Chapter 28

As the first of the two cars pulled in front of Harry's mountain retreat, Sophia turned to Diane. "Wow. What did we just fall into?"

Valerie opened the driver's door. "Wait until you see it in the daylight. I would take half my salary to work out of here, but don't tell Harry. He thinks he has to give me a bonus to leave Seattle and all that I-5 traffic. I want him to think it's a sacrifice."

"Your secret is safe with us," giggled Diane. "We girls need to stick together."

An evil smile passed from Sophia. "Sticking together is exactly what I had in mind." She looked at Valerie as she took Diane's hand. "Care to join us?"

"You know after what I just went through with that asshole I just threw out of my apartment, I just might want to examine my alternatives. I have had a string of shit relations. I've just about had it with men in my life. Other than Harry, there are pretty slim pickings."

Diana's hand tightened on Sophia's. "Let us know if we can be of any service."

Just then, Harry's car pulled behind Valerie's car. Harry scrambled out of the car and helped his two new sisters in law from the back seat of the car. Sasha smiled again at the wedding ring on her hand and wondered how it had turned out so well after all that had happened.

Just imagine, being married by the governor of Nevada, and the maid of honor being the owner of the most expensive brothel in the West. Add to that she found two of her sisters, married the nicest man in the world, and got the company's hit men off her back. The owner of the Casino even gave them the Honeymoon suite for a week with room service and open bar. Could it get any better?

Harry reached into the car to help get Sasha out. She touched her husband's hand and thought that it just did. She moved to embrace her husband when something hit her in the chest and slammed her back into the car. She touched the point of impact and felt liquid spurting from her chest. Her hand was jerked away and replaced by some sort of pressure. As she looked up to see a topless Sophia pushing her halter-top onto Sasha's chest wound and a frightened Harry trying to cover the rest of her body with his. She heard what sounded like rocks hitting the car and windows shattering. The last thing she heard before the darkness overcame her was the report of Diane's pistol.

Valerie was still trying to push Sasha's sisters under the car when Diane pushed a small pistol in her hand. "The safety is off. Shoot at anything coming out of the forest that's not me." Then she was gone.

Sophia Pushed on Harry's shoulder. "If you're OK, take my place here. I'll check out the house and help you get everyone inside."

As Harry moved to replace her, he offered her the house keys, "The security code is..."

"Not needed. We need the police here ASAP."

"Affirmative, I've already pressed my personal panic button, so SCI should be getting us help."

Sophia ripped open her suitcase, removed a mean looking Army Colt 45, inserted the clip, and moved through the front door of the house in a crouch. Her eyes ran along the walls without looking directly at any objects to allow her night vision to measure for movement. When she had finished searching the house main core, she went back to the cars. "Everyone, stay low, move to the living room, and lay down in the fire place pit. Harry, let's try to get Sasha into the house and make her as comfortable as possible."

As they covered Sasha with blankets to ward off shock, Diane shouted through the open front door, "It's Diane. I'm coming in."

Samantha was starting to come out of her shock. "What just happened?"

Diane turned to the composed youngster. "Look's like a three or four man squad. They've been here for a few days. I'm glad these idiots don't practice their shooting more. This could have been a massacre. They ran when they realized we had guns too. I didn't want us separated, so I came back after I was sure that they ran."

Suddenly a gunshot echoed in the room as masonry from the fireplace splattered the people in the room. Samantha was halfway to the floor with Diane on top of her when Valerie muttered, "Shit, I'm sorry."

Sophia picked up her partner's backup weapon from the floor and handed back to Diane. "Maybe we ought to get Val a water gun before we let her have anything lethal." A communal sigh replaced the fear surrounding the fireplace.

The sounds of sirens filled the morning as the sun peaked over the trees. Valerie pointed to a closet next to the sliding glass doors to the deck. "Sophia, as much as I enjoy the view, you may want to put a robe on before the police get here."

Before Sophia could get to the robe, there was banging on the front door. Diane put her pistol in the back of her spandex shorts and answered the door. An overweight sheriff deputy pushed through the door and pointed his service revolver at Diane. "Hands up!"

A confused look passed Diane's face. Three deputies followed the first one in the house and waved their weapons at the women in the room. Everyone in the room raised their hands except Sophia. She quickly stepped behind the curtains before she was noticed, brought up her automatic across her chest, and moved her left hand to cradle the bottom of the clip.

"We got a report of some crazy lesbian bitch shooting up the woods around here and shooting at the neighbors. You," he lifted his pistol in Diane's direction, "turn around and assume the position." He turned to one of his fellow deputies and ordered, "Cover me."

Diane turned to the wall, spread her feet shoulder wide, and, while maintaining her balance on the balls of her feet, touched it. The deputy smiled when he pulled Diane's automatic from her tight pants. "Well, we may have the felon right where we want her. Doesn't look like a lot of room to hide anything in here, but looks can be deceiving." He slowly fondled Diane's ass cheeks with one hand and moved his other to pinch the nipples on her breasts. "Boys, we just may get some fringe benefits out of this job. This is nice stuff. We're gonna have a lot of fun before they meet with a serious accident."

Before he could say anything else, he screamed in pain and fell to the floor clutching his dislocated kneecap. Diane rolled on the floor and brought a fist into the groin of the deputy who was covering her. His breath left him. Before he could hit the ground Diane grabbed his weapon and pointed it at the closest oh the remaining deputies.

From the other side of the room, Sophia fired a round into the ceiling and dropped to one knee with the 45 cal pointed at the remaining man. "I'm a lesbian bitch, and I hate men. Give me a reason to blow you dick off, please."

Both men dropped their weapons and raised their hands. Valerie took the cuffs off their belts, and cuffed the four men so they were sitting in a circle facing outward. "That should hold you."

The noise of a helicopter approached the complex and landed on the back lawn. Valerie went out the back door to greet the eight black-clothed armed men coming out the Blackhawk's doors. She held her hands over her head as the squad leader approached her. As they talked, the leader motioned for her to lower her arms and pointed to four of the men who sprinted to the corners of the house.

Valerie led the remaining men into the house, reached out for the two frightened children, and whispered to them. Two of the men went to Sasha's side and gently pushed Harry away. The third man ran back to the aircraft and removed a large first aid kit. Jason Nichols was looking at the four deputies. "What do we have here?"

Diane said, "I think these are the animals that shot Sasha. They came back to finish the job. If they are real cops, they are real stupid cops."

Jason moved to the four men. "Who's in charge here?"

None of the men answered.

Diane volunteered, "The chubby one was doing all the talking before."

Jason nodded and moved to face the large deputy. "Good enough place to start. Valerie, would you mind taking these young ladies somewhere where they can relax? Sophia, as soon as you get dressed, you might want to join them. The rest of you get this woman to the chopper and to a hospital. No. Take her to the Army hospital at Ft. Lewis. I want her secure, and that is going to be the safest place. We are not going to have another hospital death. Call General Worchester and let him know so he can clear out the red tape. This is a Homeland Security issue."

Sophia pulled a short robe from the closet and turned back to Jason. "I'm not going anywhere. Who the fuck are you, anyway?"

"Jason Nichols. I'm the special agent in charge of Task Force Defender. Defender is a joint operation of FBI SWAT, Army Special Forces, and a private contractor or two. We were setting up an exercise at Ft. Lewis when Paul Brown asked for my help."

"How do you know Paul Brown?"

"He married my ex wife."

Sophia and Diane looked at each other. Sophia went on, "How many kids did your wife have?"

Jason smiled. "A bit paranoid are we? Not that I blame you after seeing these clowns. Jamie and I had one daughter, Sissy."

The man who carried in the first aid kit returned to the room. "They're on the way to the hospital now. The general said he'd take care of getting her protected. He also told me to tell you that SCI has hospital privileges under special task force rules already in place."

"Good. Sam, why don't you take a walkabout to see what you can see?"

Sam looked about the room and then to the deputies. "Uh, sure thing, Boss."

"Now, where were we?" He looked at the red-faced man in front of him. "Oh yes, I remember. You were going to tell me a story, weren't you?"

"Fuck you."

"My, my, that's not a nice way to talk in front of these two beautiful ladies, is it?"

"Fuck you."

Jason kicked the man in the face. "I warned you not to talk like that in front of these ladies. It's just not nice. Now let's try again. Why don't you tell me about the people for whom you are working?"

"You can't do that," screamed the man as he spit out a tooth.

"Do what? Diane, did you see me do anything?"

"Jason, I think he is talking about that tooth I knocked out when I was trying to fight off rape. What do you think, Sophia?"

"I saw the whole thing. I was so proud of you, dear. I hope you didn't hurt your elbow when you hit him in the mouth."

"No, it only hurts when I laugh. He is right about one thing, though. FBI special agents should not be hitting prisoners. Not that you did, but if there were a need, Sophia and I have some special skills. We are also lesbian bitches who hate men. What do you think, Mr. FBI Man? Do you think you could leave the room or at least turn around for just an itsy, bitsy, tiny bit of time?''

"That's up to our friend here. Got a story to tell me, or do I go into the next room and start interviewing witnesses?"

"Fuck you."

Sophia had quietly moved to the man's blind side. She grabbed one of his manacled hands and pulled his middle finger all the way flat on the back of his hand. The man screamed in pain as the finger was forced back with a sickening snap.

"Should I leave?" Jason turned and took two steps toward the patio doors.

Sophia said, almost in a whisper, "Yes."

Diane reached between his legs and said, "I think I have some payback coming. I'm glad Mr. FBI Man has more important things to do than to make sure I don't pull your balls off and flush them down the toilet. I'm gonna have a lot of fun before you meet with a serious accident."

"NO! I'll tell you everything I know."

Jason turned and smiled. "You two want to join the FBI?"

Diane looked at him and shook her head. "Honey, you couldn't afford us."

As the state police led the four dirty deputies to a police transport, Valerie led Tina and Samantha from the back of the house. "The girls want to check on their sister. What have we heard?"

Jason put his sat phone in his coat pocket. "That was Harry. Sasha just got out of surgery. She lost a lot of blood, but she came through like a champ. In fact they just moved her to a room. She can see family if you would like to make the trip. The helicopter will be back any minute, and we'll fly to Fort Louis. My men are going to remain here until Jack Ballard can get a team up here for security.

Shawn and Bob cuddled in the outdoor love seat as they watched Sally and Teresa raced through the Olympic sized pool's heated water. TC sat next to them with a contented baby in each arm. "I can't believe Paul sold this place. God it is so great."

Shawn looked at her friend and giggled. "He didn't sell it. It's our wedding present. I just think he wanted to break free and start all over."

"Besides," chipped in Bob, "I think he has an interest in my ex wife."

Shawn looked at her husband. "Is that what he has in her?"

"Woman that is no way for the mother of my son to be talking!"

"Really?" Shawn shot Bob a coy smile. "What about the mother of your new daughters? While you were out providing the king of porn over there a new den of inequity, I took the first ultrasound."

Bob and TC both looked at Shaw and in unison asked, "Daughters?"

"Twins. Looks like poor Hobbie is gonna have a lot more than a sister and a girl friend."

"Damn."

The sat phone went off before any more could be said. Bob copped a feel of his wife's breast as he leaned over her to grab the phone. "Brown's mule barn. Which ass do you want?"

Bob suddenly sobered. "Is she going to make it? How'd they find them?"

Bob sat down the phone and looked shaken. "Sasha has been shot. She is in intensive care now, but it looks like she's going to be ok."

Shawn turned to Bob. "What happened?"

"They were ambushed at Harry's mountain home. My brother is either psychic or the luckiest man in the world. Diane and Sophia took over and saved the day. By the time Jason arrived with an FBI swat team, our girls had captured the four shooters. They were dirty Sheriff Deputies. Paul is going to send a couple of guys out here to help with the security."

Shawn smiled at her husband. "What, does he think we need a chaperone?"

"I think he is a little superstitious. He said these things usually come in threes. TC, he also asked if you had some of your bouncers that wanted to earn a little overtime."

"I'll ask around. I would be surprised if they even know about this place."

"Well, they did find out about Harry's mountain place. I think he just wants to be sure we have everything covered. Gunny and Pat Riley are taking Booboo to the Cleveland Clinic for observation. Then they're swinging down here because they told Booboo they were coming to see Sally."

As Rosa pushed a cart loaded with lunch she overheard Bob's explanation. "I guess this is a bad time. Mr. Bob, could we talk about something later?"

"Sure, Rosa, what is it?"

"I need to give you notice. I was married to Jerry last month before a JP. He wants me to help with the stables."

"Congratulations Rosa," shouted Shawn. "We are going to have to do something about your wedding. You deserved a big one in a church, and we're gonna give it to you. Just one thing, I would ask of you."

"Anything Miss Shawn."

"Now that you are no longer employed by the family, would you finally drop this mister and miss stuff? I really feel old when you do that. Oh, by the way, would you be the Godmother to one of my daughters?"

"When I am no longer your employee, I will do as you request, but not before. It would be an honor to be a part of your child's life"

"Well, I guess I can live with that."

Sally pushed the sugar cubes into Buttermilks mouth. "Did you miss me, Baby? I missed you." The horse pushed into her hand looking for more sweets and playfully nipped her palm.

Jerry walked through the stable door. "Now I am upset. You sneak in my stables to see your horse, and you don't even stop at the house to give me a hug. Sally, how can you hurt me like that?"

"Jerry, you know you're my one true love after Buttermilk. You were next on my list. Let's go for a ride? I want to know what you did to Rosa to get her to marry you. I've never seen her so happy."

"What?" asked Rosa from behind Jerry. "Are you trying to steal my man?"

"Rosa, Jerry doesn't even know that any other women than you exist. Around you he looks as dopey as you do when you're around him."

Jerry turned to embrace Rosa. "Sally and I are going for a ride. I'd like for you to join us.

Sally smiled as Rosa and Jerry let their horses follow the trail. They weren't aware of anything, but each other. The young girl pulled ahead of the couple and turned Buttermilk to block the trail. "Why don't we stop at the brook so we can have a talk. I have some questions, and I need some advice from my adult best friends."

Jerry and Rosa looked at each other in concern. "What's wrong, Honey?" Jerry asked.

"I have some decisions to make, and I'd kind of like to have your input."

Jerry leaned against a willow tree that was half in and half out of a small lazy brook. Rosa snuggled next to him and smiled at Sally. "Now, what can be so serious?"

"I'm going to drop out of school and join Jack's security company."

"Why would you do something like that? I thought you liked school."

"Rosa, I do, but a lot of things have changed this summer. I've seen my friends killed, and I have killed several people. My adopted cousin has been kidnapped, and Jack's company is going after the people who did it. I need to be there. I worked on a piece of equipment this summer that is at least 20 years ahead of anything else even dreamed of. The math I will take in school this year is so far below where I am now, that it would be like learning to count. School would be a waist of time."