Peggy stared at Tom standing in her doorway.  “You’re Tom Anderson?”

“Yes maim,” Tom answered, “may I come in?”

Peggy just stepped away from the door and called to Mike, “Mike your friend is here.”  Her look and the tone of her voice clearly made the meaning of the word friend questionable.

“Come in,” Mike said, “let’s sit in the living room.

As they entered Mike introduced his son, “Tom, this is my son Mike Junior.”

“It’s good to meet you Mike.  Your dad tells me you’re quite a smart guy.”

“He gets top grades in school,” Peggy said as she walked into the room, “and we’ve also taught him to be smart on street and to be wary of strangers.”

Young Mike spoke up, “Dad said that you’re going to take us some place special.”

“I want to take you where I live.” Tom said.

Peggy couldn’t help commenting, “Oh I’m sure you’re beautiful home in the suburbs will be very special to poor folks like us.”

“Peggy,” Mike Senior pleaded, “you said you’d give Tom a chance.”

“OK, Mr. Anderson; let’s get on with your pitch; I have other things to do today.”

 

Mike Junior’s eyes were wide open as Tom explained how they would travel and where they would go.  Peggy just rolled her eyes expecting some good excuse when it didn’t happen.  She just sucked in her breath when she found herself standing in Tom’s living room.

“AWSOME”, Mike Junior said.

Peggy glared at Mike, “What kind of freak show have you gotten us involved in?  What just happened here?  Mike I swear if this crazy rich boy hurts my child; I’m never let you forget it.”

“Mrs. Johnson, please try to relax.  This is all happening as I explained it.”

“Why,” Peggy shot back.  “Why are you doing this?  If you are this half human creature that you claim to be; why do you concern yourself with the problems of a small neighborhood in Baltimore?  Just how do you intend to use us and what are you going to get out of this?”

Both Mike Senior and young Mike protested.  “Peggy, give the man a chance.  Tom saved my life last week.  I think we owe him a few hours to explain how he’s going to help and what he wants to do.”

“Mom, young Mike said, “he’s not a regular guy; he’s a space man.  This is the coolest thing that could ever happen.”

“I intend to get plenty out of this.”  Tom answered, “This is no charity project believe me Mrs. Johnson.  I expect you, and eventually, your friends will help me amass a great fortune, but your neighborhood will end up being the best city neighborhood in the world.”

“You have a lot of talk to you Mr. Anderson,” Peggy said.

“Is this talk?” Tom asked has he picked up the baseball bat and swung it hard at the back of Mike’s head.

“MIKE LOOK OUT!” Peggy screamed as the bat bounced off the big man’s head.

Mike smiled at his wife, “We’ll be protected.  They’ll be nothing that The Dogs could do to harm us.”

“This is going to be a long a complicated process; if you want to continue it.  I’ve made Mike a promise; that if you choose not to continue at any time, that I will leave and you will never hear from me again.  Now please let me protect you and Mike Junior; then we can talk about what happens next.”

 

Peggy and Mike Junior took their turns going through the process.  The area was actually big enough for them to do it together but modesty demanded separate treatments.  When it was over Mike Junior said, “Wow, now I’m like Superman or something.”

“Only in defense,” Tom warned.  “I’ve studied the human aura.  I’ve learned that it reacts to your emotional state.  There are different energy levels in the aura based on your situation.  You cannot be aggressive with protection.”

“I understand,” the young man said.

“Also,” Tom warned, “unless you want to end up a lab rat in some government laboratory; I would not go telling a lot of people about this or showing it off to your friends at school.”

“We need to keep this to ourselves,” Mike Senior added.

 

Peggy felt her arms and said, “OK Mr. Anderson, now what?  You’ve given us this protection so you could go after The Dogs.  There are a lot of them, and they’re not stupid.”

“I’ll need the help of you and Mike for that,” Tom said, “but first let’s get your son home.  I think we should discuss this in private.” 

“NO!” Young Mike shouted.

“Michael?” His mother said in surprise.

“I want to help,” the young man said.  He looked at his mother, “Mom, do your remember Timmy, my friend from school?”

“Yes, I do.” Peggy said and young Mike continued before she could say another word.

“He has an older brother named Bobby.  Last week The Dogs beat him up good.  They broke his leg and messed up his face.  One of them claimed that he looked at his girl.  Mom you don’t know what it’s like at school, even in my grade.  Kids are hiding out; trying to find ways home that The Dogs aren’t watching.  They always want kids my age to do something.  They’ll make us carry things for them or make us look out for the cops.  We have to do it.  I’ve been lucky; I’ve only had to be look out a couple of times.  I never carried anything.  Mom, I’m already involved.”

Mike Senior lowered his head, “I was too late.  Michael, I was hoping I could spare you that.”

“I know Dad, it’s OK, but I want to be part of this.”

 

“Who’s the alpha male?  Who’s the big dog?”  Tom asked.

“Andrew Sharp,” Mike Senior answer, “they call him Sharpie.  He was always very smart, but he also had a mean streak.  I know his old man used to beat on him pretty good when he was a kid; so much so that he was battle hardened before he was thirteen.  I’m sure, if he was a rich kid, he would have been a scientist or an astronaut or something; he has the brain for it.  Now he uses it to rule our streets and spread that poison.”

“Do they have any fear of the law at all?”  Tom asked.

“The police can only do so much.  Some may disagree but I think the police are trying to protect us but they don’t have the man power or the equipment.”

Peggy added, “What they do have goes uptown to protect the rich folks and the big businesses.  We’re left with a small number of over worked cops who are tired and frustrated.”

“Then The Dogs can be as bold as they like,” Tom concluded.

“Not quite,” Mike Senior answered, “They know there’s a line.  If they get too violent or they’re too visible they’ll draw the attention of a news reporter of some kind looking for a good story.  Once the story is public the city will be pressured into cracking down.  Their crimes have to be done with at least a little stealth.”

Tom continued to question, “Does this lady that you know date anyone important in the gang?”

“She’s hardly a lady,” Peggy answered, “and then she changed her tone.  “Sherry is a child that got in with the wrong crew.  She’s dated several and she’s always looking to move up in the ranks.  I think she’s now working on DW.  The guy’s real name is Jerome Robinson but they call him Dead Weight or DW for short because he weighs over three hundred pounds.”

Mike turned to his wife and said, “Sherry told you a lot more about those guys than I thought.”

“I’m the only one on the street that will talk to her.  Most of the people in the neighborhood consider her street trash.  Considering I’m your wife and the trouble you’ve caused them, I’m surprised that she has the nerve to talk to me.  I guess that shows you how desperate she is to have a friend.”

“I thought you knew them all,” Tom said.

“Most of them,” Mike said, “but some of them are imports; like this DW guy.”

“Do you think Sherry will tell you more?” Tom asked Peggy.

“Like what?” Peggy asked a little annoyed at where Tom was going.

Tom speculated, “If he’s that smart Sharpie probably doesn’t get the whole gang together very often.  He probably conducts business through his lieutenants. We need to know what makes him get the gang together; and where and when it might to happen.”

“You want me to spy for you?”  Peggy asked.

“I want you to spy for you,” Tom answered.  “This is your effort; I’m just trying to help out.”

“Not out of the goodness of your heart,” Peggy snapped back.

Tom realized that his intellect had expanded but his patience was still at the human level, “Look Mrs. Johnson; I know you’re having a hard time trusting me, but I’ve been fair and honest.  If it’s just a matter of me not living in the neighborhood; then maybe this won’t work.  I think that you and your family should go home and rethink this whole deal.  I’ll give you a phone number.  If you do call; please be ready to commit to a trusting partnership.”

“Does this mean you’re taking away our shields?” young Mike asked.

“No,” Tom answered, “you’ll keep the protection, but please be careful with it.  It’s not something your neighbors will easily understand.”

Peggy stood right up and said, “I resent your insinuation, and I’ve seen plenty in my life that gives me the right . . .”

“Mom,” Mike Junior called out, “chill out, the guy’s on our side.”

Mike Senior stepped in, “Maybe you’re right Tom.  Give me the number and I’ll call you tomorrow.  I promise I’ll have a definite answer for you then.  Please take us back now.”