Most of those wondered if this was a private joke between the Enchantress and The Huntress? Both women were several centuries old, Nova ten or twenty if the stories could be believed. They heard Nova was a virgin. Every one of them didn’t believe it. Until now. Crystal had sewn doubt.

The ladies were right of course. If I killed the cops who killed Jenna the government would send in the seekers and the cleaners. They would be focusing on anyone and everyone who looked different. They would murder them the same way Jenna was murdered. Mutant, non mutant, wouldn’t make any difference and thousands would die.

“I apologize for my actions earlier. For the past several weeks I have been so focused on my goal, I forgot about the innocent who get caught up in the aftermath after I’m long gone. Collateral damage is unacceptable even if it is only one innocent life. Any less and I have become what I hate, government killers with no care for those who die in their search for mutants.”

“We have faith in you Huntress. Have a little in us. We’ll take care of the dregs of society you have left us. We’ll do it discretely so these people are nothing more newsworthy than accidental deaths or medical deaths. Li Su wants your police captain. Sue and Cali are going to lure one of those patrol cars used by two of those officers who assassinated Jenna into having a fatal accident. Shall I keep going?” Astra was watching The Huntress.

“No, I don’t need to know all the details. I thank all of you for stopping me from doing something I should have figured out on my own. I don’t need personal revenge. As long as Kathy, Brent and all the rest are safe and don’t have to look over their shoulder from now on, that is all I ask.”

“Spencer, we know about your ability to change, edit electronic storage data. We have a couple of our own in our group who can do the same. All the recording devices were blanked before any of us pulled into the parking lot.” Angel waved her hand to indicate the other ladies. “When we leave, none of us were ever here. Most of us have found it is better to not show up on security cameras rather than hoping the data never falls into the wrong hands.”

Angel glanced in my direction. “I was told by someone who was there in Sacramento some things went belly up in a hotel. You’re not on any of the security storage data.”

“Omega?”

Angel gave a slight nod.

“Tell him thanks if you see him before I do.”

Until now, Spencer was beginning to think, besides him, all those who Nova associated with were females. He also didn’t realize there were this many female mutants in the country. Maybe he needed to get out and associate more? He wanted more than just a memory of this gathering of mutants. He reached out with his mind and tried to turn the security cameras back on.

Nothing happened. He looked up to see one of the females wink at him as she slightly shook her head as if scolding a naughty boy. He kind of slumped down in his chair. He had been properly chastised.

“Where is everyone staying?” I knew there wasn’t room in the suite for this many extra bodies. That would raise problems on it’s own. Some of the ladies I knew were like Kitcha and the Enchantress. They had no qualms about which partner they bedded.

A couple of the women looked at Danti. “I brought the motor home. They are all staying with me. Enchantress said I could park it in the back employee parking lot. I’m guessing she cleared it with the owners?”

“She did and you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” Brent looked at Kathy who gave a slight okay with her head.

“Brent, if I may? The ladies are only going to be here for a couple days. Would it be all right if I offered the Garden’s facilities for their meals? I know the restaurant is booked solid. I’m not suggesting we cancel reservations so the girls can have a couple tables.

I had Brent’s attention. “What are you suggesting, Nova.”

“Set up tables on the dock. Most of these ladies had to fight for survival in cities, forests, and jungles along with eating sand with their meals in the desert. Picnic on the dock isn’t anything that will embarrass anyone except maybe some of our staff.

Ken had his eyes glued on the eye candy from the moment the first two walked in. “That dock area is suddenly going to get a whole lot more crowded if these ladies decide to eat there.”

Everyone there understood the implication and most laughed or smiled at the comment.

“Ladies, if everyone has had their tummies and their powder room necessities taken care of, I suggest we begin what we all came for. These people need space to get on with their lives. And as our good observant friend, Ken Walters pointed out, they are probably tired of putting up with us.” Sue headed for the door with Cali beside her.

The young lady who had winked at Spencer walked over and sat down in his lap which took him by surprise. She put her arm around his neck, leaned in and planted one on his lips. “Always pleased to met another who can adjust electronics with their own mind.”

“uh..., yeah, okay, whatever.” Spencer was trying to collect his thoughts.

Sitting on his lap, her eyes were only inches from his. “I guess I should introduce myself, Mr. Spencer Miller. My name is Becky and yes it is short for Rebecca. The other girls and I are going to do something you might be interested in since you and I have the same talent.” She hopped up and was pulling on his arm for Spencer to follow.

“Don’t worry about the club. It has gained a few more security measures since last night.” She looked over at Ken. “You should come also since you’re Spencer’s partner in most everything he does. You can feast your eyes on the girls some more.”

Ken blushed all the way to the bottom of his feet as he hung his head. “Was I that obvious?”

“Sweety, we don’t mind and yes you were that obvious. Come on, the others are going to be ahead of us already.” Becky was pulling Spencer up out of the chair as she motioned for Ken to follow.

Rhonda walked in with a man beside her. “Who are all those women out in the…?

“TIMOTHY!” Kathy screamed loud enough to rattle the walls as the ran across the restaurant to grab and hug her brother. She was crying as she squeezed him in close as she could. “I…,”

“Un huh, me too sis. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again either.” He was holding onto his sister like there was no tomorrow. “Your attorney got me out.”

It was a couple minutes before Kathy stopped crying. Giving space between her brother and herself she was wiping off the last of the tears with both hands. “Thank you Rhonda. I already owe you so much I’ll never be able to pay you back.”

“You’re welcome. I was getting no where going through the city court. Judge Harper gave a writ of habeas corpus which was very explicit. Either produce your brother and let him go or charge him. They had already broke the law themselves. They should have turned him lose after twenty four hours. Even under extenuating circumstances they can’t hold someone more than ninety six hours. They were losing records, shifting your brother around in the jail. Each time they moved him they claimed he was a new prisoner listed under John Doe.”

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My time was coming to an end and I felt like doing it up right. The cosmetics I carried were for hiding my features not enhancing them. “Kathy, do me a favor and ask Joan if she could see me in this morning.”

Kathy stared at me for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. She had a good idea why. “I’m sure she will. I’ll tell Brenda you’re coming by for a dress. I know she has a couple waiting for you to pick up.”

“Thanks Kathy. I appreciate everything you and Brent have done for me. Harold would you mind giving me a lift over to the body shop so I can pick up my car? I believe it had a long enough time out from me by now.” I was going to miss the people here. Houston was just another city. The people in each one of these was what made them the cities they were and gave it life and a soul unique to each.

In less than a week my life was going to return to working in sleezy motels, hotels, and sweat shops. Might try out a meat processing plant? Places where they never checked if the ID was legit or not. Or maybe not. I still had a Huntress to teach all the things about survival and instinct. After I visited Seattle again as I owed a favor to Pete. A hit and run driver would be on the top of my list after I left the restaurant.

Joan and Brenda had performed their magic on me before I returned to the restaurant at one o’clock. Our new Maitre d’ Juan, greeted me as I walked in the door. “You look absolutely stunning, Miss Jodi.”

“Thank you Juan. Everything okay? Any complaints from the help or the customers?”

“No Miss Jodi.”

“That’s the way all of us like it. Let me know if problems arise.”

“Yes ma’am, as you say Miss Jodi.”

I watched the accident happening before I could get there to stop it. A man was pushing back from the table. Both her hands were carrying heavy plates of food, Andrea was walking past him. He pushed into her. Andrea started to fall and released the plates to protect herself before she hit the floor. Plates shattered and food went everywhere.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She was getting up off the floor and instinctively looking around to see how many were now looking. When her eyes locked in on Jodi’s eyes she covered her mouth and ran crying from the room.

Walking over to where the mess was I addressed those around me. “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the accident but these things do happen. Of course your meals will be on the house.” Pointing to the four tables around me I wanted them to know it was only them and not the whole restaurant.

Please give us a moment to clean this up before anyone steps in it. If you give our Maitre d’ your name before you leave and you have any cleaning expenses, we will be most happy to pay for it.”

Focusing in on the guy who had pushed back into Andrea, I gave a slight frown. “Sir, I apologize. These things do happen.”

He glared at me. “Yeah, will maybe you need to hire more competent waitresses and there wouldn’t be any accidents.”

“Yes sir, I agree with you completely. Please accept free drinks on the house and my humble apologies and of course send us your cost for any cleaning your clothes require.

He looked down at his pant legs searching for food splattered on his suit. There wasn’t any but that wasn’t going to stop him. “This suit is ruined. A cleaning won’t make it right. There will be stains on my pant legs and probably my jacket too. I expect you to pay for a new suit.”

I hated people like this asshole. They faked accidents and sued for compensation. I had been watching. He ambushed Andrea as she walked behind him. He had planned this accident. Now he was going to milk it for all it was worth. “Yes sir, if the cleaners can’t get the stains out please let us know and we will pay for a new suit.”

“You’ll be getting a bill alright. Where’s that drink you said I could have?”

“I’ll have one of the waitresses bring it. “What is your choice, sir?”

“Bring me an Armand de brignac Brut Rose Champagne and tell them to leave the bottle.”

Ten thousand dollars a bottle? We were going to have a discussion after he left the restaurant. And the day looked so positive a few minutes ago. “Yes sir, your drink will be here shortly.”

A couple of our waitresses were coming in with a rolling cart, mops, buckets, towels, and wet floor signs as I headed into the kitchen to find Andrea.

Mr. Horse’s Butt leaned across the table to his three buddies. “I told you I’d get a free meal.”

In the kitchen JoAnn pointed to the doors at the back. “Probably find her on the dock.” She had already figured it out when Andrea ran though her kitchen holding her hands to her face and crying.

“Thanks. Refill Andrea’s last order if you would please.”

“Already on it, Jodi. Remember, I’ve been there myself.”

“Thanks again JoAnn. When it’s ready I’ll pick it up.” I was headed out to find Andrea.

Three of the kitchen staff were temps filling in as the restaurant grew into an overflowing crowd the past few weeks. They were staring at the back of tall woman who had just passed through their kitchen wearing four inch heels, caged black pearl earrings, multi strand black pearl necklace and wearing a very daring halter neck, electric blue dress with an ultra short hemline.

JoAnn’s eyes had followed Jodi as she walked out. Looking around, so had every person in the kitchen. She softly laughed as she whispered. “People, that’s our manager and they don’t come any finer.”

I found Andrea on the dock, crying on the shoulder of Serenity. If anyone could calm her, Serenity could. That girl was a well of peace and harmony. “May I talk to her?”

Serenity pushed Andrea back just a little and held her head up. “Hon, someone here wants to talk to you.”

When Andrea looked up and saw Jodi she started crying even harder. “I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry. I’ll pay for all of it.”

“No you won’t. It wasn’t your fault. Andrea, listen to me. Accidents happen. I know why this tore you up emotionally. You are supporting two kids and a husband who isn’t working. Sweety, no one faults you. I was watching before it happened and the man deliberately pushed back into you as you walked behind him. If you feel you can get your emotions back under control and straighten up your makeup, come on back in when you feel like it. Okay?”

She had stopped crying and was down to sniffing. “Okay.”

“If you don’t feel like it you can go home. You won’t lose any time for today. You’ll still get all your regular hours on the clock.” Walking out to my car I opened an ammo can and retrieved a small bottle with an eyedropper. It went down between my breasts as I didn’t have pockets nor a purse. I headed back to the kitchen.

Serenity gave Andrea a serious hug. “I guess we better work on getting that pretty face all tidied up so you can go back to bringing food and happiness to your customers with that bright smile of yours.”

Andrea hugged her back. Somehow things seemed all right again.

JoAnn pointed to four plates as I walked back into the kitchen. Stacking one on each arm and then picking up another in each hand, I headed out into the dinning room. The help was gawking again. JoAnn closed her eyes and shook her head. It had been many years since she had seen any waitress carry four plates at a time. Jodi made it look easy.

The same guy who had caused a mess before saw the lady in the blue cocktail dress come out of the kitchen carrying four plates. He leaned over toward his buddies. “Watch this.” When she walked behind him, he pushed back with his chair.

There was a wee problem as far as Mr. Accident was concerned. I wasn’t there to block his push as he rocked back in his chair. He went over backwards sprawled out on the floor. I didn’t stop, the people at table twenty six had waited long enough for their food.

Almost everyone in the restaurant was looking. The guy lying on the floor made a lot of noise when he fell over backwards. Then their attention followed the tall girl in heels and cocktail dress as she walked over to a table with two couples.

Standing there holding the four plates I looked around the table. “I’m sorry ladies, gentlemen, I didn’t take your order so I don’t know who ordered what. If you would please be kind enough to give me directions.”

“I had the smothered steak.” “I had the roast beef.” “I had the fish.” “I had the sautéed chicken.”

The smothered steak plate in my right hand had to go first before I placed the others. “I’m terribly sorry you had to wait for your meals. Andrea is a very conscientious waitress. It upset her when she dropped your meals. I see you have drinks, if you would allow me to bring you fresh drinks, there won’t be any extra charge.”

One of the men nodded. I took notice of what each was drinking. “Is there anything else you would like, it would please me to bring it back for you.”

The other man looked around the table and shook his head. “No we’re good I believe.”

“I’ll be back with your extra drinks shortly. Thank you for dining with the Garden.”

Mr. Obnoxious had set his chair back up and was glaring at me as I walked past his table. “Where’s that free drink you said I could have?” He said it loud enough half the diners could hear him.

“I’m going after it now, Sir. We have been quite busy as you may see.”

“Better be soon is all I have to say.” He grinned at the other men around his table. He was in charge of anyone and everything around him. Mr. Big.

There was no doubt in my mind this guy was the class bully when he was in school and he never gave it up even after he graduated. Ben was at the bar when I walked up. “I need a Wake County Cooler, a Rose Spritzer, one Does A Bear, one Martini, and three beers.”

He nodded. “I made those up about fifteen minutes ago. They must have liked them.”

Reaching in between my breast I lifted out a small bottle and placed it on the counter. “I need one glass of wine. Morgan David will do. Put two drops of this in it and in each of the beers.”

Harold was standing beside me and picked the bottle up. “Time Out? Do I dare ask?”

“Compressed alcohol. One drop will get anyone drunk. Two drops is blind staggers drunk. Three drops is close to cardiac arrest. Four drops is call the morgue.”

Ben took the bottle and was looking at it. “That would put the liquor business out of business. I hope this stuff isn’t out for public consumption.”

“The bottle is yours. Put it away where no one and I mean absolutely no one but you or Harold can get their hands on it.”

“Okay, give me five minutes and I’ll have those drinks.”

Six minutes later I was carrying eight drinks on a tray in my right hand. Passing the waitress station I picked up four extra cloth napkins. At Mr. Obnoxious table I set a wine glass down in front of him and a beer each in front of his friends.

He looked at it and then back up glaring at me. “I said I wanted the wine bottle.”

“And I said you could have a free drink not a ten thousand dollar a bottle wine.”

“I’m going to sue this restaurant for everything they have. I think I hurt my back when my chair tipped over backwards that last time. Your chairs aren’t very stable.”

“I understand you have that right, sir. Now if you will excuse me, I have others who require my service.”

At the other table I placed the napkins by their plate and set the respective drinks down for each of them. “Will there be anything else?”

“No thank you, this wasn’t necessary. You have been more than kind.” One of the women had picked up her drink and took a sip.

“We at the Garden hope your dining with us is a pleasure and relaxing. Unfortunately we can’t always control what may come into our restaurant. Your waitress Andrea, has returned and will be watching if you wish for anything else. Or if you prefer I will continue to serve you if you want.”

One of the women had just put the glass to her mouth, she brought a napkin up and coughed into it. “Andrea was very polite and cheerful. She made all of us smile when she took our order. You’re very beautiful and this obviously wasn’t what you dressed for today although you do it professionally. Thank you for everything.”

“It has been my pleasure I assure you. I’ll turn you back over to someone’s capable hands then. Andrea will be pleased. Enjoy your lunch and thank you for coming.”

Mr. Obnoxious was slurring his speech when I walked back past his table. “Iss gonna shu thus legsssss, puntsss uffen diss plazzz.”

Walking into the bar, I held out my hand. “Phone.”

Ben put a cell phone in my hand. It didn’t take me but a second to dial a number I already knew. “Waterford, police.” Was the response from the other end of the ether.

“Yes, this is the manager at Eve’s Hanging Garden Restaurant. We have four very drunk men in the restaurant. I felt it was my responsibility to report them before any of them got in their car or cars and tried to drive away.”

“I’ll send a couple patrol cars over. Do you know what they are driving?”

“No I don’t but I don’t think you will have any trouble recognizing who they are. They probably will have trouble walking as they are seriously drunk.”

“I see, did you or someone in the restaurant not notice when they had too much to drink?”

“Ma’am, they only had two light beers or in one case a light beer and a glass of five percent alcohol wine. Certainly not enough for any normal person to get drunk on. We have no way of screening people who dine with us whether they are alcohol intolerant or not. They may have even brought an extra bottle in with them.”

“Wouldn’t anyone have noticed if they had brought in a bottle?”

“Ma’am, we’re a big restaurant and lunch is a very busy time for all of us. Our job is to try and keep our customers happy and fed, not look over their shoulders to see if they are eating their meals right.”

“Cars are on their way. They weren’t very far and will be there within five minutes. Try to keep the men there if they aren’t already leaving. What is your name?”

“Charlotte Wilson.”

“We thank you for your concern Mrs. Wilson.”

“Yes ma’am, that was very efficient and we at the Garden Club thank you and all our fine officers for the hard work you do keeping our streets safe for all citizens.” I handed the phone back to Ben.

Harold was dying trying to hold in the laughter. “We thank you Charlotte Wilson for keeping our streets safe? The one person who the police would turn this town upside down to find is thanking them for her safety? Nova, there are fliers out offering a million dollar reward for the arrest and conviction of The Huntress. No one knows what she looks like or if she is many people. They are guessing she is still out there and you thank them for their service. Girl, you got more guts and bigger balls than anyone else I have ever met.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “The best place to hide is with the same people looking for you. It’s a plus if you’re vocal about being serious and glad those people are doing their best looking for whoever they are wanting.”

Ben was shaking his head. “Never in a million years would I have thought up something like that. How many names have you used?”

“Warum? Ich habe nur einen Namen, Sir. Helga Bersmith.” (Why I have only one kind, Sir. Helga Bersmith)

“It all came with time and experience. A lot of lessons learned the hard way.”

“God woman, I’m surprised you remember who you really are.” Ben filled a glass with soda water and set it on the counter in front of Nova.

“I’m Naweena, an orphan adopted by wolves, bears, and other animals after our village was slaughtered, my parents murdered. It is the name my mother gave me when I was born. I may forget all the names I have used over the years. That is one I’ll never forget.”

Thank you for the water.” I took a big drink before heading back to the dining room to check on our drunken friends.

Ben watched her walk away. “For you Naweena, I’d walk across a hundred miles of desert to bring you water.”

Andy walked into June’s office. “Busy?”

“Always.” She pushed back the medical records she had been studying about a patient.

“Any more ideas about those pin pricks we have been seeing on our heart attack victims?”

She stared at Andy for several seconds trying to decide whether to get him involved or not. Looking off into the distance she sighed.

Andy had seen that look in June’s eyes many times before. He knew she was analyzing information and arranging it before saying anything. He waited.

“Six years ago I read an article in one of our medical review papers. Our government developed a heart attack serum. I believe someone has replicated that serum. They not only replicated it, they made it stronger. They managed to make it thousands of times more lethal so only what is on the end of a pin carries enough to do the job. The government serum was traceable. Run the toxicology tests and it would show up in the blood stream and the tissue around the needle injection site. It took ten CCs to cause the heart attack. I called some people I know. Our government is still manufacturing and stocking it.”

“I asked Dr. Jackson to run a toxic test on a victim as he arrived in ER. Specifically where I saw the pinprick. Nothing showed up. I strongly suspect our four patients we had in here who claimed a woman attacked them, are dead or soon will be. Remember your sergeant said she attacked the wrong people? I asked Lt. Ingram who all these dying people worked for. He called me this morning. They don’t all work for the same company but all the companies can be tied back to one company. Security Investment Brokers buys and sells companies. Remember that guy who bought companies, raided their investment funds destroying lives, and then sold the pieces off?

“Vaguely.”

“That is what Security does. What I gather from the Lieutenant is they go a little further than that. They destroy businesses and buy them up in bankruptcy court. They can get a ten million dollar business for a few hundred thousand.”

“Jesus! You think our own government is killing people with this stuff?” Andy shook his head.

“No, as I said, this isn’t government quality. It’s a whole lot more lethal and impossible to detect.”

“How do you know it’s…, okay not the same thing but the same principle?”

June brought up a graph on her computer and turned it so Andy could see it. “Statistics. The chart for heart attack victims in this area has gone off the scale. It isn’t because of the greasy burgers and French fries they are eating. I think those in Security pissed off the wrong person who just happen to have a source to the refined heart attack medicine.”

“Oh crap! The government guys get wind of this they will send in a few teams and kill a few thousand people hoping to get their hands on this new designer medicine.”

=========================================

Lt. Max Ingram was filling out the paperwork on a drug bust he had been attached to this morning when Detectives Elaine Arnold and Maurice Ward stopped by his desk. She laid a couple bulletins down in front of him. Four officers die in a high speed auto chase, was the first thing that caught his eye. The second one read, Captain Dan Blake suffers fatal injuries after he falls down a flight of stairs in the police station.

He looked at the first one again and read the names of the officers who died in the high speed chase. He looked up at the two detectives. “You mention this to anyone else?”

“We’re not stupid. Two of our own started digging into the murder of that woman and were killed while on patrol.” Elaine was positive she didn’t want to bring this to anyone else’s attention. No one wanted to speak about a blue on blue murder.

Ingram nodded in agreement. “This isn’t her style though.”

Maurice coughed. “Who says she can’t change with the times? Damn it Max, all of us figured she’d show up.”

He pulled a sheath of papers out of the inside his jacket and laid it down on the desk. “This is the report I DIDN’T turn in after Elaine and I were called out to examine a double murder in an alley. Those guys were handled by someone with abnormal strength. Someone snitched on Dagger. Those two went in to give a lesson as to why snitches talking about their help isn’t appreciated. When was the last time you heard anything about Bolt? Hell, he’s disappeared off the face of the planet. Give me a name of anyone and I mean anyone who would be capable of taking out both of those freaking mutants? Name one who would turn on her own kind besides her? She’s here, she’s in town, and she’s taking care of business.”

It was a gut feeling but one of the strongest he ever had, The Huntress was in town and he refused to admit it. Max had heard some pretty solid evidence Captain Blake was cushy with Bolt and Dagger. No one in their right mind would risk putting that down on paper. Somehow The Huntress had connected the dots. Back twenty six years earlier he and Maurice were MPs stationed in Germany. They were transporting a prisoner who had gone AWOL and tried to escape into Russia. He was caught before he could get across the border. They were taking him back to the base for a court martial. When they passed a clearing of the forest lining the highway they both saw a tall woman standing in the middle of a pack of wolves. It wasn’t only the fact she watched them go by that sent chills down their spines, it was how she was dressed in thirty below weather. She was wearing a short leather miniskirt, a barely there crop top, sleeveless, leather vest, and carrying a long bow. They had heard stories about the huntress and figured they were like all fables, made up over time. After they returned to base, every free moment for the next few months, they dug into finding out everything they could about her. Like all good detectives they separated fact from fiction the best they could from everything they read and heard. The one idea they couldn’t shake was they had seen her and she wasn’t a figment of their imagination.

“If the feds get a hint of this we will be drowning in soldiers and Black Ops. Keep this to yourselves. Hopefully she’s gone now.” Max didn’t believe she had left but there was hope.

“Gotchu.” Maurice and Elaine walked away.

Someone who might have figured out if the Huntress was still hanging around was That Doctor who seemed to have a sixth sense about a lot of things not even related to medicine. He dialed the number.

June checked who was calling before she answered. “Lieutenant, to what do I owe this call?”

“Tell me what you know about the Huntress.” Came over the airwaves.

“Fairy tales, fables, children’s boogie bear stories to get them to lay down and go to sleep?”

“Doctor, I’m not one of your patients to have you pat my head and tell me everything is okay. You smelled something before there was anything there. Give.”

June was quiet enough Max was wondering if she was still with him. She sighed. “Okay, I believe we have the Huntress in town. She got her hands on some really wicked stuff our own government designed to give people heart attacks. You told me earlier everyone dying was connected to one company in one way or another. You might warn those policemen who ambushed the woman they claimed was a Huntress. Although it probably won’t do any good.”

“Too late. All four men including their captain had accidents.”

“Her style?”

“Who knows what her style is anymore? Two we don’t need to guess is Dagger and Bolt. The first had her heart ripped out and the second is gone. I don’t know how much you know about this woman but I believe she is the only one who could take out both.”

June held her phone out and looked at it for a second wishing she hadn’t answered this call. “What do you plan on doing?”

“Doing? I’m keeping my head down and my mouth shut. Damn it Doc, if this is the same woman I saw in Germany, I don’t want to get in the way of what she thinks needs to be done.”

“You saw her!”

“Yeah, she’s tall, six foot or better, raven black hair.”

“Where did you see her?”

“In a forest, we were transporting a prisoner. She was standing in a clearing with a pack of wolves around her.”

“Would you know her if you saw her again?”

“I’ll never forget her. I doubt anyone can who has seen her. We were in a security van traveling down the highway at fifty miles per hour. When I saw her it scared the absolute stuffing out of me.”

June licked her lips. “She’s here and no one besides the druggies and those who like to spread rumors are screaming it’s the Huntress. She must be able to blend in somehow.”

“You know that for sure or guessing?”

“It’s a feeling I haven’t been able to shake. At first I wondered if I was coming down with something. When I began thinking Huntress it all solidified.”

Max didn’t mention that was something mutants could do. “Okay, share anything you have and I’ll do the same. You’re not telling anyone else, are you?”

“Only my colleague, Andy. He’s been tracking the heart attacks along with me. He was the one who told me about the heart up on top the car after Ms. Poison was killed.”

“Doc, you need to be really careful who you share this huntress information with. Two of our own were killed when they got too nosy about the four who murdered the girl they claimed was a huntress.”

“I’ll button it up. I don’t want her coming after me.”

“It isn’t her we need to be worried about. As bad as she scares me, I’d rather have her guarding my six than anyone else I can name.”

“Understood, Lieutenant. Goodbye.” June turned off her phone and stared at it. Max knew more than he was sharing. Did he really trust the Huntress that much?”

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Sue and Cali had returned along with Becky, Spencer and Ken. All five spent the evening in the bar. It was there they ordered off the short menu for supper. As for the other women, none had returned by ten that night. I figured they were out partying. Each one of them was able to handle themselves if any problems arose. I figured the three I didn’t know personally probably had that same ability since they were with the others. Personally I felt kinda like I should be out finishing up what I had started. Craig Albright was the top man in that slimy organization. I had yet to get to him along with three others in that committee. The restaurant, the club, the waitresses, the cooks, everything was going so smoothly that day I felt like I was useless and no longer needed. If I could become one of the waitresses, or kitchen help, or cleanup, maybe I could hang around just a little bit longer but that was no longer an option. I would never blend back in as one of the help, not here anyway. If the ladies were going to finish cleaning up the vermin I probably should move on.

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“Dr. Harrison and party, I have reservations.” He stopped in front of Eva.

June smiled at the Maitre d’ when the woman looked up at them. Eva checked her reservation tablet. “Yes Dr. Harrison and a party of one.”

June looked around to scan the room and froze when she saw the tall woman with the raven black hair staring at her eyes. Staring back into those eyes, she was frozen to the spot unable to move or look away.

“I’ll show them to their table, Eva.” I knew the woman had made me but how? We had never met before. I picked up a couple menus off the counter. “This way please.”

Andy took June’s hand but she had yet to move. “June?” He slipped his hand around her waist. “You okay?”

Reluctantly she allowed Andy to lead her along following the woman to a table beside the hanging garden. Placing their menus on the table in front of a couple chairs I backed up and waited for the man to seat the woman. June sat down in the chair Andy had pulled out for her and turned to stare. This time June’s attention was drawn to the long fingers and long fingernails of the woman who had laid the menus on the table. All the nails on both her hands looked sharp and lethal, a length no normal woman would or could wear. They would be broken before the day was out.

It was hard for me to figure out why the woman was absolutely terrified of me? I didn’t know her. I could sense she was one of those mutants we called Sherlock Holmes. They had an analytical mind and could figure out and understand real life problems and situations before most even knew there was a problem. They were the ultimate solution solvers.

“Sir, madam, would you like to order drinks now while you look over your menu?”

“June? June? Would you like to order a drink? June?”

She managed to look at Andy. “What?”

“The lady wanted to know if we would like to order a drink. Honey, are you okay?”

“Drink? Okay…, I’ll have a Martini.”

Andy looked up at the waitress. “I’ll have a Margarita.”

“Very good. I’ll be back with your drinks shortly as you decide on what you would like to eat tonight.”

June stared as she watched the woman walk away. She had the graceful walk of a cat. A very large cat. She didn’t have to imagine the Huntress silently passing through the forest stalking her prey. It was there in every step she took.

“June, you are acting awfully funny. Are you okay?” Andy was beginning to doubt if this dinner date for both of them to relax and forget work was a good idea.

She turned her attention back to Andy. Should she tell him? Was she even sure herself? Everything in her whole body and her mind was screaming this was the Huntress. Had she psyched herself up so much lately every tall woman was going to be the Huntress? No…, this was her. Every fiber of her being was screaming this was the Huntress.

“I’m sorry Andy, I’ve been distracted thinking about work. What were you saying?”

“Well at least I have your attention now. I was beginning to think this was a waste of a perfectly good evening to get away from our work. Let’s talk about something other than patients, hospitals, and laboratories.”

“Of course, you told me the other day you were repainting your bedroom. What color did you choose?”

“I’d rather talk about what you wish to order for dinner. You haven’t even looked at the menu. Did you see that review about this place in the Sunday Times? The food critics gave it five stars and said they would double that if possible. They raved about the food and said their waitress was a ten in serving them and getting their orders right when they did their best to confuse her.” He opened up his menu and was looking. “Everything looks good. June would you mind if I ordered us a bottle of wine to go with our dinner?”

June lifted her phone out of her purse. “Andy, I’m going to ask someone to stop by for a couple minutes. Please bear with me.”

“What? Honey, you sure are acting funny tonight. Okay, if only for a few minutes. I want this to be our night.”

She tapped in the numbers.

“Hello Doc.” Came back through the electronic world.

“Listen to me very closely and don’t ask questions. Dr. Harrison and I are at Eve’s Hanging Garden Club. You must come immediately. There is nothing else in your life any more important than this meeting. We’re at a table by the hanging garden.” June turned her phone off so he couldn’t call back.

The person on the other end of that call was looking at his phone. “What thu hell?”

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“Sandy, I have your table over by the garden. The couple who just came in.” I was walking by the waitresses.

“Okay, Jodi.” She was headed into the kitchen to pick up an order for one of her other tables.

Stopping at the waitress station I picked up a pad and pen before going into the club to get their drinks. As Ken was making their drinks I was writing.

Back at the table I placed their drinks in front of them and handed the note to the woman.

June wondered what was going on? Could she have been handed a warning to not say anything? She started reading.

Why are you afraid of me?
We have never met. Why do you
consider me a threat?
The fear scent you are giving off is
scaring the normals around you even though
they don’t know why. Calm yourself, please.

June read the note twice, her eyes and her mind going back to the word normals. Did the Huntress think she was a mutant? “Andy do you have a pen?”

He felt the pockets on his shirt and jacket. “No why?”

I handed her a pen after I pulled it out from between my breasts. I didn’t plan this; it was where I slipped it when I finished writing the note.

She wrote ‘I’m not a mutant’ and handed it back.

Leaning down close to her ear I whispered. “I sensed you before you ever walked in the door. Not the same way you figured me out but the results are the same. If you want to claim you aren’t, that is fine by me. I totally understand as we aren’t high on the good neighbor welcoming committee of those in government.”

I straightened up. “Have you decided on what you would like to eat?”

“We changed our minds about the drink. Leave these but bring a bottle of Pinot Noir.” Andy was sure a bottle of wine would help everyone relax.

“Excellent choice.” I left to get their wine.

“Do you know her? What was it you two were discussing.” Andy was curious what was going on?

June’s mind was asking the same thing. What was going on? The Huntress was wrong. She wasn’t a mutant. She picked up cuts and bruises and healed slowly…? Maybe not that slowly. Had she ever been sick in her life? If she was she didn’t remember it. She never thought about it before. She held out her right hand and examined her nails. As a doctor she always kept them trimmed short. Pathogens and other things can hide and be carried under one’s nails. What would it be like to have nails as long as the Huntress? How in the world did she manage them?

Picking up the tray Ben had set the ice bucket, wine, and two glasses on I headed back to the couple’s table. It was hard to believe the woman didn’t know she was a mutant. Not with the kind of analytical mind her kind had. Yet, her body language and voice indicated she truly didn’t know. At the waitress station I picked up the wine stand, two cloth napkins, and laid a towel over my left arm.

Walking across the dining room I heard the waitresses behind me. “Jodi is serving wine.” “Watch this, she does it so elegantly.” “Watch the faces of those around her.” “I’d pay good hard earned money to have her serve me wine.”

A smile came to my face as I approached the table. Setting the wine stand down, the bucket of ice with the bottle of wine was placed on it. A napkin was placed next to the man and then the woman, a wine glass turned upside down on each. Lifting the bottle out of the ice bucket I wiped it off and held it out for the man to read the label.

It was a heavy French accent I began “Monsieur, ce vin est-il à votre gout?”
(Sir, this wine acceptable?)

Andy blinked a couple times as he looked from the bottle to the woman holding the bottle. He was guessing if she asked him to pour the wine? “uh…, yes.”

Holding the bottle so only the woman could see what I was doing, I slid a fingernail up under the wire wrap on the top and cut it. Holding the bottle so if it sprayed no one would get splashed and using the cork puller I removed the cork.

It was evident the man had been served or seen it done this way before. He held up his wine glass. I poured a half inch of wine into the glass. He swirled it around, held it up to look at it against the light, smelled it, and took a sip.

“Excellent.” He held out his glass so I could fill it three quarters full.

I turned to the woman. “Madame, puis-je vous servir aussi?” (Madam, if I may serve you?)

June was looking from my face to my nails to my eyes and back at my nails before she turned her glass right side up and held it. “Merci, vous avez une methode très impressionnante d’ouvrir une bouteille de vin. Mon compagnon de diner ne comprend pas le Français.” (Thank you, that is a very impressive way you have of opening a bottle of wine. My dinner companion doesn't understand French)

Replacing the wine bottle in the ice bucket my attention turned to the man for they like to be the decision maker if they are on a date. “Merci, have you decided on what you would like for your meal?”

“No, give us a little time if you would. My date seems to be someplace else tonight.”

“Prenez tout le temps don’t vous avez besoin, Messieurdame. Veuillez m’indiquer quand vos souhaitez que je prenne votre commande, s’il vous plaît.” (I’ll give you all the time you need. Please indicate when you wish for me to take your order.) I didn’t repeat in English this time. The woman could do that. I walked away to the entrance desk to help guide arriving customers to their tables.

June was watching and muttered under her breath. “A very large cat.”

Andy had been looking where June was looking. He glanced over at her for a second. “What did you say?”

“I said she walks very gracefully.”

Andy was intelligent enough to not respond even though he agreed. It was the trick question, honey does this dress make me look fat. “uh…, what did she say before she left?”

“She said we could have all the time we wanted to pick out what we would like to eat.”

“Well, she could have said it in English so we both would understand.”

Or said it in ten thousand other languages, June was thinking. Funny she never thought of it before as none of the reports about the Huntress ever mentioned what language she spoke. “Andy, she’s not a waitress. Look at how she’s dressed. That is a cocktail dress. Her heels are four inch. No waitress in her right mind is going to spend the evening serving meals while she’s wearing those kind of heels. They would be crippled before the night was up. I admit this is an upscale restaurant. It isn’t that upscale. She probably picked up you were a doctor when you said you had a reservation and decided to impress you.”

Andy looked across the room at the tall woman leading other dinners to a table. He turned his attention to June. “It wasn’t me she was focusing her attention on. She’s probably a lesbian.”

June threw her napkin down. “ANDY! I’m ashamed of you. I believe I better go before your manners get any worse.”

“June, I’m sorry. It slipped out. I didn’t mean it. Please, don’t go.” He stretched his arm across the table holding out his hand to her.

June settled back down. Her nerves were on edge. She figured she had a valid excuse. Who wouldn’t be knowing they were in the presence of a legend, The Huntress.

Stepping into the kitchen I picked up a pitcher of ice water. Circulating among the diners, offering to refill the glasses, it was a way to make conversation and ask if they were enjoying their meal without annoying them.

It was approximately twelve minutes later, I was across the room when the couple I had seated looked up from their menus and looked around the room. I didn’t have to guess, it’s a universal signal they were ready to order. They were searching for a waitress. After I took their order, the female asked for an extra wine glass. I was headed to the kitchen to turn in their order and pick up their salads.

June leaned across the table. “Andy, get your mind out of the gutter and look at how she walks. She doesn’t really walk like everyone else. It isn’t her heel that comes down first. It’s her the balls of her feet and her toes. She glides.”

That wasn’t the part of her anatomy he was looking at when June told him to look. After she mentioned it, she was putting her toes down first. It was the first time he ever really thought about how people walked. Why did June bring it up?

June turned over the piece of paper the Huntress had passed to her and wrote something on the back of it. She handed it to Andy. “Read this side first.”

It started out, “Why are you afraid of me.” Andy read through the first part and it never dawned on him what it was all about until he read what June had wrote. “I’m not a mutant.” He reread the first part four more times until the words “scaring the normals” registered. His eyes full of questions flashed up to look at June.

She motioned for him to turn the note over. He read the other side. “You are being served dinner by The Huntress. Turn her in, you killed us both.”