Chapter 10: Panama Adventures (Part 2)

"What are you talking about?! Bettman's where?!" Jackson Trethewey sputtered. "How the hell did he find us? We were so careful, too!"

"It doesn't matter how he did it," Brandon tried to refocus the pursued couple. "It's how we get you two out of here and onto your boat that's important now. Tracy and Celeste have gone to see if they can find Blackwells. We'll have to stick together for a while longer until we can figure out a way to get past him. Son-of-a-bitch!"

There was a light tap on the hotel room door, and a glance through the peep-hole revealed four very familiar but worried faces. Brandon opened it and hurried them inside the room.

"Can we sneak these guys down the back stairs and out that way?" he considered as a possibility.

"It's armed," Joe supplied. "The second we open that door, the alarms are going to go crazy."

"So it's either trip the alarms or go through the lobby then. Personally, I'd be tempted to trip the alarms and hope like hell that the noise creates enough confusion to give us a couple of extra seconds. Bettman's probably going to expect you to head for the front of the building, so if you go to the canal side and along the back, that'll buy a couple more minutes. After that, I guess we run like hell for the pier.

"And if we make it that far?" Joe looked for more of Brandon's plan.

"Use our tender to get these two out to the Luv Boat, then scoot back as fast as you can. Once Jack and Belinda are underway, we'll worry about Bettman and see if we can lose him somehow. As soon as we do, you and Shannon are out of here, in case he gets some weird ideas."

"And what about you three? Are you ready to sail?" Joe's concern came out.

"Unfortunately, no. We're still waiting for that new spinnaker, and that might be a couple more days. But if we have to, we'll find another marina away from the canal and hide there."

"Brandon, we're not leaving here until you do," Joe told him. "If that bastard makes trouble for you, you'll need all the help you can get. Jack and Belinda need to get going, but we can wait. We don't have a particularly tight schedule, and making sure our friends are safe is more important than leaving at any specific time."

"How do we know he's not after you three?" Jackson added. "After what you told us back in Manzanillo Bay, you're as good a target as we are, and maybe even better. There's three of you, and only two of us."

"True, but by the same token, we also make a better decoy," Brandon's tactical strategy came out.

"What makes you think that?" Joe couldn't figure out.

"There's three of us and only one of him. We're a pretty good team, which means that we can play, 'divide and conquer'."

"Five can play that game as easily as three," Joe reminded him, "and probably more effectively, too."

"Whatever it takes to get these two out of here, we do it," Brandon was adamant. "But that damned Texan is becoming more trouble than he's worth, isn't he? Taking him out of the loop permanently is starting to have a real appeal for me."

"Brandon," Tracy's discomfort came out, "you promised. No violence. Remember that?"

"What I promised, Pip-squeak, was that I wouldn't reduce that asshole husband of yours to Jell-O. But anyone else that threatens my crew or our friends is fair game. We had that discussion, too."

His sister silently conceded the point, but it was obvious to anyone looking that she wasn't happy about it.

For the next five minutes, the three men worked on a viable strategy, then set out to put it into action. Jackson and Belinda headed for the stairwell farthest from the elevators, while Joe and Shannon took the one at the opposite end of the building. As soon as Celeste called the elevator to the third floor, the three groups got ready to move, and when the elevator doors slid open, Jackson and Belinda began their descent. Ten seconds later, Joe and Shannon followed their lead down the other stairwell. Brandon waited another fifteen seconds, then gave Celeste the go-ahead to hit the button that would take them to the lobby.

Somehow, their timing worked out perfectly, or at least close enough to have the desired effects. When Tretheweys tripped the alarm at one end of the building, there was a combined rush of staff and curious guests towards the sound's source. But ten seconds later, another alarm began to scream, sending people in two directions at once. In the ensuing confusion, it was easy for the girls to collide with their intended Texan victim, while Brandon "accidentally" made sure that Bettman ended up on the lobby floor. It took mere seconds for the bounty hunter to recover, but those critical seconds were all it took for Shannon to get to the front lobby door then start yelling hysterically, and those screams were echoed by other guests, none of whom had the faintest idea why everyone was in such a panic.

All that confusion was exactly what Brandon had been hoping for, and provided the cover needed for Joe to rendezvous with Jackson and Belinda, then lead the way through the hotel's landscaping shrubbery, finally arriving at the entrance to the pier where Winters' little inflatable waited. The two men had the Kodiak launched and ready to depart in short order, with the wailing of sirens from emergency vehicles only adding to the commotion behind them.

"Let's get the hell out of here before Slim clues in and goes after Tretheweys," Brandon strongly ordered his crew, and the three joined the throng of semi-panicked patrons as they pushed and shoved to get out of the lobby.

Joe and Jackson had managed to get underway, and the three headed for the Luv Boat in as circuitous a route as they could, trying to keep other boats between them and the view anyone on shore might have of their progress. Once at the Trethewey's yacht, Jackson and Belinda scrambled aboard. There were several short words of appreciation on Jackson's part, and the exchange of some written information. As soon as Joe shoved off, Jackson rushed to start and warm up the diesel auxiliary while Belinda concentrated on raising the anchor. By the time Joe was back at the pier, the Luv Boat had started to move into the channel, and he watched its progress wistfully.

"Gawd, I hope you get far enough to be out of reach before that bastard figures out what's happened," Blackwell muttered to himself.

Brandon had grabbed Celeste's hand and was leading her out of the lobby's confusion when they finally caught up to Shannon.

"Where's Joe?" he enquired of the middle aged woman.

"He should be back at the pier by now," she reported, "but I lost track of Bettman! Have you seen him?"

"He was laying face down on the lobby floor the last time I looked. After that, all I wanted to do was get the girls out. Let's see if we can find Joe."

"Where's Tracy?" Shannon alerted him.

"She's right... ", Brandon started to reply, but a glance in the direction where he expected to see his sister only revealed an overweight American female tourist wearing a bright-coloured, loose-fitting top, and a pair of shorts that had no business being on anyone that large. The sight almost revolted him, although his concerns were somewhere other than on the obese woman's wardrobe.

"Angel? Where's Tracy go?" his panicky tone demanded.

"She was right behind me a second ago. Shit, where is she?" Celeste's own fear rang out.

Shannon had been searching the crowds in hopes of spotting the missing woman, and when she did, the colour began to drain from her features.

"Over there," she pointed to the receding figure of Brandon 's sister being propelled away from the confusion by a large man that he immediately recognized as their adversary.

"Cocksucker!" Brandon cursed, then apologized for his rude remark.

"He probably is," Celeste tried to ease the strains they all felt. "What do we do now? We've got to get her back, and get rid of that asshole. Lover, this isn't what I had in mind for a relaxing vacation. God dammit!"

"Okay, let's stop panicking, and think," he tried to reorganize his thoughts. "Shannon, can you go and find Joe, then catch up with us? Have you got a cell phone, perchance?"

"It's upstairs in our room," she informed their erstwhile leader.

"Damn! Angel? How about you? Have you got one?"

"Same story, Lover. It's upstairs, and by the look of this place, going back for it is out of the question. Why?"

"Because Shannon and Joe could have tracked us down with that phone. You and I are going to follow that fat asshole, but I'd like to have Joe with us before I'll tackle him. I have a bad feeling that we're going to need to set up another diversion, and the more of us there is, the better."

"What's your number?" Shannon asked, the beginning of a strategy growing in her mind. Brandon rattled off the ten-digit phone number, and she began to repeat it softly to herself as a memorization aid.

"You two follow Bettman," she ordered. "I'll find something to track you down with, and we'll meet you as soon as we can. I have an idea, but it's going to take some feminine wiles to pull it off. Let me worry about that part. You keep track of Bettman and your sister. Go!"

Not used to taking orders from a woman, Brandon and Celeste nonetheless did as they'd been commanded. In the back of his mind, though, Brandon felt a disquieting unease, both over the current developments, and the potential results of tracking his sister. All it would take was one error, one false step, and their whole escape would fall apart like a tumbling house of cards. At this point, though, there weren't too many other options. They had to follow Tracy and her Texan escort, no matter what.

Shannon caught up to her husband just as he was reaching the top of the pier's gangway, and it took her less than a minute to fill him in on the current situation. Joe steered both of them into the middle of the hotel's confusion, then pleaded with one of the strangers to borrow a cell phone. As soon as he had it in his hand, they quickly disappeared back into the crowd, and he passed the device over to his wife, as she was the one that had Brandon's phone number committed to memory.

"See if you can track them," he told her once they were far enough from the crowd. "Maybe we can catch up to them before anything else goes wrong."

Shannon banged her finger on the keypad, then informed her husband that she had a signal, which she could only assume was Brandon's phone.

"It's all we've got. Where are they?" he enquired of her.

"Looks like they're moving pretty fast, heading east at the moment. They must be in a car by the look of it," and she showed him the screen in her palm.

"Christ, where the hell are they heading? Not the Tocumen airport. Gelabert International, maybe?" Joe tried to determine a destination.

"Maybe we should take a chance and call them?" his wife suggested, and Joe immediately began to enter the numbers that Shannon gave him. A soft and very scared female voice answered.

"Celeste, it's Joe. Can you talk?" he asked the other party.

"For a minute," she allowed. "Where are you?"

"Getting into a taxi just outside the hotel. Do you still have Bettman in your sights?"

"He's four or five cars ahead of us. Brandon thinks he might beheading for Gelabert International. Can you track us from that ... where'd you get a phone from?"

"Never mind that," Joe kept Celeste focused. "Shannon will have your position on-screen as soon as I hang up. Whatever you do, try to keep that signal broadcasting. As soon as we can, we'll catch up, then figure out what to do from there. I've got to go before we lose your beacon. Tell Brandon that we're on our way, and that Tretheweys managed to get to their boat. Jack was getting her underway the last time I saw them."

"Is there a number for that phone you have? Brandon wants to know."

"I'll have to go look for it. When I get one, I'll call you back. In the meantime, stay on Bettman's ass, okay?"

Ending the call, Joe went back to tracking their cohort's route, feeling even more frustrated when it became apparent that they were not stopping at the airport, but rather, continuing further east.

"Brandon, where the hell are you going?" he muttered to himself. "Shit, there aren't too many places beyond there that Bettman can go. Driver, stand on it! " he screamed at the taxi driver, who looked scared for his life, but would rather worry about that after this fare was over.

In between tracking Brandon and Celeste and looking for the phone's number, Joe's fingers flew over the key pad. When he finally located the number, he recited the ten digits to his wife, then called Celeste back, passing on the information to her as well.

"We're past the airport," Celeste reported to her caller, "and Brandon's wondering if Bettman might be heading for the U.S. embassy. If he's kidnapping people to send them back, he thinks that might be the place to do it from. It would keep him out of Panamanian jurisdiction, if nothing else.'

"It would also take balls, and a lot of cash to keep the staff quiet. Bettman doesn't strike me as having that many brains, but it's as good a theory as any, I guess. We're just coming up on Gelabert now, which means that we're only a couple of miles behind you. Let me get off this thing so I can track you," and once more they broke connection.

"Shit, he is heading for the embassy!" Brandon declared to his accomplice once Celeste had broken the connection. "Ironic that a place of diplomatic refuge would become a prison. Gawd, if I get my hands on that slimy son-of-a-bitch..."

"Let's worry about saving Tracy," Celeste reminded him of their initial objective. "Maybe we can get the embassy people to send him back for us. I don't know. All I know is that Tracy's in deep shit!'

"Yeah, you're right, Angel. I need to keep my mind on what we're doing. Thanks, Lover," he passed on his gratitude. "Was that Joe or Shannon?"

"Joe. He says that they're only a couple of miles behind us. Somehow, he got his hands on a phone that'll track us. I just hope he gets here before you take on that goddam Texan. And don't tell me what you're going to do to him. I don't think I want to know."

"There!" Brandon pointed a finger in the direction their adversary was heading. "He's pulling into the embassy parking lot. Now all we have to do is separate him from Tracy, then get the hell out of here. Joe, hurry up and get your ass over here. I'm going to need back-up."

The taxi came to a screeching halt, its route orchestrated by the angry passenger giving directions to the driver. And before the vehicle came to a complete stop, Brandon was out the door, yelling alternatively at Celeste to stay put and confronting their adversary.

"Let her go, Bettman!" he commanded.

"Not going to happen, pervert!" he was told. "She's the key to your little foray. You three are worth a lot of money to me, and there's no way I'm going to lose it. So unless you want to see her get hurt, just do as you're told. Get your other little slut out of that car, then come with me. If you don't, I'll start breaking bones."

Now with Tracy's arm pushed up her spine, Bettman steered her towards an unmarked door at the rear of the building. It was the sounds of Blackwell's taxi sliding to a stop that broke his concentrations for a minute.

"Sorry, fella, but the calvary's a little late," Bettman chortled, sprays of spittle leaving his mouth and landing on the back of Tracy's head. She tried to put on a brave front but was in danger of losing her resolve, and the pain in her arm became excruciating as it was shoved further up her back. Brandon could see the tears in her eyes and felt his own anger ramp up several notches.

"You fat fucker!" Brandon cursed the Texan in a voice meant just for their adversary. "Get your fucking hands off her! Or do you get your kicks from beating up defenceless women? You hurt one hair on her head and you'll answer to me! Assholes like you make me sick!"

Joe Blackwell was out of the taxi before it stopped moving, but Shannon had remained in the vehicle. Brandon was glad to see that. It meant there would be at least one vehicle available to get the six of them away from this place, even if it meant squeezing in tightly. But first, they had to get Tracy away from Bettman and back to safety.

"I've got an idea," Brandon quietly informed Celeste, "but I need you to keep his attention away from me. I'm going to try to get behind him, then rush him when he least expects it. You'll know what to do by following my lead."

Brandon kept glancing over his shoulder as he and Celeste slowly made their way to where the Texan held his sister. If he could get close enough, maybe he could overpower the fat man. But when Joe Blackwell began to rush their mutual enemy, it was the one break he needed. Brandon spun around and confronted the Texan in as close to a face-to-face standoff as he could.

"End of the line, fat boy!" he threatened in a low voice. "Let her go and you might live. Hurt her any more than you already have, and I'll rip every fucking limb off your body, one by fucking one!"

Bettman quickly understood that he was up against an angry man who had more strength than he could overcome. There was also the matter of another possible attacker that he hadn't managed to keep track of. Still using Tracy as a shield, he attempted to push her forward, suddenly blocked by the determined bulk of her brother. In retaliation, he shoved Tracy's arm even further up her back, and was rewarded with the horrified screams of pain she let out.

The sounds only lasted for a second or two, but that was all Brandon needed to take the three or four steps that put him right where he could land a strong jab on the Texan's face. Now dazed, the fat man stumbled in shock. It was exactly the diversion that the two men needed.

Joe rushed in to restrain their enemy long enough for Brandon to drill Bettman two or three more times, and a blow to the Texan's nose left the man reeling. He twisted around in an attempt to protect his face from further assaults despite Joe's restraint. Brandon took advantage of that defensive move to step up behind the man, pull his sister away from her attacker, then wrap an arm around the fat man's neck in a choke hold.

Trenton never heard the sound of footsteps behind him, nor felt the arm that snaked around his neck. By the time he realized his position, Brandon's other hand was pressed flat against his head. With a quick jerk, the two arms worked in harmony with each other, rewarded by the sickening sound of something snapping.

Trenton Bettman dropped instantly, consciousness leaving him in a matter of a split second. Releasing Tracy's straining arm as he fell, his mass propelled her forward into Celeste's arms. Reflexively, she caught her sister-in-law, holding her lover tightly as she kept Tracy from falling onto the coarse asphalt walkway.

"I've got you, Sweetie," Celeste reassured her sister-in-law, while giving Brandon an opportunity to concentrate on what had just happened.

Celeste took a moment or two to assess the extent of her sister-in-law's injuries, checking carefully for any signs of damaged joints or broken bones.

"Nothing's broken," she let Brandon know, "but that arm's going to be painful for a while. Maybe we should get her to a hospital?"

Brandon felt somewhat relieved at the news, and turned his attention to Joe and the assailant that they'd summarily dispatched.

"Is he... ?" Brandon wondered of Joe, who was crouched down beside the now prone body, checking for signs of life.

"He won't be collecting any more bounties for a while, if that's what you mean," Joe responded.

"Jeezuz, I didn't think it would come to this," Brandon expressed his concerns. "Let's get the hell out of here before the fan gets hit any harder than it already has."

"Aren't you going to let someone know about him?" Celeste tried to clear the fog of confusion from her head.

"I doubt anyone gives a shit, and I'm certainly not about to get our butts into any more shit than they already are. I suggest that we get back in the taxis and get the hell out of here while we still can."

"Doesn't that make us fugitives?" Tracy finally managed to get her voice to work again.

"If that asshole had his way, we would have been anyway. I think he had as much on us as he did on Jack and Belinda. We might be on the run for a while, but it'll be a long time before they can connect us to this. By then, we should be long gone. It's you, Joe, and Shannon that I'm worried about. If they get tied into this, they'll never be able to come to Panama again, and I want you looked at by a hospital. I'm going to suggest that we head down to the airport, then decide what to do next. But standing here flapping our gums is a sure-fire way to get our asses locked up if the police catch up with us."

"I'll be fine," Tracy tried to ease some of her brother's concerns. "My arm's sore as hell, but that's to be expected after what Bettman did. Let's just concentrate on getting back to the Gon Waki 2, and we'll worry about hospitals later."

"We've got witnesses to worry about," Joe reminded them. "How do we deal with the taxi drivers?"

Brandon headed back towards the waiting vehicles, then fanned four one-hundred dollar bills in front of the Spanish chauffeurs.

"You saw nothing, right?" he bribed the two, who stared transfixed at the sight of more money than they'd take in all week.

"Si, Senor," the first agreed, immediately joined by his compatriot's nodding head.

"Good. Can you take us back into town? There's another hundred each in it for you," and his further offer was met with glowing smiles of complicity.

"As soon as we get back, I'll settle up with the hotel and we can head out to the boats. If it wasn't for that damned spinnaker and Tracy's arm, I'd get the hell out of here right now. Maybe I should give Peter a call and see if he knows anything. But there's nothing to keep you two here, so why don't you set sail this afternoon before things get more complicated?" he suggested to Joe and Shannon.

"And you're going to hide where?" Joe demanded. "Listen, we're all up to our proverbial asses in alligators with this shit. I'd like to see this through, and if there's any questions that come up, we're better off as a united front than a fractured one. All we need to do is get our stories straight, but we're not leaving until you're ready to go. Any ideas where we should head for?"

"Not at the moment," Brandon informed him, "but staying where we are is asking for trouble. I'll make some enquires as soon as we get back, and we'll go from there. I'm just not too much in favour of you and Shannon sticking your butts out like this when you don't have to."

"As long as you three are still in Panama, we stay. Isn't that right, Honey?" Joe asked for his wife's confirmation, and immediately received her agreement in the form of a smile on her nodding head.

Piling into the two vehicles, the parties made their way back to the Country Inn, where Brandon settled up with the front desk before they headed back to the little pier. Only once they were all back on the Wanderlust did the five settle on a plausible story, should they be asked for one. By the time the sun set over the western horizon, they'd been over every point any of them could think of, then retold the story several times until all their versions coincided.

Only after they'd finished that conference did Tracy finally let her emotions of fear come out. She looked to her brother for support and was offered two arms for comfort. As soon as she felt the safety and security of his embrace, her tears began to flow, unchecked, as sobs wracked her body.

"Gawd, I really thought I was going to die!" she finally managed to get out. "But did you have to be that hard on him? He could have died as easily as blacking out."

"The opportunity to overcome an enemy presented itself, and I took it," Brandon let her know. "At the time, I couldn't see any other way. He was too big to just subdue, and my unarmed combat training just came out. It all boiled down to either him or you, and that was an easy one to decide. Maybe I went a little too far."

"Stop beating yourself over the head," Joe offered his own support. "You saved your sister's life, and that was what we set out to do. I'd still like see you three on your way when Shannon and I leave, and before things get too hairy. Are you sure you won't reconsider?"

"Not a chance," he was told. "Until that spinnaker gets here, we're staying. I mean, who knows? I might need you to help rescue us again, and if you're out to sea, where will we be then?"

"Brandon? I want to go home," Tracy quietly confessed.

"I know, Sis. Maybe we should just get plane tickets and fly out of here, and the hell with the boat. It can sit here and rust, for all I care."

"Fly? Fly where?" she questioned his idea. "You see that little sloop over there? The one with the name, 'Gon Waki 2', on its stern? That's home. That's where I want to be. Can we go?"

Pulling her closer, Brandon assured her that they'd head back to their ship as soon as he could get them there, emphasizing his point with a long kiss to the crown of her head.

"She's right," Celeste gave her own opinion. "The Gon Waki 2 is home, and I can't think of anywhere in the whole world I'd rather be right now. Can we go before it gets too dark? Please?"

"Looks like we're heading off," he remarked to Joe and Shannon. "Will you two be alright?"

"Sure, but breakfast will be waiting for you whenever you make it over to the Wanderlust. Let's say sometime just after nine?"

They agreed on the time and accepted the invitation gladly. As the women climbed down to the waiting tender, Brandon found himself overcome with emotion and gratitude for their new-found friends, starting with an offered hand to shake and ending in a strong embrace, first with Joe, then Shannon.

"It's been a long time since I had friends like you," Brandon confessed. "I'm proud to know you."

"Us too," Joe replied. "Now go home and get some rest. We still have to find somewhere to move these boats to in the morning, and I have no idea what's available. Let's leave it until breakfast."

Brandon felt his chest tighten, but refrained from another open show of emotion.

"You know, when we found out about Jackson and Belinda, I was a little shocked," Joe quietly expressed his inner feelings, "and when we learned about you and Tracy, I think I was almost disgusted. But after this last week? I'm going to have to rethink how I feel about it. You sure don't fit the stereotype, that's for sure."

"Are you thinking of your sister, Honey?" Shannon wondered of her husband.

"Elsie? No. She was a bitch when we were kids, and she hasn't changed a bit since I left home. You were the one I fell in love with, and I love you more now than I did then. No, actually, I was thinking of my cousins, Brad and Wendy. They were really close for years, but something happened between them, and they went their separate ways. I'm just wondering if they might have stayed together if it hadn't been for that taboo. I see Brandon and Tracy and how much they care about each other, and suddenly I start to question whether society's right or not, that's all. Sweetheart."

"This is where I bid you two a good night," Brandon excused himself, scrambling over the side and into their inflatable to make his point.

In less than five minutes, they were back at the Gon Waki 2, and he tied the tender to the port side, away from prying eyes onshore. To keep from attracting attention, they let themselves into the cabin with all the lights off, stumbling in the dark, but finally finding themselves curled up in each other's arms and under the cover of the oversized berth.

"You okay, Sis? You've had one hell of a day," he softly tried to calm Tracy.

"I am now, but I don't think I've ever been so scared in my whole life. Well, maybe when Darren got really drunk. Babe, I never want to have to go through that again. Ever."

"I know, Pip-squeak. I don't, either. Gawd, there were a few minutes there when I thought I was going to lose you. Shit, I remember telling that Texan that I'd rip his limbs off, and I was angry enough to do it, too."

"If you had," Celeste added, "I'd have helped, honest to God! These last couple of weeks haven't been too good for us, have they? First that storm, and now this? I don't suppose there's any way we could just forget about the spinnaker and get the hell out of here, is there?"

"We could, Angel," he let her know, "and if we have to, we will. I'll call Peter Johansson in the morning and find out if he has any information on when we can expect to see the one he ordered. If it's on its way, we'll wait, but if it isn't maybe I'll have him forward it to somewhere else where we can pick it up. One way or the other, though, it sounds like Joe and Shannon aren't leaving until we do. We'll have to keep that in mind."

"All I know is that I'm with two people," Tracy summed up, "that I love more than life itself. When we first talked about doing this trip, back in Chicago, I never thought we'd be going through stuff like this. It's not exactly what I had in mind, but we're a team. Celeste's had just as tough a time of it with her boyfriend as I did with Bettman. I have no idea how she managed to survive. It makes her that much more special to me for all she's done."

"I didn't really do anything, Sweetie," Celeste tried to deflect some of the unsolicited compliments. "It was your brother that did most of it. Him, and Joe Blackwell. They're the ones that we owe so much to."

"You're prejudiced, Angel," her Captain set the record straight. "All I did was try to make sure my little sister was safe. It's all I've ever wanted since I was a kid. But if it had been you instead of Tracy, I'd have done the same thing, and for the same reasons. My little life just doesn't work worth a shit without you two in it."

There followed a quiet time of reflection for each of them, and a concurrent conclusion that the relationship they'd built was something that sustained each of them better than any other possibility. Once they'd found that part of themselves, sleep cradled them in its arms, helped by the soft, gentle rocking of their ship as the waters of the canal flowed past.

Tracy was the first one up the next morning, although she was joined soon enough by her brother and sister-in-law. As nine o'clock approached, a little inflatable tender and its three occupants made its way from one moored boat to another. Its progress was closely followed by two people from the ship that was their destination. And once the five were reunited, there was a general expression of warmth and friendship shared between them all. But onshore, no one noticed or even seemed to care. In Panama City, life went on as it always did.

"I should see about getting a newspaper and look to see if there's anything in it regarding our friend," Joe commented, a look of disgust still plastered on his features from the memory of their previous day.

"I've got to go ashore to make a phone call anyway," Brandon volunteered. "I'll see if I can find you one. In the meantime, where's that coffee that a certain beautiful woman promised?", and he emphasized his question with an arm around Shannon's shoulder.

"If you don't get your clammy paws off me, you won't get one," she put him in his place. "A girl can't be waitress and hostess at the same time, you know."

Brandon reluctantly released her, and got a sour look for his actions. "I think I like being pawed better," she mockingly complained, then headed below for the coffee pot, returning with a smile to replace her earlier scowl.

Their morning was peaceful and relaxed, although everyone seemed to go out of their way to suppress any reminders of the previous day. By the time breakfast was finished, the tone for the rest of the day had been set, and all five began to look forward to exploring the sights of Panama City and possibly the surrounding areas, as well.

When Brandon called Peter Johansson, it was estimated that the replacement sail wouldn't arrive before the following week, according to the information he could get from Florida. If that was so, the two captains planned on applying for their exit permits that afternoon, so that they could leave as soon as Brandon had the new sail. Joe had suggested that they run together as far as San Jose Island, lay over for a last day together in Grand Playa Bay, then head in their separate directions. The idea had definite appeal for the crew of the Gon Waki 2.

While they were in Panama City, Joe picked up a local newspaper written in English, and perused its pages. He found mention of an unconscious body being found on U.S. embassy soil, but as diplomatic protocol dictated, if there was to be an investigation it would have to be conducted by the Americans. The implications were that only if there was an identified suspect would the Panamanian authority be called in. While they weren't out of the woods, Joe speculated that it wouldn't be that difficult to escape scrutiny.

"What about when you land in San Diego? Won't they wonder about the time frame?" Brandon enquired.

"We'd planned on stopping in Mexico first anyway, and if we lay over for a night in Costa Rico on the way up, it'll make that trail a little more cloudy. It's you, when you land in your next port, that I'd be worried about," he advised.

"Our plan at this point is to head for the Galapagos Islands," Brandon explained, "then carry on to Lima. I think we'll be okay. But in the meantime, if you two are determined to stick around, how about we take in the sights?"

"I know you had business in the city," Joe began to give them an idea that he had in his mind, "but I think I'd like to get away from here for a few days. This is a gorgeous country, so let's go have a look at some of it."

"All taken care of," Brandon eased Joe's worries. "I think I like your idea of sightseeing, though. Shall we make like the birds and flock off?"

With nothing to keep them in Panama City, and with time to kill, the two yachts left the canal moorage they'd occupied, cruising to Taboga Island, then north along the Panamanian coast, stopping in at Veracruz and Playa Bonita Village in their travels. By the time a week had gone by, though, all five were looking forward to leaving Panama's confusion and returning to the luxurious solitude of the open ocean.

As had been suggested, the new spinnaker did arrive on the Tuesday, although it took most of that day to have it released from Customs. During the ensuing wait, both Joe and Brandon applied for and received their exit permits. Joe gave Golfito, Costa Rico as his next port of call, while Brandon decided to list San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos chain as theirs.

Tracy made a note in the ship's log that they'd raised anchor at three-fifteen that afternoon as they followed the Wanderlust out of Panama harbour. For the first hour, they both ran on diesel auxiliary, mostly to make sure the batteries were up to full charge. But once out in the winds of the bay, it took very little to persuade either captain to go to sail power, and the Gon Waki 2 almost seemed to leap forward as she was released from the restrictions of the internal combustion engine.

While the Wanderlust appeared to be the sleeker of the two craft, it soon became apparent that the Gon Waki 2 was the faster. By sunset, just before seven o'clock that evening, Tracy eased the mainsail out a little, spilling wind and luffing gently as they waited for the Wanderlust to catch up.

"I'm going to have to rib him about sailing a slug, aren't I?" Brandon chuckled to his sister. "When I look aft and see Joe and Shannon that far back, it makes us look pretty good."

"Stop gloating," Celeste reprimanded him. "If it wasn't for Joe and Shannon, our asses would be grass. We owe those two, big time."

"Agreed," he conceded. "You know, when we were sitting in Colon, my biggest concern was that injury you got out in the storm. But that seems like years ago, for some reason. We've made some pretty good friends since then."

"Shannon gave me an email address for Jack and Belinda," Tracy informed both of them. "I wonder if they have a satellite link? I'd like to keep in touch with them if we can. Joe and Shannon, too. They're the kind of people that we'd never have met back in Chicago."

"They're the kind of people I didn't think I'd ever meet," Brandon amended. "I guess I got cynical, spending all my time working so hard. I have you two to thank for setting me straight," as he gave Celeste's shoulders a squeeze and the crown of her head a soft kiss. Then, so she wouldn't feel left out, he did the same for his sister, who happily allowed herself to be held in her brother's warmth.

Because of the slower hull speed of the Wanderlust, it was after midnight before they made it to Grand Playa Bay, and Brandon had a new respect for the powers of radar as they threaded their way through the islands. Blackwells used the Gon Waki 2's running lights as a guide and they kept in constant radio contact. By one o'clock early Wednesday morning, both ships rode at anchor. By two, their crews were sound asleep in bed, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"Hey, sleepyheads! You awake yet?" came an informal cry over the radio the next morning.

"Damn!" Brandon cursed softly. "That man might be the greatest ally in the world, but his timing is the shits!"

"Better go see what they want," Tracy moaned, still not sure whether she wanted to give up Brandon's warmth against her body...

Brandon slid out the end of the berth, then made his way to the communications and navigation desk in the cabin lounge.

"We're awake now," he reported. "By the way, I don't think you need a radio, do you? Just open a porthole, and we'll hear you fine. What can we do for you at this horribly early time of day?" He was about to release the mic key, then remembered accepted protocol. "Over," he added.

"Your shorts must be too tight, " Joe's chuckle came across the airwaves. "You sound like a freaking stuffed shirt."

"Nice try, but I ain't wearing any! And you'd be a little pissed, too, if someone yelled at you while you were having a sexy dream. What the hell time is it, anyway? Over."

"Time for you three to get your lazy asses out of bed and over here for breakfast, " Joe commanded.

The air went dead as he released the mic key, and out of spite, Brandon waited for the obligatory signal that the transmission had ended. It was about fifteen seconds later when Shannon's soft, feminine voice came back to him.

"Over," she added for her husband, and Brandon broke into gales of laughter, wondering if it was feminine intuition or if she had the ability to read minds.

"Give us time to wake up, get dressed, and get the tender ready. Twenty minutes, maybe?" He was about to release the mic key, when the thought of copying Shannon came to mind. With a light chuckle, he released the mic, counted to ten slowly, then re-keyed it. "Over," he added at the last minute.

"Asshole!" Joe's laugh-filled voice came back immediately. "Over."

"Are you finished turning the air blue out there?" Celeste called out. "I'm awake now. You win, Captain. You don't have to shout any more."

"Sorry, Angel, but he deserved that. You interested in breakfast? We've been invited."

"Invited? That sounded more like an order from the freaking Admiral!" Tracy commented, waiting for a minute as if she were making a decision, then throwing back the covers as she slid out of bed. Like her brother and sister-in-law, she was naked and made no effort to cover herself as she stumbled into the cabin lounge on her way to the head.

"Ladies first, still?" she teased her brother, referring to their days in the little studio apartment back in Chicago.

"From what I hear, you're no lady," he returned her jibe, "but from where I'm looking, I don't believe a word of it. You look too damned good to be anything but."

"Good save, Babe," she smiled happily, then leaned up to kiss his lips. Brandon returned her kiss with one of his own, full of passion, love, and want, and Tracy felt the heat inside her begin to smolder into a flame of desire.

"Keep that up, and we'll never get off this boat," she threatened him.

"Promise?" he taunted her. "I could tell Joe and Shannon that something came up and we'll pass. Is that what you want, Sis?"

"I think you'd better get dressed before something does cum up. But right after we get back, I know what I want – you."

"Then you'll have to share," Celeste let her sister-in-law know as she stood in the doorway and watched the two most important people in her life expressing their love to each other.

"Don't worry, Sis, I will," Tracy responded happily, "because I want you as much as I want him – and I want my brother bad enough to take him right here on the cabin floor."

Brandon managed to escape his sister's grasp, stopped long enough to kiss Celeste before gently moving her out of the doorway, then hurriedly slipped on a pair of shorts and a polo shirt.

"Poopy-head!" Tracy called him as she found him fully clothed. "I could rip those off your body and have my way with you, you know."

"I thought that was supposed to be a guy trick?" he tried to defend himself. "How about we act friendly, go over and have breakfast, then see what the afternoon brings? Blackwells won't be here much longer, and we have months on the open seas to catch up on whatever we miss this morning.'

"We haven't made love since we left Colon!" her exasperation came out.

"Have I been that negligent? I think I'd better get ready to make up for my laziness – but after breakfast. Okay, Pip-squeak? I do love you, you know."

"We know, Lover," Celeste started to let him off the hook, "and we love you, too. But dammit, a girl gets used to being pampered, and spoiled, and loved tenderly! I'm beginning to feel like I'm being punished for doing something wrong! Did I be bad?!"

Her comical retort had Brandon in stitches to the point where he stumbled badly in his attempts to offer his women two loving arms to hold them. Even Tracy giggled at her sister-in-law's comment, but quickly stopped when first Celeste, then her brother covered her lips with their own and kisses were shared all around.

By Joe Blackwell's calculations, it was over a half hour later when the little inflatable bumped into their stern, and he was about to make a comment when Shannon pushed him aside, then offered her assistance to their guests.

"About time you three got here," he laughed, making sure he got a hug from both Tracy and Celeste as he welcomed them aboard. The two women happily received the familiarity, then shared another embrace with Shannon. As soon as they sat down, Shannon served coffee and sweet rolls, then joined the other four.

"You two are married, right?" Brandon opened the conversation.

"Compared to you three, we're about as mundane as it gets," Joe told them, "but Shannon's been kind enough to share my life for the last eighteen years. Nineteen, next month. She's been the best thing that ever happened to me, too", and his wife blushed slightly at the compliment.

"So how did you two meet?" Brandon pushed to keep the subject open.

"I wanted to learn how to sail," Shannon took up the torch, "and Joe was offering lessons. Taught me everything he knew, then turned me loose on the New England coast. As I gained more confidence in myself, we seemed to spend more and more time out on the water. That's where he finally proposed to me, if you want to call it that."

"How do you mean?" Tracy found her own curiosity piqued now.

"I'd turned the helm over to her," Joe carried on with the story, "and we were on a pretty tight reach. Somehow, the boat got away from her, and the next thing I knew, we were headed for the rocks."

"I would have got us out of there," she defended herself. "You were just in too much of a hurry to pop the question, weren't you?"

"Do I have this right? You were about to crash and he proposed?" Celeste couldn't believe her ears.

"He told me that if I married him, he'd save my – how did he phrase it? – my gorgeous little ass. Didn't give me much of a choice, did he?"

"All I knew was that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, Sweetheart. About the only thing we hadn't discussed was how long that life would be," Joe smiled to his bride.

"Gawd, that's ... that's blackmail!" Tracy declared. "I'm not sure that I would have agreed to his proposal, that's for sure."

"He was in no danger," Shannon cut her husband some slack. "I'd already decided that I was madly in love with the big galoot anyway. I don't think that I'd have turned him down for anything at that point."

"And you've been together ever since? Any real rough spots?" Brandon dug for more details.

"Rough spots? Yeah, we've had our share. But it was true then, and it's still true. There isn't anyone else in the whole world that I'd want to share my life with. When things get bad, she's always there to bail my useless ass out, and when they're good, she makes them twice as good."

To add impact to his statement, Joe uncharacteristically leaned over to his wife, wrapped an arm around her neck, and pulled her to his waiting lips, holding her there while the three onlookers began to feel embarrassed and out of place.

"So what about you three? How did all this happen? I'm curious as hell, you know," Joe finally redirected the conversation.

Brandon started to relate their tale, with Tracy and Celeste filling in anything he missed. Compared to Blackwell's story, theirs seemed tame in comparison, but both Joe and Shannon were fascinated with their tales.

"So do I have this right? You two girls are... ?" Joe sounded unbelieving, as his finger wagged back and forth between the two women.

"Lovers? Yes, and after the last four months together with Brandon, I'm proud to be able to admit that," Celeste let him know. "The fact that we're both in love with Brandon only seems to make it better. If any of us need support of any kind, there's always someone there to give it."

"What about jealousy? Doesn't that ever come along and screw things up?" Shannon enquired.

"Not when each of us concentrates on the needs of the others," Tracy illuminated. "On those rare occasions when my brother's unavailable, Celeste and I have each other. And if one of us can't give him what he needs, the other can. But most of the time, it's equal sharing. Without going into too much detail, having two people that are so important making love to you at the same time is about the most wonderful experience there is. I can't describe it exactly. All I know is that now that we're in this relationship, I can't imagine living any other way."

"And your lover being your brother isn't a problem, either?" Shannon really wanted to know.

"It isn't for Celeste. As for me, I've been in love with Brandon for ... well, since I was a teen. Back then, I would have done anything for him if he'd have let me. But things didn't work out that way. It was only when we got back together last year that the two of us had grown up enough to know what we wanted and were prepared to go after it. Now, he's a lover first and a brother second. I'm his woman, or one of them anyway, because that's what I want. And he's my lover because that's what he wants."

"So you have no problems sharing your lover with another women?" Shannon went on.

"Not when that other woman, as you put it, is also my lover," Celeste gave her side of the explanation. "You'll do anything for her, and sharing our mutual lover with her becomes the most natural and caring extension of that, that I can think of."

"Wow!" Joe exclaimed, almost in awe. "I'm not sure I could handle that, if it was me. How do you do it, Brandon? Not get jealous, I mean?"

"Jealousy never comes into it. If the girls are making love, it's never to my exclusion. I'm not in competition with one or the other, and they aren't in competition with me, either. It gets pretty physical sometimes, but the thought of being with one without the other is almost foreign, at least for me. All I know is that it works, so I refuse to mess with it. Mind you, if I hadn't experienced it myself, I'd probably be as sceptical as you sound."

"He's curious, more than anything else," Shannon snickered. "Before we were married, I think he had a thing for my roommate, too. Be honest, Honey. If Brenda had offered you her body, you'd have taken it, wouldn't you?"

"Umm, I'm not sure..."

"Bullshit! I remember seeing you get aroused whenever you were around her just as much as you did around me. If you'd had the chance, you'd have gone for a three-way, and you know it!'

"Well ... maybe. But it wouldn't have been the same thing that these three have. One guy having two women? Sure. That's the stuff of fantasies. But that jealousy thing would have come up. I mean, if I was with Brenda and you found out, you'd have been pissed. And if it had been the other way around, she'd have been just as twisted. Besides, you two weren't ... were you?"

"You'll never know, will you, my Precious?" Shannon giggled.

They had the bay all to themselves that afternoon, and Shannon suggested that they do some snorkeling while they had the opportunity. The Blackwell's had extra equipment, and even though it took Brandon some convincing to get the girls to try it, once they were in the water, both admitted that they loved the experience, especially the opportunity to study the colourful indigenous aquatic life that closely.

"You should try this without a bathing suit," Shannon mentioned to Tracy. "There's just something about being free of clothing while you're in the water that's indescribably liberating."

"Well, when we're out on the ship and there's no one else around, we usually go naked. I guess this would be the same idea."

"You think your brother would go for it?" she was asked.

"Brandon? Probably. But would Joe? My brother's always worried about getting ... aroused, let's say. Personally, I love to see him excited like that. But how would you feel if he got hard? Or, for that matter, how would Joe take it? We both know that they'll probably get hard as soon as they see us. Guys tend to do that, for some reason."

"Knowing my husband, he'd be embarrassed as hell ... for about two minutes. After that, he wouldn't worry about it. Maybe we should suggest it to them."

Being completely exposed was a little uncomfortable for the two men at first, but with a little convincing from the three women, they took the plunge, and soon all five were splashing happily in the bay's crystal clear water, almost oblivious of their nudity.

"Brandon, can I speak to you for a minute?" Joe called him aside as they swam near one of the Wanderlust's bumpers.

"Sure, Joe. What's on your mind?"

"Well, to be blunt, your sister and her sister-in-law have bodies that are ... oh hell, those two are getting me so fucking horny!" Joe stated the obvious, for his erection was difficult to ignore. "Not that I'd do anything about it, if they didn't want to. But I'm a little worried that Shannon might get jealous. Do you think she will?"

"Shannon? I doubt it. You two have been together for a long time, and she knows that you won't do anything to jeopardize your relationship. Besides, I'd bet that if you did try anything, the girls would let you know that your advances weren't welcome. They're pretty committed to what we have and won't let anything ruin it. Just relax and enjoy the view. Actually, I'm quite enjoying it myself. Tracy's always going on about how good it feels to be naked, and the sight of her and Celeste's bodies sure doesn't break my heart."

Joe took Brandon's advice, swimming off to where his wife was, then diving underneath the water as a school of bright blue fish swam by. Several minutes later, Shannon swam up beside Brandon, with a worried look on her face.

"Problem?" he queried that expression of hers. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I'm a little worried about Joe. This is the first time he's been around a nude woman, besides me, in a long time, and it's affecting him the way it does most men. But he keeps looking at me with a guilty face, almost like he's afraid that I'll get jealous. Am I reading something into this that isn't there?"

Brandon chuckled as he explained it all to the middle-aged woman.

"Joe's worried that you'll get jealous over his reaction to the girls, and you're worried that he's feeling guilty about how they affect him. But nothing's going to happen, because Celeste, Tracy, and I don't really want it to. Our entire lives are built around each other, as they explained at breakfast. Besides, to be honest, I have a hard enough time keeping up with two women. I couldn't handle three, and I doubt Joe could either. So just relax, okay?"

"Maybe I am a little jealous," she confessed. "I mean, your sister and ... what is Celeste, anyway?"

"She's Tracy's sister-in-law, as well as her lover, and mine. Why?"

"Because they both have bodies that I can't compete with. My belly sticks out, my ass is getting flabby, my hips are too wide, and my boobs are starting to sag. How the hell am I supposed to compete with them?"

"Shannon, stop it," Brandon chastised. "You have a body that you should be proud of. Just seeing the way Joe looks at you, he sure is. Maybe the packaging might be a little worn in places, but it's who's inside that he loves. You're not in competition with Tracy or Celeste. They may get him a little excited, but it's you that he wants. He wouldn't have stayed with you for all these years otherwise. Besides, neither Tracy nor Celeste would accept him making advances. They're as committed to what we have as you are to your own relationship."

"Thanks, Brandon. I think I needed to hear that. You're a real sweetheart, did you know that? Tracy and Celeste are lucky to have a guy like you.'

"Maybe, but I'm the lucky one," he stated how he felt before changing the subject. "Want to race back to the boat?" he challenged, letting Shannon have a sizeable lead to make things a little more even.

Once back on the Wanderlust, the five lounged comfortably, still naked and unashamed to be seen that way by their new friends. They all talked of their plans, ambitions, and goals. Joe was a little envious of Brandon's financial position, but realized that his own could produce its own satisfactions for Shannon and him if he rearranged a few details. Brandon, meanwhile, could see the happiness that the Blackwells shared and was adamant that the two had the best of all possible worlds with the life they enjoyed together.

"We've got to shove off in the morning," Joe finally announced. "I've got a crack at opening an office in the Seattle area. It's something I've dreamed of for years now. I won't know if we can pull it off until we get to San Francisco, but if it does come together, we'll need to be settled in the Puget sound area by the end of next month, and it's a good three weeks from here to there, including stops."

"You've got our email address, right?" Brandon asked. "Keep us posted. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed for you, Joe."

"We will. You know, when we left Savannah, I thought this would be just another boring trip, but it's been anything but. Some of it I could pass on, like that damned Texan, but the rest of it? We'll remember this one for the rest of our lives. Thanks, to all three of you. You've given me a new perspective on life."

"I still owe you for helping save Tracy," Brandon let his own gratitude come out. "If it hadn't been for you, I might have lost her – again. We'll remember this part of our trip, too. You two take real good care. We'll miss you."

There were several warm and enthusiastic hugs, even between the two naked men. And when it was Brandon's turn to hug Shannon, he instinctively ran his hands up and down the smooth skin of her back, then pulled back just enough to kiss her cheek.

"Nice packaging," he whispered in her ear, and was rewarded with a warm and happy giggle.

"What was that all about?" Tracy asked her brother when they were on their way back to the Gon Waki 2.

He took the time to explain his comment to Shannon, receiving understanding grins from both women.

"I'm going to miss those two," Celeste let the others know.

"We all will," Brandon seconded.

"You got hard when you were looking at Shannon, didn't you?" Tracy asked her brother, but with no jealousy in her enquiry.

"She's a beautiful woman," Brandon defended himself.

"Beautiful? Hell, she's gorgeous!" Celeste stated. "I hope I look half as good as her when I get to be that age."

"You will, Angel. They tell me the secret is to exercise – and you two do that in spades, every chance you get when you put me through my paces.

"How about we go home?" Celeste strongly suggested. "I've got a lover that I need to exercise with, and her brother, too."