The Order

Prelude

Thrashing about in his bed, The Master’s hairy, muscled body sweated heavily as his mind filled with the color of blood.  In his dreams he held the stone again, the source of his pain, and his thoughts were primitive as they had been eighty thousand years ago.  At that time, no language of the tongue existed among his people, but his thoughts were clear.

What have I done!?

The spirit spoke directly to his mind, teaching him, sharing secrets, and making him strong.  Even without language he comprehended the words and realized the difference between himself and his tribe.

He was young, but smarter and better at everything, and they feared him. Being different made him feel special, and the spirit fanned the flames of his vanity. However, there was another among them as smart as himself, his younger brother.

His brother was just as clever, and the spirit cultivated seeds of jealousy within him. At first, the young Master didn’t understand the emotion, but once the seeds took root the spirit nurtured his anger and pettiness, whispering incessantly in his conscious and unconscious mind.

You will never be special as long as he lives.

Looking down, his brother’s face was nearly unrecognizable from the crushing damage he inflicted. He thought it would make him feel strong; the spirit said it would! Instead, he felt cold and empty. 

His only brother, whose thoughts he shared mind to mind, was gone! Lightning filled the skies, and cold rain fell as the world cried at his actions, its tears matching his own.

The groaning of creation started that day.

Waking with a start, the harsh sound of his breathing reminded him of his appearance, hating the sight of his ruddy skin and primitive, hairy body. He forbade mirrors and reflective surfaces in any of his strongholds and domiciles, so he would never have to look upon himself. His self-loathing made him hate the beautiful perfection of the new warriors of The Order all the more.

His hands bled, dripping onto the sheets, cut by his sharp fingernails from clenching his fists while he dreamt. The weight of the stone still rested in his hand, wet with the smell of blood, its memory sharp and clear in his mind.

He buried those memories tens of thousands of years ago. How and why did they resurface now? He knew the answer even as he formulated the question… someone held the stone. How and why after so many thousands of years he did not know, but it was of no consequence. Even the stone could not be used against him. However, he could never be too careful, vowing to discover who held it and solve the mystery of how it returned to the world.

Unsettled, The Master pushed the memories back down where they should stay forever, burying them in the deepest, darkest well in his mind, along with everything else that made him human. That place echoed with ages upon ages of pain, and he didn’t like to go there. When he did, he often heard a voice echoing up from the deepest part of himself, and it terrified even him; the voice of his brother, screaming as his life was beaten out of him.

Grunting in anger, black smoky tendrils flowed from his body as he rolled over, attempting to go back to sleep.

He dreamed again of a young boy floating in the air as the stone orbited his body. He recognized the boy. The Master held him and his mother captive not long ago, among the prisoners rescued by the warriors of The Order. Drew and Liz Hastings were associated with The Order, but what was their significance? How did the stone fit into what he saw? He would meditate and discover the meaning.

Unable to sleep, The Master lumbered out of his bedroom to find one of his whores and relieve his tension and anger.

The screams that soon followed broke the early morning silence of the house, unsettling his servants. All of them learned to tread lightly on days that started with those screams, lest their voices add to the spine-chilling chorus.

---

Chapter Twenty One

Nearly two weeks had passed since Liz’s death, and Henry continued giving Ken and the others the cold shoulder, keeping his interaction with them to a minimum. He spoke only when necessary, and even then, his communication remained short and curt.

Drew spent most of his time in their room playing by himself or coloring. Trying her best to help, Sally did a good job with Drew, but as soon as any of the guys showed up, he quietly packed up his crayons or collected his toys and retreated to his room.

None of them, especially Ken, could shake the deep thread of sadness over Henry and Drew’s behavior. Doing his best to keep Ken distracted, Brad often found him with a sad expression on his face. They spent more time than usual in one another to ward off the feelings; all of the guys did. They stayed merged more often as a group, too, sharing their grief and shoring up each other’s hearts.

Their training continued, and Ken pushed himself and the rest of them harder than ever. They all knew what he was doing; he knew it himself. He wanted to make sure they would be strong enough in the future so no one would ever have to make a sacrifice like Liz’s again.

Bill and Kevin spent a good deal of their time at the orphanage making sure the kids were taken care of. All of the guys helped there, too… meeting the children, getting to know them, playing sports, and organizing chores. Bryan even cooked a few special meals for them. The kids were presented with an entirely new world for themselves when they were with adults who cared for them.

In a few instances, Bill was forced to fall back on disciplinary tactics from their Navy background with a few of the older kids who continued to misbehave… but they responded well. The kids needed boundaries, and when love accompanied the punishment, it stuck with them. Over time they wanted to make Bill, Kevin, and the rest of the guys proud of them, which was the best motivation of all.

The kids figured out quickly that any of the men knew when they were lying, and it didn’t take long for them to stop trying to pull the wool over their eyes. It was a surprising discovery to learn they could get along fine by telling the truth.

<><><> 

With Halloween approaching, Sally was deep in plans for a party at the lab. Drew isolated himself more and more, and she tried as desperately as any of them to help him in any way she could. The sad fact was, Drew was just a little boy who wanted his mom. They couldn’t even comfort him with the lie of Liz waiting for him in Heaven; at some point his mind would slip open, and he would see the lie for what it was.

Watching his new son, Henry tried his best but he floundered inside. Devastated by Liz’s death, he didn’t feel equipped to raise Drew on his own, and Drew’s behavior made everything more difficult. Acting out at the slightest provocation, he spoke less and wet the bed nearly every night.

He stopped wearing his superhero clothes and no longer played with his superhero toys. Instead, he played with his Hot Wheels and coloring books and watched the same videos Liz bought him over and over until Henry wanted to scream.

Trying to keep his contact with the guys to a minimum, Henry adopted the habit of waiting until they were in the gym training before he and Drew emerged from their room for the day.  Usually, he made bowls of cereal for them, then retreated to their room to eat.

That morning, Sally attempted to pre-empt the rut Henry and Drew were in by cooking some of Drew’s favorite breakfast foods. She made snowman-shaped pancakes, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, and cinnamon toast. She found chocolate milk in the fridge, sure Bryan put it there for Drew.

She also noticed Drew’s favorite snacks appearing on the counters within easy reach. Bryan and all the guys did many subtle and unobtrusive things for Henry and Drew, and their caring efforts made her want to cry.

Appearing in just his underwear, Henry traipsed through the kitchen while holding Drew, who was still drowsy and resting his head on Henry’s shoulder.  Liz always took care of washing Drew, and it was another duty Henry took up, so every morning he took Drew to the shower with him. She noticed Drew wore underwear rather than his pajamas, figuring he was trying to be like Henry.

Sally did a double-take at the sight of Henry’s mostly naked body. The Enemy's physical changes made him as lean and muscular as any of the guys, and he was devastatingly handsome in his own right. He didn’t have the guys' angelic charisma, but to Sally, that made him even more attractive.

With his dirty blond hair, green eyes, and usual facial stubble, he looked like the type of scruffy bad boy Sally had always been attracted to. With a perfect dusting of hair on his chest and abs, seeing him in his Kalvin Kline tighty-whities caused her heart to skip a beat.

Smelling the bacon, Drew’s head perked up off Henry’s shoulder on their way to the showers.

In a chipper voice, Sally said, “Good morning, guys! I made you breakfast! You’ve been eating way too much cereal lately.”

Henry’s reply was low-key as he said, “Thanks, Sally. I appreciate it. Drew, what do you say?”

Drew’s reply was a sleepy and automatic, “Thank you, Ms. Sally.”

“You’re welcome, Tiger.”

Pausing, she turned back to the stove, knowing Henry would be irritated at what she was about to say.

“Drew, Halloween’s coming up soon. Have you thought about a costume for the party?”

She felt Henry’s glare on the back of her head. He knew what she was doing, but Sally kept her back to him, maintaining her cheerful demeanor.

Hanging his head, in a barely discernible whisper, Drew said, “I don’t know.”

Sally saw cracks in Drew’s behavior, knowing how much he missed his friendship and interaction with the guys. He was confused, and Henry’s attitude towards Ken and the others didn’t help. With Liz gone, Drew wouldn’t let Henry out of his sight, and he mimicked Henry’s behavior and mannerisms, worshipping the ground he walked on. She knew it was more than that, though; Drew was terrified of Henry leaving him like his mom.

“Well, be thinking about it, Tiger, okay? Oh, Henry, I noticed Drew’s jeans are getting a little high around the ankles. He’s growing like a weed, and we need to get him some new clothes, so be thinking about a costume we can pick up when we go shopping.”

On one hand, Henry was irritated at Sally for pushing Drew about a costume. She knew perfectly well he planned to go as Iron Man before Liz died. On the other hand, her comments dug at him, making him feel like he was neglecting Drew.

Doing the best he could, Henry was barely holding himself together. He missed his connection to the guys terribly, but the conflict in his heart and his stubborn anger prevented him from giving in. He blamed them for everything that occurred the day Liz died, convinced they should have done more. If they had, she would still be alive, and Drew would have his mom and Henry his wife.

Neither Henry nor Sally realized the doctor overheard their conversation. While his face remained impassive, his heart ached for them, for all of them. His massive intellect struggled, trying to figure out how in the world they would ever arrive at the point of Drew confronting the Master, especially with the direction things were going.

I know it looks bleak at the moment, Aaron, but there’s still time. I’m anxious as well, but we have to trust that things will work out. With the men…I think, somehow, they will find a way. We must trust them.

Sighing, Aaron thought: You are right, Albrecht. I admit I am having a difficult time, though. The thought of that young boy and what he has been through… so many deaths through the ages. He does not remember them consciously, but each one is etched on his soul.

<><> 

Taking Drew into the shower, Henry washed them both. He wondered why Drew kept facing away from him in the shower but keeping in mind what the doctor said about odd behavior, Henry didn’t draw attention to it. After drying off and donning clean underwear, they returned to their room to get dressed.

Looking at Drew’s pants, Henry agreed with Sally’s comment about Drew’s growth spurt, and he said, “Hey, Tiger, Miss Sally’s right, we need to get you some new clothes. I’ll talk to the doctor and see if we can go after breakfast, okay?”

Hanging his head, Drew’s comment was barely audible.

“Okay.”

Henry knelt in front of Drew, but he wouldn’t make eye contact. Gently cupping Drew’s chin, Henry lifted his head, forcing Drew to look at him.

“Drew, what’s wrong?”

Drew’s eyes started watering, and hot tears dripped over his cheeks as he started crying. Henry didn’t know what to do other than grab him and hold him tight. Drew’s arms reached up into a death grip around Henry’s neck as he sobbed.

“I’m here, Drew. I’m here, buddy.”

Keeping his voice even, Henry tried not to break down himself. He bounced Drew like he would a baby, trying desperately to comfort him.

“Shhhhhh, I got you. It’s alright.”

He cupped Drew’s head in one of his big hands, stroking him soothingly while his other arm went around Drew’s bottom, holding him up. He slowly walked out of their room towards the kitchen.

Making eye contact with Henry, Sally saw the pleading look in his eyes. She teared up herself but held it together, trying to sound chipper as she said, “Who wants pancakes and cheesy eggs?”

Henry whispered in Drew’s ear, “How about it, Drew? Those are your favorites.”

Sitting Drew at the table, Henry scooted his chair up. Still crying, although not as intensely, his breathing was ragged and he hiccuped. Sally set a plate full of food in front of him, but he sat unresponsive with his arms at his sides.

Hearing the commotion, Tag and Olive came out of their room to see what was going on. Seeing Drew, knowing glances passed between them as they sat down.

Olive said, “Good mornin’ Drew, how’s my sweet boy dis morning?”

Drew sat unresponsively, and Henry started to say something when Tag stopped him with a glance. Picking up a fork, Tag reached across the table, cutting off a big piece of a snowman pancake. Dragging it through the syrup so it was dripping, Tag stuffed it in his mouth and started making the most outlandish noises of pleasure.

“Mmmm mmm mmmm mmm! This has got ‘ta be the best tastin’ snowman I ever put in my mouth! You sure you don’t want none a’ dat boy? You know, when I was in the Army, we didn’t get snowman pancakes. No sir! We got Spam! And that’s if we was lucky!”

Looking at him, Drew’s tears stopped.

Sniffing, he swallowed, and his voice was uneven as he caught his breath, asking, “Wh.. what’s .. sp.. spam?”

“You never heard a’ Spam?!”

Wide-eyed, Tag put his hands on the table, leaning forward in surprise. His voice loud with amazement, he asked, “What do they teach kids nowadays!?”

Tag proceeded to give an over-exaggerated, very animated story he made up about Spam and food in the Army… but in less than a minute, he had Drew giggling.

Winking at Henry with a big grin on his face, Tag nodded towards the food. Henry filled his plate and sat down looking relieved.

After they finished eating, Drew announced, “I have to wee-wee,” and darted off towards the locker rooms. Henry was shocked; Drew hadn’t let Henry out of his sight in the last two weeks, but he ran off like everything was normal.

Looking at Tag, Henry said, “Thanks, Tag. You’re great with him.”

Tag said, “Well, me and momma had kids of our own. I learnt a thing or two on how ta take their minds off their troubles when they git upset. He’s hurtin’ inside somethin’ fierce, and you are too, Henry. Try’n be patient with him, and don’t be too hard on yourself either.”

Reaching over, Olive covered Henry’s hand with her own, giving him a comforting squeeze. Olive was a petite woman, but her grip was firm, just like her heart. Her hand barely covered his knuckles, but she conveyed her support through the strength of her grip.

In her quiet, gentle voice, she said, “It’s gonna work out, Henry. Just you wait and see. Have faith.” 

<><> 

Drew’s pants were bunched around his ankles when Bryan entered the bathroom to take a leak. Glancing around when he saw Drew, he was surprised not to see Henry.

In the middle of a strenuous workout, Bryan wore only workout shorts and tennis shoes, and he shone with sweat. His entire body pumped; veins were visible across his shoulders, upper chest, arms, and legs. His demeanor changed as soon as he saw Drew, transforming from a focused fighting machine to a gentle giant.

His green eyes lost their intensity, and in his deep, gravelly voice, he said, “Hey little man! How’s it hangin’?”

Turning away, Drew tried to cover himself. Pulling his pants up quickly, he started to dart out of the bathroom. Bryan’s heavy sigh echoed off the tiles in the empty bathroom. His heart hurt so much for Drew and his loss; it also hurt for himself and his brothers, including Henry. Henry was one of them, and it upset all of them to see him in such pain and keeping his distance from them.

Reaching out, Bryan grabbed Drew’s shoulder before he got away. Gently but firmly, he turned Drew around so they could look into each other’s eyes.

“You know I love you, little man. I miss you.”

Leaning over, he kissed Drew gently on his forehead and took his hand away. Drew stood still for a moment, looking at Bryan’s huge form. The heat radiating off Bryan was comforting, and Drew could smell him. He wanted to throw his arms around Bryan’s neck, but his resolve returned and he turned away, quietly leaving the bathroom. Glassy-eyed, Bryan finished up, washed his hands, and returned to his workout.

<><> 

While Drew was in the bathroom, Henry took advantage of the short window to knock on the doctor’s office door. Quickly explaining the need for new clothes, he asked the doctor if a short outing to Wal-Mart could be arranged.

“Of course, my boy, of course. I  will arrange everything, and you can leave shortly.”

<><> 

Thirty minutes later, Henry and Drew looked up as Brad and Ken came to get them. Freshly showered with their hair still damp, Henry realized the doctor pulled them out of training to escort him and Drew to the store.

Ken, trying to sound upbeat, said, “Up and at ’em, guys. Pat and Darren are bringin’ the car around, so let’s hop to it.”

With all the ‘guests’ in the lab, the doctor purchased two fully loaded Chevy Suburbans for transporting everyone around as needed. The guys weren’t sure who did the modifications once the vehicles left the dealership, but the doctor had the suspensions modified for the extra weight and bulletproof glass installed. The vehicles drank gas like mad, but they were extremely comfortable and safe. Ken and the others noticed runes etched into the frame of both cars as well. The doctor had definitely increased security measures.

Ken acted as if everything was normal, but Henry merely nodded, grabbing Drew’s Iron Man hoodie. Drew wouldn’t hold out his arms and turned away, not wanting to wear it.

Trying not to sound frustrated, Henry said, “Drew, come on, honey, it’s cold outside, and you have to wear a jacket. You can pick out a new one at the store, okay?”

Reluctantly Drew put it on and trudged out of their room with Henry in tow. Ken took a deep breath.

Fuck, I hate this, B. I just wanna’ grab him and hold him ‘til he forgives me. I need ‘ta figure out a way to make things right with both of them.

Brad’s mental voice gentle, he replied: I know, Ken. I feel the same way.

In his heart, Brad held Ken tighter than usual. They all hurt, but Ken bore the brunt, and it hurt him deeply. They followed Henry and Drew out to the waiting vehicle. Drew made a fuss about getting in the car seat, but it was still the law in Georgia at his age. He was angry and irritable, and Henry knew it was going to be a difficult trip for everyone.

While they drove, Ken held Brad’s hand, running his thumb over the back or squeezing it gently, comforting them both.

<><><> 

In Wal-Mart, Ken, Brad, Pat, and Darren made themselves scarce, letting Henry and Drew shop. Their strained relationships, along with the discomfort, were evident to Pat’s Avatar. With effort, Pat could tone down his ability but couldn’t turn it off. Brad was just as aware of the emotional pain through his Avatar, and his heart ached for everyone.

Fully cognizant of how the situation affected Brad, when together, Ken kept a hand on Brad or an arm around his shoulders nearly all the time. Ken was always physically affectionate, but he was more attentive than usual, trying to buffer the harshness.

Ken watched his lover, observing with his eyes and heart the effects of his touch. The four men tightly linked, Darren and Pat felt the emotions between their brothers. The two of them were similar, and no shit was hung, at least at the moment, because they needed each other.

Between their special forces training and owning and operating a security firm, it was easy to keep Henry and Drew in sight while remaining unobtrusive. Brad maintained a link with Henry, light enough to talk but no deeper. It was clear all of them would rather help Drew pick out clothes than hang back out of sight, but they kept a lid on their emotions to keep peace with Henry.

Making things difficult, Drew was indecisive and non-committal with everything Henry picked out. The only thing Drew made clear was that he wanted nothing to do with the superhero items he usually got so excited over.

It took a while, but Henry finally thought he had enough clothes in their cart. Drew needed to try on at least some of them to make sure they fit, especially the pants. Trying his best to hide his irritation and frustration before losing his temper and saying something he would regret, Henry set Drew in the cart with the clothes.

“Come on, Tiger. We need to try some of these on.”

Henry tried to hide his emotions, but with Drew’s mind open, he knew they were directed at him and his anxiety levels spiked, sending him into an emotional tailspin. Squatting down, Drew held the sides of the buggy, not saying anything. Henry didn’t notice that Drew’s knuckles were white from the strain of his grip. There was a line at the fitting rooms, and while they waited, the emotional turmoil in father and son continued to build.

Henry didn’t notice until it was too late; he never saw Drew grab the can of Coke, but he turned at the noise of the can opening and saw Drew pouring it over the clothes in the buggy.

Seeing red, Henry shouted, “DREW!”

Drew’s eyes went as round as saucers, looking stunned, and his eyes filled with tears as he opened his mouth, but no sound came out. So scared he could hardly breathe, it took a moment for him to draw breath. Once air hit his lungs, a high-pitched wail escaped. Henry had never yelled at him before, and it terrified him. Buried in his psyche, Drew was afraid Henry was angry enough to abandon him.

Drew thought if he misbehaved, somehow Liz would come back. It was child logic and didn’t make sense to anyone but him, but he wanted his mom so badly he was willing to try anything. He didn’t act up to drive Henry away; he did it to bring his mommy back.

Hearing Henry’s shout Ken and the others arrived just as Drew started to cry. None of them sensed any danger, so they knew it wasn’t an attack, but they reacted quickly at Henry’s outburst.

The dam of emotion in Henry broke, so mad he could barely control himself. Grabbing the edges of the steel buggy, he bent them closer together in his anger, trapping Drew inside.

Looking at his trembling hands and the mangled steel, he realized he could have hurt Drew. Not wanting Drew to see him acting like his real father, Doug, and see his anger directed at him, not knowing what else to do, Henry turned and walked away. His mind wasn’t open, and he wasn’t aware of the core of Drew’s fear, but it was the worst thing he could have done.

He only moved a few feet away, but he had to get his temper under control. Henry wanted to hit something, anything, to lash out and strike back in anger. He didn’t even know what he wanted to hit as the storm of emotions within him raged, wanting an outlet. Drew watched Henry move away, and the pitch of his voice increased, making his words barely legible.

“Daddy! Don’t leave me!”

Drew tried to crawl out of the cart, his little hands pulling at the warped steel, desperate to get to Henry, but he was trapped and couldn’t get out.

Ken and the others watched, devastated by what they saw. Pat and Brad’s Avatars glowed brightly on their shoulders, each showing them Drew’s hysterical desperation and Henry’s anger. Wanting his mom and terrified that Henry was abandoning him, he was trapped and couldn’t move. Henry froze, his tear-filled eyes wide and bloodshot, wanting to throw up from the pain Drew’s cry sent to the pit of his stomach. 

<> 

Suddenly everything went deathly quiet. Spinning around, Henry saw Drew, his mouth open and hands reaching impotently for him. His face red and blotchy from crying so hard, his nose ran, and his chin was covered in spittle. A drip hung frozen a few inches below his chin as if reality paused.

Ken, Brad, Pat, and Darren, their eyes glassy with tears, stood unmoving.

Thinking he might be going insane, Henry fell to his knees, bent over, screaming and slamming his fists into the floor. The tiles buckled under his first blow, and it hurt; the flooring was directly over a concrete slab, and he might have broken his hand.

Embracing the pain, he hoped it would drive out his hurt and frustration. He punched the floor again, and again, each blow aimed at the ache within him. Henry struck back at all the wrong that happened that day at the park. He struck at his anger towards Ken for letting him take Drew and Liz on the train, for not beating the Eschphene leader soon enough, and the others for not protecting Liz and allowing the situation to escalate, forcing her to sacrifice her soul to save her son.

“Henry, stop.”

Breathing in ragged gasps, Henry sweated from the tension in his body and the pain in his hands. His face was red with tears, the emotional storm running through him, and the physical pain.

He didn’t know whose voice he heard, but it was beautiful. Strong arms embraced him, wrapping around his body and his soul, giving him comfort.

Henry knew whoever it was understood everything he was going through, and loved him deeply. Not even looking up, he thrust himself against the stranger, clinging with all his strength as his big frame wracked with sobs. Strong, gentle hands soothed him, holding him tight, and Henry knew that was how he should be comforting Drew.

Once he calmed down enough to talk, he pulled back, looking into an inhumanly beautiful face. A soft nimbus covered the man, warming Henry on the inside and reminding him of what he felt from Ken and Brad and the guys when they were deeply merged. It drove home how much he missed them.

“Who are you?”

“A friend, Henry.”

“What’s happening?”

“I know how much pain you are in, and Drew, and Ken, and Brad, and the others. The events of that day were tragic but also heroic beyond words. Gabriel led the choirs of Heaven in a song for Liz Hastings that day.”

“You’re one of the angels?”

“Yes. I am Raphael.”

“What have you done to me? What’s going on?”

“I slipped you out of time for a moment to talk. There are some things I want to show you.”

Turning to face Raphael, Henry got a good look at him. Brad spoke of his angelic grandfather, but Henry had never seen or met any of them in person. Raphael’s presence was staggering, and Henry was afraid.

“There is no need to fear me, Henry. I’m here to help.”

Reaching out, Raphael put a hand on Henry’s chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart. Opening Henry’s heart, a bright yellow light shone forth.

“Brad and the others are being patient with you, Henry. They love you, you know. Not only as a human, which is part of their task, but as a man and a brother. You are one of them, and your anger is causing them a great deal of pain and anxiety.”

His face hardening, Henry rasped vehemently, “Liz is gone because of them!”

“You do not believe that, Henry. You are trying to convince yourself of that because it would be easier, but it is not true. I’m going to show you everything that happened that day while you were unconscious, from different perspectives. Brad could show you some of this, but he would never force it on you, especially knowing how you feel right now.”

“But you will?”

“Yes. For many reasons, some of which will be clear once you have seen everything. Much rests on your shoulders, Henry. So much happened that day, and the men learned many secrets they have not shared with you, not wanting to increase your burden. They hold your best interests in their hearts and are trying to protect you. It pains me to do this, but it must be done. There is too much at stake, and time is running out.”

<><> 

Raphael took Henry on a journey into the past, reliving the day Liz died from her perspective. Living her life, Henry felt everything she did the entire day; her joy at his proposal, regretting her comment about the ring, her hatred and anger towards Doug, fearing for Drew and Henry when she picked him as her Intercedent, and her pain and terror when the stone obliterated her body.

Her soul would have been destroyed immediately had Uriel not intervened. Henry lived her last thoughts, of just finding Henry and having him in her life, her sadness over not living the rest of her life with him, and her final words to Drew and the guys… telling them to hold Henry tight and protect him and Drew and to find a way to defeat the Master without Drew turning into a monster.

He lived the last moment of her existence, as Uriel wrapped her in the comfort of his wings, staying with her until she was gone. The groan that escaped Henry came from his soul at her last words to Uriel:

<> 

Will it hurt?

Uriel’s presence surrounded her, wrapping her in his strength, warmth, and love.

No, child, it will not hurt. I will be with you until the end, and it will be peaceful. You will simply go to sleep and never wake up.

<> 

When she ceased to exist, it crushed him, and he curled up in a ball at Raphael’s feet, debilitated in his anguish. Relentless, Raphael moved on, knowing it would be far crueler to draw the visions out. As painful as they were for Henry, Raphael knew it would be best to continue until he was done.

Next, Henry lived the day through Ken, experiencing Ken’s split-second decision to have Brad knock him out so Ken would be the one to face the Eschphene leader. Ken intended to save Henry, Drew, and Liz, and Ken’s self-anger over what happened while they were under his protection was harsh.

Henry lived through Ken’s fear and shock at learning Drew was The Master’s brother and the Curse of his existence, forced to die every seven years in a never-ending cycle. Henry listened again at how the Master must ask Drew’s forgiveness for killing him, and that Drew would have to forgive the monster. Henry knew some of that information, but everything was confirmed while he was unconscious, and he was even more terrified for his son.

Ken’s fight with the Eschphene was just as painful. The brutality of the combat and Ken nearly dying, coupled with the emotional trauma of knowing Brad would also die if he lost the fight, and that Drew would be at the mercy of whatever plan the Eschphene had for him.

Henry felt Brad’s presence in Ken, immersed in the special bond they shared, and as deeply as Henry was in Ken, however Raphael did it, he felt the powerful, intense love the two men shared when their souls were merged. Henry’s breath caught in his throat at sharing that intimacy, and fresh tears fell down his face.

The raw, brutal purity of the truth between the two men was both beautiful and terrifying. He realized how great Ken’s capacity for love was, as well as his capacity to be hurt. Henry lived through Ken’s anguish when Liz unraveled, how his anger hurt Ken deeply, and how much Drew’s little fist and words “I hate you!” cut into his heart.

Raphael continued Henry’s journey through every one of the men…making him live through each of them that day; how they clung to one another in their minds, hearts, and souls as they watched Ken almost die and their grief over losing Liz.

After all of that, Henry was shocked at everything Bill went through at the orphanage. Henry was unaware of that tragic situation because of his isolation from their friendship.

Lastly, he lived in Drew, feeling his happiness and contentment playing with Henry, having his mom and new dad there, and Sally, Ken, Brad, Loy, and Rick. He learned how much the men meant to Drew and felt Drew’s terror as his world shattered when Doug shot Henry and knocked Liz out, kidnapping him. Henry groaned at Drew’s pain and humiliation when Doug ripped his urine-drenched clothes off and squeezed his balls, and the blinding pain in his head and shins as the rocky ground cut him.

He experienced Istariel in Drew’s mind, trying to comfort him.  On top of Ken’s fight with the Eschphene, he relived Drew’s first death by his brother's hands as the stone orbited his body, the event that initiated the Curse on humans and creation.

He lived Drew’s confusion at waking up and having Henry tell him his mom was gone, and the betrayal he felt by Ken for not protecting his mother as he promised. Iron Man should have saved her! Ken was Drew’s biggest role model besides Henry, and all the pain and loneliness of losing his mother turned into anger towards Ken and the world in general.

Drew’s thought process of acting out in the store became clear, subconsciously, desperately hoping his mom would come back to him… and his shocked terror and fear when Henry yelled at him and turned away. It was more than his young mind could take, and he was having a psychotic breakdown, thinking Henry was leaving him, too.

Less than halfway through the lives Raphael forced him to relive, Henry shamelessly sobbed, curled up on the floor in a ball. He begged Raphael to stop, but the experiences continued, feeling everything as if he lived it himself. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried blocking it all out, but he couldn’t close his mind. Raphael kept it open, making him share and experience everyone’s pain.

The experiences brought back Henry’s old perceptions of feeling like a monster. If he was more of a man and brave enough to accept the compassion and support his brothers offered, the last few weeks would have been very different for himself and Drew. Berating himself, he knew he deserved the pain Raphael inflicted upon him.

Raphael sat quietly while Henry cried, pulling Henry back into his lap, cradling him like a child and comforting him. It was nearly an hour before the tears slowed down, and Henry was emotionally and physically exhausted.  His body ached, tense, flushed, and sweaty, and his eyes were bloodshot.   

<>  

Finally, Raphael broke the silence, quietly saying, “I’m sorry, Henry, to have done that to you, but you now know everything about that day. You know who Drew is and what he must do, and you know the roles Ken and Brad and the others play in this battle. Most importantly, you know you and Drew are loved. Most humans know this in their minds, but you know it in your heart as well. It is a Blessing.”

Henry still couldn’t speak, but knowing Raphael was in his mind, he thought: How can one little boy carry that? He doesn’t deserve it… it’s not fair!

No, Henry, it is not. But that is his fate, and Drew needs you. He needs you to be his father and help him prepare to face his destiny. Much rests on your shoulders, and I believe it is no coincidence you are in his life. Your own life prepared you to be in his, and you can raise him to be who he needs to be and break the cycle of his Curse.

How?

I do not know. I know, as you do, what needs to happen, but not how it will occur. The randomness of Ken and the others, of being free and unfettered, is what will make it possible. It also makes it impossible to see. I think that is no coincidence either, for if we cannot see, neither can The Dark One or The Master. You must have faith and move forward for the sake of all.

I need to get back to Drew. I have to make it clear to him I’m not leaving. I know he’s frozen, but I can’t stand the thought of him being scared out of his wits because he thinks I’m abandoning him.

Very well.

<>  

Reality un-paused and Drew’s cry continued mid-wail. Henry’s mind raced over what just happened, but he pushed it all away and turned around.

The sight of Drew incapacitated and hurting beyond his ability to cope nearly broke Henry. Rushing to the buggy with inhuman speed, Henry pulled it apart and lifted Drew into his arms. Drew wrapped his arms and legs around Henry as tightly as he could, crushing his face against Henry’s neck.

Henry kept whispering into his ear, “I’ve got you, Drew. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never leave you, son. You mean everything to me, and I love you so much.”

His face wet with tears, Henry’s throat was so tight he barely managed to get the words out.

The four men, each in their own way, saw the turmoil through their Avatars. Something had happened they didn’t understand; one second, Henry was furious, nearly losing complete control of his anger, and the next, he was an emotional wreck, desperate to comfort Drew. The change was sudden and extreme, near instantaneous, and made no sense to them.

People stared, and the Wal-Mart employee operating the fitting rooms looked at the twisted metal buggy and the Coke-covered clothes with huge eyes.

Henry didn’t trust himself to say much yet, feeling like a heel for how he treated Ken and the rest of the guys. Trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible, he said, “Ken… I’m sorry about the clothes, but I need to get Drew out of here.”

His eyes still glassy from what he witnessed with Drew, Ken’s own throat was tight.

He started to reply, but Brad quietly interjected, “No worries, Henry, we’ll take care of it. Go with Pat and Darren and get in the car, then swing by and pick us up out front.”

Thanks, B.

That’s what badass boyfriends are for, right?

Appreciating what Brad did, Ken loved him all the more because he felt the same turmoil in Brad.  Brad was a rock for him and what he needed. He would be the rock for Brad as soon as they got back to the lab.

Drew was Henry’s main priority, and he continued holding his son, whispering in his ear how much he loved him and how he would never leave. His heart and mind raced, scared beyond words at what Drew would face by his seventh birthday, terrified for Drew, himself, and the guys.

The enormity of it all hit him, and it was surreal being in a Wal-Mart shopping for children’s clothes when the fate of mankind rested on their shoulders. It didn’t make sense, and the transition was mind-boggling.

Escorting him out, Pat kept a hand on Henry’s shoulder as they walked to the car, and for the first time since Liz died Henry didn’t shrug off his touch. Darren wanted to do the same thing, but didn’t want to inadvertently read Henry without permission. His curiosity was on fire over what happened, but he would never invade his friend’s privacy in such a manner.

After paying for the damaged clothes, Brad and Ken hopped in the Suburban when Darren pulled over to pick them up. The drive back to the lab was quiet. Ken, Brad, Pat, and Darren discussed the strangeness of what happened in their minds, giving Henry his space and not wanting to engage him yet. Drew finally calmed down, and halfway back to the lab he fell asleep in Henry’s arms, exhausted.

As soon as they arrived at the lab, Henry took Drew to their room and put him to bed. Shutting the door so it would be quiet, he sat on the recliner collecting his thoughts.

What was he going to say? He had been an asshole, hurting his brothers when they did their best to protect him and his son. He now understood their desperation to save Liz and how powerful and unexpected the encounter with the Eschphene was, and he couldn’t blame Ken or any of them for not knowing the danger ahead of time. Mulling over everything, his dark thoughts returned.

I’m not a nice person and don’t deserve their friendship.

He owed them so much. His life changed completely that fateful day nearly two years before when he had been ordered to kill Loy and Rick. Loy freed him from his bondage and forced servitude to The Master, and then a year later they helped him find himself, pulling him out of a suicidal depression and showing him a future he never thought possible. It was tragic that the life they showed him with Liz was gone now, but it wasn’t their fault. He was alive and human again because of them, and he had the most amazing little boy in his life who loved him as a father.

<><><>  

Holding Brad’s hand, Ken played with it on the drive back to the lab like he always did. Brad could tell how much the incident at Wal-Mart affected Ken; it emphasized how much Henry and Drew still hurt and blamed him for it.

As soon as they got back to the lab and Henry disappeared behind closed doors, Ken wanted to leave. For the first time, the lab didn’t feel like a place he wanted to be.

B, let’s head out. I don’t feel like bein’ here right now.

Sighing heavily, Brad replied: I know Ken. I’m with you.

There was no need to say anything else because he was in Ken’s mind and heart, holding him tight and sharing his hurt.  Ken knew Brad understood and was there for him as always. Usually, Ken would work off his feelings in the gym, but there wasn’t any place else he could go and do that. Outside the lab, there wasn’t a gym in the world that could challenge Ken enough to take his mind off his troubles.

With the subject of Henry and Drew talked out, there was nothing left to say. The situation sucked and would eventually get better, but until then, they had to ride it out and make the best of it.

Thanks again, B. I’m leaning on you pretty hard right now, and you know I appreciate it.  I’m here for you, too.

Reaching up, Ken hit the garage door opener as they turned the corner on their street. If he pressed it at the right time it would open, otherwise he had to wait until the car was in the driveway.  It was a little game he played ever since they moved in, and he didn’t like to lose.

Pulling into their driveway, both of them were surprised to see a man sitting on their front doorstep, and their jaws dropped when they realized it was Michael. Even before they opened the car doors, Michael stood waiting at the rear of the vehicle.

Feeling a note of panic, Ken thought something must be wrong for Michael to show up, and he quickly asked, “Is everythin’ alright?”

In their few interactions with Michael, he had never been overly friendly towards any of them. He smiled on occasion, but Raphael seemed to do a lot of his talking for him, especially when he was angry. This time his smile was genuine, and it transformed his face. Michael was so handsome he was almost hard to look at, not just his face but his body

B I’m sorry, but I think I might have popped a boner lookin’ at my grandfather.

Brad barely contained his laughter, replying: I’m glad I’m not the only one! Ken, you’re a stud, the stud of my life, but fuck, he’s gorgeous!

“Hello, Ken. Hello, Brad.”

Holding out his hand in greeting to both of them, he continued, “There is nothing amiss other than the sorrow in your hearts. I am here to take your mind off your troubles. I would have visited your lab, but it is warded against me. I’m not pleased about that, but I understand your reasoning. I haven’t had a fight with Raphael like that in ages, but he explained his reasons, and I respect his wisdom.”

Ken was touched that Michael, such a powerful being and busy doing whatever archangels did, would take the time to visit him to lift his spirits.

Brad said, “Come inside, Michael.”

Michael didn’t move and said, “Actually, I hope you will come with me, Ken. Brad, you are welcome to join us and observe if you wish. I know how difficult it is for you to be apart from one another.”

Furrowing his forehead, Ken asked, “Where do you want ‘ta take us?”

The same little kid grin Ken often got appeared on Michael’s face, and he said, “A place I go when I am troubled.”

Brad’s Intuition told him it was the right thing to do for Ken. He knew the doctor harbored doubts about the archangels and their agendas as far as Ken, Brad, and the guys were concerned. He also remembered Luke’s words in the Valley:

 

“No offense Brad but you are terribly naïve. If you think they aren’t already using you, you are sadly mistaken. Your faith in them is commendable but misplaced. Such beings don’t care for you… and even if they did, their affections for you would not stand in their way of using you however they thought necessary to accomplish their goals.”

 

Brad knew Luke attempted to plant seeds of doubt with his words and was most likely using truth to do so, but deep-down, Brad felt Raphael, Michael, and the others really did care about them. Knowing Ken wanted to take Michael up on his offer, there was no way he wanted Ken out of his sight.

Smiling, Brad said, “Count me in.”

<><> 

Neither Ken nor Brad felt any transition, but suddenly they stood in what, at first glance, looked like the Colosseum in Rome. Brad quickly realized they were not the ancient ruins but a clean, well-kept area with new and immaculate structures. The three of them were the only ones present.

The ground of the large oval area they stood in was hard-packed dirt, running nearly two hundred feet end to end. The air warm and a little humid, the sun shone brightly in a deep blue sky with a few scattered clouds. Looking around in wonder, they were curious where they might be. Were they still on Earth? Seeing their expressions, Michael guessed at their question rather than intruding into their thoughts.

“I created this place as a private refuge. It is not large and lies outside time.”

Taking off his jacket as he spoke, both men were impressed at the hint of the body straining against the t-shirt he wore. Stripping his t-shirt off, Brad and Ken gaped.

Michael had to be the most perfect male specimen in existence, at least to them. His body was handsome and muscular while incredibly lean and tight. In his human form, he was taller than Ken by six inches, with a light dusting of hair on his chest and stomach, perfectly accentuating his physique. His body thick with corded muscle, his skin flexed and twitched with the slightest movement.

Glancing at Ken with a smirk, he said, “You have this same effect on humans, Ken, whether you realize it or not. Your body is a weapon in every form imaginable. Your appearance is part of your arsenal, as much as the strength of your arms. The charisma you have as a nephilim is a part of you, and your humility makes you all the more stunning and appealing to mortals.”

Continuing to disrobe, Michael kicked off his shoes and popped the top button on his jeans, slipping them down his legs. They also got one question answered; at least this one angel went commando!

Laughing in his mind, Ken thought to Brad: I win!

Brad was stunned but laughed at their joke: Damn!

Standing naked before them, Michael’s visage was glorious, the pinnacle of masculinity. They weren’t surprised to see what hung between his legs was just as perfect and impressive as the rest of him.

Brad remembered reading Aristotle, and it struck him that everything about Michael’s appearance followed the Golden Mean – symmetry, proportion, and harmony – in every aspect of his being. The form of his face and body - his chest, arms, shoulders, legs, forearms, and calves – all followed the proportionate law of this ideal. The bulge of his biceps and triceps in relation to the ball of his shoulders, the thickness of his chest to the size of his core, every part of his appearance followed this law… he was perfect. Grinning, Michael knew the effect he had on them.

Chuckling, he said, “You need to disrobe, Ken. Don’t be bashful.”

Fuck, B. We’re gonna’ have some wild sex later tonight.

You know you’re that hot to me all the time, Ken, and I want a date with ‘that guy’ when we get home later, so you’d better be ready.

Stripping down, by the time he slid off his jeans, Ken had his erection under control.

Looking at the two naked men, Brad was so hard it hurt. He felt tremendous pride towards Ken and made sure Ken knew it. In his eyes, Ken was just as glorious and perfect as Michael.

Aware of Brad’s feelings, it warmed Ken inside as nothing else could.

Looking at Michael, Ken grinned back, saying, “Well, your plan is workin’ so far, but starin’ at my naked studly grandfather didn’t cross my mind when you said you wanted ‘ta take my mind off my troubles.”

Chuckling, Michael began stretching, indicating to Ken he should do the same. Moving together, they helped one another, bracing an arm or leg, or pulling limbs to stretch their muscles. The temperature was warm, and in the bright sunshine, they both began to sweat as their bodies loosened and warmed up.

As soon as they started, Michael said, “I watched you, Ken, as you fought the Eschphene leader. I am proud of how you carried yourself.”

Grunting as Michael pulled him forward, stretching his inner thighs, he replied, “Yeah, if the bastard hadn’t cheated, I would've beaten him without Liz havin’ ‘ta die.”

“That entire situation was regrettable. He had no honor, and his insanity drove him to act in a cowardly manner, making him unpredictable. Yet you stayed true to yourself in the fight, and that is what matters. The strength of their magic was formidable to begin with, but his reprehensible action of devouring the souls of his people made him extremely potent. There was no way to predict that.”

There were small pauses in their conversation as they changed positions, continuing to warm up and stretch.

“What you have managed to do with your training so far is commendable. Albrecht is a good instructor, but as good as he is and as much as he has helped you, he does not have your strength and agility, so he cannot teach you from his own experience. I mean no disrespect to him when I say that; it is simply the truth.”

After a few more minutes of warming up, Michael said, “I know you and Brad are together even now, in your minds and hearts. I wish you to blend even deeper. After observing you, I realize when the two of you are one, the whole is greater than the sum of your individual selves. That is another paradox of your Avatars. It is not necessary to try to ponder why; again, a simple fact.”

Watching and listening, Brad sat on a nearby bench, fascinated as he observed them and wondering what Michael had in store for Ken. Hearing Michael’s instruction, Brad poured himself into Ken. Their breath caught and their eyes watered as time seemed to stand still when their minds, hearts, and souls became one.

Chuckling to himself, Brad thought: How can time stand still for us when we’re already outside time? That’s a mind fuck!

Michael saw Ken’s reaction and knew what had just happened. A small pang of jealousy ran through him at what his grandson and his partner shared. Since the outset of their involvement in Aaron Thomas’s project, none of the archangels realized how they would be affected. Just as Istariel changed through his contact with these men, Michael and the other archangels had as well, in ways they could never have imagined.

“Now, Ken, let us fight. Do not hold back.”

Moving to the middle of the Arena, Ken and Michael faced one another. Staring at each other, not blinking, after a moment they moved at the same time. Just like the fight with the Eschphene leader, Ken pitted himself against Michael in a way he couldn’t with his brothers in the lab. Finding his center, he embraced his Avatar, and it shone brightly on the big ball of his shoulder, spitting brilliant arcs of color.

Brad loved how the colors of Ken’s Avatar reflected on his sweaty muscles and darkly tanned skin, and slowing his perception of time, he watched Ken in all his glory.

Ken and Michael moved blindingly fast, and Ken pushed harder and harder, losing himself in the fight, which is what Michael wanted.  He wanted Ken to find the place within himself where he acted on instinct, not allowing his mind to interfere with his body. While he was with Ken in the fight, Brad felt it too, and it was exhilarating.

As good as Ken was, and as hard as he pushed himself, he was no match for his angelic grandfather. Michael was impressed regardless, enjoying himself immensely. He seldom took time for anything so personal, and this was one way he thought he and his grandson could bond. Michael also admitted to himself in a moment of grandfatherly pride, Ken was very good. In a few ages, Ken might even be his equal.

After nearly half an hour, sweat flew off their bodies with every impact as they blocked and parried one another. Their inhuman grace and agility were a sight to behold, and Brad was in awe of both of them. When Brad saw what Ken was capable of when he cut loose was awe-inspiring, but it also forced him to rethink how he could be what Ken needed him to be in their relationship.

Finally calling a halt to their sparring, Michael began his instruction. He spent hours going over different holds, sweeps, strikes, and even grappling techniques. The two big men threw each other around like rag dolls with huge smiles on their faces the entire time.

Lastly, Michael taught Ken a kata, calling it The Quintessential Dance, and spent much time helping him learn the proper form and technique. The Kata was long and intricate, but Ken was a fast learner.

Being in Ken, Brad learned it as well. Michael was an excellent teacher, patient, and not afraid of using his hands to reposition Ken when necessary. Many of the movements were extremely precise, but Michael only had to correct Ken once, and his body remembered.

Once learned, the two men practiced it repeatedly; it was a dance, and they moved fluidly together. In the time they spent with Michael, Ken was so focused on learning and pushing himself and wanting to please his grandfather, he finally, at least for a while, forgot his troubles with Henry and Drew.

Michael finally called a halt so they could rest, and while breathing hard, Ken felt exhilarated.

“I think you have learned enough for this visit.”

Moving forward, Ken embraced his Grandfather, hugging him tightly with genuine affection, sending a feeling of warmth through Michael he was unaccustomed to.

“Thank you, Grandfather. This was just what I needed."

“If it is alright with you, Ken, I would like to do this again.”

Ken’s face lit up, and he said, “Me too.”

The two men embraced again for nearly a full minute. As they pulled apart, Michael placed one hand on Ken’s shoulder and the other on his chest over his heart.

“Until next time.”

<><>  

Brad and Ken appeared at the doorstep of their house as if they hadn’t moved. The entire experience seemed like a dream except for the exhilaration still running through Ken.

Moving over, Brad wrapped his arms around Ken, hugging him tightly.

I’m happy for you, Ken. I’m also so hot for you right now I can barely hold myself in check. Let’s get inside.

<><> 

In the kitchen, Ken had just set the house in ‘vault’ mode when Bill’s voice entered their minds. All their brothers were in the link, and they wondered what was up.

Bill: Guys?

Brad: Hey, Bill, what’s up?

Bill: Where were you? I’ve been trying to reach you for a minute or so. We were getting worried.

Brad: Sorry, we had a visit from Michael. We didn’t mean to worry you.

Bill: Whew! Okay… I hope it was a good thing? You don’t seem stressed, so I’m guessing it was. Look, I know you guys just got home, but can you come back to the lab? Henry’s seriously upset and wants to talk to all of us together. He’s wound up… I asked him if it could wait until the morning when we all get in for training, but he’s pushing.

Brad: Dar?

Darren: No problem, Brad… I’ll bring everybody back as soon as it’s safe — the meter’s running, fellas.

Through the link, Brad realized Loy and Rick were still driving.

Loy: We’re almost home, guys, we’ll be another couple of minutes, tops.

<><>  

In less than five minutes, all ten men stood in the lab, gathered in the kitchen. A thread of curiosity and more than a little anxiety ran through all of them, not knowing what to expect. Henry sat by himself in the gym. After asking Bill to get everyone together, he went in to wait.

Entering together, they saw Henry sitting on the edge of the boxing ring, with his arms hung over the bottom rope and his knees dangling along the edge. As soon as the door opened, his head snapped up.

The first thought that ran through their minds simultaneously was: Fuck, he looks awful.

Henry’s face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, and the tension in him evident. Making eye contact with Ken first and then all of them, as he looked at their faces fresh tears filled his eyes. His trembling worsened, and he nervously ran a hand through his hair.

Leaning over, he rolled out from under the bottom rope and stood up. Starting to speak, he choked up and stopped to take a few deep breaths. To both the mental and physical Avatars, the knot of emotions in Henry was uncomfortable to look at. Gently, Brad touched Henry’s mind, drawing him into their link. Their concern and compassion touched him, and he fell to his knees with a loud sob. Rushing over before anyone else moved, Ken knelt in front of him. Cupping Henry’s neck and shoulder, Ken pulled him forward until their foreheads touched.

Ken’s deep voice, steady and gentle, said: We’re here, Henry. We’re with you. I’m with you.

The simple profundity of Ken’s statement struck Henry, and the floodgates opened inside him; relief, shame, embarrassment, self-loathing, loneliness, fear, and all the other emotions raging in him. There was no anger or bitterness directed at any of them, only himself.

Oh, God, Ken… guys… I’m sorry!

That’s as far as he got before he completely lost it. Reaching out, wracked with sobs, he fell against Ken, wrapping his arms around Ken’s shoulders and holding on for dear life. Everyone gathered around, and the closest ones hugged him, holding him tight. Rick, Bryan, and Kevin were there first, and Henry was barely visible as they had him surrounded, each wanting to touch him. He poured out his feelings while they held him in their hearts and arms.

Bill hesitated, sometimes hating not being able to touch someone without his Avatar firing off, but Henry needed his support, so he placed his hand on top of Henry’s head along with everyone else. His Avatar glowed brightly, reaching out and synchronizing with Brad, Lane, Loy, and Darren, and everything that happened at Wal-Mart was made known to them.

Henry’s experience with Raphael was unexpected and traumatic – reliving Liz’s death, being inside her as she sacrificed herself to save Drew – Ken’s experience as he fought to save Drew – everything each one of them thought or felt that day was open and raw. The most painful part, but also oddly cathartic, were Liz’s last thoughts:

 

Will it hurt?

Uriel’s presence surrounded her, wrapping her in his strength and warmth and love.

No child, it will not hurt. I will be with you until the end, and it will be peaceful. You will simply go to sleep and never wake up.

 

As with Henry, feeling her cease to exist was agonizing, but they were relieved to know she didn’t suffer any physical pain. Uriel made it peaceful.

They were shocked by what Raphael did to Henry and angry at the harshness of his actions.

Suppressing their anger, they focused on Henry, who needed them badly. All of his thought processes were open to them. With his mind and heart closed, Henry was barraged with the loss of his future wife and fear of raising Drew on his own. His abject terror at what Drew faced overwhelmed him, and he felt utterly inadequate in facing it alone.

Brad’s voice filled his mind: You aren’t alone, Henry, and neither is Drew. We’ll be with you every step of the way and do whatever we can to help you both. I see what happened, and there’s no need to be ashamed at how you reacted; we understand. Yes, it hurt; it hurt all of us because we care for you, Drew, and Liz so much. We’re scared for Drew, too, after everything we’ve learned, but we’re with you, and you won’t face any of this by yourself.

Lane’s Avatar came to life, his eyes turning white as a vision filled his mind. He withdrew from the link on instinct, not wanting Bryan, or Henry, or any of his brothers to be negatively affected if it was a bad one. He saw what needed to happen…there was even a precedent for it with Kelly, the girl from Australia. Lane linked privately with Brad, sharing what needed to be done.

Opening their energy centers, Brad wove the azure, gold, and crimson streams into a bright white rope, and their Avatars, glowing brightly, shifted into the single complex rune. Wrapping themselves around Henry, their eyes turned white, and a hot wind blew around them.

Don’t be afraid, Henry.

With his energy centers open, Henry saw them through his mind’s eye, bright and powerful, and the warmth of their souls washed over him. Relishing that feeling, the feeling he missed so badly, he wanted Drew to know it too. After the stress and turmoil of the day, their Aura’s soothing presence was blissful and peaceful.

Weaving the flows, Brad shaped them to his will, directing them into Henry. His body arched in shock at the power Brad sent through him, and Henry’s arms went out to his sides. Holding him tight, Ken anchored him as Brad permanently opened his mind and heart, removing the blocks humans were born with. Henry became, as they were, an original, unfallen man, but without their nephilim heritage.

Lane’s Avatar revealed that if Drew had any hope of completing his task, he needed Henry as his father. In Australia, Pat’s Avatar gave him the Understanding of the danger in raising an aware child if the parent's mind was closed.

Drew’s mind slipped open often enough that the doctor was sure it would eventually stay that way, and Henry needed to cope with that and help guide and protect his son. Henry needed to show Drew how much he was loved, not just in words but in his mind and heart.

Henry felt the change immediately. It was frightening, but his brothers were with him. Merged with them, he Understood through Pat’s Avatar what they did to him. He was also aware of how his behavior hurt them and how much Drew’s words hurt Ken, but tempering that pain was their unconditional love and support for him as a man and their brother.

 Helping Henry work through the shame and embarrassment over his behavior made him realize that if he had merged with them right away, most of the last few weeks wouldn’t have happened, or at the very least not been as difficult.

Henry knew he was forgiven when Lane hung shit on him for his behavior, and they stayed with him in the place where time nearly stood still until he was able to forgive himself. Similar to when Brad, Ken, Loy, and Rick were with Greg Rawlins, they delved into the well of Henry’s emotions, dredging deep to the bottom and crawling out with him.

Sweating heavily, Henry’s emotional tension was extreme; his body remained tense throughout, exhausting him. Sending a gentle flow of healing into him, Lane restored his body, relaxing him. His blinding headache faded, and he felt like he just had a full-body massage with a happy ending, and laughed with all of them at that thought.

Slowly withdrawing their arms, Ken pulled Henry to his feet, but they stayed deeply merged.

Henry: Guys, I don’t know what to say…but I guess I don’t have to. You can feel everything I want to say.

Ken: We love you, Henry, you know that. No thanks’re needed. We’re glad you’re with us and part of our lives. This is gonna’ be a huge adjustment for you, though. I’m gonna’ talk to the doc, but I want you ‘ta start trainin’ with us. You have the body of a protector and the mind of a ‘suit’ … you’re double trouble against The Enemy and more like us now. You’re the perfect protector for Drew along with us.

Henry: I can’t believe what you just did for me. I’m still scared shitless for Drew. I’m going to talk with him tonight; he misses Liz so much, and he doesn’t understand any of this, and my behavior confuses the shit out of him.

Bryan, always more insightful than most people realized, thought: Don’t merge deep with him, Henry. Lane or Brad or one of these other fuckers needs to show you how to shield yourself. He’s just a kid, and he shouldn’t see a lot of what’s in you. I’m not just talking about your past…he doesn’t need to see images of when you and Liz were together; you know, adult shit. No kid should see that, and you don’t want him growing into a sexual pervert like all these fuckers.

All of them chuckled at his comment, but there was a strong thread of wisdom in his words.

Brad: Bry’s right. Where’s Drew now?

Henry: He’s asleep. I asked Sally to sit with him in case he wakes up and I’m not there. He freaks out if he can’t see me or doesn’t know where I am.

Brad: I can give you a crash course on the basics right now. You have to learn to shield yourself, or things will get ugly very fast out in public. Just as importantly, you need to learn to compartmentalize anything you don’t want to share with someone. It will only take a few seconds if we go deep. The other stuff can wait ‘til morning.

Grinning, Henry thought: This is going to take some getting used to!

Henry’s eyes were still glassy, but his mind and emotions were clear, and his gratefulness apparent. Hugging Ken first, Henry squeezed him tightly, slapping his back, then continued around the circle until he hugged each of them, expressing his gratitude. No thanks were needed, but he wanted to.

Tremendous relief ran through all of them, and with Henry merged, he felt it as well; their brother was back with them, and it made them happy. Hurt and loss over Liz remained, but it was now shared grief rather than a wedge between them.

Now they just had to make things right with Drew.

<><><> 

Everyone hung around the kitchen, looking for snacks. With their hyper metabolisms they were always hungry, and in a few minutes the huge fruit and snack bowl Sally kept stocked for them was empty.

While eating, Brad maintained a light link for talking, and Bryan thought: All you fuckers be back here by 1800 for dinner.

Coming up behind Bryan, crisscrossing his arms over Bryan’s chest, Lane gave him a peck on his cheek.

I see what’s going on in that handsome head of yours, Bry. If we’re going to get everything done by six, we need to head out now.

Darren sent everyone home but Bill and Kevin, who were on duty until dinner time. Henry went back to his room to talk with Sally, and she went wide-eyed over what the guys did for him.

Thrilled for him, she was also a bit jealous. Henry didn’t share anything with her about Drew being the Master’s brother, wanting to talk to the doctor before he did that. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, but it was a burden he didn’t want to put on anybody lightly.

<><><> 

After Sally left, Henry sat in the recliner in the corner of their room watching Drew sleep, worn out by events at Wal-Mart and dead to the world. Henry didn’t want him to sleep much longer, or he wouldn’t want to go to bed later, so Henry woke him up gently.

“Come here, pardner.”

Using his best cowboy drawl, he picked Drew up, setting him on his lap facing forward. Sleepy-eyed, Drew reclined against Henry’s chest with his head on Henry’s shoulder, awake but quiet and still.

Like Brad showed him, Henry brought Drew into a light link, enough to talk and feel emotions. Not showing any surprise, Drew seemed comfortable with it. It reinforced Henry’s presence, which he found reassuring.

Wrapping his arms around Drew, Henry held him close, letting him wake up at his own pace. The top of Drew’s head rested against Henry’s cheek, and every once in awhile, Henry kissed the top of his head.

With the TV volume on low, Henry changed it to the Weather Channel, something Drew found boring, and he soon began to fidget.

“Alright, buddy, we need to talk.”

Repositioning himself, Drew straddled Henry’s lap, facing him.

“You need to listen to me carefully, Drew. Okay?”

With an adult-like look on his little face, he responded quietly, “Okay, Daddy.”

“First of all, I want you to know how much I love you. I’m your daddy now, and that means everything in the world to me. I want you to know it’s okay to cry, and it’s okay to be mad. There’s nothing wrong with feeling either way.”

Pausing a moment to collect his thoughts, Henry took a deep breath.

“I know you miss your mom, Drew. I do, too… more than anything. If there was any way to bring her back, I would. She was so brave…”

Starting to choke up, Henry forced himself to continue and not break down.

“I had a talk with Uncle Ken and Uncle Brad and the rest of the guys while you were asleep, and I realized a few things. I know you’re mad at them, honey…but they did everything possible to try and save your mom and feel horrible they couldn’t. They feel like they let you down.”

His eyes downcast, Drew fidgeted with the buttons on Henry’s shirt. He wouldn’t make eye contact, but Henry saw hot tears starting to drip down his cheeks.

“They tried so hard, Drew, and your Uncle Ken almost died too. Sometimes bad things happen in the world. Sometimes there are bad people, and there’s no other reason than that’s the way it is. But we have to be brave, just like your mom, and we have to keep going. It’s sad, and it hurts, but we have each other, and we have our friends. Uncle Ken, Uncle Brad, and the other guys… they’re our family now. They love us very much and want to protect us.

“Your Uncle Ken is sad because he thinks you don’t love him anymore. All the guys think that. I know that’s not true, but I know you’re mad about your mom. You’re taking it out on them, and that’s not fair. You can be mad…I’m mad too…but we can’t be mad at them.”

Reaching out, he lifted Drew’s chin, forcing eye contact.

“Do you understand what I’m telling you, son?”

Drew couldn’t talk. Starting to hiccup, he breathed hard as tears fell down his cheeks, but he wasn’t wailing like earlier in the day. Grieving and sad, he was a little boy who wanted his mommy, who was gone forever.

“Come here, buddy.”

Pulling Drew against him, he wrapped his big arms around the little boy. Feeling how much Drew hurt through the link, tears ran down Henry’s cheeks, too. Letting Drew cry, Henry hoped he understood at least part of the conversation.

The anger was still there, along with confusion and hurt, but at the moment, Drew’s emotions weren’t directed at anyone specifically. At only five years old, Drew didn’t understand his feelings and wasn’t processing emotions like an adult, but they were present and upsetting.

Henry continued holding him until the worst of his tears were over. Earlier, Henry moved a box of Kleenex onto the nightstand, knowing there would be tears. Grabbing a tissue, Henry had Drew blow his nose and cleaned his face up as best he could.

“Are you hungry, Tiger?”

Drew still couldn’t talk but nodded his head yes.

“What sounds good? Nothing too big, because dinner’s only a few hours away. My guess is something with cheese in it. Am I right?”

Again, Drew nodded his head.

“Okay, give me a big hug and a kiss, and we’ll go find something. You’re going to turn into a big piece of cheese one of these days. I need to get all the kisses and hugs I can before that happens.”

Throwing himself against Henry, Drew put his arms around his neck, giving him a big, wet, sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“I love you, Drew. You’re a good boy, and I’m proud of you.”

With his face pressed against Henry’s neck, Drew’s voice sounded muffled.  

“I love you, too, Daddy.”

After holding the hug for nearly a minute, with a big sniff, Henry finally said, “Alright, up and at ’em, kiddo.”

<><><> 

After returning with groceries, Lane and Bryan didn’t have much time to throw things together. Luckily, they both had a few mental tricks up their sleeves to move things along.

Henry and Drew were still behind closed doors, but they hoped that it wasn't a bad sign after everything that happened a few hours ago.

Henry was right about Drew liking almost anything with cheese in it. Knowing spaghetti was Drew’s favorite dinner, Bryan decided to throw them both into one amazing dish of twice baked cheesy spaghetti. It was a cholesterol and fat bomb, but all of them would work it off in the gym the next morning. He also made a variation on his famous yeast rolls, whipping up buttered garlic knots with parmesan. Drew didn’t think parmesan was cheese because it wasn’t orange and didn’t come wrapped in single slices, but Bryan was pretty sure he would love them anyway.

In sync with Bryan, Lane helped as much as he could. Having telekinesis helped in many ways, and Bryan’s Avatar allowed him to speed up certain parts of the cooking process. The guys started showing up around 1730, always early in hopes of snacks before dinner.

Much to Ken’s delight, Bryan used Velveeta in the spaghetti. Bryan didn’t mind the taste, but it was a plastic artificial food; he didn’t like it but put aside his prejudices for Drew. The only other exception was the Velveeta and picante queso dip he made for Ken at parties and football games.

The kitchen smelled amazing, and stomachs rumbled as it got closer to dinner time. Bryan put together a simple garden salad as the last dish. Lane’s primary duty was the homemade strawberry ice cream, another of Drew’s favorites.

While standing around talking, Brad noticed something interesting while observing Bryan cook. Switching his sight, so faint he could barely see them, small tendrils of energy seeped off Bryan’s aura into whatever he cooked. Brad was sure Bryan wasn’t even aware of it. They always wondered why his cooking tasted so much better than everyone else’s…his joy in the act of making things for people he loved translated magically, enhancing everything.

<><> 

After devouring a grilled cheese sandwich, Drew went back to his room to color and watch videos. He stayed quieter than usual, and Henry wasn’t sure how much of their talk registered. He kept a link up but didn’t intrude or invade Drew’s privacy.

Dozing on and off, Henry let the noise of the TV, the millionth time he heard Thomas the Tank Engine, lull him into a nap.

He started awake when someone knocked on their door. Coloring intently, Drew didn’t even look up.

Sleepily, Henry called out, “Come in.”

Sticking his head in the door, Lane said, “Dinner’s ready, guys.”

He wore a big grin on his face and winked at Henry.

Without looking up, Drew said, “I’m not hungry.”

Henry said, “Sorry, Lane, I fell asleep. Thomas the Tank Engine puts me in la-la land.”

Lane’s grin turned mischievous, and he said, “Hey, at least it’s not Barney! Or the Teletubbies! Those little purse-toting goobs freak me out!”

Grimacing, Henry replied, “Yeah, thank God. We’ll be right there. Don’t hold up for us. I need to run Tiger here to the bathroom to wash his face and hands.”

Replying, “No rush,” Lane shut the door.

Looking down, Henry watched Drew coloring in his Transformers coloring book, intently trying to stay inside the lines.  He was doing a pretty good job of it; Optimus Prime only looked a little squiggly.

“You’re doing pretty good there, Tiger, but it’s time for dinner. Let’s go wash up. It sure smells good!”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat; otherwise, you’ll be starving by bedtime. Come on, let's at least try, okay? Please? For me?”

Drew’s exaggerated sigh as he got up made Henry grin.

As they went through the kitchen, Henry realized everyone was there; all the guys, the doctor and Albrecht, Sally, the Keenans, and Kelly. The noise level was high from the various conversations.

Drew followed Henry to the bathroom, keeping his head down, and they washed their hands and faces. Wetting Drew’s hair, Henry did his best to brush it out of his eyes. Drew definitely needed a haircut.

Henry told Lane not to wait, but they did anyway, and as soon as Drew and Henry made it back, everyone sat down. The tables in the kitchen were arranged so everyone could sit together.

There was enough food to feed an army, or at least eleven men with hypermetabolisms, a little boy, and a few normal adults.

As they sat down, Bryan winked at the doctor, saying, “I know it’s not Long John Silver’s doc, but I put extra grease in yours, so it should pass muster.”

Lowering his head, Albrecht stifled a chuckle, and the doctor actually smirked.

Henry tried his best to keep Drew upbeat. Sally and the Keenans talked to him, and all of the guys said hello but didn’t engage him any further, not wanting to upset him.

Henry said, “Wow, Drew, this looks like it was made just for you! Spaghetti with cheese in it! What do you say to Uncle Bryan?”

Drew didn’t look up but quietly said, “Thank you, Uncle Bryan.”

“You’re welcome, buddy. Remember what I told you in the bathroom this morning.”

Drew tried hard to maintain his charade of not being hungry, but everything smelled so good, and they were all his favorites, that Henry had to stop him on his third plate. He had cheesy spaghetti sauce all over his cheeks.

“Whoa, pardner! I heard a rumor that there’s strawberry ice cream for dessert! You gotta save some room!”

By the time the ice cream was served, Drew was much more animated and wasn’t keeping his eyes downcast, but he was still quiet. If Sally, the doctor, Albrecht, or the Keenans spoke to him, he was polite but limited his responses to single words or short sentences.

It wasn’t much, but it was so much better than his behavior the last few weeks that it uplifted their spirits a little. They kept the conversation at the table light, and there was a lot of laughter.

<><> 

Drew had taken to sleeping in Henry’s bed since Liz died, which was frustrating because he wet the bed nearly every night. Henry loved Drew but didn’t like waking up smelling like piss. He started keeping fresh sheets and towels by the bedside, so there was minimal interruption of sleep when it happened.

Wanting to be more like Henry, Drew also started sleeping in his underwear instead of his Superhero pajamas. Due to self-esteem issues, Henry didn’t want Drew wearing kids’ diapers, so like a caring father, he toughed it out and didn’t make a big deal when the bed was soaked.

Henry was a heavy sleeper, and hearing his soft snoring, Drew was sure he was sound asleep. He looked at the clock on their nightstand; he knew his numbers but wasn’t good at telling time yet, but knew it was late. Slipping out of bed as quietly as he could, Drew left their room, shutting the door behind him.

<><> 

On lab duty that night, Ken and Brad were asleep in their room.

Just after crawling into bed, thinking about their interaction with Michael got them turned on, and Ken remembered Brad’s comment about wanting a date with ‘that guy.’ Because they were in the lab, they toned it down slightly and only kept at it for a few hours.  There was no need to broadcast to everyone in the building what they were up to even though everyone probably knew it, so Ken masked their auras.

Finally spent, Ken rested his full weight on Brad, letting himself be held and caressed. Brad’s hands on his body, especially while their souls were one, sent Ken to another place. Brad was amazed after all their years together he could still do that to Ken, the man of his dreams that owned his heart. They long ago overcame any insecurities about their relationship, accepting their devotion to one another, and each of them smiled at the effect they had on the other.

Finally rolling onto his side, Ken pulled Brad back against him. Wrapping Brad in his arms, their bodies pressed together, they drifted off to sleep, relaxed. A light sleeper, Ken was combat-trained to wake at the slightest provocation. Even in the lab where he knew he was safe or at home in ‘vault’ mode, he still woke up if he heard something strange.

They didn’t usually lock the door to their room in the lab; no one ever invaded their privacy. There was a great deal of respect between the guys about leaving each other alone if the doors were shut. With their libidos so active, it was likely someone walking in unannounced would get quite a show!

As soon as their door cracked open, Ken was instantly wide awake and alert. Sensing no danger, he didn’t panic, and it only took him a second to realize it was Drew.

Hey, B, wake up.

Brad’s mental voice sounded groggy as he thought: What’s up?

We got company.

Ken sensed a trickle of Power from Brad, and an illusion of underwear appeared on both of them.

Good thinkin’ B.

Yup: he chuckled — no need to scare him with the snake pit.

What’cha think he’s doin’?

Just stay still a minute.

Neither of them moved, letting Drew think they were asleep. Making his way quietly to Ken’s side of the bed, Ken heard a sniff and realized Drew was crying.

Not wanting to startle Drew, he resettled himself, knowing Drew would hear the movement. The only light in the room came from a small nightlight in case Brad had to get up to go to the bathroom, but with Ken’s enhanced vision the room was almost like daylight.

“Hey, buddy, what’s wrong?”

Drew was in a bad way. His emotions started building once he opened the door, and he was hiccupping and hyperventilating.

He had a hard time talking but managed to get out, “U..Un..Uncle Ken, c... can... I…s…sleep...with you and Un... Uncle Brad?”

Shocked, Ken teared up, saying, “Of course you can, buddy!”

Pulling back the covers, Drew climbed up between the two big men. Moving apart to make room for him, they turned on their sides facing him. Both of them put a hand on Drew in comfort, wanting to soothe him.

“Drew, what’s wrong, Tiger? Settle down, breathe deep… take your time. Everythin’s okay little guy.”

It took him a minute to calm down enough before blurting out, “I…I’m…sorry, Uncle Ken. I…s…still…l…love y…you.”

Throwing his little arms around Ken’s neck, he rolled over, wrapping himself around Ken like a spider, his little body shaking with sobs. Drew’s words broke the dam of emotion in Ken, and his throat tightened up as tears fell down his cheeks.

Swallowing hard, Ken managed to squeak out, “I love you, too, Drew. Never, ever, think I don’t!”

Smiling, Brad let them have their moment, knowing how much it meant to Ken. His own relief was evident to Ken through their link. Brad continued running his hand slowly up and down Drew’s back in comfort.

Waiting for Ken and Drew to calm down, he said in a playfully hurt tone, “What about me? Don’t I get any love?”

Pulling back, Drew sat up in the space they made for him between their big bodies. Sniffing, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. As soon as he got into position, he dove against Brad’s neck and chest, squeezing his arms around Brad as tightly as he could, saying, “I love you too, Uncle Brad.”

Brad’s eyes were glassy as he said, “I love you, too, Drew. Just like Uncle Ken said, never, ever think I don’t.”

It only took a few seconds before Drew giggled and said, “Uncle Brad, you tickle!”

In just his Superhero underwear, Brad realized the hair on his chest and stomach must be tickling Drew, and he laughed, hugging him a little tighter.

Ken said, “Drew, you’ve made me really happy. I’m sorry I let you down.”

Sniffing, Drew hiccupped again but managed to say, “Daddy told me how hard you tried. He said it made you sad about mommy and that I made you feel bad. I’m sorry I hit you.”

Ken was still having a hard time getting himself under control. Drew talked more like an adult than a five-year-old, but Ken knew he understood what he said.

Sniffing loudly, Ken said, “Hey, I’m gettin’ jealous. Get back over here.”

Giggling, Drew disengaged himself from Brad. Rolling over, he hugged Ken and gave him a big wet sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Ken chuckled at the face Drew made as he said, “Your whiskers tickle.”

Oh my God, B. I can’t believe this.

He’s a terrific little boy Ken. Henry obviously talked with him… I could tell he was different at dinner. It just took a little time for whatever Henry said to sink in and process.

Ken continued holding him, and after a few minutes against Ken’s big warm body, Drew drifted off to sleep. Ken and Brad stayed up a while longer, deep inside each other’s hearts and minds sharing the moment. They let the light of their auras shine on Drew while he slept, knowing he would feel it even then.

<><> 

Henry panicked when he woke up and Drew was gone. Looking around the room, there was no evidence he had been up. His crayons were still in their box, and his coloring books neatly stacked on the small coffee table.

Thinking maybe Drew was hungry or went to the bathroom, Henry threw off the covers and got up. The bed was dry, but Henry didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Drew couldn’t leave the lab, so he had to be safe, but Henry was worried not knowing where he was.

Moving to the common area near the kitchen, Henry didn’t see him anywhere. There was no cereal bowl on any of the tables or the counter. It was early, and the lab quiet, so Henry didn’t want to call out.

Trying the kitchen and bathrooms, he still didn’t see Drew anywhere and was beginning to worry. The main door was sealed, and checking the log, Henry saw it hadn’t been opened since the previous evening. Ken and Brad were listed on the duty roster, and he hated to wake them up, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

Still new to his mind being open, Henry didn’t want to contact them mentally, not wanting to make a mistake or shout and wake everybody up. Padding back to their door, he knocked gently.

Ken instantly woke at Henry’s knock and realized what was going on. Ken didn’t want to wake Drew, who slept peacefully between him and Brad.

Hey, Henry, Drew’s with Brad and me. He came in a little after 0300.

Ken heard Henry’s sigh of relief.

Sorry if you got a scare. He fell asleep after we talked, and he’s still snoozin’.

As long as he’s okay. I hope he didn’t bother you guys. You want me to come in and get him?

Naw, let him sleep. He was upset and came ‘ta talk ‘ta us. Your chat did wonders, man; thank you for that. We’re all patched up now. He’s an amazin’ little boy.

Knowing Henry was still new to everything, Ken shared the memory of their conversation with Drew. The emotions hit Henry hard, and his breath caught in his chest, unused to the brutal honesty and truth in communicating mind to mind; it was beautiful but jarring.

Chuckling, Ken thought: You get used to it fast, Henry. Sorry if that was a bit sudden.

It’s fine. I actually like it. It’s refreshing, but it’s also like jumping into freezing water; once you get over the shock and warm up, it’s nice.

Yeah, I get ‘ya. You should’ve seen the first time B and I merged. That was a rough time for both of us. One night over a beer, we’ll share that with ‘ya.

When you guys are ready to get up, give me a holler, and if Drew’s not awake yet I’ll come get him. I don’t want him to be a bother.

Henry let me make this clear… you and Drew are family. We’re thrilled he came ‘ta us, and he can jump in bed with us anytime he wants. We love havin’ him. My guess is he’ll be makin’ the rounds with all the guys this way at some point.

Chuckling, Ken continued: You might have ‘ta fight us ‘ta get him back.

Henry laughed too, thinking: My eleven dads, it’ll be a best seller!

Naw, you’re his dad; we’re his gay uncles. That way, you get to be the bad guy, and we get to spoil him rotten.

Oh, I see how it is! Just wait; payback’s a bitch, Mr. Gay Uncle Ken.

They both had a good laugh, and the same thought struck them; it was nice to be back on track. Henry had a thought, and a huge grin crossed his face.

Hey, Ken, I know this is personal, but I guess there aren’t any secrets anymore. Are you into watersports?

A curious look crossed Ken’s face, and he wondered where Henry’s question came from.

No, why? I’m surprised you even know what that is.

I learn a lot hanging around you pervs in the locker room. It’s too bad you aren’t.

Almost as if Henry’s words triggered the event,  Ken felt warm wetness filling the bed.

Shit!

With inhuman agility Ken shot out of bed, landing on his feet leaving Brad in the warm puddle.

In the hallway, Henry doubled over, howling with laughter.

Ken’s movement woke Brad, who realized immediately what happened, and rolling off the bed he hit the floor. Ken laughed hysterically at the look on Brad’s face, bed-headed, bleary-eyed, and disgusted.

Drew slept peacefully through it all. When Drew wet the bed, Henry knew it was always early in the morning, and it was due any time.

Henry had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

Still want to fight me for him?

Man, it’s a good thing Ricky and Loy weren’t on duty last night!

Why’s that?

They totally woulda’ boned up from that. You might have ‘ta fight ‘em until Drew gets past this stage.

Oh my God, those pervs! Ewwwwwww.

Ken’s comment reignited Henry’s laughter, and he started howling again.

All the noise and laughter woke a few people up. The rooms in the Australian lab were soundproofed, but not the rooms in Atlanta and their laughter filled the hallway.

Trying to explain it just set Henry and Ken off again.

<><> 

Their laughter finally woke Drew up, and he was upset about wetting the bed. Brad especially felt his embarrassment. Henry moved over, picking him up under his arms and setting him on the floor.

Stripping the bed once Drew was awake, Brad said, “Drew, let’s get those wet undies off, and I’ll wash them with the sheets.”

On top of being upset about wetting the bed, Brad sensed a sudden surge of panic in Drew that surprised him. It was very intense, and Drew took off, running back to his room.

As Drew ran by, Ken said, “Hey, Drew, where ‘ya goin’?”

Brad and Ken looked at Henry with raised eyebrows.

Shrugging his shoulders, Henry said, “I’m not sure, guys… you know this is new to me. I’m not used to being around kids his age, but I think he’s going through a phase about people seeing him naked. After what Doug did to him, I think it made it worse. I plan to talk to the doc about it and get his opinion.”

Brad said, “Good idea. Drew’s got so much on his plate right now for a kid his age. All in all, I think he’s doing really well. He adores you, Henry, and you’re doing great with him.”

Blushing at the compliment, Henry replied, “Thanks. I never thought I’d be a father. I was never the marrying type before my days with The Enemy. I didn’t want kids, didn’t like ‘em, but now I can’t imagine not having Drew in my life.”

Henry’s eyes misted over as he expressed his sentiments.

Trying to keep the mood light, Ken said, “Okay, guys, no more waterworks allowed this mornin’! Remember, we’re supposed to be manly men!”

A small surge of power from Brad followed, and Henry started laughing again. Looking at him funny, Ken wondered what was going on until he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Brad altered the illusion of his underwear from basic military-style boxers to a hot pink posing strap covered with little glitter hearts, leaving little to the imagination.

Still laughing, Henry turned and said over his shoulder, “I’ll leave you two manly men to do what manly men do!”

<><> 

By the time Henry got to their room, Drew had already changed into a fresh pair of underwear.

Drew seemed to be alright, and not drawing attention to his behavior, Henry said, “Okay, Tiger, we gotta hit the shower and get ourselves clean.”

Father and son walked down the hall in their underwear to the locker rooms. In the shower, Drew kept his back to Henry, trying to cover himself as much as he could. Henry didn’t pry, but something was obviously bothering him. Keeping his thoughts positive in their link, Henry tried his best to make Drew feel safe and loved.

After drying themselves off, as they walked back through the kitchen, the doctor and Albrecht sat eating their breakfast. Sally was in the kitchen in her robe and slippers. The Keenans were late risers, and Kelly usually slept until early afternoon.

Everyone said good morning to Drew, and he made his rounds, saying good morning and giving out hugs.

The doctor said, “Henry, my boy, we have much to discuss. When you get dressed, will you come to my office?”

“Sure thing, doc, I’ll be right there. Sally, would you mind watching Squirt while I talk to the doc?”

Giggling, Drew said, “I’m not a Squirt, I’m a Tiger!”

Kneeling, Henry said, “Oh yeah? Well, I was looking for my Tiger, but I can’t see him through all that hair.”

Drew pulled his hair back, and Henry exclaimed, “There he is!”

Henry poked his finger in Drew’s belly button, tickling him. Drew squirmed out of reach, laughing and saying, “You're silly, Daddy.”

Albrecht grinned at their antics, and for once, the doctor did as well, pleased to see the smiles after the recent sadness. The grief would continue for a time, but as they moved forward and away from the intense sorrow, there would be small windows such as what just occurred.

Leaning down, Henry picked Drew up, flipping him onto his shoulders. Drew wrapped his arms around Henry’s head, and they went back to their room to get dressed.

Sally said, “We need to plan another shopping trip. Yesterday was a bust, as you know, Drew needs a haircut, and I still need to pick up a few things for the party.”

<><><> 

The lab was a busy place that morning. Ken and Brad retreated to their room after putting the sheets and Drew’s wet underwear in the washing machine. While pulling out their workout clothes, knowing they would start PT shortly, Ken spoke in Brad’s mind.

Hey, B, come here.

Brad knew Ken’s intentions from the tone of his voice and the rush of emotion that went with it. Stopping, he looked at Ken, smiling as he dropped the illusion of their underwear, staring into his eyes as he moved over.  Ken pulled him into their signature full-bodied hug, resting their chins in the crook of each other’s thick neck and shoulders. Brad still smelled like piss, and Ken chuckled.

Brad chuckled too: Sorry.

It was worth it, B. I’m thankful Drew seems ‘ta be back on track with us. I have ‘ta admit I missed sleepin’ next to you, but havin’ him between us was nice too. We’ve never thought about adoptin’ a kid or anythin’, but fuck, I love him so much…

Me too, Ken. And yeah, I missed your arms around me, but anytime we’re here, and he wants to do that, I’d love it.

You know what else I love, B?

What’s that?

Everything about you. Your soul, your heart, your mind, your sexy body, your eyes, your handsome face, your dick…

I see my mad seduction skills are working perfectly this morning.

Their hands moved down, beginning to roam. It dawned on them that as often as they made love, it had been a while since they enjoyed exploring each other’s bodies. Ken pulled back enough to make eye contact, and as soon as they did, Brad brought their souls together.

Their eyes flashed white briefly, and the different colors became visible, Ken’s emerald green ringed by Brad’s crystal blue and vice versa. Emotions stirred as they touched, knowing how it felt to themselves and their lover. The complexity and depth of what passed between them were as mind-numbingly beautiful as always, painfully intimate yet fulfilling beyond words.

Each man felt the rush when they made each other smile or caught their breath as they touched a particular place, causing arousal. Taking their time, they made each other feel good as only they could.

After nearly half an hour of keeping themselves on the brink of a powerful orgasm, they were both sweating and breathing deeply.

Fuck B, I could stay with you like this forever.

Do you mean that?

Well, at least ‘til I get hungry.

Douche.

As much as I wanna’ keep goin,’ we’ve been at this for a while. The guys’ll be showin’ up any time for trainin’.

Let’s get on the bed.

They moved over, still holding hands. Brad got on the bed first so Ken would be over him; he wanted the perfect view of Ken’s handsome face and body. Wrapping his legs around Ken, a deep, guttural moan of pleasure escaped him as Ken slipped inside him.

As excited as they both were, it only took a few minutes for Ken to reach his orgasm. The onset of Ken’s orgasm triggered Brad’s, and they came together.

Strength flooded into Brad as Ken’s DNA fueled their supernatural bond, and the euphoric emotions accompanying his increased physical strength were overwhelming. Ken needed Brad’s DNA for the same reason, and in an amazing show of agility, Ken took Brad into his mouth as his orgasm triggered.

Ken continued sucking Brad until he was soft before lowering himself, putting his full weight on Brad knowing how it made them both feel. The touch of their warm, sweaty bodies felt perfect together. Their breathing slowed as they rested against one another in every way; in the spiritual realm, they were a shining star. Brad’s hands roamed over Ken’s broad back soothingly, caressing his warm, soft skin.

Fuck B, your hands are magic.

With his enhanced hearing, Ken knew when the guys started arriving in the kitchen, and they reluctantly got up to dress and head out to start their morning.

<><><> 

Henry, dressed in workout shorts, a sleeveless t-shirt, and tennis shoes, was ready to get into the gym with the guys but needed to see the doctor first. Waiting for him, the doctor shut the door for privacy. Sitting behind his desk, he looked at Henry intently, quiet for a moment before he spoke.

“You have come a long way, my boy, since you first came to us. I must say I am very proud of you, and I cannot tell you how nice it is to see you and Drew reconciled with everyone. I knew it would happen and had every faith in you, but I am happy it did not stretch out too long.”

“Thank you, doc. I’m sorry for the way I acted. I didn’t handle things well.”

“Nonsense! You handled it as well as anyone would have, given the circumstances. I was going to say you are only human, and while technically that is true, after the changes you have gone through, yesterday in particular, you are much more than that.”

“Well, I know the guys are half-nephilim. After merging with them, I know what that means. I’m not sure what I am.”

“You are a hybrid as well. Half of you was changed by the Enemy… I have studied you extensively since you came to us, Henry, and I believe I know how they altered you. It was an excruciatingly painful and brutal process. Whoever designed the concept was intelligent but misguided. The part of you Bradford and the others opened yesterday…they restored your mind to a state before the Curse fell on mankind. You are now an original man as they are, with an unfallen nature. You do not have their nephilim heritage or an Avatar, but you are still extremely powerful. Once we have trained you properly, you will be more than a match for agents of The Enemy. You are also now immortal, Henry. You can be killed, but you will no longer age.”

Henry sat wide-eyed, listening and taking in what the doctor explained. What the guys did to him was nothing short of a miracle.

Henry’s first thought was, “What about Drew?”

“We must wait and see with your son. If his mind eventually stays open, which I believe will happen soon, he will be the same as you are as far as his mind is concerned.”

“Will he stay young forever?”

The concern in Henry’s voice was evident when he asked his question.

“No, my boy, the process is gradual, allowing him to grow naturally into a young man. He will stop aging at the ‘perfect’ point in his physical and mental maturity. That time is different for everyone but usually occurs in the mid to late twenties or even early thirties, depending on the person.

“The most difficult adaptation you will face in the short term is the mental aspect of your new nature. The moral obligation associated with such power is extreme. There are many things you must learn to protect yourself and those around you. I will not overwhelm you today but suffice it to say you have a long road ahead of you. I will accelerate that road as much as I think it safe to do so. Drew will desperately need you as he approaches his seventh birthday.”

The doctor noted the fear in Henry’s eyes at the mention of Drew’s Curse.

“Do not fear yet, Henry. There is time to prepare, and I have learned that where Bradford, Kenneth, and the others are concerned; nothing is set in stone. We must be diligent and watchful and remain hopeful that things will turn out alright. I am not saying it will not be difficult, but we must hope for the best.

“Now, for today, I wish to talk with you again later this afternoon about Drew specifically. We must be optimistic about his future and start his education. I have some ideas on this, but as Drew’s father, you will need to make certain decisions regarding him. I will find you before dinner to discuss these matters.

“At the moment, however, there is one more aspect of your nature I wish to explore. Albrecht will explain this next part to you in private. I will ask Sally or Olive to watch Drew while you begin your training after talking with Albrecht. I know, Henry, this is a lot of information. Do you have any questions?”

Henry had a deer-in-the-headlights look on his handsome face, but shook his head negatively.

Giving one of his rare grins, the doctor said, “Very well. I am sure questions will arise, so do not hesitate to find me. I have added you to the rotation of counseling sessions I have with all the men and will make myself available to you anytime you need me.”

The doctor signaled Albrecht, who waited outside the door.

Sticking his head in the doctor’s office, Albrecht said, “Come with me, please, Henry.”

Getting up, Henry followed Albrecht down the hall to one of the small exam rooms.

<><> 

Nervous, Henry couldn’t imagine what Albrecht wanted to talk to him about.

As they entered the small room, Albrecht patted the exam bench and said, “Please sit and make yourself comfortable.”

Hopping up, Henry sat on the white paper covering the padded bench. He didn’t like exam rooms; much of what was done to him by The Enemy occurred in a similar room, strapped down and helpless. The sound of the paper crinkling sent a chill down his spine at the memories.

Smiling, in his deep, soothing voice, Albrecht said, “There’s no need to be nervous, Henry. As Aaron said, he and I have studied you extensively since your arrival with us. We have, more or less, reverse engineered the process used to alter you.

“The changes in your body are similar to those of Ken, Bryan, Rick, Pat, and Kevin. You don’t have their increased muscle and bone density or enhanced senses, but you do have vastly increased strength, speed, dexterity, and agility. There are enough similarities that Aaron and I wish to try a little experiment if you are agreeable.”

“What do I need to do?”

“Let me explain a few things first, so you have a clear picture of where I am going with this. It will be deeply personal if you wish to continue, but you know there are no longer any secrets between you and the men. When merging with them, you are truly naked in every aspect, emotionally and physically. It is both painfully intimate and breathtakingly beautiful at the same time.”

“Yes, sir, it is. The first time was rough, but I’ve come to like it. It’s changed my entire life and the way I look at everything.”

Smiling, Albrecht said, “Yes, it has a way of doing that. Suddenly, small pettiness and negative thoughts seem trivial in the bigger picture, no? You rise above such things to the truer meaning of what it means to be human and how humans are meant to exist together.

“I could easily get sidetracked explaining more of this to you. It’s a fascinating topic and one I have studied extensively, and if you wish, I’d be happy to share my insights with you. But for now, back to the task at hand.

“You are aware that the men share their souls. You also know how their bodies react to one another when they make love. Their DNA fuels the bond between them, making them far stronger in every way imaginable. It is not just their physical and mental natures; it also magnifies who they are.

“You also know Ken’s semen and that of the other bodies can kill a person if ingested or internalized by someone other than their partner. The same enzymes and amino acids present in them exist in you, but The Enemy did something else to you. As soon as your semen leaves your body, it breaks down. That effectively makes you sterile as far as regular intercourse is concerned, but if you ever wish to have children, Aaron and I can help with that so don’t be alarmed.

“Aaron and I believe the same supernatural elements that exists in Ken and the others also exists in you. The Enemy didn’t understand the significance of this, and in essence, they didn’t take you far enough.”

A curious, almost disbelieving look came across Henry’s face, and he asked, “So you are telling me I’ll get stronger if I eat my own cum? Sorry to be blunt, but I don’t know the medical terms.”

Albrecht laughed, saying, “I told you this would be deeply personal. In theory, that’s what I’m saying, but because your semen breaks down so quickly, that won’t work. There is a tantric practice I can teach you that will let your body retain your discharge. If you do this, I believe your body will absorb your semen in much the same way it works for the men. Except for you, it will be like fueling yourself because you don’t share a soul with someone else.”

“Holy shit.”

Albrecht grinned, continuing, “Yes. If it works as I hope, you will experience a feeling of euphoria immediately following your orgasm and then a significant boost in strength. I’m not sure of that, but I believe that will be the case.”

Embarrassed, Henry’s face turned red, but he was also excited. Albrecht noticed his breathing deepen and knew Henry wanted to try it.

“What do I have to do?”

“Something you will no doubt enjoy, and hopefully have enjoyed your entire life. Masturbate!”

Blushing a deeper shade of red, he asked, “That’s it?”

“Mostly. Once you reach the point of ejaculation, you will need to clamp down firmly on the head of your erection. There is a specific grip I will show you that will prevent the semen from discharging, forcing it to backwash into your body. I’m not sure how long it will take to absorb, but I believe it will only be a matter of seconds. As soon as that happens, you will feel the effects. How significantly you will be affected, I don’t know. I am unsure if the effects will only be physical or if you will also receive a benefit to your mind now that it is open. The Enemy didn’t plan for that, and it is an unknown. At worst, you will feel no effect whatsoever.”

“When do you want me to try this?”

Smirking, Albrecht said, “No time like the present, my boy. I will need to show you how to grip yourself properly. I hope that will not make you uncomfortable. I have seen you unclothed numerous times, and I have been deeply in your mind, so I have essentially seen everything there is to know about you. There is no need for embarrassment, but it is a very private thing, and I respect that. How long has it been since your last release?”

Henry’s eyes misted slightly, and he said, “The day Liz died. I’ve been so focused on Drew and my own issues I just haven’t since then. To be honest, I’m horny as a goat. Even before the changes to my body, I was a twice a day guy minimum. After the changes, I could easily do five to six times on a good day.”

Chuckling, with a wink, Albrecht said, “I see, then this should go quickly.”

“Very funny!”

“There is another lesson I will show you that will help this process in the future. Now that you have access to your energy centers, you will learn a level of control over your body you never dreamed possible. Your core energy center, which represents your physical strength and sexual needs is powerful already. After yesterday, your mind will be much stronger and will continue to strengthen over time. Your heart will grow as well but will be the weakest of your three centers. I have some thoughts on that but will leave those for another day. Please disrobe and recline on the table.”

Stripping, Henry was already partially erect over the thought of what was about to happen. Henry was well-endowed and larger than any of the other guys, and he was uncut.

“This time, Henry, I will open your energy center for you. Part of your training will be with Brad and the other mentalists, and you will learn how to do this and control your own energy flows.”

Resting his hand on Henry’s taut stomach, covering his belly button, Albrecht opened Henry’s core.

Watching the crimson flare come out of his body, Henry felt a surge and became fully erect almost instantly.

There is no need for embarrassment, Henry. This is natural and often happens early on. Even once you are used to the energy flows it will continue and become a great source of pleasure and power for you. Eventually, it will become second nature.

No wonder the guys are such horndogs.

Albrecht laughed at his comment.

Yes. I will make this clinical, Henry, to avoid any discomfort on your part. I know you are not familiar with being touched by another man.

It’s okay, Albrecht. I’ll admit it took me a while to get over that hang-up, but I’m past that now.

Henry chuckled and continued: I know I’m the odd man out here. I’m not used to being the only straight guy around. But with my mind opened…well, you know. That stuff really doesn’t matter. In a way, I feel fortunate…I get a glimpse of what the world should be like and will be like once we defeat the bad guys. I’m comfortable being around the guys in every way now. I know they’re all in love with one another, and I’m over any conceit on my part that they want to be with me. I think all straight guys have that thought as soon as they learn a friend is gay. They don’t want to sleep with me, and I have no interest in sleeping with them. That doesn’t mean we don’t love each other. I love them, but I’m not in love with them.

I’m proud of you, Henry. You haven't had an easy road these last few years, and you've grown beyond what I expected. The first time I looked into your mind, I saw a good man deep down. The men have a habit of bringing out the best in people, and you are no exception.

So, go ahead, Al.

Looking at him, Albrecht raised an eyebrow: Al?

Henry winked with an impish grin.

Sorry, but if we’re going to be jerk-off buddies, we’re past the point of formalities.

Albrecht looked shocked for a moment and then broke out laughing at Henry’s comment. Henry hadn’t heard Albrecht laugh like that since he’d met him.

Are you ready?

Resting on his elbows so he would have a good view, Henry was still rock hard from his core energies flowing. Pulling down his foreskin, Albrecht exposed the head, which glistened from Henry’s level of arousal.

Firmly gripping Henry’s erection, Albrecht placed his thumb just under the head and the rest of his fingers around the shaft. Red fire flared from his hand, and even though Henry was ready, his eyes nearly popped out of his head when the orgasm hit, so powerful his whole body tightened.

Albrecht pinched down firmly on the head, preventing any semen from escaping, and used a reverse milking motion, stroking downward and forcing the semen captured in his urethra back into his system.

Albrecht did a countdown, and in less than three seconds a warm flush came over Henry. Suddenly his body arched as Albrecht witnessed torrents of azure and crimson energy burst forth, his muscular body magnificent as the energies ran through him.

Untrained, Henry’s outburst was wild and uncontrolled, and Albrecht was astounded at how potent the flows were. His mind and body were now as powerful as any one of the team!

<> 

Dazed from the powerful and unexpected euphoria, Henry fell back on the table for a few seconds acclimating himself and catching his breath. Albrecht said he and the doctor weren’t sure if Henry’s mind would be affected, but apparently it was. With his new strength and range, unshielded thoughts from people in the building's front area entered his mind.

Faint at first, as he focused, the voices and emotions strengthened until suddenly he was immersed in their brokenness. Doubling over in pain, he clutched his head, momentarily overcome at what Brad referred to as their ‘fucked-upness.’

In his mind in an instant, Albrecht shielded them both.

My apologies, Henry; I had no idea you would be so strong. Let’s get you dressed and come with me to the gym immediately.

Henry still saw spots in his eyes from the intense pain; not only the brokenness but seeing through all their eyes at once was blindingly painful.

<><> 

As Henry dressed, there was an urgent knocking on the door. Albrecht opened it to see Brad, Lane, Loy, Darren, and Bill with concerned looks on their faces.

Brad asked, “Is everything alright? We felt a surge from Henry and realized he was in pain, and then your shield went up.”

Still a little unsteady on his feet, Henry said, “I’m alright, guys, thanks. That was just unexpected.”

Brad asked, “What happened? That wave was damn powerful.”

Albrecht brought them into a link, sharing what occurred. The most common reaction, aside from the smiles on their faces, was a smattering of “Fuck me’s” and “Holy shits.”

<><> 

As Henry made his way to the gym to begin his training, Albrecht sought the other half of his soul.

Aaron? You felt it too?

Yes, Albrecht. That was a surprise. I was confident in my prediction of his body’s reaction but was doubtful of his mind. His strength is impressive, and he will be quite formidable once trained.

I’m worried about him, Aaron. With Liz gone, our plans for him have changed. You and I and the men… we share our souls, keeping us grounded and fulfilled. Henry won’t have that now, and over time it will be difficult for him. Now that he is immortal, it will be more painful as the years pass.

Aaron gave a heavy sigh, which Albrecht felt.

Yes, love, I know. It will be difficult for Henry not having that connection with someone of his own. I will communicate our concerns to Bradford and the others; they will have to be a support net for young Henry. That will have to suffice until we are successful in our mission of defeating The Master. I will not permit Henry to be a casualty in that aspect. I learned my lesson with Taliesin and will not repeat that mistake.

<><><> 

More than a little overwhelmed, with his mind expanded Henry sensed things he never imagined. He figured merging with the guys would have prepared him, but it was different from what he expected.

Ken and Brad held a private conversation over Henry’s training and agreed his mental disciplines must take priority in the short term. It was imperative he learn to control and shield himself, especially as powerful as he was. Brad knew they would have to be careful as Henry’s mind wasn’t genetically enhanced; he didn’t have the perfect recall the mentalists did, and it would take him longer to learn. From merging with Henry, Brad knew he was a smart man, but there was only so much information he could retain efficiently at one time.

Coming up with an outline, each of the mentalists, starting with Brad, became his instructors. Collectively creating a construct of the gym, they took Henry deep so time barely moved in the physical realm, and began the core exercises they learned early on and continued to practice.

Encouraging Henry, they helped with his headaches when the stress became too much and answered all his questions. He was an excellent student, and in the first few hours, he spent the equivalent of days with them. Spending so much time with each man, Henry came to know them even better, and his friendship with each of his brothers grew stronger and more profound.

After lunch he switched to working out with Ken and the bodies, giving his mind a rest. As a protector, The Enemy trained Henry to use his strength, speed, and agility, but he did not have their fighting skills from the Navy or training with Albrecht. Henry’s mind wasn’t genetically enhanced, but his body was, and he had perfect muscle memory; once shown a technique, it became a part of him.

Ken instructed everyone in the kata Michael had taught him, The Quintessential Dance. The kata came from the archangels' fighting style, encompassing moves and techniques that, once mastered, would make them even deadlier fighters.

Henry thought it funny when the guys started competing over who got to spar with him. So used to fighting each other, it was more fun to have someone new. It also made things easier with a sixth person in their rotation. There was always an odd man out with five bodies or five mentalists, but now at least when Henry was with them there was an even number, and it made certain aspects of their training faster.

By late afternoon Henry was shirtless with the rest of them, dripping sweat. Pushing himself, exhausted and sore, he loved every second of it. When Ken called their training that afternoon, he approached Henry, putting an arm around his shoulders and ruffling his sweaty hair.

Not bad for your first day, bud. I’m proud of you, Henry; all of us are. You bring so much ‘ta the team and make our job easier. I gotta warn you, though, don’t drop the soap in the shower. I saw these horn dogs eyein’ your backside.

Henry’s eyes widened for a second, and then he burst out laughing with all of them. He heard a few catcalls in his mind about how fine his ass looked, and he took the teasing as it was intended.

You guys are a bunch of pervs.

Lane: Yeah, no wonder you fit in so well!

Ken kept his arm around Henry’s shoulder as they walked to the locker room, cupping his neck in an affectionate squeeze before moving off to his locker.

<><><> 

Drew spent the morning with Olive and Tag while Sally worked on tasks for the doctor. Sally quickly mastered nearly all of the custom software applications he developed for the new computer systems Darren and Pat helped build.

Before working with the guys at TGH Securities, Sally put herself through night school, earning a Master's of Business Administration. Some of the courses exposed her to programming languages as well as HTML/XML and other scripting languages. She had a natural gift for interface design, and with her help and input, the new applications became much easier to use.

Most of the applications on the new systems were still command-line driven and complicated to use, so Sally worked in her spare time creating graphical user interfaces for them as well as the new operating system. After Carlo died, she used the time as an emotional crutch to get by, but now she enjoyed it and helped the guys learn the new applications.

The doctor focused primarily on updating the applications' raw code and hadn’t yet gotten to the point of making them easier to use. Even for him, it was a daunting task to re-write and update decades of code.

 After lunch, she spent her afternoons with Drew after the doctor asked her to assist with Drew's homeschooling. Drew knew his numbers and the alphabet, and Liz had started him reading, but he was behind for his age.

The doctor purchased an interactive whiteboard along with curriculum software for reading and mathematics. Like most modern kids, Drew loved the technology and considered it more of a game, and much of the time, he didn’t realize he was learning.

The doctor and Albrecht spent time on his cognitive skills. Without Drew even knowing it, they taught him fundamental principles of reasoning, logic, and philosophy. 

Once finished with training, the few hours before dinner were considered ‘free time,’ and the guys hung around, ran back to their homes to perform various chores, or run errands.

Drew was down for a nap, and Henry accidentally woke him when he came in exhausted, wanting a short nap before dinner. He hadn’t showered yet and was still sweaty and shirtless but so tired he didn’t care.

“Hey Tiger, I’m sorry I woke you up. Move over a bit. I’m going to take a nap too.”

Kissing the top of Drew’s head, Henry stretched out beside him. He heard Drew fidgeting and then felt Drew’s fingers on his back, outlining his muscles. Drew’s touch was so light and soothing Henry fell asleep in less than a minute.

Drew dozed off after a few moments, liking the idea of napping with his dad.  Henry’s presence was a comfort, from the heat of his body to how he smelled after his workout. Henry had the same manly scent as his uncles, and Drew liked it.  It wasn’t sexual in any way; it was a part of his new dad.

The urge to pee hit Drew hard and fast, waking him up from a sound sleep. He didn’t want to go in his pants or the bed, so he took off running, holding his crotch, trying to make it to the locker room and a urinal. He didn’t quite make it, and before he pulled his pants down, he wet himself. Upset, he started quietly crying, hearing Doug’s taunts in his mind.

Damn, you smell you little shit. You pissed your pants like a baby.

Drew wanted to be a big boy so bad, like Henry and his Uncles. The fact that in his mind he was still a baby made him feel worthless.

Hearing Bryan and Lane talking outside the bathroom's side entrance, Drew panicked, wanting to hide. Shuffling into a stall he closed the door, climbing up on the toilet.

Lane said, “I’ll be right there, Bry, just got to hit the head.”

Lane entered, humming to himself, and Drew heard his pants unzip. A second later, the sound of a steady stream hitting a urinal echoed off the tiles of the empty room. Lane’s eyes flashed white for the briefest of seconds, and his intuition told him to turn around.

Remaining perfectly still, Drew squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting Lane to find him. His will to be unseen hid him, so when Lane cast his mind out, he didn’t sense Drew in the stall.

Glancing over his shoulder Lane didn’t see anything, but his intuition told him someone was there. His Avatar and intuition rarely sent conflicting signals, and he cast his mind out, immediately alert. With the new runes in the lab nothing could be wrong, and his gut feeling wasn’t one of alarm. His forehead creased in confusion at the contradiction.

Moving forward quietly, he glanced at the row of stalls. Slowly he pushed open each door, and on the second one, he found Drew squatting down with his tennis shoes on the rim of the bowl. Holding his head down and trying to be quiet, Lane knew something was wrong.

Calmly, he asked, “Drew? What’s wrong, buddy? Why are you hiding?”

Kneeling down, Lane smelled urine right away.

“Did you have an accident?”

Sniffing a few times and getting his breathing under control, almost imperceptibly and very dejectedly, Drew said, “Yes, Uncle Lane.”

“Hey, Tiger, it's no problem! Come here, and let’s get you cleaned up. Where’s your dad?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Okay, let’s get you over by the sink.”

Lifting Drew by his armpits, Lane set him on the floor by the row of sinks.

He continued, “Let’s get these wet pants off and get you clean and dry.”

Drew grabbed the top of his jeans, he said rather forcibly and with a hint of panic, “No, don’t!”

Lane stopped immediately. Drew wouldn’t make eye contact, and he knew whatever was wrong wasn’t about Drew wetting himself.

Drew. Look at me, Tiger.

Lane’s presence was so calming and caring, Drew looked up, and fresh tears fell down his cheeks.

Drew, what’s the matter? Why don’t you want me to take your pants off? Are you ashamed for me to see you?

Slowly, Drew nodded his head up and down.

Drew, I’ve seen you naked before; all of us have. We’re all guys, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Tell me what’s bothering you.

Drew’s anxiety spiked, and Lane pulled him into a hug. Drew’s arms flew around Lane’s neck, and he started sobbing into Lane’s shoulder. Trying to calm him down, Lane sent comforting thoughts and words.

It’s okay, Drew; I’ve got you, buddy. I’m here. It’s alright. Shhhhh.

Rubbing Drew’s back, Lane let him cry until he calmed down.

Drew? Will you let me look inside and see what’s bothering you? That way, you won’t have to tell me in words. I know you’re upset, and I don’t like seeing you this way. It makes me sad, and I’m not sure what to do to help you. Will you let me do that?

Drew didn’t say anything but almost imperceptibly nodded his head yes. To Drew, his uncles were infallible, and maybe there was a chance Lane could help him.

Gently, Lane brought Drew into a deep link. They never fully merged with Drew; the doctor said it wasn’t a good idea unless absolutely necessary. The developing mind of a child is vastly different from that of an adult, and Lane kept himself tightly shielded to prevent Drew from seeing anything inappropriate; he simply made sure Drew knew how much he was loved and cared for.

The prominent memory of Doug shouting at him the day Liz died was strong.

Damn, you smell you little shit. You pissed your pants like a baby.

Lane knew Drew was upset about wetting himself, but his intuition told him it was something deeper than that.

Lane would have some serious explaining to do if his efforts went wrong, but opening Drew’s heart, he brought them together. They appeared naked in the dark place where he and Bryan shared their souls.

Panicked, Drew immediately covered himself.

Drew, it’s okay. Look! I’m naked too. We both are. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Looking at Lane’s soft penis, his eyes widened.

You have a boo-boo, too, Uncle Lane.

What do you mean?

You’re wee-wee. It’s broke, like mine.

Lane chuckled.

What do you mean it’s broke? It works great! So does yours from what I can see. We just need to work on your bladder control.

No, it’s broke!

Show me what you mean.

An image of Henry and Drew taking their morning shower together appeared in Lane’s mind, and Lane immediately realized what the problem was. He had to suppress his humor, so Drew wouldn’t think Lane was laughing at him, knowing how deeply Drew was bothered. To him, it was a huge deal.

Henry was uncut, and Drew was circumcised. He wanted to be like his dad in every way and had a severe case of hero-worship towards Henry, and it bothered him that aside from their size, their dicks weren’t alike.

Seeing himself as different added to his already fragile self-esteem and self-image. Doug shouting about him being a baby for peeing in his pants, coupled with his inability to stop wetting the bed, plus the emotional abuse he suffered… Lane saw the intense emotional undercurrents in Drew’s subconscious. Lane had to remember that things he didn’t think were important sometimes meant everything to a child.

Bry, I need you.

Appearing with Lane and Drew, Bryan’s eyes widened at Drew’s presence. Lane shared his memory from the bathroom to present with Bryan in a flash.

Bryan: Fuck! Poor kid.

Picking Drew up, Bryan wrapped the little boy up in his powerful arms.

Come here, kiddo, and hug Uncle Bry. You got nothing to worry about, little man.

Bryan’s warmth and strength helped calm Drew, and he rested his head on Bryan’s shoulder. It was a few moments before Drew broke the silence.

Uncle Lane, you fix boo-boo’s, right?

Well, yeah, pretty much.

Can you fix me?

Bryan: Sure he can!

In their private link, Lane exclaimed: Bry! I should talk to the doc about this first!

Bryan: No! You need to fix this! Look at him, Lane; the little fucker is torn up inside. This is a simple thing. He wants to be like Henry, so we make a small change. I’ll take the heat from any fucker, including the doc, who has a problem with it.

Lane: I love you, ya big lug. You’re right. This is a simple fix. I’ll also set up a trigger to wake him up if he’s asleep and he has to pee and add a little tweak to his parasympathetic nervous system to help with his bladder that will give him more time to get to a bathroom. I know the doc will probably have an issue with that too; he doesn’t like interfering or tampering with people like that but being with Drew like this and seeing what it’s doing to him, I say fuck that.

Bryan: We’ll take the heat if there is any, Little Buddy. Pull what you need from me.

Lane: We’ll share, so it’s from both of us.

Dropping the private link with Bryan, Lane thought: Sure I can, Tiger!

Drew’s face split into a huge smile and their hearts melted. In that place, Drew’s smile was from his soul.

Their eyes misted at how such a small thing could bring so much happiness to a little boy who had been through so much in his life already. Drew’s desire to be like Henry sparked another thought that Lane would follow up with in a few minutes.

Opening his and Bryan’s energy centers, he wove them into a bright white rope. A hot wind blew their hair, and Drew saw them as they were in the spiritual realm, shining towers of strength and light. The warmth of their souls and their unconditional love for him made him feel wholly loved and safe.

Lane’s mental voice echoing with power, he thought: Don’t be afraid, Drew. This won’t hurt, it might tickle a little, but that’s all.

Lane wove a fine lacelike weave of healing, and the tendrils arced over and into Drew’s small penis. Looking deep into Drew’s DNA, Lane saw what he needed, the pattern he was born with, and restored the flesh and nerves that were cut away as a baby.

Their light dimmed and Drew twisted himself, leaning his body from Bryan’s arms against Lane, hugging his neck and giving him a big wet sloppy kiss on his cheek. The two big men sandwiched Drew between them, feeling his relief.

Lane kissed the top of Drew’s head, and his eyes flashed white as he set his triggers.

Lane to Bryan: Time to face the piper. I hope Henry will be okay with this, too.

<><> 

Drew let Lane help him clean up from his accident, but before Drew could run back to his room Lane grabbed his shoulder.

“I got two things, buddy, before you go ripping out of here.”

Turning to look at him, Drew’s expression suddenly became serious, wondering if he did something wrong.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Tiger. I need to tell you something and ask you a question.”

Drew nodded his head.

“Okay, first off, I did something else besides fixing your boo-boo. There are two reasons you’ve been having accidents. one is, you aren’t waking up, so I set a trigger to wake you up if you have to pee. The other reason is the muscles in your bladder need training, so I helped them out a little. Do you understand?”

“Really, Uncle Lane? Alright!”

“I want you to know, Drew, that your accidents are not a big deal, and they happen to everyone at some point growing up. I just sort of helped you skip a stage, so count yourself lucky.”

Lane winked and Drew grinned back.

“Now, the other thing. You need a haircut bad. Do you trust me to help you out with that too?”

Letting out an exaggerated sigh as only little boys can, Drew’s shoulders slumped as he said, “Alright, Uncle Lane. I don’t like haircuts, but okay.”

“Good deal. Run and change clothes and meet me back here.”

<><> 

Henry still snored softly when Drew entered their room to get some clean pants. He quietly changed, then moved to the bed to look at Henry’s sleeping face.

Drew’s eyes flashed white, and his mind slipped open. He remembered the first time he met Henry in the basement of that house when they were kidnapped. Drew saw the terrible hurt inside Henry, not fully understanding it but feeling it. Drew knew Henry had been forced to do terrible things against his will.

A barrier now existed he couldn’t see past, but he did see how much Henry loved him and wanted to protect him. Henry’s pain over losing Liz was powerful, and Drew sniffed as his eyes turned glassy over what he saw in his new dad. Looking deeper, Drew also saw an intense fear for him but didn’t understand it and couldn’t see the reason.

The first time Drew met Henry in that basement, he was drawn to the big man. Henry exuded a solid presence, and even in the basement when Drew was scared, Henry did his best to make him feel safe, unlike his real dad, Doug. Drew had always prayed for a dad like Henry.

Drew knew his mommy had been happy when she and Henry were together, but he missed her smile, and the way she brushed his hair out of his eyes, and how she read to him at bedtime and tucked him in. Drew hadn’t told Lane, or anyone, the reason he was reluctant to get a haircut was because of the way his mom brushed the hair out of his eyes. He still imagined her doing that, and once his hair was cut, he knew it would be different, and he didn’t want to forget that feeling.

When Henry talked to Drew about his uncles, explaining how bad things happened, Henry said he and Drew had to be strong and keep going. Drew figured a haircut was part of moving on. It wasn’t easy, though; he didn’t want to let go of the memory but wanted to be a big boy, and the conflict made him sad.

Looking at Henry’s handsome face, calm and peaceful in sleep, Drew knew Henry needed him as well. With wisdom far greater than an ordinary five-year-old boy, a boy whose soul was over eighty thousand years old, Drew leaned over and kissed Henry on his forehead, saying quietly, “I love you. Thanks for being my daddy.”

Drew’s eyes returned to normal as his mind closed, and he quietly shut the door, running back to meet his Uncle Lane in the bathroom.

<><><> 

Henry woke to the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen, and his stomach growled as he stretched his big frame. He noticed Drew wasn’t in the room and looking at the clock, he panicked – it was almost six o’clock, and he slept much longer than intended.

Knowing more people would be out and about, he threw on a t-shirt and grabbed some spare clothes and headed towards the locker room to take a shower before dinner. Still bleary-eyed, he stumbled through the common area towards the kitchen.

From the hallway, he heard Drew giggling uncontrollably. Darren was levitating a ball, and Drew was trying to catch it. It spun around in the air, around his head or his hands, and he kept trying to catch it but never quite could. He sounded happy, and Henry smiled.

Lane was in the kitchen with Bryan when he saw Henry. Henry hadn’t noticed Drew’s haircut yet, so Lane blocked Henry from going any further.

“Henry, hold on! Close your eyes; we got a surprise for you.”

Stopping, Henry did as he was told, knowing they were up to something. He heard excited whispering and waited patiently.

Suddenly Drew almost screamed, “Look, Daddy!”

Opening his eyes, Drew stood there with a huge grin on his face, sporting a new haircut that looked exactly like Henry’s. Short on the sides and a little longer on top. The big mop of hair that had been falling over his eyes like an English sheepdog was gone!

Henry got a surprised look on his face and looked around in a panic.

“Wait! I hear Drew! Where’d he go?”

“I’m right here, Daddy!”

“You can’t be Drew! Who’s this handsome boy wearing Drew’s clothes?”

“It’s me, Daddy! Uncle Lane gave me a haircut!”

I hope you don’t mind, Henry. He needed one pretty bad.

Henry smiled, thinking: I love it, Lane! Thanks, man; I was dreading taking him to get one, to be honest. Liz said he hates getting his haircut.

“Come here, Tiger, and give your old man a hug.”

Drew leapt into Henry’s arms for his signature hug and wet sloppy kiss.

“It’s going to be so much easier taking care of your hair like this, buddy. Did you thank Uncle Lane?”

“I did, Daddy. Didn’t I, Uncle Lane?

“Well, he kinda did… I was hoping for at least ten hugs, but I think I only got nine, so I’m feeling a bit short-changed. I think you need to give your favorite uncle another hug and a kiss!”

Standing up with his arms out, Darren said, “Well, I’ll go for that, being his favorite uncle and all. Sucks to be you, Lane!”

Drew loved the attention and the mock fight the guys started over who was his favorite Uncle. Bryan joined in on the argument, and Henry said, “Okay, while your favorite uncles are making you dizzy, I’m going to hop in the shower! I stink!”

As Henry started back to the locker room, Lane exclaimed, “Hey, Drew! We almost forgot; show your dad your new move! Henry, check this out!”

Henry turned around, and Drew struck an Elvis pose.  Hand on hip, licking his hand, he slid it along the side of his freshly cut hair. He even had the lip action going, and Henry busted out laughing, shaking his head.

As Henry turned to head into the shower, he saw Drew ‘high five’ Lane. He almost teared up at the sight as it dawned on him how lucky he was to be there with Drew. With everything coming, there was no better place in the world for them to be.

<><> 

Henry just turned on the hot water in the shower when Lane’s voice entered his mind. 

Henry?

Yeah, Lane, what’s up?

Ummm… I hope you aren’t mad, but I did something else besides cut Drew’s hair.

Lane shared his memory of what transpired while Henry was asleep. Henry was shocked, not angry at all, just stunned that Lane could do what he did.

Oh my God, Lane, that’s fucking unbelievable! No, I’m not mad… I wondered what was going on with him. God, it’s so humbling he wants to be like me that much. Thanks for the trigger on waking him up, too. I want to learn how to do that. I should have set one in myself to wake up on time! I missed all the fun.

Man, I’m glad you aren’t pissed. I still haven’t told the doc what we did, and he might not approve. He doesn’t like us tampering with people, and I get why, but when we saw what was going on and how important it was to him… well fuck, we had the power to make it right, so we did.

Tell the doc I’m grateful if he gives you any flack. I’ll talk to him about it in my session.

<><> 

Henry just started soaping himself up when Drew ran naked into the shower with him.

“Uncle Lane said I needed to clean up before dinner. I had an accident while you were asleep.”

“Well then, let’s get you all squeaky clean and see if we can pass inspection.”

He noticed a difference in Drew right away; he wasn’t trying to cover himself and kept glancing at Henry like he wanted him to notice something.

Grinning, he looked down in surprise, asking, “Hey Drew, what happened to your pecker?”

Smiling brightly, he bowed his body a little, pushing out his waist and proudly showing himself off to his dad.

“It’s not a pecker daddy; it’s my wee-wee.”

“No, it was a wee-wee… now it’s a pecker! There’s a big difference! Come up here a sec.”

Picking Drew up, Henry cupped his big arm under Drew’s bottom. He knew all little boys needed and wanted validation from their fathers, and he knew Drew never received anything but pain and ridicule from Doug.

Looking directly at Drew’s penis, he said, “That’s a fine looking pecker, Drew. With your new haircut, you’re such a handsome young man you’re going to be a heartbreaker just like I was at your age. The ladies are going to love you, son. Now, there’s something I need to show you. I know this is new to you, and I’ll be careful.”

Henry proceeded to show Drew how to wash himself, telling him how important it was to keep his foreskin clean. It was a special father-son moment, and Henry remembered his father showing him the same thing.

Even in the lab, protected by the guys until there was some resolution with The Master, Henry had to proceed as the doctor suggested and remain optimistic about Drew being alive and well past his seventh birthday. Henry gave him the father/son talk about not letting strangers touch him ‘down there,’ and if he ever felt uncomfortable to find Henry, one of his Uncles, or the doctor or Albrecht immediately.

Quiet and solemn, Drew listened to everything Henry said, loving it when Henry talked to him as a grown-up and not like a baby.

Clean and drying themselves off, Henry brought the conversation to a close.

To break the solemn talk, Henry asked, “Okay, who’s hungry? I know I am!”

Drew blurted out, “I am! I could eat a fuckin’ horse!”

Henry was so shocked he didn’t know what to say and burst out laughing. He let Drew’s comment go but made a note to himself to talk about using bad words – another item on the dad list – and ask the guys to be more careful around Drew with the ‘F-bombs.’

<><> 

Talking to the doctor right after dinner, Lane and Bryan were surprised at his reaction. Rather than being angry, he repeated his lecture about responsibility, commending Lane for his caring nature and how he approached linking with Drew. The worst chastisement he gave was they should have consulted Henry first. The fact that Henry was okay with their actions afterward did not make it alright.

Henry waited outside the doctor’s office when Lane and Bryan came out. Lane gave Henry a wink and a thumb’s up, letting him know they weren’t in the doghouse, and Henry grinned back.

Henry apologized for missing his appointment before dinner, but the doctor waved off his apology, clearly understanding his exhaustion. He asked Henry how he felt the day went from all aspects.

Henry found the doctor incredibly easy to talk to. Beneath his outward formality, the doctor was a very down-to-earth man, and as Henry came to discover, incredibly wise and caring.

A large stack of documents sat on the doctor’s desk for Henry to sign. Unbeknownst to Henry, the doctor arranged the transfer of Drew’s legal guardianship from Liz to Henry.

Henry was stunned; he considered himself Drew’s father but had not given the idea of legally adopting him any real thought yet because of everything going on. His relief overwhelming, he thanked the doctor profusely.

They went on to discuss Drew’s education under Sally’s tutelage, so as a parent, Henry would be aware and involved in Drew’s progress. The doctor went over many things Henry could do to help, including reading to Drew and having Drew read to him. He demonstrated many learning techniques Drew saw as games that taught him basic principles of math and logic. After a few hours, Henry was a little cross-eyed.

The doctor, knowing what a long day Henry already had, smiled and said, “I am going to break one of my own rules tonight, Henry. Do not expect this often, but I know how much all this is to take in.”

Putting his hands to his chest, the doctor formed a diamond pattern with his fingers and thumbs, and a small ball of light appeared out of his chest. Gently floating over, it disappeared into Henry’s body.

“I told you I would accelerate your training as much as I thought safely possible. Albrecht and I spent much time today coming up with this for you. I believe it will help.”

Henry’s mind filled with information; not only everything they just spoke of but an understanding of his new mental abilities and advanced fighting techniques from Albrecht. The knowledge built on everything he learned earlier in the day. With a bit of practice in the real world, the experiences would become part of him as if he spent years studying and working with the guys.

Henry’s eyes misted over, and he laughed at himself.

“Doc, I’m sorry. I’ve cried more in the last two days than I have my entire life. I can’t begin to thank you enough for everything you, Albrecht, and the guys have done and are doing for Drew and me.”

“Nonsense, my boy. There is no need for thanks, but thank you for being so polite, and your gratitude is welcome. Now go spend some time with your son. Perhaps even read him a book, and I will see you tomorrow.”

<><><> 

That night as Lane and Bryan got ready for bed, already naked and about to crawl under the covers, Bryan noted the grin on Lane’s face.  Knowing exactly what he was thinking, Bryan rolled his eyes, chuckling.

Fuck, Bry! Why didn’t we think of this a long time ago?

Hell, I don’t know. You’ve always been perfect to me, Little Buddy. I remember seeing uncut guys in the barracks and being curious, but it’s just something that hadn’t crossed my mind since we’ve been able to do all this amazing shit.

Do you want to do it?

Hell yeah! If you do! I’ll be happy with you either way, you little shit, you know that.

Bryan sat on the edge of the bed, and Lane crawled over behind him on his hands and knees.

I love you so much, Bry. I know you know how much, but I don’t ever want to stop telling you.

Putting his hands on Bryan’s thick shoulders, Lane pulled him back against his bare chest. His hands roamed down, firmly kneading Bryan’s pecs, paying particular attention to his nipples.  Knowing it was a huge turn on, Lane smiled when Bryan pushed his chest out, making himself available.

Leaning his head back, Bryan let out a huge sigh of pleasure.

Fuck, that feels good.

Opening their energy centers one by one, Lane laced them together. Just as he had with Drew earlier in the day, he studied their genetic code in the strands of energy, looking for the patterns they were born with. Once he had what he needed, reconstructive flows arced into both of them at the same time, limiting it only to the areas he wanted - their dicks!

In a matter of seconds, the nerves and skin regenerated, leaving their foreskins fully restored. A slight sensation ran through their groins, and they sweated lightly from the healing.

The drain on their energy was minimal, and they both smiled.

Lane’s mischievous grin appeared.

Okay, let’s test drive these fuckers!

<><><> 

Early the next morning, while doing PT, Lane sent a private thought to Ken.

Hey boss man! You up, lazybones?

Laughing, Ken replied: Me and B are already back from our run shithead. We’re eatin’ breakfast. What’s up?

Bry and I have a few things to share with you yahoos when we all get to the lab before training starts. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Alright, anything I need to know, so I’m not blindsided?

Ken knew if there was anything important Lane would have already told him, but he wanted to tease his friend a bit.

No, nothing like that. Just an update mostly, but it will be easier to have one conversation with all you sissies.

Lane felt Ken’s laughter.

Damn, you didn’t rise to the bait. You’re catching on.

Douche.

Hey, that’s B’s line!

Chuckling in his mind, Lane replied: Yeah, I know, but it was appropriate. I see why he uses it so much!

Ken laughed even harder.

Okay, see you guys in a few!

<><><> 

As usual, by the time everyone arrived at the lab, they had already done their PT and had breakfast. Unless something unusual happened, they were always early and hung out in the kitchen talking while downing a last-minute cup of coffee. Henry wasn’t an early riser but committed to everybody he would wake up early and get his run in before training started.

Drew still slept soundly, and Henry was happy to report that Drew woke up a few hours earlier and made it to the bathroom without incident. Everybody would be sure to give Drew a high-five at his success later in the morning.

While up earlier with Drew, Henry performed his tantric ritual in an exam room.  Controlling his energy flows perfectly, he gripped himself, squeezing just like Albrecht showed him. The euphoric shock took a minute to recover from; the orgasm was far more powerful and full-bodied than anything he ever experienced in the past. Ken and Brad sought him out the night before, telling him he would need to do that every morning and afternoon to ensure he was at full strength for their training sessions.

As usual, Brad initiated a link as everyone gathered at the lab. As soon as it was active, filled with the comforting presence of their brothers, this time including Henry, Brad sent out a thought: Guys, let’s hop into the conference room before we get changed.

As everyone filed in, Ken already stood at the podium waiting.

Wearing his little kid grin, Ken said, “Good morning, ladies. That now includes you, Henry. Get used to it!”

Nodding at Lane, he said, “You’re up, Lanester.”

Okay, guys, I wanted to update you on something that happened last night with Drew.

Sharing the memory of the previous night’s event in the bathroom up through the haircut, echoes of mental ‘oh shits!’ and ‘fuck me’s’ followed.

Of course, I know what all you pervs are thinking, and the answer is yes! No, I’m not pulling out my junk to show you sickos, but Bry and I did the same thing to ourselves last night. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner, but it was super easy.

Lane wore his own grin when he said that.

Each of them went through the same thought process; if they could regenerate flesh and nerves that had been cut off for years, could they restore Tag’s leg?

I don’t know, fellas, but I don’t see why not, and I’m kicking myself for not thinking about it before now. We need to talk to the doc about it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. It will take a lot of energy but nothing compared to some of the things we’ve done.

Brad: My guess is the doc was waiting for us to think of this on our own.

Lane: You know this opens up another can of moral worms for us, right?

Brad: Does it ever!

Ken: It does, but not in the short term. Barrin’ any emergencies of our own, the same rule applies we talked about after the orphanage. If somethin’ lands in our lap, we can address it, but we can’t go lookin’ for issues. Our mission is ‘ta continue trainin’ and fightin’ The Enemy and findin’ a way to defeat The Master and keep Drew alive. None of that’s changed. We stay on target, just like any other mission.

I get how hard it is for the doc and Albrecht… more so every day. The bigger picture has ‘ta be our target, and as painful as it might be, we gotta’ let smaller things go for the time bein’. You know what I mean when I say ‘smaller;’ there are no little people. Even once The Master’s defeated and outta the way, we’ll have choices ‘ta make on how ‘ta proceed. We could wear ourselves out helpin’ people one at a time, or we can focus on all of humanity first and then work our way towards individuals. I’m not sayin’ that’s what we’ll do; I’m kinda thinkin’ out loud here, but you get the drift.

Henry, as he sat listening, felt in awe of his brothers and the responsibilities they faced. His role seemed insignificant compared to what they would eventually face.

Brad: Henry, that’s not true at all. You’re a part of this team, and you’ll be involved. I’m not saying this to freak you out, but your role is much bigger than ours in many ways. You’re Drew’s father, and if anyone can prepare him for what’s coming, it’s you. If Drew fails, then it’s all a moot point. You know we’re with you just like we’ve said. I’m saying this to prove you play a vital role in all of this and are just as important as any of us as far as the success or failure of The Order is concerned. I, for one, feel blessed it’s you.

After a slight pause, he grinned and continued: I bet you don’t, though!

Henry was at a loss for words. When Brad stated it so plainly, the responsibility was daunting, and it scared him, but he knew he wasn’t alone. Through the link, Henry felt their hands on his back and shoulders even as he sat there. His answer brought smiles to their faces and warmed their hearts.

It’s a privilege, fellas. I mean that.

Rick and Kevin, sitting on either side of Henry, sounded like the guy in the Budweiser Beer commercial as they said in unison, “We love you, man!” kissing him on either cheek at the same time.

Once the laughter died down, Ken said, “Okay, ladies, while we’re all here, is there anythin’ else ‘ta cover? We haven’t had a pow-wow like this in a while.”

Nervousness from Henry trickled through the link, reminding them of Bryan when he was bashful about speaking up.

Bryan said, “Spit it out, Henry. If I can learn to do it, you can too, fucker.”

They all laughed again, but Henry didn’t know the background.

Lowering his head like Bryan did when he was nervous, Henry said, “Sorry guys, I’m just not used to speaking in groups. The doc did something for me last night, too, after dinner.”

Closing his eyes, he pulled the memory, as he now knew how to do, sharing it through the link. Looking deeper into Henry’s mind, they knew what the doctor shared, and they were floored! The doctor was always so adamant about letting them grow into their powers they were surprised he would do such a thing… but it emphasized time was running out.

Brad: That’s awesome, Henry. It means we have our work cut out for us today! We’ll spend the morning getting you used to everything you can do now, and if you’re ready, we’ll add to it! 

<><><> 

The next few weeks went great for everyone.  Each morning, Henry woke Drew to use the bathroom, and then after getting him resettled, would slip into an exam room for his tantric exercise.

After his ‘personal time,’ he would dress for his morning PT, eat breakfast, and be ready by 0745 when the guys started arriving. Training started at 0800 sharp.

Henry was surprised on his second morning when Bill and Kevin showed up to run with him, and instead of using the treadmill by himself as he had planned, they ran a route from the lab parking lot they occasionally used. He wasn’t supposed to go out on his own, certainly not because he couldn’t take care of himself, especially now, but the doctor’s rule was still in force as far as no one traveling by themselves.

The next morning, Ricky and Loy showed up, and the following day Lane and Bryan, then Patrick and Darren, and on Friday, Ken and Brad. Henry was grateful, and no explanation was needed; he knew they didn’t want him to feel left out or lonely. He also knew it was no imposition; they did it because he was their brother and a part of the team, and he accepted their efforts with no guilty feelings.

On rainy mornings they ran on the treadmills; otherwise, they enjoyed running outdoors. It was ingrained into all of them to emit an active compulsion for anyone seeing them to ignore them, and they kept constant feelers out for any Enemy presence when outside the lab.  It was great practice for Henry to manage the compulsion while focused on running.

In the evenings, most of the guys returned to the lab for dinner. On a few occasions, if some of them had errands or chores they would skip, so there were occasional empty seats, but typically they were all together.

Most of the time Bryan cooked, but they all chipped in to share that duty. Olive loved to cook too, and surprisingly Kelly did as well, occasionally surprising them with some Australian dishes. Slowly coming out of her shell, Kelly had grown on everyone. The doctor really was a miracle worker.

Usually exhausted after a hard day of training, Henry got in the habit of taking a nap before dinner, and Drew was always careful not to wake him. Every so often, Henry woke up to Drew curled against him.

Drew liked to climb on his back and give him back rubs, which sent Henry out like a light. He wasn’t strong enough to really give Henry a massage, but it still felt great and Drew felt he was helping his dad.

Henry read to Drew every night, and following the doctor’s suggestion, he started watching television for an hour or two after dinner.  He kept it mostly educational, but once a week they watched one of the news networks. Even though Drew was only five, he needed to get more sense of the world outside the lab. Henry always asked him if he understood everything and did his best to answer any questions his son might have.

The doctor never urged any of the men to keep up with current headlines, explaining after centuries of personal experience, it was best not to get tangled up in contemporary politics or religious movements.

He encouraged them to be aware but not become involved. As they had all come to realize, it would be too easy to become sidetracked from their goals if they did, and as horrible as some atrocities in the world were, most events were free will at work. If the Enemy were known to be directly involved, that would be another story.

<><><>  

With everyone so busy with their daily schedules and tasks, Halloween was on top of them before they realized it. Sally managed to go shopping and pick up the rest of her supplies, but it was last minute. Tagging along, Henry purchased badly needed clothes for Drew, but Drew was upset that no Iron Man costumes were left.

Not wanting him to make a mess with the green face paint from The Hulk costume, the only one left was Thor, which had been opened and returned. There were dozens of other costumes, but Thor was the only one left of the superhero variety other than Spider-Man, which Drew didn’t like for some reason.

Everyone took off Halloween day, which was on a Friday. Sally decorated the lab with cobwebs, bats, and spiders hanging on everything, much to the doctor’s annoyance. Unusually grumpy, he stayed in his office most of the day. Albrecht told her not to worry about it, but she tip-toed around the doctor all day.

Sally did her best with Drew’s costume, even buying a Thor play kit with a plastic Mjolnir and winged helmet with blond hair attached to accessorize his basic outfit. Combined with the packaged costume, it didn’t look bad, but Drew was less than enthused, and his body posture reeked of dejection.

As the guys arrived, they made a big deal of how great he looked, and it helped, but everyone knew he had his heart set on being Iron Man. Sally understood the significance and how much it meant to him, but nothing could be done.

When everybody arrived, Henry brought them all into a light link. As part of his training, he initiated links in the lab to practice increasing his range in the evenings while many of the guys were at their houses.

Guys? I have a favor to ask. I hope it’s not a big deal, but could a few of you go with me and Drew to Bill and Kevin’s neighborhood and let him do some trick-or-treating? Their neighborhood has the most kids, so there will be plenty of houses to hit. He’s already bummed about his costume, but I bet that would make him feel better.

Ken: Alright, but we’re all goin’. We can disguise ourselves easily enough. I don’t want any surprises, and I’m not takin’ any chances. I think it’ll do Drew a world’a good ‘ta get out and have some fun.

An unexpected spike of excitement from Lane surged through the link, and he suddenly shielded himself.

Dar, Brad, meet me in the gym. Henry, get Drew, and all you sissies come find us in five minutes.

<> 

Brad and Darren appeared in the gym beside Lane, and he took them into a construct of the lab. He took them deep for the time differential, and after explaining his idea, Darren’s dimples were in full force in an enthusiastic smile of agreement, and Brad’s smile was just as wide.

<> 

Henry walked Drew into the gym, and the rest of the guys filed in behind them. Drew wore his full Thor costume but didn’t seem excited.

Brad, Lane, and Darren stood in the middle of the gym wearing Men in Black suits and sunglasses. Lane, in the center, held a briefcase.  Brad and Darren were positioned on either side of him with their hands crossed and feet wide apart, looking very official.

In a serious voice, Lane said, “Special agent Drew, please step forward!”

Apprehensive, Drew looked up to Henry, not sure what was happening. Henry had a good idea, trying to keep a serious face and not tear up over what the guys were doing for his son.

“Go on, Drew! That’s you, Tiger!”

Henry scooted Drew forward by his shoulders until he moved on his own, with his red Thor cape dragging behind him.

He walked up to Lane, who knelt in front of him.

“Special agent Drew, I have a very important assignment for you. We discovered a prototype of the new Iron Man Mark IV Armor, but it only came in your size! Can you test it out for us?”

Speechless, Drew’s eyes were as big as saucers. He was so excited he was about to explode as he realized what was happening. They found him a costume!

He literally started tearing off his Thor costume, and Henry moved forward to help, gathering the pieces and wrapping them in the cloak.

Once Drew stood in his jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, Darren knelt, pulling out a wristband from his pocket and slipping it on Drew’s right wrist.

Lane held out the briefcase and Drew took it, not sure what to do with it.

Taking Drew’s wrist, Darren said, “Press the red button to activate your armor.”

Ken, Bryan, Patrick, and the rest of the guys were just as excited to see what their buddies came up with.

Lane couldn’t help it and thought: Hold onto your hat’s guys… this is going to be so badass!

Drew looked at the wristband. It didn’t look like a toy; it seemed real. It was shiny and black with lights on it and a large red blinking circle.

Lightly linked with Drew, Henry and the guys felt his excitement and nervousness.

Leaning over, Henry whispered in his ear, “Go ahead, Drew! This is what you wanted, right? Don’t be scared, Tiger, me and your uncles are all here. Push the button.”

Not believing what was happening, Drew took a deep breath and pushed the button.

He jumped when the briefcase flipped open. Two gloves, two boots, and the helmet shot out, wrapping around his hands, feet, and face while red and gold metal unfolded from the rest of the case. The sound of rivets and screws and clicks were audible as the armor formed, wrapping around his body.

In less than five seconds, he stood in a child-sized fully articulated suit of Iron Man Mark IV armor. The last thing was the visor shutting over his face as the eyes and the chest light illuminated – just like in the movies!

Lane designed it, and Brad created the external construct for it. Everybody wondered what Darren’s role was.

Darren’s voice was for Drew alone.

Time to fly, special agent Drew! Just think of where you want to go!

The boot jets activated and the Repulsor beams in the gloves lit up, lifting Drew off the ground. Knowing where Drew wanted to go, Darren flew him around the gym. The guys were in complete control, Drew was perfectly safe, and he was so excited he could hardly contain himself. The movements and sounds were exactly like the movies, and to Drew, it was perfect!

Small for his age, it was no effort for Darren to lift Drew with his mind, but once Drew took off, Darren synchronized his Avatar with the other mentalists and it became effortless.  Even though it sounded and looked real, the construct was weightless, so they were only lifting Drew’s normal body weight.

<><> 

Piling into the two Suburbans, Brad and Darren drove them to Bill and Kevin’s house. Thinking of Henry's costume on the drive, Brad decided on a Spartan warrior from the movie 300. Henry had a better body than any of the movie actors, making his appearance even easier.

Stepping out of the car, Henry wore a cloak, a bronze helmet, leather sandals, and a spear. With his dirty blonde hair and green eyes Henry was a handsome man, with a perfect dusting of hair on his chest and stomach accentuating his incredible physique. He looked stunning.

Brad decided to make everyone else virtually invisible, not wanting to draw more attention than Drew and Henry already would. He broadcast a compulsory net for everyone in the immediate vicinity to ignore them. Henry shielded himself and Drew so it wouldn’t affect them. It was good practice and drove home the need to never let his guard down over himself or Drew.

Henry told Drew there would be no flying outside the lab, but Drew was so excited over his costume it didn’t matter. He could still make the boot jets flare, the rings in the gloves light up, and flip the face shield up and down. The smile on his face showed how excited he was.

Seeing Drew so happy reminded Henry of what he would soon face. Quickly masking his thoughts, Henry forced himself to think only of that night and making sure his son had the best time possible.

Trick or Treating wasn’t part of the original plan for the night, and the guys promised Sally they would be back in a little over an hour. She put a tremendous amount of effort into the party, and they didn’t want to disappoint her. When she saw Drew walk out of the gym as a mini Iron Man, her jaw dropped, and any objections flew out of her head.

Henry walked Drew door to door through the entire subdivision, and he was proud of Drew for being so polite and thanking everyone for the candy. Drew didn’t realize how much candy he got because of Henry. Lonely housewives and gay men in the neighborhood were extra chatty, trying to keep Henry at their door. He declined any photographs of him or Drew, and Darren took care of pictures or videos that people tried to take without permission.

A little over an hour later they made it back to Kevin and Bill’s driveway, piling into the Suburbans to head back to the lab. As soon as they were inside with the door secure, Lane, Brad, and Darren vanished back to the gym.

Henry, followed by the rest of the guys, led Drew through the lab and into the gym. As soon as they entered, Lane, Brad, and Darren once again wore their black suits and sunglasses.

Stepping forward, Lane said, “Special agent Drew, you performed your task very well! We have to take the armor back to the vault now. Please press the green button on your wrist.”

A panel on his right wrist popped open, revealing the indicated button.

Pressing the button, the armor flew off, folding back up into the suitcase. Reluctantly, he handed it back to Lane, asking, “Can I wear it again tomorrow, Uncle Lane? Please?”

Kneeling, Brad took off his glasses, ruffling Drew’s short hair.

“Sorry, agent Drew, but Halloween is the only night we’re allowed to use it! You’ll have to wait until next year.”

Drew was so excited the news hardly put a damper on his spirits. Before Drew had time to think about it, Henry called to him.

“Come on, agent Drew! We have to see what Miss Sally has for you at the party! Coming guys?”

Holding his hand down, Drew quickly ran to grab it, loving the maneuver.  

Gripping Drew’s hand, Henry perfectly flipped him up and onto his shoulders as they walked out of the gym.

<> 

Watching Henry flip Drew and head to the party, Ken sent a private thought to Brad.

Fuck B, I love you more every day. What you guys did for that little boy tonight… I hardly know what ‘ta say.

What’s the point of having ten half-angel uncles if there aren’t any perks? It wasn’t that big a deal to pull off Ken. It was Lane’s idea and a good one. With everything coming Drew’s way, he needs happy memories like tonight.

Well, I wanna’ make a happy memory with you later tonight. When you do shit like this, it shows what a beautiful man you are, and it just gets me goin’.

You mean it makes you cry like a baby, or it makes you all drippy?

Well… uh… both!

Douche.

Putting on the little kid grin he knew Brad couldn’t resist, Ken pulled him in for a quick hug and a kiss before making their way to the kitchen and the party.

<><><> 

The weekend was quiet after Halloween. Sally spent most of the next morning cleaning the lab and getting all the cobwebs down. She was tempted to stretch some across the door to the doctor’s office as a joke, but as grumpy as he had been, she thought better of it. Better safe than sorry!

Ken and Brad decided to hold an impromptu get-together on Saturday at their house for dinner. Bill and Kevin were official ‘Big Brother’s’ to Tommy and Brett from the orphanage and were able to take the boys out on a pre-arranged schedule. Bill checked with everyone first to be sure they didn’t mind; he thought Drew might enjoy having a couple of other boys close to his age to play with.

Henry had a long talk with Drew, coaching him to not talk about the lab or anything that happened to his mom. He was a little on edge about Drew saying something wrong but Drew seemed to take it all in stride.

While the food cooked, Henry stood with Ken, Brad, Bill, Loy, and Rick by the fire pit, talking and drinking beer. The guys could tell how nervous Henry was about Drew saying something he shouldn’t to Brett or Tommy.

Brad: Relax, Henry, it’s okay. Drew’s smart, and he won’t spill the beans. If he gets too excited and says something he shouldn’t, Bill will take Brett and Tommy out back and shoot them.

Henry was so engrossed in watching Drew it took a second for Brad’s comment to register. When it did, he spit beer out his nose, and they all busted out laughing.

Once he got himself under control, Henry laughed too.

Sorry guys. I’ll try to relax.

Ken: Just have a good time, Henry. That’s why we have these get-togethers. We all need our chill time, and it looks like Drew’s havin’ a great time too. Who knows how long it’s been since he got to play with someone his age.

Bill: Well, since he was playing with you yesterday, Ken, that’s an easy answer.

They all laughed again, and Ken thought: Fuck you, Bill. Kev, you need to keep your man here in line!

Kevin, in the kitchen with Bryan, laughed with everyone else.

Never fear Ken, I’ll lick his ass… I mean, kick his ass later tonight!

Henry: Ewwwwwww!

The evening continued, and everyone enjoyed themselves. During the evening, the thought occurred to all of them that it was nice to have a gathering where nothing terrible happened, and everybody could relax.

The back of Henry’s head hurt from smiling and laughing so much. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so happy and had a brief moment of guilt upon realizing he hadn’t thought about Liz all night while having fun.

Brad picked up on his emotional spike through their link. Everyone was lightly together, but Brad’s Avatar tuned him into such things. Standing closest to Henry, Ken put his arm around his brother, squeezing his shoulder tight, letting Henry know he Understood and it was alright to feel that way. No words were spoken or thought, but Henry’s eyes misted at the gesture and the feeling of support from all the guys.

Looking up, Henry scanned the night sky. A few stars were already visible in the beautiful autumn evening. It was chilly enough that the fire pit felt great, but it wasn’t cold enough to be uncomfortable. Ken had a comfortable and friendly way of touching friends, and his arm remained around Henry’s shoulder. Keeping his hand on the crook of Henry’s shoulder and neck, he gave regular light squeezes.

Relaxing into the feeling, Henry drifted in the link with his brothers, wanting to fully feel everyone. In only a moment of resting in them, Henry had an epiphany. In his sessions with the doctor and Albrecht, Henry learned many interesting things about himself and human nature.

With his mind open, it was a necessary part of his education. As he felt Ken’s arm around his shoulder and his brothers in him, the thought foremost in his mind was that one thing humans crave above all else is to be known and understood. Even above connections with others, or a sense of purpose, humans needed to know they matter and that there is a reason for their existence.

After merging with everyone, Henry knew they loved him unconditionally; they understood him regardless of his faults and brokenness, loving and accepting him for who he was. They knew him, and that validation was a source of unimaginable comfort. Profound well-being from his insight washed through the link, and all the guys teared up at Henry’s sudden and intense emotions.

Henry realized most humans sought what he felt through religion, and part of their eternal soul searching for God was an attempt to find that feeling of being known by a higher power.  Now knowing beyond doubt that angels existed, simple extrapolation suggested that God did, as well as demons, and Raphael mentioned The Dark One.

Henry realized that what he felt with his brothers was what most people sought from God, which drove home the horrible nature of the Curse. It created a feeling of isolation and separateness from God in fellow human beings, leaving the human race adrift, causing the brokenness and ‘fucked-upness.'

Henry’s epiphany was brief but powerful, and Lane didn’t miss the opportunity to hang shit on him for making them cry. At the same time Lane verbalized his thoughts, he was the first to pull Henry closer inside his heart in a mental hug that left no doubt he was one of them.

He would always love Liz; she would be in his heart forever, and he would never forget her, but he was slowly getting over the grief and emptiness her death left inside him.

Raising his beer, Ken said, “‘Ta Liz.”

Everyone followed, “To Liz.”

The sound of clanking bottles and cans ensued, and they all took a swig of their beers, standing in silence, not wanting to break the mood, honoring the memory of a woman who was brave beyond words and made the ultimate sacrifice to save her son. As soldiers, they knew about sacrifice and honored her action.

Bryan’s timing was perfect.  To break the solemn moment and bring everyone back to the happy, relaxed atmosphere, he called out, “Chow’s ready!”

<><><> 

An undercurrent of excitement ran through all of them over an email the doctor sent out late Sunday evening. The small healthcare business that occupied the front part of the building was moving to a larger facility, and the doctor planned to expand the lab into that space. He wanted to renovate the entire building, making it more on par with the Australian base.

In addition to moving the treadmills out of the gym's workout area, there would be new rooms for various other cardio equipment and even a quiet space for yoga and meditation. Without the treadmills, there would be room for two new boxing rings and more floor space for weights and gymnastics.

The only downsides were doing the renovations themselves and needing to cover the additional area with runes. In light of the renovations, the doctor and Albrecht decided to temporarily discontinue their efforts to relocate the Keenans, Sally, and Kelly.  The doctor and Albrecht were adamant that Henry and Drew stay in the lab, but the new renovations would also include more extensive and comfortable mini-apartments for the men and their guests.

Much discussion ensued over their morning coffee, but by 0800 everyone wore their workout gear and divided into their prospective groups. Ken kept a roster by the door of the routines he and Brad came up with.

Henry seemed more than a little distracted, and Darren, his partner for the morning, said, “Hey, Henry, snap too! Mind on the job.”

Henry sheepishly replied, “Sorry, Darren. Parent stuff.”

Concerned, Darren asked, “Everything okay with Drew?”

Henry sighed as he responded, “We were watching TV last night, and when I went to the kitchen to get us a snack he changed the channel, which he knows he’s not supposed to do. I have the remote restricted to the few channels we watch at night, and I have the news networks on the list. He turned it to one of the Headline News channels and got freaked out by what he saw. Sometimes I don’t know what to tell him.”

Even though they were linked, Darren didn’t just look. It was a common courtesy they all gave one another.

“What did he see?”

“There’s a hostage situation in the Middle East, and a terrorist group is saying they’re going to cut off the heads of the hostages unless their demands are met. The family members of the hostages were reading prepared statements asking for mercy for their sons’ lives. It’s heavy shit for a five-year-old. They showed blurry still shots from a video taken a few weeks ago of some reporters getting beheaded. They had the graphic warning before showing the pictures, but I wasn’t in the room and Drew saw them. You couldn’t see any details, but he was really upset.

“I mean, fuck Dar, with what he’s already seen… he’s even been face to face with The Master, and thank God that fucker didn’t know who Drew was or we wouldn’t be here, but he doesn’t need to see shit like that. How do you explain evil to a five-year-old? Between Doug and The Master he’s seen more evil and cruelty than most people do in a lifetime, so he knows it’s out there, but… I don’t know. I did my best to explain things to him, but he told me you guys could save them. I’m trying to teach him how to make good choices and that we need to be good people… but the ‘it’s not our problem/free will’ answer confused him.

“I know what the doctor says about not getting involved in political issues… and we aren’t supposed to interfere with free will… but that part Drew doesn’t understand. I want to be out there with him right now, even though I don’t know what to tell him. I don’t want Sally to have to field stuff like that either. It’s my job as his dad.”

Sitting in silence for a few seconds, Darren lowered his head.

“Fuck.”

There was no humor in Henry’s voice as he chuckled and said, “Yeah, tell me about it.”

Henry had his head lowered in thought when a sudden, powerful, cold wave of anxiety came off Darren, causing his entire body to tighten. Deeply connected and physically touching to help with their exercises, the same feeling hit Henry almost as hard as Darren. Darren’s eyes flashed white, and the hair on his arms rose as goosebumps covered his trembling body.

Henry’s head shot up in surprise and he leaned forward, gripping Darren’s shoulder in concern.

Darren!? What’s wrong?

Knowing everyone was in the middle of their exercises Darren didn’t want to jar any of them with what he felt, so he sent a mental ‘711’ to activate their triggers to stop whatever they were doing and link immediately.

At the speed of thought, the team's comforting presence joined him and Henry in their link, surrounding them. The wave of anxiety in Darren, and Henry to a lesser extent, wasn’t incapacitating but it was strong enough to cause a physical reaction. Pat was at Darren’s side in a flash, wrapping his arms around his lover protectively, pouring himself into Darren to help counteract the feelings.

Brad, not intruding into the bond Pat and Darren shared, reached into Darren’s mind, walling off the anxiety. Darren sagged with relief; the anxiety was still present, but now distant.

Ken: Dar? What triggered that?

Darren shared the memory of his conversation with Henry about Drew. Intuitively knowing it was relevant, he still wasn’t sure what specifically set his Avatar off.

As soon as Darren shared the memory, Lane’s eyes turned white. His energy centers erupted, and his Avatar flared brightly on the ball of his shoulder. A hot wind whipped his hair, and his handsome face went still as he began to speak in The Master’s deep voice, echoing with power.

 “… there are others in your lives, your past lives, you don’t even know about. But I do, and they will also perish, horribly and painfully and not even knowing why.”

 Power coursed through Lane and what he said was as much a memory as a vision. The Master uttered those words after they rescued Sally, Liz, Drew, Henry, and the Keenans from their imprisonment… the day The Master killed their friend Greg Rawlins. Brad’s intellect absorbed everything, and the pieces of the puzzle began forming in his mind.

Brad: Guy’s get to the conference room stat.

<><> 

Rushing out of the gym, Ken reached out to their mentors.

Doc! Albrecht! We have a situation. Can you both come to the conference room?

Aware of his urgency, the doctor and Albrecht stopped what they were doing, hurrying to join them.

Bringing the doctor and Albrecht into their link, Brad shared everything that transpired in the last few minutes, and as soon as he entered the conference room, the operations board came to life, displaying the Headline News channel Drew saw the night before.

The hostage story currently running was from the previous evening. Henry could tell it was a recorded loop, so there must not have been any significant developments overnight.

The father of one of the hostages stood on a podium reading a prepared statement, asking the terrorists to have mercy on his son. The name at the bottom of the screen read “Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Kent Peterson.”

Off to one side, standing beside the man’s wife, was Craig Peterson, the young Marine ROTC Cadet Bill and Kevin met the morning they visited the orphanage.

Bill exclaimed, “Holy shit, Kev! That’s Craig!”

“Guys, he was picking up donated toys in our neighborhood, and someone hit his truck while we were out jogging. It was the morning we went to the orphanage.”

The camera panned back, showing the other families standing off to one side.

A few of the men looked familiar; Brad, Lane, Loy, Darren, and Bill all had the same feeling. Their memories were perfect since the inception of the program, but it had been nearly twenty-two years since they had seen any of the men on TV in person, and they looked significantly different.

Muttering under his breath, Brad said, “Hampton!”

Ken asked, “Hampton?”

Recognition dawned on Brad and the other mentalists as he continued.

“Yeah. You remember Hampton and his goon squad, Ken. The guys I had that run-in with at the base gym.”

Unlike Brad, Ken’s memory wasn’t perfect, but he recently relived the incident the year before when he and Brad first met. He vividly remembered entering the base gym and seeing them beat Brad to a bloody pulp after nearly breaking his shoulder with a metal chair.

Henry felt lost; the guys obviously knew the man on TV from their time in the Navy, but it sounded like they were on bad terms. Through the link, Henry picked up their intense emotions, and the prevalent feeling was the guy on TV was a total asshole.

Noting Henry’s confusion, Brad pulled Henry deep into a private link with him and Ken, deep enough that time nearly stood still for the three of them. Even after merging with Brad and Ken so often, without a perfect memory, Henry didn’t know or remember every detail of their lives. Brad shared the memory of when he and Ken first met and the near disaster that followed as they struggled in their early relationship during the first months after Doctor Thompson changed them.

Reliving the memories Brad shared from both perspectives, Henry effectively spent weeks in their past, feeling everything they did, hearing their thoughts, and living their struggles with each other. The experience brought him even closer to Brad and Ken in their intimate friendship.

Amidst the memories, Henry saw Hampton’s cohorts hit Brad with the folded metal chair after he knocked Hampton out, and the other four holding Brad down and beating him. Ken’s anger burned from the memory and the raw emotion of viewing it again. He saw where Ken had balled up a metal chair like tinfoil and launched it at the fleeing men.

Henry saw the faces of the five men, and he now knew the names of the ‘goon squad.' He also now knew each of his brothers’ birth names. With everything he just learned, it struck him funny, as well as Ken and Brad, that his prevailing thought was: Damn! How long did it take you to get used to new names?

Chuckling, Ken thought: Yeah, it was a bitch for me. Blondie here didn’t have an issue. Sometimes that perfect memory pisses me off.

Grinning and winking at Henry, Brad thought: Yeah. Ken, you remember that time at 0032 eighteen years ago when you…

Ken: Fuck! See what I mean, Henry?

Henry: Damn! I thought women were bad about pulling that shit. I feel for you, brother.

Laughing, Brad thought: Just wait, Henry, your turn will come.

Brad brought them back up, and no time had passed. Henry blinked, in awe of the subtle power and complexity of Brad’s abilities, and Brad sent one more private thought to Henry.

Don’t worry, Henry; you’ll be doing the same thing soon enough. You only started yesterday. Give yourself a little time, and we’ll have you running circles around the Enemy ‘suits.’

<><>  

Frowning, Kevin said, “You guys have no idea how many times I wanted to kick that guy’s ass. Man, he was a jerk.”

With a grin, Darren said, “At least Bry and Lane got him good. The whole bunch of them. That was classic.”

Even with the severe situation they all laughed at the memory, and again Henry was clueless. Lane noticed Henry’s questioning look and said, “They pulled a stunt with me, and it pissed Bry off. We snuck into their rooms in the barracks and rubbed their underwear down with habanero peppers. That blistered their balls, and they walked funny for a week.”

Laughing, Henry also made a mental note not to piss Bryan off.

Pulling everybody back on track, Ken asked, “So what do you guys think is goin’ on? Do you think The Master is goin’ after them because we knew them when we were in the Navy?”

Darren replied, “Ken, that has to be it. When Henry told me what Drew saw, it triggered my Avatar. That, plus the fact that Bill and Kevin met one of their kids recently… it’s that whole coincidence thing again. I can practically feel the puppet strings.”

Lane said, “Yeah, it’s a trap, but The Master knows we won’t sit back and let those kids die because their fathers knew us. This isn’t an issue of free will where we aren’t supposed to get involved. This time there’s a direct connection to us.”

Ken looked at the doctor, who so far had been silent.

“Sir? What do you think?”

The doctor said, “That it is a trap, and tragic, but not unexpected. I feel responsible. If I had covered your disappearance more thoroughly, this would not have happened.”

Frowning at the doctor’s comment, Albrecht was about to say something, but Ken cut him off.

“Pardon me, sir, but that’s bullshit. You couldn’t find every person we ever came into contact with and wipe their memories. It was amazin’ you made all evidence of us disappear the way you did. This is NOT your fault!”

Grateful for Ken’s comments, Albrecht nodded his appreciation.

Ken continued, “We know it’s a trap, so we go in careful and aware. We weren’t awake or aware of The Order when we ran missions in Syria. Sir, what can you tell us about The Enemy in that part of the world?”

Albrecht responded, “There is more of the Old World in that region than any place on Earth, Ken. Several evil creatures hold dominion over small areas, and the strife in that region is no coincidence. Even though many of those creatures are not human, The Dark One granted The Master dominion over them.

“You must be extremely careful… most likely a nephilim or fallen angel is ultimately responsible. It would be best to go in by stealth, rescue the hostages, and exit with as little supernatural confrontation as possible. That may not be an option, but that should be your goal.”

Putting on his Captain’s voice, Ken said, “Okay. Guys, we’re now on mission status. Henry, you and Sally’ll stay here in the lab ‘ta help with remote operations. Henry, you’ll be Drew’s primary protection while we’re gone, so stay sharp. The doc and Albrecht are here, and don’t hesitate ‘ta lean on them if you need to, and try ‘ta stick to your trainin’ schedule as much as possible while we're gone.”

Winking at Henry, Ken followed up, telling him, “No slackin’.”  

<><> 

Strategizing, they laid out their approach over the next few hours. There was a strong possibility of exposure if things escalated inadvertently, and they worked on multiple contingency plans. Henry was impressed with their combat and tactical experience and how they planned everything in such minute detail. He was asked numerous questions about The Enemy, and his input was vital to the discussion.

Many of their questions dredged up uncomfortable, painful memories, but he did his best to answer everything, and his contributions and opinions mattered.

The first step was to head to Washington, DC, where the families of the hostages were gathered for security reasons. They needed whatever intel the government had already acquired to fine-tune their operation. While making their plans, the news feed ran muted in the background, and an update occurred just before lunch. Sally ordered sandwiches, and they listened to the update while eating.

To keep her developing computer skills sharp, Sally created a database of their food preferences and the food establishments that delivered to the lab. How she managed to help the doctor, teach Drew, keep the lab clean, and help them with meals throughout the day was a mystery to them. As often as they ate, the meals alone should keep her busy. She wasn’t their maid or responsible for feeding them or cleaning the lab, but she had taken care of them at TGH Securities and continued that role in her new life. She enjoyed doing it, and when merged, it was clear to them she didn’t mind. Sally knew how much they appreciated it, and more importantly, didn’t expect it of her.

After putting Drew down for a nap, she entered the conference room to clear any leftovers of their meal when she saw the news updates. Not surprisingly, there were no leftovers.

A new video of the terrorists appeared on the internet. Unverified by the pentagon, it had already gone viral with millions of views. The leader of the terrorist group wore head covering, so only his eyes were visible. The scene panned across a street somewhere in Syria, showing the five hostages lined up on their knees with sacks over their heads.

The soldiers, bound hand and foot with their arms behind them, looked severely beaten. The remaining tatters of their uniforms were bloodstained, and any exposed skin was covered in welts and bruises. According to the broadcast, two of the men were Marines and the other three were in the Army. Their names were PFC Rich Hampton, PFC Guy Caulfield, L.Cpl. Jacob Peterson, PFC Caleb Donaldson, and SPC Nathan Cochran.

Screaming into the camera, the terrorist demanded that all airstrikes against them stop, or one hostage a day would die, beginning the following morning at sunrise. It would be death by beheading, and the bodies would be desecrated in unspeakable ways. Seeing fellow soldiers in such a predicament made their blood boil, and anger rippled through the link, reinforcing the sense of urgency to get moving.

Ken said, “Okay, guys, enough planning. We have the basics, and we’ll improvise as we get more intel. Y’all are the best, and we’re gettin’ those guys out safe. Dar, send us back to our houses. Everybody pack the clothes you’ll need. Pull us back in fifteen minutes, and we’ll suit up here. We’re goin’ in heavy, so pack appropriately. We’ll store everythin’ at the Aussie base after we hit DC; it’ll be closer. Hit it, guys.”

Opening their energy centers, Darren’s eyes turned white. Henry took part in the white power flowing between them, contributing to the energy needed to teleport them.  Linked with them, he felt their Avatars synchronize just before they vanished. He remained with them, but they were at the limit of his current range. Brad assured him he would get stronger every day as he stretched himself in training.

<><> 

An hour later they stood in Arlington, VA, next door to the Pentagon, and The Enemy's presence was everywhere. It wasn’t as strong as in Australia, but they felt it, and it didn’t surprise them at all. Rick’s Avatar, synchronized with the other body’s, masked their auras, making them undetectable to The Enemy.

The building housed a media center where the families of the hostages waited. The news networks used it for interviews, and the families were fed information as it became available and deemed appropriate to pass on. General Dixon was in charge of Special Operations, overseeing affairs stateside.

The mentalists maintained external constructs, giving them full access D.O.D. nametags, and they used their Avatars to pass through any security checkpoints into and throughout the facility.

<><><> 

Jacob, Craig’s older brother, was the main reason he joined the ROTC and planned on becoming a Marine. The only difference between their career paths was that Craig wanted to complete a college degree and enter as an officer.

When he received the news that Jacob was held hostage, Craig was so scared he didn’t know what to do. Immediately, he contacted his campus advisor, who handled matters at school. He would receive ‘Incompletes’ in all his classes, which meant he would have to retake them but wouldn’t receive failing grades, and it would give him time to be with his family until the issue was resolved.

Craig put on a strong front for his mom and dad, but he shook with fright when he was by himself. He knew the US Government’s policy of not negotiating with terrorists. It wasn’t just knowing Jacob was going to die. His fear was what that meant for his brother and the other hostages.

Logically he understood the policy, but this was his brother Jake, and suddenly it made a difference. The source of his fear was how Jake would die, decapitated while bound and helpless. Craig watched the uncensored videos of the journalists beheaded weeks before, and he still heard their screams in his head. Taking a bullet or getting blown up by a bomb would at least be quick, but the thought of what Jake would feel made him sick to his stomach.

Needing a distraction to keep himself from dwelling on the bad thoughts, he asked, “Ma’, you want me to get you and Dad a cup of coffee? There’s a vending machine down the hall.”

His mother sat in a Valium-induced fog, and Craig had to repeat himself. Marge Peterson hadn’t coped well with Jake’s deployment overseas and started taking sedatives again. When Jake deployed to Afghanistan, she barely slept the entire time. She really freaked out when Craig announced his decision to join the Marines, but at least he was in college for a few more years before going in.

Craig felt for his mother, but joining the Marines was something he had to do, wanting his father and Jake to be proud of him. Kent, his dad, was retired Navy and wanted his sons to follow in his footsteps. He had been an asshole about his sons choosing the Marines over the Navy, but once he settled down, he seemed proud in his way. Craig always thought his father was more pleased with the bragging rights to his buddies than he was of his two sons’ serving their country.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Do you need any money?”

“No, Ma’, I’ve got it. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m going to run to the bathroom while I’m out there.”

“Remember, honey, don’t talk to any reporters.”

“I know, Ma.’ I won’t, I promise.”

Making his way out of the waiting area, Craig moved down the hall. Entering the bathroom, a reporter tried to corner him, but he repeated “no comment,” as he had been instructed. The reporter was pushy, and Craig almost lost his temper, but he stuck to his guns. Not wanting to cause a scene, he left as quickly as possible.

Standing in front of the vending machine, he tried to figure out how it worked. It was more complicated than the ones on campus, and he had just enough money to get three cups, one each for himself, his mom, and his dad. He didn’t want to screw up, knowing his dad would be sure to let him know if he got it wrong.

Craig.

Glancing around the bustling hallway when he heard his name, he didn’t see anybody he knew.

Craig.

Looking around again, he noticed a big man staring at him from down the hall. He looked familiar, and it took a second because Kevin was cleanly dressed and not sweaty and wearing running shorts. He had no idea how or why Kevin could be there, but he smiled and nodded a greeting. With the noise in the hall, it didn’t register he heard Kevin’s voice in his mind. With a slight nod of his head, Kevin indicated he wanted Craig to come over to him.

Making his way down the hall, Craig had a curious look on his face. He hoped Kevin wasn’t a reporter, but as he got closer, he recognized the laminated D.O.D. ID card at his waist and his eyes widened in surprise. As soon as Craig got close, Kevin held out his hand. Kevin’s grip was warm and firm, and his other hand went to Craig’s shoulder, squeezing him in comfort.

Kevin said, “Hey, Craig. I’m sorry about what’s going on with your brother and the other guys. Do you have a second? I need to talk to you privately.”

“I’m supposed to be getting coffee for my mom and dad, so I can’t be long.”

“It’s important, Craig. It involves Jacob.”

Craig’s curiosity was on fire, and he felt conflicted, but Kevin seemed like a nice guy when he helped him collect the toys in the street after the accident. Craig had an inexplicable sense that he could trust Kevin.

“Is the other guy here with you? Bill?”

“Yeah, he’s waiting for us along with a few friends. Follow me. I promise it won’t take long.”

Keeping his hand on Craig’s shoulder as he turned, Kevin guided him down the corridor to a door labeled ‘Conference Room 1.’

In reality, the door was a large walk-in supply closet where Bill waited, broadcasting a compulsion for no one to enter. As soon as Kevin and Craig walked through the door, Brad took them into a construct of the ‘conference room.’

<><> 

Craig stopped when he saw nine other big, handsome men looking at him. He recognized Bill, who stood to shake his hand.

Reading him when their hands touched, Bill made sure he was free of any Enemy influence.

He’s clean, guys.

“Hey Craig, it’s great to see you again. I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Thanks, Bill.”

Nervous, Craig didn’t understand what was going on.

Looking back at Kevin, he asked, “You said this was about Jake?”

Standing to shake Craig’s hand, Ken said, “Hey Craig, I’m Ken. We’re takin’ a big chance involvin’ you, and I don’t wanna put you in any danger, but we need your help. We’re here ‘ta extract Jacob and the other hostages.”

Craig’s eyes widened, and he looked at Kevin, asking quietly, “Who are you guys?”

Ken answered, “We’re friends, Craig. There’s a lot more goin’ on here than you or most people realize. Before I go any further, I need you ‘ta promise me that whatever you see or hear in the next few minutes goes no further. No one can know about us. Can you promise me that?”

His mind racing, Craig didn’t know what to do. Scared, he wondered what Jake might be involved in.

Brad, monitoring Craig’s thoughts, said: “Jake’s not involved in anything covert, Craig. As far as we know, he’s not special forces.”

“Then why are you guys here? What does this mean? And why the secrecy?”

Ken smiled, trying to put Craig at ease.

“All good questions, Craig. You’re gonna’ make a fine officer. You’re keepin’ your wits about you in a difficult situation. I mean no disrespect when I say that for a young man of your age, you’re handlin’ everythin’ exceptionally well.”

Kevin, with his hand still on Craig’s shoulder, turned him to make eye contact.

“Craig, we’re the only hope Jake and the others have of getting out of this situation alive, but we need your help. We’re taking a huge risk by doing this, so we need your promise that whatever you see and hear goes no further. No one can know we’re here. I don’t mean to frighten you, but there are people in the military, in the room with your parents right now, who are working with the terrorists. This is a no-win situation for Jake unless we step in. I know this is a lot to take in, but please, for your brother’s sake, we need your promise.”

Starting to panic as Kevin spoke, Craig almost shouted, “Are my mom and dad in danger?”

Ken said, “Not at the moment, but they will be if we’re successful. A lot’s goin' on here from years ago, Craig. This is actually about your dad and the fathers of the other four men bein’ held. It all stems back ‘ta their time together in the Navy.”

“I don’t understand.”

Looking deep into Craig’s memories, Brad hoped to find something that would help.

Brad said, “Remember your promise to Jake, Craig. He made you promise to keep your mom and dad safe and be brave. You told him you want to serve your country and make this world a better place. That’s what you’ll be doing if you keep your promise to us. I can’t explain more just yet, but remember your promise to him.”

Craig whispered, “How could you know that? No one heard me say that but Jake.”

Lane, wearing his usual mischievous grin, said, “You might be too young to remember the Transformers, Craig, but just like the theme song, there’s more to us than meets the eye. Rest easy, bud; we’re the good guys and here to get your brother back safe.”

Craig’s mind was on overdrive, trying to process everything he heard. They had to be a special operations unit, the kind you never knew existed. It sounded like a movie, but they were right in front of him, and there was a strange quality about them besides their solid presence and clean-cut hyper military appearance that put him at ease.

It was something deeper, something he couldn’t explain. Each of them epitomized what it meant to be a soldier; strong body, square jaw, ruggedly handsome, intelligent, confident, kind but stern… but it went beyond that. Ken, Kevin, Bill, and the others made him feel positive in a strange way, and he knew he could trust them.

Craig and Jacob led a difficult childhood. Their father, Kent, came close to being dishonorably discharged from the Navy. An alcoholic, he stayed drunk through most of their early upbringing. It was Jake who convinced their father to sober up. Jake had been more of a father to Craig than Kent, teaching Craig what he knew about being a man and having honor.

“Your word is all you have in this world, Craig,” he would say, “You have to learn to keep your word no matter what.”

As if they were reading his mind, Ken said, “I trust you ‘ta keep your word, Craig. So, what do you say?”

Craig slowly extended his hand for Ken to take, saying, “I promise, Sir. I won’t say a thing. What can I do to help?”

Smiling, Ken clapped Craig’s shoulder. 

“Good man! Now, here’s what we need you ‘ta do…”

<><> 

Kevin and Bill escorted Craig back to the vending machine.

“Don’t worry, Craig, stick to the plan, and everything will be fine. Just get the General isolated and say exactly what we told you.”

Looking at the vending machine, Kevin Understood the intricacies of the mechanisms and how it worked. Through Kevin, Bill reached inside the machine with his mind, and before Craig went back to his mom and dad, he had two cups of hot coffee just like they liked them with the perfect amount of cream and sugar and one hot cocoa for himself, with extra chocolate.

With a wink, Kevin said, “On the house. I think the US Government can afford three drinks, don’t you?”

Kevin and Bill turned, walking back towards the conference room, and Craig lost sight of them immediately in the busy hallway. It was almost as if they disappeared.

Taking a deep breath, Craig wondered again who they could be. They seemed to know everything about him and Jake, even secrets no one could possibly know, but he trusted them, and if they could rescue Jake, he would do whatever they asked.

Making his way back with the drinks, he said, “Sorry I took so long, Ma’. There was a line.”

Marge looked at him funny and said, “You were only gone a few minutes, dear. Thank you for getting this for your father and me. That was very thoughtful of you.”

Craig hadn’t looked at his watch before leaving, but he had to have been gone at least fifteen minutes talking with Kevin, Bill, and the other men.

<><> 

Kevin looked at Ken apprehensively.

I hope he’ll be okay, Ken. This place is crawling with Enemy agents.

Ken: He’ll do fine, Kev. We need the intel, and we can’t just take on everyone here. Well, we could, but then Jacob and the others would be dead before we could get to ‘em. Craig’ll get the General by himself, and we’ll get what we need from him. He won’t suspect anythin’ from Craig.

Brad: I have a shield on Craig. If the General turns out to be an agent and tries anything with Craig, it will be diverted to me. I have a construct of Craig’s mind already built just in case.

In his best Samuel Jackson Impression, Lane thought: Check out the big brain on Brad!

Brad shot him a bird, and they grinned at one another.

Continuing to chat and shoot the shit, if anyone didn’t know better, it would seem like they didn’t have a care in the world and were just hanging out together, but they were soldiers, focused and ready for whatever came their way.

Proud of all of them, Ken was confident they could handle any situation that might arise.

<><> 

Covering his nervousness well, Craig waited for General Dixon to return. The General, an arrogant, cold man, had only addressed Craig and his family once, spending as little time with them as possible. Kent and the fathers of the other hostages seemed extremely nervous around him. Craig assumed it was because they were intimidated by a Four-Star General.

Along with his senior staff and aides, the General entered one of the conference rooms attached to the media center where Craig and his family waited. Hovering by the door, Craig hoped the meeting wouldn’t last long. He knew it was breaking protocol to directly approach the General, but that was part of the plan. When the door finally opened, the General was one of the first men out the door and Craig practically pounced on him.

“General Dixon, sir! May I have a word with you?”

Speaking loud enough to be heard by everyone, the General couldn’t ignore him.

Scowling, he turned towards Craig and asked irritably, “What is it, son?”

The General’s top aide tried to intervene and said, “The General is a busy man, Cadet. I’ll have someone come find you momentarily.”

Persistent, Craig addressed the General directly.

“Sir, it’s private and very important.”

The General, not used to being pushed, fired back angrily, “More important than the lives of your brother and the other men?”

Craig had a temper and always worked hard to keep it in check. He knew he was impertinent, but he was so angry towards the General’s attitude, he didn’t care.

Straightening his shoulders and keeping his voice even, Craig said, “What I have to say is for your ears only, Sir. It’s not only private but a matter of security. If you want me to spill the beans in front of everyone here, I’ll gladly do that if it means helping my brother.”

Embarrassed, Kent Peterson turned ten shades of red over the scene unfolding, but Kent’s fear of the General outweighed his desire to support his son, so in typical fashion, Kent left his youngest son hanging out to dry.

The General’s face a storm cloud, he pointed at the door to the conference room, exclaiming, “Two minutes!”

His aide started to follow, but the General cut him off with a sharp motion. The man looked surprised, and Craig noted a look of almost uncontrolled fury cross his face for a split second before getting himself under control. It happened so fast Craig thought he might have imagined it.

Now that it came down to it, Craig was terrified. Doubts about trusting Kevin and the other men crept into the back of his mind. What they wanted him to do seemed so insanely crazy, he was having second thoughts about it all. Walking into the conference room, he heard the door close behind them.

Glaring at him, the General tightly said, “What’s so important, son? It better be good, or your days as a Marine will be over before they ever get off the ground!”

<><> 

Brad, and everyone else through him, monitored Craig. Kevin’s Avatar synchronized with Ken, Bryan, Rick, and Patrick to make sure their presence was invisible and undetectable, not just in Craig’s mind but in the building.

They were aware of Craig’s second thoughts, but the young man pulled himself together. He made a promise and would stick to the plan, no matter how unorthodox it seemed.

<><> 

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, just before Craig opened his mouth, the door abruptly opened and the General’s aide, Major Tidwell, burst into the room.

General Dixon, already irritated with Craig and not used to being disobeyed, turned to his aide, saying, “Major Tidwell, I thought I made it clear I didn’t want to be disturbed!”

Glancing at Craig and then the General, Major Tidwell’s eyes turned white, and his attempt to control Craig’s mind seamlessly diverted to Brad’s construct.

Terrified, Craig felt the brunt of something cold and malevolent brush against his mind, unlike anything he had ever felt. The sensation wasn’t physical and sent a shiver through his soul.

Brad: I’ve got you, Craig. We’re not going to let anything happen to you. I’m holding you still, so they won’t suspect anything.

They weren’t expecting such a direct move by any Enemy agent. They always worked in the shadows and behind the scenes, but Brad was ready, and while he protected Craig’s mind, he knew the others wouldn’t let anything physically happen to Craig. If the situation turned violent, Kevin could be there in seconds, and if it came down to it, they could teleport him out of the room even if it meant blowing their cover.

Craig heard Kevin’s voice in his mind: Craig, I’ll explain soon, but for now, stay calm. Major Tidwell thinks he has you under his control, and he needs to believe that he does. If you move, he’ll know it’s not working, so we’re holding you still. We’re with you, and you’re safe.

Not only hearing their voices, Craig felt their presence in his mind. It confused him; Kevin’s presence, along with Brad’s, exuded a comforting warmth, counteracting the cold malevolence of Major Tidwell.

Turning back to the General, Tidwell sneered. His voice filled with contempt, he said, “Shut up, Dixon.”

Blustering, the General looked like he was about to bellow when Tidwell’s eyes flashed white again, and the General paled.

“Yes, General, I’m from Them. Did you really think we weren’t keeping an eye on you with something so important going on? We can’t let you ruin our plans.”

“What plans?”

“There will be no authorization for a SpecOps mission to rescue the hostages.”

The General wasn’t an Enemy agent but had been a loyal servant most of his career. They seldom interfered with him, and he gave Them whatever was required of him. In return, his career blossomed along with his bank account. Knowing they could take everything away from him in an instant if it suited their purposes, he was terrified. It was clear to Craig that the General was more afraid of losing his rank and money than trying to save Jacob and the other soldiers.

“Fine. I’ll take care of it. What about the boy?”

“What did he want?”

“I don’t know; you barged in before he told me anything.”

“I’m sure it has something to do with The Order. I know he was in contact with two of their new warriors recently. I can still smell their stench on him. It’s a good thing I came in before you bungled everything.”

“I wasn’t going to tell him anything, Tidwell! He made a scene in front of the reporters, so I gave him his little meeting. I was handling the situation just fine.”

With Brad holding him still, Craig couldn’t react to what the two men said. The General had no intention of rescuing Jake or the others! Who did this Tidwell guy work for that the General was so afraid of? Kevin said his parents would be in danger once Jake and the others were rescued. Craig’s mind was spinning with all the questions.

“Pull your men out of Baiji, General. I don’t want any overzealous SEALS being heroic and going against your orders. I need those hostages alive long enough to spring our trap, and then their lives are forfeit.”

The General knew better than to ask questions about Tidwell’s plan, but he did ask, “Is it necessary to kill all of them?”

Laughing, Tidwell responded, “Don’t tell me you’re finally feeling a seed of patriotism after all these years, General? I’d hate to think you’re getting soft. To be sure of your loyalties, take care of this boy and the families for us. After the media circus has run its course, you will arrange for their deaths. Wipe their bloodlines from the earth.”

Craig’s panic at hearing Tidwell order his death, along with his family and the families of the other soldiers was painful to watch. He was in over his head, but his fear quickly turned to anger and the desire to protect his loved ones. If Brad wasn’t controlling him, Craig would have launched himself at Tidwell.

Kevin: Craig, you’re doing great. Don’t worry; we won’t let anything happen to your family or the others. This didn’t happen like we planned, but we got what we need. We’ll let this scene play out until you’re back with your family, and then I need you to meet me at the vending machine.

Looking at Craig, Tidwell said, “I will make him think he had his little meeting, and you told him you’re doing everything possible to recover his brother and the other hostages. Whatever he was concerned about turned out to be inconsequential. He will wake up after I shut the door behind me.”

Major Tidwell left the room, and his perceived control over Craig went with him. As soon as the door shut, Brad removed his control over Craig.

Kevin: Craig, thank the General for his time. Stay calm, buddy, and act normal.

Freaked out by everything that just happened, Craig held himself together, saying, “Thanks for your time, General. I appreciate it, Sir, and I’m sorry if I bothered you. I know you’re doing everything you can to rescue my brother and the others.”

The General was scared after discovering his aide was an agent of The Enemy. He didn’t like being so closely monitored, and now they ordered him to arrange for the deaths of five families, and he knew he would have to do it.

His bruised ego made him want to exert his authority, and Craig was in front of him, so he yelled, “If you ever do anything like this again, Cadet, I will ruin your career. I don’t want to see you or hear anything you have to say. If you have any more bright ideas, keep them to yourself. You’re at the bottom of the food chain here and not worth my time. Now get your ass back out there, sit with your family, and keep to yourself.”

Craig swallowed hard, and even though his anger flared again, he was worried the General could ruin his dream of becoming a Marine.

Kevin: Don’t worry, Craig. He’s a dick. For now, stay focused on your family and put the General and Tidwell out of your mind.

The General opened the door and Craig walked out first, moving to his mom and dad. His father, Kent, started in on him right away.

“What the hell were you thinking, Craig? Don’t you ever think about anyone but yourself? You need to learn your place, and it isn’t dealing with Majors and Generals. You’ve always thought a lot of yourself, and it’s going to get you nothing but trouble. You completely embarrassed your mother and me.”

After the stress of the meeting, Craig was close to tears at his father’s words. Kevin and all the guys were with Craig, and they felt Kent’s words cut him to his core.

When Bill read Craig earlier, everything about Craig became known to them. He was a solid young man with good values he surely didn’t get from his father. As a human under the Curse, Craig was far from perfect, but he didn’t exhibit nearly as much ugliness in him as most people.

They knew how much Craig loved his older brother and what a positive influence Jacob was in his life, thankfully a far greater influence than Kent. Craig could easily have turned out to be a carbon copy of his father, but he rose above his circumstances, turning into a fine young man.

Hoping for some support, Craig looked at his mother, but she sat quietly in a Valium-induced fog.  The cup of coffee Craig got for her rested in her hand untouched, teetering on the edge of her knee with her slack hand barely wrapped around it. Gently taking it out of her hand, Craig set it on the small table in front of her, so it wouldn’t spill.

Kevin: Craig, come back to the vending machine.

Looking at his father, he seemed so different than the pictures of his days in the Navy. He was now middle-aged, missing most of his hair, and overweight. He was a heart attack waiting to happen, and Craig hoped the stress of Jacob's situation wouldn’t push him over the edge.

Brad’s Avatar caused him a great deal of discomfort as he witnessed Craig's burdens at such a young age. It was a testament to Craig’s character that his main concerns were for his family and those around him. His father always thought the worst of him, and Jacob always thought the best. Fear for his older brother came rushing back, and with it, his determination to help Kevin and his friends bring Jacob home safe.

Taking a deep breath, Craig said as calmly as he could, “I’m going to get some air, Dad. I’ll be right back. I’m sorry if I embarrass you.”

Not waiting for his father’s reply, he left the room.

<><> 

Turning the corner, Kevin and Bill stood by the vending machine, waiting for him. As Craig walked up, Kevin put an arm around his shoulder.

Heading back to the door labeled ‘Conference Room 1,’ Kevin opened the door, keeping a hand on Craig’s shoulder, guiding him through the door and into Brad’s construct. When the door closed behind them, Craig’s emotions let loose, and he started shaking. Fighting back tears, he didn’t want to cry in front of Kevin and the others.

Turning Craig to face him, Kevin said, “Craig, you did awesome. We got the location where Jacob and the others are being held. You should be proud of yourself. I know this is stressful, but you rose to the occasion and played an important role in helping us.  Jacob and the others are in your debt.”

As Kevin spoke, he pulled Craig against him. Reluctant at first, after a brief hesitation, Craig hugged Kevin back. Jacob used to hug him when he was upset, and he desperately needed it even though he wouldn’t admit it.

“Let me tell you something, Craig. I didn’t do nearly so well as you just did on my first mission. You kept your head about you, and even though you were freaked out, you showed everyone what you’re made of. It’s okay to feel scared. Being brave is about taking action and doing the right thing even when you feel that way.

“Everyone gets scared, buddy, and don’t for a second think it makes you less of a man for feeling that way. It’s also okay to get a hug from a fellow soldier. You’ll learn you have to lean on the men around you in stressful situations. That doesn’t make you less of a man either.”

For some odd reason, Kevin felt protective of Craig, and after pausing briefly, he decided to continue.

“I’ve known your father for a very long time. He was a dick when I knew him, and he’s a dick now. I know you care about him. He’s your father, and I get that, but don’t take his words to heart. You and Jacob have each other, and if your brother is half the man you already are, you only need each other. You’ll need to take care of your parents, but don’t let them rule your heart or the direction of your life.”

His voice muffled with his face pressed against Kevin’s big frame, Craig said, “Thank you, sir. I don’t know what to make of all this, but thanks for saying that. I know my parents aren’t the best, but they’re all I have besides Jake. I get what you mean, though.”

Taking Craig by his shoulders, Kevin held him at arm’s length and smiled.

“Good man.”

Craig asked, “So who are you guys? How were you talking to me? I felt something in my head… it’s hard to describe.”

Ken replied, “That’s a bit hard ‘ta explain right now, Craig, and you’re safer not knowin’ too many details. I don’t mean ‘ta scare you by sayin’ that, but for now, it’s the truth. We’ll tell you what we can after everyone’s safe. Since we know Major Tidwell is an Enemy agent, we need ‘ta move your family and the others before we get Jake and the rest of the hostages.”

Brad continued, “Craig, your parents are tired and will want to go back to your hotel room to rest. In fact, all of the other families will be doing the same thing in the next few minutes.”

With a hint of a grin on his face, Craig asked, “You know this … how?”

Winking at Craig, Lane hummed the first line of the Transformers theme song.

“Trade secret, but it’s from a reliable source.”

Brad continued, “When you get to your rooms, instructions will be given to all the families. You’ll be changing hotels and need to pack everything, so be ready. We won’t have much time once they’ve discovered you’re gone. Major Tidwell will put things together quickly once he realizes you’re all missing, so we have to get Jacob and the others free as quickly as we can.”

Craig said, “But it’s going to take you a long time to get to where Jake is.  If you move us now, they could kill him before you can get to him!”

Grinning, Ken said, “You let us worry about that. You’ll have a clue once we leave the hotel. Now Craig, we still need your help. You’ll need to keep your parents and the other families calm once we move you and head out to rescue Jake and the others. It will all happen fast, so you need to be ready.”

<><> 

Returning to the waiting area, Craig watched his father, huddled in a circle talking with the other fathers. Remembering pictures of the five of them back in the Navy, he knew they were tight; he heard all the stories, repeatedly, from his father’s point of view. He suspected the reality of those stories was very different from the drunken recollections he heard.

Mr. Hampton, the ringleader of their group, was the first to decide he was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel and rest. Always following his lead, the other men agreed it was a good idea, and one of the junior aides assigned to them made the arrangements.

Craig’s mind still raced, wondering who Kevin and the other guys were, how they knew his memories, and talked in his head. He kept reminding himself it didn’t matter as long as Jake and the others made it out safe, but his curious mind wouldn’t let the thoughts go, and his imagination was running wild.

Regardless, Craig felt he could trust them, which turned his thoughts to Major Tidwell and General Dixon. After his encounter with them and knowing they were connected to the terrorists, there was no way Craig could trust either of them. How could the government be so corrupt? Craig's entire worldview turned upside down within a few hours, and he would have to rethink things.

An hour later, Craig and his parents were back in their hotel room. Shortly after they arrived, he heard a knock on the door. His father answered, and Craig heard him speaking quietly with someone. The conversation was short and Kent seemed agitated, almost slamming the door.

Kent announced, “We have to move hotels. There’s a security concern, and we’re being relocated. Pack up fast.”

The other families were in the same wing of the hotel and streamed into the hallway about the same time. It took a few trips in the elevator to get everyone plus the luggage downstairs and into the small ballroom they had been instructed to gather in.

<><> 

Ken decided not to hide their identities. Craig already knew who they were, and it would be more trouble than he wanted to deal with trying to cover everything. If the situation turned ugly, they would resort to tampering with memories but only as a last-ditch effort. The entire premise of The Order was based on free will, and he wanted the willing cooperation of the families.

Once the families were in the ballroom and waiting, Loy gave Ken the signal.

Ken: This is gonna’ be interestin.’ Let’s hope they don’t freak out completely.

Brad: Expect the worst, and hope for the best with these guys, Ken.

Lane: Hopefully, they aren’t the same tools we remember, but from the way Craig’s dad treated him, I’m doubtful.

Ken: Okay, here goes nothin’. I want ‘ta make an impression. B, you got us covered?

Grinning, Brad thought: I’m on it.

<><> 

Ken, Brad, and the others filed into the ballroom, virtually invisible due to Brad's external construct. As couples, they positioned themselves around the seated families, holding hands. When Brad dropped the illusion, there were gasps of surprise and a little fear as they appeared out of nowhere.

With his typical false bravado Hampton stood up, about to make a blustery exclamation when his eyes landed on Brad and Ken. His double-take was almost comical and quickly changed to a look of disbelief. His eyes darted to Lane and Bryan, and then around the group, taking in each couple.

“Whetherson? Dutcher? It can’t be you! You’ve hardly changed… none of you have! What’s going on!?”

“I’ll get right ‘ta the point, Hampton. You and your family…” Ken’s eyes scanned all of them as he spoke, “… and the rest of you are all in a great deal of danger. We’re here ‘ta offer our help and protect you, and we’re about ‘ta get your sons back and keep you someplace safe. As difficult as it is ‘ta understand, your lives are on hold. I’m sorry it has ‘ta be that way, but you’ve landed in the middle of a fight you know nothin’ about.”

Kent Peterson spoke up, “Are you kidnapping us? I’m going to call the General and see what he has to say about this!”

Craig interjected, “The General is part of the problem, Dad. He’s been ordered to kill all of us after Jake and the others are executed.”

Turning on his son, Kent almost shouted, “Are you involved in this!? How could you get mixed up in something like this and endanger your mother and me, and your brother!?”

Kevin’s voice was stern, surprising Bill and even Ken, who had known Kevin longer than any of them. A very controlled individual, Kevin rarely showed anger, but Kent’s continued ill-treatment of Craig pushed a button in him.

“Let me tell you something, Peterson! Your son is a brave man! Not a KID! He’s already shown what kind of man he is by putting his life on the line to save Jacob and the rest of you. He’s more of a man than you ever were, and you will start treating him with a little more love and respect as of right now! Do I make myself clear!?”

A loud rumble of thunder in the skies of Washington, DC, accompanied Kevin’s outburst, reflecting his anger. Dropping his shield momentarily, Kevin revealed his anger, shocking and scaring Kent Peterson so bad he almost pissed in his pants.

Ken: Not helpin,’ Kev.

Kevin: Sorry, Ken, but I can’t stand seeing him treat Craig that way. God, he’s such an ass.

Ken continued, “With Craig’s help, we got the intel we needed from the General to locate Jacob and the others. We’ll be extractin’ them in a few minutes after we get all of you ‘ta safety. Craig’s right about the General and Major Tidwell. We know there are others, but they’re the only two we’ve identified so far, which means you shouldn’t trust anyone in Washington right now except us.”

Kent looked pale, staring wide-eyed at Kevin, but Hampton asked, “Why should we trust you? How can you show up after all these years and look like you do? What’s going on?”

Ken replied, “We’ll explain more once Jacob and the others are back. One good reason you can trust us is that you’re still alive. We’re the good guys. I told you, you’ve landed in a fight you know nothin’ about, and you don’t want ‘ta tangle with the bad guys without our help.”

Craig spoke up, saying, “I trust them, Dad. You should, too. Stop being a jerk and let them get Jake back safe. They have to hurry.”

Glancing at Kevin, Craig received a wink of reassurance and support.

Brad asked, “Will you cooperate? If you want our protection, you need to let us know. We’re being honest with you, this will completely disrupt your lives, maybe for a few years, but you will get your sons back safe. It’s going to be hard, but that’s the reality. Our condition is you have to agree to cooperate, and we’ll know if you’re telling the truth.”

Ken said, “We’ll give you five minutes ‘ta talk it over amongst yourselves. After that, if anyone wants ‘ta leave, they can. We’ll get your sons back regardless, but if you refuse our help, you’ll be on your own.”

<> 

The scene that unfolded would have been comical if it had been under different circumstances. All the wives, including Craig’s mother, started soundly berating their husbands, and a few of them even hit their husbands in the arm or chest. The consensus was their spouses were asses and needed to do whatever necessary to get their sons back.

Ken, Bryan, Kevin, Ricky, and Pat, with their enhanced hearing, picked up every word, and it sounded like a cackling hen house, grating on their nerves.

Trying to lighten the mood, Brad sent a private thought to Ken.

After seeing them interact, I guess I’m not so bad, huh?

Ken coughed, trying to cover the snort that burst out of him at Brad’s comment.

Ken: My God, B, if I had ‘ta listen ‘ta that for any length of time, I’d go insane.

In less than two minutes Hampton moved to Ken and said, “We’ll do whatever you need us to do. Just get our boys back.”

Brad looked directly at Hampton, not just the man but deep inside him. His brokenness and bitterness were brutally painful and harsh, but Brad felt the need to look. He pitied Hampton and what he had become, and after looking deep, he realized he was partly to blame.

Even before the program Brad had been smart, but after his genetic alterations, his intelligence level was even higher. Brad didn’t realize in his interactions with Hampton he came across as arrogant. It was never his intent, but to Hampton, who wasn’t a bright man, he came across as demeaning, which planted seeds for the animosity that grew between them.

Brad knew he wasn’t responsible for how Hampton reacted or the decisions he made throughout his life that led him to be who he was, but it made him sad to think he contributed to Hampton’s unhappiness. However, with Brad’s Avatar, he couldn’t help his compassion for Hampton and the other four men. He had a glimpse through the part of his Avatar that came from Lane of what these men could have become if they had been happy and content, and it pained him to see how far they missed the mark.

Deeply merged, Ken felt Brad’s sadness and heard his thoughts.  Inside, where their souls were one, Ken wrapped his arms around his partner.

B, you know you aren’t responsible. He made his decisions and reacted the way he did; you see that as clearly as I do. Don’t beat yourself up. Yeah, we were young and cocky after the program…we were SEALS, trained ‘ta be confident, but you never did anythin’ ‘ta intentionally hurt him. None of us did. He was an immature prick, and he’s no better as an adult. I feel sorry for him, too, but I don’t take any responsibility for how he chose ‘ta live his life, and you can’t either. And you never know, it might not be too late for him ‘ta change.

Brad: You know I’m supposed to be the smart one, right?

Ken chuckled: You are! I’m just pointin’ out what I see inside you. Your compassion is blindin’ you at the moment. Remember, I have a Ph.D. in Brad Wilson, so I have an advantage.

Brad: Thanks, Ken. I love you.

Ken, not caring if Hampton or the others saw, moved over and put his arms around Brad in a hug.

I love you too, B.

Meanwhile, Pat and Bryan collected and organized the luggage into a nice neat stack. Listening, Lane filled them with a burst of power and with no warning to the normals, Darren disappeared with the entire pile of luggage.

Craig went wide-eyed, and Ken gave him his little kid grin, saying, “I told ‘ya you’d have an idea of how we can get ‘ta Jacob in time. Pretty cool, huh?”

Darren was only gone long enough to move the luggage off the platform in Australia, making room for everyone else.

Using his Captain’s voice to get their attention and calm them down, Ken said, “Okay, everybody. We’re takin’ you ‘ta a safe facility. Don’t be afraid; you won’t feel anythin’.”

Darren said loudly, “Everybody gather close and relax.”

The team formed a ring around the families. Craig was the only one who didn’t look nervous, instead wearing a grin along with an expression of wonder.

Taking the entire team plus the five families pushed Darren, even with their Avatars synchronized. The families couldn’t see the ghostly image of Yggdrasil or the animal spirits swimming and flying around the room, filling the men with power. They did perceive a slight glow and a pervading warmth that touched their souls. 

<><> 

A few minutes after arriving in Australia, Darren teleported to Atlanta, bringing Albrecht, Kelly, and Sally back to look after their guests. The doctor remained in Atlanta with Henry, Drew, and the Keenans.

Seeing the families with their luggage sent the same thought through their minds; they were nearly at maximum capacity to hide and protect anyone else from The Enemy. They would have to think long and hard about how to proceed if they needed to help more people in the future.

As soon as Sally, Kelly, and Albrecht arrived to organize everyone, Ken gave the order to suit up. Each couple moved to their small private rooms, changing into their new Kevlar assault gear. They equipped Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0’s for handguns with extra ammunition if they needed weapons, plus other gadgets supplied by the doctor: fiber optic cameras, C4 with detonators, emergency first aid kits, and numerous other things. The new suits even incorporated automated external defibrillators and EPI pens in case of extreme trauma.

The upgraded technology that Darren and Pat developed with the doctor allowed for encrypted satellite communication anywhere on the planet. Even with the new weapons and gadgetry, their bodies and minds were their weapons of preference, but it was comforting to have the equipment as a backup.

The mentalists created external constructs of black Didashah and Shumaq, the robes and head coverings of the locals at the target area. It was late evening in Baiji, and the dark robes covering their suits would help them blend in if anyone happened to see them.

The main operations board displayed a satellite map of Baiji, which Brad used as a visual reference. His eyes flashing white, he cast his mind across the globe from Uluru, Australia to Syria. Once close, he skimmed minds, moving across the area until he located a Mosque in Baiji.

The Enemy's presence permeated the area, but Kevin suppressed Brad’s aura, confident no one could detect him. Entering the mind of an Akhoond who was alone in the building, Brad compelled him to go into a private hall and lock the doors.

Darren, through Brad, used the eyes of the Akhoond for his visual lock. Collectively, their eyes flashed white as a bright rope of power arced through them. Their robes billowed from the hot wind blowing around them, and Brad opened Craig’s mind enough for him to see them as they were in the spiritual realm. Their powerful warmth washed over Craig, and he saw them as brightly glowing pillars of light. Kevin, making eye contact with Craig, grinned and winked at him just before they vanished.

Craig’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw them as they truly were. He had no idea who, or even what they were, but seeing them revealed, Craig knew Jacob’s chances of coming home were better than ever.

<><><>  

 Physically and emotionally drained to exhaustion, Jacob couldn’t find sleep and hadn’t in days. The terror of what he and the other soldiers faced at sunrise wouldn’t let his mind slow down. Past his own fears, thinking of Craig and his parents and what they must be going through consumed him. When he allowed his thoughts to stray, he wondered if he would be the first to die.

As terrified as he was, Jacob secretly hoped he would be first. If he were, it would give the other men an extra day for a rescue attempt or for circumstances to change. It sounded brave, but he admitted guilt as his motivation because it would end his suffering. Cowardice followed guilt, but he couldn’t help it, and berated himself.

Squirming against the ropes, he stifled a groan. His bruised body ached from the beatings, and his arms had been pinned behind him for days. Occasionally, Jacob heard the other men move or groan, and he wished for some way to comfort them, but they learned the hard way about disobeying the command not to talk amongst themselves. A few of them cried; it was hard to hear with the sacks over their heads, but the sound was unmistakable.

None of the hostages had seen the faces of their fellow prisoners. They were fed one at a time with enough sustenance to keep them alive but too weak to resist. The fight slowly drained out of them as they realized their captors had no intentions of letting them live.

Even so, Jacob tried his best to be brave and not show fear. He didn’t regret his decision to join the Marines; if anything, his circumstances convinced him he made the right decision. The type of evil they faced needed to be stopped. He didn’t want to die, but if he had to for his country, he wished it would be in a nobler manner than being helplessly bound and beheaded. That thought pissed him off, and the anger drove his resistance for a time, until the fear and guilt returned, starting the cycle over again.

Fuck I hope they make it fast.

If he dwelled on it, thinking of the pain he would endure almost debilitated him, so he tried to distract himself. Focusing on happy memories, Jake remembered playing football with Craig in their backyard and Thanksgiving dinners at his grandparents’ house. He was so proud of Craig. Jacob practically raised his younger brother on his own and did the best he could.

When he and Craig were kids, their father stayed drunk and their mother doped up on sedatives, and if either parent was coherent long enough, it usually meant an argument. Confronting his father when he turned eighteen, he threatened to take Craig and leave if his parents didn’t get their act together. It worked, and things improved, but he couldn’t wait for Craig to finish college, join the Marines, and get out of the house.

His sorrow when he realized he wouldn’t be there for Craig anymore hit him hard. That was the thought that broke him, not the fear of the pain or getting beaten, but the fear of Craig not having his older brother to look out for him.

Something crawling on his leg jerked Jacob’s awareness back to the present. He didn’t want to draw the guards' attention by making too much noise but tried to shake off whatever it was. He heard rats all the time, and they seemed to be getting bolder. The thought of one crawling on him creeped him out.

Whatever it was appeared to be gone. Keeping still, he tried to listen, but the sack over his head made it difficult. It seemed quiet again, but after a minute, he felt the oddest sensation. Something tapped his leg lightly three times, and after a short pause he felt it again.

The weight on his leg returned, this time by his knees. He started squirming to shake it off, but whatever it was tapped him again.

One. Two. Three.

It was deliberate.

Keeping still, his heart racing, Jacob had no idea what was happening. It moved forward another few inches and tapped again.

One. Two. Three.

Whatever it was weighed a few pounds so if it was a rat, it was a big one. How could a rat count? It didn’t make sense.

Moving further up, it paused every few inches, tapping slow and methodical, and he somehow got the sense it didn’t want him to panic. He almost jumped out of his skin again when two more of the mysterious creatures crawled up on his legs. The tapping repeated in unison.

One. Two. Three.

Trying not to freak out, Jacob forced himself to stay calm. Maybe, just maybe, beyond all hope, it was help. Holding still, they moved up his body.

Once he kept still, the creatures moved faster. One perched on his shoulder, while the other two went over his shoulders, one on either side, leaning their weight on the ropes binding him. Little jerking motions of their bodies ensued, and in another minute the ropes around his arms and shoulders went slack.

Pain shot through his body at the sudden movement, and inhaling sharply, he bit down hard to stifle a groan. Hopefully, the sack muffled the hiss of pain that slipped out.

Their weight left his shoulders and he felt paws on his hands, down behind his back, and in another few seconds his hands were free. It felt like thousands of ice-cold needles shot through his hands and arms as his circulation returned. Jacob had no idea how that could be happening, but he almost cried with relief, not just from his arms being free of the pain, but that somehow help seemed to have found him.

The rat on his shoulder burrowed under the rough sack, its furry body rubbing against his neck. A tickling sensation followed, and he realized it was licking the wound on his neck. That grossed him out, and the thought of catching some disease ran through his head, but then he laughed at himself.

That’s a pretty damn good problem to have compared to what I was facing even a few seconds ago.

It took a few minutes for his circulation to come back. Slow to resettle himself, he tried not to do anything that would draw the guards' attention. Slowly, Jacob reached up, edging the sack up to his eyes. He was in luck; the room was dimly lit, and there was only one guard, seated and facing away from him. It appeared the man was using a smartphone or tablet from the nimbus of light his body shielded. Noticing earbuds and the man’s foot tapping, Jacob realized the guard was listening to music.

Reaching up, Jacob gently picked the rat up, and even though it only weighed a few pounds, a sharp pain shot through his right shoulder. Transferring the rat to his left hand, he held it up in the dim light. The rat stayed docile in his hand.

As soon as he looked into its tiny black eyes, Loy thought: Gotcha!

<> 

Spinning around, Jacob assumed a defensive stance.  Completely shocked and surprised, a group of men in full black assault gear surrounded him. Their faces weren’t covered, and he noted the relief in their expressions.

“Where am I!? How did I get here!?”

Jacob looked at his uniform, now whole and clean. His wounds were gone! He was in no pain!

Stepping forward, Loy held his hands up in a placating gesture.

“Relax, Jacob. We’re friends.”

Jacob recognized the voice from when he picked up the rat.

“We’ve got a lot to tell you…”

<><> 

Jacob didn’t know what to make of anything he heard. The revelation that a supernatural Enemy kidnapped him as a pawn was difficult enough to swallow. The fact that no time was passing as they talked in their minds while his body was still held captive was almost too much to take in.

He listened, figuring he had no choice since there was no door out of the room they were in. The men around him exuded a peculiar air, especially the leader, a guy named Ken. Ken’s words sank into Jacob in a strange and bizarre way, and Jacob knew they were telling him the truth.

He sat, listening quietly until Ken said, “Okay, Jacob, ask away. I know ‘ya got questions. We’ll answer what we can and be upfront about the ones we can’t.”

“How do I know any of this is real? I could be hallucinating this entire situation. I haven’t eaten in days, and I’m dehydrated.”

Glancing at Brad, Ken invited him to respond.

“Well, I guess you won’t until we send you back to your body. When you feel the pain in your shoulders and arms again and are in the room with your fellow hostages, you’ll have to decide if you believe us. Now that we’re in contact with your mind you’ll continue to hear us, and you can talk to us as well.”

“Okay. Why the rats? If you can talk in my head, I don’t get that, other than them chewing through the ropes. Why didn’t you contact me that way? Like that bald guy in the X-Men movies.”

Grinning, Brad replied, “Because you’re surrounded by some very powerful and evil beings, Jake, otherwise I could have. There are protections around you and the others keeping us from doing that. We have a few tricks up our sleeve that allow us to circumvent those protections; Loy’s ability with animals is one of them. The rats are beneath their notice, and even then, we had to be extremely careful in using them.

“We hoped to get in, free you, and evac without any confrontation, but it looks like that’s not going to happen. We’re close to where you’re being held, but there’s something in our way, a barrier we can’t cross. We didn’t expect that, so we need you to take out the guard in your cell and get the other four men on their feet. We’ll need your help in getting them to us.”

Taking everything in, Jacob prayed he wasn’t hallucinating. These men had to be some sort of secret Black Ops SEAL team, the kind that technically didn’t exist. That frightened him, for himself and his family, afraid if he saw or heard too much, things wouldn’t go well for him.

Hearing Jacob’s concerns, Bryan stepped forward.  Bryan, the gentle giant, knelt, putting a hand on Jacob’s shoulder and looking him in the eye. 

“You got nothing to worry about, Jake. We’re the good guys. These ladies here are the best fuckers on the planet. You got part of it right. We used to be a SEAL team, but we aren’t anymore. Your life is going to change pretty drastically for a while. We got your family and your brother safe, but you’re all going to have to stay hidden once we get you out of here. Not forever, but for a while.”

Jacob’s anxiety spiked when Bryan mentioned Craig, and he would have come out of his chair if Bryan’s hand wasn’t on his shoulder, holding him down.

“Craig’s with you guys? He’s okay? Mom and Dad are okay?”

Lane, with his usual mischievous grin, said, “Yeah, Craig’s at one of our safe houses along with your mom and dad. Your little bro is something, Jake. He helped us get the intel to find you. You owe him big time.”

Despite the situation, Jacob smiled, saying, “That little fucker. I’m going to kick his ass for putting himself in danger for me, but, hell yeah, little bro!”

Ken smiled, saying, “He kept his wits about him in a rough situation, Jake. You did a good job raisin’ him. You’re a fine man and soldier; you should be proud of both of you.”

Jacob’s eyes misted over, and thinking of Craig, he said, “I am proud of him. He could have so easily become fucked up in our dysfunctional family, but he didn’t.”

Ken said, “He had a great role model.”

Jacob sighed and said, “Alright, I guess I don’t have any more questions. Well, I do, but I think I believe you, so they can wait until later. What can I do?”

Brad said, “Jake, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to look through your memories. Your mind holds details you might not be consciously aware of that I can pick up on, but I’ll only do that with your permission. So far, we’re just on the surface of your mind, and we can hear your conscious thoughts and feel your emotions. We don’t like to go deeper without permission. I promise to keep things only to what I need and not look any deeper.”

Looking nervous, after a moment of silence, Jacob said, “Go ahead, but it’s not pretty.”

Brad’s eyes flashed white, and his soothing presence flowed into Jake. Flinching at the unfamiliar sensation, Jacob quickly realized it was nice, even comforting. Jacob relaxed into the warmth of Brad’s presence, whose unshielded aura touched the young soldier’s soul in a way he had never felt before.

Jacob’s eyes widened, and tears filled his eyes as he muttered, “Oh my God…”

Reliving Jacob’s life over the past few weeks, Brad took Ken and the others with him, using their surveillance expertise to observe every detail. Between Bill and Brad’s Avatars, they pieced together what happened.

Jacob’s Commanding Officer was involved and sent him into the ambush where he was captured. The only survivor in his unit, they felt every blow as Jacob was beaten and tortured. His physical abuse was more for pleasure than debilitating, and his thoughts, emotions, and experiences became theirs.

Just as it was with Greg Rawlins at Waffle House, through his suffering much of the pettiness and deceit had been burned out of Jacob, leaving what remained pure and noble. They saw how he retreated to his happy memories of playing football with Craig, and even though his relationship with his parents wasn’t great, how he still thought of them and was more worried about what they were going through than his own situation. It restored a little bit of their faith in humanity to see inside Jacob. There were still good men in the world, even under the Curse, just not enough.

Inside Jacob’s memories, they listened to snatches of conversation in Arabic, Understanding them even though Jacob didn’t speak the language. They didn’t get any names, but his captors referred to several powerful men in charge. There was no way to tell how many terrorists might be Enemy agents versus human servants, but it sounded like there might be quite a few agents there.

Withdrawing, Brad smiled at Jacob, saying, “You have a well-ordered mind, Jake, and don’t take this the wrong way, but that wasn’t nearly as unpleasant as I expected. Most of the time, seeing people on the inside isn’t very pretty. I didn’t look deep, but I can tell you’re a good man.”

Jacob didn’t realize he was crying until he tried to talk. Swiping his eyes, he lowered his head in embarrassment.

Blushing at the praise, he asked, “Did you see anything helpful?”

Brad said, “Yes, and the more we know, the better off we are.”

Jacob asked, “So, what’s next?”

Ken asked him, “Jake, can you take that guard out without makin’ any noise?”

Frowning, Jacob said, “I’m not sure, Sir. My arms and shoulders are pretty bad off from being tied up for so long, and I’m dehydrated and haven’t eaten in days. If I get the jump on him, I’d say I have a 50/50 chance, to be honest.”

Hanging his head, he quietly said, “Probably not what you wanted to hear.”

Looking at Lane, Ken asked, “Do you think we can do anythin’ about that with those runes up?”

Lane nodded, saying, “Now that we’re connected with Jake, it might be possible. The issue is the rats; we can’t channel too much power through them, or we’ll kill them. I think we can manage to heal Jake, but we’ll have to wait on the other guys until they’re with us.”

Looking at Jake, Ken said, “I hate ‘ta put that on ‘ya Jake, but if we get ‘ya back in fightin’ shape, you’ll have ‘ta take the brunt of gettin’ the other hostages out and makin’ it to us.”

Wide-eyed, Jacob asked, “How can you do that?”

Grinning, Lane replied, “Like I told Craig, there’s more to us than meets the eye.”

Ken asked again, “So if we get ‘ya patched up, can we count on you?”

With a determined look, he boldly said, “Not only yes, but hell yes, Sir.”

“Good man. You’ve been through a lot Jacob, and I hate askin’ you ‘ta do more, but we need your help ‘ta get the others out safe. I’m proud of you.”

Jacob blushed again, “Just earning my pay, Sir, such as it is.”

Brad said, “Okay, Jacob… No time has passed for your body while we’ve been talking, so you’re still holding the rat. I know they creep you out, but we need to use them as a conduit to heal you. Now that we’re in contact with your mind, we can continue to talk with you so you won’t feel alone. We’ll talk you through everything once you’re ready to take out the guard.”

Ken asked, “One more question, Jake. Have you killed anyone in hand-to-hand combat before?”

Jacob replied, “No, Sir. I’ve had the training but have never had to use it. I’ve killed with my weapon before, but not with my hands.”

“Are you sure you can do it?”

“Yes, Sir! To protect the others, I know I can.”

“Okay. Just don’t think about it. Do it and keep movin,’ and don’t dwell on it. There’ll be plenty of time later ‘ta think about it, and you’ll have any of us ‘ta talk to once we have you out safe.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Brad said, “Alright, Jake, I’m sending you back to your body in five…four…three…two…”

<> 

Instantly the pain and discomfort were back as he heard Brad’s final countdown in his head …one.

Brad: We’re still with you, Jake.

Jacob knew Brad was grinning.

You’re not hallucinating.

Jacob kept his eyes on the guard, who thankfully was still focused on his phone, his head bobbing in tune to whatever music he was listening to.

Jacob thought to himself: Probably Lady Gaga.

Lane chuckled, and Jacob blushed, forgetting they could hear his thoughts.

Relax, Jake; this won’t take long.

Because he was linked to them, he saw tendrils of white energy seep out of the rats and into his body, and he immediately felt the effect. Lane kept the flows gentle, which took longer, but was easier on Jacob’s body and the rats. Loy kept the little creatures calm as their bodies became a conduit for the power to heal the young soldier.

Jacob had never felt anything like it in his life; the dehydration, nausea, and weakness from malnutrition vanished. No longer hungry, he felt refreshed and healthy. Cuts and bruises covering his body faded, and the only evidence of his former condition were bloodstains on his tattered uniform.

Setting the rat down, it joined the other two chewing through the last of the ropes binding him. Brad and the others felt his wonder, even a little fear over the healing, but like a good soldier, Jacob stayed focused, concentrating on the task in front of him.

I’m free. Here goes nothing.

Taking advantage of the guard’s distraction, Jacob crept behind him, snapping his neck. Remembering the maneuver from training, he was surprised at how easy it was. Catching the body before it fell and made any noise, he couldn’t help the thought: I wonder if he has a family?

Jacob was reaching for the rifle leaning against the wall when the door opened. His stomach lurched as he made eye contact with a man standing in the doorway. His eyes were dark brown, almost black, and he was inhumanly handsome. He had short dark hair with a full goatee neatly trimmed and even covered in black robes, his body seemed thick with muscle.

Glancing at the rats, Orophir realized one of the hostages was free and knew what had happened. His eyes flashed white, and the three rats squealed as the bonds holding their spirits to their small bodies snapped. Loy wasn’t prepared for that, and he bent over from the sudden pain and loss of his little friends.

As soon as Orophir moved close enough to Jacob, the amulet he wore broke the link. It was a new matrix of his own design, containing the trapped essence of a lesser nephilim. His father had more than enough servants and wouldn’t miss the few he kept imprisoned for his purposes.

Brad’s presence disappeared, and Jacob knew he was in trouble. In desperation, Jacob launched himself at the man, hoping to incapacitate him quickly with as little noise as possible.

As a nephilim in physical form, Orophir’s strength, speed, and agility were beyond human, and Jacob didn’t stand a chance. Effortlessly, he caught Jacob and sent him flying across the room, slamming into the wall and knocking the young soldier unconscious. Orophir heard bones crunch and hoped he hadn’t been overzealous.

Orophir: Azaziel, as we suspected, the warriors of The Order are here. Make sure they do not leave alive. My father will be most displeased if you fail.

Azaziel’s voice sounded like grating rocks: You doubt me?

Until these new warriors are dead once and for all, yes. They are stronger than you think.

<><> 

Brad’s link with Jacob severed as Loy doubled over.

Ken: B!? What just happened!?

Brad: Shit! It’s Orophir! I saw his face just as the link severed. He’s not strong enough to do that on his own, so he must have some new toys.

Ken: Fuck! Okay, we knew this wasn’t gonna be easy. God, I hope Jacob’s alright! Their plan was ‘ta start the executions at sunrise. We’ll have ‘ta wait until Jacob and the others are in the open, then make our move.

Taking them all deep into a construct to revise their strategy. Brad compartmentalized their concern and anxiety for Jacob as they focused on a new plan. The entire setup was a trap for them, and Orophir now knew they were there. Ken felt confident that the execution of the first prisoner would still occur at sunrise to draw them out.

Ken’s face hardened and his Avatar glowed brighter as he brought the others in. His anger and focus pushed into them, fueling them. Tired of losing friends, they would suffer no more losses. The trap was sprung, but unknowingly, the Enemy just kicked the anthill.

<><> 

Hours passed, and the darkness of night slipped into pre-dawn grey. The skies remained dark as the clouds over Baiji were thick and heavy, filled with lightning. There was no rain, but a cold wind blew, and the town was afraid. Warfare had taken over the streets, keeping the residents scared and in their houses. The devastation of the ongoing conflict was evident from the rubble filling the streets.

Jacob remained unconscious for hours, and his fellow hostages couldn’t sleep. As exhausted as they were, fear, pain, and the biting cold of their cell kept them awake. One of them tried to escape; the commotion was unclear since they couldn’t see or hear clearly. Talking wasn’t allowed, so they remained silent, frightened and isolated, knowing at least one of them was about to die.

Their stomachs knotted when guards entered their cell, roughly forcing them to their feet, and they stumbled more than walked as their captors pushed them, laughing when they fell.

Conscious but barely coherent, Jacob was in agony.  The sack was over his head again, and before they made it out of the building he collapsed, unable to walk, so they dragged him.  Fighting to remain quiet, he prayed Ken and the others were still nearby and had a plan.

Their captors didn’t speak English, but their taunts and jeers were obvious, demoralizing the broken soldiers even further. With their uniforms in tatters, the wind bit their skin, and they shivered from cold and fear.

Like Jacob, the other soldiers were resigned to the fact they were going to die. It wasn’t fear of death; it was fear of how they would die that terrified them. Unconsciously and unanimously, they didn’t want to disgrace their country or their uniforms by screaming. He didn’t scream, but PFC Hampton broke off, trying to run but was quickly caught and beaten so severely they had to carry him the rest of the way.

The Market area was clear, and any carts left overnight were used as fuel for a large bonfire in the center area. Any terrorists not taunting or guarding the hostages gathered by the fire, warming their hands and talking amongst themselves.

Everything was staged for the leader’s performance. The hostages were on their knees, bound, with their heads still covered, positioned in a line and far apart. A news van parked nearby was ready to broadcast and record everything.

<><><> 

Lightning thickened, and thunder ripped across the sky as the biting wind whipped harder. Orophir, aware of their Avatars and what they were capable of, gave orders to destroy animals of any kind in the area. Loy felt each passing over the next few hours after they lost contact with Jacob. His anger built with every death, and he called the spirits to him, sending them on with his blessing to be reborn.

The doctor’s voice came through loud and clear in their earpieces. 

“I have current satellite imagery of the market area. The hostages are staged for their cameras. I am initiating a live feed to your HUD’s. Darren, I believe the image is good enough to teleport. There is a two-second time variance due to signal latency from the satellite, so be aware. Patrick can help you account for that.”

Double-clicking his earpiece, Ken indicated acknowledgment. Orophir had done an excellent job of countering their attempts to reconnect with Jake, and they were cut off from the doctor for a few seconds; however, he broke through their encryption immediately, boosted his signal, and re-established communications.

On their HUDs, they watched the terrorist leader strut back and forth in front of the hostages, his demeanor arrogant and cocky as he verbally abused the captives.

The hostages had to be wearing an amulet or runes from Orophir that prevented Darren from pulling them out, so they were about to engage in a full-on assault. Itching for a fight, The Enemy needed a good ass-kicking, and it was the perfect opportunity while rescuing the hostages.

As soldiers, the guys were incensed at what Jacob and the other soldiers were going through. It pained them to see fellow soldiers bound and tortured, bringing back memories of their time in Syria as SEALS and living in that part of the world, dealing with the heat and the cold and the deaths of friends.

Ken let their anger build, knowing they would stay focused and in control but also not to hold back. He wanted to strike The Enemy and let them know who they were dealing with. As soon as the terrorist leader pointed to Jake, indicating he was the first to die, Ken gave the signal.

<><> 

An enormous bolt of lightning arced down from the heavens, thick and bright, blinding anyone nearby. A hundred yards above the ground, it branched, splitting into ten forks. The crack of thunder accompanying the bolt was deafening. Ken said he wanted to make an entrance, and Brad, Lane, and Darren cooked up a good one.

Underneath their headgear, their eyes were white, and their tattoos glowed brightly as they appeared in the market, filled with power from across the veil, Yggdrasil, animal spirits, and the music of creation. They were more potent than they had ever been, and they came down like a sledgehammer on The Enemy.

Lane: Whoever wants fighting music, tune into Lane Radio. I have a separate link running with music Bry and I have been playing around with.

Ken knew it wouldn’t interfere, and they had come to like it. He left the decision to them, but every one of them tapped in to see what Lane had for them. Bryan learned the drum piece to “Bedroom Hymns” by Florence + The Machine, and Lane did everything else, plus the lyrics.

They appeared in motion through the lightning, facing hundreds of men with weapons, mostly automatic rifles, and a few rocket launchers mixed in.

Brad, his Avatar synchronized with Lane, Loy, Darren, and Bill, sent out a psychic explosion, shattering any shields protecting them. A few Enemy agents whose minds were open dropped, obliterated by his assault and leaving the rest defenseless.

Now physically present with Jacob and the other hostages, Brad brought them into a light link. The team was one, their souls tightly merged, shining with the light of a star in the spiritual realm. Behind the darkness of their hoods, the captive soldiers were suddenly immersed in a warm liquid light washing over their souls. Their breath caught in their chests at the extreme and unexpected hope and warmth. They didn’t understand it, but it drove the fear out of them.

Ken’s voice entered their minds: We got you, fellas. Just hold tight and let us take care of these guys. We’ll have you free in a few minutes. You’re all goin’ back ‘ta your families.

Unimaginable relief hit them from the conviction of Ken’s words, cutting through their pain and confusion. Each of them felt Ken’s steady hand on their back or shoulder, and they knew he spoke the truth. They also heard Lane’s music. He chose the song not only because Bryan wanted to learn the drum piece but also because the lyrics were oddly appropriate and meaningful.

Grinning at Loy with a wink, Lane sent him a private thought: At least it’s not Simon and Garfunkel!

Darren could have killed The Enemy single-handedly, but Ken would never ask him to do that unless there was absolutely no other way. Darren was prepared just in case, but their training paid off, and there was no need. In less than three minutes, the small army was either dead or incapacitated, without a single blow landing on any of the team.

They were a swath of death through the terrorists. The inhuman speed, grace, and agility with which they fought were breathtaking. Working in unison, their attacks coordinated, they often used one another in choreographed maneuvers practiced repeatedly and executed flawlessly. They were perfect weapons, fulfilling their role in fighting The Enemy.

Earlier, Ken pondered various ways to approach the fight. Brad or any of the mentalists could have killed The Enemy with their minds or their Avatars. Not wanting to tip their hand and reveal just how powerful they had become, Ken opted to keep the fight physical with minimal psychic intervention. Darren and the mentalists reflected any bullets, but aside from that, they mowed their opponents down like a hot knife through butter with their hands, elbows, legs, feet, and occasional head-butts.

As soon as they appeared, Bill and Patrick’s Avatars reacted to the evil around them. Not from the town or the residents, but from the terrorists who were willing Servants of The Enemy. As such, their lives were forfeit, decimated in a blur of death, struck down by the weapons Ken and his brothers forged themselves into.

The entire fight was filmed; Brad and Darren made sure the media van recorded everything. Before evacuating with the hostages, the plan was to get the recording and leak it onto the internet to show the rescue and the terrorists getting their asses handed to them.

The doctor was not a fan of the idea, but Ken insisted. There was no way to identify any of the team with their heads covered. Ken knew many people would think it a hoax, but he wanted to shove it in The Enemy’s face.

The hostages were still bound with their heads covered. Amidst the noise of the initial gunfire they held still, not understanding what was happening but trusting the voice that spoke in their hearts and minds. To them, the fight seemed to take forever, but in truth, it lasted a little over three minutes. The only reason it took so long was due to the time it took for all of them to come within arm’s reach to die. Coincidentally, Lane’s music ended as the last of the bodies fell, and the market became deathly silent.

Once the noise stopped, Jacob felt the ropes vanish as Darren freed them from their bindings. Brad, Lane, Loy, Darren, and Bill knelt, removing the sacks covering their heads.

Calmly, Brad asked, “You guys ready to get out of here?”

After the darkness of the sacks the men squinted, their eyes filled with tears of relief. Brad noticed silver threading lining the sacks covering their heads.

Brad: Dar?

Darren: Yeah, those hoods were keeping me from grabbing them. I’m going to take them back to study and have the doc look at them.

Ken and the body’s kept a defensive ring around the hostages while Brad and his group helped them stand if they were able. It was decided before the fight that any healing would wait until they were back in Australia unless it was critical.

Jake’s voice was weak as he said, “Fuck me, Sirs, am I glad to see you. I wasn’t sure what you were going to do after that guy knocked me for a loop.”

Ken knew they weren’t scot-free yet. Orophir still hadn’t made an appearance, and they were ready and prepared for whatever came next.

As if Ken’s thoughts summoned their nephilim antagonist, Orophir stepped into the market from around the corner. Human-sized, he was dressed similarly to Istariel, except his robes were jet black and his cowl was pulled back, revealing his face.

Smiling, in a rich, deep voice, Orophir said, “You made that look effortless.”

Ken, his voice hard and confident, retorted, “Don’t fuck with us, Orophir. We’ve kicked your ass once already, even with the amulet, and there were only four of us.”

Frowning at Ken’s words, Orophir wondered how they knew his name and what he referred to.

“You knew we wouldn’t have any trouble with these men. Why did you sacrifice them?”

“After Azaziel kills you, he will need sustenance. I am not here to fight you. This area falls under his dominion, and you will face him. I am merely an observer.”

Their stomachs clenched in a cold knot, indicating danger. Ken and the other bodies heard wings flapping high in the sky through the howling winds. Amidst flashes of lightning, a figure became visible, much larger than a human with bat-like wings, flying in the clouds.

Lane’s eyes flashed white, seeing what would happen to Jacob and the other soldiers if they weren’t protected.

“Guys! Put the sacks back over your heads fast! No matter what, don’t take them off!”

The captives hadn’t seen Azaziel yet, but his cold presence touched them, striking fear in their hearts. The urgency of Lane’s words screamed at them through the link, and they scrambled to put the hoods back on, not knowing why but realizing it would save their lives.

Through Patrick’s Avatar, they Understood Azaziel was a fallen angel, a demon from beyond the Pale. The ground shook from the impact as his huge form hit the ground.  Flexing his massive body, he stretched his wings across the entire market as he bellowed his challenge to The Order.

Weaving their energy flows into a bright white rope, Brad formed a dome over them with the hostages in the center. Shifting into a cloud of seething darkness, Azaziel momentarily revealed his true form, attempting to overwhelm them with his aura and obliterate the humans. He wasn’t an archangel like their grandparents, but he was strong, as old as creation, and evil. Their Avatars glowed brightly in response, strengthening all of them.

Shouting in their minds, Ken’s words filled them with strength and conviction: Hold him! Fight it off!

Ken’s Avatar knitted all ten Avatars together, forging them into a single power.  Digging deep within themselves, delving into their partners, their souls became one, and their light became the defense against Azaziel’s darkness.

Brad felt how their Avatars brightened, filling them with the power to match what they faced. His mind made the same connections as before, and his epiphany from the alternate reality happened again.

He realized he had known this before and knew that his memory had been altered, and almost certainly by whom. Furious over the revelation, he would soon have a talk with Raphael about it. As he surmised, their light clashed with Azaziel’s darkness, and they were enough.

Standing and facing Azaziel in a defensive posture, seemingly unfazed, Ken asked, “Is that all you got?”

Azaziel’s black eyes widened in surprise, and then his voice, like crumbling rocks, filled their minds.

I will break you, half-breeds. You cannot stand against me.

Lane: These guys need to come up with better catchphrases of doom. I feel like we’re fighting Durin's Bane.

Silence followed in the link.

Lane: Come on, guys! You know…The Balrog of Moria in The Lord of the Rings?

Kevin: Yeah, but didn’t he kick Gandalf’s ass?

Lane: In the pansy-ass movie he did, but not in the books. In the books, you know Gandalf was a Maia…A lesser angelic spirit, kind of like us. He was basically a nephilim.

Kevin: Fuck me… This demon guy said that on purpose. He knows you’re a Tolkien fanatic and knew if he could get you started, you’d quote the entire fucking Silmarillion to us, and we’d die of boredom.

There was a smattering of mental snickers through the link at Kevin’s comment.

Lane: Hey Kev, don’t be dissin’ Tolkien man; he’s the shit.

Bryan: God, I love my nerd.

Ken couldn’t help his smile but didn’t want them to relax too much.

Alright, ladies… More focus, less chatter. We have a demon’s ass ‘ta kick.

With their Avatars one, the tattoos on their shoulders transformed into the single complex rune.  In the darkness of the morning their shoulders were bright, emitting brilliant arcs of color like small flares, and just as he had done in the alternate reality, Brad revealed the secret of their Avatars to his brothers.

<> 

The tension between the physical and spiritual realms filled Patrick’s vision. Icy rain poured from the sky with lightning so thick it was like a constant strobe light. The flashes of power through the heavens reflected in their white eyes as they faced an evil they were born to confront.

Ken’s mind went back to 1992, there in Syria, on the morning the team boarded the helicopter to fake their deaths. There had been a storm that morning over the Mediterranean Sea, and he remembered thinking even then that storms seemed to follow the pivotal moments in their lives. He recalled the tornadoes in Atlanta the morning of their first major awakening, the last procedure the doctor put them through that brought forth their nephilim heritage.

<> 

As soon as he felt Azaziel’s presence, Barachiel sent out a call to gather. The other nine archangels appeared instantly, slipping out of time and into the pocket dimension Raphael created for that specific purpose.

Raphael sighed, “This was inevitable. The spirals leading to the confrontation are too close.”

Frowning in resignation, Michael said, “Yes, brother, they are.”

Gabriel said, “It is futile to continue our intervention at this point. We will have to let the course of events proceed as they will.”

Raphael responded, “I agree, Gabriel. In retrospect, I believe we never should have the first time. Brad has realized I was the one who altered his memory. May he forgive me.”

Uriel, who rarely spoke in their meetings, said, “Our intervention failed because our motives were to protect our interests, rather than the benefit of our grandchildren.”

Raphael smiled, “Ahh, Uriel… You seldom speak, but when you do, your wisdom often surpasses my own. I believe you are right. Even we are not infallible.”

Michael looked on the fight, saying, “Let us hope they prevail.”

Silence fell as they watched…Saddened already by either outcome. If any of their grandchildren perished, their plans would come to ruin. They remembered Azaziel when he was first created, a creature of pure light before The Dark One corrupted him, and they would mourn his destruction if he were vanquished.

<> 

Brad’s mind took every tactical thought each one of them had, combining them into a strategy. They attacked as two groups of five – Ken, Bryan, Kevin, Patrick, and Rick physically launched themselves at Azaziel. The force of their bodies colliding against him echoed through the market as they grappled with the demon, pinning his arms and legs. Fighting to maintain his balance, Azaziel’s wings fluttered from the weight and strength of their attack.

Brad, Lane, Darren, Loy, and Bill collectively launched thick white chains of light, wrapping them around Azaziel and confining his movements. He bellowed in rage and pain as their light burned against his very nature.

Azaziel was powerful, an elemental creature of evil, and in response to their attack, he flexed his aura, exploding with darkness. They were all thrown back, but Darren was ready, and their forms blinked as he reversed their trajectories. Twisting their bodies with inhuman grace and agility, they were right back on him, relentless in their attack.

There were old and powerful spirits in the region who remained hidden against The Enemy, and Loy called them to join the fight. The air turned thick with them as they flew around the ghostly image of Yggdrasil. Ethereal branches and roots appeared as Bryan’s Avatar glowed emerald green, wrapping around Azaziel’s body.

<><> 

“Oh, my!”

The doctor and Henry watched the fight on the operations board, both tense and afraid at what they witnessed. The doctor knew what it was they fought, and his heart nearly stopped when Azaziel revealed himself. They couldn’t see the spiritual side of the battle on the screen, but they knew what was happening.

In short order, the doctor’s massive intellect pieced together the puzzle surrounding his young charges, and he had the same epiphany as Brad… again. A very brief moment of anger coursed through him over being used against his will and treated like a puppet in their creation, but his thought quickly turned thankful. What the men were now, what he saw and was partly responsible for, humbled him, and he sent a silent prayer of thanks for what his sons had become.

<><> 

Orophir watched in disbelief as the warriors of The Order fought Azaziel. He heard the rumors of their strength and courage but never believed they could stand against a demon of Azaziel’s might. His father explicitly told him not to interfere, but as the fight wore on Orophir saw a very real chance Azaziel could lose.

His hand went inside his robe, reaching for an amulet, but before he could locate it, a hand gripped his own with incredible strength.

“No.”

Orophir’s head snapped around in surprise, looking right into the eyes of Istariel.

“You will not interfere.”

As Istariel spoke, his three cousins appeared beside him. Orophir wasn’t prepared to fight them, and he didn’t like surprises. Lowering his hands in frustration, he watched the fight continue.

<><> 

It took all their might, but they held Azaziel, pinning him down, equal to the task as Brad knew they would be. To destroy the demon, they would have to find a way to reach even further inside themselves.

A sudden and unexpected surge from their Avatars caught Kevin and Rick off guard. Both men felt the same tugging at their minds once before, in the parking lot of the Waffle House when the black-suited agent of The Enemy attacked them, the night they met Greg Rawlins.

A compelling desire to reset Azaziel gripped Kevin. Rick’s Avatar knew the truth of who and what Azaziel was, the angel he was born as. Destroying Azaziel would send a loud and clear message to The Enemy, but resetting him would be unprecedented.

Tactically, it seemed impossible. The ten of them were stretched to their limit holding Azaziel down. However, Lane remembered what he did in the cavern when they needed to stop Leroy, and after Brad’s epiphany, they now understood how their Avatars worked.

Once again, Lane knew there was no music in creation potent enough for what they needed. The power Kevin and Rick required was only available from one source; inside them, and Bill and Loy, their partners.

With their Avatars forged into one by Ken, Lane looked with Pat’s Understanding at the souls of his brothers, the halves in Kevin and Rick, and the halves in their partners.

Listening to the souls of his brothers, his Avatar wove them together, and the resulting crystalline sound was both breathtaking and powerful. Remembering the song in Bryan’s soul that soothed Leroy and how potent it was, there were no words, just the music of their existence, a golden light and the love inside them, unconditional and pure.

Pushing the music into Kevin and Rick, Lane immersed them in the songs of their lovers’ souls, the essence of their being and the parts of them that belonged together. The ten men were already one, but what Kevin and Rick heard filled them with power in a way that nothing ever had. Their breath caught in their big chests, and tears of intense emotion streamed down their handsome faces as strength flooded into them, giving them what they needed to be more than equal to the task.

<><> 

Rick’s physical strength was stretched to the limit, pinning one of Azaziel’s legs, but the strength he needed next wasn’t physical. White tendrils of energy seeped from his Avatar, disappearing into the demon’s grotesquely muscled body. Knots of hate and evil inside Azaziel started to unravel as Rick’s Avatar, backed by his brothers, made itself felt.

Kevin, pinning one of Azaziel’s massive arms behind his back in a hammerlock, used his entire body for leverage. His Avatar, synchronized with his brothers and pulling from them, struck like a spear into Azaziel’s demonic heart.

When the ten men were together, fully merged and one, there was an intangible ‘something extra’ about their Avatars. The doctor sensed it, knowing that was what The Enemy feared most about them; their ability to overwrite the Curse and restore creation to an unfallen state. While The Master lived, the Curse would continue to corrupt reality in both the physical and the spiritual realms, but the men, with effort, could restore or affect individual beings.

The effort of confining Azaziel was immense and Kevin’s body showed the strain as the Velcro bindings of his assault suit stretched, coming apart on his shoulders, arms, and chest as his muscles strained and flexed. Bill sensed the distraction, and with his mind, he removed the separated pieces, not wanting them to hamper Kevin’s efforts in any way.

His muscular body, now bare from the waist up, was red with effort. Rivulets of sweat dripped off every rock-hard piece of corded muscle, making his skin slick. The striations in his shoulders, arms, and chest were incredible, and the dark hair covering his torso matted against his skin. His chest heaved with the effort of taking in enough oxygen to support the efforts of his body.

Rick’s effort was just as extreme, and the Velcro bindings of his suit came apart as well.  Shrugging them off exposed his incredible physique, sweat oozing from every pore as each muscle, ligament, and tendon was tight in his efforts to hold the demon.

With his legs scissoring Azaziel’s torso, Ken changed his position enough to put a hand on each of their backs. Through his hands, he willed strength into Kevin and Rick. The two men became the focal point of their power; Pat’s Understanding, Brad’s compassion, Brian’s connection to life, Lane’s connection to the music of creation, Ken’s conviction and strength of will, Bill’s knowledge of reality, Darren’s connection to the physical realm and his ability to manipulate it, and Loy’s connection to the spirit world. All of it combined into that ‘something extra’ the doctor and Albrecht saw when they were together and one. They were more than the sum of their individual selves; a paradox.

Their eyes shone white, reflecting the lightning in the skies along with the power they wielded. Ken’s warm hands on Kevin and Rick’s flesh had the desired effect, not only giving them comfort but bolstering their efforts and helping them push even harder.

<><> 

Screaming as their light burned into him, Azaziel felt pain beyond anything he had ever experienced. At first, it was their auras fueled by their emotional bonds, but as Kevin’s Avatar ignited, their light turned liquid and started pouring into the demon. His wings trembled and flapped in desperation and his bellow of rage transformed into a scream of agony.

Ken saw it first…A single white feather appeared on one of his leathery wings, oddly bright in the dim morning light against the dark purple hide. A few seconds later, another showed, and slowly more feathers appeared as the demon screamed. Twisting and turning, Azaziel tried to wrest himself out of their grasp and escape the excruciating pain as his evil was seared away.

Their liquid light was a purifying fire, literally burning the evil out of him, reaching every dark crevice in his black existence. Azaziel was a powerful entity, old as creation, and his light snuffed out long ago. The barren landscape of his heart was vast, but slowly filled with what they poured into him.

Azaziel’s terror was as great as his pain. Reaching out, Bill touched the demon, reading him, cutting through his shields and protections as if they didn’t exist. Like Kevin and Rick, Bill’s Avatar wanted him to read Azaziel, but what he discovered struck him like a physical blow. With his Avatar magnified by his brothers, Azaziel’s existence was laid bare to all of them.

Through Bill’s insight, they Understood Azaziel’s fear wasn’t of The Dark One or retaliation. He had sundered himself from Home so long ago he was afraid he could never return. After millennia of servitude to the dark, how would he ever be allowed to go Home? His terror was being eternally outcast and separated from the light.

Almost in answer to Azaziel’s fear the black storm clouds parted, and a ray of sunlight came down like a halo around the demon. The white feathers of his wings glowed brilliantly in the sunlight as his body became more human, reverting to the grace and beauty of his original form.

<><> 

Michael and the other archangels stood dumbfounded as the scene unfolded. What their grandchildren were accomplishing was outside any outcome they could have foreseen.

Every time one of their brothers fell to The Dark one, consumed by evil, they experienced the pain and loss of losing a loved one. A third of the infinite Host sided with Luke in the rebellion, and the war had been ongoing ever since. Now the cosmic scales tipped in favor of the light by the newborn Azaziel.

Creation itself seemed to pause as if it, too, was stunned by what had just occurred. Tears of light fell down the faces of the ten archangels, tears of joy for the return of a brother they thought lost to them forever. As one, they vanished with the sound of fluttering wings.

<><> 

Azaziel’s giant form, beautiful once again, went limp. Tears streamed down his face, leftover from the pain of his transformation. He was a new being, as fresh and unique as the day he was created with no memories of his servitude to The Dark One. The fear that possessed him only seconds before was gone as if it never existed.

The cold rain stopped, and a calm fell over the market, the only sound a quiet breeze and the heavy breathing of the ten men. Relaxing their hold on Azaziel, sliding off him, they remained vigilant in case their actions held any unforeseen consequences. Brad noted Orophir surrounded by Istariel and his three cousins and the look of disbelief on his face.

Ken was so proud of everyone he was about to burst, and his emotions carried through with his words: Fuck me, fellas, I don’t even know what ‘ta say! We did it! I always tell B there’s nothin’ we can’t do if we stick together, and by God, today we just proved that beyond any doubt!

The little kid grin appeared on his handsome sweaty face.

You guys rock!

Ricky and Kevin were about to collapse, and Ken knelt between them, putting his arms around their shoulders. Pulling their heads closer he kissed the top of each of their heads, giving their bare shoulders a firm squeeze of comfort. Sending a private thought to both of them, he said: Well done, guys.

Ken’s love and praise warmed both men in their hearts as they recovered.

Bill and Loy picked up the pieces of the discarded suits, helping them dress. The wind had died down, but it was bitterly cold out, and the sweat was freezing on their skin.

Moving back to the hostages, with a grin, Lane said, “It’s okay, guys. Take off the sacks, and don’t go screaming like little girls when you see what’s going on.”

Jake was the first to see the massive form of Azaziel on the ground, in tears and looking around in confusion. The sight of the huge angel, his wings spread on the ground nearly covering the width of the market, was shocking. He also saw Orophir, Istariel, and the other nephilim standing off to one side in their robes. They were human-sized but still a shock to see.

PFC Rich Hampton did scream and he fainted.

Brad felt sorry for him, but he still smirked and said, “Well, that apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

 The sound of fluttering wings accompanied Michael and the archangels' arrival in the market. Scanning the dead bodies covering the area, Uriel would soon convey their souls to the next phase of their existence.

Michael approached Ken saying, “Ken…there are no words to express what you accomplished today. We watched, already mourning, sure to lose one or more of our grandchildren or an old friend and brother. Rather than either sorrow, you created only joy. I am proud of you.”

Ken accepted the praise knowing it was meant for him, but turned it into approval of the team and not only himself. Michael realized Ken would never take the personal credit, even as their leader.

Glaring at Raphael, his voice cold, Brad said, “You have some explaining to do.”

Raphael seemed sad, and his response was quiet, “Can we talk? After we get Azaziel situated, I’d like to settle this between us.”

Nodding his acknowledgment, Brad moved towards Istariel and Orophir.

Looking in the minds of Jacob and the other soldiers, Lane knew they were about to freak out. The auras of the archangels terrified them; the presence of such powerful beings was overwhelming to mortals. Lane slipped their minds into neutral, and they stopped moving.

Bryan said, “Good thinking. They’ve dealt with enough.”

<><> 

As Michael and the others made their way to greet their newborn brother, Brad approached Orophir.

Nodding to Istariel and his cousins in greeting, he said, “Thanks. I realize you probably stopped him from interfering, and we’re grateful. I’m not sure we would have succeeded if we had to deal with him at the same time.”

His gaze hard as he turned to Orophir, he said, “You and I have met before…Another version of you. Ken was right…We kicked your ass. We aren’t sure about your involvement, but you had better tread lightly. I will make it my life’s mission to end yours if you interfere with us anymore in any way.”

Making eye contact with Brad, Orophir was unsure of what he saw. Unfamiliar with the full extent of human emotions and confused, he saw a mixture of anger, pity, and sadness… All tempered by compassion.

After a slight pause, Brad said, “Consider this a gift.”

Raising his hands to his chest, a small ball of light appeared, bobbing over to Orophir. It was Brad’s memory of Orophir’s death in the alternate reality, showing his fight with Ken, Bryan, Lane, and Brad and how it ended with his death at Luke’s hand.

The memories shocked Orophir. His father killed the other version of himself for failing, and the death of his doppelganger drove a wedge of fear into him. The same desires and wants of acceptance by his father existed in him.  However, seeing his counterpart so casually killed, he realized, as badly as he wanted to think otherwise, his father would do the same to him if it suited his purposes.

Orophir blanched, but he was not yet willing to betray his father. He knew if he revealed his identity to Michael and the others, they would act. His mind spun with emotions, and Brad saw it. Still fully merged with everyone, his Avatar was magnified, making him extremely sensitive to what he witnessed. Brad’s intuition told him the seed of doubt he planted in Orophir needed to grow. If they held him captive, even if they could, that seed would wither and go nowhere.

Looking at Istariel, Brad said, “Let him go.”

“Brad Wilson, are you sure? He can cause much mischief and disruption to our cause.”

“I’m sure, Istariel. Please trust me on this.”

“Very well.”

Orophir vanished across the veil. The amulet he wore would keep him hidden, even from his father. Once across the veil, he had no body to shed tears, but his spiritual form expressed immense emotional pain. 

Alone as he always had been, Orophir saw what existed in the half-breeds; their auras were blinding to him. The warmth they exuded was unfamiliar to him because his father kept him shielded and isolated his entire upbringing. Like a child, he was hurt and confused and not sure what to do.

<><> 

Once Orophir and the other nephilim were gone, Brad made his way back to Ken and the hostages.

Uriel stood apart from the other archangels, who formed a ring around Azaziel. The smiles on their faces for their grandchildren said everything they needed to convey.

Raphael sent a private thought to Brad: I will come to you soon to discuss all of this.

With the sound of fluttering wings, they vanished, leaving Uriel behind.

Looking at Bryan, Uriel said, “Wait until I am gone before you release their minds. Tighten your protection over them.”

Assuming his true form, a being of pure white light, he filled the market.  However, this time his wings became raven black, a testament to the fate of the terrorists. Gathering their souls, he pulled them into his embrace.

A profound moment of compassion hit the team for the men who gave their lives to evil. As mortals, they never truly understood the consequences of their actions, and now they would pay the price for eternity. Through their actions that day, there was no doubt in The Enemy that The Order was back and stronger than ever.

Ken: Dar, can you take us back ‘ta Australia? I know some soldiers who need ‘ta be with their families.

10-4, Boss.

Dimples showing, he added: Don’t forget to tip your driver, ladies.

Gathering in a circle around the hostages, they disappeared.

The dark clouds broke immediately, and the sun shone brightly with the strain on reality gone, and the town lay eerily quiet in the early morning, the only sound a slight breeze and the occasional settling of rubble.

<> 

The cameras in the van still broadcast, showing the bodies. Suddenly a man appeared in their midst. He didn’t look happy. Pausing, he stared directly into the camera. His eyes flashed black, and the recording ended as the camera was obliterated.

In Atlanta, the doctor cut the satellite link; he had the full digital recording and smiled grimly. Henry had never heard the doctor cuss, but he quietly spoke as he looked at the screen. 

“Take that, you son-of-a-bitch. Now you know who you are dealing with!”  

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