drsawzall

I have to wonder if the shift that took out Talin's hunters has joined the fray??? A classic double cross and as we should find out, to no good purpose... The Principal Messiah needs to be saved for last and her ending as brutal as her life was...it's time to administer justice!!!!

An important story and tough read, highlighting those who many simply do not see or value. Well done and thanks for the reminder, that we all can and should do better by our fellow citizens. Thank you...

All because of a chicken sandwich...a valuable lesson learned...now to find Macy and whoever has her...

I almost halfway missed the plot...another fantastic chapter!!!

What a father, such a conniving POS...I am reminded of an old expression about the pot calling the kettle black...

Courage takes many forms as was demonstrated by the sacrifice of both Pamela and Bob...I'm of two minds as to going back to the house to collect the rest of what they have gathered up, the danger isn't fully mitigated by the risk of what they could gain, it means two trips and that worries me... Then, I would have given serious consideration on taking as much as could be fit into the van, taking into account Bob's place could hopefully resupply any non-perishable items.. Then, the gamble on going to Bob's paid off to some extent...for a lack of a better description, the zombies were/are aware of living prey at Bob's...while the immediate danger is past with the eight taken care of, are there more in the woods looking for living prey??? This then leads to the next thought, once the zombies have taken over the area and there isn't any living human or animal prey, their physical actions need/require energy to fuel them...what happens then...when what sustains the zombies runs out??

Loved this chapter, so many clever lines throughout and I had to call my favorites out below... To me the line below is topical today... RUDOLF: (not even looking at her) I see. So this King is something of a libertine. GIRL: (dropping one sleeve over her shoulder) I don’t know anything about his politics, sir, but I do know he has an eye for the ladies. Is that bottle of wine by prescription only??? OLD WOMAN: (presenting a bottle of wine) Colonel Sapt, sir! Duke Michael has sent this fine old vintage with his compliments! He wishes you and the King good health in drinking it! SAPT: Chateau Roofie – unusual. Very good, very good, woman, we shall convey your master’s good wishes. Our thanks. (OLD WOMAN leaves) Young man, I am Colonel Sapt, and this is Count Fritz von Tarlenheim. I love me a gymnast...so flexible.... RUDOLF: Perhaps he will be amused to know the family tradition which explains the similarity. SAPT: And I am always fascinated to meet a charming young foreigner, someone in the prime of youth such as yourself. (feeling RUDOLF’s bicep) Tell me, do you engage in a regular program of calisthenics? More importantly...where are their shoes...I nearly soiled myself with this line I was laughing so hard... RUDOLF: No. I was far too drunk. Do -- YOU remember anything that happened last night? SAPT: Bottles and empty clothes everywhere—I mean, clothes and empty bottles everywhere— Where can I go to get a shave and a haircut like that... FRITZ: (returning with the shaving paraphernalia) Now Sapt, you don’t have to shave him all over as you do the King. SAPT: I think I should, just to be safe. He could be captured by the enemy and stripped and examined. The thought makes my blood boil. And our entire plan would be laid bare. FRITZ: But really, Colonel, we haven’t time. SAPT: No time? Oh-- very well, then. Just the face, for the moment. But I must do a complete job as soon as time allows. Sit very still, Mister Rassendyll. This is quickest if I sit on your lap. RUDOLF: Mmmf!

What a powerful testament to what family should be!!! Family isn't just blood relations, but relations that bind themselves together...

The kidnappers can't be very smart if it is the ones from previously...Just wondering how and where they are going to 'hide/transform' the stolen catamaran. It is obvious that the kidnappers have cell/satellite phones and are using them. It would be a fantastic exercise for the Australian military and others to find and track the yacht. Not being a sailor, is it possible that like aircraft who have location transponders, could such a device be installed as a security/safety measure on very expensive yachts??? More to the point, the kidnappers don not seem to be of the type to successfully navigate thousands of miles/kilometers of open ocean with just a sextant... Now that I am done clearing all the mental floss from my sleepy brain there's just one thing left...find these sob's and hoist 'em from the yardarm...or is it the mainmast???

And I slept in a Holiday Inn Express once!!!

I'm willing to bet that whoever has Macy,has powers equal to or a bit stronger than Jase...Detective Swift is still a puzzle and @scrubber6620, just may be on to something regarding accounting...financial historians...keep all sorts of numbers and secrets...

Mother dearest...what did you start...can't forget how she mentioned his "old friends" at the dinner table a chapter or so ago... Where did you go yesterday after you left the party early?" Dwight asks. "Home," I say. "That's not what your mom told Amanda after she called you." I go pale on my face. Fantastic. Simply fantastic! Thank you, Mom. With friends like these, you would be better off without them, Dwight bothers me, Jim and Clyde almost as much...at the end of the day, who gives a rats ass what the f*%k they think??? These clowns act like they own Tyler...And while Mom's are important, this one needs to learn limits in what is discussed outside the family... "I saw you two hugging in the corridor the other day," Clyde adds coldly. "If you're gay, just tell us, dude. This is ridiculous." "No. You guys are ridiculous. Don't talk to me again." I walk past them, pushing Dwight and Jim aside with my shoulders. I go straight home. At least they're not following me. It's over. I might need to burn a few more bridges, but it has to be done. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Clyde adds coldly. "If you're gay, just tell us, dude. This is ridiculous." This attitude worried me... Why do I feel Rufus ,just may have more, and bigger balls than Tyler's friends, and that Rufus will find a way...Will Tim have to impart some real-world lessons to Tyler's so-called friends??? I get the feeling Tim may be heard from again..even if it just an appearance for show...While it may never happen, I would love to be a fly on the wall if Tim felt it necessary to discuss with Tyler's mother what acceptance means... "Please… just be yourself. You tried… I know it's not easy, but it feels good. You know it's true. You know it! Sure, it's hard at first, but it's all downhill from here." "I'm sorry, Rufus. Thank you for believing in me. But it only shows how good I got at fooling myself and everyone around me. Being yourself takes balls, and I don't have any. No matter how tough I act."

Loved the following...how true the misconception... RUDOLF: Marry his cousin? I had heard of such customs in the wilds of America – Arkansas I believe it was – but on the Continent?

Whatever happens I suspect won't easy..but if enough band together I would expect to see some Messiah butt's being kicked!!

Thanks @re2, while not the editor, I think lenny-bruce is simply doing a fantastic job!!! Like you, historical fiction is a love of mine as well, so much the better when there is a gay element. While my vocal and musical talents are better regulated to the shower stall, music as a whole has always intrigued me, and I am loving learning a bit more as the story continues!!!

One wonders why, what drove him to it and to need to seek revenge... "When I jumped that balustrade, I was desperate. I smashed into the rocks and, for a split second, I was in excruciating pain, then it was nothingness. I was dead, I think, and fell into oblivion. At dawn, however, I woke up. That is, I thought I was waking up. I was on the rock in front of the villa, the isolated one in the middle of the sea, and I could see the boats looking for me or my dead body that they never found. I was there, but they could not see me. I tried to get their attention and finally realized that I didn't exist for them. I realized that I no longer existed for anyone but myself, for what I perceived of myself. And then I became certain that I was not completely dead. I thought I would have to suffer horribly, because I remembered well the moment I had hit the rocks, how I had fallen, but I saw that I was all in one piece and felt no physical pain! Unfortunately, there was nothing real in me anymore!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Furio, why did you throw yourself? Why try to die at that very moment?" "I was desperate!" he repeated and I felt him quiver, sensed his desperation. "But you didn't die completely!" "No!" "Why, Furio? Why die and why didn't you die completely? How was that possible?" I did not understand and insisted. I didn't know, but I wanted to know. "I don't know. I still don't know! But I do know that I regretted what I had done! Of everything I had done!" If a body falls at 9.8 meters per second, Furio had had, perhaps, five interminable seconds to regret his act. It was a terrible thought. "In those moments I thought of my composition, about the Variations whose triumph I could not have seen. I was sure that the reception would be triumphant. I was so cocky and I still am!” I was about to tell him, but he read my mind and forestalled me "Oh, Tristan, maybe that was also what made me stay behind. And then I stayed to get revenge. Yes, Tristan, I didn't die, because I also had to carry out my revenge!" and in saying that I felt him becoming agitated. An interesting confession, is it possible a jealous contemporary was up to malicious mischief...who was the mysterious lover? "I never cheated on him," he then said, speaking to me in his mind and without breaking away from a long kiss. "Who haven't you..."

Despite all the positive happenings, it would appear there are some dangerous undercurrents, if at all possible...I hope there is a way to keep tabs on the Consortium and the mother-in law who won't be named!!

One of the best chapters yet, it is so difficult to hit that sweet spot between explicit and erotic...and you just nailed it!!!

A great meeting with Auntie Peg...and we learn there are other escapees from the Messiah's cult could they be potential allies??? What of the shift, I think it was a shift, that decimated Talin's little group??? And...Lahari...what news does she bring?? I agree...Auntie Peg is a treasure!!

Now to get the missing music committed to paper and memory...Mother dearest needs a reality check...

Did Macy go on her own or...did someone like Jase find her, someone from the dark side????

Yes indeed...loved those guys, truly a labor of love by their creators...claymation at it's best!!!

Liking this immensely, not your typical run of the mill mystery, looking forward to more!!

So good to see the older boys accept the new brothers and sisters...

Missed Mr Indercision....well done!!