CHAPTER TWENTY - Heroes Held Hostage

I'm sittin' there goin' outta my skull when the phone rings. "Batz here." "Well, if it isn't the Doltish Detective", followed by some snickerin'. "Who the hell is this?" I demand. "It's not your little Boy Friday, at least not yet. Would you like to hear him?" "Put him on the phone this minute. EDDIE! EDDIE! It's me, Mike!" All I hear on the other end is moanin'. Eddie's moanin'. Good Grief, they got him gagged. "At least you know he's still with us." "what the hell've ya done to him?" The sick bastard starts makin' like Rosemary Clooney, "Come on-a my house, my house, my house, and I'm-a gonna give you Eddie!"

EDDIE - I can't believe they actually got the gall to call Mike. I hear them taunting him and I'm bustin' to break outta these bonds and bash 'em. Then the little sicko puts the phone up to my face. I got duct tape across my mouth at the time. My hands and feet are duct-taped to this chair and it's one of them steel jobs. Boy, is this gonna be a long one. They hang up and hit me in the side of the head with the phone. Then, "rip that thing out", and finally they pull that dart out of my neck, "but do it REAL slow". I can feel it being twisted around, stuck in and out in little jabs. I'm losin' my skull by now. Two slugs in the ribs ain't nothin' compared to this, lemme tell ya that. I mean, Holy Hanoi Hilton!

I'm gettin' real sore at this point, that's one of my favorite songs, too, and this guy's just murderin' it. "Where the hell is your house?" "Oh, the usual cliche thing, an abandoned warehouse, corner of 5th and Phillips, that sort of thing." "You guys don't use much imagination, and ya can't sing, either." "You hurt my feelings twice, Mr. Man. Let's see what your Little Boy Friday has to say about this."

EDDIE - I hear them say Little Boy Friday, oh God. I think I'm gonna get it now. One of them picks up a frayed wire, plugged into a wall and taps my face with it twice, sendin' me into orbit, for Pete's sake. "You hear that, Mr. Man? Two shocking insults gets ya two insulting shocks for your Little Boy Friday here."

I'm tearin' my hair out at this point. "Look, okay, uh, don't hurt the kid anymore, I'll cooperate. When do we meet?" "Um, well, I'm sort of free this evening, if I don't have to wash my hair, that is." More snickering. God, I can't stand this guy. I'd love to do to him what he's doin' to the both of us. But that ain't right. The Dashin' Detective ain't no vigilante. I don't go around hurtin' for hurtin's sake. "I'm takin' off now, I'll be there as soon as I can." "See to it."

I get to the old abandoned warehouse. My God, I still think they ain't got no imagination. Darts, electric shocks. Pretty stupid. I knock on the door and one of those creeps opens it up, jammin' a piece into my chest. "Hands up, Boss-Man, it's coffee break time." I walk in there with my hands up, go down a hallway, not many lights are on but for this flashlight in my face. Another voice says, "his arms are going to get stiff, maybe we ought to let him put them down." "Yeah, let's cuff him instead." "Aw, holy crap" They take out one of them plastic jobs they give rioters and wrap it around my wrists like a frickin' torniquet. "Now walk." Then I'm stopped. "Look left, look right, THAT's right, Dick Tracy, THEN walk." Aw, man, these sons of bitches are havin'
some fun. Just wait til the tables turn, just wait. I should be ringin' my hands together except they're cuffed in the back, so I'll be wringin' my hands in spirit.

Another dark room. What the hell is with these guys? They got cat's eyes? Or they memorized the layout. I'm directed to a chair at a table, or at least shoved. I park it down and a spot light is shone in my face. "Now, then, you grubby little gumshoe, how much did my ex pay you to come after me?" "I ain't sayin' a word." "Mm, interesting. Chesterton?" "Right, boss" I don't hear anything except a slight thumping sound, and suddenly a scream. My God, it's Eddie. "Eddie! Eddie! Where they got you?"

SMACK - OW - right across the kisser - "never mind that - you can hear him, you know he's still alive, you just don't know for how long". Then this creep starts walkin' laps around me, talkin' down to me, makin' me really wanna bust his jaw wide open. If only I could bust these cuffs. Man, these sons-a-bitches are tough.

"Now, remember being in school - of course you don't seem like you spent much time there, but I'm sure you went at one point or another. Where I went to school, the teachers beat the living crap out of me until I finally gave the right answers. See, she was peeling away the layers of the onion known as lies, deceit and bullshit. Now, do we need to peel away those numerous, thick layers, or do you just cut to the chase?" "I don't care what you do to me, but you just better not harm one hair on my guy's head." "Oh, but that is already being done, you see. As you will bear witness." Another pop and a scream.

EDDIE - Geez, they get me with a dart in the club, now, they're shootin' them things at me left and right. First one hit me in the arm. Okay, bad enough, but it's a usual spot. My arm is big enough to take that whole needle in it. Now, with the second one, I was goin' crazy. They drove that second one into one of my fingertips. They're tryin' to pit the boss-man and me against each other, ya take my meanin'? I can hear him refusin' to give into them and they're usin' all kinds of stuff on me, like, he knows what we're doin' to ya, but he don't care, he's not sayin' anything. "Good, I hope he doesn't. You guys are really gonna pay for this."

Wouldn't ya know it - when I first sit down in the hot-seat, somethin' kinda dug into my back. Somethin' kinda sharp. Somethin' kinda sharp that'd cut anything, and then WHAM, I got it, this'll cut through this cuff, and I can always say my back is hurtin' and I'm movin' around a bit, just to keep from them knowin' I'm sawin' my way out of this mess. HOO-BOY! I can't wait to get outta this thing. It ain't gonna be a pretty story for these guys, lemme tell ya that.

EDDIE - OW! Holy Jesus Murphy, another one. This one's in my leg. "No talking, not from you, but from your big Boss-Man." Every time I'm hit, I have to catch my breath, it really takes a lot outta me. I tell myself to cool it, don't tick 'em off any more than they are. I know they'll make up some reason to keep dingin' me with these, but I don't wanna give 'em another reason. Good ol' creepazoid comes back into the room. "How's it going here?" His partner, who I really thought was my friend, just sneers at me and says, "look at him, all punctured up and nowhere to go. Of course, you know, he can't, but, that's neither here nor there." The two of them laugh. Creepazoid says, "hey, you know, you're kinda sexy when you're in pain." He walks over to me, bends over slowly down to where we're at face level, strokes my cheek with his gloved paw. I start hyperventilating. I'm so disgusted I don't know what to do. If I balk, I get another dart, if I give in, I'm gettin' raped. My hands are the only things that are tied, which is a good thing. I can still move my head back and forth to avoid that lizard tongue from gettin' in my mouth. Or somethin' else. I decided on the dart, after all. I give a kick with one of my legs, he sees it comin' and ducks, then I send myself flyin' backward, fallin' to the ground. The two of them pick me up and put me back into position, then start beatin' the holy crap outta me. I take it to the face, the chest, even the balls. I let out this scream what would wake the dead. "Nah, we ain't gonna get much action outta this one", says Chesterton. Creepazoid agrees with him and asks, "hey, got a light?" Incredible, the guy wants a cigarette? No, it's for somethin' much worse. Chesterton brings out a blow torch, sets up a new dart magazine, all in front of me. Creepazoid says he's goin' back outside to stick it to the Boss-Man some more. Chesterton waves the blow torch over the dart needles over and over again. He then loads up the gun. By now, with everything goin' on, I don't know if I'm cryin', moanin', freakin' out, but I keep sayin' "oh my God, oh my God", thinkin' to myself, "please don't do it. Please don't do it."

I'm gettin' more and more ticked off. What the hell are them two slugs doin' to my boy? In the meantime, I'm cuttin' more and more into the cuff. I start to hear some crackin' back there. I think I'm gettin' loose. BAM! My hand is loose! Well, all right. I'm lovin' this day. Didn't start off too swift, but it's gonna be sweet, lemme tell ya that. I whip out my phone and call the cops, tellin' 'em where we're at, and all. I'm playin' possum, I got the goods, the blue boys are on the way over to pay a call. Yep, I'm lovin' this day. Okay, then, phone goes back in the pocket, hands go back behind the back. I go back to playin' prisoner. Creepy bastard comes back out. "what're doin' to him in there?", I says. "I don't believe that's any of your concern. I'm still conduting this inquisition, not you, Mr. Batz. Ready to talk?" "Not on your mother-country life", I snarl. Another scream from Eddie, only this time, it's worse than before.

EDDIE - The creepazoid is back outside, leavin' me alone with Chesterton, who watches outside at the Boss-man. He gets a signal from creepazoid, and then......and then........"I always thought you were pretty hot, Robinson. So is this." It's like slow motion, he pulls the trigger, deadly dart dispatched. I stare at it comin' at me, one of the ones that were blowtorched, still with a bit of smoke waftin' off it. This one gets me right in the groin. My whole face contorts, my mouth opens as wide as it can, even wider. My whole body goes into spasms, I'm screamin' two, three octaves higher than my voice. It ain't just goin' through the speakers, it even goes right out into the next room. I'm hollerin', weepin' , my legs are kickin' like there's no tomorrow. I'm flyin' into such a spaz attack, my hands break free! I'm hurtin' so bad, I'm so crazy with it, my blood boils, I'm kinda like the Incredible Hunk, I mean, Hulk. Then I break my hands loose. Realizin' I'm free, I pull the darts outta me. Yeah, it hurt, but I didn't care, I was so worked up over this whole thing. I lunge right toward Chesterton. There's quite a rumble in the booth, I tell ya.

I hear all this goin' on and I just cut loose. I lunge right toward this bastard and start givin' 'im what for. I grab him and start slammin' his head against a wall. Just then the cops show up. YES! This whole thing's finally wrappin' up. The Poor Sap is gonna get his due and Eddie and I are gettin' the hell outta here in a little bit. But we got some major ass to kick first. When the cops burst in, I get outta the way, "he's all yours, boys." They order him to surrender, I go up to the booth what was Eddie's prison cell but I find out he ain't there. "Holy Jesus Murphy, what the hell's next?" I see the cops givin' it to the creepy bastard, poppin' him a couple of times. He falls down. Good for him, I says. But you ain't gonna believe what's next. I know I sure as hell didn't.

CHAPTER NINETEEN - Busted, Bound, Bamboozled Boy

EDDIE - I scooted it out to the front area, Chesterton comes up a couple of minutes later. "Hey, Eddie". I'm as nonchalant as I can be, under the circumstances. I'm a little flushed from my little escape, I'll write it off as either bein' a diabetic or asthma or somethin'. "Hey, there, what can I do for ya?" ""Well, I was wondering if you could help with something as we close up. I'd like it if you were to deposit the day's take." "Sure, no problem." "Good, we got the envelopes here, bank's right down the block, there's a 24-hour deposit box, just toss it in there." As Chesterton was showin' me the ropes, I notice he just took a handful of cash, stuck it in the envelope and filled it out. Then, he grabbed the rest of the cash and was walkin' toward the back. So, I follow him, knowin' full well he's up to somethin', but makin' like it's part of the job I need to learn. I do the naive thing pretty well. Fools 'em all. So, anyways, Chesterton is kinda surprised I follow him. "Oh, I just thought this was part of closin' ", I said. "It is, in a matter of speaking." Thinkin' about it for a sec, he says, "oh. okay, what the hell, I'll tell ya - we stash some what is termed as petty cash, just for day to day stuff. It also helps on the tax return if we don't deposit everything. We gotta keep a bit of scratch for ourselves, too, you know." Holy handouts, I think to myself, so that's why he pays me in cash every day. "But, is that legal, I mean, wouldn't the feds catch up to ya?" "Hey, what the hell are you, some kinda cop? HA! Is it legal, he asks me. You really doubt the hand that feeds you, don't you?" I get all flustered and crap, "no, no, I was just askin'! I ain't no fed! Honest!" I plead, hoping he wouldn't smack the crap outta me and somehow bust my wire. Then, I'd really be hosed. Chesterton gets his act together, "sorry, kid, didn't mean to get so jumpy. You're a good kid..."

"TALK TO YA, CHESTERTON, NOW!" It's the creepy partner. Chesterton runs over with the petty cash to his office. I gotta call Mike, but the phone rings, "too bad ya gotta quit after bein' promoted and all." "I don't getcha." "We got enough on this crumb, not only did he schtump his partner over, but he's a tax dodge to boot. Sweet, sweet stuff." I laugh and kinda whisper, "boy am I glad you called. It was gettin' a little - OW - dammit!" "Eddie, what's the matter?" "Aw, nothin' just a crick in my neck, I guess." I reach up to rub the back of my neck as I'm talkin', but I feel somethin'. Then I start to weaken. I panic, "aw, man, this ain't no crick - I think - - it's a - - DART!" BAM! I hit the floor, I can hear the boss man screamin' from the phone!

I told the kid the jig was up, we got everythin' we needed, so no more bar-bouncin' for this guy. I thought I heard somethin' up in the background, but blew it off. Eddie starts to tell me somethin', then he screams. I kept sayin'
"eddie, what's wrong!" Then the kid tells me he's got a dart in his neck and he falls over, moanin'. What I hear next put the hairs up on my neck.

EDDIE - I'm lyin' on the ground, I can't move except to look up, wonderin' what's up. Chesterton and his partner come in and shove a piece of paper in my face. "Chesterton, I'd like to introduce you to one Edward Robinson, loyal sidekick to one Mike Batz, aka The Dashing Detective." He turns to me, kicks me in the ribs and says, "it definitely is a dart, specially timed to keep you immobile for several hours. That'll give us enough time to lug you outta here and do what we gotta do to you." "What - - ARE - - ya gonna do to me?" "All in good time, my little pretty snoop, all in good time." They start draggin' me away and I'm hollerin' out, and getting punched out, moanin' in pain. Just 'cuz I'm paralyzed don't mean I can't feel everything. Chesterton hears Mike shoutin' my name from the phone, so he goes and steps on it, smashin' it.

I'm on the other end, listenin' to Eddie bein' kidnapped and I can't do nothin' about it, I shout his name then hear some thump, and then I lost the connection. What the heck is goin' on? Oh, I know what's goin' on. I just don't wanna think about it.

I put my head in my hands and drop the phone. "Oh, my God, Eddie", I cry, "what's gonna happen to ya?"

They take me out to the back, get me in the back of some van, grab some rope and start tyin' me up. I keep sayin' no, no, no, then they get so pissed off they slam my head up against one of the walls, throwin' me down on the floor. Man, I cannot stop moanin'. These guys worked me over good. Then they tore my shirt off revealin' the wire, which they rip so fast they scratch me a little, making me scream. "Stitches, eh? To think I actually bought that." He grabs me by my hair and shouts, "thought you was a good kid, ya prick!" They tie my hands and feet, get out of the back and head for the front and drive away. Now with my cell phone smashed, the wire ripped out, I'm all tied up in the back with a dart in my neck, and I'm thinkin' I had it. I really had it. I start bawlin', "oh, Boss-man, where the heck are ya?"

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Slippin' and a-Slidin', Sneakin' and a-Spyin'

EDDIE - It was close to closing time, the place seemed a bit quiet, so I checked all the ID's and stuff that I was gonna do, and there wasn't a whole heck of a lot to do here. Besides that, it was kinda lonely. I sure did miss my boss-man. I mean, we live together and all that, but I really need him. I need his eyes gazing at mine, I need his touch, I need to hear his voice. I love it when we get a call and run off to action side by side. I love it when we confront our foes and I'm lookin' at him as he's callin' 'em on the carpet. I got my fists at the ready and he's standin' there perfectly calm and cool, and ready to bust ass. I know this is for a case and I'll do everything I can to help get this guy and possibly get the Poor Sap's money back to him, but, man, this sure gets lonely.

Ya know, maybe we coulda went about this a different way. I thought Eddie might get a good chance to get to know this creep by hangin' at the club and all, and now that he's a bouncer there, he'll really get some inside stuff. But, damn it all, I really miss him. I miss it when he's all hyped out and ready to start swingin' when anyone tries to mess with me. I miss it when we smile, pat each other and go runnin' off into the sunset when we busted some ass. I like bein' heroes with him. I was doin' good stuff then, but my life sure did turn around when he showed up in that alley. He really brightens up whatever he walks into, he sure does make my place come alive. The office ain't all that depressin' no more. The ol' man upstairs really did me a good thing when he plopped Eddie right into my lap, in more ways than one, of course (heh-heh). But, anyways, there's a crime to solve, another butt to bust. All I been hearin' on the wire is just your usual chit-chat, crap disco (who the heck ever made that shit, ya know?), glasses bangin', some bar patrons bangin'. From the sound of things, Eddie sure does get around. He sure gets hit on a lot, but he always waves it off, always.

Gettin' close to closin' time, not much goin' on, Eddie walkin' around. He's a heavy walker. Even without the wire I can hear him stompin' for miles. That's okay. Ya know, people love each other in spite of their quirks. I just love Eddie's quirks. He wouldn't be Eddie without 'em. God, I love his feet, I love the shoes he wears and the socks underneath. When it's really hot and he wears shorts, they can't be short enough for my likin'.

Okay, okay, okay, god- dammit, there I go again.

So, Eddie's walkin' around, checkin' stuff, I guess. I never worked in a bar before, unless ya count bein' passed out underneath my share of bar-stools in my time.

Footsteps, a little echo, a couple of voices, gettin' louder, gettin' clearer - all right, boy, STOP RIGHT THERE!

EDDIE - It was closin' time and I didn't see much goin' on so I thought I'd look around, see what needed doin'. Maybe I'll head over to the office and ask if they need me for anything else before I take off. They're both in there talkin', oh, well, I won't bug 'em, then. I was about to walk back when I felt this sudden urge to just stand still, for some reason. Don't know what, but somethin' was just tellin' me to. Good thing I did, 'cuz I heard this goin' on with Chester and that creepy partner of his: "C " 's gonna be for Chesterton and "CP" is gonna be for creepy partner:

CP: So, what's the deal with the kid out there?

C: You mean my new bouncer, Eddie?

CP: Your new bouncer? Well I suppose if he's YOUR new bouncer, you can finance this dump yourself and I can go back to that poor sap I dropped, boring little fuck he was and all.

C: Okay, if you're gonna get all anal-technical. THE new bouncer.

CP: Why did you hire him in the first place? It's not like this is a roadhouse or anything.

C: Well, we do need to screen out minors, being a new place I don't want to get busted until we're open at least 6 weeks.

CP: Hey, (SOUND OF A SLAP) don't gimme any shit. One more smart crack and you're gonna be back at that shoe store in the mall before you know it. Look what I did to the last one. I all but bankrupted that idiot. That's what he gets for trying to take over the whole show, not even putting my name on anything. He kept giving me that shit about how he's the personality and I'm the behind the scenes. Fuckin' fruit-job. He deserved everything he got. let that be a lesson for you. No shit, ya get me? Oh, uh, are the statements still in the hiding place?

C: Sure thing, along with the.....

CP: We don't mention it out loud, just so we both know. Well, anyway, I think you ought to give that new kid something else to do besides look hot and read ID's all night. Like, maybe, run some errands, dropping off the........

C: No way, that sweet kid is not gonna get messed up in that. His face is too pretty for the clink.

CP: I'm talking about the deposits. I think we can trust him around the cash. If he's as dumb as he looks, he wouldn't even think of ripping us off.

DUMB AS HE LOOKS? - Why I oughta -

ALL RIGHT BOY! STOP RIGHT THERE!

Wow, there goes that urge again, it's like I can't move or somethin'. I wanted to clean that guy's clock for sayin' I'm as dumb as I look, or that I look dumb, or that I....aw, the heck with it.

CP: He sure gets on that cell-phone a lot, and he sure yaks it up with people. A little too friendly for my liking. Kid gets me nervous.

You should be - ya got the Dashin' Detective taping everything you say and you don't even know it, you stupid little greaseball. I mean, holy brylcreem, he's got enough oil up there to fill a tank of gas.

CP: Just keep on eye on the little shit, huh?

C: Okay, okay.


Now, MOVE!

Bookin' outta this hallway like RIGHT NOW. Don't wanna let 'em catch me snoopin' around, that's my other job.

Good, good, Eddie's gettin' away. We're gettin' some stuff now, boy, I'd hate to have it all blow up in our faces.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - On Duty

"Hey, kid, nice cover on the wire", I says to Eddie. I heard the whole thing and called him right after his near heart-attack. Now, Eddie started talkin' kinda funny, like, "oh, hey, yeah, how ya doin' - - uh-huh, yeah, well....uh-huh", you know, that kind of stuff, so I knew the slimeball was still hangin' around. Maybe he had that right, you never know, I mean, he does partly own the joint, although not by legal means. It's actually our boy, the Poor Sap who really owns it. "Mike, man, I'm sorry", but I wasn't really alone, if ya get my meanin' ". "I sure did, I'd act the same way myself if I was up against it. How's it goin' over there?" "It's okay - nothin' really big goin' on or nothin', I'm just checkin' ID and all that." "Well, this slimeball really seems to take a shine to ya - use that for what it's worth. People tend to break down and just gab anything when they think they can trust ya." "I don't know about all that", Eddie whispered. "Chesterton's fine and everything but the other guy keeps lookin' at me real funny like". "Funny in what way?" "Like he's tryin' to figure me out. He never says anything except noddin' to me and stuff. Chesterton does all the talkin'." "Well, you have heard of a silent partner, right? Listen, kid, now we know this guy ripped the Poor Sap to front this guy Chesterton the cash, hopefully he'll start yakkin' about why, if he gets to know ya a little. You're a nice, warm, friendly guy, this one'll be putty in your hands. Maybe start goin' on about partners, that kinda thing." "Sure thing, boss. This place closes at 1. I sure can't wait til then. I've really been missin' ya." "Remember what ya said about how I'm right there and ya carry me everywhere? Just look down between them smokin' pecs of yours." Eddie sounded like he was blushin'. "Aw, boss, ya heard that?" "Yep. Ya sure made my day, kid, ya sure made my day."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Suckin' the Poor Sap Dry

Now, back to the case of the embezzling partner, my first move was to subpoena the bank statements for over the past few months or so, since this poor sap never seen 'em and they were nowhere to be found. I could then comb over all these transactions. I got together with the poor sap and there were a bunch of withdrawls and checks he didn't recognize. I saw there were a bunch of checks made out to someone named Chesterton. "ya know who this one is?", I says. He had no idea. There were some pretty huge amounts, though, I tell ya, like $4,000 here, a copule-a grand there. Some pretty outrageous sums made out to "cash". Holy semoleons, this one was really cleanin' out this guy's clock. I decided to do this one pro-bono for the time bein', but if we get the cash back, then I'd move in for the kill, so to speak. But first off, on a personal note, the poor sap did say there was a costume contest and Eddie and I did decide to go to this thing. I did see this costume shop what was right in our neighborhood, so I stopped off and got the Batman and Robin suits, just like in my daydream. I didn't go through all-a that "close your eyes and I'll dress ya" crap I thought about. I says, "kid, why dontcha try on that costume for the contest". "Sure thing, Mike. I'll go get it." "No need, I got it" Eddie was pretty intrigued, which is GOOD for a detective. "Close your eyes, kid, this is gonna blow you away." I took it out of the box and just held it up. It was a pain in the ass 'cuz Robin had about 12 pieces I had to juggle - cape, vest, pants, shirt, belt. Man, it must've taken this kid a year to get dressed every day. Anyways, Eddie opened his eyes, as well as his mouth. "Aw, man, this is incredible. Wow, is that hot! You mean I get to dress like Robin?" "Uh-huh. Of course, I'll be Batman." "Well, I didn't think you was gonna be Catwoman. Lemme go try it on, I can't wait to model it for ya." "Okay", I says, climbin' into my Bat-suit. I came outta one room in my outfit and he came outta the other with his. Oh, ya shoulda seen us. Pretty hot stuff. We took pictures of each other in the suits, then Eddie thought we should have one taken together, so we put the timer on the camera. I stood with my hands on my hips, legs spread wide, the seam runnin' on the inside of my legs got Eddie pretty hot. "Boy, I'd love to get my fingers runnin' up and down on that seam." "What the hell is stoppin' ya?", I says. Oh, but if Eddie thought I was something, you shoulda caught a gander at him. He stood with his legs spread wide and clutching his fist. I wish we coulda stayed like that, but this is for a case we're on, good tax deduction, too, I thought. We were kinda noticin' each other, the seam up my legs, the mask around his head. I love the way his eyes kinda burned through the mask, and then his mouth. He had his mouth in that Burt Ward pout. This kid was really into it.

On the night of the contest, Eddie and I appeared at the club in all of our finery. The room was pretty festive, what with the video screens showin' tapes of strippers and that kinda thing. But the looks we got, especially Eddie. Cripe, some of them were drooling over him. This one pervert walked past and ran his hand up Eddie's leg to his crotch and I had to pull him up on that. I says, "Hey, the Boy Wonder ain't for gropin' - he's with me, ya get my meanin'?" The guy was pretty ballsy and smarted off at me, "what are ya gonna do, hit me with your batarang or something?" Better yet, Eddie clobbered him, first in the gut, then as the guy bent over, he popped him in the kisser. Oh, we won the contest, hands down. There was some stuff like master and servant shit goin' on, then some loser got all in good fairy drag with the wand and everything, but the audience really ate us up, or at least wanted to, anyway (heh-heh). This other guy went up to Eddie and I thought, "holy crap, I got my work cut out for me tonight". But he didn't try nothin'. As they talked, I kept my eye on them. Eddie, to his credit, kept a safe distance, but wanted to hear what this one had to say:

EDDIE - This other guy didn't try nothin', he just schmoozed me and all that, sayin' I'd be a really big hit at this bar he runs. "No foolin'? Ya run a bar and you're hangin' out here?" "Yeah", he said, "checking out the competition so we do the exact opposite. Like two chicks wearing the same dress. You don't want that." I laughed at that analogy and he goes on, "it opened about a month ago, doing gangbuster business. It was by some miracle, too" "Yeah, how's that?" "I had some trouble getting the money together, then this guy I started seeing hears about what I wanted to do and he fronted me the money." "No foolin'! That was pretty good of him." I didn't think anything weird about it, it was all just small talk. He thought I looked good as Robin and all that, so.......I asked what the hours are, where it was and all that, again, just small talk, I didn't even know if I'd ever go, I was just bein' nice, I guess. He wasn't gonna miss me not bein' there, and there are a million gay guys dressin' like superheroes, so....."Okay", I thought to myself, stickin' the card in my, uh, utility belt. I walk back over to the boss and he sees the card stickin' out, "let's have a look at it".

I see Eddie standin' over there talkin' to this guy who liked him in the suit, keepin' a good eye on him, all the way. I trusted Eddie, but I wasn't sure about this one, especially after that other one. Crap, that one really creeped me out. His hand goin' into regions already staked out by yours truly. Anyways, Eddie comes back with this card stickin' out of his utilty belt and I says, "lemme see that". I read it and was pretty alarmed, "Eddie", that's the one. "huh?" "Them statements, a bunch of checks made out to someone Chesterton." "Uh, okay, not sure I follow ya". I show him the card, the name on the bottom said, Skip Chesterton, Sole Propreitor". Eddie's mouth opened wide, "HOLY....." "PRECISELY!" I snapped my fingers and pointed at him, "you're goin' to this place. You're wearin' a wire, I'm tapin' it all. We're gonna nail this bastard if it takes everything we got." "Roger", Eddie saluted me, boy-scout style.

EDDIE The boss put two and two and came up with a whopper! The guy I that was schmoozin' me turns out to be this one that the poor sap's partner was frontin' the money to. I was gonna go there with a wire and see what I got. I went back to Chesterton and said, "uh, hey, this place sounds pretty good. What time ya open tomorrow?" "Tomorrow? Oh, why not tonight?", he says, slightly rubbin' the sleeve of my costume, I brushed it away. "Hey. man, that's for my partner. We got a thing goin'." "Well, okay I can respect that, I guess". I started to take my mask off, but he said, "no need, what a bod like that, I'd recognize you anywhere. Come have a drink on the house. We'll talk." "Sounds good", I said, saluting him boy-scout style. Mike likes it when I do it, so I do it a lot, I guess (heh-heh).

Before Eddie took off to the new club, I fitted him for the wire. His shirt was off, I tape it right in the middle, right between his pecs. "I'll help you with that", says Eddie. "No thanks, I got this myself", I says. It was my pleasure, holdin' the wire up to his chest, right between his pecs. I grabbed a couple of pieces of tape and smoothed it on him, he starts moanin'. "mm, I love that", he says. I figured I'd get in a few licks on his nips while I was at it, figurin' might as well mix business with pleasure. I started pinchin' his nips, he starts gaspin', glidin' his hands over mine as I do my stuff. Moans turned into little screams, "it ain't pain, it's ecstacy", he says. "I knew that, I know you very, very well", I says. "But back to business. You open up and gab as much as you can and I'll tape the whole thing. We'll see what we get on this bastard." Another boy scout salute, "aye-aye, sir", he says. And he was off.

EDDIE So, I get to this place and see the joint was jumpin'. I got a few stares and all that, didn't see no one checkin' ID at the door, or nothin', so I was a little curious about that. I hook up with Chesterton and say, "hey, I'm here for my free drink." He takes a look at me and says, "a ha. I knew I'd recognize you with that bod. Welcome to the Chesterton Den of Iniquity". I laugh at this, a little nervously, hopin' I wasn't gettin' lured into some orgy, or nothin'. I sure wish the boss was here, but he's tapin' everything as it goes on, so......it sure ain't the same without him, though. Funny how that works out. I been to a lot of clubs in my time and all, but since I met the boss-man, it's a whole new ball game. I felt lonely for him. A couple of hours without him and already I feel so empty. Why wasn't he here, arm around me, kissin' me as I hung out at this place? I look around and all I see is the boss. A guy walks up to me and goes, "hey, doll face, where's Batman?" "You recognize me?" "Sure, with that bod, who wouldn't?" He leans in and whispers to me, "you should dress like that all the time. You were the hottest thing there last night. I would love it if you'd slide down my bat pole some time." "Sorry, but I got a guy, you know." "So, where is he?" I pointed to my heart, not the wire, but to my heart. "He's in here. I carry him in here at all times." Then it dawns on me, if he's in my heart all the time like I says he is, why do I feel so lonely without him? Answer, I don't feel his tongue in my mouth. I don't feel his hands on me. I don't feel his manhood inside me. I don't have mine in him. His teeth ain't grazin' on my nips. He ain't there makin' me moan as he does that. His manhood ain't rubbin' against mine. His cum ain't bein' splashed on my chest and I ain't rubbin' it all over, licking the excess off-a my fingers. Anyways, I got a job here to do.

I chatted with Chesterton, more small talk, ya know. I notice there wasn't a bouncer or no one checkin' ID. "How do you know no minors are gettin' in?", I says. He says, "I don't".
"uh, ain't ya takin' a pretty big chance?" "Maybe. Hey, wait a minute, I know what you're up to", he says grinnin'. Aw, holy crap I start sweatin' it out big time. My heart poundin'. Poor Mike, when he hears nothin' but thumpin' on them tapes he's makin'. "You saw the Bouncer Wanted sign and ya wanna try to get the job, right?" "Uh....." "I knew it - I could spot ya a mile away. I like that in ya, kid, you're shrewd." I was relieved, I was thinkin' "shrewd, I thought I was screwed!" "Tell ya what, you're hired" I didn't know what to say, but I thought this'll be a good way to infiltrate the bad guy. I mean, we already got them cancelled checks and all, but maybe they was up to somethin' else, somethin' else no good. "Well, I'm afraid ya got me, but thanks, I'd love the job. When do I start?" "How about tomorrow night. It's a little late now, no sense checking ID's in retrospect, you know." "Sure, I can make it. What time should I be here?" "Seven, the place opens at eight. Who knows, I might find a couple of other things I might like ya to do", he says, touching my chest. "Oh, what's that under there?" Oh, God, I thought, I think he felt it. I acted quickly, "stitches. I'm a bit self-conscious, you know, the scar and all. I guess I'll not be doin' any striptease for a while, heh-heh. I had a by-pass recently." "Wow, a young guy like you? You're too young for heart failure." I thought to myself, "oh, yeah, then why am I palpatatin' now?" Holy arrhythmia!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Bonded

Now that I'm back in the real world, I finish my business and head outta here. I get home, walk through the door, and stopped - - cold. I wondered what it was, I couldn't move, and then I snapped my fingers and poined, "of course!" This is the first time I been back here since I got popped. I'm lookin' at things I thought I'd never see again, lyin' on that floor the other night. Eddie walks out, wearin' a white crew neck tee-shirt that pretty much danced with his body as it moved. He was holding a shirt, "whatcha doin' with this? It's all ripped up and bloody." I took the shirt in my hand, Eddie started to let go, but I said, "no, you hold it, too. This is us, kid. You and me." "Huh?" "It's bloody 'cuz you jammed this in my chest so I wouldn't bleed to death. It's ripped up 'cuz you caught a couple of slugs so I wouldn't get blasted off. You didn't give a damn about your own life when you saw I was up against it. You stood there and all but asked for your turn after I hit the floor. I was waitin' for ya, hopin' your trip wasn't as bumpy as mine. Then ya stopped my bleedin'. " Then I grabbed him by his upper arms, touching his tee-shirt sleeves. Feelin' that soft cotton in my hands, I rubbed them a little, brushin' his beautiful, battle-scarred bi-ceps, that soft, silky, strong skin. "You really are a man who'd give a guy the shirt off his back. This all says to me that this boy loves you more than his own life." We gave each other a long, penetratin' gaze. Our lips moved toward each others', and I half-whispered, "more than his own life". Eddie gave out a quiet moan and we began kissin'. I stepped in to keep my balance, one leg sliding in between both of his. It's all him and me, now. We always made a good team, him and me, but with our blood mixed together on his shirt, we're bonded for life. Through locked lips, Eddie muttered, "I won't let no one take you away from me - no one".

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Let's Go!

We go off into the bedroom to put my costume on. I'm takin' stuff off as we're runnin'. Aw, this was gonna be beautiful, beautiful. Eddie opened up the box, first off, slidin' the bat shirt on me, polishin' the chest symbol. Then, he lay me down and slowly slid the satin stockings and shorts, feelin' the material of the shorts, gettin' me good and hard. Now the boots. I moaned as he touched me, as I always do. He stroked the boots back on the way down. He sat me up and slid the mask over my head, adjusting it so's I could see outta the eye holes. Gloves were next, just as he slid the boots on my gams, the gloves were slid up my arms and he licked them as he slid them. "The cape is next, Boss-man" "Mmm, go for it", I begged. He took my hand, stood me up and just like a magician or a bullfighter whipping it in the air for a second or two while I smiled. As he twirled my cape, his cape also twirled right along with his body. He then wrapped it around me, caressing it as it cascaded. He then fastened the snap around the neck and then I was in business. Oh, wait, the utility belt. Can't go nowheres without that. Like American Express. Eddie slid the belt around me, putting his arms inside my cape around my body as his cape slid down a little. Man, it was cape on cape. I was gettin' so turned on, he was, too. We wrapped each other up in each other's capes. All-a that satin everywhere. Get the picture? Yes, we see. That's when I fell for the Boy Wonder of the Pack. Eddie and I kissed ever so passionately, in between I mumbled, "oh, oh, Boy Wonder", or somethin' like that. Eddie says, "hey, you know my favorite part of dressing up?" "What's that?" "Takin' it all off and just doin' it!" "PRECISELY, Robin" - THEN!

"What the hell was that noise?" I said. "I don't getcha" I heard someone strugglin' down the hall, sounded pretty violent. There was some shoutin' and some thumps, followed by some painful moans. "Aw, maybe it's someone else playin' a little rough" "No, not at all, I ain't kiddin' someone's in trouble." Eddie sprang into action, "let's change and go take care-a this" "No time for that, we'll have to go like this!" We flew through the apartment out the door, and down the hall. "Holy jeez, it's that guy from witness protection, bein' dragged away!" "Not anymore, he ain't!", I said, as we ran down to stop the thugs in their tracks. There was three of 'em. two draggin' the poor guy to his grave, who kept goin' - the third one spotted us. There was a bit of a stand still, then he whips a couple of darts out from his inner jacket pocket and throws them at us, hitting each of us. We was paralyzed. "Holy D'artagnan", screamed Eddie as we both fell down. The phone was ringin' from our place. We couldn't get it, we were still stunned. "what'll we do now?" Eddie moaned. "Wish I knew, boy" I says, "I wish I knew". The phone wouldn't stop ringing - it was gettin' louder and louder, then..............
















"Huh? What?" Next thing I know I'm back at the office. I look around. Then it dawns on me. I was back at my desk, still starin' at the costume shop website. I guess I started daydreamin' right after Eddie left. Phone still ringin' "Yeah, Batz here" It was Eddie, wonderin' if I wanted dessert. He was thinkin' of picking up a pie or somethin'. I laughed at myself. "What's so funny?", he says. Still laughin', I says, "Kid, you wouldn't believe me if I told ya."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Dressed for Success

"Okay", I says, "open them peepers". Eddie opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw. There he was, in all-a his glory. That was no blindfold, it was a mask. Oh, hell, I can't keep draggin' this on anymore, I bought the kid a Robin costume, just like on the t.v. show. "Oh, my God, Mike" "What, you're not gonna scream HOLY somethin' or another?", I teased. I was holdin' the cape and gloves, I didn't wanna give nothin' away. I held it out for him, "your wrap, sir?" I held out the cape as Eddie was facin' me. I slid the cape on his shoulders, which made him moan a little. In ecstacy, folks, in ecstacy. The collar was fastened around his neck, which I then stroked. I turned him around and fastened it a bit at the back so it would stay on his shoulders. Aw, he was a vision, all right. That bright, golden satin cape glistened as it cascaded down his body, framin' them muscles. I handed him his gloves and he slid them on, followed by the utility belt. "Look in the mirror, kid, don't let me hog all this beauty for myself."

"Holy mother of moses, this looks - - WOW - -!" "Nah, it's you that look - - WOW - - in it" He turned to face me, seein' as it was the only way the poor kid could see anything. "Man, how'd ya know? I've wanted to be Robin ever since......." I cut him off with, "since ya started thinkin' of me as Batman?" "Oh, that's right, yeah. Wow, this is a dream come true." "You asked if I had some idea for the costume contest....Well..." It sunk in what I meant, "Really?!? Holy mackerel, go get it - put it on, please?" "Pretty please" Eddie started kissing me, "oh", kiss, "pretty please" two little kisses. "Pretty please with somethin' HOLY on it!" Eddie laughed out loud when I said that. "Oh, go on, let's see it." "Ya wanna dress me in it?" "Heck, yeah! TO THE BEDROOM!" We were on our way there when Eddie says, grinnin', "hey, ya know, seein' as I work for ya and everything, ya gave me this outfit and I'm wearin' it for ya - is this sexual harrassment?" I grinned, pretended to give him a couple-a boxin' jabs, "ah, shaddap!"

CHAPTER TWELVE - Merlot, Marlowe and Man-Boy Love

As promised, I get home to a candle-lit room, soft romantic music in the background and Eddie. "Hey, just in time, Boss-Man", making up a couple of dishes, of the usual stuff, veggies, taters, wine and all-a that. He brought out my desk in the back, slapped a cover over it, poured some Merlot, which I really dig! It's sweet, got a kinda kick to it, and it's red. The color red just screams sex appeal. Especially if it's wrapped around the right chest (heh-heh). Merlot really rocks, too, because the name reminds me of Philip Marlowe, the guy who made me the gumshoe I am today.

Ah, well, didn't mean to go into any-a that, but here goes. When I was a kid, I grew up in a tough area, fistfights, shootin' that kinda thing, makin' West Side Story look like the gay Four Seasons Vegas act it really was. I didn't have nothin' big happen like poor Eddie, just my parents throwin' me outta the house when they caught me doin' what any guy does when he's alone, or thinks he is, and I didn't exactly have no girlie magazines with me when I was doin' it. Yeah, I knew about myself then, no denial. But my time on the streets bought me some time in the pokey, I was into shopliftin' , burglary, that kinda thing, I guess my talent for snoopin' around was used the wrong way, then. A slap on the wrist here, a slap on the wrist there, then the cuffs was slapped on. BAM - SLAM in the pokey til I was 18. The usual crap was goin' on in there, too, but let's not get into it, I put it behind me a long time ago. Since we was all kids, there had to be some kinda education, the "school" part of "reform school". Library, yada yada and so on. I spent as much time in there as I could, anything was better than population or even my cell, actually lookin' like some psyche ward, got a bunch of blankety-blanks in there I had to sleep with, and the funny thing was, these ain't my type-a-guys, neither. No, it was a small series of books on the library shelf. I started goin' through those, "Farewell My Lovely", the "Big Sleep". I thought the writin' seemed decent enough, I can just hear how this guy was talkin'. Marlowe! Man, how I wish he was real, sometimes still do. Ya know, it ain't all that easy bein' the Dashin' Detective. It's a real blast, don't gemme wrong, but I need a hero, too. I need to play sidekick to someone, too, ya know, 'cuz I get a bit hotheaded.

Not because it was me, ya understand, but Eddie was lucky that the guy who made his turnin' point was real. Mine was all made up, yeah, but, hey.....

So, Marlowe was the one. When he got into it with some chick, I really used to fantasize, boy, lemme tell ya, not about bein' in place of him, but bein' in place of ...her.

When I got outta the pokey, I was still young enough to get myself goin' somewheres, but I didn't wanna do anything but be Marlowe. Mitchum could do it on the movie screen, but the path I choose to tread had a bunch of gum on it, which I got on my shoe.

So, there ya have it, not exactly the Story of O, mind you, but there it is.

As Eddie and I enjoyed our supper together, we were gabbin' away like always, and then he put in a couple of "Boss-Man"'s here and there. It usually gets me hot, he sounds so macho when he says it, but for tonight, I'm in the mood for love.

I got up, walked over to him, took his hand, stroked it, stood him up, and looked at him, softly whispering, "Eddie?" "Yeah?" "Can ya call me Mike, ya know, for tonight?" "Wow, ya know, that's right I never did call ya by your name before." "I love it when you call me Boss-man, and all, I never made it a rule, but it just sounds real cool when ya say it, but, lemme be Mike tonight." Holding his hand in mine, I kissed it, a couple of times. "I wanna hear ya say it. Seduce me with that hot voice. Tell me how much you want me, how much you need me, how much you love me with all your heart." Half-whispering, he cooed, "I love you, Mike." He kissed me. "I want you" Kiss "I need you" Kiss "I love you" Kiss - "with all my heart" more kisses. God, this kid's good, lemme tell ya. Oh, this kid's good. "Eddie, I got a little surprise for ya." "Mm, every day's a surprise with you, Mike, that's why I love you." He continued kissing my neck. "Naw, I mean it. I really have a surprise for ya. It's in the car. I think you're gonna love it as much as I do, and, baby I love this!"

I fly out of the apartment, down the stairs and right for the car. I didn't know what was racin' fastest, my heart, or my body goin' down the steps. I even skipped a couple, almost, slippin' and fallin', but the heck with it, it was worth it. Guess what I had in the back, sports fans. Two packages. Anyway, I fly up the steps faster than a drunk the minute prohibition was repealed, faster than Michael Jackson the minute school let out. Holy mother of Moses. I hope Eddie likes it, too. I only thought I knew. Anyway, adrenaline bein' what it is and all, I didn't care.

I get back upstairs and didn't see Eddie right off the bat. I look around for him, "hey Eddie, where'd ya disappear to?" I walked to the bedroom door and stopped cold. It was the most heartbreakin' thing I ever did see. Eddie was holdin' his shirt, the one he used to gimme a blood clot after we got popped, and he was cryin' . " Eddie?" He was startled and looked at me. "What's goin' on?" He just shook his head, closed his eyes, looked away and started bawlin' again. "Eddie, come on now, this is me here....FESS UP, kid. Start flappin' them gums." "I found this among your stuff. I was kinda unpackin'. I can't believe ya saved it." "Well, it saved me, so I saved it. Kinda whatcha call tit for tat. The doctor told me later on that if it weren't for this thing, I'd-a bled to death before we got to the ol' repair shop. You were so selfless. Ya coulda stopped your own bleedin'. You wanted me to live. I always knew ya loved me, I ain't never had no doubt, but.....but....." I started weepin' as I grabbed 'im, I held 'im so close, it wasn't enough to just put my hands on him, I wanted him in my hands, ya know what I mean? I kinda squeezed his flesh. Touchin' him, smellin' him. He was there, he'd always be there. "I didn't get the chance to tell ya, I mean, what if I never saw ya again. What if I had ta leave ya?", I blurted out between sobs. These was no ordinary sobs, my whole body was shakin'. Eddie hung onto me like for dear life and said, "thank God you made it. You're unbeatable. Ya can't keep a guy like you down...." "....and when we're together, we're always up."

Eddie held me while I sobbed. It started to ease up bit by bit. I then sat up a little, wiped the tears up, and remembered why I came in here in the first place. "Geez, Eddie, look what ya gone and did", I teased him. He laughed at that. Good. The two of us sharing a laugh after a real emotional minute there. Our motto is true, ya can't keep guys like us down, 'cuz when we're together, we're always up. This is how I like us. Anyways, back to basics here. "Ya wanna see that surprise?" "Oh, that's right, yeah. I'm dyin', what is it?" I stood him up and said, "first, off with your clothes." "OH, yeah!" "Well, usually, but this is different." Eddie went ahead and took everything off. "Okay, then", I says, "shut them peepers". "Peepers shut, boss-man". "Good. Stand still now" I went ahead and opened his package. I dressed him, pulling a shirt over his head, then a vest, the sleeves got a little snagged and I straightened them out. Next came a pair of pants, one leg at a time. Shoes was next. Lookin' him over, I thought, "yep, think I got it all". Then I slipped somethin' over his eyes. He laughed, "blindfoldin' me? Wow, I thought ya trusted me there, Mike." "Okay, I think we're done now. Come with me." I took his hand and walked over to a mirror in the hallway, all the time watchin' to make sure he didn't peek. I got him right in front of the mirror, adrenaline was pumpin'. If he liked this, he'd be overjoyed, if he didn't, I just blew a wad of cash and would feel like a moron." "Okay, boy, open them peepers". He did, and the look he had on his face when he got a load of his reflection was priceless.

CHAPTER TEN - Holy Batz Trap

Before we ran out, I stopped Eddie for a second, "remember, she don't know we know what we know, so we gotta play it cool, get me?" "All the way, Boss-man" I slapped him on the back, "all right" and we sped off to my employer. I whipped out the number and buzzed her. "Yes?" "Hey, this is Batz, Mike Batz, Private I" "Oh, yes?" "I think I got somethin' on your case, I gotta meet up with you". "Sure, I'll be home all evening. You do have the address." Holdin' up the paper and rubbin' my digits on it, "sure thing, got it right here", and hung up. "Hoo-boy, I got it here and she's gonna get it there". On the way over, I got on the horn to the Chief, and asked for blue-boy back-up - just in case.

We pull up to her place and get out of the car. Me and Eddie stand side by side, his hand clutching a fist, my arms folded. Eddie says, "bottom of the ninth - two strikes - two outs - good guys at bat." I smile and pat his shoulder, and I said, "let's go hit us a grand slam". Eddie answered, "I'm with ya, Boss-Man. Ya know, she could be smarter than she's lettin' on. I wonder if we're walkin' into a trap." I thought about it - looking straight ahead I says, "could be - but we can't let her get away with what she's been doin'. Let's go."

We trot up the steps and were about to ring the doorbell when we noticed the front door was ajar.

"Gosh, Boss! Look! There's a hand on the floor!"

I lean forward and gently push the door further in. There was a blood-stained body lying on the living room floor. We rush up to it and examine the remains. "Holy cadaver! It's one of the thugs in the videotape! She must've popped him when he outlived his usefulness."

"So, I see you figured out it was me committing those cute little capers."

We swung swiftly around. Eddie slammed his fist into his hand and growled, "there's NOTHING cute about crime, you cretiness."

"There was never a price on your head. You made the whole thing up."

"Holy red herring."

"You hired us under false pretenses, just to throw us off the mark, then you proceeded to commit those heinous hideosities you call cute little capers."

"All those pitiful police personnel chained up, wounded, screaming and crying for help. What sort of heartless hateful harlot are you?"

"What gets me is why ya did it."

"You're right - there was no hit, I did make the whole thing up. Johnny's suicide was torturous for me and I wanted to torture and eventually murder the one man responsible, who would be you, Detective Batz. You arrested him and testified against him in his trial and he was sent up for life."

Eddie interjected and motioned to the dead body behind us. "What's the story with this guy? Did you kill him, and, if so, why?"

"I sure did. He was Johnny's right hand man...who just tried to seduce me when Johnny's body wasn't even cold yet. I rebuffed him, but he wasn't having any of it, and when he tried forcing himself on me, I shot him twice...with THIS!"

Eddie and I jumped back slightly and raissed our hands in defense when she brandished her weapon, aiming it right at Eddie's chest. His eyes and mouth widened with horror as he gasped, "Holy Smith & Wesson!"

"There are still four more bullets in this gun. Two for each of you. Johnny was everything to me, we had a great life planned for ourselves, but you had to go and bust him. You knew a guy like that had a lot of enemies on the inside and you just led him to his slaughter."

We lowered our hands and I explained, "Hey, look, lady, what happened to him wasn't my fault. We uphold the law and he was in violation. I made arrangements for him to be outta population, but he was put in there by mistake. I had nothin' to do with that."

"Keep your hands where I can see them and be silent! You took away the only the only thing that ever meant anything to me, and now you're going to pay - starting with the kid."

Eddie was shot twice in rapid succession. He screamed and staggered but was still on his feet. She turned the gun on me and emptied the rest of her magazine into me. We both clutched our wounds and fought to stay on our feet, but our strength gave out, Eddie cried, "holy bloodbath", and we crumbled. We both moaned as we hit the ground, landing on our wounds. I looked up, saw her smiling and still aiming her now empty gun at the both of us and I muttered, "you cold hearted bitch".

EDDIE - Her face bore a look of pure evil, cold eyes - a sadistic serpentine smile as cold steel bullets tore through us. They weighed a ton and were indescribably painful. The only thing that made it bearable was the honor of taking one for the team. My suffering and/or death would not be in vain, as it was all in the pursuit of justice.

MIKE - Poor boy was really hurtin'. This was his first real shoot-em-up and he wasn't doin' so good. I regretted taking him on. I felt he wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for me, though he wanted to work by my side. Panting to catch his breath, he cried out, "what's going to happen to us?"

I heard sirens in the distance. I whispered to Eddie, "hey, kiddo - ya hear that?" He answered that it was a sound for sore ears. Our nemesis then growled, "Shut up, both of you." She reloaded, ran to a window, smashed the glass out and opened fire. I heard some screams outside. Then she was all out of ammunition.

A couple of guys burst from the back and nabbed her. One of them shouted to the other, "get an ambulance, at least a couple. Tape this place up! This is a crime scene." To us, he said, "hang tight, guys, we're gonna get ya some help." I'd hoped they weren't too late.

CHAPTER NINE - Into Action

Now that all of that horse-hockey was outta the way, we had some work to do. Now that all the bugs are outta the way, we ain't anticipatin' any hold-ups. I still had them videos from the diner to look at, catch a glance at the perps. These guys are goin' down, lemme telll ya that. Eddie and I got back home and started viewin' the tapes. "Which one's this?", Eddie asked. "Uh, this is from the camera pointin' toward the front. Ya get the entrance and anything around there." I saw a van park across the street, and a couple of guys get out. There was a chick with 'em, givin' 'em some kinda talk (typical chick thing, I guess), then.......

"Sweet friggin' Moses", I says

"Huh?", Eddie says.

I rubbed my hands together, "hoo-hoo, this is what I'm goin' for" These were the hold-up guys. We can see it all. One of their faces was clear in the camera. "Put it on freeze-frame", says Eddie. It was a little grainy, but I could see pretty clear features. "Maybe the cops got some thing to sharpen it". Eddie's curiosity about that chick standing there got my attention, so I looked a little. Then something dawns on me. "I just had a horrible thought." I kept peering at the image on freeze-frame. It was still a little grainy, I figured I was better off rewinding and watching back and forth. "Jesus, please don't let it be true". I kept rewindin' and goin' back. Eddie was getting hyper, "gosh, what is it, Boss-man?" When two and two added up, I closed my eyes, let out a sigh, and grimaced, either like I was in pain or about to get real sad. I put my head in my hands, gruntin' and exhalin' hard. Eddie realized I was pretty down and put his hand on my shoulder, "what is it, Boss-man? I don't get it." I picked my head back up, looked straight ahead, the look of angiush turning into a look of disgust, squinty eyes, gritted teeth, hoo-boy was I mad. "That's.. the little... BITCH that hired me the other night." Eddie's mouth popped wide open in shock, "holy mother of crap" he said in a half-whisper. "Why would she....." Eddie just couldn't take it in. He started gettin' scared. "to think she could've followed us everywhere if we didn't get them bugs out. Maybe instead of no contract on her, she's got one on you, and she's leading ya to it!" He leaped off the couch, started pacin' back and forth, slamming his fist into his other hand. "Wouldn't surprise me", I says, "all them busts I did, sent 'em all down. Maybe it's my turn to go down. Eddie grabbed me and shouted, "holy mackerel, don't say that!" He bear-hugged me, slamming my body into his, "don't say that, oh, God, don't say that". As he buried his head in my chest, I cricked my head up and looked ahead as I stroked the back of his head, feelin' that soft hair goin' through my fingers. I kissed him on the cheek and put my head down on his shoulder. Oh, it was sweet. The slight scent of sweat, he smelled like a man. On the back of the neck, followed by the scent of freshly washed cotton on his shirt which draped his neck and shoulders, and the sweet scent of a spritz of cologne. I kissed his hair, his neck, even his shirt, I ran my tongue along the neckline in the back. His cryin' turned to moanin'. I picked his head up and worked my way all around his neck, licking and pecking every other inch or so. I moved on up into under his chin, kissing and smelling the hair of his goatee. I wanted to suck a little on the rest of his face before we were joined by the bonds of holy liplock. We looked into each other's eyes, got real excited, then practically chewed each other's mouths off. Polishin' each other's tonsils, we was. We grabbed each other closer and closer til our mighty arms started to give, then it was off with the shirts. I couldn't wait to unbutton mine and I just tore all the buttons off. Eddie threw his polo over his head, when his arms went up to slide the sleeves off, I reached up and stroked them. Picture it if you will - two gorgeous, rock-hard logs of flesh just mine for the taking. I wanted my hands all over them, and I wanted those luscious logs wrapped around me. I licked and pecked his shoulders, moving down into his pecs. Holy Gregory Pecs! My God, he had 'em. He really had 'em. I licked and bit softly on his nipples, causing him to pant and moan at the same time. I pressed lightly on his shoulders as I slowly sank down onto the floor, takin' him all the way with me. I opened his belt, first licking his waistline, to which he responded by moaning and rubbing his fingers through his hair. Pants unbuttoned, zipper down, underwear a matter of history, I took his already rock-hard cock into my hands, jerkin' him off and suckin' down on it at the same time. As I licked, he started gettin' more and more excited, gettin' to the point of grimacin' and sometimes, slappin' the floor with his hands. He couldn't stand anymore, but still wanted it. "Oh, God, Boss-man, give it to me." I licked lightly at the tip of his cock and at some points, he would contract, grimace and scream, "AH!" His head would hit the ground and as he panted and moaned, I could hear, "(sigh) holy errogenous zones". I did the same with his balls, just as he did me back at the motel. He giggled, he moaned, screamed, even sobbed a little. "You're the Boss, Man. Oh yeah!" I went up and down on the stem of his cock, he started feelin' them juices flowin' through him. More contractions, sighs, moans of "take me there". He started to cum in my mouth, but I felt this was gonna be a regular Mount Vesuvius (sp?) , so I took it out and let it spray. Projectiles across the room as he screamed. He let out a beaut, lemme tell ya that. I had to slowly get him back to earth, lightly strokin' the area in question as his moans slowly faded off. He was pantin', grimacin' licking his lips. "Oh, Boss-Man, me next". I looked at him and shook my head. "Not right now, boy". "Whatta ya mean?" "I'm gonna go off and face this bim, see what the hell her problem was. If I didn't come back, I wanted you to have somethin' ta remember me by." Eddie bolted up and almost got in my face, "remember? What the hell!" "This is my battle, Boy Friday, just her and me". He threw his shirt back and and said, "the heck you say, man!" "The heck I say, is it? Look, Eddie, it's me she wants to bump off, she don't even know about you." "But she's gonna! It's you and me all the way. I don't want no stupid memory, I want you, and if you ain't gonna be around, then I don't wanna be either." He grabbed my hands and held them in his as he pressed them against his heart. "To the end, partner, remember? My boss, my savior, my lover, my friend. You're fuckin' everything to me, man, everything."

Did I ever go on about how beautiful a man looks when he cries? His face a little red, eyes a little puffy, eyebrows slanted a bit upward, mouth slightly opened and contracted. As the tears flowed, he swallowed a little and continued crying. I stroked his face lightly, wipin' a tear off of each cheek. He took my hand and kissed it. I held back, boy, I really did, but the look on his face tore through me like a knife through butter. "I don't wanna leave you, boy. I don't." He whispered, "you don't have to". Then, we composed ourselves, and a smile came across my face, a very determined, "let's kick some bitch ass" smile. He was smilin', too. I held out my hand like a high-five, "Let's get this bim, Boy Friday" He gave me a high five and clutched my hand in his. "Right back at ya, Dashin' Detective". And we were off. Boss-Man the Dashin' Detective and his trusty sidekick, Robinson, the Boy Friday. Nothin's gonna stop us. Nothin'.

CHAPTER EIGHT - What a Day for a Daydream

After we finished makin' out, Eddie had the idea to check our place for bugs. "what...she never went over there." "Yeah, but if she knew where ya work, she's gotta know where you live, or one of her heinous henchmen would. Ya never know, this bim might have her ways." Eddie folded his arms, looked me in the eye and half-whispered through gritted teeth, "somethin' tells me this is one hell of a hateful harlot". I was really blown away, not by his theory, so much as just by him. Folded arms, which scrunch up his broad shoulders, the passion in his eyes, the sturdiness of his lips while he spoke. He looked at me as if expecting an answer of some kind, but I was a million miles away. I imagined a black satin cape on his shoulders, going down his back, parts of which would be shiny depending on the sort of light it took onto, moon, sun, a bulb, you name it, to about mid-thigh.

Oh, yeah, this kid is one killer superhero, the way he just leaps into action. The best thing about our little scrapes of earlier on was just watchin' him through it all. He's a great fighter, a real ally, a real true protector. Bullets that woulda wiped me out were sort of split between us two, like God was makin' sure we'd both stayed alive. If we ain't met, could we have carried on by ourselves, each of us on one side of the city, each of us guarding this town like a couple of sentries. Ya know, we maybe coulda gone on by ourselves, but that there's all water under the bridge, now, ain't it.

This beautiful hunk of muscle with a shimmering black cape catching a breeze and just sort of flowin' all around him, wrappin' him up in somethin' - God this was beautiful. He kept callin' out to me like a chant or somethin' "Boss-Man, Boss-Man" Now he was wearing a mask and peerin' out from the eye holes, still, "boss-man?" He seemed to be gettin' closer, "are you okay?"

Right then and there I blinked, "uh, what?" I forgot where I was. It was like I'd been knocked out. I regained my senses. There was no cape and mask, but I sure as shootin' wouldn't-a minded if there was, boy, I tell ya.

"you all right? what was the matter, what were ya starin' at?" I laughed at myself, put my arm around him as we started walkin'. "Kid, you wouldn't believe me for nuthin' in a million years. Lemme ask ya this, though, ya ever dress up for halloween or anythin'?" "Huh?"

CHAPTER SEVEN - Burglaries, Bugs & Broads

Seein' as we were no longer needed, Eddie and I left the police station and headed out to a diner for some breakfast. All he had on his mind was what those poor cops went through, still pretty shaken by it all. "Man, oh man, those are my brothers", he said. "Yeah, well," I said as I fastened my seat belt in the car, "you took care of them. They'll be all right, they're a tough bunch of guys". "I hope you're right." We pulled up to the diner and noticed it seemed empty. "All right", Eddie laughed, "no waiting list". Instead, as we were to discover to our horror, the whole place was under seige, more moaning, more hostages tied to the table legs with those damn plastic cuffs. We saw patrons cuffed to the so-called legs of the counter stools. Anything you can wrap your hands around to be cuffed to, they did it, even the coat racks. "Holy Jesus, it's gotta be a crime spree", shouted Eddie. "My God, what the hell is goin' on here?", I said. Again, Eddie took off and got the wire cutters. Thank God no one was injured this time, just held up and scared. Of course, all the money in the register was gone. As I went about askin' anyone anything, Eddie returned and was untying everyone. I looked around and saw that the security camera was still intact. "Hey, the camera, they do anything to it?" A waitress says to me, "no, I don't think they even noticed it." Pretty hard to - nuthin' but a little box protrudin' from the ceilin' - at first glance, it coulda been anything, but these are MY peepers we're talkin' about here, boys and girls. "Can I get the tapes?" Now we'll find out who the heck's been doing this - get 'em in the clink for this and really mow them sons-a-bitches down for the cop house.

One of the hostages, crying, thanking Eddie for setting her free, said, "oh, you're such a good boy", and he sheepishly blushed.

(I got a little jealous of that, I'm supposed to be sayin' that to him, but ya can't blame anyone for taking to him. A good-lookin' kid who does good.)

After his face returned to its normal color, Eddie remarked that we saw the exact same thing over at the police station down the road. "Just within the past half-hour". "Oh, did you set them free, too?" "Yeah, we sure did". The lady smiles, "oh, lucky them to have you as a savior". "Aw, it wasn't nothin' big - I'm just glad we were at the right place at the right time." She smiled at me and said, "you must be so proud of your son". "Oh, I am", I chuckle, "I am indeed".

After a bit of a wait, given time to undo all of them bonds, one of the waitresses gave me whatever tapes were recorded during the hold-up. The diner owner was so appreciative of our actions, he offered us each a meal on the house, but I thought we oughta take a rain check, seein' as there was a lot goin' on today - both here and the police station. As we took off, the patrons and the staff broke into applause. I just stood by and grinned while Eddie saluted them, and we were on our way.

Back in the car, we sped back to my office. It's usually a good place to think about what just happened, to put it all together. Besides, if we went back to our place, we wouldn't be able to concentrate, and I don't mean it's because of the t.v.

Anyways, we get back to the office and were talkin' about the morning and then it dawned on me that we hadn't even had the time to talk about this hit-man thing we were really getting paid for. "Boy, how was this for coincidence? Two things like this almost at the same time". Eddie seemed suspicious, "I don't know, Boss-Man, it seems awful fishy. Both of these hold-ups happened just before we got to where we were goin'. It seems kinda eerie", he chuckled nervously, "like these thugs know where we're gonna turn up all the time." He was sittin' on the desk, leanin' over in my direction. His hand held onto the edge to support his weight, so's he didn't fall right over. For some reason, he moved his hand just a little over to the side, and felt something funny. He looks down and notices some sort of thing under the desk. "What is it, a wad of gum or somethin'?" Eddie became agitated, "no way, Boss-man, it's a bug!" I leap outta my chair, "you're shittin' me!" "I wish I was, man!" Suddenly, I thought about the car, wonderin' what was out there. "Let's check it out" and went outside. We searched the vehicle high and low and didn't seem to find anything until Eddie noticed a wad of gum stuck to the tail pipe. "What kind of slob would put a wad of gum on someone else's car? I mean..." I cut him off, "that's not gum, boy". I pried it off and inspected it. I saw a condensor microphone inside. "It's another bug. Someone out there's been hearin' everything we say." Eddie shuddered at the thought. He crossed his arms and was holding them, like he caught a sudden chill. "those crimes were definitely no coincidence. Someone out there did hear our every move and set it up so we'd be stuck there undoing their traps, while they were out doing God knows what. It's gotta be someone connected with this contract case." "Good thinking, but who could've......." I stopped dead in my tracks. I also shuddered at this thought. "I'm wonderin' if this dame was a ruse." "What makes you say that?" She's the only one, other than you, that's been in my office in weeks. Maybe she's not in danger at all, maybe it's us she's putting in danger. For some reason, she's trying to lure us into a trap, but I can't think of why." "Maybe it's a vengeance thing, someone she hooked up with trying to get back at you or something." Then Eddie started to grit his teeth, holding one hand in a fist while he was pointing with the other, "this is a typical female trait - oldest one in the book." I concurred, "I 'm afraid you're right. She came into the office scared, cryin', tryin' to hold onto me to protect her. I do remember takin' my eyes off her for just a second or two. She must've slipped the bug under the desk when I wasn't lookin'." "Did she give you a number to call, in case you needed to contact her?" "Yeah, but there's no way I'm gonna call it directly. I'm gonna have this number checked out. Then run these bugs for fingerprints." "That slip of paper with her number on it" "Good thinking, I'll check that out too." In my excitement, I grabbed Eddie by the upper arms, he reciprocated by taking mine. "If this is all what we think it is, me and you are gonna bust this bimbo if it's the last thing we do." Eddie and I looked into each other's eyes and started makin' out like mad. We were mad, but determined. Adrenaline and testosterone overflowin' like a backed up john. We were on the case. No longer stymied. You can't keep good guys like us down. As long as we're with each other, we're always up.

CHAPTER SIX - Hostage Rescue

It was gettin' to be that time. Eddie and I had just polished off one case, with "medals of honor", I call them. A bullet is made of metal and if ya get "pinned", fightin' off the bad guys, well, you do the math. Anyway, we were pretty bushed and decided to end the day right there. There was some thinkin' to do and we'd be in better shape the next day. "You about ready to call it a night?" I says. He just nodded his head, stifling a yawn and holdin' his arm, probably smartin' from them stitches and alcohol. He chuckled, "boy, it was somethin' - I think the needle from the stitches hurt a lot worse than the grazin' I took. the novocaine didn't really take, so every time the needle went in and out, I just kept squeezin' that table I was on. How you doin'?" "I'm a bit stiff. I think I need a massage." Eddie grinned, cracked his knuckles by stretchin' his arms out, "thought you'd never ask." "But, back home, huh? It's a lot more comfy back there, if ya take my meanin' ". Eddie pounded his hand with his fist and pointed at me, winkin', "right you are, boss-man". Mm, I loved it when he cracked his knuckles, pounded his fist. I love everything this guy does. Everything.


The next day, we get up, all set to see what we can do about this hit-man thing. Eddie still thought it'd be good to go down to the police station. "I dunno, it's just that I don't wanna leave any stone unturned, ya know?" I agreed, and thought it was good initiative on his part, so I says, "sure, let's go down there this morning."

Holy mackerel, it was a good thing we did. Get ready for somethin' here, it ain't a pretty story. We walk into the station, don't see anyone around, no cops, no nothin'. So we just walk through the place. Then we hear some voices, kinda muffled, "they should be around here somewhere", I says. Then we notice the door to the emergency center, where they take all them 911 calls. It was riddled with bullets. Eddie and I look at each other like, "what the heck is this". I draw out my piece and we walk in slowly, noticin' the switchboard was all shot up. "Holy crap! Who's the son of a bitch that done this?!?" Eddie said we ought to follow those voices, and so we go up and down the hallways, not seein' nobody. Then the voices get louder, like guys are moanin' or somethin'. We hit upon the locker room. I says, "hold up, lemme check this out" and push the door open. Man, I was scared to death. I come outta there and tell Eddie, "it ain't pretty in there, boy". Eddie was like, "lemme check this out" and we both go in and see every cop on the day shift, moanin', cryin' and stuff. The screamin' got louder as we went in. It was a sight that broke my heart and nearly sent my stomach flyin' outta my mouth. All the cops were handcuffed together, makin' like a chain all across the locker room, with them plastic cuffs that are so hard to undo. They were all cuffed to the legs on the benches. Blood was leakin' everywhere. Eddie lets out a gasp and puts his hand to his mouth. He looks at me and I says, "come on, step out for a sec". As we turned around, the cops started screamin' louder, but I says, "be back in a minute, we're gonna help you guys." I needed to see about Eddie, first, though. We stepped outside and Eddie took his hand from his mouth and was sayin', "oh my God", over and over again. He was shaken, I was shaken. He was cryin', "we gotta get them guys outta there, man, ya gotta lemme back in there!" I grabbed him and held him while he got the tears out. I took his face in my hands and said, "now, listen to me, ya gotta pull yourself together or else you ain't gonna be no good to them. We gotta do right by these guys", I gave him another bear hug, "we gotta do this" Eddie quickly put himself together and we went back in. "Hey, lemme get those wire cutters from the trunk". "Good idea", I said and sent him out there. He comes back with them in a minute and starts to undo the cops. When they ran out of room to stretch them across, some of them were strung up with the cuffs goin' over the water pipes, their feet not quite touchin' the ground. Those guys were shot in both arms. They were screaming 'cuz the muscles were bein' pulled with the bullets in them. Some of them had their feet cuffed and pulled around the bench legs. Their feet were shot. As Eddie unties everyone, they're all rubbin' their wrists, tendin' to their wounds, thankin' him between sobs. The guys at the water pipes grabbed their arms as they were free, the guys under the benches grabbed their feet. All their guns were missin', and if that ain't enough, Eddie saw some sharp things comin' outta their necks. "Darts, boss-man"

Aw, holy mother, what a mess this was. I then called 911 and reported the incident and they need plenty of ambulances. I tried to get what I could out of this, find out what went on. As some of the guys started tellin' me about this, I got the picture that a gang of guys wearin' ski masks went in, one of them whips out an AK-47 and starts firin'. As the cops started takin' cover, another gang member took out some sort of cross bow and started shooting the darts. As the cops fell, their guns were taken. Not all of them got this, just enough. "we got enough for all of you", referrin' to the darts. "You don't want this, then give up your guns, put up your hands". The entire day shift just stood there with their hands up. They were all corralled into the locker room, stretched out and cuffed. Guys were hung from the pipes. Some of them started gruntin' 'cuz the muscles were stretched, so all of them were shot once, either in the arms or legs, dependin' on what was bein' stretched.

The ambulances showed up and we led the paramedics to the scene, where all the cops were treated for everything. Eddie and I just looked upon all of this, side by side, my arm around him, poor kid was still shakin'. A smile came across my face. I was glad I listened to him, if not for wantin' to check parole files, who would've come in and seen to the cops. I was proud of him. "Ya did good, kid", I said as I tried to comfort him. "Ya did real good".

CHAPTER FIVE - On The Case

Eddie had said "we're all okay". "So you're okay, too?" When he was hit, he screamed, grabbed his arm and went down pretty hard. A bullet grazed his arm and left some shrapnel in it. "Yeah, I was pretty lucky. It ain't my first and it ain't gonna be my last, either", he said with a grin. "I think if I'd been standing a couple of inches over here or there, that would've been it for me. I thought I'd just lie still for a little bit because I didn't wanna get it again. I think one's enough for a night, don't you? How's your shoulder?" "Good", I says, "one little slug ain't gonna keep me down. But, what's got me down is this hit-man thing I just took. It's gonna be pretty tricky." "What about checking who's recently out on parole for murder, ya know, from this area?" "Good thinking, but hired killer want ads always say NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. I don't want to cancel anyone out here." "Does this chick know where her husband hangs out, or anything? Maybe we can stake the place out and just sort of listen in on their conversations." Feeling like he was on a roll, Eddie leaned across the desk, rested his right arm on the desk, pointed at me with his left, and spoke in a half-whisper with this look of dogged determination in his eyes that just made me week in the knees. "If it's somethin' wrong you're doin', the secret's gonna get out somehow. Ya get nervous and distracted, really hard to keep your cool, cuz you really care a lot if this information gets into the wrong hands. At the same time we both said, "I just hope we're the wrong hands."

CHAPTER FOUR - Mike & Eddie - the deal is set

Eddie had unbuttoned my shirt and taken it off, slowly, like a form of striptease. As he gently lowered it from my body, he caressed my shoulders, then licked them and kissed them. The same with my nipples. "Boss-man, I'm really gonna do a job on you", he giggled, and so did I. I needed a smile on my face. I needed a giggle. I needed the touch of a man. As he went down my torso, his tongue gently caressed every inch of me. He opened my gun belt. "Wow, this is so hot, I love how it wraps around your waist. I'd love it if something like that could wrap around me." My pants were unbuttoned, my fly was unzipped. Eddie took my cock in his hands and started to caress it, occasionally kissing it and licking it softly and gently. Every lick of the tip of my cock damn near destroyed me. He loved how I moaned. "Not so hard-boiled, are ya, boss-man? A man with a cock as sensitive as yours is more than I can ask for." As he continued licking, his mouth going back and forth on it, his tongue swirling all around it, I clenched both my fists. He was giving me that very special feeling, as he kept going back and forth, I started to get this feeling on the inside of my calf muscles, as if some elixir was pouring in my veins. It felt clear, it felt warm, it felt wonderful. I started shaking. It was like a wave going through me. I gasped, stifling a scream. It was so rapturous I just wanted to scream my head off, but I just kept gasping, moaning. The tips of his fingers were on my balls, then in that area between them and my ass. I was a bit sensitive there, too, which he loved. I was smiling, laughing, grimacing, my hands were caressing his beautiful, soft, sun-kissed hair. "God this feels beautiful," I could've stayed like this all night, except.....suddenly, I got this feeling, like a dart had just been shot into my neck. I screamed, gritted my teeth. I raised my arms up and clenched my fists and pounded the wall I was standing up against. I couldn't stop screaming, gasping for breath, shaking my head violently back and forth. I saw, I came, I was conquered. Eddie swallowed some of my cum, then took my cock out and sprayed his chest with the rest of it. "Boss-man, I want you inside and outside of me. I want you all around me. What else do you want me to do?" "I want your cock in my ass. Please." I picked him up off his knees, taking him by the hand, holding his hands in mine as we walked over to his bed. I turned around and let him work his magic. He also felt that really special feeling in his cock. I felt his tender yet strong hands on my back, his legs on mine, flesh upon flesh. The most beautiful thing two men could ever feel together. His cock was so firm inside me, I felt like I was really loved. I felt a sense of security, protected from all the bullshit in this world. Eddie really had my back. Eddie was a pure sidekick, a real partner. This was something I hadn't felt in years. Eddie began to moan, "oh, Boss-man, boss-man" over and over again. He said it in a loud whisper. It was turning me on. I wanted this all night, if possible. When Eddie came, we both gasped, grimaced, moaned.....I felt the cum stream inside me, too, then my back was pelted with it, that warm, sticky wet substance. Eddie fell back as he exhaled, I then turned around quickly, grabbed him and kissed him, both our tongues inside each other's mouths. As I then began kissing and licking his neck, I was still hanging onto him, he grabbed me, too. I stroked his hair and moaned, "Oh, Eddie, Eddie, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" He took my face in his hands and asked, "for what?" "I'm so sorry I almost missed this in my life." I grabbed him and held him again, "I'm sorry I almost let you go. Please don't ever leave me, Eddie, please!" "I won't - ever. I've loved you ever since you rescued me. I couldn't stop looking at you. I didn't want you to go that day, I still don't." "Don't you worry", I assured him, "we'll go through everything together, new cases, fighting the bad guys, taking bullets for each other, making sweet, passionate love. You'll move in with me?" "Really?" "Yeah, you're my partner in everything, I'll always need you at a moment's notice. We'll be a real dymanic duo, how's that grab ya?" "Like this", Eddie laid a real wet sloppy kiss on my kisser. From then on, we'd be everything to each other.

CHAPTER THREE - The Ballad of Eddie Robinson

Lemme give you some background on my Boy Friday, here. When I was a little wet behind the ears, I took somethin' easy, just to get my feet wet, and my ears dry, so I could always keep them close to the ground. Anyway, this chick named Robinson calls in sayin' her kid, Eddie, was swiped and could I find out the who's, where's and why's and all that. "Sure", I said, "no problem". I did some fancy footwork and found the kid was locked in some closet by his dad. Mom and dad were never married, or nothin', there ain't nothin' between 'em but the bottle of booze in the back seat. Nice life, eh? So, seein' this kid locked up, I pulled him out of the closet while the cops had their way with this jagoff that yanked him from his mom. Kid looks at me like I was Batman or somethin'. Aw, I'm just some gumshoe that did good, that's all. "Take care of the kid" I said to his mom and I never heard hide nor hair from any of them again - that is, until a couple of years back. I was doin' a stake-out and was found out and nearly beaten to a pulp by a couple of thugs, when who should come along but the missing closet kid. Didn't know that at the time, though. He swooped right in, tore the living crap out of one thug while I regained my footing and made mince meat outta the other. I'll never forget this, the kid puts this guy's lights out, turns to me and laughs and runs over to me as I'm layin' out the other one, and shakes my hand. I called the cops on my cell phone, "hey, guys, I got a couple of live ones for ya here". A squad car pulls up and the thugs are taken away. One of the cops calls out, "hey, Dick Tracy, nice job." I nodded over to the kid, "I had a little help here. He pummeled one of them for me." Eddie stuck his hand out, saying, "how ya doin' officer?" The cop shook his hand, "good and you?" "Good, thanks." "Putty in your hands", I says to the cop, "They ain't gonna be no trouble I can promise ya that." The squad car drives away. "Yep, another good day at the office" The kid looks at me, "Good one, huh?", he said. I didn't know what the hell just happened. I said, "who the hell are you?" He looked at me and frowned a little, "oh, you're welcome, I was glad to do it". He didn't do the normal turn around and walk away bit, but just stared right into my eyes. I says, "yeah, sorry about that, uh, thanks for your help there, but you just came outta nowhere and, uh......" I started staring at him a little harder, too. "Uh, do I know you or do you know me?" "Well, I think I know you a little better than you know me. I've been practically stalking you all over town since you dragged me outta that closet and clocked my dad." I pounded my fist into my other hand and pointed at him, "ROBINSON!" "Yep, yer lookin' at 'im". "Wow, how long ago was that?" I was taking a good look at him. He did change a lot, that's for sure, and I sure as hell enjoyed looking at them changes, too. Hm, not bad, not bad at all.

"Why practically stalking me? I ain't nobody special or nothin' ". "Hey, this is me you're talkin' to. You think I ever forgot that night? You think I ever missed a cop show on the tube or a cop movie at the show? Still got them articles from the paper about you. I showed my buddies them things and said I owed this guy my life. That miserable son-of-a-gun coulda killed me. I always thought of you as like Batman, or Joe Friday, or something." "Joe Friday?" "Yeah, the cool hat." The kid nodded and grinned, "yeah, ya still got that cool hat." Puttin' him on I says, "nah, I got a bunch of 'em, one for each day of the week." "Wow, I knew you were cool, but MAN!" "I'm snowin' ya, kid", I laughed, but then says, "you're all right, there, Eddie", I says when I shook his hand again. "So, whatcha been up to all these years?" "Ah, this and that, I guess, nothin' special?" "Your mom okay these days?" "Nah, she passed away a few years ago." "Jesus, sorry to hear that. What happened?" "Her liver." "Wow. You been okay?" "Yeah, you know, finished school, workin' - that kind of thing." "Oh, yeah, what doin'?" "Odd jobs and stuff, mostly - not exactly my dream come true, but...." "What is your dream come true?" "You" "'scuse me?" "I wanna work with you." "What? Be a gumshoe?" "Sure, why not! Mom was always talkin' about you after everything happened. She couldn't stop. I think she liked you a little. Not as much as I did, though. I started reading about you, followin' you all over this town. It ain't no accident I came around here today. When I saw them thugs goin' after you, I knew I had to jump in. It's like, you wanna start hangin' with this guy, here's your chance." I was a little puzzled, "chance? For what?" "To join you. The way I see it is I was saved, by you, no less, so to pay ya back, I wanna join you." "Have you ever worked as a detective?" "No, nothin' like that, but I have been working out." It was true. I was looking up and down at his body - flat stomach, ripped upper arm muscles, a slightly bulging......well, you know...

"If anything, while I learn the ropes, I can at least be your foot soldier, help you beat the bad guys. Come on, you saw what I could do today."

"Yeah, that was great, it was very brave of you, but we were just lucky in this case. These mugs didn't carry a piece. You never know, the next one I tangle with could have an AK-47, you could be killed. I can't have that."

"Yeah, but if I do die because of this, it'll be with you, at least for you. Without you, I couldn't be standin' here talkin' to ya like this. That creep would've killed me in that closet - if not him, then someone else."

"Well, you're never gonna be rich hangin' with me." "Don't matter, this ain't about money, it's about you. When mom told me about you, I was always wishin' you were my dad instead of that jerk. You didn't know this, but those few minutes when you pulled me out of the closet set me up for life. I was so into law enforcement, and all that, I never even did anything stupid. I did really good in school. I wanted my mom to be proud of me, it wasn't easy raisin' a kid on her own. You didn't really know who I was all this time, but I wanted to make you proud of me, too."

He had this look in his eyes I'll never forget. I thought this was too good to be true. His body, his way with fists, his loyalty to me. I was lookin' at a total All-American Boy, a regular Jack Armstrong. Arm strong pretty much said it about him. You should've seen the way he tackled one of those thugs. He didn't even get hit once. It was awful temptin' to take him on, but I wasn't sure it was such a hot idea. I mean, a kid that young, wantin' to throw his life away chasin' after an old gumshoe like me. I had to let him down gently. I smiled and put my arm around him as we walked back to my old beater. "Eddie, that was pretty amazing what you just did there- you ain't afraid of nothin', I can see that." We got to my car and stopped. I shook my head, I paused, searching for the right words. Or was it, I was about to make a huge mistake. "Eddie, I don't know what to do here. I really wish I could take you on. It'd be good to have someone along, at least someone to hang out with. The biz does get pretty lonely sometimes. "well, you wouldn't be lonely - neither would I..." "Yeah, but...I can't do that to you. I can't let you live the same type of life I live. You got a nice face, I'd hate to see that all bruised up. I'd hate to think of a single bullet going through that body of yours, you worked so hard to build it up and all. You, uh, you want a ride somewhere?" "yeah, thanks, I'm at that motel on 8th street."

As we drove, nobody really said anything. Nobody had to. We got to the 8th Street Motel. As he got out I asked, "Eddie, you say you got some clippings of me?" "Yeah, I always keep 'em with me." "You think I can come up and see them?" He grinned a little. If he can't work with me, he can still show me this collection of his. He invited me up. We walked past the desk clerk who asked, "hey, Eddie. Who's your friend?" "Only the best gumshoe in the biz." "Really? You do something? You know we don't let no crooks in this place." I says, "not a crook - a friend." As we walked up the stairs, I walked up behind him and just watched him walk. Pretty frickin' nice, I thought. I'm an idiot for letting this one go, but it's for his own good. We got to his room and he takes out this scrapbook. I mean, holy moley, this thing was huge. There were even some bits about to fall out of it. "It's kinda old, I gotta get a new one. Maybe a volume II or somethin' ". He opened it carefully and we just pored over the newspaper clippings for a while. After about an hour, I said I had to get goin', had some other stuff I had to do that day. That really wasn't true. I could've spent the whole day with him. I wanted to. I had to distance myself from him. As I got to his door, I put out my hand to shake his. His face fell, and I tried to console him. "Eddie, you know, you....you got it all. Ya got what it takes. You can make yourself into whatever you want. You can grab life by the balls and have anything you want....." His voice broke, "but I want you!" He gave me a bear hug. I couldn't believe what I was hearin'. I hugged him back. I loved the feel of the shirt he was wearing. I loved the scent of his cologne. I loved the sound of his sobs, the feel of his tears running onto my cheeks. I kind of felt my own peepers brimmin' over. "It's okay, Eddie. It's okay." On impulse, I laid a small, gentle kiss on his neck and rubbed my cheek against his. I found myself really falling for this kid. He smelled so good, he felt so soft, he kissed me back, then reached around and kissed my lips, gently rubbing his tongue on the inside of my mouth. I reciprocated. I reached over and pulled his shirt off, revealing a body any young kid would want to have for his own, and next to his own. "Unbutton my shirt, Eddie, you're working for me, now." He not only unbuttoned my shirt, but as my chest was exposed, he was licking it further down he went. He was licking my nipples, and I moaned, "boy are you ever workin' for me!"

CHAPTER TWO - Reelin' from da feelin'

The kid's face went from an effervescent grin to one of concern. "You're shakin'? You're lookin' kinda bummed out, boss-man. What's goin' on?" I was a bit reluctant to tell him at first. I was so thrown by what had transpired, right before he walked in, it was the shock of an event that wasn't felt 'til after. When a friendly face walks in and you choke up a bit. With my eyes, with one look, I grabbed and hugged him, begging him to never leave my side. I imagined his arms around me, that warm, smooth flesh touching my back. Just imagining this made me feel like I was in a good place. Nothin' to worry about now. He's here.

"I got a case just now."

"AWESOME!"

"Well, I don't know about that, but it should be a good one. Dame comes in, says her boyfriend or someone's out to kill her. Said she wants to talk to this one, to find out why?"

"D-uh, you piss a guy off and you're dead meat", the kid chuckles.

I continued, "we gotta find out who it was. I'm not sure how to go about this one. I mean, there ain't no hit-man club or nothin' where you get a drink and sidle up to some hood and say 'hey, got any good contracts lately?' "

The kid chuckled at this, making me laugh, too, realizing what I just said. But he continued grinning. "Well, maybe not the way you put it, but a hood's gotta get drunk, too, ya know." I agreed, "yeah, that's true, start hangin' out in clubs, that kind of thing." "maybe we can start droppin' this broad's name, you know, some undercover stuff, maybe"

"Yeah", I muttered, looking away, still distracted. The kid took note of this right off. "Hey, that's not what's buggin' ya, is it, boss-man?" I couldn't even make eye contact with him... him of all people. He reached over and put his hand on my shoulder. The sensation sent a wave of warmth through my body, like he had a tranquilizer seepin' outta his skin, or somethin'. I couldn't look at him, I wanted to, but I couldn't. I slammed my mouth shut so hard if I even gave an inch, I'd be bawlin' in no time flat. The kid leans over and softens and lowers his voice, "boss-man?".

I mutter to myself, "god-dammit" I sniff and wipe my nose. "No, that ain't all of it. She came on to me, started feelin' me up and all that. I pulled away, sayin' it ain't good to get personal, too emotional, that kinda thing". I still can't look at him, but I hear him exhale and half-whisper, "holy mackerel". I feel him trying to turn me around, "hey, listen to me, boss-man. I don't know why you're all broken up about it, happens to everyone." His voice went from reassuring to a little sad, "why couldn't ya tell me, huh? It's me, boss-man, your boy Friday." My body was facing his, but I was still lookin' down. He cups my chin with his thumb and index finger and pushes my head up. "Ya ain't gotta hide jack from me, ya know. I'm a good detective. I got ways of makin' ya talk." He was smiling at this point, I wasn't sure I could, but a grin came across my face, too. "First one I thought of was you. You're such a sweet kid, been through a lot with me here. Last thing I wanted was anything that'll hurt you - the last goddam thing. That would've ripped right through ya worse than a million rounds of ammo, and she was about to pull that trigger." "Yeah, but ya ducked, ya got outta the way, ya pushed me outta the way - we're all right, boss-man, we're all right."

We're all right - and, I tell ya somethin', so was he.