Chapter 1

Hawaii was chosen for the 'shoot' both by the client as well as the production company. Each had their own reasons and both had a pre-determined schedule to keep.

The original timeframe for the pictures was to be 7 days. Once the venue of Hawaii was chosen it had been cut to 3 days. It was decided that it was not the rainy season and each day saved put a bonus into someone's pocket.

Cat had been through this more times than she wanted to think of. This 'opportunity' was made to entice her to loosen up and do some nude shoots as well as make herself available to entertain the clients. The producer figured that he would break her in to the good life now.

She had been used like this since she could remember. First it was commercials. Those 30 second spots brought her to the attention of a TV producer then she spent the next five years of her life doing several series. Most were legitimate. Two producers wanted her to do some private videos for overseas clients. When the scripts called for the clothes to come off, Cat did too. At twelve she would either do what the producers wanted her to do or no work.

She rather enjoyed no more work.

Two years seemed to fly by. At fourteen, two things happened. One, she became a woman, a very fine looking woman, second, an old photographer from when she was younger, had gotten aboard a popular teen magazine and when a particular photo spread was discussed, thought immediately of her.

He and she had always worked well together. In fact, he was the one who warned her what the model's life was like and what excesses many producers would drive her to do and become. The photo shoot he offered her was suggestive, brief and very see-through lingerie and bikini bottoms only but he had readily agreed to give her the 'right of refusal' and to air brush any offending shots. Her career became renewed with this shoot. Her work over the next few years was limited and very soon more and more advertisers wanted this 'fresh, new look' model.

Cat had decided that this last shoot in Hawaii would be it for now, possibly the last she would do. She could sense the direction she was being asked, no told to go in, and it was not a direction she was interested in pursuing, nor taking any more assignments.

She was not rich, but for a sixteen year old girl, she was wise beyond her years. When her agent began to demand she sign some 'questionable' overseas contracts, two in Arab countries and one in Aruba she calmly had a legal firm terminate his representation and had a order of protection served for the minor Catherine Brown. One might wonder about her parents and why they never seemed to care about her. She had a simple explanation, they did not care. Her grandmother had been there for her most of her life.

Grand Mama was a fire ball when it came to her granddaughter. They talked about anything and everything. As she got older, it usually dealt with men. Cat was in a very 'bad' business and she had to make several choices between a casting couch or no assignment. She had made a few bad choices but the presence of a bodyguard her grandmother had hired for her and the threat of police had saved her in those early tests.

She had gone to several schools along the way. As soon as they found out more about her, several things were always the same. Girls thought of her as some slut and competition. Guys wanted their turn with the new slut and many found themselves facing not only their parents but hauled into court or served with the threat of legal action. It was no wonder that the future for this young lady was still uncertain. Cat decided to stay in Hawaii for a bit after that last shoot.

Steve, or Mustafa, as his father liked to call him was adopted. A Turkish father and, from what he remembered, a red haired Irish mother back then. That was one thing he always remembered, pretty women. His adopted father had always surrounded himself with pretty women.

If there had been any great influence on him as he was growing up, it had been his grandfather. Even though he had been adopted, there was something which drew him close to his grandfather. That closeness would be reciprocated, for when his grandfather died, Steve was informed that outside a small but generous trust fund left to his adopted father; he was the sole beneficiary in his grandfather's will. More than six Billion Dollars in cash, stocks, bonds and ownership of several fabulous properties were included.

His father was furious. Sure the money from the trust fund would keep him well off but he had always thought of the billions as his. He had only adopted Steve to satisfy his father, now he began to realize why.

Steve had inherited several properties and corporations from his grandfather. Since he was over eighteen, not much could be said or done when he elected himself the CEO. He was, after all, the sole or majority stockholder. One or two 'fat cats' did not want to get off what they felt was their due. Being adopted they thought would invalidate the will. It seemed the legal beagles they hired all informed them that a beneficiary did not mean they even had to be related to the deceased. Family status only played in if there was no will. The law firm representing Steve was considered one of the best so no action was likely when any reputable lawyer knew he could not win. In the few times one tried, a counter suit for $100 millions was soon filed and new security firms removed all resistance from those sites.

Family was another sore point for Steve. People he had never seen or met before now were coming out of the woodwork claiming kinship. Most said they were a De Lucca or were a distant cousin. It was funny in a way, they never even checked to see that he was adopted. One thing about his father though, he casually informed Steve that everyone who claimed to be related was not and an imposter. Steve gained some respect for him and when he suggested Dad relocate his harem using another Villa he inherited on the Black Sea, it was readily accepted.

The house in Maui was almost empty now. Marusita Sensei, who had been his instructor since he was five lived there with his daughter, Kiko, who had just turned sixteen. Several support people now that his father was gone, wanted to attend to the house. Steve retained a cook, maid, driver and three gardeners/pool caretakers. An old Hawaiian man and his daughters. They were to live in the small house now vacated when Sensei and Kiko moved back into the large home.

Steve wanted a simple life and yet most of the outward signs of success were kept. He felt what he did in private was no concern to those he did business with.

Several changes were made shortly after he took charge. Many would call it consolidation, his tax accountants called it foolish but four investments, each poised to open new markets in foreign countries were sold off or future funding stopped. It made him some enemies but in the long run, gave him a more comfortable feeling, since they all would have demanded much of his time in the future. His grandfather had left a book, a journal of sorts and commented on almost every thing he had acquired. One or two things seemed to be inviolate and no matter if they made money or not, he would not do anything against the direction and advice his grandfather had indicated. One such action was the advice to find a wife, a woman who would accept him as he was and was willing to become involved in all aspects of Steve's life.

Not bad advice Steve thought. At nineteen though, he did not think this was a priority though.

There was something that bothered him though. He had never had or been a friend to anyone. He decided to try to at least make life better for a few. Although it took a while, he was allowed to visit the forbidden Island. Molokai had been a leper island for many years. With the advent of modern medicine and knowledge replacing fear and superstition, things had improved. On the way there, he wondered if the flesh eating virus now spreading across the mainland had any relationship to the centuries old leper plague.

He was greeted by Sister Mary Ross and two medical doctors. Although care was non denominational, Steve conducted his own investigation. Soon he was asked a very simple question, why was he asking things. The State of Hawaii had agreed to his visit but not much else was known. He could be a reporter, a patient or know of one. Sister Mary though wondered since his questions did not appear those of a young man. Steve began his reasoning.

"I have been very fortunate Sister, I was adopted and found someone who cared for me just the way I was. He left me with more than I ever could use and he left me with something I never knew I had; Loneliness. In much the same way I now want to try to help those who share that with me. I know you try your best. It is not easy. But these people have no one and nothing like I once shared with them. I want to give them, through you, something. I am told by a certain official, that as long as no tax credit is applied for, the State will not trouble you or this mission about a small contribution."

Steve handed her a checkbook. "Use these as you see fit for their care. Every year it will be added to. Use care and it will be our little secret Sister." $ Twenty Millions would not be even something Sister Ross would ever get for this mission, now she was being handed a gift that could impact everything and everyone on the Island. Steve left with tears in his eyes. Sister Ross did not even know his name.

The trip also made Steve take notice of something else. Not only was he isolated, away, by choice, from the many calls and e-mails he was now subjected to but he needed to attend, chair in fact several upcoming Board meetings.

Fate seemed to step into his life once more. On a short walk on the beach, with Kiko watching every step, he saw the girl crying and holding her leg.

The red and raw stripes left no doubt that a jellyfish had stung her. Maybe an squid even or several since the wounds were all over her leg.

"Suck it up trooper!" he said to the girl, "I have some good news and some sort of not so good news. First you will be okay. Second, the pain can go away right now, but the cure is a bit personal.'

"What do you mean?" She said that just as Kiko came up.

"Kiko love, Can you call to the house and have some vinegar and compresses brought out here. In the meantime I'll go for a little swim while you two get a little personal time in.'

Kiko took up her radio, called the house and as Steve began to go away, crouched over the now swollen leg and started talking to the girl.

"You will what!" as the warm wet stream ran across her leg. The pain went away like magic and as Kiko pulled the bottom of her bikini back in place, she laughed and said that Steve would gladly take her place if more pee was needed. It was not very usual, but it introduced Cat to Kiko and Steve in a very personal way.

Two vinegar bottles, yards of gauze and some salve fishermen used made Cat look more like a mummy than a model. They also were not alone. Sensei marched down to the beach with a giant of a man 10 yards ahead. Cat stared at them in wonder. "Hans", she said. "Why are you here?" "Your grandmother, Miss Cat, you know how she is! I was not expecting this midget to start throwing me around. I was just to watch over you."

The remark was said with a smile as Hans looked back to the frail looking old man. He got a punch on the arm from Kiko. "You big bully, you leave my father alone and pick on someone your own size."