Chapter 31

There is, for me, something about watching my girls sleeping that is indefinably soothing. I don't know if others feel the same way while watching their loved ones resting, but for me it's both calming and restorative.

I sat down carefully on the foot of the bed and watched the three of them. They pressed together, Lilly and Izzy on the ends with their arm thrown over little Peggy in the center, tiny smiles on their lips.

I linked with the three of them and added a spark to their glowing rings, easing the tiny flames into place as gently as I could.

Peggy's mouth opened slightly and she cried out softly.

Lilly moaned and shuddered, hugging Peggy tighter.

Izzy shook all over, rolling away from Peggy and onto her back; her eyes opened wide and looked at me. She smiled brightly and lovingly.

"God, I love how it feels when you do that." she whispered.

"I love how it makes you feel when I do that." I whispered back.

I got up off the bed, dug into the duffel, pulled out a pair of jeans and put them on, slipping into my tennis shoes.

"We're going to have visitors this afternoon." I said. "Dr. Wills, Mr. Jones and Colonel DeBerg will be here around three thirty. I think we should have a little dinner party, sort of christen our new home. What do you think?"

Izzy's eyes brightened. "I think that's a terrific idea. We've been feeling kind of cooped up, not being able to go anywhere."

"We get to be hostesses?" Lilly asked, unwinding herself from Peggy.

"You three are the ladies of the house. You decide what you want to do and Anya and I will help."

"Party?" Peggy said excitedly. "We get to have a party?"

I grinned at them. "I'll get breakfast, or brunch, started. You three decide what you want to do while you get cleaned up and dressed. We'll talk some more downstairs."

I left them chattering happily on the bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. I found Anya sitting at the dining room table.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes sir... Ike." she said.

"I'm going to throw a little something together for all of us. We'll be having a dinner party of sorts this afternoon. Dr. Wills and company will be joining us. That's what the phone call was about... letting me know they were coming."

She followed me into the kitchen. While we were scrounging around in the pantry I showed her the gun locker and the weapons.

"Have you ever used a sniper rifle?" I asked her.

"Yes, on the rifle range during training. Never in the field."

"This one is very good. I used one like it in Iraq."

"I liked firing the AK. It felt... comfortable." she said.

"Well then, if anything happens that makes you think you'll need a lot of firepower come down here and grab it. I don't keep it locked, just in case. What kind of pistol do you prefer to carry?"

"I don't have a preference for pistols. Most of my assignments relied on hand to hand."

"Are you any good with a pistol?"

"I'm a very good shot with most guns, but except for the AK I don't really like anything more than the rest."

"I'm not much of an expert. I know what I like, but you might be better off with something else. We'll ask Mr. Jones what he would suggest."

She nodded. I pointed out the gas light fixture and how it worked and she tried it a couple of times to get the hang of the mechanism then we went back to putting together breakfast.

By the time the girls came down, everything was on the table. Eggs, bacon, toast, butter, juice, fruit, all laid out and waiting.

I sat down and was reaching for some juice when I noticed the palm prints burnt into the heavy wood of the table top. I pushed the plate and silverware to the side and put my hands over the burnt areas. They were a perfect match.

The girls, including Anya, were filling their plates and sliding into their chairs.

"Did I do this?" I asked, pointing to the hand prints.

My girls looked at one another and then as one turned to look at Anya.

Anya shrugged slightly, looked at me and said, "Yes."

"And my clothes?"

"You were sitting there last night, getting very angry... I could feel you getting angrier and angrier... and smoke started coming from your shirt. Then there were little flames that popped up all over you and you didn't seem to notice or care. That's when I went into the kitchen and got them." she said, motioning with her head in the direction of the girls.

"When we came out you were on fire." Izzy said softly.

"It was a glowy kind of fire." Peggy added.

"The table smoked when you put your hands on it, and when you went outside we watched from the window while you were running and your clothes all turned to ash and blew away... except for your shoes." Lilly finished.

I sat back heavily in my chair and closed my eyes. I took a couple of deep breaths and let the air out slowly. Opening my eyes I saw the four of them watching me carefully.

"I suppose I'd better learn to control my temper, huh?"

"You were a red head once, so I guess you come by it naturally." Izzy said.

"Really? You were a redhead?" Peggy asked. "I bet you were really cute with bright red hair and your pretty white skin."

"He was adorable." Izzy said confidently.

"I looked like a match stick." I said and started peeling an orange.

"I like the white hair. It makes you look distinguished... and a little bit sinister." Lilly said.

"Sinister, huh? Hmmmm... I think I like that. Sinister." I laughed deep down in my throat, the most evil kind of movie villain laugh I could imagine.

Peggy giggled and shivered. "Wicked!"

"Don't encourage him or he'll never stop." Izzy warned.

"I'll creep into your room at night, carry you off to my secret lair and have my wicked way with your tender young body!" I rasped as close to a bass as I could without hurting myself.

"Oooooh, take me, take me!" Peggy squealed.

Everyone laughed, and we ate and discussed the plans for our dinner party. Izzy and Lilly decided on a menu, Peggy offered ideas from time to time and Anya and I sat there and mostly listened. Izzy jumped up and ran off, returning with a pad of paper and a pen and began making notes, cooking times, place settings and whatnot. This was turning out to be a battle plan.

I excused myself and went into the study and called the CIA. The line was answered on the second ring.

"Jones here."

"Mr. Jones, Ike Blacktower... you might want to warn Dr. Wills and Colonel DeBerg that you will all be expected to stay for dinner. If they have to get back by a certain time we can move dinner up... but the girls are kind of excited about having company."

Jones chuckled. "Hang on a minute and let me talk to the Doctor."

I waited, taking a seat behind the medium sized wooden desk.

Jones came back on. "Mr. Blacktower, Dr. Wills says that the four of us will be completely at the disposal of your ladies for the evening."

"Four? Let me guess, Mr. Davenport has decided to come see what's been causing him so much grief?"

"Excellent guess. Can we bring anything with us?"

"No, we're fine out here. There is one thing you might think about though. Anya could use a couple of personal handguns. She doesn't have any preferences, other than a liking for the AK-47. Her hands aren't very large, so I wondered if you might be willing to suggest something for her."

There was a brief pause. "I'll give it some thought." he said.

"Thanks. See you later." I hung up and returned to the dining room.

"There will be four guests for dinner. Mr. Davenport, the acting Director will be coming as well. Dr. Wills said to tell you that the four of them would be completely at your disposal for the evening... so plan away. If you need help with something, just let me or Anya know."

The girls huddled together and plotted and planned.

"I'm going to show Anya around the house so she can get an idea where everything is. We'll be right back"

So for twenty minutes I took Anya on the nickel tour, upstairs, downstairs and out around the house. The horses were out racing around and ignored us.

When we came back in, the girls put us to work, cleaning dishes, dusting and sweeping, setting the table with china, silver and crystal from the large cabinet in the dining room. Anya helped them with making appetizers while Lilly dragged me down into the wine cellar and loaded my arms with bottles of various types, some for cooking and some for drinking.

Lilly kept the bottles for cooking, I took the rest and put them in the refrigerator to chill except for two bottles of table wine and one of brandy that went out to the dining room.

At one thirty I was put in charge of making sure nothing burned while the girls went upstairs and got dressed. Anya tried to stay behind with me, but the three hauled her off with them.

So I stood in the kitchen, listening for timers, stirring the contents of pots and watching for signs of smoke. Fire warden of all I surveyed.

There wasn't much danger of anything getting burnt, most everything was on low heat, but the girls weren't taking any chances that something might ruin their big event. It wasn't bad duty, since the kitchen was full of wonderful smells. Even though I'd eaten recently I was getting hungry again.

At about three the three of them came rushing into the kitchen, all dolled up, and preening like peacocks. I whistled softly.

They didn't have evening gowns to wear, but they made the best of what wardrobe they did have and looked marvelous.

"You three look good enough to eat." I leered and licked my lips. Peggy giggled, rushed forward and I bent down and kissed her. Then Lilly and Izzy. And then they shoved me out and told me to get cleaned up and presentable. I guess jeans and tennis shoes wern't good enough for company, so I walked out and came face to face with Anya, who wasn't looking any too happy.

They'd put her into a combination of their own clothes, blow dried her hair and done her face in light make-up. She looked much nicer than I'd ever seen her before.

"You look lovely Anya."

"I feel stupid."

"I take it dresses are not your normal clothing of choice."

"No!"

"Look on the bright side... it's only for one evening. When Mr. Jones arranges for your things to be brought out you can dress as you like. They just want to make a good impression. And you really do look very nice."

"Thank you... Ike." she said as I passed her on my way upstairs.

I ran up and took a quick shower, dressed in the best (least wrinkled) slacks and pullover shirt I had and dug out my sole remaining pair of leather shoes from the bottom of the duffel. Combing out my hair, which was over my ears for the first time since I'd gone to boot camp, and inch long beard I looked about as presentable as I was going to get. I went downstairs to see if there were any last minute things that needed doing.

Anya was standing near the front door, the AK slung over her shoulder and looking highly incongruous. I nodded my approval and she stepped out onto the porch to wait for our guests.

I went into the kitchen where the girls were tasting, sampling, rearranging things on plates and platters and generally having a mild panic attack. I gathered them together, poured each one a shot of whiskey and had them down it quickly.

"Girls, you've done a fine job and I'm very proud of you. Relax. There's nothing to worry about."

Me and my big mouth.

Anya came rushing in, AK held across her chest. "There are two helicopters circling the house."

"Shit, shit, shit!" I swore. I went into the pantry and grabbed the shotgun, a box of shells and the two Glocks and rushed back out. I gave the shotgun and shells to Izzy and one pistol each to Lilly and Peggy.

"You girls get down into the wine cellar and wait for either me or Anya to come get you. Anyone else and you shoot them, alright? Okay... get going."

The girls headed down into the cellar and I went back into the pantry, bringing out the L96A1 and a handful of rounds that I was busily shoving into my pockets.

"Anya you cover the front lawn. If it looks like they might try to rush the house, get back inside and protect the girls. Let me worry about the outside."

"Yes sir."

She planted herself just inside the front door where she could cover most of the front lawn from the shadows. I strode out onto the grass, shoved a round into the British sniper rifle and started broadcasting high levels of anxiety and paranoia at those in the circling helicopters above.

I flipped the covers off the scope and lifted the barrel up, looking for the pilot of the first aircraft and linking with the man. He was scared. Hell, he was terrified. I tried to see who else was in the helicopter, but I could only catch brief glimpses. I recognized the helicopter and pilot as the ones we always used to get around in. But I didn't recognize the second one at all.

I shifted the rifle scope to the second bird and linked with its pilot. The man flying this one was one was nearly as frightened as the first.

I motioned to the pilots abruptly, indicating that they should set down immediately. I kept the rifle pointed at the pilot of the second bird as they both set down at nearly the same time. I lowered the rifle and relied on my eyes, not the optics.

They came tumbling out of the helicopters, looking as if the lot of them were going to puke their guts out.

I started counting bodies and ID-ing faces. Jones, Wills, DeBerg all came out of the first bird. Davenport and two men I didn't recognize emerged from the second. I linked with the two unknown men and hammered them senseless with fear and panic. Davenport watched the two men collapse onto the lawn and turned towards the three men from the first aircraft as they approached me, hands out away from their bodies and empty.

I waved for Davenport, indicating that he should join us. I motioned Mr. Jones to me and leaned down and spoke into his ear. He nodded and trotted over to the first copter and yelled at the pilot then did the same with the second. He jogged back towards us and both aircraft lifted and took off like they had a SAM on their tails.

I glared down at Davenport and pointed at the two men on the front lawn.

"Who the hell are they and why the hell didn't someone tell me more than four people were coming?"

Dr. Wills glanced over at Mr. Davenport and gave him an 'I told you so' kind of look.

"I'm sorry Ike. It was a last minute change of plans and I didn't have time to let you know." Dr. Wills said, by way of explanation.

I looked hard at Davenport and he flinched back. I turned towards the front door.

"Anya!"

The blond woman in her dinner finery came trotting out carrying the AK slung at her hip, ready to fire. I handed her the sniper rifle. "Go tell the girls that it's safe to come up and put all the weapons back in the locker. Hand to hand will be fine for the rest of the evening. I'll bring the two men on the grass inside."

I turned to the four men in suits. I stopped broadcasting and the looks of relief on their faces were oddly gratifying.

"Gentlemen, follow Anya inside and I'll join you once I've put Mr. Davenport's friends to bed."

Anya turned on her heel and walked quickly to the door, with the four men following like baby ducks.

I walked over and picked up one of the fallen men in a fireman's carry and lugged him inside the house and upstairs into one of the unused bedrooms. I went back down, picked up the second man and hauled him up and put him in his very own room. I relieved them both of their weapons, carrying the guns down with me to the dining room.

When I arrived everyone was standing awkwardly around the dining room table. I put the two pistols on the table and looked around.

"Girls, this is Dr. Wills who's going to be my boss, one of these days... if I live long enough. You all know his assistant Mr. Jones. This is Colonel DeBerg, the chief shrink at Walter Reed. And this is Mr. Davenport, the acting Director of the CIA."

All of them nodded their heads towards the girls, who smiled slightly in return.

"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my girls; Isabeau on the left, Lilly in the center and Peggy on the right. And I believe you all know my assistant, Anya."

Dr. Wills spoke up first. "Ladies, let me apologize for our unorthodox arrival and any unpleasantness it might have caused you."

Izzy smiled. "I think Ike probably caused you more unpleasantness than you did us. So I suppose we're even. Why don't we all move into the living room and have something to drink. Dinner won't be ready for a while yet, so we'll have time to relax and get better acquainted."

"Capital idea young lady." Dr. Wills beamed at her.

I took everyone's order and while the girls escorted our guests into the living room, Anya and I got the drinks and brought them out.

By the time everyone was seated and had their drinks in hand the conversation was well under way.

Izzy was charming Dr. Wills and Mr. Davenport, while Colonel DeBerg was deep in conversation with Lilly and Peggy. Mr. Jones took Anya aside and they were discussing handguns and their various merits. I sat back and watched, marveling at the way the girls easily manipulated their individual discussions.

Mr. Jones and Anya rejoined us, he took a seat next to mine and Anya stood on my opposite side watching everyone closely.

"I think we have a couple of things in the armory that will suit Anya. I'll have them sent out along with her personal effects in a day or two."

"Thank you, Mr. Jones. I figured if anyone could fix her up right it would be you. I'm afraid my knowledge of weapons is more along the lines of aim and shoot."

"Tell me something... what you did out there today with all of us and Mr. Davenport's men, could you do that over a video link?"

I looked at him curiously for a few moments. All the other conversations went dead quiet and everyone was watching me.

"You know, I've never even considered that before. I have no idea if I could or not. Sure would be interesting to try."

"Mr. Blacktower, I've seen the results of what you do. I suppose I've even felt them. But... what is it that you actually do?" Mr. Davenport asked.

I eyed him closely. "I guess you, and possibly Mr. Jones, are the only ones here who don't know. Have you ever wondered what someone else was feeling?"

"Of course I have. Everyone wonders from time to time."

"I don't have to wonder. I can find out any time I want to."

"Empathy? You're an empath?" he asked, amazed.

"Worse than that... I'm a projective empath. Not only can I tell what you're feeling, I can let you know what I'm feeling. If I chose to, I can show you what someone else is feeling or, I can make you feel something you might not want to."

"Jesus Christ!"

"Would you like to find out what it's like to experience someone else's emotions?" I asked him.

"It is the most amazing, sublime experience I've ever had." Colonel DeBerg told him.

"It took my breath away when he showed me." Lilly told him.

"You never showed me." Peggy pouted.

"Or me." Izzy said with a sly grin.

I grinned wickedly. "I show you girls every single day."

"That's different." Lilly pointed out. "You show us what you feel."

"True. I tell you what... how 'bout I link all of you with each other? Unless someone is feeling something they'd rather not share. This sort of thing is much more... intimate... than say, spilling your guts in group therapy."

No one had any objections, so I got up and moved back so I had everyone in view and linked with all of them. Very carefully I started cross linking, feeding emotions from one to the others and back, up and down the lines. I was starting to feel like I was juggling bowling balls using only my stomach muscles.

Eyes were going wide, faces blushed, eyebrows raised and lowered, smiles appeared and vanished, and frowns did the same. Peggy giggled several times, Lilly was grinning, and Izzy was watching me closely and bursting with pride. I winked at her and kept the flows going. Dr. Wills and Mr. Davenport were eyeing each other and nodding. Mr. Jones had a curious expression on his face as he watched both me and Anya. And Anya's eyes darted from person to person, never stopping to rest on anyone for more than an instant before moving to the next.