"Merry Christmas", Mrs. Worthington greeted the people in the room.

Four of Martha's former students were in the room. Kennedy Morrison came to her first, but Jan Caufield, Sara Hewitt, and Alisha von Edder weren't far behind. Each of the girls talked to Ms. Worhington regularly. She was a mentor to all of them, but it had been months since they actually seen her. Rick Hassek came into the room just as Kennedy was handing Martha some of her apple cider. Rick and Martha had known each other for more than 15 years. He was happy she was there. Jan got Martha up to speed on the entire situation. Jan was reluctant to tell Martha about Thomas, but she knew this Syndicate was too big not to involve the government.

Martha listened closely to the story letting it all sink in. "Let me see some of those notebooks", she said finally.

They lead Martha to the back room where something extraordinary was happening. Several hours earlier, Jan and Alisha had captured a member of a European Syndicate. The man was strong and tough, but he was helpless as he sat in a chair staring blankly. Rick and Sara were two of the most powerful telepaths in the world, and they had done something that many people would have thought impossible. It had taken nearly a half dozen telepaths the last time it was attempted. Rick and Sara had used their combined strength to go beneath the control of the conscience mind and order the brain to do one thing. They had ordered the man's brain to write down every piece of information he knew about the Syndicate he worked for. He had written down every piece of information line by line in notebooks. Martha took up a notebook and started reading. Her mood was already dark, but just a quick glance at a page made it darker. She read through a few others before looking up at Rick.

"What do you plan to do with this.... this man?"

"Sara and I have an idea", Rick answered.

"Something unpleasant I hope."

Rick nodded. "He'll be wishing that we killed him."

Martha's brow gathered. "Does it hurt?", she asked, hoping the answer was yes.

Rick shook his head. "Not really." He explained what they were going to do and everybody thought it was nearly a fitting punishment for the man. Everybody except Rick and Sara left the room. They were alone with their subject. Sara sat down in a chair opposite the man at an angle. Rick pulled up a chair and sat down too. They got started. First Rick and Sara linked their minds. Sara was an extremely powerful telepath. In some ways she was more powerful than her teacher Rick. Rick, though, had the experience. He could do things with his mind and to a mind that Sara couldn't believe. He had explained in great detail what they were about to do.

Soon after they started, the man's left hand went to his right hand and he yelped in pain. A tear actually came to his eye from the pain. "What did you do to me?", he demanded.

Rick and Sara both opened their eyes at the same time. "There's worse to come", Rick said, and then they both closed their eyes at the same time. It was eerie to see. The two telepaths reached deep into the man's mind. He felt his senses darken until he was floating in his mind. There was no up or down. He couldn't see, hear, or feel. He started to panic until he felt his senses come back. He could see the two people across from him. They were covered with sweat and the man was breathing heavily.

Sara and Rick's minds unlinked. "I think it worked"

"Of course it worked", Rick said between deep breaths. "Do you want to tell him what just happened, or should I?"

Sara was more than happy to tell the man what they had just done to him. She got up from her chair and approached him.

The pretty blond stood up and came closer. He could see her, hear her, and even smell her, but there was something wrong. He couldn't move a muscle. He couldn't even control his eye lids. They blinked on schedule, but he couldn't control them. Panic started deep in his being, but his heart rate didn't change and his adrenal glands did nothing. There was not even a bead of nervous perspiration.

Sara could feel the panic in the man. She leaned over to him almost touching his ear before she spoke. "I think you figured out what just happened. Didn't you? Oh you can see and hear and all that, but you can't make any contact with the outside world. Nothing. You're going to be like this the rest of your miserable life. You deserve death, but even a slow death is too good for you. Maybe you'll have time to repent and God'll have mercy, but then again maybe not. Oh, and just so you know. You know how your hand hurts? Well that's because for the last 3 plus hours you've been writing down every piece of information you know about your Syndicate. We're going to take them down. Have a nice life." Sara turned around and looked at Rick who nodded approvingly.

A few minutes later there was knock at the door. The retrieval team was a two man crew. There was one older one and one younger. They greeted everyone with a surprisingly cheery "Merry Christmas" as they came in. The older guy looked at Rick and Martha and shook their hands. He knew them both.

"So, where's the retrieval?" They showed them the man in the back room. The retrieval leader frowned and felt for a pulse. After he got one he turned back to Rick. "You called retrieval, this man is alive."

"He's only sort of alive. Here watch this." Rick took a needle from Kennedy's sowing set and stuck it deep into the man's forearm. Nothing happened. "See what I mean?"

"What happens when he wakes up?"

"Oh, he won't."

"What do you want us to do with him."

"Put him in a long term care facility", Martha spoke up. "Make sure it has a bad reputation. This man deserves the worst." The two men worked quickly after that. They cleaned the room too. They left after a few minutes and no one even noticed them. They could have been plumbers for all the neighbors knew.

"This is going to get serious", Martha said after everyone was back in the living room. "This information, edited of course, is going to have to go to State because we're going to have to get the Italians involved in this." Martha looked over at Jan. "About the boy-"

"Thomas", Jan interrupted.

Martha smiled knowingly. "Thomas", she corrected herself before continuing. "We're going to want to observe Thomas, and personally I'd like to meet him."

Jan nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I only ask that you give him a little time. He's had it rough."

"Of course. Just so that it happens eventually. Looks like we've added another special person to our lists."

Jan shot a look Alisha's way, but Alisha shook her head. Jan let it go.

"So, Jan, how's your father?"

"He's fine. You know my dad?"

Martha smiled. "Only by reputation."

Jan shrugged her shoulder. She had no idea what she was talking about, but she thought she should call home. Jan had learned a lot in the last several hours. The phone rang and rang until the answering machine came on. She dialed again with the same result. She tried her mom's cell phone. Her mother, Carol, never turned off her cell phone, and she always kept it close. When her voice mail came on Jan stood up quickly.

"What's wrong?", Alisha asked after seeing Jan's face.

"I can't get anyone to answer the phone at home. I have to go there!" Jan started out the door.

"I'm going with you!", Kennedy yelled and grabbed her purse off the table. It had her badge and her gun inside. Martha tried to say something, but the two young girls were out the door before she could even speak.

Kennedy had to basically jump down the stairs to keep up with Jan. She slid into the passenger seat of Jan's brand new Nissan 350z and closed the door. Jan started the car, slammed into first gear, then punched the pedal as far as it would go. She had a terrible feeling. It was the worst fear she had ever felt. It took all her concentration to stay on the road as she drove back towards Maryland. She was so scared for her family, and with good reason.

Jack Caufield looked deeply into his wife's eyes. There was terror there and despair, but there was love. There was unbounded love in her eyes. Jack Caufield fell in love with Carol all over again in that moment. He knew that everything he had done to get her and keep her had been worth it. Jack then looked over at Thomas, the young man Jack's daughter Jan had saved some weeks ago. Tears rolled down from his big brown eyes, but he still struggled against the man holding him. Although Thomas didn't know it, there was hope in his heart. In the back of his mind was the hope of rescue. Carol had that look in her light blue eyes too. Jack himself didn't have that look in his eyes. Jack was resigned to his fate. No one was going to come in and save his family.

The gunmen surrounding Jack and Carol raised their guns. They only waited for the go ahead before they fired. So far the mission had been relatively quiet. Even though the houses were far apart the people would hear gunshots. They would have to shoot and flee quickly. There of course would be hell to pay because the vial holding the sedative for the boy had broken on the way into the house. There was an extra vial in the van, but they would never get a chance to use it.

Jack looked at the four men pointing guns at he and his wife with fear on his face, but it was a false fear. Jack no longer feared his own death. He had lost his fear of death many years ago. No, Jack only feared harm to his wife and to the boy. These men had come into his house and they had pointed guns at Carol. They had killed Thomas' mother and father. If there were men who deserved their fate, it was these four. The only regret he had was that he could not make them suffer. Then Jack did something he hadn't done in 15 years. He closed his eyes and prayed the words of Psalm 144. "Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield"

Jack opened his eyes, and before anyone could react pushed his wife flat against the sofa with his right hand and punched the man nearest him in the solar plexus with his left. He twirled off the sofa behind the guard he had punched. Jack wrapped his thick muscular left arm around the man's neck and squeezed. He took the man's gun with his right. The other three men fired at where he had been. Sofa stuffing blew into the air looking much like snow. Carol yelled and covered her ears as she rolled to the floor. Thomas kicked at the man holding him. The man looked down for an instant as Thomas began to slip from his grasps. Jack looked down the sights. He didn't see men. He only saw targets. Jack raised the gun. He pulled the trigger. His aim was a bit high. The bullet missed the clear face mask and instead struck the man in the forehead. Jack fired again so fast the first bullet had barely gone inside the man's skull before the second came in right behind it. Jack's entire body turned just slightly. Time had slowed down for him.. Everyone else might as well have been still. There was nothing else in the world except he and his targets. Jack still held his human shield tightly with his left as he fired off two more rounds. Another guard dropped. The third man started down to use Thomas as a shield. He never made it. The target window was small, but Jack's shots were true. These shots went through the clear face mask and impacted right between the eyes. Jack dropped the gun, but before it hit the ground he jerked up on the man he was holding. The man's body left the ground and then Jack twisted. The breaking neck sounded like twigs snapping. Jack let the man fall to the ground, his face now looking to the rear. Jack finally took a breath. The second hand on his watch had clicked twice since Jack had pushed his wife down. He reached down and picked the gun back up and put it in his waist band. He had guns, but no time to get them.

Jack reached down and helped Carol to her feet. She was frozen from disbelief. She threw her arms around her husband and then put an arm out and pulled Thomas into the embrace. Jack acknowledged the hug and nothing more. He went to the door and opened it quickly with the gun ready. He snatched the keys off the table and guided the family outside the house. He put Carol and Thomas in his black Tahoe with the car keys, and then he went back and waited behind the hedges. A moment later a white van came up the Caufield's drive way. The driver put the van in park, but did not kill the engine. He jumped out and started for the door. He didn't make it to the first step. Jack fired from behind the hedges. The man never knew who or what had killed him as he fell forward onto the pavement. Jack started out towards the Tahoe. Carol saw him coming and started the engine. Jack hopped in and threw the big SUV into reverse before speeding down the drive and out away from danger. They had left their cell phones and never heard the house phone ring. Jack knew that distance was safety and he planned to make sure everybody was safe.

Jan left a trail of rubber turning into her driveway. She saw red and blue lights at once. Several police cars came in behind her with their sirens and lights blaring. Then she saw helicopters overhead. Police were everywhere. Jan jumped out of the car and started for the door. She saw the county medial examiner's van there. She ran towards the door, but two police officers stopped her. Jan felt her anger rising, but she calmed herself. These men were not her enemies and didn't deserve what she could have done to them.

"Who are you?", they asked.

Jan held up her badge. "Jan Caufield, Treasury. This is my house. Where's my family? Are they inside? Are they?" Jan had to stop. She was starting to loose it. She felt Kennedy come up beside her and rub her arm and shoulder.

The two officers motioned and a middle aged man came close. The man looked serious. He looked like the boss. He held out his hand. Jan shook it. "Miss Caufield, your family is not inside. We found five bodies. Four dead by gunshot and one from a broken neck. We're hoping that means that your family escaped somehow, but the county and state is putting all our resources into this. We won't rest until we find your parents. The Feds are on the way."

Jan nodded. She believed the chief. He seemed so very sincere. "There is a little boy with them. His name is Thomas. You didn't..."

The chief frowned. "Hopefully he is with your parents. We will keep in touch with you." Jan suddenly felt very weak. She went to an ornate bench that sat next to a very nice Italian fountain that the family hardly ever turned on.

"Its going to be all right, Jan", Kennedy said. "I have a good feeling about this." Kennedy stood up and went towards the front door of the house. She had her badge in her waist band and walked inside. She was glad Jan hadn't come. It was a mess. After a while Kennedy went back out. She got closer and heard Jan's cell phone ring.

"Man, Mr. Caufield", Thomas exclaimed from the back seat. "I knew you were in the army, but I didn't know you had it like that!"

Jack looked in the rear view and saw the little boy's face. It was so different from the look he had worn half an hour ago. He looked so full of life now. Jack couldn't help but smile. "Where do you think Jan got it from? She got the looks and the brains from her mother, but the rest came from me. Speaking of Jan, we should call her. She's probably been contacted by police by now." Jack pulled over into a convenience store. Carol and Jack got out. Carol made the call.

Jan didn't recognize the number. She almost didn't want to answer it, but she had to. "Hello", she answered with a voice choked with emotion.

"Jan, we're all right. All of us", her mother said quickly.

"Mom? Mom, is that you?" Jan stood up from the bench and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Yes, Jan. Your father is here. So is Thomas. Your father saved us all. We don't want to stay still too long. We'll call you again once we find where to go. Love you, baby."

"Mom, don't hang up. Mom..."

Jan closed her phone and looked up. Tears streamed down her face, but she laughed at the same time. Kennedy slowly walked closer. "Was that your family?"

"They're all right. They just called and they're all fine. I was so scared. I just..."

"I'm just glad your family is fine. I guess you should tell the chief."

Jan went over the chief and gave him the news. He smiled broadly and nodded his head. "That's wonderful! Just wonderful. Let me spread the news."

Jan slowly walked back towards her car. She smiled despite the tears that still dropped from the corners of her eyes. Kennedy was so happy for Jan that she didn't know what to say. Kennedy could remember when her older sister had been in a bad wreck. The not knowing and the waiting had been the worst time in her life, but this time like that time, everything turned out ok.

Kennedy opened the passenger door, but looked around at all the cops before she got in. "You guys have good police protection around here. Must be nice having money."

"You're one to be talking!" Kennedy's family owned the largest construction company in the upper midwest. Kennedy laughed.

Jan put the key in the car, but didn't start it. She looked over at her friend. The smile was gone. "This has to end tonight. One way or another", Jan stated plainly. Kennedy nodded in agreement. She was ready for a little action anyway.

Jan walked back into Kennedy's apartment. They had already called ahead and told the good news. Everybody in the room was relieved, but one person hadn't been that worried and had told Jan so on the phone. She explained further once Jan walked inside.

"Kennedy said the police found five dead", Martha Worthington laughed. "Those guys didn't know what they were getting into."

Jan smiled even though her emotions were still unsettled. "Ma'am, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Martha smiled and shook her head slightly. "Jan, darling, I thought you knew. Back in the 80's your father was the go to guy for the government, almost like you girls are becoming. He's been to the Middle East, Central America, Africa. You name it, your father did it. He had to get some of us CIA people out of tight spots. When he wanted to retire, they almost didn't let him. Jan, why do you think we decided to let you into the program before we knew about your powers? We gave you a chance because we figured that you had some of your father in you. We were right."

Jan didn't know what to say, but it did explain many things from her childhood. She remembered living on Army bases as a small child, but she never knew what her father did, or why he and her mother were so understanding when Jan had told them what she did for the federal government. The news didn't change Jan's feelings for her father, they just enhanced them. She just wished that her father or mother had told her.

There was a knock at the door a little while later. A tall man in a long brown overcoat and dark gray suit walked in. He looked like a Federal agent, and he was. Martha introduced him as Special Agent William Davis. He was part of the special group that knew about Jan and Sara's powers, so they could speak freely.

"I've had a chance to review the information you gave me", Agent Davis told Martha. "I don't know what sort of defenses this place might have, but we should make a plan of attack. We can't let the European's get ahead of us. We need to come up with something."

Sara and Alisha looked at each other. Alisha knew Sara wouldn't want to explain so she stood up. "Sara and I have been working on a plan of attack." They all looked in her direction. She told them the plan. She explained the timing and every detail that she and Sara had talked about. Everyone was impressed. There was only one problem.

"The plan sounds pretty damn good", Agent Davis admitted. "But how the hell do you plan to get someone deep inside the building without anyone knowing?"

Alisha took another step forward. "We can get deep inside, because I can do this." Alisha's body shimmered before clearing. Everyone except Sara and Jan were shocked. The shock turned into smiles. The plan would work.

A nondescript building in an office park had been purchased by a company based in Belgium, but that company was just a front. Romano Scalfaro was actually sleeping in his new American headquarters. He had a very nice room set up next to his personal office. He was awoken very late in the evening. He hurriedly put on some clothes. There was someone special downstairs. Romano was going to meet him personally.

Thomas Lee strode up to the front door of the office building. The guards had seen the little boy walking towards the building. There had almost been a panic as he got closer. The guards had armed themselves, but there was not going to be a fight there. The guards rushed to the lobby. They took up defensive positions, but the boy didn't fight. He walked up to the door and knocked.

"I'm not here to fight", the boy said. "I'm tired of all the people who try to help me getting hurt. If you want me that badly, then here I am." The guards weren't wearing insulator suits and were reluctant to come out, but they finally did and took the boy up an elevator. All the guards knew at least one man who had been killed our wounded by this boy. What they didn't know is that the person they were escorting upstairs couldn't have electrocuted anybody, but every eye in the building was on the boy not on the roof where the action was happening.

Washington DC was a no fly zone, but no one noticed a modified special ops helicopter flying over a commercial park. The helicopter was quiet and the pilot was one of the best. He flew straight and level and only flared the nose of the chopper as he got over his target. The helicopter paused and three girls jumped out onto the roof. The helicopter left immediately. If a person blinked they would have missed the whole thing. Jan led the team out of the view of the cameras. The roof was clear just like they thought. It would have been strange for a supposed office building to have armed guards on the roof. That didn't mean getting inside would be easier.

Jan, Sara, and Kennedy wore their black battle dress uniforms. Their faces were painted and their weapons were cocked and ready for action. It was time to make contact. "What do you see?", Sara asked Alisha with a thought.

"At least four levels of security", Alisha thought back. "The guards have checkpoints at the junction of every hall and cameras guarding every inch of at least the bottom three floors of the building. I haven't see any special guards yet, but I'm going to find out. Stand-by."

Alisha, as Thomas, sat on a chair in a small office waiting for the boss to come in. The Syndicate had planned for Thomas' arrival for months, but they hadn't planned for the boy to just walk up to the door and ask to come inside. Romano entered the room with his best grandfatherly smile. Two men walked in with him. One was swarthy in complexion and looked like he had never heard a joke that he liked. The other was tall and nordic looking. His eyes were the coldest palest blue. He too looked like a humorless man.

"Hello, young man", Romano greeted Thomas pleasantly. "I've been waiting a very long time to meet you in person."

"What do you want with me?", Alisha/Thomas asked.

"You are a very special person, Thomas. You have a power that is wonderful, but we can help you and make sure that you are able to control it and it doesn't end up controlling you."

"What do you know about special people? Are there any more special people here?"

Romano's smile broadened. "Oh, yes, Thomas. Here in the America I have brought three very special people along with me." He chuckled. "I had brought them to help me convince you to come. I wanted to show you that special people are accepted in our organization. Here are two of them right now. This is Meshrob and Oleg. Both are very special people too. They will help you harness your powers."

Alisha knew that those two men had been brought over to help catch Thomas and not to teach him, but she decided to play along. She had to keep them busy. She smiled up at the two men. They tried to smile back, but weren't very successful. Alisha waited for Sara to make contact again. Alisha reported what she knew and then the people on the roof got moving.

The door to the stairs was off to their left, but the girls knew better that to even go near it. Instead they went towards what looked like the stump of a chimney sticking up from the gravel covered roof. The stump was really an access hatch for elevator maintenance. The metal cap was locked down. Jan could feel that her body was ready for action. She wrapped her big hand around the lock and hasp then snatched down. The bolts holding the hasp on ripped through the side of the hatch. Jan tossed it to the side and pulled up the cover. No alarm went off, so they thought that they were in the clear. Kennedy and Sara had rigged up the rope. Sara slid down first. She tucked her MP-10 into her shoulder and scanned the room. They were inside a top floor mechanical room. There were ventilation systems in there and other machines. There were pipes and ducts in every direction. Sara closed her eyes and searched the space with her mind. There was one guy in the room looking the wrong way. Kennedy got the honors. She slipped behind him and kicked the man in the back of the knee then slammed her gun down on the base of the man's neck. They put plastic restraints on his wrist and ankles before gagging him. They put him behind some equipment. Jan went to work on the elevator motors. She disconnected all the wires and wedged two pieces of metal in the gears for good measure. Now the building had no elevators.

Jan and Kennedy found the built-in duct repair shaft. It was tight fit, but Kennedy climbed down. She would have to climb all the way to the first floor. Jan and Sara went out into the hall. They had to get adjusted to the lights, but they continued down the hall ready for action.

The main control room on the first floor of the building had been completely empty for the last five minutes. There were three lights lit up on the control board and two people in black were creeping down the hall. The entire staff was caught up with the boy in the holding room. They had been so focused on getting him that they didn't know what to do now that they thought they had him. Many of the men wanted to go and celebrate. One guard went back into the control room to get his cigarettes. Only then did he notice the silence alarms that had been tripped. The man couldn't believe what he was seeing. He pushed the big red button on the console. Sirens blared and lights flashed all over the building. Guards came around the corner ready to kill. The fight was on.

Jan rushed at the five men as they came around the corner. They didn't even get a chance to fire. Jan dropped from the ceiling right in the middle of them. She reached out and grabbed two guns by the barrels, and snatched up. Two men fell off balance to the floor. Jan tossed the guns. The other two men turned, but not quickly enough. Her punches were sudden and devastating. The cracks from the powerful blows echoed down the hall. Even Sara cringed at the sound. The two men she had punch went to the ground coughing up blood and teeth. Jan was in no mood to play around. The other two guards tried to get up, but Jan had another idea. She grabbed one by the back of his uniform and slammed him into the wall hard. Her usually toned muscles hardened as she sent him flying towards the wall. He slammed against had enough to leave an imprint. The other guard actually made it a few steps before Jan caught up to him. She lifted him up over her head. He kicked and fought, but it was no use. Jan thought about what men like this had done to Thomas' family and what they had tried to do to hers. Her normally beautiful face twisted into a snarl as she threw the man down to the ground. Her long arms propelled him at a blur. He put out his arms to break his fall, but his arms broke instead. The bones broke through the skin as his body slammed into the floor. His head cracked open against the floor. Blood pooled around him, but Jan just stepped around it. She looked up at the camera to make sure they were seeing this. They were.

There was frantic activity all over the building, but the news got around quickly that there was someone on the top floor killing men with a single blow. One of the guards from the control room rushed to tell Romano. The man was breathing heavily from running and from fear.

"Boss", the man began in Italian, "there is a woman upstairs killing our men! She's not normal. She's tearing them apart!"

Romano looked at the two special men he had with him. "Go take care of that and quickly!", he ordered. Oleg and Meshrob ran out. They had to use the stairs to get to the top floor. It didn't matter that more guards had gone before them. Both men knew that the guards would be of no use.

Jan and Sara split up. Jan fought her way down to the 4th floor while Sara stayed on the top floor. There was blood, flesh, and bullet holes all through the hall. Sara searched out with her mind and felt that there were no more waves of men coming, but there was something strange. She felt one mind, but couldn't tell where it was. Then she realized what she was feeling. She was feeling a mind like she had felt at the conference. Sara stopped her search to regain control over her senses, but it was too late. She felt a tremendous pressure slam against her body. Sara flew from one end of the hall halfway down its length. She hit hard and rolled to the far wall. She had never been hit so hard in her whole life. Her vision faded in and out and her breath came in short gasps.

She turned her head, but felt the pressure again. This time it held her tight and squeezed in on her. For the first time in her life, Sara felt the strength of another mind against her body. She was about to regain focus when another blow slammed her against the wall. Dust fell down on her it hit so hard. The little air she had in her lungs was forced out from the blow. Sara's face was red and tears ran down her cheeks as she fought for air.

"You must be the telepath", Oleg said in perfect English. "I was told to look out for you, but I spit on telepaths. You are all weak against those like me!" Oleg squeezed Sara with his power. He turned and Sara's MP-10 flew towards him, but he didn't grab it. He just let it hang in the air. He focused back on his target. Sara tried to scream as he tightened his grip on her. He especially kept her chest from expanding. She couldn't take a breath, and she couldn't concentrate. Sara was helpless as the zipper on the front of her uniform started going down. Oleg pulled her top open slowly exposing her sports bra and her bare midriff. "Not bad", he said. "You keep in good shape. That is rare. Most telepaths are fat slobs. It is good that you will die young. You will forever be as beautiful as you are right now."

Sara couldn't take a deep breath. She watched as her own weapon turned and pointed at her. Sara tried not to panic. She had to do something. She closed her eyes and tried to pull herself together. Her power relied on concentration and control. She had to get control, or she was dead.

Oleg didn't waste time. For all his talk, he knew that telepaths could be dangerous. He couldn't let this girl get in his head. He didn't know what trouble she might cause there. He used his power to switch the MP-10 to fully automatic and then pulled the trigger. The weapon fired all 20 rounds left in the magazine in a fraction of a second. He was ready for this little fight to be over. He would join Meshrob once she was dead.

Jan kept her gun ready as she searched around corners and in rooms. This floor looked like it had been set up for medical purposes. There were large machines all over the place, but most of them were still covered with plastic. The lights were bright in the hall, but barely on in the rooms. Jan moved quickly and quietly. There were no guards on this floor. So far she hadn't seen anybody. That was about to chance.

Jan left one of the rooms and went down the hall. She was about to turn a corner when a mass of red and orange flame blew past her face. The heat was so intense she recoiled against it. She jumped back falling to the floor before scrambling back to her feet. Jan backed away from the corner, but kept her weapon ready. Jan saw a shadow getting close to the corner. She readied to shoot, but before she could, another wall of flames came towards her. Jan dove into the room she had just come out of. The flame shot past her. She could hear the roar of it and the feel the heat. It made her sweat instantly. The flame was almost a living thing the way it moved. Jan stuck her head out expecting to see a man with a flame thrower, but instead she just saw a man. He wore a nice suit of European design and his dark hair was cut close to his head. His face was totally expressionless as he came closer to her. Jan aimed her submachine gun. Meshrob extended his left hand and from out of thin air flames and heat gathered. They shot out in Jan's direction. She dove back into the room. The flames hit the wall and the steel door frame. The wall caught on fire and the steel actually warped from the heat. Jan Caufield wasn't afraid of much. She didn't like snakes, and she had a distant fear of a man named Mel, but above all other things, Jan feared fire. Her heart raced in her chest and her hands actually shook as the man outside got closer. Jan looked around the room and saw no other way out. She couldn't wait for him to get her cornered. Jan raised her weapon and fired through the open doorway. The bullets struck the wall across the hall, but it made Meshrob pause. Jan got to her feet and ran into the hall. She turned without looking and fired in the man's direction and missed every shot. She tried to make it to the edge of the hall and to the corner. She wouldn't.

Jan fired blindly over her shoulder. She turned when she heard the screeching roar of the flames. They took up the entire space of the hall. It melted paint and shattered lights as it came towards her. Ceiling tiles exploded as the superheated mass blasted down the hall. Jan almost made it to the corner. She dove as the flames got to her. Her scream was ear splitting.

Jan landed on the ground around the corner, all her clothes burned. She rolled on the ground and pulled her burning top off. She could feel some of her skin go with it. The rest of her torso blistered and reddened from the flames. Jan was almost frozen. Her emotions were out of control and she was in tremendous pain. Her skin stopped bubbling after a few moments. Jan looked up at the charred remnants of a sprinkler head and realized that they must have been turned off, because there was more than enough heat in one of those flames to melt wax. It had certainly melted her skin, but Jan's body was well on its way to taking care of that.

Just like her strength, Jan's ability to heal quickly was enhanced when her fight or flight response was active. Her worse blisters and burns healed while she sat in the middle of the floor gathering herself.

"My name is Meshrob, and I promise that if you come out, I will not kill you!", the man yelled. "You need not feel anymore pain or suffer anymore burns. Throw your weapon out so I can see them and surrender. I promise you that you will not be harmed further."

His words jolted Jan back to reality. Anger replaced all the other emotions she was feeling. This man thought he was the hunter, but no Jan was the hunter. She was going to have to change things back to her favor, but first she would stall. "I don't believe you!", Jan yelled. "You'll wait until I come out and then turn me into a 160 pounds of charcoal."

Meshrob actually chuckled. "I assure you, you will not be harmed. Our organization could use a person with your skills. You will be rewarded beyond your dreams if you join us."

"You know what", Jan began, as she got to her feet. She looked down the hall and knew exactly what she was going to do. "On second thought, FUCK YOU!" Jan turned and ran down the short hall. Her powerful legs propelling her amazingly fast. Her body was still healing as she ran. She zeroed in on her last chance. She was getting closer. She went down deeper for more power and more speed. she was only going to get one chance at this. She felt the heat behind her as another wall of flames came at her. This one was hotter than the last. So hot it singed her hair from 30 feet away, but it wasn't going to catch her. Jan stared at the shiny elevator doors. She turned her shoulder as she got close and screamed. Her legs pumped and pumped. Her super hard deltoid slammed into the stainless steel elevator doors, but the doors lost. Jan's powerful body burst through them and into the empty shaft. Jan was running so hard she actually hit against the back of the shaft before falling down. The flames roared over her head. Jan couldn't see the bottom of the shaft, but it didn't matter what she landed on. It had to be better than what was up on the 4th floor. Meshrob looked down the shaft, but couldn't see anything. A second later he pulled his head back when bullets went past his head. He wondered how she had survived the fall. He went to the stairs. He had to get to the basement.

The bullets from Sara's gun flew at their owner. They got within four feet before they stopped. The bullets hung in the air for a split second before falling to the ground. Oleg's jaw dropped. He looked at the girl caught in his power. Her eyes were open now and staring at him. They were full of rage. "My turn", Sara hissed. She gathered her power and unleashed all of it at Oleg. Only his quick action kept his body from being blasted apart. He still flew in a blur towards the far wall nearly 150 feet from where he had been standing. He hit the wall and fell to the floor.

Sara went to a knee and was finally able to breathe. She recovered quickly and started down the hall. She used the back of her hand to wipe some blood from the corner of her mouth as she strode towards Oleg. "You hate telepaths, huh? Well, I'm both" Sara squinted her eyes and sent another surge of power at him. It hit him so hard it broke ribs. He coughed and spit up blood. "How do you like it?" Sara hit him again. She readied for another surge, but Oleg wasn't as hurt as he let on. He sent all the power he could muster at the girl. Sara released her power a moment later. The power of the two minds collided. The shockwave was like a bomb. The concussion wave blew Sara back down the hall and blew Oleg back, but not before it destroyed the walls of the hall for 25 feet in every direction. Their powers tore a hole in the ceiling and weakened the roof. The floor cracked. Dust and debris fell down to the floor below. Both telekinetics stood up and faced each other again. Their minds met in the center of the hall. More walls crumbled from the impact and dust and debris flew into the air, but it didn't fall. It was the only visual testament to the struggle. Large chunks of wall and ceiling hung motionless in the air. Oleg's eyes burned with intensity as he fought harder than ever. He knew his life depended on it.

The room was still and very quiet. Sara's eyes were closed and her arms hung at her side. Her body shook just slightly. Sweat poured down her forehead and down her chest. All the muscles in her body had been flexed, but now they relaxed. She could feel the power from Oleg. He was the most powerful telekinetic she had ever met. The challenge was thrilling in a way. It was too bad she was going to have to kill him. Blood dripped from Sara's nose, but she didn't even notice. She kept up the pressure. She knew how to win this fight.

Oleg could barely stand. He had met other powerful telekinetics in his life, but none approaching his power, but this girl was extremely powerful, and more importantly she was skilled. Oleg felt the blood start running from his nose, but that was normal. It happened often when really straining, but soon blood dripped from his ears and a bloody foam escaped from his mouth. He could feel his body getting weaker. He looked across at the girl. Her body shook from the strain and there were a few droplets of blood from her nose, but other than that she looked able to continue. Oleg guessed that it was just a front. He gathered the rest of his reserve. He would crack her in half. Oleg's surge slammed into Sara's wall of power. There was another concussion wave. A section of the thick concrete roof of the building actually collapsed onto the floor. The floor cracked and the section fell down to the floor below, but Sara just smiled. She felt the weak surge from her opponent. She had been prepared for more. It looked like she had held too much of her power in reserve. She unleashed it now. Sara's power overwhelmed Oleg. He screamed as the dense wave of pressure pushed him back to the wall. All the debris slammed into him.

Sara floated across the hole in the floor and stood over her defeated foe. He looked up at her with a certain amount of awe. She was so strong and so powerful. Part of him wanted to bow down and kiss her feet, but he couldn't even move. All his energy was gone. "Make it quick. That is all I ask", Oleg begged. Sara wiped the blood from her mouth again and nodded. She closed her eyes and used her power to break Oleg's neck. Sara zipped her top back up and went to the next phase of the plan.

Jan ran around the bottom of building. The furnaces were here and tanks full of diesel for the generators. Jan was pretty sure Meshrob couldn't be hurt by fire since he could control it, but he might not want to blow the building up and kill everyone else inside. Jan searched and finally found the sprinkler control. She crouched near it and waited. she tried not to touch anything. Her top was bare and her skin was still tender from being burned, but the blisters were all gone. Finally the door opened. Meshrob walked in. He moved cautiously. Jan stood up and turned the wheel quickly. Water started falling immediately all over the building.

"That won't do you any good", Meshrob yelled. He turned his hands palm up and twin balls of fire appeared above each. Neither ball looked affected by the water at all. The water did have an effect somewhere else.

Alisha had watched with amusement as the guards had run around trying to figure out what was happening when the alarm had sounded. She had kept calm when the two men had left the room to confront her friends. Alisha had said a silent prayer for their safety. She knew that they could handle themselves, but those two men looked dangerous. Alisha had to put those thoughts from her mind. She had to focus on what she had to do. Alisha released the image of Thomas she held in her head. Her image blurred for an instant during the change. It was enough. She jumped from the examination table that she had been sitting on and kicked as hard as she could at the guard nearest her. Alisha's toned legs were more than dangerous. After training for so long, she was deadly. Her shin hit the guard in the temple. He fell against the wall dazed. Alisha spun her entire body around. She gritted her teeth and back handed the other guard in the jaw. He staggered, but she wasn't finished. She kicked him the stomach. He doubled over. Alisha jumped up and wrapped her legs around his head and drove the top of the man's head to the ground. It hit with a hollow thump.

Romano was too shocked to move. Alisha pulled the guns from both unconscious guards. She pointed one at Romano who tried to back away, but the room was too small.

"Who are you?", he asked, his lips quivering with fear.

Alisha smirked. "I'm not who you thought I was." Her smile got wider. "Stop it please. Stop looking so fucking scared. If I was going to kill you, I would have done it already. You're supposed to be the fucking boss." Alisha laughed and changed to look like Romano. She cringed and mocked him before going back to her own form.

"What are you going to do to me?", Romano asked. "I have lots of money. I can make it worth your while."

Alisha laughed again. "I guess I can add that to your list of charges." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her badge wallet and let it fall open. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you. Federal Law Enforcement. You're under arrest."

"My men are going to come back down here and tear you apart", Romano growled.

"Not likely. But don't you worry about that. You just hang tight."

Romano's eyes darted back and forth in the small room. He wasn't looking for a way out. He was looking for someone. That person made himself known a moment later.

Alisha held the gun on Romano, but suddenly it was snatched from her hand. An instant later she felt a fist slam against the side of her face. Alisha stumbled back against the wall. Her vision was blurry and her legs were unsteady. Alisha looked up to see a young man appear from thin air.

"Rich, what took you so long!?!", Romano yelled.

"Sorry, boss", he responded in a Cockney brogue. Rich was young, no older than 22. He had a square jaw and dimpled chin. His brown hair was buzzed. He looked and moved like a man who knew what she was doing. "I had to make sure what I was going to do before I did it. I had to make sure she wasn't make an illusion."

Romano nodded. "Good thinking." He walked over to Alisha and punched her in the stomach as hard as he could. Alisha's stomach was toned and hard, but she had been unprepared. She almost wretched as she went down to a knee. "You thought you had me! I told you that I had 3 special people with me!"

Alisha wiped her mouth and looked up slowly. "Invisibility, huh? That's pretty fuckin' cool. I'll give you that. You fooled me."

The man frowned and nodded. "Yeah, yours is pretty fuckin' cool too. You had me fooled as the little boy, and the bit when you turned into the boss. Now that was funny" Romano hit Rich in the shoulder hard. "Oh come on, boss", he said in his brogue. "That was funny."

"Funny? Funny! Shoot her, now or I'll show you funny!"

"Do I have to boss? She didn't kill you, and she could have. Besides she might want to work for you. Tell him. Tell him that you want to work for him."

Alisha sighed. "I don't think so. I couldn't work for a fucking coward who kills kid's parents. I can't do that."

Rich frowned and looked over at Romano. "Hey, I don't mind killing and all, but you didn't say a damn thing about murder. I'm a FUCKING soldier. I left the Cheshire Regiment for the pay not to become a fucking murderer!"

Alisha used the confusion and kicked the gun from the man's hand. He bent down to pick it up, but Alisha sent a kick at him. He blocked it and backed up. As Alisha approached, he vanished. Alisha kicked Romano instead. He fell against the wall holding his side. Alisha turned slowly. She knew the man was in the room. Then she felt a blow to the back of her head and then a kick at the back of her knee. She went down. Alisha felt the man's arm go around her throat. He bent her backwards and squeezed her neck.

Kennedy had climbed down five stories to the first floor and had crawled another 100 feet inside the ducts until she found the room where Alisha was in. She saw two guards against the floor as she looked through the vent. She saw Romano against the wall, but then she saw something she couldn't explain. Alisha staggered as if punched, but Kennedy couldn't see anyone punching. She saw Alisha being choked and struggling. Kennedy didn't waste anymore time. She knocked out the vent and jumped into the room.

Rich turned and saw the girl fall from the ceiling. She had a gun. He let Alisha go and went towards Kennedy.

"Watch out!", Alisha managed to say before Kennedy was punched in the side of the head. The girl staggered and fell against the wall. Alisha ran and jumped in front of her friend. Kennedy shook her head to clear it. Alisha was snatched away from Kennedy, but Rich didn't get a chance to go back to his new main target. The sprinklers came on and his body was outlined. Kennedy raised her weapon and fired. Blood sprayed into the air. Rich reappeared and fell to the ground. He coughed and his right hand went over his left shoulder. Kennedy trained her gun on Romano while Alisha went to her knees and put pressure on Rich's wound.

A rope of hot twisting fire shot past Jan's hiding spot. This flame was smaller than the blasts Meshrob had sent at her earlier, but it was just as hot. The water falling from the sprinklers just sizzled into steam. It had no effect. Jan tried to stay near the diesel tanks, but Meshrob stalked her and from place to place until now those tanks were on the other side of the room. Jan wasn't sure if she could survive a blast from Meshrob, but she was sure that she couldn't survive two. So a frontal assault was off, and Jan was running out of options. She leaned against one of the massive generators trying to come up with something, anything. She took quick stock of her situation and realized that most of the deck was stacked in his favor. Then Jan realized that she hadn't really used her power against him. She looked then turned around.

Jan worked her fingers under one of diesel powered generators. The massive machine was nearly ten feet tall and twenty feet long. The engine itself was ten times as large as the engine on an 18 wheeler. Jan set her feet and pulled against the machine. Jan's muscles ached to be tested. They burned to be used. She had run enough. Jan took a deep breath and started upward. Nothing happened at first. There was a slight grinding sound as Jan's mighty muscles tightened. The massive machine didn't even move, but Jan wasn't finished. She was just getting started.

Jan's forearms bulged and cords of muscle defined themselves as she squeezed the bottom rail of the platform built under the generator. Jan arms and shoulders shook. Veins popped up on the surface of her smooth skin feeding the muscle below. Every muscle in her body swelled with power, harder and harder with each beat of her heart. Deep sharp striations ran along Jan's thighs. Muscles pushed against each other and bulged outward as she tried to do the impossible. Her face was twisted with agony and effort. Sweat and drool mixed with the water falling from the sprinklers. Jan took another breath and her muscles got even harder. Her body shook with power. Suddenly a loud noise echoed in the concrete room. Followed by another and another. The 3/4 inch bolts that held the massive generator to the ground were shattering. Jan's muscles overpowered the steel.

Jan felt the edge of the generator lift off the ground. She leaned in. Her pecs met the cold steel as Jan tipped the tons and tons of steel towards her. Jan growled now as she lifted the machine. The pipe connecting the generator to the diesel tanks ruptured. Diesel ran for a second before a safety kicked in and the flow stopped, but Jan wasn't finished. The machine was nearly a foot off the ground. Jan's body exploded with power again as she brought her arms under the massive machine. Jan's always impressive biceps swelled and bulged like never before. Thick throbbing veins criss-crossed her arms. The detail in her angular jagged muscle could not be believed. The machine was off the ground now and totally under her control.

Meshrob heard the noise and cautiously made his way towards it. He should have hurried. He came around the corner ready for anything, or so he thought. He froze. He saw the girl he had been chasing standing not ten feet from him, but he couldn't move. She was the definition of power itself as she stood with tons of steel over her head. Her dense pecs swelled with each breath and lats and back made her even more powerful to look at. Meshrob's fire had burned off her uniform above the waist. Only her singed sports bra remained, but it struggled to contain Jan's massive muscles. Her triceps looked like they would burst from her arms as they held up the generator. Jan smiled at Meshrob as she raised the weight even higher. It brushed the ceiling. Meshrob drew in a breath and raised his arms, but it was too late. Flames gathered near his hands and he started a stream of fire, but Jan threw the generator with all the might her super muscles could muster, and it was a lot. Tons and tons of steel flew at Meshrob. His fire was useless. The weight hit him and didn't stop. The generator slammed into the wall of the room. The entire building shook from the impact.

Jan went down to a knee. Water was pooling on the floor, but it felt good. She suddenly felt very tired. She looked up at where Meshrob had been a moment before. Blood mixed with water and there were a few unidentifiable body parts floating as well. Jan wanted to call in, but her comm had been burned off. She didn't have to. She heard Sara's voice in her head a moment later. Then Sara called it in. FBI Hostage rescue burst in. In another half an hour it was all over.

Jan sat with a blanket wrapped all around her as various teams of Federal agents went inside and brought out arrested guard after arrested guard. They had given Jan a thermos full of hot chocolate to drink because she refused to leave even though she was half naked, wet, and it was it was below freezing. Alisha had waited until the paramedics had taken Rich to the hospital before joining Jan and the rest of the team. A few minutes later Agent Davis came over to them.

"That was a damn nice job you girls did. All of your names are going in the official report. You all deserve credit for this."

"Thanks"

"Oh, and this Syndicate is no more. The Europeans hit them just after we did. They caught everybody we think. At any rate we got every instillation listed in those notebooks. You should be able to sleep easy tonight."

"I know one little boy who can", Jan said as she finished the last of the hot chocolate.

A night later the Caufields were back in their house. The house was all cleaned up and fixed except that they still had no living room furniture. Jan didn't care. It felt good to be at home. It felt good to be in her bed. Jan turned off her light and laid down to go to sleep when there was a knock at the door.

Thomas came in a moment later and went to Jan's bed. She turned her light on and looked at the boy's face. She could tell he wanted to talk. Jan straightened up and patted her bed. Thomas sat down.

"I want to say thank you for all the things you and your family have done for me."

Jan reached out and mussed his hair. "Don't worry about it. You're worth it."

"Am I? Did you have to-- Did you have to kill people to protect me?"

Jan frowned before she answered. "A few, but its not like that's the first time I had to do something I really didn't want to do."

"Those men wanted to turn me into a weapon. They would have wanted to do the same thing to you, or Sara, or Alisha, if they knew about you. But, aren't we weapons anyway? I mean, I've killed people. Doesn't that make me a bad person? I feel bad."

Jan couldn't help, but smile. "Good", she answered. "Its good that you feel bad. That's how you know you aren't a weapon." Jan reached into her end table drawer and pulled out her .45. "This gun has more than one bad guy on it, but guess what? It doesn't feel a thing, but I do. I feel every time I have to take a life. I take a life hoping to save someone else's life. Most of the people I have had to kill couldn't have killed me if they wanted to. I have to live with that, but you know what, I can. I know sometimes I have to use my power to save other people. You used your power to save yourself. Those were terrible men. I don't have to tell you that. Just remember, your life is more precious than the life of anyone trying to take it from you."

"Even if they are regular people, and can't really hurt me?"

Jan took a deep breath before answering. "Thomas, you're a good kid. You already know when to kill and when not to. But don't ever underestimate anyone. I've made that mistake many times, but most people don't get do overs like me." Thomas smiled. "If you're lucky", Jan began, "You'll never have to use your powers like that ever again."

Jan and Thomas talked for nearly an hour before Thomas went back to his room. He went over his plan again in his head. His talk with Jan hadn't really be research. He had already finished that, but it helped him. He figured he knew enough. Tomorrow he would put his plan into action.

Jack and Carol Caufield sat at the kitchen table going over furniture catalogues. Jan was in the living room trying to salvage what was left of the family Christmas tree, but she was having a hard time. Thomas came downstairs. He was nervous. He sent a few sparks of electricity between his finger tips. That helped him settle down usually, but not this time. He was still nervous, but he had to do this. He had to stick to his plan no matter what. Thomas walked up to Carol and Jack and stood there until they looked up.

Thomas almost froze, but it was now or never. "Mr. and Mrs. Caufield, you both risked your lives for me. I don't know how to thank you. Now that there aren't anymore people chasing me, I guess I don't have to run anymore."

Jack and Carol looked at each other. They had been waiting for this moment. "Yes, Thomas", Carol began, "we're ready to contact your family at anytime. We're sure they'll be ready for you." Carol and Jack both smiled broadly.

Thomas shook his head and fought back tears. "I'm sure they would. I love my family, but I want to stay here with you. You know what I can do already. None of my other family knows and I don't think I could ever bring myself to tell them. Plus you have already raised a child who is.. different."

Jack and Carol looked at each other. They hadn't prepared for this at all.

"I won't be any trouble, I promise. I won't."

"That's not it, Thomas. We would love to take you in, but you have a family. It wouldn't be right unless they give their blessing."

Thomas went to the phone and called his uncle's house. It was decided that the Caufields would fly out to Columbus. It would be a different Christmas that was for sure.

It was a different Christmas for Sara too. Her body still ached in places as she, and her father and brother walked into the White House for the Christmas party. Sara loved the gown she wore. She felt so different than she had only a couple of days ago. Security was tight, but the party was extra festive since the President had won re-election just the month before. Sara didn't think about it too much, but she figured his second term had to be better than his first...

Alisha was dressed in a black gown as she rode up the elevator with her parents. "There's something I have to tell you", Alisha and her mother both said at the same time.

"You first, Mom."

Cheryl von Edder smiled and took her husband's hand in hers. "Alisha, darling, I'm pregnant. I'm only about 6 weeks along, but you're going to have a little brother or sister."

Alisha's face went from serious to beaming in an instant. "Really!" Alisha hugged both her parents. "That's just great!"

"I'm glad you're happy. We didn't know how you were going to take it, but we wanted to tell you before we announced it to the rest of the family. What was it you wanted to tell us?"

Alisha smiled. "It can wait. I'll tell you later." Just then the doors opened to the penthouse of Ellia von Hapsburg. This Christmas party in New York City was one of the largest gatherings of Austrian royalty and nobility since the beginning of World War I. Fifteen of Alisha's relatives from Austria had made the trip. Most of the von Edder family still lived in Austria. The Austrian branch of the family still owned most of the family's lands and castles, but Alisha's American branch had all the noble titles since it was illegal to have titles in Austria itself. Alisha was officially a Countess. This night she felt like one. Alisha loved the reaction she got from the men in the room. Alisha decided to break a few hearts.

The taxi hauling the Caufield's plus Thomas stopped in front of a nice house set on a tree lined street. There were Christmas decorations on the house and in the yard. Thomas smiled to himself as he opened the door and got out. The family went up to the door, but Thomas knocked.

There was a roar from the house full of people when the boy walked in the house. There was a huge welcome home banner in the house and all the people wanted to hug and kiss him. Jack, Carol, and Jan came into the house and were welcomed, but it felt so awkward. They had never felt like such outsiders before. Thomas was getting passed from person to person until the boy found his favorite uncle.

Cornelius Lee didn't say anything. He just reached down and scooped up his nephew in his arms and hugged him tightly. Thomas was the last living link to his youngest brother. "So, where are the people who brought you here?", Cornelius asked with more than a bit of disdain. Thomas pointed over his shoulder. Uncle Cor, as he was called, stuck his neck out and looked.

Jack Caufield was trying to find a quiet corner for he and his wife to duck into. There was no way a family this big and this tight would agree to have the boy go live with strangers in Maryland. Jack was trying to get through a crack when he heard a name he hadn't been called in years.

"Jack Bear!", Cornelius bellowed. "Jack Bear! Is that you?"

Jack turned quickly. "Boones Lee! You have to be kiddin me?"

The two men rushed towards each other and embraced like only two soldiers who had fought together could. "Jack, I can't believe this! You brought Thomas out here?" Jack nodded just as Carol and Jan came closer. "Oh my God! Carol? You look the same as the last time I saw you. Come here!"

They hugged too. "Its good to see you Boones."

The man was all smiles as he looked on. "Same here." He looked past Jack and Carol. "Don't tell me that's Jan! Don't you dare tell me that's little Jan! You don't remember me, but I used to carry you around the base when you were a baby. Shit, now you'd have to carry me around! Thomas, why the hell did you tell me that the man you were talking about was Jack Bear? You kept calling him John. No one calls this man John. That's Jack Bear. Didn't I teach you how to ready insignia? You could have seen that we were in the same unit!"

Thomas tried to say something, but his uncle ignored him. Boones went to a glass shelf on his wall and pulled down a picture. "Come here and look at this boy! You see this. Here's Jack, and there's Carol, and there's me holding Jan. This picture was taken at Fort Benning back in '88."

After that, Boones introduced Jack and Carol to the rest of the family. They shook hands and also hugged several times. They were welcomed now. Later that night Jack and Boones shared some Egg Nog and talked.

"I think you guys will do a good job with Thomas. Living here might bring up too many memories of his parents. I don't want him to forget them, but I want him to live his life. God spared it, and now he has to live it." Jack nodded in agreement. Boones put his hand out. Jack shook it. "Welcome to the family."

In New York a special messenger knocked on the door of a town house. The man entered the house and walked with purpose towards the main dining room. The lights in the house were low, but there was enough light to shine off the highly polished marble floors and delicate inlaid paneling. The dining room was large, and dominated by a long table hewn from the trunk of a single redwood tree. Only one man sat at the table. The messenger walked up to the head of the table. The man ate from a bowl very properly in the low light. He put his spoon down, wiped his lips, and then looked up at the messenger.

"Sir", the messenger began. "We have news that Romano Scalfaro and his Syndicate has been brought down. The organization is no more."

"Excellent", the Broker said with a smile. "That is one less trouble maker I have to worry about. Are you celebrating Christmas?" The messenger nodded. "Before you leave, take a present back to your wife and children." The Broker was in a giving mood. He went back to his borscht. It had been so long since he had eaten borscht so good.

This is a chapter in the ongoing story "Power and Fury"!  Check out the earlier chapters here:

Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- Chapter 3 -- Chapter 4 -- Chapter 5 -- Chapter 6 -- Chapter 7 -- Chapter  8 -- Chapter 9

More coming!! Be on the lookout!!!