Chapter 2

"Quick, in his state, anything could happen." Hannibal said as they ran to the van and jumped in. Moments later BA was in pursuit for their upset kid only by the time thy got on the road there was no sign of the corvette.

"Never fear Colonel, we can always track him through the tracking device in his ID bracelet." Murdock said brightly as he looked at BA.

"No we can't, there is a loose circuit in the receiver and I haven't had a chance to fix it yet."

"Does anyone have any idea where he might have gone?"

"Facey has a place in the foothills the San Gabriel Mountains that he likes to go to think. Maybe that is where he's headed now. I don't know exactly where it is but at least we have a direction to head."

Murdock was right about where Face was headed. He liked the place…it had trees and a few rock formations that he liked to sit on and watch the sunset, he wasn't usually awake to see the sunrise. He found the peaceful atmosphere relaxing and knew that he could think over all he had endured in the last hour without interruption…or so he thought. By the time he arrived he had stop crying and parked in the stand of trees before exiting the car and heading towards the rock formation to sit. He had only been there a few minutes when he heard the sound of motors and looked up to see two jeeps heading in his direction. It wasn't until he took another look that he realized that they were coming for him but were chasing a boy. The kid looked about his age and was running as fast as he could. Face reacted at once and ran to his car and starting it up headed for the boy getting there only minutes ahead of the jeeps. He pulled up and yelled, "Jump in," and was speeding away even before the boy had a chance to close the door.

It was touch and go for several miles until Face hit the black top and soon left the jeeps in the distance. They had no chance in catching his corvette. "What's your name?"

"Billy."

"My family and friends call me Face." Face introduced himself.

"Who were those guys after you?"

"Brothers from the Children of Love compound further up in the mountains. I escaped. Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to my father and brothers, we will help you. Just rest until I get us home."

Face was so relieved the see the familiar black with red stripe van coming towards him. He pulled to the side of the road to wait for them. "Hannibal he needs our help," pointing to his passenger. "He's being pursued by men in brown robes."

"Follow us," Hannibal shouted as BA pulled out and headed home. Face stayed on his tail all the way home.

As soon as Face had pulled up Hannibal was at his door peering in. "What's this about Face?"

"I found him running from two jeeps full of the men in brown robes. Billy said that they were Brothers from the Children of Love compound in the San Gabriel Mountains."

"Can you walk Billy?"

"I don't think I can without help. I'm so tired."

BA was quick to pick him up and carry him inside Hannibal's house. He placed him gently on the couch in the family room.

As soon as he set the boy down Mrs. B was there along with Hannibal to check him out. Billy was too exhausted to do much of anything but allow it. They found no immediate signs other than exhaustion and dehydration.

"Mama, he weights next to nothing," BA was quick to add.

"Then we will just have to fix him something to eat. When was the last time you ate, son?"

"Yesterday at noon and then it was only a thin bowl of oatmeal."

"Why?

"They were punishing me. They were trying to break my spirit and the other methods hadn't work…. like beatings."

"Why would they want to break your spirit, Billy?" Face asked as he handed Billy a glass of water.

Billy waited until after he had drunk his fill to reply. "They want slaves that will cause them no trouble and do as they are told…I would fight them so they thought that starvation would change that."

"SLAVES!"

"Tell us about this place you escaped from. How did you end up there? And are there others still there?"

"I had a fight with my step father, my mother died earlier this year. I knew he didn't want me so I was running away. I happened upon a group of people talking to young people in an abandoned parking lot and stopped to listen. They talked of a place where we would be treated well and be loved. They called this place the 'Children of Love' compound and it was located in the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains. They even had a picture of it…it was beautiful, it looked like what I imagined a summer camp in the mountains to look like. So, four of us in that parking lot agreed to come with them. We left in a Jeep Cherokee and were served sandwiches and soft drinks for the journey. They spoke lovingly to us and invited us to take a nap since the journey would be long. I fell asleep a few minutes later but when I awoke we were not at the beautiful camp but at a fence enclosed compound that reminded me of the TV series Hogan's Heroes. It was bleak with its wooden barracks and shower room. There was a place to eat and a whipping post in the middle of the yard. I had agreed to come to Hell and there was nothing I could do about it. I don't know the actual location of the compound only that it is the mountains. There were about ten kids working when we arrived. They were working in a garden, or raking the gravels around the barracks or just running around the compound with a man with a whip urging them on."

"Hannibal we have got to do something."

"I agree Face but first we have to find them."

"Billy what are the ages of the kids, do you know?"

"I would say that they are somewhere between the ages of twelve and fifteen, and they are all boys….no girls!"

"Do you know who is in charge?"

Billy shuddered before answering. "Brother Thomas, is what he told us to call him. He seemed so caring when he was lying to us in that parking lot but we found out that there is nothing loving about him. He likes to inflict pain and fear.

His guards are dressed like monks. They wear brown robes while carrying rifles and revolvers."

"That's enough questioning for now…this youngster is going to have something to eat, then a bath and bed." Mrs. B had returned. "Face go and get a pair of your pajamas for this youngster to wear and leave them on the guest bed." She added, knowing she would be obeyed.

Billy was helped to the kitchen table to have the first real meal that he hadn't had in some time.

When Face rejoined his family they were discussing what they should do. "First we need to discover where this compound is located. Face in what direction was Billy coming from when you discovered him?"

"In a northeast direction, but he might have changed directions several time in his haste to flee. The terrain is rough further up with hills and valleys and rocks."

"They told Billy that their compound was located in the San Gabriel Mountains, and that is located in the direction he was coming so that is where we will begin our search."

"But Hannibal that is a large area to search and while we are searching those kids could be sold and be gone by the time we find them."

"You have a suggestion Face?"

"Yes, let me go undercover. I'm the right age and if Billy can tell us where he got pick up from I'll go with them. I'll be wearing my ID bracelet and you can track me and then rescue the kids."

"No…I will not put you in that situation. What if something goes wrong and we aren't able to get to you in time…then they could sell you. No I finally got the son I always wanted, I won't sacrifice you to the case. We will find a better plan. Murdock can go up is his chopper and survey the countryside…it might not be as quick as you like but it will be quicker than in the jeep."

"But Hannibal…"

"I said no Lieutenant and that is an order."

"Yes, sir," Face replied in anger and walked away.

Murdock waited until Face was out of earshot to say, "You know if Face was older you would have approved the suggestion. He looks so young now that even at twenty-one I bet he could pass as a young teen."

"But he isn't older and I won't put our kid is a situation that might prove to be more than he can handle. You realize what type of slavery those boys are most likely heading into."

BA nodded, "All too well, one that we fought to keep him out of in Vietnam. Charlie would have taken great delight in inflicting that type of torture and anguish on Face. I don't know if he would have survived."

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