The entranceway of Club 69 seemed to be painted an unlikely shade of crimson-gray with metallic black edges flowing to the surface. At the front door stood a tall, well-muscled black man."You guys had better be on the list," said the bouncer.

"Hello! Two people in cop uniforms who just happen to have a cop car parked in the rear of the building? I think we bypass any list requirements," Roger said, pointing to his badge.

"We see those costumes all the time in here. A lot of our male couples like to dress up." The bouncer had no intention of letting them pass.

"For Christ’s sake. We are cops! We aren't some gay couple who like to dress up. We're part of the bunch who patrol the street looking for bad guys, just like you see on TV," Roger started getting very angry.

Adam picked up on the situation and quickly went into action. He grabbed the bouncer and forced him into the door post. "Look here! This is a police gun. You can tell by the registration numbers that we are the real guys. These cuffs that I'm handcuffing you with are real, too," Adam said handcuffing one cuff to himself and the other to the bouncer. "Now, if you want out of these, I suggest you let us through. Otherwise ,you will be coming down to the station for a little visit."

"Ok, I believe you. Just let me go. I don't want any trouble," the bouncer replied, sounding conciliatory.

"Oh ,you already have that," Adam said, sounding amused while he undid the cuffs.

With the cuffs removed, the bouncer let them through the door. Just as they turned away, he body-slammed them both to the ground. "Register this officer," he snarled, Roger and Adam heard before they passed out.

When Adam came to he realized he was in a small room. Ropes had been used to tie Roger and he together. "Sorry for the inconvenience, officers," someone said. "We had to tie you up till we found out if you were telling the truth or not. I'm the manager of this club, Luther Banks."

"What you did is assault on an officer. I could have you thrown in jail for that." Adam threatened the man.

"I'm sure you could. At the same time you're lucky my lawyers aren't filing a lawsuit against the way you assaulted my bouncer. That wasn't a very smart move." Luther replied.

"If your bouncer had let me in, none of this trouble would have started in the first place," Adam said, trying to take back control of things. "What's the deal with the list?"

"I'm sure you are aware of the murders that happened recently. I host a select clientele who make contact with me first and then I approve their entry. If they don't meet my standard then they don't get into the club. That's the list system that we have come up with to insure we don't have a murder at the club."

"How did you know about the murders?" Adam asked.

"The news is broadcasting reports about it right now." Luther said flipping on the TV to the local news station.

"We interrupt our scheduled programming to bring you this late breaking news of a murder spree that is happening as we speak. A murderer is on the loose, killing people in our city. We go to Sandra Jones our reporter on the street," the anchorwoman said.

"In earlier reports nothing was said about the first case, but when a second young male was killed, our investigators got on it. They informed us about the nature of this crime, a tragedy all by itself. Derrick Smith, a young male who found a passion and love for woman’s clothing, was murdered in his own bedroom. That’s right. Derrick was a cross-dresser. What does it mean to be a cross-dresser? Well, let’s just say it isn't a good thing to be. When cops arrived they found Derrick in a cross-like position. They believe the killer is using this method..." Luther clicked the TV off.

"You don't think that after hearing that I wouldn't protect my men? These people aren't just my clients, but my family," Luther said.

"Then you know that one of your family members was killed in the murder?" Adam said.

"Yes, I know. It’s so sad what happened. He was a good man and an even better woman. We truly will miss him," Luther said, letting a dramatic tear fall.

"For someone who seems to miss him so badly, you are still running the business," Roger said.

"Just because a person dies doesn't mean I have to stop my business. Mama has to buy dresses, of course."

"Just what is it that you do here?" Adam asked.

"I make Princes into Princesses, Princesses into Queens. In other words, we're a fetish hang-out."

"Fetish?" Adam asked.

" You know, where boys go to be spanked for being naughty. We serve different ranges of clientele, some of our clients like to be boys and others like to be girls, so we make that happen. We even have a dominator on hand for those little boys who just want to stand in the corner and be whipped for hours upon hours. Doesn't that sound like fun? How would you like to be a naughty little boy and let me spank you?" Luther asked urbanely.

"Look, I don't care what perverted or sick place this is. All I care about is solving a crime," Adam said firmly and Roger added his glare.

"You're no fun." Luther pretended to pout.

"Again, I'm not here for the reasons that someone else might be. I need all back records of guests or users of the club. If I keep getting pushed around I'll come back with a warrant."

"All right, already. Don't push the badge around." It didn't take long for Luther to get the records and pull out the requested information. "Does this make the big, bad policeman happy?" Luther asked sweetly.

"I'll let it go this once, but show some respect. We're the ones out there keeping the streets safe." Adam said.

"Whatever." Luther replied airily.

"Let's go." Adam said to Roger. Roger nodded and they left the office.

On the way out, they had to go through the club, a very disturbing prospect for Adam. At one end, a woman whipped a man chained up to the wall. In another corner, a man cried from inside a crib. There were people getting tattoos, ears pierced, and even eyebrows pierced. "How do people live like this?" Adam asked Roger.

"Apparently the same as we do, just at a much different level," Roger replied dryly. "Do you think the information we got from Luther was worth the trouble?" he asked.

"I can't say just yet. I'll have to look over all the information to see if any of our guests match my hunch." Adam replied, reaching for the door. Swiftly drawing it open, he gestured broadly, inviting his partner, "Lady's first?"

"That's very funny." Roger snapped back, clearly angered by the joke.

'What's the connection,' Adam thought wondering either how Club 69 could be involved in the murders or what reason his partner had for being so touchy.

Back at the station, Adam and Roger got down to work right away. "Thanks." Adam said as Roger handed him a cup of the bitter brew that passed for coffee in the stationhouse.

"So, what do you think the connection is?" Roger asked.

Adam shook his head. "Don't know yet. The only facts we have are that the killer selects people who crossdress. Hand me the forensics report over there." Adam said pointing to the folder hanging half off of the desk.

"You mean this one?" Roger asked picking up the folder.

"That's it." Adam replied. He looked it over quickly, it seemed like the usual forensics report full of sad details. He put it down and looked at his partner.

"Well?" Roger asked.

"Well, what?"

"Any clues from the report?"

"Not a one," Adam said.

"Well, then why the hell did you have me grab it in the first place?" Roger asked.

"Because I thought they might have found or figured something out. The body had a broken neck, there were flakes of iron from the nails through his hands, and fibers of rope on his limbs," Adam explained.

"It’s not everyday that someone gets tied up with a rope." Roger pointed out.

"I know, but there just has to be more of a connection. Here we have two men killed by the same guy. What on earth would possess a person to go off on a killing spree?" Adam asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to head on home," Roger said.

"It’s not even dark outside. And if we don't stop the killer now, who knows what will happen." Adam said, angry at the thought of Roger giving up so easy.

"Look, I'm not out to stop the man. If it comes to putting him in jail I'll do that. This job just has its limits." Roger said, holding his ground.

"So that’s it. We just leave a killer on he loose and say oh, I'm sorry. We could have stopped him but no, we had to go home so the wife doesn't get mad." Adam said, sounding more like a whiny kid then a grown man.

"Look. I know I'm not a damn saint. When it comes to my wife that’s a whole different story." Roger said feeling a little ticked off and annoyed.

"Go on then." Adam waved towards the door.

"You know at times I could mistake you for a woman, you're so goddamn emotional, it makes me sick." Roger said grabbing his jacket.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Adam shouted.

"It means at times you're more like a emotional, scared woman then a guy!" Roger said.

"Just because I have certain feelings does not make me a fucking woman." Adam snapped back.

"Look," Roger made his voice sound calmer. "I'm sure you have something better to do, but my wife does make more than enough dinner, and if you would like to come over we could maybe talk, do a little bonding, and get to know each other better."

"Fine." Adam said grabbing his stuff. As they left he thought back on the way he was acting. He realized that some parts of my might have been scared, but who wouldn't when you had watched your wife die right in front of you. Part of him almost regretted what he had done back there. ‘Well, Sam, it looks like the only monster here is the one I've become’. Adam thought as he flipped off the lights of his office.

Chapter 4 Dinner at Roger’s House

When they pulled up to Roger’s house he pointed at a car in the driver and said," That’s my daughter’s car. I bought it for her when she turned 16."

"I didn't know you had a daughter?" Adam asked.

"Sadly, I do. Remember when I told you about my son and him having feminine feelings?" Roger asked.

"Yes?"

"Well, it wasn't just feeling like a woman that kept him going. The boy had to become one, too." Roger suddenly pounded his fist into the dashboard of his car.

"So what does it mean, he became a woman?" Adam asked struck by curiosity.

"Basically it means that he had a operation and they cut off the family jewels," Roger said, flushing at the thought.

"And you paid for this?" Adam asked.

"Hell, no! The little bastard went out and paid for it himself. I had thought that if I disowned him he would lose the courage and balls to do it, but in the end all he lost was the balls." Roger started to open the door. "Well, I guess if we are going to go in, now is as good of a time as any for you to meet him."

The two stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk. The concrete path curved up to the front porch of the house. Two trees stood in the front yard; one a pecan, the other a cedar. The front door had a stained glass window. Trough it's distortion, Adam could see a long dining table. Above the dinning table was a chandelier. It had 5 candleholders holding not burning candles, but bulbs made to resemble a candleflame. A wire lead ran from the center of the chandelier and disappeared into the ceiling.

A dark haired woman wearing a business suit that hinted at power entered the dinning room as Roger put his keys into the door. She glided down the length of dining room almost as if it were a runway and she the model for a high-class fashion designer. When Roger opened the door she stood there to greet him. "Why hello, daddy. So what do you think of the new dress?" she asked.

"It’s nice." Roger said sliding his foot and then his body inside the door. "I hope you and your mother weren't out spending my hard earned money on clothes." Roger lectured.

"Daddy, now you know that I have my own job now. I haven't needed to borrow money from you in a long time. " Then she noticed the strange hand gliding its way nto her breast. The hand squeezed and she jumped. "Just who the hell are you?" she asked, slapping Adam in the face.

"I just wanted to know if they were real." Adam said rubbing the mark on his face where she had slapped him. "You didn't have to go and slap my face."

"Men, you'd think they'd at least have the decency to ask first. God sometimes it makes me sick to think that I was ever part of the male gender." she replied.

"Adam. I think you went a little too far on that part. Anyway this is my daughter, Jackie." Roger said.

"Don't worry, Roger. It’s amazing though the way they jiggle and feel. I couldn't even tell that they were silicon."

Jackie made an angry face and then lifted her breasts up to display them. "You see these. They are not silicon. They are all natural and real, you idiot."

"She’s right. They make it easy for guys to grow breasts nowdays. All they have to do is take a few hormones and then they have breasts. I mean, just look at her. She’s living proof." Roger said.

"For the love of God, daddy I can not believe that you're supporting this pervert. He just grabbed at my breast." Jackie said looking at her father with hurt and tearful eyes.

"I must say that I would have never believed it. She does make a really pretty girl and even has that time of month down to par." Adam said winking at Roger.

"Men." Jackie said sticking her tongue out and leaving the room.

"Now you've done it." An older lady around the same age as Roger said.

"Just when did you get there." Roger said with a stutter, a little afraid of his wife’s expression.

"Just long enough to see you and your guest making asses of yourselves in front of our daughter." Roger’s wife said.

"Relax, I'll buy her something later on to make up for it. You know that she will be back to her normal self the next day." Roger said.

"Do you really think it is that easy to change a young girl's heart?" Roger’s wife said.

"It worked with you!" Roger said with an evil grin on his face as he moved closer and gave his wife a deep kiss.

"Why you flatterer. Dinner is still in the oven. I think I better go find Jackie and make sure she is ok. It’s nice to meet you? I don't think I ever got your name." Roger’s wife asked.

"The name is Adam." Adam said.

"Nice to meet you Adam. My name is Serena. Now if you gentlemen will excuse me I have a daughter to look after." Serena said. Adam noted the similarities in the features of Serena and Jackie and found it odd how even though Jackie had been a boy at birth, she had retained so many of his mother’s features. In some dark and deep place Adam wondered if the same thing were true for him.

"What's with that weird face?" Roger asked Adam.

"Oh nothing just thinking how I could steal your family away from you." Adam said just teasing him.

"Oh you, just what am I going to do with you?" Roger asked in return.

"For starters you could let me have them without a fight." Adam said. They both laughed together.

Back in Jackie’s room Serena had just arrived to find an unhappy girl. Jackie was a 24 year old, but still came back to home every now and then to have dinner with her mother and father. She missed the good old days when life was so simple and she could always go up to her father and he would be there for her. "Just look at your makeup it’s ruined." Jackie turned around to hear her mother’s voice.

"Mother why do boys have to be so cruel?" Jackie asked as she clutched a stuffed animal. Jackie’s toys were a mixture of boys’ stuff and girls thing. The stuffed animal had been with her since she found it in the closet. Originally her mom had bought baby stuff that was for a girl. When Jackie had turned out to be a boy they had to take everything back, but this one little stuffed animal seemed to make it through the whole process. It was a little pink bear that had a white t-shirt saying, 'It’s a girl!' on its front. On its head was a little bow that had a blue sapphire in the middle.

"Boys are just that way. You should know best from your experience of being one." Serena said.

"I'm ashamed that I ever was a boy. I should have been born a girl like you and daddy wanted back then." Jackie said.

Serena gave her daughter a hug and squeezed her tight. "Your father and I had no preference on what came out. All we wanted was a baby to share our love with."

"I know, but every since I became a transvestite he seems different. It’s so much harder to tell him stuff and I almost feel like some parts of him hate me." Jackie said.

"Honey, no matter how bad your father may get deep down he still loves you. Do you remember the day that you found that bear?" Serena said letting go of her daughter.

Jackie tried to remember but most of the thoughts were vague. She remembered moments of her father yelling at her and moments of her mom crying, but that was about it. "I all remember is the pain I caused you." Jackie said.

"That pain was fear. Your father was mad at you because you had been sneaking around in our room. Then you produced that bear and his fear turned to shock. He blamed himself when I was the one to be blamed." Serena said.

"But mom you never did anything wrong. I was the one who found the bear and then knew the secret that you had kept from me." Jackie replied.

"Neither you or your father were in the wrong. I kept the bear up there because I always thought that I might have another child. I should have gotten rid of it in the first place." Serena said, in tears herself.

"Don't cry mom. Look at us two grown women crying over the past. Do you think it will ever get easier for us?" Jackie asked.

"I don't know if it ever goes away or not, but because of it I now have a daughter to share all my secrets with." Serena said turning her frown into a smile.

"Oh mom. What would I do without you?" Jackie asked.

"Oh you'll move on someday forgetting about your father and I. I have a great feeling about you child." Serena said.

When Roger and Adam entered the room Jackie’s face went sour. She stuck out her tongue and then curled even closer with the bear. "The alarm went off while you two were chatting. I took it out and set up everything. Dinner’s ready if you two ladies are through with your little chit chat." Roger said.

"I think we are done here." Serena said giving her a pat on the back for encouragement. Everyone left Jackie’s room with Roger in the lead, followed by Serena, then Adam, and then Jackie at the end. The natural scene could have been viewed as a conga line moving closer to its final stop, which was the kitchen. The dinner consisted of a monster lasagna that had been stacked 17 layers high. Each layer pertaining a different blend of cheese that melted in the mouth as your fork brought that single bite in.

‘So this is what married life is all about.’ Adam thought. He could picture what it would have been like raising a family. Maybe a son that he could take down to the baseball field and play catch with. Parts of him wondered if fathers still took their son’s to the ballpark like that. Then he sighed.

"So what seems to be so deep on your mind that the spoon only touched your mouth once. I hope the cooking isn't bad." Serena asked.

"Mother why should you worry what a pervert like him has to say anyway." Jackie threw in.

"Now mind your manners. Here I thought I raised you right." Serena replied back.

"Sorry mother." Jackie said. She had no idea what was causing her to throw so much anger at this man. Could it be that the moment he grabbed her chest she had felt something other then shock. Stupid hormones she thought.

"I was just thinking how lovely and lucky a man Roger is to have a family like this." John replied.

"You could have a family of your own. All you have to do is get a girlfriend first. Did you know that Jackie is still single?" Serena said.

"Mother. How could you?" Jackie screamed.

"Well, you are a girl so a mother has to make sure her daughter isn't single for long." Serena replied.

"Mother... please... Remember I once was a guy and a lot of them still feel very sanative about the subject." Jackie replied turning red in the cheeks.

"It’s all in the plumbing honey and I don't think you have the parts underneath to work the same as boy’s do." Serena said causing her to blush even more. She got up and walked out of the room leaving stunned faces. "You think I went a little over board on that last comment?" Serena asked.

"Nah, she’s just at that age where everything is against her." Rogers said.

"That age was 6 years ago. She’s a grown woman. I bet go make sure she is ok." Serena said.

"Allow me." Roger said. The doorway that Jackie had left was from the back going to the outside. Some parts of him deep inside kept telling him to stay away from this one it is going to be nothing but trouble. However his need to understand what the girl was going through kept driving him to proceed till he knew she was ok.

When he reached her she was swinging in an old swing. The poles rattled from the weight it seemed as if any minute it would snap and she would come tumbling down along with all the pain and sorrow of the past. For some reason it didn't. The post just kept on rocking and Jackie kept on swinging as the moonlight on her created a ghostly image.

"Please don't be mad at me." Adam said. The sound of his voice startled her and as the swing came to a stop.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I just want to know the answer to why? Why is it that you shame all of us to the point that you hate a whole gender?" Adam asked.

"It’s because of all the pain they have caused me that I hate them. Do you know what it is like to have a secret so bad that you can not share it with anyone?" Jackie asked.

"But you can trust me. I already know that you used to be a boy and haven't hurt you so far." Adam said.

"You grabbed my breast! How the hell do you get off with that macho bullshit in saying I never hurt you."? Jacked raged back.

"I only wanted to know if they were real. To be honest I'm scared myself. Right now I'm scared to death." Adam said.

"Just what do you have to be scared about?" Jackie asked.

"Everything. My life is a constant fear of abandonment, death, and pain. Then there are the feelings I have right now. As I look at you, I see the fear you have about me and it scares me. It’s just something about you that makes me want to be with you. I don't know if it is the way that the moon is shining down on your or the way that when you walk it makes me freeze up like a school boy again." Adam said staring into Jackie’s eyes.

"Why are you telling these lies? I'm a guy in a dress who has been made to look like a girl. How could you feel that way for me when you don't even know the true me?" Jackie asked.

He moved in closer lifting her chin up by one of his fingers. "Listen to me right now all I see is a woman. I don't see a male in a dress or a person that used to be a male." He moved his lips in closer almost to the point that their breathes canceled each other out.

"I knew it." Jackie said as Adam started to pull back.

"It isn't that I don't want to. The moment that I first laid eyes on you I knew that I was in love with you. It is just that I'm still not ready to move on." Adam said letting out a deep sigh.

"You come out here and start sweet talking me and then pull away at the last minute claiming you aren't ready. Just what the hell are you trying to do to me." Jackie said, slapping Adam in the face and then running back inside.

Adam just stood there feeling the burning spots that Jackie’s hand had imprinted on his face. 'If only you knew how much she meant to me kitten. Then you would understand.’ He knew that he could tell her tell her that he had had a wife, but some parts deep inside kept telling him this one wouldn't understand and that it is best to let her go. The sad truth is that he didn't know if he could ever let another woman get as close as Samantha had. She had been the best thing that ever happened to him and now she was gone.

"I see that your help only provoked her." Roger said. He had been concerned by the fact that his partner had not come back in and his only child was now running back to her room in tears. Adam was just so deep in thought that he hadn't even register Roger as being there. "Earth to Adam." Roger said tapping him on the back of his head.

"She really must hate me now. Look I think I better go before I cause your family even more trouble." Adam said.

"You don't have to go. Jackie is still new at the whole woman stuff and she doesn't understand yet the feeling of being lost." Roger said.

"I know. It’s just that Samantha is still part of me, even though she isn't here anymore. I need that element of her to stay in my memory."

"Are you going to be safe to drive?" Roger asked.