Summerabbacat

Excellent. Perhaps Jack can introduce a new culinary "delight" to the "residents" of Merrickville - Fenian soup. Inedible by humans, but one which tantalises the taste buds of coyotes, wolves and bears. Take 300 or so Fenians, chop roughly, add any herbs and spices so desired, leave to marinate and serve when ready.

Bloody hell @Wombat Bill, this chapter suffered from premature ejaculation. It barely got started and it was all over. LOL. I am very suspicious the beach house is named Tranquility. Something about the whole situation is very fishy or should I say Neptunian. Why the look of disdain from Orion when Achilles happily agreed to share a room with Kilby aka Romeo? It appears Kilby's life is not in any danger, nor is he about to be trafficked overseas or subjected to gay conversion therapy, unless all of Achilles statements were lies. If, as Achilles indicated, the boys are not going to have sex with Steve and no one else will be visiting, I suspect Steve may be making teen gay porn videos, which the boys may or may not be aware of. Achilles also stated they were not going to have an orgy, so it may be that Steve has hidden cameras set up in each bedroom and films the boys having sex with each other one-on-one. You have me very intrigued @Wombat Bill.

"You speak of war and destiny, Colonel," Levesque said, his voice now quiet, deadly. "But you are not soldiers. You are thieves who have stolen a flag. You are mercenaries who have rented your cause to a railroad baron. You are trespassing on land that belongs to men and women who have poured their sweat and their blood into it. You are not liberators. You are a plague." "He took one step forward, closing the distance imperceptibly. "So, I regret, Colonel, that we must decline your kind invitation to oblivion. This is not a military objective. This is our home. And you are not an army. You are pests. And we have decided to exterminate you." Jean Levesque must have balls the size of a tennis ball (each one). In a chapter full of suspense, despair, dread and threats of violence, I could not help but laugh at this humorous, biting, laceration of Rafferty and his band of thugs (or should that be bugs, LOL). The ultimate scorn, compared to cockroaches on whom Levesque turned his back. I was wondering what had happened to Madame Lorelei/Lauralei. It was good to see her make a reappearance, and in her usual calm, determined and efficient manner. The burning question for me after this chapter is, where is Jack? When will he make his appearance? I imagine he has not been commandeered ready for action, but something is bound to happen to threaten one of his humans and he will know, and he will react, with a violence and fury the Fenians have never before encountered. The old saying "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" will pale into insignificance beside "hell hath no fury like Jack in battle".

A motley crew constitutes the archaeological dig volunteers @Josh Aterovis. I suspect Alexander James at least also knows who the real Killian Kendall is. I am almost certain Killian will not be able to remain undercover, and I doubt Professor Healy will take kindly to having been lied to by Lily about the real purpose of Killian's attendance at the site. In Killian's initial introduction to Fletcher, Fletcher referred to him as a "spirit talker". I took this to mean, perhaps incorrectly, the experiences Killian had with the spirits of both Amalie and Paul momentarily "occupying" his body to shed light on their murders. If this is in fact what Fletcher meant by "spirit talker", I wonder if Killian will have a similar experience at the dig site. I imagine a visit from the spirit of someone murdered on the dig site or in its vicinity is a distinct possibility. Perhaps Gordon Wallace's father or another paternal relative murdered a tribe member or members and he does not want it known the "white" side of his family was involved in such a crime or crimes.

I had the same thought @weinerdog, particularly given his involvement more recently in the Fenton Black murder which was highly publicised. How is he going to get out of this quandary? I hope for his sake Elyse does not pressure him for amore in the afternoon, in return for keeping his true profession a secret. I was thinking Hyacinth (after Mrs Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances, which I think was popular in the USA), Snapdragon or Digitalis, more commonly known as Foxglove, which is highly toxic to humans and animals, causing nausea, diarrhoea and even death. I guess her mother and Fletcher did not know she would become such a hate-filled nasty bitch as an adult. She would have hated being named Pansy though as it has been so often used as an insult for gay men.

I am going to console myself @weinerdog with the belief it was either the rantings of a delusional woman, or the Doberman dined on human the evening its human rang Killian, and it was the last phone call she ever made.

The reason for Tad's brattish behaviour is so obvious now you have pointed it out @Josh Aterovis; a perfectly natural reaction to how he has been treated in the past. Have you studied psychology as your observations of reactive behaviour from teenagers especially e.g. Tad, Caleb, Todd, Zack, Seth, Jake and even Killian to a certain extent, are very astute, or are you just acutely observant?

I had forgotten you have speculated this before @centexhairysub, and you could well be right as it is unlikely anyone would suspect to look next door for the missing artefact.

Your description of the vast expanse of the landscape and the violent weather is certainly cinematic @Topher Lydon. As someone who lives in a climate which fortunately never experiences snow, the bleak scene featuring the blizzard although unfamiliar, was quite frightening in its power. I keep thinking to myself "why would the residents of Merrickville, want to live in a town with such awful weather", so it is a credit to your writing skills that I can believe they do. I have not seen many Western films in my life as it is not a genre which appeals, apart from Calamity Jane which I have enjoyed watching on a number of occasions, but I have seen a few episodes of TV shows considered Westerns when I was a pre-teen and into my teens e.g. High Chaparral, Bonanza. If those shows are any guide, then I think you have succeeded in capturing an "old timey western".

“Nah. He’s my uncle’s second wife’s second husband.” Charlie sniggered. “Not much there.” I should have waited for this chapter for this confirmation @Robert Hugill. The description of Graham by Charlie as a slimy git was spot on. His assessment he thinks it is unlikely Graham murdered Aunt Daphne must surely put the suspicion back onto Thomas Englert aka Franck de Leuw. My speculation Thomas was surprised when Charlie revealed his Aunt Daphne was murdered, has me thinking even moreso Graham may have been his intended target, after all Graham is the one who apparently had connections to Louis' Uncle Vernon. I cannot recall if any of my fellow readers have speculated this before so I may be copying someone else, but I wonder if Graham may have possession of the Nimrud Panther? Either JB aka Pericles is butch (but not too butch) or Louis and Charlie have faulty gaydar. I suspect it is the former. I wonder if JB might accompany PJ when the latter visits Charlie to collect their anniversary gift? More good work Mr H.

Timmy has survived, the worst is over for him. Bobby and Timmy's father are resolute in their efforts to defend Merrickville as a testament to Timmy. I also suspect his cousin Kieran may have turned a corner. Will he be welcomed into the family of his cousin? Time will tell. Jack delivered as promised. Will he be instrumental in helping the townsfolk hold steady now they under threat from the remaining Fenian fanatics? Jack has not as yet had the opportunity to display his full power and destruction skills. I hope he gets that opportunity very soon.

250 dead fanatics, a good bargaining chip with McCulloch, Valance and the Grizzly. Jack WILL deliver the message to Jean Levesque and Timmy WILL be continuing to recover.

"Enemies" become "friends" in the face of adversity. I hope Timmy survives and his father does not regress into his former behaviour.

You may be right @Darryl62 and Adam does redeem himself in later chapters. I feel ancient as the last party I went to was in 1993 or 1994 I think, almost a lifetime ago and I was only in my early 30's, LOL. I lived in Darlinghurst at the time not far from the Fire Station. All the friends I used to go with have either died (not that many), left Sydney or settled into domestic bliss (or both). My knees couldn't take the dancing for hours on end on the hard floors anymore either.

The revelation, what I have been waiting for, for more than anything else in this story: “It’s okay. I mean, I know this must all be new to you, but I have a lot of experience in being scared. I could teach you a trick or two. Like, for instance, when the third foster family took me in--” Theodore grabbed him so fast, Jack yelped. “Are you an orphan?” he asked. Jack shrugged. “Ah, I guess it didn’t come up before and I didn’t think it was important. It was a whole thing, me getting passed from family to family, and no one seemed to like me much, so--” This revelation does not surprise, and provides the first real insight into why Jack is the boy/man he is. The relationship between Theo, Vince and Jack has changed, primarily because Theo is allowing himself to feel, to be vulnerable, to be more his authentic self. This is a good thing for their relationship, strengthening it, but will it hold Beyond the Veil? Jack the joker, the clairvoyant, is so much more after this chapter @Laura S. Fox, a person of great strength as Vince has prevouisly declared, a person who has no doubt survived great adversity, intact but starving for affection. He is my favourite character in this story, just as Danny was in its predecessor.

"So, a rescue is planned then,’ Erhan stated, once Chandar had explained what lay ahead. ‘But you are assuming that the handful sent to rescue the Prince will be successful.’ ‘We have no need to doubt them,’ Chandar replied. ‘The question will be, however, how to protect them once they are clear of the city. That is why we shall base what warriors we have at Highshaw. We will be close by, and in a position to defend them once they reach us, should that be needed." Chandar is very confident of success in the rescue mission. Is his confidence perhaps buoyed by the fact he is the Keeper of the Sword of Erasmus, and if so, are we likely to see the mighty sword on display if Septimus' soldiers seek revenge against those who freed Prince Raemande, or is he merely relying upon their fate being in the "hands of the gods". I do hope no harm befalls Jamal. Although he has not found his lover yet, I imagine he will have no shortage of admirers if the knights manage to rescue Prince Raemande without any casualties, unless the casualties are Septimus' soldiers, which will only increase his appeal. "My stallion, Majid, will be in need of care while I am away, as I will need to be taking another steed, one which won’t be as noticeable. Do you think you can manage that task?" As soon as I read this @Mark Ponyboy Peters I remembered Luther's stallion's name has been mentioned before, but when searching for it for a prior chapter comment I could not find it. A very appropriately named stallion given the name means glorious, noble, magnificent or honourable.

Speaking of Natasha, I imagine she will be mightily pissed off she divorced Martin before he came into wealth. I wonder if Bertrand is aware of Natasha and delayed his announcement until she was out of the picture, in addition to the death of Martin's mother, Dorothy. I sense I am going to despise Natasha @Paladin, in fact, I already do, but I will feel more justified in doing so once she makes an appearance in person.

Well, well, well @Paladin. The surprise was not that Martin's biological father was not the man he knew as his father, but that his biological father is still very much alive. I assume Bertrand's spouse knows he has a son by a woman he loved and fathered a child with in Sydney, Australia. If she is still alive I wonder if she will be the "welcoming" stepmother or the evil bitch from hell. I also wonder if he has half-siblings and if they will be as friendly as his cousin Rick, or will they view him as some sort of threat to their inheritance. I imagine if Bertrand is as wealthy as Simon has indicated, a few million is like pocket change though. Martin's intimacy with Simon at the conclusion of the chapter also did not surprise, although I was surprised Martin has not had any same-sex experience, if one could refer to it as that, since he was a teenager. I imagine you had many a chuckle after the comments we readers made on chapter 1 @Paladin. I am not going to make any more wild speculations, although I do think Martin and Simon are likely to become closer, and I will not be surprised if Natasha becomes even nastier if Martin becomes more intimately involved with Simon or any other man.

I am hoping that these comments are indicative of Timmy's survival against the odds. I am also hoping when Bobby exacts revenge on McCulloch and Valance he is ably supported by the Demon Horse and that the death of the two is vicious, prolonged and they scream in agony. Timmy's father is a fool, but hopefully it is not too late for him to make amends.

The proof is in the pudding. The majority of Merrickvillian's have more important things to do in life than be horrified what same sex couples may or may not do in the privacy of their own homes. What an enlightened attitude, and yet 141 years later many have an attitude intolerance and believe they have an entitlement to be offended because of their beliefs or culture, both of which are make believe. More people in today's world should be like the good citizens of Merrickville and mind their own fucking business. Delightful chapter @Topher Lydon, the 'seduction' of Cameron Higgins particularly pleasing given what he has endured.

The bookshop scene was very moving; Theo's reverence for a book given to him by his late father a stark reminder of what he has endured. The book has buoyed him time and time again, and to have it treated with such disrespect and hate had reduced him to a shadow of himself. Luckily he found a kindred spirit in Mr Goldberg, a man with the skills to restore the book almost to the state it was in before its desecration. Mr Fordham, another slimeball representing the Canadian Pacific Railway slithered into the lives of Elias and Theo like a serpent with a forked tongue. I had an image of him with a "reptilian" appearance, and he proved himself to be a snake. Another very well written chapter @Topher Lydon, with the introduction of another of your vile creations who would fit well into a southern administration. I must say you either have a very vivid imagination or you have encountered some hideous people in your life as your villains are always wholly believable.

I assume McCulloch, the Grizzly, Valance or one or more of their lackeys will try to steal all the deeds to the properties owned by the residents of Merrickville. I agree with @Kileoli, it is time for Elias and Theo at least to play dirty. The despicable trio must be eliminated, if not by guns then by Jack, 545kg of raging equine hormones needing an outlet other than an in season mare.

And this does not diminish the @Lee Wilson "heavy" stories which we also love, it is just the @Lee Wilson lite are such a treat in a world gone fucking insane.

And it seems from all the comments @Lee Wilson that we readers love @Lee Wilson lite stories with a HEA conclusion.

Kilby is digging a bigger hole for himself than ever with the proposed "weekend sleepover". “Well, I’ve done this before and most of my boys are thankful for my efforts” “You say most” “There is sometimes the one that won’t comply, but I try my best” This thread of the conversation between Kilby and "Steve", particularly the part in bold, is at face value alarming. If Steve's driver's licence is not a forgery and he is telling the truth, then what is the purpose of the weekend sleepover. Is he perhaps running a gay conversion therapy camp, or "training" sessions for a brothel he owns staffed entirely by underage boys, or worst case scenario trafficking in underage boys to wealthy "owners" who want a boy of their own. If Steve's intentions are nefarious I hope Edward's suspicions are triggered and he at least puts a tracking device into Kilby's bag or his phone. Although "Steve's" intentions may be genuine and harmless, Kilby is a fool to even consider going away for a weekend to a client's home. His naïveté could land him in serious trouble. Wanda and Francesco's decision to remain with the circus did not surprise me, although the latter disappointed me as I thought he and James were well suited. Wanda and Alex not so much. I doubt Alex and James will hear from Wanda and Francesco again, or they may initially and then it will wither away like a dying flower. Best both boys forget about them.