Blake tongued the ice cubes causing them to swirl slowly in the Old-Fashioned glass. He was deaf to the roar of the jet airliner’s engines These airline companies aren’t anything if they’re not consistent, he thought. He licked the olive, taking some salt taste from them and swallowed more Vermouth and Gin. A Martini from a small commercial glass bottle and they put the juice in an Old-Fashion glass. A delicious Martini anyway. Yep great.
               He looked up as the darkhaired man, olive skin, too good looking to be alone, with nearly snow white skin came out of a lavatory, glanced at Blake, as he approached him, with a cold stare and acted as though he didn’t notice Blake. He walked slowly back toward second class. Smile at me you bastard; you practically rammed me getting on this plane.
               Baron glanced at Blake. “Do you know him?” Baron asked.
               “Seems like I should. When we were boarding the ramp lurched. You were several people ahead of me and you had already boarded the plane. The people in front of me were thrown back against me and I was thrown backward against that guy that just went by. I felt him in two places: one, his hands on my sides as if catching me and his manhood lower.
               “What do you mean?”
               “I mean I could feel the guy’s state of arousal, I guess you would say. I excused myself and I know I blushed. He didn’t emote. He slowly pushed me forward. It was almost as if he knew it would happen. He is strong. But the funny thing, Baron, is I would swear I saw that same fellow in Hong Kong...”
               “At the airport?”
               “No. When we were bumming around in the streets in Hong Kong’s financial section. After we came from Forest’s office...”
               “That was something, wasn’t it?”
               “What. Forest’s offices?”
               “Yeah and Forest, himself.”
               “Yeah. But I want to get back to paleface here.”
               “Why?”
               “I think he’s following us, Baron.”
               “Really?” Should I tell him. I don’t think I should. Go ahead and tell Blake he’s part of yours and Blake’s security. Your security contingent. Would Blake understand? No! It might alarm him. You’re right. Try diversion. Get him off the subject. Right!
               “Well haven’t you noticed him before? You’re usually observant of what’s happening around yourself. What’s the matter?”
               “I ate too much rich food in Hong Kong. Too many oysters, if you get my mean...”
               “I get it. Me too,” Blake said. It’s really hard now. We’ll have to have a party in Paris and/or London...”
               Baron rubbed himself between his legs, stretching his slacks and pulling the pant legs lower away from his crotch. “Shorts are very snug,” he said.
               Blake chuckled. He didn’t mind if he and Baron got horny together. He enjoyed stories of Baron’s encounters with curvy, hot women. He swallowed and went innocent again. He turned and looked upward toward the rear. “I couldn’t see where that guy went...”
               “Who?”
               That handsome dark-haired guy...”
               “Do you want me to invite that guy to the party?”
               “Don’t be funny, Baron. You know some times you are great to be with and talk to and other times...it’s like you’re another person. A person that I don’t know.”
               Baron patted Blake high on his thigh. “I’m just joking with you.” He’s a hard sucker. He feels like he’s in good shape.
               “Yeah, we need some laughs. The longer this journey, these trips, flying here and there, the more they go on, the more I don’t understand what’s happening. You promised you would discuss those three reports because they are technical: there are examinations, notes, and conclusions, that I have no idea what they mean.
               You’re a lawyer,” Baron said and pulled his shirt collar away from his neck. “It’s warm in here.”
               “The terms aren’t legal, they are medical. I’m not certain what the whole thing was about. And it’s in code. Dr. Haussmann and whoever wrote the experiments in the second and third notebooks refer to people, I guess, by code.”
               Baron glanced at Blake and listened. “He could not have held a country on his lap, for cryin’ out loud.”
               “What do you mean?”
               “There’s are statement about a physical examination of Norway. Norway has to be a person. It has to be a code name for a person involved in the experiment. Some terms I understand. He refers to body energy, stamina, maturity and I don’t know why he wrote in semaphore...”
               “Semaphore? Oh, coded the experiment and the results, you mean?” Baron waited for Blake to answer.
               “Yeah.”
               “Blake. Do you remember anything about Dr. Haussmann?”
               “Not much, why?”
               “I think my mother used to take me to him, when we...”
               “What’s the matter?”
               “I don’t remember hardly anything about the guy. I guess he had his practice in Harbor Junction, didn’t he?”
               “Yeah.”
               The flight attendant handed them their Martinis, in Martini glasses. “Real glass,” she said.
               “Thanks,” Blake said. “Cheers!”
               “Thanks, indeed,” Baron said.
               “To you, both” she said, smiled and walked to the rear of first class.
               “I mean besides teaching at Harbor Junction College,” Blake said.
               “Yeah, Blake. You don’t remember anything about that?”
               “Well, I’m trying to remember. I don’t remember a lot that happened to me in my life before my father died.
               “Yeah. That was really a tragedy.”
               “Still can’t figure out. Then my mother died not too much later. Seems like I was about six years old...”
               “No Blake. You got the six right, but you were almost twelve and in the seventh grade...”
               ‘Yeah, and then your mother was electrocuted, if you remember, buddy. That was when you were in eighth grade. Remember?”
               “Yeah, I guess.” He tongued the ice and frowned.
               Baron turned toward Blake and raised a leg higher on the seat to be more comfortable. He hiked his pant legs again and rubbed his crotch. As he loosened his seatbelt, he looked directly at Blake. He listened to Blake speak and realized how important Blake had always been to him. He recalled how much he had hated to see Blake and Jasper both go away to college, over five years ago, especially since they were leaving Harbor Junction, even though they went to the same university. He had never kidded himself. He didn’t like being far away from Blake. Baron enjoyed his relationship with all the board, but Blake was always special to him. More important for a reason he still didn’t understand.
               He listened to Blake’s rationale and suddenly realized that Blake had grown more handsome than when they were boys. He recalled what Blake looked like in grade school and high school and agreed with his thoughts as he looked at Blake’s face: Blake is more handsome now, with a soft brown beard, pale pink lips, dark big blue eyes, curly blond hair, cropped short. He’s got a good-looking body. We’re the same age, twenty-five, and we have both kept in shape: he, his way, and me mine. He’s strong too. Strong like me, I bet. Interesting! Very interesting.
               “Well?” Blake asked.
               “Well, what. My mind wondered. I don’t know why. I apologize.”
               “Well, tell me, have you seen that rough lookinig stud before?”
               “Blake, I’m not going to lie to you. I never have lied to you...”
               “Oh! Is that right?”
               They laughed.
               “Well, you know what I mean...”
               “Finish your Martini.”
               “Thanks,” Baron said and screwed off the cap from his Martini bottle. He poured the Martini into his glass and pressed the Call Button. They heard the call sound. A flight attendant came out of the galley and walked toward them, touching the backs of seats as she approached..
               “Look at the body on that queen,” Baron said.
               “Indeed,” Blake agreed, “marvelous!” He enjoyed the warm feeling that spread through his body, down his belly and through his groin. He squeezed his legs together and sipped more of his drink. He got warm all over.
               “Yes?” she said turning off the Call Button. “How can I help you?” She smiled.
               “Two more, please.”
               “Martini’s right?” She asked, as she took the plastic tumblers. Their hands touched. Blake's body temperature rose again.
               “Yes, Martinis,” Blake said and handed her his empty plastic glass.
               “Right away,” she said, turned and moved up the aisle with controlled dignity.
               “I wish you were born a girl,” Baron said, jokingly.
               “Yeah, don’t you?” Blake said. “Say, buddy boy! You haven’t answered my question about that guy. And, besides, there’s another one, I’ve see more than once since we left Chicago, O’Hare Field.”
               “Now, there’s two who are tracking you?” He’s lying, Blake thought. He knows them. He knows who they are. “You were never a very good liar, Baron. Especially with me.” He finished his Martini.
               “You caught me,” Baron said. “I have seen those men before. I didn’t want to alarm you. The game we’re playing is dangerous...”
               “Now you tell me,” Blake said. “Where did you see them?”
               “First In Chicago, theb in Rio, then Hong Kong and now here.”
               “Who are they?”
               “Blake, you talk as though I should know everything. I don’t know everything.” Maybe that will satisfy him. He looked at Blake’s empty glass and his full crotch. Martinis arouse him like they do me. We’re alike in so many ways. “Do you want another one? We’re almost ready to descend into Heathrow...”
               “I can’t believe that two Martinis would do this to me,” he said pointing with his eyes to his bulge.
               Baron chuckled. “You’re not alone.”
               I think Baron knows these fellows, knows who they are, and I bet they work for him too. Why won’t he admit it? Why won’t he tell me? Strange. Blake rubbed himself slowly.
               Baron closed his legs.
               I’ll try one more time. “Baron,” Blake said pushing back against the heavily padded seat back. “You don’t know these guys?”
               “I told you, Bake. I’ve seen both of them before, but...”
               Another tall stranger walked slowly up the aisle. Blake and Baron took note of the man’s off-white rumpled shirt, part of the tail hanging out in back, his slow saunter, his form fitting slacks. He appeared to be thin and muscular.
               “Look at the curve on those beauties,” Baron said.
               Blake understood Baron’s use of the word beauties referred to the man’s buttocks.
               “That guy could hunt bear with a switch,” he said.
               “You got it. I’ll bet he’s a cop.”
               “He’s trained for whatever he wants to do, I would say,” Baron said.
               Blake pushed his legs together and enjoyed the feeling.“I don’t know how to ask you this Baron, but...”
               “But, you will anyway, right?”
               They laughed.
               The flight attendant took their glasses. Blake looked at her bottom and wanted to caress it and her. Baron saw the desire in Blake’s eyes.
               “What about Jenny?” he asked.
               “What do you mean, ‘what about Jenny’?” Blake asked.
               “I saw what your eyes were doing. Your hips. Your body. And...”
               “Don’t Baron. I can’t take any of that right now.”
               “Do you want to hear one of my stories or not?”
               Blake squeezed his legs together again and said, “No, not unless you want me to explode here and now.”
               “That close, huh?”
               “Please! Let’s change the subject. How did your uncle, Uncle Cyrus die?”
               Baron looked down at his hands. Blake read the hesitancy in his manner.
               “If you don’t want to talk about it...”
               “I do. I’ll tell you about it tonight.”
               The captain’s voice interrupted them. “This is the  Captain speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen. We’re starting our approach to London’s Heathrow International Airport. On behave of the management, we want to thank you for spending your last several hours with us. We wish you bon voyage, for your stay in England or Europe and we pray you will travel with us again and soon. Please extinguish your cigarettes. Thank you.”
               The red-haired stranger walked toward them again. Blake not Baron’s stare. Baron recognizes the guy. Blake glanced at the man’s shoulders, chest and stomach. He’s trim. Yep. He’s a cop. Probably a private dick.
               The man passed and stared at Blake for what seemed like a long time to Blake. “What do you think?” Blake asked.
               “I think we’re definitely being tailed.
               “Do you know this last guy, who passed; this turkey?”
               “No.”
               “You don’t?”
               “No!”
               “Baron, you looked at him and smiled as though you did.”
               “I don’t know him, Blake,” Baron said. He didn’t smile. “You must believe me and furthermore...”
               “What?”
               “I can’t stress what I’m going to say to you, strongly enough. Don’t ever be alone on this trip in public...”
               “What? What are you talking about?”
               “Don’t ever let anyone get the chance to subdue you and cut you...” “What are you talking about?”
               “You heard me.”
               “I heard you, Baron, but...”
               “Don’t try to sneak away from me because if you do, that means that I have to go looking for you and we then both alone in public.”
               Blake took a deep breath. “I hope that someday I’ll understand you, those damned journals, and why I decided to join you on this trip...”
               “Let’s not go over that again...”
               “I’m not, but...”
               “What is who going to do when they subdue me, bite me? Are they vampires?” Blake realized his joke was in bad taste. “I apologize. I’m hot, tired and you know...”
               “Yes, I know.”
               “Tell me about your uncle Cyrus.”
               “Tonight, my friend. Tonight!”
              

Excerpt from Chapter Five — Baker Morgan