Chapter 8

"Here, Billy, take Raven's piece. The three of you, make sure that Frank doesn't do anything foolish," said Jack as he led Raven into the living room.

< "Now, Girl, tell me everything. Everything! The whole story, understand?" >

< "You already know most of it," > whispered the young girl with bowed head.

< "My child, you said you are my student. If that is the truth then stop playing me for a fool. You know very well, what story I want! I ask you again, FOR THE LAST TIME! Are you my student?" >

Raven looked up in shock at the sound of those words.

< "You would abandon me? Now?" >

< "No. You will be the one leaving me, Little Bird," > said Wind Walker with a sadness that could be heard a mile away.

< "NO! NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU'RE ALL THAT I HAVE LEFT!" screamed the young girl.

She hurled herself from the sofa, and clung to Wind Walker. Weeping and wailing, Raven was no more. Only young Camilla, the terrified child, remained.

Jack stood there. He held the child, letting the healing tears wash the darkness from his student/friend/ward. The heart of the old warrior was near to shattering from all of the pain that manifested itself in this child.

The two stood there for quite awhile. Finally, Jack firmly but gently, removed the 'death grip' that the crying child had on him. He backed Cam to the sofa and made her sit. He then sat next to her. Still holding her hands in his, he asked again, softly, fearing for Cam's fragility of mind and spirit,

< "Are you still my student, Little Bird?" >

Looking, every inch the small child, with tears and a runny nose, Cam nodded in the affirmative. She could do nothing else, because she was fully choked up, and quite unable to talk.

Jack led Cam to the bathroom. Without breaking the physical contact that he felt she needed, Jack washed Cam's face, using a cool, damp washcloth. It was the act of a loving parent.

Jack knew that he had broken through Camilla's shell of rage and hatred. Now it was time to bring Raven back, by getting the child to find her center again. None of this would happen overnight, but the teacher in him, felt very confident that she would tap into that well of power that he knew resided deep within his student.

Camilla then told the whole story of the hit team from 'the Bat' De Rosa. Jack was both appalled and proud at the way this young girl had dispatched the gang and then had the forethought to dispose of the bodies where none would find them. She had covered her tracks well, with one exception!

The pistol that Raven kept from Sonny could be a murder weapon! That weapon might cause trouble.

"Charley. Would you come here for a moment, please"

"Yes, Sir!" the old soldier called out in answer, having fallen back into military behavior due to the circumstances.

"Sir?"

"Raven's Berretta may have a nasty history. Dispose of it ASAP, please."

"No! I want that weapon! It belonged to the son of the man that killed my family! I have a use for it!" yelled Raven, regaining some of her grit.

Jack studied Raven for a moment and then nodded.

"Ok. Please change out the barrel and adjust the firing pin so that the brass and the bullets won't match any thing that the cops have."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Oh! How is the boy doing?"

"He's just sitting quietly."

"Just remember what he is capable of, and don't get too close."

"Yes, Sir."

Just then there came a shout from the kitchen, followed by agonized screams that ended abruptly.

Charley, Jack and Raven ran into the kitchen, expecting the worst.

What they found made Charley smile.

"The old reflection test?"

"Yep!" said Billy.

"I got ta thinkin', and decided that this boy had worn my trust real thin. So we gave him the test. He failed!" said Billy with a twinkle in his eye.

Raven looked from one man to the other, then at Frank, lying on the floor unconscious.

Unable to stand the smug expressions of the four men, Raven asked,

"Just what the hell is the reflection test?"

The men just looked at each other and laughed, exasperating the young woman even more.

Finally, Joe took pity on her and said, "See how the window is sorta like a mirror? Well, as soon as Bill here made a new pot o' coffee, I made as if I needed the can.

"With me outa the room and Bill's back turned, well... Frank here tried ta cold-cock Bill.

"The problem with that idea was that Bill was watching him in the window's reflection. Bill, seeing him coming turned back around and threw a whole pot of hot coffee into the jerks face. Then I jumped out o' the can and smacked him a good'n.

"The way he had a hold o' his eyes makes me think that he'll not be able ta see for a few days."

"I told you this guy wasn't right," said Raven as she kicked Frank in the groin, hard.

"Oooooo! A three pointer! He's gonna feel that when he wakes up!"

Jack didn't feel required to restrain the girl from her return to a bit of her anger.

"A good balance is what is needed here," thought Wind Walker.

Billy stood looking down at the face of the man that had been his Aide-de-Camp and friend, or at least he had thought of him as a very close friend, almost a son even.

"By the looks of these blisters, Frankie boy is going to be a blind man unless we do something, and do it soon."

Joe spoke up. "Remember when I got a flash burn from my welder? I still have some of the medicine. It's old, but should help, some."

"Go get it then, and what ever else you might need, from that 24 hour Drug Store. I don't want this boy distracted while I finish the interrogation," said Jack.

"Sir!" snapped Joe, just barely avoiding saluting his former commanding officer.

"Cut the crap you men! None of us are military any longer!"

The men all nodded in agreement, but it was obvious that they held Jack in such high esteem that it was hard for them.

"Shouldn't we tie this guy up or something, before he wakes up?" said Raven.

"You have a good point," said Charley as he looked at the others.

"I have just the stuff for that," said Billy as he headed to his cellar.

Thirty minutes later, Frank was bound and medicated, and in the cellar's 'family room'.

Those sleeping pills should keep him under for at least twelve hours," said Joe as he came back into the kitchen.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry. Should I make something, or are we going to order out?" asked Raven

"I have some steaks in the fridge."

"Is it all right if I dig around to see what else you have? I really don't want 'take out'," said Raven.