"BIG BALLS"

Sequel to "CRYSTAL BLUE SURPRISE"

Monday, July, 22nd, 8.59 a.m. (PDT), Briefing room (NNL):

Short and to the point: the last weekend had been disastrous for two members of the alpha team!

Very early on Saturday morning an all mixed up Olga had left Never-Never-Land Base, had stolen out trying to avoid to meet anybody, especially Frank. She hadn't dared to stand face to face with him or talk to him. She hadn't been able to look into his eyes - not after the complete

hysterical outburst in the sphere, after the insults! She had left a letter in his quarters, dolorously realizing that his bed had been untouched. She had went home, at her private house, in the meantime their private house, near the Base and had spent the whole weekend on her couch in the living room; sitting there with drawn up knees, hugging a pillow in front of her belly and absent-minded rocking to and fro like a baby, in secret hoping, begging, praying, that he would drop by or at least give her a call and assure her that everything would be alright! Dissolved into tears, overcome with self-pity and torturing herself with self-reproaches. She had enjoyed this so much; she had hurt him so much - not only psychical but physical using this whip on him! He had trusted her, had relied on her! Every time she closed her eyes the memories returned. The expression in his eyes: first pure surprise and disbelief - than his deep love for her and in the end:

pure rage, unlimited disappointment and endless sadness!

And now?

No Frank, no call! A living nightmare!

Early this Monday morning - after all her hopes had melted away like ice in the sunshine - she had gotten dressed and driven back to the Base for the regular, daily briefing at 9 o'clock, looking like a living dead, automatically walking along the corridors and finally finding herself sitting on her chair in the briefing room.

This aforesaid night, after a quick shower, Frank Parker had left his quarters carrying along with him a six-pack of beer, heading for the electric fence, his preferred place to be alone when he had to think things over. He had spent the whole night in front of the electric fence. He had opened the first tin of beer but hadn't even sipped at it. He had been sitting on one of these small electric cars, staring at the electric fence and the beautiful sparkling stars above - a picture of pure misery. Was this real or just another nightmare? But when the dawn had begun to break he had

had to learn that this was real - very real! He had poured out the lukewarm staled beer and had thrown the tin high over the electric fence - a sign of deepest frustration. Slowly he had driven the electric car back to the Base buildings. All the way he had blamed himself for this ill-fated disaster! Obviously he was a loose cannon! Olga had made an exhibition of herself, she had beaten him, had insulted him, but he had lost control too, he had blown a fuse too! Back in his quarters he had found her letter on his bed:

Frank,

Please forgive me! I don't know which devil I had in me! I am so sorry!

I love you! Please believe me!

Olga

P.S. I am at home!

Again and again he had read these lines! But he hadn't been able to bring himself to pay her a visit or call her at home! Not just now! He was very well aware that sooner or later they had to talk, but not just now! And so he had spent the whole weekend monotonously pondering over this damned night, Olga, their relationship, his life and the object of life itself. The magic of their marriage, their love, and their whole relationship destroyed in a single ill-fated event! Sex in the damned blue ball! Shit happened! Hell yes, but why did it always happen to him?

On Sunday evening Donovan had returned from his trip and had found him sitting in the VCR-room zapping through the TV channels.

"Hi buddy! What's up? Where is Olga?"

After a quick glance into Parker's eyes his smile had vanished to thin air. Slowly he had approached him, had sat down beside him on the small leather couch and tried to cheer him up - instinctively sensing that there must have happened something very severe, very grave, but to be still polite, he had been very monosyllabic - only the occasional word - hadn't had a word to

throw at a dog and finally he had given up! He knew him too well and too long to be annoyed and that the attempt to interrogate him would be absolutely senseless as long as Frank Parker didn't want to talk. A moody Parker was worse than a stubborn mule! He had given him an amicable slap on his back assuring him that he was his friend. This had been everything he was able to do for him at the moment!

With a weak smile Parker had left the room, heading for his quarters to get at least somewhat like a shuteye. In the doorframe he turned and looked at Donovan:

"Why should I chew through every rubbish with you? I had a ... nightmare! That's all! Even Olga says this is caused by the backsteps! Some things simply happen! So there!" He really sounded annoyed and tired.

He turned again and while he brushed through the door he mumbled - more to himself than to Donovan:

"Why is this so important to you? Is there a bet? How long will it take 'til he cracks?"

Donovan had stared after him at the empty doorframe for a very long time.

"Because it's important to you! And you are important to me!" The words had been barely audible - only a whisper, a confession.

Running his hands through black strands of short hair and over his face, once again Donovan had had to realize - painfully - how much he cared about his best friend. Too much ... His sweetest taboo!

Today Parker had awoken with one of the worst hangovers of his life - ridiculous enough - not because of alcohol! And therefore a completely tired, annoyed and frustrated Frank Parker, pale and with shadows under his eyes, appeared at the briefing room. With a weak smile to Olga tugging at the corners of his mouth, he dutifully flopped onto his chair beside Olga's and wanted to reel off this daily meeting like a pure compulsory exercise, but time - events - had already thwarted his plans. Olga answered his smile with a whispered 'good morning Frank'!

Dr. Bradley Talmadge's voice caused every present to sit up and take notice:

"Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen!" A brief interruption followed when he handed them the documents of the current case.

For a few moments Ramsey, Donovan, Mentnor, Owsley, Frank, Olga and Sally Danziger, the Panel's watcher and newest member of the alpha team, glanced through the file.

"As you already know last Friday morning some terrorists blew up the canteen of the University of California in Los Angeles, dozens were injured, 12 students died and the bomb killed them too. Among the victims is Bernard Mahoney, the secretary of state's son! Nate, please take over!" Talmadge addressed his Chief of Security.

Nathan Ramsey rose from his chair and went over to stand in front of the huge monitor - some pictures of the crime scene appeared, eight pairs of eyes were locked at the monitor, but shortly afterwards Owsley lowered his head and stared at the laptop in front of him.

"Mr. Owsley, I know you are a bit oversensitive to these pictures, but this is important! Intel says that the two assassins were Arabian terrorists ...!" A pat on Owsley's head with the file in his hand accompanied the galling remark and with a quick glance at Frank he had to add: "Too much

research at the bottom of the bottles?"

... A precise description and a detailed discussion of the events followed

...

... Finally a seriously looking Bradley Talmadge closed the meeting:

"Frank, suit up!"

Except Andrew "Hooter" Owsley everybody rose from the chairs and left the briefing room, heading to prepare the upcoming backstep.

Nobody really had noticed that the young man still sat at the huge conference table, absent-minded staring at the black monitor of his laptop. The Lord must have been busy elsewhere - he had not heard his mute pray on Friday night not to destroy the secret tape with a backstep. Or, maybe more realistic, the Lord was not really interested in his little black sheep! This very special tape of this S/M sex in the blue sphere including the escalation of this game at the end. Up to today this tape was 'Hooter's' most precious collectible on Frank Parker devotional objects! Oh yes he had another tape showing Parker nude under the spray head of his shower - front and rear - or shaving in front of his bathroom mirror, only wearing boxers or doing press-ups and the recent masturbation scene in Frank's shower cubicle a fortnight ago and at least this tape wouldn't be destroyed by the newest backstep!

But this latest tape showed Frank having sex with another person! Not only a masturbation scene! Actually having sex! Because of this circumstance the tape was so precious to him! Since this night he had watched this tape countless times, he had sucked up every single detail - even the faintest one - of Frank's movements, the expressions in his face, the play of every single muscle and sinew, the pearls of sweat on his face and every square inch of his beautiful body the camera's zoom shot had been able to grab! The way he had closed his eyes and had thrown back his head when he had climaxed, the increasing rise and fall of the broad muscular chest showing

sexual arousal, tension and lust ...

To watch Parker, this forbidden sleazy spying on him, had made him harder than any gay porn on one of these unscrambled TV porn channels. He was his true secret liquid dream, his true object of desire! All he had been able to do had been stretching out on his chair, reaching for the button of his jeans, getting the zipper down as fast as he could, shoving the jeans and the boxers further down his thighs and closing his fist around his painfully throbbing erection, running his fist up and down his length copying the rhythm of Frank's thrusts. Simultaneously to Parker's climax on the monitor he had jerked off in a powerful orgasm, moaning his name and his release all over his hand and leaving a damp pitch on the floor in front of him.

He sighed deeply!

When Dr. Bradley Talmadge had paid him this very special visit two years ago in his laboratory at the University and had told him that the NSA wanted him, he hadn't believed his ears. But the perspective of a three billion Dollar budget in a top-secret project had convinced him really fast!

Obviously everybody had his price and this had been his!

On their way to Never-Never-Land Base Talmadge had introduced him to America's most highly kept secret ever - Project Backstep - they were able to turn back the wheel of time, they had a device to send one human being back in time - seven days! Openmouthed he had been led around the Base area and on the way to the sphere hangar - the ultimate kick of this 'Alice-in-Wonderland-'experience for him - he had introduced him to every member of the alpha team, except the leading man, who had been conspicuous by his absence!

Finally when he had stood in the middle of the gigantic sphere hangar, looking at the huge iron landing platform, at the big blue shimmering ball settled on top of the platform, surrounded by busy technicians, swarming around like ants in comparison to the size of the iron platform and the blue

ball, the glimmering light flashes of welding torches, he had seen him for the first time! ...

... The chrononaut of Project Backstep! ...

Everybody, Talmadge, Donovan, Mentnor and Olga, had smiled at him when he had stared at the miracle in front of him! Everybody had assumed that he had been simply overwhelmed because of the incredible view and the overpowering chance to be a member of this team, the youngest scientist with the NSA, and the successor to Dr. John Ballard! Of course it had fascinated and

mesmerized him and he had grabbed this chance with both hands!

But ...

This hadn't been the entire reason for his hypnotic petrifaction, his openmouthed staring at the big blue ball!

The main reason had leaned nonchalantly against the railing in front of the sphere entrance and lazily waved a 'welcome to the team' to him, dressed in his blue overall, a white t-shirt and heavy boots, the upper part of the overall casually wrapped around his waist.

And afterwards - when he had stood face to face with him - the proverbial Parker charm, the nonchalant bravado, the obvious intelligence and humor had finished him off. Parker was charismatic-chaotic and the smile playing around his mouth was upsetting! He had stood there, his face would have burst into flames if he had blushed any more and the only thing he had been able to do had been babbling incoherent crap such like 'nice to meet you'! He had wished he could have died of humiliation, simply fall over dead, but humiliation is not really causing sudden death!

He had to cope with this all by himself! There was no one alive he could tell the truth and the last person would be his Mom! Gracious God! If she would know that he was gay, she would drop dead! Her beloved son, the mother-henned genius, a gay? Completely unimaginable! For his whole live he had tried to hide this, dutifully dating girls, pretending to be what he was not, would never be! Very soon he had learnt that he was not very interested in females, not that he didn't like them or didn't recognize a beautiful woman, but it simply wasn't his thing! And he knew what he was talking about, he had had a passing affair including the inescapable sex, not because he had really wanted this, only because his girlfriend had wanted - had expected - this! But after his first sexual experience with another man, a high school buddy when he had been sixteen - he had to face the facts! He preferred men! Definitely! And from this moment on he had learnt to live a lie for his mother! It hadn't been an easy undertaking for a sixteen years old boy and it hadn't become easier during the years for a now twenty-five years old man! The more than once a week telephone calls with this mother were mildly said exhausting! Thank God that the Base was too far away from home for Mommy's unexpected drop-bys!

Over the past two years Parker had never ever given him even the faintest hint that he might be at least bi-sexual. Everybody on the Base considered him being a womanizer! Truth was, that Parker liked the sometimes a bit precocious 'Hooter'! Owsley wasn't even sure whether Parker had ever realized that he was an adult, maybe because of his teenaged appearance! Obviously Parker saw something like the never had little brother in him! He knew that Parker was an orphan, but that was all! Regarding his past Parker was very monosyllabic and the only person alive who knew more, was his best friend and old buddy, Captain Craig Donovan! But up to today, he hadn't dared to ask Donovan for more details, preconditioned that the Captain would ever give away whatsoever detail! And to ask Donovan, to dig deeper, carried the risk that Donovan could find out the true reason for his interest in Parker - a single injudicious question and almost certainly he would have blushed deeply and gotten into a muddle, stammering rather senseless

nonsense in a helpless attempt to get out of this mess!

Very soon after he had joined the alpha team, Parker and he had begun to hang around in their rare spare time, watching videos, talking about this and that, mostly comics, playing computer games, playing poker in a gentlemen round with Donovan, Mentnor and Talmadge or doing one of their joint favorite preferences: taking the piss out of Ramsey! He had relished every single precious moment of Parker's company and the tiny inadvertent touches when they simultaneously had reached for the popcorn or the remote control of the TV. Every touch had burnt like fire, making him shiver, longing for more! He had flinched as if stung by a bee, but Parker had never

taken notice or maybe he had simply generously ignored it.

And now he had this tape! Well hidden in his personal shrine for Parker collectibles! And in less than an hour it wouldn't exist anymore, he wouldn't even know that he had taped it ... Sometimes fate was really cruel ...

"'Hooter'? The team is waiting for you!" Craig Donovan was heading for the sphere hanger when he noticed that Owsley was still sitting in the briefing room.

"What? O! Sorry!" A completely absent-minded Owsley blushed, grabbed his laptop and his other belongings and wanted to follow Donovan. The very moment he wanted to brush past him, Donovan grabbed his arm:

"Andrew are you okay?" His voice was soft, his dark brown eyes were seriously looking at him and the grip around his upper arm held him tight and close.

"Um yes! I am! Thanks!" He looked up into the taller man's face, into very serious eyes! And then a thought flashed through his brain! A thought so incredible that he instantly discarded it! Could it be? ... ?

Closing the last inch of space between their bodies, Donovan lowered his head and whispered:

"If you need me, need a friend ... to ... talk, let me know! You know where to find me!" Donovan was so close that his goatee tickled in his earlobe and sent a hot shiver through Owsley's whole body, from tip to toe! He had never expected that a goatee would feel so smooth, so ... arousing! He felt the hot puffs of breath against his earlobe, driving him crazy!

All of a sudden the spook was over! The expression in Donovan's face changed to neutral friendly and with a companionate smile he slapped him on the shoulder:

"Let's go! Let's do it again!"

Thirty minutes later every team member - except Olga - had taken his seat behind the sphere's control systems.

Parker, wearing his orange suit, with his helmet under his left arm, just wanted to go upstairs the iron steps of the landing platform, when a breathless Olga ran after him:

"Frank! Frank please wait!"

He stopped, turned and went a few steps down, meeting her halfway. He looked at her frowning:

"What's up?" This was all, not one of his usual little wisecracks or badinage!

"Frank, please keep this for me and hand it to me when you are back!" She looked so desperate, her face showed her mute appeal to forgive her. She handed him a letter, addressed to herself.

He took the letter reading the recipient's name he seemed to be astonished:

"A letter to yourself?"

"Yes, um, this is very important! ..." Her voice trailed off, became almost a whisper: "Frank! .... I ... this is ... O God! ... I wrote ... a detailed description what ... happened in the sphere! ... You know ... what I did ... to you ...!"

Tears ran down her cheeks, her beautiful cherry red lips trembled and with a low, soft and tremulous voice she continued:

"Frank! Please believe me! I am so sorry! I love you so! If I could backstep instead of you I would! So you would never know what has happened, what will happen! ... O how I wish I could undo this! Wipe out your memories instead of mine with this backstep ..." She was not longer able to speak. She stood in front of him and buried her face in her hands.

He stepped further down, took the letter in his left hand to free his right hand and cupped her chin. With a deep, intense look into her eyes he met her gaze, blurred with tears, a weak smile on his face. The hand with the thick black glove softly stroked her cheek:

"Okay, I will take this letter with me! But Olga I have my doubts that this will help! Because up to today, every time I handed one of these letters to you or told you what you asked me to let you know, you accused me to be a liar. And to be blunt a liar was still the politest - among all the other

things you've called me! It's always the same what you have promised tomorrow, you won't keep yesterday! At first sight you have never believed me! In the end you've always had to learn that I was right, but up to this moment you've always doubted me, never trusted me or relied on me! Sad to say so but it's true! So I think we can shelve this too!" He sighed.

"No, Frank! Not this time! I swear! I love you!" Olga sobbed, a picture of pure desperation.

He raised her chin and kissed her, short but gently, turned and went upstairs again to enter the big blue ball and to sit down on his chair behind the armatures. Two technicians fastened the seatbelts, plugged in the hoses of the breathing system and left the sphere while he put on his helmet and closed the visor.

"Reactor at 80 %!" Owsley counted on.

"Nice that you finally managed anyway to bring you making one of our party!" Nathan Ramsey was chaffing while he had a look around at the others.

Through the loudspeakers he could hear Parker's low hiss:

"Butthead! Why don't you get yourself wings, than you can shit down from a tree?"

Ramsey just wanted to open his mouth for an adequate retort when he caught a warning 'not-this-time-just-leave-him-alone'-glance from Donovan, shrugged his shoulders and concentrated on the scene in the sphere hangar again.

"Reactor at 90 %!"

In the meantime Olga had entered the control room, putting on her headset she took over the countdown.

"Reactor at 100 %! Engage Frank!"

He pressed the button in the sphere and the big blue ball took off and for Parker began the usual abysmal nightmare ride including the flashbacks to all the events which had happened within the past days, while the clock merciless began to count backwards. The events appeared as if somebody had pressed the reverse button of a VCR:

... His frantic outrageous thrusts into Olga, taking her from behind ... Olga whipping him ... giving him a head ... the University of California ... a crowded canteen ... a huge explosion ... screaming students ....

... and the sphere arrived in the past ... Again it was Friday, July 19th.

...

To undo this assassination was like a 'walk in the park' for Parker. The first assassin had the unmerciful unlucky mishap to bump into an annoyed Parker in the long hallway leading to the University canteen. Two bullets wiped him out - one right between the eyes, the second one into his heart. The assassin died before he could even realize the diabolic grin on Parker's face. The second one had the pleasure to get to know Parker closer while he had grabbed him at the lapels of his jacket coaxing him very friendly in his usual inimitable polite and courteous manner to stop his plan by beating him to a jelly! The FBI and a special bomb squad did the rest.

In the evening a still annoyed Frank Parker arrived at the Never-Never-Land Base. Looking for Olga, he found her in the laboratory. When she realized that somebody had entered the room, she looked up from her microscope and turned. With a bright smile on her face she welcomed him:

"Nice to have you back! Bradley said that everything went well! How are you?"

"Fine! Thanks! ... Um ... Olga ... I think we should talk! What about dinner?" Parker was a bit unsure and beating about the bush.

"Dinner? Nice idea! Later on we could meet at the sphere! I have a surprise for you!" Olga was heart and soul for this suggestion!

"Um ... a surprise? Yeap! ... Whoa! Bet on it! You don't know how surprised I was!" He took a deep breath and sighed. With a weak smile on his face he handed her the letter:

"Olga, I think we better shelve this idea! Believe me that's no use!" He shook his head to underline his words.

She took the letter and with a baffled expression on her face she read the address. She was the recipient! She opened it and read the first lines. She blushed deeply and Parker could watch her getting angrier and angrier until she furiously crumpled the paper and threw it at him.

"You ... you ...! O ... I have no words! How dare you! Is this one of your childish and mean tricks? This is low! You are low!" She was fuming with rage.

He approached her, putting his hands on her shoulders he pressed her back onto her chair, looking into her eyes he was very serious:

"Olga! You wrote this letter to yourself and you wanted me to give it to you after the backstep!" He frowned.

"I never wrote this letter! This is not my hand!" She wanted to free herself but he held her in a vice-like grip the grin in his face was dangerous:

"I should have bet on it! You never believe me! If I had bet on it I would have been a rich man now! Be careful with your words Olga! How could I know about this? You never mentioned being in S/M! So think and think well before you'll answer!" He took his hands off her shoulders and stood in front of her just watching her.

"I can't believe it! You are so mean!" Tears dropped down her face.

"Alright!" He raised his hands, a gesture of frustration: "Olga, momentarily I am far away being in the mood to discuss this with you! I have to cope with my own crap! I am not hot to add a quarrel with my wife to my collection of nightmares! If you come up with a decision, just let me know! You know where to find me!" He turned and wanted to leave the laboratory.

"Frank, you'll stay! I am not through with you!" Olga yelled at his back. In the doorframe he stopped and turned, leaning against the door he nodded.

"Yes I know! But for the moment I am through with you! It sucks! I don't like being married with ... Galina!" The sadness in his eyes and his voice was past every description. Wordless, without looking at her again, he turned and left, slowly walking down the empty hallway in the direction of

his quarters.

The last word had hit home! Galina! He had the face to compare her with Galina? Her evil double? This FBS spy who tried to kill her - twice? Suddenly she recovered her self-possession and rose from the chair. She crossed the room and picked up the crumpled letter, unfolding it she read it over and over again! After a few minutes, she started to cry! Frank had been right! No doubt this was her handwriting! And the letter gave a detailed description of her plans with him in the sphere! Of course not the escalation! But everything else! Making sex a bit harder!"

She ran her hands over her face to wipe off the tears and started to write another letter, this time a shorter one meant for her husband:

Frank,

Please forgive me! I don't know which devil I had in me! I am so sorry! You were right!

I love you! Please believe me!

Olga

P.S. I am at home!

Very early on Saturday morning she packed a few things and left the Base. On her way to the parking zone she went to Frank's quarters. The door was unlocked and when she entered the room she had to realize that he hadn't touched his bed. She put the letter on his bed and left heading for her private house. She wanted to spend the weekend there, waiting for Frank or

at least his call!

Monday, July 22nd, 6.59 a.m. Frank Parker's quarters (NNL):

Frank Parker was taking a shower! The past weeks had been disastrous for him! He had spent it alone. He had found Olga's letter on his bed but he hadn't been able to pay her a visit at home or to call her. Not after all the insults, the events in the sphere in the last timeline and her behavior

in the laboratory! Over the past weeks his general mood hadn't been too good and his very personal boogeyman had caught up with him again! The worst nightmares had reappeared! Since his marriage with Olga in January he had been able to banish these nightmares in the last corner of his mind. But now, a few weeks ago they had reappeared! The abyss was back! He was balancing over the small rim like performing a high-wire act, trying to reach the safe ground again, trying not to lose his mind finally and for good!

He just wanted to turn off the faucet when the abyss hit him, unforeseen like an insidious mischievous sharp attack! Heavily breathing his heart hammered like madly in his chest. Iron chains were tied around his chest. Panting he leaned against the tiled walls of the shower cubicle when his legs became weak and he slid down along the wall, sitting on the floor with drawn up knees rocking to and fro, again and again whispering a 'No, not now! Leave me alone!', but merciless his mind drifted back. Back to his worst nightmare ... back to Somalia ...

...

East Africa, Somalia, somewhere in Mogadishu, 1994:

A few days ago it was a simple UN relief campaign, escorting and spreading the auxiliary and food for the needy Somali people. But suddenly everything had changed. Suddenly it had become a clan war, more than twelve different Somali clans fighting against each other. Suddenly it had become a military operation for Army Rangers, Navy SEALS and other picked troops. Scenes like in a Mad-Max-movie: bombed-out houses, burning wrecks of cars and trucks, in between countless dead bodies, women and children, not older than twelve years, with Kalaschnikows - the apocalypse! The Sammies had shot down a Black Hawk and his SEALS unit; their trucks had been ambushed. The only survivors had been him and his comrade Kip. He had been able to reach the rooftop of the Hotel Olympic in Mogadishu, the meeting point with another Black Hawk to pick them up! They could hear the approaching Black Hawk when a bullet hit his already injured comrade. Kip died in his arms. The two Somali soldiers knock him out with a rifle-butt. An unwounded US soldier, obviously a SEAL, was worth twenty of their captured comrades and probably their 'General' would get some useful information from this POW.

One of the ragged 'soldiers' tugged him by his hair to look into his face:

"Yes, I think General Makumbe will like him! Very much!" His laughter was cruel. Still laughing they grabbed the unconscious Parker and brought him back to their camp outside Mogadishu.

When he awoke he found himself trapped in a metal box, bathed in sweat. There must be more than 80° Celsius in the box. All of a sudden an awful nausea caused by the hit in his neck urged him to vomit. Coughing and panting he needed a few moments to analyze his present situation and to re-call the events of the past night! He had no clue how long he had been there, locked up in this damned box! Looking around he could only recognize that this box was made of metal, approximately eight feet long, four feet wide and four feet high - nothing else than a comfortable casket - including the perfect temperature for a cremation. Through small apertures in the 'coffin-lid' he could see blue skies and the bright sunshine - merciless shining on him - roasting him alive. Shortly afterwards he heard footsteps approaching him, the 'coffin-lid' was opened and blinking to get accustomed to the sudden intensity of light he looked into the barrels of two Kalaschnikows unmistakably showing him to climb out of his 'casket'. Standing outside his prison, he realized that this was a 'casket'; the metal box was dug at ground level into the sandy desert ground.

"Go!" A barrel in his back underlined the hissed command! A quick glance around showed him that an attempt to escape would be senseless - at least at the moment and not accompanied by four Somali soldiers - ragged but armed to their teeth. He followed without resistance but grinding his teeth, already turning over in his mind his potential chances. He was lead over the camp area into the direction of a big stone building, the biggest building in this barrack camp. Finally he was tied up firmly on a chair and a tall Somali entered the room.

He introduced himself with a mocking grin:

"Good morning Parker! My name is Bawani, Major Bawani! I am General Makumbe's orderly officer! General Makumbe will be back tomorrow but until then we can talk as well! I hope you'll forgive our ... let's say ... a bit impolite treatment and your lodgings but our honeymoon suite is given away!" Bawani's English was excellent; with a British accent obviously the Major had spent some years of his life on British soil.

"Well give me the names of your contact persons, the exact details on strength, position and arms and further operations and you will be free - faster than you can count to ten!"

"I wouldn't dream of it!" Parker's reply was unmistakable.

The grin in Major Bawani's face vanished to thin air:

"Well I can change my tune! It's up to you!" A quick hint in the direction of one of the armed guards and a bulky Somali appeared.

Five hours later two soldiers dragged along a Frank Parker beaten to a jelly. Five hours he had repeated the same words, over and over again: Parker Frank B., US Navy, ID number 923880305 ...

"You are a brave man Parker! But consider this! Tomorrow General Makumbe won't be as indulgent towards you as I am!" And to the guards he added:

"Bring him back to his hotel room! No food! No water!"

Parker raised his head and smiled at Bawani: "Kiss my ass!"

A rifle-butt finished him off and he was dragged out of the interrogation room. Bawani thoughtfully looked after him. < If you only knew! Be sure General Makumbe will dig up your pretty little SEALS' ass! Personally and in the literally meaning! > Something like compassion appeared in his face ... The SEAL had no idea that this had only been the namely rather painful but more or less harmless overture to an upcoming martyrdom past every description ...

Monday, July 22nd, 7.11 a.m. Frank Parker's quarters (NNL):

Craig Donovan was looking for Parker. They had agreed to go jogging this morning and he had waited for him outside the Base building for more than half an hour. Parker hadn't shown up and now a concerned Donovan standing in front of Parker's door entered his quarters with a short knock:

"Hey nightcap! Wake up!"

He noticed that the bed was empty and he heard the noise of water in a shower! On the spur of the moment he followed an indefinite instinct, a vague intuition and crossed the room to open the bathroom door.

"Frank? You are a little late buddy!"

What he saw made him freeze and his heart missed a beat. Through the misted up and wet glass door of the shower cubicle he saw Parker cowering on the floor in a corner of the cubicle with drawn up knees, rocking to and fro like a baby under the still running water of the spray head. Over and over again Parker was sobbing the same words: 'no, no'!

Slowly Donovan approached the shower cubicle and opened the glass door. Carefully reaching for the faucet to close it, he addressed him:

"Frank! Can you hear me? Frank it's okay! You are safe! Frank, listen to me!" His voice was low and soft. He closed the faucet and knelt beside his buddy on the wet floor, softly touching his cheek.

"Frank! It's me, Craig!"

Actually he had never seen him in such a state of desperation before, he had never watched Parker having one of his nightmares - he knew only fragments of these excruciating demons, that haunted him, only what Parker had been willing to give away and this hadn't been too much! And to watch him now crossed his wildest imagination! Parker was whimpering bundle and instantly

Donovan knew where his best friend was. It broke his heart! He was far away, far back in time, he was back in Somalia!

"Frank! Please listen to me!" He was desperately begging now, tried to bring him back to reality.

Suddenly a completely confused Parker, still panting of exhaustion, looked at him, his eyes started to clear again:

"Craig?"

"Yeap buddy! Nice to have you back!" He smiled at him and looked into jade green eyes. He could drown there and still survive.

And then every logical thought left him, his iron willpower left him, it just came over him, his feelings crashed over him like a tide wave, swept him away. The feelings, denied and suppressed for such a long time, got the upper hand! The feelings hidden in the last corner of his mind! All the love he felt for him!

He embraced him, gently stroking his back, soothing him, rocking him in his arms, holding him tight, relishing the heat radiating off Parker's wet naked body, feeling the tense strong muscles underneath the hot skin, heated up by the hot water. He pushed him a little bit backwards and gently stroked his cheek again, wiping off the drops of water and some tears. He cupped his chin to meet his gaze. His hand reached in his neck and he pulled him close. Endlessly soft he kissed him, parted his lips and the tip of his tongue touched Parker's. Just when he wanted to deepen this wonderful kiss, Parker pushed him away - roughly, vehemently!

"No! Don't touch me! Not this way!" His voice was filled with panic, sheer horror! He looked at him as if he had faced the Devil.

"Frank! Please let me explain ... " Donovan wanted to pull him close again when Parker's fist hit his chin.

"NO!"

Donovan was pushed against the tiled walls of the shower cubicle and Parker rose to his feet as if stung by a bee. Stark naked and wet he stood in front of him now, pearls of water dropping down his body leaving a steadily growing puddle underneath his feet:

"NO! Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" Heavily breathing, his hands raised in defense, he looked at Donovan, still sitting on the floor.

Wordless Donovan rose and brushed past him. He turned and looked at Parker showing endless sadness and mumbled, touching his aching chin and wiping off a few drops of blood from his bruised lower lip:

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me Frank!" He turned and left him alone.

For a long time Parker looked after his best friend. Then he threw his head back in desperation, knowledge and sorrow! He knew it! Should have known it better! The knowledge was there, had always been there, but he had ignored it! He knew that Craig loved him, had always loved him! Not as a buddy, as a friend - far more than this - Donovan was in love with him! A moan escaped

between his lips! He closed his eyes and he knew what he had to do - he owed him an explanation! An explanation for his overreaction in the shower!

At 9 o'clock the regular daily briefing started and this time the meeting was short because of the recent backstep and the undone disaster last Friday. Three members of the team had participated in this meeting unusually silent. Olga had a weak smile and low 'good morning Frank!' for her husband and Parker and Donovan exchanged only a few glances. The only one who really had a very delicate feeling for the low spirits in this illustrious company was 'Hooter' - at least none of the others let show that they had noticed it too. 'Hooter' had no clue why but the firm intention to find it out!

The meeting was finished two hours later and one after the other the participants left the briefing room, Olga slipped out of the door like a shadow, heading for the laboratory. Parker and Donovan were the last to leave and short before Donovan reached the door Parker grabbed his arm:

"Craig! Need to talk to you! Let's have a beer tonight!" A weak smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Astonished but pleased - inwardly breathing again - Donovan nodded:

"Meet me at my quarters! 8 o'clock? Okay?" Parker mutely agreed and left.

Monday, July, 22nd, 8.03 p.m. (PDT), Donovan's quarters (NNL):

Captain Craig Donovan impatiently paced his room to and fro, waiting for Frank Parker. He let out another one in a series of frustrated sighs. Since the incident in Parker's shower cubicle, the kiss, he had seriously reproached himself for probably screwing up their friendship with this kiss, a friendship that lasted more than half of their lives. Years ago he had realized that he loved his best friend. Sure you love your best friend otherwise you wouldn't have a best friend! This is natural! Nothing wrong! But he was "IN LOVE" with his best friend! These two ridiculously small letters, an 'i' and a 'n', made the difference, made everything so complicated!

Finally he was released by a short knock on his door, he heaved a sigh, prepared to get his head washed - if he was lucky - or get beheaded in the worst case and Parker would never ever speak a word with him! Parker entered the room and closed the door. He leaned against the door and seemed to be a bit lost, seemed as if he was not sure what to do next.

"Okay, c'mon! Spill it!" Donovan tightened and looked at him - expecting the worst - but to his deepest surprise - Parker reacted completely unforeseen.

Hesitantly and still leaning against the door he addressed Donovan, frowning but with a little smile on his face:

"Hey! ... Um ..." He cleared his throat: "How are you?" This was an innuendo regarding the uppercut he had given him in the shower cubicle this morning.

Donovan threw a tin of beer to him and opened a second one. He touched the spot on his chin where Parker had hit him, thoughtfully rubbing it through his goatee like checking whether it still hurt or not and grinned:

"I'm fine!" He flopped onto his bed settee, casually crossed his legs and waited for Parker to have a seat. The relaxed position led the tension of his whole body and the state of his mind ad absurd. He realized that Parker had a battle with himself before he crossed the room and joined him sitting

on the broad bed settee. For some moments they just sat there, side by side, their backs and heads leaning against the wall behind, sipping at their beers and staring at the ceiling. Donovan knew that he had to stay patient until Parker would start talking, he was far away from pressing him and he had to clarify some things too, he owed him an excuse, an explanation.

With a deep sigh Parker started:

"I'm sorry! I didn't want it!" No further comment followed.

Donovan sensed that he had to encourage him to go on otherwise this would become a very monosyllabic thing and instinctively he knew that his best friend needed to talk before he would get the chance to clear things with him.

"I know Frank! And believe me if I wouldn't have been sure that this was an instinctive reaction I would have beaten you up! Your luck that usually I need an opponent not a victim! But no kidding! ..."

He made a break and took a deep breath: "It was my fault! I shouldn't have kissed you! I am sorry too! It simply ..." He broke off again and heaved a sigh: "But Frank don't you think it's time to talk! After all these years!" He bent his head aside to meet Parker's gaze.

Their eyes locked for a moment until Parker lowered his head, staring at the tin of beer in his hand. Nervously he began to play with the tin, then he downed the beer in one and threw the crumpled up tin into the paper basket in the opposite corner of the room. For the fragment of a second he closed his eyes and absent-minded he began to crack his fingers, showing that this cost him a lot of willpower.

He gazed into space, his eyes began to blur when the memories caught up with him. Donovan read the same frightening expression as under the shower: fear, desperation, pains ... a traumatic experience ... and there was something else, completely unfamiliar to him. Something he had seen this morning for the first time! Like a bolt from the blue he knew what it was that scared him so much! Hate and disgust! Bottomless hate and disgust!

A very bad feeling began to creep along Donovan's spine up to his neck; running icy cold shivers through his entire body. He had been prepared for the worst but ... he wasn't prepared for this ... nothing and nobody would have been able to prepare him for what came next ...

Parker's voice was low when he finally started to speak, his eyes closed:

"Nobody knows this! Not even you! My best friend!" He swallowed hard, the words came hesitantly: "This night in Mogadishu, we were in the shit, at the rooftop of the Olympic, the Sammies killed Kip and captured me! They abducted me to this field camp outside Mogadishu and trapped me in this damned heat box ...

East Africa, Somalia, somewhere in Mogadishu, 1994:

Day two. He was awake. At least he thought he was. Every bone and every fiber of his tortured body ached. But the worst thing was thirst and the beginning symptoms of dehydration! He drew himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the wall of his 'casket', gratefully noticing that the sandy wall in his back had a slightly lower temperature than the air in his prison. < Barbecue! Nice! Except the tiny detail that I am the main course, the roast pork! > Through the fatigue of his camouflage battledress slowly but surely the heat found its way to his skin - delightfully roasting

him alive. He licked over his bruised lips, painfully recognizing the need for water. A glance at his still functioning watch and through the apertures in the 'coffin-lid' above told him that it was 11.00 a.m.. Outside his prison he heard the usual noise of a military field camp, sharp commands, the clanking of weapons, the voices of his 'hosts' and the sounds of engines, jeeps and trucks, arriving and leaving the camp. A military convoy had arrived! Maybe this 'General' Makumbe? He raised his arm to wipe off the sweat on his face and noticed astonished that his face had only a few bruises, obviously they had spared his face quite successfully yesterday and had concentrated on the rest of his body. He removed his sweat soaked jacket and carefully he began to examine his body, but except countless bruises, some already showing a mixture between dark red and black, no rib or bone was broken - so beside the incredible thirst - he was still in a rather good condition. His rumbling stomach could be ignored for a few more days. But water! He needed water! Otherwise he would die of thirst - under consideration of the temperatures - within three or four days!

Suddenly he heard approaching footsteps and voices! Obviously they wanted to fetch him to continue their yesterday's interrogation. The 'coffin-lid' was opened and again he looked into barrels of Kalaschnikows. This time he was lead to a wooden shed and had to stop in front of it. The ground was wet, a few puddles of water glistening in the sun. But still he was too proud to fall on his knees and to drink this brown muddy sludge like a wild animal.

"Undress!" The command was sharp and unmistakably underlined with a movement of a Kalaschnikow. He stripped to his boxers and boots.

"Everything!" Hesitantly he took off his boots and the boxers too. Now they had only left him his dog tag. He made no attempt to cover his genitals! They could take this as a sign of weakness! The last thing he wanted to show was weakness or fear!

A soldier took a water hose and began to spray him off! They had the order to clean him! He opened his mouth and tried to catch as much of the precious liquid as possible. The water was lukewarm with an insipid indefinite taste but for the moment simply the best he had ever swallowed! None of his guards seemed to worry that their captive managed to get something to drink! Shortly afterwards the water hose was closed! A soldier approached him and rammed the butt of his rifle into his solar plexus! A raging wave of pain and he fell on his knees, collapsing like a jack-knife. An automatic reaction of his tortured body caused him to vomit! < Okay, so far drinking! Damned pigs! > Still coughing he was brutally pulled up on his feet again and they motioned him to move towards the stone building - naked! They grabbed his clothing and boots and followed him.

This time two of his guards led him into another room at the opposite side of the small corridor! The room was empty, except a huge raw wooden table - heavy and long - including countless thick leather bonds to strap down a captive in every imaginable way, a chair and some indefinite equipment in black trunks, a naked light bulb at the ceiling, a small generator and several hooks and rings at the walls, the floor and the ceiling. The only window of this room was boarded up - no daylight could pass its way into - a real torture chamber!

"Nice pub ladies! Where is the beer?" A blow to his chin that knocked him over instantly followed his mocking comment. Lying on the floor he wiped off a few drops of blood from his nose:

"Well, the main thing is that you have fun!" He was kicked in his side and writhed, sucking the air into his lungs, preparing himself to get a thrashing. But one of his guards pulled his comrade away eagerly and timidly keeping on and on at him. He couldn't understand the Somali words, but for several times he heard a name: Makumbe!

Reluctantly the soldier desisted and both approached him tying up his hands in front of his body with thick leather ropes and forced him to raise his arms until they could secure them on something looking like a meat hook above his head, descending from the ceiling. His legs were spread a few feet apart and fastened on special large iron rings on the floor, keeping him in an uncomfortable upright standing position. His belongings were carelessly thrown on the table and the two bulky Somali - a no-nonsense expression on their ebony faces - placed on each side of the door - the others left the room.

For a few moments he tried to get into a more comfortable position - as far as his bonds allowed this! He sensed that this could last longer than the five hours yesterday.

The door was opened again and man in his fifties, dressed in a clean khaki uniform shirt with short sleeves, khaki pants and - astonishing because of the sandy ground in the camp - clean black leather shoes, entered the room. The epaulettes on his shirt showed his high rank - 'General' Makumbe, the leader of the biggest Somali clan, a paramilitary association politely called the Somali army, member of the Somali government and the closest confidant of the Somali shadow-president N'Dofu, in truth the real authority in Somalia. Among the US soldiers it was rumored that 'General' Makumbe was an inconsiderate sadist, who loved to torture subordinates and would stick at nothing.

A tall bulky sergeant accompanied him. The 'General' stopped just a step away in front of him, in his right hand a small black horsewhip - impatiently tapping against his right lower leg and on his face a cruel and lurking expression. The sergeant placed on his right side had a long deep scar across the right half of his face and pursed his lips with a smacking awfully disgusting sound in expectation of the upcoming things he wanted to do with this captive. The two guards had to leave the room and to guard the door.

The first one addressed him:

"As you may already know I am 'General' Makumbe! Major Bawani has already informed me that you are ... special!" The last word was stretched and followed by guffaws. The 'General's' English was rusty with a strong accent but understandable.

"Lousy service here! Not a single beer!" Parker was defiantly smiling at Makumbe trying to hide his disgust behind a facade of cool composure. Makumbe ignored his comment.

"Well Parker, Frank B., Lieutenant, US Navy, special forces, ID number 923880305 ... a SEAL!" The 'General' made a short break, wanted to relish his captive's reaction! Obviously they had searched through his belongings two days ago when they had captured him on the rooftop of the Hotel Olympic and they had handed Parker's identification papers to Makumbe. He hadn't noticed it yet because at that time he had been unconscious.

"I want to be ... fair ... so I warn you!" Again Makumbe made a short brake. When he heard the word 'fair' Parker showed a mocking grin! This bastard and fair?

"So listen carefully! As long as I will interrogate you, you won't dare to repeat this monotonous crap like name and ID number! Not with me! Sergeant M'Bota here is a master of interrogation! Do you read me?" The smile on his face was threatening.

He stepped back to have a better view on him. His eyes wandered over Parker's body from top to toe, sucking up every square inch, finally focussing his genitals. The glance in his dark brown eyes got voluptuous, he licked over his lips, undisguised and bluntly exhibiting his sadistic pleasant anticipation. He started to walk round him and stopped in his back. Parker kept his gaze straight, his eyes locked with the door, pretending to ignore him completely. He felt like an animal on a cattle market, helpless, exposed and examined regarding the probably realizable price! Suddenly he tightened! The tip of the horsewhip with the short leather lashes traced over his shoulders, down his spine and over his buttocks, found its way on the inner side of his thighs down to his knees and up again. The short lashes touched the space between his buttocks, playfully rubbing over his anus, along his rectum seeking for his testicles and his penis; were removed and wandered back to his anus. Finally the horsewhip was completely removed and he relaxed a little bit. A mistake! A big mistake! A short, violent and precisely aimed movement of the horsewhip and with a smacking sound the lashes hit his rectum.

He sucked the air into his lungs, writhing in pain, grinding his teeth to suppress a scream. Only a loud moan escaped between his lips, panting he tried to regain his composure.

"Whoa! ... Feels good!" He hissed the words between grinded teeth.

'General' Makumbe walked round him to look into his face again! The sergeant in front of Parker laughed, grabbed his penis and testicles and squeezed them violently.

The pain was incredible! Flooding through his body in bright waves. Involuntarily tears shot into his eyes, ran down his cheeks - he screamed out loud.

"Damned bastards! Never heard of the Geneva Convention?" Breathless he expelled the words.

"Geneva Convention?" Makumbe guffawed: "Soon you will learn that the Geneva Convention is not valid in this room!"

"Well! I forgot that you guys couldn't read!" As soon as he had said these words the horsewhip hit him on the inner sides of his thighs and on his loin, just a hairsbreadth away from his penis and testicles, leaving red marks on his skin. He braced himself against his bonds, throwing his head back, suppressing the screams of pain. Sweat covered his entire body.

"You are not this thick to think that something like a Convention could stop me from doing whatever I want with you? Soldier-boy! You'll soon be laughing on the other side of your face! Sergeant I think it's time to show him what we understand by fun - this was just a little foretaste!"

< Seems as if I am in the shit! > The thought flashed through Parker's brain.

'General' Makumbe sat down on the chair at the desk and put the whip down in front of him. The tall sergeant opened a black trunk and took out his 'equipment': a small device. He raised the device in front of Parker's eyes and showed it to him. Pressing a button, a small electric flash appeared, dancing between the two ends on the top: an electro shocker.

"Nice toy! Already tried it on yourself?" He couldn't resist! Sure he was well aware that annoying his 'hosts' wasn't really one of his brightest ideas, but it was his way to cope with this situation.

The electro shocker was put down on the table as if it was part of a sacral act. The Somali went back to his trunk and took out some small silver metal plates connected with long, thin wires. He placed two plates on Parker's nipples, and then he cupped his cock and testicles with his large hand - almost gently stroking them before he slipped over a penis ring. Parker reacted with spitting into the face in front of him.

"Bastard!"

Completely unimpressed and wiping off the saliva from his face the sergeant playfully continued to rub over the genitals - a cruel, voluptuous smile on his face and finally he placed two of the silver plates on the testicles. The ends of the wires were plugged into the generator and with a low humming sound the engine was switched on, sending small waves of electricity through his entire body. Still the intensity was not really painful - the generator was on its lowest capacity but the little electric waves had a very unpleasing stimulating side effect! They were arousing - unmercifully and irresistibly provoking a pure anatomic body reaction - he got hard - against his own will - definitely against his will. But only a few moments later shamefully he had to confess to himself that the electric stimulation had granted him an erection.

Makumbe rose from his chair and moved in front of him the generator was switched off. Chuckling he grabbed his penis:

"Very well! Seems as if you are pleased!" He laughed and merciless he began to stroke him. Pumping the throbbing shaft firmly in his fist until a clear drop of pre-come appeared on the tiny slit of the glans. Parker stayed mute, his breathing got rapid, and he raised his head and stared at the naked bulb on the ceiling. The only thought he had was a 'no!' when he felt that Makumbe's thumb delightfully spread the pre-come over his glans, rubbing the pre-come into the smooth skin. Suddenly he stopped with a barking laughter. Parker lowered his head and looked daggers at him just at the right moment to watch Makumbe licking the pre-come off his thumb.

"You dirty degenerated son-of-a-bitch!" He spat the words. His disgust was past every description.

Still laughing Makumbe grabbed his cock again, stroking him:

"You are mine!" And merciless he squeezed the sensitive head. The pain was excruciating. Parker screamed helplessly.

"Gag him! But be careful, don't suffocate him!" Makumbe leaned against the table and addressed his sergeant. The sergeant took a specially prepared wooden stick. On each end of this stick were small iron rings, long leather ropes were fixated there and with a vice-like grip he grabbed Parker's chin, forcing him to open his mouth and to take the stick between his teeth. He knotted the leather ropes at the back of his head. The wooden stick would gag him and as a side effect it made it impossible that the captive - due to the pain from the electric shock waves - would bite his tongue off.

"Good!" Makumbe was satisfied. A short movement of his hand and the sergeant approached the generator. The knob was turned and convulsive raging white flashes of pain flooded through Parker's testicles and nipples, rocking his body in the bonds and almost left him unconscious when the knob was finally turned back! He could only scream against his gag. His eyes were filled with tears - dropping down his cheeks, mixed up with the pearls of sweat running down his body like little waterfalls.

Leaving him no time to recover the knob was turned again - over and over again -each time a bit more - finally up to maximum level, granting him such a maximum level of pain - so bright - that he felt as if a fire raced through his body - searing everything including the last remaining brain cells! No scream - not even the loudest one - would have been able to articulate the uppermost edge of pain. The last wave had been too much - even for his well-trained body and his remarkably high pain level - he passed out.

He awoke when a bucket of water was poured over him.

"Major Bawani was right - you are special!" Makumbe stoically commented Parker's condition. Merciless he motioned his sergeant to continue! The procedure was repeated over the next hours - five times! Parker completely lost his conception for time! First the knob was turned a little bit more, than more and more up to the maximum level again! Each time when he finally gratefully passed out - a bucket of water brought him back!

Panting he raised his head and looked into the faces of his torturers - still defiantly - he couldn't feel his arms anymore - every single agonized fiber of his body seemed to scream in pain! The sergeant showed a cruel and proud grimace, he had enjoyed his work! And ... he had done well! Following 'General' Makumbe's order, he had not injured Parker's skin; the bruises would heal and wouldn't leave visible scars.

Parker realized that the generator was still working, still sending tiny waves of electricity through nipples and testicles, slowly but surely bringing back a full erection - supported by the penis ring still placed at the base of his cock - even after all this incredible pain!

'General' Makumbe laughed: "Well! In deed Major Bawani was right! You are special! Excellent!" His gaze was predatory. "This will give me the chance for another lesson! You are mine! I can do whatever I want with you!"

Parker had no chance to answer him, he was still gagged, but the expression in his eyes was murderous! Makumbe motioned his sergeant to switch off the generator and approached him. He grabbed his cock firmly and began to stroke him; the other hand cupped the testicles, massaging them. Bracing against his bonds, against the ministrations he tried to ignore what was happening,

but his body reacted against his will and helplessly he sensed that he was getting very hard again!

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Makumbe grinned. "But it is not my intension to please you!" He made a break: "Though ...! The soldier-boy is well endowed! I could make use of this wonderful cock too!"

With a horrified sob Parker realized consequence of this last sentence! < No, this can't be true! It's not real! >

He stopped his ministrations and stepped back only a few inches. "First I want to taste you, I want to taste a SEAL! Then you will please me!"

Makumbe traced his hands over the sweat-covered bare chest of his captive, removing the silver plates from nipples and testicles - except the penis ring - and carelessly threw them away:

"M'Bota don't you think the little soldier-boy is beautiful? His skin is so pale and smooth, his butts firm ..." He turned his head in the direction of his sergeant. The bulky sergeant licked over his lips and with a voluptuous expression in his face he nodded. Makumbe looked straight into Parker's eyes and continued, warming for this topic:

"You did your job very well M'Bota! Maybe later on I will decide that you deserve a reward for you excellent work!"

"Thank you 'General' Makumbe, Sir!" The sergeant tightened in anticipation!

"But now ... " Makumbe bent down and his mouth engulfed Parker's cock! He began to suck the glans, delightfully licking off the pre-come.

"Yes, he tastes good!" Voluptuously he licked his lips ignoring the horrified expression in Parker's face and the stifled sobs: "Little soldier-boy I'll make you spunk!" He grabbed his hips firmly, leaving him no chance to flinch back and again his mouth engulfed the pulsating erection. He sucked him violently until Parker came, jerking in his bonds, crying tears of rage, but he hadn't been able to hold back an orgasm - Makumbe had taken care for that - sucking him like a starving man, swallowing Parker's semen like dying of thirst.

When he was done Makumbe looked at Parker again, a malevolent grin in his face: "O yes, he is so beautiful! Strong muscles! And he is still defiant! His will is not broken!" He walked round him and stood behind his back. Parker gasped! His butts were spread!

"What a nice view!" Makumbe's hands wandered over his butts and spread them again. Parker shook his head violently with his eyes open wide, a stifled moan behind the wooden gag. Makumbe moved one hand round Parker's hips and grabbed his half hard cock relentlessly rubbing his thumb over the glans and a finger probed his anus, working in an out. Parker writhed in his bonds.

"The little soldier-boy will please me in every way!" Makumbe laughed.

"Guards!" Makumbe called the soldiers standing in the corridor. Instantly the door was opened and the two soldiers entered the room again!

"Tie him up on the table!" They approached him and a hard blow against his head knocked him off! They untied him. Hauling his unconscious body along, his upper body was pushed face down on the raw wooden table. His arms were spread wide like on a cross, his hands and upper arms were tied up with the leather ropes of the table and his legs were spread apart, tied up on rings on the floor, pinning him in down in a perfect position for Makumbe's further plans. Firmly he was set in place, his head was free and dangling down the table's side, his upper body sprawled over the table and his legs spread and his feet standing on the floor, impossible to move only an inch!

Still stunned he lay there, horribly exposed, helpless! Makumbe motioned the guards to leave again and to place in front of the closed door in the corridor.

"Water! I want him conscious!" The sergeant took another bucket filled with water and poured it over his head. Realizing his position, his brain tried to deny what he easily could imagine would be done to him! Desperately he was tugging at his ropes, bulging veins and strong chains of neck muscles showed his desperate attempt to free himself - senseless - even for a strong man like Parker and even if he hadn't been tortured over the last hours - the leather ropes were too strong. The wooden gag in his mouth stifled his furious howls. Makumbe personally removed the gag!

"You won't dare this! You damned bastard won't dare this!" Parker yelled in desperation and horror.

'General' Makumbe brutally grabbed his hair with his right hand and jerked his head upwards forcing him to meet his gaze.

"I will teach you obedience! And you will obey!" A quick snap with his fingers and M'Bota reached into the black trunk, handing over something to Makumbe.

Triumphantly Makumbe showed him what he held in his hands. A piece of his personal belongings - a snapshot! A snapshot showing Parker wearing his dark blue uniform and embracing his wife carrying their fifteen months old baby-son on her arms! The snapshot had been taken short before he had gotten his orders for Somalia! 'General' Mukambe's guffaws echoed in Parker's ears.

"You will obey! Otherwise your little son will lose one of his parents!" Despicably he threw the picture on the floor.

"You will please me!" Makumbe groaned like a lion.

He opened his belt and the button of his pants, removed the zipper and pulled the pants down to his ankles and stepped out of the fabric. He unbuttoned his shirt and revealed that he was already unbelievable hard - sucking Parker and he pure knowledge of what he would do next had granted

him an iron hard erection, sprouting out high from his loin. His throbbing ebony colored cock was right in front of Parker's face, the dark glans heavily leaking. Every color drained from his face.

< NO! I'm not going to be raped by this bastard! >

Again his right hand grabbed Parker's dark brown hair, holding him tight.

"You better pray that I'll never get up from this table again! I swear I'll kill you with my bare hands!" Parker's jade green eyes showed bottomless hate and disgust! The expression in his eyes and his tone caused Makumbe to make a mental note to himself: Don't let him stay alive!

"You will please me! And if I feel your teeth I'll kill you! So think twice!"

The iron hard, vice-like grip in his hair made him gasp! He had no choice! Makumbe pushed his cock deep into his mouth. Instantly Parker had to choke.

"Suck me little bastard! Suck my prick!" Makumbe's command was unmistakable and he began to pump into his mouth violently. He tightened his grip into Parker's hair, pressing him against his loin to intensify the contact to the maximum.

Parker's mouth was filled with his thick pulsating hard flesh; frantically pumping in an out, in his ears echoed Makumbe's awfully disgusting loud moans of lust. He had to choke again, wanted to vomit. The taste, the scent, the curls of thick black pubic hair in front of his eyes made him feel so

unclean, so dirty. The convulsive movements of his throat were - involuntarily - bringing Makumbe closer to orgasm. Parker noticed that but he was helpless, his stomach, his whole body denied this act of cruelty and reacted instinctively.

"Ah ... yes! ... The little soldier-boy likes giving a blow-job!"

He expelled the words between loud moans of pleasure, with a triumphant groan, bucking upwards and with a last deep thrust between Parker's lips he poured out his seed. Instinctively Parker wanted to flinch back as much as possible in his bonds, but the vice-like grip in his hair pressed him on the large cock, didn't let him move away an inch until he swallowed the sticky

bitter load, longing to spit it out. His stomach was rebelling again and he had never felt so repulsed in his life as at this moment. Makumbe wanted to enjoy every wave of his climax, wanted to spill the last drop into his mouth.

Finally with a last deep sigh Makumbe released the grip into Parker's hair and pulled out his still half-hard organ. Parker lowered his head and coughed.

Makumbe addressed him: "Soldier-boy seems as if you didn't enjoy this? Then I doubt you will enjoy what comes next!"

Parker raised his head in disbelief! Wasn't this enough?

"No!" Parker howled the word, vehemently shaking his head and cried out in pain, bracing against his bonds! He had totally forgotten about the electro shocker! Makumbe had grabbed it and pressed it against his throat, pressing the button a wave of electricity raced through Parker's body, rocking him helplessly in his bonds! When the electro shocker was removed, Parker was nearly unconscious, perceiving everything as if hidden behind a foggy cloud. He was too weak to speak or to revolt against his tormenters, the incredible pains and indignities he had been exposed to had been too much and the lack of water - now painfully needed - had done the rest!

"Soldier-boy I will dig up your sweet ass many times!" Makumbe's laughter was terrible.

"M'Bota I think it's time for your reward!" Maliciously grinning he looked at his sergeant. The sergeant tightened, to watch Makumbe had aroused him. He hadn't dared to masturbate; Makumbe would have killed him for that! But now he approached the table, a bright cruel smile on his face!

"You are looking forward to this aren't you?" Makumbe laughed: "Okay M'Bota you can jerk off in front of him while I am fucking him! But don't dare to touch his mouth! The lovely soldier-boy is mine!"

Makumbe walked round the table, stepped between his legs and bend forward to lean on Parker's back, his cock was rock hard again and pressing against the buttocks underneath him.

His lips almost touched his ear when he whispered:

"You virgin sweet little ass is mine too and I'm going to fuck you!" He leaned back and rubbed his fingers hard against Parker's anus. Only a suppressed desperate moan escaped between his lips, he wasn't able to fight against the rape, not in his physical condition and in bonds, he could only pray that this would be over soon, could only pretend that this was a horrifying nightmare and didn't really happen, something like a hallucination caused by severe dehydration!

Sergeant M'Bota stood in front of him and began to open his pants. He removed the fabric down to his knees and grabbed Parker's hair with his left hand raising his head to guarantee that Parker would watch what he was doing! His right hand engulfed his cock and he began to stroke himself

slowly.

Makumbe spread his butts and inserted a finger into Parker's anus another one joined the one probing him. He slid the fingers in and out until he was convinced that he was open enough for his cock. He stepped between Parker's legs, one hand spread his butts and the other one had grabbed his cock to guide his way. Without a warning he thrust into him spreading the tight ring of muscles.

The pain was incredible! Parker felt as if he was ripped apart! Sparkling stars of white pain appeared in his mind, swelling up and finally exploding in a frantic outraging dance! Makumbe didn't stop until his balls pressed against his butts. Tears of pain ran down his cheeks. Each time Makumbe pulled back and thrust into him - with loud moans - it felt as if a file would scratch him, the stretch was unbearable; he writhed under the hard thrusts. He was torn into pieces!

M'Bota's eyes were glazed, his fist moving faster on his cock! He grunted like a pig and came in a gushing eruption frantically ejaculating into Parker's face! He had taken revenge for spitting into his face! When he was done, he didn't release the grip in his hair, he wanted to look into Parker's face while Makumbe was fucking him hard and merciless ramming into him! After a few more deep thrusts a sweat-covered Makumbe erupted inside of him and pumped his seed into him until the last drop was finished, then he pulled out!

The fragment of a second before Parker finally passed out a picture appeared in front of his eyes: Jimmy! < I love you! >

A bucket full of water brought him back among the living! By no means Makumbe was through with him! He raped him again and again until he was not longer able to get hard. Each time Parker got unconscious he ordered his sergeant to pour water over his body. At the end, he didn't even care whether Parker was conscious or not!

It was late at night when the two bulky guards had untied his leather bonds and hauled him out of the building, brought him back to his 'casket', threw his maltreated body into the hole in the ground, his clothing followed and eventually they closed the 'coffin-lid'.

But the worst thing was: Makumbe hadn't asked a single question! ...

... He had no idea what day or what time it was when he awoke again! He was lying there - naked - unable to move, to sit or to get dressed!

< I won't be able to walk for a few days! > Instantly after this thought had flashed his mind he had to laugh, a desperate laughter close at the verge of insanity:

"Gee! I can't even stand here let alone walk!"

With his last remnants of willpower he drew himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the wall behind. He sat there with drawn up knees, rocking to and fro and the memories passed his tortured brain: Father Kelly, the boxing priest who had taken care of him in Philadelphia when he had made some foolish things! He had preserved him from getting imprisoned and had raised him! Patricia! Jimmy! His thirteen comrades killed by the Somali!

He tried everything not to think about what had happened to him!

Everything, which was able to distract him of thinking about what had happened! The results of the Superbowl: Superbowl 13: Pittsburgh : Dallas 35 : 31, Superbowl 15: Baltimore : Dallas 16 : 13, Superbowl 6: Dallas : Miami 24: 3, Superbowl 12: Dallas: Denver 27:10, ...

Everything, which could help not to lose his mind! And he was clutching at a straw: they will find me - they will free me!

A sheer endless time passed, hours seemed to become eons! He had no clue how long he was trapped in this 'coffin'! Hallucinations caused by progressing dehydration and lucid moments went hand in hand and - to compound matters - were followed by severe symptoms of claustrophobia!

Day seven. They freed him on day seven! As by a miracle he was still alive! His physical martyrdom was over! He was more dead than alive! He didn't even know his name! They had to find it out with the help of his dog tag and after a fortnight at the MASH, the Navy Supreme Command, responsible for covert ops decided that Lieutenant Frank B. Parker, US Navy, suffered a nervous breakdown due to the experiences of captivity, the resulting claustrophobia and the massive mistreatment caused by torture! The Navy Supreme Command came up with the decision that in his momentary condition Lieutenant Parker was unfit for duty and had to be admitted to an institute for mental illness: Hanson Island! ...

Someone had taken him everything: his wife, his little son, and his dignity! Part of him had died in Somalia! But someone had plans, further plans with him! Someone had decided that Frank Parker would become the first chrononaut of Project Backstep, who would survive time travel ...

Monday, July, 22nd, 11.28 p.m. (PDT), Donovan's quarters (NNL):

Monday, July, 22nd, 11.28 p.m. (PDT), Donovan's quarters (NNL):

For more than three hours Craig Donovan had listened to his best friend's horrible narration of the events during his captivity in Somalia, mute, without interrupting him not yet even once. Now Parker had finished his enumeration of abysmal cruelties. He had given this precise detailed description in a low voice.

If Donovan hadn't seen the jade green eyes blurred with tears and the tears slowly dropping down his best friend's cheeks, his t-shirt soaked with sweat; he could have thought Frank had told him the nightmares of another person. With a last suppressed sob Parker wiped away the tears on his face, his chest rapidly rising and falling. The recall of this hell he had to go through had cost him a lot. He had seen the face of the devil, had gone through the fires of hell, his body and mind had been burnt to the ashes and each time when the memories caught up with him, when the grimaces of his nightmares haunted him, he had to climb back to daylight, had to rise again like a phoenix from the ashes.

Still heavily breathing Frank stayed mute, glancing into space.

For a few minutes Donovan was simply too petrified, too scared to do anything else than just sitting there and trying to assimilate - at least approximately - what he had heard. It had moved him to tears. He had wept silent tears, each a sign for his deepest regret, his endless compassion,

his unlimited love and his excruciating self-reproaches that he hadn't been there to help him. In secret, unknown to Parker, he had asked for his transfer to another unit short before he had been captured. He hadn't been able any longer to do his service in the same unit together with his best

friend, because this had meant that he would have had to share the same room with him, to sleep in the same room with him. But when he had realized that he loved him more than what was 'suitable' for a male being, especially a SEAL, a member of the US Navy, because SEALS have to be straight not bi-sexual and what he had been willing to confess to himself and what had granted him sheer endless seeming sleepless nights on the mattress of his camp bed next to Parker's, he had had to face the facts: sooner or later he wouldn't have been able to hide his desire any longer, either during a joint shower in the men's quarters or during the nights in their joint quarters. He had called himself a selfish coward and had asked for transfer. And now?

Now he sat there beside his best friend longing to hold him in his arms, to soothe him, to kiss away the tears and with the ridiculous and absolutely crazy sounding insatiable wish to make love to him until he would have forgotten every harm, to touch every square inch of his beautiful muscular

body with his lips and hands, to wrap himself around his body, to run his fingertips over the smooth skin, to drown in these jade green eyes and to show him heaven.

"I'm so sorry Frank ...! I haven't expected ... I didn't know ... If I only ... !" Donovan's voice trailed off; he shook his head: "How I wish I would have been there to help you! ... But I wasn't there! I was in another unit! ... And I have to tell you the truth!"

Donovan's voice gained back strength - it was now or never! Confession's Day! Revelation's Day! Finally and for good he had to clear things - even if this meant that he could lose his best friend. And the words bubbled out of his mouth:

"I have to tell you why I've kissed you! I love you! No! I am in love with you! For a very long time now! Since eons! And this was the reason why I've asked for transfer! I didn't dare to stay in the same unit; I didn't dare to stay in the same room, to sleep next to you or even to take a shower ... ! I never wanted you to find out ...! Our friendship is too precious to me to screw it up with ... ! I can't live with you but it seems as if I can't live without you too! Yep, I am in love with my best friend!" He laughed desperately: "Okay, kill me!"

He looked at him, sticking at his lips, waiting for an answer or a reaction, no matter what it might look like! Any reaction was better than none!

Parker's eyes were locked with his, the expression unreadable - but not really surprised - when he finally started to speak again: "Wow! ... But you were married!"

"Yes, I was! And when I've married Gloria I really loved her! But in our jobs ... ! You know this better than anyone else! Being on covert ops - sometimes for months - is not exactly brilliant for marriage! But you don't understand! I am bi - I've always been bi-sexual - and this is the reason why I am in love with you!" Donovan tried to explain.

He seemed to accept this explanation: "Was this the true reason why you've asked for transfer again? You know, short before this backstep in Bosnia-Herzegovina, to save the Bosnian fugitives and these three IFOR jerks who wanted to steal the Serbian money, hidden in this bombed out church? You've gotten your okay for a transfer to a field unit! You said that you weren't satisfied with the guard's training at the Base! You said you needed more action! Was this only an alleged reason? Have I been the true reason?"

"Yes!" Donovan yielded himself up to his presumed irreversible fate to lose his best friend.

"You damned asshole! Why haven't you opened your mouth earlier?" Parker frowned but a weak little smile already tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Thank you, the same to you! By the way ...!" The grin on Donovan's face became cheeky: "You've really looked at sight in that stars-and-stripes boxer shorts! Man, you are a real heart attack in underwear! It would have been a true loss if I hadn't been there in time to safe your sexy little ass from being executed!" He laughed silently, shaking his head and delightfully recalling this memory.

"There you are! I could have bet on this! Sooner or later you always charge me for absolutely every time you've saved my life! Don't you think we are slowly quits?" Parker frowned in an attempt to look seriously annoyed - but failed miserably and had to grin too. His smile became brighter and now he showed his well-known upsetting charming little boy smile again.

Donovan absolutely adored his incredible ability - apparently - to get over unpleasing things in an unbelievable short time and to wipe them off easily, to return to the usual nonchalant Parker attitude as if nothing had ever happened. A protective mechanism, not a natural native ability - but well trained and learnt a long time ago - as an orphan! He knew this was only a façade - Frank's way to cope with things against better judgment. But tonight he had shown him his innermost part - the hidden true Frank Parker - vulnerable, desperate and cruelly mistreated - and for this once more demonstration of his trust and loyalty Donovan loved him even more!

"Um Frank? ... The kiss? ... Um ... I am sorry! I don't want to lose your friendship" He actually managed to blush under his milky-coffee-colored skin and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Don't worry!" He cut off Donovan's babbled excuse. "I do have some other problems at the moment! Well I've just stripped to my soul so I can tell you this as well! Craig, last week I had to learn that Olga prefers S/M sex! This is absolutely out of question for me - not in a thousand timelines! I mean at least the way she wants to ... do ... this and ...! Um ... whoa ... ! Phew! ... Long story! But short and to the point this is the reason for our so-called 'radio silence'! Momentarily I am a bit lost, I feel completely annihilated and disappointed! If I wouldn't know this better I could think that I have married Galina! ..." He sighed deeply: "Anyhow! Seems as if I still haven't found what I am looking for!" He sighed frustrated.

"Craig?" He looked at him; the expression in his eyes had changed.

Donovan looked straight into his jade green eyes. He was surprised. The way he had spoken his name, soft and gentle, made him shiver: "Mmmh?"

"Call me crazy but ..." He laughed silently but instantly he became very serious again: "Okay, I am crazy! But since this morning I am positive that I am going bananas! When you've found me ... under the shower ... I was back in Somalia, but ... I can still remember the way ... your lips felt on mine. It's driving me crazy! I can't stop thinking about how ... Jesus, I never thought that my imagination is so ... vivid ... that I could be interested in ... Phew, that I could be interested in something else than ... probably bi ... not after Somalia!" He broke off and slipped a bit forward to sit on the rim of the bed settee. He took a deep breath and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor.

Donovan closed the space between their bodies and sat beside him on the rim, hooking his chin over Parker's shoulder and putting his hand on the other shoulder. He could feel the heat radiating off Frank's body and smell his after-shave.

"Listen Frank! You've looked so vulnerable, so desperate and my feelings for you crashed over me! I shouldn't have risked our friend..." abruptly he broke off, realizing that Parker had turned his head and looked straight into his eyes, frowning:

"Craig? Will you stop that crap! I want to feel it again, I want to feel your lips on mine, I want to know how it feels - making love with you! You said you love me? Okay! Show me! Shut up and kiss me!" He closed the last inch of space and his lips touched Donovan's. Gently kissing him, soft as a feather.

Donovan moaned and closed his eyes! His hand slipped into Parker's neck to pull him closer. Endlessly soft he coaxed his lips to deepen the kiss. Seeking for his tongue, barely touching the tip with his own and hardly daring to intensify the kiss. He broke off to plant soft little nips on Parker's lower lip and his left hand started to stroke his cheek, outlining the jaw with his thumb. He bent his head to kiss his way down the strong chain of neck muscles, relishing the salty taste of the still sweat covered body and pulled him close to embrace him. Hesitantly his caressing was

rewarded when the other man's hands rested on his waist and chest. He raised his head, his lips touching the earlobe and he could feel the little shivers the touch of his smooth goatee sent through Parker's body:

"Frank? If you want I will show you ... I can show you that Somalia ... Let's take a shower! I swear I won't do anything you don't want me to! Just let me take care! And ... by the way ... you need a shower!" He smiled at him, still caressing his cheek: "Okay?"

Closing his eyes in mute agreement Parker was drawn up and gently but decisively maneuvered into the bathroom. For a moment they stood in front of each other when Donovan finally started to strip. Within seconds he was standing there stark naked, revealing that he was already incredibly

aroused. He approached him and started to undress him, slowly pulling the t-shirt over his head and arms and throwing it carelessly over his shoulder. He knelt in front of him and opened the button of the sport pants, slowly unzipping it and shoving it down to his ankles. Like a puppet on a string Parker stepped out of his sneakers and pants, revealing that he wore this aforementioned stars-and-stripes boxer shorts.

Donovan raised his head and a radiant smile appeared on his face:

"Wow! The hot stuff! It was a Christmas gift for you!" His thumbs hooked into the waistband and slowly he shoved the shorts down to let him step out of them too. He rose to his feet and made two steps backwards to look at the body in front of him sucking up every single detail. Not that he hadn't seen him naked before - long time ago! Now he wanted to recall every ever so small detail, but this time - for the first time in his life - he would explore every square inch with his lips and hands:

"You are beautiful!" He sighed deeply, rapidly breathing.

Frank looked at him a bit surprised, focusing the lower anatomic regions and frowned:

"Um ... ?" He cleared his throat: "You are shaved?"

Donovan laughed: "Yep! No special reason, but in my experience ... it's more pleasurable ... I just like it!" And then a sudden idea flashed through his mind: "Hey, what about having a shave? Let me do this! I prefer having a wet shave!"

The expression in Parker's face was past every description! Donovan was in stitches and needed a few seconds before he was able to explode: "O God Frank! Don't worry! I'll be careful! Your family jewels will stay intact! I promise I'll take care of them!"

The expression on Parker's face changed and he had to laugh, a little silent laughter, a bit embarrassed, lowering his eyes, but he actually laughed and didn't only smile, he really laughed. It seemed as if Donovan had never seen something this beautiful before, his heart missed a beat. He had missed this for such a long time! It was a start! Parker's warm-hearted loud laughter! Since Somalia Parker never really laughed aloud - quite apart from being in stitches - he always showed an amused grin or his lovable schoolboy smile, but laughter - once in a blue moon! He had always wondered why - sure he knew that Somalia had been a traumatic experience - but since a few hours - he knew the true size of this abysmal horror and to see him laughing was simply overwhelming.

Donovan approached him and put his hands on his shoulders; Frank had still lowered his head. Donovan cupped his chin and raised his head to meat his gaze. A glimpse of hesitation and embarrassment appeared in the jade green eyes. Slowly Donovan pulled him close, kissed him, first gently but when he realized that he was hesitantly answered, he deepened the kiss, swept away by passion and desire. Parker's hands rested on his waist, the touches burnt like fire on his bare skin and every drop of blood shot into his loin, making him even harder. Feeling his best friend's erection stirring against his loin almost drove him over the edge! He had to break off the kiss, to calm down otherwise he would have climaxed right in front of him over the abdominal six-pack, like a nervous teenager. How long had he waited for this moment! Eons! But he knew he had to reign his own desire and to be very careful and to start this slow otherwise he could scare him off!

"C'mon!" He opened the glass door of the shower cubicle and the faucet. He let him go first and fetched a brand new disposable razor and a tube of shaving cream. In the meantime Frank was standing under the spray head and washing his hair. Donovan took the shower gel and waited until he had flushed the shampoo. He stood behind him and embraced him, hooking his head over his shoulder:

"Frank, I'll show you that love, care, gentle fondling and tenderness itself is not a female monopoly! I'll make you forget Somalia - at least for tonight! Trust me! I know you can!"

Parker turned his head, reached backwards and pulled him close. This time he kissed him, invading his mouth with his tongue, exploring him in a passionate kiss, showing him what he wanted. The spark became a flame - the overture for an endless seeming tender foreplay.

He gave a dash of gel into his hands, spreading the gel over his palms he began to rub it over Parker's shoulders. Slow circles. Soft touches. Massaging his shoulders to loosen the tense muscles. Instinctively Frank had tightened under the first touches, he had put his head back and closed his eyes. His breathing had became faster, clenching his fists he had to banish the memories, that tried to flood his brain not to flinch back under the gentle ministrations. Now slowly he began to relax. Donovan's hands traced further down, over the shoulder blades and along both sides of the spine down to the waist - always gentle, never demanding, just fondling. His hands traced over the firm buttocks - fingertips sought the space between, ran over anus and rectum, gently stroking, were removed and were finally seeking for Parker's loin, rested there, pressing him gently against his body to let him feel his arousal. For a moment he stood there, holding him tight against his body. Then he started to run butterfly kisses over Parker's neck, throat and right shoulder. He had still closed his eyes and now he leaned against Donovan's firm body, abandoning himself to the gentle touches. Slowly Donovan reached further down to cup Parker's hard-on and started to stroke him, simultaneously he began to thrust against his butts, showing him that he was painfully hard. He stopped, turned him around and closed the faucet.

Astonished Parker opened his eyes. He smiled at him. Their eyes locked and he took another dash of gel. He repeated the procedure of gentle circling touches over his shoulders and chest, rubbing the nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, caressing the abdominal six-pack, his loin and thighs and finally concentrated on soaping Frank's hard-on and testicles, while softly kissing him, sucking the tip of his tongue into his mouth. On one hand he regretted Parker's still passivity, barely touching him on the other hand he understood the reasons for his hesitation very well. He took Parker's right hand and pressed their entwined hands over his own hard-on, stroking them

both, thrusting against him, running their bodies smooth and hard together, welding their bodies into one. When he felt that Parker's free hand had grabbed his butts to press him against his body he smiled against his lips still kissing him breathless. Finally he had to come up for air:

"Time for having a shave, Frank!" Reluctantly he let him go to reach for the shaving cream, knelt down in front of him and began to spread the shaving cream over Parker's genitals. Taking the razor he glanced into Frank's eyes and had to laugh when he realized the frowning expression:

"Hey buddy! Relax! I promised to be careful! We need these balls! So relax, lean back against the wall and enjoy!" He started shaving. For a moment he could only hear Parker's rapid breathing and the silent scratching of the razor, gliding softly over the prepared smooth skin. Donovan worked skillfully and really carefully not to hurt his best friend's most sensitive body parts! For Frank it seemed, as he had never experience something this erotic before! The gentle touches, the feeling of the razor on his velvet skin aroused him incredible, made him want more, every fiber of his body seemed to tingle under these ministrations. Still he leaned against the tiled walls, breathing rapidly now, eyes closed, fists clenched.

When Donovan had finished shaving he examined his work:

"Done! You are smooth like a baby now!" He ran his fingertips over Parker's fully erected member and his testicles, heard a soft moan escaping deep down in the muscular chest, like a far away rolling thunder.

"Tell me what you want Frank!" His voice was soft and low: "Just let me know what you want!"

"Craig ... I ...!" Parker was lost in emotion. No real need for him to explain what he wanted or needed. Without words Donovan knew it. He raised his head, gently grabbed his length and with a smile playing around his mouth his tongue flicked over the glans, licking off the pearls of pre-come, melting them in his mouth. Parker gasped sharp, jerked and moaning he rested his hands on Donovan's shoulders. His jade green eyes melted together with Donovan's dark brown eyes:

"I love you Frank!" He lowered his head and his mouth engulfed the throbbing painfully hard cock only an inch wide, only the glans, gently sucking him, swirling his tongue around and rising Parker's need to incredible levels. The feeling was sensational, hot and wet and ... male! Parker moaned and put a hand in Donovan's neck, running his fingers through strands of short thick dark brown hair, resisting the incredible urge to press him down on his length, to dive deeper into this hot sensation.

He shoved a hand between Parker's legs, nudging them a bit further apart and began to massage the spot behind the testicles, relishing the low moans of pleasure. Seeking further he caressed the rectum and finally his fingertips drew slow small circles around the anus' tight ring of muscles, but he didn't insert a finger - too early for that! Parker tightened - not in repulse but in arousal. Donovan's gentle ministrations brought him closer and closer to climax. He ran his hand through the dark brown hair in front of him.

"Craig! I'm about to lose control ... and ... I think ... I like it!" He expelled the words between sharp gasps of pleasure and lust.

Donovan felt his need, had mercy on him and took him deeper into his mouth speeding up his movements on Parker's cock, sucking him harder now, slowly but surely driving him over the edge. Sensing that he was close he carefully inserted a finger into his anus, gently spreading the ring of muscles, deep enough to reach the prostate and copying the rhythm of his mouth. A few

thrusts later Frank tightened his grip into Donovan's hair and bucked forward, moaning and frantically spilling his semen into his mouth. Donovan swallowed and kept on sucking him; slowly letting him ride out the fading waves of orgasm. When he raised his head he looked straight into emerald green, the color had changed, had become darker. He rose to his feet and kissed him, letting him taste himself on lips and tongue. He pressed his body against Parker's rubbing his own still unreleased and painfully aching cock against Parker's still half hard erection.

"Sorry!"

"Sorry? Frank? For what?" Donovan smiled against his lips, kissing him gently.

An embarrassed looking Frank could only mumble, his ability to speak was curbed by kisses:

"I ... lost ... control!"

Donovan broke off the kissing: "That's what it's all about! This was just an appetizer! Have I made this palatable to you?" Then he continued, his eyes focusing jade green:

"Frank? Need you! Now!"

He pulled him along, not dwelling on drying their wet bodies and shoved him back into the living room in the direction of the bed settee, leaving small patches of water on the floor and nudged him down onto the mattress. Opening the drawer of his nightstand he took out a small tube of ointment and a condom. He climbed onto the mattress, knelt beside Parker's thighs, ripped off the plastic with his teeth and pulled out the condom. Frank had watched him attentively, heavily breathing and wide-eyed, hadn't let him out of his sight. He rolled the condom down on Parker's length and opened the tube. Wasting no time to warm it up he spread it over his cock and slid forward over Frank's body.

"Frank, take this as a promise! If you permit, I will make you lose control for many, many times! Just let yourself fall ...!"

He knelt over his lap and reached backwards to prepare himself, stretching his opening and with a deep breath, closing his eyes, he grabbed Frank's cock and impaled himself, slowly to get accustomed to the slightly burning stretch. He lifted his weight to slip into a more comfortable position and settled himself on Parker's lap, resting there, relaxing his muscles, motionless for a very long moment, just relishing the pleasure to bury his best friend's member as deep as possible. He had heard Frank's sharp gasps and now he opened his eyes to look at him. He leaned forward, rested his weight on both hands on the mattress beside Parker's head and kissed him, feeling his hands holding his hips, pressing him down on his loin. Slowly he began to move on the impaling cock, his own hard-on rubbing over the muscular stomach underneath him, mutely praying that he was able to hold back his own climax as long as possible. Each move of him, was met by an upward thrust into him, lifting their bodies slightly off the mattress, driving them both crazy, burning the last cells of their brains into ashes. He had to stop kissing - no breath left for that. Parker's fingers pierced into the flesh of his hips - vice-like, he had opened his eyes again:

"Craig! ..." Only a husky whisper, breathless, passionate and lust filled. A last desperate and senseless attempt to hold back with all remaining will power, to deny what body and brain needed, wanted. Senseless. Like a moth in a flame - irreversible attracted. Burning up in passion when Donovan lit this fire and built it up to sheer unbearable dimensions, erasing even the last functioning brain cell. A never known feeling, crashing over him like the ocean tide, drowning him, leaving back on the surface nothing but lust.

Donovan sped up his moves on Parker's cock, feeling their both need for release:

"Don't hold back Frank! ... Come! ... Please come for me!" Centered in his loin a sensational burning wave radiated in Parker and raced through his entire body, a blazing hot white flame roasting his body and brain flooded him - the unfamiliar never known sensation was building up inside him, driving him over the edge and finally exploded in a gushing ejaculation, releasing him, leaving him breathless when he climaxed into Donovan's body. Trembling. Arching. Moaning his name he felt a warm wet jet of sticky semen on his stomach. Donovan had thrown his head back and climaxed only seconds after him, frantically spraying his milky white seed over the stomach and chest underneath him - calling his name.

Now he was only able to lower his head and to look into Frank's face, no way to speak a single word - just panting, riding out the surges of their joint orgasm still flooding their sweat covered tingling bodies and feeling Parker's hands gently stroking his body.

"This ... was ... far out!" Frank expelled the words still breathless a lovable smile playing around his mouth. Donovan looked at him and answered his smile, leaned forward and planted little nips on his collarbones. Finally he slipped off him and dropped alongside him onto the mattress. Leaning on his elbow he ran his free hand over Frank's chest and stomach, covered with sweat and semen. He had to assure himself that this was real and not a dream. Tonight he was in heaven, felt such a state of sated bliss, incomparable to anything else. Maybe he would never get the chance to be on top of him, maybe he would have to wait eons, and maybe this would happen in another timeline! Who cares? Half of his life he had waited for this moment - it was the only thing that counted, that they had made love! He had felt him inside, had felt this bliss of being united with him, had tasted the seventh heaven of delight! Time seemed to stand still - everything around had lost its meaning - nothing was important anymore - only the here and now counted.

Suddenly he froze, his eyes widened, Parker had grabbed his hand and drew it up to his lips, tenderly licking off his semen, tasting him, sucking his fingertips into his mouth, one by one and finally he reached behind Donovan's neck and pulled him close for a passionate kiss.

"Craig? ..." Frank removed the used condom and threw it into the paper basket beside the bed settee.

"Mmmh!"

"Can I stay here? I mean tonight?"

A hand grabbed his shoulder, drew him back onto the mattress, pinned him down. Lips touched his, a tongue invaded his mouth, playfully swirling around, sucking at the tip. Soft little moans. Arms embracing him. A leg was shoved over his thighs:

"Does this mean 'yes'?" A low chuckle.

"Parker! You are ... ah ... shut up!"

Tuesday, July, 23rd, 2.57 a.m. (PDT), Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley's quarters

(NNL):

'Hooter' was sitting in front of his personal computer, as usual at that time and rather halfheartedly and inattentively playing one of his pc games. Over the whole day a tiny spark of a thought - so unspeakably incredible - had occupied his mind. A delicately budding hope! Noticing the uncommon behavior of Frank and Olga this morning during the daily briefing, he had instinctively sensed that there must have happened something very grave between this married couple. Of course he had no clue what, but he was addicted to Frank Parker, was in love with him and everything regarding Frank had priority! The delicately budding hope - instantly discarded as pure imagination - a liquid dream that would never come true - was obstinately creeping through every winding of his brain. Was there a chance for him?

Suddenly he came up with the idea to spy on him - again. Where was he? What did he do now? He knew that Olga had left the Base, he had watched her passing the guards, but Frank had stayed.

A move of his hand, a tape was inserted into the VCR and the picture on his monitor changed, now it was showing the scenes of the observation cameras spread over the entire Base area, an attempt to get another sleazy glance at him. Over flying the captured impressions 'Hooter' unconsciously had started to talk to himself, more an absentminded quiet mumbling:

"I know that creeping up on you is the wrong thing to do! I found out your secret places you think nobody knows! Spying on you, drinking from a half emptied bottle of beer you've left ...! If I have to live without you ... nobody could ... no one can do ... need to be around ... Nobody loves you like I do ... Stay up all night creeping up on you .... This is wrong ... must be wrong ... I can't go on ... O God, please free me from this misery ... I'm close to insanity ... bring him closer to me ... Do I have to breathe without you? ... No one else should love you like I do ... should touch you ...!" 'Hooter' sighed deeply.

After half an hour vainly combing the entire Base area for Frank Parker's favorite places, he was really frustrated and he just wanted to give up. All of a sudden he had an idea and slapped on his forehead - Donovan's quarters! Idiot! Sure they're having some beers! He switched on the tiny little cameras in Donovan's quarters and completely shocked he could only stare at the scene in front of him ...

Slowly a few tears dropped down his cheeks! It broke his heart! Cruelly wiped out the delicately budding hope, his dream! Watching Frank and Craig making love was too much for him and he switched off the monitor, but forgot his VCR ...

Monday, August 26th, 8.28 a.m. (PDT), Frank Parker's quarters (NNL):

The past weeks had been ... relaxing ... yes, this expression would fit perfectly ... for him ... and ... so far he had escaped his cruel nightmares. Though his relationship with Olga, their marriage, was put on ice and he knew that he still loved her, he felt good. Psychically and physically he had turned over a new leaf - he had an affair with his best friend! This night, this very special night, when he had talked about the true events in Somalia - for the first time in his life - Donovan had

listened very carefully and - he really didn't know the true reason why he had gotten mixed up in this - but they had made love and he had spent the night in Donovan's quarters.

He was standing in front of the mirror in his bathroom and shaving. With a thoughtful glance at his reflection he suddenly paused and gave himself a frowning. Up to this day he had never had a clue that he could be interested in other men, he had never wasted a thought on that, neither before nor more than ever after Somalia! Sure Donovan was a handsome guy, even a man

could easily realize this without being gay or bi, it was just fact. But to experience for himself that his best friend was a good lover ... was ... mildly said ... surprising for him! It didn't mean that he was actually bi! It only meant that he had enjoyed it, he had really enjoyed Donovan's tenderness! And ... up to now he hadn't made the last step, Donovan hadn't been on top of him! Vice versa! He wasn't even sure whether he wanted this or if he would ever want this! So fact was, he had an affair with Donovan! He actually betrayed his wife with another man! He was a bit lost, caught on the horns of a dilemma! He loved Craig Donovan! Sure he did! But was he in love with him? The last thing he wanted was to hurt him! This was not only an affair, a short intermezzo, just the running free of a sexual nosiness or a crazy game on another playground!

He sighed.

Fortunately the past weeks had been very calm and he was grateful that there was no need for a backstep, only the usual rather boring agenda and so - not inconvenient for him - he had had a lot of time for himself. He had spent his days with reading, thinking - sometimes dismal thoughts, reeling off the usual fitness program, the regular medical examinations ... ... and his nights ... either alone in his quarters or sometimes together with him in Donovan's bed. A pure self-protection! Neither Chief of Security, Nathan Ramsey himself nor one of his watchdogs, should he say 'chaperones' (?), he jokingly called Ramsey's MIB's Salt and Pepper, would hit on the idea

of switching on the cameras in Captain Craig Donovan's quarters, Military Advisor of Project Backstep and trainer of the Base guards. Therefore they had decided in favor of Donovan's quarters. Each time an opportunity for him to forget every harm, to get lost in passion, to feel safe, protected and good ...

With a last thoughtful glance on his reflection he shrugged his shoulders, finished shaving, got dressed for the regular briefing and sprinted down the hallway. As usual he was late.

All the others were already sitting - except Donovan, he was on a course for a few days - and with a short friendly nodded 'good morning' - the stern look of Ramsey and one of his unavoidable mocking comments followed instantly - he dropped into his chair beside Olga, audibly sighing and

with a meek glance at the ceiling he mumbled:

"Chicken head! Why don't you get yourself wings, than you could shit down from a tree?"

"What did he say?" Ramsey had reached his personal boiling point and wanted to start a row, but a distinguished Bradley Talmadge calmed him down, unfortunately not in time before he could grunt a last:

"Insane psychopath!"

The meeting lasted only two hours, nothing had happened that would vindicate an alarm or worse a backstep and therefore Parker lend only half a willing ear to the items on the agenda and spent the rest of the meeting watching his neighbors. Two things came to his attention.

First of all - the most important one - he had to talk to Olga! Since the incident with her idea of S/M sex in the sphere, that had actually happened in another timeline, now unknown to her and her insults when he had handed her over the letter she had written as a warning to herself before he had had to backstep, they were only talking politely, just like friends did, treating each other gently, but not acting like a married couple. Since he had joined the alpha team four years ago - more or less voluntarily - he considered each member as a part of his never known family: Bradley Talmadge, the severe father; Isaac Mentnor, the kindhearted grandfather; Dr. John Ballard, the crazy uncle, now living on a South Seas island with his two wives (!); Nathan Ramsey, the family's black sheep - there was always a black sheep in each family (!) and Parker would never admit - not even in his dreams or being tortured - that he liked him anyhow and respected him very much, but he was also deadly sure that this was valid vice versa too (!); Craig Donovan, his brother - and lover (!); Olga, the beautiful girl next door, now his wife and sad to say so, again only the beautiful girl next door and the newest member of the alpha team, the successor to Dr. John Ballard, Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley, the younger brother. The Panel's watcher, his old schoolmate, Sally Danziger, simply had no competition - she was his destiny - against better knowledge.

Each evening Olga left the base and went home at her private house and he stayed at the base, although he had Bradley Talmagde's explicit allowance to leave the base too - at least for three nights a week! Fact was they didn't live the life of a married couple, quite apart from the fact that since this damned weekend they never had spent a night in bed anymore. So he came up with the decision that he had to bring things out into the open.

But there was a second thing he had to clear. Owsley. He had failed to care for 'Hooter' over the past weeks. Somehow he felt responsible for him! Sure, sometimes 'Hooter' was a plague, but not really different to himself at that age and in the meantime like a little brother to him. Usually they had spent one or two evenings a week just hanging around, having a beer - sometimes together with Donovan and Sally - watching video's, playing pc games or playing chess. He had a real guilty conscience regarding the young man, criminally neglecting him without further explanation. And now he knew it was time to bring back a certain order in this messed up chaos.

Monday, August 26th, 2.43 p.m. (PDT), Dr. Olga Vukavitch-Parker's office (NNL):

Olga was busily viewing the pile of documents on her desk, when a slight knock at her door startled her. It wasn't necessary to invite the visitor, because he had already opened the door and stood in front of her desk:

"Hi! ... Um ... Olga? ... Do you have a few minutes?" When he realized her nodded agreement Frank quickly glanced around the office to assure that no unbidden auditors could overhear the following conversation and closed the door.

He returned, flopped onto a chair in front of her and for a few moments he sat there, mute, just watching her, a weak smile on his handsome face. He really had no clue how to start this thing, how to find the right words, but on the other hand he didn't want to beat around the bush.

"What's up Frank? What do I owe the honor of my husband's visit?" The very second the words came out of her mouth she regretted them. It was always the same! It was her nature, sometimes she was really unfair, especially with Frank and she continued:

"Sorry! You have something on your mind? So do I! So please go on!" Nervously she had started to play with a pencil.

He took a deep breath: "Olga! We can't go on this way! I don't want it and I am sure you don't want this too! ... Matter of fact is, that I ... don't like some of your sexual practices and ... God! ... Olga ... We started ... our marriage started so glorious ... where are we now? I know that I am

not perfect! Sure I have my flaws! But I am not the only one to blame for this! Over the past weeks we avoided each other like an epidemic disease, only the occasional word and now we are sitting in front of each other, searching for excuses! I am really sick of playing these little mind games! ... And I admit I am a bit disappointed ... I've really waited for you, expected at least a little respect and an excuse for all your insults!" He paused, looked at her and wanted to give her a real chance to take a turn for the better.

She lowered her eyes: "Sure! I am so sorry for that! I haven't ... I couldn't take a heart! ... You allude to this letter I've ostensibly written and given to you before your last backstep?"

"Whoa! ... Um ... ostensibly?" He couldn't trust his ears! He shook his head in disbelief:

"I think I am in the wrong movie! ... Olga! ... Please! We had this date in the sphere! Definitely! It was ... mildly said ... an Armageddon! You wrote this letter to remind yourself never to do this again and against better knowledge I handed it over to you after this backstep, because due to

the other timeline you couldn't remember the things in the sphere! ... So please! ... Stop this! Don't accuse me being a liar, a falsifier! I've never lied to you - no matter what timeline and I haven't faked this letter! You should know me by heart! I am your husband and ... I love you!" A wave

of desperation crashed over him, he ran his fingers through his hair, simply shocked of what he had heard.

Olga opened the drawer of her desk and put out a rumpled piece of paper straightened out again - the letter to herself and began to wave it:

"Seems as if I haven written it! But I can't believe my own words!" She shook her head: "I can't believe that I should have done all these things!"

She rose from her chair, walked round the desk and sat down on the armrest of his chair.

"Frank, if I have actually done this I am really sorry for that, but ...! Frank is this one of your bad jokes?" She broke off.

"Olga! You know this better! Do you have this outfit or not? Are you interested in S/M or not? Did you have S/M sex with Joseph or not? Anything else I should mention?" Frank was getting really angry now.

Olga blushed deeply! The outfit was hidden deep down in the last corner of her wardrobe - including a very special whip! Almost certainly Frank was right! And there was no doubt she had written this letter, it was her handwriting! And ... he never lied! She was deadly sure that all these

had happened but on the other hand she was unable to confess it! No! This would have meant to confess that she had lived her darkest fantasies - the darkest corners of her mind had come true! Impossible! And so she reacted, jumping off the armrest, predictable and unfair, as usually when she didn't know how to go on, hating herself for that:

"Okay! We had sex in the sphere! Nice idea! I whipped you? Compared you with Joseph? So what? You don't like S/M? Okay! We never do this again! ... By the way you came running after me in Moscow and wanted me to marry you! And now you are complaining? You've got me! ... And now please excuse me I have to work!" She stowed the letter in the drawer again and wanted to finish this unpleasing discussion.

"Sorry Olga! ... Are you crazy? It ain't that simple!" He jumped up too, paced the room to and fro - for a moment speechless, standing face to face with her, only a few steps away:

"I ... I don't get it! I just don't get it! Does this mean ...? No! ... You can't mean that seriously! You've married me 'cause I wanted it?" He broke off. This thought was simply too tremendous! He went pale, a whiter shade of pale, like the walls behind:

"Wife! You are right! I am not Joseph! And I tell you what!" Frank blew a fuse, this was simply too much for him, and he had never expected this! Not from Olga!

Olga wanted to pipe up but was cruelly interrupted:

"Shut up! Now I am talking and you'll listen! I don't know which Devil you have in you but I demand respect! I wanted to give you a fair chance! But ... Olga you are a real heart attack, beautiful and intelligent, but your heart is black! You've used me, I feel abused! I don't think you care about anyone but yourself! And something is really bugging me! Tell me now how can you sleep at night? You said you love me! ... Do you love me or am I just another laboratory rabbit? Somebody to test how far you can go on? You keep acting like you own me, keep pushing and pulling me!" He broke off and stood beside her desk.

"I think I am about to lose my mind, it's ... it's just a waste of time! I've never felt pleasure and pain like this before! I can't comprehend that something so right suddenly feels so wrong! You can't let go of this keeping on acting like you own me and control me! So quit playing these mind

games! ... Olga! ... I swore to myself mirror that no one on earth will ever abuse me again, but you string me off my order! All I am trying to do is modify my plan but ... it can't contain you - not an Olga like this! At the moment I don't know what I want! Maybe I want you back, but maybe I want you gone! At the moment I can only watch me walking out of the door! If I'd stay ... this

would be what we call sleeping with the enemy! You've stabbed me in my back! If I'd give your punches back how would you like that? But to my surprise I still ... I was denying the mess you've made, smashing, crashing everything that meant the world to me! I despise going down on ... dirty sheets! You are looking first class but ... you are acting cheap! Do you really know what you do? .. ?"

He still stood beside her desk, a picture of misery, and his jade green eyes endlessly sad:

"Olga I am not your enemy, I am your friend, your husband, the one who loves you! I just believe in fairness, honesty, pride and truth and I shouldn't have to say that I ... believed in you! And now? Here I am! This is me! Tell me, do I stand in your way?" He shook his head.

Olga had listened to this row - completely unfamiliar for Frank and slowly but surely she realized the entire dimension of what she had heard. She had to confess that he was right! She had always considered him being hers, her toy! Completely! She had denied the truth, that he was a proud and

brave man with strong will power that he was everything else but a sissy that could be easily manipulated the way she wanted! Every single word had been like a resounding slap on her face, shaking her up! The truth hurt - cruelly! O my God what had she done?

"Frank! ... I ...!" Slowly tears began to drop down her cheeks, fell onto the documents, smudging them. She didn't care.

"Olga stop it! You are still trying the same old trick! ... But it's too late! It's over!"

"No! Frank! Please! ... I can change! ... Give me a chance!" Olga was weeping now. Bitter tears of self-reproach, regret and sorrow. "You don't understand! I am already gone!" His voice was low, barely audible. The expression in his face, the depth of his grief was incredible, it was written all over his face, he felt like torn into pieces, his facial muscles worked and in his jade green eyes she realized some sparkling tears when he turned to leave the room.

He just wanted to reach for the doorknob when Nathan Ramsey burst in with a short knock. Instantly - a quick glance at the scene was enough - Ramsey knew that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time:

"Sorry! I'll be back later!" Embarrassed he cleared his throat: "I didn't want to disturb!" Totally unusual for Ramsey! But Parker held him back:

"It's okay! I am already gone! We ... we are through!" With a last glance at Olga he wanted to pass Ramsey.

"Frank!" Olga wanted to follow him.

He stopped in the doorframe but didn't turn again. For a moment he put his head back and closed is eyes - hesitated - but the pain in his heart was too excruciating and he walked away through the long corridor, without looking back, not even once!

Olga was standing in the doorframe, petrified, unable to move or to speak, just sobbing and only vaguely registering Ramsey's mumbled 'it's better if I'll come back later' and that he had passed her. She could only stare at Frank's back, watch him vanishing behind a corner.

Finally she closed the door again! She was alone! She dropped onto her chair, buried her face in her hands and cried her heart out ... Eventually she wiped away the tears, gained back her self-control and her composure and soothed herself with the budding hope that after each rain cloud would shine the sun again! In his jade green eyes she could see how to life her life! But the chances were small! Too many 'ifs', too many 'whys'! Maybe she could still be with him? A new day would show!

Monday, August 26th, 4.07 p.m. (PDT), Nathan Ramsey's office (NNL):

A completely baffled Nathan Ramsey had returned to his office. He stood there, scratching his slightly bald head with his right hand, just wondering about the parts of the conversation he had - involuntarily - overhead and thinking aloud:

"Hell! The House of Parker is a bit short on domestic bliss! Poor guy! I always knew it but nobody wanted to listen! Gloomy predictions! They called me Cassandra! ... Bah! ... It's like adding fuel to the fire! The little communist and the psychopath! The beauty and the beast!"

He started to pace the office:

"Such a beautiful couple! But ... it seems as if they are not meant for each other! What a pity! The little Russian is an excellent scientist and Parker? Parker ... is the bravest man I ever had the honor to serve with!" He shook his head and froze ... His two MIB's had entered the office. They had knocked but Ramsey had been too lost in thoughts and hadn't realized that he was not longer alone!

For a few seconds he just stared at them until he regained his composure and barked:

"If you spread this I'll bury you! Do you read me?" Ramsey was furious.

His MIB's tried to keep a straight face and could only nod in agreement! Better to leave him alone! It was the best not to tangle with an angry Nathan Ramsey!

Monday, August 26th, 8.23 p.m. (PDT), Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley's quarters (NNL):

'Hooter' was a shadow of his former self! Over the past weeks - since he had watched Frank and Donovan having sex in Donovan's quarters - he never had spied on Frank again, had never switched on the monitors of the base security cameras. It had cut him to the quick! He had switched off the camera this special night but in his confusion he had forgotten to switch off the VCR and in the next morning he had found the tape! In the meantime - very late at night - he had watched this tape over and over again - like mesmerized. He had to watch it! It was better than any gay porn on the Internet! Because it was not anonymous! He knew the 'actors'! Each time

the video granted him an iron hard erection - painfully throbbing in his pants until he released himself - moving his fist on his length simultaneously to Frank's thrusts into Donovan, jerking off when he watched Frank's orgasm, sucking up every single detail, dreaming about having sex with him! He loved him so!

But over the past weeks Parker hadn't dropped by to hang around with him! Not even once! He was not angry, just disappointed, disillusioned and very sad!

Monday, August 26th, 8.23 p.m. (PDT), Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley's quarters (NNL):

'Hooter' was a shadow of his former self! Over the past weeks - since he had watched Frank and Donovan having sex in Donovan's quarters - he never had spied on Frank again, had never switched on the monitors of the base security cameras. It had cut him to the quick! He had switched off the camera this special night but in his confusion he had forgotten to switch off the VCR and in the next morning he had found the tape! In the meantime - very late at night - he had watched this tape over and over again - like mesmerized. He had to watch it! It was better than any gay porn on the Internet! Because it was not anonymous! He knew the 'actors'! Each time

the video granted him an iron hard erection - painfully throbbing in his pants until he released himself - moving his fist on his length simultaneously to Frank's thrusts into Donovan, jerking off when he watched Frank's orgasm, sucking up every single detail, dreaming about having sex with him, touching him, kissing him, feeling him, impaling himself on his beautiful cock. He loved him so!

But over the past weeks Parker hadn't dropped by to hang around with him! Not even once! He was not angry, just disappointed, disillusioned and very sad! At the moment he was searching through his belongings on his desk - rather plan less - maybe Tomb Raider III could distract him? He sighed deeply, adjusted his glasses and ran his fingers through short thistly arranged strands of dark blonde hair! He folded his hands in his neck and leaned back against the backrest of his chair - his mind drifted away - back to Frank Parker! He had heard about the incident in Dr. Vukavitch's office! Nothing was really private in the base and he had his sources. Since this special night - the tape - he had kept the promise to himself that he would never spy on him again - but he had heard some rumors! As usual the rumors had been lovingly decorated with new details - each time he had heard this from another side a new detail had been added, but in every rumor there was a core of truth! Truth was that the Parkers obviously had a severe problem and - at least momentarily - they were not able to solve it! He assumed that this was the reason why Parker had spent the night with Captain Donovan and why he had so criminally neglected him, why he hadn't dropped by to spend an evening just watching a video or something like this. It didn't really matter what - main thing was that Parker at all draped his body on the couch beside him.

Suddenly a slight knock at his door scared him off his gloominess! Nonchalantly leaning against the doorframe, his hands buried in the pockets of his dark blue overall - his secret destiny smiled at him:

"Hi 'Hooter'! How are you tonight?"

He tightened in his chair and looked at him very surprised:

"I'm fine! What brings you to me?" The words sounded annoyed, came out of his mouth sharper than he had originally wanted this.

Parker cleared his throat: "Um ... thought we could watch a movie tonight! ... If you want ... but I don't want to disturb, if you are too busy ...! I understand, genius at work!" Parker seemed to be a bit disappointed, slapping his flat hand against the doorframe he wanted to leave.

"No! I am just rummaging ... ! Nothing special! Sure we can watch ..." The words bubbled out of his mouth! He jumped off his chair: "Wanna watch something special?"

Parker pushed himself off the doorframe and crossed the room, carefully avoiding to step on the mess spread over the floor, CDs, tapes, books, documents, pictures and innumerable other things, finally he reached the couch and flopped onto it.

"I'll be back in a minute! I just have to bring Ramsey this floppy disk otherwise he will bury me alive! This slave driver wanted me to decode a French intel! My French is really pretty rusty! ... Make yourself at home! Beer is in the refrigerator! Tapes are ... ooouhh ... you know where!"

He waved the floppy disk in his hand and sprinted out of the room! Whistling he ran down the long hallway - almost dancing - Frank Parker hadn't forgotten him - he was waiting for him! In front of Ramsey's door he braked, almost failed the door and went inside to put the floppy disk on his desk. Turning on his heel he suddenly froze, went pale as if his entire blood had been sucked off by a vampire and ... flooded back into his body in a single tsunami, he blushed deeply, was in flames!

< Jesus! No! O my God! This can't be true! I am such an idiot! No, no, no, no! > With every 'no' he hammered his forehead against the doorframe.

Then he started to run back to his quarters - running as if a thousand devils would haunt him, running for his life ...

Parker knelt in front of the VCR, sitting in the middle of huge piles of tapes and looked at several tapes, sorting out the already watched ones, the ones which wasn't of his interest at the moment and the one's which sounded promising - mostly horror or science fiction videos, when he detected a tape, already inserted in the recorder, sprouting out half of the machine - obviously not spooled back. He pulled the tape out of the machine! No title! No empty cover with a title around! Frowning he shrugged his shoulders, inserted the tape back into the VCR and pressed the fast-rewind-button of the remote control. Within a minute the tape was rewound to the beginning and he pressed the start-button ...

Breathless 'Hooter' arrived at his door and burst into his quarters ...

... Too late! ...

Frank had found the tape and was watching it, every now and then a fast-forward, a stop, a fast-forward, a stop ... ! When he realized that 'Hooter' was standing behind him, heavily breathing, he stopped the tape and turned his head - a dangerous expression on his face:

"You are spying on me? Do I have not even the faintest fragment of privacy in this damned dump? It's worse than in a high-security wing of a jail! Just like a zoo! Come and watch the little monkey!" Not a question. A statement.

'Hooter' looked at him; if possible his face would have burst into flames if he had blushed any more. Helplessly he could only stammer incoherent words:

"Frank! I'm so sorry! I ... it's just because ... O my God! I ...haven't ... It was just incidentally ... ! NO! ... intentionally ... I mean yes!" He broke off.

Slowly - dangerously slow - Parker rose to his feet, standing in front of him now. Between grinded teeth he could only hiss:

"Close the door!"

Instantly 'Hooter' followed this demand, turned, closed the door and came back, facing him, but lowered his eyes and stared at the floor. His whole world collapsed about him. Gladly he would have given an arm and a leg to eliminate this tape. The tape that showed everything: Parker shaving, Parker in the shower, Parker masturbating in the shower and ... Parker and Donovan

having sex.

He startled. The cracking noise of the remote control violently and frantically smashed at the wall of his quarter startled him out of his thoughts.

"Out with it now! What's the problem? ... What's this? And don't dare to fob me off with lame excuses!" Frank's still hissed questions - he was fighting back his rage - scared him. Parker was looking as if he was going to kill him with his bare hands, only hardly reining his anger. He was so angry that 'Hooter' could see the v-shaped veins standing out on his forehead:

"Answer! Now! As long as I am still able to control myself! Was it Ramsey's idea to put you on me, because my 'chaperones' always failed? This is low! I trusted you!"

Parker stood there - a picture of an avenging angel - a disgusted and disappointed avenging angel.

"No! Ramsey has nothing to do with it! Believe me! I did it!" 'Hooter' mumbled the words, still focusing the pattern on the floor.

"You? ... Hell! Why? ... Why?" Parker shook his head in disbelief: "Kindly look at me!"

Slowly 'Hooter' raised his head, looking into the frowning face of Frank Parker, still fuming with rage.

"Why? ..." For a moment he had to close his eyes before he was able to continue, he swallowed hard:

"'Cause I love you!" His voice was barely audible.

"What? Don't mess around!" An annoyed Frank Parker was a very dangerous man, like a wild animal trapped in a corner. He stood there, his arms folded and waiting:

"'Cause I love you!" This time the words were clearly audible: "I fell in love with you at first sight! And over the past two years I couldn't do more than ... creeping up on you ... spying on you! You enjoy a good reputation being a womanizer! Everybody in the base considers you being a womanizer - chasing Olga like the Devil the poor lost soul! And you married her! So I had no chance, no choice! Not the faintest hint that you could be at least bi! I hate myself for doing this but I couldn't help ...! I can't take my fingers off you! I can't get enough of you!" He ran his fingers through his hair - making a complete mess of his hair:

"I ... I know you like me! ... You even think of me being your little brother! You like to hang around with me! ... The freaky boy! Freaky 'Hooter' ... But ... I am no boy! I'm a man! Have you ever looked at me? I mean really? Have you ever realized that I'm no boy? ... Guess not!"

He raised his arms and dropped them again, a sign of frustration: "... But for me it seemed as if there was never a chance that .... that you would like me more, would love me ... the way I love you! And then I watched you ... with Donovan! Gracious God Parker! I had the irrational idea that ... someday ... my dream would come true ... I would kiss you, run my fingers and my lips over your body, touch you like lovers do ... and ...! I love you!" He sighed deeply:

"Okay! Now I came out! Do what ever you want with me! Guess I've deserved it!" He looked at him.

Parker stood there, mute, his arms still folded, but the expression in his face had changed - not dangerous anymore - surprised, sad, bewildered and a little embarrassed. He heaved a sigh:

"O! ... Wow! Seems as if there is a jinx on everything today!" He rubbed his temple with the fingertips of his right hand:

"I don't get it! ... Whoa! ... Phew! ... Do you have a clue how many people said that they'd love me?" He shook his head, his mocking laughter sounded bitter: "In my experience ... love hurts! ... Always! ...!"

He shrugged his shoulders: "Anyhow! ... And ... after watching me together with Craig you thought that I am bi? ... To be honest, I don't know what I am! I always thought 'straight' but ... with Craig ... I ... admit I like it! Maybe this is the darkest corner of my crazy mind! Seems as for the moment I am living among my creatures of the night! Or maybe this was just another one in a series of mistakes, lining up like pearls on a string! Momentarily my whole life seems to be made of mistakes!" He heaved a sigh, his facial muscles worked; he chewed at his lower lip.

Then he smiled. Irresistibly. His old charismatic nonchalance had gained the upper hand again and the usual well-known charming and warmhearted Parker-smile appeared. He approached him, closing the last inch of space between their bodies. He bent his head a bit to meet the younger man's gaze. 'Hooter' was a few inches smaller.

"By the way ...!" He cleared his throat and smiled: "I have looked at you!"

Slowly he reached for the glasses and gently removed them, putting them down on the desk behind him. 'Hooter' stood there motionless, unable to move only an inch and didn't even dare to breathe.

Parker turned again, facing him and let his eyes wander over the slim body in front of him, dressed in one of the usually much too big sweatshirts with an additional olive green t-shirt over it, the one that says: ME/VER.1.0 written all over the chest, the two necklaces, one only a narrow

leather ribbon, the other one, dark brown little pearls on a leather string, the friendship bracelet around the right wrist, the two rings each worn on a middle finger of a hand, the pants with the oversized pockets, down to the sneakers and back. He looked into 'Hooter's' face, the dark blonde

slightly reddish strands of his thistly hedgehog hairstyle, into his beautiful dark brown eyes, now exposed and not hidden anymore behind thick black glasses, the long whiskers, the beautiful curve of pink colored lips:

"Looks as if your tribe has many buffalos!" He joked.

"What?" A completely baffled 'Hooter' tightened and looked at him.

Parker slightly tugged at the fabric of the sweatshirt and grinned:

"Well! The tent is big enough for at least a dozen!"

"Ah! ... I like it! ... It's... it's just comfortable!" 'Hooter' stammered an answer.

He raised his right hand and amicably but very gently ran his fingers through 'Hooter's' messed up strands of dark blonde hair, rearranging it. 'Hooter' had closed his eyes and his body shivered under the touches; a low moan escaped between his lips. Parker reached further down and put his

hand in his neck, gently stroking him.

He shrugged his shoulders: "You live freely if you haven't a reputation to lose!"

'Hooter's' eyes flicked open in surprise and he looked straight into jade green eyes.

"Only one single precondition! I really like you ... very much! But you don't own me and you don't control me ... ! Give me room to breathe! Don't fence me in! There are days I seem to drown without water ... but ...!" He laughed mockingly: "I always take care about others but now it's time to take care of myself! No commitments, no little games and I'm not going to promise anything what I can't keep!"

Actually this was more than only one precondition, but who cared? 'Hooter' couldn't answer, found no words; he could only nod in agreement, his heart was madly hammering in his chest, echoing in his ears like drums. The heartbeats so loud that he thought the whole world must hear them ... and then ... his heart seemed to miss a beat ... Parker had pulled him close and kissed him. Endlessly soft. Coaxing his lips apart, touching the tip of his tongue with his own.

'Hooter' seemed to be weightless. The kiss lifted him up hovering in a cloud of pure bliss, emotion and passion - his dream had come true. The kiss became deeper, more demanding. He had always imagined Parker as a good kisser, but that he was so damned good ...! He could only wrap his arms around him, holding him tight, pressing his body against the muscular man, relishing the body heat radiating off Parker and feel the strong muscles under the fabric of his dark blue overall, swept away by passion and bliss. Every single drop of blood seemed to shoot into his loin, making him hard as a rock and unconsciously he softly began to thrust against him. Working a

hand between their bodies, he began to stroke Parker through the fabric and felt that he was getting hard too. He moaned into the mouth kissing him, wanted more, each fragment of a second of this kiss made him harder - close to pain now! No man, no kiss had ever had caused such a body reaction with him. When Parker finally broke off the kiss to come up for air 'Hooter' felt as if he could bore through solid rock.

"Your ... 'French' ... is everything else but rusty! ... Pretty good!" There was a smile in these jade green eyes. He bent his head, kissing the smooth skin of 'Hooter's' neck, feeling the pulsation of the rapid heartbeats underneath his lips he had to smile. In slow circles his tongue wandered

upwards and he started to nibble at his ear, in between outlining the contours with his tongue, feeling 'Hooter's' hands on his back and on his butts, his fingers piercing through the fabric into his flesh, pressing him against his slim body, noticing his low husky moans of pleasure.

Suddenly he gently pushed him back and grabbed his shoulders, provoking a husky protest:

"Don't stop! For heaven's sake, Frank, don't stop!"

Ignoring him, he turned, took the glasses, unfolded them and carefully put them back onto 'Hooter's' nose:

"No!" He smiled and shook his head: "Too many unbidden sleazy watchers! Andy I'm not hot for watching myself in gay porn again, this time going round the entire Base!"

"Oh!" 'Hooter' was heavily breathing: "And therefore you think you can tease me, make me hard as a rock and ... just drop me like a hot potato?" He shook his head violently: "O no! No little games! Forgotten? Kindly finish what you've started! Fuck me! I want you to fuck me! You damned SEAL!" The expression on 'Hooter's' face was a mixture between sheer desperation,

endless frustration, pain and hope.

"Frank!" His name was spoken softly, like a little prayer.

Parker closed his eyes and put his head back, exposing the strong chains of neck muscles and exhaled sharply:

"No little games!" He sighed: "You are right! Meet me at my quarters - at midnight! Then we'll ..." He was rudely interrupted.

"What? Your quarters? Are you crazy? Then we can stay here as well! And

...

I don't want to wait such a long time! I can't!" 'Hooter' was completely baffled.

Parker grinned: "No, I am not crazy! Wait and see! I had an idea! But ... okay, let's go!" Inviting he moved his head and cleared his throat: "Um ... incidentally you don't have ... um ... equipment?"

"What? O ...! Sure!" 'Hooter' blushed a little bit, but crossed the room and opened a drawer. Out of this drawer he took a pack of condoms and a tube of lubrication and packed it into one of the huge pockets of his pants.

Parker put a hand on his back and shoved him forwards, out of his quarters. They went down the hallway, around several corners and suddenly he stopped in front of a huge row of metal lockers. Looking around he opened a door and stepped into the locker, pulling 'Hooter' along with him. He closed the locker's door and ... behind some clothes, to be precise, behind some orange replacement suits for chrononauts in several different sizes, he opened a heavy hidden secret metal door, exposing the view at an iron stairway, leading downwards into a small room ...

Monday, August 26th, 10.47 p.m. (PDT), Frank Parker's secret hide away (NNL):

"Wow! Frank! You are a genius! A secret hidden bunker! How the hell did you find that?" 'Hooter' was all eyes and open-mouthed staring at the scene in front of him.

"Well! Long story! I haven't been there for more than three years! I found it long time ago rummaging through some documents and plans in a storage room on sublevel 17. Nobody knows this bunker - at least not in this timeline!"

A very thoughtful Frank Parker slowly went down the stairs, the memories caught up with him. Very unpleasing memories! Memories of Olga - no, Galina, Olga's evil Russian FBS double - meeting him there, surprising him with her strange behavior, almost knocking him off because she suddenly had torn off his shirt and had kissed him passionately, pushing him onto the mattress of

the huge iron bedstead and had wanted to sleep with him. He had been this surprised that he had refused her - for him everything suddenly had slipped out of his control, had been too fast, her sudden horniness had scared him off and ... he hadn't noticed that she had grabbed the heavy wooden baseball bat. She had knocked him down, hadn't stopped hitting out at him, had broken

his leg, his arm, and several ribs and almost killed him with this baseball bat. Then she had tied up his unconscious body at the iron bedstead - in an almost superhuman effort she had attained to heave his body onto the bed. For more than three days he had been tied up there, without medical

support - stunned by the drugs she had injected him until he had been able to reach the crashed remnants of his telephone, in a makeshift repaired and send an SOS to every team member's pager. Nathan Ramsey had found him but before he had been able to warn him, Galina had killed Ramsey. Up to today he didn't really know how he actually managed to free himself with the help of Ramsey's pocketknife and crawl up the stairs finally collapsing in the hallway.

He looked around. Everything in the room seemed to be untouched. The bed was carefully made up - because of his backstep and another timeline - the two monitors of the observation cameras still worked and showed a view of the hallway, the small refrigerator was quietly humming, the telephone on the iron nightstand was intact, some magazines were spread over the small table and the baseball bat leaned peacefully in a corner of the room.

For a moment he was lost in thoughts before he realized that 'Hooter' was standing at his side.

"How the hell did you get this bed in here? Wow! Your little ... hide out ... is perfect, almost homelike!" He sat down on the bed and looked at him - full of expectation. When he noticed that Parker obviously hesitated, he took off his glasses and put them down on the nightstand, then he

emptied the pocket of his pants and also put down the pack of condoms and the lubrication. With a little smile playing around his lips he rose again and approached him:

"Maybe still you don't exactly know what you want, what you might prefer, but I definitely know what I want! Or should I say who I want?"

Standing in front of him, he grabbed the zipper and slowly he began to pull it down. Mute. None of them spoke a word. Their eyes were locked. Only the quiet noise of the zipper. Barely audible. His hand slipped into the overall touched the broad chest. Rested there. Like in slow motion he stripped the upper part of the overall over the shoulders. His eyes never lost contact with jade green. The fabric fell down on the floor and Parker stepped out of his overall, removed his heavy boots and socks and stood there only wearing a white t-shirt and white boxer shorts. 'Hooter' had removed his sneakers and socks too and was about to open his pants, when strong hands stopped

him.

Parker grabbed his t-shirt and sweatshirt and pulled it over his arms and head, throwing everything on the floor. Looking straight into 'Hooter's' eyes he opened the waistband of the olive green pants and the zipper. His left hand pulled him close and his right hand found its way into 'Hooter's' flies. Through the fabric of his briefs he stroked his hard-on, still uncomfortably trapped behind the fabric, felt a wet spot - clear drops of pre-come had soaked the briefs. He kissed him. 'Hooter' melted under this kiss and the touches, embraced him, and was like wax under his skillful ministrations. He removed his hands and stroke his chest, the smooth hairless skin, the pink nipples, downwards the slim, lean body and slipped his hands under the waistband of pants and briefs. In a single dexterous move he shoved both clothes down to the ankles, sinking with the

movement and let him step out of the fabric. He knelt in front of him and raised his head, looking into dark brown eyes.

'Hooter' was shivering in anticipation, his now freed erection sprouting out of smooth curls of dark blonde pubic hair, the tiny slit on the deep pink head heavily leaking, the drops of pre-come slowly dribbled down his aroused shaft, leaving a glistening wet trace, right in front of Parker's smiling

face. Strong hands stroked over his flat stomach down his thighs and rested on his butts. A fingertip gently touched the tight ring of anus muscles, encircling them while a hand cupped his testicles and began to massage them. 'Hooter' threw his head back and moaned load. The feeling was sensational. Instantly he gasped sharp, jerked and bent his head. Parker's tongue licked off the pre-come and warm lips engulfed his glans, gently sucking him deeper into his mouth. He grabbed into strands of dark brown hair almost whimpering of pleasure. With every move a dexterous tongue rubbed the foreskin up and down, swirled around the sensitive head, teasing him, arousing him, hands caressed his balls, his anus, a finger gently probed him. His hands clenched

into the dark brown hair, wanted to press this wonderful mouth deeper down his throbbing shaft, wanted to thrust into this hot sensation. He was close, so close, could only moan a name, over and over again: Frank!

Slowly the ministrations changed, became featherlike touches. He rose to his feet and gently nudged him back onto the mattress.

"Hold this thought!"

With a big grin Parker undressed and climbed onto the mattress kneeling beside him. He bent down; his lips, tongue and teeth caressed the neck, collarbones and pink nipples. He slipped further down, pinned him onto the mattress and his tongue began to play with 'Hooter's' belly button, neglecting the special body part that begged for his attention. Cruelly he kept him on tenterhooks! Smiling against the warm flesh, noticing the upward thrusts of 'Hooter's' hips, his need for more, his urge for release, his moans, he finally had mercy on him and he lowered his head, engulfed the twitching flesh, grabbed the base firmly to hold back climax and began

to suck him - excruciatingly slow. 'Hooter' writhed underneath him. Parker drove him crazy - eliminating every single cell of his brain - leaving back only pure need.

He was too close! 'Hooter' arched upwards, his hands grabbed into Parker's hair again and he bucked violently, the waves of his tremendous orgasm made him tremble, frantically ejecting his semen into Parker's mouth, crying out loud.

Parker swallowed and didn't stop sucking him until the last waves of climax slowly faded. He liked the taste! Sweet. Slightly bitter. Like plain chocolate. He had a favor for plain chocolate. He raised his head and planted little kisses upwards the slim body, stretching out his body alongside, until he was able to meet 'Hooter's' lips. He was hungrily welcomed! 'Hooter' pulled him on top of him and wrapped his legs around his thighs, rubbing his half hard cock against Parker's, almost instantly getting hard again. Insatiable desire. Within kissing him breathless he mumbled:

"Frank! Please! Please!"

Parker raised himself up into a press-up position, for a moment hovering over the body underneath him, slowly rubbing the leaking sensitive head of his own rigid member over 'Hooter's' loin, smiling at him, then heavily breathing he expelled:

"Please what?" Teasing. An innocent little boy smile - his face the living expression of innocence. But there were a thousand little devils dancing in his jade green eyes.

"Frank! God! You want me to say it? ... Okay, I've already said it! ... But okay!" 'Hooter' was panting with tension, arousal and need:

"Fuck me! Damned SEAL ...!" A kiss silenced him. Finally Parker broke the kiss and freed himself out of the passionate embracement. He bent over him and reached for a condom and the lube. Heavily breathing 'Hooter' could barely wait until Parker had rolled on the condom and opened the tube. He spread some of the lube on his hands and prepared his shaft when he was

rudely pulled onto 'Hooter' again, leaving him no chance to close the tube again. Unnoticed it dropped on the floor. He settled himself between 'Hooter's' legs to spread him further apart and sat back on his heels. Gently he began to rub the lube into the tight ring of muscles, perfectly

presented in front of him. When he inserted a finger to prepare him, 'Hooter' twisted his hips in excitement and pleasure, lifted them to get more of the digit, and clenched his muscles to draw him further in. Each gentle move to and fro rubbed over his prostate, made him hard again and

when a second slick finger was inserted he cried out in passion:

"Frank!"

Parker removed his fingers and shoved a pillow under 'Hooter's' hips. 'Hooter' wrapped his legs around Parker's waist. Tantalizingly slow Parker entered him, inch for inch, slowly, gently until he was fully embedded, then he stopped moving until 'Hooter' became adjusted to his size. He bent

forward and kissed him, licking over the hot flesh of 'Hooter's' neck, his collarbones, sucking at the smooth skin and leaving a deep red mark on the right side of his neck. He still didn't move.

"Andy you're so tight, so hot ... so incredible!" A hiss of pleasure.

'Hooter' bucked against him to make him move and he whispered:

"Please move! O God move!" He had captured his lover's face, gently caressing his cheeks with his thumbs: "Please move!"

Parker's eyes - now dark as emeralds from mountains - were locked with 'Hooter's' when he finally started rocking. Slow, deep and skillful thrusts, soft moans. Each thrust met 'Hooter's' prostate, driving him crazy. Sensual overload. 'Hooter' had grabbed his sides again clutching him to his body and didn't lose eye contact. He kept his eyes open, wanted to look into these now emerald green eyes of his lover. Pearls of sweat covered their bodies when Parker sped up his thrust into him. He rested his weight on his left elbow and he worked his right fist between their entwined bodies closing around 'Hooter's' length, copying the rhythm of his cock into him.

Playing with him. Driving both of them insane with pleasure. 'Hooter' had dragged him forward to kiss him, ran his fingers through his hair, pressing him down on his lips. Their tongues entwined. Parker broke off the kiss - no breath left for that.

A few seconds later 'Hooter' cried out his climax, his body rocking helplessly, spilling his warm milky seed over Parker's hand and their stomachs, in a never known intensity. The convulsive clenching of muscles around Parker's shaft drove him over the edge too. Parker had thrown

his head back and climaxed the very moment 'Hooter' had opened his eyes again to watch him come. He was his destiny, his wonderful devilish demon of lust, his obsession, his whole world. He had closed his eyes, his lips slightly parted, the v-shaped veins standing out on his forehead, the strong chains of neck muscles tense, the whole body a play of muscles and sinews, a low, deep growl escaped from deep down his chest when he exploded inside 'Hooter' with a few last frantic and deep thrusts savagely claiming this right, his ownership, his whole body trembling and shivering of passion and release. The lion king had marked his territory, had proofed his claims and had unmistakably clarified his possession, his leading role in this game that he was his that every fiber, every square inch of 'Hooter' belonged to him.

For a few moments they were just panting. Parker had lowered his head to look into dark brown eyes still blurred with bliss, passion and love. Slowly a few pearls of sweat dropped onto 'Hooter's' rapidly rising and falling chest. He bent his head and wiping off his sweat covered face on his shoulder, smiled at him and carefully slipped out to lie down alongside him. He removed the condom and threw it into the paper basket beside the bed. 'Hooter' turned on his side, lifted up so that he could plant little nips on kiss-swollen lips and finally snuggled up against Parker, just relishing the strong body beside him before he fell asleep, sated and exhausted, listening to the steady rhythm of the heartbeat underneath his head.

Tuesday, August 27th, 7.00 a.m. (PDT), Frank Parker's secret hide away (NNL):

'Hooter' had no clue how long he had been sleeping. When he awoke he was lying on his left side and feeling a muscular body pressing against his back, a hard male erection stirring at his thigh and an arm around his waist, holding him tight, his own hard-on piercing into the mattress. He

moved a little and finally his sleepy brain had mercy on him and started working again - flooding him with pictures of passionate lovemaking. Carefully - he didn't want to awake his green-eyed lover - he shifted a bit further to lie on his back and glanced at his watch. Seven o'clock in the

morning! Still sleeping Parker had turned on his back and shoved an arm under his head. Quietly and very carefully 'Hooter' turned to look at him. His eyes wandered over the beautiful magnificent body, sucking up every single detail: the small scar on the right eyebrow, the little dark

mole on the left cheek, the Roman nose, the slightly tanned smooth skin, the steady rising and falling of the broad chest, the six-pack of abdominal muscles, the slim waist, the v-shaped loin muscles, the unconscious beautiful matutinal hard-on, the long muscular legs, revealing Parker's fable for jogging. For such a muscular well-trained and well-endowed man he had been a wonderful lover, passionate but very gently making love to him so there had been hardly any stretching pain when he had entered him and had fully seated himself into him. He couldn't resist, he had to kiss him. A featherlike touch of lips.

Parker's eyes flicked open, revealing again their beautiful jade green color and he looked into a grinning face, sleepily answering the smile. For 'Hooter' it seemed as if the sun was breaking through the rainy clouds, a rainbow appearing after a rain shower.

With a bright smile 'Hooter' softly whispered: "Good morning!" Revealing his insatiable desire.

Parker stretched, rolling the muscles of his body like a beautiful elegant wild animal, a predator, a beast of prey, dangerous and fascinating, the incarnation of erotic, causing the anyway very interested lower anatomic parts of 'Hooter's' body to react even more! Noticing 'Hooter's' interest a diabolic grin appeared on his handsome face!

All of a sudden 'Hooter' bent over him and pinned him down on the mattress:

"O no! Wait! It's my turn! The score is 2-1 for you!"

A cheeky grin played around Parker's lips but he gave in when 'Hooter' kissed him, exploring his mouth as if for the first time, outlining the contours his lips with the tip of his tongue. His kissed his way over cheekbone and jaw down to his throat. His tongue tracing its path over the carotid artery and finally he started to suck at his throat, leaving a red mark there. Little kisses were planted on the collarbones and the erected dark brown nipples, teased with lips, tongue and teeth. His hands wandered over the smooth skin in small circles, caressing and adoring his lover's body. He felt a hand running through his hair, gently stroking him and looked up. Parker had closed his eyes, simply relishing the soft manipulations.

"Tell me what you want! Tell me what you like!" 'Hooter' was serious. Parker's eyes flicked open and he bent his head to meet 'Hooter's' gaze. With a little smile he shook his head. He stayed mute, just watching 'Hooter's' tongue licking over his stomach. Suddenly he jerked. 'Hooter' had

bitten him, not really hard, but rather noticeably and now he began a titillating game, a mixture between a kind of licking at a Popsicle and biting into a sandwich, arousing him, making him gasp under sharp teeth.

"Hey! I'm not your breakfast roll!" A very aroused Parker expelled the words, instantly followed by another sharp gasp.

"Mmmh! You taste better!" A busy 'Hooter' mumbled against hot skin. Slipping further down, he started to nibble at the inner side of Parker's thighs. Softer. Provoking a low protest.

"Stop this!"

"Can't! Too busy!" 'Hooter' stopped his ministrations only for a second and grinned: "Need a filling for my sandwich!" Another very cheeky grin: "Shaved! Love this!"

With these words he lowered his head and started to lick over Parker's testicles. Shoving his thighs a bit further apart, he began to suck at the smooth, shaved skin of the testicles. Quietly humming he took one by one into his mouth, while his fingers were seeking for the spot right

behind, found it and started to massage the prostate. Smiling he intensified the massage, when he heard a lust filled soft moan. His finger traced further behind and encircled the anus, gently and very carefully probing it with a fingertip. Parker tightened and flinched back. 'Hooter' made a little

mental note to himself: Be careful - he isn't used to that! A bit jumpy! Just dream on!

He lifted his weight and knelt down between Parker's spread legs. His hand cupped the testicles, softly rolling the balls in his hand, he licked off the pre-come, relishing the taste in his mouth. His tongue swirled around the dark sensitive head and finally sucked it into his mouth. His head began a slow rhythm moving up and down the rock hard shaft, alternately sucking at the glans, licking and again engulfing almost the full length, while his fingers rubbed along the crotch. When he sped up a little bit, he felt a hand in his hair, finger clenching around his dark blonde strands, slightly

pressing him down. A thought flashed through his brain: let's try it again? His mouth slowed down. Again his fingertips sought for the tight ring of muscles and caressed it. Carefully he inserted a fingertip, prepared for Parker's reaction. This time, the grip into his hair was a bit harder, but he didn't flinch back. < Good! > Inch for inch he penetrated him and finally felt the small knob of muscles - the prostate - his final goal. He rubbed over it and heard a soft moan of pleasure. < Yesss! Got you! >

Softly he began to move his finger, the rhythm simultaneous to the movements of his mouth. Parker arched upwards. He held him tight, leaving him no chance to flinch again and continued his ministrations - slowly but surely driving Parker crazy. Each penetration met the prostate accompanied by a passionate sucking at the cock. Soon the body underneath him was covered

with tiny pearls of sweat. Pure tension. Pure arousal. Pure lust. He sensed that Parker desperately tried to fight against his body reactions, that he tried to hold back climax - tried to ignore his need for release. 'Hooter' smiled around the throbbing shaft. < No chance sweetheart! > He sped up, merciless bringing him closer and closer to orgasm, sucking him harder, impaling him deeper.

Parker braced himself against the mattress and bucked upwards. The intensity of his fought back climax surprised him totally. His body shivered while he ejaculated violently into the hot, velvet and skillful mouth engulfing him. Hot white surges of release flashed through his body - seemed to be endless. 'Hooter' sucked him off - in the literally meaning - didn't stop until he had swallowed the last drop of semen.

Gently he withdrew, drew himself upwards, gliding over the body underneath him like a snake until he could kiss him breathless. Parker tasted himself on 'Hooter's' lips and tongue. A lingering kiss that took him in. The lack of air let them break off this kiss. 'Hooter' smiled at him:

"What a wonderful breakfast!"

Parker closed his eyes for a moment, still a bit breathless, he shook his head, his fingertips gently caressing 'Hooter's' cheek, touching his lips, before he got serious again, matter-of-factly, but with a thousand little green devils in his eyes:

"Whoa! ... Andy! ... You blow better than Louis Armstrong!" A bright irresistible ear-to-ear-grin appeared on his face and he pulled him close to kiss him.

"Andy I think it's time to get up!" Reluctantly both had to accept that they had to stop their love game and that they had to prepare themselves for the daily duties ...

Wednesday, October 2nd, 9.02 a.m. (PDT), Briefing room (NNL):

Five weeks had passed. And two backsteps. Another five weeks without Olga. Their marriage? Momentarily he followed the pro-verb: Shame on you if you fool me once, but shame on me if you fool me twice!

Five weeks of passionate lovemaking either with Captain Craig Donovan in his quarters or Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley in the secret bunker. Five weeks. Two backsteps. In fact seven weeks - at least for Frank Parker - again he had to live two weeks twice! One thing had led to another! It was a shame! ... Was it? ... Why? ... Maybe he was only checking his possibilities, how far

he could go? ... Looking back at all he had done, he had always tried to do his best! An honest life! A proud life! Brave! ... An insipid aftertaste?

...

Why did he feel guilty? ... He had done nothing wrong! ... ? ... Had he? ... Really? ...

Frank Parker was torn between two lovers! Slowly but surely the situation was more he could cope with. During the days he had to uphold the amicable relationship with both men, had to take care that none of them became aware that he had a 'rival' during the nights. This was not what he wanted! It was against his nature. He was too honest to keep up playing this game with both of them. He had to find a solution for his problem without hurting one of them and ... aggravating ... without losing one of them!

Absentminded he stared at the coffee in his mug as if a solution would surface right now in this dark brown, steaming liquid. A plop and he would know! Suddenly Bradley Talmadge's voice startled him out of his pondering thoughts. He shook his head to scare away these thoughts, to clear his mind.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen!"

With these words Dr. Bradley Talmadge, followed by Chief of Security Nathan Ramsey entered the room and greeted the already waiting members of the alpha team. With a little smile he noticed that - pretty unusual - Frank Parker was already there too! Mostly Parker was late and this fact was always commented with one of Nathan Ramsey's galling remarks. But Ramsey

frowned - even for this rather unfamiliar situation he had something perfect up his sleeves:

"Who's this? Parker? Have you flown out of your bed or is your alarm clock up the spout?"

His reply was a meek glance at the ceiling and clearing his throat Bradley Talmadge started the meeting. Two hours later the rather boring agenda was done.

"Alright! Before we'll finish I have a little surprise for you! A ... let's say ... field trip for some of us!" Talmadge motioned Nathan Ramsey to continue.

Six pairs of eyes were locked with Talmadge and Ramsey, who left his chair and planted himself in front of the huge conference table, a rather mischievous big ear-to-ear-grin on his face. Talmadge stayed mute but had a problem to keep his straight face as well as Isaac Mentnor and Sally Danziger. Obviously they knew more than the rest.

After a highly effective and elaborative break the Chief of Security let himself down to elucidate the remaining members:

"The NSA Panel ... " He grinned brightly into the direction of Sally Danziger - who showed a completely untouched expression on her face, in the meantime she was used to his innuendos regarding her true profession - and wanted to continue, rudely interrupted when Parker piped up:

"C'mon! Spill it! If possible today!"

Ramsey ignored this comment and took his time:

" ... the NSA Panel has decided that Captain Craig Donovan ... " a benevolent look accompanied the Captain's name: " ... and our psychopath ..." a frowning followed: "... as well as our punk ..." 'Hooter' startled: "... will have a four days survival training!" He melted the last words in his mouth, triumphantly looking at the three aforementioned men.

"What? ... A survival training? But ... I am not a soldier!" 'Hooter' was bewildered, couldn't trust his ears.

"Mr. Owsley it serves you right! It won't do any harm if a freaky hacker will have some days in real life!"

"Do you want to kill me? Four days with two SEALS in the wilderness? This is a bit thick!" 'Hooter' shook his head in disbelief.

Donovan grinned at him but stayed mute. Parker exchanged some amused looks with Donovan and 'Hooter' and sighed deeply, clearing his throat:

"Numb head! I don't think this is really brilliant! You can't remember my first survival training! After two days with your 'chaperones' close on my heels you had to pick me up - by the way just when I felt at home at this lovely lake and enjoyed living the life of a free - 'cause an insane

employee with AMRIID had managed to steal a vial of the Ebola virus! Do I have to mention the consequences?" Parker's comment gushed with mockery.

"Does this really make sense?" Donovan piped up for the first time: "Frank and I we are both in an excellent physical condition. Olga will affirm this. And 'Hooter'? Just prescribe him some sports! That's it!" Donovan shrugged his shoulders, completely unimpressed by 'Hooter's' remonstrative and outraged sharp hiss. Dr. Olga Vukavitch-Parker only nodded, confirming

Donovan's comment and viewing their personal files in front of her, containing the latest results of the regular medical examinations.

"Gentlemen!" Dr. Isaac Mentnor's well-known imperturbable and serious voice tried to calm down the inflamed passions:

"Gentleman! Please! In my humble opinion this idea isn't this bad! And by the way Frank you will have a few days off the Base! And in case of emergency - you are not too far away!"

"Point for you!" Parker acknowledged with a bright smile.

But Mentnor continued: "Andrew! Don't worry! With Donovan and Parker you are safer than in the bosom of Abraham! It's not advisable for a young man to hide behind his computer 24-7! So just enjoy it!"

"Do I have a choice? At least do we have sleeping bags and food? Do we?" 'Hooter' seemed to abandon himself to his inescapable fate, in spirit weighing the pros and cons. On one hand this meant four days with Frank ... and Donovan (!), on the other hand there was this tiny detail

containing spiders, snakes and other very unpleasing crawling things, quite apart from the wild animals ...

"Sissy! This is a survival trip not a vacation at the Ritz!" Ramsey grunted contemptibly.

"Alright! Let's put an end to this! Departure is tomorrow morning, at 4 a.m.!" Bradley Talmadge rose from his chair - smiling - but unmistakably he had spoken the King's command.

Everybody else rose too, Olga couldn't hide a little compassionate smile and Sally Danziger left the room with a 'have-fun!' just hearing Frank's mumbled 'you-can-bet-on-it'!

Thursday, October 3rd, 6.04 a.m. (PDT), somewhere in Nevada, rural area:

A black helicopter was hovering over a lovely little lake in the abandoned rural area somewhere in Nevada. The sun had just risen beneath the horizon, a flaming red light ball, bathing half of the sky and the landscape in a surreal subdued deep pink light, emphasizing the innumerable treetops that sprouted out of the ground in darkest black, their feet hidden behind misty veils dancing and hovering over the humus soil in a strange eons old rhythm of mystery, kept up since the beginning of time and giving everything the impression of ... loneliness and the illusion of a tiny touch of the

idea what ... eternity ... meant. The lake reflected the trunks of trees, the red sun ball and the mountain range at a distance, partly covered with snow. A lovely view - even romantic for the eyes of the very few possible beholders that might get lost in the solitude of the mountains and this lake!

On board were three rather overtired looking members of Project Backstep! Andrew 'Hooter' Owsley sat on the floor, a picture of misery, but at least he had convinced Bradley Talmadge to allow them the rather questionable comfort of sleeping bags and some food. Due to this fact Donovan and Parker - though they were overtired too - considered this trip as something like a

little vacation, a welcomed alternation. How many times had they spent their nights under the skies of different countries - mostly in covert ops: Honduras, Bangladesh, Somalia ... It had always been a secret military operation - so this was fun, a gentlemen's round in the wilderness at a lovely little lake.

The helicopter pilot turned round, a bright smile on his face:

"Okay ladies! Here we are! Get outta here!"

Instantly Parker and Donovan knew what he wanted, but 'Hooter' looked at them - uncomprehending. The pilot had no intention to land the helicopter; he wanted them to jump - into the water! Hopefully he would at least drop the equipment on the waterside of the lake!

Donovan and Parker rose to their feet - dragging 'Hooter' along with them and opened one of the sliding doors - a sharp blast came in.

"What ...? ... Aaaah ....!" 'Hooter' had no time to finish his question. A rather ungentle push in his back - accompanied by an evil grin on Parker's face - sent him off the helicopter, directly into the water!

Splash! ... The very moment 'Hooter' re-appeared on the surface - snorting, coughing and struggling for breath - he heard a 'whoopee!' and two male bodies hit the surface - right beside him - smashing into the water like water bombs - splashing the rather cold liquid over him again. Seconds later Donovan and Parker - coughing too, but more of laughter than of too much swallowed water - appeared at his sides. An amicable slap on his back followed and they started to swim into the direction of the waterside, where their equipment - huge backpacks with sleeping bags - just hit the ground; the helicopter turned and disappeared behind some huge pine trees.

'Hooter' thanked God that he - maybe a wise presentiment, a divine influence - had stowed his glasses in the breast pocket of his parka. He pulled them out and put them on again, still standing in the water - waist-high. He looked at the two men, sitting at the waterside with drawn up knees,

soaked to the skin but with rather mischievous and diabolic grins on their faces, attentively watching him.

"Hey come out! Or do you want to spend the whole day there?" Parker - still smiling - motioned him to get out of the water.

Grumbling something like 'I-knew-it!-A-complete-disaster!-I'll-kill-Ramsey!' and some more very unfriendly things, 'Hooter' started to wade into their direction and finally he mutely dropped on the ground beside them - still rapidly breathing - but this time because of indignation! How could they

dare to do this to him? To what did he owe this?

Parker and Donovan rose and started to put off their heavy boots, their wet socks and continued to strip as if this was the most natural thing in the world, wringing out the wet pants, shirts and underwear, while looking around and matter-of-factly talking about possible locations for a camp,

breakfast and theorizing the chances for fishing. 'Hooter' sat there in his wet clothing, petrified, openmouthed, fascinated looking at the view in front of him. Two male bodies. In the meantime stark naked. A divine view! Muscles. Sinews. Smooth skin - one milky coffee brown and the other one slightly tanned - with signs of goose flesh due to the rather fresh water and the still cold and misty air. Helplessly his eyes focused the groins - both men were ... beautiful .... - O yes, he knew this too well!

When Parker realized his gaze he stopped wringing out his pants and frowned, looking down his body:

"What? ..." He cleared his throat: "Hey, the water was cold!"

Donovan laughed and 'Hooter' blushed as deeply as the flaming red sun in the background. Parker gave him another frowning, but a smile was already tugging at the corners of his mouth:

"Don't be so shy! C'mon we're not at a monastic school! Undress! Otherwise you'll catch a cold!" Both men started to rummage through their backpacks, looking for dry clothing and got dressed again. Briefs, jeans, t-shirts, socks and heavy boots.

"Hurry up! Usually you don't need a special invitation to undress!" Smiling Parker shook his head. Donovan looked at him, a bit astonished but well aware what these words meant - a sudden 'aha-expression' on his face, even ... something like ... guilty (?) ... and only a moment later a cheeky

'O-think-we-will-have-a-lot-of-fun!'-grin!

First - when the words came out between his lips and he noticed Donovan's 'aha'-glance - Parker had a 'foot-in-the-mouth'-feeling, but when he looked into his buddy's face, realizing the cheeky grin, he heaved a sigh, looked up into the sky, momentarily closing his eyes and unbelievingly shaking his head. If he had read this expression correctly - another glance at Craig Donovan confirmed this - obviously Craig had no real problem to share him with 'Hooter'! And he had spent the whole night thinking about how to ... For nothing! ... ? ...

'Hooter' had no chance and obviously he hadn't really heard what Parker had said and hadn't noticed the consequences! This was logical. Absolutely! It was the most natural thing in the world! ... Usually ... Except the tiny but nevertheless severe little problem that watching them had awakened his interest - more the interest of a certain body part. Hesitantly he rose to his feet, grateful for the fact that his parka and the wide pants concealed his 'interest' and turned around to strip too - shamefully trying to hide the lower regions of his anatomy and praying that a thought about a naked Nathan Ramsey and the fresh cold air would do the rest. He didn't want them

to realize that ... how ... they attracted him! Finally he was dressed too and sighed deeply. Done!

"Okay, I think this is a good place for a camp! I'd say we stay here! Frank?" Expectantly Craig looked at him and got an affirmative nod.

Both started to unpack their backpacks and made themselves at home. Parker went to fetch enough dry branches and twigs for a campfire while Donovan and 'Hooter' started to prepare their camp and the food for the long overdue breakfast. When he returned he found his friends sitting on the floor, laughing and fooling around, cheerfully welcoming him, in the background

their wet clothing properly draped on some big rocks already drying in the warm sunshine. 'Hooter's' good mood was back, he had forgotten his reservation regarding a field trip and the rather rude start, mutely he had to confess to himself that the landscape was beautiful, the leaves of the trees had already begun to show their fall colors in variations of gold and red, the air was filled with this special scent, this scent only one season in the year could produce - fall - the wonderful scent of misty mornings and damp leaves fallen down from the trees and slowly decaying on the ground.

In the meantime the sun was shining brightly, slowly warming up the temperatures, the blue sky was lovingly decorated with a few little white clouds and he had decided to enjoy the days off the Base - far off the civilization, the technical comfort, the computers, the illusionary safety of his quarters. Heart of the matter was he would spend these days together with the two men he adored and loved most! This was everything that counted! Frank and Craig!

Fire and ice! The sometimes pretty unpredictable and superficial seeming wild macho Parker, dangerous like a beast of prey, his charisma surrounding him like a halo, though highly intelligent sometimes acting a bit crazy, following his instincts, perfectly balanced by Donovan, not less

intelligent but more severe, acting more well-considered, at first sight - at first superficial sight - more reliable, always being the imperturbable rock in the middle of the stormy Parker-breakers. But these men completed themselves perfectly, formed perfect counterparts - though their characters were so different - together they must have been an absolutely marvelous and

highly effective duo in their joint covert ops as SEALS, because they still were! And he loved them both! But how telling them? ...

Dropping the pile of wood in their middle, Parker knelt down, skillfully arranging the twigs in the already prepared ring of small stones and lit the fire. A few minutes later a metal jar with coffee spread its excellent scent. The selection of food for breakfast was not really opulent - only some bread, sausage and cheese - and they would have to take care for their other meals, but for the moment it was enough to calm down their rumbling stomachs. Half an hour later 'Hooter' took his glasses off, removed his t-shirt, boots and socks, leaned back, stretching out on the ground, shoved

his hands under his head and stared at the sky - sated and contented, just relishing the sunshine and it didn't last very long until he fell asleep.

Parker and Donovan noticed it with a smile and for a while they continued their low conversation until Donovan looked up, rose and stretched his body with a quiet cracking of his bones.

"Jesus! Slowly but surely I'm getting a bit too old for this field trip stuff!" He laughed mockingly: "What about swimming?"

Parker agreed with big grin and threw a glance at the still sleeping 'Hooter'. He frowned.

"Frank! Don't worry! Too less for a grizzly!"

Donovan's joke was stifled by his t-shirt pulled over his head - he was already stripping and seconds later he carefully tested the water temperature and started to swim into the direction of a huge rock in the middle of the lake. A grinning Parker followed, reached the rock shortly afterwards and surfaced underneath his friend, who had already climbed a bit out of the water and waited for him, reaching out his hand to pull him up. He turned and sat down beside him - still slightly breathless by the fast and hard strokes - enjoying the view over the lake back to the

waterfront and their camp.

"Nice view!"

Donovan looked at him and nodded:

"Mmmh! Indeed!" He pulled him close and kissed him, bent his head and started to lick off the water pearls on his throat and left shoulder, running his hands over Parker's chest, caressing the already hard nipples. He nudged him to lie back onto the warm and evenly rock, covered with

moss and bent over him, straightly looking into his eyes.

"Andy ... ?" Donovan only said this single word, this name - there was no need for more and Frank upheld the straight glance, mutely nodding. He raised his hand and stroked Donovan's cheek, outlining the jaw with his thumb, a gentle soothing ministration. Donovan closed his eyes, for a moment just relishing the touches. Then he bent his head and with a soft moan his lips caught the palm. A deep sigh followed!

"Me too!" Donovan smiled at him, smiled at the surprised look in Parker's face! ... Grinned ... : "Happened a fortnight ago! You were off! Backstep!" Precise. Short and to the point.

"Whoa! ..." Parker expelled a sharp and short laughter: "And I rack my brains over how to tell you ... !" He broke off - with a smile.

Donovan wanted to explain, to ask ... , but his attempt was stifled. Parker pulled him close and locked his mouth with his lips, his tongue parted lips, parted teeth and found the other man's tongue, wriggled around and took his breath away in a passionate and lingering kiss. Breathless Donovan forced himself out of Parker's embrace and fell back to lie alongside him, staring

at the sky above and trying to catch his breath.

"Craig?" Parker's voice was low and soft - but something in his voice made Donovan startle and he turned his head to meet his buddy's glance. He realized that Parker wanted to tell him something - something very severe and unconsciously every muscle in his body tightened.

Parker had closed his eyes for a moment and sighed deeply before he continued to speak:

"I have to tell you! I don't want to! But I could only manage this if I would cut my own throat!" His voice sounded bitter but determined: "I really don't want to tell you, just as little than you want to hear it but if I don't do it, I think I'll suffocate! In Somalia ..." Parker's voice was barely audible now.

"Frank, you don't have to tell me! ... But maybe this makes things a bit easier for you!" Donovan wanted to embrace him, wanted to hold him in his arms but he didn't dare to touch him.

"It's okay! I think it's only fair if I tell you the whole thing!" Parker shook his head: "Have I told you that Makumbe used ... oil? He had this little bottle in his pocket, pulled it out, opened it and ... started to prepare me! He ... was very ... skillful! I always thought that I am pretty brave - far away from being a coward! But if you hurt somebody enough - if the pain is past every level you can think of ... He wanted me to beseech him and God help me ... I did it! You can break everybody if you are prepared to harm him enough! And he was prepared! He hurt me ... the

pain was incredible ... and some time I only wanted to die! I beseeched him to kill me, I prayed to God ... with every current surge ... God! ... If I had been able I would have crawled on my knees in front of him ...! It ... is not that he broke my bones ... no scars ... and my ... backside ...".

His face was ashen when he shrugged his shoulders:

"It didn't hurt half as much as the electricity! But it was much less fun!" A bitter laughter followed:

"But there is something else! It's hard to describe! I think ... everybody has some tiny little place deep inside, completely for yourself, hidden before others. Your innermost private little ... fortress! Maybe the part which makes you different to other people, maybe the soul, the part that makes you what you are, your personality."

Unconsciously Parker had started to kneed his fingers and licked over his lips:

"You never show this part - except maybe to a person you love very much! When they hauled me back to my metal grave, tortured, naked and soaked with my own vomiting and my sweat, my own blood, the oil and his ... semen, running down between my legs ... there was nothing left of this tiny fortress - only ashes and a carbonized accumulation of bricks ... and this tiny little thing that had lived in this fortress was outside, naked, whimpering of fear and wanted to hide behind a blade of grass or under a leaf not to be trampled to death by boots or crushed between clenched

fists ... but it couldn't, it was exposed, helpless and frightened to death, a naked and whimpering bundle! Back in my casket I had enough time to think about what hurt most, my bones, my arms, my legs or ... my ass! The decision wasn't easy!" A half-hearted bitter grin appeared on his face.

"As I have already mentioned I never thought that I am a coward! But I am! I am a damned pitiful coward! I could have made Makumbe to kill me! ... But I haven't! After all these hours of torture and pain, being in the line for rape only caused mild horror, desperation is a pretty good narcotic! He did not only rape me! Over and over again! It was more! He had dispatched his

crazy watchdog M'Bota! And we were alone then! In between he talked to me! Told me everything! For him it was not only satisfaction for his perverse sadistic inclination, a demonstration of his power or the pure lust of tantalizing another man ... for him it was more ... he whispered the words into my ear before ... before he came ...! He told me how beautiful I am,

how strong ... and ... how much he ... would love me, his little soldier-boy! For him this torture was a kind of lovemaking, for me it was a nightmare but ... "

Parker's facial muscles worked hard, he chewed his lower lip: "He did not only torture me with this electro shocker or raped me ... first, when I was tied up on this hook in the ceiling and he used his mouth ... and then when he prepared me, used the oil, he was very careful, very skillful ... gentle almost loving! And God help me but this damned bastard aroused me, awakened my own desire! I couldn't prevent it but I was aroused! I didn't want to think about Patricia and our lovemaking ... impossible ... it would have been a pure travesty ... I only wanted to exist as long as it would take! But he didn't allow it! ... He tortured me, stopped, aroused me and took me!

Again and again! I struggled against it! Tried not to think about anything! Tried to separate my brain from my body! But the pain came through - every time! No matter what I did - the pain found me, every wall I built, and brick for brick the incredible pain destroyed it! O God Craig! ... But in between he awakened my lust!"

Parker finished for a moment, swallowed a sob, he needed a few seconds and heaved a sigh of desperation and ... shame. He leaned back and for a short moment his hands covered his face and tried to wipe off the memories:

"They brought me to Hanson Island ... cause of a nervous breakdown!" He laughed: "O yes! They tried to cure me! But ... I never told them the truth! Of course they didn't have to ask very much - a simple medical examination told them ... Do you know that this is not in my personal file?

Completely unthinkable! Damned Somali Pseudo-General does not rape a member of the US

Navy, a SEAL! More than ever if this élite soldier is male!"

Parker turned his head and looked straight into Donovan's eyes. Clicking his tongue he continued: "And then came the nightmares! ... Like under the shower, where you've found me! First every night - at the end I was afraid to fall asleep! I tried to stay awake as along as I could - I spent my

nights reading until I was so tired that ... there wouldn't be room for a bogeyman ... just two or three hours of complete exhaustion! And then they became more irregular - but each time stronger, more merciless ... more ... vivid!" The last word had cost him a lot of will power.

"The Abyss! He is approaching me, surrounding me, talking to me! Soothing words! Gentle like a lover! A tiny little voice whispering do it, cross the rim, don't try to balance, just jump! Insanity is wonderful! No more nightmares, no more pain, no more doubts - just ... peace! And there is this

other little voice echoing in my ears, telling me: Do it! Just pull the trigger and you'll be free! I hold my service weapon in my hands, I feel the cold steel ... it is really very tempting! A tiny little movement of my finger and everything would be over! ... Each time it is harder for me to climb back to daylight, to fight against this abyss and not to choose the easier way out - suicide ... it would be so easy! ... No more abyss and no more doubts whether I am insane or not!" He had closed his eyes and now he shook his head:

"Okay! Enough psycho crap for today!" A weak smile appeared on his face but the expression in his jade green eyes was still serious: "Let's enjoy this trip! It's a wonderful day ... and ... I am bit tired now, it was late last night!"

- Again his incredible composure gained the upper hand.

Donovan had gone pale under his milky coffee brown skin, his heart seemed to burst, and a merciless giant fist squeezed his lungs! He knew that his best friend, his lover, had to cope with a sheer unbearable experience but only now he realized the whole dimension of this nightmare and ... some day - sooner or later - ... the inescapable result, the horrifying consequence: For Frank Parker it was definitely better, it meant choosing the lesser evil! Everything was better than to become insane! Before this could and would finally happen Parker would put an end to it! Irretrievably! Inescapably! And he had to watch this - helplessly! He shook his head: No!

He wouldn't sit there quietly and wait - he had to do something, he owed him this!

For a while they stayed mute, just lying there, bathing in the warm sun, soaking up the sunlight, when he realized that Parker shifted his body to lie on his side and fell asleep. His head rested on his forearms and his left knee was slightly drawn upwards. Donovan watched him sleeping - he

had no clue how long he had watched over his sleep, carefully looking for even the faintest sign of ... what? ... discomfort? - maybe for a rather long time, the sun was standing high above in the sky!

Donovan couldn't resist he had to do this! With a sigh he bent over the body and kissed the neck, his fingertips touched hot skin, traced over shoulders, followed the line of the spine. Parker moved slightly and awaked, still a bit dazed and sleepy he raised his head, his brain tried to find out what

happened when he felt the weight of a strong and muscular male body pinning him down onto the rocky underground and a hard erection stirring against his hips, gently thrusting. Hot puffs of breath against his earlobe. A husky whisper:

"Don't move! Frank, I promised that I would never do what you don't want me to! Frank, you are killing me! God I want you so much that my balls hurt! This is the only thing I can think about but ... you know that I've kept and I'll keep my promise!"

Donovan's voice was rough like sandpaper, full of desire, his tongue outlined the contours of the earlobe, and he nibbled and smiled at Parker's soft affirming groan.

"Tell me what you like! Does that feel nice?" He licked over the skin of neck and shoulder blades, softly biting him, relishing the taste! Due to the warm sun, Parker's skin was not only warmed up, it was hot and the taste - wonderful, simply intoxicating him, electrifying him - driving him insane! Amixture between the remnants of after shave and shower gel, the fresh taste of the water - clear, fresh, pure nature - and a bit salty.

"Just tell me what you love and I can do it again! I wanna hear your command!" His hand slid over the muscular body, fingertips touched his sides, his butts and wandered further down - in between, encircling the anal region, were removed and he paid his attention to shoulders and spine

again. Parker moaned quietly.

He kissed and licked his way down again, over shoulder blades, along the spine, drew himself further down and his hand caressed the firm butts again, reached around and cupped a very interested and very awake shaft, gently stroking it. He nudged his legs further apart; his hand reached between the spread legs and massaged the testicles. His tongue drew small circles

over the hottest ass he had ever seen, dove between the butts and licked over the tight ring of muscles. Parker writhed under the tender ministrations, moaned softly, but didn't flinch back.

He shifted his weight and knelt down between spread legs to attain a more comfortable position - for both of them - and for his further plans. Usually Donovan had not really a foible for rimming but with this man it was different! He loved Parker, every square inch of him, loved his scent,

his taste and now he wanted the full program, wanted to cross the last barrier.

He nudged him gently to lift his hips a bit more, now he was able to get full access, to testicles, cock and anal region. He grabbed Parker's erection, slowly but firmly stroking him and his tongue continued to lick him, swirled around and gently invaded him. He heard a sharp hiss! Parker jerked and thrust hard into the fist around his length and backed to get more of the sensational tongue that was shoved in and out his anus, that made his whole body shiver, tingling of lust, teasing him, arousing him, preparing him, spreading him, probing him as deep as possible now.

Donovan was merciless and dexterously rimming him, wriggling his tongue around and enjoying the provoked reactions of the younger man, whom he slowly but surely drove crazy with his tongue.

The tongue was replaced by a gentle finger, seeking for his prostate, rubbing over the tiny hard bud inside him with every to and fro and soon joined by a second finger. Parker bucked backwards, his muscles tense, his body covered with tiny pearls of sweat ... and groaned in frustration! The fingers were removed!

Instead he sensed that Donovan had drawn himself upwards and bent over him, his iron hard cock rubbing along Parker's crotch, spreading the sticky clear steadily leaking stream of pre-come over anus and rectum and keeping his promise, he didn't mount him! Both bodies moved in perfect harmony now! Donovan had shoved his hand under Parker's body and grabbed the hard-on again, buried his head in his neck; only expelling stifled moans of pleasure, panting his passion against hot sweat-covered skin. Building up their mutual climax - inevitably and unrestrained with hard strokes and a firm fist wrapped around pulsating, flaming hot flesh. A few more strokes, a

few more moves of his fist and both expelled their completion in a frantic gushing ejaculation over Donovan's fist and Parker's crotch and testicles covering them with milky white semen in raging surges - uncontrolled passion, brain-frying, rocking their bodies in lust filled waves. Donovan

collapsed over him and needed a few moments until he was able to let his body drop alongside him on the rocky ground - still panting. Parker turned to lay on his back, as exhausted as his best friend, his chest rapidly rising and falling. Both had no clue how long they were lying there until

Parker sat up with drawn up knees and turned his head to look at his friend still lying beside him. He smiled and rose.

"Think I need a little refreshment!" And looking down his body: " ... And a bath!"

Donovan replied his comment with a big grin, nodded and reached out his hand. Parker grabbed it and drew him up. With an amicable slap on his back he jumped off the rock - a headfirst dive into the rather cold water! It was deep at this side of the rock. Deep and dark green! A thought flashed through Donovan's mind - as deep and dark green as Parker's eyes - when they

showed passion and lust. A remarkable number of yards away Parker surfaced, turned and treading water he motioned him to join him. Donovan looked at the water underneath him, shrugged his shoulders and jumped off the rock, surfaced and with a few strokes he caught up with him and they covered the remaining distance in a crawl until they were able to wade out of the water.

The noise of two bodies splashing into the water had awakened 'Hooter'. He sat up and looked around - a bit bewildered until his sleepy brain realized where he was and started to work again. Did it? He was in doubt because of the view in front of him! He raised his hand to cover his eyes - the sunshine was too bright - he must have slept a rather long time, because the sun was standing high above him! Midday? He blinked. No, he was awake! Parker and Donovan, stark naked, their bodies sopping wet, approached him, slowly wading through the water like dangerous predators, with a big grin on their handsome faces. Finally they stopped in front of him and Parker

ran his fingers through wet strands of dark brown hair, brushing them back. The water ran off their bodies in little waterfalls, dropping down, leaving small puddles underneath their feet.

Donovan laughed at him: "Hey nightcap!" And with a cheeky grin into Parker's direction he added: "You missed something!"

'Hooter' stared at him - yet not really comprehending the innuendo! Alternately he looked at Parker, who stood there hands on his hips and then at Donovan. Suddenly he knew it! And the expression on their faces had changed - he could read affection, care and love - for him! Slowly both knelt down at his sides. Donovan put his hand in his neck and pulled him close to kiss him, sucked his tongue into his mouth, broke off the kiss and started a kiss with Parker, right in front of 'Hooter's' face. He could see Donovan's tongue gently outlining Parker's lips, could see that

Parker's tongue flicked out to lick at the tip of the other man's tongue! For a second he could only stare at them! Now things were clear! No doubt left! Absolutely no doubt when Parker turned his head, smiled and planted little nips at his mouth. 'Hooter' moaned and reached out to pull him close, their tongues entwined - exploring even the faintest corner again! He felt Donovan's hands on his chest, caressing him and nudging him back onto the ground while he didn't break off the kissing with Parker, dragging him along. Parker stretched out his body alongside 'Hooter' onto the smooth humus soil, broke off the kiss and looked into his eyes, fingertips brushed his lips, outlined them. 'Hooter' grabbed Parker's hand and sucked the index finger into his mouth; his tongue swirled around the finger. Parker smiled, he removed his finger, and reluctantly 'Hooter' let him go.

Donovan had opened the waistband of 'Hooter's' jeans and shoved it down to his ankles, together with his briefs, taking them off not too gently he unmercifully revealed that their mutual ministrations had made him rock hard, while Parker's hands wandered over his upper body. He bent down and his teeth captured one of 'Hooter's' pink nipples, sucking it into his mouth, hardening it with tongue and teeth while his hand caressed the second one, rolling it between thumb and finger. 'Hooter' moaned, Donovan kissed his bare stomach, licked over the lean body - hot skin, warmed by the sun, his tongue playfully dived into his belly button, probing it and he

licked over the hot and smooth skin underneath down to the smooth curls of pubic hair. His hands massaged the balls and sought for the spot right behind, skillfully massaging the prostate. 'Hooter' bucked upwards and whimpered, stifled by Parker's mouth kissing him breathless. Donovan's tongue licked off the pre-come, flicked over the deep pink sensitive head of his cock, sucking it into his mouth. 'Hooter's' hand reached down, entwined his fingers around short dark brown curls of hair and his left hand reached for Parker's hard-on, stroking him. Helplessly he was trapped between the two men, playing with his body like as if it was an instrument - raising his desire to almost unbearable levels.

He moaned into Parker's mouth, Donovan had gently inserted a finger into his anus and now the movements of his mouth on 'Hooter's' cock copied the rhythm of his finger in and out his anus. 'Hooter' bucked upwards, twisted and impaled himself deeper, longing for more until a second finger was added. Donovan withdrew, sat back on his heels and reached for the backpack

beside him, rummaging through the content. Parker had to break off the kiss - rather breathless and leaned on his elbow, his free hand wandered over 'Hooter's' lean body, the pale skin - slightly reddening, a sign for too much of the unfamiliar sunshine - grabbed his erection and stroked him

gently. Parker had closed his eyes. He thrust into 'Hooter's' fist, still wrapped around his length.

Donovan had found what he was looking for - a body lotion and the package of condoms. 'Hooter' looked at him and shook his head.

"No! I am sure we don't need condoms!" Parker and Donovan looked at him - astonished.

"C'mon! All of us have these regular monthly medical examinations! The latest results came yesterday! We are healthy like newborn babies! Clean! ... And finally ... I want to feel you ... I mean really feel you!" 'Hooter' expelled the words, they bubbled out of his mouth: "Please! O God! Please!" A desperate appeal - a little prayer.

"Andy you know our results?" Parker's voice was serious but a smile led the tone ad absurd. How he loved it when Frank used his true first name - not his nickname.

"Bet on it! Who else would hack into the data?" Donovan laughed and threw the package back into the backpack.

Parker looked at his friends. A mute agreement. No jealousy between them! No need for that! Parker sat up and pulled Donovan close, he kissed him, holding his face in his hands and looked straight into his eyes:

"You want me?" No more words followed only a mute nod, an agreement!

With a start Donovan knew what this meant, what he finally would allow! He moaned into Parker's mouth, which was kissing him again. This was a gift! Parker's gift for him! He suppressed a sob! Maybe this was the only chance for him! Maybe he would never allow this again! But here and now he would give him everything: his soul and his body!

Parker took the body lotion and squirted some of it over his hands and his hard-on and then over Donovan's hands. 'Hooter' had watched them with eyes wide open, his breathing rapidly! He laid back and spread his legs for Parker to kneel in the space between. Parker's eyes were locked with his dark brown when he bent forward, leaning on his left hand and gently started to prepare him with his free hand, spreading the lotion over his anus, massaging it into the muscle, then he carefully inserted a finger. 'Hooter' clenched his muscles trying to draw him further in and cried out when Parker touched his prostate. 'Hooter' closed his eyes and rested his hands on the broad chest in front of him, caressing the smooth skin, arching when he felt a second finger. Donovan slipped behind Parker and sat back on his heels. He planted little kisses on Parker's neck and his hand reached down to prepare him the same way as he did with 'Hooter'. He inserted a finger, slowly only an inch wide then further and a second one. Parker twisted and moaned, shifted his weight and leaned back. Donovan didn't stop the movements of his fingers into him and wrapped his other arm around his hips to spread the remaining lotion over Parker's length, tenderly stroking the throbbing shaft while Parker was still caressing the body in front of him.

"I love you!" Only a passionate whisper against Parker's throat: "God how I love you!"

Again Parker bent forward and caressed 'Hooter's' body, licking, sucking and kissing the hot flesh until he begged him, pleaded him violently to take him. With a kiss on Parker's ear Donovan sat back on his heels and waited until his buddy would have mounted him. 'Hooter's' eyes had turned to almost black, reflecting his hunger, his insatiable desire, his pure need to feel Parker inside him. He wrapped his legs around Parker's hips and groaned when he entered him, excruciatingly slow, gently, inch for inch until he was fully embedded. He stopped until 'Hooter' became adjusted to his size and bent forward, gently thrusting into him. 'Hooter' had grabbed his face, ran his fingers through his hair, stroking him tenderly.

For a moment Donovan just watched the bodies in front of him. He had never seen something this erotic, this hot before! Incomparable! Parker's muscular body, like a magnificent beast of prey, gently thrusting in and out 'Hooter's' beautiful lean body, soft moans of pleasure - this was simply the hottest ever, inflaming the fire in his loin even more in aching, pulsating waves.

Donovan's hands grabbed Parker's hips and stopped him moving into 'Hooter'. He slipped behind him, heard his groan, felt his tension when he pressed his glans against the anal opening and penetrated him until the head of his cock was embedded. He wanted to make this slow. Very slow. He didn't want to abuse him for his pleasure, he wanted to make love to him, wanted to

give him the utmost pleasure he was able to give.

'Hooter' had pulled him close and kissed him, soothed him, distracted him, while Donovan slowly rocked into Parker, each time a bit further until he was settled inside him, giving him time to get adjusted to the stretching feeling, to relax his tense muscles - for the first time in his life - voluntarily! Incomparable to the rape in Somalia years ago!

"Frank you're so hot, so tight!" The sensational feeling of burying himself inside his best friend - for the first time ever - was unbelievable, just off any scale he could think of, sending a fire through his loin.

Slowly Donovan grabbed 'Hooter's' legs to hold him for Parker and to stabilize this threesome and himself and began to move, gentle deep thrusts. Slow. Each time hitting the prostate. Parker arched back, rested his weight on his hands and took up his rhythm, passed Donovan's thrusts into him into 'Hooter'. 'Hooter' was moaning Parker's name over and over again. For a while they were actually able to rein their rapidly rising passion. But it became harder and harder to keep up this slow thrusts. All they could think of was how hot and sweet it felt. Donovan had to speed up feeling his need and with his harder strokes into Parker he swept him away too.

With a load moan Parker was the first who climaxed - he was in the middle and his thrusts into 'Hooter' simultaneously to Donovan's hard strokes into him were more he could bear, it drove him out of his mind; the intensity of his climax was like the impact of a bullet into his brain. He rocked

into 'Hooter' crying out his release and spilled his seed into the tight hot opening sheathing his length! This was enough - drove 'Hooter' over the edge too, feeling Parker ejaculating into him he spurted his sticky semen over their stomachs, smudging them both, bucking upwards, melting the last drop out of the cock impaling him. Only seconds later Donovan came too. Parker's clenching muscles around his cock, squeezing him tight in jolts of climax - brought him to an intensive orgasm, rocked him merciless, inflamed his whole body and roasted his brain while he poured out into him. Panting he collapsed onto Parker's body and needed a few moments until his view

became clear again and he was able to pull out of him. He dropped onto the ground beside his lovers like timber. Parker peeled himself out of a totally exhausted 'Hooter' and stretched his body out on the opposite side.

He tried to catch his breath again. He had never thought that this could feel so good - not by massive stretch of his wildest imagination. His whole body was still resounding in the aftermath of his incredible climax - his skin glowing of passion. Was this what he wanted, what he needed? This thought and the possible result scared him! - All he could do was to find it out! To look for the truth - deep down inside - in his still rather unstably re-built little fortress!

'Hooter' turned and snuggled up against his chest, shoving his leg over Parker's thigh. He wrapped an arm around the younger man and felt that Donovan had approached them too, spooning up behind 'Hooter', an arm around his waist. His mind drifted away - exhausted and sated he fell asleep

...

It was late in the afternoon when Donovan awoke. Carefully he shifted his weight not to awake 'Hooter' and sat up. The space along the other side was empty! His heart missed a beat! The only thing he could think was: Frank? He looked around - totally in panic! Had they scared him off? What had he done? Had he scared him off?

Then he saw him! At a distance! Frank Parker, dressed in t-shirt, jeans and heavy boots, was standing on a few small rocks in the middle of this small river, that led into the lake - and fishing - with his bare hands! He heaved a sigh - more a moan of relief when he realized that Parker had noticed him and waved to him. Now he felt his rumbling stomach - he was almost starving! They didn't have food since their breakfast and Parker was just taking care of their dinner! Another deep sigh followed - he turned and woke up 'Hooter', gently shaking his shoulder. 'Hooter' stretched, yawned and sat up:

"Where is Frank?"

"Fishing! C'mon!"

They rose and went over to have a quick cleaning in the lake before they got dressed too and lit the campfire again. Meanwhile a cheerfully whistling Parker came back to the camp; in his hands three rather big fishes - already prepared and gutted. Half an hour later the fishes - skewered on twigs - were frizzling over the open fire and spreading a delicious scent. Parker - showing his familiar schoolboy smile - conjured a bottle of whiskey and a six-pack of beer out of his backpack:

"Here we go!"

It was darkest night when the six-pack was emptied and the whiskey was passed round. Sitting around their campfire they enjoyed their threesome in the wilderness, just talking about this and that. Parker and Donovan entertained Owsley with stories of their mutual past - rather sentimentally reflecting their memories - some making him laugh, some making him sad. So

the time went by - flew in a flash.

"Those were the days!"

Finishing the story-telling Parker raised his arms and stretched. Though he was sitting on his opened sleeping bag and his back was leaning against a rock, the unfamiliar hardness of the ground slowly but surely began to ache.

"This camping thing is going to ruin my bones!" He sighed.

"Going to?" Donovan shook his head: "I am stiff like a plank! Time to sleep!"

"Really?" 'Hooter' was eyeing his loin, a big grin on his face: "I had some other things in mind ... nothing what I actually would describe as ...sleeping!"

"Aha!" Parker clicked his tongue.

With a very satisfied expression on his face 'Hooter' realized Parker's grin following the line of 'Hooter's' gaze - directly into Donovan's crotch, that already began to show a remarkable and pretty affirmative swelling. He didn't wait for any further invitation and slid an arm around Parker to reel him in for a passionate kiss. Leaning into this kiss, Parker opened his lips to let the younger man's tongue enter. Fiercely 'Hooter' claimed his mouth, savoring his taste - fighting for dominance, but lost when Parker clenched his fingers around strands of dark blonde hair. The lack of air made him break off the kiss. Breathing rapidly 'Hooter' slid his hands under the t-shirt, tugging it upwards - impatiently, but stopped. He didn't waist time to let him pull it off, he grabbed it and with a ripping sound he tore it apart before Parker had a real chance to stop him and leaned forward - hungrily sucking the hot flesh of his collarbones, licking the over the small dents above, his hands ran over chest, nipples and stomach, down to the waistband of Parker's jeans. His hand slipped over the flies and began to stroke the hardening member through the fabric. He stopped and turned.

"Craig!" Pure need. A nod and he reached into the backpack for the lube. Then Donovan took his t-shirt off, while 'Hooter' knelt in front of him, his hands stroked dark brown nipples, went further down and already started to open the button and zipper of now uncomfortably curbing jeans and

briefs. He shoved the fabric down to the knees and freeing Donovan's erection he hungrily sucked it into his mouth, his tongue swirled around the glans, sucking it into his mouth, his hands had grabbed the butts to hold him tight. He felt that Parker had reached around his hips and was

unbuttoning and unzipping his pants and shoved his hands into the fabric, stroking him. 'Hooter' raised his head and ran kisses over Donovan's shaft, mumbling against hot, pulsating flesh:

"I want you! ... Hard and fast! ... Just fuck my brain off!"

Then he shoved his own pants down, struggling against unmanageable fabric; Parker and Donovan had to help him:

"Just an advice among friends! Take your boots off first!" Parker grinned.

Finally, together, they managed to strip him.

He turned and kissed Parker, nudging him to slip backwards until he felt that his back leaned against the rock again. He knelt over him, his legs between his wide spread knees and with busy hands he began to open the flies. Donovan had closed the space between their bodies and pulled an arm around Parker's neck to pull him close - kissing him. 'Hooter' impatiently shoved the pants and the briefs down Parker's thighs, but didn't remove them completely, just urging Parker to lift his weight a bit to get full access to his genitals. He knelt on hands and knees, lowered his head and his tongue flicked over the glans and down the rigid shaft. Parker moaned into Donovan's mouth and ran his fingers through 'Hooter's' hair when 'Hooter' had engulfed his length and began to suck it hungrily - the same way he had treated Donovan minutes ago. Donovan broke off the kissing with Parker, grabbed the lube and squirted some of it on his hand, throwing the tube

away he slipped behind 'Hooter', realizing that Parker had closed his eyes and had leaned his head back against the rock, bracing himself against the ground and the rock in his back, his hips bucked upwards, thrust into 'Hooter's' mouth, that covered him over and over again.

Donovan knelt down between 'Hooter's' wide spread legs - carefully resting his knees on each side of Parker's lower legs - covered his shaft with lube and then his left hand reached around to grab 'Hooter's' cock, while his right hand began to stroke his passage, carefully massaging the

lubrication into the tight ring of muscles. He inserted a slick finger to stretch him, opening him gently. 'Hooter' moaned around Parker's length and arched backwards, wanted more, needed more, until Donovan had mercy on him and inserted a second finger, gliding in and out, never forgetting to touch the certain spot inside this hot and velvet sheath. Each time 'Hooter's' body

shivered when the fingers met his prostate and each time he sucked Parker harder, making him bucking upwards, thrusting deep into the hot willing mouth, almost helplessly swept away by passion and pleasure.

'Hooter' raised his head and his hand began to caress Parker's balls, gently massaging them, rolling them between his fingers. Parker's eyes flicked open - just in time to watch Donovan removing his fingers, moving up - his jeans only half pulled off too and pressing his cock against 'Hooter's' anus, ready and glistening of lube. 'Hooter' threw his head back and hissed. Donovan grabbed his hips and penetrated him - slowly just plunging his glans into him; he wanted to give him time to get accustomed, but 'Hooter' pressed himself backwards, urging him deeper inside.

Parker gently ran his fingers through 'Hooter's' hair, smiling he wanted to wait until Donovan would have seated himself into him. 'Hooter' knew that he had gentle lovers, considerate, persistent, but nevertheless very passionate and experienced, but now he needed more:

"Craig!" 'Hooter' almost whimpered his name.

Donovan thrust forward until he was fully embedded in a tight and sweet grip, still judging the level of how hard and fast 'Hooter' wanted him and began to move, deep strikes, fast and hard. 'Hooter' gasped with pleasure and lowered his head on Parker's cock again. Each time Donovan shoved into 'Hooter's' rear, his mouth came down Parker's shaft, sucking him madly, when

his prostate was hit with hard cockstrokes and Parker had to give up watching and threw his head back, clenching his fingers into strands of hair, arching into 'Hooter's' mouth.

Swept away by his own lust soon Donovan's thrusts got faster, his breathing rapid and his body covered with sweat, desperately trying to hold back his climax as long as possible. Parker came when 'Hooter's' mouth was down his shaft, he tried to control but couldn't help bucking upwards and helplessly he erupted his semen into his mouth, surge after surge, pure ecstasy. 'Hooter' swallowed and threw his head back, crying out loud, Donovan had grabbed his shaft and stroked him hard, while he thrust in and out of him. He climaxed and spilled his sticky semen over Donovan's hand and Parker's jeans. He didn't stop stroking him, feeling the hot wetness running

over his fingers until he came with a loud moan, splattering his seed into him in an intense bone-cracking orgasm.

For a few moments they were just struggling to recover. Donovan slipped out of 'Hooter' who had leaned his head on Parker's stomach, panting and relishing the waves of orgasm he'd just had and the gently caressing of Parker's hands on his hair, neck and shoulders until he was able to get off

Parker's legs and sit back on his heels beside him. Donovan wrapped his arms around him and kissed his neck, hooking his head over 'Hooter's' shoulder he smiled at Parker who sat in front of them, still in his tattered shirt, panting and with half pulled off jeans.

Parker looked at them, frowning and with a quick glance down his body he smiled and shook his head:

"Gentlemen, can I take my pants off now or do you still object to that?" They laughed. He didn't wait for an answer and removed his boots, socks, the smudged pants together with his briefs and took off the remnants of his t-shirt:

"I liked this t-shirt!" He sighed regretfully and threw it over his shoulders. Donovan rose, stripped too and fetched the two abandoned sleeping bags, opened the zippers and threw them over his lovers, who were fighting with the huge fabric to use them as sheets! He put some more wood on

the campfire to guarantee that it would still burn in the morning and slipped under the spread sleeping bags alongside Parker. It didn't last very long until they finally fell asleep ...

Very early next morning Donovan awoke. Carefully he pulled out his arm under Parker's body and sat up! 'Hooter' was almost completely hidden under the sleeping bag, only strands of his hair were visible and Parker was lying on his left side, his arm shoved under his head and sleeping. With his mouth slightly opened he was a picture of peaceful undisturbed sleep. Donovan sat

there with drawn up knees and watched him. Yet he had no real idea how he could help him, how he could prevent the unavoidable results of Parker's nightmares, but the longer he sat there the clearer became the foggy and vague idea he had come up with - even if this could mean being -

inadvertently - killed by an outraging furious Parker!

Aggravating fact was that at the same time he was deadly sure that after this trip their lovemaking would have an end. It would mean the end! With Donovan, with 'Hooter', in a threesome! Deep down inside Donovan knew that Parker would never love him - and 'Hooter' - as much as they loved him! He could never love them this way! Completely impossible for Parker! And none of them, no male being on earth, would ever hear what they were longing

for so desperately: an 'I-love-you!' passionately spoken by Parker!

Donovan was scared by himself! Could his half baked plan really safe Parker's mind, prevent him from committing suicide? Could he cure him? Could he succeed what no doctor or psychologist in Hanson Island had managed? Could he succeed where even Dr. Olga Vukavitch-Parker failed? Or would he cause the incredible horrifying opposite? Would he be the literally, the pro-verbal last nail into the coffin-lid of Parker's casket, his ultimate and unstoppable ticket to insanity? A rather presumptuous idea! A wave of panic raced through his body! But the longer he thought about it the surer he became! He was the only one alive who - now! - knew everything, every

single detail - an immeasurable precious advantage! And he would grab this advantage, this chance with both hands!

Donovan was neither angry nor disappointed, he was just sad - endlessly sad, it killed him, tore him into pieces and he knew that 'Hooter' would feel the same. What they would have during these four days and what they had had over the past weeks had just been ... an attempt ... a desperate helpless attempt - an inadvertent instinctive cry for help - born out of the nightmares,

maybe initialized by Olga's outburst in the sphere, sparked by the necessity to find out what he really wanted, what he really needed, who he really was and what really had happened to him in Somalia - including every consequence - no matter how painful this could get! Unconsciously he had told him this! It had been this single sentence he had spoken a few weeks ago, at their

first night together: 'Seems as if I still haven't found what I am looking for!' It was absolutely clear that Parker never ever intended to hurt them or to play an adventurous sexual game just for fun, just because he was bored or just to try whether gay sex was of his interest - far away from

that - he loved them, unconditionally and honestly - but as his friends, his brothers - not as lovers! And if Donovan's plan would work he would clearly realize the truth!

A lovable smile played around Donovan's mouth, his dark brown eyes showed his love and compassion when he looked at his two sleeping lovers, he shook his head and a whisper escaped between his lips:

"Strange but now I can see things clearly! It doesn't ease the pain but ... nevertheless it makes me feel better!"

Carefully he slipped back into the sleeping bag alongside Parker and closed his eyes, the heat radiating off Parker's sleeping body embraced him, wrapped him in a cloud of borrowed bliss! He was very well aware that he had to relish every single moment of these days in the wilderness, every single touch, every single kiss - for him and his plan there was only a tiny last respite left - in front of his eyes he could almost see the grains of sand in a sand-glass, could almost feel them running through his fingers - merciless and unstoppable!

With the irrevocable certainty that he had crossed the point of no return, the fact that he needed the help of a person he could trust and rely on more than himself, a person Parker would gladly die for without the glimpse of hesitation and the sudden knowledge who this person would be, Donovan's plan was complete! Parker himself had told him about this person! Somebody whose

status, rank and profession would guarantee absolute discretion, discretion silent as the grave! He had to smile, the word 'grave' in connection with this special somebody left an insipid aftertaste! Donovan would never have chosen this person voluntarily - not in his wildest dreams or in his

lucid moments under torture - but he knew that Parker had done this long ago - in his childhood! This person had promised never to admit Frank Parker back to Hanson Island! And this person would keep this promise - cost what it may, no matter what the price would be, even if the price was ... a life!

He turned and wrapped his arms around Parker, who only sighed in his sleep and snuggled up against him like a child, he tried to get at least a small shuteye before the dawn would break and would bring them closer back to Never-Never-Land ...

Sunday, October 6th, 5.30 p.m. (PDT), somewhere in Nevada, rural area:

The past four days had been heaven. Cloud number nine - for at least two men of this gentlemen's round in the wilderness - this incredible threesome. The third one? The third one - Frank Parker - had enjoyed these days too, but from time to time he had taken a 'time out' - a walk alone along the waterfront, finally sitting down on an abandoned rock, absentminded staring at the water - throwing pebbles high over the lake's surface, watching them plopping into the water with a low splashing sound, churning up the calm surface and drawing circles. He had tried to find out what he really wanted, what he really needed. Was this what he needed? The answer was a definite

yes ... and ... after a period of hesitation, a well thought over similarly definite no!

The definite 'yes' meant, it was true, he needed his friends, he loved their company, their humor, the long conversations, the jokes - he loved this field trip, enjoyed these days off the Base, off the duties, off the regulations his job brought about, off all the restrictions, off this living in a cage including the sometimes appearing attacks of claustrophobia, off all these problems, off the disasters to undo, and off the big blue ball, that - once he pressed the engage button - tried to tear him apart, to roast him alive, that brought such an incredible pain, a cruel torture for brain and body.

The similarly definite 'no' meant this was not what he was looking for! The 'no' meant he was not looking for a sexual relationship neither with Craig nor with Andy or a threesome. Definitely?... Really? ... Hesitation ... Then after a period of pondering thoughts ... a definite NO! ...

... Hesitation because this experience - the past weeks - had found and opened a secret door - well hidden in the last corner of his brain. A secret door once cruelly kicked in by a sadistic Somali 'General'. After all these years he had never thought that this door could be opened again! But obviously this door had only been repaired in a makeshift - with hastily nailed on wooden planks - only an improvised shelter for this tiny little thing that once had lived behind an apparently impregnable strong fortress which had been burnt to ashes and finally had found something like a

snail shell - behind this wooden door.

... Hesitation because after all these years somebody - Craig Donovan - had found this door, had gently removed the wooden planks and had entered the room behind this door. Hell! Sometimes during the past weeks he wasn't even sure whether Donovan hadn't kicked at an open door! And if this wouldn't have been enough at all he had - voluntarily and with open eyes - started this thing with 'Hooter'!

... Hesitation because these four days in the wilderness had showed him his innermost basic instincts - pure lust - pure body reactions. But deep inside these four days had been necessary for him. Necessary to recognize that this was not what he was looking for or what he needed; necessary to show him that - years ago in Somalia - he had lost something. Something very important! ... Faith! ... Faith in his own strength, his self-confidence! ... Faith in this innermost tiny little part - usually disclosed to others - of his self, his personality, his identity.

... But some love is just a lie of the mind; it's just a sham for the heart! A wonderful Fata Morgana, a mirage, a tangerine dream, at the end bursting like a soap bubble, leaving nothing but disappointment, emptiness and sorrow - for each side! You can take it, frantically trying to keep this soap bubble alive or leave it, taking a needle to make this bubble burst! You can believe in this Fata Morgana, like the lonely man in the desert, dying of thirst and still crawling over the sandy ground towards the beautiful blue lake, that the burning air was leading him to believe that he could finally reach the waterfront and satiate his incredible thirst. But in the end the result was the same, only a question of time, a question of trust, whether the man was strong enough to stay alive without the vital liquid or if he would follow this road to perdition with open eyes - in front of his blurring eyes the deep blue lake. He had stayed alive in his metal 'coffin' in the Somali desert - without water! And he was old enough to realize that he had to leave it! A clear cut! And he was deadly sure that it would cut like a knife through his flesh! He had to stop this dream! Maybe he was a dreamer? A dreamer desperately looking for something real life would or could never give him? Sometimes you don't get what you want or you get more than you can take!

Pictures appeared in front of his eyes: the first rendezvous with Olga, the days at Lake Tahoe, a chapel in Moscow, Olga standing in front of him in her wonderful wedding dress, blissful days together with her, the portentous S/M rendezvous in the sphere, the following days of insults, their stalwart dispute, Craig under the shower, the nights of passion and love, the evening with Andy in his quarters, where he had found this video tape and the result, a first night spent together with him in the long forgotten secret bunker ... and the kiss with Sally in her quarters, holding her in his

arms, soothing her ... Hell, make up your mind Parker or you will go bananas - faster than you can count to three!

A last pebble was thrown into the air - fiercely - its flight carefully watched and when it plopped into the water, he rose with a sigh, ran his hands over his face, felt the three days growth on his chin, dusted his jeans and looked over the waterfront in the direction of the camp. For a while he was just watching his friends packing their equipment into their backpacks. He had already done this before he strolled along the waterfront for a last "time out" until the helicopter - a Blackhawk - would pick them off and return them to the Never-Never-Land-Base. Roughly half an hour

left until the Blackhawk would appear like a giant black dragonfly behind the mountain range. It was still enough time for him to walk back without a hurry. A last glance over the lake's surface - a last sigh in a series - he tightened and gave himself a kick up the backside. Time to say goodbye

... to his lovers! Back in the Base he had the damned duty to tell them the truth! Back in the Base! He laughed despicably! Coward! Why not here and a bit earlier? Before their return? Now he had idled away the time, had wasted it throwing pebbles into the water! Delaying the unavoidable! Delaying that he had to hurt them! Delaying the probable deathblow to their

friendship! A coward? Maybe! But even the bravest man would hesitate to hurt his best friends and would try to delay this as far away as ever possible!

Once he had come up with this decision somehow it seemed as if a load was off his mind; a load bigger than the mountain range surrounding the lake, but nevertheless it didn't make things even a tiny bit easier for him! Was he strong enough to break this off? He really hoped so!

Donovan and "Hooter" sat side by side lost in conversation. They looked up when they heard the crunching noise of approaching heavy boots and with a smile they waited for him to close up! He stopped in front of them, hands on his hips:

"Ready?"

"Hooter" nodded with a regretting expression on his face, his initial reservations regarding a field trip with two SEALS had vanished to thin air! For him it had turned into the best field trip or vacation ever - he had completely forgotten about computers, pc games or even the luxury of

hot showers and the conveniences of modern life itself! For him it had been pure adventure, it had awakened a never thought enthusiasm in camping and in his opinion this was what freedom and independence really meant - spending his days with his lovers in the wilderness far away from the rest of the human civilization! Making love under the blue skies, the love act only watched by

the birds, the fishes in the lake or the sparkling stars and the bright moon; without the necessity to steal away thievishly for a "rendezvous" and without the risk of sooner or later and incidentally being caught by security cameras.

Donovan rose to his feet, turned half a step and met Parker's glance:

"Yeap! ... You too?"

The expression in his face had changed; there was something very serious in his dark brown eyes. This was not only a simple question whether his buddy had packed his belongings - no, this was obvious, the backpack was complete - it was more! An innuendo that could only be fully understood by one single person - Frank Parker! And Parker nodded almost imperceptibly.

Donovan knew it and stood as though rooted to the spot! Someone had poured out icy cold water over him! He definitely knew what had occupied his lover's mind for the past four days and why he had taken these little "time outs"! Parker's face and his eyes were like an open book - he could

read the already expected answer though so desperately tried to banish! And he realized the truth, the full consequence; he realized that it was over - now!

Flashes of memories flooded his brain in fragments of seconds, jolts of electricity raced through his entire body - with a start pearls of sweat appeared on his forehead, alternating hot like molten iron burning his flesh or cold like liquid oxygen freezing what the molten iron had left and slowly

dripped down his temples. He raised his hand to wipe them off and to cover his face, a miserably failing attempt to gain time and to regain at least somewhat like a fragment of his composure. Parker's eyes - wide open - were locked with his.

The pain was excruciating - felt like torrid iron stirring in his entrails and turning everything inside out. Someone had cut the ground from under his feet. Though he had known this right from the start, right from the moment he had set the ball rolling in Parker's shower cubicle a few months

ago! A lover's relationship with Parker had to be limited, could not have a future, and could only be a period of borrowed bliss! Over and over again he had tried to hammer the knowledge into his brain! The impossibility! O, he had talked himself into believing that he was able to handle it! Arrogant fool! Idiot! He scolded himself! How could I ever believe that I'd be able to handle this? How could I ever believe to get over an intoxicating lover? A lover who's kisses sent him to heaven, who's touches burnt his skin... But so soon? Far too soon for him! ... Would it make a difference if it had come later??? ... Ridiculous thought! ... He felt the insane urge to laugh!

No matter when - the point of time was completely unessential - the effect would have always been the same! Crushing over him like a tide wave!

... He fought a battle with himself ... lost ... and he died ... not his body, but his heart and soul!

He went pale - a lump in his throat seemed to suffocate him and his heart stopped beating while a giant fist squeezed it merciless, tried to press any life out of him! For a moment Donovan had to close his eyes! In his mind he thanked God on his knees that "Hooter" still sat on the ground,

cheerfully rummaging in his backpack for a forgotten chocolate bar and couldn't see his grief or the mute nonverbal conversation between them. Soon enough "Hooter" would know too - but it wasn't his turn to tell him! His eyes flicked open again and he swallowed hard when he read the very compassionate and emotional expression in Parker's jade green eyes together with his

irreversible final decision! ... Over! ... O . V . E . R ... These four little letters echoed in his ears, in his mind and in every cell of his body - again and again! Getting louder and louder - seemed to echo from the mountain range, seemed to be yelled across the lake, scornfully reflected by every little wave on the surface. Unbelievable that "Hooter" couldn't hear this derisive laughter! For a moment he wanted to grab him, haul him up and shake him, making his bones rattling: Can't you hear it? You damned little innocent fool?

Only seconds later suddenly a Blackhawk appeared at a distance! First hovering over the waterfront, the gigantic helicopter slowly and majestically began to sink and finally landed! For Craig Donovan the Blackhawk was figuratively sounding the bell for the dramatic end - the

lamentation of the dead, the Blackhawk's landing a morbid symbol for a macabre dance of death, the gravedigger's performance of a requiem mass for his love!

A low moan escaped between his lips, he tightened and swallowed a sob! Unable to speak he looked at Parker, who watched him concerned and frowning! For a moment Donovan slightly swayed and Parker was about to grab his elbow - but he violently shook his head and with a barely noticeable move of his hand he stopped him! He had to lower his eyes; he was simply unable to look into these jade green eyes, even if his own survival would have depended on

that, showing so much pain, sadness, compassion, love and affection for him; showing him how much it had cost Parker to come up with this decision. He gave him a tormented weak little smile, assuring him that he'd be okay and ... more important ... that he understood!

Donovan abruptly turned, grabbed his huge backpack and hoarsely expelled:

"Let's go buddies! They won't give us an extra written invitation!" He turned and wordless he gave Parker an amicable slap on the shoulder - for a tiny moment squeezing him hard - and started to walk over in the direction of the waiting helicopter.

Parker threw his head back and moaned aloud! All his unlimited grief and sorrow, all his love and affection was expelled in this single heartbreaking moan! ... Why? ... Why did this always happen to him? Why did he always cause such pain and grief to the ones he loved? Why did he always hurt the ones he loved? Was it something like an oath? And again he did what he always did: he blamed himself, paid an incredible high price for what he considered being his sins! The knife was turned around in his flesh!

Panting he took his backpack when 'Hooter', still completely unaware what had happened, smiled at him, the smile of a lovable innocent angel, entirely mistaking his moan:

"Hard to go back? Huh?"

"Eh? ... O ... yes in deed! The little monkey will be back in his cage!" Parker cleared his throat and with a weak smile he offered his hand to help him up. 'Hooter' accepted this offer, took his hand with a bright grin and when he stood beside Parker he added with a regretful sigh:

"Wow! Frank this was good! I never thought that I'd enjoy a field trip! Ah, okay, I admit I can't make many comparisons! I did my last field trip during high school and it was a disaster! But I am deadly sure this will be the best ever!"

He inhaled deeply, took a last breath of the fresh cold air enriched with the heavy scent of fall, spread his arms widely and made a complete turn, sucking in the wonderful view, trying to memorize the faintest detail:

"If it were up to me I could have stayed for eons! What a pity that it is over now!"

With a bright smile he sighed and looked at Parker, who's face was a mask of stone when he clicked his tongue and grabbed his backpack:

"Yeap!" He nodded: "Okay, c'mon Andy, let's go!"

Both followed Donovan into the helicopter. 'Hooter' flopped onto the bench beside Donovan and Parker had a seat on the opposite bench. Astonished 'Hooter' realized that Donovan had turned his head and was absentminded staring out of the helicopter's window.

"Craig? Are you okay?" He gave Parker a concerned glance. He had to shout; the helicopter had started and the roaring noise of the engine and the rotor blades made it almost impossible to talk.

Donovan averted his eyes from the view out of the window and a weak smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when he shook his head a 'nothing-worth-to-worry-about'.

The rest of this two-hours-flight back to the Never-Never-Land-Base went over in forced silence. Donovan lost himself in his thoughts and memories, Parker was pondering how to tell Andy about his decision and 'Hooter' was totally confused and scared of what had happened and was the reason for this strange palpable sadness and depressed mood of his lovers; hovering in the helicopter like a threatening black thundercloud trying to devour him. During the whole flight he could almost smell and taste the electricity of an upcoming thunderstorm - see the blue St. Elmo's fire - even grab it with his hands!

It was already dark when the helicopter arrived at the Base. A pitch black sky covered the Base area; stars brightly sparkling like diamonds spread over a sheet of pure velvet, the air was cold and the men produced little white clouds of frozen breath when they jumped off the Blackhawk for the short walk across the landing field towards the huge barracks and flight hangars, darkened by security reasons. They walked in silence - side by side - carrying the huge backpacks on their backs - three friends back from a survival training, that had been more like a field trip, a joint

adventure and for each of them a short time of precious bliss, a time of being together, a time of communal spirit, a time of welding together and ... their last time of being together as lovers.

Finally when they entered the elevator and Parker had pressed the button for sublevel 17 - the floor with their quarters - 'Hooter' was not longer able to hold back the question burning his tongue and driving him crazy if he wouldn't ask it:

"What the hell is wrong with you? Have I missed something? Frank, Craig, would you please have the kindness to tell me what happened or do you prefer to let me die as a complete idiot? Zounds!" 'Hooter' was furious.

"Andy, it's Frank's turn to answer!" Donovan's voice was low.

'Hooter' looked at Parker frowning and scared. Suddenly the elevator stopped and Donovan passed his friends; in the doorframe he stopped:

"Frank, it's better you talk to him in private!" And after a second he added in forced cheerfulness: "Hey ... see you tomorrow ladies!" He turned and walked down the empty hallway.

Parker thoughtfully looked after him, sighed and was about to leave the elevator too, when 'Hooter' stopped him and stood in his way - blocking the door with his body like a rock in the breakers supported by the heavy backpack, fiercely kicked into the space between the doors, preventing them from being shut again:

"Frank!"

Parker leaned his head back against the cold metal wall and closed his eyes:

"Not here!"

"No! Here and now! Spill it!" 'Hooter' was serious and left no doubt about his seriousness.

Parker's eyes flicked open and he shrugged his shoulders. He gave in:

"Okay! Anyway it doesn't really matter where ... or when!" A certain sadness conjured up in his voice: "Remember what I've told you a few months ago? About commitments, little games and that I wouldn't promise anything I couldn't keep?"

'Hooter' slowly nodded, suddenly very well aware that what would come next would hurt!

"Andy! ... God, I have no clue how ... Craig knows ... I am so sorry but ...!" His already low voice trailed off completely and he lowered his head.

"O!" A whisper. A waft.

Parker looked up, his face reflected his endless sorrow and pain:

"I can't pretend to be what I am not, what I'll never be! It took me quite a long time to find out what I really want and what I was looking for! ... Not only at your expense! ... And believe me ... this field trip ... these four days have been some of the best of my life! But ..." He shook his head:

"I have to finish it before it's getting too deep ... too close! ... I love you! I love you both! I really do! ... But ...!" He moaned and 'Hooter' interrupted him:

"It's too late Frank!" He tried to give him a smile: "What do they always say? The leopard can't change its spots?... Baby, it's not your fault! I know you love me too! Believe me I know it! ... But now you are going to tell me that you love me like a brother not like a lover! ..." His

voice cracked and he swallowed his tears, bravely he wanted to continue, but he only brought about a sob: "Jesus! Baby! It hurts so much!" His voice trailed off. For a moment he was only able to swallow, his facial muscles working hard, his fists clenched their knucklebones white. He had tried so hard to be brave and mature, face to face with the man he loved so much, he would

gladly die for, but he couldn't. It was too much for him.

Parker closed the space between their bodies and took him in his arms, softly rocking him - completely forgetting about time and not giving a bloody damn what incidentally passers-by - security guards on their shift or normal employees - would think or if they'd draw their own conclusions. He held him in his arms until the waves of despair, shaking 'Hooter's' body,

began to fade out. He cupped his chin to raise his head and looked into the dark brown eyes. Endlessly soft his thumb outlined 'Hooter's' cheekbone:

"Forgive me!" He bent his head and kissed him tenderly - for the last time.

They broke the embrace and 'Hooter' took his backpack - still blocking the elevator's doors - just in time when a couple of scientists dressed in white lab coats, followed by two armed security guards on their regular round, appeared behind a corner. Parker and Owsley - leaving the elevator - were passed with a short nodded 'welcome' and a few casually mumbled words. Both walked down the hallway and stopped in front of 'Hooter's' quarters. Owsley put a hand on the door handle, opened the door and turned, leaning against the door frame he removed his glasses and wiped his hand over his face:

"Frank? ... Hey, don't worry! I'll be okay! ... In some way!" He took a deep breath and exhaled: "Wow! Only a true friend stabs you in front huuh?"

Parker sighed: "Mphmm! Andy! ... If you need me ... I'll be there! Always! This is a promise!"

He smiled shouldered the heavy backpack again and turned! It seemed as if it wouldn't weigh much more than a dumb-bell in the gym but for Parker it felt as if a giant had loaded the whole world upon his shoulders, the weight was almost unbearable and he went down the hallway - all alone and feeling very small but with every step he became stronger and stronger ...

Sunday, October 6th, 8.39 p.m. Frank Parker's quarters (NNL):

Parker entered his quarters and carelessly he dropped the heavy backpack right where he had stopped. Momentarily a hot shower was all he could consider! Exhausted and tired he crossed the completely dark room like a sleepwalker and wanted to switch on the lamp on the nightstand beside his bed settee. When he felt for the switcher his fingers touched something. Finally finding the switcher he turned on the light and realized what it was. A letter - carefully wrapped in a blossom white and sealed envelope. He picked it up gingerly as if he feared to get his fingers burnt over the touch. No sender - no recipient! But this was not really necessary! In any

case he knew who had placed it right in front of lamp's base! Frowning he looked at the envelope in his hand. Olga's little letters!

He exhaled and mumbled: "Hell! Olga! Why do you always write these damned letters! Can't you talk to me like others? Am I such a frightening person?"

He threw the letter onto the bed settee! Unopened! Not now! He was neither in the mood nor in good spirits for reading probably very unpleasing lines! Maybe later! Maybe after a hot shower!

With a last glance at the letter - peacefully lying there - innocent and blossom white - but altogether darkening his already not too cheerful mood like Damocles' sword hovering above his head - he laughed mockingly:

"I've just left Scylla and now Charybdis is waiting for me! Couldn't they let him alone? Not for one single day?"

He slowly began to undress and finally walked into the bathroom. He entered the shower cubicle and opened the water faucet. The water came hot - as hot as only just bearable and immersed him into a white cloud of steam. Carefully and slowly he began to soap - a rather helpless attempt to wash off the grief and sadness and his pondering thoughts. Half an hour later - totally clean and his skin reddened like a lobster's shell - he stood in front of the huge mirror. A veil of steam hid his reflection. His hand touched the cold surface and left a trace, where he had wiped off the damp

veil. He looked at the reflection that showed him a stranger with a three days growth. He had no clue how long he had stared at his reflection but finally he turned, wrapped a dry towel around his hips and left the steamy bathroom. He took a tin of beer out of his small refrigerator, opened it and flopped onto his bed settee. He leaned back against the wall and sipped at the cold liquid. Eventually he downed the rest in one, threw the empty tin into the paper basket and took the envelope. With a mumbled 'okay' he surrendered unconditionally to his unavoidable seeming fate, opened it and began to read:

Honey, the word had been crossed out

Dear Frank,

Am I still allowed to call you honey? Honey I miss you so! ...

...

This time Olga's letter was very long - almost four pages written in her small well known distinctive handwriting ...

Continuing to read more and more of the lines the expression on his face changed. First he had been prepared for another written series of insults but now ...

The letter was closed with a few very touching sentences:

...

It was something that you said that turned me from inside out! A single word!

Honey, teach me how to dream! Teach me how to fly, show me how to spread my wings! I want to fly back into your loving arms! Take me back! In your arms the time stands still, the universe stops spinning around and the stars are falling down like bright and sparkling meteors enlightening the darkness surrounding me!

I am at Lake Tahoe where I've spent some of the most wonderful days in my life!

Will you come and pick me up? Don't be scared! You will find me - Galina has vanished like an evil ghost!

I hope, beg and pray that you'll do!

Love,

Olga

He read the letter a few times! Finally he frowned and sighed deeply! His mood alternated between fuming with rage - angry with himself and the whole rest of the world - and the desperate urge to laugh - about himself and the whole completely muddled situation! < Gee Olga! I'm just back now! How the hell should I do this? Ohhhh, what the hell am I supposed to do with

you? >

He rose and got dressed. Unshaved! Slipping into his dark brown leather jacket he switched off the light and hesitantly opened the door. He tightened and left his quarters heading for Bradley Talmadge's office; mutely saying a quick prayer that his request wouldn't cause immediate admission back to Hanson Island.

Sunday, October 6th, 10.09 p.m., Dr. Bradley Talmadge's office, NNL Base:

Bradley Talmadge was sitting at his huge desk when a short knock at his door startled him out of preparing the next morning's briefing meeting. He raised his head:

"Come in!"

Inwardly smiling brightly he watched Frank Parker entering his office. Parker showed a weak smile and nodded a "good evening" while he approached his desk. He stopped an inch in front of the desk and seemed to be a bit lost, tugging at his earlobe.

"Frank! You look rested! Obviously the survival training was a good idea! We need our chrononaut fit as a fiddle!" Talmadge showed his best poker face, laughed quietly and drew on his unavoidable cigar before he continued:

"But I am sure you didn't just drop by to say 'hello'?" Again he drew on his cigar and exhaled - a little cloud of smoke and few very impressive rings of smoke - waiting for Parker.

"Phew! ... Sir? ... Not really!" Parker was humming and hawing, restlessly stepping from one foot to the other and dodging the purpose of his visit.

Talmadge sighed and waved his hand:

"Frank! Do me a favor and have a seat otherwise I will get stiff neck!" Talmadge knew the reason for this late visit and watched him flopping onto the offered chair:

"Whiskey?" A keen look at him followed: "How could I ask? Help yourself! By the way I've got something for you!"

Parker poured himself a glass, downed it in one and coughed:

"A loaded weapon?"

"What?" Talmadge looked at him frowning.

"Ahh, forget it! ... Thanks! Sir? ... Ummmhhh ... It's Olga! ... Err! ... I know I'm just back ..."

Bradley Talmadge interrupted him with a wave of his cigar-equipped hand:

"I've expected something like that! Short and to the point ..."

Parker startled and prepared himself to get his head washed: "I knew it! Anyway I've been a fool to ask! ... You will not permit it with the usual blah blah blah always ending with ... we need our chrononaut here at the base in case of emergency!"

"Please!" Bradley Talmadge cut him off: "It's not my business what happened between you and Olga! But even a blind one can easily see that the house of Parker is a bit short on domestic bliss! You know where Olga is? Of course! You will be back tomorrow at 8.00 p.m. and not a single second later! Do you read me?"

And with a bright smile he couldn't resist to add: "And now the usual - how did you describe this so strikingly and rather barefaced? - blah blah blah? - We need a chrononaut on duty as well as our Chief of Medical Research! But mainly we need our friends!"

He laughed aloud when he realized the totally baffled expression on Parker's face and waved his hand:

"C'mon! Well push off!"

Talmadge was still laughing when Parker jumped out of the chair, showing his relief and gratitude wordless but the big ear-to-ear-grin was enough and vanished like greased lightning in the direction of the parking zone.

Monday, October 7th, 1.35 a.m., "The Lake View Cottages", Lake Tahoe:

Olga had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room when the low noise of a car's tires slowly rolling over the grit covered drive and the bright light beams of headlights enlightening the dark room woke her up. With a start she shot off the couch throwing the woolen blanket carelessly on

the floor.

The very moment Parker got off the car she had just enough time to switch on the lights and opened the entrance door. Her heart missed a beat when she stopped in the doorframe watching him strolling towards her, his hands deeply buried in the pockets of his pants; he frowned and seemed to be very annoyed but at the corners of his mouth was already tugging something like a

little smile. He stopped in front of her.

"Frank!" She was only able to whisper: "Do you ... do you want to come in?" Her heart was hammering like madly - echoing in her ears like thunder.

For a sheer endless moment he just looked at her - frowning.

"No! Still too angry!"

Now her heart stopped beating!

"Frank you must forgive me! Please! You must forgive me!" Pure desperation flooded her entire body when he showed not the faintest reaction, still standing in front of her like rooted to the spot:

"Please! You must forgive me! You can't forget! But you must forgive me! You must forgive me!" Over and over she conjured these words - like an incantation, looking so incredible desperate ... and beautiful ... tears running down her cheeks like drops of silver.

Slowly he took his hands out of the pockets and after a short moment of hesitation he embraced her, holding her tight, soothing her. She threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him over and kissed him breathless.

A minute later a pretty breathless Frank Parker was finally able to expel:

"Olga! I'm still unsure what I'd rather do with you! Either I put you across my knees and leather your bum or I screw your brain off - here and now!" He shook his head, exhaling sharply: "But usually I loathe doing violence to women so I think I'm gonna choose the second option!"

She looked at him - still sobbing - her hand gently stroking his cheek, touching the smooth short black stubbles, making him look so damned handsome and daring.

"Mmmphh! We better go inside huuhhh? I'm not hot on being the midnight's fair sensation of a place in the back of beyond!" He cupped her chin and bowed his head to meet her eyes.

"C'mon! Ahhh, I see!" Without the slightest hesitation the lifted her up and carried her back into he cottage ...

THE END