Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth, New Hampshire – Six Months Earlier

Katerina Kuznetsova was nervous. She knew that she hadn't been followed and she had disabled the tracking devices that Peter Small had installed on her phone and in her car. Jennifer Jones believed that her Girl Friday and lover was on one of her regular shopping sprees downtown.

Katerina was nervous because she was about to meet the most dangerous man that she knew of.

The door opened and Grigori Belinsky stepped into the room followed by two armed bodyguards. He said nothing and put a finger to his sensuous lips indicating that Katerina was to remain silent too.

One of the bodyguards put a briefcase on the sideboard table, opened it and took out a military-grade 5G bug detector capable of detecting even the most advanced and obscured bugs that used Bluetooth and Wifi protocols. These bugs are notoriously hard to find owing to their low-power output and specialized modulation methods.

When he had finished scanning the room he walked over to Katerina and without any pretence he took off her jacket and searched it and then he unbuttoned her blouse and unzipped her skirt and let it drop to the floor. She stood perfectly still while he searched her body thoroughly while Grigori watched on impassively. The bodyguard took off her high heels and used the bug detector on them before dropping them back on the floor.

When the bodyguard was convinced that neither the room nor Katerina were bugged he nodded curtly at Grigori and indicated for Katerina to dress. She pulled up her skirt, tucked the tails of her blouse into the waistband, buttoned it closed and slipped her heels back on. She left her jacket where the thug had placed it, hung over the back of a chair.

Grigori nodded at his two minders who packed up the briefcase and took up station outside the door of the penthouse suite.

“Hello uncle Grigori,” Katerina said sweetly although inside she was terrified.

Grigori ignored the greeting and walked confidently over to the wet bar and poured himself a double shot of Stoli, ignoring the other bottles of expensive spirits that Katerina had ordered when she had booked the room. He didn’t offer Katerina a drink and kept his back to her as he spoke.

“I have to admit that I was quite surprised when Jennifer Jones’ housecat contacted me,” Grigori said in his not displeasing deep resonant tone and Slavic accent.

He was even bigger in person, his muscled frame evident in his tight-fitting bespoke suit. His collar-length hair was jet-black with steaks of grey as was his beard. He was ruggedly handsome but his ice-blue eyes were cold and cruel and his demeanour was composed and confident.

“Why did you call me uncle?” he turned to face Katerina, his eyes crawling over her body, openly appraising her.

“Because you are. My father was Dmitriy Yakovich and my mother is Katya Kuznetsova,” Katerina said a little defiantly.

“Your mother is a whore-monger and has been a whore herself. I doubt that my brother-in-law would procreate with such a shlyukha, Grigori spat.

Although not fluent, Katerina recognised the Russian term that encompassed the words: slut, hooker, harlot, prostitute, tart.

“Your claim is preposterous,” he shook his leonine head and took a swallow of his drink.

“Dmitriy never knew. My mother kept it secret and had me raised overseas until Dmitriy died,” Katerina said with calmness that she wasn’t feeling.

“But if what you say is true, you work for the transvestite-shlyukha who killed your father. Does she fuck you too?” Grigori grinned evilly, not expecting an answer.

“I would fuck you, even though you claim to be my niece. In fact knowing that you are my niece would make it even more exciting,” his grin widened.

“What is to stop me throwing you on the bed and fucking you and then taking you hostage?” Grigori poured himself another drink.

“I fully expect you to fuck me on that bed but first I would like to make you a business proposal. What you said about taking me hostage is actually part of that proposal but not right now. If you listen to what I have to say, between us we can bring down the skorpion suka,” Katerina sidled up to the bar and poured herself a drink.

Standing so close to this big, powerful, ruthless killer, it was hard not to shake with fear, but Katerina also felt herself becoming a little wet. There was something very stimulating and arousing about Grigori Belinsky.

“So why do you want to betray your mistress?” Grigori was no longer acting nonchalant; Katerina could tell that he was interested in what she had to say.

“Jennifer used me as bait to lure Alexi Reznik to an ambush where he was killed by my father. Then she killed my father and took over his Bratva. It was a cold, calculated and brazen move. I became immediately infatuated with her,” Katerina went over to the minibar and poured herself another gin and tonic.

“Of course at the time I was unaware that Dmitriy Yakovich was my father,” Katerina took a sip of her drink and continued.

“I became Jennifer’s Girl Friday, taking on the role that Jennifer herself had before she became Pakhan. I worshipped her and was amazed by her abilities. But she has never allowed me to be fully immersed in the business and she keeps secrets from me, thinking she is protecting me,” Katerina said.

Grigori was sitting on the couch, his long legs stretched out before him, looking a little bemused.

Katerina continued, knowing that she had only one chance to ingratiate herself with Grigori, knowing that she was playing the most dangerous game of her life.

“But that homo Peter Small she trusts like a brother. He knows protocols, procedures and secrets that I will never know. You called me a housecat and sometimes I think that’s what Jennifer thinks of me and over time I have become to resent it. When I found out that my father was in fact Dmitriy Tanas Yakovich, I realised that Jennifer had stolen my birthright and that my mother was complicit,” Katerina swallowed the remainder of her drink and poured herself another, filling a second glass with Stoli and taking it over to Grigori who took it from her.

His fingers brushed hers and as he did so she felt something like an electric shock when their flesh touched briefly.

“I know most of Jennifer’s security protocols. I have almost unfettered access to her systems and business methods and resources. I know who and where her lieutenants are at any time. I could kill her easily and take what is mine but I wouldn’t live for long before I was deposed by someone like yourself or Peter Small when he exacted revenge,” Katerina was on a roll, she could see that Grigori was intrigued.

“Anyway I have no experience in such matters. Jennifer has kept me away from what she describes as ‘wet-work’. Even if I deposed her I would soon have it all taken away from me. The High Council would never anoint me,” Katerina sat down beside Grigori.

“But with everything I know and with your resources and credibility, between us we could take everything from her. If you were to attack her Bratva and depose her and take me prisoner and reveal that I am your niece and the true heir to your brother’s Bratva there would be no reprisals. The High Council would not intervene and would likely be amused by the turn of events,” Katerina placed a hand on Grigori’s knee and squeezed it gently.

“You know the fable about the scorpion and the frog?” Katerina asked.

“Of course I know it. It is a famous Russian parable,” Grigori growled.

“Well in my version I am the scorpion not Jennifer and I don’t drown,” Katerina squeezed Grigori’s knee again.

“I know Jennifer’s escape protocols if her dacha was ever to come under attack. And in the unlikely event that she was to escape, you would use me and Katya as bargaining chips to make her surrender,” Katerina smiled evilly.

“You would let me take your mother and use her as a hostage?” Grigori sounded amused.

“She betrayed my father. Jennifer betrayed my father. I want my birthright. I want to be the next Skorpion Suka,” Katerina pressed her advantage.

“And you have this all planned?” Grigori chuckled.

“Down to a tee. It would need to happen this Thanksgiving. We have plenty of time to prepare,” Katerina swallowed her drink.

“I could take you now and torture you. Make you give up your secrets,” Grigori said somewhat dismissively.

“You could. But you wouldn’t see the look on Jennifer’s face when she realised that she had been betrayed by the woman she loves and cherishes. You wouldn’t see the look on Katya’s face when she comprehends that her own daughter is the cause of her demise,” Katerina countered.

“And I would be yours. You install me in place of Jennifer and I run her Bratva on your behalf. I would be your concubine. I am happy to accept that I can never be a Pakhan but I can be the next best thing,” Katerina mover her hand up Grigori’s thigh.

“And there would be other benefits. Wouldn’t you have me willingly share your bed rather than rape me?” Katerina’s fingers found Grigori’s penis, elongated and bloated inside his trousers.

She let go of his turgid member and arose from the couch.

She stood before him. A tall, stunning, slim young woman with jet black hair cut into a severe bob which accentuated her deep blue expressive eyes. She was wearing a fashionable business suit, her pert breasts swelling the smoky-grey satin blouse and her long legs clad in gossamer-sheer nylons extending below her short skirt. Her face was narrow, with accentuated cheekbones, a pointed chin and small nose. Her skin was pale and she wore heavy eye makeup and blood-red lipstick.

Grigori could see a lot of Katya in her but also a suggestion of his brother’s bearing.

“I think I’ll take you up on your second offer while I consider your first,” Grigori’s voice was thick with lust.

He was lightning fast, springing up from the couch, picking up Katerina in his arms and carrying her to the bed where he threw her on the coverlet.

He looked down on her as he quickly disrobed. His body was pale and completely covered by elaborate tattoos from his ankles up to his neck and down to his wrists. His flesh was hard muscle and his cock was long, elongated; almost tubular. The glans was red and wicked-looking, dripping pre-seminal fluid. Katerina could not take her eyes off it.

She started to unbutton her blouse but Grigori slapped her hands away. He leapt on the bed and straddled her, tearing open her blouse, the buttons scattering across the room. He freed her milky-white breasts and fell on them, sucking, licking, nipping and biting Katerina’s nipples as they engorged under his vicious ministrations.

Ripples of pleasure erupted from Katerina’s swollen teats. Jennifer was never rough with her. They playacted sometimes but this brute had begun to ravish her and Katerina felt herself respond exhilaratingly. She moaned as she guided his leonine head from one breast to the other as he nipped and chawed her nipples and bit into her soft flesh.

His cock was pressed against her thighs, rubbing and chafing her skin. Grigori delighted in the feel of his manhood rubbing against her silken-sheathed flesh. He pressed her down into the bed and put his mouth on hers, driving his tongue into her as he rutted against her.

Katerina tried to open her legs and Grigori felt her struggle. He broke the kiss long enough to tear off Katerina’s skirt, revealing her pubis. She was wearing white satin panties over her pantyhose and they too were snatched away. Katerina winced as the fabric dug into her flesh before her panties finally rent free.

Grigori fell on her again and crushed her lips with his. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and Katerina groaned as she felt his full weight on top of her. Her breasts ached where Grigori had assaulted them but the ache was exciting and arousing. Her hips and the tops of her thighs stung as welts blossomed where he had bruised her flesh when he ripped away her panties.

Katerina’s cunt was clammy and aching, the need to feel this brute’s saurian penis inside her overwhelming. She returned his kisses with fervour, raking her nails down his back, opening her legs and wrapping them around his hard body, pulling him to her.

She felt his cock pressing against her vulva, pushing the gauzy, translucent fabric of her pantyhose into her cloying clunge. Grigori's penis broke through the ethereal yarn and slammed into her aching vagina. His cock felt almost squamous and reptilian as it slid into her buttery quim. Her vaginal secretions eased the way for his steely phallus and he drove it all the way inside her. Despite her vaginal fluids easing its path it felt like she was being rent by a phallic spear.

The pain mingled with pleasure causing an excruciating sensory explosion deep in her vagina. His pubis pressed on her clitoris, eliciting sparks of intense pleasure as he drove her into the bed, fucking her hard and fast. She locked her legs around his waist and scissored her nylon-sheathed limbs against his tender flesh. She raked her fingernails down his back, dug her high heels into his sides and nipped his lips, encouraging Grigori to fuck her even harder.

Grigori delighted in the feel of this young woman beneath him. Her breasts pressed against his chest and he could feel that her nipples were engorged. Her cunt clung to his turgid rod, her mucus secretions easing his path as his cock drove in and out of her. She tasted sweet, she smelled wonderful and her legs fretted his flanks, her gossamer nylons eliciting waves of delight.

He felt her begin to shudder and she threw back her head and screamed as her body contorted beneath him as she orgasmed. He felt her vagina pulse and quiver, drawing his essence from him as Grigori erupted deep inside her.

He covered her mouth with his to silence her screams, driving his tongue into her as she clung to him, shaking and mewling like a wounded animal.

Katerina was in orgasmic bliss. She had never felt anything like this animalistic rapture as Grigori ravished her body. Waves of pleasure radiated from her vagina and her clitoris and her breasts as she endured the most intense and almost horrific climax that she ever experienced.

Grigori was not finished with her.

He ripped his still engorged phallus from her wet, sultry maw and rolled her over and dragged Katerina to her knees. He lifted her ass high in the air and slammed his cock back into her sopping hole. He gripped Katerina's hips and fucked her some more, slamming his crotch into her creamy buttocks, watching them jiggle, her pantyhose shimmering as he thrust in and out of her.

She cried out again as another less intense but still delightful climax engulfed her senses. Grigori ejaculated again, pulling out of Katerina’s clutching pink hole, spattering her pantyhose-sheathed buttocks with the last torrents of his spend.

When he was satisfied that he had fully sullied and defiled his pretty young niece he pushed her away from him and Katerina lay panting on the bed, her clothing torn, her nylons in tatters, her lips and breasts bruised and aching and her cunt tender and tingling, Grigori’s creamy issue running from her labia.

He rose from the bed and strode over to bar and poured two large glasses of vodka and came back to the bed to find Katerina lying on her back, her head propped on the pillows. Even with her makeup ruined and her hair dishevelled she looked beautiful, like a ravished captive princess.

He offered Katerina the drink and went to his jacket and took out his cigarettes.

“You can’t smoke in here,” Katerina looked up at Grigori with adoration in her eyes.

“I can do anything I want. Here, take this,” Grigori held out a lighted cigarette and Katerina took it.

The pungent smoke would stink out the room and she would have to pay a very costly penalty on top of the room tariff but what did she care. Money was nothing.

“Tell me more about your plan and then we will see how well you suck cock,” Grigori grinned at Katerina.

Katerina was glad that she had actually gone on a shopping spree before she came to the hotel because her clothes were ruined. But that was of insignificant consequence. She had Grigori intrigued and that was all that mattered.

When Katerina had finished explaining the rest of her plan, Grigori began to poke holes in some of her strategies and countered with ideas that worked better. Katerina knew that she had Grigori hooked when he agreed to go ahead with her proposal.

“I have another parable for you,” Grigori, said when they had finished plotting.

“I ran away from the wolf, straight into a bear. Do you know what that means?” he grinned at her a little wickedly.

“Jennifer is the wolf and you are the bear?” Katerina replied.

“Something like that. Now get your ass on the bed and open your legs. I want to fuck you again before I leave,” Grigori rose to his full height, his massive prong once again fully tumescent.

FBI Safe House, Long Island, New York – The Present

The flight from Balwyn Texas to Long Island MacArthur Airport took a little over four hours in the chartered Lear. During the flight they had gone back and forth over Michelle’s plan, sometimes arguing and sometimes agreeing on the strategy.

They agreed that for their plan to succeed they needed to somehow get Grigori Belinsky to come to a handover using Jennifer as bait. They also agreed that they needed to rescue Katya and Katerina Kuznetsova and Alice Leasingham at the same time. Once Grigori had Jennifer in his clutches he had no incentive to keep them alive.

Grigori had been stupid when he posted the pictures of the three women clinging pathetically to each other with his henchmen in the background looming over them and the video of his mercenaries masturbating over the scorpion tattoos on their ankles. Jennifer Jones had been to Katya’s cottage, which was actually a walled villa in Southold, many times and she recognised it immediately.

This meant that Jennifer, Penelope and Michelle knew where Grigori was holding his captives. The gist of their plan involved Michelle luring Grigori to the handover using Jennifer as the tethered goat while Penelope lay in wait.

Michelle took a nap and Penelope crossed the aisle and sidled into the seat next to Jennifer.

“There is one issue that we haven’t discussed but I’m sure that you have thought long and hard about,” Penelope put her hand on Jennifer's knee.

Jennifer turned to face Penelope and looked at her quizzically even though she knew what Penelope was going to say.

“You said it yourself. Someone very close to you betrayed you. Grigori Belinsky attacked you on all fronts. He attacked your dacha, he physically attacked some of your business strongholds and he cyber-attacked your business operations. Someone with intimate knowledge of these things passed him information,” Penelope looked into Jennifer’s eyes searching for a response.

There was none.

“He knew about your escape plan. You told us that he had a hit squad waiting for you when you came out of the garage. Only Peter Small and Katerina Kuznetsova knew about that and Peter died trying to defend you,” Penelope took Jennifer’s small but lethal hand in hers.

“She wouldn’t betray me. You’ve seen the pictures and the video. You know what Grigori is doing to her. Grigori has her mother. Knowing Katerina, she is offering herself to Grigori to keep him away from Katya and Alice. It can’t be her,” Jennifer’s eyes were cold, emotionless and steadfast.

Penelope knew better than to get into an argument with Jennifer so she changed the subject.

“I’ve ruined another relationship,” Penelope sighed.

Jennifer squeezed her hand.

“Jaylene and I are over. We both know it but were going through the motions. I’ll set her free when I get back to Balwyn. Jaylene needs to be in New York or LA where she can blossom, not stuck in a bumfuck city like Balwyn with a fat old tranny with a drinking problem who is close to being a washed up cop,” a single tear ran down Penelope’s cheek.

“You are not a fat old tranny. You are beautiful. I’ve known you a long time. I’ve befriended you and I know that I have betrayed that friendship more than once but I’ve always respected and admired you,” Jennifer wiped away Penelope’s tear with her fingertip.

“You know that right? I’m in the most desperate place that I have ever been in my life and who did I turn to? You: Penelope Bishop,” Jennifer leaned over the armrest and kissed Jennifer full on the mouth.

“You want me to move down the back of the plane so you two can fuck?” Michelle Dupree was awake and watching Penelope and Jennifer intently.

“Shut up granny,” Penelope smiled at Michelle.

“Pot, pot darling,” Michelle smiled back.

The pitch of the engines changed suddenly as the aircraft began to descend.

The Lear was marshalled to a quiet corner of Long Island MacArthur Airport when it landed. The pilot stuck his head out of the cockpit.

“Ten minutes ladies, then I’m outta here,” he said gruffly and closed the door.

The three women gathered their carryon baggage and made their way down the stairs and saw a black Transit van with heavily tinted windows parked on the apron next to the plane. A man in a dark suit had already unlocked the aircraft hold and was piling up their luggage on the tarmac beside the van.

“You ladies going to give me hand or are you just going to pose on the stairs like fashion models,” the man called gruffly.

He was tall, thin and had sandy collar-length hair.

Michelle, Jennifer and Penelope were hardly dressed as fashion models; they had all worn leggings or yoga pants, sensible shoes and comfortable jackets for the flight. Of course they had brushed their hair and touched up their makeup during the decent.

They looked at each other, shrugged and went to help the man unload the Lear and load up the van. Besides a single suitcase each, they had also brought a small arsenal of weaponry with them. Jennifer had brought a cache of weapons from her safe house, Penelope had helped herself to an assortment of ordnance from the Balwyn PD armoury and Michelle had her own munitions in the trunk of her car that they had retrieved from parking lot behind The Longhorn Saloon.

They were in enemy territory and had come prepared for war.

The man still hadn't introduced himself when the three women climbed into the van, Michelle sitting up front Penelope and Jennifer and sitting in comfortable seats in the rear. There was little talk as the Lear’s engines began to roar as it taxied away from the apron. The man started the van and drove to a gate in a remote corner of the airport where it was ushered through by a security guard who locked that gate behind the van.

“I’m Special Agent Jack Oliver with the FBI. Special Agent Dan Murphy of the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division sends his regards. I owe Dan a favour or three so I’m doing this off the books so to speak,” the man finally spoke a full sentence.

“This is an unsanctioned operation and I’m here only to provide transport, a safe house and limited intel. I don’t work for you and I will not be involved in any conflagration or dog-fight that you ladies find yourself in,” Jack continued.

“Think of me as liaison,” Jack turned to Michelle and smiled.

Jack was wearing Raybans and Michelle couldn’t see his eyes but his face was handsome in that chilled way that some thin-faced men have. His age was indeterminate but he had fine wrinkles in the corners of his eyes on his otherwise unblemished face that indicated he was likely in his late forties, possibly even early fifties.

He turned to face the women in the rear seats.

“Pleased to meet you Penelope Bishop. I looked you up. You have quite an impressive record with the Balwyn PD. I'm surprised you never joined the Staties or the even the FBI,” Jack quipped.

“I had a torrid relationship with a Feeb. That's as close to the FBI that I ever wanted to get,” Penelope quipped back.

“And Miz Jennifer Jones. Your reputation also precedes you. But not for the same reasons as Miz Bishop of course. You have managed to stay off our Most Wanted list but only because we can never seem to pin anything on you even though our organised crime guys are certain that you are the face behind the Russian Mob on the west coast,” Jack smiled at Jennifer in the rear vision mirror but Jennifer remained stoic.

“As for you Miz Dupree, you are an enigma. I can’t find anything about you. A woman with the same name as you was a showgirl in Las Vegas. She died in a shootout in 1985 at the Ambassador Hotel and Casino along with an FBI agent named Liam Dresser who was chasing after a suspected Soviet sleeper agent,” Jack turned sideways to look at Michelle.

Michelle just shrugged and smiled.

Whoever Jack Oliver was, he was intelligent and had done his research.

“You ladies aren’t much for talking are you,” Jack turned his eyes back to the road.

“So you girls… are you all… you know…” Jack left the question hanging but the women knew what he was implying.

After an uncomfortable silence, Michelle spoke up.

“Are we all what? Left handed? Capricorns? With Verizon?” she jibed.

“Sorry I asked. Probably none of my business,” Jack apologised.

Penelope and Jennifer just cleared their throats.

“Maybe you’ll find out if you're lucky,” Michelle said a little sarcastically and Jennifer leaned forward in her seat.

“Why don’t you just hand him your panties,” Jennifer whispered tersely in Michelle’s ear.

“I’m not wearing any; besides he’s cute,” Michelle whispered back.

The van turned into a walled estate. Jack Oliver activated a remote on the dash to open and close the formidable looking gates.

“The gates, walls, grounds and house are alarmed and fitted with motion detectors. I’ll show you the security system when I get you inside. I don’t want any trouble here. Consider the safe house your headquarters for want of a better word,” Jack said as he pulled up in the forecourt.

Two black BMW SUVs were parked in the parking court at the side of the house and Jack pointed to them when they alighted from the van.

“They are for your exclusive use. Nothing fancy, just rentals leased under fictitious names. The place is well-stocked with provisions and has a secure wifi network. There is no maid service here ladies so you’ll have to make do with looking after yourselves,” Jack quibbled as he began unloading the van.

“Do we look like we’re used to maid service?” Penelope said.

“You don’t. The other two look a little entitled,” Jack waved his hand in the direction of Jennifer and Michelle.

“I’ll take the compliment,” Penelope poked her tongue out at Michelle.

“Our girlfriend is a hokey country girl and Jennifer and I just have more class,” Michelle continued her banter with Jack.

“That may be but I like my women with a little padding on their fannies; makes for a comfortable ride,” Jack continued to unload the van as he sparred with Michelle.

“Can you two wrap up the courtship repartee and get all this gear inside so we can get down to business,” Jennifer growled.

“She’s the serious one I take it. It’s always the short young pretty ones who have the attitude,” Jack grunted as he hefted a carrybag full of longarms.

“Her red hair should be a giveaway,” Michelle couldn’t help getting in the last word.

The women got down to business and carried the suitcases, carryon luggage and the small arsenal into the house.

“Four bedrooms upstairs; take your pick. Obviously one of them is mine. Kitchen-diner, family room, formal lounge room and a study down here on the ground floor,” Jack pointed out the obvious.

The women unloaded the weapons first and laid them out in the study, loading three of the automatic rifles and placed them strategically around the ground floor, then they checked their personal handguns. Jack Oliver looked on somewhat amused as they did so. He observed that all three were proficient with the weapons they handled.

They each lugged a suitcase upstairs and rock-paper-scissored to see who got the room with the ensuite bathroom. Michelle won leaving Penelope and Jennifer with two rooms that shared a bathroom. Jack’s room also had an ensuite but that was to be expected.

Michelle had put her suitcase on the bed and was unpacking when she felt a presence behind her. Jack Oliver was checking out her shapely ass and long legs which were clad in black Lorna Jane leggings. Michelle had removed her jacket and was wearing a plum coloured Lorna Jayne long-sleeved, body-shaping top and when she turned to face him he got a view of her impressive rack. He admired her wide hips, narrow shoulders and slim waist. She had a dancer’s legs and body and obviously kept herself in shape.

“You get a good look at my ass or are you just curious?” Michelle smiled wickedly.

Jack was able to fully appreciate Michelle’s beauty. All three of the women were good looking but there was something about Michelle that fascinated him. She was clearly the oldest of the three but she had a certain charm, grace and elegance that came with her maturity. It was somewhat amazing that all three of the women had striking glacial-green eyes although he had noticed that Jennifer featured a blueish heterochromia in her left iris. His job was to be observant and he didn’t miss much. Michelle’s eyes were enhanced by heavy black eyeliner and mascara and earthy eyeshadow: her skin was alabaster white, her lips full, red and pouty, her pretty face framed by a perfectly coiffed burgundy bob.

“If I’m going to be honest with you, it’s a bit of both. I did appreciate your derriere but I’m curious about the front, if I may be so bold,” Jack was blushing for the first time since Michelle had met him.

“What?” Michelle was genuinely bamboozled.

“Well that! How do you do that?” Jack pointed to the Vee between Michelle’s legs.

“Oh that? Well close the door and come here and I’ll show you,” she gave him an amused grin.

Jack closed the door and stepped a little closer to Michelle. He could smell her perfume and see the rise and fall of her chest.

“Closer…” Michelle teased and gave a devilish smile.

Jack stepped closer until he was inches from Michelle and he could feel his heart beating faster and his breathing became irregular.

Michelle snatched his hand and placed it on her pubis startling Jack with her audacity. His natural reaction was to snatch his hand away but Michelle held it there against the lycra Vee between her legs.

“What does it feel like?” she whispered.

“It sort of feels a little like when I touch a woman down there,” Jack did not remove his hand.

“It’s called a tuck honey and it flattens the space between my legs creating a shape that I, and most men, find aesthetically pleasing,” Michelle did not remove Jack’s fingers from her crotch.

“Here, feel between my legs. Run your fingers along my perineum,” Michelle guided Jack’s fingers between her legs.

“Your what?” Jack was blushing and his heart was racing even faster.

“My taint darling. Feel it?” she rubbed Jack’s fingers along her tights between her legs.

“Oh!” Jack exclaimed.

He felt something akin to a fleshy tube encased in the sleek fabric between Michelle’s legs and he was sure he felt it move a little. Her tights glided along her pantyhose delightfully when he rubbed her there.

“I don’t wear panties under leggings or yoga pants because they spoil the aesthetic. You know; VPL. I wear pantyhose instead because they look and feel great and help hold my tuck,” Michelle was grinning because she could feel Jack unconsciously stroking her cock between her legs.

“I like pantyhose,” Jack swallowed.

Michelle could see by the bulge in his pants that he was becoming aroused.

She leaned in and kissed him full on the lips and Jack gasped at the impression of her full, pouty mouth on his. She placed the flat of her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away. Just as she did so she heard Jennifer call through the door.

“Come on Michelle, let’s get busy,” Jennifer hollered.

“I was kinda getting busy here,” Michelle whispered into Jack’s ear, nipped at his earlobe and chuckled softly.

“Coming,” Michelle called through the door and grinned at Jack whose turn it was to look bamboozled.

Michelle stepped around Jack and opened the door.

“You coming sugar?” Michelle smiled sweetly at him, keeping the door wide open.

Jack just nodded and followed her out onto the landing, unconsciously trying to hide his erection.

They all met in the lounge, drinking coffee, tapping on keyboards, staring at screens and then finally Michelle addressed the room.

“I have my message ready to send to Grigori. The gist of it is that I’ve located Jennifer and am holding her at an undisclosed location and that Jennifer realises that she has lost and is willing to cooperate if I demand that Grigori free Katya, Katerina and Alice as part of the settlement,” Michelle said.

“I’m going to ask for three million dollars and for the handover to take place at a neutral locus where neither side will have a tactical advantage,” Michelle stated.

Penelope interjected.

“Jack, you will need you to find us a rendezvous out in the open where I can camouflage myself in a sniper’s nest nearby. The nest needs to be no further away than five, maybe six hundred meters from the handover point at the most and elevated,” Penelope tapped a fingernail on her teeth.

“You can take out a target at hundred meters?” Jack sounded a little sceptical.

Penelope just glared at him.

“I told you that I’m just liaison and transport,” Jack countered.

“Aw Jack, are you really going to let three vulnerable women take on Grigori and his henchman on our own?” Michelle squeezed Jack’s knee.

Jack brushed her had away.

“Vulnerable women? Any one of you could probably kill me before I even realised I was in danger,” Jack grumbled.

“Grigori will insist on bringing a security detail. He won’t go one on one with Michelle, even with the three women hostages as bargaining chips,” Jennifer interposed.

“He knows that the last time that happened, Dmitriy Yakovich and Alexi Reznik both ended up dead,” she continued.

“I’ll need somewhere to practice with my rifle and scope too. I might be a little rusty,” Penelope added.

Both Jennifer and Michelle glared at her astoundingly.

“A little fucking rusty? My ass depends on you making the shot,” Jennifer sounded horrified.

“Nah. It’s like riding a bike. Give me an hour on the range and I’ll be able to take out a quarter at five hundred meters,” Penelope said confidently.

“Send the message Michelle. Let’s commit to this thing before we get cold feet,” Jennifer said, finality evident in her tone.

“Err, one thing Jennifer. I’m going to need to send Grigori a picture of you trussed up. I’ll manipulate the metadata so he knows the picture is recent but won’t be able to tell where it was taken. We can take it in your room dressed as you are, you look a little shabby after a long day and a four hour flight,” Michelle grinned at her.

“Shabby?” Jennifer sounded wounded but she knew that Michelle was right.

“We all look a little shabby. May I propose we all get cleaned up, change into some nice clothes and enjoy a pleasant evening together? After tonight there will be no time to relax until after we’re done,” Penelope proposed and they all nodded in agreement.

Michelle and Jennifer retired to Jennifer’s room and Michelle took pictures of Jennifer trussed up and tied to a chair looking defeated.

They all showered and changed and went downstairs, meeting in the kitchen-diner for drinks. While the others sipped cocktails Penelope investigated the refrigerator and pantry.

“Ok, as the only Texican among us I’m cooking the steaks. Jennifer will help me in the kitchen and Michelle will be in charge of the table setting and drinks,” Penelope declared having completed her inventory.

“Who put you in charge of food?” Jennifer jibed, but the banter was playful.

“Looking at that ass, Penelope is always in charge of food,” Michelle couldn’t help joining in the repartee.

“You just wish you had my ass, granny. Rumour has it that your ass has had more pricks in it that a second-hand dartboard,” Penelope retorted.

“Touché,” Michelle acknowledged that Penelope had won the verbal catfight.

Penelope took charge in the kitchen with Jennifer helping her. Michelle searched the cupboards for flatware and cutlery.

“Hey, Jackie-boy. Don’t think you’re getting waited on. Pour us all another drink and check the perimeter and activate the security system. If you’re lucky I might show more of my secrets,” Michelle said to Jack who blushed and went to do as he was told.

Jack had to admit that his initial prejudice about these women was wrong. He watched them as they went about their tasks. They were all beautiful and exuded elegance, poise and grace. They were wearing fashionable dresses, nylons and heels and their hair and makeup were perfect. They weren’t the freaks that he had imagined that they would be when he had reluctantly accepted the task. They were also professional, intelligent and calculating. He decided that together they were a formidable team.

His eyes kept being drawn to Michelle: the sway of her hips, the way her dress flickered around her thighs, her rounded ass, her ample bosom. Just listening to her southern drawl was a delight.

Also, he kept thinking about this afternoon, alone in the room with her, his hand between her legs. He shook his head and concentrated on the task at hand.

In the kitchen Penelope and Jennifer were busy prepping dinner.

“Have you given any thought to what we discussed on the plane,” Penelope finally got the gumption to bring up the subject of Katerina again.

Jennifer turned on Penelope and pressed her against the refrigerator, her face a mask of consternation.

“I don’t want to talk about that,” Jennifer hissed.

Despite the fact that Penelope was taller than Jennifer and outweighed her considerably, in that moment Jennifer was the superior adversary.

“I’m sorry honey. Look, we have had a long, fractured and tumultuous relationship but I care for you. I’m flattered that in your direst straits you came to me for help. I don’t want to see you hurt any more than you have been,” Penelope admitted.

“I’ll just shut up about it and we can enjoy our evening together,” Penelope tried to smile.

The anger in Jennifer’s eyes dissipated and was replaced by something else. She stood on her tippytoes and kissed Penelope softly on the lips. Penelope was at first surprised and then she returned the kiss but the clatter of plates being dropped on the dining table nearby bought them both out of their brief reverie.

Jennifer stepped back and cleared her throat nervously.

“Those steaks won’t cook themselves Texican,” Jennifer said coolly, smacking Penelope playfully on the ass.

Penelope also cleared her throat and went about her gastronomical duties.

Jennifer brought out salads and placed them on the dining table where she was intercepted by Jack Oliver.

“Look I know that you and Penelope have a thing going on but is Michelle currently… how do I say this? Is she in a relationship?” he whispered, a little embarrassed to be asking.

“What do you mean me and Penelope have a thing?” Jennifer breathed, a little angrily.

“Come on. I’ve only known you girls for one day but I see the way she looks at you,” Jack tried his best to cover his faux pas.

“We are what some idiots refer to as ‘frenemies’. It’s a long and complicated relationship but we don’t have a thing. As for Michelle, she’s as much a mystery to me as she is to you,” Jennifer replied nonchalantly.

“Hey, you're not sweet on her are you? You know she is one of us Capricorns too,” Jennifer tried to make light of the conversation.

“I better get the wine,” Jack swallowed and blushed a little and Jennifer smiled to herself.

They ate steaks, grilled Portobello mushrooms, baked potatoes, salads and all the fixings and drank three bottles of good Australian Shiraz, except for Penelope of course who made do with Diet Coke. The dinner conversation was mostly playful banter and war stories, sometimes embellished to make them more interesting.

“So what about you, Special Agent Jack Oliver? You don’t look like a typical FBI agent with that flashy haircut and half-decent suit?” Michelle asked.

“For most of my career I was a field agent. Spent some time undercover, did some joint taskforce stuff around the Mexican border and then they put me out to pasture working intelligence and research. Over the hill for field work I guess they thought. When I was in the field, Dan Murphy and I did a few operations together down at the border. He got me out of a few scrapes. That’s why he came to me when you ladies needed assistance,” Jack said a lot by saying a little.

“So how unsanctioned is this operation?” Penelope asked.

“Well…” Jack began to reply when Penelope interrupted.

“You went rogue, didn’t you Jack?” she said triumphantly.

“Maybe,” Jack gave them a boyish grin.

“Am I right in guessing that you have also ‘gone rogue’ as you so eloquently put it. I went rogue as a favour to Dan Murphy and you went rogue to help out Jennifer. You must really have some affection for this little lady given what you are doing,” Jack countered and Penelope blushed.

“And you must really owe Dan Murphy some big favours. But never mind the bollocks, as the Sex Pistols so eloquently put it,” Michelle interjected.

“Do you have a little lady somewhere? Maybe a law enforcement type who packs a big gun in her tailored skirt?” Michelle teased.

“Divorced. Seems us law enforcement types often became attracted to each other but for some reason find it hard to stick it out for the full ride,” Jack sighed and Penelope nodded in agreement.

The banter continued into the night. Talk of the upcoming rendezvous with Grigori Belinsky was shelved. From tomorrow onwards it would be all business. This was their last night of freedom so to speak.

When the table was cleared and the dishes in the dishwasher they went out onto the patio and drank liqueurs and smoked. Jack produced a cigarillo and made a production of lighting it up and the girls all teased him jocularly for doing so. Over dinner a bond had formed that would hold them in good stead and they went to bed with full bellies and a little lightheaded from the wine.

Bathroom sounds filled the top floor until everyone had finished their ablutions and finally the lights went out and silence ensued.

Jack was drifting off when he heard his bedroom door open and the soft patter of feet on the floorboards, pre-empted by a miasma of perfume. If he had not smelled the perfume his first instinct would be to reach for his gun.

He felt the covers being pulled back and then a warm soft body climbed into bed beside him.

“Hey…” Jack was about to say something but Michelle pressed her lips on his to silence him.

“Just say no if this isn’t what you want,” Michelle whispered.

Jack enfolded Michelle in in arms and held her close and kissed her. His hard cock pressing against Michelle’s belly told her that it was exactly what he wanted. His cock didn’t rub against bare flesh; it rubbed against the gauzy sheer fabric of her pantyhose.

“Wow! That feels amazing,” Jack gasped.

“Well you told me that you liked pantyhose so I wore them for you,” Michelle, reached down and took his cock in her hand and rubbed it on her belly.

Jack could feel Michelle’s breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples were hard and he longed to touch them.

“Is that all you're wearing… just pantyhose?” Jack swallowed.

“I dropped my negligée on the floor before I hopped into bed silly. I can’t walk around the house naked,” Michelle squeezed his cock whimsically to make her point.

They kissed again, their lips crushed together, their tongues intertwined, their breathing ragged as their lust for each other grew. Jack had almost forgotten that Michelle was a transwoman until he felt her cock harden inside her pantyhose and then he realised that his cock was rubbing against hers with only the flimsy nylon between their turgid phalluses.

It surprised him a little that he wasn’t repulsed but hadn't he been thinking about Michelle all day, ever since the incident in her bedroom. He knew then and there that she had a cock and yet he still he pursued her. He was subconsciously glad that it wasn’t an issue for him; in fact it made him desire her even more. This woman was not only beautiful and intelligent she was exotically different.

Jack finally broke the long languid kiss and pushed Michelle down on the bed. He kissed the side of her mouth, then her cheek, then he nibbled her earlobe, then he dragged his tongue slowly down her neck, licking the notch in the top of her sternum before proceeding down to her left breast.

Michelle shuddered and groaned as Jack teased her. She entwined her fingers in his hair and tried to force his mouth to her nipple but he refused to succumb and he circled her areola with his tongue then he moved onto her right breast.

“Oh, you fucker!” Michelle bucked and writhed on the bed.

Jack pressed his body against hers to keep her still, grinding his cock against her pantyhose enshrouded penis, delighting in the sensation. Only then did he take her teat in his mouth and suckle it and Michelle let out a moan of contentment as ripples of pleasure radiated from her breast. Her left breast received the same treatment and Michelle let him tongue, lap and gently bite her nipples. She let him grind his cock against hers until she was ready to be fucked.

She ripped his head away from her chest and brought his face to hers and smashed her mouth against his. She locked her gossamer-sheathed limbs around his flanks and guided his cock between her buttocks.

A moment of panic swept over Jack and Michelle sensed it. She knew that it was his first time with a transwoman and possibly had never had anal sex before.

“I’m clean, lubed and ready to go,” she whispered in his ear, putting any reservations Jack may have had to bed.

“Just fuck it like a pussy,” Michelle giggled and snagged a nail in her pantyhose, making a small hole near her sphincter.

Jack pushed his cock through the hole and his glans nestled in Michelle’s tight puckered bud.

He pushed and was rewarded with the most sensational feeling he had ever felt as his cock slipped past her snug opening into a tight spongy tunnel that seemed to knead his steely manhood as it slid all the way inside her. His scrotum pressed against her pantyhose-sheathed buttocks, her sphincter clamped tight around the base of his cock. Jack was too scared to move unless he came right there.

Michelle grazed her nylon-shrouded legs against Jack’s flanks and he shivered at the sensation of her silken-shrouded limbs rubbing against his flesh.

“You like?” Michelle smiled up at him.

“I love,” Jack whispered and began to withdraw his penis, watching Michelle’s face light up with delight.

When he had extracted his cock all the way he pushed it into her again and Michelle sighed and rubbed her legs against him a little faster, encouraging Jack to fuck her.

He did.

He began to fuck her with long languid strokes, feeling her anus cling to his cock, reluctant to let it go, then envelop his manhood in her cushy rectum as he thrust it back into her. He could feel her cock pressing against his belly, her precum smearing on his muscled abdomen as her bloated penis throbbed in anticipation of release.

Jack kissed her, driving his tongue into her sweet mouth as he drove his cock deep inside her and ejaculated, his orgasm washing over him like a sensual tidal wave. He shook and shivered with the intensity of it and felt Michelle quiver underneath him. Then he felt the warm, viscous wetness of her spend on his belly and he realised that she had climaxed too.

Michelle felt Jack’s glans pressing on her prostate as he drove his cock all the way inside her. She felt ringlets of pleasure radiate from her stretched sphincter as it encircled the base of his thick cock. She felt his lips pressing on hers needily, his tongue fluttering in her mouth, his body pressing against hers, his belly flexing against her hard cock, enshrouded by her pantyhose.

She was in sensory overload as she climaxed, holding Jack tight, kissing him deeply, scissoring her legs against him, her feet locked behind his back, as she arched her back to meet his final thrust.

“Wow! That was amazing!” Jack whispered, not wanting to wake the others sleeping on the same floor.

His cock was till buried deep inside Michelle’s tight hole, quivering now and then as the last of juices flowed out of him.

“Pretty good huh?” Michelle smiled up at him and he was overcome with how beautiful her face was lit by the moonlight streaming through the window.

“Stay inside me. Let’s do it again when you’re ready,” Michelle stoked his back with her fingertips.

Jack was ready sooner than either of them thought possible and then they went at it again until they were exhausted and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Neither of them had used the word ‘love’ but something special had begun to blossom between them. It wasn’t just the sex. They felt an attraction that transcended the physical.

Across the hallway Jennifer couldn’t sleep. The door that connected the bathroom that she shared with Penelope opened and Jennifer sensed Penelope enter her room.

“If you have come to talk more to me about Katerina forget it,” Jennifer whispered in the dark.

“I didn’t come for that. I know that you don’t want to talk about that. I just wanted to make sure that there is nothing between us; that we still trust each other,” Penelope whispered back.

“You said it yourself. I came to you in my direst straits. At the handover my life will be in your hands. That’s how much I trust you,” Jennifer replied.

“Ok then,” Penelope turned to leave and was closing the door when Jennifer spoke.

“Don’t go. I can’t sleep,” Jennifer whispered.

Penelope heard Jennifer pull back the covers and Penelope closed the interconnecting door and stole across the room to Jennifer's bed.

“I don’t want sex, I want company and comfort,” Jennifer said as Penelope climbed into the bed.

Jennifer was wearing satin babydoll pyjamas and Penelope was wearing a simple black rayon shift and nylon granny panties.

Jennifer snuggled into Penelope’s embrace and Penelope coddled her, smelling the shampoo in Jennifer’s hair and a hint of Dior Poison which was also her favourite perfume. Jennifer fit into Penelope’s body perfectly.

“You're probably right about Katerina but I still don’t wanna talk about it,” Jennifer sighed.

“Then don’t. Just lie here in my arms until you fall asleep,” Penelope kissed the top of Jennifer’s head and squeezed her softly.

“Also, I lied about the sex,” Jennifer said languidly.

Katya Kuznetsova’s cottage, Southold, Long Island

“Get upstairs now!” Grigori burst into the kitchen where Katya, Alice and Katerina were huddled together drinking coffee.

His finger was pointing at Katerina Kuznetsova.

“No! Not again! Haven't you dishonoured my daughter enough already?” Katya pleaded.

“Take me! Take me!” she begged.

“Shut up you tunnel-cunted whoremonger,” Grigori yelled at Katya.

“Don’t worry mother. I’ll go willingly. His pizzle is so small that it hardly hurts at all. Like a mouse fucking a gazelle,” Katerina stood and strode towards Grigori with all the dignity she could muster.

Whilst heartbroken that her daughter was once again going to be ravished by that hellish man, she was proud that her daughter was standing up to him and displaying grace and decorum.

Grigori winced at the slur about his pizzle and he hesitated when Katerina strode past him towards the stairs.

“Well if you are so keen to be taken Katya, I can make it so,” Grigori grinned at her.

“Uri, Ivan, you can have Katya for an hour. Do with her as you wish but don’t leave any visible marks on her face. She has just become even more valuable to me,” Grigori gloated.

“You! Get your ass upstairs,” Grigori pushed Katerina ahead of him.

In the bedroom upstairs Grigori turned on Katerina.

“Don’t you ever insult me like that again in public!” he raised his hand and Katerina backed away from him.

“I was only playing a part, my love. I only said it so that my mother and Alice will think that I despise you and I am still loyal to Jennifer,” Katerina whined.

“And now your mother is being spit roasted in the bedroom down the hallway because I had to respond accordingly,” Grigori said dryly.

“Nothing she hasn’t endured in the past,” Katerina said flippantly.

“You really are a cold bitch aren’t you,” Grigori sniggered.

“She’s as much to blame as Jennifer for the death of my father. Now do you have news?” Katerina sidled up to Grigori.

“The specialist I engaged has come through. She has located Jennifer and has her in custody and is willing to trade,” Grigori held up his phone and showed Katerina the picture of Jennifer trussed and tied to a chair.

“Excellent. But you said she and why is she willing to trade? Didn’t you offer the specialist a flat fee on delivery?” Katerina sounded a little miffed.

“The specialist is a woman of many talents. It is of no consequence to you that she is female; well that is to say that she is as much female as your former boss. I already told you about her,” Grigori smirked.

“She has upped the payment to three million dollars which I fully expected. What is surprising is that she has also asked that I release you, Katya and Alice into her custody,” Grigori added.

“No!” Katerina yelped.

“It’s a smart move by her. The High Council will hear of it and it will stand her in good stead. I will have Jennifer and her Bratva. To keep you, Katya and Alice after I get what I have demanded might seem churlish to them,” Grigori posed.

“No! The other Pakhan’s will think you weak,” Katerina countered.

Grigori’s face clouded and Katerina realised that she had gone too far.

“She’s not getting anything you stupid bitch. Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve insisted on knowing where the rendezvous is to take place well ahead of time and I’ll place it under surveillance to make sure there are no surprises,” Grigori mused.

“I’ll come with an armed escort and after I have Jennifer, Miz Dupree will be disposed of and I’ll take back my money and my women. You will help me run Jennifer’s Bratva, Katya will remain my slave and Alice Leasingham will be released with the understanding that unless she tells my version of truth, her lover, your mother, will suffer,” an evil grin grew on Grigori's lips.

“Jennifer will suffer unimaginable indignities and you, my love, will witness it all,” Grigori closed on Katerina and put his hand to her cheek and stroked it.

“But you need to keep your place. I will not have you questioning my tactics and you will keep your mouth shut in my presence when we are in public. No more pizzle jokes,” his hand flew to her neck and squeezed.

“Do you understand!” Grigori squeezed harder and Katerina nodded as best she could.

“Do you understand!” Grigori pressed his fingers into her flesh and Katerina nodded vigorously as her body began to shake from the lack of oxygen.

Grigori released her and spun her around and bent her over. Katerina put out her hands and hung onto the dressing table as Grigori, lifted her skirt, tore off her panties and ripped open her pantyhose.

His saurian penis speared her and Katerina screamed. She was unlubricated and it felt like her cunt was being ripped open by a scaly barbed lance. But her screams soon turned to moans as her vagina flooded with her juices. She pressed back against Grigori as he violated her, her orgasm erupting when she felt him drive himself deep in her womb and fill her with his scalding issue.

Katerina was wiping her bruised quim with her tattered panties while Grigori smoked a cigarette. He spoke to her now with affection.

“We will have everything we want within a day or two Katerina. Just keep playing your role,” Grigori crushed out his cigarette.

“Sounds like your mother is getting what she deserves,” Grigori smiled wickedly at the sounds coming from the room down the hall.

Katerina came downstairs to find Alice Leasingham sobbing uncontrollably. She’d had to watch helplessly while Katya was marched upstairs by Uri and Ivan. What followed could only be deduced by the sounds filtering down from the upstairs bedroom: the door slamming shut, Katya trying to fight off Uri and Ivan and her cries and screams as she did so, the banging of the headboard against the wall, Uri and Ivan laughing and grunting, Katya bawling, wailing and pleading for them to stop.

But what had horrified Alice the most was that after a while Katya’s caterwauling stopped and instead became guttural moans and grunts and sighs. These sounds accompanied by the rhythmic banging of the headboard and squeak of bedsprings.

Alice and Katya had been lesbian lovers for so long that Alice had almost forgotten that Katya was heterosexually promiscuous before they became a couple. Had Katya simply stopped fighting and surrendered or was she actually enjoying being fucked by those two ruffians? Did Katya miss having a dick inside her? Was her partner right now encouraging them to fuck her, gladly sucking their cocks, orgasming right along with them?

These thoughts were more tortuous even than thinking about Katya being held down and taken against her will.

Katerina sat down beside Alice and they held each other and cried, trying to drown out the sex noises coming from upstairs. Alice because it was breaking her heart and Katerina because she wished her mother was still screaming with pain and indignity.

FBI Safe House, Long Island, New York – The Present

“He’s taken the bait. He demands that I give him the rendezvous coordinates at least twenty four hours before the trade,” Michelle beamed.

“You can’t practice with your rifle there obviously but I know of a disused quarry where you can sight in your scope,” Jack said to Penelope.

“I’ll sight in my rifle and take some target practice this morning at the quarry, then I’ll get to the rendezvous and find a suitable nest, camouflage myself and settle in,” Penelope sounded more confident the she felt.

“How many men is he insisting on bringing with him?” Jennifer asked.

“Five,” Michelle swallowed.

“But he’s agreed to trade the hostages,” she added eagerly.

“Of course he has. He has no intention of handing them over or letting you keep the money. Penelope, you better make sure you take out Grigori with your first shot, because once the shooting starts it will be two against five,” Jennifer said coldly.

“It would be better if we had two snipers,” Michelle added looking at Jack.

“I’m sorry ladies I can’t get involved in a firefight between rival criminal gangs. I’m doing everything else I can for you,” Jack said apologetically.

“Ok. This is it. We all know the plan. Penelope you go to the rendezvous straight after you leave the quarry. Once you are nested up let Michelle know and she will send Grigori the coordinates. Jack, you can drop me and Michelle off at the rendezvous and stay clear until the handover is complete one way or the other. Even if we are successful we will probably need medical help, we are too outnumbered. If you hear nothing then we have failed and you can clean up here and go back to the FBI,” Jennifer said.

She followed Penelope out to one of the SUVs where the longarms were already loaded in the back.

“Good luck Penny, break a leg,” Jennifer kissed Penelope quickly on the lips and then turned away and went back inside the safe house.

Jennifer knew Penelope hated being called Penny… except by those who she was very close to.

“Thanks for everything,” Michelle caught Jack by shoulder as he was about to leave.

“You can thank me properly tonight when I come back from dropping off Penelope,” Jack smiled at her.

“Maybe?” she leaned in and kissed Jack on the cheek and pushed him away.

*****

Penelope used twelve rounds to sight in her scope and then began to practice on the targets that she and Jack had put up in the quarry. Jack watched on through a spotting scope and helped Penelope adjust her aim.

Then Penelope began to practice taking out the targets in quick succession. After ten attempts the best she could do was three definite hits in eight seconds, moving from target to target after the initial kill shot.

“That’s the best I can do,” Penelope sighed.

“I have to take out Grigori with my first shot and I’m sure I can do that but shifting target and firing at this distance is difficult. Michelle will use her pistol once I take out Grigori but Jennifer will be unarmed and tied to the chair and Michelle will have to protect her while she tries to take out some of Grigori’s mercenaries at close range while I try to take out as many as possible from the nest,” Penelope sounded a little frazzled.

“You need a second sniper,” Jack said.

“Yep,” Penelope opened a canteen and sipped water.

“I saw another sniper rifle in the SUV. Do you have another set of cammo gear?” Jack asked.

“I have two of everything. I was girl scout, ‘Be Prepared’, remember,” Penelope replied.

“I’ll get the other rifle while you replace the targets. Let’s see what the two of us can do,” Jack patted Penelope on the shoulder.

“So Jack, you really aren’t going to let three vulnerable women take on Grigori and his henchman on our own,” Penelope tried to imitate Michelle Dupree’s southern drawl as best she could.

“Fuck you Lieutenant Bishop,” Jack grinned at her and headed over to the SUV.

“Better not. Michelle Dupree might get jealous,” Penelope called after him.

Rendezvous Point – Long Island, New York

“Fucking drones!” Jack whispered to Penelope.

They were about one meter apart, lying on a ridge five hundred meters from the rendezvous point. They were both wearing Ghillie suits. They had found their nest and were waiting patiently for Grigori’s surveillance team to check out the designated rendezvous.

“He’s got guys on foot checking the actual handover point too,” Penelope was looking through the spotting scope, which she had poked through a small hole in the camouflage netting covering them.

“Let’s just hunker down and lie still until they leave. He can keep those fucking drones flying right up until the designated handover time so we might as well try to get some sleep,” Jack whispered.

Michelle and Jennifer were elated when Jack called and told them he had good news and bad news. The good news was that he was joining Penelope in the sniper’s nest. The bad news was that Michelle would now have to drive herself and Jennifer to the rendezvous.

“There is no bad news,” Michelle smiled.

Michelle and Jennifer ate a decent dinner and slept in comfortable beds while Penelope and Jack ate dry rations, drank water and pissed into bottles whilst lying on the bare ground in their snipers nest that night.

The next morning at the appointed hour Grigori Belinsky and his mercenaries arrived in two SUVs. He was in the lead vehicle with three henchmen. The second vehicle accommodated two mercenaries in front and Katya and Katerina Kuznetsova sat in the back with Alice Leasingham. All of the women were handcuffed. Grigori and his mercenaries were wearing combat body armour and carried machine pistols.

Michelle Dupree stood beside Jennifer Jones who was handcuffed and tied to a chair. Jennifer’s ankles were also shackled. Grigori was aware that Jennifer had used a similar ruse to take out his brother-in-law and his best friend so he was taking no chances. The mercenaries exited the vehicles first and one of them went over and checked that Jennifer was securely trussed. Michelle was wearing a sidearm in a holster rig and a ballistic vest but there was no sign of any other people or weaponry. As agreed, Michelle was on her own with Jennifer.

The five mercenaries formed a protective circle around Michelle and Jennifer and Grigori alighted from his SUV and went back to the other vehicle and dragged the three women out of the back seat.

“I don’t see any money,” Michelle said levelly, addressing Grigori.

Grigori opened the rear of his SUV and grabbed a suitcase filled with banknotes totalling three million dollars, as agreed.

“You check the money and I will check Miz Jones,” Grigori threw the suitcase at Mitchell’s feet.

“I don’t have a clear shot. What about you?” Penelope whispered to Jack.

They were both looking through Vortex Optics Viper PST scopes mounted atop Mk 13 sniper rifles.

“Not yet. Grigori keeps moving. Remember the plan. Whoever gets a clear headshot on Grigori takes him out while the other takes out the mercenaries,” Jack whispered, although there was no chance that Grigori or his henchmen would hear them from this distance.

Grigori lifted Jennifer’s chin and stared into her cold green eyes that were filled with both hatred and resignation.

“I’m going to chain you to a wall in my basement and fuck you every day. I’m going to keep you for amusement and let my men use you whenever the urge takes them. When you are worn out and so psychologically damaged that you no longer amuse me I’m going to take my time and torture you to death so slowly and painfully that you will beg me to kill you,” Grigori grinned evilly into Jennifer’s face.

Michelle pretended that she had no interest in what Grigori was saying to Jennifer and checked the bundles of notes in the suitcase.

“I’ll check the other women now if you don’t mind,” Michelle said and Grigori nodded, showing no interest.

His plan was to take out Michelle Dupree as soon as the transaction was completed. He would keep the cash and Jennifer Jones. Katerina would work for him as his assistant because her knowledge of the inner workings of Jennifer’s Bratva was invaluable. But as soon as his men had mastered everything that Katerina knew he would dispose of her. She was beginning to annoy him already.

Alice Leasingham would be released because she was law enforcement and Grigori had no wish to attract the attention of any of the law enforcement agencies. Alice would keep her mouth shut because he would keep Katya alive and Alice would do anything to protect Katya.

“Can I say goodbye to Katerina?” Jennifer asked.

“Sure, why not,” Grigori grinned and beckoned for Katerina to approach and he uncuffed her.

Katerina sidled up to her boss and lover and Jennifer looked up at Katerina with adoration in her eyes.

“I surrendered myself to save you,” Jennifer said, tears running down her cheeks.

“You’re a fool Jennifer,” Katerina smiled sweetly at Jennifer.

“I’ll watch while you are raped and tortured. I will celebrate your death,” Katerina spat.

“Why?” Jennifer pleaded.

“Simple. Because you killed my father. I never got the chance to meet him because of you and Katya,” Katerina spat into Jennifer’s face and strode away.

At that moment Katerina confirmed what Jennifer had reluctantly come to believe was the truth and what Penelope had tried to convince Jennifer of. Katerina was the insider and her betrayer. She wished it wasn’t so but Jennifer knew deep inside herself that Occam's razor applied: the simplest explanation is most likely the right one. Jennifer was actually a little proud of Katerina. Jennifer had deposed her boss and taken his Bratva for herself and now Katerina was doing the same thing to Jennifer.

“I have the shot. Go! Go! Go!” Jack hissed excitedly.

He had the crosshairs of his scope trained on the centre of Grigori Belinsky’s forehead. He pulled the trigger and saw Grigori’s head instantly become enveloped in a pink mist of blood, brain and bone.

Penelope had her crosshairs trained on Katerina Kuznetsova’s forehead and Jennifer screamed as she witnessed her former lover’s head snap back as the bullet from Penelope’s rifle shattered Katerina’s skull.

Jack and Penelope quickly shifted target and began to systematically take out Grigori's henchmen but it was impossible to take out all five at once despite their rapid fire. Michelle pulled her pistol out of her shoulder rig and aimed at a mercenary who had trained his weapon on Jennifer Jones. She got two shots away as she dived on top of Jennifer, shielding Jennifer with her body.

Michelle killed the mercenary but not before he put a round into Michelle’s shoulder.

“Man down,” Jack hissed through gritted teeth.

Penelope had seen the mercenary shoot Michelle but the wound was not fatal. Michelle lay on top of Jennifer, protecting her while she kept shooting.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Grigori Belinsky and Katerina Kuznetsova were dead, his five mercenaries lying in the dust and Michelle Dupree was wounded. Katya and Alice were hugging each other and howling like banshees. Katya had just witnessed her daughter’s death and was inconsolable.

“Get off me Michelle. You're not exactly petite you know,” Jennifer was still tied to the chair, lying sideways on the ground with Michelle lying on top of her.

“Stop whining,” Michelle got up gingerly, nursing the gunshot wound to her right shoulder.

She untied Jennifer and removed the ankle restraints and handcuffs. Jennifer was covered in dust from the rocky ground and it looked like some of Michelle’s blood had stained her clothing. Michelle tried to help Jennifer to her feet but Jennifer was having trouble standing. It was then that Michelle saw the gunshot wound to Jennifer’s abdomen which was leaking blood in a steady stream.

Penelope and Jack had sprinted to the rendezvous site checking to make sure that all of Grigori’s men were dead. One of the men got to his feet and began to limp towards the SUVs and Jack raised his sniper rifle and sighted it on the man’s back.

“No! Let him go,” Jennifer called out, kneeling in the dust.

“I need him to spread the word that Grigori Belinsky is dead and that I am still alive,” Jennifer explained as the man drove away in a cloud of dust.

Jack dropped his rifle and unclipped the first aid bag from around his waist and went straight to Michelle, his face a mask of concern.

“Are you ok babe?” he kissed Michelle briefly and then held her at arm’s length so he could inspect her wound.

“Mine is a flesh wound. Jennifer is hit bad,” Michelle winced with pain.

“Oh god no!” Penelope snatched the first aid bag from Jack and kneeled down beside Jennifer who was now lying on her back.

She ripped open Jennifer’s top and saw the entry site in the lower right side of Jennifer’s abdomen. She tore open a wound dressing and put it over the puncture to stem the flow of blood. The wound was not squirting blood, it was a steady trickle so no arteries had been nicked which was a good thing but the wound was still serious.

Penelope remembered her DRSABC training. The ‘D’ for danger had been eliminated because Grigori was dead. Next it was ‘R’ for response. She lightly shook Jennifer and looked into her eyes to measure her level of consciousness.

“Are you ok?” Penelope asked, the concern in her voice almost too painful to listen to.

“Did you hear Jack Oliver call Michelle ‘Babe’? Am I missing something?” Jennifer quipped, despite her pain.

Penelope smiled. All of Jennifer’s faculties were intact.

“Ok ladies. Let’s get the fuck out of Dodge. Leave the bodies, just take your weapons. I’ll bring the van around, Penelope you drive the SUV,” Jack had put himself in charge and nobody argued.

Katya was kneeling next her daughter’s body weeping uncontrollably and Alice was with her trying in vain to console her.

“We’re taking Katerina. She gets a proper burial,” Jennifer winced as she was finally able to get to her feet and stand unaided.

Jack drove the Transit van with Michelle sitting beside him the front. She rested her head on his shoulder, her right arm in a sling. Katya and Alice had been uncuffed and were in the back, Katya kneeling over the body of her daughter, still crying and Alice was also bereft.

Except for Penelope, no one was exactly sure how Katerina had been killed. It was assumed she had caught a round to the head during the crossfire.

Penelope drove the SUV with Jennifer sitting beside her. Jennifer had refused pain relief and demanded to be given her phone.

Grigori Belinsky was an old style Pakhan who singlehandedly ran his criminal empire. They had cut the head from the snake and his Bratva would be rudderless as his captains fought amongst themselves to take control or simply deserted, fearing retribution from Jennifer.

Jennifer’s Bratva was successful because she used modern management techniques, empowering her lieutenants to act on her behalf, free to use the delegations she gave them. She tapped away on the phone ordering her men to use their initiative to take out key elements of the Belinsky Bratva and take back Katya’s villa.

Jennifer finally allowed Penelope to administer pain relief and she slipped in and out of consciousness. Penelope drove one-handed, holding Penelope’s hand in the other. Jennifer finally succumbed to the medication and dozed, her head resting on Penelope’s shoulder.

“I love you,” Penelope whispered and smiled wryly.

The van and the SUV careened into the forecourt of the safe house. Penelope leapt from behind the wheel and assisted Jennifer out of the passenger seat and into the house where Jennifer lay down on the couch.

Jack and Michelle herded Katya and Alice inside, despite Katya trying desperately to cling to Katerina’s body. Michelle took them upstairs and put them in her room.

“The bathroom is through that door. Use my toiletries and take any of my clothes that fit you. I know that you are both bereft but you will feel better once you have cleaned up,” Michelle said authoritatively.

She came downstairs to see Penelope fussing over Jennifer who was still tinkering with her fucking phone.

“I’ll have a doctor here soon to treat me and someone will come and collect Katerina. Katya’s cottage has been retaken. Grigori's men had already fled. My lieutenants report his Bratva is already crumbling,” Jennifer sounded jubilant.

“Give me the fucking phone and lie down and rest,” Penelope snatched the phone from Jennifer’s hands.

“Ok mom. Can I at least have a drink?” Jennifer smiled at Penelope.

“You know you shouldn’t drink in your state,” Penelope said reproachfully.

“Fuck it! Let’s all have a drink and celebrate our victory. I’ll just have Coke of course,” Penelope relented.

“It was a partial victory. We lost Katerina,” Jennifer glared at Penelope meaningfully.

Jennifer’s doctor came not long after a cohort of Jennifer’s men had arrived and took up defensive positions around the safe house. Jack wasn’t pleased about it but Jennifer insisted that it was temporary measure. Insurance just in case some of Grigori’s men found the gumption to mount a reprisal.

Katerina’s body had been taken away by undertakers to be prepared for burial in a plot at Katya’s villa.

The doctor treated Jennifer’s wound and declared that it was a through-and-through and not life threatening. He gave her painkillers and antibiotics and said he would contact Jennifer’s doctor in Portsmouth to provide follow up treatment at her dacha.

Jennifer had already arranged for a cleanup crew to prepare her dacha for her return. With Peter and Katerina both dead she had no one to do her busy work.

The doctor examined Michelle’s wound which luckily for her was merely a bullet graze to her shoulder and would heal quickly. Jack had fussed around Michelle while the doctor attended to her.

Everyone was now carrying sidearms just in case Grigori’s men did turn up but no one really believed they would.

Penelope took Alice aside and led her to one of the upstairs bedrooms.

“I will arrange to have your furlough extended for compassionate reasons. Katya is going to need your support,” Penelope said.

“I don’t think I’ll be going back to Balwyn except to pack up. I’m leaving the PD and moving in with Katya. She needs me more than ever now,” Alice said quietly and turned to leave the room.

“I don’t think I’m going back either,” Penelope whispered to herself because Alice had already left the room.

Penelope went over and opened the window to let in some fresh air. She was standing that way with the lace curtains billowing around her when she heard Jennifer enter the room and she turned to face her. Penelope unholstered her weapon and placed it carefully on the table.

“Do it quickly. At least give me that,” Penelope was crying softly.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jennifer approached Penelope.

“You know it was me. I deliberately took out Katarina at the rendezvous,” Penelope began to shake and she lowered her head in shame.

“Yes. And I know why you did it,” Jennifer replied.

“You did it to protect me. You did it because otherwise I would have had to kill Katerina myself and you knew that it would break my heart to do so but that it had to be done,” Jennifer took Penelope in her arms.

Penelope wrapped her arms around Jennifer and held her close, still sobbing.

“You did it because you love me,” Jennifer whispered in Penelope’s ear and then she kissed Penelope on the lips.

Jennifer Jones’ Dacha, Portsmouth New Hampshire – Three Months Later

Jennifer opened the door to her inner sanctum and found Penelope Bishop sitting at the desk that once belonged to Peter Small. They were both wearing navy blue Prada skirt suits, Christian Louboutin high heels and sheer flesh-toned nylons.

As predicted, war had erupted in Ukraine and the High Council were focussed on the conflict. There was lots of money to be made by the Balkan Bratvas. The council were amused that Jennifer had beaten Grigori Belinsky. They did not know that Teodora Petrović had sent Michelle Dupree to help Jennifer nor would they care if they found out.

Jennifer was busy consolidating her Bratva. The Israelis had attempted to overthrow Jennifer’s operations in Las Vegas while she was weakened but when Jennifer was triumphant they were willing to negotiate a truce.

Uri Bokarev had made a pact with the Israelis, offering them ten percent of any profits Jennifer’s Bratva made, but behind the scenes Jennifer was consolidating her hold on the criminal element in Nevada and was confident she would soon be in control of most of the construction, food and beverage, sex industry, garbage collection, and vending operations. Uri Bokarev was working with Katya to bring in more girls to work the casinos and brothels.

Katya was still mourning the loss of her daughter but was blissfully unaware that Katerina had betrayed Jennifer and her own mother. Alice Leasingham was using her forensic computer skills to commit credit card and online banking fraud as a sideline to Katya’ people smuggling operations and of course Jennifer took her commission.

“I’m still trying to get my head around this stuff,” Penelope pointed to the computer screen in front of her.

“Nonsense darling, you are doing an amazing job,” Jennifer leaned down and nuzzled Penelope’s neck.

“Come into my office and we can get to work,” Jennifer said.

“Your office is too close to our bedroom and I can see that you have that look on your face,” Penelope replied.

“I think you are becoming a little too much like Peter was; all work and no play,” Jennifer pouted.

“By the way, Michelle and Jack have accepted our dinner invitation this evening,” Penelope offered by way of compensation.

“I think that Dupree woman has thoroughly corrupted that poor man. He left the FBI and is working with her now I believe,” Jennifer sniffed.

“How outrageous! That someone would leave their position in law enforcement and join up with a female criminal mastermind is unforgiveable,” Penelope smirked, rising to her feet.

“I forgive you. Now come into my office or I’ll be forced to bend you over that desk and give you a spanking,” Jennifer leaned in and kissed Penelope full on the lips.

“You’d try but I outweigh you and I’m taller,” Penelope came out from behind the desk.

Jennifer took Penelope’s hand and they walked into Jennifer’s inner sanctum together.

Penelope did not yet have a scorpion tattoo on her left ankle but she was thinking of getting one.

The End

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