I got a story posted on Amazon Kindle

 

Yes, that is right. I have a story posted there.  The Chronicles of Abrigal Silverlock, is now for sell at $0.99 it is short only about 1,900 kindle pages,  but this story is the first in the Abrigal Silverlocks universe, in which The Novice Sorceress, The Quantum Knight and The Last Train are found.

http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Abrigal-SilverLock-ebook/dp/B001NPDNUA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1311898811&sr=1-1

 

Too Much Talking

Chapter 3

Too much talking

 

Cassie lay back, soaking in the hot soapy water and letting the heat relax her tense muscles. Even relaxing as she was, her scan of the area of the estate continued. It was now a fully engrained habit.

 

A car had pulled up at the gatehouse and security there was checking it out. They were doing a full protocol check with bomb sensors and mirrors under the car. Cassie noted that the security staff in the house security room was taking a call. Then he notified June.

 

“Cassie?”

“What’s up June?”

From the other side of the door she heard her answer. “We’ve got a couple of FBI Agents at the gate requesting a meeting with Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard.”

 

Cassie thought for a moment. “Escort them to the house, front door, and then to the parlor. Tell them I will be with them as soon as I am dressed.”

“Oh, one more thing, keep a visible presence with them at all times.”

 

Cassie sat upright, flipped the drain plug and stood up. Turning on the shower, she leaned forward to let the water cascade over her head and rinse the soap from her body. A quick shampoo and rinse and she stepped into an air dryer, something she had never seen or heard of until she moved into this place.

 

It was shaped somewhat like a shower cabinet but instead of water it covered her with warm to hot air that blew in gentle waves. The air was moisturized with fluids to keep her skin as natural as possible. Her hair blew up and away from her body as it was air dried better than any hair dryer had ever done. Stepping out of the dryer automatically turned it off.

 

Cassie scanned her own body from top to the bottom. She was completely dry and not one drop of water remained on her body.

 

Exiting the bathroom she quickly dressed in a light weight Army Combat Uniform with the web belt and holster around her waist. Her credential and badge hung from her left side of the belt.

Cassie now felt like she was ready to meet the FBI.

 

She paused just outside the doorway into the parlor. Cassie had kept a constant scan on the agents ever since they had entered her home. They had examined the parlor closely, but since it was rarely used it contain nothing personal of hers.

 

“I wonder how much longer she is going to take.”

“Do you think she really had to get dressed?”

“Well it makes sense. She came directly from a gunfight. She needed to change out of the clothes she was wearing. Why not a bath and clean clothes? We were pretty close on her tail so I can see why we caught her bathing.”

 

Cassie stepped into the room, “Also my muscles needed to relax. A hot bath really helps to relieve the tensions… Hi, I’m Cassandra Howly Howard.”

She stepped toward the nearest agent and held out her hand. Both agents snapped to their feet.

 

“I’m Special Agent James Williams and this is my partner Special Agent Richard Drake.”

 

His hand reached out to take hers. Cassie began to smile as he kept her hand in his. Finally Agent Drake elbowed him.

 

“Oh… Excuse me.” He let her hand go. Agent Drake then reached for it.

 

“Nice to meet you Ms. Howard, we have been informed that you are a Special Deputy US Marshal?”

 

Cassie rotated slightly and put her left hand beside her hanging credentials and badge on her belt.

 

“That is correct. I was appointed by the US Marshal of the Northern Judicial District of Texas.”

 

“Oh, but you are now in the Western District of Virginia.”

“That does not matter. That’s what the Special Deputy US Marshals are about, broad ranging federal authority. We are, in most cases, not employed by the Federal Government but are vested with federal authority.”

 

The two agents looked at each other then back to Cassie. “It’s just very unusual for someone so young to be a eh… a Special Deputy US Marshal.

“Yes, I know but it also why it was appropriate. There are no qualifications to be a Special Deputy US Marshal. As far as I can tell, you don’t even have to be a citizen, just take an oath. The badge and credential are optional in fact. My Dad made sure I got them.”

 

“Agents, have you ever notice how the Federal Government likes the word ‘Special’ I wonder why that is?”

 

“Ms. Howard?”

“Well I am Special Deputy US Marshal and you two are Special Agents of the FBI, I know that ATF agents are also Special Agents and so is the Secret Service. What happened to all the regular agents?”

 

Agent Williams started laughing and finally fell back onto the sofa. “Oh my god, I have thought the same thing.”

 

Cassie laughed a little then sat in one of the chairs in the room. “Okay agents how can I help you?”

 

For the next couple of hours they discussed the robbery in Locust Grove. June had brought in one of the maids to serve coffee.

 

Finally the two agents stood to leave. Each of them handed Cassie their personal card. Cassie in turn passed them to June who went off to enter them into the house database. Neither Agent knew that their biodata had been put into her database. A full background data file had been started on each of them.

 

Cassie continued her scan of them as they entered their car. “Security, give the FBI an escort off the property.”

 

“Roger that Cassie.” A hidden speaker answered her

 

_________________________

 

The day after the robbery, on the outskirts of Locust Grove in an upscale suburban home, a meeting was being held. Claire Cole directed the maid to serve coffee to her husband and his brother and then she took a cup for herself.

 

“Sally, check on Tommy and Susan, make sure they are occupied.”

“Yes Ma’am.” She set the tray with the coffee pot on the table near Claire Cole, and quickly left.

 

“Okay James, what is this all about?”

James looked at his wife for a moment. Not for the first time, he wished that she could hold her temper.

“Claire was in the bank that was held up yesterday. After everything was over she got crosswise of a Deputy US Marshal, a female Deputy, that took down the perpetrators.

 

“Anyway she threatened Claire. Is there anything that can be done?”

“Threatened? Did anybody else hear this?”

“Why do you need anybody else, she threatened me, I heard it.”

“Claire, to take action against a Federal Civil Servant you need more then the unsupported word of one person.”

 

“From what he said to me I think Chief of Police Buckner heard her also.”

“Did he report her to her supervisor? Knowing him, he would have done that immediately. So let me check with him.”

“Well I don’t know, he told me to chase her down, get on my knees and kiss her feet and beg her to forgive me so he must have heard what she said to me.”

 

“Kiss her feet? Beg forgiveness? What the hell did you do Claire? Chief Buckner had to have some really good reasons to say something like that!” her brother-in-law questioned.

 

“I started to slap Tommy for trying to touch her gun.” Claire said quietly.

 

Carl set back in his chair and pulled his blackberry out of his coat pocket. He began to dial a number from its memory.

 

“Hello Hal, yes this Carl Cole. I’m doing okay. What? Oh yes we having a meeting right now James, Claire and I. That’s what I’m calling about. What happened there yesterday?”

 

“Yes, yes, oh, I see, wow! No kidding. Eleven shots! That is some shooting; yeah I was in the army for four years. I know what can happen in the heat of battle. Okay, yeah, what!” His eyes narrowed as he turned his head to look at Claire.

 

“What about Tommy touching her gun? Oh, I see. Yes I really do see. That is one brave woman! But Claire is saying she threatened her. Howly? Wait, I remember some old wives tales. Really? True?”

 

“Okay, Howard? No I don’t think so, Texas? I will do that. She is? Oh that really makes a difference. Let me do some checking myself. Thanks.”

 

Hanging up Carl Cole sat there for a bit looking at his sister-in-law. Once more he took his blackberry in hand and made a call. “Hello Sen. Gary. This is Representative Carl Cole of Virginia. I’m doing well. No, I really don’t think that House Bill 2014-234 will make it out of committee, too much pork in it.

 

“HE haw, don’t make me laugh Senator. Oh I was calling to ask about a family in Texas. Howard, I’m not sure but I have a young female in my district by the name of Cassandra Howly Howard…you know her? She did? She herself did it? YOU’RE KIDDING ME? Thanks I am very pleased that you could help me out. No, my pleasure, send me the paperwork and I will see if I can help.”

 

Once more, he hung up and made one more call.  

“Hello Marshal, this is Congressman Cole.”

“I was interested in finding out more about a Deputy Cassandra Howard. Why yes I’m with my brother and his wife. Yes she was in that robbery yesterday. Oh, one moment please.”

 

“He wants me to put him on the speaker phone. So remember anything you say will be heard.” He put his blackberry on the center table and pushed a button on it.

 

“Marshal Scott, we are all here and the speaker phone is now operating.”

 

“Carl to cut back on length of the conversation, just call me Harry and I’m going to call you Carl. So Carl I’m not sure what all you want to know. Here’s a summary, first it’s Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, appointed by the US Marshal of the Northern District of Texas. She is the daughter of George Howard of Sonora, Texas, one of the richest men in that part of Texas.”

 

“Thirteen years ago a distant relative of his wife died and left all of her estate to her great niece Cassandra Howly Howard. This inheritance was in the multi-million range. Most of it was tied up tight in trusts until Cassandra reached the age of 18. The Blackthorn Estate Trust here in Roanoke County devolved and became the direct property of Cassandra Howard.”

 

“This same Cassandra has now moved here and is living on the estate. As I mentioned earlier she is a Special Deputy US Marshal, which means she does not work for the USMS. Special Deputies are just that, Special. Only the Marshal that appoints them or the Director of the USMS can removed their appointment, or the US Attorney General. In this case none of them will do so. She is acting under the court order of a Federal Judge in Texas that ordered the Marshal there to make her a Special Deputy US Marshal. Further, his order was endorsed by three Court of Appeals judges.”

 

“My Chief Supervisory Deputy US Marshal almost got his tail in a wringer when he tried to relieve her of her badge, credentials and guns. Any such attempt will be viewed as contempt of court.”

 

“Now the badge and such is to allow her to carry firearms for her protection. She has been in one shooting in Idaho where she killed eight attackers. She wounded three men that attempted to attack her at her home. Now she has killed seven robbery suspects yesterday.”

 

“Oh, one more thing, I did mention she was rich? Well like I said she’s the sole heir to a multi-million dollar estate. In addition to that, earlier this year she discovered a vein of gold in Idaho. The company doing the mining is twenty-five percent owned by her. Her wealth is increasing at more than two million dollars a day. I would advise people not to get on her bad side.”

 

“Is there anything else I can help you with Carl?”

 

Quiet settled over the living room, than Carl answered the Marshal. “Thanks Harry, I have no more questions.”

 

“In that case Congressman Cole I will be saying Good-bye.”

 

Carl picked up his blackberry and put it away.

“Tomorrow, all three of us will go and find Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howard. You, Claire, will apologize to the Deputy. I will try my best to become her local political adviser. The Senator from Texas told me that she was one of his favorite supporters and she dropped a million into his campaign fund without blinking.”

“But … she threatened me!”

“Well, Claire, it sounds like we had better find out more about what Deputy Howard really said.  It sounds like Chief Buckner believes she is not someone we should mess with.  I want to hear what she has to say about this.”

 

“I will return tomorrow around noon. I will call her first to make an appointment.”

 

He stood up and headed to the door, waving his brother back to his seat.

 

_____________________________

 

 

 

Early the next morning a town car pulled up at the gate to the Blackthorn Estate. The security guard there contacted the main house.

 

Cassie woke up immediately to a knock at her bedroom door. In one movement she rotated her body and sat up, all at the same time. Throwing back the bedcovering her feet slid easily into her bedroom slippers.

 

“Yes?”

“June, Cassie.”

“Enter.”

The door opened and June stuck her head in the gap. “You’ve got a visitor, it’s your Sensei.”

 

Cassie reached out with her scan until it reached the gate. There she found a Town Car with Sensei Inoue Shina in the back seat.

 

A smile lit up her face. “Sensei Inoue Shina!”

“Tell the front gate to let him in.”

 

“I got to get up.” She jumped up and headed to her bathroom. Soon she was showering, than brushing her teeth.

 

 

Standing nude in the doorway of her closet, she froze as she gazed at the clothing hanging there. Together on one side were multiple sets of ACU, pants and shirts. On the far end were shelves with multiple pairs of boots, shoes, and multiple types of foot gear. She could only guess at all their purposes. Across the closet from the ACUs were dress suits. 

 

They appeared to be made to a design that she had sketched out to Betty and June a couple of days before the robbery. There were at least fifteen blouses and shirts all silk from white to a light blue in color with white being predominate. All the suits were silk in three colors, black, navy blue and charcoal grey but all cut to the same style. The Jackets had a wide lapel with single button. There were two lapel button holes on a line at bosom level and a gold chain with anchors on each end  that hung from the inside of a lapel buttonhole of each jacket. There was an ankle length split skirt of the same material and color of each jacket plus a pair of pants. They were hung together in color coordinated outfits since Cassie could not see the colors.

 

 

 

Cassie quickly found her underwear and put them on. Sitting down she pulled a pair of knee highs up her lower calves. In the closet, Cassie took down a hangar with a complete coordinated outfit. She put on a blouse and then she stepped into a Navy blue split skirt and buttoned it over her blouse tail. A dark wide belt was put on over the skirt. She hung a holster off her right hip and one in the small of her back. Carrying her jacket out of the closet she picked up her credentials and hung them on the left side of her belt.

 

She could sense the housekeeper letting her Sensei into the house where he was met by June. Cassie’s scan showed her Sensei Inoue had been escorted by June into the informal Den near one of the dining rooms where she served him tea. Cassie smiled, knowing that her people were taking good care of him. She put on her jacket and connected the gold chain across her mid torso.

 

Cassie turned and left her bedroom walking calmly down the hall way to the stairs to meet Sensei Inoue. She slowed to almost a stop then came to full stop ten feet from where he was seated. She slowly bowed to her Sensei with all the respect she could show. He rose from his seat and returned it. “Sempai.”

 

“Sensei!”

They both came to a full upright position. “You are looking good Sempai. Have you been practicing?”

 

“Yes, Sensei, I have gotten more sparring partners. They really need you to get them into shape.”

 

“Oh, my Sempai is putting me to work?”

 

“Heck yeah, you got to earn your keep around here. But more important they are an insult to me.”

 

“Where have you put me, sempai, in a hidey hole in the attic somewhere?”

 

“Oh no Sensei, I found a broken down outhouse where you can throw your clothes in the corner and where you can sleep.”

 

“Let me show you. Then we can return to the house for breakfast.”

 

Cassie turned and began to walk down the hallway to the back entrance. Soon she was leading Sensei Inoue across the paved area in the rear and around the garage. There behind the garage was the dojo. Into this she led her Sensei then past an office and into a short hall that ended in a stairway.

 

Cassie led the way up this stairs, stopping at a landing. She pulled a set of keys from her belt and unlocked the door. She stepped inside, clicked the lights on and then turned to bow Sensei Inoue into his living quarters.

 

The entrance way was an enclosed oriental garden. On one side was a waterfall that added a tinkling sound to the ambience created by the growing plants that surrounded the area. On the other side was a place that a person could sit and meditate or drink some tea. Beyond this alcove was an entrance into the main living quarters.

 

Sensei Inoue froze after stepping into the garden and his eyes swept the area taking in the whole of the entrance way. He then proceeded into the main part of the living quarters.

 

Cassie went to the meditation area and knelt to wait his return. He returned and took a position opposite her, kneeling also.

 

“Is it rat infested also?”

“Get a cat.”

 

Sensei Inoue bowed to her from his kneeling position. “My Lady I will take service with you and your house, if you will accept my humble vassalage?”

 

“Sensei, I will not! It is not honorable that a sempai take vassalage of her Sensei! But your friendship I will accept.” With that Cassie bowed deep from her own kneeling position.

 

“Let it be so.”

 

_______________________________

 

Cassie used the small dining room to eat her breakfast and meet with her people. First were the domestic issues: The Housekeeper told her of any problems and any she expected. Cassie would let her know any plans she had that would affect the house and the domestic servants. If she had any problems with those under her she would have them standing by for Cassie to talk to. There were none.

 

The outside personnel were all under Security and one of their personnel was their supervisor and he would do the same for them. Finally it was Security’s turn. Both Betty and June were present when any security issues were discussed.

 

With this many people, a clear hierarchy had to be in place. Also in cases where people had to give orders while fighting it was definitely needed. Cassie was at the top, and just like in the military a clear chain of command was needed.

 

One of the things Cassie had done was institute military ranks within the security personnel. She was their General, and Betty and June were her Colonels. Under them was the staff on one side with the Housekeeper and all inside domestics. On the other side were Security and the outside Domestics. Betty handled the outside staff and June the inside.

 

In actual day to day command of the Security Personnel was a Captain, with three Lieutenants. Directly below the Lieutenants were the five Sergeants, one for each of the shifts plus one for the gate house complement and the outside domestic supervisor. All the other Security Personnel carried the rank of Corporal. If any newbie’s were hired they would come in as Lance Corporals. Other then Betty and June there were only six females. One Lieutenant, two of the Sergeants and three Corporals were females.

 

The gatehouse staff wore a uniform based on Cassie’s clothing design except it was not silk. So did the Officers except when on field duty. The field uniform was ACU but forest digital cam.  Cassie had no discipline problems. Every member of the security detail had faced her in the dojo.  After she laid them out all over the mats, she then took them to a range they had built right up against the National Forest. Like she told the Chief of Police, she never missed except on purpose.

 

Behind her back, Betty and June let them know that she had fifteen confirmed kills. After the robbery, the video of her taking out the getaway car and copies of the bank videos were studied intensely. It was the uniform consensus that it was impossible.

 

Cassie explained that Sensei Inoue was not in the hierarchy but that he was considered a permanent visitor and consultant and would be in charge of physical training with a rank of staff major.

 

During this meeting, June was called to the inside Security Room. She returned later but said nothing at that time.

 

After the meeting was over and when only she and Betty were present she told Cassie. “Cassie, you had a call. I took it. Congressman Cole wishes to visit you with his brother and sister-in-law this afternoon. He was calling for an appointment.”

 

“What did you tell him?”

 

“I set up the appointment for fourteen hundred. Then I notified the gatehouse that they were coming. They will pass four people maximum, just in case a chauffeur is driving. Since there was no mention of children I warned the gatehouse that if there were two to pass them also. Whatever, they will notify us who and how many are passed.”

 

Cassie sat for a few minutes thinking. June had done the right thing. She could not just blow off a Congressman. 

“Thanks June, be sure to have some refreshments ready for when they get here.” She smiled for a minute, “Betty, have the Captain order some perimeter training along the driveway.”

 

“How an asshole like that Claire Cole raised a nice boy like Tommy I have no idea.”

 

“Oh that reminds me, did you get a fax in from Russo’s in Roanoke?”

 

“Yes the Housekeeper showed it to me and asked about it.”

 

“How much was it?”

“It did not show, it was marked complementary paid in full.”

 

“Hum, that won’t work, use a debit card and pay them a thousand.”

“A thousand what did you get there?”

“Chief Buckner got Veal du Parmesan with Piet du Burgundy. I had Tuscany Scampi and a Riesling von Rhine. I told him to add 30% as a tip.”

“Oh it’s a restaurant.”

“Yes and it’s owned by a Pietro Russo, or Don Russo as his people know him, he’s the local Mafia Don.”

A moment of silence settled over the room.

 

“I see, no I guess you cannot let it rest.”

 

 

_______________________________________

After the noon meal Cassie, Betty and June were setting in her office discussing things in general. One of which was Cassie starting school.

“I need to visit the Virginia State Institute of Technology tomorrow; I’ve got to see about enrolling. I need the school team ready to go. Tell them to have their papers ready as they will need to enroll with me.” 

 

At that time June’s phone buzzed. She moved away so as not to interfere with anything else that Cassie and Betty might discuss.  She hung up her phone, turning to Betty, and grinned. “Did you get that perimeter drill setup? The Congressman and two companions are here. He is driving so it’s only three people. They are being escorted to the front entrance.”

 

“Durn almost forgot about him. Well, I guess we better get ready to visit. You two let your seconds know where you will be. Tell the housekeeper to put them in the Parlor, and to let us know. Hold all refreshment until we join them.”

 

Both Betty and June pulled out their phones and started relaying information to their seconds. Then all three of them went to their bedrooms to freshen up. Cassie changed her blouse and put on her jacket.

 

It was times like these that she really wished she could look in a mirror and see what she looked like to other people. Her blind sight showed her that her clothes were a perfect fit hanging just right on her. Her hair was as neat as any hairdresser could have done. But makeup was impossible for her to do.

 

A knock at her door attracted her attention. She ‘saw’ June on the other side. “Yes June?”

 

“The Congressman and his companions are in the Parlor.”

 

“I’m coming.” She exited the bedroom and joined Betty and June.

 

“Betty, you be the strong silent type. June, ask them what they would like to drink. If coffee or tea, bring some light pastries with them, coffee for me.  I notice that the new Moka pot was used today. Good! That makes some great coffee. If they ask for drinks, I will take a glass of Riesling White.”

 

By that time they had made it to the bottom of the stairs and were walking down the hall way to the front Parlor.

 

Cassie stepped into the Parlor and stopped. Claire Cole was seated on the sofa next to a man who was probably her husband. Another man was seated across from them in an easy chair. That was, for sure, the Congressman.

 

Cassie moved toward him and brought her hand up to greet him,”Congressman Cole, I am pleased to meet you.”

 

He came to his feet and stepped forward to meet her. She could see his eyes widen slightly as he noted her age. He was in his forty’s, about six feet tall and in fit condition about 180 pounds. His grip on her hand was firm but not tight. There was no shake just a firm grip on her hand then he let it go.

 

“Special Deputy US Marshal Howard, I was not expecting someone so young and attractive.”

 

Cassie saw Claire wince at this but her face smoothed out almost immediately.

 

“Well the attractive part is not known to me. Young, yes, I am eighteen actually; but being a Special Deputy that does not matter. Have a seat Congressman Cole.”

 

“Please, if you don’t mind, call me Carl and I will call you Cassandra. Conversation with titles and such becomes tedious and drawn out.”

 

“In that case Carl, make it Cassie.”

 

“Cassie, I like that.”

 

“One moment before we go any further, June.”

 

“What would all of you like for refreshments, coffee, tea, or drinks?”

 

“Coffee for me.” Carl stated.

 

“I would appreciate a white wine if possible.” From Claire.

 

“Coffee for me also.” Claire’s husband replied.

June turned and left the room for a minute. She was back almost immediately.

 

“Well Carl how can I help you?”

While she had been concentrating on Carl, she had noted that Claire was examining her clothes closely, and then looking over both Betty and June.

 

“Excuse me, but I could not help noting your clothes. Where do you shop for them?”

 

Cassie turned her head to face Claire. “They’re made to my specification by a bespoke tailor. He uses imported Italian silk. I design them myself.” She stood up and pulled up the bottom of her jacket.

 

“As you can see the jacket hides my guns and credentials easily but is comfortable and gracefully cut. I thought the chain to hold it shut was perfect. I mean no one would think I was carrying after seeing it.”

“Silk! You mean your whole outfit is silk?” squeaked Claire.

 

“Yes, it’s a perfect material for warm humid climates. The cloth breathes helping to keep a person cool. Of course care must be taken in cleaning them but since I don’t do the cleaning it’s easy for me.”

 

“Cassie, we came to help clear up any misunderstanding between you and Claire that might have happened the other day at the bank.”

Facing Carl, Cassie waited a minute before answering him.

 

“I think Claire is the one that did not understand. A mother does not hit her children, especially not in public and with law enforcement officers all around her. What I said to her was in the way of a warning.”

 

“Chief Buckner stated that a warning from you could be the same as a death sentence?”

“Carl, there are things about me that would be very hard for you to believe. My father’s family left Scotland in the early 1600’s. They changed their name so completely that they have no records of what it originally was. They seem to carry a curse. It was quiet simple. They would warn someone to not give them any problems. If that person or family, paid no attention they would soon start to die.

 

We had a family motto and that is all they kept when they left Scotland. As my dad told me the motto was bred into their bones and they could no more leave it behind then they could stop breathing. The English translation is ‘Always give fair warning, then worry not where my enemies will die.’”

 

“According to my Dad’s recollection of family legends, whole clans were wiped out by them getting crosswise of our family. In battle we were never defeated. So they fled, not to save themselves but to stop the killing.”

 

“So, that’s what Chief Buckner was trying to tell you. He knew more about my family then I did. He almost screamed when he heard me tell Claire there that I gave her fair warning. It’s been given and I know of no way to take it back. She needs to abide by the warning.”

 

“What warning did you give her?”

“She is never to hit her children! She had swung back to hit Tommy. It would have been a full swing. She could have broken his jaw or burst an eye with that hit if I had let her finish it.”

 

“He was trying to touch her gun!”

“The key word there was ‘trying’. If you noticed, I caught his wrist before he got near my weapon. You were trying to hit him after the fact.”

 

“Claire shut up!” Her husband was now sitting upright and glaring at his wife. “You were going to hit Tommy not slap him!”

He turned to face Cassie. “Ms. Howard, my deepest apology, I thank you for your actions.”

 

“James! How dare you embarrass me like this?”

“My apology also Cassie, I hope nothing more will come of this. But if so, it is not your fault.”

Carl sat back and took a sip of his coffee that had been served discreetly without notice. Cassie reached over and did the same with her cup.

 

“Thank you.”

“I noticed while driving up your drive what appeared to be military men maneuvering out front.”

 

“No, they are my security personnel. They are mainly to protect the estate and the people working here. I normally can take care of myself. They train almost constantly.”

 

“Did you have some of them with you when you took down those robbers?”

 

“Betty and June were there, but did not participate as they are not deputies. They were on standby. If it got out of hand, then they would have acted as private citizens supporting the police.”

 

“Cassie, I thank you for your time and for this very interesting conversation. Anything I can help you with while you are living in our state, just let me know.” With that he stood and taking a card out of his coat pocket he handed it to her.

 

Everybody stood and Betty escorted then to the front entrance and watched them drive down the driveway.

Cassie had turned to June as soon as they were out of the Parlor and handed the card to her. June would see that it was enter into their database.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___________________________________________________________

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

 

 

 

High Noon in Locust Grove

   Chapter 2

  High Noon in Locust Grove

 

 

A security detail, of more than eighteen people, was hired and trained. They were mixed gender and they were all ex-military.

 

Three of them were young enough to still be able to blend into a college setting; and they would accompany Cassie when she started attending college. They would sign up to audit the courses she would take.

 

A detail of six moved into the gatehouse and set a schedule to handle the front gate and patrol the front perimeter. Every two weeks they would rotate back to the main security residence. That way all security personal would learn the full scope of protecting the estate.

 

The main house security room would be manned 24/7. It monitored the main security room in the Security Residence.  Cassie smiled when she thought of it. Who will watch the watchers?

 

 

The house domestics were a housekeeper, a cook, one upstairs maid and two downstairs maids. Outside were a master landscaper and two mechanics.  Cassie had to purchase three more Tahoes customized for security work. She purchased one large Ford Expedition for use by the staff for buying supplies for the house. 

 

The Security and household staff living quarters basically surrounded the back of the house parking area. Behind the garage was a super gym/dojo with living quarters above it which Cassie had offered to Sensei Inoue Shina. These quarters were the size and function of a middle size house.  Attached to the dojo was an indoor pool. Further from the living area was a new stable where she thought she would house some horses later.

 

 

Cassie had phoned Sensei Inoue but had been unable to talk to him as he was off the ranch every time she had called. Finally, she had written and had the letter specially delivered to him. Part of her plan was in limbo until she heard from him.

 

In the meantime, she spent a lot of time visiting with the County Police Department. Cassie had thought it over for a while.  Her home to be was in the middle of the County Police Jurisdiction and responsibility. She did not want to use Federal authority on every trespasser, poacher and other misdemeanor offender that stumbled onto her property. She did need quick response from the Police Department.

 

The first couple of times she had dropped by, Police Chief Buckner was not in. Cassie knew better; he was hiding away in his office. The third time, she laughed and told his secretary that she knew exactly where he was. Since he would not talk to her she guessed she would visit the County Commissioners instead.  Before she made it out of the building, the Secretary caught up with her and explained that the Chief had walked back in after she had left and would see her now.

 

“Oh, I cannot believe you can tell that lie with such a straight face. Okay, let’s get back to his office before he disappears again.”

 

Cassie turned and followed the Secretary back to the Chief’s office. Walking into the office, Cassie found what had to be the second most comfortable chair in it and sat down. The Chief stared at her. She waited. Cassie wanted Chief Buckner to initiate their conversation.

 

“What the hell do you want Deputy?”

“I want to get acquainted Chief. I want you to get to know me. Not my family reputation. Either family! In fact, it may be you who could acquaint me of some of my families’ reputations. My mother knew very little of her family, the Howlys. My father has always been closed mouth about his; in fact he has lost most of his family history. So I am thinking you might know more of my families then I do.”

 

“The hell I will!”

 

“Why not? I mean it cannot be good to have two sets of law enforcement at each other throats. And that’s what will happen. Your officers will start imitating you and become at cross purpose with any USMS personal that they come in contact with. That in turn will lead the USMS personal to quit cooperating with your department so let’s cut it out NOW!”

 

“How about we start with lunch? You choose! I am not familiar enough with Roanoke to pick a good eating place.”

 

Cassie sat there waiting for his answer. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Finally he arrived at an answer but she could see he was not pleased with the answer he got.

 

He stood up and reached for his hat. “Let’s go.” She followed him out of his office. “Ms. Wilcox, I’m going to lunch at Russo’s. Hold everything but an emergency.”

 

Cassie followed Chief Buckner out of his department and into a parking area next to the building. She waved at her vehicle parked across the street in a loading zone.

 

Chief Buckner went straight to his Escalade and motioned her to the passenger side. His vehicle was almost as big as her Tahoe but was much more luxurious inside. Cassie scanned and noted that her Tahoe was right behind them as the Chief drove a couple of blocks and into a parking area next to a restaurant with no visible signs. Her scan of the place showed that it must be an Italian place just from the food ingredients in the kitchen.

 

As Cassie was escorted to the front door she watched as the man on the inside jumped to his feet and hurriedly opened the door wide for them. A Maitre’d was standing at the roped off entrance to the dining area and snapped his fingers. The rope disappeared, almost like magic, in front of them. The Chief stopped there.

 

“Pietro, I want you to meet Special Deputy United States Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard. Ms. Howard this is Pietro Russo; he and his family own this place. Do not get on her bad side Pietro. If she does not kill you and your whole family then she could buy this town and level it.”

 

“Chief you remembered.”

 

“I looked you up and then checked with some people I know. Your wealth is increasing at a rate faster than a million a day.”

 

“Signorina Howard, Signore Chief please follow me.”

Pietro led them to a table on a slightly elevated podium and bowed them to their seats. Looking at the Chief he asked, “Vino?”

 

Looking at Cassie the chief asked her, “You don’t drive do you?”

“No, I feel my time is too valuable to waste driving. I get a professional to do it for me.”

 

“While working a case I do the same.” Facing Pietro once more.

 

“Your recommendation Pietro.”

 

“Pasta, veal, or seafood?”

 

“I will be taking your veal.”

 

Cassie thought a minute then smiled, “Seafood, shrimp scampi.”

 

He turned and walked away. “Why the introduction Chief?”

 

“Thought it unusual did you?”

 

“Yes, I don’t think you introduce your guests, even to an owner of the establishment, very often.”

 

“Two reasons: first I like Pietro, even though he is the head of the local mafia. Not the redneck mafia, but the real thing. I did not want him to get himself crosswise of you. Secondly, you needed to know about him. He is the main reason there is so little violence in the area. He does not like it. His family lives here. I can guarantee that there are no drugs within blocks of the schools his children and his nephews and nieces go to.”

 

“He knows that if I catch any of his people committing a crime they are busted. He knows that if he catches any of my people walking the dark side, one call to me and I will fix it. That includes any and all county departments; it’s kind of a détente of mutual respect.”

 

“If any kids come up missing, one call to him and every punk in the county is looking for that kid and god help any pedophile they catch.”

 

“Now, why are you wearing that badge? You got some undying desire to be a heroine?”

 

“Nope, just don’t want to die. I’ve got enemies, probably from some of that family’s history that you know. It is just a hell of lot safer to have a gun handy when ambushes can happen at any moment.I have been traveling a lot and at my age, it was just easier to get a Special Deputy US Marshal badge to cover it all.”

 

“Age?”

 

“Egh, how old am I Chief?”

“My report says you are eighteen. Oh, you are not old enough to get a conceal gun carry permit. But I thought you had to be twenty one to be a Deputy US Marshal?”

 

“Sure, but remember what the Chief Supervisory Marshal said. I am a Special Deputy US Marshal. That means we do not have to meet the official requirement for Deputies. We do not work for the USMS.” 

 

“It’s just a legal fiction to give me a gun permit with federal authority that crosses all jurisdictions in the United States of America.”

 

Their wine had been delivered to their table. The Chief had a hardy rose and Cassie a light white. She sipped it carefully while eating her soup. Then her shrimp was delivered, on a large bed of steaming angel hair pasta with the aroma of butter and garlic rising from the shrimp. The food almost melted on her tongue. It was one of the best meals she had ever eaten. By the time she could not take another bite, she had finished only a quarter of the bottle of Riesling.

 

She noted that neither she nor the Chief had been able to finish their food. There had been just too much of it. Without asking, the waiter brought a cart with cups and a strange looking coffee pot.  The aroma of the coffee was amazing as the waiter poured it into their cups. Her eyes popped fully open and her nose twitched. Cassie picked up her cup and sipped. It was hot! It was full body with hardly any caffeine tang to its taste.

 

She saw the grin that the Chief quickly hid. “What kind of coffee is this?” 

 

The waiter stepped up next to her and bent over. “Lavazza made in a Moko pot.”

 

“Well it is the best coffee I have ever tasted.”

 

The Police Chief spoke; “Your Howly family was found all through the eastern seaboard, from Maine to South Carolina. They were basically one large extended family. That was up until about a hundred years ago. At that time I guess they just got too big. A dispute occurred over something unknown outside the family happened and it was like a civil war broke out. There were fights and law suits all over the place and if you invited one person from one side then none from the other side would come to the event.

 

“Pretty soon it just became easier to not invite any of them. The family went from being the top of society to being ostracized by everybody else. Now it did not seem to stop them from amassing fortunes; but it was always the female members that the money seemed to go to. Male Howlys just seem to be the hangers on. They were always taken care of, but that was what it was ‘taken care of’.”

 

“The old lady that owned your property was a loner.  Nobody from either side of the family was ever seen to visit her when she was in the area. In fact hardly any of the family came to this area in the last few decades.”

 

“The women in the family were all really strange, touched is what the country people call them. They could look at you sometime and say things like ‘don’t worry; you will not live to see your farm foreclosed on’. Then that person would die and the next year his farm would be foreclosed. Well the problem is that people begin to think they cursed them when it might have just been a prophecy.”

 

“Nobody was successful at attacking one of them. I remember my uncle talking once; he said a group of drunks got riled up and went out to one of those old women’s place and were going ‘burn that old witch out’. When they got there, they were met by about ten men, all armed with shotguns, who read from the good book to them. My uncle said they buried seven of those drunks that week. Nothing mysterious about their death; they were shot full of holes.”

 

“Now the Howards I met and heard of did not seem to know of each other, but always those words echo in my mind. ‘I gave fair warning’ but if you raised your hand to one you were looking to get a stump back. And they never, in most cases, did anything themselves. Over in Georgia a Sheriff arrested one after his brother wrecked his car and killed himself.

 

The problem was his brother did not own a car and never drove. Knowing he’d had words with this Howard, he just jumped to this conclusion. Well that night the Sheriff’s house burned to the ground with him and his whole family inside. The fire fighters later found five bodies up against the front door like they were trying to break it down.”

 

“An examination of the door showed it was not locked and that a child should have been able to open it. But there were five big men dead in front of it like they could not get through.”

 

“The District Attorney ordered the chief deputy to release that Howard and return all his goods to him.”

 

“Everything I have found out points to the fact that where a Howard is concerned do not get in their way.”

 

“Okay, thanks. My mother is descended from the Howly family. Since we knew next to nothing about her family I could not tell you which branch we belong to. We do know that Cassandra Howly Alanson was her Great Aunt and she left everything she owned to me about thirteen years ago. The strange thing was that she mailed a letter to my mother telling her two days before I was born. My mother had not decided what to name me until the day after I was born.

 

When she came home from the hospital there was the letter waiting, addressed to me. My mother had not seen or communicated with her since my mother was a child.”

 

“Wait! You said thirteen years ago? But you are eighteen now.”

 

“Well, no I am legally, but not really. I was born about thirteen years ago. When everything in my life really started getting screwed up my Dad pulled in a few favors and a federal judge issued the order to the local US Marshal to deputize me. He did so. Then when I got back to Texas he issued an emancipation order making me as near an adult as he could and then he ordered me into Witsec where the Marshals issued me new identification that made me eighteen. It’s legal! They re-issued me my birth certificate with a new date of birth five years sooner then I was actually born.”

 

“Thirteen? I can’t believe it! Does Chief Deputy Holt know?”

 

“That asshole? No, he has no need to know and if he found out it would just be another nail in his coffin.”

 

At that Chief Buckner turned slightly pale; though Cassie did not notice.

 

 

“Chief there is more.”

 

“More, egh more? What?” his voice squeaked on that last.

 

“Well you see I am as blind as a bat. I have been so since I was ten. I cannot see one bit of light, not even dark or light.”

 

He sat there staring at Cassie. “Blind, no that’s impossible I read the report from Idaho; Holt sent it to me. Forensics identified the guns you used and found eight men that you shot with those guns. Then I saw the scene out at your place. You were the only person there that fired a gun. I could actually see the GSR on your hands and sleeve. It was great shooting and great presence of mind to do what you did; blind no way!”

 

“Yes I am! You’ve got a key chain flash light; shine it in my eyes and watch, you will see no reflex. My pupils will not respond.”

 

“I think it is part of my Howly gene structure. Though blind, I can see or sense everything within a 360 degree sphere centered on me.

 

I can see through walls, rock, metals and trees; everything is transparent to me as glass is to you. Except I cannot see or sense light; a mirror is blank to me, a TV is blank, I cannot see the color of light, red or green or taillights on cars or flashing lights on emergency vehicles. That’s one reason I cannot drive.”

 

“I sense the density of matter, so I sense the difference between materials. I can sense out to over 350 yards now and if I narrow that focus down to only about 10 degrees. I can reach out over three miles. That has increased about fifty percent in the last year. I can scan with that narrow focus so that momentarily I can see all around me up to three miles. But if I hold it too long then I lose range and sensitivity for a couple of hours.”

 

“Sensitivity?”

 

“Oh yeah, let say you had a chalk board and some chalk. You use the chalk to write on the chalkboard. There is a lot of density difference between the chalk and the chalkboard so I can read it. But not between a page and the ink printed, not unless a heavy metal ink is used.”

 

“When you came out to my house I thought you were the Sheriff at first, being from Texas. Then I scanned your badge. Sorry I’ve never heard of any Sheriff that uses a shield instead of a star. So that was my clue you were police; I could not tell what your signage on your car read because there was not enough density difference.”

 

“Still the shooting, how?”

“I never miss, and I do not have to use the sights as they are for light. I know where the target is and I know where the gun barrel is. I align the two and fire. As long as there is nothing between the two I never miss.”

 

“Hum, we have shooting tournaments around the area. Lots of federal agents live in Virginia, and lots of retired military.  In the first couple of tournaments we could make a piece of change.”

 

“Chief! That’s almost cheating!”

 

He grinned at her. “If you are not cheating you are not trying hard enough.”

 

His cell phone rang. He looked startled, then pulled it out of his pocket and checked it. “It’s Dispatch.”

 

“Chief Buckner.”

 

Cassie reached out to her vehicle and noted that both Betty and June were leaning toward the radio scanners in the Tahoe. They looked at each other and then Betty pulled her cell phone out.

 

Cassie pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and stood by waiting. When it rang she flipped it open, “Cassie here Betty.”

 

She watched the Chief as he talked on his phone. “Cassie there is a robbery at a bank in Locust Grove and there are hostages. The locals are asking for county help. His office has been contacted to find the chief.”

 

“Betty, head that way. Put my signs up, but don’t enter the crime scene area until I arrive. You are to get there so I have my equipment. Get it ready, full metal jacket. I need to be heavy on site.”

 

“Roger that! Full heavy ordinance will be ready on your arrival.”

 

She hung up and watched as Betty gunned out of the parking lot. The lights went to flashing and signs were placed in both side windows identifying the vehicle as hers.

 

The chief hung up his phone and waved for Pietro while he stood up. Turning to Cassie, he saw her putting away her phone and checking her gun on her hip.

 

“Durn, I almost forgot that you carry a badge also.”

 

“Locust Grove?” She asked.

 

“Durn again, you are really good girl. Yeah I’ve got to get there. I don’t let my men go into a shooting situation without me nearby.”

 

“My vehicle will meet us there.” Cassie stated.

 

“Pietro, can I catch this later?”

 

“Sure Chief, I understand. Business always comes first.”

 

“Pietro I asked the chief out to lunch, add 30% to the bill and fax it to the Blackthorns Estate on State Hwy 311. Here’s my card with the FAX number. I will return.”

 

With that she turned and rushed after the Chief. Cassie caught up with him just as he started to enter his vehicle. She grabbed the passenger’s door and jumped in. He was out of the parking lot before she was fully buckled in.

 

Cassie pulled her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open and hit the speed dial for her security room at home.

 

“Blackthorn security, Sgt. Tony speaking.”

 

“Deputy Cassie here! Tony go to medium alert. I need information on the robbery in progress in Locust Grove. Give me everything. I am leaving Roanoke in the Chief of Police’s vehicle. Mine should already be headed to the site.

 

“Roger Boss! We got it coming in now and we are scanning all police frequencies in the area. We have four suspects in the building and potentially 12 hostages. Two of those are children, one about ten and the other three years old. There are four men and six women. Two local cars are out front with three officers; that’s the total daytime force for the town. Oh, the bank is FDIC that makes it federal if you need that.”

 

“Thanks! That helps if needed. I need the layout of the bank and streets as soon as possible.”

 

The chief looked over at her as she closed up her phone.

 

“Damn!”

 

“What?”

 

“Two of the hostages are young kids, three and ten; they are small enough to be carried if they think of it.”

 

“Double Damn! My people did not mention that!”

 

“Not their fault! My people are scanning all the police frequencies. The locals know but they must not have reported to your peoples yet.”

 

He pulled out an ear plug set and hooked himself up. From her waist pouch she pulled out a similar looking set and did the same. Hers had a throat mike while his had a boom. With a click she switched her set on.  “Deputy Cassandra online, anything new?” 

 

“Okay, upload maps and schematics to my vehicle security center. Oh? Hold one.  Chief my people have spotted a van on a side street with a running motor and another man behind the wheel. Could be the getaway car; nothing else on the streets match a possibility.”

 

“Damn, make, model, license anything you can give me to identify it to my men? I can move two of my incoming cars into position on it.

 

“It on Creek street three blocks from the bank, a light grey van. My people have it under surveillance. If it moves they will stay with it.”

“Surveillance?”

 

“Remote drone overhead.”

 

“Drone? Girl we really need to talk.”

 

Cassie listened as he directed two of his incoming cars into to position to cover Creek Street.

 

At the same time both of them were contacted by their own people, “Boss as soon as the police cars were visible that van took off. He’s gunning down Creek Street headed for the bank.”

 

Cassie leaned back and reached out with her senses.  Narrowing it, she was finally able to find the van rushing down the street. There were two men in the back of the van that the drone had not been able to detect and they had assault rifles, not simply little Uzis, but full bore heavy duty rifles with large magazines.

 

“Van has three men, two at least with heavy assault rifles. Don’t let your cars close with them or they’ll get shot to pieces!”

 

The chief was repeating what she had told him to his men. 

 

They had arrived in Locust Grove and the Chief was changing his direction. From her scan showing more detail she knew the Chief was closing with the getaway car. Cassie pulled her main Glock out and chambered a round. They were now on a parallel street and were closing.

 

The chief turned heading toward Creek Street. When he reached Creek he turned onto it headed directly toward them. Cassie hit her seat belt release and the window down button. The chief hit his brakes and turned the vehicle to slide down the street, driver side toward the oncoming vehicle. Cassie went out the passenger side window where she anchored herself in the window opening. She turned facing over the roof toward the rushing van.

 

Cassie moved and it felt like she was in slow motion. Her pistol came down on the roof of the Chief’s vehicle and she braced it. Then she began to fire.

 

Her first bullet was into the left front tire causing the van to veer sideways taking control away from the driver. Her second shot was at an angle through the driver side windshield taking out the driver.

 

The third bullet went dead center into the engine through the radiator blowing steam all over the front of the vehicle and blocking all visibility from inside the van.

 

Then Cassie started for the body count. She had already taken out the driver and now she put four shots through the windshield, one each into the men in the back following up with one more into each of the men.

 

She holstered her gun and slid back into the car.

“Get us the hell out of the way Chief!”

 

He did not hesitate. Turning his wheel back the other way he stomped on the gas and accelerated past the oncoming vehicle then slowed and made a u-turn to follow the vehicle which was obviously out of control. It crashed into a parked car then flipped and slid down the street, finally coming to a stop.

 

“Tony, Cassie here. Get an ambulance to the wrecked van on Creek Street. Notify the ambulance that there are three dead men. Tell them to examine but do not remove anything as it is a crime scene. Yeah mine.”

 

“Yes ma’am Roger that.”

 

The Chief’s vehicle had been slowing to stop. When he heard her, he sped back up and headed for the bank.

 

“You sure about that back there?”

 

“First man, the driver has a .40 caliber between his eyes. The next man has one through his throat and one center of mass in the chest, same almost identical position on third man. I don’t miss if the bullet can reach the target.”

 

“I’ve got a twenty eight year old son, wish you were older, I’d introduce you.”

 

Cassie did a double take but her scan showed that he was dead serious. She wondered what brought that on.

 

The chief was thinking damn he really wished she was older but he was not sure his son was up to this girl’s standards. He would hate to have her kicking his son’s butt.

 

As they came up to the road leading to the front of the bank, one of the city police cars was blocking the road. The chief flipped his light switch to flashing and they pulled their car out of the way so he could ease past and stop.

 

“Do you know where your vehicle is Deputy?”

 

“Yeah, about 200 feet this side of the bank. Betty you on?”

 

In her ear she heard, “Roger boss, we see you. We are about 150 yards in front of you and we are ready for you. Heard you got three more?”

 

“Roger Betty, be there in a minute.”

“It’s a 150 yards in front on the right side. There’s a place behind them you can park.”

The Chief waved at the police officer behind him and slowly eased down the road until he pulled in behind her Tahoe. She was out of his vehicle and approaching her Tahoe’s open rear door.

 

The Chief stepped up next to her carrying a pump shotgun that he must have gotten from his trunk.

 

Cassie took her windbreaker style jacket off and laid it folded to one side and put her cell phone in an open metal box. Her keys and all the loose things a person carries in their pocket went with her phone. She shook her body from legs up to her head.  Then she unbuttoned her blouse and took it off. Under the blouse she wore a black t-shirt that had U.S. Marshal in big white letters on the back. She then slipped her loafers and dress slacks off and stood there in her t-shirt and panties. She reached over, but Betty was kneeling holding a pair of pants open for her to step into. Cassie braced herself on Betty’s head and stepped into a pair of combat boots. Betty bloused the pants after lacing the boots up tight.

 

Cassie put her arms out and June slipped her armor over her head and upper torso. The upper ACU shirt was then slipped over her upper body and buttoned tight. Betty removed the ear set and throat mike and then put a combat and communication helmet on her head. Her helmet was very special. It was a full head cover, more like a knight’s helm then anything worn by a warrior of the 21^st century.  Not using her eyes came in really handy when designing a truly protected head gear.

 

“Security, this is Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard I am now online. Make it so!”

 

Down the line came the acknowledgement. “Security Control Roger! Gatehouse Roger! Perimeter 1 Roger! Perimeter 2 Roger! House Patrol Roger! Domestic Quarters Roger! Security Housing Roger! Dojo Roger! Garage Roger! This is drone control standing by and uploading all details!  This is Security HQ all roger and standing by.”

 

Cassie was a little surprised. This was the first time that she had had a full security alert. It was startling to realize the number of people under her. “Roger and acknowledge full alert.”

 

When she turned, she noted that both Betty and June were getting armored and loaded up. “You two know that you may only intervene if it goes to shit, right?”

 

“Roger ma’am.”

“Roger.”

 

They were standing at attention. Cassie shook her head and turned to the Chief who had listened to and watched her preparation.

 

Cassie pulled her Glock 23 and ejected her partially loaded magazine handing it to Betty who was handing a 17 round .40 caliber magazines back to her. She put the gun in her holster and mounted it to the belt around her waist. June was attaching pouches to the belt that contained extra magazines. Cassie bent into the opening of the Tahoe when she heard Betty.

 

“Here yours SCAR.” She turns and there was Betty holding an unloaded SCAR H MODEL With the 13 inch barrel out to her. Taking it she held out her hand and Betty dropped a loaded 30 round magazine into her palm. With a quick movement she slipped the magazine into the rifle and with one quick movement of her left hand pulled and released the charging bolt.  She was now loaded and ready.

 

June, in the meantime, had put a couple of extra magazines for the Scar into her pouches.

 

She felt like a pack mule. The SCAR, when loaded, was much heavier than her M4. Just the difference in the weight of her ammo was amazing. The SCAR was loaded with 7.62 mm rounds. For laymen that was a .30 caliber versus the .22 caliber of the M4.

 

She put the sling over her head and let the SCAR hang down. She was ready. Cassie turned and slowly walked toward the front line of cars, her badge and credentials hung from the left side of her web belt. She had now just noticed the vest hanging over her torso.  “Hey Betty what’s this cloth vest you slipped on me?

 

“Well it’s black. At the top it says Special Deputy US Marshal. It has skull and crossbones under it. Below the skull and crossbones, it says “Let Me make your day!””

 

“YA HA” echoed over the security net.

 

Cassie ‘saw’ that the police officers were beginning to notice her. She caught one officer nudging another and then pointing at her. She stepped past the line of officers and continued to the door of the bank. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

 

She was scared to death. She had never just deliberately stuck her head inside of a killing ground. And that what this was! One man had a teller with his arms around her neck. He held a gun to her head. Another had the mother and her two kids with him behind the counter to her right. The little three year old girl was in his arms and he kept running the gun up and down her body.

 

The ten year old boy was lying on the floor and the man had his foot firmly in his back. Cassie scanned to find the other two men. They were in the vault loading money into bags. Talk about self confidence! Did they really think they were going to get away? Thank goodness the men in the vault had the heavy weapons, a shotgun and an Uzi. If she could keep them there then this battle was already half won.

 

“What the hell? Is this a joke? Get out of here or we will start killing these people.”

 

Cassie turned to the man with the kids. In one movement she rotated the SCAR up to her hip and fired two shots. She took one step and rotated to the other side and she fired two more shots.  Then she began running toward the vault where she needed to contain the last two robbers.

 

Her first shot hit the pistol shoving it completely out of alignment with the little girl her second shot entered the man’s left eye. With that shot he was knocked back hitting a chair and then sliding down past it to the floor. The little girl was still clutched in his left arm until he hit the floor and his left arm felled to his side. The little girl landed in the middle of his torso which provided her a soft landing.

 

With the rotation of her body, she had brought her gun in alignment with the man whose arm was around the teller’s neck. Her first shot there took out his elbow causing his gun hand to swerve toward Cassie but again her second shot went into the left eye. She had made four shots and left two dead men with no hostages injured.

 

As she entered the hall leading to the vault the man with the Uzi stepped out and began to spray the hall. At the same time she noted the police charging the front door. It was time to end this. She fired two shots and took out the Uzi and the man using it. Then she turned to the open vault door. This time she fired five shots. The first ricocheted off the edge of the vault door and hit a wall to the right of the man in the vault; the second one went to the left wall. She had the angle now and the next three shots bounced with less than half a degree of angle difference so that those three bullets hit the man in the right arm the center of his chest and the left chest dead center to his heart.  Cassie scanned the vault as the man fell to the floor dead. She turned and walked back into the main lobby. Chief Buckner was already headed her way.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, two more down in the vault area. Will you do the CSI and get me copies of all reports and forward a copy to the Western District Marshal’s office?”

 

“Sure Cassie, I got you covered. That was the craziest thing I have ever seen and maybe the bravest one too.”

 

Cassie spoke into her mike. “Deputy Cassie, keep my overhead but all others stand down. All perps are now down.”

 

She removed her helmet and put it under her left arm. Turning, she walked over to the two children and squatted down setting back on her heels.

 

“How are you two doing?” The little girl looked up at her with tear streak cheeks, the boy with wide eyes, then his eyes moved down her chest to her vest.  His mouth dropped open then he grinned at her, “Dirty Harry right?”

 

“My version.”

 

“How could you do that?”  Their mother ran over from where she had been talking to an investigator.

The mother’s face was all screwed up and she was screaming.

 

Everybody in the room turned to look at her. The Chief started their way.

 

“Do what?” Cassie asked as she stood up. The helmet dropped down into her hand and swirled around in her loose grip. The boy looked inside her helmet and then turned his head as he examined the inside of her helmet closer.

 

“Come in here and start shooting all over the place endangering all of us!”

 

“First off I did no ‘shooting all over the place.’ I have fired a total of eleven shots since I came through that door. My gun, a SCAR Heavy, had a magazine with 30 rounds of 7.62 mm in it. I’ve got 19 rounds left. A person who shoots all over the place empties their magazine and hits maybe one of their targets. I took all four of my targets down. Not one of my rounds hit a single hostage in this building so please shut the fuck up until you know what you are talking about.”

 

“Wow, is that a Star Wars battle helm?”

Now, everybody looked at the boy who had his head halfway inside her helmet.

 

“Look, there’s no way to see out of the helmet it must have some kind built in TV screen but where’s the camera?”

 

“Sorry, but no camera and no TV screen.”

 

“But, but there is no way to see out!”

Cassie squatted down again and turned her helmet around so that light shown inside it. The helmet had ear speakers and a mike grid but that was all.

 

“Smart kid, you are right! I don’t see out.”

 

The mother had followed her son’s gaze and saw that he was right. A person wearing that helmet could not see out.

 

“Oh my god, how did you shoot if you can’t see the target?” She was turning pale.

 

The whole lobby had gotten quiet. Cassie set the helmet carefully over the boy head. From inside she heard his muffled voice, “Its pitched dark in here.” Then she lifted it off his head.

 

“What is your name, kid?”

“Tommy Cole.”

 

“Well Tom, you got good eyes on you to spot that.”

“It would do me no good to be able to see out Tom; you see I am blind, as they say blind as a bat. But bats don’t need eyes to be able to fly. I don’t need them to see.”

 

“Chief, we need you in the vault!”

One of the forensic technicians was calling. Tommy’s hand was moving toward her SCAR hanging from its sling. Cassie’s hand flew out and caught his wrist.

 

“Testing me Tommy?”

“TOMMY!” His mother screamed at him. Then she reared back to hit him. Cassie moved once more and she stood between Tommy’s Mother and him. “Madam, if you had made contact with him I would spend months seeing that you went to prison. Don’t you let me ever hear of you hitting one of these children?”

 

“Who the hell do you think you are? I want you to know that I am Claire Cole and my husband is brother to the Congressman from this district.”

 

“Well I am sure that he will advise you to shut up when he hears what you were about to do. To answer your question, I am Special Deputy United State Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard. I am from Texas, down here looking over some property that I inherited. Give me any more grief and I will find some nice gentleman who would love to run against your brother in law and donate a couple of million dollars to his campaign fund. I think your brother in law will really be upset with you when he hears about this.”

 

“Cassie?”

She stepped to the side so she would not turn her back to Claire.

 

“Yes Chief?”

 

“Egh, how did you hit that man in the vault, Forensic said you only fired seven shots back there. You hit the man with the Uzi two times. But you could not see the man in the vault. You fired five shots into the vault. The shells casings on the floor showed that you were twenty feet to the right of the door when you fired.”

 

Cassie laughed. “I only miss when there is a need. In there, the first two shots were to find the angle of the ricochet. Then I fired three more shots. All three hit him, one in his left arm, one in his chest the last one was a chest shot also but dead center on his heart. I had to hit the edge of the vault door just right.”

 

“You sure you don’t want to go to the shooting tournament with me?”

 

“Like I said, I only miss when it’s necessary.”

 

Cassie turned back to Claire and a stern look appeared on her face. “Tell your family when you get home what I said. Remember my name Cassandra Howly Howard, and I give you fair warning don’t ever hit these children.”

 

From the Chief she heard, “Oh My GOD, Cassie no!” She turned to look at him. Then walked out the door of the bank.

 

Chief Buckner watched her walk away and saw two men in suits enter the bank. One showed his badge to one of his officers who turned and pointed at him. They turned to head his way. Chief Buckner held his hand up to stop them then opened and closed his hand twice. Both of them came to a stop and waited.

 

Chief Buckner turned to Claire, “Ms. Cole, what the hell did you do to piss her off. Whatever it was get to her, get on your knees and kiss her feet. Do whatever it takes to get on her good side. She is the mix of two major mythical family lines. Her father’s family places a curse on anybody they give fair warning to. It’s a family motto, it goes. “Always give fair warning, then worry not where my enemies die!” and it always works!

 

Then there is the matter of her money, she is rich, I mean, she makes over two million dollars a day! Now I am sure that you will pay no attention to me, but when you get home sit down and talk to your husband and his brother.”

 

He turned to approach the FBI agents that were waiting. ”Congratulations Chief I hear we owe you one here.”

 

“Not me, she is almost one of yours.”

“She?”

“Special Deputy US Marshal, Cassandra Howly Howard. She was the one that took out the four perps in here. She also took the three waiting in a getaway vehicle down the street.”

 

“Come with me boys.” He led them down the hallway to the vault area. He stopped just short of where Cassie had to have stood. One of the forensic technicians walked up to him with four video cassettes.

 

“Unbelievable Chief, I ran them back and watched what happened in here. She only fired seven shots in here. Two to take the man with the Uzi out then five into the door there and she put three of those five into the man in the vault.”

 

 

The two FBI agents looked around closer after hearing the tech. Then walked forward to examine the body lying outside the vault then they looked the door over, noting the smudge marks on the door edge.

Then both stood up and went into the vault and after a few minutes of examining the scene they exited the vault.

 

One was shaking his head at the other they came to stop in front of the Chief, “Well?”

 

“It’s impossible. I was on HRT once. They have some of the best training of any police in the world and none of them could have taken two men out with only seven shots from this kind of position. There are three bullets in that man in the vault from five shot around a corner! No way, sorry.”

 

The Chief moved his foot and his boot toe moved a shell casing lying on the floor. The FBI Agent who had mentioned HRT squatted and picked up one of the casings on the end of a pen. Then he stood and looked around again. He spotted the other six casings.  He then held the one on the pen up so he could examine it closer.

 

“What the heck was she firing; this is a 7.62 mm NATO round!”

 

“She came in with a SCAR H .7.62 round heavy. She had a thirty round magazine in the rifle.”

 

“How was she shooting it?”

“I don’t know. Every time I saw it with her she had it hanging from a sling. “

 

“Egh, Sir.”

The Chief turned to his Forensic tech. “Yeah?”

“Well sir she was doing what my range instructor always said was John Wayne crap. She fired from her hips; controlled firing sir, but from her hips!”

 

“Well, on the way here we went after the waiting getaway van. It ran but we came down the street at it. I turned to block it and she was out the window and anchored. She brought her Glock 23 .40 cal down on to the roof and fired seven times.”

 

“She did that sir? I got the detail on that also.

One shot out left tire. The driver took one shot between his eyes. The two in the back took two each, one center mass and the second one in the left eye. There was also one round through the radiator.”

 

“Okay let’s go meet Annie Oakley.”

 

“I think she already left. In fact, she walked out right as you came in.”

 

“Oh my god that was her?” he started laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

 

“She had on a identification vest, you know, telling who she was. It was black and at the top it said Special Deputy US Marshal over a skull and crossbones. Under that, it said, ‘Let Me Make Your Day’.”

 

The Chief could tell that the second FBI agent was choking to keep from laughing.

 

“Man I’ve got to meet this woman!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___________________________________________________________

My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents

 

 

On The Road Again.

Into The Shadows

 

Virgil L. Fuqua

 

Prologue

On the road again

 

Cassie was getting tired of driving across country. Not that she was actually driving, for one of her chauffer-bodyguards had been driving steadily for the last five hours. She shifted in her seat, easing the pressure from her hideaway gun in the small of her back.

 

Betty had only been with her for about six weeks. She had joined Cassie at the mining site in Idaho before Cassie had returned home to Sonora, Texas. Betty and June had been hired because Cassie knew she was going to have to do a lot of driving to get home. After her last attempt to fly on a commercial airline Cassie figured that it would be easier for all involved if she just found a way not to fly for a while.

 

Betty O’Keefe had retired from the Army. She had been a Master Sergeant in Army Security and Protection. June Smyth had been Betty’s counterpart in the Air Force. While both were more than double Cassie’s age, their years of travel all over the world acting as babysitters and guards for generals’ families had made them very adaptable. They treated Cassie like she was one of those Generals’ older daughters.

 

Cassie had watched them closely at first and she had found that the two guards loved Big Bertha. They only relaxed while inside of her and parked. Then they felt safe.

 

This trip to Cassie’s new home to be was nerve racking. If they had not been able to find a place to relax, the job would have been almost impossible.

 

 

  

Chapter 1

 

Get heavy and do it quick

 

 

(* It is unusual, I know, to put a footnote at the beginning of the chapter. But I feel that it will help prevent a break in believability.  Virginia is one of the weirder states in the USA. It has over 40 independent cities. These cities are physically located within a county but legally are not in a county. They are directly under the State Government. Weirdness #2 is that these independent cities can have the county seat and courthouse within them. Weirdness #3 is that Sheriffs are not really law enforcement as they are in most states; they are jail and courtroom security and administration. They act as bailiff for the courts and serve papers and summons to appear in court. This leads to weirdness #4 Virginia has County Police for law enforcement outside the cities. So I am throwing the confusion this caused me onto Cassie.)

 

 

________________________________________________________

 

 

Cassie hoped her Dad had been right. The estate in Virginia had been left to her by her Great-great-aunt the day Cassie had been born. Nobody from her family had ever been there. Her father had only found out about it when excess funds from its trust account had flowed into another trust that her Dad now controlled. The other trust had kept the maintenance and upkeep done on this lost estate.

 

Now that her hidden enemies had attempted to take her out, she needed a place where nobody knew her and this estate would be perfect. Cassie leaned back in her seat and napped.

 

 

It had been a long trip, longer then just driving straight to the estate would have been. She had thought to throw off anyone looking for her so they had driven across Pennsylvania into New York then down through New Jersey across Maryland and then into Virginia. The estate was located southwest about two hundred and forty miles from Langley, Virginia.  It was just a little ways off I-81 near Roanoke, Virginia.  From what she had read from her Dad’s files the back property line was bordered by the Jefferson National Forest. It was isolated and quiet.

 

They exited I-81 and then turned onto State Highway 311. In no time they pulled off the State Highway onto a long drive way topped with gravel tar. A hundred feet down the driveway a fence with a gate house crossed the road. Betty stopped Big Bertha about 15 yards from the big black gate that blocked the driveway.

 

Cassie scanned all around them, and then she narrowed her scan to reach out in a complete sweep out to almost three miles. She found nothing of interest. There were no people or domestic animals for over two miles in any direction. Inside the edge of the forest were animals natural to this area.

 

“It’s clear Betty! June you got the key to the gate?”

“Yes I have, let me out.” With that she crossed over to the passenger side of Bertha and opened the door. She climbed down and walked up to the gate. Her key unlocked a padlock holding a chain around the bars that met at the side of the gate. She wrapped the chain around one bar on the gate and padlocked the chain to it. With a push she rolled the gate open. Standing to the side, she waved Betty through.

 

Betty drove Bertha and the auto-hauler in past the gate until she was clear so the gate would shut. June pulled the gate back to the locking bar next to the gatehouse.

Cassie, scanning, ‘saw’ that there were locks on the gate and June had used them to hold the gate closed.

 

June went to Betty’s side and climbed up the outside and waved them forward. Betty drove smoothly and did not jerk or do anything to make June’s position unstable as they proceeded down the driveway.

 

The final approach to the house was like entering a fairy tale. The drive exited the grove of trees that it passed through and the house and buildings stood framed by a forest behind them.

 

As the driveway approached the house, it divided on the right side. The left fork of the drive curved into a long circular drive across the front of the house with a covered portico at the front entrance to the house. The right fork ran along the right side of the house then into a large paved area at the rear. It was large enough for at least fifteen Tahoes to be parked between the house and the large barn directly behind the house that had been remodeled into a garage.

 

 

Cassie sat upright in her seat and scanned everything. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped.

 

Bertha came to a complete stop “Cassie? What’s wrong?”

 

Betty had learned, in the short time she had been with Cassie, that she could see more than just the surface of things. If Cassie was scared, Betty was going no closer. June had noticed that they were frozen on the inside and had dropped to the ground and pulled her weapon.

 

“Oh my God!” Cassie said quietly under her breath.  Her father had told her that she was going to be surprised when she got here. Surprise was a much understated word. She was scanning the complete area of the house and buildings before her. At first she had just wondered how he had done so much in such a limited time. But then she had really narrowed her scan. He had not done this!

 

The barn that had been remodeled into a garage showed work that was over fifty years old. The two residences on either side of the barn had that veneer of age also. The one on the right had been recently remodeled with up to date technology. That had to be the security room with all those monitors. The power generation room could only be reached by going through the ‘security residency’.

 

A deep scan found a pair of underground passages from the two residence building that met under the garage then went to the main house. Under the facade of a southern plantation house the inner walls were reinforced concrete. The outside residences were the same with inner walls of reinforced concrete.

 

The age of the hidden work told her that her father had not done all of it. Here and there, throughout the hidden construction, she could spot modern add-ons like electronic locks, monitoring equipment and power generation equipment. This was not a house; this was a fortress waiting to be manned, a fortress that had been here for ages.

 

Cassie pulled out her cell phone and pushed the speed dial button for her father.

“Good afternoon Cassie.”

“Dad I am sitting her in front of the estate’s buildings. You did not tell me everything.”

“He-haw, no I did not. What do you think?”

“Did they build this place to stand off the invading hordes of communists?”

“I don’t think so. Most of it is dated back to World War II. I found some documents about leasing it for the duration of the war to the Office of Strategic Services, OSS. I sent some of my best construction inspectors to be sure everything was in shape and working.”

 

“You got any more surprises for me, Dad?”

“No Cassie, I think it was a training facility. You’ve got gyms, an indoor pool, outside athletic fields. Oh, the armories are not stocked, so that’s going to be up to you.”

 

“Good bye Dad.”

 

“Cassie?”

Cassie shook herself out of the daze that she had settled into. She turned her head to Betty. “It’s a fortress Betty. I was just shocked when I saw it fully for the first time.”

 

“Fortress?”

“Yes, you will see after you go over the place. You should see the thickness of the walls. Oh well, sitting out here is not getting anything done.”

 

June climbed back onto Bertha and Betty continued the drive up to the estate and around to the rear.

 

Cassie was scanning the whole place as they drove up the drive way. This place was huge. No, it was gigantic. 

 

 

From what she had read in her Dad’s file, the main house had 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and 5 half baths. There was a library, office, two dining rooms, a breakfast room, a kitchen with a cellar, a pantry room, a laundry, an enclosed solarium on the back and a security room. Three of the bedrooms were reserved for Cassie and her companions.

 

 

Betty parked Bertha and the three women used a key that they had been provided to enter the main house.  In the kitchen, they found a set of remote garage door openers and instructions on the features that had been installed in the estate.

 

 

They walked quickly through the large house.  The master bedroom was set up as Cassie’s room, with Betty’s room on one side of her.  June’s room was across the hall from Betty’s room. The security room was across the hall from Cassie’s room and next to June.

 

They checked out the kitchen and pantry and found that Cassie’s Dad had provided a plentiful supply of non-perishable food and a small supply of perishables, such as milk and eggs.  They would need to make a trip to town for groceries soon or order some sent to the estate.

 

After they finished their initial walk-through, Betty drove Bertha to the garage and triggered the remote door opener. They spent the next half hour removing the Tahoe from the auto-hauler and then backed the auto-hauler into its own storage area. The Tahoe and Bertha were parked side-by-side in the garage. When they were through, Betty used a remote she had attached to the keys to lock up the garage and they walked up to the backdoor leading into the kitchen.

 

All three of them began a more thorough exploration of the house. The team then checked out the security room which had an armory cabinet with no guns. Betty and June looked quickly at each other after examining it.

 

Cassie noted the look, “What’s up girls?”

“No backup weaponry, we only have our personal weapons.”

“Yeah and not much ammo for them either. We need to stock up.” June added.

 

“Hold on a minute.” Cassie reached into her jacket pocket and brought out her phone. She pushed a speed dial button and minutes later she had Clint on the phone.

 

“Clint I’ve got one of those problems that you might help with. No not that kind of problem but close. I am in Virginia and will be for awhile. I need a very reliable firearms dealer that makes house calls.”

 

“Cassie, there are not many that can do that. But here’s a number, tell them I said ‘suck piss’. Remember ‘suck piss’ and they will be able to take care of your problems. So you are in Virginia?”

 

“Yes but keep it to yourself, I have got Witsec clearance now.”

“Wheee, playing with the big boys are you? Okay, zip lips and all that.”

“Let me know if you ever need back up. How are my two girls doing?”

“Just fine, they are the ones that brought my attention to the fact that we only have our personal weapons and little ammo for them.”

 

“Knowing you that will never do; with enemies like you have, get heavy girl and keep heavy.”

“I am doing so now. See you later Clint.”

“You too; sleep safe.”

 

Cassie hung the call up and immediately called the number Clint had given her.

“Charlottesville Firearms, may I help you?”

“Yes, I have recently moved to the Roanoke area of Virginia and find myself in need of replenishing my ammo, and increasing my supply of home protection. I was advised to call your number and ask for a consultant to bring me some now.”

 

“Are you asking for home delivery? That is very unusual. Do you have any idea what you will need?”

 

“Well, some 12 gauge riot guns, a .308 sniper rifle, no make that two snipes and four riot guns.  I have one M4 and could use two more of them.  Let’s see; four Glock 23s and three Glock 27s both types in .40 caliber. I would like three sets of female body armor and make those the top of the line. I will need a couple of cases of .308 full metal jackets, five cases of .40 caliber, twelve 17 round .40 magazine for the Glocks and five cases of magnum loads 0-0 buck 12 gauges. That will be a good start.”

 

“Well that is a special order; we need special instructions to fill that. Also for the best female body armor we will need sizing.”

 

“Betty, June, I need sizes for the armor.”

Betty and June gave Cassie their sizes, including cup size, and Cassie passed them on and then provided hers.

 

Cassie thought for a minute, “Suck Piss, is that’s what you are waiting for?”

 

“Yes ma’am that is the instruction I was waiting for. How will you be paying? Where do you want this delivery to be made? How soon do you need it?”

 

“American Express Unlimited, Blackthorn Estate State Road 311, tomorrow 1:00 PM.”

 

“One moment, okay we found the location and no problem; a truck will arrive at that time at your location.  Thank you for doing business with Charlottesville Firearms.”

 

Cassie put her phone up and ‘looked’ at the two women who were staring at her.”

“M4?”

“Where do you have an M4?” June asked eagerly.

“In the Tahoe it’s in a case under the passenger seat. That reminds me the magazines are all empty.”

June held her hand palm up toward Betty who dropped a set of keys into them. “I’ll get it; it’s doing us no good setting in the Tahoe.” They spent the next hour filling all the empty magazines they found in the gun case. Cassie had forgotten all the magazines for her Glocks. When they were through they still had two magazines for the Glocks that were empty, and one for the M4.

 

Cassie once more called the firearm dealer.

 

“Hi, I put in an order just a little while ago? Yes that’s mine. I need to add to it. I need full metal jacket .223 caliber rounds for the M4s and if possible full magazines for all them plus reloads, thank you.”

 

“Well, at one o’clock tomorrow afternoon we will have a truck arriving with weapons and ammo. June, we’ll send you to the gate house with the shotgun from the Tahoe.  You can let the truck in, lock up and follow the truck.  Betty, you will be here with the M4. As soon as the truck stops I will exit the house.”

 

We’ll have the truck unload at the Security Building but stack everything on the rear drive. Maybe we can have the truck crew take most of the boxes into the Armory and then we can bring the things we need into the house and up stairs to store in our security room.”

 

“Now we are going to have to be able to monitor that front gate or get another couple of people here. Heck we’re going to need a housekeeper, a cook and some maids also. Let’s think on that and get together to discuss it tomorrow.”

 

They met the next morning over breakfast. “This has to go; I don’t mind cooking when nothing else can be done but it gets old fast unless you really like to cook. It was just one of the reasons I left home, the expectation that as the only girl it was my job to cook. Not happening here.” June grumbled under her breath.

 

“Okay that is first on our list, a cook.”

“We need more security personal. This place is absolutely too big for the three of us.” Betty stated flatly.

“Three of us?” June asked with a glance at Cassie.

“I talked to Clint myself last night. Cassie do you want to explain or do you want me to tell?” Betty asked.

“Let’s hear what Clint had to say.” Cassie grinned at her.

 

“We’ve been kept in the dark and fed shit, just like good little mushrooms June.” Betty waved at Cassie. “I have had my doubts ever since we meet her in Idaho. Especially with how much they were paying us.”

 

“Yeah, me too!  We are, or I am, being paid more than to protect a witness against a major drug cartel leader.”

 

“Well according to Clint, we don’t have to worry with her on our backs. He said the two of them got ambushed in Idaho by four vehicles and more than eleven men. He took out three of them which he stated was supported by forensic data afterward. But Cassie, our primary, took out all but two of those left and they were intentionally allowed to escape. He’s betting that if we ever go to a range together she will beat both of us.”

 

“Come on now Betty that’s a sucker bet. You take him up on it?”

“Ten to one he said and he got one hundred thousand dollars on Cassie, and eight bodies in graves.”

 

“I figured I would check that bet until I knew more.”

She paused and it got very quiet over the breakfast table.

“Who do you work for, Betty, June?” Cassie asked quietly.

 

“As I remember, and I do remember things of real importance, my contract states that my Primary is one Cassandra Howly Howard, and I am contracted to her directly.” Betty stated.

 

“Basically the same contract for me also.” June echoed.

“Okay, I have been seconded to Witsec for document support by a Federal Court Order. I am also a Special Deputy US Marshal which gives me some much needed Federal authority to possess firearms.”

 

“I am also very rich; so rich, in fact, that this estate was left to me over thirteen years ago and my Father just found it earlier this year in all the assets left to me. As such, he felt it was a place that would not be traced back to me for quite some time; safe in other words. We believe that my inheritance is the reason I am being attacked.”

 

“Have you two any question about my eyesight?”

The both of them slowly shook their heads.

“Well I am blind as a bat, but similar to a bat I don’t need eyesight. I’ve got something called Blind sight, but a thousand times better. Oh, on the range I will be able to shoot one hundred percent. I never miss except on purpose. Using my sight I found a stream of gold over two miles long in the Idaho Mountains. I own twenty five percent of the company mining it at a rate of ten million dollars worth of gold per day.”

 

“So don’t worry about your pay or benefits. Give me a list of every job we need to fill around the estate. I am going to be starting to college so I need some real fresh faces to go with me. Find them for me and give their names to Clint for background checks. Also, let me know any security upgrades that are needed.  We need to be able to monitor that gate house and the gate.”

 

“Oh I am completely blind to colors. Everything looks grey to me. So don’t expect me to notice any light emitters. I cannot use mirrors; they are completely blank to me as are monitors. One of the reasons I cannot drive is that I cannot see taillights or turn signals or signal lights.

But I can see just as well in the dark as I can in full daylight. I can see through walls, trees, hills or mountains. So I figure I won more than I lost when I went blind.”

 

Cassie had dressed in her work clothes from Idaho, informal battledress that was no longer used by the American military.  While not bad up in Idaho, she had now noticed that in the warmer climates of Texas and Virginia the cloth was beginning to chafe a little where moisture had been retained.

 

“Oh, I notice that your clothes seem just as good if not better than mine but more comfortable where can I get some like them?”

 

The conversation and list making went on for another hour or so. Then June took Cassie up to her room to try on a set of her ACU’s. After finding a set that fit Cassie, June then mentioned the fact that Cassie had now lost all her extra pockets and would need to wear a couple of fanny or waist packs.  Cassie then pulled her credentials out of a pocket of her old BDUs and hung them over her belt on her left side. June stared at them. “You are really a Deputy US Marshal?”

 

“Special Deputy US Marshal, which means the government does not pay me but I have all the authorities of a regular Deputy US Marshal within the guideline authorized when deputized. My Dad has a couple of Federal Judges indebted to him so the authorization was pretty broad.”

 

_____________________________________________

“It’s game time! All players should take their position.” Betty’s voice came from the security room. Cassie and June rushed to the security room where June grabbed the shotgun from the Tahoe and a bandoleer of shells for it. Then she rushed downstairs and into the Tahoe.

 

Cassie heard the engine start and the Tahoe driving away on a speaker in the Security room. Betty stuck a couple of magazines for the M4 in a gear belt that she had strapped on and headed outside also. Cassie then picked up a couple of magazines for her Glocks then looked around for something to carry them in. Another gear belt caught her attention and it had a couple of pouches that appeared to be big enough to hold the magazines.

 

Grabbing the belt, she put it on and then put the extra magazines in the pouches. She had to move her badge and credentials to the gear belt as it covered the place where she had been wearing them.

 

She went downstairs and out the back door where she sat down on an old bench against the outside wall of the house. Cassie did a deep scan of the whole estate and the nearby national forest; no unknown humans anywhere. June had just arrived at the front gate and was unlocking it. She had turned the Tahoe to point toward the house. She now stood in the doorway of the gatehouse. Cassie pulled her cell phone out and hit speed dial for Betty.

 

“Betty, remember and remind me to get some secure communication that is not so awkward to use as these cell phones. June is now in place at the front gate. No intruders within two miles.”

 

“Check on that secure communication! We do need that.”

“Roger and out.” Cassie then speed dialed June.

 

“June, just letting you know we are aware of your position and will maintain surveillance of you. So don’t worry about letting us know what you’re doing.”

 

“Thanks! That makes me feel better knowing I am not the point by myself.”

Cassie put away her phone in one of the pouches she had attached to her gear belt.

 

She maintained her scan of the area and the road up to the gate. Right at one o’clock a large truck drove slowly down the State Highway toward the road into the estate. A quick scan of the truck showed two men in the driving compartment and three inside the truck body with dozens of crates. All the men were armed.

 

Cassie quickly dialed June again. “June! Fall back and leave the gate unlocked. There are five well armed men with three hiding in the body of the truck. Get out of sight and I suggest taking the Tahoe with you.”

 

She did not wait for acknowledgement, but was dialing Betty. “Five armed men with the truck. I told June to pull out but to leave the gate unlocked. Oh, she has pulled the Tahoe into a grove of trees off the drive way. Damn.”

“What’s wrong? Cassie?”

 

“I should have thought about communications last week! This is a pain. I need to stay back just to keep you two informed on what is happening.”

 

“Well you are doing a great job so far.”

 

“Oh, yeah, great job! I gave them everything they needed to take us, our weapons, our ammo situation and our address. Yeah great job alright.”

 

“Not on you Cassie! Clint gave you them as safe supplier, so it is on him. If you can, you might let him know what’s going down.”

 

Cassie thought for just a second then dialed Clint in Idaho. “Cassie what’s up?”

 

“I got a truck with five armed men approaching me on schedule for that arms dealer you gave me. Would they be stupid enough to attempt to hit me?”

 

“HOLD ON! I will be right back. Click!” He had hung up on her.

The truck had pulled up at the gate and just sat there. Then one man on the passenger side got out and walked over to the gate house outer door and peeked in. Turning to face the truck he shrugged. Then he walked over to the gate and opened it wide. The truck drove in and the man shut the gate behind the truck. He quickly reentered the truck and it started down the drive.

 

June waited until the truck had circled out of sight before driving the Tahoe out of its hiding place.

She slowly followed the truck down the driveway. Cassie reached for her phone then hesitated. It rang.

 

“Cassie.” She said.

 

“Okay Cassie, stay alert! I think I just got this fixed. Leave the phone on so I can hear.” With that Cassie hung her phone off her gear belt on the front. She kept up her scanning so she noticed when the driver answered his cell phone. Then he slammed his brakes on full. She continued to scan them but started a rolling narrative of what was happening for Clint to hear.

 

An argument broke out inside the truck; the three men in the back were gathered around an open space between the back and the driver’s compartment. Finally the driver handed his cell phone through the opening to one of the men in back. Soon she could ‘see’ him screaming into the phone and then he turned and slammed it down where he stomped it into the floor. He then brought up the gun he was carrying and chambered a round.

 

“Well Clint, it looks like the man on the scene has decided not to pay attention to the man on the phone. Things are about to get a little noisy out here.”

 

“Damn! Damn! I’m sorry Cassie. Be careful these are not amateurs like that last bunch we handled.”

 

“Okay, get some clean up headed our way. Contact Dad for political cover. Got to go.”

 

Cassie quickly let her two companions know where they stood. “June stay back unless absolutely needed. Use your camera phone to record everything that happens. As soon as you can, afterward, get those pictures to Clint.”

 

“You sure? I mean these are the contacts he gave you.”

 

“Well so are you June. Yes I trust him. It’s just that the contact he gave me has got twisted someway. Now stand back and record everything.”

 

“Betty?”

“Yes, I am still inside the garage.”

“Man Big Bertha. She is not armed, but she is a weapon by herself, so when they stop I want you to open the garage door and drive her out and put her nose at the passenger door. Take no other action unless they start shooting. June is going to hang back and record everything.”

 

Cassie hung up her cell phone and scanned the area once more. Nothing had changed except that June had closed up on the truck which had continued down the drive and was just pulling around to the back entrance. She stayed seated on the bench waiting for the truck to pull up.

 

Betty had already started up Bertha and the door of the garage was opening. The driver could see Cassie now and was turning the truck to approach the rear entrance to the house. She waited until the truck stopped and then stood up and walked toward the driver.

 

Big Bertha gunned out of the garage and then its brakes squealed as it slid to a stop inches from the passenger door of the truck. The two men in the front of the truck turned their heads and stared at the monster MRAP sitting inches away.

 

 Cassie grinned as she noted Betty smiling and waving at the two men in the driving compartment. They all froze. The three men in the back had almost fallen when the truck stopped. The leader screamed at the driver who slowly turned to face into the body of the truck. Cassie could tell that he was saying something to the leader in the back.

 

Those three rushed the rear door of the truck and kicked it open. Cassie squatted as she pulled her Glock out and aimed under the truck in the general direction of the rear. She kept most of her attention on those in the rear with incidental attention on the front. The two men in the driving compartment had placed their hands above the edge of the window so Betty could see that they had no guns in them. Both had guns but they were in their holsters.

 

Cassie knew which one was bringing up his gun to shoot at Betty. As the gun started to line up she shot under the truck taking out his left knee cap.  He dropped his gun as he fell to the ground screaming. She brought her sight back to the other two and shot all four ankles.

 

Standing back up, Cassie noted the driver was staring bug eyed at her and was squeezing the rim of the steering wheel tightly. She smiled and nodded at him. Turning, she began to walk to the rear of the truck.

 

When she rounded the corner, the three screaming men were rolling on the ground. She scanned them closer; none were in danger of bleeding out. No arteries had been hit and none of the bone fragments had come near an artery. Pain yes, lots of pain, but nothing fatal.

 

Cassie waved at June to come closer. She wanted video of them with their guns still nearby. She turned toward the gate. Two cars with bubble gum light bars on top were pulling up at the gate and checking it out. Then two more pulled up. From its interior, one was a crime scene unit.

 

“June upload those videos right now. We got the law at the gate. In the rear of the Tahoe, under the floor, is a briefcase. Get it ready to bring to me.”

 

Cassie pulled out her cell phone and called 9-11, “This is the Blackthorn estate on north State Highway 311. I note that there are four or five Police’s cars entering the property now. I am Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howard on site and we will need ambulances for three wounded suspects. Would you also let the Police officers know that federal law enforcement is already on site? Thank You.”

 

She pressed the speed dial for a number she had never called before. “United States Marshal Service, Western District of Virginia, Roanoke; how may I direct your call?”

 

“This is Special US Deputy Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, Northern District of Texas. I’m reporting a shooting involving myself in your district at Blackthorn Estate on State Road 311, Roanoke, Virginia. I have Police cars and ambulances enroute at this time.”

 

“Please hold I am transferring your call to Chief Supervisory Deputy Holt at this time.”

 

A few minutes later a voice spoke to her on the phone. “Deputy Howard?”

 

“Yes, sir, this is Special Deputy Cassandra Howly Howard.”

“I got your record in front of me Deputy Howard. Do you know most Deputy Marshals never have to ever pull or use their firearm in a twenty to thirty year career? You have now been involved in two shooting incidents in less than one year.

 

I will be coming to the scene myself. Please inform the Officer in Charge that this is a federal crime scene and to hold off on any investigation until I or one of my delegated Marshals arrives.”

 

“Yes sir, I will do so.”

“Click.”

 

Cassie took the few free moments that she would have for awhile to call Clint again. ”Cassie are you okay?”

 

“I think I am in trouble with the local USMS. The Chief Supervisory Deputy is coming himself to investigate.”

 

“I did not kill anyone this time but I got three wounded here. I took out a kneecap, and four ankles.”

 

“Normally I would say that was piss poor shooting, but I don’t know the circumstances.”

 

“Oh, I was shooting under a truck bed and had no time to wait.”

 

“Well then that sounds like very good shooting; any way to prove that they were about to use force?”

 

“I had June off at a distance recording on her phone camera. And then she closed in showing them wounded and their weapons lying on the ground next to them.”

 

“That’s my Cassie; get that documentation off the crime site.”

“She has already uploaded it.”

 

“Oh, Clint got to go. Looks like the big honchos are showing up.”

“See you later.”

 

Cassie put her phone away and scanned the area again. A Cadillac Escalade was just passing through the gate and was coming up the driveway with two other Police cars. All three had signs on the side so the Cadillac was most likely the Sheriff himself. All of them were wearing sunglasses.

 

Cassie walked over to the driver’s side of Big Bertha and Betty cracked the door open so they could talk.

“Looks like the Sheriff and a couple of cars are coming. Then I’ve got the Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal for this Judicial District on the way. Just hold tight. Betty, see if you can find a pair of sunshades in the drawer under the passenger seat. I think I bought a pair and threw them in there.”

 

Betty bent over to reach the drawer under the passenger seat. When she opened it, there lay the sunglasses still in the packaging. She picked them up and opened the package. She sat back up and opened the door and handed Cassie the sunglasses.

 

Cassie gently put the glasses on and looked up at Betty. “Cool, just like a covert operative.” Betty told her.

 

Turning, Cassie walked back to the rear of the truck. There she waited, as the Sheriff and his Deputies arrived. Cassie stood so that her badge and credentials were clearly visible.

 

The Sheriff got out of his car from the passenger side. His driver was a Deputy Sheriff. Cassie did a double take. This was no Sheriff or no Sheriff she had ever heard about or seen. He wore a shield, not a star for a badge. She had never heard of any Sheriff that wore a shield. She scanned the other cars; all the law men in them wore shields also. It was times like these that Cassie wished she could see light, as the signs on the side of the cars were basically solid to her and as such unreadable.

 

Cassie decided to go by the badges, which from the engraving and such she could read. “Roanoke County Police”, the one she had thought was the Sheriff said “Chief of Police”.

 

Two police officers got out of each of the two cars that had followed the Chief up the drive.

 

He looked around. He was good! Cassie knew he could describe everything in sight when he was done. He was more than a politician. Betty, in the driver seat of Bertha, had been noted as well as Bertha herself. The wounded on the ground had been seen but simply ignored as being beneath his notice. His eyes focused on the truck. He knew this truck. Cassie really concentrated on him, waiting for him to speak first.

 

“Who is in charge here?” His voice was smooth and softly spoken. She stood a little straighter, “I am, Special Deputy US Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, until Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal Holt arrives from Roanoke. He told me to tell whoever showed up that this is a Federal Crime Scene.”

 

With that statement the Police Chief stood up a little straighter himself. “Marshal Holt is coming out here?” His voice was a little louder.

 

“Yes Sir.”

 

“Howly, is that your middle name?”

“Yes Sir, Cassandra Howly Howard.”

“This property use to belong to an old lady that was descended from the Howly family.  She was a scary old lady, nobody got cross wise of her.”

“Yes I had heard that myself.”

Cassandra tilted her head to the side, and then straightened up. “Marshal Holt is turning in at the gate right now. He will be up here in a few minutes.”

 

His driver leaned out the window of the Cadillac, “Chief! US Marshal Holt has just arrived at the gate and is headed this way.”

 

The Chief of Police looked at his driver then at Cassie, “That’s one heck of a security system you got there.” He was examining her closer this time and he still could not see any radio equipment on her.

 

He turned looking over the whole area and spotted June with her camera still going. Then quickly looked back at Cassie, and she knew what he was thinking. He thought he now knew how she had known the Marshal had arrived.  Three black Tahoes drove up the drive and spread out. Cassie sensed ten deputies counting the Chief Supervisory Deputy Marshal Holt.

 

The chief got out of his Tahoe and approached the Chief of Police. He began to grin and stuck out his hand to be shaken. He appeared to be more of a politician than the Chief. “Chief Buckner, what brings you out to one of our crime scenes?”

 

“Marshal Holt, I did not know it was yours until I got here. It appears that you got one hell of a female deputy here.”

 

“Oh, you have already looked around then?”

“Nope, she explained it was Federal so we have not moved since then. But, just use your eyes. She took those three out with five shots and from the front left of the truck.

 

She waited until that one there rounded the corner of the rear of the truck to shoot the driver of this monster of a truck there. When he brought his gun up to shoot, she fired under the truck and took out his left knee cap.

 

When he fell he dropped his weapon there. These two were behind him; she could not tell what they were about to do so she took their legs out from beneath them with two ankle shots each, also under the truck.”

 

“Oh, justifiable then?”

“As the Chief of Police of Roanoke County it is my opinion that this is a completely justifiable shooting. I will present my findings to the District Attorney and I am sure he will see it my way.”

 

“Of course, he is your son-in-law, but one correction: She is not one of my Deputies.” The Chief of Police turned to look at Cassie closely. Then back at the Deputy US Marshal.

 

“First she is a Special Deputy US Marshal. She is not assigned to the United State Marshal Service. We were notified as a courtesy when she arrived in our District. I believe she was appointed by the Marshal of the Northern District of Texas.”

 

They both turned to stare at Cassie. “That is correct Chief; my home is Sonora, Texas in the Northern Judicial District of Texas.”

 

“This is also not her first shooting, though this one is a little cleaner. About two months ago she was involved in a shooting with thirteen suspects. She killed eight of them. The sheriff there ruled justifiable, and the local county coroner ruled death by justifiable means.

 

I also found that she had been kidnapped a couple months earlier and when found, one of the kidnappers was dead and the other two were running for the border like the hounds of hell were chasing them. So, I am a little worried when a person with federal authority, but not under any supervisory authority, and with death all over them shows up.”

 

“Well then, Marshal it looks like you are the one to act.” With that, the Chief of Police and his Officers all stepped away. Cassie did not. They all kept their eyes and ears open.

 

“Ms. Howard I want your badge and any credentials you may be carrying and also all your weapons.”

 

Cassie turned and yelled at June, “June bring me my briefcase.”

She then turned to face the Chief, “Did you discuss your trip out here with anyone in your office before coming?”

 

He just looked at her. “Chief, I would advise you to call your Marshal up and explain what you have just done.”

 

June walked past the Police Officers and the Deputy US Marshals. Her phone hung from her shirt pocket still recording everything in front of her. Reaching Cassie she turned sideways and braced her leg on the rear of the truck and used it as a desk to open the briefcase up so all could see inside of it.

 

Cassie reached into the case and pulled out a manila envelope. Opening it, she pulled out a court order and handed it toward the Police Chief.

 

When the Chief Deputy US Marshal reached for it she pulled it back. “You are not authorized to handle that sir. This is to the Head Law Enforcement Official of the county in which I am standing when I present it. That is Chief Buckner I believe.”

 

The Chief of Police stepped forward and looked at Cassie then took the folded papers and opened them. He read the first page then each of the ones that followed. He then looked at Chief Holt. “Holt, you should have done like the girl asked and called your boss. This is a court order issued by a federal judge in Texas. It has been endorsed by three Federal Courts of Appeal judges.”

 

It states that any person attempting to remove the badge or credentials from the said Special Deputy Marshal Cassandra Howly Howard, would be in contempt of the said courts and would be arrested and returned to the said court for a hearing to determine the punishment for said persons.”

 

The US Deputies were all staring in shock at their boss. Cassie said “I gave fair warning.”

 

“Oh my god!” The Chief of Police had turned pale and was backing away from her, “You, you are one those Howards! And I was worried about you being a Howly!”

 

Everybody was now staring at the Chief of Police, Cassie also. “You have heard of our family motto?

 

“Holt, leave this woman alone. Her family is a curse on all their enemies. They don’t even have to do anything. Once they give warning and if you persist then you will die!”

 

Cassie looked over the heads of all the people standing there.

”Honestare monitus non ubi cura inimici tui moriar” came from her mouth with a roar. She could see him standing on the top of hill with his sword pointed to the heavens.

 

“I gave fair warning; I will not worry where my enemies will die!”

 

When she became aware of her surroundings, she noticed a gap between her and all the people around. Even June was staring bug eyed at her. “Chief, I am a client of Witsec with a federal court order never to be without my credentials or badge or weapons. If you truly attempt to remove any of those you will lose your job.”

 

Facing Chief Buckner she said, “Chief, my mother’s family was Howly. What you just heard was from the Howly’s family genes telling of my father’s family. I am probably one of the richest people you have ever met.” Cassie had kept her voice down so only the Chief Deputy Marshal and Chief of Police could hear her.

 

“This estate is mine. I will be living here from now on. Please remove the wounded men. The truck contains materials I have ordered. Leave it and the drivers; they did nothing.”

 

She closed up her briefcase and with a nod to June, “Put it back June.”

 

Cassie walked over to Bertha. Betty opened the door. “Park it Betty.”

 

Then Cassie went to the driver’s side of the waiting truck and motioned with a circular motion to roll the window down. The window began a slow sinking movement. “You guys okay in there?”

 

The driver looked at his helper then back at Cassie. “Yes ma’am I think I need to get to a restroom pretty soon though.”

 

Cassie laughed out loud. “Well, do you know what all is in the back, it looks like a lot more then I ordered.”

 

“Yes Miss. The boss man threw a few things extra in and said if you wanted them it would save another trip out here.”

 

“Who was that idiot in the back?”

“He was the boss’s nephew. He was never any good, and always looking for the easy way.”

 

“Well he is lucky I only blew his knee cap off. He might have some trouble walking from now on. The last time people came at me I killed eight of them.”

 

The driver was looking at her badge and credentials now. “Are you really a Deputy US Marshal?”

 

“Sure, that’s why I need these weapons; they are for me.”

 

“So let’s get the back emptied out. I want to see what they sent.”

 

After all the Marshals and Police Officers were gone, it took a couple of hours to empty the truck into the Security Residence. When it was all checked over and the prices for the extra added to the bill, the total was over two hundred thousand dollars. They had a mobile credit card machine that took her American Express Unlimited.

 

After everybody was gone she put in a call to her lawyers in Washington. They arranged for a top company that supplied domestic help that was vetted by the FBI to supply security cleared domestic help for politician and diplomats. She notified them of their location and the need for domestic help and the qualifications.

 

Then she called Clint to find more security personal. 

 

 

Later, they stocked their Arms Lockers with guns and ammo. Most of the magazines were loaded when they arrived so that took little time.

 

 

When they tried their vests to be sure they would fit, Cassie’s was a little too loose and Betty’s was too tight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My thanks to Grumpybear for his editing and proofing help. But the final results are mine and all criticism should be loaded onto my shoulders.

 

© Virgil Lee Fuqua III and ‘vlfouquet.wordpress’, 2008-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vlfouquet and Virgil Lee Fuqua III with appropriate and specific direction to the original contents