by Finian Blake
“How close to Tom’s place…”?
“It was sixty acres right out Tom’s back door and there were ten smaller ten acre lots right next to that. I believe that the total is somewhere around 160 acres.” Anna said innocently. “Your father had some inside information that would let us flip it quickly.”
“Edward and Layla peeked…!” Anna and Alex laughed heartily at Cherry’s screech.
“No, they didn’t peek Sera overheard you instruct Colleen to make the purchase and didn’t want you to lose it since she was going on holiday with Adam.”
“But the ten other lots…” Cherry needed to get a handle on things.
“Your sisters bought those as a startup gift for your new venture.” Anna was happy that she could still surprise Cherry. “You can discuss that with Alex and me when we come in on Saturday.” Anna did not want to lose momentum. “Tell me about Adam and Colleen? Do you think this is serious?”
“They are still in a fog of lust, but I do believe that there is something there. Be careful when you come out because Colleen still believes that Adam is living with his mother to save up money for a house. The good news is that she will be making six figures working for me as a financial officer and assures me that she will be able to support the two of them. Hell, Adam is even taking her on a job Friday.”
“Well tell Adam that Colleen must pass his mother’s inspection Saturday.”
“Oh that Boris…!” Rhonda burst into the room shaking her fist wildly in the air. “Does he think he can just listen in on our conversation any time he wants?”
“Yes he does,” Cherry said mildly, “right now I need to tell you that the property behind Tom’s house has been purchased before Colleen had a chance to do anything. They bought the sixty acres plus the ten, ten acre plots that were already subdivided.”
“What…,” the news did nothing to quiet Rhonda’s temper, “who in the hell bought all of that land?”
“Mom and dad did.”
“They can’t do…,” Rhonda’s voice change from a shriek to a squeal. “They blocked all 160 acres for us?” Cherry smiled as reality sunk in with Rhonda.
“Yes they will be out here Saturday to meet all the new family members, especially you and Boris.” Cherry walked over and pressed the Skype button on the computer. Rhonda continued talking not realizing that Cherry was including Boris in their conversation.
“Does your father still think that I tried to have him killed?”
“If he did you would not be here today.” Cherry said mildly knowing that Boris was listening. “Sean Manworth sent 24 trained assassins to kill him and they all died. He killed thirty people to rescue Vicki and me.” The Skype suddenly came to life.
“Shit, who is your father, Joe Stalin?” Boris was sounding very nervous.
“No silly father was a gangster from Chicago, and mother was from Georgia just like your mother.” Cherry laughed at Boris’s discomfort. “You really need to stop eavesdropping Boris. Come home we will all go to bed and you will have the full story.”
What bothered Boris was that after a week of searching through both government and private files he could not find even a personal picture of Alex. He had not even written a check on his checking account which had a balance of $5,000 ever since it was taken out 25 years ago and his savings account showed a balance of $11,000 for the past twenty-five years. He had never taken out a loan and had no credit rating. There were no pictures of Anna either although there was some banking activity. Anna managed to make around $150,000 a year filing taxes jointly with Alex. There was nothing there to say, ‘I just bought my daughter two million dollars, worth of property for giggles’. Cherry was different she had a fashion label, a design studio, and an advertising agency, but there was nothing there to suggest the amount of wealth that Boris knew was there. She had given Boris a budget of $50,000,000 to set up the computer end of the business. He made some inquiries and found out that the money was coming out of a bank on the Isle of Man which was deposited there from the Roman Bank where the trail went cold. Alex Chalenger had ten daughters and three sons who all seemed to be vastly successful investors, but he seemed to have no real talent of his own.
Boris walked into the bedroom frustrated beyond belief. Cherry and Rhonda undressed him curling up on either side of him.
“Boris darling what seems to be the problem?” Cherry secretly enjoyed seeing something stop Boris.
“I can’t find any information on your father. The only picture that I could find was his driver’s license and passport pictures.” Cherry kissed Boris warmly on the chest, biting his nipple making him wince.
“Now that you have done a cold search, I will give you some information and you can look again. Search the data bases both domestic and international. I will give you some other names that you can add to your search. Then I would like you to search several other names which would be the rest of my family including Rhonda and yourself.” Cherry bit his other nipple firmly, causing him to yelp in pain. “I am glad that I did not have to ask you to do the search. I needed a cold search.”
“You set me up!” Boris squealed as both Rhonda and Cherry attacked his sensitive areas with their teeth.
“Yes darling eavesdroppers are easy to set up.” Boris fought to retain his concentration.
“Do I make them invisible once I am done?”
“No darling, I want you to make them inconspicuous, so that if someone looks for them they will just find an ordinary nine to five person finding nothing that will make them stand out.” Cherry wrapped her legs around Boris’s chest while Rhonda attacked below the belt. Boris was completely lost to all conversation due to his advanced state of lust. Cherry and Rhonda competed with each other to see who could reduce him to a completely incoherent state.
Rhonda rolled into Cherry’s arms after Boris passed out grabbing her by the hair and pulling her head close so that their eyes were only inches apart.
“You really are serious about us!” Rhonda said making a statement out of her question turning her gaze to Boris.
“Yes the three of us, partners in business and life. My parents did it. We are non-standard people just like they are. I spent my whole life not loving anyone but my family. Now I have found two people that I love and I am not going to make a choice. If you want to keep your job, I will not force you to quit. I am moving my whole operation over here so that I can be with you and Boris.”
“What about your father? I tried to have him killed.” Rhonda said tearfully.
“He accepted Vicki’s word on that issue or you would never have walked out of that interrogation room. The past is behind us and he never looks back. Sean Manworth is proof of that. You are going to meet the family Saturday so suck it up and let’s get ready.” Rhonda rolled Cherry on to her back straddling her.
“Did your father really kill thirty people to rescue you?”
“It was more like twenty-five and Anna helped him.”
“Your mother…!” Rhonda collapsed on to Cherry.
Nabil had set up five fifty-five gallon drums around the truck with two of the pumps that they were going to use next to them.
“The pumps are hydraulically driven so that there will be no sparks. The hydraulic lines would be a pain in the ass but it is better than moving a large pump from barrel to barrel. As each barrel is emptied the men will roll the empties out of the way and the women will move the hoses. I have located a total of four pumps so we will work harder but we will finish sooner and if one pump fails we will not have to quit. When we are finished the equipment can be left in the bunker.” Nabil had loaded the drums with water for the test. He demonstrated the workings of the pumps and the hydraulic drives. They chained Felix to a support post so that they would not have to waste a person to watch him. The first run was a nightmare with everybody getting drenched with water.
“This substance is extremely caustic. If this were a live exercise you would all be dead. Everybody change into dry clothes and put on t
he suits.” Felix was laughing at the first effort. Rajiya walked up to him jabbing him with a hypodermic needle.
“This will insure that you will not escape.” Felix was unconscious before she turned to walk away.
When Felix awoke everybody was stripping off their suits and he could hear Nabil congratulating them.
“That was perfect if we work like that on the live run we should be loaded in four hours and back here within six hours. Our target is only minutes from here and this will be a good place to shelter when we detonate the bomb. Ah Felix, you are back with us. Would you care to laugh now?” Nabil and Maalik were standing over him. “60,000 infidels will be in that stadium when the bomb explodes. It will not kill everyone but it will kill more than the World Trade Center. We will leave you alive so that you can admit to watching us build it.” Felix’s rant could not be understood because his broken jaw was wired shut. Maalik mocked his mumbling until Felix quit in frustration and pain. He was about to kick Felix when Nabil stopped him.
“If he cannot walk we will need to carry him and that task will fall to the one that made him so.” Nabil smiled warmly at Maalik. “Remember your lessons in compassion.” Back home Maalik was always the first to volunteer to administer the decisions of the court and the one most disappointed when the offender confessed and received mercy. Nabil wondered what Maalik would have done with those two women that Jamal and Haroun decided to punish out on that lonely road. Nabil walked away to one of the offices needing to review his notes on his laptop.
Rajiya walked up to Nabil catching up with him just before he entered the office.
“Why Have you selected me to watch this fool?”
“I picked you because you have the most compassion. If he cannot walk we must carry him, and Maalik will punish the fool until he cannot do anything. Give Felix some ice for his jaw and some of the pain pills that he was carrying for his pain. There is an extra air mattress make him as comfortable as possible and I will send Safiyyah for some nourishment that he can drink. I want him to believe that he will live. A man without hope is a dangerous man. Make him as comfortable as security will permit.”
“But he stinks and he is dirty.” Rajiya complained.
“Yes,” Nabil conceded, “I will take him to the shower after I have completed my notes. In the meantime, give him some ice and his pain pills. I have a set of coveralls that will be too large, but they will cover him.” Rajiya walked over to the ice chest filling a plastic bag with ice handing it to Felix from a distance after which she handed him two pain pills which was a double dose. Felix took the pills downing them the second they touched his hand. In just a few minutes Felix was a sleep on his air mattress. Rajiya started to clean and dress his wounds with Nabil finishing the job after he completed his notes.
“My friend if you behave yourself I will see that you are properly tended.”
“You are not my friend.” Felix snapped.
“No we are not friends. I was trying to be cordial.” Nabil said, not raising his voice. “I will have the other man take care of you. He makes no pretense about being your friend.” Felix grabbed Nabil’s arm with a look of panic on his face.
“Then I will take you to the shower and you may clean up. Someone has gone to the store and gotten you some Ensure to drink with your next medication. Please be assured that my angry brother has asked to take care of you several times. If you do not behave yourself, you may have him instead of the kind lady.” It only took a glance at the malevolent look on Maalik’s face for Felix to make up his mind.
“I believe that I will behave myself for the kind lady.”
“A wise decision, when you have showered I will have the kind lady give you some nourishment and your pain medication along with some ice. You will come with me now.” Felix complied meekly following Nabil to the shower.
After his shower Felix was given an ill-fitting pair of coveralls and escorted back to his air mattress. There was a bag of ice, two pills, and two bottles of ensure waiting for him. Rajiya knelt down inspecting his jaw.
“The ice seems to have helped I have brought some more. Please make yourself comfortable.” Rajiya cuffed his ankle to the chain that was attached to the post.
“Thank you,” Felix was about to say something about getting comfortable when he looked past Rajiya to Maalik’s glare, thinking better of the comment. Felix pushed the pills past his teeth washing them down with his Ensure and within minutes he was asleep again. Rajiya looked back at Felix sleeping on the floor. His biggest fault was his arrogance, but that was Maalik’s fault too.
Tom and Helen decided to have a barbeque inviting all of their new friends which included the Georgian arrivals. He had Xavier use one of the small buses to pick up the Georgians. Tamar had been practicing on her new embroidering machine and made several scarves with Georgian designs on them presenting them to Helen, Sue and Cher. Nadia embraced her warmly kissing her on both cheeks.
“These are truly beautiful you must talk to Cherry, she is opening a design studio and will love your work. I am sure that she will want to take advantage of your talents.” Nadia was over a foot taller than Tamar.
“Boris says that they called you the ‘Red Angel’. I remember reading about you during the war in Afghanistan.” Nadia blushed as she continued. “You were a legend in Georgia. Looking at you now, I cannot believe that you are the same person!” Tamar looked up into the pale green eyes of the fashionable woman that towered over her.
“That is for you alone.” Nadia said quietly in her most formal Georgian. “I am no longer the same person. Please ask Boris to forget that little piece of history.” Nadia’s voice took on a pleading tone. Ted walked up behind Nadia with Cher holding his hand. “My daughter Cher…” Tamar gave her a knowing nod.
“How well do you know Cherry? Her Georgian is excellent.”
“She is my sister!” Nadia said with pride. “Our parents will be here on Saturday to meet you and Boris.”
“Parents…! Saturday…!” It was Tamar’s turn to be surprised. “Is Boris that serious?” Nadia tried to change the subject.
“This is my husband and daughter.” Nadia said in British English. “Ted is my business partner, too. We own Four Diamonds security Boris will be starting the computer security division of Four Diamonds.” Tamar noted that Nadia said starting and not running.
“You mean running…?”
“No, it is his business. He will be associated with us.” Nadia said with a matter of fact tone. You will need to talk to him about that.” Tamar noticed Boris walking into the back yard and wandered off in his direction in stunned silence.
Boris had his arms around both Cherry and Rhonda looking completely exhausted. She stood face to face with her son.
“Starting this business is too much for you, it has you completely drained!”
“Business is not what is draining me,” Boris said with a proud expression on his face pulling both women closer to him. “We were celebrating our partnership.” Tamar did not know whether to scold him or cheer him. Cherry decided to distract her.
“Cher and Sue were proud of the scarves that you made for them. They were quite beautiful. Did you design the pattern?”
“Yes I used that embroidery machine that you gave me.” Tamar’s eyes lit up as Cherry pressed on.
“I am moving my fashion label over here. Would you care to contribute? I love your designs.”
Tom, Ted and Nadia moved to the unused stall of the barn. There was a table setup down one side of the stall. Tom had laid out all of the equipment that they planned to use Friday. Two Barrett Fifty’s, six AR fifteens, four Tasers, four tranquilizer guns, plus an assortment of other hardware were laid out on the table. Eden, Rene, Sera, Colleen, Arnold, Randal and Adam joined them to inspect the equipment. Everybody was closely inspecting the weapons and trying on the body armor. Helen was giving Tamar, Cherry, Rhonda, and Boris a tour of the new barn. Tamar got a brief glimpse of the crew checking the equipment. Nadia looked out the
door and walked to the door smiling at Tamar.
“We have a project to prepare for, Cherry will explain.” Tamar stared openmouthed at Cherry.
“They are going on a hostage rescue tomorrow. It’s one of the things that we do. Boris knows about it.”
“I don’t do the bang-bang stuff.” Boris held his hand in oath. She looked past Boris’s hand to the large windows at other side of the aisle seeing Cher and Sue playing happily with the large German Shepard.
“It’s what daddy does for a living.” Helen took everybody into the office. Helen pulled two 9 mm Sig Saur pistols out of the desk drawer handing one to each of the girls. Sue took the pistol checked the safety, removed the ammo clip and cleared the breach with Cher mirroring her actions. “They both have been taught gun safety and are pretty fair shots. We believe in education not fear.” Tamar’s frown broadcast her disapproval.
“Aren’t you worried about the children?”
“We are very concerned about the children, and that is why we teach them how to handle the equipment properly,” Helen said evenly. “We show them so they know that these are not toys to be played with.” Tamar watched as the girls placed the pistols in the desk drawer and locked it placing the key back in another drawer.
Sue and Cher each took one of Tamar’s hands leading her out to the corral. Sue pointed out a horse that was just a hair larger than her German Shepard.
“That is my horse Pegasus, he is full grown. Grandma Lynn gave him to me, because I took care of her horses when I visited her. Cher has horses too, but she hasn’t met them yet. She is going to live at the Inn. Have you met Lynn?”
“Yes, I have met her just a few days ago. Your grandma is a very nice person. Is she Nadia’s mother?” Tamar was confused about the personal connections.
“Yes she is one of Nadia’s mothers.”
“Lynn adopted our family,” Helen smiled. “I call her Momma Lynn. You have been accepted so may I call you Momma Tamar.” Tamar thought about the way that she and Boris had been treated. She was in a new country with all of her family including her grandchildren and was instantly accepted by all of these people.