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Sins of the Father By Julie O Edited By Robert Arnold (List of Characters is located at the end of the story) Chapter 1 "Yes, It is a fact...that bastard... waiting to be executed by California is a monster...he may have even been the one who got my mother pregnant...but he's not my father," stated Aaron McCormick. The crime reporter, Marlon Bramberger listened intently as he taped the conversation with eighteen-year-old Aaron. Marlon was interviewing Aaron as part of his latest book on the recently convicted serial rapist and murderer Martin Francis McCormick. The conversation was taking place a long distance from where the crimes occurred. Aaron currently lived in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania and Martin's reign of terror ranged from Seattle to San Diego. Over the last fourteen years Martin McCormick had kidnapped, raped, and the killed numerous young college coeds. He was recently found guilty for ten murders. Prosecutors in three states believed he could be responsible for at least twenty more murders. Martin suspected the number could be much higher. Marlon had covered several of the trials including the most recent one where Martin was again convicted and sentenced to death. "Why do you deny that he's your father?" asked Marlon. "That's simple; it's because he wasn't one. He did nothing to raise me, a father does more than just have sex with your mother," replied Aaron bitterly. "He abandoned us when I was around four and I have only vague memories of him." "Tell me more," stated Marlon as he took a sip of coffee. "As you know, my mom met him in college...and I guess they were in love...but according to my grandparents he changed after they got married," replied Aaron. "He began to abuse her...he hit her...and he cheated on her." "Did she tell you this?" asked Marlon. Aaron shook his head. "No, she would never say anything negative about him...I guess she was blinded by love for him. My grandparents said that she often had bruises on her body." Marlon nodded as he took off his glasses and wiped them clean using his tie. "She kept hoping he would come back to her...I guess she always thought he would...even on her death bed," continued Aaron. "He broke her heart. I guess it's a good thing that she never knew what a monster he was." Marlon put on his glasses. He then pulled out a notepad and flipped through it. "She passed away...five years ago, right" he asked. Aaron nodded. "Yes, she died of breast cancer." "And your grandparents raised you after that?" "That's right," replied Aaron. "Did you have any contact with your...with Martin after your mother died?" Aaron shook his head. "No...the bastard didn't show up for her funeral...and he sent a note to the courts saying that he didn't want custody of me. In a way, I blame him for her death...she lost hope when he never contacted her when she was in the hospital." "So you never had any idea of the crimes he was committing?" asked Marlon. A look of disgust that quickly changed to anger appeared on Aaron's face. "Of course not! If I had known what he was doing I would have turned him in immediately," snapped Aaron. "I'm sorry...I should have phrased that question better," apologized Marlon. Aaron nodded. "It's okay...I'm just sick of all the publicity...I wish they'd just stick a needle in his arm and get it over. I mean, why detail the inevitable? The world would be a better place without him and people could start repairing their lives. I mean, I'm horrified by what he did, just like any normal person. But I'm a victim in all this too. I'm the son of a mass murderer! You can't believe the hate mail that people have sent to us. I mean, they think that we had something to do with those vile crimes he committed." Aaron took a drink of water and then lowered his head as if he was about to cry. Marlon leaned over and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. "You okay? Do you want to take a break?" he asked softly. Aaron lifted his head and wiped his eyes. "I'm okay...but thanks for asking," replied Aaron. "Is that why you agreed to do this interview?" asked Marlon. Aaron nodded again. "Exactly...and that I'm doing it for free too. I just want everyone to know the truth...and what a bastard he is." Marlon usually tried to stay detached from the cases he covered, but he felt real sympathy for Aaron. The kid did nothing wrong, yet members of the victims' families had sent him some very horrible hate mail. "I know that I'm his only living son...but does that make me guilty of anything?" asked Aaron softly. "Of course not...and I'm not condoning what they've done...but rage and anger can cause people to do stupid things," said Marlon. "Have you interviewed them yet?" asked Aaron. "Some...I still have several of the families to talk to," admitted Marlon. "Will you tell them what I've said?" asked Aaron. "Sure," he replied. "I know it won't change all their minds...but who knows?" Marlon turned off his tape recorder. "I think I got everything I needed. Thank you, Aaron, I know this wasn't easy," stated Marlon. Aaron nodded. "So who are you interviewing next? My high school teachers?" Marlon smiled back. "Why would you think that?" "I read your last two books...and that's what you did in those," replied Aaron. "It's also the reason why I agreed to talk to you...you're fair." "Thank you...that's the best compliment I've received in a while," replied Marlon as he packed up his things. "You should talk first to my guidance counselor...Ms. Gray...we've talked about this. I also told her that we were going to talk." "I will, thank you," replied Marlon as he stood up. He then extended his hand. Aaron also stood up and they shook hands. "Take care," said Marlon. Aaron just nodded. Chapter 2 Marlon was bothered by what he had learned with his interview with Aaron. It was obvious that the kid was stressed out. He looked ten pounds underweight and had dark circles under his eyes from all the strain of the trial. Aaron was a bright kid, who should be looking forward to college but instead he was burdened with problems that weren't his own doing. No wonder he hated his father, thought Marlon. Marlon parked his silver BMW sedan in the first parking spot he could find and headed inside the Starbucks. Laura Gray had agreed to meet him, but she wouldn't do it on the school grounds. He walked inside and saw a pleasant looking woman in her mid-forties sitting on a couch near the back of the shop. She looked up and waved to him. Marlon walked over to her. "Good afternoon, Mr. Bramberger," she greeted. "You look just like the photo on the back of your last book." He smiled back at her. "I hope that's a compliment," he replied. "Oh, and please call me Marlon." "Okay, I will...and yes, it is...it's a very nice photo," she said with a slight smile. "Ms. Gray, do you want anything before we get started?" he asked. "Chai tea, please," she replied. "And call me Laura." "I'll be right back...Laura," he said. Marlon Bramberger was forty-eight and following fifteen years in law enforcement he became a writer. It wasn't the way he planned his career, but he had been placed on disability following a car crash. The accident left him with a permanent limp and he sometimes had to use a walking stick. He could have stayed on and ridden a desk until retirement, but that wasn't his style. He tried writing fiction, but he quickly found his nitch in non-fiction crime. Over the past years he had one best seller after another. He returned with the drinks and sat down. "Thank you for agreeing to talk to me," he said as he handed her the cup of tea. "I'm doing it for Aaron," she replied. "I can't believe the crap he's putting up with." Marlon took out his small recorder and set it down on the table. "Do you mind if I record our conversation? It helps me to stay accurate." "No, I don't mind at all. " "What can you tell me about Aaron?" he asked. "Considering everything he's been through...he's a really sweet kid," she replied. "I was also his guidance counselor in Middle School." Marlon nodded. "Aaron's an excellent student and has a full scholarship to college. He's also very popular at school," she stated. She then pulled a copy of the school's yearbook out of her bag and opened it to show Marlon how active Aaron was at school. "Track, computer club, intramural volleyball, student government, and several other clubs and charities," noted Marlon. "Can you provide me with a copy of this?" "You can have the entire book...you'll find several other entries for Aaron inside," she said. "He was also involved in several activities outside of school including boxing." "So, do the other students know about his father?" asked Marlon. She nodded. "Yes, they know who his father is...and none of them hold it against him. In fact they've been very protective of him. This isn't a very big town and it's hard to keep secrets. The press hasn't helped as the story of the trial has been all over the news." "Do they know about the hate mail?" asked Marlon. "I doubt they know the extent of it...but yes they know," she replied. "Aaron has shown me some of them. They're absolutely horrible...have you seen them?" Marlon nodded. "If they only knew how he feels about ...that man," she continued. "You said that you were his counselor as far back as middle school; so did you know him when his mother died?" "Yes," she replied as she sipped her tea. "That was so sad...she was a nice person and a loving mother. Aaron came to me often to talk about her illness." "And did he talk about Martin?" She nodded. "Yes...but nothing good." Marlon smiled slightly. "Not surprising...and what about when Martin abandoned him a second time?" "Aaron's biggest fear was that he would have to go and live with his father...he was terrified of the idea. He was ecstatic when the courts gave custody to his grandparents." Marlon drank some of his coffee. "How did Aaron react when he learned that his father was arrested?" "He was horrified....we all were. Martin was always a self-centered and selfish bastard...but I doubt anyone suspected that he was capable of committing those ghastly crimes," she said with disgust. "So you knew Martin too?" "Like I said, this is a small town. I went to school with both Martin and Gina," she replied. "I never really liked him and I was shocked when he married Gina...she was such a sweet innocent girl. I guess she couldn't see his flaws like the rest of us could." "What sort of flaws?" "He knew how to push people's buttons. He instigated a lot of problems that way...he enjoyed it...I think he did it as a power trip." Marlon nodded. "I got that impression when I interviewed him. " "When we were in school that's as far as he went...but when I came back I saw that he was no longer content to abuse people mentally." "Aaron said that his grandparents suspected Martin of abusing her," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did. When I moved back I saw that Gina had changed... and not for the good...I barely recognized her. She used to very outgoing...and he turned her into a shadow of herself. The only time I saw the old Gina was when she was with Aaron. She was a devoted mother." "And you think this was because of Martin?" She nodded. "Yes, he made her quit her job and stay home...again I think it was just a power play. I never saw him physically abuse her...but there were rumors. You might contact the local police...I heard that they were called over to their house a few times." "I will, thanks," he replied as he picked up his recorder and turned it off. "That should do it. Thank you for you time," he said. "I've read your books...I hope this helps Aaron," she said. "That makes two of us," he replied. Chapter 3 Marlon spent the night typing out his notes. Everyone who he spoke to agreed that Aaron McCormick was a nice kid...who happened to have the bad luck of being related to a monster. It was probably a blessing that Martin abandoned the family when Aaron was so young. Marlon talked to the police who confirmed that they had sent over officers over to the McCormick home several times. Martin was also involved in a bar fight three weeks before he left the family. The man he fought had his car torched the day after the fight and Marlon suspected that it had to have been Martin. He didn't hold anything against the local police as it was easy to look at the past and make conclusions. No one could look at Martin's behavior at that time and suspect that he would turn into a serial rapist and killer. Marlon reviewed Martin's career of violence. Martin abandoned his wife and child, moved west and changed careers from office manager to truck driver. Again with hindsight it was easy to see that the new job was just a cover. His new job gave him the mobility and freedom to stalk his victims. At first he seemed content to just sexually assault his victims...but then he became a serial killer. Martin would pick up hitchhikers and then keep them prisoners in his truck. Initially he would immediately rape and kill them, but over time he kept them longer, sometimes for an entire week. He was very careful about disposing of his victim's bodies, but over time he got cocky and began to taunt the police by leaving notes with the bodies. Martin, like many serial killers, seemed to very specific when it came to his victims. He only went after young attractive women; many of them were college students. Even though there was a large investigation underway to catch the" I-5 Killer" it was a routine traffic stop that led to his arrest. The CHP officer who pulled him over for speeding heard a muffled scream from the cab. His latest victim had managed to slip off her gag. Martin surrendered without a fight. When he was questioned, Martin readily admitted to his many crimes and seemed actually proud of them. Marlon thought about the trial and how Martin McCormick not only had shown no remorse at all but when the death sentence was announced he just turned and laughed at the families. He taunted them by saying how enjoyable it had all been. This of course only inflamed the emotions of the families of his victims and a near riot broke out in court. For the families the conviction and death sentence wasn't enough...they wanted personal revenge. When they couldn't strike at Martin they sought out different targets to vent their rage. Unfortunately one of these targets turned out to be Aaron. Chapter 4 Dr. Bryan Gregory took a long drink of vodka as he looked at the photo of his daughter Emily. She would have been a senior in college this year....but that would never happen thanks to that piece of human filth Martin McCormick. Emily had been abducted and abused by Martin for nearly a week. He then killed her and left her battered body in the dumpster of a roadside rest stop north of Los Angeles. Unlike some of the other victims, Emily wasn't hitchhiking when Martin abducted her. She was with her boyfriend Jon Long. Jon's car had broken down and Martin stopped and offered assistance. Jon was immediately shot and killed. His body was found in his car. Jon's parents were also shattered by the crimes. Jon was their only child and when he died so did their hopes of grandchildren. Bryan had talked to David Long several times since the sentencing of Martin McCormick. While they were pleased that Martin had received the death penalty neither of them thought it was enough. It was David who first came up with the idea of hitting back at Martin and causing him the same sort of pain that he had caused the families of his victims. At first Bryan thought it was all talk, but now David had a plan...and Bryan was seriously considering it. David was a very wealthy man. He ran a very successful international business that imported goods from South and Central America so money would not be a problem. Bryan thought about the plan and the more he contemplated it the more he was in favor of it. Bryan's hobby was studying ancient history and in many of those ancient civilizations the laws made more sense. Just executing Martin McCormick wasn't a sufficient penalty for his crimes. Chapter 5 Marlon sat at his computer and typed up the latest chapters for his book. He was used to working quickly as his publishers wanted his books out while the public was still thinking about the associated crimes. The chapters he dedicated to Aaron came easily as he found that he really liked the kid. The difficult chapters were the ones related to the families of the victims. He wasn't shocked by their attitudes towards Martin McCormick; in fact he would have been shocked if they felt otherwise. In his many books, many of the victims wished that they could be the executor. No, what bothered him was that several of them felt anger and hatred towards Aaron. Marlon asked them about the hate mail, and of course they denied sending it, but they seemed to be pleased to hear that Aaron was being harassed. One of the fathers, David Long, said it was unfair that Martin McCormick's lineage should continue when his own would die out. Marlon looked at his notes and read the statements from David Long. He stated that his wife was devastated that they wouldn't have grandchildren. David fumed that Martin McCormick had a son and that he didn't. He stated that the families of criminals should bear some responsibility for the crimes committed by their family. Marlon asked him if he meant monetary and David shook his head. "Money isn't the answer...no the punishment should be more personal. When Marlon asked to explain all David said was the courts should enforce "an eye for an eye." Chapter 6 It was a week after graduation and Aaron went out for his morning run. He loved the peace and quiet of the early morning and he often saw more rabbits and deer than other people. Aaron was looking forward to the future and college. The hate mail had stopped and he began to think that he could finally put it all behind him. Yes, his...so-called father was still alive...and probably would be for many more years as the appeal system chugged along...but at least now he was old news. Aaron knew that the publicity would start up again when it came time for the execution, but that wouldn't happen for a few years. As he ran his usual route he didn't notice the dark van that was parked on the road ahead of him. Inside sat two men who were waiting for Aaron. "Here he comes," said Sergio to his cousin Juan. Both men had long criminal records ranging from petty crimes to murder. This would be their last criminal act. Once they delivered the teen to their boss they would receive not only a large payoff, but they would also get new identities and citizenship. Neither of them knew why their boss wanted the teen and neither of them cared. Juan nodded as he crouched by the sliding door of the van. This was their third attempt to abduct the teen. The two previous times they had to abort the abduction due to a passing car. Today looked different as the roads were clear. All they had to do was grab the kid and drive to the meeting spot. Aaron continued to run unaware of the impending danger. As he passed the parked van, the door opened and a man jumped out and grabbed him. Before Aaron could yell a needle was jabbed into his arm and he blacked out. "Got him," let's get out of here," shouted Juan. Sergio started the engine and headed to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Chapter 7 Aaron slowly came to and tried to sit up. He felt as if he had been asleep for a long time. "Don't bother, you're tied down," said a man. Aaron turned his head in the direction of the voice, but found that he was also blindfolded. "What do you want with me?" asked Aaron. "Your father caused us a lot of pain...this is our payback," stated the man. Aaron gasped. "I had nothing to do with that." "No, but you're his only child. I wonder if he'll feel the pain that we felt," continued the man. "You must be joking...he abandoned us...I haven't seen him since I was four," stated Aaron with bitterness. "Doesn't matter...when we're done with you his lineage dies out," said the man. Aaron's fear shifted to rage. "Then get it over with and kill me...but remember you're just as fucked up as he is!" he shouted. The man laughed. "We're not going to kill you...no we have something else in mind. Your father seemed to like young women...and by the time we're done with you....you'll fit the profile of one of his many victims," said the man. Aaron began to struggle to get free of his bonds. "Let me go you sick fuck!" screamed Aaron. "I'm sure my child begged to be let go too. Now, you'll be with us for several months as we change you in a very pretty young woman...and then we will let you go. Don't worry, we won't kill you, but you may wish we did. By the time we're done with you... you might attract the same sort of monster that took our children," said the man. "Of course, you'll still see yourself as a man...even more of a punishment." "I didn't do anything wrong!" cried Aaron. "Neither did our children!" shouted the man. "Now, it's time to start your transformation...I think we'll start with your face...sweet dreams." Aaron felt the sharp pain in his arm. He continued to struggle, but he felt tired and without another word he passed out. "Was that necessary?" asked Bryan. David nodded. "I'm sorry, but it felt good. Do you need anything?" Bryan shook his head. Thanks to David's money he had a complete operating facility along with a trained staff. "Aren't you worried that my assistants will talk?" asked Bryan. David shook his head. "No, they're all getting the same deal I gave to the kidnappers; money and citizenship papers." David didn't see any reason to tell Bryan that the kidnappers were already dead and their bodies dumped in a side street of Tijuana. The police would just treat it as another drug related murder. David couldn't risk either of the men to go free. "Okay," said Bryan. "It's time to get started." Chapter 8 Aaron slowly came to and was surprised that he was no longer blindfolded. He was still tied down in what appeared to be a hospital bed. While he couldn't free his hands, he could tell that his face was heavily bandaged. He cringed as he wondered what he would now look like. A nurse came in to check in on his condition. Aaron opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. The nurse smiled and picked up a phone and he realized she was speaking Spanish. A man walked in a few minutes later. He was wearing a mask that covered his entire face. "Good, you're awake," he said. "And I heard that you've discovered that you cannot speak. That is only temporary. I had to paralyze your vocal cords during the surgery...but don't worry you'll regain the power of speech in a week or so. Of course you'll sound very different." Aaron stared at the man with hatred. He also realized that this wasn't the same man who had talked to him earlier. "Now, I suppose you wonder what I did to your face. I softened and feminized the lines of your face, gave you a smaller nose, lip and cheek implants. Additionally you were given the first of several laser treatments to remove your face and body hair," stated the man. "I'm convinced that you'll look very attractive...and of course very feminine." Aaron felt like screaming and all he could do was glare back...and then he flipped the man the bird with both hands. "That wasn't very lady-like," said the man with a slight laugh. "We'll give you a few days to recover before the next round of surgery. Next, I plan on give you a very nice set of breasts and also removing several ribs to shrink your waist." Aaron felt a tear roll down his face. The man laughed. "You know, I wasn't sure that this was a good idea until now. I can't wait until we give your father's lawyer a video of what we've done to you." Aaron shook his head knowing that "his father" wouldn't care one way or another. Chapter 9 Marlon was at his desk working on his book when the phone rang. "Hello," he greeted while he continued to type. "Marlon, this is Randal," said the man on the other end. Randal Bullock was Marlon's lawyer. "What's up?" asked Marlon. "Apparently you haven't heard the latest on the McCormick case," said Randal. Marlon stopped typing. When he got into the meat of writing one of his books he usually cut himself off from anything that might distract him, including television, radio, and the internet. "No, what happened?" "Aaron McCormick is missing. His grandparents filed a missing persons report on him," said Randal. "And?" "There's no sign of the kid. He went out for a run last week and no one has seen him since. I would have let you know sooner, but I just heard about it." "Shit," replied Marlon. "Do you think it's related to the case?" "He was getting threatening mail. Do you have a point of contact?" Randal gave him the phone number of the local police department. "Thanks," replied Marlon. He immediately hung up and called the police. Chapter 10 Aaron stared down at his chest. Even though it was heavily bandaged he could tell that the surgery had been successful. Even though he was sedated, he felt the discomfort from the surgery. His sides also hurt and he wondered what he would look like. The only good thing was that the staff was very attentive to his needs. He wondered why none of them spoke English. Maybe he was out of the country? The masked doctor came in several times to check on him. "Everything looks great," said the man. "We should be able to do the next phase of your surgery in a few days. It's a rather extensive operation, but don't worry, we've brought in an expert. We don't want you to die on the operating table." Aaron stared at the man and studied him. He wanted to be able to track this monster down when he was released. "Of course, sexual reassignment surgery is a delicate operation," continued the man. Aaron looked at the man and thought...some day you're going to pay for this. The man looked at his watch. "I'll be back later." Aaron watched him leave, again noting every detail possible. Once outside the room, Bryan removed the mask. David walked up and greeted him. "How's our patient?" "Angry...but that's to be expected. Physically, he's progressing along without any problems," replied Bryan. David nodded. "Oh, the police are still clueless on what happened to him. They've even talked to that author who's writing the book on the trial." "So what happens after we're done here?" asked Bryan. "We'll drop him...make that 'her' off at a public location along with her medial records. Of course the press and the police will be immediately informed. I want there to be a lot of publicity over this." Bryan ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Is that necessary?" David nodded. "Yes. Just telling Martin McCormick isn't enough. I want the whole world to know. This will send a lesson to all of those sick bastards like McCormick." "I don't know...maybe we're going too far." David shook his head. "Trust me, we're in the right. If the police had done their job and caught McCormick sooner then none of this would be necessary." Bryan nodded. "I suppose you're right." "Don't worry about this place either. I've arranged for it to be dismantled." Bryan smiled. "Good." Chapter 11 Marlon walked out of Aaron's grandparent's home and got into his car. He wished he could have told them something useful. The local police case was going no where. Marlon had talked with the detective in charge of the case and told him about the threats. The detective said that without any solid evidence they couldn't investigate the families. Marlon went back to his hotel and poured himself a glass of Scotch. He was frustrated and angry. He always tried to remain detached from his subjects when he wrote a book; it was the only way he could write an honest report of what happened. But now he was involved. He wasn't sure what had happened to Aaron, but his gut feelings told him that it wasn't good. He finished his first drink and was about to have a second when an idea came to him. He logged onto his computer and found the name and phone number he was looking for. He looked at his watch and decided that it wasn't too late to call. The number rang three times before it was answered. "Diana Bowie speaking, how may I help you?" greeted the woman. "Diana, this is Marlon Bramberger, we met last year at the author's conference in Boston," he said. "Yes, I remember you," she replied. "How're you doing?" "I need your help," he said. Chapter 12 Aaron stared at his new face in the mirror. He couldn't believe his eyes...he really looked like a girl. His face was as that bastard doctor had told him it would look like. To make matters worse, one of the nurses had styled his hair which only made him look more feminine. The doctor told him that there would be one last step to complete his new face...permanent makeup. The bandages had also been removed from his chest. Aaron still couldn't bring himself to touch his breasts. The doctor had kept his word concerning his chest too and had given Aaron a pair of very large breasts. The nurses required that he now wear a bra to provide support and to help with the healing. Aaron was shocked when he read that the bra size was 36-DD. He was still technically a male...but that was temporary as the specialist was due to arrive any day to conduct the latest mutilation of his body. Aaron had asked the doctor how much longer he would kept as a prisoner. "We'll release you a few weeks after the SRS," replied the doctor. "Then you'll be on your own." "I hope you don't expect me to just let this go?" asked Aaron in his new feminine voice. It sounded almost cartoonish as it was so high pitched and squeaky. The doctor has told him that it would gradually sound more normal. The doctor laughed. "What can you do? You don't know who we are...and you don't know where you even are." Aaron didn't reply. "At least you're alive...unlike the victims of your father," continued the doctor. Aaron just glared back. He would track down the people who did this to him and see that they were punished. It wouldn't be revenge...it would be justice...even if it took him his whole life. "Have you given any thought to what you want to be called? I mean, Aaron isn't a fitting name for a lovely young woman like you," continued the doctor. Aaron just shook his head. "Oh, I talked to the doctor who is doing your SRS. They're going to make sure that you have a large enough vagina so that sex won't be a problem." "Fuck you," replied Aaron. The doctor just laughed as he departed. He had to admit that David was right; he was enjoying the abuse he was inflicting on the son of the man who had killed his daughter. Chapter 13 Diana Bowie sat in her office at the University of Pennsylvania and read Marlon's notes; including copies of the hate letters sent to Aaron. As she read, she wrote down notes. She concurred with Marlon that whoever had abducted Aaron was related to one of the victims of Martin McCormick. There was no other logical explanation. In her years as a crime reporter and writer she had learned to discount chance happenings. The hate mail appeared to have come from the same person. She sent copies to her step-father Max Bowie for analysis as she suspected that they all came from the same printer. She also agreed with Marlon that Aaron was still alive. Whoever abducted him had a reason to do so and they were probably waiting for the right time to either release him or to kill him. But so far no demands had been made. Next she went through the list of the victims and their families. She agreed with Marlon that it was likely that the abductors came from one of the families in the cases that Martin McCormick had been convicted. If it was one of the pending cases, that is cases that the authorities were trying to get Martin to provide information in, then a demand would have been made by now. She checked with her connections in all three states and confirmed that no such demands had been made. Diana also contacted the lawyer who was defending Martin. He was well known for taking on cases like this one. He told her that no one had contact him or Martin. He promised to let the authorities know if a demand was made as it had no bearing on his case. She looked at the list of family members. She knew that Marlon had a reputation for attention to detail and she could see that it was well earned. He had built up a very comprehensive database of information on the families. Marlon had deliberately left out his own theories of who might be involved as he didn't want to affect her thought process. However after an hour of reading his notes she had narrowed down the list to four suspects. The reason she picked these four was a combination of their backgrounds, personal wealth and their reactions at the trials. Of course they all could be innocent, but Diana had learned to check out the obvious suspects first. The first was James Van Beck. He was a career marine officer who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. His daughter had been one of the last victims and he had flown home from Iraq to attend her funeral. He had been quoted in the local paper of wanting to personally kill McCormick. The second was David Long, a wealthy businessman out of LA. She read the quotes that David had given Marlon and a chill ran up her spine. She drew a red circle around his name as a primary subject. The third was Dr. Bryan Gregory from Pasadena. His daughter had been engaged to the son of David Long. Diana also drew a circle around his name. The last was Frank Rossi. On the surface he didn't look to be a suspect, but Marlon had uncovered that his family had been heavily involved with the mafia, although Frank had a clean record. After reviewing the data again she picked up the phone and called Marlon. "Well, what do you think?" he asked. "I think you're onto something," she replied. She then listed her top four suspects and her reasons why. "I agree completely," he said. "If I was still a cop I would start an investigation of each of them." "May I ask you why you're so involved?" she asked. "I'm not doing this as part of the book...I just want to help get Aaron back. He's a really good kid and doesn't deserve this." "That's what I thought," she replied. "How can I help?" "I've exhausted my resources and I'm afraid that if I press the families too much I might tip them off," explained Marlon. "I know from your books that you have...access...to other sources." "I can see what I can do," she replied. "As you know, Max Bowie is my stepfather; do I have your permission to talk to him about this?" "Absolutely," replied Marlon. "You can give him my phone number too." "I'll do that. I definitely agree with you that Aaron is in danger," she said. "I just hope we can get him back alive," replied Marlon. "I've contacted the prosecutors who handled Martin's case. I hope that Aaron is alive, but if he isn't I wouldn't be surprised that he shows up in one of the locations were Martin left his victims." "Makes sense," she replied. "Thank you for helping," said Marlon. Chapter 14 Even though he knew it was coming, Aaron was still in shock when the masked doctor told him about the latest operation. "The operation was a total success," he stated with pride. "Actually it was a fairly simple operation...I had no idea that castration was so easy." "I hate you," muttered Aaron. "The specialist was delayed and recommend that we do this," continued the doctor. "Of course it means that you'll have to take hormones the rest of your life." Aaron lowered his head and began to cry. "That's okay...cry your eyes out...girls are allowed to cry," taunted the doctor. Aaron was too emotionally spent to fight back. Bryan walked out of the room and removed the mask. David was waiting for him. "How did he take it?" Bryan smiled back. "She's crying." David nodded. "Good. Did you get it on tape?" "Yes...we can edit this in for the tape we give Martin," said Bryan. "Excellent," replied David. "I only wish that I could be there in person when he sees what we've done to his son and heir." Chapter 15 Max Bowie parked his rental car in the main parking lot for The Agency. He had been granted special permission to use their database to research the suspects in the case of Aaron McCormick. In special cases he was granted permission to conduct research as long as he turned any information he uncovered to the proper authorities. Max was impressed with data collected by Marlon Bramberger. He could tell that Marlon had once been a top rate detective. Once inside, he went directly to the research department and was greeted by The Agency's top researcher, Michelle. "How can we help you?" she asked. "It's a missing person's case," he stated. "The suspects are all family members of the victims of a serial killer." "Which one?" asked Michelle. "Martin McCormick," replied Max. She nodded as she began to type. "We already have a file on that one," she said. Max sat down next to her and watched her work. "Here's the list of our main suspects," said Max. Michelle looked at it. "You can cross Frank Rossi off...he had no ties with the old family business," she said. "Okay, what about the other three?" "The marine would go after Martin himself...but hurting the kid....that seems farfetched. He's a real family man and has even adopted two Iraqi war orphans." Max read the file that she called up. "Okay what about the last two?" Michelle smiled. "I think you might be onto something there. David Long is squeaky clean here in the states...but he has done a lot of business with some less than honest people down south." "Like who?" asked Max. "Suspected ties to criminal cartels and terrorist organizations. He's totally apolitical...he doesn't care who's in charge as long as it doesn't interfere with his business. He pays his employees top dollar and keeps the local governments happy too." "Interesting," said Max. "What about the doctor?" "A top plastic surgeon...mainly works on the rich and very rich in LA," she replied. "Oh, and get this...he specializes in breasts and facelifts." "Not exactly promising as a suspect," said Max. "Yes, but his wife was recently diagnosed with severe depression and substance abuse. He also has cancelled all appointment for the past month," she stated. "Really?" asked Max. "So where is he now?" "His wife is in the Betty Ford Center...according to his office, the good doctor is doing some charity medical work down below the border." Max leaned back in his chair and stretched. "Do we know where?" "No...but I can find out," she replied. Max nodded. "What about David Long?" "He's also down south. His office said that he's on his annual inspection of company sites." "Can we verify if that's what he's doing?" Michelle nodded. "For a price." "White or red?" he asked, knowing Michelle's love of fine wine. "Surprise me," she replied with a grin. "How long will you be in town?" "A few days, Faith and I are visiting some old friends while we're down here." Michelle nodded. "Great, I should have something for you in a day or so. Oh, please tell Faith I loved her last book." Max smiled back. "I will, thanks Michelle." Chapter 16 The next day Max walked into Michelle's office. "David Long made one visit to his office in Baja. None of the others sites have seen him," she said. "Baja," repeated Max. "Also Homeland Security reported that Dr. Bryan Gregory passed through their Otay Mesa crossing the day after Aaron McCormick disappeared. We ran a check of his cell phone and found that he's made many calls from Baja." "Is there a clinic there he might be working at?" asked Max. "There's one...that was organized by David Long," she replied. Max nodded. "Still doesn't prove anything. The two of them could be fishing for all we know." "Do you believe that?" she asked. Max laughed. "I'm getting old but I'm not senile." "What do you want to me to do?" "Does Rich still run missing persons?" he asked. "Of course. He's as stubborn as I am and won't give up his department," she said. "Good, he'll know what to do with the info," he replied. He then reached into his bag and pulled out two bottles of Pinot Noir. "Ooo, these look interesting," said Michelle as she read the labels. "Thank you so much." "You're welcome," he replied. "Thanks for all the help." "We haven't done anything yet...the kid is still missing," she replied. "I know...hopefully we get him back." Chapter 17 Aaron tried to pull back as the nurse came at him with the syringe. "Please...don't," he begged. She ignored him and gave him the injection. The masked doctor walked into the room. "You should be feeling sleepy," he said. Aaron looked up at the doctor. "Please don't do this." "It's too late for that. The good news is that you'll soon be home," said the doctor. "We're almost done with you." Aaron was too upset to reply and without a word he drifted into blackness. Chapter 18 Marlon sent his finished transcript to his editor. He attached a note stating that he reserved the right to make any changes should Aaron McCormick show up. It had been two weeks since Max Bowie briefed him. The good news was that The Agency had opened a case on Aaron. However they had no new information. The general feeling was that Aaron was dead and Marlon began to get a bad feeling that they were right. Usually after he finished a book he would take a long vacation, but this time Marlon didn't feel like celebrating. In his guts he knew that some of the families of Martin McCormick's victims were responsible for the disappearance of Aaron. If they hurt or killed Aaron then it was crime, pure and simple. Marlon didn't believe in vigilante justice as it never resolved anything. An eye for an eye just led to additional crimes. Marlon looked at his watch and determined that it was still too early for a drink. He was about to go the gym when his phone rang. He looked at his phone and saw that it was Aaron's grandparents. "Hello," he greeted. There was silence at first...but he could hear someone breathing hard. "This is Marlon...is everything okay?" he asked. "The police called...Aaron has been returned," said Aaron's grandfather Roger. "How is he?" asked Marlon noting the trepidation in Roger's voice. "They hurt him...I mean they...they changed him...they operated on him...and changed him into a girl," stammered Roger. "What?" asked Marlon. "I know...it's crazy but the kidnappers changed our grandson and turned him into a girl," continued Roger. "Why?" asked Marlon. "Something about hurting that bastard Martin...that they took away his son and killed his bloodline...Damnit to Hell!" "Roger, where is Aaron?" "He's now in a hospital in San Diego. We're trying to book a flight so we can head out there," said Roger. "Can you afford it?" asked Marlon. "I guess so...it doesn't matter we need to be out there," said Roger. "Don't worry about it...I'll pick up the cost. Now tell me the name of the hospital where Aaron has been admitted," said Marlon. Chapter 19 Marlon caught the next flight to San Diego. He called his publisher and had him reserve a car and hotel rooms for both him and for Aaron's grandparents. Next he called Diana. To his surprise she already knew what happened as the abductors had given the press a complete report including videotape of Aaron's transformation. "They also sent a copy to Martin's lawyer and to the prosecuting attorneys," she continued. "Why?" asked Marlon. "They said that the legal system failed and that they took the law into their own hands to punish Martin McCormick in the same manner the families of his victims were hurt. They also wanted Aaron to be humiliated publicly." "Sonofabitch!" cursed Marlon. "My thoughts exactly" she said. "I'm heading out to San Diego as we speak and I've got Aarons' grandparents on a flight. Can you place some calls to see if we can slip them through the airport and to the hospital without the press knowing?" he asked. "I think that can be arranged. Marlon, you know my story...I'd like to help...I have insight into these kinds of things," she said. "Of course," he replied. "You know, I've known you for years and I just thought of you as a great writer and reporter." "I appreciate that, Marlon," she said. "I'll call you as soon as I get to San Diego. I'll text you both flight info." "Thanks," she replied. "See you soon." Chapter 20 Dr. Vasquez read the chart of her newest patient. Thankfully whoever it whoever it was that operated on the youth had provided a detailed medical record of all the procedures. She had no idea who did the surgery or why, all that matter to her was the welfare of her patient. The hospital security was on duty to keep the press away and she had to show her hospital ID badge to be admitted to Aaron's room. She walked into the room and asked the duty nurse Aaron's condition. "She...I mean he's still asleep," she said nervously. "I'm sorry Dr. Vasquez...I don't know how to refer to ...the patient." "It's okay...I'm not sure either...the important thing is that we see to their health," she replied. The nurse nodded as she looked at Aaron. "I can't believe that she was once a male," she commented. Dr. Vasquez had to agree. Whoever did this had taken great detail in the transformation of the youth. In addition to the extensive surgery, they had given the youth permanent makeup on the face. "We just got word that his grandparents will be arriving soon," said Dr. Vasquez. "Is the connecting room empty?" The nurse nodded. "Okay, can you have the orderlies set it up for them? I know the grandparents will have a place to stay...but I suspect that they'll want to be here...I would." "I'll get right on it," said the nurse. "Oh, and pass the word, I don't want any violations of our patient's privacy. They will be fired immediately," she said. "I'll tell them," replied the nurse. Dr, Vasquez sat down next to Aaron as she read her charts. Chapter 21 Martin McCormick sat in the interrogation room in shackles. He was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit and tennis shoes. His lawyer told him what had happened to Aaron. "I received a DVD which showed what they did. There was also a photo included," said the lawyer. He then showed the photo to Martin. Martin looked at the photo of the now feminized Aaron and immediately broke out laughing. "They did that to hurt me? What a joke! Don't they know that that kid means nothing to me!" exclaimed Martin who continued to laugh. "Can I see the DVD?" "No, the authorities have taken it to study," said the lawyer. "They certainly did an excellent job on ...my daughter?" stated Martin. "Not bad at all...she's a pretty nice piece of ass." The lawyer just stared back trying to hold back his disgust with his client. "They said they wanted Aaron to look like a girl that you would see as a victim," stated the lawyer. "They also released the DVD to the press." "What's on the DVD?" asked Martin. "They show the step by step changes," replied the lawyer. "Sounds kinky...I want to see it," stated Martin. "Do some of that lawyer shit and get me a copy." His lawyer felt ill, but he just nodded. "I'll see what I can do." "Oh, I want to release a statement to the press. Tell them that these so- called vigilantes are idiots and that they wasted their time and money. The kid means nothing to me...and changing him into a bitch...while interesting...was a stupid act of defiance. Instead of making me upset, I will get a great deal of pleasure as soon I hear that they are arrested. Maybe they'll be sent here!" "I'll see what I can do," said the lawyer. "You do that," said Martin. He then began to laugh again. "Oh, this is the best joke I've heard in weeks." Chapter 22 Marlon arrived at the hospital with Aaron's grandparents. As expected there was a media circus around the hospital, but the police were able to whisk them in through the delivery gate. Once inside the hospital they were escorted up to Aaron's room. Marlon was pleased to see that there was adequate security to prevent the press and others from bothering Aaron. Dr. Vasquez greeted them outside and escorted them into the room next to Aaron. "Your grandchild is presently asleep," she explained. "No, that's not quite true, we had to sedate Aaron." "Why?" asked Gloria. "Aaron was hysterical when they brought ...brought him in here," she replied. "We felt it was best to calm...to help Aaron accept what had happened." Roger slipped his arm around his wife. "Aaron saw the press as the ambulance brought...her...I mean him here. They had been notified by whoever did this," she continued. "We understand doctor. Can we go in with Aaron?" asked Roger. "Absolutely," replied Dr. Vasquez. "I just wanted to prepare you. First, your grandchild is very healthy. There are no complications from the surgeries. The surgeon... or surgeons that operated on Aaron were very skilled. Additionally whoever did this provided us with a complete medical record of what they did," she explained. "Why would they do that?" asked Gloria, Aaron's grandmother. "I suspect they wanted to show that in spite of what they did they were concerned with Aaron's health," replied Dr. Vasquez. "I noticed that you keep saying grandchild and having difficulty with Aaron's gender," said Roger. Dr. Vasquez sighed. "I know...I'll be honest with you...Aaron looks very feminine...the surgery was very extensive. I've had several transgendered patients and I have always been very careful to use the proper terms regarding their gender. We also know that this was done without Aaron's permission. And we haven't had a chance to ask Aaron yet on which gender we should use." "I understand, thank you Dr. Vasquez," replied Gloria. "Now, can we see Aaron?" "Absolutely," she replied. "Please follow me." Chapter 23 Marlon stayed in the room alone. A few minutes later a large man with short gray hair entered the room. "Marlon Bramberger?" he asked. Marlon nodded. "Diana said you'd be here. Glad to finally meet you, I'm Max Bowie," stated the man as he extended his hand. Marlon smiled as they shook hands. "I'm a fan of your books," said Max. "Well, I'm a fan of your work," replied Marlon. "You're a legend in law enforcement." "I just wish we had found the kid before they did this," replied Max as he sat down. Marlon sat down next to him. "What have you found out?" asked Marlon. "Don't worry...I'm not working on a book...this is personal." "That's fine...but I hope you do write a book on this...so the world will know what monsters they are. The people that did this provided the doctors with a complete medical file on what they did; I guess they didn't want to look bad," stated Max with sarcasm. Marlon nodded. "What can you get from it?" "Whoever wrote it was obviously a skilled doctor. We've turned a copy over to our medical experts. They're studying it and the DVD. They'll also send a doctor out here to examine Aaron." "Do you think they can match procedures used on Aaron to the surgeons?" asked Marlon. Max nodded. "I'm convinced that we'll be able to tie Dr. Gregory to this. He uses some rather unique surgical procedures. We currently have his office under surveillance as we speak. He returned to the US two days ago...as did David Long." "Who are you going after first...the doctor or the businessman?" Max smiled and nodded. "The doctor...I'm sure he'll break quickly and provide us with everything we want...including David Long." "I can't believe that they did this...I mean it won't take much to tie them to it," said Marlon. "They're both rich and smart. I doubt they ever thought that anyone would suspect them," said Max. "After all, they're both fine and upstanding citizens." Marlon nodded in agreement. "I'd love to watch the interrogation of Dr. Gregory." "You can be my guest," said Max. Chapter 24 It wasn't until the next morning that Aaron woke up. At first he thought he was still back in the clinic where he was changed. But when he saw that there were no restraints on his wrists he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around his room and saw his grandparents asleep in chairs next to his bed. The sight of family there brought tears to his eyes. It was obvious that they saw what he now looked like and they stayed anyway...his worst fears hadn't happened. He almost woke them up...but instead he decided to let them sleep. They looked exhausted...and much older. When he thought of the strain his disappearance must have caused them his anger grew. Somehow...someway he would get back at the fiends that had done this. He momentarily closed his eyes and pictured the crowds outside the hospital when the ambulance arrived. There were so many reporters...all there to see him. So, his tormentors had kept their word about making all this public and for what? Aaron knew Martin wouldn't give a crap about what they had done to him. Him? He wasn't a male anymore...thanks to those bastards. But even though he had a female body...and voice...and everything else...in his mind he was still a male. The question was, how would he...or she live out his or her life? Aaron remembered how the masked doctor had said that the procedures used would be almost impossible to reverse. Even with surgery Aaron knew he could never be a complete male again. As much as he hated the idea...like it or not he was now a woman. Yet thanks to those bastards people would know what happened. So, I'm now a...girl, Aaron thought. This wouldn't be easy...and she realized that she would need a new name...those bastards had killed Aaron. It was more than she could take and she began to sob. She buried her head in her hands and wept. She held nothing back and all the pain of the past weeks and months poured out. She then felt someone touch her shoulder and she looked up, it was her grandparents. "Hi," she said weakly. Without a word her grandparents hugged and comforted her. She tried to speak but all she could do was cry. And as she did she heard her grandmother's voice. "Its okay, dear, let it out. And don't worry about a thing, we're here for you." Chapter 25 Bryan watched TV and smiled at all the coverage concerning Aaron's return and transformation. He was on his third glass of Scotch as he watched the latest coverage. David had been right; the press was in a full feeding frenzy over this. He wondered how that monster Martin felt now that his only son was a sexy young woman. As he flipped channels he found what he was looking for; a report on Martin McCormick. He wondered if David was watching the same show and he almost picked up the phone, but he then remembered David's warning against talking to each other. The reporter described an exclusive interview with Martin's lawyer. Bryan smiled and licked his lips in anticipation as the lawyer began to read a statement from Martin. But then as the words sunk in Bryan's mood shifted dramatically; they had failed! That fucking bastard Martin not only wasn't upset...he was openly mocking them for what they had done! Bryan stood up and screamed in rage as he threw his class at the TV. Chapter 26 "I'm not surprised," stated Marlon. "Martin is a pure sociopath and he is genuinely thrilled that someone would seek this sort of revenge against him. He feeds off this sort of thing." Max, Diana, and he had watched the same newscast. They were in a hotel room close to the hospital. "I agree," added Diana. Max just glared at the TV. "I'd like five minutes alone with that psycho." "Take a number, I suspect that the line would be quite long," said Marlon who stood up and stretched. "You should get some sleep," suggested Diana. Marlon nodded. "I just want to hear from Aaron's grandparents." "Marlon, I'm sure they're fine and their being with Aaron is the best medicine," continued Diana. "I know from my own experiences that being with family is vital." "So...how do you think Aaron will do?" he asked. "It will be a long and hard journey. I mean, as bad as it was for me, at least I wanted to be female. From what the doctors have told us, it would be very difficult to make Aaron look even remotely male...and even then the change wouldn't be complete." "So, Aaron will probably have to live as a woman," said Marlon. "Yes, and the mental aspects of that will be very difficult...add to that the fact that world knows what happened," she said with her voice tailing off. "I'm so damn sick of this shit happening!" Marlon nodded. He had read Diana's books including the most recent best seller concerning a college student who had been forcibly transformed into a woman. "What about that foundation that you wrote about?" asked Marlon. Diana smiled. "I've already called Dr. Chen at the Farnsworth Foundation. She said that they'll do whatever it takes to help Aaron adjust, assuming that Aaron wants to go there." "What not? From what I read in your last book it sounds like a private school." "It's very nice, but Aaron may not feel like going. When the time is right I will talk to the grandparents and then to Aaron," said Diana. Chapter 27 "So it's been over two months?" asked Aaron. Roger nodded. "I lost all track of time when I was there," she replied. "That's understandable," said Gloria. "It must have been awful for you two," said Aaron. "We were worried...but we always knew that we'd see you again," said Gloria. Aaron nodded. "Um, I suppose that I'm going to need a new name," she said. "There's no rush," said Roger. "Yes and there's no reason to ignore the inevitable either," said Aaron. "I'm not happy about this either...but to call me Aaron now is...well pointless." "So what do you want to be called?" asked Gloria. "I...I don't know. What do you suggest?" she asked. Gloria looked at Roger and then back at Aaron. "Do you want us to name you?" she asked. Aaron nodded. "Why not?" "Roger smiled back. "Okay, but how about this...we come up with a short list and we pick it together?" "I like that idea," said Gloria. Aaron nodded. "Thanks." Chapter 28 Aaron scanned the list of names that his grandparents came up with. There were ten names on the list. She immediately crossed off the two that started with A as she decided that she would go for a clean start. After an hour she had narrowed the list down to two. Gloria looked at the two remaining names and then passed the piece of paper to Roger who nodded. "The trouble is I can't decide between these two," said Aaron. "Why not both? Use one as your middle name," said Gloria. "Of course," said Aaron. "Which one do you like best?" Gloria and Roger both picked the same one. Aaron looked at it and nodded. "Okay, so I guess that I'm now Nicolette Sophia McCormick," she said. "That's kinda long...I guess you can call me Nikki." "Nikki, I'm happy that you picked your mother's middle name to be yours," said Gloria. "Nikki is a nice name," said Roger. Nikki smiled back. "It's a start." Chapter 29 It was later that day when Max was brought into the room by Roger and Gloria. They introduced him to Nikki. "I won't take up too much of your time, Nikki. I just have a few questions for you," said Max. "Are you really trying to catch the people that...did this to me?" asked Nikki. "Yes," replied Max. "I'll do whatever you want," she replied. Max smiled and sat down next to the bed and placed a recorder next to the bed. "Okay, start off by telling me everything you can remember...try doing it in order of the way things happened, like you were telling a story." Nikki began to describe what had happened. Max was impressed with the amount of detail Nikki described. "Excuse me for a second, did you say that the doctor who operated on you actually talked to you?" asked Max. Nikki nodded. "That's right. He wore a mask, but I would know his voice anywhere." Max stood up and pulled out his cell phone. "I need to make a quick call. I will be right back." Ten minutes later Max returned. "Nikki, I just placed a call to our office. They are going to have you do an audio lineup," said Max. "You mean you may have a recording of the doctor?" asked Nikki excitedly. "Maybe," replied Max. "In the meantime, until they get here, please continue with your description." Chapter 30 Two other agents arrived with the recordings. One of the three recordings was from a speech that Bryan had given the previous summer. The other two were of other doctors who were attending the same conference. If Nikki picked Bryan it would be enough for a search warrant and it would allow Max to bring Bryan in for questioning. Nikki listened intently to all three recordings. "Do you want to hear them again?" asked the agent conducting the test. Nikki shook her head. "No, it won't be necessary. It was number two." "Are you sure?" asked the agent. "Absolutely," she replied. "That voice will be in my nightmares the rest of my life." The agent leaned towards the recorder. "Let it be noted that the witness identified tape two. This tape was a recording of a speech given by Dr. Bryan Gregory in Denver Colorado." Max looked at the Federal Prosecutor who was standing next to him. "Well?" "Start up to Pasadena, the search warrant will be approved by the time you get there." Chapter 31 Dr. Bryan Gregory sat nervously in the interrogation room of the Federal Court House in Los Angeles. He was shocked when the agents showed up outside his home and took him into custody. He remembered what David had told him what to do if this happened. David told him that if the authorities questioned him to act calm and not act like he