Jail's Bait: Time Served (Book 5)

Marquis had been with his girlfriend, Carmen, Kap’s girlfriend Angelina, and Jake ReVanche, all headed for the cafe for dinner when he got the call.  He answered, then stiffened, halting in mid-stride.  It was about three seconds before the others noticed that Marquis wasn’t with them; they turned around just as Marquis was hanging up the cell phone, staring out at the quad with a blank look. 

Carmen reached him first.   “What happened,” she asked, pushing back her cinnamon hair back from her face, her eyes full of concern. 

He stared blankly at his girlfriend.  “That was- my father.” 

“What??”  Angelina said, echoing the collective shock of the group.  “What the fuck did he want?”  Jake stepped closer, no one noticing the strangely intense look on his face at the mention of Rah-Rah. 

“He was at Crimson Crest- my family’s ancestral estate,” Marquis added for Jake’s benefit.  “The whole family was there… its Smithers, the butler… he just died.” 

“The butler, who was actually your great-great uncle...?” Carmen asked in sympathetic shock.  Marquis nodded, his hazel green eyes spilling forth with sudden tears. 

“C’est horrible- eet ees awful,” Jake whispered in shock. 

Carmen flung her arms around him as he broke down.  “He-he didn’t even know I was related to him, we were afraid he would keel over from the shock.  Didn’t matter, huh...?  He was gonna check out anyway… he was like a grandfather to me.  That poor old man, he thought he was all alone in the world… and I couldn’t tell him he wasn’t, he wasn’t…” and he sobbed in Carmen’s arms. 

Angelina and Jake came forward and they both put arms around Marquis in sorrow.  They walked him to the nearest group of benches in the quad they could find and then settle him down on one, gathering around the tear-splattered young man. 

“I'm sorry, so so sorry; Smithers, he knew you loved him,” Carmen was whispering over and over to him, stroking the top of his head.  “You always went over there and played chess with him, all the time, like a grandson.” 

“Are you going to ze service...?” Jake asked then. 

“They’re sending the jet for me,” Marquis replied, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.  “I really wish I could see him one more time.”  He looked over at his friends.  “You know, I'm not in the mood for dinner right now; you guys go ahead.” 

The girls and Jake looked at each other.  Carmen leaned in to study her boyfriend’s face.  “Are you sure,” she asked him; “I’ll stay with you…” 

“No, its okay, Carm,” he said, reaching to stroke her face.  “I want to be alone for a little bit.” 

Hesitantly, the others and Carmen got to their feet.  “Well, we’ll be in the café then,” Carmen said.  “I love you,” she added as they began to slowly walk off. 

Marquis nodded at her, then leaned down and bowed his head into his hands, sadness and regret filling him like a wave. His memories of visiting Crimson Crest and playing chess with Smithers were more important to him than he realized.  To him Smithers was really like a grandfather, more a link to his family’s past which made him feel connected to the old man in ways that were so profound… 

There was a sound of heavy things hitting the bench directly across from him.  He looked up to see Kap, somewhat perspiring and out of breath, slouching down on the bench, his book-bag and his wrestling gear next to him.  “Hey,” he said then, shaking his head.  “Man, these practices are getting more brutal the closer we get to the match.” 

Marquis simply stared at Kap.  Kap, noticing the absence of talk, frowned.  “Hey look, if you’re still upset about this morning then I'm sorry, but I just don’t like that guy hanging all around you all the time.” 

Marquis suddenly narrowed his eyes.  He got to his feet.  “What IS this thing you got against Jake...?” he asked.  “If you’ve noticed, he’s not here right now.” 

“In which case I should send him flowers,” Kap said sarcastically.  “We should celebrate the fact that he actually gave you five minutes of space.” 

“You know, maybe I need some space from YOU right now,” Marquis said, grabbing his bookbag from the bench and stalking off. Taking out his cellphone, he pressed speed-dial.  “..Hello...?  Its me; can you send the jet for me tonight...?” 

*******

Kap sat there for another minute or so, staring in the direction that Marquis had gone.  And sighing, he got up from his perch, gathered his things and headed for the dorm.  Dropping his things in the room he shared with Marquis, he decided to go grab something from the campus café before it closed up shop for the night.  He was halfway back down the stairs when he heard someone call his name.  Turning, he saw the tall, dark-skinned brick-house that was Carmelo Johnson coming down the steps, wearing his Grizzlies jersey, with two covered dinner trays in his hand.

Melo slowed down as soon as he reached Kap.  “Whats good, playa?” he asked, his sexy eyes sparkling in the dim light. 

“Nothing, Melo,” Kap replied, trying not to remember what he heard earlier in the morning, the sounds of Hooch slurping and Melo moaning on the third-floor bathroom- “I-I was just going to the café for dinner,” he said aloud; “What’s good on the menu?” 

“Lift up one of the covers,” Melo replied with a grin. 

Kap gingerly lifted up one of the covers off the trays, peeking in.  “Whoa, fried chicken and French fry night, huh?”  He looked at both trays that Melo balanced.  “How are you eating so much and keeping at your weight class?” 

“This second one was for me, I was hungry after football practice,” Melo admitted with a snicker, “but now that you think of it, how ‘bout you take one of these and come eat with me in my room...?” 

Kap hesitated, knowing that Melo’s girl Necie was a cheerleader; all the cheerleaders were off at overnight cheer-trials, and as co-captain Necie would have to be there… meaning that he would soon be alone in a dorm room with an unusually sexy man, of whom he personally (and privately) knew actually got down with other dudes… but then he wondered if Marquis would be so busy running behind ‘French-Flake Jake’ to notice. 

“Okay,” Kap said, making his mind up on the spot and taking one of the trays for himself; “lead the way.” 

*******

Ten minutes later, Marquis was up in the dorm room grabbing a few things together for his trip to Seattle.  He had just picked up his Hill family medallion off the dresser and placed it around his neck, under his shirt when there came a knock at the door.  “Come in,” he said absently. 

The door opened and Jake came in.  “We looked for you but you never showed up to ze café,” he said; “so ze girls went back to ze dorm.”  He paused.  “Allez-vous quelque part ?” 

“I decided to fly back home to Seattle tonight, so the jet is coming for me now; I've gotta get to the airport.” 

“Are you driving or did you call a car service?” 

“Nope- I need door to door… I hired a helicopter, its picking me up on the roof.  After it swings by to get Peterson, my valet, from the beach house,” he added absently, stuffing a few odds and ends into his overnight bag and zipping it closed.  “I have to be on the roof before security shoos the copter away.” 

“Sounds stupéfiant- amazing,” Jake remarked. 

Marquis shook his head, looking around the room.  “I don’t believe that Kap isn’t here yet; I never got a chance to tell him that I'm leaving.” 

“Leave a note,” Jake replied simply.  “That way he’ll know where you are.” 

Marquis hesitated.  “I could do that- it’s just that… we had a fight, and I…” 

“Eez zat a helicopter I hear...?” Jake said suddenly. 

Marquis jerked his head skyward.  “Oh, shyt, that’s my ride,” he said, rushing around the room to find a scrap piece of paper and a pen.  Scribbling down a few hasty words, he left it pinned to the mirror with a piece of scotch tape.  “Could you close the door...?” Marquis said, rushing out of the room. 

Jake started after him- but then detoured to the mirror, ripping off the note and hastily sticking it in his pocket.  “You don’t deserve to know where Marquis is, you imbecile,” he said then with a malicious grin. 

He was about to head out of the room when he spied Kap’s Hill family medallion, hanging on the corner of his bunk-bed.  He reached over and snatched it off its perch, examined it for a moment, and stuffed it into his pocket also. 

Once outside the room Jake closed the door behind him- and turned around to find Marquis standing right there in his face.  “HEYY,” Jake said, jumping back a few feet, “vous m'avez presque effrayé à mort- scared me to death...!” 

“I'll make it up to you,” Marquis said then with a smile.  “I just had an idea; come with me.” 

“You mean to ze airport?” Jake frowned. 

“No, all the way to my house in Seattle.”  He sighed.  “I don’t think I can face this funeral alone.” 

“Weellll,” Jake said hesitantly as the whirring sound in the distance grew louder, “okay, I’ll go...!  But I don’t have anything packed!  Toothbrush, slippers…” 

“Don’t worry,” Marquis said confidently as he steered the boy towards the upper floors and the roof, “HT will have everything you could ever want or need.” 

That’s exactly what I'm counting on, Jake thought, his eyes growing dark.  And they both ran upstairs to the roof and the approaching helicopter.

*******

Thirty minutes later, the Hill family jet was well on its way from L.A. to Seattle.  “Pardonnez-moi,” Jake asked Marquis about halfway there. 

Marquis, who had been up to that moment non-vociferous, turned his head towards Jake.  “What is it,” he asked in an absent tone. 

“Why ees eet that you would ask me, un étranger commun à votre famille, to go along with you on zees trip?  I know none of your loved ones; perhaps Kap would have been une alternative plus convenable- a more suitable alternative?”” 

Marquis thought about it. “I didn’t see him before I left, and… maybe we need some space right now.  He’ll come when I send the jet back to pick up Peterson.” 

Wasn’t he ready when the helicopter went for him...? Jake asked. 

“Naw, he was packing and he’s real anal about having just the right accessories for a trip,” Marquis replied with a smile.  “But his anally superior nature is why he makes an excellent valet,” he added with a mock sigh.  “He’ll come when I send the jet back for Kap and the girls.” 

“You-you are sending ze jet back for everyone else...?” Jake asked, startled. 

“Yeah- though this is my first time using it, the jet really is the easiest way to get my valet, the girls and Kap up to Seattle in time for the funeral.”  Marquis sighed.  “That is, if Carm and Kap are going to come; if they aren’t too pissed that I just took off like that- what was I thinking...?” and he put his head into his hands and groaned. 

“Awww…dont s'en inquiètent, c'est parfait,” Jake said as he sat down by Marquis and began to stroke the top of his head.  “Eet will be fine, votre petite amie will be fine,” he said, leaning in to put his arms around Marquis's sagging shoulders.  Marquis looked up into Jake’s eyes, his face wet. 

“Zere, zere,” Jake said, wiping Marquis’s tears from his cheeks, “le petite Carmen and Kap will come to support you in zis time of despair.”  Jake pulled Marquis close to him and held the weeping boy for a time, whispering words of comfort in his ear.  After a few minutes however, 

Marquis, obviously drained from grief, slumped backward, fast asleep, his arms loosely around Jake’s elbows. 

Jake stared at the inert form for a moment, then gingerly removed himself from Marquis's embrace, settling him into a comfortable position.  He walked over to the mini-bar and removed a couple of water bottles.  Humming to himself, he opened both tops and then reached into his pocket for the dry oleander powder he kept concealed.  He funneled the packet and let the white granules fall like sparkling stars into the fresh water.  Careful to sprinkle only a few drops into each neck, Jake closed the tops back on the water bottles and carefully shook them until the grains had completely dissolved, leaving the water looking just as fresh as if the bottles had never been opened. 

Jake smiled to himself then- a smile that suggested that all was going according to plan.

*******

Kap had just finished his plate of chicken and French fries, laughing along with Melo at the new comedy plasma DVD the quarterback had in his collection.  The couch they sat on was plush and extremely comfortable.  Even though he was totally attentive to the movie, he noticed that each time Melo moved or laughed at something, he moved slightly closer to the side that Kap sat on.  Melo had gotten ‘comfortable’, or so he put it- and so now he sat in nothing but a white wife-beater and sheer boxers that left nothing to the imagination… if Kap decided to look in that direction, that is.  Part of him kept a guard up against anything that would be construed as cheating on his lover- their recent butting of heads notwithstanding, he loved Marquis and would never mess up what they’ve had together these past three years… no matter how sexy or horny or naked the best looking guy on campus happened to be just then- 

“Hey man,” Melo said then, jerking Kap out of his reverie.  He automatically turned towards Melo- and his heart almost stopped beating. 

Melo was sitting so close to him now, almost with his smooth, muscular arm draped around his shoulders, his male scent intoxicating and strong from the earlier football practice… his pecs poked dramatically through his white wife-beater and the rest of his chest seemed sculpted and perfect.  Accidentally looking towards his lap, Kap almost choked again- Melo’s strong, manly thighs perfectly shaped the sheer drape of his boxers, and the outline of a massive dick seemed to rise like a tree trunk between his legs, the hole of his boxers showing a hint of the real thing, thick and strong even as it seemed to rest at half-mast.  It stretched across his right leg to rest the outline of its flared head only inches away from Kap’s bare arm. 

Kap swallowed, his heart beating a mile-a-minute- and then looked up again into Melo’s sensual eyes.  “It’s cool,” Melo said with a half-grin and a shrug.  “Don’t worry about it, a lot of guys get that look on their face when they get a good look at me.  It don’t mean nuthin but that you appreciate a decent body, is all.” 

“W-what did you want,” Kap said then, his voice dry like plaster. 

“Do you want a beer...?  I'm bout to go get one…” and then Melo hesitated.  “Unless…” 

“Kap stared at Melo.  Unless…what...?” he managed to squeak out. 

“Unless… you might wanna come back into my bedroom,” Melo said then, his voice low and dripping with lust.  “We could have some fun, you know… no one gotta know about it,” he added intently.  “Just you and me…” 

Kap sat petrified as Melo moved in closer, closer… and then Melo had his lips over Kap’s mouth, and his tongue gently pushed its way inside to mix and mingle with Kap’s tongue, filling Kap with a lust like a rising beast- and then he realized what he was doing… 

“MFFFFFHGGH!”  Kap said in a strangle, pushing Melo off of him.  “You don’t understand,” he said, trying to catch his breath. 

Melo lay back on the couch, breathing heavily.  “I get it, playa,” he said then, sitting up.  “You’re nervous, you never did this shyt before…” 

“No, NO,” Kap continued; “it’s just… I’m kinda… already with someone.” 

Melo stared at him… and then Kap could see him putting two and two together in his mind.  “You and Marquis...?” he said then, stunned.  “Hot damn, he’s a serious cutie yo; how long have y'all been together...?” 

“For three years now,” Kap said defensively; “I'm not trying to mess that up for no one, man.” 

Melo sat back, awe running across his face.  “Okay, I get you, man,” he said then.  “I aint gonna try and bust up something like what y'all have; that’s rare in this game.” 

“Whew,” Kap said then, laying back on the couch, relief washing though him.  “I'm glad that you get it man,” he said; “so no one else knows about you...?” 

“Naw, only the dudes I already fucked here on campus,” Melo replied candidly. 

“Whoa,” Kap said, surprised by this.  “There’s a lot of DL kats here, huh?” 

“You wouldn’t believe how many if I told you,” Melo nodded conspiratorially.  “Still want that beer...?”  And he got up and went into his kitchenette.  Those who remember what happened, anyway, he thought to himself with a inward grin as he headed for the cabinet where he kept his specially mixed date rape drug. 

Kap sat there, completely stunned.  Not only did there seem to be a complete DL movement here at UC Berkeley, but the hottest dude on campus was one of them; the dude had just tried to come on to him, and then instead of being angry about being turned down, was actually being a stand-up guy about it...!  Too bad that no one could really know this side of you, dude, Kap said than, leaning back on the couch, the tension he’d felt since coming into Melo’s suite actually leaving him.  He lounged there, inwardly fantasizing on what great friends he and Marquis could become with Melo now… 

“Here you go,” Melo said then, coming back into the room with a couple bottles of beer and sitting back down on the couch.  “I opened this up for you,” he added, handing Kap a bottle, which felt wet and cold to the touch.  “A toast, then,” Melo declared, raising the bottle to Kap’s and clinking them.  “To newfound friends on the low; I aint saying nuthin if you don’t,” he added with a smile. 

“To newfound friends on the low, and to everyone keeping their mouths shut,” Kap agreed, raising his bottle and drinking the whole bottle down in three big gulps. 

“Whoa; that’s wassup,” Melo said with a chuckle.  “So you can hold your liquor, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Kap replied then, and then he tried to get to his feet.  A wave a dizziness swept through him, and he sat back down rather quickly.  “Well, usually, that is,” he added, as he laid his head back down on the back of the couch, which suddenly began to feel very comfortable… then it suddenly began to feel like it was the only thing holding him up, keeping him from falling to the floor… 

Melo watched silently as Kap slipped back onto the couch, and deep into unconsciousness.  He sighed.  “Well, I didn’t expect you to drink the whole bottle down so fast, dude,” he murmured with a liscentious grin; he finished his bottle and set it down.  “I know you didn’t think you was gettin outta here without me gettin up in dat ass,” he added as he reached underneath Kap and groped at his butt-cheek…. 

The star quarterback closed his eyes and smiled.  “Mmmmm.  Damn if dat don’t feel madd good.”  He leaned over and kissed the nape of Kap’s neck, and ran his hands all over his inert body, feeling each and every crack and crevice.  “Nice balls, dude,” Melo murmured in approval as he reached inside Kap’s pants and cupped them.  He leaned in to whisper into the unconscious man’s ear.  “What I added to yo beer was my own special mix of a roofie and Ecstacy- guaranteed to keep you out of it, yet make your body respond to whatever feels good to you.  I can't tell you how many of the hardest niggas on campus don’t even know they threw better booty to my dick than half the pussy here at school.  The feeling, man, the power I have with this mix I got… I could have ANYone I want...!  And now, Kap, its your turn.”  He gazed at Kap’s sexy-shaped lips and growled with lust.  “Damn man, too bad you can't be awake for this, but I been dreamin bout you since Freshman Year.  And now, tonight, you gonna be mine; fuck dat Marquis nigga; he famous and all dat, but he aint dat damn famous dat he could keep dis pretty ass from me.”  And with that Melo stood up, scooped up the unconscious Kap and carried him into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him.

*******

“Do you think this is going to start being a normal flight plan for us,” the pilot said to his co-pilot as the Hill family jet coasted through the skies at 30,000 feet; “now that the kids know about the jet?” 

“You might have a point,” the co-pilot said.  “But it beats sitting on the tarmac for days at a time, not going anywhere, 'cause the Governor doesn’t travel that much and the other Hills don’t really use us.  They go on commercial flights.” 

“Well, now that the next generation knows that they have jet access anytime they need it, you can rest assured we’ll be filing normal routine flight plans…” the pilot said, absently checking the gauges. 

“Hey- let me ask you a question,” the co-pilot began hesitantly. 

The pilot cut him off.  “Before you ask about any sort of sex-type noises you might have heard on various flights where you knew full well there was no one on board but the Governor and his personal male assistant, DON’T ask.” And with that he kept his eyes on the skies in silence. 

The co-pilot opened his mouth to react- and then shut it again, thinking better of it. 

There was a knock on the cabin door.  “Come in,” the pilot said. 

The door opened and Jake came in, holding two bottled waters.  “Pardonnez-moi, messieurs; I figured you could use some rafraîchissements...?” 

The pilots looked at Jake with mild surprise.  “Well, that’s awfully nice of you,” the first pilot said, taking a bottled water from Jake. 

“Yeah, real nice,” the co-pilot said, taking the other bottle.  “I actually am thirsty.” 

“Careful,” Jake said warningly; “I know you need both hands up here, so I loosened ze tops for you, easier to open up, comprenez-vous ?” and he smiled as they both opened up the bottles and liberally drank the contents dry. 

They handed the empty bottles back to Jake, satisfied grins on both faces.  “Glad I could be of some use,” Jake smiled at them once again as he stepped out of the cabin, closing the door behind him. 

He went to the lavatory then, washed out both bottles vigorously, and deposited them in the trash bin next to the kitchen.  Sitting back down next to Marquis, he nodded to himself.  Okay, according to my calculations, if I didn’t use too much oleander, then right around midnight both pilots will come down with what will be flu-like symptoms, which will lay them out for the rest of the week.  No way will they be able to fly back to LA to pick up those losers…

And he placed one hand on Marquis’s shoulder, pulled out Kap’s Hill family ruby medallion, and studied it while smiling again- this time with an evil, calculating grin.