December 24, The Ranch:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
See the blazing Yule before us, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus. Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sing we joyous, all together, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la la la, la la la la.

“Joker, I can’t believe how joyful you are.” Deanna looked over towards her teammate and how she was dressed.

Joker wore a sexy Santa Claus outfit that matched her feelings for the holiday. She was chewing on a candy cane as she helped decorate the Christmas tree. Usually, she looked like the Joker from DC comics, except dressed in a female version of his outfit.

Deanna knew Joker’s real name was Barbara Willow, and she used to be a correctional officer. She had been captured and tortured by the inmates. The prison was experimenting with a new drug that would help inmates with mental problems. The inmates, after they were done using her for their pleasure. They injected the drug directly into her mind from the base of her skull.

The drug sent her body into shock and did some weird things to her. By the time the Department of Corrections took control of the prison. She appeared dead to the paramedics who found her. Her body was transferred to the prison morgue to be examined and prepared for burial.

Days later, when her body had finished changing, the drug triggered in her. Her eyes opened just as the medical examiner was about to cut her open. She reached out and killed the medical examiner. She escaped from the morgue and made her way to an abandoned building several miles away.

“Oh, come on, Deanna. Didn’t your LARP group teach you about having fun?” Joker turns around to look at her strawberry-blonde hair teammate.

“Yes, they did. I’m just surprised that you like Christmas so much.” Deanna knew how crazy Joker was.

“Deanna, Deanna, even crazy people like the holidays. It’s the one time of the year where we don’t seem out of touch with people. Well, make that Halloween and New Year's Eve as well.” Joker smiles at her teammate.

“She’s right, Deanna.” Brooke enters the living room carrying a tray of glasses filled with eggnog.

Behind Brooke were Becky, Clair, Jasmine, Ada, and Alya. Jasmine carried a tray with homemade cookies, brownies, and rum balls. Ada and Alya were wearing elf costumes.

“Brooke, it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong. It’s all about the spirit of the holidays.” Becky was dressed in a sexy green dress with white fur trim, matching thigh-high boots, and a green Santa Claus hat with a silver bell at the tip of it.

“I’m just glad you girls survived your last mission.” Clair was happy that her girls didn’t die.

“Next time, we need to stop a nuclear device from going off. Don’t call me again to deactivate it.” Brooke looks at Clair since she is the one in charge of them.

Brooke has been studying and learning from Clair about criminal forensics and such. She came across Clair’s real name while researching some of the top criminal forensics from the past. Brooke was a lot like Velma Dinkley from the television cartoon Scooby-Doo.

She was just as bright, intelligent, and observant as Clair used to be with her team. Before joining Clair’s team, Brooke used to be a member of a ghost-hunting team. On their last ghost-hunting job, they came across actual supernatural creatures that killed her crew and left her for dead. A friendly spirit entered her body and gave her its life essence.

It prevented her from dying and made it so she could see and interact with the dead. Sometimes, the gift it gave her was a burden. There were times she would come across helpful spirits, and there were times she came across evil spirits. All they wanted to do was harm the living. Some of them would even take possession of people to achieve their objectives.

“I’ll remember that next time it comes up.” Clair couldn’t believe Nick and Jack had blessed her to form a team.

She had no choice after a merc team sent by Nickolas Kuznetsov attacked her farmhouse. At the time, it had just been her, Alya, Jasmine, and
Ada to defend the place. Becky had shown up to deliver Alya’s car and got dragged into the attack.

Later, they met Deanna and Joker while on a job in Georgia. Brooke tracked her down to interview her for a paper she wrote for her college course. She noticed how intelligent Brooke was and how she would make an excellent addition to the team.

Everyone grabs an egg nog and helps themselves to the cookies Clair, Alya, Jasmine, and Ada made. Becky had been fixing two of the place's geothermal generators in the den. She and Deanna were the techs on the team. Deanna rebuilt and upgraded the old computer system the site used to use. It had been ahead then but had become outdated over the years.

Instead of using standard hard and SSD drives, Deanna switched everything over to a crystal-based memory-based system. One, the crystals never broke down; two, the system could store more information on the crystal.

All the ladies take turns singing different Christmas songs. Clair sings I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. After Clair finishes singing, Joker sings Grandma got run over by a reindeer. She evens acts out parts of the song.

After Joker is done singing, Becky sings the Redneck Twelve Days of Christmas. The girls get a kick out of it. Jasmine sings Santa Baby, just like Marilyn Monroe did.

Ada has an evil idea as she stands up from the sofa. She was feeling a little tipsy from the egg nog. She looks towards Clair. “You spiked the egg nog, didn’t you?”

“No comment.” A playful smile appears on Clair’s face.

“Just for that, this song is just for you.” As Ada drinks the last of her egg nog.

Afterward, she started singing. I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, except she substituted Mommy for Clair’s name.

Wow! Mommy's kissing Santa Claus!
I saw Clair kissing Santa Claus (kissing, kissing Santa Claus)
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn't see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom, fast asleep
Then I saw Clair tickle Santa Claus (tickle, tickle, Santa Claus)
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If daddy had only seen
Clair kissing Santa Claus last night
He saw Clair kissing (kissing, kissing) Santa Claus
I did! I really did see Clair kissing Santa Claus
And I'm gonna tell my dad
Then I saw Clair tickle Santa Claus (tickle, tickle Santa Claus)
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If daddy had only seen
Clair kissing Santa Claus last night
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If daddy had only seen
Clair kissing Santa Claus last night
I did! I did! I really did see Clair kissing Santa Claus
You gotta believe me! You just gotta believe me!
Come on, fellas, believe me!
You just gotta believe me!
Come on, you gotta believe me!

All the women start clapping as Ada takes a bow. She stops herself from falling forward.

“She’s drunk.” Alya stands up to help Ada.

“I’m not drunk, maybe a little tipsy, but not drunk.” Ada held onto Alya as she looked at her.

“Right, you’re not drunk.” Joker had a massive smile on her face.”

Alcohol no longer affected her like it used to. The changes done to her body made it so she wasn’t affected by any drug. That included animal and plant venom as well. The drawback was drugs meant to help her didn’t work on her either.

It’s two in the morning by the time everyone starts passing out. Jasmine was sharing her bed with Brooke. The two of them didn’t mind sleeping with each other. Jasmine knew Brooke was into women and didn’t mind.

Ada and Alya were sharing a bed as well. They have become close friends since joining Clair and would sometimes have lunch or get-togethers in the evening.

Deanna and Joker shared a room. Joker didn’t mind sleeping with Deanna. She trusted Deanna and knew she wouldn’t harm her. Both women were sleeping naked.

Joker looks down into Deanna’s emerald green eyes as she straddles her waist. She leans down and starts kissing Deanna while rubbing herself against Deanna’s groin. She was a little aggressive in her lovemaking.

Deanna wraps her arms around Joker’s neck and holds her against her lips. She moves her body in time with Joker. She knew Joker was aggressive in her lovemaking and liked to be in charge. This wasn’t the first time the two of them had had sex.

Becky was sleeping in Clair’s bedroom. Clair had a rollaway for her to sleep on. Sometimes, she would sleep with Brooke. She knew Brooke was into women and didn’t mind sleeping with her. Her great-uncle asked her once when she changed gender if she was still into women.

Clair looks over at Becky as she makes herself comfortable. The young woman had a few scars on her body from some of the accidents she had been in.

“You know, if you keep going the way you are. You’re going to be in pain when you get to be my age.” Clair knew her old teammate Dave Valiant had been in much pain as he got older from his past injuries.

“I try to be careful, but sometimes, things happen beyond my control.” Becky looks at Clair and the pictures of her children and grandchildren hanging on the wall and her nightstand.

“Clair, why aren’t you spending this Christmas with your children and grandchildren?” Becky was curious why she wasn’t with her children.

“I think it's gotten to the point that they no longer need me. They knew what I used to do and aren’t too thrilled I’m back to doing it.” Clair knew how her children felt about her being active again.

“But you’re not in the field. You’re making sure we don’t fuck up.” Becky knew Clair acted as their support back here at the den.

“I know, but my children feel I’m bringing attention to them and myself. The main reason I got out of the game besides getting old. It was because of my children. I didn’t want to risk their lives with my activities. That was why I changed my name and had plastic surgery to change my appearance.” Clair has only told a few people why she did what she did.

“So, why are you back in the game, then?” Becky wanted to know why Clair had changed her mind.

“To guide you, youngsters. You all seemed lost and looking for a purpose in life. Individually, you guys are special, but as a team, you guys are unbeatable.”

“I never thought about that.” Becky looks thoughtful as she lays back on the mattress.

“Goodnight, Becky.” Clair smiles as she snuggles under her covers.

A few miles down from the ranch:
“Here you go, young lady. This is as far as I go.” Ted looks at the young girl sitting next to him in his truck.

Carol looks at Ted. “Thank you. You’ve helped me out a lot.”

“Be careful, Carol.” Ted watched as Carol walked down the highway.

Before long, Carol spots her great-grandmother’s house. As she walks up the long driveway, she spots several cars parked. The lights were off except for the Christmas lights her grandmother put up. The porch light comes on when she steps up onto the porch.

She rings the doorbell. She wondered who those cars parked in the driveway belonged to. She heard movement behind the door.

Jasmine heard the doorbell ring. She got out of bed and grabbed her Glock before heading downstairs. Brooke was totally out of it.

Jasmine walks downstairs and over to the front door. She wonders who could be disturbing them on Christmas Eve. She unlocks the door and hides her gun behind her.

Carol watches as the front door opens and spots Jasmine on the other side. She wonders where her grandmother was.

Jasmine spots Clair’s oldest great-grandchild standing on the porch. She had an oversized gym bag with her.

“Carol, what are you doing here? Where are your parents?” As Jasmine steps aside to let Carol into the house.

Carol enters the house and looks and waits for Jasmine to shut and lock the door. She puts her gym bag down on the floor. “I ran away from home.”

“Why did you do that? Especially on Christmas Eve.” Jasmine looked at Carol and noticed she was bundled up in several layers of clothes.

“It’s a long story, Aunt Jasmine.” Carol knew she would have to explain what happened between herself and her parents.

“Well, your grandmother is upstairs asleep. Why don’t you bring your gym bag to my bedroom, and you can sleep on the floor in my room.”

“Why can’t I use one of the spare bedrooms?” Carol picks her bag up and follows Jasmine upstairs.

“Because we have guests over, and all the beds are spoken for. I’m even sharing my bed with a friend of mine.” Jasmine leads Carol to her bedroom.

When the two women walk into the bedroom, Carol notices a woman with light brown hair sleeping on Jasmine’s bed. She wonders who the woman was. She finds a spot where she’ll be out of the way and sets her gym bag on the floor.

Jasmine grabs the air mattress from the hallway closet and fills it with air. She makes it up quickly so Carol can lie down and sleep.

“There, that should do you.” Jasmine looks towards Carol.

“Who’s your guest?” Carol was curious.

“That’s my friend, Brooke Jenkins. She’s studying under your grandmother.” Jasmine couldn’t tell Carol what they did.

“Okay.” Carol lays down on the air mattress, and her head hits the pillow no sooner. She is out of it in no time.

Jasmine crawls back into bed, feels Brooke’s arms wrap around her, and pulls her against her body. Jasmine doesn’t fight it as she feels Brooke’s breasts press against her back. Both of them were wearing nightgowns.

Christmas Morning:
Joker was the first person awake and was downstairs in the kitchen fixing pancakes for everyone. She had already cooked some bacon and sausage links. She already brewed some fresh coffee as well. She wore Deanna out last night and knew she would sleep late.

“God, I hope there is coffee.” Ada walks into the kitchen.

“Yep, there’s a fresh pot already made. Where’s your roomie at?” Joker looks over towards Ada.

“She’s still asleep. She’s not a morning person.” Ada knew Alya hated mornings.

“Neither is Deanna or Becky.” Joker had sex with Becky three weeks ago.

She had gone over to Becky’s place and played strip poker. She was down to her panties, while Becky was down to her bra. She won the last hand, and Becky ended up losing her bra. She still had Becky’s bra at her place.

Ada fixes a cup of coffee and moans as it slides down her throat. She tries to remember what flavor of coffee Clair always buys for them.

“Good morning, everyone, and Merry Christmas.” Brooke comes walking into the kitchen.

When she woke, she spotted the teenage girl lying on the air mattress, sound asleep in Jasmine’s bedroom. She had no idea who the girl was. She also wonders where she came from because she wasn’t there when she and Jasmine went to bed.

“So, did you and Jasmine have last night?” Joker looks at Brooke as she fixes herself a cup of coffee.

“No, but a teenage girl with dirty blonde hair was sleeping on the air mattress on the floor this morning.”

“I don’t recall a teenage girl being at the party last night.” Ada looks at Brooke.

“Neither do I.” Joker looked at Brooke when she answered.

“What’s this about a dirty blonde hair girl?” Becky comes walking into the kitchen.

“A teenage girl was sleeping on the air mattress in Jasmine’s bedroom this morning.” Brooke takes a sip from her coffee mug.

“That’s because she’s Clair’s great-granddaughter.” Jasmine comes walking into the kitchen, covering up a yawn.

“How did she get here?” Brooke looks towards Jasmine.

“Don’t know, but she’s upstairs right now talking to Clair.” Jasmine had woken Clair to inform her about Carol.

“I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m hungry.” Alya comes walking into the kitchen.

“Well, we have plenty of food.” Joker looks over towards Alya.

She takes a sausage link from their plate and eats it. Soon, everyone joins her as everyone finally wakes up. Joker set two plates aside for Carol
and Clair. The two women join them forty minutes later.

Clair didn’t know what to think about the situation between her granddaughter and great-grandchild. She understood both points of view, but it shouldn’t have driven a wedge between them. Clair informed her granddaughter that her daughter was welcome to stay with her until something could be agreed on.

When Carol enters the kitchen, she notices all the women in her grandmother’s kitchen. She had no idea who these women were or how they were related to her great-grandmother.

“Is everything okay, Clair?” Jasmine looks towards Clair when she asks.

“We have a little problem.” Clair figures she could take her great-granddaughter under her wing and train her.

“What’s that?” Ada looks at Clair and the teenager standing next to her.

“Well, before we start talking about anything, I would like all of you to meet my great-granddaughter. Carol, I want you to meet Ada, Alya,
Jasmine, Joker, Brooke, Becky, and Deanna. These will be the ladies you’ll be training under.”

Carol looks at her great-grandmother. “What do you mean to train with them, grandma?”

“Yeah, I have the same question as well.” Jasmine looks at Clair for an explanation.

Clair looks at her great-granddaughter. “It seems that Carol was expelled from her school for posting questionable photos of certain classmates on the web. Because of what she did, her parents wanted to send her to an all-catholic girl school.”

“How did you do it?” Deanna was a tech nerve.

“I hid cameras on them when they went to the bathroom or took showers at home. I recorded them.”

“How did you manage to hide cameras on them?” Becky wanted to know.

“Some of the girls were easy. I hid them in their tampons or purses. I also hacked the software of their cell phone and used that. Putting them in their homes was easy. I just invited myself over and pretended to use the bathroom. I left a few in their bedrooms as well.”

“Oh, that sounds so much fun. Disgusting but fun.” Joker liked the idea of hiding the cameras in the girl's tampons and such.

“How did the school find out it was you?” Ada was curious.

“Because I got careless. I posted the images on a revenge site and used my Gmail account.”

“I’m surprised the people aren’t suing you.” Alya knew she would.

“That’s the thing. They don’t know how much more footage I can blackmail them with.” An evil smile appears on Carol’s face.

“Why did you do it?” Brooke wanted the truth about that question.

“Because they go around and terrorize people at the school. The school does nothing to stop them because their parents contribute large sums of cash. So, they don’t want to rock the boat.”

“Which means they can get away with things.” Ada knew that was how things were done.

“Well, enough of this. We can discuss what to do after Christmas. Today, you girls will open your gifts.” Clair looks at her team.

“Oh, Goodie! Presents!” Joker was excited.

Jasmine looks towards Clair “Excuse me, but there is something I need to do.”

“Okay.” Clair noticed Jasmine looking at her and understood what she was going to do.

“Come on kiddo, let Auntie Joker show you how to party.” Joker wraps her arm around Carol’s shoulders.

“Oh god, we’re in trouble now.” Deanna knew her friend.

“Oh, I made breakfast, for you two.” Joker releases Carol walks over to the stove and removes two plates of food that are still warm.

She serves Clair and Carol.

“Thanks, Joker.” As Carol and Clair accept the food.

Jasmine was upstairs in her bedroom wrapping a few gifts for Carol. She bought a few extra gifts to send to people. She can always buy more and send those instead. She didn’t want Carol to feel left out, while they were unwrapping gifts.

After she finishes wrapping enough gifts. She takes them downstairs, where she hears Joker singing off-key. As Jasmine enters where everyone is gathered, she spots Joker singing to a karaoke machine.

“Okay, who gave Joker a karaoke machine?” Jasmine looks at all her teammates.

Deanna raises her hand. She knew how much Joker loved singing and wanted her friend to be happy. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

Jasmine shakes her head as she hands the gifts she wrapped to Carol. “These are from all of us, Carol.”

Carol looks at Jasmine and smiles at her. “Thank you.” As she accepts the gifts.

The rest of the day everyone enjoys their Christmas gifts and talk. Brooke, Clair, and Alya start on Christmas dinner for everyone.

Carol looks at all the women and wonders what her great-grandmother meant by training with them. She spots Ada walking over to her “Hey kiddo, how are feeling?”

“Confused. What do you ladies do?” Carol was confused.

“I’ll let your great-grandmother explain. Just know, we all are there for you.” Ada hugs Carol.

“Thanks.” As Carol returns the hug.

“You’re welcome, kiddo.”