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"Grey, it has come to my attention -" Myers screwed her face into an awesome scowl. "Idiot. You could have got your ass in a jam over Sweet-Bottom. I mean Lt. Donnelly. We know about the Manse, kid." She crouched in the chair. "We know why you're chasing my girls."
"I- Myers, please." Benny turned his face away. Now she would mock him. Call him names he didn't want, or need, to hear. Or she'd want him to perform for her.
"Want to tell me about it?" Myers sighed. "No?" She sat back and waited, studying the walls, the floor, her desk, anywhere but the shame-filled young man before her.
Benny willed his face to remain cool. His voice was so ragged it fooled no one, least of all himself.
"I . . . got busted, when I was little." He took a deep breath and tried to speak to her like he felt a man would. "My grandfather, my dad's father, he used to make me do stuff. When I was real little, y'know?" Benny chanced a glance at the old woman.
Arms crossed under her industrial strength bra, Myers nodded.
Benny told her things he never even told his stepfather, and Carl and he were like brothers, finishing with, "And I got involved with this woman, Chillin McAvoy. I swear to you, Myers, I didn't know she was charging for it." He groaned and looked away. "I was stupid, only fourteen. A woman called Leda Melancowski was her madam. Leda worked on the side for a guy named the 'Spider' Ryan. Leda said she was gonna tell my mom if I didn't go to one of Ryan's dammed parties and I get scared. Party, hell. It was an orgy. Leda gave me something, opium, I guess. Me and Carl both."
"Carl Ivanovitch?" Myers was shocked. "The big polock whored after he got discharged?"
"His mother . . . she was one. She made him pimp for her." Benny's voice trailed off. He sighed and looked Myers in the eye. "He didn't know. That Leda was makin' me do it, I mean. When he found out it was too late. Carl wanted to break her neck. You know how he was. I didn't let him. I should have," Benny cried out, "But I was s- so afraid for him. If Carl got one more conviction, it was an automatic death sentence."
In the silence that followed, Myers rose and lay a hand on Benny's arm. "You really loved the big
galloot."
Boyde eased into the room. She took a seat at Myers desk and the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"When Papa Bear died, I wanted to die too. Carl never meant to get involved with the Project. Leda sold us to them. See?" Benny moved the long hair growing passed his neck to show her the faint scars of the collar. "We had to wear training collars, like dogs. If we didn't do like we were told we got a shock from the collar through a microchip, here." He touched the scar on the top of his spine.
Myers cursed in three languages and Boyde stared at the scar.
"Janissary Project," Boyde said in a frightened whisper. "I saw that in the operating room." Boyde touched it. "Slave soldiers. Slaves in this day and age. Jesus help us. Slavery in the U.S. of A."
"Amen, hon." Myers patted Boyde's hand. "You know it's common enough in third world countries like del Sud and Africa. Hell, the Chicoms brag about it."
"But not here, Myers. Slavery ended more than a century and a half ago. This is America."
"Not for us." In a harsh voice, Benny whispered, "Not for redskins. Kids still get kidnapped off the reservations and out of the cities. Happens all the time, y'know? Man," Benny gave a scornful laugh, "no-body cares. We got no political power, no pull, so no shit, redskin. One less to make treaty payments to. One less criminal type on the streets, ladies." Benny choked on hate. Myers reached over to pat his shoulder. Benny jerked the wheelchair away from her.
"That's the way it goes. The folks at the Manse, Indian, white, black, Asian, they were all Natives and half-breeds."
"Kid?"
"What?"
"You gotta do your best. We know that." Boyde took a slow breath. "But why do you run after my girls like a bull in heat?"
He laughed again, his words cold and angry. "Hell, lady, I'm the Young Stud. That was my pro-name at the Manse. No shit, Boyde. They got a couple a grand a night for my services. I'm the best. The very best. Or I got punished. And now I'm doing it for free." Benny leered at Boyde. "I can make you cream your jeans just my touching you and talking to you." He laughed. "I'll make you faint."
"Hush."
Benny subsided into a dark scowl.
Myers almost giggled at the shock on Boyde's face. First time she ever saw anything but cool and collect on Captain Boyde's round face. Boyde glared at her and matched Benny's sullen look.
"Benny, son?" Boyde took his clenched fist and stroked it until he relaxed. "What happened to you, well, it happened. You keep on like this and you'll be in a real jam." Her eyes grew liquid with compassion. "You have got to be more circumspect. More careful," she said to Benny's questioning look.
"That shrink -"
With a dark look at Myers for her grumbling, Boyde muttered, "The shrink wants to lock you up and lose the key. Doesn't do any good to deny it, Benny. You know he has the power. Then what? The Manse, again?"
Myers spit in a cup. "That therapist, Laudon, he weasels for the shrink."
"We know, Myers." Boyde continued to stroke Benny's hand. "Laudon gets on here only because his daddy is high in rank -"
"He's rank alright."
Boyde gave Myers a scathing look. The old woman settled into a low grumble.
"General Laudon is with the Pentagon, Benny. He's an aide to a woman called Cindy
McAllen-VanTur."
Benny's fist tightened into a rock hard ball.
Laudon bared his teeth in a snarl. He stalked to the bars and shoved at Benny.
"Hey, watch it, man," Benny snapped. "You almost set me on my can."
"What the hell do you think you're doing here at this hour, Grey? You had an appointment with Dr. Hall."
Benny grunted a laugh and stumbled away, holding the wooden rails in a death grip. A week had passed since his talk with the woman and he felt cleaner than he had in years.
"I don't need any shit. Not from you, not from that effing egghead. Lemme alone, Laudon. I'm doing better without you than with you."
Laudon snapped something under his breath.
"Ya," Benny jeered. "Beat it, before I beat you, punk. You get by on your old man's stars, and that's the all of the all."
Laudon lunged at Benny. He hauled Benny up by the lapels of the bathrobe, only to be halted by a harsh voice.
"What the sam hill is going on here, men?"
"He almost fell, Sir." Laudon snapped a salute. Benny nodded at the man.
"How's it hangin', man?" Benny threw a crooked grin at Laudon.
"Colonel, mister."
"Yes-sir. Sorry, sir." Benny grimaced at his mistake and tried to salute. He slipped and almost fell. The officer caught him and held until Benny got his grip back.
"What's the problem here?" The colonel glanced from Laudon to Benny. "You're Grey, aren't you?" At Benny's nod, he said, "I see you had an appointment with Dr. Hall. Why aren't you attending to it?"
Benny flushed. He straightened. "Sir, I thought seeing a shrink was voluntary?" The colonel nodded. Benny rushed on, "Well, I never asked to see him. He came around back in November. When I didn't show, he had this punk -" Benny swallowed hard at the look in the colonel's eyes. "I mean, he had Lt. Laudon come and make me go."
The colonel studied Benny for a moment. "I'll see about it." He smiled at Benny's gust of relief. "How's it going here?"
Laudon opened his mouth to make a complaint, and the man squelched it with a glance.
"Better and better, sir." Benny tried hard to keep a straight face. He glanced at Laudon's deep flush and bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing.
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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