Chapters 22-

Chapter Twenty-Two
John, A Terrorist?

Despite the physical fatigue and the more likely mental one, John and Peter perked up when Paradise Island came into view in the waning sunlight. Three small figures stood at the landing pad waving their arms and jumping up and down. They had been told by Troy when he got John's call that Peter had been found, picked up and was on his way home. John watched Peter's reaction when the boy spotted the island. Tears were beginning to show, as the reality set in. He was home. As for Keoni, the boy's features were hard to read. Although the first few moments over the ocean in the helicopter had the boy fascinated with the flight, he then withdrew to himself and was silent the remainder of the trip. Although John was familiar with taking in orphan boys, none has been so soon after the death of a relative as was Keoni. The boy would need time to grieve. Then John and the 12-year-old would have to decide his future.

As the craft settled on the landing pad, Carlos, Raphael and Corey rushed up to greet everyone. John was glad to see that the boys had dressed appropriately, not only because of Troy, but seeing naked boys right off the bat wouldn't be a good sight for Keoni after the ordeal he had been through. Peter jumped out and hugged all the boys, showing tears again. "You don't know I much I missed you. For a while I thought I would never see you again."

Then the boys spotted Keoni, standing silently by. "Everyone," Peter began, "this is Keoni. He and I were prisoners at the same house. We took care of each other," as the three greeted the boy, who just smiled in return.

"How about me?" John said with a smile. "Don't I get any hugs?" The three then went and all hugged him at the same time. Carlos was the one who spoke.

"Thanks for bringing Peter home."

"He had to come home, he's family. Now why don't all of you head on up to the house and show Keoni around. I'll be there in a minute." Then John turned to Troy.

"You can stay here tonight if you want."

"No, but thanks for the offer. I enjoyed your bed while you were gone. I'm sure you're looking forward to being in it again."

"How did it go with the boys?"

Troy gave John a slight smile. "Let's say it was a very interesting and learning experience and leave it at that."

"All right, no questions," John said with a smile.

"I do have a confession to make," getting a puzzled look in return. "Joshua called. He sounded like he really needed to talk to you and couldn't understand why you were away. So I let it slip about Peter's kidnapping and your journey to get him. I'm sorry."

"No apologies needed. I guess I should have told the boys right from the start what happened to Peter and our attempts to find him. Somehow I thought that being near semester break and exams coming up, they didn't need the extra stress of worrying about him."

"Well, expect him to call back soon. And he'll have a surprise for you," getting another puzzled look from John who then smiled. "So many secrets tonight, don't we?"

"Your family keeps growing. With it come issues and adventures."

"I'm not sure if what happened the past two weeks would be called an adventure. I'm sure Peter and Keoni wouldn't classify it as such."

"I agree. But what I meant was that life here on your island isn't the once peaceful quiet solitude you told me you were looking for when you first came to Majuro. But I'm glad everyone's home safe and sound. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask. Any upcoming future plans?"

John smiled in return. "Thanks for everything. And to answer your question, looking ahead, I guess soon a trip from here will be to Kalauka Island. Remember, I've got that document to give to them. The boys and I will probably go together."

"Well, if you need a lift, let me know," as the two men shook hands. Soon the craft was in the air and John headed toward 'home'.

***

Joshua's cell phone rang and he saw it was Troy. He had just gotten up from the couch and had seen that Mason was still sound asleep on the bed. "Hi Troy. What's up?"

"I just left Paradise Island. I wanted to let you know that John made it back from Pakistan safely with Peter."

"That's great. How is he?"

"Couldn't tell much from last night, but apparently he went through quite an ordeal where he was at. But I think after a few days he'll be fine and looking forward to seeing you and the others when you arrive."

"Glad to hear that."

"And he brought another boy home with him, Keoni."

"Who's Keoni?"

"Oh, I guess John never told you about him. I'm sure he will when you call him or when you get here Saturday."

"Troy, Mason is here with me. I can't send him home."

"Mason? Is that the boy's name? So what are you going to tell John? There isn't much time."

"Damn it Troy, John just brings a strange boy home last night and he'll probably give me a hard time about bringing Mason."

"Listen Joshua. I don't have the time to tell you the entire story, but Keoni was a special case. John knew about Keoni before Peter was kidnapped. I know this sounds confusing, but you'll have to talk to John with a level head. I'm sure he'll understand the situation and advise you accordingly. Call him tomorrow as soon as you can. Time is running short."

"Okay Troy. Thanks."

"Were you talking to John?" a just awakened Mason asked.

"No, it was a friend of his. John arrived back home last night, so in a little bit I'll call and talk to him about you coming over for a visit."

Getting out of bed, still wrapped in his towel, the boy sat by Joshua. "I'm sorry about the way I acted last night. It's been kind of hard."

"You don't owe me any explanation Mason. I told you and your brother I would take you with me to Paradise Island. And as of now, I can't fulfill that promise. And I won't send you back. If you aren't invited, I won't go either. If I'm stuck here, I'll use the time to catch up on my studies. I'm pretty far behind."

The boy was quiet for several moments. "I guess I should be excited about going to a private island and meeting other boys my age and having fun. But inside I'm really a little scared."

"From the little I know, your brother made a huge sacrifice to make sure you had the happiest, most memorable time of your life. It's not easy quitting a job you spent a year in training to insure that. And he also had to say goodbye to you and your parents for who knows how long. But it's not just him. You also are making a big sacrifice leaving one life with the family you know, to go to another family you don't know at all. I just found out last night that one of the boys who John adopted recently was kidnapped a couple of weeks ago. That man never gave up on trying to find him. When he did, he traveled 6000 miles to bring him back home. That's the kind of person you'll meet. Once you are part of the family, there isn't anything he won't do to protect you. When I was your age a man tried to take the four of us away from John. He risked his life and never let one of us get taken."

"But there's still a chance he won't let me come over."

"It's the timing Mason. Peter just got back home after a terrible experience with his kidnapper. So John's attention is on helping him get back to the way he was before he was gone. Also, this was supposed to be a family get-together for the holidays. Any other time John would have gladly invited you over. But now I'll have to get special permission. But I'm positive that once he sees you and discovers what a great kid you are, he'll be glad you're there. Not let's get breakfast. I have a morning class and then this afternoon I'll talk to John."

"Before we go, I wasn't nice to you last night letting you sleep on that couch. I know you wanted to have sex with me and I wanted it with you," as the boy removed his towel giving Joshua the first view of the totally naked 12-year-old."

"You're beautiful Mason. And as tempting as it is looking at you like that, I'm not going to touch you until I fulfill my promise to get you to Paradise Island. When I do, look out! I haven't done anything with a young boy in a long time, so get ready for some awesome sex," getting a smile in return as both dressed to go out.

***

When John entered the house after saying goodbye to Troy, the boys were trying to get Keoni to talk and make him feel at home. John was proud of the boys doing their best to welcome someone they didn't know or was even expecting to arrive. But poor Keoni was tired and still very sore from the ordeal of just 24 hours ago. Peter tried to tell everyone to take it easy and let the boy rest.

"Peter's right," as John entered the living room. "When you hear what this boy had to go through on a regular basis, you'll understand why he's not in a talkative mood at the moment. Peter, you and Keoni will share one bedroom. Carlos, you can sleep with me and Corey and Raphael the other bedroom."

When Peter and Keoni closed the door to the bedroom they were sharing, the three remaining boys asked John what happened to them at where they had been taken.

"I don't know the details. We'll have to wait until they tell us. But I got there just in time. This Abdullah El Sadean was getting ready to whip Peter."

"Whip Peter, like with a real whip?" Raphael asked with disbelief, as John nodded his head.

"Do people do things like that to boys?" Corey wondered, shivering at the thought of someone being beaten with a whip.

"Sadly some do Corey. There are those of us, the majority, who love boys and treat them as such, never ever harming one in any way, shape or form. But there are monsters out there that think boys are like toys; use them any way you want, no matter how badly you hurt them emotionally or physically, then discard them like trash. Mike, Matt and Chris were on their way to a man who just wanted to hurt them. After he was through, he would have had them killed."

"We didn't know that," Carlos acknowledged.

"I didn't want to scare you in the beginning. I just mentioned they were also kidnapped and heading to a man in Singapore. They were placed in a lifeboat by a kind Captain and they landed here." The three boys shook their heads in disbelief. "The worst part of it is that those stories of sexual abuse are the ones that make the news, putting all of us in the same category as them. So those of us who love boys like I do, and treat them like brothers or sons, have to hide and make sure no one ever finds out. If they do, they get punished like the rest who do hurt boys."

"Like what happened to you and Uncle Joshua?"

"That's right Corey. Joshua's mistake was that he thought he could trust your uncle Donnie with a secret and told him what he and I were doing. Donnie didn't keep that secret. He told his parents, who called the police, got me arrested, and I spent three years in prison."

"Uncle Joshua told me he felt really bad about what happened to you. After you got out of prison he tried to contact you and it took over a year to get your email address."

"That's why your uncle is very special to me. He never gave up and convinced your Aunt Laura that he wanted to live here and have the same life you are enjoying now."

"Do we stay dressed?" from Carlos.

"For the time being, I'd appreciate that you do. I'm sure Peter and Keoni were naked the entire time they were prisoners. I'm sure they didn't get a choice in the matter. So it may be a while before they'll want to see anyone else naked or be naked themselves. Now, let's head to bed. Carlos, I'm tired. We'll sleep naked, but hope you don't mind if we skip sex for this evening."

"No problem. Just sleeping naked is sexy enough for me," as John shook his head. Even when there was no sex, the boys still seemed to portray anything involving nudity as sexual itself.

***

"John, a terrorist?" the Director repeated what Miss Johnson had told him. "That's hard to swallow." The Director had tried to place Miss Johnson, due to her abrasive personality, on some mundane assignment to keep her out of his hair. He allowed her imagination to stretch some when she suspected that the forged passports were somehow connected to some criminal ring John was involved with. But now she was trying to tie him into a terrorist cell. "Are you sure?"

"My new assistant was able to get verifiable information that John and six other men went last week to Islamabad in an unmarked plane and was in Pakistan for two days."

"That's incredible. John has never been on our radar for anything more than a pedophile that keeps boys on his private island for supposedly sexual purposes. Personally, I wish we could wipe out that sort of filth. But everyone's hands are tied. It's a privately owned estate and we have never received any confirmed complaints from any boy, current or past, that they were mistreated. Your report interviewing Chris and Joshua seems to substantiate that. And I see nothing from a psychological profile of this man that would indicate interest in supporting a terrorist cell. The man has everything he wants. Why would he risk it by cooperating with some terrorist? It makes no sense."

"Be that as it may sir, Chris and Joshua actively participated in sex with John. Their constant denial of that fact was convincing enough evidence for me. And with all due respect, even without tangible proof, shouldn't we have stopped John four months ago when he adopted those boys from the orphanage. Once that information came before us, we should have informed Sister Maria of John's background."

"Miss Johnson, you know this agency doesn't volunteer information. If we're asked, that's different. We may collaborate and share such data as we feel is in the best interests of the United States. Apparently, this Sister Maria's own investigation, sadly inadequate, did not reveal John's past. They only checked as far back as when he arrived in Majuro. Since he raised four earlier boys without any documented issues of abuse, there was nothing to stop this adoption. Therefore she supported, and the judge granted, the petition.

"I understand that sir. But don't you think this trip of John's warrants further investigation?"

"I will grant you that anyone going to Pakistan under the circumstances you just described is highly unusual. And who were those six men who went with John and why an unmarked aircraft? Usually only intelligence units from other countries travel using unmarked planes."

Miss Johnson couldn't help but laugh. "That's the last possible thing it could be sir. A foreign government helping a sex offender travel to Pakistan?"

The Director chuckled in return. "Yes, that does stretch the imagination quite a bit. All right. This could be serious. I'm lifting the two-month limit on this assignment. Find out what you can about this trip and what connections John has in Pakistan. If it's smells of anything illegal, we may need to authorize a covert operation on Paradise Island."

***

The next morning John awoke. He could tell by the position of the sun outside his bedroom window that he had slept late. It wasn't surprising. The previous 48 hours had been exhausting mostly from a mental point of view. The only sleep he got was in Barkhan at the hotel and very little on the plane. He never could sleep soundly in flight. He recalled while searching for a new home how he looked forward to the evening on the ground in a bed to finally close his eyes and rest. He then noticed that Carlos wasn't in bed with him. The boy obviously woke early and was either in the house or outside. He decided to get up. After showering and dressing, he went to the kitchen where he saw the other three boys finishing breakfast. "Morning guys."

"You were really tired," Carlos observed. "I was afraid I'd wake you up, but you were totally out."

The man smiled. "I guess I was. I didn't get much sleep during the trip. Where are Peter and Keoni?"

"They're still in bed," Raphael answered. "Can you tell us now about your trip?"

So John gave a brief description of the journey and finding both Peter and Keoni at the same place and bringing them home. "Those two went through a lot over there. I don't know the details. I'm not going to ask them and neither are you. If and when they wish to tell us, they will. Peter should recover quicker as he was there only two weeks. But Keoni was there two months. Plus he lost his grandfather, so he has no family left to go to."

"Is he going to stay here?" Corey asked.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. He does have an island he belongs to; so another family there may want to take care of him. He will make his own decision. Right now he needs to know he's safe and that no one will hurt him again."

"Can we talk to him?" again Corey.

"Of course. He'll need to know he has new friends here, whether he stays or not. Now it's my turn to ask a question. What happened between you and Troy? I asked him and he wouldn't say anything, but I got the feeling something did."

The three boys smiled, with Carlos answering the question. "We promised not to tell."

John gave the boys a questioning look. "Well, you can't keep a promise of something that didn't happen. But Troy didn't sound upset, so I'll take it that whatever went on was good for the four of you. I respect your promise and won't ask again."

At that moment Peter entered the kitchen and sat down. The three boys brought over some breakfast for him and John. Everyone asked how he was feeling.

"I'm okay. I'm just glad to be home with all of you." Looking at John, he added. "That place was horrible."

"I imagine it was."

"Most of the time he acted like he really cared about us. We did eat good and had a nice bedroom. But when he wanted to use us, he didn't care if we liked it or not."

"Some men are like that Peter," John had to say. "No matter how comfortable the room or delicious the food, the bottom line is that in the end, you're just a toy to be used. Your pain or humiliation means nothing to them. Some even take pleasure in seeing how much you cry or beg."

"John, please never let anyone ever do anything like that to us?" Corey said with a trembling in his voice.

"I'll die first before any stranger lays a hand on you. That's why I felt so helpless when Peter was kidnapped."

"It wasn't your fault John," Peter once again stated. "An orphanage should have been just as safe as living here. No one knew there were men coming to take us away and use us."

John caught Raphael about to ask a question when he raised his hand as though saying, "don't". The boy stayed silent.

Peter looked at his friend. "I know what you were going to ask." Looking again at John, he continued. "I didn't want to talk about it last night. But I'm okay now. Can I tell everyone? "If you want Peter. It's up to you. If reliving those moments are too much, we can wait until another time."

"No, I can do it. Let me finish eating first."

"Good idea. Then we can all go to the living room."

When everyone had settled down, it was Peter asking the first question to John. "How did you find me?"

"With help and a lot of luck," as the man briefly told the 11-year-old of Lord Langley's help and eventually pinpointing where the boy was being held. "I couldn't have done this by myself. I owe some people more than I can say."

"How did you know about Keoni?"

So John explained how the Commander had told him that he had to find Keoni for he was an important part of some future event. "Although the Commander kept insisting I would find him, I never believed it. And of course my full concentration was finding where you were and getting you home. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect to find Keoni at the same place as you."

Then Peter took a deep breath and began to share what happened the night at the orphanage and then at Island Number Four. "This big man took all kinds of pictures of me naked and asked me who I belonged to. But I never said a word." John wondered how the boy seemed so quiet and mature today after being humiliated by a man John guessed to be Jarot. Now knowing what that man did to Peter, he was feeling like Troy, that unfortunately Jarot was free to continue his kidnapping of boys.

"I was on a plane and then a truck until I got to Master's, I mean El Sadean's place."

"He made you address him as Master?" Raphael asked. Peter thought back how everyone, including Keoni, had to address him as such.

"Yes, everyone called him Master. You were punished if you didn't." He then told of how his duty was to be a friend to Keoni so the boy wouldn't be so lonely and to be available after an evening of being abused to help in his pain.

Raphael couldn't keep his mouth shut. "What did El Sadean make 'you' do?"

"Raphael!"

"It's okay John. If I can get this out in the open, it will help me forget what I had to do." So with difficulty, Peter shared of his daily responsibility to suck the Arab's cock. "It was horrible," the boy shuttered, almost bringing tears to his eyes. "It wasn't like doing it with you John. Sometimes I thought I was going to choke to death, he forced me to take it all. And I never could get that taste out of my mouth."

John went and sat by the boy. "It's okay Peter. It's out in the open. Now you can forget about it and replace those nightmares with the way we enjoy sex here. This may sound strange, but the sooner you get back to doing sex among your family, the quicker you'll forget about the past."

"I want to John. I miss what we did together."

Then John noticed out of the corner of his eyes, Keoni, standing just inside the living room, naked. "Peter, get him dressed and bring him to the kitchen for breakfast," as the boy quickly went to the 12-year-old.

"Come on Keoni, I'll help you."

As the two disappeared down the hallway, John addressed the three boys. "I'm counting on you to help make Peter forget what he went through. Don't push too hard. Let him ask you first and what he wants to do."

"What about wearing clothes?" Carlos inquired.

"Keep wearing them. Don't make any sexual comments or suggestions in front of Keoni. And if you do want to mess around, make sure it's in your bedroom."

"Do you think Keoni will want to do sex stuff with us?" Corey wondered.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves. First he has to decide where he wants to live. He may wish to return to his island. I'm sure there are families that will take him in. But if he decides he wants to stay here, it will be very hard for him. The only sex he knows right now is a very painful one. We're going to have to show him slowly that there is a fun and enjoyable part of it. But remember he needs time to heal and to really feel like he's finally safe and belongs."

"We'll help him," Carlos stated, getting nods from Raphael and Corey.

***

Miss Johnson was ecstatic. She had finally gotten the respect and recognition she felt she deserved for doing her job. All along she knew that there was more to this John than a couple of forged passports. And now even the Director was taking her seriously. But now came the most difficult part. How was she going to connect John's trip to Pakistan with any terrorist group? And how were those six men that accompanied him connected? Solomon Jackson stated that the log showed the plane flew to Majuro from London and returned the same way. Should she ask MI5 for their help? She decided against that for the moment. Better to concentrate on John first. Then she could trace back the involvement of his accomplices. A call on her cell phone interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Miss Johnson, this is Wyatt Mensome. You asked me to trace the movement of a couple of individuals?"

"Yes Wyatt. I remember. Have you any news for me?"

"It seems that Bill Carter and his younger brother went home to their parents for a couple of days and then departed."

"Go on."

"Well, Bill took off and we're trying to locate him. It's my opinion he's seeking a location that may make it difficult to track him."

"He's trying to hide from me," Miss Johnson thought gleefully to herself. "He's so scared that if I find him, his life will be ruined. He's like a little boy, running away from home."

"You said a couple of days. Does that include the boy Mason?"

"Yes it does. He took a flight back to the original location and is now in the company of this Joshua you spoke of."

"I knew it!" the woman exclaimed. "The pervert is taking the boy to Paradise Island!"

"I beg your pardon Miss Johnson?"

"Never mind Wyatt. Concentrate on locating Bill Carter. I'll monitor his brother. And thanks. I appreciate your help."

"Any time."

Miss Johnson tried to digest the information she had. Bill's attempt at hiding did not surprise her. Apparently he took her seriously about the impact she could have on his life. But little Mason given to the care of Joshua was a total surprise. Originally the boy was just to be used, sexually or not, to assure Bill a trip with Joshua to Paradise Island. She suspected with nearly 100% certainly that the older brother was molesting his younger. But now it seems like Joshua was also taking advantage of a minor for the same purpose. She also wondered how the parents were persuaded to let the boy go with a stranger to a far away place? And did Bill tell his parents that their youngest son was going to be in the company of a man who would more than likely molest him? If so, they could be charged for allowing a minor to engage in sex with an adult.

Checking the airlines, she discovered that so far only Joshua held a ticket heading back home. With less than three days until that flight, what was to become of Mason? Her first instinct was to contact the parents, but held off. Let's see what happens to Joshua and Mason. There was nothing she could do to prevent one or both from leaving the country. But maybe it would make Mr. Jackson's job easier having everyone in one location. The pieces of the puzzle would all soon be in one place. The next step is putting them together to get a clear picture of what is actually going on at Paradise Island.

***

The cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Are you properly attired?"

"Commander, you're back? Of course, come right over," as John stepped on the porch in time to see the submersible bubble to the surface and shortly afterwards the Commander stepping on shore. John ran down the few steps to greet him.

"Thank goodness you made it," John was happy to say.

"I was very fortunate John. And although we are safe, sadly many lives were lost."

"Come inside," John invited the alien.

Once settled, the Commander shared what happened. "The element of surprise wasn't as great as I had hoped. I was spotted almost immediately. I went by an assumption that I was wanted alive to return to Homeworld for judgment. Thankfully, that was correct. For their superior weapons could have blasted me into atoms long before I could get in range. That hesitation allowed me to fire first."

"What happened?"

"I got between them and the sun. That shouldn't have affected their tracking. But there was some hesitation, from what I don't know. So I took advantage of it and fired first."

"Thankfully luck was on your side."

"I don't know if it's called luck. Whatever it was, it still cost the lives of those who were in that craft."

"At least you made it in one piece."

"Barely," as John gave a puzzled look to the Commander. "They were able to get one shot in before they exploded. It hit my propulsion unit. To use an Earth term, I 'limped' all the way back here. I made it to my location at the bottom of the sea, but I'm afraid the ship will never fly again. She's airtight, so there was no hull breach. But I guess this is my permanent home from now on."

"Won't Homeworld wonder what happened?"

"No, it won't. If my guess is right, the Magistrate secretly ordered this operation and therefore the only one that knew about it. With the craft destroyed, there's no way to trace it back to whomever ordered it to come here."

"What about any communications from the craft and the Magistrate?"

"If I knew the Admiral, who I'm sure was in command, he wouldn't have made any report until he disabled my ship, boarded it and took me prisoner."

"So no one will follow up and search?"

The Commander shook his head. "Remember John, this galaxy has been red-zoned. I don't fear any further attempts to find me. I blame the Magistrate for the lives lost on a personal vendetta."

"So what are you going to do now?" John asked.

"There's still that time stream conflict that has to be resolved. Once I can correct that, then I'll be free to use the Time Displacement Portal without fear of anyone ending up at the wrong time line." The Commander could see a faraway look in John's eyes.

"Are you thinking of Miles?"

"I guess so. As long as his time line is going, he's waiting for me to come and get him, especially since you assured him I'll be there."

"I can still send you there after everything is back the way it should be."

"There wouldn't be any point. He'll be back at Mr. Fletcher's and his brother would be settling in at the Langley estate. Miles won't know who I am."

"Maybe you could save his life?"

John looked sharply at the Commander. "What do you mean?"

"If Miles doesn't commit suicide, does he have any impact on future events?"

"I don't follow."

"Miles' story ends when he's 13. So he has no influence on future history. He doesn't get married, have children or otherwise contributes to anything that may be affected historically. So what if a good friend goes back and meets Miles once again? This time the friend, knowing what a miserable existence the boy is going through, plots with him to fake a suicide so that the boy is free to go wherever and…whenever he wanted?"

John's eyes lit up. "He could come here to Paradise Island without fear of disrupting any time line since historically he's already dead."

"There you go. But timing would have to be extremely perfect. His death and disappearance has to be at the exact same moment. Otherwise we'll once again have two Miles on parallel time lines."

"I understand. Thank you Commander."

"Don't thank me yet. We can't even begin to plan this until I straighten this mess with the current time issue."

A shout from the hallway interrupted the conversation. "Commander!" as a boy ran up to and hugged the alien.

"Keoni, it is good to see you."

Before the shock of what he just witnessed could settle in, the cell phone rang.

"John, it's Joshua."

Bruce and Kevin returned to the airport and prepared to take off, their next cargo already loaded for a trip, this time to Singapore. Both men were animated as they discussed last night's enjoyment with the boys they had in their bedrooms.

"Bruce, I thought the boys back home could fuck, but this was something else. I can't recall the last time I shot so much jizz in one night. God, what a tight little ass he had. And my kid was just ten years old!"

"Mine was eleven, but boy could he suck cock. He could have taught the boys back in Columbia a thing or two," Bruce replied.

"Remember we talked about having a boy each for our own? I wonder if we could buy these?"

"I doubt it Kevin. These are specially trained boy whores just for the purpose of pleasing customers like you and I. I'm sure Jarot could get us a couple of young ones for our own personal use and pleasure. Until we decide where we're going to live permanently, we'll have to wait."

"Well I vote for Bangkok," Kevin said with a laugh. "If Jarot can't get us our own boys, at least we can get here all the boy pussy we want."

"That's true. But let's talk to Jarot first. He knows Southeast Asia pretty well. He'll recommend someplace that suits our needs and is safe," as the plane taxied and soon took off for their destination.

***

Jarot greeted Esteban and Sancho as the seaplane arrived at Island Number Four. "My friends," he began, "it is good to see you."

"Likewise," Sancho replied. "What can we do for you? It must be important to ask us to fly out here."

"Let's go inside where's it's cooler and more comfortable," the head of security invited. As the three entered the building, they passed by a few boys silently sitting in a room, naked and with faces of either resignation or fear.

"Business seems to be going okay," Esteban noticed.

"It's the future I'm worried about," Jarot replied as they entered the man's office and waited for one of the guards to bring beer and pretzels.

"What's troubling you my friend? Are you not getting enough boys for your needs? We've reminded you before that there are plenty of boys wandering the streets in Tacloban, Bacolod and Tagbilaran, among other islands of the Philippines, just to name a few places. We've heard rumors you're having problems getting the small quota you need and have even gotten same heat from Master Lee. Does he know of those you took from the orphanage? We heard about it even in Manila."

Jarot smiled. "That's what I like about you Sancho. There's no such thing as a secret when it comes to ferreting it out, no matter how deep. If Master Lee knows, he hasn't said anything. He must assume there's no danger of connecting that to him, or he would have called me to his castle."

"So do you need some boys?" Sancho asked. "We can get them for you. If you keep taking these risks, it will blow up in your face and you know Master Lee will not hesitate to have you removed 3; permanently."

"No, that's not the reason I asked you over here. Another issue has come up."

Esteban and Sancho looked at each other and smiled. "You mean the humiliation you suffered being taken right off the street in broad daylight?" Esteban revealed.

"How did you find out?"

"You should know us by now. Next to Master Lee, we have the most sophisticated eavesdropping devices in this part of the world. We monitored your 'conversation' with this Semo. Truthfully, both of us laughed our asses off," Esteban concluded.

"It's not funny," Jarot shot back.

"It shouldn't be," as Sancho spoke, his voice getting serious. "You could have given information that might have jeopardized not only Master Lee, but us also. How could you have fallen for such a trap from some fuck toy that should have been killed years ago?"

"That's why I called you over here."

"You didn't bring us here just to track down and kill this kid, did you?" Esteban asked. "That's your problem."

"I know," Jarot answered. "I will track him down and cut his throat myself. There's a different issue I'm concerned about."

"Oh, what could that be?" Esteban asked.

"I feel there is some outside connection that could interfere with our business."

Sancho looked hard at Jarot. "Explain yourself."

"Semo's escape was orchestrated by three people. The first was Dian, a former employee who disobeyed a Lam Sin order and was placed on a death list until Master Sin passed away. The second was a pilot; I believe was Troy. Ironically it was Troy, who as a young boy living in Lam Sin's castle, that Dian was supposed to dispose of. But I also believe a third person helped in this venture."

"Small potatoes," Sancho responded. "You're just pissed off that someone outsmarted you."

Jarot started getting mad. "Listen Sancho, I didn't bring you here to hurl insults at me."

Throwing his hands in the air, Sancho tried to calm the man down. "All right, I'm sorry. But I still don't see anything that would involve us."

"Let me explain. Since Semo's arrival at the castle 17 years ago, he's never been to school. So basically he has what would be equivalent to a fifth grade education at the age of 27. How would such a person have the intelligence enough to get involved with British agents just for the purpose of capturing me and Najib?"

"We wondered about that," Esteban answered. "We were concerned what information they would extract from you and whether it jeopardized our operations."

"But as you know, Najib and I was only held for a short time to just perform a small task. And time was of the essence. So a quick deal and I was released as was Najib."

"We were curious what these agents wanted from the two of you," Sancho wondered.

"Well, all they wanted from me was to contact Najib and make up any excuse for him to immediately fly to Island Number Four."

"And Najib?" again from Sancho.

"Whom he sold a certain boy to."

"Yes, there was something mentioned in your report about a white boy, possibly American," Esteban recalled.

"That was the boy someone was looking for. Najib ended up giving the agents the name. And as you know Najib has now disappeared."

"Okay," Sancho began. "So how are you connecting this Semo with this boy? It would seem a far stretch that they knew each other."

"You're right Sancho, it would. That's where the third person comes in. I believe the man who owned this boy and was looking for him is the same man behind the escape of Semo." Jarot then went on to share what he thought was connecting evidence based on a special open house at the orphanage in which this boy was assisting and how he happened to be there where his men took the eight boys later that night.

"All right, sounds plausible so far. What else?" Sancho asked.

"As I stated a moment ago, I'm positive that the pilot that flew Semo out of Singapore was Troy. He's an import/export trader who visits various islands delivering supplies and picking up goods for trade or sale. The majority of his trips are to native islands. But one trip is to a privately owned island south of here, owned by a man named John. He recently adopted three boys from that same orphanage. One of them was at the orphanage that day helping promote adoptions."

"Coincidence, but we follow you so far," Sancho put in.

"If this man was the same as the one who helped Semo escape, well he would have known where Troy had hidden him and then sought his help in tricking me so that I would be kidnapped."

"And the British agents?" from Esteban.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea how they got involved. John is an American, so I can't fathom his involvement with the British."

The two men from the Philippines were quiet for several moments as they digested what had been told them. As thought speaking as one, Sancho began. "The issue about John looking for the boy is not anything to be concerned about. I'm guessing that underneath all this is a man who likes little boys and has his own island in which he can indulge in such pleasures. One of his boys is accidentally taken and therefore he uses whatever resources he can to find and return the boy home. If the boy has been returned, there's the possibility of the kid telling someone all he saw and witnessed within our child sex-slave business. That could be a problem."

"I don't think he could share much. He was kept separate from the others. He probably didn't even know where he was. And I'm sure Najib took precautions while transporting the boy."

Esteban then cut in. "If it was just a rescue, then we see nothing to indicate any threat or danger. But if British intelligence 'is' involved, this could be serious. Was this the first step at attempting a dismantling of our operations? Would other foreign agents be involved? We need to know the extent of John's involvement. Was this a one-time incident, or is he providing information to the British?"

"What information could he provide?" asked Jarot.

"Maybe the kidnapping of this boy was what British intelligence was looking for to get a foot in the door to spy on our business. I'm sure they heard of the orphanage kidnapping and offered their services hoping that by rescuing the boy, they could glean some pieces to put together. Who knows what information they obtained," Esteban countered.

"Let me try a hunch," Sancho said, as he called a number on his cell phone. Speaking softly, he gave some instructions. "Yes, call me back immediately."

"The Majuro airport?" Jarot asked.

"Obviously this boy was taken by Najib to another country. And Najib told the agents as to whom he sold the boy to. So it would seem likely that John would go after the boy based on what Najib revealed."

"That's more than likely what happened Sancho," Jarot had to admit.

It wasn't but a couple of minutes before Sancho's cell phone rang. The man listened intently and quietly ended the call with a simple thank you. Then he looked at Jarot. "John and his British companions flew to Pakistan and returned two days later. We must assume he brought back the boy."

"So is that it?" Jarot asked.

"No, we need more information." Looking at his partner, Sancho asked, "Have any idea who would take in boys in that country?"

"Only one name comes to my mind, Abdullah El Sadean."

"I agree," Sancho stated nodding his head. Looking back at Jarot, the man concluded. "We must find out more about these foreign agents. We have really nothing right now. We must discover if John and the British are any threat to our organization. We'll fly over to Pakistan and talk to this El Sadean. Maybe he can give us something to go on, as I'm sure he met face-to-face with John and these men. We'll let you know what we find out. In the meantime, keep running things as normally as you have."

The duo and Jarot left the office and headed to the dock, and within minutes the seaplane was in the air heading back to Manila.

***

Poor John. It seemed as though he was being punished for having too good a life the prior seven years. With the threat of Lam Sin gone, life did become 'paradise' on Paradise Island. He had watched four beautiful sexy-looking boys grow into hot-looking teenagers and finally into handsome young men. He gave each boy the opportunity to go back to America, attend a university and decide what direction his life wanted to go. He was satisfied. He knew that he had been extremely fortunate to enjoy those seven years no other boylover could ever imagine. Now it was time to settle back and live the life he had originally planned when he purchased the island, a life of peace and solitude. He knew he had the Kalaukans nearby whenever the urge struck him to enjoy some young boy flesh.

When the suggestion arose of starting a new family, at first he wasn't 100% sure if he should take in orphan boys. He never wanted a new life to substitute or replace that which he had before. But upon meeting Carlos, Raphael and Peter, all doubts melted and he knew this was what he wanted. And when Corey arrived, it felt like a small part of Joshua was still there. And although John's universe was centered on Paradise Island, unknown to him then, that serenity and peacefulness was slowly being chipped away.

Although it had been seven years since he and Mike had had their adventures into the past, now the issue of time travel and its consequences was part of his life once more. The sudden appearance of Miles on the island as well as the arrival of the Commander was the stuff science fiction authors write about. A Time Displacement Portal was once again in the old humming cave. His visitor, and now permanent resident, was a wanted fugitive from another planet.

John still felt conflicting issues regarding Miles. He had known the boy barely twelve hours in 1812 London when he was suddenly whisked to ancient Rome. His re-appearance on the island had a heavy impact on how he felt about the 12-year-old before the Commander send him back into the past. The journal of Jakes, the poisoning of the lad by Lam Sin kept fresh these conflicts. Now Miles was trapped in two time lines, his future unknown until the alien finds the solution.

And although he was aware that kidnapping of boys for a sex trade continued for a while, but to a lesser degree, it had never stopped. If anything, it seemed to have grown recently and showed that no boy was protected if at the wrong place and time, as was Peter. It had gotten to a point where boys were kidnapped even from an orphanage. And he himself had to travel to Pakistan in order to free the 11-year-old. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would be going to such a place. He wanted to protect his family. He told himself this incident was hopefully an once-in-a-lifetime event. He didn't want to get paranoid and overprotect the boys. This part of their lives was supposed to be the happiest, the freedom to be whatever they want without worrying of consequences, to let the real meaning of boyhood come out. Yes, sex was a big part of their relationship, but John also got the pleasure of seeing boys, without the peer pressure of parents and society, be themselves. It was a wonderful sight to see young boys play among each other without the prejudices and moral restrictions today's world places upon them. Hearing them talk among themselves about everything and anything was a joy as no subject was taboo and everyone respected the right of each person to say what he felt or believed.

And as John heaved a sigh, it was becoming painfully clear that the peace and solitude he had sought for was slowly being ripped away. His own country, after paying his price to society, still wouldn't leave him alone. Events of the past were being taken out of context and accusations being flung in his direction, sadly through the four boys he had raised and was now attending college. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. He asked himself if he had been complacent or worse naive? Did he think seven years would make him disappear and of no longer any interest to any authorities? Was he wrong sending the boys back home? If all this were happening to the boys in just their first year at school, what would they have to go through the following years? Would they begin to believe that no matter what education they received, they could never feel completely comfortable in a society that abhorred the way they were brought up. He was sure that when the four returned to Paradise Island in a few days there was going to be some discussion about the matter.

Now he stared in disbelief as the native boy Keoni hugged the alien Commander. Was John set up just to bring this boy to him? What was their connection? Had he been manipulated all this time just for this one purpose? He was shocked, then became confused and was now getting angry.

"Commander, what the hell is this?" getting a surprised look from Keoni.

The man didn't flinch, but politely answered, "Joshua is waiting on the phone," as he and the boy stepped outside. John then realized he was holding his cell phone with Joshua on the line. He went outside to the porch. The Commander and Keoni were nowhere in sight.

"Yes Joshua?"

"John, what was that I just heard? Is the Commander there? What's going on?"

"Joshua, it's a very complex situation that will have to wait until you get here this weekend. Then I'll explain it to you and your brothers. Now what did you call about? Troy said you had an important issue you wished to discuss."

"John, I want to bring a boy home with me to Paradise Island?"

John didn't think he could be stunned twice in such a short period of time, but this request came out of the blue. "What are you talking about, bringing a boy here?"

This was it, Joshua told himself. Taking a deep breath he began with Bill becoming his roommate and the events that followed.

John had to sit down as the narration came through the phone. He thought he was hearing things that couldn't be. What was Joshua thinking? Finally after a lengthy recounting of the past few weeks, Joshua was through. "Well John, is it alright to bring Mason?"

"Joshua, did you hear yourself? Didn't you use any common sense at all? All I've been hearing lately from Mike, you and the others is of this Miss Johnson and her attempts to frame me for anything she can think of. She plants Bill as your roommate. He knows your background even before you share it with him. And with that information he conveniently has a nice younger brother he wants to introduce you too. And you don't think anything is wrong with that? And what about this story that Bill convinces his father to let Mason come here with someone he's never met? Doesn't it even sound the least bit fishy? Are you willing to place all of us in jeopardy for the sake of this one boy we really don't know anything about?"

"John, I can understand your suspicions. But you haven't been here, so you can't appreciate what's happened and to have talked to Bill and Mason in person. You know I wouldn't put Paradise Island in danger if I thought this was a setup."

"Look Joshua, I know college hasn't been easy. You're behind because you took care of your mother. You miss it here as much as I miss you. That's why this get-together is so important. Besides seeing each other again, we can discuss issues like you just brought up and decide what is the best approach. I have three adopted boys and your nephew Corey to think about. Send Mason back home. After we talk about it, then we'll see if he can come for a visit."

"I can't send him home John. His life would be hell. And I promised him and Bill I'd bring him over."

John's response got a little bit stronger. "That's a pretty big promise considering you haven't talked to me before now. I can't take the risk. I'm sure both Bill and Mason have seen the light and are as honest and truthful as you say they are. But I have to consider everyone else here. I need to know more before allowing him to come."

"Like Keoni?"

The man was taken aback by that comment. "Where did you hear about Keoni?"

"Does it matter John? How much do 'you' know about him? What makes him so special that he there's now and you won't take my word about Mason?"

"Keoni is a totally different situation that I would have explained once you got here. And I don't appreciate you throwing that in my face," as John was letting his emotions get involved.

"You sound just like Mike. He too thought it was a bad idea to try and bring Mason over. Fine, if the answer is no, Mason won't go to Paradise Island. And neither will I," as the cell phone connection abruptly terminated.

***

It took a few seconds before Joshua realized what he had done. He had hung up on John. He had never done that before. And never had the two have such a heated argument as the one just concluded. Sure, over the years spent on Paradise Island there were disagreements, especially as each boy grew into their teens. It was normal and expected. But because of the close bond shared by everyone, the problem was discussed and a solution was found agreed by all involved. There was no shouting and screaming or abusive language. All the four boys had to do was recall how John risked his life to save them from the clutches of Lam Sin. And they never felt like they were slaves obligated to do whatever John commanded without a murmur of dissent. Love was the glue that held the family together more than anything else.

Joshua snapped out of his trance when he heard the sniffling coming from Mason. The boy, wrapped in a bath towel sat on the bed, having heard Joshua's end of the conversation and realizing his dreams had just been shattered. The man quickly sat next to the boy, putting an arm over his shoulders, the first touch of bare skin Joshua had felt. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Everything's ruined," the boy started to say through tears now forming. "John won't let me go to Paradise Island. And because I wanted to go, I don't know when I'll see my brother again. Mom probably doesn't want to see me. If I go home, she and Dad will probably just send me to a boarding school."

"Hey little man, don't give up so easy. Yeah, we argued. It was my fault. John took care of me for seven years and always loved me. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for him. He just heard about you for the first time a few minutes ago. And although you and I know you're not working for Miss Johnson 3; or are you?" Joshua said with a grin getting a laugh from the 12-year old.

"I'm not a secret agent for Miss Johnson."

"Glad to hear. So as soon as John realizes that, you and I will be on a plane to Paradise Island. In fact, I'm so sure about it, I'll prove it to you," getting a not-too-convincing look in return. Joshua once again dialed a number on his cell phone.

"Yes, this is Joshua. I have a confirmed ticket to Majuro for this coming Saturday. I need to purchase a second ticket for the same flight." Mason's eyes stared intently at the young man.

"I understand a last-minute booking is more expensive. I don't care. If there isn't any seat available, book me on another airline where both of us will be on it." A short pause before a voice returned. "You do? Great. Passenger's name is Mason. Make sure he gets a window seat and I'll take an isle. Thank you. Use the credit card I booked my ticket on." There was another short pause. "Yes? Ticket confirmed for Mason? Great! Thank you." Joshua looked at the boy who couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You see? I'll get it straightened out with John. In three days you and I are going to Paradise Island," as he boy leaped into Joshua's arms, the towel falling away and a happy naked boy on his lap.

***

John too couldn't believe what had just happened. Although he knew he was right in not wanting to take a chance with a strange boy, regardless of Joshua's assurances, the conversation shouldn't have ended like it did. Never had a disagreement resulted in hurt feelings. Sure, sometimes someone didn't get what they wanted, but accepted the fact that either a majority ruled, or in case of a tie, they accepted John's decision.

What puzzled him was how Joshua allowed himself to get into this situation? He was a smart young man. He went through a lot in his own youth starting when he and John first met when he was 9 years old. Both man and boy suffered loses of various sorts due to that association. But it all seemed to be made up plus some as they spent seven years together on Paradise Island. Now they had gotten mad at each other over a 12-year-old boy that Joshua barely knew. And Joshua was willing to forsake his family because of this boy? John decided to call Mike.

"Yes John, Joshua told me of this situation with the boy, Mason I believe is his name," John confirming. "Like you, I told him that he needed to send the boy back home, that he was risking a family reunion by bringing an unknown kid back with him."

"But Joshua did have a point."

"A point? What do you mean?"

"Keoni was with Peter."

"You found Keoni?

"Yes, he's here with me. Troy told Joshua about it and now Joshua's trying to understand why one new boy is here and another can't?

There was a pause before Mike answered. "There's a big difference here. You'll be here to take care of Keoni. Joshua won't. He has to go back to school. That means Mason then becomes your concern, and that's not right. Besides that will mean six boys to support and shelter. Even with the glass bedroom, you're going to have to figure out sleeping accommodations. And four of us will be home in three days to add to your mix. Keep this up and you'll have to rename the island Paradise City."

John chuckled. "You know, before the three of you landed here, I thought I had too much space. Now it may be not be enough. So do you think I should stand firm on not letting Joshua bring Mason?"

"It's your decision. But if I may make a suggestion: in order not to ruin the family get-together, let Joshua bring Mason. See what the boy is like and if he fits the mold of the others. If not, when Joshua goes back to school, Mason goes with him. At least you gave this boy a chance and Joshua can't complain."

"I like your suggestion except for one fact that you brought out: there's going to be 11 people here for the month. I'm not sure with that many if I can see judging Mason fairly in light of all that will be happening here."

"I'm sure you will. And you'll have the other boys to help evaluate Mason. They'll tell you honestly if he's a good candidate to stay or that he needs to go home."

"All right Mike. Thanks for listening and your suggestion. I'll think on it and let Joshua know."

"Okay John. See you Saturday."

The Commander and Keoni appeared then and approached John. "Everything all right with Joshua?" asked the alien.

"Never mind Joshua. What's this with Keoni? You told me he plays an important part in the future. What was it, to be reunited with you?"

"Please John, you're twisting things," the boy answered. "This was the first time I ever met the Commander."

"What? I don't understand. You two acted as though you knew each other."

"He was in my dreams. He told me you would come and rescue me. I was in pain and scared and his voice came to me. I remember his face from those dreams. When I saw him, I knew he was the man who talked to me while I was lonely and afraid."

"Just as I planted thoughts in Lord Langley about you, so did I with Keoni, but longer and telling him who I was by name as well as visions of my appearance," the Commander explained.

"When Peter was with me and talked about you, I wondered if that was the same man the Commander was telling me was going to save me," Keoni added. He paused for a moment. "When I saw you for the first time, I thought you had saved me by buying me for yourself. You would be a kinder Master."

"Do you know who the Commander is and where he is from?" John asked the preteen boy.

"It doesn't matter. Between him and Peter, I had hope that life with El Sadean would soon be over."

John looked directly at the man. ""But why Keoni? What connection do you have to a native boy from a small island?"

The Commander didn't answer for several moments, his memory wandering back to an event a long time ago. Then he looked at both John and Keoni. "I visited Keoni's island 200 years ago," getting a strange look from the young boy and a puzzled one from John. Looking at the boy, the Commander continued. "I came from the stars above to visit your relatives."

John then cut in. "So you visited Keoni's island as well as London?"

"Yes John I did. My research was to compare two cultures of diversity to find what common traits both shared when it came to family. What surprised me was that despite the cultural differences, family ties were strong regardless of status, wealth, social position as in London or in a less advanced society like on Keoni's island."

The boy had been quiet up to now, but asked as though with reverence, "Are you God?"

The man smiled at the boy. "No Keoni, I'm not God. I'm just a man like you who can travel from the stars and wanted to visit your world and study the people who lived here. One place I visited and stayed for a while was on your island."

The boy continued to look with awe at the man he had continued to feel closer to as they spoke to each other in his dreams. "Even if you're not God, you must be the Master of all Masters."

"No, I'm not. Nobody is master over anyone." Then looking at John. "Sadly, this is the only world I have come across where people buy and sell human beings and treat them as terribly as they do."

"It 'is' a heartbreaking testament to our so-called advanced civilization," John had to agree. "But I assume there's more to the story and how a boy 200 years later becomes important?"

"Yes there is. 200 years ago when I was on your island Keoni, I was bitten by a small rodent; I don't recall what it was. I believe it was infected with what you describe as rabies. Even though we look alike physically, our internal organs are not quite the way humans are. What could be a minor cut or injury for those who live on this planet, for us it could be a serious or fatal one. As I learned later, rabies back then was pretty much a death sentence. It should have been for me. Keoni, your great-great-great grandfather saved my life. I was feverish and thought I was going to die. I don't know how he figured out what herbs and remedies available back then would help me, but he did and I recovered. To thank him and your people, I promised to check on them and make sure everyone was all right. For 200 years your village lived a quiet peaceful existence. Then I learned of your kidnapping just before I made my recent trip here. The only human I knew that I could trust was John. So I gave him the task of finding you."

"If you promised to look after these people, why didn't you go rescue Keoni yourself?" John wanted to know.

"Only a handful of people knew my real identity when I first arrived on their island. Today, it may be just a story or legend to Keoni's people. Remember John, my arrival back here wasn't an authorized science expedition. I was a wanted criminal. Besides not wanting to expose myself, I didn't have the means when I came here to go and take Keoni away from where he was. I needed your help."

"But you gave me no information, nothing to help me find him. Why, if you knew where he was?"

"History John. You know how sensitive a time line is to any changes in history, no matter how minor. Keoni's rescue in and of itself was nothing of historical value, even if it was ever recorded. But had I provided and assisted on your search, that might have affected someone or some event that could have had major consequences later in time. And there was the slim chance that his rescue could have been traced back to me on your planet. Imagine the reaction to that?"

"So when you said Keoni played an important part in the future, you really meant that this rescue not upset any historical line in time."

"Simply put, yes. I owed his people for helping me, but it couldn't involve changing any future history."

"How do you know if something you do upsets or will upset the future?"

"That's always been the major dilemma we as scientists have had to deal with since the development of the Time Displacement Portal. We cannot travel to the future, if I ever implied that to you. It hasn't been written, so how would we know where and when to go? I'm sure there have been minor changes caused by our visits, but so far we haven't detected anything disastrous. And as you know, we have a built-in fail-safe within the TDP to alert us of any serious issues involving a time line, like it has involving Miles. One early visit though, dramatically changed human history and one day I'll tell you about it. But that lesson taught us how fragile time can be if disturbed. I compare time travel to your surgeons who must be extremely careful when they operate or it could cost a patient their life. So must we when we study your past."

"During your travels, has anyone ever discovered who you were?"

"Many times. Sometimes it was the only way to learn about the human race during our visit. But remember John we have the capability of erasing such memories. From the past, only one man was allowed to remember me until his death. That was the man who saved my life."

Keoni had been quiet all this time listening to the exchange between the Commander and John. Most of what was spoken made no sense to the boy. But he decided he needed to ask a question. "Sir, then my great-grandfather who treated you knew you came from the stars?"

"I'm sure as he treated me he saw that I was different. But he never commented on it or asked questions. After my recovery I told him who I really was and where I came from. Besides the debt I owed him for saving my life, I left your island with a great deal of respect for this man."

"Did my grandfather know of your promise? He never told me the story of your visit to our island."

"His father I'm sure passed on the story of my visit. And he was probably waiting until you were older before he shared it with you. But after your kidnapping, sadly he died thinking he would never see you again. I'm sorry."

"Could you have saved 'his' life like my forefather did yours? Why did you have me rescued if I couldn't see him again?"

"I didn't know your grandfather would pass away before John got you out of Pakistan. My debt to your forefather was to bring you home safely. Like I said earlier, I can't see the future, so I had no way of knowing how your kidnapping was going to affect your grandfather's health."

"But I have no one to go home to! What good is being rescued when no family is there to welcome you home?"

John cut in. "You're not alone Keoni. I'm sure there are others on your island that would love to have you as their son. After all, your grandfather was preparing you to take over as chief. So you have an obligation to honor him by fulfilling your duty," as John recalled the sudden death of Aukai's father and the boy's ascension to leadership of the Kalaukan people.

"What if I don't want to be leader?"

"Only you can decide that. So I tell you what. Why don't you and I go to your island tomorrow? You should at least pay respect at your grandfather's burial site. Talk to others and decide if staying there and helping your people is what you want to do. If not, you're welcome to live here. I'm sure Peter would be happy to have you as a friend."

"Okay," Keoni agreed.

"There you are," a voice was heard as Peter entered the living room. "I thought you were going to meet me outside?" Then he saw the Commander. "Hello Sir."

"Hello Peter. I'm glad you're home safe and sound," getting a thank you in return.

"Peter, why don't you take Keoni outside like you planned. He has something to share with you and may need your help in making a decision."

"Sure John. Come on Keoni," as both boys exited the living room.

John then looked at the Commander. "Every time I think I'm getting to know you better, you always pop a surprise on me."

"John, I'm over 200 years old. How much time do you have to listen to my life story?"

"I guess you got a point there. So I can plan on more surprises in the future?"

Getting a wry smile from the alien, he replied, "Well like I said earlier, I don't know what the future will be. But it's a safe bet more surprises 'will' pop up."

Abdullah El Sadean greeted his two guests as everyone made themselves comfortable on the plush cushions on the floor. After introductions and the serving of refreshments, the Arab asked the two men, "Do what do I have the honor of assisting you with?"

It was Sancho who responded. "We are doing a little investigating into an individual. We’re trying to find out if he or his acquaintances pose any threats to one of our operations. We learned this gentleman was a recent visitor here."

El Sadean smiled. "You must mean the American, John, the British, Glen, and his hooded friends."

"Hooded friends?"

So the Arab shared the events of a few nights ago when John and his English friend Glen came to claim a boy that was accidentally kidnapped and sold to him. "I had no idea that the boy had an adoptive father. I was shown the legal papers and promptly gave the boy back to John."

"That sounds too nice of you," Esteban cut in. "I’m sure a hefty monetary exchange took place."

El Sadean smiled. "Well, Najib did ‘sell’ me the boy. So it was only proper that I recoup my investment. John paid my asking price and the deal was concluded. But then something interesting happened."

"What was that?" from Sancho.

"John’s boy, Peter, brought into this room a second boy I own, named Keoni. He was one that I purchased at an auction in Libya a couple months ago. John seemed to know this boy. How, I don’t know. Peter insisted that Keoni must go too. John was hesitant and Glen felt our business was concluded and it was time to leave."

"Did you offer to sell Keoni to John?" Esteban asked.

"No, he asked me how much for the boy but I told him he was not for sale. But I smelled another easy source of money from John and planned on haggling a price for him. But before I could say anything further, five men wearing ski masks and holding assault weapons burst through my front door aiming their rifles at me."

"How did those men know to charge in at that particular moment?"

"I have no idea Esteban. The Englishman Glen wanted John and Peter to leave immediately prior to that, but John wouldn’t. He wanted Keoni. He voluntarily paid the same price for him as he did Peter without saying a word to me."

Sancho thought for a moment. "Was there anything special or different about this boy?"

"Not really. As I told you, I decided to go to Libya and attend an auction there. All the boys offered were island natives taken by Jarot and/or his men. Keoni was the last boy for sale. He had an arrogant attitude about him that caught my eye and probably the others in that room too. The bidding was lively and the boy became more and more expensive. But I was fortunate to win and brought him here."

"So in your opinion, he was just an ordinary native boy you purchased to train to provide you with sexual pleasure?" again Sancho.

"He had another purpose, but it was sexually related."

"No need to go into details El Sadean. It’s just a mystery why this one boy was so special, that British agents had to get involved?" Sancho wondered.

"If I may?" El Sadean requested.

"Of course," Sancho acknowledged.

"I believe that John had been searching for both Peter and Keoni. The look of shock on his face when he first saw the boy indicated to me that he hadn’t expected to find him here with Peter. Before Peter brought Keoni into this room, the boy stated he had a friend he wanted to go with him. John refused saying he couldn’t do it at this time. When John recognized Keoni, his whole demeanor changed. Now he wanted to buy the boy. It was at that point when Glen asked John to step outside. I’m guessing it was to discuss the situation. Shortly after they returned, the masked men came inside."

Sancho looked at the Arab. "Some of it doesn’t add up. I could almost close this inquiry coming to the conclusion that this was a simple matter of getting Peter back. Although why John brought British commandos is puzzling."

"Maybe it was they who were looking for Keoni?" Esteban thought out loud.

Sancho looked at his companion. "What do you mean?"

"It’s possible it was the British looking for Keoni at the same time John was trying to locate Peter. They joined forces as they search mainly for John’s son in the hopes of finding the boy they were looking for also. Miraculously both boys are here at El Sadean’s home. A signal of some sort must have been sent to the men outdoors that then crashed their way inside. Apparently they were going to take Keoni by force."

"There’s a part that’s puzzling," El Sadean sounded out. "Why did John pay for the boy, if only the British agents wanted him?"

It was Sancho who came up with a possible answer. "I would guess that when John and Glen went outside they discuss a plan of action, including offering to pay for the boy. Unless you tell me different, John at that moment had the only means necessary to make a financial transaction. That took any suspicion off the British who wanted Keoni. I’m sure John would have been reimbursed. Their timing apparently was perfect as both parties got the boy they wanted."

"So what have we concluded after all this?" Esteban asked.

"I don’t know," Sancho admitted. "Something big is missing. I can rationalize the John and Peter connection. It was just a father searching for his son. Why the British got involved is unknown. And were they really after Keoni?"

"You think John bought the boy for himself? El Sadean just stated the boy was taken off an island and sold in Libya to him. How would John be able to recognize this kid?" Esteban asked.

"I don’t know my friend. If John’s sole purpose was to find Peter, why bring British secret agents along? John didn’t need commandos to prove the boy was his. But no one expected Keoni to be here at this house. When it was discovered that the boy ‘was’ here, everything changed. Keoni had to be taken from here even if force was necessary. What would British intelligence want with a 12-year-old boy from one of the islands?"

"I noticed nothing unusual about Keoni while he was here," added the Arab. "In fact, he didn’t seem to have much formal education the way he talked. It reflected his isolated native upbringing. I can’t see how he would be so special."

"That’s what we have to find out. We must find Keoni. Once we have him we can determine what made him so special and if it endangers any of us," Sancho concluded.

"Sancho, if the British did take him, he would be in England by now. How would we locate him?"

"We’ll have to rely on our contacts in London to search for the boy, Esteban."

"You think he represents a danger of some sort? Honestly Sancho, he was just a normal 12-year-old boy. Aren’t you blowing this up all out of proportion?"

"You won’t feel that way El Sadean if a planeload of British commandos land here, destroy your nice home, takes you back to England and locks you up in a deep dark hole. The only reason that a drone hasn’t come by and destroyed this place is because you’re not involved with the local terrorists. So count your blessings and keep your mouth shut."

"All right Sancho, I get the picture," the Arab replied nervously.

"Let’s go Esteban. We have some work to do. Thank you for your hospitality," as the two men left and headed down the mountain road to Barkhan.

During the drive, Esteban noticed Sancho deep in thought. "What are you thinking?"

"So far we have been putting all our emphasis on Glen and the British. But we seem to have forgotten John."

"John?"

"Remember Jarot felt John was involved in some way in disrupting Master Lee’s child sex-slave business," Sancho answered.

"So?"

"So, my friend, while our contacts are busy trying to locate Keoni, let’s you and I learn some more about this John and if he really is involved somehow with foreign agents."

***

The trip to Keoni’s island was pretty much made in silence. John wasn’t sure if Troy could ferry them over on such short notice, but the pilot eagerly agreed to take them. "That’s the least I can do. He needs to pay his respects to his grandfather."

Keoni asked if Peter could come along and John readily agreed. While the men waited at the helipad for the two boys before taking off, John shared with his friend the phone call he had with Joshua the day before.

"Hung up on you?"

"Well, once he found out about Keoni, I’m sure he felt that I didn’t trust him to bring this Mason boy here."

"That’s my fault John. If I hadn’t spilled the beans, I’m sure your phone conversation would have gone a lot differently."

"No, don’t worry about it. In fact, it was probably best he knew about Keoni before he arrived. If I had turned Mason away and he found Keoni here, who knows what would have happened. Better a two-man private argument than a scene in front of everyone."

"So what are you going to do? The boys are scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow."

"Mike suggested I allow Mason to come, to give him an opportunity to see if he belongs here. Strangely, his parents approved of this and provided all the necessary documents. But I can’t help but feel this Miss Johnson is either manipulating all this or directly involved in some other way."

"You and Joshua need to talk again. This homecoming is not going to be complete if he isn’t here. I’ve always felt there was a stronger connection between the two of you then with Mike, Chris and Matt."

"Yes, I guess it does since I met first met Joshua when he was 9 years old. But you’re right this has to be resolved. I’ll call him when we return." Leaving the three boys home with instructions to behave themselves, the group headed to their destination.

The villagers were surprised to see the sudden unexpected arrival of Troy’s helicopter, but the surprise turned into excitement and joy to see Keoni again safe and sound. They surrounded him all trying to shout a greeting to their new chief that had come home. They started to lead him away when he stopped the group and called for Peter to join him. Then the crowd apparently went to the gravesite of Keoni’s grandfather leaving the men alone. John took this opportunity to share why Keoni was so important to the Commander and the discussion the three had.

"He visited this island 200 years ago?"

"Yes, it was part of his studies of the human inhabitants of this planet. He would have died here had not one of the elders come up with a treatment for his animal bite wound."

"So he promised to look after these people as a way of saying thanks for saving his life?"

"I guess even from Homeworld he was looking over them."

"No wonder Keoni thought he was God. But the night Keoni was kidnapped, weren’t other boys from here also taken? Why didn’t the Commander help find all of them?"

"I’m only guessing, but the Commander didn’t have the time or resources to locate every boy taken. I’m sure he feels bad about it. I think Keoni was selected because he was the direct descendant of the man who saved his life."

"So what happens now?"

"I’ll be honest. Keoni’s done remarkably well for just 48 hours since leaving Abdullah El Sadean’s place, considering the ordeal he was going through that evening. Even if his grandfather hadn’t passed away Keoni still needed to be brought home as soon as possible. Now he’s here to decide his future."

"Twelve years old is an awfully young age to be a ruler."

"You’re right Troy. Aukai took over at 16 and I’m still not sure if he’s accepted the full magnitude of what decisions he has to make. The recent incident with Sister Agatha was a good example."

"Well John, regardless of age, it isn’t easy contemplating taking the life of another human being. Only those without a soul like Jarot can sleep peacefully after killing someone, especially if it is a boy."

"God Troy, what has happened these past eight years? I felt like a kid again when I settled on Paradise Island. There was all this space, my pets, beautiful scenery: the ocean as my boundary. I had finally escaped my nightmare from the past. And except for Lam Sin in the early days, the next seven years with the four boys was like heaven on earth. But lately it’s been one issue after another. Even the upcoming reunion is in jeopardy because of Joshua and Mason. Have I changed that much my friend?"

"No you haven’t. Unfortunately, events have caught up that somehow involves you and have all hit at the same moment. How many people do you know has an alien from outer space as his neighbor and a time machine in your cave? You have to be more diligent than before protecting your current family, especially since the resurgence of boys being kidnapped and disappearing. As you witnessed, even an orphanage wasn’t a safe place. The world has changed these past eight years, mostly for the bad in terms of human behavior. Life is not as precious as it once was."

"I know, the Commander keeps reminding me of that all the time."

Changing the subject, Troy than added, "Keoni will certainly have elders to advise him. Throughout history, boys who have ascended positions of leadership learned and relied on those he trusted to surround him and guide him in the proper direction."

"You’re right Troy. I’m sure that will be the case here. He’ll be a fine leader."

"By the way, I was curious, you’re going to have a pretty good group here for the next month. Even with three bedrooms and the glass bedroom, it’s going to be tight."

"It will be, but as you probably know, they’ll be lots of pairings for sex, so somehow everything will work out. Which reminds me since you brought this up, do you know the contractor who originally designed and built the house I currently live in?

"Boy John, that’s going back eleven years at least. I wasn’t involved in helping the buyer back then in the purchase. I do remember construction crews living on the island as they worked not only on the house, but the boat dock, landing pad and other projects to make the island as self-sufficient as possible. I believe it took nine or ten months before the owner moved in. Why are you asking?"

"Whether Mason, or any future boy stays on Paradise Island, I need more room. I thought that inquiring about adding to the house was best with the people who originally built it. They would know what can be done and provide the means to accomplish that."

"Good point. Well, assuming it was a local company, there aren’t many in Majuro. I’ll check and find out. If I do find the company, do you want me to bring him or them over to you?

"If you can that would be great Troy. Thank you."

It was at that moment that the crowd who had escorted Keoni and Peter to the grave came into sight. Strangely, the people who moments ago shouted in joy were now totally silent. The boys separated themselves from the group and approached John and Troy.

"Can you take me back to your island John?" getting a surprised look from the man. He looked at Peter who just raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you sure Keoni? That’s an awful fast decision. These are your people. Don’t you wish to honor your grandfather’s wishes and all he has taught you to benefit them? At least why don’t you spend a few days here."

"I don’t want to live here. Please, can I go back with you?

Instead of answering, John immediately grabbed Peter’s arm and almost dragged him to the other side of the helicopter. "Did you influence him in any way since I brought you both home? I know you went through some rough times together and grew very close. But these are his people. I don’t want him to abandon them just because you want a new friend."

"No John! I didn’t, I swear! I did tell him a lot about where I lived and who you were while we were at El Sadean’s home, just as he told me about his island and grandfather. I wouldn’t have been sad if he had wanted to stay here. If he did, I could still come visit him, couldn’t I, or he to our island, like the Kalaukans and Aukai?"

John released the grip on Peter’s arm. "All right. I’m sorry. But this was too important a decision for him to take lightly," as the two went back to Troy and Keoni.

John got down on one knee and looked up at the 12-year-old. "Keoni, you need to think about this more. I’m sure the elders will help you. It’s your destiny to lead your village."

The boy looked at John. "I have nothing here. My parents died when I was little, my older brother drowned. And the only other person who meant anything to me, my grandfather, is dead. The friends I knew here were taken away also and they are gone forever. Everyone here is a stranger to me. I want to try a new life. Peter was right when he said you were a good man, like a real father to him. I saw that in the way you treated him and the others on your island. I want to live that kind of life too. Please don’t leave me here."

Troy stepped in. "John, have a moment?" as the man stood up and the two walked a few paces away from the boys.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember when Miles made that unexpected appearance and was fascinated with the 21st century, its advances and technologies? Mike had given him a glimpse of it when he shared that while you were in 1812. Then he got to experience it in person when he was here. You told me how difficult it was to send the boy back."

"Are you saying this is a similar situation with Keoni?"

"The kidnapping and what he went through was wrong. But living in Abdullah El Sadean’s modern home and having see your island, isn’t it no wonder a 12-year-old boy sees a whole new world he will never experience, even if he’s chief of an island? From what I’ve learned of these people in the years of bringing and picking up supplies, life hasn’t changed much in I would guess the 200 years since the Commander was here. Before he was kidnapped, Keoni, like everyone else here, thought this was home until the day they died. But deep inside he’s just an ordinary boy wanting to experience what he’s never had before, just like kids today wanting an xbox or other latest gadget."

John kind of grunted. "I’m glad Aukai wasn’t that way. Although he’s still learning, he understands tradition and his part in it by being the chief."

"I sometimes wonder about you John," Troy gave a grin to his best friend.

"What do you mean?"

"Kalauka Island is a totally different situation. You know that. They have a lifestyle based on nudity and sex in a way that’s respectful and enjoyable. And they are not as isolated in terms of outside contact as here. Traders come to the western side of the island; teachers are educating the children, nothing like that happens here. That’s why I believe it was easy for Jarot to come here and kidnap the boys he needed. And I don’t know about you, but I never heard the authorities take any serious interest in what happened. To them it was just another bunch of ignorant native boys, nothing to waste time and resources on. But let me ask you this: if Aukai was not currently chief and you asked him if he wanted to come and live permanently with you, what do you think his answer would be?"

"All right Troy, you made your point. So I should take Keoni home to Paradise Island?"

"For now. Maybe as time goes by and he matures, he’ll start thinking of his responsibilities and ask to come back here."

John smiled. "If I add Keoni to the family, you better find that contractor quick."

Troy laughed. "I will."

John went back to the 12-year-old. "I think you’re making a mistake leaving here, but I did say you could decide what you wanted to do. And if living with Peter and I and the others is your desire, you’re invited to come back with me. But I want you to never forget your people and where you came from. And if you ever decide to return, I’ll bring you back."

"Thank you John. I promise not to forget."

"I must also warn you that while you were on my island, the boys and I didn’t behave nor do the things we normally do when we’re alone. If it bothers you, again, you can come back. But you’ll either have to adapt or it won’t work."

"You mean being naked and the sex stuff? Peter told me about it."

"And you feel comfortable with that after what you’ve been through with El Sadean?"

"You’re not El Sadean," was all the boy said in response.

"All right. Peter, Troy, let’s go."

At that moment an older man separated himself from the group of people on the shore and approached John. "We are sorry to see young Keoni not wanting to stay, but can understand why he wants to leave. To a young boy, the wonders of the world hold more fascination than the simple life we live here. We know he was treated terribly as a prisoner. Maybe your home is what he needs to heal and reflect about his future."

"I’ll take good care of him. And I’ll always remind him that his real home is here, not where I’m taking him," as the old man bowed slightly and rejoined the group.

Five minutes later the copter was in the air and heading back to Paradise Island. Peter and Keoni in the back seat were in an animated conversation, but John was pretty quiet. "What’s on your mind?" the pilot asked.

"Lately I’ve been wondering if I’m getting in over my head: five boys and maybe a sixth. That’s a pretty large group even with a mother and father to look after them. Oh I can set up a routine, get them started in school, the basics. But I’m worried that’s not enough."

"Why do you say that?"

"The four original boys and I were a tight group. It just seemed that everything worked perfectly and we were all very happy. But in reality Troy, we lived in a fantasy world predicated on sex as our foundation. Yes, there was love, but this recent incident with Joshua has had me wondering: did I really prepare those boys for the outside world? Matt, Chris and Mike have yet to speak of a friend they have made while attending college. Paradise Island and the outside world are like black and white, the differences so glaring. Am I setting up these current boys for the same shock?"

"I wish this was one time I could give you answer," Troy spoke softly. "I’m sure raising boys in any environment is difficult. Let me ask a very personal, difficult question. Were the boys getting too old for the life you enjoy?"

"You mean sexually?" getting a nod of the head as a response. "I’d have to be honest with you that my preference goes to boys around the 10-13 age group. That’s what made the first four so perfect. And yet as they grew older and their bodies changed, of course they weren’t the pre-teen hairless youngsters I first met. But I tried not to let that influence me. I never wanted the boys to think that because they had gotten older, it diminished their sexual appeal to me. Since we all enjoy the same acts and melded so well together, age never seemed an issue. And when they return here for break, I’ll look forward to sex with each one of them."

"What are you going to say to Joshua?"

John looked at his watch. "We were out longer than I expected. It’s late back in America. I’ll call him first thing tomorrow."

"So you’re going to let him bring Mason over?"

"I’m leaning that way Troy. If I do, logistics may be a problem."

"How so?"

"Can he get a plane ticket for Mason with less than 24 hours before his own flight takes off?"

"Yeah, that could be rough. By the way, you never told me how this would work in getting the four boys here from different locations."

"If the airlines stick to their arrival schedule, the four boys will arrive from their various locations at Los Angeles within 60-90 minutes of each other. Then all will board the same flight to Majuro. You’ll have to make two trips to Paradise Island and back."

"I wish I could take all of you at once. It will mean the remainder having to wait almost two hours before I return."

"That’s all right. By coincidence it will work out. You’ll take Mike, Chris and Matt first. I’ll stay and talk to Joshua and Mason, if he makes it. I can start getting a better perception of the boy during that time."

"That sounds like a plan."

"Now don’t forget, you’re invited to spend as much time as you want with us. You know you’re like family to us."

"Thanks John. I’ll certainly try."

John looked toward the back seat and saw Keoni and Peter still involved in whatever subject matter they were discussing. Looking at Troy, he smiled. "You haven’t told me what happened while I was away."

"It wasn’t much John. No big sex thing."

"Let me guess, if anything, Raphael was a part of it."

"You know the boys very well. The first night you were away we all sat around the bonfire. Raphael hinted at something, but I tried to ignore it. I did tell them that I didn’t want to restrict their lifestyle by making them wear clothes just because I was there. So I told them they could run around naked the following day. When I went to bed, Raphael was there, totally nude. He promised no sex, but wanted us to sleep naked together. So we did."

"Good start Troy. How did you feel about it?"

"I never slept naked with anyone before in my life. It was strange feeling a naked body next to mine, especially an 11-year-old boy. I guess I always thought that when I got over the phobia about sex due to what happened at Lam Sin’s, it would be with a woman. Then seeing your boys, first the original group and now these and how happy and content everyone was, I thought maybe getting involved sexually wasn’t such a bad idea."

"I never regretted it. It takes a certain mental approach to having sex with young boys that society frowns upon and classifies you as sick, perverted and criminal. These are not immature kids that have no idea what’s going on with their bodies. Sadly, adults don’t realize that. They claim we manipulate and take advantage of their immaturity. Some men do for the wrong reason. They are the ones who headline the news. That’s why I’m forever grateful to have Paradise Island. It’s been the proving ground for eight years that sex, regardless of age and/or age difference, can be the most enjoyable part of a relationship, or more. Did the boys shed their clothes the following day?"

"No, they didn’t. I asked them and they stated they would wait for your return, which you did later that evening."

"At least you know you have Raphael’s interest. Don’t make him wait too long," as this got a laugh from Troy. Soon, Paradise Island came into view and moments later the copter sat on the landing pad. The three boys were waiting and seemed surprised that Keoni had returned. John tried to explain.

"Keoni needs more time to think about his future. Today’s trip was to visit his grandfather’s grave."

"May I stay with you?" came Keoni’s voice to the other three boys. "Peter told me of the fun stuff you do. I want to forget what happened before and make new friends."

It was Carlos who answered. "We’d love to have you here. We can’t wait to show you how much fun we do every day," as the four boys surround the native giving him hugs and escorting him back to the house.

Turning toward Troy, John then said, "Again, I appreciate you taking us on short notice."

"No problem. I’ll have a busy day tomorrow catching up, but should be up to date by nightfall. When should I pick you up Saturday?"

"About 10:30. The flight arrives shortly after noon."

"Okay John. See you then," as the pilot got back in his machine and was soon in the air heading toward Majuro.

As John headed toward the house, he once again thought of what he had shared with Troy. And what was the next 30 days going to be like with so many here at the same time? And what issues would the four young men now coming from America have about their first months away from Paradise Island?

***

"Joshua, this is John," as the cell phone connection was made.

"John! I’m glad you called. God, I’m sorry for hanging up on you. We’ve never been mad at each other before. I wanted to call back and apologize, but I was afraid of what you would say about Mason and I."

"Hey Joshua, don’t worry about it. Part of it was my fault for being narrow-minded and not thinking things through before making a decision. By the way, is Mason still there with you?"

"Yes he is."

"If you can get him a plane ticket in time to come with you tomorrow, you may bring him along."

"Really? Thanks John. You won’t regret it. He’s a wonderful boy. I know you’ll like him."

"He must be since you stood up for him. I’ll be anxious to meet him." The rest of the phone conversation covered details like meeting the other three boys in Los Angeles and taking the same plane to Majuro.

"I can’t wait to see you and the others. I don’t want to whine, but it hasn’t been the same since I left home."

"I know Joshua. We’ll all have to talk about it together and see what we can do. Take care and see you tomorrow."

"Bye John, and again thanks."

Joshua then looked at Mason, sitting naked on the bed, a large smile on his face. "I guess you could tell by what you just heard that you’ll be going with me to Paradise Island." The boy leaped off the bed and just into the arms of an equally naked Joshua.

"I bet that was a first talking to John on the phone with no clothes on?"

"It was different. But I’m enjoying it more with a naked boy instead." With his strong arms, Joshua picked up the boy, caressing his firm round ass and dropped him on the bed, spreading his legs. The boy’s cock was rigid, as he knew what was about to happen, a repeat of the wonderful feelings of the night before.

Mason moaned as Joshua engulfed the entire length of his 3 ½" cock in his mouth. Like the evening before, he felt the tingles that began on the tip of his boyhood and ran the entire length of his shaft. His moans grew louder as the sucking grew more intense. For the next several minutes Joshua made love to the 12-year-old, nibbling on his nipples, caressing the velvet skin and sucking the tender boy organ.

Mason’s body started to squirm as he felt his orgasm approaching. He knew it was going to be the best he ever experienced. His brother had given him great blowjobs when they were together, but Joshua was an expert. Then he felt the man sliding a finger in his ass. Mason was trying to hold on. He wanted this to last as long as possible. But when a second finger found its way inside, he knew he couldn’t make it. With a loud yell, his body convulsed, his cock going into spasms as he rode the nirvana of a fantastic orgasm. He also felt something different he hadn’t felt before. After his body calmed down, the boy looked at Joshua. "I thought last night was the best feeling I could ever get, but this one was even better. Did I…?"

Joshua gave a big smile. "Yes, you did Mason. You shot your first sperm. Rather tasty I would say."

The naked boy flipped over on his stomach, grabbed his ass cheeks and spread them, exposing the pink tunnel awaiting a visitor. "Your turn."

Joshua looked at the clock. "We have to pack and get going. Our flight leaves in a couple of hours. Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of cocks wanting to enjoy that hot boy ass of yours soon enough," as Mason gave a big grin.

***

"Miss Johnson, this is Solomon Jackson."

"Yes, Solomon, any news?"

"Those four boys you mention are all scheduled to arrive Saturday at 12:10 from their original meeting point in Los Angeles. They stop at Honolulu and then here to Majuro."

"I confirmed that myself. So what else?

"A last minute ticket was purchased by Joshua for the same flight he’s on."

Miss Johnson felt herself getting excited. "And it is…?" leaving the question unanswered.

"Yes, it was for Mason."

"I knew it! Another boy for John’s collection of sex toys."

"That’s not all."

"Oh, what else?"

"My informant got me access to the security building where the videotapes of the airport are kept. We located the one showing John’s return from Pakistan."

"And?"

"He brought two boys back with him?"

"Two boys? That doesn’t make any sense. Why go all the way to Pakistan to get two new boys? He could go back to the orphanage and legally adopt all he wants?"

"I don’t know Miss Johnson. That has me puzzled too, since this Mason is already coming over."

"It doesn’t add up. Why would someone provide an unmarked plane, a security escort and fly him 6000 miles so that he could pick up two boys?"

"Maybe with John’s background as a lover of young boys, it was a type of payment given to him for whatever he’s doing for someone."

Miss Johnson was quiet for several moments. "There’s something big going on. There’s a large piece of the puzzle we don’t have. I have to agree with the Director that John involving himself directly with terrorists is highly unlikely. Maybe there’s another business he’s mixed up in."

"Could John be part of a child prostitution ring he’s running from his island?"

"I don’t know Solomon. Right now, keep up the good work. I’ll get back to you," as the connection was severed.

Miss Johnson was stymied. She needed more answers. The unmarked plane with the six accompanying men was the problem. She hadn’t wanted to call MI5. Her request to investigate could look bad on her. But she couldn’t continue grabbing at straws. In the meantime, why did John keep collecting boys? Solomon was doing a good job in the time he’d been in Majuro. But maybe she needed to get directly involved herself. First, she’d call MI5. Then she would book a flight to take her to Majuro. Maybe it’s time to personally see what’s going on at Paradise Island.

"Mason?" Carlos asked. "Who's he?"

Without including the part of Miss Johnson's involvement, John slanted the story as to not worry the five boys. "Joshua's roommate in college has a younger 12-year-old brother who can't stay at home due to reasons too complicated to explain now. But part of it has to do with Mason always wanting to do sex all the time. Joshua told his roommate about Paradise Island and invited the boy, with his parents' permission, to come out here and see if this is the type of life he wants to live. Joshua sent a school picture of the boy to my phone and I printed it so that you can see what he looks like," as he passed the copy for each boy to see.

"And you're going to let him stay here?" again from Carlos.

"Just because a boy says he likes sex, and then actually do it with grown men and also boys his age can be two very different things. I'll bring Mason here and he can see for himself. Maybe it isn't what he thought it would be. If so, I'll send him back home."

"And if he wants to stay?" once more Carlos.

"Why do I get a hint of skepticism or lack of approval about bringing Mason here?" as he looked at the boy with the questions.

"Aren't we getting a little crowded?"

"You have a good point, especially for the next month when the four from America arrive later today. But I've already thought of that. Troy is trying to find the contractor that built this house. If he does, I'm going to ask him to add rooms, mainly bedrooms to accommodate visitors or any other new boy who ends up living here. But for now, we'll have to do the best we can. Right now Troy will be here soon to pick me up, so I have to get ready."

As John was in his bedroom changing clothes, Carlos came to the door. "May I come in and talk to you?"

"Of course you can. Close the door. I'm guessing this is still about Mason."

Carlos sat on the edge of the bed, looked directly at John and began. "Ever since you adopted Raphael, Peter and I, you've always talked about family. I was so happy to hear that because Raphael and I hadn't had a family in almost two years. I always thought it would be just the four of us. I could understand Corey because he's the nephew of Joshua who lived here before. Now Keoni is here and later today another kid is arriving. You talked about adding rooms that make it sound like even more kids might be coming here to stay. I'm scared the word 'family' won't mean the same anymore."

Carlos' words hit John in the gut. It tied in with his concern he told Troy about getting in over his head. He was taking in boys like stray animals needing a place to stay, not thinking of the impact it was having on the original adopted trio.

There was quiet in the bedroom for several seconds as John tried to think of what to say. "It's funny you should mention that Carlos. And you're right, I've been thinking more of quantity than quality," getting a puzzled look from the boy. "What I'm saying is that I've been more concerned about how to take care of more boys than concentrating on the three that really belong to me, you, Raphael and Peter. You're right; Corey is an exception due to his uncle. But honestly, I wasn't expecting Keoni and the boy Joshua's bringing to be part of our group."

"I'm afraid we won't get as much love from you as before. You'll be sharing it with new boys."

"Do you want me to send Keoni and Mason away?" as John could tell Carlos was having trouble answering such a question. "Look, I tried to convince Keoni to stay on his island. He's their new chief. But he's not interested. He feels a bond of brotherhood with Peter after all they went through in Pakistan. I'm hoping he'll finally realize that he has responsibilities he must shoulder, that he owes it to his grandfather and his people to return home.

"Mason is a big question mark. I'm allowing Joshua to bring him over because he asked me too. Except for Joshua's words about the boy, I know nothing else. I hope in the month he's here I'll learn more about him. And I told Troy that you boys also have a say in the matter. When it's time for the guys to head back to college, you help me decide whether Mason stays or goes. But I do have a big favor to ask you and the others," getting a questioning look from Carlos. "This is a family reunion. I want all of us to have fun. Yes, we'll be a little crowded, but it won't matter because we all care for each other. All right?"

Carlos went and hugged John. "I love you John."

"I love you too. And always remember, whether there's just the three of you or 40, that you are my adopted sons. No one takes precedence over that. Now let me go so I can finish getting dressed," as a naked Carlos chuckled and left the bedroom.

As John finished, he heard the approach of Troy's helicopter. He knew that although it was going to be great seeing the young men again and the next 30 days spent together, he also knew many issues needed to be resolved. Carlos had brought up one. How many more lie ahead?

***

Troy and John sat at the terminal waiting for the flight from Honolulu to arrive. Small talk occupied the flying time to Majuro. Troy knew his friend had many thoughts on his mind. Forty-eight hours ago he wasn't expecting Keoni to stay on Paradise Island nor a young stranger to arrive with Joshua.

"John, why haven't you talked to the Commander about Keoni? Since he's the one who wanted him found, why isn't he advising on this? From what you told me, the boy has some reverence for the man. Maybe he can talk sense to the kid."

John slowly shook his head. "I think the Commander felt his obligation to that island was fulfilled when Keoni was rescued. Since he doesn't know the future, despite the fact he told me when he first brought up the boy's name how important he 'was' to the future, he really didn't know if Keoni would return to his island or not. Now the responsibility falls on me."

"That seems a little underhanded, if you ask me."

"I guess if you've had an obligation hanging over you for 200 years and the time finally came to redeem it, you'd find a way to take care of it as quickly as possible. I just happen to be the convenient vessel."

"He must be annoying at times."

John smiled. "You know Troy, despite his intelligence and superior technology, sometimes I think he's more human than alien. He's studied us for so long, some of our characteristics have rubbed off on him."

"Yeah, like pawning his responsibilities on someone else," getting a laugh from John. Changing the subject, Troy asked, "Are you nervous about this reunion? I don't sense the excitement I thought I would see knowing the four will be here soon."

"Oh, I'm anxious to see them again. But I'd be fooling myself thinking the month will be all sex and fun. There are going to be discussions about what happens after the visit is over. I just hope we will be able to resolve them."

"Ladies and gentlemen, Flight 1948 from Honolulu has just landed. Passengers will arrive at Gate 17 through customs."

"Well, this is it Troy. Let's meet our boys," as the two headed to Gate 17.

***

Before the four young men boarded the flight to Honolulu, they anxiously awaited seeing each other for the first time since they left Paradise Island. Mike was first to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport. Twenty minutes later Chris' flight landed. Both hugged each other happy to be together again.

"God, it's good to see you again Mike."

"I missed you too. How have you been Chris?"

"I'm okay. I just can't wait to get back home. College life has been nothing like I thought it was going to be."

"You mean the studying?"

"Come on Mike, you know what I mean. It's this Miss Johnson. Joshua told me she gave him a hard time trying to paint John as the most evil person we ever met. And believe me I didn't enjoy meeting her myself when she called. Thankfully she never asked me back. The lawyer John assigned me didn't seem too happy representing me not knowing what Miss Johnson was referring to and I couldn't tell him anything."

"Otherwise you've been having a great time?" Mike asked with a straight face, getting a hearty laugh from Chris. "All right, no serious talk now. We'll save it for when we get home." Ten minutes later Matt joined the duo.

"It seems like forever since the three of us were together," Matt told the two.

"It does feel like that. I guess even more so because of the living environment we had to adjust to," Mike put in.

"I wonder guys," Chris began, "if we made a mistake selecting different colleges and not staying together. It certainly would have been less lonely and we could have paired up in rooms and been there to support each other."

"Support or sex?" Mike asked with a grin, getting a laugh from Chris and Matt.

"Don't tell me you didn't miss that?" Chris put in.

"You bet I did. I guess it never occurred to us at the time. John encouraged us to carefully find the university that would closely relate to what we wanted to get our degree in," Mike answered.

"So instead each of us had to deal with a stranger as a roommate," Chris concluded.

"You're right," Matt agreed. "Sharing a room with a stranger you know very little about is no fun. You can't be yourself. I tried not to think about it by concentrating on my courses. I know my roommate thinks I'm weird."

"True. Seems like Joshua was the only one who found a good roommate," Chris stated. Mike knew the two were unaware of the development of that relationship. Thirty minutes later the last member of the group came through the gate.

Shock registered on the faces of Matt and Chris while Mike muttered under his breath, "John did let him bring the boy after all." The two quickly recovered and set about to great their 'brother'.

"It's good seeing you again," all three told Joshua. Then they looked at the young boy.

"Guys, this is Mason. He's the younger brother of my former roommate. He's coming to visit Paradise Island while we're there." The trio politely greeted the boy as they waited for the call to board their first leg of the flight to Majuro and home to Paradise Island. It was Chris who was able to get Joshua alone for a moment."

"What's going on? How can you bring a strange boy here? Do you know what we'll be doing a lot of time we're together? There're four boys already on the island," unaware of Keoni. "Why are you bringing another?"

"It's a long story Chris. But believe me, this boy can more than handle himself when it comes to sex."

Then Matt was next. "I don't know how you got John's approval, but aren't you ashamed?"

"Ashamed? How?"

"You sent Corey to be with John to learn and enjoy the lifestyle there. Don't you think your nephew is entitled to the bulk of your attention while you're home?"

"I'm not going to ignore Corey. I didn't bring Mason to be my personal sex toy. He's a sexually active kid without a way to enjoy and express himself. I'm giving him that chance on Paradise Island." Matt just shook his head and walked away.

During the flight to Honolulu Matt, Chris and Mike sat in a section that was several rows behind Joshua and Mason. Joshua's original seat was with those three. But with the last-minute addition of Mason, the seats they currently occupied were the only side-by-side ones available for this flight.

"They don't like me," Mason finally spoke up. "I can tell."

"That's not true," Joshua tried to assure the boy. "Chris and Matt didn't know about you until a short while ago. So of course they were surprised to see you. Mike was the only one I shared my goal of getting you to my home."

"I think he likes me the least."

"You're jumping to conclusions. We're not even on Paradise Island yet. You've got a whole month for everyone there to get to know you. And I bet when that month is over, everyone will want you to stay."

"I overheard Matt. You have a nephew there?"

"Yes, his parents divorced and neither wanted him. So I got custody. I was going to school and my mother was too ill to care for him. I told him what life was like on Paradise Island and how much I loved it growing up there. He wanted to try and he's been happy ever since. Like you, he was a stranger. But now he's like a member of the family." Mason didn't say anything to that and the rest of the flight to Honolulu was quiet.

While waiting for the next leg of the journey to Majuro, the five went and ate at the terminal coffee shop. Very little was said until Joshua finally spoke up. "Look guys, if you're upset because I brought Mason, fine. Take it out on me. This poor kid thinks you all hate him and we haven't even arrived home yet. Give him a break."

"He's right," Mike responded. "Mason, I apologize and I know Chris and Matt feel the same too. We haven't been fair and given you a chance. You must be special for Joshua not only to stick up for you, but also to convince John to bring you along. While we're all together on the island, we'll treat you the same way we'll treat the other boys there," getting a soft thank you in return.

During the last connection of the flight, although separated again by several rows, Mike, Chris and Matt took turns going to where Mason sat and talking to him. This brightened the boy immensely. As the plane started its final approach to Majuro, Mike privately asked Joshua. "Is he good in bed?"

The man smiled. "I promise you won't forget the time you spend with him."

***

Solomon Jackson didn't have much more he could pass on to Miss Johnson. He was aware than soon the college boys from America, including Mason, would arrive on Majuro to spend a month with John on Paradise Island. Since then, he had nothing else. He was beginning to get concerned that Miss Johnson would find no further need for him and return him to the Homeland Security headquarters and back to his old desk job.

"No, Solomon, you're doing a fine job," his supervisor assured him. "Keep finding out everything you can about John, his contacts and any other activities. When the four return to America, then you and I will pay a visit to Paradise Island."

In the meantime she had been going over the information she had obtained and trying to make sense of it. Although she had hesitated calling British MI5, she was surprised at the cooperation she received when she was connected to an agent named Stuart.

"Unless it's classified, I can provide you with whatever information we have. MI5 and Homeland Security have worked well together over the years and we share whatever intelligence we can with each other." So she asked if there was a way to trace an unmarked plane that recently flew to Pakistan.

After a few minutes Stuart was back with the information. "According to our records Miss Johnson, only one flight that matches flew to Islamabad. It was assigned to Lord Langley. Unfortunately I can't reveal its mission as it has been marked as classified."

"Lord Langley?"

"Yes, he's one of the senior cabinet members in charge of covert operations. Again, I can't say anymore than that."

"I understand Stuart. Thanks for your help."

A British Lord who directs covert operations sends a plane with several commandos to pick up John, fly him to Pakistan and return with two boys. They must have known about his background, even the purpose for bringing new boys to Paradise Island. It made absolutely no sense. She thought of calling Lord Langley, but if the mission were classified, she would get no help there. Although on the surface it was confusing, she knew the answers had to be on Paradise Island. And somehow she was going to get on that island and find out once and for all what was going on. Whatever boys were there needed rescuing and taken from that sick, perverted environment.

***

"So Esteban, what have you learned about John?"

"Not a whole lot, but something. It doesn't amount to him being some sort of serious threat. Just a lot of coincidences."

"Tell me what you found out."

Well, there's really nothing on him until about 12 or 13 years ago. He got into trouble molesting some 9-year-old boy and spent three years in prison. Shortly after he got out, he won a large lottery. He left the United States, came out here and purchased his own private island where he's lived since.

"He basically started by living all alone on this island. The first coincidence was the unexpected landing of the three boys Master Sin had purchased in America and was waiting their arrival to him. John kept the boys there with him until they became adults. Early in their stay, Lam Sin discovered where they were and attempted a trip to retrieve them that was aborted due to severe weather. From then on there's nothing to show for the next seven years. Several months ago he sent the four boys to America to attend college."

"Why do you think he kept the boys instead of sending them to some authority?"

"I think you know the answer to that Sancho. The boys were orphans, young and very good-looking from the report I got. Jarot once told me that Lam Sin wanted these three because they resembled child stars of some movies. And we know that John likes boys, and here three beautiful ones drop in on his island. Why should he mention anything to anyone?"

"Just teasing you my friend," Sancho smiled. "Anything else?"

"After the boys left, he adopted three new ones from the orphanage in Majuro. One was Peter, the one accidentally taken when Jarot's men kidnapped several boys from there. Jarot knew Peter was different, so he calls Najib, who takes the boy off his hand and sells him directly to Abdullah El Sadean. John searched for the boy and finally finds him and brings him home."

"Except for the sex, what you just told me would have made a good family movie."

"Except for the British agents," Esteban reminded him.

"Yes, except for the British agents," Sancho repeated. "Have you found anything to connect them and John?"

"Absolutely nothing, there is no evidence nor anything else to indicate John ever knew anyone in England, much less inside MI5. He never traveled there. Where and when he first made contact with them is a complete mystery. There are no dots to connect."

"There's got to be something there. I too see no common ground for two such diverse backgrounds to meet. It has to somehow tie in with the boy Keoni. Have our people found him yet in London?"

"He's not in London."

"What?"

"John took him to Paradise Island, along with Peter. The British returned to England without him."

Sancho shook his head. "From a quiet uncomplicated beginning, this John is proving to be an interesting, but mysterious individual."

"We know that John enjoys boys and odds are having sex with them. By a strange coincidence since Peter wanted to bring Keoni with him, he just saw another boy to add to his stable of play toys."

"That would be great Esteban if it were that simple. But the British involvement is the fly in the ointment."

"Ah Sancho, but I saved the best for last."

"What did you find out my friend?"

"America's Homeland Security is also interested in John."

"You're kidding, right? Homeland Security?"

"Our sources told me they got interested in John because he used forged passports to get those boys back into America for college to try to conceal their true identities."

"He's a forger?"

"I don't think so personally. He contacted someone, probably in Majuro, to provide new covers for the boys. But here's a kicker. He also provided one recently to Dian."

"The man who helped Semo escape?"

"Correct. That confirms Jarot's suspicions that John was involved in getting Semo away from Singapore. Why he helped is another mystery. Semo had been a prisoner since he was ten years old. How John could have known him and why it was important to get him out is unknown."

"Too many unanswered questions Esteban. Why after seven years raising those three boys has he all of a sudden gotten involved with MI5 and is being watched by Homeland Security? What has changed him in the past few months to make him so popular?"

"Could he have been recruited by MI5? Maybe he knows more about our child sex-slave operation than we give him credit for. For all we know, they may have provided support in getting Semo away from Jarot. Peter wasn't supposed to be involved in anything, but since he was accidentally kidnapped, they helped get him back."

"We could sit here and speculate all day. If what you say is remotely true, we need to put a stop to this before Master Lee finds out."

"What do you suggest?"

"I recommend we take a secret trip to Paradise Island and see for ourselves. We'll grab Keoni and Peter and find out from them what exactly is going on over there."

***

"I'm sure I can arrange for each of you to have your own boy," Jarot responded to a question posed by both Bruce and Kevin. The pilots had made an unannounced trip to Island Number Four during a break in carrying cargo to ask the head of security about such a request. "The boys in Bangkok were really good, weren't they?"

"Mr. Najib's contact was most helpful," Bruce answered. "We never strongly attached ourselves to one boy in Columbia due to the nature of our business and the dangers involved. But now, my brother and I want to settle down and come home to a nice naked boy ready to provide us with sexual pleasure. We have Mr. Najib's two aircraft for both water and land operations. Now we seek a permanent home."

"I talked to a contact I have and he has two small homes that would be perfect for each of you."

"Where?" from Kevin.

"In Singapore, not too far from Master Lee's castle. His influence spreads far and wide in that country, but the closer you are to him, the better protection he can provide you."

The two brothers looked at each other and sort of nodded their heads. "That's as good a place as any," Bruce agreed.

"Good! I'll get things going. You should be able to move in within a few days. Also for your information, there's a private runway nearby, so it will work better for you. When you came back next week to pick up the boys to take to your secret location, I'll have eight boys instead of the usual six I send. You pick the two you want and deliver the others we're contracted for."

"Thanks Jarot. We really appreciate all this," Bruce replied. "If you'll excuse us, we have a shipment to pick up in Majuro to deliver. We'll see you next week."

***

Nervousness. Excitement. Apprehension. All these emotions were running through John as he waited at the gate for the first sight of the boys that he hadn't seen in six months. He was nervous as he wanted the greeting to be warm and to let the boys know how happy he was to see them. The excitement was at the thought of them being home again. Although he now had a new family, seven years of memories of the love shared between the five of them wasn't easy to forget or just shelve in the back of one's mind. And the apprehension also as he knew the boys were coming with concerns that needed to be addressed. He wanted their stay to be one of reminiscing and participation with the newest adoptees and Keoni, although the native boy had yet to spend a day naked or engaged in any sexual activity. It was Raphael, always the horny one, who brought it out the evening before.

"We haven't been naked or done any sex in almost a week. I hope those coming tomorrow will be ready to have fun as soon as they land here." John wasn't sure it would be that quick, but knew it wouldn't take long for those coming to visit to want to sample some hot young flesh.

"There they are," as Troy pointed to the group exiting customs.

"John," the four nearly yelled at once.

Although each young man would have liked to make a big scene of seeing John again, they held themselves in check and simply hugged the man and shook his hand.

"You four look great. I'm so happy you're here. For the next 30 days we're going to be like family once again. The others are anxiously awaiting you at home. They have heard many stories, saw all your pictures from your early days to now and I bet they know each one of you pretty well. And they look forward to seeing you again Mike."

Mike answered. "We're glad to be home, if even for a month. We all have so much to tell you. I hope we don't ruin the holiday with all our talking."

"Hearing each one of your voices will be like music." Then John noticed a small figure standing quietly behind Joshua. "And who is this young man?"

Joshua gently moved the boy around to stand in front of him. "John, this is Mason."

Extending a hand, John greeted the boy. "Welcome to Paradise Island. I hope it turns out the way you've dream about and that the next month will be one of the happiest months you'll ever remember."

"We better go get our luggage," Matt suggested.

"Good idea Matt. You, Chris and Mike will make the first trip back with Troy. Joshua, Mason and I will take the second."

"You didn't bring the Sea Ray to take us all at the same time?" Mike asked.

"No, don't worry. I'm treating Mason to lunch and then we'll see you in a couple of hours."

As everyone headed toward the baggage claim area, Mason held Joshua back. "I'm only going to stay a month. Then he's sending me home."

"What makes you say that?"

"He said it would be the happiest month I'll ever remember. Just one month!"

"Mason, you're reading too much into that. I too hope it will be the happiest month for you, but as compared to other months in your life. After that will be more happy and exciting months. Remember Mason, you have to convince everyone that you want to be a part of their family. No pretending! If this is the life you want, you have to prove it to everyone, not just John," getting a nod of the head from the boy.

As everyone waited for their bags to clear customs, Mike looked around the terminal. There was the usual hustle and bustle of passengers arriving and departing. For a small airport, its location was strategic as it was one of the gateways to southern Asia, Australia, Indochina and beyond. Then Mike's face froze in fear. Was he seeing a ghost? It couldn't be who he thought they were. Chris and Matt noticed the look on their friend's face and approached him.

"What's the matter Mike?" Chris asked.

"Both of you, look over there, by the vending machines. See those two men?"

Matt and Chris stared at the figures, but just shrugged their shoulders. "What about them?" Matt asked.

"Don't you recognize them? They're older-looking, but it's the same two." Once again, the two gave a long look, but told Mike they didn't distinguish anything special about them. "My God guys, don't you recognize them? Remember at the ranch?"

This got Matt and Chris' attention as this time they took an even longer look before the two men they had been staring at moved out of sight. "Impossible!" Chris was the first to say. "What are they doing here?"

It was Matt who finally muttered the names of the two men. "Bruce and Kevin."

"You're right," Mike acknowledged. "It's them. I've tried to forget what they made us do at the ranch."

"Why are they here? Are they looking for us?" Chris wondered.

"I doubt it. Their facial features haven't changed much in seven years, but we've grown from boys to men. They have no idea what we look like today. And why would they want us after seven years? Lam Sin is dead. No, it's just a coincidence. Seeing them just brought back bad memories."

"Should we tell John?" Matt asked.

Mike shook his head. "If they are just passing through, hopefully we'll never see them again. There's no need to concern John. We'll have enough to talk about when we get to Paradise Island."

***

"What's the matter Bruce? You have a strange look on your face," as the two departed the terminal and headed toward their aircraft after clearing customs with their cargo.

"I could swear we were being stared at," replied the man.

"What? What makes you say that?"

"I guess it's all those years in Columbia. You develop a sixth sense if you want to call it that, knowing danger could pop up at any moment. This wasn't danger, but someone interested in us."

"But this is the very first time we've ever been here. How would anyone know us?"

"I don't know Kevin. But I felt eyes burning into me, not a cursory glance, but someone who seemed to know who I was."

"Bruce, could Jarot be spying on us?"

"I don't know. There's no reason to. We're not running late. We'll be on time to pick up the first delivery from him. And he's going to get us a couple of boys for ourselves."

"Then who?"

"I don't know Kevin. But you and I better be vigilant for the next few days just in case."

***

After John, Joshua and Mason had seen the others off, they re-entered the terminal and went to a small restaurant where lunch was ordered. The first few minutes were quiet before John finally spoke.

"As I'm sure you know Mason, this was supposed to be a family reunion: the boys I raised on Paradise Island before, including Joshua, and the new boys I've adopted, plus Joshua's nephew, Corey The reason I allowed you to come was because your older friend here made a convincing argument that you would be a perfect addition to our family. I don't know how much he has told you about our lifestyle, nor do I know how much experience you have living the way we do. Joshua feels that regardless, you will adapt quickly. You're a good-looking boy, I'll say that." Lowering his voice, John whispered, "And if what's underneath is as good-looking as the rest, you'll really compliment the other boys," making Mason blush and give a small smile.

"I have a couple of concerns though. Except for Corey, all the other boys that are on my island are orphans. You have a mother and father. It's hard for me to comprehend them allowing you to come here knowing what kind of a life you'll be leading. From what Joshua has told me, your brother is an adult and has left home to make his own life. That leaves you as the only child. Why would they let you go?"

Mason looked at Joshua as though for help. "You have to say it in your own words Mason," he told the boy. "This is one time I can't help you."

The 12-year-old took a deep breath and tried to explain. "I don't know if I can tell you as well as my brother could. He knew what I wanted and convinced Dad to let me go. Mom never wanted me to leave home, not the first time and definitely not this time. And in the beginning Dad was against it too. Bill has been gay since he was twelve, so I guess he understood why I felt the way I did. My parents never knew until the day we both told them. They wanted to send me away to a boarding school in case anyone else found out about me. They even wanted a special doctor to treat my 'illness'. So I was going to be away from my parents anyhow. When Bill told me of Paradise Island, I knew I wanted to live there."

"Why? Have you spent 24-hours-a-day naked day after day? Did you have sex almost every day with either another boy or a man? How do you know this is what you want?"

The boy shook his head. "Except for Bill and Joshua, I've never done anything with anyone else. But it sounded so exciting and fun, I just knew I could do it. I'm not afraid of being naked or doing sex all the time. Ever since I heard about Paradise Island, that's all I dreamed about, living like you just said."

"Aren't you worried your parents may want you back. You may have brought me guardianship papers, but they still have the right to ask you to come home. Going against their wishes is something I'm not willing to do. No matter how much you love it on Paradise Island, if they want you back, you go."

"I've been thinking about that. With my brother no longer home to speak up for me, I know I can't convince them on my own. I'll enjoy every day with you and the others as though it was my last day."

John was quiet for a moment, and then looked at Joshua. "You understand what I just told the boy?"

"I do John. I believe in him. I know his brother fought hard so he could come here. He even cut his ties with his parents and disappeared to give Mason a chance at something he never could have had. I know it's unexpected and uninvited. All I ask is you give him a chance. Just as Corey, when I told him of Paradise Island, wanted to experience for himself what life was like, so does Mason. Most boys like him will never have the opportunity to live the type of life you offer. He's going to have enough pressure trying to fit in with our family. Plus there's always the chance his parents will call him back. So all he wants is to experience whatever time he's allowed with memories, like I have, to carry with him for the rest of his life."

"All right, I understand and appreciate what both of you are saying." Looking at Mason, John continued. "The fact that you are here today means I'm willing to let you partake of our family. Despite all the fun you've heard about, there are chores, rules, and schooling. You understand?" getting a vigorous nod of the head.

"Now my other concern is this Miss Johnson. Although I've never met her, the way you and Chris describe the woman, I expect her to fly to Paradise Island on a broom. Although I'm exaggerating, she being in Homeland Security and interested in me is bothersome. Your brother worked for her. Originally he was to be here to spy for this woman. And although I'm sure you're no spy Mason, I'm wondering how far she can reach out? Since your brother quit, he still feels she can cause trouble for you and him."

The 12-year-old nodded his head. "My brother didn't want to leave home and go hiding. When he knew I was gay, he wanted to protect me. That's why he quit his job, so Miss Johnson wouldn't make him do something with me he didn't want."

"So I'm guessing that she knows your brother is gay, so are you and that the two of you could be having sex together. No wonder she felt like she had a hold on both of you. Your brother could have been arrested, your parents embarrassed and your life a very miserable one. With that knowledge, she could threaten either of you into doing whatever she wanted to get at me. So Bill thought sending you here was the farthest and safest place for you," getting an acknowledging nod from the boy.

"John, believe me when I tell you she's evil. Like I told you before, she's threatened to take Corey away from me."

"I can't understand this obsession of hers. A couple of not perfect passports and she thinks I'm running some criminal empire, competing with Master Lee."

"She hates you because you love having boys around and doing sex with them," Joshua added.

"Well I'm sure I wouldn't win 'Upright Citizen Of The Year Award', getting a chuckle from Joshua and Mason. "Joshua, you, the others and I talked about this a lot of times over the years. We accepted who we are and wouldn't give it up for the world. Mason here now wants to be a part of a new journey he's been dying to try. We won't let Miss Johnson spoil our reunion. If she ever becomes a nuisance or threatens any of us in any way, we'll deal with it when the time comes. Remember Lam Sin?" getting a nod from Joshua.

"Whose Lam Sin?"

"A long story Mason. Ask Joshua. That's when we knew we were really a family. Oh, I see Troy approaching, so let's go. Ever flew in a helicopter Mason?

"I never flew on a plane until today."

Well, I'll make sure Troy flies low over the water. Maybe you'll get to see some dolphins or whales, maybe even sharks," as the trio headed to the tarmac.

***

Jarot greeted the two pilots as they glided their seaplane to the dock of Island Number Four. "Welcome boys. Are you ready to take your first passengers?" as the men headed inside the large concrete building.

"Yes we are," Bruce answered. "We picked up our cargo in Majuro and will deliver it to Calcutta after we take the boys to their destination. There's a special compartment near the rear of the plane where we can lock them up."

"Good," as the men entered Jarot's office. "Okay. As you can guess for security reason, specifics about where you are exactly to meet are kept confidential until the day you depart here with your cargo," getting understanding nods from the two men. Jarot then handed Bruce a piece of paper. When you're within 25 miles [40 km] of this GPS location, you call on the frequency written on that paper. Someone will answer and ask for the password. If they are convinced there is no danger, they will tell you where to land. Make sure you answer concisely and correctly. A man with a Stinger missile will be aimed at your plane ready to shoot you down if necessary if you slip up."

Bruce and Kevin looked at each other. It was Bruce who spoke. "You're kidding, right?" getting a silent answer from the head of security. "We left South America after years of wondering if this flight or that one would be our last. Now we face a new threat delivery these boys."

"You're over-reacting. Mr. Najib delivered boys for seven years. Unless you stutter or are absent-minded, you can surely say this password when asked. This is to protect the operation from their end. After a few deliveries, this will be a normal routine. Unless they suspect something amiss, you won't be using the password after a few deliveries." This seemed to calm the two brothers down somewhat. "Now let's go get the boys you'll be taking," as Jarot stood up from his chair.

"Jarot," Kevin began to ask. "This place is called Island Number Four. Are there three other island locations like this?"

"At one time when Master Lam Sin was in charge we did have four locations where boys were brought in and kept until they were ready to ship out. Business was very brisk back then. When Master Lee took over, he closed Numbers 1, 2 and 3 and just kept this one going."

"So why wasn't this one renamed Island Number One?"

Jarot chuckled. "I guess Kevin no one ever gave it any thought," as he led the pilots down a hallway to a room. Inside stood eight naked boys. The blankets that they had been using for covering lay on the floor next to each child.

"This is our shipment?" Bruce asked.

"Yes, six of these boys go all the way to Libya."

"And the other two?"

"They will be the lucky ones you and your brother get to pick for yourselves," Jarot answered Bruce. "Remember I told you there were be two extra boys so that both of you could pick one to be your permanent toy."

"Yes, I remember now. With the nervousness of this first flight, the cargo and the security, it slipped my mind."

"You'll do fine. Now look carefully at each boy and decide which one you want. Don't be afraid to touch them, check them out closely."

"This is a little awkward for us," Kevin spoke.

"Why?"

"Well, in Columbia it seemed the boys who were available knew what their roles were in pleasing a man. Just as the boys we enjoyed in Bangkok. I imagine these boys have no experience at all."

Jarot sighed in exasperation. "I don't believe this. Aren't you looking at the possibilities of having virgin boys to mold and train to your precise satisfaction? Didn't you do something similar to the three boys at your ranch?"

"I guess we did, but just to get them used to total nudity and some simple sex acts. We figured Lam Sin would do the rest. And that was almost eight years ago."

"Well Bruce, in this case you have eight boys who have never done anything sexual in their lives. They range in age from 10 to 12. You'll get to train them on how your want your cock sucked. They'll learn how important it is to swallow that important juice you will provide that you can claim is beneficial for them. And the best part of all is that you'll be the first to slide your man-meat into a never before entered ass. That boy ass will be yours. You shared the boys in Columbia; the boys in Bangkok were just whores for whoever paid the price. The one you select here will be your own personal property. While many dirty old men will pay thousands for a rubberized boy sex doll, you'll have the real thing,"

"I guess we never looked at it from that perspective," Bruce stated.

"Now tell me which two you want?" as the pilots walked around the frightened, shivering boys.

"Which one do you want Bruce?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know. They are all so beautiful. My cock is hard looking at them."

Jarot decided they needed to move along. There was a schedule to keep. "With all due respect, we can't be spending a lot of time while you're deciding. You need to be in the air. Let me make a suggestion," as Jarot walked up to the eight boys and grabbed two of them. "Both these boys are eleven years old. They are the last two from the orphanage we raided last month. I recommend taking these as they are orphans, so no one will be looking for them."

Bruce and Kevin looked at each other. "That's okay with me," Kevin told his brother. "We can then choose who wants which boy."

Nodding his head in agreement, Bruce looked at Jarot. "Deal, and thank you."

"No problem. Now let's get these boys wrapped in their blankets and loaded on your plane. There are some very rich horny men waiting to bid on them and make us money," as the three laughed.

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