Sunday, March 19th, 2017
Balmoral Castle
Scotland
10:34
The run back was spirited and lively.
Everyone had a full belly of hot food and hot drink which revitalised them all and they were all desperate to find hot showers and clean clothing. Nobody cared about the splashing water and mud as they ran down the muddy track which ultimately led them out of the woods and onto a tarmac road. The two newest additions, Joseph and Sina, kept their eyes open and they both observed everything and missed extraordinarily little. The other children were a mixture, and at first sight and with just a casual glance, they appeared to be what they seemed to be – normal children. However, Sina's attention to detail had noticed that even the smallest girl had thigh and arm muscles which did not seem normal for a girl of her age – not to mention the language that came from several of the mouths! Sina was inwardly horrified by the phrases and graphic terminology she was hearing from children younger than her own eleven years. There was also a larger than expected military contingent present. Along with Sarah and Captain Perrin, Joseph had identified a pair of Royal Navy lieutenant-commanders, an ex-Army Captain, and a retired Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer! Then there was Jasper – he appeared to be an officer of some kind, but Joseph had not been able to get the man to admit anything which simply made him a spook in their book.
There was also something weird about the Americans, Sina had confided in her brother. The night before, she had noticed something, but she had not been able to figure out what it was about them – apart, of course, from them simply being Americans. Even the French were represented which was unexpected. There was also Lady Cockburn – the name had been spoken by Jasper. The name was familiar for some reason, but neither Joseph nor Sina could put their finger on why. To add to the menagerie of strangeness there were Jordan, Diana, and Scarlett. Between the three of them, they had two left legs, a right leg, and a right hand missing – did the group have a pet tiger, or maybe a pet shark? Sina's concerns were heightened demonstrably when they all regained the relative warmth of the changing rooms near to the stables – apparently muddy children were not allowed in the castle. Instead, there was a large stack of fluffy white towelling robes available once everyone had showered and cleaned themselves up.
Sina's jaw had dropped open as, in ones and twos, all the girls pulled off their clothing without any open concern that there were other girls present. Even the Princess was quick to strip naked and then she stood with a naked Olivia while they waited patiently for a vacant shower cubicle. None seemed to care, from the youngest girls to the older Kate and Dakota. Sina eventually gave in when a stark-naked Stephanie and Yvette suggested that she undress to shower. Then, while she stood uncomfortably with the other girls, her jaw dropped open again as she took in the scars liberally covering the bodies of Harper, Electra, Stephanie, and Naomi – even the Princess had a small scar on the front of her body and a matching one on the back. Sina had tried to keep her eyes anywhere but on the naked flesh, but she found that she just had to stare at the vicious scars which crisscrossed Electra's body and the shocking scar tissue on Stephanie's right shoulder which existed on both sides of the shoulder. Sina could only guess at the cause of the nasty circular wound in Naomi's chest, but then had come Harper, and Sina could not resist asking a question which she had instantly regretted asking.
"What is that?" Sina had asked, pointing at the small circular scar on Harper's right thigh, just to the right of her groin.
"I shot her!" the naked Rylee had grinned in response and Sina had thought it a joke, but apart from a few smiles, nobody had laughed.
Sina had been more than happy to find herself behind a shower curtain where she could wash in private and not have to see all those scars – maybe they did have a pet tiger, she thought.
..._...
On the return to their bedrooms to dress, Kaitlin had been horrified to find that Andrew and Cassie had left.
"I told you that they would be leaving before we returned from the run," Sarah pointed out a she hugged the distraught youngster.
"But I'm going to miss her, Aunt Sarah."
Sarah felt for the little girl who really loved Cassie. Sarah knew that Cassie doted on the three youngsters who were her children, especially the two girls. Sarah loved them as well and she thought that Jake was a wonderful boy. Although, the youngster did seem to enjoy winding up Stephanie and Mindy for some reason or other which Sarah knew could only end in tears – Jake's tears.
"I still think you're hot," Jake admitted to Stephanie whose expression had resulted in Yvette and Electra rolling around in borderline hysterics. "I miss our time together."
"Oh, ha, fucking, ha!" Stephanie had scowled.
"Your boobs got any bigger?" Jake had continued.
"You have eyes, don't you?" Anne-Marie had quipped. "Still as small as ever."
"Believe her. She tells some massive lies, but she would never lie about Stephanie's boobs; they are not worth the effort, I assure you," Jamie had advised Jake.
"I should have shot you when I had the fucking chance," Stephanie had hissed dangerously.
"Stephanie, behave!" Mindy chuckled.
"How are you, Mrs Lizewski, ma'am?" Jake responded with a bow.
"What do you want, Jake?"
"Is Steph still giving out signed photos?" the boy asked. "Preferably nude ones."
Stephanie's jaw dropped as everybody laughed; indeed, Yvette and Electra were now seriously close to pissing themselves as they rolled around on the floor in full on hysterical laughter while Stephanie just blushed furiously.
A short while later...
Stephanie scowled as Yvette and Electra sat down beside her.
"You two decided to grow up and act your age instead of your shoe size?"
Electra and Yvette exchanged an exasperated look as Stephanie rolled her eyes in mock disgust.
"You going to send Jake a naked selfie, then?" Electra asked.
"I knew I should have left you in the goddamn forest!"
"You don't mean that," Yvette said.
"Fuck the both of you!"
"Nah," Electra grinned. "Bet Jake wouldn't mind a fuck, though."
"Putain!" Stephanie swore.
"Ooh! That was uncalled for," Yvette frowned.
"Dégage! Je m'en fous!"
"She learnt all of those from you, remember?" Electra reminded her French friend with her own penchant for profanity.
"Oui!" Yvette conceded. "But it was a fair exchange, considering she was such a motherfucking pussy!"
"Ooh, compound swear words!" Electra laughed.
"Fucking cunt-licking lesbians!"
"We taught her far too well," Stephanie laughed.
"You three going to make out?"
"Jamie, fuck off!"
"You pussies going to make me?"
"YES!" came three responses as three annoyed girls jumped to their feet and Jamie decided it was time to leave.
Dave laughed as a grinning Jamie bolted past closely followed by Stephanie, Yvette, and finally Electra.
Early that afternoon...
Mary was almost skipping as she went looking for the Lizewski family.
"Mindy!"
"Hello, Your..."
"No time for that," the Princess said. "Follow me – you too Dave. Where are the munchkins?"
"Danny and Anne-Marie? They're with Electra and Stephanie," Mindy replied. "I think Jamie's with Jake and Charlie."
"We need to find them," Mary said urgently.
"Why?" Dave asked. "Is there something wrong?"
"Yes – no; Gran wants to see you all."
"Oh!" Mindy said, her eyes wide.
Several minutes later, Mary waved the six Lizewski's into the castle's library. Mindy cringed as she saw who awaited their arrival. Her Majesty The Queen smiled disarmingly as she sat on a sofa with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Behind her stood His Royal Highness Prince Robert along with his sister, Anne, Princess Royal.
"Mrs Lizewski, please be at ease, I have asked you here to celebrate what you stand for and for what you have done in the name of justice. While I cannot condone what you have done and certain acts which can be seen as existing in a very grey area, I can thank you for causing Vengeance to exist and therefore saving my Country and my Family. As such, I wish to show your family that The Crown is very thankful. Please be seated."
Once the six were seated on six wooden collapsible chairs with guidance from a grinning Mary, a man appeared from a door off to the right and behind Her Majesty. The man was the Lord Steward and he smartly stood to attention beside the sofa as Her Majesty stood up and smiled. Everyone else stood up, unsure of what to do.
"Pray be seated for the investiture," the Lord Steward announced loudly, but quieter than usual in deference to their location. "Miss Stephanie Lizewski; the Silver Royal Victorian Medal in recognition of her devotion to assisting others and providing direct assistance to the security services of the United Kingdom without thought for her own personal safety."
Mary waved a stunned Stephanie towards Her Majesty. Stephanie stood up and she took the four paces that brought her to within three feet of the woman who was the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch as well as the longest-serving female head of state in world history, longest-reigning current monarch, and oldest and longest-serving current head of state. In short, arguably the most amazing and most powerful woman on the planet. The ten-year-old Stephanie suddenly felt exceedingly small as she curtsied and then simply stood there. But the smile she received from Her Majesty instantly put the youngster at ease.
"Stephanie, you have behaved akin to someone much older than your true age. As you complete your eleventh year of life, I want you to understand how much good you have accomplished. I have read about your family and I am so deeply sorry that your parents, Mark and Jocelyn, lost their lives to the program that took you and your brother, James. As a British subject, despite where you have now chosen to reside, this award recognises what you have done and carries a lot of weight on this side of the Atlantic Ocean."
With that, Her Majesty turned towards a burgundy pillow held by a footman which bore a medal and attached ribbon. The twenty-eight-millimetre diameter medal was circular and struck in silver. The obverse bore the young effigy of Queen Elizabeth II while surrounding the effigy was the inscription 'Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina F D'. The reverse depicted the Royal Cypher, surrounded by a wreath of ribbons and laurel leaves while a curled ribbon at the bottom bore the inscription 'Royal Victorian Medal'. Attached by a ring suspension, the medal was borne by a blue ribbon with thin stripes of white and red on each edge. The Queen affixed the ribbon to a small hook which another footman had stealthily attached to the left side of Stephanie's blouse.
"You keep up the good work, Psyche!"
"Thank you, ma'am."
Astounded, Stephanie curtsied again, and she returned to her seat, unable to say another word.
"Mr David Lizewski is made an Honorary Member of the Royal Victorian Order in recognition of his devotion to assisting others, irrespective of race or nationality without any thought for his own personal safety despite facing down incredible odds."
It was Dave's turn to bow and stand before Her Majesty, a similar hook appearing on his own left breast.
"Mr Lizewski, I am very aware of your rocky road to who you are now – Mary has shown me the wonders of YouTube and the videos which feature a much younger, er Kick-Ass. You have excelled and between you and your wife, Mindy, you have created something amazing which wraps halfway around the world and which exists in four of the world's countries."
The badge and attached ribbon which was hung on the hook was utterly amazing. The badge was a Maltese cross with a central medallion which depicted on a red background the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria surrounded by a blue ring bearing the motto of the order 'VICTORIA' and surmounted by a Tudor crown. The Maltese cross was rendered in silver. The ribbon was the same as that worn by Stephanie, however the honorary status of the award was shown by a white central stripe upon the ribbon.
"Thank you, Dave, for all you have done."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Dave said with a bow and he returned to his seat next to where a squirming and extremely uncomfortable Mindy knew she was next.
"Mrs Melinda Lizewski is made an Honorary Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in recognition of her devotion to assisting others, irrespective of race or nationality without any thought for her own personal safety and encouraging others to follow in her footsteps."
Mindy had never felt so scared as she had stood before The Queen and curtsied. She could feel her legs shaking as if they were about to collapse under her. However, The Queen's smile helped tremendously and instantly put Mindy at ease.
"While these awards to you and your husband are honorary, they carry the full weight within these shores, and I hope that you will both wear them with pride. Only one person can award these and that is myself. You are an inspiration to us all, and not least to my granddaughter who wants for nothing but to become a British Hit Girl. Thankfully, she has received intensive guidance from your own organisation and from Vengeance. Without the Kings and Vengeance, then I may no longer have a country or subjects to rule. Along with Mary sitting me down to watch Kick-Ass on YouTube, I also watched another video in which a very brave man died while thinking of nothing other than the safety of his own young daughter. I can understand why your father chose to bring you up as he did, considering everything that the man went through and who he lost at the hands of Frank D'Amico. As well as becoming one of the most feared women on God's earth, you have taken on the most difficult task any woman can undertake: motherhood. Thanks to your dedication, four fine children have a happy home with parents who love them. I understand that you are firm and fair in your dealings as a mother. Not just that, you are firm and fair in your dealings with others as well, including young Mary. I feel honoured to make you LVO."
While the ribbon was identical in colour respects, to that worn by Dave, the ribbon was in the form of a bow upon which the Maltese cross which was rendered in white enamel with gold edging was hung.
"Take care, Hit Girl."
"Yes, Your Majesty, thank you."
Mindy curtsied and then returned to her seat just as speechless as Stephanie.
The following evening...
Monday, March 20th
Blairhoyle
Mindy was not used to proper sit-down meals – the wild animals tended to make a mess – but she had absolutely no intention of turning down the invitation.
Dave, Mindy, Stephanie, Jamie, Anne-Marie, Danny, and Megan had been invited to dinner by the Perrins. Also invited were Keira and Blake with their two youngsters. Naturally, Sarah was there with the three children of Cassie and Andrew. Ultimately, there was to be eighteen people sitting down to eat.
"How do I look?" Mindy asked her husband.
"Is this a trap?" Dave asked.
"No! Would I really trap you?"
"There was that time you asked me to hit you..."
Mindy rolled her eyes at the reference from long ago.
"That's not you anymore – your vagina changed into an awesome penis with big balls!"
Dave laughed as he gave his beautiful wife a kiss on the cheek.
"You look gorgeous as ever."
Mindy knew that Dave would never say anything different. As they left the bedroom and descended the stairs, they remembered that they had children. It was difficult to hear who was making the most noise – Megan or Stephanie.
"Mindy!" Richard exclaimed. "Sherry before dinner?"
"Er," Mindy responded as a small sherry glass was pushed into her left hand.
"Dave?"
"Why the devil not?"
Mindy scowled at Dave's use of a perfect English accent. Richard grinned as he vanished back into the kitchen, waving for Dave and Mindy to follow. In the kitchen, they found Alexandra, Charlotte, and Sarah busily cooking dinner. Alexandra was tending to the food in pans on the Aga while Charlotte was busy preparing batter for Yorkshire puddings. As for Sarah, she was getting several apple pies ready for the oven.
"Hello, Mindy," Keira said. "No children allowed in the kitchen."
Mindy smiled with relief at the idea of a childfree zone.
"How are you doing, Blake?" Dave asked.
"A little nervous about next weekend, but every time I think about what I'm gaining, I see myself as the happiest man on the planet."
Keira felt her cheeks going pink and she took a quick sip of sherry.
"Crisps?" Blake chuckled as he handed around a small wooden bowl filled with cheese and onion crisps.
Mindy grabbed a couple and she took a sip of the sherry, nodding approvingly at the smooth sweet flavour. Dave and Blake moved off to talk, leaving Keira and Mindy alone.
"You're looking good, Mindy – motherhood seems to be agreeing with you," Keira pointed out.
"It's a handful, running around after four kids, I can tell you!" Mindy responded. "If the world only knew that the fearsome Hit Girl spends a good chunk of her time scooping up dirty laundry from her kids' bedroom floors. Mind you, it has its moments; Anne-Marie brought home another letter from the school Principal, and I was so mad that I hit some cunt a little too hard and cracked his skull."
"Did he deserve it?" Keira asked.
"Yes."
"So, don't worry about it; us women have enough on our plates without worrying about hitting someone too hard."
Mindy laughed at that.
"Your eldest, is she eleven yet?"
"No," Mindy replied. "Steph has another month to go."
"A difficult age," Keira said.
"Tell me about it!"
"Diana's body is changing, and Harper does not make things easier for the young girl.
"Diana fits in really well," Mindy admitted.
"She's a nutcase, so yes, she fits in well," Keira laughed.
"A lot to take on."
"A young girl with no legs? Yes, it was a difficult decision, but I could not leave her."
"Of course not! I've ended up with four which is a struggle, but at least they are all in one piece – despite Steph's seemingly constant attempts to get herself killed!"
Keira laughed.
"Diana has been through a lot, but she helped Harper last year, and she's an amazingly loving child. Blake and I are in it for the long haul with Diana. You know, it's quite funny when the other girls forget she has those titanium legs and they spar – that's when Diana gets to learn some new and colourful vocabulary!"
"I'll bet!"
That was when Charlotte came over to announce that dinner was ready.
..._...
Charlotte guided everyone to their seats in the long dining room.
The table was designed to seat fourteen, but that night, eighteen were squeezed around it. Mindy was guided to a chair at the top end on Richard's right – he was to sit at the head of the table with the amazing bay windows behind him.
"Mindy, sit here, please," Charlotte directed. "Jamie, I'm sitting next to your mother, so take the next chair, please. Sarah next, thank you. Kaitlin, sit! Please sit next to Kaitlin, Steph. Harper, next. Dave, you get to sit next to Alexandra."
Alexandra was to sit opposite her husband at the ned of the table closest to the kitchen.
"Keira, please sit opposite Mindy. Danny, next. Jake, sit and behave! Diana – there. Megan, please sit opposite Kaitlin – sorry about the view. Naomi, next to Megan. Anne-Marie, there – Blake, you're last here next to Alexandra."
"Thank you, Charlie," Blake said, and Charlotte grinned happily.
Charlotte then vanished to help Alexandra with the food which was brought in and placed on mats arranged strategically around the capacious wooden table. Numerous lidded containers containing hot food were placed on the mats while an enormous platter appeared which was laden with slices of roast beef in various levels of texture from well-done to slightly reddish pink. Several china gravy boats arrived last along with a massive plate load of freshly cooked Yorkshire puddings.
"Right everyone, dig in, please!" Alexandra announced as she sat down at her chair.
While everyone eagerly dug into the massive amount of food, Richard walked around the table pouring red wine into the glasses of the adults while Charlotte poured out red grape juice for those under eighteen.
"Red meat, Mindy," Richard chuckled. "Just what I would expect of Hit Girl."
Mindy grinned.
"I have this thing about liking my meat bloody," she responded.
Diana cringed as she helped herself to some well-done beef.
"Thank you for having us to stay, Alexandra," Mindy said. "And thank you for this amazing meal."
"Stop thanking us, Mindy, or I will take you to task, young lady!" Alexandra cautioned as Mindy blushed. "It isn't often we get to entertain, and Charlie loves to cook."
"Kaitlin," Sarah asked as she eyed up the youngster's enormous plate loaded with food. "Are you going to eat all that food?"
"Yes."
"We shall see," Sarah commented dryly.
Once everyone had piled their plates high and lathered on the gravy, Richard stood up and he raised his wine glass.
"First, a traditional naval toast: To our ships at sea."
"Our ships at sea," everyone intoned as they each took a sip of wine or grape juice.
"Second, a toast to those who put their lives on the line to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Ladies and gentlemen, Fusion, Vengeance, and Honneur."
"Fusion, Vengeance, and Honneur."
Everyone sat down after the second toast as Mindy sat pensively.
"A penny for your thoughts, good lady?" Richard said.
"When Dave and I first started to go out and help people, as a team, I never envisaged that something like this might evolve in just three years. It's been an amazing ride and I am thankful to everyone who continues the legacy, be they American, British, or French," Mindy replied.
"Don't forget . . . the Canadians, Mum," Stephanie said between mouthfuls of beef and gravy-slathered roast potatoes.
"Canadians?" Keira asked.
"A potential new extension of Fusion," Dave explained. "It will be called Concord – the English spelling without the 'e'. They are based in Vancouver with three ex-members of level eight and a local making up the founding members."
Charlotte and Jake frowned at the reference to their former incarceration.
"Who?" Charlotte asked.
"Carrie is in charge with Jay and Dylan," Stephanie piped up.
"You know that Carrie and Dylan will be in bed most of the time, don't you?" Charlotte grinned.
"Yes, I do," Mindy grinned.
"Who is the local?" Megan asked.
"That would be the Vancouver Ninja," Dave said.
"You know who she is?!" Megan asked, astounded.
"I know everything, little sis!" Mindy grinned.
"You wish!" Megan laughed.
..._...
The meal continued with plenty of chatter and the odd amusing anecdote.
"Megan," Alexandra asked the young American. "How did you ever get involved with Mindy?"
"I was a wild child – a little like Kaitlin," Megan explained as Kaitlin grinned. "When my Dad was killed, me and my Mom, we moved to somewhere not so nice. I'd go out and do the same as the other kids – keying cars, breaking windows..."
"Very like Kaitlin!" Naomi threw in as Kaitlin scowled.
"Well, I met Hit Girl and Jackal one night..."
"She bit me," Mindy admitted.
"Yep, that's Kaitlin!" Harper confirmed.
Everybody laughed as Megan blushed and Kaitlin pouted.
"I understand that you had a very quiet trip back, yesterday, Dave," Richard said.
"Mum, Dad, and even my sister was unable to speak for almost fifty miles!" Jamie grinned.
"It was a shock to receive such personal attention from the Monarch," Mindy admitted. "She said such kind words."
"It was unnerving," Stephanie added. "I felt so humbled by that medal. I had to look it up after we left. I gather it's one step up from the QGM you guys received last year. I can't really believe it. Dad's medal is one up from mine and then Mum's is one up from Dad's. As they are both Yanks, their awards are honorary, but still amazing."
"I am very proud of them," Jamie said.
"It was amazing to watch," Danny admitted.
"I'm proud of Mom for not killing Her Majesty," Anne-Marie added to general laughter. "Mom was so far out of her comfort zone!"
Megan laughed at that.
"It was the most amazing wedding that I have ever attended," Charlotte admitted. "Actually, it was the first wedding that I have ever attended. I liked it when the Duke of Edinburgh told jokes – they were so funny!"
"They were not very politically correct," Keira reminded the girl. "He reminded me of you guys – speaks before he thinks."
"That's what made the guy so cool!" Anne-Marie grinned. "The Queen made me laugh."
"It was a special two days, I will admit that," Mindy conceded.
"Could have done without the run, though," Jake said.
"It was okay," Kaitlin piped up.
"You have nice thighs, Sarah," Jake pointed out with a grin.
"Thank you, Jake, but I like my men to be, well, men."
"Ooh!" Charlotte laughed as Jake sulked. "What about my thighs?"
"They're okay, just a bit too girly rather than womanly," Jake commented.
"Someone is going to be feeling pain, me thinks," Megan chuckled as Charlotte glared menacingly across the table at Jake.
"I think Jake enjoys pain," Stephanie suggested. "Do you remember when he tested Mum's security?"
Charlotte laughed loudly as she remembered Jake being electrocuted as he had demonstrated that the facility was escape proof. Megan joined in with the laughter as she too had been there at the time.
"That hurt," Jake pointed out as he received no sympathy from the laughing girls.
Richard raised an eyebrow.
"Mum has security panels where you use your palmprint for access. If you are scanned but do not have access, you get a small electric shock if you place your hand on the panel a second time. There are eight levels of electric shock and Jake had had enough by level four," Stephanie explained with a wince as she remembered her own painful experience with the dratted devices.
"A nice twist, Mindy," Richard commented approvingly.
Jake's expression told everyone that he disagreed with Richard's judgement.
The next morning...
Tuesday, March 21st
Blairhoyle
Jake and Charlotte paused at the door to the drawing room, neither wanting to step foot beyond the doorway.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" came a voice. "I'm not going to eat you!"
Jake blushed slightly as he grimaced at his friend before they both stepped into the capacious drawing room to find one person seated on a sofa. They knew exactly who she was, even if she looked like any other young woman they had ever seen. However, they knew that Mindy Lizewski was not what she seemed. They knew her as the purple devil among other delightful descriptions. They had been taught to hate her. They had been taught to destroy her. They had been taught to respect her. Ultimately, they knew that they had never had any hope of destroying her; she was far too highly skilled with almost fifteen years of training under her belt compared to their mere four. They both knew from bitter experience that Hit Girl was superbly defended by her cohorts who would die for their leader. They both hated her for what she had caused their lives to become, but they also trusted her, and they thanked her for turning their lives around and giving them a second chance at life. However, uppermost in their minds was their fear of her. That meek-looking woman had the power to do them immense harm and she could kill them both without even standing up.
However, there was much more to the story. During his time on Level 8, Jake had developed an unhealthy crush on Hit Girl – he had shared those feelings with his best friend and confidante, Charlotte, who had warned him that he was a 'blazing idiot'. However, as time went on, Charlotte had found a yearning to become someone as powerful as Hit Girl, even to the point of trying to emulate the woman who had caused her so much suffering. Both youngsters had great respect for the woman, and they knew that she was fair and that she would not hurt them without reason, but they still felt fear mixed in with concern at being summoned to see Hit Girl.
Mindy laughed at their facial expressions and body language, but secretly she was pleased that they showed suitable deference to who she was, even though she did not want them to fear her.
"Sit down, you two," Mindy chuckled. "You are both perfectly safe."
Jake grinned as he sat down on another sofa next to Charlotte.
"I asked to speak to you both as I wanted to see how you were both doing. Are you enjoying your new lives? Is there anything you need?"
"Yes, ma'am, no, ma'am," both youngsters said.
"We're enjoying every minute," Charlotte confirmed.
"I know you had some problems, Charlie..."
"You heard about that?"
"I did, Charlie, Abigail told me that she was really worried about you," Mindy confirmed. "But you rallied, and you were rewarded, both of you."
"Not sure that gaining Kaitlin as a little sister is a reward, but yes," Jake commented.
"I might agree with you there, Jake!" Mindy laughed. "But, seriously, I am very proud of the both of you for turning your lives around."
Jake and Charlotte blushed slightly at the praise and they both grinned broadly.
"I also missed your birthdays, so I thought I might bring you your birthday presents a little late."
"Mindy, you didn't need to...," Charlotte began.
"Yes, I did, Charlie."
With that, Mindy produced two packages which were long and thin. One was wrapped in pink wrapping paper while the other was wrapped in blue wrapping paper. Naturally, the two children were eager to see what they were being given, although they were a little wary considering who was giving them the gifts. Jake could well remember how funny Hit Girl had thought explosive ankle monitors to be. Both youngsters took hold of the packages which were both very heavy and with a nod from Mindy, they began to rip apart the expensive wrapping paper. Charlotte could not wait to see what was under the pink wrapping paper and her fingers feverishly worked away at the intricately tapped package, then she gasped as the paper parted and she revealed some highly polished dark wood. The girl found that she was unable to articulate her fingers fast enough to remove the paper, but finally she had it all ripped away, and she shoved the shattered remnants to the carpet. The wooden box was beautifully crafted, and a broad brass catch held the brass-hinged lid closed. Very gingerly, Charlotte released the catch and she gently lifted the lid.
The girl caught her breath as she gazed down upon two of the most perfectly crafted weapons she had ever seen. The twin Wakizashi blades were polished to the point where she could see herself better than a glass mirror. Each blade was honed to perfection so that it could take a life with just a single sweep of the blade. The ito wrap on each grip was deep blue ray skin and exceptionally soft. Each saya matched the ito wrap in colour but was of carbon fibre manufacture. Both swords were identical in every way. Charlotte was totally speechless and while unable to say anything, she peered to her right to see what Jake had received.
The boy was just as dumbfounded as his friend and his hands shook as he carefully touched the blade of one of the two Tanto blades which lay side by side in the polished wooden box. They too were blue, just like Charlotte's Wakizashi. Jake had never laid eyes on anything so beautiful or crafted with such precision – apart from probably Stephanie and maybe Charlotte. Both children sat there for several minutes, not speaking, just examining the amazing weaponry. Finally, Charlotte broke the silence.
"They're amazing, Mindy, thank you."
"I hear that you were good with blades, Charlie – Abigail speaks very highly of your ability to fight with them."
"I think she just wants into my knickers!"
"I thought that Jake was already in there?"
Charlotte blushed pink while Jake just grinned fiendishly.
The following night...
Wednesday March 22nd
Deptford Railway Station,
Deptford, London, England
19:34
The Ducati 1299 Panigale S Anniversario was black all over, as was the rider but not so the pillion rider on the non-standard extended seat.
As the pair sat beneath the railway on Deptford Hight Street very few paid them any attention. Outwardly the black motorcycle appeared to blend into its surroundings. The pillion rider was clad from head to toe in a dull yellow leather-like figure-hugging suit with a gold trim. On her feet she wore a pair of dull yellow lightweight armoured boots which came up past her calves and armoured gauntlets which were currently gripping the back of the seat on which she sat. What else she wore was covered by a calf-length black coat with a yellow trim which hung loose but obscured the utility belt at her waist along with the short mostly yellow kilt. Her identity was hidden behind the dark gold-tinted visor of her black crash helmet.
"Target approaching," an English-accented voice announced in her ear and the street map of the area displayed to the right side of her visor was updated with stylised symbols to symbolise the bad guys and the good guys.
Orange symbols indicated suspected targets. Red indicated a confirmed target. The purple, pale blue, and dark blue symbols were for the three groups of good guys scattered around the area. Silver symbols indicated the Metropolitan Police. There were twenty-five vigilantes out on the streets of London with an MI5-sanctioned mission that night. However, not all were British Vengeance vigilantes; indeed, it was a combined operation with Fusion and Honneur joining their British colleagues. Stanch monarchists would have had a coronary on the spot should they be aware that the arch-vigilante Hit Girl was even in London, let alone riding with a Princess of The Realm on pillion.
Belle was grinning beneath her helmet as she sat behind Hit Girl, ready for action.
..._...
Sitting at the side of the road was not exactly exciting, but it was part of what a vigilante was about.
"Renegade One, Cavalier Two, passing you now."
Hit Girl never turned her head as she flicked an eye to her left side mirror, and she watched the approaching Triumph Tiger Explorer XRT with Goshawk and Wildcat aboard. The young pilot was a very accomplished motorcycle rider and Wildcat had insisted on riding with her. As for the callsigns, the Americans were using Renegade while the Brits used Cavalier and the French used Bastille. The callsign for the Americans was just a bit of fun, but Cavalier was the chosen classified callsign for Vengeance; a left over from their time being chased around the country the previous year and a reference to the monarchists from the English civil war.
As for the mission that night, the demise of sections of the Radford Group had caused a power vacuum within certain parts of the criminal underworld, not least in London where the gang scene and the criminal exchange of cash, drugs, weapons, you name it, was going strong. Some had lost their Radford Group financial backing and ultimately been left by the roadside, quite literally. The newest bigwig on the scene was a man in his late twenties who had seen those above him run or die. Over a period of a few months, he had threatened, coerced, and maimed his way to the top spot where he controlled eighty men and women, with some children as young as ten. He ran a very lucrative operation loaning money and selling drugs, often joining the two – loaning money so druggies could then buy drugs from himself. The interest rates were astronomical and missing a payment meant a visit from his enforcers with a baseball bat or maybe a small Molotov cocktail through the letterbox. The man cared little for collateral damage as the luxurious trappings accorded to his new position made him all but untouchable while he watched the money rolling in.
At times, he would join his lieutenants as he supervised more complex operations but would otherwise remain in his highly secure flat complex east of Deptford. Nothing the Metropolitan Police had stuck, and Justin Fareham had minions who would 'willingly' admit to doing the crime and then be taken to do the resulting time. Ultimately, what had brought the young man to the attention of the British Security Service had been a new link with a well-known arch criminal involved in organised crime. Indeed, Special Branch had tumbled to the link when they had brought in a snitch who had informed his handler that Justin Fareham had just made a deal with one Robert Bowman of Anniesland, Scotland. Yes, that one, the one who had orchestrated the near death of Naomi. The man could not be allowed to spread his criminal influence south of the border and thus create what could become the largest organised crime organisation in the United Kingdom – a fact which had horrified the National Crime Agency who had duly escalated the problem to MI5. However, since 2013, MI5 did not directly – officially at least – investigate serious organised crime, focussing instead on more serious matters. However, since late-2015, MI5 had gained the use of a decidedly unofficial branch which they could direct against serious organised crime within the borders of the United Kingdom.
That branch was called Vengeance . . . and they so wanted vengeance.
..._...
As for the bad guys, they were referred to as Skunks.
"Renegade One, Cavalier Base. Skunk Two is approaching you . . . pull out now!"
Mindy slipped in the clutch as she accelerated ahead and moved into the light traffic. Behind her was a Ford Fiesta and behind that was a Mercedes C-Class saloon. The Mercedes was being driven by one of Fareham's lieutenants, a young twenty-three-year-old called Gerome Portland. In the same car was a henchman who served as muscle for when Portland went around their 'customers' collecting, as sometimes, those customers often needed just a little persuasion to part with their hard-earned cash. Indeed, the two men were on their way to make a final collection prior to meeting up with the boss to transfer the substantial amount of money which the men were carrying. They had already spent much of the afternoon collecting and threatening grievous bodily harm on their 'customers'. As far as Portland was concerned, he was untouchable; the people around Deptford knew who he was and who he worked for. Even the local parking attendants would ignore his one-year-old sixteen-plate Mercedes should he park the car on double yellow lines or somewhere else where it did not belong. Portland had a temper, a fact which was widely known, and a total disdain for authority of just about any kind.
Hit Girl and Belle pulled over to the left of the street, just half a mile ahead as Hit Girl watched the Mercedes take a left into Hamilton Street. Ahead of them, Goshawk and Wildcat had stopped, completed a one-eighty, and were just passing them. Belle turned her head to watch as the other motorcycle turned in after the Mercedes and followed the car up Hamilton Street. After a suitable pause of maybe forty seconds, Hit Girl moved ahead about a hundred yards before she took the next left and she followed Hyde Street which took a ninety-degree turn to the left before bringing her back to Hamilton Street. However, she did not turn into Hamilton Street but instead, she parked up on the road between two parked cars where a streetlight was out, and she waved Belle to climb off while she kept the motorcycle stable. Belle kept her eyes and ears open, checking up and down the street, checking each door and window which observed where they stood, and making sure that nobody was paying them the slightest attention. Then, they both removed their helmets and flicked hoods up over their masks. Together, the darkened individuals stepped from shadow to shadow as they took a right up Hamilton Street. Ahead of them was a four-storey block of two-dozen duplex flats. As they loitered on the end of another block of flats, they watched as the Mercedes came to a halt, brake lights bright in the night, at the far end of the four-storey block. Parked up, just forty yards from where the pair stood, the other motorcycle with Goshawk and Wildcat sat parked at the side of the road facing them, with their lights and engine off.
At the far end of the flats, Portland and henchman could be seen entering the building. Less than a minute later, the pair could be observed coming into sight again as they strolled along the open walkway which ran along the second floor where the upper flats were located and the pair had stopped outside the fourth door along. There could be heard the rap, rap as the henchman had dutifully thumped on the UPVC front door. Belle had learnt to pick up on body language and she had noticed Hit Girl stiffening up as the two men had pushed past a scared woman and the seemingly casual change in how her feet were positioned. Hit Girl was unhappy with the overall situation, that was blatantly obvious to the Royal Princess.
"Someone is going to get hurt, right?" Belle muttered.
"Yes."
"But you are going to go all white knight, right?"
Hit Girl chuckled. "Check mate!" she responded darkly.
Indeed, several minutes passed before Portland reappeared from inside the flat looking annoyed. Then came his henchman and Belle's backbone ran cold as the bastard turned to his boss, his voice carrying across the car park below the flats.
"I'll get a cab, boss, once the good lady here has coughed up."
"Make an example of her and her kids, Benny," Portland responded pointedly.
Then the front door slammed, and Portland vanished from sight as he entered the stairs leading downwards. Hit Girl and Belle bolted for the stairs at the opposite end of the flats and they were back in the shadows by the time Portland emerged at ground level and he climbed into his Mercedes.
"Cavalier Base, Renegade One. Skunk Two is on his way," Hit Girl radioed. "I'm off to say hello to his muscle."
"Copy that," Q responded. "Break. Cavalier Two move now. Cavalier One, move in thirty seconds."
As the Mercedes swept out of Hamilton Street, it was a dozen yards behind Cavalier Two who turned left at the junction onto Deptford High Street. Portland never noticed the Triumph Speed 94 motorcycle which he pulled out ahead of and neither did he pay any heed to Crimson and Psyche who rode the Triumph.
He also had no idea that he would never see Benny Wilder again . . . at least not alive or in one piece.
..._...
Together, the two female vigilantes bolted up the steps and then out onto the walkway.
They sprinted along the empty walkway before they stopped outside the fourth door from the far end. They could hear screaming and shouting coming from within the apartment. Without hesitation, Belle dived forwards and she tried the door handle – it moved. Hit Girl drew two items from her belt as she pushed through the door.
Belle followed along behind as she drew a tonfa from her right boot.
..._...
Janine Johns was a single mother who lived in the rather cramped three bedroom flat with her four young children.
She did not use drugs, but she needed the financial assistance of anyone who would lend her money to help feed and clothe her children as her wage from working two jobs was nowhere near enough to pay all the bills. She had borrowed six hundred pounds from that bastard Fareham via Portland and six months into her repayments, she still had a little under two thousand pounds to repay. The interest rate was beyond crippling and she had already repaid the capital – the rest was just a bonus for the loan shark. The past two weeks had not been kind to her, what with the cold weather meaning more money going onto the gas meter for the heating, and her eldest son needing new clothes for school. The poor woman was in a hole and struggling to find a way out of it.
"We want our money, bitch!" Benny Wilder said as he backhanded the woman across the face for the second time, sending the thirty-one-year-old woman falling onto her sofa.
Twelve-year-old Tyler Johns moved to defend his mother, but he was punched in the face for his trouble. As for the three young girls varying in age from the youngest at four-years-old, through an eight-year-old, to the eldest at ten-years-old, they were huddled in a corner sobbing as they feared for their very existence. The towering man who stood in their living room had filled them all with fear and they just wanted him gone. None of them understood what was going on or why the man was hurting their mother. Then the eldest girl screamed as she another stranger stepping into their living room which was getting decidedly cramped. Wilder turned to find himself staring into a set of piercing purple eyes which burned from beneath a black hood – indeed, the female was black from head to toe, apart from the purple eyes. For a moment he felt fear but then his machismo kicked back in and he glared down at the woman who deployed a pair of ASPs with a flick of her wrists.
"I'll deal with this...," came an electronically scrambled voice and a shorter female stepped past the black-clad one.
"No," Hit Girl hissed.
"My country, HG!"
Hit Girl stepped back but she kept her eyes fixed on Wilder. Belle did not hesitate as she stepped forwards and she took her black, yellow-trimmed carbon-fibre tonfa across Wilder's smirking face, blood exploding out from his smashed nose. Another strike from her tonfa took the man's left leg out from under him and he crashed to the floor of the living room.
"You are scum!" Belle hissed through her vocal enhancer. "You pick on women and children, all for a few quid!"
"It's business, not personal," Wilder spat back, blood flying from his lips.
"Well, this is business, too," Belle responded as she struck the man in the side of the head. "HG, if you would."
Hit Girl stepped forward as she retracted and stowed her ASPs. She then grabbed the man by his hair and she all but dragged the yelling man out of the living room.
"You and me, we are going to have a talk," she hissed as they went.
"He will not bother you anymore," Belle responded as she turned to face Janine and her son.
"Who . . . who are you?" Janine asked.
"She's Vengeance, Mum!" the boy said.
"Belle at your service, ma'am."
"What's going to happen to that man?" Janine asked.
"Does it matter?" Belle responded darkly.
"No. Good riddance, I say!"
"Fareham is not going to be happy. I need you and your children to pack just the absolute bare essentials and then we are going to have somebody come by and pick you up. You will then be taken to a new home; somewhere safe."
"Protective custody?" Janine asked, confused.
"Partially, but also because you deserve a fresh start, Mrs Johns."
Belle had been fed the woman's name by Q who had dug up everything about Mrs Johns and her family, right down to the fact that her husband had been killed just a year before by a knife-wielding thug during a trip to collect a take-away.
"I would suggest that you move swiftly, ma'am," Belle said as she stowed her tonfa and Hit Girl returned.
"Wilder?" Belle asked.
"Sleeping . . . permanently."
The three girls emerged from the corner where they had been hiding. The eldest walked up to Belle and Hit Girl.
"Thank you," she said.
Hit Girl knelt down, and she nodded to the girl. "What's your name?"
"My name is Mindy."
"A very good name for a strong girl," Hit Girl replied. "That is my favourite name in all the world."
"Really?"
"That name means a lot to me," she confirmed.
Mindy Johns grinned enormously at the comment.
Leaving a team from MI5 to collect the various sections which had once been Benny Wilder, Hit Girl and Belle walked back to the Ducati and were soon heading east along the A200, crossing over Deptford Creek and heading for Greenwich Park.
..._...
The handoff for Gerome Portland to his boss was to be Greenwich Park.
Their reasons for choosing the park were primarily of a strategic nature due to the large number of roads which led in to and out of the park and that the park covered many acres while the openness also made it easier to identify police watchers or any of their numerous enemies who would like nothing better than to steal something which somebody else had dubiously worked for, such was the underworld of organised crime.
Currently parked up, about halfway along Blackheath Avenue, a distance south of Great Cross Avenue, a nearly new Range Rover Vogue sat nose out, boot towards the park. The place was busy enough for his activities to mix in with the crowds, but at that time of night, mainly due to the cold and dark, it was not too busy. In the driver's seat, Justin Fareham sat listening to the local radio while he awaited the arrival of his minion. The man had no idea that arrayed around him at varying distances were over a dozen well-armed vigilantes, not to mention MI5 and members of the National Crime Agency. On his part, Fareham had a similar number of watchers, all illegally armed , not to mention four vehicles which were arrayed within fifty yards of where he was parked and two motorcycles which rode back and forth watching the roads in and around the park. Fareham had prided himself on building a professional organisation with layered defences. He knew how the police worked and that worked for him. As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing to attract any serious attention, despite Bowman advising him to be extra careful.
However, he had hired the extra protection, just in case.
..._...
Parked a dozen cars to the north of Fareham, a similar Range Rover was parked up.
Behind the dark glazing of SABRE, sat Drift, Intrepid, Fury, and Resolute. They were casually watching the vehicles and they had clocked the Jaguar XF and the Audi A4, both of which were identified as being part of Fareham's support team. The Audi was parked opposite and two cars over while the Jaguar was on their side two cars closer to Fareham.
Parked up a hundred yards to the north, Renegade Two, a Triumph Tiger 800 XCA, being ridden by Jackal, and Renegade Four, a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade being ridden by Petra, sat side by side, ostensibly so that their riders could converse. However, they had clocked a second Audi A4 which was not out for the evening fresh air, parked a dozen yards north of them not too far to the south of the Royal Observatory. Two hundred yards or more to the south of Fareham, SCIMITAR sat in deep shade with Raptor, Kick-Ass, Le Chat Noir, Rigour, and two incredibly special passengers. Monitoring the roads to the south were Cavalier Three, a Triumph Tiger Explorer XRt being ridden by Arbiter, and Bastille One, a Honda VFR800F being ridden by La Coccinelle with La Terreaur. That just left a KTM 690 Duke R which was cruising south down The Avenue with Stormtide in control and Rage hanging on behind.
It had been Mindy's idea for the pair to be partnered together – she thought it funny and cute – but the two had not been amused as it had brought back some painful memories. However, Stormtide was a lot happier riding a powerful motorcycle and quipped with an amazing array of body armour and weapons. Indeed, it was not her first time back in country since their escapade the previous year but part of her felt happy having the little runt with her. Together, they had been through hell, and survived, primarily thanks to their partnership, they both knew. Their partnership had been so close that there were persistent rumours that the pair of them had been sexually active during their time together, which was not helped by the fact that Jamie was intimately familiar with Shannon's pubes, nor that Abigail enjoyed the rumours and actively encouraged them – after all, she had been there for some of it.
"Skunk Two entering the park at The Avenue," Q reported. "Cavalier One pull over now. Cavalier Two pull over now."
Gerome Portland had no idea that he had been trailed and for the moment, he was very much alone.