Chapter 69

I woke up about five, feeling someone getting into bed with us. It was Tina, I looked up as she held her finger over her lips and lay behind Lisa. An hour later, the alarm went off so we all got up. After a quick potty visit, I went outside to form for a few minutes. Brandy and Tiani followed me, then Lisa came out to join in with what I was doing. This morning I explained that I heard soft, slow, oriental music playing as I went through the various positions. Each position was done to stretch a muscle group and was done slowly in order to increase flexibility and strength. As I concluded, I told how that when you ended the exercise, you stood motionless for a minute to let energy flow into your body followed by bowing to your creator for giving that energy to you.

I think they all had a better understanding of why Tai Chi was so relaxing, yet filled with energy.

We all swam hard before we went in to get ready for the day. While I was taking a shower, Tina came in and was very affectionate. She said, "I spent the night with Samantha but missed you guys, so I got up and came home. I really do think of this place as home. I could have used you to cool me off when I got home this morning. Samantha just got my motor running."

I kissed Tina to let her know I was interested and turned her to lean against the wall. From behind, I did the deed that left us both very satisfied. Her loud groan brought a crowd, with Brandy saying, "Oh that's so naughty, I love it."

Tiani said, "I'd need a stool to stand on so he can do me that way."

The distraction and comments were making Tina giggle, which made her push me out and lots of juice came running down her leg. Brandy said, "Well, clean her up and come get some breakfast, the girls are here and have made pancakes."

Sure enough the kitchen was full. Surprise, Lena was there. "Lena, were you here last night? I didn't know you were here?"

"No, I was with Frieda and Judy. They wanted me to stay over there because you weren't home yet. Didn't Brandy and Tiani tell you?"

Tiani said, "I forgot. I was so interested in getting over here, I forgot."

I rolled my eyes and Lisa winked at me.

We were eating pancakes when Wanda came rushing in, saying, "I'm going to have to start leaving clothes out at the trailer park. After Lena went to the girls' house, John wanted me to come out so,,,,, "

"I guess you might have to do that, Wanda. So you could start from either direction."

The girls were quick. They had the table cleared, dishes done, and said, "We need to get to work."

I got kisses from all of them, and Nancy whispered in my ear, "You may have done it up in Atlanta, but I want another dose of your medicine tonight, okay?"

As she was getting ready to leave, Wanda said, "I don't know about you coming in. There have been a lot of inquiries about your last few outings that has D.C. wanting you to take a long vacation. Call John and see what he says."

Lisa gave me a kiss goodbye and said, "I'm on my way to Seattle. This will be an overnight, so miss me tonight and take care of the rest of the crew. Get Tina to warm one up for you." Lisa was laughing as she went out to the garage to get her car.

It was nuts for parking. The four upstairs all used the new garage where the Mustang was. Wanda, me, and whoever was first used the main garage. That means that all the rest have to park in the driveway and that can be a bunch. Who would have thought I would need more than an eight car garage.

I had a cup of coffee and talked to Lena for a while. She said to me, "I hope you don't think ill of me for staying over at the girls' house last night?"

"Not at all, Lena, I'm sort of used to them."

"That's good Chuck because I'm sort of very bi. I'm not a total girl only girl, but I really like girls probably a little more than guys, as guys are such users. They just want to stick it in and get off. Girls like to make each other feel good over and over for a long while. That's the way Frieda describes the way you make love to them. I hope I can find someone like that so I can experience that with a man."

In a little bit she said, "Mom and everybody are so upset with the way Bobby treated you. We're Bobby's family, so we love her anyway, but she sure isn't very welcome lately. I think she's ashamed at the way she left you and now wishes she never left. She says she loves the glamour of being in the spotlight with Rocky, but I don't think she likes the problems a guy like that has. Mom says that guys that use steroids like that have bad tempers and their weenies and balls shrink up, and some can't even get it up to fool around. I don't know about Rocky's dick, but I know he has a temper. I've seen Bobby's face where he's hit her. I guess I shouldn't be telling you this stuff; it's just that I secretly hope you two might get back together. From what the girls say, they feel you are theirs and they are yours. They did say that Lisa and Tina are a part of their group, and sometimes Wanda? I don't understand that one."

I smiled and said, "I don't understand everything either, Lena."

She said, "What I'm saying is, that with seven girls, one more wouldn't be that big a deal would it? Can't I be one? Or can't you take Bobby back?"

I looked at Lena lovingly and said, "Lena, Honey, you are a beautiful young lady that will become even more beautiful as you age. You remind me too much of Bobby, and even though you are not Bobby, and will probably never be like Bobby, I somehow feel I would betray the trust your Mom put in me. I don't want Bobby back, her leaving and going along with trying to hurt me, ended my feelings for her."

Lena said, "Momma said I could have you if you would take me to bed. She said it would be good for me to have a real man make love to me. She said you would make me feel like a real woman. Ask her. Call her and ask her. I'll tell her to call you, I know she talked to Wanda about it. Please, just don't say never. Let me be your friend and perhaps I can join you as another of your girls. That would be really cool."

"Oh Lena, you definitely are your mother's kid. You girls are very direct and not all that bashful, are you? I love you all for it."

"See, you can and do love me. Now just take me to bed and make love to me. Just sitting with you drinking coffee is making me all gushy inside. I'll have to change panties. I might as well not wear any around here. I'll just leave a trail wherever I sit."

Something about Lena's frank talk tickled me and I had to laugh. The little six foot seven or eight girl, who was getting to be very slender, was making me smile and feel pretty good. I told her, "We'll see, my princess. Perhaps something will change my mind."

"Goody, until then I'm going to wear out your girlfriends. I think this is a great place to stay. I hope you let me stay here to go to school. You know my sister will want to come too and she's more direct than I am. She told me that the two guys she's tried sex with were terrible, but she likes it when she plays with girls. See, she's just like me. Momma said she used to play with girls when she was younger and even did it a lot after her and Daddy got married. She said that now she only plays with Daddy, but I think they might have messed around up at the nudist park."

"Don't embarrass your mom. It's always nice to let people have their privacy on some things."

"I know, I'm just trying to come up with enough arguments that will get us in bed together. I'll be good and I won't push you. You're being nice to let me stay up here with you to find out if this is good for me."

"Lena, do you need to go out to school to register or check in or to look over the school? You might be able to meet some people and even take a look at where your classes are going to be."

"That's a good idea. I can drive around while it's not as crowded to find the best places to park and where the different buildings are. I want to try out for the softball team and I have to go to the coaches offices to do that. I'm a real good pitcher and can play anywhere. I may not be the best shortstop but I'm great at first, second, or third, and all the outfield. I'm too big for catcher, but I've done that too. My best is hitting. I can hit any pitcher after I see her throw. The coach down at Sarasota said I was a freak and wouldn't let me play very often. I hope they aren't that narrow minded up here. They have a girl that's six five, so I'm just a little taller that she is."

"I'm surprised you didn't play basketball in high school."

"The same coach says I'm a freak and probably use steroids. I've never been able to get along with her. I love basketball, but am only a so-so shooter. I'm decent under the rim and do a good job on defense."

"But, Chuck, I'm going to school to learn, not to play sports. If I have time, I'll play sports, if not, oh well. When you workout, can I workout with you? Bobby used to tell me how hard you worked out."

I said, "We'll do that, Lena. Now I need to use my office a while, so if you have traveling to do, do it when the traffic is low, like between nine and three. Spend a few days on campus and meet these people. Maybe get in the summer athletics to practice for fall. I'm sure it would be fun."

I went back to my office and fired up the PC. I called John and quickly had him rolling on the floor, telling him the story of the two newspaper reporters. He really liked the idea the chick went to jail for openly using drugs. He said, "That's probably why those people use charters. They can't take a chance on someone finding drugs on them. Charters don't have baggage inspections."

John said, "Our favorite Marshal says you are a real talent with music. How come that doesn't show up anywhere?"

That was easily answered so I told him, "I'm sure my Secret Service report shows my involvement in bands and music throughout junior high and high school. I had to leave it when my folks died and I didn't have a place to play any longer. That's why I joined the Marines. I needed a family. The Marines became my family. Now you and the service are my family."

"That's pretty powerful, my friend," John began in a more soft gentler tone. "You know, Chuck, is there any way you could get lost for a month, or two, or three. I'm mean lost, like totally gone, out of the picture. We'll keep your office open and perhaps even have to call you in to do a job, but you are too hot for the service right now. There are a bunch of bleeding hearts that are upset about some of the wars you've been in lately. They were all good shootings and some were even restrained, but they are using you as a target for being so damned accurate."

After pausing and looking around then back at me, he added, "What I'm saying is the Marshal and I want to put you on a paid leave of absence and have you be gone, far and long gone. I'll give you a sat phone so we can stay in touch, but I think you should even turn in your cell phone. Get a private one. One not charged to the service."

"I pay for my own, John. I didn't know I got a free one?"

John was surprised at that answer but commented anyway. "Well, keep what you have then. When you come back, we'll pick up the cost for yours. What do you think, can you get lost for a while? I don't think playing music would be getting lost enough. I mean gone from the area, totally out of sight, almost like in the witness program, just gone."

"John, I have an idea. Let me call you back. I have to make a couple of calls."

I called S&S Enterprises and asked for Tiny. When his booming, smiling, voice came on the phone, I already knew my answer. "Tiny, this is Chuck Johnson. Can you give me Steve's satellite phone number? I need to ask a favor of him and need to do it quick."

Tiny said, "I have it right here, Chuck, take the number down."

He read off the number and asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"If the first idea doesn't work, maybe. I sort of know what Steve will say so I doubt I'll have to go to plan B or C. I'll talk to you later, Tiny."

I sat at my desk contemplating whether I should really ask. Finally, I made the call.

"Steve Sharp at sea here."

"This is Chuck Johnson, Steve."

"This is uncanny," Steve said. "Mercy told me ten minutes ago you were going to call. That's why I have the phone right here. What's up, is something wrong, what can I do for you?"

"Steve, I've made myself too popular with the crowd that thinks it's bad to defend yourself. They think I kill indiscriminately, for fun. I don't, really, I'm a peaceful guy. Anyway, could you take on a crewman for the rest of your trip? Could you handle a guy on board, or perhaps your friend Dewey would let me crew on his boat."

Steve said, "We'd love to have you, Chuck, but remember, I have a bunch of women and a pile of kids. Even this big boat can get a little crazy crowded sometimes. There is no privacy, but there is a lot of love and fun. The girls would all love to have you and I would enjoy your company. I'd be a lot more at ease with your skill and experience. Do you think you could meet us in California or up in Seattle? Possibly out at Friday Harbor where Dewey will be?"

"I'm sure I can, Steve. I have to tie up a bunch of loose ends real quick, and figure on what to bring. I guess a lot of shorts, jeans, deck shoes, some dress clothes, swimsuits, and a handful of shirts and T-shirts."

Steve said, "Get some good rain gear from a sporting goods store. You can get it up in Friday Harbor at an outfitter up there. Get a gallon or so of suntan lotion and sunblock. And you'll need some caps. Hear that, caps, plural. You'll lose one a week or so when the wind takes it off. I like slouch hats as they don't seem to blow away so fast. We don't go back for ball caps. The kids lose a couple a day. Everything goes overboard around here, including kids sometimes. You really have to watch them on a hot day. They're getting old enough to be dependable now, but when they were little, they would go running off the side of the boat to get cool all the time. That meant an adult had to jump in after them and the boat would have to take down sail and go back for them. We usually even had to start the engines."

"Let me get to packing and planning. I've got to arrange for the house and stuff. I'll call you later to plan on a meeting place."

"I'll tell the ladies; they will be ecstatic. Mercy is trying to grab the phone, so at least talk to her a second."

"Oh, Chuck, I just knew you were coming to us. I'm so happy. You're family you know. I feel it in me. Sue, Kathy, and Juanita will be so happy and my mom and Sue's mom, Beth, will be happy too. The kids will be so excited. We'll get a room ready for you right away, when and where Chuck?"

I told Mercy, "I don't know yet, but I thought you would be farther along by now."

"We would be, but we had some trouble on the west end of the canal and had to delay there a little while. We're still on schedule and will probably not stay as long at Friday Harbor as we had originally planned. We're probably picking up a boat to travel with us in San Francisco and another up where Dewey lives. There will be four boats going to Alaska and Hawaii. We might not go farther this trip and just vacation in Hawaii. If we feel up to it, we'll go on to Japan and discuss the Philippines at the time. We haven't made up our minds. We're meeting our friends from Ireland either up in Alaska or at Friday Harbor, so it will be a real party after that. Oh, I'm so excited you're coming. I'll let you go. I'll tell everyone."

She hung up. Just like that. Click.

What a flake Mercy is, a sweet strange flake, but definitely a mysterious flake.

I called Wanda and briefly gave her my idea of how to hide for a couple of months. She said, "I knew it would get to this as active as you've been. With this Congress and some of the Oversight Congressional Committee people, anyone doing as much good as you've been doing, is stepping on some of their supporters toes. The administration is for tough law enforcement, but the new Congress is wishy-washy. It will be good to get you out of sight, out on convalescent leave. That will look good to them. They can hope you'll croak. Perhaps we'll change your name when you come back so they won't know you're back. We can do that about once a year and get away with it forever."

Wanda exclaimed, "Damn girl, I'm so smart."

I laughed at Wanda's idea. She was having a good time with this anyway.

"Wanda, can you be in charge of the house and children while I'm gone?"

"No sweat, partner. I can do it blindfolded. John will just have to come over more often and get used to having someone beat him to my pussy."

"Wanda, you're at work. You can't talk like that."

"Sure, I can, I'm talking to a non-entity, so I can get away with anything. But you have to do something for me. Go get your own gun or guns. You'll need to turn in yours to me and any other equipment you may have. I noticed you pay for your own cell phone, so you won't have to turn that in. Why don't you drive your car in about five so you can leave it in the garage here where they can use it to keep it in good shape? If it comes to it, I'll drive your Mustang for you once a week, but I might get Hank to come and get it and exercise it for you while you are gone. You know all your girlfriends are going to go nuts with you gone for that long, especially your two new ones. Lisa is really hooked you know. Tina is a close second. Your fruity five, or Fab five as you call them, are so whacked out all the time you would think they were all goofy. I know they're just confused. Bring the car in but go to the gun store first."

"I'll see you later, Wanda, help me plan okay?"

"Nothing to plan, Guy. Pack and get."

I jumped in the car and ran down to Gunn Highway where there was an old gun shop that had a Glock sign on the front. Inside, I found they had all the sizes so I asked for a model 22 with four magazines. I showed the man my permits and badge and he wrote up the sale. He did call the local station to verify I was real. I asked about special rifles like an MP5 or something like that. I said it would be good to have something that would and did have a good swing away scope and possibly some night illumination.

The man had a specially made AR15 with the scope that was both swing away and had night illumination. I wanted that. I asked about defense shotguns, but not the kind with just a pistol grip. He had several that were short barrels and were twenty inches instead of eighteen. I thought that would be perfect. I had to explain that the weapons were for a sea cruise for boat defense. He understood and began loading me up with ammo. I bought two hundred rounds of forty caliber, two hundred for the AR and a hundred for the shotgun. He found me two nice aluminum cases to put everything in, and then it was holster time. I bought a clip on, a straight belt holster, and a shoulder rig. That should do it. The man said to me, "Have you ever thought about a back up? An ankle gun?"

"I only have one good ankle, the other is fake. There's no way to attach a holster to the fake leg."

"Let me see."

I pulled the leg off and surprised him. He looked at it a minute, got a small holster, some snap on straps, and fit it to the stalk. He used the split on the stalk to hook one of the straps between so the holster wouldn't slide up and down and said, "See, perfect."

"So what fits in that?"

"A Glock 27, a PPK, a small S&W 9 mil, lots of guns, but I kind of thought you might want the junior Glock. Same ammo and you're used to the gun."

"Good thinking, give me the 27."

I put the leg back on and found I could raise my pants fast enough to get at the holster. Neat, a backup, but I didn't think I would ever need it. The guy handed me two full magazines and said, "An extra magazine goes into the little pocket on the holster. Make sure you clean the piece before you take it out to use and depend on."

In answer to the dealers suggestion, "That reminds me, give me cleaning kits for these, the AR, and the shotgun. I'm not going to be around a station to use their kits. He added that to the bill. He asked, "What else?"

"I don't know. I guess that should do it as far as firepower. This is my first boat ride into potentially hostile territory, so I'll see. Learn by doing."

The man said, "I have a customer that bought some crossbows. He said the lack of noise was important."

"Good idea, do you sell the noise suppressors for the Glock and do you have one for the AR?"

"I do and I do. They are only available to law enforcement though. I guess you're law enforcement. Want one or two for Glock. If you have to use your backup, you won't have time to think about noise suppression. The shotgun is just plain loud but if you use the one for the Glock, you need to clean it after you use it. Same with the AR, but you fire a lot more ammo through it than you would the handgun."

"I would? How?"

"Oh yeah, ah, I'm going to give you something that you probably will recognize. Don't be a blabbermouth okay?"

He handed me a packet. I looked inside and it contained an AR selector switch and the catch to change the recoil option. "My lips are sealed."

We stuffed everything into the cases, but I put the envelope in my pocket. I handed him my card and he said, "You've made my day, or maybe even my week. Here, have a gift."

"He handed me an older PPK with a box of .380 ammo. Give it to a girlfriend. You should probably give them a revolver, but have whoever come in and I'll teach them to shoot correctly. Now that's a good deal."