Chapter 3: Fort Zero

To support my dual life I need at least three cribs. The lawyer who goes by Eric Grey lives in stylish Casa Grey, located in a very expensive neighborhood with lots of private security. The gang banger Paulo Zero’s home is in Uncle Toad’s New Jack City-type apartment building I call Hotel Pablo. The official name is the Pablo Apartments, after my late father Pablo who was Toad’s older brother. My mother’s Brazilian blood is reflected in my name.

My #1 safe house, which is not associated with either persona, is the well-located Batcave hidden in an active parking structure, part of a busy industrial district. Then, because I am especially smart or paranoid (in my line of work they are hard to distinguish) there was a fourth home, which I call Fort Zero. This location is very secret and secure. There I could entertain Gracie properly, in comfort and style with lots of toys. No records connect the property with me. Due to a quirk the address isn’t in the system, so if anyone got a warrant it would be flawed, and goodbye evidence.

I pulled into a garage, one that enters from the alley and looks as if it is for the house two doors down. Out the back of that garage, through 2 well-fenced back yards, then into the garage attached to the Fort. When that steel garage door was closed I popped the trunk. Gracie was as calm as she had been before, I complimented her on her poise.

Once we were sealed inside the house I removed the handcuffs. She did not play with the bag but I knew it was uncomfortable so I would replace that too.

Fort Zero is designed in layers. You may know a Spanish hacienda is designed to enclose a central courtyard. Here there is no courtyard, instead there is another house. A “safe” house. The rooms of the outside house have windows and doors. The rooms on the inside house are sealed off with cinder blocks reinforced with steel, and locked, hidden steel doors.

I sat my guest down in one of the inside suites, then got some things and set them down on the table. “This is a safety scissors, a new head bag, and some tape. Also a glass and a bottle of wine, something tells me you like a good red. You are to count to 60, then you can remove that low rent bag - it really does not suit you - plus your shoes. You can use the facilities. You can shower if you wish; I am sorry if I do not stock your products. Relax, take your time, but use a shower cap for now. I will mention that there are cameras in all rooms including the bathroom but that is security, not kicks. I intend to enjoy your wonderful flesh via intimate contact. You can look around, any door that you should not open is locked tight. After you are done you are to come back here, sit down, put on this white bag, then secure it with the tape. I expect they did it poorly; you can experiment. I do not require that the bag be tight, just constrained so it will not fall off. Not on your life. I will return. When I do, less talking is better. Understand?”

“Yes. Thank you, this is very considerate ... which I guess means you have had guests here before. I won’t ask.”