“WHERE IS SHE!” He looked around at the men as they turned away. “YOU BASTARDS! I SWEAR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!”

Joe let a smile cross his face. Yeah? Dreamer and Bolt would make sure this was all swept under the rug. Mutants had their usefulness, provided they were on your side.

Brent pulled out his phone and punched nine one one.

What everyone had missed was the repairman two hundred feet up in the air, on the high voltage tower four blocks away. Kugger Electric was on her coveralls and safety helmet even though she was working on an Edison electric transmission tower. Jenna’s friends decided to keep track of Nova. Laura volunteered to watch the dock area that morning. Doug would take over for the afternoon shift. She watched Nova walk out onto the dock, the flash of light, heard the boom, saw the body lying on the dock.

She keyed up her radio which was transmission encrypted. “They killed her. It was that big guy we know can send out lightning. Loading her body into a van. He got into the van. They are pulling out of the dock area.”

“We were coming in to do a background check on the two who tried to ambush her yesterday. I see the van. I got this. Nothing we can do besides follow it. I don’t know anyone who would be willing to challenge Bolt.” Spencer had arrived as the van pulled out onto the street. Brent had called him an hour earlier telling him Nova wanted him to question all the company personnel about the guys doing the car jacking. Sadly it was too late to do Nova any good. A decent burial maybe? He knew Bolt and those he worked for would never provide one.

“There are seven of us who will tag team you. Give us directions so we can fill in on the follow while you drop back.” Came over the encrypted radio. Ten minutes after giving out directions a dirty brown Firebird pulled up beside Spencer. Dale gave Spencer a nod, and pulled ahead in front of him.

As he dropped back, Spencer keyed the radio. “Four to six blocks and let someone else take the tail. Can’t stay in their review mirrors longer than that or they will get suspicious.”

Twenty minutes later the van pulled into a downtown alley. Charles in his little Ford turned and went the opposite direction in the alley across the street. A block away he stopped, slid down in the seat so his head wasn’t above the back, reached up and adjusted the rearview mirror. “The van has stopped in the alley. Two of them, Bolt for sure, I think the other one is Dreamer. Crap, if he sees me he will rearrange my mind.”

“Can he see you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“He has to be looking at the person before he can do anything. He can’t mind scan if he isn’t seeing his target.”

“That doesn’t make me feel a whole lot safer.”

“Courage Grasshopper.” Spencer couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Charles didn’t feel the humor as he kept low in the seat.

Dreamer and Bolt pulled trash out of the dumpster. Retrieved the body out of the van and tossed it into the dumpster before putting the trash back in. They were both laughing as they got in the van and drove away.

Charles still wasn’t taking any chances as he stayed low in the seat. “They dumped her in with the trash. I see a trash truck coming.”

Spencer nodded even though only his partner in the car could see it. “They must have a schedule of trash pickup routes. No one will be dumpster diving and find her body if it is immediately picked up by the truck. Sick bastards!”

Spencer pulled into the alley. The driver had stopped by the dumpster, the pickup rails were dropping to cradle the dumpster and carry it to the top of the bin to be unloaded into the truck.

Spencer walked up beside the driver’s door and pulled his Glock before he opened the door. The driver was about to complain about someone opening his door when he looked into the barrel of a pistol.

“There is an item in that dumpster I want back. Got tossed in carelessly. Move on to your next pickup and forget this one today.”

The driver nodded as he hit the levers and the carriage retracted to the side of the truck. Spencer stepped back and motioned him on. The driver never hesitated as he started moving the truck away from the dumpster. He had no idea what could be in that dumpster the guy wanted. He was smart enough to know it didn’t matter. Whatever was there was his.

Spencer and his partner started pulling trash out until they found the body. The stench was overpowering but this was for Jenna. They climbed into the dumpster and handed the body over to two more men waiting on the outside.

“God, they did a number on her. Get a body bag. We’ll give her a decent burial if I have to dig the grave myself.” Spencer was feeling sick to his stomach. One of the guys couldn’t handle it. He was bent over heaving his guts up. This caused a chain reaction as two more found this was more than they could stand and they started doing the same.

Fourteen minutes later they had slid her into a body bag and put her in the trunk of Spencer’s car. He was looking at the bag before he closed the trunk. “Spread the word. Need donations for a casket and burial plot. I’ll take her over to Heavenly Gates Funeral Home. Maurice is discreet and will make sure Jane Doe gets the proper burial.”

“Got it.” Was answered by Tom. The others only nodded as they walked away.

Spencer wanted to put some distance between the crime and the burial. It took them forty nine minutes to drive to the funeral home. He walked in and found Maurice. “I have a special package, treat her with respect. Her name was Nova. I don’t think it would be smart to put that on the tombstone. Jane Hall would work or anything you can think of. If you have a tombstone someone ordered and never picked up that would work just as well.”

Maurice had his hands together in front of him. “Drive around to the back and put her in the embalming room.”

Spencer drove around to the back. When he opened the trunk he stepped back. The body bag had been slit open from top to bottom.

“I need fluids.” Came out as a whisper.

He grabbed a water bottle out of the seat of his car as he yelled at his partner, Ken. “GET ALL THE WATER YOU CAN FIND! ANY ENERGY DRINK! GATORAIDE ANYTHING!”

Her eyes weren’t open as he put the lip of the bottle to her lips and slowly let the water trickle out. She was swallowing it.

When the bottle was empty Ken stepped up with a bottle of Gatorade. “Slowly so she doesn’t choke.” Spencer stepped back and pulled out his phone.

Brent was on the docks trying to get the police to do something. Arrest everybody make them confess. He was adamant the police needed to do something when he felt his phone vibrating. He started to turn it off as he checked the number. It was Spencer. Bad timing but Brent answered it anyway. “You’re too late. I think they killed her.”

“You won’t need my services then. I’ll stay with the client you called me about. He is a crusty ol codger I’ll give him that much. Two toughs tried to take him down. He’s not staying down.”

Brent held the phone out and looked at the number. Spencer must think he’s talking to one of their other customers. “This is Brent.”

“Does that mean I won’t have to take you in for psychiatric care since you know who you are?”

Brent was slowly getting the message. Public phones anyone can listen in. “The old codger is okay?”

“Working on getting back on his feet. They really beat the old man up.”

“How soon do you think he will be okay?”

“Don’t know. Everything is up to him.”

Brent nodded. “Keep me posted. If he needs anything and I mean anything I’ll make it happen.”

He turned off his phone and looked at the officers. “I’m sorry, this has been a terribly emotional time for me. I can’t answer any more of your questions. I’m going to go lay down and rest.”

He motioned to Kathy, Harold, Pete. “We’re done here. Come with me.”

Kathy was confused. From a full on verbal barrage against the police to calmly walking away? Something was up. Was it the phone call?

Brent led them inside one of the walk in freezers. “I think this is about as good a secure area to speak as we can get in this place. Spencer called. If I understand the message right, Nova is alive. She has been worked over. To what extent I haven’t a clue. Spencer is clueless how long it will take her to recover. Hospital and doctors are out of the question of course. We can’t go see her as we might drag a tail along and they would finish the job. We will have to wait and depend on Spencer to keep us informed.”

Kathy fell into Brent and wrapped her arms around his neck. He could tell she was crying. Brent was beginning to suspect Nova had the same effect on people the same way Jenna did. Everyone fell in love with her…, well not everyone. Some wanted her dead.

I think it was the forth or fifth bottle I was finally able to move my lips. The other parts of me felt like they would break if I tried to move them. “Put me in a bathtub with cool water.”

Maurice went into the Funeral Home and returned with a gurney. Obviously used for dead bodies as it was a stainless steel table with no padding. His wife Judy came out carrying blankets. They spread two on the table for cushion. Spencer and Ken lifted Nova out of the trunk and laid her on the table. Judy spread a blanket over her body which was only slightly covered with burnt bloody rags.

The tub was filled to overflowing. Spencer and Ken got ready to lift her off the gurney and lower her into the tub. She motioned as much as possible with her hand. “Take these off. I’ll sink to the bottom. Don’t worry I’m not drowning no matter how long I stay under. Don’t pull me out until I say so.”

After Judy removed the remnants of rags off her body, Spencer and Ken lifted her over into the tub. She settled to the bottom. Spencer wasn’t sure what the others were thinking. His thoughts were he was looking at the perfect female body. He was positive he shouldn’t be looking at her right now. He justified it by thinking she might need help.

Long minutes later everyone was looking at each other. Had she drown? “Do we pull her out?” Spencer leaned over the tub. Her eyes were still closed but she was wiggling her finger back and forth.

“I guess not.” He straightened up. Ten minutes later he checked again. And received the same signal. Forty minutes, an hour, two hours later she started moving. Dead black skin was sloughing off and settling in the bottom of the tub. Her black hair had grown out a couple inches, all the burned frizzled hair lying in the bottom of the tub.

The others were coming and going to check on her, Spencer had stayed and watched the whole time. “Nova, the perfect name for her. Her whole body was re-generating.”

She rose up out of the tub. All the black burnt skin and hair was still in the tub. “She held out her hand. “I need a towel please if you don’t want me dripping all over the place.”

Judy came in carrying several large towels, slippers, and a bathrobe. “I can help dry you.”

I shook my head. “I’m still healing. Don’t touch my back.”

Judy handed a towel over and laid the others along with the robe on the gurney. “What can you eat? I suspect you need something with all you had to replace.”

“Meat, potatoes, gravy, large protein drinks, anything body builders eat or take. Will that be a problem?” As of this moment I was capable of taking care of myself again if necessary. I wasn’t whole and I wasn’t healthy but I could move without tearing any burnt skin which I no longer had.

“No, there is a restaurant six blocks down the street and they will have that on the menu. Anyone else? It is a couple hours past dinner time.” Judy looked at Spencer and Ken. She knew Maurice and herself would eat something. Calling it in for the girl would give her an excuse to not cook up a meal this time.

“Order me three meals, please. My body is running on empty right now.”

Judy looked at the two men who hadn’t been able to take their eyes off the goddess before them. “I’m sorry I never got your names. We probably should leave the lady alone now she seems able to take care on her own.”

Spencer and Ken both blushed a deep red as they turned and walked away after realizing what they had been doing. Judy pointed to the door the men were leaving by. “Down the hallway, when you come to another hallway take a right. Go to the end. Across the breezeway is our home. I’ll find you some clothes.”

I was pulling on the robe. “I don’t want to be a bother. Sweats if you have them.”

Judy looked up at the woman. She was at least five inches taller than herself. “I have some of my own. They would look ridiculous on you. I’ll ask one of the men to pick up a set when I send him out to pick up that protein mix you asked for. I’d ask him to pick up a bra at the same time but I am guessing it would be too much for the poor man.”

For the first time I felt like giggling. I didn’t. “I usually don’t wear bras, thank you anyway.”

Judy took a second look. “Come when you’re ready.” She turned and walked away. She was thinking Amazon.

Tying the robe off, I looked over at the bathtub. It wasn’t a tub but a tank. Looking around the room I realized where I was. That tank was used for cleaning up corpses. I figured it was appropriate. I was as close to being one myself as one could ever get and come back. I had a lot of people I owed my life to. This body might be self healing but without help it didn’t have enough to work with to repair itself this time.

Spencer called Brent as he was walking down the hallway and had got over his embarrassment. Who wouldn’t stare at that? Nova was the pinnacle of everything a woman should be.

Brent looked at the number as his phone rang. He prayed it wasn’t bad news. “Yeah.”

“The old man is up and talking. Are there additional instructions on his care?”

“Make sure his needs are met. We don’t want him around here anymore. He was a clumsy old fool, some of the people we have didn’t like him.”

Spencer hung up unclear on the message. Was it Brent didn’t want her back or was he supposed to keep her away until things settled back down? One thing he was sure of, no one was going to tell Nova to forget it and go home. He was positive the body count in this town was fixing to rise. It would shorten the time Nova stayed. Everyone started screaming Hunter when two or more people were killed. Even when they were shot, stabbed, or died in a car crash. Hunter was the phantom bogey bear every one had read or heard about. No one had ever met one except Jenna’s friends. The cops who killed her were only guessing. Spencer had read things happening back during the Salem witch hunts. Fear, paranoia, mass hysteria and everyone was guilty who looked ‘witchy’.

I learned Spencer’s partner’s name when Ken returned with sweats and a large jug of powdered protein mix. I had changed into the sweats. They were a size too small and I wondered if he did it on purpose? I headed off to find the kitchen and Judy. I found both at the same time.

Judy looked at me as I walked in to the kitchen. “You’re looking a lot better.”

“Thanks, still feel like hell ran me down and then backed over me a couple more times to make sure. Awfully weak too. May I borrow a glass?”

She pointed to the cupboard to her left. “Glasses are in there. Help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen. May I call you Nova?”

“I’d like that.”

“Anything in the fridge, kitchen, or anyplace you find something you need, help yourself. I don’t want you asking every time you want something.”

Walking over I touched her cheek with the back of my hand. To her credit and her inner strength she only pulled back slightly when I touched her. “I can’t hug you yet. I’m still damaged. I owe my life to all of you. Thank you for taking me in and not tossing me out with the trash.”

Judy leaned into my hand before she reached up with both of hers and wrapped them around my hand. “You’re a beautiful woman, Nova. No one deserves to have done to them what happened to you. I hope the police catch the bastards who did this to you.”

“I hope they don’t.”

Judy’s eyes snapped up to look into mine. She stared for ten or fifteen seconds before she nodded in agreement. “Come to think of it, I hope they don’t either.”

I borrowed a large glass and fixed a protein mix as the food from the restaurant arrived. During dinner I got up from the table and fixed myself a greens slurry using vegetables from Judy’s fridge. That was what I was finishing off now after eating three plates of food from the restaurant. I was on my fourth large glass of protein mix, a second greens slurry mix, and a glass of water. That was what had all of them looking at me. I didn’t tell them I thought my body was metabolizing everything almost as soon as it hit my stomach. I was in dire need of repair and it was taking care of that job.

“Brent told me he didn’t want you to come back to the restaurant. I believe he thinks it will be too dangerous for you.” Spencer watched as I finished with the slurry.

“Kathy gave me a job. I’m finishing it. What day is it?” I wondered how long I was out?

“Thursday.”

“I’m still on schedule. I won’t go back today or Friday. Friday night I go see the people Kathy told me to so I would look nice as a manager Saturday.”

Ken choked on his water. Look nice? He had spent a couple hours looking at her naked body. They didn’t come any nicer.

Spencer and Judy gave Ken the don’t ask don’t tell look.

“I need transportation and some petty cash. Around five hundred dollars should do it. No credit cards.” I looked at Spencer. “You and I, private talk. Where?”

We ended up a couple blocks from the funeral home, standing on someone’s front yard. Spencer left his cell phone and everything else in his pockets in the kitchen. He started first. “I know what you’re thinking. No one needs to be a mind reader to realize you’re going back to finish. Nova, Bolt and Dreamer are not two mutants anyone wants to mess with. As a tag team they are invincible. Dreamer knows when anyone is focused on them. Bolt takes them out. Guys with rifles have tried from a distance and it has never ended up well for them. I’m positive some in the police are being paid off. The others aren’t going to risk a hundred lives trying. Jenna was an easy unsuspecting target for the police. Didn’t you tell me revenge is its own hellhole? Don’t do this, Nova.”

My hair was down to my shoulders now. I brushed it away from my face. “I also told you I own revenge. Personal or not, what about those you told me they have killed? How many more have to die because everyone is afraid of these two? Tell me where they live, where they usually hang out when they aren’t killing someone. I also want to know if they have a routine.”

“Nova, don’t.”

“DON’T HELL! They belong to me. Whether you tell me or I spend a month tracking and finding out what I need to know, they are mine.”

The fire in her eyes and the look on her face caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up as goose bumps popped up all over his body. Scared? Hell yes! Any sane person would be. Nova was giving off vibes she was the Grim Reaper ready to harvest a couple souls. Pray for those who got in her way. No wonder she was called The Huntress. The cotton in his throat and dry mouth made it hard to get the words out. “Let me make some calls. I’ll have the info for you in an hour or two.”

Her next request didn’t surprise him. “I need a non descript van or a car with a large trunk. I’ll need chains, weights, roll of sheet plastic, and a boat located in the bay. Probably pollute the ocean but it can’t be helped. There won’t be any bodies to identify.”

Spencer nodded. He understood. The same thing they tried to do with her. It would have worked too except for Jenna’s friends and those who loved her. “I’ll get on it. Non traceable tags to go with. How long will you need it?”

“Just tonight unless I can’t find a place to weave this plan all together. This takes top priority. I’m not going back to the restaurant until this problem is out of the way. Years ago I ran up against one of those guys who tossed lightning. I got lucky before he fried me. Going back to the restaurant and waiting for Bolt to come find me is not an option. He will make sure there is nothing but ashes next time.”

“Nova…?” Spencer hesitated.

I waited for Spencer to ask his question.

“When you were in the water…,” He wasn’t sure how to ask.

“Why didn’t I drown?”

“uh, yeah”

“Think about it. When we are conceived we live our lives in a fluid for nine months. We can go without food for a couple weeks. We can’t go without water for more than a few days. Our bodies are ninety two percent water. Water is and has life. My body functions shut down while it took care of sloughing off the damage. Kind of similar to soaking a dish with dried food on it so it can be wiped clean.”

He nodded. “I can understand that as unbelievable as it is. How did you know when I was thinking about pulling you out?”

“I was born in a village a very long time ago. People knew I was different by the time I was three or four. By the time I was twelve they were frightened of me and wanted to kill me. I fled to the forest and was adopted by a pack of wolves. My instinct to sense everything around me whether I saw it or not was honed way above normal for one reason. Survival.”

Smiling at Spencer I continued. “Most people can sense when someone is looking and focused on them. I can pick out one or many in a crowd who are looking or thinking about me. It was the same when you looked down at me in the water. Things learned when growing up in the wilderness with wolves and other animals. That includes the humans who would have killed me if they could. Over the years I supplied grains to the poorer villages. The wolf pack and me took them meat to keep the people from starving to death. I killed those who raided the villages and took lives, food, women. That was when people began to notice wolves always surrounded me or they were close by. It was when the name Huntress started being told among men. I guess the name and the stories, the truth, the lies stuck.”

My mistake was thinking Bolt wouldn’t try with a dozen witnesses. I had forgot all those so called witnesses were in league with him and Dreamer. I got lax over the last century. A mistake that would have cost me my life if not for you and the others. It won’t ever happen again.

“I can’t explain why I’m like I am anymore than I can explain life. The only answer I have, I am me just as life is as it is. Which probably doesn’t make any sense.”

Spencer looked at Nova for several seconds before he nodded in agreement. “You explained it better than I’ve ever heard it explained. I guess all of us are for no other reason.”

They got up from the grass and headed back to the funeral home. “Spencer, I need a nice dress, plain and simple to get close if he is in a club or something. I need stealth clothes if he’s home and I need to sneak in.”

“Dreamer…”

“Dreamer isn’t a problem. He manipulates people’s minds. I’m a null. He has tried twice on me. Doubtful he can sense me unless he is looking at me. I could feel him trying there on the docks. It is as far as he got. Thinking he has the upper hand on everyone else is going to make him such an easy target it won’t even be a challenge. He was working with Bolt. He can go to Hell with him at the same time. I don’t think their fancy tricks will help them there.”

“Okay, as soon as we give our thanks to the Daughterys we will go see what we can find for you to work with.”

“I owe you and them more than I can ever repay. I’d like to make up their financial costs at least. I can’t do it immediately as I don’t have any funds.”

Spencer reached for my hand as we walked back. “Don’t even give it any thought. You can ask, I’m positive they will turn you down. If you take care of Bolt and Dreamer so they don’t figure out you were brought here, that will suffice.”

Spencer taking my hand kind of surprised me. I reacted and moved it out of his strike zone and then moved back. I wasn’t sure he noticed. I knew I scared him most of the time when he wasn’t being cautiously nervous. Hopefully letting him hold my hand would sooth his nerves some. I hoped he wasn’t thinking sexual attraction. That was doomed before it ever began. Date, kissing, touching was as far as I ever let anyone get. The scent he was giving off had dropped from fight or flight fear to nervous. I liked this guy.

Spencer came through for me. I had everything I asked for plus a driver’s license. I laughed over that one when I read the name Consuela Hernandez. If I was pulled over by a state trouper and he accepted that as my ID, Texas was in trouble.

Bolt and Dreamer were at The Outsiders Club celebrating getting paid for another hit. Spencer managed to get me a van and gave me directions to the club. He also loaned me one of their secure walkie talkies they used. I found their van in the parking lot. Spencer and Ken were in their own car a couple blocks away. “You said Bolt usually drove. There is a car parked beside their van. I need that parking spot. Can we pull it out?”

“What make is the car? Give me the color and the tag number. I can call in for a tow from the owner.” Came back over the radio

“And you guys think I’m spooky. It’s a blue Ford, Texas plate N four six seven five two.”

“Give me a minute.”

I think he took five minutes before my radio came alive again. “Tow truck is on its way. Be there in ten minutes. Nova, I have the video feed from the parking lot. I’ll loop it from the time before you entered.”

That one surprised me. “You can do that from a couple blocks away?”

“Moved up where we are across the street.”

“Spencer, you need to back off. If this goes wrong I don’t want you and Ken killed by this maniac. I bet Dreamer can sense you.”

“Not as long as you will quit saying their names and making us think of them. There are over sixty people in that club who keep bouncing their names around. So far we are only part of the background clutter. I might not manipulate mind thought like he does. I can sense when someone is focusing on me like you said you could.”

The idea Spencer was on my side and helping was making this a thousand times easier. I could have done it on my own and probably took three or four months to pull it off. “Put on some romantic music and think about the love of your life. That should get your mind removed from this.”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha. Ken says he met the love of his life only today.”

THAT caused me to giggle. “That’s okay as long as he understands as soon as this job is over, I’ll take him on a date and wine and dine him. But only one time and there is never a night cap to finish the date.”

“Damn! I wish I had said that was me thinking the same thing.”

“Guys! Focus! We are on a serious job here.”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…, we’re focused. Never been more focused…, ha, ha, ha, ha.”

That caused me to laugh out loud as I shook my head. Over the centuries men have never changed. God love em.

Close to right on time a City Mechanics tow truck showed up. The guys knew what they were doing as they hooked up to the Ford and winched it up onto a flatbed in less than ten minutes. They were pulling out when I pulled in to the vacant spot before anyone else got it. “Guys, I’m set. How we doing?”

“Danny went into the club to make a visual check. Targets are with six guys and four women. Doesn’t look like they are ready to quit anytime soon.”

“Shit! Pull him out of there! Dreamer get a lock on him and this whole situation will turn into everyone’s nightmare!”

My nerves were on edge for the next six minutes before my radio came alive. “He’s out.”

“Okay people, no more heroics. I can’t face Bolt head on. We lose the surprise we lose our lives. Is that clear enough for everyone?”

My radio clicked, there was a long silence before. “understood”

It now turned into a waiting game and hoping on my part they didn’t drag any women along when they decided to leave. Still doable but twice as hard and it would leave witnesses. Seven minutes after twelve the owner of the Ford came out and strolled up and down the parking look looking for his car. It was obvious he was missing his wheels. He should have thanked us. He was drunk. Might have got killed trying to drive home. After two circles through the lot he left. It was closing in on twenty minutes after two AM when my radio talked to me. “Crowd exiting. Seems to be breaking up into groups. Four headed your way.”

I unlatched the side door on the van. It was next to Bolt’s van. This was it. A do or die situation.

“They split, two are returning to the club.”

“Did you see the look on Bernie’s face when I told him I would fry his ass?”

“That was so funny, he peed in his pants.”

I was listening to Bolt and Dreamer as they walked up to their van. As Bolt opened the driver’s door, I opened the side door on the van and launched. Less than a heartbeat he was going down with a broken neck and already tore up bad enough he wouldn’t be a threat at the moment. Dreamer still hadn’t realized all was not well as he was opening his door on the opposite side of the van. Grabbing the top of the door, I pulled as I jumped leveraging myself up to the top of the van. I was over it and came down on Dreamer before he got both legs up into the passenger side. It was over. I wiped my bloody hands off on his shirt. Picking up Dreamer, I carried his body back around to my van and tossed his body into the back. Bolt was next and then I ripped his heart out. Bolt was a re-gen. He could rebuild provided he wasn’t too badly damaged. I made sure he couldn’t. Good thing the van was layered inside in plastic.

I riffled his pockets for the van keys and keyed the radio. “I’m done here.”

Minutes later Ken walked up. I handed him the keys. He nodded without saying anything, got in Bolt’s van, and left.

I had a long night and a long drive ahead of me. Pulling out, I headed to the gulf and that boat Spencer promised would be waiting for me. I knew Bolt was a re-gen even though I had never heard anyone say those like him had re-generative abilities. It wouldn’t make any difference one way or another. Neither he nor Dreamer still had a heart. Re-generative or not, with no blood circulating through their bodies, cells would start dying off. There would be no bodies, no van. Ken was going to make sure it went through someone’s shredder like the last one. I didn’t want to know who or where. With no security tape, thanks to Spencer, the police would never treat it as a murder investigation. Bolt and Dreamer drove off and never came back. End of story.

Back in town again before five PM I parked the van in the Walmart parking lot. And walked the eight miles back to the restaurant. Along the way I received fifteen different offers for a ride. Which I ignored until they didn’t take no for an answer. Those two guys who tried to muscle me into their car are still in their car. Just not in the normal position for driving. My purpose was two fold. Spencer told me where to leave the van so they could retrieve it and clean it, which I didn’t think it needed. Plastic sheeting had been laid over everything before they loaned it to me. That was left in a dumpster over eighty miles from here. The other reason was, I didn’t want anyone driving me back to the restaurant and become associated with me.

Walking in the front door the waitresses ignored me when I didn’t stop to be guided to a table. “Good evening, Nova.” Came from Marco, the Maitre d’ who was coming back after taking some customers to a table.

“Good evening, Marco. Is everything okay here?”

He hesitated. I knew he had heard rumors about my supposed murder. “Yes ma’am. For the present.”

That brought a smile from me although it was probably more of a predator’s ‘lunch is about to be served’ grin. “Let’s make sure the problems on the other side of this restaurant don’t bleed over to this side then.”

He gave a slight nod. “I’ll do my best to follow your orders, ma’am.”

Kathy must have clued him in or more rumors were floating about this place. “Not yet, Marco. After twelve tonight. I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself until then if they don’t already know.”

“Kathy told me. So far everyone else is guessing. I’ll be most happy to acknowledge your taking over as manager five seconds after midnight. Now if you will excuse me ma’am I see some more customers coming in the door.”

When I walked into the kitchen I thought Pete was going to rush over and hug me. A relieved happy smile spread across his face from ear to ear. I swear he was kind of bouncing on the floor.

“Master Chef, I’m sorry, I got lost again.”

He never lost his grin as he waved toward the back doors with a huge ladle.

“Yes Sir, Sorry Sir.” I couldn’t help pushing back at him just a tad. He looked like he was enjoying that too.

Cutting into the hallway I headed for the stairs. The docks could wait. I needed to update my bosses. When I walked into Kathy’s office she screamed loud enough to break glass. “NOVA!” Springing out of the chair, she ran around the desk, and launched herself at me with her arms wide open.

“NOVA? WHERE?” Came from Brent’s office.

“HERE, SHE’S HERE!” Kathy screamed out. “We thought they had killed you. We were so worried until Spencer sent his messages to Brent. Well we were worried then too even though we figured the message indicated you were still alive but hurt.”

She backed up looking me over. “What happened? What did they do?”

“Bolt tried to burn me to a crisp. You won’t see it now. I’m healed up.”

Brent came in the door. “So good to see you are okay.”

I could tell he was wanting to hug me too but was holding back. Turning in his direction I held my arms out. If he was brave enough he could step in for a hug. “I promise I won’t kill you. Yet.”

He got the silliest look on his face. I could tell he was silently laughing, He wasn’t letting it out as he stepped into my arms and hugged me back, pressing his cheek up against mine. “God, we were so worried. Kathy was ready to kill every single one of them out there on the docks. I believe if we had seen your body she would have.”

He backed up and got more than serious. “Nova, you can’t stay. They will be back.”

“No they won’t.”

“You’re sure?”

“DEAD sure.”

“You still want the job?”

“Until you or Kathy fire me. Or my staying puts anyone in danger.”

“I’ll never fire you. I don’t believe Kathy would either. This place needs you more than it does us.”

He looked at Kathy. “I believe our manager, supervisor, health inspector, quality control…, uh, what else? Never mind, we’ll tack on more as she takes care of the first ones. Get her cleaned up to fit the job. She smells nice but there are an awful lot of other odors she is carrying that don’t. I suggest a change of perfume. The Ocean Spray is too passé.”

“Contraire Monsieur, it is from the latest line of new odor fents. We also have Draft Horse, Mule Barn, Dead Fish, and Sewer Alley.”

Kathy was grinning as Brent held up his hands. “Okay, I surrender. May I beg you to NOT try any of your new ones tomorrow?”

He reached in his pocket and handed me a set of keys. “Take my car. If you aren’t back by the time I call it quits, I’ll ask Kathy to give me a ride home.”

There was a flash of happiness on Kathy’s face. It didn’t last long but it was there. Her pheromones changed to seduction. She had the hots for Brent. As Kathy’s pheromones reached Brent his changed to pleasure. He had the hots for her. Don’t these too ever talk? Is this job taking so much out of both of them they don’t notice because they are too exhausted? This problem needed fixing along with all the others around here.

Looking at the keys I shook my head. “There isn’t a Lamborghini in the parking lot.”

“No there isn’t. Not in the back lot. It is out front. I’m not dumb enough to believe it would last if it was parked out back. Enjoy it, unable to keep up the payments, I’ll probably be turning it back to the bank next month.”

“Don’t give up yet. While on the subject of keys. I always keep a spare set for my car. All the keys I had on me when sparky overcharged me are gone.”

Kathy opened up a drawer on her desk and retrieved a batch of keys. “These were supposed to be yours when you took over as manager. They fit every lock in this place provided the locks haven’t been changed. When you coming in? Tonight?”

“It was my plan.”

“When you come in I’ll give you the security codes to the place. The Bar has a different code. You get those too. There is a key to Brent and my offices. Under my desk is a floor safe where five thousand dollars in small bills are. The receipts for each day are tallied at closing and Brent or I drop it off at the bank. One of us removes the money each morning and then put three thousand in the safe deposit safe for the cashier in the restaurant and two thousand in the safe behind the bar. No more than a thousand is transferred to the cash register to give back to the customers their change. More can be withdrawn as needed throughout the day. I wanted to talk to you about all of this today but circumstances…,”

“I’m good. What about the temporary help? Were you able to get us some? Tomorrow at five I plan on cutting help. I’m sorry but I need you and Brent to hold this together tomorrow. I can’t be everywhere explaining job description to everyone of them. Not to begin with. I’ll delegate team leaders as those who are capable stand out among the rest. Pete will control his kitchen and Harold will handle the bar. The waitresses stay for now. They will have to clean up their personalities and bring up their happy faces if they plan on being with us at the end of next week.”

“Brent, call your friend from security. Ask them to send over Spencer, Ken and a couple other guys for one day. We will need someone we can trust to keep an eye on every thing and everyone as we push out the old guard from this place. I have no doubt they will be trying to sabotage and steal all they can when they realize they have been terminated.”

“After tomorrow see if Spencer can help us out the rest of the week watching the truck drivers and deliveries. One good experienced man is all we will need for that. I would like for it to be Spencer.”

“Something you aren’t telling me, Nova. Spencer impressed you that much when those guys tried to do their carjacking? I’m not buying it.” He waited for an explanation.

“Brent, there are some things I’ll never answer.”

Kathy was fanning herself. “Whew, I’m getting tired just thinking about all we need to get done.”

“One or two weeks hard push Kathy. I promise after that you and Brent can take some time off and enjoy each others company outside this place.”

Kathy lowered her eyes, her face turned a deep red. Brent gave me a sharp look. He was blushing too.

“What? You don’t think I couldn’t smell it when you two got close to each other? Both of you are giving off a ‘take me I’m yours’ scent. I can’t believe I have to fix every tiny little thing that is out of whack around this place.” Taking the keys Kathy had put on the desk I headed for the door. “I want a raise. This job never said I had to be matchmaker along with all the other descriptions. I’m feeling overworked and abused and I just got here.”

Kathy and Brent were still looking at each other as I left them to figure out the rest of it. God, I hope I don’t have to give them the birds and the bees speech. The keys to the executive suite were with the keys Brent gave me. There was also a set on the keys Kathy said were mine. I was tempted to try out that NASA outfitted shower to see what it could do. Instead I headed for the indoor swimming pool they called a tub. It had Jacuzzi jets in it. I figured they needed a workout. An hour later I realized I better get it in gear. My first appointment was at seven with Joan. My duffle bag was by the end of the couch. I left it there when I brought it in so no one would think I was claiming a bedroom they needed. White panties, jeans, and a soft brown polyester shirt were my choice. The sneakers Spencer got me when he went after a black sweat suit was all I needed for footwear. Heels were not in my wardrobe. At six foot one I didn’t need any more height to look out of place.

The Lamborghini was a nice set of wheels but a pain in the ass getting in and out. It had a purpose as every male wanted my attention on the way to the beauty parlor. The lights were on in the beauty shop. I didn’t see anyone inside. After getting out of the car I walked up and tapped on the glass.

The girl I remembered as Darla came around the curtains in the back headed my direction. In the reflection in the glass I could see four, less than leading citizens of the neighborhood, bopping along, swaggering, and talking loud enough selective hearing wasn’t needed.

“That’s a fine ride.”

“Oooh wee, look at the ass that drove it in.”

“That’s one fine looking momma.”

‘She can sit on my seat covers any day.”

“I’ll take her for a ride and then take her car.”

Stepping back out to the side of the car I stopped by the front fender. “Evening gentlemen. Now before you fine young men do anything stupid why don’t you turn around and leave before things get out of hand.”

“What you say, bitch? You talking to us?” One of the idiots stepped up ahead of the others as they all kept coming.

“Gentlemen, I am not going to give you more than one warning. Do not try and get in my face. I’ve had a long day and I’m not in the mood.” Crossing my arms under my breasts in a non threatening manner I hoped they didn’t push it.

“Oh so you’re not in the mood are you, bitch. I’ll get you in the mood.” The leader finished up with his face inches from mine.

I grabbed the back of his head pulled it down, took a step back, brought my knee up and smashed his nose as I kept power driving it home. He flopped over backwards, his head hit the pavement, and he was through being a threat. Two of the three pulled knives the third one pulled a gun.

“I’m gonna cut yuh and make you bleed for what you did to Malcolm. Then I’m gonna take what I want.” The one on my right was coming at me.

I guess he figured his buddy with the gun was his backup? I was instantly only a foot from him as I came to his attack. My hands were up in the air like it was his face I was going for as I brought my right foot up and kicked the knife out of his hand. Which ended up in the gunman’s belly. Stepping into the gunman I brought my hand down on his wrist breaking it causing the gun to be leveraged out of his hand. Doing a full circle I brought my foot up and kicked the knife guy in the gut sending him flying back several feet to land on his back on the pavement. With three of them out of the picture there was only the forth idiot holding a knife.

Sliding my fingers into my back pockets I stared at him in as casual stance as I could muster, like I was waiting on a friend or the bus. It was up to him how this went. He was looking at me, at his friends, at me, back at his friends, and back at me. I shrugged and waited.

The knife slipped from his fingers and clattered on the pavement. I nodded in agreement. “Good choice. Gather up your friends, go home, get some help.”

Squatting down I picked up the gun and the knife. Unloading the gun, and dropping the clip, I gave the gun and the knife back to him. “One of these days if you boys keep this up, you’re going to pull that gun on someone who is armed themselves. One or all of you will die. You’ve been rolling the dice every time you do something like this. Snake eyes is going to come up and that won’t be your lucky day. Stop threatening people, taking what you never worked for, never earned. If I ever run into you again and you’re still doing this, that won’t be your lucky day either.”

Turning I walked up to the beauty shop, stopped, turned around. “Touch that car and I will track you down. What I will extract in payment will be way above any damage you do to mine. All of you might never walk again.”

Her eyes as wide as two egg whites, Darla unlocked the door and let me in.

“Give me the key or leave it in the door. I may have to go back out if their stupidity returns. I don’t want them scratching the car. It isn’t mine.”

Seven minutes later the kids were helping each other back down the block. Darla and I were still by the front door watching them go. She glanced in my direction still not sure she shouldn’t be running herself. “They aren’t from around here. I’ve never seen them before. We’ve never had this kind of thing happen until now.”

“Means they were scouting for an opportunity to do what they tried. If they know where a hospital is, they may make it before their friend bleeds out. Knife fights the police don’t give a damn as there are too many other things a lot more serious needs their attention. If it had been a gunshot wound I would be gone before they were. THAT gets attention. The police would track it back to the place it happened.”

I turned to look at her. “I’m sorry you people ever met me. I’m trouble with a capital T. Those around me seem to get hurt because they got close to me.”

Darla reached out to touch my arm which wasn’t there before I moved back in her strike zone again. She noticed. “I’m beginning to understand a little what Jenna had to live with. She never hurt anyone. Yet, they feared her.”

Reaching out I put my arm around her shoulder. She stiffened before she relaxed again. “Going to sound like a broken record. I really wish I had met her. Come on, let’s see what Joan can do to make me presentable.”

“…, as if you needed any help.” Darla as looking at my face and almost giggled. “If the rest of the women looked like you the cosmetic industry would go broke.”

Joan pushed the curtain back and motioned for us. “If I may break up this love fest. Need to get started. Kathy called, said Brenda was waiting on you for your fitting.”

Kathy was right about Joan being a makeup artist. She heightened my cheek bones, enhanced my eyes, added length to my eye lashes, subtle liquid peach to my lips, almost natural pink to my nails, along with a dozen other things.

When she was done, Joan turned my chair to face the mirror. “What do you think?”

“Nice, a natural look without being over the top. I love it. Thank you.” I noticed Darla looking on in awe.

She noticed me looking at her in the mirror and blushed a deep red. “I’m as straight as they come and I’m in love with a girl.”

Joan giggled. “Well, I’m not straight. I’d take her into my bed anytime she would have me.”

Both women were giving off lust scent big time. It was time to go. “Joan, thanks. I don’t have anything to pay you with. Not even a credit card. I’ll be back when I get a paycheck, provided there is anything on it.”

“Kathy is covering the cost. I would like a down payment though. A hug and a kiss. Don’t worry about the makeup, it doesn’t smear. It will last you a couple weeks before we need to freshen it up.” She held out her arms.

Standing up and reaching out, I pulled her into a tight smothering embrace. Then I laid the sexiest kiss on her I could, adding a little tongue. Her eyes flew open and then closed in eternal bliss as she engaged the kiss. I had kissed a lot of men and women in my time. Joan was right at the top.

Over a minute later I broke it off. “Don’t read anything into that. I’m not into men or women.”

Joan looked flushed and then disappointed. “I’ll have to accept that.” She wiped at a tear in the corner of her eye.

Reaching up I caught the one in her other eye on my finger. “I’m sorry, Joan. I know you loved her. I’m not geared like her. Sorry.”

She touched my cheek with her fingertips. “Never be sorry, Love. Life is what it is. I’ve been double blessed to know both of you. I also know you will move on in time. Remember me and don’t be a stranger.”

Before I left I reached out, pulled Darla into a quick hug and kiss. She wanted one the same as Joan. She wasn’t bold enough to ask. She was speechless and looked star struck as I left her standing there. She didn’t have a sexual attraction like Joan. There were no tears.