Steven Lancer worked his way slowly along the fence of the parking lot towards his target. The black and gray mini-RV stood out among the luxury SUV’s, sedans and sports cars. He still didn’t know why his boss wanted him to snatch the fucking thing. Just that Dale gave him the order to snatch it. As he inspected the outside of the heavily modified F-750 Ford pickup, Steve spotted something that set the hairs on the back of his neck on end.

He keyed his radio. “Boss, we got a problem.”

A few seconds later Dale Spiecer answered his radio call. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know who these people are, but they sure as fuck aren’t your everyday rich assholes.” Lancer knew that if he made one mistake with trying to jack this truck, it could be his last. “They have some massive and deadly security on this rig. I’m talking about military grade security.”

“How big of a mess are we talking about if you screw up?”

“A car bomb from the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar big, boss.” Lancer knew that the reference was more than enough for Dale. The two of them had seen firsthand the kind of damage what those kinds of car bombs could do. They had even helped plant a few of them before Escobar was taken down.

“SHIT! Get away from that thing now! Our boss doesn’t need that kind of exposure. Just who the fuck are these people?”

“I don’t know Dale, but you need to get with Spears and Peters. Their old friends in the LAPD might be able to get us a lead on this jokers.” Lancer hadn’t been a mercenary for as long as Spiecer, but they both knew when they needed another pro to handle a problem.

“Copy that, Steve. Now get the fuck out of there.” The radio went dead as Spiecer turned off his radio.

Steven Lancer backed away from the truck with a deep sigh of relief. He knew that he could get around the security on the truck. He just needed two hours and all the luck he could get his hands on. “Whoever these people are, they’re definitely not your everyday Wildcatters. Not with that type of security.”

Bar of the Gorman R-n-G Club

Dale Spiecer waved for Spears to join him. Once the two men of them were off to one side, Dale got down to business. “Spears, I need you to get me all the Intel you can on BOHICA Oil and Gas. I don’t care what resources you have to use; just get me what you can.”

“Sure boss. Just give me a few hours. I think that you might want to bring Peters in on this as well. He knows a few of the guys over with the CBI.” Spears told his boss as he scratched his head. “Come to think of it. There was a guy in the Cybercrimes unit that transferred to the FBI back in oh-nine that I know. I’ll give him a call.”

Spiecer nodded his head. “Get it done, Spears. I got a really bad feeling about these people. I don’t think the boss is looking too far ahead right now. Those lost contacts have really put a hurt on his usual money laundering points. If he doesn’t find a new outlet soon. We’re going to be the ones looking for ways to clean that money. Not in the fun way, amigo.”

“Whoa there boss. Are you saying we’re going to have to find our own damned cleaners?” When Spiecer nodded his head, Spears wanted to raise hell. “I don’t need to tell you this, boss, but we got into this gig to have some kind of half-assed legit way to earn a decent living. None of the others will standby you if we were to have to start using our old contacts for our pay.”

“Damn it! Don’t you think I know that, Spears? Get a clue already. We’re nothing more than mercs. We get paid to fight. And right now, Andrews is the only game in town for us.” Spiecer snarled.

“Sure boss. I know that, and so do the others. But you need to remember that we don’t owe Andrews any loyalty. Like the old Chinese saying goes. No tecky no shirty. He can’t pay, we don’t play.” Spears told Spiecer as he turned and walked away. Leaving Spiecer to his thoughts.

“Shit. Andrews you better find a way to clean your money fast.” Spiecer said to the empty air of the bar. “Because if you don’t. I don’t know how much longer I can keep control of these guys.”

Dining room, Gorman R-n-G Club

Kasey looked down at her phone at the warning beep. With a smile she looked over at her grandmother, then in Dakota. “Looks like our bunny sent one of his apes to check out the Earth roamer.”

“Is the Roamer still secure, Coyote?” Hunter asked.

“Yes, sir. He didn’t even try to by-pass the security. He just stopped after his inspection and walked away.” Kristine giggled. “I’m sure the idea of disarming a massive car bomb didn’t sit too well with him.”

“Something like that does have a habit of unsettling person, Star. Things that even threaten to go boom have that effect on the unsuspecting.” Maria chuckled. It took the rest of the small family to join her in their laughter. After all it had been Maria’s idea to place the very realistic looking, yet fake, high explosives where they could be seen.

The ALOC did have such a real-life self-destruct security measure in place but could only be activated by Krystel or someone in the TOC back on Ram’s Rock. If someone were to find the real explosives and try to disarm them, they would be in for a very rude experience. While this was a measure of last resort, to keep the very valuable AND potentially deadly ALOC out of criminal hands, it did have far less lethal means of security and self-defense should it be compromised by a car thief. None of which could be seen until they were activated by an app on Kasey’s and Kristine’s phones or someone in the TOC back on Ram’s Rock.

Maria who had the best view of Charles Andrews table smiled. “It seems that goon number one, has just informed his boss that their plan is no good. What do you think his next move will be children?”

Hunter and Bobby both chuckled as Kristine answered. “It all depends on if he follows the profile. If he does, then his next move will be to confront us directly. Most likely he’ll come over here on behalf of the hotel staff.”

“You actually think that he’ll confront us directly Star?” Hunter questioned his youngest daughter.

“He should sir. If he follows the profile sent to us by Stronghold. According to the profile, Andrews shows all the markers of an obsessive egomaniacal, high functioning sociopathic, homicidal, micro-manager whose need to control those around them is all consuming. In short, the man can’t stand not getting his way. And nothing will stop him once he has set his sights on something or someone.” Kristine explained her reasons.

As if summoned by her words Charles Andrews stood up and started walking towards their table. Maria spotted the way the man walked and grinned. “Our twin Goddesses are right on the money, Sky Warrior. Here he comes. Time to dance children. Remember we need for him to invite us into his confidence.”

The team just nodded their heads slightly. Maria looked as if she wasn’t paying attention to Andrews, but she never let the man drop from her gaze. The way he walked, his body language, everything about him, screamed pissed off. ‘The girls are correct. He hates not being the one in control.’ She thought. ‘I doubt that what happens next will endear us to the poor man.’

“Good evening, ladies, gentlemen.” Andrews started off with while smiling. “I’m Charles Andrews; the majority shareholder of the Gorman.”

Maria dabbed her lips with her napkin and returned his smile with one of her own. “Good evening Mr. Andrews. How may we be of service?”

“Ah. Straight to the point I see.” Andrews was slightly taken aback by the old woman’s response. “Would you care to explain why your truck is a rolling explosion waiting to happen?”

Maria didn’t skip a beat with her reply. “That is none of your concern sir. That truck is property of BOHICA Oil and Gas. As such it carries an unusually large amount of proprietary equipment. It doesn’t go anywhere without full security measures at all times. By that I mean full video and audio streaming surveillance. We will take whatever precautions we see fit to secure that equipment. So, if someone wants to steal that equipment; then we destroy it. And them.”

“Does that include turning it into a rolling bomb? Sorry, but I don’t buy that. Try again lady. My personnel are trained to spot these things. There is no way that setup is something a bunch of hayseeds can put together.” Andrews was done with playing ‘nice’ guy. “Who is your supplier and rigger?”

Bobby and Hunter looked at each other then over at their family and began to chuckle. Maria and the girls just giggled. Bobby set his fork down and gave Andrews a less than friendly smile. “Buddy boy, if I were you? I’d watch who you decide to go insulting.”

“Look redneck. I’m the one who’s in charge here. One word from me and my boys will escort you and your partner off the grounds. As they give you an education in the way things are done around here.” Andrews snarled.

Bobby and Hunter both leaned back and coat-flashed Andrews. Hunter decided to not even play at being polite. “My partner told you to watch yer words partner. Now this may not be Sheridan, Wyoming, but I’ll tell you now. Your five monkey nuts don’t stand a chance in hell. Before that butthead over at the bar can clear his Tech-nine; my daughter will put two in his chest and one in his head. My niece will take out yer two goons over by the patio door just as fast. My partner and I will drop the two shitheads over by your table before they even know they’re targeted. All while our mother-in-law cuts yer balls off with the butter knife. Do you understand yer situation now?”

Andrews started to chuckle. “I see that we have already reached an impasse. I must say well played gentlemen. Though I doubt your quick draw claims.”

“Look down bonehead.” As if to underscore their skills, Kristine nudged Andrews crotch with the barrel of her 1911. “If we wanted to take out you and your little goon squad, you would be the first to die.”

“Alexis please behave yourself. You as well, Lisa.” Maria sighed. Then looking over at Bobby and Hunter. “I swear, David, between you and James you two are ruining the girls’ education with your rough and ready attitudes.”

Charles Andrews had turned white with fear when he felt the business end of Kristine’s 1911 nudging his family jewels. He hadn’t even seen the teenager draw the weapon nor where she drew it from. As he watched her slowly put her pistol away, he noticed the other teen’s right arm moving in such a way that drew his attention to her hand and weapon. A very real and terrifying thought ran through his mind. These five people could have killed him and his men before any of them could have reacted.

“Mister Andrews why don’t you take a seat?” Maria said smile a polite if not so innocent smile. “I believe that we have made our point. Don’t you?”

“Agreed. You and your family have made your point.” With great care Charles took a seat in the chair between Bobby and Hunter. “May I know how you knew it was one of my men near your truck?”

“Lisa, please show the gentleman the feed from the truck’s camera’s please?” Maria said with a smirk.

Kasey smiled as she pulled out her phone and brought up the app on her phone. Once the video feed was playing, she turned the phone to Andrews. “As you can see Mister Andrews. We have full coverage of the area surrounding our lab. Oh, and the motion sensors have quite the detection radius. Any movement within that area sets off an alert.”

“I must say young lady. I wish that I had someone like you on my staff.” Charles couldn’t believe that this teenager was able to not only spot his man but had done it a way that went unnoticed.

“Surveillance technology is just the first step in the protection of our survey equipment sir. We take what we do extremely seriously. I would rather blow that rig to Kingdom come than let some street thug strip it down in some back alley chop-shop somewhere.” Kasey snarled.

“Which brings me back to my original question. Who setup your explosive security measures? According to my head of security; it is a professional job. Military level even.” Andrews figured he could get the truth out of the family now that they were willing to talk to him.

Hunter and Bobby both chuckled. “BOHICA Oil and Gas does more than just exploratory drilling Mr. Andrews. We're also Hellfighters; oil and gas well fires. The easiest way to put out those fires is with explosives.”

“Are you saying that you rigged up those explosives?” Andrews asked bluntly.

“Yup, sure did. Putting something like that together is child’s play for us.” Hunter chuckled then looked Andrews dead in the eye. “You know why we have the security in place. What I want to know is why you even asked?”

“Your company was brought to my attention as a possible investing opportunity. My investigation in to your company tells me that you all have an almost supernatural ability to find new gas or oil fields. Something that in these troubling times is a sure investment. One which any shrewd businessmen would be a fool to pass up on.” Andrews saw no need to hide his intentions. “I want in on your little deal. This is not a polite suggestion.”

Maria just sighed. Picking up her wine glass and taking a drink Maria thought about how to she was going to answer Andrews’ bluntness. She had expected him to approach them at some point but not in this manner. If it had been her, Maria would have tried to at least use diplomacy. This man before her was nothing more than a heavy handed business thug. She had dealt with such men before in her life. And Andrews would meet the same end as those thugs.

With a heavy put upon sigh Maria set her glass down. “I must say Mr. Andrews. For a hotel owner, you come off like a common street thug.”

“Watch who you’re calling thug lady. You may have me at a disadvantage here, but one word from me, you’re all dead before sunrise. Got it?” Andrews threat fell on uncowed ears. He could tell. “One phone call from me. And I can have three organized Mob families here in two hours. What that means is that no matter how fast you are, you’ll still be dead.”

Maria wanted to chuckled at the man’s bluster. The idea that this man would call in the Mob on her, Donna Maria DeMarco was too funny. Then again, she was not here as Maria DeMarco but Mary Two Stars, CEO and CFO of BOHICA Oil and Gas. Thanks to her Southern Mediterranean looks, Maria was able to pass herself off as Native American somewhat.

“Have you ever faced a Native American Tribal Council, Mr. Andrews?” Maria asked politely. “Obviously not. Let me explain a few things for you. First you get to deal with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Now, those agents may be a pain in our ass at times, but they do make dealing with white-eye assholes enjoyable. Then if they feel like there is a case, they can turn those assholes over to the complaining Tribe to face their justice.”

Charles Andrews was many things. He was greedy, manipulative, egocentric, paranoid and above all else; a crook of the first order. But the one thing he wasn’t, was stupid. The threat that this woman just gave was not one he could afford to ignore. On any scale.

“May I know with whom I’m dealing with Madam?”

“Mary Two Stars, CEO of BOHICA Oil and Gas exploration. As we finally have the preliminary bullshit out of the way. I can tell right now. We are not at this time looking for investors. To be blunt. We don’t need you or your money for our operations.” Maria smiled sweetly though the smile never really reached her eyes. The smile she gave Andrews had sent more than one mob boss running for the hills while shitting their pants.

“I take it that you’re rejecting my offer?” Andrews almost snarled. “Don’t you even want to listen to my proposal?”

Maria took a drink of her wine as she thought about how to respond to Andrews’ question. “I detest discussing business during a meal. It tends to upset one’s digestion, Mr. Andrews. However, if you are willing to wait until tomorrow morning. I will sit down with you and discuss your proposals. Is this acceptable? If it is, I would ask that you leave us to our meal.”

Andrews knew that if he wanted to use these people to launder his money he would have to play by their rules. For now, anyway. Once he was on the inside that would all change. Just like he had done so many times before. He just had to bide his time and wait for his opportunity to strike. To do that he had to play this old woman’s game. For now.

“Very well, Mrs. Two Stars. Might I suggest the Gatsby room at ten?” Andrews suggested as he stood up.

“Sounds delightful, Mr. Andrews. We’ll see you then.” Maria and the rest of the Deputies watched as Andrews walked away. Once they were alone Maria switched to Dakota again. “How are we set for a midnight snatch and grab?”

“We have everything we need to pull one off, Marshal. Only problem we face, is a secured place for interrogation.” Bobby answered then turned to face Kristine as she giggled. “Okay half-pint, what are you thinking?”

“We could use the old speakeasy. After all, it is a secured location. Not to mention it is nearby and easily accessed. From what we were able to gather off the blueprints, the room is heavily sound proofed. Once we have him inside the room we close and seal it.” Kristine chuckled.

“We need to double check the security before we even go that route child. Is there any way to get into that room without being spotted?” Maria questioned.

“Not until later this evening. Once the dining room staff have left for the evening, Star and I were planning on making a preliminary scout of the facility. Just in case this scenario should arise.” Kasey explained for them. “We just weren’t expecting this to happen so quickly.”

“Fog of war, sweet-pea. Any ideas on how to insure the success of your recon?” Bobby questioned his daughter. Both girls shook their heads no.

“We have another problem that we need to address first. Do we even know HOW to access the old speakeasy?” Maria pointed out. At the blank looks of her granddaughters Maria sighed. “Those old speakeasies may be well known, but they’re not so easily accessed. The doors were often disguised so well, that they were never found. For example; the Old Barn in New York, has a speakeasy in the basement that wasn’t found until the Hudson River flood in twenty-twelve. Even then, it wasn’t until after the flooding receded that they actually found the old speakeasy.”

“Oh. I never thought about that. We actually don’t know where the door is or how to actually access the room.” Kasey admitted as Kristine nodded her head.

“That is WHY you always take in the total picture girls. Remember this for when you go out on your own. While there maybe be an area that meets your needs it maybe more of a hassle to access than it is worth. That being said this is one time that we may be better off taking the interrogation somewhere off-site. Any ideas along those lines?” Maria’s question had the teens accessing the ALOC through their phones.

Kasey was the one to find their new interrogation site. “There’s an abandoned farm about five miles from here, Marshal. According to the listing it has been empty for the last five years. Will that do?”

Maria smiled. “That would do nicely. Though I would prefer a longer lead time for this type of contract, we need to move quickly.”

Bobby picked up on the worry in Maria’s voice. “Okay mom. What’s got you on edge? You’ve only once before thought about doing something like this.”

Maria looked down at her Rolex Pearlmaster Mother of Pearl Diamond Dial Women's Watch. “In about five hours Samantha will be showing up.”

“Okay mom. Why would Samantha showing up in five hours have you on edge?” Hunter questioned her again.

“I will not lie here boys. Samantha is on the edge of going rogue. I have the feeling that if I don’t let her and Angelic leave for Rome shortly. She’ll take the first flight out she can on her own. There is something that you four don’t know about in Samantha’s past.” Maria sighed.

“Talk to us here mom. What’s so damned important in Sam’s past that we need to worry?” Hunter almost snarled.

“Sixteen years ago, Samantha stood over the graves of her family and swore a Blood Oath to kill the man responsible for their deaths. She now has that man’s name. Nothing and no one will stop her now. Now that she is so close.” Maria told them all. “Only our dear Lyssa will be able to stand in Samantha’s way.”

“Is that why she spent all that time off training on her own grandma?” Kristine asked her politely.

“Please understand Kristine. This is a very touchy subject for your mother, girls. There is a part of your family history that you girls don’t know. And I think that now is the time for you to learn.” Maria sighed and looked around the dining room. “Though this is not the place for the tale. We’ll finish this discussion in our rooms.”

Once Maria had paid for their meals, they retrieved their luggage from the trucks. After placing their bags in their individual rooms, the team gathered in Maria’s room. Maria had room service deliver a pot of coffee and tea to her room. With the team gathered in her room, Maria had Kasey and Kristine sweep the room for bugs. Once the teens signaled that the room was secure, she sat down at the coffee table. Waving for her family to join her Maria, fixed herself a cup of tea.

“Please understand that I only know part of the story. The part known only to the DeMarco family.” Maria began. “Long ago, the Capizeo family was betrayed by a member of the Iscariot Division. That started the war between the Capizeo family and the Iscariot Division. A war that has been waged in the shadows for more than five centuries. One that has come close to wiping out the Capizeo family more than once. Until just a few years ago, I believed that the Iscariots had finally succeeded. If Annette had not found Samantha, I would have continued to believe that the Capizeo’s were no more.”

“Mom, earlier in the dining room you said something about a Blood Oath. What was that about?” Hunter asked politely.

With a heavy sigh Maria knew that she would have to go back to that terrible time. “It has been a little over sixteen years now. Back when a young woman hid from the world in the disguise of a Joseph Capizeo. Even back then Stephanie Capizeo was the finest student of both dance and assassination. Even in the studio she showed a grace that none of mine or Mary’s students could dream of matching. Even if she danced as a boy most of the time.”

“Hold up here grandma. Are you saying that mamma Samantha would sometimes dance as a girl? I mean, when she was our age.” Kasey asked.

Maria chuckled. “Younger. It is not common, but there are few young men can perform was well, if not better, than some of the great Primas. Joseph Capizeo was one such young man. There was not one male or female lead he couldn’t perform. Usually better than any of our female students. He drove himself to greater lengths in his training than any of our students. He would spend hours upon hours in the studio driving himself to master the lessons of the day. His self-discipline was without compare. I have only seen one other who matches him. That person is Lyssa. In all my years of dancing I have only seen six others perform the candle dance. Of those only Joseph ever showed the skill and dedication to perform the dance at such a young age.”

“Wasn't that the dance that Prima Lyssa was doing the night after those men visited, grandma?” Kristine asked.

“Yes, my dear it was.” Maria affirmed.

Kasey interrupted. “You said it was Olga's doing. That she had been a rival.”

“Yes dear. Olga is known as the Iron Doll. She was absolutely relentless in our youth. Friendly rivals, back then. She is the Elite Mistress at the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow. She completed Lyssa's advanced training.” Maria said.

“And now Tiffany's?” Kristine asked

“Yes. I'd call her a sadist for her ways, but that wouldn't be true. She would never even think of letting anyone without the right skill and determination try. Still, she didn't let that method die. Damn her. It is something despicable and I never want to see or even find out that you are doing. It is far too dangerous. Now, where was I?” Maria asked as she thought about where she had been in her story.

“You were telling us about the Blood Oath that Joseph Capizeo swore over the graves of his family.” Hunter answered. “That and about his self-discipline.”

“Which I find to be funny as all hell, mom. I know for a fact that Samantha Justice is about the most undisciplined person I know.” Bobby snarked. “It also goes so far against her reputation as a Maverick Deputy that it isn’t even funny. Sorry, but I just don’t see it.”

“Robert, Hunter, what I have told you is true. As for Samantha’s reputation as being a Maverick. I can only put it down to one thing. Her lifetime of training to hide in plain sight. You have to remember that at her core, Samantha is the culmination of generations of assassins and spies.” Maria smiled as she corrected her sons-in-law. “Though she drives the military mind side of our merry band of outlaws and misfits crazy. She is far more of an operator than they would ever believe or admit. The problem lies in the fact that Samantha was trained to operate on her own from the time she could walk. Secrecy was pounded into her from the time she took her first steps.”

“The code of Silence.” Bobby grumped. “I take it that her family took things to a whole another level?”

“You could say that Bobby. The Capizeo family were more than just mafia. Where the DeMarco’s have always been the ‘enforcers of the code’ the Capizeo’s have been the ‘boogie men’ of the mafia.” Maria explained for the two men and her granddaughters. “More than one of the Organizations wanted to control the most feared family of assassins. But there was one man that let his desires get the better of his common sense.”

“That would be Alfonzo Delicato. Former Under-boss and missing Consigliere for the Calabrese family out of Detroit, Michigan. Am I correct mom?” Hunter asked her with more than a little worry in his voice.

Maria just nodded her head yes as she continued. “When all of his attempts to gain some kind of leverage over Marko and Mary Capizeo failed; he used his connections within the Iscariot Division to place a contract on their heads. The man is totally without honor. When Joseph unleashed his vengeance on the Great Lakes Organization it was both violent and bloody.”

“I know most of what is in the official report mom. So does Hunter.” Bobby told Maria. Mostly to keep that dark secret of Samantha’s past from being shared with the teens.

Maria got the hint. “Girls, never go digging into your mother Sam’s official Wit-Sec records. Understood?”

The two teens just nodded their heads. They didn’t need a building to drop on their heads to understand that order. They had always respected their mother Sam’s past was off limits. To them for a reason. They knew that it had to do with her violent and deadly training as a child. And what she had done during that very dark time in her life, sixteen years ago.

“When Joseph finally walked into the Federal building in Toledo, he had gained as much vengeance as he was able to on the streets. After that he turned State’s Evidence and helped the US DA destroy the rest of the Great Lakes Organization. During the trials we buried his family. That day he stood over their four graves and cut the palm of his right hand. I can still remember his words.” Maria’s eye turned sad.

Her voice and face took on a faraway feel. It was as if she had stepped back through time. To a dark and rainy day sixteen years in the past. To a place where all people are made equal in the eyes of God and Life. The grave side of a family cut down for greed.

“He was such a beautiful boy back then. But that day, there was nothing beautiful left in that child’s face. There was nothing there in that beautiful face. Nothing but hate filled Joseph’s face that day.” Maria’s face took on a harshness that none of them had ever seen before. “I can still hear those hate filled words.”

“What did she say?” Hunter asked her.

“By this blood; I will tear the heart out of the Iscariots. Let those Judas Priests fear the night. For I shall be more than the Wraith that hunts them in the night. I shall become their Grim Reaper.” Maria looked up from her tea cup. “Those words still haunt me to this day. I feared that Joseph would lose himself in trying to carry out that oath.”

“And we're not out of the woods yet. Not now that Samantha knows who it was that ordered the death of her family. Nothing will stop her. Is that where we are?” Bobby questioned.

“Very much so. And gentlemen, make no mistake. When we return to Ram’s Rock Island, Lyssa and Samantha will be going head to head. It seems that Command doesn’t like the idea of there being an unknown in our little family.” Maria sighed. “And our biggest unknown is Samantha Justice.”

“Don’t you mean Stephaney Capizeo mom?” Hunter asked.

“No Hunter. I mean Samantha Justice. I know Stephaney Capizeo as well as I would know any daughter of mine. Samantha Justice is truly the unknown factor here. Sadly, I have no way of knowing how she’ll react now.” Maria’s regret over not being able to keep control over Samantha was heard in her voice. "I do understand the other side has rules and they abide by those rules. We have rules as well. The problem Samantha has is, not being the one to determine those rules."

“I hate to tell you this Nonnina, but mamma Sam has always been distrustful of those around her. I think I know why.” Kasey told her grandmother. Maria waved for her to continue. “It’s simple Nonnina. Mamma Sam has been hurt one too many times in her life.”

“It sounds like you’re speaking from experience there kiddo. Care to fill us in on how you came to this conclusion?” Hunter asked their oldest daughter. Not that he needed her insight. He too had spent his younger years in the system. If it hadn’t been for a caring set of foster parents, he would not have gone into the Army let alone graduate from high school.

“From the time that I was put into foster care I learned the hard way not to trust people. For mamma Sam it had to be worse. She was dumped into the Wit-Sec program with no one to rely on. No one, but a bunch of Deputies. Deputies that were more handlers than foster parents or any type of family.” Kasey’s voice turn sad and soft. “And for someone who family is everything, it had to really screw with the way she looks at the world.”

“I never really thought about, but you’re most likely correct, Kasey. I know that Sam had trust problems with every partner she had until I came along. Not that I have much room to talk.” Bobby turned to Hunter. “How about it Hunter? That jive with what you’ve heard about her?”

“Damned near on the head. And that mess down in Texas sure as fuck didn’t help with her trust issues. Especially with those in charge. I have a feeling that there is more to it than that though. When Bat and I got the order to link up with you guys in Toledo, I naturally wanted to know more about the legendary Samantha Justice. The only woman who has more individual arrests than my old partner.” Hunter chuckled. “I looked up her record. Or at least the official one that any Deputy can get a hold of.”

“What did that august report have to say about our dear Samantha?” Maria smirked. “Other than, that she’s a handful.”

“Almost every last Supervisor has at one time put her on disciplinary leave. Usually in response to a complaint about unnecessary use of force. I think the last one was from some dirt bag drug dealer who had been on the run for five years. It seems that she broke the fuck-stick’s arm in five places during the arrest. Not that the complaint held any water. The man had over eighty pounds and seven inches on her. Needless to say, the complaint got thrown out the window by IA Investigators.” Hunter chuckled.

Bobby joined in with his own chuckle. “I remember that complaint. We had just left cold case when we busted that chucklehead. The dumbass made the mistake of grabbing her ass during his arrest. It was in a convenience store so there was a camera. The dumbass.”

Kasey, Kristine started to giggle then laugh outright at hearing about the complaint. Maria just shook her head. “That does sound like what Samantha would do in that situation. She always had a short temper.”

“About what you said earlier mom. About how there is a war going on between the Capizeo’s and the Iscariot Division. Just how far would Sam take things?” Bobby wanted to know.

“Ever since she made that Blood Oath; to the ends of time.” Maria sighed then looked back down into her teacup. “She’ll either kill Alfonzo Delicato or die in the process. Thankfully Samantha has finally mastered the Sleep of the Beautiful Death. If anything, that will be the deciding factor.”

Before any of them could ask another question, Maria’s phone beeped. “Go ahead Stronghold.”

“Actual, Ground two has a serious problem.” Lyssa said without preamble.

“Talk to me, Stronghold.” Maria demanded. Maria’s commanding tone grabbed everyone’s attention.

“The safe listed is not the one Ground two is dealing with. November Tango classified it as a Hitchner-and-Coch ninety-one-hundred. It seems that she’ll need an extra twenty mikes to crack it. Do they abort the rest of their mission? The call is yours.” Lyssa felt that Maria would be the best one to evaluate the situation.

“Damn. This is not good. Has Iron Dolphin been able to hack the Precision Holding servers?” Was Maria’s next question.

“We’re in Bravo Actual. White Swan was able to get us direct uplink.” Lyssa informed Maria. The wait for Maria’s answer to the question of pulling the second ground team let Lyssa know that she was considering all her options. “Actual, it is our belief that they abort now.”

“Understood, Stronghold. The question is; can November Tango crack the safe with an extra twenty minutes on the mission clock?” Maria asked.

Lyssa understood Maria's dilemma. She needed more intel. “Hold one Actual.”

When Lyssa came back Maria wasn’t expecting the answer she got. “Actual it looks like Ground two has time to crack the safe. It seems that the guards are more interested in watching the NBA game of the week than doing their job. Are they a Go?”

Maria’s years as a Criminal Master mind helped her in a way that she never expected. Maria made up her mind in a spilt second. “They are a Go Stronghold. We need the information that safe might be holding. Bravo Actual Out”

With that Maria disconnected. “Looks like our second ground team has hit a major snag. One that will delay their arrival.”

“How bad are we talking about here, mom?” Hunter asked.

“According to Stronghold at least twenty minutes. Why?” Maria asked him.

Hunter and Bobby got a sour look on their faces. Bobby was the one to put their feelings into words. “We’re used to winging shit and doing things on the fly. But this mission has been one continuous fly by the seat of our pants operation. This is one more situation where nothing has gone to plan.”

Maria’s attention was once more pulled to her phone. Pulling it out she read the notice that Samantha’s mission had gone horribly wrong. “Shit. Girls get us an uplink with the TOC’s monitors now.”

Kasey and Kristine ran to their rooms and returned with their lap tops. It took the two teenagers less than ten seconds to establish the uplink. They all watched as Samantha walked out of the main server room.

“And should she come back from this mission alive, it will be successful and we all get to live. I can clear that whole building alone, with no problems. She needs to buy Angelic time and make it out herself.”

Maria’s voice cut through the quiet of the room and over the comms. “So, it must be this way.”

“Yes. It’s what you all want, you’ll get it. Success means life, failure means death. You all claim to want that standard, very well. Make it happen. No more special treatment. No more options. You take all that comes down the line.” Lyssa said.

Dannigan broke in. “Agreed. You’ll evaluate her after?”

“No. When she comes back, I’ll kick her ass and that's it. Authority issue, resolved. I’ll help her get Delicato if she can make it that far. It won’t be a problem for me.” Lyssa replied.

“Very well. If you do help her with him, she may extend trust.” Maria admitted.

Lyssa sighed. “After all we’ve done so far for all of you? I no longer care about her trust problem. She will follow orders or not be able to do anything but lay in bed recovering.”

Hunter, Bobby, Kasey, and Kristine sat watching in silence Stephany Capizeo killed the first five men as if they nothing more than ants. Of the five members of the Black Badges gathered in Maria’s room only one of them truly understood what they were seeing.

“She dances as gracefully as her mother.” Maria whispered. “I swear by all that is holy, Mary, Stephany truly is your Heir.”

As they all watched Samantha cleared the five floors in a matter of a few minutes. Hunter spotted something that set his nerves on edge. “Mom is Samantha using the Sleep of the Beautiful Death?”

“Yes. I want you all to watch closely. Especially you, girls. This is your family’s heritage. What you are seeing is without a doubt the deadliest of martial art forms.” Maria ordered her granddaughters.

“Grandmother why is she only use her blades?” Kasey asked in a hushed voice.

“Wouldn’t it be better for her to use her pistol, Grandmother?” Kristine wondered as she stared at the monitor.

“Her pistols would only slow her down child. The Sleep of the Beautiful Death was developed long ago in ages past. During a time when firearms were only the stuff of dreams and nightmares. During a time when man’s only true protection was that of a keen blade, a sharp mind and fast reflexes.” Maria sat back and took a drink of her tea. “Robert, you once asked me why I always told you Samantha was the deadliest of us all.”

“Yeah and you never gave me an honest answer. Is this why you didn’t answer me back then?” The big man said as he pointed at the monitor.

“Yes Robert. This is exactly why. I’ve known for some time that Samantha had surpassed the teachings of her youth.” Maria sighed. “I could tell when I first laid eyes on her in Toledo almost three years ago, now.”

“Did you believe that Samantha had learned the secrets of this Sleep of the Beautiful Death already mom?” Hunter asked.

“No, but I knew that she had fully mastered the Way of the Dancing Blade. That alone made her deadly, but when she showed me those journals, I knew that it wouldn’t be long before she mastered the Beautiful Death.” Maria took another sip of her tea. “I’m just surprised she was able to reach mastery so quickly. I know it took her mother ten years to reach Samantha’s skill.”

“Grandma are you saying that mamma Sam is just as skilled as her mother?” Kasey asked in awe.

“No child. Samantha has done in three years what took her mother ten years. Your mother Samantha is just beginning her mastery. I see her surpassing her mother in ways that will leave us all behind in her shadow.” Maria looked down into her now empty teacup. “I fully expect that the only person who shall ever match her skill. The original Hemlock Rose, Renaldo Capizeo.”

Maria sighed as she watched Samantha kill the last guard for Precision Holdings. “We need to change the timing of our plans for Andrews.”

“You’re going to take the meeting with the man?” Hunter asked quickly.

“This is one time that we need to play to our target’s time table. We have set ourselves up as bate. Our target has taken that bate. Now we need to reel the man in and play him along for a time. He is our key to the link within the Iscariot Division.” Maria snarled. “I will have that connection to Delicato. One way or the other. Even if I have to beat the answers from Andrews with my bare hands in broad fucking day light.”

-----tbc-----

PS sorry fr the delay. Been sick and haven't been able to really write lately