Maria quietly stepped into the ALOC. Her granddaughters and Krystel were hard at work in the mobile command center. “Update, please.”

Krystel turned to face Maria. “Marshal. All times listed are CET. As of zero-one-hundred White Swan has been in play. At zero-two-thirty she secured the map intel from the ancestral home of the Capizeo family. Afterward White Swan moved onto the Area of Operation, Rome. She made two more stops while in route. One at a bakery and a coffeeshop. Also, two fuel stops. She checked into the Hotel Apollo at zero-seven-forty hours.”

“Did you say that she checked into the Apollo?” Maria asked with a smile.

“Yes ma’am, Marshal. Under the name of Leonarda Cianciulli.” Kasey told her grandmother before she turned to face her. “Ma’am, that is not one of the UC IDs that we worked up for the White or Black Swans.”

“That’s because that ID belongs to your grandmother Mary, girls.” Maria sighed then chuckled. “The last time that ID saw daylight was almost thirty years ago. When Bloody Mary Capizeo ended the life of a Communist spy in Rome. It is fitting that Leonarda Cianciulli should be the one to end a second traitor’s reign of uncontrolled greed.”

“Where did, exactly, she get her hands on that id? I know that it wasn’t in the ones she left here with.” Krystel asked. “I personally checked, as ordered.”

Maria sighed. “The bakery, was its name Confessioni dolci amare?”

“Yes ma’am. Why?” Krystel asked as she translated the name in her head to Bitter Sweet Confession.

“It’s good to see that Dominic is still open after all these years. Either that or his girls have taken over for him.” Maria chuckled.

“Okay, what’s the joke, Marshal?” Krystel asked as she cocked her head.

“Confessioni dolci amare has been a drop and security point for every intelligence Agency since the fifties. The best money can buy. You leave something with them and unless you know the correct pass phrase you can’t pick it up.” Maria explained with a sly smile. “All our dear Samantha had to do was walk in at opening, give the pass phrase and pay the back due storage fees. And presto. She has access to all of her mother’s old cover ids, keys to safehouses in Italy, everything she would need for this operation. One-stop shopping.”

“Oh, good Christ! These places free-lance to just anybody now?” Krystel was disturbed at what she had just learned.

“Krystel they say that politics, and prostitution are the two oldest professions. This is only partially true. But the oldest profession is assassination. Over the centuries those that practiced the profession found that they needed the services of other professionals. Forgers, money changers, weapons experts, chemists, apothecaries, a whole slew of white collar and tradesman criminals. To answer that need places and businesses like the Apollo, and Peninsula Hotels in the late seventies opened up. But those hotels have to rely on the support of the smaller more established business like Confessioni dolci amare to fully function.” Maria could tell that the younger woman was have a problems with grasping the fact that there could be a civilian organization like she was describing. One that was apparently neutral grounds for assassins.

Krystel regarded Maria intently. “Subcontractors and vendor services, I get that. So, we aren't the only ones.”

“Yes. In fact, we may even share some of those. Now, where were we?” Maria asked.

“White Swan checked in at the Apollo at zero-seven-forty hours. She reported in that she was secure. At zero-nine-thirty she stated that she was going dormant for the next eight hours to recover and launch-prep for this night’s operations. At which time I shutdown the ALOC and did the same. At seventeen-hundred White Swan went active. She made four purchases through hotel concierge services. All on a credit card for the Silver Ballet Company. Between eighteen-hundred and twenty-one-thirty she left the hotel to make four stops around Rome before returning to the Apollo. At zero-zero-thirty, White Swan left the hotel. This was the last contact we had with her. Her next check is due in ten minutes.” Krystel looked up from her notes into Maria’s eyes. “Marshal, since you seem to know, I have to ask. What did she buy at those shops and what is the Silver Ballet Company?”

“What are the names of the shops?” Was all Maria asked.

“San Diego’s Fine leathers, Carmon Outerwear and Millinery, Selina’s Exquisite Footwear and Kyle’s Antiquities and Fine Art.” Krystel read off.

“She picked up a new bodysuit from San Diego leather. A trench coat and head covering from Carmon’s. Those will have ballistic rating. Boots from Selina’s. She went to Kyle’s for information and firearms. The Silver Ballet is the front-company for Mary Capizeo’s contracts. A company that has not been active for twenty years.” Maria answered quickly with a chuckle. “Good girl, Stephany. Good girl. Keep them guessing.”

“So, the battle suite and weapons she took won't be used?” Krystel asked with her head cocked.

“Everything she has bought in the last few hours is untraceable. She is following her childhood training perfectly.” Maria gave Krystel a sly smile. “Stephany Capizeo always did like to play four to five moves ahead.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a call from Samantha. “Stronghold, this is Whiskey Serra.”

“Gemini two, here Swan. We’ve got your route up and are ready to track. How are things on your end?” Kasey answered quickly.

Rooftop somewhere in Vatican City, Rome, Italy: 0100

Samantha smiled as the ballistic trench coat and wide brimmed fedora cut the wind that whipped coldly around her body. The multilayer leather and ballistic cloth tactical body fit her like a second skin. It was just as good as the battle suite she'd been issued but with a little stiffness as it was leather instead of synthetic materials. Even the new knee high flat soled boots were a warm embrace for her feet and lower legs. Sam flexed her fingers inside the kit-leather gloves. Every inch of her clothing was custom made, new and extremely expensive.

Just like the twin .45 APC semi-automatic pistols with built in suppressor and compensator that were hidden under her coat on her hips. The second .45 wasn’t for show. Unlike most people, Samantha never trusted her luck with just one gun. She remembered her lessons at her mother’s side and always carried a backup weapon. Even as an active Marshal she carried a spare gun for extreme emergencies. The practice had saved her life more than once.

Those little numbers had set her back $4000.00 a piece at Kyle’s Antiques. The woman may be getting old, but she still employed the best weapons smiths in Italy. Within one hour of placing her order, Katrina Kyle’s weaponsmiths had them ready and waiting for her. The best part. There was not one serial number anywhere on the weapons. Never had been, never even considered. Like all the weapons from Kyle’s they were untraceable from the start.

Samantha took out the new redesigned tactical spy-glasses she had discussed with Krystel. They had also been secured through Kyle’s at a hefty price. When Katrina asked about the glasses Samantha lied. Saying that she used them for verification of death. After putting them on Samantha activated the Bluetooth for her phone. Making sure that the connection was solid, Samantha activated the earwig and contacted Ram’s Rock. She may not like it, but this was part of the deal she struck with the Major to go after Delacorte alone. “Stronghold, this is Whiskey Serra. Over”

“Gemini two, here Swan. We’ve got your route up and are ready to track. How are things on your end?” Kasey answered quickly.

Samantha knew right away something was wrong. They should’ve been back in the TOC by now. “Gemini Two, what is your location?”

“Gemini One, White Swan. We’re operating out of the ALOC.” Kristine told her mother trying to relax Sam.

“Copy, Gemini One. Is Iron Dolphin or Bravo Actual on site?” Samantha asked and relaxed as she realized that her daughters would be working as her electronic overwatch for her little party.

“Affirmative, White Swan, we’re both here. You're right on time.” Krystel answered much to Samantha’s relief.

“Comm-check Schoolhouse. Tac one for audio, tac two for video.” Samantha told them turning cold and harsh as she let her mind go to that dark place deep in her soul. Hunting for the Wraith.

“Lima Charlie Swan, where did the PPOV come from? You using the glasses for this op?” Krystel asked her over the earwig. “I thought they were a no-go for operational feeds.”

“New and improved tactical gear, Dolphin. Like the old saying goes. The good Lord shall provide. I gave our ideas to some friends and they provided the needed gear. At a hefty cost for short notice delivery, of course.” Samantha told the cyberwarfare operator coldly.

“Copy that White Swan, we have a solid feed on tac two. Good resolution on the micro-camera. Starlight, infrared and standard optics. If you have time after this, would you mind going back?" Krystel asked.

“I did place an order they should be ready in two weeks. How’s the audio feed?” Samantha asked.

“Couldn’t be better. Please go back and cancel that order.” Krystel told Samantha.

Samantha asked. “Is there a problem?”

“If they get lost in the field, there could be. If you can secure the schematics and specs, we can fabricate ourselves. Including specific component chemistry. We'd be able to disguise their origin. Consider it a courtesy to your vendor. I'll transfer an amount from a black-account.” Krystel explained.

“I think I get it now. If analyzed, they would be identified where they come from, but we could fake their composition. I believe that's possible.” The sounds of a church bell tolling the end of the second watch drew Samantha’s attention. “And that’s my cue. Time to go to work, Schoolhouse.”

“We’re up and ready, White Swan. Have a lock on your location now. Um… Swan where are you exactly?” Kasey asked her.

“Exactly where that map shows me. On a rooftop six blocks from Saint Peter’s.” Samantha chuckled coldly. “I feel like I should make a snarky comment like one of those old cartoon cat thieves.”

“Get on point here, White Swan. You’re hip deep in enemy territory with no backup and all alone. This is not the time for being a wise-ass.” Maria snapped of the connection.

“Understood Actual. Schoolhouse have you cracked the security server yet?” Samantha asked as she began working her way across the roof tops.

She had to reach the last rooftop before someone street side saw her. Between here and that building she was at her most vulnerable. She had to dump her plans for using the sewer system for infiltration due to the heavy rains earlier. She had already nixed the straight on approach from the street thanks to the extra number of Swiss Guards and Gendarmerie Corps. With all of her ground and underground level approaches cut off, Samantha was forced to the rooftops and the most dangerous of approaches.

ALOC, Ram’s Rock Island

Krystel looked down at her two protegees as they worked the ALOC’s systems. “Kasey, there will be a Hawkeye in orbit over Rome in five minutes. Acquire that bird’s Realtime feed. Patch it to monitor two. Kristine, how much longer on the security server?”

“We’ve had control over RUMBUS for the last fifteen minutes, Lieutenant Commander. We can run the camera feeds that are recorded on a fifteen minute loop. That covers approximately forty percent of the cameras within the Vatican. We can redirect or shutdown the other sixty percent, but only one at a time. Those cameras are monitored while the ones being recorded are stand-alone connected to motion activated alarms, ma’am.” Kristine answered.

“Outstanding Gemini. What can you tell me about the rest of the system?” Krystel asked the teenagers hoping to trip them up yet still be there to keep them from over reaching and leaving their mother in a dangerous situation.

“Multilayered sensor system setup. Motion, heat, laser and sound are the primary sensors. Some areas are covered by a new type of sensor. An interlocking multifaceted pressure plate system.” Kristine looked up at Krystel. “We need a thief. Not just any thief either. We need the best.”

Maria leaned out the side door of the ALOC. “Angelic get in here.”

Like the rest of the Black Badge team Angelic had gathered outside of the ALOC. They all knew that there wasn’t room enough for them all inside the converted RV, but still wanted to be close for the teens if things went south. Especially if things went south. As Angelic entered the mobile command center for her aunt’s family she felt a stab of jealousy once more. The feeling didn’t last long as she ruthlessly crushed it by reminding herself that her cousin was operating on her own.

“You have need of my skills, Marshal?”

“How do you bypass, disable or get around an IMPPS floor?” Krystel asked.

“You don’t. You can only go over them or find another route.” Angelic answered without thinking twice. “Those things are pinpoint controlled. It’s a dual keypad system. One to disarm, one to arm. The keypads are never in the same room as the IMPPS. They have one weakness and only one.”

“What?” Krystel asked the thief.

“They eat power the way a French cartoon pastry chef eats macaroons. Take out the power. IMPPS floors drain batteries way too fast and the backup generators can’t met the demand. They have to be shut down until the power is returned.” Angelic looked over at the monitors. “How many sectors have the IMPPS floors Gemini?”

“We’ve identified forty-four sectors with IMPPS flooring. Eighteen are in the museum sections of the Vatican.” Kasey answered without looking over.

“That is both good and bad. Good in the fact that none of the Iscariot offices are near the museum. Bad in the fact that we don’t know where those other twenty-six IMPPS floors are. We might cut the power to the wrong section and Samantha will walk straight into a trap.” Angelic outlined quickly. “That is the nasty thing about an IMPPS. You don’t know they’re there until it’s too late.”

“I have the Hawkeye, Ma'am. Feed now on monitor three. I’ve got the zoom at one-thousand. The red dot is our asset.” Kasey said interrupting Angelic. “Shifting over to penetration and surveillance.”

“Concentrate your searches for those IMPPS floors, Two. One; keep on those cameras.” Krystel told them as she opened the server cabinet. She quickly jacked in a Bluetooth receiver for a mouse and keyboard. Opening the duffle bag, she had with her, Krystel took out the mouse and keyboard. “Glad I thought to bring these. Gemini, I’m taking over monitor five and the Hawkeye feed. I don’t know where our asset is going, but she’s going there fast. Damn, what the hell is she thinking?”

“She’s is improvising to suit the situation, Lieutenant Commander.” Angelic commented as she moved to see the monitors. “Like any decent thief would.”

“Elaborate. Improvising can get her killed.” Krystel stated. “She's deviating from Op-Plan, Marshal.”

“It seems the rains have cut off the underground routes until she gets closer to the catacombs. The streets are likely flooded as well. Only with the Swiss Guard and Gendarmerie Corps patrols. She has taken to the rooftops. The empty streetways of the skies.” Angelic smirked. “Like a true thief in the night. My mother and grandmother on both sides of the family, would be proud of her change in in plans. She can approach Vatican City unseen until the final yards. Not that it will matter. She can enter the catacombs at that point.”

“We'll discuss that later. I'm not going to ask about the fedora.” Krystel commented. “Looks good on her though.”

“Even as a child Stephany always did have a flare for fashion.” Maria chuckled. “And for making a statement.”

“Well, red is definitely her color.” Angelic giggled.

Rome, Italy

Samantha reached the last rooftop that she could use to travel unseen through the night. Dropping over the edge she used the window ledges to the ground. She was fifty yards from the grated entrance to the catacombs beneath the Vatican. Four hundred yards from the ancient building that held the Iscariot Division Headquarters and housing.

“Schoolhouse this is White Swan. I’m ready for penetration. You may lose my signal once I’m in the catacombs.” Samantha reported.

“Copy that White Swan. We’re ready to compensate for loss of sat-coms.” Kasey answered back with confidence. “The heavy saturation of Wi-Fi and Cell tower signal should reach the lower caverns.”

“Copy, Schoolhouse. Hope you’re right. If not, see you when I get back above ground. White Swan, Out.” With that Samantha moved through the surrounding shadows to the gate that led to the very pits of Rome’s violent History.

ALOC, Ram’s Rock Island

Kasey let her younger sister handle monitoring the security server known as RUMBUS. Once they were in it hadn’t taken the two teenagers long to corrupt the data steams and hijack the powerful mainframe. Kasey had one mission in life at that moment in time. Finding and tracking her mother Samantha’s signal. She was so lost in her task that she failed to notice her mother Annette’s arms wrapping her in a hug from behind.

Annette has stepped inside the ALOC when Angelic exited the vehicle. Annette could tell that her oldest daughter was fighting with trying to keep track of her sister-wife. Annette did the one thing that only a mother could do. She whispered into her daughter’s ear the words she need to hear just then. “Don’t fight the flow, baby girl. Feel the music. Let it guide you. You can hear it, can’t you? Here let me help you.”

Taking a breath Annette began to sign the one song that she knew would fit the situation. “This world doesn't need no opera, we need it for the operation. We don't need a bigga knife. 'Cause we got guns, we got guns, we got guns. We got guns, you betta run. We're killin' strangers, we're killin' strangers. We're killin' strangers, so we don't kill the ones that we love. We're killin' strangers, we're killin' strangers. We're killin' strangers, so we don't kill the ones that we love.”

As the words from one of Kasey’s favorite movies filled her ears, she finally relaxed. With that relaxation came the clarity she needed to find and lock onto her mother Samantha’s signal. Soon those gathered in the ALOC were treated to something people rarely ever see. To the sight of some of the world’s most ancient catacombs those below the very heart of Rome.

“Have they been working without their music?” Krystel asked of Annette.

“From the looks of things. I would say yes. Should I start it for them?” Annette asked of the cyber operations officer.

“Yes. We need them focused. As long as I’m working as Operations officer, I can work without mine. They don’t need any distractions right now.” Krystel ordered and relaxed as Annette started Gemini’s dance music. She along with the other adults watched as the two teens seemed to drop away and the only Gemini Class cyber operator of its kind emerge. With that one simple change Krystel found that she was now able to keep up with the teens. “The way those two work together makes seasoned teams look pathetic. This is who they are and what they do. Now go get 'em, girls.”

“Thank you for looking out for and training them Krystel. I know that neither Sam nor I have said it often enough. If not for you our daughters would have been in severe trouble by now.” Annette told the woman humbly.

“I wanted them to have a life of their choosing. My teachings are supposed to give them options they didn't have. It's what we all want for the kids. The option to not be like us. You, on the other hand, shouldn’t you be resting? Minimum stress, minimum excitement.” Krystel said without looking up but did smirk. “Pregnant lady things.”

“I know, I know. I just wanted to check up on Samantha and the girls.” Annette answered back hotly. Then she sighed at the look Maria gave. “I’m just worried about her.”

This time Krystel looked up at her. “We all are Annette, but you have the baby to worry about. That child is more than just yours and the guys. It is the girls' baby brother or sister too. But most importantly. That child you carry is Samantha’s hope and dreams. Now get!”

“I’m going.” Annette pouted before heading for the door but not before making a parting comment. “Bring my sister home, Lieutenant Commander.”

“I’m doing everything in my power and I'm not alone.” With that Krystel returned to her work. “Right?”

Kasey and Kristine didn't drop their attention but did answer with smiles. “Right, Ma'am.”

Krystel nodded. “We're all over it here.”

Catacombs beneath Vatican City, Italy

Samantha has spent the last hour working her way through the labyrinth that were the catacombs of ancient Rome and the Vatican. She had downloaded the ancient map onto her phone before leaving the Apollo. Samantha was the only one that wasn’t amazed by the ancient maps accuracy. She just had to find the entrance to the passageway that lead up into the Iscariot Division Headquarters now.

It didn’t take her long, thanks to that map. As Samantha pushed open the concealed door a nasty smile crossed her lips. “Bless you Rinaldo. Bless you for all that you have given to us.”

Following the spiral staircase to the end, Samantha stopped and placed her hand on the inside wall. “Schoolhouse are you there? Over”

“Never lost you White Swan.” Krystel answered quickly. “We have you on the top floor of the Iscariot Headquarters. Wait, this doesn’t make sense?”

“Your readout isn’t wrong, Schoolhouse. I’m inside of the walls.” Samantha knew what Krystel had to be seeing on her monitor. “Have you located Tango Delta’s exact location?”

“We got good news, bad news, and shitty news. He’s in one of the private rooms off the chapel. The one at end of the eastern wing of the building, the first floor. There’s five roving teams between you and him. Plus, four standing watches. That’s the good news White Swan.”

“What’s the bad news Schoolhouse?” Samantha wasn’t liking what she was hearing. If there were that many guards then she had her work cut out.

“We only have partial control over the cameras in that building. At present we can only take over one floor at a time. Even then we have to be fast about it. These cameras are all monitored. You’re not going to have much time on each floor White Swan. Five minutes at most. Any way you can work your way back down to the ground floor for a straight run?” Krystel asked

“I wish there was, Schoolhouse. This passageway only has the one exit.” Samantha knew what Krystel was asking.

“On to the shitty news then. You’re on the top floor of a ten story building with at least one to four IMPPS floors between you and your target. With only one way to shut them down on our end. Which I’m currently working on. The problem is the rat’s nest that is the Vatican power grid. I don’t know which substation to attack without dropping them all. I would prefer to not leave all of Rome without power for the next forty-eight hours. Unless we absolutely have to here White Swan. From what I can tell the stairwells are laid out in such a way that you have to cross those. In short White Swan, you need one of those roving patrol’s keycard.” Krystel informed her.

“What about the floor that I’m on? Is it clear?” Samantha asked as she made her final preparations for her run. First, she secured her phone inside her tactical suit and pulled the zipper the rest of the way up to her neck.

She reached down and drew the .45 at her right hip. Working the slide to seat the first round in the chamber Sam thumbed off the safety. She double checked her spare magazine count. The twelve sixteen-round double stacked extended magazines were worth the extra money. Just as it was worth the money to have the pistols made for the heavier .45 caliber rounds.

“The floor is clear for the next ten minutes White Swan. On my mark; get ready to move.” Krystel said.

“Ready and set.” Samantha whispered over the earwig as she slowly pushed the door to the secret passageway open.

“Three, two, one. MARK! GO! GO! GO!” Krystel ordered over Samantha’s earwig.

ALOC, Ram’s Rock Island

Krystel had been able to expand on what Kasey and Kristine had done with the security cameras, but only slightly. She had been able to acquire the feeds from the 24/7 monitored cameras and reroute them through an off-site server she controlled. The time it took the feeds to reach the server and return to the station monitors gave Samantha a five minute window in each area. It wasn’t much of an edge, but it was more than what Samantha had going in.

“Where is the nearest set of roamers, Lieutenant Command?” Maria asked as she looked up at the number 4 monitor. The split-screen layout showed all five roaming teams and one empty floor.

“Upper right hand corner of the monitor, Marshal. Eighth floor working their way upward. They’ll run right into White Swan on the next floor. Shit.” Krystel was doing all that she could to hide Samantha from the world. “Two; take over those cameras. One; keep RUMBUS tied down. Give it a Riddle.”

Kristine replied. “Yes, Ma'am.”

The teen smiled. A riddle was an encrypted series of commands that would draw the system's counter-measures and engage them. All it would do is waste time, which was all that was needed.

“Damn it! Where the hell is, she going?” Maria cursed.

They all watched as Samantha went down the hallway towards a small alcove. Once there, Samantha reached up and pulled on the candle sconce there. With a push on the back wall of the alcove, a doorway was revealed. One that Samantha was quick to enter.

Maria remarked. “And another secret of the legend is exposed.”

“Marshal what are you talking about?” Krystel asked.

She sat staring in wonder at what Samantha’s camera feed was showing. First there were the catacombs, then the hidden stairway and now this. Real honest to god hidden passageways with the walls of a Vatican building.

“The legends of the Vatican Wraith said the Hemlock Rose could walk through the Vatican walls. I believe that there are more than just the one hidden passage within those ancient walls.” Maria chuckled. “Not that it would surprise me. After all Alonzo Capizeo did help to build a good part of Vatican City during the early part of the Renaissance.”

“I thought that the Capizeo family were silk road traders?” Krystel asked as she watched the feed from Samantha’s glasses switch over to infrared. What they all saw was a short hallway ending in a stairwell.

“They were many things Krystel. Architecture, smiths, artisans, only Rinaldo and his father’s direct ancestors were merchants. It was Rinaldo’s oldest Uncle, Alonzo, that built the family compound. He was an architect on par with the great Maestros of the day.” Maria explained with a wisp of a smile. “Sadly, he never received the recognition that was due. I believe that is why he built all those hidden passageways. As a form of revenge on the Church and those in power at the time. Out of spite, you could say.”

“It would make sense. DeMarco’s and Capizeo’s are like junkyard dogs with a bone when it comes to revenge. Once you set your mind on it, you never give, even if it takes you centuries to get that revenge.” Krystel snarked. “Sorry but that’s the way I'm seeing it, Maria.”

“Oh, you’re not wrong Krystel. Our two families have always been revenge driven when we’re wronged. Though the DeMarco’s have never been the Masters of the Long Game that the Capizeo’s have been. Those hidden passages are just one example of their planning and forethought. Perhaps even a bit of healthy paranoia thrown in, as well.” Maria told Krystel as she watched Samantha's feed and monitor 4. As she compared the two, Maria spotted something. “Stop her!”

“HOLD SWAN!” Krystel ordered and watched as Samantha pulled her hand back from the doorway. Krystel looked up at Maria. “What did you spot Maria?”

“The last two guard teams have skipped this floor. Where is she?” Maria asked as she checked monitors and guards.

Krystel verified. “Seventh floor, east wing, midway of the far end and the stairwell. Why?”

Maria didn’t answer right away. Reaching over she secured a headset. After putting it on she keyed the mike. “White Swan, can you move further down that stairwell? Over”

“Negative, Actual. All passages are one way in and one way out. What's wrong? Why the hold?”

“Wait one.” Maria opened the ALOC’s door. “Angelic. Inside.”

Angelic didn’t need to be told twice. “What happened?”

Maria pointed to the hallway outside of where Samantha waited. “Is that floor what I think it is?”

Angelic studied it and snarled. “Damn! An IMPPS. A nasty one at that. We either kill the power to the Iscariot Headquarters or order Samantha out now. Those are our only two options, sorry.”

Maria didn’t think twice. “Crash the fucking power grid.”

“Hold on here Marshal. That is not your call. We can pull White Swan and get Delacorte some other time.” Krystel told her.

“Let me be perfectly clear on this matter Lieutenant Commander. Either kill the power to that building or crash the whole fucking grid. But make no mistake. Stephany Capizeo is too close to be pulled now. Understand?” Maria snarled.

“Marshal we come get her out without having to crash the grid. There is still time to get Delacorte.” Krystel argued.

“Let me explain this so you will understand. You order Stephany Capizeo to pull out now; she’ll go rogue. After that she kill everyone between her and Delacorte. Then she’ll become a ghost with no one to control her.” Maria told the younger woman. “Now. KILL. THE. POWER. TO. THAT. BUILDING.”

“Well shit! I may need ten minutes and I’ll see what I can work up. Girls stay on mission. Swan, standby.” Krystel ordered.

Maria had warned them about how Samantha would get once she had the man within her reach. She just didn’t expect that it would affect her judgement. Even as she started to shift attack Kristine called out.

“Grid, four, section, nine, subsection b, substation four-D, Ma'am. Shut down that one substation and only Vatican City will be affected.” Kristine’s voice was flat and almost emotionless as she gave Krystel the needed intel to bring down the power.

“Killing the power now. White Swan standby to move on my mark.” The second that Kristine gave her the intel on the substation Krystel launched her attack. Within seconds somewhere in the city of Rome a power substation overloaded and exploded. “MARK! You got thirty minutes before the backup takes over Swan. Do not waste one second of it!”

Even as the lights and power went out in all of the Vatican City in a cascading effect. Samantha was already moving and hunting for her target.

Krystel looked over at the teens. “When did you find the substation, One?”

“Shortly after you looped the camera feed. You created some sort of feedback loop in RUMBUS’s memory blades. I know this wasn’t done on purpose. The coding is gibberish. I can only put it down a preexisting line of code that was supposed to have been deleted before operation. A ‘ghost line’, Ma'am. They probably forgot all about it.” Kristine explained while never taking her eyes off her work. “Sorry it took so long ma’am. I was still trying to figure out what I was looking at in the code ma’am.”

“Next you find something like that, Gemini, pass on the information. Other than that, good work on finding the correct substation.” Krystel knew that she would have spotted the memory feedback loop if she had been working her normal duties instead of doing Kimberly’s job.

The fact that Kasey and Kristine had not only found the feedback but taken advantage of it, just showed how far the two girls had come. Sure, they still made the occasional mistake, but they were young and still learning. Despite they’re age and skill the teenagers lacked the needed experience to her own considerable skills. In a few more years the two teenagers would become a pair of avenging angels in the world of cyberspace. With few equals.

Headquarters for the Iscariot Division, Vatican City, Italy

The second Samantha heard what Krystel was doing she abandoned her original plan of using the hidden passageways. Now, she moved through the darkened hallways as the Wraith that she was. At the end of the hallway she was in, was a roving patrol. Four shots later, there were four dead guards. Samantha moved close and doubled checked the guards. Her gut reaction was proven correct. These guards were not Swiss Guards, but Iscariot Priests.

“Schoolhouse, do you still have visuals? Over” Samantha asked. Hoping that the cameras had a battery backup.

“That is a negative White Swan. The whole electronic surveillance system is down. All of Vatican City has returned to the dark ages.” Krystel chuckled. “You’re on equal footing as your ancestor White Swan. We're just angels and devils on your shoulder.”

They could see only what she could due to the phone's satellite uplink now. This new intel brought a cold and deadly smile to Samantha’s face. One that matched her cold dead eyes. “And Fate did whisper in my ear. You cannot stand against the Storm. I did smile and kiss Fate upon her lips. Before whispering in her shell-shaped ear. I am the Storm.”

Samantha didn’t realize that her mike was open as she recited the lines from the play ‘Valkyries’ by Johannes Block. The little known German play write of the late fifteen and early sixteen hundreds. Known for his plays concerning the Norse mythology of the ancient Norns of Scandinavia.

ALOC, Ram’s Rock Island

Krystel looked at Maria as the older woman crossed herself and folded her hands then asked. “Care to fill me in?”

“Just something that I had thought I would never hear again. The last time was twenty-one years ago. Just before Mary Capizeo killed Herman Carter and his crew for dealing drugs to her oldest daughter.” Maria answered. “That night ‘Bloody Mary’ lived up to her deadly reputation.”

“How many?” Krystel asked out of curiosity.

“Of the thirty-one member crew, only two survived. Simply because they weren’t at the flophouse. The rest were left with their throats slit and Mary earned a new nickname that night.” Looking at the monitor that showed Samantha’s tactical camera feed Maria smiled. “I now know what the red trench coat and fedora are for. She plans to leave more than just a message.”

“What is she planning then?” Krystel asked as she too looked to Samantha’s feed as she downed four more guards. “GOOD! She’s not wasting any time or ammo. Nothing but head shots. What kind of rounds are those? I’ve never seen that kind of impact before.”

“Hyperion Drill points. They’ll punch through standard body armor with trauma plates. Explode on contact with soft tissue.” Maria answered without thinking. “One of Kyle’s best designs. Expensive as all hell. And only sold in batches of fifty.”

“Did she just reload?” Krystel asked as Samantha headed down to the floor.

“Yes. Very good Stephany. Watch closely girls. This is what your mother can do when she wishes to unleash her Wraith.” Maria told her granddaughters. “A Crimson Ghost has come seeking vengeance for the Vatican Wraith.”

Iscariot Division Headquarters, Vatican City, Italy

“Damn! Even with taking only head shots I’m going through rounds like crazy. Where the hell did all of these guards come from? Katrina’s intel has never been this off before. Could they have been expecting and laid a trap.” Samantha said to no one. Then thought about the blackout.

“Aw shit! The blackout! An SOP response to a loss of power. Double the guards and cover the offices and artifacts. Why didn’t we see this coming?” Samantha commented to herself, forgetting her mic was hot.

Samantha stopped and fired four more times, dropping four more guards. As she passed the cooling bodies Samantha voiced the thoughts running through her head. “But that still doesn't explain the response time. I should have at least another fifteen to twenty minutes before this level of response.”

It wasn’t until Samantha had reached the ground floor and sixteen more bodies that she found the answer to her question. The firefight was fast, vicious and deadly. Samantha had piled up another twenty-two bodies by the time the firefight was over. Bodies that she didn’t bother to hide. But she found the answer to why all of these men and women were walking the halls of the Iscariot Headquarters. All of them were members of Strike Teams.

Strike Teams that had made it out after receiving the recall and burn notices the day before. Her delay in leaving Ram’s Rock had allowed more than enough time for members of the Iscariot Strike Teams to flee the United States. Time for a good number of them to clear the customs of first the US, then Italy, and finally the Vatican City. Where they would have been untouchable by US authorities. But not to her. Not to the Bloody Vatican Wraith.

“Are you seeing this shit Schoolhouse?” Samantha asked as she held the passport for the downed Iscariot Operative.

“We see it, Swan. It also explains the additional patrols. With this many new faces hanging around, the bosses would need to explain their presence somehow. Simplest explanation; additional guards for the Headquarters.” Krystel explained over the radio.

“Have you got a finally count on the additional personnel yet?” all these additional guards could mean trouble for Samantha.

“Still working on it, Swan. They’re like drunk-diarrhea; all over the place. At present count we have an additional fifty-eight priests and nuns walking the grounds. That doesn’t count the thirty-two that you’ve already dropped. Figure you might have twenty to thirty minutes before the other guards start wondering where their buddies are.”

“Won’t need that long. I got a good idea of which room the primary scumbag is staying.” Samantha was already moving. “Time for the Right hand of Lady Justice to visit Jonathan. This time you will not escape me.”

Samantha put down four more Strike Team members before she stood at Delacorte’s bedroom door. “Time to pay the price for your betrayal of my family Alfonzo Delicato. You will pay in the currency of blood and pain.”

Samantha picked the locks to the door and slipped inside. It was not US Deputy Marshal Samantha Justice who entered that room, but the living ghost of a young woman long believed to be dead, Stephany Capizeo. This was not the business of the OICA. This was personal. This wasn’t justice and she knew it. They knew it. Everybody knew it. This was nothing more than revenge. After relocking the door Samantha wanted to reach up and kill her video feed but didn’t. She knew that she still answered to someone back home. They were thousands of miles away, and she was here alone. That didn’t mean she won’t get her revenge.

Revenge for her dead father. A man who may have been a mobster, but still an honorable man with a code. Revenge for her mother. A woman who was more than her family heritage of assassination. Revenge for her dead sisters. Two girls, not even into womanhood, whose only love and dream was for ballet. Revenge for the life Joseph would have had. A life with his family. A life away from his assassination heritage as a danseur noble dancing across the stages of the world with his sisters.

After insuring they were alone and would remain that way, Samantha holstered her pistol. Slowly she drew her family knife from its sheath on her thigh. Placing the blade against Delicato’s throat, she hissed in his ear. “Time to reap what you have sown. I have returned from the grave Delicato. This time you won’t escape me, or my revenge.”

Alfonzo Delicato’s eyes flew up at a name he had not heard in decades, only to feel the cold hard edge of steel against his skin. With wide fear filled eyes Alfonzo looked up into a face that should not exist. He had seen the boy die on the courthouse steps eighteen years ago. He along with more than a quarter of the world’s population.

“You’re not here. You’re dead. I saw you die.” Delicato choked out through a suddenly dry and clenching throat. “You’re just the fragment of a dream.”

“No Alonzo. I am very real. I am your past returned, seeking vengeance for those you have wronged.” With a flick of her wrist Samantha sliced the nerves that controlled Alfonzo’s right arm. Before the man could scream though Samantha struck again on the left hand side. The pain Delicato felt was blinding. It was so great, he could barely breath, let alone scream. Samantha grabbed the pillow next to his head.

Quickly cutting away a strip of the casing she stuffed it into Delicato’s mouth. “Can’t have you yelling out for help now can we. This should do the trick nicely.”

ALOC, Ram’s Rock Island

“Holy shit! What did she just do?” Krystel asked. “Why the hell didn’t he scream?”

“The pain, Lieutenant Commander. She severed the voluntary nerve clusters that control his arms. The pain alone would making screaming impossible.” Maria explained.

“Is this part of the Sleep of the Beautiful Death?” Krystel asked.

“Most likely. It is a combination of the Beautiful Death and the Secret of the Needles. From the looks of things. I would say that Stephany Capizeo’s sadistic side has come out to play.” Maria hummed.

“Okay, I can sit through this. Though, are you sure you want Gemini to see this?” Krystel asked looking over at the teenagers.

“Unless you know someone else can who run this equipment and act as Operations officer?” Maria asked, to which Krystel shook her head no. “Then we have no other choice.”

“Damn. I really do wish Kimberly was free right now.” Krystel lamented.

“You’re not the only one, Krystel.” Maria admitted then dropped her voice to just above a whisper. “Come home to us Lyssa. Alive.”

Headquarter Iscariot Division, Vatican City, Italy

Samantha ruthlessly stripped away Delicato’s bedcoverings. After cutting the sheets into strips, she tied him spread eagle to the bed. Leaning down over the terrified man, Samantha drew the tip of her family knife down his torso. Even with no pressure the blade sliced easily through the man’s skin. Leaving behind a gash deep into his sternum. With an ease that was frightening, Samantha reversed the direction. Once she had made the two cuts Samantha flipped the blade in her hand and peeled a two inch wide strip of skin from his chest. She repeated this four more times on Delicato’s body. Once for each arm and each leg. Only with Delicato’s limbs she extended the cuts to reach the wrist and ankle joints.

“Oh, how I would love to spend the next few hours just slicing piece after piece from your hide. Sadly, I can only do so much as time is pressing. Though I do need to leave a message behind for your minions and boss. So, this, will have to do.” Samantha stood over the bloody and tortured body of the man who had so much pain and misery in her life. “Just so you know. Before I send your ass to hell. I’m no ghost. Joseph Capizeo survived.”

Samantha stood up straight as she glared into the man’s eyes. Drawing back her right hand so it was just ten inches above Delicato’s chest she curled the pinky, ring and thumb inward. So that all three touched and her middle and index finger were pointed down at his sternum. Then with a short jab downward she drove her two fingers into the bones just above his heart. The first sign of trouble was the arching of Delicato’s back. With each beat of his heart Alfonzo Delicato reached a new and greater level of pain. The greater the pain the faster his heart beat. It would take Delicato fifteen minutes to die. All of it would be building in excruciating pain.

“The night you sent those men to kill Marco and Mary Capizeo, along with their family, they missed one. You should have made sure that I was dead that day on the courthouse steps. Now you get to pay for your arrogance. Give my regards to the Devil and his followers. Let them know that the Crimson Wraith of the Vatican is sending him some more play toys.” Samantha gave Delicato one last parting shot to the ego. “Just so you know. You’ll die tonight. And soon. But every last moment is going to be in unending and undeniable pain. I hope you enjoy your last moments on earth. I know I will.”

Picking one of the five bloody strips of skin Samantha began to write on the wall over his head. It took her using four of the five strips, but she was sure the message would be driven home. Just as it was with her ancestor Rinaldo. With that complete, Samantha pressed on the edge to one of the bookshelves.

When it swung outward Samantha looked back at the still dying man and chuckled. “Yes, Delicato, this has been here the whole time. Before even your predecessor’s predecessor. There is one in each of these rooms. How else would you expect the good Bishop to keep control over his subordinates. You get out of line and someone like me is shown where to enter. We come in and you die. Problem solved for the Iscariot Bishop.”

ALOC Ram’s Rock Island

“Maria, what is she writing on the walls?” Krystel asked.

“She is cementing the newest legend of the Vatican’s Wraith.” Maria chuckled. They watched as Samantha opened the hidden door. “Well, damn. I always wondered how Rinaldo was able to just vanish into the night. Just as every other Capizeo who has had to deal with a traitor within the Iscariots.”

“No joke. That place must be honeycombed with unseen and undocumented passageways. When you said that the Capizeo’s were Masters at playing the long game. You weren’t kidding.” Krystel said. “I wonder where this one is going to come out?”

“We only can wait and find out. Samantha is the only one who knows when or where she’ll reappear.” Maria sighed.

Only to have Kasey look up at her. “That stairwell only goes up, Marshal. She’ll come out on the roof. On the far side of the steeple from where she entered. She’ll have a clear pathway across the rooftops all the way back to the hotel Apollo. At least that is what it appears to be.”

“Show me.” Maria ordered her oldest granddaughter.

Kasey did as her grandmother ordered. Reaching up to the monitor and traced the route that she had just described. “All she has to do is cross over this powerline. The anchor points and tensile strength of the wire should be more than enough to hold the Hemlock Rose’s weight ma’am.”

“And what of the exterior cameras. The ones not controlled by RUMBUS, the Iscariots or the Swiss Guards are they operational?” Maria asked politely. Already knowing the answer.

“Too far away to pick up detail of Hemlock Rose’s face. All that’ll show up is a red figure running across the rooftops.” Kasey answered honestly

“No child they will record the first Crimson Wraith in history.” Then just as Maria had hoped Samantha appeared on the rooftop where Kasey had predicted. “Make sure the cameras across the road track her until she disappears over the edge of the next roof, dear.”

“Why in the hell are you ordering that Maria? We never leave video evidence of our operations. That is SOP. You know that.” Krystel was livid.

“This is one video that must be allowed to feed the social media. We want the legend to grow beyond the hallowed walls of the Vatican.” Maria told her as she turned to face the angered Operator. “This is psychological war, Krystel. We want every last Strike Team, and member of the Iscariot Division to know of the newest Wraith that haunts their home. One that can walk their halls with impunity. One that delivers the Justice of the blade to those who break their vows with the Lord above and the world around them.”

“You’re ending the war between your two families and the Iscariot Division by giving them a choice. Change their ways or pay the price.” Krystel realized what Maria was up to and could only stand there in stunned silence. The woman was a true Criminal Master mind using a cold blood blackmail plan to end a centuries long war waged in the shadows. “I've got to say, Maria. That’s nasty. I approve.”

“There are more ways to end a war than with body counts. I should know. I’ve used more than a few of them.” Looking down at her granddaughters. “Time to close up shop girls. Crush that server for good.”

Krystel glanced up to the monitors then nodded. “Concur. Kasey, drop a Hades sword. Kristine; set off Supernova.”

The teenagers never looked up. The finished their attack on RUMBUS with a few keystrokes. In a matter of minutes, the multimillion Euro server known as RUMBUS went into to overdrive and then overheated to the point of catching fire. By the time the Iscariot Division operators were able to get the fire suppression system online and working the massive server was a melted pile of silicon, gold, and plastic. The damage was so complete that it would the technicians years to fully catalog it all.

“Looks like your newest Hemlock Rose is taking a minute to pause and smell the roses, Marshal. Look.” Krystel said as she pointed to the Hawkeye feed.

There on a rooftop just over the line between Rome, and Vatican City stood the red clad figure. The wide brimmed fedora and calf length trench coat stood out like a flare on the screen thanks to the streetlights below. Maria chuckled as she thought back to what fourteen year old Stephany Capizeo once told her. “Le Fantôme Rouge a frappé à nouveau.”

Kimberly's voice broke over. “Status?”

“Exfiltration.” Krystel replied.

“Copy. Out.” Kimberly acknowledged.

Maria looked over. “Is she monitoring us as well?”

“Just message traffic indications. She can see that we stopped exchanging comms with her. Still no idea what she's doing, but she tied up the array to do it.” Krystel commented.

Kristine looked back. “So, what does that mean?”

“It means that whatever is going on, is really bad for a whole bunch of people.” Krystel answered. “Wrap it up girls, you need to eat.”

“Yes Ma'am.” Kasey and Kristine answered and went through their shut down procedures then went out.

Maria closed the door and locked it.

“You're ready to talk to me now.” Krystel said as she continued to type.

Maria sat down. “I am. I listened to your conversation to Samantha. I am not happy with you.”

Krystel set her keyboard aside. “I know you did. I allowed it.”

“You allowed?” Maria turned angry.

Krystel nodded. “You thank me for teaching the girls. You commend me for looking out for the girls. Yet you insult me by sending them behind my back in violation of protocols in place to protect those same girls and laugh about it. Thank you for working against and humiliating me.”

“That wasn't my intention.” Maria stated.

Krystel asked bluntly. “Where do Maria DeMarco, Annette DeMarco, Samantha Justice, Bobby Everbrite, Hunter Taugh, Kasey DeMarco, Kristine Justice and Anna Fonticello reside?”

“Here.” Maria answered, but was confused.

Krystel tilted her head and asked. “Not in a cemetary? All of us do. Except Rodrick, Pete, Carl and Eddie. You mean you didn't have to fake your deaths and get new identities before coming here?”

“No. We didn't.” Maria replied then was hit with comprehension. “I see. All of you forfeited your identities. You had to. You gave up everything you were to be what you are now. We didn't. Even Samantha still claims Capezio ties, even though she isn't supposed to. We simply moved.”

“My family would hate everything about me, they're phobic. I hate them in return. However, I don't hate them so much that I'd risk retaliation on them for my service. I can be me, still serve and not endanger them or anybody else from my past. It cost me my past. I can never go back. None of us can ever go back. It's part of the price we pay.” Krystel said and started putting her things away.

Maria nodded. “Yes. That is true.”

“I don't know exactly what is going on with Lyssa, but I do know for damn sure, it's part of a big and nasty picture. It's bad and it's pretty much a write off for her if it goes wrong. Otherwise she wouldn't be out there all alone.” Krystel sighed.

Maria nodded. “I'm concerned for her too.”

Krystel paused at the door. “I got really mad at all of you during the operation tonight, but I didn't get into it. The girls and I sat here damn-near clueless the whole time until it was almost too late to save her. I thought you all were on the same side, even if you're not on ours.”

“I understand your feeling of betrayal. I apologize for my part in it. I made a mistake and insulted you professionally and personally. Those will be rectified. Not with gifts. Money does not compensate the devotion and dedication, which you have given. You are the greatest of all the aunts for the girls. All three girls. The knife you feel in your back belongs to me, not them. I know you wouldn't lash out at the girls, but I must ask it. Please forgive them, it was my doing and they only wanted to please me.” Maria asked.

Krystel nodded. “The girls get a pass, again. You don't. You don't have my personal respect either, Maria. By the way. You can have this. It's just the overview, but you'll get the picture. He didn't lie, when he said he'd make sure all was taken care of.”

Maria took the file offered and opened it as Krystel left.

“This is our Reno Protocol?” Maria read and wanted to cry until her eyes bled. “Oh Daniel, you went to all of this? For us? All eight of us? Damn my father and his wretched scheming to keep us apart back then!”

-----tbc-----