A VentureRealm Trip Part 1 free porn video

Christmastime for the Finn Family brought shock and awe for all as a simple wedding turned into a triple wedding for the three eldest Finn siblings while also leading to multiple reunions and family expansions. There were more surprises as the various members of the family found love and acceptance among people who needed both. Families saw the young children growing up right before their eyes as the kids took a giant leap toward adulthood while still retaining their youthful exuberance. As Winter passed into Spring, the family was in the midst of baby fever. Four sets of twins were born in short order while another two single births occurred. The surprise of little Deborah Bailey popping out after hiding behind her larger brother Wyatt and keeping her heart rate consistent with her brother's own heart rate gave the whole family cause to celebrate and console the new parents while Michael Finn was grateful that his own son was just a solo birth. The other solo birth was one that was bittersweet for all; little Sylvia Robin Samuels was born to her biological mother Sylvia Roberts and biological father and adoptive mother Rick and Jaimie Samuels. The elder Sylvia handed off her firstborn with tear-filled eyes and a demand that they raise her without ever knowing who her biological mother was. None of the combined Finn/Family would allow her wishes to be broken. All saw it as the most noble gesture anyone could do for a child and a friend. The elder Sylvia was cared for by her fiance, Mitch Gibson, and the Finns as she endured constant looks of disgust for having a child and giving her away to a family deemed as deviants and criminals while also ignoring the truth about her situation. Mitch was a godsend to Sylvia and it was clear to everyone who bothered to look closely, that the couple were great together and madly in love despite Sylvia's past year of struggles. He was her rock and with the Finns now fully entrenched in their hometown, he was what kept her going and had it not been for a stipulation requiring her to live on campus they would have moved in together and left the looks of pity and disgust behind. Mitch coordinated with his parents to give Sylvia the best time possible during her summer internship in his hometown of Bayleston. Sylvia had a room to call her own, would not have to pay for food as the Gibsons would provide it, and had a mother and father figure to help her endure loneliness and be a shoulder to cry on as she dealt with the struggles going on inside her mind. She, in turn, gave them great pleasure in being a mother to another person especially as she was so important to their son and gave Mary Gibson the daughter she wasn't able to have. Mitch kept his summer plans from everyone, especially the Finns. They would be heading west during the same time he was out west and if he told them his intentions, they would cause a stir at insisting on paying for a wedding between him and Sylvia instead of letting the couple do things small and intimate. Their friends would want to go to it and knowing that it would be tough on Sylvia and the other new parents Mitch wisely ensured that few knew about it, especially Rick and Jaimie. As time wore on through the rest of the school year, Mitch was able to help the family plan their week including where to stay, where to eat dinner, and who to trust and who to ignore. Mayor Elaine Oberlin would be tough to ignore as she learned about John Finn's foundation and what he had done for both Sylvia and for the various charities in their hometown without her input while also doing his best to avoid honing in on any good publicity. The same couldn't be said about others, especially those facing tough election that year and wanted to win as many points with people as possible. The plans were set in stone with the Pena branch and the Finn branch going west, while everyone else stayed home to both adjust to the new children being around or finalize plans for weddings among the college- aged teens. John was adamant that they at least try to not marry without the rest of the family, but knew that they wouldn't out of respect to him. He was half joking, it was their own choice and he would be happy that they were being true to themselves even if it meant they defied him and married in Bayleston with Mitch's family and friends there. The Penas were driving west and left four days before the Finns. With three drivers it meant they would have a quick trip, but it was really more about being alone together before Reed Pena started to work full- time at his boss's accounting firm during his gap year- something none of the other college students had done but done due to his beloved Jessie being a year behind him in school. He was great at his job, but he also needed a break from the family at large. The Penas were rarely alone so this was his first chance to relax with his parents, brother, and sister by themselves since joining the family three and a half years before. Willie Pena laid out a special route that gave the kids a chance to enjoy the scenery and different cities on their route. He ensured stops in New York City and Washington before going onward. He was sure that they would get something from it even if the drive took a while to make. He decided to make the most of the time and keep the visits to DC and New York to just quick trips with the kids barely getting to see much and only stopping in DC for lunch. He opted to rent an RV for the trip, giving the kids a chance to stretch their legs and enjoy some entertainment while making switching off driving easier. The RV also made things easier on the kids as they didn't have to beg to stop to go to the bathroom and made helping the still shy Billy Pena able to use the bathroom easier. The RV also meant they could enjoy the drive along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina all the better as they had more chances to take pictures thanks to the ability to walk around while the slower pace would relax the kids more. The drive itself was rewarding as the kids actually enjoyed the scenery and Billy didn't act up as he saw the different geological formations, trees, rivers, and nature in general was very calming. Willie couldn't be prouder of his son; he accepted they weren't in a place to act up in and accepted that he needed to act like a big kid during their trip, even if his siblings were a little cranky at times. They spent the night around the midpoint of the parkway and drove on to Nashville then to Memphis, TN once they had their fill of the Grand Ole Opry and the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Memphis was a nice place to stay for them as they enjoyed the BBQ and blues, with Kylie Pena giggling at the way her parents were singing along to songs as they enjoyed a show at the restaurant they were eating at. Billy didn't fight them over the food, giving them a chance to fully relax as the boy smiled at eating his boneless ribs and side dishes. Willie and Kennedy did take a picture standing at the wall that featured several pictures of Elvis and his entourage from long ago. As the family stopped for gas in Arkansas, they received a huge shock. Reed recognized one of the trucks that was parked in the rear of the truck stop and had to fight a cheer. "Oh dear Lord!" Kennedy groaned while Willie told the kids to stay close and not talk to anyone. Reed was giddy. Kylie told him to stop being a fanboy, but he couldn't help being excited. The infamous man known as Faust, 'the coolest driver there ever was,' was there in the flesh. Inside the diner, Faust noticed the five people checking out his truck. He had a big smirk on his face as he recognized the group despite only meeting them once for a short time, two years before. As the family entered, Reed had to hold himself together as the man was really there and was having a meal and coffee while others kept far away from him. Even the waitress was reluctant to approach his table as the man looked dangerous and instilled fear in all around him simply by his demeanor. Faust gave Kennedy a smirk and joked, "What a coincidence; someone actually worthy of a 'hello' from me, just strolled in." Kennedy rolled her eyes while Willie gave a terse, "We aren't looking for trouble, Faust. We're only stopping for gas and a quick snack before we go on." "Sounds; pleasant." Faust chuckled while Kennedy tried her hardest to not laugh at her husband showing his frustration at the man. Reed was unable to speak while Kylie offered a terse, "Reed, he's just a man. He's not as good as he thinks he is. The others are better. Mom showed me the list of the drivers who worked for the company and some of their typical loads. Trip is the best and the others have cooler backgrounds than him. I think SuJa is much cooler and doesn't make you think he's scary, just crazy for taking crazy loads." Faust laughed out loud at the tween's words and nodded in agreement while Reed was stunned. Faust had to hand it to her, she wasn't impressed with antics or reputation and was right about Trip and SuJa. They were all exceptional drivers who could do the job better than anyone in the country, if not the world, and each had their unique talents which were what made them dangerous to those trying to harm them. Willie was impressed by Kylie's apathy toward the man, but feared for her. Faust just grinned. "It's been a very long time, since I've met a kid who had the guts to tell it like it is, little girl. You're right about Trip, but I'm the best among the others. She's in a class all her own, which is both good and bad. SuJa's good at his job. I'm better." Willie froze to see a coin come out and tumble easily across the back of Faust's fingers then flipped over to Kylie, to be caught by her and taken by Kennedy. The coin was gold and looked hand struck with an ornate letter F on one side. "Never lose that. Only a few have one. It's only for those I like." Faust purred and walked past looking pleased. "Reminds me of my sins; Envy and Lust. They don't hold back either." The whole diner sighed in relief, and the waitress crossed herself, after Faust paid his check and went on his way. They paid no attention to the smile on his face, Kylie had made his day just by being honest and not holding back what she felt was right about someone who was overconfident. The notoriously dangerous driver, Faust, who instilled fear in those who encountered him on the road and even kept well away from him even outside his truck. That girl though, had done the unthinkable and for a man who was so self-assured, it was the highest praise. She earned his respect. That was why she received a gold coin, instead of silver. Gold was a gift of respect, silver was for deals. The final leg of the trip to Bayleston was made with the kids enjoying the city giving way to farms and manufacturing complexes and railroad yards as things looked so different to them compared with the places they had visited before. They took pictures of big Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, and other locomotives on the route and in the rail yards as they drove on. Billy was all smiles as he knew his buddy Nigel Smith Jr would be jealous of seeing them as well as Neil Jones who didn't have a chance actually see the large freight engines in person since moving to Winnisimmet. Bayleston arrived faster than expected with the kids itching to enjoy the amusement park, but needing to be reined in as they had dinner plans with the Finns and would need to do some talking with the Gibsons and likely the park's owner, Queen Tessa, first. Kylie scoffed at her being the queen, not thinking much about royalty especially after hearing stories about some of the princes that had no shot at ever being king yet who believed they were above everyone else and had no real job except to be a royal and live off of the royal family's wealth. Kennedy just sighed and told her firmly, "It's a character she plays in the park. She is called 'Queen Tessa' by everyone out of respect and admiration. She is to Bayleston what your uncle John is to Winnisimmet. She is a great person who takes care of a lot of people in the park and in the town. She understands if you don't like to call her that name, but don't snub her for what others want to call her. To them, she's earned it and continues to everyday." Kylie kept quiet and accepted her admonishment. The Finns were already at the hotel when the Penas entered, giving them big smiles while Willie shook his head and blurted out, "Don't ask." Kennedy gave him a hearty, "He's just upset that our daughter dared to speak out against 'the most dangerous truck driver in the world' and won his respect. The man isn't so bad or dangerous, I guess. He just got the better of Willie again and seems to enjoy pushing the right buttons in people to get the proper response from them he wants." John didn't say anything as the kids were listening in. John simply asked if they enjoyed the trip then looked over what they had taken pictures of and smiled at the slow pace working for the kids. Billy was the best he had ever been and looked happy instead of grumpy, making the week go smoother already. The group settled their bags with the kids splitting up into different rooms with Ella and Cat Finn joining Kylie in one room while Reed and Billy were joined by Logan and JD Finn in another. The elder Finns were jokingly told by Reed to not get any presents that couldn't be packed into a suitcase or mailed home, which led to John and his wife Valerie blushing. Willie shook his head while Kennedy smirked, she had planned some similar antics for Willie now that they were alone at night. There was little said as they walked around town. It was nothing Kennedy and Valerie weren't used to, growing up in similar small towns. John had to fight anxiety at memories of his horrible fleeing from Newhall, MO arising, but the locals were friendly to them especially to the kids. It was strange to them; total strangers nodding, smiling and even greeting them. The streets and walks were clean, save the few recently fallen foliage debris, any alleys they passed had no smells coming from within. The only odd bit they saw, were people meandering around wearing shirts or hats with an "Idle Hands" logo that was emblazoned on them. Out and about they got a surprise as Sylvia was out with a man and woman, but gave the family the indication to keep walking, it wasn't time to meet them yet. She was happy to see them, but it wasn't the place to talk. Kennedy and Valerie smiled as the couple were treating her as family, giving them a clear indication of the couple being Mitch's mother and father especially as the man turned his head and both saw Mitch's face but with graying hair and a mustache. The family walked back to the hotel after familiarizing themselves with the town. Cat and JD looked up at Valerie who was expected to say something about the place but she kept quiet, it wasn't like Newhall and was actually looked like it was moving into the new millennium rather than keeping the past going. The kids asked what the look was about, leading JD to explain, "Mommy used to live in a town like this. It was mean to Jaimie and daddy and Uncle Mark. They didn't like girls like Jaimie and Kylie. Mommy sees that place in this place but it didn't look like it was mean." The kids kept silent, hoping that the week went without incident especially as they now knew what it could be like if they weren't careful. Reed wisely kept silent as he had been told exactly what the town was like by Sylvia and Mitch, with Mitch happy to tout that Queen Tessa had changed things for the better as more and more people met her or were helped by her or saw their businesses pick up thanks to her park drawing in people to the town. She was a driving force for change without trying to force the town to change, she was her true self and others started to be the same way. The kids went to sleep with smiles while the adults enjoyed some quality personal time. John and Valerie were intimate and enjoyed sex without the kids for the first time in years. The two were more than happy to go all out during the week, the twins were old enough now to not need them 24/7 and Ella and Logan were mature enough to leave their parents to have some time for themselves, even if they blushed at the idea of their parents may be having sex. In the morning both couples were aglow while the kids didn't say a word. Valerie had a big smile while Kennedy blushed at seeing the kids looking at them and shaking their heads. The twins wisely kept their mouths shut with Cat not even trying to joke while Logan was focused on the day ahead, one that was going to be meetings and relaxation at the park. The kids ate breakfast then dressed for their meeting with the Gibsons. The couple lived just outside of town, but made for a fun ride as the kids tried hard to keep their excitement in check. Billy was the one who was calmest, giving his parents a big smile as they told him he had become a new man by being so mature and trying to act like his brother and sister instead of a toddler. Les and Mary Gibson greeted the group outside their home and ushered them inside, with the kids not even trying to act up as they saw Sylvia already sitting inside awaiting them. She hugged the six kids tightly and kissed the boys, causing cringes from them while their sisters snickered. Reed offered her a hug and kiss on the cheek, as well as a stern warning that she had better not have stopped meeting with her psychologist or else there would be heck to pay from the others. Sylvia blushed and nodded, with the Gibsons offering a stern, "She has one of us take her and Queen Tessa is told if she doesn't show up, but so far has never missed one, except for illness and even then she had to be told by our doctor to stay home." Sylvia blushed but Mary hugged her to prove a point that she thought they were trying to make; they cared about her. The group just grinned as it was hard to deny especially as they had seen it directly the evening before. Sylvia asked about the others, not having much contact with the friends she had made back east since her internship started. She was pleased to hear that the weddings were taking place, but they were all small ones that were only immediate family, something John scoffed at. Sylvia smiled at hearing that, he was why they wanted them small and knew deep inside that they didn't want big ones due to her feeling like she would have to attend and miss out on time working at the park. Off to the side and out of earshot of Sylvia, Les spoke with John and Willie about what his son had planned for Sylvia. Mitch was being sly, he had told her that they were going to get married when he came by but never told her when. She expected a small ceremony at the town hall with just his parents as witnesses but Mitch had secretly worked with the park to give her a special ceremony that would be remembered by everyone and was to be one that their friends back east would not think twice about being happy of them receiving. John smiled at what could be done then chuckled as he asked, "Did the Tribal Council give their blessing or did they have to be convinced?" Les chuckled, explaining, "It was Queen Tessa's idea. The whole wedding is going to be a mix of the four tribal representatives' cultures with Elder StormDawn giving the blessings as the Elder for the Tribal Council. It'll be legally binding as well, with the park giving visitors a chance to see something rarely seen outside the tribes but with special meaning to them." John was nearly giddy while Willie shook his head at John getting something so special dropped into his lap by Queen Tessa. It was perfect for Sylvia but she had to have known the unintended benefit to him as a little bit of fun. The whole event was a must-see regardless of the personal connection. Mary looked at the time and told Sylvia she had better get a move on or she would be late for her shift. The family offered to drive her over, it was their next destination and she could tell the kids where to go and what to do as they enjoyed some more time with her. The kids were buckled in with Reed and Billy going with John and Valerie while Logan stayed with his parents. Cat wouldn't stop hugging Sylvia, which she loved, but told the nearly six-year-old girl that she needed to allow her to go to work and she loved that she cared so much about her. Sylvia really did, she had no cousins who would have anything to do with her and cared deeply about the kids. Kylie told Sylvia that she was just overcompensating as she knew how bad things could be for people who have babies even if she was not going to be a mommy to her niece anymore, giving Sylvia a smile as it meant a lot to her to know that the kids were concerned about her mental health along with missing her. The group arrived at the park and saw Sylvia off with her coworkers grinning at their colleague getting the star treatment from folks from out of town. She didn't need to tell them who they were, they could tell just from the way the kids were hugging her that they knew her and may have been the special people whom were supposed to be coming by. Sylvia was smiling as she said hello, it was the happiest she had ever been at work and the Finns' presence was making her feel great again. The group approached the entrance and were diverted aside by a security officer who asked who they were and why they had driven Sylvia to the park. The group's arrival had caused them concern but a quick word over their radios caused them to nod to one another that it wasn't a threat and they were expected. The security officer simply told the ticket salesgirl that they were VIPs and expected by Queen Tessa and were to be issued all-access passes that were set aside for them. The kids weren't happy to get issued special wristbands, but John and Willie suspected that they knew what they were for. Willie asked to speak with the security lieutenant assigned to them, Jimmy Sloan, and asked if they were GPS transmitters but got a little run-around from Jimmy claiming both the safety of the kids and for their own internal security. Willie took that to be a 'yes' to which he added, "All six of our young kids have GPS trackers on them. It's why the boys have those dog tags and the girls pendants. Yours are overt, but from the look of the mesh and lock; it's alarm triggered if someone tries to remove them or they go past a certain line in the perimeter of the park. Once triggered that probably gets you to respond even before the GPS comes into effect, right?" Jimmy gave Willie a glare, but before he could respond a chuckle went out from behind them. Dave Wells, VentureRealm's Head of Security, made his presence known to the duo and was saluted by Jimmy. Willie was about to say something but Dave held his hand up and explained, "You are right Chief Pena, but we don't like that being known. He's trying to cover the park but you and your group are known and as two members of the law enforcement community with you being 'one of us' as a veteran, it's unintentionally misplaced. Carry on, Sergeant Pena." "They really do their homework, don't they?" Kennedy commented quietly to Valerie. Valerie nodded and replied back, just as quietly, "Yes, and I don't think we should be surprised about it. Things are high-tech here, tough security would have to be needed to keep things in order." Dave led them inside with the kids not fighting their bracelets with John nodding to Willie that it was to be expected. He whispered to Willie that the park was high tech, it wasn't like Six Flags or Salem Lake Park back home. The place was a safe haven for kids, Mitch explained what to expect regarding the kids and that was the first thing that he insisted John know, especially as it would be a big concern. They made their way right for the main office where Queen Tessa Frost was expecting them. She was decked out in her flowing dress, making the girls smile at her beauty and at the silver and white colors and sparkling sequins sewn into the satin. It was beautiful and with her big desk, it made the look of her being the queen of the park all the more fitting. Tessa got up and shook John and Willie's hands, while hugging the ladies. Reed stepped back while the kids smiled at Tessa, each getting hugs with Logan blushing deeply while JD just grinned widely. She was acting like a normal person, not the kind of person who ruled over you despite her title being only an honorary one and a character she plays rather than an inherited title. Tessa asked what was going on to which Cat mumbled, "We met a lot of nobles but never a queen. Our aunt and uncle are nobles as are our cousins, but we never met royalty before." John added a swift, "At your cousins' wedding you met a future duke, one of the men talking with Lord Bradford is the Marquess of Slough, heir to the Duke of Reading. He's a smart businessman, like Lord Bradford he has to work hard on his own to keep the family estate solvent and earn his own way in life. And before you ask, Cat, he does have royal blood, but isn't part of the royal family unless something terrible happened to dozens of people. He is the seventh-cousin to the Queen." Tessa smiled while Cat tried to come up with a way of denying it and added, "You can call yourself 'Duchess Catherine' for your trip as you are VIPs and my guests. You are practically royalty in your hometown so are recognized as that while here." The kids waited for the adults to talk after they were dubbed as dukes and duchesses with Logan blushing as she dubbed him a duke, he now outranked his brother and sister-in-law since Michael and Courtney Finn were just a mere knight and lady. John was seated while Tessa explained the different aspects of the park, who the big personalities were, and what the kids could do. The kids smiled at hearing the different rides especially the twins, it would be their chance to ride some, "Big kid" rides while the elder Ella and Logan just wanted to do everything in the park. Tessa grinned at adding, "The wedding is all set. She doesn't suspect a thing, she believes that it's going to be a typical ceremony like the ones we hold regularly for the tribes and utilize the staff for. It is, but it's the first time that we are going to conduct a traditional tribal wedding. She was fitted by Maggie RedBlanket with an authentic Cherokee dress for her with the Pueblo and Navajo ladies providing jewelry for her to wear while Mitch provides her with her wedding ring. It's all going to be closely choreographed so each tribe is able to give their proper blessings and showcase their own traditions with Elder StormDawn providing the least amount of traditions, but acting as the elder for all four tribes and Linda JumpingDoe providing translations on his behalf." The four adults were in awe as it was so well planned. Tessa grinned and added, "It's something that is a big benefit for all four tribes as it means more than just explaining their cultures and showing off their authentic items for sale. They want to help her out and pay their respects to her while also giving her something memorable. It's her special day, she is like a niece to them for the hard work that she has put in to help them expand their offerings without sacrificing the time that their shops are open." The kids were led out so John could speak with Tessa alone. Tessa waited for the signal that the kids were out in the park before getting down to the nitty-gritty and conducting business. Like a hidden switched had been flipped; gone was the charming character known to the public and in her place, was the unrelenting woman that stopped at nothing to see things through and done right. John was in agreement with her no-nonsense style and listened to what she was going to say with keen interest. Tessa laid out a formal exchange of gratitude on behalf of her Little Ones Found charity while John would give his own gratitude on behalf of his Finn Foundation as well as his children's foundations. The mayor of Bayleston would be there on behalf of the town and accept the Finn Foundation's upgrade to the town's high school as well as their tutoring curriculum. It was something that John had done without Tessa's knowledge, done on behalf of Mitch and his family as a way of repaying him for being a rock for Rick Samuels when he needed a friend at UMass during the fall semester and for helping Sylvia become the woman that she was instead of the nervous wreck she would have become. Tessa confessed to John, "Sylvia has been doing better than anyone could have hoped. She has been a great help to us and without her we would be years behind in marketing in several key areas. She took to her job with both feet in and had she not been so adamant that she remain in Massachusetts, she would have been our best salesperson and run the office single-handed when she graduated." John agreed, adding, "She's headstrong and what you are seeing is the real woman emerging from years of neglect and verbal abuse. Her family did a number on her, my own people investigated her family and came back with reports of rampant physical and verbal abuse from her mother over her not trying to be like her family and seeing her own internal potential and improving herself instead of accepting that she was due to be a simple farmer's wife. Ironically, they don't need to work as the Roberts family own their farm outright and Mrs. Roberts earns a good salary at the bank so she's simply being forced to be a pawn for making more money for their retirements." Tessa simply nodded at hearing that, as John smirked and casually added, "Their plans were never going to work, it turns out that the boy she was supposed to marry is gay and his family lost everything in a bad business deal and had Sylvia been forced to marry him the Roberts family would have been bankrupted alongside them. She actually saved the family farm and the town's bank, she is viewed in her hometown as being a hero for exposing the truth instead of a pariah that they tried to make her." Tessa shook her head. "Actually, her family went bankrupt anyway. They tried to make another deal and the other party got wind of their attitude. It seemed that they turned out to be very racial, it got them slammed. In all honesty, I wish I'd have been behind that. They deserved it. That was then and this is now. Time to go out and see the people." John got up as Tessa got up, her 'switch' once again flipped back to her character, walking out with her as she got ready for her walk through the park for her morning routine tour as well as meet and greet with kids and families. Her security group were like nothing John had seen before, if they were wearing suits, they would make even the US Secret Service look tame. They were all either ex-military or ex-law enforcement and knowing from his own dealings with the law enforcement community, it was likely both of those. Dave Wells greeted them outside with Willie joking that John had finally met someone more powerful than himself. John took it in stride and added, "I am just glad to not be considered the court jester, that's your role." Tessa nodded in approval at Willie's joke getting turned around while the security contingent tried hard not to laugh at the man's joke backfiring on him as they kept their decorum. The kids were all smiles as Tessa seemingly floated from place to place while people pointed her out with smiles and looks of affection. The group were noticed and asked about, getting a happy, "They are visiting nobles, they are dukes and duchesses from the faraway kingdom of Wonderland on the shores of the mighty Mystic River." That got everyone to look up at John who shook his head and added, "You have no idea how true that is, Queen Tessa." Tessa smirked as John realized she did know and blushed while explaining to the kids, "It's an old amusement park in Kensington that closed over 100 years ago. Even though it's closed; it had a huge impact on rides and attractions. Queen Tessa is showing how astute she is as she clearly researched major theme parks over the years with Wonderland being a stand-out for good and bad reasons." Tessa grinned as the kids were happy to get an honest answer, especially as it meant they were still nobles. Tessa gave the group her leave and allow them to enjoy the park without her oversight. The kids were immediately trying to run for the nearest area, the aptly named SeaSide, giving them a snicker as they came halfway across the country to immediately try out a theme area that was based on something they took for granted. John groaned and told the kids they were going to get wet, but that didn't matter to them. He was given a grin by the others as Billy could see that it was going to be a place he could enjoy with John being unable to deny him thanks to his pleading looks that he was a notorious sucker for. Billy didn't fight the change into their water shirts. The kids were all wearing swimsuits with the girls complaining about needing to wear their tops again, but Kylie blushed as Billy jokingly blurted out, "Boobies" to the girls, getting them to quickly pull their shirts on over their tops. Billy grinned; he knew that his sister would react that way, but the look on his parents' faces showed it was the right response to stifle their complaints. Logan didn't care one way or another, he saw John putting his on which was enough reason to don his own shirt. Kennedy and Valerie took off their shirts while Willie boldly told them, "I'm not getting wet." Billy's looks changed that around to him agreeing, but only for a couple of rides, earning Billy a big hug from Kennedy as well as a nod of approval from John. The ladies sat on a pair of loungers as the kids enjoyed the rides. Valerie smiled as she enjoyed the fact that the kids were being on their best behavior while Kennedy was ready for the time when Billy was no longer so attached to them like a toddler usually is. He was starting to finally grow up, making her love the feeling of her being able to finally claim to have helped raise a child with no argument. Valerie read her mind and offered a solemn, "He's been your child since you brought him home. You are his mother no matter what some say. He loves you unconditionally despite knowing that he is not your blood. He is more like his sister than his brother, what you went through with Kylie will prepare you for the time when he finally blooms into the boy he is inside. He's close." Kennedy took the words to heart. Valerie offered a happy, "I think John might have hit his mark last night. I'm at my most fertile and didn't tell him. I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse that I'm a grandmother, but might have gotten pregnant for the third time." Kennedy could sense some feelings of remorse and fear to which she offered a consoling, "It'll be a blessing to all of you. John deserves to have a second pregnancy with you, even if it's really your third child with him overall. I am hoping for a girl if you do have a child, but he will love the new baby regardless. You are best able to handle the kids especially now that you have so many who can support you. You are the best mother in the state, if not the country, take it as it is: a blessing." John caught the image of the ladies talking and sighed at what they could be talking about. He had to tell Willie, "I should have brought along some condoms. I don't want Valerie to feel bad because I couldn't be bothered to use protection in our night of passion. She deserves better." Willie offered him a strong, "She sees it otherwise. She is giving you another child, one of your own no less. It's another shot at being a father to your own flesh and blood. She is more concerned about how the kids will react, but they are old enough to be their own people and the little one will have nothing but the best for his or her entire life. Congratulations man, you do deserve this." The two guys stopped when the kids came over to them after their ride on the kiddie, "Shoot-the-chute" that got them drenched and giggling while poor Reed was left shaking his head at being just skinny enough to get stuck with six kids on the ride. John was just glad that the operator told him he was too tall. Willie was also too big for the ride, or so he claimed, but in reality, he made room for three kids behind them getting big smiles from the kids who replaced him on the ride. Their next stop was one John couldn't avoid. He was going on the bumper boats with the twins while Willie got stuck going with Billy as Reed and Logan joined together to target Ella and Kylie. The kids had a blast as John couldn't steer all that well and Willie had Billy shooting everyone with the nozzle, getting unexpected hits on different people, especially his brother and sister. John offered a complaint that he was always the target, but the kids were bad drivers making it funnier. The group took a quick rest as Billy needed to use the bathroom prompting the kids to do the same, giving John the chance to hug and kiss Valerie who told him, "Sorry about last night." John offered a consoling, "I am sorry, we will accept the consequences together. We are grandparents, it'll be awkward but it's already awkward with so many kids being different ages anyway." The next rides were simple water slides and raft rides, with John happy to not join the kids on the rafts, but enjoying Billy and Willie getting close as they enjoyed the fun. By noon the kids were getting hungry and sought out lunch, with John eyeing the restaurant Mitch had told him to enjoy. He wasn't a fan of seafood, but it was worth the risk as the chef was extremely good. As soon as they entered the "Daily Catch" restaurant, they were spotted by the manager and directed to a table that was large enough for all of them. John shook his head and asked, "Were we expected?" The man grinned and happily told him, "We had a bet on which one you would choose. None of us expected you to stay in one area, but it's smart thinking on your part." John simply nodded. It was a spur of the moment thing done by the kids, but the day was going to be the hottest of the week as the rest of the days would be warm but overcast. The park was laid out to have water rides in each, but only two in each of the other areas. Not quite as 'fun' for the kids, as they were not exactly thrill rides and were meant to be calming. It was best to just get the water rides out of the way then when the cooling water was appreciated more. The group looked at the menus and were happy to see that they had something for everyone. John went with a simple fish and chips plate while the kids enjoyed grilled fish sandwiches. Willie had the shrimp scampi after asking about gumbo. The server chuckled and informed him that would only be found in Princess Nicole's Storm Bayou. Valerie and Kennedy opted for New England clam chowder and were pleased to see it served in Bread-bowls. Reed was the only non-fish eater, opting for chicken strips which John complained that he got lucky. Reed shot back a terse, "You know damn well I hate fish because the 'donors' only fed us tuna when they got too lazy to cook. Kylie thankfully didn't have to eat it for long and mistook it for chicken salad." John took his admonishment in stride, it was meant for the five youngest to hear. Kylie didn't say a word, she knew the story and had no problem with fish sandwiches as Sylvia and Mitch told her that they were nothing like the hockey pucks that her school served. The pictures looked nice and she did like that they were fresh and made into patties instead of being big chunks of meat. Chef Joann Caulder came out to watch the group as they ate, waiting until they were finished to inquire about the food. She was concerned that they may say something to Tessa about her cooking, but it was not going to happen. The kids liked her take on what could be called 'fish burgers'. The finicky Billy was happy to have a 'hamburger' which nobody corrected him about. Joann was pleased to see that everyone ate all of the food and there were no parts left on the plate other than pickles, which Logan normally disliked. She formally introduced herself to them, to which John happily told her, "They are pleased with your take on the food and may have made me have to copy the style for when we get back home. It's a high compliment for them to have eaten it all, they normally won't try anything new. Even little Billy here enjoyed it, he never likes new food." The kids gave him a glare causing Joann some concern while Reed casually explained, "Please don't get the wrong idea. They aren't upset at the food, he's just a terrible chef when he tries to make new food. He's never able to make things the right way and fails badly at even the most basic dishes." John told him firmly, "It's not like it's beer battered tempura, it's just a simple whitefish and flour fry!" Joann gave him a grin as it was clear that John was simply trying to open them up to new things and was doing it for the right reasons. She sat down and asked where they were from as their accents were familiar to her, ones that she hadn't heard in a couple of years. John was happy to proclaim, "We are from Winnisimmet, MA. It's a small place just outside of Boston." Joann smiled at hearing that, she was right- it was a true Boston accent. She spent a couple of years on Cape Cod and working in restaurants in the North End of Boston and the North Shore of Massachusetts giving her a feel for the real accent as opposed to the fake, one neighborhood only image of the place that 99.99999% of people recognize. It was softer than the Dorchester version, but was noticeable. Joann happily told them, "It's been a couple of years since I met any locals from there. I haven't found clams that work as well as the ones you have. No offense to the mid-Atlantic states, but there's something about the tidal flats that make the clams grow to the right size and taste better." John grinned and asked, "Crane River, I hope?" Joann laughed hard, adding, "As if I'd submit folks to the marked-up smugness of Pullen Point clams. I don't trust the folks there, too many fingers in the pie and the folks digging them up are known to dig in protected areas. I do use some Narragansett Bay clams as well, simply because the supplier gets them from there in good quality and at a great price. But the high quality dishes are Crane River clams." The subtle dig at Pullen Point made the others chuckle. Joann went back to work with the manager thinking that she was being polite at first, but saw her enjoy the interaction. She didn't normally come out of the kitchen during the post-lunch rush, but something about the group made her come out. As they were leaving, John was asked what went on with Joann. John thought it over and offered a simple, "She knew we were VIPs and was trying to get a feel for how the meal went. It's what you would expect from a chef, she got what she needed. I think she spent some time in our state seeing as she knew some of the local jokes and spotted us as being from the Boston area right away. It was a bit of fondness and a trip down memory lane for her as well. She did well, as did your staff. It's the best service we've had in a long time." There was little else to say as they walked out with the manager breathing a sigh of relief over them not taking any offense or being upset at something his staff had done. Joann was working the day in that restaurant by pure luck, the fact that she was pleased with the group was a bonus as was them enjoying their experience. He did think that he was lucky; they could have been uptight, snobby, entitled people who expected top service and multiple things they didn't have access to instead of being 'normal'. Outside the restaurant, Kennedy suggested that the family rest for a bit to allow their food to digest and give the kids their second wind. Seeing the advertisement for the mermaid show she smiled and led them along with John telling her that she was a genius. The kids didn't know what to make of the show, but the adults knew from their talks that it was something to see at least once. The family got close seats and saw that the show was going to be a full house leading them to see that it was the right choice to make. The kids stared at the people preparing the lagoon while listening to the kids around them talk about "Princess Danica" and her routine. It was all new to the six younger kids, but Reed and the adults knew that as soon as they saw the cast swimming out they would be all smiles and cheering as they gave a performance unlike any they had seen before. The wait was long to them but it was really only 15 minutes. The kids watched the action as the screens showed various images of the oceans and beaches. They were enthralled, not noticing time passing. Without warning to the six kids, but expected by everyone else; the show started with colored lights going around the screens in front of the lagoon before they were yanked up and revealed the mermaids dancing in the water giving the kids a quick routine going around in circles until one jumped up in the air, flapping her tail, and caused the kids to cheer. The kids all screamed out, "Princess Danica!" as the mermaid seemed to fly out of the water at great speed making her jump over the others with a big splash timed perfectly to the music and movements of the other mermaids. To the group's surprise, there were also a couple of mermen in the show and were just as fun to watch as the mermaids. The show was unlike anything the kids had ever seen before. Logan had trouble focusing as he saw the women to be beautiful, with Danica as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It was not lost on his parents, the reaction was normal for an 11-year-old boy who saw any sexy woman that way, even if he was in a committed relationship with a young lady already. Danica and the mermaids swam at high speed, jumped in unison, and seemed to dance in the water as if their tails were really part of them even if everyone knew they weren't. They were amazing, with John having to think that they were some of the best swimmers he had ever seen. The show was a production that put even the most complicated shows in Las Vegas to shame. Tessa went all out for the show and gave Danica full reign to do as she pleased allowing the show to utilize their strengths well. Danica's singing was great, which came as a surprise to the kids but it fit with the show perfectly as she performed songs with the mermaids jumping out of the water over her as she sat on a small platform that extended up from the lagoon bottom. Many children, especially girls, sang along. John looked at Kennedy and Valerie who were both singing as well, with John having to fight singing one that he now knew well while blushing at knowing the song. Seeing the show now explained Sylvia's mysterious gift of a boxed set of CDs for the kids to listen to: they were songs from all of the park's shows. It seemed like a quick 15-minute performance, but was actually closer to 45 minutes. Danica and her cast nailed it and had the kids screaming with joy. When the show ended, Danica brought herself up out of the water and sat on a throne at the edge of the water, smiling and waving as the crowd passed by. She took note of the group as they left, giving the kids a big smile while enjoying Logan squirm. She gave a signal and had one of the attendants direct them over, with the kids getting excited while poor Logan was feeling lovesick over being so close to the beautiful young woman. The group was escorted backstage, with the other mermaids finished changing they were free to talk with the ladies and answer whatever Danica had to ask of them. Danica entered after them, after being freed of the tail, allowing her to sit down normally. Danica was wearing a skimpy swimsuit which caused Logan to blush deeply, while Kylie stared in awe at the woman's body on display for all to see. The group waited for Danica to speak, but she offered them a smile, "I hope I lived up to what Sylvia said it was." John shook his head and corrected her, saying, "It was Mitch, actually. He said you were great, but that was unlike anything we have seen before. It was worthy of Broadway or Las Vegas. She gave us some CDs to listen to in preparation for our trip, we didn't know that they were of you and the others." Danica tested them, they passed. She wasn't entirely sure, but the way Sylvia described them it was hard not to think that they weren't the right group. Mitch visited the park a couple of times over Spring break and told her that the group were coming and described them extremely well. The security officers didn't try to stop them when she told them what she was going to do, which only proved that they were just who she suspected them to be without anyone confirming it to her. Danica kept them waiting as she drank some water. She was resting, but kept the kids calm. It was clear that they were overexcited, but they were being polite to her and remained quiet. Danica finally asked about Mitch, hoping to get more information about the guy as the locals were not giving her anything useful. She wasn't trying to be a gossip, she was trying to protect Sylvia just in case things went wrong with their relationship. They may be engaged, but there was always a chance of the relationship going south, especially if she isn't holding up well underneath her seemingly good exterior. Valerie answered for all of them, as she was closest to Sylvia after acting as her go-to person for talks before she gave birth to little Sylvia Robin Samuels. Sylvia needed parental guidance and Valerie was more than happy to be the surrogate mother that the other mothers couldn't be. Sylvia eagerly listened to Valerie and opened up to her more than anyone else, even her therapist in Bayleston. Valerie grinned widely, explaining firmly, "Mitch is about the best guy you can encounter. He loves Sylvia deeply. She fell for him for all of the right reasons: he treats her right, shows her affection and care when she needs it most, lets her have her space, never pressures her for sex and keeps her focused on her classwork. You likely didn't get any information from the townsfolk due to him being a local hero for his on- field action, but also because his parents are highly respected by the town and have shown that Mitch wasn't to be exploited by them. That hasn't stopped some, but he is still off-limits to those who haven't shown their intentions. You may be benevolent, but they are cautious. Les and Mary are best to get to know; as Mitch is his father's son and Mary treats Sylvia like a daughter so will treat you the same once she sees how close you are to her." It was what Danica needed to hear and made her smile; he was the same guy that Sylvia raved about. She was like a little sister to each of the princesses with Danica happy to receive her help in trying to draw new people to see the mermaid shows. Sylvia was a whiz at finding great new ideas even if it took Danica and her merpeople to bring those ideas to life in a realistic fashion. The group chatted for a few more minutes with Kylie asking about training, getting her interest piqued by the ladies' quick and continuous movements in the water. Danica sighed as she recalled her early transition into becoming a woman, telling Kylie, "It took a lot of work to learn how to do things right. I struggled with keeping things hidden from view lest my secret being revealed while giving lessons. Getting used to the oyster shell bra and silicone tail was almost as bad when I came here. Now I feel strange without them on." Kylie looked up at her in shock, Ella whispered to Danica, "Kylie's like you!" Danica smiled at the girl, seeing in her how she herself could have been if she had been allowed to become her true self at an early age. It may have been a double-edged sword though, had she had the chance to transition early she would have missed all of her swimming competitions due to regulations keeping her from competing with the girls which would have meant she would never have been hired to become the princess of SeaSide and perform in front of thousands every day. None of them dared to say how far along Kylie really was, but Danica asked softly, "How long have you been in transition? Nobody would ever guess you were born with a birth defect unless you told them. You are becoming a stunning young woman." Kylie blushed and blurted out, "Mom and dad got me help three and a half years ago. I'm all girl because of boys kidnapping me and hurting me really bad, making me need surgery down there. I'm not the only one like me in the family, there's a bunch of us. My friend Mia is recovering her her own surgery." Danica smiled and told her affectionately, "I'm a little jealous. You are beautiful and are going to have boys all over you." Kylie offered a giggle and happy, "I don't like boys, I have a beautiful girlfriend already." Danica hugged her and smiled brightly at being corrected, it was one of those times that she loved being wrong. The group bid their farewell, with Danica feeling better about the day for some reason. Sylvia was right about them, they were a special group of people that made you feel better after encountering them. The group walked out to people staring at them over getting to meet the cast. They simply ignored the stares, it wasn't their fault that they were able to get an audience with Danica while everyone else was not able to. The stares were simply jealousy and awe, Danica was known to be private and focused during her performances and really only interacted with the crowds during the dry-shows and evening closing ceremonies when all three princesses joined Tessa to bid the kids goodnight. The next group of rides were higher water slides and roller coasters, which were meant for the three older kids with Reed being put in charge of them. The twins and Billy simply went with Valerie and Kennedy, allowing John and Willie to relax and watch the ladies' purses. Neither guy had a problem with that, they had had enough of the fun and excitement for the day and let the twins and Billy burn off their excess energy while the two relaxed and waited for them to need to calm down and do some swimming in the large kiddie pool near the lounge chairs. It was tough, but the kids found themselves getting tired of the constant splashing and running to lay down beside the guys for a nap. The four older youths were spending much of their time in lines as there were a lot of teens and older kids there that day. Reed didn't mind the wait so much, it gave him a chance to think about the next day when he went with John to various meetings in Bayleston instead of going on the larger thrill rides as the trio's escort. While waiting, Reed was being checked out by group of girls who seemed to care more about his body than waiting for their turn on the water slide. Reed rolled his eyes at catching their lingering glimpses, the girls were looking at him like a piece of meat and he wanted none of that. He ignored their looks and instead moved the trio forward up the stairway and further into view. He could hear them talking about his "tight body" and "hot ass" and cringed every time he heard them. It was made worse as Kylie kept smirking at him, causing him to clench his mouth closed and forcibly say, "Don't even say a word. It's no different than boys doing that to you. They are hypocrites; they hate guys hitting on them and ogling them, but are not afraid to do the same to a boy." Kylie didn't say a word, Ella snickered while Logan kept an eye on the girls to ensure that they didn't get too close to Reed. It was confusing to him that girls would act that way toward a guy, he clearly had no interest in them or else he would be talking with them, but they kept on talking about him like they were going to land him. He cringed when he heard them mention the bulge in Reed's shorts and what they wanted to do with it, it was worse than guys in his class talking about girls' budding breasts. When they finally reached the top, Reed had to wait while the trio went down on their own in the three lanes of the slide in a race against one another. Reed wasn't happy, the girls were right behind him and were jockeying for who got to go with him in their run. He wanted to say something to them, but he wisely kept his mouth closed and let them talk themselves into saying something too lewd for the park. When they raced down the slide, Reed was last down allowing the girls to give him a 'show' as their tops came undone during their fake flopping motions. He didn't pay attention to it, Logan's eyes nearly popped out at seeing his first pair of naked breasts while Kylie groaned about them being show-offs and Ella complained that they were too big for their own good. Reed had to fight a laugh, it was true as the girls were on the large side and looked like a bunch of bimbos with their skimpy suits and actions. The girls followed the foursome to their next ride; more water slides, but at different angles. Reed again went last and this time he was alone as he picked the shortest route giving him a chance to get away before the girls got down. He moved faster than they liked, when they got to the bottom their tops were again off and this time they gave the whole of SeaSide a 'free show' as the end of the slides were at the entrance to SeaSide and was built there specifically to draw in people to the water rides. Reed kept on ignoring the girls for the next hour as the kids went from slide to slide, raft ride to raft ride. It was getting to the point that Reed couldn't turn a corner without the girls being there waiting for him to get off a 'kiddie' ride or in line with him hoping to get on a raft with him. Kylie enjoyed her brother getting leered at, it was good fun even and payback for some of his teasing over her having found a girlfriend and started dating seven months before. Ella and Logan kept quiet as Kylie relished in Reed's frustration. They could see the downside to being a sibling, especially one as good looking as Reed. Ella would never admit that and Logan already felt inadequate next to him, but agreed that Reed was handsome and making girls swoon over him. The kids ended up making the girls go in front of them with Reed being relieved to have them away for a bit even if he knew they'd be at the bottom of the ride hoping to get a glimpse of what was in his swimsuit. The girls were put in a six-person raft with Reed and Logan waiting for the next one, causing the elder girls to ask about Reed as they rode down the slide and traveled along the river portions of the ride. Kylie tried to stoke their egos by saying he was 18, just graduated high school, and had a job waiting for him at home as he was taking a year off of school to build up his resume. Ella smirked, she was setting them up for a fall as Kylie left out the most important bit of information; she never mentioned Jessie Bollinger, Reed's girlfriend. The girls took that lack of a girlfriend as a sign that he was free game and thought about going after him further even if he may be leaving soon. He was a big catch for girls, they already had their friends jealous of them getting Reed. Logan asked how Reed was able to ignore the girls so easily. Reed grinned and explained, "They are making bigger fools of themselves than anyone could possibly do. I guarantee that word will get out that the girls were showing their breasts to everyone in the park because of their lame attempts to get a guy who had no interest in them. They are the worst kind of girls, they don't take 'no' for an answer." Logan agreed with him, adding, "I think they are snobs. They were talking about the park's workers like they are beneath them. They said they were losers who didn't belong there and the princesses were ugly and didn't deserve their jobs. They want the jobs, but they either can't sing, dance, swim well, or make everyone feel great because that's what the princesses do." Reed smiled at him unintentionally revealing his crush on Danica. Logan realized too late that he had given Danica such flattery but Reed casually added, "She's beautiful and an amazing athlete. She sings great and I think we will be back for their 'dry' show later so we can see the ladies dance all together as it's supposed to be different than the 'wet' show we saw earlier." At the bottom of the ride, Reed didn't give the girls their needed views because Logan was in front of him and blocked 'the meat' as they jokingly called Reed's privates. Logan glared at them while Reed led the kids on, ignoring the girls again. The girls, though, were stopped by security and asked to leave the area after finally going too far with their antics. The girls looked at the tall, burly security officers like they were joking but Sgt. Grayson, the SeaSide security sergeant, wasn't joking. He had heard multiple complaints throughout the afternoon from parents about the girls' bikini issues and their lewd remarks. He had spoken with three of the slide operators and they told the same story, but added that Reed was trying hard to ignore them and was only acting as the guardian to the three kids and had shown no interest in the girls. Sgt. Grayson and a woman also from Security herded them out, telling them that they were no longer welcome in SeaSide and their behavior was borderline offensive to the point that he had seriously considered kicking them out of the park, but didn't want to upset their families by telling them why they needed to leave early. The girls were on the verge of screaming at him, but several other teens that they recognized were on the phone with people who would make trouble for the girls making them back down. They left, with Reed being told that he could enjoy the rest of the day without the girls' sexually harassing him. Kylie fought for the right words but Reed thanked them for helping. He could see by the looks on the teens nearby that the girls would have a lot of explaining to do no matter what. He just hoped that they didn't get any big ideas if they saw him again, he hated to cause trouble for anybody. The kids enjoyed the next hour as Reed seemed to be a new man. The girls were giggling about it, but Logan told them to quit it or he'd tell their moms. This was a valid threat and both girls calmed down and offered their apologies to Reed, giving him sad eyes as they regretted their actions. As they finished their 20th ride on the slides and rafts, Valerie and Kennedy came over to get them. The twins and Billy were feeling tired and hungry prompting them to call it a day and seek out dinner. They couldn't agree on anything so they opted to have a quick bite before enjoying some relaxing rides that would calm the kids down before the larger dinner at the hotel. The kids saw that Danica and her cast were sneaking out and wanted to go over and watch. It was their 'dry' show, one that they had missed in the early afternoon, but was worth the time to see. She wasn't going to perform alone, the other mermaids were joining her and even had the guys joining her as they went through the routine as they sang and danced. The kids were loving the whole show as Danica was as good on the outdoor stage as she was in the water with the ladies doing complex, yet easy to learn, moves that complimented Danica's own moves. She was like a beacon for fun and entertainment, she was better than they had heard about before. Danica was a true performer, living up to the image of princesses that the girls had formed based on years of watching Disney princesses in movies and was a true princess in their eyes. Toward the end of her performance, Danica chose Kylie to join her up on stage with her for the final two songs. Kylie nearly fainted, but it was unavoidable as the tween was eyed immediately by Danica as a way of giving her a memorable time and giving her some assurances that she could be true to herself as a person. She saw the spark in Kylie, one that was smoldering inside her and only needed a chance to flourish on its own with a little bit of fuel and a push. Kylie danced with Danica and joined in the singing of the songs, with the audience joining them but Kylie's own singing was what was amplified over the speakers with Kylie fighting tears as she sang along to the songs. Danica was all smiles and hugged her, giving Kylie the chance to calm herself as the rest of the group went down for pictures then to the dressing room to join Kylie. There were jealous complaints from parents who wanted their own daughters to be up on stage, but it happened every show. Kylie was someone special to the park and wasn't planned but Danica made the choice. Kylie was in tears while Danica asked if she had danced before. Kylie nodded and offered a meek, "I do ballet and Aunt Amanda is teaching us other dance moves since we have more dances at school in 7th grade. I know the ones you were doing, we were taught them last month." Danica grinned, it wasn't planned to go that way but Kylie's moves made the show all the better and the other mermaids were happy that she kept up and didn't try to overdo things to outshine them like many of the girls and boys did whenever they were brought onstage for the show. Kylie was a rare child, one who was not trying to perform yet was good at it and made them do better by comparison. They didn't want to admit it, but she made the show better. As the group entered, Kylie was now calm as Danica admitted, "Her dance instructor gave us a good show, we haven't had a kid able to keep up who didn't also try to take the spotlight. She's good, I hope that it was as fun for her as it was for us." Kylie was all smiles now and her ego starting to get larger but Kennedy gave her a big hug and kiss to soothe her and deflate it before she spoke. The group was happy that Danica was pleased, they left her with hug and kisses with Kylie trying her hardest not to float away as her happiness was making her feel like she was walking on clouds. Danica watched them leave and was greeted by Tessa asking if they were doing well, getting a happy, "They are the kind of people you love to meet. They are better than expected, you were right about them." Tessa looked to Danica and boldly proclaimed, "They are normal people. They came from humble origins and worked hard to get where they are in life. John may have won a lottery and become rich, but he is no different than I was before I hit the jackpot in Las Vegas. They are what you want people to be: kind, caring, generous, smart, wise and compassionate. Those kids are reflections of their parents and taking after them more closely than they realize. Logan and JD are John. Kylie is Kennedy. Billy and Reed are Willie. Cat and Ella are Valerie. The twins may be the only blood to their parents, but all of the kids are their parents' kids in so many ways. Worth watching because they are good to see." Danica understood them now, they were people who tried to be good people. Tessa led Danica out to where they would conduct the evening's closing ceremonies with the family standing beside Sylvia giving Danica smiles with Sylvia looking happier than she had ever seen before. It was what she had needed most and Danica was proud to have seen the happiness in Sylvia come out especially as the talk with Tessa took hold and was put into proper perspective by the simple scene. They were even more surprised when Sylvia indicated they should stay a few more moments, "Wait. You are about to see something few visitors do." Their mouths dropped as Tessa herself began to sing. She did it without a mic or any music backing her. The song was powerful and haunting, punctuated by main lights going off to leave only service lighting. VentureRealm's Queen singing a lullaby to her kingdom. Billy actually fell asleep in the arms of his father. "Goodnight," Tessa said after her last note. Everyone made their way to after-closing duties or their exits, as did the Finns. Sylvia was all smiles as she rode in with the family after the conclusion of the festivities. She didn't need to ask how their day had gone, the news of their exploits that day had gotten around to everyone in the park with her office abuzz with the family causing a group of girls to be laughed at by the entire park and nearly bringing Danica to tears with their talk after the dry show. Sylvia happily told her coworkers that they were showing their true selves, it was normal behavior for them. The Gibsons gave the family hugs and smiles as Sylvia was sent up to bed after a quick meal. Les gave them a knowing look while Mary shook her head at the family making her day so eventful, the funnest that she had had in years. Les added a firm, "Those girls will probably be laying low tomorrow, but if you should happen to encounter them please don't hold back anything. It's high time they learned that their looks aren't going to get them anywhere." The group thanked them for the hospitality and left, with Les smirking at the looming showdown. It was common knowledge that the girls were going to be looking for Reed but he also knew that they were going to be out and about and trying to do damage control with the local teens. They were going to have tough time with Reed, if even half of the things they heard about him were true then he was going to make them look like the spoiled brats that everyone knew them to be. In the RV, Reed was finalizing plans for the next day with Kennedy as Willie drove. Kennedy looked over the ride list and saw why Reed wasn't going to join them- they were motion rides, ones that he had a lot of difficulty with and was not ashamed to tell them that he refused to ride them. Being susceptible to g-force nausea, which some of the rides would induce in him, he had little need to go with them. There was only a couple of rides he could get on easily, just the swings and scenic treetop ski lift ride. The rest of the time it was mostly watching the six kids enjoy the rides and watching Valerie's and Kennedy's purses which would get extremely boring even if he would gladly do it for them. Willie was going to be doing that anyway as he insisted the ladies join the kids on some of the parent/children rides making Reed's presence unnecessary and giving John some company for the day. The kids fell asleep as soon as they hit their pillows while John and Valerie were too exhausted to share their passion. Willie hugged Kennedy who grinned and forced some "Affection" from him before falling asleep with a big grin on her face as Willie panted. It was a big step for them as Billy proved he didn't need them so she could enjoy nights like this for the first time since the kids came into their lives. In the morning, the kids didn't ask how they slept while John and Valerie were clearly looking better than they had the day before. Kennedy gave Valerie a big grin while Valerie gave her a nod of approval while John wisely kept quiet for the sake of the kids. Willie didn't look John or Valerie in the eyes which told them all they needed to know, they enjoyed their solitude the previous night. The kids were eager to get a start on the day so they ate quickly and gave their parents a pleading look to make them eat faster. Logan was rarely so impatient and gave John a saddened look as John took his time eating his eggs and pancakes. John was secretly pleased with the boy, he was trying to rush them so he could have fun and fun without John for the first time since he came into the family. John was glad that he had refused to let Logan go with him that day. The boy worshiped John and was constantly around him whenever possible, but John was not going to let him get out of enjoying time being a kid, especially as they didn't go out as a family as often as they should. Logan needed to spend quality time with Valerie, she and he rarely had much time together so the day would be a big step for them as mother/son. John looked over his documents then at his plans as he finished his morning tea. He had everything in order but wanted to keep the kids waiting which would burn off some of their nervous energy. It also did him the favor of making him calm down as his anxiety was building over meeting town officials. When finally finished and all washed up, the group left. Willie told Reed to stick close to John but John didn't think it was necessary, Reed was his own man now and could handle himself fairly well and the few who tried to get at him couldn't match his wits and ability to turn things around on you. The girls from the day before were a potential issue, but even so Reed could handle them on his own. The family entered the park with the kids seeing Sylvia already there, having gotten a ride in with Mary who had ensured that the family knew that it was best to let her continue on as normal and leave her to her work instead of acting as tour guide or facilitator. Sylvia was feeling a little exhausted from the day before and had stayed behind four hours after her shift ended just to ensure the group had a good time. It was a nice gesture, but unnecessary to them as they wanted her to work not help them out. John was told to go inside as well, he deserved to at least see WildForest before he headed into town and the kids wanted to ride with him on one ride before they hit the thrill rides. Reed was dragged in by his brother, Billy insisted and it was only the ski lift so it was alright in his eyes. Billy gave his brother the Pena sibling pleading look, one that Reed hadn't yet built up a defense to making him give in right away while giving Billy a sense of pride over winning over his big brother. John spotted something that would make him groan- a petting zoo. He grumbled that the kids would be in there four hours which Reed agreed with. John added a complaining, "You know that they are going to tease me about being bitten by the animals since they love to trick me into giving them treats and nibbling my hands to get everything. It's like Franklin Park Zoo all over again!" Reed just nodded in agreement, it was no different with him. The two were glad to miss out on it even if the teens in the zoo were good people that Sylvia and Mitch swore were the greatest people to come out of Bayleston High School. Mitch even had made friends with them as they didn't treat him like he was a superstar whom they could exploit for their own needs, they shared other interests that he was glad to have talked about especially music and TV shows and the latest comic book movies. The kids took notice of the petting zoo and asked John to take them inside. John's face went white as the kids said it would be fun. It was going to be fun alright, fun for the animals and kids- not him! The kids staked claims to the lambs and calves, with John watching closely. He never noticed a nanny goat walk up to him and bleat at him, looking for a treat. John gave her some, then got the cup knocked out of his hand by the goat who then seemed to gloat at him for getting the better of him. John shook his head, the kids were laughing hard while the teenagers working the pens tried hard not to do the same but kept their calm while John walked away in shame. The animals were like their distant relatives in Boston- all saw him as an easy target to get a free treat and get one over on the humans. At least this one didn't try to bite his hand to get at the cup, but it would if John tried to pick it up again. Reed wisely kept quiet about the funny sight, John could just as easily leave him there to enjoy hours of boredom with the kids. It was funny, but it wasn't worth laughing over. John wasn't that vindictive, but he would happily let Reed endure Billy pulling him along to different rides Reed couldn't ride. John cleaned himself and walked off with Reed, telling the others to not overdo themselves. Valerie gave him a sympathetic look but John told them firmly, "I don't want them getting upset stomachs and getting sick because they overdo the rides. Enjoy a show and some games as well as the reservation, but don't go overboard with the rides especially roller- coasters. They can pack a lot of snacks into them, it'll come back up quickly. And if you see Sylvia please don't disturb her, let her continue on working." John walked out to the minivan and let Reed drive, something he smirked at but John told him firmly, "I have to check my notes again, I want to ensure I have everything as I don't think I can hold my tongue with the locals if they turn out to be like the ones in Newhall. Trent is a good person with a high value on what needs to be done but the locals may not be as they appear to us as being." John wasn't kidding, he wanted to have everything covered just in case things got too heated. He didn't think that it would but he wanted to be covered. He was a city boy, small town mentalities irritated him and he refused to play their games when it came to letting them do things how they wanted to do it. The two drove the 20 minutes into town and saw the town bustling with activity as it was a nice day for shopping with locals chatting and reminiscing while outsiders simply ignored the din and went about their business, which was mostly stopping for a quick bite to eat or buy some last minute supplies before driving on to VentureRealm for the day. John and Reed stuck out as they were doing neither, they were simply walking around looking for where they needed to go- Trent Valens' office. It wasn't too obvious unless you looked for it among the buildings, but Trent was understated as a person and it was fitting with his personality. As they were walking, Reed let out a sigh of disappointment as he saw three girls eyeing him. They were the same girls that were booted the day before from SeaSide for their antics but they apparently didn't get the message. It was the same old same old, they wanted something he wasn't giving to them. John sensed his frustration and calmly told him, "Let them make a scene, you don't have to put up with them and if the town takes offense then it's on them and will cost them a lot of money from those who are going to the park for the day. You have a right to not be sexually harassed, it works both ways with people. If it was you doing it to them then you would be in jail, why should they get away with it when the laws work both ways for both genders?" John was in full father mode, Reed was his nephew and he protected his family. Reed chose the high road and ignored the girls, leading John in the direction of Trent's office and entering while John gave the girls a glare that told them to back off or else. The girls ignored it, they saw it as a new challenge and one that would be easy to beat. Trent wasn't in yet but his secretary was. She didn't need to know who they were, she was told that they would be there early and he would be in shortly thereafter. It helped that he owned the building that his office was located in and that he lived above it, few knew this but it was a gift from Tessa so he would always have a place to go to away from the park and to meet other clients while staying close to home. Trent's secretary, Missy Cummings, was a young lady the same age as Reed. She just happened to be in a similar vein of learning as Reed as she was hired to gain experience in the workplace before earning her degree in business administration. She had plans to go laws school later on, which was what drew Trent to hire her as his secretary/assistant as she learned the trade while earning money for school and giving Trent a much needed ear to talk to and a boot in the rear end if need be. Missy could see the girls hovering nearby and asked about them. Reed wasn't afraid to blurt out, "They are pests. They are trying to get me to be their latest sexual conquest." Missy laughed, explaining, "Those three are airheads who live off of their parents' wealth and prestige. They aren't going anywhere in life except getting married and having kids and probably after they end up pregnant from one of their fathers' friends having their way with them. They see you as a challenge, one that they are losing badly. The more they try to win you over, the more they act like idiots." Reed asked their names, getting a harsh, "The leader is Ginger, the others are Pepper and Saffron. They are called the 'Spice Girls' because of that. Their mothers all planned their births and coordinated their names. Their poor brothers are named Dill, Basil, and Mace earning the name 'Spice Boys'." The duo grinned while John fought a laugh. Trent offered a snarky, "They come off as overblown, untalented, and very full of themselves. They fit the name alright even if the real group was good at what they were doing even if it became a joke for others." John shook Trent's hand while Reed kept quiet. John was led into the office while Missy locked the front door, turned the sign to "Closed" and closed the blinds on the windows to ensure their privacy. She then led Reed to the back conference room and seated him alongside John while she grabbed the needed files for Trent to use. They kept silent as the two arranged things while the teens watched. Trent finally handed John documents that needed his signature then signed documents that needed Trent's signature. The two were wasting no time and signed off on everything needed and barely glanced at what the other was handing over. Reed casually told Missy, "They really know how to take the fun out of meetings, all business and no small talk," causing her to snicker in agreement. When the last documents were finalized the two broke the formality and asked how they had been the past seven months. Trent waved around the room and proudly told him, "I put down roots and branched out to new clients. Queen Tessa wanted me to make things my own and ensure I had other clients rather than relying solely on her and the park for subsistence." John nodded in agreement, it was a wise move that he would benefit from for years to come. John didn't need to say anything about himself, there was little to tell. Trent did ask, "How is your new grandson? which John had to shoot back, "Taking after his family in too many ways." Reed grinned and explained, "He's continuing the family tradition of ignoring Uncle John and crying whenever he tries to hold them. He only has one baby who likes him, but he is so used to people giving him attention that Uncle John is simply another person. Thankfully Sylvia doesn't do it- yet." John cringed while Trent nodded, adding, "As long as she's healthy and happy." Missy was going to ask about her but Reed told her firmly, "It's not for gossip. There's too many people who would be hurt if it was talked about in front of the wrong people. She's happy and healthy even if she does give unwanted presents in her diapers every chance she gets." Missy got the subtext, it was a private matter. Trent moved them on and asked about the park so far. John shook his head as Reed burst into laughter, finally telling him, "He almost lost a finger to a nanny goat at the petting zoo earlier. He hasn't met an animal who hasn't taken a piece of flesh from him yet. She seemed to know just what to do to get him to give her the treats." Trent shook his head and added, "She's a nice goat, but she does know who to target to get what she wants." Reed gave John a grin to which John told him, "Make the joke and I'll be sure to have you change BJ and Ophelia's diapers back home. I'm sure Ophelia will just love hearing how you got her involved in that joke without thinking about it." Reed cringed and meekly apologized while Trent stifled a laugh. John had to quickly explain, "It's a running joke since I was born that the ladies in my family can manipulate me. All of them, by blood or by adoption, can do that and somehow it extends to animals. She's not the first goat to do that to me." Trent offered a consoling, "She does that a lot. The kids love her for that, she knows who to go after and does it for fun and to get reactions. She's a nice little lady, if she wasn't she would have been placed elsewhere after the first time. She's the star of the petting zoo for doing that." Missy nodded, adding, "She usually puts on a show for little kids. She knows what to do to get the most attention and keep people from disturbing the other animals who aren't in the mood to play. She does it at least once a day and it's really for the younger goats to get some extra food. The 4H workers use her as a way of helping the younger goats get some exercise and eat their food." John felt a little better, it was natural instinct and Tessa would put the kids first even if the nanny was a big star among the animals. She wasn't dangerous, just a bit of a pain at times. She was at least well cared for in her pen, some of the goats he met over the years weren't the cleanest animals. Trent led the duo out for their next meeting, with Missy manning the office as there would be a few to come in to get gossip on the newcomers meeting with Trent. She could handle them easily, she wasn't one to give up any information that wasn't necessary or that would harm her boss's cases. She had earned Trent's trust and she did have a few things to do now that the forms John signed were there. As soon as they exited the office, Reed was pounced on by the, "Spice Girls" who led him down the street and away from John. Trent was going to say something but John figured that Reed wasn't going to hold back based on how he was looking at the teenagers across the street, sitting in the nearby park, and chatting in the malt shoppe that they dragged him into. John just shook his head and told the bewildered Trent, "He's going to cause those girls to go down in flames. He won't stray from Jessie, his girlfriend. She is his world and is both better looking than them and has a big future ahead of her." Trent understood, he must have to deal with this a lot in school. John nodded, adding, "He has put up with girls trying to get in his pants since he was a freshman. He's dealt with false accusations of him trying to fondle girls and of sleeping with girls who he never met just so he'd break up with Jessie and join the girls who lied about him. It never works and only makes the girls look horrible." In the shoppe, Reed was dragged to a booth and surrounded by the girls. He waited for the inevitable and wasn't disappointed as Ginger told him firmly, "You owe us for what you did to us. We are going to get what we want from you or you will regret it." Reed shook his head, told them to let him go, then added, "You did it to yourselves." Pepper complained, "We can't go back to the park because of you! The bimbo that owns it banned us for what you made us do!" Saffron bitterly added, "Our parents said we were going to lose our cars if we got in trouble again. You are going to give us what we want or you will regret it." Reed sighed, then asked what they wanted from him. Ginger grinned and told him, "You are going to give us the nights of our lives. You are the best catch to come along in a while. The guys in this town are nobodies, you have money. I saw you taking with Danica and that chef and with that bimbo who owns the park. You are going to give us a night of pleasure or you are going to be ruined." Reed listened and looked around at the teens listening to the conversation. He smirked and asked, "Is that all? You just want me to have sex with all three of you? Am I just a piece of meat to you?" Ginger shot back a firm, "Give us what we want or you will regret it. Dad has a way of making things happen to you. He has a couple of deputies who won't hesitate to give your father out there a ticket or arrest him for some trumped up charges." Reed could see that people were whispering at the threats and grinned. He was letting her talk herself into being the town pariah and causing her father trouble that he likely deserved to get into. She was a classic spoiled brat, one that he had no problem chopping down to size. Reed asked what they would do to his father. Ginger told him, "Dad has a nice stash of marijuana. He keeps it for just such an occasion. Nobody will believe that it's not your dad's stuff. Pepper's dad will make sure your dad doesn't get a good lawyer, anyone who crosses him will get hurt badly." The whispering turned to shock as the girls outright stated that John would be put in jail unless Reed slept with all three of the girls. The teenagers could not believe just how far the girls would go to get what they wanted let alone from someone who didn't even live there. The, "Spice Girls" may have been the most hated girls in town but this was beyond comprehension. He looked at Ginger then told her, "No chance. I'm dating a beautiful, smart, talented, athletic woman who I am happy to hold off attending college for a year just to be with. I'm not about to throw three and a half years away for a fling with three bimbos who are just going to get pregnant and stuck with sleazy guys because you can't get a decent job because you coasted through life thanks to your daddy's money. I love my girlfriend deeply and no amount of threats will make me stray. And even if I ever considered it, I'd end up on the run. I fear her friends more than your fathers, I live between two of them and across the street from three more- including her best friend. That's not including her elder sister being my second cousin's wife making whatever I did all the more hurtful to me." He told them to let him go. They refused so he climbed up on the table and jumped over them, landing on his feet while getting into a ready stance should someone try to come at him. The teens laughed as the girls' plans backfired, he could have gotten away easily and talked them into their humiliations. Reed walked out to the girls threatening him, but Reed shot back, "Please try. I recorded the whole conversation just in case you tried something. I am sure that your fathers will enjoy hearing from state investigators over trying to extort sex from me and using their positions to exact revenge for your three being refused. They will also love to know some of the stuff like where your dads got the drugs and how they had planned to prevent lawyers from hiring clients perverting the rights of defendants." He then grinned and proclaimed, "He's not my father, he's my father's cousin. He's also a police officer. As is my father. My mother is the deputy attorney general of our state and would gladly rip your dads apart to protect me. My so-called 'dad' is also married to a lawyer who would have defended me in court anyway making your threats of keeping my so- called 'dad' a proper prosecution laughable. You have nothing to threaten me with, if you keep it up I'll gladly get a restraining order against you to keep you from trying something against both myself and my family." John gladly showed his badge, then added, "I think we will have a talk with the sheriff about just what went on here." Trent nodded, showing him the sheriff's office while the girls were left to the laughter of two dozen teens in the park and malt shoppe. Missy texted Trent to tell him that it was all over town, Reed had dozens of witnesses to what happened and the girls' words were recorded on multiple videos. Trent walked on, telling the duo, "Those girls have been a menace to the town for the past year. They are lazy, conceited, and going nowhere in life. They harbor a deep grudge against the workers at the park due to being rejected by Queen Tessa for having no actual skills that were of use to the park and what what skills they did have was only good for working behind the scenes cleaning up trash and cleaning out animal pens and pool filters. She may have overlooked some of their attitude if they had athletic ability or dancing talent as it could be expected but they don't." John asked if there was more. Trent sighed, then confessed, "It's something we'd like to forget but the girls were responsible for a private investigator trying to infiltrate the park in search of damaging information. They gave him a lot of info about who got hired and why. Through their interview he was able to get into the park and get close to Queen Tessa but was driven off by the security detail. He tried to search the park by breaking inside at night but was caught in the act and finally put out to pasture by the sheriff and the state. The girls though, well they never grew up and have coasted by the past year off their fathers' money. They have burned a lot of bridges in town and there is nobody who will lift a finger for them anymore. This might finally cause the needed storm to get them out of town for good." He grinned as he looked at Reed. He happily proclaimed, "You did the town a huge favor. Their brothers are good kids, they have endured a lot of flak from their fathers for not being the same vile, conniving, scoundrels like them. They are good at sports but are great in class and model citizens. They will make our town proud, when they get away from their fathers' reputations that is." The group walked on to their true destination, town hall and the mayor's office. Trent greeted mayor Elaine Oberlin at the office door and introduced the duo, with Elaine offering a quick, "He met Betsy?" Trent was puzzled until he noticed John's hand stamp, the sign that he had been inside the petting zoo. Trent smirked to which John asked, "Is she always so 'hands on' with the guests?" Elaine snickered to which Trent added, "He met her alright, and she got him to drop his treats then back away. The other kids will have a good lunch thanks to him, she ensured her cousins had a good breakfast." Elaine offered her sympathies, with a somber, "She did that to my husband last month. She loves to pick her targets but never gets physical. She doesn't bite, just snips. She is really good with children." John offered his thanks for hosting them and introduced Reed, adding, "He's one of the recipients of help from my tutoring program. He was part of the first program outside Missouri, one that took hold in my state but has also been copied in Florida and California thanks to a friend's influence." Reed shot back, "His friend is Miguel Toro, star reliever for the Red Sox but set up programs with his former teams." Elaine looked over the specifics and agreed that it was a simple program that wouldn't cost much at all. She looked over John's other proposals, one that he stated, "These are personal. Your town has taken in my granddaughter's biological mother as their own. It's a helping hand, something that you can use to help bring the school into the 21st century with little cost to your schools except in time and training." John showed the proposal, how much he was paying, and how the schools would benefit. They were all good ideas and it was needed but the town was struggling to get the support to buy the technology on their own. John paying for it would give them the ability to hire those who could make it work and help the teachers in all grades adapt to the new century while helping students for years to come. Elaine was thrilled, she immediately called the superintendent and explained what John had offered and why it was a good idea. The man listened and wanted to see the proposal, leading the group to wait an hour until he came. This allowed Elaine to get to know John more, as her interest was piqued now. John told his past as it pertained to what she needed to know, showing his identification as a teacher and telling her that his biography was online in multiple places backing up his claims. Elaine Googled him and sure enough, his claims were true especially the praise that he received and the criticism that he had to put up with from the infamous Hadley County, MO residents. It was all the same, he used a bit of logic and understanding of kids to get them to take in their tutoring and improve themselves. The group made small talk as the superintendent drove in. Elaine asked about their stay so far, with Reed groaning while Trent offered a solemn, "You need to have a strong talk with your husband about Saffron and what she's doing with her life. She is starting to become too much like Ginger and Pepper and may have just killed any way of getting a decent job in town. Hopefully he can get through to his sister and stop Saffron's antics." Elaine shook her head and asked about what happened. Reed didn't hold anything back, with Elaine kept on nodding then making a quick phone call to the sheriff to have him come by. The sheriff was actually inside town hall and was there in seconds, then listened to what Elaine had to say about Ginger and Pepper's claims. Sheriff Roy Dodd was not one to mess around and took allegations of corruption seriously. If it had been from anyone else he would be upset, but Elaine caused him to calm down as she always had a plan. Elaine wasn't a normal politician, she was a people person and was in it for the people first. Roy entered and took notice of two men and a teenager. Reed stood up out of respect while Elaine told Roy, "This is Mr. John Finn and his nephew Reed Pena. They are visiting VentureRealm this week as guests of Queen Tessa. Today they are taking time out of their vacation to offer our town a special gift. Sadly, they have gotten a cold reception from the 'Spice Girls' which has necessitated the need for your involvement. Trent, why don't you explain it further." He pointed to Reed who explained, "Yesterday the girls were trying their hardest to get my attention while my sister and cousins were enjoying SeaSide. They didn't take too kindly to my ignoring them and went out of their way to flirt with me and ended up getting booted. When they noticed me with my uncle today they grabbed me and pushed me into the malt shoppe and threatened Uncle John and me. They said they would plant drugs on us to get Uncle John arrested then make it so no lawyer would be able to defend him. They don't know that Uncle John is a cop and dad is a police chief and mom is the Massachusetts deputy attorney general and Aunt Valerie is a lawyer so their claims are baseless." Roy looked suspicious until John showed his badge while Reed showed a picture of his father in his uniform, with John adding, "He's in the park with his wife and mine. His mother wouldn't hesitate to rip your department to shreds and have the governor sifting through the remains for anything to prosecute. Our city hates corruption with a vengeance, Trent can back me up on that." Trent nodded, adding, "They don't threaten, they promise. It's the hallmark of their family, they are law abiding citizens who fight for the rights of those in need especially family. It's why Queen Tessa took a liking to them, they would do just as he says. They have done it before without hesitation. The two US Representatives and Massachusetts Senator thrown out of office back in December? That was them." Roy just nodded, thought about something and smiled. Pepper may have just caused hers and Ginger's fathers to get in serious legal trouble. She just admitted to them fixing cases against defendants and to having access to a large amount of drugs, while small amounts were allowed the kind that Dodd's department would become involved in would have to be in the range of several kilos of the drug. Roy got up to leave, telling John, "I'll have my best men look into those girls closely and keep an ear out for them making claims against you and your nephew. I think if Elaine will ensure that Saffron will get a strong talking to and forced to either straighten up or be booted from her home. She's 19, it's time for her to act like a grown woman." Roy left with a big grin on his face, John and Reed had given him the perfect way of getting rid of a big pest in the girls while taking out two highly troublesome men. Elaine would take care of Saffron even if it meant that Saffron had to move in with Elaine and her family. She would get the much needed parental love even if it was from her aunt and uncle. The superintendent saw Roy leave and grew concerned. He entered and was introduced to John and listened to John's proposal and how it would impact their budgets, or rather the lack of an impact. He wasn't too keen on getting the help but Elaine was adamant and told him, "John is the best possible person to help us. He wants nothing from us, he needs no help, and he is doing it for our children and our children alone. It's a gift, one we would be foolish to deny." The superintendent asked for the particulars about John, who showed his identification and had him verify it with the school back east. When he heard the full extent of John's wealth and his experience with both the tutoring program and the precursor and other variations it caused the last remaining doubt fell away. John was the kind of person that the school needed, he was trying to make changes to help students for decades to come. He agreed to the proposal and asked that it be formalized. Trent made the official offer on John's behalf and showed that it needed only the approval of the superintendent and Elaine to proceed. Elaine was all smiles, it would be a big boon for the schools and with John not wanting press it would go to the town itself with Elaine deflecting the attention to Trent who would be there on John's behalf. After the superintendent left, Elaine received a phone call from her sister-in-law. She was upset that the new people in town had humiliated her daughter and demanded action. Elaine listened then pointedly asked, "Did she tell you what she demanded that he do? Your little angel tried to force a boy to have sex with her and her so-called friends because they were humiliated by him for ignoring their advances the day before. She never told you why she was booted from VentureRealm and suspended did she? Well it was due to their own lewd behavior!" Elaine waited for her to calm down before she continued, "She needs a reality check before she ruins her life. It's only a matter of time before your husband gets her involved with shady men who leave her pregnant and abandoned with the shame of raising their child alone. She already has a nasty reputation, one that was well earned and one I am getting sick of. Rein her in before you lose her." Elaine hung up and waited for her husband to call. When he did call she simply explained what had really happened and got a soft, "I'll talk with Saffron directly. She has a home with us, it's high time that my sister left that louse. She has enough money from her inheritance to live comfortably and will get a hefty sum in their divorce, her husband only wanted her because of her access to people anyway." Elaine smiled at hearing that, Saffron was getting the tough love she needs as she didn't think that his sister would leave her husband. With the way Roy sounded, Saffron's father was going to get himself put in prison for a long time and would cause his wife humiliation. Saffron could be redeemed, she just had to get away from Ginger and Pepper's clutches first. Elaine bid the trio goodbye with John seeing that small towns aren't all the same. Bayleston had shown that they are a good place to live and that the power behind the town were good people. Like anywhere, there were bad seeds but the ones in Bayleston were typical and easily handled with the right people who only needed a reason to stand up for what was right and chop the problems down to size. The trio watched as Saffron had a scared look on her face as her uncle asked to speak with her before leading her inside. John felt sorry for the girl, Trent told him, "She's a good kid at heart, she was more of a lackey than an active participant in the girls' antics. She will do better with time, but the other two are beyond redemption and will see things tough for themselves. Missy will hold off those trying to have a go at Saffron, the girls have known one another since childhood and she still cares about Saffron." Saffron was led inside her aunt's office and forced to endure her aunt's infamous hard stare. She was on the verge of tears as Elaine explained, "Your so-called friends chose the wrong people to harass the past two days. John Finn is not one to trifle with, neither is Reed Pena. Queen Tessa may be the only one keeping them from ripping your friends apart and suing them for everything they are worth. Ginger is a lazy, good for nothing louse who is using you for her own needs. Pepper is a dimwitted slut incapable of thinking for herself. You are different. I know this to be true as I saw it whenever you were with us. I want you to get away from those girls and stay away for good. They are close to stepping over the line and risking legal action. Reed is not going to let them get away with harassing him and his parents will see to it that the girls are put in jail for their actions. I don't want that to happen to you. You are your own person, it's time to start being that person and doing what's best for you- not what's best for them." Saffron was scared, she hadn't considered that their actions could put them in jail before. She knew that among the three of them, she was the sacrificial lamb for the other two girls. If there was going to be any trouble with boys or the law, Ginger wouldn't hesitate to blame it all on her while Pepper lied to protect Ginger and herself from whatever Roy had on them. Seeing the realization of the extent of Saffron's troubles, Elaine turned into the caring aunt and offered a loving, "You are 19, you are free to live as you please and we want you to be with family. Move in with us. Your cousins are more than happy to have you live with us, especially the girls." It was a simple choice: go with her aunt or get thrown in jail when Ginger's plans backfired. Saffron shed a tear and agreed to the conditions. Elaine's husband called his sister and told her that Saffron was moving out and that she was not to be harassed, leading to a war of words and comforting hug from Elaine while Saffron cried at hearing her mother's harsh commentary about her. Trent received a text from Elaine leading him to tell Missy that she would be needed by Saffron. Missy was fine with being the designated shoulder to cry on, it was for the best and she wanted to help her friend out. Saffron would have Missy's friends for support if need be, even if they departed in a few weeks for school they would be there for her when they came home for breaks. John looked at the time and took Reed to lunch, with Trent declining while Missy joined them at John's insistence. Reed and Missy talked about school with Reed's classwork getting an odd reaction from Missy. When when John explained the straightforward scheduling and requirements for graduating it made sense to her and explained why he was so comfortable at the meeting earlier. She did ask about how he ended up with an internship with the state at such a young age, getting a big blush from Reed while John casually added, "He earned it through his work with his boss. He shut down a few criminal organizations from his accounting work and that's just from helping family. He also caught a couple of tax cheats and people hiding money from their businesses, putting them in jail." Missy was shocked but Reed added, "His son is better than I am, I'm just a specialist. It's actually boring work that others did the heavy work on. I mostly double-checked their findings. I never have to testify since I'm not the one who is doing the actual investigating, my bosses are." The trio entered the downtown diner, it was quieter and the waitresses were friendlier. Mary and Les entered just after them, with John asking them to eat with them. The two agreed, not wanting to give the others a sense that John was up to no good or play up the rumors the, "Spice Girls" likely started. The meal was quiet as nobody wanted to say anything but Missy did keep eyeing several of the newer customers who wandered in and stopped to listen to them. As they finished their sandwiches and waited for their slices of pie to come to the table, Mary asked how they enjoyed the park so far. John blushed as the duo smirked then Missy added, "He got to meet Betsy, and got the trick treatment." Mary stifled a laugh while Les offered a solemn, "She really knows how to scare you just enough to get what she wants but not enough to cause her to be removed. She hasn't bitten anyone yet, but her look is enough to get you to move away." Mary added, "She got him twice already, but she's lovable afterward." They enjoyed the pie of the day, a homemade strawberry rhubarb pie, with John being told, "Don't even think about it." John didn't even consider trying to make it, he couldn't match the ladies' magic touch. Reed did add, "It's too much effort for something hard to capture. Stick to pudding pies and quiches." The trio walked out with John paying for the meal over Les and Mary's complaints. He just grinned while Reed explained, "He won't let you pay when he asked you to join him. He doesn't like to let anyone pay when he is around. It's not illegal to accept it from him as he's doing it as a friend." The duo dropped off Missy at the office then walked on to the minivan. They were met by Ginger and Pepper, with the girls pointing out to several men that they were the ones to take down. John grinned as Reed got into his ready stance while John texted Sheriff Dodd that he was about to be assaulted by hired thugs under the orders of the girls. John moved to the front of the minivan and pressed a button to start a camera while Reed started recording with his phone. The girls confronted Reed over losing Saffron to her, "Pathetic" aunt and that they had to explain to their dads why they were having deputies search their homes. Pepper added that they were going to pay for making their dads hide their goods during the day, with Reed grinning over the girls just putting their fathers in the line of fire as Dodd would go after them right away now that he knew that there was a leak in the department and at town hall. The guys got closer and started to attack Reed. Reed simply ducked their punches and swiftly kicked out their knees then landed kicks in the back of their heads knocking them unconscious. John didn't need to make a move to protect Reed as the four guys were too slow and weren't used to any kind of real fighting, they were brawlers going up against a martial artist with extensive self-defense training. Two deputies showed up and grabbed John and Reed, placing them under arrest for assault. The girls were screaming at them that they assaulted the four men, lying about the duo trying to have their way with them before the guys stopped them. The deputies grinned, punched Reed several times in the stomach, then did the same to John before putting both in handcuffs and placing them in their cruiser. John could only smile as the cruiser was boxed in by Sheriff Dodd and two more cruisers. The deputies were about to say something but both were placed under arrest by Dodd who then released John and Reed. Dodd shook his head at seeing Reed's bruises, telling John, "We have it all on audio. Their cruisers are wired with sound and video and captured the assault. They thought they were slick, but the GPS in their cruiser did them in. We know they were watching the whole assault." John didn't say anything, only telling him, "I'll email the video and audio files to you. If they get off I'll have the county ripped apart until the guilty parties are behind bars." Dodd didn't hesitate to tell him, "If that happens, multiple people will be in prison including the DA himself! Take them down if need be." The girls were taken into custody for criminal conspiracy. They tried to fight their arrest and threatened the deputies and Roy himself, earning new charges of assault and criminal threats against them. Word spread quickly about their arrests leading Elaine to look at the still saddened Saffron with a knowing look while Saffron said a somber, "Thank you, Aunt Elaine." After giving their statements and ensuring that copies of the videos and audios were sent to proper people for safe handling, John and Reed drove to the park to meet up with the family and fill them in on what happened to them and what may happen later on. Reed dreaded telling his parents about the assault, but John assured him that it was going to be alright. Willie and Kennedy understood better than anyone about power hungry people, especially ones who would not hesitate to lie or take you out to get what they wanted. At the park, John and Reed were led directly to the family while Dave Wells gave them a smirk. John shook his head, telling him sharply, "I'm sure that you know all about going into battle with bad intel." Dave nodded, adding, "Not many would have dared to tell them off, even fewer to stand up to them knowing that you were about to be arrested on trumped-up charges." Reed cringed, but Dave added a firm, "They were told not to mess with you. Anyone that can use Google could have told them that your family was not one to mess with. Mitch Gibson himself told most of the town that over Spring break and on the phone to his friends still living here. It doesn't take much to get information about you, especially why going after you is going to backfire. They just overstepped themselves for the last time and will pay dearly for it. Sheriff Dodd will ensure that they are getting exactly what they deserve, and the DA will find every charge possible to stick them with." There was little else to talk about, Dave led them on while the other security officers kept an eye out for anyone who may try to go after the duo. John picked up on their actions and grinned, if they were going after them in the park then there would be hell to pay. Dave was dangerous, his actions showed all that. The fact that the park's security was a picture of what military precision should be, was not lost on any of them- especially not someone who grew up around military people as John did. The group walked across the park to WildForest and had to slow down at times, due to the crowds. It wasn't anything serious, the park was busy as families started to gather near the exit to leave making going against the tide hard to do. John was fine with the slow pace, the security officers got a lot of looks with Reed and John being looked at oddly, but being seen as VIPs and weren't heading for the security office, it was more of an awe sight. Valerie, Willie and Kennedy were sitting outside one of the kiddie coasters waiting for the kids to get off when they finally reached the family. Willie gave John a smirk causing Reed to cringe while the ladies asked a firm, "What did you do to make six people get arrested?" John tried to say something, but instead Reed blurted out, "The girls from yesterday did it all." Kennedy hugged Reed while Dave explained, "They did the town a big service, two of those girls were a terror to the teens of the town while the third needed a swift kick in her backside to get away from the other two. They didn't really do anything, the girls did it to themselves and met two people that could not be manipulated or extorted. The sheriff is pleased with them, the girls' families are in deep trouble." Dave left with the other officers, not needing to do anything else and getting ready for the upcoming attempt on John and Reed by Ginger and Pepper's fathers. The two men were bold enough to attempt to get at them in the park, they didn't dare do it in the town now that their stooges were in custody. Dave was not going to let the park be used for nefarious means, he'd protect the park and its patrons. John had Reed explain what was going on before he added his own account, with Valerie and Kennedy trying hard not to say anything while Willie made notes and made a phone call to Sheriff Roy Dodd. Dodd wasn't too pleased to hear from him, but it was expected and he didn't hold back as he told Willie just what was going on and when. Willie agreed and offered his own take on what would happen, it was to be expected that there would be retaliation at the park both to make it look bad and to get back at the duo where they least expected it and would be "vulnerable" but had full support from Dave's crew. Roy didn't mince words, he told them to lay low as much as possible, but they had a right to enjoy their time at the park even if the girls' fathers didn't think so. Queen Tessa would not let them be in fear of the impending actions, she would want them to enjoy the park and let Dave handle things. Looking at the way they were being eyed by security, Willie had to reluctantly agree to that. "Actually Chief Pena, you and your family are safer in the park than anywhere else I can think of. Captain Wells knows what he's doing over there," Sheriff Dodd reassured him. Roy did ask for permission to verify some claims about the family. Willie gave the names of several people who would vouch for them including their badge numbers and what departments they worked for. The fact that he had both a trio of federal agents, a governor, and Boston Police Department Commissioner on his side bode well for Willie, but Roy was still going to double-check the facts first. Dave had done the same before the Finn and Pena families started their trip west, using his own means and came up with quite the dossier. Tessa wasn't one to offer the park free to anyone without good reason and if she wanted them to be kept happy then he needed to know everything about them. Reading up on the family's history, it wasn't hard to see why she wanted to show them a good time. They were cut from the same cloth- both metaphorically and literally. Dave couldn't help but feel that it was going to be a fun bit of learning for the town; as Pepper's father was going to bring the dumbest, yet beefiest, guys to back him up while Ginger's father would blow a gasket over his daughter's 'rights being violated' by the park and town. Neither would last in any sort of a battle of wits with Kennedy or Valerie, and their thugs couldn't stop John or Willie let alone Reed. It would be a bloodbath for the two fathers and their thugs, one that he proudly wanted to see. Over at WildForest, the kids noticed John and Reed being back and wanted them to go on rides with them. The two tried to refuse, but gave in when they chose to ride the ski lift and Ferris Wheel. The kids just wanted to ride with them, they knew they wouldn't go on thrill rides so were fine with those easier rides just to give them some time with the duo. The ski lift ride was actually calming for them, especially as Billy pointed out the fun rides in that area that they rode and Logan told John how he missed out on the girls getting sick from eating too many snacks and riding on the treehouse drop gravity ride. Logan smartly said no to the ride and waited for them to need to get water and a small anti-nausea tablet for their foolishness. It was something John had done multiple times in the past, he wisely told the ladies to go on them mid-morning instead of after lunch because they would overdo it on snacks. The kids had their fill of the rides and went to dinner, opting for the saloon so they could enjoy the performance by Princess Michelle while eating. The kids had been so busy that they never realized that they had missed the earlier shows, but then again the saloon wasn't in the ride part of WildForest so it wasn't on their agenda until John mentioned it. It was a welcome diversion to him especially if it was like the saloon shows in the past, albeit without the sexually-charged nature. The kids walked over to their table while the adults ordered their food. John opted for the barbecue brisket which the kids had to ask about leading John to tell them about the food getting them to sneer at him getting the idea of cooking it. It looked like it was nice food, but the kids were typical kids and were reluctant to try new things, especially as they weren't used to the names of the cuts of meat. John smirked then proudly told them, "You've had the cuts before, it's the same cut as corned beef and cabbage Aunt Danielle cooks. It's hard to cook it at home, the smoke is a big issue as your uncle would be over with half the fire department trying to put out the fire that we are supposedly having. I don't want the city put in danger because I am trying to smoke meat like real chefs! I wouldn't want the guys getting sick from my badly made sauce or using the wrong kind of wood to smoke either." The kids started to snicker and agree. He rarely gave in to cooking challenges, but this one made sense. He did have to admit that his natural anxiety and constant distractions made it tough to smoke food even without the fire department response issues. He was just glad that the six kids were open to trying the new food, especially the Tex-Mex ones. John's bold proclamation got the attention of WildForest's head chef, Hank Thompson, who was not one to sit idly by as someone seemed to have insulted his favorite cooking style. Hank walked on over and asked about John's problems and why he was so quick to brush off an ancient and beloved cooking style. Hank wasn't ready for John's reaction, John seemed to exude a sense of respect but Hank wanted to hear what John had to say to explain why he refused to smoke meats. John drew a deep breath and calmly explained, "We live in a densely populated city that has had to fight hundreds of fires over the decades. A single room fire can cause an entire neighborhood to burn down. Smoking foods would set off calls to the fire department about a possible fire which would cause thousands of dollars in waste as it would cause unnecessary responses by the five fire companies in the city and likely other cities nearby as they covered our department. The only time we could conceivably smoke food is during winter when the smell of wood burning furnaces is common but even then it's a toss-up as it would cause issues since the smoke coming from something other than a chimney would cause the same response. It's easier to leave it to the pros and enjoy it made in the comfort of a restaurant that is known than try it at home. The few places that smoke food are well known to the department and away from homes so they don't interfere like doing it myself would interfere." Hank grinned at the response, it wasn't what he expected and it was hard to refute. John added, "I wasn't joking about accidentally making the firefighters sick, I'm a terrible cook when trying new things as the kids will gladly state to anyone. I'd rather not have 17 firefighters come down ill due to my cooking. As much as their colleagues would enjoy the overtime, it's not fair to them overall." Hank nodded and went on his way, but first telling them to enjoy the brisket as it was his own special recipe for dry rub and was unmatched. John looked at the kids who knew that they had been tricked into trying the food by default. John ordered and all had the same, with John enjoying the beans but getting a snicker from the kids as they joked about the reactions later that night. Things were going well during the meal as the kids loved the barbecue meats, especially the brisket. John didn't even try to guess what was in the rub as it melted into the meat, creating what was called a 'bark' and gave it a unique flavor. The kids loved the side dishes as they ate the coleslaw and cornbread, not knowing what the coleslaw was and leaving the adults to smile at the kids eating their veggies without being forced to. The show on stage was one that John actually loved. Michelle had a great wit and interacted with the crowd, giving them a lot to laugh at while teasing the crowd without being insulting. She was a master of timing and transitioned from song to laughs quickly while keeping up the energy. The kids loved the sketches, small acts of tricks with ropes and bits involving the cowboys and the ladies in the saloon's dance troupe. Michelle tied together the acts and at times served as the MC as she joked about the failures of the guys to impress the girls with their tricks while the girls showed that they were enjoying the playful fun of the guys goofing around. The kids were laughing throughout and were happy to see that it was more than just a simple show, it was something entirely unique to the venue. The Saloon girls' costumes were attractive with corset-style tops and the high-front, low-back skirts, especially attracted Kennedy's attention. It allowed them do perform their high- kicks but not look too racy while also allowing the dress to "breathe" allowing the ladies to not perspire as much. It was a fun time for all and only got better as Michelle made her way over to hug the six kids and kiss Reed's cheek, making the poor teen blush a deep shade of red. She led Reed up on stage and had him become the next "bull" that the rodeo teens chased around while Michelle sang a funny song. Reed wasn't able to escape and was quickly hog-tied by the duo setting off laughs from the others and causing the saloon to roar with cheers and laughter as Reed was put on display. Michelle had whispered to Reed to brace for the fall making it seem like it was worse than it really was and allowed the kids to think Reed was really being chased, but he never had a chance against them. It was actually a thrill for Reed, he wasn't one to perform anything except martial arts exhibitions. He did get nervous when one of the cowboys called out for him to be branded. Princess Michelle led the way as all the dance-girls lined up and placed a lipstick-print on his face somewhere. Kennedy and Valerie both laughed and took pictures, to his horror sending them off to Jessie to enjoy. Reed sat down and watched as Michelle closed the show and thanked him and the kids for coming. She beckoned them to the dressing room and chatted with them about the plans for the wedding. She was in full knowledge of everything, she had to plan around it so she could attend alongside the others. Valerie mentioned that her dress was fully made and only need subtle tweaking that will only come when Sylvia is dressed. Michelle asked what the ladies were wearing, getting a sly grin from them as Michelle took it to mean that it was a special surprise. Valerie did offer a quick, "It's informal but we will have some special things to wear, everyone will be wearing them." Michelle bid them goodbye, with Reed blushing as Michelle gave him a hug. The family headed back to the hotel, they avoided the traffic snarl after Queen Tessa's lullaby but barely. Tessa offered them a big smile as she set eyes on them, she didn't approach them but her, "Hello" was clear. Inside their hotel suite, Valerie asked for the full story and to leave nothing out. John explained what he could while Reed filled them in on the rest. Kennedy hugged Reed tightly, then told him firmly, "Let me handle this from here on out. They are dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt. This is one fight that's above your pay grade." John countered with, "It's been taken care of. They opened up a can of worms that can't be closed and by the sound of things, they may have caused the biggest investigation the town has ever seen. Leave it to the sheriff and his people, Dave Wells wouldn't have left us alone had it not been handled fully." "Captain Dave. From what I understand now the man was and still is quite the officer" Valerie remarked. Willie nodded, "I don't think I would have minded one bit serving under him." There was little else to talk about so they went off to their own rooms. John did fire off an email to those who would need to know that some people would start sniffing around his finances and look for something to throw at him. He figured Sylvia was the easiest target, but that would only cause the idea to backfire as Sylvia had too many supporters in high places to get taken out by them. As the family slept, Pepper and Ginger were bailed out of jail by their fathers after six hours stewing in their thoughts. Ginger's father Sage and Pepper's father Chili immediately smacked the girls offside their heads as they got into their cars, unhappy to have been 'humiliated' by the girls' antics and bringing attention to the family by the wrong people. It was all a load of garbage as the two swore that John and Reed would get what they deserved for what they did to the girls. At Sage's home, the two fathers plotted their revenge against Dodd, John, Reed and Saffron. They called on trusted friends to get their guys into position to cause John and Reed to do something that would harm them in front of all. They would do it at the park, the one place that they couldn't defend themselves without causing themselves trouble. It was exactly what Dave predicted, the only catch was how to get the people into the park. This was solved as Chili had a strong investment in a delivery company and would have his people 'deliver' a shipment to the park but would really have the folks in the van hide until given the order to go after the duo. It was a foolproof plan except they were unaware, as security was tight-lipped about procedures. All deliveries were monitored so nobody could do what Pepper and Sage were trying to do. It was one of the things that Dave had foreseen people would to try to do when the park security was laid out in the first place so precautions had been taken to prevent such a move. The girls whined about their boy-toys being arrested alongside them leading Sage and Chili to tell them off for getting involved with deputies. The two were going to get burned badly by Roy, it wasn't hard to tell that they were of no use to the families anymore and were just going to damage them. The girls would find new lovers, Sage and Pepper had planned on their sons marrying their daughters, so the deputies were never going to get beyond simple sex in the first place. Dill and Basil were in love with the girls, but the girls would never give them the time of day. It was clear to the girls that their fathers wanted them to marry the boys, but neither girl had an interest in them. It was all business to their fathers and the boys were getting eager to finalize the deal. The girls had their sights on a much better prize, one that was the ultimate prize to any girl in town but to anyone with half a brain, it was clear that he had no interest in anyone but his fiance: Mitch Gibson. Thankfully the boys' friend Mace had no interest in either girl and actually had his eyes on Missy. She was the best looking girl in their school and had a steady job. She had shown some interest in Mace, but he was too close to Dill and Basil to get beyond talking in the halls at school. Mace listened to his sister talk about what happened and asked about Missy. Missy talking with Saffron had caught Mace's ears and led to him begging for more information which led to Saffron to see just how smitten he was with the girl. It was sweet but also sad, Missy was a good friend and Mace was a caring, affectionate, compassionate boy was overshadowed by Saffron's actions. She had cost him a chance at love with Missy simply because he couldn't hurt his sister by telling her off in public. Saffron confessed that Missy was a good person and Saffron would put in a good word with her about Mace. It was enough to cause him to smile and walk off, giving Saffron satisfaction that her being forced to move in with her aunt and uncle was going to be for the best, especially for Mace. She loved him deeply, even if she didn't see how her actions were affecting him until just then. As Saffron and Mace were talking, Saffron received texts from Ginger and Pepper threatening her if she didn't join them in helping them get back at Reed and John. Saffron did the only thing she could think of, she asked her aunt for advice and was told, "Tell them to leave you alone and if they try to get back at you again, you will fight back with every dirty secret you have. There's an old saying 'never upset the one who knows all your secrets'." Saffron smiled at that, with Mace hugging her goodbye as he went home to the family's house. He was met by his angry parents, both of whom demanded to know where Saffron was and why he didn't drag her back home with him as he had been told. Mace just smiled, then asked, "Did you want me to hurt Aunt Elaine and Uncle Jerrod? She's staying with them from now on and if you think I'm going to hurt her to get her home, you are badly mistaken. I'm 18 now. I'm going to college in a month, so you are on your own. If need be, I'll stay with Aunt Elaine and Uncle Jerrod until I get my own place." He had a look of pure rage that stopped them in their tracks. They didn't dare press him further. Their son was standing up for his sister and was acting like more of a man than his father ever was. His mother couldn't bear to lose him, but she cared too much about her husband's wealth and friends to ever think about leaving him for the sake of their kids. Mace texted his aunt to ask her if he could move in with them, saying, "Mom and dad aren't happy that I stood up for Saffron." Elaine immediately texted back, "Your cousin will share his room with you, try not to snore too much. You can sleep in the attic if you don't want to share, but mind the spiders." It was a joke but it was what he needed, he had a place to go now. Saffron and Mace's parents were not happy with the turn of events, if Elaine was intervening then they were in deep trouble with her brother Jerrod as he was of the same mind as Elaine. They had no actual leverage over Elaine, she was untouchable and no matter what they did to her they would end up being shunned by the town and a social pariah among the elites of the county, if not the state. Elaine was too well-liked to be got-at by them, and to try would cost them everything they had built up. Rose and Magnus Michaels were reliant on the reputation of their friends to keep their business afloat. Magnus was a car salesman who also owned an auto parts business alongside Chili and Sage. The trio put it all in Magnus' name but all of the business actually came from Sage and Chili's side businesses. Magnus was the dimwitted pawn in Sage's plans. Now that Saffron was out of the picture and under Elaine's protection, Magnus was going to have to work to keep Sage safe from scrutiny. Chili had him do a quick inventory and fix the books to make it look legitimate but only at first glance, with Dodd on their trail, he was going to have to work harder to cover his tracks or else turn on Chili and Sage. Magnus was in trouble and knew it. Sage was going to ensure that he paid for his daughter's betrayal of Ginger and Pepper. Chili would ensure that everything at the parts store was, "Looking good" which only meant that he was going to ensure that Magnus was on the hook when the time came. Magnus needed to get at Saffron but it was futile; Mace was leaving and Jerrod was clamping down on Saffron's interactions, anything that Magnus did now would cause his house of cards to collapse. Roy's former deputies started to talk once the girls were bailed out of jail. Roy went at them hard and had the district attorney rip them to shreds, ensuring the two men had the book thrown at them. They faced two counts of assault, criminal conspiracy, lying to police, and accepting bribes, all of which on video and audio, unable to be refuted especially as the girls refused to talk to anyone. They gave up the girls, showing where they hid the money that they were paid and who paid it to them. It was no shock to Roy, it came from Chili's business account which was actually coming from Sage's own account. Roy had the two men nailed and looking at conspiracy charges as the payments were shown to be recurring payments with the deputies giving up other crimes that they had covered up or had tossed out due to lack of evidence or misconduct on the deputies' part. District Attorney Howard O'Neil had enough and was going for the throat. He needed help though and due to the county's accountant being on maternity leave they didn't have access to an expert. Dodd grinned and happily told him, "You have one close by. I just found out the victim who set off this investigation has experience in forensic accounting and is actually employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in that role. He could point you in the right direction." O'Neil asked if he was joking, but Dodd explained, "He's interning with his state over the summer and he has completed two years of accounting classes in school. He's worked as an assistant accountant for three and a half years, and has participated in multiple similar investigations in the past year leading to multiple arrests. His mother also happens to be Numero Dos in the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and led similar investigations on her own. It's the best we can do in such a short amount of time. He's the best that we can get without paying through the nose for a specialist from the state to come." O'Neil gave in and asked for the contact information then started the ball rolling to get the numerous warrants to look into Sage's, Magnus' and Chili's finances. Magnus was not going to be ignored, Dodd and O'Neil knew for a fact that the man was directly involved in the case as everyone in the town had to go to him regarding car parts and his relationship was well known. The trio had been friends since kindergarten and he was the one to push Saffron to stick with the girls whenever she wavered. It took much of the night, but O'Neil's top assistant had gotten everything in order and was ready to pounce once the courthouse opened up in the morning. Dodd had already told them that the trio was going to lay low and have others do their dirty work, with Dave having tipped them off that he was at the ready and had the family under close watch for their legal and personal safety. They were not going to take things laying down, the trio was dumb enough to attack John and Reed at the park. In the morning, the family was up bright and early as they were about to take on the next part of the park: Storm Bayou. It was a Cajun-themed section that had a lot of rides and the only wooden roller coaster in the park. John would make an exception to his, "No thrill rides" pledge and ride it once, just to keep the kids happy and let them get the experience out of the way. There were more family rides in Storm Bayou than the other parts as Tessa envisioned it to be the most family-oriented place in the park. WildForest was the learning-centered place with the animals, various demonstrations, and official tribal reservation alongside the normal rides. SnowyHill was where the largest, fastest, and most g-force inducing thrill rides were located. SeaSide was the aquatic paradise. Each had their share of thrill rides and kiddie rides, but had a unique focus all their own. The group quickly walked over to the roller coaster and were some of the first in line and were able to get the front seats, much to John's dismay. Logan was right by his side and was all smiles, it was the one thing that he wanted to ride since they came and it was the one thing that all of the kids would ask about when they went back home. John could see his enthusiasm and didn't show any dismay, it was just too hard not to feel for the boy and want to give him the excitement that he craved. The ride was a lot more fun than John expected, it was a typical coaster but it was also giving them amazing views of the countryside beyond the park as they ratcheted up the tall hill to start the ride. John was speechless throughout the ride, the g-forces weren't too bad and the drops were steady and without many bumps. To him, it was a lot better than Salem Lake Park's roller coaster. With the roller coaster out of the way, the kids went for the thrill rides that the three younger kids were too small to ride. Thankfully they only went for two quick rides before the family went on the teacups then the tilt-a-whirl. It was a good distraction for them, with John taking the lead with the kids as Valerie and Kennedy sat out several rides. Time passed fast as they walked from ride to ride. John's body started to feel the constant rides forcing them to enjoy the fun house and hall of mirrors complete with John walking into them several times much to the amusement of Billy, Cat and JD. The haunted house ride caused Cat to clutch to John's side tightly with JD doing the same to Valerie and Billy to Kennedy. Logan, Kylie and Ella were going to tease them, but the trio ended up jumping in their seats as a 'zombie' leaned over to them and groan, causing the trio to flinch in fear while Willie told them they got what they deserved. Throughout the group's fun, they were being observed closely by security with Dave personally keeping an eye on them from the OverWatch control room. He smelled something in the air and had them keep all deliveries in order and double-check the people in the park against all arrivals. Dave's keen thinking paid off as the delivery of food for Storm Bayou's concession stands had people who weren't normally part of the delivery team 'helping' unload the truck at the area's service gate. This was what Dave had been looking for and kept an eye on them as much as possible. Sure enough, within minutes, four men were spotted leaving the area and looking around at the patrons. He ordered the security force to move in and box the men in, but had the cunning idea to let them make their fatal mistake and cause Sage and Chili's plans to come to a crashing halt. John seemed to notice that they were being followed by security more closely than they had been the day before, especially as the area sergeant was keen to introduce himself to him and Willie when they were taking a short break from the rides. He suspected that it was due to the issues the day before, those girls were really starting to get on his nerves now. Before; they had been typical pests to ignore, but now he was starting to see them as nothing more than mosquitoes that needed insecticide. Sergeant Kowalski was just doing his job and John wasn't upset at the man for doing what Dave had ordered him to do, it was par the course for VIPs and John was as big of a VIP as the park would get. John just hated that others had to take time out of their day to babysit them, just because two families couldn't see the light of day and accept that they were horrible people. He only hoped that the kids were not impacted when whatever was going to happen finally happened. Dave kept his eyes on the intruders and radioed Kowalski about his incoming 'guests'. "Contact North, Kowalski. Hostiles, inbound." Kowalski understood, he would be ready for whatever was coming. John noticed the subtle whispering which Willie understood and whispered that they would have, "Guests" soon then nodded to a pair of drones orbiting overhead. Dave's team were delayed due to crowds while Kowalski's team was split between some unruly teens jumping the lines causing a fight and a couple of kids needing some medical attention after tripping on stairs getting off of the tilt-a-whirl. Kowalski had only three men with him, leading him to hope that Dave got there fast in case the guys were armed. They had constant updates from the OverWatch aerial surveillance drones and security cameras, but the men were working their way over at a pace that was faster than Dave's team giving a large enough gap for Kowalski to hope that he didn't have to utilize his hidden sidearm if things turned ugly. John and Willie spotted the men making their way toward the group with Kowalski's officers moving to box them in. The duo nodded to one another and subtly told Kennedy and Valerie to take the kids on the roller coaster again. Valerie read John's look and didn't hesitate, with Reed being dragged along to keep him from trying to join his father and John in the looming fight. John and Willie nodded to the security officers and braced for the confrontation. They strolled away from the rides and crowd toward the space in front of the concessions so there was enough space while also giving the officers room to maneuver and keep other park patrons from getting too close. Kowalski saw immediately what they were doing and was glad that they were going to make things easier on them, there was no escape for the men from there as it would be sealed off by Dave's arriving group. Kowalski's officers encircled them while John and Willie drew the men in closer to them, maneuvering them away from others. Both turned on their recorders to capture all accusations and threats against them, knowing that the men were about to cause their own words to be used against them without knowing it. Kowalksi was no fool, John's and Willie's action had just sealed the fates of the men with the attackers not noticing they were in trouble already. It had been 10 years since John had fought someone out of uniform, the last time had been at the hands of his brother Roland and was the catalyst that caused his family to kick Roland out of their lives. For Willie, it had been six years since he had fought someone physically. The last one was his second to last day on patrol before the events leading to his being promoted to chief of police. Both were not happy to be in a fight, but were willing to endure it for the greater good of the park. The men walked over to John and demanded to have a word with him about the day before. John said that he had nothing to say to any of them as it was in the hands of the courts. The men weren't fazed, they told him to go with them or he would have some 'issues' with his van on the way out of the park. John told them that he couldn't do that as he had his family there and would need to tell them where he was going and when to expect him back. Willie told them that they had no reason to leave and if they wanted to, they would talk with them before they left town. This was the hook that they needed, as one of the men told them harshly, "You won't be leaving town. Your van just suffered a major tire blowout and engine breakdown. And there's no parts place in a 100 miles that will help you out, since you falsely accused the only dealer in town's daughter of sexual harassment and assault." John smiled, looked at Willie, then told the men, "Is that so? How do you know that there is an issue with my van? It's been sitting in the parking lot since we arrived and it was perfectly fine when we parked it. Just how do you know there's an issue with it- did you cause it? Are you sure that there are no auto parts stores that will supply the needed parts for repair before its damage has been inspected?" The men took the bait and blurted out, "Your tires were just slashed and brake lines cut. The sheriff was called about the dangerous van and it's going to be impounded until it's fixed. We have a couple of people right now working on it to ensure that you don't leave here unless you want something bad to happen to that lovely little family of yours. As for the parts place? The distributor won't do business with the owners of any parts stores that deals with people he doesn't like. And he doesn't like you." John could not believe how bold the men were acting. Willie shook his head and told them, "That's not an issue. You people really don't know who you are dealing with. He can get a new van delivered, in person by the president of Ford or GM, if he wanted. So your threats are moot. As for the sheriff impounding the minivan? I doubt that'll happen. We have met him. He isn't likely to believe anyone over us, even if we aren't from your county." John and Willie's delaying worked as more security made their way over to them, while Willie added, "Whatever your bosses are paying you is money wasted. I hope you are ready for arrest, because you are not going to be leaving here of your own free will. If you don't mind, our family is waiting." This was the opening Willie and John was expecting and the four men bit. As soon as they turned their backs on them, the four went right for the duo. Both men took blows to the back, but the strikes were what they needed to open up a can of hurting on the men and quickly grabbed the nearest one, flipped him on his back, knocking the wind out of him, then moved on to the next closest. The attackers were caught by surprise but unfortunately, they weren't down for the count. John and Willie were simply buying time for Dave's group to get there in force, but the men were quick to recover and went at the duo again. Only this time, grabbing knives out of their belts. John was scared, but his instincts and training led him to cover Willie's back, while Willie's training in the Army took over and caused him to react to the openings that the men were giving him without thinking. When the knives were drawn, Kowalski loudly called in for help while the area was locked down. The arriving officers drew their weapons and herded the patrons out of the area while Dave sprinted at full speed to the area as Jimmy Sloan, his lieutenant, put a rush on Roy's deputies and kept Tessa from rushing over to John's location to help. Tessa hated not being there but seeing kids scared as word spread across the park of men with knives, her duty to keep the kids calm overruled her fury to be there to confront the trespassers attacking John and Willie. John and Willie kept the men moving around in circles, always far enough to keep them from lunging at them but also far enough away to keep from being brought down hard by Willie. Their dance was long enough that back- up finally arrived in force and scared the men enough to try to run off. They saw the pistols that the officers were carrying and dropped the knives, hoping that they would try to secure them first before going after the guys. When that didn't work, two men went after Willie and John again. This time both were not holding back and brought them down hard with the duo knocking the men out cold after breaking their legs at the ankle or knee. Jimmy Sloan tossed them handcuffs, which both were able to put on the men quickly while they struggled under them. The two that didn't go after them were caught from behind by Kowalski and another officer then was herded over to a side area. They all thought they would be put into some vehicle and driven away but that didn't happen. Kowalski asked how they were able to handle themselves so well, John just sighed and flashed his badge while Willie grinned and flashed his own while also adding, "Regional SWAT team for four years, along with three years of service as an MP, including two tours in the sandbox." John added, "He's chief, I'm just a reserve officer. We clocked you hours ago, it's why we moved over here and stalled them until reinforcements arrived." Dave ended the discussion as they needed to secure the weapons and get things back to normal. John and Willie gave their statements to the deputies that responded while emailing files to Roy so there was no chance that the files were 'lost' by someone in the department. They didn't need to give their own statements as the whole of the VentureRealm security force were reserve deputies and their word was good enough, but they wanted to ensure that there was no margin to get a not-guilty verdict. Tessa made her way over after calming the kids in SnowyHill as the scene was being cleared, thanking John and Willie for putting the safety and security of the park first and keeping the kids away from the trouble after seeing the weapons. John was quick to see Tessa was not in her 'charming hostess' role. She was in full icy, iron-handed Queen mode. John did his best to move the praise to Kowalski and his quick thinking while Willie confirmed that it was Kowalski's efforts that saved the day. She was no fool, they were trying to move credit away from themselves but the way she heard it narrated, the men were right. Kowalski had done just as they said and did so on his own once he saw that John and Willie were handling the situation enough to allow the additional security to assist. Tessa was less than pleased that the whole incident had occurred, but it was unavoidable and handled as best that could be handled. Dave was pleased that things had gone as planned, the only wildcard was the moving of the fracas away from the rides and over to the quiet spot. It was a learning experience, one that he and the security force would review and make needed changes just as any other major incident would cause. Tessa looked over to the thugs and snarled, "Captain, I want that trash out of my realm!" "By your command, My Queen." Dave smiled. "WALK them out!" Every member of Security stood at attention and called out, "YES SIR!" Willie wanted to wince. The would-be attacker were now suffering the utmost humiliation. They would be literally walked out, in full view of everyone. Pictures and video would be taken and plastered all over social media. They were getting the ultimate Perp-Walk. Four members of security boxed in each man as Tessa and her personal guard led them to the front gates and turned them over to the waiting deputies and left in shame. The four thugs were taken directly to the courthouse for arraignment after being treated for their injuries and agreed to speak with Howard about the whole situation. He made it clear that they were facing attempted kidnapping, assault and battery, aggravated assault(deadly weapons), criminal threats, menacing and even terrorism charges for causing the scare in the park. He then dropped the bombshell: their friends had been caught on camera attempting to sabotage John's minivan so attempted murder charges were added as well, making them look at 40 years behind bars unless they talked. The men practically begged for a plea deal, which hinged on what they could tell Howard. The four spoke separately and their stories corroborated with what was suspected and what was seen. There was no way out of the major charges, but their colleagues were on the hook for the attempted murder rap so they were at least not facing a hard 20 years just for that alone. It took hours, but the men gave up their bank accounts. Where the money was coming from and who was paying it. The girls weren't the ones responsible, it was Chili and Sage who were paying them. Their friends were the ones who actually had the money as it wasn't being paid to them until they were successful in their tasks, but to Howard it was a set-up from the start with the two girls getting off easy while the four guys in the park got slammed by Roy and their friends continued on with business. Howard had enough to seek out Reed's help to sift through the finances while the two men were kept under constant watch by deputies from the next county assisting Roy's department. It was a slam dunk for Howard so far, but he needed more leverage and time. Reed's work would give him that. John and Willie manage to get back to the others and explain what happened. The kids were shocked, but Reed calmed them down. JD was acting out over the whole thing. He had wanted to see it, but Valerie wouldn't let him go with John. She was rightful in doing so, she didn't want him to get hurt. JD was fuming as they walked around to calm him down. They stopped outside a pond and watched the birds land then quickly move off as something spooked them. JD wasn't happy and kept wanting to go, but stopped in his tracks when an alligator popped up out of the water and moved toward him. It was making low guttural sounds, like growling and gurgling at the same time and even hissed. JD was scared stiff and looked at the others for help. None of them moved and JD started calling them babies for not helping him. JD froze in his place as the alligator opened its mouth. JD looked in shock when the alligator called out in a thick accent, "Luck, she smile on me, yeah! Garcon; lil' boy! I been wait, ALL DAY, for me a bad lil' boy t' eat! You bad lil' boy?" JD ran for Valerie while the others started to laugh at the whole situation. JD finally let go of Valerie when he realized that the alligator wasn't real. John calmly told him, "We were taking things slow because you needed to calm down and now you see why. Don't worry about Etienne there, he's harmless....well mostly. I wouldn't want to test him." "It ain't Etienne ya'll worry about. He belongs to Princess Nicole. Sweet as magnolias and afternoon jasmine, but she'll cut loose like a category 5 in the Gulf when she gets up to it." A man commented then to JD nodded further away. "Regardez, Ti homme." They all turned to look as a loud string of French could be heard. A pretty, blonde woman was talking angrily to the alligator in the water, which quickly submerged. JD held onto Valerie as they walked on, but did keep sneaking peaks back at the animatronic alligator just to be on the safe side. He didn't trust it especially since nobody was getting close to it. It was his own fault for not listening about Etienne and the tricks that the staff like to play. He had been told about all of the fun things in the park and Etienne was one of the most fun things in Princess Nicole's Storm Bayou.