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...

Tags

Scotty drove up with Danny, Ari, Billy and Andy. Scotty had picked up Ari at school in Irvine en route to the base from Cal Tech in Pasadena. Danny briefed Ari on his visit to his dad's. Your dad said it's OK for you to take your college boards on Monday. I got it all set up for you. He and yer mom haven't decided yet, but you might be a college boy by this time next week."

Ari smiled. "Well, I sure hope I can hack it, Danny. Sure would be embarrassing if I fell on my sword."

"Naw, you won't. You'll do great!"

They entered the admin building. Salas and the other guys were waiting for them. Salas greeted them. "Hi, guys. Not much word to pass. Roy, Robbie and Max are workin' on our new jet, but they won't start construction on the prototype until Max's super strength kicks in. He just got the 'mind linking' this afternoon!"

Scotty grinned. "Max, that's great! Won't be long now and you'll have the whole schmear. And, if Ari keeps up like he's been doin', looks like he's gonna wind up the strongest of any of us. And that'll just get passed along to the rest of us, you included. Looks like when you go back, it'll be YOU bringin' Alexi and the other guys over there up to Ari's level!"

Max smiled. "Ari, I saw you over at medical, when we went for our tests, but I really haven't met you yet. I'm Maxim Dmitrov."

Ari smiled back. "Nice to meet you Max. How do you like it here in America?"

"Well, Ari, this place is like some kinda dream. I've heard about life in America all my life, of course. But nothing I've heard could've ever prepared me for Southern California."

Ari laughed. "Wow, dude, you talk just like Roy'n Robbie! You sure yer not from Oklahoma?"

Salas grinned. "That was Roy's and Max's idea of a sick joke.. Both of them... Roy gave Max his English through their mind link. They both speak Russian a LOT better than they do English."

Ari asked, "Well, Max, could you give me your Russian?"

Maxim answered by slipping into Ari's mind. He gave him his Russian and then, in Russian, asked Ari. "Does this answer your question?"

Ari's eyes lit up. He replied in Russian, "That was very fast, Maxim! One second I knew NO Russian. And now I can speak it as well as you do! Thank you!"

Maxim smiled and nodded. He explained. "Your Russian came from MY 'mind link,' Ari But the SPEED of the transfer, I 'borrowed' from you. I don't have your mental speed on my own, at least not yet. But I was able to tap into yours."

Salas herded the guys out of the conference room and over to the super guys' training facility. Everyone but Max got busy with their workouts. Max was used to seeing feats of strength, but Danny and Ari's prowess was a little bit of a shock, especially Ari's. He turned to Salas. "It seems the two youngest among you may be indeed be nearly as strong as the rest of you."

"Yeah, Max. And when all this kicks in for you, you'll come right up to their level. In fact, lemme call Ari over here right now."

Salas did.

"Ari, would it be all right if Max mind linked with you? Looks like you may the strongest of any of us, or soon will be. Might as well get Max as strong as we can before he has to leave. We'd like to pass your strength to Max and the other guys over in Russia if we can."

Ari agreed. "Sure, Salas. That'd be great! How long do you think it'll take for Max?"

"Dunno. Maybe another day or so. Might take a little longer to get him up to your speed. I just don't know. In fact, I'd like us all to set up standby links with you. I'd like to get us all up to your level as fast as we can. And I want to you get your mind linking. I'm thinking you won't be able to get that from us until we come up to your genetic level, physically. Our experience in the past has been that, until the weaker guys catch up to the stronger guys, nothing can be passed along to the stronger guys via the mind link. Danny, Cole and I were the last to get the mind linking from Andy. We didn't get that until he came up to our level, physically. But once Andy got up to Danny's level, he wound up bringing MY strength genetics up to that level, too, and I finally got the mind linking. It seems like the weaker guys get the mind liking before the strength and that it works the other way around for the stronger guys. I know that's just 'anecdotal' experience, Ari, but that seems to be how it works."

Danny trotted over to Ari. "OK, dude, enough'a this goofin' off. C'mon dude. Let's get after it."

By the end of the afternoon, it was clear that Ari's strength had surpassed everyone else's. He was maxing the weights on all of the workout contraptions. Danny sighed. "Looks like we're gonna hafta go back to the drawing boards, with you, dude. This stuff's almost too puny for yah now, Ari."

Ari nodded. "I can't believe it, Danny. This has just come onto me so fast! I guess maybe I oughta be able to heave a softball into low earth orbit by now, don'tcha think?"

Danny grinned. "Ari, I think mebbe you could heave a full sized pickup truck into orbit but, yeah, lets start off with the softball or something like that. Lemme check with Hernandez. Mebbe he's got one we could have."

Hernandez trotted over to his quarters and retrieved two, one for Danny and one for Ari. "Here, guys, knock yerselves out... Lemme get the guys in on this. I know I wanna see this. I bet they do too."

Danny wound up and heaved. The softball shrieked upward. The super guys, with their sensitive vision tracked Danny's projectile until it disappeared over their visible horizon. "Now you try, Ari." Danny handed him the second ball. Just tap into your mind. I've already given you everything you need to know. You'll know what to do."

Ari did. "Yer right, Danny, it WAS easy! Wow!"

"Yeah, Ari, and I'd say you're about ready for something bigger. Maybe next week one evening we could make a run out to the salvage yard and cop a junker for you. I wanna see you hum THAT thing out into space. I can't do that, Ari, but I gotta feelin' by then YOU could."

"Yeah, but before long, Danny, you will too."

"Thanks to you, Ari."

Danny turned to Salas. "Ari can't come tomorrow. And we've gotta get him home before sundown. But I'd be glad to work with him on Sunday afternoons..."

"Naw, kid, Ari's progress is comin' along just fine. You get together with him this weekend if yah wanna, but just make sure you do something fun together. No work! Understood?"

Danny arranged to rendezvous with Ari Sunday afternoon at his house. "We'll find somethin' fun to do. Maybe we'll run out to Fasullo's junk yard..."

Ari asked, "OK, if Miriam comes along?"

Danny grinned. "It'd break my heart if she didn't."

Saturday (the sixth)

All the guys except Ari had gathered in the conference room by 0730. Since it was the Jewish Sabbath, Ari would not be joining them on ANY Saturday, unless they were deployed on an operation involving the saving of human life. The law of "picuach nefesh" (danger to -human- life) not only permits, it REQUIRES that Jews break the Sabbath or any other part of 'halacha' (The Law) if human life is at stake.

Max, Roy and Robbie flew in one of the helos over to mainside. The materials from Russia had been stored in the hangar where their super harrier and the YaK were parked. Roy had submitted a materiel requisition list for their prototype aircraft. They would build it in the hanger. With their bare hands, Roy and Robbie busied themselves assembling the 'jigs' to be used in construction. Max was a little frustrated, just standing by just watching Roy and Robbie work. Roy reassured him, "Don't worry, Max, we'll hold off on the real work until you get up to speed. You oughta have that by tomorrow at the latest..."

Hernandez, Nguyen and LeBlanc spent the morning constructing a firing range. Not that they needed shooting practice. As supermen, they were among the best shots on earth. And, besides, they'd followed Roy's example. They'd all decided never to carry weapons into combat. They'd be using the firing range to practice dodging bullets.

Danny, Billy and Andy practiced their hand to hand combat skills. Danny had been as good as his word, MAKING Andy 'get back on the horse.' First, Danny challenged Billy. By now, Billy was far stronger than Danny. He was just so much bigger. But, even though Danny lost his round with Billy, he had made a very creditable account of himself. Then it was Andy and Billy's turn. Billy asked Andy, "Yer sure yer OK with this lil bro? Like I said, this is just practice. Nobody's gonna get hurt doin' this..."

Andy grinned. "Yeah, I got the BFP now, thanks to Danny. And, bro, I'm gonna cream yer livin' ass!"

Billy laughed. "Yeah, lil bro... as if."

Andy initiated the attack. He grabbed Billy around the waist and heaved him over 300 feet into the air. Billy landed on his butt on the tarmac gouging a crater in the asphalt... Billy hopped up onto his feet and laughed. "OK, lil bro, now you've done it! He charged into Andy to knocked him down but Andy grabbed Billy by his Jersey to flip him. But the flimzey material just ripped and, before he knew it, Billy had Andy pinned to the deck, flat on his back. Danny began a three count. Andy arched, heaving Billy twenty feet skyward. Billy tried landing on Andy with a body slam, but Andy had scooted out of the way and dove onto Billy's back, easily pinning him! Billy tried to muscle free, but he couldn't! Andy's super strength had suddenly, VERY suddenly, become irresistible and he held Billy fast. Danny began his tree count. "One... Two..."

Billy desperately tried to arch but he couldn't match Andy's strength. "Three!"

As they regained their feet, Billy was almost in shock. "Wow, lil bro, I don't understand that. You beat me with raw brute strength! That wasn't technique... good as you are. You just plain flat overpowered me! You've gotten stronger than me somehow!"

Andy shook his head. "Yeah, Billy, I felt it. And it just came on me all of a sudden, DURING the bout. But I sure don't understand it. Are you OK?"

"Sure, Andy. But I'm sure confused as hell. I thought you and I were on about the same level now, at least genetically, and since I'm way bigger than you, I oughta be stronger than you... But I'm not... Not anymore..."

Danny spoke. "Ari! It's Ari. His strength has started to kick in for you, dude... Must be affecting us at different rates..."

Andy answered, "Well, I guess if I'm up to speed with Ari, his mind linking oughta be kickin' in fairly soon. I wonder how Max is doin'? Yah think any of this stuff has kicked in for him yet?"

Back in the hangar at mainside, Roy and Robbie had nearly finished assembly of the aircraft construction jig. Max had strolled over to base ops to pick up some aeronautical charts. He, Roy and Robbie were planning a Sunday afternoon cross country flight to Nellis, Air Force Base outside Las Vegas. Roy was going to introduce Max to the casinos and craps. They'd return to El Toro that evening. When Max reentered the hanger, Roy and Robbie 'felt' Max's 'signature' at the same time. They hopped off the jig down to the deck, looked at each other and then at Max. They said in unison, "Max, you've got it!"

Max nodded. "Yeah, I can 'feel' you guys too... So, OK, now what?"

Robbie replied. "We gotta get you over to Salas and get you into the weight room..."

Roy agreed. "Yeah, Max, we'll start you off in the old weight room. That won't take long. Then maybe, if we got time, we can get you rollin' in the big guys' gym."

They secured the hanger and walked back to the helo. Roy had given Max his helo piloting skills, so Max flew them back as pilot in command. Robbie flew as copilot and Roy rode in back. When they landed, they secured the bird and strolled over to the admin building. They found Salas and Cole in Salas' office. They were going over the OPTAR budget. Salas smiled. "Hi guys! Back so soon?"

Roy answered. "Salas, Max as got it. He's one of us, now. Time to get him into the gym."

Salas nodded. "Cole'n I'll be right over. You guys go on ahead and dress out."

Max had outgrown the old weight room in less than thirty minutes. His muscles had swollen so huge he was obliged to remove his warm-up jersey. And he was famished. "Damn! I could eat a whole side'a beef, all by myself! I've never been this damn hungry!"

Salas grinned. "Time for you to tank up, boy... Lets get you over to quarters and get you fed. Then yer gonna train like the big boys do."

Billy, Andy and Danny joined the rest of the guys in the quarters building and they all sat down to 'tank up.' Billy reported their experience with Andy's phenomenal increase in physical strength. "I can't believe it, man. Andy just flat overpowered me like I was a frickin' normal! It came on him all of a sudden and, for the first time since we first met, Andy just overpowered me."

Danny added. "I think Ari's strength level has already started to kick in with Andy. Only a matter of time for the rest of us."

Salas nodded. "Yeah, and Max has got at least what the rest of us do... He out grew the old weight room in less than half an hour. We're gonna take him to the 'big boys' facility as soon as we're done gettin' `im all 'tanked up.'"

Maxim wolfed down another plate full of food and quaffed a protein shake. "Wow, dudes, I think I need a conveyor belt or somethin'. You mean I gotta eat like this all the time. I can't seem to fill up!"

Salas reassured him. "You'll eat like a horse from now on. But while you're in these initial stages, son, you'll never GET full. You've just lit off an afterburner in your gut and while your body is building up to something closer to its max potential, you'll assimilate everything you can take in almost immediately. You're body weight will increase two to three fold in the next twenty four to forty eight hours. Your muscles'll keep growing in size, of course. But most of that weight will go to muscle density, not muscle volume. You'll need to train, eat an' sleep. Roy, can you and the guys just stay with him and keep `im on track through the night. He's not gonna wanna sleep. His muscles are gonna CRAVE the exercise and his belly's gonna crave the food. Please, you guys, stay with him and help him through these next few hours."

Roy and Hernandez grinned. Hernandez said, "Yeah, Salas. We'll keep Max's shoulder to the grind... and if we hafta, we'll spoon feed `im an' make sure he eats all he needs to."

Danny asked, "Is this gonna happen to the rest of us, too, once we start gettin' up to where Ari's at? How do YOU feel, Andy?"

Andy answered, "Not as famished as Max, but I can feel my appetite has increased some. And my muscles are screamin' fer exercise. Salas, think it'd be OK with you if I bugged out and ran on over to Fasullo's? I feel like I could take every junker in that place and mash it down to the size of a pea!"

Salas nodded. "Yeah, Andy, let's all go on over there. I wanna see watcha got. And we don't know when this is gonna kick in for the rest of us. Lemme talk to old man Fasullo and see if I can get him to clear the place out for us. He can just shut down his compactor. Any of us could take the place of that thing, but, Andy, I really DO wanna see how far this has taken you. And, Danny, after we get Max started up over here, I need you to run over to Ari's. As soon as the sun sets, you two run on over to Fasullo's and join us. And make sure both of you EAT before you come out there. Come back here if yah hafta and tank up, both of you! I think we're ALL gonna be pullin' an all nighter with this tonight unless I miss my guess. Make sure Ari's folks know he'll be with us and that it's OK. Call me on my cell if Ari's folks need to talk to me. And call your mom'n dad. Tell em we'll all meet em at church tomorrow morning."

The guys walked over to the super workout facility. Roy paired off with Max and, very soon, it was apparent that he wouldn't 'peak' until he'd reached Ari's level. He had maxed all the weights in the new facility within a couple of hours.

Billy was next. He felt his body rev. He was so energized that he was getting nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof. His urge was for cardio. He turned to Salas. "I think the best thing for me is to get out on the road, or maybe into the water. I feel like I could swim all the way to Hawaii and back!" Andy said, "Yeah! me too!"

"OK, you guys, knock yerselves out. But get back here by 1730 and I want us all out at Fasullo's by 1900. And, Danny, that goes for you and Ari, too."

Before Billy and Andy took off, Scotty got it, too! "Uh oh, I think it may be hit'n me, too, you guys... all of a sudden it just came onto me! Man! I'm not sure whether I like this or not! I feel like 'm speedin' my tits off!"

Salas answered, "OK you three... GO! And take Max with you... Danny, I want you to get over to Ari's right now and check on him. You got yer cell with you?"

"Yeah, Salas, got it right here."

"Call me as soon as you get there. I wanna make SURE Ari's OK. If this is affecting some of us this way, there's no telling what he could be goin' through. All this has gotta be comin' from our mind link with him and it'll probly hit the rest of us before the day's over with."

Danny nodded and then vanished.

He reappeared at the Cohen's front door. He knocked. Cantor Cohen opened the door. "Oh, Danny, thank Heaven! Please come in... It's Ari..."

Danny followed Cantor Cohen into the house and upstairs to Ari's room. Ari was on the floor,. writhing in agony. His muscles were badly cramped..."

Cantor Cohen explained. "Ari has been begging me to let him leave the house... He said his muscles were screaming for some kind of 'release.' And, like a fool, I wouldn't listen to him. I told him he must maintain the discipline of his Sabbath rest. And now look what I've done to him."

Danny knelt alongside the boy. "It's OK, Ari, I'm here for yah. I'm gonna help you get through this. Just hang on, bro. Just hang on..."

Danny began to massage Ari's cramped, aching muscles. As he did, he felt the 'rev' begin to burn in his own muscles. He was grateful for that. He needed all the strength he could muster to give Ari's steely hard muscles the deep tissue massage they so desperately needed. Ari whimpered softly as Danny kneaded his muscles with his powerful hands. He had Ari's cramps worked out in about fifteen minutes.

Ari reached out to Danny. "Oh, Danny, thank you! ...Thank you! But how'd you know to come? How'd you know?"

"Salas sent me. He was worried about you. This new muscle strength from the 'standby mind link' with you has already kicked in with Andy and Max and Billy and Scott. And as soon as it hit `em, they just KNEW they hadda work their muscles, hard. And now we know we haven't spent enough time with your workouts cuz you're still getting stronger and stronger by the hour. Oh Ari, you must've been goin' up a wall today! At least the other guys have been able to get into some kinda strenuous exercise right away! None of them got these cramps like you did... Ari, if you ever need me again... for anything... 'call out to me' with your mind... I'll 'hear' you and I'll come to you."

"...This has never happened before, Ari... to ANY of us. Man, there's somethin' really different about how strong you are. When this thing from you first hits us, I guess we gotta snap too right away or we'd get all cramped up just like you! I guess it's because this power that you've got is just hitting all of our guys so fast! And now I can feel it too. It's just startin' to come onto me."

"... Cantor Cohen, I know its a couple hours yet till sunset. And I KNOW how strict your rules are for Sabbath. But if I don't get Ari back to the base and help him to break a sweat, he's just gonna cramp up all over again. Can you make an exception for him, just this once? I think once he gets up to speed this'll be all over with... Not like this is gonna be an everyday thing. Please, Ari really NEEDS this... right NOW!"

Cantor Cohen nodded. "Yes, Danny! Take him and GO! I couldn't BEAR to see my son suffer like that again. Take him and help him do what he has to do. But please telephone us right after sunset and let us know how Ari is doing."

"Yes sir. I'll call as soon as I can after the sun goes down. We'll probly have Ari out all night. But please don't worry about him. What Ari needs right now is strenuous EXERCISE... not rest. But before we go, sir, Salas said Ari needs to eat something and so do I..."

Mrs.. Cohen led the two boys into the kitchen and cleaned out her refrigerator. They ate everything she put in front of them and then they finished off with some of the diet supplements Danny had given to Ari at the shop the previous Sunday.

Ari followed Danny out the door and they took off at a dead run. Danny could feel new strength and endurance coursing through his already phenomenally powerful muscles. Rather than bother with his cell, he 'called' out to Salas with his mind. "We're on our way back to you. I got Ari with me.."

By the time Salas had acknowledged, Danny and Ari had blurred into view in front of him. And now Salas was starting to feel the "Ari rev."

Danny explained Ari's predicament and Salas said to the boy, "I'm so sorry for what you went through today, son. Nothing like this has EVER happened to any of us before..."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, well, nuthin' like 'Ari's' ever happened to us before."

Salas led all the guys to Fasullo's Auto Salvage Yard. He talked to the owner who had the yard cleared of customers and employees in about fifteen minutes. Salas thanked him. "S'OK, Detective Salas. We were only a half an hour from closin' anyway. You guys knock yerself out."

The sun dropped below the horizon. Danny pulled out his cell phone and called Ari's dad. "Cantor Cohen. Ari's with us. He's OK now. And, sir, thank you for lettin' him come with me."

"Thank YOU, Danny. Thank you for everything you're doing for my son.... And thank you So much for remembering to call."

"Ari'll be with us most of the night.. Please, don't you and Mrs.. Cohen worry yerselves about him. I promise you, sir, he's gonna be OK with us."

"I know that, Danny. Thank you again..."

Then Danny called home and spoke to is dad, telling him he'd be out working with the guys all night. He'd be home in the morning in time to get ready for church.

The supermen made their way into the salvage yard. Danny and Ari scrambled onto a pile of flattened autos. One by one, they heaved flattened junkers off the pile, down to the ground. They scattered twelve of them around the scrap pile and then leapt back down to the ground. "OK, Ari, just have at one of those things..."

Ari stood at one end of a flattened Lincoln Continental and began to roll it up from front to back. The screeches from the grinding metal were bone chilling. Once Ari had rolled up the flattened car, he folded the "roll" in half, folding it again and again. Then he wadded and compressed turning the metal in on itself until it was no larger than a softball. He continued pressing in on the sphere. It glowed red hot. He'd compressed it even tighter, until it was no larger than a baseball. Then he heaved it into low earth orbit. Danny did likewise, rolling, folding and compressing a flattened old Chevy Suburban. He hurled it out into space. The fireball disappeared over the horizon.

Billy, Andy and Scotty approached a row of derelict autos slated for the car compactor. They compacted them by hand. Billy lifted the front end of an ancient Mercury station wagon, walked his hands underneath and grasped the frame. He hefted the car off the ground and began compressing the frame inward. The metal groaned as Billy's pecs, shoulders, arms and back bulged with mind boggling power. Once he'd compressed the car from side to side in the middle, he dropped the rear end of the car to the ground and went to work on the engine compartment. Billy felt greater resistance from the front end than he had from the middle of the car, but the engine block was still no match for him. He finished off, crushing the rear end and then lay the mangled wreck on its side. He folded the car in half, then folded it in half again and yet again and again. Then he molded and crushed, continuing to work the malleable steel in his hands until he'd compressed it into a cube, three feet on a side. Andy and Scotty each went for a junk car and compressed them much as Billy had done with his. As they worked their way down the row, it got easier and easier, meaning it just got harder and harder for them to get a good muscle pump!

Hernandez, Nguyen and LeBlanc worked another row of junk cars that had been slated for the compactor. And their experience was much the same as Scotty's, Andy's and Billy's. They were all getting stronger by the minute.

Like Danny and Ari, Roy, Robbie and Max attacked a pile of flattened autos, folding them into cubes. Max had bypassed the strength the other guys had before they'd met and mind linked with Ari, so he had very little in the way of a point of reference for comparison. Robbie exclaimed. "I can't believe how much stronger we're gettin'. It's almost like we're starting in this all over again! Ari is one strong-ass lil' guy! How `bout you, Max? Yer just startin' out and look at you! You're stronger now than any of us were when you first came here! How's it feel to be this strong from a dead standstill from normal?"

Max laughed and drawled. "'Dayum,' Robbie! How's it supposed tah feel?"

Roy grinned. "Well, Max, don't look at Robbie or me. Hell, we're still pretty new to all this ourselves!"

Cole and Salas were a bit more 'combative' with their work, hurling junk cars high into the air and hammering them with their fists as they fell back to earth, keeping them in the air with their 'power punches' until they'd beaten them into three foot cubes.

Sunday (the seventh)

The guys worked well into the wee hours of the morning. By three a.m., they'd exhausted Fasullo's supply of junk cars. They had them all compacted and neatly stacked. Roy suggested some "roadwork."

"Where to?" Salas asked.

"Well, Vegas, of course."

Salas laughed. "Naw, you guys go on ahead. I think I'm gonna head on out to the beach for a swim."

They all agreed on the swim. Salas led the guys out to Newport Beach. They swam all the way to the tip of Baja California and back to Newport Beach in less than thirty minutes!

As they emerged from the water they were beside themselves. Scotty exclaimed, "We couldn't have made the round trip that fast in the jet! We couldn't have made the trip ONE WAY that fast in the jet. I can't believe you, Ari! All this came from you!"

Ari smiled shyly. "Not all of it, Scotty. You already had most of it from before."

Danny wrapped his arm around Ari's neck. "Well, you sure did give it a kick in the pants for us, dude. Thanks fer sharin' this with all of us!"

"Well, Danny, thank YOU again for saving my life! ... And Miriam's! We wouldn't even BE here if it weren't for you guys! And, Danny, thank you for coming to the house this afternoon. And not just for workin' those cramps outta me. It was just having you THERE. I was so scared... more scared than when I was up there on the Matterhorn. I just felt so helpless and I couldn't stop cryin' and moanin'. I tried. I really tried cuz I could see I was scarin' my mom'n dad so bad. But I just couldn't hold it in."

"Nobody could've held in with THAT kinda pain, Ari. I felt how tight your muscles were. You were cramped up really bad. Once we lit that fire in you, it hadda have some way to burn. I guess we shoulda known better, but nuthin' like that's ever happened before, to any of us. Yah know, Ari, I don't know HOW much stronger you are than we were, but I'm guessin' you had me beat by at least fifty percent... maybe a hundred percent... maybe a lot more than that! At least that's how I think you might've wound up if you'da kept goin' and I'da stayed where I was."

Ari shook his head. "I can't feature that, Danny. I still have this mental picture from Sunday before last when you guys just showed up outta the blue. So much was goin' on up there in the roller coaster car. And everything just happened so fast. But afterward, it all hit me... I mean, Danny, that's NOT supposed to happen. Guys who can leap up from the ground a hundred fifty feet into the air to save us like you did... I mean, it's just not possible. But it happened. And then you guys just disappeared. Miriam and I thought we'd never see any of you again. But then we did. I was right behind Miriam later on when we saw you cued up for one of the rides about an hour or so after it was all over up on the Matterhorn. I remember that so clearly cuz it was just so weird. I mean, there you were, this super hero just standin' in line like just a regular guy. Man! I wanted to ask you about a million questions!"

Danny smiled. "Well why didn't you, Ari? I'da taken you an' Miriam off someplace and told you anything you wanted to know. I KNEW you were both cool about us. I would've trusted you and Miriam."

"Well, Danny, I figured you guys were tryin' so hard to fade into the background so I just let it go. But I'm so glad you looked Miriam up. And so is she."

"Ari, there's no way I could'a stayed away. What Miriam did with that TV reporter... Well, she was fantastic! I HADDA meet her. Now I guess I know how you must've felt about us, Ari, cuz that's exactly how I felt about HER. And then last Sunday. Wow, Ari! I still can't believe it. I'm so glad we found each other."

"Me too, Daniel... Me too."

Danny ran with Ari back to his house. They arrived right at dawn.

Cantor and Mrs.. Cohen had waited up. They insisted that Danny come inside and join them for an early breakfast.

As they sat down and ate, Danny gently reminded Cantor Cohen. "You guys can't do this, stayin' up every night Ari's out with us like this. We'll try to keep these all nighters to a minimum, but it's gotta happen every now and again. You gotta believe me when I tell you... you can sleep soundly cuz Ari's gonna be OK whenever he's out with us.

Cantor Cohen smiled at Danny. "Old habits are hard to break. But we'll adjust. I guess, in a way, it's just hard to let go. Ari's still our little boy, even though he's a super boy now. It must've been very hard for your parents, Danny. You were so young when all this came out in you."

"Yes, sir. A LOT harder than it should've been. My mom'n dad have a special place in heaven for all the stuff they put up with from me..."

Mrs.. Cohen said, "Well, Danny, it seems like you've turned out just fine. I know they must be very proud of you now... You've been such a good friend to Ari."

Danny lowered his eyes. He answered softly, "Ari's been such a good friend to me... to all of us..."

After breakfast, Danny asked Ari, "Hey, you an' Miriam still wanna hang out with me this afternoon?"

"Yeah, sure. I want to, as long it's OK with mom'n dad. And I gotta ask the Scheinburgs if Miriam can come. Can you gimme a call right after church?"

"I'll call yah as soon as I get home. We'll find somethin' we can get into... Mebbe somethin' a lil' more normal, so we can include Miriam."

"Yeah, Danny, but lets meet over here first, if that's OK. Then you an' I can go over to Miriam's together."

"Yeah, sure, Ari. Say about two, right here?"

"Yeah, OK, but call right after you get home from church just to make sure it's OK with mom'n dad and Miriam's parents."

Danny left the Cohen's house and vanished.

Right after church, Danny called Ari. "Yeah, Danny. Miriam and I are all set. See yah here around two?"

"You got it, dude. See yah there."

Danny appeared at the Cohen's front door at about five minutes of two. He knocked and Ari quickly answered the door. He stepped outside. "Mom'n dad are still sleepin'. They're dead tired after waitin' up for me all last night."

"Well, I sure hope you can break em of that habit. I'll talk to em if that happens again, or maybe I can get my dad to call yours..."

"Yeah, thanks, Danny. If they wait up for me like that again, I'll take you up on that..."

They strolled down the block toward the Scheinburg's house.

Ari knocked on the door and Miriam answered. She smiled... "Hey, you two!"

Ari and Danny smiled back. Ari asked, "Ready to go?"

'Yup... been ready. Where to?"

Danny and Ari looked at each other smiling. Danny nodded to Ari... Ari answered, "Where ever's yer pleasure m'lady."

Miriam laughed. "Oh you two charmers! Hey, I'm game for whatever you are. If you guys wanna get us off someplace where you can do some of your super stuff, I'll just be glad to tag along..."

Ari and Danny shook their heads. Danny answered for them both. "Naw, let's make this YOUR day, Miriam. C'mon. Whatever you want, where ever yah wanna go, we'll take you there."

Miriam thought for a minute. "Well, maybe you can do this? Can we go to San Francisco? I've never been there and I'd love to see it."

Ari answered. "San Fran it is..."

Ari hoisted Miriam onto his shoulders and the three kids vanished.

They couldn't make their best speed with Miriam on Ari's shoulders, but they ran and leapt like the wind. It was a thrill ride for Miriam. They reappeared at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge across the bay from the city. "It's beautiful!" Miriam marveled. Ari didn't set Miriam down, he left her on his shoulders to give her a better perch to enjoy the view. After awhile, they ran around the bay and into the city. Miriam said, "I can't believe we're still in America, much less California. This place is just so different from back home! It's just such a beautiful city." The kids didn't have much money on them, but they had enough for gelattos for all of them down at Fisherman's wharf. They made the rounds of all the sites. Then they headed for home. As they ran south along Pacific Coast Highway, they were awed by the glorious orange and deep purple hues of the magnificent sunset. They reappeared at Miriam's front door. Ari set Miriam down on her feet. She said, "G'nite my two sweet supermen. Thank you both for today. She bussed Danny on the cheek and then Ari."

As Danny walked Ari home, he said to him, "I just hope and pray that someday... some DAY, I meet a girl like Miriam."

"You will, Danny. I know it's gonna happen for yah. And, don't ask me how, but I just got this feelin' that's gonna happen real soon. Now if we can just find someone for Scotty and Salas..."

Sunday evening, Scotty had taken Salas' suggestion and driven off to a club not far from the house. He'd been hoping for some female company, but it hadn't really amounted to much for him. So after a couple of beers, he left and just drove aimlessly about. He found himself in a seedy, rundown neighborhood, the streets lined with bail bonding agencies, liquor stores, 'adult' peep shows, the sidewalks crawling with pushers and hookers. He was about to make for the freeway to drive back home when, just up ahead, he saw a big man brutally beating up one of the whores. None of the passersby made any move to help her. Scotty pulled to a stop, scrambled out of the car and confronted the man. "Not very gentlemanly of you to go whup'n up on this lady..."

"Fuck off, asshole," the man replied and then he went right on wailing into the woman.

Scotty stepped behind the man, pulling his arms to his sides and began to squeeze, not enough to injure him, but more than enough to give him some sense of his overpowering strength. "Now, dude, I really don't wanna hurt yah. Maybe if you bug off right now, I'll just letcha go..."

The man nodded, but as soon as Scotty released him, he bent over and retrieved a small 'Saturday night special' from his ankle holster, whipped around and pointed it at Scotty's abdomen. The man snarled at him, "You just fucked with the wrong bull, dickface. This is my bitch and you just got in my way... Now you are gonna pay..."

In a blinding flash, Scotty disarmed the man, snatching the pistol out of his hand. He returned to normal speed and then easily crushed the weapon in his palm. "Now, dude, I'm gonna do that to yer head." The brute finally got the message and took off at a dead run.

The hooker had fallen to the ground. Scotty knelt beside her. "Are you OK, ma'am?"

It was obvious she wasn't. Her face was badly bruised and her arms and shoulders were black and blue. "C'mon lady, I'm gonna take you to the emergency room."

The woman tried to stand to her feet. Scotty helped her up. "No, I've gotta go find him. Oh God, now he's gonna KILL me."

"You mean you wanna find that jerk? What're yah goin' after HIM for? He just beat the hell outta you!"

"He's all I got... Without him, I got nuthin'. I GOTTA go find him."

Scotty shook his head. "Oh no yah don't. Sorry. Can't letcha do that. We're goin' to the emergency room right now."

She begged and pleaded and even tried to run, but Scotty snatched her off her feet and carried her bodily to his car. As he drove away with her, he said, "We're gonna get a doctor to look at you... now."

It took over two hours after they arrived at the emergency room before the woman was treated. She had no broken bones. But the bruises were fairly bad. The physician gave her some pain medication and sent them on their way.

Scotty asked, "Where do you live? I'll take yah on home now."

"I lived with him. But now THAT's over with, thanks to you."

"Well then, I'll just hafta take you home with me. We'll find some way to get you situated tomorrow morning. But I'm not lettin' you go back to him. You can do a LOT better for yourself than that brute."

In spite of her bruises Scotty could tell the woman he'd rescued was attractive. She was latino, in her late thirties or early forties, a bit haggard, but not so badly off that a couple of weeks in a safe environment with drug detox, decent nutrition and rest wouldn't have her back in the pink, at least physically.

Scotty introduced himself. "I'm Scott McFarlane. What's your name?"

"Whadda YOU care?"

"Hey, lady, I care. I'd care if ANY lady got treated like that jerk was treating you. I wouldn't let anybody treat a DOG like that, much less a lady."

The woman laughed bitterly, "I'm A 'LADY of the NIGHT.'"

"Whatever, ma'am... I'm just here to help you, not judge you... But, whatever you think you gotta do to make a livin', NO-body's got a right to treat you like he did."

As Scotty turned into the street in front of Salas' house, the woman became visibly nervous. "Where are you taking me?"

"I said, I'm taken' yah home with me. Please... don't be afraid... I'm not gonna hurt you an' I'm not gonna try an' take advantage of you... All I wanna do is help you..."

As Scotty pulled into the driveway, she asked. "This is YOUR house?"

"It's my 'home,' but it's not really MY house. I live here with the guy who owns the place..."

"Juan?" She asked.

"Yeah! Juan Salas! How did you know?"

"I'm Isabella. I used to be his wife. This was our home before I left him."

Scotty took her inside. Salas wasn't home. He had met up with Cole to see a Dodgers game.

She sat at the table as Scotty made coffee. He brought them both a cup.

She told Scotty how she'd dumped Salas when she'd found out he couldn't father children.

"...It was the worst mistake I've ever made in my life. He was so strong and so kind and so gentle. And I hurt him very badly when he was already so wounded. I was such a young, stupid, selfish fool... When we were married, I took him 'for better or worse,' and then I broke my marriage vow... I turned my back on him when he needed me... But God does not sleep... He punished me for what I did to that man... for all the hurt I caused him. I deserve everything that's happened to me since."

"You don't deserve what happened to you tonight, Isabella. Nobody deserves that. And if you think you do... well, you're dead wrong..."

She told Scotty her story. About a year after Isabella had left Salas, she met another man. They were married. Not long afterward, she got pregnant. It was a very difficult pregnancy and, at six months, she miscarried. She and her husband tried again. And again she miscarried. Her doctors gave her the bad news. They'd been obliged to perform a hysterectomy. There would be no children. Shortly after, her second husband divorced her. This began Isabella's long, downward spiral, into drugs, prostitution and hopeless despair.

Scotty murmured, "Salas would've taken you back, Isabella. He would've forgiven you..."

"Oh? He told you that?"

"Not in so many words, but I know him. He's like a father to me. And I just KNOW him. He's never remarried. He's never even so much as LOOKed at another woman since you left him. For him, there just IS no other woman...."

Isabella said, "No man could forgive what I did to Salas. It's too late. Look at me. I'm an old broken down whore and a junkie."

Scotty 'sensed' Salas' approach even before he heard the car. He 'called' out to Salas with his mind. "Salas! Is that you?"

"Yeah, Scotty. I'm almost home. What's up?"

"Listen, Salas, DON'T come into the house... just drive on by and confirm to me that you're doin' that and then I'll explain."

"OK, Scotty, I gotcha. I'll just drive around the block. What's up?"

"It's Isabella! She's here... with me."

There was a long silence. Finally Salas 'thought' back to him. "I'm coming home, Scotty... NOW! Do NOT let her leave. Please! Hold here there BODILY if you have to. I'll be right there!"

Salas burst into the house. He ran to Isabella, pulled her out of the chair and embraced her. There were no questions, no accusations, or recriminations... Only tears of unmitigated joy. "Oh God, Isabella! I never gave up hope... I never gave up hoping you would come back to me some day..."

Isabella answered dully. "I would never have come back to you, Jaun. Not after what I did to you. How COULD I? This was just some crazy coincidence that I wound up here."

Salas released his embrace. She sat back down and Salas sat beside her.

She explained. "Scott came to my rescue. My pimp was beating me up. I'm a whore, Juan... a streetwalker and a junkie. And the man I live with, my pimp, was beating me. Scotty stopped and chased him away. He took me to the emergency room and then he brought me here. He said he wanted to help me. I tried to get away from him but he wouldn't let me go."

Salas reached across the table, took Scotty's hand and squeezed it. He looked the boy in the eye. He didnt' say anything, but the tears in his eyes said it all.

Isabella repeated her story for Salas. "...So, like I told Scotty, I've gotten everything I deserved and so, of course, I could never have come back here on my own."

Salas replied. "But, Isabella, the door was ALWAYS open. I would've taken you back. I would've forgiven you. It's still not too late, even now..."

"Yes, Juanito, it is. How could I come back to you now? It's ME that's the 'damaged goods.' It always was. I was a spoiled, self centered little bitch. I kicked the man I loved when he was down and hurting most. What kind of woman is that? What kind of wife? No, Juan. It's much too late for us..."

"No, Isabella. I've forgiven you for everything. It never happened. It's never too late. All you must do is forgive yourself."

Scotty rose from the table to leave them alone. "No, Scotty. I want you here for this. This involves you, too. Isabella, this boy has become like a SON to me. And now he's brought you back to me. Don't you see, Isabella? This isn't a 'coincidence.' It is a miracle. Nothing less! We can never get back those years we've lost. But, please, lets not make it any worse. Lets not throw away our future. We still have lots of time. Lets take it. At least let us try!"

"You are jousting windmills, Juan. There is no point in any of this. You can have a good life and a good marriage with a decent woman. But it's too late for me. You don't need to settle for a whore and a junkie. That song is right, at least in my case it is. 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone...'"

Scotty interrupted. "Isabella. It's like Salas just said... It's NOT too late for you two. Not if you're willing to try. Please listen to this man. All he wants is a chance to make you happy again. Please..."

Isabella smiled if a little sadly. "Where did you find this boy, Juan? He is so much like you!"

Salas nodded. "Another miracle, Isabella. They seem to be coming at me a lot lately..."

She said, "I should be going."

Scotty asked, "Go where? Back to that monster? ...who uses you and abuses you? When you have a GOOD man sitting right here in front of you who is ready to love you? Why would you do this to yourself, Isabella? But even more, why would you do this to Salas? Why would you walk away and break his heart again? Why are you choosing hell when you are standing at heaven's gate? You said it yourself, 'yah don't know what you've got till it's gone.' Well now you've got a chance to get it back. For God's sake, Isabella, TAKE it. If not for yourself, do it for Salas! Don't make the same mistake again. Not now, when you know better."

Salas said to Isabella. "You'll sleep in our bed tonight, Isabella. I'll sleep on the sofa. We'll do whatever you want, tomorrow. But tonight, you're not going anywhere."

Isabella sighed and nodded. "I'll do what YOU want, Juan... I will do whatever you want. I'm so sorry for what I did you... and to us. But now I'll do whatever you say."

Scotty rose to his feet and started to go to his room. Salas caught his eye. Silently, Salas mouthed the words, "Thank you, son."

Monday (the seventh)

Scotty got up early and made breakfast for Salas and Isabella and himself. Salas walked into the kitchen and Scotty handed him a cup of coffee. Salas said, "I won't let her leave again. Not this time. I'm gonna fight to get my wife back... to get that part of my LIFE back... Scotty, it really WAS a miracle that day I met you and Danny. So much good has come to me from that day."

Scotty nodded. "For all of us, Salas."

Scotty assured Salas that the guys would manage without him. "Just do whatever you have to do. Take as long as you need. I promise, we'll hold the fort down for yah." He grinned. "B'sides, now that Roy's back in town, whadda we need YOU for?"

Scotty picked up Danny, and then Billy and Andy and, finally, Ari and drove them all out to the Cal Tech campus in Pasadena. Danny escorted Ari to the president's office. From there, Ari and Danny were taken to the main library where Ari's college admissions board exams were administered. He had them finished, all of them, in less than ten minutes. The results would be available at the registrar's office by noon. Danny said, "Just hang the rest of the morning with me, Ari. And we'll snag yer test results on the way outta here. Then we'll meet Scotty at the car."

Roy, Robbie and Max were standing by at the MAC terminal at mainside when a US Air Force C-141 rolled to a stop. It had brought the US supplied materiel for their prototype aircraft. They stood by as load masters and MAC terminal cargo handlers unloaded the pallet loads down the rear loading ramp. They could've unloaded and moved the cargo in less than a minute, but this was not an option in broad daylight in front of all these witnesses. They would be ready to start construction right after lunch.

It was mid morning. Salas entered his room and found Isabella in bed still fast asleep. He shook her awake. "Rise'n shine... I got breakfast waitin' for you. Scotty made it for us early this morning. I got a plate for you, warmin' in the microwave."

Isabella sat up groggily. "Oh, God. I feel like hell..."

"C'mon Isabell, time to get up and face the day. We're gonna get you some help..."

She moaned and sat up. "Oh, Juan, just let me get myself together and get outta here. Thank Scotty for me. And thanks for giving me a place to crash for the night. But now I gotta get outta here and figure out what I'm gonna do..."

"There's nothing to figure out, Isabella. I'm taken' you down to detox and then we're gonna get you some counseling..."

"Oh, Juan, stop this... You're acting like a fool... This is pointless and you know it... Please don't make this harder on both of us than it already is... It's been fifteen years... time for you to finally get on with your life..."

"Yes, you're right about that, Isabella. And now that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Now that I've got a shot... I didn't fight for you before. But a little nine year old girl taught me something last week. She showed me how to fight for the one I love. And now that's what I'm gonna do. I'm not letting you go... not this time. I was too weak before. I let myself believe I wasn't a man. Well, Isabella, I didn't act like much of a man when I let you walk out on me. But it's not too late for me any more than it's too late for you. It's not too late for either of us. And now, thanks to a twenty year old boy, a nine year old little girl... and by the grace of God, I'm gonna do what I hafta to put our lives back together, and Isabella, YOU'RE gonna HELP me do that. We're both gonna finally grow up and be strong for each other and get our lives back on track and be a family. I'm gonna do it for you and you're gonna do it for me and we're both gonna do it for each other... and for that boy who took you off the street last night. It's not too late for us, Isabella... not if we're smart. But it IS much to late for us to be stupid with the rest of our lives. Now get out of that bad and get dressed."

Salas had Isabella checked into detox by 11:30 a.m. She'd settled into her room and Salas made for the door. He turned around and said to her. "I'll be back here between six and six thirty. You'll be here for three or four days. And then you'll come back home with me and then we're BOTH gonna get us some counseling..."

"Salas. You are a fool. But I mean that in the best possible way. You are a fool to take me back..."

"No, I was a FOOL to let you go without even putting up a fight, Isabella. But not this time. We were BOTH young and stupid. But we won't make the same mistake again. Most people don't get a second chance like this. So we won't blow it this time..."

"This will take me some time, Juan. I can't let myself love you again. And I can't let you love me. At least not yet. I can't presume to do that now. It will take me some time to earn that right. But, Juan, as long as you are willing to let me try, I will do it. I WILL try..."

"Well, Isabella, as for loving you. There's nothing you can do to stop me from loving you... I've never stopped loving you. I never forgot why I fell in love with you. I've held onto that for all these years. I'd never forgiven myself for not fighting for us... for what we had together. But I do that now. I forgive mySELF... Because if I didn't, I wouldn't be strong enough take back what is mine... what is OURS. And, Isabella, you must forgive yourself... and me..."

"Me, forgive YOU? For WHAT? For giving me what I wanted? ... what I demanded? After I turned my back on you? Who could blame you for letting me go?"

"It wasn't you, Isabella... It was both of us... I know I was impossible to live with... to put up with... after we got the news that I couldn't father children for you... for us! But I promise you, I'm going to make it up to you. I'll make it all up to you..."

Isabella smiled sadly. "Heaping all the blame on yourself. Accepting all the responsibility... When we both know it was all my fault..."

"No, Isabella, I certainly don't accept ALL of the blame. And I won't let you do that either. It was BOTH of us. It was both of us all along. Near the end, we put each other through hell. But it IS time to move on... we've blown fifteen years, Isabella... fifteen years we could've had to make each other happy. We could've had a family. We could've adopted children and raised them. But now we have a son... we have Scotty. He's almost grown. He's almost gone. He's almost ready to be out on his own. It was almost too late for us. But we still have some time... time for you to bond with him as I have. Time for you to know at least SOME of the joy of being a mother for that boy. And we have the rest of our lives for each other. You'll see, Isabella. And when you do, you'll believe in miracles the way I've learned to believe. Maybe neither one of us deserves this second chance. But by the grace of God, we've GOT it. All I ask is that you TAKE it with me..."

Isabella nodded. "I said I would do whatever you say."

Salas nodded gravely. "I love you Isabella..."

"I have no right to say this to you, Juan. I have no right to feel this, but, God help me, I love you too. And, someday, I'll find a way to make it up to you. I WILL find a way to make all this up to you..."

Salas moved back across the room and folded Isabella into his arms. He kissed her passionately. She held onto him. She surrendered herself to him. In spite of everything, she would allow herself to be loved by him and she would allow herself to love him.

Salas didn't bother with the car. He left it at the detox center. He ran out to the base as fast as he could. He badly needed to be alone with Scotty.

Salas arrived at the base right after Scotty had driven up with Billy, Andy, Danny and Ari. The gang was mustered in the conference room. They were about to break up and go about their afternoon activities. Salas walked into the room.

"Guys, sorry I'm late. I hadda little personal business to attend to. You all know what you need to do so I'll let you get to it... Scotty, could I see you in my office?"

Scotty followed Salas down the passageway and into his office. Salas closed the door.

Salas didn't bother with words. He 'mind linked' with Scotty. What he felt was too deep for words. So, WITHOUT words, he projected his joy and love into Scotty. He shared his emotions with the boy he'd come to love as a son... all those years of hurt and sorrow over Isabella and now the joy... Man and boy embraced. Finally, Salas murmured, "Scotty, I love you. Oh God, son, I love you..."

"I love you too, dad..."

Roy, Robbie and Maxim returned to the hangar over at mainside. They had all their materials ready, except for the forms for the composite airframe components. They fabricated these in less than twenty minutes and then poured the composite mixture into the forms. It would 'cure' by the next morning. Maxim had devised the formulation. It would be stronger and lighter than conventional composites currently in use. And it took much less time to cure. Once the mixture had been poured into the forms, they set to work fabricating custom aluminum components by hand. They were done with these by 1500. Tomorrow morning, they would retrieve the composites from the forms and re- pour for a second aircraft. There would be TWO identical prototypes. One for the Americans and one for the Russians. Both aircraft were to be constructed for interoperability with either Western or Russian military forces. There would be two retractable midair refueling probes. One conforming to US Navy and Marine Corps 'probe and drogue' standard and one to the Russian standard. Robbie had written mission software to allow for a multitude of US, Russian, NATO and command specific mission taskings.

On their way off campus, Danny and Ari had swung by the registrar's office. He'd maxed his college boards and qualified for a full scholarship. Danny was delighted. "Ari, you've given me what I really needed with your dad. Now I've got something I can work with..."

At the end of the workday at the base, Scotty drove Ari home. Danny got out with him. "I'll run on home from here, Scotty. Ari and I gotta talk to his dad. I'll see yah in the morning."

Scotty drove away with Billy and Andy.

Ari and Danny went into the Cohen's house. Mrs.. Cohen greeted them. "Hi Ari, Danny..."

"Hi mom, is dad home?"

"Not yet, Ari. He's still down at the shul..."

"S'OK if we go on down there?"

"Why don't you wait for him here? He'll be along in a few minutes."

Mrs. Cohen invited Danny to stay for supper. He called home and checked in with his dad.

Cantor Cohen arrived home and they sat down for supper.

Danny spoke. "Cantor Cohen. Ari's college board scores came back. Dr. Carpenter, the president at Cal Tech got `em fast tracked for us. Ari's good to go if you'll give us the OK. We can get him registered tomorrow and they'll let him in on a full scholarship."

Cantor Cohen nodded. "Thank you, Danny. I appreciate your taking the initiative in all this. I'd like Ari to go to school tomorrow to say his good bye's to his friends there. It's OK of he starts the following day?"

"He can get registered then. I'll help walk him through that. Then he can start his classes the day after."

Cantor Cohen looked at Ari. "There's still your religious education to consider. I know you can manage well beyond what Brith Shalom can offer. But I can't get you into Yeshiva this year. Maybe next. But you can attend our Saturday afternoon Hebrew school classes here at Adath Emeth for non-parochial school students. Part of your religious education just involves your interaction with other boys, soon to be young men, who are your own age. As for the study material, I know that won't be much of a challenge for you, Ari, but I'll take charge of your religious studies. I'll tutor you, at least for now. I think by next year, we'll find a way to work you into a Yeshiva. I have a friend over there who can help us. It might take some doing and maybe we'll just wait on that till you finish up at Cal Tech, at least with under grad. But we'll find a way to keep your hand in on your religious studies in the meantime..."

"Thank you again, Danny, for all you've been doing for my son. Only a few short days ago, he was a stranger and you've befriended him and done so much for him. I wonder if you would mind arranging an introduction with your parents. I would very much like for Noni and I too meet them."

Danny smiled. "Sure, Cantor Cohen. I'd like that. And I know mom'n dad would be glad to meet you and Mrs. Cohen."

"Fine, Danny, I'll call your father and we'll set something up. Perhaps you might all like to come over here for supper one evening next week."

Salas arrived at the drug detox treatment center at around six thirty. Isabella was already looking a lot better. A physician had given her some anti-inflammatory medication for the bruising and swelling from her beating the night before. She was sitting up in bed reading. She smiled at Salas as he came in. Salas stopped dead. Isabella had not smiled at him like that in over fifteen years. He drank it in.

He sat on the bed and kissed her tenderly. "How did things go today?" he asked.

"Well, they're going, Salas. They're going. It'll be a long haul, but I'll make it. It's just going to be a long climb back up..."

"I'll be here with you, Isabella, all the way. I'm behind you in this..."

"Which is more than I can say for me when you needed me."

"No, Isabella. Don't go there. What's done is done and what's past is past. We've forgiven each other for that. Now lets concentrate on our future. We'll need to get married, of course, right away. I want you to be my wife again, Isabella. I want you to marry me."

"You don't know what you're getting into, Juan. I'm not the woman I was. I've told you what I am and what I've done. But I'm not sure it's sunk in..."

"Isabella, what you've done is not what you ARE. You can be anything you want to be. All you must do is decide not to think of yourself or speak of yourself as anything but what you want to be and what you want to become. What I want is for you to be my wife again... and a mother for Scotty, and anything else you want to be."

"Well, lets wait just a little while on the marriage. Lets get to know each other again first. Lets be sure this time, Juan. We have a little time. Lets take the time to make sure we do things right this time around. And give me some time to chuck some of this 'baggage' I've taken on. Please be patient with me, Juan."

"I will, Isabella, as long as we agree between us where we're going to end up. I won't ask you for a date for our wedding right now. But I AM asking you to say 'yes' to me... right now."

"If I said 'yes' to you now, Juan. It would be for the wrong reason. I won't say 'yes' to you until I've earned that right. 'Yes' has to mean something. And it can't right now. I'd only be saying 'yes' to you now because I have nowhere else to go. I'll get my act together, find myself a decent job and my own place. Then, when I'm on my feet and stable and on my own, we'll both know that my 'yes' will really mean something. All I want for us is for this to be right. And I want you to KNOW I mean it when I say 'yes' to you this time... that I mean it from the bottom of my heart."

"I'll wait for you, Isabella. I believe in you. I believe in you right now. You don't have to prove yourself to me. But if you need this for yourself, I'll wait. And I'll be here for you. All along the way, I'll be right here."

"It has been a very long time since anyone has believed in me, Juan. Knowing that you believe in me helps, a lot more than you know."

Salas sat with Isabella most of the evening. He'd called and left a message on the answering machine for Scotty to get his own supper. As he got up to leave he said to her, "I'll have Scotty drop by over here tomorrow evening. He's gotta take some of the guys home and I'll let him get something to eat. But then I want him to come and spend some time with us. I want you two to get to know each other better."

Isabella smiled. "Before he comes, maybe you should tell me something about him... and how the two of you first met. He's a beautiful boy. So strong and gentle and kind... just like you, Salas. And you say he's become like a son to you. I want to hear all about him."

We'll save that for tomorrow, Isabella. Something for both of us to look forward to. But right now, I want you to rest. I'll be here first thing in the morning and then later on in the afternoon."

They kissed goodnight and Salas drove home.

Tuesday (the seventh)

Roy, Robbie and Maxim had both jets completed by 1700. They test flew them both and all systems worked superbly with the conventional wings. Then they performed quick wing changes and flew test flights with the other two sets, the shuttered wings and the half-shuttered wings. That evening, they would put the finishing touches on the flight and maintenance manuals. The US aircraft would be known as the XFAC-100 [(X)experimental, (F)ighter, (A)ttack, (C)argo/transport]; the Russian aircraft as the BDF-100, using the initials of the surnames of the designers, Robbie (B)ukowski, Maxim (D)mitrov and Roy (F)uchs. This followed the Russian practice of naming their aircraft after the designers or the engineering bureau responsible for design of the aircraft. (e.g. "MiG" ~ Mikoyan-Guryevich; " "YaK" ~ Yakovlev and "Su" ~ Sukhoi.) The guys agreed to collaborate on design of a scaled down variant, without the passenger/cargo bay that they would offer gratis to their nations' air and naval air forces. Given the superiority of their design and the relatively cheaper cost of production and comparative ease of maintenance, there was every reason to believe that the type would be accepted as front line fighter/attack aircraft both for the USA and Russia.

Max would fly the Russians' jet back to Yekaterinburg the following afternoon.

Wednesday (the seventh)

Roy and Robbie flew Maxim and all of the guys in the helos over to mainside. The Russian BDF-100 had been moved from the construction hangar to the transient line and fueled. Roy had arranged for US Air force midair refueling support through US and Canadian airspace and had contacted Alexi in Yekaterinburg to arrange for Russian tanker support through Russian airspace. Roy had seen to it that Dip clearance into Russian airspace was in order. Maxim shook hands all around. Finally, he came to Roy. He embraced him. "Thanks, Roy. Thank you for everything."

Roy grinned. "OK, guy, guess I'll see yah in November for Thanksgivin'."

As Maxim was about to board his jet, he could see Gloria trotting across the ramp. She'd just made it. He embraced her and asked, "Anything yah want me to tell Alexi for yah?"

"Only that I love him. Just tell him that for me, will you, Max?"

He smiled. "Yeah, Gloria, sure thing."

Maxim smiled, kissed her on the cheek, then turned and climbed aboard his aircraft. The canopy slid closed. He lit off the engines. As they whined to live, the plane captain unplugged the ground power unit from it's connection under the nose and exchanged salutes with Maxim. The aircraft started to move. Max tested his brakes as the aircraft stopped momentarily, lurching down slightly on the nose wheel oleo strut. Then the aircraft moved away. As they had done with Alexi and Ivan, Gloria and the guys remained on the ramp until the aircraft disappeared in the distance. In addition to the Russian's new aircraft, Max would deliver new strength, speed and agility to Alexi and the five other supermen.... Ari's strength. For the first time it occurred to Max, "When I first get back home, until my 'mind link' has a chance to work on Alexi and the other men, I'll be stronger and faster than any of them. He thought to himself, "Odd how that worked out." He adjusted his course to a more northerly heading as he continued his ascent to en route altitude.

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