Johanna was playing with her doll in her room. She was ignoring the shrieks of laughter coming from the room across the hall. Curious she set her doll down and peeked out the door. She saw her brother dressed as Darth Vader pushing his advantage with his red light saber on Card who was laughing too much to adequately defend herself as Mara Jade.
Johanna donned her Jedi Cloak then grabbed her green Light saber and jumped in to attack from the rear.
"Darth Vader, turn and face me." Johanna said in her best Jedi voice as she stood ready for his attack.
David hearing another opponent spun to face his Sister.
"Ah new blood he said you will die like the other rebel scum for I am Darth Vader!" David intoned.
Johanna just stood her ground waiting for the attack. Card on the other hand had ducked in and was videoing the pintsize confrontation.
The battle was swift and Darth was soon at the mercy of the more powerful Jedi. Johanna pressed the advantage and soon Darth Vader was showing off with an elaborate death scene. It was one Martha would have heartily approved.
At that moment Sophie appeared in the Hall.
"Hey Sophie" Card said "what is going on?"
"What is going on is that your Mother has tasked me to round you younglings up. It is time for all Jedi good or bad to wash up for dinner." Sophie said.
"Really what are we having?" David voice was heard from the prone Darth Vader.
"Get up David and find out …I would advise you lose the Darth outfit. I'm sure your Mother would not approve you wearing that to dinner. Sophie said heading back down the hall.
"Ok troops you heard what Sophie said let's get moving." Card ordered.
David immediately ran into his room to remove the suit and wash his hands. It seemed like it was a big dinner which had been planned and he was hungry.
Card looked at Johanna who seemed uninterested in eating.
"Ok Jo…Joey…Joey Kangaroo… Kanga what is wrong?" Card said Johanna's family nicknames.
Johanna looked at Card.
"You are leaving us?" Johanna said sadly.
"Oh you saw the suitcase? Yes I'm going with Kevin for a short trip. I'm sure I'll be back for Christmas Eve. That is in two weeks." Card said.
"That is no fair…Kevin gets to see you all the time." Johanna huffed.
"So sorry Kanga but when you grow up things change. I can not be your playmate all the time like I used too. But you still have Daddy he is lots of fun." Card said.
"Yeah he plays Tea Party with me and we get to break real chests! Then dump them in the bathtub as if it was Boston harbor!" Johanna brightly said.
"See so you will not miss me at all." Card said. "Now Sophie said it is time for dinner you still have not washed your hands."
"Do I have too?" Johanna asked with her big green puppy dog eyes.
"Mom is going to check and she would be not pleased if you did not!" Card warned.
Johanna's eyes got wide. She did not ever want to disappoint her Mother! So she ran as fast as she could to get to her bathroom and wash her hands.
Card could not but chuckle over her Sister's antics. Once they had both washed up Card led Johanna down the stairs to the dining room.
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Getting in the room Kate noticed the latecomers.
Oh there you are Card and Joey I thought I might have to task Jackson to go locate you or either that Uncle Tio. Kate said. "Joey I need to see those hands!"
Johanna dutifully walked over to where her Mother was sitting as Kate inspected her Daughter's hands. Pronouncing them clean she allowed her to sit down next to Uncle Ryan and Aunt Jenny.
It was a Castle Clan tradition started when Card first arrived. All the friends and family would gather for a feast on the Sunday 2 weeks before Christmas. Rick had chosen that time because most of their friends would be with their families at Christmas. This way they could all celebrate together before the madness of the holiday season. Kevin was seated at the table and gave Card a kiss as were Jenny's youngest and oldest boys and the girl in the middle. Lanie was fussing over her youngest a boy of two too. They were next to Eric Jr. Alexis, and finally Eric Sr. at the end of the table. The Grand Parents were seated next then Sophie being as far away from the kids as possible. Last was Kate next to Rick. It was a fine table which Rick at the head of the Clan gave grace then the eating commenced.
The discussion was over the cute video of David and Johanna did that afternoon. Everyone was so touched by how cute they were. Once, the kids were finished there. They left to go play. This is when the interrogation started on Kevin. Card could only look on in horror as not only her Dad, Jackson, Gramps Jim, Uncle Tio and Uncle Kevin all looked at Kevin with suspicion and hardness in their eyes only Eric Sr. who had been grilled before looked on kindly.
Her Uncles were first in the threatening dept.
"So Card is one of our Favorite Nieces if we ever hear of you mistreating her." Her Uncle Kevin warned.
"Your body might end up inside one of those statues you create. And all eternity you will be locked in that concrete tomb! Do you get my drift?" Uncle Tio said menacingly.
Eric Sr. was seated next to him and whispered.
"Don't worry I got the same lecture too. I think you should take them at their word though." He said.
/
Kate had adjourned to the Couch with all the other ladies to discuss Alexis' good news of finally getting pregnant again.
The ladies all congratulated her. Card looked over to see how well Kevin was standing after all the men folk had finished threatening him over and over again.
She looked at her phone to see what time it was. It was getting time for her and Kevin to leave. She got up and was hugged by everyone and then said her goodbyes. Jackson and Sophie both knew of her plans as did all the other adults. The kids just knew of her taking a trip.
Kevin was visibly shaken by the ordeal grabbed her hand and her suitcase. Everyone waved as they made their exit.
Once in the town car card faced him and looked him over.
"Card honey what is with the inspection?" Kevin asked.
"Oh I wanted to see if the sharks left any marks? Nope none are seen. So I guess you passed." Card giggled.
"Yeah it was a harrowing experience. I never knew your Dad could be so cold or those Uncles of yours they gave me the willies. Though, they were nothing compared to Jackson. Those dead eyes of his really put the fear of god's retribution in me." Kevin said.
"Oh you poor baby…Let me kiss it all away." Card said as they started to make out.
Kevin and Card did not notice the town car had stopped. Card thanked the driver and he drove off after lifting their bags to the curb. A motorized cart appeared to take them to the waiting plane. Card was using her family's private jet it was fueled and another one of her Uncles met them at the stairs.
Card hugged him as they boarded the plane. Card was worth now 170 billion in assets which had been carefully nurtured by Rick's clever people. Card never flaunted her wealth but in this case maybe it was a time to flaunt just a tiny bit.
Both Kevin and Card buckled up as the plane took off to their destination, Las Vegas.
/
Sophie and Jackson had alerted security to keep an eye on them. Rick walked up to his Father's study. It was also where his Father's security firm was operated. Jackson had 54 operatives in 54 countries and it was growing.
"So Dad how is Card and Kevin…?" Rick asked.
Jackson spun around in his chair to look at his Son.
"They made the flight and should arrive in two hours. I have operatives on the ground. Relax Son it is being taken care of for you." Jackson replied. "Look I might not have been there for you…I am there for my Grand kids trust me!" Jackson said looking into eyes identical in color as his.
Rick was taken back to the first time he laid eyes on his Father. It was when they met in that French forest. He was toting that sniper rifle and shot his phone with it after taking out all those bad guys. Rick was so surprised he got in the car without the briefcase he had brought for Alexis' ransom. Jackson had to point it out to him about the briefcase. Rick got out of the car to retrieve the ransom. Rick was feeling very sheepish at that point.
Coming out of the recollection he looked at his Father. He knew that his Father knew what he was doing.
"Yeah Dad it is just…" Rick said.
"Card is your little girl? Yes I feel the same way toward her too. She was such a pitiful thing being so isolated by that harridan." Jackson said. "I'll take good care of her, Rick don't you worry."
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In England things were not good. There had been a change of money and somehow Carmine Bracken was released from prison. She was declared an undesirable then was deported to the US. Jackson was alerted when that was learned.
Jackson grimaced as he got off the phone.
"Dad what is wrong?" Rick asked worriedly.
"That was my operative in London. I tasked him to look after Carmine to make sure she had stayed put…That was his report. Carmine was released sometime last week." Jackson said.
"Carmine was released? How… Why…?" Rick said with alarm.
"The hows and whys are being fleshed out. There is a new regime in Britain all prisons were being purged of any non British subjects. She was deported back here." Jackson said.
"Wait they just escorted her on a plane without alerting the US authorities?" Rick asked incredulous on what the British authorities did.
"Yes that is exactly what my operative reported them doing." Jackson said with a growl.
Jackson was not happy that was for sure at this news. Rick was beginning to piece some things that had been bothering him for some time.
"That person you tasked was it happened to be Colin Hunt of Scotland Yard fame?" Rick asked. "It is kind of a coincidence he having Hunt as a last name and you Dad having Hunt also…Dad tell me truthfully is Colin my Brother?" Rick asked.
Jackson looked down then back at his Son.
"Rick, I will never lie to you but yes that was Colin. Yes he is my Son too. You have to understand I was overseas. I met Colin's Mother and one thing led to another…" Jackson said.
"Yes you never were married to Mother until recently. Does Mother know?" Rick asked.
"What your Mother knows is kept strictly between ourselves…" Jackson said.
"In other words I was kept in the dark. Was he here last at your behest?" Rick asked.
"Yes he was my eyes and ears but honestly I never told him about you being related." Jackson said. "I tried to keep certain areas of my life separate."
"That, you did a great job on doing, Dad." Rick said as he turned away then exited the room.
Martha was coming in from the other side and passed her Son who did not even greet her. She walked over to Jackson and gave him a kiss.
"He knows" Jackson said.
"How…?" Martha said suddenly more worried for her Son.
"I told him…He knows about Colin too. That he figured out for himself" Jackson said.
"I said you needed to be frank and open with him. He is smart like that but he still carries the sting of growing up Fatherless. I know you did the best you could…Your country needed you…But so did your Son. He knows you had another Son who you spent your time. It was time he never got. He is going to be hurting for awhile you should let him be. Let Kate soothe him." Martha said.
Jackson grimaced but agreed.