Prelude
By C2K, c2k@cwc.org.uk
Helena gains control of her family


Foreword: Now for the first story I wrote on the conquests of Helena. For
those of you who missed London, the story is a fantasy alternate existense of
DC Comics' Huntress a.k.a. Helena Bertinelli. This is Helena a little older
now. Her father was never killed and she 'followed' him into the mafia. She
never became the hero that we all know and love!

In this story, she recruits her 'inner sanctum' and takes control of the
family from her father, whom she feels has let the family down.

Helena sat in the office of the pole dancing club. The manager sat opposite
her, with two gorilla-esque men standing on either side.

He said, "Tell Don Bertinelli that we fully appreciate his continued support,
Helena"

"MISS Helena", she corrected.

"Sure thing Helena," he replied.

He smirked and looked round for approval from his goons. They obliged with
restrained smirks.

Helena left his office and sat down behind a table in the club. One of the
waitresses brought her usual cocktail. As the dancers performed and she sipped
on her cocktail, she pondered on how much she really hated her father, Don
Bertinelli. Out of all his lieutenants, including her brother, most were
useless, over the hill yes-men whose sole purpose seemed to be promoting their
own status in the family. Helena, however had only ever had the family's best
interests at heart, however she was dismissed as being too progressive.
According to her father, the Bertinelli family had been one of the most
prominent in Mafia circles, first in Sicily, then in America, due its strong
tradition. There is no place for fanciful new ideas. At least that's what he
said. The truth is that his traditional values regarded females as little more
than his many dogs, including his own daughter. As a result of his view, he
left the most menial of management tasks to Helena, collecting his dues from
this club being one. The more Helena thought about her father, the more she
pondered the idea of teaching the manager and his two gorillas a little lesson
in respect. One corner of her mouth curled up in pleasure at the prospect.

Later, Helena's mind was taken off her upcoming task by a very striking
dancer. She had a dark bob and was highly toned. And then there was her skill
on a pole. Even Helena sat up and took notice. After an incredible routine,
that had to be seen to be believed, Helena made a note to take more interest
in this particular venture.

The evening passed and the bar tidied up and the punters left. Soon Helena was
alone. She decided to pay the manager a visit. As she approached his office
she heard shouting.

"Give me my money you f***ing asshole!" yelled a female voice.

"You got what you deserve, now f*** off bitch!" came the reply.

She yelled again, "You bastard!"

Helena entered the room just in time to see the two security goons approach
the same girl who had earlier impressed Helena with her routine. The dancer
wasted no time. She threw a side kick to the guard on the right catching his
jaw, knocking him out. Immediately she turned on the one on her right catching
him under his chin with a front heel kick, knocking him out too. Before he had
a chance to fall down, she had span into a spinning back kick to his nose and
mouth, her foot breaking his nose and knocking out a few teeth. He collapsed
to the ground, his face a mess. She quickly moved to the still KOd first guard
and delivered an axe kick, her heel connecting with his nose with a crunch.
The manager was reaching in his drawer for his gun when she jumped on a chair
then over his table with a flying side kick that connected with his nose. He
fell back off his chair. She grabbed his collar and with both hands pulled him
to his feet. She pushed him back against the wall and kneed him to the groin
three times. He sank to his knees and she grabbed his head and kneed him in
the face, her knee connecting with his nose, spraying blood around and as his
head banged against the wall, she pushed on his shoulders and raised her knee
against this time under his chin.

She shouted, "You got what you deserve, bitch!"

She then noticed that, whereas she had meant to knock him out, that last knee
had broken his neck. She turned and saw Helena at the door. The dancer
recognised her immediately.

"Shit!" she cried, recognising Helena.

She threw a round kick at Helena, which Helena ducked and as the girl's foot
passed over her head, Helena threw her own kick, a side kick pinning the
girl's foot with her own to a nearby pillar. Helena could see the animal fear
in her.

"Calm down," she reassured her, "you only did what I wanted to."

She continued, "Do you know who I am?"

The girl replied, "Yes I do, Miss Helena."

Helena went on, "And what's your name?"

"Emmanuelle," she replied.

"Well Emmanuelle, take a seat," Helena said.

She began, "As you know, this place is one of my father's many interests.
Recently, I have come to the conclusion that my father is no longer capable of
taking the Bertinelli Family into the twenty first century. I have decided
that I am the person for that job. I want to build a new family, solely run by
us. Men are too weak. The families today are all about mutual respect and not
treading on each others toes. I say it's all bullsh*t. The rival families and
mobs that are in our way will be crushed. No negotiation. They, their families
and their associates will simply be destroyed. I don't know how much my father
pays you, but join with me and you'll never want for anything again. You can
stand beside me and share in the money, the power, and the glory that will
soon be associated with my Family. What do you say?"

"Yes! Yes!" Emmanuelle replied.

Helena offered, "You can take some time to think about it."

She again replied, "No, just tell me what to do."

"Well," Helena set out, "first I need to get rid of my father and his
ridiculous so-called organisation. Will you help me?"

"Of course," said Emmanuelle.

"Good, I'll tell you when it's time," she said.

With that, Helena left.

The following week, Don Bertinelli went on holiday to tour the West Coast.
Actually it was more of a working holiday. His intention was to secure a
working relationship with the mobs that run the West Coast arms trade. Of
course, the mere thought of negotiating with rival mobs angered Helena even
further, and she decided to end his reign during his trip.

The day after he arrived, Helena arrived at his hotel room with Emmanuelle. He
was discussing this evening's meet at a highly exclusive nightclub with three
of his guards that were to accompany him on the whole trip.

"Why, do come in Helena," he began, "and you must introduce us to your
friend."

"First, you will address me Miss Helena," she responded, "and I do not feed
the monkeys."

The guard looked puzzled. He was sure that she had just put him down, but did
not understand what she meant. Another guard squeezed her ass as she walked
by.

She addressed her father, "Father, why do your men not regard me with the
respect I demand?"

He replied, "When you can earn it Helena."

He continued, "And where have you been this past week. What happened at my
club? The manager and his two security men were attacked. Why do you continue
to make a fool of me?

She moved behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

She said, "Now now, Father."

He asked, "And who is the whore you have brought with you?"

She answered, "This is Emmanuelle. Want to see what she can do?"

With that she nodded to Emmanuelle. Emmanuelle exploded into motion. There
were two guards on either side of her. She jumped and performed a full split
in mid air, catching each one in the chest, sending them flying back. She ran
at the third as he was reaching into his jacket and kicked him in the face
with a jumping front kick. Meanwhile, Helena made her way to the first guard.
He had drawn to gun when, from behind, Helena grabbed his arm and wrapped her
arm around his and locked his arm in an arm lock. She quickly broke his arm,
forcing him to drop his gun. Pulling up, she forced him to his feet. Still
locking out his now broken arm, she spun him around and into the wall. She
released her arm lock and grabbed his other arm by the wrist and turned his
back to the wall. She slapped his face with her foot several times then threw
a side kick to his jaw so hard that she broke his neck. Meanwhile, Emmanuelle
had followed up to the third guard with three spinning kicks that had broken
his jaw and both his cheekbones. As he fell to the side, she turned on the
second guard. As he got up, she spun round to face him with a spinning back
kick to the back of his neck. He slumped to his knees. She grabbed his head
and kneed him in the face, breaking his nose. The force knocked him to his
back and, without lowering her leg, she smashed her heel to his nose again
with an axe kick.

"STOP! Enough!" shouted Don Bertinelli.

He was pointing his gun between Helena and Emmanuelle, moving it between each
of them.

"First," he said to Emmanuelle, "you die, bitch."

As he focused his revolver on Emmanuelle, Helena sprang into action leaping at
him with a front kick, which connected with his wrist, sending the gun up as
he squeezed the trigger. The bullet buried itself in the ceiling plaster.
Helena moved to him and threw an elbow strike to his jaw. He fell to his
knees. She stepped back and threw a roundhouse kick to his jaw, breaking it
and knocking him out.

"We'll deal with him later," Helena said, "for now, let's kill these two."

Emmanuelle smiled. Helena had awoken a side of her she never knew she had. A
dark, sadistic side. She realised she liked hurting men.

Helena said, "Emmanuelle, you have one technique each. Impress me."

"Yes Miss Helena," Emmanuelle replied.

She moved over to the second guard, and placed her legs round his head in a
figure four scissors. With a twist of her hips, she broke his neck. She then
moved to the second guard. Another axe kick to the back of his neck, and he
too was dead.

"Nice work," Helena commented.

Emmanuelle responded, "Thank you, Miss Helena."

Emmanuelle smiled again. If she liked hurting men, she just discovered that
she liked killing them even more.

"Let's close the deal," Helena said.

She moved to the back of her father and put him in a dragon sleeper, bending
his neck and back over her knee. She applied enough pressure to bring him to.

"Just so you know," she began, "I am taking over this family. You have brought
this family into disrepute for far too long now."

"You'll never get away with this. Your brother will succeed me," he replied.

Helena smiled.

"Emmanuelle," she began, "my father thinks you are a whore. Why don't you show
him some of the techniques you offer?"

"With pleasure," Emmanuelle said with a smile.

She moved to the bathroom and spinning round threw a spinning back kick to the
wall, her foot kicking a hole in the plaster wall. She then moved to a coffee
table and her axe kick split the table in two.

"Would you like to see more, Miss Helena?" she asked.

"No thank you, I don't want him spoilt for choice," Helena said, "my father
would like the axe kick please. And don't worry, he pays well."

Emmanuelle moved to him and raised her leg vertical, holding it there. Don
Bertinelli could see up her miniskirt.

"Enjoy the view, Don Bertinelli," Emmanuelle said.

With that, she smashed her heel down to his face. Helena grabbed his chin with
her free hand and broke his neck.

"Bye bye, Daddio," she said.

Back in New York, Helena sat down with Emmanuelle.

"Emmanuelle," began Helena.

"Yes, Miss Helena," replied Emmanuelle.

Helena continued, "Do you know of anyone who could join our cause? I have been
working out numbers, but I think we could do with one more."

Emmanuelle answered, "Funny you should ask, Miss Helena. I had wondered about
my sister, Gina."

"Oh?" asked Helena, "And is she skilled?"

"Oh yes, Miss Helena," replied Emmanuelle,"In fact we trained together in
dance and in martial arts. We even look alike except she is one of those
blonde things!"

Helena and Emmanuelle shared a chuckle. Helena asked her to recruit Gina for
the next mission. This was to finalise the takeover of her family. Helena
herself had one other person in mind. Cory, an ex-marine hand-to-hand combat
specialist whom she had trained extensively with in martial arts. In addition,
her father had run a secret training programme. He had taken young girls off
the street and trained them up over several years to be his elite
bodyguards/assassins. Actually, that was the official line. What he really
wanted were his personal army of female slaves. Helena had tried to influence
their training where possible. In fact, the one decision that she had managed
to persuade her father was that, for the past couple of years, Cory had been
one of their instructors in hand-to-hand combat. The first two girls had
recently moved to provisional service, Yasmina and Joanna. Helena decided she
needed to get them on side too.

Meanwhile, back at work, Emmanuelle worked on Gina.

"You mean you actually get to beat men badly?" Gina asked.

"Oh yes," replied Emmanuelle,"In fact I have already killed a few very bad
men."

"I'm not sure I could kill someone," replied Gina.

"Come on sis," said Emmanuelle, "haven't we always said we would love to see
some of these sleazy, nasty men in here get their dues."

"Well," began Gina, "I suppose."

Later that night, Helena arrived at the club. Emmanuelle spoke to her and made
her aware that in theory, Gina was in but had reservations. Helena smiled and
sat back to enjoy her evening. Later that night, there were a group of six
guys who made particular interest in being obnoxious, aggressive and to a
point, threatening towards Gina during a private dance. Later that night,
three of them left. Helena approached the following three and introduced
herself as the manager. She then requested that all three meet her in her
office. When they entered the office, they saw Emmanuelle and Gina waiting for
them. Immediately, their eyes lit up.

"Don't get excited boys," said Helena, "this isn't what you think it is."

"What the f*** is it then?" asked one.

Helena answered, "Well, you are here to apologise to Gina."

The men laughed out loudly.

Helena continued," And if you don't, we'll kill you all."

The men looked at each other, still laughing. Helena winked at Gina.
Immediately, Gina jumped and threw a double front kick, each foot catching two
men under their chins, as she landed, she threw a heel kick to the third guy's
solar plexus. She raised her leg vertical, just as he doubled over. He was
ready to collapse altogether when Gina slammed her heel to the back of his
neck knocking him out. The other two were picking themselves off the ground.
Gina quickly moved to one and kneed him in the gut. He sank to his knees,
gasping for breath. Gina quickly moved on to the other. She threw an elbow
strike to his jaw and almost simultaneously a knee to his groin. As he doubled
over, she grabbed the back of his head and jumped with a knee to his face. His
nose erupted like a bloody geyser. He fell to his back. Immediately,
Emmanuelle was on him. She pulled his head up into a dragon sleeper and
reached across with her free hand to his chin and broke his neck. Helena
smiled and nodded in approval.

"No mercy, Gina," said Emmanuelle.

Gina took on her own man and locked her legs into a figure four. She applied
the pressure. By this time, he had regained his consciousness.

"Who's laughing now, bastard?" Gina demanded.

He gagged from lack of air. Gina continued to punish him. Helena had caught
the third guy with a triangle hold.

"No mercy," said Gina.

With that, she used her legs to break his neck. Helena had now used her hold
to make her man semi-conscious.

"It's up to you Gina," said Helena, "do I KO him or kill him."

"Kill the bastard," said Gina.

"I had hoped you would say that," replied Helena.

She twisted her hips and broke his neck.

"No mercy, sisters," said Helena.

Gina, Emmanuelle and Helena stood up and sat round the table.

"We'll clean this up later but what do you think now Gina? How did it feel to
kill a man?" asked Helena.

"Good," replied Gina.

"So will you join my family?" asked Helena.

"Well," began Gina, "what if I was to find that your scene isn't for me?"

Helena laughed.

"My father is not running things now," Helena explained, "you won't have a
life contract. If you want out, you can just leave and we'll forget we ever
met."

She continued, "but once you're in my family, I don't think you'll want out."

"In that case," responded Gina, "I accept, Miss Helena."

"Excellent," replied Helena.

Helena was sitting down with Cory. They were discussing the upcoming takeover
of the Bertinelli Family.

"I am glad that Emmanuelle and Gina are in," said Helena.

"They really as good as you say, Miss Helena?" asked Cory.

"Yes," Helena replied, "even if I say it myself, they are a joy to watch."

"What next Miss Helena?" asked Cory.

"Now we have to try and recruit Yasmina and Joanna. They will be instrumental
to our plan," explained Helena.

"Agreed," replied Cory.

Helena and Cory entered the apartment of Yasmina and Joanna.

"Good afternoon, sisters," greeted Helena.

"Nice to see you, Miss Helena," replied Yasmina.

"Yes, I see you have come on well," began Helena, "tell me, how have your two
months of provisional service been so far?"

"Ummm actually Miss Helena, we haven't done much," answered Joanna.

Yasmina agreed, "Yes, we thought there would be more...well..."

"Violence?" suggested Helena, with a smile.

Yasmina continued, "Well, yes."

"Don't tell me," asked Helena, "you've felt more like my father's personal
servants?"

"Don Bertinelli and your brother, yes," replied Joanna.

"Hmmm, I have an idea," said Helena.

Yasmina and Joanna listened intently.

"I have a little, how shall I put it? A little coup planned," said Helena.

Cory spoke, "Yes, Miss Helena is unhappy with the way the men of the family
are organising things around here, so she will take over as the new head of
the family."

Joanna asked, "What of Don Bertinelli and the rest?"

"Do you mean my father or my brother?" Helena joked.

Yasmina and Joanna looked confused while Helena and Cory shared a smirk.

Helena explained, "Well I killed my father, so, technically my brother is
temporarily head of the family."

Cory continued, "We would like you to join us."

Yasmina and Joanna looked unsure. They had been trained to show absolute
loyalty to the head of the Bertinelli Family, but here was his daughter,
wanting to wipe out the very people that hey had been trained to protect.
However, they could not deny that they had always felt a special connection
with Helena.

"Let me tell you something," began Helena, "my father had you trained up
firstly as what amounts to his sex slaves and secondly as some kind of private
guard. I had Cory instated here to make sure that your training would reflect
what your official role here was supposed to be."

They looked over to Cory. She nodded in agreement.

Helena continued, "This family will die a death, along with every other family
in America. As it is, we cannot compete with the new mobs. My vision is that
the other families' deaths will be caused by us, and the new mobs will be
obliterated as well. If you really want to serve this family, please join my
cause. My father and his apes see you as no more than toys. However in my
family, you will be my sisters and will stand at my side and share in all our
victories. Anyway, sisters, I must go but please think about it. Cory will
stay with you in the meantime."

Helena left their apartment.

There were seven men in Don Bertinelli's committee room. There would normally
be eight but in Don Bertinelli's absence, his son sat in his chair.

As Helena, Cory, Emmanuelle and Gina walked through the door, a look of
bemusement filled the committee. The four fanned themselves about the table,
with Helena at the top.

Helena spoke, "Ladies, I think we should here mourn the passing of Don
Bertinelli."

Her brother spoke, "Helena, you are a madwoman. Get out, now."

She replied, "Oh, my dear brother."

With that, she locked her arms round his neck in a rear naked choke. As if by
a signal, the other three locked on to their targets, each taking on two men.
Cory pulled one back off his chair, pinning to the ground with a foot to his
chest and before the other could react, she lifted his head around the front
of his neck, performing a neck lock with just one leg. Within seconds, she had
knocked him out and he slumped to the ground. She turned to the guy she had
pinned and straddled his shoulders. She slammed left and right punches to his
face. Soon his face was covered in red welts and blood. Grabbing his arm, she
fell to her side, locking his arm into an arm bar. Without hesitation, she
broke his arm. Again, wasting no time, as he yelled out, she had released him
and locked up his head into her figure four head scissors. With a twist of her
hips, she broke his neck. At the same time, Gina had likewise pulled one of
her targets from his seat and while he lay on the ground, had thrown two rapid
low side kicks to his head. The first shattered his nose and the second caught
him in the chin, knocking him out. The second stood up.

Gina offered, "Come big guy, take a shot."

"F***ing bitch," replied the man.

He threw a punch at her head. She easily ducked it and moved in. She kneed him
in the groin.

"Dirty bitch," he groaned.

She stepped back and let him get his composure. Laughing, she motioned at him
to come at her again. This time, he charged at her. She sidestepped but
grabbed his arm. She spun him to face her and kicked him in the side and,
without dropping her leg, immediately followed up with a side kick to his gut.
As he doubled over, she kicked him in the face with a high front kick. She
bent forward and kicked from behind her head and kicked up a scorpion kick,
her heel catching him on the chin, knocking him out. Her first target was
coming to. She lifted him up and grabbed his arm. She kicked him several times
in the stomach and he bent right over. She raised her leg and her axe
kick-driven heel drove into the back of his neck, killing him. Emmanuelle had
grabbed her first target's arm and jumped up, hanging off the back of his
chair locked up his head and arm in a makeshift triangle hold. In this
position his neck was holding the full weight of Emmanuelle and it didn't take
much effort for her to break his neck. Like her sister, she allowed the other
guy to stand up. But he quickly grabbed his gun only to find it fly out his
hand and across the room. As he stood bemused, Emmanuelle threw a series of
spinning kicks to his head then stood in to him and kneed him in the groin. He
sank to his knees. Emmanuelle grabbed his head in her hands and twisted it to
the side with a crack. While all this was going on, Helena looked on with
delight as she held her brother in her rear naked choke.

She called out to Emmanuelle, "Emmanuelle, come and take good care of my
brother while I attend to other business."

"Of course, Miss Helena," she replied.

Helena released her brother and he sank to the table, gasping for breath.
Emmanuelle moved behind him. Helena moved to Cory's KO'd opponent and lifted
him up. She held him from behind in a rear naked choke. He came to. Cory stood
in front of him, in a martial arts stance. She resembled a predator ready to
strike. And she did strike. Or kick. She kicked his midsection and face
several times. After some time, his face was really messed up and he was
coughing up blood, probably from some internal bleeding. Helena shook her
head.

"Tut, tut," she said, disapprovingly.

With that, she twisted his head, breaking his neck. Helena's brother, now
recovered slightly, suddenly shoved his chair back into Emmanuelle. She gasped
but then grabbed his arms.

"Ok, you've asked for it," she said angrily.

He wondered if it had been such a good idea, after all. She turned to his
side, still holding one arm and kicked him to the throat, knocking him back
off the seat and to his back, his legs held up by the seat. Emmanuelle dropped
to the ground and grabbed his other arm. She under hooked his wrists and
locked her legs into a lotus lock, squeezing her legs together, putting extra
pressure on his arms. However, through the pain, Helena's brother still felt
the need for bravado.

"You'll never get out here alive," he informed her, "give it up now, slut."

Emmanuelle was so angry, she didn't respond. She immediately broke both his
arms and continued to hold him in her lock. Helena noticed them and smiled
with approval. Gina, meanwhile, has noticed he other target is stirring. She
pulled him to his feet. She grabbed him behind the head the repeated slammed
her knee into his gut. She stepped back and, like before, as doubled over, axe
kicked him to the back of his neck, finishing him off too. They all moved over
to where Emmanuelle was still holding Helena's brother in her painful lock.

"It's ok Emmanuelle," Helena instructed, "I'll take it from here."

"Yes, Miss Helena," replied Emmanuelle.

She released her captive and stood up. Helena moved over and pulled him to his
feet. He yelled in pain as she lifted him by his arm. When she released him,
he made for the door. No sooner had he moved, when he was met by Emmanuelle's
foot appeared less than an inch in front of his face. She held it there then
retracted her foot. She stood with her fists up and one leg raised, bent at
the knee, poised and ready to kick.

"I wouldn't," Helena advised, "some of Emmanuelle's kicks scare even me."

Emmanuelle stayed in her stance and smiled at Helena. There was a knock at the
door.

"Enter!" shouted Helena.

Helena's brother was both surprised and relieved when Yasmina and Joanna
entered the room. These two girls were trained to protect the family. They
stood side by side with him.

He said, "Well I had hoped for some guards, but you two will have to do?"

Yasmina said, "I'm afraid the guards are a little...incapacitated."

"What?" he asked, "All fifty of them?"

"I counted fifty four," corrected Yasmina.

"Well," added Joanna, "they're still in the building. They're just not
breathing anymore."

With that, she chuckled. Helena smiled. Getting Yasmina and Joanna on side had
worked out better that she ever could have hoped for. All of a sudden, her
brother's newly rediscovered cockiness left him. Before he could move, both
Yasmina and Joanna grabbed one of his arms each and each sent a side kick to
the side of his head. They squeezed his head between their feet.

"Why?" groaned Helena's brother, a mixture of pain and anguish filled his
voice.

"Because I can," replied Helena.

She nodded to the girls. They continued to squeeze him between their feet.
Extending their legs, they lifted him off the ground by his head. It wasn't
clear whether his skull caved in first or it was his neck that broke first,
but when his legs stopped twitching, they dropped him to the ground. Helena
was now officially head of the Bertinelli Family.

Two days later, the six of them sat round the same table in the committee room
that had been the scene of the carnage earlier.

Cory asked, "So what are our plans, Miss Helena?"

"Well," Helena replied, "I have a little thorn in my side in the form of the
Sigiorello Family. My father had been trying to work with them. But, well, you
know how I feel."

Gina asked, "Why the collaboration?"

Helena replied, "Sigiorello had been working with Colonel Claves' militia and
had pretty much dominated the East Coast shipping yards. Until now."

Cory's eyes lit up.

Helena responded, "Yes, Cory. I do believe you have a passing acquaintance
with the colonel."

"Yes I can't wait to see him go down," Cory replied.

Emmanuelle asked," What happened between you?"

Cory answered," Well, it happened when I was in the forces. He was my
commanding officer and never took too well to be a woman in his comfortable
male world. I had entered the armed forces ironman fighting championship and
was set to be the first female to win it. Claves didn't like that at all and
one night, he plotted for some of his men to teach me a lesson. Except it
didn't work out that way. They all ended in hospital. Unfortunately, he saw to
it that it was also the end of my time in the military."

Helena added, "But his military career came to an abrupt end as well."

Cory continued, "That's correct. He was found guilty of many charges. The most
serious was corruption. He was kicked out. Incidentally, he was never a
colonel then"

"Don't worry, soon both their names will be a distant memory," Helena said.

"What is the plan, Miss Helena," asked Emmanuelle.

"We wipe out all of Colonel Claves' men and the entire Sigiorello Family.
Colonel Claves and Don Sigiorello will then sign over control of their
operations to us," explained Helena.

"What if they don't sign?" asked Gina, "do we just kill them?"

"I'll make them sign," said Yasmina, an evil grin on her face.

"Then we use them for target practise," said Helena, laughing.

All six ladies laughed out loud.

END