I'm really loving this story. It's flowing like water. I will be jumping back and forth from this story and another one I started over a year ago. I've wanted to finish that one, but unlike this concept, I seem to be having a writer's block. With the help of this Microsoft Word app on my phone, I can work on my stories anywhere. I love it, and I will finish my Hobbit story. I promise!

Chapter 4: An Interesting Development

Jack and Nyssa sat in a pub eating lunch discussing any developments in their case. It was then that Jack asked Nyssa how her afternoon with her mother went.

Nyssa rolled her eyes and told Jack that it was like pulling teeth without the Novocain. She stood outside the clinic making her phone calls when her mother came out surprisingly giddy. Then she made Nyssa promise to come to dinner at the house tomorrow night.

"I can't figure my mother out. She is so anxious for me to come over, that she is calling me constantly to remind me. She must have something planned. Anyway, I called my old handler, Sam, but his office still refuses to acknowledge my existence. I guess I'll have to get creative if I want to get any attention from the company," she said.

"Is MI-5 still shadowing you? Want me to get rid of them? I still have some mates that can do me a few favors? Make them go away."

"Thanks," she smiled. "But, I don't really want them to go away until I find out what they know about my situation. The FBI were just errand boys. They didn't know anything. These guys might know something useful, or at least, they're capable of finding out for me."

"Well, you lost them for now."

"Yeah, for now. No, they're too good to be fooled that easily. They'll catch up with me very soon. In the meantime, what have you got on Brian O'Connell?"

"He frequents a bar called The Castle. It's not too many clicks from where Kara works."

"Okay, what do we know about his mob connections?"

"He makes no friends with the family, but he brings in the money. He's a numbers runner, like your father. He makes sure the bookies pay, then he brings the family's cut to the bank. He likes his booze and women too, but like I said, he makes no friends. The girls don't like him. He treats them like property."

"Does he now!" she smiled.

"Maybe I should do this. You know he won't respect you."

"And what? Take the fun away from me? You know how I like doing business with guys who treat women like objects."

"Yes, I know how that turns out too. I just don't see beating this man to a pulp will help our client."

"I have no intention of beating him. Just let me worry about how to convince him. Let's go and get this over with. I've got Lucy watching Kara at the flat."

Jack's face turned sour after hearing that Lucy was in town. He was not fond of Nyssa's siblings, especially her sister.

"Your psychotic sister is in town? And, she's at the flat guarding our client?" Jack sat there grinding his teeth in frustration.

"At least it gives her something to do. Besides, I know she can take care of it."

Jack and Nyssa finished their lunch and left the pub. From a far distance a silver Lexus sat a few blocks away in the shadows. The driver watched as Jack and Nyssa got into the Audi and drove away. He was careful when pulling into the street to avoid being seen.

They drove toward the Northeast end of the city making plans as to how they would handle confronting Brian O'Connell. The silver Lexus followed them but not too closely.

Jack pulled over and parked a block from The Castle. Brian O'Connell sat at a table near the window with two more guys visibly standing around him. Nyssa and Jack stayed in the car and observed the scene.

"I don't like this set up. There are two men with him that we know of. Who knows how many are in there!"

"Well, he's near the door. At least there's an exit plan if anything goes wrong. We'll go in separately. You go in first and take an area near the door opposite me in case there are others. I'll go in and introduce myself to him. If there's trouble, I'll start with the guy nearest to Brian."

"I would still feel better if we had a third in our team."

"We have to work with what we have. If there's trouble, we get out. I just want to see what he'll do."

Jack and Nyssa exited the car, but Jack was the first to cross the street and enter the bar. Nyssa surveyed the street around her before walking toward the bar to go inside. The driver in the Lexus stayed in the car and waited.

Nyssa scanned the inside of The Castle once she entered. She did a count of all the patrons and where they were scattered throughout the room. The place was not packed because of the time of day, but it had a fair share of patrons for the afternoon.

There were three middle-aged men seated at the bar with Jack seated on a stool at the end. He had his hand wrapped around a pint glass and casually glanced at the booth near the front window. A bar maid was at the far side of the room taking orders from a large group at a table. O'Connell and his henchmen were exactly where Nyssa saw him, at a booth facing the exit. He actually had three men with him with one seated across from him and the other two covering each side of the table.

Nyssa crossed the room and walked up to the booth. O'Connell looked up from his plate of food and stared at her for a moment. The two bodyguards around the table closed around Nyssa, but she refused to move and ignored them.

"What can I do fer ya, girlie? Are ya lost?" O'Connell said in a condescending tone.

"Not really," she said with a soft smile. "In fact, you're just the man I want to see. I'd like to talk some business with you, if you would be so kind."

O'Connell smirked and motioned for his man to exit the seat in the booth. Nyssa took the seat opposite of him. She observed that the three men crowded around them sealing off any escape she would take.

"What can a man like me do to….," he smiled, "I mean, fer a gorgeous American lass like yerself?"

"Kara Lewis."

The name sparked recognition in his eyes. He nodded his head and continued to smile.

"Ah, I see," he said.

"She's a friend of mine with a pest control problem."

"She needs an exterminator."

"Too late for that. They're nailed to her door. This stops now. You're gonna leave her alone. Take your chances with the trial. There are worse things than going to prison."

"Ya think she'd send a brother or someone else. I don't think yer that intimidatin', darlin'. Do ya know who I am?"

"Oh, I know who you are. You just don't know who I am. Now, come on. I'm sure we can resolve this like grown adults."

"Oh, it's gettin' resolved, sweetheart. As we speak, in fact," O'Connell grabbed Nyssa's wrist from across the table. "Why don't a pretty little thing like you keep me company until this is all over."

The next few moves were done in lightning speed. Nyssa the back of O'Connell's neck with her other hand and yanked with her other arm while slamming O'Connell's forehead into the table.

Once he let her wrist go, she reached under the table and flipped it over on of the men. Nyssa stood and karate chopped the second guy in the throat before tossing him into the booth with O'Connell.

Jack came from behind the third guy and slammed his pint glass into back of the man's head. Before O'Connell and the other men could recover, Jack grabbed Nyssa's arm and pulled her toward the door. They both ran out of the bar as fast as they could.

Jack crosses the street and made it to his car, but Nyssa was cut off by the driver in the silver Lexus. It was Lucas North motioning for Nyssa to get in.

Nyssa hesitated at first until she heard the sounds of gun hammers cocking in place. She took a chance and dove into the passenger's seat of the car. Lucas stepped on the gas petal and sped away. Jack jumped in and drove off in pursuit of the Lexus by the time O'Connell emerged from the bar and started shooting at the cars.

"Friends of yours?" asked Lucas in a sarcastic tone.

Nyssa turned to the man who saved her life. It was the dark-haired tall man in the park she saw that morning.

"Not really. Just an innocent discussion about things that didn't go so well," said Nyssa as she pulled out her cell phone to dial Lucy.

"Lucy McBride…"

"Listen, O'Connell's got a hit squad heading for the flat. Hold them off until Jack and I get there," said Nyssa.

"Got it covered," Lucy hung up.

"You can let me out here," said Nyssa, but Lucas ignored her and kept driving.

"We're going to Thames House. I'm bringing you in."

"No you're not. Not right now," Nyssa demanded. "There's a hit squad heading for my client's flat. I've got to get them out of there."

"I'm supposed to bring you in any way I can. Handcuffed and unconscious if necessary. I haven't forgotten about this morning's little stunt."

"We can fight about that later. There are lives at stake. If you don't let me out of this car, I am going to jump out whether it's moving or not."

It was a standoff. Lucas looked over at Nyssa and knew she meant to do it. If she was that determined to hurt herself trying to escape, perhaps she was telling the truth. Just as he was about to say something his cell phone rang.

"Harry…. I have Nyssa McBride….. There's a change in plans. I have to make an unscheduled stop before we reach Thames House….. Don't worry….. I'm not letting her out of my sight."

Lucas hung up the cell and turned to Nyssa.

"Alright, we'll do it your way. We go to your client's flat and help your friends, then you're coming with me. No tricks, or I'll not be so accommodating next time."

Nyssa nodded in agreement. The look on his face told her that the next time they meet might just end in fireworks.