~~~*~~~
Mark thought that Allen looked really troubled and more than slightly afraid as he drove the kid to his new foster family. He looked across the car at the kid and saw he couldn’t stop fidgeting. His face looked crumpled like he was really worried. His eyes looked really frightened. Mark spoke up, “Allen, I understand your worries but I gave you my card and you can call me at any time. DFS has assured me that the family is safe and their really kind people. The father loves children but he doesn’t have any of is own. His name is Jae Chul Shin and hes a immigrant from Japan. You two should get along well. He is said to have a real soft spot for needy children. Do you have any questions you would like to ask me?”

Allen looked upset, “Not really, Mark. Its just that I was really hoping that you could take me in. I don’t know these people. How will they react to me being a boy? “

“Their really understanding and they have been informed of your unique condition as well as what you were forced to undergo,” Mark said. “The state will monitor you, as I will also. We foresee no problems with them. “

Allen shrugged, “Neither did I after my parents passed away. I hope you’re all correct. “ He was fidgeting badly.

“Did you say they were Japanese,” Allen asked.

“Yes, is that a problem,” Mark asked. “

Allen’s forehead crumpled down like he was thinking of something. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t be, but I was attacked by the Yakuza.“

Mark laughed, “I know but this family isn’t Yakuza. You needn’t worry about Yakuza anymore.”

Allen shrugged, ‘Yea sure,’ He thought sourly to himself. Mark didn’t know Allen had spoken personally with the head of the family. This entire situation seemed to be set up, to Allen.

He couldn’t forget the old man that he met earlier. He couldn’t forget what the man had said about Kathy getting off. It was true that they would have the best legal defense if it went to trial. Was there any hope of a victory within the law or would he have to go to Nogori. He kept thinking about that.

There was the other matter of his body changing. He wasn’t sure how to handle that but his best thoughts were to go along with being Alicia until a better name could be thought of. Al or Allen didn’t make sense anymore.

He looked over toward Mark and said, “Lets call me Alicia now. It seems to fit best with my appearance and wouldn’t look strange if you called me that in public.”

“Alicia, “ Mark blinked. “Allen are you sure about that?”

“Yes,” He said finally. “If I must live as a girl then I will meet it head on. I will be a girl on my terms. My name is Alicia until a better name can be thought of.”

It was now Mark that was mussing on a proper name. He blurted out, “How about Natalie?”

“Natalie, hmmm what’s different about Natalie than Alicia, I want something really me. This will require a lot of thought and until that, I am strong enough to be Alicia! It doesn’t have to mean I’m a slave.”

They made it to the house on time and as Allen exited from the car, he saw the couple that would be his foster mom and dad. He saw them waiting patiently in front of the house. The house looked big, two stories with a large front door. The house looked rather old and a distinctly Japanese look to it.

The couple waiting for him looked nice. Of course, they looked Japanese and nothing looked alarming. There were no distinctive tattoos or weapons he could see. The man wore a dark gray uniform. His face was trimmed and his hair was jet black. His body looked very powerful. The way his shoulders were so broad and his biceps pumped, Allen thought of the kind of power that body would generate and he shuttered at that. He never wanted to be on this mans bad side. The man was dressed kind of reminded Allen of a samurai or a shogun. The woman beside him wore a tight dress that was styles as the Japanese women wore. Strangely, she didn’t bother him. He thought that the woman would scare him. but, unlike his sister, Jennifer, Arcadia or Sandra, this woman didn’t have a cruel cold look to her. She looked full of kindness and worry about what he would think. Something struck him about this woman. Something warm in him that he didn’t understand.

Try as he might, he couldn’t suppress a smile that spread across his face. He saw their reaction to his smile and as he walked down the front lawn the couple walked toward him. He stopped right in front of the front door. It was the man that walked forward to greet Allen. Both of them looked as nonthreatening as possible. The man stood in front of Allen and spoke, “I hope that we can help you feel safe with us. The nice officer has told us of your condition and I assure you that we will accept what ever you want to be. My name is Jae Chul Shin and this is my wife, Yuko jae and We welcome you to our home. “

Allen smiled and said, “Thank you, Jae Chul Shin. “

Jae spoke, “Lets show you your new home.” He let Allen in and showed him around. “I want to know how you want us to refer to you. We know of your condition that was forced on you. I am sorry for how you were treated by your family. “

“I hope things will be better here. For the time being, Jae Chul Shin, you can call me Alicia. I will be your daughter if that is okay with you.”

He saw the woman smile sweetly. The man said, “You can call me Jae and of course. You will be loved here. We will not let anyone hurt you, Alicia.”

They walked across a elaborately decorated living room. It all seemed so surreal. He wasn’t sure if he could trust his feelings. The woman approached him Hesitantly. She was aware of his feelings. She kneeled before him so she was level with his face. “Alicia, you can trust me and I will never harm you. You can trust me as your mother. My husband and I want to adopt you into our family.

He smiled, “I would appreciate that.”

Something that he couldn’t understand or resist made him approach the woman and wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. For the first time in years, he felt safe with a woman. He felt as safe as he used to with his mother. As he was mussing over this strange feeling he had, Jae lead him into what would be his bedroom.

The room was dark with a low level bed that looked really comfortable. He saw a soft oil lamp on a table beside his bed, white colored rug under the bed. He noticed it was straw mat on the floor. There were hanging tiles on the wall with Japanese script. Sliding paper doors let him in and out. He thought it was so awesome. The man said, “This is your bedroom, Alicia. Now that we have shown you though your new house, we have a visitor from our family we would love you meet. He said he met you before.”

Allen’s became afraid and it was very clear on his face as they led him down the hall until he saw who it was. It was Nobori.

“Have you thought any more on my offer, Allensan?”

Jae spoke up, “We shall call her Alicia for now. It was her choice to live as a girl now and when the time is right, we will help her choose a proper Japanese name for herself.”

A bright childish smile spread across allens face. He had a true family that cared for his wellbeing.

Noboru asked again, “Alicia, you are not under any pressure. You are free to reject my offer and there wont be any consequences. “

“Mr. Yamaguchi, I want to trust the detective and the courts. Detective Luther is sincere in wanting tohelp me and I want them to go to prison. Can you trust them with me?”

Noboru bowed but, Allen saw a frown of displeasure. “I don’t share your trust in the legal system but I will honor your wish. Our family will not interfere in the prosecution of Katherine and Ron Peterson nor his wife Sandra. I have a feeling that you will be asking me for my help soon.”

~~~*~~~
“Casey I think that we have enough evidence to go forward on this,” Mark pleaded in the office of the senior district attorney Casey Novekh. “The victim Allen Peterson has told us enough and I think she will hold up in court. “

The woman looked at the written statement and shook her head. “I share your feelings Detective but this is the type of case no one has ever prosecuted before…ever. His appearance as a female will hurt his credibility in court. Given the seriousness of the charges and the severity of the abuse he endured, I think I can keep a jury focused on the charges. I will se judge Hammond and have a search warrant sworn out and you will go in tomorrow. “

Mark stood up and thanked the other woman. She looked at the statement again and wondered how a woman could act that way. It was one of the ultimate ironies in life, she thought. Such women wanted to portray their gender as superior to males but yet, they engage in the most despicable abuses of others. Including children. One of these days she would ask how they justified abusing the weakest while calling themselves superior.

In the judges office, Casey was standing in the office of the judge swearing that the statement in true and the judge signed the warrant. But, it was too late.

Twenty minutes earlier, a squad of heavily armed police officers approached the premises of Ron Peterson. Two heavily armed Swat Team members went to the door holding a massive Steel battering ram. Two black suited officers in riot gear swung the ram, smashing in the door and over a dozen police officers carrying assault rifles filed in though the battered down door.

Ron came running in front, behind Sandra and Donna. They saw over a Dozen black suited police officers wearing heavy body armor and holding large police issue assault rifles. They were all trained on him now. Two approached them and he heard a shout, “Come down here easily with your hands in the air! Do it now assholes!”

Ron was the only one that moved down the steps. He whispered to his wife, “I will settle this Sandra. This must be a mistake.”

He moved very slowly the rest of the way down the steps. He kept both of hands high as he moved down, carefully watching the black muzzles of the rifles pointed right at his chest. The muzzles followed him down. He approached the two officers and asked, “Can I help you, officers. What is going on here?”

The only response was, “Get down on the floor now! Keep your hands clear.”

He didn’t move, instead he said, “I’m sure we can help you, Just tell me what the problem is and we can work this together!”

The officer shouted louder, “I said get down on the floor now you asshole or we will fire!”

He didn’t see the officer behind him and suddenly, he was tackled from behind and thrown roughly to the floor. His hands were wrenched painfully behind his back and cuffs slapped on. “Ron Peterson you are under arrest for exploitation of a minor, sexual abuse of a minor and accessory to rape. You have the right to remain silent. “ Ron was led roughly into a police cruiser.

Mark walked out in front of the two women standing fearfully at the top of the steps. He said, “Sandra did you really think that you would get away with what you did to your innocent stepson? He was an innocent child!”

She walked down the steps boldly. “I have nothing to be ashamed of. Al was a boy that needed to be taught discipline and we gave him that. All children need direction in their lives.”

Mark laughed sardonically. “You have -got- to be kidding Sandra! The methods you used against Allen go so far past discipline that it shattered his life apart. There is no excuse for what you did. Both of you wicked bitches come down the steps slowly and get down on your knees.”

Both started moving down the steps slowly carefully watching the muzzles follow their every step. Neither were very scared and they pretended they were in control. They didn’t know how to act when they weren’t in complete control of the situation.

“Now come on officer. Al was a bully that beat up on his sister and he got exactly what he deserved. He was seriously a sissy that needed trained.”

Mark spoke contemptuously. “You will get what you deserve, you wicked sadistic bitch. How could you treat a child so cruelly. “

Both women were taken roughly and thrown face down in the carpet of the living room. Two officers handled each and easily handcuffed them. “You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…”
Three officers came running up from the basement holding flash drives and old VCR tapes. Mark took them and looked at Sandra, “Well I wonder if we will find evidence of abuse on Alicia from these. “ He smiled as they were led to the police cruiser.

The officers roughly shoved all of them in a police cruiser and drove away. Mark was driving them and he asked Ron, “We didn’t see Kathy anywhere. Where is she as, we have a warrant for her arrest too!”

Ron shrugged, “You are the police, you find her. “

Mark just grinned wickedly, “We intend to and then we can add a obstructing justice charge on you, you bastard!”

Ron knew he was in very deep shit now.

~~~*~~~
Allen heard the phone ring but didn’t bother. He was sitting on his futon style bed in his room. He sure felt a lot more comfortable in here than his other bed. There were no chains and this family seemed to welcome him as an addition. They seemed to have no expectations of him. He only felt welcome. But this family was without a doubt, Yakuza. Nobori ran the family but that didn’t bother him because they loved him more than his own family. He was damn sure they were capable of protecting him. He was sure that would protect him too.

He heard cheers coming from outside his bedroom. The woman came in sliding his doors apart, “Alicia, the police has arrested Ron and his wife. They have been booked. Their in holding now. “

Allens face showed joy. He slumped in his bed and signed. “Thanks. I feel so relieved now Yuko. I hope that they are put away for a very long time.”

“Alicia, there is a catch.” Allen shrank back as she said that and she continued, “They cant find Kathy. “

Alicia started crying. He wept, “She was the worst. How did she get away?”
Yuko said, “She wasn’t there when the police came in. The house is being watched and she will be arrested if she shows up there. “

Nothing was said for a few long minutes. Allens face brightened and he said, “Yuko, Call Mark. Tell him that Craig and her have a new friend they stay at often. Here is the address of their new friend. Her name is Megan Patrick. “

Yuko nodded and left to call the detective. Allen stayed in his room and thought more. The feeling of real freedom was hard to adapt to. It was four years that he was held in slavery and tortured. He had no say in his life. He was in every respect of the word, property of his sister and he was forced to obey everything. He wasn’t loved or protected and now suddenly all of that was gone. All he could do is weep with joy.

~~~*~~~
Jae and Yuko had told Allen that they had to leave for the night. It was a very dark night and he couldn’t fall asleep. Allen kept feeling that something wasn’t right in his new place. He curled up in the blankets and kept thinking about what Kathy had done to him. It was around 2:30 am. He looked around the house earlier and grabbed a revolver from the master bedroom, just in case. He didn’t feel safe alone in this place. They couldn’t find Kathy anywhere. That bothered him.

A lot

He suddenly heard the front door open and footsteps. Allen felt fear in the pit of his stomach. The hairs stood on his neck. An icy fear ran down his spine as the footsteps came closer, looking though every bedroom.

He heard them get closer to his bedroom and he stood up and ran to a closetspace and hid there.

He was looking though two curtains hiding him and he saw the two sliding doors open to admit someone. Though the dark, he just saw a lith feminine shape walk though the door.

The voice chilled him to his bone. “Alicia, I need to talk to you. Please come out, I wont hurt you. “ The voice was Kathy’s.

She walked closer. “Alicia, I have been thinking a lot about the situation in the last year. Since you have been gone, I had a lot of time to think.”

Allen kept the gun in his hand and hoped she would leave.
She didn’t leave; instead she kept walking to the closet. She opened the curtains and said in a voice that betrayed her worry and concern, “Alicia, I am so sorry for what we did to you. “

Suddenly, her entire body froze as she saw the glint of a steel muzzle protruding from Allen’s hand. “

Allens voice was cold as ice, “Shut the fuck up…sister!” At the word sister, Allen’s voice became nasty. “How can you say you are sorry after all you did to me, and wanted to do to me? “

He walked out of the closet keeping the gun trained at Kathy.

“Alicia,” Kathy studdered.

“It is far too late for, sorry. Four years of beating!” he walked out.

“Four years of bondage!” he approached Kathy dangerously backing her up.

“Four years of sex abuse and rape,” they were to the middle of the room.

“And four years of being your goddamn slavegirl! And you say that you are sorry and that should end it!” Allens voice rose to a piercing scream.”

There was an unexpected feminine voice from the doorway, “My god, Alicia. It looks like you are handing this well.”

“What, who’s there,” Allen asked.

“Don’t worry Alicia. I am not with this stupid bimbo. I am Hamuri, Jae’s daughter. He kindly asked me to keep you safe while they were gone. “

She smiled holding her own gun behind Kathy. “You didn’t think Father would leave you alone, undefended in his place did you?”

He did but this was good. All he could say was, “Um.”

“Alicia, this isn’t a time for um. You are holding a gun at your former sister.”

Then she looked at Kathy, “Kathy Peterson, you must be the dumbest blonde bimbo in the world, To think you can walk in this house after what you did to my sister. Do you have any idea who our father is? How stupid are you, whore!”

Now Kathy knew she was in real trouble. But she had things she needed to say and she wanted to say them. She really was sorry for what she had done. She was 14 at that time. There were two and both were holding guns. Harumi stood beside Allen and said, “You aren’t saying anything, Kathy. Cat’s got your tongue. You were so talkative before but now you’re so quite.”

Allen strode up to Kathy, pulled the gun across her shoulder and swung it across Kathy’s face. She screamed and fell sideways. She looked up at Allen holding her cheek. Allen shouted, “Do you remember what you told me you would do if I ever hit you again?”

She was mute. She was too afraid to say anything. Allen laughed and said, “That is good. Listen to me slavegirl. You will speak only when spoken to, and you will address me as Mistress Alicia. Is that clear?"

“That is a great idea, Alicia.” Harumi said “Make the bitch serve you for a change.”

Kathy didn’t say anything so Alicia hit Kathy again with the gun. “Speak up slave. You know its disrespectful not to address your mistress when she speaks to you.”

Kathy was shaking badly.

Allen was loosing patience. He knelt down beside Kathy, held the gun calmly, undid the safety and pushed the gun against kathys forhead. He spoke in a low growl, “So help me Kathy if you don’t address me as mistress Right now, I will shoot you in the head and report to the police I shot an intruder. “