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This story contains descriptions of consensual sexual contact between males, adult and minor. As such it is homoerotic, designed for the entertainment of mature adults. If you are not of legal age to read such material, or if the subject matter would create irresolvable personal moral dilemmas, please exit now.
Note: I would like to thank Matthew for his unwavering support and editing skills while I write this story. Matthew has been sharing his talents by posting another great story. Look in adult/youth for a story about Julian and Roman.
Chapter One-hundred Eleven: New Horizons
"Daniel, are you going to make the conference call with the governor this morning?"
Paul and Daniel were on a telephone conference reviewing the boys' commitment to the senior center and the boys' needs overall.
"Barring unforeseen emergencies, I plan on it. I'm not sure how much information he's received related to the raids down here, but I am interested to know what impact he thinks the discovery of a possible slave smuggling ring will have on the project.
"Paul, does Barry feel comfortable with the food supplies for the holiday? Normally, I don't worry too much about such things, leaving them in his capable hands, but we have had a big increase in the number of boys we're caring for. Maybe I'm just worrying unnecessarily, thinking about the boys we have here."
"I thought you had a diet and adequate supplies for those boys. Or, are you talking about he boys that just came down to assist?"
"Both," Daniel responded with a little laugh. "You know how much I worry about these kids. Michael gave us a menu that consists mostly of soup and Jello. I'm sure Brad, Patrick and the other boys will go along with that and never complain. However, I would like to be able to give all the boys something more traditional. I'm going to call Michael and talk to him. It's too late to try and move supplies from there to here, so, if Michael agrees, we'll have to make do with whatever we can get here.
"There's something else that I think is important." Daniel's tone turned more serious. "Can we contact the diocese and ask for a priest to come visit? The priests' visits have always seemed to calm the boys."
"I'll call Father Andrew and see if he knows who we should contact down there. I think you're in a different diocese than we are. I'll handle it as soon as we hang up and then let you know later today. Is there anything else I can do to help?"
"Only if you know how to work a miracle and get me some records on a few of these boys. We're working on it, and I think you probably have your hands full already. I'm going to join the boys right now for some oatmeal. Yum. Yum. I'll talk to you later. Paul, thanks for all the support. Somehow, I don't think I say that as often as I should."
As Daniel approached the dining hall, he noticed the lack of noise coming from the room. This was completely unlike Ft. Ogden where a dull roar, and sometimes a louder roar, emanated from the mess hall. The room became almost funeral home quiet when Daniel walked in.
"Okay, fellas, there's something we need to understand. When I walk into the room there's no need for you to stop talking. Where we live, my associates and I consider the dull roar of boys talking, joking or playing, as a sign that things are okay. When kids are quiet, that means they are sick or have done something they know they shouldn't."
Daniel looked around the room and spotted Danny and Sean. It was evident from the sour look on Danny's face that he wasn't pleased with breakfast. While Daniel spoke to the boys, they watched him walk over to Danny. Daniel held up his finger to signify a pause and tasted Danny's oatmeal. Daniel shared Danny's displeasure. Daniel resumed his statement to the boys as he walked towards the end of the serving line and then back to Danny.
"Another thing I'd like for all of you to remember is that while we strive to serve food that everyone would like, if you find something seriously wrong, let us know. A good example is little Danny here. It's obvious from the expression on his face that he doesn't care for his oatmeal. Be honest with me, is there anyone else who thinks it may not be the best breakfast they've ever had."
Daniel smiled as he watched four boys reluctantly raise their hands. Daniel walked over to each of the four boys and poured a light coating of honey on the oatmeal. For the first boy, he stirred the honey into the oatmeal and fed the boy a spoonful of the mixture. The boy looked up at Daniel and smiled. Daniel merely gave each of the other three boys a light coating of honey, letting them do the mixing and tasting. When he got back to Danny, he put a little honey on the spoon and fed it to Danny. The little boy grinned as much from the attention as the sweet taste. When Daniel stirred more honey into Danny's oatmeal and gave it the taste test, everything was better.
"Now, I'll ask again. How many boys think their oatmeal could taste a little better?"
Daniel smiled as about half the boys in the room raised their hands. Four bottles of honey were passed among the boys as Daniel stepped up to the serving line for his bowl of oatmeal; remembering to pour some honey over the top. However, Daniel did not sit with the rest of the support staff. Instead, he walked around the room, eating his oatmeal and talking to the boys.
"We know that you're not getting the food you're accustomed to. We're not in the habit of serving slave chow to anyone. The food you're getting now is designed to let your systems adjust back to the type of food most people eat. If anyone has a problem, that means cramps, diarrhea, nausea, let us know.
"After you have had your breakfast, all of you that did not meet with Mr. Jeff yesterday, must do so today. He will be in the same room as yesterday. When you leave here, just head for that room and form a line. When you finish with Mr. Jeff, you will then go outside and either join in a game or visit one of the medical vans that are on the way as we eat."
The last announcement brought a mix of gasps, deathly quiet, and moans. Daniel smiled with the rest of the support staff.
"I know, no one likes the idea of seeing a doctor. Who knows, he could be holding a needle, ready to give you ten shots." Daniel couldn't resist teasing the boys. "Or, maybe he just needs a couple of fluid samples so he can run a few tests to make sure all of you are healthy. If there is an issue, the issue will be addressed. If you don't have any issues, let's just say that the restrictions on personal pleasure will no longer apply."
Daniel's phrasing was enough to bring forth a few snickers from the boys.
Daniel watched as the boys moved through the medical vans in groups of three. Mark and Kevin had taken charge of the younger boys and moved them through first. The younger boys were nervous about seeing a doctor and seemed to have adopted Mark and Kevin, along with Alex and Sean, as their protectors. Daniel couldn't help but feel regret that boys so young, not even near puberty, could have been subjected to being sex toys for grown men.
The younger boys remained together. Kevin took them to one of the areas designated for soccer. What they were playing came closer to kicking the ball around for practice more than a game. Danny was in the middle of the whole thing trying to kick with the bigger boys. The little boy didn't care if he kicked it to the right person so long as he could just kick the ball. Daniel's quiet moment of observing the boys was interrupted by his cell phone.
"Good morning, Paul."
"Good morning, to you," Paul responded. "Trust everything is under control and going well?"
"I think they are; I'm not sure how the boys feel. They're going through their physicals right now. Some of the older boys are coming out walking a little funny; if you get my drift." Daniel laughed.
"Yeah, that ol' finger-wave can do it every time. What bothers me more than the finger is the slimey feeling you get from he Vaseline. That will definitely make you walk funny."
"What's up?" Daniel asked, wanting to get back to business.
"I was checking the systems for the call with the governor in a few minutes. You had said you wanted Greg to sit in on this call."
"I do. Greg's put a lot of work into his research and paper. He deserves the credit and I think he could give us some constructive input. When the governor calls, you'll have to ring me and tie me into the loop."
"That's what I was checking. There shouldn't be any problem. By the way, Michael called late last night and asked when you were coming back. When I told him I wasn't sure, he said he'd call you this morning."
"He called me before breakfast. He has the holiday weekend off and is driving down here this afternoon. I haven't said anything to the boys yet, but I'm trying to get Michael to let us give the boys a regular Thanksgiving dinner. We stepped up the menu this morning and we'll do it again at lunch time. If the boys don't have any adverse issues, they'll have a nice surprise tomorrow. Are the boys set to visit the seniors tomorrow?"
"All set. We'll take them in a little early so the seniors can spend extra time with them. The new boys have never experienced being a Cherub or the senior center and are asking all kinds of questions. I wish I could hear what they're telling the new boys about TJ and Evan and Grandpa. I bet it would be very interesting."
"Probably," Daniel answered with a chuckle. "However, I think that's one area where I'd just as soon not know all the details. I'll be standing by for the conference call, Paul. Talk to you later."
"Daniel, I've been reviewing Greg's work. It's very thorough and informative," the governor complimented.
Daniel, together with the governor and members of his cabinet, were holding their regular conference call regarding the bill the governor planned on introducing to roll back the slavery laws to prohibit the enslavement of minors and civil enslavement until specific criteria had been met. This was a big step towards achieving the goal of the privatization of foster care and protecting the children.
"His work saved us quite a bit of time, Governor. His research also gave us some good ideas on how to deal with the boys in the future."
"Agreed. I assume you're referencing the part about using multiple sites and keeping everything close to a home-type environment?"
"Did you review the dorm drawings he had?" Daniel asked. "The plans go a little further than we originally discussed, but those are the plans the Europeans have tried and proven to work well."
"Yes, all of us did," the governor replied. "He notes that they are an adaptation of plans used in Europe. I hope we can incorporate them, or some facsimile. Of course, that detail will not be part of the bill we're introducing, but it will go into the support plan that I'm sure the legislators will be asking about.
"Before I address new business, are there any questions?" The governor asked.
"Do we have an estimate on how many slaves we're talking about setting free and needing care?" Daniel asked.
"Daniel," Amos Crawford interrupted. "We're running records now. At the moment we don't have a bottom line number. What we will be doing is preparing reports with estimates broken down by age of the person and number of years in slavery. We're assuming that both factors will have some affect on how much counseling will be needed before they can return to a free life. In addition, I also have a question. Has anyone considered that some of these people may be too afraid to return to a free life and want to stay where they are?"
There was along pause, filled with nothing but silence. Amos had expressed a concern that each man had thought at one time or another. Daniel knew from Greg's research that such a thing had occurred in Europe and would most likely be repeated in Florida. Daniel took a deep breath and spoke.
"Amos, I think all of us have had that same thought. Greg's research says it will most likely happen and, I believe, he has a chart set up showing the most common age and service factors associated with such an event. I don't have his report with me, but with your reports, we should be able to make a reasonable guesstimate."
"Gentlemen, if no one has any additional questions or comments, there's another matter we have to address." The governor's tone had turned very serious.
"While all of us are together we need to discuss what has been uncovered by the recent raids to recover the boys that weren't surrendered as previously ordered. If there is anyone on this call that isn't familiar with what's happened, please speak up." The governor waited to give anyone that wished to speak, the opportunity. He then resumed his statement.
"Daniel, I've received several calls from the federals. It seems that we may have inadvertently involved ourselves in an international kidnapping and smuggling ring. Also, I'm receiving calls directly from representatives of a couple of South American governments making specific inquiries about four boys believed to be with you."
"Governor . . ."
"Daniel, please, hear me out. There's a lot more to this than I'm willing to get into over the phone. Suffice it to say, that at this moment I'm asking your father to join me on a trip down there. I'm also asking Amos and Ron to join us. There may be more; we'll have to wait and see how all this plays out. We'll fly in early tomorrow afternoon. We'll meet with representatives of the South American governments, diplomats from our side, and people who claim to have a specific interest in those four boys."
"Governor," Daniel paused to see if he was going to be interrupted again. "Are you aware that these four boys are supposed to be slaves?"
"I've heard, Daniel. However, I'm trying to keep an open mind and give consideration to the fact that not everyone views slavery the way we do. I'm sure that you realize that these people are asking for the boys to be turned over to them. We haven't made any commitments, neither myself, nor the feds. The only commitment we've made is to meet with them and hear them out. There's no choice in this Daniel. We must meet with them."
"I understand, Governor," Daniel responded in a resigned tone. "I'm not sure I like the sound of it, but I understand there are protocols that must be followed."
"Daniel, I do understand your feelings, but we really don't have a choice. I've asked your father to join us because of his expertise in ancient civilizations. I may be bringing one or two more faces friendly to our side, also." The governor decided to lighten the mood, if possible.
"Don't worry about accommodations. My staff is handling that as we speak. However, if we can get Michael to agree, I would like to make arrangements to have a Thanksgiving dinner catered for all of you, including the boys."
"I would imagine, Governor, that if you were to ask him, Michael would be less likely to tell you no than he would me," Daniel responded.
"Done. I'll call him personally as soon as we end this call."
"Uh, Governor. There is one more thing. We have with us . . . ."
"Daniel, let me save you the trouble. Your father has already told me. All of the boys civilly enslaved I will reclass as dependents of the state and place in your custody. They will not have to continue as slaves. I know about the nine criminally enslaved. Ron is having their records pulled and reports prepared for me now. I will address their issues while I'm there; however, no promises at this time. Fair enough?"
When Daniel closed his cell phone, he stood and looked out the window. Most of the boys were involved in a game of soccer or volleyball. Off to one side, near the building, he spotted Sean and Alex with two other boys about the same age. The four boys were standing in a circle. Sean held up a garden hose, raining water down on a laughing Danny. Daniel could tell the four older boys were talking. He couldn't hear them, but their smiles told him what he wanted to know.
Sitting across the field, alone, were the four boys and Enrico. Enrico was talking with the boys, or two of the boys. The boys with the collars sat with stoic expressions, saying nothing.
Daniel watched the boys with mixed emotions. He was elated that the governor was going to free all of the civilly enslaved boys and release them in his custody. His elation was clouded with concern over the nine boys criminally enslaved and the four boys from South America. He had been around politicians long enough to know what the governor was telling him. Daniel's cell phone rang. He recognized the number as his dad.
"Dad, I was hoping you would call."
"I wanted to talk to you Daniel. Are you okay?"
"You mean given that I was just told, in a very diplomatic way, that something may happen to these boys that I most likely won't approve of?"
"Son, do you remember me telling you when you first started this program, that sometimes things will happen that you can not control and you will have to just accept that? This may be one of those times."
"Dad, I'm still having trouble digesting what you told me about O'Donnell and the twins from yesterday. Now, the governor is telling me that we have foreign diplomats coming in and most likely demanding we surrender the boys. Isn't anyone concerned about how the boys' feel?"
"Well, if you remember our discussion yesterday, then you should realize that to these boys their position is their destiny. You will need to look at this from their perspective. I will agree that there is a big concern, particularly with the two boys that consider themselves to be servants. If my research is correct, then the two servant boys will view themselves as having failed to properly protect their masters. In their society, the two servants are no longer worthy."
"What are you trying to tell me, Dad?"
"Keep an eye on the boys, particularly the servant boys. To them, failure to fulfill their duties requires them to sacrifice their lives. There's a special ritual that goes with that, and it's very gruesome. When we get there tomorrow, hopefully we can avoid that situation."
"Dad, we have to."
"Daniel, remember what I said. You sometimes have to accept the values of others, even when they are diametrically opposed to your own. Just take care of them for now and I'll see you tomorrow."
When the boys had all been through their physicals, Daniel expected the medical vans to leave. When they didn't, he asked the head technician why they stayed. The tech advised Daniel that they had instructions to wait on a Dr. Worthington. Daniel knew they were waiting on Michael.
Michael arrived as lunch was being served to the boys. Daniel didn't see him drive in, but noticed him immediately as he walked through the door, particularly since the room had become almost completely silent as a new stranger entered.
"Hey, Dr. Mike," Sean called out.
"Hey, Sean. Hey, Danny, boys," Michael called out momentarily as soon as he spotted the boys.
As he walked towards Daniel, Michael looked around at the boys. All of them were eating soup and saltines with a small bowl of Jell-o or pudding next to their plates. Rather than the hug and kiss the two men normally exchanged as a greeting when at Ft. Ogden, they shook hands and wrapped an arm around the other's shoulders for a brief hug in front of all the new boys. Daniel signaled for one of the boys to bring a bowl of soup to Michael.
"I wondered why I didn't see a reception committee outside," Michael commented. "Guess the boys found the lunch menu more inviting."
"I don't know about inviting, but I'm sure they find it much more appealing than slave chow," Daniel answered.
"Any problems with any of them so far?"
"Not that any of them has let us know about. I'm sure they'd like to know when they can have something a little more substantial. Liquid diets don't usually do well with teens."
Michael held up a finger for Daniel to pause a moment. Michael then turned around and greeted the medical staff that had been waiting on him. After a few brief words, Michael turned back to Daniel.
"I received a call from the governor's office while I was driving down. Do the boys know about what he wants to do for them tomorrow?" Michael asked.
"Not yet. I've been waiting to talk with you. Think it's too fast?"
"Hard to say. Teenagers seem to have constitutions made of cast iron. I'd say that if they haven't had any adverse reactions to the soup and saltines, let them try it. Probably the worst that could happen is a few belly aches and a little diarrhea; we can handle those."
"Think we should know by mid-afternoon?" Daniel asked.
"I think that should be sufficient. Another item," Michael changed the subject. "You know I asked the medical team to standby and wait for me. All of these personnel are qualified so we can dechip the boys if you want. I also had them get a supply of the chips we used on the other boys and program them for New Horizons. If we started right after lunch, we could have them complete by supper."
"You can do them that quickly?"
"Each van is set up to handle two boys at a time. There's special equipment on board for the extraction. The young ones, we'll induce a twilight state so they don't feel anything. The older boys we can give a nerve block that'll clear in about two to three hours. They'll feel a slight soreness like a bruise, but they should be able to fully function this evening. The hospital is going to take care of the boys they have before releasing them. Hasn't the governor already said that he was going to declare the civil boys as wards of the state in your care?"
Daniel walked around the room and then asked Sean and Alex to stand with him. Daniel knew that Danny wasn't going to be left out of whatever was about to happen. He stood in the middle of the room with one of the older boys on either side and holding Danny.
"Fellas, I need your attention up here, please," Daniel announced and only had to wait about a minute until everyone was quiet and focused on him.
"You heard the boys greeting Dr. Mike as he entered the mess hall. Dr. Mike is part of our staff and takes care of our health needs. You will also note that the medical personnel you saw in the vans earlier are still here. Dr. Mike and the medical personnel are going to be removing your slave chips this afternoon. Now, this does not apply to the boys with Enrico nor to any boys that are criminally enslaved. I will talk to you later, in private.
"Now, we know that you may be concerned about the procedure and whether it might be a repeat of when you were initially chipped. Everything possible will be done to make sure you experience minimal discomfort. There are eleven of you ages twelve and under. You will be the first group. Dr. Mike will give you a shot that will send you off to la-la land. You may be aware that something is going on around you, but you most likely will not be able to decipher exactly what is going on, or feel anything.
"Two of you will enter one the vans together. The younger boys will each be escorted by Kevin, Mark, Brad or Patrick. They will walk you inside the van where Dr. Mike, or one of his associates, will give you a little shot. In just a few minutes, that shot will make you feel as though you could care less about what is happening. When the procedure is finished, you will be taken to the dorm and laid on a bed to sleep until the anesthetic wears off. Someone will be with you at all times." Daniel reached over and was handed a wand by one of the techs.
"This is a wand used to detect any chip you may have."
Daniel motioned one of the boys towards him and waved the wand over the small of the boy's back. The wand sent out a shrill sound, a signal that it had detected the chip. Daniel then waved the wand over the small of Sean's back and there was no sound. The wand was then waved over the area just behind Sean's left ear. Again, the shrill sound.
"Notice that when I waved the wand over his back, nothing. When I waved the wand over his neck, the alert sounded. The difference is that Sean, and all boys at New Horizons, have a small chip just behind the ear. The chip identified them as part of the New Horizons program. It tells people that they are free citizens with rights; that, in case of an emergency, New Horizons is to be contacted. Any questions?"
Daniel could tell the way the boys were looking at one another there were questions with the biggest being who would speak up first. Finally, a boy that Daniel thought was around fourteen raised his hand.
"Sir? The chip they have in the side of the neck. Do they hafta wear that forever?"
"No," Daniel answered simply and paused a moment for emphasis. "Sometimes, I take some of the boys out on the road for visitations or appearances. Should one of them become separated from the group, they have a form of identification. Around our base camp the boys don't wear anything. When we are out, much of the time they wear items with no pockets. This is just simpler and cleaner for everyone. If a boy is reunited with his family, the chip is removed because it is no longer needed.
"If there are no other questions, all boys aged twelve and under should stand over here to the side when you finish your lunch. I'll walk through with the first group. The medics will tell us how to proceed when they finish their lunch."
"What's your name?"
"Victor." The boy answered, his voice revealing a slight tremble.
"Victor, I'm Brad. Can I walk through this with you?"
The boy just looked up at Brad and nodded. He was scared, but wouldn't admit it.
"How old are you, Victor?"
"Twelve. I just turned twelve. Is this gonna hurt?"
"No. Dr. Mike says you'll feel a little sting when you get the shot. After the shot you'll just get sleepy. When you wake up you'll be in bed and it'll all be done. You and I are going to show the other boys how easy this is. I had it done. See the little mark behind my ear?"
Brad turned for the boy to see where the chip had been implanted. The boy studied the mark and then nervously turned to face Daniel. Victor would be the first. Brad placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder and led him into the van. Another boy followed Victor while two others entered the second van. When Victor lay down and the medic approached with the small gun used for the shot, the boy instinctively reached out for Brad's hand and held it tightly.
Twenty minutes after entering the van, Brad exited the van carrying Victor. The boy was not completely out, but he was deep enough in the twilight state that he couldn't walk. He could, however, keep his arms wrapped around Brad's neck as the older boy carried him to the dorm. Sean followed Brad into the dorm. Sean would sit with Victor and the other boys while Brad left to help another of the young boys.
"You know, for a doctor you have a pretty good bedside manner with kids," Daniel teased as he and Michael lay in bed.
"I felt bad for a couple of the boys, particularly the older ones. Teens always think they have to be macho and show no fear. It was obvious with a couple that they had been through some rough times. To settle them down, when we gave them the nerve block, I slipped in a little sedative to help them relax. At dinner, even though the boys said they were doing fine, I could tell some of them were feeling the soreness. They should all be fine within the next couple of days.
"By the way, the two boys from Cuba, they do speak some English. It's heavily accented and I think they understand more than they speak. One of them told me that they got in trouble trying to say something in English one time and got punished. From that point on they just let everyone believe they couldn't speak or understand English."
"Thanks for coming down here and helping with the boys," Daniel said, ready to change the subject. "Remember I said you have a good bedside manner? How are you in bed?"
Michael locked his fingers with Daniel's and then rolled both of them until Michael straddled Daniel's pelvis. Neither man said anything. The heat from their bodies and the longing shown in their eyes said it all. Michael pinned Daniel's arms to the bed and leaned down. He nibbled at his lover's lips. Lightly he allowed their lips to touch and brush against each other. Lifting his head, he looked down at Daniel and smiled before slowly dropping back down to engage in a passionate kiss.
Daniel pulled his fingers and arms free, wrapping them around Michael's firm chest and pulling his lover close. Their tongues dueled, each pushing and pulling at the other as both men gasped for air. Michael quickly pulled back and dove for Daniel's neck, sinking his teeth into flesh and sucking, branding his lover.
'Easy, that'll leave a mark the boys can see," Daniel complained.
"You think they don't know what we're doing. You'll just give them something to talk about tomorrow," Michael replied.
"And what do I do about the governor and everyone else coming here?"
"Use some makeup or one of the bandages in the vans."
Michael paid no heed to Daniel's concerns as he dove back down to brand Daniel again. It had been too long since the two could be together. Michael had no intentions of getting much sleep until they were both so exhausted from their love making that they passed out. Daniel intended to give his full cooperation, and his body.
"Don't make too much noise, the boys are just on the other side of the wall," Daniel stated.
"Don't worry, I'm sure they've heard it all before," Michael responded as he moved down and bit Daniel's nipple. Daniel cried out. Michael snickered.
Michael was true to his word. He licked, sucked and nibbled his way down Daniel's torso. When he felt the head of Daniel's now very firm rod touch just under his chin, Michael took a firm grip on the shaft and rubbed the sensitive head over his day's growth of stubble. Daniel cried out and bounced off the bed. Michael did it again, because he could. Before Daniel could react again, Michael enveloped the head and part of the shaft in his warm mouth. Daniel groaned and began to squirm.
Daniel grabbed two fistfuls of Michael's hair and pulled his lover up to stare him in the face.
"That was about as dirty a trick as you've ever pulled."
"Yeah, but you loved it," Michael responded with a grin.
Daniel reached down and grabbed Michael's hard member and pulled it around. Michael understood and turned around so the lovers were in a sixty-nine position.
"Well, at least with your mouth full you won't be able to scream so loud," Michael teased.
Daniel responded by biting down on Michael's shaft with his teeth. It was Michael's turn to holler; Daniel's turn to snicker.
It would be a rewarding and relaxing night.
End Ch 111 To Be Continued
Comments welcome: contact Dwight Wilson at adm2780@yahoo.com