CHAPTER 221: LINES DRAWN IN THE SAND

Efraim strolled on the Z1 like he owned it. It was Saturday and everything was relaxed because people travel on that day. He was on a mission; he was going to retrieve his wayward son and take him back home where he belonged. He didn’t belong with the likes of his dad.

Efraim had no problem finding the same cabinet his son was conceived in. Eddie never changed anything in his life. Efraim pounded on the front door with his fist.

Chadwick, not wanting to upset his dad who was sleeping by whoever was pounding on the door, answered it quickly. He came face-to-face with his father. Chadwick looked at his father with a scowl on his face.

"What are you even doing here?" he demanded. "I said goodbye. I left you, and that should be enough for you to understand, no matter how thickheaded you are. I’m finished, and I’m not going anywhere with you."

Efraim went to grab his son, who deflected his hand.

"Boy, I am your father, and you will come to me whenever I call for you, and you will live only where I tell you to live," Efraim declared. "Do you understand that you belong to me?"

Chadwick raised his voice. "I belong to no one, especially not you! I am here in my dad’s home where I want to be, and where I will live for as long as I want to. You need to leave here and never come back because you’re finished as far as I’m concerned. I love you—you’re my father—but I cannot stand you for what you did to my dad."

"I see that he has already changed your mind," Efraim sneered. "So what sorry sob story did he give you about the truth?"

"Father, he didn’t tell me anything," Chadwick shot back. "I read all of the letters from the courts, all the transcripts to and from both of you. I can’t believe that you were so selfish and so greedy that you would rip me newborn from his arms before he could even hold me, much less nurse me. If there’s anybody that’s changed my mind, it’s you and your actions, not dad. Contrary to your warped, demented thought pattern, he is the innocent one here and just as much of the victim as I am."

Efraim lunged at his son, only to be caught in the gut by a stiff fist.

"I said leave here and now, father," Chadwick warned. "And maybe one of these days we can salvage what little bit of relationship we might have. Don’t blow it because you’re too pigheaded."

Eddie came out of the bedroom area holding his stomach and was almost sent into fright when he saw Efraim standing in the doorway of his home.

"There you are, you worthless piece of shit," Efraim snarled. "I see you’re still popping them out left and right. How many does this make for you total?"

Chadwick stepped in front of his dad. "Father, back off! He’s got a difficult road ahead of him. Just conceived not long ago, and it’s twins, so he doesn’t need any stress and none of your shit. I’m imploring you to please leave the Z1. Please leave us be."

"Boy, you just don’t get it," Efraim growled. "I’m not going anywhere without you. Your place is in my home where you belong, and I will tell you what to do."

Efraim felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and the pressure bore down on his neck. It was Mr. Zach.

"Efraim, I put you off this place years ago when you decided to steal a baby from its dad, and I’m not gonna tell you again—you are not welcome here ever again," Zach stated firmly. "And unless you want to be rackknar bait in the back 40, you need to walk away. The young man will get a hold of you when he’s ready, but not before."

Mr. Zach applied more pressure, causing Efraim great pain. He took one arm and bent it behind his back, then escorted him off the porch to the front gates.

Zach shoved Efraim forward, and as the man stumbled, he kicked him dead square in his ass, causing him to eat dirt as his face collided with the ground.

"You go catch the next transit outside the front gates, and you will never ever bring your sorry ass back here if you know what’s good for your well-being," Zach warned.

Efraim stood up and started dusting himself off. He was just about to say something when Zach pointed to the front gate and told him to leave. Efraim turned around and walked away, pissed at the world.

"Chadwick, are you and your dad okay?" Zach asked. "He didn’t do anything to harm you or Eddie?"

"No sir, Mr. Zach. I was holding my own until you showed up. I’m so glad you did," Chadwick replied. "I should’ve looked out the curtain, but I forgot my place."

"Just to be on the safe side, I’m calling Lex over so he can do a checkup on your dad’s pressure."

Jeremiah walked in and realized that something was very wrong. Eddie was upset and crying, so he rushed to be by his side.

"Jeremiah, for the next couple days you need to stay home and take care of Eddie," Zach instructed. "I’m going out to the main gate with a couple heavyweights to take care of something that should’ve been taken care of years ago."

Zach turned and got in his speeder, then left headed out front. He called Madison, Ben, Tim and Robbie to the front gate immediately.

A very pissed off and dirty Efraim stood out on the curb when Zach walked up with his motley crew.

"Efraim, this is your one and only warning," Zach stated coldly. "Stay away from the Z1. Don’t ever come back here. If you do, the boys here will make sure you won’t ever show up again. Chadwick will never know what happened to you other than that you disappeared from his life permanently. And I can promise you they won’t find you in the back 40. The next transport is scheduled right about now—you get on that unit and you head back to wherever you want to head to. Just don’t come back here ever."

The transport arrived right on time, and it was none other than Lester Roland driving.

"Hey Mr. Zach, what brings you out here this way?" Lester called out. "You got me a special one here? He looks a little bit dirty and disheveled. Don’t tell me he was causing problems on the Z1. At his age, he should know better."

"Lester, he’s got a return ticket to where he came from," Zach explained. "Make sure he gets back there. His kind just don’t belong here on the Z1. We don’t take to those kinds of ways like the place that he’s from, and my guys have too much class."

"By the way, how’s Francis and the boys doing?" Zach asked.

"Oh, the boys get along just fine," Lester smiled. "Irvin just went through transition, and Dallas will be that way within a year. Denton still hasn’t found anybody—some don’t like our kind making babies—but on the bright side, Francis just told me that he’s pregnant again. One night of having fun and he takes it serious, then here comes another little one."

"Lester, you know you love it just like you love all those boys of yours," Zach replied with a grin.

Lester laughed. "Yep, don’t know what I’d do without them. Best thing I ever did was meet up with Francis. Didn’t know a quick roll in the hay was going to come to be a full-time job as being a dad, but you’re right—I wouldn’t trade it."

The two said their goodbyes. Lester showed Efraim to the back of the transport bus and told him to keep his mouth shut and everything would be all right. If he started mouthing off, somebody might shut it for him.

Lester pulled off, and Zach thought his dealings with Efraim would be over. If he only knew the future.

Zach drove back up the driveway to the main house, and waiting on the front steps was Chadwick.

"Mr. Zach, I need to talk to you about a problem that I have, and maybe you can fix it," Chadwick said.

"You’re Eddie’s son, Chadwick," Zach acknowledged. "Tell me, young man, what can I get for you today, or what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Zach, you have a hold on one of them human men back from the meet and greet. There’s one I want," Chadwick began earnestly. "He’s very good-looking, and he’ll make very good material for a father. I want him to put a baby inside of me when I cycle. I already met him. I know he smells good, and he’s got a nice firm ass. And the other part of him is nice too—it’s large, so he’ll be able to reach all the way up inside of me through my vent to make sure my impregnation goes perfect."

It was a good thing that Zach wasn’t drinking anything, or he would have choked on it. But he had to take a seat and told Chadwick to take a seat also.

"So, when just when did you meet this human, may I ask?" Zach inquired carefully.

"This morning at breakfast, sir," Chadwick replied. "He brought Uncle Antonio by for a visit, and when I went to hug him, he set all my alarms off on me and even made me get wet on myself. So I know he is the one that’s supposed to put a child inside of me for the very first time. I can feel it when I’m with him."

"And do you know this gentleman’s name by chance?" Zach asked. "So that when I go to the dormitory and inform him that he’s supposed to impregnate you on your cycle, I need to be sure I’ve got the right guy. Don’t want to get some random guy, because there are only 60 single human males out there."

"Oh yes, sir!" Chadwick said eagerly. "His name is Carmen Grillo. He’s about 6 foot 5, very nicely built, light brown wavy hair, he’s got a nice face, all of his teeth, and he has got an ass on him for days. With ass muscles like that, he could really drive the seed home."