The Charges

Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. None of the characters portrayed herein represent any real person, living or dead. It includes characters invented by Chip Masterson including the muscle super kid, "Danny Henderson" who appears in a number of stories created by Chip. These characters are used in this story with his express permission, (Thanks, Chip!) although this story differs substantially in tone and theme from stories written heretofore by Chip. There are inconsistencies between Chip's story line and mine. The characters in my scenario dwell, therefore, in some sort of parallel universe.' Also included in this story is a character inspired by "Billy," the lead character in John D's "Billy Muscles up." One incident is borrowed directly from the "Billy Muscles Up" series and some of the things Billy does in this story echo "Billy Muscles Up." However, although this "Billy" begins with more or less the same personality and physical strength as the original, events take "my Billy'" in a somewhat different direction. My use of the "Billy" character is with John D's express permission. Thanks, John D!

If you are looking for erotic stimulation, please look elsewhere because you won't find that here. Aside from some coarse language and violence, this story could almost be rated "G." But if Chip's "Danny" series is one you have enjoyed, you may find this story entertaining as well. My interest in Chip's "Danny" series has been mainly, "what are people thinking and feeling?" (Something Chip has preferred to leave to the reader's imagination.) This story delves into that question in just a little bit more detail. Of particular interest to me as well, is how some of these characters respond to situations and circumstance that could happen to anyone as well as how they react to extraordinary situations.

I've introduced my own characters in this story, among them, "Andy Jackson Partlowe," and, to some extent, this is HIS story... how he came to meet Billy, Danny and his friends and how he reacts to their phenomenal strength and abilities.

My thanks to the web master for his work in maintaining this site and for posting this story. I would like to express my special thanks to Chip Masterson and John D. for graciously sharing their characters with me and especially for their work and creativity in creating their stories. This story is dedicated in their honor.

Thanks a lot for sharing, Chip and John D...

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Danny heard it first. Then Billy. Then Cole and Salas.

Danny announced. "We've got company..."

Salas, spoke. "Scotty, Andy, you two stay here. Danny, you stay here with them. Cole, Billy, come with me."

"I'm comin' too, Salas, Danny said."

"No, Danny. I need you here. We don't know who this is or what's goin' on. But I want one of us four close to Scotty and Andy just in case. No heroics, Danny, please! If things go south, I'm counting on you to get Scotty and Andy outta here... fast! OK?"

"OK, Salas. You're right. Andy, think you could `link' us up? I wanna check this out."

Andy established another six-way link with almost no effort. Everybody was `online' in less than a second.

Salas, Cole and Billy disappeared out of the lunchroom door onto the shop floor.

They had heard engine noises, three automobiles approaching the gate.

Cole said to Salas and Billy, "You two wait here. I'll go outside and see what's up."

With his mind, Salas asked Andy, "Your `link' still good?"

Andy replied, "See for yourself. If you want, you should be able to see everything Cole does. So can we."

"OK, buddy, I got it... Thanks."

The three cars, each of them black unmarked sedans, similar to Salas' police cruiser, rolled up to the building. Two `suits' with mirrored sunshades emerged from the lead car. The driver remained by the car and the man who got out of the passenger side strode up to Cole.

Cole asked, "What can I do for you?"

The man replied. "Oh, sorry to disturb, we're just checking out the neighborhood. We're planning on siting' an electronics plant nearby for Raetheon. Didn't realize there was anybody home' till we saw your cars. Sorry if we bothered you."

"No problem, Cole answered."

The two men got back into their black sedan and the three cars drove away. Cole watched them until they were out of sight and finally out of his extremely sensitive earshot.

Then he went back inside.

Salas asked Cole, "You recognize that guy in the passenger seat of the second car?

Cole answered, "Yup, sure did. One of General Lassiter's men.... Guess they didn't get the message last time we tangled with him and his goons back at his base."

Salas spoke to Billy, "Those are the military bastards I told you about in the car yesterday. I don't know what they're up to, but, whatever it is, it's NOT good news for us. I'd rather they didn't see you. I just hope to God they haven't already seen you OR Andy. If they've been monitoring us all along, which I doubt... we would've heard them poking around... that could be very bad for your mom and Andy's, as well as Scotty's and Danny's folks. But we gotta play safe. Danny, take Scotty, get home right now and get your mom and dad and Scotty's folks to the safe house. Billy, you take Andy, on your back and go get both your moms. Danny after you make your pickups, rendezvous with Billy and lead him to the safe house. Cole and I are going straight there to make sure the coast is clear. Andy, think you can maintain your six-way link? We've never needed YOU more than we do right now."

"Salas, all I can do is try. This is still very new. If I can't, I'll come up with some way to find' each of you. I may hafta poll' each of you separately if I can't maintain this thing as a `six node network' spread out all over the county. Don't you have some kinda conventional communication backup, just in case?"

"Well, I gotta a cell phone. But none of the rest of us does. Besides my cell's not secure. So, for now, Andy, your mind link is all we got. OK guys, let's MOVE!"

As they prepared to exit the building, everybody, even Scotty and Andy heard the "thwak thwak" of helicopter rotor blades. Billy exclaimed, "UH-60 Blackhawk helos! Three of them! They're almost on top of us!"

Salas groaned. "Oh shit! That's all we need! If they were on the ground, as fast as we can move, we could just disappear. But from the air, they'll track us. We'll look like a blur' to them, but the blur' will trace our route of travel, pointing like an arrow to where we're headed. It'll be easy for them to track us from altitude. We've gotta bring those bastards down."

Billy spoke, "Salas, those guys are US Marines. We CAN'T do that. Some of those guys are just jar head grunts doin' what they're told. There's GOTTA be another way. I won't put my hand to murder of our own guys. PLEASE, Salas, I'm still a Naval Academy midshipman!"

"Billy, those birds have GOTTA come down or we're toast, not to mention your families. But if we get lucky, we can take out their engines and the pilots will be able to auto rotate. It'll take some doin', though. If we hit the rotor blades, THEY'RE toast. Those choppers would fall like bricks!"

Billy asked, "Salas, Danny and I can move pretty fast. I know you and Cole can too. Those birds could never catch us. Why can't we just head south and keep goin' till we loose `em? Then we could just double back north at our leisure."

"Two problems with that, Billy. Once we headed back north, they might very well reacquire us and be on our tails again. Also, they may be able to launch more choppers and just lay sector search patterns clear across the whole Goddamned state. Then our problem would be compounded. We'll be dealing with who knows how many choppers instead of only three. Meanwhile, some of Lassiter's goons could be makin' a bee line for Danny's house right now, and maybe your moms', Andy's and Scotty's. We gotta get your folks OUTTA there... NOW. We don't have the time to fuck around with these guys."

Salas looked into Billy's eyes. "Son, I don't wanna do anything to hurt those men. Like you said, most of em are probably just grunts tryin' to do a job. No tellin' WHAT General Lassiter has told those kids about us or who or what they think we are. But all I can do... all ANY of us can do is try our best to do OUR job and try to do it so nobody gets hurt. Remember, Billy, they came after us. Not the other way around. I KNOW General Lassiter and he is VERY bad news. He's a psychopath disguised as a Marine Corps General Officer. How in God's name that bastard keeps getting away with his bullshit I don't understand. Billy, If we manage to get outta this, Danny, Cole, you and I are gonna pay that fuck a little courtesy call.' I thought he'd get the message last time. Danny, Cole and I left his base with a little something to remember us by and I was hoping that'd be enough. Well, evidently it wasn't... But this time I guarantee he WILL get the message."

The three helos were nearly overhead now, transitioning into a hover. Crewmen were dropping rappelling lines out the wide open starboard side access doors. Salas, Danny, Cole and Billy dashed out of the lunchroom into the construction hall and made for the scrap metal heap. They each took twelve foot I beams and began to tearing them to pieces, dropping scrap steel onto the deck. Then they gathered the metal shards and began fashioning them into crude ball bearings. When all four had about a hundred pellets each, as one, Salas, Danny, Cole and Billy bolted for the door. Troops aboard each of the three helos were beginning to snap on their safety harnesses before beginning their drop to the deck down their rappelling lines.

Salas turned to Billy and asked, "Are you sure you want in on this action, son? Your technically on active duty since you're still a Naval Academy midshipman. You're still subject to UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice, ed.). Bringing down all this DOD hardware could land you in the brig for a very long time."

"I'd like to see the brig that could hold me, Salas. I'm with you guys all the way. Just thanks, all of you, for trying to do this so nobody gets hurt."

The four supermen hurled their ball first bearings at the helos. Danny took the first helo, disabling the engine with his second shot. Billy took out the engine of the second machine on the first try. Salas and Cole got off three rapid fire throws apiece before the third bird began trailing smoke. The three aircraft scattered as their pilots dumped collective for an auto rotation emergency landing. The helos began to descend very fast. Their pilots held minimum collective, sacrificing altitude for rotor head RPM. At the last instant before striking the ground, the pilots would yank in their collective levers for maximum rotor blade pitch. The pilot's timing would be critical. Before loosing RPM from the increased air resistance of higher blade pitch, the rotors would burst a cushion of air downward for a relatively soft landing. "Relative" being the operable word. Their landings might well result in "strike" damage ("Strike" damage means the aircraft has been totaled. - ed.), but the men inside would walk away unharmed. All three helos would touch down outside the fenced in perimeter of the machine shop.

Salas turned to Billy and Danny. Billy, you grab Andy... Danny you take Scotty and beat feet. Cole and I are right behind you. We meet at the safe house. Billy, just stay with Danny. When you've collected all your folks, he'll lead you to the safe house.

As they ran, Danny with Scotty on his back, Billy with Andy on his back, Danny said to Billy, "Just load your people into a car and carry that sucker with them in it. It's the best way I can think of for you to haul so many people. I'll meet up with you at Andy's mom's. We'll move to the safe house together from there. Andy and Billy, I'm sorry, that we hadda bring your mom's into this. I know you've wanted to keep `all this' under wraps from them and now yer gonna hafta explain everything to them. But we can make the explanations to them later... Now kick it in the ass, Billy, we gotta MOVE!"

Billy and Danny parted company, Danny heading for Scotty's and Billy heading for his mom's. He would collect her and her car and carry her and Andy in it to Andy's mom's to pick her up.

The `explanations,' such as they were, were a pain! Billy was getting Andy and their mom's loaded into Billy's mom's station wagon when Danny dashed up with Scotty's father's car held at arms length over his head. His and Scotty's parents were inside the car. Danny set the car down at the curb and scampered up the driveway. OK, Billy, all loaded up?"

"Yeah Danny, good to go."

"OK, dude, let's shag!"

Billy and Danny hefted their burdens and took off for the safe house faster than the normal eye could follow. To an ordinary observer, these two phenomena with full sized automobiles balanced at arms length over their heads "blurred" into invisibility. Normally, there wouldn't even have been a "blur," the could've just vanished! But the two boys were obliged to start off relatively gradually so as not to apply excess G-forces to their passengers. When they arrived at the safe house, Salas and Cole were waiting.

Salas spoke to the utterly shaken parents. The Hendersons were less so. They'd been living with Danny's `antics' all his life. But Scotty's folks, Mrs. Hartlander and Partlowe were in quite a state. Mrs. Hartlander and Partlowe both had some idea that Billy was a very strong young man. But neither had ever had any idea HOW strong... Not since Billy's and Andy's high school days when Billy and Andy used to sneak out to the junk yard for Billy to burn off excess energy and test and build his strength...

Salas greeted the parents with apologies. "I'm as sorry as I can be that all this has been necessary. If I could've spared you this, I would have. But we've got some very bad news characters after us and we had to take precautions to keep you safe. There's every reason for us to believe these men could've tried taking you as hostages. You'll be safe here. I've got some of my friends in LAPD on their way over right now. They'll protect you. These goons won't get through my guys. The whole US Army would have their hands full with this bunch. Now this is very important! Don't talk to them about HOW you got here so fast. These men are strong, VERY strong in their own right. But they've got no inkling the full extent of what Cole or I can do or what Danny and Billy can do. But they're very good men... very reliable and they're my friends. It's just that if you tell them anything, you might be placing THEM in unnecessary danger. The less they know, the better for all of us. Now let's all go inside."

They entered the safe house, a small, three bedroom, white stucco veneer bungalow with a faded red terra cotta roof. The interior was comfortably appointed but it was obvious this house wasn't lived in...' A minimum of furniture to make the place comfortable but no evidence of any personal belongings... no family photos hanging on the walls and none of the inevitable knick knacks' found in any real home. This place looked just like what it was. A haven' of sorts for hunted men to go to ground.'

About ten minutes later, two LAPD police cruisers pulled up to curb out front. Four well muscled uniformed patrol men got out and Salas and Cole went out to meet them. The six men, Salas, Cole and the four `uniforms' spoke very briefly and then all of them strode up the walk and into the house. Salas introduced his friends. "These men well protect you. You have nothing to worry about. The goons who are after us aren't particularly interested in going to war with LAPD. We'll be back to get you just as soon as it's safe..."

The four uniformed muscle cops excused themselves and went outside to check on things.

"Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, I want you to tell Mrs. Partlowe and Hartlander everything you know about Danny. Billy is like Danny in many of his capabilities, although Billy is only beginning to discover what he can do. Mr. Henderson, please try to help them understand some of this. My friends will be in and out of the house. Make sure you don't say anything in front of them. The less they know, the better for their own sakes. They're very good friends of mine. I trust them and they trust me. They won't ask any questions."

Mrs. Partlowe said, "Well, Billy has already given us a taste of what he can do the way he brought us here. Billy and Andy are like two sides of the same coin. They're best friends and they're really more like brothers. Are you telling me Andy could've done that too?"

"No, Mrs. Partlowe, he can't. But just being someone Billy cares about places him in danger, as it does Billy's mom and you. And, even though Andy has NONE of Billy's capabilities so far as we know, some of the things Andy has done in the last 48 hours are as unbelievable as anything you've just seen Billy do. You two ladies have raised very remarkable young men. They're both the salt of the earth with superb moral underpinnings. Given what they are capable of, the world owes both of you a debt of gratitude no one may ever appreciate. If Billy and Andy had turned out bad, I wouldn't want to think of the consequences for all of us."

"We're going to hafta leave now. All six of us. We have something very important we have to do..."

Salas led Cole, Danny, Billy, Scott and Andy out the door. The four uniformed officers joined Salas at the curb and they spoke for just a moment.

Three more LAPD black and whites arrived, each with two heavily muscled uniformed officers in the front seats. Salas got into the back seat of the first police sedan along with Scotty and Danny. Cole, Billy and Andy got into the back seat of the second. The third car had come along as an additional `escort.'

Grimly, Salas thought to himself as they pulled away, there's probably as much muscle power in these three black and whites as there is in all the rest of LA metro, even DISCOUNTING Danny and Billy! In a one on one match up, even Scotty or Andy could take on 99% of all the guys in this town OR on Lassiter's Marine Corps base. Now we're more than a match for the general and his goons."

They arrived at the main gate of the Marine Corps installation and were greeted courteously by a Marine Security guard. In the back seat on the left hand side, Salas lowered his window and spoke to the guard. "Lance Corporal, we're here to see General Lassiter."

"Yes sir. Is he expecting you?"

"No son, he isn't. But if you call his office, give him MY NAME and tell him we're here at the gate, I'm sure he'll wanna see us."

"Well, sir, I'll hafta call the corporal of the guard first."

"Call whoever you want. Just make sure once you've gone through your chain-of- command that you call the general. I'm tellin' yah, if he found out any of you turned me away, he'd have your stripes... Got it?"

"Yes sir."

About ten minutes later, an olive drab Chevy pickup arrived at the gate. It was the corporal of the guard. Salas repeated the litany he'd recited to the gate guard. The corporal of the guard called the Base OOD (Officer of the Day). The officer of the day rung off with the corporal of the guard. He said he would call the general's office himself and then call back to the guard shack. Two minutes later, the guard shack phone rang. After a brief exchange, the corporal of the guard walked over to Salas' window and said "Sir, there will be two MP cars down here in five minutes. They'll lead you to the administration building.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the two MP sedans arrived. The gate barrier was raised and the three LAPD black and whites motored onto the base, led by one of the two MP cars and followed by the other.

As they arrived at the `head shed' (Marine parlance for the main headquarters building - ed.), Salas spied Lassiter's red general's flag, emblazoned with not two, but three white stars, waving in the breeze from the starboard halyard, below and to the right of the Stars and Stripes. "Well I'll be Goddamned! They made that sonofabitch Lassiter a frickin' three star! Can you believe it? Those dicks in the Pentagon really got their heads up their asses!"

The cars were parked and the little band was escorted into the building, up to the second floor to and into the reception area of General Lassiter's suite of offices. The look was very `corporate' and upscale. Except for all the Marine Corps regalia emblazoning the walls, this office could've been on Wall Street and not on a Marine Corps Base in Southern California. A very attractive young female receptionist, dressed in civilian clothes looked up and gave Salas a pleasant business like smile. "Yes sir, are you Detective Salas?"

"Yes ma'am, I am."

"Yes sir, the general will see you now. I'll lead you on back. The general has asked that your friends remain here in the reception area."

"Well, ma'am, I'm sorry I can't accommodate the general's `request' since his business is with all twelve of us. We'll all be joining the general in his office."

"I'm very sorry sir, I can't allow that. The general's orders were very specific."

"Well, ma'am, meaning no disrespect, the general won't be able to hold it against you that we're all going on back because there's nothing you can do to stop us. C'mon guys."

Salas and the rest of his `company' brushed past the momentarily flustered receptionist and headed for General Lassiter's office. She stepped over to her desk and dialed base security.

Salas opened the door marked with General Lassiter's name and all twelve men, Salas, Cole, Danny, Scotty, Andy, Billy and six LAPD muscle cops, walked inside. General Lassiter looked up and barked, "Susan! I told you Salas only!"

"She's not here, General. She's out in your reception area calling base security right now. If you care anything about those kids she's calling up here to protect you, which I doubt, I'd call `em off right now."

"What do you want, Salas?"

"You know goddamned good and well what I want you arrogant bastard! You sent three helos full of goons after us this afternoon. Now whatthefuck was THAT all about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, mister. That's classified and you Goddamned well know it."

"... Billy, why don't you try to persuade the general to share his little secret with us?"

Billy moved behind the general's desk in a blur. He snatched the general by the front of his shirt and lifted him up until his head bumped the ceiling. Then he lowered him to eye level and said, "The general would be well advised to tell us, now. You see, sir, this is the classic good cop/bad cop' situation and, today, *I* am the good cop.' Now I'm gonna set you back down on your feet and you're gonna answer my big friend's question or, much as I'd hate to, I'll hafta `sick the dogs' on you."

The general, though utterly lacking in morals, was not short on balls. "Why you overgrown muscle head fool! You have NO idea whom you are dealing with. But you're gonna find out directly."

At that moment, the door to the general's office flew open and a dozen heavily armed Marines, in camis and full battle dress burst into the room.

The beefy gunnery sergeant in charge of the detail spoke. "Begging the general's pardon, sir, is everything OK in here?"

"No you fucking idiot! Everything is NOT all right in here! Take these men into custody!"

Billy disappeared in a flash and in less than a second, he had disarmed every one of Lassiter's twelve marines. He held their M-16's under his right arm and their side arms in the crook of his left arm. He dropped the pistols to the deck and then broke all twelve M-16's in half all at once as though they had been made of straw. He bent over, scooped up the pistols and crushed them between his palms, rolling them into a ball of scrap steel no larger than a grape. He tossed his handiwork to the gunnery sergeant who, unable to hold onto it, dropped it to the deck where it landed with a thud.

Billy spoke to the guards, "Guys, I don't wanna hurt any of you if I don't hafta. You need to leave the general's office right now. I give you my word, he will not be harmed."

The big gunney charged at Billy who laid him out on the carpet. "Now, guys, like I said, I don't want anybody hurt here. I was very gentle with your gunney. I don't think he's hurt too bad. No more than a broken jaw, I shouldn't think. But you know how these things go. I can't make any guarantees with the rest of you. His steel blue eyes burned like hot coals. The men, almost against their will, picked up their unconscious gunney and started to back out of the room.

"Guys, like I said, I don't think the gunney's too badly off. But if I were you, I'd get him down to medical just to make sure."

Billy then turned his attention to Lassiter. "The general doesn't quite seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. We're obviously experiencing a `failure to communicate.' I REALLY didn't wanna do this, to you, sir. I was hoping we could all settle this among ourselves like gentlemen so we could just be on our way... Andy!"

Andy stepped forward and faced the general. "Sir, don't let my 'mousy' appearance fool you. I am your worst nightmare."

Andy then entered the general's mind and induced `pain' by nerve induction. The general fell to the carpet in excruciating agony. Momentarily, Andy withdrew from the general's mind, leaving his neurons firing continuously, signaling his brain that his flesh was burning to a crisp. These nerve "signals" were, in fact, entirely spurious. Physically, no harm was being done to the General's body. After no more than sixty seconds, Andy reentered the general's mind and in an instant, the pain was gone, but NOT the general's memory of it.

"Sir, that was only a TASTE of what I can do to you. If I am ever obliged to do this to you again. The pain will be worse. MUCH worse. As I was inducing the pain in your mind, I rummaged through your head and found some very interesting material.' Like what you did to these two men and this young boy here. The things you did to them would Dr. Mengle cringe! Until this moment, I never would have believed the US military would wittingly allow such things to happen in this country, much less be a party to it! For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American. But, evidently, so are you. You and some of your colleagues' are planning a military coup d'etat. That little visit' earlier in the day was your plan to get us out of the way so you and your friends could move forward. I saw everything... Your wanna turn the United States into a neo-fascist, neo-spartan garrison state.. You're going to eliminate the aged, the ill, the poor and the insane as "useless eaters." You BELIEVE in rule over the weak by the strong, general. You would turn this country into hell on earth for most of us, turning America into the private hunting preserve' of predators like you. You are quite insane, you know."

The general staggered to his feet in a rage. He screamed at Andy, "I will not allow pinko commie faggot weaklings like you to destroy this country. All the weak, no- account bloodsuckers sapping our resources to feed their fat soft bellies. Welfare cheats, drug users, homos, criminals and all the rest of you rabble. I'm going to clean this country up and make it stand for something again."

"Well, General, your thesis is very interesting. Basically I guess that would make you king of the hill and the rest of us your slaves."

"That is the way nature works, boy. That's how that it's SUPPOSED to be you fucking idiot weakling."

"Oh? Isn't that interesting! But, you see, general, strictly applied, your thesis would have you in chains. You see, as my big friend here and I have just shown you, it is you who are weak' and unworthy.' My friend here manhandled you like a rag doll. And I... had you writhing on the deck, slobbering all over yourself without lifting so much as a finger."

"My young friend over here and these other two gentlemen leveled half this base once they busted out of your little `mini-Auschwitz' operation here. And you... DARE to talk to ME about WHO is weak and who is strong? ... who is worthy to rule and who is fit only to serve?"

"General, we're going to be merciful. You are going to put in your retirement papers before my friends and I leave your office. For insurance,' we'll be taking your files and computers with us. Well turn everything over to the LA Times' and blow the lid off your little scheme if you try to cross us. You and your friends will spend the rest of your miserable lives in the brig instead of in comfortable retirement with fat general's pensions. The choice is yours, sir. You must make it now."

Using his `link' with Billy's super fast mind, Andy had plumbed the depths of the general's mind in only a matter of seconds. Now Andy knew everything... "Salas, you and the guys take the general's records and those two computer CPU's. Search the console. There's diskettes and CD's in there that we'll wanna hold onto."

"General, we'll be holding onto this material as insurance' of your good faith and good behavior. You'll need to contact your friends in this little conspiracy and tell them the cat is outta the bag... and that now your little game' is over. If I ever see or hear of you again, you won't believe the pain I will make you feel. Last time, it was less than a minute. Next time, I promise, I'll leave you that way. No medication could relieve your agony. Your only way out would be death. Now, general, your retirement papers..."

"Why you little shit! You can't talk to me like that! You have no IDEA who you are fucking with! You'll NEVER get off this base alive, NONE OF YOU!"

Andy reentered the general's mind and introduced the burning sensation again. At a lower level than before but still excruciating. "As you can feel, general, the pain is back. Not as intense as before because I didn't want to incapacitate you this time. I want you to be able to sign your retirement request. But the pain will continue to get worse and worse until you ARE incapacitated. You'll want to get those signed retirement papers into my hands before you're out of commission totally. I won't give you relief until I get what I want."

The general was trembling. He pressed the button his intercom and called to his receptionist. "Susan, bring me a USMC Form 1117.20. Now!"

Susan knocked gently on the general's office door in less than three minutes. Andy opened the door, retrieved the form, thanked Susan and closed the door. He examined the form and said, "Why, yes, general, this does appear to be the proper form. Please fill in the blanks. You have about six more minutes before you'll have passed the `point of no return.' If you hurry, you ought to make it just in time."

The general's distress was building. His brow was beaded with sweat and his starched and pressed khaki shirt had wilted Perspiration stains had soiled the armpits and he had soiled his uniform trousers with feces and urine. His hand was shaking. He gritted his teeth as he completed the form. Finally, with a gasp, he handed it across his desk to Andy.

Andy passed it to Billy. "I believe you might wanna have a look at this. Please review it to make sure everything is in order. I plumb forgot my specs. Guess it's because we hadda leave the shop in such a hurry. You understand, don't you, general?"

The general was clearly on the verge of loosing his lucidity he was so consumed with agony. "P'PLEASE!"

Billy scanned the form. "Uh, general, sir. You forgot to sign and date the form."

Billy handed the form back to the general who barely managed to sign and date before collapsing again onto the floor.

Billy picked up the now completed retirement application off the general's desk, glanced at it, nodded and handed it to Andy.

Andy removed the pain from the general's mind.

Now, sir, call Susan in here and give her the form. The general complied with no hesitation. When she entered the office, she saw her boss and immediately knew he'd been in severe distress. The general explained, "I'm very ill, Susan. I'll be taking the rest of the afternoon off. Please make sure that application is processed, today.

Susan glanced at the form. "The general is retiring, sir?

"Yes, Susan. I'm way overdue for a rest. I've been at this for over thirty years and I'm going to take what time I have left on this earth and spend it with my wife." Susan nodded and left the room.

Andy smiled at the general. "Well, sir, I underestimated you! You have a remarkable tolerance of pain! I doubt I could have borne up nearly as well as you seem to have managed. You did very well, sir. My respects. Thank you for your time...."

"Oh, and, general, don't get any ideas about pulling your retirement papers. Because if your name doesn't appear in the next issue of "Marine Corps Times" on the retiring generals' list, I'm going to come back here. And there won't be any more chances for you to get it right. For your sake, sir, I hope you believe me when I tell you that."

"Salas, if you guys could take the general's personal files out of the hanging file drawer on the right hand side of his desk. There's a metal box in there that just lifts out... And the two CPU's and CD's and diskettes from the computer console over there... We can be on our way."

"Thank you again for your time, General. We'll leave you to make those phone calls to your friends. I'll expect to see every one of their names on the retirement lists of their respective services by the next issue of their service wide newspapers. If so much as a single name among them is missing, all this..."

Andy pointed to the files, CPU and disks his friends were carrying out the door...

"... goes to the `LA Times.'"

With that, Andy turned on his heel and walked out the door to rejoin his friends.

They re-boarded their police cruisers. Nobody said a word during the drive back. It was nearly dark by the time they arrived in front of the safe house.

When they arrived at the safe house, Salas found the four policemen who were guarding the place on the curb. They'd had visitors.' A carload of suits' had cruised past the safe house and one of the officers had recognized them for what they were... More goons, working for the man Salas and his friends had been hiding from. The young patrolman had let out a whistle to call his friends and chased the car down the block, latching onto the rear bumper with is powerful hands, bringing the car to a stop. The driver had floored the accelerator to no avail. The other three officers joined their partner. One stepped in front of the car. The other two moved to either side, ripped the doors off their hinges and pulled the passengers out, throwing them to the street. The officers in front and back pushed against their respective ends of the car as their muscles flared, tearing their uniform shirts to shreds. Slowly, they compacted the car to no more than three feet in length, front to back Then they stepped to the sides where much of the sheet metal of the car had flared out. Again they pressed into the steel, compressing it to no more than three feet side to side. Then, with their fists, they proceeded to hammer the roof which had folded upward nearly double, compressing the wreckage into a cube no more than three feet on a side. The big Ford Crown Vic had been reduced to a cube of scrap metal in under three minutes. The officer who had chased the car down the street and stopped it dead pulled one of the suits off the street by the scruff of his neck, turned him around, pulled him into his face and said to him...

"Go back and tell your boss that if he has business with these people, next time he'd better come himself. He shouldn't send little boys out to do a man's job."

Then the officer turned the man around and booted him in the ass. He fell face forward onto the pavement and skidded a dozen feet or so. The man's face was reduced to hamburger and his suit was torn to shreds. The other three men helped their badly injured comrade to his feet and all four staggered away.

Salas saw the metal cube, all that remained of the goon's automobile, resting alongside the curb. He said to the men. "Looks like you guys had some visitors."

"Yeah, we did but we hadda little 'talk' with em and sent em on their way. Everything's OK. The folks inside are just fine."

Salas responded, "Thanks guys... Thanks a lot! I owe you one." The four young men got into their black and whites and drove away.

Salas , Danny, Scott, Cole, Billy and Andy went inside. The parents were waiting in the living room. Now the fun' would begin... Explaining all this' to them. Andy's mom immediately sensed something different... something wrong with her son. He was listless and showed no emotion. All of them were somewhat subdued. Andy's display of his mental power in the general's office was effective in a way that Danny's, Cole's and Salas's previous display of muscle power hadn't been. The general had been completely `de-fanged' in a few minutes without Andy's having lifted so much as a finger.

Mrs. Partlowe went up to her son and hugged him but his response was minimal. She turned to Billy and asked, "what happened?" The Hendersons have explained to us about Danny, Salas and Cole. What's going on with Andy? Salas, said he's not like you three. What is going on with him?

Billy's mom came over. Andy was as much a `son' to her as he was to his own mom. Billy spoke to both of them.

"Andy does things with his mind. He can get inside someone's head and do anything he wants. He's done it with me for years. I had all this muscle strength just under the surface. I'd tapped into it a little before I met Andy. And then Andy started to get inside my head as we worked out in the garage and my strength REALLY started to build like never before. Then for years we used to go down to Fasullo's Auto Salvage Yard and I'd do my muscle stuff down there with Andy inside my head. I'd outgrown Dad's weights in the garage except for reps. I just kept getting stronger and stronger. I used to show off at school till Andy stopped me. He was worried about you, Mom... Said if some bad news thugs got wind of what I could do, they might grab you or threaten you to try to make me work for them. It made sense so I kept everything pretty much under wraps. I'm sorry we never told you, mom or you, Mrs. Parlowe, but Andy and I agreed it would be better for you both if you didn't know. Everybody at school knew I was strong... They just didn't know HOW strong. Only Andy knew that. He's as much responsible for that as I was. Even back in the garage, I'd make him set up a line of chatter, encouraging me, making me push harder. I did the same for him. But then he could just stop speaking with his mouth and get inside my head. That REALLY took off out at the junk yard. Like I told Salas and the guys, sometimes I'd try to fight it, just to see if I could. And I could. At least I THOUGHT I could. Now I'm guessing that when Andy sensed my 'resistance,' he just backed off. But I wouldn't fight it' because Andy made me push so much harder than I could push myself. And it just felt so GOOD having him inside my head. Andy said I did the same for him. He'd pull me inside his head. He denied it all those years through high school. Said I had an over active imagination. He refused to admit it was happening even though we both knew it was real. I cornered him with these guys our first day with them and he finally owned up to it. Before this week, Andy NEVER came into my head or pulled me into his except when we lifted. But then Andy set me up with these guys. Between them and Andy, I was able to really break through' and do stuff I never dreamed of. You saw some of that today when I brought you here."

"Well, I'm not the only one who hadda break through' this week. Once I busted' Andy in front of these guys with his mind thing,' come to find out, his gettin' into my head was as real as it gets. He was afraid mebbe he could only do it with me and then only when we lifted. He never tried it with anyone else and he said whenever we lifted and he'd be rattlin' on for me, encouraging me through my lifts, or the other way around, our minds just sorta came together naturally.' Well, this week, Andy linked us all up... Got us all inside each other's heads... No problem. Danny and I ran down to San Diego and back... The round trip took us less than twelve minutes. Andy was with me, in my mind, all the way down and back. I even let him run' my body some. It was just as natural' as can be. And then he linked Danny and Scotty and Scotty did some things in Danny's body just like it was his own. But Andy can do other stuff, too, stuff none of us had any idea he could do. What he did this afternoon must've burned him out pretty bad, because he looks like hell right now. But what he can do with his mind is as amazing as anything any of us can do. Even though the Hendersons must've filled you in fairly well on Danny and what he can do, they couldn't have been any help to you with Andy. Until this week, I don't think even ANDY realized what he can do. That's not hard for me to believe... not only because I've been inside his head, because he's put me there... and when that happens, you just KNOW. But also because all the things that I've found out I can do that I never dreamed possible. I KNEW I was strong and, thanks to Andy, I KNEW I was smart. But the stuff Salas, Cole and Danny showed me I can do.... Well, you just wouldn't believe it."

Then Billy turned to Andy. "C'mon, buddy... You OK now? Andy nodded but he wasn't very convincing.

Salas came up to the group. "What's the matter with Andy?"

Andy answered, "I dunno. I don't feel very well. I think this afternoon just kinda drained me. I think I'll be OK if I can just go home and sleep it off. I'll probably be just fine in the morning."

Salas said, "Andy, I want all of us to just `camp out' here in the safe house tonight. It'll be kinda close quarters, but we've got guys at all of your homes keepin' an eye on things for you. I don't think any of these goons we went up against today are gonna try anything more with us. But, hey, just humor me on this for this evening. If nothing' happens tonight, you can all go home in the morning.

Everybody agreed.

Andy said, "OK, you guys, mom, Mrs. Hartlander, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, I think I'm gonna rack out someplace and get some shuteye. I'll see everybody in the morning."

Andy went into one of the bedrooms that had been allocated to the men. There was only one bed, a single, and he didn't feel right appropriating it for himself, so he curled up on the floor and went right to sleep.

Mrs. Hartlander asked Salas, "How did Andy meet you guys?"

"Well, Mrs. Hartlander, I've arranged to meet with Billy this Sunday. HE hasn't even heard the story yet... and it's a doozey! I have some video tapes I'd like all of you to see. But I'd like to do that when Andy's not around. I think he might be kinda uncomfortable reliving the experience. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, do you think you could arrange to take Andy to church with you Sunday morning? I think if you invited him, he'd go."

Mrs. Henderson answered, "Of course, Salas, and we'll take him out for a nice lunch afterward. We'll make the invite tomorrow morning."

Mr. and Mrs. Henderson said "goodnight" and Salas showed them to their room. Then he took Mrs. Hartlander and Mrs. Partlowe to the room they would be sharing for the night. He and Cole would bunk in the living room. Scott's parents slept in a den at the rear of the house on a sofa convertible bed. Scotty, Danny and Billy went to the front bedroom where Andy had crashed on the floor. They walked into the room together.

Billy saw Andy curled up on the floor and commented, "He's out like a light. You guys OK with it if I put him on the bed?"

Danny and Scotty nodded.

Billy squatted down, picked up Andy and lifted him onto the bed.

Then, he, Scotty and Danny curled up in separate corners of the room and lay down. Scotty was asleep almost as fast as Andy had been. But neither Danny nor Billy were at all sleepy. It would take a massive amount of exertion to get them really tired. Either of them could do with as little as thirty minutes to an hour of sleep a night and feel as rested as a normal man with as many as eight to ten hours sleep. Even Salas and Cole required at least a couple of hours' sleep every night.

Danny was especially restless. "Well, Billy, what're we gonna do, just lie here like a couple of rocks all night long?"

"Well, Danny, Salas said I was probably gonna need a LOT of sleep during this `catch up' phase I'm supposed to be going through but I sure don't FELL tired or sleepy. What do you suggest?"

"Well, Billy, it's just a thought, but I say we go back to the machine shop. Salas and Andy left their cars there. We could always go out there and bring `em back for em."

"Well, Danny, you're too young to drive, at least too young to drive legally. And neither of us has the car keys."

Danny laughed. "I wasn't suggesting we DRIVE them here, doofus. I meant we CARRY them back here. We both know you can do that now, after what you did today. Man, I can't BELIEVE how strong you've gotten these last couple of days. I think yer gonna pass me up, man! I've NEVER met anyone stronger than me before, Billy. I think it's kinda cool. I guess in a way, I always wanted that for Scotty. I LOVE showin' off to the dude, but sometimes I just wish we could do some of that stuff together. It's like Scotty's always on the outside lookin' in when Salas, Cole and I do our stuff. I'm with Salas on that. I'd give ANYTHING if we could find a way to make Scotty like us. But it doesn't look like it'll ever happen. Before they really started messin' with us out at that Marine base, they did tests on Salas, Cole and me and from what they found out it doesn't look like there's any way it could be done for Scotty or any normal guy. I've been thinking about it, a LOT lately. And if ANYBODY could come up with a way to make it happen, it'd be me. ...But I sure haven't come up with anything yet."

"Billy, Don't you sometimes wish you could bring Andy along with you in all this strength stuff?"

"Danny, if you only knew. Yah know, almost anybody else I know would be jealous or envious of me. They might never say it, but you'd know anyway. Andy was NEVER like that. He just took it all in stride and pushed me to go as far as we both thought I could. He put the brakes' on me sometimes and I went along with it. But it was just because Andy was afraid I'd get hurt. I don't really understand why it's taken so long for me to finally get around to doing what I've done these past few days. I guess It didn't occur to either of us that I'd ever get this far. It just worked out so differently with you and Salas and Cole. All three of you managed to discover your potential on your own. But, yeah, even back in middle school, I'd have given my left nut if Andy could have had strength like mine. I guess maybe it wasn't as bad for Andy as it must've been for Scotty... At least Andy could come into my body and feel for himself what it's like to be really strong. I'm so glad Andy was able to link' all of us up when you let Scotty come into your head and let that grenade go off in your hand while he ran the show.' I'm glad I was able to be there' for that. I felt everything Scotty felt and I know you did, too. It was really a big deal for him.... It meant a LOT to him, Danny."

"Yeah, Scotty, I know. Thanks to Andy, I felt that from Scotty, too. And just feeling that with him meant more to me than I could ever tell you. Billy, I'm so deep in debt to Scotty and Andy both, you wouldn't believe it. I'm not gonna tell you now what happened between Andy and me at the mall, cuz I really don't wanna spoil it for you. And I don't wanna steal Salas' thunder. But you're gonna see a side of Andy you may never have even known was there. Or after what Andy did this afternoon with the general, maybe you DO know. We all saw how Andy just took charge' when he started on his mind game' with the general."

"When Salas shows you his video tapes this Sunday you'll know what I mean about my owin' Andy. I WILL say this, though, even though Andy is about as skittish about some things as a nervous nellie racehorse, like he was with the grenade thing this morning, when push comes to shove, he's got more balls than all the rest of us put together. It's not that Andy doesn't get scared, but he just ignores his fear and does what he feels he has to do."

Billy smiled. "Yer tellin' me? That's how I first MET that boy! I'll tell you that story sometime, Danny. It's how he and I first became friends. But the long and the short of it is, I was this big bad ass bully at school and, for no reason, the first time I ever laid eyes on him, I whipped up on him. But he just wouldn't give in. He stood me down in front of the whole school and, without even tryin' made he feel like this big pile of shit. And, Danny, I'm tellin' you, he wasn't even TRYIN'! All he ever was from the 'git go' was decent to me. The boy's got courage out the wazoo. But there's not a vindictive bone in his body. That's not to say he doesn't have his own special kinda mean streak. We all got an eyeful of THAT this afternoon."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Billy, when you see Salas' video tapes this Sunday, you are not gonna be WELL! Yer gonna get goose bumps! When you see how I met Andy on Salas' vids it's gonna blow your mind!"

Billy was silent for a moment. He was really looking forward to this Sunday with Salas.

"OK, Danny, you ready to bug outta here and lets go get Salas' and Andy's cars?"

"You got it, bud. Let's hit it."

THURSDAY

Next morning, everyone was up and about early. The Hendersons invited Andy to join them for church and he readily accepted. Since her husband died, Andy's mom had never been much of a church goer and, much as he might like to have gone himself, he hadn't felt comfortable going to church by himself.

Salas checked with his friends and there had been no more `visitors' at any of the parents' homes. It would be safe for everyone to go on back home. He was a little taken aback to find his own police cruiser and Andy's little pickup parked at the curb. He raised his eyebrow quizzically. Danny smiled. "'Billy and Danny's Auto Movers' at your service, sir."

"Aw, you two... Billy, I thought I told you to make sure you get plenty of rest during this early phase. Were you two out all night seeing what the heck you could get into? What ELSE did you and Danny do last night?"

Salas had tried to be stern, but his eyes betrayed him.

Danny spoke up, "Honest, Salas. That's all we did and it only took a few minutes. We came straight back here."

Salas spoke again to the parents. "I'm really sorry about all this. And I appreciate your patience and understanding. The coast is clear now and you can all feel safe in your homes. I've arranged for some off duty guys from LAPD to keep a guard around your houses for the next twenty-four hours, but I don't think we'll be hearing anymore from the people who gave us such a scare yesterday."

Mrs. Partlowe and Mrs. Hartlander took Billy aside. Mrs. Hartlander spoke. "Billy, I can't begin to tell you what a shock this is for both of us. We've never had any idea about either of you two. I know what you're both doing with Salas is something that would make us both proud. But, Billy, I'm depending on you to watch out for Andy, like you've always done..."

Mrs. Partlowe spoke to Andy. "And, Andy, please, you make sure you watch out for Billy."

Both boys answered in unison, as they often did... "Yes, ma'am."

They exchanged hugs and Mrs. Partlowe and Mrs. Hartlander walked toward the front door.

The parents said their "good-byes," and left.

With all the parents gone, Salas gathered the guys in the living room. "Guys, I know yesterday may have taken a lot out of all of us. But we've got a long day ahead of us today. Everybody, yer just gonna hafta cinch up' and gut it out today. We can't let these little interruptions' get us off track. We gotta press on. Something tells me we're gonna hafta get everybody up to speed fairly quickly, especially Scotty and Andy. It's time for us to work with them. Billy, I had planned to focus exclusively on you these next thirty days. But that was when we thought we'd only have you with us these next thirty days. Now, with you staying home, we can afford to spread our attention around a bit, as long as you're OK with that."

"Sure, Salas. I figure I've waited this long. And now I guess I've got the rest of my life with you guys. Lets go for it with Andy and Scotty."

Salas continued, "Scotty, you and Andy don't have the potential in your bodies to be nearly as strong as Cole, Danny, Billy or me. At least, not yet. But you can both be a lot stronger, quicker and more agile than you are right now. You're both natural born athletes with sharp minds. Having you guys at your peak could give us a physical edge someday that could wind up saving all our lives. Now lets move out."

Salas, Cole, Danny and Scotty got into Salas' police cruiser. Andy and Billy got into his truck and they drove back to the construction hall.

When they arrived, they entered the building and Salas ordered Danny to conduct a "sweep" of the entire hall, hunting for bugs. He led the rest of the men into an anteroom built onto the outside of the far wall, accessible only from inside the construction hall. There were no windows in the room. It was a very well equipped weight room. The weights were certainly not adequate for the four supermen, but more than adequate for the strongest man of normal genetics.

Salas said, "Scotty, Andy, when we get through with the two of you, you'll be as strong as your natural physiology can take you..." He grinned. "...Maybe stronger. You've both worked hard for what you have, to be sure. But you'll work harder than you ever have in your lives. I've helped men achieve things they never dreamed possible. If you stay with me, you will not believe how powerful your bodies will become. I wish I could do more for both of you. But as long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I'll do everything I can for you. And, guys, this is for all of us. You never know when the extra edge you two could give us might save all our asses someday. I just want to make you both as ready as I can. And that starts this morning. We'll get to the flying, just like I promised, but right now, this has to take priority. Cole, Billy, Danny, I'm counting on you three to help me with these guys.

The other three 'supermen' nodded.

"And, Scotty, Andy I will NEVER give up hope that, one day, we can do more for you than this.

Danny added, "Me neither, guys... And I'll never stop searching for a way to make it happen for you. If anybody deserves this, it's you guys."

Scotty and Andy were silent for a moment. Then Andy spoke. "If you guys could do that for Scotty, I'd be the happiest man alive. But as for me, I can't promise I would allow that. I'm willing to fall in line with this Salas, maximizing our normal potential to build our strength and agility. And I know you're right, neither Scotty nor I either one have come near doing that yet. But I believe with you guys' help, we can and we will. But I have enough on my plate with this mind thing.' If I don't get my arms around this quick, I will loose my mind. Yesterday at this time, I had no idea I could do the things I can. And right now, I have no idea what ELSE I might be able to do. That thing with the general just sorta CAME to me. I don't have ANY idea why Billy called ME up to deal with the general. Salas, I was expecting him to hand the torch' back to you. And then when Billy called on me, a light just came on inside my head. And I just thought `yeah!,' I KNOW what to do. It's weird. It all just came together in a flash!"

Billy answered. "Well, Andy, that IS weird! Cuz that's kinda how it happened for me. Until I called your name, I had INTENDED to turn the general back over to Salas. But YOUR NAME just came outta my mouth. I remember asking myself right after, `why'd I do that?' I guess I didn't think it'd do any harm. After all, if nothing had happened for you, Salas or Cole or Danny could've dealt with the general... Mebbe subconsciously guess I just thought, if the wouldn't listen to me, why would he listen to any of you guys. Mebbe it was just time to try something else, so I guess Andy's name just sorta came out. In hindsight, I guess it looks like I was right."

Andy added, "Well, don't think it was easy. Because it wasn't. Except for when I pulled outta the general's mind, leaving him to himself and his pain, I felt everything he did. I won't be tempted to abuse that ability, because what it costs me is more than any of you could imagine. I don't think I'm over it yet. And I don't guess I ever will be. Wicked as that man is, what I did was the cruelest, most heartless thing I've ever done. I KNOW. I felt everything he did... EVERYTHING... I plundered that man's mind... I inflicted unspeakable agony on him... I humiliated him... A proud man was broken yesterday, and I've lost part of my soul in the bargain. You can't do things like that without paying a price. And I'll be paying and paying and PAYING the price for the rest of my life."

Cole said, "You did what you had to do, Andy. You saved our asses and maybe the entire country in the bargain. Nobody could fault you for anything you did."

"Well, thank you, Cole. But I'm not sure, if I had it to do all over, I'd do it again. I'm not sure I could EVER do anything like that again. Frankly, I hope NOT. So don't ANY of you assume I could or would. Because, honestly, I just don't know."

Salas stepped in front of Andy, put his hand on Andy's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Son, I don't know about your being able to do what you did for us yesterday, ever again... any more than you do. But I'd be the first to vouch for your soul. If you feel even the least shred of compassion for that evil man, Andy, you are a better man then I'll ever be. You are strong, kind and gentle, with a deeply sensitive soul. And I know, Andy, deep in MY soul, that you will never EVER loose that. Have faith in yourself, son. Because, God knows, WE do."

Billy paired off with Andy and Danny with Scott. At first, both normal men warmed up and then bench pressed their max. Scotty lifted 440. Andy 415... Strong for men their size, but certainly unremarkable in this group. Once Andy induced his mind link,' both men immediately increased their max by about twenty percent. Once the link' was broken, they found their max had lessened somewhat, though whether this was because they no longer had the link' or because their bodies had begun to fatigue was unclear. In any event, even with the link' broken, their independent' max was increased by ten percent. They did the same with military presses, squats and bicep and tricep curls. With similar results. Then both Scotty and Andy worked out their chests and shoulders after which, Salas directed everyone to the lunchroom for refueling.'

Both Andy and Scotty ate more than usual.

Danny commented to Scotty, "Dude, it's kinda cool feeling that weight with you. It's so much harder for me to get that feeling in my own body. God I LOVE the feeling of that weight and the resistance. It's almost like some kinda drug! Would you mind if I did your next workout in your body, Scott? It's weird, I guess... maybe even kinda crazy, but when I'm in your mind and body feeling that, I don't FEEL weak. I feel really strong! I can't get over that!"

`Well, gee, Danny, I guess I don't really know how to take that. We both know I'm a weakling compared to any of you guys. Until I met you, I always thought of myself as being kinda strong. But until I got under the weights today, it's been awhile since I felt like that way around any of you guys."

Salas interjected. "This is only the beginning, Scotty. From now on, you and Andy will workout twice a day. You'll lift, run, do a butt load of calisthenics, practice martial arts... we'll get some gymnastics equipment in here so you can work on your agility... Sometimes with Billy and Danny and sometimes with just each other. I want you guys to stay with this. And I also want to see how you do when you're linked only to each other. Danny, I want you to monitor and document everything. Maybe as we get into this, we'll find some way to make them as strong as Cole and I are, or maybe even as strong as you and Billy... or if not that, maybe we could at least get them beyond their normal potential max. And, Andy, I heard what you said a few minutes ago. And if you decide not to let us intervene to increase your strength beyond whatever your `normal' potential is, we'll respect that decision, of course. But I'm asking you to stay with this until such time as we ever get to that point. There's no reason for you to make a decision on that right now because it's not even an option yet and it may never be. But please, Andy, if not for yourself, do this for Scotty."

Billy said, "Yeah, Andy, and for me!"

"OK, guys. You can count on me. Count me in for now. We can cross that bridge when we come to it, IF we ever do."

Scotty's and Andy's twice daily workouts became a part of the routine. Their progress was phenomenal. Diet and sleep were important parts of their regimen. Salas considered growth hormones and steroids but opted not to use them. He felt sure he and Danny could've devised a regimen that would've entailed minimal risk. But Salas was afraid to try it. If they ever devised some means of enhancing Scotty's and Andy's relative physical limitations, he was afraid the steroids might have a negative effect, perhaps even foreclosing any future options. So, except for massive ingestion of diet supplements, in addition to their normal food intake, Scotty and Andy were "all natural..." "Natural," that is, except for performance `enhancements' from Andy's "mind links" with the supermen and between himself and Scotty.

This worked both ways, at least between Billy and Andy, AND between Billy and Scotty. Either normal man, if linked to Billy could enhance Billy's performance appreciably, although it worked somewhat better between Andy and Billy.

Salas was anxious to test this with Danny but it would be difficult. Danny was SO strong it would be difficult to find a challenge sufficient to really tax his ability. He would need that to be able to measure any performance enhancement in Danny. So, it would have to wait.

The afternoon was comprised of a swim, a short one, to Catalina. Today's swim would be made by Danny and Billy. There would be NO mind links' on the first round trip. There would be for the second. Salas, Cole, Scotty and Andy would be together at the starting point, Newport Beach. The round-trip was completed in minutes. Danny slightly edged Billy besting his time by four and four tenths seconds. The second round-trip resulted in a one tenth second improvement in Danny's performance and Billy's performance improved by four and five tenths... a virtual dead heat. While Billy's performance appeared to have been improved by the mind link,' any such improvement in Danny's performance appeared negligible. On his own, Danny still enjoyed a slight performance edge over Billy, at least in a speed swim.

More tests of strength, speed and agility... In each one, this day, Danny's performance without mind link' slightly edged Billy's. In each, with the 'mind link,' Billy's performance improved. In some of the tests, with the aid of a mind link,' Billy's performance slightly edged Danny's. In others, it was the other way around. But with or without the aid of mind link,' it was clear, unless the trend in Billy's performance fell off precipitously, very soon, perhaps within a matter of no more than a day or two, Billy would begin to edge Danny out consistently, mind link' or no.

One might assume this would bother Danny, but the opposite was true. Danny was more excited about Billy's massive gains than even Billy or Andy. He was beside himself. Back at the shop, Andy cornered Danny alone and asked him point blank. "Danny, I am really impressed with your attitude about Billy's gains. No jealousy at all. But why not?

"Well, Andy, were YOU ever jealous of Billy's strength?"

"No, Danny, I can tell you honestly, I never was. But it was different between us. In the first place, Billy and I became almost like brothers from the first day way met. I think we both felt more satisfaction from each other's achievements than either of us ever did from our own. And, besides, Billy was always the stronger between us."

"Well, Andy, didn't you always feels a certain `comfort' knowing you had a friend like Billy who was bigger and stronger than you are... who would do ANYTHING for you? Well, I'VE ALWAYS been the strongest person I know. But, Andy, I'm only thirteen! You have no IDEA how badly I've wanted SOMEONE around who was at least a LITTLE stronger than I am. God, how many times I've had dreams in my sleep of Scotty. He'd be my big brother, protecting me from bullies out to whup my ass. It felt GOOD, Andy. Oh, God, it just felt so GOOD to know somebody cared and would do that for me! And now you've brought Billy into my life and it looks like I'm gonna get a taste of that for real."

"I already got a little 'taste' of that with you, Andy."

"Oh? How's that?"

"Well, the way you stood up for all of us with the general, yesterday. It was a different kind of strength from what I have, but I just felt so 'protected...' So safe when you marched up to that bastard and stood up to him for us. You just took charge and stood him down. I'm sorry for what you hadda go through to make that happen, Andy, But I can't lie. I'm NOT sorry you did what you did. I guess in a way I might've even felt a little intimidated by what you can do, but, man, that was part of the rush! You can do stuff I can't and none of the rest of the guys can. You have no idea what it meant to me when you did that for us. That guy was NEVER gonna back down from us. We'd already trashed half his base when he screwed with us last time and that didn't stop him from coming after us again. He didn't care about his base. He didn't care about his men. Hell, he didn't even care about himself. He didn't have sense enough to be afraid of us. The only way Salas, Cole or I would've ever gotten him off our backs would've been to kill him. That's not something I would've wanted to do and I don't think Salas or Cole would've either. And as for Billy, forget it! That boy is constitutionally incapable of harming a fly! He insisted we bring down those helicopters so none of those guys on board got hurt. You saw how he went on and on about those goons getting their sergeant to medical after he pasted him. Five'll get yah ten, he's called back out to base medical by now to follow up on that guy to see if he's OK. Billy'll fight for us. He proved that at the shop and at the Marine base. But his 'rules of engagement' are strict: 'Nobody get's hurt.' At least not permanently. You guys are both just alike that way... EXACTLY alike. I guess you'd call it 'gentle strength.' I'm not jealous of your abilities and I'm not jealous of Billy's. I can't begin to tell you what both of you mean to me. What yours and Billy's friendship means to all of us... Salas, Cole, Scotty and me..."

"So, yeah, Andy, whose got time for jealousy when I'm about to live one of my dreams for real?"

"Besides, like I said, I'm only thirteen and Billy's eighteen. He may pass me up for now. I sure hope to God he does! But wait a few years. Let's see how it turns out when I'm eighteen and he's twenty three. There's not a lot of data on guys like us... Just way too many things none of us knows. But for now, Andy, let me revel in the moment and just be happy for me... and for Billy."

"Well, Danny, that sure explains it. And I AM happy. Of course I'm happy as I can be for Billy. And it means the world to me that this `thing' with him is something that makes you happy, too. I'm glad you're Billy's friend and I'm glad your my friend, Danny.

"Well, Andy, like you and Billy always said, `friends for life.' Now you guys are both stuck with me for the rest of your lives."

Before they secured for the evening, Salas gave Billy the NATOPS (Naval Air Training and Operation Procedures Standardization) manual, the operator's handbook, for the T-AV8B(4X) Harrier jump jet. "Billy, memorize this before you go to bed tonight. All you'll hafta do is to thumb through it once. Your memory will retain everything. We'll meet here in the morning, then I'll drive you, Scotty and Andy out to MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) El Toro and we'll take the aircraft up and I'll teach all three of you to fly it. I'm guessing with Andy's 'mind link' all three of you will be qualified in the bird before the end of the day.

"Cole, you and Danny find something constructive to do around here, OK? We'll meet back here late tomorrow afternoon and debrief before we secure for the day."

Cole answered, "OK, we'll, be here. And we'll think of something to do."

Scotty spoke up. "Salas, when you get a chance, could you give me a call at the house this evening?"

"Sure Scott. Gimme a time window."

"Well, I'm goin' straight home and after what Andy and I did today, I sure won't be goin' to the gym to lift. I'll be home all evening. I guess I'll be in bed by eleven, but if you need to call later than that, don't worry, I need you to call no mater how late it is. I want to talk to you before tomorrow morning. OK?"

"Sure kid, and don't worry, I'll call well before eleven."

Salas called Scotty around nine forty five. Scotty answered the phone.

"OK, Scott. What's up?"

"Well, Salas, I didn't wanna ask you this in front of Danny, but were you planning to give him some cockpit fam. (familiarization) in the harrier?"

"Well, yeah, Scotty. Cole and I talked about it and we both think he's about ready. Not ready to solo, which is why I want you qualified. Whenever he flies, I'll want one of the five of us adults in the cockpit with him. Danny'll get the pilot skills and technique with no problem. But I'd never turn a multi-million dollar tactical aircraft over to an unsupervised thirteen year old, I don't give a damned HOW smart, or now quick he is, or how good be might get to be on the 'stick.' He just doesn't have the maturity yet to fly on his own yet. I sure hope you're OK with us training you to fly, Scotty."

"Oh YEAH, Salas! I'm so excited about it I'm not sure I'm gonna get much sleep tonight! But I was really kinda hopin' I could learn with Danny... Not that it wouldn't be great learnin' with Billy and Andy... And in any case, I guess we'll want Andy with us if I went up with Danny, but this is the first thing I'll have ever gotten from you guys that could mean I could do something significant in an op. Finally, I won't feel like I'm just along for the ride. But I'd kinda like to try learning with Danny. This is as big a deal for me as that thing with the grenade I did with Danny, maybe bigger. And I'd just kinda like Danny to be there when I tackle learning how to fly the harrier. If Andy came along and could 'plug me into' Danny, I could probably learn to fly that sucker nearly as fast as Danny will."

"Well, Scotty, I hadn't thought about that, but, fair enough. I think Danny will be OK with that. And I'm sure Billy and Andy will understand."

"Thanks a lot, Salas."

"OK, kid. Any time. So, I guess you'll just meet Danny and Cole at the construction hall tomorrow morning?"

"I'll be there."

"OK, Scotty. And, by they way. Since you're gonna be at the shop all day tomorrow. I want you to make sure you lift, even though Andy won't be there. Get Cole to help you and have him send Danny out to do some roadwork."

"Yeah, sure thing, Salas."

"Tell Cole I'll be back to the shop with Billy and Andy for debrief before we secure for the day. Make sure Danny understands he needs to back in off the road by 1630. (4:30 p.m.)"

"Oh, Scotty, by the way, don't forget to take all those supplements I gave you. Follow the schedule I gave you to the letter."

"Yes sir, I am and I will. Even though some of that swill you gave me tastes like alfalfa."

Salas laughed. "Yeah, well, you know what they say: 'bitter bitter makes yah better.'"

Scott laughed too and said, "Yeah Salas, right. As long as I can keep this pig swill down!"

They both laughed again and rung off.

To be continued...

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