It was then that the other four people onstage dropped their robes to reveal that they were all men, that they were all heavily muscled, and that they were all about as naked as Gideon. Adam, himself, was almost to the stage. He stayed low, bent slightly at the knees so that he wouldn't tower over everyone else the way he usually did.   ​

     The four men ran forward to attack Goldbody from all sides. The man to Goldbody's left got to him first. Goldbody back kicked the guy's hip, knocking him back. The man to Goldbody's right was on him by this time. Goldbody palmed him in the jaw. The guy right in front of him came at Goldbody with both arms flailing all over the place. Gideon took a couple of blows even as the guy behind him wrapped an arm around Goldbody's neck. Gideon elbowed him in the eye so that he yipped and let go. Then, all four of them jumped on Goldbody all at once. It looked to Adam, for a second there, like some kind of all male orgy, what with all that panting and sweating and writhing male mostly naked bodies. Goldbody himself got lost amongst all the thrashing muscular activity. Then, Adam saw a golden arm here, a golden foot there, along with many gasps and exclamations of agony. Within a very few moments, all four of Goldbody's associates were either stumbling or bleeding or both. Perspiration coated Goldbody like a clear paint. His breaths came a little short, but he had just nearly crippled all four of his associates.

     Ta-da! The underlying music that had been following the action all along rose to a crescendo. Yes! The Earth's most supremely superior human being had just achieved another victory! The applause from Goldbody's associates was loud and boisterous, the applause from everyone else much less so. It was like they were collectively getting the sense that things weren't quite right.

     Although Goldbody himself caught none of that. He was so lost in his own narcissistic power narrative that no one else in the world existed for him. His voice came out low and raspy as he said, "How about that for a beginning of festivities, eh? A show of brute strength. A demonstration of the sort of base power that drove humankind kicking and screaming to where it is today." He got no applause for that comment. "Oh please," he continued. "You are, every single one of you, lions of the financial world. Don't tell me I didn't get your blood up just now, watching me display such savagery."

​     He got even less of a response over that. Adam thought he might even have heard a boo. Then,

     "There you are!"

     Damn! He'd been spotted! He didn't dare turn around. He felt a hand on his shoulder. 

     "Where did you get away to?" Gretta Von Sternberg whispered into his ear. "This time, I'm not letting you out of my sight. You are all mine tonight."

     "You are welcome to join me up here," Goldbody continued. "I'm far from out of energy. If one of you more athletic gentlemen wouldn't mind going a few rounds." He smiled when no one responded. "I thought not."

     Adam turned to see that Valtair and three associates were almost right on top of him. In another second, maybe two... 

     Adam stepped forward, then up, onto the stage.

     "I'll take your challenge, and you're right. I do understand what you're saying. So let's get limber, what do you say?"

                                                   CONTINUE