OK Gang.. this is it. This ties everything together. This isn't going to be for the squimish.
Close your eyes Nick. ) stonewolf@angelfire.com www.stormloader.com/articwolf
Nick and Jonathan Part 20
Chapter One:
Jonathan looked up as Danny knocked and came into the forward lounge of the 747. He had been lost in thoughts thinking about Nick. He hated leaving the island without telling him. There was no way to do it really. It was a lot like running away and he didn't like it but there were no answers.
"I thought you would be sleeping" said Danny, a mug of coffee in his hand.
"I did for a while" said Jonathan. "I couldn't sleep for long"
"You know, we could have handled this differently" said Danny sitting down across from Jonathan.
"Let's see slick" said Jonathan somewhat curtly. :"I get how many letters telling me to change my ways or pay the price? Then let's see what else.. I get a broken nose in Zermatt, which still hurts by the way, Nick almost loses his life because some drugged out asshole can't follow directions, and then to top it off I get shot in Boston. You want me to back off?"
"Chill boss" said Danny quietly. "All I'm saying is that my company does have connections for this sort of thing"
"No way man" said Jonathan. "I am paying your company and you for that matter, a whole chunk of money to see that my ass stays out of jail for this little gig. The show is mine"
"I can't argue with you." said Danny. "God knows you have the reason and the money to pull it off, but we do have something to do over"
Jonathan walked over to the bar and called down to the galley and ordered sandwiches and coffee. Walking back he sat down and looked at Danny.
"We will be met in Denver by the company people. Its fair money that Nick's father knows you are coming."
"Well.. that Email I sent him didn't help things" said Jonathan smiling.
"Yeah I know." said Danny frowning. "You just want to make my life miserable"
Before Jonathan could come up with a smart answer there was a knock on the door and a steward rolled a cart with the food and coffee on it. He withdrew silently.
Jonathan took a plate filled with a sandwich and chips and sat back down. "Go on. Let's hear the rest of it."
"We've been in touch with the FAA and the Airport Director of Security and Administrator, who incidentally is developing a sincere dislike for us."
"Why?" asked Jonathan between bites of the thick roast beef sandwich. He got back up to put on some horseradish on the meat. "Just because I keep flying a very large plane into general aviation?"
"Heh" said Danny reaching over and grabbing a sandwich half. "That's part of it. He's still pissed off about the last time we flew in. He isn't thrilled with the concept of 25 men armed with fully automatic weapons waiting for us"
"Isn't that a little excessive?" asked Jonathan.
"That's to watch the plane." said Danny. "He doesn't know about the other 10 waiting in the vans.
"Oh" said Jonathan. "So what happens after we land?"
"Well, if this is going to happen, then we go to his house, kick in his door, kick ass and get the fuck out of there. Renaissance will be refueled and waiting to rock and roll. I'm sure the flight tower will have no problem giving us a priority clearance out of here by the time the airport director is done screaming"
"Yeah I suppose so" said Jonathan. He poured a second cup of coffee. "Walk with me. I think better when I walk."
They walked through the 747-400 discussing and refining plans. Danny was at first surprised then pleased at how well thought out Jonathan was. From the first discussions of this 8 hours ago at the waterfall lagoon on the resort until this moment, Jonathan had things well thought out. He knew that Jonathan had something in his background when he wanted to talk at the waterfall. No one could have heard them over the noise of the falling waters. He remembered the look on Jonathan's face as they sat in the warm waters of the lagoon, the cascading sheets of water near them.
":He dies" Jonathan had said. "Tonight. But by my hand alone"
"Are you sure?" Danny has asked. "We can take care of it just as easily"
"Its personal now" remarked Jonathan. "I alone command the final judgment. Set it up. We fly in two hours. I've already wired money to your company. They are waiting for your call."
Danny got up and walked over to the table nearby and pulled a Iridium phone from the towel. Unlike most of the cell phones they used this bounced a signal off of 47 different satellites before going to where it was supposed to be. Encrypted and secure it was for his home office.
"What are you telling Nick" Danny had asked while waiting for the connection to go through.
"I'm not" Jonathan had said as he got a sad look on his face. "With any kind of luck he'll never know anything about this. I already talked to Anthony and Karen. They will make sure he stays put and concoct some sort of story for me. I'll be back by noon tomorrow at the latest on the island."
Danny was snapped back to reality when one of the stewards handed him a fax.
"Thanks" said Danny reading it. "OK everything is set with some final changes."
"Like what?" asked Jonathan. "I don't like surprises"
"We have sent 4 agents to Hawaii to make sure Brandon is safe for the time being" started Danny. "We land in three hours. About the time we land, Brandon is going to have his vacation cut short. He will be on board the Gulfstream in bound for Dallas. About the same time Chris will be pulling Nick and Karen and Anthony out of the resort. Another Gulfstream IV is 2 hours out of St. Thomas. A private flight crew from my company will replace your normal flight crews on it. They will fly them to Memphis, Tennessee and sit on them. Once we are done we will be flying to Dallas, be on the ground long enough to get Brandon and be airborne for Memphis. From there we will switch crews once again, refuel and boogie it out of the states for an extended vacation."
"Where we flying to?" asked Jonathan.
"That is for me to know alone for now" said Danny. "The company is monitoring several issues at once and will make a final recommendation prior to flight time"
"Wonderful" said Jonathan, a mixture of sadness and sarcasm in his voice. "Give me some time OK?"
"No problem." said Danny getting up. "We can abort this anytime"
"No we can't" said Jonathan, in a voice distant yet far away and chilled as a grave. "Tonight begins a new chapter and ends an old one"
Chapter Two:
Jonathan sat in the upper lounge, alone in the darkness. The window covers had been pulled down my him. In the background played the same sound track that had been in the Gulfstream V the day he had brought Nick into his life. Many thoughts were going through his mind. Did he have the right to do this. What of Nick.. Could he face him again.. Would he be better off without him. It would hurt beyond belief to send Nick away, but yet it might be better. Confusion reigned in his head. He picked up a phone and punched in a number. Four times the phone at the other end of the connection rang before it was answered.
"Happy Hour" the voice said. "Tequila Sunrises $2.00 til 7"
"You couldn't make a decent drink if your life depended on it" said Jonathan, smiling for the first time that day.
"Am I being mocked by one of the world's richest men?" asked the voice.
"You are" said Jonathan. "But I was always told to talk to my favorite bartender when I needed advice"
"I'm also your old college roomie bud" he said. "Talk to me, You sound upset"
"Yeah Mark I am" said Jonathan. For 15 minutes he spoke without stopping, Mark only interrupted to ask pointed questions. At the end of telling his closest friend in the world his whole story he waited.
"So, lemme get this straight" said Mark, "The father of your boyfriend is trying to kill you and you are off to take care of the problem and you don't know if you should just do it or walk away from everything including the one person who has made you happy?"
"That about covers it" said Jonathan. "What is that annoying racket in the background?"
"That would be the house band I am about to fire" said Mark. "My assistant, who is also going to be fired for hiring them, told me they were a steal. What is a steal is that my profits are down because no one is coming in here"
Jonathan laughed. Mark had come to him about two years ago with an idea for a bar and lounge on the water. Jonathan agreed to finance it provided it was done the way he wanted it built. Today the RikiTiki was one of the largest and most profitable oceanfront bars and night clubs in Florida. The ownership papers had Mark's name on it but it was quietly controlled by Jonathan's far reaching company.
"Look Jon" said Mark. "You are happier then you have been in a long while it sounds like. Nick sounds like a great kid, and you are pretty damn lucky that he loves you for yourself. You want my advice? Kill the bastard, go make love in the sun and tell Nick everything but don't run away from him"
"Thanks Mark" said Jonathan. "Knew I could always trust you for the correct advice"
"You've known you could trust me since I came home early from class our senior year and found the captain of the Varsity Soccer Team screwing your ass" said Mark laughing.
:"Hmm yeah" said Jonathan blushing at the thought even after all this time. "He was a bad fuck overall. Listen I got to go. Thanks Mark."
"Any time man" said Mark. "Listen Jon, be careful. I hate funerals; especially ones for close friends"
"Me too" said Jonathan breaking the connection. Sure of himself for the first time since he walked on board Renaissance he went back downstairs and walked into his office to find Danny working. "Wake me up when we land"
"You got it" said Danny.
Chapter Three:
There was a knock on the bedroom door as Jonathan felt the wheels come down.
"We are seven minutes out boss" said Danny through the door.
"OK thanks" said Jonathan. He was pleased that he had managed to grab about two hours of sleep. He walked into the closet area and after a short debate, pulled on clean boxers, dress socks and an Armani double breasted suit with a Hilfiger dress shirt. Selecting a matching tie and shoes, he pulled out a Swiss military double breasted officer's trench coat. Being heavily quilted and waterproof he figured it would suffice for the Denver weather. He had noted several rough spots of air during the approach to Denver. Looking out the window he could see it raining. Lightning crackled in the distance over the mountains like a premonition of doom.
He walked out of the bedroom and went to the doors where Danny was standing.
"Go on back to the office. It will be a couple of minutes still." said Danny.
"All right" said Jonathan. He went back to the office and was reviewing email when Danny walked in with quite possibly the largest and nastiest looking person in black military fatigues he could ever recall.
"Jonathan this is Mitchell of the company" said Danny.
Jonathan rose and shook hands. The man easily stood 6'6" and weighed in at about 230 pounds and obviously none of it fat. No less then three guns hung from various places on his body; along with 2 knives that Jonathan could see. His hair was cut somewhat short but not of military style. This was a man who knew his business.
"The company requires me to ask this sir" said Mitchell. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes I am " said Jonathan, squaring his shoulders. He was glad he had talked to Mark. His mind had been at peace and clearer ever since.
"Very well sir" said Mitchell. He removed a parcel from under his arm and set it down on the desk. "I believe this is what you asked for"
Jonathan opened it to reveal a .357 magnum Desert Eagle done in stainless steel. Next to it lay a clip of ammo. He picked up the weapon, inserted the clip and chambered the first round. The sound was loud in the cabin. It reminded Danny of a tombstone cracking.
"The gun is untraceable, the ammo hand loaded" said Mitchell. It will disappear directly after the incident. If you are ready we can go. We have had the house under surveillance for two hours now. We know where he is"
"Let's do it" said Jonathan.
As they walked though the plane to the forward doors, Jonathan slipped the trench coat on and put the weapon into his waistband under the suit jacket. My tailor would hate me for this he thought. As they prepared to leave the plane Danny's phone chirped. Walking down the steps to the waiting Ford Explorer he heard Danny swear under his breath. He looked around for trouble but saw only the 25 people surrounding the jet; weapons at port arms. . He felt sorry for the ground crew.
"What's up?" asked Jonathan as Danny finished the call and they sped towards the airport exit.
"I don't have a clue what happened other then your boyfriend is evidently a lot smarter then my people" said Danny.
"How so?" said Jonathan.
"He isn't anywhere in the resort compound" said Danny. "He evidently slipped out a window and slipped past the security crew. We've been checking and found a charter airline that flew out an hour after we did with a single passenger bound for Orlando."
"Why would he be going to Orlando?" said Jonathan. "What is he doing there?"
"I don't know" said Danny. "The company tried to meet the plane and corral Nick, but the plane was on the ground exactly long enough to taxi in, drop him off and taxi out again. It was airborne for 20 minutes before we got there."
"So, you are telling me Nick is somewhere in Orlando, no guards, nothing and I'm on the way to kill his father?" he yelled.
"Yeah that pretty much covers it" said Danny. "Everything is still in place and moving. I've got 10 people looking for him now. They will find him and get him to Memphis. In the meantime I want to hold up here for a couple of hours til we find him."
"OK where?" said Jonathan. "Where you planning on stashing 2 vans of gun toting people?"
"Where else does a business man go when he wants the finest?" said Danny. "The Ritz Carleton downtown. Take over the Presidential Suite for a few hours."
They drove into downtown and Jonathan got out of the van accompanied by Danny and Mitchell. They walked up to the Concierge. Jonathan put down a business card with the name of his company on it along with the title of Chief Executive Officer; and his American Express Ebony. The concierge recognized the name at once.
"Good evening Mr. Castleton" said the man. "Welcome to Denver. How can I help you?"
"I will be requiring your Presidential Suite for about 4 hours this evening. I will pay your nightly rate" said Jonathan in his business voice.
"Very good sir" the concierge replied. "If you will follow me, I'll show you the suite personally, to make sure it is up to your approval."
They walked across the lobby and entered the elevators being whisked up to the 18th floor. The concierge pulled keys out and opened the door. Jonathan entered after Danny did and looked the room over.
"It will do nicely thank you" said Jonathan. "My assistant will follow you down and handle the arrangements"
Danny scowled briefly at Jonathan but went down and left Jonathan with Mitchell in the room.
"Nice room here" said Mitchell taking off an overcoat. Jonathan could only imagine the reaction to what was under the jacket if the concierge had known.
"Yeah not bad" said Jonathan going to the bar and getting a bottled water. "Somehow I can't stand the damn oriental motifs hotels have these days."
Danny returned shortly and was followed by 5 of the security crew.
"What did you do with the rest of them?" asked Jonathan.
"They are prowling about making sure there is no problem." said Danny. "I think I pissed off the hotel security director."
:"No shit" said Jonathan. " I can't imagine why. What's going on with Nick?"
"We're looking Jon" said Danny . "Be patient"
Chapter Four:
The hours dragged slowly by. Twice the door was knocked upon. Each time no less then 5 guns trained themselves on the front door. Once was the General Manager of the hotel welcoming Jonathan and the second time was the Concierge returning with a fruit basket and a bottle of wine. Jonathan politely thanked them and basically threw them out. Pacing the floor back and forth he waited for Danny to tell him something.
"Well?" asked Jonathan as Danny came into the suite. "What's going on? Where is Nick?"
"He was seen in the airport" said Danny. "Problem is that we have at least 6 different reports of young guys matching his description going to different locations"
"He's one person" said Jonathan. "How hard can he be to find?"
"Very when he wants to be evidently" said Danny. "Look he'll show up. We can't wait any longer here. You still want to do this?"
Jonathan walked to the windows of the suite. He paused to first look at the view of the city and then at his own reflection. Did he have the right to do this? The minutes dragged on silently. Finally he turned.
"Yeah" said Jonathan. "Its time"
They left via the parking garage. Filled with a strange sense of peace, urgency and dread, Jonathan watched as they drove towards the house. Stopping 3 blocks away, Danny made a call.
"OK" said Danny. "We get out here. The street is quiet. You me and then the vans drive on and drop off the others around the block."
Danny got out first and let Jonathan out. The rain fell from the heavens adding to the darkness of the night. Street lights had been somehow put out of service through the whole area. They walked the 3 blocks to Nick's house. Slipping around to the back of the house they approached the house. Suddenly Danny stopped Jonathan. He listened to the night. He had heard something. A silenced 9mm suddenly filled his hand. Appearing like a wraith from a shadow stood Mitchell, a 357 magnum filling his hand. A metallic click was heard 10 feet from them Turning Danny brought up the weapon and fired. There was barely a sound save the recoil of the weapon; then a crash into the bushes. Moving forward he found a body lying in front of him, a sawed off shotgun near the body. Danny picked up the gun and broke open the chambers. Emptying the gun he tossed it in the bushes.
Returning, they moved forward. "One down" said Danny. " I think it is safe to say we got more company here somewhere"
"My people will sanitize the area" said Mitchell.
They approached the back door. Slipping a set of lock picks from a pocket, Danny selected one and went to work on the lock. 20 seconds later they were standing in the kitchen. A TV playing could be heard from the front of the house. Jonathan undid the overcoat and his jacket and pulled out the gun. Quietly moving thru the rooms his undid the safety. Standing in the darkness of the dining room he could see in a reflected window the man he had come to kill.
He walked into the light of the living room. From the other side came Danny and Mitchell.
"Why?" asked Jonathan pointing the gun at the man. "What did I do to you?"
"Faggot" snarled Charles Covington. "You fuckin made my son a candied ass faggot"
"Your son is gay of his own choosing amd feelings" said Jonathan. "I happened to offer him friendship that became something more. All you offered him was hate and pain"
"He's my fucking son" said Covington. "If I beat him its for his own good"
"He was young" said Jonathan, cocking the pistol to get him to sit still "You had no right. No one does"
"You had no right to make my son gay" said Covington. His face betrayed no fear, his eyes constantly moving.
"Don't bother looking for your help" said Jonathan. "My friends have remedied that problem. It is just you and me What I want to know is how and why"
"I ain't tellin you shit asshole" snarled the man. "You kill me and you'll have more problems then you know what to do with. Where do faggots like you get off judging real men like me?"
"I'm not your judge" said Jonathan. "You almost had your own son killed by the fools you had attack me in Europe"
"He's no longer my son" said Covington. "Not since you made him a sick pansy ass bastard"
"Outside fool" snarled Jonathan. "Die like a man"
"I'm not going anywhere" said Covington. "You ain't got the balls to shoot me"
"But I do" said a new voice. All eyes turned to the stairs. Standing there was Nick. He walked into the room and stood by Jonathan. He stared stonily at his father. "I can't believe you would try to have him killed because he showed me the love you never did"
"You queer bastard" said Covington. "You like this prissy fool? Why couldn't you be a man?"
"I am a man" said Nick. "I've got the scars to prove it. The ones from the times you beat me on my back, and the ones I'll carry forever in my mind from your verbal abuse"
Nick turned to Jonathan. "I got here a couple of hours ago. I snuck in and have been upstairs. I needed to know. I read the reports you got. I know you probably are pissed at me, but I had to come"
"I'm not pissed" said Jonathan "I was worried. Wait outside babe. This is my problem."
"No" said Nick "It's my problem."
Nick reached over and took the gun from Jonathan's hand. He turned to his father. "Get your ass outside now or by God I'll fucking knee cap you and drag your ass out there"
A sudden fear shone in the eyes of his father. Backing up slowly he walked into the kitchen. Never once did the gun waver. He backed outside. He saw motion and for a brief moment felt triumph. Then he saw them ..........dressed in black. He knew the people he had put around the house were dead.
Standing in the middle of the yard Nick spoke quietly. "You have caused me pain and suffering instead of letting me feel love and joy. Too many times you hurt me. You tried to kill the one person in my life I love."
Lightning flew overhead as thunder rocked the neighborhood. The skies were split apart as the rain started to fall in sheets.
"You can't judge me either pussy boy" said his father. "You don't have the balls. All you do is get it up the ass by this faggot"
"I'm not your judge" said Nick. "I'm your executioner. You deserve worse then this. For the pain and hurt to me....... to Jonathan. Rot in Hell you miserable bastard"
Thunder roared over head. Lightning crashed down to strike a tree in the yard. It was as if the universe sounded its approval of what was to be. As the roar of the strike died away, a single boom followed. Nick's father fell to the ground. The blood seeped into the ground, mixing with the rainwater. Nick fell to his knees, the gun falling from nerveless fingers. Rain coursed down over him, forming rivlets through his hair. Jonathan went to Nick
"Come on" he said quietly "We've got to go"
Surrounded by the phalanx of guards the two were hustled into the vans. As they left the area returning to the airport Jonathan spoke.
"Why?" he asked Nick softly.
"I couldn't let you do it for me" said Nick, tears falling from his face. "He tried to kill you because I loved you. For the first time in my life I am loved, or maybe not anymore after tonight. Either way I couldn't let you take the blame for doing it. It doesn't matter to me any more"
"Don't say that Nick" said Jonathan. "I'll always love you. I do now even more"
The vans silently entered the airport compound. Arriving within 100 feet of the waiting 747 the guards got out and formed a ring around the van. Danny got out and let Nick and Jonathan out. They were walked towards the jet. Up the stairs and into the jet they went. Stewards were waiting to take their jackets. Nick was soaked to the skin from not wearing one. They could feel the jet start moving as Jonathan took Nick into the front. He undressed him without protest and dried him off. Putting a towel around him he brought him back into the bedroom area.
"You OK?" asked Jonathan.
"No I'm not" said Nick softly. "I used your influence, and power and credit cards to run away from what you wanted me to do. I did everything against what you wanted me to do. I'm now a murderer. I have no regrets. He deserved to die. He tried to kill you.. You probably hate me now. Let me go before the plane takes off. I wouldn't blame you"
Nick was silenced by Jonathan's lips on his own. "Its too late for that now. We're moving." said Jonathan breaking the kiss. "You've shown your love many times over. I'll never hate you"
"Let me be for a while" said Nick. "I need to be alone"
"OK babe" said Jonathan. "I'll be here when you need me"
Chapter Five:
The lazy days had rolled by. Two weeks elapsed since the night in Denver. Nick stayed to himself the whole time. Sometimes sleeping with Jonathan, most nights not. Even when they slept together they did not make love. They were back in Lucerne at the hotel owned by the Eberle family. Frau Eberle fussed over the two, made sure they ate, but overall it was not a happy time. Jonathan could not get Nick to open up other then to say he needed to think. One night at sunset, Jonathan was sitting in the family's private park. he heard the gate open, turning his saw Nick walking towards him.
"Hi" said Nick.
"Hi yourself" said Jonathan. "How ya doing?"
"Better" said Nick. " I've been a bastard. I can't explain why I needed the time. I needed to understand in my head too many things. Why my father beat me, abused me.. why you left me in St. Thomas. Why did I do what I did"
"And?" asked Jonathan softly.
Nick turned to him and kissed him softly. The winds blew gently off the lake on this warm spring evening. The waves made a gentle lapping noise upon the shore of the lake. A shiver passed through Jonathan.
"I realized that none of it matters." said Nick. "All I know is what matters most to me now. I'm yours, that is if you still want me to be yours."
"Now and forever" said Jonathan, his heart swelling at the joy of the moment.
"Then love me now." said Nick hugging Jonathan to him as a drowning man would a life preserver. 'Give me what I need.. Love.. Understanding.. Peace"
Jonathan took Nick by the hand and let him down the path in the park to a sheltered area secluded from the road by small pines. The setting sun formed a spotlight through the trees into the pine covered ground. Pulling Nick down to the ground with him, he kissed him. Breaking the kiss, he held Nick against him, his arm around him. Together the two watched until the sun set behind the mountains. As the first star appeared over the crest of the mountains, Jonathan turned to Nick.
"I have done what you asked" said Jonathan, holding Nick and speaking softly in his ear. " Mark is now a member of the staff. He is training under Brandon for a while, but soon just as Brandon takes care of my day to day, Mark will do the same for you. I also have two other surprises for you."
"I don't deserve them after what I've done" said Nick.
"What's done is done" said Jonathan. "It was mean to be for all the pain that you have been through"
"What are the other surprises?" asked Nick, a trace of the childlike innocence returning.
"Well" said Jonathan. Seems like we will have company tomorrow morning. You keep getting your reunion with Paul interrupted. I talked at length with him and his family over the past week. He will be working for me. He was majoring in physical education. He will complete his studies with the company picking up the costs in South Carolina at Beaufort, about 10 minutes from the estate, and be our physical trainer"
"Oh my God" breathed Nick. "I can't believe you sometimes. Why do you love me so much?"
"One never knows" said Jonathan. He reached into his jacked pocked and pulled out two blue paged pieces of paper and handed them to Nick.
"This is the other surprise" said Jonathan. "Remember you were busting my balls about the hotel in Zermatt? Well it has a new owner. So does the hotel in Boston."
Nick looked at the paper. At first he didn't understand. He saw his name on the papers. Then it hit him. He was the new owner. He couldn't speak.
"I love you" said Jonathan. "With all my heart, my love and my soul. Be mine. Now and forever. You are free of the pain that was your old life. Enter into my life again and be there until you want to leave."
"I never want to leave" said Nick, the tears finally falling, washing away the pain of rebirth. Finally he was free to love, be loved. There he cried until the warmth of absolute inner peace washed over him.
"Take me home" said Nick. "My place is with you"
=================================== Well.... I don't know what to say. many months, 20 parts and over 500K in writing. It has been a great time writing the series. The email you have all sent has helped me write this series. But all good things come to an end. Nick and Jonathan will be back on occasion, but for the most part, the series is done. Keep watch for the new series. KRISTIAN. Write me if you want to be on the mailing list. Love ya all.......... Jon