Chapter 15

Nick finished writing his report and gave it to John's secretary. As he walked back toward the elevator, John came out of his office.

"Nick come here."

Nick turned around and walked back toward John.

"Yes sir."

"Max was arraigned this morning. He goes to court in five months. The court didn't grant him bail. They were afraid Melissa and the children would be harmed. I am setting them up in a safe house a long way from here. I need you to bring the children to the helicopter pad around eight this evening."

"Okay. How is Melissa?"

"The doc said she will be just fine. No permanent damage to her eye. She doesn't have much of a spine. She keeps mumbling that she loves him. However, she agreed for the safety of the children to divorce him. We turned all of that over to the attorneys."

"Good. I have a team to train."

"No more Nick. They tried to have the case thrown out for what you did. Luckily, the judge wasn't having any of it. Especially when Max told him he voluntarily fought you."

"Yes sir. Anything else?"

"No. Keep me updated on everything. I want to know what Brother tells you tonight."

"How did you know?"

"This is my organization," John said. "I know every thing."

Nick walked away befuddled and mumbling to himself. As Nick got on the elevator, his phone rang, and he answered, "Nick."

Cal said, "Hey. I have the women and I am on my way back."

"Okay. I will meet you at Petra's. Pull around back to my elevator."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. I am sure about that. I ain't hauling all of her shit up the damn stairs."

"How did you know she had a lot of shit?"

"Lamebrain. Every female has a lot of shit."

"Oh, okay. I still don't like the idea of letting them know about our place."

"It ain't up to you, partner. Besides, everyone you have is part of the new team. And before you ask, yes even Raven."

"Okay. We still don't have a communications expert."

"Yes we do. You just aren't thinking very well today. What happened?"

Cal whispered, "I saw Raven naked."

Nick being facetious, said, "What? I didn't hear you."

Cal got upset and yelled, "I SAW RAVEN NAKED!"

The ladies turned and looked at Cal. He blushed.

"DAMN YOU NICK!" Cal hung up his phone. He did his best not to look at the ladies.

Cal decided to forewarn the ladies, "Nick is going to meet us at Petra's. He is going to show you something. If a single word leaks out about it, I will be the whisperer. I am not as kind as Nick. He will make it quick, I won't."

The ladies looked at one another and they all knew he was serious.

Nick got on the phone and called Petra.

"Hi hon. Cal is on his way back with the girls. I told him to pull around to the elevator."

"Do you think that will be a good idea?"

"Yes. I need to get them to trust each other now. I need to call Ryan and tell him to meet us over there."

"Okay. I will keep the kids in my room. I bought them some toys. Is that okay?"

"Of course, I was going to do it earlier but my report took longer than expected. I have to take them to the helipad tonight at eight."

"Do we have to?"

"Enjoy it now. That is all we can ask for is the now."

"Okay. Having them around has made me want some of my own."

"I love you Petra. But, don't ask about children please."

Petra was pissed.

"If I want one, I will have one mister. Neither you or anyone else can tell me differently."

"Calm down, sweetie. You know what I meant and you know why."

"I know Nick. You cannot punish yourself forever."

"I will see you in a little bit."

Nick hung up. Petra sat on the edge of the bed.

Kristen said, "Miss Petra, are you okay?"

Petra put on false smile.

"I am fine, Kristen. We are going to have guests in a few minutes. Would it be okay if I left you and your sister in here to play?"

Kristen tried to act older.

"Yes ma'am. I will watch her."

"Good girl. Tonight we are going to go see your mother."

Kristen yelled, "Yea!"

Sarah hung her head and started to cry. Petra knelt down next to her. "Sarah, look at me." Sarah looked at Petra.

Petra said, "What is wrong?"

Sarah shakily said, "I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"I like it here."

Petra said, "It is okay, sweetie. You can visit anytime you like."

Sarah, still sobbing, said, "Okay."

Something tugged at Petra's soul.

"Go play with your sister and I will go get you something to eat."

Petra stood up and started to leave. Sarah reached up and grabbed her hand. Petra looked back at Sarah.

"Yes?"

"Can I help?"

"No dear. You stay here and play."

Sarah let go of her hand, and said, "Okay."

Petra walked out of the room crying.

Nick called Ryan.

"Ryan, this is Nick. I need you to meet me in front of Petra's in ten minutes."

Ryan mumbled something.

Nick said, "You don't have a choice, brother. Ten minutes and I don't really care what you are doing."

Nick heard Ryan cussing.

Ryan said, "Okay. But this had better be good."

"You will enjoy it."

Nick hung up and headed for Petra's. As he approached the elevator, his phone rang.

"Nick, hey, Paul. I am getting them all together now. I will put you on vid-phone when I get them all settled in. No, I haven't told Christina. Yeah, I know she probably hasn't had any in a while. Yes, Haygood has been working double shifts to pay for the wedding. I will keep her under control."

Nick hung up. The elevator opened and he headed toward Petra's. Ryan caught him before he got halfway there.

Ryan said, "Alright you big bastard, what is going on?"

Nick handed Ryan a piece of paper.

Ryan read it, and said, "What?" I have to take orders from you?"

"Yes you do, and if you call me bastard again they are going to be scraping up your remains."

"Sorry. But I have my communications team to worry about."

"Not anymore. They have already replaced you with Angie. She is just as good as you are."

Ryan whined, "Nick, she doesn't have my penchant for the bold. When they say it is impossible, I make it possible."

"That is why you have been assigned to me. Your talents are wasted in communications."

"I will give it six months. If I don't like it..."

Nick interrupted, "I don't care whether you will like it or not Ryan. You will do what you are told, when you are told. Don't get an attitude with me or this will be a rough assignment."

Ryan, dejected, swore under his breath.

Nick said, "They have let you have free reign in communications. I am not giving you any. You go out on your own and get one of the other team members killed, and you will be next. You disobey me one time and I will finish this conversation. Do I make myself clear?"

Ryan looked at Nick with pure hatred.

"Yes I do. I am only going to say this once. You don't scare me, Hammer. You come after me, be prepared. I will be. If you think for a second I am going to let an old fart like you take me down..."

Ryan barely had time to spit the words out. Nick grabbed him by the throat. Nick lifted Ryan off of the ground and with his other hand placed his thumb on a nerve behind Ryan's ear. Ryan let out a gargled screech.

Nick said, "Now you listen and you listen good, you oversized leprechaun. I give the orders. You follow orders to a "T" and I will let you live."

Nick threw him to the ground.

"Now get up and clean yourself off. Let's go meet the rest of the team."

Ryan knew he got off lucky. He pulled himself off of the ground and dusted himself off.

Nick thought to himself, "I hate it when a younger bull tries to take over the herd."

Ryan followed behind Nick. Cal pulled up behind Petra's. Nick and Ryan came out of the back door.

Cal swore, "Not the bantam rooster, Nick."

"Cal, I just had this conversation with him. Don't make me have it with you too."

Cal looked at Ryan. Ryan kept rubbing his neck. Cal chuckled. The ladies piled out of the van. Raven started to say something.

Nick stared at her, "Not a word Raven. No questions, no buts. As I told Ryan, you are my new team. You will do what you are told when you are told. If I know Cal, he has already told you to keep your mouths shut about what I am going to show you. We are going to load an elevator with Lilly's things. Once we are done, you will climb on the elevator. I don't want to hear a peep out of any of you. If me or Cal ask you a question, you will answer succinctly. No exaggerated answers. If we tell you to do something, you do it. If you live long enough, all of your answers will be revealed. Everyone of you will move here. I don't have time to chase all over this place trying to find you. Are there any questions?"

No one said anything. Christina slowly raised her hand as if she was back in school.

Nick said, "Yes Christina."

"What about conjugal visits?"

Everyone started snickering.

Nick said, "Well you aren't going to get any."

Christina said, "Me and Haygood are supposed to be getting married soon."

"Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is the organization is picking up the tab for your wedding."

"What is the bad news?"

Nick started laughing, "The bad news is Haygood is on special duty 'till your wedding. He is leaving this evening."

Christina shocked, said "What? Nick please let me have the afternoon off."

"Not a chance in hell, sister. You can see him tonight before he leaves."

"You are a cruel man, Nick Hammer."

Nick busted out laughing. Everyone stared at him. Nick finally calmed down long enough to talk.

Nick tried to stop laughing, "I didn't request it. He did."

Everyone started laughing.

Christina got irate.

"He did. What do you mean he did?"

Nick calmed down a bit.

"He said he wouldn't have time to get anything done if he was in bed all afternoon with you."

The laughter got a whole lot louder. Christina threw a temper tantrum. She stomped her feet and sat down in the dirt, swearing, which made everyone laugh even louder. Nick walked over and pushed a hidden panel. He punched in a code and the wall opened up to reveal an elevator.

Nick ordered, "Okay, people let's move it."

Lilly grabbed one of her boxes and entered the elevator. The elevator was huge. It was almost big enough to put a couple of tanks in. Lilly sat her box down and headed back outside. She started to stop and ask Nick a question. She thought better of it and headed back to the van. Every one of them that went into the elevator wanted to ask Nick about it, but no one did. They got the elevator loaded.

Cal said, "I am going to take the van back."

"Okay, Bud, see you in a bit."

Nick entered the elevator and pushed a code in. The elevator slowly moved up. Nick decided to explain the elevator.

"This is an armored car elevator. I had it installed when I found this place. It is a little slow. But, I can put a semi-truck and trailer on it to unload it."

The elevator reached its destination: a large open cave with loading docks at one end. The other side was a road that led to a door.

Nick said, "Ryan go up to the docks and grab the large flat cart."

"Yes sir."

He took off running. The girls stood there looking everywhere, amazed. Ryan came pulling up in the cart.

Nick said, "Okay ladies and gentlemen, load it up."

They loaded the cart. Nick hopped into the driver seat.

"Follow me."

He took off driving towards the large door opposite the docks. The rest followed him, whispering.

"I said not a word. I can hear you."

They looked at one another.

Nick said, "The walls out here reverberate even the slightest of noises."

They shrugged their shoulders and followed him. Lilly started having second thoughts. If he was going to be this mean all of the time, maybe she shouldn't be here. Nick climbed out of the cart and opened the door. He backed into it. He bumped a small dock. He got out of the cart sat on the dock. The rest of them showed up a few minutes later.

Nick told them, "Hurry up. Petra probably has dinner ready."

They climbed up on the dock. Nick walked over to the only door on the dock and opened it up. A tunnel with railroad tracks became visible.

Nick said, "Alright, everyone, grab something, just not each other, and follow me."

The team laughed. Nick walked to the wall on the opposite side of the tunnel. He punched in a new code. The door opened into his bedroom. They followed Nick through his bedroom. Nick opened the door into the main house. He pointed to the den and then headed off to find Petra. He entered the kitchen and Petra was standing by the refrigerator. He walked over to her. She didn't realize he was standing behind her. She turned and almost poured a pitcher of ice tea on him.

"Damn it Nick, I told you to make some noise."

Nick leaned over and kissed her.

"You aren't getting off that easy. Now help me set the table."

"Okay."

Cal came bouncing around the corner.

"Hey, are you two fighting again?"

Petra said, "No, but he is in the doghouse already. He hasn't been gone three or four hours. How do you keep him out of trouble?"

Cal answered, "I don't. I let him do whatever he wants to."

Petra said, "So that is why he comes in here acting like an ass."

Nick said, "Hey I am in the room you know."

They all laughed. Christina was the first to come in the kitchen, with the rest following behind her.