Chapter 5

Face hadn't taken but a few steps before he was engulfed in a big hug. "Are you okay, son?

"Yeah, pretty much so. I told you this was a good plan and that I could do it."

"We will discuss it after we get you home."

"Facey…you're okay." Murdock pulled the boy into a hug only to have him yanked away by BA who looked him over.

"You're not hurt?"

"No!" lied Face. He didn't want to admit that this experience had scared him or that he had an injury to his thigh. He was safe now, he could handle the rest. "I'm tired and just want to go home."

"Sheriff do you need us?"

"I just have a question for Face. Can you identify the man in charge?"

"Yes, he is the one dressed in black cuffed in that building." Face pointed to the building he had just left. "On the floor next to him you will find one of the buyers, a Mr. Michaels, who has several kids enslaved in his home. The Brother John is also cuffed. Oh, Brother Thomas is going to need medical assistance immediately."

Everybody looked at Face. "Special Forces training comes in handy when you are in a tight spot."

Face was asleep before their four-wheel drive vehicle headed home. The emotional case exhausted him more than he thought possible. He had come face to face with something he was not prepared for and had to fight to keep his virtue intact. He had injured one man severely and had been injured himself in the process. He was emotionally exhausted and embarrassed what he had allowed to almost happen…something that he wasn't prepared to share with his family. He was okay, he had survived and in his mind that was all that counted.

"Why does he always look so innocent when he sleeps?" Murdock remarked.

"And young…he looks to be around ten. Are we sure that he is fifteen? He fooled us once, you know."

Hannibal smiled at the remarks. "He is fifteen, thank goodness. Can you imagine how much trouble he could get in if he was ten. Let's just be happy that we have him with us again safe and sound."

"He won't be once Mama gets ahold of him. I remember the time I ran away from home and was away for only an hour. I was ten and when I got home Mama held me tightly and kissed me before wearing me out. I couldn't sit comfortably for the remainder of the day. She spanked me because I scared her. She knew the dangers away from her watchful eye. I thought she was just overprotective but she was right. I almost got mugged that day and was glad to be back safe with my mom even if I had to endure her spanking…I knew I was loved and that she cared enough to punish me when I was wrong."

The first thing Face did after arriving home was to get into the shower. He wanted nothing more than to scrub off the memories of being touched so intimately by both Brother Thomas and Mr. Michaels. In his haste he by passed Mrs. B and her open arms and hurried to his room and bathroom. He barely heard Hannibal's explanation of his needing to use the bathroom first.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed Face began to strip out of his clothes and turned on the shower adjusting the temperature to warm as he stepped in. Once in he changed the temperature to become hotter. He then removed the now sodden shirttail strip from around this thigh and threw it on the bathroom floor and began to wash himself.

While he soaped himself several times on the areas where he had been touched he only lightly soaped the area where the whip had caught him. He was too focused on those private areas to worry about anything else. He only got out when he felt the water begin to cool. He quickly dried off and hastily bandaged his thigh. He opened the door and saw his father waiting. "Hannibal can you hand me a pair of pajamas, please...the pair on the end of the bed."

"Sure kid and when you are dressed come to the kitchen for supper."

Hannibal handed the pajamas over and left his son to get dressed.

When Face appeared he was definitely cleaner but tiredness was still evident in his face and eyes. Mrs. B engulfed him in an all comforting hug before pushing him into his place at the table. "I'll bring you something to eat and then you can hit the sack."

"So it's over?" Billy asked as he sat down next to Face.

"Yep, they won't be bothering anyone ever again."

"Not only is the compound closed and the Brothers captured we also got the buyers and the records Brother Thomas kept on who bought who and where they can be located. The Sheriff assures me that all of the boys will be recovered and those with caring families will be returned to them. I also have some news for you. Your grandparents have been searching for you, so you will be going home with them.

Billy's face lit up. "Thank you so much…they are my mom's parents. I was hoping that they would want me, but when they didn't come forward after Mom's death I thought I was stuck with my step dad."

"The Sheriff talked with them and found out that they have been battling with your step dad about getting custody of you. They won but only after you disappeared. They will be by tomorrow to pick you up. Congratulations, kid."

"Oh, thank you so much Mr. Smith. This is a dream come true."

Mrs. B chose that moment to reappear with two bowls of her soup along with a glass of milk for them both. Face didn't realize how hungry he was until he swallowed his first spoonful of soup and then he couldn't stop until eating until he had finished.

"Why don't you finish your milk after you get into bed, son?" Hannibal suggested as he steered the boy towards his room and ultimately his bed. "Now drink your milk and go to sleep."

Face took a couple of swallows before slumping down asleep. Hannibal had drugged his milk to guarantee that he would get a good night's rest. "I wanted to be sure that he was well rested for running my obstacle course in the morning. I figured that running it in a full pack until he drops should be punishment enough for disobeying a direct order."

"And when he is finished with the course Mom will explain why he shouldn't disobey his father."

"Poor Facey, he will only want to sit and rest after running the course and after Mrs. B finishes with him even sitting comfortably won't be an option. I sure hope he learns from this lesson. It is never wise to disobey the Colonel and his direct orders."

"Or do disobey his father's wishes."

It was bright and early Thursday morning when Face was awakened with a "MOVE IT, LIEUTENANT" shouted in his ear. He jumped up at attention without even waking completely. When he was able to open his eyes he saw his father in full Commander mode.

"I want you dressed and in the kitchen in fifteen minutes, Lieutenant or you will be running laps after your time with the obstacle course."

"Yes, sir!" Face saluted. He watched his father return his salute before leaving the boy to get dressed. It wasn't until Hannibal had left that his words penetrated his head. "Oh, no…not the obstacle course... not now," he groaned as he started to get dressed. He made it to the kitchen with a minute to spare.

"Permission to speak, sir!"

"Permission granted. What do you want Lieutenant?"

"Can I have breakfast before I tackle the course, sir?"

"But of course, Lieutenant. I can't have you running your best on an empty stomach. You have fifteen minutes and then I expect you on the course with full pack."

"Yes, sir!" Face responded as he watched his father leave. Only then did he sit down and tackle the plate of scrambled eggs and bacon at his place. He watched as Murdock placed a glass of milk in front of him, as well.

"Is he going to stay in commander mode for the whole day?"

"I don't know Facey. He didn't take it well when you disobeyed a direct order and followed your plan for the take down of the Children of Love compound by going undercover."

"But it was a good plan HM, and it worked."

"I know kid, but you put yourself in danger and that didn't go over well with the Colonel."

Face looked at the clock as he took his last swallow. "I got to go or I'll be running laps, too."

Murdock got up and accompanied his little brother to the obstacle course. "The Colonel asked me to keep watch as you ran the course…let's get going, kid. Your pack is waiting."

Face groaned as he saw the condition of the course. The mud was everywhere. "Hannibal must have gotten up early to hose down everything."

Face was doing pretty good with the course until the heavy pack caused him to lose his grip on the bar and he fell in the mud underneath and according to Hannibal's rules, if you fell you had to start over from the beginning. Face fell two more times before he was able to complete it…. but his time was way off.

"Lieutenant…. you are late. You should have completed this in thirty minutes. It took you an hour. Do it again until you can get your time down to fifteen minutes!"

"Yes, sir!"

Face tried time and time again but he never did get his time down to fifteen minutes. After the fifth try he collapsed in the middle of the biggest mud puddle and just laid there trying to catch his breath. BA took pity on him and helped him up. He had replaced Murdock in watching Face run the course.