A Small Thorn

Chapter 1: Arriving

Here I am standing outside my grandmother's house hoping she's home. Who was I anyway? I was Tabitha Lennox's granddaughter that she never claimed to having. My mother was always trouble in this town. My mother Liandra "Lia" Lennox who left Harmony when she was pregnant with me never telling my father about me being on the way. I am her daughter to be known as Briteny Janae Lennox not Briteny Janae Lopez-Fitzgerald. I'm stuck here with my sisters, Danniella "Danni" Raeven Lennox; Adrienne "Addie" Jae Crane; Alexia "Alex" Lynn Lopez-Fitzgerald; and Miah Jazel Bennett. Unfortunately, I'm the baby of five girls. All of us have different fathers, but nobody knows who Danni's dad is. Addie is Julian Crane's daughter, Alex is Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald's daughter, Miah is Hank Bennett's daughter, and I'm Luis Lopez-Fitgerald's daughter. No wonder my mom was trouble. We all have to be known as Lennoxs though. We're here on assignment. We're working with the FBI to bring down Alistar Crane. Oh boy do we have trouble. None of our fathers know about us so we're so orphans in this town.

I slowly knocked on grandmother's door and waited on her to answer. She answered a minute later and said, "Can I help you?"

"Grandmother it's me, Briteny," I said.

"Why are you here?"

"Business"

"Where is your mother and sisters?"

"Mom is back home. Danni, Addie, Alex, and Miah are here, too."

"Without your mother I see. I didn't expect my long lost baby granddaughter to show up on my doorstep."

"I know. Do you mind, if the five of us stay here?"

"I guess it'll be alright."

"I need some touch ups on my magic anyway."

"Stay out of the basement love. Come on in. I only have three...I mean two empty rooms."

"Why only two?"

"Briteny, child, come in and I'll tell you."

I walked in with my bags and sat down on the couch.

"You see I'm pregnant and I'll be needing that room for the baby," she said.

"Isn't that impossible for a woman your age?" I asked.

"I thought so."

"Well, Alex, Miah, and Addie can share a room. I'll share a room with Danni."

"Ok deary."

"I need to get in touch with Sam Bennett. Doesn't he live next door?"

"Yes."

"Ok. I'll see you in a bit," I said as I picked up my purse and walked next door.

I knocked on the door a young girl, older than me, answered and said, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," I said. "I'm Briteny Lennox. I need to speak with chief Bennett."

"Ok," she said as she turned and yelled "Dad someone's here to see you."

I quickly pulled out my FBI badge as I waited on chief Bennett to get to the door.

"Can I help you miss?" he asked.

"Chief Bennett, I'm Briteny J. Lennox, FBI."

"I've been especting one of the five of you Lennox sisters."

"The other four are out exploring Harmony."

"Come on in. We've got business to discuss."

I walked in and made my way to the living room and sat down on the couch beside chief Bennett.

"Briteny, the Crane's can be a dangerous bunch to handle," chief Bennett said.

"So I've heard. My sisters and I can be just as bad to deal with," I said.

"I've heard the five of you are five thorn's in the FBI's side."

"We are. That's why we got this case to get us off their backs."

Chief Bennett laughed and said, "No one has been able to complete this assignment."

"You'll be amazed at what five sisters can do, Chief Bennett. We've solved the unsolvable."

"Please, call me Sam. I've heard that about all of you. You're the best. "

"You bet we are, but we will need some assistance from the Harmony PD."

"Anytime you need us, contact me, Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, or my brother, Hank."

"I will. I must be going. I have lots of work to do. I'll be staying next door at my grandmother's."

"Tabitha is your grandmother?"

"Yes, sir."

"I didn't know she had any children. Wait, I remember your mother. Lia was her name. Tabitha's only child."

"Yes. I'm the baby of her five daughters."

"I really need to go now."

"Be careful, Briteny, the Cranes are dangerous."

I left the Bennetts and went straight to the Crane recording studio to see if anyone worked there, but what I found was an old friend.

"Chad!" I yelled as I walked in and saw my old friend Chad Harris.

"Briteny?" he asked.

"Who else could I be?"

"You're a sight for sore eyes girl."

"Do you run this place?"

"I do, but I work for Theresa Crane."

"I'm here on assignment only."

"What has the FBI got you doing now, and why wasn't I notified?"

"I'm bringing down the Alistar Crane once and for all with my sisters."

"What about me?"

"You're still apart of the team aren't you?"

"Oh hell yeah."

"Ok just like the old days."

"I have a girlfriend to worry about now. What am I going to tell her about you and your sisters?"

"Tell Whitney not Simone about your other job."

"Are you spying on me with that mirror again lil witch?"

"Yeah."

"You are so dead."

"Oh yeah."

"Chad, who is this?" Whitney said as she walked into the studio.

"An old friend," Chad answered.

Theresa Crane followed Whitney in and said, "What is her name?"

"I'm Briteny Lennox," I said.

"How do you know Chad?" Whitney asked.

"We used to work together," I answered.

"Was it with music?" Theresa asked.

"Yeah. Briteny and her four sisters, Miah; Alex; Addie; and Danni, and I ran a studio back home," Chand answered.

"My sisters and I were a vocal group, Sassy, and Chad was our manager/producer," I said.

"Neat. That could really help get the studio off the ground if you, your sisters, and Chad teamed up again," Theresa said.

"I think it'll be great working with Chad again, but you'll need more than Sassy and Chad," I said.

"I can do some solo work," Whitney chimed in.

"That sounds great! If Chad is up to it," Theresa said.

"Fine with me," Chad said.

When Whitney and Theresa left and turned to Chad and said, "Team Thorn is back in business. Let's kick some Alistar Crane butt!"

"When do we start?" Chad asked.

"When I find my sisters."

"Well, we have our cover now."

"Oh yeah. This will work."

TO BE CONTINUED...