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   story codes: (Mb bb snuff anal oral ped) style: contemporary

   THE DUNGEON MASTER by Rafe Morgan (Copyright 2012)

   BOOK III: THE MAZE (Scott and Rabbit)

   Chapter 12

   With my two young gunfighters to help me the long drive back passed
without much trouble.  Every five hours or so when I had to stop for gas,
Scott and Rabbit, after taking care of their own needs, would tend to our
handcuffed recruits, holding bottles for them to pee into and offering sips
of water or soda with a straw.  From time to time, when I reminded them,
they would un-cuff one of the boys and allow him to sit up for a break,
resting shoulders and arms.  Mike and Eddie took advantage of these
intervals, crouching behind my seat to look out at the scenery we were
passing, but Todd remained huddled in a fetal position, staring blankly. 
Scott shook his head over him.  "He ain't gonna be good for nothin', Joe."

   "We'll see," I told him, remembering other boys.  "Give him time."

   My problem, as usual, was the task of staying awake for the twenty odd
hours it took to complete the journey.  I drank coffee, popped Benzedrine
pills and kept the radio on at low volume listening to the news.  Nothing
ever turned up about Mike or Eddie, but after our second gas stop, in the
hours before dawn while all the boys were asleep in the back, a report of
Todd's disappearance was in the national segment along with items about a
small plane crash in Texas and a drug bust in Los Angeles.  From that point
on there was something about the search being conducted for Todd in every
newscast and I kept the radio turned down even lower so the boys would not
hear it.

   By the time we reached home, in the early hours of the following
morning, both Scott and Rabbit were jumpy with restlessness.  Neither one
wanted to sleep and they took turns sitting up on the passenger seat beside
me, peering out into the darkness, asking every few minutes, "When we
gotta' get there, Joe?"

   I distracted them as best I could, keeping them busy tending to our
three new acquisitions or teasing them about their progress in the video
game that was their current favorite.  Boredom was kept at bay long enough
for us to reach our home exit on the Interstate, and it was with a feeling
of relief that I was able to turn at last into our home driveway, click
open the garage door and put the van away after its long journey.

   "What we gonna do with `em?" Rabbit wanted to know as Scott slid open
the back panel door.

   "Untie their feet," I told him, turning off the engine and clicking the
garage door back down.

   After using my key to open the connecting door to the basement I had
Rabbit un-cuff Todd and then, reaching into the van's cargo area, I dragged
the brown haired boy toward me, lifted him out, and tried to put him on his
feet.

   Todd swayed.  He would have fallen if I had not snatched him up again.
The boy's face was blank, his eyes dull and unseeing, so without attempting
again to make him walk I carried him into the basement like a baby and laid
him on one of the mats where he curled into a fetal position.

   Returning to the garage I waited as Mike and Eddie climbed out of the
van followed by Scott and then Rabbit.

   "What is this?" Mike asked, directing the question to Rabbit.

   He was close enough for me to reach and when I picked him up, tossing
his slim sturdy body over my shoulder, he gave a surprised and half-fearful
little squeak.  "This is a place where you're gonna train for a while," I
told him.  "Come on, I'll show you." Mike hung without squirming as I
carried him inside with the other boys following.

   "What's wrong with him?" I heard Eddie whisper as we trooped past Todd's
huddled body.  I led them into the big bedroom, turned on the lights and
tossed Mike onto the bed where he bounced with another squeak.

   "Oh wow!" Eddie exclaimed.

   "Everyone in for a shower, first," I told them, opening the door to the
bathroom.  "Rabbit, Scott - show these guys where to find everything."

   "Aw, Joe, do we gotta' do that now?" Scott complained.

   I grinned at him and gave his firm butt a pat.  "Yes, you gotta' do that
now.  Afterwards you guys can watch a movie or play video games - or go to
sleep - whatever you want.  But right now everybody takes a shower.  Let's
get moving."

   There was a confused babble for a few minutes while the boys milled
about and then, once they were all in the bathroom, I heard giggling
followed by the sound of the shower water running and a muffled shout.  I
poked my head around the door.  Scott, Rabbit and Mike were gathered by the
shower stall, all three naked except for towels wrapped around their
waists. Clothes were scattered everywhere and the boys were grinning.

   "Eddie didn't want to take his pants off," Rabbit explained.

   "So we let him go in with `em on," Mike said with a giggle, "An' turned
the water on him!"

   "I'm gonna' get you guys!" Eddie's high, childish voice came from behind
the drawn shower curtain, followed by a sodden pair of shorts.  I laughed
and gestured for Scott to pass them over.

   "Give me all the rest of his clothes," I told Mike.  "And yours, too. 
I'll get you all new stuff."

   "For real?" Mike delivered this appeal to Rabbit, who nodded.

   "Told ya'," Scott said in a smug tone.

   Without another word Mike scurried around gathering his and Eddie's
faded old clothes so he could hand them to me in a bundle.  With superior,
knowing looks on their faces, the overhead light gleaming on their gold
chains and studs, Scott and Rabbit watched as I patted Mike on his sturdy
little bare shoulder.

   "Don't you worry about clothes, Tiger.  We'll get you plenty.  What's
your favorite color?"

   "Red!"

   "Fine.  We've got some red workout shorts you can wear for now and I'll
fix you up with new stuff later, okay?"

   "Uh-huh!"

   The boy's sly sharp features were lit with excitement as he stared up at
me and I patted him again, letting my palm caress his silky smoothness. 
Behind him Scott was grinning and Rabbit's face had a fierce determined
expression.

   When Eddie came out of the shower and Mike took his place the curly
haired young boy kept his towel wrapped tight around his middle and gazed
at me in dismay when I handed him a pair of black workout shorts.

   "Where's my stuff?"

   I gestured at the bundle under my arm.  "We're gettin' rid of this
worn-out junk.  I'll get you all new clothes.  For now, all you need are
the workout briefs."

   Holding the black shorts Eddie glanced around at Scott and Rabbit,
biting his lower lip.  Sensing his shyness I opened the connecting door to
the small bedroom so he could have a private place to change.  Then I
turned to Scott and Rabbit.

   "Here's the deal, guys.  All four of you stay down here tonight.  You
can use both bedrooms and divide up any way you like.  If you want to stay
up for a while watching a movie or doing a videogame, that's okay.  I'll
let you sleep late, but this afternoon you'll be teaching these guys the
basic workout."

   "What about that other kid?" Scott asked.

   "I'll take care of him."

   This drew another grin from the blonde boy and Rabbit snickered.

   "You guys keep an eye on these other two for me," I told them.  "I'll
wake you up when it's time for lunch."

   With this I gave both my young fighters a caress on their butts and then
left them, locking the bedroom door behind me.

   In the workout area Todd was still curled up on the mat in a fetal
position.  Ignoring him for a moment I deposited my bundle of old clothes
in a plastic trash bag for disposal later.  Then, gathering Todd in my
arms, I carried the unresisting boy upstairs to my room, removed his shoes
and stretched out with him on the bed.  He lay against me, stiff and
unmoving while I caressed him, stroking my palm over his shoulders and
back, feeling the cloth of his tee shirt slide over silky smoothness
beneath.

   "There's nothing for you to be afraid of," I assured the boy in a soft
whisper.  "You're safe with us here and I'll take care of you.  Nobody will
hurt you, Todd.  I won't let them.  You're going to be a star, Kid.  You'll
see.  A video star..."

   Bit by bit I felt the boy relax.  I kept rubbing my palm on him,
circling it in a slow steady rhythm while continuing to whisper.

   "I have your videogame and you can play it as much as you want.  The
other boys will want to learn, too, and you can teach them.  They'll show
you all the cool things we do and you're gonna be good at them, Todd.  I
know you will.  I can always tell.  In fact, I think you'll be so good the
others will be jealous.  You'll see.  Just wait...  This will be a whole
new wonderful thing for you.  The best you've ever had.  You'll be a star,
Kid.  You'll be what you always wanted to be...  What you always should
have been..."

   My palm slid down to the hollow of Todd's back and onto the firm curved
mounds of his butt.  Beneath the folds of the cargo shorts I felt a thin
layer of briefs stretched over a jut of glossy mounds.  My hand lingered
for a few moments cupping the firm roundness before sliding to the side,
rubbing over the curve of hip and down onto a taut rounded thigh.

   "You're gonna have it all, Kid," I assured him, caressing the smooth
sculpted form with my palm.  "Anything you want.  It's yours.  You're gonna
be the very best.  You'll see..."

   My hand slid back up over the jut of his hip, pushing beneath the lower
edge of his tee shirt, up past the waistband of his shorts until my
fingertip brushed the bare warmth of a taut waist.  Pushing further, I
savored this first caress of Todd's naked skin, my palm rubbing gently over
his silky flank and then circling onto the glossy smoothness of his narrow
tummy.  The boy lay without moving, making no resistance, and when I began
to push up his shirt he rolled a little lifting his arms so I could pull it
off him, allowing himself to be undressed like a doll.  Then he lay still
on his side once more while I explored his entire upper body sliding my
hand over his arms and slender chest.

   Todd was beautifully formed, less angular then Rabbit and not as wiry,
with a sturdy yet graceful swimmer's build.  My hand roved over him,
caressing the subtle swell of muscle in his chest, the delicate silken
roundness of his shoulders and arms, and the sweep of stretched glossy
satin that was his stomach and waist.  When my fingers reached the edge of
his shorts I unsnapped the top of his fly, pulled down the zipper and then
rubbed my palm over the front of the exposed tight briefs.

   Beneath the cloth was a firm bulge that hardened a bit more as I
massaged.  With a tug I pulled at the boy's pants and without being told he
lifted himself so they could be pulled down to his knees.  Then I eased
down the tight briefs, sliding them and lifting the tight elastic waistband
over his groin to avoid catching it on his semi-erection.  Todd lifted his
hips again and, tugging at the cloth, I worked the briefs down further
before pushing both briefs and shorts off his legs, stripping him
completely.

   Todd lay still and unmoving, his naked body a pale gleam in the darkened
room, while I removed my own clothes and then stretched out behind him on
the bed.  Slipping an arm around his taut waist I drew him close, pulling
the silky warmth of his body to my own while I stroked and caressed him,
whispering over and over, "It's all right, Todd.  I'll take care of you. 
You're going to be the best...  The very best...  You'll see...  I'll show
you..."

   Beneath my hand, the boy's slim graceful body had the gloss of warm
polished sculpture.  My fingers brushed over the satin of his inner thighs,
the firm rounded muscle of leg, elegant curve of hip, deep hollow of waist,
and exquisite breath of chest and shoulders.  Like Scott, Todd's form had a
classical beauty, one that was well defined, with longer more subtle lines.
There was a delicacy to him that was not at all feminine, but all boy. 
With his handsome features he might have stood as a model for Donatello's
David if his fine spun hair had been longer.

   Pulled against me in the darkness the boy gave no sign by word or
movement acknowledging my advances except that, when my hand went to his
groin, I felt that his slender boy rod had lifted in half erection.  As I
began to stroke the shaft stiffened, lifting into full rigidity jutting
outward, the length and thickness almost half adult size.  My rubbing
fingers confirmed that Todd was circumcised.  Around the base they found
his groin hairless and glassy smooth

   With firm loving strokes I rubbed the boy until a sudden contraction
pulsed beneath my fingers.  I felt his butt cheeks tighten.  More stroking
brought a series of pulsing throbs that made the boy's hips buck.  I rolled
him onto his back, drew his legs up, slipped his quivering boner into my
mouth and sucked while my fingers probed his crease.  Todd gave a tiny
gasp. Another train of pulsing contractions shook him.  My forefinger
pressed on his tight opening, pushed through penetrating him, and the boy
squirmed, arching his back.  He gave a little cry of pain as I forced a
second finger in, probing deep to find the rounded swelling at the base of
his stiff rod.  As I began to rub and massage Todd moaned, shuddered and
then his hips bucked as the rigid little shaft in my mouth jerked and
pulsed.  Slippery droplets oozed from its tip and I slid my tongue back and
forth over the slit, tasting the sweetness

   When the spasm passed I withdrew my fingers to clean them with a handy
wipe from a box by the bed.  Todd lay sprawled, eyes closed, his knees
sagging apart while I oiled my rigid member with Hawaiian Tropic lotion. 
Turning the boy once more onto his side I smeared more lotion into his
crease and then stretched out behind him, guiding the blunt head of my
jutting member between the glossy mounds of his firm butt.  With the blunt
tip pressed to the dimple of the boy's clenched ring, I slipped an arm
around Todd's waist to steady him, thrust, and felt the opening yield. 
Using steady pressure I advanced in, the boy's legs twisting and kicking as
his opening was forced.  The pain of it made Todd groan aloud.  He heaved
against my encircling arm, struggling to avoid the thick impaling hardness,
but the frantic movements only hastened my entry.  With a popping sensation
I was through his stretched ring, the head of my jutting shaft suddenly
engulfed in the boy's moist heat.  I waited a moment while he lay panting
and writhing, trying to accommodate to the thickness filling him and then,
with a slow steady push of my hips I slid up, thrusting deep into Todd's
sweet lovely body while he arched, surrendering with a cry of both pain and
pleasure.

   I held the boy, grinding my hips against the firm mounds of his butt to
move my tip in his loins.  His dangling boy worm, gone flaccid in the
frantic struggle of his initial taking, began to lift as I rubbed, first
lengthening and then stiffening into rigidity until at last my fingers were
sliding on a hard shaft that quivered to the boy's pounding heartbeat. 
Every stroke took my fingers up over its tip, droplets of slippery moisture
I found there giving lubrication, allowing even faster pumping of Todd's
throbbing member.  The boy's breaths came quicker, his slim body tensed
beneath my straining arm, and then his head pulled back as he arched up, a
train of pulsing contractions rippling through him, throbbing around my
impaling rod and jerking the rigid boy boner straining outward beneath my
fingers.

   Todd gave a shuddering groan, "Uhhhhhh..." and then with panting little
cries of "Ah...  Ah...  Ah...  Ah..." his slender hips bucked as
contraction after contraction brought a dribble of slippery fluid rolling
off the tip of his jerking boy stick.

   I kept myself pushed up into the boy until his quivering heaves stopped
and then began to slide within him, withdrawing only a fraction of an inch
at first, then increasing bit by bit until my shaft was out nearly halfway
before driving back in.  Todd moaned, tensed his slim graceful body and
twisted his lower legs as my rod slid back and forth inside him.  Arching
again, he gave a moan of pleasure as throbbing within his loins made him
buck and quiver.

   Again and again I took the boy into shuddering release until his boy
hole gaped and he sagged, limp in my arms, head lolling.  At last I felt
myself tiring so with an effort I quickened the pace, sliding my straining
rod within the muscular grip of Todd's chute until a tide of passion rolled
over me and I was shooting spurt after spurt into him.  After release, I
hugged the quivering boy, stroking and caressing his sweet loneliness as I
fought to regain my breath.

   Once I had softened and withdrawn I pulled the boy toward me and
realized he was crying, the tears coursing down his cheeks.  I kissed them
away, whispering endearments to comfort him for the loss of his innocence.
Then, after wrapping his middle in a towel I covered us both with the quilt
and he fell asleep huddled in my arms.  Twice during the night he woke me,
squirming close to be petted and caressed before drifting back again into
slumber.

   When morning sun woke both of us I took the boy into the shower with me,
washed him, shampooed his thick brown hair and then, because I knew he had
to be sore, I carried him naked to the bed, drew his legs up to spread his
thighs and applied soothing aloe to his stretched and bruised ring.  Todd
stared up at me, eyes wide in mute appeal.  "This will stop hurting after a
few days," I assured him.

   After capping the tube of ointment and putting it away I drew a thin
gold chain from a top bureau drawer and Todd watched as I fastened the fine
glistening links around his left ankle.  Then I leaned over the lovely boy
to give his cheek a caress.  "This is yours now," I told him.  "Just like
the ones Scott and Rabbit have.  You must never take it off.  Not for
anything or anybody.  You understand?"

   Todd nodded, eyes locked on my face.  I leaned down further and kissed
the boy's lips, tasting their sweetness for the first time.  After a moment
he put a hand on my shoulder.  "You're gonna be fine now," I assured him.
"You have nothing to worry about.  I'll take care of you.  You're gonna be
a star, I promise.  You're gonna be everything you've ever dreamed of... 
Everything...  Everything..."

   The video game I had bought for him was in my duffel bag and after
setting it up I left him playing it while I went to the kitchen.  The
stories on his disappearance were still running but there was nothing new
and they had already dropped from the lead headline to third or fourth
place.  After making a breakfast for both of us I ate mine before taking
his on a tray back to the bedroom so he could eat while continuing to play.

   Around midmorning I grabbed a pair of black satin workout shorts from
the laundry basket for Todd to wear and took him downstairs into the
basement for some instruction on paint guns.

   "You ever use one of these before?"

   The boy examined the weapon I handed him and shook his head.

   "The other kids all have, so you'll need to get familiar with it." I
demonstrated the techniques of loading the pellet reservoir and switching
out compressed air cylinders, then had the boy try it himself, nodding in
approval as he did it correctly.  "Yeah...  Yeah...  That's perfect. 
You're a natural.  Now, let's see you shoot."

   This took longer because it was evident Todd had never fired a gun in
his life.  I had him shoot into the target frame at the end of the basement
for more than an hour, first from prone, then sitting or standing
positions, and finally graduating to more difficult turn-and-shoot or
dive-roll-and-shoot rapid firing.  He did well considering that it was the
only time he had ever tried, and I told him so, patting him on his bare
shoulder, assuring him, "You'll get even better with more practice. 
Tonight we'll be doing some work with the laser guns and I bet you'll be
good at that, too.  Here --"

   From the equipment box I grabbed one of the knives that I had bought for
the boys and handed it to him along with an ankle sheath.  Todd held the
double edged blade by its skeleton handle, staring at it, then looked up at
me.

   "Like this..." I demonstrated how the knife should be fastened into the
sheath.  Then I pointed to his right ankle.  "You're right-handed, so strap
it to your leg there..."

   After some awkward fumbling Todd got the weapon in place and I knelt
down to ensure that the straps were not too tight.  "You want the thing to
stay in place," I cautioned, "But you don't want to cut off circulation."

   Once he had it right, Todd waited for my approval and with another
caress of his smooth bare shoulder I said, "That's perfect.  When we do
paintball for real that's the weapon you finish opponents with.  Get used
to wearing it.  You can take it off at night and for showers or laser tag
drill and stuff like that, but not this..." I pointed to the gold chain on
his left ankle.  "Never that.  That never comes off.  You understand?"

   Todd nodded and added in a soft whisper, "Uh-huh."

   "Good boy." I ruffled his thick brown hair and then gave his sturdy
shoulders a quick hug.  Todd leaned against me in an awkward little gesture
of affection, rubbing his right hand on my hip.

   "Let's see what the others are doing," I told him, squeezing his
shoulders once more.

   There had been no noise from either the bedrooms or the bathroom while
Todd had been practicing, but since it was getting close to noon I expected
hunger to have wakened at least some of the other boys.  To my surprise,
when I opened the door to the big bedroom the only light was the flickering
TV screen where a videogame was in progress.  Mike, clad in a pair of
Scott's red workout shorts, was sitting at the end of the bed playing it.
All the others were huddled beneath the covers asleep.

   The sturdy little towheaded boy turned his head when I came in and I saw
the flash of his teeth as he grinned at me.

   "Having fun?" I asked and he nodded.

   I flipped on the overhead lights and there were stirrings beneath the
bed covers.  Rabbit's head appeared.  Eyes blinking, he squinted and peered
over at me.  "Time to get up," I said to him.  "I'm gonna make lunch for
you."

   Leaving Todd with the others, I mounted the stairs to the kitchen,
placed a pot of soup on the stove to heat and began the process of
constructing a platter of chicken sandwiches.  While I was working the
'splat, splat, splat' sound of paint pellets smacking into a canvass target
came from below, along with muffled shouts and laughter.  I smiled to
myself, continuing my preparations while I checked the news again for any
new developments on Todd's story.  There was nothing and once the soup was
hot enough I stacked plates, bowls, spoons, and paper napkins before
calling Scott and Rabbit up to help me.  My two fighters brought the
dishware downstairs while I carried the food and shortly all six of us were
eating, the boys sitting on the weight benches or cross-legged on the mats
while I stood in front of them, chewing a sandwich.

   "Light workout first," I said, addressing Scott and Rabbit.  "You guys
lead and show how to do it.  Then we hit the backyard in teams for
paintball drill.  Rabbit, you take Eddie.  Scott, you get Mike, and Todd
will be on both teams.  When one is up in the yard, the other will be down
here working on target drills."

   "How come Todd gets to be on both?" Mike complained, frowning as he
looked up from his place on a mat.  I had seen him eyeing Todd's gold chain
and knife while the food was passed out.  Rabbit and Scott had noticed as
well, but they knew what the chain meant and a sly look had passed between
them.

   "Todd's already done target shooting this morning," I explained to Mike.
"Now he needs the experience of being a target himself.  You guys will have
plenty of chances to pepper him so he finds out what it's like."

   "That ain't all he found out about," Rabbit muttered with a snicker.

   Scott put a hand over his mouth to stifle a giggle and I saw Todd blush.
Mike and Eddie eyed all three of them for a moment and then Eddie giggled
as well.

   "Eat up," I told the boys.  "We're wasting time.  You guys have to shape
up for the next film.  We've only got a few weeks."

   "Do we gotta' wait that long, Joe?" Scott asked.

   I smiled at him.  "Let's see how it goes.  If we're ready sooner, we'll
do it sooner.  But everybody has to be trained.  We don't want it to be too
easy, do we?"

   "Uh-uh!" Both Scott and Rabbit shook their heads while the other three
boys looked at us.

   "What we gonna do for the film?" Mike wanted to know.

   "You'll see," I told him and Rabbit nodded.  "Yeah," he assured Mike. 
"You'll see.  It's way cool!"

   "Finish up," I told them all.  "Drink your soup.  We need to get
started."

   All the boys helped me cleanup and then, while I carried everything
upstairs and loaded the dishwasher, Rabbit and Scott demonstrated the first
few free weight exercises to the other boys.  By the time I got back
downstairs the workout had already started and the only thing I needed to
do was watch.

   Nude except for their satin workout shorts the five boy's proceeded
through the various free weight routines, my three new acquisitions
following the lead of Scott and Rabbit.  Soon each young body was sheened
in oily sweat, the harsh fluorescent lighting glinting off them, dazzling
me with their beauty.  While I lent my aid, encouraging and teaching, I
compared them in my mind.

   Rabbit and Todd were complements of each other, both the same height,
both their slim forms having the gawky coltishness of early adolescence,
the wiry angularity of one a contrast to the more subtle linear grace of
the other.  Next came Scott and Mike, the younger boy an inch shorter than
the older, but both with the same defined sculpted perfection.  Finally
there was Eddie, the same age and height as Mike, whose delicate loveliness
of form set him apart from any of the others.  Every move he made had the
natural balance and unconscious grace of a dancer.  With his striking
features framed in raven dark curls the boy might have been a little faun
in the train of the God Bacchus, or the young catamite immortalized in the
poetry of Virgil.

   Once the free weight exercises had been demonstrated the boys started on
the cable machine, and by that time I had picked up on the interplay of
personalities.  Both Rabbit and Mike kept glancing at Todd's ankle chain
and whenever the brown haired boy tried one of the exercises Mike would
whisper something to Eddie that made them both giggle.  Eddie himself stuck
close to Scott, and as the boys proceeded from station to station around
the machine it was usually Scott who taught Eddie the new exercise and not
Rabbit.

   I took over when it was time for the aerobic sets and led the way
through an abbreviated routine demonstrating proper form and keeping a slow
pace.  Even so, Todd, Mike, and Eddie were winded by the time we finished
and after a glance at my watch I announced that we would skip the wrestling
and go right to paintball practice.

   "All right!" Scott exclaimed with a happy grin.  Rabbit gave the panting
newcomers a smug look.

   I had bought denim jeans and jackets in sufficient number and sizes so
that each boy could be outfitted and they all got dressed, although Scott
grumbled about not being able to use the cut down versions I had made for
use in the maze.

   "Full clothing in the backyard," I told him, shaking my head.  "I don't
want you guys welted up by pellet strikes.  It'll spoil your photo
sessions."

   The blonde boy made a face and then both he and Rabbit began strapping
on knives before pulling on their pants.  Next to them, Mike, who had been
eyeing the sheath on Todd's right lower leg all through the workout,
pointed and asked, "Hey, how come they like get knives an' me an' Eddie
don't?"

   "Relax," I told him.  "You all get one."

   From the equipment box I produced two sharpened weapons and showed the
younger boys how to fasten them in place.  "This is only for you to get
accustomed to them," I cautioned.  "We don't use them in practice.  Right?"
I directed this question at Rabbit, who met my gaze and nodded.

   "Uh-huh."

   "Okay," I said, glancing around.  "Scott, grab a gun.  You, Todd and,
Mike - with me into the backyard.  Rabbit, you got Eddie.  Show him the
target drills.  You know what to do..."

   After making sure my three had their eye protection goggles on, I led
them upstairs and out the patio doors onto the grass of the back lawn. 
"Todd, you're up first," I said taking the paint gun from Scott and handing
it to the slim brown haired boy.  "Let's see what you've learned.  Scott,
you're the target.  Get moving..."

   With a grin at me Scott dashed off, turned and then made a run past us,
dodging the moment he saw Todd take aim.

   "Oh ho!" I laughed, when bright yellow paint splotches blossomed on
Scott's denim jacket at the very first volley.  "Not bad!"

   At the hit Scott threw up his arms and went tumbling onto the ground,
sprawling in pretended death for a few moments before getting back up to
his feet with a grin.  "Again!" he called and I nodded, directing him with
a gesture to make another pass in the opposite direction.  This time he
zigged and zagged, trying to throw off Todd's aim but the slender boy still
hit him, not fooled by any of the sudden swerves.  Scott pretended to 'die'
again, falling to the ground, rolling, and then lying face up, arms
outstretched.

   "Way to go, Todd," I said, giving his shoulders a hug and the boy looked
up at me, his eyes bright in acknowledgment of my praise.

   Scott did more runs for him, twisting, turning, dodging; then it was
Mike's turn with Todd running back and forth as his target.

   Right from the start I could tell Mike was not a natural shooter.  He
had trouble with the lead and also tended to aim high.  I sent Scott out as
a second target to improve Mike's chances for a hit and worked with him
until he had gained some confidence.  Then it was his turn to dodge around
while Scott practiced.

   All three of the boys had fun but I could tell that Mike was aware of
Todd's superiority and that it annoyed him.  To keep him happy I made sure
he got more encouragement and attention from me than the others.

   After an hour I switched teams and it was Rabbit's turn to be a target
for Todd and Eddie.  Scott took Mike downstairs for work with the
stationary target.  It only took a few runs for Eddie to catch the trick of
leading his target and the three boys had a good time vying with each other
for points in a game they invented.  Like Scott, Eddie enjoyed inventing
spectacular ways to 'die' when he was hit and would have been happy to be a
target all the time if I had not insisted that he take his turns shooting.
Todd continued to show natural aptitude and several times I caught Rabbit
eyeing him in appraisal.

   As the sun began to set I called a halt to practice, had the boys stuff
their paint splattered denims into the washing machine and while they
relaxed in the big bedroom playing a videogame I put dinner together for
them.  I kept the TV turned to the headline news channel, where Todd's
disappearance was still a story, but the reports were shorter and other
events were crowding them aside.  When the food was ready I turned the TV
off and called for Scott and Rabbit to help me serve the meal downstairs. I
was not ready for any group meetings outside the security of the basement.

   While they ate, Mike and Eddie argued over who was the best shot in
paintball.  Todd sat off to one side listening without talking and Scott
along with Rabbit kept glancing over at me from their places on the weight
bench, grinning because they knew we were going to do laser tag afterwards
and I was sure they had not told the others about the special vests.

   My suspicion about this was confirmed by the sly look on Scott's face
when he asked as I was gathering up the dishes, "We gonna practice with the
laser guns tonight, Joe?"

   "Yeah.  Why don't you and Rabbit get the vests out while I clear all
this stuff out of the way."

   This brought forth a mischievous giggle from both my fighters and they
raced each other to the equipment box where I kept the vests, dragging it
out from its place behind the stairs.  When I came back after stacking
plates in the dishwasher each boy had a vest and Rabbit was explaining
about the leads.

   "You stick 'em on," he said, demonstrating by holding one against his
chest.

   "Yeah," added Scott, crowding in so Rabbit would not hog the spotlight.
"You gotta' like put 'em all around in different places, like here, here,
and here..." He pointed to his chest and shoulders.

   "What's this one?" asked Mike, holding up the lead which ended in a
metal probe.

   Scott giggled.  "That one goes up your butt."

   The towheaded boy stared at him.  "No way!"

   "Uh-huh," Scott said, laughing, and Rabbit nodded his head.  "That's
like what makes it work."

   "Sheee...iiit!" Mike stared again at the probe tip and then turned to
look up at me.

   "That's the way it is," I told him, giving his sturdy bare shoulder a
pat.  "Rabbit, show these guys how to put it on."

   Without hesitation my wiry young fighter stripped off his gold satin
shorts and stood naked before us, the angles of his lean body gleaming in
the lights.  He was half erect and his partly stiffened boy spike swayed
back and forth as he stepped into the thong of his vest, pulling it up and
then reaching back to slip the metal lead into his rear.  Mike snickered,
glanced up at me again and then watched in silence along with Todd and
Eddie while Scott helped Rabbit stick the other leads to his chest and
stomach before zipping the vest up.

   "That's how it's done," I told them.  "Scott, why don't you and Rabbit
help Todd, and Mike, you and Eddie can do each other."

   This got another snicker from Mike, and the towheaded boy began to pull
down his shorts, but Eddie backed away, heading toward the bedroom door. 
"I doan' need help.  I can do it myself," he assured me when I looked his
way.

   "Eddie doan' like nobody seein' him," Mike declared, laughing at his
friend.  "I bet he got a stiffly!"

   I went over to the small boy, picked him up along with his vest and
gestured at the others.  "Into the bedroom.  You guys change in there. 
Rabbit, you help Mike.  Scott, you do Todd.  I'll take care of Eddie."

   With a giggle from Scott, the four boys trooped into the bedroom.  I
closed the door on them, then put Eddie down on his feet, telling him,
"Okay, Tiger.  Let's get this vest on." The boy looked up at me with an
anxious expression.  "If you got a stiffly," I said, tugging down the
waistband of his satin shorts, "That's nothing to be ashamed of.  In fact
it's very nice.  Oh yes... Uh-huh..."

   Peeling off the boy's shorts uncovered a rigid little shaft jutting
straight out from his smooth hairless groin--and one look showed me why he
was so self-conscious.  Eddie was circumcised, but it had been a poor job.
Only half the foreskin was removed and there was a disfiguring ball of scar
tissue on what remained around his almond shaped tip.

   "This is a really, really nice stiffly," I assured the boy, sliding my
fingertips along the slim quivering hardness.  "You got a good one, and you
know what?" I rubbed the ball of scar tissue.  "This is a perfect spot to
put a gold stud.  It'll look wicked cool.  Do you know that Rabbit has
one?"

   Eddie had been looking down, watching me stroke him, and now he lifted
his head to nod.

   "Uh-huh."

   "I bet you saw last night when you all showered.  He likes to show it
off."

   The boy giggled and nodded again.

   "Well guess what?" I gave his hard jutting shaft more firm strokes. 
"You're gonna' have one, too.  Tonight you can stay with me, okay?  We'll
put it in, and I promise no one else will get one.  Just you and Rabbit. 
The other kids will all be jealous."

   All the boy's shy anxiety was gone.  While I held the shorts he pulled
his legs the rest of the way out to stand naked in front of me and then, to
my surprise, tugged at my arm and lifted his face to mine.  When I kissed
him on the lips, his mouth opened, letting my tongue thrust in deep and I
felt Eddie's slender supple body quiver as he hugged against me.  "Tonight,
you and me," I whispered as our lips parted.  The boy nodded, eyes shining.

   We got his vest on without difficulty, Eddie slipping the metal probe up
into himself with a deftness that betrayed experience.  I showed him where
to stick the other leads on his silky smooth chest and tummy, and once he
was zipped up the boy smiled at me.  I patted his delicate shoulder. 
"Okay, Champ.  I think you're gonna' have fun with this.  Let's see if the
others are ready."

   Opening the bedroom door we found Rabbit helping Todd, checking over the
graceful brown haired boy's vest to be sure all the flaps were down. 
Giggles were coming from the bathroom where Mike, zipped up in his vest,
was admiring himself in the mirror with Scott beside him.

   "Okay, gang," I said, gathering them all around me.  "Five down here may
be a little crowded, but we'll start that way for now.  Later we may have
to break into teams, or have eliminations.  Rabbit?  Scott?  Have you guys
filled them in on what to expect?"

   Rabbit smiled and Scott grinned up at me.  "Ummm...  Like sort of..."

   "Uh-huh..." I reached out to tap Todd, Mike, and Eddie on their heads
one by one.  "Listen guys.  When you take a hit these vests do more than
just light up, so be ready for that."

   Both Rabbit and Scott laughed, and then held out fists for me to tap.

   "Okay," I said.  "As I actuate your vest go find a hiding place.  The
game starts when the lights go out.  Your vests are set for sixteen lives.
When your LEDs start flashing continuously you have to die and stay dead."

   Starting with Todd I connected the power for each boy and sent them off
with a pat on their bare butt cheeks.  Scott was last and once his battery
was connected I whispered to him, "Have fun," and made a round of the
basement turning off lights, leaving on only the ones in the bathroom and
the bulb that lit the stairs.

   "Okay," I called, finding a place to get comfortable by the paintball
target frame.  "Fight!"

   'Zap!  Zap!'

   The sound effects came from across the basement and I saw LED flashes.
Someone gave a high pitched squeal, there were more 'Zap!  Zap!' sounds and
I heard Mike yell, "Holy Shit!"

   Dim figures scurried past.  There was another flash with sound effects.
A small boy that I thought was Eddie tumbled writhing to the floor and then
I lost track of the action completely amid darting forms, blinking lights
and excited laughter.

   The flashing was constant and bodies kept tumbling to the floor although
I could not always tell who they were.  A lanky form that could have been
either Rabbit or Todd fell back across the weight bench, arms and legs
thrashing.  Then a short compact body that I was sure was Eddie 'died'
spectacularly amid a barrage of laser hits, jerking and somersaulting into
a sprawl onto the mats.  But when the boy got up he glanced in my direction
and I saw that it was Scott.  A moment later he had ambushed another player
emerging from the door of the bedroom and the boy, who might have been Mike
or Eddie, went down with a squeal, twisting and squirming on the floor.

   Finally I began to see the continuous flash of LEDs as boys went down to
stay down.  Two lay on the floor of the workout area and I was sure there
was a third somewhere else because only a pair of dim figures were still up
stalking each other.  I watched as, first one, then the second, came
tiptoeing past me on the mats, head turning, looking...  Then, as a shadowy
form slipped out from the small bedroom there was a sudden 'Zap!  Zap!' The
shadow stumbled to the weight bench, fell jerking across it and lay with
head and arms dangling as the LEDs of its vest continued to flash.  I got
up, switched on the lights and Rabbit emerged from behind the cable machine
looking at me in triumph.

   "I never saw you get over there!" Pulling the wiry boy to me I gave him
a quick hug.  "How did you do that?"

   Rabbit's eyes gleamed.  More than anyone else he loved being praised by
me and I could tell he was delighted.  After giving him another hug I
walked over to the weight bench.  Todd was the one draped over it.  The
pouch of his thong was bulging from an erection and he giggled when I
tickled there before helping him to a sitting position.  His eyes were
glowing with excitement and he gave me a shy smile when I whispered, "Nice
going, Tiger!"

   Scott was one of the boys sprawled on the mats.  He struggled to his
feet, grinning, and watched as I helped up Eddie who had fallen near him.
The curly haired boy gazed up wide-eyed and nodded when I said, "Pretty
cool, huh Champ?"

   "Joe, this is like wicked rad!" Mike was coming out of the big bedroom.
He had unzipped his vest and was looking down at himself, touching the
electrode pads stuck to his sturdy body.  The pouch of his thong was bulged
out and his sharp features were lit by a wide grin.

   "Told ya' it was awesome," Scott said.

   "No shit!  This is like incredible!" I walked over to Mike and the
sturdy towheaded boy looked up at me.  "We can like do it more, right?"

   "As much as you want," I assured him.  "The more you practice the
better."

   "All right!"

   None of the boys were interested in forming teams so I just reset the
electronics in their vests and let them keep going with another sixteen
lives.  For several hours I was surrounded by flashing lights, 'Zap!  Zap!'
sound effects and the excited squealing of boys chasing each other,
competing to see who could 'die' with the most dramatic theatrics.

   From my vantage point by the stairs I watched the shifting action, each
player writhing as he was hit, their young bodies twisting in fantastic or
grotesque shapes amid the dim light.  Rabbit often ended as the winner, but
to my surprise Todd gained victories as well and even little Eddie won a
few rounds.

   Scott and Mike never did.  Both played with reckless abandon, exposing
themselves to fire for the thrill of repeated spectacular 'death's.

   Mike took the most hits and when the power pack of his vest was drained
I allowed the round to finish and then told the boys it was time for bed.
There was a chorus of groans and Scott pleaded, "Just a few more times,
Joe..." But I shook my head.

   "This is only the first day and you guys still have a lot of training to
do before we can make a movie.  You need to rest.  Peel off those vests and
hit the shower.  Eddie, you go first.  You can have the bathroom to
yourself."

   There was general giggling at this and Mike snickered.  With a grateful
look at me Eddie scampered off to the bathroom while the rest of the boys
began unzipping their vests and removing the electrical leads.  Scott and
Rabbit watched with amusement as I helped Mike take the metal probe out of
his butt.

   "Pretty cool, huh?" I whispered and the towheaded boy responded with a
sly grin.  Then I moved to Todd and on the pretext of helping him withdraw
his lead, checked the bruising around his opening.  "We'll put more stuff
on this after your shower," I whispered to him.  "You were a star on this.
I was proud of you."

   Lifting his eyes to mine the boy nodded and there was something in his
unblinking gaze that held me for an instant, a brutal coldness, the
calculating stare of a killer.  It was fleeting, gone almost before I
caught it, but I had seen that look before and knew it for what it was.  As
I caressed the boy's silky round shoulder congratulating him again I
reminded myself never to turn my back if he had a weapon in his hand.

   With the four naked boys in front of me, I herded them to the bedroom
where they pulled on their satin workout shorts and started a videogame. 
From the bathroom came the sound of water and when it stopped I went in,
helped Ernie dry off and after giving him his shorts to wear, took him out
to the workout area by way of the small bedroom.

   "Wait here for me," I ordered, pointing to the weight bench and the boy
sat down obediently.  Then I sent Todd in for a shower along with Rabbit, I
watched Scott and Mike play against each other on the videogame until the
sound of the water stopped and sent them in next when Todd and Rabbit
emerged.

   "I don't want you guys staying up too late," I told them while
un-capping a tube of aloe ointment.  "Hear me?"

   Both boys nodded.  Todd was carrying his shorts and had a towel wrapped
around his middle.  With a gesture I indicated that he was to pull it loose
and while Rabbit watched I bent the boy over, spread his butt cheeks and
applied soothing ointment to his bruised ring.

   "I'll be down early tomorrow morning," I said, recapping the tube and
giving Todd's firm glossy butt a gentle pat.  "Make sure you're ready. 
We've got some tough training ahead before we make the next movie."

   Todd was pulling up his shorts so I could not see his expression, but
Rabbit's eyes were on me and I caught the fierce competitive look he gave
me before his gaze went to the boy next to him.  "Until then, everybody
works together," I warned and Rabbit nodded.

   -------------------- End of Chapter Twelve --------------------