Chapter 20

It had been about three days of planning and furious activity for Dale's household. After talking about it for quite sometime, Rob and Georgette decided to postpone their formal move from their house until after the new buildings were completed; however in the meantime their was plenty of room in the sleeping chambers off of the throne room. The slave women slept in their quarters unless directed to do otherwise, so even though the house was full, it wasn't overflowing.

Everyone was wearing clothing now since a constant stream of deliveries had begun to arrive and soon enough workmen would be on the property. It was probably good to adjust to clothing again anyway Lizzy tried to tell herself, since they'd have to be wearing it most of the time they were on vacation anyway. Passports, credit cards, and identification documents were delivered by courier courtesy of Mr. Edwards. Angelina had chartered a private Jet to fly their entire group down to the port city of Mazatlan. Located north of Puerto Vallarta on the western coast of the Mexican mainland, Mazatlan would be the first of several planned stops.

Melody and John had elected to use a general contracting firm that both had worked with on multiple occasions. One of the ground rules that John set from the start was that no one from the crew was to come near the house. When the foreman asked about that, John just stated that the owner was another one of those rich recluses with exotic pets who didn't appreciate any unwanted attention. He also told the foreman that there could be quite a bit of future business with this client and everybody would be better off financially if they kept the owner happy.

John and Melody were not terribly thrilled to be missing out on a vacation in Mexico; but they knew that this needed to be done. What they didn't know was that Dale planned on installing one of the transport mirrors in the estate he found he now owned not too far inland from Mazatlan but far enough from the coast to be out of the restricted zone. Mexican law forbids foreign ownership of land in certain areas of Mexico, the thought apparently being that outsiders would purchase all of the prime coastal resort areas and citizens wouldn't be able to capitalize on the tourist business if that happened. Dale wanted to know what kind of staff was at the estate and get a feel for them before he moved in, so all in all John and Melody would probably miss out on most of the first week of the vacation. After that, once Dale had moved into the estate and installed a transport mirror there, the two could check in on the job site periodically and still not miss out on their vacation.

Dale hadn't told anyone else about the estate and the only one of his party who could have known was his slave Jessica. She had inherited the estate from her father but had never visited it even once since it had become hers. Dale took her to the throne room and asked her to tell him all she knew about the place. Jessica had spent about a month each winter at the estate when she was a young girl. Her father had enjoyed getting away from the colder climates and heading south. Fang had already instructed the slaves in proper protocol and etiquette of slaves so Jessica would never reveal to anyone that she had once been the owner of the estate. As far as she and the other slave women were concerned, they and everything they had or would ever possess belonged to their Master.

Rob had stayed quite busy during these past few days as well. He spent quite a bit of time with Fang learning what he could about the martial arts training the slave women had received. Dale had asked Fang to alert Rob to the possibility that some of the slaves might have an enemy or two of their own to deal with and although they had new identities of record, photos could still be used to identify them. Rob thought about that a great deal as he was handling other more standard security preparations.

From what Rob had learned, anyone but a sniper or explosives expert would have a difficult time harming any of these women without coming to harm as well. Rob had even sparred with several of them himself and was just barely able to hold his own against them one on one. The fact was that Rob didn't think he'd be able to prevail if two of the slaves decided to attack at the same time and he was a former Army Ranger who had kept his skills in the martial arts honed to a competitive level. When Dale spoke to him about the situation the day before their departure, Rob told him he thought that if the women just dressed down in such a way that they didn't seek to draw notice to themselves, the would probably be alright.

"It's just too bad we can't bring any kinds of weapons to defend ourselves," Rob lamented as he and Dale were discussing the potential risks the wealthy often face when traveling abroad. He was facing Dale as he spoke and as the words left his mouth Rob saw Dale's hand seemingly pluck what appeared to be a wand out of thin air and point it at Rob's empty hands. After observing a silent flick of the wand in his Wizard friend's hand, Rob found himself holding a most unusual weapon.

"What is this?" Rob asked in astonishment.

"It is a gun Rob. You were saying it is too bad we won't have any weapons with us and I just wanted to dispel that notion," Dale replied.

"Well it's like no gun I've ever seen before, and I try to stay on top of such things you know!" Rob said.

"Even so Rob, it really is a gun of sorts. It fires energy though, not bullets. You definitely haven't seen anything like it before and neither has anyone else on this Earth. Not only is it highly unusual, but it will not fire for anyone who is not a member of House Manix. The slave women could each be equipped with one if you would like."

"It looks just like a small flashlight. How accurate is a weapon like this?" Rob asked Dale.

Dale could see his friend trying valiantly to believe that what he held was a weapon and he knew that Rob was only able to make that attempt because of his respect for Dale. Wanting to relieve Rob's concern, and wanting to reward his growing trust, Dale said "Let's go to the Palace. I've arranged a bit of a demonstration for you that should answer that question."

Vyagar had not been idle the past several days either. At Dale's request Vyagar had designed and built a massive facility that extended far under the mountainous land that surrounded Spirit Mount using the awesome power of Hyranthi technology. Earth had never housed a facility like it before. Several of its many levels could be used as a prison to house the criminal elements that Dale found himself dealing with. The facility also included a weapons armory and firing range. Another unusual attribute of the facility was that it had very few doors to speak of. Each of the separate sections could only be accessed by transporter. Dale was ready to show Rob the firing range; but nothing else just yet, so that's where he had Vyagar transport them to.

Rob was starting to get used to seeing magic occur around his powerful friend; but even so his eyes just about bulged out of their sockets as they took in his new surroundings. He was in what appeared to be an enormous chamber that seemed to have been carved out of solid rock. No matter where he looked he saw no doors, no windows, in fact there appeared to be no exit of any kind. For that matter, although the chamber was amply lit, Rob could see no light fixtures in evidence.

"I hope I haven't startled you too much Rob," Dale said in an easy voice trying to help his friend regain a sense of calm. "Now, you asked about accuracy and that's what we are here to show you. This weapon is targeted by thought. You simply look at or visualize your target and at the same time think the word 'Target'. After you've indicated the weapons target you set its intensity and fire it with one word mental commands of hold, down, kill, or destroy."

"What effect do the various settings have?" Rob inquired.

"Hold will stop your target from moving. Down will fire a blast sufficient to knock your target out without killing them. Kill does precisely that, leaving no evidence of the method employed. Destroy is a nasty one as well and will literally obliterate your target leaving not even a molecule of remains," Dale answered.

"What if we make a mistake?" Rob asked.

"Come now Rob! How can you even ask such a thing? You're a professional and you've used guns in the past. The answer to your question isn't very pleasant, but mistakes can happen. At least with this weapon you can decide not to kill the target," Dale answered.

"In that case I'd recommend that we discipline ourselves to use only the first two settings whenever possible," Rob suggested.

"You are the chief of security Rob and I will bow to your judgment in these areas," Dale said pausing to gage Rob's reaction before he continued. "One other safety feature has been built into the weapons as well. If you need to focus them on multiple targets at once you can think of an area as the target and the weapon will fire on everyone within the area with the exception of members of House Manix. Of course the opportunity to hit innocent bystanders increases significantly when the weapon is used that way, so like you said, it should probably be fired that way to only hold or take down targets," Dale informed him.

"Now for our demonstration," Dale said as he pointed his wand at a space about two hundred feet in front of them. A man with a rifle appeared. As soon as he saw Dale and Rob he aimed the weapon and fired. Rob thought of the bullets and the word 'hold' almost the precise instant the man was pulling the trigger. Then he thought of the man and the word 'down'. It was amazing to see two heavy caliber bullets suspended in air and a man lying down on the smooth rock floor writhing as if he had been shocked by a Taser gun.

"Who is he?" Rob asked as he and Dale carefully approached the downed man.

"Vyagar, who is this guy?" Dale inquired echoing Rob's question to the AI.

"You said to look for a suitable target Dale. I don't know his identity yet, but this man was on the roof of the Washington Hotel in DC targeting Senator Picket."

"Rob, I don't know who he is yet; but I do know what he was doing. He was about to take out a U.S. Senator," Dale told him.

"Well he sure has the right kind of hardware for the job. A very high powered sniper rifle with a precision telescopic sight isn't generally considered very sporting when hunting game" Rob said as he removed the weapon from the man's twitching hands and searched him for other weapons. "No ID or anything either. The guy's probably a professional hitter."

"I'd have to agree with you there. Now visualize Fang and think of the word 'guard'," Dale instructed.

Rob did and was somewhat shocked when the great wolf appeared and trotted over to the man who was just starting to regain consciousness. If he was your friend then Fang was both a welcome and comforting sight; however, seeing his barred teeth and hearing a snarling growl, the sniper didn't feel to welcome at the moment and promptly pissed his pants.

"I suggest you stay put if you'd like to live," Rob told the frightened man.

"Now what is your name? Be sure not to lie about it or you might make my friend here very hungry," Rob said as he gestured towards the enormous wolf currently towering over the man.

With nervous eyes darting from the wolf to the two men nearby, the answer came in an almost whisper, "Manny Scarpagio".

"Manny. Why were you trying to kill Senator Picket?" Dale asked.

The stunned man's tongue was suddenly loosened as the questions began to pour forth "What? How'd you know that? How did I get here? What'd you hit me with?"

The wolf's right leg moved in a blur almost too fast to be seen at all, leaving a nasty gash on the man's arm. The sharp claws ripped right through his shirt and tore into his muscles. Manny screamed in agony "Why'd the brute do that?"

"You forgot your place Manny. I already told you to answer our questions or you'd make him hungry. You don't want him to get hungry do you?" Rob asked.

"No! I'm sorry! Very sorry! I'll answer your questions!" the man said constantly keeping his eyes focused on the wolf.

"So then, why were you trying to take out the Senator?" Dale continued.

"I got the contract. My agent bid on the contract for me and I got it. I don't know who ordered the hit; but the Senator would have been worth an easy quarter of a mill to me," Manny replied.

"Okay. You say you don't know who ordered the hit?" Dale asked as Fang began to lick his chops.

"I swear! I don't know! Honest I don't! I get an email from an anonymous box my agent uses. He asks if I'm available and interested in any 'pest control' work. I reply with a yes or a no. If I want it, my agent handles all of the bidding and I receive the details at a blind drop," Manny told them.

"How does your 'Agent' get paid," Dale inquired.

"After I've done my job and been paid, I wire his procurement fee to his Swiss bank account."

"And if you don't wire his fee?" Rob asked.

"That wouldn't be good business. I'd never get anymore work through him, and he might even order a hit on me," Manny replied.

"Who is your agent?" Dale asked.

"If I tell you that I'm a dead man!" Manny exclaimed.

"Take a good look around asshole!" Rob yelled. "Do you think your ass isn't grass if you piss us off?"

The next moment was the breaking point for the man as Fang spoke, "Can't I just kill him Master?"

Manny felt the already frantic pace of his heart increase yet again, how could this be? A talking wolf! That's impossible! His mind couldn't get a grasp on his situation. One moment he was on top of the roof acquiring a bead on his target, and then he was suddenly here in his own private little hell! His eyes seemed to roll up into their sockets as he passed out.

"Oops!" Fang chuckled as Rob and Dale laughed along with him.

"Lock him up Fang. Get everything out of him that you can and then hold him until I return," Dale instructed.

"Yes Master. It will be done," Fang replied just before he and his prisoner seemed to vanish into thin air.

"Remind me to stay on your good side Sir! And his to for that matter!" Rob teased.

"You are on my good side Rob," Dale said laughing along with Rob. "I try reserve my anger exclusively for people who deserve it."

"Well it sounds like he definitely deserves it Sir."

"How is she? Is she going to be alright?" a concerned Emilio asked Dr. Chavez as he came out of Maria Castello's private rooms.

"I can't say for certain Emilio. She's had a real scare here in a place she felt safe," the doctor said in his quiet voice.

"Yes, I know. It is probably all the harder to take since her trials and troubles in Europe," he confided in the older man. Dr. Chavez had been a friend of the family for over thirty years and had known Maria since she was a young girl of four.

"It's a shame about Vincent. I did not have the opportunity to get to know him very well; but in the end he showed that he was the truest of friends to Maria," Dr. Chavez said with a sigh.

"Yes. Vincent was a very good man. It will be hard to find another as devoted and competent as he proved to be. He will be missed in many ways. Vincent was always very respectful and courteous to Maria as well" Emilio said as he walked the good doctor to his car and bade him goodbye.

Emilio spoke into his walkie-talkie "Enrique, were you able to complete your assignment?" he asked. Neither man believed that their conversations over the walkie-talkies were very secure and Enrique already knew what assignment Emilio was referring to. Ms. Castello owned several estates and Enrique had been charged with relocating the bulk of her security task force to her current location. Emilio wanted the extra firepower in case it was needed; but he wanted to use men he already knew and trusted instead of trying to recruit new help during a crisis. He had waited until Dr. Chavez was on his way to the house before he broke the news to Maria concerning the note that had been found on Vincent's body. It was a good thing that he had waited for the Doctor. Maria became so upset she was almost to the point of being hysterical. Dr. Chavez gave her a strong sedative and sent her back to bed.

"Yes I did complete the task. Everything is as you requested," Enrique responded.

Emilio hoped he would be able to protect Maria. The additional men should help; but he didn't kid himself. Somehow Walter had made some powerful enemies; and now they were after Maria. Emilio had sworn to protect her and he would keep her safe or die trying!

Lizzy had never been on a plane before! She found the whole idea of flying to Mazatlan to be exciting and just slightly scary at the same time. For several days she had been afraid she wouldn't adapt to flying very well; but from the moment the powerful engines shot the aircraft forward pushing her back into her seat, she found that her fear had turned to fascination. She had looked out the window as the ground fell away and watched in fascination as the buildings, planes, cars, and people became smaller and smaller. Now, almost an hour later, Lizzy was almost feeling relaxed about the whole experience - Almost! The pilot had announced that they were cruising at thirty-two thousand feet at over five hundred miles an hour. When Lizzy realized that in the past she had grown accustomed to spending much more time driving in a single day than they would spend in the air traveling a much greater distance, her sense of wonder was renewed.

Jason and Pamela were excited about the trip; but for them traveling by plane wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Most of the trips with their parents had involved flying somewhere and they had been in airplanes since before they were able to walk. The two were playing videogames together.