Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 11

"Thanks dad, I need advice like this right now."

"What would you like me to say, Stephano? I know you talked to your mother, because she and I speak frequently now. I realize now what I did to her, because she told me what she told you. If you want to be like me, go ahead, be like me. If you want to be the man your mother asked you to try to be, then you have work to do, just as Patricia told you. You may not have liked the way she put it, but you must admit she was honest with you. She did not promise you anything she was not willing to give up freely. There is a price to be paid for everything. I am paying the price for my past life. I may not look like I am in jail, but I am. I can walk for miles in every direction, but eyes are on the every second. I can't go to the bathroom without a camera on me. I made hundreds of millions of dollars. I owned Congressman, governors, mayors, judges, important people up and down the line, but I have to pay for that now and for the rest of my life. What are you willing to pay for your freedom? If your conscience is clear, the price is low. If you are not completely innocent, the price gets higher. If you are guilty, the cost becomes much higher, and much more painful to bear. You and you alone have to make that decision."

"I have to admit dad, this conversation is not going in the direction I thought it would. I was looking for some moral support; instead I get a lecture on the ethics. I was the one that went to college and graduate school, and you are the one that is teaching me. There is something wrong with this equation."

"No Stephano, you are wrong. You learned from books, you have yet to learn from life. I am 40 years older than you are. I have learned many ethical lessons, and until now, I have disobeyed them all. If I had learned this lesson one crime sooner, I would not have had Laura Garrett, or those 40 schoolchildren killed. You would never have met Patricia Garrett Parent. Your life would not have been this complicated, and you would not be learning these lessons. You would be a completely different man. Which would you choose to be Stephano? Which man do you want to be?"

"Thanks dad, I came here looking for answers, and I am leaving here with more questions."

"Why don't you stay with me for a while? These woods have many paths and they are great for meditating. Maybe you can clear your mind of some of those questions."

"Okay, I'll stick around for a while, and see how things go. I hope you don't mind the company."

"You will be not staying with me. You will be getting your own bungalow. Your mother is due here any day now, and we want our privacy."

44. The Kissing Amigo's

"You do this every week?"

"If I had two days off a week I would do it on both days. Isn't this great?"

"How can you hear anything at work?"

"The band isn't warmed up yet; wait until the walls start bouncing."

"At least I can see what you meant about my dress fitting in. Several of the girls are wearing things that I can't even call dresses."

"Those are called 'Micros', they have panties sewn in them."

"In other words, they are short cheerleader outfits, with no tops."

"Come on Patricia, there wearing tops. They are just very small, very, very small."

"Are we going to be able to get a table? I feel very conspicuous standing here."

"Patricia, with your white hair, and your fair skin and that red outfit, every man in the place has already staked you out. Standing, sitting, flying on the trapeze, you are fair game for the dance floor."

"I thought we came here to get me drunk."

"You will be, trust me. There's a table, let's go get it."

Just as they got there, too handsome young men arrived also. Patricia was ready to run, but Callaway said, "We will share our table with you, as long as you keep your hands to yourself."

The older of the two men with the dark hair, and the piercing dark eyes said, "We were here first. We will share our table as long as you keep your hands on your side of the table."

"Agreed; my name's Callaway, this is Patricia."

"Hi, I'm Jason and this is Hamilton, or Ham."

Everyone sat down, except Patricia. Callaway pulled on her arm and said, "Patricia, sit."

Obediently, Patricia sat down.

Ham said, "That is a very cute puppy you have there."

Callaway laughed. "You must be blind; she has two very cute puppies."

Patricia smacked her on the arm and turned as red as her dress.

Jason laughed. He said to Patricia, "We know you can react to commands, but can you speak?

"Yes, I can speak. I just have not done this in a very long time, and I am very nervous. Then my friend gives me this postage stamp to wear."

Ham said, "I am a philatelist."

"You know a four syllable word! Congratulations.

Callaway looked at her and said, "Time for her anesthesia."

The server came over to take their order and Callaway asked for two AMF's.

Jason and Ham laughed over her choice. They ordered two beers.

Patricia asked, "What is an AMF?"

"It is in honor of your dearly departed boyfriend, Stephano. It means 'Adios Mother Fucker.'"

Instead of laughing, Patricia's eyes started to water.

Callaway reacted immediately. "You stop that this instant. You didn't leave him, he left you. It was his choice. He knew the rules and did not want to play by them. 50/50 Patty; that was all you wanted. He thought you wanted more and you didn't. He just did not want to work for his portion. He wanted the easy way out. He wanted you to cave in to his demands. Think of all the vile things he said about your mother and your friends. No man, who truly loves you, could say those things. Let it go, let's get drunk, and forget about him."

The drinks arrived moments later, and Callaway said, "Here's mud in your eye."

Patricia put the glass to her mouth closed her eyes, tipped it back, and swallowed its contents. The liquid burned everything from her lips to her intestines.

When she opened her eyes Callaway was looking at her. "Are you out of your fucking mind? You are supposed to sip that drink, not swallow it like a shot."

"When you said 'Here's mud in your eye,' so I thought I was supposed down it."

"You just drank shots of vodka, gin, rum, triple sec, and blue Curacao. You didn't cough, sneeze, gag, or throw up. You are amazing"

"I got drunk with my mother once. We wound up naked on the living room floor, with our pony unconscious next to us."

Hamilton laughed, "What did you give the poor pony to drink?"

"I don't remember what it was, I was too drunk."

"Within 35 minutes, theirs was the happiest table in the place. The men were on their third beers, while the women had finished their AMF's, 'Sex on the Beach's', and 'Between the Sheets.' They were currently working on their 'Orgasms', when Felix tapped Patricia on the shoulder, and said, "Hello sexy lady, would you like to dance?"

Callaway was getting ready to tell him to fuck off, when Patricia yelled, "Felix, what a wonderful surprise. Are you alone?"

He said, "No, I came with numbers 1, 2, and 4."

"Are we having a contest?"

"No, we are here to keep an eye on you, and to see the dress that you are nearly out of."

Jason and Hamilton were not thrilled that Felix and his friends showed up. Jason said, "Guys, they are with us."

Felix moved his jacket aside and showed his police shield. The two men got up from the table and left.

Patricia turned and said, "Callalily, this is my friend Felix, he is number three. I will let him introduces friends."

"Ms. Callalily, this handsome devil is Anton, he is number four. This is Mark, he is number two. This is Pedro, the leader of our group, and number one."

Callalily was well on her way to feeling no pain, when she asked, "Why are you all numbered?"

Pedro asked her if she had ever been to Prescott during the week of May 8.

Callalily said, "Yes, you always have that big fair that entire week."

Pedro asked if she knew what the biggest part of that week was.

Callalily said, "Everyone knows that; The Kissing Contest. It is absolutely hysterical. The women fall all over the place, because the men are supposed to be such good kissers."

Pedro smiled at her and said, "That is correct. That's why I am number one, Mark is two, Felix is three, and Anton is four."

Callalily said, "Oh Shit, 'The 4 Kissing Amigos.' I stuck my foot into it, didn't I?"

Patricia said, "Right up to your knee, because I had the pleasure of kissing Felix."

"You slut; you were engaged to Stephano, and you kissed number three?"

"I kissed number three in front of Stephano."

"You double slut. You did that to piss him off."

"Yes, and it worked."

Felix said, "Patricia shall we dance?"

"Absolutely, show me the way."

Pedro asked, "Ms. Callalily, do you dance?"

"I will dance, until you are 2 feet tall."

"I hope you are wearing sneakers, because I have been dancing since I was a baby."

"Let the games begin, Ole'."

Mark called Alan's cell, told him that they had the girls, and they were fine."

Alan called William and relayed the message. He slept much easier that night. He would send gifts to four new friends.

Patricia had not let loose like this since she started college. She knew she was in a very safe environment. She didn't have to watch her back because of the mob, she didn't have to hide her identity, she was free to be herself, and while she was on the dance floor with Felix, and it showed. The alcohol may have helped, but she was totally in control of her faculties. Her body was loose and she danced with the liquid grace of the ice-skating queen she once was. Felix was hard-pressed to keep up with her. After the third dance was over, he begged for mercy. He called Mark over to take his place, while he sat down and ordered a drink.

Callalily was all over Pedro like a bitch in heat. Every dance was a simulated sex act, and neither one of them would back away. It became so bad that when their sixth dance was over, Pedro took her in his arms, and kissed her for all he was worth. Callalily returned the kiss with equal fervor. The crowd began applauding as the two held their kiss longer and longer. When they finally broke apart, neither one of them could walk straight. Patricia grabbed Callalily, and took her straight to the ladies' room. Pedro was escorted to the men's room.

"Callaway, are you in there?" Patricia received no reply. Callaway's head was between her knees. She was emotionally redlined, and her brain was nonfunctional.

In the men's room, Pedro had his head soaking in a sink of cold water, and his friends were laughing at him. He never reacted to a woman this way. He was a Don Juan. He never formed a long lasting attachment. Two months was his maximum commitment range. Two weeks was closer to the norm. He rarely stayed more than one night at any woman's apartment. No woman ever stepped foot into his. He never broke that rule, ever. He told women upfront, that there was no chance of a long-lasting relationship, and don't even think of the 'M' word. If they even mentioned it, he was gone. Suddenly, after dancing with Callaway, he tried to suck her head down his throat, like a female Praying Mantis feasting on her partner after mating. This was not like him at all. Women ran after him. He did not chase them.

Patricia wadded up paper towels, wet them with cold water, and put them on Callalily's neck in an attempt to cool her down.

Callalily said, "Patty that is not where I am overheated. If that man was willing, I would fuck him on the dance floor."

"I thought you said the kissing contest was bullshit?"

"A girl can change her mind. I don't know how many women those lips have kissed, but he can kiss all four of mine anytime he wants."

"Aren't you the one that told me to always be charge of my destiny? Never give more than 50%. All of a sudden you kiss a man for the first time, and you are giving him carte blanche with your body. Do you want me to go tell him that your body is available anytime he wants you?"

"God dammit Patricia, I am supposed to be lecturing you."

"I got all the lecturing I needed, while I was on the dance floor watching you fucking him. I still don't know how to do what I want to do with a man. I don't know how to please a man in bed. I am so afraid that when the time comes I am going to freeze up. I think that's why I am so hard on Stephano. The closer we came to getting married, the harder I made it for him to get close to me. I know that A goes into B, but my mind goes blank at that point. I don't know what I'm supposed to do for him; what I am supposed to feel, or what I am supposed to feel from him. I do not want to fail as a woman. I have succeeded at everything else I've done in my life. The one thing I fear the most is the thing that is supposed to come naturally to me. Teenagers fuck just to have fun, I am almost twenty-three years old, and even though I want to make love with Stephano desperately, I freeze up just at the thought of it. Why am I so fucked up about sex?"

"You don't need to talk to an experienced woman Patricia; you have to speak to an experienced man."

"Yes Callaway and want am I supposed to do. Walk up to him and say, 'Hi, I am a virgin, exactly what do you want from an inexperienced woman, when you climb into bed with her?'"

"You hit it right on the button kiddo. Go straight to the heart of the matter, and let him tell you what he expects. Just remember, his opinion is just that, 'his opinion.' You have to keep asking that same question, over and over again, until you get a consensus of what a man may want from you. I know what they want from me. I give it to some, and I withhold it from others. It depends on how I feel about the man."

"You are some piece of work Callaway!"

"We've been over that point already, haven't we?

"Yes, I believe we have. However, you want me to go out there, and ask those four men what they would want from a woman, when they climb into bed with me."

"There is no time like the present, and they are your friends. They will not hurt you. They will not steer you wrong."

"What about Pedro and you. Are you going to fuck him on the dance floor?"

"No, I'll be good, at least for now. I will not promise you what will happen, later this evening, because he is a very good dancer."

"You are not too bad yourself, Callalily."

"When is the wedding, Pedro? I have never seen you fall so hard, and fast, for a woman as you have this one."

"Have you ever seen anyone like her, Anton? She dances like the devil herself. Her mouth tastes like liquid fire, and her breasts, oh my God her breasts are magnificent."

"I didn't see her breasts, Mark; did you get to see her breasts?"

"No I didn't Anton, and I was looking. He did not undress her. He must have used the braille method to assess them."

Felix, Anton, and Mark laughed as Pedro dunked his head back into the cold water, again.

As his head emerged Mark said, "Pedro, it is the other head that needs a cold bath."

Pedro said, "If anything touches that head, it will explode."

All four men laughed loudly and long.

Felix reminded the other three that they were here to protect Patricia and Callaway from the other pigs, not to take the place of the other pigs.

"My friends, we have done many things together, but tonight I must break our tradition. I am going to cut that 'Filly' out of the herd, and claim her as my own. Do not worry about me getting home, I will find a way. However, before the sun rises that blonde goddess is going to belong to me, forever."

Mark said, "What do you mean, 'forever?' You do not know anything about her. You have never had a relationship that has lasted for more than a few months, now you are talking about forever. You would not know what to do if you woke up in the morning and a woman was by your side."

Felix jumped in. "We have been in here a long time. The girls are probably wondering if we have run out on them. Let's return to our seats, and act like gentlemen. We will see how the evening progresses. Pedro, please go slowly. See how Miss Callaway responses to you; not only on the dance floor, but while you are seated at the table, talking. Communicate with her through your brain, and not only through your balls. If you need ice to keep you cool, we will pour it inside your slacks. There will be no weddings tonight. Is that understood?"

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The FBI's advance scouting team was 4 miles from the concrete bunker, which was only partially visible above ground. It was a former government weapons storage facility that was purchased by a private company, repurchased by a conglomerate, and whose current ownership was lost in paperwork. In other words, they knew it belonged to a company that was a front for the mob. They watched trucks roll up to the facility, backup, unload, and drive away. After six days of scouting, the trucks stopped coming. 10 days after the last truck was unloaded, the staff stopped showing up for work.

Heeding Patricia's warning, when the strike team showed up with a search warrant, they brought the bomb-sniffing dogs with them. The dogs alerted immediately upon approaching the cavernous delivery bay doors. The dogs alerted before they approached the office entry doors. Everyone except the bomb squad was ordered away from the building. After 30 minutes of checking the front, sides and back of the building, and with the dogs constantly alerting, everyone was ordered back 1 mile from the building. It was time to use the robot.

The search warrant gave them the right to enter the building forcibly. They put a 1-pound charge of C4 into the grip of the robot arm and sent it toward the center delivery bay door. They watched the small tract vehicle climb the steps and approach its target. The controller rotated the arm holding the C4, so the sticky substance on the surface would adhere to the concrete structure which supported the door, when contact was made. They watched as the explosive was pressed against the exterior of the concrete structure.

The next second everyone was on the floor. The entire building blew up, with the force of 10 tons of TNT. After the initial blast, conditions were chaotic. Some people were knocked unconscious, while others could not hear. The dogs were howling and running around in circles. Car alarms were blaring and testing equipment was damaged. A large mushroom cloud was forming in the air above the building. Whatever was hidden in that building was surely destroyed beyond recognition? However they would check it out carefully. The bomb squad would want to know what type of material was used to set off the blast anyway. The first reaction of the agents was to check on everyone who was still on the ground. Thankfully, no one had died, because of their distance from the building. Nothing else mattered at this moment, but the blast did not make any sense. No ingress part of the building had been touched. The explosive was on an exterior concrete beam. Someone either timed this explosion, or set it off remotely, knowing that no one would be killed. Even in this rubble they would be able to find a part of the explosive device.

The volunteer fire department from the city of Sloan raced to the scene of the explosion, as well as many citizens of the city itself. Many store and home windows had been broken by the force of the explosion and they wanted to see for themselves what had happened in the desert not too far from their homes. When they got there all that was left was a deep hole in the ground and the blackened subterranean sidewalls of the storage facility.

The initial message sent back to FBI headquarters in Washington was, "Robot dead, warehouse dead, agents alive! Send explosives division help. Q. Reed, SAIC"