Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2002 02:52:02 -0500
From: readersstop@netscape.net
Subject: TFAP Diary Notes - Thoughts 005 (LJB)(MM BB Bb 1st anal oral teen1b
    teen2b slow)(61/56)

This is the fifth set of diary entries involving characters and events
introduced in the series "To Fulfill a Prophesy".  I strongly suggest
reading the series before these entries to allow understanding of the
characters and their relationship to each other.

TFAP Diary - 05 Thoughts, Notes & Quotes

Devon, Monday, August 22

"Thank you for seeing me today, Dale."  Devon began.  "I know you must be
very busy with us all having arrived home just yesterday.  The trip was
more than I ever guessed it would be.  It was so much fun and everyone was
so terrific to me.

I can never thank you enough for allowing me the last three nights with
Luis.  It broke my heart when I had to wave goodbye to him at the airstrip.
I missed him so much last night when I had to go home and go to bed alone.
It seemed as if we had always been together and then last night we were
suddenly apart for the first time ever.  Luis says we are going to be
together for good when he gets his citizenship and doesn't have to worry
about what others think.

The first night we spent together I was actually frightened.  I knew I
wanted Luis, but I really had no idea what that was going to be like.  He
is so powerful and yet so very gentle.  We turned out the lights, so only
the light of the moon through the port hole illuminated our cabin.  Sitting
on the end of the bed, we kissed gently for a good half hour.  I've kissed
some girls before, but it never excited me like the touch of Luis' lips on
mine.  I was lost in his eyes.  They are such a deep brown they looked
almost black and I felt like I could fall into them and float.  He is a
beautiful man, but I think his eyes are his best feature.

We touched each other as we kissed and somehow during that half hour our
clothes wound up on the floor.  I am not really shy about being naked, but
I seemed so small compared to the mass of his muscles.  My body is well
shaped and muscular, but there is no comparison when I am next to Luis.  He
is an athlete and the exercise he constantly receives makes his body solid
and toned.  Next to his golden, tanned skin I looked so very white and
pale.

My hands moved over his body without me even thinking about what I was
doing.  This was good I guess because all I could think about was the
sensations and thrill I felt as he stroked and touched different areas of
my body.  He is a couple inches taller than I am, but when we stretched out
together, side by side, on the bed it made no difference at all.  We lay on
our sides facing each other and slid our hands over each other's body.  He
seemed to like stroking my butt and I was fascinated by his chest and the
ridges on his abdomen.

The first time he touched my cock I nearly came.  I had been hard for so
long the pressure from his lightest grasp made my balls churn and move
tight against the base of my cock.  I warned him and he let go right away.
He then did the most fantastic, surprising thing.  He said we couldn't
spend the night with me on the edge, pushed me flat on my back, bent over
me and swallowed my cock.  I've got a good six inches of fairly thick meat
and he took it like a ten dollar hooker.  I don't think he even had time to
suck before I exploded.  It was the hardest I've ever cum and he held it
and drained me dry until I shrank down to regular size.

Well I wanted to do the same for him, so I reached over and carefully
grasped his chubby and it felt a lot different to touch than mine does.  It
was just a little longer than mine and was as hard and stiff as skin and
bone can get, but the top of it was inside the skin.  When I looked, it was
the first uncircumcised chubby I had ever seen up close.  I told Luis and
he said he realized they are not the most common thing in our country from
the comments he gets in the locker room.  As excited as he was and needing
to get off as badly as I had, he gritted his teeth and let me check him
out.  Now that's love.

When I drew the skin down his cock, the head was about twice as big as mine
and wet with precum.  I put my mouth over the head and in a couple of
seconds Luis was unloading.  I've tasted my own cum before, but Luis' is
really something, sweet and nutty in flavour.  I had no problem at all
swallowing it all down and then I licked his knob clean.  He was so
grateful and hugged me close to him.  I reminded him that it was what he
had done for me and asked him what the idea was of doing it so fast.  He
said, you told him to get it over with quickly the first time, if we were
really hot and then we could settle down to enjoying ourselves without the
worry of bursting.  You were so right.  We spent most of the night
exploring each other, touching and caressing and feeling how much we
belonged together.  Through the night we each came three more times and my
cock finally went soft and stayed that way for the first time since I met
Luis.

Luis told me the memories you shared with him had made our nights complete.
He is such a wonderful man and tender, considerate lover that I am no
longer afraid of sharing myself with him completely.  Kevin told me a few
days ago that before we had intercourse, we should be carefully instructed.
I wanted to ask today if you would do that for us ?"


Davey, Monday, August 22

I don't care what anyone says, there is nothing like coming home and
climbing into your own bed.  The only thing better than that is climbing
into it with someone you love.  I had the best of both last night with my
own bed, plus Brian.  We arrived home early enough yesterday so we had time
to go over and visit with Brian's Mom.  We took Gus and Len home at the
same time.  They deserved their own beds as well.  Brian said my bed was
his bed, so he was coming back to the `castle' with me.

The only down part of this whole past two weeks was getting home and
finding Dad and Uncle Dean weren't there.  I asked Dale while we were still
on our trip where they had gone and he told me he didn't know.  If he knew
he would have put me off, rather than tell me a lie.  Mr. Chen on the other
hand put me off.  When I asked him, he replied that it was not his job to
keep track of where they went off to.  He knows and for some reason is not
telling.

Being home is nice.  This is the first time I have actually realized I
think of this place as home.  I remember Jamie once telling me that in all
the time he lived other places, he always thought of this as his home.  I
think Denny feels the same way and I wouldn't be surprised if Dale and
Jason and Anson also do.  I'm not sure about Kevin and I don't think Digger
thinks of anywhere as home.

I get the impression Kevin has had a change in his original thinking about
being adopted.  I felt the flash of jealousy he experienced when Denny's
and my adoption date was finalized.  I also have felt the way his feelings
have changed about Dad and how important Dad has become to him.  I hope he
is able to resolve his feelings and he is able to fully commit to our
family, even if it is only for his own peace of mind.  I know Denny and
Jamie feel the same way about him as I do.  He is our brother and no matter
what, we love him.

Denny and Uncle Eric have certainly taken to each other.  I can see why
Denny is so drawn to him.  At a distance it is hard to tell the difference
between him and our Dad.  It's when you get close that the real differences
become clear.  Their personalities are very different.  Uncle Eric is very
expressive about his feelings and what he thinks, where as Dad keeps those
things to himself.  I can feel that underneath, Uncle Eric is very
uncertain about who he is and what his role in life will be.  He wants
desperately for Dad to love him and for them to be close and I am not sure
without help he will be able to realize how very big Dad's feelings for him
are.  It's not like he's one of us kids and Dad can hug him and snuggle in
bed with him.  He is a grown man and Dad has to treat him as one.

There is a part missing in Uncle Eric.  I know that part, because it is the
same part which was missing in Denny and me.  It is the part that gets
filled by knowing someone loves you and that are important to someone.  Dad
has filled in that part of us and there has been lots of extra love from
Uncle Dean and Dale and Jason and Anson and even Mr. Chen in his own way.
Dad knows this is missing in his brother and I don't know how he is going
to be able to fill it, but maybe he is not the only one who can do it.
Ever since Uncle Eric arrived, Denny has been with him almost constantly.
He has been providing the attention and care which will eventually fill in
that missing part.  In a way Denny is sharing all the love Dad has given
him with Uncle Eric and helping to fill the empty space.

Friday is the day we are suppose to go to register in our new school.  It
is kind of exciting Jamie, Len and Kevin will be in the same school as I
am.  Tim says my reading and math have improved so much I shouldn't have
any trouble doing the work in a grade 9 class.  He will continue to help me
for an hour after school each day and I have agreed to work with him for a
couple hours on Sunday afternoons.  Jamie is very smart and I would like to
try to keep up to him in school.  If being at school is anything like
working with Tim, I will like it.

It's going to be really strange having an older brother at school.  I
really don't know what to expect.  In the other schools I was at, older
brothers usually ignored their younger brothers and sometimes even picked
on them, but Kevin isn't like that.  I hope he does not have trouble with
the other guys in grade 11 if he is not mean to us.  We might have to let
him beat us up a little, so he can make some friends his own age.  I just
realized that the difference between Kevin and Jaime or Len is that we are
not friends.  We like each other, but our relationship is in being
Guardians and brothers, not in being friends.  It's the same between him
and the others.  Maybe he has never needed us as friends, because he has
Tim.  But I have Brian and I still like having Jamie and Len as friends.  I
should try harder to be a friend to Kevin and then maybe he would feel
better about being adopted into our family.


Ted, Tuesday, August 23

"It's going really well."  Dean noted.  "I didn't think we'd make this much
progress in this amount of time, in fact I didn't think this would last
long enough to get nearly this far."

"I almost wish it hadn't" I replied.  "You know, three months ago if
someone had told me I would miss our boys so much after less than a week,
I'd have told them they were crazy.  I can't wait to get home and see
them."

"I know what you mean."  Dean agreed.  "It's not just Jamie.  I want to see
all of them.  I keep thinking about getting there and Denny giving me one
of his big hugs."

"Me too."  I sighed.  "I wonder how Kevin has made out looking after
everyone."

"He'll be just fine."  Dean assured me.  "The experience will be
encouraging for him and Chen, Dale and Tim will not let him get into
anything he can't handle.  I really didn't want to leave when we did, but
there really wasn't any choice."

"Yes, this could have come about at a better time," I said, "but with
what's at stake, it has to take priority over everything else.  That not
withstanding, I'm giving notice now.  I'm going to be with the boys on
Friday when they enroll in school, no excuses"

"I agree."  Dean vowed.  "I will inform the President tomorrow that we are
headed home Thursday night, no matter what.  Now, how about we show each
other again how much in love we are before we go to sleep."



Wednesday, August 24

Notes from Security Staff Meeting.  13:00 hours.  Security Manager's Office
- Castle Attending: Cpt. Dale Savage, Lt. Jason Lawrence, Shihan Chen,
Lt. Anson Tyler, Lt. Digger Bailey,
                   Sgt. Brian Taylor, Kevin Thompson (Tanner), Tim Wright.

Item 1 The recent incident aboard the `Southern Belle' has caused some
concern.  To enhance security one of the cabins is to be converted to a
security office and a series of cameras and motion sensors are to be
installed to monitor activity aboard, primarily during the night.

Item 2 Shihan Chen reports that during our absence the other Sensei have
continued Dojo for remaining staff and all has progressed well.  A testing
session will be held in early October to monitor progress and allow
advancement.  Shihan Chen has made a special note on the progress of the
four boys.  Davey has shown outstanding progress and is expected to advance
at least three levels.  The others should progress at least two levels.

Item 3 The main part of this meeting was taken up in reviewing arrangements
for the boys to attend school.  A liaison with the Board of Education was
established some time ago when the prospect of entry to the Public School
system was first discussed.  The Board and the school officials recognize
the security problems of having children of wealthy citizens attending
their facilities and are willing to co-operate fully in order to make the
situation workable.  They understand Mr. McAdam's insistence for no special
treatment of the boys as individuals, coupled with their overall need for
protection.  To those ends the following arrangements have been made: -
each boy will carry a "panic button" and be instructed to press it at the
first sign of any trouble.  - panic signals will be instantly mapped in the
school security office and responded to..  - the boys will be chauffeured
to and from school each day with two security staff members.  - one
security staff member will remain at each school as part of the school's
security staff.  - primary responsibility of that member will be our boys'
safety.  - Tim Wright has been accepted at each school as an accredited
teaching staff member.  - he will alternate between schools as may be
required, either as fill-in, or classroom assisting.  - co-operation we
have received from Principals and Security Directors has been excellent.
It should be noted that the schools are anxious to have our boys as
students.  They recognize the advantage of having financially secure
parents with sons as alumni for both current and future support.  The
junior school has a population of about 550 children and the high school
has about 1400.


Eric, Wednesday, August 24

"Has there been any message from your Dad yet as to when he will be back ?"
I asked.

"Not yet, Uncle Eric."  Denny responded.  He was sprawled out on the bed in
the suite I had been given.  It was a really nice, large room which Denny
informed me is next to the suite Jamie's mother uses when she visits.  "If
Dad doesn't get back by Friday, will you come with us when we go to
register for school ?"

"I hope he'll be here before then, Denny," I answered, "but if he's not,
I'd be happy to go with you."  I was putting away some of the items from my
suitcases as we talked.  Denny was helping me, mostly by watching.  I was a
little disappointed I had spent no time at all with Ted since I had found
him, but this sudden trip with Dean seemed to have been vitally important
and totally unexpected by everyone.

"Denny, tell me how you and Davey came to be adopted by my brother."  I
said.  I was really no way near prepared for the story which followed.
Denny told me about his growing up with an alcoholic mother and the long
line of men she had paraded through his life.  I understood without his
detailing it the neglect and abuse he had suffered and I found myself
shaken when he told me about the molestation and rape attempt perpetrated
on him by her last boyfriend.

He told me about finding Davey and the life and abuse this older boy and
suffered, about the beating he had survived before Dean interceded and
about Ted's role in his care and recovery.  I heard how Dale and Jason had
spirited Denny away from his life under the bridge and how wonderful he now
found life to be.  His zest and enthusiasm was infectious and I found he
would not let my mind dwell on the sorrow and pain they had encountered,
but only celebrate with him the joy he now felt.  I gained a new insight
into my brother and Dean's compassion and caring.

I had already seen the love and caring in this place.  More in one day than
I had encountered in many years.  I had even felt pangs of jealousy for the
lives these boys lead until I heard Denny's stories and realized how my
petty complaints paled in comparison to what each of them had endured in
their still short life spans.  I was truly humbled and for the first time
really appreciated the love and friendship this small lad had wrapped me in
since the first time we met.

"Thank you for sharing your story with me, Denny."  I said with heartfelt
sincerity.

"That's okay, Uncle Eric."  he responded.  "I will tell you whatever you
are ready to know.  Will you tell me about growing up with my Dad ?"

"I can't tell you a whole lot, Denny.  Your Dad is 12 years older than I
am.  When our parents died, there were six of us left.  We all started out
living with our oldest brother, Jacob and his wife, Tania, who were each 20
year old.  Next was Ted, your Dad, and he was 16.  Our eldest sister,
Charlotte was 13 and Susan was 10.  I was next in line at age 4 and then
there was Amy, the youngest, who was 2 years old.  I remember your father
looked after me most of the time until he left home.  He was only 18 then
and I was just 6, but I always remembered how good he had been to me and
how well he had looked after me."

"Did you keep living with Jacob and his wife when Dad left ?"  Denny asked.

"Yes.  We all lived with Jacob and Tania until we were old enough to get
away.  Charlotte married when she was 17 and left, then Susan ran off at
16.  She came back after a while and lived with Charlotte until she married
at 19.  Charlotte also took Amy, the youngest, when she was 8 and Amy
stayed with them until she married a few years ago.

I was offered a scholarship at a private school when I was 14 and
thankfully Jacob was so anxious to get rid of me, he let me go without any
argument.  I had scholarships from then right on through school until I
graduated from the University three years ago.  After that I went into the
armed services and when I was released, I started looking for your Dad.  I
found out when I was in the services your Dad paid for the scholarships
which kept me in boarding schools.  I guess he knew it would be as bad for
me living with Jacob as it had been for him."

"Was Jacob mean to you ?"  he questioned.

"It was a special kind of mean.  Jacob made it clear when our parents died
that everything belonged to him and that we were lucky he was generous
enough to let us stay, instead of sending us to a state run orphan's home.
We were expected to follow his and Tania's every rule and work on the ranch
to help pay for our care."

"Did he beat you ?"  Denny wanted to know.

"Not really."  I replied.  "He tried to hit your Dad once and ended up
getting his ass kicked.  That was just before Ted left.  For some reason,
Jacob didn't really want him to leave even though he was after him about
things all the time.  Your Dad told Jacob if he ever hit any of the rest of
us, he'd come back and really teach him a lesson.  Jacob hit me a couple
times when I was older, but I went away to school soon after that.  He
would never touch the girls."

"Now the girls are all married and they live with their husbands and
families in houses on different areas of the ranch.  Their husbands all
work for Jacob.  He and Tania still run things, telling everyone what they
can and can't do."

Denny had been laying spread eagle across the centre of my king-sized bed
and suddenly he sat up and turned to look at me.  "Kevin says they're going
horseback riding.  Do we want to go ?"  He was waiting for a response from
me.

"Sure."  I answered.  "I love riding.  How many will be going ?"

"Maybe 12."  he replied immediately.  "We will go swimming afterward and
then you should spend some time with Jason and Dale.  You may be able to
help them out with some of their uncertainties about you."  I didn't know
what he meant, but thought I would likely find out when the time came.  I
would really like to spend some time with them too.  They had interested me
since our first encounter when they searched me the night I arrived.


Jason, Wednesday, August 24

I couldn't believe it.  Eric hustled me at pool.  Not once, but twice.  I
never even saw it coming.  Of course everyone else found it exceedingly
amusing.  He had this open, vulnerable approach, `Jason will you show me
how to play this,' as he picked up a stick and held it backward.  I had to
work so hard the first game to let him get ahead and then Eric had a
`sudden stroke of luck' and won the game.  The second time around he was
just as sly.  He had me beat before I even stepped up to the table.  That
rotten little bastard.  I think I have a new idol.  I want to be just like
him when I grow up.

Being around Eric has created quite a challenge for me and I think maybe
for my lover as well.  He is so much like Ted, at least in a physical
sense.  Although I have never openly admitted it, even to myself, I have
found Ted to be the sexiest man I've ever met.  Dale is no slouch in any
department and I love him passionately and without any hesitation, but Ted
has always lit my fire just by being in the same room.  He is so incredibly
handsome and strong.  Self-confidence envelopes him like a cologne.  Yet he
has a soft, loving side which he is not afraid to show.  I have in truth
been in lust with him since day one.

Although Eric is his own man and in many ways his personality differs from
Ted, they share a common attractiveness which I find alluring.  I felt
guilty about my attraction to Ted for a short while until I realized that
Dale experienced the same attraction.  He has never said anything, but a
spark in his eye when he looks at Ted, or when Ted says something positive
to him, tells me Dale has a very strong attraction to the man.  I know Dale
loves me and when we are together there is nothing in the world that can
equal the fulfillment we achieve together, but there has been this other
ongoing attraction for each of us which never seems to wane.

I am certain Ted has no sexual attraction toward either of us.  He has
never given any indication he sees us as anything beyond employees and
possibly good friends.  His commitment to Dean is as firm as Dale's and
mine to each other.  So now Eric enters the picture and I experience the
attraction all over again toward this pseudo- Ted, the problem being that
this man could very well be available.  I have been too embarrassed to tell
Dale up to now, but I think to avoid any misunderstandings in the future I
should discuss this situation with him.  I never, ever imagined I would be
the one in our relationship to even think of questioning our attitude about
openness in our relationship.  It's true we allowed Anson in at one point,
but that was on a different emotional level.  He was like a kid brother
needing guidance and to explore.  This is a very basic drive I am feeling
now.


Jamie, Wednesday, August 24

"I'm starting to get concerned."  I told them.  "It's not like Dad and
Uncle Ted to disappear.  Even Mr. Glenn and Mrs. Taylor don't know where
they are and I know Dale is starting to get worried."

"Maybe we should do some quiet investigating on our own."  Davey suggested.

"I don't think that is a good idea."  Kevin immediately responded.  "Dad
and Uncle Dean both trust us and if they had wanted us to know where they
would be, they would have told us or let us know.  We need to exercise our
patience and believe in them, like they believe in us."

"I asked Uncle Eric to go to school with us on Friday to register us, if
Dad and Uncle Dean are not back."  Denny advised everyone.  "I think that
should be our deadline.  They would not miss taking us to school.  If they
are not here, or if they do not contact us, we will go and find them then."
Everyone seemed to be in agreement and we considered that to be an
acceptable limit to our patience.

"Denny, have you tried to reach Uncle Ted mentally ?"  I asked.

"Yes. I did."  Denny confirmed.  "I should be able to, but you know how
hard it is to break through to him, or Uncle Dean, or Mr. Chen, especially
if they don't want to let us in."

"You did have to go and pick someone as strong as Dad to bond with, didn't
you ?  Kevin teased Denny.

"The truth is, I didn't pick Dad to bond with."  Denny revealed.  I could
sense the others were as surprised as I.

"What do you mean, you didn't pick Dad."  Davey questioned.

"I didn't."  Denny affirmed.  "I believe it was pre-destined.  That first
night at the hospital when I was scared, Dad took me into his bed and held
me while I slept and it just happened.  I didn't even know who I was at
that time, but the bonding was established.  When I became aware of the
bonding need, I selected Uncle Dean as the second, but he was the only
conscious choice I made."

"I agree with Denny."  Kevin said.  "He was destined to bond with Dad.  The
selection was inevitable.  That means the bond is total and they are
integrated with each other.  He should be able to contact Dad's mind at any
time, so Dad has to be blocking his attempts."

"That is really strange."  Davey commented.  "What if Denny tried again
while we were all joined like now.  Nothing should be able to prevent
contact, not even Dad's will power."

"No."  Denny declared.  "If Dad is blocking me, there is a good reason.
The four of us will only join to break through if there is a real
emergency.  Otherwise, we respect his decision."

"I agree."  Kevin affirmed.  "If we have heard nothing on Friday, we will
join together again and break through, but only if there is no other
choice."  I heard my other brothers agree and we discontinued the mental
connection we had been maintaining with each other.

"Kevin," I said, turning to face him, "we need to do some planning with
Mr. Chen and the others.  Todd and Brendan are going to be leaving for
school the day after Labour Day when we start school.  We also need to
consider what we are doing for Labour Day and find out if my Mother is
planning on visiting for it."

"You've got several good points, Jamie."  Kevin replied.  "I don't know if
anyone has even thought about these things.  Let's go and talk with
Mr. Chen right now and see what he would like done."


Dale, Wednesday, August 24

Jason said, "No".  I quite honestly didn't know what to say or how to
react.  In time past it would have made no difference what my subordinate
sex partner said, I would do or have what I wanted.  But this was not any
other subordinate sex partner, this was Jason and he had said, "No", and
meant it.  I thought quickly and realized I had only one option.  I had to
ask, "Why ?".

I could hear the hesitation in his voice and see the effort it took as he
admitted to me his deep feelings about Ted and how Eric's presence and
perceived availability had brought those feeling to the surface along with
a whole shit load of guilt.  The guilt was because he believed he was being
traitorous and disrespectful to me.  There was no question in my mind about
the depth of his commitment to me and our relationship, but he felt his
thoughts and yearnings were treacherous and made him unworthy of me.

In my early days, a confession like this from my sub would call for strong
discipline to reinforce my possession and love through domination.  It
would have been the expected thing by both my lover and myself.  That was
then and this was Jason, who was mine because he allowed and consented for
me to possess him.  This was no subordinate, it was my partner, the lover
whom I loved more than life itself and my equal.

After thinking it over only a moment I did the only thing I could do.  I
confessed my own feeling were exactly in line with his.  I had the same
yearnings and fantasies and was every bit as guilty as he might feel he
was.  The discussion then moved quickly to the question of what we were
going to do about it.

Would we undertake to entice Eric into a threesome to fulfill our fantasies
and desires ?  Would we sit back and see if Eric would approach us as a
couple, or individually, in hopes of forming a liaison to provide mutually
satisfactory relations.  Should one or both of us approach Eric, explaining
our feelings and asking about his interest or willingness to play out our
fantasies ?  Should we both just cross our legs and tell our libidos we are
in charge ?

We though long and hard about what lay ahead of us and what effect each
action would have on our relationship with each other.  Did our fantasies
about Ted weaken or strengthen our relationship - were they a negative or
positive thing ?  Would acting them out with Eric, if the opportunity
presented itself, result in a negative or positive ?  Were we discussing a
need or a want ?

Two hours of discussion revealed to us what we knew were truths from the
beginning.  Our desires were primarily for each other.  We each were drawn
to a man of great physical appeal, but both of us basically respected him
not for his appearance, but for the kind of man he was.  Someone to be
looked up to and to be revered as a leader and model, for his intelligence,
his honesty and his strength of character.  He had become our mentor and a
certain degree of sexual desire was to be expected, but not necessarily
fulfilled.  And fulfillment by proxy would not achieve satisfaction.  Our
true satisfaction came from our giving to each other.

We each knew these things, but like most things couples know as
individuals, it was only in sharing them through discussion and reflection
that we both truly understood what they meant to us.


Denny, Thursday, August 25.

"I'll be back in a minute," Davey told me as he went to answer his pager,
"and don't move the checkers while I'm gone."  I watched him walk over to
the desk and pick up the telephone.  He spoke for just a minute and then
returned to where we were playing our game of checkers.

"Dale wants us to come to his office."  he said.  "He says it's important."

"Okay, we can leave the game and finish it when we come back."  I
suggested.  We walked downstairs and through the corridors to the Security
Office.

"Come on in guys and sit down."  Dale greeted us.  "Kevin and Jamie should
be here in a minute."  Davey and I looked at each other.  Dale was upset,
we could both feel it.  He was not looking at either of us on purpose.

"What's the matter, Dale ?"  I asked getting out of my chair and going
around his desk to stand beside him.  He reached over and hugged me and
then lifted me up to sit in his lap.  Not once did he look at me.

"Dale, I can feel how upset you are."  Davey told him.  "What is going on?"
Just then Jason brought Kevin and Jamie into the office with Tim and Brian.
Mr. Chen followed them in.  He closed the door.  For the first time Dale
looked up at each of us.

"Boys, your Dads have been on a top-secret mission for the President,
representing him and our country while negotiating contracts with some of
the newly developing Eastern Bloc countries for their investments and
manufacturing."  Dale informed us.  "They left the capital this morning, so
they would be home tonight.  Air Control lost contact with the corporate
jet about an hour ago.  The plane has gone down and is missing."