Section 19

Little did the cocky gangsters know how deeply that razor cut both ways. Experience would turn out to be something they received about ten contusions after they needed it.

Phil and the girls were on schedule. They unloaded the goods on the pier, leaving Sherry, her twin sisters, Dana, Lanie, and Rachael to ferry the packages to the house using the Gator. The rest crossed the sound with Phil to meet the truck. JJ and JD had called on time and would arrive about ten minutes early. Phil wanted to beat them to get the instrument cases with the weaponry stowed on the boat in private. He won the race by less than a minute, tying the last of the drum kit down as they backed to the dock.

Phil paid no attention to the rusty van following the delivery truck and slowly continuing up the road.

It was a good thing they left six girls behind. As it was, they barely fit with girls sitting in laps and Melody on the deck in the cockpit with Phil. He took them home nice and easy after seeing the guys out and locking the gate. Incidentally, the gate was the only opening, except for the water, in a ten-foot chain link fence, topped with concertina wire.

It was dark when they chugged to the pier. Sherry and Dana caught the ropes and tied the boat to the bumpers. Five more trips with the ATV and they could relax. Sara and Sally supervised the storage in the cabinets while the late arrivals washed up and dressed in warm clothes for the evening. The others did the same afterwards.

Dinner consisted of hotdogs and French fries with a tossed salad. Simple quick and easy was the only way to go. They wiped the tables and counter before the girls started trying on the new beach clothes. Maggie stocked everything a woman at the beach or on the Intracoastal could want, sunscreen to ball gowns, truly one stop shopping. They bought everything from string bikinis to flannel pajamas, straw hats to fuck-me pumps.

Phil was really into the fashion show when the radar beeped. He flipped on the night vision camera at the pier and called the girls over. “We have a visitor. Looks like a teenaged girl in a johnboat. Any ideas? She is about one minute from the dock.”

Lanie squeaked. “What the hell? That looks like my cousin from Annapolis. What the devil is she doing here?” She snatched up her phone. “I’m calling Uncle Max and Aunt Libby.”

“Max. Hello and all that. Why am I looking at Traci on a dock in North Carolina?”

“Her Mom and I know where she is. She checks in every day or so. Traci had some bully troubles here and split for college early to get away. A great adventure before she has to buckle down.” Max told Lanie she was on speaker. Libby was listening. “My question is where are you? Shouldn’t you be in Scarboro?”

“Rachael and I are with a group of people at the Swensons’ private island in the Core Banks near Cedar Island, NC.”

Libby laughed. “Swenson as in Dennis and Claire’s kids? I should have known. Who else is there?”

“Apparently everybody, Mom.” Lanie listed the whole crowd to the hoots and laughter of the McGuires.

“Not many daughters left. Y’all even collected the Ladysmith girl and Judy’s daughter.” Libby guffawed most unladylike. “No wonder Traci washed up there. The universe demanded it.”

“Clearly you all know each other. Would have been nice if you dropped a clue now and then. Just a minute, Libby, you stinker. I have to explain some stuff to the bunch here.”

Seems her mom and Traci’s Dad were siblings. Her Mom was a Hynde, yet another Lost Colony name. “We need to get Traci in the house. She has to be cold out there. Max and Libby, I’ll call tomorrow, maybe. Tell Mom we found a strange little castaway and started taking in strays.”

Phil and the girls trooped to the dock. Lanie stepped up on the apron and called out, “Traci McGuire, is that you? It’s your cousin, Lanie. Welcome to Swenson Island, your vacation paradise.”

“Lanie? I travel all the way from Annapolis in a 12-foot johnboat with a 20 hp motor and the first familiar face I see is yours?” she whooped and hugged her cousin like a boa constrictor. “I need a bath and a laundromat quick. Tell me you have a soft bed. And coffee, and fresh bread. OMG, I’m in heaven!”

Phil shipped her little motor and lifted the whole boat onto the deck. He grabbed her bundles and followed the giggling mob to the cabin. He could deal with garden-variety weird, in fact had done it all his life, but this was getting paranormally weird.

He sat at the comm. desk, content to let the girly maelstrom whirl around the house. A glance at the radar sweep got his total attention. Three little boats on the beach two hundred yards south of the dock. He remembered turning the klaxon off when Traci came in.

“April! May! SuLing! Gear up. Trouble. We have unwelcome visitors, at least three, maybe more. Marcie, call the Sheriff and the Harbor Patrol. Tell them the situation.”

Traci added, “I saw six or seven people in some dinky dinghies acting all commando-like out on the sound. Baby lame assed trolling motors. I came in from the north. They were coming from the west. Pretty sure they didn’t see me. They were having too much fun twirling the little pistols and waving machetes around like cheap cartoon pirates.”

“Good sit rep, Ms McGuire, good profile. Welcome aboard. Marcie, make sure the Sheriff knows the six wannabes are armed with bad intent. We will treat them all with extreme prejudice. Might be those creeps from the dock in Beaufort with the sloppy tattoos.”

“Sherry, you and your sisters help the others set a defensive perimeter just outside the house. Zina, you Marcie and Emily are at the comm. desk. Eyes on the radar, night cams and open line to the Sheriff.” He pulled an earwig out of the desk. “Same channel as the wireless phone to the Sheriff. You will keep me advised. Blackout conditions, now.”

With the inside lights out, three Swensons and SuLing slipped out into the darkness, silent as shadows. Phil had several knives and his Colt .45, with the katana on his back. The redheads had Glock 25s and daggers. SuLing had her shuriken and throwing knives. Somebody was going to have a bad night.

Phil heard at least five of them coming up the path like a herd of chatty elephants. Two unaccounted for. He took one side of the path, SuLing the other May and April took the flanks and moved slightly ahead.

As the idiots drew even with the two by the path, Phil and SuLing sprang up in their faces. April and May struck from the sides. He broke a leg and an arm on his two, then pinned their good hands to a tree with a knife through their palm. SuLing struck with a shuriken to the stomach and forearm of her guy, She bent both his shoulders out of joint to keep him out of the fight.

The twins hit one each like mini-missiles from the sides, causing their heads to crash together, sending them staggering. They smiled at the criminals and kicked their knees in a nonfunctional direction. Good-bye upright stance. Hands got stomped just because.

Altogether, from first strike to last, less than ten seconds passed. They collected the cheap weapons from the crippled criminals and went in search of the two at large.

They had no need to hurry. Sherry spotted them sneaking up and turned the tables. Basically, she pounded the living crap out of the first guy. In her defense, he drew down on her. In his defense, he was way out of his league and dumb as a box of sand.

Bonnie and Connie ran a clinic on the last guy. He was huge, but size doesn’t count when you have pissed off twins with major skills at your throat. Just more places to bruise. He suffered, and really suffered, a broken femur and a shattered tibia. His ability to reproduce would be in question, depending on how quickly the EMTs got him to Morehead City. They were just arriving with the Sheriff’s Patrol. The officers beached three Zodiacs beside the pier and stormed on shore.

Phil met them near the cabin. “Sorry Sheriff. We couldn’t wait. They were armed and coming on strong. Five are just up the path and the other two are at the house. None will be any trouble. Better get the EMTs here pronto. These Wildcats need their vet.”

Sheriff Overman smiled and spoke into his shoulder mic. “It’s them. Execute the search warrants. Expect armed resistance. Swenson and the girls cleaned house here. Seven down hard. No fatalities, but the ER is going to be very busy in about an hour.”

He turned to Phil. “We had a robbery at the hardware store tonight. Witnesses fingered three people who resembled the gang members but weren’t positive. This gives us reason to search the ‘headquarters’. This business is a slam-dunk case of attempted murder and assault with intent to do anything we can think of.”

One of the deputies ran up. “We need to get the medics here fast. These clowns are messed up bad. Major pain and trauma.”

“Like they planned to do to these girls? Are they life threatening injuries?” Overman asked.

“I don’t think so. The only blood is a shallow stomach wound from some kinda ninja star and two guys are nailed to trees by their hands.”

The rescue craft screamed in toward the pier, throwing the huge diesels in full reverse, going from flat out to a dead stop inches from the bumpers. Medics hit the deck sprinting. Phil pointed. “Five just there and two more up the path. Broken limbs, dislocations, possible concussions and some pierced hands. We had no cuffs. You’ll understand when you see.”

The last EMT off the dock looked at him and growled, “That is for me to say, boy. You and those little girls get the fuck out of my way and let a man do the job.” He attempted to shove Phil aside and got put down hard with a pop to the diaphragm, followed by an over-the-leg flip to his back.

In an instant, Phil had a knee on the startled EMT’s chest and the katana’s flat side against his neck. “Do not move or your children will have a single mom. You struck first. I am reacting in self-defense. Remember that fact. Incidentally, a man and these little girls did the job. That’s why you’re here. This is my damn island and you are trespassing. Get your butt on the boat or I’ll let that little girl put you there.” He snarled. “Sheriff Overman, are emergency responders allowed to carry guns? He is carrying a PPK under his jacket. Is he even licensed?”

“No. Franklin, I’ve had it with you. You’re fired, effective now.”

“You can’t do that. Now let me up, punk. You’ll regret this day.”

“The Director of Public Safety can fire you and that would be me.” Overman grinned. “Get on the boat like Mr. Swenson says and shut up.”

“Hold him down, Phil.” Sherry shouted. “Look at his wrist!” She pulled the former EMT’s sleeve up revealing another bad cat tattoo. “He’s one of them!”

Franklin found the katana replaced by a .357, Dirty Harry-style. “Phil, hand me his weapon. Elmer Franklin, you are charged with assault on a minor, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit sexual assault on a minor or minors, accessory to grand larceny and possession of a concealed weapon without a permit. Other charges may be filed depending on the search of your place of residence.”

The Sheriff properly cuffed and Mirandized the prisoner, leaving him on the ground.

“Sheriff Overman, allow me to introduce Sherry Singer, Marine field medic, sniper and sports medicine trauma specialist. Mind if she helps the real EMTs?”

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Singer. Thank you for the warning. Please help where you can.” He smiled in recognition. “Carmine and Donald’s oldest? You help make this mess?”

“Yes, sir.” Sherry responded with a grin. “Bonnie and Connie are here, too. They, Phil’s sisters and I dealt with one thug each. Phil handled the two pinned to the tree and the one you just arrested. Their guns and knives are to the side of the path where your men can find them.”

The Sheriff’s radio crackled loudly. “Dispatch to Number One. Come in.”

“I’m listening, Ralph. Find much?”

“Three female perps, evidence linking the group to burglaries going back to March, heroin, coke and a meth lab. Documents point to Elmer Franklin as the head thug. Should I put out a BOLO on him?”

“Don’t bother. I have him in custody here. Have you notified Raleigh?”

“Yes. Haz Mat and crime lab personnel inbound now to clean and work the scene. FBI involved because of Florida connection. Agent in charge advises retaliation threat very low. Seems real criminals chased these clowns out of Dade County. Confidential informants suggest general approval of their apprehension. Good news travels fast.”

“Ralph, now we know how they always avoided capture. Elmer has a police radio. That and eavesdropping in the office kept them a step ahead. Alert Carteret Med. Seven trauma cases, stabilized and immobile, inbound as soon as we load the stretchers. Have the staff coordinate directly with the Harbor Patrol for ETA and dock space. Sheriff out.”

“Phil, we have to take your knives and throwing star into evidence. You’ll also have to come into town to press charges and detectives will take sworn statements. You need an attorney or your parents attending because every one of you is under 21?”

“May we come in tomorrow afternoon? I’ll call Donald and Dad and see what they say. One of my attorneys should be down, too. We’re not going to be in any trouble, are we?”

“Not a chance. Your caller requested assistance in the face of a serious threat, advised of imminent danger and your necessary response to the immediate crisis. No one died. A clear textbook case of self-defense.” Overman stifled a laugh, “I’m tempted to call it a community service, but the judge would have to publicly reprimand me for unprofessional speech. Then buy me a drink later.”

The scene had been photographed and processed. The deputies and medics had the stretchers loaded and strapped in by now, so the Sheriff thanked the kids for their service and departed.

Back in the cabin, the family sat and stared at each other for a few minutes. Then the giggles started, next the laughs and soon all twenty-three were in stitches. “We have been on vacation a whole day now. Are you as relaxed as I am?” Willy blurted out. “Can life get more boring?”

“Every day should be so dull.” Melody retorted. “I’m almost sorry the ninjas got them all. I needed to relieve some boredom on some thug assclowns, myself.”

“But the clean up would be a drag.” Zina said. “Even on night vision, you could see four guys lose bladder control. It would be days before we got the stench off the porch.”

“You all were awesome. We saw four of the takedowns, sort of. May, April and SuLing were fast as all get out. Phil, on the other hand, was too fast to see. He teleported again. They were up; they were down and stuck to the tree. Blink once and miss the action. Sheesh!” Marcie blurted. “We missed the Singer Sisters.”

“Sherry totally vented on the first bozo, but Bonnie and I had to share the last one so he got bent twice as far. He was a big slob so there was enough to go around. I guess it worked out, pound for pound.”

“We all saw the arrest at the pier in normal light from the rescue boats. The time stamp in the recording says six tenths of a second elapsed from his shove to the blade at his throat.” Emily sputtered. “I really thought Phil was going to shorten him a little. The evil mastermind never had a chance in hell.”

“We seem to attract trouble like a rare earth magnet. It follows us wherever we go.” Nancy concluded. “Scarboro, Beaufort, and now, here.”

“That does not include you, Traci. You motored up because you were supposed to be here.” Lanie reassured the slightly bewildered teen. “Marcie wrote a weirdness history and user guide. You should read it as soon as possible. Rest easy, living here is less complicated than it sounds.”

“We’ll get you moved in and enrolled as soon as we get home.” Rachael added. “Lanie talked to Max and Libby before we met you on the dock. Everything is cool.”

“Great. Now can I take a shower? Please, pretty please? I haven’t had a proper bath since Kitty Hawk.”

“I’ll loan you some clean clothes, too.” Joanne volunteered. “Need something to eat? We can cook anything for a girl who took a 12-foot johnboat ride from Annapolis to Core Banks.”

“Have the shower first, please. Then tell your story.” Lanie begged, pinching her nose dramatically.

Traci stuck her tongue out at her cousin, but admitted the bath was overdue. “Where do I dress?”

“Here, the bathroom or bedroom. It doesn’t matter around here.” Karen said. “For tonight, start in the bedroom. I’ll get you some towels and show you the shower.”

“What about something to wear?”

“You will have plenty to pick from if you choose to get dressed. You can buy more when we go to town to make our statements. Except for the professors, Emily and Zina, most of us are the same size, plus or minus an inch or half a cup size.” Karen grinned. “Either Lanie or Phil will let you know when you decide.”

“If I choose to get dressed? Phil or Lanie will tell me when I decide? I don’t understand.”

“Probably Phil will give you your decision when you make it, rather than Lanie. And don’t expect to understand. You still won’t until it doesn’t matter whether you do or don’t.” Karen smiled enigmatically, “You’ll understand soon that understanding isn’t necessary and that it necessarily doesn’t matter if you understand or not.” Karen was busy undressing the confused teenager as she spoke. Traci was down to her bra and panties already but didn’t seem aware of her near nakedness.