She pulled up again, pushing her body close to its limits. Now thick muscles crawled beneath her sun-kissed skin. She created a living sculpture with each tortuous repetition. Fresh perspiration rolled in the channels and grooves of her burgeoning muscles pooling on the floor as a real testament to her inhuman effort. She switched hands and continued the assault on her muscles.

Her fingers were numb by her last set and her muscles screamed with lactic surrender. The deep burning and fatigue threatened to allow the enormous dumbbell to slip to the floor, but she pushed through it all with pure force of will. She demanded more strength… always more. The weight dwarfed most of her body, looking something like a bolder being mastered by a woman's arm. She set her teeth and pulled up, completing the last rep. Her synapses were too fried to remember her count; she just knew that this was supposed to be the last one. She squeezed at the top then lowered the weight slowly. A determined person would have allowed this last torturous rep to be her last, but Angie James was more than that. To be extraordinary she had to work extraordinarily hard. Real tears welled in her eyes as she looked up into nothingness while she forced her muscles to raise this dumbbell yet again. A cascade of rippling muscles danced across her body, while spit and curses flew from her quivering lips. Her body shook and vibrated and pulsed and effort turned her face scarlet. Twice her body tried to fail and twice Angie fought through the pain. It was never enough, she always needed more. The weight rose slowly at first, but a low growl began in the back of Angie's throat, as if she were some feral beast. The pace quickened. She took another step beyond the pain, beyond the fatigue, and beyond the bounds of human limits. She let the dumbbell slip from her fingers to the ground and she collapsed on the bench trying to keep all the muscles in her pumped body from cramping at once.

As she lay with her head gently resting on her knotted forearms, she knew that she'd pushed herself enough for this night. She was stronger now. She was more powerful now, and that all she wanted. She had to remake herself if she wanted to survive in the world she saw everyday, a world filled with people who could do amazing things. Angie had to be amazing too, which was why even though had pain hadn't nearly subsided she pushed herself up from the bench and over to her gym back sitting near the wall. She needed it, and she needed it now. Fatigue made her hands shake as she reached into the big bag to grab a small leather pouch. Angie glared at her shaking hands and took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady them before she continued. She pulled out a syringe after taking a quick look around the room even if she knew there was no one around to see.

There was still a part of her that knew what she'd been doing for the last year was wrong, but she'd convinced herself that there was no other way. It was doubly wrong since this sort of stuff was forbidden within the elite ranks of her unit, Special Programs. She thought the rule was stupid. It held her back, and Angie couldn't stand anything that she got in her way.

She put a fresh needle in the end of the syringe and carefully poked the point into a small glass vial. Memories of her first subterfuge went through her mind as she drew out a precise amount of the clear liquid. She'd first gotten her hands on some strength serum when a shipment had been seized from a raid in Miami. There had been a hundred and six in the box in the van, but only a hundred had been booked into evidence. Angie had taken the rest and taken them to the best, most desperate, ex-con drug chemist she could find. He'd painstakingly engineered her vial after vial of this complex strength building cocktail. She'd felt guilty the first several times she'd taken the strength serum, but not now.

She injected the serum into her body, relishing the instant rush. She felt it flow through her veins knitting her destroyed muscles as it went, building new fibers, stronger fibers. The serum continued through her, finally reaching her heart and then her brain where it gave a brief moment of bliss like a drug. She sat back against the wall savoring the sensation. Her felt like an unchecked engine, producing power without end. Her fingers tapped the wall and her shoes tapped the floor. The energy built and built inside her like the engine revved and revved. Her muscles flexed hard, as if on their own. Angie curled her right arm, watching intently while the bicep rose and flexed, transforming into a ball of pure female hardness. She felt her own strength radiating from her arm. She crushed her fingers into her palm, forgoing any trace of grace while she flexed harder, eking out another tick of growth and surge of skin sucking definition. She gritted her teeth, flexing her arm as hard as she could. Veins branched up her neck. Her face started to flush again. She wanted more muscle. She wanted it to grow bigger and harder. She gasped from pain and satisfaction when striations feathered across her upper arm and her peak once again grew. Angie exhaled and her arm dropped to her lap.

Where did she want to go with this, she wondered as she drained a bottle of water and caught her breath. How far would she take this? She sighed not knowing the full answer. All she knew was that she hadn't gone far enough.

Angie rested until she heard footsteps in the hall. Damn, there wasn't supposed to be anybody here. She quickly put her syringe and vials away, stuffing them into the pouch before stuffing the pouch into her larger work out bag. She jumped to her feet, brushed some hair from her face and looked over at the big dumbbell sitting next to the bench. Nobody could know that she could lift that much weight. She hurried towards it, but the door opened before she'd even made it a step.

"Kevin", she blurted in surprise. Kevin's eyes looked up her body quickly and smoothly. "I didn't know you were coming in tonight", she continued, turning quickly to snatch up her gym bag.

"Damn Angie, you look like I caught you with your hand in the cookie jar… or someplace worse."

It was worse, much worse than that, she thought to herself, but forced a smile anyway. "No, you just startled me that's all. I didn't know anybody else was here."

Kevin had no idea what could have startled her so much, but he let it drop. He stepped inside and let the door close behind him. "Montez wanted the night off, said he had some event to attend. Didn't bother me, I get to stop being in that ridiculous character. I mean pretending to be a thug 24/7 isn't easy. Anyway, I figured I'd come here to get a quick workout in, but damn Angie I might have to step my game up." He looked at her standing in a black halter sports top and skin tight spandex shorts and shook his head.

"What?"

"Look at you. You've been hitting the weights for real. You're starting to make my stuff look bad." Kevin pulled up his t-shirt exposing a set six pack abs covered in rich mahogany skin.

Angie forgot about her lingering fright at nearly being found out and laughed. She glanced up to Kevin's eyes then back down to his stomach. "They look good to me", she began then rubbed her hand over the corrugated surface. "Feel good too", she teased and started towards the door.

Kevin chuckled and let his shirt drop. "Thanks for protecting my fragile male ego."

"You're more than welcome. I mean you're no Montez, but not bad", she joked back, just happy to escape this room with her strength building secret intact.

"Damn!", Kevin exclaimed and gestured towards the 500 pound weight. "Who left that big ass thing sitting in the middle of the room?"

The blood drained from Angie's face and she stopped in mid step. "Umm… maybe Taylor or Heather, and Jan was here last night too."

Kevin looked skeptical, but he knew that Angie couldn't possibly have moved it. "I'll just work around it."

"Sure… well I'll see you later, Kevin." He nodded and Angie stepped out quickly. She stopped long enough to grab her jacket before continuing towards the exit. She passed the showers and headed towards the parking lot. She had to get out of there. She imagined hopping into her car and rushing to her condo in Jupiter and running a hot bubble bath to soak her tired body, but that wasn't to be. Her phone rang.

"Angie are you busy?", Martha Worthington asked in a stressed voice.

"Not at all. Is there a problem, Mrs. Worthington?", she asked, trying to keep the fatigue from sounding in her voice.

"Yes", Martha answered then sighed deeply. "You already know that Hugh Hastings is in the hospital. He's got information on Martin DeBraya and we've been trying to build a case on him for a while now. He's into something serious that stretches to at least ten countries around the world, and Hastings is the only real thing we've got on him. That computer hard drive the cops had in evidence was useless. The data had been scrubbed. He's all we've got."

"Okay, I understand", Angie began with a shake of her head. "But what's the problem?"

"We think there might be a leak at the hospital. Someone might be giving information directly to Martin DeBraya himself, and I feel that Mr. Hastings' life is in danger. Hell they haven't even caught his idiot son who nearly killed him in the first place. A special team is coming down in the morning to transport him to a secret facility where he can rehab from his wounds and be completely safe, but until then he's in danger. I need you to get over there and keep an eye out. You guys can take shifts if you want. I'll put Montez and Kevin under you for this operation if you think you need them."

"No ma'am. I can babysit him for one night."

Marta grinned at her phone like a proud mother would. "I knew I could count on you. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything at all."

Five minutes later Angie was in her SL Mercedes convertible driving and wondering. "Why the hell do I just have to say yes to everything hard?", she asked aloud, but already knew the answer. It was in her nature, and she couldn't change it even if she'd wanted to.

Angie yawned and shut off her car after pulling into a parking spot at the hospital garage. She reached into her glove compartment and pulled out her badge, The Unvanquished by Faulkner, and her .40 caliber Sig Sauer. She looked up at the sky as she left the garage and walked across a driveway to the hospital door. It was a nice night and a few stars were shining despite the city lights. The security guards manning the door were backed up by a real police officer which was one of the only outward signs that this hospital had a high security patient at the moment.

"Special Agent Angie James", she said and held up the wallet with her credentials and badge. They looked at the young hottie in the spandex with suspicion. The look on her face told the men that she was not there to play games.

"How can I help you Special Agent James?", the police officer stepped in.

"I have a patient on the 5^th floor, and I need you guys to call this number if you hear anybody even mention the 5^th floor." She handed them her card. "Can I count on you guys?"

"Sure. We're here until 6 am after that we can tell the first shift guys or…"

"No that should be long enough. Thanks guys", she said and stepped around the metal detector. She walked around the ground floor a bit before heading up stairs, by passing the elevators. She took her time peeking onto each floor before stepping out onto the 5^th floor. Hugh Hastings had been moved from ICU to a regular room that day and if anything a regular hospital room was way less secure. People came to visit sick relatives and friends and somehow they expected the law enforcement to be able to figure out the one dangerous person from a sea of harmless ones. It was a sucky job, but Angie had volunteered for it.

She saw the uniformed cops standing guard outside the door. One was posted right next to the door while the other was slightly down the hall near the nurse's station. She approached the cop carefully since he'd seen her gun from pretty far off. She had her badge wallet in her hand so she didn't have to reach for it. "They told us somebody was coming to help with protection, and they send a little girl?", the cop standing by the door said with a shake of his head.

Angie stepped up to him, close where nobody could see between them, and grabbed his gunbelt. With a grimace of effort and a mighty flex from her burning biceps she lifted the cop off his feet with one arm. "Yeah they sent me. Got a problem with it?", she asked with the officer's feet off the floor.

The cop looked scared to death and nearly pissed his pants. "No… no… no problems. I'm sorry ma'am", he blurted before she dropped him. Angie gave him one more glance before stepping into the room.

Hugh rubbed his dreary eyes, and his face brightened when he saw the young woman come in wearing the skin tight workout clothes. "Damn I didn't know the Feds were going to send entertainment."

Angie sat herself in a chair on the back wall almost behind the swing of the door. "Mr. Hastings I'm a Federal agent and I'm not here for fun. Watching you is taking up my entire night, and I don't appreciate that. So unless you want me to tape your lips shut, you'll lay off the lame banter."

"Damn. Sorry I said anything at all."

"So am I", Angie said and opened her book. "So am I."

Montez Jefferson stepped out of the taxi in front of the backlit Caufield Estate. He started hesitantly, following the flow of others joining the Cook-Out. He had to step around two Bentleys, a Maybach and a Lamborghini to get to the short line that lead to the door that lead to the Cook-Out. The valets were working extra hard, parking the cars at a lot way down the street and riding in a golf cart back to park more cars. Montez smiled thinking back to his first summer job. He'd valeted at a swank restaurant in Philly. He didn't envy these guys for sure. A couple of them looked at him, some wondering if they had one more car to park and others searching their minds to see if this guy was one of the group of rich and famous entering this party. Montez was neither, but he had to admit that he looked the part. His long natural dreads were tied back behind his neck, and he wore an off white linen shirt that hung down over his handmade khaki shorts. He had a diamond stud in his ear and a platinum chain around his neck. His only other accessory was his strong athletic body which was more than enough to get some quick glances as he approached the line. He stood patiently while the people in front of him spoke to the door master.

"Ah yes, Mr. and Mrs. Arishima. Welcome to the Cook-Out."

"Thank you", Mr. Arishima said in accented English. "These are my friends the Sumlin's and they'd like to join us inside."

"Oh very well, we'd be delighted", the man at the door said graciously. "We are raising money for several charities…" He went on to name them and explain what they did. Mr. Sumlin was writing the check while he listened.

The doorman smiled very approvingly at the check in his hand and at once the group was let in. Montez wasn't in position to see the amount, but it was probably more money than he'd made in his entire life. Either way he was next in line. He began to reach into his pocket to retrieve his invitation when the man waved him forward. "Good evening Mr. Jefferson", the doorman greeted him. "Enjoy yourself sir", he said while Montez walked inside.

Montez looked off to his right and saw bags of swag sitting there. A quick peek inside showed that they were giving away the exact watch that he'd had his eyes on for months. He wanted it but it cost as much as a good used car. "Well, I guess I've got one now", he muttered to himself.

Montez didn't see anybody familiar, but he breezed in further grooving to the music spilling down from the stage. It wasn't his normal thing but it was old school and pretty darn good. He eyed the fine people sitting at tables, standing in little groups, or even moving on the dance floor. A gust of wind brought the smells of the cooking food his way and his stomach instantly growled. He was completely famished. He followed his nose towards the food and was prepared to receive a heaping helping of pulled pork when he finally saw a familiar face from his childhood.

"Montez is that you?"

"Marshall?"

"Hell, yeah." The two old football teammates embraced and stepped back. "You're lookin good, Tez."

"Same to you, man. I guess the Dolphins are treating you right."

"I can't complain. That's how I got in here. One of the front office guys. Who'd you have to blow to get into this little event?"

Montez grinned. "I know the family."

"Get the fuck out!"

"Naw, seriously. I used to date Heather Matthews. You remember I told you about her."

"Yeah, the red head. Is she here?", Marshall asked and looked around.

"I haven't seen her yet, but I know she is. You'll know her right off. She's got the finest ass you've ever seen on a white girl."

"Word?", Marshall asked with one eyebrow cocked.

"So fine, it'll make you wanna cry."

Marshall joined a group not far away and asked Montez to join them, but Montez wanted to get some food in him and he didn't want to pig out in front of anybody. When he wasn't starving he figured he'd mingle a little. He found a bench near a manicured hedge and sat to eat. He had visions of Heather in his mind while he sat. He wondered what she was wearing, even if it didn't matter. Heather looked better naked no matter what she wore. He wanted to feel her body next to his, maybe she felt the same way and that night they might be able to spend a little quality time. He probably should feel worse about the fact that each used the other for physical pleasure, but he didn't feel bad at all. His fingers were itching to touch Heather's body when her father came over and sat next to him.

"Montez!", Ted Matthews called and slid next to him. "Good to see you."

Montez coughed as his mind was forced to quickly and abruptly change gears. He wiped his hands and held out for a shake. "Good to see you too Mr. Matthews."

"I was worried for a while that you wouldn't be able to come."

"I just needed some sleep. I was going to come earlier."

"No, this is the time to come. You know the old song, the days are short but the nights are long", Ted said with a laugh. But Montez just looked confused. "Before your time. Well this party gets better the later it gets."

"Glad to hear it. So far it looks really cool. Lots of people."

"Oh yeah, Kat and the rest do a great job putting this event on. I just stand out of the way. Speaking of Kat, we were both wondering when you're going to start dating our daughter again?"

Montez coughed once more.

"Do you know that out of all the boys Heather's ever brought home, you're the only one I've ever liked? The rest of them I just want to wring their necks. Plus", Ted began then lowered his voice. "You're the only one she ever shared her secret with."

"That was more of an accident."

"True, but after you saw what she'd done she could have cut you off and never had anything to do with you again, but she didn't. That means she trusts you. Just like my wife and I trust you. I know how it is to be a young guy. And a handsome guy like yourself probably has pretty women all over you." Ted patted Montez on the back. "I didn't want to put any pressure on you, Montez. I just wanted to put my two cents in." He stood up. "Enjoy the party and come see me later on."

"Sure will."

Montez went back to eating. He was two thirds through the best, most gourmet barbeque sandwich he'd ever eaten when he inhaled a scent sweeter than the biggest rose. He glanced up from his plate to see two of the most perfectly sculpted legs ever displayed directly in front of him. He inhaled deeply and slowly raised his head to take in Heather's wonderful form. Her legs were encased in skin tight low hipped jeans, and a sleeveless top that showed off her amble bosom and beautifully muscled arms. His smile grew bigger until he made it to her frowning face. She put her hands on her hips. "I heard what you said", she accused, pouting her pretty lips and glaring down with those bewitching blue eyes.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about", Montez replied in utter confusion.

"She's got a fine ass for a white girl!", Heather repeated Montez's own words.

He laughed. "Is that what's got you upset?"

"Yes." She huffed and sat down next to him. "I have a nice ass period, no modifiers necessary."

Montez leaned over and snuggled into her neck, pecking her soft skin. "I'm sorry, baby. You know your entire body is fine, ass included. I don't know what came over me." Heather forced the smile from her face as Montez kissed her and rubbed his hand down her back. She reached out and stopped his hand just as it reached the small of her back.

"You enjoying yourself?", she asked in a mirth soaked tone.

"Uh huh", Montez assured her without stopping his smooching.

"Good", she said and stood up. "Get a good look, cause this is as close as you're going to get to this ass tonight."

Montez sat with his mouth open and no words to say as Heather sashayed away, her denim encased bum making his loins ache. Montez watched helplessly, unable to see the smile on her face. She'd forgive him later, but first she'd let him stew for a while.

On the other side of the Cook-Out Alisha placed her arm around a man's shoulder while the official Cook-Out photographer snapped a picture. "Got it", Brian announced and stood up, but the man took another look at Alisha's otherworldly cleavage and asked, "Hey can I get just one more?"

"Umm sure", Alisha said just before Brian snapped the picture. As soon as the shutter clicked, Alisha walked off in one direction and Brian in another. "That was very smooth", Sara told her friend as they sampled some of the most succulent brisket ever. "Pictures aren't a problem, but good grief did that guy really have to just keep staring down your blouse?"

"I know right! I didn't even wear a low cut top. Fucking letch."

"Alisha! I thought you told me that you were going to get better with the cursing", Sara wined in her aristocratic drawl.

"I am getting better. I haven't said shit, damn, cocksucker, or asshole all day." Sara just rolled her eyes and grabbed more brisket. Alisha smirked at Sara's blushing and turned, wondering where she should go next when she saw something unexpected.

"Botscafter!", Alisha called out to a stately looking man standing about thirty feet away.

"Ah Alisha. Grüß Gott, Komptess", he greeted her and held out his hand.

"It's good to see you, sir. It has been a long time", Alisha continued in her semi-native German.

"Not since Lina's wedding last year. That was a good party, but nothing like this."

"Yeah, the Caufield's put on a good party for sure. Hey let me introduce you to my friends." He led him over to Sara who was halfway through another helping of brisket when they came over. "Sara, this is Austrian Ambassador to the US Christian Heuss. Sir, this is one of my dear friends and roommates Sara Hewitt."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Ambassador", Sara drawled and they shook hands. While Sara and the ambassador chatted, Alisha looked around and found Jan.

"Herr Heuss, this is another dear, dear friend Janet Caufield. Her family puts this event on every year."

The Ambassador turned to greet Jan, who had come up behind him. He'd expected to see another cute young co-ed. He'd been very charmed by Sara, but he wasn't quite prepared for Jan. When he turned around he was looking at her neck instead of her face. He had to crane his neck to look at her stunning face. He stared directly into those deep blue eyes and for the first time in a long time his mind slipped off track.

"Please call me Jan", she uttered to snap the ambassador from his fog.

"Well bravo to your family, Miss Jan Caufield", he said, regaining his mental footing. "I have been to many different events, but this is my first time at an authentic American cookout."

Jan's vibrant laugh made the ambassador smile. "Well, sir, I don't know if I'd call this 'authentic'. The pork was flown in from Italy. The beef's from Japan. The barbeque masters are from Memphis, Austin, and KC. There're a dozen other chefs from all over the world here too. And while lots of cookouts in the States might play music from Earth Wind & Fire and Bob Seger, I don't know how many of them would have them on a twin bill live."

He laughed. "Very good points, Miss Caufield."

Slater had heard of but never ventured to the large area of the hideout where Martin DeBraya's security force worked out. These were the biggest and scariest guys he'd ever seen or even heard off. And to make it worse, they were on some sort of black market strength drug a hundred times more powerful than steroids. They could lift cars or tear limbs off even a strong man. These guys were turning themselves into supermen and Slater had to figure out a way to get at least a couple of them to help him kill his father. It'd be a fool's errand for him to try to get through the cops to silence his old man all by himself. Morgen had given Slater some ideas, and it was time to put those into action.

He came through a double wide door and stepped into the workout room. There was no traditional equipment in here. Instead they had all sorts of things for them to try their strength on. In one corner Slater eyed a guy lifting a massive truck tire, bigger than a Beetle, over his head. While to his left another guy was actually lifting a Beetle. Slater shook his head as these testosterone fueled toughs got themselves even stronger. He was apprehensive to enter, but his desperation outweighed his fear by a lot. He circled near the wall to another part of the room and saw the big security guys in a circle. They shouted and they shook their fists at something happening inside the ring of men that Slater couldn't see. He inched closer, careful to not bump into anybody or to accidently get run over by a man stronger than a team of draught horses.

He finally got close and stood in a small gap in the ring of men. Two security men circled within the ring. Their shirts hung like rags from their thickly muscled shoulders. Their faces were serious and focused, and their fingers flexed back and forth as they waited for an opportunity to strike. It took Slater a moment to realize that the security guys weren't fighting each other. They were both looking at someone else. He had to wait until they circled enough for him to see.

"It's a fucking girl", Slater blurted as he saw a woman about five and a half feet tall stalking the two huge men. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a pony tail and her pretty face wore a playful grin in contrast to her opponents' scowls. She lunged forward and the two men lunged at her. Both of them caught her in the center of the ring and used their crushing muscle power to try and break her in half. The smile fell and blood rushed to her skin, making her pretty face flush. It also made veins so thick that they showed through her lycra outfit. Her muscles flexed hard, especially her legs. Her burgeoning muscles took on a life of their own. Her quads stretched the material until it got a shade lighter, and to Slater's surprise the two big men were being forced backwards at the same time.

They dug in, hunching their shoulders and using their twelve inch height advantage to put more pressure on, but her powerful thighs popped and throbbed until they'd matched and then exceeded both men's strength. She pressed the toes of her cross trainers into the ground, and started pushing up again, raising her heels off the ground using only her knotting calves to force the men up and back. They groaned and she moaned and finally one man couldn't take it. He collapsed to the ground cramping from exertion. The other man tried to make a move, but the woman stepped into to him quicker than Slater could even follow. They faced each other, but he was so much taller that her face was level with the bottom of his chest, but it didn't matter. She wrapped her arms around him as far as they would reach and squeezed. Her biceps rolled into twin balls of superhuman muscle. His chest cavity shrunk by inches and the air left his lungs in one short whoosh. His face turned purple and the woman lifted the huge bodyguard off his feet. She arched her back like she was going to suplex him, but instead she repositioned her hands and pressed him up and up until her elbows locked with him suspended over her head. She made a slow pirouette, allowing each man to see what she'd done before stopping and throwing the defeated man to one of his buddies who caught him to keep him from crashing to the concrete floor.

She started over towards the other guard who'd cramped up, but he held up his hands in surrender. "Enough, enough. We get your point!" She stopped her advance immediately. "Damn, I didn't think something so small could be so fucking strong", the guard exclaimed and tried to get to his feet.

"I work out a lot", the blonde boasted and extended her hand to the security guard. From a distance it looked ridiculous for this small woman to try and help this hulking man to his feet, but he wrapped his big sausage like fingers around her hand and she stood firm while pulling him to his feet like a winch pulled out a stranded vehicle. Muscles leapt to the surface. Finger deep grooves sliced across her deltoids and skeins of twisting cords flexed along her forearm perfectly framing her still expanding biceps and triceps. The big guard was halfway to his feet when her muscles really flexed for the first time. Her arm got ripped. Her skin looked shrink wrapped over the hardest, hottest most defined muscle Slater had yet seen. He swallowed a lump in his throat and watched as this woman finished pulling the guard up. He wasn't out of place. Every man in sight had the same look on their faces. Slater hadn't known that he had any interest in strong dominant women, but looking at this cute strong blonde was making his dick hard.

"Hey Ken", Slater said to the security guy that he knew the best. "I didn't know Martin had female security too."

Ken took his eyes off of the woman in the circle long enough to glance down at Slater. "He didn't until a few hours ago. This chick just came in and said that she'd been hired. Then she said that she could beat up any two of us at once."

"I guess she just proved that", Slater quipped before he thought who he was being flippant with. Sure that chick might be able to beat Ken up, but Slater would get killed. "What's her name? Do you know?"

"No! And does Mr. DeBraya know you're roaming around? You're supposed to stay near the sleeping quarters."

"I know but Mr. DeBraya's given me a task."

"So?"

"So… I need your help."

"Fuck that. I don't work for you kid", Ken dismissed him, and Slater internally kicked himself. Even when he was trying to be nice and butter someone up he acted like an asshole. He racked his brain trying to think of anything he could say to get Ken to help him. It turned out that he was going to get some help.

"Who the hell are you?", a female voice said to Slater's back. He turned to see the cute muscular blonde looking right at him. "You sure as hell don't look like security." She laughed, showing off perfect teeth. "I think I could break you half without breaking a sweat."

"Probably", Slater admitted. "I'm an associate of Mr. DeBraya's… junior associate. Anyway I came down here to try and get some help for a task that Martin needs done, but none of these guys seem to be willing to help me."

She laughed again. "So what if they don't. I can kick all their asses anyway. I'll go with you and have all the fun. While the rest of these guys can sit around like little boys and play with their toys." More faces turned red and three guys approached Slater, including Ken. With about five minutes more conversation, Slater had his team together, a big dough headed brute named Mick was going, as was Joe, a smaller quiet killer, along with Ken and Carri.

"Hey", he called out to the blonde. "Thanks, I don't think any of those guys would have agreed to go without your help."

She stepped up to him, a little smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "You have a personality problem, but I don't guess there's an exercise regimen for that." She turned and started walking away. "My name is Carri, since you're too chicken shit to ask. And I'll meet you by the van."

She kept walking and Slater felt like his head was going to explode. "Stop right there!", he rushed up to her. "Listen, I don't give a goddamn what your name is. You helped me get some guys together for this job, so fucking what. That doesn't entitle you to shit. It certainly doesn't entitle you to tell me a damn thing. This is my job and you're working for me, not with me! Got it?!?"

Carri seemed to appraise Slater for several seconds, but he didn't back down. The smile fell from her face and she nodded. "Duly noted." She stood there for a moment before Slater told her she could go get the van warmed up. In half an hour they were on the road.

"We should take one route to the hospital and a different route away", Ken said once they were on the freeway.

"We're not going to the hospital yet."

"What?"

"I've got something I want to see first. We're heading to a family cookout that I ruined!", he declared and looked on like a kid about to head to an amusement park.

Montez finished his sandwich and excellent baked beans. They were so good it felt criminal to call them baked beans even if that's what they were. He stood up looking for Heather, but not seeing her. Instead he headed into the crowd. He might as well try and enjoy himself. He grabbed a vodka cranberry from the bar and started his mingling odyssey. He eased from conversation to conversation, meeting people who were from all over the world and all over the country. He was in a conversation with an official from the UN when he saw Taylor at the corner of his vision. He did a double take. He was used to Taylor's beauty, or at least he thought he was, but she looked completely radiant this night. She wore a simple looking grey and white sweater dress that stopped at her mid-thigh. It was cinched in the middle with a thin gold belt that matched her sandy blonde hair. She wore open toed pumps with four inch heels that made her stand a full head taller than many men at the party, a veritable goddess among mere mortals. Her legs alone with their combination of unyielding muscle and peerless shape were works of art.

It was hard to pin down a most beautiful woman at this party. There were a few candidates; most of them were directly related to Taylor. There was Jan with her brooding confidence, unapologetic power, and captivating beauty. There was Becca, Taylor's cousin and a print model of some note. There was Heather with her free-spirited charm, strong athletic body, haunting eyes, and effortless beauty. There were a few others including Jan's friends Sara and Alisha, and on some other night another might have been able to shine brighter, but at this party filled with beautiful people, Taylor was undoubtedly the jewel in the crown. Montez realized that no matter how often he saw it, there was no way to get used to Taylor sublime mix beauty, elegance, and natural authority.

Taylor was used to men looking at her and she rarely looked back, but this time she casually turned to her left. When her deep blue eyes met Montez's dark brown ones, he frowned. A torrent of information passed between them in that short glance. Most people wouldn't have noticed a thing, but Montez had known Taylor just long enough to be able to read her subtle yet telling expressions. She needed his help, and she wasn't simply asking for it, she was pleading. In that instant Taylor looked as much like a damsel in distress as she possibly could.

"Excuse me, gentlemen", Montez said and took a half step away. "It was nice meeting you", he told the official and they shook hands as Montez walked towards Taylor. He came up from the side.

"There you are. I've been looking all over. Your mother's asking for you", Montez informed and stepped closer.

"Oh, Mr. Pendergast. I have to go. It was a pleasure", Taylor lied and shook the man's hand then hurried away before Pendergast could say a word.

"Thank you for rescuing me." Taylor whispered to Montez when they were a distance away. "My knight in shining armor. I mean I have been subjected to many a boring conversation, but plastic cutlery design and testing was even more than I can take."

"Ah you're welcome. I mean you did save me from having my face liquefied yesterday and the least I could do is keep your brain from suffering a similar fate." Taylor laughed and hooked her arm around Montez's while they put more distance between themselves and Mr. Pendergast.

"Hey, you always said you wanted to meet my Uncle Jack right?"

"You know I do! I mean your uncle's a legend."

Taylor smiled and they started walking. "He's here. Let me introduce you."

"My my, John Harrison Caufield III", a man called out and Jack spun around quickly. A lopsided grin spread across his chiseled face as he extended his hand.

"Richard Nigel Bynum. It has been quite a while", Jack greeted this old friend in kind. Rick Bynum was old money just like Jack and his family had wintered in Palm Beach since the twenties. These days Rick worked on Wall Street and had places on the Upper East Side, Malibu, the Hamptons and of course in Palm Beach.

"I don't think you've met my wife Jade", Rick said as soon as the shake ended. She was a very pretty Asian girl who happened to be a year younger than Rick's oldest daughter. Jack always wondered what nearly fifty year old guys said to their 23 year old wives. Jack kept any judgments from his face and shook her hand.

"He might look respectable now Jade, but back in the day this guy was the man for real. Had every girl in town wrapped around his little finger."

"Or wrapped around something else", Jade mused as she eyed Jack through her lashes. Jack grinned down at her and realized what he'd have to say to this 23 year old. He wondered what was going through Rick's mind though.

"Oh there goes Bernie", Rick called out and broke his pause. "Do you know him Jack?"

"Can't say I've ever met him. Should I have?", Jack asked and turned around to get a look at him as he walked towards a group of people Jack didn't know either.

"He's a freaking genius when it comes to investing. He did something special with the 4 mil that I put with him a couple of years ago. I'm thinking about putting my sons' trusts with him", he said like that guy was a rock star.

"Well I don't know him. Besides, Carol and I like to put our money in plays that are proven", Jack said after a sip of his black and tan.

Rick laughed. "Ah Jack we're going to have to get you out of dark ages and into new sophisticated investing strategies You can't just keep counting on the defense industry plays", Rick said like the smug money manager he was. "There aren't always going to be two wars going on."

"Sure there are. It just depends on who's fighting them."

Rick laughed again and slapped Jack on his big back. "Jack let me tell you about some products we're offering these days…"

Jack turned away from Rick when he saw his niece coming. "Oh Taylor", he called out and reached for her. She came over still arm in arm with Montez. "Rick, this is the young lady you should be talking to. When she was a kid she saw what Ted did for a living and figured that she could do it too. She convinced her dad to let her have five thousand dollars and she turned it into 200,000. Hell, this sweet little thing had made a couple million bucks on her own by the time she was seventeen."

"Sixteen", she corrected her uncle lightly.

"Wow, that's impressive", Rick said quickly. His interest level jumped off the charts while his cute young wife went on the defensive. Taylor glanced in Jade's direction, and felt a tinge of pity. Taylor was hardly of a mind to challenge for Rick's affections. She had other things on her mind. She leaned up and whispered in her uncle's ear before turning back to Rick.

Jack was shaking Montez's hand while Rick was sweeping his eyes up and down Taylor's long body to the growing frustration of his young bride. He gazed from her red painted toes up to her sparkling eyes and mentally tried to imagine what she would look like naked. His wife pinched him, hard.

"Oouuu… Oh so Miss Matthews, your uncle was saying that you have an interest in international finance", Rick got back on topic and put his eyes back in his head, to Jade's delight.

"Yes, it's all so interesting to me, but to most people it's just mumbo-jumbo that they could care less about."

"I was trying to get your uncle to get with me on some different long and short term plays that could make him a killing." He went on to explain some things.

Jack kept one ear tuned to their conversation just in case he needed to jump back in and rescue his niece, but she could more than handle her own.

"Well, Mr. Bynum to be honest with you I don't think derivatives are a good play in the short or the long term. They could be impossible to get out from under in a hurry because in the next three to five years I could see the bottom completely falling out…" Jack grinned and turned his full attention to Montez.

"Do you still keep in touch with any of your old crew?", Montez asked while nursing his vodka.

"Sure do", Jack replied instantly. "You know Thomas, my adopted son, is Boons' nephew. We spent Thanksgiving in Ohio with Retired Master Sergeant Lee and his family."

"Really? Damn it's a small world sir."

Angie laid her novel on its pages and stood up to stretch. Hugh Hastings looked asleep but his eyelids opened when he saw the movement and they widened even more when Angie stretched her arms up above her head. Her young nubile body bent and contorted while her etched muscles showed proudly. Her bare abdomen was enough to excite Hugh and cause his loins to stir despite the pain medication. Angie's flared her lats and tightened her pecs as she finished her stretch. Hugh's excitement didn't last though. Guilt came over him and he lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry if I offended you earlier", he apologized. He wasn't used to apologizing for anything, but he was getting lots of practice these days.

Angie looked down at him preparing to zing him again to put him in place, but she didn't. "I've gotten worse", she began with a sigh. "Apology accepted." She finished her stretch and sat back down crossing one leg over the other and picking up her book.

"I mean you look like a capable agent", he blurted. "You're just so young and pretty that's all I meant to say."

Angie looked up at him with the paperback still in reading position before she finally lowered it to her lap. "Sir, I'm here to make sure nobody comes to try and finish what your son started. I'm the last line of defense if something should happen. I hope nobody tries anything because I could use a nice quiet guarding detail, but if it does they have to go through me to get to you. And that's not going to be easy."

Hugh laughed. "My little punk son Slater couldn't get past the cops. I mean he stabbed me in the back for God's sake. He couldn't even attack me face to face. You know all of this started when a girl named Taylor beat the shit out of him a while back. I think she knocked the rest of his marbles loose because he's been a psychopath ever since." He paused and considered. "Hell, I think he might have been a psychopath before and I never saw it. Anyway, Taylor Matthews beat him up and you look like you could beat her up…"

Angie laughed. "Not hardly."

"Oh so you know her. Well, Slater got into this thing with Taylor and he just wouldn't let it go. I suppose you know the entire story already. He wanted to kill Taylor's little sister Heather to get back at Taylor and her family."

"Slater is in way over his head messing with the Matthews sisters, or her entire family for that matter. He stuck a gun to Taylor's ribs and threatened to shoot her point blank the night before he paid to have Heather shot up, and still they don't even perceive him as a threat. That should give you an idea about what sort of family he's up against."

Hugh chuckled. "You make them seem like the mafia or something."

"Oh no much much worse", Angie said without wit or humor. "They could wipe through any mafia family on the planet if you gave them a few days. They're an army, a real army and if Slater goes too far, they'll come down on him like the damn hammer of the gods."

Slater instructed Mick the driver to pull the van down a street and move to a parking lot near a business that was closed for the night. Slater's face had taken on the look of a kid about to go to an amusement park. He didn't quite brag that he'd had a young woman gunned down, but everyone in the van knew what he'd done. It wasn't enough for him to put a woman in the morgue, he wanted to witness the pain he caused her family. He wanted to get a taste of the heartache and misery so he could savor it as a pleasant aftertaste. He wished he could bottle up these feelings and keep them for the rest of his life, so he could bring them up on demand to brighten days that hadn't gone so well.

The people in the van felt out of place, even nervous in this neighborhood. The houses and the cars and even the people were of a caliber that none of them were used to. But when they got to the water's edge and looked across the lake they realized that the houses on this side were small compared to the true mansions on the island.

"Keep going", Slater urged Mick who took his time rounding a corner and coming up on the parking lot of a business that was closed for the night. "Pull us right in here. We can get a clear view."

"Are you sure we can be here?", Carri asked from the back seat.

Slater turned with a snicker. "You all look a little low rent to belong here", he began, looking directly at Carri as he spoke. "But they'd believe that you all work for me. Which is the truth, isn't it?"

The blonde's face turned a shade of red and she sat her fit body back against the seat without saying a word. Slater watched her wilt under his gaze before turning his attention to the lake. He'd seen the lights from a distance away, but only now was he sure that there really was a party going on at the Caufield estate. "Damn I can't believe they went through with it", he uttered and stared.

Ken shifted a bit and pulled out some binoculars. "It sure as hell doesn't look like they're sad." He rolled down the window and the faded but discernable sounds of 'Night Moves' wafted inside the van. "Doesn't sound like it either."

"They're probably just putting on a brave face. They're troopers. I'll give them that", Slater said with hints of admiration and pity in his voice.

Ken saw lots of talking, laughing, dancing, eating, and drinking, but no sadness. "Can you smell that food!?!", Ken shouted louder than he needed to for the people in the van to hear. "Making my stomach grumble! I don't know about planning a fucking funeral Slater, but these people can throw a fucking party!" Mick and Carri chuckled.

This time Slater's face flushed.

Ken kept looking through the binoculars. "You said all these Caufield chicks are hot right? Well I see a fucking gorgeous chick with ash brown hair and the bluest eyes you've ever seen. Damn! Her body is perfect!", Ken yelled like a man about to melt from the heat of his own lust.

"That's probably Jan. I was trying to make a move on her when Taylor butted in and went to work on my face. If she'd just let me sleep with Jan we might have been able to avoid all this", Slater said dispassionately.

"She doesn't seem too broken up about anything if her cousin's dead. She's talking to a brunette with huge fucking titties! Goddamnit Slater, if I keep looking at these women I'm going to have to whip my johnson out and start jacking right here!"

"Gross!", Carri yelled from the back.

"Or I could bend your hot little ass over the seat and get a thrill!", Ken shot towards the back.

"I'd crush your little needle if you ever tried me, Kenneth", Carri shot back with a smirk.

"Well, we've had some fun. Let's head to the hospital and do what we have to do."

"No!", Slater shouted defiantly. "We wait here until I see something!"

"I'm working on a joint task force right now", Montez began, answering a question from Jack. Everything he was saying was Top Secret, but Jack still had Top Secret clearance and beyond. "I'm attached to Army Counterintelligence right now working an angle with a drug baron who has ties to known terrorist groups. It's not bad, but it doesn't beat running black ops."

"So you usually work with Billy Granger at the Agency?", Jack asked and enjoyed a taste of black and tan.

"Yeah, he's a cool customer for real. I think if you poured boiling water down his throat he'd piss ice cubes."

Jack laughed. "Yeah that's Bill. He used to run 2^nd SOG when me, Boons, Birdman, and the gang were in 1^st SOG. I haven't seen him in ten years at least."

"You should head to Langley and see him. He always wants an excuse to get out of the office and in the field. Even if in the field means the café down the street", Montez replied with a chuckle. It was still hard to believe that he was talking with the Bear.

"I don't blame him really. It's hard to come down when you've been on a high like a covert op gives."

"Damn right. Do you ever miss it, sir?"

Jack open his mouth to answer, but closed it before he'd said a word. He considered again before he spoke. "Only parts of it", he said finally.

A few feet away, Taylor was ten minutes into her discussion with Rick about the affect of appreciation of the Chinese currency when Heather brushed against her. She smiled at Rick and at Jade who nearly scowled back. Jade looked over at Montez and Jack who were having a quite animated conversation some feet away and wondered if either of those two would enjoy her company more than her own husband. Montez was close to her age, a strong sleek looking man, who would have seemed big if he wasn't standing next to Jack who was a strapping guy with thick muscles surrounding his long powerfully built frame. With his clean shaven jaw and cleft chin he looked like a heroic matinee idol. There was more than enough danger packed behind his dreamy blue eyed stare to give good girls pause and to make bad girls swoon. Jade fancied herself as the latter and she inched over towards Montez and Jack. She was about halfway between her husband and her targets when Heather quickly travelled the distance and said something in Jack's ear.

"A picture? Now?", Jack asked his niece, not wanting to stop his conversation with Montez. This young man's resume read like Jack's with only the dates changed. He was a serious operator and a good young man to boot.

"Yes sir", Heather affirmed. "We're doing it inside since there's so much going on out here."

"Ah well okay. If they want a picture they want a picture. Let me go grab Carol." Jack went off to find his wife while Montez followed Heather.

Heather walked towards the house taking a circuitous route through the people. She glanced over her shoulder at Montez, who had his eyes firmly glued to her ass. She stopped suddenly and he ran into her back. He didn't try and step away; he pressed closer. Heather reached behind her and ran her fingers through his hair before gently taking him by the back of his neck and pulling him closer still. Montez's hands worked down her shoulders and arms to her waist then back up to her stomach where he clasped his hands around her. "Does this mean you've forgiven me?", he asked with his lip pressed against her neck.

Heather turned and flashed him a look with her violet eyes and smile tightly. "Yeah, but don't disappoint me again. I might not be so forgiving next time." Montez chuckled and squeezed his hands against Heather's stomach just to feel the hardness of her wonderful abs when they unconsciously resisted his pressure.

"You're too much."

"Not for you I'm not", Heather said and turned to face her on again, off again boyfriend. "Why can't we make this work?"

"The world sucks", Montez stated. "And keeping it safe conspires against us."

Heather kissed him passionately, rising on her toes and encircling his head with her arms while her lips and tongue played with his. She looked up with tears standing in her eyes. "One day I'm just going to say screw the world."

Montez pulled Heather's lips to his again for a longer embrace. "One day I think I will too", he whispered before Heather pulled away and started walking.

"Come on we have to get inside. You should probably come too."

"For the picture?"

"This is for a lot more than a picture."

to be continued...

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