by Finian Blake
“That’s fine. Tom, are you ok with this,” Layla said, spinning her laptop around revealing her work which was a tentative design of the new barn. “There are two spacious stalls separated by a large tack room on one side of an extra wide aisle and on the other side there is a four space kennel and a large heated office with a bathroom. The loft of the barn is divided in two planning a hay loft on one side and over the office we are planning a loft bedroom that is open to the office below.”
“Layla, how did you put this together so fast?”
“I have an excellent auto CAD program installed on my laptop, once they set the dimensions and various types of materials the program will give me a framing, plumbing and electrical layout and a complete materials list as a matter of fact the only thing you have to do is plug in the local codes.
Tom pointed to the oversized office with the loft. “I have an office in the house why do you have an office in the barn?”
“Because animals get sick Tom, and the first time that it happens Little Susan will be sleeping in the barn and you will be out here with her. This will be for you as much as it is for her. I am also including Suki’s premier alarm system which will be connected wirelessly to the house. If you can get a fast-track approval, we will be able to get the project under way this week.”
“So Layla, what would you figure the cost will be for a project like that?”
“Don’t worry about the cost. Edward and I were looking for a nice present for our niece and this will be perfect, won’t it Edward?” Edward glanced at Layla with mild surprise on his face.
“Of course we will dear,” Edward let out a small cough. “The next time could you tell me instead of surprising me?”
“So when do you two think that you will be able to do this thing with the terrorists.” Tom changed the subject. “The sooner we get it done the better I would like it because I don’t want to risk the chance of having them completely disappear into the United States.”
“Tom, we will be able to do it as soon as you can get things lined up since its only going to take fifteen minutes or so anyway.” Edward was in full agreement with the urgency that Tom was expressing.
“Perfect, I am going to set the four targets up for tomorrow morning,” Tom said. “They get off at eight in the morning and I want you on line with them ASAP. Are you ok getting up at five?”
Arnold laughed, “We are still on Meridian time six in the morning is eleven AM for us, which reminds me I need some rest.” Tom showed them to their rooms and went back downstairs to make some calls.
Rhonda awoke by herself hugging an empty brandy bottle. She stood up looking for Cherry. Rhonda looked down the hall seeing a light shining out of the guest bedroom. She looked in the room to see all of her projects stacked neatly on the dresser and Cherry with her head in one of the suit cases. As she approached Cherry’s head popped straight up. “This is your satellite phone the number is on a piece of tape on the side of the phone, memorize it and put the tape somewhere secure.”
Rhonda knelt behind Cherry, giving her a fierce hug, “What about us?” She was half expecting a harsh answer.
Cherry stroked her arm gently kissing it, “This was our first night, ‘us’ needs to be decided over time. I believe we may have something.” Cherry grabbed her wrists firmly. “Were you serious about Simone last night? Would you undo things if you could?”
“Yes I was serious, why?”
“Because we may be having dinner with her and Harry tonight and you will be coming with me.”
“But the pictures, the blood and the DNA that Harry sent to Felix! They killed Harry for killing her!”
Cherry pulled Rhonda around in front of her, “It’s like an orgasm, when confronted with something you can’t do, fake it!”
Rhonda exploded, “Did you…!”
“I didn’t have to. Let’s get ready for work.”
“Cherry it’s only five o’clock.”
“We need to make a stop on the way over to the office. You will be seeing Simone and Harry for breakfast.”
“I can’t…!”
“It is going to happen sooner or later. This morning we only have a few minutes, so it will be brief.”
The ride over to Tom’s house was done in silent anticipation. Rhonda and Cherry knocked on the door and were surprised to find that everybody there were ready to leave. Rhonda’s eyes instantly locked on Sera’s eyes, she knew her as Simone. Cherry waded right in taking both women into one of the guest rooms.
“Rhonda, Sera… We arranged a truce two years ago. A shit load of mistakes was made, so I would like the two of you to at least continue the truce.” Cherry grabbed Sera’s hand firmly and whispered in her ear. “We talked last night. Please give it a chance.” Cherry walked out of the room and was encouraged by the lack of screaming as she walked downstairs to find out what Tom wanted.
“What was the big hurry?” Tom took a few minutes to outline his deal with Edward on monitoring the terrorists and what was planned for the morning. “The problem is that Edward looked in on Felix Owens and he is planning on an unannounced visit to Four Diamonds this morning right after he pulls an unannounced visit on you. We need you and Rhonda to delay Felix for a few hours so that we can get Edward and Layla out of there before he shows up. It would be a disaster if they bump into each other.”
“That should be within reason.” Cherry grabbed Arnold’s hand as Rhonda and Sera walked down the stairs. Sera let her French accent roll, “Arnold, Rhonda and I have reached a workable truce, so they will be joining us for dinner.”
“Tom we will take care of that little thing for you.” Cherry grabbed Rhonda’s hand pulling her out to the car. Once they were on the road. Cherry had to ask, “How did you manage that?”
“Sometimes you just have to admit your mistakes, I started crying and admitted that I was completely out of my mind at the time and begged her for a truce while we sorted things out. The fact that you asked held a lot of weight with her, so we came to terms quickly.”
“At the Inn we are only held together by loyalty, so our words mean a lot. If Sera gave her word you may count on a serious effort from her.”
“You mean the Amazon Inn?”
“We can talk more about that later right now we need to figure out how to delay Felix for a few hours.”
When Rhonda and Cherry left the house they planned on eating breakfast at Tom’s house and that did not happen, so they stopped in the commissary for bagels and coffee. Felix was leaning against the door of the office when they arrived two hours early.
“Your door is locked.”
Rhonda looked at her watch casually, “Its seven o’clock and we are two hours early, but we haven’t eaten breakfast yet. I will make you a deal. Go down to the commissary get something to eat and we will open at eight o’clock.”
Felix put his hand on the door ready to push in the office as soon as Rhonda opened the door. “I was hoping for a little professional courtesy.”
Rhonda countered, “I was hoping for any sign of courtesy, even common would do.”
Cherry stepped in between her boss and Felix. “I suggest that you take her up on that offer.”
Felix looked down at her, “Would you like a rematch?” He said it as if he had bested her in their last encounter. She was six inches shorter and eighty pounds lighter, but he needed their cooperation. “I’ll be back at eight.”
Rhonda swiped her card and pushed the door open. They went straight to Rhonda’s office. “Be careful Cherry, he has a temper and he is a sneaky shit. He will sucker punch you especially if he thinks that he has the advantage.”
Cherry took a bite of her bagel and sipped her coffee. “Give him access to the file and I will take him down there alone.” She walked behind Rhonda and flipped the switch on the console. The camera in the security room switched on and Cherry started to study the layout. “You did say that there is a microphone down there.”
“Yes we wanted to hear if there were any sep
arate deals being made.”
Felix was at the door at ten till eight finding the door to be open. Cherry was seated behind her desk. He didn’t wait to be announced, but went straight for the door. She moved in front of Felix to block him, so he reached over her head pushing on the door finding it locked. Cherry laughed loudly, “You’re not too bright we took care of that option the other day. I will announce you.” Cherry could feel his body tense as he glared at her trying his best to stare her down. She moved back behind her desk before he could react.
“Be careful or somebody will teach you a lesson,” Felix did his best to look intimidating.
“Well it won’t be you. You’re a student not a teacher. I seem to remember teaching you something the other day.” Felix started to move toward her when the door buzzed open. “We will finish this later.”
Felix stormed in the office slamming the door behind him. “That little bitch is going to get her ass handed to her.”
“Do I need security,” Rhonda asked mildly.
Felix took a deep breath and growled, “No…”
Rhonda smiled warmly, “I have your request here and I will have Cherry take you down to documents.”
“Not her…,” Felix growled trying to intimidate Rhonda.
“It’s either her or me and I have a conference call starting in ten minutes. That will take at least an hour or more.”
Felix was not in the mood to wait, “Have Cherry take me.”
Rhonda pushed her intercom button. “Cherry, Mister Owens will be going down to Documents would you please escort him.”
Cherry opened the door, “Come on ‘needle dick’, time is wasting.” Cherry stepped quickly into a hall that was beginning to show signs of life. Felix really wanted to punch her lights out. She swayed down the hall way keeping just out of his reach. Cherry opened the outer door and spoke to the guard. Walking up to the vault she swiped her ID badge, put her eye up to the scanner, and placed her thumb on the other scanner. Cherry and Felix walked in the vault closing the door behind them. She hung her jacket on the back of the chair indicating the other chair at the steel table. “I will give you the file, but anything that you read will be placed in a separate stack getting logged and then replaced. I want to make it clear that none of these documents will be allowed to leave the vault.” Cherry held out her right hand holding her thumb and forefinger half an inch apart silently mouthing the word ‘needle dick’ placing the picture of him in his boxer shorts with his hands cuffed behind his back in full view.
Felix had no idea of where it came from, but his right hand fired from the top of the file punching Cherry in the jaw knocking her instantly to the concrete floor with her rolling under the steel table. Realizing what he had done Felix bent over her trying to reach down in order to help her up. Cherry lightly kicked him in the knee and he lifted his leg high in the air in a reflex action. Felix reached down to help her again and she kicked him in the other shin, but this time when he raised his leg she kicked his other leg. Felix reached down to help her up again and he came up with her blouse and his hand. Cherry grabbed each cup of her bra pulling with all her might shredding the bra. She kicked the one good leg that he was standing on so he fell to the floor straddling her. When he stood he held the shredded bra in his hand throwing it in her face. Cherry pulled hard at the waist band of her pants tearing the pants all the way down to the crotch as she alternated kicks between the right and left legs so that it looked like Felix was dancing. All of a sudden Cherry stopped moving altogether going completely limp, her pants were around her ankles, her panties were torn, and she was naked except for torn shreds of clothing which hid nothing. Finally, in desperation, Felix picked her limp body up by her waist and one of her breasts pressing her body against the wall with his body while holding her thumb and face against the scanners forcefully throwing her back against the wall unconscious when the door unlocked.
Felix took a deep breath and walked out of the room looking at the guard. “She will be a few more minutes.”
Stan the guard did not like the looks of Felix when he left the room. He knocked several times on the door trying to decide whether or not to hit the panic button. Cherry stumbled out of the room falling to the floor weakly managing only one word, “Help…”
Stan instantly called security at the main door but Felix had made it out of the building and to his car. Felix was almost to the gate when the lockdown siren went off. The wooden arm of the gate came down. In his panic he forgot about the dragon teeth imbedded in the road across the gate shredding all four of his tires in a heartbeat as he tried to force the gate leaving him surrounded by several guards with their firearms drawn.
Rhonda had been watching on the monitor in her office when Felix hit Cherry. She fell to the floor with a metal table blocking the camera’s view of everything, but an arm and one leg. All that could be seen was his arms and legs moving back and forth rapidly out of the cameras sight line. Felix was cussing up a blue streak and Cherry was moaning ‘what did I do’. When Felix picked her up by the waist her panties, blouse, and her bra were shredded with her pants around her ankles. She watched as Cherry stumbled into the other room with Stan taking his coat off to cover her up. Rhonda ran down stairs to the aid of her fallen assistant. When the paramedics finished with Cherry they loaded her in an ambulance driving straight to the emergency room with Rhonda following in her car. The doctors from the emergency room could find no serious injuries such as broken bones so they had a nurse do a rape test. Leaving a female FBI agent to take pictures documenting the bruises, they collected the shreds of her clothing in evidence bags documenting that there was not one intact garment. Cherry never stopped crying, “What did I do,” for the entire three hours in the ER. The crime went straight to the FBI since it occurred on federal property and involved security. It was pushing one o’clock when Rhonda put an end to the questions.
“I am taking Miss Newly back to the office to pick up her personal things and we will go home.” Rhonda put a no-nonsense edge in her voice. “If you have any further questions here is my address and you can meet me at my house.” While the doctors from the emergency room processed the discharge Rhonda went to her car selecting a coat from the trunk for Cherry to go home in.” Rhonda helped Cherry in her car and drove back to her office so that Cherry could retrieve her personal items.
The FBI followed Rhonda back to her office in hopes of continuing the interview. Rhonda politely refused all interrogation making a final offer.
“Our security tapes have sound and you have a recording of the assault. You can have her clothes but I have to have the badge that was on them. It is a matter of national security.”
“Why were you recording?” The FBI pressed.
“I told you that every visit to that room is recorded because of the nature of the documents. We have to secure the file before you can enter the room.” Rhonda called the Director.
Within minutes her cell phone rang, “Yes I understand.” She looked at the agent. “The Director will meet you at the documents room.” Rhonda went straight to the Documents room going to work with the FBI agent supervising their efforts while Cherry stayed in Rhonda’s private office. Rhonda picked up the scattered pages of the file locking and securing the file. “Stan, the FBI has permission to take any evidence that they need if there are any questions please call me in my office.”
Rhonda returned to her office pulling a bottle of scotch out of her desk drawer pouring them each a drink. “Jesus, talk about taking one for the home team. That was some beating.”
Cherry laughed, “He only hit me once in the mouth and I had to bite my lip to draw blood. The guy hits like a fairy. I kicked him so he cussed me out but good. When he stopped cussing I kicked him again. The floor by the table is out of the cameras view but he was standing. I went limp so he could get me to the door. I think that he threw his back out when he threw me against the wall. How did it look on camera?”
Both women were laughing so hard that they
were in tears when the Director knocked on the door. “What in the hell did that bastard do to you.”
Cherry was only wearing a coat. “I had to borrow this coat from Rhonda to go home in he plucked me like a chicken.”
The Director’s face took on an ugly look. “I wanted to be sure that you were properly taken care of before I go down to the police station.” The Director started for the door.
Cherry opened the top of her coat exposing her breasts, with each breast having multiple bruises. “When you see the bastard, tell him that these are not punching bags.”
The Director burst out the door, “Fucking bastard…” The rest of his comments were lost to the closing door as the Director stormed out of the room and down the hall. Nobody was going to do this to anyone under his command and he wanted some ass.
3.
CONFUSION
The phone rang and Rhonda took the message. “The Attorney General’s personal assistant is on the way up. I didn’t think that he would send an apology that fast.”
When Gerald Wringer walked into the outer office Rhonda opened the door and had him take the uncomfortable chair in front of her desk. Cherry was sitting behind the desk in Rhonda’s chair, and Rhonda was sitting in the chair at the side of the desk. “So Gerald the AG sent you to apologize for his employee’s action?”
“No mam, he sent me to see if you could talk your assistant into dropping the charges.”