Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 18:12:29 -0600
From: Robert Just Robert <kewl_dad_1@msn.com>
Subject: The Family Chapter 6

The Family
Chapter Six


      There are all kinds of truths. There are the truths we see, the truths
we know, and the truths we assume are real. So it was with Ricky and the
truths his father had told him as he was growing up on Kronos. For all
intent and purposes his father had began doling out the truths with good
intentions. It was a hard world and only the strong survived and he
prospered, but he did it for his family not himself, or so he convinced
himself. He knew that the services his company provided were necessary and
he justified that by telling himself that if he didn't do it, someone else
would, and they might not be as humane or selective. He hid the truths,
masked in lies and iced over with candy coating to make it palatable. He
told himself that one day he would tell Ricky the truth, the real truth and
let him decide for himself if he wanted to continue the family business but,
the time never seemed right and it turned out to be easier to perpetuate the
lies than to risk the upheaval the truths might entail.
	Ricky was especially thoughtful today. His life with the boys was suddenly
very warm and comfortable and he wished he could free himself of the
business, even though it took little of his time these days. He sat at his
computer and typed in his password. The screen suddenly opened up to the
company website and he typed in a command and the face of an older grizzled
man appeared. The man was Hunt Lawson, Ricky's right hand man and the brawn
behind Ricky's brain. The man's face softened into a smile as he recognized
Ricky and he spoke warmly and with excitement.
	"Good morning Ricky."
	"Morning Hunt. I need to see you today, say in an hour or so if that's
possible." Ricky said checking the clock on his desktop.
	"Of course, anything wrong? You look worried."
	"Well, yes but I don't want to get into it here. I have last quarters
figures in front of me and I have some questions." Ricky said trying not to
show his true concern.
	"Oh...well, I will answer any questions I can. But, if you really want
details, maybe I should have Abbot from accounting join us."
	"No, not yet at least. I want to talk to you first. I trust you."
	Hunt was touched by Ricky's sudden show of emotion and he squirmed
uncomfortably in his seat. He hated lying to the young man but, after all it
was lie or loose a very lucrative position. Given a choice most people
preferred money to honesty, he supposed and he was no exception.
	"Alright then. Well, I'll see you in about an hour." Hunt said smiling
nervously.
	Ricky sensed apprehension in the man but, said goodbye and ended the
connection. He pulled up the report again and was engrossed in it when Cory
knocked softly on his partially opened door.
	"Hey, bud." Ricky said looking up at Cory's smiling face. "Come on in,
what's up?"
	"Ah, nothing. I'm just bored." Cory said coming closer.
	Ricky reached out for the boy and pulled him into his lap and hugged him
gently. Cory kissed his lips sweetly but quickly and smiled with his whole
face.
	"Hey, I gotta idea. I'm going into the city in a bit to take care of some
business, wanna come?"
	"Really? You bet. I'd love to go someplace new." Cory said excitedly.
	"Okay then. Go find some long pants, a long sleeve shirt, shoes socks, a
coat..." Ricky said laughing.
	Cory's usual mode of dress was loose shorts, bare feet and no shirt. He
frowned at Ricky but scooted off his lap as Ricky slapped at his ass
playfully.
	"See you in a few minutes." Ricky said as Cory headed out the door.
	"Okie dokie." Cory said grinning.
	Ricky gathered his papers together and set about getting dressed for his
trip. He donned long leather pants and a tight satin shirt with an open
collar and slipped on socks and zippered boots. He looked at himself in the
mirror and decided to add a full length leather coat even though he would
never face the icy temperature. He would leave his own parking garage and
enter the sealed hanger at the office and never encounter a moment of
temperature variance. Convenient, he mused, but boring. Sometimes he longed
to be somewhere he could actually enjoy the outdoors, far from Kronos and
its icy weather.
	Ricky found Cory in the game room watching the two younger brothers play
air hockey. He gravitated toward Ricky and informed the others of their
trip. Peter eyed Ricky curiously but he did not speak.
	"We'll be back by supper time and I expect something grand." Ricky said
grinning.
	"Ahh, eat out." Dominique said tossing an empty candy wrapper at Ricky.
"Don't make us cook for ya, you are the lucky ones who get to go out."
	"Tell you what, Friday we'll all take a trip into town and eat out, how
about that?"
	A chorus of cheers rang out and even Peter joined in. Ricky left them with
a few last minute instructions and gathered Cory up and they were off. The
trip was an exciting one for Cory, his first since being brought there that
fateful night. It wasn't so much the trip as it was the time alone with
Ricky that he was looking forward to. Even in private, in the temple he felt
they were never truly alone. He chattered endlessly as Ricky nodded,
enjoying the conversation as much as the boy. The trip took them across the
frozen lake and to the other side of it in a part of the city that Cory had
never seen. It was here that the offices of Kronos Trading stood as a
monument to the success of the largest trader in this end of the galaxy. The
building stood 40 stories high and another five sprawled underground. The
building housed over 2,000 employees and was the brain center of the entire
operation. Not far away was the busy rocket port where goods from all over
the civilized worlds arrived and departed at all hours of day and night.
Another 1000 or so workers kept that end of the business going and made
Kronos Trading the single largest employer on Kronos. It was the backbone of
the cold and desolate world and a powerful influence in not only the
business and financial world but the political world as well. Ricky was
aware of that influence and had used it many times to further his own
objectives. It was no accident that he was able to work with the local
authorities to rescue boys who had run afoul of the law or who were
discarded by society. It was with good intentioned ignorance that he used
his power, and always felt the good out weighed the bad.
	Hunt Lawson greeted Ricky as he emerged from the elevator and shook his
hand warmly. He shook Cory's hand as well and tousled the boy's hair
eliciting a warm smile from him. Hunt was a likeable man, and well
intentioned but, he kept a dark and dangerous secret and all too soon the
sinister nature of that secret would come to light.
	He herded the two off to his office and pulled up chairs and offered
drinks, which the two politely accepted. Ricky pulled out the papers he had
stashed in his briefcase and piled them on the desk. Cory was already bored,
and Ricky sensing this suggested he go on a tour of the building. Hunt
called in a young assistant named Dillon and Cory bounced off with him, glad
to leave the boring business behind.
	"Now then, what was it that you were concerned about?" Hunt asked as the
door closed behind the two.
	"Here." Ricky said pointing to a line on the printed page he held at arm
length.
	"Hmmm, let's see." Hunt said squinting at the printed words. He knew what
it was that had alerted Ricky but, he intended to feign ignorance to the
end. "Bakerfield's Boys home...well...umm... that is just one of our many
charitable organizations."
	"How come I never knew about it before?" Ricky asked curiously.
	"Well, maybe you just never noticed it before."
	"No way, I went way back and reviewed all the past paperwork, it's not
there."
	"Well, umm. Oh, yes. I remember now." Hunt lied as he nervously pulled at
his tie. "We used to exclude the charitable expenses and add them on the
bottom line. Only recently have we begun to itemize them in the body of the
statement. You know how accountants are?" He added the last with a nervous
laugh.
	"Hmmm, that could be it but, how come I never knew we were supporting a
boys home. I might have been able to help them personally. I assume you know
about my own charitable work." Ricky said smiling warmly.
	"Yes, of course. And it's wonderful what you do for those poor misfits."
	"They are NOT misfits." Ricky said suddenly feeling very defensive. "They
are just kids who got screwed around by the people who were supposed to care
for them. I offer them something they didn't have, love and a home."
	"Yes, yes of course...and you do a wonderful job. I didn't mean to imply
that..."
	"I know, I'm sorry. I just...really care for them, that's all."
	"Anyway this particular home is over a half million miles away, on Photros
IV."
	"Only a few weeks at hyper drive." Ricky mused. "Maybe I could order up
some misfits by mail." Ricky grinned jabbing good naturedly at the stuffy
man before him.
	Hunt swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a dryness fill his mouth and he took
a swig of his bottled water. "You're kidding? Right?"
	"Of course. Loosen up. I don't just pick who I help like picking groceries
at the market. My family is important to me and all of them are there
because fate dropped them into my lap at one time or another but, I would
like to know more about the place. Could you have one of our people research
it and get back with me?"
	"Uhh, sure.. I'll see to it. I'll have them forward the information by
computer, is that acceptable?"
	"Sure, well if I can find my little brother Cory, I think we will head for
the cafeteria and experience some of that fine dining I remember as  a kid."
Ricky said sarcastically. What he really remembered was flat pop, soggy
puddings, and unidentifiable meat products. He hoped he and Cory could find
something edible but decided most boys could probably eat an old shoe when
hungry.
	He was saved further wool gathering by the unannounced arrival of Dillon
and his young charge. Cory bounced up excitedly babbling ninety miles an
hour and Ricky excused them both and led him away and in the direction of
the cafeteria. Actually there were six cafeterias in the building, but this
particular one was reserved for top execs and visiting v.i.p.s. Ricky
decided he fit one or both of those categories but was not surprised that
the personnel there had already been informed of his impending arrival.
Cory was in awe at the wondrous spread of food and drink and Cory admitted
that it certainly looked better than he remembered. They loaded plates with
exotic meats, vegetable and fruits and filled their glasses with sweet tasty
drinks. Ricky felt a little guilty, knowing the others were left to their
own means back at the house but, was delighted at Cory's joy in such a
simple experience.
	When they had tucked a considerable amount of food away they sat back and
chatted as they waited for their bloated bellies to stop their protests.
When at last they felt ready to stand, Ricky offered to take Cory on a
private tour, taking him to places that his guide Dillon should have been
unable to access. Being the owner/ceo of the company had its privileges and
Ricky intended to exercise those privileges not only to impress his young
friend, but to enforce his own commitment to the time and energy he felt
compelled to give to the company that had given him so much.
	Ricky's first stop was his father's old office. It had been vacant since
his father had retired, a sort of shrine to the man who single-handedly made
Kronos Trading a house hold word, at least on Kronos and most of this end of
the galaxy. He was delighted to find that his thumbprint still worked the
lock and the door made a soft shushing sound as it slid open. Cory oohed and
aahed at the marvelous sights before him. The hardwood desk, imported all
the way from Earth, the artificial grass which was not only an extravagance
but an eccentricity of his father's, and all the trite expensive babbles
that an excess of money made possible. Ricky could still remember how much
he had loved visiting his father here when he was Cory's age. He loved that
view, forty stories above the frozen landscape and had often stood, his nose
pressed against the window and wondered if someday he would be the master of
all this confusion and excitement. But when the time had come to become that
master, he had hesitated, afraid that he would loose himself in this world
and forget what was important, what made him tick. He had voiced those
concerns to his father, and they had arrived at this solution but, now he
wondered; had he chosen the right path or had he faltered, abandoning his
own convictions. But it was the company and the wealth it brought that made
his other life, the one he felt defined his true self, possible.
	Ricky smiled as he watched Cory, his nose pressed against that same window,
gazing out over the frozen city just as he had as a boy and he felt a pang
of loss. His own childhood had not been unhappy, yet he felt cheated. He
loved his parents but, there was always an emotional fog about them that
kept them apart from him. Even now when they had the time and means to offer
some support to his emotional need, they chose to live apart and he seldom
saw them. He wondered, was it always this painful, the separation of child
and parents, or was his case unique. He had seen the results of broken homes
and abusive parent, but perhaps the worst abuse of all was the withholding
of the love and closeness that he had longed for for so long. It was the
family, his new family that gave him the love and support that he had
literally begged for all his life, and now he knew that he would be lost
without them.
	"Wow, cool!" Cory said exhaling loudly.
	"I used to stand right there and look out that window and wonder what all
those people down below were doing or thinking when I was just about your
age."
	"Really?" Cory turned and was looking at Ricky with sudden curiosity, as if
he had sensed some hidden emotion in his voice.
	"Yeah, I remember once...I was younger than you, maybe eight or nine and I
was sick that day. My dad had taken me to the doctor and we had stopped by
here so he could pick up some papers." Ricky stopped, staring as if the
answer to some unknown question was mirrored in the huge glass of the
window. "I must have been delirious, because I thought I saw some sort of
animal in the sky. I guess I screamed or something and my father came over
and was holding me. I remember that because...my father never held me." Ricky
said sadly.
	"Why not?" Cory asked, suddenly wishing he hadn't.
	Ricky looked at Cory as if noticing him for the first time. "I don't know.
He just never did. He never kissed me or hugged me, or held me. I guess he
just wasn't comfortable with that."
	"I would have held you a lot if I had known you then." Cory said with
concern, then realizing how silly it sounded added. "I mean if I had been
him and all."
	Ricky smiled and placed his hands on Cory's shoulders. "I know, bud. Well,
anyway I got to come here a lot as a boy, and I always had a good time. It
was the one place where my father treated me like I was important. He used
to tell everyone that someday this would be my office and they would have a
new boss. I loved that feeling of being special."
	"How come you didn't, I mean..you know take over?"
	"Well, by the time my dad was ready for me to take over, I was already too
much into my new life to take it seriously. I agreed to run the company from
the house and let someone else do the dirty work. I guess Hunt got the dirty
end of it."
	"But, he likes it, right?"
	"Yeah, I guess he does. He does love it, doesn't he? Ricky chuckled and
tousled Cory's hair. "Enough of ancient history, let's go see the rest of
this circus."
	"Okay." Cory said glad to see Ricky easing out of his funk.
	There next stop was the accounting department, not much to see except the
sea of computers and the men and women staring intently at them, seemingly
lost in the reality that dwelled within them.
	"Two hundred people doing nothing but collecting money." Ricky said softly
as much for his own benefit as Cory's.
	"Wow, really?"
	"Yep, payroll and accounting, collecting and paying, an endless circle of
money."
	Someone had noticed the two and was eying them with interest but, Ricky did
not intend to dwell and he ushered Cory out the door and down the hall
before anyone could approach. He guided Cory to the elevator and pushed the
button for the lowest level, B-5. The trip down was interrupted several
times as employees got on and got off on various floors, nodding politely at
the two unaware of their true identities. Ricky preferred to keep it that
way; he hated being treated with the artificial respect that such knowledge
would surely cause.
	The last few floors down were traveled uninterrupted and when at last they
reached the lowest level, it was necessary for Ricky to use his thumb print
to open the elevator door. This struck Ricky as odd but, dismissed it as a
necessary precaution considering the importance of this area of the complex.
	"What's here?" Cory asked sheepishly.
	"You'll see." Ricky said smiling.
	As they exited the elevator they were at once confronted by a large open
area, surrounded by a series of door and in the center of the open area was
a tower extending from floor to ceiling spanning the entire five stories of
the lower area. As they walked toward the tower they found themselves
looking up in awe at the towering spectacle of glass and steel. It was still
as impressive as the first time Ricky had seen it, over 20 years ago as a
small boy. Even then he had been humbled by the immensity of its shining
graceful stature, even before he learned of its enormous importance. The
tower was not only beautiful; it was the focal point of all the trading and
frenzy that powered the company and the planet.
	Inside the tower, called simply The Cloud, traders from all over the galaxy
came together on the huge screens, face to face as goods were bartered for
and bought every minute of every day for as long as Cory could remember. The
personnel worked ten hour days, working one day taking off the next and so
on and so forth. The stress factor had ruined many traders before Ricky's
father had come up with this simple solution. Give them as much time off as
time on, allowing their minds to wind down to a normal level every other
day. Double shifts were forbidden and the pay was extraordinary so the
turnover was negligible. In fact the common joke was that someone had to die
before there was an opening in The Cloud. It was not quite that bad but, it
had always been a very coveted position.
	"What is it?" Cory asked as he finally found his voice.
	"Come on. you'll see." Ricky said ushering him across the expanse of steel
and tile to the nearest door of the shiny tower. The tower was five stories
tall but barely a hundred feet across. It had taken four years to complete
the entire complex and another year to build the tower and equip it with
it's thousands of vid screens and massive computer system. It was unlike
anything else in the known universe and famous throughout. And technically
it belonged to Ricky, and of course the hundred thousand or so stock
holders.
	Ricky loved the excitement in Cory's voice and the tremble in his step as
he confronted The Cloud for the first time and he smiled knowingly. He had
felt the same way on his first visit and even now he felt that old familiar
tingling as he entered the coolness of the massive structure. He pushed Cory
along gently and into an elevator located at the center of the room. He
pushed the button for C-3, the heart of the trading area.
	As they emerged they were at once confronted by chaos, but what was chaos
to them was in fact organized madness. Every screen spilled forth with an
image of goods or faces of traders from every civilized world. One had only
to stop and stare for a moment to appreciate the complexity and the magic of
the turmoil that ensued here. Cory swore softly under his breath then
uttered an embarrassed "Sorry" as Ricky chuckled. Ricky stood transfixed and
felt the wonder once again that had always descended upon him when as a boy
he had stood here before the bright towering screens of the trading room.
	Suddenly something caught Ricky's attention. It was only a quick image, a
few printed words on a nearby screen but it was enough to evoke a sudden
interest in the trade. Had he seen what he thought, or had he mistaken
something innocent for something sinister and foreboding? He moved closer,
Cory tagging along like a puppy stuck to its master in a strange and crowded
place. He moved up behind the trader's chair but, the man paid him no
attention. His full attention was dedicated to the screen before him and he
could see nothing else. Cory's dad had once said that had their even been a
fire of or other disaster in the trading room, none of the traders would pay
any attention to the warning and would surely perish.
	Ricky stood watching as a number of routine items came up on the board.
Grain, sugar, computer chips, and then suddenly there it was again. Boys
ages 10-13, sexual gratification...Theros VI, 100 galaxy dollars bonus for
virgins.
	Ricky bit his lip. It was true. What he had seen told him more than he
wanted to know. The truth he had always feared had become a reality. Cory
stood beside Ricky looking but, not understanding what had drawn Ricky's
attention. Then he read the words and mouthed them softy. He understood all
too well what it meant and he looked up at Ricky for some sort of
explanation. Ricky pulled Cory roughly from the room and shoved him into the
elevator without a word.


	As soon as Ricky and Cory had left his office Hunt called angrily for his
head accountant Burt Abbot. Abbot was a wiry older man with thin curly hair
and a rampant mustache that seemed to always stick out in an unruly mop
across is upper lip. He wore thick glasses, refusing modern eye surgeries or
contact lenses, saying that his glasses were part of him now and he had no
need to change. He was a brilliant man, but like so many other brilliant
men, he was easily bought and controlled.
	"What the hell is this?" Hunt asked loudly throwing a paper across the desk
at Abbot. He had highlighted the line in question and the man picked the
paper up and adjusted his glasses before answering.
	"Well, a mistake perhaps. I don't recall seeing it on the statement
before." Abbot said in an uneasy tone, not really understanding the sudden
fuss.
	"Well, find out. And it had better not happen again. I had young Ricky all
over me and in my face about it. I want you to make sure Bakerfileld Boy's
Home is never seen in print again." Hunt paused for dramatic effect before
adding. "Do I make myself clear?"
	"Yes sir." Abbot said and scrambled out of the office.
	Hunt Lawson's attention was suddenly diverted to his visi-phone which rung
insistently.
	"Hello, Lawson here."
	"Mr. Lawson. Umm, I think you should see this." The young man on the other
end of the conversation said.
	"What is it?"
	"A tape of the trading room, just a short time ago. It's Ricky and that
boy."
	Hunt Lawson sat quietly as the tape played and he saw the two standing
behind the trader's chair and beyond he could just make out the words on the
view screen. He slammed down his fist in anger and screamed at the monitor
before him.
	"Find them, NOW, and bring them here."

	Ricky and Cory trudged along quickly, unaware that they were the object of
an intense search. As they neared the office of Hunt Lawson they were
suddenly confronted by what seemed to be a small army of security guards.
Ricky eyed them with apprehension and hesitated only a moment before
grabbing Cory and pushing him in the opposite direction.
	"Run Cory, find a phone call home tell Peter we need my dad..NOW..GO!"
Ricky threw himself at the oncoming barrage and managed to knock several of
them down and keep them at bay long enough for Cory to make good his escape.
Ricky stood suddenly and defiantly faced his captors.
	"You guys are going to be so sorry, when my dad finds out what you've
done." Ricky said angrily.
	"This way sir, Mr. Lawson is expecting you." One of the guards said
stiffly.
	Ricky allowed himself to be escorted to Hunt Lawson's office where he stood
silently as the man dismissed the guards. "Stay outside the door, just in
case."
	Ricky refused to sit or to talk as the man shrugged and sat down across
from him. "Now look Ricky..be reasonable. You don't really want to get your
father involved in this do you?"
	Ricky smirked at the man and refused to answer. He wondered if Cory had
made good his escape and where he was right now.
	"Ah, well...then maybe we will wait until we find your little friend, maybe
you will be more reasonable when we have him here."
	Ricky spat at the man and hissed. "If you lay a finger on him I'll
personally cut your balls off and make you eat them."
	The man laughed and then his face filled with rage. "We'll see who looses
their balls. How would you like your little commune to be ball-less, I could
easily dispatch a car there and make that happen."
	Ricky dived at the man but he had anticipated such a move. As Ricky reached
him he pulled a stun gun from his pocket and when it came into contact with
Ricky's arm he dropped like a rock. His nerve center was shorted out for a
moment as he lost control of his body; he pissed his pants and fell heavily
against the floor. Hunt Lawson kicked him gently with his foot and cackled
out loud. "Who's got who by the balls now, boy?"

	Cory was torn between helping Ricky and obeying his order to run. He
decided running was his best course of action at the moment. He would get
help then come back and help Ricky. He managed to get into the elevator long
before the pursuit reached him and he headed upwards, hoping to reach the
hover car.
	The guards took the next available elevator and started up just a few
minutes behind Cory. Cory was breathing hard and the adrenaline flowed
freely. He was scared but, excited as well. He had been pursued many times
back on Earth and he was a master at escape. He hoped he would fare as well
here in this strange and suddenly evil place. He bolted from the elevator
and stopped short as he saw a guard approach from the far end of the
corridor.
	"Hey!" The guard shouted as he began to run toward Cory.
	Cory ducked back into the elevator and pushed the down button just as the
elevator full of guards arrived on the level. The guard that had pursued
Cory alerted them to his descent and joining them they entered the elevator
and headed back down.
	Meanwhile Cory and anticipated their descent and headed back up. It was a
gamble but he felt the risk was necessary. When the elevator door opened he
braced himself for an attack that did not come. He peeked out and saw the
empty corridor and began running toward the hover car. He was only a few
feet away from it when the other elevator door opened and a dozen guards
swarmed out and toward him. He dived into the hover car and without thinking
he switched on the engine and lifted off. He had never driven a hover car
before, but he knew the basics and he had observed Ricky drive on a few
occasions. He turned the craft clumsily and pointed it toward the opening
which shimmered with an eerie light as the weather barrier kept the icy cold
of Kronos out. The weather barrier was a low energy force shield which kept
the cold of Kronos out and the heat of the garage in. It was capable of
being a solid shield should the power to it be increased but, Cory hoped he
could escape before someone thought of that. He lifted the car slightly and
pushed the accelerator down heavily and the car responded immediately. He
was almost at the opening now and he could see no signs of pursuit. Seconds
later he felt the little car shiver slightly as it passed through the
weather barrier and then become still as it exited into the icy air of
Kronos.
	Cory sighed with relief and punched up the auto pilot. He typed in >>home>>
and waited. The auto pilot woke up and made a quick but smooth turn as it
headed the little craft toward the icy lake.  Cory turned to check for
pursuit but saw nothing. In a few minutes he would be home and from there he
could get help.

	Ricky awoke slowly and surveyed his surroundings. He was in what appeared
to be a holding area. There was a small bunk bed which he was sprawled on, a
sink and a table with two chairs. He tried to get up and was suddenly
overcome by nausea and a splitting pain in his head. He lay back down and
waited for the feeling of nausea to pass. After some time he managed to sit
up and he surveyed his body for damage. His pants were wet, and from the
smell he guessed it was his own urine. His arm hurt and he noticed a red
whelp where the stun gun had contacted his skin. His chest hurt when he
breathed and his head pounded unmercifully. He was suddenly filled with rage
as he cried out unintelligibly. He pounded his fists against his temple and
he began to sob.
	Hunt Lawson was ready for any contingency. He had known for years that the
true nature of the business was something that could never be disclosed to
young Ricky. His father had made that clear from the beginning and he had
made sure that the boy was never exposed to any of the flesh trading that
had made Kronos Trading so successful. Now the cat was out of the bag, as
they say, and Hunt was at a loss as to what to do. He had placed a call to
the boy's father as soon as he had found out. He was on his way even as Hunt
sat there contemplating a quick end to this unsavory matter.
	Of course if Hunt Lawson had his way, the boy and all his "brothers" would
disappear, perhaps traded to some slave merchant at the other end of the
galaxy. That would be a fitting end to their meddling. But, he knew the
boy's father would object to such severe measures and he would wait for his
advice. He fumbled with his paperweight and sucked his teeth as he waited.
He hoped Mr. Wagner would be reasonable, if not he was prepared to deal with
that contingency too.

	The hover craft was homing in on the parking garage and Cory was only a few
minutes away from home now.  He waited impatiently as the little craft
slowed to an almost unbearably slow speed before beginning the final ascent.
He was out of his seat and out the door as the craft gently touched the deck
of the garage. He bolted for the door stripping off his street clothes as he
ran. He was through the showers and into the hallway naked minutes later and
he was greeted by Peter as he emerged breathless.
	"Pet...er...it's ...Ricky...he's...been...held...at the ...offices."
	"What are you saying...slow down...catch your breath."
	Cory managed open-mouthed to take in a few deep breathes before spilling
the entire story to Peter, who stood in astonishment. "What did Ricky tell
you to do?"
	"He said you would know how to reach his dad."
	"Okay, stay calm. Come on." Peter led the still naked boy to a room he had
never seen before. It held a number of computer terminals and TV monitors
and some sophisticated equipment whose  purpose Cory could only guess at.
Peter sat down in front of one of the computer terminals and punched in a
code. He was rewarded with a hum and a grinding of the hard drive as it
coughed up some bit of information that seemed to please Peter. He punched
up a program and put in a series of number, a phone number, Cory supposed. A
picture of a woman filled the screen suddenly and she looked annoyed at the
intrusion.
	"Hello ma'am is Mr. Wagner in?"
	"Who are you?" The woman demanded.
	"Uh, I'm Peter, we're friends of Ricky..uh. Richard."
	"Richard? Well put him on then."
	"Uh, I can't' you see he's in trouble, I need to talk to his father, right
now!"
	"Well, my husband has left you see..some trouble at the office or
something."	"It's very important I talk to him NOW, is there a number where
I can reach him. Does his car have a phone?"
	"Of course it does but, I'm not convinced you need to talk to my husband at
all. What did you say was the problem?"
	It was obvious they were getting nowhere with Ricky's mother and Peter
decided to give up at last. "It's okay, never mind. We'll try to reach him
at the office. Thank you ma'am." And with that Peter switched off.
	"Why'd you do that?" Cory demanded.
	"Did you hear? He is on the way to the office. Either he will help Ricky
when he gets there, or he is in on the whole thing, or he is walking into an
ambush. We need to go there ourselves and find out. Are you game?"
	"Hell yeah. What about the others?"
	"Hmm, I think maybe Dominic and Tommy should come with us, what do you
think?"
	"Yeah, suits me. We need to leave someone here just in case we don't come
back. Hey, does this place have any security or anything?"
	"Are you kidding, it's a fucking fortress of solitude when the lock down
cycle is activated. Come on, let's find the others."
	They found the others in the game room and quickly filled everyone on what
was happening. Of course everyone wanted to come but, Peter managed to
convince the others of the importance of staying behind. He showed Michael
how to initiate the lock down and told him to do it as soon as the car was
out of the garage. The four boys scrambled into the little car and Peter
gunned it toward the exit. In minutes they were clear of the garage and on
their way. As they neared the lake they became aware of another hover craft
closing in on them. Peter ignored the other craft and headed toward the roof
of Kronos Trading. As they approached he barked out last minute orders to
the others.
	"Okay, this is it. I didn't want to upset the others but, I think we are in
deep shit here. I wanna warn you guys right now, Ricky said that someday we
might need to defend ourselves and he was prepared. Look in the cubby hole
over there." Peter said pointing to the small door set in the dash.
	Cory opened the door and whistled softly as he spied the contents. "Wow,
are those what I think they are?"
	"Yeah, neuron phasers. They can kill or just stun, depends on the setting."
	"Cool!" Dominic and Tommy said in unison.
	They were saved further discussion as the hover car entered the weather
shield and shortly they touched down on the surface of the landing flat.
	"This is it guys, follow me."
	As Peter stepped out onto the surface of the landing flat he sniffed the
air curiously but too late he realized something was wrong. He watched the
others pile out of the craft and tried to speak but his voice would not
come. Seconds later he lost consciousness and collapsed to floor of the
landing flat. Three soft thuds joined his as the other boys crumpled to the
hard smooth floor.

End Chapter 6

Next: The End of Innocence.
Comments: feel free to email me at Kewl_dad_1 @msn.com