Monday, February 6th, 2017
Counter Terrorism Command HQ
London, England
Commander Patrick Haig was at his desk when his long-suffering Sergeant knocked and entered the room,
"This just came over the wire, sir."
Sergeant Woodward pushed a piece of paper onto her boss' desk. Commander Haig picked it up and he read the neat paragraphs of printed text.
"Thank you, Woodward. Well, well, well . . . what do we have here."
"Interesting, don't you think, sir?"
"I need to fly to Leeds – make the arrangements and have a car ready for me . . . and my granddaughter, too."
"Yes, sir!"
Hyde Park
Electra was bored.
She was home for half-term and staying with her grandfather. She missed her friends, but she could not stay in Scotland at Blairhoyle every time the school broke up for the holidays. She was not totally alone as she had her brother and she talked to her friends on her mobile phone. That mobile phone rang and Electra grinned when she saw who it was.
"Hi, Grandpa!"
"Electra, I am sending Woodward for you. We're headed to Leeds – pack light."
Electra recognised the no-nonsense tone and she responded instantly.
"I'll be ready in two minutes – see ya!"
At the other end, Patrick chuckled as he made another call before he readied himself for the short ride to the heliport.
Flying north
Electra studied the document which her grandfather had shown her.
The name was familiar: Rylee Clarkson. She had to be a Predator from the description of what had occurred. If so, there was a procedure for the event, however, unlike other Predators, this one was different.
"This is first contact, grandpa," Electra said. "We need Saoirse and Stephanie in on this – maybe even Vengeance, considering the shitstorm this is going to be."
Patrick Haig grinned over at his granddaughter, proud of her intellect and speedy grasp of information, if not her grasp of profanity.
"Already notified," he replied. "Vengeance happen to have two members in the immediate vicinity. Mindy is flying over with Saoirse and Stephanie as we speak."
"Mindy?"
"She says she wants a holiday, but I see it as something else. She is disturbed by what has happened, as am I."
"From what I read, she just did her job," Electra pointed out.
"She killed two men and seriously injured two more in broad daylight before dozens of witnesses. Do you know what would happen if the facts of Urban Predator ever got out to the general public?"
Electra nodded, forlornly.
"The Government may fall, as may those of other countries and there would be anarchy."
"Exactly."
"Where is she being held?"
West Yorkshire Police Headquarters
Wakefield, West Yorkshire
19:40
"I want to see my daughter!"
"I am sorry, Mrs Clarkson, but your daughter is still being interviewed."
"She's eleven-year-old! She needs me with her – you have no right!"
"Sorry, your daughter has been involved in the deaths of two men and the injury of two others. That is very serious, and the skills involved are very worrying. The decision has been made to hold you child under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act."
"That is bullshit!" Rachel Clarkson exploded.
"Please calm down, or you will have to leave. . ."
"That is enough, Sergeant!" a commanding voice ordered.
"Excuse me?" the sergeant demanded.
"Commander Haig, Special Branch. I will be taking over the interviewing of the Clarkson girl. I want the use of a boardroom and some coffee. But first, I want to see Rylee Clarkson."
"Under whose authority?"
"The Home Secretary. Your Superintendent should have received notification of my arrival earlier today."
"I have no knowledge. . ."
"Pick up the damn phone!" Commander Haig roared. "That's what it's bloody for!"
The Sergeant did so and within minutes, a flustered police Superintendent appeared.
"Give the Commander anything he wants, Sergeant."
"Yes, sir!"
"I'll take Mrs Clarkson, here," Electra said. "Sergeant, you have a suitable room, something comfortable and close to the boardroom?"
The sergeant looked at the Commander who simply raised an eyebrow. Five minutes later, Electra and Rachel were left in a comfortable meeting room up on the fourth floor.
"Your daughter is safe, Mrs Clarkson," Electra stated. "I am the same as Rylee, I am a Predator."
"I never found out what one of those was."
"Nobody told you?" Electra asked incredulously."
"No.
"Crap!"
..._...
The police Superintendent was not happy.
Firstly, there had been a car chase with gunshots being fired – that had been a ginormous mess involving the Security Service. Secondly, there had been a major incident when a robbery had gone bad in Ilkley, involving a minor. Now, he had a bigwig from Special Branch on his doorstep with carte blanche to do what he liked, thanks to a cryptic letter from the Home Secretary.
When Patrick was escorted into the custody block, his face darkened as he found several officers gathered around a one-way mirror. They discreetly vanished as their boss waved them away. Inside the room, a small girl sat behind a steel table, seated on a steel chair. Her wrists were cuffed and secured to a ring set into the table top. Two senior CID officers were in the room along with a female uniformed officer.
"What the devil!?" Patrick exploded.
"She injured two of our officers – she had to be restrained," the superintendent explained.
"Have her moved to the boardroom, immediately – never mind, I'll take her."
Patrick strode for the door into the interrogation room.
..._...
"What the devil!?" Detective Inspector Havent exploded as the door to the interview room burst open without even a knock.
The Detective Inspector saw a man enter clad in a trench coat and grimaced. He saw his boss's boss shaking his head and stood to one side. Rylee looked up at the newcomer – she was enjoying herself, and has yet, had not said a word to the detectives interviewing her, beyond providing her name and address. That appeared to have annoyed said detectives. The newcomer grinned down at Rylee.
"Hello, Rylee. I've come to sort out this little predicament. We have some much nicer accommodation for you. If you are what you are, I'm sure you can sort out those handcuffs."
"Finally, someone who talks sense!" Rylee huffed as she manipulated the handcuffs for a few moments before discarding them and standing up. "You have a very good interrogation technique, Detective Inspector, but it could do with some improvement, I think."
With that, Rylee Clarkson walked out of the room, followed by Commander Haig.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Detective Inspector Havent demanded as he tried to get a handle on what had just happened – not to mention that a small girl had just picked her handcuffs before his very eyes.
..._...
As they exited the lift on the fourth floor, Commander Haig turned to Rylee.
"Now, while I sort things out so we can have a brief chat, I would like you to go into that room there, where the girl is waiting."
Rylee was stunned to see a familiar face, but she could not remember where she had seen the face before. However, another familiar face soon became apparent as she stepped into the meeting room.
"Mum!"
"Rylee!"
Rylee ran to hug her mother tightly.
..._...
As Commander Haig and Electra entered the boardroom, he found two people standing over by the windows on the far side of a large twelve-seat mahogany table.
"Hello, Keira," Patrick said, holding out his hand.
"Commander," Keira replied as she took the hand and shook it.
"This must be Charlotte."
"Charlie, Grandpa – she's a tomboy."
Charlotte rolled her eyes as she held out her hand.
"Charlotte Perrin, Commander."
"Good to meet you, Charlotte"
"Nobody has told us very much about what is going on – what is going on?" Keira asked.
"Rylee Clarkson," Patrick explained, pushing over two files to Keira and Charlotte.
"It can't be," Charlotte breathed.
There was a knock on the door and Charlotte's mouth dropped open as a familiar face appeared – she was older and taller, but it was definitely her.
"Rylee!" Charlotte shouted and Rylee flinched before her eyes went wide.
"Charlie . . . wow!"
"You look good, Rylee."
"So, do you."
"Rylee, this is Commander Haig, Special Branch. He knows all about Predators – well, he should, considering his own granddaughter is one."
"Electra – I remember her now," Rylee said, smiling.
"This is Keira Sharp; her little sister is also a Predator: Harper."
"Harper Brown?"
"As she was, but she's now Harper Sharp," Keira corrected.
"She's alive?"
"Just about, although fate seems to continue having other ideas," Electra grinned.
"Can I ask what the hell is going on?" Rachel Clarkson demanded, at her wits end.
"Sit down, please," Commander Haig suggested.
Everyone sat down and Keira poured out some coffee for the adults while Charlotte passed out bottles of water for the younger members present.
..._...
"Now, we have a lot to discuss," Commander Haig began. "However, Rylee, Mrs Clarkson, I would like you both to know that you are among friends and those who know what you are both going through. Normally, when a Predator is recovered from the wild, those taking them in are fully briefed . . . however, in this instance, we failed you both. You were both forced to survive, alone, coping with what Rylee is. From today, that situation will change. Mrs Clarkson, what you are about to hear will come as a shock to you, I also ask you not to judge, despite what is said here, this evening."
Rachel Clarkson was feeling very uneasy and she could see her daughter squirming in her seat. However, the Commander spoke in a manner which came across as friendly and sincere, therefore, Rachel felt that she could trust the man.
"Okay," she said as Keira stood up.
"Your daughter was part of a Central Intelligence Agency programme called Urban Predator..."
Keira spoke for almost an hour, leaving nothing out, before ending with the final assault in Toulouse which had resulted in Rylee's freedom.
"You should not have been left to fend for yourselves. A Predator is a sensitive child..."
"I am not 'sensitive'!" Rylee growled ominously – she was tiring and that was never a good sign, Keira knew from bitter experience.
"Rylee. Ditch the hard-girl routine," Keira suggested. "I've seen it all before, in so many children. I know it is part of who and what you are, but you don't need to maintain that tough outer shell anymore."
Rylee scowled, and Rachel began to understand more about what her daughter was. She had been horrified to find out about what her daughter had suffered and endured, but she was also proud of Rylee for surviving against all the odds.
"She's right," Charlotte conceded. "You know me, Rylee. You know that I would never lie to you. You – are – safe. It took me a while to revert to being as normal a girl as possible and it was not easy. You are no longer alone – you have me, and you have Electra. There are currently forty-six recovered Predators enjoying a new life – you are number forty-seven."
"There are that many?" Rylee asked, astounded by the number.
"Too many died," Electra stated. "But so many have survived. Some, like Charlie, made bad mistakes along the way, but they saw the light. I am just grateful that you never turned bad."
"Bad?" Rylee enquired.
Charlotte winced.
"I fell in with a bad crowd, in the U.S., last year. I became a mercenary – a Marauder. I was taken down..." Charlotte lifted her top to reveal the horizontal scar on her tummy. "...by a Chicago vigilante. She saved my life and I now have an amazing family and a life of freedom. I can't get away from what I am, but having friends helps. I have Predator friends, and sort-of-normal friends which gives me balance, I suppose. Most importantly, I have people to talk to who know what I've been through and, believe me, talking really helps."
"Okay," Commander Haig said loudly. "It is getting late – let's retire and pick things up after a good night's sleep."
"We've booked us some rooms at a Premier Inn, just down the road," Keira said. "Rylee, if you wish, you can stay with the girls, as long as the threw of you promise not to blow anything up!"
Rylee grinned enormously as Charlotte shrugged and Electra scowled.
The Hotel
"Is it safe leaving the three of them together?" Rachel asked as she and Keira made for the bar.
The three girls had been left in a room with a pile of pizza and a dozen cans of Coke.
"Probably not," Keira admitted.
"They'll be fine!" Patrick stated loudly. "Let's get a bite to eat and a pint."
As the three adults sat down, Rachel sighed.
"I feel so relieved."
"When I found out what my little sister had been up to, I was utterly speechless," Keira said. "Then, I saw my little sister kick the crap out of some guy."
"Rylee took out five youths before my very eyes, like it was nothing – not to mention what she did today."
"Let's drink!" Patrick stated as he jumped up. "Mrs Clarkson?"
"Rachel, please, Commander."
"Patrick – what's your liquid?"
"White wine, please."
"Commander?" Patrick said, looking over at Keira.
"Tetley's, please, Patrick."
"Pint?"
"Does it come in any other size?" Keira grinned.
"Spoken like a true sailor!"
Patrick vanished off to the bar, leaving the two women talking.
The Girls
Naturally, Rylee had not brought any bedtime clothing.
However, Charlotte loaned the girl a T-shirt to keep her decent – not that Rylee cared. Electra sat on the sofa bed while Charlotte and Rylee took the large double bed. After changing, they dug into their pizzas and opened some cans of Coke.
"This feels so cool," Rylee commented.
"It feels good being amongst your own kind, doesn't it?" Electra grinned.
"Yes, it does. Who else is alive?"
"From Toulouse?" Charlotte asked. "Lin, Xiāngxìn, Jake, Shannon, Marc, Sarah, Guinevere, Dylan, Timmy, Naomi, Harper, Kaitlin, Kendra...," Charlotte hesitated before continuing, "Christina and Sky Abbott."
"The fucking bitch twins survived!" Rylee exclaimed.
"Believe me, they're not the same – they've mellowed," Charlotte said.
"I'll never see eye-to-eye with those two – fucking never!"
"You need to try and forget about things we did to each other," Charlotte said. "I've forgiven you for what you and Tanya did to me in the woods. It was in the past and there's no point in dwelling on the past."
"I did some really bad things, didn't I?" Rylee stated as she gazed at her slice of pizza.
"We all did," Charlotte admitted.
Rylee began to cry – she had no idea why, but she cried.
The Bar
"Another round, ladies?"
The three of them had just finished off large mixed grills and their second round of drinks.
"I shouldn't," Rachel commented.
"Bring it on!" Kiera directed.
"Oh, what the hell!" Rachel exclaimed. "Make mine a Bloody Mary."
Patrick returned from the bar, a few minutes later, with the drinks, a pint of Guinness, and three shots of dark rum.
"To our children, grand-children, and sisters," Patrick said as he raised his glass in the air.
"Children, grand-children, and sisters!" intoned the two women as they raised their own glasses high.
"You have joined an illustrious group, Rachel," Patrick stated. "You will never be alone – unless you want to be, of course."
"Thank you, both of you. It's a weight off my mind, I can tell you. I worry about Rylee every damn night, and I worry what she might do next. Is she going to be charged – for..."
"Absolutely not!" Patrick stated. "It's a dog thing."
"Huh?" Keira and Rylee said together.
"Rylee was just being what she is, simple as that. Do we imprison dogs for pissing up a lamppost?" Patrick stated. "Do we imprison politicians for being spineless, lying, worms? No, we do not! Rylee is what Rylee is, simple as that, and through no fault of her own. However, like a dog, we have to distract Rylee from what she is hard-wired to do and teach her to redirect her nastier habits."
"You saying a dog pissing up a lamppost is a metaphor for Rylee slaughtering criminals?" Rachel asked.
"I suppose," Patrick chuckled.
"Predators do behave like undisciplined mongrels – especially the bitches!" Keira laughed. "In my view, and bitter experience, the females of the species are a lot worse than the males. They don't exactly shit on the carpet, but they do leave quite a mess behind."
Rachel laughed hard at that.
..._...
"Should we check on the mongrels?" Rachel asked an hour later.
Keira nodded and they stopped outside the room occupied by the three mongrel bitches – there was no sound. Keira inserted the key card and she pushed open the door. The room was dimly lit by a single lamp beside the double bed. Only Electra was still awake. Charlotte and Rylee were fast asleep on the bed, partially under the quilt.
"We had a crying session, but she needed it," Electra stated without mentioning who had been crying.
"Thank you, Electra," Rachel said as she smiled at her sleeping daughter.
"It's like watching a fusion bomb sleeping, recharging," Patrick commented dryly as he grinned down at Electra. "When they're fully charged – BOOM! They wake up with more energy than anything I've ever seen."
Electra laughed as she lay down beside Rylee, sandwiching the girl between her and Charlotte.
"Night, Electra," Keira said. "Sleep tight."
The following morning
Tuesday, February 7th
Breakfast
It was like watching a miniature herd of wild animals foraging for food.
The three girls did very well out of the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. However, it had taken a show of Keira's Taser to ensure that the three girls behaved long enough for all to eat their fill.
"She wouldn't use that, would she?" Rylee asked.
The cold expressions she received from Charlotte and Electra, not to mention the satisfied look on Keira's face told all.
"That's so not cool," Rylee muttered as she dug into her fourth sausage.
Rachel laughed at her daughter, pleased that the girl was able to be her true self.
West Yorkshire Police Headquarters
Wakefield, West Yorkshire
09:00
They were back at the police station as it was deemed secure enough for their immediate needs.
Detective Inspector Havent glowered at Rylee and her mother as he strode past them on their route up to the same boardroom which they had used the previous evening. Once they were seated, Commander Haig let them in on a little secret.
"The Detective Inspector is not best pleased because he received a personal phone call, late last night, at his home. He was ordered to drop any investigation into a certain Rylee Clarkson. He had no choice but to comply."
"Who ordered that?" Rachel asked.
"The P.M.," Patrick replied.
"Who?" Rylee asked.
"The Prime Minister," Electra told the dumfounded girl. "Stick with us, Rylee, and you just might rub shoulders with some very important people today."
"Yeah, right!" Rylee growled.
Rylee was truly astounded that the Prime Minister had taken the time to call on her behalf. What was going on? What was she getting involved with? She felt like Alice in Wonderland and she felt like she was about to slip down the rabbit hole. The rabbit hole yawned wide as Rylee was led into the next-door meeting room to find a young woman and a young girl sitting at one side of the table.
"Please answer all their questions, leave nothing out," Keira said supportively. "I'll be here with you, okay?"
Rylee nodded.
"Hello, Rylee, my name is Mindy, and this is Saoirse."
Rylee frowned at the American accent, but she said nothing.
..._...
"You are Rylee Clarkson, yes?" Mindy asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Age?"
"Eleven, ma'am."
"You are a Predator, right?"
"Er, yes, ma'am."
"Is that where you learnt these skills?"
Rylee's attention was drawn to a forty-inch wall-mounted television which was playing a video showing Rylee's rope-dart attack at Tesco the previous morning.
Rylee nodded.
"Why did you select that particular weapon?" Mindy asked.
"It seemed the right weapon for the task ahead," Rylee replied. "I had to be in positive control of any weapon I used as there were innocents present."
"Why were you taught that particular weapon and set of moves?" Mindy persisted.
"We were taught the weapons and skills of the one we were sworn to kill."
"Who might that be?"
"Hit Girl!" Rylee all but spat. "She is responsible for everything. She is responsible for Urban Predator. She is responsible for the suffering of hundreds of children like me. She is responsible for what I am."
"What do you want to do about it?" Mindy asked.
"If I ever meet Hit Girl, I will kill her. I will make her suffer. I will cut out her heart and make the bitch eat it before its even stopped beating and while she's still alive."
"If I were Hit Girl, what would you say to me?"
Rylee's expression darkened and Saoirse found herself reaching for the small knife which she carried in her waistband.
"I would never speak to her; I would simply kill her."
"Good to know," Mindy commented with a raised eyebrow and a look at Saoirse who shrugged. "Let's go back to the others."
"That's it?" Rylee asked as she calmed herself down.
"What else do you want?" Mindy asked as she strode out of the room.
..._...
As Rylee stepped into the boardroom, her blood ran cold.
"You!"
"Huh?" a young blonde-haired girl barely had time to ask before Rylee ran at her.
"Traitor!"
"Here we go again..." Electra commented dryly as she grimaced at Charlotte.
Rylee shoved the blonde-haired girl to the floor, and she raised her fist before pausing at the sound of her mother's voice.
"Rylee!"
Rylee lowered her fist but continued to glower at the girl on the floor.
"I see you've met my daughter," Mindy commented as she and Saoirse simply stepped over Stephanie, ignoring her completely as she lay on the floor.
"I know I said I missed these welcomes but come on!" Stephanie growled as she regained her feet.
"Stephanie Walker, right?" Rylee asked coldly.
"Wrong – my name is Stephanie Lizewski, but I was Stephanie Walker, and yes, I betrayed Urban Predator."
"Sorry," Rylee said, "I just reacted."
"Don't worry, she's used to it," Electra grinned as she gave Stephanie a withering look.
"Not my fault!" Stephanie whined.
"Never is," Saoirse commented dryly.
There was a knock on the door and a head peered in.
"Good, the right room – hi, guys!"
Rylee and Rachel stared at the young girl who had just entered the room, barely noticing the woman who came in behind, shutting the boardroom door.
"You are shitting me!" Rylee exclaimed.
Electra rolled her eyes.
"Rylee, Rachel, this is Mary – otherwise known as Her Royal Highness Princess Mary etcetera, etcetera."
"Hello, Rylee, Mrs Clarkson," Mary said as she gave Electra and then Charlotte a hug.
Rylee performed a perfect curtsey.
"Your Royal Highness," she said.
"Can it!" Mary directed. "In private, I'm just Mary, okay. Predators curtseying is just creepy."
"Of course, Your Royal Highness," Electra said as she curtsied.
Mary ignored Electra who giggled with Stephanie and Charlotte at the joke. Rachel however, was not amused.
"You can curtsey?" she demanded of her daughter.
"So, what?" Rylee replied.
"Never mind!" Rachel groaned.
"You know about Predators?" Rylee asked Mary.
"I do. I learnt all about them, last year," Mary explained. "One saved my life, and the rest saved the country."
Electra blushed as Stephanie grinned at her friend.
..._...
"Why are you here?" Rachel asked.
"I came up from London, just this morning. I was sent to pass on a message from my Grandmother," Mary explained. "When my Grandmother found out about the heinous programme called Urban Predator and that Her Government had been involved, she was both very angry and very sad. I was given the task of acting on her behalf when it came to matters relating to Predators and Urban Predator. As such, when I say how sorry I am that you, Rylee Clarkson, have suffered so horribly, you know that the words come from my Grandmother. Rachel Clarkson, you too have suffered from the loss of your daughter and your husband. We cannot repay that loss, but we can assist you from this point forward."
Mary sat back as Saoirse began to talk.
"I am Saoirse Hella. I am a Predator. Me and Stephanie, here, are responsible for first contact with recovered Predators. Unfortunately, no one knew of your existence until yesterday, and we apologise for that oversight. We both know how hard it is to get used to a new life. Mrs Clarkson, we know that gaining Rylee back has been a financial burden to you, a single parent. As such, the Government will provide you with a lump sum to help with anything you need, such as a larger home. You will also receive a monthly amount to help ends meet. You also need to keep your mouth shut. Urban Predator will never come out – that is for the good of the respective governments and also for the Predators themselves."
Rachel looked over at her daughter.
"What happens now?"
"Now, you go back to your normal life," Mindy said. "Saoirse has some details she needs from you, then you are free to leave."
"Oh, one more thing," Keira said. "It's half-term next week and we have something big planned, this weekend. Would you both like to join us?"
"The both of us?" Rachel queried.
"If you can get the time off work," Keira replied. "It would give Rylee time with her own kind."
Rachel looked at Rylee who was nodding furiously.
"We'd love to."
..._...
As the group were walking down the stairs, Mindy turned to Rylee.
"Who is Simon?"
Rylee looked downcast for a moment before she responded.
"He was just a friend."
"Like hell, he was!" Charlotte exclaimed. "Mindy, Simon was to Rylee what Jake is to me, and what Marc is to Shannon. Probably like Dave is to you. Simon and Rylee were never apart. They were taken together, and they relied on each other to survive. Simon was Rylee's conscience and confidante. He was also a good friend to me and others."
"Thank you for telling me," Mindy told Charlotte.
That afternoon
Valley Drive
Ilkley
Rylee sagged onto the sofa with relief.
It had been a rollercoaster ride which had started with her killing two men, injuring two more, and then somewhere around the middle she had spent a few hours being grilled by an obnoxious Detective Inspector whatever his name was. Unfortunately for him, he was grilling a Predator who had aced her introductory SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, & Extract) course. It had been great fun watching the man stress as he tried to get Rylee to talk, only she was in her own little world, oblivious to everything going on in that room. Rylee had only spoken once to make use of the toilet and to accept a drink and a sandwich. Finally, the end of the rollercoaster had included meeting two people she knew, including Charlotte, someone she knew well, and trusted completely.
"Holy, shit!"
Rylee turned to see her mother sitting at her laptop, frozen.
"What's up, Mum?" Rylee asked as she went over to see what was wrong.
Rachel simply pointed at the laptop screen. Rylee looked and she saw that her Mum was logged into her online banking. Then Rylee's eyes went wide as she saw the last two transactions – they were deposits. The first was for £862,001.31 and the second was for £4,875.67 – both amounts much larger than anything Rachel, or Rylee, had ever seen.
"Bloody hell!" Rylee exclaimed.
"They were true to their word," Rachel commented. "It looks like we can trust them, honey."
"I trust Charlotte – we've had our differences, but I know she'd never steer me wrong."
"I think we need to get you sorted, young lady. Me, too. Looks like Keira's sent on a kit list for the weekend. Hiking boots – I think you're going to be doing some walking."
"Walking?" Rylee asked unhappily.
"You're telling me a little walking is beyond a hardened Predator, like yourself?"
"No."
That evening
East Mayfield
Edinburgh, Scotland
"Keira!"
Keira was almost flattened by the two girls as they hugged her. Blake smiled happily, too.
"You two been good?" Keira asked and Blake nodded.
"You doubt us?" Harper grinned.
"Yes, I do."
"I am not like Harper," Diana pointed out.
"And I'm very glad of that," Keira said as she hugged the two girls.
"Me, too," Harper commented darkly. "Anything exciting happen?"
"We got the bastard!" Keira stated. "He's banged up in some London cop-shop until they can figure out what to charge him with."
"Will we get to see him?" Harper asked pointedly.
"Possibly."
"Well, I'm glad you're back," Diana said happily.
Over the Atlantic
Shannon ate her cheeseburger without comment as her eyes bored into the top of the table.
Saoirse sat beside Shannon and she exchanged dark looks with Jamie and Stephanie who sat across from the two older girls. Mindy was on the opposite side of the cabin with Patrick.
"I should have killed him," Shannon growled in between bites.
"Yes, you could have," Stephanie said. "But that's not you, Shannon."
"God, I hate it when you're right!" Shannon growled.
"Suck it up, Shan," Jamie grinned. "We all know how you feel."
"I know. He was right there . . . but, he had surrendered," Shannon admitted. "It took all I had not to simply squeeze the trigger – just another ounce and BANG!"
Saoirse laughed.
"You were always different, Shannon," Saoirse explained. "Your mind wasn't fucked up like ours were. You probably suffered worse than us, too, but you kept it together."
"I really hate to say it," Stephanie commented. "But Foxy's right."
Shannon grinned.
"Thanks, guys."
Two days later
Thursday, February 9th
Valley Drive
Ilkley, England
Rachel had taken two-weeks off – she had accrued plenty of days as she had preferred work to sitting alone in an empty house.
However, the time, while Rylee was at school, had given her mind time to consider and think about everything which Keira Sharp had told her. She considered the abuse which her daughter had endured since she was nine-years-old. While Rachel was very much aware that Rylee had killed, just the previous week, she had been stunned to learn that she had killed twice before – neither kill had been explained to her, and Rachel had seen much discomfort in her daughter's eyes. It was also disheartening to know that there were other children who had suffered. Meeting Charlotte, Saoirse, Stephanie, and Electra had been an eye-opener to the horrors inflicted by humans on other humans. All four were killers, just like her own daughter. While Rachel had been keen to understand about where Rylee had been for two years, she had never expected to hear what Keira had said. It was beyond belief. It was like something from some weird fan-fiction. Though nothing had been mentioned, there was something else going on, but Rachel could not quite put her finger on it. That American woman, Mindy Lizewski, for instance; there was something dark and unholy about her which scared Rachel.
On the positive side, Rylee was much happier – noticeably so. In the two days since the events in Wakefield, Rylee's demeanour had changed, and she smiled much more – even Georgia had commented on the change. Georgia had been scared to death by what had occurred in Tesco, that week – naturally. However, Georgia had not judged Rylee and she was still Rylee's best friend. However, knowledge of the events had spread, despite the best efforts of Special Branch. While nothing had been mentioned in the newspapers, social media had played its part. However, Rylee was not vilified by all; she was lauded for what she had done. One boy, in her class, had called her: 'bad-ass' which Rylee had loved. However, Rylee's annoyance, Tricia, had referred to Rylee as a wild animal who would probably kill them all in their sleep. Rylee had laughed at that one and the rest of the class had simply jeered Tricia's comment.
Rachel had not approved, not initially at least. She had been horrified that Rylee had put herself at risk, not to mention actually taking lives in the way that she did. However, the police had been very certain that if Rylee had not intervened then there could have been a lot more bloodshed, including collateral damage. Instead, the security guard who was shot, was recovering in hospital, and nobody else had been hurt. After a thorough scrubbing, the Tesco Superstore had been reopened the following morning once the police had finished with the crime scene. Two of the robbers were alive, but under police guard in hospital. There was a slight conundrum in that Rylee would normally be called to give evidence, however, the sensitive nature of how an eleven-year-old Yorkshire lass was able to take down four grown men, all armed with pistols, with little more than some rope and a kitchen knife.
That was, Rachel considered, something for the future.
..._...
Rylee, of course, felt quite differently to her mother.
Yes, she was worried about how her mother now felt about her, but she had also enjoyed the fact that her mum was proud of her. Rylee had saved lives and that was what her mum did everyday – albeit without killing anybody. Being a minor celebrity at school was kind of cool, but Rylee preferred the shadows to the limelight. The rapidly changing events had given her pause to consider her life and what she wanted from it. What had motivated her to do what she did? For some reason, she felt an urge to help people – that, she assumed, was behind her bothering to point out the, surprisingly many, shoplifters to Tamsin. Rylee had decided that she wanted to help people. She had skills – some good and some bad – which she could put to good use. She knew that she could never go back to be the Rylee Clarkson she had once been. Georgia allowed her to have a semi-normal life, as did attending school just like any other normal child of her age. However, deep down, there was a lust for violence. She needed to fight, she needed to get a release. Each time Tricia had goaded her at school, Rylee had wanted to rip her apart, and only her strong self-control had prevented Tricia from dying horribly.
Her life was so very different – she had been alone, but suddenly, she had friends again. She so missed those whom she had spent so much time with. She missed Simon above all. Then there was Tanya, Lin – and Turner. Just the mere thought of Turner had Rylee sobbing. Rylee had not spoken the name out loud in over a year, it was just so painful and conjured up memories which Rylee wished remained buried.
She would do anything – anything – to have her friends back.
..._...
As Rylee returned home from school, that afternoon, she was in high spirits.
Yes, Tricia had been a bitch, but Rylee had done her utmost to think happy thoughts and not simply rip the bitch a new arsehole. She was also very excited by the thought of spending an entire week with friends and other children who were just like her; children who had endured the very same deprivations and horrors as she had. It had also been a weight off her mind knowing that her mother knew just about everything – well, almost everything. However, despite her high spirits, there was an elephant in the room. She could not believe that something so minor was becoming something so major. And, to be brutally honest, they were pathetically minor in Rylee's mind and not even worth worrying about. Nevertheless, lots of people were complaining about or commenting on those pathetically minor items.
Then, it all came to a head when Rylee entered the living room and she saw her mother grinning at her. Rylee's eyes had then focussed on what her mother held in her hand.
"No fucking way!"