The Light at the End of the Tunnel by James W. Nelson Page A

have been severely traumatized by the experience.
    But Tyler was pretty sure Baby Boy was not
traumatized. If anything it was the opposite, but he couldn’t put
his finger on it. He watched Baby Boy though, and
figured— hoped —that eventually the little bastard would
eventually screw up. But whenever they were all present, together,
Baby Boy displayed angelic behavior, always smiling at his dad and
saying cute things with his few words, always gushing love on
Chloe, and the babysitter too, what Tyler considered as totally
fake—it made him so mad !
    Because when it was just the two of them the
little bastard never smiled, never said anything, and always sent
that stupid look. Tyler had heard the word ‘smirk’ but
really wasn’t yet sure, exactly, how to use it. What he did know,
he was pretty sure that’s what the little bastard was sending him
when nobody else was looking: a smirk !
    Things might soon change. Tyler was home from
school early, a half hour early, and he was going to catch the
little bastard playing with his computer. Even though all he could
do was catch him—there would be no punishment—but at least he could
catch him, and maybe convince his dad to let him lock his door
during the day. He sometimes wondered if the babysitter even watched the little bastard!
    The front door wasn’t locked. Tyler got
inside quietly and laid his backpack down, then moved slowly down
the hall, hoping that Chloe would not already be home to maybe
screw everything up—how she adored that little bastard! He reached
the closed door to his room.
    ****
    Les Paul was happily zipping the little
blipper around and around on the screen. He heard the doorknob
turn, but too late. Tyler! He screamed and jumped off the
stool as Tyler came in and said, “Little bastard! I knew it
was you!”
    Tyler stood between Les Paul and the door.
Les Paul had always known that Tyler had never liked him from the
very first day he arrived. What he didn’t consider, and had
forgotten, was that also on the very first day he had made his
decision about which member of the family he would show his true
nature: Tyler .
    The voice came to him, As I have said time
and time again, this boy is trouble for you, and needs to be
dispatched. He is a heavy sleeper. Go to him tonight when all is
quiet. You don’t remember how you dispatched your twin brother in
the womb, but your hands do, and they will do it again. There is a
decorated leather rope that hangs on his bed. Now, say ‘I’m
sorry.’
    Without even thinking, “I’m sorry.”
    The anger on Tyler’s face left him. They both
heard the front door open and close. In just seconds Chloe
appeared, “What’s happening?” she cried, as she rushed into the
room, glanced first at Les Paul, then at her brother.
    “Baby Boy was playing with my computer,”
Tyler said.
    “Well, he didn’t hurt it, did he?”
Chloe then walked quickly to Les Paul and picked him up. The nearly
three-year-old child immediately began to cry, “Well? Did he?” she cried.
    “No,” Tyler said, “He even said he was
sorry.”
    “So there!” she cried, and hugged the child
even closer as she left the room.
    Les Paul clung to her, the new word, ‘bastard,’ going through his mind.

     
    Chapter 19 Talk With a Drug Pusher

    The desert floor and Phoenix was new to both
the chaplain and Nicole. On the higher desert, where the training
facility was, there were more trees. They rode in the middle seat
of the van. Riley was driving, Tucker in shotgun. Two more men rode
in the back seat. Equipment and camping gear rode in the very end.
Sadie and Sheldon rode in a Denali four-wheel-drive pickup
following. The cook and mess cook remained behind at the facility.
Conversation during the trip was sparse. Riley had laid out the
plan entirely while still at the facility.
    They reached what appeared to be a steakhouse
on the outskirts of the city. Riley looked back, “We’ll have coffee
here and discuss any last minute