Chapter 9

I


"I have dinner for you if you're hungry," Natasha said as Nik, Julia and Jeremiah filed into the kitchen.

"I'm not really hungry, Tash, thanks," Julia said; "I think I'll just go up to my room and lay down." And with that, Julia left to go upstairs.

"That's not like her at all," Nik said; "She's pretty upset from what I've been able to gather during the ride back from Langley."

"What the fuck did the Director say to you guys?" asked Natasha.

"Well," Jeremiah began; "without revealing too many details, the Director apparently has information about each of us that made his asking us to work for him a lot easier. I feel like I was blindsided. My wife is going to crucify me when I get home. The idea that I would work for the government concerns her."

"I don't blame her for feeling like that," Nik said; "KateLynn isn't going to be too happy with me, either. Thing is, the information the CIA has on me, I can't tell my wife about because it's still classified. But dammit, I should be able to. It's about our family for God's sake!"

"What could the Agency have on Julia that has her so upset?" Natasha asked. "Something about her parents? Her sisters? Her kids?"

"I really don't know, Tash," Nik said; "She didn't want to talk about it. She looked like she'd be punched in the gut. I've never seen Julia like this."

"It has something to do with her family," Natasha said; "I just know it. She and the siblings she has through the marriage of her mother and David are really close. She gives her all for those kids of hers; then there's us."

"She'd defend us, too, Tash, you know that," Nik said; "Whatever it is, Julia is still trying to come to grips with it."

"If she wants to talk to any of us about it," Jeremiah said; "she will. She knows she can come to any of us with any concern."

"I hope you're right," said Natasha; "because I fear that once she's come to terms with it, she's going to be one tough adversary. She killed five people when she was my kids' ages; with her skills, God only knows what she's capable of now."

===

Julia lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. What have I just agreed to do? she thought; what have I gotten myself into? What have I gotten my family into?

She felt the tears sting in her eyes and let them fall. If there was one thing that Julia Summers was scared of, it was losing one of her kids. She and Ryan had gone through their own personal hell when Rachel was born, because their youngest child arrived nearly three months too early. Julia didn't want to remember those desperate days eight years before when she and Ryan would stay awake all night just watching their little girl breathe.

Soon, Rachel had rallied and was allowed to come home on what would have been her due date had she been born full term. It didn't take her long to catch up with Jeremiah and Jasmine's daughter Aaliyah, who had been born, on time, a month before Rachel. To look at her now, one couldn't tell that the lively petite redhead had a early and rough start in life.

This was different, though. Someone had threatened Miri, and instead of assassin mode, Julia went into protective mode. She simply would do whatever it took to keep her children safe; if that meant taking up arms to protect those she loved-- her children, her siblings and their children, her parents... and Jack, if need be; she'd do it.

How CIA found out that Jack was Miri's father, she had no idea; but she would find out. That upset her the most, and the Director used that knowledge to get her to agree to work for him.

I've been trapped, Julia thought; and the only way to escape is to do what I'm told. This wasn't how she wanted to live her life anymore. It was good when she was a teenager, that sense of adventure; but that was before having children, losing her husband, and reuniting with the man whose kindness allowed her to escape certain death.

She would defend her right to live her life her way; she would kill to earn that right back. There will be no Second Occupation, she thought defiantly; not on my watch.

===

"You agreed to what?" Jasmine asked her husband over the phone; "You agreed to work for the CIA? Whatever in the holy fucking hell possessed you to do that, Jere?"

"There's a real threat of a second Occupation, Jas," Jeremiah said, trying to calm his wife down. Jasmine rarely lost her temper, but then again, her husband just agreed to put down his pen and pick up a sword, so to speak; "Do you want our children to go through more of what happened in Chicago because of who I am?"

"Of course not, Jere," Jasmine said; "I don't want to have to live through that again. Once was plenty for me. But, why you?"

"Because I'm Jeremiah Donovan," Jeremiah said; "Because of who I am, and what I can do. I'll still be working as a journalist, and doing this. Because of what I did in the past, our lives, our freedoms, our way of life is being threatened once again. This group wants me, Nik and Jules out of the way; and they're willing to use our families to get to us. They have to be stopped. I don't want our children to live like we had to, to always be looking over their shoulder for the next threat."

Jasmine said nothing for a moment longer than Jeremiah was comfortable with. He thought for a moment that she had hung up on him, until she said, "Baby, please come home. We need to talk about this face to face."

"I'll try to get out of here tomorrow," Jeremiah said; "I know you're on call this weekend. I think Nik and Julia are staying an extra day. Nik wants to visit with Sandy, and Julia might go to Arlington to see Jacob."

"Anything you can do, Jere, I'd greatly appreciate it," Jasmine said; "Aaliyah wants to go roller skating with Rachel, and I told her that it would have to wait until you got home."

"Bet she wasn't happy with that," Jeremiah said; "She always on the go, just like when she was little. She and Rachel are dangerous together!"

"Don't I know it!" Jasmine replied.

They talked for a few more minutes, then Jeremiah ended the call with a promise to be home soon.

I'll get the tongue lashing of my life when I get home, Jeremiah thought; but when she's done giving me the third degree, I will soothe her soul.

===

"SHIT!!! We have to get The Triad taken care of! They're working for the CI-fucking-A now?" She threw a paperweight against the back of a chair.

Chastity Edwards was not a happy camper. She had a hair trigger temper and people knew to get out of her way when things started getting thrown around.

She had been described as a female Carl Parks, referring to the Committee Chairman who was murdered sixteen years before, ending the Occupation. She was the perfect choice to be the leader of the American Republic Movement.

Her past was checkered with divorces (four at last count), spurned lovers, and a rap sheet a mile long. Just part of those offenses would not make any parent proud: petty theft, burglary, cons, a few prostitution arrests, drunk in public; Chastity Edwards was everything that the Occupational President for Life was not. She often got her way, and got what she wanted. The only thing she wanted was for The Triad to be gone. Now she'd received word that The Triad was working for the CIA.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" she screamed like a cranky two year old in need of a nap; "I want those people gone!"

When she went into one of her temper tantrums, even her aide knew to stay away from her. He was just one in a long line of men she kept on the side in case she wanted to play. And she liked to play. A lot.

Cross her, as The Triad had done, and you were her enemy. Chastity wanted nothing more than the deaths of Julia Summers, Nik San Marco, and Jeremiah Donovan. They were The Triad. Her hated enemies. And she was certain she would get what she wanted.

She was a woman of average height and weight, thirty-one years old, with long brown hair and green eyes. Good with weapons, she was not; that's what she had deputies for. Good with social skills was not how any reasonable person would describe her; her detractors thought she was a spoiled brat. The only things she was really good at was being evil and enticing men into her lair.

And she had some enticing to do.

===

A restful night's sleep was not to be had by Julia, Nik, or Jeremiah. Natasha decided that they needed the rest after what they had been through.

Sandrina and Danica were going sight-seeing with the twins. Both Vixen and Nikolai wanted to show their cousins around town, and since Danica was the only one of the older cousins with a car, they all piled in after breakfast and took off on a day trip. Sandrina had her Walther with her, just in case she finally saw the person or persons trying to follow her.

Until the others got up, Natasha was at loose ends. Reading never was able to occupy her for too long; and she had already completed the New York Times crossword puzzle.

What she really wanted to do was see her old friend, the Director of the CIA, and ask him what the fuck was he thinking when he held her brothers and sister's secrets over their heads.

She started to punch his private number into her secure phone, then said, "Fuck it. I'll just show up. He always seems to make time for me."

Natasha went upstairs to get dressed. She chose a red wrap dress, black thigh high stockings (she hated panty hose with a white hot passion), and pair of red low heel pumps.

She pulled her white-blonde hair into a twist and secured it with a hair comb. A simple black blazer completed the look.

"I may look like the Queen of Hearts, Darren," Natasha said to her mirror image; "But I just might make you look like a Fool or a King. I haven't decided yet."

Once downstairs, she left a note for Nik that there were breakfast fixins, the phone number for car rentals, and the address for the firing range she frequented.

Those folks down at the firing range are going to have a heart attack when they see those three walk in the door, she thought.

===

Once, long ago, there was a cute little girl named Kathryn Marie living in upstate New York. Her parents doted on her, her older brother adored her. Then that little girl hit puberty and she got caught up in a wild and crazy life that included drinking, drugs, easy sex, and petty crimes. Suddenly, her parents little angel became a hellion, hard to handle, and impossible to control. When Kathryn Marie turned up pregnant at fifteen, her father had had just about enough. They took custody of her baby girl and asked Kathryn to sign over her parental rights, which she did without hesitation.

"We have tried, Kathryn, to be good parents to you," her father told her one night; "and you thumb your nose at us. Your mother cannot take any more of this foolishness. We will raise your child as our own, because as of right now, you no longer live here."

"Fine," Kathryn sneered. "I didn't want that brat anyway; and I have plenty of places to crash. I don't need nothing from you."

"Good," her father said; "Because you're getting nothing. Don't call us when you come to your senses, because we're not going to help you out. Since you know it all, why don't you go and see how far a tenth grade education gets you. I'm done, Kathryn. Now get out of here!"

And that was the last time Eric Hope saw his daughter.

His daughter, on the other hand, was still partying and getting in trouble. And she'd given herself a new name. Chastity. She wanted to get as far away from her past and her family as she could. She was tired of being referred in her circle of friends as "the princess" because of who her parents and grandparents were.

Unfortunately, she was as far from being chaste as she could get and her new moniker didn't make sense. She just liked the way it sounded. She soon had given herself a new surname as well. Chastity Edwards. No one will ever guess my parentage, she thought as she signed the papers to legally change it when she was eighteen.

Chastity got involved with the movement to bring the Occupational government back into power. She liked their ideals, embraced their philosophy, and soon became a leader. By the time she was twenty-four, she had given it a new name, the American Republic Movement, and became its national leader. Now, at thirty-one, she was ready to put her group's plan into action. The first order of business: eliminate what she called "The Triad". The three assassins responsible for ending the first Occupation. Her main prize: the "SpineSplitter", a woman not much older than she named Julia Summers. Whatever she had to do to get Summers out of the way, she'd do it, legal or not.

But, to get to her, she had to bring down her "brothers" Nik San Marco and Jeremiah Donovan. From her headquarters in an out of the way suburb of Buffalo, New York, she ordered a hit on anyone associated with Nik San Marco. Even if it was one of his kids. An A.R.M. operative named Pollard purposely ran down San Marco's fifteen year old son. Unfortunately for Chastity, the boy survived. Pollard was soon tasked with coordinating stalkings on the other San Marco children. One was assigned to follow Matthias San Marco while he was attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Pollard himself stalked Sandrina San Marco, because he found the girl enticing.

Next was Jeremiah Donovan. One operative was to follow his children, another to follow his physician wife.

Chastity herself would assign men to harrass Julia Summers' children, specifically, her oldest daughter Mirielle. And while she was at it, she recruited the mayor of a town in Wyoming to keep an eye on a former New Army turncoat calling himself John Christofferson. She had found out his real name was John Christopher Coltrane, IV, and there was something going on between him and Summers, and assigned the mayor to find out what. However, the mayor had a change of heart and backed out.

Now, Chastity had to deal with the mayor in her own special way. It was guaranteed to be messy, violent, and send a message to any other A.R.M. operative thinking of backing out.

She actually got off on planning the attack, and needed to get laid. Fortunately for her, there were plenty of men to satisfy her needs. She was in a gang bang mood that night, and needed many men to take care of her. And she knew just which men she needed to call.

It was sure to be a fuckfest. And that's how Chastity liked it.

===
II


Natasha arrived at the CIA headquarters in Langley around 11:30am. She knew the building like she knew the parts of the many guns she owned.

She approached the main reception desk, and the receptionist, a woman about twenty eight named Cassie who was very pregnant, greeted Natasha like an old friend.

"I'd heard you were expecting, Cassie," Natasha said; "What is this one, number three?"

"Number four, Nat," Cassie said;

"Wow!" said Natasha; "When is Number Four due to arrive?"

"Not soon enough!" said Cassie; "I go on leave next week."

"I wish you nothing but the best for you and your little one," Natasha said. "Is the Director available? I know I don't have an appointment, so I'll wait if need be."

"Let me check, Nat, okay?" said Cassie as she picked up the phone, spoke to whoever was on the other end, then hung up.

"Go on back, Nat," said Cassie. "The Director is just finishing up a meeting."

"Thanks, Cassie," Natasha said as she started to walk down the corridor towards the Director's office. There was a second reception area just outside the office, and the receptionist was someone that Natasha wasn't familiar with.

"Ms. Vincent, the Director will be but a moment," she said; "Please have a seat."

After sitting in a chair and flipping through that day's Washington Post, the Director himself came out to greet her.

"Natasha, my dear," he said; "it's so good to see you again. Please, come in."

Once in his office, he kissed Natasha on the cheek.

"What can I do for you today, Tash?" he asked.

Natasha took a moment to collect herself, then said,

"Darren, have you lost your fucking mind!"

The Director looked at her oddly. What brought that on? he wondered.

"I don't believe I have, Tash," he said. "What are you talking about?"

"Please, Darren, I'm not some stupid little Washington wife here," Natasha said; "so do me the courtesy of not patronizing me, mmmkay?"

"I'm not, Tash," Darren said. "You're ticked off about something I've done. What is it?"

"Whatever got into that head of yours to essentially blackmail my brother, Jeremiah Donovan and Julia Summers into working for you?" Natasha asked. "I've never seen three people look so defeated as they did when they returned to my home last night."

"We need their skills, Tash," Darren said; "This threat from the American Republic Movement is real; and their lives, and the lives of their families, have been threatened. This group of nutjobs want Nik, Jeremiah and Julia out of their way so their twisted plans for a second Occupation can go forward."

"But why dig up information on them and use it to get your way?" asked Natasha. "I don't understand why you had to do that? You tried that with me to keep me from leaving and it didn't work."

"And you left anyway," said Darren. "But that's not what you came here to talk about. They all had to understand how real the threat against the country, and against them personally. They all said no initially. Are you telling me I should have let it end there?"

"I'm saying you could have found other ways of impressing upon them how real the threat is, instead of digging up dirt on them," Natasha said; "And need I remind you that Julia is a single parent? If something happens to her because of this little folly of yours, YOU are going to explain, in detail, to her children why you sent their mother into harm's way."

"Look, Tash, I know you're all very close," said Darren; "I didn't think that asking them to save their country was going to upset you that much."

"They've already saved the country once, Darren," Natasha said. "Why ask them to re-up and do it again. I know I trained snipers with skills on par with at least Julia, and at least me. We're both pretty damn good with firearms."

"Tash," Darren said; "Our snipers are well trained, and they do a good job. They're too busy protecting the President to be pulled off to chase these assholes around."

"Oh, but it's okay for you to recruit Nik, Jere and Julia to do it?" asked Natasha.

"They've dealt with the Occupational government before," Darren said. "None of our current snipers have. In addition to their experience with fringe groups like this, they also have impeccible skills. Nik was a Ghost for the Disturbed Ones, and he parlayed that into a military career. Not many men his height can get away with what Nik can.

"Julia's small stature means she can get into and out of situations quickly without being detected. I have no idea where she learned that. Plus her skills with all kinds of weapons, and outdoor survival skills, make her valuable to any agency, not just CIA.

"And Jeremiah, he is not only a highly trained sniper, but his journalistic skills may also come in handy."

"So why didn't you tell them that instead of threatening to air out their dirty laundry?" asked Natasha.

"We needed them now, not when they got good and ready to agree," Darren said.

"If you had thought this out better and not gotten all riled up when our esteemed miliary and political leaders wanted action yesterday, maybe you could have had your highly trained civilian snipers and not bullied them into agreeing to your terms," said Natasha. She looked at Darren and knew she'd gotten to him.

"You're right, Tash," said Darren; "A little more preparation on my part, and not feeding off the Joint Chiefs' and the President's urgent paranoia, would have probably worked."

"Hindsight is 20-20, isn't it, Darren," Natasha said softly; "I'm sorry I came in here with both guns blazing, but you can understand where I was coming from. It's family."

"No apologies needed, Tash," Darren said; "You are right." He sighed, then, "You keep me honest, Natasha. I don't know why you felt you had to leave the Agency."

"I left primarily because of our relationship, Darren;" Natasha said. "I was a distraction to you. Plus, I wanted to spend more time with my children. They trump everything. Including you."

"I know, Tash," Darren said. "You were a distraction to me. I didn't recognize it as such. You did, and did the right thing. I'm just a sentimental old man, I guess."

"Sentimental, maybe," Natasha said. "Old? I don't think so. You're only as young as you want to feel."

"You make feel young for sure," Darren said. "But I'm still ten years older than you are."

"You don't look it, baby," said Natasha; "and you don't act it. Not that I've seen."

Darren got up from behind his desk and went over to where Natasha stood. He silently put his hand on her cheek and leaned in to kiss her. When she responded, he removed the hair comb from her hair, allowing it to fall around her shoulders. "My beautiful Natasha," he said as the kiss ended; "I've missed you so all these months. When I'm alone, I swear I can still feel your touch on me, your voice in my ear, the taste of your kiss..."

"Darren," said Natasha; "I can't allow myself to get caught up in you again. You are still the best lover I've ever had, and it was hard to let you go."

"Please, my dove, please let me love you," Darren said as his hand made its way down her curves. "I've ached for another woman like you, but there isn't one who is like you, sweet Natasha."

"You know I can't resist you, Darren," Natasha said as she felt Darren's fingers at the top of her stockings, gently releasing the garter belt fasteners. "Please, my king... please...?"

His kiss was her answer. Soon, they were in his car, off to his condo to make love for the rest of the afternoon.

==
III



"Dad? It's Julia."

"Hey, Julia!" Jacob said; "How are you? How're the kids? Kimber?"

"Everyone's fine, Dad," Julia said; "I'm at Natasha's in Georgetown. I was wondering if I could come down and visit you while I'm here?"

"How long have you been in town, Julia?" asked Jacob.

"Since Sunday," replied Julia; "I had some business to take care of while I was here."

"Oh?" said Jacob, surprised; "Something about work?"

"Yes, kind of," Julia said; "I have something I want to discuss with you and I don't want to do it over the phone."

"You know you're always welcome here, Julia," Jacob said; "If you'd been here last week, JT, Sara and the kids were here."

"Oh, man, I wished I'd known," Julia said; "I haven't seen JT since Ryan died. How old is my little namesake niece now?"

"She's almost six months old," Jacob said; "She is adorable. She looks a little like Christine, with the red hair and all."

"Aww, Dad," Julia said; "she sounds like a doll! I hope you have pictures!"

"What kind of grandpa would I be if I didn't have pictures of my grandkids, huh?"

"You'll have to pull 'em out, granddad, because I want to see them!" Julia said.

"When will you be here?" asked Jacob.

"I rented a car until tomorrow, so I can be there in half an hour or so."

"I'll look forward to seeing you, Julia," Jacob said; "and I'll have pictures of your niece and nephew to show off."

"Great," Julia said; "See you in a bit!"

Julia closed the connection and placed the phone back in her pocket. She wondered briefly what Jacob would think about Julia's new "job". But if there was anyone outside of the government to ask, Jacob Ross was the person to ask. It didn't matter if he was her father or not.

She knew that Secret Service would be watching, even though Jacob had asked them numerous times to end their protection since Christine died eight years before. He was still the widower of the Interim President, and was entitled to the protection. Julia knew he hated it.

She got ready to head to Arlington to see her father. Jeremiah was leaving to return to Chicago that afternoon. Nik was staying on to visit with Sandrina when she, Danica, Vixen and Nikolai returned from their sightseeing jaunt. Natasha was elsewhere. All her note said was that she went to see a friend and would be back by evening.

Julia bid Nik a goodbye, telling him where she was going. "Tell Jacob I said hello," Nik said.

"I will. I'll be back this evening so we can get out of here tomorrow," Julia said.

"I hope I get to spend a little time with my daughter before then!" Nik said.

"Me, too," said Julia as she headed out to the car; "At least you only have one daughter!"

"True, true," Nik said as Julia got into the rental and drove off.

Nik went back into the house and thought, what the hell do I do in my sister's house by myself?

===

"Ahh, damn Tash, why do you torture me so?" asked Darren as Natasha rode him.

"Because I can," she said; "And because you get off on it so."

Darren's arms were around Natasha's waist, his hands sliding down so he could cup her buttocks. "God, I love that perfect ass of yours, my sweet Natasha! I can't get enough of you!"

She rode him until she climaxed, climbed down from his body and lay next to him on the king size bed. He was still rigid with desire for her, and she knew he'd need to satisy his need soon.

Darren rolled over onto his side and took one of Natasha's breasts into his mouth; his fingers teased her hardened pearl of desire.

"I need you, Natasha," he said; "I need every inch, every curve, every gorgeous part of you. I am addicted to loving you, yet you deny me for months upon end. Please, my flower, don't deny me your sweet nectar any longer..."

Natasha soon felt his tongue on her, knowing he knew that drove her to the brink of insanity. The closer she got to release, the more out of control she felt. "Darren... my sweet King of Hearts, your lips, your tongue... you're driving me mad..." She ran her fingers through his salt and pepper hair as he sent her over the edge with a lustfull scream.

Soon, his hardness was inside her, loving her, pleasuring her. Their lips meeting, parting, meeting again. His voice in her ear, expressing his want, his desire, his need, his addiction to her... and then, the words she knew he'd say. She never really believed he meant them, but they were always nice to hear. Especially from him.

They lay, spent, in each other's arms, knowing their time together was ending. They never knew when the next encounter would be, but had it been up to Darren Dixon, Natasha Vincent would never leave. He loved her in a very real way, and wanted only her. He knew she guarded her emotions, even when making love. He didn't know if she felt for him the way he did for her. He wanted, needed, loved her with all he possessed. Soon, she would go back to her family; to the boy and the girl who had their mother's unconditional love.

He would walk on hot coals, or swim through shards of broken glass to get that kind of love from her. He thought that it was her past that made her deny herself real love. He only wanted to prove to her that she could trust him fully to love her like she deserved.

He didn't know about the times she cried for him, for denying him her true emotions. He didn't know that she did love him, but she couldn't allow that to interfere with his position. He didn't know that the day she left his employ was the hardest thing she'd ever done, but she did it as a bid for self-preservation.

And, he didn't know about the man, not much older than he was, who gave her a chance at a new life when she was eighteen years old. She had loved him, too, but realized it was more out of gratitude than anything else.

Darren Dixon wanted only one woman. She lay in his arms, her pale hair flowing behind her and her creamy white skin contrasted against his olive complexion.

I love you, Natasha, he said to her in his mind; I want no other but you. I pray that one day, you'll see that. Until then, I will patiently wait.

===

"Dad, there will be no Second Occupation! Not if I have anything to do with it!"

Julia had told her father everything that had transpired at CIA the day before, leaving out the part where the Director revealed that he knew her deepest, darkest secret.

"Julia, I know you're doing this for your family," Jacob said; "I don't need to tell you to be careful. You don't really know what you're up against yet, do you?"

"No," said Julia; "I don't. Not yet. When I get to that point, I will make my voice heard loud and clear. No one threatens my family and lives to tell about it. If that means I have to become the SpineSplitter again, I'll do it. If that means I allow the killer I know I am come to the surface when needed, I'll do it. If it means I might possibly die in the attempt, that's a chance I'll have to take."

"Your kids have never seen your transformation, have they?" asked Jacob.

"No, they haven't, and Dad, I know it will scare them," Julia said; "Even though I've trained all but Rachel about firearms, they've never seen the killer I can become right before their eyes. And when I get home, I'm training Rachel and Aaliyah to use firearms and giving them both survival training. Jere and I have discussed this, and he agrees that all the children, including the youngest ones, need to have this knowledge."

"I just hope you three know what you're doing, though I know how extensive your training has been and continues to be," Jacob said. "I know I trained you well after Peter San Marco's death. He gave you the tools and the knowledge. I only reinforced what he taught you. He trained me, too, you know, when I first became Morbus."

"I know, Dad," said Julia; "He was the best there was. I only hope I'm half as good as he was."

"Half as good, Julia?" said Jacob, surprised that Julia was so modest; "Even Peter would say you're twice as good as he was, and I agree. You are a very dangerous, very skilled, very determined assassin, Julia."

"I will not fail," Julia said. The transformation had begun. And heaven help anyone who got in her way.

===