Chapter 16

Shortly after midnight, December 29, 2006

Radhika

All Margo’s calls were being handled by her assistant, and while Radhika didn’t recognize the caller’s phone, she knew only a select handful of people had that particular number, and wondered who would be calling at this time of night.

Answering the call, she recognized Li Kuan’s voice before finishing saying ‘Hello, Margo Grimes phone’.

And then, after Li Kuan hung up, Radhika was very busy indeed.

She ran full tilt from Margo’s office to Candy’s room.

“Emergency, drop everything. Devon will drive you. Pick up Li Kuan, alley behind the Big O’s, get her home asap. You know any first aid?”
“Yeah,” Candy replied.

“Good. You’ll need it.”

Radhika hung up, and called Dr. Mike Lowry. Getting his service, she said, “I’m calling for Margo Grimes, she needs to speak with Dr. Lowery...”.

The service was putting her through before she went any further.

“Dr. Lowry, this is Radhika, Mrs. Grimes’ assistant. We have an emergency.”

“I can get Dr. Harshaw to finish my shift, I’ll be out soon.”

Next was a stop at Karen’s suite.

“Mistress Pinard, I need you to retrieve Christine Carson from town. Li Kuan has been hurt and we need a nurse. Here’s her address, she’ll be ready by the time you get there.”

Karen was throwing on clothes before Radhika was out the door.

Then she called Christine.

“Christine, your House needs you. Pack a bag, you’ll be living out here for the foreseeable future. We’ll shuttle you in and out of town for school.”

“Wh ... what’s going on?”

“We need a nurse, your service is required. Karen will be by to pick you up as soon as she can get there.”

Radhika woke up the Culbersons, much to Earl’s consternation. She didn’t know what the situation was going to require, but knew the household’s manager needed to be there for it.

And Earl as well.

Now there was nothing to do but wait.

Li Kuan

At some point, she had wrapped a strip of her blouse around the bone sticking out of her upper left arm, but Li Kuan couldn’t remember when ... had she done it before she left the gang’s building, on the way, or once she’d hidden out behind the furniture store?

It was blood-soaked, no matter when she’d done it.

Li Kuan told herself the cold in her limbs, and her lethargy, were merely effects of her mind. If they were physical, she was in worse shape than she thought, and she had no intention of dying in the alley behind Oscar Snowden’s old furniture store.

No matter how much part of her wanted to.

“It’s not your time, Li Kuan. I forbid it.”

“As you say, Madam. As you say.”

Devon

Radhika hadn’t given her time to fully dress. She was driving in a ratty sweatshirt, jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes. Couldn’t wear her shoulder holster with the sweatshirt, it wouldn’t fit right, and Devon was sure she didn’t want police to spot her rig, and get curious. The pistol was in the front seat next to her.

“I’m afraid I don’t know where this ... Big O’s ... is. You’ll have to give me directions.”
Candy laughed.

“Yeah, you aren’t from around here. ‘If you bought anywhere else, you paid too much.’”
“Excuse me?”

“That was Oscar’s tag line in all his commercials. There’s a new business there, still an appliance store, but to long time Waterloonies, that place will always be ‘the Big O’s’.”

“All right, all fine and good, what the hell exit do I take?”

“Brazos ... get off at Brazos.”

Li Kuan

Something in the lizard part of her brain brought her out of it.

Someone was trying to creep up on her box.

She growled ... and the faint footsteps froze.

“You want to be somewhere else... now!”

Li Kuan smelled fresh urine, and listened to the intruder running away.

Then the world went dark again.

Karen

It wasn’t the fastest she’d ever driven – screaming down the highway with Harry’s bleeding ass wound had that honor – but it was close. A small part of her was thrilled to finally be putting the Mercedes through its paces.

Karen drifted through the light traffic like she was flying.

Christine was still staying with Bizoumet, in a shabby apartment complex in northwest Waterloo. Long way to go for a nurse.

The family might want to do something about that.

Li Kuan

The covering piece of cardboard was torn away, and Li Kuan recognized Candy and Devon. They were talking, and whether it was her condition, or the speed of their words, she was unable to read their lips, so she shook her head – far more vigorously than she should have – and pointed at her ear with her right hand.

And then she once again passed out.

Candy

“Devon, tell me we can go faster.”
“Not if we wish to avoid notice. I don’t know how we would explain Li Kuan’s condition, so no, we cannot go faster,” the driver replied. “Now, please, shut the fuck up and let me do my job.”

Candy had pretty much exhausted her first aid skills.

On the ‘pros’ side of the column, Li Kuan wasn’t leaking blood anywhere else Candy could find, and they were on their way to Chorale South.

On the ‘cons’ side, Candy didn’t have x-ray vision so she couldn’t see any interior injuries, Devon wouldn’t drive any faster, and Li Kuan was very pale, her skin cool and clammy to the touch. Just looking at the amount of blood where they’d found Li Kuan, she was in bad shape.

“Cop ahead, be very cool,” Devon said.

Candy leaned back and smiled, stroking Li Kuan’s head where it lay in her lap.

Karen

In the seat next to her, Christine Carson had her eyes shut, and had a white-knuckled grip on her shoulder harness.

“If we’re arrested, or wrecked, will I be able to do your friend any good?” Christine ground out through clenched jaw and tightened throat.
“Not tonight.”

“What?”

“That arrest or wrecked thing? Ain’t happening tonight.”

“Right. Just out of idle curiosity, why are you so sure?”

“You ever have one of those feelings? The kind that tell you things are going to work out because you will it so?”

“Uh, no.”

“Then you’ll just have to trust me.”

Radhika

Karen and Christine arrived first.

“Where’s Li Kuan, is she okay?” Karen said, after bursting into the foyer.

“She’s not here yet,” Radhika answered.

“She doesn’t have a goddamn maniac driving her,” Christine growled. “Can someone get me some juice or something? I’d ask for a serious drink, but I’m going to be busy.”

“Certainly,” Radhika replied, gesturing over a submissive. “Take Ms. Carson to the clinic, get her something to drink, anything else she needs. Then find a bed for her, and put her bag there.”

Radhika turned her attention to Karen.

“I gather you broke a few laws?”
“All of ‘em I could,” Karen answered, a nervous grin on her face. “I’m glad we aren’t late.”

“So am I ... I spoke with Candy a few minutes ago. They’ll be here soon, and from what she said, Li Kuan’s not good.”

“Damn, do we know what happened?”

“Not ‘officially’, but I’ve managed to put two and two together. Late night programming has been interrupted by local news. They’re all over an explosion in an abandoned building, east side of town. Big one, didn’t bring the building down, but apparently killed a whole lot of as-yet-unidentified people. One report mentioned it was a suspected hangout for a local gang. Now, here comes Li Kuan, dazed, deaf, and wounded. I trust you can do the same math I did.”

“Shit ... she went after a gang and didn’t call me?”

“You’re all insane,” Radhika replied, shaking her head.

“Guilty as charged. I’m going up to our suite. If anything else happens, let me know.”

“You don’t want to wait?”

Karen smiled, but appeared grim nonetheless.

“Shape she’s in, I’d just be in the way.”

Christine

“Where the fuck is the doctor?”

“Not here, not yet,” Candy said, as she and Devon got Li Kuan up onto one of the clinic’s two tables.

“Fuck ... Radhika! I know Madam Grimes has everyone’s blood types recorded. Find out Li Kuan’s, and get me blood donors in here! Now!“

She spoke to Candy.

“Help me get her undressed. Easier to cut off the rags I guess...” she looked around, and found scissors, turning to see Candy already at work with a boot knife. “Good. Keep your eyes open. We’re looking for any swelling. Radhika, did Madam actually get an x-ray machine, like she was talking about?”

“Yes, in the next room,” Radhika replied as she looked through the records.

“Portable or not?”

“Not.”

“Fine, once we’re through with these rags, we’re moving her. Devon, stick around, we might need your help.”

“Is there anything you need?” Earl Culberson said from the door.

“Yeah, get me some young hunky types who don’t mind the sight of blood. May need them before all’s said and done. If she comes to, we’ll need to restrain her, don’t dare sedate her, not yet.”

“On my way,” Earl replied.

Earl Culberson

Once he’d rounded up six beefy submissives, he went back to Kissie, leaving word to call him if they needed anything else.

“Honey, that Chinese woman...”
“Yes, Li Kuan,” his wife answered.

“Yeah ... she’s hurt, badly, but no one’s talking about taking her to a hospital.”

“Well, from what I can gather, she killed about twenty-five people today, maybe more, and nobody here wants her questioned.”

Earl thought he was talking, but after a moment realized he was only making inarticulate sounds deep in his throat.

“Earl, they were bad people.”

He found his voice.

“Kissie, that doesn’t matter! Was it an accident, or intentional, what?”

“Oh, with Li Kuan, I’m very sure it was intentional.”

“Then the police need to be called...”

“How long did you work in corrections, Earl? How much justice did you see?”

“That’s not the point...”

“Earl, with our in-laws, that’s precisely the point. Harry’s ex asked Eddie for help...”

“Now she’s part of the family too?”

“No, hardly. But she asked, and Eddie agreed. He was headed overseas, so he asked Li Kuan. She agreed. Justice has been served. Further than that, none of us need to know, nor worry about.”

She looked directly at him, as if she was locking eyes with him, and as always when she did so, it unnerved him.

“Earl Culberson, there are wealth of things in this life our loved ones lead that we need to keep our noses out of. This is one of them. I told you what I did because you would have been an insufferable shit about it until you found out from someone.

“Now you know. Now we do nothing ... except pray, and wait to see how we can help.”

Li Kuan

Li Kuan woke again to find herself in bed, in a room with curtains drawn. Sunlight outside, so she’d been out all night, possibly longer. Her left arm was in cast, she had IV’s hooked up to her right arm, and her limbs were securely strapped to the bed frame. Her mind was not foggy exactly, but she felt slow, and calmer than she should be, like her mind and body were sheathed in lead. Her throat felt like a desert.

Dr. Lowry came into view, and held up a small whiteboard, with “do you know who you are?“ written on it.

“Yes, doctor. My name is Li Kuan, former servant to Madame Minerva Cornelius, presently serving Madam Margo Grimes.” Her voice still sounded strange, and she could tell she was still deaf. “Water?”

A woman she didn’t recognize came around on her left, holding a plastic cup filled with ice water, and a bendy-straw. Li Kuan sucked down the whole cupful, and smiled weakly.

“So, I’m still deaf? For how long?”

Dr. Lowry nodded, and wrote something new on the board, before turning it around.
“it will take time for your ear drums to heal how long i’m not sure“

“Why am I strapped down?”

He grinned, erased the board, and wrote something else, then turned it around.
“you have a fearsome reputation. didn’t want you to pull anything loose“

“Fair enough. Now that I’m awake, are the restraints going to be removed?”

“lets give it awhile longer. don’t want you thrashing around too much during your sleep“

Li Kuan wasn’t happy with that response, but couldn’t summon the energy to argue.

“How bad am I?”

Dr. Lowry wrote on the board, taking some time, “you’ve lost a lot of blood, we’ve replaced most of it, but we’re moving slowly – don’t want any more shocks to your system.”

Li Kuan had more questions, but found herself fading into sleep.

Mike Lowry

Christine, his somewhat-trained nurse, said, “Doctor, I’m not comfortable lying to her.”
“You’re not lying to her – you’re not saying anything. I’m not lying ... not exactly. I’m just not saying everything there is to say.”

He gave Christine a rather forced smile, and walked out of the Chorale South ‘clinic’.

“I want her in a hospital!” he growled to Radhika.

“And how will you explain her condition? The FBI and Homeland are all over the blast site. Anyone showing up with her injuries is going to jump to the top of their lists. And neither you nor I can begin to guess if they’d be able to make a connection between her and the ‘bomber’, but I don’t think we should bet they couldn’t.”

“And if she dies?” he replied, trying his best to rub the tired out of his eyes.

Candy had been leaning against the wall through the exchange.

“If she dies, it’s preferable to her living, but linking this House to the bombing,” Candy said.

“You’re awfully fucking cold,” he said, glaring at her.
“I’m protecting my House!”

“Do you think you’d win this argument of Margo was here?”

“Yes,” Radhika and Candy said as one.

“Can you move a couch or a cot or something here? I need some sleep,” Mike said, giving up.

“Sure thing,” Candy replied. “Don’t worry, Doc. Li Kuan’s tougher than all of us put together.”

“And somebody call my wife, tell her where I am.”

“You sure you don’t want to call her yourself?” Candy asked.

“If I did, I would have.”

As he sat and waited for somewhere to sleep to be set up, he thought about that call.

Before the recent change in their lives, he wouldn’t have wanted to deal with Rochelle’s reaction to him being gone. The suspicions, hell, the paranoia, the anger, the snide backbiting ... but, amazing to contemplate, she was happy, and her interactions with everyone and everything reflected that.

“Cancel calling my wife. I’ll call her.”

He pulled out his phone.

“Sorry it took so long, Doc,” Candy said, as the bottom half of a bunk-bed was moved in to what Margo had thought of as ‘the waiting room’. “Had these around, just nowhere real convenient to get to.”

“You don’t have to worry about sheets or anything...”

“Madam Grimes would have my head. You want anything else? Food, drink, company?”

Mike shook his head, smiling.

“Yeah, she would have your head. Forgot for a moment who we were dealing with. Uh, yeah, something to eat, something quick and easy...”

“How you feel about a breakfast omelet?”

“Three eggs, a little onion, lots of cheese.”

“Fine, anything else?”

“Hot tea, lemon, unsweetened...” he rubbed the back of his neck.

“And a masseuse, coming up,” Candy said.

“You don’t have to...”

“Zip it, Doc. We’ve got hordes of subbies, all looking to practice their skills.”

“Fine ... but make it quick, if you would.”

A half hour later, fed and relaxed, Dr. Mike Lowry was asleep.

Jason

He was peeing in the toilet in the bathroom before he was even truly awake. Oh well, it wouldn’t hurt Kelly to miss a bladder-full.

Jason shifted over, and was staring at the bathtub. A bath would be good...

“Master, you have to get in them, along with water, for them to work.”

“Cute, Abby,” he said. “I’m just thinking...”

“Master, you’ve been thinking for at least five minutes – I’ve been watching you that long. I wasn’t sure you wanted to be disturbed. Then I realized you weren’t really awake. Let me draw you a bath.”

“Draw us a bath. Donna! Is there coffee?”

“There will be, my love,” she called from the bedroom.

“When’s our meeting with Baozhai?” he asked.

“Two this afternoon,” Abby said, adjusting the bath water.

Jason stared at her lovely ass, wanting to do many things – grab it, kiss it, lick it, fuck it ... and she was snapping her fingers in front of his face.

“Lots of coffee, Milady,” Abby called. “He’s so not awake.”

“Am too ... sorta. What time is it?”

“11:30, give or take,” Abby said, helping him into the full tub.

“Ahhh...”

The water was delightful, and he relaxed. The night before had been ... athletic.

“Do we have anything else on the schedule for today?”

“Yeah,” Donna said around a bagel, a mug of coffee in each hand as she came in. “Here,” she said, handing him a mug, then taking the bagel out. “This evening, I want to go out to eat somewhere very nice.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

Gao Baozhai’s home was on the fortieth floor of a building, and situated to give a stunning view of the bay, and Oakland beyond.

The door was opened by a naked man wearing a plain white porcelain mask covering his entire face, except for one eye.

Without speaking, he led them through the foyer, and down a hall, to a room where another naked man posed on a series of cylinders, while a woman bearing some resemblance to Madam Gao worked on a portrait.

“Dayna,” she said, putting her brush in a jar of some fluid, “it’s been too long!”

After the two women hugged, Dayna made introductions.

“Bao, this is my student Jason, his wife Donna, and their concubine, Abby. The one on her knees is Kelly.”

“Sissy, take a break, come along,” Bao said, leading them into a conversation pit in the next room.

“Sissy?” Dayna asked.

“My cousin.”

“I picked up the nickname a few years ago...” the young Asian man said, having slipped a robe on. “I periodically go through ... I’d call it a persona shift.”

“That would be a good term for it,” Baozhai agreed. “He makes a beautiful girl.”

“And according to my subbies, a stunning man,” Sissy said.

“I’d agree,” Dayna said. “So, you ever think of transitioning?”

“Oh, hell no!” Sissy said. “On occasion I contemplate ass and breast implants though. But no hormones – I like my cock far too much.”

“He wants to fuck all the people,” Baozhai said, laughing. “And he’s doing a damn fine job of it.”

Jason knew enough to realize the two cousins were lovers by the way they looked at each other.

“So,” Bao said, looking at Jason, “Grandma is dangling you as bait...”

“It feels like she might be, Mistress,” he replied.

“‘Bao’ will be fine, Jason,” she said.

“Lucky you,” Sissy said with a raised eyebrow. “You’ll make tasty bait, to be sure, but I’m wondering at the whole age thing...”

“Won’t be a problem for Leo,” Bao said. “I don’t think they come young enough for him not to fuck ... or torture. Libra ... she might say something, but only in private. She’d never speak against Leo in public.” She sighed. “Virga ... she won’t be interested in him, too young, but Donna and Abby are well within her tastes.”

“You’re kidding me with the names, right?” Dayna said.

“Nope, Nelson’s working on getting a whole set of the Zodiac ... it would be funny if it weren’t so tasteless,” Sissy replied. “There are another three at home – Aquaria, Sagitaris, and Taurus. They’re still too young to be let out in pubic. Word has it two of his sluts are currently pregnant.”

“Tasteless?” Jason said.

“The Zodiac killer, terrorized this part of the world back in the late ‘60’s,” Bao replied. “Although I’m not sure, Sissy, that he’s even considered that connection.”

“Idiot if he hasn’t ... then again, he’s an idiot no matter what.”

“An idiot whose House has remained in power for decades,” Baozhai said. “If he has a weakness, it’s his children. Far too out-of-control. If they want something, they take it, and let Daddy handle the consequences for them later.”

Jason looked to Donna, and both their jaws tightened.

Kelly

She kept her eyes shut, listening, and stayed still on her knees, refusing to show how much pain she was in, even with the knee-pads.

“The Universe is spanking you most thoroughly, is it not, Kelly?”

‘Madam, ‘ she thought, ‘how long am I going to be paying for this?‘

“I would think until you are through learning from it ... and begin teaching from it.”

Kelly resolved to think on that later, when they were back at the hotel.

Donna

As the conversation continued, Donna became more and more resolved to teach Jason and Abby some rudimentary self defense techniques. She couldn’t teach them much, and the odds were they wouldn’t use what she did teach them – nowhere near enough time to make the techniques muscle memory, but Donna would feel better if she did something. Baozhai and Sissy both were of the opinion Nelson’s children wouldn’t step too far out of line, but every time they reiterated that opinion, the stronger Donna’s feeling became that they were both in denial about just how far over the line Nelson’s brood would go.

‘They’re whistling on their way through the cemetery,’ she thought, and smiled.

“I am very much afraid they are, child. Be strong, fight hard.”

Donna hadn’t actually disbelieved Jason’s assertion Madam Cornelius spoke to him, but she hadn’t believed it either.

Until now...

She wondered how long before they could politely bring the meeting to an end.

Dayna

She wanted to feel reassured.

Nothing Bao or Sissy had said so far was doing the job.

“So, just what are these assholes capable of?” Dayna asked.

“If you want verified, proven incidents ... we don’t have any to give you,” Sissy replied. “Daddy Dickhead Nelson is far too comfortable with pay-offs and iron-tight non-disclosure deals – not legal, of course, but if the son-of-a-bitch brings down the weight of his money and influence on anyone, they’d find their life becoming very difficult.

“Rumors ... those we have plenty of. Rape is a common theme, severe physical and emotional abuse is another. Nobody except the very desperate play with Leo and his sisters willingly ... or those who are really into that kind of abuse. They can make hard-core submissives consider other lifestyle choices. Leo, it is rumored, loves resistance, and that love puts victims in hospitals ... or...”

“Or they’re never heard from again, have moved out of town, no forwarding address, how unfortunate,” Bao finished.

“And nobody’s put these shitheads out of business?” Dayna said.

“A lot of money, a lot of influence, and a very generous use of both,” Bao replied. “And without proof, the other Houses won’t act. I wonder if they would act even with proof. Going up against Nelson and his interests is a daunting prospect. Even Grandmother acknowledges she’d be hard-pressed to push too hard.

“But don’t worry,” she continued, “they’re going to give you a hard time, push you around some, but they won’t take it any further. They’re Nelson’s attack dogs, for all their lack of impulse control. There’s nothing to gain by messing you up. I think Grandmother’s idea that he’ll be looking at this as a prelude to an alliance ... well, she’s been wrong before. Not often, but she has been.”

Bao looked at them all, and Dayna watched her underestimate the kids.

“I mean, c’mon, you’re not who Waterloo would send to propose an alliance.”

Donna

“Parker, I’m sure you know of someplace in this town where you could acquire some ... hidden ... weaponry for us.”

“Yes, Milady ... you don’t know how relieved I am to hear you ask.”

Tod shifted lanes, and prepared to make a left.

“Well, we know more than we knew before,” Dayna said.

“Yeah,” Donna said. “We know we’re in for a rough New Year’s Eve.”

“Just don’t get separated from us,” Dayna replied. “If we all stick relatively close, they won’t have the opportunity to do more than get in our faces.”

“Uh huh...” Donna replied.

“Not buying that idea?” Jason said.

“Not for a second,” Donna said. “Our security will be elsewhere, since there’s the presumption at a social gathering that everyone’s going to play nice. Nelson’s crew already have plans to break up out little group. No idea what those plans are, but they’re going to try hard.”

“Master, Milady,” Kelly said, “may I speak?”

“Yeah,” Jason replied. “Part of the reason we brought you along was to get your take on things.”

“Speaking as someone who has impulse control issues ... look, Leo likes boys, and while you’re going to be a handsome man, Master, while you already are to a degree ... at this point you’re still a boy, a cute one, and you’ve got a butt like a healthy Girl Scout. Milady, you’re meat for the beast if they have any taste for young beauties, and Abby, you’re just plain gorgeous. Since you two ladies are submissive, I’m willing to bet they’ll see big old “Rape Me” signs around both your necks. Their impulse control issues are going to be pushed hard.

“In addition, and I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, our not being local? That makes you prime victims. Contrary to Bao and Sissy’s opinions, it makes things worse. Nothing any of our Houses or Holds can do will affect Nelson and his people.”

Kelly thought for a moment before continuing.

“Bao and Sissy, and Madam Gao as well, make a mistake, thinking about Nelson and his children. They think they’re sane.

“I don’t think his children are, and maybe they never were. Their taste for rape and abuse ... they’re mad animals, and anyone who thinks they’re under control is deluding themselves.

“If I had a vote, I’d say you skip the party altogether. It isn’t going to be safe for you, for any of us.”

“Milady,” Tod said, “should I take you back to the hotel?”

“No,” Donna replied.

Dayna said, “I’m sorry, Milady, but in this case, I’m overruling you, acting in loco parentis. There’s no way we’re exposing you to this degree of threat.”

“Then us shopping for some concealable weaponry will just be for the fun of it,” Donna replied.

Jason

It didn’t feel right. They’d been sent not only to enjoy their honeymoon, but as representatives of their House, and Waterloo itself.

It felt like quitting before they’d even had a chance to succeed or fail.

However, he was both enraged and horrified by the prospect of his loves being raped ... or being raped himself. And the idea of any or all of them just being beaten up didn’t go with his honeymoon plans either.

Jason didn’t know his new step-parents well enough to gauge their probable reaction ... he was pretty sure they’d back Dayna’s decision wholeheartedly.

But what if they didn’t?

“Look, Dayna ... I agree with what you’re saying, I do. And believe me, I don’t want to go if there’s any chance of any of us getting hurt.

“But we were sent here as ... diplomats, I guess, as well as on our honeymoon. We don’t go to the party, our ... sorta official reception, we’re not doing our job.

“Now, before you start telling me what I already know ... what if we go, in a group, all of us, except Killer and Slayer, chained to each other?”

“You mean physically chained to each other?” Dayna said.

“Yeah, I know it’s a pain in the ass, but that way, we go, we do our jobs. We say some bullshit reason why we’re all chained to each other, but there we are, barbarians from Texas with our weird ways. Hell, blame it on me, say I’m liable to wander off and get into trouble because of my age and ... lack of experience. So the only way my parents would turn me loose is chained to you and Mistress Wolfling. And because I’m ... an asshole I guess, or whatever, I wouldn’t be chained to you unless Donna and Abby and Kelly were chained to me.”

“Won’t work,” Dayna replied. “Then the diplomatic side is fucked. Chorale sent a child who can’t be trusted. But...”

She chewed her lip.

“The basic idea is sound, we just have to come up with a semi-plausible reason. We could even be snide and let it be known, in veiled terms, exactly why we’re doing it – to avoid confrontation with the Nelson brats. If you were adults, it would be one thing, but you’re not, so we’re taking steps, on the orders of your parents, to ensure your safety.”

“That could work,” Parker said. “But there’s an alternative – you stay in the group, we ride shepherd on the group, and nobody leaves the group, period, for any reason. We use the same rationale to explain why your security team is with you, and why you’re staying together. An invisible chain, rather than a literal one.”