Writer's Notes:
'Real Love' is my personal tribute to JammyJimmy's (JJ) story, 'Threads: The Island'. I give JJ credit, because credit is due, for this story and for my own inspiration and entrance into writing. 'Real Love' is actually the first story I wrote, even before 'Tale of Two Teens', my first published story.
As I was writing this story way back when, I was hoping JJ would be the editor. Having been unable to make contact with him, I have been reluctant to release it. Some say JJ has passed away, but I don't know. JJ, if you read this and want this story removed, please contact me. Several readers have relayed to me, both publically and privately, that they would like it released.
Therefore, 'Real Love' is an unauthorized, reimagined rewrite and sequel to JJ's story, 'Threads: The Island'. The general storyline in JJ's story is embedded in this story. Several of the character names have been changed because this is my story. Anyone who has read JJ's story will identify the characters quickly, starting with my main character, Bradley Weber, formerly known as Kyle Watson in JJ's story.
This story is long, but tolerant and filled with several emotions. If you stick with it, you will experience euphoria, happiness, sadness, sorrow and it will make you horny. You'll be disgusted, pissed off, scared and you'll grieve, cry, frown, smile and sometimes, you'll laugh, I hope.
'Real Love' starts off slow, but gains speed with age. Feel free to leave comments about what you like and what you dislike about the story. Feedback is a good thing for those writers who want to know what reader's like and dislike about their stories.
Please don't be mean in the comments because those that put in many hours over a period of several months, and thought into designing and writing these stories don't appreciate it, nor do they deserve it.
I do hope you enjoy the 'Real Love' series. Just don't forget one important detail -- it's fiction. Please do give us 'not so professional' writers a little slack.
JJ, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, fair winds and following seas my friend.
Let the saga of Bradley Weber continue...
MDSW
* * * * *
As Brad emerges from the gym, a member of the fitness staff said there has been a call for him to go down to the pier to meet Mr Alden immediately.
Brad nods, frowning, and walks the short distance, seeing Craig sitting waiting for him in one of the Islands speedboats. He hops on board, gingerly.
"You want to see me, Craig?"
"Glad you're here, Brad. Let's go for a ride round the Island, shall we?" the lawyer replies, giving Brad an intense look. "Unfasten those ropes, please," he asks the staff.
Brad is wondering what the old man has to say that we have to go out on a boat to do it as the staffer unties the two mooring ropes from the cleats on the pier. Brad takes a seat as Craig starts the engines, puts it in gear and pushes the throttles forward a bit, as the long sleek boat pulls away from the pier, heading out to sea.
"So what's going on then, Craig? What did you find?"
"There's something going on here, Brad," the old man says as he turns the boat a couple of hundred meters out from the Island. "I've been through Danny's private banking and had my people pull out any one-off payments to construction companies between when the Island was bought and the main house was built, and they found one, an Indian company that specializes in home security."
"So you think they were brought in to build a safe house somewhere?" Brad guesses.
"Exactly. By my reasoning, it must be underground, as otherwise the company who built the main house, or any of the other buildings would have it in their plans, correct?"
"Makes sense," Brad says, bracing himself as they bounce over wave after wave.
"So Charles tells you there is no secure facility on the Island, yet Danny pays a company who specializes in building them from his own personal account at the time one would be built."
"So there must be one here. That means Charles is lying," Brad says. "Why?"
"There's only two reasons I can think of," the lawyer replies. "He's either hiding something in there, or he wants to keep the facility for himself. That brings me to the reason we have the boat for our discussion."
"What? Are you gonna tell me the rooms are bugged now?" he jokes.
"I believe, knowing Danny as I do, that there was no way he would lock himself in a steel box without some way of knowing what was going on outside. He always thought several steps ahead and contingency planned constantly. He always, always had an exit strategy."
"So what are you saying?"
"You understand I have little evidence to support this?" the old man says and takes a deep breath. "I believe there may be hidden recording devices, either audio or video, or both on the Island, and I believe Charles is using this safe room to view you and your sisters in an effort to collate private information on you. My guess is he'll use it in some form of extortion or blackmail. And possibly do the same with the friends Danny invited to stay on the Island. If this is true, it can be disastrous for the Packard Empire."
Brad feels sick, like he's just eaten a dozen burritos and been kicked in the stomach.
"And bearing in mind the questions you asked me about legal representation when we first met, am I right in saying that there are secrets you hold that you would prefer kept from the world?"
"Fuck," Brad mutters. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
"I'll take that as a yes," the lawyer replies. "Now, I don't need to know what they are, even though you're my client and I can't reveal anything, even if I daresay I can hazard a guess or two. The question is, have you verbally or physically implicated yourself, or have your sisters"?
Brad immediately remembers the conversation he had on his balcony last night with Stacy and Peggy, the individual conversations they've had and the several conversations he's had with Kelly about it too.
"Fuck."
"Have you committed any criminal offences, Brad?"
He shakes his head, then changes his mind.
"I... don't know, actually. I think... fuck it. I met Peggy three years ago when she was a stripper and she gave me a lap dance. Then I met Stacy at a club and we slept together. None of us knew we were related and since then we've done nothing."
The old man's brow furrowed as he thought.
"Has there been any... physical contact between you since then?"
"No," Brad replies quickly. "I did hug Stacy in her bed the first night we got here, but I was on top of the covers and she was under the covers and we were both dressed."
"Have you discussed your... history?"
"Individually with Stacy, same with Peggy, and then last night the three of us spoke about it."
"Hmmm," the old man mutters.
"Oh, and I told Kelly about it. You said I could trust her," he reminds him. "She got someone to do a little digging into the friends that were with us on Spring Break. My buddies are cool. In fact they're arriving here any time, but two of Stacy's friends might be problematic, so we got some info on them."
"And what happened to them?"
"One of them has a sick kid, so we're helping her out with her medical bills and expenses. The other girl has some history of drugs and stuff. Videos too I think. She was working at a law firm, but now she's working for us with a massive pay increase. Both of them have signed agreements not to say anything."
"So potentially you can be open to extortion or blackmail, bribery and investigated for incest too," Craig says bluntly.
"Fuck my life," Brad mutters. "I'm guessing so."
"Even if there are no criminal proceedings, simply leaking recordings of the conversations would be enough to force you to resign from any positions you may hold in the future, destroy your credibility, or instigate political hearings. It could also potentially destroy your companies."
Brad slumps into his seat, craving a cigarette, a bottle of tequila or anything that would numb his brain.
"Is there anything else you can tell me about what's happened on the Island? Anything strange that's occurred since you arrived?"
"Fuck, everything's been strange, Craig. This whole place is bizarre."
He shakes his head, then looks up sharply as a memory appears.
"A few nights ago one of the staff snuck into my room and had sex with me. I thought it was someone else."
"Did they drug you, anything like that?"
"No. Just... well, they fucked me then gave me a..."
"Yes, yes, yes. I get the picture," the lawyer says, holding up a hand. "Do you happen to know who? Or why?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure it was Sara, the masseuse. The thing is, I've never laid eyes on her before," Brad explains.
"And she just appears in your suite and propositions you?"
"No," Brad replies, shaking his head. "No, I'd been flirting with Kelly just before she went to her bed. After I fell asleep, this girl joined me in bed, held her finger to my lips to be quiet and then we had sex. I thought it was Kelly, but when we finished she ran off."
"So what was her motivation?" Craig asks. "She just randomly decided to seduce you?"
"Apparently. It's possible," Brad says, shrugging. "I don't get it though."
"Does she know you have suspicions?"
"Sara? No."
"Then you need to find out what motivated her to come up to your room," Craig says. "It may be that she simply saw you and decided to seduce you, thinking she'd get on good terms with the new boss. Then again, if you're being set up for leverage, a sex tape could be a helpful thing to have, yes?"
"Mother fucker," Brad blurts out.
"On the plus side, you mentioned that it was Connor Grant who put you onto the idea the Island should have a safe room, yes?"
"Yeah. And I let Connor know earlier today that Charles had said no, that you're looking into it and he asked to be kept in the loop. Oh, he also said that he's going to see what he can find out himself."
Craig frowns as he steers the boat out a little farther from the shore.
"I would suggest the following. One -- You figure out a way to discuss the matter with Sara, somewhere off the Island such as on a boat like this or perhaps in a helicopter, if you can arrange it. Two -- You need to get Connor on your side and, given his personal skill set and employment record, I imagine he'll be happy to help out if he can."
"He already is."
"That man is a nuisance, but when he's working, he's like a different person entirely," Craig says. "Use him as much as possible, but above all you must be discrete."
"We have been so far."
