door. "I hope I can do it justice."

"I am sure you will. Oh one thing more. I just heard on the radio that there was a big accident on the bridge and traffic is all tied up, so you might want to use the tunnel instead."

"Thank you I will consider that when I leave. Once again thank you for a delicious dinner." She left and Allie said to Joseph, "perhaps I had better leave also. It is getting late and I don't want to wear out my welcome."

"There is no need for you to rush off. The night is young and I do enjoy your company." Joseph said taking Allie's hand in his and leading him back to the couch. "After I get out of the army I have been thinking of taking a trip throughout the Muslim world. I would love to visit the places that Fazzi told me about. I also want to see how the money is being used. It may also give me ideas for more projects to fund" Still holding hands, they sat on couch.

"That is a very good idea, but it could be a very dangerous trip to take without a guide and protector. Especially for someone like you."

"Like me? I don't understand. You know, Fazzi said the same thing to me when I offered to go with him this last time. I wish I had insisted on going now. I may have protected him from that murdering bastard." Joseph said with tears in his eyes.

“Fazzi was looking to protect you from the evils of some of our desert brethren who have never seen a blond man and would kill to own one.”

“You are kidding me? Own one, not in this day and age.”

“Yes. Even today in the remote areas there are many sheiks that pay lots of gold coins for young blond flesh. Blond Christian women or better yet, young light skinned, blond Christian men or even boys are most rare and would bring fabulous prices. I can see the slave merchants drooling and fighting to put you on the auction block. A young American in the best of shape, yes, Fazzi was right in not allowing you to come with him. Those rich older sheiks prefer a young man because they could not only use him for sex but also as a worker. They would most likely display prime goods like you as a prized trophy, perhaps even rent you out for their friends' amusement also. You would command a very high price, perhaps hundreds of thousands if not millions. They would have cut Fazzi's throat to get at you.”

“Fazzi said the same thing, but I did not believe him. Joseph said. “Why do they want Christians?”

“As I said, there are very few light skinned Muslims and besides they are our brethren and one does not do those things to them.” He said smiling. “You never know how well connected their relatives may be.”

“Now you are joking. You are trying to make me feel better.” Joseph said with his blue eyes filled with tears.

"Now, now. No more tears." Allie said as he placed his arm around the soldier pulling him close to his strong chest and comforted him. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of truth in what Fazzi and I told you. Besides, I don't think there was anything anyone could have done to prevent his