Chapter 1

The tall man leaned over the hospital bed and rested his right hand on the injured man's right shoulder. The tall man's dark eyes blazed with anger as he looked down on his wounded employee. Both arms were covered with bandages. Another bandage was wrapped over his left shoulder and around his chest. A third set of bandages were wrapped around his body from the waist down both legs to his feet.

"It was a she devil, Hefe," the bandaged man said. His brown eyes were opened wide with fear and awe. "Her eyes were dark and yet full of fire. Her hair was dark as the night. She wore all black and yet her face was white. I've never seen anyone like her. And if I see her again I will kill her."

The bandaged man paused and sipped on the water he held in his bandaged hand. Then continued, "She appeared out of nowhere. The only noise I heard was the sound of her gun. Juan and Jose chased her, but I'm sure she got away. I'm sorry we failed you, Hefe." He closed his eyes, exhausted.

"Ramon?" the tall man whispered.

"The sedatives have overtaken him," the doctor said, gesturing toward the door. "Sleep will help him heal."

"Sleep now, Ramon. The time for revenge will come after you have healed," the tall man said in an even tone, then turned and strode out of the hospital room followed by two burly guards and the doctor.

Once the door had closed, the tall man turned to the doctor. "How bad is he, doctor?"

"The burns on his arms and legs are bad, but they will heal. The bullet passed clean through his shoulder blade and did no permanent damage,, " the doctor started. "But he will never be able to have children or even be with a woman. The burns were too severe; we were unable to restore any functionality to it..."

The tall man shook his head and frowned.

"He's a worthless cripple now, boss," the first guard said, pulling a pistol out of his jacket and cocking it. "I'll put him out of his misery."

"No! He is my mother's cousin's son. He will heal and continue to work for us, Jesus. No one is to hurt him any more than he has been."

"But the cops will figure out how he got burnt soon. And then they'll be onto us. We've got to silence him now."

The tall man pulled himself up to full height and stepped right up to his bodyguard and said, "You leave the worrying to me, Jesus and find the She-devil that did this." He stood nose to nose with Jesus and poked his index finger into Jesus' chest to emphasize his words. "Or you'll be the one getting burned. Understand me, Jesus."

The bigger man backed off and quietly replied, "Yes, boss. I'll find that bitch. And I'll fry her ass!" A wicked grin flashed across his face as he imagined the kinds of torture he could be doing to her.

"You just find her, Jesus. I'll decide her fate. I don't pay you to do my thinking for me."

"Oh, okay, boss."

The tall man turned and reached into the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket and pulled a thick envelope from it. He handed the envelope to the doctor. "You see that Ramon gets the best care and not one word of his injuries goes beyond this hallway. Let me know when this runs out. Okay, doctor?"

The doctor greedily accepted the envelope and quickly slipped it into the pocket of his lab coat. "Yes sir. Ramon will recover in style."

The tall man and the doctor shook hands and then the tall man turned and headed down the corridor to the exit followed by his bodyguards. The doctor followed him with his eyes until he turned the corner and then he pulled the envelope out of his pocket and opened it. He whistled quietly as he counted the money and then said to himself, "Yes, Ramon will get excellent care, just as long as the money rolls in."

"Excellent work, Raven," the Director said as his secretary ushered Raven into his office. "That explosion should set production of Nirvana back about two days." He watched as Raven's long black hair sashayed across her white blouse in time with her hips.

"Not much in the scheme of things, Director," Raven replied, taking a seat in the chair in front of his desk. She smoothed her short red skirt and then crossed her white stocking clad legs. She smiled as she waited for the Director to continue.

He was a fastidious man. His desk was clean. Only the folder he was working on and a small laptop computer were on his desk. His tan suit was perfectly tailored. His white shirt was crisply pressed. His gray hair was short and neatly combed. Only his Maroon Dilbert tie gave any hint of humor to his dress. His sharp blue eyes were fixed on Raven as he sat back comfortably in his large red leather chair.

"We must take what ever victories we can, my dear. Eventually the small ones will add up to something worthwhile. Now then," the director paused. "The gang made one small slip and our analysts have found it. Before ownership was transferred to the Consortium, one of its members had to present himself and sign the papers. Wilhelm von Teufel." The director handed Raven a picture. "He's one we've been after for quite some time."

"You're sure this is the man, Director?"

"That is what you are going to find out. You have family in the Pensacola area, right? And some vacation time coming, I believe."

"Yes, Director."

"Good, then it's settled. You are off on a vacation to visit your family in Pensacola and while you're there, see what you can pick up on Mr. von Teufel. Report back in two weeks." The director went back to reading the papers in the file on his desk.

"Yes, sir," Raven replied, slipping easily out of the chair and heading for the door.

The Director looked up and smiled as he watched his agent walk to the door. The Council had said she was too short and too feminine for the job. He shook his head. If only they knew, he thought. He had taken a chance and brought her into his Directorate. She had blossomed into a valuable asset.

He watched her cross the floor and just as she reached the door, he said, "Oh and Raven," he paused until she looked back. "Beware of this guy. If it is him, he has a nasty streak a mile wide."

Raven nodded and then swished out the door and closed it.

Raven stopped at the Director's secretary's desk. The Director always called her Miss Singer even though they had worked together for ages. Raven smiled as she stepped right up to the desk.