The Circle Ch. 12

Chapter 12 - Heroes and fallout

The twelve of us in the house, plus Michelle and Don who continued to live in their own home, were content and living in relative peace and obscurity until one summer evening a year or so after everyone had moved into the large house.

Matt and Nathan loved their craft beer, but had run out. Also, there wasn't too much milk for breakfast. Thus, about ten o'clock on a hot Monday evening, the pair headed off for a quick run to the local convenience store.

The news story in the morning paper summarized what happened.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: A store clerk was wounded and two thugs injured last night at the all-night convenience store at the intersection of state routes 8 and 234. Two civilians from Dillonville turned hero last night when two armed robbers stormed into the store and demanded the clerk empty the register into a bag and give them the money.

Matthew Saddler and Nathan Pocher, who live locally, had entered the store moments before the thieves and saw the robbery start. When the clerk was shot, they leapt into action. Saddler hurled a twelve-pack of beer at one thief, hitting him in the head and instantly rendering him unconscious with a concussion.

As the accomplice turned to shoot at Saddler, Pocher picked up a baseball bat on sale in a store display, and creeping around an aisle clobbered the man with the gun, shattering his arm, and forcing him to drop the weapon. Pocher picked up the gun and held the two men captive until police and an ambulance arrived in response to a 9-1-1 call made by Saddler.

Horace Whittaker, the store clerk, was rushed to Mercy Hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He is expected to make a full recovery. After the scene was secure, Saddler gave first aid to Whittaker until the EMTs arrived. He also tied up the suspects while Pocher kept them under guard.

The scene was secured when police arrived. Store videos have been retrieved and are in police custody that police say confirm the events of the evening, and the heroic actions taken by Saddler and Pocher.

Skid Romans and Clive Gutshaw, the suspects, were immediately arrested on charges of armed robbery and attempted murder. Both will be held pending their arraignment Tuesday morning in District Court. Police noted that both men had been arrested on similar charges earlier in their lives. Romans was recently released from the Sommer Correctional Facility after serving five years for armed robbery.

The media got hold of the news story just in time for the eleven o'clock news that night. They'd even managed to get a reporter on the scene who had a couple of seconds with Matt and Nathan. The newsman kept calling them heroes, but Matt and Nathan downplayed the role they'd played in foiling the robbery.

Sheila, Bob, Alice, and Kyle had been watching the late news when the breaking news item appeared on the local TV channel at about ten past the hour. There were Matt and Nathan, who'd just left the house an hour ago ... and they were being called heroes.

Sheila was in hysterics by the time Nathan and Matt got home around twelve-thirty. Kyle had called and talked to them, making sure they were all right. They were entangled in making statements to both the county police and the state police who each thought they had jurisdiction in the case because of the store's location. Amazingly, they returned with their beer and milk, having left an IOU on the cash register with their names and phone number.

Sheila sobbed into Matt's arms and then Nathan's, "You could have been killed. Oh, my God. I love you both so."

Everyone else in the house was also in the living room to welcome the heroes back home. Everyone was worried, but glad the two had emerged from the night unhurt. After several recountings of the story and many questions, everyone headed off to bed.

Sheila announced that she wanted Matt and Nathan in her bed, so the threesome went off to her bedroom, although it was pretty clear that sex was not on the agenda, just a desperate woman knowing the men she loved were safe.

All the channels and the morning paper carried the story, along with photographs of Matt and Nathan taken the night before. Matt called it a slow news day, because the story was the top item on the TV news, and covered most of the front page of the morning paper.

Photographs of Matt and Nathan taken while they talked to police at the scene graced the front page ofThe Courier, the city paper. The men looked cool, calm, collected, suave, and handsome. The Op Ed page contained several long pieces about citizen responsibilities and action, responding to emergencies, and the heroics of Saddler and Pocher. Other pictures of the two men at the scene were on inside pages, including one with Nathan holding the baseball bat he'd 'borrowed' as he talked to a police detective.

The landline into the house started to ring about seven o'clock in the morning. Other newspapers as well asThe Courier wanted interviews. Two TV stations wanted to have both men appear on their daily morning shows.

The next round of telephone calls started to come from eligible females who had decided that dating a handsome hero was just their cup of tea. About the fifth call of that ilk, Zoey took the phone off the hook, and buried the receiver in a drawer so no one would hear the incessant alert beeping.

Matt and Nathan tried to carry on as though nothing unusual had happened. They ate breakfast, chatted with a few of the others, and then left for work. Two reporters had staked out the end of the driveway, so the men had their pictures taken as they drove out onto the street. One pretty girl was there with a large sign that said,'Matthew/Nathan - Call me' and her phone number. Neither man called.

Matt worked as a research biochemist for Glidden Pharma, a small pharmaceutical company. His team was focused on drugs that could be used in third world countries to cure some of the major viruses that plagued mankind where medical help was rare or nonexistent. He had one patent to his name, so far, for a molecule that seemed to work on the parasitic river blindness that runs rampant in parts of Africa and the jungles of South America.

He showed up for work, was immediately escorted to the Office of the President, congratulated, had his picture taken several times with the Big Boss, and then invited to take the day off. Matt headed home.

Nathan was a senior claims adjuster for All-Weather Insurance Company. He would pick up assigned claims over the Internet, especially those challenging other agents, and then mostly make the rounds of various auto body shops to examine and photograph the damage to various vehicles insured by the company, and make settlements.

As he went from shop to shop, he was besieged with every person connected with the shops. He knew most of them from prior visits, but this time they showed up to congratulate him and hear him tell the story over and over. His visits were taking three or four times as long as they should have. Many of the women in those places showed up too, flirting egregiously with Nathan and making sure that he knew they were 'available.'

About eleven o'clock he got a call on his cellphone asking him to come by the home office in the city to meet with the company's CEO. The woman wanted to congratulate him and talk first hand about the robbery and his heroism, as well as host a lunch where he was to be the guest of honor, and be greeted by the other executives of the company. After the long lunch, Nathan headed home.

Home had turned into a bit of a fortress. As Nathan pulled up about three-thirty, a police officer greeted him. The cop started to ask his business, but then recognized him. After praising his citizen's arrest, he moved a portable barrier, ushered Nathan onto the driveway, and then moved a barricade back across the asphalt after Nathan drove through. The din of yelling reporters and fans followed him up the driveway.

About twenty reporters or newscasters hung around the end of the driveway, along with about thirty young women of varying sizes, shapes, colors, and temperaments, all hoping for a date with Matt or Nathan.

As Nathan got inside, he found most of The Circle members lounging around the living room. He gestured out the window, "Has this been going on all day?"

Zoey said, "Yes. Tracy called in and stayed home all day to deal with it. She's been the intermediary with the officer at the gate, and also kept the press from coming onto the property without a written invitation from one of us."

Matt said, "A little over the top given what we did. I threw some beer at a guy, and you tried to hit his right arm into the center field bleachers."

Nathan asked, "Did we hear anything more about the felons?"

Tracy stepped forward, "Just on the noon news. They were arraigned, and are being held without bail and are considered a flight risk. The district attorney plans to throw the book at them, and claims they'll never see the light of day again. The news did confirm the concussion and the, I quote, 'severely broken right arm.'"

"Good. The bastard was going to shoot Matt."

Matt grinned, "Nah, I would've ducked."

Sheila was holding onto Matt as though he might float into the stratosphere were she to let go. She had similar leanings about Nathan too, but had to pick one or the other to mother.

Nathan said, "What about all those women out there?" He looked out the front window at the cluster of women, most with signs, seeking dates with the heroes.

Tracy said, "I talked with several of them. Let's see if I can remember. Angela wants to bear your children - either one of you - or both. Sarah Ann would like to go out with either or both of you, preferably both so she can host you to her first threesome. Lulu Somebody wants to cook for you. Diane doesn't want children, but would like to make love to both of you; she claims she has special skills that you'll remember the rest of your life. Shall I go on?"

Nathan waved, "No. I get the idea."

Matt said, "I hope you were taking names and phone numbers, and writing down their special skills."

Sheila promptly hit him in the shoulder, but then kissed it to make it better.

Matt asked, "How long do you think this will last?"

Alex said, "A week at most, maybe? People will get tired of no action or involvement and they'll move on to something else."

Tracy said, "I do have some calls you should make. They're to the local TV stations and toThe Courier. All would like some of your time for in depth interviews. I put them in order of what I thought might be considered importance. I'll be glad to call and set up interviews or appearances if you want."

Matt and Nathan talked briefly, and then said to Tracy. "You're hired. Just set up two. We want to appear together."

"What about the newspaper?"

"We can interview them tomorrow sometime too. I can see that we'll be home again tomorrow, so just about any time. If we do something in the morning, it'll make their evening edition; they'll like that."

Tracy looked pleased and went off with her cellphone in hand. A half-hour later she was back, and talked to Matt and Nathan about what she'd set up for the rest of the week.

Sheila appeared, and started to rub Matt's shoulders. Soon she rained down little kisses on him that got hotter and hotter. Tracy was showing similar attention to Nathan. After about ten minutes of this foreplay, Tracy invited the foursome to her bedroom.

It didn't take long for the sex to start after Tracy led the four of them into her room. Clothes flew, and then there was some oral sex - with a change of partners, and then the serious fucking began - again, with a change of partners a few times.

After the first round of orgasms, Zoey and Monica came in and joined the fray. Jim and Kyle arrived too, focusing on Sheila and Tracy, respectively. Matt and Nathan played with Zoey and Monica who catapulted the men into a second round of highly satisfying sex.

By then the little orgy broke up, a few showers were taken, and the group headed down to help prepare dinner.

* * * * *

There must be something in a dark corner of man's innermost soul that can't stand a hero or expert or someone who stands out from the crowd for something worthwhile.

Matt and Nathan discovered this on Wednesday morning about nine o'clock in their living room, when they met with two reporters fromThe Courier - Dean Atkins and Willow Mendez, both introduced as seasoned staff in their thirties who seemed to know exactly what they wanted. Tracy sat at the edge of the group to assist with anything they needed after serving coffee in The Circle's living room.

Willow appeared the more senior of the two, so she started the interview with introductions, outlined some of the areas they wanted to cover, and then launched into the first round of questions. She'd asked and received approval to record the interview. Why were Matt and Nathan at the store? How long had they been there before the commotion started? And a lot of other details that both men had gone over with the police and also with the on-scene reporter.

Matt and Nathan each walked through the events of the night, adding in what they could remember of their thoughts in the ten seconds of Monday night that catapulted them into a little fame. Despite the recorder, Dean and Willow took copious notes.

Suddenly, the whole nature of the interview changed. Dean stepped in with a totally unexpected question, "Do you want to comment on the little sex nest that you and the others seem to have set up here? That was quite an orgy you had last night. Does that happen all the time?"

Nathan and Matt looked at each other in horror. This totally unexpected question caught them off guard.

Willow's mouth moved but nothing came out. She wanted to say something, but seemed incapable of anything. To her credit, she looked horrified at the question and at the lascivious look on Dean's face, as though he were about to taste real blood.

Matt held up his hand to stop Nathan from saying anything. He reached forward and shut off the recording device Willow had running on the coffee table.

Matt wished Bob was with them; he was more versed in the right spin to put on how the group lived. Lacking that, Matt went through the ten points Bob often preached about life. He thought, 'I'll stick to those but try to answer the question while keeping my cool.'

Matt started, "Mr. Atkins, you tread on our privacy. Might I ask what you base your question on?"

Dean pulled his cellphone from his pocket and poked at it for a moment. Everyone in the room watched him with abject fascination. Seconds later he set it in front of Matt and Nathan. Tracy stood to look over their shoulders as a video started.

Amazingly, it was taken from outside of Tracy's bedroom window. It was kind of jumpy, but it played on long enough for Matt to recognize the pre-dinner love and sex fest that most members of the house had participated in the night before. It took Matt a minute to figure out that a drone had been used to take the pictures, no doubt guided by this reporter down on the street on the other side of the protective police barricade.

Matt just nodded. "Hmmm. A little too racy for the general public. You used a drone?"

"Yes; handy little devices for collecting really newsworthy items. First Amendment rights and all that are in play here, so don't think you can stop us from printing this story to go with the other one. This is the real meat here; not you throwing some beer at a one thug, or hitting the other with a bat."

Willow looked angrily at her colleague, but remained mute. She shook her head in disappointment. She stammered slightly, "Dean ... stop it ..."

Matt shifted and responded further, "We are a polyamorous family. We live clean, wholesome lives; are good neighbors; and each of us love and care for a number of other people most of whom we live with. Except for a couple of college students, we are professional people and good citizens. Please put your focus back on the news story you told us you wanted to focus on - the convenience store robbery, and not on the rest of our personal lives and the violation of our privacy."

Dean almost cackled in delight because of his revelation. "We'll see just what ends up in print. You'd be amazed at how much sexy details are allowed in print these days. The public needs to know, and I'm to man to tell them."

Tracy announced firmly, with her fists clenched at her side, "This interview is over. Please leave this home immediately, and don't ever come back."

Dean maintained his maniacal grin all the way out the door. Willow couldn't move fast enough to leave, and was clearly sympathetic to The Circle about their privacy having been violated.

The evening edition ofThe Courier detailed the robbery and much of the interview with Matt and Nathan. At the end of the article a long paragraph took readers in a different direction.

The two heroes live in Dillonville with a group of other men and women in what they call a polyamorous family. This reporter personally observed the outrageous, illicit, and highly sexual life style in their house that makes the word 'kinky' seem tame. So, even heroes have hidden lives, in this case ones involving others and excessive sexual license.

Two days later, Martin Harber, Esquire, sat in a leather chair behind his desk and steepled his fingers as he listened to the story calmly told by Matt. Beside him sat the eleven other members of The Circle, some on a dark burgundy leather sofa, and others in hastily arranged chairs.

Besides being the best real estate lawyer within a thousand miles, Harber also had a penchant about personal privacy rights, and how the law treated them. The more of the story he heard, the happier he got. He was about to make a lot of money for his clients, and hence for himself.

Harber said, "I will take this on with great enthusiasm. I have dreamed of a case like this, I just never thought it would involve something as hi-tech as drones, iPhones, and a statewide newspaper."

He continued, "We should offer them the opportunity to settle out of court. Since several of you have had your jobs compromised, I think they should at a minimum cover the overall estimated loss of income for the rest of your careers, say to age sixty-five, and then there's punitive damages."

Matt had been called on the carpet the day after the paper came out, and this time admonished at work for his flagrant lifestyle. He was not given a chance to comment or defend what had been said about him. Nathan had been all but fired from his job, and it had been hinted that any chance he ever had of promotion out of field work with auto body shops was now gone.

Sheila had been working for a financial advisory service, and had expected to start interacting with clients after the year she was just finishing as a full-time associate. Her boss told her that she needed at least another year of intern training before advancing. She felt she was outperforming the partner she'd worked for, let alone the other associates. This was a sock in the stomach.

Zoey had been not to subtly propositioned where she worked. Monica felt she was getting more customers and more sales, but people were leering at her. Alex was a partner in a small investment business and said he'd hire any of us that got terminated; he felt he lost one client to due to the article. Alice worked in her web design business at home, so suffered no impact. Everyone else kept their heads down.

Matt told the lawyer, "Dean Atkins cited freedom of the press as justification for use of the drone - in other words any method a newspaper needed to gather the news was legal. Is that right?"