Chapter 10

"Pheeeewww!" said Emma as she fell back into her chair, week in the knees from Flint's kiss.

Flint stopped at the door and turned back.

"Remember Emma is in charge! Woe be to the person that gives her trouble while we're gone. This is where the rubber meets the road ladies and gentle men. There is a life and death situation for some friends of mine in Maine and for you as well."

Ed had been building a head of steam since Flint had fired over the head of the girls. He had been the one in the position of power for decades—as Captain of the Morning Mist—and Flint's actions grated.

"Yaah! Ya look hea! Ya got no right ta do dis! Eh!"

"I have every right!" Flint said in a whisper, a whisper had more force than the shouted word, when paired with the steely-eyed look that now zeroed in on Ed.

"I have saved you! ALL of you! If it were not for me, you would all be dead! You agreed to follow my lead! If you have changed your minds, then pack your things while I'm gone, and I will fly you out when I get back.

"But here is the thing, it will be without new identities! You will be defenseless, on your own. How long do you think you will last against the likes of the General? How long?

"Joseph, come to the office, please?" Flint added.

Flint's great anger showed in his red face, bulging blood vessels, and his stride as he turned and left the room again.

Once joined by Joseph in the office, Flint closed the door. He went to a small cabinet that stood behind his desk.

"I know that you have your own weapons, but I want you to wear this at all times. I don't trust that man any longer. He just might try something. He won't expect you to be wearing this, though."

"Keep everyone safe, my friend."

Flint said as he handed Joe an ankle gun and holster.

"You betcha, Boss!"

"Come let's clean up and do the dishes," said Emma.

Ed glared at his sister in law and said, "Yaah! Ay dun care what dat man say, eh! We ah not doin' wa ya say, eh. Come Siv, Aya we pack."

"NO Ed, we don't pack! I'm not going to let you put my daughter in harms way because your pride is hurt. Flint is right! You have spoiled Aya and now her spoiled attitude is infecting her cousin..."

"Yaaah! Aye not have dis! Ya are ma wife, ya do as Aye say," interrupted Ed, his anger growing exponentially.

"No!"

As he was raising his hand to strike his wife for her rebellion, Ed heard the metallic click of a weapon being cocked.

"You hit her, I shoot!" said Lena, Joe's wife.

His hand stopped, mid-swing, as he turned his head. He saw Lena pointing a small revolver at him.

The look on Siv's face said it all. It was obvious to all that Siv expected to be struck. Ed was an abusive bully!

Emma looked Ed in the eye and said coldly, "Ed, we all know, now, that you're a wife beater! I don't care how big you are, there are a lot more of us, than there is of you. We will win. You hit that woman ever again and I'll cut your balls off and shove them down your throat. Got that?"

Ed glared at Emma and then turned toward his daughter.

"Yah! Ya tink ya gonna stop me, eh? Aya, take ya mutter an pack."

"No, Ed. Not this time. I've let you beat on me for years, but I'll not let you put my baby in danger. We're staying here."

"MOTHER!" Cried Aya, "You can't mean that! Daddy said that we have to pack."

"Oh, but I do, honey! You think it's normal for a man to beat on his wife. You've seen it for your whole life. For that, I'm sorry," said Siv sadly.

"No! Daddy said to go pack," said Aya, as she grabbed her mother and tried to pull her along.

"NEVER AGAIN!" said Siv as she struck her daughter's hand away.

"Mother?" asked Aya. She was totally shocked that the meek woman that she knew was showing signs of rebellion against her precious Daddy.

"Aya I would rather see that man dead in a ditch than to let him put you in harms way."

"Well, I'm going with Daddy," Aya said in a snooty manner as she raised her nose into the air.

"Yah! Dat's my girl, Aya. Come, Siv, we go, eh?"

He grabbed his wife and tried to pull her toward the door.

"Dis woman is weak, she no shoot, eh?"

Siv kicked Ed in the kneecap as she screamed, "Never again, you bastard! I'm finished taking your abuse!"

Ed howled in pain and rage, as he doubled over clutching his injured knee. He didn't relinquish his hold on his wife's wrist, though, so she kicked him again!

He stood up and backhanded her across the mouth, knocking her off balance. As he raised his arm to deliver another blow, Lena fired.

This time, he let go of Siv as he howled in pain and frustration.

Aya ran to her Daddy, screeching epithets at Lena and her mother, for hurting her father.

Siv grabbed Aya, pulled her across her knees and delivered a savage spanking.

"You think that it's ok for men to mistreat women, as long as you get your way! You're a spoiled little child! That also stops, now."

While Siv was spanking her daughter, Emma had gone after some rope.

Though wounded with a dislocated patella and wrecked hand, Ed was not finished yet. He struggled to his feet. With a crazed roar he rushed at Lena, his greatest threat.

She didn't even blink. She just emptied the revolver into the big man.

Not wanting to kill the man, though, she finished the IRA six-pack that had started with his right hand. Ed lay on the floor groaning as blood flowed from knees, elbows and hands.

He would never abuse another woman! For that matter he would never work again, either!

Lena bent down. Looked straight into Ed's eyes and said, "My first husband was a bully like you. Flint killed him and saved me. I'll let him handle you when he gets back."

She then spit in Ed's eye.

"What the hell is going on? I heard shots!"

A breathless Joe said as he ran into the room with a pistol in his hand.

Ignoring her husband for the moment, Lena stood and said, "Kate would you please get the first aid kit, and help Sara. I don't want this piece of shit to bleed out, before your stepfather gets back."

Eyes wide with shock and fear, Kate said, "Yes, Ma'am!"

That statement brought Sara out of her shock, and she returned to being a Medic.

"Emma, help me clear the table. I need to get those bullets out and sew this bastard up. Joe, help us get the patient onto the table. We'll explain later, ok?"

"Right."

Stunned, both Siv and Aya just stared.

Since Aya was still stretched across her mother's lap Lena squatted down and said to the young woman, "Your mother is right. This awful man spoiled you, and taught you that violence against your Mum is the normal thing. It isn't!"

Aya took that moment to launch herself at Lena.

"YOU BITCH! I'll get you for hurting Daddy!"

The girl knocked Lena over on her back and began to punch and scratch at the woman. Before anyone could react to Aya's violence Lena slammed her now empty gun onto the side if the girl's head.

The force of the blow knocked Aya unconscious. She fell over, landing beside Lena.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Joe as he looked down at the bleeding man.

"AYA!" shrieked Siv as she went to her fallen daughter's aid.

The next hour was spent seeing to the injuries of the two, each being bandaged and put to bed. There was some concern that Aya was still unconscious and smelling salts were used to bring her around.

Once awake she, again, became aggressive and wanted to hurt Lena. The only thing to do was tie her to her bed 'til she calmed down.

Some time later all were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a calming herbal concoction that Emma had brewed.

All were turned inward thinking of the events that had just taken place.

"The way those two act, I'm beginning to believe that they are more than father and daughter," said Lena, more to herself than anyone else.

However, Siv's head snapped up, as she had very good hearing.

"Nooooo! He couldn't ... He wouldn't ... She is our daughter!"

"Wouldn't be the first time, and considering how he treated you, I wouldn't be surprised. Not at all! On top of that, she acts more like a lover than a daughter," said Lena.