Sunday, February 4th, 2018
Edinburgh, Scotland
Ashley House
Vengeance Command Centre
Jasper Collins was not a happy man.
The vast majority of his current woes seemed to relate to Predators which was somewhat unsurprising considering how many of the pesky creatures were running around the country and who came under his purview. Not only that, but he also had Sir Edmond Billington-Smyth, head of MI5, on his way to Scotland to meet him that very afternoon. While he did meet with Sir Edmond fairly regularly, that was at Thames House in London, and for Sir Edmond to visit an underling was completely unheard of in modern times. The visit could only be for Sir Edmond to 'request' something of Vengeance and it could not be anything good, Jasper realised. He had Charlotte whose behaviour was threatening security and he was in discussions with Keira and Alexandra as to whether Charlotte should be pulled from school or not. Charlotte's woes were not unjustified, and Jasper could only guess at what the thirteen-year-old was going through with the loss of Jake.
Jake. The boy was another issue which was constantly on Jasper's mind. He had feelers out to all his contacts across the planet seeking information on the boy. An unofficial bounty had even gone out offering fifty-thousand pounds for information on the location of the subject with an extra fifty-thousand pounds should the boy be recovered alive. So far, over six months later, the boy may as well have been on Mars as nobody could find him on the planet Earth. Losing someone was always difficult. Losing someone to the enemy during fighting when that person died at least meant that there was a body to bury and mourn over as 7well as closure. But for Charlotte, Cassie, Andrew, and everybody else, there was zero closure as nobody knew for certain if the boy was dead or alive. All that was known was that he went missing in the Arctic during a largescale skirmish with the USA and UK on one side and Russia on the other. It was therefore fairly certain that Jake was in the hands of the Russians.
Naturally, all codes had been changed and security increased to combat what Jake may voluntarily or involuntarily divulge under interrogation. Jasper was certain that it would be the latter, but no human could outlast intense interrogations and torture.
But for a mere boy to endure what could only be hell on earth was unthinkable.
That same morning...
London
St Thomas' Hospital
The Fifth Floor, Children's Wing
Amber Dawson screamed out as she awoke from a short nap.
"Another nightmare?" Commander Blake Schneider asked in a reassuring tone.
"It was the body in the container again," Amber said after a full minute during which she sipped some water from a plastic cup.
"You ready to go outside?"
Amber considered that. She had been getting out of bed unaided for just two weeks and she had walked around the floor as she got reacquainted with her legs after quite literally months of being bedbound. She was still very sore, and her body ached all over, but the pain was gradually subsiding day after day and any movement exhausted the girl quite swiftly.
"Okay."
Amber swung her legs over the side of the bed and gingerly placed them onto the floor. Blake stepped back, knowing Amber did not want help but remaining close enough should she stumble or fall. The girl was fully dressed and wore a pair of new trainers on her feet to assist her with walking. Amber pushed herself to her feet and turned to look in the mirror mounted on the wall. She grimaced at what she saw. Her clothing – a purple sweatshirt and blue jeans – hung off her scrawny body which was still rebuilding itself. She hated seeing herself in the bath as her ribs were readily visible and her legs and arms very thin due to her dramatic weight loss during her rehabilitation from her injuries. She was doing her best to build up body fat, but it was taking time. Her hair was only partially regrown and barely touched the collar of her sweatshirt. The girl sighed, knowing it was just a matter if time.
"Are you coming down with me?" Amber asked apprehensively.
"No."
"Who...?"
"I will be taking you outside."
Amber grinned enormously as she recognised the voice of Charles Allerton.
"Charles!"
"She's all yours, Lance Corporal," Blake laughed as Amber moved as fast as she could to Charles and hugged the man around the waist. "No more than two hours, please."
"Yes, Commander," Charles responded as he was all but dragged out of the room by the excited Amber.
Blake stood still and counted to three in his mind.
"Forgot my coat!" Amber said as she reappeared and grabbed her coat and a baseball cap off a chair before she vanished again.
Blake smiled – another happy patient who would eventually leave the hospital fit to return to their former lives.
..._...
Charles and Amber walked along the Albert Embankment.
It was chilly but dry and Amber was amazed by the sights, the sounds, and the smells. It was her first time outside since she had been in the desert, and she enjoyed the feeling of the breeze on her exposed skin.
"This is amazing," Amber said. "Thank you for being there for me."
Charles had visited Amber on several occasions, especially when she was low and needed someone to talk to. They had talked and talked. For Amber there was not much she could talk about, but she enjoyed hearing about life in the Army and especially the horses.
"You've spent a long-time healing inside and you need to get used to the outside world, Amber. I am happy to help you for as long as it takes. If you are good – Commander Blake seemed to think that might be a struggle for you – and you do what you are told, then you will get out of that place in another two to three weeks. My meagre apartment is not much but if you want a home, Amber, then it will be yours."
Amber stopped dead and she turned to look up at Charles.
"You really mean that?"
"Of course, Amber. You mean a lot to me, and I want to give you a life – but on your terms."
"I have no terms. I just want to be cared for and for someone to want me. I've done bad things in my life which has meant that everyone hated me because I was different. A lot of my life is a blank."
"We'll discover your life together, you and I."
"Thank you, Charles."
"Let's get you back before the Commander sends out a search party."
Amber grinned as she and Charles turned back towards the hospital.
That afternoon...
Edinburgh, Scotland
Ashley House
Vengeance Command Centre
Jasper Collins was still not a happy man.
There was barely an hour to go before Sir Edmond dropped in and still had a hundred and one things to finish before he could go home that evening. One task was very sensitive – for a dozen reasons – and involved one Amber Dawson. The girl had been through so much. She would turn fourteen in just two weeks' time and then a week after that she was due to leave hospital and make a new home with a British soldier as guardian. However, new facts had arisen concerning the girl's parentage. The girl had spilled much blood during her many operations and routine blood tests had been carried out including a DNA test and it was the results of that DNA test which was causing some consternation that afternoon.
"We need to tell her," Cassie Bedford née Perrin decided.
"Do we?" Lynn Collins countered. "Amber is finally at peace with herself and is about to start a new life. This could put her over the edge and..."
"She has a right to know," Keira Schneider née Sharp interrupted. "It is her life, and that man is her birth father. He is also the only blood relative she has."
"Finding out that man is her father could undo so much good," Lynn challenged.
"Do we even know where he is?" Keira pushed.
"He is holed up somewhere in Australia, we believe," Jasper advised. "Australian SIO is attempting to track him down."
"I know what she will want to do," Rachel Clarkson stated, speaking for the first time. "I've spoken to her at length, and I have a sneaking suspicion that she knows a lot more than she is letting on. I think she has delved into who her father is, and I think she managed to narrow down the suspects which means it won't come as a major surprise to her. She will see it as partial closure. However, I believe that she will want full closure which I am sure I don't need to spell out."
"I am sure that could be arranged," Jasper muttered. "Right, we need to wrap this up as I have a visitor."
"What does a suit from London want with us?" Keira asked.
"I dread to think," Jasper responded.
Just as the meeting in the Orangery broke up, a dark blue Jaguar XJL swept into the drive and came to a smooth halt opposite the main door.
..._...
Sir Edmond Billington-Smyth was tall and always wore a bespoke navy-blue pinstripe Savile Row suit which alone had a cost well into five figures.
The man was clean-shaven with what remained of his hair committed to grey and he exuded an air or power as he strode across the gravel in his patent leather shoes and carrying an expensive leather briefcase under his left arm towards jasper and held out his right hand in greeting.
"Jasper! How the devil are you?"
"Very good, Sir Edmond."
"You seem concerned by my visit, Jasper."
"Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes."
"Quite!" Sir Edmond chuckled.
Jasper led the man inside and into the Orangery where he ensured that the anti-bugging countermeasures were active.
"Please, Sir Edmond," Jasper directed as he indicated a comfortable chair.
Once Sir Edmond was comfortable, Lynn appeared with a tray bearing coffee and tea. Once Sir Edmond had his cup of coffee and Jasper had his, Lynn vanished, and the meeting began.
"We need a small favour from you, Jasper. Actually, Six does."
"Oh?"
"They need a Predator for a mission – we will pay, of course."
"They are children, Sir Edmond; they are not mercenaries for hire!"
"Yes, yes, I know, we agreed that Vengeance would have the final say on how the children are looked after, etcetera, etcetera. However, Vengeance is irrevocably linked to the security services of this good country and as such, the Predators, and their skills..."
"No! They are not for barter, Sir Edmond. Have we not done enough to assist this good country over the past few months with some losing their lives and one in the wind. I will not allow..."
"Jasper. Jasper. The boy – Jake?" Jasper nodded. "Jake is at the very heart of this proposed operation. Six is looking to understand more of where Russia is going over the next few years. Their activities in the Arctic and the Mediterranean have shown that they are looking for a change in the current world order. Current government theorists have the Russian President doing something stupid somewhere in Europe around early 2022; that is within the next four years, Jasper. Worst case, the idiot invades another country and kicks off World War III – a remote possibility but still there, nonetheless. Six believes that the boy was taken to gather intelligence specifically on the ability of the United Kingdom to respond to Russian aggression. Vengeance has, for good or ill, proven that they can adapt and act where the armed forces cannot be due to international law.
"Six requires a young female with intricate knowledge of operating under the radar and with the ability to blend in and I required, terminate the opposition. She will not be alone as a member of Five will be going along as primary. The Predator also requires advanced knowledge of the Russian language, both spoken and written. It is a simple trip which is being kept on a need-to-know basis for the Predator's protection and for all involved. There will be a two-week training and briefing period before the pair fly out to their classified destination. We expect them to be back in the United Kingdom by mid-March at the very latest."
"I would like to go on record as being against this from the very start, Sir Edmond. This goes far beyond the Vengeance Charter, and should anything go wrong, only God can help those who would be to blame. I also want it placed on record that I am firmly against these children being utilised as mercenaries; it isn't like they don't have enough problems to deal with as a direct result of their previous exploitation at the hands of not only the United States Government but our very own Government!"
Sir Edmond could tell that Jasper was passionate about his defence of Predators in general and he had expected such an outburst.
"I know you are not so interested in the money side of things, but we will add a decent sum to the Predator Fund while I, personally, will owe you a favour."
Jasper sighed knowing it was an uphill battle which he could never win. The Government would bend and twist until it got its way knowing that there was very little that could be done considering that Predators and Urban Predator were closely guarded secrets never to be mentioned outside of secure areas. However, being owed a favour by a powerful person such as Sir Edmond was not to be ignored.
"I will investigate your requirements, Sir Edmond, and see whom we may have available. However, I will not force that person to volunteer. Would tomorrow afternoon be suitable for a response?"
"That would be fine, Jasper. Thank you for your time. I will not trouble you any further."
"Sir Edmond, always a pleasure."
Jasper had never been happier to see the back of a visitor as the man climbed into his waiting Jaguar and he vanished down the drive.
..._...
Eric appeared from the command centre.
"So," Eric said to Jasper. "What did our Dark Lord of the Sith want?"
Jasper chuckled for a moment before turning very serious.
"He wants Charlie."
"He asked for her specifically?"
"Not specifically, but he may as well have. The requirements fit the girl to a T, not to mention that they knew full well Charlie would not say no to a mission which had a part in tracking down the location of Jake."
"The evil bastard!"
"Exactly. Where is Charlie, right now?"
"She's providing backup for the Zetas," Eric advised.
Jasper nodded as he headed outside for some fresh air.
That same afternoon...
Barton Seagrave, England
The man had been tracked down by GCHQ who had monitored a conversation some weeks previously which had allowed the man's true identity to be brought forth.
Naturally, Vengeance had been notified as only they were authorised to take the necessary action and terminate the subject with extreme prejudice. They would also ensure that little collateral damage occurred and for the public to kept in total ignorance. In this case, it was a high-ranking member of Urban Predator, a senior instructor who would cease to exist. The man lived with his family in a non-descript property on a non-descript housing estate in England. He lived within his means and remained well below the radar as far as the authorities were concerned.
For Zeta Squad, Mark Ramsey was the proverbial Ace of Spades playing card. The man had made their lives hell for a little over two years. He had also murdered an unknown number of children over an unknown period of time. His family were out that afternoon, so there would be no witnesses to the man's execution. Natasha had driven Rylee Clarkson, Simon Starling, Tanya Swift, and Charlotte Perrin down south and they had arrived around 4PM, allowing them plenty of time to reconnoitre the area and the target before dark a little over thirty minutes later. That was when they swiftly changed into their matte black combat suits fitted with modular composite armour. Rylee's armour was trimmed in blue while Tanya's was trimmed in red, and Simon's was trimmed in a light grey.
Each Zeta was armed in an identical manner with a Walther PPQ M2 Navy SD pistol fitted into a holster mounted on the right hip of each vigilante. Additional fifteen-round magazines, three each, were inserted into pouches on the utility belts of each vigilante, either side of the centrally located communications package. Six ceramic throwing knives were affixed on the front of each thigh, three per side. On each right calf, an eight-inch combat knife was attached. Each vigilante was equipped with a pair of two-foot long tactical wakizashi machetes which were fitted to their backs, to be drawn over their shoulders. Then, after a pair of black armoured gauntlets, there came the masks which would hide their all-important identity. With the fitting of the masks which covered their entire heads and faces, Rylee Clarkson, Simon Dalton, and Tanya Enfield were transformed respectively into Noxa, Custos, and Necis. As the masks came online, the eyes of Noxa burned a cold deep blue while for Custos, they were a mesmerising yellow. The eyes of Necis were a deep orange.
Charlotte as Intrepid would remain in thick woodland at the end of the garden which led up to the house of their target – she would be the backup for the Zetas should all go bad. It was the very first time out for her in her full combat suit. Similar in build to the Zetas, the combat suit was black and navy blue with gold trim. The eyes of the mask burned a cool deep opaline green. Twin Glock 19 Gen4 pistols were fitted into holsters mounted on each hip with an additional three seventeen-round magazines inserted into pouches on the utility belt either side of the centrally located communications package. A trio of ceramic throwing knives were affixed to the front of each thigh. On the right calf, an eight-inch combat knife was attached. Fitted to her back, to be drawn over her shoulder, a Roman gladius sword took pride of place in a scabbard with a short pilum attached to that same scabbard.
"Zeta Squad, this is Intrepid, in position and standing by."
"Zeta Squad, you have a go. Crimson out."
The three youngsters moved swiftly; their pistols, each fitted with a stubby suppressor to limit the sounds of their bullets should they find the need to use the weapons, raised before them.
..._...
Entry to the property was simple – Necis picked the lock on the back door.
The kitchen was warm and cosy as they moved from the cold February evening inside. The kettle on the kitchen side was still hot, steam rising from the spout, indicating that someone had just made a hot drink. Stealthily, the Zetas moved one by one out of the kitchen, checking and clearing the dining room which was to the left and then they entered the living room while Custos remained in the hallway to monitor the front door and the stairs to the first floor. Just one person occupied the living room, and he was seated in a single chair sipping at a mug of tea.
"I wondered who they would send," Mark Ramsey said as he placed his mug of tea down on a coaster which sat upon a small polished wooden side table. "If I am not mistaken, you are the Zetas."
"Talk will not save you," the tall male said in a scrambled electronically enhanced drawl.
"Simon. Which means the two girls would have to be Tanya and the indomitable Rylee."
The man ignored the raised weapons as he stood up slowly and made his way over to a wooden dresser set beside a wall. He ducked down and opened a door then dug deep into the back of the cupboard. Noxa frowned as the man stood back up and he stepped over to her. In his hands, he held a small wooden box made from highly polished cedar. The box was square, about eight inches to a side and four in height. The lid of the box was secured by two brass hinges at the rear and a brass catch to the front.
"I kept her safe. She mentioned in one of her lessons that cedar was her favourite wood," the man said as he handed the box to Noxa who was very confused but then Necis' hand shot to her mouth as her eyes took in the words upon the brass plaque affixed to the lid of the box in the centre by four brass screws.
Engraved on the plaque were five rows of text:
Turner Grace
Died 5th October 2015
Aged 10
Taken from her friends
but never forgotten.
Noxa began to shake as she realised what, or rather whom, she held in her hands. Custos and Necis were both stunned.
"The way she died; it was horrible," Ramsey explained. "I made sure that her ashes were gathered and brought to me. I wanted to keep them safe until one day I could return them to her friends."
Noxa looked up at the man whom she had hated for so long and who had represented so much misery for her and her friends, as well as many other children. As she holstered her pistol, and she pulled off her mask, she came to a decision which surprised her.
"I came here to kill you," she said. "But now I can't. Turner has bought you your freedom with your family. She would not want me to hurt you. Not to mention that you made our escape from Toulouse possible."
"You were not evil like the others," Custos added. "You did what you had to do to maintain discipline, but you had a heart."
"I am very glad to see that you all made it out alive and obviously have lives. You were always special to me, and I knew I had to make you all stronger before everything fell apart. If you were stronger then you all had a chance to survive and regain your lives," Ramsey said. "Please take Turner and see that she is finally put to rest."
"We will," Rylee confirmed as she pulled her mask back on and picked up the ashes of her dead friend. "We will."
Intrepid had heard the entire exchange and when the three Zetas reached her, she looked down at the small box. "I didn't believe it but..."
Noxa nodded. Intrepid had been there. She had known Tanya.
The memories: good and bad. The blood. The death. The loss.
It was totally unexpected. Nobody talked about Turner; it was hard for all but hardest for Rylee who had actually been there for the abhorrent event.
They drove away in silence.
The following morning...
Monday, February 5th
Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Rachel Clarkson opened the front door and smiled at her visitor.
"Jasper!"
"Rachel. Apologies for the intrusion but I must speak with Charlie."
"She's in the living room. The others are still in bed."
"I understand they had a successful mission and brought home one of their friends."
"Yes. Rylee won't let Turner out of her sight – not for a minute."
"It must have been a big surprise for her."
Jasper followed Rachel into the living room.
"Charlie, you have a visitor," Rachel announced.
"Morning, Jasper!" Charlotte grinned.
The young teen was still in her pyjamas and looked a little tired.
"I'll get straight to the point, Charlie. SIS has been in touch via Five and they want you to go into the field on a mission – to Russia, I understand. I will not insist that you go – you can decline the mission."
"Do you know what the mission is?"
"No. But I understand that it has part to do with Jake's disappearance."
"Jake! I'll go!"
"Calm down, Charlotte. I don't know how much of that claim is true and how much is simple coercion to make you go on the trip."
"But if I can do anything to help track down Jake."
"I know. We all miss the boy."
"I miss him more than anybody," Charlotte almost whispered.
Jasper did not doubt it for one moment.
Two days later...
Wednesday, February 7th
Vengeance Training Facility – Wolf
Some thirty feet below ground, on sub-level one, Charlotte Perrin was busy training, ensuring her fitness was beyond perfect.
She had a mission – a real mission – and lives depended on her being able to fight and defend herself. She had been at it for an hour when she was approached by Kate who had a nasty look on her face and Charlotte wondered for a moment if she was in for a kicking, but no.
"You want a punchbag?" Kate asked.
Charlotte stopped moving and looked over to where a punchbag hung from a steel bracket attached to the concrete overhead. It was not currently in use and Charlotte wondered if Kate may have drunk too much sea water during her ditching.
"Come again?"
"Back in a few moments."
Charlotte looked over at Dakota and Ariana who were sparring together, and both simply shrugged, ignoring Kate as she strode off the mat with purpose. A minute later, a masked Olivia appeared from the lower level.
"Mask up, guys!"
Instantly, all present pulled a mask out of their shorts and pulled it over their heads. Kate appeared, unmasked, and with company. They all knew that there were three occupants of the cells on the third sub-level. They were also very aware of Kate's twin sister and the fact that Kate saw Julie like the average person might see shit on their shoe.
"One punchbag," Kate growled. "I'd do it myself, but I wouldn't want to get my hands dirty by touching her."
"I don't need..."
"Yes, you do. Julie, here, needs some exercise and she might as well be of use rather than simply a fucked-up burden."
Intrepid scowled behind her mask; it was not the Kate she knew, but she knew better than to argue with someone stronger and someone who would not think twice about causing her pain.
"Now, Julie," Kate said conversationally. "This is Intrepid. You provide her with a useful sparring partner than I will cut you some slack and maybe actually move you up my scale of living creatures. Do well and I may see you as a higher being than the slug I squished this morning."
Julie Truman was as miserable as a human being could be and she looked like she had been crying – which she had. She was dressed in a plain white T-shirt and plain white shorts and was bare foot. Her long hair was tied back in single ponytail with an elastic band.
"Have fun 'trepid."
Intrepid watched Kate stride off the mat and head up to the next level. Then she turned to Julie.
"I do not want a part of whatever she has going for you, but I hear you can fight."
Julie nodded resignedly. Inside, she knew that she wanted to heal the gaping rift which existed between her and her sister. Only Kate could rescue her and give her a life. But, if fighting a Vengeance vigilante could help her rehabilitation, then...
"FUCKING BITCH!"
Intrepid glared up angrily at the unrepentant Julie who towered over her. Despite the kick out of nowhere, Intrepid had to approve as it was a good strong kick applied with skill. The younger girl leapt to her feet, and she moved away from Julie, instantly wary of the older girl. Julie smirked as she realised that for the first time in months, she could simply be herself and enjoy some positive exercise. She gauged the younger girl and wondered what she was beneath the mask. Her legs and arms were toned and muscular indicating many years of hard training despite her age which could only be very early teens. The mask indicated that the young teen was a vigilante, but it was still a mystery to Julie how the youngster ended up as a teen vigilante much like her sister.
Julie swiftly attacked before her opponent could react from the initial kick which had taken her off her feet.
..._...
Intrepid dodged the inbound attack.
It was strange fighting someone who looked like a friend but wasn't that friend. However, Julie had some skills. She was no Predator, but she had been taught to look after herself from a defensive and an offensive perspective. Julie was a fast mover, much like her sister, but there were some gaps in her skills and Julie had been held in a cell with little exercise for months, affecting her fitness. But there was fire in those eyes and a desire for freedom. It was a desire which Intrepid could well understand, but she had a higher tasking, and her training superseded Kate's hate for her sister. Digging deep into her repertoire of violently offensive martial arts, Intrepid twisted and leapt into the air catching her opponent in the side of the head and then kicked her again in the upper back as she went down hard onto the impact mat with a scream. Intrepid ran in and punched Julie on the left side of her face and then kicked her in the left side, making her stay down.
Julie made an effort to move but she wisely chose to remain on the mat, rolling onto her back and rubbing her bruised jaw. She glared up at her nemesis not wanting to give the bitch the pleasure of succumbing without protest.
"You fight almost as well as your sister," Intrepid growled as she stepped away from Julie, allowing the older girl to regain her feet.
"You have my respect, Intrepid."
"You up for another round?"
"Against a shitty little upstart like you?"
Intrepid laughed.
..._...
From a few yards away, Arbiter watched the uneven sparring match.
"Intrepid seems to be holding her own," Thunderstorm commented.
"So is the carbon copy," Arbiter replied. "I really don't know why Goshawk has such a hardon for her sister. Anyway, I need to go check on our other inmates."
"I'll join you."
Together, the two girls headed down to the lowest level – sub-level three – where the holding cells were tucked away. As they approached the furthest cell – number one – they could hear laughing and giggling.
"Ewww!" Arbiter growled. "I'm a lesbian and that still freaks me out!"
"This is a prison cell, not a fucking, fuck palace!" Thunderstorm pointed out to the cell occupants.
The two girls were not far from reaching their eighteenth birthdays and despite having been arrested for acting as a sniper team, had been released into the custody of Vengeance after three weeks of police interrogation once it had been ascertained that they had been fighting for good. They had known each other for over seven years ever since they had first met that fateful day in September 2010 when they had both been introduced to a life of hell at the tender age of ten. Somewhere around their fifteenth year, the pair had begun to notice each other from a sexual point of view. It was a forbidden relationship and could have resulted in a nine-millimetre calibre brain haemorrhage for them both. Only two people had been aware of their relationship, and they had gone out of their way as senior Predators to cover up for the pair. However, since they had been freed from oversight, they could practice their love for one another openly and in public. However, despite having their own 'cells' which were actually left open, and they were forbidden from leaving the level, the pair usually slept together, their mattresses on the floor.
Neither Arbiter not Thunderstorm were new to half naked females, but the pair were at it like 'fucking rabbits' as Kate had commented just that morning. Emily Washington and Keira Langlands were doing their utmost to proclaim their love for the other and were busy probing each other's more intimate locations as they sought ecstasy.
"Hi," Keira offered as she sat up and wiped her lips as Arbiter cringed.
"Can't you two just stop for even one sodding hour?" Thunderstorm demanded as she scowled at Emily who pulled up her knickers and jeans in one go.
"Not easily," Emily laughed.
"Look," Arbiter said. "You guys need to stop fucking around – literally! People are putting themselves on the line for you two wankers so that you can get back to your sorry lives. This is not some bloody dosshouse, you know."
Emily and Keira stood up looking somewhat sheepish at the rebuke from someone they knew was one of them, even if they were not exactly sure who was who as everyone always wore a mask around them. Being free and having somewhere safe and warm to live had been like a drug to them and they had pushed things too far, they both knew and the very last thing they wanted was to be tossed out onto the streets; it was cold out there in February.
"We promise to keep our snatches to ourselves," Emily promised.
Keira nodded as they both headed for Keira's cell and Keira stabbed the play button on her phone.
I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation
Living in the past, it's a new generation
A girl can do what she wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do,
Keira's head reappeared.
"What?" she stated. "Joan Jett's fuckin' hot!"
Thunderstorm and Arbiter exchanged a look and nodded their agreement.
An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation
Oh no, not me!
That weekend...
Saturday, February 10th
Ashley House
Vengeance Command Centre
It was time.
Debbie Grey was an experienced agent, Jasper knew, and he also knew that Charlotte could not be in better hands. Debbie had endured some of the worst her job entailed in her fourteen years with MI5. She was also used to being 'lent' to MI6 when they were looking for plausible deniability, so the mission ahead was not anything new at all. However, she was not at all happy with Charlotte being sucked into MI6's wet dream. Debbie had the utmost respect for Predators and what they had gone through to become the assassins they wore but for them to be used as mercenaries was not on.
"You ready, Charlie?"
"Do you have to ask?"
"She'll be fine, Jasper," Debbie stated as she dropped Charlotte's small holdall into the boot of her car. "A quick in and out."
"I hope so," Jasper replied – he was not happy by any stretch of the imagination.
"We'll see you next month."
"I'll be fine; I've been through a lot worse and survived."
"Be off with you, Charlie. I look forward to hearing from you in a month, Debbie."
Jasper felt an uneasy sense of foreboding as he watched the happy teen getting into Debbie's company Vauxhall Vectra and the pair driving off.
..._...
Also watching Charlotte's departure was young Kaitlin.
The change of pace over the preceding months since their return home had been difficult for the almost ten-year-old girl and going from constant adrenaline-fuelled action and danger to seeming tranquillity had been like coming off a drug. Much of that transition had been exorcised by training, going back to school, and resuming a normal(-ish) routine. However, Kaitlin was Kaitlin and while her headmaster had enjoyed some peace and quiet for a few months, it had become blatantly clear that the pintsized hurricane was not finding it easy to settle back into her routine. Kaitlin had moved class but was still on her own, only seeing the likes of Naomi at lunchtime. Like the others, she also felt the loss of Jake who was somebody that both girls looked up to as their big brother. For Kaitlin it was more acute and a double whammy for the young girl who was already a mental wreck thanks to her violent training regime.
It did not take much to trigger Kaitlin, but the girl had learned to control her triggers over the previous couple of years. To be brutally honest, the boy had deserved the punch that broke his nose but considering he was sixteen, he had chosen to apologise to the younger girl, but the headmaster had chosen to suspend Kaitlin for two days, a result which had caused some consternation for Cassie and a major bollocking for Kaitlin which had resulted in little Sean being awoken which had in turn made Kaitlin's situation all the worse. Naomi had wisely chosen to keep well clear of the epicentre which was Kaitlin and she had managed to soothe Sean with a bottle of breast milk before Cassie went nuclear.
It was a very miserable Kaitlin who said goodnight to Naomi on her way to an early bedtime – one of many in her immediate future.
A few days later...
Tuesday, February 13th
Stirling
Julie was concerned – and rightly so.
For reasons unknown to her (or anyone else for that matter), Kate had begun to be civil to her twin. Even more concerning (to all) was the fact that Kate was taking Julie out for lunch of all things. Julie had been taken from her cell, blindfolded, and then led up several flights of steps before being led outside into fresh air and then after a disorientating walk, the blindfold had been whipped off.
"I think we need to talk," Kate said. "Fancy a bite to eat?"
"You feelin' alright?" Julie asked.
"Yes, I am. Get in."
Julie watched as her sister walked over to a stunning-looking car parked beside several others. It was flash blue in colour with massive nineteen-inch alloy wheels on each corner. The three-door Vauxhall Corsa VXR sported a pair of circular exhaust pipes sticking out at the rear and a VXR body kit all around with boot spoiler. Julie pulled open the passenger door and dropped into the Recaro sports seat as Kate dropped into the driver's seat. With a roar, the 1.6-litre turbo-charged engine came to life. Julie quickly pulled on the seatbelt as she remembered that her twin was a helicopter pilot and probably enjoyed speeeeeeeed... The wheels spun as the small car accelerated hard, Kate putting the four-cylinder engine through its paces and then as they raced through a set of brick gateposts and turned right onto the road, Kate tapped all two hundred and two brake horsepower. Julie suddenly had a fleeting idea that she was going to die as the car lurched around tight bends and blind corners at what seemed like triple digits.
"Having fun?" her sister asked.
"Road! Watch the damn road!" Julie responded in a high-pitched voice as they blasted past a larger vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
"Take a chill-pill, for fuck's sake!"
"You're not flying now, Kate."
Kate did not respond as all four wheels left the tarmac when she negotiated a small hump-backed bridge. Twenty minutes later, after the scariest rollercoaster ride of her young life, Julie breathed out with relief as they came to a very rapid stop in the car park of a Burger King. Julie glared at the grinning and totally unrepentant Kate for a moment before she unclipped the seatbelt and threw open the door.
"You are fucked up in the head, girl!" Julie growled as she jumped out of the car and slammed the door.
Kate laughed at her twin but relented knowing that she was more of a normal girl than Kate was.
..._...
Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting in a booth munching on their burgers.
The first few minutes were spent in an uncomfortable silence but then Kate spoke as she put down her burger, took a swig of her Coke Zero and munched on a chip.
"I should not be blaming you for joining the wrong side. Neither will I bore you with the sob story which was my life from when I was ten. Let's just agree that we both had it hard, huh?"
Julie nodded.
"I would like that. I feel really bad about what I did but like you, I won't bore you with my sob story, although I'm sure that you already know most of it. I have an idea of what you went through. I've seen those other children and despite the masks, I can tell that they are young but highly skilled. From that I read that they were trained from an early age and probably not by choice."
"Oh, we had a choice," Kate chuckled darkly. "Be trained or receive a nine-millimetre bullet with your name on it."
"Bit harsh," Julie considered.
"It had its good days."
"Learning to fly?" Julie ventured.
"I was selected to become what they called a Kestrel. I spent eighteen months learning about aerodynamics and the physics which allows aircraft to fly. I learned to pilot small single-engine airplanes powered by elastic bands – or so it seemed. I then moved onto helicopters – small ones. I loved the freedom compared to what my days normally offered. In two days, I go for the most important interview of my life. It will be two days of hell but a hell which will give me my dream. Your appearance last year – I saw you as a direct threat to that interview and it has taken me a while to get that out of my system. Considering what I was and what I did before going straight, having a twin sister who is almost as fucked up as I am, is not going to do much.
"I am sorry for leaving you incarcerated underground for so long, alone. I wanted to forget about you, like I had done, but that would have been wrong. You had no choice to do what you've done, and I have to admit, you're loyal and highly skilled. I am proud to call you my sister, Julie, and I promise that from now on, you will be treated like my sister, and we will get you sorted out. You will find that my friends and family are an acquired taste, especially my brother, Craig."
"Does that mean he's my brother, too?" Julie asked, totally shocked by what Kate had said.
"Yes – sorry about that."
"Cool."
"I want us to be friends."
"We were, once."
"I know; only I don't remember very much from that time," Kate admitted.
"What about Uncle Oliver?"
Kate grimaced.
..._...
Despite her feelings for the man, Kate was full of anger for what he had done to Julie.
While Kate could sympathise with her uncle's situation – to a point – she saw it as unforgiveable that Julie had been pushed into a life not that far distant than her own. Julie had lost her childhood due to her need to be able to defend herself when her uncle was away on business, and her need to have something in common with her uncle. The man knew little about bringing up a youngster and he turned to his military training to try and ensure that Julie was both disciplined and educated. While Kate had not taken part in any of her twin's interrogations, nor those of her uncle, she had watched some of both either live or on a recording afterwards. Certain jarring comments had struck home with Kate.
From her uncle:
"At first, I turned the training into a game..."
"Especially the more serious skills which could be used to really hurt an opponent."
From her twin:
"It was like a game, at first, but then I saw it for what it truly was..."
"I knew some of it was wrong and I knew that some of the training was intended for killing rather than for defending myself..."
"I enjoyed it, later. The training gave me a high, and when I maimed a training dummy, I found I enjoyed hurting the dummy."
In answer to the question: "Have you taken a human life?"
"No, I have not. Uncle Oliver kept me away from trouble and danger when he could during the London attacks. I was given a team and posted miles away from the action. Would I have killed? At the time, I would have tried, but I never had the opportunity. Uncle Oliver had explained to me when I was twelve what it was like to take a human life and how it felt after your first. He killed during his time in the British Army, I know that."
Kate was eternally thankful that Julie had not been tainted by taking a life as she had, however, how could she tell Julie the truth? Could she ever tell Julie to truth as to how their parents had died and who had pulled the trigger – twice? The fact that Julie had not taken a life had weighed heavily in her sentencing which had been handed down from a closed court in London. Julie was sentenced to 'time served' and would be free to go once Vengeance was finished with her and saw fit for her to rejoin society.
As for Uncle Oliver, his health was going downhill like an avalanche, and he did not have much longer to live. While he had revealed under intense interrogation that he had knowledge of the nuclear devices, he had also revealed that majority of the mercenaries had no idea that the devices were real and most were led to believe that they were fakes – after all, who was insane enough to want to nuke London and many other cities across the planet. By the time some found out, they were too deep into the conspiracy, and they knew that there was no way out – alive. It had also become very clear to all that Uncle Oliver had not wanted anything to do with weapons of mass destruction; he believed in more typical forms of warfare. He also regretted getting Julie involved to the point where she was arrested and implicated in a heinous plot to kill millions of people in nuclear fireballs. The most recent interrogation had also brought forth that Julie had had no idea about the nuclear devices and had been led to think that any reference to them was a codeword.
Needless to say, Uncle Oliver would never see out any prison sentence.
..._...
The drive back to Blairhoyle was just as spirited as before, until...
"What's wrong?" Julie asked as the Corsa slowed down considerably.
Kate simply indicated with her left thumb, pointing towards the back of the car. Behind them was a BMW 330D in the Battenberg livery of Police Scotland. As Julie watched, the ominous-looking vehicle lit up like a Christmas tree with blue lights and the head lights flashed twice, along with a single whooping sound from the siren. Kate sighed deeply as she slowed and then indicated left as she pulled into a layby at the side of the road. She turned off the engine and pressed the button to lower her window. She recognised the man climbing out of the BMW which had stopped directly behind.
Sergeant Barlow was no novice when it came to pint-sized assassins whether they were tender-aged or teen-aged. In this instance, he was very familiar with a certain young lady who had just gained her full driving licence and a car which the police officer deemed to be more powerful than was strictly necessary for a seventeen-year-old, especially one with a known penchant for speed.
"Hello there!"
"Sergeant Barlow," Kate offered with a forced grin.
"And who might you have with you, Miss Montgomery?"
"This is Julie; she's my twin."
"I would say so," Sergeant Barlow responded once he had compared the two girls. "So, Miss Montgomery. You passed your practical test, how long ago?"
"Two weeks."
"And how many times have you been stopped in those two weeks for driving like a prize idiot, Miss Montgomery?"
"Two...?"
Sergeant Barlow coughed.
"Three...?"
Another cough.
"Okay! Five times, alright!"
"This is your final warning, Miss Montgomery, or you're back to taking the bus."
"Yes, Sergeant."
"Now, be on your way, and say hello to young Kaitlin for me." Sergeant Barlow then looked directly at Julie and grinned. "Hope you make it home in piece, Julie."
Julie grinned at her twin's expression and waved a hand at the police sergeant as Kate moved off in a much more sedate manner than was usual.
..._...
The remainder of the trip took a lot longer as Kate never once exceeded thirty miles per hour.
Eventually, they turned left into the same drive that they had left two hours earlier and Kate parked up. Julie could not resist grinning as she climbed out.
"One fucking word, Julie, and so help me God!" Kate growled as she slammed her car door.
"My lips are sealed," Julie replied, wondering how far she could push her luck.
Kate sighed. The conversations with her twin were becoming more intimate and while part of her resented the familiarity, other parts welcomed it. Memories of their early lives were beginning to return for them both. They had both been so very young when their lives had been torn apart. Once the two girls had been close but now, almost eight years later, they barely knew one another.
"Five times..."
"Shut..."
"... in two weeks!"
"... up!"
"You're a certified nutcase, Katie!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Sorry, Catherine."
Kate smiled, enjoying the banter, the months of hate towards her twin sister melting away like it had never existed.
"It's Kate, Julie, just Kate."
"Oh, fuck, I think my mind has finally gone; I'm seeing fucking double!"
Kate laughed at the small girl who had just appeared from around the corner of the house.
"Julie, meet another certified nutcase. This is Kaitlin."
"Hello, Julie," Kaitlin said as she held out her right hand for Julie to shake. "Good to meet you, finally."
"I like her," Julie said as Kaitlin bolted off into the garden.
"I can guarantee you will be saying something very different about that girl in a month's time."
"So, am I about to be let in on the big secret? Are you some kind of Secret Squirrel, Kate? Are you some kind of spy? Do you work for the government? I know you fly 'black' helicopters."
Kate scowled as Julie used air-quotes. It wasn't like Kate could deny she flew 'black' helicopters considering that her flying NIGHTSHADE that night had been what had brought the two girls back together.
"I can neither confirm nor deny any of your suggestions – but I cannot prevent you from coming to conclusions," Kate responded before she turned to Julie. "There are things going on that you can never comprehend. There are things going on that I don't comprehend, and I have been at this for a while now. It is not up to me to tell you what is going on behind the scenes as I would be liable to prosecution and prison. Personally, I don't want to spend the next couple of decades banged up in some shithole of a prison. What I can tell you is that, yes, I am part of a dark and sinister organisation as you have already seen but it goes so much further."
"You're a Vengeance vigilante?" Julie said in a tone which sounded more a statement than a question.
"We do not operate like the Chicago vigilantes. While our creation was brought about by a certain woman with a tendency for violence, bad language, and purple, we are different; we show restraint, and we have to follow guidelines set down for us by Her Majesty's Government. I do not know what plans are in place for you, but you will have a choice – the red pill, blue pill thing – and either way, you will have a life as my twin sister. No more prison cell. No more being ghosted by me. You are also free from prosecution, so long as you stay with us. And I do want you to stay with us."
"Where am I going to live?"
"Now that is what is in store for you, sis."
Julie found herself being led inside the large house.
..._...
Inside the house, Kate led Julie into a large living room.
"Hello, dear, welcome to Blairhoyle. I am Alexandra. Have a seat."
Julie smiled at the warm welcome from the lovely lady who was all smiles. She sat down on a sofa beside her sister, suddenly feeling out of her depth. That feeling only got worse when two boys appeared. The two fourteen-year-old boys smiled at Julie.
"I'm Craig."
"And I'm Jordan."
Julie watched as both moved over to another sofa and sat down. She noticed that the second boy actually dropped onto the sofa and his left leg moved in an unnatural way.
"Transtibial?" Julie asked Jordan.
"Huh? Yeah . . . how?" Jordan stammered.
"I've met some amputees – how?" Julie asked.
"It got infected a few years back and had to be chopped."
"Okay." Julie figured there was more to it than that, but she chose not to push.
"Hello, Julie."
Julie turned to see a tall man smiling down at her. Her mind raced. Then it clicked.
"You were the man in the helicopter. You saved my life."
"I am David, and Kate is my daughter, which I suppose means that her twin is my daughter as well. This is my wife, Amy."
"You look so much like Kate," Amy said with a disarming smile which made Julie feel much less worried about her future. "You'll fit into our family, Julie."
"Do you think they both have the same boobs?" Jordan asked Craig.
"Julie's got a smaller arse," Craig responded. "Ow! Fucking ow!"
Amy laughed as Julie slapped Craig very hard before she moved onto Jordan.
"Oh, yes, you'll fit in fine around here, Julie," Amy confirmed.
Julie grinned happily.
Beacon Croft
Julie slept in a proper bed that night.
It was amazingly normal.
Somehow fate had joined up the dots and brought her back to her sister without her remembering that she even had a sister. On top of Kater, she had also gained two – one and three quarters if you allowed for Jordan's missing leg – fucked up teenaged brothers and the jury was still out on whether gaining brothers was a positive or a negative. Either way, she was being looked after and not just thrown into a prison cell which was most definitely a positive. There was one problem, though; she was almost eighteen and she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life – now it was back under her control. Kate, it seemed, was looking to become a military pilot, or more specifically, a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.
Indeed, Kate had not been kidding about what was ahead of her over the next couple of days – David had informed Julie what the Admiralty Interview Board entailed and how it would take everything Kate had to pass.
..._...
Just three feet away, Kate struggled to sleep as her mind raced with what awaited her – and what failure might mean.
It was her life which would be decided upon and the one thing she craved in the entire world, only Kate worried about her past and how that might fuck up her interview. However, David had told her that there was nothing she could do but put her best foot forwards and show the interview board that she was the perfect candidate.
Kate forced herself to sleep that night by thinking and then dreaming about what it might be like to fly from a warship on the open ocean, in command of her own anti-submarine warfare helicopter such as the Merlin which she loved.