Authors Notes:

This is a work of fiction – a bit of science fiction and fantasy mixed together in fact.  None of the characters, names or personalities, are based on real people.  Any resemblance to a real person is entirely coincidental and not intentional.  I do live in the Atlanta area and use a lot of places I’ve been in the story.

If you are offended by sex between adult men don’t read any further.

If you are not of legal age don’t read any further.

If this type of story is illegal where you live, for whatever reason, don’t read any further.

This story is copyrighted to me and cannot be reproduced without my express written consent.

If you have any comments you can send them to btaoc1963@gmail.com  I appreciate anything that anyone has to say good or bad.  If you have bad things to say please at least be polite.  I’ll try to respond to anyone who sends me an email.  I'm astounded by how nice everyone has been, and I really do feel like I've made some great pen pals.  I check my in box all the time now hoping to see new messages.  I don't care if they are about the story, I just enjoy the conversations that some of us have started up.  You guys are awesome!

I used to say that I’m rusty at writing.  I did some writing back in college in the mid to late eighties but this is the first thing I’ve tried to write of any length or complexity since then.  Man did I jump into it feet first lol.  I should have started with something shorter and less involved.  I’m not so much rusty anymore but I do consider myself inexperienced as far as being a writer.  I’m sure my story comes across as naïve to many people – but I’m having so much fun writing it and overall the feedback has been good and positive.  I would write it anyways even if no one enjoyed it – I’m writing it for myself. However, with that being said, if you have any ideas you want to share please email me.  A few ideas in the story were sparked from emails from readers.

I am not in nor ever have been in the military, so I apologize for getting anything wrong.  The characters are all Navy SEALS in the Prologue, where the story starts.

The email notification list for new chapters has been building and seems to be working well.   As great as Nifty.org is in many ways, sometimes it's difficult to find new postings when the stories aren't put out on a set schedule (like mine *cough cough*).  So if you are interested in getting on a mailing list send me an email and I'll create a group so I can let you all know when I post a new chapter.

This chapter ended up being another long one.  Chapter 24 takes the guys up through Christmas... it was strange writing about Christmas in May but I got it done.  There's a lot of music in this chapter by Lane... so I'll put some links below for your reference.  I only put in the lyrics to a couple of the songs that were particularly significant.  The rest of them you can fill in from your favorite version of the songs in your own memory (mostly Christmas songs).

I'm also putting in a link to the Waffle House Menu lol.... it came to my attention that some people just aren't familiar with the Waffle House.... and being as how the Waffle House on GA 20 seems to be a nexus of cosmic activity in my story... you need to see the menu that Ken orders his hash browns off of.

http://www.wafflehouse.com/waffle-house-menu/

The first song Lane sings is from The Lost Boy's Soundtrack.  I had to change the song title and the lyrics slightly, which Lane explains in the dialogue just before he sings it:

Many thanks to Steven for helping me again with the editing !  You're a great guy and I so appreciate the help! 

Rafa wherever you are man I hope you are OK and I miss you.

And now on to Chapter 24!

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Chapter 24

<><  Prologue ><>

          Luke’s fury mirrored itself in the Physical Realm - stars exploded and asteroids that had travelled for millions of years unhindered changed their course and collided.  Tears in the fabric of Reality appeared and Strings of Dark Matter sliced through solar systems.  The ripples of his anger stretched across Creation. 

          What appeared as random events initiated disasters throughout the Earth – all the results of his ire… a bird hit a windshield, startling an elderly driver making her swerve suddenly into the semi beside her on the highway, causing the big truck to jackknife, resulting in a catastrophic multi-car accident killing a number of innocent people… a man in New York paused for no reason, irritating the man behind him causing him to not pay attention and get hit by a bus… milk soured in dairies; pregnancies aborted; elderly people all over the planet died in their sleep; schools of rotting dead fish washed ashore on beaches; normally docile pets bit their humans…

          The butterfly effect was in full force – small insignificant seeming acts cascaded into events of horrible destruction, pain, and misery.  Injuries and death spread like a plague throughout existence and Michael and his Brothers were hard pressed to appease the damage.

          Luke’s face appeared calm, but inside he seethed; not only was Darren Wilcox alive and well, but somehow Michael discovered Thomin’s location and led legions of Angels to rescue him.  Dr. Thomas was alive, and The Mantle of The Order now rested safely in Thomin’s Vault beyond his reach.  He felt something was amiss, wanting to know how they discovered Thomin’s whereabouts; he was sure he had a traitor in his midst.

          The likelihood of ever confronting and capturing Thomin again was too small to contemplate – he would hide safely in his Vault and out of Luke’s reach.  The final insult in the entire affair was that he still hadn’t discovered how the Book of Loagaeth was removed from Thomin’s care and who gave it to Darren Wilcox.  He felt the need to uncover the mysterious benefactor backing his opponents.

          The half-breeds, who before seemed a distraction he enjoyed, had crossed the threshold to being true obstacles in the path of his goals; the amusement he previously felt from toying with their lives was gone, and now they harbored his full attention.  No longer a whim, they would bear the full brunt of his Power.

          He would spend as much time as necessary planning their downfall – his intentions were still to have them as his servants.  With the strength of their Avatars they would be his most powerful servants.  It would be interesting to see Orophir’s reaction once they were his – he would no longer have a need for his offspring at that point, and he would most likely have to destroy him.

          He would still have to tread carefully in his plans; the Nephilim bastards still had the Protection of the High Hosts, as well as their unknown benefactor.  Barachiel’s Legions were always close at hand should Luke’s presence be detected, and Michael was always eager to find an excuse to force a confrontation.

          The arrival of an Ifrit pulled Luke out of the intensity of his thoughts.  He said nothing but turned to acknowledge his servant.

          The creature bowed and sniveled in his presence, very aware of Luke’s fury and knowing the slightest perceived insult would be the end of its existence.  Afraid to make eye contact it said, “I have news Dark One.”

          “Speak.”

          “The one who escaped and the leader of the half-breeds are alone and outside their protections.”

          Silence followed his words for minutes as Luke ignored the Ifrit and pondered the situation.

          Finally he said, “Leave me.”

          The Ifrit bowed again and vanished.

          Luke had given the command among all his servants to notify him if any of the half-breeds were detected.  He knew they were being careful, hiding behind their Runes, so he suspected a trap of some kind; he would never underestimate them again.  He would go himself to observe them, and if they were truly vulnerable he would take them.  He already had their prisons built, ready and waiting to contain them, and none of them would escape his grasp again once they were his.

          He was thirsty for their Light, and admitted to himself the annoyance he felt.  The patience that had served him well since the beginning of Time was now elusive, and he felt the need to push for his final victory.  It might take eons, but that was far shorter than eternity.

          Once he cast out his Awareness he felt them… yes there were two; Darren Wilcox and Ken Habbersham.  He smiled and vanished with the sound of fluttering wings.

<><  Chapter 24 ><>

          There were still three weeks to go before Christmas and everyone was getting into the Christmas spirit – everyone, that was, except Drew.  Henry had warned them Drew would have a rough time with Liz gone.  She always made Christmas a special time for her only son and her absence during his favorite holiday emphasized the void in his life.

Everyone in the Lab was supportive and went out of their way to spend time and play with him… it helped to lift his spirits for a while, but more often than not he had a melancholy look on his young face, and his usual smile was gone; his normally cheerful nature replaced by a sad and subdued demeanor.

Drew continued to give out hugs every morning as everyone arrived for training, and he continued the same again in his nightly ritual with whoever was in the Lab at his bedtime.  He crawled into laps more often, but now, with the exception of Darren, it was for his own comfort rather than theirs.  Drew still saw the pain Darren carried inside him from his torture in Thomin’s Vault, and caring for Darren, when he was present seemed to drive off Drew’s own malaise as he focused on his Uncle.

Bryan used his Avatar to grow a Christmas tree for the Lab and Sally spent days detailing it, enlisting everyone’s help – in fact she insisted that each person hang at least one ornament and be a part of the ritual. It turned out she had to rein them in – most of the men would have finished decorating the tree single handedly if she allowed them to.

          Bryan grew a special evergreen bonsai tree for Drew and Henry to keep in their small room, and somehow managed to produce tiny LED lights to decorate it.  Drew liked to keep it turned on and see the colors light up the dark room he shared with his dad, and Henry had to admit he liked it too.  Henry was never much into Christmas before his own changes, and hadn’t celebrated a Christmas since he left home when he was a teenager. 

          Henry made a real effort with his new son, but he was still dealing with his own loss.  Staying merged so often with his Brothers during training helped to counteract his own dark feelings, but Drew didn’t have that.  He didn’t know what to do for his son; the doctor was deeply concerned over Henry’s merging with Drew the first time – he understood the necessity, especially after Drew had merged with Darren when he was so near to death, but he said there would be severe ramifications later.  Dr. Thomas began working with Drew immediately to help counteract the worst of it, but Henry would have to add his own time to the doctor’s private counseling sessions and learn the issues and how to help overcome them.

The idea for Drew’s Christmas present hit Henry out of the blue.  He would need Albrecht’s help to pull it off as well as the Team; of course everyone said ‘yes’.  The gift would be emotional for Drew so he ran it by the doctor first and he almost saw the doctor cry when he laid out his plan.  The tender thoughtfulness of Henry’s idea touched the doctor deep down.

          As far as gifts were concerned, it was difficult to shop with the restrictions on driving and being out in public.  The alternative was on-line shopping, which would have to suffice.  Shopping was Sally’s specialty, and she was more than happy to help anyone she could – most of them were experts on the doctors incredible search engine, but they were so pressed for time they asked for her help.

<><><> 

          That night Ken and Brad were at their own house.  They were off the rotation for the evening of Lab duty both in Atlanta and Australia and needed a night together by themselves.  They loved their Brothers and being around Drew, but they hadn’t had any private time in days.  Their house desperately needed some attention too, and Brad and Ken both were into Christmas and wanted to decorate.

          Brad had bought Ken a new piece to his Dickins’s Christmas Village every year since they became partners.  They both joked it was more of a Dickins’s City than a Village with so many buildings now – Brad had no idea they were Immortal when he met Ken, so he had been adding to the collection for a few decades.  Ken spent an exorbitant amount of time staging the little ceramic structures over the mantle and around the den making sure each one was perfect.  He even had a mirror to use as a frozen pond for the miniature skaters to fall and bust their asses on.

Ken managed to grow their Christmas tree – Bryan merged with him to show him how best to do it.  Growing a tree with his Avatar was easy, but growing one and controlling the shape and natural pruning was something else entirely, and required a great deal of concentration and control. 

          Ken did it perfectly and was proud of himself.

          I think you need to be extra good to me tonight B. 

          Why’s that?

          ’Cause of the tree!  I did great!

          Ken had that little kid grin on his face that Brad couldn’t resist.  Brad knew what was coming next, and even after all the years they had been together he still laughed when Ken put mistletoe on his belt buckle so it would stay over his crotch while they were in the house and alone together.

          Ken looked at Brad and then deliberately looked down at his tented shorts and did a double eyebrow raise.  With a seductive grin he thought: So what about it handsome?  You up for a little Christmas spirit?

          Only if we cuddle first.  I know it’s nostalgic as hell, but AMC is running a marathon of the old Christmas Claymation specials, and I really want to watch them.  If you’ll get on the couch and hold me while we watch them I’ll take REALLY good care of you tonight.

          When Brad emphasized REALLY Ken knew what that meant, and his shorts nearly ripped open when his hard-on flexed involuntarily at the thought.

          Brad grinned and looked at Ken’s bulge, thinking:  I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.

          Man it’s hot in here.  December in Georgia – gotta love it.  Ken stripped off his t-shirt but left on his Santa hat and mistletoe.

          Brad slowed his own perception of Time down briefly so he could admire Ken’s body as he stripped off his t-shirt.  Brad had a photographic memory, but he still never tired of looking at his partner’s body – no, not just his ‘partner’… his Soulmate.  He was looking at his own perfect man.  It never ceased to amaze Brad that Ken was his – he was even more perfect on the inside than the outside. 

          Ken’s body rippled with thick lean muscle; his lats flared out as he crisscrossed his hands on the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it off.  His arms were corded steel, and Brad loved the movement of his upper chest and shoulders from the motion.  Ken’s body was stunning to watch; and to feel.  He couldn’t wait to feel those arms around him a little later.

          The word ‘partner’ stuck in Brad’s Mind as he had a fleeting regret and frustration about how the state of Gay Marriage was so messed up in the United States.  He wanted Ken to be his husband and their relationship to be officially recognized. With everything that was going on in their lives – the danger and stress – for some reason it mattered to Brad how others in the outside human world saw them.  Gay Marriage wasn’t legal in Georgia, and might never be the way the government was going, and it pissed him off.

          Brad had a fleeting thought about how fun it would be to see the faces of the Conservative Christian movement if they knew that ten gay half-angels were all that stood between them and the subjugation of Mankind to The Dark One.  They would shit their pants.

          He and Ken were deeply Linked – when they were in the house alone they always stayed inside one another.  There was no better feeling to either one of them – it was even better than sex.  The emotional intimacy they shared was beyond anything they could have imagined earlier in their lives.

          Ken felt and heard Brad’s thoughts and was surprised at their intensity.

          Hey B, come here.

          Brad snapped out of his revere and looked at Ken.  His tone of voice and those words usually meant Ken was about to initiate sex, but they had decided to watch TV together first, so he wasn’t sure what was going on.

          Brad looked up at Ken – devastatingly handsome Ken, in a goofy Santa hat, shirtless, with mistletoe hanging on his belt buckle over his crotch.  He was wearing shorts and didn’t have any shoes on.  His muscled body was darkly tanned and glowed with health, especially after their time on ZEUS, and Brad’s breath caught at the sight of him.

          Brad moved over to him, and Ken went down on one knee and took both of Brad’s hands into his own.  Ken’s hands were strong and warm, and his touch always caused Brad’s heartrate to increase.  It dawned on Brad what Ken was about to do, and it hit him like a ton of bricks, his eyes tearing up.

          B – You know you’re my world.  I’m not sure even you knew how important bein married was to you until just now.  Those thoughts were from way back in the corners of your Mind.  But ya know what?  We operate outside the bounds of the law so their laws don’t matter to us anyways.  The doc and Albrecht are both ordained priests, and hell we have ArchAngels for grandparents.  Is there any Higher Authority than that?  We can have any of them do the ceremony for us.  You’re my best friend Brad, my Soulmate – you always will be, and I can’t imagine a life without you.  I wouldn’t have a life without you.  Will you be my husband? 

          Oh my God, Ken.  How do you always manage to catch me off guard with stuff like this?  We’re so deep in each other … how did this not come up before?

          I don’t know B, but when I heard your thoughts it hit me too.  I want you to be mine.  I know we already belong to one another – we share a Soul, so we can’t get away from each other.

          They both grinned when he said that, and both of them had tears in their eyes. 

          I want to be your husband more than anything in the world, Ken. 

          He got that little kid grin on his face to break the solemn mood – the grin that melted Brad. Whew!  I was worried. 

          Douche.

          Brad pulled Ken to his feet and put his hands on Ken’s solid warm shoulders.  He loved how rock-solid Ken’s body felt under his hands.  His warm soft skin felt incredible as he gently kneaded Ken’s thick traps.  He felt what his touch did to Ken too as they looked into each other’s eyes.

          They pulled each other into their signature hug, expressing their love to one another, staying that way for minutes, each lost in the other.  Their Souls, Minds, and Hearts were One, and their eyes never stopped watering as they took comfort in each other – both willing to stay that way forever.  Brad took in a deep breath, inhaling Ken’s natural musky scent and let out a contended sigh.

          Finally Ken broke them apart with a grin and a kiss.  So when do you wanna do it?  Do you want Michael or Raphael to do it or the doc and Albrecht? And we need to pick out rings… or maybe Albrecht can help us make a set like he did for Henry and Liz?

          I think we should ask the doc and Albrecht, but let’s wait until after Christmas.  I want to get Darren through his troubles and Drew past the holidays.  There might not be a perfect time until after we defeat The Master, but let’s shoot for early in the year – maybe late January or February.

          How the hell are we gonna pick a best man?  We got eleven of ’em – how can we do that and not hurt anyone’s feelings?

          We’ll figure it out.  You know we might start a trend.  It could end up being a big group thing.  I know all the guys have talked about it before, but this might be the impetus to get them moving too.

          They continued their discussion and bantered back and forth as only best friends can, while they finished decorating their tree, taking every opportunity to bump and rub against each other in the process.

          Once the tree was finished, Brad left Ken to put the empty decoration boxes back in the attic while he made them dinner.  They ate at the coffee table in the den so they could catch the start of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  They skipped cleanup and put the dishes in the sink during the first commercial break so they could get back on the couch together for the marathon.

          The night was quiet and relaxing – it wasn’t as nice as staying on ZEUS in the Pacific, but it was private and they were together.  Brad was wide awake and laying with Ken in just their shorts - their bare upper bodies pressed together and their legs intertwined with Ken’s arms around him sent him into a blissful state of contentment.

          Ken liked to rub his hands over Brad’s muscled body and through his chest hair while they lay together.  It was so soothing and loving and gentle – physically reinforcing the tender care they had for one another.

          Ken loved holding Brad as much as Brad loved being held, so it worked perfectly.  Ken felt his own bliss when he allowed himself to be held by Brad as they made love.  Especially when Ken was ‘that guy’ and took them both to exquisite and insanely intense levels of pleasure and wore himself out – which was no small feat since he could bench press over 2,500 lbs.

          When he went to that other indefinable place after pleasuring both of them, exhausted and sweaty and trembling from his exertions – feeling Brad’s arms holding him, his hands roaming and caressing his muscled body – it brought back that feeling of never wanting to come back to himself.  He could stay inside Brad’s body, Mind, and Soul forever and lose himself.  The intimacy was so profound and exquisitely intense it was almost painful.

          Brad wondered why they were both having such conscious thoughts about their affections and love for one another when the reason hit him – it was because Darren and Pat were still blocking everyone from seeing the darkness inside Darren after his torture in Thomin’s Vault.

          Remembering the possibility that Darren might have been gone from their lives forever, and seeing how it affected Pat brought their own feelings for one another to the forefront.

          Ken waited until another commercial break in Rudolf, content to lay with Brad and hold him while they were absorbed in the Claymation special they both grew up with.  A Year Without A Santa Claus was next, then Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Jack Frost, and lastly The Little Drummer Boy.  They both laughed every year about the transformation of Kris Kringle from a young stud to a hot ginger daddy bear Santa.

          As soon as the next commercial started, Ken thought:  B, I have an idea I want to try with Dar.  This just hit me, so I want your input.

          Aren’t you paying attention to Rudolf?

          He got a grin on his face: Of course I am!  I’m just learnin how to be a mental stud like my boyfriend.  I’m multi-taskin.

          Flattery will get you everywhere, big guy. And I’m impressed.

          Yeah I’m plannin on the ‘everywhere’ part here in a bit, so get ready.  Ken pulled Brad’s face around for a quick kiss and their eyes mirrored the smile on their handsome faces.  He followed up by giving Brad an ‘Eskimo kiss’, rubbing their noses together.

          Ken shared his idea, not in words but as the concept that popped into his Mind – his unconscious mind had been working on the problem for days. 

          Brad shot up with wide eyes, surprising Ken:  Oh my God Ken, you aren’t going to believe what I just thought of! Brad’s own Mind saw what Ken wanted to do for Darren, and it could create a situation they could take advantage of.

          The enormity and impact of what Brad shared with him was mind boggling!  If they could pull it off, it wouldn’t just cause ripples, it would send a tsunami throughout the Physical and Spiritual Realms!

          Brad took them down deep so Time nearly stood still to discuss everything in more detail.

          They spent hours inside a few seconds brainstorming Ken’s plan with Darren and what Brad had come up with.

          When they came back up, Ken was so proud of his lover he was about to burst.  He wrapped his legs around Brad and continued to hold him, and they finished the AMC marathon.  There was something still heartwarming and nostalgic to both of them watching the specials they grew up with.

          Brad made sure Henry knew about the TV schedule so Drew could watch them too.  Earlier in the evening, even though he and Ken wanted some ‘alone time’, Brad asked Henry if they could have Drew for a few hours to watch the shows with them; but Henry cut him off thinking: Sorry man, Lane and Bryan got him first, and Loy and Ricky are backup.  They almost fought over him; it was funny as hell.  So I’m sorry, but he’s all taken up for the night.  I’ll be lucky to see him again by Christmas at this rate!

          The marathon was over by 2230, and they were both peckish for a snack.  Brad rummaged in the kitchen while Ken cleaned up the dishes in the sink from dinner.  With some food in them they were wide awake and energized, so they went back to the bedroom where they each became “that guy” for the other.  As warm as the house was, even with the ceiling fans and the air conditioner, their sheets were soaked through with cum and sweat in no time, but they continued for hours.

          All the emotions of the night, from Ken’s marriage proposal, their nostalgic time together, the plan to help Darren – it all came together and needed an outlet – so they each became what the other needed.

          After nearly four hours of intense, sweaty, muscle grinding sex, and countless orgasms, Ken fell asleep with Brad’s arms around him.  His body was so drained he was trembling and weak as a kitten.  The Tree in their back yard shone like the North Star and swayed happily from all the energy they produced.

          For a short time at least, all Ken’s worries were gone, held back by the emotional intimacy he shared with his Soulmate. 

          It didn’t take long before they both shifted in their sleep so Ken was spooning Brad.  They sighed in unison as their still sweaty bodies molded together, feeling safe and content and One.

<><><> 

          It took Ken two days to pull all the details of their plan together. He and Brad had to hide his idea from Darren and Pat, which wasn’t difficult since they were still for the most part only on the surface Link Brad kept up in the Lab. Brad had to keep the second part secret from everyone.  As soon as Ken disappeared with Darren, Brad would divulge his plan and set things in motion.  Ken knew them all like the back of his hand, and he didn’t want to give them time to overthink the plan or psyche themselves out over what he wanted to do.  He had every confidence they would react like the trained soldiers they were when Brad revealed the plan to them.

          Ken wasn’t frustrated with Darren and Pat – it was more a deep concern, not just for the two of them but everyone.  They relied on one another; needing to be a refuge for each other to stay strong, and Darren and Pat holding back hurt all of them.  They were his Brothers first and foremost, and his primary concern was for their well-being, but as the leader of the Team he had to look at the bigger picture and how it affected all of them.

          Everyone was supportive and caring and didn’t push – it took Ken a long time to ultimately recover from his own ordeal three years prior, so he understood completely.  Ken spent the equivalent of years inside his Mind with Brad and the doctor in his own recovery, and he was sure it would be similar with Darren.  Physically, Darren was fine – Lane had his body healed immediately, but the mental scars and trauma were something he was still working through.  Everybody was available to him, and he loved them all for it, but Ken knew from his own experience it wasn’t going to get better on its own.    

          Ken, as the leader, felt it was his responsibility to help Darren though the rough spot.  Besides, he was the only other member of the team to personally experience the level of torture that Darren had gone through, so he was also the best one to help him face it.  Even more than that, Darren was his Brother, and he loved him and needed to help him.  Seeing Darren go through such a hard time was painful.

<><><> 

          The morning of the following day everyone gathered in the kitchen wearing   shorts and tank tops and tennis shoes ready to start their training.

           Bill and Kevin had come in early to run with Henry on the treadmills and hadn’t bothered to shower yet, so they were still a bit sweaty.  Sally had ordered a new deluxe industrial sized coffee maker shortly after she started working with the doctor.  With all her duties throughout the day, it was much easier than the old one – she kept a fresh pot available all day for whoever wanted to partake.

          Being former military, all of them drank a lot of coffee especially early in the morning.  She also learned early on how grumpy the doctor could be in the mornings before he had a few cups of coffee in him.  She earned major brownie points with all the guys from her efforts, but especially with the doctor.  She ordered fresh flavored beans and ground them herself and rotated through the flavors.  Her coffee was on par with Long John Silver’s with the doctor, which said a lot!

          The Keenans still weren’t up, the doctor hadn’t made an appearance yet, Albrecht was in Australia with Kelly, and Drew was waiting for Sally to start his lessons, while the guys were downing the last of their coffee and moving into the gym.

          Ken looked at Brad and sent him a private thought:  You ready, B?

          As ready as ever.  Let’s hope both plans work.

          They will.  I have a good feelin about today. 

          Ken took a breath and put on his Captain’s voice, “Dar I need you to come with me.  The rest of you go on and start without us.”

          He rarely used that tone of voice with any of them.  Pat didn’t look happy about it, but Ken was their leader.  All of them acknowledged that – he so rarely pulled rank on them it was a surprise.  Eyebrows rose all around, but they did as he told them.

          Ken went over to the locker by the main door and pulled out a set of keys to one of the Suburbans.  “Come on Dar, we’re goin for a ride.”

          Darren didn’t say a word, but he knew what Ken was doing.  He had been dreading this, but knew it was inevitable.

          They got into the Suburban, and Ken pulled out of the Lab parking lot.  As Ken drove, he occasionally looked over at Darren who kept his eyes straight forward and didn’t say a word.

          Ken was going over in his head what he wanted and needed to say to Darren.  He had to get through to him, reach through what was going on inside of him, and bring him out of it.

          Ken was good with people and had the ability to be as tough as he needed to be on someone, if it was for their own good.  He let Darren stew, knowing he was nervous.  He wanted Darren on edge for what he had planned – he needed every pent-up emotion in him to be on the surface, and not hidden or buried deep.

          They drove for nearly an hour through Atlanta morning traffic on both Interstate 85 South and 285 South and West to Decatur.  He wasn’t very familiar with the area, but the in-dash GPS in the Suburban took them right to where he needed to go.

          He pulled into a huge junkyard called Budget Auto Salvage.   Darren was surprised, first that they were in a junk yard, and secondly that the entrance had a big chain across it with a ‘Closed’ sign.  There was a man waiting for them who let them in, and as soon as he replaced the chain and locked it behind them he waved to Ken and left.

          Darren was nervous, but he was also curious as to what in the world Ken was planning.

          Ken hopped out of the car and said, “Come on, Dar.”

          The junk yard was separated and organized by decades as far as makes and models – nearly all the cars, vans, and trucks were husks in various states of rust.  The engines were out of most of them, but people paid to come in and strip whatever they might find or need.

          On the back corner of the property, the lot at first looked like it had been cleared, but when they rounded the corner of the tree line Darren saw a large crane parked nearby and all the junked out vehicles had been piled into one massive heap.

          Darren stared at it for a minute and then looked at Ken, who was looking at his friend.

          Ken finally broke the silence, “OK Dar, here’s the deal.  We aren’t leavin here until you’re clear and back with us.  We need you back… I need you back – we’re crippled right now without you n Pat completely with us, and if I get you back Pat comes by default.”

          Darren continued to look at Ken, but his eyes were getting moist.  Ken could see the movement of Darren’s strong chest as his breathing quickened and his emotions built.  The thoughts and memories were churning inside of him and bubbling to the surface.  His chest and stomach were tight with cold anxiety – like the feeling a person gets before they know they are going to throw up – knowing it’s coming, but still holding off as long as possible because it’s going to be uncomfortable and ugly.

          “I know what’s goin on inside your head, Dar.  I’ve been there.  B knows it, you know it, hell all you guys know it because we’ve merged so often our lives are completely intertwined.  Any of you can see in my memories what I went through.  But you know it’s not the same thing as goin through it yourself.

          “It took B and the doc a long time to help me work through everythin because I didn’t have anythin to vent on.  I couldn’t touch Cromwell – as much as I wanted to kill that bastard for what he did to me and put me through.  But you know why I hated him the most?  Not because of the torture n pain and drivin me insane until I wanted to die – that part, believe it or not, wasn’t the worst.  What got me, is that he made me want to lose Brad.  I thought our love was strong enough to get me through anythin, but it failed me.  He drove me to a point where I was willin to let B go and leave him forever.”

          Darren remembered that day they rescued Ken from Dr. Cromwell.  He remembered Kevin’s face later in the lab when he told the doctor that Ken had begged him to kill him to stop the pain. Darren remembered how all of them felt seeing Ken’s body so broken and tortured and his Mind nearly destroyed, and he knew that everyone had felt the same towards him when they rescued him from Luke’s trap in Thomin’s Vault.

          “You know what that would have done to him.  We didn’t know we shared a Soul yet when that happened to me, but our feelins for each other were still there.  So yeah, I know about the hate you have inside of you Dar, and the rage.  You need to hit back and hit back hard – he did somethin horrible to you that pushed you beyond your ability to cope and it’s fucked with your head and your Heart.  There’s no shame in that – you were so fucking brave and strong Dar; nobody could have done any better.  You made him take everythin from you and didn’t give an inch.  You were one tough son of a bitch.”

          As Ken’s words sank in, Darren’s eyes began spilling tears.  The feelings he had bottled up were coming out. Ken knew exactly what Darren went through and what he was still going through – and he knew Darren hated himself for it and felt weak and ashamed because of how he felt.  The ugliness inside of him was eating away at him, and he felt that Luke was winning – his Light was diminished by the Darkness inside of him.

          Ken was with him in a surface Link, but he didn’t need to read Darren’s Mind to know how he felt – he had been there himself through all of it.

          “I know how you feel Dar.  I’ve been there, and I’m there with you now.  What you need to realize is it never goes away – it’s a part of you.  But let it make you stronger, instead of eatin you up like it is.  Make it a strength and not a weakness.”

          Ken came over behind Darren and pressed up against him.  He wrapped one arm around Darren’s upper chest and had the other arm cradled over his head – it almost looked like a sleeper hold.  He was hugging Darren tight and bracing him for what he was about to ask him to do.

          Ken’s own eyes were wet and his throat tightened as he continued to talk into Darren’s ear.  Darren felt Ken, his Brother, holding him and supporting him – he could feel Ken’s hot breath in his ear as he held him close, even as he felt Ken’s Heart around his own.

          “I love you so fuckin much Dar.  You’re my Brother. We’ve known each other for almost thirty-five years.  We’ve pulled each other’s asses out of the fire more times than we can count runnin mission in Syria, and now all these years later against the Enemy.  We’ve been in each other’s Minds and Hearts – you mean as much to me as Brad.  I mean that, and if you doubt me, look inside my head right now.”

          Ken’s Avatar was in full effect, driving his words into Darren’s Mind, Heart, and Soul.  The tears were spilling freely now down both of their faces.  Ken needed Darren raw for what he had to do. 

          “You need to empty that well inside you Dar – focus all that hate and rage and let it out.  Don’t be afraid of that well; embrace it, and keep it.  Always remember it, and let it fuel you when you need it.”

          Darren was breathing heavy, and his body was tense; Ken could feel how tight he was.  Ken also knew how afraid Darren was to give into it and let it out.  There was a line inside of him – every man had one, and Darren knew once he crossed it, there was no going back.  Ken knew what Darren needed as a man – Luke took something from him, and Ken was going to help him get it back, and make him stronger in the process.

          “I brought you here to get this out of you Dar.  I need you back with us.  As the leader, I need you focused and onboard one hundred percent.   Pat needs you too, and the guys, but even more important than that, I need you back for me.  It’s killin me inside seein you go through this and punishin yourself.  You’re my Brother, and I can help you with this.  Let me help you.

          “Pat can’t do this for you ’cause he’s too close to you.  He’s your partner and he’s supportin you like he should.  I don’t think he has it in him to push you like I can – like I need too.  You know I love him as much as I do you, and I’m not critisizin him.  It’s just not in his nature to be able to do this.”

          Ken could feel Darren starting to let go… the trembling in his body was getting harsher and he was starting to sweat.  His chest was heaving, and it was no longer just from the tears.

          Ken kept one arm around Darren, and with his other arm over Darren’s shoulder he pointed at the huge mound of wrecked and broken vehicles.

          “I want you to picture Him standin there in that pile Dar.  I want you to blow him up.  I know you have it in you – you need to hit back.  Cut loose man, like I know you want too – like I know you can.  Don’t be afraid of it – face that fear and turn it into somethin beautiful.  Remember… embrace it and let everythin inside of you come out ’til there’s nothin left but you again.  I’m with you every step of the way.”

          Ken heard a deep rumbling in the skies.  It started as soon as Darren began breathing hard.  All of them were elemental creatures now; forces of nature in their own right, and nature reflected their emotions.  Darren was starting to let his emotions out and the clouds were quickly building.  The sky went from clear and blue to full of thunderheads in a matter of minutes.  He was purging his emotions and nature was absorbing them – the fury inside of him was mirrored in the lightning that was starting to flash across the sky.

          Ken heard a weather advisory alert on his phone in his pocket.  With his enhanced senses he felt the change in the barometric pressure and the tingling of electricity in the air.

          “I can feel it startin to come out Dar.  Quit tryin to hold it in. It’s poison to you.  We need to cleanse you.  I’m here with you, bud, every step of the way – I’ve got you, and I’m not lettin go no matter what.  I want you to cut loose like you’ve never done before.  Show me how powerful you are.  What you did in Australia is nothin compared to what you’re about to do.”

          In Darren’s Mind he could hear Luke’s voice like an echo, taunting him and laughing at him.  He felt the chains shooting through his body over and over, felt the blood spurting, and the most excruciating pain as the Light of his Soul was being drained out of him – and magnified by the pain of Pat’s absence.  Every time he felt the memory of a chain impaling his body another bolt of lightning and crack of thunder struck. 

          Ken could feel the pressure building inside of Darren and knew he was about to burst – he felt it in Darren’s body and in the air around him.  The conflict inside his friend was mirrored in what he saw around them.  Ken could feel the connections, but with the part of his Avatar that came from Pat, he saw and Understood the relation.

          Darren was shaking violently and he suddenly cut loose and let out a primal scream of rage, arching his body and flexing every muscle. He and Pat had made love that morning so Darren’s physical strength was amped up and Ken had to exert quite a bit of his own strength to hold him.  It was like Darren’s body was vomiting out the darkness inside of him.  He fell back against Ken, who held him tight in his strong arms, lowering them both to the ground.  Darren’s face was purple with the strain of his scream – the veins in his neck and temples were clearly visible and he was drenched in sweat.  Tears streamed down his face as he threw his arms out to the side - they were like steel beams, tight with corded muscle.  He thrashed his legs as if he was kicking at something that wasn’t physically there.

          Thick, powerful bolts of lightning started arcing down from the skies and blasting the pile of derelict vehicles.  Ken was in awe of the force inside Darren – how his rage translated into what he was seeing.  He had heard echoes of thunder when some of them got angry, but he never imagined seeing anything like what Darren was doing. 

          Darren’s eyes flashed white and stayed white and they literally arced out white tendrils of energy that matched the huge forks of electricity he called down from the heavens.

          The wind was whipping around them, blowing their hair, and Ken could see funnel clouds forming in the sky.  It seemed localized to the area they were in so he didn’t call Brad to intervene, but he was watching in case it got out of hand and spread to a populated area. 

          Ken could feel the lightning strikes inside Darren’s body – his muscles reflected them as they hit.  He wondered if it was just another aspect of Darren’s Avatar they didn’t know about – his connection to the Physical Realm.  Or maybe he was just that pissed off, and this was what Spiritual adrenaline looked like.

          The lightning was so thick, Ken was nearly blinded by the brightness; his skin tingled from the electricity in the air, he felt the hair on his arms and the back of his neck rise.  Darren pummeled the entire area with lightning until the edges of many of the cars were glowing red from the molten heat.

          Ken held Darren tight through all of it, whispering in his ear, encouraging him to let it out.  He still had more inside of him he needed to expunge.

          After minutes that seemed to go on forever the lightning started slowing down and the frequency of the strikes lessened.  The wind began to die down.  Darren lay back against Ken’s big frame, his chest heaving as sweat poured off of him.  He didn’t seem to be aware of his surroundings. The tears were so thick he couldn’t have seen anyway.  His throat was raw from the scream that had been almost non-stop since he started.

          Ken chuckled and hugged his Brother saying, “Fuck Dar, that was impressive as hell.”  Darren looked exhausted and was barely moving except for his heaving chest as he recovered, fueling his body with oxygen and letting Ken hold him.

          After a minute Ken helped him to sit up.  He still had Darren cradled in his arms protectively.

          “How are you doin man?  I’ve never seen anythin like that.  Are you OK?”

          “No.  I’m not OK.  I’m just getting started.”

          Darren stood up and moved a few feet away, staggering, but he seemed to be recovering quickly.

          Ken heard a groaning sound; it started small but rapidly grew until his sensitive hearing was filled with it, then a loud crash as the big pile of cars shook.

          Huge dents started appearing in the pile, as if massive invisible fists bigger than the cars were punching and hammering down on them.  The temperature started increasing – Ken felt a wave of heat coming off Darren.  The air rippled around his body from the intense heat he was generating.  His clothes were smoking and he ripped off his tank top.

          His entire body was pumped and his muscles were covered in veins and sweat.  In the back of Ken’s Mind he was impressed – when Brad got fired up in anger, he became so incredibly hot and sexy to Ken.  Darren looked like that now – channeling all his rage and anger, as his body expressed it, made him exquisitely handsome and virile.  The sweat was so thick on his body he looked like he was covered in oil, and every taut muscle on his tanned body gleamed.

          Darren started making motions with his fists and Ken could see the effect on the pile of metal.  He punched and hammered on the pile until it was half the size it started out as.  The heat coming off of him was so strong Ken had to move back a few more feet.  He could see the edges on the closest cars starting to slowly fold as the metal was reaching its melting point.

          Darren was about to pass out, but there was still more inside of him he needed to purge.  Like his Avatar, he had to make himself equal to this – he had to remain conscious and expulse the Darkness still inside of him.

          Ken was stunned at what he witnessed.  He knew that adrenaline and emotion could push people to perform exceptional acts of strength or courage, but what Darren was doing was beyond that.

          The strength of his ability to interact with the Physical Realm came from his body… Darren was a strong man and in superb shape physically, but he couldn’t bend metal like Ken and the other Bodies.  The strength he received from Pat’s cum didn’t translate into telekinetic strength – they always wondered about that, but it just didn’t work that way.

          Darren could freeze water or transmute matter, but it took a great deal of effort, and he usually needed Pat’s help for the Understanding of the atomic structure of whatever he was changing.  Now he was increasing the temperature around him to the point where he was melting metal and he was punching the derelict husks of the old vehicles and crushing them like tinfoil.

          It had to have something to do with his Avatar coupled with what was inside of him.  Ken couldn’t wait to get with Brad and the doc to see if they had an explanation.

          Ken cast those thoughts aside and focused on Darren.  The heat was too intense for Ken to grab ahold of him – his own clothes started smoking, and his skin burned if he got too close.  He had to let Darren continue to vent until he emptied himself of all the rage and hate.  Since he couldn’t wrap his arms around his Brother in support he held him with his Mind and Heart.      

          Darren continued until finally, minutes later, he collapsed on his knees completely exhausted.  His eyes were closed and body heaved; he looked like he just stepped out of the shower.  His short hair was plastered to his head, and sweat ran down his body in rivulets.  His muscled physique was shiny and slick and trembled from exhaustion.

          He threw his head back and his neck thickened on his heavy traps.  He put his hands on his thighs and continued to breathe.  The clouds were dissipating, and the thunder finally went silent.

          Ken smiled – in his Mind it was like the sun broke through the clouds that had surrounded his Brother.  He rushed forward and embraced Darren, wrapping his arms around him from behind by his stomach and chest and hugged him tight.

          “Fuck Dar – I don’t even know what to say.  I’m so proud of you I could shit!”

          Without opening his eyes Darren chuckled, showing is dimples, and said, “Please don’t.”  He moved his hands up and gripped Ken’s forearms that were wrapped around him and squeezed back in comfort.

          Fresh tears spilled down his face, and his throat was so tight he could hardly talk, but he managed to squeak out, “Thanks Ken.”

          Ken was crying too – he felt through the Link that Darren was back.  He plunged himself down inside his Brother and they became One.  This time there was no dark spot or wall hiding anything.  The brightness of Darren’s Soul was shining and Ken bathed in it – he amped up his own Aura to comfort his Brother.

          “Fuck, I’m exhausted.”  Ken could feel the trembling in Darren’s body.  He had almost no energy left, and even the squeeze of his hands on Ken’s forearms was weak.

          Ken continued to hold him, relieved that his plan worked, and they both were laughing quietly. 

          “It’s good to have you back Dar.  I’m so happy I could kiss you.”

          Darren actually giggled and said, “I’d settle for a hand job if you really want to help.”

          Ken burst out laughing and moved around and kissed Darren on his cheek and then put his chin on the top of Darren’s head and he rocked them both gently for a moment, letting Darren continue to recover.

          He thought:  I think Pat would be upset if I handled the goods, but here’s a little somethin to tide you over and get you back on your feet.

          Ken channeled some of his own energy into Darren and he felt strength flooding into his body, restoring him.

          Thanks Ken.   I don’t think I’ve ever been that exhausted before, even after a marathon with Pat. 

          There was a long pause while they were quiet – content to be together and deeply merged.  They rested in the deep friendship between them – no secrets, no judgments, just support and unconditional love for each other. 

After a few minutes Ken thought: Hey Dar?

          Something about the tone of Ken’s mental voice caused a twinge in Darren’s gut.

          Yeah?  Ken what’s up?

          I need you to do somethin for me real quick.  Don’t let on that anythin’s up OK?   We have to act normal.

          What the fuck’s going on?  What do you need me to do?

          I don’t think we’re alone.  I think He’s here watchin us.  If He’s here He’s hidden, and we can’t feel him.  He’s too good at maskin himself.  But I think you can find him – B and I worked this out last night. 

          Ken sent Darren the memory Brad had stored inside of him for just this moment.  It was a new hypothetical use of Darren’s powers and would require a good deal of control.  Brad wanted him to use the lightest possible telekinetic touch in the area around the two of them.  It needed to be feather light, and it required Darren to sense even the slightest push back.  It was a spatial awareness technique and Brad was sure Darren could do it.  Since the Mentalists didn’t have enhanced vision like their partners it was a technique Brad had come up with to let them traverse areas in total darkness.

          Darren leaned back into Ken and closed his eyes as Ken continued to rock him in comfort.  He started a running dialogue verbally to keep up the pretense, sure that Luke was there and listening.

          In less than a few seconds Darren thought:  Fuck me, Ken, I think He’s here.  There’s a negative space I can sense – I can feel the shape of his body.  He’s crouched down by that oak tree on our six.

          I knew I loved you for a reason.  Now hold tight. Get ready for the fireworks.  Plan B is about to happen.

<><><> 

          As soon as Ken left with Darren the guys filed into the gym.  Pat was upset and Brad went over to him and put his arms around him from behind:  It’s going to be fine, Pat.  Dar needs this – you know he does.

          Yeah Brad, I get it.  I’m scared for him, and I don’t know what to do.  I thought it would get better by now, but it hasn’t.  I miss being deeper with all of you, and I feel guilty for feeling that way… I’m supporting Darren, but I know he sees that guilt inside of me.  The situation is cascading and getting worse.

          That’s the way Luke works.  In a way he’s still succeeding – the entire event planted seeds in Darren that took root.  Trust Ken, Pat – he’s been through his own torture, and if anyone can help Dar get through this, it’s him.  Don’t feel bad that it’s not you – none of us, especially Ken, would ever want you to feel like that.

          Pat’s eyes were watery and Loy was the first one to come up and give him a hug.  It’s gonna be fine Pat.  Ken’ll have him right as rain.  And if not, we’ll kick both their sorry ugly asses.  How’s that?

          Pat managed a grin and thought:  Sounds like a plan.

          Brad:  Speaking of plans I need everybody over here.  There’s a part two of the plan with Dar.  What Ken’s doing is dangerous as hell, but if I’m right, we can capitalize on it.  You aren’t going to believe this but…

          His words got everyone’s attention.  As Brad laid out his idea from the previous night their eyes got wider and wider.  The magnitude and danger of what he proposed was insane, but if they could pull it off… holy shit!

          Henry I’m sorry, but you need to sit this one out.  You need to be here with Drew in case anything goes wrong.  Also, even as powerful as you are now, you aren’t part Nephilim, and you’d be in more danger.  We’re not risking you getting hurt.

          Henry was conflicted – he wanted to be with them and add his strength to theirs, but his responsibility to Drew overrode his own wants and needs, especially on something this important. 

          You know you’ll be in my thoughts.  Me and Drew’ll put in a little prayer for you guys.  And you know my boy has connections now – we still don’t know exactly who with, but if that Voice will hear him we’re gonna give him an earful on your behalf.  I want to stay here with you until you have to leave, then I’ll go help Sally with Drew’s lessons. 

          Each one of them felt Henry’s support, and the conflict within him.  There was no shame or guilt – they all had roles to play in the cosmic game they were involved in, and in their Minds and Hearts Henry played his perfectly.  He was part of the Team and they made sure he knew it.  Lane was closest to him and reached a hand over and squeezed his shoulder.

          Our timing will have to be impeccable, guys.  We’ll need to start the Ritual here and Dar will pull us there literally as we speak the last words – and we’ll all have to intone the incantation simultaneously.  We have to catch Luke off guard just long enough for the trap to spring before he can escape.  He has to be suspicious, and I’m sure he’s on guard.  Let’s hope Ken and Dar are convincing on their end so He’s overconfident.

          Pat you’ll be with me for the Ritual.  I don’t have dimples, and I’m not as cute as Dar, so sorry about that, but I’ll have to do for this.

          Lane, as always, lightened the mood when he followed up:  Oh Brad has dimples, they just aren’t on his cheeks.  When he realized what he said, he quickly added: Well they are on his cheeks, just not the ones up top.

          Everybody laughed and shook their heads.  Bryan pulled Lane into a side headlock and gave him a noogie.

          They hadn’t started their training – everyone had to be ready the instant Ken contacted them.  Their excitement was evident; it formed an icy fire in the pit of their stomachs that was normal before a difficult and dangerous mission.  Memories of being dropped from helicopters in the black of the night to take out hostiles or rescue American soldiers in Syria all those years ago came back to them.  The adrenaline starting flowing and it kept them sharp and alert.  Sitting in a circle, quiet and focused, they waited patiently inside one another, holding each other tight.  The Wall was still inside Pat, but they were optimistic that Ken would be successful with Darren and that Wall would be gone the next time they laid eyes on each other.

          They were so much more than they were in those days – they were the most dangerous and successful SEAL team the US Government ever had at its disposal. Only a small handful of officials ever even knew of their existence, or the doctor’s Program. Now they were even more powerful and dangerous – they were the only thing that stood between The Enemy and Mankind’s subjugation.

          They were still the specialized soldiers they always had been – but now they were part Angel and had incredible powers at their disposal.  Now they were fighting for the human race – and just as importantly, if not more so to them, for the life of a little boy who carried the weight of the Curse of Mankind on his young shoulders.  A bright white ribbon of Power ran through all of them, coursing through their Bodies, Minds, Hearts, and Souls uniting them.

          It was nearly an hour and a half before Brad felt Ken’s presence enter his Mind:  He’s here B.  Dar is clear and back with us.  Execute.

        Darren was with Ken and the presence of their two Brothers flooding the Link was breathtaking.  The Wall inside Darren was gone and his Soul was brighter than ever. The strength he exuded was mind boggling.

          Tears of relief ran down Pat’s handsome face.  The Wall inside him shattered as soon as he fully embraced the Light of his Brothers and became One with his Soulmate.  Everything was perfect once more. 

          They all stood up and each couple tightly gripped their partner’s hand.  Brad took Pat’s hand into his own and squeezed it firmly sending his Compassion into Pat through the feeling.  Through his tears Pat’s face had a smile a mile wide.

          As he dropped out of the Link, Henry sent his thoughts to them:  There is no luck in this fellas – you’re the best.  Drew and I will be waiting for you.  He moved to the side and watched, in awe of his Brothers and letting his confidence and support wash over them one last time.

          Each couple became One and began the incantation. Their handsome faces looked upwards and their eyes flashed white.  White Power crackled through them and around them.  A hot wind blew the short hair on their heads and on their arms and legs.  The muscles bunched in their shoulders and arms as their hands gripped each other tightly.

          The eight men, four pairs of Voices, sent their call out into the Universe: 

We stand outside Time, in a place not of Earth; joined together as One.  By all thy Holy Angels; by the powers of Light we call Thee to guard and defend us from all perils, O Most High. 

Four Corners, I Call Thee to me!

            The ceiling in the gymnasium went dark as the Physical and Spiritual Realms blended temporarily.  Stars filled the vast blackness of the Universe over their heads as the Veil parted momentarily from the Power they called.

          Pat and Brad intoned: Hail, Mighty Raphael, Archangel and Protector of the East! Healer, Guardian of Wind and Tempest; Power of Air, Intellect, Thought, Intuition and Imagination, we greet you now in perfect Love and perfect Trust. As you carry the seeds of life across the land; as you bring the moisture of the storms to the shore; join us in all your gentle and powerful ways. We bless the elements of Air and call upon you to gather here with us.

          Bryan and Lane intoned:  Hail, Mighty Uriel, Archangel and Protector of the North; Angel of Death, Protector of the Nether Shores; Power of Earth, Life, Patience, and Strength. We greet you now in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Changeless power of unending change, in steadfastness and strength, we bless the elements of Earth, and call upon you to gather here with us. 

          Rick and Loy intoned:  Hail Michael, Mighty Archangel and Protector of the South. Defender, Keeper of the Gates of Eden; Power of Fire, Feeling, Passion, and Determination, We greet you now, in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Flaming One; Bright Warrior, Wild courage, Lion-strength, we bless the elements of Fire, and call upon you to gather here with us.

          Kevin and Bill intoned: Hail, Mighty Gabriel Archangel and Protector of the West. Herald and Voice of the Most High; Power of Water, Emotion, Love, and Intervention, We greet you now, in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Water; soft and yielding, formless and flowing. You are the blood coursing through our veins. We bless the elements of Water and call upon you to gather here with us.

          As the last few words of the Ritual passed their lips Darren reached out and synchronized their Avatars and they appeared around the tree where Darren knew Luke was hiding.  The Ritual completed as they materialized, and before Luke could react Raphael, Michael, Uriel, and Gabriel appeared in their true forms around him, shining like stars, their wings spread wide, forming a dome over Luke, trapping him inside.

          Luke went berserk!  He appeared briefly in his human form before he transformed into pure Darkness, filling the dome like black liquid.  He struck at it again and again trying to break free, and each blow shook the entire area. 

          Ken and Darren watched as their Brothers materialized, incanting the final words of the Ritual.  With their Mind’s Eye the sky shifted into the dark overlay of the heavens shining with stars and the depth of space.

          Ken turned towards Luke and said: “Gotcha!  You sonofabitch!”

          The scream of rage Luke let forth was so loud it shook the leaves off the surrounding trees and any loose branches broke off and fell to the ground.  It felt like a small earthquake under their feet.

          The four Arch-Angels dimmed their Light and took their human forms.  Each wore their battle armor and held their swords, gripping the pommels, with the blades pointing down at the North, South, East, and West points of the Circle.

          Michael’s voice echoed with Power inside Ken’s Mind:  Well done!

          The Darkness inside the dome vanished and Luke appeared in his human form before them.  Now he looked calm and collected, even confident and cocky.  He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

          Ken looked directly at him and said, “Time for a little chat.”

         Even though Luke’s face was still, Ken could read his body language.  Ken was very good at reading people that way – Luke wasn’t nearly as calm as he wanted Ken to think.  Four of his most powerful enemies were keeping him pinned, and he didn’t like being so close to Michael in any fashion. 

          Ken was sure, however, that while Michael was Summoned and part of the Protection Ritual he was not free to act against Luke. 

          Luke nodded to Ken and said, “Well played half-breed, but you cannot keep me for long, and you will regret having done this.”  He was acting as though he still had the upper hand.

          “Yeah, whatever, douchebag.” 

Ken was feeling Luke out, watching him and observing him.  Ken had a knack for being able to get under an opponent’s skin and piss them off so they would make mistakes.  He wasn’t sure if he could do that with a being like Luke, but it never hurt to try.  He sure managed to piss his grandfather Michael off the first time they met!

          Dar I want to hold you in reserve.  Be ready to join in on my signal, and then give me everything you got.

          Got it Ken.  I’m ready.

          Ken moved over and stood a few feet from the dome.  Brad was by his side, and each of the couples spread out behind them in a semi-circle.  Their eyes were all white and their faces were set; their Auras shone bright in the Spiritual Realm.  They were the Protectors of Mankind facing the Evil they were created to defeat – they stood tall and powerful and were handsome beyond words.

          Luke looked at them unflinchingly.  Ken wanted to do something that would make him squirm and knock the cocky overconfident look off his face.

          Guys I want to see him as he really is.   Ricky, light him up.

          Rick’s handsome face didn’t change, but the gleam in his eye did.  He leaned his head back and looked up to the sky, pushing his shoulders back.  In his Mind he leaned back into his Brothers and pulled from all the Power they were holding and continued to gather.

          They were all One again – Ten, Five, One and it was perfect.  Rick pulled from everybody but Darren, but his Brother was there with them, inside them, adding his presence and support.  He was part of the perfection of the bond they all shared.  With a confident look on his face, Ken crossed his powerful arms over his chest and locked their Avatars into One.

          All of them were wearing their workout clothes and the tank tops showed off their heavily muscled upper bodies – Darren was still shirtless.  Their Avatars glowed brightly, spitting arcs of color, on the big balls of their shoulders as the Runes transformed.

          Rick felt the difference right away, and tendrils of white energy started emanating from his body, drifting over slowly, gathering in thickness and strength, caressing the outside of the Dome in a light touch.

          Luke smiled, confident that whatever the half-breed was attempting couldn’t pass the Protection.  It worked both ways – while it wouldn’t let him out it would let nothing in to harm him.

          His eyes widened in shock as the tendrils slipped through with no resistance.  Darkness wrapped around Luke as he tried to protect himself from the Light as Rick, backed by his Brothers and magnified by Ken, Bryan, Kevin, and Patrick entered the Dome.   The image of the Tree solidified and their Avatars flashed emerald green; Bryan’s was the brightest.

          The tendrils Ricky sent out were like the roots of grass that could grow and crack even asphalt and concrete; they found footholds and bore into and through the Darkness Luke surrounded himself with.  It wasn’t easy, and all of them were tense and sweating after a minute, but the pressure they exerted was relentless and their Avatars made them equal to the task; they reached deep inside themselves and became more than equal.  The thought of what Luke had done to Darren gave them the fuel to reach beyond their normal strength.  Luke had no idea how much they cared for one another and how pissed they all were over what happened to their Brother.

          The tendrils from Rick seeped through, and Luke’s image began to flicker and change.  He flinched and looked at his body in shock as his True Form was revealed.  The creature he was now – hideously ugly and grotesque – began to show through.  He fought it with everything he had, but the glamour he kept up faded and he stood before them as he truly was.

          The ugliness inside him, countless eons of vile existence, was reflected in the physical form they were now witness too.  His skin was diseased and a multitude of tumors oozed… his physical form was misshapen, twisted, and horrid to look at.

          Ken stared at Luke; their eyes met.  Ken kept the revulsion off his face, but he could see the deep hatred Luke had for all of them in his eyes.  He had the same Deep eyes as all the Arch-Angels, and his were filled with rage, hate, and evil.  Evil that was billions of years old and as Deep as Time, but that Evil hit the Wall that was Ken’s Will.  Ken met his gaze head on, and Luke was stunned - Ken was of Michael’s lineage, and now he truly realized it.

          With his True Form forced upon him, Luke exhibited the same intense abhorrence of the physical perfection of Ken and the other men as The Master did.  Their inhuman grace and handsome features were a stark contrast to the hideous form he was forced to reveal.  Deep down, he abhorred what he looked like… when he was first created he was the most beautiful and perfect of all the Arch-Angels, rivaling even Michael’s magnificence.

          What Luke saw in Brad’s eyes enraged him to the point where he nearly lost control.  Brad didn’t have the Unconditional Love for Luke that he had towards mankind, but even then he didn’t hate Luke.  He was beginning to feel that Luke was filling a role and felt sorry for him. Regardless, Brad felt Compassion for him… as Powerful as they were in the moment, Brad’s Avatar, along with Lane’s and Patrick’s showed them what Luke used to be before his own Fall and what he was now, and he felt pity for him. Luke saw it in his eyes; and it was intolerable.

          Ken, through his leadership training in the Navy, knew how to handle people in all sorts of situations.  He wasn’t sure if any of the tactics he knew would work on Luke, but the more they pushed him the more he would know.  He used his own Avatar and Pat’s to watch Luke.  His grotesque face showed no outwards signs of what they saw inside of him.

          Ken stood tall and squared his shoulders – it was a confident posture and one that exuded control of the situation.  He gave a dismissive grunt and turned his back on Luke, but he was watching through Brad’s eyes.  Ken mimicked the supremely arrogant attitude that Michael had towards them the first time they met, and he remembered how pissed off it made him.

          He saw the anger and hatred seething inside of Luke, but he was far from exploding.  Ken needed to find a way to get him to crack, even the tiniest bit.  He wanted to break Luke’s absolute confidence – Ken wanted to send a message to him loud and clear.  He needed to rock Luke – the magnitude of what he wanted to accomplish was still reeling inside of him, but he had every confidence in his Brothers that they would make it happen.

          Just then, Lane’s eyes flashed white and he shook his head slightly as images were conveyed into his Mind through both the Gift and his Avatar.  The images weren’t from Remiel this time – his own unconscious and the Ether fed him what he was seeing.

          Ken:  Lane? 

          The mischievous grin Lane usually wore came over his face and he chuckled in his mind.

          Ken:  You got somethin?

          Lane:  You mind if I take over the conversation for a few?  I think I can help get under his skin just a bit.

          Ken:  Go for it.  You know what we need to accomplish. 

          Ken and the other’s moved over into a circle.  Bryan stayed by Lane’s side, but they were all inside Lane’s Mind and Heart.  They saw what his Avatar revealed to him – and they saw what Lane was going to do with it.  The goosebumps were already starting, and the hair on their arms rose in anticipation.

          Luke looked at Lane and Bryan intently and said, “So… what do the Seer and Oracle of the Order, the Bearer of the Gift and his little drummer boy want to talk about?”

          Bryan’s eyebrows rose at the little drummer boy comment.

          Lane continued to grin and he looked at Bryan, “Damn Bry, your reputation’s growing!  Lucy here’s been eaves dropping if he knows how good you are.”

          “So Luke, what kind of music do you like?  Let me guess… death metal?”

          Luke continued to stare.

          “No?  How about Charlie Daniels?”  Lane summoned a fiddle and played the opening to ‘The Devil Went down to Georgia.’

          Luke’s misshapen face contorted almost imperceptibly at the absurdity and irreverence of that song.

          Lane grinned at him and winked, “Yeah, I bet you’re pretty tired of that joke.  Sorry, but I couldn’t help it, the opportunity was just too good to pass up.  I really do have something I want you to hear.  Since you’ve been spying on us for a while you’ve probably heard most of the songs off my ‘Bryan’s List.’  There’s a song that just popped into my head… this is the first one on a new list I’m starting now.  ‘Luke’s List’ has its first entry.  I hope you like it… I think this will have a special meaning to you and to your Brothers here.” 

          When Lane said that he nodded towards Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.  They were all like statues and kept their eyes straight ahead – except for Gabriel, whose eyes were looking straight at Lane.

          Lane sent him a private thought:  Wish me luck here Grandfather.  I’m sorry if this is going to make you uncomfortable.

          Lane summoned his guitar; the one with the beautiful intricate inlay of his Avatar.

          “You ever see the movie ‘The Lost Boy’s’ Luke?  Great movie with Kiefer Sutherland.  It was a vampire movie before vampires started being glorified and romanticized – that really bugs me by the way.  Did you do that, or was that just humans doing their thing?”

          As Lane prattled on with Luke like they were old friends he was tinkering with his guitar, strumming a few random chords and warming up his fingers.

          “Anyways, I’m changing the lyrics just a tad in your honor, but I hope you like it.  You ready Bry?”

          Lane was sitting on the ground with his guitar in his lap, and Bryan moved over behind him.  He knelt down and put his arms around Lane from behind and hugged their bodies tightly together, but made sure Lane’s arms were free to play.  He leaned in and kissed Lane on the cheek.  He wasn’t smiling, but his eyes glinted with the love he held for his partner – Lane had a brief thought that Bryan’s eyes were well on their way to showing a Depth to them just like Uriel’s.  Lane saw his love reflected in his lover’s eyes and their Auras got even brighter.

          In a droll tone Luke said, “Please… you are making me sick with that drivel.  Get on with it.”

          Lane shared the memory of the song with Bryan and the sound of a drum beat started reverberating in the air around them.  Bryan’s hands patted Lane’s chest lightly to the drum beat he was producing.

          I know this is a bad time to ask Grandfather, but any chance, could I get a few backup singers to help with this?  I could do it but…

          Lane grinned when he saw Gabriel’s eyes roll back in his head, but he heard his Grandfather’s voice:  Done.

          Thanks!

          Lane turned his thoughts back to the Team:  Guys get ready.  I’m going to pull from you hard here in a minute and then again right after.  Keep the Power flowing.

          Lane closed his eyes and listened to the drums Bryan played in his Mind.  He added the other instruments the song called for and as he opened his mouth to start singing everyone felt him draw all the Power they held into himself.

          Bryan’s Avatar flared emerald green, followed by Ken’s, Rick’s, Kevin’s, and Patrick’s.  A ghostly image of the Yggdrasil, Tree of Life, came into existence, filling the junk yard.

          Loy’s Avatar shone bright as animal Spirits appeared all around, swimming in the air and through the branches of the Tree.  Brad’s, Lane’s, Bill’s, and Darren’s Avatars followed as the animal Spirits lent them their strength.

          In addition Brad’s Avatar coordinated theirs and they felt the familiar pulse as their Souls began to flutter between the Physical and Spiritual Realms, crossing the Veil and fueling both sides of their Nature.

          Luke had never been present when they did this, and he realized why all his Servants continually underestimated them.  He would never make that mistake again.

          The song was entitled Cry Little Sister but Lane changed the title to Cry Little Brother.  The lyrics were amazingly appropriate, with the minor change, for what he wanted to accomplish – he also changed the word sister to brother(s) in the lyrics.  He wanted to reach deep down inside of Luke with the Music and his Voice.  He wanted memories Luke had from before his own Fall when he was with Michael and the others in Heaven to fill him.  He wanted to push home to Luke how far he had Fallen and kick the anthill of his emotions.  He wanted to rock him down to his very core… to set him up for the kick in the balls he would follow up with.

          Lane’s voice was so strong and beautiful it sent chills down everyone’s spine.  He put everything he had into the Song and took all his Brothers with him, carrying the same message to them – the memories it invoked between them were uplifting, however for Luke, they were painful beyond belief. 

          Lane reached out to Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael and he grabbed them in the spell he wove with his Voice – the Gift was enhancing his Avatar and making him powerful enough to affect even them.  They were a part of Luke’s life before his Fall, and they were caught in the emotional tsunami that Lane was creating.  It was painful for them … invoking memories of Luke when he was the Brightest of them all – the Morning Star.

          Lane brought the temporal aspect of his Avatar into play – he bridged the gap of the billions of years that Luke had lived, reaching back even before Time when he was newly created.  Similar to The Master, Luke had purged those memories – in the darkest recesses of his Black Soul he didn’t want to remember them.  They burned into him like nothing he had ever felt before.

          Ken’s, Brad’s, and their Brothers eyes were already wet from the emotional intimacy of being merged and One – with Darren completely inside them again the feeling was perfect, but Lane magnified that Light and perfection of their bond so the intensity was almost unbearable. 

          They all turned to look at Lane, watching him play.  His eyes were closed and he leaned back into Bryan as he played his guitar.  His powerful neck was thick and tight and the veins were clearly showing from the effort he put into his Voice.  The look on his face was intent but joyful as he embraced the Music and fulfilled his Purpose. 

In order to reach Luke, Lane knew he had to be as powerful as he ever had been and he took the Song of his own Soul and Bryan’s inside himself, letting their combined music take him where he needed to be.  He, like Brad, was operating on multiple levels and even Brad was astounded at how well he pulled it off and how effectively he kept the different threads separate yet producing a single effect. 

          Loy remembered his comment to Lane on ZEUS just a week previously:

“Lane, sometimes you just blow me away.  One second you pull some goofy-ass stunt like playing porn music to whales, and then you flip and do something so amazingly touching and beautiful it makes me want to cry.  I love you man.  Don’t ever change.”

          Loy sent a private thought to Lane:  I’m so fucking proud of you Lane.  Kill it, Brother. 

          Lane saw the memory himself, and felt Loy’s arm over his shoulder inside that memory, combining the feeling with Bryan’s powerful arms around him now.  He remembered various times all of them had their arms around him and sank into that feeling.  He needed everything he could muster to make this work.

          Lane started glowing so brightly in the Spiritual Realm that even Luke had to avert his eyes.  The Light Lane was giving off was painful even through his own shield.  He wondered how that was possible, and realized how truly powerful their Avatars were.  What Luke still failed to realize is that it wasn’t just their Avatars that made them so Powerful – it was their Souls and the bonds they shared.  They were the pinnacle of Human potential both Physically and Spiritually – combined with the Heritage of being Nephilim.

          Luke’s memory flashed back to the first time he met Ken and Brad in the Valley of the Tree – in the very spot he had convinced The Master to kill his only sibling nearly eighty thousand years ago:

“There are many of the Higher Order, like Michael, who have forgotten their way.  Against them you would be truly powerful, and with my help you could be invincible.”

He realized those words applied to himself as well as Michael and the others.  These upstart half-breeds were powerful, and the first seed of fear he had felt in ages took root deep in his black heart.

          As Lane started singing, ten balls of Light appeared in the sky. Like shooting stars they fell and stopped, floating off to the opposite side of where Ken and the others were gathered, watching in amazement at what their Brother was doing.

          The balls of light grew into the forms of small children; they were Angels of the Choir of Heaven, sent by Gabriel at Lane’s request.  As soon as the song got to the chorus their voices filled in exactly where Lane needed them too.

A last fire will rise behind those eyes

Black house will rock, blind boys don't lie

Immortal fear, that voice so clear

Through broken walls, that scream I hear

Cry, little brother (Thou shall not fall)

Come to your brothers (Thou shall not die)

Unchain me, brothers (Thou shall not fear)

Love is with your brothers (Thou shall not kill)

Blue masquerade, strangers look on

When will they learn this loneliness?

Temptation heat beats like a drum

Deep in your veins, I will not lie...

... To little brother (Thou shall not fall)

Come to your brothers (Thou shall not die)

Unchain me, brothers (Thou shall not fear)

Love is with your brothers (Thou shall not kill)

My Shangri-Las

I can't forget

Why you were mine

I need you now

Cry, little brother (Thou shall not fall)

Come, come to your brothers (Thou shall not die)

Unchain me, brothers (Thou shall not fear)

Love is with your brothers (Thou shall not kill)

Cry, little brother (Thou shall not fall)

Come, come to your brothers (Thou shall not die)

Unchain me, brothers (Thou shall not fear)

Love is with your brothers (Thou shall not kill)

Cry... little brother (Thou shall not fall)

Thou shall not die

Thou shall not fear (Unchain me brothers)

Thou shall not kill...

          As Lane’s voice faded Ken stared intently at Luke.  He was shocked to see tears falling down Luke’s face – the ugly grotesque face that was once the most beautiful in existence.  Luke looked stunned and his eyes were wide with disbelief.

          Tears fell down Michael’s face as well; and Gabriel’s, Uriel’s, and Raphael’s.  Their memories of Luke were heartbreaking – all the long stretch of the billions of years they had been fighting him were there.  The devastation inside their Hearts was Eternal and Deep – they had never felt such emotional pain.  From the joy of Luke’s Creation and entering their lives, the Love they used to share as Brothers, and all the long years in between up to the present.

          The Creation of their Nephilim grandchildren had changed them – opened something inside of them they never expected.  The Depth of their eyes was now matched by a Depth to their Hearts and right now their Hearts were filled with sorrow.

          It evoked a powerful conflict inside the four Arch-Angels. Once Luke Fell and was Cast out of Home and became The Dark One, he had been at war with them.  They had purged any emotions they felt towards him long ago in order to combat him successfully, but Lane pulled everything back into them and magnified it a thousand fold.

          Luke’s face was a mask of shock. No one had ever affected him in such a manner, and the ache he felt inside hit him hard.  Lane used the lyrics to drive into him what he used to be and what he was now, and the fact that his Brothers could still save him if he wished it.  It was brutal in its purity, simplicity, and intensity and he was rocked just like Ken wanted.

          Lane was the focal point of all of them – just as when Ricky and Kevin reset Azaziel with their combined Avatars.  Lane wove the Power through himself, but all of them were with him.  Ken’s Avatar shone just as bright, pushing the words and Lane’s intent into Luke.  Brad’s Compassion was present, and it burned into Luke like a fiery brand.  Bryan was there pulling from all Life… all of them were there in their own unique way – and that undefinable ‘something extra’ the doctor always felt when they were together was clear and present.

          Gabriel didn’t know how to react – he had never seen anyone turn a song, even a trivial song from a human movie, into a weapon of such magnitude.  Lane took the words and transformed them, shaping them with his Soul and his Avatar into what he needed.  Gabriel was in awe of what his Grandson accomplished.

          Lane wasn’t finished.  He was sweating now in the morning heat and the efforts of singing so intently and channeling so much Power, but he looked extraordinarily handsome; a Light still shone off him – he was fulfilling his Purpose, and he was Powerful, his confident serenity apparent.

          As the song came to an end Lane’s voice still echoed with Power as he said, “So what’d you think?  Too much?”  He had an odd look on his face as he spoke to Luke.  He realized how much he had hurt Luke and his Grandfather and the other Arch-Angels, but it was necessary.  He still didn’t like it, but it was crucial to Ken’s plan… and he wasn’t finished yet.  He was resolved to continue and do what he needed to do.  Bryan’s arms squeezed around him tighter, knowing the conflict he felt inside.  I’m with you, Little Buddy. 

          Bryan’s touch soothed him, and his quiet strength supported Lane. Bryan was his rock, and he needed him to get through this.  Even as he spoke he leaned his head back so it rested against Bryan’s upper chest.  He could feel the solidity of his lover’s body, his arms around him and his warm strong hands touching him.

          “You know I’ve had a lot of Dreams about you Lucy.  If Bryan and these other ladies here weren’t in my life, I’d probably be insane from what I’ve seen about you and The Master and the Battle.  It’s all so fucked-up.  I don’t get it at all, but I don’t think I’m supposed too.

          “I know more about your nature than you think though.  You’re a creature of Chaos … and the opposite of Chaos is Order.  In my Mind Music is part of that Order.  If you ever look at a graph of the sound from a single note it’s a perfect wave.  I’m guessing this is going to hurt… a lot.”

          Lane’s guitar disappeared and a trumpet appeared in his hand.  It was beautiful and glinted brightly in the morning sun.  It had the same mosaic design of his Avatar as if it was made of varied metals and not just brass. 

          Lane stood up and grinned at Gabriel, who was wide eyed and still recovering from what Lane had just put him through.  He said out loud to his Grandfather, “I guess brass runs in our family.” 

          He put the trumpet to his lips, and took a deep breath. 

          Darren now’s the time to kick it in Brother.  I need everything you got that Ken had you holding back.

          Darren’s dimples appeared and he threw back his head – the Light inside of him shone out just as bright as Lane’s.  All the strength that he exhibited with Ken earlier was still in him – something Luke had done to him stretched him and expanded his capacity in an unexpected way. 

          Thick bright ribbons of Light came out of Darren and into Lane as he put his lips to the Trumpet.  The note he produced was so loud and piercing it was heard not just over the Earth but all the way to Heaven and throughout Creation.  It was earth-shatteringly powerful and pure – the perfection of a single note from the instrument of his Avatar struck Luke and he started screaming in physical pain. 

Lane was the grandson of Gabriel, the Voice and Herald of God.  Music was in his lineage and a part of him.  He embraced his Heritage and let it fill him as he blew a perfect note from the instrument of his Avatar.  Luke fell onto the ground screaming in agony as the Light from Lane and Darren and their Brothers continued to get Brighter. 

          Darren single-handedly gave them the power to push past the point of being equal into a different realm of strength – he made them powerful enough to cause The Dark One to scream.

          Ken: Kevin, light him up.  We aren’t resetting him – even if we could, I don’t want to, but I don’t want him to know that.  I want to start the process and scare the shit out of him.  He never expected any of this, and I want him rattled.

          Kevin, his Avatar locked into One with all his Brothers, made himself felt.  The Light they emitted took on a liquid quality that started pouring into Luke and he screamed even louder.  The strain was incredible and Kevin’s big body swelled – Bill wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him tight and supporting him physically as he dropped to his knees with the effort.

          They hit Luke hard from all sides.  He was trapped and nearly Powerless in the Four Corners Ritual, and his very essence was being bombarded in ways he never dreamed.

          Kevin’s big frame was drenched in sweat – his entire body was pumped immediately as he channeled oxygen into his muscular frame from his Core energy center.  They could see the strain it was taking… as hard as it was to reset Azaziel this was much harder, but thankfully he wasn’t trying to finish the process.  Kevin’s arms were steel beams as he held them out towards Luke, White Fire arcing from his hands into Luke’s writhing body.   Kevin’s entire body turned a dark red and veins were prominently visible across his chest, arm, and shoulders from the effort. 

          Luke was on the ground inside the Dome thrashing about – there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t escape and with the Four Corner’s Ritual holding him, he had no Power outside the area of the Dome.  The pain was relentless and more intense than anything he ever felt.  He experienced fear – real fear – for the first time in eons.

          “STOP!”

          Lane’s face was purple with the strain of holding the note but his eyes glanced to Ken, who shook his head negative.  Not yet. 

          Sweat was pouring off Lane – he was running out of air.  Bryan used his own Core energy sending a thick red ribbon into Lane’s body – oxygen filled his lungs and he felt a huge relief.

          Time seemed to stand still, but only another few seconds went by when Luke shouted, “STOP!!” again as he flailed about on the ground, his malformed and grotesque body arched in unbearable pain.

          Ken shook his head again and the agony continued.

          “STOP!!! I… I beg you!”

          After another few seconds Ken nodded and Lane and Kevin stopped.  Luke collapsed on the ground in relief, his tormented body heaving.  His eyes were bloodshot from the tears of pain, and snot and spittle covered his face; he was drenched in sweat and shaking.  Many tumors covering his body had burst open, and bile-like liquid ran over his form, mixing with the sweat and puss.

          Ken moved back over to the edge of the Dome and knelt down on one knee to look directly into Luke’s eyes, “Now that we have your undivided attention… we need to have our little chat.”

          All the influence from the Team stopped as soon as Ken nodded.  Their handsome faces were set in stone, not giving Luke any indication as to what they were thinking. Their expressions showed none of the strain from all the Power coursing through them as their bodies dripped sweat and their chests heaved. 

          Luke resumed his human form, once again taking the appearance of perfect physical beauty.  He slowly rolled over and managed to get on his knees.  His eyes never left Ken’s.

          Ken’s Avatar was in full effect and he looked every inch the leader he was. He exuded confidence and his Will was immovable; Luke looked into his eyes and saw it clearly.

          Luke’s voice was shaky, and Ken didn’t know if that was a ruse, or if it was real.  Tears were still streaming down his face, both from the physical and the emotional pain they induced in him.  Only because of his enhanced senses could Ken tell that Luke was trembling all over and trying not to show it.

          In a strained voice Luke voice said, “What is it you want?”

          Ken said, “A promise.”

          “A promise?  And what would that be?”

          “Until we defeat The Master, you are out of our lives.  You stop any and all influence and interference in the Physical and Spiritual Realms, not just against us, but against humans in general.  The Master needs to stand against us on his own without your tinkering.” 

Brad sent him a quick thought and after a slight pause Ken added, “You also need to leave Thomin and the Vault alone for the rest of your existence.” 

          “And if I refuse?”

          “We do our damnedest to finish what we just started and reset you here and now.  I’m betting on us.”

          Brad knew Luke’s Mind was working, trying to figure out a way to manipulate them and turn the situation to his advantage.  The bottom line was he was trapped by four of his most powerful enemies and nearly powerless – and the ten half-breeds turned out to be far more formidable than he anticipated.  He had been tricked, and as much as it galled him he had to accept it; there was no use putting himself through more torture.  He was created outside of Time, and he was patient – he would accept the defeat of the day and let it fuel his hatred of them all.  If it took most of Eternity, he would see all of them at his feet.

He would let them have their day and feel confident - he earned his reputation as the ‘Master of Lies’… he would make whatever promise they wanted and find a way around it.  Just like he influenced Charisa, he would use and manipulate the Truth to find a way around whatever agreement they insisted he make.

Brad knew what Luke was thinking – he wasn’t in his Mind, but his own Avatar was working.  He had an epiphany in the moment as he looked into Luke’s eyes… he was responsible for Charisa’s corruption.  The way she used and manipulated the Truth as a weapon; the political creature she became… Luke planted seeds in her long, long ago.  There were flaws in Charisa’s personality that allowed Luke to get a foothold in her Heart and Mind, and over centuries those seeds grew until she became the person they met.  Those seeds are also what changed The Mantle.

          “Alright.”

          Raphael sent Brad a private thought:  Brad, be careful…

          We’re on it, Grandfather.  Thanks for the concern, but this is part of the plan.  Hold onto your hat.

          Ken looked over at his lover and said, “B you got everythin ready?”

          “Just one last detail.” 

          Brad looked at Ken and grinned.  Brad locked in the image of Ken standing there in his Mind.  He had never looked more handsome – confident and stern, their leader, his lover, facing off against one of the most powerful beings in Creation.  Everything about Ken always turned Brad on, but seeing him as he was, in his element, brought out something extra that sent goosebumps over his entire body.

          The corner of Ken’s mouth rose almost imperceptibly – he felt and heard everything that went through Brad’s Mind, and it turned him on.

          Bryan:  Are you two fuckers seriously gonna get hard-ons for each other with all that’s goin on?

          Inside their Minds they all laughed – the tension had been so high Bryan’s comment was a little relief to the intensity of the situation.

          Everyone understood completely – most of them felt the same towards their partners at that moment.  When they were on target and fulfilling their Purpose, it brought out something inside of them, some kind of Spiritual testosterone that energized their Love for one another in a very primal way.  They were elemental creatures, as Darren showed earlier in the morning, but still physical beings and Powerful events had a profound effect on them.

          Brad’s crystal blue eyes flashed white and his neck thickened as he leaned his head back looking up to the skies.  His voice echoed with Power as he called out, “Thomin!”

          Thomin appeared before them looking oddly out of place in the bright morning sun and out in the open.  He had been apprehensive when Brad called out to him the night before – it actually took Brad involving Drew to get Thomin to agree.  The Angel seemed to have a connection with Drew after the incident with the doctor in his cave.  Drew had managed to find his way into Thomin’s heart as well.

          Brad was sure that the Vault would hold some Object that could help them and once they explained to Thomin their intent he smiled and almost seemed giddy.  He was not a vengeful creature, but he didn’t care for Luke at all, and this would be a way to get back at him without actually hurting him.

          Luke didn’t physically react when Thomin appeared, but Ken was observing him closely, and he saw the reaction in his eyes.

          Even with Luke bound, Thomin wouldn’t look at him and seemed very tense just being in his presence. 

          Brad said, “Thank you for coming Thomin.  Did you bring it?”

          A box appeared in Thomin’s hands.  There was the sound of a small chime and the lock on the box popped open.  Something inside was bright and powerful; a bright Light shone through the crack.

          “Recite your agreement Brad Wilson.  As soon as he accepts, he will be Bound to the words and unable to break or circumvent them.  Even He will not find a way around them.”

          Luke knew what was in the box – the Oathstone.  It was an artifact of Heaven and an object of incredible power; it was strong enough to Bind an Arch-Angel. His mind spun faster – he didn’t see any way out of this at the moment, but he would eventually.  They would all pay dearly for this day.

          Luke crossed his arms over his chest and waited silently as Brad recited the agreement.  Luke was impressed that Brad left no openings or cracks in the phrasing or the intent – he would have to withdraw his influence completely until The Master was defeated or The Master defeated these Warriors of The Order.

          Lane said, “Watching Supernatural all these years you learn this shit.  You’re as much of a dipshit as Crowley.” 

          Luke didn’t react to his jibe, but he would remember it.  He would remember everything about this day – every second of his own torture and pain at their hands, and the humiliation.  No one had ever treated him or affected him in such a manner.  He resigned himself to make the promise and be bound by it.  He wanted The Master to fail now, because he wanted his revenge on these half-breeds.  They had no idea how far down the depths of his hatred reached.

          Luke’s dark eyes bored holes into Ken’s emerald green ones.  Ken matched him stare for stare as Luke stated, “I accept the terms, and you have my word I will keep them, but know that if you defeat The Master you will be mine, and your pain and misery will last for eternity. I will have you all, and you will pay for this.”

          Ken’s Avatar flared and he said, “Know this fucker.  We’ll defeat The Master, and when we’re done with him, we’re comin after you.  We respect your Power, but you’ve seen ours, and we aren’t backin down an inch.  We made you cry like a bitch and we’ll do it again.  Our goal won’t be to destroy you – our goal will be to bring you Home, back where you belong.”

          Ken looked over at Michael and said, “Time to bust up the party Grandfather.  You can let him go now.”

          The Dome vanished and the four Arch-Angels spun around with swords drawn, in a defensive posture facing Luke.

          There was a loud click as Thomin closed the box and vanished.  He was safe from repercussions, but he wanted no part of Luke regardless.

          The ten Angels of the Choir turned back into balls of Light and rose up into the Heavens, eager to return Home and spread the news of Luke’s entrapment.

          Gabriel sighed and shook his head, “They are such gossips.  In a few minutes every corner of Creation will know of what transpired here today.”

          No one saw Luke vanish, but suddenly they noticed he was gone.  It was unnerving, but he was a master of subtlety.  The four Arch-Angels relaxed somewhat with his departure.

          Michael moved over to Ken and put a hand on his shoulder, “I am proud of you Ken.  I hope you can weather the storm when it hits.”

          “I’m not kiddin grandfather.  Once we finish with The Master, Luke will be our top priority.  We know it’s not done lightly, and there’ll be ramifications we can’t begin to comprehend, at least not yet.  We’ll weigh our options when the time is right and figure our best recourse.  We need to be responsible and know what we’re doin.

          Raphael smiled and said, “Well said, Ken.  You are growing; all of you are.”

          Uriel’s deep gravelly voice was quiet as he said, “I feel the need to go Home for a Time.  The memories… they are difficult, and I feel the weight of the years at this moment.”

          He vanished, and Michael and the others look surprised.  Bryan had a hurt look on his face and Gabriel said, “He will be fine Bryan.  What Lane did took its toll on all of us.  I will follow him and see if he wishes to talk.”

          He looked at Lane and said, “I am truly impressed Lane.  What you accomplished today I have never seen done before.  I am very proud of you.”

          Lane nodded his thanks but was quiet; he had moved over to Bryan and had his arms wrapped around him from behind, resting his chin on Bryan’s heavy shoulder.

          Ken said, “Let’s get back to the Lab guys.  Training starts in half an hour.”

          They all gave him a look that clearly demanded, “Are you shitting me?”

          He got that little kid grin on his face and said, “Just kiddin.  I feel the need for some hash browns from Waffle House – scattered, smothered, and covered baby!  Anyone wanna join me?  Nothin makes me hungrier than kickin the Dark One’s ass, except maybe an all-nighter with B!”

<><><> 

          Early afternoon of the same day, after all thirteen of them emptied nearly every ounce of food that Waffle House had in the freezer and commissary they made it back to the Lab.

          Darren had pulled Henry, Drew, and Sally to them to join in the celebratory meal of greasy bacon, eggs, hash browns, waffles, and apple or chocolate pie.  They were still dressed in their workout clothes and Darren had Henry bring him a new tank top since the one he wore that morning was scorched and ruined.

          Brad scanned the Minds in the area until he located someone at Waffle House and he piggy backed off them to get a clear spot for them to teleport to.

          Albrecht was still in Australia, and the doctor declined their offer.  How he could eat at Long John Silver’s as often as he did but pass on Waffle House was beyond them.  The Keenan’s declined their offer too, much to the disappointment of everyone.  Tag didn’t like to work around his leg in restaurants with large crowds.

          Darren teleported himself and Pat back to the junkyard after they ate to get the Suburban and drive it back to the Lab. 

          By late afternoon they were all back and the doctor was fully debriefed.  His reaction was mixed; he was terribly proud of them, but also fearful of the risks they took.  He knew in the Battle risks were necessary – after his own recent actions with Thomin there was no way he could chastise them and not come across as completely hypocritical; he made sure they knew his reaction was out of concern for their wellbeing.  For the doctor, he was very emotional, and they knew he was terrified of their involvement with Luke.

          However, it was hard to argue with results, and with Luke out of the picture until the situation with The Master was resolved, the doctor lifted their travel restrictions.  They would continue a high level of caution and security, but no more than usual before the incident in Syria.

<><><> 

          First thing the next morning before they filed into the gym, Ken called everyone together into the conference room.  He and Brad had gone in early to run with Henry, and for the first time since Syria they ran outside instead of the on the treadmills, and it felt great.  Even in December, it was still warm in Atlanta and they were sweaty when they got back.

          Everyone was in good spirits – and all of them except Henry had spent the entire evening wrapped up in the arms of their lovers.  All the energy that flowed through them in their confrontation with Luke completely energized their libidos and they worked it off the good old-fashioned way.

          As Ken moved up to the lectern his handsome face broke into a huge smile.  His eyes were a little glassy when he started, “Guy’s I gotta tell you again how proud I am of all of you.  When all of this started a few years ago could we have imagined anythin like what happened yesterday?  Not only who we were dealin with but what we did?  Everythin we’re workin towards is comin together.  All the hard work and hours of trainin… it paid off big time.  We can’t afford to get cocky or lax – we sent a message loud and clear and need to be on our toes more than ever, but I feel really good.  I know it seems like every time we have a win recently somethin bad happens so keep your eyes and guts tuned to anythin unusual.  I think this time is gonna be different though.  We kicked Evil in the balls and He’s not getting up so quick this time.

          “I love you guys more’n ever.  I’m always tellin B there’s nothin we can’t handle if we stick together, and you proved me right.  I don’t often get to say that around B, but I’m takin this one.”

          He got that little kid grin on his face when he said that and winked at Brad.

          “So I’m hopin that Christmas is gonna be great… with Luke out of the picture the entire World is catchin a break.  Speakin of breaks, I’m callin our trainin for the rest of the week.  Just do your PT in the mornins, and if you aren’t on rotation here or Australia relax and chill together.  There’s just one thing I wanna address and it’s been on my mind a lot, and I feel horrible we’ve had to put it off as long as we have.”

          Everybody knew what he was going to say and they were in total agreement.

          “Tag’s leg.  I can’t imagine a better Christmas present for him and Olive than to take care of that.  I just got a few more things to cover and then we’ll all head out.  Let’s take care of Tag this evenin after dinner.  Me and B are makin a run to the Mall to do some Christmas shoppin if anyone wants to join us.

          “Henry, I know Drew’s really climbin the walls not bein able to go outside, so if you wanna bring him along with us I bet he’ll have a great time.”

          Henry’s smile went deep and they felt it through the Link – the care and affection all his Brothers had for his son and his wellbeing was amazing.

          “That’d be awesome Ken.  Count us in!”

          “Alright fellas, unless anyone has anythin to bring up the Suburbans are leavin for the Mall in half an hour.  Anyone who wants to go be here and ready to roll.”

          No one had anything to bring up, but as everyone was filing out Ken looked at Henry and said, “Hey Henry, hang back a sec.”

          Ken felt the pang of worry that hit Henry at his request, and he was quick to comment, “Nothin’s wrong, bud.  B, drop us out of the Link and set up one with just the three of us for a few minutes.”

          In between their bouts of making love and being ‘that guy’ for each other the previous night they had talked in their Minds.  Henry’s plight had been heavy on Ken’s Heart for a while and the situation on ZEUS had driven his isolation home even further, as well as last night.

          Henry felt the seriousness of their concern for him and he wondered what was up – the Link wasn’t deep enough to hear thoughts, just emotions and to talk.

          “What’s up Ken? What are you so worried about?  Everything’s fine with me and Drew.”

          “Maybe with Drew, Henry, but not with you.  You’re a part of the Team and as the leader your wellbeing is my responsibility – even more than that, you’re my Brother.  I love ya, and I worry about ya.   You’ve become really special to us Henry.  That first day Loy and Ricky brought you in, I never could have imagined how our lives’d be intertwined and how much you’d come to mean to me and B and all of us.”

          Brad and Ken sat on either side of Henry and Brad put his hand on Henry’s heavy shoulder.

          “I hope this doesn’t embarrass you Henry.  Just remember we have your best interest at heart.”

          Henry’s mind was on overdrive trying to imagine what in the world they were getting at.

          Brad’s Avatar started to softly glow as he squeezed Henry’s shoulder, “OK, here goes.  We’re worried about you.  Not specifically right now at this moment, but a few things have happened lately that have driven home to us how alone you are.”

          “The doctor shared something with us Henry.  As things developed and you became more a part of us… the doctor was intending to split your Soul with Liz’s.  Even before we Opened your Mind and made you Immortal, the doc was already plannin on it.  He knew you’d need it done to help raise Drew.  The plan was to make Liz Immortal too.  He figured out a long time ago, with Albrecht, that humans aren’t meant to be Immortal… we are because of our Nephilim Heritage.  The human psyche isn’t designed for Immortality – but he also discovered that sharing your Soul with another person changes that.”

          Henry’s eyes turned glassy as Brad spoke – the pain of losing Liz was still fresh in his Heart.  When he focused on his training and on Drew it drove back those thoughts, but in the quiet of the night his thoughts went to that dark place, or if it was brought up in a discussion like they were doing.

          “Henry when we were on ZEUS swimming and Pat and Darren got us all horned up… everyone there had someone to be with but you.  You don’t know how desperately we wanted you and Liz to be together so you would be happy and fulfilled.  Until you find someone in your life you want to share it with you have us.  I know it’s not the same, but when we merge you still get the intimacy of a deep friendship that helps.      

“The other half of that coin is your physical needs.  Yeah, you have to jerk off a few times a day to enhance your abilities, but you don’t have someone you can be physically intimate with.  You know that Darren and Pat are up for it if you ever want to join them… Loy and Ricky are too.  The rest of us don’t do that, but if you ever wanted to just be close and be held by someone you could go to any of them… and they would take care of your physical needs if you would let them.”

          Brad grinned to help take the sting out of his words, “You’re a hot man Henry and all of us see you that way – you’re a Brother first and foremost, but past that you’re extremely desirable to them, hell to all of us. Ken and I don’t stray, but you are some seriously hot eye candy.  I hope that’s not upsetting… the next time you merge completely with all of us you’ll see that.”

          Henry had silent tears running down his face.  He did long for what Brad was talking about… but he had never considered sleeping with another man.  After merging and being naked spiritually and physically with all the other men he could see it happening… the emotional, intimate bonds they shared transcended physical love.  He knew it would be only physical… he could never share in the Love between them as partners, so it wasn’t the same, but it might help.

          “You’re as highly sexed as we are Henry and you have needs.  Please hear me out fully before you jump to any conclusions or get upset.  Sally is in the same boat you are… we were thinking that maybe the two of you should help each other out.  We know you don’t love each other, and we’re not trying to suggest her as a replacement for Liz – never that – and you’re not a replacement for Carlos.  But you both need occasional release, and there’s nothing wrong if you both come to an agreement to take care of each other. 

          “I know that sounds like we’re trying to hook you up with the only other straight person in the Lab… and while that’s technically true it’s not our reason.  We’re thinking of you and your needs… taking care of Drew is a diversion, but we can see the tension in you sometimes.”

          Both Brad’s and Ken’s Avatars were glowing softly as they sat with Henry – he felt the Compassion behind the words as Brad was talking to him.  He felt the sincerity of their feelings towards him through the Link.

          “There’s no need to be embarrassed about being a man with needs, especially a man who’s been physically enhanced like you.  Sally lost Carlos, and she’s not been with anyone since...”

          Henry interjected, “I get what you’re saying.  Have you talked to Sally about any of this?”

          Ken said, “No, we wanted to run it by you first, because I’m pretty sure she’ll say ‘yes’.  She thinks you’re as hot as we do Henry, and we’ve merged with her often enough to see it.  She still loves Carlos, and isn’t lookin for a replacement either.  I think you both would still have to be on guard against things getting out of hand.  It’s just sex we’re talkin about, but you both need it.”

          Henry said, “You know I’ve never merged with Sally.  I know all of you have, but we’ve never had the chance really, or the need.  I didn’t want to because of what you’re talking about.  I think we need to do that first before things can go any further… we both have to be absolutely clear what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it... if we decide to go that route.”

          Ken grinned and said, “You know we’ll keep Drew for you anytime you need to slip away.  He loves sleepin over at our place, or with any of the guys.  We’ll make it easy for you to have personal time so you can relax and know he’s safe.”

          Henry put his head down on the table and started sobbing hard.  Ken looked at Brad with a frown of worry on his face and they leaned over and both put an arm over his shoulders.

          They could feel strong emotions inside him through the Link, but they weren’t deep enough to read his thoughts.

          Henry pulled them both into his Mind deeply and they wrapped their Hearts around him.  They merged completely and held him close, letting him work though his emotions.

          He looked up at them, his eyes red and bloodshot as he thought:  Fuck guys, I’m sorry. 

          Brad:  For what?  You never have to be sorry Henry.  By now you should know that.

          Henry:  I know… it’s just all still so raw to me.  The changes in my life and where I am now.  It’s been a wild ride… from being trapped in my own head and forced to do all those horrible things… to being rescued by Loy and Rick and later when you guys removed the last of the Enemy’s influence over my Mind.  Meeting Liz and Drew, then falling in love, and losing her. Being a dad… my God I never imagined that!  Meeting all of you guys – you’re the family I never had, or could have imagined, growing up.  The doc and Albrecht have been so good to me too.  Up until recently I didn’t feel worthy to accept everything… but with your help I do now.  And what you’re still doing for me right now… I just feel… I don’t know… blessed beyond belief… and it hits me hard how grateful I am to be with you guys.

          Ken pulled him physically into a hug while Brad embraced him mentally and let him rest in their presence for a few minutes until his tears stopped.

          Ken:  So will you think about Sally?

          Henry sniffed and wiped the tears out of his eyes, but he had a lopsided grin on his face:  Yeah.  You can already tell I’m horned up just thinking about it.

          They all chuckled because he was right.  He was half hard from the thought of being with a woman.  Sally was a good friend and extremely attractive too.   Physically they would be great together.

          Brad:  Just be adult about it and come to us if there are any problems or issues.  We all have to work together so we don’t want a rift between the two of you.  If it doesn’t work out, you need to remain friends.

          Henry:  Yeah, I get it. 

          Ken said out loud, “If you want to talk to her now Henry, me and B will take Drew to the Mall with us.”

          “Let me talk to Sally and I’ll let you know.  Give me a few minutes.”

<><><> 

          Sally was with Drew, going over his math lessons on the board when she saw Henry come out of the Conference Room with Brad and Ken.  His eyes were red, and she knew he had been crying.

          He looked right at her as they came out, and he smiled.  He looked incredibly handsome, and she could see most of his upper body.  He wore a lose tank top that morning to work out in and it showed most of his chest, shoulders, and his thick arms.

          “Hey Sally, can I talk to you for a few minutes in private?”

          She wasn’t sure what was going on… she knew something was up.

          “Drew honey, I need you to work on some math problems for me while I talk to your dad.”  She opened up the flipchart file that had pop quiz math problems and put one up on the board.  She handed him the electronic pen to write on the board and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.  Try and get as many done as you can before I get back.”

          “Yes, Miss Sally.”

          Henry reached down and put his hand on Drew’s back and smiled, “Thanks Tiger, I’ll have her back in a jiffy.  If you get them all right there’s a second bowl of ice cream for dessert tonight.”

          “Alright!”

          Ken and Brad went over to the kitchen to look for a snack, and Sally followed Henry back to his room where they went in and shut the door.

          He laid out his proposition just as Brad and Ken had explained it to him.

          She looked stunned and didn’t say anything at first, and he was worried that she was upset.

          After a minute of silence he asked tentatively, “Would you merge with me Sally?  Before you make a decision I think we have to… and we should have before now, anyways.”

          She wouldn’t meet his eyes, but she nodded ‘yes’ and held out her hand.  As soon as he took her hand in his he could feel her trembling.  He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and put his arm around her, holding her close.

          “It’s alright.”  She leaned into his strong body and loved the feeling of his arm around her.  She had missed that feeling since Carlos was gone.

          As gently as he could, he opened her Mind and brought the two of them together.  They were both pleasantly surprised as their inner most thoughts and selves were laid bare to one another.

          All of the usual emotions ran through both of them – anxiety, fear, mortification, anger… but their friendship softened it all.  They had done this often enough with the other guys that they knew the process and worked through their issues.  Both of them had been merging with the guys for a good while before this and had grown out of the stage of constant lies and self-deceptions.  They were both much better people, so most of the discomfort came from seeing their past selves more than their present selves.

          One thing was evident right off the bat… they were both attracted to the other physically.  The emotional bond was nothing more than a deep friendship, but physically there was chemistry.

          Henry blushed a deep crimson as he saw all the thoughts she had towards him – when he traipsed through the kitchen in his underwear holding Drew, or when he came into the kitchen during training, she would watch the rivulets of sweat dripping off his muscles.  She loved his green eyes, his dirty blond hair, and his scruffy face.  He was ruggedly handsome to her, and she had fantasies about Henry all the time when she masturbated.  She often thought of Carlos but when she would see Henry in front of her, or most of the guys, her thoughts would turn lustful.  Working around such hot gorgeous men kept her in a constant state of arousal… the Lab swam in testosterone, and it affected her more deeply than he ever realized.

          Sally in turn got flushed when she saw what Henry thought of her.  He watched her with Drew and knew his thoughts wandered.  She knew he sometimes thought of her when he had to jerk off to perform his tantric practice.

          Both of them got so excited at the prospect they started ripping each other’s clothes off.

          Sally knew that Henry was well endowed – she had never seen him hard before, but she could tell the way he stretched out his underwear he was big.  When she saw his underwear distended she thought:  Oh my God! 

          She ran her hand over his erection through the material of his underwear.  It was so long and thick the head was nearly around by his hip and there was already a wet spot at the tip.  He was wearing his workout clothes from earlier and had been sweating.  She smelled him and she started getting wet herself… he smelled so manly.  He didn’t stink… none of the guys ever did.  He smelled musky and hot.

          Henry saw her breasts as he unbuttoned her blouse and once she was naked he pulled her against him and her breasts flatted against his hard chest.  She could feel the heat of his heartbeat and the trembling in his big strong body.  She loved the feeling of the sparse hair on his chest as it brushed over her skin.

          Henry barely had time to send a thought to Brad:  You guys take Drew to the Mall.  Stay as long as you want.  Maybe longer!

          A huge smile crossed Brad’s and Ken’s faces when they heard and felt the urgency of his thoughts.  They did a fist bump in honor of their two friends.

<><><> 

          It turned out that all ten of the guys wanted to go to the Mall.  All of them had been cooped up in one of the two Labs for so long they all wanted to get out.  The time they spent on ZEUS reinforced how isolated their lives had been recently.  Drew was in heaven with all ten of his Uncles around him. 

          He got a little nervous about Henry not being with them, but Lane said, “Hey Drew this is a great time to get your dad a Christmas present!  Do you know what you want to get him?”

          Drew didn’t have a clue, but the distraction of thinking about a present for his dad, plus all the attention he was getting helped to keep his spirits up.  He didn’t have to walk anywhere – he was passed from guy to guy and rode on their shoulders.  The Mall was horribly crowded and aside from Drew loving to ride on their shoulders, they kept him close at all times for security reasons.   

          The guys got a lot of attention when they walked into the Mall as a group.  The ten of them with their bodies and angelic charisma caused everyone to stare.  They didn’t tone down their Auras – in fact Ken told everyone to amp them up, just not to the point of physically glowing.  He wanted everyone in the Mall to feel the warmth of the Heart and Soul they were emitting.  It was Christmas, and it was supposed to be a happy time.

          They spent hours at the Mall, mostly just browsing and enjoying being out and about. They ate in the food court and visited any store that caught their interest.  Most of them bought new clothes for themselves. 

          Even with all the crowds they felt festive.  The Christmas decorations all over the Mall and in the stores were fun to see and hearing the Christmas music in the background everywhere was nice.  They all kept their personal shields tight though; overhearing ‘fucked-upness’ was the quickest way to dampen their spirits.  Brad asked whoever was carrying Drew to shield him too.

          To anyone observing them, their close friendship was obvious – the way they bantered and hung shit on one another; punching an arm when someone was a dumbass, or just resting a hand on a shoulder. The casual and close affection they held for one another was evident to anyone who saw them.  Except for the few days on ZEUS, none of them remembered laughing so much in the last few months.

          Drew saw a new Marvel Avengers hoodie that had all the characters on it. Iron Man was included so of course he was all over it.  He looked at it with wide eyes – it was so bright and colorful and had all his favorite characters on it.

          Ken couldn’t help himself and bought one for him and his heart melted when Drew said, “I bet you’re stronger than Thor Uncle Ken.  You could pick up his hammer.”  In Drew’s Mind Ken was worthy and that meant the world to his Uncle.

          The last hour they were there Drew seemed to be getting more and more withdrawn.  He was riding on Bryan’s shoulders and Lane was sure Drew looked like he was about to start crying.  The couples decided to split up for the last hour to get ideas for Christmas or possibly even buy some gifts and it was easier to keep things a secret if necessary.

          Bry let’s find a quiet place for a minute.

          They made their way into JC Penny’s Men’s suit section – there was hardly anyone around.  Lane turned to Drew and said, “Alright Little Man spill the beans.  Why the sad face?  Aren’t you having a good time?”

          That started the tears.  He wasn’t wailing or making a scene but he seemed really sad all of the sudden.   Bryan reached up and grabbed Drew under his armpits and brought him down into a hug.  Drew buried his face against Bryan’s neck and wrapped his legs and arms around him like a spider.

          Bryan, the gentle giant, had a way with kids.  He treated them with respect and talked to them like little adults, and he always seemed to know the right things to say.

          He kissed Drew on the cheek and said, “I love you Tiger.  Just let it out.  We’ve got you.”

          It took a few minutes of Bryan talking to him and soothing him before he started to calm down.

          When he could talk without hiccupping, Lane used his own t-shirt to wipe Drew’s face and he gave him a big smile, “There’s that handsome devil.  Now tell us what’s wrong.  You know you can tell us anything Drew.”  Lane put his hand on Drew’s stomach and gave him a little tickle to get a laugh.

          “Do you want to tell me with your Mind?  Would that be easier?”

          Drew nodded and Lane pulled him into a deeper private Link with him and Bryan. 

          Lane almost started to cry as he read Drew’s Mind.  Bryan let out a Fuck me!, which got a giggle out of Drew.  Bryan got a grimace on his handsome face and he apologized:  Sorry Tiger, that slipped out. 

          It’s OK, Uncle Bryan. 

          Drew was upset because he wanted to get Henry a Christmas present, but didn’t have any money.  Liz always bought everything and she wasn’t with him anymore.  He also didn’t know what to get Henry – he wanted to get his dad something special.  He knew his mom would know what to get – she always gave the best presents.  Drew’s Mind went into a small tailspin and his concerns were those of a child – they were extremely important to him, so much so that he was having a small breakdown over them.  Henry warned them about how much Drew would miss his mom over Christmas – that part wasn’t a childish concern; it was real and powerful and Drew was hurting deep down inside over it.

          Lane moved behind Bryan so he could see Drew’s face, or at least most of it; he still had his face crushed against Bryan’s thick neck.  He reached his hand out and gently cupped Drew’s chin and raised his head up so he would look at Lane.

          Drew, listen to me buddy.  Money is not an issue.  We’ve got you covered, and I’m sorry we didn’t let you know that.  We’ll make sure you can get whatever present you find for your dad.

          But I don’t know what to get him!  It has to be special, just like him.  He misses mommy just like I do, and he’s still sad inside.  I want to make him happy.

          Drew he’ll love anything you get him because it’s from you.

          But I can’t find anything!  The tears were starting to flow again.

          Bryan:  I know you miss your mom little guy.  We do too.  There’s nothin we can do about that and we’re sorry, but you know we’re with you and your dad. We love you so much Tiger.  I’m jealous you belong to Henry and not me and Lane.

          Drew knew Bryan’s words weren’t just to calm him; there were no lies in Mind to Mind communication and Drew felt the truth of his words.

          Thanks, Unlce Bryan.  I love you too. He hugged his Uncle Bryan with all his strength as he said that.

          Lane grinned and thought:  Drew I think I have a great idea for what you can get your dad.  I’ll help you make it, so it will be special from you.  In fact I have an idea for what you can get all of us too.  We’ll be sure not to tell your dad or the other guys so it will be a surprise for Christmas morning.

          Lane showed Drew an image of what he wanted to do, and he felt the relief inside the little boy.  At least two of his three concerns were addressed, and Drew’s concept that his Uncles were infallible and knew everything was reinforced.

          Alright, Tiger let’s go get what we need.

          Lane sent a message out to everyone:  Hey guys we all need to meet at the Carousel for a few minutes. 

<><><> 

          When they got back to the Lab, Bryan went straight into the kitchen to start making dinner for everyone.

          He had everything in the works when an idea hit him, and his eyes went wide.  Lane felt his excitement through their Link, but he had to quickly mask it.

          Bryan:  No questions.  I need you to go into the gym for a few minutes by yourself.  Drop out of any Links with the guys for a few. Christmas secrets – you know the rule, Little Buddy.

          Lane:  Payback is gonna be a bitch Bry – just so you know.  He had a huge grin on his face when he said that.

          Bryan went out into the parking lot behind the building.  His eyes flashed white and he raised his face to the Heavens and called out:  Gabriel!

          A ball of light appeared and quickly grew into the familiar form of Lane’s angelic Grandfather.

          “Thanks for comin. I wasn’t sure if you’d come physically, but I came outside just in case.”

          “Is there something wrong with Lane?”

          “No!  No… he’s fine.  I have an idea I was hopin you’d help me with for Lane.  It’s for Christmas… you see he’s really wanted to do somethin with you…”

          As Bryan explained his idea Gabriel’s face shone, and he seemed eager.

          “Make the arrangements on your end Bryan and let me know what night and where and we will make it a night Lane will never forget.”

          As Gabriel was about to leave Bryan quickly asked him, “Is Grandpop alright?”

          “He was deeply affected by what Lane did to all of us in the confrontation with Luke.  He is much like you Bryan… there is a Depth to him few realize and often overlook.  I think it would help him greatly if you were to call to him and spend some time with him as well.”

          “Thanks.”

          Bryan’s handsome face was thoughtful as he went back into the kitchen to check on dinner.

          While Lane was still out of the Link, he sent out his thoughts:  Fucker’s I need to bring you in on this… you too Henry.  Doc and Albrecht I need you too.

          It was difficult to keep a secret with all of them being inside each other’s Minds so frequently.  Brad came up with a plan to isolate whatever memory or actions they needed to keep a secret and wall them off.  The wall would look like the image of a wrapped package with a label ‘Christmas Secret’ inside their Minds. 

          None of them could cheat and ‘peek’ into the boxes, or everyone would know it, so it worked well.

          All of the guys were beyond stoked with Bryan’s idea.  Not only would Lane love it, all of them would too.  The doctor assured Bryan he had some contacts that would help with the arrangements.

          Bryan was excited when he went inside and called Lane back into the kitchen.  He tried to act like everything was normal, but Lane could read him like a book, and knew he was cooking up something big.  He resigned himself to wait and find out – he loved surprises anyway.

          Which reminded him he needed Albrecht’s help with Bryan’s present and hoped he would have time.  Henry had enlisted Albrecht’s assistance for Drew’s present as well.  Albrecht was always more than pleased and ready to help any of the men, but there wasn’t much time left.  They had all been so busy with the events in their lives and fighting Luke and The Master they weren’t able to focus on Christmas until the last few days.

          Bryan managed to whip up his ‘chicken rolls’ for dinner – grilled chicken strips with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and cheese, wrapped in crescent roll dough and covered with Cream of Mushroom Soup.  It wasn’t overly healthy but did have lots of protein in it – and of course cheese for Drew - so he tried to balance it out with a steamed vegetable medley.  All of them would burn through the carbs quickly when they helped Tag, and he had warm brownies and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

<><><> 

          Henry and Sally were both a bit red faced at dinner, and all the guys had to hide their smiles.  No one wanted to embarrass them, but at the same time they were happy for both their friends.  Henry hadn’t looked so relaxed in a long time.

          Ken couldn’t help it and sent a private thought to Sally:  I’m happy for ya, Sis.  You both needed that.

          Sally actually got a little misty eyed as she thought back:  Thanks Ken, for pushing us to do that.  I think we were both hesitant to take that step.

          Brad had the three of them in a private Link.  Ken got a devilish grin on his handsome face and said:  OK, but you gotta spill the beans.  How did our boy do?  Did he treat you right?

          Sally’s face went beet red; not from embarrassment but from thinking about what Henry spent all afternoon doing to her.

          Oh em G, Ken!  I thought Carlos was good, but Henry did things to me no man’s ever done before!  I’m going to be walking funny for a few days.

          Damn!  I might have to pull up the security footage from his room!

          Don’t you dare!

          All of them laughed out loud and Henry blushed a deep shade of crimson.  He knew they were talking to Sally.  He had no insecurities they were laughing about him, and just to make sure, Ken winked at him and held his fist up for a fist bump.

          Brad:  Making love with a telepath is a whole different experience, hun.  When you can feel what the other person needs and wants there’s no room for doubt. 

          You aren’t kidding!  He’s ummm…. Really big anyways, but what he did to me with his hands and mouth sent me into orbit and kept me there all afternoon! I wish we could just sleep in the same bed, but that’s asking for trouble, and it would be hard to explain to Drew.  I don’t want him to get upset thinking I’m with Henry that way. 

          Yeah, we need to be careful there, but Henry can talk with him and reassure him you’re not moving in to take over as his mom.  He’s nowhere near ready for that.  That’s why this situation is so perfect.  We’re really happy for you guys.  We told Henry and we’ll tell you… if you need to slip away for some private time just let whoever is on duty know and all of us will chip in to take care of Drew and keep him occupied to give you as much time as you need.

          Sally felt like crying – her surrogate Brothers were continuing to take care of her.  She loved them dearly and made sure they knew it.

<><><> 

          When dinner was settled and everyone chipped in to clean all the dishes and restore order to the kitchen Ken sent out his thought:  OK guys it’s time.

          Olive and Tag had joined everyone for dinner, and they were in great spirits; proud of ‘their boys’ once they heard about everything that happened.  The Keenans were relaxed and easy going; very pleasant to be around.  Olive in particular had a peaceful air about her and she was extremely gentle natured; her soft voice was always soothing and pleasant to listen too.  She and Tag usually retreated to their room after dinner unless something specific was going on.

          Tag had his television shows to watch and Olive had a number of hobbies; she knitted, crocheted, and did needlepoint.  Life for them in the Lab was far from perfect, but they made the best of it with no complaints and did their best to make things easier on everyone around them. 

          Ken and Brad went back and knocked softly on their door.  Tag’s voice hollered out, “Come in!”

          Ken and Brad stepped in; the room was tiny and with the two big men towering in the room it felt cramped.

          “What kin we do for you boys?”

          Ken said, “Could you come into the gym with us for a few minutes?  We’d like to talk to you and Olive.”

          “Is sumptin wrong?”

          Ken was quick to answer, “No!  Nothin’s wrong at all.  We just have somethin to talk to you about.  I think you’ll like it.”

          The way Olive quickly hid her needlepoint as soon as they came in, both men were sure she was working on some type of present.

          Tag picked up the remote and turned off the television.  He had already taken his prosthetic leg off and was sitting in his recliner.  Brad moved over and picked his leg up and set it up on the foot rest of the recliner that was holding up his good leg.  He helped Tag get it secured and then gave him a hand standing up.

          When they went through the doors into the gym Tag and Olive stopped – all of the guys plus Henry, Drew, the doctor, and Albrecht were waiting for them, seated on the floor in a big circle, with three spots open for Ken, Brad, and Olive.

          As Brad turned to Tag his Avatar started to glow softly.

          “Tag, we can still never thank you enough for your help when Ken went missing.  I know that was a difficult time in your life, but you helped Loy and Ricky and I got Ken back in my life – you were a part of that.

          “You and Olive have come to mean so much to us.  I know this isn’t an ideal situation, living with us in the Lab. We’ll get you settled into your own place soon; we promise.  You two are so easy to be around, and we appreciate the life experience and wisdom you share with us.  You’re special people, and we’re grateful for your presence in our lives.”

          Brad brought them into a lite Link and opened their Minds enough to see everyone as they truly were.  All of the men were glowing, including Drew.  The Soul warming Light coming off of them hit Tag and Olive and their breath caught and their eyes started watering.

          Olive’s hand reached for Tag’s and his arm went around her shoulder in their shared reaction to what they were seeing and feeling.

          “We want to do something for you Tag.  I want to preface this with telling you how sorry we are for not thinking of this sooner.  You can actually thank Drew for the idea – it’s because of him that we figured out how easy it would be to do this for you.”

          Olive’s hand flew to her mouth in surprise.  She was a smart woman and she knew exactly what they intended to do. With her other hand she held Tag so tight his hand hurt.

          “Momma?  What on earth?”

          Tag still hadn’t caught on, and he sounded confused.

          Ken spoke for the first time since they came into the gym, “Tag, if you’ll let us help you, you won’t need that prosthesis anymore.  We wanna do somethin special for you – you’re as much a part of our family as anyone, but we don’t keep score.  You know that from the Army – what we wanna do isn’t payback for your help.  This is way beyond that.  We want to do this because we’ve come to love you and you deserve this.  We have the power to give you your leg back, but we have to ask you first.  Is there any reason you don’t want us to do this?”

          As the realization hit him of what they wanted to do, he was so stunned he couldn’t talk.  He never dreamed in million years something like that was possible.

          Tears streamed down his face – tears of gratitude and awe; his eyes were red and bloodshot and he shook with the powerful emotions running through his Mind and Body.  The entire Team pulled Tag and Olive tight to them in the Spiritual Realm, wrapping them up.  Tag needed to process what they were asking him; Brad pulled them all deep so Time was nearly standing still, and they gave Tag all the time he needed.  They were with him, surrounding him, holding him in support and he felt them in a way he never had before.

          He couldn’t find his voice but he nodded his head ‘yes’.

          Darren’s eye’s flashed white and he synchronized their Avatars; a hospital bed the doctor had prepared for Tag appeared in the gym.

          Drew got up and ran over to Tag and clung to his good leg in a hug.  Tag looked down on Drew’s smiling face and he put his hand on Drew’s head and patted his cheek.  Drew ran back over and sat down by Henry. 

          Brad held out his hand and said, “Take my hand Tag and let’s get you on the bed.  Olive you’ll sit here on the floor beside me and Ken.”

          Brad helped Tag over and he hopped up onto the bed.  “I want you to take that leg off Tag.  It’s the last time you’ll ever have to – I want you to remember this moment for the rest of your life.”

          Tag did it slowly, making a ritual of it, and once he got it off Brad took it and held it for him to look at.

          “Do you want to keep it?  As a remembrance?  Or do you never want to see it again?  You don’t have to decide now, but think about it.”

          Tag’s dark cheeks were shiny and wet from the flow of steady tears.  He was still shaking from the strength of the emotions running through him.

          Tag looked at Brad and Ken and then let his gaze wander to all his ‘boys.’  They were shining with a Light so bright it was hard to look at them, but he could see their faces, so handsome and serene; confident and powerful.  Even with all their power, their faces were gentle and compassionate, smiling at him; he felt their Souls wrapping around his and Olive’s.  He wanted to stay there forever, but Brad’s voice brought him back into the room.

          “Are you ready, Tag?”

          He had to swallow, and he wiped tears from his eyes, but he managed a strong, “You bet your sweet ass I am.”

          A chuckle filled their Minds as everyone laughed at his answer.

          Lane’s voice came into his Mind: Relax Tag, and watch the Light show we’re about to put on.  Don’t be afraid – we’re here with you and Olive.  We have your Minds Open so you’re going to see some weirdness here as we Power up.  Lay back and enjoy the show – I’ll block your pain centers even though there should be no sensation other than an intense tingling as your new nerves come online.

          Few mortals were privileged to witness the scene that unfolded, and Tag and Olive were wide eyed with joy and a little trepidation with what they saw.  They knew their ‘boys’ were special and had the ‘Light’ in them but seeing them as they truly were in the Spiritual Realm was nothing they had ever imagined.  The warmth, strength, and Love they exuded was incredible.

          Lane’s voice was calm and even as he thought:  OK guys, Ten, Five, One.  Henry I’ll pull you in with us; Drew you can’t be fully merged buddy, but I’ll draw from you too so you can help us.  Doc, Albrecht, I’ll pull you in with Henry.

          The five couples delved into one another, their Souls unifying into One being.  The perfection they felt in one-another uplifted them, and it became even more intense and beautiful as the five couples joined together.  Ken locked their Avatars and the Runes changed into the master Rune.  Brad opened their energy centers and brilliant streams of blue, yellow, and red energy flowed out of them; he wove them masterfully into one thick white ribbon that flowed through them like a river – wild, yet controlled.

          As Henry was brought into the merge, there was a small rush as everyone saw and felt his afternoon with Sally.  They all hung shit on him as a joke and he blushed deeply, but he was smiling; they also whistled and cat called a little at the sight of his virile naked body intertwined with Sally’s.  They were extremely happy for him; the situation with Sally was temporary, but it filled a need in both of them, and they were elated to see him so relaxed and content in the moment – and having such a good time!

          They stilled those thoughts as Drew was brought into the Link.  His Soul was truly powerful and they felt the raw, unchanneled strength he offered.  They definitely got the sense of more than one presence inside of him; as powerful as they all were at the moment it was apparent to them.

           The doctor and Albrecht were already One as he pulled them in.  The doc and Albrecht never fully merged with the Team – they still had things in their lives and knowledge that they didn’t want the men exposed too.  The guys had reconciled with that fact a long time ago and trusted both men implicitly, and their mentors were present as deeply as they could be.

          A ghostly image of Yggdrasil appeared as the five Bodies’ Avatar’s flashed emerald green; the five Minds fluttered their Souls back and forth across the Veil, and they Listened.  Animal Spirits filled the air, swimming around them; many sensed what was about to happen and came close to Tag. 

          Tag’s and Olive’s eyes were about to pop out of their heads; they had seen the guys do some amazing things, but never through their Mind’s Eyes before.  Brad was with them, making sure they could handle it, ready to soften things if they became too overwhelmed.  He was not surprised that the Keenan’s embraced what they saw, putting their faith in the men whose care they were in.

          Lane’s Mental Voice filled the gymnasium:  OK Tag, here we go. 

          Lane opened Tag’s energy centers one by one; he looked deep into Tag’s genetic structure, so clear to him through his Avatar; Lane was a perfectionist in everything he did and left no chance for error.

          He called on The Gift and his own Avatar as Seer and Oracle of The Order.  In a burst he threw his perception out through Time and Space, looking at the various incarnations of Tag in other realities.  As soon as he found one where Tag had never lost his leg he looked at the genetic pattern, comparing it to what was inside Tag now, and pulled what he needed. 

          His Mind and Talent compared what he saw in front of him and across reality and he created the new and perfect DNA markers for the Tag in front of him.  He accounted for any compatibility issues as well as his current age; he was creating the leg tag would have had all along, not just a clone.

          White Healing Power arced from Lane’s hands and into Tag’s leg.  Tag jerked slightly in surprise – there was no pain, only the incredible golden warmth he seemed to be floating in.  It looked like lightning struck his leg, but it was soothing – it sounded powerful as the air crackled with all the energy, but the touch was gentle.  Lane put a warm hand firmly on his chest in comfort and smiled at him.

          Tag often had phantom sensations where his lower leg and foot should have been.  His flesh hadn’t started to regenerate yet, but he watched in awe as the nimbus of his Aura filled down and shaped the leg Lane was about to recreate.  His nervous system felt sensations in anticipation of what was about to happen.

          Bryan moved over behind his partner and wrapped his big arms around Lane’s chest from behind, pushing his face down against Lane’s thick neck and solid shoulder.  When he watched Lane ‘doing his thing,’ either making music or Healing, it struck a chord inside him about how perfect his lover was.

          After everything Lane did in their efforts against Luke, and what he was doing now with Tag, Bryan chuckled:  You fucker – how could you have ever thought you were nothin more than a ‘battery’ for the rest of us?

          Lane laughed with him; not in conceit but in humor at himself.  He had grown into his abilities and finally had the realization that all of them were incredibly powerful and unique in their own way.  In any given situation that arose, each of them was more powerful than the other if it was suited to their Avatar.  There was no longer any jealousy between any of the guys about their abilities.

          Their thoughts were apparent to everyone in the Link and it also sparked a memory in Bill:  I still think it would be cool if I could change the color of my piss. 

          Brad especially laughed at that memory with Bill; he remembered how concerned Bill had been at the time when he and Kevin were the last of the Team to Awaken and they still had no idea what their abilities were going to be.

          Bryan let himself drift inside of Lane’s Heart, filling his lover with his own self, knowing what it did to him.

          The entire process took about half an hour; Lane kept it slow and steady to avoid any overt trauma to Tag’s nerves.  While Lane was in Tag’s body, Brad was in his Mind.  He scanned Tag deeply and attuned his Mind to adapt to the new limb; he made it so Tag would have no initial balance or coordination issues.  He had been walking on his prosthetic leg for nearly twenty-five years; normally, it would take months of therapy and physical training to deal with the changes, but Brad made all the necessary adjustments in both his conscious and unconscious Mind so there would be no issues.

          When the Light finally dimmed, all the guys were sweating slightly; Tag was too from the Healing, but his new leg was there healthy and whole.

          Lane got his mischievous grin and ran his fingers lightly across the bottom of Tag’s foot, knowing how ticklish he was there.  Tag’s entire body jerked in response – but he felt it!

          The realization hit him – he had watched his leg grow back and he saw it, but actually feeling the sensation brought it all home.  He pulled his leg up and ran his hands over the flesh… it was toned and solid just like his other one.

          He had a grin a mile wide on his face and he said quietly, “Momma look!  I got me a new leg!”

          Olive rushed forward and Tag felt the warm drops of her tears as she reached out and caressed his new limb with trembling fingers.

          Tag grabbed his wife and held her tight while they cried together.  All of the men and Drew had smiles on their faces.  They felt elated to have helped their friend – they so seldom interfered in anyone’s life with their abilities, but when they did and were able to help someone openly it gave them a sense of joy they could hardly contain.  There wasn’t a selfish bone in any of them about using their powers for the benefit of others – but the rules of The Order and following Free Will kept them from using their powers too casually for the sake of others. 

          Brad remembered Ken telling him years before when his Mental powers first Awakened that restraint would be the hardest thing to learn and he was right.

          Ken sent Brad a private thought:  See!  I’m right sometimes!

          Brad pulled his lover into a mental hug and laughed at their running joke.

          They learned the hard way about affecting true change in other people – flexing their Physical and Spiritual muscles could cause change, but often resulted in a lack of appreciation in the target.  That certainly wasn’t the case with Tag.

          Olive threw herself against Ken, who was closest to her.  Her tiny frame packed a desperate strength, and she hugged him with all her might.  She repeated that hug with each and every one of them, even getting down on her knees to hug Drew.

          She thanked all of them, her cheeks shinning with tears, her soft voice quivering with emotion.

          Ken said, “You don’t have to thank us Olive.  Above and beyond bein so important to us, it was the right thing to do.  This will make it much easier to keep you two from being identified by The Enemy once we relocate you into your own place.  They’ll be lookin for the old Tag, not a guy with two good legs.”

          Tag was unaware of it, but Lane took the opportunity while he was so deeply inside of Tag to completely cleanse his body of any and all residual effects from the drugs, and Brad did the same with his Mind; there were no longer any mental addictive ‘hooks’ that could creep up on Tag and blindside him.  He was now in perfect physical and mental health.

          Drew looked like he was about to pee his pants he was so excited.  Henry leaned over and whispered something in his ear, and he shot off like a bullet into the locker room.  He came back out a few seconds later with a bag as large as he was.  He had trouble lifting it, but he managed to get it over to Bryan.

          Everyone was smiling at Drew – he seemed really happy at the moment to have helped and been a part of what happened.  It made him feel like a big boy to participate, and his excitement drove off the sad thoughts about Liz, at least for a little while.

          “Mister Tag!  Mister Tag!  Look!  Santa brought you presents early!”

          Tag and Olive had quizzical looks on their faces and glanced around at all the men surrounding them.

          Bryan’s normally stoic face had a big smile on it; it was stunning how it transformed his already handsome face when he allowed himself to smile.

          He took the bag from Drew and reached inside and brought out a wrapped box and handed it to Tag.

          “What’s all dis?”

          Bryan nodded at the box, and in his deep gravelly voice said, “Open it.”

          Tag made short work of the wrapping paper and the bow.  He started laughing and crying at the same time when he saw what it was… new shoes!  The boxes were filled with socks, another few pairs of shoes, and various pants from jeans to sweatpants.  Olive had always cut and hemmed his pants to fit over his prostatic leg which was a much older design; they could never afford a new one.  It wasn’t nearly as natural looking as many of the current designs and Olive often had to split the seams in his pants to get them big enough to fit over the circumference of the device.

          All the guys blurted out a, “Merry Christmas, Tag!” and came forward to give him a hug.  He jumped off the bed and danced a little jig of excitement making all of them laugh, and then he launched himself into the arms of whoever was closest until he worked around to everybody.

          Drew was almost shouting in his excitement, “Don’t worry Mister Tag, there’s lots more presents for under the tree!  Santa brought these early ’cause you need them!”

          “Is dat right?  Well I needs ta put out some extra milk n cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve then don’t I?  Don’t let me forget!  I’m countin on you!”

          The doctor and Albrecht were a part of the event and happy for Tag.  The doctor especially felt a great satisfaction – the men he considered his sons never ceased to amaze him.  He and Albrecht could not be prouder of each and every one of them.

<><><> 

          Everyone was in good spirits over the next few days.  Drew was still having a rough time, but his sadness didn’t seem to wear quite as heavy as it had.  Helping Tag made him happy, and he was also happy that his Uncle Darren was better.  He still gave Darren extra hugs and sat in his lap more than anyone else except Henry.

          Darren milked it for all it was worth, claiming the cherished spot of ‘favorite Uncle’. 

          Everybody ran their gift ideas for Drew by Henry and he had no issues with any of them.  He wasn’t concerned with spoiling Drew over the next year.  Drew’s birthday was coming up in March, driving home the impending nature of the Curse.  His son had fifteen months before he either died, or they defeated The Master and freed him from the Curse.

          Instead of letting those thoughts drag him down, with Ken’s coaching and encouragement, Henry learned to use his desperate sense of urgency and turn it into a positive influence.  He pushed himself as hard or harder than anyone else in training. 

          As deep as he stayed in his Brothers all of them knew what he was doing and they were always quick to work with him, praise him when did great, or kick his ass if he slacked.  He rarely ever made the same mistake more than once.  He didn’t think it was possible, but his bonds with everyone grew stronger and deeper every day.  He knew they were as concerned for Drew as he was, and he felt their underlying sense of urgency and fear as well – it was just as strong in them as it was in him.

          Now that Drew was aware of the Curse and what it meant, the doctor took a more active role in his tutelage.  Sally was preparing his education, but the doctor and Albrecht began his Mental disciplines.  Henry and everyone followed the doctor’s instruction on how to help Drew with his exercises.  They all continued with his physical progress as well… he was turning into quite the little gymnast.

          Henry was learning something new every day about being a dad.  He loved it and thrived on it.  The doctor taught him more than he could ever have imagined about being a good dad – in a particularly emotional moment the doctor confessed that he learned more about how not to be a good father with his own daughter, and he wished to impart what wisdom he could to his young charge.

          Ken helped to teach him one of the most important lessons – how to be tough when he needed to be, especially with discipline.  With everything Drew had facing him, and with the loss of his mom, he still had bad moments, and he would act out with Sally or throw a tantrum if he couldn’t get something right.  Ken taught Henry how be patient and stern – how to let his love for Drew give him the strength to do what he needed to do as a father rather than a friend.

          A few nights after they returned to the Atlanta Lab from ZEUS, Henry woke up to hear Drew whispering.  He had trouble making out everything, but it sounded like he was praying!

          As far as Henry knew, Drew had never been to church.  Liz never mentioned it, and he knew that Doug probably would have burst into flames if he stepped foot over the threshold – if not from being the worst dad ever and a despicable human being, then from the alcohol fumes and cigarettes. 

          Henry was a heavy sleeper and foggy as he mumbled, “Drew?  What’re you doing honey?”

          “I’m sorry, Daddy.  I was trying to be quiet and not wake you up.”

          “Who are you talking too?”

          “The bird man.”

          Henry was instantly wide awake and he shot up in bed, “Is he talking to you now?”  He tried to keep his voice even, but an icy cold spear of worry hit him hard in his stomach.

          “No sir.  But he said he was always with me and he would hear me.”

          “What are you telling him?”

          Drew kept silent and Henry was worried.  He got out of bed, knelt down on the floor beside Drew, and pulled him close for a body hug.

          The room was oddly lit from the lights of the small bonsai Christmas tree Bryan had grown for them.  In the soft glow of the lights Henry could see Drew’s eyes sparkling, a sure sign he was about to start crying.

          He took Drew by his shoulders and gently turned him around to face him and said, “It’s alright Drew.  I’m not mad honey.  I’m scared.  We don’t know who that Voice is.”

          Drew was starting to blubber a little but said, “He’s good, Daddy.  I know it.”

          Henry pulled Drew against him and wrapped his arms around his son, running his hand up and down Drew’s back soothingly.  Drew felt so safe against his dad’s big strong body with his arms around him; his warm hands always seemed to rub away whatever was bothering him.

          Henry held him for a few minutes in silence, letting Drew cry until he stopped.

          He pulled back enough so they could look at one another and asked again, “So what are you saying to him honey?  I know it’s private, and I’m sorry to have to ask, but as your dad I need to know.  You’re my responsibility, and until we know more about whoever or whatever that Voice is, I’m not sure I trust it.”

          Drew held his head down, reluctant to talk.

          Drew?  Please tell me honey.  I’m really not mad or upset with you, but I need to know.

          I was telling him what a good dad you are, and how my Uncles all take care of me.  The other voices inside me were loud tonight, and talking to the bird man helps me push them back.  Doctor Aaron doesn’t want them talking to me yet.

          Henry had to hide his reaction; he didn’t want to frighten Drew, and forced himself not to shake.  He was deeply touched and proud of Drew for his caring nature towards everyone.  The way he went out of his way to express his love for Darren or anyone who was feeling bad was astonishing; he showed far more empathy than a normal five year old, but that wasn’t surprising with his Mind Opened.  The surprise was that after all his own abuse he had enough inside him to still give to others; in fact helping others seemed to make him feel better.

          “Drew… wow.”  Henry’s own tears started.  The way Drew felt about him as a dad still blew him away.

          Drew reached up and felt the tears on Henry’s rough cheeks, wiping them away, “Don’t cry, Daddy.  I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

          “I’m not sad honey.  You make me so proud and happy sometimes I can’t help it.  People cry when they’re happy too, you know.”

          “Is it OK if I talk to the bird man?”

          “Tell you what, Tiger.  You can talk to him whenever you feel like it, if I can be with you and talk to him too.  Can we do it together?”

          Drew smiled and nodded his head in excitement. 

          “OK, then start talking.”

          Drew continued and Henry had to force the tears to stop as Drew asked the bird man to protect his dad and his uncles, Miss Sally, Doctor Aaron, and Mister Albrecht, Mister Tag and Mrs. Olive, his friends Jacob, Craig, Rich, Nathan, Guy, Caleb, and their families.  He went on to ask the Voice to make the other voices inside him happy and safe, and to give them all dads just like Henry.

          As he spoke, with his Mind Open, he again sounded more like an adult.

          He let Drew finish and then they crawled back up into bed together.  Drew snuggled back against his dad, and fell asleep with a contended sigh.  Henry lay awake for a long time thinking about what just happened.

<><><> 

          Tony looked in disbelief at the computer screen.  He was on the Wells Fargo on-line banking web site, and it showed his balance in the negative.  There had to be a mistake… all the money he had to his name was in that account, and the day before he still had a balance of just over ten thousand dollars.

          It showed a transfer out of his account early in the morning of eleven thousand dollars, which put him in the negative – and it wasn’t anything he authorized or did.  He had overdraft protection so the bank covered it automatically, but he was in a total panic over the situation.

          He spent an hour on the phone with a Customer Service representative at the Bank explaining that it was either a mistake, or someone hacked his account.  Unfortunately, his debit card was tied to the account and the rules were not in favor of the customer when things like that happened.  The Bank automatically froze his account for thirty days and would ‘look into’ the matter.

          The Customer Service representative was completely unsympathetic and fell back on the ‘it’s company policy’ line.  Tony was practically screaming at the woman on the phone, trying to make her understand his situation, but she really seemed not to care.

          With a sinking feeling in his stomach he hung up the phone.  His rent was due, and he had no money.  He had enough cash in his wallet to put some gas in his car to get to work, but he would have to ask his manager Keli for an advance to fill up.  It was Friday, so he’d be busy delivering pizzas all night – fortunately Friday seemed to be ‘pizza night’ for a lot of the families around Buford and Lawrenceville where he delivered.  Chances were he would make enough in tips to cover the advance.

          For some reason, his mind drifted back to running into Brad and Ken a few months prior when he had delivered some pizzas to their house.  Brad had asked him to keep in touch, but then he had more or less disappeared on him.  Tony had driven by their house numerous times only to find them not at home.  He saw one of their neighbors collecting the mail from their mailbox so he assumed they were out of town for an extended period of time.

          Tony asked their neighbor if she had any idea when Brad and Ken would be back, and she said she didn’t.  They had called her a week prior and said they had an emergency and had to be out of town.  She indicated they had been gone a lot recently, and she helped them out with the mail.  

          She prattled on about how nice Brad and Ken were, and that gay men made the nicest neighbors.  They kept their yard immaculate and never caused any trouble.

          Tony couldn’t believe his ears and had to hold in a smile at her stereotypical response.  Tony was straight, but his younger brother Tad was gay and closer to him than anyone in the world.  Tad was always telling him about dumbass comments people made to him about gays. 

          Since Brad was in his thoughts, Tony made a point to swing by the house again on the way to work.  There was a Quick-Trip only a few blocks from their house where he could get gas.  He was disappointed when they didn’t answer the door.

          When he got to work he was shocked when Keli, his manager, refused to advance him gas money for the evening.  She had done it before with no questions, and he always paid it back when he promised.

          “Sorry Tony.  I can’t front you the money, and if you can’t drive for me tonight I’ll have to call in someone else.  If this happens again, I’ll have to let you go.”

          He was stunned and looked at her like she was a stranger.  She wouldn’t make eye contact with him, and if he didn’t know better he would say she was scared.

          Since he had assumed she would front him the money he used his last ten dollars on gas to get to work, so now he didn’t have any money to get something to eat. 

          He wandered back to his car in a daze wondering how the day could possibly get any worse.

          “Havin a bad day kid?”

          His blood ran cold when he heard that voice.  He turned and saw Clint Berringer standing with two other men.  Clint was one of the men who had taken over his gym and financially squeezed him out of his own business.  Tony didn’t know it, but all three of the men were Protectors of The Enemy.

          When Tony confronted Clint at the gym, he had put Tony’s arm in a cast for months.  Clint was a big man and incredibly strong; Tony recognized the two men with Clint from the gym but didn’t know their names.

          “Stay away from me Clint, or I’ll call the cops!”

          Tony pulled out his cell phone and started to dial 911.  Clint was so fast Tony barely saw him move – he had never seen anyone move that fast.  Pain shot through his arm as Clint wrapped his big hand around Tony’s forearm in the same place he had broken it before.

          “Shut the fuck up kid.  What were you doin’ at Wilson and Habbersham’s house earlier?  Did you talk to ’em?”

          Tony went down to one knee and said, “Let me go!  You’re breaking my arm!”

          Clint shoved Tony down on the ground and stood over him menacingly.  “Answer me kid, or I’ll fuck your arm up so bad you’ll never get back into a gym.”

          “No!  They weren’t home!  I haven’t seen them in months!”

          Clint pulled a phone out of his pocket and tossed it on the ground at Tony’s feet. 

          “If you see ’em, you don’t mention us. Use that phone to call me as soon as you talk to ’em again.  If you say anything to ’em, aside from ripping your arm out of its socket, we’ll pay a visit to your little brother Tad.  We aren’t messin around kid.  You do what I say, or I will kill you and your brother – slowly and painfully.  The same if you call the cops.   We’re watching you kid, and if you try anything you’ll regret it.”

          Tony couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He was so scared he was shaking, and he continued to lie on the ground after Clint and the other two men left.  His arm throbbed painfully where Clint’s hand nearly splintered the bones in his forearm.  If they already knew who Tad was, they knew more about Tony than he liked – he had to find a way to talk to Tad without them finding out.

          What the hell’s going on?  Who are these guys, and why are they doing this to me? What do they want with Brad and Ken? 

          Tony was a loyal friend and didn’t know what to do.  He didn’t want to cause any trouble for Brad, but he was scared – scared for himself, Tad, and Brad and Ken.  He couldn’t imagine why they would be interested in Brad and Ken.

He was sure now that the issue with the bank was not a mistake.  Who the fuck were these guys?  They were obviously not someone he wanted to mess with.

Tony pulled himself together, went back inside to the bathroom, and splashed cold water in his face.  Ever since he lost the gym working out was a struggle.  First it was his arm injury, but now he didn’t have enough money for a regular gym membership.  Tony looked at his reflection and saw how much progress he’d lost on his body.  He used to be darkly tanned, but he had lost most of his color and now looked pale.  He was losing weight fast; he couldn’t afford to eat properly.  Eating cheap was easy, but it was horrible, processed, sodium filled garbage – not what his body needed or was used too.  He was still a big man and proud of the body he spent years developing, but it was depressing seeing how he looked now.  To the average person he still looked great, but he was a perfectionist and saw the changes.

He steeled himself and left the bathroom.  He found Keli and told her he would cover his shift, and hoped he could make enough cash tips to put gas in his car and make it through the night. 

          He lucked out – his first delivery was for a large party in Hamilton Mill, a very ritzy area of Buford, and that tip alone covered a full tank of gas.  He was distracted and worried about everything, but he managed to pull his shift and made decent tips the rest of the night.  Fortunately, he still hadn’t set up direct deposit, so he picked his paycheck up the next morning and at least had food money for the week.  He had no idea what he was going to do about rent.

          He called the Bank again and asked to speak to a Manger, but he was told the same company line and the Manger said there was nothing he could do.

          Clint called him twice a day every day asking if he had any contact with Brad Wilson. 

          Tony realized he was being watched early on… at first he thought he was paranoid, but he started paying close attention and he saw a number of people staring openly at him as he moved throughout his days.  He noticed a black Escalade following him when he drove, and he heard strange clicks on his phone.  He was sure they were listening to his conversations.

          He went by Brad and Ken’s house a few more times, but they were still not home.  Apparently it was enough to appease Clint, at least in the short term.

          Tony thought long and hard about what he could say to his younger brother Tad.  He needed to warn him of possible danger, but he was so closely monitored he wasn’t sure if he could contact Tad without consequences to both of them. 

          What the fuck can I say?  I have no idea who these guys are or what they want with me, but they’re threatening me and you bro.  Whoever they are, they’re powerful – they stole my business from me and emptied my bank account, and they know about my family.  He realized how crazy that would sound.

          Tony knew it was risky, but he decided he and Tad needed to disappear.  Tad would have to trust him and they would leave and go to the cops in another state.  He spent a few days on the internet searching for a place for himself and Tad to go.  He had a credit card he kept for absolute emergencies – he would get backpacks, sleeping bags, and a tent, and he and Tad would go hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  That would take them off the ‘grid’ for weeks and give them both time to think.

          He would wait until Saturday when he got his paycheck, cash it and rent the cheapest car he could.  He would leave his phone and his car, figuring that was how they were keeping tabs on him.

          Tony had no idea The Master had taken a personal interest in him as a way to reach Brad.  His servants were keeping tabs on Tony through his phone and a tracker on his car, but The Master assigned one of his top lieutenants, a powerful ‘suit,’ to keep tabs on Tony.  No matter where Tony went they could Scry him and discover his exact whereabouts.

          The following Saturday morning Tony picked up his paycheck, and as he was going back to his car he saw a black limo parked a short distance away.  Clint was standing by the door, along with the other two big men that always seemed to accompany him.

          Tony stopped when he saw them, and a cold knot of fear hit him in the pit of his stomach.  There was no way they could know about his plan, so he had to act normal.

          As Tony walked back towards his car, one of the men with Clint opened the door to the limo, and a man got out.  He was in a very expensive grey suit, and he had a cane in his hand.  The silver handle was shaped like a stylized wolf’s head.

          Tony instinctively knew he was in trouble and he turned, intending to run as fast as he could to try and get away, but his legs wouldn’t move.  He was frozen and couldn’t move a muscle.

          Come here, Tony.

          Tony’s Mind was overwhelmed with the dark evil of the man in the suit.  He was powerless to resist, and his body obeyed the command.  He turned and walked over to stand in front of the man.

          Clint had an evil leering grin on his face – he enjoyed seeing the fear on Tony’s face and in his eyes.

          The man in the suit spoke, and his voice was much higher pitched than Tony expected.

          “It seems my Master has taken an interest in you.  Your friend Mr. Wilson and his acquaintances have recently done something quite reprehensible to us.  We originally wanted you as a means to get to Mr. Wilson… while that is still the case our plans have changed.  My Master’s patience is running thin, and you, young man, will bear the brunt of his impatience.

          “You will never see your family or your friends again.  I mean that quite literally.  I am personally going to see to your torture, along with Mr. Berrenger here.  There is nothing you can do… you won’t even be able to scream unless I allow it.  Let your Mind run wild in fear.  I can assure you, whatever you think is going to happen to you… the reality will be a thousand times worse.  Get in the car.”

          Tony screamed in his Mind as his body moved of its own accord, climbing into the back seat of the limo.

<><><> 

          Sally jumped when the sound of an incoming Skype call from Australia startled her out of her thoughts.  Her face flushed a deep crimson – she was thinking about the previous afternoon with Henry and what he had done to her.  Brad was right; making love to a telepath was like nothing she had ever experienced.  Henry kept the two of them deeply Linked while they made out so she could see inside of him as well.  She knew where and how he liked to be touched to get him off, and she used that knowledge to full effect.

          Sally had always preferred big, muscular men.  She was a sucker for big biceps, and while in her younger years that often didn’t pan out as far as the basis for relationships, being with the guys and Henry was heaven for her as far as eye candy.

          Henry had more stamina than she thought humanly possible, and extraordinary control over his orgasms.  Feeling his muscled sweaty body on top of hers, and his huge dick pumping into her sent her to a place no man had ever managed before.

          She quickly fanned her face, cleared her throat, and answered the Skype call.

          Craig’s handsome smiling face filled her screen, “Hey, Miss Bisel!”

          He was so cute; almost a perfect replica of his older brother Jake, who was also high up on Sally’s stud meter. 

          “Hi Craig!  What can I do for you?”

          “Ummm… Miss Bisel, I don’t exactly know how to ask this.  If it’s a big deal then we’ll forget about it, but with Christmas so close I was wondering if there was some way you could help me get a present for Jake and my parents?”

          It dawned on Sally that with the families staying in Australia, having no access to the outside world, she had dropped the ball on such an important detail.  With everything that had been going on with Darren and Henry and Drew, she simply hadn’t thought about it, and she kicked herself.

          “Oh Craig I’m so sorry!  I should have thought of that!”

          “So do you think you can help?”

          “Absolutely I can help.  In fact I’ll work up a schedule in a few hours and plan a short private call with everyone there.  I’ll arrange all the gifts and get them wrapped and Santa will make a visit to the Lab there on Christmas Eve.

          “And speaking of Christmas Eve you, Jake, Guy, Nathan, Caleb, and Rich will be coming to Atlanta for a few hours Christmas Eve.  It’s a surprise for Lane so don’t say anything to him – not a word to anyone about that but me to be safe.  I’ll let you know the arrangements when it gets closer.”

          Craig smiled – he was so cute she wanted to reach through the monitor and pinch his cheeks.  “Will do, Miss Bisel.  It’ll be great to get out of here for a little while.  Not that this place isn’t awesome, it is… but I miss being outside.  Its summer here and we can’t even work on our tans!”

          She laughed and said, “Oh!  The horror!”

Once she stopped laughing her face got a little more serious and she continued, “I can’t tell you everything Craig but something happened recently – we had a big win and security measures won’t need to be quite so tight.  We always have to be careful, but I think we’ll start arranging more time out of the Lab soon.  Just be patient – it probably won’t be until after Christmas.  There’s still a lot going on, but everyone here knows how cooped up you all are.  We haven’t forgotten about you.”

          He grinned again, “You’re awesome, Miss Bisel!”

          “You’re good for my ego Craig.  I’ll be sorry to see you go when the time comes.  I’ve got to get back to Drew’s lessons now.”

          “Tell the Drewmeister I said hello.  We miss seeing him.”

          “You got it honey.  I’ll be in touch in a few hours.”

<><><> 

          While Sally was talking to Craig, a memory sphere appeared and bobbed politely until she was done with her call.  It was Albrecht asking her to get Darren to bring him to the Atlanta Lab right away.

          She assigned Drew a short reading assignment and stuck her head into the gym to look for Darren.  It was midafternoon and she knew by now all the guys would be shirtless and sweating bullets.  They spent the mornings mostly on Mental disciplines and the afternoons on their Physical Training and sparring.  Ken had officially cancelled Training for the week, but they were all too disciplined and couldn’t help themselves. 

          Darren was sparring with Ken.  Every time she saw them training she was in awe – they were so fast she couldn’t keep up with the flurried movements of their bodies.   Darren was giving Ken a run for his money – he was teleporting rapidly around Ken and landing blows, which he had never managed doing before.

          Ken soon figured out a defense, which wasn’t practical but worked.  He ended up clotheslining Darren by accident.  Ken had perfect control and was slowing down his perception of time so he managed to pull the vast majority of his strength from landing and Darren wasn’t hurt.  In fact he was laughing, and they high fived each other as Ken helped pull him to his feet.

Brad was out of the rotation and saw her.

          Hey Sally what’s up?

          Albrecht needs Darren to bring him here right away.

          I’ll take care of it hun.  Thanks.

          She gave Brad a mental:  Mwahhh, along with the hand motion of blowing him a kiss.  He grinned and she melted – he was so handsome, standing there with his body pumped and dripping sweat. His golden blond hair was currently dirty blonde from sweat and plastered against his head, and she could see his bright blue eyes even across the gym.   After dinner, she was going to see if Henry was up for another round of hot sex.  It was like she was addicted to sex since she started her extracurricular activities with him – he was so… virile.  She flushed again at the thought.

          It wasn’t even a minute after she got back to Drew that she saw Albrecht come out of the gym.  He smiled and thanked her and went into the doctor’s office and closed the door.  A few seconds later they both came out and made their way to the back corner of the Lab – she knew that’s where their own ‘Vault’ was; the area that was heavily warded where they kept anything that was supernaturally important or dangerous.

          A few hours later Sally managed to have all her private conversations with everyone in Australia and had a list of everything she needed.  The only one she felt awkward about was Kelly.  Kelly was nearing her term for the baby to come; she was a runaway and had not spoken to her family in years.  Other than the guys in the Lab she didn’t have anyone and she was so troubled when Darren first brought her into their fold, she had alienated almost everyone when she first arrived.  The doctor had worked wonders with her, but she still had an edge to her.  She was lonely and about to be a single mom, and Sally knew she had to be scared about the uncertainty of her future. 

          Darren had Opened Kelly’s Mind because of the baby, and she practiced the mental disciplines the Doctor taught her, but she still kept to herself.  She spent most of her time in the Australian Lab helping with the ‘guests’ there – she said it made her feel more at home being on her native soil.

          Sally made a note to organize a baby shower soon and put on her thinking cap about getting Kelly something for Christmas too.  She would arrange presents from everyone and bring the guys into the loop.  She was sure it slipped their minds as well with everything they had been focused on.

<><><> 

          When Bryan, freshly showered, made his way into the kitchen to start dinner Albrecht pulled him aside.

          “Bryan, I need a favor.”

          Bryan looked at him with raised eyebrows. Albrecht rarely ever needed anything from anyone… he was the most resourceful and independent man Bryan had ever met.

          “I will cover your absence with everyone if you agree.  There is minimal danger in this, but if you think it best not to proceed I will find an alternative.”

          “Now you got me curious.  What do you need?”

          “I need you to make a visit to Leroy.”

          Bryan’s handsome brow furrowed, “What for?”

          Albrecht moved over to the counter where he had placed a small box.  He pulled out a tiny crystal on a fine silver chain around his neck and waved it over the lock.  There was a small pop, and the box clicked open.  He pulled out what looked to be a piece of coal.

          “This rock has special properties.  It is a type of battery for certain magic.  I wish you to charge it with Dragon Fire.”

          Bryan was smart… he knew that Albrecht was fully aware of what he was asking Bryan to do.  It was one of those situations where Bryan knew that Albrecht knew that Bryan knew… etc.         

          “Will you do it?”

          “Yeah.  I miss seeing that big fucker anyways, and it’s been too long since I’ve visited with him.  I’ll take Lane, and we’ll spend the night and be back tomorrow.  Let me get dinner covered and we’ll head out.”

          “For now please keep this private and under the auspices of “Christmas Secret’s”; it’s the truth.”

<><><> 

          Bryan and Lane were gone for two days total.  Albrecht explained to Ken that he asked them for a favor that included some travel and assured Ken they would be safe.  Ken trusted Albrecht, but his curiosity was on fire.

          Ken was one of those guys who would shake, rattle, and roll every wrapped gift under the Christmas Tree trying to figure out what was in it.  It didn’t matter if it was his gift or not… he had an insatiable curiosity just like a little kid. 

          The doctor finalized the plan for Bryan’s gift to Lane and took advantage of Lane’s absence to call a meeting to explain how Christmas Eve would work.

          The doctor also hinted that he had a surprise for everyone that he was sure they would enjoy.  He had a twinkle in his eye when he said that, and Albrecht’s grin nearly split his face when Aaron mentioned the gift. 

          The excitement over Christmas was building.  There were only a few days left.  Drew was almost manic… he was so excited about the presents he had for his dad and everyone he could hardly contain himself.  Henry put a trigger in Drew’s Mind to make sure he didn’t accidently reveal his secret, and was careful not to look and see his own gift when he did it. 

          Everyone in the Lab made it as special a time as possible for Drew, and their attention and Love slowly overcame the sadness of his mother’s absence.  The caring support each and every man showed Drew continually brought a tear to Henry’s eyes.  They got on the floor with him and built racetracks for his Hot Wheels, they colored with him – Henry couldn’t believe his eyes when he came out of his room and saw Loy and Rick lying on the floor with Drew competing with him on who could color the best.  Of course Drew won every time. 

          They wrestled with him and tickled him and read to him and they never toned down their Auras around him – letting him feel their genuine love for him, letting it be a cushion against his sorrow.  No one ever mentioned Liz, but if Drew talked about her they didn’t avoid the subject and talked to him about his feelings.

          Henry and Sally ended up spending a few hours every day in some ‘private time’ and anyone in the Lab kept Drew occupied so they could enjoy their time together. 

          Henry got a kick out of it when a few of the guys thanked him for being such a horny stud so they could spend more time with his son.

<><><> 

Finally Christmas Eve arrived.  Darren brought Kelly, all the soldiers, and Craig to Atlanta for the day and the evening festivities.  The parents of the soldiers opted to stay in Australia; the reasoning was they needed a break from their kids, but everyone knew there were still some hard feelings over everything that was happening in their lives.  Even after Henry Mentally ‘spanked’ the fathers and showed them the truth about The Enemy and The Order they still blamed Brad, Ken and the rest of the Team for their woes.

Craig, Jacob, Guy, Nathan, Caleb and Rich were excited to be back in Atlanta just for a change of scenery.  The young men were looking better than ever and radiated physical health.

None of the soldiers had met the Keenans yet, so introductions were made and Tag regaled them with his own story of the ‘boys’ and showed them his fully restored leg.  He still couldn’t stop smiling and wiggling his toes over what his friends had done for him.

Bryan spent a few days prior preparing food so Christmas Eve day would be mostly just warming things up.  Sally worked overtime with all the extra people and kept out snacks all day long.  She didn’t know what she was letting herself in for… almost before she took her hands off the trays between the six young men, eleven men with hyper-metabolisms, Kelly who was eating for two, the Keenans, the doctor and Albrecht, the trays were empty. 

Drew hadn’t seen Kelly for nearly a month and was fascinated by her huge belly.  She let him put his hand on her stomach so he could feel the baby kicking.  He Linked with the baby lightly to feel her presence.  Kelly admitted that this pregnancy was the easiest she had ever been through that she remembered – having the doctor and Albrecht care for her plus five Mentalists who could Heal, kept her and the baby in top shape.

Lane took care of the Christmas music in the Lab and played a wide variety of songs from old school Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby to classic carols and Christmas Hymns.  He even managed to pull in the Charlie Brown Christmas song.

Even though Brad and the other Mentalists could use an external construct to change everyone’s clothes, Sally insisted that their outfits for the evening be real.  Besides there we so many extra guests she didn’t want Brad or the others to be distracted with having to keep up with it.  Brad rolled his eyes at her – she knew it was effortless for him, but she was adamant anyway.

At 1500, a delivery truck arrived and dropped off Tuxedos for all the men and evening gowns for the women.  Bryan’s and Lane’s Tuxedos had tails.  Lane was curious, but held himself in check, wondering what in the world they needed Tuxes for.

          Everybody made a big deal of how snazzy Drew looked in his tuxedo.  Sally made sure to get plenty of pictures.  The guys learned from her days in the security firm that she was big on scrapbooks and took pictures all the time.  One of her favorite pictures that she had framed and on her desk was of the Fourth of July party earlier in the summer where all the guys wore Speedos at her request and held her up like a Vegas showgirl for the shot.

          So far, the day was perfect.  None of them had had a day in a long time where everyone was so happy and relaxed.  Laughter filled the Lab, and the mood was lite and joyful.

The food, drinks, and eggnog continued throughout the day.  The evening meal was lite, and at 1800 sharp four limos pulled up into the parking lot of the Lab.  Everyone was dressed to the nines, and Sally and Kelly were escorted by Jacob and Craig.  Tag proudly escorted Olive.

          Bryan pulled out a blindfold for Lane before they left the parking lot.

          “Sorry Little Buddy, but it’s part of the surprise.”

          “OK, but if any of you sissies try and do anything to me you’ll regret it!”

          Everyone sitting in his limo laughed and quite a few jokes were hung on Lane as they pulled out of the parking lot. 

<>< One Week Earlier><>

          The Master was sitting on his Throne, the chair upholstered with the flesh of his enemies through the centuries.  His plan was to take the flesh of the new Warriors of The Order and make a new Throne once his victory and dominion over them was complete.  He wanted their Avatars prominently displayed for all to see.

          A well-dressed man entered the chamber, keeping his head down and his eyes averted.

          The Master’s voice was deep and the sound of his breathing filled the silence of the room.  The servant waited patiently until The Master acknowledged his presence.

          “Speak.”

          “Sir… one of our servants working in the City informed us that an anonymous party has just reserved the Atlanta Symphony Hall on Christmas Eve.  They paid an exorbitant amount of money, and we are unable to trace the funds.  It has to be Them.”

          “Yessss… excellent.”

          The Master turned to Clint Berrenger, who was standing patiently by the door. 

          “Is our captive sufficiently broken?”

          Clint smiled and said, “Yes sir.  He was strong, but he’s in ruins now. He has just enough left in him for a little more fun.”

          “Be sure he lives until Christmas Eve.  I will take him personally to deliver the message I wish to convey.”

          The Master turned back to the ‘suit’, “What is the progress on finding the others?”

          “It goes slowly sir, but we are making headway.  It will not be long before we find the living relatives of the New Warriors.  Dr. Thomas was clever and there are no computer or paper records proving any of the ties we seek, however the memories still exist once we track them down.”

          “Continue and keep me informed.  Now leave me, both of you.”

          The ‘suit’ and Clint both left the room.  Clint went to check on Tony… he was in his cell, his broken and twisted body still breathing.  One of the Amulets The Master provided was still around his neck, preventing The Seer and Oracle of the Order from Dreaming about him or any of them having Visions.

          The Amulets were from Orophir, and they did their job well.  None of The Master’s servants knew who the powerful Nephilim was that occasionally visited them, but the Objects he left had not failed them yet.

          Clint shut the door to Tony’s cell, not wanting to hear his groans or cries.  He got tired of the begging.

<><><> 

The drive took nearly an hour and at 1900 sharp they pulled up to the front of the Atlanta Symphony Hall.  The building was home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, but even though the Hall was fully lit the building was vacant.

          Bryan pulled off the blindfold and Lane felt a thrill of excitement run through him when he realized where they were.  He quickly grasped there were only a few ushers inside to open the doors for them and his handsome face was filled with a look of mixed joy and confusion.

          “Bry?  What’s going on?”

          “Hold you’re horses.  Come on.”  Lane could feel how excited Bryan was through their connection. 

          It took a few minutes for everyone to exit the limos; it was particularly awkward for Kelly, being pregnant.  Sally insisted on a big group photo in front of the building and Darren levitated the camera so everyone could be in it. 

          Bryan took Lane’s hand and led him into the building and they filed in behind.  Everyone looked incredibly handsome – all of the men, including the young soldiers filled out their Tuxedos perfectly.  Their broad shoulders and trim waists were obvious and their arms filled out the sleeves well.  Sally had everyone’s measurements and each Tux was tailored perfectly.

          When they entered the main music Hall Lane stopped, speechless, and his eyes watered up.  Gabriel, dressed in a formal Tuxedo with tails was standing in the conductor’s spot.  The Orchestra pit was filled with people, and Lane felt their Auras from where he stood – they were Angels of the Choir.

          Standing down front were Michael, Uriel, and Raphael, all similarly dressed.  Istariel was there and his three cousins in human form wearing black Tuxes – none of them had seen the human forms of the other three Nephilim before.

          Shock ran through the Link – one of them was almost a twin of Loy!  Rick’s Mind flew back to Grady Hospital on the day they rescued Tag from the Iktomi.  The giant Nephilim in the hospital room was cowled and Rick had only seen his chin – it looked familiar at the time, but he couldn’t place it.  How in the world that could be he didn’t know. 

          Loy was speechless and couldn’t move.  His apparent twin nodded to him in acknowledgement and stood up to come over.

          Ricky!  I don’t understand!  How?

          I don’t know Loy, but it looks like we’re about to find out!

          The doctor and Albrecht guided the young soldiers, Sally, Kelly, and the Keenans down to the front area.  The men gathered around Loy and Rick – almost as excited for Loy as Loy was.

          Even his voice sounded like Loy’s when he held his hand out in greeting and said, “Hello brother.  My name is Alariel.”

          Loy was still speechless.  He took the proffered hand but could only stare – it was like looking into a mirror.

          “I can see your surprise.  I thought the time right to reveal myself to you.  Barachiel is my father as well; we are half-brothers in a manner of speaking.”  He grinned when he said that.

          Loy pulled him into a tight embrace and said, “It’s great to meet you.  Well you know… we’ve met but I didn’t know… Why did you wait so long?”

          “Now is not the time.  This is Lane Weaver’s night.  You and I can become better acquainted soon.”  He cupped Loy’s cheek in his hand in an unexpected display of affection and then moved back over to Istariel and the other Nephilim.

          “Fuck me, Ricky, I have a half-brother!”

          Rick put his arm around Loy’s shoulder and pulled him into a side hug, “I’m so happy for you Loy.  What a great thing to happen on Christmas, huh?”

          Drew giggled and said, “Uncle Loy!”

          Loy squeezed his eyes shut and said, “I’m sorry Drew.  It slipped out!”

          Ken said, “OK everybody, let’s get seated.  Bry you and Lane are up.”

          Everyone had a smile across their face a mile wide.

          Lane let himself be led up to Gabriel where he hugged his Angelic Grandfather.  His face was barely big enough for his smile.

          Bryan was right by his side the entire time.  Lane looked around in awe at everything, but still hadn’t figured it out and asked, “So what’s the plan?  What are you going to play?”

          Gabriel looked at Bryan who shrugged and grinned.  He said, “You tell us.  This is for you Lane.  You’ve always wanted to play with Gabriel, so I asked him to help set all this up for you.  This is your chance to cut loose and do whatever you want.”

          Lane choked up and threw himself into Bryan’s strong arms.

          Oh my God Bry!  I love you so much!  I don’t know what to say!

          Their Link was private so Bryan grinned and thought:  Well I’m hopin to get laid tonight you handsome fucker, so you can start by saying ‘yes’.

          Lane pulled back, and was laughing as he wiped his eyes and retorted:  I would have thought the two dozen times you came while we were with Leroy would have slowed you down at least a little.

          Nothin can slow me down with you.  You’re the hottest man on the planet to me.  You know that.

          The smile left Lane’s face at the smoldering intensity of Bryan’s thoughts, but not his eyes.  His eyes twinkled with the laughter that was always on the surface.  He put his hand up, cupping Bryan’s strong neck and jaw and ran his thumb over the stubble on his cheek.

          I can’t believe this, Bry.

          Believe it Lane. It’s all for you.

          Gabriel waited patiently for them to finish the conversation he knew they were having.

          He grinned when they finally broke their eyes away from one another and said, “If you are ready we can begin.  Bryan, you can take your position in the pit, as will I.  Lane you remain here and direct everything.  We will follow your lead.  I’ve prepared everyone for any music you have already written that I’ve heard, and we know everything else you might wish to play.

          Lane’s eyes widened, “Everything?”

          “Yes, everything.

          “Okayyyyyy, that’s ummm…. Wow. OK.”

          Everyone took their seats and the pit lights came on and a spot light was on Lane.  The house lights went down completely.  All of Lane’s Brothers were with him; this was his moment.  He was getting a chance to fulfill a dream of his, and they were all incredibly proud and confident on his behalf.

          He felt their encouragement and smiled at them and they all grinned back.

          “OK, this first piece isn’t a Christmas song, but it has special meaning to me and Bry – I want to do this as a warm up.  It’s a bit of my own mix.”

          With a flick of his hand memory spheres shot out to Bryan, Gabriel, and every Angel in the pit.  The Choir members were all in human form in either Tuxes or exquisite evening gowns.  With a flourish of his arm he summoned his violin.

          Silence fell in the hall.  Lane closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and went deep inside himself.  Bryan was with him and his Brothers, and the doctor and Albrecht.  Drew looked at Henry who whispered into his ear, “Just wait.  Uncle Lane is about to play us some music.”

          Bryan picked up on his queue and the rolling bass drum beat started.  The sound echoed in the Hall – the acoustics were perfect.  The deep trombones started in as the pace picked up. 

          Everyone got goosebumps as they felt Lane’s Avatar kick in and pull them with him into the music. Lane and Gabriel were in perfect sync as their bows crossed the strings and their violins carried everyone even higher.   

          The song was the opening of the The Last of the Mohican’s soundtrack and a powerful piece.  It was the music Bryan heard Bao playing that caught his attention and allowed Taliesin to trap him in the Construct where Lane died.

          Just as he did with Luke, Lane took the music and transformed it into something far beyond what it was originally.

          They felt him expand into the music – his handsome face was serene, and behind his closed eyelids his eyes were white.  The joy he felt in making music was evident to all of them – they could see it in his posture and the movement of his body as it stirred something deep inside of him – it stirred inside of them as he took them on his journey.

          White energy crackled around him, and a hot wind whipped his hair.  His feet left the ground as he continued to play.

          Everyone glanced at Darren who looked as surprised as any of them.  None of the other Mentalists besides Darren had the telekinetic strength to lift themselves and Lane seemed to be doing it unconsciously and effortlessly.  His form floated in the air, turning slowly as he played from his Heart.

          The music was beautiful, and because it was Lane, it was even more so.  Tears flowed down everyone’s face as the feelings washed over them.  Gabriel had pride written all over his face looking at his Grandson. 

          The Keenans, Sally, Henry, Drew, and the young soldiers had never experienced anything like it and were awestruck.  They stared wide-eyed at Lane’s floating body, glowing with a bright white Light and sending music deep into their Hearts and Souls.

          The violins went faster and faster, Bryan was perfect on the drums and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face; his Heart was with Lane the entire time and his presence magnified everything Lane felt.  He was also having the time of his life; he loved the big bass drums that were so large they nearly came up to his waste.  The mallets fit his big hands perfectly.

          Gabriel pressed Lane, knowing that was what he wanted.  They resonated off one another and made each other better.

          The Angels were flawless and Lane’s Avatar guided and pushed them to their limits, but they were the best Heaven had to offer – Gabriel made sure of that; nothing but the best for his Grandson.

          The mix that Lane had in mind lasted for nearly twenty minutes.  His body slowly returned to the floor as he came back to himself.  When the last of the music faded he kept his eyes closed for a few seconds and then shook his head slightly, snapping himself back to the present.  He lost himself in the music just like he lost himself in Bryan when they made love, and it was hard to come back to himself.

          All his Brothers laughed a little when they saw him grin and mouth a silent, “Holy shit!”

          He grinned at all of them and said, “OK, that was a good warm up.  Drew?  Is there anything you want me to play?”

          “Christmas music!”

          “Christmas music!?  Why in the world would you want to hear Christmas music?”

          “’Cause it’s Christmas!”  Drew was smiling ear to ear knowing his Uncle was teasing him.

          “It is?”  Lane sounded incredulous.  “OK, if you say so!”

          The violin disappeared while he was talking with Drew, and Lane put his hand on his chin like he was thinking hard.

          “OK, I think I might know a few Christmas songs.”

          Lane moved over to the grand piano.  Memory spheres shot out again with a flick of his hand.

          “This is a variation of one of my favorite songs by Leonard Cohen.  This is a Christmas version of that song about another very special little boy.”

          Lane played a slightly altered version of ‘Hallelujah’ that sent chills down their spines.  His voice was so rich and powerful, and the way he sang it was suited to his own style.  Henry cried like a baby, and when he glanced around he wasn’t alone.

          The song was about the birth of Jesus, and while none of them were comparing Drew to the Son of God, there were huge parallels between the two.  Drew didn’t understand, but he felt all the Love his Uncle had for him, and he cried too.   He seldom cried happy tears, and Henry held him tight through the song.

I've heard about this baby boy

Who's come to earth to bring us joy

And I just want to sing this song to you

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift

With every breath I'm singing Hallelujah

Hallelujah

A couple came to Bethlehem

Expecting child, they searched the inn

To find a place for You were coming soon

There was no room for them to stay

So in a manger filled with hay

God's only Son was born, oh Hallelujah

Hallelujah

The shepherds left their flocks by night

To see this baby wrapped in light

A host of angels led them all to You

It was just as the angels said

You'll find Him in a manger bed

Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah

Hallelujah

A star shown bright up in the east

To Bethlehem, the wisemen three

Came many miles and journeyed long for You

And to the place at which You were

Their frankincense and gold and myrrh

They gave to You and cried out Hallelujah

Hallelujah

I know You came to rescue me

This baby boy would grow to be

A man and one day die for me and you

My sins would drive the nails in You

That rugged cross was my cross, too

Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah

          When the song came to an end Henry set Drew down and he ran up like a bullet and launched himself into Lane’s arms.

          Lane moved Drew into his lap while he sat at the piano and started into ‘What Child is This?”

          When he was finished he asked Drew, “Do you have a favorite?”

          “Rudolf!

          “Rudolf it is, but you gotta sing it with me.”  He glanced over at everyone and said, “You can’t leave us hanging!”

          Everybody joined in – Lane’s grin was infectious and spread.  Over the last few years, all of them had sung with Lane at some point, and he coached them and they all sang wonderfully.  Henry blew everyone away; he had an incredible singing voice.

          Part of Henry’s Christmas present for Drew required all the guys to help.  While everyone was so emotionally charged with Power, Lane knew it was the perfect time to take care of it.  Lane created a private Link of just the eleven men.

          Bill, Brad you’re up.  Henry the idea you had for Drew’s present is beyond perfect.  Let’s work a little Christmas magic fellas. 

          Brad was beyond subtle as he looked into Drew’s Mind, but just to be sure he had Rick mask him.  He looked deep into Drew’s memories and he pulled out all the powerful and happy memories of Liz.  He did the same with Henry and the short time of the three of them together as a family.

          Drew’s memories were powerful and clear this night – Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer was his favorite song, and Liz used to sing it with him.  She would get out her lipstick and make his nose bright red and had a fuzzy antler headband she would have him wear. 

          Fresh tears fell down all their faces at the clarity and power of the memories.  It drove home that most of them never knew their mothers, or, like Drew, had them ripped out of their lives too soon.

          Each couple had been holding hands, and they all squeezed each other tight expressing their strong emotions and support for each other.  Their other hands reached out to whoever was sitting next to them and grabbed ahold; all eleven of them were linked hand in hand and the current Brad created between all of them went down inside them, strengthening their bonds and holding each-other tight in their Hearts.

          Henry pulled out his gift to Drew – the wedding rings Albrecht had helped Henry to make.  He put them on a chain for Drew to wear and use as a shield when he got sad. 

          Bill took all the memories Brad fed to him and imprinted them on the rings.  He attuned them to Drew’s Mind so when he held them, if he concentrated he could immerse himself in them.   Henry loved Drew so much and knew how much he missed his mom – she was gone forever in life, but she could live on in Drew’s memories, and he could carry her with him for the rest of his life.   

          The doctor and Albrecht were aware of what they were doing and were proud and deeply touched at the thoughtfulness and tenderness with which they took care of Henry and Drew both.  Throughout the evening they were as impressed as ever at what not only Lane was doing but the rest of the Team.  They gave their silent thanks to God for having all these men in their lives.

          The musical journey continued through the evening.  Lane made it fun and exhilarating at the same time.  He took them to the place he went inside his Soul with Bryan with each and every song.

          Rick noticed that a few of the young soldiers weren’t singing and seemed embarrassed.  His Avatar glowed softly under his Tux and he unwound any knots of embarrassment or self-consciousness in them.  They needed a break from the tension of their families, and he wanted them to have fun.  After the experience they went through as hostages, this was a gift they would carry for their entire lives, and he wanted it to be the best for them it could possibly be.

          Loy realized what he did and he squeezed Rick’s hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it.

          Fortunately for all of them, Sally was a master at details – when she ordered the Tuxedos, she included handkerchiefs, which everyone put to good use.  By the end of the evening their eyes were red from the tears that had flowed almost non-stop through the experience, and their handkerchiefs were soaked.  The tears were of joy for a change, and none of the men were embarrassed anymore about crying in front of one another.

          The young soldiers cried unabashedly too – if the Navy SEAL studs who rescued them could cry, then they could too.

          Finally Lane brought it to a close with a version of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ in honor of Bryan.  It was also a jab back at Luke for his comment, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Gabriel.

          Just before the song started, Lane sent another thought to the sub-Link of just the eleven of them.  Guys let’s make a little more magic tonight.  Come in tight, and let’s Light up the World for just a second.  Let’s drive back the ‘fucked-upness’ at least for the length of the song and let everyone catch a glimpse of the way things are supposed to be.

          He felt their support and Brad delved them all into one another:  Ten, Five, One, plus Henry.  Brad pulled them all deep inside one another, and Lane fired them up.  Bryan pulled from the Tree, Loy from the Animal Spirits, and Brad from the Veil.  Everyone’s Avatar glowed so bright they shone through the heavy material of the Tuxedos.  Their eyes flashed white as the song started, and Brad used all the stored up Power and cast his Mind over the Planet.

          He let their Auras shine over the World; even in the countries that didn’t celebrate Christmas they felt the meaning of unconditional love that all humans should share towards one another and everyone longed to feel.

          The world went quiet for a few minutes where everyone was awake, and those who were asleep felt the peaceful warm Light flow into their dreams.  The event made the news, and Facebook was lit up with posts about the strange but beautiful occurrence that seemed to be a worldwide event.

          The Master felt the burn against his shields as did his servants.  He saw their Light in the Spiritual Realm, like a star in the city.  He had to shift his Sight back as he approached the building.  The Servants with him shrouded themselves in Darkness as did he… he left Tony open to the Light and heard him moan.  He did it out of cruelty, knowing it would make the pain inside him even greater.

          The Keenans, Sally, Kelly and her unborn child, Drew, Craig and the other five soldiers, the Arch-Angels and the Nephilim all felt the breathtaking Light move into and through them.  They were at the source of the Light and Brad was careful not to burn them out.  To the Angels it felt like Home, and they felt peaceful contentment wash over them enjoying the night with their grandchildren.  It was a respite from the Battle they seldom received.

          As the song came to a close the men dimmed their Light.  The Power was still in them, but they masked most of it. It was strong enough that the humans around them still felt it.

          It was difficult to tell who was smiling more the entire night, Lane, Bryan or Gabriel.  Michael, Uriel, and Raphael, along with Istariel, Alariel, and the other two Nephilim were touched in a way they never imagined.  Lane’s Avatar was unique and he took them along with everyone on the journey of his Soul.  It was obvious they were all deeply touched.

          Lane’s mischievous grin returned and he said, “That’s all, folks!  Other than meeting Bryan and you yahoos this has been one of the best nights of my life!  I’m so grateful all of you were here to be a part of it.  This is the best present EVER, so you guys can’t be jealous that my stud boyfriend outdid all of you sissies.”

          Everyone laughed and Ken was the first one up to hug him.  He literally lifted Lane off the ground and squeezed him so tight he could hardly breathe.

          I’m so fucking proud of you Lane.  I’m in awe of you man.  To think that you once thought you were only a battery for the rest of us.  None of us could begin to touch what you did tonight, or what you did to Luke… just damn.  I love you Brother; never forget it.

          Ken kissed Lane on his cheek and let him down.  Lane made a big show of breathing after Ken squeezed him so hard, and there was laughter all around.

          Each one of his Brothers hugged him in the same way and expressed their love and thankfulness for his presence in their lives. 

          Ken:  Everythin I said to Lane applies to you too, Bry.  You rocked tonight.  Lane’s a lucky man. You both are.

          Lane’s eyes twinkled as he said:  Bry just wanted an excuse to play with some big wood.

          Bryan was about to retort when Kevin snickered and thought:  Are we talking Bry or Henry? 

          Henry blushed ten shades of red and they all busted out laughing.

          Lane:  Henry, not only do you have the biggest dick, but you have an amazing singing voice; it’s not fair!  Why haven’t you busted out some tunes with me before?  That’s gonna change from now on.

          As the evening drew to a close, Ken and Brad got a chance to talk with Michael and Raphael.  Bryan wouldn’t let Lane leave his side and made a point to corner Uriel.  They dropped out of the Link for a short minute while they talked privately and the conversation ended with Bryan giving Uriel the same hug Ken gave to Lane.  He literally lifted his Grandfather off the ground.

          Loy approached Alariel, who seemed extremely pleased with his decision to reveal his connection to Loy.  Loy didn’t understand why he waited so long.   The evening gathering wasn’t a place to have an extended personal conversation, so Loy got a commitment that they would get together soon and get to know one another better.  They were already friends from the time Alariel was trapped in one of Orophir’s Amulets, but now that Loy knew they were related he wanted to get to know him even better.

          Once the music was over and things got quiet, Drew was out like a light.   His head was on Henry’s shoulder and his arms hung loosely around his dad’s neck.  Henry had one arm under his bottom holding him up and his other arm around him holding him close.

          The ArchAngels said their farewells and transformed into balls of Light and vanished.  The Nephilim crossed through the Veil back to the Spiritual Realm where they lived.  Lane had made a point to thank every one of the Angels in the Orchestra before they vanished.

          It struck Brad the second after the Angels and the Nephilim disappeared that he had forgotten to ask Istariel about his father.  He kicked himself and decided to set a mental trigger to ask Istariel the next time he saw his friend.  They needed to find out who that Voice was that spoke to Drew in Thomin’s Vault.

          Before he could set the trigger, Brad was distracted when Kelly felt a contraction and nearly stumbled.   He was closest to her and caught her hand to steady her.

          The thought of the Voice vanished from his Mind.   The same thing seemed to happen every time he actively thought about remembering to ask Istariel about his father, but he never remembered the previous times.

<><><> 

          The doctor went to the main office of the building and opened the door.  The ushers that had let them in for the night were there; he had placed their Mind’s in neutral so they wouldn’t see or hear anything from the evening.  Of course they felt the message that his young charges sent to the world, and their faces wore peaceful smiles.

          He woke them up and thanked them for their help and let them know the building was vacant and ready to be locked up.  He wished them a Merry Christmas and gave them the sign of a blessing and told them to go be with their families.

<><><> 

          They were walking together and laughing, all of the couples either arm in arm or holding hands.  The magic of the evening was still lingering, and they didn’t want it to end.

          Morning beckoned the opening of presents, and all of them couldn’t wait to make it the best Christmas ever for Drew.

          Lane’s eyes flashed white and the feeling he got in his stomach was mirrored by Brad and the other Mentalists; something terribly wrong was about to happen.

          All the Team was instantly alert, and their shields flared.  Instinctively, the couples surrounded their human friends.

          As they rounded the corner in the upper level of the below ground parking deck where the Limos were parked, The Master’s Black Aura hit them.  He was there, surrounded by a dozen of his Lieutenants, a mix of Protector’s and ‘suits.’  At The Master’s feet was a naked man on his knees with one of The Master’s hands around his throat.

          Brad couldn’t help himself and he shouted, “Tony!”

          Through the pain and fog in his tortured Mind Tony heard Brad cry out his name.  Tony couldn’t see him, because he no longer had eyes.  His eye sockets were blackened and burned and dried blood still marked his face and covered parts of his body.  His arms and legs were broken, and he had open cuts in his flesh where Dark Runes had been carved into his body to continue the pain he was in.

          Pat saw that The Master and all of the Enemy Agents with him, as well as Tony, had Amulets around their necks.  His Avatar flared and he recognized them as the same ones Orophir had trapped Istariel and their cousins in.  The matrices of Runes in the Amulets were powerful enough to block their Avatars from sensing them until they were physically present.

          The Master’s voice was deep and his lips pulled back in a smile showing his crooked sharp teeth, “Yesssss… I see the look of pain in your eyes.”  They couldn’t see The Master’s eyes – his face was clouded in Blackness and there were two darker spots where his eyes should be, but they felt his gaze.

          Ken put a hand on Brad’s shoulder.  Anger burned through all of them and Compassion for the plight of Brad’s friend.  Tony’s body swayed and would have fallen over if The Master wasn’t holding him up by his throat.

          Tony’s voice was gone, his vocal chords were almost destroyed from the hours and days of screaming and begging.  There wasn’t much of his Mind left – The Master had tortured his Mind and Soul even more than his body.

          Brad’s eyes were filled with hot tears and he asked quietly, “Why?”

          “To see the pain in your eyes and hear it in your voice Brad Wilson and all of you.  A present to myself.”

          Drew woke up at Brad’s scream and as his head whipped around he made eye contact with The Master.  Behind the cloud of Darkness, The Master’s eyes squinted in recognition; he didn’t know who Drew was, but before him was the boy from his Visions and Dreams, the one the Stone orbited around.

          Ken saw the change in The Master’s body language, and he realized that he just noticed Drew.  Ken sent a thought to Darren:  Dar get everyone but us out of here now.

          The Master threw his head back and flexed his body; the suit he was wearing shredded, revealing his hairy grotesquely muscled body underneath.  He howled into the night, gathering his Power and calling on his Dark Servants.

          Sally, Kelly, the Keenans, Craig, and the five soldiers, the doctor and Albrecht disappeared.  Henry and Drew were still there, and Darren looked surprised.

          “Not that one!”  The Master pointed to Drew.  Somehow he prevented Darren from sending Henry and Drew to safety.  They still didn’t know exactly what The Master was capable of – they just knew that he was immensely powerful.  They had only confronted him once briefly in the basement of the house when they rescued Sally, Henry, Liz, Drew, and the Keenans.

          Henry whispered into Drew’s ear, “Don’t look at him honey.  I’ve got you and he’s not going to lay a finger on you.”

          Henry dug deep and strengthened his own shield around himself and his son.

          All the while Tony hung limply in The Masters grip; if he had eyes tears would have been streaming down his face.

          He kept trying to say Brad’s name, begging for help.  His hands were feebly reaching towards Brad, flailing in his blindness, but his arms couldn’t straighten because of the broken bones.  

          The night sky that earlier had been dark and filled with stars was now overcast and lightning filled the clouds.  The clash of Powers, Brightest White and Darkest Black pushed against one another, mirroring the confrontation that was building.

          Ken stepped forward and said, “What do you really want?”

          “Your suffering.”

          “You’re making a big mistake.  Guys…”

          The Master’s hand tightened around Tony’s throat and lifted him up.  Tony’s once powerful and beautiful body, now mangled and broken, hung twitching in The Master’s grip.

          “If you raise any Power directly against me or my Servants I will snap his neck.”

          “At least he would be free.”

          “His body yes… but I will consume his Soul before Uriel can come collect it.  And with the strength it gives me, I will destroy you here and now.”

          Ken:  B, pull us in deep.

          Brad pulled them all down so time stood still.  He left Drew out of the merge as before, but they all had their shields wrapped around Henry and Drew, so Drew was doubly protected.

          Brad was in terrible pain watching Tony, knowing what he must have endured… all because of his friendship. 

          Ken:  It’s not your fault Brad, you know that. 

          Brad:  If we had helped him sooner, this wouldn’t be happening.

          Lane:  That might be true Brad, but if it wasn’t Tony, it would be someone else.  We’ve been busy and pressed these last few months… there isn’t enough time for us to be everywhere. 

          Loy:  It doesn’t make it any easier.  I’m so sorry, Brad.

          Ken:  It’s why we have to keep the bigger picture in Mind.  You know what I mean guys – this is killin me as much as it is you.  The Master will keep doin shit like this to us until he’s finally gone and defeated.  As painful and tragic as this is, we can’t let him get to us.  I’m not sayin don’t feel it – if we didn’t he’d win.  We prevent what we can and when we can’t – we have to take the hit and let it make us stronger.

          Kevin:  What are we going to do Ken?  What’s the call?

          Ken:  He’s prepared and we aren’t.  He has the advantage at the moment.  But he’s made the mistake of pissin us off.  We’re gonna get Drew out of here and try to save Tony.  

          Brad:  We don’t know what he’s capable of.  This is risky.

          Ken:  We don’t have many options B.  Drew’s here.  We know He’s tryin to figure out who Drew is and why he’s important.  The same trick may work that we did with Charisa.  If Bry can reach Tony through the Tree, we can shield his Soul from the inside.  We need to kill Tony ourselves, mercifully, and hold on until Uriel can get him.  I don’t see any chance of us getting him physically out of this.

          Brad’s Mental voice was filled with anguish:  I don’t either.

          Ken grabbed ahold of his lover and wrapped him up as tight as he could.  He was the rock Brad needed in the moment, and sent a private thought to his lover:  You know how much I love you B.  I know what seein Tony like this is doin to you – your pain is mine.  Think about Tony – even if we get him out alive and heal him up, he’ll have scars from this deep down.  If we reset him or take those memories away, he still won’t be Tony completely ever again.  The best option for him is to let Uriel take him and put an end to his sufferin.

          Brad knew Ken was right and he pushed his anguish and grief aside but let his anger remain; he would cry later in Ken’s arms.  He steeled himself to do what needed to be done.  Brad’s temper was on fire – the injustice of Tony’s life being so utterly destroyed because Brad used to work out at his gym and was a part of his life.  Tony was a great young man and touched a lot of lives through his business – hot tears fell at what was happening to his friend.

          Bryan’s anger flared through the Link; the one thing above all others that pissed him off was someone hurting a friend or a loved one.  He didn’t know Tony, but he was crushed by what he was seeing; that coupled with the pain Brad felt enraged him.

          Bryan’s deep gravelly voice was calm:  I’m ready Ken.

          Ken:  OK guys.  Dar as soon as we hit him, I’m bettin however he’s blockin you will drop.  We have to push him hard enough that he can’t stop us and you at the same time.  As soon as you can, get Henry and Drew back to the Lab.  Everyone else, dig deep.  We know how our Avatars work – we’ll be equal to the task, but we have to dig deep if we’re gonna push past that and save Tony’s Soul.

          Do it Bry.

          It was easy this time; Tony was right in front of him.  Bryan’s green eyes were bloodshot from all the tears and his handsome face was a stone mask – on top of the pain of seeing Tony and knowing what was done to him, Bryan was upset that the perfect evening he had crafted for Lane was ruined. 

His Avatar flared emerald green and ethereal foliage blossomed and surrounded Tony’s Soul, wrapping it in a protective barrier.  The Master felt it and snapped Tony’s neck effortlessly.  Tony’s body dropped onto the cold pavement broken and lifeless; his eyeless sockets seemed to look directly at Brad as the last breath left his body.

          Hit him guys!

          White Fire erupted from all of them. Brad channeled it into a spear of Power and thrust it against the Black Shields of The Master and his Servants – all the fire of his temper was in that blast.  Lightning cracked in the sky, and the force of the thunder blast was so strong all the windows in the front of the Symphony Hall shattered.

          The Master threw his head back and howled his response.  He was prepared this time.  His servants were full of Power and they fed it to Him.  His hand reached down and plunged into Tony’s body; blood spurted everywhere.  Inside
Tony’s chest cavity, in the center of his Heart Energy Center, The Master’s hairy ruddy hand grabbed at Tony’s Soul. 

          They channeled more Power into Bryan as he fought with everything he had to keep Tony’s Soul safe for another few seconds.

          Darren kept trying to teleport Henry and Drew back to the Lab, but he couldn’t move them.  Even with all his new strength, somehow The Master was still blocking him.  He realized it had to be Orophir’s Amulets.  There was no other explanation; The Master by himself couldn’t possibly be strong enough to face all of them and continue to block him.

           Their faces were red with the strain, and veins showed at their temples and necks.   The Tuxes were hot, and with the effort they were exerting their faces were red and pouring sweat.

          Ken knelt down and launched himself, making his own Body a Weapon.  He was a bright Warrior of The Order, their Captain, and he struck the Black Shield covering the Enemy.

          The Black Dome shattered and all of the Enemy Agents were blown off their feet.  The Master ignored them, focusing his efforts on Tony.  With the Power of Tony’s Soul, he would have more than enough strength to kill everyone.

          Darren still couldn’t move Henry.  His handsome face was a mask of anger and he thought through the Link:  It’s not The Master that’s blocking me it’s those damned Amulets of Orophir’s.  Everyone focus on The Master.  I’ll deal with the goons.

          Darren had an edge to him now – this was his first major encounter with the Enemy since his torture.  Like Ken had shown him, he took all the pain and rage inside him and let it fuel him.  While the Enemy Agents were stunned, he used the part of his Avatar that came from Bill. 

          Darren’s form was a blur as he teleported almost faster than anyone could keep track of and he touched each one of them Reading them completely.

          They were all willing Servants.  He saw their lives and what they did; how many people they had killed and tortured, the lives they ruined for the sheer pleasure of doing so.  They were abhorrent.  He saw every second of Tony’s torture and felt what was done to him.  Tony’s agony filled the well inside him, adding to his own pain as tears fell and his throat tightened.

          He sent a thought out to them:  If any of you were coerced, you would have been spared.  Sucks to be you.

          They were stunned and their shields were down; the impact of Ken’s blow hit their Minds and they were disoriented for the fraction of a second that Darren needed.

          He went deep inside himself where he and Pat were One, and the two of them were One with all their Brothers.  A fleeting regret passed through him that he had changed enough to be capable of doing such things, but Ken reminded him they were at War.  However now he didn’t see himself as a monster – he became what he needed to be.  He was a soldier and a Warrior of The Order and he embraced his abilities.

          His Avatar flared and invisible ribbons of Telekinetic energy, honed down to the width of a few molecules, sliced through their bodies.  He crisscrossed the patterns and their bodies fell apart.  The slices were so thin and sharp there was no immediate blood; their bodies paused for a slight second and then the pieces began to slip and they simply came apart.

<><><> 

          The entire fight Drew had his face crushed against Henry’s neck.  He felt his dad’s powerful Mind and Body protecting him, but he was still afraid.  The bad man… The Master… his brother… was a few feet from him and the memories of his death by his brother’s hand were strong and fresh in his young Mind.

          He wasn’t merged with his Uncles or his dad, but he was Linked to hear their thoughts.  Drew was crying – he caught a glimpse of the man named Tony and what his brother had done to him.  He felt the pain that Tony’s torture caused his Uncles, especially Brad, and their steadfast bravery and determination to not let anything happened to him or his dad.

          Drew’s young Mind was spinning, trying to think of something he could do to help.  He wouldn’t let any of his Uncles or his dad get hurt.  He knew they were protecting him, but he felt the same way towards them.  They didn’t realize he learned from their example of how they treated him.

<><><> 

          The Master glanced around and smiled.  He seemed unfazed by what Darren did to his servants.  In fact his evil and twisted Heart knew he could take advantage of what occurred.  He hadn’t planned on their deaths, but he would use them – they pledged their Souls to him years before, and the magic of that Binding made them His.

          Under the cloud of Darkness that covered his face, his eyes turned even blacker and dark tendrils of energy started leeching out of him, quickly moving over to the piles of flesh that were once his Servants.  Their black Souls were just emerging from the remains of their bodies, and he was going to feast on them.

          His hatred and anger towards the Warriors of The Order was so extreme he was blind to anything other than their destruction.  In his Mind he heard the sound of fluttering wings as Uriel was on his way to take them.

          He would NOT lose the human’s Soul!  The Souls of his own servants would give him more than enough Power to do everything he wanted, but he wanted Tony’s Soul specifically because it would cause his enemies more pain.

          Just before the black tendrils of his Aura reached them the floating orbs over their body’s shields appeared around them.  He tried to breach them, but they were strong – he exerted more and more force against them, but they held.  Whoever was protecting them was strong.

          He screamed, “HOW?” as he spun around.  His black eyes flew wide as he saw an impossible image in front of him.

          His brother was standing before him with The Stone in his fist; his arm raised defiantly above his head.  The Stone glowed with Power and his brother was the source.

          Drew was looking at The Master and his eyes were white.  His other self, his first self, was there again.  He was more than an illusion; it was like he was an external Construct similar to what his Uncles did.  In Drew’s desperation to stop what was going on, his unconscious Mind summoned the Stone out of Thomin’s Vault; with it he was strong enough to help.

          Amidst the terror he still felt towards his brother, Drew found the seeds of bravery that his mom, Henry, his Uncles, and Doctor Aaron and Mister Albrecht planted in him every day. 

          “YOU?  HOW CAN YOU BE HERE? IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!”

          The Master’s voice rang out and echoed throughout the parking deck.

          He didn’t comprehend how his brother was there but he felt him; it wasn’t an illusion or a trick.  He was present.  The face he hadn’t seen in eighty thousand years was there in front of him.  The well deep inside his Mind cracked open and he heard the screams of his brother echoing up from the depths – the thoughts and emotions of that fateful day were clear and present in his Mind, and they burned.

          He glanced at Drew and their eyes met again.  Even though Drew’s eyes were white he recognized them… and he should have before.  He had been blind!  It was before him the entire time!  He had no idea how, but his brother was here!

          The echoes were getting louder and he growled with the effort of shutting them away.  He needed time to think!  To discover how and what it meant.  Dr. Thomas had boasted that they knew how to defeat him – it had to have something to do with his brother’s presence!

          The Masters lips pulled back and he growled.  He pulled all his Power back into himself and thrust his hand out towards Henry and Drew.  It wasn’t clear which one he was going after, but his attack happened fast, and it was powerful.  The reaction to seeing something he thought impossible fueled The Master’s strength, and his attack broke through their shields.

          Henry saw it coming and he all but dropped Drew to the ground.  He crossed his forearms in front of him and braced himself.  The attack hit Henry full on.

          All of them saw it coming, but it was too fast, even with their perception of Time slowed down it hit Henry before they could do anything.  Panic filled the Link; fear that they were about to see him die.  Fresh adrenaline pumped into everyone as their hearts lurched in their chests at what they thought was about to happen.

          Impossibly, Henry’s shields held; they had to for Drew.  The Master’s Black Power hit the Wall Henry became to protect his Son.  The impact was like nothing he had ever felt, but he focused on the one image that gave him the strength to stand against the attack – the image of his son. 

          His Mind was burning, and he swayed, about to pass out from the effort of facing such a powerful attack.  He was doubtful he would survive another blow, but he braced himself and gathered his Will again, ready to face it and willing to do whatever was needed to protect his son.  If he gave his Brothers enough time, they would get back in the game.

          The Master went berserk.  How his former servant became so powerful was beyond his understanding.  Henry should have been annihilated from the force of his attack.  He thrust out his hand, and another bolt was sent Henry’s way.  Henry’s face was set and he crossed his forearms again ready to die to protect his son.

          The Team felt the impact in their Minds and Bodies when their Shields broke, but this is what they trained for.  Henry gave them the time they needed to recover, and Brad sent his own ribbons of White Light that intercepted and deflected The Master’s attack before it hit Henry.

          In the midst of the fight Uriel appeared.  He arrived in his True Form, wings spread wide, collecting the Souls of the Enemy Agents and Tony.  He saw the anguish on the faces of Bryan and his Brothers, and he saw what was transpiring.  He couldn’t interfere, but they heard his voice in their Minds:  Tony is at peace now.  You did well.  Do not mourn him, and lessen what happened tonight between all of you.  The night was glorious.  Keep that in your Hearts, and you have already won tonight’s battle.

          He left as quickly as he arrived, conveying the human Souls to the next phase of their existence.

          The Master howled again in rage and frustration.  He faced off against the New Warriors of The Order and thrust his full Power against them.  Blackness blasted out of him as he tried to engulf them.

          They were relentless in their defense and equal to the task; they matched him.  As they dug deeper inside themselves The Master did too.  The Power was escalating and getting out of hand; Brad had to divert energy to a Shield around the area so any nearby humans wouldn’t be driven insane or burn out from the energies they produced.

          It seemed a stalemate as they battled; White Light against Ebon Blackness.

          Drew saw his Uncles and his father straining and fighting.  He had every confidence in them.  Henry was leaning over, his arms on the ground with his chest heaving in the effort he threw behind his Brothers, but the Wall inside him was solid and Drew felt it.

          “I love you, Daddy.”

          Drew threw his arms around his father and he kissed his cheek.  Drew smelled his sweat and aftershave, and the feeling of safety and warmth filled him.

          He moved over to where his first self was standing.  He reached up and added his own hand on the Stone.  The first and last versions of himself joined and like a fuse it caused a connection through Drew; all the incarnations of his Soul that were inside him woke up.  They added their strength to his and a bolt of Power shot out and hit The Master, knocking him back on his ass and stunning him.  The fight paused as he slowly stood back up.  He yanked off the remnants of his tattered suit, throwing it aside and revealing his heaving sweaty body.  The sound of his raspy breathing filled the night.

          They still couldn’t see his eyes and it was hard to gauge his reaction.  He didn’t look afraid, rather he seemed… watchful.  His posture was confident, and he leaned forward putting one of his fists on the ground.  He almost looked apelike the way he bowed his body and rested his fist on his knuckles.

          His voice was as deep and powerful as ever as he said, “This changes nothing!  I will destroy all of you!” 

          His face turned to Drew and he shouted, “I will kill you again – as many times as I must until you stay dead!

          “As for the rest of you, I have more surprises.  Your friend is dead and out of your lives; enjoy the pain of his absence.  You will feel that absence again soon.  It would have given me greater pleasure to devour his Soul and destroy you today, but I am patient.  You are still nothing to me, and I will destroy you.”

          Ken stepped up and his Avatar was bright on his shoulder, shining even through the heavy material of the Tuxedo, “Big words from a guy who just got his ass kicked by a five-year-old.  I told you once we’re ready for you.   We’ll be comin for you soon enough.   We kicked your boss’s ass, and we’ll kick yours.”

          Ken glanced at the piles of flesh that remained of The Master’s Servants.

          “You better lay off these little sneak attacks, or you won’t have any followers left.”

          They felt The Master’s cold anger and hatred as he turned and fled.  He moved fast, leaving the Escalades and the bodies of his followers, and was out of sight in seconds.

          Everyone spun around when they heard a now familiar voice exclaim, “Drew Ross!”

          Thomin appeared, and he looked angry.

          Drew’s first self was gone and he stood by himself with the Stone in his hand.  He meekly held it out to Thomin and sounded contrite as he said, “I’m sorry Mister Thomin.  I didn’t mean to.  It sort of happened.  You can have it back.”

          Thomin’s visage softened as he took the proffered Stone, and he said, “I see.  This will happen again.”

          He paused momentarily, thoughtful, and continued, “I do not Mind if you borrow it from time to time, as long as I always get it back.”

          Drew nodded and Thomin vanished.

          Brad leaned down and picked up Tony’s naked lifeless body.  He was crying so hard he couldn’t talk, so he sent his thoughts to his Brothers:  Guys can you help me fix his body?  I want to take him to his brother, but he can’t look like this.

          Tony’s body was still warm, and Pat Understood it would take more effort, but they would do what he asked.  They would do it no matter what for Brad – the ache inside him was clear.  They shared it holding him tight in their Hearts.

          Brad cradled Tony’s body in his strong arms and pulled him close kissing the top of his head.  His voice was quiet and intense and filled with hurt as he whispered, “I’m so sorry, Tony.  You didn’t deserve this just because you knew me.  You’re at peace now, and I’m glad, but I’m going to miss you.  I was going to get you your gym back and fix your arm – I was going to make things right for you, buddy.”

          That was as far as he got before he broke down and fell to his knees, sobbing so hard he couldn’t continue. 

          Ken was at his side, with his strong arm over Brad’s shoulder, supporting him.  His own face was wet with tears as he felt everything his lover did – in fact he felt it twice as much; he felt Brad’s pain over Tony, and his own pain from seeing Brad so distraught.

          With tears streaming down his own face, Ken looked at Lane and nodded.

          Lane opened up their energy centers and the hot wind started; their short hair blew and the warm air felt nice in the cool air of the night.  Lane pulled from Drew as well, knowing he wanted to make his Uncle Brad feel better.

          Drew stepped forward and took one of Tony’s broken hands in his own.  He looked up and quietly said, “Mr. Birdman, please make him better.”

          Lane sent the Healing flows into Tony’s body; even though Tony was already gone, Lane was gentle so there would be no muscle convulsions that might scare Drew or upset Brad.  As his limbs regenerated, Darren used his strength to set the bones and straighten his limbs so they healed cleanly.  Lane restored Tony’s body as Brad remembered him, tanned and ripped.  He looked like his old self, the way Brad knew his family would want to remember him.  Tony’s eyes were last; the burns and scar tissue faded and his eyes regenerated.  As the Light faded, Brad looked down into his friend’s eyes – he wanted to see the glimmer of their friendship just like he remembered, but they were cold and lifeless.

          When Ken gently reached over and closed Tony’s eyelids, Brad squeezed his own eyes shut, and he hugged Tony tight one last time.

          Drew moved over and put his arms around one of Brad’s legs, hugging him and trying in his way to bring comfort.

          They were all stunned when a voice in their Minds said:  He is at Peace.  Be at Peace.  The Voice was Deep and Powerful, but they felt no presence, and it said no more.

          Henry let out a, “Fuck me.” and he brushed his sweaty short hair off his forehead, his eyes wide.

          Drew smiled, and didn’t call his dad out on the F-bomb.

<><><> 

          The limo drivers were nowhere to be found.  Everyone hoped the drivers fled when The Master showed up; it was likely since there were no bodies.

          Bryan took care of the physical remains of the Enemy Agents.  His Avatar flared emerald green and their flesh and clothing decomposed into dust in a matter of seconds.  A wind picked up and blew the dust away until the pavement was clean and there was no longer any trace of them.

          Bryan still held a lot of anger in him; it was apparent through the Link.  While he wasn’t a vengeful man, he felt the Enemy Agents got off too easy – until Lane reminded him where Uriel was taking their Souls.

          With a final glance around to make sure nothing was left undone, Darren synchronized their Avatars and took them back to the Lab, where everyone was anxiously awaiting their return.

          Since everyone back in the Lab was involved, Ken debriefed them in the common area off the kitchen; the Conference Room wasn’t big enough to hold so many people.  Brad took Tony’s body into one of the spare exam rooms and put him on a bed and covered him; Bryan came in and took Brad’s hand in his own and pulled him into a comforting hug.

          I’m here bud.  We all are. 

          Bry…

          You don’t need to say anythin.  I get it – I really do.

          The solace Bryan offered started fresh tears, and he held Brad tight for a few minutes and let him cry.  Just let it out man.  They can’t touch him anymore.

          Brad rested in his Brother, in Bryan’s solid strength, so similar and yet so different from Ken’s.  Brad, as always, was amazed at the simple complexity of his Brother – there was so much going on beneath the surface with Bryan that only showed once you knew him well.

          Bryan’s Avatar flared and a soft nimbus surrounded Tony’s body.  He slowed the rate of decomposition down so they could leave his body safely and transport Tony to his brother Tad in a few days.  It certainly wasn’t something any of them wanted to do on Christmas Day.

          Thanks Bry. 

          Bryan grinned and thought: You’re welcome, fucker.

          With their eyes still wet, they both laughed as Brad pulled back and they left Tony to rest.

<><><> 

          Henry took Drew and got them both showered and into bed.  He held Drew tight against him, overly protective after everything that just happened.  Drew was out quickly, but Henry’s mind still raced from the events of the night.

          His restlessness was apparent through the Link.  He rested in his Brothers, through the connection that Brad kept up, and heard their voices in his Mind as they talked among themselves.

          He smiled to himself at a sudden thought:  he was reminded of the close of nearly every episode of The Walton’s – the dark house at bedtime as the siblings said goodnight to one another.

          Multiple voices thought:  Goodnight Johnboy, and soft laughter went through the Link.  They were available to him even now, but he didn’t want to talk so much as just be with them as he finally started to drift off to sleep.

          The last thing he heard was Ken’s soothing deep voice telling him:  You did great tonight Henry.  Don’t put any more thought into it; tomorrow needs to be a great day for Drew and we’ll all make that happen.  Remember more good came out of tonight than bad, so let’s take this as a win.  I’m proud of you.

          Henry’s voice was quiet and slurred as he drifted into slumber surrounded by their peaceful supporting presence:  Thanks, Ken.

<><><> 

          Darren sent the soldiers back to Australia along with Kelly and Albrecht.  Sally had all the gifts they ordered for their families and sent the packages with them.  They planned a Skype call mid-morning the next day to wish each other a Merry Christmas.

          Loy and Rick were on duty in Atlanta and stayed the night and everyone else headed out.

          With the travel restrictions lifted Bill and Kevin drove to the Orphanage so they wouldn’t have to bother Darren.  Sending them was no problem, but after the confrontation with The Master everyone needed their rest and they didn’t want to have to wake Darren and the rest of them up to pull them back to the Lab in the middle of the night.

          Brad and Ken showered together as they often did.  Ken took extra care in washing his lover; he deliberately made it non-sexual.   He held onto Brad tight and let the hot water cascade over their muscled bodies.  Ken gently washed him, ridding him of the sweat from the fight, and toweled him dry.

          Brad’s eyes were still red as they climbed into bed.  Ken got close behind him, spooning him with his powerful arms, holding Brad back against him.  He wanted as much physical contact as he could manage and be comfortable.

          He whispered soothing words into Brad’s Mind and his ears as he held him and let him get everything out he needed to. He brought them fully together into the place where their Hearts were One.  They appeared naked to one another.

          They sat and talked and Ken managed to get Brad to laugh.  He let Brad tell him funny stories that happened in the gym with Tony.  Tony was a stud and extremely good looking, but he was a big goof when it came to women and he got flustered easily.  Brad was always getting an earful about how his dates went and his search for a girlfriend. 

          Tony was a fantastic personal trainer and effected many lives for the better by helping people improve their health and their bodies.  He enjoyed sharing his knowledge with people, and loved to see them grow and develop and reach or exceed their goals.

          Brad had felt a need inside of him to fix Tony’s life and set it back on track and he felt cheated.  Now there was just an empty sadness.

          You’ll see him again B.  It may take a while, but you’ll see him.  Until then you got me!

          Ken had that little kid grin on his face that melted Brad. 

          They came back up to themselves and Ken was still holding them together.  He started kissing the back of Brad’s shoulders and neck, and his hands started roaming over his furry chest and nipples.

          He rolled Brad over and they looked deeply into each-other’s eyes; they were One and the colors of their eyes were mixed.  Ken made love to Brad slowly and spent hours holding him, caressing him, and whispering in his ears so Brad would feel his hot breath.  He did everything he knew brought Brad comfort and made him feel loved.

<><><> 

          Bill and Kevin were exhausted after the encounter with The Master and were still feeling the emotional repercussions of Tony’s death.  They stayed Linked with Brad until he and Ken got home and dropped out of the Link. 

          They sent their love and a mental hug, knowing that Brad was in Ken’s care for the rest of the night.

          Kevin kept his hand on Bill’s muscled thigh as he drove or held his hand as driving allowed.  They talked as lovers and best friends about the night, reliving Lane’s night with Gabriel and how it touched all of them.

          They heard Ken’s last words to Henry as he drifted off to sleep about more good than bad coming out of the night and to take that as a win.  It sucked that taking a win now meant still losing a close friend – that was the world they lived in now as Warriors of The Order fighting The Enemy.

          Bill’s phone dinged and he handed it to Kevin to look at the message while he drove.

          Kevin grinned and said, “The truck’s about fifteen minutes out.  They’re right on time.  I don’t know about you, but I’m excited.”

          Of course he knew how excited Bill was – they were One at the moment and their Souls were completely together.

          Kevin loved to watch Bill as he drove.  Bill was the tallest of the guys at 6’4” and like all of them he was devastatingly handsome.  To Kevin he was the most handsome man in the world, both inside and out.  He moved his hand off Bill’s thigh and rested it on the back of the driver’s seat and started gently kneading the back of Bill’s thick neck and heavy traps.

          “Man that feel’s nice.  You better not do that too long or I’ll fall asleep here.”   He had a grin on his face, but Kevin knew he was telling the truth, so he reluctantly stopped.  He let his hand slide down Bill’s thick shoulder and biceps and then reached under his arm and gently tweaked a nipple.

          Bill’s eyes widened and he said, “Now that’s more like it.”

          Kevin was serious when he asked, “You want me to jack you off quick?”  He moved his hand down and cupped the growing bulge in Bill’s shorts.  Bill’s legs widened slightly giving him easier access.

          “I’d love that, but let’s save it.  I promise we’ll make time for a quickie before we get back to the Lab in the morning.”

          Kevin chuckled, his deep voice saying, “Alright.  I’m just eager for my white Christmas.”

          Bill laughed at his horrible pun and pulled Kevin’s hand up so he could kiss the back of it.

           Right at 0100 they pulled up to the Calvary’s Children’s Home in Duluth.  The delivery truck was waiting just outside the gates to the property.

          Bill thanked the driver again for agreeing to meet them so late, especially on Christmas Eve.  The driver’s name was Chuck, and he seemed like a really nice man – he kept foster kids himself with his wife and was familiar with situations in Homes like Calvary’s.  If he could help the kids have a good Christmas, he was more than willing to lose a few hours’ sleep.

          “Besides,” he chuckled, “I’m not gettin any tonight.  My house is full of in-laws, and my wife won’t let me touch her when her mom’s in the house.”

          Bill and Kevin both slapped him on the back and gave him commensurate looks of sympathy as they laughed with him.

          Chuck was helpful and efficient.  He moved the truck quietly up to the dining Hall where he helped stage the presents.  Bill had the layout of the rooms memorized and which kids were in which room and Chuck had packed everything in the best order from front to back inside the truck.

          Bill closed his eyes and with Kevin’s help he sent out a net over all the sleeping children – he deepened their slumber if they were already asleep, and if they were still up they nodded off and wouldn’t wake up until morning.

          Bill and Kevin had spent a lot of time with the kids over the last few months, especially Tommy and Brett.  He had Read each and every one of the children back on the horrible day that Liz died.  He used that knowledge, coupled with his perfect memory, to formulate a list of Christmas presents. 

          He had a huge dilemma that he approached the doctor and Albrecht about.  He knew not only what each child wanted most, but he knew what they needed the most, and often the two weren’t the same.

          The doctor showed his wisdom, compassion, and generosity when he suggested Bill he get enough presents for each child to fill both.  The doctor was well aware of the financial cost to do so, but he was more than willing to fund it.

          Bill and Kevin almost squeezed the life out of their surrogate father and mentor with their reaction.

          They went to work distributing the presents, leaving them prominently displayed in each room in the middle of the floor so the kids would be sure to see them right away as soon as they woke up.

          With over seventy children it took hours to arrange everything, but they were finally finished and with a last ‘Merry Christmas’ to Chuck they sent him back to his own family and bed to get at least a few hours of sleep.

          Kevin and Bill had at best two hours to kill before the younger kids would start waking up.  Bill had specifically grabbed the keys to one of the Suburbans because with his height the Explorers were too cramped for him to stretch out in even with the seats completely down.

          They climbed inside and locked the vehicle – no one could see through the tinted windows.  They put some soft blankets down on the rough carpet, stripped off their clothes, and Kevin got his ‘white Christmas’ out of Bill.

          The first orgasm didn’t take long for either man – their libidos were still charged from all the energy that coursed through their bodies in the fight with The Master.  After the first orgasm was out of the way, Kevin proceeded to make love to his partner for the next hour – Bill amped up their Auras and let their Unshielded Love wash out over the campus, so all the sleeping children would feel it.

          They gave the children the best gift of all – the feeling of Unconditional Love, acceptance, and peaceful contentment.  The children finally started feeling hope soon after Bill and Kevin freed them from the care of the horrible staff that ran the facility when they discovered the place.  Even the most deeply wounded of the children, both boys and girls, who had been forced to sell their bodies, began to feel there was something to live for.

          Bill and Kevin cooled their sweaty bodies and got dressed, and walked hand in hand to the Dining Hall.  The morning shift was starting to arrive, and Bill and Kevin helped them get breakfast started.  The staff was familiar with the ‘big brothers’ to Tommy and Brett and welcomed the help.

          Bryan was torn and had wanted to come with them, but they insisted he stay with Lane and enjoy the rest of the night.  They assured him they would give the children his love and a ‘Merry Christmas’ from him and Lane and all the guys.

          Making the day special for Drew was just as important, and their Brother’s taking care of each other after the rough evening – especially Brad.

          There was no judgement or guilt about the way the evening turned out – each person was where they needed to be most.  There were only ten of them, and they were spread thin nowadays with all that was going on in their lives. 

          Bill and Kevin were happy to handle the Orphanage by themselves.  All of the guys promised they would go for a visit over the next couple of days, but it just wasn’t possible on Christmas Day.  They each did the best they could, and that was enough – it had to be.

          The youngest kids started filing in first and the looks on their young faces were worth every second of their efforts and lack of sleep.

          The children loved it when Bill, Kevin, or any of the guys came to visit them.  Their young lives had turned around that fateful day they met Bill and Kevin for the first time.

          The two big men hugged and kissed all the kids, who were excited to show them their presents; they pretended to be completely astonished that Santa knew exactly what they wanted and needed.

          They especially couldn’t wait to see Brett running in with the newest version of Bumblebee from the latest Transformers movie.  It was much larger and more detailed than the original one he had.  Brett’s older brother Tommy, wise for his years, thanked them for the presents.  They didn’t lie to him, but Bill did open his Mind briefly so he could see the Aura of the two men shining with the warm golden Light of their Souls revealed.  Tommy’s eyes widened and Bill winked at him; he would let Tommy make of that what he would.  Bill wanted to prove to him there was magic in the world, whether it was Santa or not.

          There were a lot of tears, but for a change they were happy ones. 

          There were some sad faces when they finally said they had to leave for the day, but they left with the promise of coming back with everyone in the next few days.

<><><> 

          Ken woke up early.  His internal clock told him it was 0530.  He was ravenous, and before he could stop it his stomach rumbled so loudly it woke Brad up.

          Brad rolled over, still bleary eyed with his short golden hair standing on end, and rubbed Ken’s stomach with a sleepy grin.  He looked so damned cute with bedhead and his eyes squinted partly shut in sleep that Ken couldn’t help but grin back at him.

          “Sorry!  Between the fight and makin love to you my tank’s empty.”

          Brad’s hand roamed down under the sheets and cupped Ken’s heavy balls.

          “Not those tanks!”  They both laughed at his comment. 

          After a short silence Brad whispered, “Thanks Ken, for last night.”

          “You know you never have to thank me for lovin you, B.”

          “I know, but I want too.  I’m still sad but… I don’t know how you do it, but you love the hurt right out of me.”

          Hey B?

          Yeah?

          Can we do a quickie and then head to Waffle House?  I’m starvin!  Then we can head to the Lab and still be there before things get rollin for the day.

          Brad’s answer was to dive under the sheets as he asked:  Where’s that mistletoe?

<><><> 

          The quickie ended up being a half an hour and they jumped into the shower and made it to Waffle House by 0630.  It was Christmas morning and empty.  They knew it would be packed in a few hours, but for a short time they had the place to themselves.

          Ken was excited that Frank, his favorite cook was on duty, so he ordered double hash browns, scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, capped, and topped.  Brad was grateful that with Ken’s metabolism and iron clad stomach chili didn’t give him gas.

          Frank knew exactly how Ken liked his hash browns and they were perfect.  Honestly, Ken admitted, not as good as Bryan’s, but more than good enough on Christmas morning.

          It was nice for both of them to sit and talk together with a sense of normality.  They avoided talking about the ugliness of the previous evening and concentrated on what Lane had done, and they speculated on what the Christmas presents between the Team might be. 

          At 0700 Brad started hearing chatter in his Mind as most of the guys were waking up, so they ordered two large coffees to go and headed to the Lab.

<><><> 

          Henry’s normal trigger woke him up for PT.  He forgot to reset it so he could sleep in.  As he lay in bed relaxing, his Mind wandered back to the previous evening, and he wondered what kind of a mood Drew was going to be in when woke up.

          He gently repositioned himself on his side with an arm propping his head up and watched his son sleep.  Something happened with the Stone.  He didn’t know exactly what, and was worried.  Drew looked so peaceful with his face relaxed in sleep; it was hard to imagine all the hardships he had suffered.   

          He remembered when he first saw Drew without a shirt on how shocked he had been at the burn scars his biological father Doug had left on him, as well as other mementos of his abuse.  At some point Lane and the others removed all the physical scars – the doctor thought long and hard about that, but decided ultimately it was for the best.

          He wanted to make the day special for Drew, but he was afraid of some residual emotions from the encounter with The Master.  He knew the doctor would be all over it and tried not to worry, but that was his job as a dad now.

          Henry knew Drew was tired; normally any boy would be up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning excited to get things moving, but Drew was still sound asleep.  Henry let him doze for another hour as he watched over him.  Silent tears ran down Henry’s stubble-covered cheeks as his Mind ran over everything going on.  He knew it was best to get it out of his system so he could focus on making it a great day for his son.

He was a little self-conscious about jerking off beside Drew, but his son was a heavy sleeper.  Henry performed his Tantric ritual and he felt his powers strengthen and expand to their full potential.  The shaking of the bed didn’t faze Drew in the least.

          A short time later Henry heard enough noise out in the kitchen to know that at least someone else was awake, so he put his hand gently on Drew’s chest and shook him.

          He whispered, “Hey Drew, wake up Tiger.  It’s Christmas!”

          Drew sat up and rubbed his eyes.

          “Merry Christmas, Drew!”

          Henry had a huge smile on his face, and Drew threw his arms around his dad’s neck and gave him one of his signature wet sloppy kisses.  “Merry Christmas, Daddy!” 

          “Let’s get you to the bathroom and we’ll brush our teeth quick so we can get dressed.  I bet Uncle Bryan is gonna make us a huge breakfast, and then we can open presents!”

          “Yeah!”  Drew was super excited and scurried to the door.  He ran through the common area giving out hugs to Loy and Rick, Lane and Bryan, Albrecht, and Sally.  No one else was there yet.  He scampered off to the bathroom as Henry made his way through.

          He saw the look Sally gave him as her eyes raked over his body.  He was wearing his new bright red Calvin Klein underwear, and it fit him like a second skin, leaving little to the imagination.  He grinned at her and winked; her face flushed a deep red.

          Bryan watched the entire affair between them.  He chuckled and quietly said, “You fucker.  Quit teasing her,” but he fist bumped Henry on his way through the kitchen.

          Fifteen minutes later Henry and Drew were dressed and in the kitchen chatting with everyone.  Over the next half hour the rest of the guys arrived.

          The mood was extremely cheerful; it seemed that all of them did the same thing Ken and Brad did and worked the worst of any tension, anxiety, or sadness out of their systems.  Ken wore his Santa hat but left the mistletoe off his belt buckle.

          Bill was a bit bleary-eyed after the long night he and Kevin spent at the Orphanage.   Kevin wasn’t affected by the lack of sleep, and he was extra attentive to his lover, getting him his coffee and giving him lots of extra pecks on the cheek, hugs, and backrubs.

          Once everyone was there Bill and Kevin filled the Team in on how the night went at the Orphanage and the early morning surprises of the gifts.  The kids were beside themselves at the presents they received, and it was an intensely emotional but happy time.  After the change of management in the Orphanage, and the low funding due to bad publicity, none of the children had expected anything.

          Drew was in heaven, moving from lap to lap, and he was the center of attention.  Brad and Loy helped Bryan with the cooking.  Normally Bill would have been helping, but he was so relaxed with his head on Kevin’s shoulder he didn’t want to get up.  Kevin let him slip in and out of sleep, surrounded by the comforting noise and presence of everyone in the Lab, until the food was ready.

They put on a breakfast feast and served it up buffet style, so everyone could graze at their leisure and refill plates as often as necessary.

          By 1000 Drew was about to explode with excitement… all of them had what Lane called ‘second breakfast’ in reference to their Hobbit-like never ending eating habits.  Sally kept the coffee flowing.

          Finally when Drew couldn’t stand it any longer, Lane put two fingers into his mouth and let loose with a piercing whistle, announcing, “Time for presents!  Drewmeister!  You’re up, Tiger!”

          Sally had to clear work stations out from around the Christmas tree a week before because there were so many boxes.  Lane, Loy, and Ken got down and started handing Drew gifts telling him who they belonged to, and he ran around giving them out.  He was breathless with so many packages, but his smile never faltered.

          Finally the tree was empty and everyone had piles of boxes wherever they were sitting.  Henry was having a blast watching Drew run around having such a great time.

          Drew wanted everyone to open his presents to them first.

          “Daddy first, and then everyone else.”

          Henry put on a show of opening the box, knowing how important it was to his son.  At first it looked just like a folded up white t-shirt but when he unfolded it is he was struck dumb.  His eyes filled with tears; he couldn’t stop them.  He held up the shirt to look at it.  It had a picture of Henry and Drew together from the day they were on Stone Mountain, the day Liz died.  That was the morning Henry proposed to Liz, and it was the first day Drew had ever called Henry ‘Daddy.’  The day was warm and bright. Henry was lying down and Drew was sitting on his stomach, straddling his waist.  They were both smiling and looked happy together – Henry had just finished tickling him.  Large black letters under the picture read “World’s Greatest Dad!”

          Henry could hardly talk, but he managed to squeak out, “It’s perfect, Drew!  Come here, Tiger!”  Drew ran over and Henry had to make an effort not to squeeze him to death.  “I love you so much, Tiger.  This is the best present EVER.”

          Lane had gotten the picture off Loy’s iPhone, and Henry had never seen it before.  Henry stripped off his shirt and put it on – Lane helped Drew buy the t-shirts and took them to the screen printer.  He knew everyone’s size and he bought high quality 100% cotton shirts. It fit snug to Henry’s large physique and the picture and caption took up the entire front.

          Drew looked happy, and Henry ruffled his hair.  “You made your old man cry!”  Henry reached out and tickled Drew just a little until he squirmed out of reach.

          Lane said, “OK, all you ladies are next!”  As soon as Brad saw the picture on Henry’s shirt he knew what the rest were.  He sent a private thought to Lane:  Good job!

          Lane grinned back.  The day they took Drew shopping at the Mall of Georgia Lane had asked them all to meet him at the Carousel.  There was a photo booth there; the kind you sit in and draw the curtain and it snaps ten quick photos.  Lane had each one of the couples climb into the booth with Drew – it was a silly time, and they all made faces or tickled Drew when the pictures were taken.

          Each shirt had the caption “World’s Greatest Uncles” and a picture of Drew with them.  They were all perfect.  Everyone stripped off their shirts and put on their presents, and Drew got a long and warm hug from each one of them.  Tears were flowing.

          Sally was clearing wrapping paper and boxes as presents were opened, trying to keep things organized.  When she was clear, Ken said, “OK, Drew time for you to open yours, Tiger!”

          Drew was surrounded by boxes of all shapes and sizes and didn’t know where to start.  He got a full sized Fathead wall decal of Iron Man, a full set of Iron Man clothes (a new hoodie, shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirt, socks, and a ball cap), a supersized set of new Crayola Crayons and Crayola water based colored markers along with dozens of new coloring books, a giant set of Legos, Lincoln Logs, and a super Deluxe Hot Wheels carrying case full of new cars, along with a complete set of the new tracks to go with it.

          Henry raised his eyebrows, “I don’t know where in the world we’re going to put all this stuff Drew!  We need another room just for your toys!”

          The doctor chimed in, “Funny you should mention that my boy… nearly all the building materials have been delivered.  Starting in a few days you will all be renovating the building and you will have a much larger set of rooms to live in.  We will find a way to manage until them I’m sure.”

          All the gifts were thoughtful and from the heart.  Lane drew graphite portraits of all the couples, showing them together as he saw them in his Mind’s eye.  They were slightly stylized and beautifully done.  He had them framed and matted to hang in everyone’s house. 

          Bryan was in awe when Lane gave him a ring… it was a miniature version of Leroy.  True to the tale of the Midgard Serpent, Leroy was biting his own tail so his body formed the band. 

Lane had carved the image in wax first and Albrecht had cast it for him – similar to the wedding rings he had made for Henry and Liz, Albrecht had split the casting into three parts, each one a different color of gold.  Leroy’s body wrapped around three times, one of each type of gold, and it made a nice heavy ring for Bryan’s big hand.

The trip to visit Leroy and charge the stone with Dragon Fire was partly for Bryan’s ring.  Leroy’s eyes were Dragon Fire Agates and the ring itself was infused with Leroy’s Fire.  It was attuned to the Dragon, and once Bryan put it on if he concentrated he could feel Leroy’s presence.  He could even smell his musty hide.

          Bryan cried like a baby and held Lane in a hug so tight he could hardly breathe.  The ring was the best gift he had ever received.

          Olive was excellent at needlepoint and had made everyone classic ‘Home Sweet Home’ signs for their kitchens with a large Halo behind the words.

          Lane was keeping track of what everyone received and he noticed Ken and Brad hadn’t gotten each other anything and he asked, “OK guys what gives.  Where are your presents for each other?”

          Ken and Brad looked at each other – they had discussed this privately and had hidden their plans for marriage behind their ‘Christmas Secrets’ box in their Minds.

          Ken stood up and said, “Guys, Doc, Albrecht, Sally, Tag, Olive, me and B have somethin we wanna tell you.”

          Everyone got silent and looked at him expectantly.

          “I asked Brad to marry me.  Our presents to each other will be our rings, which I’m hopin to get some help with.”  He grinned and looked at Albrecht.

          “We’ve given this a lot of thought.  I know we’re springin this on all of you, but I had an idea I want all of you to think about.  I know this is sudden, and I’m not askin’ for any answer or commitment today.  I know the matter of marriage has come up with all of us at one point or another.  I want to tell the world that Brad is my world, but Georgia doesn’t allow for gay marriage.  Some states do… but really we don’t care.  We aren’t beholden to the government anymore.”

          He looked at the doctor and Albrecht and said, “We’d be honored if you two would perform the ceremony for us.”

          He scratched his head a little and said, “The next part was the most difficult, but hopefully you’ll see this as a good idea.  B actually pushed it and not me, so you know it’s good.”  He got that little kid grin on his face when he said that and everyone smiled, but no one said a word.

          “When we thought about having to pick a best man it was just too hard.  You’re all my best men and we couldn’t think of a way to do it without hurtin anyone’s feelings.  So B thought all of us should get married at the same time, and Henry can be best man for all of us.”

          They were all stunned and a few of them had tears in their eyes.  Henry did – the thought of being able to fill that role and what it proved he meant to them broke the damn of his tears again.  To lighten the mood he said, “Just once it’d be nice to get through a day with you pervs without crying.”  He blew his nose loudly for effect and everyone laughed.

          “Just think about it guys.  Like I said I know it’s sudden, and there’s no pressure.  It’s just an idea.”

          Everyone got up to give Ken and Brad a congratulatory hug and slap on the back, and to the man said they wanted to be a part of it.  With everything they had going on, the timing would never be right, so they were going to have to just do it.

          Albrecht said, “You all will be keeping me busy.  I should open a jewelry store!  I’ll have you know that I’ll want your participation in making the rings.  I anticipated something like this and saved enough Dragon Fire to cast five sets.  I’ll share my ideas with you later, and we can work on designs. Aaron and I would be honored to perform the ceremony for all of you.”

          It took a few minutes for everyone to settle down.  Bryan tossed out boxes of Kleenex which were passed around and put to good use.

          Lane, the official tracker of presents said, “OK there’s one more.  And sorry BK, but I think your about to be upstaged.”

          Originally Henry wanted to give Drew his present in private, but he changed his mind.  He wanted everyone in Drew’s life to be present.

          Henry said, “Drew, come here honey.”

          Drew could tell Henry was serious, and he moved over and stood in front of his dad.

          Henry took a deep breath to settle his emotions.  He wanted to make it through his speech and not break down.

          “I still remember that day in the basement of that house when you came into my life.  I’ll never forget that – when you gave me a hug and told me how sorry you were for what was done to me, it showed me what a great and compassionate young man you are.  You opened doors inside me that day that led to your Uncles freeing me completely.  That’s a memory I never want to forget.

          “I know you miss your mom honey.  I do too.   I never want you to forget her, but time has a way of softening or blurring memories.  When you’re older I don’t want you to have forgotten all the little things about your mom that you love – the way she brushed your hair out of your eyes, or the way she tucked you into bed at night, or any of those things that were special to you.

          “Your Uncles helped me make this for you Drew.”

          Drew’s eyes were big and wet.  He wasn’t crying yet but he was on the verge.  Henry pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Drew.

          He opened it and saw Henry’s and Liz’s wedding rings on a fine silver chain.

          “I want you to wear these Drew and when you hold them and think hard, those memories will come back to you.”

          Henry put the chain around Drew’s neck.  The rings looked large in his small hand.  His fingers closed around them and his eyes shut and after a few seconds they popped wide open again.

          “I can see her!”

          “I know she’s gone Drew, but she can live on forever inside our Hearts - inside your Heart, honey.”

          Drew sniffed loudly and hot thick tears dripped down his young face.

          Henry couldn’t decipher the look on his face.  He kept his eyes downcast, looking at the rings in his hand.

          He asked hesitantly, “Do you like it?”

          Drew nodded his head ‘yes’ and threw himself into Henry’s arms, “I love you, Daddy.  You’re the best dad in the world!”

          Henry choked out, “And I got the t-shirt to prove it!”

          Everyone was crying again at the intensity of the moment, and when Drew launched himself into Henry’s arms they all got up and closed in, surrounding their Brother and Drew.

          Drew got passed around from Uncle to Uncle and he showed each one of them his present and let them hold it.

          When the emotional dust settled, the doctor stood up.  Something in his manner caught their attention and silence fell over the room.  If Ken didn’t know any better he would think the doctor was grandstanding.  He looked at all of them in that way he had; the look of a father so full of pride he could hardly stand it.

          With a twinkle in his eye he said, “There is one more present but unfortunately it was too large to wrap.  Also unfortunately, it will not be ready for nearly a month; however I admit the excitement is too much for me, and I cannot wait.  As you all know I am very old and my heart is frail.” 

          His comment about his age brought a chuckle out in all of them; the doctor didn’t look a day over thirty and never had.

          “Kenneth, will you please go over to the locker by the door where we keep the keys?”

          Curiosity was rampant through the Link at what the doctor was talking about.  For him to behave the way he was it had to be something big.

          Ken moved over and opened the locker.  There were all the sets of spare keys to their own Explorers and the two new Suburbans.  Down in the bottom right corner there was another key attached to a small floatation key ring.

          The foam key ring had the name ‘ZEUS’ printed on it.

          Realization hit, and Ken yelled out, “OH MY GOD DOC, I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!”

          He held the key over his head and everyone was dumbfounded.

          “I know how much fun you all had while on the Yacht and after everything you have been through, and will continue to go through, you need another place of refuge.  I am having the craft re-outfitted to better suit our needs.  You will need to empower the Runes I am having etched into the interior frame of the hull once it is ready.  I am also having the engines permanently modified based on the changes you already made, and we will produce our own fuel based off the molecular composition that you came up with.”

           The grins on their handsome faces were all the doctor needed to see and know that he did the right thing.

          “I hope you will enjoy it. Merry Christmas.”

          All of the men gave him a bear hug and a few even kissed him on the cheek.   Brad pulled the doctor and Albrecht deeper into the Link so they could feel the excitement and happiness running through everyone over the monumental gift he gave them. 

When Rick was arranging for the lease of the Yacht he had seen the purchase price in the spreadsheet and knew how expensive the boat was; he was floored at how much money the doctor spent on them.

          The happiness of the day and the love and support they all shared between them made it one of the best days of their lives. 

          Later in the afternoon, after another huge meal they were all lounging around talking.

          Ken looked a little solemn and Brad pulled them deeper into a private Link so they could talk.

          Why the look Ken? 

          Just thinkin, B.  Drew’s sixth birthday is in March. We’ve got fifteen months to figure all this shit out with him, or he dies.  I’ve been watching how happy the little guy is today.  I also remember what he did last night with the Stone and the other version of himself.  I get why Henry thinks about it all the time.  Drew doesn’t deserve any of this.

          No he doesn’t.  That’s what makes days like today so important.  He’s happy Ken… I mean really happy for the first time since Liz died.  I can see it in him... my Avatar has been going nuts all morning every time I look at him. 

          After last night I’m seeing more inside him.  I’m starting to see all the other versions of him – the Stone triggered something, and we need to walk carefully with him.  All those other versions of him are happy right now too – they want to reach out to Henry just like Drew does.  He is Legion Ken… not the Demon, but there are thousands of incarnations inside him, yet we know Drew is the one that has to perform his task.   I’m scared of what that mob inside of him is capable of if he loses control.

          Ken felt Brad’s concern and thought:  We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.  Henry’s strong – way stronger’n he realizes.  I was scared as shit when The Master hit him with that bolt of power.  It shattered our shields, but Henry took the blow… it turned him cross-eyed, but he took it.  He took it because he had to.

          Henry will be the key to Drew bein ready B.  I can feel it.  We need to work on him as much as we do Drew. 

          Hey Ken?

          Yeah?

          You know I’m supposed to be the smart one right?

          You are.  And you know what smart talk does to me right?  Where’s that mistletoe!?

          Brad laughed and Ken pulled him into a hug.

          B… it’s not gonna be a cakewalk, but I feel like we’re gonna win this.  I think it’s gonna be painful, and we’re gonna be hurt bad before it’s over.  But we’re gonna win.  I’m gonna need you to weather the storm.  We’re gonna need each other. All of us will.

          We’ll make it, Ken.  Like you always say, there’s nothing we can’t do if we stick together.  Together we’re unstoppable.

          Do I say that?

          Brad grinned and said:  Yeah you do.

          Damn… I need to listen to my own shit sometimes!

          Ken got that little kid grin on his face.

          OK, enough serious talk.  It’s Christmas Day, and our mission is to keep Drew happy.  I feel a tickle monster attack about to commence.

          The rest of the day was relaxed and fun for everybody.  They forgot about their cares and the weight of the world on their shoulders.  For the day they were Drew’s Uncles and Henry’s Brothers.  They laughed and joked and hung shit on one another.  They all helped to cook and clean up only to start it all over again.

          Some of them got on the floor with Drew and built race tracks for his Hot Wheels or a log cabin to use as Iron Man’s secret base.

          The day was perfect.

<><><> 

          The Master brooded on his Throne.  Their laughter haunted his thoughts as they celebrated one of his most despised holidays.

          He had no idea how his brother could be present or involved in his downfall, but he would find out.  He would discover the meaning of his brother’s presence and of the Stone and make sure it was impossible for the New Warriors of The Order to succeed.  He was Immortal and protected by the Curse.  They could cause him pain, but they couldn’t kill him.  He was protected from Death and assured of that.

          His lips pulled back in a smile at that thought.  The Curse kept even Mighty Uriel at bay.  He was confident of his victory over them.  His only desire now was to cause them as much pain and misery as he could before their ultimate defeat at his hands.

Ok that’s it for Chapter 24… I hope you enjoyed it!  Now to get started on Chapter 25! 

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