Brotherhood of Janus Ch. 02: Grand Gather

"They have everything set for the grand gathering week after next," I said.

"That's fantastic," she said, hugging Mark.

"Where's Susan?" Mark asked.

"She is still talking with her father, she will be back shortly. Now, I'm hungry, which of you handsome gentlemen is going to take me out for dinner before I go home with my husband?"

"I'll be happy to mom," Mark said, offering her his arm.

I watch them leave. I smile to myself as I turn back to the window and the marvelous view it offers me. I sit there contemplating what was now going on in my life. The council voted to give me a generous expense account for my travels around the country. They also gave me a daily stipend to use as I see fit.

Smiling to myself, I wonder how everything was going to turn out in the end. I almost jump out of my skin as hands touch my shoulders. Turning my head, I look up into the beautiful eyes of Susan. Even though she was smiling, I can tell she was not happy.

"How are you, my dear?" I asked with real concern in my voice.

"I'll be all right John. It's not the first time I have been chastised by my parents, I'm sure it won't be the last," she said softly.

Getting up I wrap my arms around her and hug her gently. She hugs me back a little harder.

"I... I want to apologize for my behavior. What I did and said is uncalled for."

"Susan, I understand. You love your mother. Over the last couple of weeks, you have seen her spending a lot, maybe too much, time with another man. You were just thinking of your father, I understand and it doesn't diminish my love for you.

"But you have to understand, I'm an old man, I'm new to the Brotherhood and the lifestyle that brings. Things will slow down, level out, become normal again in quick order."

"I realize everything you say is true. Never the less, I am wrong to butt in where I shouldn't have. Please accept my apology?"

"I do. I accept it with all my heart."

"Thank you. Now will you take me to dinner, I'm starving."

"Any place in particular?"

"Yes, there is a place not too far from here, your bedroom." She smiles walking toward the door and across the hall.

Smiling I follow her. "What about Mark?" I asked concerned.

"Don't worry he's so tired he said he is going right home, after dinner with mother."

We spent the rest of the night getting reacquainted.

Chapter 4

Walking around the floor of the ballroom at the Little Rock lodge, in my yellow gown, I look over the women and men present. The Little Rock lodge, established so soon after the Chicago lodge, only the similarities of its design was notable. Pam's with me, this time as a participant wearing a black gown and wristband. Michelle put up a small stink, until her father stepped in, giving her a good old-fashioned swat on the ass. Afterward, she just stood there, saying goodbye cheerfully and left with her husband.

The gather hadn't officially started, yet there were a few men taking liberties with some of the women on the floor. The master at arms stands there smiling as he watches them. Things did not bode well for this chapter, as I stride to the podium. Pam grabbed my arm as I passed her.

"Not yet," she whispered, letting go of me. "Wait for it."

Nodding, I now slowly stroll toward the podium. A man climbs the stairs to the podium and stands smiling out at everyone there. Picking up the gavel, he slams it down on the podium.

"Let the festivities begin," he yells.

I'm astonished at his audacity. They were not even following simple precepts here. Twisting my ring on my finger, I stride to the man as he climbs down from the podium.

"Sir, a word if I might?" I asked.

"Sure, shoot." Not even a hint of politeness.

"Might I ask how long you have been lodge president?"

"Oh, I'm not the president," he said pausing, looking around, he spots who he was looking for, "that's the president. He sent me up here to start things, as he is busy with a new member's wife."

A scream, then a shout, then a thud, draws everyone's attention to Pam's bench. Looking at her, I see a man lying on the floor holding his crotch. The master at arms was there, he was fending off Pam's fists and kicks as he tries to subdue her. Pressing my ring, I headed her way. As I get there the master at arms hits her across the face. As she falls, I punch him in the gut bringing my knee up slamming it in his face. Three men were converging on me as the front door crashes open. Feldman and his crew burst in shouting and pounding their feet. A burst of gunfire halts the three men coming at me in their tracks.

Feldman's men spread out along the walls guns visible. The lodge president was hustling to my position and he looks mad. Bending I help Pam from the floor. As the president stops in front of me, Feldman was right beside him. As the president draws his fist back, Feldman shoves the muzzle of his gun in the president's ear. The president freezes.

From the back of the mansion, there was a clatter and crashing of things that could not be identified. Ten more men clad in black enter the ballroom herding about fifteen or so men before them. One of the men in black hurries to Feldman and whisper in his ear, Feldman nods.

"Pam, my dear, are you all right?" I asked helping her from the floor.

"Yes I am," she said testily. "But, he won't be, if I ever get my hands on him," she shouted loudly, pointing at the master at arms.

"I," I started, turning to the president, "have never seen such a deplorable, despicable, morally bankrupt lodge."

As he opens his mouth to answer, I hit him as hard as I can, square in the nose. He hits the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"This gather is over and this lodge is hereby disbanded until such time as to be determined by the grand council. Majordomo!" I shouted the last.

A small, demure man came running up to me.

"Sir?"

"All Brotherhood accounts are to be frozen as of now. I do this in the name of the Grand Council and the Brotherhood Investigation Division. My membership number is two-nine-three."

"Yes sir," the Majordomo replied and speeds off to perform his duties.

"You can't do that!" the president shouts from the floor.

"I can and I have. Under article twenty-seven, this lodge is under investigation for violations of so many rules and regulation that I can't name them all. And that's just what I saw tonight. What you people are doing here is anything but following the rules and conventions of the Brotherhood."

He sputtered and spit as the blood ran out of his nose.

"You are in deep shit. You hit me in front of witnesses."

"And you sir are trespassing on Brotherhood property an organization to which you no longer belong. I am, therefore, within my rights, as the highest-ranking executive of that organization to remove you forcibly from said property. You want to get into a legal battle, I'll have you in jail before you can say your name.

"Feldman get all these people gathered around the podium."

"Yes, boss. You heard the man get them moving up this way," Feldman yelled to his people.

Taking Pam's hand in mine, I walk to the podium and climb the stairs. Standing at the podium I wait until everyone gathers around. Looking out over them, I see there were three distinct groups. The group to my right were smiling and nodding as they talk among themselves. They were the smallest of the three. The middle group, the largest, just stands there dumbfounded. The third group, to my left, gathers around the president. All of them show anger and hatred. Picking up the gavel, I pounded it on the podium. Everyone stood quietly, looking up at me.

"You may not have heard me just moments ago. This lodge is closed. There will be no more meetings held here. There will be no trespassing on these grounds. Any and all Brotherhood property you have is to be returned as soon as possible. Rings are to be turned over to the Majordomo before you leave tonight. All staff, except the Majordomo, will be sent home.

"Any thoughts of attending the Grand Gathering next week... forget them. Your names and numbers will not be on the members roll. You sir," I say pointing at the president, "will turn over your keys to this lodge and all items issued to you upon your becoming president."

Pausing I turn to the small group to my right. I shake my head and watch as their shoulders sag. I knew one of them wrote the scathing letter to the grand council upon which we were acting. It was unfortunate they will suffer, for the time being, along with everyone else.

"You can't do this. Our charter gives us autonomy over our property," the president shouts.

"You might want to reread that charter. Especially, the part that said you have to follow the rules and precepts of the Brotherhood in order to keep this lodge.

"Feldman, get them out of here, I'm done talking."

"Right boss. You heard him get your clothes changed; we know what each of you has as far as Brotherhood property is concerned."

They divide into two groups, men, and woman. A group of Feldman's people peels off and head to the women's changing room. Feldman and his people treat everyone, with respect. There were some complaints when they asked for the rings of the Brotherhood, especially from the women.

Half an hour later, the ballroom was empty. Pam stands by my side in her black transparent gown. She was seething.

Chapter 5

"Major," I yell.

"Yes sir," he said meekly.

"I want the security footage from tonight..."

"Sir, that system is removed by the president when he took office."

"There are no cameras in this house?"

"There are cameras in every bedroom."

"That son of a bitch," I shouted. "Is that footage stored here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Feldman," I shouted.

"What boss," Feldman shouts from the door. His hand around the president's arm he starts back my way.

"Bring that scum to me," I said, my anger boiling over.

"Now John, take it easy," Pam whispered.

"Like hell," I whisper back, watching the scum of a human being, dragged back to me.

"You sir will be placed into the custody of the FBI for civil rights violations and anything else we find on those tapes you have here. Especially, any crimes committed by you or your friends, I hear that adultery is a crime in Arkansas."

His eyes get wide and his jaw drops.

"I'll spill everything I know about what goes on here as will my friends..."

"You mean the ones that will be joining you in jail? From what I saw that is a pretty small group. The rest of the members wanting to continue to belong to the Brotherhood will, I am quite sure, be telling a different story of what went on here. Forcible rape, blackmail, adultery, to mention a few, along with whatever else we find on those tapes from the cameras upstairs. You have violated every, common, decency of the Brotherhood. Major, is there a secure room in the house?"

"Yes, sir."

"Please show Mister Feldman where it is and give him the codes needed."

"Yes, sir."

"Feldman, get this scum out of here, I'm tired of his stench."

"Yes, boss."

"Pam, go change please."

"Of course John, I'll be right back." She looks at me, was about to say something else, then turns, walking away.

Climbing down the stairs, I head to the changing room. As I step inside two of Feldman's men stood holding a man between them.

"What..." I said softly, tired beyond belief.

"He said he needs to speak to you sir, said he's the one who wrote the letter to the council and couldn't leave without talking to you."

"Fine, let him stay. I suppose your wife is in the woman's changing room."

"Yes, sir."

"Tell whoever is over there with her to let her stay," I said to Feldman's men.

"Yes sir, she is already talking with your guest."

"Thank you, you can leave us," I said.

I have no fear of this stranger. If he was the man who wrote the letter, we need him. Opening my locker, I start to get dressed.

"Well, you have until I'm done dressing," I said.

"God, where to start... for five years, that asshole has been riding roughshod over this lodge. We would try to vote him out, but his buddies always held the majority on the council. When new members show up for a gathering, like tonight, he is always the first in line, whether he is participating or not.

"We have tried our hardest to work around him in the other areas of the Brotherhood, yet more and more of us have had businesses fail. If we start something that will be in competition with one of his cronies, you can be sure it will fail or be sabotaged. You can also be assured that your wife will be blackmailed into performing for his lot."

"Enough, I have heard enough, sir. You can assure yourself, we will look into all of this. That is all I can say on the subject. Now take your wife and go home. The grand council will contact you within the next month to give testimony. Your wife will also have to testify."

"Of course, sir and thank you for what you have done."

"Go, sir, take your wife out to dinner, take her home and love her. Although I don't know her, she is a special woman deserving of all your love and attention."

Smiling he turns and leaves, as he steps into the lobby a beautiful brunette joins him.

Chapter 6

Pam comes out of the women's dressing room and joins me as I go upstairs. In the office, I find the Majordomo and Feldman huddled around a computer. They look up as we enter.

"Boss, it appears the president locked everyone out of the system."

Grimacing, I motion for them to let me sit. Looking at the screen in front of me, I press several keys in sequence. A login screen pops up. Typing in my membership number and a special password, I hit enter. The login screen disappears and for a few seconds, nothing happens. Then a box with 'access granted' appears and I have full control of the system, all systems.

"There, do what you must. First, change all the passwords."

"Sir, I do not know how. The president locked me out when he took control and I have not been able to keep up with the latest software changes."

Nodding I type in the command to change all the passwords. The word "working..." appears on the screen, then was replace by "...complete". I then list the users on the network. Three users appear in the list. Cursing to myself, I type in the termination command. Listing users again, shows only one, us.

I continue to type in commands until I am sure the system was secure. The last command I type was to list the account balances. Three were almost empty and the last one had more money in it than it should. For the next thirty minutes, I spend moving all the money in the account with too much, into an account not listed on the screen.

I leave the three accounts with the money they contain, as the Majordomo assures me he won't need more to keep the place running until the investigation was over.

"They're here," Feldman said.

Nodding, I go to meet them, the council investigators who will go over every paper, every entry in the books on the shelves, in computers and on video. Pam and I were finished with the Little Rock Chapter of the Brotherhood after our debriefing by the investigators. For four hours, Pam and I take them through the events that led up to us shutting down the lodge. All the steps we took afterward. By morning we were exhausted and all talked out.

"Home or a hotel nearby?" I asked Pam.

"Hotel, I certainly don't want to stay here and I'm too tired to fly home today."

"Feldman," I yelled. He comes running.

"Yes boss," he huffed.

"First, you don't have to run when I call, walking is just fine. Second, I will need a car to take Pam and me to a hotel. Third, you will be sending half your team back to Atlanta tomorrow. You go with them. Keep them ready to move on a moments notice. Fourth, introduce whomever you leave in command here to the Majordomo and Mister Cartwright. Fifth, have the Majordomo show your people who stay here where all the cameras are and remove them. Six, get going, get it done... car first."

"Yes, boss." Feldman laughs turning and walking away.

I extend my arm, Pam takes it and we walk to the front door. A few minutes later, a limo pulls up in front of us. The back door opens and a svelte young lady in black combat gear steps out, holding the door open for us. After we climb in, she shuts the door, hurries around to the passenger side up front and gets in.

The car glides away from the mansion. Pam snuggles up to me kissing my cheek.

"When we get there, just get one room, I'm not shy," Pam said.

"If you wish my dear," I said.

Pam was her daughter's mother. Michelle could be her twin, albeit Pam looks only slightly older than her daughter and her hair was blond instead of red. Both were beautiful.

"Would you like to eat first?"

"No, we can order room service. I'm told this hotel has wonderful food." She laughs.

The ride to the hotel was fairly short. As we climb out of the limo, the driver hands me a black leather case.

"Mister Feldman said you would know what to do with this if needed."

Taking the package, I heft it in my hand. From the weight, I know what it is. Tucking it under my arm, I help Pam out of the car and we go inside to register. I use an alias for the hotel. When asked if we have any luggage I tell them no, it's been lost on the plane and we will be returning to Atlanta in the morning.

When we get to the room, Pam starts stripping her clothes off and heads for the shower. Smiling, I pick up the room service menu. Flipping through the pages of items, I look them all over before I go into the bathroom to talk to Pam.

Stopping in the doorway, I see the shower door was transparent. Pam was standing with her back to me. She... was beautiful. Clearing my throat, she slowly turns to look at me. Smiling she continues to wash.

"They have a delightful assortment of sandwiches and burgers. They also have a great selection of salads packed with protein."

"Order me a chef's salad and a turkey sandwich with at least two bottles of ice cold beer."

"You got it, sweetie," I reply.

Turning, I pick up the phone, as I continue to watch Pam in the shower. She was watching me, a big smile on her face. God, she was sexy.

"Yes, two chef's salads, ranch dressing and two turkey sandwiches on wheat. That's it, mayo and mustard on both. Four bottles of beer, the amber... that's it, four of those. All right, thank you."

I hang up the phone.

Chapter 7

Standing in the doorway to the bathroom, I continue to watch the beautiful woman in the shower. As she was finishing, I strip. When she steps out of the shower, I step in. Turning I watch her dry herself. Smiling I wash as quickly as possible, all the while trying to keep an eye on her. Finishing up, I shut off the water and step out of the shower.

Drying off I walk out of the bathroom, just as I am wrapping the towel around my waist there was a knock at the door. Pam was standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair. She looks at me and nods. Stepping over to the door, I pull it open, wide.

"Geez," the steward said, "I'm sorry, your order sir."

"Thank you, just place it on the table please," I say smiling as Pam continues to brush her hair.

The steward almost doesn't make it to the table with the tray of food. He was so busy gawking at Pam he almost drops the tray. He finally gets the tray on the table. Without taking his eyes off of Pam, he hands me the check to sign.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?" I asked, as I sign the check.

"She sure is, sir. I have to say you are one lucky man to be married to her."

"Oh, I'm not married to her. She is married to a friend of mine."

"Damn, you are..."

"Yes, thank you."

"Oh, sorry, thank you, sir," he said backing out the door.

Smiling I close the door cutting off his view of Pam.