Seeing that she now has more of Charlie's attention Maddy continues the story.

"Five years later the main board room of the Florin Corp was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the Chief Special Operative Larry's partner to be.

Larry holds up his hands for silence, clears his throat and beams a huge smarmy smile. "My people! A month from now, our company will have its 500th Anniversary. On that sundown I shall partner with a lady who was once a common merc and arms dealer like yourselves. But perhaps you will not find her common now. Would you like to meet her?"

The crowd in the board room responds with a resounding "Yes!"

"My people, the Special Operative Fiona!" He announced in ringing tones while sweeping out an arm to encompass the opening doors.. A stunning young woman with flowing dark hair and a slight willowy build walks calmly through the door.

Maddy changed her voice to a slightly lower pitch to fill in the narration about how she figured that Fiona was feeling at the time.

"Fiona's emptiness consumed her. Although the law of the company gave Larry the right to choose his partner, she did not love him (much less really like him). Despite Larry's reassurance that she would grow to love him, the only joy she found was in her daily walks to the munitions shop where she could loose herself in the creation of new weapons and explosives".

Xxxxxx00000xxxxxx00000

The next morning Fiona is out for her usual daily walk. As she reaches the mid-point of the several mile long trail she comes across a small group of men. She eyes them with mistrust but not seeing anything too threatening she stops when they address her.

"A word my lady? ...We are but poor lost arms dealers. Is there a facility nearby?" asks the first of the men. A tall slender man with a slightly ferrity face and watery blue eyes.

Fiona trying to be helpful since they seem rather harmless replies with the truth.

"There is nothing nearby. Not for miles."

The man who just happened to named Brennen smiled a slightly evil smile and states in an overly relaxed tone. "Then there will be no one to hear you scream..."

A tall, good looking black man quickly grabs Fiona by the neck, injects something from a syringe and renders her unconscious. And with the assistance of an athletically built older gentleman in a loud Hawaiian shirt they take Fiona to their boat.

Hearing a tearing noise behind him the man in the Hawaiian shirt turns to Brennan.

"What is that you're ripping?"

"It's fabric from the uniform of an operative of Guilder!" Is the rather snarky reply.

" Who is Guilder?" questions the tall black man.

"The company across the bay! The sworn enemy of Florin!" Comes the almost scathing response.

Brennan makes sure to scuff up the ground in the area where the abducted Fiona and makes it look like the piece of fabric was caught on a tree, but still in plain sight,

"Go!" Brennan practically shouts. "Once enough time has lapsed and the woman does not check in at the armory then the search parties will be sent out, the fabric will make the chief special operative suspect that the Guilderians have abducted his love. When he finds her body dead at the Guilder front gates his suspicions will be totally confirmed."

"You never said anything about killing anyone?" The tall black man gasps.

Brennan replies in an angry and frustrated tone of voice. "I hired you to help me start a war. It's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition!"

"I just don't think it's right...killing an innocent woman."

"Am I going mad, or did the word 'think? escape your lips?" Brennan scoffs. "You were not hired for your brains you hippo-britanic land mass!"

At this point the man in the Hawaiian shirt interrupts the beginning of the tirade "I agree with Jesse."

"Oh, the sot has spoken!" Brennan snarls, turning his rage on the other man. "What happens to her is not truly your concern. I will kill her! And remember this, never forget this;" He is practically frothing at the mouth at this point. "When I found you, Sam, you were so slobbering drunk, you couldn't buy a mojito! And you!" He turns back to Jesse. "Friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you to where you were? Stuck in a cubicle farm, in Counter Intelegence!"

Brennan stalks away and with sharp motions unties the boat from the dock and prepares to set way.

Sam trys to lighten the mood by turning to Jesse and in a low voice says to him, "Brennan, he can...fuss."

"Fuss, fuss, I think he likes to scream at us." Replies Jesse starting in on what appears to be a common way of blowing off time between the two.

"Probably he means no...harm." Sam quips.

"He's very, very short on...charm." Jesse raises an eyebrow.

"You have a great gift for rhyme." Sam winks.

Jesse shoots him a smart ass grin "Yes, yes, some of the time."

"Enough of that!" Brennan shouts after plainly hearing their round of slightly baiting word play.

At which point Sam pipes up with "Hey Jesse, are there rocks ahead?"

"Well Sam, If there are, we'll all be dead."

"No more rhymes now, I mean it!" Grumps Brennan.

"Anybody want a peanut?" Gasps out Jesse, since both he and Sam are now struggling to even remain upright much less resist laughing out loud.

"Aauuuggghhhhh!" Shouts Brennan, shaking his fist at both of them.

To be continued….