This is a story that begins in a fairly ordinary way - but as the plot develops some of the characters are revealed to be more than they seem, and as time passes, the plot, as they say, 'thickens', and various strange, and some would consider unsavoury elements and themes emerge.
So... be warned, this tale turns out, eventually, to be a decidedly 'adult' story.
BOOK I
Chapter I - Once Upon Another Time
A boy appears - apparently out of nowhere - on a rainy night in an unnamed resort town. 'Clipped' by a passing car, he is seemingly temporarily stunned, and manages to crawl into the shelter of an alleyway running to one side of an opulent resort hotel/casino - the oddly named 'Jaguar Club'. The boy is found by a patrolling security employee, who reports him to one of the managers. The boy is taken into the hotel, where he appears to be suffering from amnesia - or is the boy dissembling ? And who is he, and where does he come from - and what was he doing in the middle of a busy thoroughfare in the early hours - in the rain - wearing next to nothing ?
Chapter II - The First Day
The morning after the night before the 'lost boy' awoke in his hotel room, met his 'minder', Frank, and was given breakfast.
He showered and dressed in new 'designer' clothes - presumably provided by the 'Boss', and was then taken to see the hotel Doctor. The boy then finally met the 'Boss' and, surprisingly, he was 'adopted' (at least temporarily) by this wealthy, but somewhat sinister man, and was given 'a new name, for a new life' - 'Jaguar Jim'.
Chapter III - An Evening with the 'Boss'
Back in his hotel room, Jim meets a new companion - Ethan, a handsome blond boy about the same age as Jim.
Ethan is to escort Jim to a meeting with the 'Boss' at a nearby restaurant.
At the same time a delivery is made of more clothes for Jim so that he can appear suitably dressed for the occasion.
The boys are then taken in a chauffeur driven Cadillac to an exclusive, roof-top restaurant, overlooking the sea, where they meet the 'Boss'......
Chapter IV - A New Home for Jim
Jim and Ethan are driven back to the Club Jaguar, where Jim picks up his clothes. They are then driven, by Chuck, to the apartment block, where Ethan lives.
Jim gets a set of keys from the concierge, and is then given a guided tour of the lavish, luxurious penthouse, where he is to live with Ethan -
They ten swim naked in the penthouse pool - and then to bed ?
Chapter V - Down Memory Lane
Jim and Ethan are driven back to the Club Jaguar, for a meeting with Dr. Lockwood, and are then driven to the office of the eminent psychiatrist, Dr. Brandt - who had been retained by the 'Boss', at considerable expense - to help with Jim's memory loss - and then Jim is hurled into the vortex of his lost memories....
Chapter VI - Journey to 'Now' - the Beginning
Jim and Ethan are initially driven back to the apartment......but the 'Boss' 'phones, and they are diverted to the 'Club Jaguar', to pick up the 'Boss' and go to lunch, and do some shopping in Vegas.
And now begins the long process, for Jim, of adapting to his new life.
Chapter VII - Fitness and Fun
The 'Boss' gives Jim and Ethan membership of an exclusive gym, which also allows them to use the well equipped diving and swimming pools.
At the same time the 'Boss' sends Zac to the boys' penthouse - where he delivers a laptop and mobile to both Ethan and Jim. Meanwhile Jim continues to see Dr. Brandt, who begins to develop a theory about Jim's condition that he later explains to the 'Boss'.
Chapter VIII - Drive on Interstate 15
The 'Boss' invites Jim to his palatial home, the Villa Jaguar, on the outskirts of Los Angeles -
Jim, nervous of being on his own with the 'Boss', asks if Ethan can accompany him - and Jim is surprised by the fact that the 'Boss' has no objections.
The 'Boss' uses the occasion, in the privacy of his eccentric mansion, to tell Jim a little more about himself.
At the Villa Jim is re-united with old friends - including a little owl !
Chapter IX - The Penthouse Gang
The boys drive back to the Penthouse in almost complete silence, but then start talking. When they reach the penthouse - and then it's a question of who sleeps with who. And the next morning, Josh is summoned to the Club Jaguar by the 'Boss', and Jim has a further session with Dr. Brandt.
Now you might be thinking from the title, 'The Penthouse Gang', that these lads are a tough lot - generally causing trouble - but no - the gang are some of the nicest boy's you could ever meet - just the sort of guys who could happily take tea with your grandma.
But there is a harsher, side to them - a dark residue from previous lives, and previous experiences - as you will see, as their story unfolds......=
Chapter X - The Loom of Memory
Meanwhile, back at the Penthouse, Faunus pays a call on Ethan and begins the process of explaining how he came to be in Las Vegas.
The 'Boss' speaks to Josh and Jim and tells then that he is termination Jim's treatment with Dr. Brandt. Jim, Josh, Ethan and the Boss go on a shopping expedition.
One possibly unforeseen result of reinstating certain memories, however, is that the residents of the penthouse begin to develop an understanding of the relationships that they enjoyed with one another - in another time and another place.
Chapter XI - The Return of Marcus
Faunus calls at the penthouse, and spends the morning deep in conversation with Jim.
As a result old memories surface - and Jim comes to an understanding of his past situation - and his previous involvement with Faunus, the 'Boss', the 'boys' and the 'House of Gracchus'.
BOOK II
Chapter XII - Reflections and New Ventures
"And why did we 'come back' ?", Jim asked.
"Because there is much more for you all to do.", Faunus replied.
"So where do we go from here ?", Jim asked.
"Well, hopefully living our new lives...", Faunus replied, brightly.
And many more perhaps...".
"And will you stay with us ?", Josh - who first discovered Faunus at Tibur - asked.
"Of course.....always.
I'm afraid you're stuck with me....and Glaux as well......"
And Glaux blinked and fluffed his feathers....
Chapter XIII - Past and Present Events
While the 'present' forges ahead with seemingly new ventures,
the 'past' still retains its mysteries and enigmas
Chapter XIV - A New Beginning
'The boys wake up to considerations of the previous night's revelations - but are soon distracted.
Ethan calls on brody - and finds a new 'friend',
And the 'Boss' and the 'boys' visit to the California Combat Club, where they witness Brody's first violent training session in the practice ring.'
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
CHARACTER SKETCHES
this article give a brief description of the various characters
appearing in the Story of 'Club Jaguar'
THE MAYAN CONNECTION
Prior to the appearance of the 'boys' in Vegas, the 'Boss' worked as an archaeologist in Mexico excavating Mayan cities - and so there is a Mayan connection.
The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization - noted for its hieroglyphic script - the only known fully developed writing system of the pre-Columbian Americas - as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system.
DREAMS & REALITY
Some readers have become confused by certain features in the two co-running serial 'adult' internet novels - 'The Story of Gracchus' and 'Club Jaguar'.
The following article, combined with the article, 'Time and Illusion', to be found in 'The Story of Gracchus' may help to cast some light on what is a very difficult subject - a subject, however, that is central to both stories.
TIME & ILLUSION
"I can bring everyone back…everyone…", Faunus
Two key themes in both 'Club Jaguar' and 'The Story of Gracchus' are 'Time' and 'Illusion'.
The stories are intertwined by the fact that the principal characters, and the principal themes swirl in vortexes of 'space-time' which indicate the basic illusory nature of 'time' and 'reality'.
The two stories - 'The Story of Gracchus', and 'Club Jaguar' are intertwined within the worlds of 'dreams'.... Where the 'reality' is - if it is anywhere - we leave the reader to decide........
THE NATURE OF MEMORY
'The light of memory, or rather the light that 'memory' lends to things, is the palest light of all
I am not quite sure whether I am dreaming, or remembering, whether I have lived my life, or dreamed it
Just as dreams do, 'memory' makes me profoundly aware of the unrealit - the evanescence of the world - a fleeting image in moving water'
Eugène Ionesco
THE MULTIVERSE
Hugh Everett III (November 11, 1930 – July 19, 1982) was an American physicist who first proposed the 'Many World Theory' of quantum physics, which he termed his "relative state" formulation.
OUR AMERICA
By the title 'Our America' we mean, of course, the 'America' that features in 'Club Jaguar', and not any other possible America - real or imagined.
Therefore this short article is included in order to explain any anomalies that a reader might notice between the 'America' of 'Club Jaguar' and the 'America' that may be familiar to the reader.
In the 'Multiverse' of Hugh Everett III there are, inevitably an almost infinite, (or maybe really an infinite), different versions of that 'place' and 'time' that we - in our world, know as the USA - America.
