The Adventurer

Copyright© 2024 by A Well Traveled Man

Chapter 1

William Hudson Bowman III was thirteen, and he lived in North Dakota. His friends and family called him Trey. His dad was William Hudson Bowman Jr., age 35, 6’2” tall, and an Army Captain in the Army Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas (ODAs). He was on alert or deployed most of the year. He only made it home once or twice a year for a month’s leave. His mom was Kay Whitehurst Bowman, age 32, and 5’11” tall. They lived on Army bases until he was ten, then moved in with his mom’s parents to be closer to family and friends.

Trey’s father’s parents died in a car accident ten years ago. His mom’s parents were Robert and Kathern Whitehurst. Robert Whitehurst was a US Senator and visited on weekends. When he was home, or the Senate was in recess, his grandfather was campaigning and attending fundraising events and dinners. That left Trey, his mother, and his grandmother alone most of the time. They lived in a 6500 square foot two-story house with seven bedrooms, horses, and a stable on the estate. The estate was 250 acres and backed up to a national forest, so they were pretty isolated.

Dad’s brother Jack Bowman was the only other relative, and he ran a Pharmaceutical research company locally. Uncle Jack would visit on weekends and take Trey camping, fishing, hunting, or to local events. Trey would work at his company part-time during the summer for extra spending money. Uncle Jack, his mother, and his grandmother were close, and he would attend dinner at the house two or three times a week. Uncle Jack was single and a workaholic. He was 32 years old and 6’4” tall.

Trey didn’t know that his mom, Kay, and Jack were long-time lovers, and he was Jack’s son. Jack was determined to give his son the best opportunity in life, so he’d given Trey injections and special vitamins since he was ten. The vitamins were taken daily, and the injections were once a month. Trey was active in sports and practiced martial arts three days a week since he was five. He started martial arts while they lived on base and continued when they moved to North Dakota.

Trey played hockey in the winter, baseball in the summer, and golf in the summer. On weekends, Uncle Jack took him and his mom to golf courses in his private jet. They visited golf courses on the West and East Coasts. Trey was in 8th grade when his guidance counselor, Mrs. Sherman, summoned him and his mom to the office for a meeting. When they arrived, Mrs. Sherman said Trey was performing well above his grade level, and they needed to test him for advancement.

Mom asked what was involved, and Mrs. Sherman said the high school would give him a series of tests over two days. When we get the results, we can review our options. So, Trey took the tests at the high school, and we met with Mrs. Sherman again. She said Trey is at or above the 12^th-grade level in all subjects except social studies. Mom asked So what are our options. Mrs. Sherman told Mom that putting Trey in 12^th grade wouldn’t be a good option. Although physically, he’s big at 6 feet, high school seniors would resent his presence. She recommended taking online college classes or consulting with the university for more testing.

Mom asked about graduating from high school, and Mrs. Sherman said he’s already graduated with his testing. As I said, Trey’s only shortfall was social studies, and his overall test score was 3.5, or a B+. The university has better testing methods and IQ testing to help Trey pick the right courses for his future. Mrs. Sherman gave us a letter of recommendation to Mr. Ballard at North Dakota University, along with his high school graduation certificate.

On the way home, Mom asked Trey what he thought about the development. Trey said he’d miss playing sports but was bored with schoolwork. The teachers did their best, giving him advanced studies, but they had other students, too. Trey said we should talk with Grandmother and Uncle Jack and get their advice. Then, we can meet with Mr. Ballard and make an informed decision. Mom agreed and said she’s not enthused with him attending college at his age. Trey said Ah, Mom, he could learn so much and they laughed.

Mom didn’t know that Trey was an excellent hacker and computer programmer. His computer science teacher, Ms. Summer, taught Trey everything she knew in the 6^th grade. So, she had a friend, Jacob, who tutored him through the 8^th grade. Jacob was a programmer and hacker who taught Trey everything he knew. Trey had developed programs to keep tabs on the entire middle school. Jacob also set up Trey with programming jobs to earn money for his computer supplies. Trey had four cloud accounts, a custom computer, a laptop, and a tablet.

Trey and Mom arrived home and sat at the kitchen table with Grandmother and Uncle Jack. During dinner, Mom discussed the meeting at school and Mrs. Sherman’s recommendations. Grandmother said Let’s keep this to ourselves. The Senator and Captain may want to use Trey for publicity or advancement. Everyone agreed, and Uncle Jack asked Trey what he wanted to do. Trey said attending college in co-ed dorms had socializing advantages, and everyone laughed. Grandmother said Let’s wait until you meet with Mr. Ballard at UND and discuss your options then.

Everyone agreed, and Uncle Jack told Trey he’d have plenty of free time if he did online study. You may have to attend physical labs, but your afternoons would be free to work at my company, and everyone laughed again. Trey said he’d like to see about testing out of some classes, and the online courses seemed better suited. After dinner, Trey went to his room, went online, and programmed for a project for Jacob. When he finished, Trey checked Mrs. Sherman’s email and phone texts. She had emailed Mr. Ballard at UND and given him all of Trey’s school grades. Mr. Ballard was excited to have Trey attend UND as soon as possible.

Mom called Mr. Ballard the next morning, and we had a 1 p.m. appointment. Trey was excited not to have to go to school anymore and to schedule his day as he pleased. They attended the meeting, and Mr. Ballard presented the benefits of attending UND. Trey would get a full scholarship with room and board and an allowance for supplies. Testing was scheduled for the next two days, and then they would meet again to discuss classes.

When they arrived home, Grandmother called Uncle Jack and put it on speaker phone. They discussed the meeting, and Uncle Jack said Don’t sign anything until a lawyer reviews the agreement. UND may have a hidden agenda and try to promote Trey for publicity. Online scholarships are available everywhere, so expect a hard sale if your tests are in the upper percentile. Also, request and, if denied, demand copies of the testing for your records. We and an attorney can make an informed decision based on your test scores and their offer. Remember, it’s their first offer and not the last.

For the next two days, Trey spent the day at the university taking tests, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with breaks between tests and lunch. At the end of the second day, we met with Mr. Ballard again. He presented the university’s offer, and we requested to review my test results. He was reluctant to give them to us, but folded when we got up to leave. We reviewed the test results and told Mr. Ballard our attorney would review everything, and we would contact him.

Trey and Mom laughed on the way home at Mr. Ballard’s expression when we left. Mom said we should take a few days and make him sweat, and they laughed again. Uncle Jack joined them for dinner with Grandmother, Mom, and Trey. Everyone reviewed the university’s offer and Trey’s test scores. Uncle Jack said he would call his attorney to review everything. But he spotted some issues, and his attorney will make a counterproposal. The clause he noticed was the NIL exemption. Its name, image, and likeness. So, they plan on marketing you for donations and recruiting. The other things are security and transportation. If you attend the university, you’ll have a target on your back.

It took Uncle Jack’s lawyer a few days to draft a counterproposal. Trey spent them riding his horse Blackie and practicing his martial arts in his dojo in the mornings. Then, in the afternoon, he worked on programming jobs for Jacob and hacking. Trey hacked into the UND mainframe and read Mr. Ballard’s emails. There were several between Ballard and the university attorney. The university attorney advised Ballard that a separate agreement would be needed because Trey was a minor. There were also state and federal issues to consider. Then Ballard also emailed Mrs. Sherman to get her to contact us. She refused because Trey was no longer a student at the school.

Uncle Jack came to dinner on Thursday night with his lawyer’s counterproposal. We reviewed it and laughed. Mr. Ballard will have a stroke when he reads this proposal, which is three pages long and specifically lists what each party would do. Uncle Jack recommended that you not tell Mr. Ballard about your desire to take online classes until the agreement is signed. He’s more inclined to agree if you’re staying on campus under his control. Also, note that the deal requires the Chancellor’s signature, too.

Then, Uncle Jack asked Trey and Mom if they wanted to go to South Carolina this weekend. Mom couldn’t say yes fast enough, and Trey agreed. Grandmother said, “Thanks for leaving me with the asshole,” and everyone laughed. Senator Robert Whitehurst, Trey’s grandfather, thought he was a very important man, and everyone should obey him. The problem was that Grandmother had the money in the family. The ranch was her parents and everything was in a trust. The trust goes from Grandmother to Mom, then to Trey. Grandfather and Trey’s Dad are left out. The “Senator,” as he likes to be called, lives off his Senate salary and bribes/donations.

Trey said Sorry, Grandmother, for leaving you with the Senator. Uncle Jack offered to let her come with us, but she refused. Grandmother wanted to keep an eye on the ranch while the asshole was there. We all knew what she meant. The Senator was known to have affairs with his female staff, and she didn’t want the whores using her bed. The only reason they stayed married was that he was gone most of the time. Also, the asshole carried a lot of weight that came with his position.

Mom and Trey met with Mr. Ballard the next morning, and he looked ill reading the counterproposal. Trey said they had submitted applications to six other universities, so don’t feel bad if you can’t accept it. We’ve already got two invitations for visits, but you were first. Mr. Ballard reluctantly agreed, and they went to the Chancellor’s office. The signatures were notarized, and Trey received his student ID, credit card, and meal card. Returning to Mr. Ballard’s office, we got a list of courses and returned home. They reviewed the courses offered, and Trey selected six online courses. He also picked six courses to test out. He would break the news next week.

Mom and Grandmother were happy that Trey didn’t have to attend university for any classes or labs. Trey signed up for the online courses and ordered the e-books using his university credit card. They never told Mr. Ballard about taking online courses, so hopefully, it would fly under the radar. They ate dinner, and Uncle Jack called. We were leaving at 6 a.m., and he would pick us up. Then the senator arrived home, didn’t say hello to anyone, and went to his home office.

Trey asked Grandmother if she was sure she didn’t want a nut roast tonight, and everyone laughed. After dinner, Trey went to his room, packed, then hacked into his grandfather’s laptop. Trey installed a worm in his hard drive to transfer all Grandfather’s files to his cloud account. It would send updates with changes once a week. Trey hadn’t done it before, but felt it was necessary now. The look on Grandfather’s face as he entered the house told Trey something was seriously wrong. Trey read his laptop files in the cloud and saw the problem. One of the Senator’s money men was being investigated for illegal campaign contributions. If he talks, the Senator is in serious trouble.

He shut off the computer and got ready for bed. Trey never told anyone about what happened after puberty hit. He could read other people’s minds if he focused on them. Trey also noticed he could persuade others to do things for him. He hadn’t practiced it very often, but it was almost like hypnosis. Then there were the changes in his body and mind. He had more strength and quickness in his punches and movements. Trey also noticed more definition in his muscles, and his dick and balls got larger too. There was no one he could ask, and he was afraid to do so if there was someone. He finally relaxed enough to fall asleep.

Uncle Jack picked up Trey and Mom and drove to the airport. The Gulfstream jet was waiting and took off for South Carolina. When we landed, Uncle Jack rented an SUV and we drove to the Sage Valley Golf Club. We checked into the hotel, Mom went to the spa, and we went to the practice range. After warming up, we went to the starting line. Uncle Jack teed off first, and Trey followed. He outdrove Jack by 25 feet, but to the left of the fairway. Trey was having problems with his clubs, and Uncle Jack said You’ve outgrown your clubs. Trey shot an even par, despite his erratic drives and approach shots.

Uncle Jack shot a two-over-par, and they drove to a golf superstore. Trey was measured and then got a new set of clubs. They took his old clubs as a trade-in, and his new clubs were six inches longer. Trey thanked Uncle Jack for his new clubs, and they drove back to the hotel. Trey told Uncle Jack he sensed the Senator was in trouble last night when he arrived home. Uncle Jack asked how, and Trey said his facial expression and the yelling in his office. They went to the practice range, and Trey hit a bucket of balls with his new clubs. The difference was substantial, and he looked forward to using them tomorrow.

They returned to the hotel, met Mom, and ate a late lunch. Mom said, “You’re late,” and Uncle Jack said Trey outgrew his clubs, so we went shopping for new ones. When they were done, Trey changed into his swimsuit and went to the pool. He swam laps for 30 minutes, then lay on a lounge and read people’s minds. Trey checked his distance, and it was about fifty feet. One man he read was working on a merger between Southern Gas and Electric and Atlantic Gas and Electric. When he was dry, Trey returned to the suite, showered and relaxed, watching TV.

Mom and Uncle Jack returned, and Trey asked them if they had heard of Southern and Atlantic Gas and Electric. Uncle Jack said yes and asked why. Trey said he overheard a man by the pool working on a merger between them. Uncle Jack said shit, got his phone, and made a call. He said to buy a thousand shares of Southern Gas and Electric. Then wait a few days and buy another thousand shares. When he hung up, Jack explained that the smaller company shares would increase when the merger was announced. After they cleaned up, we went to dinner and then to bed.

Trey woke up early Sunday morning, did his forms, and went to the gym. He did a light workout on the weight machine, returned to the suite, showered, dressed, and packed. When he entered the living room, Uncle Jack ordered room service for breakfast. They ate, then went to the practice range and warmed up. Trey felt more comfortable with his new clubs, and they went to the starting line. Uncle Jack teed off first, and Trey followed. He outdrove Uncle Jack by almost 25 yards. Jack said maybe he should get new clubs too, and they laughed. Trey shot two under par, and Uncle Jack shot one over par.

They returned to the hotel, checked out, and drove to the airport. The flight home took two and a half hours. Grandmother welcomed them with hugs and kisses when they arrived at the ranch. She said the asshole had been in a terrible mood all weekend. Grandmother had prepared Sunday brunch, so they sat and ate. Trey said he overheard the senator talking about campaign finance violations and asked what they were. Uncle Jack said there are restrictions on how much each person can contribute yearly. If they exceed it, there could be fines or criminal charges for buying influence.

When brunch ended, Mom and Trey thanked Uncle Jack for the trip. Trey followed him outside and told Uncle Jack he would work three afternoons a week after testing out of classes at the university. Uncle Jack left a happy man, and Trey returned inside. He helped in the lab and the IT department at Uncle Jack’s company. With everything computerized, there was plenty of work. It also allowed Trey to review what projects they were working on.

Trey went upstairs, changed into his riding clothes, and grabbed his guns. Then he went to the kitchen and told his mom he was going riding. Trey went to the stables, saddled Blackie, and they took off. He always brought along his .45 revolver and lever rifle. They were in a remote area with wild animals. He’d shot wolves, bobcats, and mountain lions. Returning from their ride, Trey cared for Blackie and went to his room. After his shower, Trey worked on his programming assignments from Jacob.

Mom called him to dinner, so Trey saved his work, shut off the computer, and went to the kitchen. While they ate, Trey asked Mom if they could go to the university tomorrow. He needed to get the books for the courses he was testing out of to review. Mom agreed, then the senator left without saying goodbye. Trey told Grandmother she should change the locks so the senator had to request entrance. That way, he’d be forced to say something, and everyone laughed.

Trey read Grandmother’s mind, and she was going to have a serious talk with the asshole on his next visit. She’s had enough of his bullshit, and if he couldn’t be civil, then she’d recommend him getting an apartment in the city. Grandmother wanted Trey and Mom around when she broke the bad news to the asshole. He’s become unstable and wants family around for safety’s sake.

After dinner, Trey went to his room and read the e-books for his online college courses. When he completed them, he thought two were possible to test out, and he would do more research before deciding. Then, he checked the stock prices on Atlantic and Southern Gas and Electric. If Uncle Jack were right, Trey would have to ask him to open a stock trading account for him. It would allow him to make trades based on his mind reads and give him extra spending money. he shut off the computer and went to bed.

Mom and Trey went to the university bookstore the next morning after breakfast. He bought the books for the courses he was testing out of and got some workout clothes with North Dakota University logos on them. Trey showed Mom a pair of yoga pants, and she laughed but said she would not wear them. They checked out and headed home. When they arrived, a military vehicle was parked in the circular driveway. Mom said this couldn’t be good, and she was right.

When they got inside, the army officers informed us that Captain William Hudson Bowman Jr. had died during a mission. Captain Hudson and his team were in a helicopter en route to the target when it went down. The two pilots, Captain Hudson and five of his team, were killed in the crash. Mom and Grandmother cried, and Trey was sad but shed no tears. He and his dad were never that close, even when they lived on base with him. Dad’s team, on the other hand, taught Trey self-defense, and he became a junior team member.

The next two weeks were chaotic and stressful. He tested out of six courses at the university, and then he had to get two new suits and accessories for the funeral. Uncle Jack, Mom, Grandmother, the Senator, and Trey attended the service. The Senator only attended to be seen and left directly afterwards. The Army performed a first-class service at Arlington National Cemetery, and General McCombs’ dad’s commanding officer gave the eulogy.

There were reporters outside, filming everyone arriving and leaving. The press wasn’t allowed inside the cemetery. Then, they had to go to the White House to meet the president. The whole event was quite a spectacle. Dad was highly respected, and many army members in dress uniforms were in attendance. We stayed in a hotel overnight and returned the next day.

The senator now lives in an apartment in the city when visiting his constituents. Grandmother kicked his ass out, and it wasn’t a friendly exit. The senator thought he ran the household and found out differently. Trey had to escort him out of the house to avoid him getting violent. Then, Uncle Jack and Trey moved the senator’s belongings to a self-storage facility. The locks were changed, and the senator wasn’t welcome anymore. Grandmother said they would remain married for appearances, but it was a separation.

Everything returned to normal, and Grandmother and Mom seemed happier. Trey now worked at Uncle Jack’s company on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, and he programmed on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. Trey rode Blackie and did martial arts every other day. Then there was his hacking, online course homework, and programming of his programs. His week was fully occupied.

Then, there were two major events. First, it was his fourteenth birthday. Uncle Jack got him a driver’s license that said he was sixteen. He also gave him a certificate for the golf academy in Florida. It was a week-long course to improve his game. Mom and Grandmother got him a five-year-old F250 4x4 in excellent shape. It had under 40k miles on it and had a lift kit. The truck was a Limited model, so it was perfect for his driving needs. Trey also got clothes and cash for the golf academy.

The second event was the senator’s reelection campaign. We were requested to attend events and dinners, which required more suits and a tux. Trey asked Grandmother if he could get suits with “Kiss my Ass” on the back of the jacket. Mom and Grandmother laughed and said No. The senator’s chief of staff, Carl Busby, was a jackass making unreasonable demands of them. Grandmother wouldn’t say anything, so Trey told him to kiss his ass. Trey told Carl we don’t work for the senator, and you can’t demand shit. But if you ask nicely, we’ll consider reasonable requests.

The reelection campaign began with TV ads, dinners, and donor events. Carl didn’t get Trey’s message, and they refused to attend anything. Carl finally realized they had options and became more selective in the events they attended. Then Carl found out Trey was going to a golf academy for a week and about had a heart attack. Trey told Carl the whole group was taking the week off, and he blew a gasket. Carl tried to punch him, and Trey knocked him out, then kicked him in the balls. When Carl woke up, Grandmother told him not to return unless he acted professionally.

It was time to leave for the golf academy, and Mom and Uncle Jack drove him to the airport. Trey got a hug and kiss from Mom and a handshake from Uncle Jack. Then he entered the airport, got his ticket, checked his bag and clubs, went through security, and went to the gate. Trey went to the counter and sweet-talked the gate attendant to upgrade him to first class. A $100 folded bill was discreetly slipped to her, and he was upgraded.

The flight was under three hours, and they landed in Orlando, Florida. After Trey got his bags and clubs, he took a cab to the hotel. Trey did the same thing at the reception counter, and after getting a $100 bill, the clerk upgraded him to a mini suite. He unpacked and settled in the suite, then called home. Trey told them he arrived and settled into his suite. Mom asked how he got a suite, and Trey said a $100 tip. Mom and Grandmother laughed and wished him good luck tomorrow. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Trey put the do-not-disturb tag on the door, took a cab to the Orange County National Golf Center, and registered for the golf academy. They gave him a welcome packet, took his photo, and gave him a lanyard with his ID for the training. They told him to arrive at 8 a.m. tomorrow and bring his clubs. Then Trey went to the pro shop, got a course guide and bucket of balls, and went to the practice range. He practiced for an hour and returned to his suite.

He completed the programming job for Jacob and emailed it to him. Then, Trey hacked into the hotel’s mainframe and planted his worm. He checked the WIFI speed for his floor, adjusted it to the maximum allowed, and exited the system. Then he revised the phone tag program on his phone and tables. Trey would tag all the instructors and students to keep abreast of any foul play planned. Uncle Jack warned him to be careful because contestants could sabotage his play. He gave Trey examples of what could happen, and he didn’t want to take any chances.

He forgot the stock tip he gave Uncle Jack, which paid off and almost doubled his money. Uncle Jack set up a stock trading account for him and deposited $500 to open the account. Trey added $9500 to make it an even 10 grand. He has an ATM card to access the money in his stock bank account. Hopefully, he’ll get stock tips on this trip or obtain some sources for future stock trading advice. He’ll be busy reading minds and tagging phones while playing golf.

Trey went to the reception desk, got a hotel map, and checked out the gym and pool. The pool was Olympic size, and he needed swim trunks. There weren’t many swimming pools in North Dakota, except at schools and gyms. It was too cold in the winter for outside pools. So, he went to the reception desk, got a referral, and took a taxi to the shop. He laughed at the Speedo but got a pair with a pair of board shorts. The sales lady said all swimmers wear Speedos for less drag while swimming. Trey paid the lady, returned to the hotel, ate dinner in the restaurant, and went to his suite. He read the welcome packet, reviewed all the rules, and went to sleep.

Early Monday morning, Trey did his forms, put on his new Speedo and robe, went to the pool, and swam laps for 40 minutes. Returning to his suite, he showered, dressed, and went to the restaurant for breakfast. Trey took a cab to Orange County National Golf Center when he finished. He followed the signs to the conference room and was 30 minutes early. Trey picked a chair in the back by the door, tagged the phones, and read the minds of the contestants and instructors entering.

At 8:05 am, two instructors entered, and one stood by the door. Dan Bradford took the podium and welcomed us to the golf academy. He said to be sure you arrive on time every day because we have a lot to do. Then he broke everyone up into groups of four by their last name. He was in the first group with the last name of Bowman. Then he passed out books on the rules of golf and said to study them tonight. He stressed that there will be a test tomorrow morning, so study the rules. Dan said there will be tests all week, and you must pass with 70 percent. Two failed tests and you’re shown the door.

Then we got our clubs and went to the practice range. They measured our swing speed and watched our form, making corrections if necessary. We took a lunch break when everyone cycled through and returned to the classroom. Then we were instructed on course planning, club selection, and shot placement. Dan asked how many had got a course guide while checking in yesterday. He was the only one, but didn’t raise his hand. Dan told us to always get one if available to plan.

Dan held Trey back as everyone left. He asked why I didn’t raise my hand about getting a course guide. Trey said not to bring undue attention to him. There are students here who want to take down those ahead of them. Dan asked who had coached him, and Trey said his Uncle. Then he asked Trey if he had ever had his swing speed tested. He said no, but bought new clubs in South Carolina a few months ago. Dan said Callaway Golf will stop by this week to check your swing speed, and Trey returned to his suite.

He ordered room service and studied the golf rules book. Dinner arrived, and he ate while studying. When he finished, Trey called home and told Mom and Grandmother about his day. They were interested in why Callaway wanted to measure his swing speed, and he told them he didn’t know. They said goodnight, and Trey went to his bedroom and fell asleep.

Chapter 2

Trey completed his forms early Tuesday morning, put on his sweats, and went to the gym. He worked out on the weight machine and returned to the suite. After his shower, Trey dressed and went to the restaurant for breakfast. While eating, he reread the golf rule book, then took a cab to the golf academy.

He arrived 30 minutes early, sat in the back, watched, and read everyone entering the conference room. The instructors entered, and a test on the golf rules was passed out. Trey finished his in 20 minutes and handed it in. Dan told him to go warm up on the practice range. Slowly, other students arrived, formed four groups, and went to the starting line. Trey teed off first, and they played a round under the supervision of a pro. His name was Mike Sheely, and he questioned our course knowledge, club selection, and shot placement.

They finished the round, and he shot a two-under-par. Mike verified our score cards, and then we returned to the classroom. Mike told us to get lunch and be back in an hour. After lunch, everyone trickled in, and Dan said there would be a test tomorrow about course management. Then he returned the golf rules tests and said, “ Those who scored under 70% please stay seated. Trey got up to leave, and Dan told him to go to the practice range.

The Callaway rep was there when he arrived, and introductions were made. His name was David Scott, and he wanted to verify my swing speed. David put a device on his waist and a small transmitter on the club. Trey hit a dozen balls with his driver, then the woods, and David had him stop. He said your swing speed is too fast for normal club shafts. You need a pro model rigid shaft, and he’ll send them to me at no charge. David said to return your old clubs when the new ones arrive. David left, saying he would see me on Saturday.

He was confused upon returning to the hotel. It was early, so he reviewed the phone tags. Two students, Tom Howell and Ronny Skinner, planned to break into his room tonight and add a club and Stickum to his bag. That would disqualify him from the program tomorrow. You’re allowed 14 clubs in the golf bag, and Stickum helps with your grip. So, using Stickum or an extra club disqualifies you from the course or tournament.

Trey called home and told them about Callaway measuring his swing speed and sending him pro model clubs at no charge. Grandmother said there must be a catch somewhere, and Trey said he’ll find out Saturday and said goodnight. He ordered room service, went to the stairs, and put hair conditioner on the top six steps. Trey ate dinner, and then he went to sleep. At midnight, he got up and waited by the suite door. When it opened, Trey started punching and kicking Tom and Ronny. They ran to the stairway and fell down two flights of stairs. He got a wet towel, wiped off the stairs, picked up the key card, and returned to bed.

Early Wednesday morning, Trey did his forms, put on his Speedo and robe, and went to the pool. He swam laps for 40 minutes and returned to the suite. He showered, dressed, and went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. While eating, Trey read the minds of people close to him. Two men were stock brokers with J P Morgan and were here for a conference. Trey tagged their phones and then took a cab to the golf academy. He arrived 30 minutes early again and waited.

At 8:05, the instructors entered, and Dan instructed half the class to warm up and play a round. The rest would stay and take the course management test. Trey was in the first group, so he warmed up on the practice range and teed off. Their pro instructor watched and made notes, but didn’t offer advice unless asked. He shot a four under par and waited for their group to finish. Then they went to lunch and returned to the classroom. They took the test on course management and were excused for the day.

Trey returned to the hotel, ordered room service, and called home. Mom answered, and he told them about his day. Trey did tell them about the two intruders so they wouldn’t worry. He told them there was a Saturday tournament at the end of their training. The Callaway rep said he’d be there watching. They said goodbye when room service arrived, and he ate dinner watching the local news. A segment was about two young golfers falling down the stairs at a local hotel. The golfers suffered concussions, broken bones, and bruises. Unfortunately, they couldn’t remember anything about the accident. He shut off the TV and went to bed.

We trained on the course on Thursday and Friday after seven students were excused from the academy. They failed both tests twice. Dan told the attendees that talent alone won’t get you far in golf. You must know the rules, plan your shots, and execute them. Some of you want to get college scholarships and go pro. Remember, even if you reach the pro ranks, most golfers fail to make enough money to survive. So, an education is key to being successful.

Saturday was the tournament, and we teed off in reverse order of our last names. That meant he teed off in the last group. Trey finally teed off after everyone in his group and hit a booming drive to the center of the fairway. He heard his fellow golfer say shit and Trey ignored their banter and focused. By the ninth hole, he was leading his group by three strokes. They began taking chances, and he played it safe. Trey finished seven under par, winning the tournament by five strokes. The teaching pros and the Callaway rep, David Scott, congratulated him. Trey received a trophy and a gift bag of goodies.

David gave Trey an offer for Callaway to sponsor him. He asked Trey to take it home, discuss it with his parents, and then call him. He would explain the proposal in detail with them and hopefully come to an agreement. They said goodbye, and he headed back to the hotel. Trey packed, called the airline, changed his reservation, checked out, and took a taxi to the airport. He called home and said he was flying home tonight and gave Mom his flight number to get the arrival time. Trey checked his bags and arrived at the gate 15 minutes before boarding.

He was lucky that the first class wasn’t full, and $100 got him upgraded. When seated, he wondered if he had used his skill to get the gate agent to agree. They landed in North Dakota at 7:30 p.m., and Mom and Uncle Jack welcomed him home. On the drive home, they asked how he did in the tournament, and Trey said, “OK.” They laughed and demanded details. Trey told them he shot a seven under par and won the tournament by five strokes. They asked what he won, and Trey said he’d discuss it when we get home.

Trey got a hug and kiss from Grandmother, and then they sat at the kitchen table. He showed them the trophy and the goodie bag, then passed around Callaway’s sponsorship proposal. Everyone read it and asked what he thought about it. Trey said he didn’t read it. Uncle Jack said he’d have his attorney look at it, but it seems like a good deal. It’s a one-year agreement, and you must play in up to six tournaments. There is a clause for school and weather, and you must say Callaway is your sponsor during interviews.

Trey said he’s not sure about it, and Uncle Jack said it’s approaching the end of the golf season. So, at most, you’ll play in one or two tournaments this year. Let’s wait and have the attorney review it, then make a decision. They all agreed, Uncle Jack left, and Trey went to bed and crashed.

Early Monday morning, Trey did his forms, went to his dojo, and did his martial arts workout. He had missed it, and it felt good to hit something again. After his shower, Trey dressed, grabbed his guns, and went to the stables. Blackie was happy to see Trey, and he saddled him, and then they took off for a ride. Halfway through their ride, Trey saw a drone. He stopped pulling his rifle and fired three shots at it. The drone crashed, and he rode over to it. The drone was destroyed, but he got the memory card and returned to the stables.

Trey took care of Blackie and went upstairs to view the memory card. He said shit after viewing the pictures and knew he had to discuss this with Uncle Jack. The photos showed the beginning of the drone flight, with two Air Force men in uniform. But they also showed two men in Army uniforms and a man in a suit. This wasn’t good, and he wondered if it had something to do with his Dad. Trey shut off the computer and went to the kitchen.

After breakfast, Trey returned upstairs and checked his email. Jacob had another programming assignment for him. He said payment for the last assignment was in his PayPal account. There was nothing more important, and he checked his phone tags. The JP Morgan men were texting about joining an exclusive club called “Top Shelf.” It would supply them with stock tips for 10% of their profit. It cost 25k to join, and they agreed it was worth it.

So, Trey checked their emails and phone apps. He got both their website logins and passwords. Trey transferred the information to his computer and logged in. He didn’t stay long; he just checked out the site and logged off. He’d check it out early in the morning when they’re sleeping, so there wouldn’t be dual logins. Trey started programming Jacob’s new assignment and stopped when Mom called him for lunch. He shut the computer down, grabbed the memory card, and went to the kitchen.

After lunch, Trey drove his F250 to Uncle Jack’s company. He was in a meeting, so Trey helped IT with a programming problem. At the end of the day, Trey went to Uncle Jack’s office and told him about the drone he shot down this morning. Then they viewed the memory card, and Jack said shit, this is bad. Uncle Jack said his brother William must have been involved in something illegal or top secret. For them to fly a drone over your ranch, they must suspect something’s there.

Trey told Uncle Jack he didn’t tell Mom or Grandmother about it. Jack said Good, and keep it between us. The guy in the suit must be CIA, and for the Army and Air Force to be involved makes it worse. Trey asked what he should do if another drone comes or they send a team. Uncle Jack said to do what you must, but get rid of the evidence. You can keep their equipment, but make sure no one finds their bodies. Trey drove home thinking about ways to dispose of bodies.

Arriving home, Trey went into the kitchen, and dinner was ready. They sat and ate, and Grandmother said, “Now you’re back, we have requests for appearances at campaign events.” Trey said,” Great, what are their requests? “I’ll notify my social secretary.” Everyone laughed, and Grandmother said Thursday night and Saturday night. Saturday is a black-tie affair, so that means wear your tux. They finished dinner, and Trey said goodnight. Then, they went to bed and fell asleep.

Nothing exciting happened Tuesday or Wednesday, but they got the okay to sign Callaway’s sponsorship agreement. Trey called David Scott and said to send the agreement. David said, “Great, and your new clubs should arrive tomorrow morning. When they do, please play a few rounds of golf to get used to them. “David said his drives will go further, so log your yardages.” He said we also need to schedule a fitting to get our hats, shirts, and pants for you to wear.

We haven’t had any more problems with drones or surveillance. Uncle Jack said they may be regrouping, so don’t let your guard down. The Air Force won’t be happy losing a drone. He also logged into the investor website “Top Shelf.” Trey bought 500 shares of Cumming Aluminum at 24.90 a share. He had to transfer funds from his PayPal account to cover the purchase. But the inside scoop was Cumming was getting a large automobile order so the stock should rise quickly.

At one a.m., Trey was awake, dressed in black, and exiting the kitchen. He looked around and saw a Black Hawk helicopter dropping two men on a bluff 500 yards from the house. Trey jogged to the backside of the bluff and climbed the trail to the top. He read their minds, and they were supposed to take me out, then invade the house to search for the hidden documents and cash. They suspected William, his dad, of stealing the documents and cash from a mission a year ago. Intel was just discovered to point the finger at Dad.

Trey sent them the command to sleep, and they did. He thought, “Damn, it worked,” and went onto the bluff. Trey stripped them and then threw them off the back side. Then he gathered their supplies, carried them off the bluff, down the trail to the bottom. Trey checked the men, and they were dead. So, he took the supplies to the garage attic and returned to his room. Trey thought about what happened this morning. He woke up dressed and left the house without knowing about it. Then he put the men to sleep by sending a command. The last part was feeling the energy surge towards the top of the trail.

He’d check that out later, but what about Dad having documents and money from a mission? Trey thought about what Dad did a year ago when he visited last. He arrived in a rented SUV and parked in the garage. It couldn’t be that simple, and Trey got a flashlight and returned to the garage. He climbed the attic stairs and looked into the attic with the flashlight. In the corner was a metal foot locker with a padlock on it. Trey needed a place to stash his valuables that was safe from the weather and secure. He left everything in the attic for now and closed it up.

Trey went upstairs, changed into sweats, did his forms, and went to his dojo. He did his martial arts workout, returned upstairs, showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Grandmother and Mom were cooking breakfast, so Trey sat at the table. They sat and ate breakfast, and Grandmother said we needed to leave by 6 p.m. for dinner. Trey said, “OK,” and went upstairs. He thought about where a good stash place would be, and a cave on the hillside would be ideal.

He went to the garage, drove the mule along the hillside, and stopped halfway to the bluff. Trey got out, climbed the hillside about forty feet, and found an opening. The opening was only about two feet high and wide. Trey crawled through the opening, stood, and turned on his flashlight. The cave went back forty or fifty feet and turned left. Trey followed the route until he came to a large cavern. This would be ideal if he could make the opening larger and disguise.

Trey exited the cave and looked at the opening. It was behind some boulders, so he could open the hole and cover it with a door slab. He made mental notes of what he needed and drove the mule behind the bluff. The wild animals had already taken care of the two men, so he returned to the garage. Trey returned to the house, and two large boxes were on the porch. He brought them inside the home. They were his new clubs and golf bag. Trey took the clubs out and put them in the new golf bag. Then he took them to his room.

After lunch, Trey did his online college homework and then worked on programming for Jacob. When Mom called upstairs to say it was time to get ready, he saved his work and turned off the computer. Then, Trey showered, dressed in his new suit, and went downstairs. When Grandmother and Mom were ready, they left for the senator’s fundraising dinner. They sat at the senator’s table and acted nice. When it was time to collect the donations, Trey whispered to Mom that he had left his roll of pennies at home. She laughed and told Grandmother, who laughed too.

The dinner was alright, but nothing to brag about. The senator’s speech was true bullshit. He didn’t give a dam about anyone but himself. But he smiled while telling the lies, and the attendants bought it. The senator’s chief of staff, Carl Busby, stopped by our table and told us to smile. Trey told him if he didn’t leave, he’d get on the table and moon everyone. He turned to go, and Trey tripped Carl, causing him to fall face-first to the floor. Everyone around us laughed.

Finally, the dinner ended, and we headed home. Grandmother asked Trey what he thought of the event. He said that next time, he needs to wear boots to walk through the bullshit. Everyone laughed, and Grandmother said That’s what everyone wants to hear. Trey said Well, it’s two hours he’ll never get back and everyone laughed again. They arrived home, said goodnight, and went to our rooms.

Trey woke up Friday morning, did his forms, put on his sweats, and went to his dojo. He did his martial arts workout and then returned to his room. He showered, dressed in riding clothes, grabbed his guns, and went to the stables. Trey saddled Blackie and they went for a ride. He noticed something moving in the trees, so he stopped, pulled out his rifle, and shot twice. Trey heard a thud, and they rode to the tree to see what it was. It was a man lying face down and not moving. He pulled his revolver and shot him in the head to make sure he was dead.

Then Trey dismounted Blackie and searched the man. All he had were keys in his pocket, so he looked up at the tree. There was a tree stand with a sniper rifle and a duffel bag. Trey climbed up the tree and grabbed the rifle and duffel bag. Then he stripped the man, and they finished their ride. Trey cared for Blackie put the rifle and duffel bag in the garage attic, and returned home.

After breakfast, Trey drove his F250 looking for the sniper’s vehicle. He found it 100 yards down the road, parked in the bushes. He searched the SUV, and it was a rental according to the paperwork in the glove box. Trey found a small bag in the spare tire compartment, and that was all. He took the bag and returned home. Trey looked in the bag before going inside, and there was 50k in cash and a tablet. He put it under his seat and went to his room. The sniper had to have a motel somewhere or another stash place for his ID to travel.

Trey worked on Jacob’s program until lunch, then went to Uncle Jack’s company. He worked with the IT crew for the rest of the afternoon. There was a mainframe issue, and they solved it by 5 p.m. Trey stopped in to see Uncle Jack, but he was on a conference call, so he headed home for dinner. On the way, he saw a sign for a yard sale and he’d check it out tomorrow. When he arrived home, they ate dinner, and Trey asked if we got anything from Callaway. Mom said no, and that was strange. Trey said he’d call David tomorrow. They finished dinner, watched TV for an hour, then said goodnight and went to bed.

Early Saturday morning, Trey did his forms, went to the gym, and did a light weight workout. Then he showered, dressed, and drove the mule to the back of the bluff. He climbed the trail until he felt the energy rush and looked around. There were several boulders, and Trey put his hand on one. It was like he stuck his finger in an electrical outlet. He chipped off some of the boulder and checked on the sniper in the tree line. He was gone, so the wild animals had a good dinner and returned to the garage. Trey left the rock samples in the mule and went to the kitchen.

During breakfast, Grandmother reminded Trey that they had to leave at 6 p.m. for the charity gala. Trey said he thought it was for the senator. Grandmother said the asshole uses other people’s events to promote his reelection. Tonight, he’ll give a speech during the gala. Trey said he wasn’t sure he wanted to be associated to the asshole doing that at a charity event. Mom and Grandmother laughed and said he’ll tone down the bullshit, and Trey said that’s awfully generous of the asshole, causing more laughter.

After breakfast, Trey checked out the yard sale. He saw a safe and the young woman what she wanted for it. She said two hundred, but she didn’t have the code. Trey paid the woman, and she threw in a furniture dolly and two ramps with the purchase. He backed the F250 to the curb and, using the ramp and dolly, got into the truck. Returning home, Trey put the safe in the stables in an unused stall. He put an old tarp over it so it wouldn’t be noticed.

Then he hacked into the sniper’s tablet and turned off the GPS. Then Trey checked the files, and the guy was an idiot. He detailed all his contracts with the target’s name, who ordered it, and the details, including the price. Trey’s name was the last entry, and Thomas Anderson, CIA section chief, ordered it. He’d have to think about how to handle this because he couldn’t leave without a good reason. Trey shut off the table and went to lunch.

After lunch, Trey programmed on Jacob’s project until Mom called to get ready. He saved his work, showered, put on his tux, got $500 cash, and went to the kitchen. When Grandmother and Mom entered, he whistled, causing them to giggle. Grandmother ordered a town car to take them to eliminate a long walk. Also, the senator’s wife and family couldn’t be seen walking to the gala. Trey asked why not take a limo, and Grandmother said there are limited limos in North Dakota, and it’s overkill.

They finally arrived after waiting in line for 30 minutes. Of course, there had to be a red carpet and news stations recording the action. There were also photographers, so we were well documented upon entering. Trey was busy tagging phones while Grandmother and Mom mingled. The charity was raffling a Ford Bronco for $100 a ticket. He bought five because it was for a good cause. Then Trey saw he senator’s chief of staff, Carl Busby, going to the bathroom. He checked the hall, and no one was there. When Carl stopped to open the door, Trey kicked him in the balls from behind.

Carl bends over holding his crotch, and Trey kicks him in the ass, driving his head into the door and knocking him out. He carried Carl into a stall, removed his clothes, and left with them. He put them in the janitor’s closet and returned to the gala. Mom asked where he went, and Trey said he’d tell her later. It was time to take our seats at the table, and of course, the asshole was there. The senator asked who he was, and Trey laughed and said Your worst nightmare. People at the surrounding tables were paying attention to them.

The senator demanded to know who he was, and Trey said loudly I’m your grandson who has lived in your house for four years. Unfortunately, you’ve never looked at or spoken to me. By the way, this is your daughter and your wife. Maybe you should see a doctor soon. The senator’s face turned red, and everyone around us looked shocked. The gala started, and the attention was directed away from the senator. But people were murmuring that the senator didn’t even know his grandson, who was living with him.

Carl Busby woke up in the bathroom stall, and his balls hurt badly. Then he realized he was naked. He panicked and looked around for his clothes, which weren’t in the bathroom. He waited until someone entered the bathroom and asked them to call 911. He has a medical emergency. When the paramedics arrived, they laughed at him while putting him on a gurney and covering him with a blanket. Carl Busby was well photographed exiting the gala.

When it came time for the senator to speak, he received laughter and giggles instead of applause. That pissed him off, and he bungled his speech, only making matters worse. The MC directed the senator off the stage, and he left the event. The rest of the gala went smoothly, and he won the Bronco raffle. They left when the gala events ended, but weren’t the first to leave. On the way home, Mom said he went over the top with the senator tonight. Trey told her he went easy on him. Trey told Grandmother and Mom it was the last event he’d attend with the senator. When they arrived home, everyone went to bed.

Sunday morning, Trey did his forms, showered, dressed, and drove to Home Depot. He got a 36” wide solid wood door blank, a bucket of roofing tar, and a cheap paint brush. Then he picked up a DeWalt combo kit and checked out. Trey paid cash and told the teller to ignore it. He returned home and went to the kitchen. Grandmother was in the kitchen and said your mother was wrong last night. The asshole was out of line, making a scene at the table. Grandmother couldn’t believe the senator didn’t know who you were. Mom came in and apologized for what she said last night. She said you went a bit overboard, but the asshole deserved it.

While we were eating breakfast, Uncle Jack arrived with the Sunday newspaper. Everyone laughed when he asked if you guys had fun at the gala. The headline was “Senator Has A Senior Moment-Can’t Remember His Grandson.” The picture below shows the Senator’s wife, daughter, and grandson exiting the gala. Uncle Jack told Trey he should avoid any more campaign appearances. The press hound you for comments about your Grandfather.

Then Uncle Jack asked what was happening with Callaway. Trey said he didn’t know but would call them Monday. He has a feeling they’ve reconsidered their offer. The agreement was due Thursday and didn’t arrive. Then, a fitting for clothing was scheduled, but it never happened. Uncle Jack said Well, the Bandits season starts soon, and you can enter tournaments independently. Another thing to consider is that golf requires constant practice, and you can’t do it here in the winter. That’s why I’ve got you a surprise.

Uncle Jack leaves and returns with a golf simulator. He says the pros use this model to keep in shape. You can install it in the basement and use it for a few hours a week. Then he asked Trey if he had gotten his new clubs, and he said yes, they had arrived on Wednesday. Uncle Jack said, “Great, plan on going on a golf trip this weekend.” Trey thanked him for the great gift, and Uncle Jack left.

Trey followed him outside and said, “We’ve had two more incursions.” The first was a two-man team dropped on the bluff by a Black Hawk. The second was a single man in a tree stand, all with orders to kill me and interrogate Mom and Grandmother. It seems they believe Dad stole money and documents from a mission a year ago. CIA section chief Thomas Anderson ordered it. Uncle Jack asked how he got the intel, and Trey said it with gentle persuasion. They laughed, and then he asked about the cleanup. Trey said wild animals have to eat, too, which caused more laughter.

Then Trey told Uncle Jack that Thomas Anderson was a problem that wouldn’t disappear. Something has to be done with him, and I’m not able to leave without a good excuse. Uncle Jack told Trey he’d think of something, and we’ll discuss it Monday after work. They shook hands goodbye, and he left.

Trey got the supplies out of his truck and went to the garage. He charged the first battery in the DeWalt kit, put the door slab, tar, hammer, and chisel into the mule, and drove to the cave. Trey opened the cave to the size of the door and coated it with roofing tar. Then, he put rocks, twigs, leaves, and dirt on the door. It blended perfectly with the hillside; you could tell it was there. Returning to the garage, Trey put another battery on the charger and went to the house, cleaned up, and went to the kitchen.

During lunch, Mom told Trey the paper had an article about the senator’s chief of staff, Carl Busby. According to the authorities, he was assaulted in the men’s restroom during the gala. Paramedics found him nude in a bathroom stall with inflamed testicles. They rushed to the hospital and required emergency surgery. Trey said Carl probably went into the restroom to meet a date and underperformed. You know he’s full of hot air, and everyone laughed. Grandmother asked if he knew anything about it, and Trey said, “Honest judge, I’m innocent and being framed.”

Trey left Mom and Grandmother laughing hard at the kitchen table and took his golf simulator to the basement. He read the instructions, set it up, and got his golf clubs. Trey played a round and loved it. It wouldn’t replace playing a round on a golf course, but it was the next best thing. He returned upstairs and continued programming on Jacob’s project until Mom called him to dinner. Trey saved his work, shut off the computer, and went to the kitchen.

During dinner, Grandmother said the asshole called and he wants you to attend a news conference with him. Trey said there’s no way he’s attending anything with the senator. Besides, everyone will know he’s trying to cover up his actions. The senator needs new PR people. It’s the old public figure who cheated on his wife, Scenario. The wife stands behind her man while he confesses to a moment of weakness, and God, prayer, and counseling are mentioned. She really wants to cut off his balls for a mantel display, and everyone laughed.

Trey told Grandmother to tell the senator he would do an interview alone with the press. I’ll tell them how he cherishes his time with the senator. All the things we do together and his advice late at night by the fireplace. But what he appreciates most is the senator’s advice on females and how to get them in bed. Trey left Grandmother and Mom laughing and went to bed.

Chapter 3

Early Monday morning, Trey did his forms, went to his dojo, and did his martial arts routine. He returned to his room, showered, dressed in riding clothes, grabbed his guns, and went to the kitchen. While they ate breakfast, Grandmother said the asshole turned down your offer. Trey said good, and he’ll devise an excuse for the press. But this will be his last term. As we speak, he’ll bet the power brokers are searching for his replacement. It’s too late to have someone run against him, but they will have a candidate ready for the next election.

Trey said, “Hey, he could go to DC and stay at Grandfather’s condo. He could show me how government and politics work, they could pose for pictures, and I could meet his mistress. We could bond, sit by the fireplace, and he could tell me stories. Maybe his mistress could give him advice, too.” Grandmother and Mom were laughing, and he left, went to the stables, and saddled Blackie. They took off for their ride and had no issues. Returning to the stables, Trey took care Blackie and went to his room.

He called Callaway and asked for David Scott. The receptionist said David was in a car accident and will be away from work for a few months. Trey said thanks, hung up, and said shit, no wonder David didn’t follow up. He worked on the programming project for Jacob, and then Mom called him to lunch. While eating lunch, Trey told Grandmother she should send Carl Busby a get-well card with an assortment of nuts. Mom spat her drink, and they were both laughing.

Trey went to Uncle Jack’s company, and it was time for his shot and checkup. Trey went to their clinic, and nurse Cheryl took him to a treatment room. She told Trey to strip, put on a gown, and leaves. When Cheryl returned, she took blood and urine samples. Then, he was weighed and measured. Trey told Cheryl she was enjoying this too much, and she laughed. He asked if it was as good for her as for him, and Cheryl pushed Trey out the door laughing.

Then he went to IT and helped them. While working on a problem with Glen, Trey asked if he knew how to get on the dark web. Glen said yes, but you need to be careful. He copied the link onto a USB thumb drive and warned Trey not to use it here or at home. Always use a mobile hotspot away from home or a business WIFI. Then Glen told Trey to pay with a prepaid credit card and have the order delivered to a vacant house. When retrieving the package, check for trackers before going home. He puts the tracker on a long-haul truck or a vehicle with out-of-state plates. Trey thanked Glen for the link and advice, and they continued working on the problem.

At the end of the day, Trey went to see Uncle Jack. He asked how my checkup went, and Trey said well. They measured and weighed everything but his balls. Was that an error? Uncle Jack laughed and said no, but he’d ask Cheryl to add it to the list. They laughed, and Uncle Jack said he found a solution to his problem. He scheduled hockey training with a friend at the Washington Capitals arena. It’s a week of training to get you in shape for hockey season. Nate Burden, his friend, was a coach and is now a scout for the Capitals. He’ll also advise you on nutrition, vitamins, and weight training. It’s scheduled for next Monday, so we’ll pick somewhere close to go golfing this weekend.

Then, Uncle Jack said getting Thomas Anderson’s address and arranging transportation was up to him. He recommended that Trey wear disposable dark clothes, a ski mask, and rubber gloves. When you get there, find what you need and destroy any evidence of your visit. Trey asked Uncle Jack how he was getting there and back. He said by charter, so there’s no record of your visit except the hotel. Trey thanked Uncle Jack and drove home thinking about how to take care of Thomas unnoticed.

When he arrived home, the Ford Bronco was sitting in the driveway. It was the Raptor model and charcoal gray with a black top and trim. Trey entered the kitchen, and Mom asked how he liked her new Bronco. Trey said it’s everyone’s since you’re paying insurance, and everyone laughed. During dinner, he told them about David’s car accident and his hockey training at the Washington Capitals Arena that Uncle Jack set up. Trey said he could stop by and visit with the senator while there, and everyone laughed. After dinner, they watched TV for an hour and went to bed.

Early Tuesday morning, Trey completed his forms, went to the gym, and did his weight training. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and grabbed $2,000 in cash and his laptop. Then, he drove to Walmart and bought four $500 prepaid Visa credit cards. He told the clerk to ignore the cash purchase and stopped at Denny’s because they had free Wi-Fi. He ordered breakfast and logged into the dark web. He could not believe all the illegal items they had.

He ordered a complete locksmith tool chest that came with a master instruction guide. Trey paid for it with a prepaid credit card and had it sent to a vacant farmhouse nearby. He finished breakfast and drove home. He ate his second breakfast, went to the basement, and practiced his golf swing on the simulator until Mom called him for lunch.

After lunch, Trey went to his room and did his college online course homework. Then he did programming on Jacob’s project. Mom called him to dinner, so he saved his work, shut off the computer, and went to the kitchen. Grandmother said the asshole called, begging for a campaign donation from the trust. Trey asked how much she normally donated, and she said 100k, but to his pack, so it’s legal. Grandmother said she only does it when he’s up for reelection or every six years.

Trey said the situation has changed, but if it were his money, he’d donate 2k to his regular campaign fund. Grandmother said he was evil, but she liked his thinking. The asshole will be pissed off that he doesn’t have extra funds to live on in DC. She said the senator uses the money in his pack like a piggy bank and makes up fictitious invoices to cover the withdrawals. After dinner, they watched the news and went to bed.

Wednesday through Friday, nothing big happened. He got his locksmith tool chest and master guide. Inside was an amplified stethoscope he wanted to use on the safe. There were also four pocket lock pick sets in leather holders. He practiced picking doors and padlocks. That’s how he got Dad’s metal box open, and he was surprised by what was inside. It wasn’t from a mission op, it was all the files of Dad’s operations with his team. The files filled half of the metal foot locker. The other side was filled with hundred-dollar bills neatly stacked and bound in 10k amounts. Where the money came from was any buddy’s guess, but there was a lot of it.

So why was the CIA interested? It was anybody’s guess unless the money was theirs from an operation. He remembered Dad saying they sometimes felt like Brink’s truck drivers, so that could be it. He’d read the files later, but they should be interesting reading, and he’d bet the Army wouldn’t want to be public knowledge. Trey also went to the Goodwill store in town and got black disposable clothes and shoes. He also picked up two large duffel bags, twelve pairs of black surgical gloves, and a ski mask.

Uncle Jack picked us up at 5 a.m. Saturday morning. We went to the private airport terminal and boarded the Gulfstream jet. The flight to Colorado Springs took under two hours. We checked into the hotel at the Broadmoor Golf Course and got settled. Mom went to the spa, and we went to the Pro Shop. Uncle Jack paid the course fee, got two buckets of balls, and a course guide. We warmed up on the practice range and went to the starting line.

Trey teed off first, and Uncle Jack saw his drive, said shit, and then teed off. He told Trey those clubs should be illegal, and they laughed. By the ninth hole, he was ahead of Uncle Jack by four strokes. They got drinks at the snack bar and then teed off. Uncle Jack said we were gathering some watchers. Trey noticed them, too, driving golf carts along the path. He scored a four-under par but could have done better. The greens gave him trouble, but he was happy with his score. Uncle Jack shot a two-over-par, and they returned to the hotel.

Uncle Jack complained to Mom that Trey was supposed to allow him to win, and they laughed. They ate lunch at the restaurant and then separated. Trey returned to the suite, changed, and went to the pool. Two men were beside him, talking about shooting from a horse while riding, and they said the scene didn’t look realistic. Trey said for interrupting, but he couldn’t help overhear your conversation. The rider and pursuers can’t hit shit while riding. That’s what makes those Western movies look ridiculous.

One of the men asked what made him an expert on shooting from a horse. Trey said we have a ranch in North Dakota, and he rides with a rifle and revolver. We have wild animals and vermin that he occasionally needs to kill. He will stop, get off the horse, and take several shots. Or he’ll turn the horse sideways if there isn’t time and shoot from the horse. The man asked Trey what he’s killed, and he laughed and said bobcats, mountain lions, wolves, vermin, and snakes. Trey said if he shot something, he’ll shoot it again before approaching it to be sure it’s dead. A wounded animal can kill you.

Trey said, “Nice talking with you. “ He removed his board shorts, dove into the pool, and swam laps.” Mom and Uncle Jack arrived when he finished and sat in the lounge beside him. Trey exited the pool, dried off, and sat in the lounge. Mom asked Trey where he got his swimsuit, and he said in Orlando. She said it borders on obscene, and Trey said all competition swimmers wear them. Uncle Jack said the females seemed to like them, and Mom hit him in the shoulder, and then everyone laughed.

They returned to the room, cleaned up, went to the restaurant, and ate dinner. While they ate, the two men from the pool approached their table. One said I’m Jarrett Brook, and my friend is Ed Graves. We met your son by the pool and were impressed with his horse riding and shooting knowledge. We’re shooting a Western movie and would like to audition your son at your ranch for a part in the film. Uncle Jack introduced us and asked for more details about the movie. In the end, Jarrett gave Uncle Jack his business card, and we agreed to audition in two weeks at our ranch.

Trey said No autographs, please and everyone laughed. Mom asked him what their conversation by the pool entailed. He said they were talking about riding and shooting, and the scenes looked fake. Trey said he was sitting next to them and added his input. They questioned him about riding horses and shooting, then he went swimming. They were gone when he got out. Uncle Jack said you must have impressed them to come to the ranch and audition you. They finished dinner, returned to their room, and watched TV for an hour, then Trey said goodnight.

Early the next morning, Trey completed his forms, showered, dressed, and packed. Then he checked his phone tags and had Jarrett Brook and Ed Graves’ phone information. Yes, he tagged them when they visited their dinner table. Jarrett and Ed texted about him, and they arranged for a production semi truck and trailer to be at their ranch. Trey knew he had a good chance of acting in the movie if he did well at the audition.

Trey met Uncle Jack in the living room and went to the Pro Shop. Uncle Jack paid their course fee, got two buckets of balls, and they went to the practice range. After warming up, they went to the starting line and teed off. Trey felt more comfortable on the course after playing it yesterday. His putting was better, too. Uncle Jack did better, too, and shot even par. Trey shot a four under par and was happy with his score. They returned to the Pro Shop and bought two hats and polo shirts with The Broadmoor Golf Course’s logo.

They returned to the hotel, ate brunch, checked out, and headed to the airport. The Gulfstream jet was waiting and took off for home. When they arrived at the ranch, Grandmother hugged and kissed their cheeks, welcoming them home. Trey said, “Sorry, Grandmother, but no skin autographs.” Mom put her foot down and said paper only. Uncle Jack and Mom were laughing, and Grandmother was confused. Mom explained what happened on their trip, and Grandmother giggled and punched me in the arm.

Uncle Jack said he had emailed your itinerary for tomorrow’s trip. Your charter leaves at 6 a.m., and Nate Burden will supply you with exercise and hockey gear. Nate said their junior team was in town so that they might help with your training. Trey thanked Uncle Jack for the golf trip and said he would call from DC when settled. They shook hands goodbye, and he left.

Trey went upstairs, printed his itinerary, and checked his stock trading account. Cumming Aluminum, which he bought at $24.90 a share, was now at $67.25. He put in a sell order and was happy he had over thirty grand to invest. Trey figured he’d need over 100k to take advantage of some tips. He closed his account and finished programming Jacob’s project. Then he emailed it to Jacob and shut off the computer. He packed for his trip, included 10k in cash, and went to the kitchen.

During dinner, Grandmother asked Trey when the audition was, and he said in two weeks. They will call Uncle Jack with the exact date and time. She wondered how long the audition was, and Trey said he didn’t know. But he guessed it would be a day or two at most. They will probably film the audition, so expect a production truck and trailer. They finished dinner, watched TV for an hour, then went to bed.

Trey completed his forms early Monday morning, showered, dressed, and took his bags to the F250. He then drove to the private side of the airport, where the charter was waiting. They took off and landed at Regan National before. Trey took a cab to the hotel, checked in, put his bag in the suite, and went to the Capital Center. He arrived minutes before 9 a.m. and met Nate Burden in the lobby. Introductions were exchanged, and they went to the equipment clerk. Trey was issued a complete hockey practice uniform with skates and a stick. Then they selected workout gear and went to the locker room.

Once dressed in his hockey uniform, Nate took Trey to the practice rink and tested his hockey skills. After two hours, Trey was beat, and they took an hour lunch break. Then Nate took Trey to the trainer, and he was measured, weighed, and his body fat was measured with a machine. The trainer said he’d have a nutrition and exercise routine in a few hours. Then they went to the film room, and Nate put on a hockey game. He pointed out the defenseman’s errors and good play. That was the position Trey played, and he asked Nate questions. The game’s level of play and speed were quite different from what he was used to.

At 4 p.m., they returned to the trainer’s office, and he gave Trey an exercise routine, diet, vitamins, and protein needed. He advised Trey to eat four times a day, take vitamins in the morning, and drink protein twice daily (breakfast and dinner). Then Nate gave Trey three books to study, and he was done for the day. Trey took a taxi back to the hotel and wondered what Uncle Jack had gotten him into. When they arrived at the hotel, Trey grabbed two free newspapers from the reception desk, went to his suite, and ordered room service. He saw an ad for Bud’s Quality Used Cars in the classified section for used vehicles.

Dinner arrived, and Trey ate while searching for information online about Thomas Anderson. There were six in the Maryland and Virginia area. Trey Google mapped each address and picked the closest to Langley, Virginia. Thomas Andrew Anderson had a Facebook page showing pictures of him with his wife and daughter. He was the man Trey saw in the drone pictures. So, he had Thomas’s address, and now he needed transportation. He’d take care of that tomorrow after hockey practice. Trey watched the news and went to bed.

Tuesday morning, Trey did his forms, showered, dressed, and went to the restaurant for breakfast. He read the minds of the people around him while he ate. One man sitting close by developed a coating that resisted small arms fire up to a 7.62 x 39 caliber. His company was Strong Technology, and a defense contractor had already agreed to buy it if it passed the military’s field test. Trey got the formula and ingredients from Jackson Strong’s mind, tagged his phone, and headed to the Capital Center.

Arriving 30 minutes early, Trey accessed his trading account and looked up Strong Technology. It was selling at $7.50 a share, so he bought 4500 shares. He’d read that share purchases under 5000 flew under the FCC radar. Then he called Uncle Jack and told him to purchase 4500 shares of Strong Technology. Trey warned him not to buy more or he’d be investigated by the FCC.

Nate arrived, and they went to the locker room. Trey dressed in his hockey uniform and went to the practice arena. Today, they worked on his skating speed, puck management, and shots on goal. At the end, the equipment manager had two dozen sticks for Trey to try. He broke the first six and fell in love with the seventh one. Then Nate went behind the net and used a radar gun, clocking the speed of the shot on goal. Trey was at the blue line, hitting the puck as hard as possible with accuracy. On the last shot, he broke the Plexiglass behind the net.

After lunch, they went to the training room, where the trainer showed Trey how to do his weight exercises. He said that since he was fourteen, do not increase the weight unless you consult a trainer. We’re looking to build muscle and bulk up a bit. Too much at your age isn’t good for your health. They finished the day in the film room watching his practice session. Nate recorded it, and he pointed out what Trey did right and wrong.

They ended the film viewing at 4 p.m., and Trey took a cab to Bud’s Quality Used Cars. Bud saw a sucker arrive and met Trey in the middle of the car lot. While reading his mind, Trey asked Bud what the best car on the lot was. It was a black Chevy Tahoe he drove, but Bud said all the vehicles on the lot were in excellent shape. They went into the sales office, and Tray told Bud he’d test drive the Black Tahoe for two days. He’d give him a $1000 security deposit, and if he liked it, he would purchase it at full price.

Bud gave Trey the keys after receiving the $1000 cash, and Trey drove the Tahoe back to the hotel. He ordered room service for dinner and then hacked into the North Dakota University mainframe. He got the science department’s vendor information and used their account to order the chemicals for Jackson Strong’s formula. He requested a will-call and cash payment. After dinner, he called home, and Mom answered and put the call on speaker.

Trey told them about his training so far, and then told them about women hitting on him at the restaurant. He told them they offered to go around the world for $300. What’s around the world? Trey could hear laughter on the phone. Finally, Mom said Tell them no and walk away. It’s a sex act, and you’re too young to be having sex. Trey said they offered free protection and asked what it was, then there was more laughter, and the line went dead.

He laughed at his made-up story and got them off the phone. Then, I ordered an 11 p.m. wake-up call and took a nap. The wake-up call woke him up, and he dressed in the Goodwill clothing, grabbed rubber gloves, a ski mask, lock picks, and duffel bags. He drove to Thomas Anderson’s house and parked around the corner. Trey entered the property from the alleyway and sensed the house. Thomas was asleep in the master bedroom, and no one else was there. He picked the kitchen door lock and went to the master bedroom.

Trey read Thomas’s mind, and his wife left him after finding out about his girlfriend. He also got the safe location, combination, and computer password. Trey went to his home office, opened the safe, and emptied it into the duffel bags. Then he logged onto Thomas’s computer and copied the hard drive to his cloud account. Trey carried the duffel bags to the kitchen door, left them, and turned on the gas in the fireplace. Returning to the kitchen, he turned on a stove burner, grabbed the duffel bags, and left. He returned to the hotel and stashed the duffel bags under the bed. Then he stripped, wore a robe, threw his Goodwill clothes in the trash Shute, and went to sleep.

Wednesday morning, Trey did his forms, showered, dressed, and read the three hockey books. Then he went to the restaurant, ate breakfast, and drove the Tahoe to Bud’s used car lot. He wiped down the areas he touched, called a cab, and arrived at Capital Center 15 minutes early. Nate came, and we went to the practice rink after changing clothes. We worked on moving the puck up the ice against a defender. Then we worked on passing the puck and shooting on goal.

After a short break, we worked on defense: skating backwards, checking, and clearing the puck. Nate had four members of the Junior hockey team help with his training. At the end, a goalie was at the net, and we drove the puck up the ice and tried to score. We took an hour lunch break, then went to the film room. Nate pointed out the things Trey did right and wrong. Then he quizzed him on the hockey books. Nate was surprised Trey had finished them already.

They shook hands goodbye, and Trey headed to the hotel. He ordered room service and then checked the contents of the duffel bags. One duffel bag was filled with top-secret files that Thomas had no business having at his house. The second duffel bag contained cash (American and Euros), gold coins, diamonds, and hand guns. Trey closed the duffel bags, returned them under the bed, and ate dinner. Then he watched the news, and the lead story was a house explosion in Arlington Heights. Authorities reported that a gas leak caused the explosion, and one man died in bed. At the end of the program, Trey shut off the TV and went to bed.

Trey woke up early Thursday morning, did his forms, showered, dressed, and checked his cloud account. He had Thomas Anderson’s computer files and searched them. Trey found a Cayman Bank account with a login and password. He logged in, changed the login and password, then looked at the balance. Thomas had over a million dollars in the account, showing regular monthly 50k deposits. So, he assumed Thomas had been stealing funds from another project.

He shut the laptop off and went to the restaurant for breakfast. Then he took a cab to the Capital Center and met Nate. After changing into his hockey gear, they worked on offense and defense with the help of six junior team members. This practice was physical with checks, contact, and a few fights. Then, after an hour lunch break, they went to the film room and Nate critiqued Trey’s play. They finished at 4 p.m., and Nate said tomorrow you’ll scrimmage with the full junior team.

Trey took a cab back to the hotel and went to his suite. He ordered room service and then called home. Mom answered and put it on speaker phone. Trey told them about his training over the last two days and what was planned for tomorrow. He told them he’d fly home after they finished in the afternoon. His flight was scheduled for 6 p.m., so he should be home by 8 p.m. Mom said Uncle Jack called, and the audition was scheduled for Tuesday. Trey asked why so soon, and they didn’t know. They said goodnight, and Trey ate dinner, watched the news, and went to bed.

Early the next morning, Trey did his forms, showered, dressed, and checked his email. Jacob sent another project and said his payment was in his PayPal account. Trey checked, saw the amount, and was shocked. It was 50k, so he transferred 40k to his stock trading account. Then he thought about the programming he’d done and wondered who Jacob was working for to pay that much money. Trey made a note to check his programming job to see what they could be used for when he got home.

He shut off the laptop and went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast, Trey took a cab to the Capital Center. Nate met him in the lobby and went to the locker room. Inside his locker was a uniform jersey with his last name on the back. The team logo on the front was a bobcat, and the team’s name was “The Bobcats.” Trey changed, and then they went to the main ice rink. The full junior hockey team was there, and Nate said he’d play defenseman on the second line.

The practice simulated a game with line changes and full contact. There weren’t enough players for the normal four lines, so more rest periods were required. Because he was the new guy, he got roughed up at the beginning. Then Trey got physical, and they laid off him a bit. Then their team enforcer, Jake Cox, checked him hard into the boards after he passed the puck. He said Welcome to junior hockey, cupcake skating away. So, he cross-checked Jake hard into the boards at center ice, and he slid into the boards head-first.

The lines changed, and Jake staggered back to his team’s bench and glared at Trey. The next line change, Jake challenged Trey to a fight, and dropped his gloves and stick. Trey dropped his and knocked Jake out with a punch to the jaw. He fell to the ice with a thud, and his teammates helped him to the bench. The other team left him alone for the rest of the game, and Trey’s team won four to two. He scored two goals and was happy with his play.

While changing in the locker room, Nate asked Trey where he learned to fight. He said ten years of martial arts, and Nate congratulated Trey on a good game and then left laughing. He changed clothes, took his two game jerseys, and returned to the hotel. Trey packed, checked out, and headed to the airport. The charter jet was waiting and took off for home. They landed in North Dakota at seven, and Trey was home by 8 p.m. He got hugs and kisses welcoming him home. He ate a late dinner and then went to bed.

Trey woke up early Monday morning, did his forms, went to his dojo, and did his martial arts workout. He returned to his room, showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen with his two game jerseys. Trey asked if anyone wanted his game jersey, and they disappeared in a flash. While they ate, he told them about the scrimmage and the fight with the enforcer. Trey said he learned a lot, but doesn’t want to pursue it. It’s a full-time job with training, practice, games, and travel.

After breakfast, Trey went to the stables, and Blackie was glad to see him. They took off for their ride, and Blackie had extra energy to burn with the week-long layoff. When they returned to the stables, he cared for Blackie and drove to the university’s science supply house. Trey went to the will-call area, paid, and picked up his order. Then he stopped by Home Depot, picked up an airless paint sprayer, and headed home. Trey put the sprayer and chemicals in the garage, went upstairs, cleaned up, and changed clothes for work.

After lunch, he drove the F250 to Uncle Jack’s company. Trey was called to the clinic, and he met Cheryl entering. He said you must have missed me, and Cheryl laughed and guided him into a treatment room. She said we have a booster shot, so remove your shirt and sit on the bed. When Cheryl gave him the injection, Trey felt a rush and passed out. When he awoke, Cheryl was taking his blood pressure and temperature. Trey said you disturbed a dream where we were lying on the beach, and Cheryl said Stop laughing. She said Put on your shirt, and your Uncle wants to see you.

Trey walked into Uncle Jack’s office and asked how I was doing. Trey said he was doing well, but the shot caused me to get lightheaded and pass out. Then they talked about the hockey training and, finally, Thomas Anderson. Trey hoped that solved the problem, but didn’t know the Army’s interest. Then, Trey asked Uncle Jack if he knew why they were in a rush for the audition. He said there was a scheduling issue and they had to start production early. Uncle Jack said he’d try to stop by to see his audition, and Trey returned to work.

On the way home, Trey stopped at GNC and bought protein powder and vitamins. When he arrived home, dinner was ready, and they sat and ate. Grandmother asked Trey if Uncle Jack knew why the audition was moved up. He said there was a scheduling conflict and they had to start production early. We finished dinner and then watched the news. When the program ended, Trey went to his room and checked Strong Technology, which was selling for $10 a share. So, he bought another 4500 shares and went to bed.

Chapter 4

Early Tuesday morning, Trey was up and doing his forms. Then he went to the gym, did his new hockey weight workout, and showered and dressed. Trey turned on the computer and checked his emails. There wasn’t anything important, so he did his online college course homework. Then he reviewed the programming jobs he did for Jacob, and he became concerned. They could be used for medical or weapon development, so Trey emailed Jacob and asked for an in-person meeting. He shut off the computer and went to the kitchen.

He took his vitamins and drank the protein with breakfast. His grandmother and Mom asked why he was doing this, and Trey said the Washington Capitals’ trainer recommended he add some bulk and muscle for hockey season. The finished breakfast and semi-tractor and trailer arrived. Jarrett Brook, the movie director, and Ed Graves, the producer, introduced themselves to Grandmother and Mom. Then the crew set up the cameras and lights on the range by the trees. Trey was taken to the trailer and outfitted with jeans, boots, a hat, a duster, and a gun belt, all in black. The clothes didn’t fit perfectly, but it was good enough. Then they asked him to get his firearms and his horse.

Trey saddled Blackie, and Jarrett told Trey to ride the silhouette targets, dismount with his rifle, and shoot them. He was supposed to stop 25 yards before the target for rifle shooting, then walk towards the targets and shoot them with his revolver. Trey did it, and they checked the targets. Then, they replaced the targets and repeated the exercise three times. Uncle Jack arrived for the riding phase of the audition, and everyone met afterwards.

Jarrett Brook, the movie director, and Ed Graves, the producer, said they wanted to offer Trey a part in the movie and gave them the contract to review. They also gave them an application for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to fill out immediately and send in. Uncle Jack said he would have our attorney review the contract and notify them when it’s complete. Jarrett asked for Trey’s email address so that he could forward his itinerary for the wardrobe fitting and the shooting schedule. They packed up and left.

Everyone gathered at the kitchen table and read the contract. Uncle Jack said he saw no problems with it but would have his attorney do a rush review. Grandmother asked about supervision on the movie set and who would do it. Uncle Jack said he’ll tell the attorney about it and add a clause to the contract. He also said we need a clause if your part expands to more than a bit part. After seeing your audition, they may involve you more in the movie.

When Uncle Jack left, Trey went to the garage and mixed the bullet formula developed by Jackson Strong. Then he washed the F250 and the mule. He put the formula into the airless sprayer and coated both vehicles and a piece of plywood. Trey was going to test the formula with his rifle and pistol. After cleaning the airless sprayer, he put everything away and returned to his room. Trey checked his email, and nothing from Jacob yet. The longer he waits to reply, the more suspicious I become.

Trey shut off the computer and went to the kitchen. While eating dinner, Uncle Jack called and said Ed Graves, the producer, approved their contract changes and would courier the new contract tomorrow. Please sign it and return it immediately in the prepaid FedEx envelope. They are already starting production, so prepare to leave shortly, and he said goodbye. Trey said shit, everything is moving so fast and Grandmother and Mom laughed. Grandmother said When you go, take your golf clubs with you. There will be breaks and golf courses all around Los Angeles.

After dinner, they watched TV for an hour, said goodnight, and went to bed. Trey dreamed that he was exploring his body and making changes. His skin toughened, and his muscles and bones got stronger. Then he studied his mind and opened restricted blood vessels, allowing free blood flow. He examined his eyes and ears and improved them, too. Then he fell into a deep sleep.

Trey woke up early Wednesday morning and did his forms. Then he went to the dojo and did his martial arts workout. He felt lighter on his feet, and his punches and kicks were faster and stronger. While taking a shower, Trey noticed his muscles had more definition and his cock and balls were larger, too. His clothes were too tight when he dressed, so he wore sweats to the kitchen. While they ate breakfast, Trey told Mom he needed new clothes. Everything was too tight.

After breakfast, he got his suits, tux, and laptop, and they drove into town. The tailor said the suits and tux couldn’t be adjusted, so he was remeasured to have them replaced. Then they went to the mall and he got new shirts, jeans, dress pants, and underwear. While Mom and Grandmother shopped, he tapped into the mall’s WIFI and ordered an audio/video and tracking detectors on the dark web. Trey paid for next-day delivery to the drop house.

They ate lunch at the mall food court and then headed home. When they arrived, Mom and Grandmother started washing his new clothes. He went to the stable, saddled Blackie, and they went for a ride. After caring for Blackie Trey tested the bullet formula on the plywood piece. He shot it with his rifle and revolver, and there was little damage to the plywood. Trey figured metal would respond better, but the formula worked. then he went upstairs and checked his email. Still nothing from Jacob, and he went to the kitchen.

The contract arrived, and they reviewed it. Uncle Jack’s lawyer inserted several clauses that protected him. Mom signed the contract, filled out the SAG application with a check, and took it to the FedEx drop box. On the way home, he called Uncle Jack and said he’d come into work tomorrow. They had a clothing issue; he could fit into his clothes. Uncle Jack laughed and said tomorrow was ok, and they hung up.

When he arrived home, they ate dinner. Trey asked Grandmother and Mom if they were coming to LA for his film shoot. They said no, but the studio would have an assistant with you on the set. Mom said she and Uncle Jack may visit on the weekends. Trey said, “Great, he could party in the evening and on the weekend,” and everyone laughed. Mom and Grandmother watched TV after dinner, and Trey went to his room and checked his email. There was an email from the film producer with his itinerary. He was flying to LA Friday at 6 a.m. for his wardrobe fitting. The filming started on Monday, and he had a choice of staying or returning on Monday morning. Trey said shit, he might as well stay and avoid two long flights. He shut off the computer and went to bed.

The next morning, Trey completed his forms, went to the gym, and did his hockey weight workout. Then he showered, dressed, and checked his email. He still hadn’t heard from Jacob, so there was no more programming for him. Trey shut off the computer and went to the kitchen. He took his vitamins and drank the protein during breakfast. Trey told Grandmother and Mom about his wardrobe fitting on Friday and the movie shoot starting Monday. They agreed it would be better to stay than fly back and forth.

After breakfast, Trey went by the vacant farmhouse and parked 100 yards away. He hopped the fence and entered from the rear of the house. He picked up the package and dove to the convenience store. Trey opened the package, removed a tacker, and put it into the bed of a pickup truck nearby. He returned home and packed for his trip. The audio/video detector and 20k in cash were going into his checked luggage. He’d have $2000 cash in his carry-on bag. Then he ordered a Lyft ride to the airport at 4 a.m.

When he was done packing, Trey ate lunch and then went to Uncle Jack’s company. He helped the IT techs with a server problem and then helped out in the lab. At the end of the day, Trey went to Uncle Jack’s office and told him about the movie schedule. Uncle Jack said he suspected they would start soon and told Trey they would visit him next weekend. Trey said he’s bringing his golf club to play during breaks. Uncle Jack said that’s a good idea, and he’ll bring his when they visit.

They shook hands goodbye, and Trey headed home. Dinner was ready when he arrived, so they sat and ate. Trey’s mind-reading had improved since his dream, and he read Mom and Grandmother unconsciously. They were thinking about Mom’s wedding and marriage to Uncle Jack. He suspected it in South Carolina, and it didn’t bother him. Uncle Jack was more like his father than his late Dad. After dinner, they watched TV for an hour, then went to bed.

Trey woke up at 2 a.m. and did his forms, then went to the dojo and did his martial arts workout. Returning to his room, showered, dressed, and moved his luggage to the front door. His Lift driver arrived on time, and they went to the airport. He checked his bags, went through security, and had 45 minutes before his flight. So, he went to the newsstand and bought a book on poker and two decks of cards. Then Trey went to the gate clerk and asked to upgrade to first class. He palmed the clerk a $100 and she gladly upgraded him.

Boarding started, and he was the only one in first class. His flight attendant was Stacy, a good-looking blonde with a nice figure. The flight took off, and Stacy asked him why he was going to Los Angeles. Trey told her he got a part in a Western movie but was worried. The part requires him to kiss a saloon girl, and he’s never kissed a girl before. Stacy laughed, and Trey asked if she would coach him. Stacy looked behind the curtain at the coach class and sat beside him. Stacy began with the basics, and then we progressed to using tongues.

When we were done, Stacy said she needed to change her panties and left laughing, fanning her face. She returned with his breakfast, and Trey gave her $200 and said he appreciated her help. Then he asked if he got a completion certificate, and Stacy left laughing. When Stacy returned to take his breakfast tray away, Stacy warned Trey to be careful with his tongue. He has a long tongue, so be cautious and do not stick it down the girl’s throat. Your long tongue is okay in other places, and Stacy left laughing again.

They landed at LAX, and the flight attendants smiled and giggled as he left. A town car awaited him at baggage claim, loaded his bags, and drove to Universal Studios. Trey checked in at the guard shack and received a welcome packet with his studio ID on a lanyard. A golf cart picked him up and took him to his trailer. Trey put his bags and golf clubs inside, and then they went to the wardrobe department.

Three ladies measured him from his head to his feet. Then, he tried on clothes, boots, chaps, dusters, hats, and accessories. They took an hour-long lunch break and finished at 3 p.m. Then, an Indian woman entered and measured him for skins. Trey asked what skins were, and she said, “You’ll find out.” Then, she left laughing. He returned to his trailer and swept it for audio bugs and cameras. He found two bugs and three cameras. One in a wall clock, one in the bedroom alarm clock, and one in the bathroom. Trey removed the bugs and cameras and put them under his mattress. Then he Googled metal foot lockers and found a store four miles away with them in stock.