

“Online! You're not making money from them?”

“No, not these, but some day I will be writing and when I do, I'll ask you to swing me a deal better than Danielle Steel.”

“You do remember!”

“I read her books in prison.”

“Zoya?”

“One of the favorite of mine.”

“Mine too.”

“You'll love my stories. They're under RettaMichaels.”

“Let me pull up the internet and you bookmark them for me.”

“Ok. Now tell me the last one you have to bring up.”

“It's going to piss you off. I don't want you hurt at me.”

“Ok, I'll try not. Bring it up and I'll see.”

“You sure?”

“There are a lot of subjects I'm open to now I wouldn't have been a while back. Let's see if I am.”

“Tony's grave.”

“Ok, what about it.”

“Douglas wants it brought back home.”

“What's he going to do with it?”

“If I tell you, you'll do it just for the principal of it.”

“Try me.”

“Now that their father is dead, he want to bring him home and put him in the family crypt above their father's spot so Tony was known to finally be one over the old man.”

“Ok, now, I'm going to answer, but I want to lay something out to you so you know what this means to me.”

“Ok”

“His grave is in a granite vault that's encased in a hundred tons of steel which is wrapped in lead and then in the middle of a patch of steel reinforced concrete that's in an area thirty two by forty eight. When I had this done, I didn't want them to ever think they could take it.”

“You made things tough.”

“Yes, because to cut him out of that steel is going to heat up that granite and it's going to cremate his remains. Believe me, I studied and I threw everything at it I could.”

“I'll tell them they'll need a water saw.”

“Son of a bitch, I never thought of it.”

He smiled and said, “It just popped into my mind.”

“Ok, now can I make my request?”

“Will you allow them to move his body?”

“Providing I get keys to the crypt that work, and will never be trespassed from the place. Tell Douglas it's because of his visit, I accept. He came to visit me at a low point in my life and made things better.”

“He never told me.”

“Yes, now since we're throwing things on the table, I'm going to make my request and it's your loyalty and honor which will now be on the line.”

“First of all, I want to make a comment.”

“Ok.”

“You do realize how much I expected there to be an explosion and you to tell me to get fucked. Everything in my being new it wouldn't be pleasant. What changed?”

“A lot's changed. I loved Kevin deeper and longer than Tony ever would have lasted with me. As much as I hate his mother, I wouldn't ever hold him back from her. When it was over, I made it a point to uncomplicate my life and let things go that were holding me back.

When I got out here, I made that decision to let things go. It was something that really liberated me. Then, not an hour after I got here, I met Steve and he's my future. I'm now looking forward.

A part of letting the past go is this here. The memories I have with Gino were wonderful, but he attempted to hold me back with willing this to me. In the deal, he hoped it would drive a wedge in between David and I because he knew Dave would be weaker than me.”

“I can see your thoughts leading you to that conclusion.”

“Instead, I made a deal with Dave to run it in tandem. He's going to teach me how to run the business side and I'm going to run the tougher side. That's why I'm going down here.”

“You're going down here because in my eyes, you're running it.”

“I know, but I'm not hiding the fact of what we're doing.”

“Do you think he'll attempt to take it?”

“No, I think he's going to give it. He's wanting to retire soon and I believe he'll be my father in law.”

“Really!”

“Yes. You've not met Rose, but she's a wonderful person.”

“Great. Make sure I get invited to the wedding.”

“You'll be there.”

“He's really private”

“I know. It's the way he was taught to be. Gino's outlet was his cooking. When Gino was contemplative, he'd go out in a truck and do sweeps.”

“Speaking of trucks, we're getting some of those new ones that won't get blown up if it drives over a mine.”

“I thought they were sending everything to the military?”

“Let's just say I've got the plans and I chose my own contractor with the specs of the steel they're using being better.”

“Ok, can I give you a suggestion?”

“Yeah.”

“Go out and buy a pair of those one pliers at Sears that are multi layered and think about trying that instead of solid steel. It will probably work a lot better if you put different strengths and then do it that way.”

“I'll give it to my engineers to work on. Now, make your request.”

“It's a couple of things.”

“Ok”

“One of them is acceptance of gays openly.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, big ohs, because I'm going to be rather out there and I'm not going to turn down the volume.”

“Ok, I'll bring it up at meeting. Everyone loves you, so I'll bring it up.”

“I won't settle for 'don't ask, don't tell' because a part of our culture is asking about our families and if someone can't ask about mine, I'll sure as shit will return the disrespect.”

“I see what you mean. I don't blame you. We'll discuss this at the next meeting. Are you going to start attending?”

“Yes, that's the next request...well, that just made another request.”

He laughed and said, “This is a never ending thing!”

“Seriously, I want the next meeting to be at my place.”

“No problem if it's finished. Now, what's the one big one you've been waiting to drop on me.”

“It's an either or one. Ok?”

“Sure”

“I want to be your next in line.”

“Or”

“I want Kansas City to surpass even the largest of cities for considerations.”

“Ooh. Damn, that's tough.”

“You said you'd give me what I wanted if I gave Tony's body back, now that's what I want.”

“Ok, no one's had the balls to ask me that and I guess it goes to show a man dressed as a dame would be the one to pop the question.” he said smiling. “Let me think on that. You struck a hard bargain and I'm really torn.”

“What's tearing you on it.”

“Do you want honesty?”

“Yes.”

“Commitment.”

“Ok, what about it?”

“What happens if you're a liability to him?”

“Then I leave him and we agree to part as friends. It will kill us, but we'll live.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just ended the 'love of my life' relationship and let him go. In fact, I'm going out and doing my best to get him with someone who hopefully will make him happier than me.”

“That's selfless commitment.”

“Yeah, and it's rough, but I'll tell you now that because I know I can't be in a relationship where I give that total bond, I won't be in it. Therefore, I'll do what I can to make it up to him.”

“That's deep.”

“Yeah, because it wasn't either one of us' fault. The man who died is responsible and that's why he died.”

“Ok, so how much time would you give to the organization?”

“If I give an answer honestly, are you going to be real super pissed?”

“Try me.”

“IF it's ran correctly, then it won't take much effort. If I run it the way it's ran now, I won't have enough hours in the day.”

“WHOA!”

“I knew I'd hurt you with that one, but I'll give you reasons and I'll tell you where you could run it better and you'll see I'm right.”

“Ok, it was a kick off into the nuts painful, but you have reasons and I want to hear them.”

“With the way it's ran now, it's fucked up. How many phone calls do you get a day?”

“A lot.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone has problems with someone else and the major ones get my attention. This one is the biggest I've had in about five years and it's threatening to blow us open at the seams. I know you're rich enough to keep a war going until they're a part of the ocean and they've got enough drug money to keep it going gorilla style.”

“You'd be correct, but you've also got someone that was trained by Gino whose spoken to you enough to know the tactics Sam used. I also studied people and a lot of crime in prison and I know what each one used to get what they wanted and what their downfall was.”

“What was that?”

“The people they loved. That's it in a nutshell. Look at Lucky, killed at a girl's house. Look at all of them, they died because of a woman, or because of someone they loved.”

“You're right in a huge way. The not so famous died trying to be famous. The famous died because of a dame. Well, my dad didn't.”

“No, but I think there's a different reason there.”

“What was it?”

“He counted on one man too long. My advice to him would have been to bring in a battalion of lawyers and stand up and ask, “Does anyone else have a better suggestion?” Because I know one man that could have did it and gotten him off.”

“Who?”

“Kevin. He presented me your dad's case and what he would have done differently at the time the case was publicized, that I knew they'd convict him.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah, now between your dad's ego and counting on a man too long, I don't know which was worse. Why didn't you get that ego?”

“Because it was made clear to me at an early age I'd never be as good as him, so don't try.”

“And in making your own way, I think you're better. Now that's not an ego stroke, that's the truth. Your dad closed people out. He believed in his group so strongly, he forgot anyone else existed. You took my phone call and you got the ball rolling for me. You're here to see I knock down pins, and when the pins fall, you're there to see they stay. He wouldn't have ever done that because to him, if it wasn't in his vision, it wasn't a problem.”

“You're right.”

“I know and that's what limited in my mind.”

“There are those out there that would beg to differ.”

“And that's because they gained by going to him and being in that line of sight. I'll tell you now, Gino didn't. He ran his game and when he made headlines in the organization, he put his nose back to the grindstone and already had more deals lined up when your dad figured he better go to him. Now, how many times did he ever do that for anyone.”

“One. And that's when I saw my dad at his weakest. I knew in order to be strong, I'd have to go to them on their turf and be strong. That's why I've got to ask you what you can do to make it better.”

“Ok, listen to me and I'll make it better. Every day, you need to start the day off like a corporation. You need to have a meeting via internet where everyone gets a chat and no one's problems are more than anyone else. When that hour or two is done, you know everyone's on the same page. They're going out and they're handling their area. Me, I can do it from South Carolina because I delegate authority. The thing is, I don't delegate the same jobs to the same people over and over and over. I teach them the jobs and they soon know how to do it all. Dave knows my job and I know my job, but I also know their job. Soon, Alex will know my job, so when I've got to go to those other cities, it's not to put out fires like you do, it's to just do a routine maintenance on them to keep the morale boosted. When was the last time you went into a city and said, “Hey, you're doing a great job. I thought I'd drop in and tell you that?”

“Not ever happened.”

“Yeah, I bet going in and saying, “What the fuck is wrong now?” gets pretty old. So, stop doing that shit. It drags you down and it really enabled them to be dependant. If they're weak, they need to get the hell out of the driver's seat and put someone in that knows how to do it.”

“You know, I think you're right. I don't know how many times I've thought of it, but you're right!”

“So, now you know how I nursed your swollen nuts.”

He laughed and said, “You're so fucking crazy.”

“Yeah, but give it a try. If something goes bad, I'll help you think of a way to make it better.”

“What do we do about the feds and these chats?”

“I'll tell you. For nine hundred dollars a month, you can have a new website up and running everyday. For one day, it can be the meeting site and that's it. You put a server up on it and you throw the chat on at a certain time and everyone gets told the web address in a text message that's a short burst of information to their cell phones. Once that site's been used, you pull it down and let it expire, never to be reused.”

“I'll have my computer guy look into it.”

“In the grandest of ways, I gave you my plan and you totally dismissed the either or in the equation. I'll now consider the answer as no.”

“No, I didn't say that. There are other things to consider here.”

“Ok, name one?”

“Both of your propositions put my nuts out on the table to be cracked. Both are painful and I've got to see what I have to gain or lose in the situation.”

“I'm not asking you to give it to me tomorrow. Jeez. What I'm saying is to just sell everyone on that being what happens when you're gone. They'll accept it if they're told enough and rather than everyone fighting over it, they'll see I'm the best one to lead because if I let them run what they've got going on like I have with David, they'd all be rich, but some of them are too fucking dumb.”

“Right, and what you're not seeing is rather than me being like a bus terminal manager where all of them are driving city buses, I've got a lot of them out there driving short buses because that's what they know. You don't know it, but you're really progressive. They see you as someone who is like a rocket ship to their Model T.”

“That's because they've ruled themselves with an iron fist into oblivion. Why don't you just tell them they're a dinosaur and tell them to get up to speed?”

“Because the moment I do, they shut me off and I've lost them.”

“No, because then what you do is you go in and you take their legs out from under them. It's relatively easy to do. What you do is you go in and you get someone who's not wanting to be anyone and you then show them how to be someone. Then you couple them up with a really good business minded individual and for icing on the cake, you throw a lawyer into the mix. You then turn to the strong arming son of a bitch and say, “Ok, now you dumb ass, either accept it or I'll put your ass out to pasture or bury you.”

“They'll probably not deal well.”

“And you know what their men will tell you?”

“What?”

“It's about fucking time.”

“Really?”

“Ok, I'm going to teach you some history.”

“Ok”

“Gino came into Kansas City when you had a real tyrant running the place. He had a crazy idea the men were tired of fighting and worn out from all the wars. They were getting old, so he started looking at their replacements and didn't see any. He went out and he slapped hands and shook the shit out of them until they believed in what he was telling them. Then, he went back to the his dad and said, “Your guys are tired of fighting.”. He got told he was fucking nuts and said, “Watch this.” He stood up and said, “If you're tired of fighting, lay down your arms. If you think I'm nuts raise your weapons and blow me away. They laid their arms down and he had his dad out of there without a battle. Now, do you know where he learned that?”

“Where?”

“History. Look at all the great armies and countries and see what they did wrong. They wore their men out. Now, you think I got flabby because I haven't fought mine. What I learned from him is to flex the muscle and keep it strong. Don't go out and run it day after day, but just flex it. BUT, when it's time to fight, you make sure they know what it is.”

“So is that what I'm doing wrong?”

“I don't know. What I think you've got going on up there is a lot of something we've not had to deal with, but I can give you a pointer.”

“What?”

“Try the positive approach. Go out and tell them they're the best because they're Italian. Casually glance over and see an Armenian or Russian and say, “You know what? They have no clue how much I really respect you because you're Italian. Then mutter to yourself, “I bet their boss don't come out and tell them that.” And you know what? You'll have that city by it's balls because not only did you lift up your guy, but the other guys saw you doing it and they're now saying, “Damn, our boss doesn't do that. He's fine if he never sees me and look how hard I work for him.”

“Oh man, I'm feeling like an ass now. Is that what you do?”

“Two words you'll hear me say time and time again are 'Thank' followed by 'You'. Do you know why? Because they know they did a hard day's work and I know they did it. When I tell them those words, it makes them realize I know and care.” I paused and said, “Maybe you've been in the driver's seat too long to realize what it's like to bust your hump for someone, but imagine if you were out there working for your dad and how you felt when he told you that you didn't matter. Then, you take a look at those guys and you see yourself out there. Smile at them and say, “You're great! I love you and I want you to know you're the best because you're mine.”

He smiled and said, “And that's why your guys are so great.”

“Yeah because when we get back there tonight, I'm going to line everyone up both yours and mind and I'm going to say it. You better damned well listen because you're going to hear my guys puff up with pride and your guys are going to shrink inside and die a little wishing they were mine.”

“What do I do?”

“I'll do you a favor and you're going to really owe me, but I'll help you. Ok?”

“What.”

“Dave pulled the shit yesterday to build our guys up, but the conversation actually took place. We had a house there on the place that was infested with rattlesnakes. Steve had the deputies come in and everyone had target practice to get to the house to find it filled with snakes.”

“Oh man.”

“He burned it. Now if my guys had been there, I would have said, “Guys, here's what I'm going to do. I want you to go in and I want you to walk through those snakes and open the windows and then I want you to throw them outside so the pussy deputies who are too chicken can shoot them. When they're done, and we're done, they're going to know we'd do it for Rhette.”

“Would they have done it?”

“If you had the opportunity to show a deputy you were more of a man than him, would you?”

“Yeah”

“Then that's your answer. What we would have done was we would have put them in suits that would have had them looking like spacemen and it would have been done, but the deputies had already said they wouldn't do it, so they burned the house. My guys weren't even there yet. BUT, when Dave heard that, he let me talk to them and then he went out there and told them that story and had them all riled up to go kill me a bear with their bare hands.”

“Oh man, I bet they were.”

“So, what I'll do is I'll come back and I'll thank them all and then I'm going to stroke your people's egos for you. I'll tell them, “Howdy, you New Yawkers, we went to Miami and when we got off the plane the first thing little John did was he turned to me and said, “What a pathetic bunch of punks. Man, I wish I was back home because I know my guys would have this place looking a helluva lot better than this.” And with that statement, your guys will be thinking you're out giving them compliments and talking them up.”

“Do that because it will have them thinking I'm a good guy.”

“Yeah, but you've got to do it and keep doing it. Show them you care. Even a machine needs a little oil now and again.”

“Ok.”

“Now, I'm selling my soul here and you're benefitting and I've not got a fucking thing on an answer.”

“Ok, here's what I'm going to say. Now you bear with me because I'm going to make a commitment here, but I want you to know I'll do it with conditions”

“What the answer. If no is the answer then fuck that, I'll not make a condition for shit.”

“What I'll say is I'll start talking you up to everyone. The condition is I've got to go to Italy and tell him I want you as my number two. He's going to insist upon meeting you and when he meets you, he'll probably throw both of us out of the place.”

“How soon?”

“Give me a year.”

“A year!”

“Yeah, you don't know how fucking slow the man is about things. I do.”

“Jeez, how do you get things done?”

“To be honest, I pray he dies every damned day I'm alive so I can finally have a hope someone faster will take his place and I pray it's not me.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't want it. First of all, this is too much for me. Second of all, I have no idea in hell how to speak Italian and all those other dialects.”

“Ok, let me do it. Which dialect does he speak?”

“How the fuck do I know?”

“Where's he from?”

“Polermo? Cicily?”

“You don't know!”

“One of them.”

“Jeez, no fucking wonder. It's two different parts. One thinks the other is dust beneath their feet. I need to know so I can get someone to teach me their dialect.”

“What for?”

“So I can go over there and tell him he's really needing to shit or get off the pot and die.”

“You wouldn't!”

“Like hell I wouldn't! I had an Italian grandma! I know how they can be! Sheesh, men!”

“What about them?”

“A woman will go in and say 'Shit or get off the pot'. A man will go in and sit on the thing and then remodel the bathroom, read a car magazine, and then whack a load taking their time. You've got one that likes the scenery and needs to realize we're in a part of the world where results require actions and if he's not making the movement, I'll kick him in the guts so he'll shit.”

He laughed and said, “I imagine you will.”

“No, seriously, so I don't give you a heart attack, I'll find out about the guy and see what he's about. I imagine the reason he's not making decisions is because he's insecure. Look at it from his perspective, he's still alive for one which is amazing over there after all they've done to each other and number two is he's really got a lot of places which are at each other's throats a lot more than we are here. I mean for a small country, they've got some real issues.”

“Like what?”

“Ok, have you seen their soil? It's some real shit. It's like pecking on rocks to find a little dust. Try growing a good tomato on dust and you'll be amazed it works because they'll show you it will. Now, try feeding a cow long enough on that lousy soil to get big enough to slaughter to get some ground beef to get some meatballs in your sauce and you'll wonder why they're not starving to death. What they do instead of thinking about that, is they look at each other and think the other is dumber than a box of rocks which they probably got from harvesting tomatoes.”

“I never understood a word you just said.”

“They all think they're the best and the other isn't. Rather than looking at their fellow man and saying, “He's really a nice guy”, they're saying, “Man, how the hell does he manage to put together inhale and exhale to get a breath?”

He laughed and said, “So what do we do?”

“We go in and we start psyching the people. I'm sure all he has around him are bosses, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So you go in and you say, “Man, I flew in and boy are my arms tired! Daduhbump” What that does is it gets everyone to looking at you like you're the dipshit and suddenly they're all seeing they thought the same thing at the same time. What will happen if you do that enough times, is you're going to move them to starting to think together as a group. Throw in little comments about the Armenians or the Chinese lord, or something to that extent where they know you're dealing with the same shit as them. And then, you can say things like, “Well, we knocked the shit out of them the other day without lifting a finger and they'll want to know how you did it. That's when you tell them to go back and talk their people up in front of the others and they'll do it and suddenly, they're going to start moving from his dumb ass over there to listening to you.

When that happens, his dumb ass is going to do something real dumb or real smart and I can almost guarantee you it will be dumb. He'll probably tell them you don't know what the fuck you're talking about which they'll take a look at him and say, “Dude, he's got my people doing more than you ever thought about and his ass will be blown apart the next time he gets in his car. Then, you've got a new person elected who will most likely be you.”

“I don't want it.”

“Then hand it to me. Fuck, if you can get that done before you have to keep your word to me, then I'll be in over there.”

“It doesn't work that way. Either you're over them, or you're over us, but there's not one over two guys.”

“Well that shit needs to change.”

“Sometimes you think too much like a woman. I just took a look at you saying that and saw my mom. Do you know how many times she said that?”

“I imagine a lot with your dad around.”

“Man!”

“Don't you be getting hostile. You know he wasn't a charm. They might have thought he was, but the best thing he did was raise you because he sure as shit didn't have a clue how to run a city.”

“Well I don't either, but I'm getting a lessons from you.”

“Yes, you are at that. Now, what I'll promise you is I'll talk with you on the phone and I'll give you some pointers so you can keep up the job with your guys, but don't get them all so bloated with egos they're all running around in fifty thousand dollars suits.”

“His suits weren't that much.”

“Allow for inflation and they were. Sheesh. His suits were as much as my Cadillac Eldorado Gino give me.”

“He gave you a Cadillac?”

“Yeah, but it was a total piece of shit. It was one of those they put out when they went to the little body and finally after driving it for a Summer, I took it and traded it in.”

“What did he think about that?”

“Well, he made a comment about your dad buying a suit for the price of the car and asked me how much I got for the trade in. When I told him, he said, “I bet he doesn't get that much for one of those suits!”

He laughed and said, “Yeah, but what you don't know is my dad had eight suits and each one of them were given to him by that manufacturer so he'd be seen in his clothing.”

“So it was all a farce!”

“Yeah, but look at the press he got over it!”

“True”

“What do you hope for your boy and him being Governor?”

“Well, I want a lot for him with our state. We need jobs and we'll get him those jobs to give to them. We need better education, and we need a prison system which will turn out people who will stay out of prison instead of filling them.

In order to do that, we've got to get drugs gone and we've got to get them jobs. When we've got jobs, we'll have tax revenue and with that, we can get them roads and a whole lot better economy through roads.”

“Ok, so we'll have guys we can put in there building roads.”

“Not unless you give a ten year warranty, because that's what is going to be put into those contracts. I want a commitment with a company that if they ever put a road down and it falls apart, then they repair it. If they don't, then their contracts are suspended and the people who own that company are barred from doing business with the state ever again.”

“You won't have many bids submitted.”

“Yes we will. They did it in Kansas City and you'd be amazed at what happened. They now have a good highway system.”

“I imagine, but a whole state?”

“Yeah, I mean they'll give a higher bid, but I'd rather pay a dollar eighty a foot than a dollar a foot than to have to pay that dollar twice. To me, that's a savings of twenty cents and when you add in the cost of having it shut down to one lane so it can be relaid, it really goes up.”

“How do you come up with that total?”

“To be honest, I pulled it out of my ass to give you a dollar figure, but the principal is the same. If you're paying to lay it twice in ten years, it's insane.”

“Well, a lot of things come into consideration. You have snow. Down here, you have hurricanes and water.”

“Yeah, and you tell me how the hell Rome built roads that lasted thousands of years and we can't build one that lasted ten years because I can't figure it out.”

“Ok, maybe you need to consider heavier grades of construction.”

“Yeah, because if it's built better, then it lasts longer. I mean it's not like we're going to get them all paved and run out of roads. By the time we're done, it's going to be time to rebuild them or add lanes or something.”

“Well, that's true.”

“So, get us a construction company that can work under those rules and promise me they'll hire nothing but residents from this state and I'll get you contracts.”

“You're thinking ahead.”

“Yeah, but what I want is a bragging point of him promising a hundred thousand jobs and delivering twice that much.”

“That's feasible.”

“Yeah, but it'll seem impossible to the average man. They'll scoff and then he'll start laying out the road projects and the port. They'll say ok, that's a lot of jobs, but a hundred thousand! And that's when I'll buy full page ads posting the positions and a huge fucking help wanted ad.”

Just then, we were told we would be landing.

Notes From Retta:

I was told by a reader South Carolina has no Hate Crime Law. Steve is a Marshall there and I asked him when I wrote that part. I looked it up and the reader is correct. The Hate Crime Legislation doesn't include sexual orientation or gays.

Steve was shocked and I apologize because I didn't research. I thought asking a town Marshall would be fine!

Other than that, things are going well here. I've got a few recipes I'm throwing at you at the end of the chapters which tie in with the food segments in this story. I can NOT use the name of Gates in conjunction with Bar B Q sauce later, so I've changed it to Bates. Keep this in mind because I don't have permission to use that name.

Dave has been kind enough to read the entire story. He's sent me back notes and has said he thinks I have glamorized things too much. Go figure. LOL

I've had quite a few emails on this story in the past week and if I've missed any, please forgive me. I've been trying to stay caught up. If I've missed you, please forgive the oversight.

“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”,

Retta

RettaMichaels@Gmail.com

Copyright Notice – Copyright 2008 by RettaMichaels

The Author, RettaMichaels copyrights this story and retains all rights. This work may not be edited, changed, or duplicated in any form, media [known or unknown], without the author's expressed permission. All applicable copyright laws apply.

Retta Michaels does NOT give editorial consent in order for this story to be published. If it is deemed unpublishable, in it's context, permission must be granted before publication or changed occur.

Trademark Notice – Trademarked 2008

“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”, “ 'Retta”, “RettaMichaels”, “Retta”, “Rhett”, “Rhette”, “Vonn Michaels”, “VonnMichaels”, and “Vonn Michael's Stud Service Night Club” are all trademarks of the RettaVonnMichaels L.L.C.. None of these trademarks may be used, or authorized without consent.

Disclaimer: All individuals depicted in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, characters, locations, or incidents is purely coincidental.