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  “I plan on working with him.”

  Bethany Anne glanced at him. “Another ‘Pete’ project, John?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe if I get involved earlier, it won’t take that much effort.”

  “Maybe,” she agreed, “or maybe he just needs the opportunity and he will jump at it. You can’t tell until you take away the mental stuff and give him a chance to check it out. Won’t matter. He’s going to be busy as hell at the base.”

  “What made you willing to take her on as your aide?”

  Bethany Anne asked, “Did you see her when she came out the front door?”

  He answered, “No, a few seconds after. Why?”

  “She was scared, John, and mortified, but she came out to help. She wasn’t going to let us go down without getting involved.” She turned to look into the night as they drove toward Mark’s house.

  “Besides,” she continued, “she’s family, and we don’t let family down if they are fighting like hell to do the right thing.”

  John reached up and surreptitiously wiped his eyes.

  He fucking loved his boss. She was the older sister he’d never had but had always needed.

  It took them fifteen more minutes to arrive on Mark’s street. John put the Jeep in Park. “How do you want to handle this?”

  She unclipped her seat belt. “I’ve got this. This fucker isn’t going to bother Cheryl Lynn again.” She paused long enough to let John think he would need to ask his question before she continued, “He won’t die. I’ll even leave him alive in bed.”

  John could see the red glow kindle in her eyes. “But if you think I’m not going to scare the ever-loving hell out of him, you don’t know me too well.” She stepped out of the Jeep and headed toward the two-story modernist concrete home.

  “Actually,” John said to the empty Jeep, “I was rather counting on that.”

  Chapter 7

  Mark woke up on his stomach. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t tell what it was. He lifted his head off of his pillow and reached over.

  No one was there. Yeah, that was right. He had left Toni back at the hotel this morning. No, it was Tammy yesterday morning.

  Whatever.

  “Hello, Mark.”

  Mark looked the other way quickly. There was a person in his chair in the dark sitting area. He couldn’t make out her face too well, but it was definitely a woman.

  He smiled. Just his type.

  “God, I hope you’re attractive. When a hot female surprises me in my bedroom, I can be pretty receptive.”

  “Oh, Mark, this isn’t going to be one of those meetings. We are going to talk about Cheryl Lynn and that little group of men you sent to rough her up.”

  Mark turned over fully and got up on his elbows, trying to see her better. “I don’t know what you are talking about. My wife left me. I don’t know where the hell she is, she took my kids along with her.”

  “Save it, Mark. Or should I call you ‘Timothy Spickels?’”

  “Who? I don’t know a Timothy Spickels. What are you, a PI?”

  “Timothy, I’m your worst fucking nightmare. I’m going to make you taste death and then beg to die.”

  He smiled at her overly melodramatic comment. She didn’t scare him. No female scared him.

  The woman stood up and Mark noticed a body to die for, but the snarky comment died in his throat when she came into the light from the window. Her eyes were red, and fangs protruded from her mouth.

  The screaming was brief. It ended a second later when both of them disappeared.

  John heard the faint scream and started the timer on his phone. He was surprised when it went past ten minutes. Obviously, Bethany Anne was going to keep him alive. John had to admit that he was ambivalent about Mark’s survival, but then he had hated the guy for a long time. He might need to be around a grounding influence other than Bethany Anne as well.

  Maybe.

  Nah, Mark was a dick.

  Had he not been staring right at the house, he wouldn’t have known that Bethany Anne had appeared on the sidewalk in the darkness provided by the tree in the yard.

  John started the Jeep, and Bethany Anne jumped in. He pulled out and drove down the street, backtracking their trip into the neighborhood to get back out to the freeway.

  “How did it go?” he asked.

  “Our dearly almost-departed Timothy Spickels has assured me that he won’t be asking for the children back. Due to his many indiscretions, he understands he wouldn’t be a fit father for the kids.” She turned to look at John. “You know that prick didn’t give a shit about Tina and Todd? I have his money tied up, and once he figured out that he had lost all of his carefully squirreled money he broke down.”

  “You let him know you had his money and he crumbled?” John asked.

  “Well, that was after taking him into the Etheric a few times. Funny how that place drives you insane when you realize there isn’t a way to get back if your ass is left there. That man is an anti-parent,” Bethany Anne mumbled.

  John glance at her. “What was that?”

  She explained, “I was thinking that all kids should have both a mother and a father, or two parents anyway, but that guy is so messed up that he is literally the Anti-Parent. I can’t think of anything he could contribute to raising those kids.”

  John wanted to puke, but he admitted, “He did provide shelter, food, and clothes. That’s more than some.”

  “Oh, he didn’t get out of that.”

  “No?”

  “Nope. He was happy to provide a million and a half dollars to Cheryl Lynn to divorce him.”

  John snorted. “Any particular reason he felt so generous?”

  “Yeah, I told him all the dirt that Cheryl Lynn had on him, and that if he didn’t provide a separation amount, she would go to the cops with it. He bitched until we took another trip into the Etheric.”

  “You dropped him there until he paid?”

  “Hell, no. I dropped him there until he quit whining. What a blubbering pussy.” She looked out the side window.

  “What’s going to stop him from being a bad guy in the future?” John worried that Mark, or Tim, or whatever the hell his name was would do this to another person.

  “Nothing.” She paused, her tone changing to one heavy with anticipation. “God, it would be so nice if he did!”

  “You told him you would be watching, didn’t you?”

  “Of course. He’s been warned. Well, to be correct, ADAM is watching, but if he strays outside of what I told him he can do, that information will be dropped at the nearest DA’s office.”

  “What if they don’t do anything about it?”

  “All of his money disappears, and his credit dries up. If that doesn’t cause the women to leave, then that would be the third strike.”

  “Three times aren’t a charm?” John turned on the blinker to exit the freeway.

  “Not if the fourth is being dumped somewhere he can’t survive, it isn’t.”

  John turned into the private airport entrance as dawn started to break in the east. He pulled around to the hanger.

  Their plane, which had gone back to the base, had arrived during early that morning. They parked the Jeep, and John grabbed their gear. After storing the weapons and gear on board, they decided a donut and coffee run would be nice. Bethany Anne and John stayed on the plane so Captain Paul Jameson and his co-pilot for the trip could stretch their legs and use the Jeep to go get something to eat.

  The kids had been excited to see the limousine waiting for them as they exited the hotel. Cheryl Lynn was in shock.

  She had been fairly well off, so this wasn’t completely outside her experience, but the way she had been treated by the hotel’s staff and those in the limousines was beyond her expectations.

  The gentleman held the door, and Todd jumped in. Tina waited for her mom before she climbed in after she saw Cheryl Lynn’s nod.

  “Ma’am” The man was big, and he appeared to be Hawaiian o
r something like that. His nametag said Alika.

  Cheryl Lynn stopped before stepping into the limousine and looked at the hotel.

  “Something wrong, ma’am?” There was concern in his voice.

  She turned back to answer the gentleman. “Alika is it?” He nodded. “I’m just trying to get my bearings. I’ve had so much happen in the last twenty-four hours. I’m trying to ground myself.”

  Alika smiled at her. “Feel like you aren’t in Kansas anymore?”

  She put a hand on his arm and smiled at him. “A big guy like you watches the Wizard of Oz?”

  When he shrugged, the muscles flexed in his arms. “My grandmother was a fan. We watched it every Christmas.”

  She nodded and made a quick decision. “Alika, could I ride up front? I think my life is about to get very strange. I’d like a bit of normal before that happens.”

  Alika closed the door. “I would be honored, ma’am.” He walked to the front passenger door and opened it. “Your carriage awaits, ma’am.” He gave her his best smile.

  Returning it, she put one foot in the car before telling him, “It’s Cheryl Lynn, Alika.”

  She sat down, and he closed the door and started walking around the front to get into his seat.

  “Yes, ma’am, it is.”

  FINIS

  Bitch’s Night Out

  Frank Kurns Stories of the UnknownWorld Book 2

  Chapter One

  QBS Polarus, Two Hundred Miles off the Argentinian Coast

  “What I was told,” said Darryl as he slung his overnight bag over his shoulder, “was that Bethany Anne requested that Gabrielle, Cheryl Lynn, Patricia, Ecaterina, and Barb come to her suite here for a conference and no, and I mean ‘no’ guys are invited.” He sat down on the couch in the Bitches’ central area that been recently renovated to add a fifth door for Akio since Peter’s room was on the Ad Aeternitatem.

  “Except Ashur,” Scott called as he reached across his bed to grab his phone. He spoke a little louder so everyone could hear him. “She even has two hand-picked female Guardians in front of her suite for protection.”

  “What about Peter?” Eric asked from his room as he packed.

  Scott came out, dropped his bag on a chair, and sat down.

  “What about me?” Peter asked as he breezed into the main area carrying his overnight bag. “I was told by Bethany Anne to grab clothes for overnight and to meet you guys here. Where’s John?” he asked as he sat across from Darryl on the matching couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.

  “Did she call?” Darryl asked.

  Peter shook his head. “Nope. Did the mind juju.”

  “She’s getting a lot better at that,” Darryl remarked, to Peter’s nodded agreement.

  Eric came out of his room and shut his door. “That room is not for public consumption!” He gave Peter a fist bump before kicking his legs off the table. “Mind the furniture, shrimp,” he grumped. He sat next to Peter, crossing his feet and placing them on top of the table.

  “You Bitch!” Peter remarked, putting his feet back on the table. “Where is the esteemed High Bitch?”

  “Right here, Sophomore, with our Fish,” John said as he walked in with Akio, who was holding a sword. The guys raised their eyes in surprise. John had an overnight bag, and he was fully decked out in “Queen Bitch” dress with patches and everything.

  “I think I failed to get the memo.” Darryl quipped.

  Akio nodded to the men and sat down next to Darryl, still holding his sword.

  “No memo was put out,” John told him, looking down at his five guys. “What I’ve been told…no, actually commanded by Bethany Anne, was that the Bitches needed a night out. I was told to make sure this group let out some of our energy and ‘attitude,’ and to come back relaxed. Now, we all know that Bethany Anne just wants us off this ship so we can’t figure out what she’s doing. That’s fine; Gabrielle is here, and so is Ashur. However, she is right. We need to blow off some steam.”

  John looked at his guys. “That would normally mean we go to a bar, but I’m not sure how much that would affect us now. While I fully intend to end up in a dive, I think there is only one way to get rid of the pent-up aggression I’m feeling.”

  “Well, considering how you're decked out,” Eric said, “you clearly believe we need to work out our aggression?”

  “What I’m thinking,” John replied, “is that the best way to get rid of aggression is to fuck up some people who desperately need to be fucked up. So, I’ve had Frank help me locate a few places that need help. Now, we might not make it to all of them, but by the end of the night, we will have done some major good, and I’ll start feeling a little Karmic balance restored. If you guys aren’t full up, well, we will just have to schedule another trip.”

  Peter grinned as he stood up. “Hell, yeah! How are we getting around?”

  John pursed his lips. “Well, six of us, and six Black Eagles are available…”

  Scott stood up. “God, I’ve needed to fucking shoot somebody for a while now. You pussies keep getting the action since the Australian incident.”

  “Oh, is that what you call running into an ambush?” Darryl asked as he stood up.

  “No, I call that being your shield, and if you would just appreciate it instead of always trying to turn my self-sacrifice around, I’d enjoy it!” Scott grinned and punched Darryl as he walked past him.

  Darryl rubbed his arm. “Make sure Scott is up front so he can shield me all the time.” He rubbed his arm a second time. “That way, I can use my size twelves to kick his ass through the door!”

  All of the guys chuckled.

  Akio stood back for a second and got Eric’s attention. “What are we doing?”

  “Well,” Eric told him, “I imagine John is taking us by the armory to find all sorts of personal mayhem devices. There, we are going to make lewd jokes about how long someone’s ‘gun’ is. Then, six of the most deadly men on this planet have been commanded by their Queen to go ‘blow off some steam.’ Now, she might have known what John was going to do, or she might not. Either way, John has found a list of the locations of some very bad people who probably need an attitude adjustment. We are going to take six of the most deadly planes in the world to these locations and have a very good time doing very painful things to said very bad people.”

  Akio asked, “Because this is what our Queen wants?”

  Eric closed the door as the two followed the rest down the hall. “She wants us to get rid of our general bad attitudes about Michael, about stupid politicians, horrible people who want shit they had nothing to do with creating, and friends who are no longer with us. John decided the best way to relieve this pent-up anger is to do something righteous with it.”

  “Something righteous with guns?” Akio asked.

  “Of course!” Eric responded as he looked at Akio and grinned. “Righteousness at the end of a .45…” He glanced at the sword Akio was holding. “And a sword, of course.“

  Eric started humming a recent tune as the guys ahead took a left toward the armory.

  "Righteousness at the end of a .45...a .45..." he was singing as he and Akio followed the others around the corner.

  “No, give me the long one. This short stick doesn’t feel right in my hands,” Darryl quipped.

  Akio grunted. “Here, let me feel it.” Darryl handed it to him, smiling. Akio looked it over. “It’s all in the way you handle your gun to get the most bang from it.”

  John chuckled. “Whatever, you two. Get your damned sticks and whatever personal ‘fuck them up’ stuff you want.”

  Dan called from the second room over, “Anyone want some plastique? I’ll have to open a new box if you do.”

  “Seriously?” Darryl turned from joking with Akio. “I’ll take me some of that!”

  Dan pulled out his key ring. “God, guys. Seriously, don’t fuck me over. Bring back video, ok?”

  “No worries,” John answered. “Our helmets have heads-up upgrades with b
uilt-in video. ADAM is doing an immediate download to Frank. He wants to write a story on it immediately to put out as ‘fiction.' Hey, here are some knives.”

  “Someone is bound to see through that shit,” Eric commented.

  “I’m pretty sure that is the plan,” Peter stated as he pulled out a few boxes of shotgun shells.

  “Why the hell are you pulling a shotgun when you have those two beasts on your hips?” Scott asked, pointing to the two railgun pistols Peter was packing.

  “These pistols are accurate to as far as I can see, but they won’t make near the bloody mess a shotgun will up close,” Peter replied, putting the shells into a bag.

  Scott shook his head. “Damned good reason.”

  “Who needs six inches?” John called before finishing, “Shut up, Akio!”

  Everyone laughed.

  Then laughed louder with Akio’s retort. “I start at twenty-seven inches, John.”

  “I’m out!” Scott called.

  “Out,” agreed John.

  “Ouch…” Eric winced. “I can’t play in that park.”

  Everyone looked at Darryl, who just grinned. “What can I say? Some things are true about black men.”

  “Fucking liar!” Peter joked.

  Dan called, “Anyone want grenades?”

  “If you do,” Darryl commented, “remember that Mr. Grenade is not your friend, or mine, once you pull the pin.”

  “I want a few explosive incendiaries,” John said. “I want the opportunity to drop them on someone. That shit just seems funny.”

  “Hey!” called a female voice, and the men turned to see Jean Dukes standing behind them holding a big-ass wooden box. She was straining a little. “I’m not trying to pull the weak woman card here, but someone stop being all woman-are-equal and help a girl out.”

  Akio and Peter were the closest, and each grabbed a handle. She let go. “Now, put that on the bench. That’s from Bethany Anne.” She wiped her hands on her pants. “She had me make those last night.”