Two days later
Saturday morning
Safehouse A

"A handgun bullet travels at more than seven hundred miles per hour," I said, as I inserted a magazine into the butt of the SIG Sauer pistol, then racked back the slide to chamber a round.

"Is it gonna hurt bad?" Megan asked, from the other end of the mat.

"Only for a second, kid," I laughed. "It's gonna take you off your feet for sure, but it's really no more painful than a punch in the chest."

"I hate getting punched in the chest!" Megan responded with a scowl.

This was so surreal; I could remember this moment like it was yesterday and not around five and half years ago! Another ten year-old girl, in another City... Megan just reminded me of a mini-... Oh fuck! The bastards have me doing it now!

"Now cut the whining and get ready, Wildcat!" I cautioned, getting back to the present.

Megan winced.

"And no wincing!"

Megan rolled her eyes and I fired. Megan flew backwards and onto the mat, with a loud 'fuuuck', as the air was forced from her lungs!

"How was that? Not so bad. Kinda fun, huh?" Curtis said, reaching down to help Megan back to her feet.

Dave and I just laughed!

"Now you won't be scared when some junkie asshole pulls a Glock!" I said, once I had stopped laughing.

"Welcome to the club, Megan!" Dave said, helping Megan remove the armour. "Think yourself lucky that it was just a .38 and not something bigger!"

I noticed Dave glaring at me, when he mentioned 'something bigger' and I blushed a little.

..._...

"Mindy?" Megan asked me later.

"Yeah."

"Dave said you used to rig your attendance at school; could you do that for me?"

I glared at Dave.

"No I cannot! Dave, stop telling people about things that I did when I was younger!"

"Younger? You mean just over a year or so ago!" Dave reminded me.

"You know, I think I need a hot fudge sundae. Anybody else?"

"Hi Megan, had a good day?" Mom asked, once I had got back home.

"It was cool; Mindy shot me in the chest!" I said smugly and watched as the appalled look formed on Mom's face.

That night
Safehouse D

It was dark, cold and snowy.

The time had come to road test our new motorcycles. Kick-Ass, Battle Guy and Hawk, were in Beast, while Hal and Trojan were at Safehouse A monitoring our activities.

Jackal, Shadow and I would be on our new Ducati Multistrada motorcycles. Just as we had started our motorcycles, Shadow turned and threw a black, plastic box at me. I caught it and examined the item; it was a Ducati Multistrada Engine Control Unit or ECU.

"You didn't think that you could get away with that, did you?" Shadow enquired.

I glared at Kick-Ass.

"Did you tell her that I'd de-rated the Multistrada?" I accused.

"She asked me; so I told her!"

"Why?"

"She threatened to hurt me!" Kick-Ass responded.

"She's a fourteen year-old girl for fuck's sake!"

"She's scary!" Kick-Ass replied, with a chuckle.

I didn't respond. All I had wanted to do was prevent her from breaking her little neck and obviously she had found the original, unrestricted ECU! Jackal said nothing, but just shook his head, so I assumed that he was still using the restricted ECU: clever kid!

"Let's roll!" Kick-Ass ordered.

Kick-Ass led the way, with Beast and we followed one after the other, with Shadow at the rear and myself leading. It was very dark and cold out, but the conditions were perfect for the night's ride. I had advised Shadow and Jackal, but especially Shadow, to take it gently, at least until they were experienced at riding on snow.

"Remember, no stupid manoeuvres, or you'll end up ass over tit!" I cautioned.

"Bet these'll go faster than that old Panigale!" Shadow teased.

"In your fucking dreams, Shadow!" I retorted, furious with myself for rising to her bait.

"In snow, I'm way faster!" Shadow continued.

"Look, these are a different class of motorcycle – you can't compare them, but I can still do one eighty, while you could never do much more than just over one forty!"

"Children!" Hawk cautioned.

It had been a little under two weeks since I had been shot, but I was healing well and I had promised Dave, Cathy and myself that I would behave and take things gently! I was still sore, but I would survive.

We kept the speed down and stayed in formation, with Beast on point. The snow was light and the streets clear of traffic, so the ride was pleasant and I defied any criminal cunt to disturb our enjoyment!

We had our usual meeting with Murphy and Fellowes; they thought the new motorcycles were particularly hot, but missed the Panigale!

As did I! The beefed up tyres were extremely good on the snow and allowed for brilliant control, considering the conditions. The new tyres also helped Jackal and Shadow to stay vertical and I was impressed that they hadn't had a spill yet! I missed the Panigale, though, but it was no good in this weather.

I knew that it would happen eventually.

The way was blocked by three large motorcycles and their riders.

"The bitches are back!" Kick-Ass announced.

"We have visual here!" Hal announced, monitoring our progress using the cameras in Beast.

We had a plan rehearsed for this and we all put the plan smoothly into action.

Beast blocked the road.

Then we stopped the motorcycles behind Beast, for cover. Then Shadow and Jackal reached for their compound bows and arrows.

Shadow and Jackal both released their first pair of arrows, together, before scooping up another pair of arrows and releasing them into the air.

The first pair of arrows impacted at the feet of Night and both exploded instantly and Night fell back with the concussion of the flashbangs. The next pair of arrows landed at the feet of Shade and Dusk and both exploded into a cloud of purple smoke, obscuring Night from them. Kick-Ass and Hawk ran forward and seized Night, before they bundled the unconscious, and now bound, Night into Beast and then jumped in themselves, before Battle Guy accelerated away.

I waited until Shadow and Jackal had remounted their motorcycles and were on their way back to Safehouse A, before following Beast.

CPD Warehouse

We dragged the Nightingale, known as 'Night', out of Beast.

Hawk and Battle Guy secured her to a steel pillar. She had regained consciousness on the ride over. Strangely she did not seem very concerned by her predicament; her eyes were smiling, even if we couldn't see her mouth.

I pulled back her hood and then removed her mask; all of a sudden people were talking at once.

Kick-Ass: "Damn!"

Battle Guy: "Double damn!"

Night: "Hi Dave! Been a while!"