I didn’t bother undressing as I stepped into the shower, knelt down beside her, and lifted her head to look at her face. She was a mess of bruises, cuts, one eye swollen shut, busted lip. I shook my head as her one good eye opened to look at me. “Have fun?”

The very smallest trace of a smile touched her swollen and bleeding mouth.

“God girl, when are you going to learn?” I started removing her clothes. I was using my fingernails to slice the clothes instead of trying to work her out of them. When I peeled her blouse back I saw them. She had two bullet holes in her chest and one in her stomach. There was a deep knife slash across her left side along with a deep cut on her left arm.

I couldn’t imagine what kind of situation Kitcha had got into where she received this much personal damage. I managed to get her clothes off and was washing her down to remove all the blood still leaking out when Sonya opened the door. “Bring her to the bed or we can do this on the floor. I work best laying down holding them when it’s this bad.”

Sonya was in the bedroom that didn’t have blood all over the bed. She was shedding clothes when I stepped out of the shower carrying Kitcha. It was then Kathy stepped in. Taking in the situation she grabbed a half dozen towels and began drying off Kitcha and wrapping towels around her naked body.

“Thanks Kathy.” I headed to the bedroom with Kitcha in my arms.

Kathy pulled her cell phone. “Spencer, I have a couple naked women in here. No men in the suite.”

“Okay, I’ll cover the door until you give me the all clear.” He was shaking his head and smiling thinking he had already seen one of those women in there when she was naked. And they didn’t come any finer.

Sonya was on the bed on her back. “Nova, lay her on top of me and let me hold her.”

As I gently laid Kitcha on top of Soyna, she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. Sonya grimaced as her arms squeezed Kitcha tighter. “Nova, those bullets have to come out. I can control her pain and her blood. She won’t feel it.”

Kathy was standing beside me. “What do you need?”

“Nothing.” Using the nails on my little fingers because they were the smallest, I slid my nails into the bullet holes, dug my nails into the bullets one by one
and pulled them out. Immediately the bullet holes started closing up.

Sonya cried out in pain. “oooooooh”

Over the years I had seen healers work. None ever got this intimate with their patient and none could do the things I was seeing Sonya do. Their healing always took days or weeks not seconds. Kitcha could suppress pain, it was what her kind did as they wadded into fights. Her body could also re-generate over time. With as much damage she sustained it would take her a week or more left on her own. If my own re-generative powers were as slow and weak as hers I would have died many times over the centuries. Sometimes I wish I had. Living so long had a few drawbacks.

Sonya was screaming in pain. “AAAAAAAHHHHH”

Kathy didn’t know what to do. I reached over and took her hand. “Sonya is absorbing Kitcha’s wounds and pain. It’s what healers do. They know when a person is really damaged it means a lot of pain for themselves and yet they still do what they can. They are the bravest of all of us. I don’t envy them.”

Long minutes later, Sonya looked up at me. She was wiped out. “nova” came as a whispered breath.

Reaching down, I lifted Kitcha, walked around to the other side of the bed where Kathy had already pulled the sheets back. Laying her down, I kissed her on the forehead. “You crazy little nut. When are you going to learn? How many of them did you take on this time?”

Kathy was watching as I pulled the sheet and covers over Kitcha. Returning to the other side I lifted Sonya up. Kathy pulled the sheets back and we did the same for Soyna. I leaned down and kissed Sonya on the forehead. “Thanks Sonya, get your rest. I’ll bring a huge protein drink for both of you when girls wake up.”

“Huntress…” Sonya reached up with her left hand and put her fingers on my cheek before letting it fall back on top the covers. She was asleep doing her own re-generation. I slipped her arm back under the covers.

Kathy had tears leaking out of her eyes. “Human’s don’t deserve to live in the same world as mutants.”

Taking her in my arms I hugged her close. “Kathy, we are human too so that would eliminate us also. There is good and evil in all of us. We try to hold onto a majority of good but evil is like a disease, always there, always ready to take hold if possible. Don’t let this dig too deeply into your soul or it will eat you alive. You, Brent, all the rest are doing your best to make the world a little better for others. It may not seem like it but how many have time, freedom, and pleasure they wouldn’t have if you weren’t there providing meals? How many have a home, family, a life because you and Brent gave them jobs? You’re no different from Kitcha, Soyna, Eva, or any of the others.”

“Give this one some thought. Someone’s life you saved because they were here enjoying themselves with a great meal and friends. They weren’t murdered by some gangbanger because they weren’t at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Kathy sniffed and then pushed away from me. “Thanks Nova. I never thought of it like that. You’re one of a kind. I wish I had you as a friend when I was growing up.”

That one got me tickled. “It would have been an elderly neighbor, kid type relationship. Hon, I looked like this long before you were born.”

Very unlady like, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand as she sniffed again. “Yeah, but it still would have been great.”

Kathy headed back to her office while I looked for some dry clothes. The linen on the bed with Kitcha’s blood all over it needed to be put in the washer before it dried.

Spencer was still guarding the door as Kathy stepped out. “Everyone’s decent now. Thanks for guarding the door.”

“For you ladies, any time.” Spencer didn’t need to go in and check so he walked with Kathy as far as her office.

Her phone was ringing. Kathy picked it up. “Garden Club.” “This is her.”

She listened for a little bit as her face grew more solemn. “You can’t do that! There is no way we can pay off the loan in three days. I see.”

She stared at the phone as she held it out away from her. Tears started leaking out of her eyes.

“Kathy?” Spencer wasn’t sure what was going on but it obviously had something to do with money.

“The bank is calling in our loan. We have three days to pay it off.” She dropped into her chair letting the phone drop on the floor, laid her head down on her arms on top the desk and started bawling.

Spencer headed back to the suite to let Nova in on the latest.

“CRAP!” I was hot after Spencer told me what the Committee’s new plan of attack was. “Okay, this is one avenue of attack I didn’t think of. Spencer you have one of those fresh throw away phones handy? I don’t need anyone listening in on my conversation.”

Both of us headed back to Kathy’s office. She wasn’t there. I could hear her sobbing in Brent’s office. We headed on down the hall. Kathy wasn’t in too good of shape to be answering questions and Brent didn’t look much better.

Brent shook his head as Spencer and I walked in. “Sorry Nova, after all you did for us we lost.”

“Like hell you say! How much is your loan?”

“What?” Questions and doubt was in Brent’s expression and his eyes.

“How much do you owe the bank. It’s a simple question.”

“Uh, two million, seven hundred thousand, nine hundred and forty dollars.” Brent still didn’t understand what Nova wanted.

Kathy had managed to turn the tears off although her face was a wet mess.

I held out my hand. “Spencer, phone please.”

He put a vinyl sealed phone in my hand. I quickly dialed a number.

”Attorney Clark’s office.” Was the pleasant cheerful voice on the other end.

“I must speak to Rhonda Clark right now. This is Jodi down at the Garden Club and it is very very urgent.”

“Hold and I’ll see if she’s available.”

I put the phone on speaker phone and seconds later my phone spoke back to me. “Jodi, what are the bastards trying now?”

Yep, that was Rhonda ready to slay a few dragons for Kathy. “The bank called in the loan on the club…,”

“SHIT!” Came over the ether before I could complete my train of thought.

“Get a copy of the loan, get a copy of what is owed, make sure the amount they quote if paid in the next three days is what they accept on the note. I don’t want them adding in interest everyday and refusing the payment. Get back to Kathy on her phone. I heard a double click when I called you. I’m betting your phones are tapped. Don’t call back on this phone as I don’t want them tracing and listening in. How soon can you do it?”

“Give me an hour at least.”

“Good enough. Thanks Rhonda, I’m sure Kathy and Brent will let you know how much they appreciate this extra work load tossed in your lap.”

She laughed. “Oh they are going to pay and pay. Dinner for me and some of my friends for five different nights. I’ve tried to get reservations and was told the club was booked solid for the next month.”

Now it was my turn to laugh. “You didn’t give your name before you asked for reservations did you? As intelligent as you are I thought you understood how to work the system. Okay, we have a deal. You’ll have your table anytime you want.”

“I’m on it.” The phone went dead.

“Kathy, while Rhonda is doing her job you need to do yours. I need the name of your bank, the name of the person who called in your loan, and a copy of the loan agreement.”

She sniffed as she wiped her eyes. “He didn’t give me his name.”

“Redial the number on your phone and find a name for us to work with.”

“Nova?” She was looking into my eyes.

“I’m not going to kill him.” Yet, I thought to myself.

“Okay” She headed back to her office, Brent by her side.

Minutes later, all of us in her office, she found what she was searching for in her file cabinet. Looking over the loan agreement Brent was fifty one percent owner and Kathy was forty nine percent. Someone in that bank was working for the Committee. He would call in the loan and sell for pennies on the dollar to a shill working for the committee. The Committee would own the club, their homes, their cars, everything except the clothes on their back, free and clear, lock stock and barrel for a couple hundred thousand.

As we waited for Rhonda to call back I questioned Brent and Kathy about the deliveries, the good and not good things they noticed about any of the help. I asked about the cost of the utilities, anything to keep their minds off the earlier call.

Forty one minutes later Kathy’s phone rang and she darn near jumped out of her chair expecting more bad news. She knew the bank call was probably known by all their suppliers now. The Committee would make sure of that. No one would ship anything without being COD, cash on delivery.

It was Rhonda. “I have everything Jodi asked for. I’m sending a fax now.”

The fax machine came alive and started printing. Looking over the pages, Rhonda faxed to us, I ground my teeth. Bastards were asking for four thousand dollars to do the paperwork above what they wanted to pay off the loan.

“Spencer you have a fresh phone? I don’t trust this one since I called Rhonda.”

“Last one.” He handed me another phone.

“Hopefully I won’t need any more after this but never can tell. Be a good Boy Scout and always prepared.” I was removing the wrapping.

“I prefer to be a Navy Seal and always expect the unexpected.”

“I searched your background, Kid. You were a Navy Seal discharged honorably with half a dozen medals. Okay time to get serious.” Punching in a whole lot of numbers I put it on speaker.

“Bonjour Banque de Tigress.” (Hello Bank of Tigress.)

“ Bonjour Madame, je m’ appelle Contessa Sophia deRoma. Je souhaite parler a Contessa Antanasia Dobrescu, s’il vous plaît.” (My name is Contessa Sophia deRoma. I wish to speak to Contessa Natanasia Dobrescu.)

“Ne quittez pas, Mdame, un instant s’il vous plait.” ( Don’t hang up, madam, one moment please.)

“Roma mon amour quell honneur dois-je cet appel?” (Roma my love, what honor do I owe this call?”

“Parle moi l’Anglais s’il te plaît” (English please Natanasia)

Very beautiful laughter came across the distance. “Roma, what are you up to now?”

“Need a transfer of funds. I’m going to send you a fax with all the information on it. One will have attorney Rhonda Clark’s data. You are to contact her for transfer of funds. The other is the amount I need.”

Punching in the numbers on Kathy’s fax machine I laid the papers on the tray and tapped enter. “Coming your way now.”

“While I wait for the transmission are you going to tell me how you been and what you are doing?”

“Natanasia, I’m on a job. Don’t want to share a whole lot of information over an unsecured line.”

“Ouch! What is the count up to now Roma? Can I expect you when this job is finished?”

“No. I’m going to be hotter than hell. Lot of big players in the game.”

“Damn it Roma you’re going to get yourself killed one of these days. Who then is going to call me up and ask for…, SHIT! You aren’t serious?”

“As a heart attack. Natanasia, the interest will be four percent.”

“On this. Crap Roma, why don’t you ask for my first born and slit my throat while you’re at it? This is an unsecured loan according to the papers you faxed. What is their present lender…? My god, and you call me a crook. Eighteen percent? How did they keep up with that kind of percentage? They sell drugs, rob banks, own government printing presses?”

“Natanasia, you know I love you.”

“Eight percent Roma, nothing less.”

“Three percent and this isn’t up for negotiations.”

“I thought you said four?”

“I did but you want to change the game plan. Okay, four percent.”

“Damn you Roma, you’re going to be the death of me one day.” There was a heavy sigh. “I’ll get in touch with their attorney and see how she wants the funds transferred. You owe me big time girl. A long long vacation, you and me on a deserted island.”

“Natanasia, you know I’m not that kind of woman.”

“I know but a girl can dream can’t she. Hugs and kisses, Darling. Stay safe. My life would be dull without you.”

“Love you too, Natanasia. Another time.”

“Can’t wait.” Came over the phone dripping with sarcasm. There was silence as the phone went dead.

“Nova?” Brent was staring at me.

“Natanasia is going to buy your loan and hold it for four percent straight interest. Everything has to go through Rhonda so there are no foul ups. That damn Committee has more twists and turns than a rattlesnake. We will have to wait and see if this is the last of their ugly surprises.”

Kathy, Brent, Spencer looked like they had been hit by a big bucket of dumb ass from the looks on their faces. I slapped my hands together. “Okay, it’s time to put on the cocktail dresses, get ready for the evening crowd, and make sure all our customers stay happy.”

Leaving them standing there I headed for the suite to change into a dress and heels. Not my favorite kind of clothes. Maybe I should have been born a male instead of female? Oh well.

The next morning around seven, Kitcha and Sonya came down to breakfast in the club. Both looked back to normal. Kitcha was her sex kitten self again. Sonya was sex in a dress. And both looked like they had been sharing more than healing energy. I guess what they had done to get that look could be called healing? I knew Kitcha was bi. I guess with her special healing powers, Sonya probably had to be to get close to everyone. Kathy, Brent, Spencer, and Ken had come in minutes earlier. Jeff, Will, and even Harold managed to wander in minutes later. This place was going to need to open up for breakfast if the crowd kept growing. Heading to the kitchen after taking everyone’s order, I assigned myself as the interim cook since JoAnn and her morning crew wouldn’t be in until nine. Fifteen minutes later Eva came in, put on an apron, and was playing waitress. Just in time as I sent out a dozen eggs, two pounds of bacon, a pound of ham, a dozen pancakes, and a dozen hot buns left over from yesterday reheated in the microwave. Pete and JoAnn would have had a cow if they had seen me microwave anything but hey, I can accept some modern conveniences.

After calls for food stopped coming back to the kitchen via Eva, we both settled down at the table to eat breakfast ourselves. “Kathy, have you heard back from Rhonda yet?” By now everyone had heard the story one way or another so I didn’t figure it was any big secrete.

“No. Nova…, I don’t know what to say. Brent and I can’t thank you enough.”

“No thanks needed. Just doing the job you hired me for.”

About that time Kathy’s cell phone started ringing. Nervously she looked at it hoping it wasn’t more bad news. “It’s Rhonda. This is Kathy…, You what! They did! It’s settled then? Thank you Rhonda. Love you.”

Kathy laid the phone down on the table and took a slow look at each one of us. “The lady, Nova talked to bought our loan. She floated the loan back to us at four percent straight interest.”

She focused in on me. “Payments are deferred for six months if necessary. It’s a twenty year loan and we can pay it off early without any penalties. Nova…,” Kathy started crying too hard to finish.

Brent had tears in his eyes as he looked from Kathy to me. “Yeah, me too, thanks Nova.”

I shrugged, this was getting a little deep for me. “You’re both welcome.” I got up and started gathering up plates and silverware. JoAnn was going to skin me alive if her kitchen was a mess when she came in. Eva and Kitcha finished cleaning up what I couldn’t carry.

We unloaded everything in the dishwasher and I switched it on. The commercial dishwasher would take about four minutes to program in for the first load of the day.

Eva and Kitcha closed in on either side of me. It was Kitcha who spoke first. “When we leaving?”

“Still some heavy hitters I am going to settle up with. What did you get involved in to get so chewed up last night? How many were there?”

She gave me her little girl ‘who me’ look. “What makes you think it was any of those you’re…”

“Don’t mess with me Kitcha. I know you better than you know yourself. I was around a long time before you ever got out of diapers.”

She gave me a big Cheshire Cat grin. “Well there were five of them at a party playing cards, drinking, and screwing women.”

“And the women?”

“Didn’t harm nary a hair on the head of any of them.” She gave a shrug. “Wouldn’t have had any problems except the women were in the road. I had to work with the guys using the women as shields. Slowed things down.”

Eva tentatively raised her hand. “I have a confession.”

“Oh crap! Tell me you didn’t.”

“I went out last night after Kitcha came in.”

Putting my hand over my eyes, I shook my head. “And?”

“I know what that shipment is you received. I’ve worked with you before. I conned Spencer into opening up the security room and the file cabinet. I didn’t even wake the guy when I tapped him. The second one in the house next door had already fled. Left in a hurry from the looks of the way things are flung all over the house. They need to put better locks on their doors.”

I gave each of them this is my law look. “Kitcha, I wish you would stay out of this. But knowing you, please be careful. Eva, no more. Hon I love you and you aren’t built for this. Your re-gen powers aren’t good enough to save you if you take a massive hit such as multiple stab wounds or a large caliber bullet. I’m grateful, I thank you, but no more. Okay?”

“I didn’t do it only for you, Contessa. I did it for these kids who are struggling to make their dream come true. They gambled their life this club would work out. The idea some assholes sitting in some high rise office drinking whiskey and smoking cigars believed it was theirs, really pissed me off.”

“Okay, you did it for Kathy and Brent and you got your share of blood. Now, no more. I’m not going to say I’m not glad all of you came but this isn’t your fight. Do we have an understanding?”

Eva nodded her head.

“Good. The end of next week, all of us need to be gone. The government spooks will descend on this town like locusts. Their one game is to find and kill those like us. With the final blood bath I finish this with, they won’t leave any stone unturned.”

“Huntress?” Eva was looking into my eyes.

“They assassinated Jenna. I’m going to return the favor. Four dead cops and their captain is not going to set well with those in government. Starting today, anytime any of you feel like the net is closing in, run.”

=================================================

Twelve o’clock rolled by us, the restaurant was dealing with an overflow crowd. When I walked into the barroom it was full. It seemed the beer drinking crowd had figured out they could stop there, order from the limited menu offered to our drinking crowd and be just as well served. Although not all of those customers were happy about the situation. The normally obnoxious boisterous, drinkers who considered themselves ‘real he men’ were being crowed out by more family groups. Harold and the others weren’t letting in any under twenty one but it didn’t stop mom and dad leaving the kids home and coming.

“Is, everything under control?” I was leaning on the bar beside Harold who was watching the crowd.

“We are turning away two or three couples everyday who want to bring their kids along. Other than that, which I don’t think has any connection to the committee, it has been terribly quiet. Harold glanced over at Ben for confirmation. Ben gave a nod of agreement.

“Quiet is good. I’ll take that over what we had to deal with. I’m going to do some sampling.” Heading out among the tables besides listening in to the conversations at the ones I passed, I’d stop now and then to ask if they were enjoying the drinks or the meals.

Ben watched as Nova circulated among the customers. “Damn she’s good. I feel like I’m part of one big family. This isn’t a job any longer, it’s…, Hell, it’s almost like that feeling when I was a kid and we got to go on vacation.”

“Yeah. Well I don’t care where you went, the view was never as nice as what you’re looking at now.” Harold was staring at Nova’s butt and hips. She was packed in solid in that silver metallic, short dress she was wearing. That small waist of hers only emphasized all her other assets. Add in she didn’t actually walk but kind of glided like a large cat stalking prey, she was more sex packed into a dress than anything he had seen in his lifetime.

My back was to them so I reached up with my right hand as to adjust my hair at the back of my head and gave them the bird.

“God, that girl is as scary as hell.” Harold was shaking his head. He had no doubt the hand signal was meant for him.

Ben felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. “How does she know? She wasn’t looking. She is over thirty feet away.”

A waitress from the restaurant, Barbara, found Jodi in the barroom. “A Rhonda Clark came in with three other guests. Eva had us put out a table by the hanging garden. She told me to find you and let you and Kathy know.”

“Thanks Barbara, there is something I want to discuss with her. I appreciate you keeping me informed.”

Although she was visiting with the other three women, Rhonda noticed Jodi as she approached the table. “Jodi, thank you for the standing reservation.”

“The least I could do after all you have done for Kathy and Brent. Have you been waited on?”

“Absolutely. I feel like royalty in here. Your girls are charming.” She glanced around the table. “Ladies, I wish to introduce you to our hostess and manager of the restaurant. This is Jodi…?”

Rhonda hesitated, she had never heard a last name mentioned for Jodi or her twin sister Nova. It was then a small doubt circulated through her legal mind. She didn’t believe Jodi or Nova had a twin sister. She was one and the same. The story of which there was no doubt was Bolt blasted Nova. No one lived who was hit by that mutant psycho. Her eyes flashed instant recognition. Nova, was Jodi, was a mutant.

The problem with hanging around too long in a high profile position people started adding two plus two and coming up with mutant as the answer. I could see in Rhonda’s eyes she had made me. There was nothing I could do about it. If I was forced to flee, one way or another I’d make damn sure that committee was past tense.

The other three ladies at the table were waiting wondering at Rhonda’s hesitation. Rhonda turned on a radiant smile. “I’m sorry, as I was saying this is the Jodi, our hostess. And these are business associates. Jane Carmichael, Betty Logman, and Debbi Barret.”

“Pleased to met you.” Rhonda hadn’t exposed me. “Have you ordered refreshments?”

“We hadn’t decided when Selina seated us. I believe I’ll have a martini and only one. I’m still a working girl.” Rhonda answered before the others did.

Jane and Betty decided a martini was what they wanted. Debbi was studying me. “There is a wine named Bare Foot Wines. It has a nice fruity flavor and thin on the alcohol.”

“I know the one you are talking about. We have it.”

“Really!”

“Kathy and Brent spared no expense in stocking the beverages. The food can be the best in the world. I believe our chefs are the best. However if one is left wanting for a beverage the meal can only overcome so much disappointment no matter how pleasing it is. I honestly believe we have the largest variety of beverages in all of Texas.”

“Bring the bottle if you would and extra glasses for the others. I want them to taste a wine I have been bragging about for more than a year and haven’t been able to find it anywhere since I purchased that first bottle.

“As you wish. Have you ladies decided on what you would like for lunch?” I waited as the ladies opened up their menus and started looking for the items they had already picked out so they could tell me. After they gave me their orders, I thanked them. “I’ll be back with your refreshments shortly after I give your orders to JoAnn, our chef.”

Walking away I could hear them talking about me. “She didn’t write anything down.” “Will you look at that body. I’d sell my soul to have her figure.” “She must be a dancer. Ballet probably, look at how smoothly she walks. In four inch heels yet.” “If I wore those heels I’d be a cripple before the day was out.” “She sure is tall. I wonder if men find her attractive?” “Attractive? I had to bite my tongue to not ask her for a date.”

There was laughter all around the table. “Debbi, you’d bed anything wearing pants or a skirt.”

“I don’t deny it. That girl moved to the top of my list.” Debbi dipped her finger into her glass of water and stuck it in her mouth. Everyone broke out in laughter again.

Passing Selina as I headed to the club for the drinks I stopped. “Selina, I have your table.

“As you wish, Jodi.” She knew she would get the tips when the guests left after Jodi had done all the work.

The lunch menu for the four was turned in before I met Selina and headed for the club to get their refreshments. Ben filled the drink order, placing a bucket of ice with the wine, three extra wine glasses, and three martinis on a tray, along with a cork puller. A lot of the higher class restaurants had a wine waiter who carried a cork puller on his or her belt. Kathy and Brent had discussed it and decided the waitresses could do just as well.

Heading back to the table with the tray balanced by my right hand above my shoulder, this time no little speed demons tried to derail me. As I passed the waitress station I picked up a towel, draped it over my left wrist, and then picked up a wine stand to hold the ice bucket and wine beside the table. The wine stand was placed beside Debbi. I walked around the table placing the martinis. Back beside Debbi, I placed the ice bucket on the stand and retrieved the wine bottle, wiping it dry with the towel before I held it out cradled in my arm for her to read the label.

“Mademoiselle, is this satisfactory?”

Debbi looked kind of shocked as she looked at me and then the label. “uh, yes.”

“If you allow me.” Twisting off the plastic wrapper covering the cork, I screwed the cork remover into the cork. Holding it away in case Ben shook it before he put it on the tray, one swift movement and the cork popped out. It didn’t spray so we were good. When I had placed the wine glasses on the table I set a cloth napkin down first and then the wine glass upside down on the napkin.

Picking up Debbi’s wine glass I handed it to her. “Madam, if you will.”

Debbi took the glass still not sure what was going on.

“Now Madam if I may.” I poured a quarter inch of wine into the glass.

Debbi looked at me wondering what was going on?

Having been to one of the higher class restaurants. Rhonda knew what she should do. “Debbi, hold the glass up and look at the wine against the light. Now swirl it around in the glass and sniff it. Okay, now take a small sip of it. If you like it, look at your waitress and say, very good. Jodi will then fill your glass. Usually only five hundred to four thousand dollars a bottle wine get such treatment. I believe Jodi is trying to teach us a little class.”

Debbi did as instructed and looked up at me. “Very good.”

After filling Debbi’s glass two thirds full. I looked at the others. “Ladies, I believe Ms. Barett offered to share. Would any of you like me to pour a glass now?”

Jane picked up her glass and held it up. “Please.”

I poured her glass two thirds full. She looked disappointed. Rhonda stepped into the breach again. “Jane, the full treatment is only offered to the one who ordered the wine. When it has passed the test and proclaimed good then the waitress fills the glasses of those who wish at that time or she puts the bottle back in the ice and lets the guest serve themselves from then on.”

I gave a slight curtsey. “I am sorry if I disappointed you Mademoiselle Carmichael. If you wish I will bring another glass and serve you as I did Mademoiselle Barett.”

She shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I really didn’t know what to expect. I’m good. Thank you, Jodi.”

“Je vous en prie, Mesdames, votre repas vous sera servie sous peu. Voulez vous m’excuser maintenant, s’il vous plaît?” (You are most welcome. Ladies your food will be served shortly. If I may be excused.) Giving a slight curtsey, I headed for the kitchen to pick up their salads and salad dressings.

Debbi was fanning herself. “Whew, did she just lay some French on us? What did she say?”

“My French is rusty but some thing about food.” Betty was giggling as she looked at Debbi. “Sweety, think you can hold on until we had our lunch? Or are you going to run her down and drag her off into a hallway or something.”

“That girl is smoking hot.” Debbi was still fanning herself.

Six minutes later I was back carrying a large tray with their salads. The salad dressings were in covered stainless steel cups on a Lazy Susan. Normal well known names as none of them ordered anything special.

After placing their salad bowls and crackers on plates in front of them I begin lifting the covers off the salad dressings using a heavy French accent. “Blue cheese, Thousand Island, French, Caesar, Ranch, Italiano, any of you ladies wish for something different?”

“We’re good.” “I’m okay.”

“Il nous faudra environ vingt minutes avant que les repas ne soient servis. Desirez-vous autre chose?” (It will be approximately twenty minutes before your meals are served. would you like anything else?)

They looked at each other as if someone needed to translate. Nothing was said. I gave a slight curtsey and left carrying the large tray.

Debbi rolled her eyes. “Okay, that did it. No more guys. I’m strictly a one girl girl from now on. Only one itty bitty problem. How do I convince her to be one too.”

The others started laughing.

A few of the waitresses had been watching. “Are we supposed to do that?” “I don’t know.” “I haven’t ever done it that way.” “Me neither.” “We better ask before we find out that is the way wine is served and we aren’t doing it.” “I like it. Notice how everyone besides those four women are looking. They are wondering if they ask for a bottle of wine if they will get treated that way.” “Hell, everyone Jodi has served thinks they have been served by a princess. That girl oozes royalty no matter what she’s doing or what she’s wearing.” “Un huh, a burlap bag would look good on her.” “One of my tables is leaving. I better go clear it for our next customers.”

When the ladies were finished I placed the receipt tablet on the table by Rhonda and left.
She picked it up, opened it, and her head snapped up looking around for Jodi who was no where to be seen. “This is awkward.”

“What’s the problem, Rhonda? Divide it by four and we will all pay our share.” Jane was leaning over to see if she could see what their dinner had cost.

Rhonda passed the tablet over to Jane who took a look, blinked and then looked at Rhonda. “I don’t know what you have done for these people but it had to be something big.”

She passed it on around the table.

“Ladies I guess we need to dig up some cash. Eighty or a hundred sound like too much or too little?” Betty was looking in her purse. “I have a fifty.”

“I have a hundred. I’ll leave the tip. We can straighten this out later. Debbi put a hundred in the receipt case.

Watching them leave, I walked past Selina. “Okay, the table is yours. Let me know if you feel you have been slighted.”

Slighted? It was Jodi who had waited on them. And why didn’t she bring the receipt case back to the cashier and have the credit card run or make sure the cash was adequate? At the table she picked up the receipt case, opened it and stared. There was a note in English and French.

Meals are on the house. You may leave a tip if you wish. Kathy said thank you for everything. Les repas sont à notre charge. Vous pouvez laisser un pourboire si vous le souhaitez. Kathy dit merci pour tout.

Underneath that was a hundred dollar bill. All the waitresses had talked about Jodi taking over someone’s table. It seemed when she did there was always an extra large tip left.

Her phone was beeping. “This is Dr. Hanlla.”

“June, Lt. Ingram here. Did you receive that info you asked for yesterday?”

“Yes and I want to thank you for bringing it up so quickly.”

“Have some more information for you. Four more since midnight. Youngest was twenty six, oldest was forty three. One went to Baptist Memorial, two went to Mercy, and one went to Saint Mary. Your turn Doctor. By themselves they mean nothing but the age bracket and four of them around the same time is not only a red flag but a red blanket. You picked up one yesterday. What put you on to them?”

“Before I answer, do they all work for the same employer?”

“I hadn’t thought…, Damn doc you trying to take my job. I’ll get back to you.” The phone went silent.

Her nerves were screaming, run, hide, leave. June was positive The Huntress was in town and taking retribution on some one. A lot of some ones the way the body count was going up. What was the purpose? There had to be a common thread linking all of them.

Dr. Harrison found June in the ER. She wasn’t on duty only looking at the symptoms of the patients who had been coming in. She stopped and stared when she found a Kyle Samuels had arrived at four o six this morning. Cause of death, heart attack. She was going to the morgue to see if he had a puncture wound on the neck when Andy showed up.

“I remember all those stories you told me about interesting things when you were stationed in Germany. I found this was in the papers last week.” He handed her a folded up newspaper.

June unfolded it to look at a picture of a body beside a car. Blood was everywhere, the chest opened up. She speed read the article. “Person known to handle and distribute poisons was found dead this morning. Fourteen police officers, eleven Medivac personnel, seven firemen were exposed to some toxic substance and became ill before the area was quarantined and Hazmat was called in.

Why was Andy pointing this out? She looked at him with a question in her eyes.

He passed her a high resolution photograph. “Hard to make out in the newspaper picture unless you know what to look for. Look on top that car and tell me what you see.”

June didn’t need a magnifying glass to tell it was a heart. “Think anyone else has figured it out?”

He shook his head. “I doubt it. How many people have ever heard some of the people the Huntress killed, she ripped their heart out?

June was staring at the photograph. “It was speculated those people were mutants and had re-generative abilities. She was making sure that was no longer an option. My god Andy, do we dare say anything?”

“Who would we tell? Damn it June, if the government thinks The Huntress is in this city, they will kill a couple thousand people themselves trying to track her down. If they find out we have treated mutants and not turned them in, we would end up dead ourselves.”

She handed the photograph back. “This is going to exploded into a witch hunt anyway. Someone is going to figure it out…,”

“People are already saying The Huntress is in town.” Andy figured someone had already found out.

She frowned. “Rumors are all they are. Every time someone gets killed people start screaming it’s the Huntress. Pick any city around the world and when someone gets killed somebody is blaming the Huntress.”

“You think this will slide under the government radar? They will think it is another wild goose chase and ignore it?”

She glanced at the paper again. “I don’t know. If those in government had any logic or common sense approach when they do something I might be able to tell you. However the best I have ever seen them do is knee jerk reaction. They will try to kill an ant with a steam roller when the ant tried to make off with a grain of sugar.”

She didn’t tell Andy what she really thought. ‘The Huntress was in town and extracting vengeance for some reason or another. Every report of a fresh death brought hope she had finished and left again.’

=================================================

I knew time was running out for all my friends and me. Sonya needed to be warned about the coming hell the government would lay on this town if they thought I was here. I hoped she would leave along with everyone else. Life was closing in on me and those like me as modern technology and instant communications were making it harder and harder to disappear. In time I was going to face enough men and weapons I wouldn’t survive. It would take a whole lot more than those four men who assassinated Jenna. The outcome would be the same though. I would be dead and my re-generative powers wouldn’t be able to bring me back. Ah hell, I have lived too long anyway! Sooner or later everyone dies, everyone including The Huntress.

Juan Hernandez and Carlo Mota were my next targets as members of the Committee. Neither one acted as real enforcers. What they did was launder money the Committee brought in. Juan owned several franchises where money would be impossible to track. The Check and Go, What A Burger, Sack It, Gas and Get.

Carlo ran a shipping, storage, freighting expediters company, Allied Shipping and Storage, hidden deeply behind several corporations. It was four P.M when I entered where his main office was located. Several men along with the guy who was the guard gave me an appraisal after I entered and walked over to his counter. My dress suit and briefcase was all professional business. “Denise Weathers, Accra Insurance to see Mr. Carlo Mota. I have an appointment. I called a couple days ago about a missing trailer shipment of computers we insured.”

He gave me a full body scan. “Place your briefcase and purse on the counter and open them up. Mr. Mota doesn’t know why you wanted to talk to him but he agreed.”

He thumbed through all the insurance files in my briefcase and then rifled through my purse. He didn’t find any weapons or anything that could be used as a weapon. Pointing to the door down the hallway to his left he nodded in that direction. “Go on in.”

“Thank you.” I gave him a bright cheerful smile of gratitude.

There were two guards just inside the door packing heavy guns which was very obvious from the bulge under their jackets. Carlo was behind a huge desk on the other side of the room. Walking across the room I offered my hand to him. “Mr. Mota, I know you’re a busy man. I apologize for this interruption in your busy schedule. My company needed some additional data which seemed to be lacking on the original shipment invoice.”

Carlo stood up to accept my handshake and give me an appraisal. No doubt thinking about me as his next conquest in the bedroom. He was close enough. Grasping his hand, I pulled him forward where he was bent over the table and slapped his neck with my left hand. As I spun around I grabbed his intercom system off the desk and dropped it on the floor. Neither he nor his bodyguards had time to react before I was back by the door. Bringing my foot up I caught the one on the right on the side of his head as I jumped into a spin which knocked him into the one on his right. Bringing my elbow up I smashed it into the face of the one on my left and slapped him on the neck at the same time. The guy on my right hadn’t hit the floor before I slapped him on the neck.

Carlo was shouting, “Stop that bitch. Kill her.” By the time I reached the reception area. The security guard and three other men were a piece of cake. They were down and out even though two of them managed to pull their guns and put some holes in the walls.

No one outside reacted to the gunshots inside. As I was walking to my car I asked. “Am I clean?”

“Security tapes are erased. Nothing to see.” Spencer’s voice came in on the ear bud.

God, I loved working with Spencer. Life was a thousand times easier. “Many thanks. I owe you so much, I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“Didn’t I hear you tell someone, just doing my job? Well, I’m just doing my job. And you’re welcome.”

“Buy you lunch?”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Looking out into space, Spencer was grinning ear to ear.

“Sorta. The offer stands.”

“Randy’s is this little hole in the wall beer joint down on Apple and Track. Quiet, and they serve great big hamburgers and a basket of crisp fries for six dollars. The drinks are inexpensive too. Would you mind if we went to someplace like that?”

“I’d love to go to someplace like that with you Mr.” We weren’t sharing names although our transmissions should be secure. There was always a chance someone could pick them up and decode them.

“Follow me.” The dark blue Ford sedan pulled out of a parking space outside the gate of Allied Shipping and Storage.

=================================================

At One Plaza Place complex, and eleven sixteen P.M. Juan Hernandez was in his office on the fortieth floor tallying the receipts for the day. Carlo had notified everyone there was a crazy bitch out there. As no one was killed or really hurt everyone figured it was some dumb broad seeking revenge for something or another. Some of the bodyguards injuries included fractured jaw, dislocated arm, smashed nose, broken leg. Carlo figured those and the other serious injuries was punishment for letting her in. Then letting her kick their ass before leaving. Personally Carlo was glad they had their butts kicked after what she had done to him.

“Security my ass.” Security wasn’t even a challenge. Using the pass card Spencer’s team had made up for me. I walked in, over to the front security desk, reached across and pulled his head down into the desk. He was either out or too addled to be a threat after that. Walking around the desk while pulling the cap off a syringe, I gave him a lights out for the next twelve hours. The second guard was coming back from checking all the doors on the first five floors. When he turned the corner from the hallway, I kicked his legs out from under him. As he was going down I pulled his head down as I was raising my knee. While he was still moaning wondering what happened I gave him a lights out shot.

“Secure.”

“Coming in.” Spencer came in the front door as I buzzed him in. Walking around behind the desk he looked at the guy down on the floor.

“Only asleep.” I knew what he was thinking.

“Okay.” He looked at the monitors. “Two bruisers by his office door.”

“From the door to the stairs to where they are?”

“Approximately a hundred feet more or less.”

“Not a problem.” Pulling off my sneakers I set them up on the desk in front of Spencer.

He looked at my sneakers and then at me. “Wish this system had a high speed camera. I’d like to catch what you intend to do on film.”

Patting him on the back before I headed to the elevators I laughed. “Be a waste of storage data. I’m not photogenic.”

Spencer snorted. “If you say so.”

Taking the elevator to the thirty ninth floor and then the stairs to the fortieth, I waited inside the stairwell. “How do we look?”

“They aren’t asleep if that’s what you’re asking.” Came back into my ear bud.

Slowly, ever so slowly I started pushing open the stairwell door. “I think they noticed.” Spencer was watching the security cameras and gave me the heads up.

Shoving the door open, I ran like the devil was after me angling across the hall so I wasn’t a straight on target. The one furthest away managed to get two shots off. The nearest one had his gun out when I lowered my shoulder and slammed into him sending him flying like a bowling pin over into his partner. They both lost their guns as they slammed into the floor and went skidding down the hallway. Pacing them I kicked one in the head before he stopped sliding. Then the second one received a hard kick right behind his ear. They were both finished. I slapped both on the neck before I trotted back up the hallway, kicking both pistols to the other end of the hall.

The door to Juan’s office needed a key or one had to buzz it open from the other side. I didn’t have a key and I didn’t think I would be invited in. Doing a jump spin I had my leg cocked and unleashed everything I could as I plastered my foot against the door by the lock. The door didn’t fold but it did slam open. The recess for the lock in the door frame was torn out of the wall.

“What!” Juan had heard the gunshots outside his door. He was ready. He was sending lead my way as I sprinted across the room at an angle, rolled, tucked, and kicked back up and flew over his desk feet first. My feet slammed into his chest and sent him flying back out where he slammed against the glass window. It stopped him from flying out into space but was shattered and little crumbles rained down on him.

“Tempered glass. Good news when you don’t want glass shards making one into a pincushion.” I slapped him on the neck. “How we doing?”

“We have company. A police car pulled up outside. He hit an alarm when he heard the gunshots. I managed to turn it off but I was a mite too slow.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be down in a couple minutes. Don’t let them see your face if you can help it. If they can put you with this situation your time as security is finished.”

With an open window a gust was circulating though the room every now and then. The stacks of money on the desk were beginning to flutter about the room.

Spencer looked up from behind the counter and buzzed the two police officers in. He pointed to the elevators. “I was changing name plates on Dr. Carson’s office when I heard a commotion by the front desk. I think they are still up there. Fortieth floor. Hurry.” He pointed to the elevators before he got back down on his knees, counting rhythm and giving heart pumps to the guard on the floor.

The officers rushed to the elevators. One was open and waiting. Stepping inside one of them hammered the button for forty.

Seconds later I stepped off an elevator prepared to fight the police. They weren’t there. Spencer shrugged. “I think they are headed to the fortieth floor to capture the gang who busted into the building.”

“I refuse to ask how you managed to pull that one off. We’re finished here, let’s not hang around to see if they want to ask questions later.”

He was looking at the blood on the front of my hoodie. “How bad?”

“Just a scratch. Nothing to write home about.”

Spencer was shaking his head as he led Nova out of the building. He had seen gun shot wounds before. What she had wasn’t scratches. “Take you to the hospital?”

“Not unless you want me killed. Those like us live and die on our own. Hospitals are required to report gun shot victims. The police would get real excited when they received a call a gunshot victim wouldn’t let them put her under to remove the bullets. The last thing I would allow is someone lean over me with a knife while I was unconscious.”

“Nova, those bullets need to come out. The Garden has a lot of things but surgical instruments isn’t on the menu.”

“Kitcha can do the same for me what I did for her. Her nails aren’t like mine, when we get back I’ll go into the shower. Find her and tell her to bring up a fish deboning knife. If you can’t find her bring the knife yourself.”

Spencer almost turned green thinking about digging out bullets from a body. THAT was one thing he never had done. As a Navy Seal he had done a lot of things but not that.

At the back lot of the club, Spencer met me at the front of the car after he parked. “Nova, lean on me and I’ll help you.”

Putting my arm on his shoulder, I didn’t lean on him as we walked up the steps to the dock. “One of the things wrong with modern weapons is they leave those little pieces of lead behind. I liked it better when the sword was pulled back out after they stuck it in me. Arrows I could push on through. But those bullets don’t have a cord attached so we can’t yank them back out.”

“Nova…,” Spencer tried to not laugh. Her dark humor was unbelievable.

In the club I decided I wanted to use that executive elevator rather than walk up the stairs. “Bring a knife if you can’t find Kitcha.” I stepped on the elevator. There were only two ways to go, second floor or basement. I tapped the two button.

Sonya was in the suite when I walked in. Her eyes locked in on the blood on my chest. “Nova?”

“Go get some sheets and a pillow from the storage closet. I’m going to lie down on the dinning table.”

Minutes later Sonya had spread a plastic table cloth and a sheet on the table. After pulling off my hoodie I laid down on the table. Boy, did it feel good to just lay down and stop moving.

Sonya was wiping the blood off my chest as she studied the bullet holes. “You aren’t bleeding.”

“My body shuts down the blood around wounds about five seconds after getting stabbed or shot.”

“The pain? You want me to hold you.” She wiped my face with a fresh cold cloth.

“The pain receptors are turned off around the wounds. If Kitcha doesn’t get here soon those wounds are going to be healing over. They will have to be opened again to dig the bullets out if I don’t want to leave them and let my body shove them out at it’s own pace.”

“You can do that?”

“Not something I have any control over. Several times I have been shot in the back. I couldn’t reach the wounds. Took a little over a year for the bullets to work back up under the skin where I could cut them out.”

Kitcha came in carrying a couple long slender curved knives and a crochet hook. “Thought you were too fast to pick up lead poisoning.”

“Look who is talking. Get some more towels. When you start digging I’ll start bleeding again. Best we didn’t let it leak onto the carpet.”

Kathy and Eva came in seconds later. “How is she?” Kathy had walked up to take my hand and was looking at three holes rimmed with dark flesh.

“Don’t ask. I’m good, Kathy.”

Kitcha stepped up with towels. “Okay people I need some room.”

Sonya took my other hand in both of hers. “I’ll draw off what pain I can.”

“Honestly Sonya, I’m good but thank you. Kitcha, any time you feel like it.”

Kitcha started in with a vengeance digging into the first hole. The other three women shuddered and blanched. After digging with the knife she slipped the crochet hook in. “Got it.” She worked to keep the hook under the bullet and pull it out.

A couple minutes later she had it laying it on my body. “That’s one. You ready for me to go after the next one?”

“Go.”

Ten minutes later Eva picked up three bullets and dropped them into a pan. “I need to get back. A couple of the waitresses took over my job for me. You coming down later?”

Kathy’s head whipped around to look at Eva as if she was insane. “She just had three bullets dug out of her.”

“And? You don’t know what she is made of. Nova, later.” Eva left.

Sitting up I looked down at my hoodie with the holes in it. “Kathy, may I have a clothing allowance?”

Her face showed surprise as her eyes blinked. “Nova, you may have whatever you wish. Now lay down and let me get the bandages and cover those wounds.”

“Remember when that first day, I said medical insurance would be a waste? So are bandages. These will be gone in a couple hours. Kitcha would you find me a blouse and jeans? I feel kinda beat up and don’t feel like a dress right now.”

Sonya was still holding my hand. “Huntress you aren’t letting me in. Let me help.”

Reaching over I stroked her cheek. “Sonya, you have shared more pain than anyone here. I can handle this. I’ll go down to the kitchen and find some roast, potatoes, and gravy, and finish off that protein drink I picked up when Kitcha needed a boost.”

Pushing up off the table I stood up. “But first a shower.” Looking at the mess on the table I pointed to the door. “Ladies, go, I’ll take care of this after I have a shower and find some clothes.”

A blouse, underwear, and jeans were on the vanity when I stepped out of the shower. In the dinning room the mess had been removed. “Some people don’t listen.”

The evening turned out to be unusual in that nothing happened. The diners were satisfied, the waitresses were handling everything with efficiency and cheerfulness. Eva was breaking in a handsome dog latino temp as a Maitre d’ and that even seemed to be going well. JoAnn and Pete had organized the kitchen into a well oiled machine. I was so proud of both of them. They had two chefs they were training so they could have days off themselves. We no longer had missing supplies. The quality and freshness of the produce and meats we were receiving was above what the club was getting before. The accountant Kathy hired was top drawer and knew his stuff. Every penny that flowed in and out was accounted for and tracked instantly. Of course I threw him a little off when I gave Rhonda and her friends their meal and drinks on the house. Kathy informed him I was manager and could take liberties when I wanted. He complained and started calling the manager the Wild Card like the old accountant joke.

Owner of an accounting firm. “What’s two plus two?”

Prospective job hunter looking for a job in accounting. “What ever you want it to be, Sir.”

The club was running like a precision watch. It took a lot of people working their jobs to make it happen. Brent and Kathy could be proud and take some time off themselves.

Dr. June Hanlla was working late. She was on the net searching for some obscure medical news she had read when she was in Germany. It was one nineteen in the morning before she found it. She read it then printed it out. Someone was either able to steal the data or the vials from the government or they had managed to make their own. She was tired as she put it away, closed down her computer. She would tell Dr. Andrew Harrison and Lt. Max Ingram what she had found tomorrow. She looked at her watch. Tomorrow was already here. Make that today she would tell them, only later.

There were a bunch of bodies spread out on the floor still sleeping when I woke. One of those bodies included me. Kathy, Brent, Spencer, Eva, and a few more were sleeping in the suite every night. Kathy and Brent because I didn’t want them to become a target as they went home or came back to the club. I slept in the dinning room on a pad with the men. I was the closest one to the door. If things went south in the night I wasn’t climbing over bodies to get to the problem and find out what was wrong. It was then the automatic coffee maker turned on. No need of looking at the clock, the darn thing turned on at precisely six A.M every morning for the past three weeks after Kathy decided so many were staying every night, fresh coffee would help.

“Great!” I drank coffee with the same enthusiasm I drank liquor. Coffee didn’t give me a caffeine start and liquor never gave me even a slight buzz. The others were starting to rouse as I headed to the bedroom where Kitcha and Sonya were sleeping. There was a full bath attached to their bedroom. It only took me five minutes to wash my face, slip on a tee shirt, and jeans. My hair I tied off into a ponytail before I left the bathroom sans makeup.

Kitcha was sitting up in bed when I came out of the bathroom. She looked up admiring The Huntress’s stunning figure which looked even more sexy as she tried to dress down. “There is room in this bed for another person.”

“Kitcha my love, I am not geared that way as I have informed you for the ten thousandth time.”

“Hope springs eternal.”

“Hon, in your case it isn’t hope but lust.” Seems as if more than one or two of the people I associated with had the same idea. I closed the bedroom door behind me so the girls could get dressed.

Slowly most of us started gathering in the Garden dinning room. Everyone was carrying a cup of coffee and sipping on it. I waited until every one was seated. “My heartfelt thanks for the courage and labor every single one of you have invested to keep Kathy and Brent from losing everything they worked for. The Committee doesn’t have much left to hit us with unless they try and take out Kathy and Brent. It is why I ask both to keep on sleeping here for a few more days.”

Spencer gave me a serious look. “Nova…, Huntress?”

“I plan on finishing up taking care of the last of the problems with that damn Committee, tomorrow by the latest. My personal things I plan on taking care of will take place shortly afterward. I’ve already forewarned several of you to leave before this place is crawling with government…”

There was a pecking on the glass on the front door. I had sensed them when they had parked.

“I’ll get it.” Eva headed over and unlocked the doors.

“Shasta, Gail.” I watched as the two women came in. Others started pouring in behind them. Most of them I knew, others I had heard about, two of them I didn’t know. By the time they stopped coming we had fifteen extra women in that dinning room.

Every single one of them was a show stopping beauty. If the mutant gene did nothing else, one of the things it did do was change the women in way above average beauties.
Looking around at the men, from the looks on their faces I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Even the two who were dressed in black biker’s leathers were gorgeous besides being tall. One was six two with long polished auburn hair. The other was six even with long blond curly waves spreading down her back and across her shoulders like a cape. I had no doubt if I looked in the parking lot I’d see two great big Honda Gold Wing bikes. The ladies like their rides big and comfortable.

She was focused on me when I looked at her. “Hello Sue. Still partnered up with Cali I see.”

“Good to see you again, Huntress.” She gave me a soft smile.

Crystal, the Enchantress, was one of them who had come in. She stopped in front me. “Family reunions later, Huntress.”

“I take it this is about me and something all of you have agreed on?” I looked at Crystal before turning to look at all the ladies around me.

Jasmine stepped up. “Huntress, you’re making the house cleaning in this town too personal. Taking out Dagger and removing her heart is your trademark.”

Jasmine held up her hand when I started to protest. “We know why you did it. If they are a re-gen they can fix all their physical problems and be good as new again if not in a few minutes then a few days.”

The girls hadn’t come all this way to tell me they know why I killed the way I did. I waited.

“You’re through here, Huntress.” Shasta spoke up from the edge of the group.

Enchantress gave her a sharp look as she shook her head. Totally stupid to say something like that to Nova.

My eyelids closed to slits. My fangs involuntarily came out as I looked at the men in front of me. A low rumbling growl reverberated through out the room. Everyone felt it more than heard it. The feelings and scent of fear, death touched everyone. The person everyone was now staring at had changed from human to pure Huntress. An air of pure killing savagery touched the soul of virtually every single person in that room. All the normals and two thirds of the mutants felt the hair on the back of their neck stand up as chills ran down their spines. For most it was their first learning experience understanding what an enraged Huntress might be capable of. A couple of the men peed in their pants.

The Enchantress held up her hand. More than four hundred years earlier she had felt the same blood chilling emotions radiating from Nova. Her and Nova had been tracked down and cornered in a run down castle by over fifty-seven men. Never corner a wild animal! The only two to walk out was Nova and her. Crystal had managed to kill five. Hand to hand fighting wasn’t her best trait. “Easy Huntress, listen if you will before you decide how many you are going to kill before you get your way. We’re your friends not your enemy. Hear me out.”

‘Huntress?’ Looking around all I could see were men who had killed everyone in the village.

Kitcha opened her arms and slowly starting approaching her. “Nova, it’s me Kitcha. Nova?”

She took a step closer as those eyes turned to focus in on her. “Nova? Contessa, hon, you killed them all. Contessa?”

The eyes blinked. Kitcha stepped a little closer. “Naweena, you came back to save us. I love you baby girl.” The pupils changed back to normal as the fangs retracted.

Kitcha slowly wrapped her arms around Nova and pulled her in an easy hug as she laid her head up against Nova’s breast. “Welcome home, Nova.”

The men were gone. In front of me were my friends with frightened looks on their faces. Putting my arms around Kitcha, I hugged her. “I love you baby girl.”

“I’m sorry.” Wiping tears running down my cheeks I ducked my head and turned away. I was headed for the dock.

A moment later Kitcha and Crystal followed her out. Eva looked at the others. Everyone of them wondering what just happened? “It’s a long story. When Nova was born she was named Naweena. When she was growing up all the villagers thought she was strange. They could accept she might have been touched in the head. What brought things to a head was when she started running with wolf packs and talking to the animals. To them, only a demon could do what she was doing. They tried to kill her. Her parents protected her long enough for her to escape into the forest. For a couple years she stayed near the village. Ever the loving daughter, she keep her parents supplied in fresh deer, pig, ducks, geese, fruit, nuts and whatever was in season. The villagers would catch sight of her every now and then running with the wolves. Over the two winters after she was driven from the village they became even more convinced she was a demon. No one could survive in the wilderness on their own, much less a young girl.”

Everyone in the room was beginning to feel their heart rate and emotions settle back down as Eva told the story. She looked around, smiled, and continued. “Back then they didn’t measure distance in miles, marks, or meters. It was measured as here to there and everyone had their own measure of what here to there was. When The Enchantress and Nova shared this story with me, I kind of guessed Naweena was five or six miles from her village when she sensed people were dying there. Running back she was too late. A raiding party of twenty nine, what we would call Vikings, had killed the men and were finishing up raping and killing the women. She cut a deadly swath through fourteen or so before the others decided to run. The end was the same for all of them. She returned to the village to find her father dead, her mother barely alive. As she cradled her mother in her arms, her mother reached up, touched Naweena’s cheek. The last words her mother spoke to her were, I love you baby girl.”

Eva looked at Shasta. “Not your fault. Nova has been so focused on making sure the same thing doesn’t happen to those she is protecting, your choice of words were poorly chosen. When you told her she was through here it tripped the demons in her mind. She shifted to into full Huntress mode ready to kill everyone who was a threat to her family.”

Shasta looked ashamed as she shook her head. “I didn’t know.”

“No one is blaming you, Shasta. I venture to say all of us have dark places in our minds we wish never happened. The Huntress has a lot more of those than any of us. If she wasn’t so focused on protecting this family, your words wouldn’t have meant anything.”

“I don’t know about the rest of you but I need the ladies room after this.” Gale looked around for any signs pointing to the bathrooms.

Kathy pointed to the hallway leading back to the dock. Ten of the women headed off that way. The others knew they would need to do the same as soon as there was room.

Kathy stood up and clasp her hands together to keep them from shaking. “Linda is a chef we hired recently. She offered to come in early this morning and cook breakfast for everyone. Sandy and Caroll are waitresses who offered to come in.”

Kathy gave a nod with her head toward three women who were still white as a sheet. “I think this is an experience they won’t ever forget. Ladies, if you will, please, it will take your mind off what you just witnessed.”

Linda headed for the kitchen to get things going. Sandy and Caroll following to get plates and cups for everyone. Coffee would be high on the list on the first order. Kathy had clued them in they might meet a mutant but damn the number of them was mind boggling. And The Huntress…, like everyone else they had heard stories. Nothing like this though.

Kitcha and Crystal stayed with Nova as she stood on the dock looking off into the memories of her mind, tears trickling from her eyes. Neither one saying anything as they stood beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist or held her hand. What she was going through they could only guess and offer the touch of a friend. Sometimes one lives too long for the mind to handle all the memories of friends found and lost, all the evil one has seen.

Sighing, I reached out and pulled Crystal and then Kitcha into a life squeezing hug and laid my head up against theirs, each in turn. Stepping back I wiped the last of the tears away. “Thanks. One can never have too many real friends. I love both of you and owe you so much as you have each walked some difficult paths with me over the years we have known each other.”

Kitcha looked up at her tall friend as she wiped her own eyes. “We’ll always be there for you, Nova. You have done the same for us many times.”

Crystal reached out and took Nova’s hand, noticing for the first time Nova didn’t pull away first. “Ready to go back?”

When we walked back into the dinning room, everyone turned to stare at me. “I’m sorry for what I did. Many of you have worked side by side with me. Sometimes it isn’t possible for one person to do the job”

Looking over at Spencer I continued. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for several people in this room.

Kitcha squeezed her hand. “Nova, think what will happen if you do what you plan? You’re going to finish up the revenge for what the head of that Committee has done and what the police did to Jenna. What will happen to the people who will get caught up in a government sweep as they come in to find The Huntress? How many innocent lives will be lost? We all know government agents kill first and ask questions later. Hundreds, thousands and that will include mutants who had no idea your actions brought in a government scorched earth search for The Huntress.”

“Crystal and I talked it over and asked all these ladies to come and help. All of them are your friend, even the ones you don’t know have heard so many stories about you they want to be your friend.” Short little Kitcha was kinda buried between Sue and Cali who had moved in on her. I knew they were best friends. Short Kitcha and the tall girls was a mismatched trio of best friends. Personally, I figured Cali and Sue liked keeping Kitcha close as the beautiful little girl they both wanted.

Jasmine reached out to take my hand which wasn’t there. I slowly moved it back and took her hand. She smiled, she knew Nova was quick. “Too many innocent lives will be lost if you do it your way. We’ll finish up what you started. Times have changed, Huntress. We can no longer pull a sword and kill all the ones who need killing. Enchantress gave us a copy of the same list your friend Spencer gave you.”

“Is nothing sacred any more.” I looked at Enchantress.

Crystal gave a snort. “You mean besides your virginity. Not likely with the way news travels in this day and age.”