Chapter 24: Rick Mason - Framed and Hung!

"Almost in the bag? Justin how can you say that? I mean you don't even know if what you suspect is true, and even if it is how can you know if you're plan will work?"

"Trust me Vikki love, I know my father's friends and they're good at what they do."

"Yes of course I understand that. But you've still got to get Mason to cooperate in the first part of your plan don't you?"

"Vikki we're going to his home turf right. I mean 'Shoot Em Up' is where he hangs out where he's boss. And I presume all of his cronies will be there too right?"

"Yes, so how does that help?"

Vikki was scared. She was like a cat on a hot tin roof. I had to put her at ease again. Last night and this afternoon she had had sex to take her mind off Mason, but now the confrontation was at hand. I turned to her and said, "I'm going to shame him into doing the right thing."

"Oh how so, I mean you know what he's capable of?"

"Well he has a certain image to protect. It won't take much to convince him that a one-on-one fight isn't the answer. And he won't want to use his buddies to help him fight me because that would be demeaning."

"So how will you get him to go along with what we've planned?"

"As far as I know the only talent he really has is snooker. Now he knows I can play because he's seen me there often enough with my father and by myself when I've been practicing but pride won't let him believe that I'm better than him which means the challenge will be snooker. Now it won't be much of a stretch to get him to go to 'Pot Black' around the corner."

By this time we were almost at the door of 'Shoot Em Up' and it was about ten after five. Now Vikki was really nervous, but she was steeling herself for the confrontation.

We walked into the place, made our way through the various video games, dance platforms and shooting games until we got to the counter.

Sitting on one of the stalls near the counter was a dark haired girl with a skirt hiked up so far you could see the pink thong panties she was wearing and a vest so see-through you could see her smallish tits. "Well," she said, "if it isn't superslut! What's the matter babe missing Rickie?"

Vikki almost choked. "Wh-what me missing that prick, I'm not as fucking deluded as you Madeleine. I mean I maybe a slut, but in this town slut means somebody who enjoys an active sex life. You're just a tramp, you know, someone who'll fuck anybody or anything whether it's animal, vegetable or mineral. After all you fuck Rick and he's a pig."

"You fucking cunt!" She jumped off her stall ready to attack. "I ought to fucking... !"

"SIT DOWN YOU STUPID FUCKING CUNT!" came a loud and familiar voice from down the back. "And I thought I told you to take that top off."

Vikki and I looked up, as did the seven or eight other people in the games parlour, to see Mason walking down between three half-sized pool tables and two full-sized snooker tables. He had his left arm around a redheaded girl while his right arm was around a brunette. Neither of them looked more than 15 or 16 and both of them looked enamoured with Mason. To me it looked as though the three of them had just been having sex, an impression that was more than confirmed as both girls started adjusting their clothes.

"Miss me did you Vikki?" Mason smiled as he saw the girl called Madeleine removing her top. "Don't answer that. As a matter-of-fact I'm glad you're here, the boys and me are having a poker game tonight and Maddy here needs a little help with serving the food and drink and supplying the evenings entertainment. Oh by the way," he held out a bottle of water, "this is a little peace offering."

I looked at the bottle and noted that it had been opened but I didn't say anything.

Vikki stood tall and looked him square in the eye. "Give it to super-tramp here," she pointed to Madeleine, "I think she's in more need of it than I am."

"Maddy drinks Coke, and anyway I've got hers here." He handed Madeleine an open can."

I couldn't resist. "What's the matter can't she open her own can?"

"I'm just being a gentleman."

Vikki laughed so hard she coughed. "Give me break."

Mason stepped forward went to slap her except that my right caught his just before it hit. Then I realised that what I'd thought about me and Mason was in fact true. I was stronger! I bent his hand at the wrist and with hardly any pressure forced him to his knees. I looked down at him as I kept bending his hand back. "Vikki's not going around to your place is she?"

"But we've got this..." he was almost begging through the pain he must have been feeling, "Vikki and I have an..."

"Have a verbal agreement. Yes she's told me all about that, and we'll honour that. Now I'm guessing that this little contest you and I will be having won't be a fight am I right. I mean you wouldn't be able to have your friend's help not like last night when you needed three guys to subdue me so that you could have a one-on-one fight with Vikki, slap her senseless and use a knife on her. I guess it's lucky that gang of kids came around otherwise who knows what state we would've been in."

"Rick you mean you..." said Madeleine

"Shut up you stupid fucking bitch!"

"I thought you said you were a gentleman Mason," I was enjoying this moment of control as I bent his hand back right to breaking point causing him to scream out with the pain. "Gentlemen don't talk to their girlfriends like that." I indicated Madeleine. "Say you're sorry."

"Go fuck... !"

I bent his hand back just a little more. "I said say you're sorry!"

"All right, all right," he said through eyes that were beginning tear up. "I'm sorry Maddy."

"Now say sorry to Vikki."

"I don't have to we have an..."

I had released his hand a little. I bent it back a little harder. "You do have to. I just decided that you gave up on that agreement when you did that to her last night." I turned to the two girls who were now standing alongside Madeleine. "You two may as well go, I reckon you've got better things to do with your time."

Both girls didn't even hesitate. They were gone in less than five seconds.

It was then that I realised that two guys about Mason's age, 20 or 21, had joined Maddy at the counter and were looking at me in a menacing fashion as they manhandled her breasts. I looked down at Mason. "Tell your goons to get their grubby paws off the girl," knowing what I thought I knew I really didn't think that this girl Madeleine deserved the treatment she was getting. "And tell them that if they try to do anything I'll break your wrist. And don't think I can't." I bent his hand back right to breaking point as if to prove a point. "I mean you've already proved that what happened last night was the real you by trying to hit Vikki here," I placed my right arm around her waist and kissed her full on the lips, "and in front of all of these people and Madeleine here."

Mason did exactly that, and he apologised to Vikki.

"Now Mason, if I let you up and release your hand will you behave?"

He didn't say anything so I released Vikki and used my right hand to grab Mason's throat and pressed on his larynx with my thumb. "I'm asking if you'll behave?"

He nodded his head almost immediately so I released my hold on him and allowed him to stand, at which point he began rubbing furiously on his right wrist.

I looked at him as I hugged Vikki to me in proprietary fashion. "Now seeing as it's not going to be a fight I'm guessing that your main talents lie in the area of snooker wouldn't they." It wasn't really a question it was a statement. "After all I have seen you here playing several times. "I grinned and looked at Madeleine. "That is when you weren't in the backroom playing another sort of game."

"All right prick, snooker it is." He turned and headed to towards the back stopping only when he realised I wasn't following. "Well cockhead are you coming?" Mason was obviously feeling better and he had stopped rubbing his wrist.

"Oh I don't think we should play here do you? I think we should go to neutral territory." I pretended to think for a second or two and then... "I know, how about we go to 'Pot Black?' I said as, without Mason seeing, I picked up the bottle of water that he had unthinkingly put down on the counter.

Mason hummed and hawed for several seconds but eventually decided that one full-sized snooker table was as good as any and the four of us, he decided he needed Madeleine's company, headed off to the other side of town and 'Pot Black'.

By the time we reached the more upmarket snooker saloon Mason was back to his obnoxious best. "We still got that date for tonight slut?"

Vikki stopped, turned and was about to answer, but I didn't give her a chance. "Yes she has a date but I don't think it's going to be with you."

Of course that all depended on what Peter Johnson had found and whether he had been able to convince his daughter Naomi to go to 'Pot Black'.

"Huh, we'll see," was all he said.

We walked in through the understated entrance into a plush well-lit lobby come coffee shop that opened out to an area panelled in pine and draped in red velvet that housed twelve, I counted them, full-sized tables. Of course the only lights in that area were those that hung at the appropriate height over each table.

One look at Mason's expression as he looked in the direction of the desk told me that things must have gone according to plan. I looked in that direction and saw that indeed Peter Johnson was there with Naomi. Also there and talking to them from the other side of the counter was... was... Caroline Herschfeldt!

Before Mason could say anything Caroline spotted us. "Justin, Vikki, it would've been a pleasant surprise if Peter here hadn't already told me that you were coming. It's a pity that you had to bring this piece of crap with you."

By this time we were up at the counter and Mason was about to get loud and typically obnoxious. "Listen bitch..."

He didn't get a chance to finish. Peter Johnson, six foot five and two hundred and twenty-five pound of muscle, grabbed his neck in one massive hand and lifted him until the balls of his feet were barely touching the ground. "You'd better quit while you're still in one piece." He indicated his daughter Naomi who was standing next to him and laughing at Mason's expression. "I understand that you know my daughter."

Mason waited until Naomi's father let go and said, "Yes, she liked what she saw and... well... what can I say."

"Not much else if you want to keep your head on your shoulders. Mrs. Herschfeldt... er... Caroline here knows what you've been up to as does this smart young man." He turned to me. "You see it was Jason here who suspected you. That obviously means that this beautiful young lady here," he indicated Vikki, "obviously knows too and quite obviously has been subjected to the same treatment as my Naomi and this young lady," he said indicating Madeleine after giving his daughter a gentle hug.

"Justin, Vikki, what's going on?" Asked Naomi moving a step closer and revealing for the first time that she hadn't as yet changed out of her supermarket uniform. "Dad hasn't told me a thing, he told Caroline... Mrs. Herschfeldt here..."

"Call me Caroline, Naomi."

She smiled. "Yes Caroline." She turned back to Vikki and me. "He told Caroline, but he told me that I should wait and that it had something to do with the man..." She turned to Mason, "He told me that it had something to do with you Rick, what's he talking about?"

"I don't know sweet tits I..."

The big hand went to Mason's neck again. "You don't listen do you Mason. Now you're to be seen and not heard, is that understood?"

"Yes Mr. Johnson," said Mason gasping for breath, as he was let down again.

Peter Johnson turned to me. "Justin, I think it's you who should explain to my daughter here, and to this young lady. I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"Madeleine Paulson. And yes I'd like to know what the fuck is going on here. After all it's not as if I care about all the other girls he fucks as long as he fucks me. I mean," she looked at Vikki, "it's not as if I give a shit about snooty tits here or," she turned to Naomi, "slut cunt there."

Vikki moved over and grabbed Naomi's hand. "Call us what you like now Maddy but I think once you've heard what Justin has to say you might change your tune."

"Yeah, well I doubt it."

It seemed obvious to me that the can of Coke Mason had given Maddy was having its effect, and the fact that Naomi or Vikki hadn't had one was additional proof that my suspicions were correct.

"Okay," I stood back. "Vikki I think you should stay with Naomi, I think she might need your support in a few moments."

"Hey!" said Naomi. "This sounds serious." She turned to Vikki. "What's going on? What's my dad got to do with it? What has Rick done? Vikki, I know he behaved badly on Friday night when I was, when we were..." She looked at her father red-faced unable to finish. "I'm sorry daddy."

"So am I honey, so am I." He held her hand and gave her another hug. "Don't misunderstand me Naomi, I'm not upset about the sex, after all we're in an enlightened age and I wouldn't have any objection to you having sex with somebody like Justin here. Ooh," he looked at Vikki, "I'm sorry Vikki I didn't mean to... er..."

Vikki grinned. "Oh I wouldn't be terribly worried Mr. Johnson..."

"Peter."

"I wouldn't be terribly worried Peter, we believe in share and share alike. After all I am right in believing that love come from the heart and that sex is just fucking, aren't I?"

"Absolutely. And really I have to believe in sexual freedom otherwise I wouldn't be so willing to allow my daughter to expose herself in such a uniform," said Peter Johnson smiling and grabbing the shirt of Rick Mason as he tried to take a step to get out of what he obviously knew was a hopeless situation. "Don't make me hurt you Mason." He then turned to me. "Now Justin I really do think its time."

"So do I," said Caroline. "But I think we should go to the sanctuary of my private room." She led the way through the table area, only three of which were in use, after telling the young man who had been standing a little way away and trying to make himself as one with the wall to look after the place while she was gone. "It's through here," she said indicating a door between life-size framed prints of Eddie Charlton (Australian world champion snooker player) and Walter Lindrum (Australian world champion billiards player).

When we walked through it was like we were in another world. Dominating the centre of the room was a full-sized snooker in sky-blue instead of the more traditional green while the rest of the décor was made up of soft pastels. Lavender and lime green for the walls rose for the curtains and a combination of tan and light yellow for the three-seater couch and two chairs that sat next to an imposing teak desk. Behind the desk was a large matching chair with armrests and to its left was a bar.

"Now to positions," said Caroline addressing Mason first. "Mason, I think you should take one of the end seats on the couch."

He hesitated, but only for the second it took Peter Johnson to take two steps towards him.

Caroline then turned to Peter. "I think you should..."

She didn't even have to finish as he moved to the middle seat of the couch right next to Mason.

"Naomi you can on the other side of your father, Madeleine you can sit in the chair next to Naomi and well away from Mason." Once they were seated she turned to Vikki. "Vikki I think you should take a seat on my desk while I take up a position behind the bar." Then she turned to me. "Justin my love, I think you should stand between the table and the door so that everybody can see you."

Once Vikki was settled and I was in position Caroline said, "Justin, it's time!"

I looked at Naomi first. "Naomi, I want to take you back to Friday. Were you at Rick's place playing any sort of game?"

She thought for a second. "Yes, yes I was." She turned to Vikki. "It was after work, you know after we discussed what we were going to do last Saturday."

"You mean when you flashed your panties?"

"Yes." She looked down and laughed. "Guess we're showing a lot more now huh?" Then she looked at me. "But I've been there regularly in the last few weeks, why?"

"But not in the last couple of days since Friday nights party?"

"NO!" She was starting to get a little impatient. "Now come on Justin why?"

"Naomi how do you feel about Mason now compared to how you felt about him on Friday?" She went to answer but I held up my hand and continued. "What I mean Naomi is that on Friday, from the way Vikki described what she saw when she got to the party, you were enamoured with Mason. In fact you were having," I looked at her father. "I'm sorry Peter. Naomi you were having sex with Mason weren't you? So how do you feel about him now?"

"Well..." She was searching for the right words and after several seconds obviously found them. "All right maybe I'm not as enamoured with Rick as I have been at other times but I'm sure that when I go see him down at the parlour that it'll be different. Especially in a less... confronting situation."