Hero Ch. 01

Just after midnight, Detective Castillo went to the home of the leader of the gang, which was part of Norteños, a western US, Mexico-based gang.

"Carlos, this kid saved an innocent woman's life. The department ain't gonna let you touch him," Castillo explained.

"That's not really your call, is it Holmes?"

"Yeah ... in this case, it is."

"You know I can't let a member of my family be killed and do nothing about it."

"Your FAMILY attacked and raped a defenseless woman, so I don't give a shit about you or your fucked up code! I don't like you, Carlos. I don't like what you do; what you've done to this neighborhood. But, we've learned to live together as long as it's gang against gang. You start going after civilians, I will make it my mission in life to burn every last one of you, moutherfuckers, to the ground, comprehendo? This kid is off limits. If anyone even looks cross-eyed at him, every cop in the city will be swarming all over your little love nest!"

Carlos glared at him, "Your mission? Pigs die every day, just like the rest of us."

"So do IGs (imperial gangsters), Carlos. I need your word the kid won't be touched. Hell, he could easily have exterminated all three. Instead, you just lost one, amigo. You should be thanking the kid." They stared at each other. "Your WORD, Carlos."

Carlos continued staring at him for awhile, pondering the pros and cons of the decision. Finally, he said, "If I let this one slide, you gotta tell Superman that he needs to find a new address."

"Word?"

Carlos sighed heavily. "Word."

While Dan, Lisa, and Jason were having breakfast the next morning, Castillo called to give Dan the update. "So, what does that mean? How safe am I?" Dan asked from the privacy of the patio.

"I don't think he knows who you are, but I can't be certain. I did get him to give me his word. Usually, that's something I can depend on. No guarantees, but usually that's good enough. I suggest you follow his advice and find a new place."

"The neighborhood has lost its charm," Dan remarked.

"Where will you go?"

"With my parents temporarily. I need to get my grandmother relocated. After that, I'll find an apartment near work."

"Okay. You've got my number. If you even whiff anything funny, you call me, night or day."

"I will detective."

"No more hero shit ... I need YOUR word."

"Word," Dan said with a smile.

"Okay. Stay in touch."

"Thanks, detective."

"Ramon."

"Thanks, Ramon."

Lisa had gone upstairs when Dan stepped back inside the kitchen. "Was that the police?" asked Jason.

"Yeah. They gave me the all-clear. They suggested I find a new home, however."

"I know a guy who may be looking for a housemate to share expenses. Interested?"

"Where's it located?"

"It's not a bad location ... off Lincoln. The house is decent, and Dennis is a good guy. He still works for Alliant. That's the name of the company I started. I'm still an advisor and board member. Dennis is on the R&D team."

"Sounds promising."

"What's promising?" Lisa asked as she rejoined them.

"Dan's thinking of leaving Shangri-La. He might move in with Dennis," Jason answered.

"Oh, that'd be great! He's a laid-back guy ... surfer," she said.

Over the next few weeks, life resumed its normal pace. The hospital hooked Lisa up with a victim's support group, and she went to individual therapy sessions once a week. Dan met Dennis, and they hit it off. Dan hadn't seen Lisa in a couple of weeks when he went over to their house for a small party.

"Dude! Glad you could make it," Jason said when Dan arrived.

"Thanks for the invite."

He noticed that Dan's eyes immediately scanning the house. "She's out back."

"Oh ... cool," Dan said, doing a very poor job of being nonchalant.

Lisa was sitting in a chair off to the side with her legs drawn up in the seat and her arms wrapped around them. She looked tired and tense. Dan stood back watching her for a moment. Jason walked up behind him. "Is she okay?" Dan asked.

"She's struggling. I talked a little to her therapist. I think she's become Max."

"Who's Max?"

"He was a golden retriever puppy an old roommate of mine had. Seth also had a cat named Waldo. Waldo had been declawed. Max was a typical puppy, always wanting to play. He'd drive that poor cat crazy. They played this game where Max would sneak up on Waldo, bark, and Waldo would take off like you set his tail on fire. He'd jump up on the back of this tall chair and swipe Max's nose. Without claws, it looked like he was punching him. One day Max was exploring in the back yard and found a loose board in the fence that separated our yard from our neighbor's. They also had a cat ... Vlad ... like Vlad the impaler. He was an old alley cat, tough as nails. Max went up to him to initiate a play session as he did with Waldo. Vlad didn't move. He just watched Max approach. When Max got within range, Vlad attacked Max viciously. The pup had to have stitches. After that, Max whined whenever we tried to put him in the back yard."

Dan's concerned look flipped back to Lisa. Someone grabbed Jason to haul him into a group conversation, so Dan walked up to Lisa. "Never get tired of that view at night, huh?"

"Dan!" she squealed and jumped up to hug him. She held the hug for a long time.

"How are you doing?" he asked as he bent down to her eye level with her back in the chair.

"You know ... hanging in there ... putting one foot in front of the other. Hmmm ... what other cliché can I use," she said grinning. "I'm so glad you came. How's the house?"

"Great! Dennis is trying to get me to learn to surf."

"You'd love it!"

"Do you surf?"

"I haven't in awhile, but I used to go some. As long as the waves weren't too crazy, I could get up."

"Then, if he can get me to the point where I don't immediately drown, will you come out with me?"

"With you? I'd love to!"

The two of them were inseparable that evening. Jason watched the sparkle return to his sister's eyes, and it made him very happy. She ate, drank, laughed ... Dan brought her out of her fortress.

"Dan, I have a favor to ask, but feel free to say no. I know it's kind of weird," Lisa said.

"What?"

"This is awkward. I've been going to this therapy group, and I'm going to have to tell my story this week. I've put it off as long as I can." She paused.

He watched her and asked, "Would you like me to come with you?"

"Yes!" she said, startled that he read her mind so quickly. "You ... you make me feel safe. If you're..."

"Of course, I'll come. You don't need to justify anything."

She hugged him again. He relished the feeling of her body pressed against but was suddenly alarmed when he felt penis begin to swell. He shifted his body so Lisa wouldn't feel anything.

"Hey, I'm parched," he said as he broke the hug. "Let's get something to drink."

Lisa looked down at the three-quarters full drink on the table and said a confused, "Okay."

On Thursday evening, Lisa and Dan entered the community center conference room where the sessions were held. Regular group members introduced themselves and their guests. Lisa was the last.

"Hi, my name is Lisa Chang, and I'm a rape survivor. This is my best friend, Dan. He's actually the person who saved my life that night."

The group applauded, and a couple of the women came over to give Dan a hug and kiss his cheek. Lisa watched Dan's face turn red and shook her head at her reluctant hero. What she didn't know was that it was actually her assertion that he was her best friend that got him flustered. It made him feel humble and proud.

"I've been putting this off, but having Dan here will help me get through it." The crowd was deathly silent listening to her. "I volunteer at a senior citizen center, and we had a lady, named Mildred, who hadn't come in for several days. I said I would go check on her on my way home. I parked the car on the side of the road a few houses down from her's. This van pulled up, the side door flew open, and I was jerked inside."

Dan reached up and took her hand. He could feel it trembling.

"There were three drunken Hispanic guys in the back. They started grabbing at my ... b-breasts and pulling my clothes. I started to scream, and one of them hit me so hard with the back of his hand that I became dizzy and saw stars. Then ... they ripped off my clothes ..." A tear slid down her cheek, and her voice cracked. Dan's other hand was gripping the wooden handle of the chair upon which he was sitting.

"When I was naked in front of them, I tried to cover myself. One of them grabbed my arms and held them roughly behind me." She had to stop and regain her composure. Dan stood up and instinctively held her until she was ready to go on. She smiled at him and indicated he could sit back down.

"One of them was big and fat. He seemed to be the leader. He -- he forced my legs apart and stuck his fat fingers into my vagina. It hurt. I yelled, 'ouch,' and he laughed. He told the others I had a tight ... p-pussy ..." She was really struggling to get the story out. Dan was clinching his jaw and squeezing the handle so hard veins were popping out on his forearm. He was wishing so badly now that he'd killed them all.

"The youngest one then dropped his pants ... and- and shoved his erection in my face. He ordered me to put it in my mouth, but he smelled so bad I vomited. They hit me again and shoved me hard into the side of the van. They were cursing in Spanish. The van pulled into a vacant lot, and they got out and tied my hands to the fence. Three of them got out with me. The driver left to bring more of them back. The young one then started masturbating into my face, telling me to have some jugo (juice). The others were laughing and calling me a whore. Then, they untied me and threw me to the ground. The biggest one dropped his pants and told the others he would stretch me for them." Dan promised himself he would remain strong for her, but he had no idea it was going to be this difficult. A loud snap stunned the group. Dan had broken the arm of the chair in half with his grip.

He looked at the therapist with wide eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean ..."

"It's alright, dear. We've had a few things broken in here over the years," she said with a kind smile. Then she turned to Lisa. "Please continue. I know this is painful, but it's an essential first step."

Dan stood in front of Lisa and took her hands. He tried to push his strength into her through his eyes. "When they threw me on the ground, I landed on a sharp rock in the small of my back. The big guy was on me so fast I couldn't move off of it. He smelled so bad. The sweat, the body odor, the stale tequila made me gag. When he shoved himself inside me, it burned. I felt like I was being torn. Every time he shoved in me, the rock ripped the skin on my back."

The only change on Dan's stoic face was a single tear that slid from the corner of his right eye. He turned to the therapist and asked in a shaky voice, "Is that enough?"

"That's up to Lisa. This is very much like the poison from a snake. Until it's all removed or neutralized, the wound cannot heal. Lisa, do you need to continue?"

"Only to say that the evil look of power on that disgusting scumbag's face as he looked down at me is one of the hardest things to forget. The others were cheering when he finished. It was at that moment that Dan appeared like a guardian angel."

He wrapped her tightly in his arms and kissed the top of her head. There were many sniffles around the circle.

"Do you want to tell that part of the story, Lisa?" the therapist asked.

"Yes," she said, breaking Dan's grip. Now, she was the one holding his hands. "He moved so fast, I didn't even know what was happening. The second one was starting to get ready for his assault when the first one hit the ground hard. Both the others looked around. It was good to see the scared confused looks on their faces. One pulled a gun, but suddenly the second one flew back into him so hard, his gun sailed out of his hand. Then, my guardian angel ran to them. He kicked the first one so hard he fell to the dirt in a heap. The other one was already on the ground unconscious. He dared the third one to do something. That piece of shit ran at Dan, but Dan flipped him to the ground like he was nothing. Then, he kicked that one in the face. The piece of garbage went totally limp and crashed to the dirt." She looked up at him with such affection as she said, "He then picked me up so gently that I felt like I was on a cloud and wrapped his jacket around me. For as long as I live, I'll never forget how loving and kind he was. It was such a shock to instantly go from the brutality of those vermin to the tenderness of his arms."

Melanie, the therapist, motioned to the group, and they encircled Dan and Lisa with a warm group hug. One by one, they thanked Lisa for sharing her story and for her bravery that evening. Once they'd returned to their seats, Melanie said, "Thank you both. You have done an important thing here tonight, Lisa. Talking about the assault takes its power away. You may not feel it right away, but the healing process has begun for you. Thank you also for sharing the remarkable story of your rescue. We don't get a lot of happy endings in here, for lack of a better phrase, and it was heartwarming to hear about your bravery young man."

Dan came to a lot of Lisa's group sessions after that. Knowing he had not only saved her but symbolically struck a blow on behalf of all the victims in the group affected him deeply. Needless to say, he was rock star within the group. He never had to fetch his own coffee or cookies ever again. He always looked down when someone brought him something like he didn't deserve the special treatment. That behavior always made Lisa smile.

A few weeks later, they joined Dennis at the beach for Dan's first surf lesson. It did not go well. He wasn't sure whether he swallowed more saltwater or sand that day, but he figured he'd ingested his mineral requirements for the next 20 years.

When he took a break, he watched as Lisa went out with Dennis. She was way better than she'd said, and she rode the waves like a pro.

"God, I'm starving! What did we pack?" she asked Dan as she ran up to his umbrella and shook the water out of her hair. He searched through the fruit and sandwiches while she peeled off the wetsuit. She sat next to him in her black bikini, grabbed a white peach and bit into it as she looked out at the ocean. Dan's eyes were drawn to the stretchy black material pressing against the flesh of her breasts. His eyes rode the sensuous line created by her firm nipples as they reacted to the crisp Pacific breeze. He gaped at the shape of her body as it drew tightly around her tiny waist and widened along the smooth arc of her slender, womanly hips. He was enchanted by her sleek, athletic thighs and her supple calves. He felt his pulse quicken and his breathing became more erratic.

He was a man being split in half. Part of him still tried to protect her. Part of him was waking up more and more to the fact that she was an incredibly beautiful woman. Again, the man in him was inflating the part of him that symbolized his desire. He quickly picked up the picnic basket and plopped it on his lap, trying to make it look like a natural thing to do. Lisa didn't seem to notice his awkwardness and assumed he was being gallant as usual by bringing the basket closer to her so she could rummage through it. She picked out a turkey and Swiss sandwich and smiled at him.

At night, Dan was often having dreams of his own. That evening he dreamed that Lisa walked into his bedroom wearing only a sheer robe. She dropped it on the floor before climbing into bed with him. She climbed on top of him and looked into his eyes with her silky black hair just barely touching his face. She lifted his steely flesh and impaled herself on it. She rode him to an earth-shattering orgasm with her gaze never leaving his. He woke with a start, sweating and finding his sheets burnished with his ejaculate. He ran his hand through his damp hair and got up to grab a beer to calm himself down.

The following Saturday, Dan was once again at their house for a pool party. Lisa was wearing a pink flowered bikini that was the skimpiest Dan had ever seen her wear. As usual, she ran to him as soon as he entered and gave him a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. She took his hand and brought him around introducing him to people. "Go change into your trunks and come right back to me," she ordered with a smile.

Jason was, again, the head chef and was grilling a seafood feast. When the food was served, everyone sought chairs. They were a couple short, so Lisa turned to Dan and asked, "Can you still eat okay if I sit on your lap?"

"Sure," he answered with a frozen smile on his face.

This was a smart funny crowd, and the conversation was lively and entertaining. Lisa was enjoying the evening and would often rock back onto Dan when she laughed at a joke. Dan's body was not cooperating with him. Being this close to Lisa for this long, smelling her perfume and feeling her hair blow into his face brought him to full erection. Lisa got up to get another plate of fruit. It was night with only Tiki torches illuminating the patio, so no one saw his protuberance. However, when Lisa sat back down, she sat right on top of it. She was taken totally by surprise and turned to look at him. Dan's face turned bright crimson. He was humiliated. He picked her up a little and squirmed his way from under her. He made a quick excuse about needing to be somewhere and ran for the door so quickly that Lisa didn't even have time to react.

Her stunned look haunted him. He was supposed to be her protector, and he'd just mashed his big, hard cock into her. He was so ashamed. He'd been gone about a month without a trace of contact with Lisa. He picked up his phone to call her a thousand times but just couldn't dial the number. He was slouching on a bench by himself at the far end of the pier staring into nothingness when a familiar voice shook him from his fog.

"Smell this," said the voice as a carton of Japanese noodles was shoved under his nose.

Dan turned quickly away from the pungent aroma.

"I'm thinking this is what happens in the lab when you try to cross spam with rubber bands." He tossed the container in the trash.

Dan looked up. "Jason!" He shot up like he was on a spring and hugged his friend. "It's so great to see you! Is Lisa here?"

"No."

"Oh," he said as his smile faded. "Well, how are you? How is she doing?"

"Fine ... Not so good. She's really having a hard time, Dan."

Dan's expression became forlorn. "What's wrong?"

"You were her compass. Without you in her life, she's treading water in the middle of the ocean and doesn't have a clue which direction will lead her to safety."

Dan slouched down on the bench again.

Jason turned to face Dan. "Tell me the truth. Why'd you disappear?"

Dan kept staring blankly at the wooden planks. "I just couldn't do it anymore, Jas. I couldn't keep putting on a happy face and pretending I was content just being her friend." His eyes welled up. "Every time I look at her, I ..." He looked away.

"Want to touch her?" Dan didn't answer. "Want to kiss her? Want to wrap your arms around her?" Dan's head dropped further. "Why don't you tell her? I think you owe her that."

Dan stood up and leaned against the rail.

"Is she such a monster you can't let her know how you feel?"

Dan whipped around a little pissed. "Monster? She's the best person I know!"

"Well, then, I can certainly see your problem."

"Fuck you! You don't know anything!" Dan responded as he walked back to the bench to confront Jason.

"Obviously ... I see a smart, generous, sensual woman. The last thing you'd want to do to someone like that is level with her."