Chapter 11

As the team scattered to their respective assignments, Raven and Jack settled down in front of the computers.

Raven took on the task of digging into the past of her would be kidnapper, while Jack looked up 'The Bat's' history. Several hours later, a van drove up to their location. Charley walked into what was now considered the HQ, carrying George's suitcases, with George holding onto his elbow.

"Honey, do you have a place for me to set up my equipment?" George asked Raven.

"Sure. What type of hook up do you use?"

"My system is wireless. Joe and Charley packed my server and everything else that we could find."

Charley went back out to the van and returned with several boxes and said as he placed them on the floor, "I could use a little help here! This guy had half of the computer department from 'Best Buy'."

Raven and Jack jumped to it and soon had George's system up and running.

When George had said that his system was wireless, all thought that he meant the usual hardwired server with a wireless interface so that he didn't have to bother with cables as he moved his laptop around the house. Not so! His was a Sat system! No wires at all.

The old man lit his pipe, and sat down at the keyboard as soon as the system was up and running.

Placing a 'Bluetooth' type headset on, and his fingers on a brail reader, he asked, "What are we digging into, first?"

Raven explained how she was having trouble finding out much about the kidnapper/Madam.

"Leave it to me. I'll get the dirt, don't you worry, Hon," he said.

He cracked his knuckles and murmured something into his microphone. As he did this, the machine came to life, and George began to type furiously.

"One never knows, does one?" thought Raven, with an affectionate look toward her old friend.

Standing beside Raven, Jack said, "There's more to that man than meets the eye, little Bird."

"So I see!" answered Raven.

At suppertime Joe returned with the report that George's house was boarded up and that there was a covert surveillance team in place.

"I hope that you don't mind, Jack, but I asked the team to be outfitted with FLIR (forward looking infra-red imaging). It will cost extra, but... I just have this feeling that the bastards will try to get in under cover of darkness to search the place."

"Joe, those feelings of yours saved our asses more than once! Thanks! I think that is a great idea, even with the extra cost," said Jack. "Will they radio us or phone in reports?"

"Phone, to my cell."

"Good enough, then."

"They were a bit upset when I told them to contact us and not the police. That took another price negotiation, upwards."

"Can't be helped, though. You didn't tell them that we would relieve their asses if trouble started, did you?"

"Nope!"

"Good! I don't want them scurrying for cover as soon as they see something. I want to get there first and assess the situation, if and when the shit hits the fan."

"Some of these guys are from the old South African group called 'Executive Solutions'. They were a very good paramilitary/mercenary group. They were so good, in fact, that the countries that hired them became frightened that E/S would take over for themselves. Eva' hear of 'em?"

"Sure! Who in our business hasn't? They're a good lesson to all of us, to never turn our backs on our customers!"

"Fact is, I think we could use them, in a limited way, in this operation. We are spread a bit thin for all that we have to do."

"You may have a point there, Joe. Let me think about it, ok?"

"Sure, sure. It's your show after all. Sir... I mean, Boss," said Joe with a smirk.

Jack glared at him, and then turned to the others and said, "Chow?"

They all nodded in agreement.

"Right, then. Charley why don't you see what the others want, and then take Billy with you to help out. I'm sure he could use a break from doing inventory. Here, this should cover it," said Jack as he handed over two hundred dollars.

"That and then some," said Charley with a smile.

"Joe, would you please double check the list that Billy is compiling? We need to be sure about every detail."

"Right!"

The status quo remained in effect for the next few days. The needed ordinance was procured, and the team settled into a regular schedule of watches, doing research and prep work.

Friday night, everything changed.

"Jack, Jack! Wake up! Six men just broke into George's house."

Jack came fully awake, and said loudly, "Mount up!"

The team moved as one, boarding the step van, and getting into their gear as Billy drove. Minutes later the van parked half a block from the target and disgorged two groups of shadows. Billy and George remained on board as support.

The security surveillance team was to remain in place to relay intel from the FLIR unit, as to the location of the enemy personnel.

The two teams approached the house from different directions. It was discovered that the infiltrators had all entered by the same opening, a window that was hidden from view, from the street.

Team one (Jack and Charley) entered the same way that the enemy had. Team two (Raven and Joe) went in the back door using the Raven's old key.

The teams were told that there were six infiltrators: two to a floor. The men were not worried about noise as they were trashing the place, looking for who knew what.

Jack became worried that Raven would take exception to the destruction of the possessions of her old friend and spill blood.

The plan agreed on, earlier, was to subdue all of these invaders with dart guns. Jack wanted... no, needed intel. So he had given orders to capture all of the invaders, to try to prevent killing the one person that actually knew something.

Raven signaled to Joe that she was going left, and just disappeared. Try as he might, Joe could see or hear nothing of the girl. He shook his head in wonder, and moved to the right.

Suddenly, Joe heard the grunts of two men followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.

Before he realized what he had heard, there was another pair of thumps, but further away, perhaps on the second floor.

Jack and Charley came up out of the cellar carrying two unconscious men. Jack looked around, and became concerned when Raven was not in evidence. Before Joe could answer the question in Jacks eyes Raven appeared beside her mentor and held up four fingers.

Jack saw the fury in her eyes and asked, "Alive?"

Raven nodded grimly.

Jack relaxed a bit. He had really feared that Raven had killed them all.

Then the young woman smiled evilly and said, "But they are damaged a bit!"

Jack stared at Raven, "How bad?"

"Oh, they will be able to answer all of your questions just fine, but they will never be able to be... ah... gainfully employed again," finished Raven with a look that was close to glee on her face.

Then the cloud descended on her visage again, and she said with a malice that was frightening, "But they will never, ever, wreak destruction on another's life again."

"What did you do to them?"

Raven didn't answer. She just turned on her heel and went back to the step-van.

Jack watched his ward as she left and felt absolutely helpless to save her. This was a road that she was going to have to travel alone. She would survive or not, it was up to the Spirits, and the choices that Raven would make, during this trial. There was one good thing at least; she hadn't killed her enemies this time. Perhaps there was still a hope that Raven's choices would lead her down the right path.