Chapter 25

Wednesday morning at eight o'clock the alarm flashed. Cal got out of bed and slapped Raven on the ass. Cal said, "Honey, time to get up."

Raven pulled the covers over her head and said, "I don't want to."

"We have to meet Ryan and Christina for breakfast. Now get up."

Raven rolled over and said, "No."

Cal walked over and picked up the ice bowl. He ripped the covers off the bed and threw the ice and water on Raven. She came alive screaming. Cal stood there laughing.

Raven furious, said "Oh you bastard, you aren't getting any more from me for a month."

Cal still laughing, said "You couldn't last a month."

Raven, still furious, spouted, "Just watch me."

Cal headed to the bathroom. Raven beat him to the bathroom door. She went in and started to close the door.

She turned towards Cal and said, "Ha!"

Raven tried to close the door, when Cal hit the door with the palm of his hand. He knocked Raven into the shower curtain. She was entangled in the curtain. The curtain rod broke, dropping her into the bathtub. Cal ran to the bathtub. Raven looked up at him.

Cal said, "There is only one man here. I love you. But don't do that again."

Raven demanded, "Help me up!"

Cal said, "I don't like prima donnas. You don't demand any thing from me."

Raven, knowing she stepped over the line and because loved him greatly, looked up at him sorrowfully.

She said, "I'm sorry."

Cal helped her out of the tub.

"Now what are we going to do for a shower?"

"We can take a bath together."

"Okay, run the water, I will get some towels."

Cal and Raven finished their bath after some playing around in the tub. They got dressed and headed to the hotel dining room. Ryan got to the dining room after Cal and Raven.

Cal said, "Where is Christina?"

Ryan said, "She is coming."

A couple of minutes later, Christina came in the room. Christina plopped down in her seat. A waitress came over. The group gave her their orders and she left. They talked about the night before and found out what everyone did.

Christina said, "I didn't feel like doing anything. I stayed in my room."

Raven said, "Someday, the pain won't be so bad."

"I know, I just really miss him."

She started to cry when several people entered the dining room. Cal spotted Weed's staff and figured the large muscular person was Razor.

He reacted quickly, whispering, "Scatter."

The team disappeared from the table. The dining room was very crowded. Cal, knowing if they were to stand and fight here, nothing good would come of it. Many innocent lives would be forfeited. He hid in a booth. A waitress came by the table. He reached up and touched her arm.

Cal whispered, "Miss, I need your help."

The waitress turned to him, "What can I do for you?"

"You see those people by the door?"

The waitress nodded her head. "They are not here to eat. Can you distract them a couple of minutes so I can get to the kitchen door?" The waitress thought about it and nodded her head. "Can you also alert the kitchen? I am going to get them to chase me and I will need every second I can get."

The waitress said, "Just leave it to me honey. I take it you owe them some money?"

"No. They just don't like me and my friends."

The waitress asked, "What friends?"

"They are in here somewhere hiding. Once these people start chasing me, you will see them. Give them a message to meet me at the old water tower near the railroad tracks. Do you know where I mean?"

The waitress nodded, "I can do that. You be very careful. When you hear the plates break run."

Cal thanked her deeply as she walked away. The waitress stopped by the kitchen and let them in on the problem. Then she stopped all of the other waiters and waitresses. Cal pulled out his money, left it on the table, and put a plate over it. The waitress walked up to the eight people.

The waitress asked them, "Is this your whole party?"

Weed replied, "We ain't here to eat bitch. Now leave us alone."

The waitress got furious, "Then get out. We don't have time to mess with you."

Weed said, "Listen bitch, we are looking for four people who came in here a minute ago."

The waitress got very defiant, "We have a full room you moron. If you are not going to eat, you are going to leave."

About that time, another waitress dropped some plates, just left of the door. All of them turned and looked at her. Cal jumped out of the booth and ran to the kitchen door. Weed spotted him about the time he hit the door. All eight of them give chase. The waitress got in their way and he knocked her to the floor. By the time Weed got to the door, Cal has a decent head start. Weed and his crew ran through the kitchen getting tripped up all the way out the back door. As soon as they were out the back door, Cal zinged a piece of asphalt at them, hitting Razor in the head. Razor almost fell down. Cal was amazed and almost stood there too long. The eight run after him. Cal ran them through the city. He stayed ahead of them just enough not to lose them. When he thought his compadres had enough time to disappear, he disappeared himself. He left Weed and Razor scratching their heads.

Cal found a payphone and called Nick.

"What is going on?"

"I have a problem. Weed and Razor showed up here in Vegas."

"Is everyone okay?"

"I think so. I led them on a chase through the city. What do you want me to do?"

"We need to go ahead and take them out. Do you need any assistance?"

"There is no way you could make it on time. We could use assistance from Father's shadow men."

"I will get in touch with him. Anything else?"

"Yeah, we left most of our weapons there. Do you know anyone out here that can help?"

"I don't. Let me get ahold of Paul. That is his old stomping grounds. Call me back in an hour."

Cal said, "Roger," and hung up the phone. He headed to the old water tower. Once he arrived, he found himself a nice cozy spot and waited. Twenty minutes went by when an old beat-up hatchback wagon pulled around to the tower. Christina hopped out of the back, dragging her gear. Then the rest of the team got out. The waitress that helped him got out of the drivers seat. Cal moved towards them. Raven ran over and hugged him.

Raven asked, "Are you okay?"

Cal thought what a silly question.

He replied, "Yes, I am okay."

He saw the waitress.

"I want to thank you."

The waitress said, "Thank you. That is the most exciting thing that has happened there. Everyone enjoyed it."

Cal thought about her statement a minute and realized how dreary a life that she must lead.

"You are very welcome. Could I ask you for your help one more time?"

The waitress said, "I would be glad to help."

"We will need a ride in a little bit, if you would just hang out here."

"Okay, I will call my boss and let him know I won't be back for a while. He really enjoyed it. He tripped that big muscular dude and he cussed him out."

Cal laughs, "That wasn't a dude. It was female." The waitress laughs and pulls out her cell phone.

Cal motioned the team to follow him. He walked them out of earshot of the waitress. He took them under the water tower. He told them about his conversation with Nick.

Cal said, "I need to know what weapons we have."

Cal pulled out his bowie knife and a small derringer pistol. Raven pulled a silver hairpin out of her hair and some tiny darts and a straw-sized blowgun out of her pockets. Ryan pulled two K-Bar knives out of his boots. Christina pulled her swords, shurikens, and every bit of her normal combat weapons out of her bag.

Cal said, "How the hell did you get all of that on the airplane?"

Christina replied, "Easily, I spotted our two shadows before we got on the plane and I gave it to them."

Cal said, astonished, "I haven't seen them."

"That is the point. They wouldn't be very good shadows if everyone saw them."

As they were talking, two men walked out of the shadows of the water tower. Cal grabbed his bowie knife and jumped up.

Christina yelled, "Stop, these are our shadows!"

Cal let his body go slack,.

"Welcome, I see Father has given you new orders."

The first one spoke, "Yes venerable Cal. I am called Chin. My friend is Wei. How may we assist you?"

"You know our situation. I have been ordered to take out the ones who are chasing us. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Yes venerable Cal, at this moment, they have surrounded your hotel and are awaiting your return. Wei and myself would like to do battle with the ones called Weed and Razor. That would leave the rest of them to you. Would that be a problem for you?"

Cal laughed, "No honorable Chin, it would not be a problem."

Wei whispered in Chin's ear.

"Someday, venerable Cal, Wei would be honored to do battle with you."

"Tell honorable Wei that I would like that very much. However, I would hate for our lives to be lost in a battle that has only an outcome of death."

Chin told Wei what Cal said. Wei whispered again in his ear.

"Then perhaps, just a contest of skill without weapons."

"Tell him, I would be honored."

Chin told Wei. Wei turned to Cal and bowed. Cal bowed in return.

"I need to rearm my team. We will meet you on the south side of the hotel in the alley by the pawn shop."

Wei and Chin bow, acknowledging Cal. As quickly as they appeared, they disappeared. The team stood with their mouths opened at how fast they disappeared. Cal turned back to the team.

"Let's get ahold of Nick and find some weapons. Raven, did you bring my phone?"

Raven reached in her pocket, pulled out his phone and threw it at him.

Cal called Nick, "Thanks for getting ahold of father. Did you find someone we can stock up with?"

"Yes. Paul said to go to a pawn shop a block southeast of your hotel. It is called Smithee's Pawn."

Cal started laughing.

Nick, confused asked him, "What in the hell are you laughing about?"

"That is where I told Father's shadow men I would meet them."

Nick chuckled, "Good, you won't have a hard time finding it. I have to run. Keep in touch and keep them safe."

"I will brother. See you in the morning."

Cal hung up. He motioned for the team to load up. The waitress was standing by the car.

Cal asked her, "Do you know where Smithee's Pawn shop is?"

"Yes, I have had to use him on occasion. He is a really nice old man."

"Good, that is where we are going."

They all piled in the car and drove to the pawnshop. The team got out of the car. Cal hung back a minute.

Cal said to the waitress, "Thank you so much for helping us. It is time for you to go home. Do not go back to work today."

The waitress nodded. Cal pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"Write your address and phone number down. I will send you something for helping us. Do you have a husband?"

The waitress shook her head "no" while she was writing.

"How about kids?"

The waitress nodded and said, "I have a little girl. She is nine. Why?"

"I want to send her something special."

"You don't have to."

"I know, but you helped us out of a very bad situation. Now go home and enjoy the afternoon off. Do not call or speak to anyone about what happened today."

The waitress nodded and Cal took the piece of paper from her. He got out of the car and waved her to leave. She waved back and drove away. Cal and the team entered the pawnshop. An elderly gentleman sat behind a counter. The old man waved them to the counter.

The old man said, "My name is Carl Ericson. How may I help you?"

Cal replied, "Paul Smith sent us."

"Ah yes, he called a few minutes ago. Wait one moment, while I clear the store out."

The old man came out from behind the counter. He walked around the store, ushering the rest of his patrons out the door. When they all left, he locked the front door and put out the closed sign. He waddled back to the team. He beckoned them to follow him. He led them behind the counter and through a curtain to the back of the store. He stopped and hit a button on the wall. The floor fell from in front of them.

As the old man headed down the ramp, he asked, "Did Paul tell you the price you will have to pay?"

Cal said, "No he didn't."

"Each weapon you actually use demands an ear."

Cal taken back, said,"What do you mean an ear?"

"If my weapon kills or wounds, you have to bring me an ear from the one it has killed or maimed."

The team stopped on the ramp. The old man turned and looked at them.

"Do not be shocked. It is not a trophy. It is how I make my living. You will see; come follow me."

The old man headed on down the ramp. Cal looked at the team and shrugged his shoulders. He followed the old man down the ramp. The rest of the team slowly followed. The old man opened a door at the bottom of the ramp. He motioned them inside. The team entered the room. It was the size of a small warehouse. Weapons lined the walls and racks upon racks ran down the middle. The old man motioned them to follow him. He entered another room. The team followed him. Inside the new room, there were shelves of glass bottles and fish tanks full of ears. Raven almost vomited.

The old man chuckled, "Please not in here. There is a bathroom there."

He pointed to a door.

Cal said, "Would you please explain about the ears?"

"In a minute, young man. First, what is it you require?"

"We need a .50 caliber sniper rifle with muffler, three nine millimeter's with silencers and forty rounds for each one. If you have them, I need two AR-15's, fully automatics with silencers. I need sixty rounds for them."

Ryan interrupted, "Are we going to need that much firepower?"

Cal said, "I don't want to get in a situation where I have the lack of ability to shoot back."

Ryan replied, "Oh okay."

Cal said, "We also need a couple of knives for Ryan and me."

The old man nodded his head, then walked to a desk in the corner of the room. He pulled out a book and opened it up. It looked like an ancient accounting log. He pulled out a piece of paper, wrote down numbers, and followed with the letter "E." He flipped several times through the book. The old man finished and handed the piece of paper to Cal. Cal looked at the paper. To him it looked like a bunch of gibberish. He handed the paper back to the old man.

Carl laughed, "You have never been to an old-time gun shack, have you?"

"I guess not."

The old man handed him the paper back.

"The first number is the location of the weapons. The second number is how many ears it has claimed. It used to be a selling point for the old timers. If they wanted a weapon that was dependable they would get one with a lot of ears on it. If they wanted one that had never been used they would get one without ears on it."

Ryan said, "I get it. The ears are the proof of what the weapon has done."