Chapter 4

Valerie screamed as Michael swerved the car into the right hand lane. Dropping into third gear, he accelerated hard and watched the headlights of the Mercedes fade somewhat in the rear view mirror.

He had not sensed the deadly intent coming from the quickly closing Mercedes but was simply moved by a gut instinct, and had taken action. The bullet meant for the driver side window smashed more or less harmlessly into the rear taillight.

Michael moved through traffic smoothly, luckily the flow of cars on the A40 was light and he was able to gather speed quickly, hoping that his pursuer would not be able to match his pace.

After slipping around an older Opel and getting back into the far right lane, Michael reached out to try and take a more active roll in foiling his pursuers.

He was surprised by what he found.

Focusing on the ever-present dark shape of the car now trying to catch up to him was not hard. However, when he reached into the cabin with his mind he found nothing but an empty hole.

'They are being shielded.'

Aoife's voice sounded soothingly in his head.

'The type of shield is very effective, but it is a two way street. While you can't influence them, neither can their handler.'

And then she was gone, leaving Michael perturbed at her 'Yoda'-like habit of popping in, providing a snippit of safe advice, and then disappearing to let him decipher the riddle.

Another shot rang out from behind causing Michael to grope for a new option out of this mess.

The off ramp was coming up for Barnard Gate. Expanding his consciousness again, he reached out to the drivers in front and behind them, sending them subtle nudges to stay out of the way or to move in directions he wished. The passing thought of simply having one or more of them slam into the Mercedes crossed his mind, but left just as quickly at the understanding how blatantly evil this would be.

He was startled to find a familiar mind trailing the Mercedes. With a small smile Michael swerved his car to the left as the car that was just there hit the brakes. Reaching out with his mind, Michael hoped Sims was up to what he had in mind.

'Sims, now don't freak out.'

"I'm going crazy," Sims said to no one in particular as he dodged between two cars trying to catch and stop the Mercedes before it got a good line on Michael.

'No, actually you're not going crazy; you're two cars behind the Mercedes and ... ahhh, there is another of your operatives in the green Vauxhall 4 cars up, good. I don't have time to explain this, just listen.'

Michael's voice laid out a down and dirty scenario that Sims was both totally against and very impressed with all at the same time.

"Sigma this is Alpha, we are coming up on the Barnard Gate exit, this is what I need you to do."

Sims talked quickly while slowing his pursuit just enough to keep pace with the Mercedes but not overtake it.

He would know in minutes whether Michael's plan had worked, or if he had just played a part in his own death.

"In about thirty seconds I'm going to do something very dangerous Valerie. I need you to stay calm."

Michael's eyes never left the road as he spoke to Valerie. Easing off the accelerator just a touch allowed the Mercedes to close the distance rapidly.

Michael watched as a car up ahead decelerated fast and made the left turn onto the off ramp.

'That would be the other of Sims' crew.' Michael thought to himself.

He scanned the mirrors one more time, hoping that his desperate ploy would work.

Sims had moved up behind the Mercedes that was now less than a car length behind Michael.

"Base, this is Alpha. Situation DIRE! Repeat: situation DIRE!" Michael said into his throat mic.

"Copy, Alpha, have your location locked, what assets are required?"

"Subject is going to attempt a snatch and grab, Epsilon is damaged, about ten clicks behind my position. We need a doc, minders and sweepers."

"Understood, Alpha. Dispatching requested personnel, now. ETA ... ten minutes to both you and Epsilon."

"Subject, Val, Sigma and I, are the only friendlies. Any other possible targets should be considered hostile."

"Support on the way, good luck, Alpha."

Michael slowed more than he needed to for the three-lane dash to the off ramp taking the Mercedes driver by surprise.

Beginning his turn early and hard, Michael was already starting his controlled slide when the front bumper of the Mercedes hit his rear quarter panel quickening the rate of his rotation just as he had hoped.

The Mercedes had to struggle with the turn to have any hope of making the off ramp.

Sims watched as Michael's Aston was hit and began its spin. Anyone watching would have assumed that, at the apex of the spin, the car would lose all traction and flip. This is what Sims and more importantly the driver of the Mercedes had thought.

As soon as the spin started Michael's hand was like iron on the gearshift. Turning his head, the already small rear window seemed miniscule. He looked through it, trying to gauge speed, distance, and the nuances of the road. He knew that his timing had to be perfect.

Turning first into the slide he applied power, slowing their rearward momentum, then just as the front end of the car aligned with the Mercedes, he turned the wheel hard over in the other direction, dropping down a gear, and driving the accelerator the floor.

The horsepower and torque abated the spin, and left the two cars careening toward the off ramp nose to nose.

Sims only had an instant to react, hoping that Michael would be able to get the timing right.

As soon as the spin stopped Michael slipped the car into neutral.

The oncoming Mercedes' front-end nudged his own, but the loss of speed in the spin and not having an opposite force meeting it made the impact far less jarring.

Still looking out the rear window Michael shifted into reverse and hoped Sims and his cohort were going to be able to get the timing right.

Sims nudged down on the accelerator pushing the Mercedes before him for a moment before its driver planted the accelerator hard intending to ram Michael's car. The Mercedes surged forward away from his own bumper, he was sure that Michael was about to be pounded.

Michael never took his eyes from the rear window, trusting, with fair amounts of hoping and intention thrown in, that Sims' partner was where he needed to be.

A second later as they exited the off ramp, crossed over the darkened street, and bounced over the retaining berm. The Mercedes disappeared in a blur of light and shrieking steel.

Sigma's car, going about fifty miles per hour, hit the Mercedes broadside, almost perfectly.

The Mercedes flipped over 3 times coming to rest on its side where it continued to rock gently for almost a minute.

Sims and his teammate were stopped and out of their cars in an instant, Sigma covering the Mercedes with his Sig556, Sims running over to Michael's ruined Aston.

"Are you all right, Valerie?"

Michael had been completely focused on the drive, of getting the other car where he needed it to be. Now that the action was over, Valerie's safety jumped back to the fore of his mind, he began almost instantly deriding himself for going on the offense when the act placed Valerie in harms way.

"I'm ... fine, but maybe next time ... Tera should drive. You and I don't seem to be having the best of luck."

Valerie's voice was stressed but also easy. Michael was relieved that she had taken the last three minutes so well.

"Are you two all right?" Sims called through the shattered windscreen.

"Oh, just perfect."

Michael quipped as he manhandled the door open and walked around the car to extricate Valerie.

Sims breathed a sigh of relief then turned back to the crushed Mercedes just as he heard the distinct sound of a Blackhawk coming in hot from the west.

"Any movement?"

"None, a few moans so it sounds like we have prisoners."

"Good work on this Clark, it could have been much, much worse."

"Base, this is Alpha: all clear. All assets in good health. Two opposition in need of EMS. You're clear to land, fifty meters southeast of my position."

"Roger, Alpha. We will be on the ground in thirty seconds. Good work."

Beneath the noise of the helicopter landing the muffled thump of first one then another gunshot echoed from the crumpled confines of the Mercedes. Sims wasn't surprised, but he cursed, just the same.

Tera was livid, in the helicopter, on the way back to the castle.

She had been in the command center when Sims' action contact had come through, and was the first person in the chopper.

'He did it again! I told him! I told him not to fucking do things like this, yet here we are, with more battered iron and dead bodies.'

As Michael, Valerie and Sims climbed into the helicopter, Tera's thoughts on the evening's action were transmitted very well to Michael, through her body language and eyes. Had they been lethal weapons, they would have left a smoldering pile of ash in his seat.

Talking to her in this moment was pointless so he turned his attention to Sims who was sitting across from him next to Tera. He was noticeably leaning away from the woman at his side. Like Michael he was not looking forward to the moment Tera found enough self-control to simply tear them each a new asshole, instead of sending them both to the infirmary, as would be the case if they got into it now.

"What will happen to my car?" Michael yelled across to Sims, over the helicopter's noise.

Pleased for the distraction, Sims smiled and yelled back.

"Dragon Security has an in-house body shop where all of our vehicles are maintained and repaired. The Aston is already on a flatbed, headed there. They do amazing work, I'm sure it will be better than new when you get it back."

Sims' knowing grin caused a similar one to appear on Michael's face.

"I look forward to seeing their shop when we get back."

Michael noticed the intense glares from both Tera and Valerie.

Sims just smiled, shaking his head.

'Poor bastard won't have any ass left, when those two are done with him, ' Sims thought.

Noticing his smile, Tera leaned over close to his face. A happy malice emanated from her eyes as she spoke.

"I'm sure Elise will be thrilled to hear of your own fun this evening, Sims!" she shouted.

Tera's wicked grin as she sat back in her seat, put an end to the conversations on the way home.

The tactical debriefing for the incident on the A40 had just ended. It was just past midnight, and everyone was beat.

All of them were due to leave for Heathrow in less than eight hours. Nigel, Millie, Sims and Elise would be traveling with Michael and his women. Another contingent would be traveling separately, with the gear. The evening's action had put most everyone behind schedule and on edge.

Everyone, that is, except Michael. His pointed questions and easy manner during the meeting, had both enraged and surprised Tera. His sometimes dark humor regarding his luck, and his self-deprecating charm, had won him many smiles and nods from the gathered operatives.

She, however, was just overwhelmed by fear. Fear of losing him, fear of him being in harms way, fear of not being there to save him when his luck finally ran out...

Walking back to the castle, she was about to explode when he pulled up short and turned on her.

"I will not be controlled by fear, Tera. I have been down that road, as you well know, and I will never revisit it. You have got to find a balance with this. I need you and Valerie both in so many ways, but it is not your job to be a martyr. We have chosen a dangerous life, my love. It is an intrinsic part of who we are, now. I will be in danger. It will be part and parcel of daily life, for the foreseeable future. Get over it. I won't run. I won't cower. I will fight."

Michael delivered the statement with firm resolution. It was not delivered as a reprimand or a dressing down, but rather as a simple statement of fact.

Tera would have preferred to be yelled at.

Valerie wrapped her arm around Tera's waist as they watched Michael walk off toward the castle.

"He is going to get himself killed," Tera whispered, fighting back the tears.

Valerie hugged her lover closer.

"He isn't that easy to kill, Tera. You have to let him be who he is, with no judgments, no preconceptions. We're his, and he is ours, for better or worse. I think that 'better' wins that balancing act, in spades."

Tera nodded and straightened, heading off in pursuit of Michael with Valerie at her side. She wondered laughingly to herself, when she had become such a girl.

The trio shared a long hot shower together, and then curled into each other's arms.

'There can be no better feeling than this, ' Michael sighed.

With that thought, he let the stress of the day, and those to come, slip away. He reveled in the simple joy of being so close to those that he loved. As was her way, Valerie had kissed his neck, whispered I love you, and had fallen quickly to sleep.

He lay on his side. Valerie was snuggled close to his back, with one arm around his waist; the other slid under the pillow, and lay under Tera's shoulder. Michael could feel the warm rise of her breasts against his back, the soft itch of her sex on the back of his butt. It was comforting to feel her heat so close to him, to have the full tactile sensation of her body wrapped around him.

Michaels arm lay over Tera where she had it trapped under her arm. His fingertips ran light circles between her breasts. Her body was hard against his chest, one of her legs splayed back over his, at the ankles. She cooed at his gentle caress.

"You were reckless today."

Tera's soft statement brought a smile to Michael's lips.

"Yes, I was."

His lips were close to her ear. She could feel his breath brush across the soft fine hairs on the back of her neck as he nuzzled her.

With a sigh Tera wound her hand in his, stopping the gentle motions across her skin which would soon lead to other more energetic motions.

"I love you, Michael."

The words were filled with emotion as she squeezed his hand gently.

Michael lay there in the dark, soon Tera's breaths deepened, matching the rhythm and cadence of Valerie's behind him. As sleep finally overtook him he was happy to lay down the weight of the day, finding comfort in the arms of those he loved.

Dawn came earlier than any of them wanted.

Michael was the first one up and around. After a quick shower, he dressed and then made sure that Valerie was actually awake and coherent. While Tera showered, Michael grabbed their bags and turned to his mussed, red headed paramour.

"I'm heading down to grab some coffee. We only have about an hour. So, you know, please rush. I know it's not nearly enough time."

Michael dodged the pillow, but took a shoe to the back as he made a hasty escape from the room.

Taking up what had become his morning spot on the steps leading down to the maze he sipped his coffee and was enjoying his first cigarette of the day when he sensed Sims and Elise approaching.

"Good morning to you both," Michael said as he turned to look at the approaching pair.

"Good morning, Michael," Elise said.

Her easy jovial tone was a stark contrast to most that he had heard since last evening's action. Michael chalked it up to her unique perspective on the present and the future.

He could sense she was excited about the coming trip. Michael was, as well; but he also held an equal measure of that simple and base fear, inherent to all who walk willingly into the unknown.

"Have you ever fired a gun?" Sims asked sitting down next to Michael.

His own cup of coffee he placed at his side, on the gray flagstones. He fished a cigarette from his nearly empty pack.

"A few times. Guns were never really my thing. I preferred to dance with someone, up close. Skill to skill with a saber or foil, as opposed to an impersonal piece of lead.

Sims nodded as he lit his cigarette.

"Come with me," Sims mumbled around his smoke as he retrieved his coffee cup and stood.

Michael smiled and followed suit. Elise just shook her head and followed behind, trying to stay out of the overwhelming fog of testosterone that had suddenly blanketed the air.

From the balcony, Tera watched the trio walk toward the barracks. She had an idea of what Sims was up to. Valerie was still lazing about in bed. Placing a gentle kiss on her forehead she quickly pulled on her jeans and a shirt, interested to see how Michael was going to take what she thought was coming.

Michael followed Sims into the barracks. Making a right, away from the offices and medical facilities, they walked down a long corridor to the large steel door at the end. Sims keyed in a pass code, the lock clicked open.

Opening the door, Sims motioned for Michael and Elise to enter.

Door closing behind him, Sims flipped the light switch.

Along the walls hung all manner of firearms, from handguns to assault rifles. It seemed to Michael that the displays held every modern firearm available.

"This is the small armory, the main one back at headquarters is about four times this size but we should be able to find you both something suitable."

Sims was pleased to be in his element, after the incident last night it felt good to be acting pro-actively instead of reactively.

"I don't want to carry a gun," Elise said.

She had stepped backwards, and was now flush with the wall. She looked a bit pale, obviously very uncomfortable to be in the room.

Michael and Sims both walked over to her.

"It's just for protection love, we would never expect you to need, or ask you to use it. But we can't know what situations you will be in. I would feel better if you had some protection."

Sims said softly wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

Michael agreed.

"Sims is right, Elise. I have very little knowledge of guns and never really wanted any. But things change, and we must be able to adapt to them. It's not an issue for Tera. Perhaps you and Valerie could work with her. She may be able to allay your fears more than we can."

Elise was surprised by Michael's willingness to carry a gun.

"You are the most gentle, selfless person I have ever known, Michael. How could you willingly carry gun with the intent to hurt someone?"

Michael moved back a step, closing his eyes, concentrating on his mates.

'Tera, Valerie, I could use some help, ' Michael thought as he reached out to his lovers with his mind.

'I will be in the armory in one minute, I saw you head that way with Sims.'

Tera thinking her response back to Michael was natural, as if they had been talking with their minds for years. Valerie was a little more taken aback.

'What time is it? Where are you? What's wrong ... hey, this is cool ... and weird.'

'I'm in the armory with Sims and Elise. Valerie, please head over this way as soon as you can.'

She answered in the affirmative. Michael broke the connection as Tera came into the room.

"Good morning, everyone," Tera's tone was light as she walked to Michael and gave him a brief kiss before turning to Sims.

"Getting everyone armed are we?"

There was a smile in her voice as she regarded Sims with an upturned eyebrow.

"I figured since we were leaving today, it would be prudent."

Sims liked Tera, but also found her more than a little hard to read.

"I agree, why don't you work with Michael. I'll take Elise, and Valerie when she gets here," Tera said.

She moved off to gather Elise and take her over to the other side of the room.

Michael was smiling at Sims as they turned to walk over to the racks.

"She can be ... daunting," Michael said with a laugh.

Sims only nodded and started pulling guns from the shelves.

The process of finding the right weapon was relatively straightforward with Michael. After looking over about ten different 9mm and .45acp options he pulled out a Beretta, a Sig and a S&W to try.

Sims, opening an ammo case, loosed the clips from each case, and began loading the weapons. He was giving Michael a crash course on each one's operation and subtleties.

Across the room Tera was not having as easy a time with Elise. Sensing Valerie enter the room, Tera felt relieved.

'Maybe she will have better luck, ' Tera thought as she waved Valerie over.

"Both Sims and myself think it would be best if everyone was at least somewhat knowledgeable about, and carried, a gun," Tera said, her impatience with Elise showing through.

Valerie was thoughtful for a moment before giving a slight nod to Tera.

"I agree. With everything that has happened over the past few weeks I think it's a good idea."

Elise was taken aback, once again, by another vote in favor of the guns.

"It doesn't make any sense! I'll never want to use a gun. There is absolutely no reason for me to get comfortable with them, or become knowledgeable about them."

Tera shook her head and turned away from the pair, trying to reign in her anger at Elise's inability to see the practicality of this.

Valerie had been around guns for years. True most were hunting weapons, but she had no base aversion to them. After everything that had happened, she was more than happy to be somewhat prepared for whatever situation may come up next.

Valerie placed a gentle hand on Elise's shoulder. Looking her in the eye for a long moment before speaking.