Chapter 12

Lilly and Jennifer left the administration office. As they came out of the office, Raven came walking down the hallway.

Raven said, "Are we having fun?"

"Not one bit," Lilly replied. "I have never seen so many pieces of paper in my entire life."

"I know," Raven said. "We are worse than working for most governments. We are going to have to wait on Christina. She is helping Nick with a problem. Ryan is going to be your weapons instructor now."

Lilly asked, "Who? The geeky guy?"

Raven laughed, "Many a men have made that mistake and many of them are dead. Ryan is an ex-seal. He is only the second best sniper here behind Nick. However, his specialty is electronics."

"What happened to the other guy?"

"I will tell you later," Raven said. "Right now, I need to go to the market. If it is alright with everyone, I will cook tonight."

Jennifer said, "It is fine with me. Paul, on the other hand, is pretty picky."

Raven laughed, "Well, how about Thai-chicken? It is a little spicy."

Jennifer said, "He loves spicy food. Sounds good to me."

Lilly said, "Great. Let's go."

Nick walked into the family service office.

Petra said softly, "Hey you."

"Hey. Where are the girls?"

"The service representative took them to the doctor downstairs. He wanted to examine them and make sure they were okay. Where is Max?"

Nick smirked and stated bluntly, "The hospital."

Petra looked at him horrified.

Nick said, "I didn't kill him. He won't be moving around very much for a while."

Petra admonished him, "Nick Hammer! What did you do?"

"Not much. He wanted to box. I just taught him how humility is a valuable lesson. I didn't do any permanent damage."

"Nick, you have to quit that. You can't solve all your problems with your fists."

"Honey, I know I can't. But, it really felt good."

Christina did a little grunt.

Nick said, "Oh, Christina take off. I'll take it from here."

Christina giggled, "Bye," and bounced out of the room.

"I forgot to tell Paul and John what is going on."

He walked over to the receptionist and asked her, "May I use your phone?"

"Go ahead," she said.

Paul kept looking at John.

John said, "Would you quit looking at me? I have nothing to do with it. If you wanted to know what is going on you should have went with Nick."

"I'm sorry. I just hate it when other people handle the problem."

"Paul, a few years ago, you told me you were getting too old. Now, you are wanting to jump in and do it all over again. I'm telling you, you don't have it anymore."

"What! I still got it."

John threw a paperweight at Paul. Paul dropped it.

"I told you. Ten years ago, that would have been caught and you would have zinged it right back at my head. You have been domesticated."

"Domesticated!"

"Yes, domesticated. You have a family. You go on vacations and you enjoy them. You take your wife to dinner and dancing. You sit in a recliner and fall asleep. This is not a bad thing, Paul. Everyone needs peace. You need it more than most of us. The reason I am telling you is I do not want you going out again thinking you can get in the mix. I want you to be a controller. I want you to have a clear head. The problem is you want to be your daughter's controller. What are you going to do when she gets in a situation that seems impossible to get out of? I am afraid you are going to jump into the situation. Probably get both of you and the rest of the team killed."

Paul said, "I thought about that. It's the reason I wanted Jennifer to help me. I see your point, John."

"I sure hope you do."

The phone rang and John answered it.

"This is John."

Nick said, "I got him. He is in the crime ward at the hospital."

"What happened?"

"He wanted to box. I gave him some lessons in proper boxing etiquette."

"Damn it Nick! This could backfire on us."

"I had witnesses."

"Cal doesn't count Nick. You're going to need someone who isn't biased."

"Don't worry about it. I had Bernie Maxwell refereeing."

John was pissed off.

"You crazy ass, I want you in my office now. I hate chewing ass over the phone."

"I can't. I am with Petra and the children. Cal took him to the hospital."

"Damn! Nick, one of these days you are going to do what you are told."

Nick chuckled, "Why do you think I got out of the military? I got tired of doing what I was told. Now, people ask me please, and for the most part I comply with their request."

"This isn't funny Nick!"

"I know it ain't John. I just think differently than you. I think all abusers should get the same thing they dish out. I think rapists should be castrated with no painkillers. I think murderers should be killed in the same manner they committed. I think child molesters should be castrated in public and their throats slit. I think all lawyers should be put in front of a firing squad. I think all politicians should be made to run around buck-naked at all times. Maybe they would learn humility. I think elections shouldn't be a popularity contest. We should elect someone who would be good at it and they don't want it. I am tired of talking John. You want to chew my ass. Fine, do it, but don't expect me to agree with you."

"Shit, calm down Nick. I am just worried he is going to get out of being thrown in jail for the rest of his life. I didn't need to know all the rest of that."

"I understand John. But, he deserved it and we both know it."

"Yes he did. It is just I would've rather it had been handled differently."

"The opportunity arose and I took it."

"Between you and Paul, I am going to have coronary before I turn fifty."

Nick laughed, "Fifty my ass. Sixty, maybe."

"Alright, enough of this. I want you, Petra and the children in my office in the morning. Say, around eight."

"Okay John."

John hung up the phone.

"What the hell happened?" Paul said.

"Nick got Max to fight him."

"What? How?"

"I don't know. He said Max is in the security ward at the hospital. Are you sure you want him to be Lilly's commander?"