The Shunning - 13. Chapter 13

Back in the car, the twins heard Daryl let out a deep moan. "What has Brian done?"

 

"I take it that those three were members of your church?" Patrick guessed.

 

"If they were... they sure didn't act like any Blessed I have ever known."

 

"They sure did to me," Steven grunted as he put the car into reverse. "Cold, stoic, robots."

 

"Exactly... which is almost the opposite of how the people in New Hope really act."

 

"I don't get it... when I first met you, you were pretty cold and stoic," Steven said as he drove out of the parking lot.

 

"That was because I was trying to... to hurt myself. I wanted to experience what my brother went through."

 

"You were shunning yourself," Steven said flatly.

 

"Yes... yes I was," Daryl admitted.

 

"So how do people back home act?"

 

"Cheerful... happy... a bunch of cheerful happy lemmings. Not unless you’re gay. Then they’re a rabid blood thirsty mob but they still try to be very cheerful about it when they come to get you." Daryl replied.

 

"Well those three were anything but cheerful... they were plain creepy," Steven grunted.

 

"And armed to the teeth," Patrick added.

 

"Really?" Steven asked surprised.

 

"Each one had minimum of three guns apiece and at least one knife." Patrick was an expert in identifying the bugles under a man’s clothes… including the deadly kind

 

"What have you done Brian?" Daryl said again to himself.

 

"So where do you think the Father found these thugs?" Steven asked his twin.

 

"I'll get my people on it." Patrick said as he took out his phone again.

 

"They're not from New Hope or even Montana," Daryl replied.

 

"They did have sort of a citified look to them," Patrick agreed.

 

"Where are we going?" Daryl asked.

 

"We're getting this shit over with now," Steven said.

 

"Good idea... he wouldn't be expecting that," Patrick agreed.

 

"I don't understand... we are going to the hotel now?" Daryl asked.

 

"Yep... that's unless you really don't want to see Brian?"

 

"No, I need to see him. I need answers," Daryl replied.

 

"Good because we're almost there." Steven said, pointing to the Marriot Hotel.

 

If they had caught Brian off guard, he didn't show it when the three of them entered the room. In fact the man wore a bemused smile on his face from the high back chair he was sitting in, a cigar in his hand.

 

"I hope the three of you didn't rush to get here on my account," the dark haired man chuckled.

 

After they had walked halfway towards Brian, Daryl did something that shocked the twins... he went down on his knees and bowed before his former lover.

 

"Father..." Daryl whispered.

 

"Daryl." Brian said with a faint whisper that was barely audible.

 

The twins watched as Brian placed his cigar in a nearby ashtray before standing up and making his way toward where Daryl remained bowed. Placing a hand on top of Daryl's bleached hair, the man ran his fingers through its long strands. He then closed his hand into a fist, offering the ring on his finger to Daryl's lips. After Daryl had kissed the ring. Brian grabbed Daryl by both shoulders and lifted the man back onto his feet. "I've missed you Daryl. Have you missed me?"

 

"Every day," Daryl replied, his eyes still looking down at the carpeted floor.

 

"Look at me Daryl," Brian said, placing an index finger under the man's chin, raising his head up. "Look at me Daryl," Brian said more insistently when he found Daryl's eyes still closed.

 

"Look at me Daryl!" The Father eventually shouted, this time causing Daryl to pop both eyes open.

 

“There now... was that so hard?" Brian said, his voice once again calm.

 

"We are not supposed to gaze upon the face of the Father," Daryl whispered.

 

"That never stopped me or your brother. It was a silly custom in the first place so I got rid of it after dad stepped down," Brian said as he circled around Daryl as if he were examining a piece of art.

 

"That's not all you've changed," Daryl said accusingly, his nose wrinkling from the smell of the cigar.

 

"You mean this?" Brian asked, taking quick strides to the ashtray and picking up the cigar. "That's funny coming from you... how many of the rules of discipline did the two of us break when we were kids?"

 

"What about these outsiders?" Daryl demanded, pointing to the six armed men in the room.

 

"True believers of the faith." Brian said defensively. "After becoming the Father I decided our church needed to expand. I became quite the missionary."

 

"I don't understand. It takes twenty years to become a full member of the Blesses."

 

"Another stupid custom." Brian laughed as he went over to where a man, dressed in a gray suit stood. "Daryl... I would like you to meet Missionary Peter Thomson. He's the one who helps me see where to find the people who will lead our church in this new century."

 

"Where did you find them?" Daryl asked.

 

"The streets," Peter said. "Among the homeless, drug addicts, hustlers, and disaffected youth. With the funds the Father generously provided, the church now has hostels, shelters, and youth centers all over the country. You would be amazed how lost many American youth are. Parents these days treat most of their kids like fashion accessories or score cards. All it takes is love and a little motivation and you can not only make them your friends but be willing to give their lives for you. I should know. I've had three or four to exactly that for me."

 

"What have you done Brian? What are you doing with this... this evil man?"

 

"I'm rewriting all our holy texts," Brian said, slipping back into his leather chair.

 

"But why?"

 

"For you Daryl... I've done all this for you."

 

"What?"

 

"What happened to your brother and to us was a sin, a sin I have committed myself to repenting for."

 

"I don't understand. How can you erase over a hundred years of tradition?"

 

Brian reached over and took the hands of two of his bodyguards. "Can't you see what I've done? We are now the chosen people, not those cattle whose only good use is breeding."

 

"You mean gay people?" Daryl asked.

 

"Yes... us men! It came to me one night like a divine vision. All our texts refer to God as a man and as everyone knows Jesus was a man too. Now if both were divine, and both were capable of perfect love, then should men not aspire to achieve that same love?"

 

"You've gone mad," Daryl accused.

 

"No... I've become a prophet," Brian insisted.

 

"A prophet of doom... our people would never go along with this craziness," Daryl replied. "You will destroy everything our people have built... have stood for."

 

"But what have our people ever built? For nearly two hundred years our `people' have been living off the kindness and generosity of your family. And how did we treat you in return? My father had your parents killed Daryl. They didn't die in a blizzard."

 

"That's not true," Daryl stammered.

 

"It is... my father told me himself. You're parents threatened to not renew the lease on the land the church uses. My predecessor, thinking he would have better luck with you and David, had them killed. It's the same reason why my dad had to get rid of David. He wouldn’t’ cooperate either"

 

"No... David died because I shunned him."

 

"But why was he shunned in the first place? Dad feared that David would influence your decision on renewing the lease. He had to find some way of separating the two of you."

 

"So you are telling me my brother died over money that I have never wanted?"

 

"Yes," Brian said as he stood up and embraced his former lover. "Can't you now see why I must reshape our church? It must be purged of corruption and hate and rebuilt on the foundation of true love. I can't do it though without you."

 

"I still think this is madness Brian... a gay cult?"

 

"No... a true religion for a people who have been abandoned by all other faiths." Peter said.

 

"I'm sorry Brian, but I can't go along with this," Daryl said, gently pushing the man away.

 

The Father grabbed Darly by his arms and forced his old friend to remain where he was. "But you don't know what's at stake or how much we need you." Brian's face was now red with anger and frustration.

 

"You need to pray Brian... try to find your way back to the person you once were."

 

"I can never go back Daryl...I have HIV," Brian whispered.

 

"How did you get that?" Daryl said, shocked. New Hope had been such a tight community that it had been blessed in being free from all sexually transmitted diseases.

 

"Giving my love to our chosen people." Brian said guiltily.

 

"You slept with outsiders?"

 

"So many I've lost count," Brian admitted.

 

"Including hustlers…?" Daryl remembered.

 

"Yes... I waited for you, hoping you would come back but you never did. Then I met Peter and together we came up with the idea for a new church based on love. I wanted to make sure though that every one of my new followers loved me..."

 

"Slut..." Patrick said, covering his mouth as if he were coughing.

 

"Yeah slut..." Brian chuckled weakly.

 

"What do you want from me Brian?"

 

"I screwed up Daryl... I got sick but I didn't stop having sex. Remember Tammy?"

 

"Your wife?"

 

"Yes... she's now sick. So are most of our old friends... Landon, Glenn, the people who I've put in charge of New Hope. Your old friend Stan is not sick though."

 

"Stan was always sensible," Daryl replied.

 

"It didn't make him smart enough to see what would happen by helping you run away," Brian retorted.

 

"You've not hurt him... have you?"

 

"No... I made him CEO of NM Mining. Even so the ungrateful wretch refuses to have much to do with me."

 

"As I said... he was always the sensible one. You have not answered my question though. What do you want with me?"

 

"New Hope is facing a crisis. You know our marriage customs. Once the first child is born the parents are allowed to sleep with whoever they want. Outsiders and locals combined over a quarter of the community has gotten sick... that I know of. Almost none of them are getting treatment. They expect God to heal them. We have our own doctors but they are about as useful as faith healers and witch doctors and I can't be sedating 3000 people each month to go to the mining doctors . We need our own doctor... one that is trained in modern medicine and who understands our customs. Our people need the Gavin family again... they need you Daryl."

 

"Damn you Brian... damn you for being so stupid, damn you for betraying our church, damn you for putting me in this position and twice damn you for shunning me."

 

"I have done a lot that needs forgiving. I know... but can't you find it in your heart to forgive me Daryl. Everything I did I did for you... to change things in New Hope so you would come back home."

 

"And it seems you've succeeded," Daryl sighed.

 

"You mean it... you'll come back home with me?"

 

"I would be damning myself if I didn't. But you have to do some things for me Brian."

 

"Anything Daryl. You name it and it's done."

 

"Get rid of this bastard." Daryl said, pointed a finger at Peter.

 

"Done." Brian said with a snap of his fingers.

 

"Now wait a minute." Peter said, stepping back as Brian's followers closed in on him.

 

To Daryl and the twins' horror one of the men pulled out a gun, quickly screwing in a silencer.

 

"Brian!" Daryl shouted.

 

The Father, now sitting back in his chair gave Daryl a blank expression as the man with the gun shot Peter in the heart, the missionary falling back into the waiting arms of the other men.

 

"Why did you kill him?"

 

"Because his sins demanded it... he was stealing money from our people not to mention planning to kill both of us."

 

"Why would he kill me?"

 

"Did you not forget that since my father legally adopted you if you were to die, everything you own, including the gas fields, would go to me? My father remembered. That's why I had to get rid of him, in case he decided to have you killed like David and your parents."

 

"I shouldn't go back... I shouldn't," Daryl said, afraid of what additional madness he would find if he went back home.

 

"Before you decide, there is someone else you should talk to." Brian said, snapping his fingers, this time triggering the opening of the bedroom door.

 

Standing in the doorway, looking dirty and disheveled was a plain dressed woman with long black hair. Next to her was a blond man holding a gun.

 

"Diana?" Daryl said in disbelief, on seeing Brian's sister. The woman had been the one the former Father had wanted him to marry.

 

"Daryl..." the woman said in a hoarse, disused voice.

 

"Get that gun away from her Landon!" Daryl demanded as he hurried toward the woman's side.

 

"Oh Daryl... finally someone who will talk to me," Diana cried as she raced to meet her former betrothed.

 

"Why isn't anyone talking to you?" Daryl asked, confused as he tried to comfort his old friend.

 

"Father had me shunned." Diana wept.

 

"Brian or dad?"

 

"Dad."

 

"But surly your brother can remove it."

 

"Not going to happen" Brian said darkly.

 

"She's your sister Brian!"

 

"Tell him sis... tell him why dad had you shunned."

 

"I did something terrible... unforgivable," Diana whispered.

 

"You will never convince me of that."

 

"But it's true... and when I tell you, you will feel the same revulsion the rest of the church feels toward me."

 

"I promise you Diana, I won't feel that way."

 

"Don't make promises you don't know you can keep," Brian chuckled.

 

"Let her talk," Daryl barked at Brian.

 

"Remember when David was shunned?"

 

"Yes... you and I were the only ones who tried to stick by my brother. It was you who passed the notes between us."

 

"I did more than pass notes." Diana said nervously. "I comforted your brother."

 

"Comforted him how?" Daryl asked.

 

"The two were fucking each other!" Brian shouted, his voice filled with rage.

 

"Interrupt your sister one more time and you will never see me again Brian," Daryl swore.

 

"Fine..." Brian said, getting out of his chair to smoke out on the balcony.

 

"I'm sorry Diana," Daryl sighed.

 

"It's alright... my brother has every right to be angry with me."

 

"I don't see why."

 

"Because of the unforgivable sin I committed. I only comforted David a few times but that was all it took for his seed to grow inside me. Remember how sick I was the month before David killed himself?"

 

"Yes... I thought it was the flu."

 

"So did dad... that was until mother told dad she thought I was pregnant."

 

"What happened then?" Daryl asked.

 

"Father sent me to the mining clinic. I was too sedated to know what happened there but when I came back father was very angry. It was the same day that Brian started shunning you."

 

"I remember."

 

"Dad then forced me to commit an unforgivable crime. He made me go to David and tell him I was pregnant and that unless he killed himself his child would be shunned as well. That's why your brother killed himself Daryl... not because of you."

 

For the first time in his life, Daryl felt his faith abandon him. Even after he had run away from New Hope, he had remained a believer. Diana statement wiped that all away. He could no longer see any good in his church.

 

"You hate me now... don't you? You're going to shun me as well?"

 

"No Diana... I don't hate you. I hate our church for what it did to us," Daryl said, as he hugged the woman close to him.

 

"What happened to the baby?" Daryl asked after a long silence.

 

"I don't know... when it came close for the baby to be born dad sent me back to the mining clinic. When I came back I was no longer pregnant and I had this scar." Diana said as she lifted up her shirt to show it."

 

Daryl ran his finger down the scar as if not sure if it was real. "They did a c-section on you." He whispered.

 

"Is that an abortion?" Diana asked worried.

 

"No...It’s another form of delivery." Daryl said, a storm of emotions raging through him. A part of him was very angry... angry at what his adoptive father had done to his own daughter. Another part of him was excited by the possibility that a part of his brother might still be alive. If there was such a child, Daryl knew of only one person who would know where such a child was... Brian.

 

"I need to talk to Brian... will you be ok?" Daryl asked.

 

"Yes... you are coming back home with us though, right?"

 

"Maybe... But if I do it will only be for a short time," was all Daryl could promise at this point.

 

"Well?" Brian asked, puffing in his cigar when Daryl joined him on the balcony, not prepared when Daryl punched him right in the jaw.

 

"How long have you known?" Daryl demanded.

 

"Honestly... I only figured it out yesterday," Brian said, waving his bodyguards off. "Sis decided to take advantage of my coming here to run off on her own... with Stan's help I assume. Took Landon a few weeks to track her down and when he did she was in pretty bad shape so I had a doctor examine her. That's when I learned what a cesarean section was. Knowing that dad most likely had it done at the clinic I had Stan look into it."

 

"And what did you learn?" Daryl pressed.

 

"That the doctors removed a pair of twins from her."

 

"Twins!" Daryl said excitedly. "Where are they?"

 

"I don't know... the records don't say. As soon as I go back I plan on question dad about it though. Care to join me in that visit?" Brian said.

 

"You've thought of everything... haven't you?" Daryl accused.

 

Brian reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun, pointing it at his head. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to bring you back home Daryl... even kill myself."

 

"Put that gun away." Daryl said with disgust.

 

After seeing Brian return the gun back to its holster Daryl began to list additional conditions. "I can't just leave here you know... I have patients of my own that need taking care of."

 

"I've already seen to that... tomorrow you will resign from Memorial."

 

"But they need me there."

 

"Not as much as the hospital needs more money." Brian pointed out. "After you resign I will see that a ten million dollar donation is made to Memorial... more than enough money to hire three or four good doctors and nurses to cover for you."

 

Looking back into the hotel room Daryl saw the nervous expressions on the twins' faces. "Still, I don't know if I can leave. I've fallen in love Brian."

 

Brian dropped his remaining cigar over the edge of the balcony, embracing Daryl with his now empty hands. "I know Daryl. You don't know how happy I am you have found the Nash brothers. I was beginning to worry you would never let yourself fall in love again."

 

"Not jealous? Daryl chuckled.

 

"I'm green with envy." Brian said as he rocked his former lover in his arms. "I like your new hair."

 

"Are you flirting with me or just trying to be funny?"

 

Brian tightened his hold on Daryl. "I've missed you so much Daryl."

 

"I too... it hurts to see what has become of you. Maybe if I never left..."

 

"If you had never left, I would have never gotten the courage to stand up against the Father and eventually he would have had you killed."

 

"I want you to stop the shunning of your sister." Daryl said.

 

"You know I can't do that." Brian sighed.

 

"Why not... you're the Father."

 

"I tried Daryl... but our people have not forgiven her. They still believe she is a baby killer. No matter how many sermons I could give on the subject you know our people will never forgive her. Hell... I can't even bring myself to forgive her. That's why I wanted to ask you if you would take her in when you come back home. You were supposed to be the one to marry her."

 

"Alright..."

 

"Good... how soon until you think you can settle your affairs here. I have a jet waiting at the airport that can fly you to New Hope at any time."

 

"I need to talk with Steven and Patrick first... but regardless of what they say I should be ready sometime tomorrow."

 

"Then I will meet you at the airport sometime tomorrow." Brian said, giving Daryl another tight hug before letting go. "Never doubt that I still love you."

 

"I know..."

 

"Aren't you going to tell me you love me too?"

 

"After all you've done?" Daryl demanded.

 

"I'm willing to do a whole lot worse to get you to love me again," Brian replied.

 

"Don't Brian... please don't."

 

"I think you should go now... your friends as starting to look worried," Brian said as he handed Daryl a large cell phone.

 

"What's this?"

 

"Patrick's cell phone... the real one. You can also tell him that he will find his gun toting friend back home, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.

 

"What am I going to do with you Brian?" Daryl sighed not able to stop his hands from touching the man's familiar face.

 

"So you do still love me." Brian smiled, nuzzling against Daryl's touch.

 

"I loved you Brian... almost as much as David. I hate what you've become but I can't stop feeling something for you."

 

"May I kiss you?" Brian asked, a tear rolling down his face.

 

Daryl didn't say a word, answering by closing his eyes and leaning forward. Soon he felt Brian's lips against his mouth, the man's warm wet tongue slipping out, letting Daryl taste the flavor of saliva and tobacco.

 

Eventually pulling away, Daryl saw the tears that were now streaming down Brian's face. "Are you going to be ok?"

 

"Now that you will be coming back home... Yes, I think I will," Bryan said.

 

"Well?" Steven asked when Daryl left the balcony.

 

"Here's your cell phone back," Daryl said, handing it to Patrick.

 

"I don't believe it... they cloned my phone and I didn't even notice," Patrick said. "That means they knew about Alex."

 

"Brian promised they didn't hurt him. He should be waiting for us back home."

 

"What about you Dare?" Steven asked as the three of them left the hotel.

 

"I feel so tired," Daryl said as he rested his forehead on Steven's left shoulder.

 

"I'm sorry," Steven said, hugging Daryl tightly to him as they rode down the elevator.

 

"When will you be leaving?" Patrick asked.

 

"Tomorrow," Daryl whispered

 

"That doesn't give us much time to pack," Steven said as he took out his cell phone.

 

"Us?" Daryl asked confused.

 

"Do you really think we are going to let you go back to that mad house without us?" Patrick chuckled.

 

"But don't you have jobs and lives here?"

 

"If you've not noticed... we're not actually what you would call poor," Steven said as he began dialing a number.

 

"It's what we want to do Dare so don't try to talk us out of it," Patrick said.

 

"Thank you... I don't know how I would handle Brian's mess without you two."

 

"You don't have to go you know... Brian could build a new hospital and fill it with the nation's best physicians with the money he controls."

 

"But my people would never go to such a hospital. They don't trust outsiders. That only leaves me. There is also another, more personal, reason. I'm an uncle." Daryl chuckled.

 

"What?" Both twins shouted.

 

"My brother would have been the father of a pair of twins if he had lived." Daryl said.

 

"Do you know where they are?" Steven asked.

 

"No... but I know someone who most likely does. That's why I have to go back. I need to find my brother's children. Only when I know they're safe will I be able to forgive myself."

 

Thanks to the half dozen phone calls Steven made on the way back home, there was a long line people by the front door, waiting for them.

 

"Who are these people?" Daryl asked.

 

"Friends, business associates, and former lovers." Steven said as he shook the hands of several of those present. "Our war council."

 

Seating the gathering around the long table in the dinning-room, Steven began the meeting. "As I told all of you, certain events have arisen that will require Patrick and I to be away from town for a while. I would like all of you here to come with us."

 

` "What is this all about?" one man asked.

 

"And how will we be compensated?" another asked.

 

"It's about money... a shit load of money," Patrick said as he started passing out folders which contained the financial information he had gathered on Daryl and the Church of the Blessed.

 

"These numbers are quite impressive." A bald but young looking man said. "How real are these numbers?”

 

"Daryl?" Patrick asked.

 

"If anything they underestimate the amount of money involved. They do not list any of the money held in government bonds and private accounts."

 

"So are you telling me that the members of the Church of the Blessed are looking into diversifying?" an investment manager named Andrew asked.

 

"In a manner of speaking," Patrick chuckled, nodding to Daryl.

 

"New Hope has been cut off from the outside world for too long. There are many things my people need."

 

"Such as?" the bald man asked.

 

"If you want to find out you wouldn't mind signing a non-disclosure agreement." Steven chuckled as he passed another set of documents out.

 

"Before I sign anything... can I have an estimate on what kind of resources are going to be made available to me?"

 

"Since we have not yet examined the situation fully we can only give you an estimate but just from the accounts holding the money from Daryl's gas royalties and stock dividends you are looking at a chance to manage well over eight billion dollars."

 

"That does not explain why I'm here," a well-manicured man said.

 

"You could not expect us to leave the bright lights of the city for the barrens of Montana without our hairstylist."

 

"Very funny," the man laughed sarcastically.

 

"Sign the nondisclosure and we will be able to explain why we need you Tommy," Patrick said.

 

"All right... but if you are expecting me to set up a beauty parlor out in the sticks... the customers better be good tippers," Tommy replied as he removed the pen from behind his ear.

 

Once Steven gathered the signed papers, he nodded to go ahead.

 

For the next two hours Daryl explained his past and the events that had led him to leaving Montana. Then... often stuttering over his own words he told the gay men gathered around him of the AIDS epidemic that was now killing his people because of the actions of a broken hearted madman. The fact that they would not allow outside doctors to treat them had left Daryl no other choice but return home. Near the end, Daryl started begging the gathered people for their help... pleading with tears running down his face.

 

Mark... a doctor whose entire medical practice focused on the treatment of HIV was the first to stand up. "Sit down Dr. Gavin, you've convinced me, but can you explain to me how such a thing could ever happen?"

 

"You have to understand our beliefs. On many things we are very conservative, but on one issue we are a bit liberal.

 

"Sex? Mark asked.

 

"Yes... at least for our women. Since all of our marriages are arranged and because our faith makes it difficult for an outsider to become one of the Blessed, it makes the role our women play very important. That is why, after a married couple has their first child, they have the right to sleep with whoever they wishes. This has not only allowed for our numbers to increase but helped remove some of the problems caused by forced marriages."

 

“Did these outsiders have to have an arranged marriage when they joined?” Mark asked.

       

“I can only assume yes.” Daryl replied. He had already figured out how it had spread like wildfire in the community. Whether they liked it or not the women would be forced to marry the outsiders. They of course would quickly want to leave them after they gave birth to their first child. If the outsider had HIV then it was likely so did the wife and every man she might have slept with. Safe sex was a foreign concept for the people of New Hope. "Because we are required to marry at age eighteen, all of them have wives. Brian forced most of these new comers to sleep with him. Since he was positive many of the new comers also became positive. They infected their wives and the wives infected other men... Most still don’t know they are infected."

 

"Then there could well be more than 3000 people infected." Mark said. The virus could have infected three or four times that number. This could be worse than some places in Africa."

 

"That's what I am afraid of," Daryl nodded. “It is also why I have to go back. Unlike the doctors at the mining clinic they won’t see me as an outsider so they should let me treat them.

 

"You still have not explained why you need me," Tommy, the hairstylist, said.

 

"You've seen the effect the virus has on people over time... not a few of your clients go to you because you not only make them look good, but healthier as well." Steven said.

 

"It's all façade," Tommy blushed.

 

"Yes, but considering the psychological benefits..." Steven said.

           

"I don't come cheap you know."

 

"Daryl?" Steven smiled.

 

"Considering that almost every family in New Hope are practically millionaires from the gathered savings of many lifetimes and not having anything to spend money on... I think they'll be able to afford you."

 

"Well, the first thing I'm going to do is fix that bad bleach job of yours," Tommy promised.

 

"That's two," Patrick said, raising a pair of fingers.

 

"Make that three," a broad shouldered, half dressed man said as he walked in, looking hung over.

 

"Glad to have you aboard Alex," Patrick winked.

 

"Well I do owe you more than a few favors... guess it's about time I started paying them off. It might take me a week, but I'll have my boys set up in New Hope. Give them a shovel, a string of razor wire and enough ammunition and not even an army of religious fanatics will dare cross you."

 

"This is not a war," Daryl said. Daryl looked at Alex and noticed something familiar about him. Wasn’t he once one of his patients?

 

"Of course not, Dr. Gavin," Alex said in a tone that fooled no one.”

 

"Don't worry Dare... Alex knows his stuff," Patrick said encouragingly.

 

By the time the meeting was over, all seven men had agreed to go to New Hope to help Daryl and the twins. Given all the people who the seven would bring with them, in all Daryl would have a small army of doctors, nurses, lab technicians, a whole accounting department, Alex's platoon of guns for hire, as well as few people from Patrick's security company. Andrew would work towards diversifying the church member's investments while Tommy worked on adding a little color to the townsfolk's appearance. The bald man, Hank, who was an architect, would oversee the building of a new hospital and housing for everyone.

 

"Well Daryl, what do you think?" Got ourselves a pretty good team?" Steven asked.

 

"Yes... Thank you for calling all of them. I wouldn't have known who to turn to for help," Daryl said while Tommy tried to repair his hair.

 

"Comes from my days in the Peace Corp."

 

"When were you in Peace Corp?"

 

"Back when Patrick was playing soldier," Steven explained.

 

"I thought about joining the Corp," Daryl admitted. "The idea of running away to some far corner of the Earth and do some good in the process was very attractive to me."

 

"Then you should hook up with me. My team is always visiting far distant places and we could use a new medic," Alex grinned, lust in his eyes.

 

"Hands off Alex... Daryl's mine," Patrick warned.

 

"Care to arm-wrestle me over him?" Alex asked, flexing his massive biceps.

 

"No," Patrick laughed.

 

"Then you wouldn't mind me giving Dare my standard recruitment speech?"

 

"That's completely up to Daryl" Patrick said.

 

"What's this?" Daryl asked just as his head lowered back into the bathroom sink by Tommy.

 

"I just want to know if you have what it takes to be one of the few, the proud, and the..."

 

"The queer?" Steven snickered. He had heard this speech before. He also knew what it would lead to, Alex being one of the less than three men that had slept with both him and his brother.

 

Alex ignored Steven's comment, instead pulling out a gun, dropped its clip and emptied its chamber before tossing the metal piece toward Daryl, who caught it mid-air.

 

"Care to join me on the firing range tomorrow morning?" Alex asked.

 

"Haven't shot a gun in years..." Daryl said as he examined the piece. Years of hunting and being part of a community paranoid about outsiders one learned how to shoot before one learned long division.

 

"There're very few things that match the rush I feel with the sharp recoil of an M-16," Alex said as he went down on his knees next to Daryl, taking the gun back.

 

"Alex... Dare is sort of taken," Steven warned.

 

"As if." Alex snorted.

 

"As of yesterday," Steven replied.

 

"You're not even past the trial period," Alex insisted.

 

"I am in love with the twins Alex."

 

"So am I... been crazy about them for years," Alex laughed, slapping Daryl's legs hard. "You on the other hand..."

 

"Alex!" Patrick said, grabbing his army buddy by the ear, pulling him out of the room.

 

"What's gotten into you?"

 

"Would you be shocked if I told you I've had my eye on our archangel for some time?"

 

"I don't understand."

 

Alex lifted his shirt up, revealing his massive smooth chest, marred only by a circular scar that Patrick could not help but touch. "It was a local job... vigilante stuff. A local gang called in some favors with their Colombian suppliers who in turn got in contact with me. They wanted revenge for three of their members who died in a drive by. Since two innocent school girls died as well, I took the job. Took a bullet in the chest for my trouble. They sent me to Memorial."

 

"Where Dare works in the trauma unit." Patrick whispered.

 

"Yes... that man did more than save my life Patrick. He changed me. Since he saved my life, I have felt clean. Did you know I haven’t washed my hands since this morning?

 

"No... I didn't know." Patrick said amazed.

 

"I was so happy when you called... I've been wanting to hook up with you again for months. I was even thinking of going back to Iraq just so you would have to come rescue me," Alex said before pausing to take a deep breath. "I know Steven and I have not had the best relationship... he thinks I take too many risks and get you into trouble."

 

"It's not that... Steven is still trying to do his best to forget that he too had once been a hillbilly boy from the red hills of Alabama."

 

"I'm a Georgia boy myself." Alex chuckled.

 

"I know... and that's what annoys Steven so much. You remind him that the New England façade he picked up at Boston College is exactly that... a lie."

 

"He shouldn't hate his roots."

 

"I know that and so do you, but he doesn’t and probably never will."

 

"What your brother really needs is to get rid of that foot he has jammed up his ass."

 

"No... What I think he really needs is for someone to finally pop his cherry." Patrick chuckled

 

"You mean you've never fucked him?"

 

"He won't let anyone near his ass."

 

"You think Steven would like me better if I were to..." Alex left hanging.

 

"You are really not thinking Steven is going to let you fuck him?"

"You never know... maybe he's been waiting for some old fashioned southern boy to sweet talk him into it."

 

"I know you Alex... you're not as charming you think you are."

 

"Why dear... how can you say that after all the toil and sweat I have given trying to win your sweet heart," Alex said, deepening his accent as he lifted his old army dog tags off, putting it around Patrick's neck.

 

"Alex..."

 

"I know you're in love with Dare... you've not been able to talk about much else, not to mention the place Steven has in your heart, but if there is any place left for a southern gent like me I would like to have a place in your heart too."

 

"I don't know how much I can give you or how my brother will react. Also... don't expect me to help you get into Dare's pants."

 

"Not a problem. I'll have Steven eating out of my hands in a matter of weeks. As for Daryl pants... I'm already halfway in them." Alex chuckled.