They made it back to the jobsite by lunchtime, stopping on the way for a burger and drinks. Dillon was chatty, warm and witty, all good things to cover up his nervousness. For somewhere along the line Dillon knew he would have to spill the beans.

Tony had backed off the lover routine the minute they got out of the shower, he needed time to think. From a legal standpoint he had just molested a child no matter what Dillon thought. It didn't help that he knew what the father had done, except he didn't feel guilty like that bastard should.

There were a few trucks on the site when Tony pulled up; one of them belonged to his boss ... oops. Tony got out as Steve approached.

"Tony...where you been?" Steve said.

"I had to go get some line and a new tape; I think I left the old one with Ray. Steve this is Dillon, my first local laborer. Mind your manners Dillon, don't spit on the ground, Steve is our boss."

Steve laughed and spit on the ground, but of course he chewed tobacco so he had to. "I rounded up a few more hands," Steve said.

"Good, we were about to start that fence line," Tony said.

Dillon helped them unload the stakes from the back of the truck. A sledge hammer would seat those easily. He outfitted the boy in a safety vest and hard hat, putting on his own as they walked towards the road.

"Stakes are measured off the centerline of the road, so we have to be careful," Tony said. "Fifteen feet to the edge here and then ten feet back, twenty-five feet from the centerline all the way down the property."

Dillon nodded. "How far to the end?"

"See that pole? The line ends six feet this side of it. Think you can figure it out?"

"Yeah, how many stakes?"

"One every eight feet, but you see how straight the road is, we only need to measure twice and then run a string line. I'll help you with the measuring and you set the stakes from there, OK?"

Dillon smiled. "Taking it easy on me this first day, huh?"

Tony laughed. "Yeah, kinda. Let's get you started and then I'll go get those other guys to start hauling the poles out here. You can help them dig later on. Ever use a posthole digger?"

"Nope, anything like a shovel?" Dillon asked.

"Sorta, you watch them first. Make sure the poles are straight up when they fill the holes back in. I'll be over there with Steve if you need me."

They measured the setback and Dillon drove in his first stake. They walked the road and stretched the string out behind them until they came to the property line. Another stake and then Dillon could take over. Tony smiled as the boy laid out the tape for his first measurement, the kid would do just fine.

Steve already had the other three guys hauling the metal poles so they stood back to talk.

"Demo crew will be out here tomorrow for a look around," Steve said. "I figure they ought to take the waste out that side road and then go right on the highway, less of a traffic issue."

"I agree, this ought to be cleared by next week. I looked inside earlier, nothing big to haul away," Tony said.

"How old is that kid you hired?"

"Sixteen," Tony lied. "Figured he could sweep up anyway, do small chores the rest of the summer and be out of the way before we get rolling. Besides he knows all the locals, anyone messes with us and he'll hear about it."

Steve smiled. "Always good to have a snitch for protection. We don't need any vandalism on the site. Tough neighborhood ... might happen anyway. Fences are useless except to keep the insurance company happy. "

Tony looked over and saw Dillon had about ten stakes out already, good kid. The men with the poles were spreading them out down the line and one of them said something to Dillon. Tony watched Dillon ignore the guy until the man tossed a pole at the kid with a laugh. The pole hit the boy in the side and he went down just as Tony took off running.

The man was still laughing when Tony slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Steve came running up just as Tony twisted the guy's arm back in an arm lock, holding him to the ground. Steve went over to check out the boy.

"What the hell is your problem?" Tony yelled in the man's face.

"I hate that little faggot," The guy said.

"Then you don't work here anymore, he's twice the man you are, shit head." Tony ripped the vest and hard hat off the man. "Get off the property, if I so much as see your face I'll call the cops and report the assault, get it?"

The man got up and nursed his sore arm, then he spat at Dillon. Tony's punch caught him on the chin and the guy fell flat out. The man lay unconscious as Tony dialed nine-one-one on his cell phone and asked to report an assault.

Steve was kneeling there on the ground next to Dillon, the boy didn't look injured. The pole had just knocked the wind out of him. Tony stood over the downed man feeling his temper fade; it had felt good to punch the asshole.

"Do you know this guy?" Tony heard Steve ask the boy.

"He knows my brother, they weren't friends ... this guy deals drugs," Dillon said.

The other two guys had dropped their gear and were walking away before the cops came. Steve smiled. "Maybe we ought to ask Dillon before we hire any more locals."

Tony laughed. "Might work."

A squad car pulled in the entrance and spotted them, pulling over close by. Tony explained who he was and what had happened, dropping the word drugs into the conversation. The cops cuffed the guy and searched his pockets. Oh yeah, a small bag of white powder in one pocket, that would get him a few years behind bars.

Tony gave the cops a business card and his statement of events before they hauled the jerk off for booking. Steve watched as Dillon got back up and picked up the sledge hammer.

"No way, kiddo. You take the rest of the day off, hear? I'll send some guys over tomorrow, only this time you get to be the boss. You just show them where to put the fence and make sure they do it right, OK?"

Dillon grinned as Steve shook his hand. "Later, Tony," and then Steve was gone. The boy looked dumbfounded and that only made Tony laugh.

"I bet you have to be the youngest foreman Steve has ... good for you," Tony said.

"Foreman? I get to boss the crew?" Dillon asked.

"Yeah, and I have to raise your pay too."

Now Dillon really grinned. "And I can't work today, but that sucks."

"Come on; let's get cleaned up before you go home."

Dillon shook his head. "Don't wanna go home, Tony. I wanna stay with you."

"I don't know what your mom would say, you might get in trouble," Tony said.

"Take me home then, I'll get her to agree," Dillon said.

"It won't be good if you lie to her, Dillon."

"I won't have to, the truth is bad enough ... you'll see."

Tony loaded the truck and locked the trailer. Dillon pointed up the road and Tony drove. "What's your step-mom's name?"

"Sarah Brickman ... I'm still a Larson, I'll never change my name but she hates it."

Tony followed directions and stopped in front of what had to be the smallest house on the block. This didn't look good at all and he had no idea what Dillon was going to say. At least the house was clean and neat. They walked in and there was this very cute little girl sitting on the couch watching cartoons.

"Hey, Ginny ... where's mom?"

"Kitchen," the girl replied, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Tony followed the boy to the back and he pushed open the kitchen door.

"Mom, this is Tony, he's my boss for the summer job."

The kitchen was definitely her domain ... her's and Jesus' that is. Framed pictures of the Lord and crosses dominated the walls, a veritable church of food preparation.

She dried her hands on a towel and gave Tony a look.

"Tony Hart, Mrs. Brickman"

"Sarah ... so you're the guy building up at the corner," She said.

"My company, yes. Dillon told you about the job?"

"Yeah, he said something ... its fine with me if it keeps him out of trouble."

"Hector got arrested today," Dillon blurted out.

"Good, that's one less worry on this street," Sarah said.

"He hit me and Tony called the cops on him."

"OK, now you better explain that." She said.

Tony gave her the story, including the drugs they found on the man. It didn't seem to make her happy, instead she looked frightened.

"Those Mexican drug dealers ... damn it." Sarah said. "Now you've stirred up the pot, Dillon. What do you think they'll do?"

"Jose and Marcus were there too, they ran off. I guess I'll have to watch my back," Dillon said.

"Brave talk, you're a fifteen year old kid."

"I have a suggestion," Tony said. "Some of this worry you have is our fault, my boss hired those guys without checking on them first. We'll put Dillon up until you think this has blown over."

"They're hoodlums, Mr. Hart. The Menendez brothers have nothing better to do than hate, sell drugs and try to run our children down in the street," Sarah said. "Did Dillon tell you he caught one of those guys messing with my little girl? They think it's funny."

"If he's in danger then I ought to get him out of here for a while," Tony said.

"Go on, take the boy ... he's better off away from here. Lord Almighty, now they'll be after you too."

"Me? Why would they be interested in me?" Tony asked.

"Hector is one of the brothers who run that gang; you called the cops on him," Sarah said. "It doesn't matter if they're right or wrong, they don't think straight as it is. Your company just better keep an eye on that property from now on."

"Thanks for the warning," Tony said. "I guess Dillon better pack some things, he might be away for a while."

Dillon grinned and left the room. Tony was stunned, all this from a little bust?

"How do I reach you?" Sarah asked.

Tony handed her a business card. "My home number is on the back. Look, if those drug men give you any problems you call me, OK."

"What you gonna do, send over an army of construction workers to beat them up?" Sarah asked.

Tony smiled. "Yes."

Sarah laughed. "OK, I should have met you a long time ago. The neighborhood has been afraid of them for years; there were two shootings down there. The cops don't know what to do, they want evidence first."

"One thing at a time, let me get Dillon safe first, those others aren't going anywhere very soon unless it's to jail."

"I pray for that every day," Sarah said.

Dillon appeared at the door with a small suitcase. "Ready," he announced. "Bye Ma," and then he turned to leave. Tony could tell there was no love between them, just worry.

"Thanks, Sarah ... I'll stay in touch," Tony said.

But she turned away as if the moment was passed. Tony got the impression that she really didn't care if Dillon left. It was all too sad for words.

Dillon was already in the truck when Tony came out of the house, and he pointed as they drove down the street. "The two yellow houses side by side, that's where they live ... there are like a dozen guys or more in there ... bastards."

"How do they deal if the cops know where they live?" Tony asked.

"Out of their cars, they move around a lot to keep from getting busted," Dillon said. "You think they'll screw up the job site like ma says?"

"I hope they do, you haven't met Ray yet have you?"

"Nope, who is he?"

"Just a guy ... a very dangerous guy if you piss him off," Tony said. "So you got your wish, you're out of the house."

"Yeah ... now all I have to do is watch my back," Dillon said.

"Don't worry, I got you covered there," Tony said.

It was mid-day, too soon to take the boy home so Tony drove over to the office. Good, he thought, Steve's truck was in the parking lot. Dillon tagged along as Tony strode into the lobby.

"Molly, this is Dillon ... gonna need some paperwork for him," Tony said, introducing the boy to the secretary.

Molly pulled some folders out of a drawer and handed them over. "Steve's in back, heard you had a little problem," Molly said.

"Yup, and it may get worse, is Ray here?" Tony asked.

"Back with Steve. Nice to meet you, Dillon."

Dillon smiled and followed Tony down the hallway. Steve was in the plans room along with this large hulking man, probably the biggest guy Dillon had ever seen.

Ray grinned when he saw Tony. "Hey killer, trying to make a reputation for yourself?" He put up his hands in a boxing stance.

"God no, and especially not with you," Tony laughed. "Dillon this is Ray, he's the senior project manager."

Ray shook the boy's hand and Dillon almost gasped when he saw the size of the man's hands. But the gentle smile was disarming, Ray seemed nice enough.

"I dropped by Dillon's house to tell his mother what happened, came away with some disturbing news," Tony said.

Steve looked up from the drawing on the table. "What's up?"

"This Hector character is one of the leaders in a drug gang that runs the area. Dillon's mom seems to think the gang will be after Dillon now and me as well. She thinks they'll try and disrupt the site, maybe even vandalize our project. I can only guess why they signed on to work, maybe they were going to rob us blind."

"Mexican drug gang, now that sounds serious," Steve said.

"Yeah, Dillon says they've been running the neighborhood for a while, his mother looked pretty frightened," Tony said.

"Well we've got insurance for the site," Steve said, "but I'll get a security guard over there once we get equipment on the ground. Probably would be a good idea to notify the cops and get some extra patrols through there. I guess all that leaves are you two, think you'll be safe?"

"Dillon is going to stay with me until this blows over, we ought to be fine during work hours," Tony said.

"You have any problems I'll spend some time on the site with you," Ray said.

"If they mess with us I'll be sure to let you know," Tony said.

"Just don't be a hero, I got people for that," Ray said, his grin looked purely evil.

"Gotcha. We'll go back at it tomorrow, Steve," Tony said.

Steve looked over at Dillon. "You good with that?" He asked the boy.

"Yes sir, can't wait to find out what a post hole digger is."

They all laughed and Steve clapped the boy on the back before turning back to his drawings. Tony led them back out of the building and they got on the truck.

"That was fine, they like you," Tony said.

"God, Ray is like huge isn't he?" Dillon said.

"Yup, a real gentle giant. You should see him on that motorcycle of his; it looks like a toy with him in the saddle. But he knows some strong people; a lot of them work for us too. You hungry yet?"

"We just ate like three hours ago, I'm good for a while," Dillon said.

"Do you like to swim?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, you got a pool?"

"Nope, but the Y does, I belong." Tony said.

"I don't have a suit, I didn't bring one," Dillon said.

"I probably have one at the house that will fit you, might be a little small," Tony said.

"Show off my ass, huh? Bet you'd like that," Dillon laughed.

"Let's go find out," Tony said.

Tony drove back to the house, parking the truck on the street so he could get the car out of the garage. He rummaged in the closet a bit and came up with an old bathing suit. It had been Michael's, a boy from the past, they were all in the past ... and now there was Dillon.

"One of your boyfriends leave this here?"

"Yeah ... Michael," Tony replied.

Dillon sat on the end of the bed and held the suit out for inspection. "Will you tell me about him, what was he like?"

Tony stopped in the middle of changing his clothes and sighed.

"Michael was ... was kinda special. He lived in that big green house up the street until they moved early last year. I first met him when he was about ten years old, he was much too young to be hanging around with me back then but he grew up fine."

"How old was he when you guys ... well, you know," Dillon said.

Tony sat down beside Dillon and smiled. "He was sixteen the night he showed up on my doorstep. We had been friendly for a long time, but it was just a hello kind of thing until then. He was drunk as a skunk and was afraid to go home.

"Seems he had gone to a party with some older friends from school and they got him drunk. I don't know why he chose to come here except that he barfed his brains out in my yard before ringing the doorbell."

"I never drink, that stuff is nasty," Dillon said.

"Yeah, he sorta came to that conclusion too after it made him sick. But he rang the bell around midnight and I opened the door to find him sitting on the steps. It took about two seconds to discover he was drunk, he smelled really bad from being sick.

"Michael apologized for disturbing me and then flat out said he was scared to go home. He was supposed to be spending the night at a friend's house but he was pissed off after they got him drunk so he walked out. Now he was sure his father would be mad as hell so he asked if he could sleep it off on my couch."

"Was he nice looking, I mean did you think he was really cute or something?"

Tony smiled. "He was very cute, something I had noticed even when he was little. I never planned on getting any closer, after all he lived right up the street and I didn't think that was a good idea. But he had come to me, and I wanted to help him out.

"I got him undressed because his clothes stunk to high heaven and he just stood there weaving around a bit until he was down to his briefs. Then I led him into the bathroom and made him strip off and stand under the shower. I don't know if he would have ever become naked for me any other way, but he was too far gone to resist that night."

"Naked and cute, bet you had a hard time with that," Dillon laughed.

"Hard is right, but I could never take advantage of a boy in that condition. Michael was a good kid, I didn't know if he had any kind of experience before then and I wasn't planning on giving him any. So I got him cleaned up and he passed out on this bed with a wet towel around his waist.

"I threw all his clothes in the washer and got him in under the covers, and then I went and lay down on the couch. Well I couldn't sleep out there so I came back in here and crawled in bed, Michael was out cold, I didn't think it mattered."

Dillon giggled. "I know, and then he woke up, right?"

Tony laughed. "Yeah, the following morning, and boy was he confused. I mean he was naked in bed in a bedroom he'd never seen before and with a man beside him. I woke up with this bleary eyed boy staring down at my face, he was in shock.

"I told him what he'd done and how he got here, and then out of nowhere he asked if we had a good time before he passed out. That freaked me out, and then Michael told me he'd been watching me since he was younger. He saw other boys come here, he had always wanted to be one of them once he figured it out."

"Sweet, he was gay?"

"I suppose, or at least he had feelings he didn't understand. He was hung over and I wasn't about to start anything. He got dressed and walked home, I stayed freaked out the whole day. I couldn't understand why I hadn't noticed him watching me, but at least now I knew he did and that he understood I was gay."

"So ... did he come back?" Dillon asked.

"Nosey little brat aren't you?" Tony laughed.

"Yeah, but I get it. I would never have been able to say what he did; I could never just tell a guy I'd been watching him like that."

"I didn't know about you until we talked in the trailer," Tony said, "But I looked for you every time I went past the store."

"So how did you ... how did you guys get things rolling?" Dillon asked.

"He came back that afternoon, it was a Sunday and he knew I was home. He rang the bell and when I opened the door he was standing there in just that bathing suit, I almost died. He'd come back over to thank me for covering his stupid mistake so I invited him in. He was on his way to the pool at the Y and I asked if I could join him, get to know him better.

"He followed me in here when I came in to change and he looked at the bed telling me it was a shame. We'd been in bed together and all we did was sleep. Honestly Dillon, I tried to think of any reason I could for refusing the boy, but I was hooked. We never made it to the Y that afternoon; we spend here it in this bed."

"Did you do everything?" Dillon asked.

"Yes, eventually, but not right then. I taught him about loving a man, and we did fall in love for a while. They moved to Charleston six months later because of his dad's work for the Navy. We still e-mail, he has a boyfriend down there and he'll be eighteen in October."

"Do you still love him, Tony?"

"Kinda hard to feel the same when he's moved on in life, love is sorta like an in your face deal with me. I still care about him, we had wonderful times together, and I can't just let that feeling go."

Dillon stood up and shucked his work boots, the pants and boxers followed. He pulled the bathing suit up his legs and wiggled his ass into the tight fitting garment. The shirt came last, and then he stood there, turning sideways so that Tony could admire his ass.

"You have a beautiful body, and that suit is a bit small, you get an erection and it will shred," Tony said.

"Michael must have been real skinny," Dillon said.

"He was, but even then that suit was tight on him. I think he wore it to tease me," Tony laughed.

"Do I tease? I don't think that's very nice."

Tony pulled the boy closer, running his hands over Dillon's legs and thighs. He could feel the fuzz on that smooth skin; otherwise he knew the boy only had a small pubic bush and a few hairs in his pits. He was so blonde that it would take a close inspection to find even those.

"You are so beautiful ... " Tony began, but Dillon pushed him back on the bed and fell on top, his lips searching and finding Tony's mouth. Tony could feel the boy become erect and he was tempted to go on ... but they had unresolved issues to discuss first.

He rolled Dillon off to the side and propped himself up on an elbow, gazing into the boy's eyes.

"I've told you about a bit about my past, now tell me about your father," Tony said.

Dillon hadn't seen it coming, but he felt obligated so he took a breath and began.

"Dad was sixteen when I was born, I suppose the condom broke or something. But we lived with my grandparents until I was three and Dad married my mother when they turned eighteen. I suppose I ought to admire him for that, he did the right thing ... but for all the wrong reasons.

"I grew up to the smell of pot smoke in the house; they were both constantly smoking when he was home. He had a good job as a car mechanic, he could afford the weed. We lived outside Charlotte then, close to my grandparents. Mom stayed home with me until I was about six or seven, then she went to work because the coke they got into was much more expensive. I spent the afternoons with my Grandma after school.

"I remember coming home one day and everyone was so upset, my mom had been caught buying coke. Social Services wanted to take me away but my Grandma stepped in and I went with her. There was court and mom got probation, but she screwed up again and went to jail. By then my dad had just walked away from her and when her time was up she went back to Florida with her parents."

Dillon sighed. "Dad came back to get me when I was ten, he was married to my step-mother by then. She already had Ginny and things at the house were a little strange. It was like her and Ginny on one side and Dad and I on the other team. Sarah was so Christian it almost got funny at times. But when she caught dad smoking weed again she used to give him hell.

"He had a camper by then and he used to take me out camping just so he could smoke weed behind her back. He got me stoned for the first time when I was twelve. It was stupid but I thought it was cool to get high with my dad. He wasn't sleeping with Sarah anymore which meant he was horny all the time. So in that tiny camper he used to get high and play with himself."

Dillon smiled. "I was just twelve when I discovered that my dick did more than pee. Dad discovered me doin it in bed and sat down to watch, then he joined me. It was weird yeah, but we got high together so this was just something else to do. One night we were stoned and he just took my hand, put it on his erection and told me to get him off. I really enjoyed doing that.

"But I had other feelings as well, stuff I didn't understand when I was that young. I had a couple of school friends and we jerked off together, Danny was my closest buddy and I really had a crush on him. But stupid me, I tried to suck him off and he socked me in the eye for trying, end of friendship. So like a dummy I told dad what had happened.

"We went camping the next weekend and once high he told me to suck his dick. I suppose I didn't mind, I was just afraid someone would find out. That made our sex a whole lot more serious, now he wanted it all the time. He sucked me too, said it was only fair, but then he started fingering my ass and I got worried. Sure enough, he laced my weed with coke and I got really stoned, that's when he fucked me.

"I mean we were out in the woods, no one around and I screamed my head off it hurt so bad. But we were out there for three days and he kept doin it, over and over until I got used to it. My ass was sore for a week before he tried it again, only this time he did it at home when mom was out.

"About the third time he did it she came home and caught us, by then I loved it and she heard me telling him to fuck me harder. That's why she blames me, Tony; I was encouraging the devil to make him do it. She threw him out but by then I knew I liked sex with guys, but dad was the only man ever fucked me. I talked a couple friends into doing it but they ran off thinking it was too weird. And here we are."

Tony gazed down; amazed at the narrative he'd just heard. It seems the father had only encouraged something Dillon already felt about himself. What he did was inexcusable considering his position of authority over the boy and the drug use only made it worse.

"Where is your dad now?" Tony asked.

"California probably, he always wanted to live there. You think he screwed up my head, don't you?"

"The sex part was something you would probably have done anyway if you knew yourself to be gay, but it should never have happened with him. Getting you hooked on drugs was inexcusable, that was terrible. Do you still get high?" Tony asked.

"No, I don't like it anymore. My friends kid me about it, they all party, but they don't know why I quit. I just don't want to end up like my parents, that's all."

"That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Tony said.

"So now are you still worried about us?" Dillon asked.

"I never said I was."

"Yeah, but I could see it in your eyes this morning the minute I told you about dad."

"Very observant, I was worried," Tony said.

"Well don't be, OK? I know what it means to have sex with a man, I can handle it now. I just never fell in love before and ... and I love you, Tony, can't you see that?"

Tony stroked Dillon's cheek, soothing the rising emotions. The boy had tears in his eyes when Tony leaned down to kiss him. A long passionate kiss, something to reassure Dillon he was loved.

The kiss broke off and Tony looked down into that sweet loveable face, he could no longer deny the feelings.

"I love you too, sweet boy," Tony said.

On to Chapter Three

Back to Chapter One

Chapter Index

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"The Street Runner" Copyright © 3 September 2009 Chris James.
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