Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 21:09:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Snwdemon <snwdemon@yahoo.com>
Subject: 'Saving Alex' Chapter 2 (M/b, no sex)

WARNING:

       This story is technically a novella, and while it does contain some
erotic and sexual scenes including some sexual scenes involving men and
minor boys, it is not my intent that this story be considered erotic.
However, I chose to include this subject in order to portray the
ruthlessness of some of the characters.  If this offends you, then I
recommend you not read further.  Any similarity to individuals, living or
dead, is entirely accidental.  Certain buildings, places, and historical
sites have been included in this story in order to set the place or mood of
a particular scene.  No persons, places, and businesses are in any way
affiliated to myself, or to this story.

       The story is copyrighted under the pseudonym, Snwdemon.  A copy has
been placed in the Nifty archives for your enjoyment.  Feel free to post it
to appropriate newsgroups or send it to your friends.  The story cannot be
used to derive monetary gain.  It cannot be placed in archives that require
payment for access, or printed and distributed in any form that requires
payment.

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FINAL WARNING:

       If you are under the age of 18, if this material is illegal in your
place of residence, or if man-boy relationships aren't your thing, then
exit now and save yourself from a life of sin!


Author's Note:

Hello again all.  Well as you know from the author's notes in my other
stories, I have been quite ill recently.  However, I am finally getting
over it.  The one good thing about being sick is that you end up spending
countless hours in bed.  I chose to put that time to good use, and wrote
several chapters of my current stories including this one.  I have wrestled
with myself over this story because the opening chapter lays out the
general plot, but is open enough to allow the story to go in almost any
direction.  After thinking long and hard about the various directions I
could take, I kept coming back to my original inspiration for this story.
It is intended to be a suspense/thriller type of story as well as a love
story.  While I am still unsure about whether I should include some sexual
scenes, I am leaning towards letting a relationship develop between the two
main characters.  Even if I choose not to include sexual scenes, what's a
story without sex?  Therefore, while it may not be described in graphic
detail, it will still be vivid enough for someone's imagination.  Which, in
my opinion, is how every great love story is written.  It is also going to
be my first attempt at writing in this genre, so I hope I get it right.
God Bless everybody.  Damion.


'Saving Alex' by Snwdemon

My thanks to "BenBear, RJ, and Miguel Sanchez" for proofing this chapter.


Recap:

      "I do not know everything Bill, but this has something to do with my
wife's family back in Columbia.  Alex is her brother, which is something I
didn't know either until just now.  He is Allejandro Cruz, and Luna told me
I had to keep him safe.  So I can only guess he was the intended target for
this, or they both were...I just don't know.  I need to know everything you
can get me about this MS-13 gang."  I told him, and I could feel the anger
building inside me like a raging inferno.

      "Be careful Pat, or you may end up in the middle of a gang war with
them."  He cautioned me as he watched for my response.  He knew the look on
my face, and knew my rage was building.  He also knew that whomever I chose
to vent that rage would regret it.

      "They got more than a war when they assaulted my family, they got a
blood feud.  They don't know the kind of war I am going to bring on them,
and God help them when I come.  Just get me that information please.  I'm
going to take Alex and my son home now, and then I'm going to see Luna.  I
want 24/7 protection on her to ensure her safety."  I told him in a deadly
serious tone of voice.

      "I will make it happen.  You know that we cannot openly support you
in this, but you just tell me what you need and I will get it alright."
Bill told me, and I fully understood his meaning.  If any of this got into
the news, the agency will play dumb and deny any involvement.  However, I
was not just a Criminal Profiler, but also one of their best Covert
Operatives.  Bill just looked into my eyes, and he could see the inferno
behind them.  Whoever had done this to my family would now pay, probably
with their lives.  However, they were not through yet because the other
shoe was about to fall.


End Chapter 1



Chapter 2: June 14, 1999 (2 hours later)

	I finally managed to get away from the throng that had gathered on
my street.  The traffic was a nightmare, and I crawled along.  I cannot
tell you if it was a gut instinct, the traffic, or just pure luck, but I
turned off a couple of blocks before M street, and made my way down the
ally behind the store.  I got out of the car, and was I hit with the
immediate sense of wrongness that permeated the air when we arrived at the
store.  I waved at Alex to be quiet, and I retrieved my service weapon from
my briefcase.  Alex stayed in the car with Patrico, while I quietly made my
way to the back door going into the kitchen.  I could hear them yelling at
Papa as I stopped beside the door.  I carefully and quietly opened the
screen door.  Next, I paused and listened, and I got a rough idea where
everyone was positioned.  Then, I eased open the back door to almost a foot
open before the door hinge squeaked.  When that happened, I rushed forward,
throwing the door open.

      There were four young thugs who I presumed were gang members.  The
two closest to me were beating up Papa, while the third was standing next
to where Mama was tied up.  The last gang member was keeping watch out the
front, and I presume again, waiting for me to arrive.  I came inside in a
shooter's crouch, and fired off two shots that dropped the two gang members
nearest me, and damn near blew half of the guy's head off as he held a gun
to Papa's head.  The other two members split up, with the younger of the
two squaring off with me.  His gun never cleared his waistband, while the
last gang member fled.  I shot him in the leg just as he reached the door.
Then, I came up behind him, kicked him hard in the groin, and shot him in
his kneecap to immobilize him after taking his weapon.

	"Mama...Papa, are you ok?"  I asked them as I came through the door
back into the kitchen.  Papa had untied Mama, but other than him being
roughed up a bit, splattered with blood, brain matter, and gore, they were
both fine.

	"Tell me what happened," I said to them as I waved Alex to hurry
inside with my son.  He carried Patrico carefully as he got out and ran by
me in to the kitchen.  He came to a sudden stop, and stood frozen, unable
to move.

	"Muchacho, what's the matter?"  Papa asked him, and that got my
attention.  I closed the door and locked it, and then came up behind Alex.
He was trembling so much that I could see it, and I was afraid that he was
going to drop my son for a moment.  Then, I saw his face, which was ghostly
pale as he stared wide eyed at the dead bodies, tissue and gore, with their
blood pooling around them.  When I came around him and took my son, I saw
that he had wet his pants, and that his breathing was quickening.  I knew
that he was going into shock, and that the sight of the bodies had pushed
him over the edge because everything was happening so fast and he could not
deal with it.

	"Mama, come take Patrico, please.  I need to take care of Alex," I
told her gently, and she came over and took my son from me.  I turned him
around until his back was towards the carnage.  His eyes focused on me for
a moment finally, and he let out a soft whimper as he embraced me.  Hugging
him to me, I could still feel his slender body shaking almost violently
from his shock.  I then had Papa cover his head with a dish towel, so he
could no longer see the blood around him, and told them to lock up, and
come upstairs, before carrying Alex out of the room.  Mama followed me with
Patrico, and put him in the playpen upstairs.  Papa came up and asked me
about the young thug in the front who was injured, and I told him that I
would take care of him after I was done with Alex.  I also told him to call
the police, and handed him my wallet too.  I told him to also call my
supervisor, and then he needed to take my gun and go watch the punk
downstairs.  My words to him were "shoot the bastard if he hiccups!"  While
I sat Alex on the old couch, and untangled his arms from my neck before
speaking to him.

	"Allejandro, look at me.  That's right, it's Uncle Patrico, and I
am worried about you.  Don't speak, just nod your head.  I know things are
bad, but try not to think about what you saw.  Try to push the images out
of your head for now.  Now can you tell me if what you just saw and heard
downstairs scared you Alex?"  If I could get him to respond, or better yet,
to cry, then I would relax because it would mean that he was processing
what he just witnessed.  I asked him this as I knelt in front of him, and
held his hands in mine.  It was then that Mama noticed the wet front of his
shorts and it worried her more, but I waved her back.  He was showing all
of the classic symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress.  The symptoms were very
different than they were with adults, mainly because a child has not yet
fully developed their ability to reason yet.  Therefore, their symptoms
were more acute, and their reactions more primitive than adults.  What is
considered normal to a person like me, who has been inoculated to this kind
of violence, is simply terrifying to him so his brain just shuts down.
Therefore, I knew that I first had to get though to him, and then reassure
him that he was safe from harm.

	"Come on Alex, its me, Uncle Patricio ok.  I am married to your
sister Luna, and I work for the FBI remember?"  I said calmly with a smile
on my face, and I watched his small shoulders relax just a bit.  "Now, can
you answer my question by nodding yes or no for me?  Did the things you saw
and heard downstairs scare you mejo?"  I asked again in even a more gentle
tone of voice.  Slowly, Alex nodded his head before lowering his eyes.
Good, I was making some progress.

	"No Alex, you need to look at me mejo," I said as I gently lifted
his chin until our eyes met again.  "Good mejo, now again, nod yes or no,
and tell me if this is the first time you have ever seen a person hurt
badly, or dead?"  Again, he just nodded his head slightly while his shaking
increased.

	"No mejo, do not think about it, just try thinking about what you
felt only.  Were you scared or sad?"  I told him in a soft, comforting
whisper like voice as I kept his eyes locked onto my own.

      "It's all over mejo, you are safe."  I was holding his small wrist
with my hand, and also monitoring his pulse at the same time.  After I
repeated these words a few of times, he began to relax more as he continued
to look at me with unfocused eyes.  His breathing had slowed from the short
rapid pace that it had been, and his heart rate was almost normal again.

	"It was pretty scary down there, wasn't it beautiful?"  He nodded
again, only the nod was more noticeable this time.  I was watching for any
response, and his eyes focused for a moment on mine when I called him
beautiful.  I saw the very slight tremble that showed in his bottom lip for
just a moment too, just before his eyes became glassy as they slowly
filled.

      "I know it was beautiful, but you are safe now.  I won't let anything
bad happen to you, I promise.  It's ok to cry if you want to, but I want
you to remember that it's over, and you are safe, ok?"  I said, and it got
through this time.  He blinked a couple of times, and a tear slid down his
face before his bottom lip began to really tremble as he looked at me.

      "It's ok.  Come here my beautiful muchacho," I said to him as I held
open my arms to him.  Alex quickly embraced me as he buried his face into
my chest and began to sob softly.  I sat back on my heels, and began to
sooth him while rocking back and forth, as he cried.  I held him for almost
twenty minutes even after his tears had stopped.  When my supervisor came
upstairs, I quietly motioned for him to not disturb me.  He quickly blocked
the Metro police from intruding on us, and herded them back downstairs.
Finally, Alex started coming around, and he relaxed in my arms.

      "You ok now mejo?"  I asked him softly when he lifted his head up
from my shoulder and looked at me.  His small body was still trembling a
little, but nothing close to how bad he was shaking when I brought him
upstairs.  Patrico had started crying, so Mama had taken him into her
bedroom to feed him, leaving Alex and me alone.

      "I^ÅI think I^Åum^ÅI had an accident," he said in a soft quivering
voice as his eyes filled again.  I quickly kissed him on his eyes in hopes
of stopping his tears.

      "It's ok my beautiful muchacho, you were very scared, and that is
what happens when a person is scared like you were.  Don't worry about it,
to be honest, I almost messed myself when the door squeaked, so don't feel
bad.  Come on; let's go get you changed so nobody but us will know ok?"  I
told him reassuringly, and he nodded, but he did not let go of me.  I
managed to stand up, even though my left leg was numb and tingling from
sitting too long on it.  I took him back to his room, and sat him down on
his bed before standing up.

      "I will be right back, ok Alex.  I am going to get a wash cloth and
towel from the bathroom to clean you up ok?"  I asked him and he nodded as
he picked up a stuffed weenie dog from his bed and hugged it.  I went to
the bathroom just down the hall from his room, and got a warm, wet, wash
cloth and a dry towel before returning to his room, closing the door, and
locking it.  I came over and sat down next to him on the bed.

      "Alright, let's get you changed.  Then you can lay down in here until
I finish talking to the police downstairs.  When I'm done, I will come get
you, then we can go see your sister, and then we can go away from this
place for awhile.  I was thinking that maybe we should take our camping
trip now, instead of later.  How does that sound to you mejo?"  I asked
him, and it brought him back completely.  He smiled at me and nodded while
his smile grew into a big, wide, boyish grin.

      "You mean it Uncle Patrico?  We can go away today?"  He asked me with
a little more excitement in his face.

       "Yes mejo, now let's get you cleaned up so I can take care of
business downstairs.  Then we can go."  I told him before kissing his
forehead.  "I am very proud of you right now my beautiful muchacho.  You
were very brave today."

      Alex just nodded his head before standing up in front of me.  I
pulled him close, and proceeded to strip off his clothes until he stood
completely naked in front of me.  I took the wash cloth and wiped down his
entire body starting with his face first.  Then I dried him thoroughly with
the towel before helping him dress in clean clothes.  Once we finished, I
told him to pack enough clothes for a full week including two pairs of
jeans, and two pairs of shorts, five underwear, socks, and t-shirts, and
last of all, two long sleeved shirts.  I left him to do this, and went
downstairs to meet with the police and my supervisor.  Bill broke away from
two of the crime scene technicians and came over to me when I came into the
room.

      "How is he doing Pat?"  He asked me referring to Alex.  I assumed
that Mama or Papa had updated him about Alex's condition.

      "He is all right, but still a little scared.  I was worried that he
was going into shock after he came into the kitchen and nearly stumbled
over one of the bodies.  Don't ask me how, but this was the first time he
had ever seen this kind of violence, and it scared the hell out of him
Bill."  I told him as he guided me over to a corner away from the other
people in the room.

      "Look, don't ask questions, but I've taken care of everything here.
You arrived after this went down ok.  I've got your service weapon in my
briefcase, and I assume that you have more if you need them right?"  He
said quietly to me and I nodded to him while thinking of the mini arsenal
in the trunk of my car.  Something was up, and I needed to know what before
I made my next move.  Using the coded sign language that was taught to all
operatives, I silently asked him what was going on.  "Unconfirmed report
says that your in-laws are informants for the DEA.  Word on the street is
that someone knows this and is seeking revenge, which could explain today."

      "Alright, then let's treat this like shadow understand.  Do you know
who the intended target was?"  I asked him, and he just pointed to the
ceiling letting me know that my hunch was correct that Alex was the
intended target.  "Fine, he will stay with me, and everything else will be
the same as shadow.  I will be in touch," I said to him referring to the
last operation we worked on together.  He knew that I was going underground
as of that moment, and that I would contact him through another undercover
operative who just happened to be in the Metro police department.  However,
his next words cut through me as if he stabbed me.

      "Hold on Pat.  I thought you should hear if from me first.  I am
sorry, but Luna didn't make it."  He said, and then he had to grab and hold
me up as my legs gave out.  It took a few minutes for me to regain control
of myself, but that was only after I had punched a hole in the wall as my
grief became rage.

      "What happened?"  I asked him through clenched teeth as I massaged my
hand.

      "The doctor said it was from the head trauma.  She had a brain
hemorrhage, and she died on the table as they were trying to save her.  She
didn't suffer Pat, and she wasn't in pain."  He told me sincerely with
tears in his eyes, and I knew he meant it.  Although he was my supervisor
now, he was one of my closest friends, and was my best man when I married
Luna.  I knew that Alex was still in danger, and that he would find out
soon enough, but I wanted to tell him.  I steeled myself for this, and knew
that I would grieve later when this was over, but for now, I needed to
concentrate on saving the remnants of my family.

	"Where are my parents?"  I asked him as I swallowed my grief.

	"Out front, she is taking it pretty hard though.  You father-in-law
said that they will take care of the arrangements.  They know what is going
on, and we will have them under protection around the clock.  I think you
should consider leaving Alex with them."  He said, although he already knew
what my answer would be.  We had done this same thing in a different case
involving the mafia.  We put the informant and his family under round the
clock protection, and it cost us not only the informant and his young son,
but also two good field agents as well.  The only consolation was that we
were able to save his wife and daughter, and hid them in witness
protection.  However, I knew that I could protect Alex because I would not
be hampered by all of the bureaucratic red tape and the law.

	"I need to talk to them for a moment privately, and make sure that
nobody goes upstairs."  I told him and he acknowledged my requests while
guiding me to the doorway leading out to the front of the store.  Although
he was my supervisor, as of now, I was in charge of this operation.  I
found Mama and Papa close to the register, and they both embraced me when I
came up to them.  Nothing was said, and we just cried together for a few
minutes for our loss.  Finally, I wiped my face, and kissed Mama and Papa
before speaking.  I reached into my pocket, took out my keys, and unhooked
a small key from the key ring.  I gave it to Papa before speaking.

	"I know Bill explained everything to you.  Alex is in danger, and
he was the intended target for this retribution.  I want you to know that I
do not blame you in any way for Luna's death.  She was my wife, and your
daughter, and we are family...nothing has changed.  I will get those
responsible for this, I promise you.  Alex will stay with me because I can
protect him that way.  Mama; you and Papa have to take care of Patrico now.
Just in case something happens to me Papa, that key is to my safe deposit
box at Riggs Bank.  It has all of my important papers in it, including my
will.  Take care of Luna for me, I love both of you."  I told them with
fresh tears in my eyes.  Then I kissed Mama's palms, and they both hugged
me while promising to do as I asked.

	"Are you going to tell Allejandro?"  Papa asked me.  I nodded
indicating that I would.  "Look mejo, Allejandro is my nephew, and Luna's
half brother.  She really was my daughter, but Allejandro is my brother's
son.  My brother is Santos Cruz, and he is in charge of the Medellion
cartel.  When he found out about Luna, he flipped out and killed her
mother.  I left Columbia to escape the cartel long ago, and when I heard
what had happened, I had Luna brought here where she met you.  Alex was
taken from his school without my brother's knowledge, and brought here too
where I was granted temporary custody of him.  The DEA, and ATF tried to
lure him here to come get Alex, but there was a spy, and it ended up in a
big shootout and two agents lost their lives along with three high ranking
members of the cartel.  My brother went into hiding after that, but I know
that he would never try and hurt Alex.  I know my brother, and he loves
Alex, that is why he has protected him so much from the cartel's influence.
I am now worried that he has been killed, and someone else is doing this to
secure their power in the cartel.  If this is true, then we are all in
grave danger."  Papa said while mama nodded her agreement that he spoke the
truth.  I decided to come clean with them, and let them know that whoever
had ordered this had chosen the wrong person to piss off.

	"Mama and Papa, you have to trust me, I can protect Alex, and
whoever did this will pay with his life.  I cannot explain further but I
ask you to trust me.  All I can say is this; do you think the FBI would
train a simple profiler to shoot like I can?"  I told them both quietly,
and Papa thought for a moment as he recalled how easily I killed the three
gang members, including the one holding a gun to Papa's head.  Papa shook
his head no in answer to my question as mama just looked at him, and then
me.  "Right, so trust me.  I will fix this so that nothing like this
happens again.  When I am finished, the cartel will regret that their
decision to come after my family.  Listen to Bill, and take care of your
grandson, and I will take care of Allejandro.  I won't be able to contact
you once we leave here, so I will bring him down to say goodbye before we
leave.  I will be back in a little while with Alex."  I told them and they
nodded before hugging me again.  I left them and returned to where Bill
was.

	"I will talk to you later, but the rules have changed.  Speak to no
one except shadow team from this point forward because there may be ears
close by.  Also, where did they take that kid I shot in the leg?"  I told
him quietly after I pulled him into a corner.

	"Alright, we operate dark from now on.  That kid was taken to GW,
you really messed up his leg you know.  They will probably have to amputate
it."  He said to me, I just gave him a vicious half smile.

	"He might be missing more than his leg by morning.  I need to talk
to Alex, then I will send for Mama and Papa so he can say goodbye."  I told
him before heading back up the stairs again.  Alex was finished packing his
gym bag, and sitting on his bed reading when I came back in.  Once again, I
closed the door, before sitting down beside him.  He immediately knew
something was wrong when he saw my face.  However, somehow he already knew
what was wrong because he had seen Luna before they took her away.

	"It's my sister isn't it?  She's in heaven now isn't she?"  He said
softly as tears slipped down his face.  Fresh tears flowed down my face as
I just nodded my head and hugged him.  We cried together for almost fifteen
minutes, and then I told him that something was wrong in Columbia, and that
his father may be involved too.  After he cried for another ten minutes, he
finally asked me if we could leave.

      "Yes, we can.  Now, I need you to keep a secret, can you promise me
that?"  I asked him in a conspiratorial whisper.  He nodded his head and
leaned closer to me.

      "I need you to promise me that no matter what you hear after today,
that you will trust me to protect all of our family, including your father
if necessary.  I also want you to trust me, and not believe everything you
hear about some things, and what some people say about me and our family.
They will say these things to get you to distrust me, and to do something
stupid so they can find and hurt us.  I know that is asking you to do a
lot, but you are going to have to trust me for now.  You are my partner
now, and we have to protect Mama, Papa, and little Patrico while we try to
find out what happened in Columbia, ok?"  I asked him with a serious face.
He studied my face for any hint of deception before placing his trust, and
welfare into my hands.

      "So Daddy is in trouble too...maybe in heaven with Luna right?"  He
asked me, and I nodded yes to him.  He asked me worriedly; "you won't ever
leave me will you?"

      "Not if I can prevent it, I promise.  See, this is another secret
that I just discovered today.  Since Luna is your sister, and I am her
husband, then I can easily adopt you and make you my son if you want that
later."  I told him with conviction.

      "Really?"  He said with hope in his eyes, and I nodded my head.  "Ok,
I promise to trust you Uncle Patrico.  I love you."

      "I love you too, my beautiful muchacho," I said to him after kissing
his forehead.  "Let's go say goodbye to Mama and Papa, ok mejo?"  He just
nodded his head and I picked up his heavy bag.  I noticed a couple of books
stuffed inside along with his stuffed dog.  I took him out to the living
room, and sat him on the couch before asking Bill to send Mama and Papa up.
They came up after a few minutes, and we had a tearful goodbye.  Papa told
him to be brave, and to listen to me, and he promised he would.  Finally,
Mama said a prayer, and told me to go with God, and we left.  After I
loaded his bag into the small back seat, I went to the trunk and retrieved
my shotgun and Uzi machine pistol, and put them behind my seat.  Then I
went over to Bill, got my 9mm semi-automatic handgun from him, and say
goodbye before climbing into the car and backing out of the ally.

      The first place I went was to my house, but again I approached it
from behind through the ally.  After watching for a few minutes, I had Alex
get out and follow me into the house.  However, instead of going upstairs
to my bedroom, I headed downstairs to the basement instead.  I didn't know
when I would be called for a mission, so I always kept two bags packed in
the basement.  One was packed with clothes, and other necessities, and the
other with more guns, ammo, and gear that I would need for a mission.  The
last thing I did was to grab the Coleman tent, and sleeping bags.  I also
took the camping equipment which consisted of Army style equipment that
included two field kit sets consisting of a small metal frying pan, bowl,
cup combo, and two canteens.  I stuffed two lightweight jackets for us to
use, and we both headed upstairs and into the garage.

      We loaded everything into the Mercedes SUV, and then I went and
retrieved my weapons from the back seat of the car.  Then before we left, I
went into my office, and took out a lockbox and opened it.  I retrieved my
various ID's and passports, credit cards, and a small machine that I
plugged into my computer.  I had Alex stand by the door as I took three
different photos of him with the digital camera, and I made him three phony
passports and IDs to match mine showing he was my son.  My plan was to
drive to Harper's Ferry after I had a chat with the punk at GW, and then
ditch the SUV there.  Once we got into the mountains, I would re-pack
everything and we would simply disappear.

	However, as we left the house, I saw the car follow us.  I drove
through the streets of DC towards George Washington Hospital Center while
keeping an eye on our tail.  As I stopped at a red light, I saw the car
that was following us stop about forty feet behind us, even though there
was no cars between us.

      "Get down now!"  I yelled to Alex, and he quickly complied.

      I slammed the gear shift into reverse, and stomped the accelerator
just as the driver of the car to the right of me fired a shotgun blast
intended for Alex.  It blew out the passenger window of the car that was on
the left side of me, which also happened to be full of gang members.  With
the thug in the car to the left of me, either dead or severely wounded, I
changed gears and pulled up to where I was just moments before.  Alex was
now huddling on the floor with his hands over his ears as I shot the driver
in the center of his forehead before taking off.  The car that had been
trailing us was now in pursuit.  I quickly turned onto Constitution
Ave. and took it to New York Ave.  Once I was on New York, I sped up to 80
leaving my pursuer behind as he got blocked by traffic.

      When I reached the tunnel, I passed through it quickly and stopped at
the entrance on the other side.  I grabbed the pump action shotgun, and the
Uzi, before running back into the tunnel.  I knelt down on one knee, took
aim with the shotgun, and waited.  When the pursuing car came around the
sharp curve, I pumped two rounds into the windshield on the driver's side,
and three into grill and left front tire.  The tire blew sending the car
careening into the wall before spinning it around 360 degrees and crashing
into the opposite wall.  When the wreckage came to a stop, I ran over to it
to check for survivors.  Of the two occupants inside, the driver was dead,
but the passenger was alive, but pinned and injured.  I could see that his
right arm was broken, and I grabbed it.

      "Who sent you?"  I asked him as he asked me to help him.  I twisted
his wrist, and he screamed in pain.  "I said who sent you?"

      "Miaorga sent us."  He told me when I let his arm go.  "Just help me,
please."

      "I doubt that you will die, but I want you to give your boss Miaorga
a message.  Tell him that he fucked with the wrong person, and that I'm
coming for him."  I said to him, and the bastard laughed.

      "You're the one who's fucked.  Miaorga wants that kid, dead or
alive."  He said with a laugh before screaming again as I twisted his wrist
again.

      "Yeah^Åright.  Just give him the message."  I told him as I let go
and stepped back.

      "Ok^Åwho do I say it's from smartass."  He growled at me as he
cradled his broken arm.

      "Tell him Dark Angel is coming^Åbecause I am going to kill his wife,
then his kids, nephews, nieces, brothers, sisters, parents, and friends
before I kill him.  Whoever gets in my way will die, do you understand?"  I
told him as I grabbed him by his throat and squeezed.  He nodded his head
wildly as he spluttered and struggled to breathe, and then I let go.  I ran
back to the SUV, and took off.  Alex was still huddled in a tight little
ball on the floor as I drove until I reached the on ramp to the beltway.  I
followed it south to the 210 highway and exited.  I took that to Berry Rd,
then Berry Rd to Rt. 5.  Once I was on Rt. 5, I pulled over into a Shell
station with a carwash.  I drove around to the back of the carwash and
parked by one of the vacuums.

      "Its ok mejo, we are safe now.  Come on Alex, its ok.  I kept my
promise."  I said to him gently as I gently tugged his hands away from his
ears.  He was shaking badly again, but not in shock.  After a moment, he
cracked open his eyes and looked at me.

      "We are safe mejo.  Now come up here and sit down please."  I told
him, and he slowly uncurled himself and timidly made his way back into his
seat.  As soon as he looked around at the dark and empty parking lot, he
relaxed a little before quickly embracing me.  He let out a little
strangled sob into my chest as I held him.

      "I was so scared that they were going to hurt us." He said after a
few minutes.  After he lifted his head and began wiping his eyes.  I gave
him my handkerchief, and kissed him on his head and forehead.

      "I know you were honey, and I'm sorry ok.  I wasn't paying attention,
and I promise that it won't happen again.  I've changed our plans a little,
I need some information first before we can go on, so I am going to a place
where we will be safe for a few days, ok?"  I explained to him as he wiped
his face.

      "So we aren't going camping right now?"  He asked me in his soft
musical voice.

      "Well, I didn't say that, but I decided to compromise a bit until I
can get organized.  I also think that you need a few days to rest too," I
said with a gentle smile.

      "Ok Uncle Patrico, um, I have to pee again."  He said a bit
sheepishly as he shook off his fright and trusted me.

      "So do I and we also need to think about food too.  We can get a
burger tonight, and tomorrow we can go shopping for supplies."  I told him
as I backed up and drove around to the front of the mini-mart.  We got out,
and went inside where we both used the bathroom.  I had him wash his face,
and comb his hair before we went back out into the store.  I asked him if
he wanted some chips or a drink, and we walked around for a few minutes
grabbing some things.  He got a bag of chips, and a Sunkist, while I got
Dorito's and coffee.  I also bought an atlas of the US, and paid to fill up
on gas too.

      When we got back on the road, I stopped at McDonald's and got us some
Big Mac's and fries along with drinks before driving south on Rt. 5 until
it intersected with Rt.4/Pennsylvania Ave.  We were now 80 miles south of
DC when I turned into the Navy Recreation Center in Solomon's Island,
Maryland.  I showed the gate guard my Federal ID, and the government
sticker on my car got us waved through.  I drove around for almost a minute
before he recognized the surroundings.

      "Hey, it's a campground.  I thought you said we weren't going camping
though."  He said questioningly to me.

      "No, I said kinda sorta.  See, we aren't going camping in a tent, but
we are going to be staying here in this thing."  I said as I parked beside
an RV Trailer.

      "Neat.  Is this yours?"  He asked me as he looked at me with those
beautiful brown eyes of his.

      "No mejo, it's not mine.  It belongs to my friend Bill, the man who
you saw earlier today at home.  We are going to borrow it for a few days
while we hide out until I get the information I need, then we are going to
the mountains ok."  I told him as I got out, and went to the door.  I
reached under the step, retrieved the spare keys, and let ourselves in.  I
turned on the lights as Alex carried in our dinner from McDonald's and
placed it on the small booth type dining table.  I went out and brought our
bags in except the camping gear while Alex explored the trailer.  He was in
the back when I came back in.

      "Uncle Patricio, this is so kewl.  It even has a bed, and a bathtub,
but I think you will get stuck in it though," he said excitedly.  Next, he
was opening the closets and drawers, and he even opened the roof vents as I
turned on the gas, water, and fired up the AC's to cool it off.  I ran them
full blast while we ate, then I turned them down to low.  However, the
events of the day quickly caught up to him as the last of his boyish energy
ran out.  He was fast asleep after he inhaled his Big Mac and fries.  He
hardly stirred as I gently picked him up, carried him to the back, and laid
him on the bed.  He moaned softly a couple of times as I undressed him to
his underwear, and covered him up.  I went back to the table and called
Bill on my cell phone.

      "Hey Bill, it's me," I said when he answered sleepily.

      "Pat, what time is it, and where are you?"  He asked me with a yawn.

      "Its almost midnight, and I'm in the wildebeest right now.  Had an
incident after we left, and I was afraid that our little friend couldn't
take much more.  So, I decided to hole up here for a few days to let him
rest before we move on.  I hope you don't mind the change of plans."  I
told him, and he knew exactly where I was because that was his youngest
son's name for the Wilderness RV trailer.

      "No, it's a good idea.  I know how to reach you if I need to now."
He said.

      "Hey, do me a favor, will you.  I need all the information you can
get on someone in the cartel named Miaorga.  I will pick it up in the usual
place."  I told him meaning that he was to email it to a yahoo email
address.

      "I've heard of him, and none of it's good either.  So he's the one
behind this you think?"  He asked.

      "I don't know yet, I just know that he sent the goons today.
According to the one I let live, he wants Alex dead or alive, but the way
he said it makes me think they want him alive.  They had a clear shot at
him after we left, yet they waited until after I had Alex duck down before
they fired.  If you want someone dead, then that wouldn't have happened."
I told him as I rubbed the spot right about my eyes.

      "I agree, word on the street says the same thing.  They want him
alive for some reason.  Look, get some rest, and I will be in touch later."
He told me.

      "Sure, sleep well my friend."  I told him and ended the call.  I
thought about things for another twenty minutes before I decided to turn
in.  I locked up everything, and turned out the lights except a small one
over the small stove just in case Alex woke up in the night.  I undressed,
and got into the full sized bed next to Alex.  As soon as I lay down, he
scooted next to me and flung his arm and leg over me.  I kissed him on his
head as he slept, and turned out the light before sleeping myself.


End of Chapter 2.

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