When the lady with Joan on her name tag walked up to me I asked the first question. “Is she calling the cops?”

Joan shook her head. “No, Jenna was her friend. Darla has a real hard on for cops now.”

“They aren’t all bad.”

“There are enough bad ones it makes little difference. You want an appointment?”

“Not really. Kathy said I did. Kathy is my boss now so I’ll do what she tells me.”

“I don’t believe you would do anything anyone asked you to if you didn’t want to in the first place. Friday at eight PM. Darla wants to come and watch. She’s smitten by you wondering if you’re the same as Jenna.”

“I’m sorry I never met the girl. No one can be Jenna. She’s gone. You people need to bury her and forget you ever met her. Those like Jenna are trouble magnets. Those who get close are usually hurt in the fallout.”

“And yourself?”

“I’m a magnet. I keep moving trying to keep those I got close to from getting hurt or killed.”

Joan reached out to take my hand which wasn’t there. That instinctive response again. I moved my hand back. She placed her hand on top of mine. “Jenna would do that too. No one could walk up and touch her if she didn’t see them coming and allow it. There is a small group of people in this area who loved her. Some of us would have died for her.”

“You were lovers?” There was a sadness in her face I knew well. Besides her heart rate had sped up and her pheromone had changed to desire.

Her tears started falling. “Friday.” She managed to choke out as she turned and headed to the back of the room. She was crying pretty hard by the time she disappeared behind the curtain at the back.

There was a wee problem about where I was going to park my car for tonight. Kathy’s was no longer an option as her place was a mess. Not counting the police would be patrolling her neighborhood like gangbusters for the next several nights. As if more burglars were going to show up after this batch was splashed all over the papers. Parking in one of the large shopping malls was out of the question. One of the roving patrols gets curious about someone sleeping in their car. Then they want ID because they are bored out of their minds and it gives them something to do. If I tell them no they bring out the handcuffs and a dozen made up charges because they have a gun and a badge and no little nobody tells them no.

Yeah, it happens and no it never ends well as I don’t take threats very well. Working my way across the country I avoided most of those by telling the cashier I was sleeping in my car after filling it up. After selling me gas no one told me no. Now my best bet was the restaurant parking lot. I’d have to let someone alert security I worked there or it would be the mall experience all over again. Again one of those wee problems. I had no proof I was an employee. The only person who knew was Kathy. She would be at her house trying to get her life back together. I didn’t have her phone number to call and ask her to alert security. Driving back over her house wasn’t going to happen. The police would be like angry hornets questioning anyone who got close. Maybe I could talk to her boss…, our boss? I headed back to the club.

Passing one of the small shopping centers I stopped and went into one of the ever present dollar stores. I bought a small metal index file case and a roll of aluminum foil. Back in the car the three cell phones had their batteries removed. I wrapped each phone in aluminum foil before everything went into the metal case. I wasn’t so stupid to believe removing the battery stopped the police from being able to ping for a location. Yeah, modern technology never let us escape even when we think we are safe. As soon as they all got their wits together they would be trying to track down the nine one one caller and the cell phone it came from. I really didn’t want to be on the other end of that hunt. For extra security I put the index file in a metal ammo case I carried a few of my valuables in. No need of looking for a metal ammo case at any of the pawn shops or gun places. They are all plastic now days. Sure I was paranoid. Any signal leak even from a metal case and they could track it.

Returning to the same place I had started out this morning I headed for the offices. Passing Kathy’s office, I walked to the one at the end of the hall and knocked.

“It’s open.” Was the tired response on the other side.

He was working on paperwork as I walked across the room and waited. He found a stopping place and looked up. From the look in his eyes he was expecting one of the usual employees who had run into a problem. From the slightly closed look of ‘what now’ his eyes keep getting bigger to take in more data to be processed by the brain. Human nature.

“Are you the superwoman Kathy hired?” He stood up to get a better overall view.

“I’m no superwoman. But, yes Sir, I think Kathy hired me.”

“You think?”

“Well, nothing is on paper as far as I know so I’m not really sure. She could change her mind. I really didn’t wish to bother you but I would like permission to park in your parking lot tonight.”

“Why?”

“I’m low on funds. I might have enough to cover a room for tonight. I had rather not spend all my money before the month is up and I get a paycheck. Provided I’m working for you. I’m still not sure about that.”

“A month?”

“Yes Sir. Kathy said I would be on a salary. I don’t expect to get paid until I have worked for a month.”

His mouth twitched. “Did she name a figure?”

“No Sir.”

“You plan on taking a job not knowing what you will get paid?” He had an amused look in his eyes.

I shrugged. “I needed a job.”

“I wonder if she hired you based on a floating salary?”

“Sir?”

“Would you quit calling me Sir? My name is Brent. We both get up and put on our pants in the same…,way.” He looked down at my legs. “Or maybe not.”

I was wearing jeans so I didn’t know what he was looking at. “Yes Sir.”

“BRENT!”

“Yes Brent.”

He laughed as he shook his head. “Forget the name thing. This is getting ridiculous. By the way speaking of names, what do I call you?”

“Nova.”

He was studying me closer now. “Interesting name. Okay, let’s get back to your problems. No you can’t sleep in your car in the parking lot.”

“Okay.” I was kind of disappointed but it didn’t come totally unexpected.

He opened up a desk drawer, picked up a set of keys, and tossed them a couple feet out to the side of me and about one foot higher than me.

I snatched them out of the air.

He nodded. “That’s what I thought. Kathy kind of clued me in before she rushed home. The police called, something about burglars. You know anything about that?”

I didn’t answer as I placed the keys back on his desk.

“I kinda guessed that too. I’ve received an update from Kathy since she got home. She said there were three of them and they left in an ambulance. You don’t know how happy all of us are you didn’t kill them.”

Why did everyone think I was a killer? I knew the rumors about those like me. That was all they were, rumors. “I’m not like that.”

“I’ll take your word on it. There is an executive suite at the other end of this hall. Kathy, along with myself, and a few others sometimes find we aren’t able to make it home after some of the days we faced. There are two bedrooms. The arrangements are, anyone can crash provided the beds aren’t full. In that case the couch, the floor or anyplace one has to come to a stop for the day is acceptable. This place is a killer on nerves and time. If we had to drive home after some of those days that could probably be another killer out on the road someplace. We try and keep our people alive even though we work them like slaves.”

A smile crossed his tired face. “I have no idea what category Kathy hired you at except it wasn’t labor. I’m guessing you’re management or somewhere along that level. For the time being it doesn’t matter. You get executive privileges. Move what you need into the suite, camp out as long as you need. This will get straightened out eventually.”

“Thank you, that is much more than I expected. I promise I won’t let you and Kathy down.”

He walked around the desk and held out his hand. “Welcome aboard the insane asylum we jokingly call a club.”

I accepted his hand without pumping his arm.

He was studying my face before he rolled over my hand on top and looked at it. “Damn! Kathy knew what she was hiring didn’t she. I’ll make sure she gets a bonus in her next check.”

“Did everyone around here know Jenna?”

A hint of a sad smile touched his face. “A few of us. She owned the hearts of everyone who met her.”

He dropped my hand as he shook his head. “Go, get settled in. You have a brutal week ahead of you. Get as much rest as you can. I’ll have Kathy cut you an advance on your paycheck tomorrow or she can give you an advance out of petty cash. She will have a name tag made up for you so you look like an employee. It will get you into places without everyone asking you why you’re there. New employee, lost girl, will work if they need an answer.”

Reaching out, I slid my fingernails under the keys as I curled my fingers and picked them up. He had watched. “I wondered how you handled those nails. Guess that question is answered.”

“Thank you for everything, Sir.”

“Cut the crap! Deep six that sir bit. I’m not your boss. You don’t have a boss and some of us realize the fact. I hope we can be friends. Jenna was. Except for Kathy I couldn’t have had a better one. I tried to talk her into being my girlfriend. She already had a girlfriend.”

“Joan?”

He slowly nodded.

“Wish I had met Jenna.” I left him and the office behind feeling I had lost something by never meeting the girl. She really must have been some kind of woman. I thanked the fates for steering me to this place. I wish it had been sooner so I could have met Jenna and maybe, just maybe, saved her.

The executive suite wasn’t what I expected. It was more than a couple bedrooms. It was home away from home. It had a well equipped kitchen with restaurant quality appliances and everything stainless steel cooking ware. A huge side by side fridge, commercial range and oven. It was outfitted well enough it could have been a restaurant kitchen itself. The dinning room was large, the living room/banquet room was huge. I was betting this was their Christmas Party suite and every other party suite. The bathroom sported a large shower with enough controls on the wall to make NASA jealous. The Jacuzzi tub was large enough for four people and yes, it had an abundance of controls. A simple bath or shower wasn’t the limit for these people. I wondered if those things came with erotic massage settings? The bedrooms were huge with large walk in closets and private bathrooms with shower, bathtub, and of all things a bidet. God, these people went all out in letting their hair down. Did they ever get to use the luxury of this place? Brent said they came here when they were too tired to function and driving home wasn’t an option. Probably too tired to care unless it was a hot water massage in the shower or tub and a warm bed.

I wanted to look the rest of the place over. In the hallway I saw an elevator. One of the keys Brent gave me fit a lock beside the touch pad. I didn’t use it. I didn’t want anyone to see me stepping off the elevator. I was only labor. I headed for the stairs. It was too late to look over the dining area. The place was open and customers were filling up. I headed through the kitchen getting surprised and dirty looks from those who had time to realize I was there.

“Hey, you, you don’t belong in here. This is only for kitchen staff. Where are you supposed to be girl?” A big man using a huge knife stopped cutting up a meat shank as he looked at me.

As tall as I was he was approximately three or four inches taller and half again above my weight. Which meant very little as I had fought a few bigger than him. “I’m sorry, I got lost. I was assigned to the dock and receiving.” I hung my head in shame.

He pointed with the knife to a door on the other side of the kitchen. “That way past the refrigerators and freezers.”

“Thank you.” Taking a good look at everything and everyone I passed, I headed toward the door. I could already see problems. A lot of waste in food preparation, some utensils on the floor. Haphazard about handling food and the place was far from clean. If I was a health inspector I would shut the place down until they cleaned it up and got their act together. I certainly wouldn’t eat in the restaurant. The list had to start someplace. The kitchen started at the top.

As I walked back past the coolers, there were crates of vegetables stacked on the floor. Those on the bottom looked like they had been there for days if not weeks. Who in the hell did Kathy have for quality control in this place? They were either on the take or not showing up to do their job. I wanted someone’s head! I laughed at myself. Okay not literally, just figuratively.

“What are you doing back here?” A guy pushing a pallet off into a storage room stopped and looked at me. The pallet was fresh tomatoes. They needed to be put in a cool room not storage.

“I was hired a little while ago and I’m lost.”

“Where do you belong?” He hadn’t moved.

“uh, I’m not sure. Clean up and such I think.” I held my hands behind my back as I slumped over in shyness.

“Well you missed it. Janitorial supplies are in that direction.” He pointed off to the right. “Damn newbies.” He started pushing his load again.

I had read his nametag. ‘Ed, you and I are going to have a talk next week and I’m positive you won’t like the conversation. How many of these people was Kathy going to let me fire? I needed to tell her she should renew that help wanted ad.

The janitorial closet didn’t surprise me. It was an unorganized mess with cleaning supplies tossed everywhere. The deep sink was total grunge. Mops had never been rung out, broken handles on brooms and mops. The supply shelves looked like an earthquake had happened and nothing had been put back. I was getting madder by the minute. I find that quality control guy, I was going to rip his heart out and put it in his hand!

It was more than I could handle at the moment. I walked out to the docks and sat down on the edge. I watched as a pallet was pushed back into a box van, the doors closed up and the driver took off. The guy who had shut the doors and the forklift driver nodded to one another before one of them spotted me.

He frowned as he spoke to the forklift driver. “The girl over there was watching. Think she knows anything?”

The driver looked over in my direction. “She looks new. I’ve never seen her around before. She might be here to pick someone up. Keep an eye on her and see what you can find out about her. If she gets too curious she can disappear like Walker did. They still think he decided to not come to work one day.”

Both men laughed.

Smiling sweetly at them, I acted as if the ‘new girl’ liked what she saw. What they didn’t know was, like most predators, I have excellent selective hearing. Kathy, please let me kill them. I promise no one will find the bodies. They will not show up for work one day like Walker did. This was turning out to be a most satisfying job. I love my work when I can get my teeth into it. I had to consciously stop my fangs from dropping when my killing instinct kicked in. Didn’t want to scare off the prey. Yet.

I wandered around a bit more before I walked out to my car and retrieved my duffle bag. It held my clothes which wasn’t much. The brown dress I liked along with a simple blue one was in my bag. A couple pairs of jeans, a blue blouse, and a soft brown one. Not that blue and brown were my favorite colors. They are common don’t look twice colors in the soft almost faded look I selected. I had a couple nylon panties and no bras. Which only caused a problem if and when my nipples decided they needed attention and perked up. My denim jacket took care of that problem as needed. There were only a few times I needed to cover.

After getting back on top of the docks, off to the edge of the dock on my right I noticed something I wanted a closer look at. A pallet with several boxes that looked like liquor or wine boxes was pushed back under a bench with a canvas draped over it. The canvas didn’t quite cover everything. Setting my duffle bag down I strolled nonchalantly off in that direction as I gawked around like the new girl trying to take it all in. Back behind me I caught one of the guys who had been watching me earlier pick up my duffle bag and shove it back under a canvas. I’d sort it out later. As I passed the pallet with the liquor boxes I bumped the box with my knee. The boxes were full. This wasn’t a return.

Turning around I sauntered back off down where I had left my now disappeared duffle bag. Guys you shouldn’t tease a predator. My best estimate was this place was losing five to ten thousand a week in theft. There was no way that could go on and the restaurant survive. I knew Kathy and Brent would take a trip through this place every chance they could find a little time. The problem was, everyone would be on their best behavior knowing the bosses were watching. Brent and Kathy also believed they had quality control and security on the job to take care of the situation. There was no doubt in my mind, security was also on the take. I wondered if Kathy would let me kill all of them? Probably not. She had already told me murder, killing, mayhem was not in my job description. She was a wet blanket and party spoiler.

The guy was watching as I squatted down and pulled my duffle bag out from under the canvas. I smiled sweetly at him as I stood up. “Someone was looking out for me and made sure my bag wasn’t stolen. Wasn’t that kind of them.”

His face held a sour grapes look as I left. I knew he wanted to riffle through my bag to see what secrets he could dig up about me. Again, brain dead worm food, don’t tease the predators. Kathy, I might not ask for permission before some of these people don’t come to work some morning. I fully expected they would try and break into my car before morning. It could turn out to be a long night but I really didn’t need much sleep. If necessary I could go a couple weeks or more without sleep. I was the one security system these people were going to hate.

Brent was still in his office after I dumped my duffle in the suite. I knocked on the door frame. He looked up waiting.

“This place is crawling with two legged roaches. I need a high end digital camera, one able to take pics in low light conditions. I need an infrared camera to take night time shots. Kathy needs to renew that help wanted ad.

His face showed a little bit of surprise. “You’ve been scouting already?”

“Un huh and it’s bad. I’m positive I only saw the tip of the problems. I’m guessing you’re bleeding five to ten each week.”

“Damn! I’ll have those cameras for you before tonight. You need an infrared scope?”

“No, I can see perfectly in total darkness. Don’t use the security people you hired to watch this place nor their contacts to find where you can purchase the cameras. They are part of the problem. I don’t want to alert them before I have most of everything I can on hard copy.”

“Okay, anything else?”

“Who is your quality control?”

“Joe Bryan, why?”

“He’s not doing his job. Where would I find him this time of day?”

“Not any place as he should be checking over everything everyday. He has an office behind the storage room on the west end of the docks.”

“I’ll find him if he is on the place.” I headed out.

I could tell the guy who handled my duffle bag was in Joe’s office along with three other men. I recognized his scent after I had got close to him earlier. I didn’t knock as I pushed the door open.

“Miss you don’t belong in here. This is a private office.” One of the three spoke up.

“I’m sorry, this is my first day and I’m so lost. I need a guide I think.” I closed the door as I backed out. If that was Joe the two guys with him were the ones I notice earlier, including the duffle bag rustler. ‘Holmes, the plot thickens.’ I giggled as I shook my head to toss out any more of that nonsense rattling around in my skull. I waited outside the door.

“She’s too nosey and she’s seen too much already. We need to get rid of her.”

“She’s just a mindless cunt. She looks as dangerous as my great grandma.”

“Never the less, we get rid of her. She’s too much of an unknown.”

“Okay, when she walks out to her car tonight. Follow her and make sure she doesn’t come back to work tomorrow. What time does she get off?

“She isn’t wearing a name tag yet. New girl, remember? She might have a time card but we won’t know the name to look for.”

Heading back to the kitchens for another shot at what was going on in there, I was almost laughing. Take me out? I’d love that. If I knew the city I would lead them off to some dark deserted district and ask them to dance. I had to get an idea of the good and bad areas of this metro complex so I could take care of problems as they arose.

The guy was pointing at me with a hatchet. “Hey you! I told you this was a restricted area for kitchen help only. Get out of here and if you come back the only way you will leave is in one of those.” He pointed to one of the garbage waste cans.

“I’m sorry.” I headed for the doors leading from the kitchen into the dinning room, dodging the waitresses coming and going through the doors. Checking the buffet counter and scanning the tables and under the tables for cleanliness on the way, I headed over toward the alcove which the cashier would be in. In this place no one would pay the cashier as they finished their meal and left. The waitress would leave a pad and a receipt on the table, then carry the cash or the credit card back to the cashier for processing before returning the card to the guest.

The cashier had five waitresses around her waiting to be processed. She was too busy to notice me. A couple of the waitresses did but they didn’t say anything. The girls looked clean and professional. The place was putting on a good front for the customers. At least something was right about this restaurant. I headed for the adjoining hall and the barroom.

The bouncer stopped me at the door. “ID?”

I handed him my driver’s license. He looked up at me after taking a close look at the license. “Sorry kid, this ain’t you.”

A fifty was in his hand as he handed me back the license. He glanced down at his hand and the fifty disappeared as he rolled his hand around it. He motioned me in. “I’m sorry Mrs. Miller, I didn’t recognize you at first. Have a good evening.”

“Thank you, Harold. It is always a pleasure to meet a gentleman.” Yeah, I took a look at his name tag as I approached him.

Finding myself a place at the bar it didn’t take long for the bartender to head my way. “What you having?”

“Large glass of soda water, no alcohol, put it in a beer mug.”

He blinked, it wasn’t a request he ever had in his lifetime. Well, there was always a first for everything. “Coming up.”

“Two dollars.” He set a large beer mug down in front of me on top of a paper coaster.

I handed him a five. “Keep it. I think I’ll cop that empty table over in the corner.”

He leaned up over the counter. “Be real careful and guard your drink. There are some bad seeds in here tonight.” He nodded over toward a table where four men and two women were drinking.

“Thanks for the heads up.” There were a few people in this place I was beginning to like.

I found an empty table and begin fending off men who wanted to occupy the other chairs. “No I’m sorry, I’m bleeding all over the place right now. Not a good time. Cough cough, agg, I think something is crawling around inside my throat. No thanks, I haven’t got rid of all the worms down there yet. I’d love too if it hasn’t rotted off yet. You don’t mind a little green puss do you? I’m sorry I’m only into dogs this week. What’s that? Oh, I only fuck dogs this week. Pretty me? I guess if all those puss sores have healed up on the rest of my body. The doctors said I wasn’t too contagious. Only a few guys have died so far.”

The bartender had moved down to the end of the bar closest to me and I thought he was going to die laughing. Some of those guys hitting on me turned green and headed for the bathroom. I looked up at the bartender with all the innocence of a little girl away from her mommy and daddy for the first time. That did it for him. He leaned over the bar haw hawing and holding his stomach. I think most of those in there figured he had lost his mind. The bartender refused to look at me after that. He moved to the other end of the bar. I could see him chuckling every now and then as he fixed someone a drink.

One of the four men the bartender had pointed out to me decided to try his luck. He was headed my way with target acquired look on his face. Harold, the bouncer, moved over to the bar as he focused in on my area of the barroom.

The bartender was telling Harold to hold back as he shook his head and pointed at me. “She’s not what she seems. I think she’s a cop or detective, or government of some kind. She certainly isn’t a bubble head and she hasn’t been drinking alcohol. Her mind is on track no matter how she acts. Give her some space. She probably has backup waiting outside for her.”

“You know this for sure?” Harold took a quick look at the developing situation.

“Not for sure. It’s a gut feeling I have. The strongest one I’ve ever had about somebody. That girl didn’t leave high school behind this morning. Everything about her is total control.”

I nodded at that. Both men took a sharp glance in my direction. “Is she listening to us?”

Again I nodded.

“Oh shit! Should we warn those guys?” Harold whispered to the bartender.

I shook my head.

“The morgue is going to have fresh bodies to look over in the morning.” The bartender whispered back to Harold.

I shrugged my shoulders. The guy who had been closing in had arrived. “Mind if I sit down?”

Nodding to the empty chairs I took a sip of my drink.

“What you drinking?” He looked at my beer mug.

“This.” I held up my mug.

Instead of sitting here all alone tonight come over to our table and join the conversation.” He motioned to the three guys and two women he had left at the other table.

“Okay.” I pushed back from my chair.

“Leave your drink here and get a fresh one over at the table.”

Damn! Could this guy be any more obvious they planned on putting me out and getting on top of me.

I left my drink. He put his arm around my waist as he walked me back over to their table.

The waitress came up as soon as we sit down. “I’ll have a vodka and coke.”

“Whiskey on the rocks, Tom Collins, were the other two orders. The other three said they were good.

One of the guys rose as the waitress returned and spun into her tray. “I’m sorry, did we spill anything?”

“Only a couple drops.” She took his twenty to go get change.

“He dropped something into her drink. I’ve got to stop this.” Harold was talking to the bartender.

I shook my head.

“You sure you can handle this?” He was still talking to the bartender.

I nodded in agreement.

“Lady, you scare the shit out of me and I outweigh you by twice.”

Shrugging my shoulders I failed to stifle a giggle.

“What’s so funny?” The guy across the table was looking at me.

“Heard something funny. What do you guys do when you aren’t warming chairs in the bar?”

The conversation carried on for another twenty minutes as I slowly sipped my drink and unfocused my eyes, my speech became slurred.

“Let’s go.” Two of the guys gathered me up and started dragging, carrying me to the door.

“I’ve got to stop them.” Harold was moving away from the bar where he had been keeping a close eye on us.

My hand was down by my side and I waved him off hoping he was watching.

“Oh hell, are you still in control?”

I gave the okay sign.

“I hope your backup team is half as good as you are. Stay safe okay?”

I gave another okay sign before the door closed behind us.

Of course they had a van we all piled into. ‘Puleeze’

One of them had my blouse off before we had traveled a block.

“Would you look at that. I’ve never seen any as big and perky as those. I wonder if they are real?” He gave my left breast a hard squeeze.

‘Kid, you do that again and I’m going to forget I’m supposed to be drugged. I’ll break your neck and toss your body out of the van for good measure.’

“What do you think?” One of the others called from the front seat.

“Real, I didn’t feel any silicone bag. I’ve got to have some of that.” He was trying to work my jeans loose.

In my drugged state I must of had a spasm and kneed him in his privates.

He grabbed between his legs and curled up on a fetal position. “ooooooh”

The others didn’t try to get me out of my jeans before we came to where I was to enjoy being raped and relieved of my virginity. I was taking everything in as they pulled me from the van and half dragged half carried me into the shack. Which handily was somewhere in the middle of a junkyard. They tossed me up on an old bed which was filthy from one end to the other. I hoped it didn’t have creepy crawlies in it.

“I’m first.” One of the guys was removing his pants. When he bent over the bed I palmed his forehead driving him back where he sprawled out on the floor. I sprang for the door. Two were quick enough they were only steps behind me.

I spun around and put my back to the door. “Guys I didn’t plan on escaping. I didn’t want any of you to escape.” The one on my right received a kick in the stomach knocking all the air out of him as he went back onto the floor.

I’m a girl, they are guys, they are going to grab me instead of slug me. The one on my left had his arms out to encircle me as I reached out and yanked him in. Not what he planned. I head butted him in the face. His nose was flattened. As he fell back he grabbed his face. Blood started leaking out between his fingers.

“YOU BITCH!” The other two had gathered their wits. One was pulling a knife, the other a gun.

I leapt across the room. Both feet hit the guy in the chest who was coming up with the gun. He went flying backwards and ended upside down against the wall before slowly sliding down it. I landed on my back on the floor.

As the knife guy was coming at me I back flipped onto my feet. He lunged swinging the knife in an arc intending to slice me open. I moved back enough the blade missed me. Grabbing his arm, I twisted and bent it up behind his back before I broke it. It took a few seconds for him to understand what happened and the pain to set in. He screamed. I kicked him under the chin, his head snapped back. He was dead before he hit the floor.

At first the women had decided to let the men take care of me. When that failed they figured the mop up detail was up to them. One of them came up with a sword, the other with an axe. For chopping up their victims when they were through with them I guessed.

“Aww and me without a weapon. Do you really intend to use those things on me?” I put my hands on my hips and gave my best pout.

Both of them hesitated, confused. Something was wrong with the girl they had abducted. She was crazy.

“How are you going to explain my body?”

“There isn’t going to be a body, you bitch. We toss the pieces into the recycle bin. You’ll end up in someone’s flower garden as compost.” A sneer pulled the woman’s lips into thin lines.

“Good to know I won’t go to waste.” They didn’t seem to get the pun. “Compost, waste, get it?”

“Oh well, puns aren’t for everybody.” Actually it was a terrible pun. Who’s keeping score?

That must have tripped their anger as they both screamed and came at me swinging. I danced out of reach from their slices. “Good god ladies, you’re telegraphing your moves. You’ll never win any fights that way.”

The one with the sword had reached the end of her arc going from left to right and was bringing it back again. Jumping forward I slid down on my back and was flat on the floor with my legs cocked as I slid up to her. I unleashed hitting her in the diaphragm and the bottom of her rib cage. She was as good as dead as broken ribs punctured both lungs and she went flying backwards. Still on my back with the other one to my right I kicked her elbow. The axe went flying off over her head and embedded itself in the ceiling. Her right arm was broken and starting to swing down by her side. I did a backward flip to my feet, jumped forward, grabbed her head and twisted as I snapped it back. She was dead as she hit the floor.

The first one I had kicked in the stomach was still wheezing. I broke his neck. The one with the bloody nose, I crushed his throat. Checking the guy I had slammed up against the wall, he was checking out harps. There were six bodies I had to dispose of and I didn’t know the city. I couldn’t leave them. I had left the club with them. When someone is killed the police like to follow the path of least resistance for the killer. Me, them, club. I was the target they would focus on as they forgot anything and everything else.

I wondered if that disposal thing they planned on dumping me in would work? I made a few wrong turns in the salvage yard before I found it at the back. It wasn’t what I had in mind when disposal was mentioned. What I was looking at was designed to tear big pieces of iron into smaller pieces of iron. I guess if one doesn’t mind blood and guts all over their scrap iron it would work.

“Kathy, I’m sorry.” I was standing in front of her desk the next morning.

“What are you sorry for?” She had pushed the papers to the side when I walked into her office after she arrived.

“Last night, I stopped at the club. I wasn’t drinking. Well yes I was but it was water. I left with four men and two women.”

She held up her hand. “Do I want to hear the rest of this?”

“No but you need to hear it from me. Harold your bouncer was there and one of your bartenders will probably figure it out.”

She put her elbows on the desk, closed her eyes, and put her head in her hands. “Let’s hear the rest of it.”

“They planned on raping me and disposing of the body later. Supposedly they thought they had drugged me in the club.”

“Supposedly?” Never raising her head, she was talking to the desk.

“I would sip the drink and then spit it into the palm of my hand as I covered my mouth. I’m normally immune to alcohol and drugs. I wasn’t taking a chance.”

“Go on.”

“They didn’t rape me. Obviously they never disposed of my body as here I am.”

“Don’t stop now.”

“Well, if they work, none of them are going to show up for their jobs today. Their van disappeared in the shredder so there isn’t going to be any van found anywhere to lead anyone to any bodies.”

She still hadn’t raised her head as she continued talking to the desk. “I thought you promised me no murders no killing? That lasted all of a couple hours?”

She slowly raised her head to look at me. “I suppose I should thank you there were no dead bodies at my house?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Oh I’m sure you don’t. Nova, what am I going to do with you?”

“Hey, not my fault I didn’t want to be raped and chopped up as compost.”

Kathy shook her head. “Is this going to lead back to us?”

“Tenuous lead at the very best. I was seen leaving the club with them. Provided the police pursue a missing persons and one of those leads goes back to the club, which I doubt very much. The only two who would be positive about me leaving with them would be Harold and one of the bartenders.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to Harold and find out which bartender it was. If asked they will be positive they aren’t sure who the six left with. Now what other good news do you have for me this morning?”

“uh…, remember Walker one of your dock workers who decided to NOT come to work one day?”

“Only vaguely. I don’t remember all the people who work for us. I remember Walker because he was such a conscientious hard worker. What about him?” Kathy was visibly cringing as she waited for an answer.

“Two of the guys on the dock killed him. I heard them talking about it. And while we are on the discussion of the docks. A lot of your inventory comes in and goes out there.” I focused in on Kathy. “How long do I let it go on before I let the hammer down on them?”

Kathy took a deep breath and sighed. “I guessed as much. Is Joe in on it? If as much is going on as what you are telling me, surely he should have caught it by now.”

Nodding I wished it wasn’t so. “He is. He is also tied in with the two killers as they were all in his office discussing how to make me disappear yesterday.”

She shook her head. “Worse than even I could imagine. Everyone who suddenly left us probably found out more than what was healthy for them.”

“How many would that be?”

Kathy was silent counting before she answered. “Seven I can think of. Each one didn’t show up for work one day and never came by to collect their paycheck.”

“Can I…”

“No! You promised me no killing, no murders. I’m holding you to it. Don’t disappoint me, Nova.”

”Maybe one or two? Please, pretty please with chocolate and ice cream on it.” I gave her my most innocent big eyes, little girl smile.

Kathy’s eyes got wider before she started laughing. She wadded up a sheet of paper and threw it at me. “You’re impossible. God forgive me for what I have turned lose inside this place.”

“Party pooper!” I said in a snit as I pouted.

“Where did you stay last night? You didn’t come by the house.”

“Well, actually after spending all night causing murder and mayhem I never managed to get to bed. If you’re worried about me, Brent gave me a set of keys to the executive suite and said I could stay there as long as I liked. Besides being busy last night I didn’t think it was a good idea to stop by your house with a dozen cops running around it examining everybody and everything.”

“Kathy?”

“Un huh?”

“If I was a health inspector I’d shut you down. Your kitchen is way below standards. When is your next health inspection due?”

She brought up some information on the computer. “We just had one. Next one in six weeks.”

“And you passed? Someone is being paid off under the table. You’re riding on a knife edge here. I can only guess those who are stealing you blind are paying off the health inspector so they can keep stealing until this place folds up. This isn’t going to last. When it comes undone several people are going to be framed and go to prison. I imagine you and Brent will be at the top of that list.”

“Can we hold on until Saturday?”

“Without doubt.”

“Okay, I’m moving your time schedule up from Monday to Saturday. Joan’s beauty tricks are part magic. What she does usually lasts most girls a couple weeks. She will clean you up Friday night. Brenda will have a dress and heels ready for you. With your long neck, chandelier earrings would look gorgeous on you. A white pearl single strand necklace will be the perfect accent. Brenda will supply everything. I’ll give her a call and let her know. The weekend is our busiest days. We are usually full from dinner to supper time with very little slack in between. Friday at midnight you become our hostess, quality control, health inspector, inventory super, kitchen chef and every other title I can think to hang on you.” She stopped to think what else needed to be done.

“I pray I don’t disappoint you or let you down.”

Kathy gave me a steady look. “You won’t. I have faith in you, Nova. No one else could do this but you can. You’ve been given the authority to do whatever you want and need to do to get this place organized and back on its feet.”

She held up her hand when I started to say something. “Besides murder and killing. Those are still off the table.”

“Restrictions, there is always the little restrictions in there.” I sighed, “Oh well, I guess if you insist. I’ll be a good girl for you and Brent.”

Kathy looked down at the desk and shook her head. “Thank god for small favors. You’ve been up all night, Brent gave you executive privileges, go crash for awhile if you need to.”

“I don’t need it. Sleep isn’t a big requirement for me. I can go a week or two without needing sleep when necessary. Is that all?”

“All I can think of at the moment.”

“I’m going to go annoy the hell out of your kitchen help and the rest of the staff for the rest of the day.” I stopped before I left her office. “How many do you have on maintenance and cleaning duty, when’s their hours, and names, and where can I find them?”

She turned to her computer and typed in a few keys. The printer against the wall spit out a couple pages. “There are most of your answers. Right now they should be in the restaurant and bar cleaning up before we open at ten.”

Picking up the print out I was headed out the door again. “Thanks.”

Kathy waited half a minute and bowed her head. “God, watch over her and don’t let anyone hurt her. I know she’s good but she is still just a girl. Please keep her safe. Oh, and God, don’t let her kill anyone…, here anyway. Thanks.”

I hadn’t gone down the stairs yet when I heard Kathy talking again. It put a smile on my face when I heard her prayer. I whispered to myself. “I love you too, Kathy. I won’t let anyone hurt you or Brent.”

“I told you to stay out of my kitchen.” The guy was pointing a knife at me again. I was strolling through the kitchen to see what they were preparing before the people started coming in. Bread rolls and buns were in the ovens. The mixing bowls and spatulas didn’t look that clean. The bread pans they hadn’t put in the ovens yet still had yesterday’s crumbs on them. There was meat uncovered marinating in a sauce. There were bowls and cooking dishes on the floor. The appliances hadn’t been cleaned or cleaned under and behind in what I figured were months.

Any health inspector who passed this kitchen needed to go to prison. I waved at the guy as I headed out into the dinning room. “Sorry, I’m the new girl, got lost again. Sorry.”

The four men who were supposed to be cleaning were standing around trading stories. Walking along behind the buffet table I was looking inside the pan holders and underneath the lights, shades, and covers which kept people from leaning over and coughing or sneezing on the food. Surely we had penicillin growing in there somewhere with all the mold I was finding.

The men only gave me a curious glance as I headed into the barroom. Harold and the bartender were huddled together at the end of the bar.

Harold was on his cell phone. “Yes ma’am. I understand. No ma’am. Kathy, there is something different about that girl. No ma’am. I wouldn’t think of antagonizing her. No ma’am. She doesn’t match her driver’s license. Well, yeah, I let her in last night. Kathy, she was drinking water all night until those people bought her a drink. I didn’t see him slip the actual pill into her drink. I know he did it. I don’t know why it didn’t affect her. She told you what? Why that sneaky little devil. Kathy, watch what you say around her. The girl has mouse ears. She hears everything and I mean everything. Okay, I got it. She didn’t leave with those people I don’t think. I don’t remember. How’s that? I like her but she’s one scary little girl. Jenna! You’re kidding! Are any of us safe? Oh that makes me feel a whole lot better knowing she isn’t going to kill anyone HERE. Yes ma’am. Kathy, all of us loved Jenna. Nothing is going to happen to Nova on my watch. We got her back. Yes ma’am.

He closed up his phone. The bartender was pointing over at me. Harold slowly turned around. “I guess you heard all that?”

“Yes, thanks for offering to cover my back. Harold, I’m not Jenna and I never can be. I may possibly be the most dangerous creature you will ever meet. I won’t ever hurt you but don’t get between me and my prey.”

The hairs on the back of the necks of both men stood up as they looked at the beautiful woman in front of them. I slid my fangs out over my bottom lip and slipped my tongue between them to lick my upper lip as my eyes closed to squints. Slowly my fangs retracted. If I hadn’t told them I would never hurt them I honestly believe both men would have had an accident about then.

“Bartender, may I have a glass of blood?”