Flight 12

Flight 12 – a serial novel by Travis Creel

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE : ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

Previously, on the island's surface:

• Sean receives instructions that for the Project to succeed, all the left-siders must die (in Betaworld). While Sean's goal is to sabotage The Project, he wants to look like he is following orders (for now) and pressures Ian to work with him, threatening Stan. Ian helps manipulate Harry into surrendering to the dodecagon, and plants seeds of doubt in Vic's mind about Al's relationship with Miles.

• Seth, fulfilling his daily obligation, fucks Jasper. When Jasper lingers in the woods afterwards, he is surprised by an opportunistic Ray, who takes advantage of Jasper's vulnerable position to rape him.

Underground:

• Harry arrives in the Dark Room and meets Piers, letting him know that his friend Theo arrived safely on the surface. He is then reunited with his college tormentor Uri, who informs him (to Harry's chagrin) that he must remain a virgin.

• Barry is given permission to play with both Abe and Jordan – which they both respond to.

• • • • • • • • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18 * * * * * * * *

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

It was strange to wake up with Harry gone. I felt rudderless without him. The tower's population was up to ten, but half of its original inhabitants were now underground.

The clock was ticking, too soon for some – Vic's birthday was tomorrow – but not soon enough for me. I needed to get back underground, but apparently that would be impossible before the 31st. Until then, I had to comply with the new directives, so I needed someone to fuck today. I'd used Tim Sunday and Jasper yesterday and didn't want to repeat guys until I had to, so I considered the others. Gary seemed to be the asexual Cody this morning, and I didn't want to fuck Augie after crapping on him. Which left . . .

• Vic.

• Yeah?

• Are you willing to be my bottom today?

• I'm strictly a top.

• I know that.

• Is it because my birthday's tomorrow? You figure you should get me before I disappear?

• Vic, come on, that's unfair.

• Why don't you do Al? That little shit deserves it.

• It can't be a left-sider.

• Well, maybe I'll do him myself. I haven't gotten my rocks off since I've been here, and that little con artist is screamin' for a reamin'.

• Why? What did Al do to you?

• Never mind. Just . . . not today, Seth. Find someone else.

• Okay, I'll ask Tim again.

THE DORMITORY – HARRY

Despite my brutal assault yesterday, I woke up feeling absolutely fine. Paul assured me that all my bruises were gone; my ass and thighs were no longer in various shades of red, maroon, and purple.

Poor Paul was still stuck wearing a jockstrap, though it looked like he had a new one made of leather. When Ed was out of the room, Dai pulled me aside and told me the shocking story of what kind of leather it was. Ed knew of Leo's death, but not how his skin had been repurposed.

Poor Leo. Poor Ed. Even poor Lucas. Lucas had victimized both Augie and Paul, but I believed everyone was capable of redemption, and now Lucas would never have that chance.

This morning, a man named Mac came for Ed. A man named Anthony came for Paul. Four men (evidently the Mayer brothers) came for Dai. And then, finally, Uri came for me.

He slapped me on the butt and reconfirmed news that I didn't need reconfirming:

• You'll get plenty of action on the outside of this, but not on the inside.

Before adding, mysteriously:

• But you might get some action anyway.

What did that mean? Fellatio? I hadn't even had that pleasure, it would be welcome. I longed for the penetration of a man's cock up my anal canal, but the chance to slurp on one would be – well, a decent consolation prize.

What else could `action' mean? A hand-job? I hadn't jerked off since arriving on the island, and that would also be something to look forward to.

But this place wasn't designed to give you things you wanted. If it was a hand job, it would probably be my hand on someone else's knob. (Okay, not the worst thing in the world, either.)

Uri took me into a Fuck Room, where I found Dai, lying flat on his back, hooked up to a machine attached to his cock and sliding up and down along its length, stimulating him toward an inevitable eruption. Simultaneously, one of the Mayer brothers was kneeling over his chest, filling Dai's mouth with his member.

Ah, did `action' mean watching?

I did watch, in fascination (and a bit of jealousy) as Dai grew more and more excited, his hips quivering as he found it increasingly difficult to resist cumming. And finally, he ejaculated.

That was an understatement. When I jack off, I get five or six good spurts, usually. Jism spilled out of Dai's cock at least fifteen times. The cum kept coming – and coming. It seemed like there was a pint of the milky white liquid spilled all over his chest, abdomen, the table he was lying on, even the floor.

The Mayer feeding him (Xander, I would later discover) continued fucking Dai's mouth until he, too, shuddered and released his load – but on Dai's naked body, not into his mouth.

That was Uri's cue.

• Lap it up, Harry. Every bit of it. That's your action. You're going to swallow every bit of cum spilt in this room, from Dai and from us.

Dai's hairless chest was a pool of white. The sight of it, the smell of it, excited me. I began to feel a swelling in my cock as I lowered my head to his prone body and began to taste his – and Xander's – cum. I knew in advance what it would taste like – I had sampled my own, out of curiosity – and knew that it was far from unpleasant. I never really understood why there was reluctance by some guys – and especially girls – to swallow. Cum tasted good!

And by licking the jism off his body, my tongue brushed against Dai's taut skin, and the chance to be this intimate with a man – a sexy man, at that – was one of the highlights of my life. I think they wanted this to be humiliating, but it wasn't. It was a pleasure. Dai smiled at me, whether in pity or encouragement I wasn't sure – but it was a nice feeling. I felt really close to him at that moment.

The only improvement on the situation would have been had I been allowed to clean his cock. But it remained locked inside that milking machine, not to receive my tongue's loving touch.

I heard a sound, and the machine started up again – Dai had more sperm in him? And another of the Mayer brothers (Patrick) shoved his cock down the Asian's throat.

This went on for a while – I think Dai had six orgasms, and was clearly in pain by the time the machine drained him of his last cubic millimeter of cum. There wasn't much for me to lap up then, but, to my disappointment, when they released him from the machine, they used a washcloth to clean his cock rather than letting me take it in my mouth.

Well, it wasn't getting fucked, or even sucking cock, but I guess technically it was `action'. And I'd have to settle for that, it was better than nothing.

And then they pissed on him – four cocks simultaneously washing his body with the remnants of their morning coffee. And guess who got to clean his body afterwards with his tongue?

THE PHALLIC TOWER – IAN

Vic, Theo, and Augie were on a food run, Seth had disappeared with Tim (his fuck-du-jour), Stan was chatting with Gary and Jasper, and Sean was off somewhere.

The perfect opportunity to manipulate Al.

• I heard you telling Vic that you enjoyed fucking that Black guy underground.

• Well, I did – kinda. It must be the island doing that to me. I'm straight – you know that. Not into dudes normally.

• Did you know that was Vic's lover Miles?

• Oh, jeez. Vic asked me if the guy's name was Miles. I didn't know –

• Miles threw him over for another guy. Vic's upset. He thought Miles loved him. But when you told him what Miles had said about him – that opened his eyes. And he got mad.

• I don't think I'm his flavor of the month.

• At first, no. But later he told me he actually was glad, because he'd been wavering about his feelings. Anyway, if you get the chance, tell him more dirt about how Miles was trashing him.

• I think I already told him everything.

• Then make it up. Trust me – this Miles guy is not someone Vic should be with. The more shade you can throw the better. Vic needs to hear it. He may still think Miles loves him – he needs to know the opposite. You'll be doing him a favor.

• That's interesting. Thanks, Ian.

There was a time when I had ethics. I still have ethics – I think. But I have mortgaged my soul to the devil – in the form of Sean O'Hara. But I have to save Stan. And nothing bad will happen to Al ultimately, right?

. . . Right?

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SEAN

• Vic.

• Yeah?

• Ian told me about your conversation with Al.

• Al's an asshole.

• To me, the most important part of that conversation was that you still love Miles.

• Of course I love Miles. Why wouldn't I love Miles?

• Al didn't cast some doubt about –

• Ian's been down there. He told me that Miles is devoted to me, contrary to what Al says.

• That's correct. I've been down there, too. (No, I haven't.) Miles asked after you, he misses you.

• Exactly. Al's a fucking liar. He's trying to steal Miles from me, once this whole Betaworld thing's over.

• That's why I wanted to talk to you. You know there are some new requirements to effect The Project. And The Project is essential to spare you from a disastrous year ahead.

• How disastrous?

• Pretty disastrous – for both you AND Miles. So it's critical that the new requirements be met.

• Is this about the fact that I wouldn't bottom for Seth this morning? Did he complain to you?

• No. This is not about Seth. There are requirements you don't know about. One of them is that all left-siders have to die.

He stared at me.

• You're shitting me.

• Vic, you know why the left-siders escaped, right? Because they saw other left-siders being killed.

• Yes, but only their Beta-versions, right? They aren't dead in Alphaworld, so they'll be fine - ?

• That's right. But here's the problem. Three left-siders are up here now. If Hamish can't kill them, he'll have to find replacements. That means Miles and Jordan. And Vic – Miles and Jordan no longer exist in Alphaworld. This is the only life they have. If they die here, they're dead. Kaput.

• They're going to kill Miles? Is that what you're telling me?

• Unless we get rid of the other left-siders.

• Get rid of – you mean –

• Al, Theo, Stan. They have to die. Remember, it's just their Beta-lives; they won't really die. And if The Project succeeds, they'll be happy in Alphaworld. And you and Miles will be together.

• If the Project fails, we're not together?

• No.

• What about the others? What happens to them?

• Nothing good, Vic. I shouldn't tell you this, but Theo gets run over by a bus and loses his legs. Bye-bye acting career.

• Omigod, poor Theo.

• Don't think `poor Theo'. Think poor Vic, if Miles is dead.

• And the only way to save Miles – and keep Theo from losing his legs . . .

• Work it out for yourself.

THE WOODS – AL

• Vic.

• Yeah?

• Why are we here?

• We needed water. And I could use a wash.

• But why did you ask me to come with you?

• I wanted to talk.

• About Miles? You're well done with him. He was cheating on you back in Minnesota.

I remembered what Ian had told me – Vic needed to hear me trash-talking Miles.

• Al, shut up. Stop lying.

• What? I'm not lying.

• Miles loves me.

Ian had warned me he might say that. But Miles HAD cheated on him, the guy needed to be set straight. And Ian had said to embellish the story, make up details.

• You're a fool, Vic. He said he'd been sleeping with another guy, and was going to Aruba to meet up with him – not you. He said you had a big cock, but didn't know how to use it. He said it was just slam-bam-thank-you-ma'am and you never considered what HE wanted. He said –

• Shut up!

THE WOODS – VIC

I knew that last statement to be a bold-faced lie. Miles had always gone overboard praising my sexual prowess, and when we made love, I was always responsive to his needs.

• Vic, he's no good for you. Ian said you needed to hear that.

• I said `shut up'!

I grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against a tree. He sputtered out his shock inarticulately as I cut off his vocal cords.

• Vmmm!

• I have to do this, Al. You'll be okay, you're still alive in Alphaworld.

• Gkkkk!

• You'll have your balls there. You'll have everything you need.

• Ffffkk!

• You're not getting my Miles.

• Nnnkk!

• And if I don't do this, Miles will be dead, and Theo will lose his legs. And . . . I don't know what will happen to you, but it's not good.

I realized the irony of that sentence as soon as it left my lips. What was happening to Beta-Al was better? Was a Beta-life worth less than an Alpha-life?

I tightened my grip on Al's throat. There was no going back now. I had to do this – for Miles. Al looked at me in fury and in confusion, not understanding what was going on. It started to get to me, but I kept thinking about Hamish executing Miles because the guys up here had escaped their dates with destiny. Al and Stan and Theo would have another life, but Miles wouldn't.

Whether or not The Project succeeded, Betaworld would end in two weeks. So I was only shortening Beta-Al's life by two weeks; that doesn't make me a monster, does it?

The fear in Al's eyes, though, was so terrifying. He didn't understand what I was doing.

• Al, it's for your own good. You'll be fine. You'll have your balls. You'll be happy. You're saving others, and you'll still be okay. And you'll be off this island once and for all. I don't want to do this, but I have to. I have to. I love Miles, and I know he loves me, no matter what you say. Please forgive me, Al, but I have no choice.

Sometime during that speech, he slumped. I released my hand and he slid to the ground.

I knelt and felt his pulse. Nothing. I wish I felt nothing. I felt terrible. I had taken a life – or half a life – and Miles was not yet out of danger as long as Theo and Stan were still alive. But one was my limit. I could not do this again – even if Al was still safe in Alphaworld (could I even be certain of that?).

I had to confront this harsh reality: Vic Torrance – murderer.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

Ian had told me that Vic and Al had gone off on a water mission. I was with Augie when Vic emerged from the woods. I frowned. Why was Vic alone, carrying all three water bottles? Where was Al?

Stan, noticing Al's absence, trotted over as Vic approached the tower.

• (Stan) Where's Al?

• (Vic) He's not back yet?

• No.

• (Vic) He went off on his own. You know that penis garden you guys saw when you escaped?

• (Stan, alarmed) Yeah, what of it?

• (Vic) He said he wanted to check it out.

• What was he thinking? I told everyone to stay away from them.

• (Augie) Didn't Sean say they were shut down?

• (Vic) Yeah, besides Al had Sean's shirt, so he should be immune to it. I'm sure he'll be back soon.

• (Stan) I'm going after him.

• Stan, you don't have clothes. If the penis garden has been activated somehow, you'll be vulnerable. I know Sean said they'd been shut down, but he also thought that when Miles was captured.

• (Stan) Okay, I'll wear something. But Gary's pants vanished yesterday, and so did the shoes. I'd ask Sean, but I don't see him around. And the only other item of clothing we have is . . .

• (Augie, sighing) The pants Sean lent me. Okay. I guess if I was naked underground, I can be naked here, too. But could I have them back when you return?

• (Stan) Of course.

The pants were a bit snug on Stan, who, while perfectly fit, had wider hips than Sean, their original owner. When Stan zipped up the pants, his pubic hair caught in the zipper, forcing him to swear for a moment, to the amusement of the rest of us. And off he went, in the direction of the penis garden, hoping to find Al admiring it – both of them protected from its seductive effects by their clothing.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – VIC

I felt like throwing up. The last two hours have been the worst of my life. Try murdering an innocent person and see how you feel. I mean, I didn't like Al – he had lied to me about Miles – but he didn't deserve to die for that. Even if he was alive in the other universe, so not really dead.

I'd stared at his lifeless form, horrified, but not only was it too late for regrets, I couldn't waste time on them, not now. The `what next' was staring me in the face. I couldn't leave Al's body slumped at the base of a tree. I'd have to bury him. And not here, by the place we frequented for collecting water and bathing.

Fortunately, Al was light and I'm strong. I carried him for about five minutes, hopefully in a direction no one would follow searching for food. Then I had to dig his grave, easier said than done when you don't have tools. It would have to be a shallow grave – no time for a full six feet. As I dug, I was crafting the story I would tell when I returned to camp. I removed Al's shirt, stripping him naked, lowered him into his grave, filled the hole with loose dirt and spread a large branch and some twigs and leaves over it to obscure the fact that the dirt underneath had been disturbed.

I had two stops to make on the way back – the creek (to pick up the water bottles) and the penis garden (to plant the `evidence' I would need for my story). The penis garden was inert, so I was not in danger. I was worried that we'd been gone so long, but I was greeted by Seth, Stan, and Augie, none of whom had seen us leave. Ian was the only one who knew how long I'd been gone, and he wasn't around. One bullet dodged.

I was a nervous wreck about my story. Seth was, to say the least, skeptical. But it was the expression on Stan's face that really got to me.

Al was Stan's friend, and I liked Stan. He was devastated at the thought that Al might have been taken underground, little knowing that Al's fate was actually far worse.

I went behind the tower to be alone. I didn't want to see or talk to anyone. I was so ashamed of what I had done. While it had all been for Miles, I hoped Miles never learned the depths to which I had sunk to try to save him. And it wasn't even a guarantee. Killing Al wouldn't be enough to save Miles without other things happening.

The last person in the world that I wanted to see approached me: Sean. He looked at me expectantly.

• So?

• Yeah. . . . I did it.

• One down, two to go.

• . . . Wow, that's cold.

• It's practical. You want to save Miles, it's what has to be done.

• Sean, have you ever killed anyone? When you were underground, did you . . . ?

A change came over him, and he paused for long enough for me to wonder if the answer to that question might be `yes'. Finally, he shook his head.

• No, not underground. And not . . . directly. . . . Five years ago, someone committed suicide because of something I did. And it cost me the person I loved most in the world.

He looked so morose and so broken-hearted that I was actually moved. Maybe he understood something of the pain of having done something terrible. Maybe he could empathize in some small way.

• Sean? Theo and Stan – do they have to - ?

• Yeah, Vic. They do. If Miles and Jordan are to be saved.

• You don't want me to . . . Sean, I couldn't . . .

• I don't expect you to. You've done enough. Where is Al now?

• I buried him. I think I covered it up pretty well.

• Vic, don't beat yourself up. Al was, in your own words, a little shit. He tried to turn you against Miles. Plus, he's still alive in Alphaworld, oblivious to all this, and now there's a chance to save Miles.

I prayed to God that he was right. And I prayed for forgiveness, even though I'm not a religious person. I needed someone – something – to forgive me.

NEAR THE PHALLIC TOWER – IAN

• (Sean) One down, two to go.

• What do you mean?

• Al's dead. Together, you and I persuaded Vic to do it. He buried him in the woods somewhere.

• Did you see it? You have proof?

• No, but Vic was pretty destroyed by it. He wasn't lying.

Sean hadn't actually seen Al's body. He was going on Vic's word. Which gave me an idea.

• So – Theo and Stan.

• They have to go, Ian. I know you're friends with Stan.

• Friends is an understatement. You swear he'll be okay in Alphaworld.

• Absolutely. Betaworld ends in two weeks.

• So . . . let me do it. Stan, I mean.

• . . . You want to kill Stan? You're sure, Ian?

• I don't want his last moments to be unexpected, or in fear. I can explain. It will come easier if I do it, he'll trust me. I'll even let him choose the method. But then – I'm done, Sean. I can't do Theo, too.

• I'll take care of Theo. Not today, though – I don't want Vic to think it's all over and he's won. We still have to get him downstairs tomorrow. And Tim in five days.

• Gotcha.

• Ian. You're sure you can do this?

• I have to trust you, Sean, that he'll be okay after this is all over.

• You can trust me. And I trust you, Ian.

Well, Sean, I DON'T trust you. I don't trust that if the Project succeeds, Stan and I will manage to find each other in Alphaworld and live happily ever after. And I'm not about to give up the only version of Stan I can be sure of, in exchange for some dubious promise of future happiness. Back in Alphaworld, would I remember what happened on the island? Would I have cause to move to Portland? Would Stan leave Magda to be with me, or even recognize his bisexuality? Those were big risks to take, and I wasn't ready.

I had no intention of killing Stan. But then Sean added this:

• I'll trust you even more after you show me his dead body.

Fuck. How was I going to get out of this now?

JORDAN'S CELL – JORDAN

Whack! Whack! Whack!

Pain reverberated through my buttocks. And blood pulsed through my cock – the cock that weeks ago I had been willing to surrender for the sake of marrying Augie. What a mistake that would have been.

The irony of it. They had imprisoned my body – and freed my mind. I realized things about myself now that I had never known before. Yes, I knew I was effeminate. Yes, I knew I wanted to be penetrated by men. But I didn't quite appreciate how much I wanted to be dominated by them.

And for this I had Barry to thank.

Every stroke of the belt against my beleaguered butt filled me with – not joy, but confidence. I had no choice but to surrender every inch of power to this muscular man – but it strengthened me. I felt empowered. It was as if I was making the choice to become his plaything – even though I wasn't, I literally had no choice.

That which hurts me makes me stronger. Yes, I can take this. Yes, I surrender. Yes, I feel the power of your arms as you swing that belt at full strength to make me yelp in pain – and every yelp is taking me closer to who I know I am. I am your bitch, Barry. Do with me as you will. Fuck me, please.

He did, quite masterfully.

Afterwards, he rubbed his hands on my beleaguered ass, massaging it, reinforcing the pain my nerve endings were sending to my brain, and yet calming them, soothing them, almost caressing them.

And then he took my whole body in his, hugging me from behind, planting kisses on the back of my neck. And reaching around to feel my cock, and my balls, squeezing them gently, playfully.

• This is what we call `aftercare'. Do you like this, bitch?

• Oh, yes.

• Your cock seems to think so. Enjoy it while you can.

• . . . What do you mean, while I can?

• You wanted to get rid of them before, I hear. Well, your balls are on borrowed time.

• Huh?

• There's a limit on how many balls our guests can have. We've got a little breathing room since the escape, but more Twelves are coming, and eventually you and Miles –

• They're going to castrate me?

• What's the problem, you were willing to give them up before. At least you'll still have your cock. And the best part of you, that fabulous ass.

• What about the others? The left-siders who are still –

• They'll be gone before you. Balls first and then – Alice in Wonderland time.

• Alice in Wonderland?

• Queen of hearts, you know – off with their heads. Oh, don't have a cow, they'll be fine in Alphaworld.

• What about me?

• Well, I didn't want to say this, but I think everyone other than the Twelve has to give up the ghost.

• They're going to behead me?

• You'll be fine in the other universe.

• Barry. I don't exist in the other universe.

• . . . What?

• When Sean took me here, I disappeared from Alphaworld. Even my own sister doesn't remember me.

• . . .

• This is the only life I have, Barry.

• . . . Hellfire and damnation.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

I saw Stan heading back and trotted out to meet him. Something trailed from his right hand. I felt a knot in my stomach as I realized what it was: Al's shirt. And Stan confirmed my worst fears.

• (Stan) I found this by the penis garden.

• That makes no sense. Why would Al take off his shirt?

• I don't know. But it was all he was wearing – and if he took it off, and it was active, he'd be seduced by it, right?

• Right. If you're naked, it draws you in. But even a shoe is enough to protect you.

• I don't understand it. Why would he take off his shirt? It's like committing suicide. Al didn't want to go back down. He worked hard to escape. He was happy up here.

Stan excused himself and went inside the tower in search of moral support, trying to sort out Al's motivation, which was imponderable. But I was pondering another issue. The penis gardens were supposedly shut down. I needed to talk to Sean.

• (Sean) Yes, they were turned off the moment you guys escaped.

• No, they weren't. We ran across one and I had to tackle Augie to prevent it from capturing him.

• Well, there's a communication time lag. It was turned off an hour or two later. . . . Oh.

• . . . You've thought of something.

• Maybe.

• Spill it.

• When I brought Jordan and Miles here, the penis portals automatically switched on again. Maybe your escape automatically switched them on again, and – man, it would be gross negligence if they made the same mistake twice. I can't imagine Falcon would overlook that. But maybe Dion –

• Falcon? Dion?

• They're in Switzerland. Dion gets a little drunk sometimes – if he was on duty . . .

• So it's possible the penis garden is active. And if Al took off his shirt – which I still can't find a reason for – but if he did, then he would have been vulnerable.

• And he could be underground again.

• Can you find out?

• Not without going underground. I don't have any means of communication.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SEAN

Well, that was another lie. I had a phone buried under a rock a couple of hundred yards from the tower. I could report my progress to Hamish, who could then relay the information to Stimulever in Switzerland.

Communication to Stimulever, however, was tricky. Stimulever was in Alphaworld and the island was in Beta. If Hamish or I converted to Alpha, where the island didn't exist, we'd be swimming in the middle of the Caribbean. The only way to communicate was if Switzerland was in Beta.

In Aruba, I could switch over to Beta harmlessly. But Beta-conversions at headquarters were risky. The actual conversion was no problem, but sustaining it drained too much energy from the island. When we demonstrated Betaworld to the stockholders four years ago and kept it open for nearly twenty minutes, it had destabilized the system so severely that we had to make three weeks of repairs to the island. So we decided to put Switzerland in Beta only for microseconds at a time, just long enough to send and receive transmissions to and from the island.

Every hour, Stimulever switches to Beta, checking for transmissions from the island. If none, fine. If a response was warranted but not urgent, it would get transmitted the next hour. If something like a conversation was necessary, a window would be opened at each successive minute just long enough to transmit or receive the next bit of conversation, which they'd record before transmitting. Since each transmission lasted a microsecond, the stability of the island was never threatened.

The bottom line: I could indeed check with Hamish whether or not Al was underground – but, of course, I had no need to actually make that call. Al was under the ground, all right – but not Underground.

THE PHALLIC TOWER – SETH

The conversation with Sean – and Stan's collection of Al's shirt – meant one and only one thing: I had to check it out myself. For if Al, intentionally or not, had managed to get himself captured by the penis garden, then so could I. It could be my route back to Abe – Stimulever wanted me back downstairs, but not for two weeks. My reappearance would disrupt their plans – and just might catch them enough off guard that I could rescue Abe this time. In any case, I had to try. I was already naked, so I should be plenty vulnerable. And I would look squarely at it, to ensure it enticed me.

I headed out to the penis garden, mentally girding myself for a sudden anal spearing. And there it was.

I approached, expecting to feel adrenaline pulsing through my veins – and perhaps blood pulsing through my cock. But . . . nothing. I stepped onto the mown grass, waiting for the first mini-penis to pop up. Nothing. I walked over to the man-sized phallus, put my arms around it, hugged it, kissed it. Nothing.

This penis garden was not on. If it was not on, how had Al been captured by it? There was something fishy about this whole story. But Vic and Stan were both entirely credible witnesses, even if Sean wasn't.

But there was another explanation – not for why Al had stripped and become vulnerable, but for why he might have been captured and I wasn't. Perhaps Al's appearance underground had sparked a realization that the penis garden had been reactivated, and they turned it off after his arrival.

Whatever. It looked like I was stuck above ground for a while.

JORDAN'S CELL – HARRY

My afternoon hadn't been as pleasant as my morning. What was I in for? Pain. Hands, straps, paddles, canes, floggers, all over my back, thighs and – especially – my ass. I screamed my head off, and my cock didn't get hard. The last twenty-five came with a single-tail whip, which, on top of my already-bruised buttocks, sent my nerve endings through the ceiling. If I was to endure this every day, it would be a tough couple of weeks.

But as Uri escorted me back to the dormitory, I saw a sight for sore rumps – er, eyes: Jordan. He delighted when I passed by his cell, and motioned me in. Uri nodded: it was okay. We could socialize. He left us, deciding his escort duties were over – what mischief could I get up to? There was nowhere to hide.

• Omigod, Harry, I'm so glad to see you – and so sorry.

• Sorry?

• I thought Seth would keep you out of here.

• I came voluntarily.

• What?

• I wasn't doing any good up there, Jordan. And it seemed like the only way out of this mess was if this Project, whatever it is, succeeds. And then Sean said – you know Sean, he brought –

• So he did come back? I heard he was going to. Does he know that Miles and I are down here?

• He knows. He said we were all in for terrible years if The Project fails, and he gave Seth some tasks to do to make it work. I figured I might as well do my part and let the dodecagon take me. I'm beginning to think that was a mistake.

• You're not used to all the sex.

It was all I could do to keep from laughing. Not a funny laugh, a bitter one. Jordan picked up on that.

• It will get better, Harry, you'll get used to it. I'm finding out things about myself that I never knew. Like I can really get into bdsm. This guy Barry –

• The dog?

• Oh, I guess they told you about him. Yeah, he was the pilot on your plane, but Hamish made him his pet pooch. In his old life he was a bdsm master, and Hamish is letting him play with some of us. Well, Abe and me. Lately, just me. Harry, I like it. You might decide you like it, too.

• Jordan . . .

• What?

I felt too ashamed to tell him. I had told him my history – or lack of it – up at the Phallic Tower – when Jordan had told me I was too nice a person not to have guys on my dance card. It almost made me cry.

And now I was stuck. The look on Jordan's face was serious, and the way I had said his name was serious, and he was expecting me to say something serious. Only I didn't want to say what it was that I had started to say – that even down here I was a reject.

So I had to think of something else to say.

• Augie's okay. You know he escaped, right, with Seth and the others?

This didn't have the effect I had intended. Jordan turned away.

• He hates me, Harry.

• No, I'm sure he doesn't.

Actually, I wasn't sure of that. I'd assumed he'd be sick with worry about Jordan after leaving him behind underground, but Seth had said he'd never asked for Jordan to accompany him, and I never heard him say a word about Jordan in the three days we were together before I landed here in Hamishland.

• When they were escaping, he saw me . . . with Barry. I was – well, I was really getting into it, Harry. I mean Barry's really good at sex, and Augie – he got so mad, Harry, I'd never seen him like that. He said, `We're finished. I never want to see you again.' When you saw him up top, did he – like, express any regrets about saying that to me?

• . . . (Uh, no.)

• Or say how much he missed me, or express his worry about me?

• . . . (Uh, no.)

• I thought so. He hates me, Harry. And you know, maybe that's okay. Maybe Augie wasn't the right guy for me.

• Barry is?

• (smiling) Maybe someone like Barry.

• When we get out of here, maybe you can find someone like Barry. There are websites –

• Harry, I might not get out of here. Barry says they're planning on killing me. And Harry, I don't exist in Alphaworld anymore. If they kill me here, I'm dead. As in DEAD dead.

• We're going to have to do something about that, Jordan.

• How, Harry?

That was a good question. How?

[COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX – TRUST AND CONSEQUENCES]