CH 49

Cameron cut the insulation off the copper wire as it came off the roll. Inari, Kaede and Nana cut and wove the wire into a chain type pullovers and pants. Nana made chain mail quickly over Cameron as she stood unrolling the wire and splitting off the insulation. By the time they others had made suits for each other, Nana was finishing up Cameron's.

The thin 18 gauge stranded wire suits were not thick, but they would short out any tazer devices. Nana and Kaede were just finishing up the arms in Cameron's suit when Annette got on her phone then made an announcement. Cameron translated. "Jacques found them."

Kaede told her, "Cameron, tell her to have Jacques go home, we'll be there in a day or two"

Cameron relayed the message as the cuffs for her protection were finished. Looking down on her now copper-clad body, she thought, 'Sarah, try your tazer on me now.'

.

Duncan had the plane fueled and ready. Amanda had their swords in the back compartment in a long case. Both she and Inari insisted no guns. They didn't want Duncan possibly going to jail for carrying one. Besides, guns were loud, and at least the first part of the attack on this place needed to be quiet to give them the best chance at getting to those girls before their captors knew they were there. The drones were repacked in their boxes, ready to fly.

Kaede and Inari both put on dark haired wigs, brown eye contacts and hats to conceal themselves. Nana put on a frilled out 'big ' hair blond wig with light blue contacts.

"How do I look?' Nana asked brightly.

Seeing her, Cameron's face went blank. Nana looked like the bitch-whore, Riley. "Change," she said flatly.

Eyeing Nana's busty figure with her light shirt being held out in a curtain over her flat belly and her wig and choice of eye color, Duncan said, "Like yer gonna attract attention. Get a loose shirt on, a hat and a darker wig. Brown eyes, not blue."

"But… Jeff likes this," Nana complained.

"I bet he does," Kaede said. "But we doan wanna attract attention like ya will git wearin that."

"We don't want to stand out," Duncan told her.

"Ohhh!" Nana whined and left to change.

"Once we get all out disguises on, I'll make us all passports," Amanda said.

.

Amanda had each one sit for their photo, then put the photo in their new 'used' passport book. Once she had them all done, she passed them out.

Cameron looked at hers. "I'm Ann Arbor."

"But my name isn't Emily Arbor," Nana complained.

"We are using fake names, remember them," Amanda said.

Studying the name on her passport, Inari asked, "B.A.H L.S … how do you pronounce this?"

"Balls," Amanda told her. "You are Clauidia Balls."

Duncan eyed Amanda. "Ya made my name Ichi Balls?"

"Yes, Claudia's husband," Amanda said. "If you don't like it, you can be Claude balls and Inari can be Ichi."

Nana giggled, Duncan rolled his eyes. Kaede frowned and asked, "So I'm to be Lucy balls? LUCY, really?" she asked, shifting her gaze to glare at Amanda.

Nana grew a grin. "Ahh, Amanda, Mom really hates that name."

Kaede handed her passport back to Amanda. "Change me name er yer takin another dirt nap."

"Change mine also," Duncan said and handed her his passport.

With a huff, Amanda took the passports back. "These are just fake names, don't get so worked up about them. Lucy Ball was a famous actor…"

"Change it!" Kaede said sternly.

"Fine!" Amanda grumbled. She thought she'd picked cute names for them.

.

Inspector Durand and his team searched, but the only lead they had was shot and killed the night they had let him go. Of the perp who shot him, nothing was found. No witnesses and forensics couldn't find anything in the dead man's apartment, except matching ballistics on the gun that shot him which was right there. They could not even find any fingerprints on the gun or the remaining bullets or the clip.

There was no doubt it was a professional hit man who had done the killing. That meant whoever had taken those girls had some serious backing. They had covered their tracks. Corpse Peter either wasn't know to any of the other residents in his building, or they had been paid well to keep quiet. All anyone would say is they had seen him around. Of course no one had heard anything unusual.

On top of that, the Witch was slinking around also looking for those girls. Despite the APB, she had yet to be seen by any patrols. He was hoping now that wherever those girls had been taken, was far away from his jurisdiction.

He did get a call, Annette Fournier had arrived at the airport in a private plane with a group of people. He called the airport security and asked who Annette had came with. They were from England and none were named Kikumura or McLeod. Then again, the Witch might already be here.

.

Annette called home to find Jacques had found the place where Claire was being held. He'd meet them mid-town, Annette pointed the way to the meeting place. They got to the parking lot of a store Annette led them to. Jacques was standing by his car.

Kaede touched Annette and said, "Annette, take me family ta yer place. Inari, Kin ya come an help me scout out this viper's nest?"

"Aye." Inari replied aloud.

Inari and Kaede got out. "We'll come back with Jacques," Inari told Duncan.

Going over to Jacques, Kaede again used a mind had to talk to him. "I am Kaede, take me to where you sensed your girls at."

Annette called out the window, "Jacques, it's Kaede in disguise!"

Kaede and Inari glared at her as did everyone in the car.

In French, Duncan said, "You should not have yelled that, Annette."

She cast him a surprised look and blushed.

"Let's go, now," Kaede told Jacques and got in his car with Inari.

Both cars left. The foot patrol nearby had heard Annette's call. Once they left, he radioed the station.

.

Jacques drove up to the place on the mountain road where he'd sensed other elves. Kaede and Inari looked down on the house. "Mom, I only sense two."

"Aye, we walk in peaceful. This may be the wrong place," Inari agreed. They jumped down the slope to the end of the driveway and walked up to the front door.

"The ones I feel are in pain," Inari whispered.

"Aye," Kaede agreed. She knocked on the door. Looking around she didn't see any video cameras. She knocked again. She heard footsteps, then a man came to the door and barked something in French. She grabbed him around the throat and pulled him outside.

He gagged and pulled a tazer out. Kaede snapped it up and shocked him. He was flailing violently, so she shocked him again as his face turned red, a deeper red, then purple. A twist of his neck and he stopped moving. They went in, no others were in sight.

"They are below us," Inari noted.

"One on one end of the house, one on the other," Kaede agreed. They lifted themselves up off the floor so no one would hear their footsteps and went searching for stairs down. Drifting through a living room, they went down a hallway and opened a couple doors. They found a bathroom and a broom closet. In the kitchen was the back door and a pantry.

"Maurice?" a man asked from behind them. floating back to the hallway, they saw the man had a tazer up and walking slowly towards the front door. The wall panel he'd come out of was open a crack. Kaede shot her arms out. She gripped him around the neck tight, lifted him in the air and took his tazer. Grabbing at his neck, his legs pedaled the air wildly, trying to find a purchase. Kaede shocked him, making him flail faster. Two more shocks and his movements were reduced to twitching. A snap of the neck and she lowered him to the floor.

Inari led down the stairs behind the wall as they floated down into a basement. There were normal stored items and at the ends were concrete walls with thick wooden doors. Kaede went right, Inari went left. Getting to her door, Kaede looked back at Inari. Inari nodded.

Kaede tried her door, it was locked. She slammed it with all her mind hands, making it explode inward. She raced in to find two men, one at an odd looking cannon thing, the other at a spotlight shining one a naked woman chained against the far wall. Both men ducked from the exploding door then turned to stare at her.

Again Kaede grabbed them by their necks and lifted them off the floor. Behind her from the other end of the basement she heard a man scream. She brought them flailing men together and turned the spotlight on them. Reaching out she broken the chains off the woman. The woman fell, Kaede caught her in her mind arms and lifted her to bring her close. The woman who was battered and bruised finally saw her and hugged her as she sobbed. Jede put an arm around the bruised woman to hold her close. The men were desperately gasping for breath, they faces reddening.

Quickly, Kaede yanked their tazer and guns away from them, planted them on the floor on their backs and shifted her grip to clamp their arms to their sides.

Inari called, "Kaede! I got one live one here!"

"I got two Mom. We doan gotta be extra careful with'em."

Kaede gently touched a Mind had to the woman's head. "Yer safe now. Who are ya?"

"Bernadette Petit, those men were torturing me! They wouldn't stop hitting me with those steel balls!"

"Doan worry, we'll git ya ta a hospital. Kin ya stand?"

"No, Thank you for saving me, I thought I was going to die!"

"Nay lass, the ones who did this to ya are." Kaede assured her. "Kin ya speak?"

"Yes."

Kaede lifted the men up so they could see her. "Las, I want ya at tell'em this. The tell ya who they work fer, and where the rest of your friends are, or I will pull them apart slowly, an I woan kill'em."

The Brunette looked at Kaede in shock.

"Tell'em."

In a weak voice, Bernadette passed the message. At first, neither one spoke. Kaede ripped the hand off of one. All he did was scream, so she ripped the other hand off. They other man watched in horror. Neither talked, so she broke his right arm at the elbow. She then ripped that forearm off. He screamed something in French.

Bernadette whined and looked away. She thought, "Adrian Moreau is his boss."

"Ask where yer friends are."

Bernadette did and pleaded with him to tell them. The man spoke. "He said he doesn't know."

Kaede snapped his other elbow. Tell him after his arm'er gone, his legs're next,"

"This is …brutal!" Bernadette cried with her thought.

"Then they better tell me." Kaede stated and ripped his left forearm off.

The other man was untouched as of yet. He still cried out something in French. Kaede eyed him.

"That one said warehouse, and gave me the address. Now please stop!" Bernadette pleaded.

Kaede cast the men a smirk. "That was quick." She then let them go. They fell to the floor. She ripped their heads off. Holding Bernadette up, she left the room.

Bernadette looked at Kaede in shock. "They talked, but you still killed them!"

"I did. I said I wouldn't kill them, but leave them suffering, limbless if they didn. They deserved what they got." Kaede replied. Seeing Inari coming, holding a limp woman in her arms, Kaede asked, "She alive?"

"Aye, the last man ain't. He tried ta shoot her so I splattered'im inta burger. We gotta git these lasses ta the hospital."

They went back up and out of the house stepping over bodies to see two cars in the driveway. Behind them was a cop car flashing it's lights, behind than an ambulance. A row of police were in front, guns drawn. Kaede nodded and said, "There's an ambulance." She then thought, "Bernadette, tell'em if they shoot, it's gonna git real ugly round here."

Weakly, Bernadette called to the police. They lowered their guns. A plain clothes man followed them as they went back to the ambulance. The other police ran into the house. There was only one stretcher in the ambulance. Inari lifted the woman she was holding up onto the stretcher. The medics quickly covered her up and began taking vitals. Another got a spare stretcher out. Kaede laid Bernadette down on it as Bernadette talked to the plainclothes man. She nodded to Kaede as she explained something. Kaede also noted Jacques was coming down the hill.

"You speak English?" the plainclothes cop asked.

Kaede replied, "Aye, ya know the location she told ya?"

"I need you to tell me who you are," he said firmly.

In a strong tone, Kaede said, "I'm Dame Kaede Kikumura o'the Clan McLeod, and yer takin me at where the other two Lasses are if ya know that's good fer ya!"

Inspector Durand backed up a step. "You do not match the description I was given."

Kaede pulled her wig off to show her pink hair and her horns. "I'm in disguise. I will see yer ID now," she stated.

Her demanding manner grated him, but Inspector Durand knew this wasn't one he had no hope of subduing.

"Sir!" a patrolman called from just outside. "We got corpses, one here, five more inside! A few are …mutilated!"

Jacques came down to look in the ambulance and talk briefly with the medics and Bernadette. The medics then showed him out and shut the doors. Kaede and Inari got out of the way so the ambulance could back up, turn around and leave, sirens wailing.

Inspector Durand looked nervous. He told Kaede, "I can't lead you there to kill any more suspects."

Kaede raised an eyebrow at him. "Ya gonna protect men who kidnap and torture innocent women? Do I got that right?" she asked in a warning tone.

"We are going to arrest them and take them to jail so they can stand trial," he replied firmly.

"An when ya get there an make yerselves known, they're gonna kill their hostages," Kaede stated. "Can't have that."

"I can't have you murdering my suspects," Durand countered.

"Git a good look in there, every one was armed. Everyone of them wanted ta kill me, those women and me mom. Ya think I'd let'em? Yer takin me to where the other two women are, or yer about ta have a real bad day!" Kaede staid sternly.

Durand back up a couple steps. He knew he was on dangerous ground here. This wasn't some uncooperative suspect, this was the Witch who could kill with a look. He didn't know how far he could push the Witch, but his gut told him not to push any farther.

"Kaede, Inspector, I think we can work out a solution here," Inari offered. "We check the place out, then decide how to go in. We doan wanna be fightin amongst ourselves."

Durand saw a way out. "That is acceptable, so long as no one dies that is not being an immediate threat."

Kaede eyed the inspector, then Inari. "Inspector, tell Jacques here ta go git his car. We got planning ta do."

Inari picked up her phone and called Duncan.

.

Duncan sat at the dinning room table with a pack of elves who'd come when they found out Kaede was here. He put his phone away and said, "That was my wife, Inari. Her and Kaede found the two Petit girls, they are freed and on their way to the hospital."

Elves cheered.

Duncan wrote down the address and gave it to Amanda. "Amanda, Cameron, I need ya ta find this address, it's where the other two girls are. Use the drones, find out how to get in, then call Inari and let her know, and where to find ya."

Amanda took the paper and said, "Cameron, let's go."

Seeing Pierre look at him, Duncan changed to French. "They are going to where the other two are and case the place out for when Kaede and the police arrive. "

"Are the one who held The Petit girls going to jail?" Pierre asked.

"Kaede killed them."

"Good!" Pierre announced.

.

"WAKE UP!"

The loud voice shocked Claire awake as did the bright light on her. She hear the chains move, pulling her arms up. Quickly she got her right foot under her and strained to stand up to keep the pressure off her arms. "Can you please tell me what you want!" she cried.

"We have been using 150 pound air to eject those balls at you," the voice explained. "Why can't you stop them? Are you trying to trick us to think that you're powerless?"

"NO!" Claire cried. "I can't stop them. What makes you think that I could?"

"You are like that Kaede woman with the pink hair. She can level buildings, stop bullets and tear people to sheds. Why can't you?"

"I'm not like her!" Claire wailed. "All I've ever done is farm work. I don't know what you're talking about! Please stop hurting me!"

"I think you're lying."

PHOOM

Hearing the noise, Claire tried to twist to protect her left hip. The ball slammed into her lower ribs. "Ughhh!" she grunted. The impact was hard, she wanted to scream, but she couldn't draw enough breath. All she managed was a pained moan. Eyes wide, she gasped in pain as she drew weak breaths. With her mind, she thought a hard as possible, "Someone help me!"

.

Kaede heard the plea in her mind. It came from the large old house that was off the road and surrounded by an eight foot tall stone wall. A driveway lined with thick old trees lead up to it, the large yards were short trimmed grass. "There is only one here, and she is in pain," she stated.

"Can you tell where?" Inspector Durand asked as he looked at the old house from the bushes across the street.

"Nay. What guards we got?" Kaede asked.

To their side, Cameron and Amanda were operating their drones high above the place. "Six guards, four guard dogs, cameras along the walls looking out and two watching the gate," Cameron monotoned.

"Over the roof, I can see an access in the tower to our right. From what we've seen, that's your only way in," Amanda said.

Having taken off her disguise, Kaede frowned slightly and said, "I'll need something to distract'em. Inspector, drive up to the gate and talk ta the guards. Demand ta see the owner an ask if they have seen Claire Fournier. Take Cameron with you. Cameron, keep'im healthy, no matter what ya gotta do."

"Yes, Kaede," Cameron said and flew her drone high and brought it back.

Durand eyed Kaede. "What are you going to be doing?"

"Getting Claire out of there," she said flatly. "Ya'll be in a prime position ta act when ya hear shots from inside."

"You have a gun?" Durand asked.

"Nay lad, they do. They will be shootin, trust me."

Cameron announced, "I landed my drone. Inspector?"

Durand turned to see Cameron headed for his car. He turned back to ask Kaede when she was going to move. She was gone.

Kaede shot high in the air like she had in Africa. This time she was careful not to put her mind hands down on anything that would warn of her approach, like the guards or dogs. Half a mile up, she leaped the courtyard and landed carefully on a tower, then on the roof and settled herself down to watch the gate from behind the tower with the door. People did look up from time to time and she didn't want to be seen yet. Once she saw the Inspector coming up the driveway, she slipped inside.

The stairs were old spiral steps with a solid round center post. She could feel where Claire was now. She could also feel Claire was terrified. She went down as fast as she dared to the second floor and paused. Two men spoke in French and went down to the first floor.

Avoiding being seen, Kaede followed the direction she felt the diclinous presence in. Besides the stairs the men took down, there was another set. She took those down and found a sitting room. A man in it was watching out the front. She went on floating just off the floor so he didn't hear.

.

Inspector Durand, his partner and Cameron came up to the shut gates. They got out and walked up. One gate opened and a guard in a nice suit stepped out.

"Can I help you?" the guard asked.

Durand produced his badge and said, "I have come to see Mr. Raines. Take me to him, or bring him out."

The guard keyed his lapel mike and passed the request.

.

Claire looked up. A very strong presence was over her and moving back behind the men. Although it was a malevolent presence, the malevolence wasn't directed at her, but the men behind that bright light that was blinding her vision.

"Why are you looking up!" the voice demanded.

Slowly, Claire said in a weak voice, "Something …. wicked is on it's way. I can feel the malevolence coming from it. That malevolence is aimed at you and your friend. If I were you, I'd flee."

The voice laughed. "Very good, you think to scare us off with a bluff! Nice try. Do it again, and you'll be hit someplace very painful."

Claire felt the presence come down to their level. It was coming closer. She caught a mental flash of a pink haired horned woman whose eyes were red with anger. "She's close now. She's angry … She's behind you."

"You earned this one, kick up the pressure to two hundred pounds.!" the voice commanded.

A yelp was heard in front of her, then a thud against a wall to her left. Another yelp and another thump. The bright light was then moved to shine on the men getting up.

Claire sensed mind hands race and her and break her handcuffs. Those hands gently lowered her to the floor. A thought came to her.

"Lie on the floor, keep quiet!"

Claire did. It hurt, but she did it. "Who are you?"

"Vengeance."

From the floor, she saw an elf walk into the light to watch the two men stumble their way up. The Elf who had pink hair raised her arms to the sides.

Both men pulled tazers and shot. Sparks lit the pink haired woman's body. The woman laughed. "Is that all ya got?" she asked in English.

The men looked at each other, their tazers had done nothing to her. They pulled their pistols and shot. She didn't fall, so they shot again and again. She chuckled at them. In front of her, the bullets collected.

After they shot their guns empty, the 'voice' bore a squeak yelled, "Who ARE you?"

Claire got another thought in her head "Ask them where your friend is."

"They killed her!" Claire cried with her mind and voice.

"What?" one man asked, feeling something around him. He then raised up off the floor with a yelp. He came away from the wall, then slammed back into it. Again, he came out and slammed into the wall. The third time he impacted the wall, he crumpled to the floor.

The other one tried to run. He was lifted up and planted against the wall next to his friend.

PHOOM

Kaede had aimed a bit low. Instead of hitting his stomach, the ball drove into his groin. He cried out in a high tone and folded and hit the floor. He puked and passed out. Their heads twisted around and pulled off their bodies.

Leaving the light shining on them, Kaede went over and picked Claire up off the floor.

"Doan worry, lass, yer safe now. I'm takin ya outta here."

Claire looked up and cried in relief. She settled into Kaede's arms. She laid her head on Kaede's shoulder and passed out. She could rest now.

As Kaede had planned, the shots from the basement were heard by the man up on the first floor. She met him on the stairs. She let him fire his gun twice, stopping the bullets, then shoved him hard to catapult him up and out of the doorway above. She didn't know where he landed, and didn't much care. The sound of a window being smashed pleased her.

.

Mr. Raines had come out to appease this inspector. If he was trouble, he'd invite the man in and get rid of him. Upon hearing muted shots, he stopped in his tracks. He wondered if his men had killed their science project. If so, why multiple shots?

Hearing a yell behind him, he turned back to the gates to see one fly open. One of his guards, who'd been trained in self defense and marksmanship was bent over, a slip of a girl had his arm twisted and took his gun from him. An inspector showing his badge, his gun up, announced. "THROW YOUR GUNS DOWN! HANDS IN THE AIR!"

A guard to the right pulled up to shoot. The girl pointed the gun she had and shot twice, taking out his knees. The guard dropped screaming. She swung to point at the other visible guard. Another came around the corner and shot, hitting her mid chest. She quickly adjusted her aim and shot him between the eyes, then re aimed at the guard who was standing still.

Behind Raines the sound of breaking glass sounded. He turned to see one of his men land on the lawn. The man bounced limp and laid still. He briefly wondered who had gotten inside when the front doors exploded out in splinters.

"POLICE! Hands in the air NOW!' Durand barked.

Mr. Raines saw movement inside. A pink haired woman was carrying a naked one. She had one he'd kidnapped!

"Raines, hands in the AIR!" Durand shouted.

"No!" Raines cried. That was his experiment, the one he was getting paid millions for!

Police sirens sounded. A line of patrol cars were coming up the driveway. Raines looked at the woman walking towards him with a red eyed glare. Behind him the Inspector was barking commands. Furious his prize was being taken away, he pulled his small pistol. His knees then exploded in pain and he fell to the ground screaming. He had time to see his legs ended at his mutilated knees, and he was forced to lay face down, his arms were wrenched behind his back and he was cuffed.

Kaede had chopped him off at the knees. Seeing he was being handcuffed, she shot a hand out into his chest and stopped his heart. She cut the nerves to it and let go. It didn't start beating again. To Druand, she asked, "Where's the ambulance?"

More police pushed the other gate open and poured into the courtyard.

Durand shouted orders, then turned to Kaede. "He only had one victim here?"

Flatly, Kaede said, "One live one. He killed the other one. Her remains are here someplace. I need to get Claire to a hospital. Where's the ambulance?"

"End of the drive until the place is secured."

Kaede walked past him an officer held out an emergency blanket to help wrap Claire in. Cameron gave her pistol to Durand and followed Kaede out the gates.

"Wait, you're shot!" Durand called to her.

Cameron looked back. In French she said, "John will take care of it."

.

There were none of Claire's family here, so Kaede and Cameron rode in the ambulance with Claire to the hospital. Cameron explained Claire has suffered multiple blunt trauma injuries and possibly some broken bones. Once they got Claire into a room at the trauma center, she was pointed to the waiting room. It wasn't long before the waiting room filled up with Claire's family as well as her own. Cameron had zipped up her purple leather jacket to hide her wounds. Pierre came over and hugged Kaede.

"Thank you!" he said in a weepy voice. "Please stay and guard us!"

Kaede looked at Cameron, not knowing what he said.

"He thanked you for saving her and wants you to stay to stand guard over them," Cameron explained.

Kaede offered Pierre a smile and said, "Tell him we can't stay. We will be watching. Those men woan ever be back. I made sure'o it."

Cameron translated her words to Pierre. Pierre nodded to her, then lifted Kaede's hand to kiss it. When he spoke, she looked at Cameron.

"He asked in that case, can you teach us to do what you do."

"I kin do that," Kaede agreed. Thinking for a moment, she added, "Send Claire when she has recovered, or one of the other girls. Only they will understand why what I have to teach is so vital to learn."

The Doctor came in and explained Claire had massive blunt force trauma, including cracked ribs and a broken pelvis that she was going to need surgery for. Once the surgery was done and she was out of recovery, she could have visitors. That would take at least a day. She was in no danger of dying, but at the moment, she would be in great pain when she woke up. They were keeping her sedated.

.

Inspector Durand filed his report and briefed his Captain on the events. They had gotten three back alive, and found the incinerator on Raines' property that bore pieces of human looking bone, a horn and teeth. Once he got the paperwork and briefing over, he called Paris to speak with Inspector Le Blanc. Before he got started interviewing the prisoners capable of speaking, he wanted to talk to Le Blanc.

"This is Inspector Le Blanc."

"Inspector Duran, from Valance. We have the kidnappers, and recovered three of the four women who were kidnapped. They are in the hospital now. I just wanted to let you know that Kaede turned out to be a very valuable asset in recovering them."

"How many dead?" she asked crisply.

"Eleven, though the fault is partially mine," he admitted. "The women were held in two separate places. I did not cooperate with Kaede at the first place, and she got those women out after killing all of the perps. The second place we found, we did cooperate. Only two dead who refused to drop their weapons. Mr. Raines died of a heart attack. The ones who lived, we have enough to put them away forever."

As snort came over the phone. "They are all in the hospital, aren't they?"

"Not all, but many are, yes though no fault but their own. Inspector, Dame Kaede was willing to cooperate once I offered cooperation. I did not try to arrest her or refuse her help. It ended much better than it could have if she and her family was not present."

There was silence on the phone for moment, then LeBlanc asked, "There's more than one of her?"

"I do believe so, from what I saw. I saw a woman named Cameron get shot, square in the chest. It didn't even seem to bother her. There's also her mother, and she brought one of her daughters. Inspector, I suggest if they come to help with a case, we work with them. We did not have the chaos here that you described."

"McLeods cause trouble!" Le Blanc stated.

"For the bad guys, I agree. They cause big trouble. As Kaede said, she can cause anyone a real bad day. They also saved three women who would have probably been killed except for Kaede's quick action."

"Will you prosecute her for murder with all those dead?"

"Every one we found, we determined to be self defense. There are no charges against Dame Kaede, or any of her family. I am recommending them for citations in assisting us solve the this case."

"You are inviting disaster!" she snapped and hung up.

Durand had to wonder, what did Kaede do that invoked so much anger in Le Blanc?

.

Bernadette and Isabelle got the same hospital room to recover in. Both were bruised badly and had cracked ribs. Isabelle's right leg was n a cast from a broken shin. Left to rest and heal with their family visiting, Durand waited a few days before coming to question them about what they had gone through.

Kaede and her family had left. Durand wanted to find out where they went, but not one person he talked to knew. All he could discover was the plane they cam in had left was bound for London. He contacted London. The plane never arrived. They had disappeared.

Isabelle was sleeping when he went into the room. Bernadette was awake, looking at a magazine. He went over to her bed and showed his badge. Quietly he said, "I'm Inspector Durand. Can you tell me what happened to you while you were being held?"

Bernadette put the magazine down. "They kept hitting us with steel balls out of a big air gun. I pleaded, but they would not stop. The insisted we were able to stop from being hit if we wanted to. They hurt us bad …" she trailed off, looking at nothing. "Then, when we were sure we were going to die naked, chained to the wall, we felt her coming." She sniffed and added, "I have never felt such power. Two, one went to get Isabelle. The door exploded in, and she got me loose. She wanted to know where Claire and Nina were."

Casting a vacant gaze at Durand, Bernadette said, "She tortured those men who held me. One she ripped apart slowly. Piece by piece as he cried out in agony. After the other one told me what she wanted to know, she ripped their heads off. I never felt such anger, such … cold cruelty before in my life as I did from her. I understood that others had done similar things to her and her family as what they did to me. She was going show them what fear was. What helplessness was. She did. The men who held me died in terror."

"Who was this?" he asked.

Bernadette blinked at him. "The Wind of Death."

.

Claire Fournier also told of Kaede coming to kill the men who held her. This time, Kaede had let them tazer her, then shoot their guns empty at her before she hurt, then killed them. It was very similar in that she felt Kaede long before she saw her. Claire also spoke of the strong malevolent presence she felt from Kaede.

Durand decided that Kaede would not be mentioned by name in any of his reports. The risk of someone wanting to file charges of excessive cruelty against her, and the possibility of more people dying when they tried to arrest her was too great.