9th Dec 2003 to 6th Jan 2004

Bound      By Western Blakehawke

Set after Freak Nation.  February 2023 

Sequel to Unwelcome Ties. Set around fourteen months after the events of the last chapter. 

Ames and Will come face to face again just over sixteen months after they first met.

Chapter 8

               3:51am.

               Will awoke and listened for a few moments, all she could hear was the peaceful breathing of her mate and their cubs.

               She smiled and decided to wake Ames up, she realised that she had been unfair to him last night, that he had been tired and obviously the meeting with the Familiar priestess had not gone well, then she'd growled at him over Joshua and Isaac.

               She swiftly moved fully on top of him, waking him instantly.

               "Will?" Ames asked as he opened his eyes.

               "Who else would it be?" She replied curiously, sounding amused rather than angry or jealous.

               "No one! There's been no one other than you since Wendy." Ames hastily and honestly assured her as his body reacted to her new position.

               Will smiled at him and wiggled about a bit. "Sorry I growled at you last night. You were tired and obviously worried about whatever the priestess told you then I got mad at you for something that you couldn't possibly have any knowledge about. "

               Ames groaned at her movements. "No I'm the one who made the crack about two of your relatives." She is so wonderfully annoying!

               "Okay so we were both at fault…….. You know Ames you never did answer my question of a few days ago." Will told him as she continued to wiggle.

               Ames managed to reply despite being very distracted. "Ah what question was that?" Question! She wants me to answer a question now! She's insane!

               Will kissed him on the lips and then said throatily. "Wanna wrestle?"

               Ames grinned at her and rolled over so that he was now on top. "Need you ask."

               Will grinned back at him, still wiggling. "You know that you have control issues don't you? Always having to be on top."

               "I'm not on top in the shower." Ames suavely pointed out. "Do we have to have this conversation now?"

               Will stubbornly nodded and quit wiggling. "Yes it's topical, and there is no top in the shower."

               "Will if I were a control freak you'd be in cuffs." Ames drolly replied.

               "Mmmmm bondage…. We already did that remember, eighteen months ago." Will quipped grinning at him.

               Ames groaned at the bad pun. "You love making bad puns don't you." He rhetorically stated then grinned at her. "Hmmm you in cuffs not such a bad idea after all…….."

               "We could go the whole hog, sneak into N.S.A. H.Q I could don the ankle and wrist cuffs and the neck collar and chain again…… that cell bed wasn't too uncomfortable…… I still recall how to break and enter, it's an X talent, maybe we can find a fancy dress shop and borrow a Princess Leia bikini costume ….." Will replied completely straight faced.

               Ames just looked at her in shock for a couple of moments before. "Are you insane! I can't take you there! No matter how much fun it sounds!" Will in that Leia outfit! "Steal the outfit yes! Break into N.S.A. H.Q. no!

               Will burst out laughing.

               Ames glared at her. "494's right you do have a warped sense of humour!" He sarcastically told the giggling female.

               "Sorry to disappoint Ames, but I'm not into bondage……. Well not me anyway but if you want to wear chains and or cuffs……." Will told him through her giggle fit. "Though I draw the line at you in the bikini……"

               "No way! You are not putting me in cuffs and or chains!" Ames quickly vetoed that idea. Oh hell now I'm picturing me in that bikini! Man I am warped too!

               Will shrugged her right shoulder. "See you are definitely a control freak, its okay for you to put me in chains and or cuffs but when I want to return the favour you object." She grinned having quit giggling.

                "You look good in cuffs and chains." Ames silkily told her grinning. "Besides you were the one who made the reference in the cell not me!"

               Will stopped grinning and nodded. "Yeah that was me."

               "And you called me Boba Fett…. A bounty hunter…..he would chain up his victims wouldn't he." Ames suavely added.

               "Merchandise…. That's what caught bounties are known as in the Star Wars universe." Will couldn't help herself she had to correct him then she grinned again. "Well then I suppose it's my own fault both for the Leia quip and for likening you to Boba Fett ……… although it was Jabba the Hutt who ordered Leia to be dressed in that bikini and put in a neck chain……and you get all huffy if you think you're being called Jabba."

               Ames rolled his eyes at her. "This is a dumb conversation and we are wasting valuable time, you and our sons can't stay here much longer, the longer you stay in Seattle the more chance of The Conclave or N.S.A finding out about you."

               Will agreed so she swiftly and passionately kissed him, their control conversation was quickly forgotten.

               Later.

               Both were lying in their usual positions, wide awake and completely sated with another marathon love making session, when the cubs decided to wake up.

               "Stay put I'll pass you Kit and Kyle." Ames ordered as he slipped from under her and swiftly picked up Kit  and Kyle and passed them to Will.

               Will took each infant and they quickly latched onto her nipples. "I'll have to come visit once they're weaned….. that's if you want me to?"

               Ames looked at her, he had been entertaining Kieran and Kincaid with their soft toys, King Kong and Panthro, he grinned at her. "I was hoping you would then I'll be able to suckle you."

               Will smiled at him. "My thoughts exactly……. If memory of my general file serves I weaned at about six months, how old are Familiars when they wean?"

               "Six months, whether they end up passing the test or not." Ames replied, half focused on her and Kit and Kyle and half on Kieran and Kincaid.

               "Okay then I'll try and get back here in six months time." She smirked at him.

               "It's a date." Ames replied grinning and nodding.

               "Us on a date that would be fun." Will quipped.

               "Will you know we can't be seen out together……." Ames apologetically started to reply.

               "Relax Ames I much prefer us as we are now, being undercover." She grinned as he groaned at the bad pun.

               "So how are you our sons the kids, assuming we find them and 494 getting home… you don't have to tell me I'll understand." Ames told her and meant it.

               Will gave him her dazzling smile. "Plane! I've now got my own plane, it was acquired from a crime boss, but it's in perfect condition! I miss not being able to fly!" She ignored the bit about not finding the kids.

               Ames smiled at her at how ecstatic she sounded. "That's great honey!" Honey? Well at least I didn't call her love! Got to remember not to slip up and tell her that I love her!

               "Yeah! I'm gonna try my hand at running a charter and cargo company…. I'll get to do the short hops and plane maintenance!" She told him excitedly. "Oh and Ray's gonna be ecstatic he's getting four more aunts and three more uncles and forty two more cousins, plus one on the way….. that's what Max and Logan wanted to okay with me while they saw our sons."

               "Forty nine soon to be fifty, more people can you accommodate them and more importantly can you keep them?" Ames asked a little worried. 494's right her wolf genes can be a problem! Forty nine, fifty really, plus the new kids if we manage to rescue them that's sixty four with the kids she's already got, that makes one hundred and fourteen including Will, plus her seven siblings already at the farm and their thirty two kids that makes one hundred and  fifty three people soon to be one hundred and fifty four in her pack!

               "Relax Ames, there's just enough accommodation, I worked it all out, and they are all used to barracks life. Ray and I are the only ones who were used to having our own room. Two of the new X5's are pilots so they'll work in our new enterprise and as I told you the other day we're pretty much self sufficient." Will smiling swiftly reassured him.

               "Will promise me that that's the last of the permanent kin to go to your place! Guests are fine, but the only way I want your farms population to increase is by births! Please promise me! All those Transgenics in one place as it is, is dangerous!" Ames beseeched her looking extremely worried. Someone's bound to hear if she keeps on taking in strays!

                Will smiled and nodded. "Ames I have a list of eight exceptions, including Deck, if they ever need a place to live they are welcome at my farm."

               "Okay barring Deck and the other seven and any partners or children they might have." Ames willingly agreed. Wow! I thought I'd have to argue! Why'd she give in so easily?

               Will gave him her dazzling smile. "Thank you Ames. But as for everyone else….. I promise that the only permanent kin to stay on the farm from now on will be those born to those already there or to those who'll return with me, oh and my kids partners and offspring, same deal with the other farm kids." She told him sincerely meaning every word. "I already told Max and Logan that I couldn't take in anyone else that these were to be the last, they had already decided not to send me anymore people too."

               Ames smiled in relief and nodded relaxing and focused all his attention on entertaining the twins before him. She'd already realised that it was becoming a security risk, should have known she would she's not dumb!

               A while later.

               All the babies had been fed, winded, changed and had fallen asleep again after two songs from Will she sang My rifle my pony and me and Swinging on a star the version from Out of this world.

               Will and Ames had got back in bed and made love another couple of times before it was time for them to get up, because Ames had to go to work.

               Later that morning.

               Will and Alec were relaxing watching the television, Alec suddenly burst out laughing.

                "What's funny? Certainly not the film…. Are you feeling okay bro how much sugar have you consumed in the last few days?" Will asked in concern as she looked at her still laughing baby brother.

               Alec quit laughing with an effort. "Sugar a little not enough to be on a high though…… I just recalled that you think of Deck as your dad and I know that you're still trying to find him Logan keeps us updated on how the search is coming and the fact that you also ask when you speak to him….. I was just picturing the look on his face when we find him and you tell him he's a grandfather to sixty four kids!" He burst out laughing again.

               "Yeah I can well imagine the look on his face when he meets them and Ray would call him granddad and the others would follow his lead! Even the nieces and nephews!" Will joined him in laughing hysterically.

               They both got control of their mirth after a few minutes.

               "I hope I'm there when you tell him and when he meets your pack!" Alec grinned.

               "Yeah it'll be funny! I just wish I knew one way or the other, not knowing if he's dead or just M.I.A. is very irritating!" Will stated.

               "Have you asked Ames if he knows anything?" Alec replied.

               "Yeah on the first phone call, I explained about Deck being my father figure and Ames confirmed that it was Familiars who ran him off the road into the river and he told me that they hadn't found a body, that the Familiars don't know if he's dead or alive….. they're looking for him too." Will stated with a shrug of her right shoulder. "Ames told me on that first morning that there's still no word on him."

               "Before you had sex?" Alec asked in surprise.

               Will rolled her eyes at him. "Yes Alec, he volunteered the information."

               Alec's curiosity was piqued. "Tell me about it…. Why he volunteered the information." He ordered.

               "Curiosity killed the cat bro." Will quipped grinning at him.

              Alec groaned. "Bad pun…. I still want to know and I want to know how you ended up sleeping half covering him, arm around him and head pillowed on his chest his arms around you….. C'mon tell me it's not like I want details of your sex life!"

               "Good job too 'cause you aint getting those details." Will replied grinning. "Okay I'll tell you what happened…… I know that you'll only keep bugging me otherwise or worse ask Ames.…….Don't tell him we had this conversation he'd only get grouchy.

               "I won't sis, I won't tell anyone!" Alec quickly and honestly replied.

               "Well we went to bed, Ames lay on the far right side of the bed, I lay on the far left, there was over a metre between us and we went to sleep……."

               "How'd you end up in the centre of the bed?" Alec interrupted to ask.

               Will shrugged her right shoulder. "No idea…. Okay it was morning we were in the centre of the bed I was half lying on him, head on his chest and arm around him, his arms were around me… it was a very comfortable position." She grinned.              

               "Okay you've set the scene now reiterate what happened when you both woke up, I want to hear Ames' reaction to finding you in his arms!" Alec grinned.

               "Okay, okay…..Ames woke up, that woke me up but I pretended to still be asleep, I wanted to see what he would do." Will grinning started to tell what had happened.

               "You would!" Alec quipped.

               "Ames was obviously trying to work out what to do, finally he spoke quietly into my ear. He said 'Will, Will wake up.' I lazily and amusedly replied. 'I woke when you did'.  Then added 'You know you make a very nice pillow.' And snuggled down to go back to sleep, still in the same position I'd been when I awoke." Will told her brother ignoring the well deserved quip.

               "What was Ames reaction…..I bet it was funny!" Alec exclaimed.

               "Yes it was…… 'What!' Ames said a little loudly. I was silently laughing he could obviously feel the vibrations on his chest. 'Get off me 378.' He huffed. I could tell he hated being laughed at. 'I will when you release me.' I replied I was still highly amused, Ames realised that his arms were still wrapped tightly around me and he quickly released his hold." Will stated grinning at the memory.

               "And?" Alec impatiently asked.

               "I rolled off him and grinned at him. 'Are you always this grouchy when you wake up?' I asked, Ames glared at me and asked 'What is wrong with you?' I gave him a puzzled look and asked 'What do you mean?'  'I'm the enemy, yet you're quite happy to use me as a pillow.' Ames replied he was obviously having difficulty keeping his voice down so as not to wake you up." Will paused again recalling how cute Ames had looked that morning.

               "Then what happened?" Alec prompted.

               "'Ames we had this conversation months ago.' I reminded him. 'You want me to quote?' Ames said 'No I recall that chat perfectly.' 'Then why ask?' I replied slightly sarcastically. 'I don't know. You just keep surprising me I suppose.' Ames answered. I smiled at him. 'That's good it means that our relationship will always be interesting.' 'We don't have a relationship 3 7 8.'  Ames ground out…. It was funny I could see that he only remembered just in time not to yell at me. '378? It was Will earlier.' I teased him….."

                Alec looked at her in shock. "You teased him! Are you insane….. stupid question of course you're insane!"

               Will glared at him. "Do you want to hear the rest or not?"

                "Of course! I want to hear if you wound him up some more!" Alec grinned at her.

               "Ames flexed his hands and moved them slightly before he realised what he was doing and stopped the action. 'Don't tempt me.' He warned.  'What makes you think you would win a fight between us?' I asked curiously. 'You were made to protect me you can't knowingly harm me even if it means your own death at my hands.' Ames silkily replied. I grinned at him. 'What makes you think that Sandemann didn't plan for that eventuality?' Ames blinked and asked. 'Did he?' 'Wanna wrestle and find out.' I countered grinning."

               "He stopped himself from strangling you! Wow! Knowing that, you continued to wind him up, why?" Alec asked then rolled his eyes and grinned. "Wait don't tell me because it was fun… you are seriously warped! Okay go on with the tale."

               "Ames glared at me again. 'Ames you forget that I find your glare cute not intimidating, mmmmm very sexy.' I told him, you were right bro I was enjoying winding him up. A scowl joined his glare at my statement. 'I love the scowl too.' I throatily murmured. Ames just looked at me in shock……."

                "I just bet he did!" Alec interrupted her, he was loving the story. "Tell me more!"           

               'Relax Ames I'm not gonna jump on you, that's more your style.' I couldn't resist quipping referring to the previous night when he accosted me from behind. Ames continued to look at me in shock. I sighed. 'Ames you're supposed to answer back, how can we banter if I'm the only one doing the talking?' 'Banter?' Ames finally said I'd obviously totally lost the poor guy. 'Yes, you know when we get to show off our witty repertoire.' I patiently explained." Will paused and grinned at Alec.

               "Ames relaxed and grinned at me. Then I said 'You also have a very sexy grin, oh I'm telling the truth about that and the glare and the scowl, I wasn't just using 'em to get a um rise out of you.' I grinned at my double entendre and winked my right eye at him. Ames burst out laughing……."

               Alec shook his head grinning. "I have absolutely no idea why he loves you, you love to wind him up!..... Oh carry on!"

               Will shrugged her right shoulder and grinned at Alec then continued. 'You know Ray said you have a nice laugh and he's right.' I told him smiling and snuggled down under the blankets intending to go back to sleep. I added 'Oh Ames for future reference, I was named at birth, around two hours later I was given my designation, Will is a shortened version of my first given name.' Ames stopped laughing and looked at me in astonishment. 'The small amount of data we retrieved from Manticore, always gave a designation not a name for you.' He told me.

               "Yeah that sounds like Manticore." Alec put in then motioned with his hand for Will to continue.             

               "I peeked at him from under the bedding and shrugged my right shoulder and replied. 'It's a military thing they prefer to use numbers to names.'  'Wait a minute you said Will is a shortened version of your first given name how many do you have?' Ames curiously queried. 'Four, three given and a surname.' I casually replied. 'Who named you? Wait you said at N.S.A H.Q. that my father named you.' Ames said. 'My first name yeah, I hate the full version and only answer to Will which I love and it suits me anyway, since I'm strong willed, Deck gave me my other names, including my surname, I love those ones too." I replied smiling because I was recalling happy times with Deck when he took me horse riding. 'There's still no word on him one way or the other.' Ames gently told me. 'Thanks.' I quietly and sincerely stated."

               "So that's how the subject of Deck came up and when he volunteered the information." Alec stated.

                "Yes… Okay is your curiosity satisfied now?" Will replied grinning.

               "Nope! You still haven't explained how come you were back in his arms when I came in!" Alec pointed out.

               Will rolled her eyes but went back to reiterating the events of that morning. "Ames changed the subject back to names. 'So you hate Wilhelmina huh?' He grinned. 'Hello Wilhelmina.' I smiled sweetly at him and replied. 'Hello Mr. Sandemann.' Ames froze, glared at me then grinned then said. 'Okay I deserved that. I won't use the full version of the name he gave you, I'll stick to Will and you don't use that surname for me deal?' He stuck out his right hand. I pushed down the bedding and placed my right hand in his. 'Deal Agent White.'  I said smiling at him. We shook on it and almost reluctantly released hands. I then pulled the blankets back up and snuggled back down and closed my eyes. Ames took my not so subtle hint and after a couple of moments he followed suit." Will paused for breath.

               "And?" Alec impatiently asked again.

              "Neither of us had moved from the centre of the bed, we lay there only inches apart. I opened my eyes and moved onto my side to look at Ames. 'You going to get grouchy if I ask to use you as a pillow again?' I queried conversationally not cautiously. Ames opened his eyes and looked directly into mine, grinned and moved his arm to allow me access to his chest and replied. 'Why not, The Conclave would believe the worst anyway.'  I grinned back at him and moved over and quickly resumed my earlier position, Ames placed his arms around me again.  'If you ever decide to quit, tell me and I'll tell you where we are.' I promised as I snuggled against him. 'I might just take you up on that offer, if The Conclave ever decides to gun for me. I won't turn traitor.' Ames firmly stated. 'Well the offer is there when or if you want it.' I told him smiling at him, then closed my eyes and immediately went to sleep. I stayed asleep until you woke us up." Will stated grinning at him.

               Alec shook his head at her again. "Geeez Will you are damn lucky he loves you! That he's decided to go against The Government and The Conclave's wishes regarding Transgenics as far as you are concerned!" He grinned at her. "I never thought I'd say this about Ames White, but I'm glad you chose him as a mate, I'll back you to the hilt when we beat The Conclave and you have to explain that he's your mate and the quads father to the rest of the kin…"

               "Thanks bro!" Will said interrupting him as she hugged him.

               "Least you know that as well as your kids you'll have the full support of the rest of the kin at the farm…. I know that it won't take long for all the kids to convince the newcomer kids that a match between you two is a great idea and the adults… well they know better than to try and alter your opinion and besides the kids will soon convince them of the merits too, just like they did the other X5's!" Alec finished saying as he returned her hug.  

               Suddenly the babies started to cry.

               "That's their I'm hungry cry right?" Alec queried, standing up.

               "Yes go amuse them while I heat up the bottles please." Will asked as she swiftly stood and went into the kitchen.

               "Sure no problem." Alec stated on his way to the bedroom and his grizzling nephews. "Just don't take too long!"

               Will quickly removed the four bottles, that she had made up earlier, from out of the fridge and turned on the two pans of water, that she had already waiting, onto boil. After they had boiled she took them off the heat and placed the bottles of breast milk into them, waited then tested one on her wrist, it was the perfect temperature, she swiftly tested the others then finding that they were all okay quickly took them into the bedroom.

               Alec looked up upon her entering the room a very relieved expression upon his face, he was sitting on the super king size bed in front of his four nephews who were safely propped up on pillows and waiting to be fed, getting grouchy with Alec's trying to amuse them with glove puppets, keys, mobiles and soft toys.

               "Great! They're starting to glare at me! They've got Ames' glare! All four of 'em!" He complained as he took two of the bottles and moved over so that Will could feed two of the babies, he placed a bottle into each child's mouth. "Here Kit, Kincaid lunch!"

               "Here you go Kyle, Kieran." Will added smiling as she placed the other bottles into their mouths as she telepathically encouraged them to nurse on the bottles, with images of other babies contentedly feeding on bottles and superimposing an image of a breast over each bottle and even showing them images of her using the breast pump, then putting the milk into the bottles, that it was her milk in the bottles in their mouths. She was running out of images to convey.

               All four babies looked confused for a few moments, then decided to follow their mother's wishes and tried sucking and finding milk just as she had promised they began to happily feed in earnest.

               Alec sighed. "I thought they weren't gonna accept them for a minute!"

               "Me too!" Will stated also sounding very relieved. "Their taking my milk from a bottle is going to be such a help, feeding them will now only take half the time."

               "Yeah and you don't have to be there. The kids will get such a kick out of feeding them." Alec grinned.

               "Yep, hopefully they'll still not find changing diapers a bother, least they've had some practice with their cousins and the X10's." Will smiled.

               They finished feeding the babies, winded, bathed and diapered them then played with them for a while before putting them back into their cribs.

               Late afternoon.

               The apartment's land line rang.

               Alec quickly picked up the televisions remote control and hit the mute button, silencing Independence Day.

               Will was nearest to the telephone so after Alec had muted the television she picked it up and waited for whoever had called to speak, they did so and she grinned. "Hi Ames." Listened. "That's great news I'll tell Alec and get a team sent to rescue them tonight, it's safer to wait until dark thanks!" Paused. "Okay bye darling!" She hung up grinning.

               "He found them." Alec grinning rhetorically stated as he got out his cell phone to call Max then paused. "Ah Will how do we explain where we got the information seeing as your relationship with Ames is a secret?"

               "Call Max and ask her if there's any news, Ames said the commandos are mercs not government and that there's at least twenty, so they might have picked up the same rumours that Ames' agents did, if not hang up and I'll think of something." Will replied shrugging her right shoulder.

               "Okay." Alec agreed and called Max. "Hi Max it's Alec, Will and I were wondering if you'd found out anything about the kids….." Listens a grin appearing on his face he gave Will a thumbs up. "That's great! I want to be in the team....." He listened as Max filled him in on where the kids were being held.

               Will hearing that Max had finished giving Alec that data, although she could not make out most of it, signalled that she wished to speak to Max.

               "Max Will wants to speak to you." Alec told her then passed the phone to his sister.

               "Hi Max, can you send Asia over as soon as possible please, the cubs are fine we tried the bottles and they took them with no problem so I'm coming on the rescue too!" Will bluntly stated then listened to Max for a few moments. "Max, I was an agent for sixteen years I've maintained my fitness regime and am in peak physical and mental condition. I keep up my fighting skills etcetera by training the kids. I know my own capabilities and my inclusion in the rescue is not up for debate. Asia will be fine with the quads, there are bottles in the fridge and I'll breast feed them before I join you. We'll go in at nine it'll be dark enough to cover us by then. I'll get the locale and other data from Alec, we'll meet you there." With that she hung up the phone.

               Alec rolled his eyes. "Ames isn't going to like this and I have to say I don't either."

               Will looked stubbornly at him and shrugged her right shoulder. "Tough!"

               Alec sighed. "I'm not going to be able to talk you out of going am I, and from that stubborn look neither is Ames. Fine we work together just like the old days okay."

               Will gave him her dazzling smile. "Of course bro and thank you for not making me argue, because you are right no one, not even you or Ames would be able to talk me out of going."

               "Ames is definitely not going to like this…….. how do you plan to get him to not cuff you to the bed?" Alec asked then grinned thinking of the interesting possibilities such an action could have then went slightly red when he recalled that it would be his sister who Ames had cuffed to the bed.

               Will grinned at him. "Get your mind out of the gutter bro!" She laughed, then quietened and added. "What makes you think it'll be me wearing his cuffs and fixed to the bed?"

               "Oh!" Alec uttered then grinned at the amusing image that conjured up. "Hey we could hope we get lucky and he's working late again!"

               Will grinned at him. "Yeah! He'll be mad enough at me for going on this mission without my cuffing him to the bed, he's only into cuffs and or chains when I'm in 'em… he refused to return the favour!" She unthinkingly told her baby brother.

               Alec gave her a shocked look. "Will that's way more detail than I needed to know!"              

               Will rolled her eyes at him. "Actually we don't do bondage, we just had a conversation about it….. he has control issues."

               Alec put his hands over his ears and started humming loudly and off key.

               Will rolled her eyes and flipped the television off of mute and relaxed as she settled back to finish watching the film that the phone calls had interrupted.

               Alec seeing that she had decided to stop with the embarrassing conversation quit humming and removed his hands from his ears and watched the movie.

               Asia arrived a little while later and joined Will and Alec in a game of monopoly, which Will won. They then had dinner, Will and Alec changed into appropriate clothing for the rescue. Then all three watched television as they waited for it to be the quads feeding time, then time to leave for the rescue mission.

               19:53pm.

               The babies awoke and Will breast fed them, while Asia and Alec their brother's in the lounge, then Will and Alec made sure that Asia knew how to wind and change them. Asia showed that she knew how to take care of the infants they then played with them until they started getting drowsy they then returned them to the bedroom and placed them into their cribs.

               "Okay they shouldn't want feeding again for a few hours by which time we'll be back, but I put four bottles into the fridge this afternoon, so they are their in the unlikely event that you need them." Will told Asia as she sat back on the sofa.

               "Relax Will I'll be fine this is what I was trained for, you go rescue your new kids." Asia reassuringly told her.

               "Yeah we better head out." Alec agreed seeing that it was coming up for nine thirty five. "It'll take us about twenty minutes to get there…. Not that Max would go in without us! She'll not risk annoying you!"

               The telephone rang and Asia picked it up, waited until she heard the other persons voice then spoke. "She and Alec are just about to head out to rescue the kids……." Asia blanched and handed the phone to Will, hitting the speaker button as she did so. "He told me to put it on speaker."

               "Damn right I did!" Ames snarled.

               "Hello darling, you're working late." Will calmly stated the obvious.

               "Don't darling me! What the hell do you think you're playing at!" Ames yelled furiously.

               "I'm not playing Ames I'm on my way to rescue my new kids." Will firmly but calmly told the incensed Familiar.

               "494 you're going along with this dumb idea!" Ames snarled at him.

               "To paraphrase what a smart man said to me… 'I have the sense to realise that this is a battle that we won't win! So I am doing the sensible thing and not antagonising my sister! I suggest you follow suit and stop arguing with your lover!' Ames she got that same stubborn look that she got about adopting these kids so I knew it was pointless arguing with her this time….. heck I knew it was last time but I couldn't stop myself! Don't worry we partnered on lots of missions and we'll stick together on this one, I'll get her back to you in one piece." Alec promised.

               Ames growled. "You'd better! Will when you get home we are going to have a nice long talk about your risking your damn fool neck!" With that he hung up the phone.

               Will calmly put the phone back down and turned the speaker button off. "Well that went a lot better than I had planned for." She grabbed her leather jacket and headed for the door. "Come on Alec…. We need to get there and somehow convince the team not to kill Ames without letting on that he's my mate….. In case you didn't realise he'll be joining the rescue mission."

                Alec hastily followed her. "He will? How do you know?"

               "His tone and I could hear him pulling on his coat as you talked." She shrugged her right shoulder and they exited the apartment.

              They hurried to the garage, it was empty.

               "Wait a minute Alec I want to call Ames before he does anything stupid, I'll put it on speaker." Will stated.

               "Fine." Alec shrugged and leant against a wall, he planned to leave his insane sister and her bad tempered mate to it.

               Will pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialled Ames' number and put it onto speaker.

               Ames picked answered after two rings. "White!" He snapped.

               "Hi Ames, I'm with Alec we're on speaker. I want you to park away from the mercs' place and walk to it, I've got a plan to stop my kin from killing you on sight." Will told him.

               "How did you….."

               "C'mon Ames I'm not dumb I figured you'd come help, to stop me from getting seriously hurt." Will calmly stated cutting him off.

               "The only person who gets to hurt you is me!" He snarled

              "Yes dear." Will calmly replied. "That reminds me, we tried feeding the babies with the bottles this afternoon, it worked after a little telepathic prompting from me, anyway Alec noticed something and he's right, he was entertaining our sons while the bottles warmed up and apparently they were glaring again. He said that they've got your glare and he's absolutely right. All five of your sons have inherited your cute glare. Guess I'll see it when we meet at the hideout and more of it when we get back to my place….. my former place." She sounded amused not at all fazed by her lovers anger.

               "You used to live there?" Ames asked caught off guard by the unexpected information, he hadn't been paying attention when Alec called Asia while Will was in labour, and forgetting that he was mad at her.

               "Will we need to head out." Alec impatiently stated and went over to his bike and straddled it.

               "Yes it was my place before I went to get Ray…. Ames remember you need to call me 378 while we're on this mission and you need to treat me with the same contempt etcetera as you do other Transgenics." Will reminded him.

               "Fine that won't be too hard since I'm mad at you for being on this mission!" Ames told her angrily.

               "Yeah well just play along with whatever I say but don't blow our cover. I'm sure I can convince Max and the others not to kill you and get them to let Alec and me baby sit you, like I said I've got a plan." Will replied still totally ignoring the anger.

               "Fine I'll play along! But you owe me big time! I should just get one of our tranq guns knock you out and take you safely home!" He growled at her.

               Will rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you want including chains and or cuffs!"

               "And the Leia bikini." Ames silkily added. "I found a place that's got one in your size…… I hired it this morning, I wasn't going to ask for chains and or cuffs since you vetoed that but now….."

               Alec burst out laughing at this.

               "Okay Ames fine I already said I'd wear chains and or cuffs, so the bikini is not an issue, if Alec will quit laughing we'll get going and remember wait until you see us arrive before you let your presence be known. Bye darling see you in a bit." Will lovingly told him.

               "Okay honey and I will wait for you two to arrive, bye." Ames tenderly responded then hung up.

               Will quickly hung up and put her cell phone in her pocket and then hopped onto the back of the motorbike that she had given to Alec about fifthteen months earlier, Alec, now fully composed, gunned the engine as Will securely held onto his waist and they headed out into the night.

               Twenty six minutes later.

               Will, Alec, Max, and two other X5's Daytona, female and Scott were in an abandoned warehouse near the mercs' hideout they were waiting for the last four members of their team, X5's Tilly, Hec, Rabby and Mike to return from their recognisance of the surrounding area, they did so within a few minutes and were dragging a securely bound, gagged and struggling Ames White with them.

               "What's he doing here!" Max hissed glaring at the Familiar. "Was he alone?"

               "Yeah, we checked and none of his goons were with him." Rabby a male X5 replied.

               "Ungag him we need to find out if he's expecting back up." Will calmly ordered.

               The others looked at her and then at each other shrugged and Tilly removed the gag.

               Ames glared at Will. "3 7 8!" He ground out then snarled. "If you think I'm going to answer you you're insane!"

               Will grinned at him and shrugged her right shoulder. "I'm flattered that you remember me after over sixteen months!" She quipped.

               "I have an eidetic memory freak!" He growled at her. "I recall the freaks who escape me in particular and the sarcastic ones! You're both! But I'll get you in chains again! I'll have you at my mercy! Not that I have any for freaks! For vermin! I'll remember all of you!" Okay I think I overdid it a bit! But hell she shouldn't be jeopardising herself like this! Damn stupid stubborn sarcastic sexy woman!

               "You know Agent White just because we can't kill you because you're the face of the governments anti Transgenic campaign, doesn't mean that we won't try and see how much you can handle before pain stops being a phantom of the mind." Will told him quite pleasantly.

               "We don't have time for this! Will lets just knock him out!" Alec suggested, just as Will had instructed on the ride over, not bothering to look at Ames.

               "Alec's right!" Max snapped. "I'll knock him out!" She moved forward to do so.

               Will placed a restraining hand upon her arm. "Not yet, besides do you know how long it'll take for him to recover consciousness because that information was never given to me by Sandemann." She calmly stated.

               Ames just sat glaring at each of the Transgenics in turn, though his glare always returned to Will. What's she got planned? She's already told 'em that they can't kill me because it'll cause bad publicity….

               "No but what does it matter if he's tied up and gagged?" Max glared down at her elder sister.

               The others added their agreement with this statement including Alec.

               "Because I'd rather not be worried about having him and or his possible back up, behind us. That's bad tactics, if you can not take out an enemy or know that they have been otherwise neutralized the best strategy is to take them with you." Will patiently pointed out.

               "I'm not going anywhere with you freaks!" Ames snarled still glaring at Will. I think I see where she's going with this! Good strategy!

               "But Will….." Alec started to object following Will's plan to the letter.

               "His agents are not going to attack us when we have him as a hostage now are they." Will calmly and sarcastically cut Alec off as she had told him she would.

               "I'll tell 'em to shoot you!" Ames unthinkingly snarled at Will. Ooops! Hope I haven't spoilt her plan! Idiot!

               Will calmly took the gag off of Tilly and tied it back around the struggling Familiar's mouth she then smiled at him. "Silence is a virtue." She told him sweetly before turning all of her attention to her kin. "We don't have all night, not if the rumours of these mercs' planning to fly the kids out of the country tomorrow are true, so I suggest we stop talking and complete the job as planned."

               "What about Ames!" Max asked as she glared at the Familiar. "And his goons!"

               "I don't think that he has any back up!" Alec suddenly stated, again he was following Will's script she had planned for her mate's temper and his sarcastic personality. "I think that he was going to go in take out the mercs making it look like we did it, and then get some of his Familiar buddies to take the kids!" He stated and glared at Ames.

               Ames tried to say something through the gag he sounded mad and he was glaring daggers at Alec. So that's the plan?! Damn! But she can read me! If they weren't her kids I'd have done just that!

               Will rolled her eyes at the Familiar and removed his gag. "Can you be civil?"

               Ames glared at her and snapped. "Yes!" 

               "Will what are you doing?" Max asked in bewilderment. "Alec obviously figured out his scheme! Which means he's by himself!"

               Ames snorted at that. "The day 494 figures out one of my schemes is the day I shoot myself!"

               "Hey go right ahead pal! No one will mourn you!" Alec automatically yelled back glaring at the Familiar and not following Will's script.

               "White shut up and listen for a change!" Will ordered. "Alec stop yelling! This is supposed to be a covert rescue mission! Okay so White since we caught you, you are going to help us rescue those kids."

               "Why would I do a dumb thing like that!" He replied sarcastically. Okay I'm lost how the heck are they going to agree now!

               "I hate agreeing with mister inbred here but why would he help?" Max asked also sarcastically.

               "You all know that C.J and I kind of grew up together right….. well he has a very interesting scar….." Will started to say.

               "That little worm told!" Ames growled then wished he'd kept his mouth shut because all but Will stared at him curiously.

               "Apparently Agent White is very possessive about his toys and his territory. C.J was wounded for daring to invade Ames' room and take his favourite toy…. He had kind of an over reaction and an eighteen month old C.J needed quite a few stitches, it was C.J's earliest memory." Will continued as if Ames had not spoken, then she looked him straight in the eyes. "That's why he'll co-operate not to rescue the kids but to take out those who where foolish enough to come onto his turf and hunt his game and succeed….. From what I've heard about you Agent White I don't think that your personality has changed all that much in the intervening years."

               Ames glared at her and just managed to keep silent. Damn it! He told her that! She told everyone! Well it does give me a reason to help them and she's right I haven't changed! I hate people pinching my stuff and invading my territory!

               "I think that his need for revenge far out weighs his wanting to capture the kids." Will shrugged her right shoulder. "After all it's not like we couldn't rescue them from N.S.A. H.Q. in the unlikely event that he managed to get any past us….. Alec and I will be working with him so he won't get the chance to harm any of the children because he'll be too busy helping us take out mercs while the rest of you focus on retrieving the kids and making sure they stay in one piece."

               Max, Alec and the others looked at the determination on Will's face.

               "Yeah I'll help baby sit him and if necessary put a bullet in him." Alec calmly stated shrugging his shoulders. "We can make it look like a robbery gone wrong…. He's wearing expensive clothes and I can get good money for that platinum Rolex watch of his."

                "Yeah people might be suspicious but they won't know for sure, not like if we snap his neck…. Pity none of our guns have silencers, his two don't either otherwise I'd say shoot him now." Mike one of the X5's who had captured him bluntly stated. "Here Will, Alec take his guns it'd be fitting if you shot him with his own weapons."

               Both Will and Alec silently took the proffered guns, nodding their thanks, Alec took the large hand weapon and Will took Ames' small holdout gun that he wore in an ankle holster, both casually put them in their belts.

               Ames just looked on in a stony silence, managing with a supreme effort to keep his sarcasm under check. Will better give me those back!

               "Fine! You two baby sit him! We'll go get the kids!" Max relented, knowing that she would not win the argument with Will and that Mike had a valid point. "But if he gets anywhere near them we kill him!"              

               "Of course." Will stated calmly and nodded for emphasis. "Well Agent White are you coming to play, and help Alec and me kill the mercs?"

               Ames glared at her. "Yes 3 7 8 I'm playing though this truce only lasts for tonight and the mercs' deaths! Next time I see you I'll put you in chains!" He snarled at her. And that Leia bikini! Don't grin! Keep up the pretence of wanting to kill her!

               Will shrugged her right shoulder and grinned at him. "Fair enough."

               Alec busied himself with removing Ames' bonds and managed through a massive effort of will to keep a straight face.

               Ames swiftly stood up and glared down at Will. "I want my guns." He growled.

               "Sorry Agent White but no, we'll keep them, it's not that I don't trust you but I just don't trust you." Will casually replied with a shrug of her right shoulder. "Okay team move out, Alec, White and I will go draw as many mercenaries as possible out after you signal that you're in position."

               Max and the six other X5's swiftly disappeared to execute the first part of the plan, they would each get into position near an entrance point to the mercs' warehouse and while Will, Alec and Ames drew them out and took them down, they would enter and take out any remaining mercs' and free the children.

               Will, Ames and Alec grinned at each other as they waited for each of the X5's to signal that they were in position.

               Ames moved so that he was standing right by Will. "You enjoyed having me tied up didn't you?" He quietly asked as he slipped his arms around her waist and she leant into his embrace and put her own arms around his waist.

               "Yes dear." Will equally as quietly replied. "Luckily I'd thought of all possible scenarios and briefed Alec on what to say in the likelihood that you would threaten to order your agents to shoot us."

               "Yeah she told me what to say…. Well most of it, my reply to your shooting yourself wasn't in her script I ad libbed!" Alec grinned at him.

                "You really need to get a handle on your temper, that's why I gagged you again otherwise you'd have got yourself killed." Will slightly sarcastically explained to her mate.

               "I know, but I just couldn't stop myself." Ames replied with a quiet sigh and a slightly guilty look then he glared at her. "You should be rescuing the kids not being the diversion."

               "Yes Ames but Max and the others would hardly leave you with only Alec for a minder now would they….  Anyway I'm used to working with Alec and I always hated body guarding detail, I prefer to attack rather than defend, that way I call the shots." Will quietly told him.

               The sounds of various natural animal noises for the area could be heard by all three, these were the prearranged signals, each of the X5's had shown Will and Alec their particular way of mimicking their chosen species and the exact rhythm and number of repeats, so as not to get confused with the real article.

               Will tilted her head slightly and grinned. "They're all in position and waiting for us to begin the assault, so lets do so." She ordered and led Ames then Alec out of the warehouse and swiftly got near the mercs' warehouse and signalled Alec and Ames to hide while she went to the door, there was a light on inside.

               Both Alec and Ames did as signalled guessing that she was going to con some of the mercs' into coming out into the open for them to attack.

               Will looked down at her clothes, shook her head slightly and pulled her shirt half out of her jeans, half opened her leather jacket and mussed up her hair a bit, then she started to act inebriated, she started walking, zigging and zagging towards the warehouse door singing slightly off key, slurring her speech a little and giggling and sounding and looking very drunk, she banged on the door.

               "Hey ho! I've come to join the party!" She drunkenly yelled as she banged Darth Vader's theme from Star Wars on the door.

               The warehouse door was swiftly opened and a mercenary stood there bathed in light, he caught her hand before it thumped him in the face Will giggled at him.

               "You got the wrong warehouse!" He told her, letting go of her hand and moved back meaning to slam the door in her face.

               Will stuck her foot in it and giggled again. "Naughty, naughty lying to little old Lily… I know you got a party here a fancy dress party….. I'm a biker!" She slurred giggled, then hiccupped.

               "Look I told you, you got the wrong place!" The merc repeated exasperated.

               While Will was distracting all of the mercenaries with her drunken act, Max and three of the other Transgenics were able to quietly enter the warehouse and hide, while they waited for Will to lure as many mercenaries as possible out of the building.

               Another merc joined the first at the door. "He's right honey we aint got no party here!" He said leering at her. "Although….."

               A third mercenary, obviously the leader came up behind the other two and glared at Will, then at the leering merc. "No! Not until after we deliver the goods!" He ordered. "There's no party here!"

               Will stubbornly shook her head and whined. "That's what the guy in dog make up said! Then he told me the party was over this way!"

               "Dog make up?" The third mercenary pounced. "Where'd you see this guy?"

               Will shrugged her right shoulder and pointed vaguely over her left shoulder with her left thumb. "Dogman was over there, he said that the party was in this direction… yours is the only light so let me in I'm thirsty!" She hiccupped again and wobbled slightly.

               "Dogman! Nix the buyers said they wanted one of the animal freaks too! Lets go get the freak!" A fourth merc hollered as he too came to the door.

               "Where's the party." Will whined as she stuck her head in the door and scanned the room drunkenly and then pulled back from the doorway. "You lied! There's no party here!" She stated then staggered a bit and held her head. "I don't feel so good!" She moaned.

               The mercenaries were ignoring her.

               "Archer, Jakes, Treb, Minty, Lorcan, Diego, Giz, Tex, Snubby, Mischa, O'Rourke and Gibbs you come with us, the rest of you stay here and watch the goods!" Nix ordered.

               He and the three mercenaries at the door pushed past Will and moved outside, they were swiftly joined by the other twelve men, then Minty pulled the warehouse door shut.

               The rest of Will's drunken performance had allowed the other three X5's to silently enter the warehouse and take up position.

               Will was now behind all sixteen of the mercenaries, all of whom were ignoring the supposedly drunken female.

               "Hey mister have you got a painkiller? I got one hellofa a headache." Will queried drunkenly slurring her words slightly as she tugged on the coat of the mercenary nearest to her.

               The huge man scowled at her and snapped. "No!"

               "C'mon lets go catch this dogman!" Nix ordered and he and the fifthteen other mercenaries started to head in the direction in which Will had pointed them.

               Nix had led his men a short way away from the building when he noticed Will staggering along behind them. The mercenaries were right at the ambush point.

               "Lorcan told you we aint got any painkillers now push off!" He ordered her as he walked over to her and put his hands on her to emphasise his order with a literal push.

               Will swiftly straightened and grabbed his hands and threw the very startled mercenary over her head, she then flipped over so that she was staring at the downed man and using her left foot casually and quickly crushed his windpipe.

               Before the other fifthteen mercenaries had time to react Ames and Alec had leapt out from behind the bushes and downed two more of them with quick kicks, killing both.

               Lorcan charged Alec who easily dodged the big man and leapt onto his back as he raced past not able to stop the momentum of his charge fast enough, unlike his bouts in the cage Alec had no need to prolong the fight for appearances sake so he placed his hands around the big mans neck and snapped it as if it were a twig, hopping off the man's back as he collapsed dead on the ground.

               Ames meanwhile was parrying with Gibbs, a skilled martial artist, they were trading blows and kicks, the Ordinary was quickly tiring under the rapid fire onslaught of blows and kicks from the Familiar, who was not bothering to use his strength, though he soon got bored with the game and punched the Ordinary in the head, using his super human strength, caving the man's skull in.

               Will and Alec ended up fighting three of the mercenaries back to back, each making sure to keep their back to the other as they kicked, punched and parried kicks and punches.

               "Just like that job in Spain huh sis!" Alec recalled getting an idea.

               "That it is bro!" Will replied getting his drift immediately.

               As Will spoke she swiftly moved into Alec's arms and just as they had done in Spain he held her firmly, his elbows under her armpits his arms securely crossed over her chest and whirled her around incredibly fast, allowing her to take out all three of their attackers with a joint combination of momentum and well aimed kicks, all three opponents were quickly killed, Alec and Will stopped spinning, though Alec still had his arms around her when they spotted a mercenary running back to the warehouse for aid.

               Alec muttered. "Zambia." And quickly let his hold on Will fall to her hips then her knees as he crouched down and then he sprang up and  forward slightly launching her at the fleeing mercenary.

               Will had got the reference and was prepared when Alec threw her after the mercenary, altering her body's position as she flew through the air so that she hit the mercenary in the back with her feet. The mercenary went down back broken and Will flipped in mid air to land with her hands on his back then flipped onto her feet and then crouched down and snapped the neck of the paralysed man.

               Ames was easily dodging the bullets being fired at him by one of the other mercenaries, waiting for the man to run out of ammunition and silently cursing Will for not letting him have his guns back. I don't care if it'd look odd! She should have let me have my guns back! Sheesh one of 'em would have done! Damn annoying female! Why'd she have to be part of the rescue! Damn it! Why'd this guy have to be a gun freak! Who carries all that hardware! Whose fool idea was it to make mini machine guns! Blasted idiot! When the hell is he gonna run out of ammo for that thing! He continued to mentally curse and moan as he continued to dodge bullets.

               While Will was flying through the air Alec was attacked by another mercenary, he was hit from behind by a baseball bat and went down momentarily stunned.

               The mercenary came in for the kill, Alec recovered and allowed the man to bring the bat crashing down to just above his head before he caught it and holding the bat firmly he pulled the mercenary even closer then brought his legs up and placed them either side of the mercenary's head then swiftly let go of the bat and flipped himself over onto his hands, as if he were about to do push ups, breaking the man's neck in the process. Alec then moved his legs apart allowing the dead man to fall away, and then since he was taking all of his weight on his hands, he brought his legs up fully into a handstand then casually flipped himself onto his feet.

               Will had been set upon by two of the mercenaries, just moments after she broke their comrades neck, still crouching, she kicked out and up with her right leg, kind of like a Cossack dancer, she took out the one who was almost upon her with that swift and powerful kick which she aimed at a kidney causing it to explode and kill the man, in one fluid movement she was fully standing, she was rising from her crouch even as she kicked her opponent.

               The second man then jumped Will from behind and immediately found himself airborne as she used her bucking trick, dropping onto her hands and kicking her legs in the air that she had used days earlier with Ames, but unlike Ames the mercenary did not have the agility or presence of mind to flip himself over in mid air and so he landed on his head, the very violent impact caving in his skull and causing his neck to break, Will then unknowingly echoed the movements of her younger brother and casually raised her legs into a full handstand before flipping onto her feet.

               Alec was battling with a knife wielding mercenary, dodging the crazed slashings of the man, he swiftly grabbed the arm holding the knife and got behind the mercenary holding him pinned to him with one other arm, Alec used his other hand to guide the mans own hand still tightly and vainly clutching the knife into slashing his own throat.

               Will swiftly dealt with another of the mercenaries, she took him out with one kick, snapping his neck and sending him flying back. Then she saw  the last mercenary he had a gun trained upon a still bullet dodging Ames and was about to get a clean shot, Will swiftly crouched and pulled a knife from her cowboy boot and threw it full strength, with unerring accuracy. The knife hit right on target and the mercenary fell forward dead in the dirt before he had a chance to fire a shot, the knife protruding from where it was buried up to the hilt in the back of his skull.

               The sound of his comrade falling down dead momentarily distracted the last mercenary, which was long enough for Ames to take a flying leap at him, both Ames' feet landed squarely on the man's chest imploding his heart. Ames casually dropped to the ground and walked over to Will who was by one of the dead men crouched down to retrieve her knife.

               Alec was already at her side. "Will you can get another knife." He was sarcastically telling her.

               "This one's a pair to the one in the sheath in my other boot, both were Christmas gifts from Deck I've had them for years." Will stubbornly told him as she forcefully yanked her blade from the mercenary's skull.

               Alec grinned at her. "Hey you removed a blade from a skull are you queen of America now?" He quipped.

               Will stopped wiping the knife clean on the mercenary's clothes to roll her eyes at her kid brother. "And you say I make bad puns.

               "You both make bad puns it's obviously a family trait." Ames told them grinning. She's an exceptional fighter! Even dodging that idiot's bullets I saw the stunts she pulled and what she and 494 did together…. I shouldn't have been so worried about her safety! Lucky she's an expert at knife throwing too!

               Will grinned at Ames then added. "Besides I'm Merlyn not Arthur!"

               "Yeah and if you're Merlyn, as you're kid brother I'm Caleb…. 'cept you're bedding Sheriff Lucas Buck here, not warning me how dangerous he is." Alec bantered back grinning.

               "Yeah and Ames' isn't your dad!" Will responded grinning at him.

               "Thank God!" Ames forcefully stated scowling at the very notion. "Lets go see if 452 and the others got the kids and took out the remaining mercs." He ordered and started to head for the warehouse.

               "Ames I'll have to take the guns you took off the merc." Will told him quietly banter forgotten as she stood up after sheathing her now clean knife back in its boot. "Can't have the others spotting them, it'll get you shot."

               Ames glared at her and reluctantly handed over all of the weapons but made no comment. Damn! She's right!

               Alec grinning had snagged three of the proffered weapons and stuck the two revolvers into his belt, with Ames gun and cradled the mini machine gun in one of his arm just like he did with his baby nephews. "C'mon you two lets go." He ordered and led the way to the warehouse.

               Will rolled her eyes at Alec and then just stuck the other two hand guns into her belt, with Ames' ankle gun and the two tiny holdout weapons into two of her jacket pockets.

               The three of them swiftly arrived, Alec in the lead, then Ames and lastly Will in her preferred position of rear guard. Max and the other six X5's and the children were all just leaving the building, Max was the last to exit.

               Max glared at Ames when she saw him. "Damn I was hoping that one of those shots we heard had hit him." She sulked.

               Before Ames could reply Will struck him on the head from behind with a revolver butt, knocking him out, she then swiftly knelt down and retrieved his handcuffs and keys, rolled him onto his side and pulled his arms behind him then cuffed him and then threw away the key to the cuffs. 

               "Hey Max how many were left?" Alec casually asked her.

               "Nine. We took 'em all out no problems!" Max grinned at him. "So looks like you got us some more weapons, Mole'll be ecstatic."

               "Yeah, there's probably more back in the woods these and the ones Will's got were just from one guy! We'll collect up all the weaponry and send them back to Terminal City." Alec promised.

               While they had been talking Will had been quickly checking each of the children over, making sure that none had more than minor cuts and bruises, she was intent on doing this and didn't speak to the kids other than to say hi, I'm going to check you all over, knowing that they didn't have time to waste with pleasantries.

               "Max get the kids to the safe house!" Will ordered having assured herself that all were basically unscathed, she then grinned at the children. "Okay kids Max will fill you in when you arrive at the safe house but the main data is I've adopted you all and you're coming home to Canada with me."

               The older children looked at each other and shrugged then nodded and smiled at Will.

               "Okay I'll talk to you more on the plane trip, I won't see you again until then Max will tell you why all the extra security… best head out." Will ordered.

               "What are you going to do about Ames and all the dead mercs?" Max queried as the two X5's who they had decided would help escort the youngsters to their temporary safe house lead the older ones who carried the younger ones to the waiting vehicles.

               "Well Ames we'll put in his car and I'll drive it to another location, Alec will follow on his bike then take me home. The mercs that's why I asked that four of you X5's remain behind, we'll collect them all up and do a little work on them, make it have the hall marks of a crime feud massacre, then we'll torch the place." Will calmly replied. "We'll collect all the weapons and send them to T.C as Alec said."

               Max nodded and swiftly followed the two X5's and the children into the night.

              "Okay lets get this done before White wakes up!" Will ordered and led Alec and the four remaining X5's to the sight of the ambush. "Okay we'll take six of them back and while I start with the mutilations you get the others then you can help."

               It took them almost half an hour of swiftly working to complete their gruesome task.

               They collected all the weaponry that they could find, to be taken back to Terminal City along with other items of value or usefulness.

               Then they removed their clothing and took anything of value to be found on the mercenaries, including gold teeth, for the general fund at Terminal City and bagged it.

               They then removed the fingertips and natural teeth of each of the twenty five mercenaries. All but one of the mercenaries had at least one tattoo so following Will's lead, they removed any easily identifiable ones such as blue in prison ones and they removed any names from the other tattoos.

               None of the X5's were keen on doing any of this but Will told them that it was necessary and so they obeyed her.

               Will also put the mercenaries ID's etcetera into the personal valuables bag and made the X5's memorise the tattoos and descriptions of which man bore which, and that of the man who had none, so that this data could also be given to Logan, Dix and Luke to aid them in finding out who had hired the mercenaries to capture live Transgenics, because obviously this person or persons could send more people after the Transgenics.

               Teeth, skin and fingertips were put into a carrier bag to be dumped by one of the X5's well away from the warehouse in the hospital incinerator at Harbour Lights were all such human waste items were burnt and the ashes never searched.

               Will then used her knowledge of crime land feud killings to stage the warehouse, those with broken necks were strung up on cables to make it look as if they had been hung, to explain their broken necks, not perfect cover she knew because hanging caused a different kind of break but hopefully the coroner wouldn't be that interested in looking too closely.

               They had found a heavy mallet and she used that on those with their heads caved in, putting material from each wound onto it, so that it would be assumed that it was used on them. They then staged the rest of the mercs bodies in a reasonable facsimile of a crime land feud massacre.

               Then they dumped the removed clothing in piles around the warehouse. Alec and the other X5's then used fuel from cans that the mercenaries had waiting to use in their vehicles and doused the clothes and the entire warehouse, the X5's, all but Alec exited the building and headed back to Terminal City or to Harbour Lights hospital with the bag of cash, watches and lighters etcetera, the other useful and valuable items and the bag of bodily identifiables to be incinerated and all but three of the weapons, Alec wouldn't be parted from the mini machine gun and Will made sure that she got Ames' two guns.

               Will picked up a box of matches from the table and looked at Alec, then they both swiftly left the ware house, Will paused in the doorway casually lit one of the matches and threw it onto the pile of gasoline soaked clothing at the door, it lit up with a whoosh, she then placed the box into her pocket as she swiftly joined Alec in standing by the still unconscious Familiar. The two Transgenics watched for a couple of minutes as flames swiftly engulfed the tinder dry wooden warehouse.

              "Alec get Ames and we'll dump him somewhere not to dangerous." Will ordered as she scented around a bit.

               Alec swiftly and gently hauled the unconscious man onto his shoulder and they quickly moved to where he had hidden his car, Will used her nose to back track his scent.

               Will opened the car doors and got into the drivers seat and buckled up her seat belt.

               "He's going to be even madder at you sis… you knocked him out then cuffed him and threw away the key!" Alec pointlessly told her as he gently sat Ames in the front passenger seat then buckled him in. "When he manages to release himself he'll me intent on killing you!"

               Will grinned at him. "Right on two counts! I don't think he'll kill me well not until after our sons are weaned at any rate."

               "Not funny!" Alec glared then gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean only two counts I make it three?"

               Will showed him an empty right hand then opened it again to reveal the key to the cuffs. "It's amazing what Deck would do to entertain a bored Transgenic." She drolly stated.

               "You didn't throw it away! You palmed it!" Alec was incredulous and very impressed.

               Will rolled her eyes at him. "Yes bro…. you guys got pick pocket training you should be able to do that trick too."

               Alec looked sheepish. "Yeah I suppose I we could. Hey Deck entertained you with magic tricks?"

               "Yeah…. I can do loads of slight of hand tricks, as well as the pick pocket stuff, plus card tricks and a few other ones…. I taught myself to do the trick with the ball from Labyrinth, you know when Jarred is moving it around over his fingers…. That one and the other tricks have come in very handy with all the kids." She grinned at him and started the car. "Go get on your bike bro I want to get back to my cubs."

               Alec grinned back at her as he backed out of the car and closed the door then went to get his bike and was soon following Will as she drove Ames to a safe dumping spot.

               Will swiftly parked the car, gently returned his holdout gun to its ankle holster and the other gun to its holster. She then placed the key to the handcuffs on the dashboard in front of her still unconscious mate stroked him gently on the face and gave him a very tender kiss upon the lips and then swiftly got out of the car shut the door and hopped onto Alec's bike and they quickly raced back to the apartment.

               Asia greeted them at the door, Will had rung ahead.

               "Hi Will they're fine, they haven't woken up, but I've been checking on them." Asia told Will and Alec as soon as they entered the apartment and both rushed past her to the bedroom.

               Will and Alec both smiled at the peacefully sleeping babies and headed back to the lounge where Asia was gathering her things.

               Will gave her a hug. "Thanks Asia! The rescue went great we got all the kids back unharmed and all the mercenaries are dead."

               "That's brilliant news!" Asia replied grinning.

               "Sure is! C'mon I'll get you back to T.C." Alec told her grinning then looked at Will. "I'll be back in a bit, just in case you need help with Ames."

               Will grinned at him. "You can take your time bro go have a drink with the guys have some fun, I'll be fine."

               Alec suddenly recalled her bargain with Ames and grinned. "If you're sure I'll do that after I change at my place." He stated looking down at his blood spattered clothes that also smelled of smoke.  "I'll see you when I see you then bye." He called over his shoulder as he and Asia hurriedly left.

               A while later.

               Will had showered and put her own blood spattered clothes in the bath tub, she then used a rag to carefully remove the blood from her leather jacket and cowboy boots.

               She was relaxing on the sofa in her pyjamas watching the television, an Eye's Only hack was on, when a key was put in the door and a very annoyed Familiar stalked in though he did remember to quietly close the front door so as not to awaken his sons.

               Ames carried a bag from a fancy dress store and a holdall, the contents of which were clanking slightly as he stalked into the lounge and glared furiously at Will.

               Will just smiled at him, flipped off the television and casually stretched. "Hi Ames darling." She held out her arms wrists placed together to be handcuffed. "You know you're really very sexy when you're absolutely livid."

               Ames slowly placed both bag and holdall onto the floor and moved forward one pace. "You hit me!" He ground out still glaring furiously at her and not in a mood to be placated and or sweet talked. "You knocked me out!"

               Will nodded arms still out stretched a neutral expression on her face. "Yes dear but if I hadn't you probably would have said something to really piss Max off and then it would have got ugly and I would hate you for making me hurt my little sister to protect your very sexy hide."

               Ames paused to think about that. I hadn't thought about the why! I only knew that she'd knocked me out! She's right I was about to be sarcastic to 452 and that would have led to more sarcasm from both of us then a physical fight! Yeah I can see her reasoning it being easier to knock me out than seven Transgenics, I doubt if 494 would have helped her knock 'em out!

               Will looked worriedly at the silent Familiar and swiftly stood parted her still outstretched arms and hugged him. "Ames are you okay? I didn't do any damage when I knocked you out did I? Ames?"

               Ames grinned down at her and hugged her back then tenderly kissed her on the lips. "I'm fine I was just thinking, I hadn't thought of the reason why you had knocked me out, you see I was just fuming that you had done so. You're right I was about to piss 452 off so it made sense you knocking me out. I'm hard headed so I'm fine." He reassured her.

               Will grinned at him. "Good because I'd hate to have really damaged you!" She refrained with an effort, from making any quips regarding his hard headedness.

               "Are the babies okay? And the kids?" He asked as he stroked her back.

               "The kids are fine and our sons never knew I was gone they were asleep the whole time." Will replied as she snuggled into his chest.

               Ames broke the embrace and grinned evilly at her. "Time to pay the price!"

               Will grinned back at him. "We'll move the cubs into here first."

               Ames nodded and they both hurried into the bedroom and looked at their peacefully sleeping sons then Ames lifted up the drawer crib containing Kit and Will picked up Kyle they swiftly moved it into the lounge, then Ames swiftly collected Kincaid and Will got Kieran, and soon all four babies were in the lounge, they had begun to stir but Will telepathically soothed them back to sleep.

              Will grinned at Ames then bent down and picked up the bag containing the outfit. "You go set up the bedroom, I'll get changed!" She ordered and swiftly headed into the bathroom.

               Ames grabbed the holdall and did as ordered, he entered the bedroom, undid the zip on the holdall, then placed it over the bed and turned it over emptying the contents onto the super king size bed, inside were the wrist and ankle cuffs and the collar and chain that he had snuck out of N.S.A. H.Q. after he had freed himself from his own handcuffs. He quickly set up the bed, attaching the end of the chain to it then went to wait outside the bathroom for his lover. This should be fun! She'll obey me for once!

               Will emerged from the bathroom and grinned at him.

               Ames just admired her for a few moments as she slowly turned in front of him in the tiny gold bikini with the fake bronze ornamentation.  "Come on! I've some chains and cuffs with your name on!" He growled at her as he led her into their bedroom. "Okay since I didn't tranq you like I should have done, I'm calling the shots!"

               Will grinned at him. "Whatever you say darling…. So call 'em!"

               Ames grinned at her. "Lay down on the bed." Wow! No arguments she must be feeling guilty!

               "On my front or back?" Will queried.

               Ames thought for a few moments before replying. "Back."

               Will did as ordered. "You want me to put the collar on or do you want to?" She casually asked.

               "I'm in charge here!" Ames growled at her grinning evilly.

               Will shrugged her right shoulder and grinned back at him. "Okay then do something already." She ordered anyway.

               Ames picked up the ankle cuffs looked at them then put them back in the holdall, he did the same with the wrist cuffs then placed the holdall on the floor. He then picked up the collar and knelt beside Will on the bed. "Sit up!"

               Will did so smiling at him, deciding that perhaps bondage could be fun after all, well with Ames at least.

               Ames gently placed the collar around her neck and then attached the chain to the link at the front, he then moved off the bed and looked at her and grinned evilly again. "I was right the collar and chain look good on you my little wolf." He told her lovingly not menacingly. "So does that bikini…. Thank you for suggesting it!"

               "You're very welcome." Will replied grinning at him. "You know Ames you're the only person who's ever put me on a leash that I haven't wanted to hurt for doing so… even Deck." She was still sitting having not been told to lay back down.

               Ames evil grin turned into a loving smile. "You're the only person I wouldn't hurt for knocking me out. Hmmm lay down."

               Will did as ordered not minding following orders for once in her life. "Ames I'm going to be gone in a day or so!" She plaintively reminded him.

               Ames who had forgotten this, looked at her in shock then quickly shucked his clothes and hopped onto the bed "Sit up!" He ordered and when Will quickly obeyed he swiftly removed the bikini bra. "Raise you bottom Will! Then each leg!"

               Will immediately complied and Ames swiftly removed the bikini panties then he placed both panties and bra onto a bedside cabinet.

               "Get off the bed!" He ordered and when she complied he swiftly pulled back the covers. "Get in……..Oh hell this isn't as much fun as I though it'd be!" He moaned and quickly removed the collar and chain keys from the holdall and swiftly moved over to Will and undid both and placed the collar, chain and keys back in the holdall. "I prefer you as an equal partner! But I want to be on top!" He stated as he hopped into the bed his arousal plainly evident.

               Will smiled at him and got into the bed and swiftly straddled him so that he entered her. "Mmmmm I much prefer this way! Taking orders is no fun! So Ames since I've done part of the work for you aren't you going to roll us over….. I actually prefer you to be on top too!"

               Ames growled at her and rolled them over as she had asked. "Then why that conversation the other day?"

               Will shrugged her right shoulder. "Well it would be nice to be given the choice instead of you always being on top…. Even though that's my preference too!" With that she started to wiggle and Ames got the hint and all conversation was forgotten.

               14th February 2023 Valentines Day.

               00:03am.

               Will awoke to the sounds of someone sneaking about in the apartment she gently moved over and off of Ames and grabbed the nearest piece of clothing to hand which was his shirt she swiftly pulled it on.

               "Will?" Ames queried quietly he had felt her slide over and off him.

               "There's someone in the apartment." Will quietly told him as she went to the door not making a sound as she moved. 

               Ames swiftly got out of bed and pulled on his trousers and grabbed his guns and silently moved to Will's side and handed her his holdout gun, she took it with a smile, then they both swiftly and silently moved into the lounge and Ames was about to aim his gun at the intruder who was hovering over the cubs when Will spoke.

               "Alec!" She stated having caught his scent.

               Ames immediately relaxed and placed his gun into the band of his suit trousers as Alec turned around.

               "Hi Will, Ames, sorry I didn't mean to wake you, should have know I couldn't get in without your hearing me Will." He said quietly as he walked over to them. "But since you're awake lets talk, we'll use the bedroom." He said and led the way.

               Will and Ames quietly followed, they all quickly entered the bedroom closing the door behind them, Will gave Ames back his gun and he put both back onto the chest of drawers, then joined Will as she hurriedly got back under the covers.

               Alec had sat down on the right side of the bed and waited until Will and Ames were comfortably seated, Ames with his arm around Will's waist and she leaning into him.

               "Okay now first Will stop looking worried everyone's fine your new kids are fine you would have been called otherwise." Alec hastily reassured his sister. "What I needed to talk to you both about and what can't wait until later is that the documentation for the kids the fake adoption papers are finished. Everyone else has packed up their stuff and will be ready to leave tomorrow well this evening."

               "Already?" Will asked in surprise she had thought she and Ames would have another evening and night together at least, particularly with today being Valentines day, she wanted to spend it with the man she loved.

               "I'm afraid so Will, this incident with the mercenaries kidnapping the kids really spooked everyone we're all used to Ames hunting us, but new players coming in." Alec shrugged his shoulders. "That's why as soon as you announced that you'd be adopting the kids our people rushed on making their legal stuff. Max wants you, the cubs, kids and families safely out of Seattle as soon as possible, which is this evening."

               Ames hugged Will and kissed her tenderly. "452's right you know honey, the longer you stay the more chance of someone discovering your existence. I don't want you or our sons to be harmed." Damn! There goes my Valentines meal plans! Damn it! But 452's right its no longer safe for them to be here.

               Will snuggled into his chest. "I know I just hoped it would take a few more days before we were able to leave."

               Ames looked at Alec. "Have you managed to get enough fuel for the plane?"

               Alec was not surprised that Will had told him how she and their sons were getting home. "Yeah, we diverted what we needed from some other aircraft… the techs did it, no one'll know it wasn't a legitimate procedure. Will Max also wanted me to get you to run through your story before we left in case you need anything else before this evening…. Ah I think besides the birth certificates they made up for the cubs, which I have here." Alec reached into the inside pocket off his leather jacket that he had yet to remove and handed them to Will.

               Will and Ames looked at them then placed them back into the envelope and onto the bedside cabinet.

               "Okay well the story I've planned for the kids is that I returned to my former home after the kids had contacted my kids, whom they have been friends with for years to say that they were finally being put up for adoption but that the authorities wanted to split them up, they wanted to know if I was still willing to take all of them." Will stated.

               Ames grinned and nodded. "They're your kids friends so of course you said yes."

               "Yep and got a lawyer friend to sort out all the legalities and paperwork so that all I had to do was sign a piece of paper and take them home." Will grinned back at him.

               "Okay Will the kids are the easy to explain part how are you going to explain the cubs?" Alec queried sounding worried.

               Will put her arm out and drew him into a hug, so that she was now being hugged by both Ames and Alec, one on either side and for once neither male minded the fact that they were touching the other.

               "Alec quit worrying I'm a skilled strategist remember, plus I recall some weird pregnancy related facts for Ordinaries. I can use those to explain away my pregnancy." Will calmly reassured him.

               "So what's the story?" Ames asked.

               "Before I went to Canada." Will smiled at Ames and kissed him on the lips then continued. "I had been dating a guy Matthew Steven Gibbon-Bayne for a couple of years. We split up because he decided that he didn't want to settle down with a wife and eight kids, he wanted to follow his dream of working abroad and so he left for a job aboard before we left for Canada, before we found out that we had inherited the farm. We had both decided on a clean break so he didn't leave a forwarding address and he had no family that he was close too or anyone that he would leave his details with."

               "So you do live in Canada, I wondered what with Ray being able to skate on your lake and the amount of snow he said that you had had." Ames smiled at Will. "Oh the cover sounds okay so far, he's unreachable so he couldn't have a change of heart after hearing about his sons." No one will ever learn were they live from me! I'll die before I betray her, our sons and her other kids! She's Ray's mother too!

               "Ah Will it does sound good but how will you explain the pregnancy?" Alec asked still worried. "The timings aren't right you went to Canada almost fifthteen months ago."

               "Well Alec everyone knows that I returned to my old home for a couple of weeks just over eight and a half months ago and multiples are usually born early so the time frame fits." Will shrugged her right shoulder. "People will believe that Matt was there visiting too and that we slept together but afterwards realised it was a mistake and went our separate ways, without giving each other our new contact details. Deck always taught me to play on peoples belief in human frailties and to use their….. well penchant for soap opera type scenarios, the pregnancy story does… the Ordinaries will believe it."

               "She's right they'll definitely believe that kind of stuff!" Ames agreed nodding his head for emphasis. "It's amazing what Ordinaries will swallow." She returned to Seattle eight and a half months ago? So I wasn't seeing things! She was at that second public fiasco! She must have told Ray not to mention her absence! Smart of her!

               "Okay, but the not showing etcetera… how are you going to explain that?" Alec queried still worried.

               Will shrugged her right shoulder. "That's actually easy because not all women stop menstruating while they are pregnant, luckily my being sterilised is not something I tell people even the kids don't know, the X5's only found out because I sensed the cubs and freaked so I had to debrief them. You two were the only ones who knew before I found out I was pregnant, even now the only other people in Seattle who know the whole truth are Max, Logan, Joshua, Original Cindy, Asia, the other medics and Dix and Luke."

               "Yeah that's right they don't know about Will being sterilised, just that she got pregnant without sex." Alec grinned suddenly. "Until the adult females found out that Will was the only one who Sandemann had done this to, well they were all very worried!"

               Will hit him quite hard on the stomach. "It's not funny bro! Keep talking like it is and if we ever find Sandemann I'll get him to give you a sex change and give you the correct reproductive organs and implant four embryos!" She threatened and obviously meant it.

               Ames burst out laughing as he pictured a pregnant 494. Oh hell that's hilarious!

               Alec rubbed his sore stomach and looked at his elder sister in shock. "I promise I won't make fun of them for their reactions again!"

               Will grinned at him. "Good. As I was saying, not all women stop menstruating during pregnancy and not all women have symptoms or show so I can say I didn't know I was pregnant until I went into labour, it's been known to happen even to women who have had other perfectly normal pregnancies, so I will be believed."

               Alec grinned at her. "Sounds reasonable to me. Ames?"

               Ames looked slightly surprised at being asked for his opinion especially by 494. "Yeah it'll work, I've heard of cases like those so she'll be believed. Like I said Ordinaries are quite gullible!" He actually values my opinion!

               "Great. I'll go to bed then. Oh if you want since there are bottles in the fridge I can feed the quads." Alec graciously offered.

               Ames smiled at him. "Thank you Alec but no, I'd like to watch Will feed our sons one last time, the bottles will keep for a later feed." That's the second time I've called him Alec, but both times it was appropriate, calling him 494 would have been wrong!

               Alec smiled back at him. "They can stay in the lounge until they want feeding." He stated and swiftly left the room, not making any cracks about Ames using his name rather than his number and realising that that was the second time, the first being when he had volunteered to help Ames hunt down Sandemann for what he did to Will.

               Will removed her shirt and threw it onto the floor, Ames quickly followed suit with his trousers, he then embraced Will. But they did not make love straight away.

               "So you like to watch me breast feed?" Will asked him smiling at him.

               "Yes it's one of the sexiest things, watching you breast feed our sons, I thought so from the start, before we made love or I knew that they were our cubs." Ames smiled back at her. "Will you never told me about your newest children, I know all your other children's names and ages and the names and ages of your nieces and nephews on the farm but not about your newest kids I can make a guess at ages from seeing them but I'd like to know about Ray's new siblings."            

               "I'll leave Ray to tell you the details for his new cousins he'll be peeved enough that I've told you about his new siblings. Oh Ray's going to be getting two more room mates Mark and Lincoln, you know that he told all the kids about midnight feasts." Will told him trying to look annoyed but failing miserably.

               Ames laughed. "But you don't actually mind do you." He rhetorically stated.

               Will shook her head grinning. "Nah… I'm pretty laid back and midnight feasts are fun, I usually end up gate crashing… My new kids are: Thaddeus seventeen; Kate seventeen she was the X6 called Gizmo who aided in my rescue; Templeton just turned seventeen; Dalton, he was at the Jam Pony siege, fifthteen almost sixteen; Lincoln nine; twins Conner and Callum eight; Anya eight; Isobel seven; triplets Jade, Jenna and Jasmine four almost five; Rowanne female almost three and Harley female two." Will started to nuzzle him and all thoughts of more conversation were forgotten.