Regeneration or Reincarnation

Copyright© 2025 by A Well Traveled Man

Chapter 1

I’m Lance Shaffer, born in July 1999. My parents were Michael and Marcy Shaffer. Dad was a chemical engineer, and Mom was a neurological surgeon. Dad passed on his intelligence and physical build. He was six feet four and 220 pounds, and kept in shape through martial arts he learned in the service and by working out in our home gym. As soon as I could walk, Dad taught me martial arts. It started with tumbling and recovery, then progressed to kicks and punches.

I got my looks, hair, skin color, and, of course, intelligence from Mom. She was of Spanish descent and looked like a model or actress. So, I had dark skin and hair, and Mom always kidded Dad that thank god Lance got my looks. Dad replied that he was thankful Lance got his build and height, and they laughed. Lance was advanced for his age and was at the sixth-grade level when I entered grammar school.

The school administration told Mom and Dad that Lance needed to be homeschooled because the school couldn’t accommodate him. They also warned them that placing Lance in high school was a bad idea. He would be bullied and harassed by the boys and girls, creating a nightmare for the school’s faculty and administration. They gave his parents pamphlets on homeschooling and on where to get his study materials.

So, Lance went to Mom’s office on the days she saw patients and studied there or in the lunchroom. Lance loved Mom’s office because of all the medical books and magazines there were to read. The female staff loved having him around and made sure he was well cared for. If he needed anything, they were happy to assist him. Mom would tell them not to spoil Lance, and he would ask her to leave his girlfriend’s alone, causing everyone to laugh.

On the days Mom had hospital rounds or surgery, Lance went with Dad to work. That was a different environment with most of his fellow workers being male. Oh, there were females, but they were in the minority. Lance loved to mingle with the females, hearing everything about the males in the office and their dates. Dad’s office had several vacant offices and labs so he could study uninterrupted. The book selection was interesting, and he learned about chemical engineering.

Lance befriended the office computer technician, and Matt Corbin taught him about computers, programming, and eventually hacking. In his free time, Lance assisted Matt with computer repairs and fixing lab equipment. Everyone in the company thought Matt was a lowly computer geek, but he knew what everyone was working on. Matt told Lance who to avoid and who was ok to talk to, ask questions, or be around. He explained that these brainiacs didn’t like to be interrupted. Matt said to steer clear of Dr. Zachary Blackburn.

If he talks to you, be polite and then get away as soon as possible. The guy has a reputation among his colleagues as a mad scientist. So, whatever you do, please don’t leave any drinks unattended or accept anything from him. Lance promised to heed Matt’s warning and stay clear of the mad scientist. Lance would do his homework when he arrived, and it took less than an hour. Then he would help Matt, practice programming, or practice his hacking.

There were no restaurants near his Father’s lab, so Lance brought snacks, lunch, and drinks and put them in the lunch room refrigerator. Dad said it was safe as he did the same thing, and they put their names on their food. Unknown to anyone, Dr. Zachary Blackburn was working on a highly classified CIA project and had exhausted the animal research he could do. He needed human testing, but that was impossible in their lab setting.

Dr. Blackburn was sure he had a successful formula and took it himself. He noticed mild improvements in his mental abilities, strength, and senses, but he is 60 years old. He played with the dosage and frequency of taking the drug. He found that taking it more than once a week didn’t improve the benefits. Another problem was that he hit a plateau with the treatment’s benefits. Then, when he stopped the treatments, the benefits stopped as well.

The next step Dr. Blackburn took was to recruit vagrants and set up an outside clinic. He did pre-screen and monitored their progress. They reported the same experiences he had, which reaffirmed his belief that the formula wasn’t effective in adults. That didn’t happen during lab animal testing, so he attributed it to age and needed younger test subjects.

He saw Lance and knew he was the perfect subject for testing. So, he began doctoring Lance’s food and drinks on the days he was at the lab. Dr. Blackburn estimated Lance’s weight and height, then reduced the dosage he was taking. He didn’t know how long the treatment should last, but he hoped it would be absorbed into Lance’s tissues, muscles, and brain and alter his DNA.

That’s what he found happened in the lab animals during their dissection and testing. Dr. Blackburn realized he couldn’t dissect himself or Lance, but he could test hair and blood to find how far the drug had reached. He tested himself and the test subjects at the clinic, and it hadn’t altered their DNA, nor did their blood match the effects observed in the animals. The treatment period for the animals was 6 weeks. Given the size and weight differences, Dr. Blackburn estimated the treatment for Lance should be 4 to 6 months.

Dr. Zachary Blackburn got creative and placed a small canister of sleeping gas near Lance’s work area, which was operated remotely. When Lance fell asleep, Dr. Blackburn gave him a shot of the serum and drew blood. He timed it after lunch so Lance wouldn’t be suspicious of the event. The blood tests excited Dr. Blackburn, as the results not only matched the lab animal testing but also exceeded it in some areas. The formula had changed Lance’s DNA, and it enhanced it in an area that confused him.

Unknown to Dr. Blackburn, Lance was noticing the formula’s effects, which were confusing to him. He didn’t bring it to his Mom’s or Dad’s attention because they would give him a battery of tests that he didn’t want to be subjected to, so he kept it to himself. His mental abilities, strength, and senses improved, but the biggest change was his memory. He had instant recall of what he read and could organize it in his mind like a library, which helped his studying.

The test period had passed, and Dr. Blackburn was preparing his final report for the CIA in his home office. As he did every evening upon arriving home, Dr. Blackburn filled the tea kettle with water and put it on the stove to heat. Unknown to him, the burner didn’t ignite, and he went to his home office. Lost in his excitement over his success, he never realized the absence of the teapot’s whistling. The house filled with gas, and when he noticed, it exploded.

The explosion killed Dr. Zachary Blackburn and all of his research notes, files, and formulas. He carried all his research and formula in his briefcase for security reasons. The risk was too high for someone to discover what he was doing at work. Luckily for Lance Shaffer, Dr. Blackburn never reported him as a trial participant. There were many reasons for this, but the main one was that he would be arrested, jailed, and put away for life.

Lance found out about Dr. Blackburn’s death the next time he went to work with Dad. There was a makeshift memorial in the lobby, and his office was cleaned out. Matt, his buddy at work, said the idiot blew himself up at home. He said the mad professor was probably doing off-book experiments in the kitchen, and they laughed. Matt reported that men were searching the doctor’s office, so he suspected Dr. Blackburn was doing something illegal.

Life continued for Lance, and he soon graduated from high school and began taking college courses online. Mom and Dad signed him up with three universities so he would have enough work to keep him busy. They restricted how many classes he could take each semester, so with the three he could take ten to twelve courses per semester. He was also growing like a weed, as Mom said, and they had to shop for new clothes every six months.

Lance got his bachelor’s degree in science and minored in computer programming. He chose genetics for his master’s studies, and that made Mom and Dad happy because it combined their professions. He still kept a minor in computer programming as it would benefit his career. After earning his master’s degree, he chose Harvard University for his doctoral studies. He was accepted, and Dad and Mom were ecstatic that he was going for his PHD.

He went to Harvard and settled into the graduate students’ apartments because of his age. He was sixteen, and his parents didn’t want him exposed to student life in the dorms. Lance took heavy loads of lab-required courses in his first semester. He did that because he planned to take online classes from home. Then COVID hit after his first semester, and he was glad his studies would be online the next semester. Due to the spread of the virus, the campus was closed.

He returned home and couldn’t visit his Mom’s office due to the risk of the virus, as her office was on the hospital grounds. So, he spent more time at home and with his Dad at his work. He had to wear a mask when interacting with people, but he removed it when alone in an office or lab. Mom was often recruited to help at the hospital because the hospital was overwhelmed with patients suffering from the virus. While she was volunteering, they provided apartments for the staff, and they were tested before being allowed to go home.

They were unaffected by the virus because they received the vaccine as soon as it was released. Hospital workers were a high priority for the first batches of vaccine, and Mom arranged for Lance and Dad to get vaccinated, too. Eventually, the virus ran its course, and with the help of vaccines, it was almost eliminated. Businesses and schools reopened, but millions of people died worldwide. The virus was still around, but infections weren’t as severe.

Lance graduated from Harvard with his PhD at 18 and went to work at the CDC in Atlanta. He was conducting research and planned to gain experience by working with the world’s best researchers. Lance learned a lot during the first four years and was promoted to a senior researcher. He had his own lab and team, then the elections happened, and a new president was elected.

The CDC was turned into a political organization, and it started with restrictions on what could be researched. No one was allowed to speak to the media, speak at seminars, or use social media to discuss projects or scientific issues without prior authorization. Then the layoff began, and senior researchers were offered severance or were asked to retire. He survived, but the effect was dramatic and shocking. If a major incident occurred, they would be ill-prepared to handle it.

Then an idiot was appointed to the head of Health and Human Services. He was an anti-vaccine advocate who had wild theories and bizarre beliefs. Lance saw the handwriting on the wall and wanted no part of the shit show. On his fifth anniversary, he resigned and joined Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as a senior researcher. The CDC was a shell of what was once a world-class organization.

Over the next ten years, Lance had brought several drugs to market, and life was great. Then the Redux virus hit, and no one was prepared. Unlike COVID-19, which primarily affected the elderly and sick, Redux hit adults under 40 and children hard. Over a million adults and children in the US died before a vaccine could be developed and tested. By the time vaccines were available to the public, millions more had died. The effects of the Redux virus worldwide were just as devastating and sometimes worse.

The anti-vaccine advocates didn’t help stop the virus. As a matter of fact, they suffered significant deaths because of their beliefs. They were also responsible for prolonging the virus that could have been contained several months earlier. They were also responsible for the measles outbreaks that were affecting several parts of the country. But the one bright result of the virus was that Lance’s company developed one of the vaccines and made Billions.

But the economic effects that followed were also severe. Businesses and schools closed, and that affected the economy. The housing market was hit hard by foreclosures and unsold homes. Businesses struggled to find workers, and for once, the elderly were welcomed back into the workforce. Birth rates were at historically low levels, and there was general concern for the future.

Then the idiot in North Korea tested a nuclear bomb. It was supposed to detonate in the ocean, but a malfunction caused it to explode in the atmosphere after launch. A radiation cloud circled the globe, affecting hundreds of millions of people. It also affected animals and crops, and the world had had enough of the dictator. Surprisingly, it was China that terminated him, and they assumed control of North Korea.

The radiation cloud further affected the birth rate and sickened millions of people. Drug companies like his were focusing on life-extending drugs and treatments. Lance was part of a group that discovered a regeneration drug that affected the whole body but only lasted for a year. The corporation wanted a five-year treatment. Lance figured out how to extend indefinitely but didn’t tell anyone. It involved changes to the genetic structure and DNA.

While the research was ongoing, the government raised the retirement age from 70 to 75. No one believed it would stop there, given the severe worker shortage. With the ageing population and the high cost of living, very few could afford to retire. Also, every skilled person was needed to perform tasks that robots couldn’t do. Robots took over manufacturing and the most common chores, like food service. They were also a major part of the police force, but humans were also needed to supervise.

Travel had changed, too. No one has vehicles anymore but the wealthy. Taxis, buses, and anyone privileged with a vehicle were AI-driven. There was also an AI-controlled mass transit system.

Another major change was the government. Corporations ran the country, and anyone in the government was tied to them. With a shortage of young staff in the military, robots or AI-operated planes and ships provided security for the nation, with humans providing overwatch and support.

Lance’s company, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, was the first to develop the regeneration drug, which lasted for five years. It was Lance’s group that made the breakthrough, and immediately the government raised the retirement age to 80. The drug revitalized the internal organs, but it didn’t affect the external parts of the body. So, unless you were wealthy, your skin aged, your hair fell out, and dental problems were common.

The next step was total regeneration and time travel. Corporations were hard at work to get to the next regeneration phase so humanity could survive. They also believed time travel held the key to our survival, too. Everyone thought that if the CDC and the World Health Organization weren’t defunded and gutted, the Redux virus wouldn’t have been so devastating. Then there was the screw-up in North Korea. The government and corporations thought they could change our future by traveling back in time and preventing those events.

But Lance believed time travel wouldn’t solve the problem on its own. Only an imbecile could believe one person could prevent those events. There was also the problem with age, and the average age of the population over 65. So, sending old people to prevent the catastrophic events was foolish. The only possible way was to regenerate someone to a younger age, then send them back in time travel.

The current year is 2090, and Lance is 91 years old. Tom Lawson, Lance’s friend and fellow scientist, was two years younger than him. Tom worked in the time travel group, and they met in the basement away from people, listening devices, and cameras twice a week. They discussed their projects’ successes and failures. Tom said everything they sent returned deformed or burnt to a crisp. He said they were banging their head against a wall.

Lance was less than open and honest, not telling Tom about the advances he’s made. But they discussed the regeneration drug, and both agreed it was a short-term fix. The drug, aided by nanotechnology, revitalized the internal organs. But no one knew how many treatments the body could take. They knew if something wasn’t discovered soon, they would find out the hard way when the body rejected additional treatments.

It was time to break up their meeting and head home. They said goodbye and went to their apartments. Lance was tired of living for what amounted to being a slave. He was monitored consistently at work and lived in a corporate apartment within their compound. After paying rent and for food, there was little left for enjoyment. Retirement wasn’t an option because he had nowhere to go, and his pension wouldn’t pay for rent elsewhere.

Knowing regeneration wasn’t an option with time travel, Lance began research on reincarnation. There were some similarities to the regeneration process, and he began developing the procedure in secret. There were plenty of lab rats for his experiments, and after several months, he succeeded in creating the drug and procedure. Normally, they would experiment with larger animals next, but they were highly regulated, and that would bring attention to his off-the-books project.

Human testing would be the final step, but it would require corporate reviews and funds to pay the volunteers. So, Lance decided to roll the dice and take it himself. The preparation was intense as he had to do his custom regeneration process first. Then he destroyed his research notes and drugs. Once he recovered from treatment, Lance was ready for the next part.

Lance gained access to the time travel lab late at night. He programmed the machine, set the year/date timer, and was ready. Two more things needed to be done first before getting inside. He hacked into the machine’s computer and inserted a worm to reset the machine after he activated it. That way, the machine’s memory would clear, and no one would know it was used. Lance took a deep breath and prayed he would be reincarnated into an animal. He took the drug, activated the machine, got inside, and passed out.

When Lance woke up, he was in a hospital bed in a room with five other patients. He had sensors attached to his body, and the first thing he checked was below his waist. He breathed a sigh of relief that he had a cock and balls, although larger than before. So, he was a male, and the next thing was to find out where he was and the year. His thoughts were interrupted by a nurse rushing to his bed. She said Oh my god, Wyatt, you’re awake and took his vital signs.

She said, “Don’t go anywhere, and I’ll get the doctor,” and left giggling. Lance examined his body and found he was a young boy named Wyatt. He’d have to claim amnesia and gather information. The doctor arrived and said, “I’m Dr. Parks. Wyatt. How are you feeling?” Wyatt said, “All right, but I can’t remember anything. You said my name was Wyatt. What is my last name?” The doctor said, “Armstrong. You’re 12 years old.” Wyatt asked, “Where are we, and what’s the date?” The doctor said, “You’re in a hospital in Maryland and suffered a head injury while riding your bike. You’ve been in a coma for two months, and it’s now July 29, 2004.” Dr. Parks told Wyatt they would run some tests and call his parents. Lisa, his nurse, said, “I’ll be right back,” and left. Lance said, “Shit, the time machine wasn’t accurate, and my age was messed up, too.” It had to be a combination of the drugs and those fools in the time travel lab.

Nurse Lisa returned and took Wyatt for an MRI. He was shocked that he could read her mind. She was thinking about him leaving and not being able to give him sponge baths. Wyatt laughed inside and wondered what had caused his mind-reading ability. Little did Lance or Wyatt know, but it was Dr. Zachary Blackburn’s secret formula, combined with the reincarnation drug and rejuvenation treatment, that unlocked mind-reading and several other skills.

When the MRI was done, he was taken to a private hospital room where a woman was waiting. She, oh my god, Wyatt, you’re awake and hugged and kissed his forehead. He said I like hugs and kisses, but who are you? Lisa told Jenni Armstrong that Wyatt was suffering from amnesia, and the doctor is reviewing an MRI that was just done. Jenni said I’m your mother, Jenni Armstrong. Your father, US Senator William Armstrong, will visit you later this evening.

Dr. Parks entered the room and told Wyatt’s MRI showed increased brain activity, but otherwise it was normal. The amnesia could be temporary, and he would start to remember things. But it may be permanent, and you’ll have to rebuild his life with pictures and details. The important thing is to be patient and understanding during the process. Now that Wyatt’s awake, he’ll need physical therapy to stimulate his muscles that have been inactive for months. Barring any setbacks, he should be ready to go home in a week to 10 days.

The doctor left, and Wyatt asked his Mom what he called her. She laughed and said Mom would be fine, and you call your father Dad. Lisa went on her rounds, and Mom told Wyatt about their homes in Maryland and Colorado Springs, Colorado. She told him he was an only child and that he loved working and playing on his computer. Mom told Wyatt he didn’t play sports but practiced martial arts and enjoyed running. He was going to enter high school a year early this year because he had advanced a grade in grammar school.

Wyatt asked Mom if she had a girlfriend or groupies, and she laughed and said no. Then she told Wyatt that his Dad was considering running for president. So, we need to watch what we say and do, or it will affect his candidacy. Wyatt asked if that was good or bad, and she laughed and said both. Mom said normally they were required to campaign with him every 6 years. But running for president, we’ll have to travel the US instead of just Colorado.

Dinner arrived, and it was a liquid diet. When Lisa arrived, Wyatt told her to give his compliments to the chief for the tasty meal. Lisa and Mom laughed, and Lisa said it’s a liquid diet until things begin moving again. Then she told Wyatt that your vacation is over, and you will start therapy after breakfast tomorrow. Later tonight, we’ll remove your catheter, and that should be fun. Lisa laughed and left, and Mom said Lisa enjoys her job too much, and they laughed.

Dad arrived, said hello, asked how I was feeling, and checked his watch. Then he said I have a meeting to attend, so I’ll see you tomorrow night and left. Wyatt asked Mom who that asshole was, and she laughed hard. When she recovered, Mom said that was your Dad. Wyatt said I think I’m remembering something. Did I ever kick Daddy in the balls, and Mom laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair? When she recovered, Mom said no, and Wyatt said it must have been a thought making her giggle.

Mom hugged and kissed him goodbye and left, saying she would return tomorrow. Lisa arrived and asked if he was ready for a fun experience. Wyatt said Sure, if you like to be punched and Lisa laughed. She got set up, told him to relax, and removed the catheter. Wyatt said If that was a fun experience, count me out for any more fun and Lisa laughed. She handed him a Urine bottle and said, “Use this,” and left, giggling. Wyatt turned off the lights and fell asleep.

Then he had a dream, and he was in Wyatt’s room watching him open his secret hiding place in the closet. Inside were files, DVDs, USB drives, cash, and a laptop computer. Wyatt grabbed something, closed his stash, and the dream ended. Then Lance/Wyatt drifted into a deep sleep.

After breakfast, Nurse Lisa arrived with a wheelchair and took Wyatt to therapy. He lay on a mat while the therapist stretched his muscles. Then she watched Wyatt do the exercises she gave him. When they finished, he was sore and tired as Lisa returned him to his room in a wheelchair. She helped Wyatt into bed, and he fell asleep. Lunch was the good liquid diet again.

When he finished lunch, Lisa entered the room with a walker. Wyatt groaned and then got up and slowly walked up and down the hallway. Returning to his room, he was finally able to go to the bathroom. When he finished, Wyatt asked Nurse Pain if she could update his dinner order. She said yes, laughing as she exited. Mom arrived, bringing his laptop and two computer magazines. Wyatt thanked her and asked how Daddy was doing.

Mom giggled and said he arrived home late and left early this morning, so who knows. Wyatt told Mom I had therapy this morning and walked the hallway this afternoon. By the end of the week, my foot will be available if you need it. They laughed, talked for a while, and Wyatt asked Mom if he could homeschool. She asked why, and he said, Well, if we were required to attend campaign events across, he’d miss a lot of school. Mom said she hadn’t thought about it, but she would check into it.

Dinner arrived, and it was just better than the liquid diet. Everything was soft, and Nurse Pain said it was to help your digestion. After dinner, Mom helped him walk a lap around the floor and return to his room. When visiting hours ended, Mom hugged Wyatt and kiss goodbye and left. Dad never showed up, and Wyatt opened his laptop and examined the files. This wasn’t the one he saw in the stash, so it must be for school. He altered the start menu, deleted the bloat software, and ran defrag. That was enough for tonight, and Wyatt went to sleep.

It was the same routine for the next four days. When Friday arrived, Doctor Parks entered the hospital and asked Wyatt how he was feeling. Wyatt said he would be doing great if he could go home, and they laughed. Dr. Parks checked him out thoroughly and said You can go home, but take it easy and do your therapy exercises. He left to fill out his discharge paperwork, and Nurse Pain called his Mom to pick him up.

Mom picked up Wyatt, and they stopped at Burger King drive-thru for his lunch. He was surprised at the size of their house when they arrived. It was a two-story house on a couple of acres. While Wyatt was eating lunch, he asked about it, and she said we bought it at a foreclosure auction when you were born. It’s tripled in value since then, and we’ve done some upgrades. Then Mom said she researched homeschooling, and it will work, but we need to get you tested. So, we have a date at the University of Maryland, Monday at 9 a.m.

After lunch, Wyatt went to his room and lay down, and the next thing he knew, Mom was calling him to dinner. While they ate, Mom told Wyatt they needed to check his wardrobe. He had grown while in his coma, and they needed to see what had to be replaced and go shopping on Saturday morning. He groaned, and Mom laughed, and they finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Chapter 2

Wyatt woke up Saturday feeling better and did his therapy exercises. Then he went for a walk around the neighborhood, returned home, showered, tried to dress, but nothing fit. He put on sweats and went to the kitchen. Mom arrived, and while they ate, Wyatt told her nothing fits except socks and sweats. She told him to stand up and said Oh my god, we’re getting you a new wardrobe. Mom sent Wyatt upstairs to put on the scrubs he wore home.

They went to the mall, and he got six pairs of jeans, two pairs of slacks, dress shirts, casual shirts, underwear, socks, and shoes. Then they went to the sporting goods store, and Wyatt got new sweats, gym shorts, t-shirts, and compression shorts. On the way home, Mom said we’ll keep the receipts because you’re bound to gain weight and possibly have another growth spurt. We’ll wait to buy suits until it’s necessary, and Wyatt said he agreed that forgetting about the suits was a good idea. Mom laughed and said they aren’t avoidable.

Upon arriving home, Mom started washing his new clothes, then they ate lunch. Wyatt asked Mom how she met such a wonderful man like Dad, and she laughed hard. When she recovered, Mom said they met in college. His family was involved in state politics, and mine was in banking, real estate, and investments. So, our families socialized in the same circles and knew each other. After graduation, we married, and your Dad followed his father into state politics, first as a state representative, then a state senator, and finally a US senator.

Wyatt said, “Let me get this straight: Mommy has the family money, and Daddy begs donors for his, and Mom laughed.” She said I have a family trust, and your Dad makes good money as a U.S. senator. But you’re right, he depends on fundraising to stay in office. Now he’s putting feelers out to gauge the financial backing available for a White House run. Lance/Wyatt knew William Armstrong didn’t stand a chance against George Bush.

After lunch, Wyatt went to his room and checked out the stash in the closet. There had to be over 50k in cash, and he wondered where it came from. The file folders told some of the story as they were lobbying groups in Washington, DC. The USB and CDs were from Wyatt’s hacking and contained information (dirt) on Senators and House members. There was even a file on Dad, and it wasn’t good. Wyatt took out the laptop and hacked into it.

Lance/Wyatt viewed the files, and it was Wyatt’s hacking computer. He checked his worms, viruses, and programs. He knew far more advanced methods and would need to update everything. Then he checked his hacking list and was surprised to see how many sites and businesses were on it. Wyatt even had a stock-trading account under an alias with over $ 500k in it. He quickly checked the GPS; it was off, so he changed the login and powered down the laptop.

Wyatt returned everything to the stash and closed it. Then he gathered all the clothes that didn’t fit and put them on the bed. Mom entered with his new clothes and said Good, I see you’ve got everything ready for the goodwill. She asked him to get some trash bags from the kitchen, and we’ll drop them off at the collection bin. When they had the new clothes put away and the old ones in trash bags, Mom told him to change and bring the trash bags to the kitchen.

On the way to the goodwill, Wyatt asked Mom what their house in Colorado was like. Mom said it’s a ranch that I inherited from my parents. When we get your homeschooling set up, we’ll make a trip there and spend a week. Of course, your Dad will raise a stink or want to come too. Wyatt said Too bad we can’t go and see how many days it takes for him to miss us.

Mom said that was a wicked idea, but right on the money. He’s been staying in the DC apartment because of late donor meetings and networking to support his candidacy. They dropped off the clothes at Goodwill, then got Papa John’s pizza for dinner and returned home. They ate dinner watching TV, and when they finished, they said goodnight and went to bed.

Wyatt did his exercises early in the morning, then went for a walk around the neighborhood. The first lap was slow, then he picked up the pace on the second. Returning home, he showered, dressed, and checked out the house. There were two other bedrooms upstairs with his. The ground floor had a dining room, a kitchen, and a den.

Then he found the basement door and saw the gym. It hadn’t been used for a while, judging by the dust. But it had a heavy bag and a speed bag that would work for his martial arts workout. There was also a treadmill, an exercise bike, a weight machine, and free weights. He wondered whether Wyatt had used it before or practiced at a dojo in town or elsewhere.

Returning to the kitchen, Mom was cooking breakfast and said I see you found the gym. Wyatt said yes and asked whether he had used it before, since there’s dust on everything. Mom said yes, but no one else does, and you were in a coma for over two months, so that explains the dust. While they ate, Mom asked if Dad had visited him in the hospital. Wyatt said not after he stopped by while you were there. Mom said, “ Let’s surprise Dad at the apartment, then drive around DC and see the sights.

On the way, Mom asked Wyatt if anything looked familiar, and he said no. Mom said she worked with Dad during his first term and brought you along to the office. When they arrived at the apartment, Mom used her key, and they entered. Right away, Wyatt knew it was a mistake because the kitchen table still had dinner plates on it for two. Mom went to the bedroom and told Dad not to bother coming home. Wyatt said, “Hi, Dad, who’s the woman next to you?”

Dad jumped out of bed in his boxers and told Mom it wasn’t what it looked like. She said it’s exactly what it looks like: you’re cheating on me again. Dad grabbed Mom to stop her from leaving, and Wyatt kicked him in the balls. Dad fell to his knees, screaming My balls and holding his crotch. They left laughing, and Mom said she wished she had done it. Mom said we’ll do the tour another time. Then she called a locksmith to rekey the house and said it was an emergency. They agreed to meet in an hour at the house.

Wyatt asked Mom if she was getting a divorce, and she said no. Mom said your Dad, as a US Senator, holds a lot of power and influence. A divorce would create a spectacle that she wants to avoid. But she will make him pay dearly in other ways. They met the locksmith at the house, and he rekeyed the locks and changed the garage door code. Then he talked mom into metal storm doors for extra protection, and they would be installed on Tuesday.

While they ate lunch, Dad called, and Mom answered. She asked him if his donor meeting was over, causing Mom and Wyatt to laugh. Dad wanted to meet to discuss the issue, and Mom told him there would be no meetings. You chose your path, so you’re on your own from now on. Dad said it was a drunken mistake, and Mom said that explained the dinner plates and overnight bag. Oh, and you can forget my support for your presidential run. I don’t support philanderers, and she hung up.

Wyatt asked if they could now go to Colorado without Daddy getting upset. Mom laughed and said yes, and we’ll go after the storm doors are installed. Wyatt asked if they were moving to Colorado, and Mom said not right away. This trip will be a visit, but we’ll discuss it when we get back. There are plenty of things to do before we can move, so don’t worry, it will be a planned move. There are also things to set up in Colorado if we move.

After lunch, Wyatt went to his room and got the hacking laptop out of the stash. He started by updating Wyatt’s worm, then he programmed a phone tag app for his phone. Cloud storage had just become available, and Amazon was offering it. It was expensive, but Wyatt signed up for 250mb and would have to transfer important information, then delete it. Then Wyatt looked at his stocks, and several had peaked and were dropping in price.

So, he sold those and bought Google/Alphabet, Salesforce, Baidu, and Domino’s. They all had their IPO’s this year, and he knew they would take off. Mom called him to dinner, so Wyatt returned the laptop to the stash and went to the kitchen. While they ate, Mom said we needed to leave for the University at 7 a.m. While you’re testing, I’ll run some errands and return in plenty of time to pick you up. After dinner, they said goodnight and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement gym early Monday morning and did a light martial arts workout on the heavy bag. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom arrived, and they headed to the University of Maryland. They arrived 45 minutes early, so they ate breakfast at a campus café. When they finished, Mom and Wyatt went to the administration building and asked for Ms. Rebecca Brown. She arrived, and introductions were made.

On the way to the testing center, Ms. Brown said Wyatt should finish around 4 p.m. with breaks and lunch. Mom told Ms. Brown she would run some errands and return around 3 p.m. and left. Mr. Brown introduced Wyatt to Professor Sanda Cummins, his test administrator. Wyatt completed ten tests by 3:45 p.m., shocking Professor Cummins and Ms. Brown. They went to the conference room, and Mom joined them. Mom asked Wyatt how it went, and he said Mommy beat and abused me. Here, look at my ass, and he got up and began unbuckling his pants, and Mom yelled No, and everyone laughed.

Ms. Brown was still chuckling and said Wyatt did well on his tests. A few more are needed to give us a firm idea of where he should be placed. So, is it possible for him to return tomorrow morning for a few hours? Mom said a contractor is arriving tomorrow morning, and she has to be there. But Wyatt could come in if transportation can be arranged. Then I can pick him up when he’s finished. Ms. Brown got our address and said a car will pick Wyatt up at 7:30 a.m. She told Mom to plan to pick up Wyatt at noon, and we left.

On the way home, Mom stopped for Mexican takeout and asked how the testing went without all the theatrics. Wyatt laughed and said he’d taken 10 tests but hadn’t gotten any results. Upon arriving home, they ate dinner, and Mom said We’ll find out the results tomorrow when you finish testing. Mom told Wyatt he should know that my family trust owns this house, the house in Colorado, and the apartment in DC.

While you were testing, I went to my attorney’s office. I removed William from my will and had the trust file eviction papers against him at the apartment. He was also removed from the credit cards that the trust pays. When he finds out, William will be irate and possibly show up here. So, we have to be prepared if it does, and that’s why I’m having storm doors installed. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Early the next morning, Wyatt went on a brisk walk and circled the neighborhood five times. He felt good and had regained his strength and stamina. Returning to his room, Wyatt showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom arrived, and they ate breakfast, and Wyatt read her mind. She was genuinely worried about what Dad would do. His ride arrived, and Wyatt said I hope they don’t use electrodes on me and left Mom laughing.

They arrived with time to spare, and Ms. Brown escorted Wyatt to the testing center. Professor Sanda Cummins was ready, and the fun began. Five tests later, they finished at 11:30 a.m. and went to the conference room. When Mom arrived, Ms. Brown started the meeting and said that Wyatt had exceeded our expectations. We thought we were evaluating him for placement in the high school curriculum. We were wrong, as Wyatt has graduated from high school.

Mom asked what that meant, and Ms. Brown said he passed all the high school tests. The tests today were to get an idea of where to place him at the university level. By our evaluation, Wyatt should be in his second year of college. Mom asked how we should proceed, and Ms. Brown said the University of Maryland would like to offer Wyatt a scholarship that includes a dorm room, a food allowance, and a bookstore credit card for study supplies. Wyatt read Ms. Brown’s mind, and she was almost drooling at the prospect of him attending the university.

Mom said she isn’t sending a twelve-year-old boy to a university to be harassed by older students. But she would consider online courses with a few on-campus classes that wouldn’t require an overnight stay. Ms. Brown said Great, here’s our offer and she passed a folder to Mom. She quickly viewed it and said she would have our attorney review it and call you back. That ended the meeting, and after shaking hands, we left. On the way home, Wyatt asked Mom if he got his intelligence from Dad’s side of the family.

Mom pulled over and stopped the car because she was laughing so hard. When she recovered, Mom said that would be a definite NO! Your father wouldn’t have graduated from college without his Dad’s help. And it wasn’t his money, but state funds to help the university. They stopped at Wendy’s drive-thru for a late lunch and headed home. While they ate, Mom told Wyatt not to tell your Dad anything about this. He’ll use you to get whatever he can and won’t care about the consequences. Your privacy will be gone, and everyone will want a piece of you.

Wyatt promised to keep the asshole in the dark, and they laughed. After lunch, Mom called her attorney and faxed him the university’s offer. He said he would review it and call her back tomorrow. Mom said, “ Let’s pack and plan on leaving tomorrow morning. We can handle anything related to the attorney upon our arrival. Wyatt said he didn’t have any luggage in his room. Mom said that’s right, we donated it because it was a child’s luggage. I’ll bring out Williams, and you can use his.

Mom brought out Dad’s luggage, and they began packing. Wyatt took the luggage to his room and would only use one suitcase and a carry-on bag. But the garment bag caught his attention, and he opened it to take a look inside. Inside was a brochure for a resort in Mexico, a checkout receipt for the three-day stay for Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, and a pair of red panties. Wyatt finished packing and went to the kitchen with the evidence. He said Look what I found in Dad’s garment bag.

Mom’s eyes got big, then she grabbed the things from Wyatt. She said that SOB told me he was called back to Washington, DC. We were on vacation in California for that week. Mom got a gallon Ziploc baggie and put the stuff inside. They ate dinner, and Mom said that fool will pay dearly for this, too. He’ll regret the day he said I do at the altar. To lighten the mood, Wyatt asked Mom what those panties are called. She laughed and said None of your business. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement gym and practiced martial arts on the heavy bag. then he tried the speed bag and enjoyed the difference and timing it required. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom was cooking breakfast, and when they ate, she said they were leaving this morning. Your Dad called late last night and said his credit card was declined at a restaurant while dining with a donor. He was embarrassed and had to use his ATM card.

I told him that I would call the credit card company this morning. But the reason it didn’t work was that I canceled it. The lease on his Mersades was also canceled, and they will pick it up shortly. With the eviction notice due any day, we should leave today. After breakfast, Mom called the airline and made reservations. Wyatt carried the luggage to the car, which was actually a GMC Yukon. Returning to the kitchen, Mom was on the phone with the neighbors, informing them of our departure and the issue with William.

They were ready to go, and Wyatt asked Mom if he had a wallet. She said yes, went to her room, and returned with a plastic bag. It held his wallet, keys, and watch, which he was wearing at the time of the accident. Wyatt asked if he had a cell phone, and Mom laughed and said no. You didn’t need one before, but it’s a good idea to get one now with everything going on. They stopped by the post office to hold the mail and went to the airport.

Wyatt saw how easy it was to get to the gate in the pre-9/11 era. No ID required, show your boarding pass and go. Mom had booked us first class, and three and a half hours later, we landed in Colorado Springs. Mom rented a SUV and pointed out the points of interest in town to Wyatt. Then they stopped at a western wear store, and he groaned, and Mom laughed. She told Wyatt he needed the proper clothes and boots for the ranch. Forty-five minutes later, he was an outfitted cowboy, including the hat.

The ranch was another hour from the store, and when they arrived, a middle-aged man welcomed them. Mom introduced Wyatt to Hank, the ranch foreman. Hank looked confused, and Mom told him about Wyatt’s accident and amnesia. Wyatt asked Mom if he had kicked Hank in the balls like Daddy, and everyone laughed. They went inside, and Mom showed Wyatt his room. She told him to unpack and check out the house. She’ll start washing his new clothes and speak with Hank about the ranch.

Wyatt unpacked and then checked the closet for a stash place. He was surprised there was one in the same place as home. He looks inside, and there’s cash, guns, a bag of rocks, and a map of the ranch. There were places marked, so he would need to check them out. Wyatt closed the stash and explored the house. It was huge with five bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs. There was a formal living room and dining room. Then there was an everyday dining room, a kitchen, a den, and a study/office.

Mom finished her meeting with Hank and had a late lunch ready in the kitchen. While they ate, Mom asked if he had checked out the house, and Wyatt said yes, but wondered if there was a gym. Mom said yes in the basement, like at home. After lunch, you change your clothes, and we’ll go to the stables and see the horses. Then Hank will give you a firearms refresher course. We carry firearms while working and riding on the ranch. There are wild animals and snakes, so you’ll need to be ready to use them if necessary.

They finished lunch, Wyatt changed clothes, and they went to the stables. Mom showed Wyatt Smokey that was Dad’s horse. She cautioned him not to get close, or he’d bite you. Dad bought him for a campaign ad shoot. It was funny, and we have a video in the house. But your Dad, dressed in western wear, got onto Smokey for the first time. Smokey started bucking and threw your Dad off, and he fell on his ass. They had to shoot the commercial with my horse, Sandy, then we took your Dad to the hospital. He damaged a disk in his lower back that required surgery.

Wyatt walked up to Smokey’s stall and said, You’re not a bad horse. Smokey came to him and nudged Wyatt, and he petted his neck. Mom and Hank look on in shock as Wyatt talks to Smokey, and he responds with sounds and movements. Wyatt turned and said Smokey had told him he didn’t like Dad, and everyone laughed. Next, they visited Sandy Mom’s horse and four others. When they finished, Hank took Wyatt to the shooting range, and Mom returned to the house.

Hank gave Wyatt a firearms safety instruction, then they shot the revolver and the lever-action rifle. Hank said, dam, you’re shooting better than before as they viewed the targets. They cleaned the weapons, and Wyatt returned to the house. A Hispanic woman was cooking with Mom, and Mom said, “Wyatt, this is Maria, our cook/housekeeper.” Wyatt said hello and asked Mom if he had done anything to Maria before, and they laughed. She said no and to get cleaned up for dinner.

William Armstrong wasn’t having a good time. His wife, Jenni, found him cheating on her in their apartment. Then his credit card didn’t work at a restaurant last night, and he had to use his ATM card for dinner with his girlfriend. He’d write off a campaign expense, and they would pay the credit card bill. He left the apartment for dinner and found his Mersades gone. Returning to the apartment, he saw an envelope taped to the door. It said your vehicle was returned, and the lease was canceled. He was irate, and Jenni, his wife, had turned off her phone, so he was screwed.

Early the next morning, Wyatt went to the basement and saw the gym. He said Wow, looking at it, and figured his grandfather was into boxing. Half of the gym was set up like a boxing gym. There was a super-heavy bag, a regular heavy bag, a bag on springs to return it quickly, and a speed bag. In the corner of the boxing area, there was a cabinet holding all the boxing supplies and a small refrigerator with bottles of water inside. Wyatt finished his martial arts workout and drank a bottle of water to cool down.

He noticed that the basement wasn’t square like at home; it was longer than it was wide. Wyatt went to the boxing cabinet, found a latch, and opened it like a door. Inside was a hidden room with a desk, file cabinet, safe, and firearms on one wall. He would explore the room later, as it was getting late, so he reset the cabinet and went to his room. He showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom was there with Maria cooking, and she asked if he had found the gym.

Wyatt said yes, and it was perfect for his workout. Mom said she had turned off her phone yesterday after we arrived. She checked it this morning, and your Dad called over ten times. The leasing company picked up the Mersades, and he was pissed. Everyone laughed. They ate breakfast, then went to the stables. Hank had Wyatt’s revolver, holster, and lever rifle read for him. He showed Wyatt how to buckle the holster and secure the leg tie.

Then Hank showed him how to saddle Smokey and put the rifle in the sleeve. Everyone watched as Wyatt mounted Smokey, expecting him to buck him off. When nothing happened, Hank adjusted the stirrups. Mom mounted Sandy, and Smokey took off like a bullet. Wyatt held on and let him run until Smokey slowed down. Then he turned around and met Mom at the stables. Mom asked if he was alright, and Wyatt said yes. Smokey just wanted to stretch his legs, and everyone laughed.

They took off and went on one of Mom’s favorite trails. Towards the end, Wyatt sensed trouble and told Mom to stop. He dismounted Smokey and told him to stay. Then he grabbed his rifle, walked up the trail 15 yards, and shot a coiled rattlesnake with his revolver. Mom brought the horses up, and oh my god, that’s a huge one. Mom had Wyatt bring it back to the stables for Hank. When he saw it, he said shit, it’s almost six feet, and asked who shot it. Mom said Wyatt with one shot, and they cared for the horses.

While they ate lunch, the attorney called Mom and advised against signing the agreement with the University. He recommended several changes and discussed them with Mom. She told him to write up the agreement with his changes and forward it to Ms. Brown at the university. He agreed, and they said goodbye. Wyatt asked about the image issue, and Mom said the university wants total control over it, so we’ll pass if they don’t change it. They want to make you a poster boy for the university.

Besides, if we move here, there’s UCCS and the University of Colorado, where we can sign up if necessary. The University of Maryland gave us your high school graduation certificate and test scores. So, it would be easy to apply if they reject our counteroffer. After lunch, Wyatt went to the stable and asked Hank if there was any way to travel around the ranch except by horse. He laughed and said Yes, we have several mules.

They went to a barn, and Hank gave Wyatt a driving lesson on the mule. He said go slow and never make quick turns. Also, carry your firearms and fire three shots into the air if you get into trouble. The last thing to remember is to fill the gas tank before leaving. Wyatt thanked Hank, got his rifle and pistol, and took off on the mule. He remembered all the markings on the map as he had photographic memory. Wyatt parked at the spot of the first mark and climbed the hill.

He saw a camouflaged cave opening and removed it. There was a flashlight inside, and he followed it to a steaming pool. Wyatt said Cool, a hot spring, and put his hand inside. It was hot but not too bad, so he stripped, got inside, and sat down. That was the last thing he remembered, and he woke up floating in the pool. Wyatt felt revitalized, leaving the pool to dry off, walking around, and looking at the cave walls. There was faint writing on the walls, but he couldn’t understand what it meant.

When dry, he dressed, left the cave, covered the opening, and returned to the barn. Entering the kitchen, he smelled dinner on the stove, and Mom asked where he had gone. Wyatt said he was kidnapped by Indian squaws, but managed to escape, and they laughed. He told her he took a mule and dove around the ranch. But don’t worry, Hank gave instructions before going. Mom said there are Indians in the area, and it isn’t uncommon to see them. But they’re friendly and usually passing through.

While we were eating, Dad called to ask why she had turned in his leased Mersades. Mom asked if he remembered our vacation in California, and you were called back to DC. Dad said yes, and Mom said Then why did I find a checkout receipt for a Mexican resort for that weekend under Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong with a pair of panties I don’t wear. He said shit, and Mom said that’s exactly what you’re in now. So, screw who you want because we’re done, and you’re cut off from my support, and she hung up. We finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt had another dream: he was on the hills on the north side of the ranch (almost mountains) gathering rocks. He would only find a few, then move on. When the bag was full, he would take them to another cave, dump them at a specific spot, and leave. Wyatt wondered what he was doing, still watching the pile of rocks. Then they disappeared, and that confused him even more. Vanishing rocks, what was happening, and the dream ended, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 3

Wyatt woke up early Friday morning and went for a run for the first time since his accident. It was pitch black outside, but he could see, and he enjoyed the new gift. As he ran, Wyatt wondered what more was in store for him. Reading minds and now seeing in the dark, he finished his run covered in sweat. He returned to his room, showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen.

While we ate breakfast, Ms. Brown from the University of Maryland called. She said we had received your counteroffer and that it is unacceptable. Mom said, “Great, because we’re thinking of relocating to Colorado, and two schools there are offering scholarships without the bullshit.” So, thank you for the help, but we’ll be looking elsewhere for my son’s education.

Ms. Brown said Wait, we’re still willing to negotiate and Mom said, “We’re not.” You want to parade my son in the media and remove any privacy he has, and then add insult to injury by not compensating him. Goodbye, Ms. Brown, and please lose our phone number. She hung up and asked Wyatt if she was direct enough with her. He said there’s no question in my mind, but they are not giving up, and they laughed. Five minutes later, Ms. Brown called again and said, “We accept your proposal.”

Mom told her that we were out of town, but upon our return, we’ll call and set up a meeting. Then she called the attorney and reported what had happened. He recommended they avoid signing, as the university has figured out a way around the agreement. Mom agreed, and they ended the call. She said, “ Let’s go to town, check out Colorado University, and see if they are interested. Wyatt groaned and agreed if there wasn’t any more testing involved.

When they arrived at the administration’s office, Mom asked for an application for their online college admission. The clerk handed Mom a form. She filled it out and returned it. The clerk asked us to wait while she checked if someone in admissions was available. Mrs. Jackson was, and showed Mom and Wyatt to her office. Mom and Mrs. James talked, and Mrs. James reviewed Wyatt’s high school graduation certificate and SAT score.

Three hours later, they left, and Wyatt was enrolled at the University of Colorado. They had to wait for the paperwork to be mailed so Wyatt could receive his scholarship. Then he could sign up for courses and use his credit card to purchase textbooks at the bookstore. Wyatt wished e-books were available, but that was 4 to 6 years away. While they were in town, he got Mom to stop at the library to get a card and check out some books. He was lucky to convince the librarian to allow six instead of four.

On the way home, Wyatt thought about that, and it could have been more than luck. He’d need to research it more, but she folded too easily with his suggestion. Thank god Mom didn’t notice, or there would be questions he didn’t want to answer. When they arrived home, Dad called again, saying he had received an eviction notice and asking why it was served. Mom told him it was obvious you were using the apartment for your philandering, and it’s in the trust’s name. So, move, or we’ll go to court.

Dad said this is bullshit, and where am I supposed to go? Mom said she had some ideas, but the simplest one is to move in with your girlfriend. I’m sure you’re paying for her apartment, or your campaign is. But that’s not my worry; only you vacate the apartment. By the way, if I found out about your affairs, so would your rival candidates and enemies. If a scandal develops, don’t look for my support, and Mom hung up.

Looking to lighten the mood, Wyatt asked Mom why she put James on his admission paperwork. Mom said that’s your middle name and also my maiden name. That was one of our first major fights. Your Dad wanted you to have his Dad’s name, Harold. At the time, Harold Armstrong was under indictment for taking bribes. Your Dad lost, but I tricked him into signing the birth certificate with the middle name blank and filled it in later. Unfortunately, Harold died of a stroke when he was convicted. His wife followed shortly thereafter.

Wyatt thanked Mom for defending him when he couldn’t kick Daddy in the balls, and they laughed together. Wyatt went to his room and read books on electronics and circuit boards. He was surprised by how quickly he could read, and when he finished the sixth book, Wyatt started planning his project. Traveling back to the Stone Age of internet speed was a challenge. The top speed was 1 Mbps, and he needed to boost it to the maximum possible. That would require making changes to the router and computer.

Mom called him to dinner, and while they ate, she said they were going to look for yard and farm sales tomorrow morning. Your Dad and I used to do that when we first got married, and it was fun. You’d be surprised at what people sell and for pennies on the dollar of the retail cost. Wyatt asked if he got an allowance, and Mom said yes. It’s deposited into your bank account every month. He wondered if there were bonuses for grades and kicking Daddy in the balls.

Mom laughed and said No, the bonus is you get it with good grades. Wyatt said he wanted to renegotiate with escalators for academic achievement and heroic actions. Mom laughed again and said she’d think about an increase because you’re entering college, but you’re dreaming about the rest. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Early Saturday morning, Mom and Wyatt went to town and got cash from the ATM. Wyatt said he didn’t know his ATM code, and Mom told him what it was. He said to remind him to change it, and they laughed. Mom bought a newspaper, and they had breakfast at McDonald’s, reading the classifieds. At the first yard sale, Wyatt bought two boxes of computer parts and a soldering iron kit. The second wasn’t worthwhile, but the third was a gold mine for them.

Mom got some jewelry and sweaters, and he got two boxes of books. The Oriental lady gave Wyatt a gold ring and said that a young man needs a ring. Wyatt offered to pay for it, and she told him your Mom overpaid for hers, and they laughed. Mom asked what they were laughing at, and Wyatt said she wanted to know if you were single, as you were cute and had a nice ass. I said yes and asked what she was offering, and Mom punched him in the arm, laughing.

The last yard sale was a bust, so they went to the farm sale on the way home. Wyatt bought an old safe that was the same make as the one in the hidden room, only smaller. He convinced Mom to buy a trailer for the mules and got a box of tools. They tied the trailer to the hitch and drove home slowly. When they arrived, Hank saw the trailer and said he’d wanted one for a long time. He asked about the safe, and Wyatt said it’s for keeping nosy people out of my stuff, and everyone laughed.

Hank helped Wyatt carry the safe to his room and then got a mule and moved the trailer to the barn. Wyatt put the tools in the garage and brought the rest of the things to his room. He went through the boxes of computer parts and thought there was enough to build a computer. Now all he needed was an electronics store for blank circuit boards, resistors, diodes, and capacitors. Wyatt made a list of things he needed, and Mom called him to dinner.

While they ate, Mom told Wyatt they needed to go to the market in the morning. She decided they were moving here, so we need to stock up on supplies. Wyatt asked about the house in Maryland, and Mom said they would sell it. It’s too valuable to leave empty, and leasing or renting is problematic given how far away we’ll be to check on it. We’ll rent a storage unit for your Dad’s things and hire a mover for everything else. The finished dinner said goodnight and went to bed.

While undressing, Wyatt forgot about the ring in his pocket and looked at it. There was Chinese or Japanese writing and symbols on the inside of the ring that he didn’t understand. He put it on his ring finger, and it was too big. Then it adjusted to his finger, shocking him, and then he passed out. Then the dream started, and he was a ninja climbing walls and buildings, fighting the enemy. The dream ended, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Waking up early the next morning, Wyatt noticed the ring was gone, but a faint image of the symbols and writing was visible on his finger. He looked at the books in the boxes, and they were university textbooks for an electrical engineer’s major. It was getting late, so he showered, and while drying off, he saw his whole body had tattoos and said holy shit. They began to fade as he dressed, and he sighed in relief.

After breakfast, Wyatt and Mom drove to the town market. They almost filled two carts of food and supplies. They passed the electronics store, but it was closed, and they returned to the ranch. They put away the groceries and supplies, then changed and went to the stables. Smokey and Sandy were glad to see them, and they saddled the horses. Smokey took off and ran, working off his built-up energy. When he slowed down, they returned to meet Mom and Sandy.

Mom took Wyatt on a tour of the ranch. It was 250 acres, with plenty of trees, and had a hillside along the north border of the ranch. Returning to the stables, they cared for the horses and returned to the house. While eating lunch, Wyatt asked what they do with their clothes and valuables when moving. Mom said they would rent a U-Haul trailer and drive to Colorado with them. The movers will take everything else and store it in Colorado Springs. We won’t need most of it, and eventually sell what we can’t use.

Wyatt asked when they were leaving, and Mom said Thursday or Friday. We’ll spend the weekend packing your Dad’s things and what we’re bringing here. Then we’ll arrange for a mover to pack everything else and set up a realtor to sell the house. Then we’ll get the U-Haul trailer and leave at the end of the week. That way, there’s less of a chance for William to show up as the Senate is in session. Wyatt said Daddy’s going to be pissed, and they laughed.

Mom went to her home office, and Wyatt went to his room to read more textbooks on electrical engineering. He finished the sixth book when his mom called him to dinner. While they ate, Mom told Wyatt that she was getting back into charity work. She and her parents were active in it, but she stepped back when William got elected to the Senate. “So, you’re going to join me,” Wyatt groaned, and Mom laughed. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement early Monday morning and practiced martial arts. He used every boxing bag as a gauntlet, spinning, kicking, and punching. Every bag was swinging when he finished and returned to his room. He showered, noticing the tattoos were visible, dressed, and went to the kitchen. While they ate breakfast, Mom asked Wyatt to help Hank make a run to the feed store.

After breakfast, Wyatt went with Hank to the feed store in town. They loaded the order in the truck and trailer. Wyatt convinced Hank to stop at the electronics store, and he bought the parts and supplies he needed. On the way home, Hank asked what he was working on, and Wyatt said he was building a computer. When they arrived at the ranch, Wyatt helped Hank unload the supplies at the stable and barn. Once everything was put away, Hank asked him to look at his computer.

Wyatt agreed and made adjustments to the start menu and deleted the bloatware. After defragging the computer, Hank was amazed at how well it ran and thanked Wyatt. He said, “No problem,” but if you could put in a good word with Mom to increase his allowance, they laughed. Returning to the house, Mom had lunch ready, and while eating, she asked if he had gotten everything Hank needed done. Wyatt said yes, and Hank recommended that you increase my allowance, and Mom laughed, calling him a liar.

After lunch, Wyatt took his purchases from the electronics store to his room and worked on the new router. There was a Linksys router in the box of computer parts he bought. So, he used it as a template for his project and hoped to double or triple the internet speed. Changes needed to be done to the computer, too, but he’d do that when he built his custom model. Wyatt finished it and was excited to try it, but Mom called him to dinner. It still needs a plastic box to put it in, and they have those at the electronics store, too.

He cleaned up his desk and went to the kitchen. During dinner, Mom said the paperwork for his scholarship enrollment at CU had arrived. So tomorrow morning, we’ll select the courses, go to the university, and get enrolled. Then we’ll pick up your textbooks at the bookstore and have lunch. On the way home, we need to stop by the tailor to get you fitted for two suits. Wyatt groaned, and Mom laughed, saying it won’t be bad. But it will take a few weeks to make them, so we need to get them done. They finished dinner, said good night, and went to bed.

Early the next morning, he went for a run, thinking about all the changes that had happened to him and wondering what was in store. Returning to the house, he showered, seeing the tattoos illuminated as normal, dressed, and then went to the kitchen. They ate breakfast and selected the courses from the brochure. Wyatt chose core classes to avoid drawing undue attention. He’d test out of courses at the end of the semester or the beginning of the next one.

When they arrived at the university administration building, Mom enrolled him in the courses they had selected. Then they went to the bookstore, and he selected the textbooks for his courses and several more. They looked at the CU clothing, and he bought two sweatshirts and a pair of pants. Wyatt showed Mom a pair of girls’ yoga pants, and she said I’m not wearing those laughing. He held up a pair of panties, saying These are cute and Mom said, “ Let’s go giggling.”

The cashier questioned all the textbooks he was purchasing, and Wyatt told her he was in a special program, at which point she completed the sale. Luckily, Mom was looking at the magazine section and didn’t hear their conversation. She had to get several magazines, and they went to a campus café for lunch. Mom said she couldn’t believe what the girls wore today, and Wyatt said they looked fine to him, and they laughed.

After lunch, they went to the tailor, and Anthony, the tailor, welcomed Mom by name. He said it was good to see you again and looked at Wyatt, saying, “My, you’ve grown.” Wyatt said yes in more ways than one, and everyone laughed. Anthony measured Wyatt from head to feet, then they selected the suit material and colors. He recommended making an extra pair of pants unaltered for Wyatt’s growth, and Mom agreed.

On the way home, Wyatt said that it was embarrassing having to tell which side my cock hangs. I wonder why he didn’t ask what my balls preferred, and Mom had to stop the SUV because she was laughing so hard. Wyatt said he was surprised Anthony didn’t measure and weigh, and yelled stop while laughing. When she recovered, they continued home, and Mom said You shouldn’t discuss your privates in respectable company. Wyatt told Mom he wasn’t; she was the one to ask Anthony to make the left side bigger so it wouldn’t print. Mom giggled the rest of the way home.

During dinner, Mom told Wyatt they would leave for home on Thursday morning. Hopefully, they will return by next weekend. Wyatt said he was taking Smokey out for a ride tomorrow morning, and gave him the bad news that they were leaving. Mom laughed, and they finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement gym and practiced martial arts with the gauntlet of boxing bags. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and put his invention and notes in the safe. Then he stacked the computer parts boxes and book boxes in the closet and went to the kitchen. While they ate, Mom said she would be busy preparing for their move and lining up a moving company for the house in Maryland.

After breakfast, Wyatt went to the stables, and Smokey and Sandy were happy to see him. He saddled Smokey and let Sandy out of her stall because she wanted to go too. Wyatt mounted Smokey, and they took off, with Sandy following. They took Mom’s favorite trail and returned to the stables. Hank and Mom were there watching them arrive and asked how he had gotten Sandy to follow them without a lead. Wyatt said she wanted to go, so she tagged along, and Mom and Hank laughed.

Hank said he’d never seen anything like that before and left, saying something about a horse whisperer. Mom helped Wyatt care for the horses and went to the house for lunch. While they ate, Wyatt asked what a horse whisperer was. Mom said they are people with a special gift for working with horses. Wyatt asked if that meant he would get a raise in his allowance. Mom laughed and said no, but he could earn money training other horses if he had the talent.

After lunch, Wyatt drove the mule to the hidden cave and entered it. When he reached the hot springs, he stripped, got inside, sat down, and immediately passed out. Something spoke to him, saying You’re different from the previous one, but in the same body. The other one wasn’t receptive to the treatment, but you are, and Wyatt woke up floating. He got out and wondered whether what he had heard was real or just his imagination. But he felt revitalized and dressed, then returned home.

Mom asked where he had gone, and Wyatt told her some Indian squaws had tried to capture him, but he had gotten away, and they laughed. She told him to get cleaned up because dinner was ready. When he returned, they ate, and Mom said they were leaving at 6 a.m. tomorrow. So, pack only the clothes you brought and leave the rest here. Maria agreed to return full-time and will do your laundry. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Early Thursday morning, Wyatt ran for three miles then returned home. He showered, dressed, packed, and took his luggage to the kitchen. Mom met him in the kitchen, and they loaded the SUV. The drive to the airport wasn’t bad at that time in the morning, and they arrived at the gate early. The flight to Maryland took three and a half hours, and they got home around noon. There was a note on the front and kitchen door from Dad. He was pissed Mom changed the locks and the garage door code.

The note said to call him immediately upon arriving home, and he called Mom a bitch. Mom said she would call him when they were on the road to Colorado, and they laughed. After dropping off their luggage, they went to U-Haul, reserved a trailer, and got boxes and tape. On the way home, they stopped at Wendy’s drive-thru for lunch. Returning home, they ate lunch, then packed Dad’s clothes and crap for the storage unit.

When they finished, Mom and Wyatt loaded everything into the SVU and went to a nearby self-storage. Mom rented a 5 x 5 unit and unloaded Dad’s things. On the way home, Mom mailed the key to Dad’s Senate office, along with the location of the storage unit. Upon arriving home, Mom started dinner, and Wyatt unpacked his clothes. He took his dirty clothes to the laundry, and Mom had dinner ready.

During dinner, Wyatt asked Mom about the contents of the garage. She said I forgot about it, and you can go through what’s there tomorrow after finishing packing your things. If you have any questions about what we should take, ask me. The realtor will arrive tomorrow at 1 p.m. If she agrees to supervise the movers on Monday, we’ll leave this weekend. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement gym and practiced martial arts on the heavy bag. He was glad they were moving to Colorado because the gym was better suited for martial arts. Returning to his room, Wyatt showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom arrived, and while they ate breakfast, she said I’m going to the post office to file a change of address. I’ll stop on the way home for trash bags and be home soon.

Mom left, and he went to the garage. There was a craftsman tool chest that he would take, and he found a small safe under the workbench. Wyatt thought for a minute, looked in the toolbox, and found the key. It was Dad’s secret money stash, and there were stacks of cash and gold coins. He locked the safe and carried it to his room. Returning to the garage, he started going through the boxes in the attic. He found Dad’s college boxes, his porn stash, and a photo album.

The photo album had nude pictures of him with girls in various stages of sex. Dad didn’t look very big, so he had inherited the James equipment, and he laughed. Another college box had clothes and costumes. One was a doctor’s outfit with a stethoscope, and that would come in handy for the safe in the hidden room. He had finished bringing the boxes from the attic when Mom arrived home with lunch.

She asked if he had found anything interesting, and he said yes, some Playboys and Penthouse magazines in Dad’s college boxes. But there was a photo album that you should see. Mom told him to bring it to her, and when she looked at it, she said Oh my god, that asshole was cheating on me in college. Wyatt, to lighten the mood, asked if he inherited the James genes because Dad didn’t look that big. Mom laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair.

When mom recovered, she told him to put those things in trash bags, and I’ll keep the photo album. Wyatt left, saying, “I’ve inherited James’ brains and genes,” and Mom was laughing. He finished cleaning out the garage, leaving a pile of trash bags on one side and things to take to Colorado on the other. Returning to the house, Mom said the realtor agreed to supervise the movers and cleaning crew. So, we’ll get the U-Haul trailer tomorrow morning.

Wyatt went to his room, packed his stash and the safe in a box, and put clothes on top. He finished the last box when Mom said dinner was ready. While they ate, she told them to be sure to pack a suitcase for the trip. Plan on three days of travel and pack the rest of your clothes into the boxes. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Early the next morning, he ran four miles, returned, showered, dressed, and put the sweaty clothes in the laundry. Mom arrived and started a load of laundry, then fixed breakfast. After breakfast, they rented the U-Haul trailer and returned home. By the time they were finished, the 12-foot trailer was almost full. Mom took their TVs, stereo, and speakers as they were newer than what was in Colorado. After moving the trash bags to the curb and locking up the house, they left Maryland.

Two and a half days later, they arrived at the ranch and were welcomed by Hank and Maria. After lunch, they unloaded the trailer and beyond their clothes and personal items, everything was unloaded in the barn for now. They returned the trailer to the U-Haul rental center and returned home. They had a few hours until dinner, so they unpacked their boxes in their rooms. Wyatt put his stash items and Dad’s safe in his safe in the closet for now. he’d need to find a bigger stash place later.

While they ate dinner, Dad called irate that his things and clothing were in a self-storage unit. Mom said Well, at least they’re secure. I could have left them at the curb with the trash. He asked about his things in the garage, and Mom said she donated them to a children’s charity. They came with a box truck and cleaned it out. Dad blew a gasket, saying he had important things in the garage, you bitch. Mom told him not to worry. Wyatt found your photo album from college with all the girls you cheated on me with.

He said not that, and Mom said if it was so important, you shouldn’t have left it in the garage. Anyway, it’s gone, so move on like we are, and she said goodbye, then hung up, to Dad yelling. They laughed, and Mom warned Wyatt to expect a visit from Dad. He’ll be pissed enough to do something foolish, so be prepared. Wyatt said not to worry, it’s legal to shoot trespassers here, isn’t it? They laughed, finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement gym and practiced martial arts with various boxing bags, treating them as multiple attackers. He returned to his room covered in sweat, and it felt good to hit something after the long layoff. He showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Maria was there with Mom, cooking breakfast, and they all sat down and ate. Mom asked what he planned to do today, and Wyatt said he planned to go horse riding this morning. Then study this afternoon, not telling her his real plans.

She told him to delay studying until tomorrow because we’re trading in the SUV this afternoon. He asked why, and she said it’s four years old and has Maryland plates. There’s no reason to register it here if I’m trading it in. He reluctantly agreed and went to the stables. Smokey and Sandy were happy to see him. He saddled Smokey and let Sandy out of her stall, then they took off. Wyatt took a longer ride to stretch their legs and returned to the stables.

After caring for the horses, Wyatt cleaned up, changed clothes, and went to the kitchen. They ate lunch, and when they finished, drove to the Lexus dealer in town. Bob the salesman thought he had a whale on the hook until negotiations began. Wyatt read his mind and knew what the dealership’s bottom line was for a fully loaded Lexus RX 330 SUV. He almost cried while printing the sales contract, and Mom had the funds wired. It took an hour to prep the SUV, and they drove home in the vehicle.

Mom complimented Wyatt’s negotiation skills and asked how he knew how far Bob would go. Wyatt said through his facial expressions and actions. Bob should never play poker, and they laughed. He was happy Mom bought his explanation of the sales account. The Lexus was a lot nicer than the GMC and had more power, too. Wyatt said Daddy would love to see your new SUV, and they laughed again.

By the time they got home, it was almost dinner time. Wyatt went to his room, gathered the empty boxes, and took them to the barn. then he took Mom’s there too and returned for dinner. While they ate, Mom said she had ordered an automatic gate opener, which would be installed tomorrow. That will prevent your father or any unwanted visitor from driving on the ranch. They can still hop the fence, but that wouldn’t be good in the eyes of the law, given the no-trespassing signs. They said goodnight after dinner and went to bed.

Chapter 4

Early the next morning, Wyatt ran four miles in the dark and could see fine. It was a great gift and would be an asset if something happened late at night. Returning to the house, he showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. While eating breakfast, Mom said Maria’s family is interested in the furniture from Maryland. So, when it arrives, we’ll meet them at the storage unit. Wyatt asked if Maria had any nieces his age, and she said You’re not getting close to any of them and everyone laughed.

After breakfast, Wyatt returned to his room and connected his router to the cable internet line. It didn’t work, and it took over an hour to fix it. It definitely increased the speed, and he made a new drawing with the changes. Now he had to make several and install them in plastic boxes. It would only work with cable and DSL, and not dial-up. That was going out soon and was already old technology. Wyatt found an internet speed site and checked it. It more than doubled the speed.

Now he had to field test it and then get his design patented. Once he submitted it, he was sure the phone calls would start to buy it. Wyatt left it running and made three more units. All he needed were the plastic boxes, and they needed to be tested too for overheating with the units inside. Mom called him to lunch, so he shut off the computer and went to the kitchen. While they ate, Wyatt asked Maria if she had any pictures of her nieces, and everyone laughed.

Maria said her brother-in-law was a sheriff deputy and would kill him if he came close to them. They are strict Catholics and believe in dating and marrying within their race. Wyatt asked Maria if her brother-in-law was overweight and slow, and everyone laughed again. After lunch, Wyatt drove the mule to the secret cave. Once he reached the hot springs, he stripped, got inside, sat down, and immediately passed out. He heard a voice inside his head tell him to visit at least twice a week.

Wyatt woke up floating in the pool and got out, feeling revitalized. While drying off, he wondered about what he had heard and if it was his imagination. He dressed and decided to follow the instructions and see what happened. He returned to the barn, parked the mule, and went into the house. Mom said the automatic gate was installed and the no trespassing signs were posted. After finishing dinner, they said goodnight and went to bed.

In the middle of the night, Wyatt woke up sensing danger and quickly dressed. He exited the house and walked towards the front gate. He saw Dad climb over the fence and walk towards him with a flashlight. Wyatt stepped to the side and let him pass, then knocked him out. Wyatt picked him up and carried him to the gate. He punched Dad in the ribs and stomach, then kicked him in the balls and threw him over the fence into the bar ditch. He threw his flashlight next to him and returned to bed.

William woke up in a bar ditch, hurting all over, especially his balls. He tried to stand and got dizzy and fell, hitting his head on a boulder, knocking him out again. When he woke up again, William crawled to his rental car and drove to the emergency room. He forgot to put the car in park and turn it off when he exited, and it ran into a post. William turned it off, took the keys, and entered the emergency room. They asked how he got his injuries, and William said he couldn’t remember.

He was taken to an exam room, and his clothes were removed. Besides the injuries to his head, William had severe bruising on his chest and abdomen, and his testicles were badly swollen. He was rushed to X-ray, then to the operating room, where they removed his testicles. William woke up in recovery, and the doctor told him about his injuries. He said you suffered a severe concussion, have three broken ribs, and severe abdominal bruising. Unfortunately, your testicles were so damaged that they had to be removed. William yelled no and tried to get up, but passed out in pain.

Wyatt went to the basement gym early Friday morning and practiced martial arts on the gauntlet of boxing bags. When he finished, Wyatt showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Maria and Mom were there, and while they ate, Mom asked Wyatt to go with Hank to the feed store in town. He agreed to go but asked where the time clock was, and Mom and Martha laughed.

When they arrived at the feed store, Joe, the owner, was having problems with his computer. Wyatt offered to help and solved it in ten minutes. Joe asked what the issue was, and Wyatt told him You have too many programs running at once. I adjusted the start menu so that only the necessary programs start. Then be sure to close out the programs you’re not using. Hank thanked Wyatt and gave them a 15% discount. He persuaded Hank to stop at the electronics store, and Wyatt got what he needed.

Returning to the ranch, he helped Hank unload and put away the supplies. Then he took his purchases to his room and opened a new tool he got. It was called a Dremel with a flexible shaft for intricate work. He also bought an accessory kit with extra tool heads. Wyatt had the ports glued into place in no time. The top of the plastic box had screws holding it in place, but he’d glue it shut once his testing was done. Mom called him to Lunch, so he cleaned up and went downstairs.

During lunch, Mom said the moving company called, and they should arrive on Sunday or Monday. So, we’re going to their storage on Tuesday. There’s one more thing: the hospital called, and William is here in Colorado Springs. He has a concussion, three broken ribs, severe bruising, and they had to remove his testicles. He can’t remember what happened and wants to see us.

Wyatt said you’re lying. Mom, Dad doesn’t give a shit about me. He wants to see you and worm his way back into your life. I’ll bet he’s close to being discharged and needs a place to stay. Mom said, dammit, you’re good and you’re right. He is being discharged tomorrow and wants to stay here and recover. Wyatt told Mom to give him a choice. There’s a stall in the stable next to Smokey, but he’d probably kill him. If he stays in the house, I might sleepwalk and smother him with a pillow.

So, it isn’t safe for him to stay here, and Mom and Maria laughed. Mom said she is going to recommend a rehab facility and pay for it if necessary to keep him away from here. Wyatt said Good idea and you won’t have to worry about him cheating again unless there’s another way he can please a woman. Mom and Maria laughed, and Wyatt said Please tell me and Mom said NO still laughing. When Mom recovered, she said You’re still going with me to keep him in check, and Wyatt groaned.

He returned to his room and read six more electrical engineering textbooks. Then he saw a leather-bound book and opened it. It was written in Japanese, and he somehow knew how to read it. It was an ancient form of martial arts, with drawings detailing the areas of the body to strike. It described areas to hit to stun, disable, paralyze, and kill an attacker. The second part was pressure point areas, from putting someone to sleep to killing them by stopping their heart. It described the timeline during which the pressure could permanently disable the person. The memory pressure area interested him as well, as did the idea of temporarily paralyzing a person.

Wyatt memorized the areas and put the book in the safe for safekeeping. Mom called that dinner was ready, so he went to the kitchen. While they ate, she said We’ll go to the hospital after breakfast tomorrow. Our visit won’t be long, but I’ll talk to the nursing staff and set up a rehab facility for William before visiting him. That way, it will kill any argument he has for staying at the ranch. Wyatt said one thing we may have overlooked is that his girlfriend dumped him for being a broke dick, and they laughed. After dinner, they said goodnight and went to bed.

After breakfast, Saturday morning, they drove to the hospital and went to the fourth floor, where Dad’s room was located. Mom talked to the nursing staff and said she was unable to have William recover at her home. She asked for a rehab facility referral, and they set up William to recover at Orchard Extended Care and Rehabilitation. It was covered under his Senate health insurance plan, so Mom didn’t have to pay anything. Then they entered his room and laughed, seeing his legs elevated and spread.

Dad also had two black eyes, and his nose was twice its normal size. Wyatt said How are you feeling, Daddy? You look like shit, but I hear they say you’ll make a full recovery. Mom and I have an important meeting, so take care, and we’ll see you later. Dad said Wait, what about rehabbing at the ranch. Mom told him she arranged for him to rehab at a professional facility with qualified therapists. It will allow you to recover more quickly and access any support you might need.

Dad said, but I wanted to rehab at the ranch, and Wyatt said, unfortunately, that isn’t possible. Mom, Smokey, Sandy, and I voted, and you lost. It’s better to rehab at a place where people don’t know what an asshole you are and hope to get better before they find out. Mom said Get well and leave us alone and they left the hospital room. Leaving the hospital, Wyatt said he thought that went well, and they laughed.

Mom saw a phone store leaving the hospital and stopped. They went inside, and Mom upgraded hers to a Samsung and got Wyatt the same model. Leaving the store, Wyatt saw a computer store going out of business across the street. He convinced Mom to take a look at what they had, and Wyatt got two motherboards, processors, and three hard drives for 60% off. She asked why he needed all the parts. Wyatt lied and told her he was building a new computer for schoolwork.

On the way home, Mom warned Wyatt not to exceed his phone plan’s minutes, or he would pay an overage charge. Wyatt said you would be calling me more than anyone else would, so keep it to a minimum, or I’ll charge you, and they laughed. When they arrived home, Maria had lunch ready, and while they ate, she said William had been calling nonstop every fifteen minutes. He said your mobile phone is turned off. Mom laughed and told Maria she had upgraded her phone and hadn’t turned it on yet.

Then the phone rang, and Mom answered. It was Dad bitching about being placed in a senior care facility. Mom told William to look at it on the bright side. You can campaign for their support while under treatment, and you have plenty of residents to seduce and hung up laughing. Maria and Wyatt joined Mom, laughing at Dad’s predicament. Then the hospital called, and William tried to get out of bed to leave, and pulled his stitches out. He also fell, fracturing his right arm. They informed Mom that he wouldn’t be discharged yet and that he was restrained.

Wyatt begged Mom to visit Dad again so they could have fun, but Mom laughed and said no. He told her, “You’re not fun. We could put on lipstick and makeup and take a picture.” He left Maria and Mom laughing, went to his room, and began building his supercomputer. Wyatt knew he would have to upgrade it every few years to stay ahead of the advances. But he needed serious funds to battle what was coming, and the sad part was it probably wouldn’t work.

He made changes to each circuit board, then installed jumpers connecting them to the other processors. Communication and video ports were altered, and so were the memory banks. The three new hard drives and the three in the computer box were installed. The final task was installing three power supplies and separating the motherboards. Wyatt used thick plastic tubing to elevate them off the floor and separate them. It looked like a science project, but later he’d build a box with fans for cooling.

Wyatt held his breath and turned on the power. Nothing caught fire, so he hooked up a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and connected to the internet. When the C prompt appeared, he got excited and began updating and altering the BIOS. Next, he downloaded the Linux operating system. Wyatt checked the internet speed, and it was almost six times faster than his other pc. He wondered whether the internet provider would notice his usage, and he chose to limit it to avoid problems.

Mom called him to dinner, stalling his work, and he turned everything off and went to the kitchen. While they ate, Mom told him she got an invitation to a charity gala next weekend. It’s a black-tie event, so tomorrow morning we’re going to the tailor. Anthony agreed to rush it and have it ready for the event. Wyatt groaned, and Mom laughed. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Early Sunday morning, Wyatt went for a walk to the gate and prepared to hop over it. The next thing he knew, he was on the other side, wondering how it had happened. Walking down the dirt road, he focused on a point up ahead, and he was there. Wyatt was amazed that he could teleport and kept teleporting farther away. He reached the point where his sight in the dark diminished, and he stopped there. Wyatt was a good distance from home and tried to return to his room.

It worked: he stripped, showered, as the tattoos illuminated, dressed, and went to the kitchen. Mom was cooking breakfast by herself as it was Maria’s day off. Wyatt asked how long their shopping trip would be, and she laughed and said Not long. We’re going to the tailor, then to the market, and return home. He asked if she minded putting that in writing, and they laughed.

After breakfast, they went to the tailor, and Anthony measured Wyatt for a tux. He and Mom picked out the fabric, colors, and design from a catalog. Anthony told Mom she had an excellent eye for style and color and said we should return Thursday afternoon for the final fitting. Before we could leave the mall, we stopped for shoes for him and her. Then Mom saw a purse, and it was lunchtime when they left. Wyatt said, “Oh, Mrs. Jenni, you have such an eye for style,” waving his hand like Anthony, and they laughed.

They stopped for lunch at Carls Jr., and Wyatt read the minds of the people around them. Two young men were watching them, thinking they were an easy mark for a robbery. When they finished, Mom and Wyatt exited the restaurant and went to the Lexus with the men following. One pulled out a knife and demanded Mom’s jewelry and purse. Wyatt dropped and leg-swept the knife holder. As he fell, Wyatt kicked the other attacker in the balls, then knocked him out.

The knife-holding thug attempted to get up, and Wyatt kicked him in the balls, then his jaw. He fell lifelessly to the ground, and Wyatt told Mom, “ Let’s get out of here. They left quickly, and Mom said my god, you disabled them before I knew what was happening. Wyatt said it was nothing, ma’am, and you call me Bond, James Bond, at your service, and they laughed. Wyatt said he had kicked them harder than necessary, but that was for Anthony feeling my junk.

It was lucky they were parked at the market because Mom laughed hard. When she recovered, they went into the market and got food and supplies for the week. Returning to the house, they put the groceries away, and Mom asked what would happen to the young men. Wyatt said he didn’t know, but they would be talking a few octaves higher, and Mom giggled.

Wyatt went to his room and powered up his new computer. He began reprogramming the Linux operating system. He spent several hours making changes and finished when Mom called him to dinner. While they ate, Mom asked what he had planned for tomorrow, and he said it was booked with important tasks and meetings. Mom laughed and asked what they were, and Wyatt said That’s classified. But one thing I can discuss is that my assistant forgot to return the books to the library.

Mom laughed again and said So now I’m your assistant. Wyatt said yes and so much more. You’re my driver, meal planner, and scheduler, to name a few. I can’t be bothered with mundane details; that’s your job, too, and they laughed. They finished dinner, said goodnight, and went to bed.

Wyatt went to the basement early Monday morning and practiced martial arts on the boxing bags. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen. While eating breakfast, Mom reminded him that they were meeting Maria’s family at the storage tomorrow. Wyatt said, “Right, please update my appointment book,” and left them laughing, then went to the stables.

Smokey and Sandy were happy to see him, and Wyatt saddled Smokey and let Sandy out of her stall. He got on Smokey, and they took off for their ride. They went to the southern end of the ranch and checked out the fence line. Wyatt saw a break and ATV tracks, so they followed them to the trees and found a deer feeder. Not too far away was a hunter’s perch, and they returned to the stables. While caring for the horses, Wyatt reported what he found to Hank.

He said those dam hunters do that shit every year. There are plenty of deer leases available, but they try to use the ranch for free to save money. He said I’ll take care of the fence, and we’ll take down the feeder and perch tomorrow after your appointment with Maria’s clan and left laughing. He cleaned up and went to the kitchen for lunch. Maria and Mom had the food ready, and while they ate, Wyatt said he needed to renegotiate his contract.