Two Against the Odds, Chapter 3
The bus pulled into the West Palm Beach Greyhound terminal just after 5:30 AM. Uncle Beto and his partner Geoff were waiting for the teens. The men embrace both of the guys as everyone was getting acquainted. With their backpacks and sleeping bag in the back of the SUV, they were off to their new home.
"We'll stop at our restaurant first of breakfast," Beto stated. "Then I'll take you to our cottage. Geoff is covering the morning shift while I get you settled. Then, I'll go back and we'll both join you late tonight. I'm sorry that we won't have time off until Monday when we're closed. Dine-in trade is still a bit slow, but we're doing a land-office business in carryout."
"Is there a way we can help?" Rick asked.
"If you're interested in jobs, I can use both of you. Finding good help is almost impossible these days. However, I'm going to insist that you both finish high school if you haven't. Or that you at least get a GED so you won't be held back from a good life because of the lack of education. That's my one rule if you live under our roof."
Having saved back some money in case of an emergency, the teens had eaten little on the last leg of their journey. They felt nearly starved but tried to keep from overeating. They knew that if they stuffed themselves, they'd likely pay for it later with an upset stomach. Both were disciplined.
When they finished, Beto drove them to his home.
"You can see this is kind of like what most people would consider a summer cottage. It's in a prime location. We bought it for a song during the Great Recession and it's increased in value a lot since then. We couldn't afford the price it would bring today. I'm sorry that it has only two bedrooms. That was adequate for us. We didn't know there'd be two of you in time to buy twin beds. There's a pullout sofa in the sitting room."
"This is a big bed," Rick exclaimed, as he was shown his room. "We can share it. We've slept in tighter quarters since the day we met."
"So, you're okay with sleeping together?"
"It's exactly what we want. I guess I shouldn't be speaking for Sam."
"You can speak for me, but I want you to call me by my real name. It's Bryant. It may take me awhile to answer to that after going by an alias so long. There are a lot of things I need to tell all of you later tonight. I hope you won't throw me out, at least until I can find a place to live."
"I have no intention of sending you away. You've been a lifesaver for my nephew. His mother was negligent for sending him out without at least a ticket. He might not have survived the journey on his own. Who knows what could have happened to him without you?"
"It was my pleasure. He's a great kid."
"While we're at work, you guys might like play in the water. We have a basket full of loaner swimwear in the linen closet. Feel free to raid the fridge for lunch. There are some entrees in the freezer to pop into the microwave for dinner. I'm sorry that we'll be working until 9:00, so you're on your own."
"May we use the washer? I think everything we have is dirty," Rick said.
"Certainly! Make yourselves at home. We'll have to buy you more things to wear when we get the chance."
The first thing the boys did was to put everything they had in the washer. That left them naked, of course. Next, they showered together. It would be great to be squeaky clean again. Rick repeated what he'd done at the truck-stop, so they emerged clean and satisfied.
Then they donned the skimpiest swimwear they could find, slathered one another with lotion, and lay out to catch some rays. Warm, relaxed, and well-fed, they soon drifted off to sleep.
Luckily, they awoke and went back to sit in the shade of the porch before they got too much sun.
"We've finally made it, Bryant. We have a roof over our heads, and we have hope for the future."
"You do, at least."
"I'm going to insist that they let you live with us."
"You can't force your uncles to take in a stranger."
"Sure, I can. I'll blackmail them into it. If they don't accept you, I'll leave with you."
"I appreciate your attitude, but it's not realistic."
"I love you, Bryant! You're my soulmate."
"I love hearing you say that, but you might not feel the same when you know all about me."
"I know all I need to. You're kind and caring. And I can tell that you feel the same about me as I do for you. You told the trucker you didn't kiss just anyone, but you did kiss me -- even before you made that statement."
After they put their clothes in the dryer, they applied more sunscreen and played in the water. When they were done, they dried off in the sun and went in to make lunch from the cold cuts a cheese they found in the refrigerator.
Their full tummies made them drowsy again, so they stripped and climbed into bed for a nap. They had spent several days needing to be wary of their circumstances. Now that those worries were in the past, their bodies wanted to make up for the loss of sound sleep.
Shortly after 9:30 PM, Beto and Geoff returned to the cottage carrying about half of a chocolate cake that hadn't been sold. They offered some to the boys, but Bryant wanted to clear the air first, and find out where he stood.
"Before you decide to let me stay, you both need to know my real name and hear my story. I hope you won't let the cops send me back to Minnesota. My full name is Bryant Edward Harwood, and I left home a year ago to get away from my abusive father. My intention was to head south before winter set in. I was hanging around the bus station trying to figure out how far I could get on the amount of money I had when a well-dressed man came up to me. He said his name was Simon Jones and asked if I needed help. I told him about the beatings I'd been subjected to and he said he would give me shelter and help me contact the police. I was stupid enough to believe that he was telling the truth.
"He treated me so well that I was lulled into feeling he was a good Samaritan. After a couple of weeks when the bruises I'd gotten from my father had healed, he bought me some new clothes and had his friend come to his apartment and give me a stylish haircut. Both Simon and his buddy said I looked hot.
"The next day, he brought in another guy who had photographic equipment and they told me they were going to send pictures of me to a modeling agency so I could have a good income. Simon said that his lawyer could have a judge grant me emancipation status if I could prove I had a source of income. Naturally, I was all for it.
"They set up several poses, including some which showed me in my underwear with an obvious bulge. Stupid me! I should have suspected where this was going. I found out later that they had a secret camera set up to record me while I was changing, so there were a bunch of nude photos I didn't know about.
"A week later, Simon told me the head of the agency wanted to meet with me. I went along willingly, not realizing that the office was a setup and that my body was going to be sold by the hour.
"I can't bring myself to tell anyone how awful that first experience was," Bryant said, closing his eyes in a brave attempt not to break down.
Rick jumped up immediately and held him. Both shed copious tears.
"I screamed at Simon when he came to get me. I threatened to tell the cops. He said that he was part of a sex syndicate which provided rent-boys to wealthy gentlemen. If I didn't keep my mouth shut and do what he said, he'd have me killed and thrown into the Mississippi River and no one would be the wiser. He showed me some very graphic pictures of the bodies of boys he said had crossed him. From then on, I had to wear an ankle bracelet that tracked my every move. I figured that I had no chance to escape, and I didn't know how to tell anyone what was going on for fear that the person I confided in might be a member of the organization and would tell Simon, and I'd be dead.
"I gave up and meekly did as he asked until he brought home a 13-year-old kid, named Brad, who he'd picked up in a park somewhere. The boy was as frightened as I had become. Simon said I was to teach him the ropes and he locked us in my room together. Though Brad was scared, he had balls! Between us, we hatched up a plan for escaping which would have gotten us beaten, or maybe killed, if it failed. He cried out that he was very sick and was going to throw up. Simon rushed in to check on him. I was behind the door with a bedside table which I used to bash Simon over the head. While he was knocked out, we tied him up with electrical cords. We rummaged through his pockets and found the key to my monitoring device. I took time to pack a few clothes and toiletries into a backpack because I knew I had to skip town before the syndicate found me.
"We found another key which opened his desk, and we grabbed all the cash we could find and ran from the building. I put Brad in a cab for his home and I prepared to hop a bus out of town. I asked him not to call the police until he was safely with his parents. I figured it would give me enough time to get away before anyone came looking.
"There are other details, like dying my hair in one of those family restrooms at the mall which had a lock on the door, so no one could catch me. I didn't have to dye my pubes because he'd kept me shaved to make me look younger. His clients had a taste for chicken.
"I also bought a sleeping bag and a Trac-Phone. But those details aren't important.
"What is important is that I'm guilty of assault and battery as well as theft."
"I'm certain that your attack on that man was an act of self-defense. Had you not escaped, most likely he would have killed you when you became too old to be of use to him. You knew too much about him and could have testified against him. Your actions also freed another kidnapped boy," Geoff said. "You deserve a medal!"
"As far as taking the money is concerned, I'm sure you had earned it and a lot more," Beto added. "You aren't guilty of anything!"
"Wait a minute," Geoff frowned. "I remember reading a story on the Internet which sounds like yours. Someone named, Jones was arrested in the Twin Cities for kidnapping and for the possession and distribution of child pornography. The cops also found photos of missing boys and believe he's responsible for their deaths.
"They were looking for a blond kid whose name they believed to be `Bryant.' They hoped he was safe and could shed more light Simon's prostitution activities. From what I gathered; the man had kept information on his clients to use in case he wanted to shake them down later. Several men in high places, including a senator and the minister of a mega-church, have been arrested.
"Oh God! That's probably the guy who dressed me in a cassock as an altar boy and made me drink wine from a chalice before he bent me over the bed."
"Let me do a search on Google and see if I can find the story," Geoff offered.
Within a few minutes, they were reading the original story plus an update. While the authorities would still like to interview the young man who had escaped from Simon Jones, he wouldn't have to testify against the man in court. Mr. Jones had done a "Jeffrey Epstein" and taken his own life while in his jail cell.
Mr. and Mrs. Benford, Brad's parents, had started a Go-Fund-Me page to raise money for the young hero who had saved their son from an unspeakable fate. They, too, wanted to get in touch with this "Bryant" person.
"I'd be scared to go back," Bryant shook his head. "At least I'm 18 now, so my parents can't get me back."
"When was your birthday?" Beto asked.
"Um, today. I wasn't going to tell anyone. Shawn, um, Rick thought I was that old already. I guess I wasn't exactly honest with him. Everything else I've told him is true."
"Not quite!" Rick exclaimed. "You said I wouldn't want you when I heard your whole story. That isn't true! I feel closer than ever."
"Well, we have that partial cake in the kitchen," Geoff grinned. "Let's find a couple of candles to stick in it and sing for you. We can celebrate your special day and your, um, relationship with our nephew."
"Geoff don't encourage them. They haven't known each other long enough, and you know I don't believe in love at first sight."
"Yeah, you mean you've changed your mind since the day we met, and you went home with me? You know we haven't been apart since!"
"Is that true, Uncle Beto?" Rick asked.
"Yeah," Beto blushed. "but who knows if it will last? We've been married only seven years and counting."
The slightly off-key singing and the impromptu celebration brought a smile to Bryant's face and tears of happiness to his eyes. This was his best birthday in a very long time. Not only was he now an adult; he had family!
Bryant agreed to get in touch with the Minneapolis cops through a policeman whom Geoff and Beto knew and trusted. They promised to do their best to protect him if the authorities tried to bring any changes against him. They felt he would rest better knowing he could be honest with the world.
Detective Ryan Reynolds made a discreet inquiry and was told that Bryant could be interviewed via Zoom if it were done from the local police station, so they'd know it was all legitimate. Given the outbreak of the omicron variant, they wouldn't expect the young man to travel that far to appear in person. They assured Reynolds that Bryant wasn't in any trouble with the law. He hadn't inflicted a life-threatening injury on Jones, and even if he had done him in, it would have been considered justifiable homicide since it was likely that the man would have killed him eventually.
Bryant was still wary when Geoff, who had stayed home that morning, drove him to the local police station. Of course, Rick went as well for moral support.
The interview went smoothly. Officer Reynolds was cordial, putting the guys at ease. By talking to Bryant directly, the people in the Minneapolis police department were able to fill in some of the gaps in their investigation. He easily identified the minister, the senator, and a couple of businessmen from a number of mugshots he was shown. In all cases, the photos of the perpetrators were mixed in with those of innocent people, including policemen, who had no connection with sex-trafficking.
Before they ended the Zoom meeting, Bryant was given a phone number to contact the Benford family. They wanted to know how to send him the reward money they'd collected.
He was also reminded that he could sue the estate of the late Simon Jones. It was large, and there were no living heirs to inherit it. Bryant deserved compensation for the ordeal he'd been put through. Of course, the families of Jones' other victims would be competing for the money.
Bryant left the station feeling positive about his future.
He felt even better when Geoff took him to a hairdresser friend so that he could have the dye removed from his hair. Tony gave him a stylish cut once the dye was out. He gave Rick one too. The best part was that it didn't cost either kid a cent. Tony had been told enough about their plight to want to help them the best he could. He said it was paybacks for the kindnesses Beto and Geoff had done for him.
On the way home, Geoff took the guys to a Goodwill store and told them to fill the cart with whatever they felt was good enough to be seen in. He would pick up the tab.
When Brad Benford's family Skyped with Bryant later in the evening, they heaped praise on him for helping their son escape. Brad thanked him over and over, with tears in his eyes. He told Bryant that he'd had a disagreement with his family over a party they weren't going to let him attend. He'd gone to the park near their house to sulk. That's were Simon befriended him. The minute he had let down his guard, he was cuffed and gagged and in the trunk of Simon's car, heading he knew not where.
"I'm a different kid now," Brad said. "I'm not going to disobey my parents when I know what they're doing is for my own good."
"We couldn't punish him for going out to cool off," Brad's father said. "It's only natural for teens to want to rebel to some extent. They have to grow up to make their own decisions."
"You sound like a great dad. I wish mine had been like you. Then, I wouldn't have ended up where I did." Bryant told him.
"By the way, young man, the Go-Fund-Me page has the total of just over $10,000 so far. I'll send a cashier's check if you'll give me the address where you're staying."
"That's awesome! It'll help pay for some of my education."
That night in their shared bed, Bryant exclaimed how much better he felt that he looked like himself again and could be honest for a change. He was relieved to have found out that Simon's operation hadn't been part of a larger syndicate. He wouldn't have to look over his shoulder fearing that he might be killed. He'd been afraid that Rick and his uncles might end up becoming collateral damage if they tried to protect him for a gang of sex-traffickers.
Both boys thanked their lucky stars that they were now in a safe environment.
Their cuddling soon turned into kissing and petting. Rick worked his way down under the sheet, licking Bryant's nipples and navel. He was about to do the same with Bryant's dick, when the older boy pulled him back up.
"What's wrong?" Rick asked. "I was just going to take that awesome cock in my mouth and give you a belated birthday present. Don't you want me anymore?"
"I want you so bad I could burst!" Bryant replied. "But I want you alive and well. As you know, I've been with several men. We can't do some things until I'm tested again."
"I thought you said Simon had you checked regularly."
"He did, and I was rented out to a small group of men who all knew each other. Still, it's always possible that one of them might have given me an STD. I care about you too much to chance it."
"Can we at least rub off on each other?"
"Yeah, I think that's safe."
Moments later, Rick was lying on top of Bryant, squirming around like he'd done in the shower, kissing deeply at the same time. Their orgasms weren't long in coming. It took several tissues to clean up the mess.
"Please get tested soon!" Rick requested. "I want to be able to have you in my mouth."
Author's notes:
Thanks for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. If you put the title of this tale in the subject-line, I'll be able to find it if it ends up in the spam box.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds the typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions.
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Oops, I can't forget to list the readers who emailed me since the last posting. They are Tony C, John L, Paul F, Ken McC, Si R, Cary and Ken, John P, Joe W (2) Mendy D, Steve C (2), Jim W (2), Bill T, Gordon, Jeffrey F, DDW, Steve C (1).
Thanks,
David