The next morning
Monday
West Ridge
The problem of what to do with the British twins had suddenly got a little bit easier.
Not quite in the way that I had anticipated though...
I was relaxing and recuperating at home, trying to get over the incredibly embarrassing stories about my younger years that had come out the night before! I was on the couch having a one-sided conversation with Sophia; I've done stranger things!
There was a knock on the front door. We never had many visitors and right know I was kinda anxious about visitors, as I was still healing and currently Dave was out, so I was alone. Since the Russians had come back on the scene, I had uprated some of my ready use weaponry. In this case, I grabbed a hidden Micro-UZI and headed over to the door and stood on my toes to look through the spy hole.
I immediately jumped back! Oh fuck! I was shocked!
I had seen two people, outside. Cameron and Natasha King! How the fuck had they turned up here?
Okay Mindy, get a fucking grip!
"We know you're in there! Open up, we're not leaving!" Cameron called, then more quietly. "We know what you are!"
I checked the Micro-UZI was ready and that the suppressor was secure, then pulled open the door.
"Come in, please!" I said, cheerfully.
Once the kids were in the door I slammed it shut and kicked Cameron's legs out from under him. He went down hard and while Natasha was reaching for him, I pushed her down to the floor.
"Neither of you fuckers move, or I'll cut you both in half!" I growled, aiming the Micro-UZI.
I saw the same fear that I had seen before. The confident, cocky expressions that I had just seen were gone.
"Please... Don't shoot... I told you this was a stupid idea, Nats!" Cameron said.
"Get the fuck up off the floor and sit on the damn couch! You're making the place look messy!" I growled, lowering the Micro-UZI. "Sophia, stay!"
I sat down and faced the twins.
"So you found me!"
I saw Cameron looking around.
"Where did the gun go?" he asked.
"I must keep some secrets!" I growled.
"Look, we saw the commotion at the apartment block, the other night. I saw you climbing the fire escape and crossing the rooftop. You looked wounded. Then we kept watch and saw more of your team arriving. We then saw you leave the other morning, we followed you... Here," Natasha explained.
"We only got the nerve up to come here, this morning," Cameron admitted.
"You guys are clever and resourceful!" I growled. "Why are you British teenagers so damn smug?"
Two days later
Wednesday
Safehouse A
While Megan was at school, Mindy and I took Paige to see Safehouse A.
Paige took one look at the armoury and then turned to me with a smile.
"It's like the Bat Cave meets Vigilantes R Us!" She said. "You guys got a bat signal?"
I saw Mindy smirk and open her mouth…
"No!" I yelled.
Paige looked a little shocked.
"Believe me, you don't want to hear that story!" I said.
That afternoon we got the bad news.
Intelligence arrived, via Voight. The, so called, Sisters of Trinity, had attacked the Russian Mafia! Of all the stupid fucking things to do! What the fuck possessed them to embark on war with the Russian Mafia? Yeah, I know, I did the same, but it was just us and them; now we had a three way war!
It was Fusion v Russians v Trinity, which would only end badly!
We also had some good news, for a change!
Marcus was now a Detective Lieutenant with the Chicago PD!
He was staying in an apartment at South Cottage Grove. He had thought it better to give me my space! I rather thought it was more because he was only feet away from Paige! He hoped to be able to move all his stuff from New York towards the end of January. Marcus had found a house and was just waiting for the sale to go through. I wasn't exactly over the moon about where Marcus had bought a house, but there wasn't exactly anything that I could do about it, either!
The following evening
Thursday
Fusion Warehouse
"What are we doing back here?" Josh asked.
Chloe's expression mirrored the same question.
"Even you two should have noticed that it's been snowing a bit!" Dave commented.
There was a few inches outside and it was still snowing.
"For some stupid reason, I seem to think that you two should have the best equipment! Sometimes, though, I'm not convinced that you deserve any of it!" I said.
"Something's different!" Josh said, looking around.
On the previous visit to the warehouse, the place had been completely open plan. This time though there was now a building towards the rear. It was built of brick and had a steel sliding door.
"Oh, mister observant has noticed the new building! Very good, Josh! That is a secure building for storing weapons and equipment. It is brick, with steel reinforced walls! Welcome to Safehouse D, kids!"
I led Josh and Chloe over to the new building. It had only been finished, just before Christmas and I was very pleased with it. I entered the code into the hidden keypad and the steel door slid open, with barely a sound. The lights inside clicked on. There were no windows anywhere on the building, which was set six feet from the nearest exterior walls of the warehouse. Inside the building was an open space that had weapons, in locked racks, on three sides. To the right was a small kitchen, with a table and four chairs. Against the wall were two steel bunk beds. The floor was bare concrete, except for some thin carpet near the beds. The place screamed functionality over comfort.
"Home from home!" Josh commented.
"It is not intended for comfort, Josh!" I laughed.
"Hope not!" Chloe said.
"What's under the tarpaulin?" Josh asked curiously.
In the middle of the room, beside the racks of weapons, was a large tarpaulin covering something.
"Show them Dave!" I said.
Dave pulled off the tarpaulin and both kids gasped in shock.
"Bloody hell!" Josh finally exclaimed.
"Fuck me!" Chloe added.
Under the tarpaulin were three motorcycles, all three were Ducati Multistrada 1200 S multibike. One was in navy blue, with the registration 'SHADOW', the next was purple with the registration 'HIT N RUN' and the final motorcycle was tan, with the registration 'JACKAL'.
"After my hair raising pursuit down the Dan Ryan, I decided that I would need a motorcycle that could cope with the winter weather. The Panigale is nice, but not designed for snow and ice. Yes, Cathy's motorcycle was cool and gave me the idea! I ordered these and they have been equipped with proper multi-purpose tyres, the same as Dave and I have on our BMW motorcycles."
On closer inspection the three motorcycles had non-standard chunky tyres fitted, front and rear. They were Continental TKC-80 Twinduro tyres and were designed to cope with extreme road conditions, including mud and snow.
"Okay, kiddies. Time to learn your new motorcycles, read the manual and then you can ride around the warehouse to get used to them. Remember these are more than four times the capacity of your Hondas, not to mention the extra weight and size... Chloe: Calm the fuck down before you piss yourself!"
"What about our…" Josh started, then stopped as Dave came in with a helmet under each arm, plus two sets of motorcycle leathers.
After twenty minutes reading the manuals and examining the controls, Chloe and Josh pulled on their leathers and helmets and then wheeled their motorcycles out to the warehouse. I followed and watched as they mounted the large machines and started the one hundred and sixty horsepower engines.
I followed suit and the warehouse throbbed with the roar of three motorcycle engines revving. I then led the other two around the warehouse, with Dave monitoring and advising me of any problems.
All three motorcycles were fitted with side panniers and a tank bag. The motorcycles were an extra fifty kilogrammes or so heavier and were about twenty centimetres wider and longer. The gear ratios were also very different and it was better to learn these inside, on concrete, than out there on the snow!
They coped pretty well with the new machines and I was kinda surprised that the two of them were so quick to get used to what were very different motorcycles! Maybe it was because I was such a good teacher - yeah, it was all me – you know, my ego worries me sometimes!
"You guys have impressed me!" I said, once Josh and Chloe had pulled up and removed their helmets.
Both of them seemed a little embarrassed, but also proud and I was proud of them in return.