Authors: C. Kennedy
The general smiled wide and spoke in English. “It is good to see you,
Kýrios
Castlios.”
“I am only Christy here, General.”
“Then you must call me Nicos.”
Christy bowed ever so slightly and gestured the men into his cabin. “Welcome to my home. I will introduce you.”
Christy introduced everyone and succinctly explained who he or she was. No flourish, no standing on ceremony, no condescension. Nicos kissed Anna’s hand with a brief bow and greeted her in Italian, and turned to Sophia and spoke in Greek. She gave him a curt smile and a brief bow.
Michael wasn’t sure what all the bowing was about, but he figured he’d learn from Christy in time. Then General Sotíras turned his dark eyes on Michael. “And you are Michael.”
Michael extended a hand. “Michael Sattler. It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
The man smiled wide and shook Michael’s hand enthusiastically. “The pleasure is all mine. Please call me Nicos for this meeting.”
They all took seats around Christy’s coffee table, and Nicos accepted the proffered glass of wine from Nero.
“How would you like to do this, Christy?” he asked politely.
“Michael and
Kýrios
Santini will go up to the loft with me. If I cannot explain properly, they will help me.”
Nicos glanced at Michael. “You are familiar with what has happened to Christy?”
Michael nodded. He didn’t think it was necessary to tell the general that he didn’t know everything. He was Christy’s backstop for this first meeting with the Greek police, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to play the part well. “May I ask a few questions before Christy shows you his work?”
“Certainly.”
Michael looked to Christy, and he gestured a go ahead with his hand. They’d talked about this before everyone arrived, and he wanted to get it out in the open before Christy divulged his precious efforts.
“Does anyone other than you know about Christy’s paintings?”
“No.”
“Are you going to tell anyone else about them?”
“Not until they are finished, and we must disclose them for purposes of the trials.”
Michael nodded his approval. “Your boss is one of the criminals who hurt Christy. Mr. Santini says you commenced a secret government investigation. Who is in a position to stop this investigation?”
“With the help of Nero, I have taken this to the highest levels. No one can stop the investigation.”
“No one?” Michael asked dubiously.
A smile flashed briefly on Nicos’s face. “The president of Greece may stop it.”
Christy’s eyes went wide.
Michael brought Christy’s hand into his lap and held it and was disheartened to find him trembling. He wanted to put an arm around him but didn’t want to do anything to detract from the strength and poise that Christy displayed.
“Okay. What are the reasons that he could or would stop it?”
The lines around Nicos’s eyes deepened fractionally. “You are a very smart young man, Michael.”
Nero made a gesture as if to say “I told you so.”
“In order to prosecute on behalf of Christophoros, I had to agree to keep the proceedings secret until there were findings by the high court. Once concluded, the findings may be made public.”
Michael turned to Christy. “Does that sound okay to you?”
Christy shook his head. “Save for three people, I do not wish the findings to be made public. I wish the men to quietly go to the prison.”
It was Nicos’s turn to nod. “That is generous of you. I will make your wishes known. Who are the people?”
“Petros and Yosef Sanna and your general.”
Nicos nodded again. “Very well. May I ask why?”
“Petros and Yosef are very cruel, and the general helps them. I was not the only prisoner. There are more. We were human waste to them.”
The lines around Nicos’s eyes deepened again and then smoothed. As far as Michael could tell, the guy had total doctor face.
“Even now?”
Christy nodded.
“Where are they?”
Christy spoke in Greek for a few moments and ended with, “The name of the yacht is
Ecstasy
.”
Nicos’s eyes did a slow blink as if in an effort to hide his self-disgust for not having checked the yachts of these rich men. “How many?”
Christy shook his head. “There were nine when my father took me there the last time. When they had used them enough, they threw them out to sea. I do not know how many remain.”
Anna gasped softly, and Sophia made a stifled, pained sound.
“The general participated in this?” Nicos asked, not disbelieving, but stunned.
“He devised the idea. I was to be thrown out to sea after my father used me the last time, but you found me before they could do this.”
And the hits just keep on coming.
Michael turned away and swallowed audibly. To think that Christy could have been thrown overboard pained him beyond comprehension. He wiped the perspiration that had risen on his upper lip away with the back of a hand and endeavored to keep his wits about him.
“Forgive me, Christy, but I am compelled to ask if they threw them overboard alive?” Nicos asked.
Christy nodded. “
Ne
. Some are not conscious, but they are alive.”
“
Madre de Dios
,” Rob said softly.
Jake looked at Michael, concern plain on his face, and Michael gestured a faint thumbs-up. He would get through this meeting no matter what it took to hold it together for Christy. “Will you please explain to Christy exactly what the procedure will be once his artwork is made known?”
“It is far less complicated than you would have here,” the general intoned politely. “The evidence is conclusive.”
Michael nodded. “Christy has several scars. He doesn’t want people poking and prodding and taking pictures of him.”
“We have pictures from when he was in hospital. No more pictures are necessary.”
Michael turned to Christy. “Do you want to see them before they’re used in court?”
“They have already been given to the high court under seal. They are what allowed us to hold his father,” the general said pointedly.
Anger flashed in Christy’s eyes, and Michael waited for him to erupt. Rather, he calmly stated, “I want a guarantee that these will never be released to anyone.”
Nero leaned forward. “They are held under presidential seal, Christy. We will do our best to get them back when the proceedings are concluded.”
Christy’s jaw clenched. “You will never get them back. There are men in the government who will like these pictures.”
“We will do everything within our power to get them back,” Nero assured. “If not, we will secure guarantees.”
Christy nodded. “I will show you the paintings now.”
T
HREE
hours later, Michael leaned against the loft wall and watched Christy as he explained the last sketch that he intended to paint.
“And what is this?”
Christy looked to Michael for help, and Michael gestured for him to explain. “These are the words that I have become,” he said softly.
Confusion filled the general’s face, and Michael stepped forward.
“Christy kept asking if I thought he was defective or whether I could accept someone like him, someone used and unclean. I told him that he wasn’t any of those things, and we started a list of all the great things that he is. One of us writes something on it every day.”
“And this?” The general pointed to the right side of the paper.
“These are the things I learned from Michael. Forgiveness is the first I learned from him.” Christy gestured to the top paragraph.
Michael embraced Christy from behind and brought him close. “I’ll trust that’s what it says. I can’t read Greek.”
Nicos laughed softly. “It speaks of forgiveness. You needn’t be concerned.”
“Y
OU
have done very well here, Christy.”
Christy gave a brief bow. “I have Michael and Rob now. I am good, General. Thank you.”
“What are your plans from here?”
Christy shook his head. “I have not made decisions. I wish the companies to run and
Kýrios
Santini does this for me. That is all for now.”
It was the general’s turn to bow to Christy. “You are a remarkable young man, Christophoros, and it’s my great pleasure to know you.”
“General….” Christy paused. “I do not wish to be used by you or the government. I wish a true prosecution of these men.”
Nicos’s eyes hardened. “You have my assurance that there will be nothing but the harshest punishments sought for these men, no matter who they are.”
Christy twisted awkwardly on his feet. “Some are in the president’s cabinets, General.”
“Though he doesn’t know of your statements of today, he is aware of this. He trusts that you will allow him to dispose of them quietly.”
Christy nodded. “Only prison for the longest term possible.”
“You have my word that I will look to do exactly that, Christophoros.”
“Christy. Only Christy.”
Nicos smiled politely. “Christy.”
“When will you be returning to Greece, General?”
“A few more days here. Then I must return.”
Christy nodded and spoke in Greek to thank him.
“My pleasure, Christy.”
“I’ll walk them out,” Michael offered.
“Okay,
filos
. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah. Why don’t you get us something to eat, babe? I’ll be back in a minute.” He kissed Christy’s forehead.
Michael walked Nero and the general across the lawn, only to hear soft footsteps behind him. He turned to find Jake headed their way.
They stood in the parking lot for a few moments and collected their thoughts. Nero broke the silence. “What do you think?”
“I am truly amazed at his progress.”
“He’s fragile,” Michael said quickly.
Nicos nodded. “I see this.”
“What about Yosef? Do you know where he is?” Michael pressed.
Nicos shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. Interestingly, his father doesn’t know his whereabouts either.”
“How do you know that?”
“We have his telephones tapped. He is also looking for his son. He knows we are investigating.”
“How dangerous is Yosef?”
Nicos met Michael’s gaze. “He opened a woman’s cheek with a knife one afternoon in the marketplace for choosing the pear he wanted, then paid her a thousand Euros to go away. He is a very rash man.”
Michael turned to Nero. “Did you get Christy US citizenship?”
Nero nodded. “Dual citizenship pending approval. It gives us enough for the FBI to help us.”
“What about Sophia?” Jake asked.
“Citizenship?” Nero asked.
“No, the sister-brother thing.”
“I want to keep this quiet for now, Jacob.”
“I don’t know if she’ll do that.”
The muscles in Nero’s jaw flexed. “Try.”
“I’m doing everything I can, Papa, but she wants to talk to him.”
“And say what?”
“She wants to tell him.”
Nero shook his head. “Not now, Jacob. Ask her to think of her mother.”
“You mean the aunt that she’s fighting with right now?”
“Ariel is the only mother she knows. Ask her to think of her.”
“Papa, c’mon. Maybe you should speak with her.”
“She will be your wife, Jacob.”
Jake gaped at his dad. “You’re being mean, Papa.”
“Come, Nicos. Let’s leave my son to find his manhood.” They walked toward the waiting limousine.
Jake swore in Italian.
“To quote you, bro, everyone says things they don’t mean when they’re upset.”
“You think he’ll help me with her?”
“Of course not. He wants you to find your balls.”
Jake pointed at him with both hands. “You’re goin’ down, man.”
Michael one-arm hugged him and kissed the side of his head. “Always here for you, bro.”
M
ICHAEL
and Jake returned to the cabin to find everyone, including Christy, dressed in jackets and preparing to depart. “What’s going on?”
“We wish to celebrate Christy’s heroic accomplishment with a special dinner!” Sophia announced.
Michael glanced at Jake, who shrugged. “Ah, okay. Where do you want to go?”
Sophia helped Christy don a particularly garish scarf. “We’re going to Club Pride.”
Jake and Michael exchanged looks. “You know that’s in the gay part of town, right?”
“Of course, Michael, we know this. It is a special occasion for Christy.”
“You sure, Mama?” Jake asked.
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to see the look on your father’s face when he sees those scantily clad young men.”
Jake laughed. “You’re right. It’s totally worth it. Let’s go.”
N
ERO
blushed furiously as a young man dressed in nothing but a red pleather thong placed a napkin in his lap. “I cannot believe you bring me to a place like this, Anna,” he grumbled.
Jake and Michael could hardly contain their laughter at Nero’s discomfort.
“It’s for Christy,” Sophia defended.
“It’s a strip club with lewdly referenced menu items and a veritable smorgasbord for the media if they find us here.”
Michael and Jake could no longer hold back and burst into laughter. “If it makes you feel any better, Mr. Santini, we’ve never been here before,” Michael offered.
“I should hope not, Michael.”
“I like it,” Christy said as he checked out the crowd.
“Hey, are you checkin’ out other guys?” Michael teased.
“Oh yes. I could not have imagined a place such as this.” He pointed upward. “Those are cages for animals?”
“Bears,” Michael teased.
Christy’s eyes went wide. “They have bears here?”
“All over the place.”
“Is it not dangerous?”
“Extremely. You have to be very careful, and never, ever try to pet one.”
Jake nearly died laughing, and Sophia shook her head at Michael and explained what a bear was in Greek.
Christy gaped at Michael. “This is like the dessert! You make fun of me!”
“I make fun with you.” Michael leaned over and kissed his cheek.