Barefoot Heroines

LS enlists the aid of new friends to help her fight a corrupt politician

By Mongoose750 (mongoose750@yahoo.com)

 

Love Story Chang was performing her daily morning two-hour workout as she reflected on what has gone on in her life the last few months. The 5'2" Chinese-American put herself through a rigorous workout five days a week, but not generally with weights. Instead, she used her own body weight as resistance, and worked at a much slower speed in her exercises. For example, when she did pushups, ten pushups would be the same as twenty because she would slowly descend and rise. So an even bigger impact was felt when she did her regular fifty pushups. As a result of this type of workout, it left her with an even more muscular frame and better endurance. Another thing she liked about it was she could do this quietly without having to hear the "clink" and "clang" sounds standard weight equipment would make.

Love Story (or "LS" as she's normally called) finished her standard strength exercises and prepared to get to work on her flexibility exercises. She flung her long sweaty black hair back, which she forgot to put in a ponytail yet again, and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweatier parts of her body that wasn't covered by her blue sports bra or blue panties. After she wiped the bare soles of her feet to ensure she wouldn't slip, she began with some stretches. LS had a big-boned frame that was near solid muscle. A few ignorant fools would call her fat, but it was nothing close to the truth. To further strengthen and toughen her body, LS practiced judo, a passion she had followed since she was a child. She loved it so much; she eventually opened up her own dojo to teach others and to improve in the martial art further. After becoming an eleventh degree black belt, some wondered if she actually needed to bother going further. When asked that question, LS would shrug and say if that goal is there, she's going to pursue it. She had said that when she becomes a grandmaster, she'd know she arrived.

Over the last few months, LS had become something of a local celebrity. As much as she loved living in her neighborhood in Central Indiana, she felt duty bound to do something about the street gangs that started to overrun it. Realizing that politics weren't going to solve the problem, she and a few of her most devoted and advanced students would go and eliminate the gangs themselves. She then stumbled across a novel approach that she utilized when she defeated a gang leader in combat at her dojo ' she became a gang leader herself. She would challenge the leader of a particular gang to face her in combat, and as a result of the usual one-sided beating, the judoka would gain acquisition to another group of young men and women to become part of her team. There were always a few doubters, stragglers, and others who wanted to challenge her after she defeated their leader, but she changed their mind rather painfully. Once she received her new teammates, she transformed them into a force for good, doing good things for the community as her "angels," and making her feared by the other surviving gangs she hasn't gotten to yet. It turned out there was good reason to fear because not only was she leading the biggest "gang" in the neighborhood, her new recruits would start receiving judo lessons. It made for an intimidating combination that lowered the crime rate drastically.

[Author's Note: For a more in-depth detail on these things, you may want to go to my bookshelf, and check out And Now it's Time for a "Short" Story, and The Thrill of the Hunt. ' Mongoose.]

She had also found out that nearby neighborhoods were starting to mimic her example. She had been too busy to discover how they were accomplishing this task, but she was happy that it was being done.

As she did the splits and lowered herself to the floor of the room in her apartment that she isolated for workouts, she flashed a slight smile, as she thought about the other things she "acquired" in the last few months. She thought about her longtime friend, Lewis Spaulding, who she had known since ninth grade. They became close friends, and eventually or finally, depending on how you looked at it, they finally started seeing each other. LS thought about the advice (or nagging, again depending on how you looked at it) of her cousin, Kim Chang that they already knew each other better than even some married couples, and perhaps (with Kim, perhaps was never a suggestion) they should go ahead and take it to the next level, making their union permanent.

Much as she hated to admit it, Kim had a good point. LS loved Lewis deeply, and she knew Lewis did the same; but how do you go about something like that? LS decided to dismiss the thought for another day, and deal with it later.

After she finished her final stretch, LS looked at the clock. She was actually done a few minutes early. She thought for a moment what to do with the extra time, and then the answer came to her in one word ' chocolate. She undressed, trotted into the shower, and washed all the morning sweat off her body. Changing into a pair of navy blue biking shorts and a blue tank top, she rushed out the door and trotted up the stairs to Lewis' apartment. Keeping her excitement in check, she rang the doorbell and waited for Lewis to answer.

Lewis was a 6'5" black man with a slender build that was assisted by his morning runs around the neighborhood. He ran an Internet baking business out of his apartment, and catered his baked goods and main dishes to parties, wedding receptions, special events, etc. His expertise with food made him very well off, very popular, and very busy. But he always made time for LS, who he had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with.

"Good morning Love," Lewis said. "You're early this morning. The breakfast I have in the oven won't be ready for another ten minutes."

"That's fine," LS said with a twinkle in her eye. "That gives me time for something else."

"What's that?" Lewis said, seeing the funny look his girlfriend was giving him.

"The taste of chocolate," she replied as she grabbed Lewis by the hand, dragged him to the living room, pushed him on the sofa, and jumped on top of him.

As she started kissing Lewis deeply, despite his mock protests, LS thought briefly to earlier times when she would date someone else, and suddenly have guilty thoughts of what kissing Lewis' lips would be like. Now he's here, and she doesn't have to wonder any more. She forced herself to be mindful of their breakfast that was baking in the oven.

Ah, let them burn, she thought as LS kissed Lewis again.

Suddenly the door burst open.

The couple looked up from the sofa and saw a young man, standing six feet, and wearing worn blue jeans, a red T-shirt, and a worn black leather vest. His red bandanna was wrapped tightly around his forehead, showing off his spiked dark blonde hair. He was twirling a pair of brown wooden nunchaku, as his eyes displayed menace.

Lewis was shocked that someone actually burst into his apartment with the intent of harming them.

LS was angry. How dare this fool burst into the apartment of my beloved!

Without wasting a second, LS sprung from the sofa, her bare feet landing on the solid hardwood floor with a thump. Upon further examination as she advanced toward the assailant, she recognized him as one of the few who escaped from a gang she took over last month. He took a step back, and twirled his weapon even harder, to show LS he meant business.

In the hands of an expert, a pair of nunchaku can be a deadly weapon; however, LS saw this punk was far from being an expert. It reminded her of giving a gun to a monkey, being in more of a position to hurt himself than someone else.

"You want to play, boy? Let us play then," she said.

The street punk was gingerly advancing his weapon forward to LS when she suddenly grabbed the receiving end of the nunchaku, and yanked it out of his hand, sending them across the room, into the hands of Lewis, who wondered how she knew where to throw the things. The street punk, suddenly deprived of his weapon, was torn for a split second on what to do, flee or do what he knew best, use his fists to attack. He finally decided on throwing a right cross to LS's jaw, but to the martial artist, he might as well be moving as slow as stone. She grabbed his arm, and tossed him on the sofa. The punk's landing was soft, but that was of little consequence when he felt the solid weight of LS landing on his back.

"Attacking me at my apartment is one thing, but trespassing at the apartment of my beloved is unacceptable," LS said, landing a fist to the back of his head that stunned him.

LS then wrapped her right arm around the punk's neck, and after briefly checking where she was perched, pulled his neck back. The intruder was gasping for air and trying to relieve the sudden pain in his back.

"I wonder which will give first, your throat or your spine?" LS mused out loud as she continued her unusual hold, watching her prey squirm as he tried feebly to straighten his back and get a breath of fresh air.

Lewis began to realize that their intruder in LS's embrace wouldn't be long for this world if she kept it up. As much as he deserved a beating, he didn't deserve to be taken out, and even though they were well within their rights to defend themselves, the mere possibility of only seeing LS during visiting hours didn't sound good to him either.

"Love, stop, please!" Lewis pleaded to LS.

Through the haze of anger she was in, LS heard Lewis' request, and though breaking the punk in two was a strong temptation, it would have negative connotations in the long run. Taking a deep breath, she released her chokehold, and like a spring, her foe's back sprung straight, his face hitting the sofa cushions.

"My love saved you," LS said to the street punk, who knew from that statement she wasn't referring to her state of being. "I do not know who sent you, and right now, I do not care, but send this message; if you or anyone else invades either my house or my beloved's apartment again, even your fancy toys will not save you from my wrath, you got that?"

The punk heard LS, but didn't seem to comprehend as he slowly rose from the sofa. She grabbed an ankle, and pulled him off, his already sore back hitting the hard wooden floor.

"Let me put this in terms that even you can understand," she said. "If you set foot in this place again I will squash you like a bug." For emphasis, she stomped her foot an inch away from his nose. His eyes widened. "You got that?"

"Y-yes," he stammered.

"Then go, before I change my mind, now!"

The street punk moved as fast as he could out the door. As Lewis closed the door, the bell on the oven rang.

"How's that for timing?" Lewis said as he pulled out their breakfast from the oven. "We make out, get attacked, and you throw him out just in time for breakfast."

While Lewis put their food on plates, LS came to him to embrace him.

"I am sorry beloved," she said.

"For what? You weren't the one who came in here threatening to bash our skulls in."

"No, but the life I have led recently, I should have known it would have possible repercussions to those around me, especially those who are close, like you."

Lewis guided LS to a chair where she sat down. "Love, don't ever feel ashamed for doing the right thing. You've made life a whole lot safer for everyone here. It that brings an occasional punk up here to try to get me so be it. Besides, I can handle myself."

"And how would you do that against someone armed like that?" LS said as she started eating her breakfast. The recent altercation stoked her appetite.

"You've seen my cast iron skillets, haven't you?"

LS thought for a moment about his collection of cast iron skillets. Those things could stop a bullet.

"You have a good point, beloved," LS said as she ran her toes up Lewis' pant leg.

Lewis smiled, partly from LS cheering up, and the other part from the tender touch. He picked up the nunchaku he laid on the dining room table and started examining them.

"I don't claim to be an expert on martial arts weaponry, but these things look pretty nice," he said.

"Pity he did not buy lessons with them," LS remarked.

"That's my next point; look at the craftsmanship put into these things. Now how would a punk like that know enough to buy something like this, where would he go, and especially, how could he afford it?"

LS took the nunchaku and looked it over. Near the bottom of one of the handles, she saw a set of Chinese characters.

"These are Gold Dragon nunchakus," she said.

"Gold Dragon?"

"Yes, one of the finest places you can get martial arts weaponry. Only martial arts masters, particularly those with the money to afford it buy equipment from them. I remember Jasmine bought a sword from them once a long time ago."

"Was it pretty nice?"

"A samurai from the 15^th century would envy a sword like it. It even arrived already sharp. You can shave with it, believe me, we have done that."

"In any case, it looks like we have another mystery."

"A mystery that will have to wait," she got from the table and kissed Lewis on the cheek. "I need to get to my first class. After drilling them about showing up on time, it wouldn't look good for me to be late."

"I'll see you around lunchtime," Lewis said.

"Goodbye, Lewis."

LS bounded back down the stairs where she grabbed a casual navy blue kimono, draped it on, and headed out the door. LS wore kimonos like other people wore jeans; they were loose, comfortable, and they came in various designs and patterns. Even though it was not in her cultural tradition (kimonos are worn by the Japanese, not the Chinese), she still found them a joy to wear. She remembered with her particular kimono, the saleswoman told her the outfit came with an authentic pair of sandals, which under normal circumstances was fine, except for the fact the LS didn't wear shoes, the few exceptions were church and winter, where she wore a thick pair of socks instead when it was really cold. Because she had no choice, she bought them, and the shoes were now gathering dust in the back of the closet.

Driving towards class, she pondered what a punk would be doing with fine martial arts equipment, like pearls before swine. She mentally filed it away for later; she had a class to teach, and usually in cases like this, if she waited long enough, the answer would come to her.

 

She didn't have to wait long.

LS was teaching the latter part of her first class when someone came up and told her she had an important phone call. Fearing that someone tried to attack Lewis while she was gone, she assigned one of her junior instructors to teach the rest of class, and trotted to the phone.

"Hello?" She said.

"Ah, Ms. Chang, a pleasure to meet you," the voice on the phone said.

"Who is this?"

"Why it's your city councilman, Michael Johnson. I'm surprised you don't recognize me."

LS remembered the councilman. Once upon a time, she worked in the office of one of his adversaries. They didn't run directly against each other, for the candidate she worked for was a mayoral candidate while Johnson ran for councilman. Even then in the few meetings they encountered each other, there was something about Johnson that hit her as ' slimy. Even now, she still felt that. Several months earlier, LS encountered his son, who was leader of one of the town's street gangs. In fact, it was his gang that she took over first. Perhaps the apple does not fall too far from the tree, LS thought.

"Yes, I recognize you," LS said neutrally. "I was told this was an important phone call; I was in the middle of teaching a class."

"I see. Well, I need you to come over to my office right away."

"I can come over to your office after my class is over. Why, what is going on?"

"It's important, I'll explain to you when you get here in the next twenty minutes or so. Good day, Ms. Chang."

And the line went dead.

LS bristled at the fact that he ignored anything she had to say about her schedule and practically demanded that she would cater to his. The idea of not going at all appealed to her, but there was a chance that it actually might be important after all, so she might as well go. His attitude reminded LS why she didn't bother with politics or politicians anymore. Maybe she should go back to school to get a major that didn't deal with politics.

Exhaling a long breath, she walked to the doorway and summoned Rhonda Peterson, one of her assistant instructors. Rhonda was a black woman who stood about 5'7", with medium brown skin and long bleached blonde hair that flowed down her shoulders. She had a slender build with well-defined muscles. She and LS went way back, to high school when she asked LS to teach her how to defend herself from the many over-zealous males who pursued her. When the black belt was not helping LS teach the brown and green belt classes, or assisting LS in taking down gangs, she ran her own landscaping and gardening business.

"Yes sensei?" Rhonda said, straightening her light blue gi.

"We are not in the dojo now, Rhonda, you can call me by name," LS replied. "You have known me as long as Lewis."

"Sorry, I'm still in "judo mode.' So LS, what's going on?"

"I need you to cover my classes for me, something has come up."

"Another gang trying to mess with us?"

"No, our councilman has asked me to come visit him."

"Which one?"

"Jordan's father."

Rhonda made a sour expression on her face. "Oh. What does he want?"

"I do not know, he just said it was important."

"Maybe he's finally gotten around to thanking you for taking his son out of that gang."

LS laughed. "Now when have you known that man to thank anybody for anything that did not involve a sound bite or a television camera?"

"Good point. Yeah, I can cover your classes, no problem."

"Thank you, Rhonda, I owe you one," LS said as she walked to a nearby closet.

"Just don't beat him up too bad," Rhonda replied as she started to walk back to class.

"Do not tempt me."

When she designed her dojo, LS had the foresight to install a small shower in her office. It came in handy numerous times when she got sweaty during teaching her classes or when she returned there after breaking up a gang. It also helped when she was running late for dates and she didn't have time to return home to change. She smiled to herself as she realized she didn't have to mess with the dating scene anymore. That was quickly replaced by annoyance when she observed the fact that she barely worked up a sweat before she had to leave. After she showered, she picked out from her wardrobe a lime green halter-top and black slacks. She gave a final check in the mirror to make sure everything was in order, and then she got in her car and drove off for the councilman's office.

When LS worked in political circles as an assistant, she was well liked by people of all parties. She knew if she stayed in it, she could've gone up the ladder, and perhaps even run for a particular office, with the possibility of winning. But LS didn't want that; she wanted to make a difference rather than making a name with a fancy title behind it. Furthermore, in the last few months she accomplished more than a number of politicians said they would accomplish in four years, so why go back now?

She saw Brenda, the receptionist at the councilman's office, who paid no attention to LS's shoeless feet. LS was quite well known for that. Brenda smiled when she saw her.

"Why hello, LS, how are you today?" The receptionist asked.

"I am doing quite well, thank you for asking," LS replied. "I believe Councilman Johnson asked to see me."

"Yes, he's waiting for you right now. It must be something important for him to clear his schedule like that."

"Yes, I am rather curious what it is myself. Have a good day, Brenda," LS said as she walked to the councilman's office.

"You too, LS."

Although she was well liked in political circles, there were a few exceptions. Councilman Johnson was one of them. The politician found in LS someone he could not control, and LS found one of the few people who made her want to smash their face at first contact. Something about the politician's personality repulsed her. She hated admitting that to herself, but it was sad that she was more apt to trust the gang leaders she pursued than this public servant.

LS didn't have to look down to notice her feet encountered rich shag carpeting covering the floor. A brief look around at the office announced to her the man's feeling of self-importance. Awards, plaques, certificates, and pictures of him with other politicians and celebrities decorated the large office. The man in question sat at his desk going over something on his computer that took a minute before he acknowledged LS's presence. LS was contemplating leaving when he finally looked up.

"Oh, excuse me, Ms. Chang, I was checking something out here," he said. He spent another thirty seconds, and then swiveled in his chair to face her. He got up and offered his hand. "And how are you today?"

LS shook Johnson's hand, but it took a modicum of self-control to not crush the cold fish his hand reminded her as being. "I am fine," she said.

Councilman Johnson was roughly speaking, the future image of what his son would look like many years from now. He was the same height as his son, 6'6", and had the same handsome good looks, accentuated more by age than taken away. His hair was a salt-and-pepper combination that had just the right blend that aging actors would envy. From looking at his build, he still kept the same slender build that he had when he played college basketball, and had a sparkling smile that was successful in winning a lot of people over to his way of thinking, and according to a few rumors, winning a number of women into his bed as well.

"Have a seat."

LS sat in a plush leather seat, tucking up one leg under her as she did so. She noticed the councilman give her an annoyed look.

"What is wrong?" She asked.

"When you come into the office of a public official, you do so paying the proper respect," Johnson said. "You've worked in political circles long enough to know that you don't just wander in looking like a hippie." He gestured his hands toward LS's feet.

"Oh, you must mean the fact that I am wearing no shoes," LS said with a slight smirk. "When I was a child, I wore shoes to the customary places like school, church, special occasions and all that. Then I discovered judo. I worked hard at that discipline, reaching my black belt at an early age, and assisting with classes. In fact, I was involved in judo so much, I spent more of my time without shoes than I did with them. And I found that I was not missing a whole lot wearing them, for my feet were already tough enough to endure the outside world. When I worked for that mayoral candidate years ago, and a few other politicians, they were comfortable enough for me to kick my shoes off and walk around in my stocking feet or barefoot, which was usually the case. I got my work done, and done well, so eventually my footwear didn't matter. Do I ever wear shoes? Yes, sometimes I do, but the occasion and especially the person has to be worthy of myself wearing shoes. People who call me and demand that I drop everything in my schedule like my life is not important or theirs is the only one that matters, do not qualify in that category. Now I believe the reason you have called me in the first place was because you said it was important. Like yourself, my time is important, Councilman Johnson, so what do you have to say to me?"

The councilman arose from his seat and walked to a window. If the remark from LS offended him, he did not show it.

"I hear that your one-woman war on crime has been rather successful lately. A few people have told me that they're able to walk the streets without having to worry about being attacked by thugs. I even heard a few accounts of a mugger being beat up by gentlemen who used to mug people until two months ago. I must hand it to you, Ms. Chang, you've done an excellent job."

"Thank you," LS said.

"And then there's the matter concerning my son. He wouldn't admit it, but I've been told you gave him quite a beating."

"I did not relish defeating him in combat, but he was the leader of the biggest gang in town, and he had to be stopped, especially after he threatened a ten-year-old girl with beating her within an inch of her life."

"Yes, that was sad," Johnson said absently. "Ms. Chang, may I call you "LS'?"

"No."

"Indeed. Ms. Chang, I would like you to give that gang back to my son."

LS's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"I would like my son to receive his gang back."

"You can not be serious! For heaven's sake, why would I want to do that?"

"As you may or may not be aware, this is an election year. My opponent is rather fierce. Furthermore, he claims this drastic drop in crime is his idea. If my son gets his gang back, they'll hang around long enough to cause a little mischief, and then after the election is over, you can even feel free to take it away from him again."

LS couldn't believe what she was hearing. All that work on cleaning up the streets, and she was being asked to stop it, no, not stop it, but turn back the clock, and give the gang back to the man who was the biggest gang leader in town, his own son! LS paused just long enough to voice her answer without exploding.

"Councilman, when I defeated your son in hand-to-hand combat, I not only beat him, I shamed him as well. Even if I were to do such an insane request, his old gang would not go back with him, because they now see the error of their ways, and do not want to go back, and they saw their former leader beat like a disobedient dog. Surely there is something or someone else you can control, pervert, or twist for your campaign purposes," she said.

Johnson sighed. "Miss Chang, I don't claim to have the best son in the world. He has great talent on the court, but no discipline. I've been told that was because he still is angry at me for divorcing his mother."

LS thought for a moment. Which wife would that be, the first one, a former dancer, the second, a lawyer who doesn't practice in this state anymore, or number three, a middle school teacher? And is he still married now? His love life was as about as busy and chaotic as a soap opera.

"Seeing a good counselor can help with that," LS said.

Johnson ignored her remark. "But when he became leader of the Bulldogs, it's like he became somebody. He started walking around the house with a new spring in his step, with his back straight, and a gleam in his eye. When that was taken away from him, he was full of despair and that gleam was gone."

"Councilman Johnson, there is a long list of things the Bulldogs were responsible for, like robbery, drug trafficking, and other crimes too numerous to mention. There is no way I could allow that in good conscience. Even if I could, are you aware your son would be working on the other side of the law like he was before?"

The politician walked to the front of the desk and sat on it. "So are you telling me that you will not do as I asked?" He said.

"I most absolutely will not!"

"I'm not sure where it is, but I believe there is a law against vigilantism in this town."

"If there is, you are going to need a lot of proof to make it stick."

"Yes, I know. I think you may want to think over your decision. A hasty error could end up getting someone hurt."

"So it was you who sent that punk after me!" LS said with clarity. "You sent that boy into the apartment of my beloved and threatened him!"

"Hey could he help it if you changed location? My point is this, Ms. Chang; I have more resources than you, more money than you, and more power than you. If you don't want to be left with no one else but you, reconsider your decision, because if you still say no, it won't be pretty."

He said the last statement leaning his face about five inches from LS.

"Councilman," LS began in a slow, hushed voice, "To say yes to your decision would not be pretty. I am sure there is more to this than you are telling me. I'm sure you have more money, and more resources, but regarding power, right now, from this vantage point, I have the power to end this nonsense once and for all with one blow."

Understanding the veiled threat, Johnson backed his face away slowly. In his aggression, he forgot how potentially lethal the judoka could be.

"One more thing. If you so much as threaten my loved ones, or my students, then all your precious resources and money will not save you from me. If you ignore this warning, then our next meeting will be our last, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Johnson said as he walked over to a wooden cabinet and pulled out a bottle with amber fluid and a shot glass. He turned his back to LS as he poured, but he could see that his hands were shaking slightly. "I will give you a few days to think over your decision, and then if there's no change, the rest will be on your head."

LS made her way to the door. "At least after this encounter is over, I will have a head, whole and in one piece. You may not be able to say the same."

She managed to muster up enough courtesy to say bye to Brenda on the way out.

She returned to the dojo to find Rhonda chatting with some of the other instructors, while making sure everything was in place for her green belt class. She looked up and saw LS reentering the office.

"So how did it go with the "man'?" Rhonda said.

"I believe you're being much too liberal with your definitions," LS said. "To be a "man,' that means he would have to be human, and right now, I have serious reservations about that."

LS told Rhonda what the councilman had said to her, gaining a similar reaction.

"That is insane! There must be more to his plan besides that!" Rhonda said.

"I agree; of course he would not tell me about that. He gave me some cock-and-bull story about how being a gang leader made his son walk tall. Then he had the nerve to threaten me, more so my loved ones."

"So close were you to punching his final ticket?"

"When he put his face almost a half foot away from me and bragged how powerful he was, I told him in so many words one final blow from me would tell him about who had power. He had to walk over to his liquor cabinet and pour himself a shot; his hands were shaking so much. I have to admit I enjoyed that."

"So what are we going to do?"

"First, I need you and the other assistants to run the dojo for a couple of days. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for anything suspicious. When you do, let me know, but do not engage unless you have to. As for me, I am going to be out of town for a day or two, and I am going to take Lewis with me, whether he knows it or not. I want him out of harm's way."

"Where are you going?" Rhonda asked.

"Mr. Johnson is not the only one who has "resources.' I'm going to do some outside recruiting. I only want the best fighters involved in this besides a few of the instructors and yourself. My cousin Kim has been bragging about the exploits of her prize pupil; I'm going to see if I can borrow her for a few days."

 

LS returned to the apartment building, but instead of going to her apartment, she continued up the stairs to Lewis' apartment. As soon as Lewis saw LS, he noticed her toes were wiggling fiercely, a sign that something was weighing heavily on her mind. LS didn't know she did this, and Lewis suspected that he was the only one who knew. He thought about telling her about her habit, but then he thought, why lose the edge?

"What's wrong?" Lewis asked.

"I swear, one of these days I am going to find out how you know when something is on my mind. I know you are not psychic, it must be the look on my face," LS said.

Lewis was going to say no, thought better of it, then pulled up a stool for LS to sit down on. She told him what went on earlier that day, causing Lewis to just shake his head in disbelief.

"I have to admit the timing is strange, but I've been wanting to talk with you about the possibility of moving to an apartment complex with a bigger kitchen," he said.

"The business is outgrowing the apartment, I see," LS said. Then she took his right hand and covered them with both of hers. "Lewis, beloved, I will go with you anywhere, but I want to make the neighborhood safe just one more time. I almost did it too, and then this crook wants to corrupt it to make his punk son happy, and to win an election. I can not leave this neighborhood until I know he is out of the way. You understand, do you not?"

Lewis embraced her. "I understand, honey, I understand."

Suddenly LS looked at Lewis with a funny gleam in her eye. "Besides, if we are going to move, it will be into a house with a big kitchen. That is what I am going to look for."

Lewis looked at her funny. "What happens after we find a house?"

"Then we will get married."

"But what about a ring and a date?" Lewis asked.

"Who cares about a ring, we can always get one later. As far as a date, I will marry you this very hour if you so desire," LS said.

"This hour, like right now?"

LS pulled Lewis close to her, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Beloved, I love you deeply, and I know you love me the same way. We have been doing this "boyfriend-girlfriend' stuff for a few months now, and while it has been a long time coming, if you think about it, you know we are beyond that level. We have shared so much of ourselves, of our lives to each other; we can't even make a move without finding out what the other is doing. As much as I hate to admit it, my cousin Kim is right; we need to make our union permanent."

Lewis ran his hand through LS's long black hair. "You are right, but it's a matter of timing, I guess when we'll do this."

"Timing? Bah!" LS spat out playfully. You are just hiding the fact that you are scared. I am too, but there is no reason to be. I love you, and you are the only person who will put up with me, so what do we need to wait for?"

Lewis was stomped for an answer, then he said, "Well first, we need to find some new apartments."

"House."

"Whichever; then we need to take care of this problem with the councilman. Actually, we need to take care of him first, before we do anything else. It would make life a little more peaceful. Did you have a plan in mind?"

LS jumped off the stool and walked over to the stove, where something good was cooking, and over to the oven where Lewis was preparing an order for a customer.

"First, we need to go out of town for a few days, to plan our strategy," she said.

"We?" Lewis asked.

"Yes, "we.' Just "me' is not an option. I will carry you away on my back if necessary. I don't want you within reach of Johnson, where he could try to harm you."

"Whoa, no need to be so intense, Love, it sounds like a good idea to me. I would rather do my baking undisturbed, aside from you, of course. Have you considered visiting Kim and Jasmine? But I can see from the look on your face that you have already."

"Actually, I am thinking it may not be a bad place to live. It will give me the chance to nag my cousins, and besides, I need to borrow one of Kim's students, anyway," LS said.

"That would be Betty, right?" Lewis said.

"'The toughest girl in town,' they call her. I might be able to enlist the help of a few others as well. I do not want to endanger any green students in this coming war. And I just thought of something."

"What's that?"

"My dojo. I do not want to close it, not after all the work I have put into it. I am unsure about that."

"There's no need to be," Lewis piped up, "you can start a franchise. That's what some other dojos do. Just handpick your teachers so what you teach won't get watered down, and do a little advertising and there you go! You already have a good reputation as a great teacher, it should work."

"I never thought of that," LS said.

"Well Kim is our resident business whiz, so we could ask her for tips on that. By the way, did you just admit that Kim was right?"

LS placed a finger on Lewis' lips. "Say one word of this to her, and you die. I will not be a party to swelling her head up more than usual. If she gets wind that I actually agree with her regarding us, I will never hear the end of it. She would call us on our twentieth wedding anniversary and remind us that it was her idea that made our union possible," she said.

"Come on, Love, I think you're being a little hard on the old girl," Lewis said. "You know she has our best interests at heart."

"Dear, sweet, Lewis, it is at times like this that makes me realize you do not know how ornery my cousin can be. If you want to know how much, then you call her "old girl' to her face when we see her. Better yet, let me call her right now to tell her of our plans, then I will hand the phone to you, and you can ask the "old girl' how she is doing. You might be better off taking your chances with our councilman back here."

"I didn't realize she was so touchy. All three of us are around the same age."

"True, but I know you know better than to call me that. But I will give you a reprieve," LS said, pulling out her cell phone. "First, I will call Rhonda at the dojo, and give her some final instructions; and then I will call my cousins and tell them what is going on."

"Then what?"

"How soon can you pack?"

Lewis looked around him in horror. "Wherever I'm staying, they better have a big kitchen!"

 

Meanwhile, at Barefoot Betty's Auto Repair, head mechanic and owner, Betty Conrad sat at her desk in her office, feet propped up, having a conversation with her assistant, Irena Brezhnev. The two have finished performing some major repairs on a few vehicles, and decided to take advantage of the sudden lull to take an early lunch, delivered to them from the local Chinese restaurant.

Betty stood 5'7", and had beautiful cream-colored skin, the product of her white father, an auto mechanic, and her black mother, a mechanical engineer. Having worked on cars since she was a child, along with a brief regular workout regiment, Betty's body was one that was accustomed to the heavy lifting and bolt twisting a mechanic performed on the job; in her case, that was a body that was slim with well toned muscles. Her hairstyle, which was practical, but had recently came under the good natured criticism of her friends who would like her to change it, was long black hair shaped into a ponytail that hung down the middle of her back.

The name of the auto repair shop in Betty's case was appropriately named, because Betty hated shoes with a passion. With the exception of church, and a very few special occasions, she did everything in life without having to put any footwear on, even car repair (she did have a pair of steel toed work shoes that she slipped on when she moved engines, another exception).

As well as she mastered car repair, Betty was also a master at Tae Kwon Do, a fifth degree black belt. That, along with some boxing skills her dad had taught her, plus taking additional lessons in the Israeli martial art, Krav Maga, made a the lady mechanic a tough woman to deal with, if one got on her bad side. In fact, a former opponent once called Betty the "toughest woman in town." As was the case with impromptu titles, the name stuck. It was not a title Betty wanted in the first place, but it was a title she ended up "defending," for she spent part of her spare time and weekends taking on men and women who wanted to take that title away from her by force. She even tried to "give" the title away, but her opponents always insisted on fighting her for it.

It started to become a self-replicating circle; Betty didn't want the title, but in order to get rid of it, she would have to be beaten up. Of course, she didn't want to be beaten up, so she had to fight to defend her title, and so on.

Her assistant, Irena, was a 5'5" brunette with long brown hair. Her strong build besides being attributed to working on cars since she was a young child in her Russian hometown, was also the result of participating in the Russian cage matches to earn money to enter the states, and because she liked to fight. A master of Sambo, a Russian martial art similar to judo, Irena took on all comers, and emerged victorious and undefeated. As soon as she won the title, she immediately retired and moved to America.

She traveled to the Midwest to see if there was a garage she could work at when someone saw her footwear (whereas she wasn't wearing any), and recommended her to go to Barefoot Betty's, who at the time, was looking for an assistant mechanic. For Irena, it was a godsend because: one, she found a fellow female mechanic to work with, and two, she found a coworker and friend who hated shoes as much as she did. Irena had a bubbly personality, further boosted by the fact that she found a place where she could get her hands (and feet) dirty without ridicule.

Her expertise in fighting (she has been hesitant to talk about the brutal fights of the cage matches) has come in handy with Betty when groups of people have issued their challenges to her employer. Similar to the wolverine, Irena was basically fearless. Women, men, big or little, one or more, it didn't matter.

However, at this moment, all was quiet. No challengers had come to call out the duet, and at the moment, not even anything as minor as a flat tire had come by. That was plenty of time for Betty to tease Irena on one of her guilty pleasures, practical jokes. The last one Irena attempted backfired during a recent search for one of their biggest antagonists.

[Author's Note: Irena's failed prank can be found in the final pages of The Search for Information. ' Mongoose.]

"Now raise up your right hand, and repeat after me," Betty began as Irena grudgingly raised her hand. "I will not play anymore practical jokes on Betty. It is not a good idea."

After she mumbled the pledge (which she did with her left hand behind her back, fingers crossed), Irena started eating her Mongolian Pork, hoping the matter will end right there. But alas, it was not to be.

"So tell me what happened," Betty said, digging into her General Tso's chicken with chopsticks (something she mastered recently) while carrying a smile on her face. "The last I saw of you, when you could still talk to me without feeling embarrassed, Mimi and Heather were taking you away, ha-ha."

The look Irena gave Betty indicated that she didn't want to tell anyone, much less Betty about what happened; but she knew she would be hounded if she didn't, so she began.

"When they "took me away,' they told me it would be a good idea to be briefed at a good restaurant in town," she said.

"In your oily and greasy coveralls?" Betty asked.

"No, they let me go into my apartment and shower and dress. They wanted to stop at their place and let me wear one of their clothes, but I insisted."

"So you threw on a T-shirt and jeans at your place, okay."

"No it was not like that. I was originally going to do my laundry after work. The only thing I had clean was the outfit I was going to wear when I saw William later that night ' my black sleeveless blouse with silver studs, and my blue jean skirt with faded stripes."

"Isn't that one of Billy's favorite outfits? I think he said to me once just how much he liked it."

"Well Mimi liked it too. She had her eyes on me all evening. After I dressed up, we went to this steakhouse. They had pretty good food."

"Then what happened?" Betty said, hanging on Irena's every word.

"I got them appropriately briefed," Irena replied. "We actually had a pleasant time."

"Uh-huh." Betty leaned back in her chair as she stabbed a piece of chicken with a chopstick. "Then what happened?"

"What do you mean, "then what happened?' That was it," Irena said.

"Not from what I heard," Betty sang out smugly. "Do go on."

Irena began to understand what a mouse felt like when a cat toyed around with it. Or was that a fly caught in a spider web? Either way, it wasn't very comfortable. She took a deep breath and continued.

"After we ate, Heather suggested that we should celebrate our new "partnership,' and suggested that we go out dancing. Next thing I know, we were in the car driving off."

"Dancing? I didn't know you danced, Irena."

"I don't. Anyway, we went to this, this place. It was like nothing I've ever seen."

"What was the name of the place?"

"It was called The Alternative."

"The alternative to what?"

"No, that's the name, The Alternative. We went in, and the place was a little busy. You could look in the darker corners, as if the place wasn't dark enough already, and you could see people making out. We passed by one couple who was really going at it."

"So you walked by one couple who were kissing and had their hands all over each other. What's the big deal about that, it's not like you never seen it before. You could go to the park after dark and see that."

"These were women," Irena said quietly.

"Oh . . ." Betty's eyes grew big as her facial expression drew blank.

"There were some minority couples there too."

"'Minority couples?'"

"That's what Heather and Mimi called the boy-girl couples that were there, the uh-"

"I believe the word you're looking for is "straight.'"

"Comrade, there was nothing "straight' about this place. Even the pictures on the wall weren't straight. They tried to buy me a drink, and I finally let them buy me a cola. As soon as our drinks arrived, some song started playing, and I was dragged out to the dance floor."

"By who?"

"By both of them. I tried to explain to them that I couldn't dance, but they said it would be okay. Then they danced real close to me."

"How close?"

"I could pick their nose, it was that close. I felt like the meat in a sandwich. Finally, the song was over, and we walked back to our table. We all sat down, both ladies again sitting real close to me."

"So you can't dance, eh?" Betty asked.

"No. Show me a complicated body throw or how to adjust the latest engine underneath the hood, I have no problem. Show me a dance move, and I can't do it."

"I'm sorry, I got you off the subject, please go on."

"Yes, I bet you're sorry," Irena said under her breath in Russian.

"What's that?"

"We sat down at the table; I was embarrassed and thirsty, they were uh, excited. Heather then let out a whoop."

"A whoop?"

"Yes, a whoop, like you do at ballgames, or in your case, NASCAR. Anyway, she did that, and said something that almost made me wish I was wearing shoes."

"Now that's bad. What did she say?"

"Being barefoot makes me feel so sensual."

"Oh, well that's interesting. I've been barefoot for years, and, uh, well, never mind. So what about it?"

"That's when someone ran their foot up my leg."

"What?"

"I'm pretty sure it was Mimi, but someone took their foot, toes and all, and ran them up my leg, from the instep of my left foot on up to my knee. It I wasn't sitting down, it would've gone further."

Betty at this time was literally on the edge of her seat. "Oh man! What did you do?"

"I shot straight up out of my seat and told them my cell phone went off. I excused myself and walked quickly to the restroom. I went to a stall, made sure everyone was gone, called William and ask him to come by and get me."

"The way I heard it, I believe you threatened for Billy to come get you, or you would knock out all his teeth," Betty said, grinning.

Irena looked at her defensively. "I apologized to him when I got in the car. It's just that he didn't know where the place was, and it was a part of town that I was never familiar with, so the pressure got to me a little."

Betty folded her hands together. "I see. So what did you tell them when you got back to the table?"

"That there was a small emergency, and William needed to pick me up immediately, and he was on the way."

"What did they say?"

"They said they hope everything comes out okay, and, and we'll do this again real soon." Irena stifled a shiver.

"Irena, you look spooked."

"It was the way Heather touched my shoulder, and Mimi looked at me before I left. It gave me the creeps. William arrived, and I told him to step on it. I think we might have burned rubber getting out of there."

"Did you explain to my brother about the whole thing yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Well, at least it's over with."

"They keep calling my house."

"Really?"

"Betty, you remember when I helped you out with that oversexed gym teacher not too long ago, right?"

[Author's Note: The battle with the oversexed gym teacher can be found in Irena's Story, also in my library. You may want to read the teacher's brief intro in the story before that, The Gang's All Here ' Mongoose.]

"Right."

"You need to help me get rid of these two women. Sometimes they drive by my house at night, seeing if I'm up."

"They really think you're a hot mama."

"That's not funny."

"Well there's two ways of taking care of this situation. The obvious one would be to find Sheila, the woman who has been giving us grief by sending all these fighters after us. The second one is even more obvious now that I think about it; I'm just surprised that it hasn't been utilized yet."

"What's that?"

"Well the old Irena I knew wouldn't stand up for such stuff in the first place. She would've given them both a whack across the head for even trying such stuff with you. But that doesn't seem to be the case."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that your romantic affair with my brother has left you whipped."

"Whipped?"

"Yeah, whipped, tamed, docile. Instead of the little ball of fire I knew when she first started working here, and who helped me out when Sheila sent that gang to beat us up some time ago, it's "yes William,' "okay William,' "right away, William,' "you're so cute, William." Betty started making kissing noises with her mouth, then almost fell out of her chair, laughing.

Irena stood up from her seat. "I am not "whipped!' I'm still the same woman I always was!"

"Maybe now, when it's the two of us, but not around him," Betty laughed.

"Just you wait when you find somebody, whenever that is, comrade; then we'll see who is "whipped!'"

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Irena said before Betty could say anything. She opened the door, and Kim Chang walked in.

Kim, LS's cousin, stood the same height as Irena (5'5"), and along with running an accounting firm in town, she was also Betty's Tae Kwon Do instructor. She was wearing a blue business suit and skirt, and no shoes, like her cousin. Unlike her cousin, her body was more slender, similar to Betty's, the result of practicing the family discipline since she was a child. She also had shoulder length black hair that was dyed a dirty blonde color.

"Hello everyone, I'm hope I'm not interrupting anything," Kim said.

"Just a murder in progress," Irena said, looking at Betty, who was still smiling.

"How much have you heard?" Betty asked.

"Just about somebody's old days and about someone being whipped. I'm told it happens to the best of us. I'm just glad it's not my time yet," Kim said.

"I am not whipped!" Irena exclaimed.

"Well you may get a chance to prove it. My cousin, LS is coming to town, and she needs your help Betty, and anyone else who's available. Look, I gathered up the gang to meet at the restaurant tonight. LS and her boyfriend should be in town by then, and she'll explain the whole deal to you."

"Her boyfriend? Is this the one she has been close friends with almost forever?" Betty asked.

"That's the one. She's looking forward to meeting you."

"Same here."

"I just thought of something. She's been close to Lewis for a long time, and now they're dating. And amazing enough, she's not whipped yet. Huh. Well, I hope to see you tonight, Betty, Irena. You too, Loretta."

"I'll be there," a voice sounded from the back.

Irena's face turned paler than usual. In their discourse, she forgot that Loretta DeGarmo was in the back building an addition to the garage's office. Loretta was a large Hispanic woman who stood about 6'3", and had shoulder length wavy light brown hair, and almond colored eyes. One of the jobs she had was as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor who ran a "boot camp" for those who either wanted to hone their martial art for competition or wanted more out of their martial art instruction than what was offered at the standard dojo. Her other job was as a carpenter who ran her own small company, specializing in handyman jobs and general construction. As gifted as Betty and Irena was with automobiles, Loretta was equally gifted with carpentry. Her large log house and training hall that she built from scratch was a testimony to that. Her own frame was very muscular, the result of her two careers, and some power lifting she does in her spare time, whenever she has some. She was clad in white carpenter's overalls, a red T-shirt, and a white painter's cap. She wore no shoes.

She had always coveted Betty's classic vintage 1963 candy-apple red, Ford Thunderbird, back when the car was originally a two-seater that she rebuilt from a ragged frame found in a junkyard. After some haggling, the two arrived at a deal. As soon as Loretta could find a Thunderbird carcass, Betty will rebuild it into a car for her. In return, Loretta offered to work on expanding Betty's office, making it bigger, and adding a few amenities, such as a few additional restrooms for customers and herself. Betty asked if she could throw in a shower stall for those days she was too dirty to go in the front door of her parent's house, which was next door.

"You heard the whole thing, didn't you?" Irena asked.

"How could I not hear it? I was putting shelves up in the back," Loretta said. "But don't worry, I won't tell anybody, and for what it's worth, Irena, I don't think you're "whipped.' You can't beat up everybody who sees you a little differently."

Now it was Betty's turn to be a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Irena, I forgot Loretta was there. Besides, you know I won't tell anybody," she said.

Irena shook a finger at Betty. "Oh you'll be sorry. I have been called a number of things, but "whipped' was never one of them. I'll show you I'm still me."

Betty rose up her hands. "Hey, you don't need to prove it on my account. You don't need to beat my brother up to show me anything. I was just saying you're a little mellower since you started seeing my brother, that's all."

"You know, this all came from that trip we took to those two joints to find Sheila, so I don't blame you, I'm better than that. And maybe I'll find that adventure I was taken on as funny ' someday. But so help me, if I see that "steroid head' cross my path, there won't be enough left for you to deal with. Now if you two will excuse me, there's a customer who needs our assistance," Irena said as she turned and left out the office door.

"Wow, I didn't think anything could get her that upset," Loretta said to Betty.

"She took her practical joke backfiring okay; well as okay as you can with two people after you who's doors swing the wrong way," Betty said, "But when I said she was whipped, for a second, I thought she was going to leap over the desk and come after me."

"Let her work on a few cars, and she'll be as good as new. She'll probably be back to her bubbly self later tonight. I just wouldn't say anything to her about Sheila, those two women, and especially not that one word."

"How would you handle her situation?"

"Knowing myself, I would've told them once, then wrung both their necks the moment one of them touched me the wrong way. But then again, I'm not "whipped.'"

After they laughed (lightly, so Irena wouldn't think it was at her), Betty said, "So let me see what you've done so far. I can't wait to have an office where I won't have to wait on a customer to use the restroom."

 

The three women surprisingly were the first to show up at the restaurant. Usually Betty and Irena have to do some last minute service with a customer who decides to pull in the last twenty minutes before closing; however, business slowed down after lunchtime, a rarity. The two busy mechanics learned to treasure days like that. Since Loretta's chores were at the garage that day, it was no problem for her to close shop when the other two did. Neither she nor Betty was too grubby for Betty's mother to freak out when they came in the house to shower and change. As for Irena, after working on a few cars, and a trip home to her apartment to shower and change clothes, she was good as new like Loretta predicted. In fact, she was conceiving the next practical joke to spring on her employer, making sure it didn't backfire and blow up in her face like this last one.

In any case, the big thing on their mind other than wanting to meet their new guest was hunger. They wanted everyone to hurry up and get there so they could make an order.

"Okay, I'm ready to eat now," Loretta said. "I've been hammering and sawing and measuring all day. That tends to make a big woman hungry."

"Usually we're the late ones," Betty said. "This time we didn't have a crisis from somebody who forgot to get their oil changed."

"Well, there was, but I scared them away," Irena said. When both women looked at her, she said, "No I didn't, it was somebody who had a rattle somewhere in the car. I just promised them their car would still be intact when she brings it in tomorrow. Gotcha!"

"Thank you; I didn't feel like spending the last fifteen minutes tearing a car apart to find out that the cause of the noise was something left in the trunk. Did I tell you that same thing happened to us once, and we found out the cause of the noise was a baby rattle rolling in the trunk? Boy, I wanted to whack them across the head so bad . . ."

"Ladies!"

"Well if it isn't the bride to be, and future kickboxing champion," Loretta said.

"Just call me Susan, Loretta. The crown isn't mine yet, although the wedding is a certainty. If not, my mother will kill me," Susan Davidson said, as she pulled up a chair, and joined the trio. "David will be here shortly, he's parking the car."

Susan Davidson strode in, dressed in a white tank top and a blue tennis skirt, shaking out her long blond hair as she gave each of the three women a hug. For the occasion, she did something a little different; she painted the toenails of her bare feet with a shiny clear gloss. She displayed her handiwork to her audience, who smiled with their approval.

Susan was an amateur kick boxer who would be competing for the Tri-State championship crown in about a month. She stood six feet tall, with a slim, muscular build from weight training. Although she graduated from college with a bachelor degree in education, after much discussion and encouragement from her friends and fianc#e, she decided to pursue a second career in the sport professionally. Brushing her long hair back again, she looked at the three and smiled once again.

"It's great to see you guys again," she said. "I've been training so hard the last couple of months, outside of David, I've hardly seen anyone I've known. Come to think of it, I haven't seen David that much either."

"Yeah, you've changed so much, wearing toenail polish now," Betty said. "Next, you'll be doing other strange things, like wearing socks and shoes."

Susan pretended to be taken aback. "Why Betty, you know me better than that; like you, I'm barefoot forever, remember? Well, except for a few special occasions, like weddings, and funerals. Speaking of changes, I still think you should give that ponytail a rest and go with a shorter cut. I bet with the right cut, you could look like a well cut Halle Berry."

"Halle Berry? Where?" A tall, handsome black man said as he greeted the women. He was David Reynolds, Susan's fianc#. He stood the same height as Susan, but had more of a runner's build; basically because he jogs a few miles every morning before he goes to work, or in his case, looking for work. During Susan's training, he's spent the time looking for a suitable place to start his new career as an accountant. He had a few prospects, but none that provided a suitable "fit." He wanted to find someplace that wouldn't be a hindrance to Susan's championship hopes, and to provide for their new life as a family.

"She was here, but I scared her off, especially when she had plans to take my man," Susan said as she grabbed David's arm, and pulled him to his seat beside her.

"Boy, you can feel the love in this room," Betty said, looking at the loving couple.

"Seriously, Betty, I think you should try it, at least for a while. What would it hurt?"

"I like my ponytail, I've grown "attached' to it, excuse the pun. We've been through a lot. I can't just cut it off like that."

"Then cut it off and keep it for a souvenir. Betty, you can always grow another one. What do you think, ladies?"

"I think you should try it, Betty," Loretta said. "Nothing would be wrong with trying it once."

"I would offer my opinion, but since I work with the woman, I'll keep my thoughts about her having a better look to myself," Irena said with a smile, gaining a funny look from Betty. That made Irena smile even wider.

"If I may offer something from the lone male contingent at this table, I say that the right haircut could make you look like Halle Berry. The men would find you irresistible ' ow!" David said, just before Susan elbowed him.

"It has been a while since you two seen each other, hasn't it?" Loretta asked.

"A little while," David said. "By the way, Irena, where's Billy? Is he coming, or do I have all of you ladies for myself ' ow!"

"William will be here shortly, he had a few errands. Benjamin will be here too. In the meantime, I would suggest you two should change places so Susan can bruise your ribs on the other side. That way, you'll have a matched set," Irena said.

After everyone laughed, Betty said, "Tell you what, I'll think about it. If a few more people suggest it, maybe I'll even do it. But don't count on anything."

Next, came in a woman who stood 5'9", with chocolate brown skin, a muscular build, and short black haircut close to the scalp. She wore a lime green T-shirt dress with ankle bracelets and toe rings on her feet, what she normally called her "slave girl" look. Velvet Jones was her name, and when she was not taking classes at the local university, she was an assistant instructor at The Iron Foot, a judo dojo in town. She said hello to the ladies and David, and then gave Betty a thoughtful look before sitting down.

"What?" Betty said.

"Nothing, I was just looking at your hair, that's all. I think if you went ahead and cut it-" Velvet began.

"I don't want to hear it!"

"But you asked."

"Betty, are you usually that resistant to change?" Susan asked.

"No, I'm not resistant to change. I just like my ponytail, that's all," Betty said, defensively.

"Really, Betty, you'll look good with a good cut. You look good now, but just think, you may look even better with the right cut. I have a hairdresser friend who-" Velvet continued.

"You ladies planned this, haven't you? This is a sneak attack, that's what it is," Betty replied. "Between work and work, and uh,"

"Fighting," Irena interjected.

"Uh, yeah, fighting, where would I have time to get a haircut? And once I got one, where would I go? Outside of church on Sundays, and tae kwon do and krav maga practice, the main bulk of my time is at the shop. So tell me, what should I do?"

"Vacation?" Irena suggested weakly.

Betty turned to Irena. "With our workload lately? That would be a lot to put on you, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, but it's nothing I haven't encountered before. And even your long hair won't take much longer than an hour to take care of."

Susan raised her hand. "I admit I planned the "sneak attack' you talked about; that is with Velvet and I. We're not doing this to be mean."

Betty let out a breath. "Yes, I know, I know. I just have some other things on my mind, I guess."

"Sheila is still sending fighters after you two?" Velvet asked.

"Every other day it seems. What's worse is I can't find where she is. I don't suppose any of you have any connections with thugs or the wrong side of town, do you?"

"The last thug I dealt with I put to sleep," Loretta said.

"I remember, I think you put her out faster than Janelle or I did," Velvet said. "I improved my chokes since that time."

"Who have you been practicing chokes on? Not your students," Susan replied.

"No, I've been practicing on the last thug you dealt with."

"Ah yes, your maid. How's he working out, anyway?"

"Very well, he cleans real good," Velvet laughed.

[Author's Note: For any hint of what Loretta and Velvet are talking about, you'll need to read Agony in the Mud. For what Susan and Velvet were talking about, you'll need to go waaay back in my bookshelf for Velvet's New Maid and my first two stories in the series, Susan's Bad Day, parts I and II. ' Mongoose.]

"Maybe I'll drop by and say "hi.'"

"Don't do that, you'll give the boy cardiac arrest. If I even breathe your name, he looks for a reason to leave."

"I could drop by and say hello," David said. "I promise not to hit him too hard."

"You two are awful," Velvet said.

"And this comes from the slave-owner," Susan said.

"Velvet, you haven't been talking about my teaching of the new students today, have you?" came a voice from the doorway. It belonged to Janelle Edwards, the chief instructor and owner of The Iron Foot. Janelle stood about 5'11", with long black hair to the bottom of her ear lobes (she had a haircut recently, but she decided to only have a little taken off). Her frame was a body that definitely displayed the effects of regular weight training, especially the arms. She wore a simple black (her favorite color) dress with black fishnet leggings, and a silver ankle bracelet. Whereas the other women were regular barefooters, Janelle fit in the extreme barefooters category. To her, the very word shoe was a four-letter word. To even suggest that she should wear them was an insult. Aside from that, she had a very bubbly personality like Irena. Her judo teaching however, is anything but bubbly. She was an excellent instructor, but the word "slave driver" would come to mind, along with other not so nice terms to describe her methods.

Her fianc# stood an inch shorter than she did, and had a slim build and short hair in a wavy hairstyle. His wire frame glasses actually accentuated the black man's looks to a more studious appearance (actually he preferred wearing his contacts, but he ran out of solution that morning). He was Benjamin Parker, a recent graduate of college with a Mathematics degree, and with a few incoming job prospects. In the meantime, he was teaching a few algebra classes at a community college on the other side of town.

The couple said the usual hellos, and went to sit down. Janelle looked at Betty, smiling, and said, "Snip, snip."

"Hey!" Betty said.

"What, I didn't say anything. Ben, did I say anything other than "hello?'" Janelle said.

"No dear, you didn't say a thing, other than "hello,' that is," Benjamin said in a monotone.

"Seriously Betty, if you want to keep your ponytail, that's fine with me. I know what it's like for your friends to try to get you to change some things about yourself," Janelle said, turning and looking at Velvet and Susan.

"What?" Both women said in unison.

"You know what," Janelle said with a sly grin. "And don't try to deny it."

Susan, Velvet, and a few of Janelle's friends have tried to find a way to prevent the judoka from wearing black all the time. After a couple of strange looks from them whenever she wore that color (eighty-five percent of the time), along with some "suggestions," she discovered what was going on.

"So tell me, Velvet, Susan, what is it about Janelle that seems to be in need of improvement?" Betty asked, feeling a sense of payback.

Susan and Velvet looked at each other, then at the smirking faces of Janelle and Betty while they inwardly struggled to give an answer.

"Hi gang, sorry I'm late," was the unexpected response, but not from the two women. It came from William Conrad, Betty's brother and Irena's boyfriend. He roughly looked just like his sister except he was a guy. He stood the same height as Betty, and he had his hair in a short wave like Benjamin. Unlike, but similar to Betty, his career was mechanical, as in mechanical engineering. When both of them were born, the parents like normal parents wanted their children to follow them career-wise; William to follow his father as an auto mechanic, and Betty to follow her mother as a mechanical engineer. But as fate would have it, that was the case, only the roles were reversed. William started showing an interest in designing engines and wondering how to make a better one while Betty started asking her father what made this car run like a kitten while the other ran rough. As soon as she touched a wrench, Betty was hooked. William was working at the company where his mother worked.

"Did I miss anything?" He asked.

"Not a thing," Velvet said. "You came just in time."

"So we're all here, where's the guests of honor?" Loretta asked. "This woman is hungry."

"Maybe they're making a grand entrance. We've all been waiting to meet her. Outside of Kim and Jasmine, only Susan has talked to her, and that was by phone," Betty said.

"Well I thought I saw a car with four people getting out, three women, one tall guy," William said. "I think those were our guests of honor."

"You sure?" Betty asked.

"Sure sis, I know what your sensei looks like, she's wearing a blue business suit, no shoes, and the other woman wearing shoes must be her sister, and the woman in a blue kimono must be their cousin. Oh, and the tall black dude must be her man."

"Well, I think William nailed it right on the head," Irena said, squeezing his arm.

"Okay, I admit that was a dumb question," Betty said.

"And I'd say they should be here in the next twenty seconds," Billy said, feeling confident.

"You're really asking for that whack alongside the head, aren't you?"

"Nope, because here they are."

Kim walked in; still dressed in her business suit she wore to work, while the guest of honor walked in beside her in her blue kimono with red and purple flowers. Lewis followed close behind dressed in jeans, a red polo shirt, and running shoes, and bringing up the rear was Jasmine, Kim's sister, dressed in a white polo shirt, a blue tennis skirt, white bobby socks, and white running shoes. A person would be liable to think she either just came off the tennis courts, or if she was younger, from a parochial school.

Jasmine was 5'6", and had a build similar to her sister with short black hair down as far as her earlobes. She still attended classes at the local university, but was planning to graduate that semester. Janelle and Betty sometimes called her the "token tenderfoot," because unlike the other women, she always wore shoes. Back in her hometown, she earned the unusual name of "Xerox," because of her excellent physical memory to duplicate almost every move, especially when it came to fighting. Actually, that was one of her nicknames. Another one was "The Magician," because she always seemed to pull a new move or fighting technique "out of a hat." Because of this, almost all the thugs on the street were afraid of her. She also had a talent to make anything that was at hand into a weapon. Armed opponents felt ashamed to tell their colleagues who they with a switchblade for example, were defeated by a woman armed with a sharpened pencil, a protractor, ruler, or to make things even more embarrassing, a paper clip.

 

When she was younger, Jasmine's gifts never went unnoticed. While Kim took up Tae Kwon Do like her family had, and LS went in search of a martial art until she found judo suitable to her tastes, martial arts instructors looked for her. In an unusual practice done by sensei, karate, kung fu, judo, and instructors of other disciplines, they appeared at her door to encourage her to practice their art. As a surprise to everyone, Jasmine said no. Instead, she sought out something totally different. One day, she went to seek out the only martial art instructor in the neighborhood who didn't seek her out. Kim and LS tagged along, wondering at first what moron didn't want to have a gifted student like Jasmine in their dojo.

The sensei was an instructor in the martial arts of aikido and Tai chi. He had just finished teaching one of his classes when the three girls came in. After everyone introduced themselves, the sensei sparkled with recognition when Jasmine spoke her name.

"Ah, "the chosen one,'" he joked.

"Why did you not seek her like everyone else?" Kim asked him with suspicion.

"A person, like a river, must seek their own path," he said. "Now Jasmine, I have a question for you; why have you sought me?"

"Because I've heard of your reputation as a good and patient teacher. The second reason was because unlike the other instructors, you didn't seek me to boost up your own ego or school recognition, and the third reason was because Tai Chi and Aikido take much longer to master than the others. If I took the other disciplines, I would master them in no time, and then what would be the point?" Jasmine said.

LS, like her cousin, was also skeptical. "I do not understand the effectiveness of these two arts. All I know about aikido is everyone wears these silly skirts, and all I have seen with tai chi is all this slow stuff I see in the park," she said. Kim giggled.

The sensei smiled, not feeling offended. "At first, both these disciplines seem a little unusual. Your judo and tae kwon do are more of a "hard' discipline, more aggressive. Aikido is a "soft' discipline, more of a passive art. Tai Chi, which has been around for centuries, is also soft. However, that doesn't mean it's not effective. Come with me."

The three pre-teenagers followed the sensei to a sink, where he turned on the faucet. He placed his hands under the cool water.

"Now both these disciplines are like water. Water can be soft, harmless, even refreshing as it moves through my fingers. However, water can also be hard, dangerous, and deadly. The same water that flows through my fingers can engulf my head and drown me. Water can become a flood and wipe out a whole town. It can even become hard if need be and strike a heavy blow, before it becomes soft again. You can wade or swim in the water, but you can't fight it because it's formless and enclosing.

"Tai chi and aikido are disciplines that are like water. They're soft and unassuming, but they can be very destructive in their own right."

LS and Kim were still skeptical. Jasmine on the other hand was sold.

"How soon can I begin?" She asked.

Later, Jasmine's sister and cousin were still questioning the purpose of what she being trained in when one day, a gang of three men and two women from a nearby neighborhood came by, and challenged the three teens, who were self-proclaimed "guardians of the neighborhood," to take them on. The leader came forward, threatening to beat them so bad their mothers wouldn't know them and cockily pushed Jasmine to show he wasn't afraid. Only Jasmine wouldn't move, so he tried again. Jasmine learned in both arts how to be rooted, and it was becoming a source of embarrassing frustration as the gang leader found he couldn't move her. Finally, out of frustration, he threw a punch. Jasmine then spun out of the way, grasped his wrist, and twisted it ever so slightly, bending his arm back. As a result, the man fell, landing flat on his back.

While holding on to the first attacker's wrist, Jasmine grasped the wrist of the next attacker, and with a twist, flipped him on top of the first man. The third attacker, a larger man than the other two, demonstrated his lack of brightness as he pushed Jasmine, who again didn't budge. Instead, Jasmine took both hands and pushed him, and he went flying into a pile of trashcans with a loud clatter.

One of the women attempted to grab Jasmine's hair, but as soon as she grasped her follicles, Jasmine bent her head forward and turned. Shortly the woman was screaming as her wrist was twisted where it wasn't supposed to go. Using the woman's wrist, Jasmine forced her to the ground, and then let go as the other woman tripped over her colleague, sending her sprawling into the third man who just got up from the trashcans. They both went down in a clatter.

For the next minute or two, Jasmine occupied herself with throwing, flipping, pushing, tripping, and a variety of other attacks with the gang members. Finally, the second man rose up his hands and said that she won; they surrender, and started to make his way home.

"It's not over "til I say it's over!" The leader said.

"Shut up! If you want to spend your time getting thrown in the trash, go ahead. Me, I'm going home. The rest of you with me?" The second man replied.

Everyone, except for the leader, got up and painfully followed after the second man. The leader looked at Jasmine like he wanted to attack, then paused and thought better of it. He finally turned and followed the others.

LS walked over to Jasmine watching the five shuffle off. "So that is what you have been learning, all these throws and holds?" She asked.

"I just as easily could've dislocated limbs and broke bones with those same moves, but I just wanted to toss them around a bit. There's a few strikes too that I've learned, but I wasn't ready to try them yet," Jasmine said.

Kim walked alongside her sister and said, "Sister, next time, leave some for us, would you?"

 

Introductions were made all around. Lewis asked for Susan's autograph, but got an elbow in the ribs from LS, reminding him that he already had an autographed picture of the kick boxer. Jasmine, Loretta, Velvet, and Irena, being of similar mindset, since the four practice disciplines of either judo or something related, bombarded LS with questions about her exploits. The men, left to fend for themselves, got acquainted with Lewis. Billy mistakenly thinking Lewis was more along the line of a greasy spoon restaurant owner asked him what his specialties were. After he found out the finer fare that Lewis fixed, and finding out a rough idea of what he grossed a year, Billy mentally corrected himself.

Betty and Susan looked at Kim and Jasmine and smiled. From the reaction of the others, it almost seemed like they had a celebrity in their midst.

"So what did LS need my help about?" Betty asked.

"After much discussion, we decided that now would not be the appropriate time. LS and Lewis wanted to spend some time getting to know all of you before she asked," Kim said.

Betty looked at the five female grapplers gabbing and laughed. "And when will that be?"

As if on cue, Velvet said, "Party at my house!"

"I think that answers your question," Jasmine said.

"I'll fix the hors d'oeuvres," Lewis said.

"Oh, you don't need to do that, hon, I can get it catered." LS placed a hand on Velvet's arm.

"You might as well give up," she said. "You will have an easier time holding back the tide of the sea than you would keeping Lewis from the kitchen, trust me."

Velvet raised up her hands. "Okay, just tell me what you'll need and I'll get it."

"I'll handle it," Lewis said.

"Okay, I'll just have the rest of the place cleaned up. Is tomorrow evening fine with everybody?"

After everyone agreed, the usually patient waitress who usually waited on them cleared her throat. Suddenly, they realized they were in a restaurant and started making their orders. Loretta had another question for LS, but she stopped her.

"All of you heard about most of my exploits, but I want to hear what has been going on with my cousin's prize pupil," she said.

"Not much, just fixing cars and whacking heads," Betty said.

 

Back in Central Indiana, Michael Johnson came home to his small mansion in one of the more prosperous areas of the city. He glanced at his watch and clucked to himself. After his meeting with LS, he spent the rest of the workday and some of that evening making calls. It seemed to take forever waiting for some of these calls to be returned. At least he can relax knowing that part of the transaction was finished. He already had dinner delivered to his office, so all he had to do was unwind for the evening.

He pulled off his suit coat as he entered the house and walked into the darkened living room. Dark, except for two lit candles and the glow of the large screen television set against the wall. On the sofa in the middle of the room, a muscularly built woman, 5'8" with short blond hair reclined, eyes half-opened, watching an action show on the screen. Since for many of the major and cable networks, new episodes of shows were over and reruns have begun, the woman barely gave the repeat program any significance. The eyes sprang to life however as they noticed the man standing at the corner of the room. She was dressed in a pink negligee and sheer white pantyhose.

"Hello baby," she said, stretching and yawning.

"Hello Stacy," Johnson said. "How was your day?"

"Just fine; just working out, training, and waiting for you."

Johnson walked over and sat on the sofa. "Sounds like a nice day to me."

"Oh, I did do a little shopping. I brought a few nighties like what you see here, and a few pairs of pantyhose. These are the most amazing things. They fit like a second skin, and they are super reinforced at the foot. You put a pair of these on, you forget to wear shoes. And they feel so good! Here, see for yourself," Stacy said, placing her stocking-clad leg in Johnson's lap.

"Hmm, you're right, they do feel good," the councilman replied, rubbing her leg. "Where did you get these?"

"That's the funny thing; I had to get them through a source who's a member of this women's organization, the Daughters of ' somebody. Anyway, the way these babies fit, I can see why they don't wear any shoes with them."

Johnson stopped rubbing her leg. "If you want to strut around town wearing these without shoes, that's fine with me. Just don't do it in City Hall."

"Uh-huh. I take it your meeting with our little antagonist didn't go well?"

"Oh, it went as well as expected. I didn't expect LS to take the news well."

"What did she do, threaten to beat you within an inch of your life?" Stacy asked.

"No, she went a step beyond that. That fool boy I sent this morning went to her boyfriend's apartment instead of going to hers like I told him to. He limped back, saying she almost broke him in two. I almost wish she did. Imprisoning her on a case of manslaughter would've gotten her out of my way."

Stacy touched his shoulder. "Let me get her. I still owe her a rematch from our last meeting," she said.

Stacy, or "Storm," the name she normally used, was a kick boxer who was personally endorsed by the councilman. The "endorsement" was not made public, but then again, neither was the intimate relationship the two shared. Using his pull and influence, Johnson was able to arrange for Stacy to fight Susan Davidson in order to gain a fast track to the Tri-State Championship. That proved to be a big mistake in that she was not yet skilled at Susan's level, and her former trainer and manager gave her steroids. In a fight that went longer than it should have, Susan knocked her out in the fifth round. Stacy/Storm accused Susan of taking drugs after the fight. Susan with nothing to hide willingly took the test. Storm's accusation backfired when she realized she was going to be tested too. As a result of testing positive, Storm was suspended from the association.

While she was in suspension, Johnson had Storm gather up a few of her fighter friends, call themselves a gang, and watch LS's movements. LS found out, however, and it led to a showdown between the two fighters at LS's dojo. The match-up was short-lived as LS "put on a clinic" of her skills, and delivered a painful lesson to Storm. LS warned her to never get in her way again, and to turn her gang members over to her the next day.

[Author's Note: The main details, including the fight, can be found in The Thrill of the Hunt ' Mongoose.]

Storm returned to Johnson's house, and disbanded her gang, sending them into hiding, so LS or any of her "gang" could not find them. Using his pull again, Johnson got Storm reinstated, and fired her old trainer and manager, and replaced them with new and better ones who believed in winning fights the old fashioned way.

Johnson froze and gave her an incredulous look. "Are you kidding? She'll kill you!" He said.

Storm was shocked. "You don't think I can fight her? I've gotten much better since last time, and that sawed off runt won't catch me off guard this time."

"If I remember you telling me correctly, she didn't catch you off guard last time, except for that vicious side kick to the chest that bruised you for awhile."

Storm absentmindedly ran her hand over the spot where LS kicked her. "Lucky shot."

"Baby, you're good, but LS has been doing this type of stuff for years. I don't want you facing her alone unless you have your gang to back you up. You also don't know how serious she was to carrying out her threat this afternoon. I certainly don't want you to run across her path."

"Are you afraid of her?" Storm asked in a hushed tone.

"No. Storm, when you've been around as long as I have, you learn that there are different levels on which to engage your opponent," Johnson explained. "For me to engage LS in physical combat would not only be foolish, but suicidal. If she wanted to take me on in a political battle, I'd eat her alive. The way to defeat her in this case would be to eventually wear her down, to weaken her enough to make my move. That's where all these skilled fighters I hired come in. She might be good enough to take on a few, but not all of them. And not all her students are as good as her. She'll be overwhelmed."

"How soon will these happen?"

"Some are already here watching the dojo; others are on their way, and I found out a few have an old score to settle with LS. They almost decided to do it for free."

"So where is she, what's she doing now?"

"I don't know, my sources told me they packed and left town."

"So she's gone! That's great, isn't it?"

"It'll take more than one threat to scare her off. My guess is she took her boyfriend someplace safe. She'll be back in a day or two to take me on. Tell you what, baby, after I have my guys get through with her, you and your ladies can play with what's left. Sounds good?"

Storm got up and took his hand.

"Sounds good. By the way, how about taking me on? I've been waiting all day."

"Well by all means, let's not waste any time," Johnson said, taking off his tie as they headed to the bedroom.

 

The alarm on Lewis' digital sports watch beeped loudly. Lewis turned it off, and then stretched in his bed. He almost tumbled to the floor when he quickly remembered he wasn't in his bed at all, but on the sofa at Kim and Jasmine's apartment. He dimly recalled the four of them arriving home from a few hours of getting acquainted at the restaurant, and Kim offering him the guest room to sleep in. However, Lewis, always the gentleman, said LS could have the guest room, while he elected to sleep on the couch. Jasmine told him it was a good place to sleep, because she had napped there many times. She was not wrong, Lewis thought. He barely remembered staggering to the living room, collapsing on the sofa, and pulling the sheets over his head.

The first person he saw was LS bounding into the room wearing a red T-shirt and blue gym shorts. She ran across the room and jumped on the sofa, landing face to face with her boyfriend.

"Good morning beloved," she chirped.

Lewis could tell from the light aroma of strawberries that she already worked out, showered and changed. He covered his mouth and tried to turn over.

"Hey Love, I just woke up. My breath-"

LS took her hands and pulled him back. "That's all right. I like your face being the first thing I see in the morning," she said huskily, kissing him on the cheek.

"A-hem!"

The couple turned to see Kim and Jasmine standing in front of the kitchen.

"If you two are finished, your breakfast is ready," Kim said. "Come on, LS, get up, you're smothering the man."

LS looked at Kim with a smirk. "Are you going to treat us to a show afterwards?" She asked.

"What are you talking about ' oh." Kim's cheeks started turning a rosy color. She wore a large black and white striped apron over her front, and not much else underneath other than her underwear, consisting of her bra and panties. Suddenly realizing that her cooking apparel was all that stood between her and an unintended burlesque show, she started backing up. "I'll go and prepare the food," she said, almost backing into the doorframe on her way out.

"You must understand, we generally don't get that many guests," Jasmine explained, stifling a giggle. "For the record, she was wearing a new nightshirt, but she didn't want to get anything on it, so she took it off."

LS next set her gaze on Jasmine. "And as for you, I am not sure whether I should bow or address you as "your majesty.'"

Jasmine was wearing white silk pajamas with a mandarin-style collar, and white satin slippers. The sleep outfit gave the appearance that she was a member of a ruling dynasty in one of the oriental countries.

"What's wrong with my royal pajamas?" Jasmine said defensively.

"Royal pajamas?"

"That's what the catalog called them."

"Nothing if you plan on standing on the front terrace and addressing your royal subjects. Tell me, do you have your "royal wave' ready?"

"Royal wave?"

"You know, this?" LS said as she lifted her right hand in the air and moved it back and forth slightly; similar to the way the royal family greets their public in England.

Jasmine opened her mouth for a reply, but could not think of one. Instead, she said, "I will help Kim with breakfast," then shot through the doorway.

"My, aren't we feeling naughty today," Lewis said.

"Actually, I feel great," LS replied. "I embarrassed Kim, and I zinged Jasmine with a line so good, she could not think of a comeback. That's nearly impossible to do one of those things, much less two in the same day. I have dreamed for years of moments like this."

Lewis shook his head. "So other than insulting our hosts, what do you have planned for today?"

"After breakfast, I will be treated to a tour of the city, and then I will visit a particular mechanic at her place of employment, and appeal to her about our situation. And you?"

"Well first, I need you to let me go."

"Never."

"Okay, so how about long enough for breakfast?"

"Oh, all right," LS said as she got off the couch.

After all four sat at the table and said grace, Kim (now wearing her gold nightshirt) said, "I hope my breakfast is to your liking. I'm not a professional, but I think I've done okay."

"I think you've done a great job, Kim," Lewis said after he sampled some of it. "Hey, is there anyplace around here where a man could run?"

"My cousin finally getting to you?" Kim said. "Oh, thank you by the way."

"No, no, I mean someplace I can go for my morning run," Lewis replied, laughing. LS just sat there. Her cousin paid her back; Lewis' question was unintentionally the perfect setup.

"Oh, the jogging thing, I forgot you did that."

"Velvet runs; let me give her a quick ring, and I'll see if I can catch her before she leaves," Jasmine said, grabbing a phone.

"LS, I need to caution you on asking Betty for your help, you'll need to see if it'll be okay with her boyfriend," Kim said.

"She has a boyfriend? I did not see him last night, who is he?" LS asked.

"The auto shop."

"What do you mean?"

"Betty is a businessperson like we are, that's true, but she has a passion for cars deeper than other women have for chocolate."

"That deep, huh?"

"Yeah; she has ran her garage since she graduated high school, when her father had it built as a graduation present. The people in town consider her so gifted; they won't take their cars anywhere else. She could put Mr. Goodwrench# out of business. Boyfriend, hah! She's practically married to the place."

"That does not sound good," LS said, chewing on a piece of bacon. "So my trip here may be for nothing?"

"No, I'm coming with you," Kim said. "Someone's got to keep you out of trouble."

"Lewis, Velvet said she'd be delighted to jog with you. She wanted to go over the dinner menu with you anyway. She'll pick you up after breakfast," Jasmine said.

"Sounds great!" Lewis replied.

"Even if you don't get Betty's help, she's not the only one you can ask for help," Kim said.

"Really?" LS replied.

"Sure! Our little group always comes together when someone's butt needs to be kicked," Kim smiled. "It may be last minute, but ask at the party tonight. I guarantee you'll get a few recruits."

"I'm afraid I will not be one of them," Jasmine said. "I have finals coming up this week, and I need to study."

"We could use you, but I understand completely," LS said. "Kim, how are you able to get away? What about work?"

"LS, I own the place, remember? If I go away on personal business, what can they do, fire me? My secretary will keep them in line; she pretty much runs the place anyway."

LS sighed. "I do not even know how long this will take."

"I'll be with you as long as it takes, you know that."

"I know; I am trying to figure out Johnson's means of attack."

"I believe you're giving the good councilman too much credit," Jasmine said.

"How so?" LS asked.

Jasmine dabbed her lips with a napkin before she continued. "You already figured out his plan of action without knowing it. He doesn't have anything to pin on you, except for your attack on the gangs, and given its success, who's going to fuss with you on that? You're not running against him in public office; you'd be giving him a favor by doing that. No, he's going to attack you the only way he knows how, fighting fire with fire."

"So in other words, he's going to send more thugs after LS?" Lewis said.

"Yes; people in Johnson's position of power may be clever, but their solutions aren't necessarily brilliant. They think that their power alone is enough," Jasmine said.

"The problem with that is thanks to our cousin," Kim replied, lightly slapping LS on the back, "is our old neighborhood has a big shortage of thugs."

"Plus from what I've heard, a few of the connecting neighborhoods are using similar methods, so he would be low on recruits there," LS said.

"So he'll probably import help, and spend a lot of the taxpayer's dollars doing it," Jasmine shrugged. "My big question is what is your plan of action, LS?"

"That's simple, Jasmine," LS said, leaning back in her chair. Before she could begin, a car horn sounded.

"You'll need to fill me in later, I have some running to do," Lewis said as he kissed LS and said bye to the others before running to a nearby room to change into his running clothes.

"My plan is this," LS repeated, "to go back home, neutralize the enemy gangs, wherever they come from, neutralize the councilman, and take care of one last thing."

"What's that?" Kim asked.

LS gave a devilish grin. "Do you know of any good realtors?"

 

At Betty's garage, business was steady during the morning, but like the day before, it slowed down and almost ground to a halt by lunchtime. Betty and Irena sat in the office discussing the events of the night before. Loretta decided to take a break and join them.

"Wow, what a night," Irena said as she opened her container of Chinese food. She glanced at the chopsticks that came with it, pulled them out, tossed them to Betty, then took a plastic fork and dug in.

"I almost felt like I should get her autograph," Betty replied. "My sensei told me so much about her, I almost felt speechless when she sat at our table."

"She carries a strong presence about her," Loretta said, "you know, the sort of vibe that tells you she's a nice person, but not one you should mess with either."

"Her boyfriend isn't half-bad to look at either," Betty laughed.

"Gawk at your own risk, my friend," Irena said. "I'll remember to give my respects every time I pass by your tombstone."

Betty rose up her hands. "Hey, I'm not crazy; Lewis has everything a woman could want from a man. He's handsome, sensitive, considerate-"

"And he knows how to prepare chocolate," Loretta piped in.

That generated a chuckle from the three women.

"Hey, if a man can cook as well as they say Lewis does, I might be willing to forget the other qualities," Betty said.

"Betty, I noticed you played down your adventures whenever LS asked you about them," Loretta said. "What's with that?"

"Besides the fact that everyone heard them all at least twice? They're not anywhere in the same ballpark as her exploits. I mean, I just deal with punks who just want to fight me for some stupid reason. She went out and almost single-handedly cleaned up a neighborhood. I can't compare with that."

"She might want to hear something a little less dramatic than taking on gangs."

"Maybe, but I really don't have any new ones."

"That reminds me; LS never told you what she needed your help for, has she?" Irena said.

"No, I've been wondering about that myself. She sounds like she has everything under control; what would she need my help for?" Betty replied as she took a chopstick and speared a piece of chicken.

Loretta glanced off in the distance. "I guess we'll find out, here she comes," she said.

It took an effort for Betty to keep from choking on the chicken and broccoli she was chewing on. She and Irena rushed around the office making sure everything was straightened up and in order (which they were, but they wanted to make sure). Loretta laughed at them.

"Come on, ladies, the office is nice and straight. Even the magazines are current. Besides, this is a garage, they're supposed to be messy," she said.

A few seconds later, LS came in and said hello. She was wearing a red kimono with yellow butterflies, and no shoes. But then, among this group of women, wearing shoes was the exception instead of the rule. She looked around the office, seemingly impressed.

"I can tell this garage has a woman's touch," she said, "everything, even the outside of the place is clean."

"Over here, we try to keep the grease in its proper place, the garage," Betty said.

Irena looked at the bottom of her foot. "Of course sometimes we take a little of the garage with us," she said.

LS chuckled. "You should see the bottom of my feet after I leave Lewis' kitchen after he has done some major baking. One day he was preparing a desert for a fund raising dinner when he spilled some cocoa and flour. I left some interesting footprints going back to my apartment, one white and one brown."

After they finished laughing, Loretta got up from her seat. "Speaking of footprints, I need to add some sawdust to mine. I'm about ready to finish that stack of shelves to the back wall, and I'm bringing someone in later today to get started on some additional indoor plumbing. A pleasure meeting you again, LS," she said, as she walked back to the work area.

As LS sat down, Betty asked, "My sensei said-"

"Your sensei? Oh, you mean my cousin. I am sorry; it is hard sometimes to think of Kim as a sensei. I usually think of her as ornery, but please go on," LS said.

"Ornery?" Irena said.

"Oh yes. In fact, if you both have some time, I can tell you a few stories. You just need to promise not to tell Kim you know."

"Is that fair?" Betty asked.

"How many stories have you heard about Lewis and I?" LS said with a smirk.

"Okay, never mind. Anyway, your cousin, my sensei said you needed my help."

"Yes I do."

LS relayed what happened the past day, and an educated guess on what the councilman planned to do.

"So you see, I can use a woman of your skills, and a few others," LS continued.

"Uh, about how long would we be gone?" Betty asked.

"My target is a few days, but I will not lie to you that there's a possibility it might take a day longer."

"LS, I would love to help you out, really I would, but leaving the garage for a few days? I don't know if I can do it."

Irena walked over and placed a hand on Betty's shoulder. "LS, hold on for a moment. Betty, when was the last time you had a vacation?"

"A vacation?"

"Yes, a vacation. I mean a real one, where you mess with other things besides cars, outside of Sundays, and national holidays?"

"Well I, uh,"

"That's what I thought. Betty, the garage will be fine for the next few days, and you know I'm more than capable enough to handle the workload. I'll even work over if necessary," Irena said.

"Irena, I know you can, you're good, but what if we get slammed? You don't want a line of cars to deal with."

"Comrade, if the next few days are like what we had yesterday and today, you don't have anything to worry about. And even so, I can handle it."

"That's not all. What if Sheila sends a couple of fighters your way?"

"What if she does? Betty, you know my abilities, you've seen them. At the risk of boasting, the day some catfighter gets the better of me will be the day I need some boy scout to help me cross the street."

"Who is this "Sheila?' Has she been a source of problems for you?" LS asked.

"LS, you may as well have a seat; this explanation may take a while," Betty said.

After Betty explained to LS about the "bounty" placed on Betty and Irena's head, how the situation with Sheila began, and how she earned her so-called "title" in the first place, a 1971 Pontiac GTO with a gold body and a white roof, a muscle car that from its appearance had seen better days, pulled up to the shop.

"I see you get all types of customers," LS said.

"Those aren't customers," Betty moaned.

"We would chew our customers out for taking poor care of a classic car like that. The things you can do with a beauty like that," Irena said.

"It looks like you'll get a demonstration of what we go through. I'll get rid of them quick," Betty said.

"No need to rush," LS said.

The car doors opened, and two people climbed out of the car, a man and a woman. The man was 6'2", wiry, and sported a Mohawk of brown hair on his head. He wore a white muscle shirt, blue jeans, a black pair of the Converse# Chuck Taylor high top sneakers, and several tattoos on his arms. The woman was 5'6", had shoulder-length dishwater blond hair, and had the average build of a woman who did some exercise, but not a lot. She wore a turquoise tank top, jeans that were cut two inches above the ankle, and blue flip-flops. From the expression on her face as she walked toward the office, she looked like she was ready to fight. From his expression, he looked like he was ready to watch.

"I'm looking for a Betty Conrad, are any of you her?" The woman bellowed at the three ladies.

"I'm Betty Conrad, how may I help you?" Betty replied, being polite.

"I understand there's a bounty on your head for the first person to beat you up. That's what I'm here for; I never could turn down a challenge."

The man giggled. The woman turned and smiled at him.

"And your name is?"

"Tina Smith is my name, the super stud over here is Mack Norton, or as I like to call him, Big Mack. Want to know why?"

"Not really, thanks. Chances are, Tina, you'll never see a cent of that money, and if you're looking for a reputation, you can just tell people you beat me up, I don't care," Betty said.

"I was told the first thing you'd do would be to talk your way out of it; doing the honorable thing or something like that. Well, I guess I've never been very honorable. And I already have a reputation. Truthfully, I would have done this for free. You see, Betty, some people are born to do certain things. Me, I've been born to fight. I gain a particular amount of excitement when I fight, and it leaves me energized after I beat my opponent to a pulp. You want Big Mack to tell you how excited I get after a fight?"

"No thank you, Tina, please go on," Irena said.

Tina looked at Irena. "You must be the assistant they're only giving chump change for. I guess they either figured you can't fight, or you don't fight much," she said.

"Comrade, you have no idea," Irena began, but Betty waved her hand, stopping her.

"Tina, I have no wish nor reason to fight you, but since you don't leave me much choice, here's how we do it. As you can plainly see, I run a business, and I can't always drop my wrench and put up my fists at the sign of a challenge. I may not be busy at the moment, but I also have a guest who wanted to see me. What we can do is to schedule a time, an "appointment' if you will for a time we can uh, "get together.' I'm sure you've heard that I make my appointments."

"I was told you did this too, schedule your fights. Well let me tell you something. Remember when I just said I'm not very honorable? Well I guess you can say I'm old school. When I come to fight, I don't make appointments, nor check my calendar; I'm ready to do it now. Plus I really don't care much who else is around at the time. As a matter of fact, I prefer my fighting in front of an audience. It helped extend my reputation on the north side of town, and it really turns me on. Mack, you want to tell them how much this lights my fire?"

Mack began, but this time LS stopped him.

"Please do not do so, Mack, we have the idea," LS said.

"What is it with you girls? You don't like to hear this stuff? What are you, prudes?" Tina said.

"We really don't want to know how fighting gets your wick ignited," Betty replied, "My point is I do not want to fight you now."

"My point is I do want to fight you now," Tina said.

"What about having an audience?" Irena said. "If you plan it, you can bring your friends to watch."

"That's why I bring Mack, at times like this, he's all the audience I need."

Betty put her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Irena, is the coast clear at my house?" She said.

Irena stepped outside and looked. "Everyone is still at work," she said.

"Very well," Betty sighed. "Near the rear of the garage, there's a secluded area where we can get this over with. At least give me the chance to step out of these work clothes and put on something a little more suitable."

"Do not bother Betty, I will take care of this," LS said.

"What? LS, you don't need to do-"

"I have been listening to this windbag for the last five minutes talk about how fearsome she is and how fighting gives her something that would put Viagra to shame. And she has the nerve to not accept proper protocol for engagements. I am sure no one challenges her when she goes to the beauty shop, or when or if her boyfriend's car is worked on."

"No reputable mechanic has touched that car for years," Irena said.

"Hey, you "dissing' my car?" Mack said.

"If you took proper care of your car, it would be worth quite a bit of money. Now, even the junkman wouldn't take it."

"Oh, like you could do better?"

"See that old car outside? I rebuilt that."

As Mack was stuck silent by the fact that someone, a woman especially, had made an older car look better than his "baby," Tina turned and smirked at LS.

"So you want to take me on, Dragon Lady? What are you going to do shrimp? Stab me with chopsticks?" Tina scoffed.

"No, I have a cousin who could do that against foes armed with a switchblade," LS replied. "I just want to shut you up so Betty and I can finish our business."

Tina laughed. "I could use an appetizer before the main course. Let's go, or do you want to change into something more "suitable' for you?"

"That will not be necessary. Betty, if you will lead us?"

Betty led the group to the back of the garage; Tina had to almost drag Mack away from taking a closer examination of Irena's car.

"I guess it's a good thing I didn't mention to him the classic cars you have parked nearby," Irena said to Betty. Mack however overheard.

"You mean those old cars are yours? Naw, no chick could do that," Mack said.

"Mack, don't you have a girlfriend to watch and root for or something?" Betty said.

"Hey Betty, since we're here, we might as well enjoy the show, eh? I don't know about you, but I've wanted to see her in action since I first heard about her," Irena said.

"Good point. Someone who could take on street gangs and send them to the hospital is someone I'd love to see." She said the last part loud enough for Tina to hear it.

"Oh, come on," Tina said as she kicked her flip-flops off. "Don't go far, madam Goodwrench, you're still the main course after I take care of my ninja appetizer here."

LS found the middle of the yard and started to undo her kimono. "I guess it would be fruitless to explain this, but I am as American as you are, born and raised in Indiana, ninjas are a group of assassins in Japan, and my ancestry is from China, and do not let the kimono fool you, though Japanese citizens wear them, I like them because they're comfortable, and they are easy to take off for things like this."

LS took off her kimono, and started to fold it, not noticing the stares everyone had gave her. Underneath, she wore her red T-shirt and blue gym shorts was her usual body of solid muscle. Unlike her boyfriend, relatives, and students who saw her on a regular basis, this was the first time her audience have seen her. Even Tina paused to take notice.

"Wow Irena, she's about as solid as you," Betty said.

"No, she's more solid. She must do a lot of regular work on her core," Irena replied before she trotted out to get LS's kimono.

"Okay, I stand corrected, you evidently work out quite a bit. But to fight me, it takes more than just muscle," Tina said.

"Could we just get started? I have a lot of things to do today. As a matter of fact, to make this fairer, I will take on both of you," LS said, a little exasperated.

"Both?" Tina and Mack said at the same time.

"Yes. You appear to be a person who fights more with their mouth than with anything else, and those types of people are easy to beat. Your boyfriend might help even things out a little, but I do not expect him to add much. I haven't had my regular workout today, so I'm hoping you will help me at least work up a sweat."

"So you think you can take me?" Tina said, cockily.

"Goodness woman, did you not hear what I have said, or are you deaf as well as stupid?"

Angered by that last remark, Tina charged forward, her hands extended into claws ready to yank her hair out of her head. LS grasped Tina's wrists, and despite the pressure, pushed them away with ease. In fact, LS pushed her away and looked at her as she gave Mack an elbow in the chest as he attempted to sneak up behind her. Mack collapsed to the ground holding his belly.

"Oldest trick in the book," LS said. "I've encountered it dozens of times."

Tina threw a right kick to LS's side. Without taking her eyes off Tina's, the judoka blocked and caught her leg, and jerked it up, making Tina lose her balance and fall to the ground on her back. Tina was stunned, but managed to get to her knees to face LS, who was nowhere to be seen ' in front of her, that is. A right arm wrapped around her neck, her thumb on her windpipe while her left arm was seized and bent backwards enough to put Tina in pain. Suddenly, she heard LS speak softly in her ear.

"This move in known in judo as an ude-hishigi-hara-gtame. Now chances are you do not speak Japanese, eh? Well, neither do I, but I do know my judo terms, which is almost the same as learning the language. The term translated in English means stomach arm lock." LS bent the arm back, getting another grunt of pain from Tina.

"Yes, that is right, try to grab my hair with your free hand. You are probably right-handed, so you won't need your left arm for much, eh? Now as I was saying, this is a stomach arm lock, but I have added my own special touch to this hold. That thumb on your windpipe now turns this into a chokehold as well as a joint lock. You are being pretty bright right now by not wasting your energy cursing and threatening me. And in case you are wondering, by the time Mack recovers enough to rescue you, you will be unconscious. I bet you can see spots right now; that means it will not be long for you.

"Now listen to me. We are finished here. I had an important matter of business to discuss with Betty, and you interfered in the middle of that. I am going to let you go, and you are going to get your boyfriend and leave. If you do not comply, not only will you be unconscious with a broken arm, Mack will have something broken as well, maybe an arm, maybe a rib, or maybe his face. You saw me; you know I can do it. So are we through, or would you like to take a nap in the backyard to wake up in the emergency ward?"

Tina suddenly wasn't enjoying herself anymore. She had fought dozens of fights, some quick, some long and brutal. But her fight with LS was over before it begun. Not only that, but she encountered something she hadn't felt in a long time, fear. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mack slowly rise to his feet, along with the spots dancing before her eyes as LS increased the pressure on her throat. However, Mack's help would make things worse for her instead of help, and this woman would probably carry through with her threat to him.

"Okay, you win, I give, please let me go," she croaked.

LS did just as she promised. Tina considered a sucker punch, but a glance at LS told her that she was ready for it. She stumbled over to her boyfriend, who thought about charging LS, but a panic-stricken look from Tina told him not to. He was about to ask her why not until he saw the look on the victor's face. He looked back at Tina. Even in the few fights she'd lost, she never looked like this. As they walked toward the car, his sense of chivalry took over, and he approached LS, his right arm ready to deliver a slap across her face.

"No one treats my woman like ' wha?" Mack said when he realized LS caught his arm in mid-flight.

"You should have heeded her council," LS said, right before she delivered a right knee up into the stomach as she jerked his arm down, then swung that leg around and swept his right leg from under him, throwing him to the ground. Still holding on to his arm, she delivered two quick strikes to the man's face. Mack was seeing stars and almost out of it, when his eyes suddenly widened as LS held up her fist to deliver a third blow.

"No please, leave him alone! We'll go, just don't hit him anymore," Tina pleaded.

"Then go," LS said, dropping Mack's arm.

Tina helped Mack up, who now stood on wobbly legs. They hurried from the battlefield so fast, they almost forgot to pick up Tina's shoes on the way out.

"You should leave them, those flimsy things only get in the way," LS said as they left. Tina for a split-second almost considered it, but clung on to them as they got to their car.

The whole match, if one could call it that, was not lost on Betty and Irena.

"Myself, I would've just whacked them both across the head and loaded them in the car," Betty said, "but you had them running to their car. How did you do that?"

"I am sure Kim nor Jasmine spoke of it often, but the neighborhood we grew up in started getting rough when we were children; about the same time Kim was learning tae kwon do and I was learning judo. The police were there, but they were not everywhere. So some of us took it upon ourselves to start cleaning up our streets. Amazingly enough, it worked. In fact, it was not until this past year that gangs found it safe to get on the streets again. Of course, you heard about the "gang' of my own I formed to eliminate the gangs from my neighborhood. I am told that the neighborhood next to mine has taken up the same example, but I have been too busy to investigate. My point that I am trying to make is when you face off against those forces as long as I have, it can make you a little hard if you are not careful. Others can see that hardness, and know that you are serious. That's how I scared Tina off."

"That's still impressive," Irena said.

"The other thing is I hope your skills haven't eroded facing off against this so-called "competition' of yours, Betty. If you and Irena are as good as my cousin said you are, you could handle clowns like this in your sleep."

"Sometimes we have," Betty remarked. "So what did you need me for again?"

 

The party appeared to be a huge success. After his morning run with Velvet, Lewis was taken back to Kim and Jasmine's place where he showered, changed, then jumped back in Velvet's car, and traveled to the nearby grocery store to buy what he needed. Velvet, seeing Lewis was on a mission, figured the best thing for her to do in this situation was to stay in the car and keep the motor running. Pushing a shopping cart full of items, Lewis emerged from the store, threw everything into the trunk, and jumped into the car and asked Velvet to step on it. As they sped away, Velvet wondered it this was what those who drove the "getaway car" in bank robberies went through.

As they pulled up to Velvet's apartment, she barely put the car in gear before Lewis jumped out of the car and started unloading. He almost ran over Velvet's "maid," Brian Decker as he rushed in looking for the kitchen. Velvet gave a quick introduction, just before Lewis threw them out of the kitchen. Velvet walked to her bedroom to take a quick shower, but instructed Brian to stay nearby just in case Lewis forgot something and needed a last minute grocery trip. A few hours later, Lewis emerged and asked the two to be his guinea pigs and sample a few of his treats. When both of them squealed with delight, he knew that he fixed the food just right. With an hour or two left before the party was to start, he gave Velvet and Brian a few last minute instructions; namely that Velvet play the host and smile a lot (which was what she would be doing anyway), and for Brian to serve his dishes in order. There should be plenty of food, but in case supplies fell short, he was to be contacted immediately.

After the party went on for an hour or so, the men and women settled into their separate groups. Along with the men who were at the restaurant the night before, Benjamin's good friends, Jesse Booker and Kevin Coffman attended the party.

"So tell me, LS," Velvet asked, "Is Lewis always this ' intense when he prepares for a party?"

"A little," LS smiled. "At most functions we are invited to, he is always hyper-critical of the food served. My friends always made it a point to have him fix the food, while I make it a point to always have a hair appointment during the time he cooks and prepares. It works great that way. I am sorry I forgot to warn you."

"That's all right. For food this good, I don't mind being thrown out of my own kitchen."

"I know what you mean," Janelle said, as she took a bite of one of Lewis' creations. "If he didn't belong to you, and if I wasn't already engaged, I'd think I'd ask him to marry me."

LS laughed. "You would be surprised how many potential marriage proposals Lewis receives because of his cooking. I will tell you what; when I grow tired of him, you can fight it out with Kim. She has wanted to marry him for his food for years," she said.

"At least I know what to do with him," Kim protested.

Janelle spoke into Kim's ear. "What do you say, water guns at dawn?" She said.

"Sure, we just need to find a way to get rid of her first," Kim replied, pointing at LS.

"Before you two get started, there's something I wanted to get straightened out first," Betty said. "Kim and Jasmine told me their family originally came from Japan, while LS had mentioned her ancestry came from China, yet she's your cousin. How is that?"

"It's not a problem," Jasmine said. "One of our cousins traced our family tree down to two brothers who lived in China. One day, the younger brother decided he wanted to see more of the world. However, he only made it as far as Japan. Some woman smiled and winked at him, and they ended up getting married. The older brother got married as well, and both families had lots of kids. The kids felt the wanderlust as well, and scattered themselves across the globe. Right now, our parents are arguing about where our upcoming family reunion will be."

"I think my family tree only extends over three states," Susan said, sipping her drink.

"Speaking of real estate, LS, my cousin who's an excellent realtor in this region, has located a nice house with four bedrooms just outside of town with a large kitchen. She'll be available to show it to you after the party," Velvet said. "In fact, because of whom Lewis is, and the fact that she buys his chocolate treats in bulk, he is invited to stay there for a few days while you take care of business."

LS displayed a big grin on her face.

"Excellent, call your cousin and tell her I would love to see it," she said.

Kim looked at her suspiciously. "All right, LS, what are you planning?" She asked.

LS turned to her cousin and said, "If you can't figure it out, I'm not going to tell you."

"I think someone's being sneaky," Jasmine replied.

As the other ladies laughed (with the exception of Kim, who was still wondering what was going on), Loretta grabbed a cookie, another one of Lewis' treats, and chewed on it slowly to savor the flavor.

"Oh, these cookies are so good, they make my toes curl!" She said. "Betty and Irena were telling me that when you three were younger, you were guardians of your street?"

Kim smiled faintly. "Yeah, that was us," she said. "That was the name we gave ourselves. People even had a little saying about us too. It went, "If you value your pride, don't mess with Jasmine; if you value your bones, don't mess with Kim; and if you value your life, don't mess with LS.' It was rather catchy."

A few of the women turned to LS.

"I had a bit of a temper back then," she said sheepishly.

"There are a lot of stories we could share with you, but LS, I think it's time to share with the others your dilemma," Kim said.

"Yes, you are right," LS agreed.

As LS related what had gone on with her back home, Betty and Loretta who already heard the story and made their decision (Betty was going, but Loretta reluctantly declined because of her work load), they stood apart at the other end of the kitchen.

"Hey Betty, have you seen Kevin around anywhere?" Loretta asked in a whisper.

"He's probably hanging around with the guys in the living room. Why?" Betty said.

"No reason. You think LS will get more help?"

"Probably. I'm going to the ladies room, I'll be right back."

After Betty finished in the bathroom, she started to head back towards the kitchen, but the sounds in the living room sounded more interesting, so she found a hiding place in the hallway close to the front of the living room, and listened in.

"You mean she climbed a tree to get into your place?" Billy Conrad said.

"No lie man; she scared me half to death when I turned on the lights, and she was sitting there in the recliner waiting for an explanation," David Reynolds said. "I asked her if climbing that tree hurt her feet. She looked at me calmly, and said, "Nothing hurts my feet,' and waited for me to explain myself."

"So what did you do?"

"I did what anyone would do when their six-foot kickboxing Amazon girlfriend climbs a tree to go into their apartment and waited for them, I told her everything."

All the men laughed. Betty started to giggle, but she covered her mouth, lest she gave herself away.

"Hey Benjamin, wasn't Janelle like that with you?" David asked.

Benjamin mentally went over the parts he could mention in public, and then said, "I remember her cornering me after self-defense class, and being told we were going on a date that evening."

"And you did it?" Billy asked.

"When a 5'10" very muscular female judo instructor tells you something-"

The men laughed again.

"So how "discreetly' did Irena ask you out?" Benjamin said, turning the tables. "She doesn't hit me as being subtle."

"Irena sometimes says that subtlety is one of the big problems in our country. She said if people just say what they mean, it would make things a whole lot clearer," Billy said.

"Good point; so how did she ask you out?" David asked.

"Now how do you know she asked me out? I could've asked her, you know!" Billy said defensively.

"Irena is a little like Janelle, that's how I know," Benjamin said. "Come on, we're waiting."

Billy, seeing no way out, said, "Well I remember I was at a little get together at my house, and I was telling her about what happened at college with one of the cheerleaders. She looked at me ever so gleefully, and told me, "William, did you know I could beat up your friends?' As you could imagine, since that came out of nowhere, I was speechless. Before I could reply, she stroked my chin with her finger, and then said, "William, did you know I could beat you up?' I was still speechless, and she then proceeded to tell me that I was going to go back to college, tell those cheerleaders and the other female athletes to "get lost,' then come back to her. She would go over the details at church the next day. She pulled me down, kissed me on the lips, and left."

The room was silent for a long moment, and then everyone burst out laughing. Billy's normally creamy complexion was turning a little rosy around the cheeks. His sister was doing all she could in her power to keep from busting a gut herself. Now she knew why he was a little hesitant when she asked him how they ended up dating.

"So Billy, did she always call you "William?'" Benjamin asked.

"She started that night. I told her my name was Billy, but she said, "not to me,'" Billy said. "I hate the name "William.'"

"Join the club. I'm not really found of the name "Ben.'"

"Hey, do you guys really think she could beat me up?"

The rest of the men in the room just looked at Billy and smiled. David came over and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I think we gentlemen need to spend an evening alone to watch a few DVD's, to give Billy here an education of some facts of life," he said.

"An education? What are you talking about?" Billy asked.

"I understand this is not a topic you two talk very much about over candlelight dinners, but you knew your girlfriend was a black belt in Sambo, right?"

"Yeah, that's something like judo, I know."

"Did you also know that she was a champion of the cage matches in Russia?"

"Yeah, I know that; so what?"

"Billy, you've never seen a cage match, have you?"

"No, I thought it would be like those cage matches in professional wrestling."

"Have you seen any of Susan's matches?"

"Uh, no."

This time, the rest of the men shook their heads in disbelief.

"What?" Billy asked.

"The answer to your first question is a big "yes,'" Benjamin said. "As for that evening of watching DVD's that David suggested, I think we need to have that as soon as possible, like tomorrow or the next day."

"Why so soon? What's the urgency?" Billy asked again.

"Billy, we're just trying to save you from a whack across the head."

Betty quickly fled from her hiding place, before she'd burst out in laughter, and give herself away. Her brother sometimes spent so much time studying at college, he would forget about the rest of the world. It was amazing he segmented some of his time for girls. With all fights she and Irena were involved in at the garage, one would figure he'd take the time to put two and two together. Besides, he knew she could beat him up, so why ask about his girlfriend with her accomplishments? Ah well, if the guys give him that "education," then he wouldn't need to get that well-deserved whack across the head. Shaking her head, she walked back to the kitchen to join the women, who were discussing what happened with LS and Lewis the other day.

"That man barging in on you two, and in the middle of making out? Girls, I think that would qualify for some serious hurt," Velvet said before taking a bite out of her cookie.

"I think I would've killed him, then later apologize," Irena said.

"Believe me, I was very tempted," LS replied.

"Susan, Janelle, you two seem to be rather silent on the matter," Loretta said. "You two just seem to be smiling strangely."

"Maybe because something similar has happened to us," Susan replied. "We know just where LS is coming from."

"Oh, I did not know," LS said, "what happened?"

"On the trip there, we can give you the whole story, but to give you the abbreviated version, I challenged the woman to a match at my dojo. Let's just say after it was over, the girl was lucky to even walk out of the place," Janelle said.

[Reference time again. That little match came from Declaration of War, still located in my bookshelf ' Mongoose.]

"In my case, the man had help. He ended up with a warning. His henchmen weren't as lucky, particularly the one I tied to a tree and used as a punching bag," Susan said.

[Regarding this story, you'll need to go back to the beginning, the very beginning, as in the first two stories that started this mess in the first place: Susan's Bad Day, Parts I & II ' Mong ' you know what? If you don't know who wrote this story by now, just go back to the first page and look at the title page after the word "by." Now keep reading and pay attention!]

"I remember Kim would make references to her class jokingly about tying someone up to a tree and beating them if they didn't act right, but I never knew where that came from," Jasmine commented.

"Who said I was joking?" Kim remarked.

Susan looked around. "He wasn't nearby, was he?"

"No, he sneaked into one of the rooms to watch a little TV," Velvet replied.

"You mean the man is here?" LS asked.

"Long story, but he's now Velvet's maid," Susan said.

"Sorry I neglected to tell you about that," Kim said.

"Apparently it will be an interesting ride back to Indiana," LS said as she looked at the two women. "So I gather from that remark you said earlier Janelle, that you and Susan are coming?"

"That's right," Janelle said.

"And you already know I'm coming," Kim said.

"Me too," Betty joined in.

"I wish I could join you, but I have too many commitments here, like keeping her out of trouble," Loretta said, putting an arm around Irena.

"Gee thank you, you're so kind," Irena said sarcastically.

"I wish there was a way I could persuade my professor to delay my final exam, but somehow I don't think he'll take my explanation," Jasmine joked.

"It is all right, cousin; I know of a few more people to ask for assistance," LS said. "My new concern is considering your er, height, what needs to be done as far as transportation back home. On the way here, I had only Lewis to be concerned about, but now-"

"Not to worry, I have it covered," Betty chimed in. "I have a brand new minivan that I just finished customizing, and is ready to go. So we'll be able to enjoy the ride."

"Excellent! The extra room will give all of us a chance to relax and be rested for our mission. Thank you Betty."

"No problem. I needed to give the minivan a road test anyway."

"Will you need more people? Will we be enough?" Janelle asked LS.

"There's a few people back home who I plan on asking when we arrive."

"Give Rini a call when you get there," Jasmine said. "She'll be more than happy to help."

"Who's Rini?" Loretta asked.

"She's a close friend of ours. She earned her black belt in aikido the same time Jasmine did, and is also skilled in tai chi, chin na, and escrima," Kim said.

"Four martial arts? She sounds like a woman you shouldn't mess with," Susan remarked.

"Intelligent people who know of her don't. And I believe she had started taking up a few lessons in Krav Maga and freestyle wrestling the last time I talked to her," LS said.

"Krav Maga and wrestling! She's already one of the deadliest people in the state; what does she need to take those two disciplines up for?" Jasmine protested.

"Rini predicted you would respond like that," LS continued, "so her answer to your question is she wanted to work on her ground skills. She also said hello. The message was a little late because I talked with her right before my stint as a 'gang leader' started. She guessed your reaction correctly though."

Jasmine shook her head. "Ground skills; there's hardly anyone on the planet who can get close enough to her to take her to the ground," she grumbled.

"She's that good, eh?" Loretta asked.

"I remember back in our sophomore year of college, she wanted to be good enough to create a 'force field' around herself so no one could touch her if she didn't want to be touched."

"Did she succeed?"

"The following two occasions I saw her in action were amazing. The thugs couldn't get within five feet of her without her sending them flying. She succeeded, all right."

"I'd like to meet her."

"Oh you will like her; she has a pleasant personality and a beautiful smile," LS said.

"And can break your arm in at least three places," Janelle remarked.

"I guess I should be glad she didn't take up kickboxing," Susan said.

"She's not much into kicking. Still, I wouldn't give her any ideas," Jasmine said.

"Hearing about your friend is interesting, but I want to know the recipe your man has for this cheese dip," Velvet said, popping another dip-covered chip in her mouth.

"That is actually one of the few recipes Lewis shared with me," LS said, "and it's real easy too, though it takes a little bit of shopping around for the ingredients. First, you get . . ."

But by that time, Betty had sneaked away, walking down the hallway. Recipes are fine, but if she wanted dip with her chips, she'd just go to the store and buy some. She was curious if her brother was still was getting ribbed about the way Irena asked him out. When she arrived at her hiding place, she saw the men were merciful to him and left him alone. In fact, the group had drifted apart into two separate groups. Kevin and Jesse were by themselves closer to Betty while the others were talking about some other subject.

"Hey, have you noticed the way Loretta has been staring at me?" Kevin asked Jesse.

"No, I haven't. Is there something wrong?" Jesse replied.

"I don't know, man, she looks like she wants to eat me."

"I don't think it's anything for you to worry about. Loretta is a nice woman, she just happens to be taller than the rest of us, that's all."

"I'm a short man, Jesse. The "rest of you' except for LS and maybe Kim happen to be taller than me. You develop a certain wariness when you're my size, especially when you stand among the "trees.'"

"Okay, my mistake on the size thing. Still, I'm sure she means you no harm, and we have Janelle or Velvet to defend you just in case she wants to grind your bones to make her bread. Maybe she just noticed what a little stud you are."

"Oh shut up."

Betty thought to herself. Could that be why Loretta was asking her where Kevin was? This may involve some investigation; but unfortunately she was leaving tomorrow. It doesn't sound impossible, Kevin was cute, but a librarian and a carpenter, it sounded like a strange combo. She stopped her musing when the rest of the men came to the two guys.

"It's been decided, gentlemen. We're going to have an all guys night later this week at the, where are you staying at, Lewis?" David said.

"I was told this house has a huge kitchen along with some furniture for us to recline in. I'll be fixing dinner, of course," Lewis said. "I'll give the directions later."

"I'll bring the DVD's of Susan and some other ladies. Billy needs to know what he's in for."

"I've seen your girlfriend in action on TV, David. She's pretty devastating in the ring."

"I've seen her in action outside the ring. If you want to talk about something devastating!"

"I've seen LS in action against this one man who might have been taller than we are. She had him bent in knots like a pretzel in about ten seconds. And this was when she was a sophomore, and he was a college junior!"

"Wow . . ."

"Hey guys, why don't we wait until our party to share all these war stories?" Benjamin said, his arm around Billy. "I want Billy to hear every one."

"Okay, I get the idea, your girlfriends know how to fight. I don't see what you need to convince me about though," Billy said.

"We're trying to convince you of what's in front of you, that's all. Your girlfriend at one time was a champion cage fighter in all of Moscow! And your sister is the toughest girl in town. How have you missed this?"

"I don't know."

Betty shook her head again. Nothing interesting there. Billy always loved parties, so they won't have to twist his arm. This development with Loretta and Kevin sounded interesting though. That explained why she was asking for him.

Figuring she needed to get back to join the ladies, she quietly backed up from her hiding place, and prepared to turn around, when she backed into something. She almost yelped in surprise when that something turned out to be someone; namely Susan looking down at her with her arms folded.

"Hi Susan," Betty said quietly.

"What are you doing, Betty?" Susan asked.

"Oh just dropping in on our gentlemen friends. Hey, you know what they said about-"

"I don't want to hear it, it's none of my business," Susan said, with an under tone that clearly said to Betty, and it's none of yours either.

"But it's all good; it's about how some of you met, and some funny stories and-"

"It's something that they'd like to keep among themselves. I learned that as with the ladies, the men's conversation should remain private until they are willing to share. It strengthens the relationship when you do it that way."

Betty looked at Susan with a smirk. "I suppose so when you have a relationship to strengthen in the first place."

"It helps to develop one too."

"Whatever. So what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. I saw you sneaking away while we were talking about recipes, so I thought I'd catch up to you. What's with this eavesdropping? That's not like you."

"Well, I don't know; they were sharing stories about each other's girlfriends, and then they asked each other about how they met, and I was hooked, I guess," Betty said almost apologetically.

"Well sometime in the near future, I'm sure they'll be talking to your boyfriend about how you two met. It'll come, Betty; you haven't been impatient before on the matter, just wait a little while, and one will fall into your lap before you know it."

"Or maybe I'll track one down, and threaten to beat them up," Betty remarked as they walked back to join the women in the kitchen.

"Huh?" Susan asked.

"Nothing."

"Hey, I know just what you need to bring those guys running."

"What's that?"

"A brand new hairstyle."

"Don't even start with that."

"You can't blame a lady for trying."

"Ah, I see Susan decided to give the hairdo idea one more try," Janelle said, approaching the two. "While we're talking about changing things on people, let's discuss the subject of colors."

"I'm going to go powder my nose. I'll be right back," Susan replied, suddenly fleeing the scene.

"Thanks for the save on the hair, Janelle," Betty said. "What's this thing about you and colors that Susan and Velvet want to change on you?"

"It's not just those two, it's also two other friends of mine. They think I'm either in mourning or turning Goth because I wear black a lot of the time. It took me a while to figure it out, but I'm on to them."

"Isn't black your favorite color?"

"Yes! It didn't take you long to figure that out, how come nobody else can?"

"You got me. How soon are we taking off for Indiana?"

"LS wanted to get back as soon as possible, so we were considering tomorrow. Since you were the only one who might have a time conflict, we wanted to hear what you had to say."

"Tomorrow is fine. In fact, I'm going to leave in a minute to make sure the minivan is ready to travel."

"Great, I'll tell the others."

After she said her goodbyes (to both the men and the women, respectively), Betty drove back to the garage to do some last minute checking on the vehicle. As she thought about it, Susan was right; eavesdropping on the guys wasn't like her. However, after a moment's reflection, she realized what it was. Regarding relationships, Betty was rather secure and patient that when the time is right, it'll come. Susan and Janelle have been with their boyfriends as long as she knew them, so it wasn't any big deal. And as far as Irena and her brother Billy, it was the whole thing seemed rather laughable. Not that they were a funny couple, it's just the way her employee nabbed him and how ' "whipped" she acted around him, it just made her smile. But when LS and her boyfriend Lewis arrived, it gave her a taste of what she was missing. She really hadn't had that much time for that sort of thing, between working and, and whacking people across the head. Nah, even if she wasn't whacking, she'd just fill it up with more working. Maybe Irena was right, a little vacation, a short diversion was what she needed. It'll give the time to think about these things while she was ' well, while she was whacking some more people across the head.

 

The next day, Betty pulled up in front of Kim and Jasmine's apartment to load the minivan and the passengers before embarking on their journey to Indiana. The minivan was a crimson color with dark grey upholstery. Outside of that, the vehicle was anything but normal. Inside the van was a small collection of computer equipment. From global positioning equipment to satellite radio, the van was loaded. There were even two compartments underneath the front seats that held two laptop computers. Obviously, this gained a lot of attention from the passengers and bystanders alike, particularly Benjamin, who stared inside with longing. The idea of asking to tag along for the ride crossed his mind more than once. His fianc#e Janelle asked if they were riding this minivan or climbing onboard the Starship Enterprise. She also asked Betty if there were any cruise missiles or laser guns under the hood that would make their task easier. When asked how much the price was for this project, Betty shook her head and told them it was a secret.

"That's all right; if I sold my house, I might be able to afford most of it," Loretta quipped.

After loading the van with the necessary luggage, everyone (except for Betty, who remained in the minivan) was giving each other their goodbyes.

"Hey Betty, why don't you get out of the van so you could get a few hugs before you go?" Irena asked.

"I'll just stay here, the seats are nice and comfy," Betty said.

Irena noticed Loretta giving the two of them a smirk.

"What are you grinning about?" Irena asked.

"Oh nothing; I'll tell you later," Loretta replied.

Meantime, the couples were giving each other their own special farewells. Susan and David spent the majority of their time gazing at each other, not saying a word. Jesse was tempted to yell at the two "get a room," but he wisely kept quiet. Finally, David said, "Do what you need to do, then come back to me."

"Yes, sweetheart. I miss you already," Susan said breathlessly.

"Me too. I love you."

"And I love you."

The long kiss they shared after their exchange was hard to ignore, but the rest gave it their best. LS and Lewis wasn't as long and intense as the first couple, but it was as serious.

"Go kick some tail, Love; make our home safe once again," Lewis said.

"Our home? Oh, yes, I will," LS said, keeping back the changes of their future homestead to herself. "I trust you will stay out of trouble, but just in case something comes up, call Jasmine. If she is not available, you have the numbers of the others left here."

"I'll be fine, Love. I'm just going to hang around with the guys and catch up on my orders," Lewis said, appreciating his lady's concern.

"Very good. I will be back soon. Cousin, what are you looking at?" LS said, glancing at her cousin who was watching the show.

"Just wondering how long you were going to say goodbye before we left. I'd like to travel by daylight, if possible," Kim said, a small smirk on her face.

"Jasmine, are you sure you can't come? I would like to make a trade."

"Sorry LS, I'm afraid you two are stuck with each other," Jasmine said, pulling Kim away.

"Ornery! Good-bye, beloved," LS said, giving Lewis a deep kiss. Not long, but deep.

"Goodbye; I'll see you soon," Lewis said.

"Of course I will. You know how much I love the taste of chocolate." LS replied, waving.

Lewis waved back, finding himself slightly blushing from LS's remark.

"Chocolate, huh? Would that be regular, milk, or dark?" Velvet said, getting a few laughs from the crowd.

"Well we know it's not white chocolate," Billy said, getting a few boos for the joke.

In the case of Janelle and Benjamin, since the latter wasn't accustomed to overly affectionate behavior in public, they just gave each other a kiss, told each other they loved each other, come back soon, etc. However, before she left for the minivan, Janelle pulled Benjamin close and whispered something in his ear. Instantly, Benjamin's eyes widened, his mouth formed an "O" shape, and he found himself wearing a rosy complexion as well. Janelle got in the van with a devilish grin on her face.

"What did she say?" Kevin asked.

"I, uh, I rather not say. I better not say. It has something to do with our honeymoon, that's all I'm going to say," Benjamin said, suddenly noticing a smudge on his car to wipe off.

"Oookay," Kevin replied, backing off. If Janelle's whispered statement to Benjamin involved something that may happen during their soon-to-be married life, he didn't need to know anyway. Still, it's not everyday that something said made Benjamin turn red with embarrassment.

Irena and Billy walked to the minivan hand in hand to say goodbye to Betty.

"Since you're too good to get out of the van, we decided we would come to you and give you our ' what are you wearing?" She said, peering into Betty's open window.

"What? It's nice and comfortable," Betty replied.

"I don't think you could get any more comfortable unless you visit those beaches in Europe," Billy commented.

"You want me to get out of this van and whack you across the head, Billy?" Billy warned.

"No! Please don't; he'll be good," Irena said, a little more concerned about the implications of Betty's appearance that of her boyfriend getting whacked. "I think you'll be busy enough explaining to your crew what's going on. And when you get back, you can explain it to me."

"I don't see the big deal."

"Of course you don't. I may be whipped, but you're bizarre. Have a nice trip; come on, William."

Out of the corner of her eye, Irena saw Loretta leaning against a mailbox laughing.

"Irena, what is "whipped?'" Billy asked.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about, honey. Go and say farewell to the others, I need to talk to Loretta," Irena said.

Loretta was all smiles when Irena came to her. "Seen enough, "comrade?'" She asked.

"You knew?"

"Yeah, I found out myself when I rode with her on a trip up north to find a Thunderbird chassis. She said she likes to feel loose and comfortable on long trips."

"Loose and comfortable," Irena repeated. "I never thought I'd be the one to say this, but she's been working in the garage too long."

"Then this trip should be good for her. Still, I'd like to see the look on the other's faces when they get a good look at her."

Finally, after the farewells have been completed, the minivan went on its journey to Indiana. Those who stayed behind had things to do, so they departed as well. Kevin was about to open the door to his car when he heard someone call him.

"Kevin?"

He turned around. It was Loretta.

"Oh, hello," he said, a little surprised.

"Going back to the library to work on - Archives, is it?" Loretta asked.

"Yeah, you can't keep those dead folks waiting," Kevin answered with a small chuckle.

"No, I guess not. Do you watch the History Channel#?"

"Why yes I do. It supplemented my college education."

"There's a new show on tonight called, "The History of Carpentry.'"

"Really? Sounds fascinating; I'd like to watch it."

"Well I was wondering if you could watch it ' with me, at my place."

"Well. . ."

"I have free popcorn, made the old fashioned way. I also have homemade ice-cold lemonade. I also have homemade ice cream that my mother taught me to make. Now how can you turn that down?"

"You're right, I can't. When do I come over?"

"It's always tricky for people who come the first time. I'm going to be here in town working at Betty's garage and getting supplies, so how about I pick you up at your apartment at six, then we could get a quick bite to eat, then we go to my place?"

"Won't that be a lot of driving for you?"

"I do it all the time. One more trip won't hurt."

Kevin thought about it for a moment. "Okay, I'll be ready. Six o'clock, right?"

"Six o'clock."

"Well, I'll see you then."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Loretta walked to her truck listening to the sound of a plan falling together. Despite her height, she's always have been attracted to shorter men. "Teddy Bear Syndrome" she sometimes jokingly called it. When she first met Kevin, he seemed to have all the qualities she was looking for in a cute package. Unlike the others, she liked to be a bit more subtle and discrete in her romantic pursuits. She smiled to herself as she got behind the wheel. She was successful in her little mission; she hoped and prayed the others would be successful in theirs.

 

"Off to Indiana we go!" Betty said.

In the minivan, the seating was situated like this: Betty was the driver; Janelle with opposition at all volunteered to be navigator, which suited Betty fine with not having the problem of map reading and driving at the same time; Susan had the second back seat all to herself, which suggested the possibility of taking a nap in the near future; and LS and Kim sat in the back seat. LS always liked sitting in the back seat, while she said Kim liked being a "backseat driver." Kim just glared at her in response.

Janelle since the time she got in the minivan spent her time buried in the maps, not looking up for anything until the vehicle started leaving the city limits.

"Hey, this isn't bad; the way we're going, we'll be there in a couple of hours or so. Betty, what are you wearing?" Janelle said.

"Huh? What about what Betty is wearing?" Susan said as she poked her head over the front seat. "Oh."

Kim and LS being in the very back, couldn't see what was going on.

"What's the big deal? What is she wearing?" Kim asked.

"Well, she wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka-dot bi-" Janelle started to sing.

"So it's a bikini! I like to be comfortable when I drive, all right?" Betty said defensively. "And it's dark blue; I don't like polka-dots, and it's not teeny-weeny!"

What Betty was wearing behind the wheel was indeed a modest dark blue bikini. No one outside of one's great-grandmother would consider it racy if seen on a beach. It was modest, but it was still a bikini, nonetheless.

"I like to be nice and loose when I drive on long trips," Betty continued.

"Betty, honey, just how "loose' do you need to be?" Susan said.

"You're wearing a bikini?" Kim asked. "I don't think they'll be any pools where we're going, not that we'll have time for that sort of thing."

LS started giggling.

"I'm thinking about the possible road hazard this will present," Janelle said.

"Road hazard? I obey all the traffic laws, and I never speed. When I do, I have this radar detector-" Betty replied.

"No, that's not it. Betty, you're an attractive woman, and the sight of you in a bikini may cause some people to, well, you know."

"What?"

"You'll make people run off the road!" Kim said.

"Oh, come on!" Betty protested.

"What do you do when you stop to eat, or you have to pump gas?" Susan asked.

"I always have a t-shirt and a pair of shorts or blue jeans to pull on when I do."

LS just giggled.

"Do you ever get pulled over? Come to think of it, that may not be a bad thing," Kim mused.

"Not if it's a lady cop," Susan replied.

"Well we're on the road, so I can't stop now," Betty said. "Besides, I'm not that big a "road hazard' as you think."

"We'll see," Janelle replied.

"Betty Conrad, auto mechanic and exhibitionist," Susan said.

"Hey!" Betty objected.

Kim turned to LS. "What are you giggling about?" She said.

LS just sang, "She wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka-dot bikini. . ."

 

Councilman Johnson decided to sleep in on that day. It turned out that Stacy's new hose put her in a more ' energetic mood than the usual norm. He prided himself that he was in relatively good shape; otherwise he'd still be asleep, or maybe dead. Somewhere in the middle of the night, he had to tell Stacy to let him sleep. Now that he was awake, the idea of taking a long nap ' alone ' sounded like a good idea.

He staggered down to the kitchen in his robe and boxers, and fixed himself a cup of coffee. He wished the maid didn't have the day off, because he wasn't in the mood to fix breakfast himself. Willing himself, he grabbed a box of cereal and poured it in a bowl. Just as he was planning to pour the milk, Stacy bounded into the room, wearing only a white T-shirt, and those blasted hose that she had on last night. She gave him a peck on the cheek, poured herself a cup of coffee, and sat down at the kitchen table across from him. While the councilman was munching away at his breakfast, Stacy decided to let her toes do the walking up his leg; but he stopped her before they reached their destination.

"Not now, honey; I'd like to live to see retirement one day. Man; what did those sisters of-" Johnson began.

"Daughters," Stacy corrected.

"Daughters of what's her name do, sprinkle pixie dust on those hose? You were on fire."

"I don't know; whoever designed them made it so they fit so good, it's like a second skin. It makes you feel so sensual, so alive."

"If they give you that much energy, perhaps you should wear them next time you're in the ring," Johnson said.

"You know, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. Tell you what, I'll wear a pair of these to practice, and I'll see if that will work. Then I'll come back and finish with you; I'm not done yet."

"Thanks for the warning."

"I also had an idea concerning our little antagonist," Stacy suggested.

"Really? What is it?" The words came between crunches of the last of the councilman's cereal.

"When the little runt comes home, have a little welcoming committee waiting for her; two people should do it," Stacy said as she rose in what appeared to be getting some breakfast for herself, but instead pulling the councilman's chair away from the table and sitting in his lap.

"Stacy, that would normally be a good idea, but this is LS we're talking about, remember? She would have no problem taking care of two attackers. She might even expect me to have two goons waiting for her. Down, girl," Johnson said, the last part in a whisper while Stacy ran her fingers through the hair on his chest.

"I know," Stacy said huskily, "that's why we should do it. She'll think that you know better to try something like that, so you won't do it. So you'll surprise her by doing it anyway."

Johnson thought about it for a moment. "You know, in a crazy way, that makes sense. I would be faking her out, actually. It would make my plans go quickly, and I can send my hired muscle to go home early. I'll try that."

"You see, there's more to me than just my legs, I have brains too," said Stacy as she attacked him hungrily. "And if you had any brains, you shouldn't bother with work today, or I'll tear you apart. Send two of your goons who know some karate, kung fu, or something that should work."

"I will, if you'll let me get the phone," Johnson said, pushing her off enough to reach for the cordless phone. After he gave the order and hung up, he looked at Stacy's eyes. He made a mental reminder to hide those hose while she was working out. Meantime, he might as well stay home. He's not fit for any work at the office anyway; not with as little sleep as he got. "Aren't you going to eat any breakfast?"

"I have my breakfast right here," Stacy snarled.

Yeah, it was going to be rough until she left for her workout, but enjoyable.

 

The female quintet traveled to their destination, chatting about a little bit of everything, from Betty's greatest "hits" (literally speaking) to Kim reminding LS and telling everyone in the car that she was right about LS and Lewis getting together. To change the subject, and save LS from further embarrassment, Susan announced she was hungry. Janelle followed this up by agreeing and announcing she needed to go to the little girls' room. Seeing a nearby truck stop, Betty pulled in by a gas pump and parked. In front of them was the ever popular sign at truck stops and restaurants everywhere that said "no shoes, no shirt, no service."

"This may present a problem," Susan said. "Did anyone bring any shoes?"

Betty looked at her and said, "You don't need to ask me that question."

"I always have an emergency pair for situations like this," Janelle replied.

"Oh really? Where are they?" Susan asked.

"In the trunk of my car."

"Very funny. Kim, what about you?"

"Are you kidding? One of the reasons I joined this trip was to be away from the accursed things!" She said.

"I don't suppose you have any, LS?"

"No, I have a thick pair of socks, but I do not think they will fit you," LS said, smiling.

"So we have five women without a pair of shoes between them, and a place that don't serve people unless you have them."

"Well while you're figuring that out, I'm going to put some gas in the van," Betty said as she started to slide out. Janelle placed a hand on her arm.

"Oh no you don't, not like that," she said.

"Why not? Nothing happened," Betty protested.

"Then I guess you didn't see that car full of college guys almost drive off the road trying to get a closer look at you."

Kim nodded her head. "She's right; they almost took another car with them."

"So that explained that honking that woke me up from my nap," Susan said.

"Yes, I remember. I finally got Kim quieted down, until that noise started her up again," LS remarked.

While Kim looked at her cousin, thinking of the appropriate comeback, Janelle slipped her oversized white oxford shirt off, revealing her black tank top and massive biceps to hand to Betty. LS, who never seen Janelle without wearing long sleeves was surprised.

"Whoa," she said.

"I have a T-shirt," Betty complained.

"That thin thing? It's almost transparent! I'd offer you my sweats to replace those worn shorts too, but I need to be appropriately dressed myself," Janelle said, practically dressing her.

"Yes mother," Betty replied as she got out of the van.

"So what about the restaurant here? Do we still go in and take a chance, or go through some drive-through?" Susan asked.

"Go in," LS and Kim said at the same time.

"Relax Susan, it's no big deal," Janelle said, reaching for her purse.

"It is to some people," Susan replied.

"I expected this situation to happen on our little trip. But unlike Susan, who would wimp out and put on some flip-flops or something, I brought along these," Janelle said, pulling out a few strands of necklace-type objects.

"What are those?" Kim asked.

"Barefoot sandals, the perfect cross between wearing shoes and wearing nothing at all on your feet. They're perfect for situations like this. Just lace them around the second toe on each foot and put them around your ankle, and you're ready to go. Fools them every time too."

"I always wanted to try one of those," LS said.

"Here's one with blue stones. It'll go perfect with that royal blue kimono you wore the other night. Try it on."

Janelle handed the strands to LS, who for the trip was wearing a long-sleeve white T-shirt and blue jeans cut off at mid-calf.

"Thank you," she said.

"If you like them, you can keep them. I have a lot of them. There's a website that practically knows me personally because I order from them so much. I almost order by bulk."

"You should wear a pair of these with your business suits, Kim," LS said.

Kim looked down at her feet, sporting the pair Janelle loaned her. "Yes, you're right; I'll need to try some when I get back to work."

"Oh!" LS said suddenly.

"What happened?" Susan said, alarmed.

"She said I was right about something! Our mission does not matter anymore, for the world is going to end now."

"You two are terrible," Susan said. "I'm going to have to sit between you two. Does Lewis have to keep you two in line?"

"No, our "handler' is back at home studying for her exam," Kim giggled.

As Susan and Janelle were surprised by the actual fact that Kim actually giggled, Betty returned. "I paid at the pump; so what's the verdict, are we eating here or not?" She said.

"We're staying; here," Janelle said, handing Betty a pair of barefoot sandals.

Susan was holding up Betty's shorts like someone would hold a dead rat. They were faded jean shorts that were threadbare and riddled with a few holes. "Betty, when was the last time you wore these shorts in public?" She asked.

"Uh, I don't know; I think when Loretta and I went out of town to look for something," Betty confessed.

Janelle went pale. "You mean to tell me you pumped gas in nothing more than your, I mean my shirt and your bikini bottoms?"

"It's no big deal, your shirt covers everything."

With the speed of a striking snake, Janelle hit the button that opened the trunk door.

"What are you doing?" Betty said.

"Fishing you out something else to wear. Susan, throw those shorts away."

"No problem," Susan said.

"Hey! Those are the only shorts I have!" Betty said.

"Fine, I'll possibly buy you a pair at the store inside. Really, Betty, I expected better from you. Meanwhile, I'll hand you another pair of my sweatpants."

"She wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, little yellow polka-dot bikini," LS and Kim sang together. Betty looked at them strangely.

"Is Kim okay? She looks - happy?" Betty asked.

 

Back at Betty's garage, Irena was sitting at Betty's desk figuring an estimate for what was about to become close to an engine overhaul. This will cost the customer some big money, she thought, but he told him that money was no object when it came down to maintaining his 1976 AMC Pacer. A Pacer? Even in Russia where the automobiles weren't necessarily the most sophisticated and stylish in the world, that vehicle was one that even the most destitute avoided. There was no doubt about it; the best way to fix this car would be to get a new one. She sighed, and reached for the phone to give this customer the sad news when she saw a car pull up front.

She knew instinctively that whoever they were, they weren't here for car repair. Of course, that wasn't a hard guess. Generally, most customers especially repeat customers show up in better quality cars and trucks. The two mechanics generally drilled into their clientele that maintenance would save them a whole heap of trouble and money in the long run. The thugs who want to fight usually show up in vehicles that have seen better days, and this one was no exception. This was a beat up white custom van with four women and two men in it. The van had one of those "cosmic" pictures painted on it, like most custom vans of the late 1970's and 80's displayed on their side. This one had an Indian warrior holding a spear while standing on the surface of the moon, with the stars of the universe in the background. Irena's trained ears told her that whenever the van came off the assembly line, was probably when it received its last tune-up. The same could be said for the muffler that sounded close to the verge of collapse. Looking at the van, she could tick off so many improvements it needed; it was starting to make the Pacer look good.

The six occupants at least didn't look as bad as the custom van. In fact, the women looked like they worked out some. She had to admit to herself, she was getting tired of these women who either looked like scarecrows, tubby, or ladies of the evening challenging them. The two men didn't look bad either, but Irena suspected that they arrived to just watch. The big question was were they going to fight her if Betty's not here, and were they planning to do so if that was the case. Though it's been a few years since she fought the cage matches (not counting fighting the thugs with Betty), she still got that sense of excitement when a fight was about to come about. Some things never go away.

Two of the women looked like they either played beach volleyball or basketball. One was black, 5'9", with her long hair in a ponytail. She wore a black sports bra and black basketball shorts with a gold stripe down the side. Black and white cross-trainers with a white stripe along the side, and short black sports socks completed the outfit. Her abs was a washboard six-pack, matching the rest of her toned body. Aside from ethnicity, the blond woman could stand as her twin. She wore the same outfit as her friend, the same build, and the same haughty expression on her face.

The other two women were shorter, more around Irena's size, but unlike the first two who looked similar, the second duet were like night and day. The first woman in this pair, an Indian woman, looked skinny, upon a casual glance, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that her physique had well toned muscles, not unlike a yoga instructor she saw on television recently. The second woman was Samoan in decent, and heavy set, but well muscled, reminding Irena of someone who throws the shot put. Both of them were wearing the same outfit of a black sports bra and black basketball shorts, but instead of cross-trainers, the shorter women were wearing black flip-flops that looked new, but that translated to Irena as not being worn very much.

Why even waste your time with those things, Irena thought, just take them off and be done with it. As if they heard her thoughts, the heavy set one, then the skinny one both took off their sandals and threw them back in the van, one of them almost hitting one of the guys in the face.

The guys looked like they could be jocks, but if so, not football, wrestling, or basketball. When Irena took a closer glance at them, they looked like they were more likely to be armchair quarterbacks instead of real ones. One of them, about as tall as the "twins" had a noticeable gut, while the other one the same height was skinny as in bean pole skinny. No threat at all.

Finally, someone comes by who would make a suitable opponent, and Betty had to be out of town, just her luck. Oh well, that's more for me, Irena thought idly. Then again, they could be members of the college track and field team asking for directions or a sure fire cure for their ailing van; which if that was the case, taking it out back and shooting it through the engine block to put it out of its misery would do it. All speculation ended when one the black woman rang the doorbell.

"Come in," Irena said politely.

"Hello, is Betty around," she asked, equally politely. Maybe this was some people from the track and field team.

"No, she's out of town right now; she'll be back in a couple of days. Is there something I may help you with?"

"I understand she has the reputation of being the "toughest woman in town.' Is that true?"

"That is the title she was given, but not by choice." Wow, she gets right to the point, Irena thought.

"We don't always choose the titles we've been given, but that's the way it goes. In any case, we've found a title like that unproven, and in need of a more strenuous test."

"In other words, you want to challenge her," Irena said. If she could get right to the point, so could she.

"Yes, that's correct. Unfortunately, there are four of us here who would be likely contenders for this title."

"So if you defeat Betty, you four would then turn on each other to see who got the title?"

The black woman laughed lightly. "No, no, we would not do something like that for something as silly as a title. We've been friends for years. Besides, this brings up the uniqueness of our position. Your coworker, boss?"

"A mixture of both; but it's her garage, so let's say boss for now."

"Your employer would have a choice at fighting any of us to keep her title."

Irena paused for a moment. This was new.

"I also understand there's a reward for beating her as well," the black woman said.

"There is, but I would not count on the person who put that out to be paying on it; besides, if you decided to split it four ways, it wouldn't be much anyway," Irena replied.

"We also heard from the same sources that you fight in these battles as well."

"Yes, I do, uh,"

"Diana, like the huntress in Greek mythology, and you're Irena, correct?"

"Yes."

"This is Leah, my closest friend. We're kickboxers. The two other women are Shelly, the one of Indian origin, and Mia from the lovely island of Samoa. Both of them used to be on the wrestling team until they were kicked off."

"Kicked off for what?"

"Using illegal holds, tactics, and striking."

"Wrestling isn't good wrestling without using good holds," Mia said.

"Maybe you two or all of you should check out some of the many underground fighting organizations around this town. There's quite a few," Irena said.

"Perhaps. We also have a second proposal for you. Betty is not here, but you are, and if you fight alongside her, I figure you must be pretty good. In fact, I hear that you two have a number of friends who are fighters," Diana continued.

"Well yes, but I would call them martial artists, not fighters exactly."

"Martial arts were designed for war, so of course they're fighters. You already heard my first proposal, so here's my second. You get to choose who to take on. I think that would be exciting."

Irena couldn't believe what she said next came out of her mouth. "Yes, I suppose it would, but I don't do that type of thing for myself anymore," she said. Maybe Betty was right, she was "whipped." In either case, Diana's skeptical look told her she wasn't exactly falling for it.

"No, you're still a fighter, I can see it on your face, in the way you carry yourself, and I've heard too much about you," she said. "You'll fight."

"I am also the only one running the garage at the moment. I currently don't have time to manage both functions by myself, especially right now."

"Then this brings up my third proposal, and it's the one I like. You gather together a group of your fighters to take on my group."

Irena looked at the two men in the van. "Are they in your group too?"

"Oh, they're Bob and Tom, our boyfriends of Leah and me. They're just here to watch."

You could've done better, Irena thought. Out loud, she said, "Of course I would need to ask my friends if they would be up to this challenge."

"I for one can not wait," the Indian woman said as she and Mia ventured closer to the desk where Irena was sitting. Mia bent down and looked at Irena's eyes.

"Let your boss and Leah and Diana perform their fancy kicks and such; I've heard of what you can do. It would be an honor and a pleasure to grind your face in the mud."

No, she wasn't completely whipped, Irena realized; for at the moment, nothing would've made her feel so good than to take both their faces and grind them in the mud. She also noticed that while Diana was the spokesperson, and she and Leah may be good kickboxers, these other two women, Shelly and Mia, were the dangerous ones here. The taller pair may like a challenge, but the shorter two have that look in their eyes that tells you they take great joy in hurting their opponents. Their expulsion from the wrestling team may have been a matter of saving the team from them as well as a disciplinary measure.

"Shelly, Mia, behave," Leah said. The two women backed up and occupied themselves by looking at the calendar on the wall with classic cars on it.

"You have to excuse them, they can be most uh, eager," Diana said.

"Diana, I've only known you for a short while, about five minutes or so, but level with me; you didn't come here for a title or a reward, did you? You just want to fight," Irena said.

Diana laughed out loud. "Oh Irena, you are very perceptive. Leah and I, well we like the thrill, and lately we started running out of opponents. We're in a fight club east of town, and we like what we do. It makes life more exciting, and it keeps Mia and Shelly happy, else they start finding someone to uh relieve themselves with. But that's neither here nor there. I've gave you three proposals. I understand you like to schedule your bouts, so I'll give you a few minutes to do so."

"And I assume you won't take "no' for an answer," Irena replied.

"That's correct. Shelly and Mia would get a little antsy, and we would not be able to control them if you didn't take us up on our challenge."

"So what do you all do when you're not fighting?"

"Leah and I are about to graduate with our degree. Mia and Shelly have one more semester. We do have a life outside of fighting; well, Leah and I do, anyway," Diana glanced at Mia and Shelly, who gave her a dirty look back.

"So you want one big fight before you go out and start a career, eh?" Irena asked, a little curious about this female "fight club" she just heard of.

"Yes, except we're not stopping. But I feel you may be stalling for a bit. Come on, Irena, what will it be? The natives are getting restless," Diana said in a sing-song voice.

"Did somebody say something about a fight?" Came a voice from behind Irena as Loretta came out of the not-quite-finished-yet expanded part of the garage. Her 6'4" size and muscular build they could see despite the white overalls and blue work shirt she was wearing. Even Diana and Leah took notice. "That sounds interesting."

"Yes Loretta, these ladies said they come from a fight club east of town. And I thought I knew all the combative organizations around here. Anyway, their gang here wants to fight our gang sometime. You want to do it tonight?" Irena asked.

"Well sure, I ' wait a minute, tonight wouldn't be good. I uh have something. How about tomorrow night?"

"I'm going out with William tomorrow night. I guess that leaves, no wait, I can change our date-"

"You don't need to postpone your date for this. Two days from now, ladies, take it or leave it," Loretta said.

"We'll take it. Now here's where we'll do it," Diana said as Leah handed her a map that looked like it was drawn and displayed on the internet. She handed it to Irena. "Does seven o'clock sound good for your group?"

"I believe so. What website did you get this map? It's looks nice?" Irena said, looking the map over.

"I drew it, thank you," Leah said.

"Here are the ground rules; we go at each other, no weapons, winner is the last woman standing, or woman who represents their group, that is," Diana said.

"Sounds good. Now if you'll excuse us, I have a business to run, Loretta has construction to do, and isn't it about feeding time for your two watchdogs over there?" Irena asked.

A wave of Diana's hand kept the two women from advancing on Irena's desk. "I'll see if I can feed them a frat boy or two before our fight," she said.

"Whose van is that?"

"It's Bob's," Diana said. "Did you want to look at it?"

"No, I want to bury it. I'm amazed you made it into town with that rust bucket."

Diana for the first time in the conversation was speechless for a few seconds. "You'll have to take that up with the owner," she said.

"Perhaps I will after I'm through a few days from now," Irena said as she leaned back, indicating the conversation was over. Diana and Leah waved and took their leave, each one guiding Mia and Shelly back to the van. The last two gave Irena a look like a lion would view its next meal.

After the van started up and left, Irena turned to Loretta. "You know, I used to think that Betty for some strange reason attracted these strange people. If I had ever mentioned that to her, I would owe her an apology," she said.

"I have actually heard of this "fight club," and it's a little unusual to say the least," Loretta replied. "It's like somebody threw all these women together, they form groups, and then proceed to beat the living daylights out of each other. Amazingly enough, they seem to attract only the more skilled fighters, not those cat fighters that only pull hair and rip clothes like what you and Betty been fighting lately. I haven't had any personal dealings with them myself, but I can assure you of one thing."

"What's that?"

"There's more than four of them. That was probably the "welcome wagon.' I would have to admit, out of those four, the two tall ones aren't your biggest threat."

"The two exiled wrestlers? Oh yes. And I thought Betty was the popular one. They kept eyeing me like I was raw meat. I thought Leah or Diana would have to get their leashes to drag them out of here."

"Good thing we have a contingency plan for something like this."

"Yeah. Hey, would you mind giving the others a call. I have to call this poor customer, and tell him that he needs to give his beloved car a proper burial. There's only so many times you can raise Lazarus from the dead."

"No problem, I needed a break anyway. I just thought of something; there would only be four of us against however many they have."

"A nice challenge for us, my friend," Irena said with a wink.

"And Betty thought you were whipped. Ha!" Loretta remarked as she walked over to the other phone on Irena's desk and made some calls. When she finished, she saw Irena slowly put down her phone and shake her head.

"What's wrong?" Loretta asked.

"I hate to hear a grown man cry," Irena said. "I feel like I should call the funeral home instead of the junkyard for a proper burial."

"Wow, he was really attached to his car."

"Since he graduated high school, college, got married and had kids. I know his wife will be dancing in the streets, so I'll tell her to be gentle with the man for the next couple of days. Anyway, who were things on your end?"

"Velvet said she'll be happy to help out, and Jasmine said that would be great, she had some excess frustration to let out."

"I didn't think that woman ever got frustrated or even angry for the most part. I've wanted to see her in action anyway; Kim had told me some interesting stories about her."

Both women looked up as a couple of cars pulled into the garage.

"Maybe it's none of my business, but perhaps Betty should look into getting a third mechanic to help you two out," Loretta said.

"We talked about it; maybe it's time to talk about it some more," Irena said with a sigh as she got up and greeted her customers.

 

Meanwhile, the five ladies were back on the road after having enjoyed a good lunch and a chance to stretch their legs. Their stay at the truck stop went without incident, aside from some grizzled trucker from a faraway table taking occasional glances at Janelle's arms whenever she flexed them. The barefoot sandals worked like a charm, even receiving compliments from several women as they saw them. Janelle just smiled, and gave them the website web-dress, wondering what their reaction will be when they realize that what they saw of the sandals was what they got. Maybe they'll even like it, she thought, with a sinister-looking grin on her face as she told another admirer where to find the site on the Internet.

"So how big an "army' will we have by the time we take on the counselor's forces?" Susan asked, sounding like she was preparing to enter the Civil War.

"There will be a good number from my dojo who will help us out," LS replied, "and we probably could get the help of others. Speaking of which, let me give Rini and Michelle a call."

"Who's Michelle?" Janelle asked.

"Another close friend of Jasmine," Kim said. "Her, Rini, and Jasmine received their black belts in aikido at the same time. Besides knowing aikido and tai chi like the other two, she also knows Jeet Kune Do. Like Rini, she also teaches privately during the evening while working as a secretary part time."

"I'm beginning to think Jasmine knows as many martial art teachers as me."

"Well, she does, and she manages to keep in touch with them. To me, that's the amazing thing."

"I spoke a little too soon. I called both Rini and Michelle, and their receptionists both said they are away on some mission,"

"Receptionists?" Kim asked. "Business has been very good for them, I see. The closest thing Jasmine has to a receptionist is me."

"I thought Jasmine's classes were going well," Susan said.

"They are, very much so. She just doesn't think she needs a receptionist yet. Yet she's talking about switching to a bigger gym. Go figure."

"Maybe this is the wrong time to bring this up," Janelle said, "but I hear all this fanfare about how good Jasmine is, and what she's done, but I just don't see it. Plus, I know about tai chi, and how effective it is as a martial art as well as exercise, but aikido, I just don't get it. I'm sorry Kim, LS, but, but I guess I'm not convinced."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before LS spoke.

"We are not offended, Janelle, nobody believes Jasmine can do the things she does at first glance. If we were not related to her, we would have problems believing it. Now if you look at Kim, you can tell from her disposition that she will kick your butt," she said.

"Perhaps I'll start with yours," Kim replied, with an evil smirk.

"I have been told by Lewis I have a stare I give sometimes people who . . . make me unhappy that can melt wax. But Jasmine is so sweet and considerate, I am amazed she has enemies as much as how deadly a martial artist she can be."

"And concerning aikido, you are not the only one who's skeptical of what it can do. There's still a few people, martial artists included, who have their doubts on its effectiveness," Kim commented. "We had our doubts too."

"So what convinced you, seeing her in action using it?" Susan said.

"Yes, that's what it took. We thought it may have been because of her physical talent, but the more we saw her use it, the more we were convinced. Her friends Rini and Michelle aren't slouches in that department either. As you know, we have "Betty' stories that we share with LS ' don't let it get to your head, Betty ' concerning her encounters; well with our other friends we have "Jasmine' stories to share. I guess we now use an equal blend, a Betty story, then a Jasmine story," Kim explained.

"Well now I feel deprived," Susan remarked. "Tell me a Jasmine story."

"Yeah, it'll be nice to see somebody else share the spotlight for a while," Betty yelled from the driver's seat. "My exploits have been repetitive lately."

"Well cousin, can you think of any?" Kim asked LS. "My mind is blank at the moment."

"I know what you mean, there are so many to choose from," LS said. "The only one that comes to mind involves that football player."

"Oh yes! Okay, our high school had an excellent football team when we were attending, partly because of our star quarterback. As you know with jocks, sometimes they start to believe their own press clippings and think they're great. Unfortunately, our quarterback was no exception. Well, one day, he was walking down the hallway, pushing other students out of the way, saying "Out of the way, the king is here!' No one opposed him either because they were scared of him or they thought he was great as well. On the opposite side of the hall, LS, Jasmine, and myself were walking to class; Jasmine just happened to be the lead person. He walked up to Jasmine, tried to push her to the side, and ' nothing happened, she didn't budge. He tried again, and still nothing happened. He tried a third time, and still nothing happened. Jasmine just stood there with a slight smirk on her face looking at him.

""If I don't want to move, I can't be moved,'" she said.

"He just walked away dumbfounded as we walked to class. As all of us here know, having a strong center is very important in the marital arts, and Jasmine already had it honed to a fine edge. Outside of a speeding truck, she couldn't be moved if she didn't want to be. Our football player thought if she could do it, he could too, so he tried it for the game that weekend."

"Oh no," Betty said.

"Oh yes; to say they got slaughtered would be an understatement. The team suffered their biggest defeat in years, and our quarterback was in the doghouse," Kim continued. "He was so embarrassed, he didn't leave the house, except for school and practice. The second string quarterback played for a while until our star quarterback "came back to his senses.' He was sitting at home doing his homework one afternoon when there was a knock on his door. He opened it, and Jasmine was standing there.

"It only works if you know what you're doing," she said.

"Why are you here?" He said.

"I'm here to keep you from getting yourself killed."

"She then told him to come out to the front yard, and she gave him some impromptu lessons in Tai chi. He's normally pretty graceful out there on the field, but it was like teaching a dinosaur ballet, so for his sake she brought him around to the backyard," Kim giggled. That caught another strange look from Betty, who's not used to seeing her teacher smile, much less giggle.

"How did you know all this?" Janelle asked.

"I drove her there," Kim said. "I suppose she felt sorry for the poor guy, and sought to teach him a few things before he became a laughingstock."

"Did the lessons work?" Susan asked.

"Yes they did. We won the state trophy that year, and the two years after that. Along with his regular practices, he would get private instruction from my sister. He also became much more humble during that time too."

"So was he thankful for the lessons?" Janelle said.

"Thankful? The boy was in love! He practically begged and pleaded for Jasmine to go out with him near the end of his senior year," Kim said. "Jasmine told him kindly, "I don't go out with unbelievers.'"

"I guess that took care of that," Betty said.

"Not so," Kim said, shaking her head. "When Sunday morning came, he was at our church on the front pew. When the time came for the invitation, you didn't want to be in his way. He almost ran over an usher getting to the altar."

"Well that was a nice ending," Janelle replied.

"That's not the end," Kim said. "He received a full scholarship to college, Purdue, I believe, and after he graduated was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts where he stars today."

"Wait a minute, is this guy Barry Liberty?" Betty asked, white-faced.

"The one and only," Kim said, leaning back folding her arms.

"Oh my," Susan replied. "So did she ever go out with him?"

"I don't know. After he graduated high school, that was the last I heard of him, from Jasmine or anybody. I can tell you that Jasmine and I are dedicated Colts fans now."

"So that explains why you two sometimes leave the restaurant so quickly after church," Janelle commented. "I thought you had to get Jasmine home so she could take off on another one of her ' where does she go, anyway?"

"When Jasmine does not want to move, she can not be moved, and when she takes off, she does not want to tell," LS said. "She has always been a private person regarding her coming and going."

"So sensei-ah, I mean Kim, LS, how early did you two start in Tae Kwon Do and Judo?" Betty asked.

"Since we were kids. It was the family custom for everyone to learn whatever martial art the family was practicing. I'm not sure how it started. Maybe one of my ancestors was being pestered by a bully, and wanted to make sure it didn't happen to anyone else. As you can guess, it was Tae Kwon Do for a large bulk of my family. Jasmine and LS were the family "rebels' by choosing another discipline entirely," Kim said.

"Tae Kwon Do is nice, but look at me! My legs are too short to do those kicks! Judo was good for me because you can get up close and personal, and size doesn't matter too much. Jasmine chose Tai Chi and Aikido because it's hard to master, and she wanted a challenge," LS added.

"Sound like you two took to the family custom like a duck takes to water," Susan said.

"Not always," Kim said. "But I grew to love it."

"I remember my parents saw my grades were not as they should have been, so they threatened to take away my judo lessons unless I improved my grades," LS reflected.

"That worked?" Janelle asked.

"I love judo, so it worked like a charm."

"I remember I challenged my parents by saying that we're feeding into the stereotype that Asians were bookworms, brainy (except I said nerds), and instant martial artists. My dad just smiled at me and said, "Some stereotypes need to be maintained,'" Kim said. "I couldn't think of a comeback to that, so I studied, and now I'm the smashing success you see before you."

"With me, my dad threatened to hang up my tools. I never slacked on my homework after I heard that," Betty replied.

"Anyway, that was a good story, Kim, but I actually wanted to hear a story where she kicked some butt," Janelle said.

"I have to admit I do too," Betty said.

Susan didn't say anything; she just looked at Betty and Janelle, then turned to LS and Kim and smiled.

"It is not a problem, we have plenty of those," LS said. "In fact, there's this one time when she was really angry."

"Angry? Your sister gets angry? The closest I've seen Jasmine to getting angry was when she didn't get sprinkles on her sundae; and even then, all she did was sigh, shrug her shoulders, and grab a spoon," Betty said.

"True, my cousin is in control of her emotions, much better than I," LS replied, "but the few times I have seen her lose her cool regarding a combat situation, those were moments to behold."

"It's almost scary," Kim said. "It's like the more angry she becomes, the more focused she becomes. And the more focused she becomes, the more formidable she is."

"We could tell them that story where she barged into that crackhouse," LS suggested.

"She went into a crackhouse?" Betty exclaimed, eyes wide open. "Why would she do that?"

"That," Kim said, "is an interesting story. . ."

 

It was a pleasant summer day, and Kim had recently arrived home from her first semester of college. Her father in a rare generous mood gave her permission to drive his new white convertible, in exchange for running some errands and as long as some fuel was put in the gas tank. Upon hearing this, Kim wasted no time in calling LS, picking her up, and finishing the errands in record time. After they finished the last errand, which was dropping Jasmine off at a local park to play tennis, they spent the afternoon cruising the neighborhood. Both wore white T-shirts, blue jean cut-offs, and dark sunglasses. Kim had her right hand on the wheel while leaning her left arm on the car door, while LS reclined in her seat, resting a bare right foot on her car door as they cruised.

"Hey, you know what sounds good right now?" LS said.

"What's that?" Kim asked.

"A double-scooped ice cream cone with sprinkles. There's an ice cream shop a few blocks from here."

"That does sound good. This wouldn't be the ice cream shop where Dion works, is it?"

"Maybe," LS said with a sly grin.

"You know, I bet Lewis could make a fine ice cream cone too."

LS lowered her sunglasses. "Kim, how many times do I have to tell you that Lewis and I are just friends, that is all," she said.

"Okay, but one of these days you'll see that I'm right," Kim replied.

"You and everybody else," LS grumbled. "Here it is, turn here."

Later, the two ladies spent their time leaning on the car, eating their ice cream, flirting, and trying to look cool at the same time. Dion, a 6'0" black man who worked at the ice cream shop during the summers when he wasn't at college, poked his head out of the shop to greet them.

"Hey there ladies, what's going on?" He said.

"Not much, we were just cruising through the neighborhood, and decided to drop by for an ice cream cone," Kim said between licks.

"You know what the best thing about ice cream is?" LS said in a low voice as she moved close to the counter so only the three of them could hear.

"What's that?" Dion asked.

"It tastes better with chocolate," she replied, drawing out the word "chocolate" while staring directly at Dion. Kim nearly dropped her cone.

"Is that a fact?" Dion said with a sly grin.

"Yes it is."

Looking at the two ladies' muscular bare legs, he said, "I also understand the best part of a chicken are the legs. They're delicious."

LS looking down at hers without missing a beat, said, "Well they do have plenty of meat on them."

Before the conversation could go any further, some new customers drove up to the shop. Dion excused himself to tend to them. In contrast to LS's grin, Kim had a look of shock on her face as she confronted LS.

"Chocolate? Cousin, you're awful!" Kim said.

"And you are ornery!" LS giggled.

"Well at least I don't consider myself a chicken!"

"Kim, you need to relax; it is just a little playing around, that is all. Besides, look at that skin. Does that not remind you of the color of French Mocha?"

Before Kim could respond, a couple of friends also pulled up to the shop. Francine and Barbara, two old high school friends greeted LS and Kim and talked a little about old times.

"Hey, where's Lewis?" Francine asked.

Before either LS or Kim could respond, Barbara said, "Don't you remember? He's going out with Tiffany tonight. Anyway, we were on our way to the store. We thought we'd stop by and say hi. See you later."

As they drove off, LS wheeled on Kim, and said, "He is going out with Tiffany of all people? And he didn't tell me?"

Kim involved herself in getting the last licks of her cone. "Well I myself don't see the big deal. After all, you two are just friends, right?"

LS saw the smirk growing on Kim's face, and was about to address it when suddenly Kim's cell phone rang.

"Hold that look, LS. Hello? No, she's at the park, playing tennis. We'll go get her right away. Bye." Kim ended the connection. "LS, you can stop trying to burn a hole through me with your eyes now; we need to pick up my sister."

"Jasmine? Is she all right?" LS asked.

"Yeah; it's a friend of hers that's in trouble. Let's go."

With barely enough time for LS to wave goodbye to Dion, both women jumped in the car and sped back to the park. Jasmine was taking a swig of bottled water when she saw the white convertible pull off with a screech of its brakes and both women jumping out of the car.

"Look Yuki, it's the Duke girls," Jasmine quipped. "I think that show has already been done, though."

"Jasmine, did you forget your cell phone again?" Kim demanded.

"No, I left it at home, there's a difference. I didn't need it."

"I beg to differ. Yolanda has been trying to get a hold of you. You need to call her back. It's about Alice."

Alice was a woman that Jasmine befriended and helped her out of the dark world of drug abuse. Alice's recovery to some had been nothing short of miraculous. But despite the dark hole that Alice had dug out of, some people wanted to pull her back in. One person in particular was her former boyfriend, Tony. While coming to make a so-called social visit while she and Yolanda were eating their lunch outside at a fast food restaurant, Tony abducted her, practically dragging her to his car, and driving her back to the crack house where she used to spend her time. As Yolanda relayed the latest news to Jasmine, the easygoing woman's gentle features started to darken into a twisted mask of rage. Yet her voice was still at an even level.

"Thank you Yolanda, I'll get her. I'll let you know when I have her. Goodbye," she said as she ended the call and handed the phone back to Kim. She turned to Yuki and said her goodbyes, and then she turned to her sister and cousin and said, "Let's go." The two women found themselves trotting to keep up with their younger relative as she walked briskly to the convertible.

Fastening herself in her seatbelt, Jasmine tossed a paperback book up front to LS. "Could you put that in the glove compartment please?" She said. LS catching the book, took a peek at the front cover. It was a book on pressure points of the human body.

"Jasmine, before we go, we need to come up with a plan of action," Kim said. "We don't want to rush in recklessly."

"The plan is this; we go to the crack house, I go in and get her. You two can go in with me or wait for me when I bring her out. The place is off Sixteenth Street; do you know where that is?" Jasmine said.

"Well yes, I know-"

"Then go! We don't have time to waste."

Both Kim and LS were about to say something to Jasmine, but as they glanced at the determined expression on her face in the backseat, they both thought it would be wise to keep silent. When they arrived at the address, Kim barely had placed the car in park before Jasmine got out of the car and was headed toward the front door, where two burly looking men stood out front as bodyguards. LS and Kim scrambled to release their seatbelts and rush out of the car to assist her and to prevent her from rushing into possible peril. As Jasmine approached the door, the two men demanded of her what she was doing there. When she ignored them, they reached forward to each grab an arm and yank her back. The two older women had no reason for concern they discovered as she grasped the fleshy part between the thumb and forefinger of the man on her left, and twisting in a clockwise motion, lowered him to his knees. She struck the other man on a spot on his leg, and suddenly all feeling went out of it. Alerted to the sudden lack of support, the man squealed in terror as he fell to the ground with a dead leg. Jasmine turned and gave the first man a blow on a point of his arm and let go, but not before delivering an aikido throw. As he landed on the ground, he was desperately trying to rise up with only one good arm. Not giving the men a second thought, Jasmine opened the door and went in. Kim and LS walked by the men on their way in wondering what just happened.

"What did she just do?" Kim asked.

"I recognize the throw, but the technique with the making arms and legs go numb is a new one to me," LS replied.

Both women shrugged and walked in. The crack house was a poor excuse for a house with a few pieces of broken down furniture scattered around the living room. Aside from a few people so stoned out of their minds that they wouldn't acknowledge the entrance of God, much less three strange women, the populace were either sitting or lying along the floor or on the overpopulated sofas and chair. The only sober people there were some big men who apparently were there to make sure no one got violent or intended to oppose the man who ran the crack house, Alice's ex-boyfriend. Jasmine was headed down the hall when one of these men blocked her way.

"I'm here to get Alice, do not detain me," Jasmine said in a firm voice that meant business.

"Hey you don't tell me what to do, I'll just kick your-"

The man was interrupted by a two-fingered strike to his midsection. It didn't hurt, but suddenly he didn't feel too well. The room started spinning, and he felt a need to sit down somewhere. Jasmine just pushed him to the side where he fell down along the wall. A second man ran and grabbed her from behind. Actually for him, it seemed like he never stopped moving as he found himself sailing over her shoulder to land on the floor below. Jasmine gave him a small kick in the leg just for good measure. He soon found himself screaming about not being able to feel his leg and crying for help. Kim and LS walked by, looking at the man trying to use the wall to stand.

Jasmine was stalking through the hallways of the house like a hungry cat trying to find its owner. She dispatched of any opposition with a jab of the fingers in some inconspicuous spot, causing them to either lose the use of one of their limbs, grow dizzy, or a combination of the two. She rarely used any of her normal tai chi and aikido skills. Finally she found Alice and her former boyfriend. She was curled up in a corner, a red spot on her cheeks while Tony was smoking a joint and ranting at her about leaving him, and what would happen if she did it again, among other things. Jasmine stood in front of him and addressed him.

"Tony, Alice is coming with me. She does not want to see you anymore. Stand out of the way," Jasmine said.

Tony had his face an inch away from Jasmine's, as he cussed and threatened what he was going to do with her and everybody else who came between him and his woman. LS and Kim appeared, ready to give Tony a beating if he harmed their younger relative. They didn't need to worry. Jasmine delivered another two-fingered jab to Tony's body, and suddenly, he felt out of control of his bodily functions. He crunched down, trying to control what would be an embarrassing loss of bodily fluid.

"The bathroom is down the hall to the right," Jasmine said, pointing to that direction.

Tony didn't argue, he loped down the hall to the bathroom, threw out someone who just came out, and shut the door. A few people nearby scrunched up their nose.

"I think I would have preferred it if you hit him," LS said, holding her nose.

Alice rushed and hugged all three of them, crying and voicing her thanks.

"It's okay Alice, we're leaving now. You'll never see this place again. Come on," Jasmine said.

Even stoned people recognize a fight when they see it, and the people in the crack house gathered around to see what the commotion was, only to find it was already over. When Jasmine, Alice, Kim and LS emerged, it was like the parting of the Red Sea. Everyone moved to the side to let Jasmine and her crew leave, lest they get in the way and be touched by Jasmine's "magic hands." Even the bouncers pulled themselves out of range.

Once they got in the car, Jasmine took Kim's cell phone and called Yolanda and told her Alice was with her safe and sound. She then asked if they could come over and use the shower and if she had some extra clothes they could borrow.

"Extra clothes?" Kim asked.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want to explain to mom and dad why my clothes have the scent of marijuana on them," Jasmine explained.

The other three unanimously agreed as they drove to Yolanda's place.

 

"So what happened to Alice?" Betty asked.

"She teaches high school math," Kim said. "You ask her any time about Jasmine, and she'll tell you she saved her life."

"Jasmine and Tony had one more encounter," LS added. "He ran into Jasmine a few weeks later, and threatened to beat her for what she done, blah, blah, blah. Jasmine just looked at him and said, "Don't make me touch you.' He slowly backed away and left."

They all laughed.

"Kim, did you really have to tell them about the "chocolate' part? Was that really necessary?" LS asked.

"Well of course; it added some spice to the story," Kim remarked.

"You mean it added some embarrassment for me in the story. I still can't believe I said that."

"Oh I don't know, I rather liked it," Janelle said, smiling.

"And you and Ben are engaged, so it would not be as bad. I barely knew that man. I can not say hello to him now without inwardly blushing."

"Regarding men, some of us have done rather embarrassing things."

"That is okay; I have a few Kim stories I could share with you."

"Not today, we're almost here," Kim said, pointing at the city limits.

"I'm still soaking this in. So Jasmine walked straight into a crack house, knocked the thugs out of her way, and pulled Alice out just like that?" Susan said.

"Once you're a friend of Jasmine, she'll move heaven and earth and fight the devil himself if you're in a jam," Kim said. "She's much braver than I am. By the way, don't tell her that."

"Your secret is safe with us," Janelle replied.

"I myself will admit it freely. We have a lot of stories of how she walked into the mouth of danger and came out unscathed," LS said.

"I'm starting to miss her myself on this mission, and we haven't even started yet," Janelle said. "Pity we can't turn this van around and get her. We could also have gotten Betty some more presentable clothing. Or maybe we can get you a string bikini to wear." She turned to LS and Kim. "Please, don't sing that song again."

"Hey! I have some decent clothing in my bags," Betty protested. "Anyway LS, where do you want to go first?"

"I would like to stop by my apartment first, check on Lewis' place for good measure, and then I would like to visit my dojo to see if anything out of the unusual had occurred. I also would like you to visit my students. In fact, Betty, there is a student there that reminds me a lot of you."

"I don't know if that's good or not. Does she work on cars?"

"No, she is a gardener."

"The judoka gardener. Sounds like it should be a TV series," Susan giggled.

"Hey LS, don't you think they would have your place watched?" Janelle said, concerned.

LS displayed a wide smile. "Janelle, my dear, I know they have the place watched. So we might as well get the ball rolling, shall we?"

 

The two thugs managed to break into LS's apartment with no fuss. Apparently the nicest apartments don't always have the toughest locks.

"So what is our plan now that we're here?" Thug number one said, a tall heavyset man with a blonde ponytail.

"According to the boss, we wait until our little victim opens the door, we beat the daylights out of her, then we can take anything we want," Thug number two said, an average sized man a little less heavy than the first thug, but not by much, and had a military "buzz" haircut of his blond hair.

"Isn't our "victim' a master of unarmed combat or something? She might be a handful."

"Not if she doesn't see it coming. Hold on, I hear footsteps now. I'll hide behind this potted plant, you stand beside the grandfather clock."

"Not much to hide behind."

"It is when it's dark. Come on, let's go!"

With the thugs in their hiding places, the door to the darkened apartment opened slowly. Without a moment's hesitation, a wave of a hand hit the light switch. After a couple of steps were made inside, the thugs attacked. As they descended upon their victim, they found that the victim did not fit the description at all. The descent and gender was correct, but that was all. Instead of seeing a stocky, 5'2" barefoot woman, they saw a 5'6" woman in a gold lace cover-up transparent enough to reveal the gold bikini beneath. She had long black hair, but what stood out was her build, which was very muscular, like a bodybuilder. The thugs never saw LS in person, but the description being a little off was no big deal. After all, the woman was shorter than them, had long black hair, and was of Asian decent, so what if she wore flip-flops, and was a few inches taller? She unlocked the door and walked in, so it must be her.

Regarding the alleged "victim," when she saw two large bodies hurdling toward her, she did what most people did when large objects flew toward them; she stepped out of the way. The two attackers stopped themselves just short of colliding into each other. They glanced over to the side and saw the woman in a ready stance. There was no disputing that part of their information; the woman was going to put up a fight. Though the advantage of surprise was gone, they still figured it was a piece of cake. Their instructions were to beat this woman and beat her up bad.

Thug number two advanced on the woman, delivering a right hook. The woman pivoted and delivered a double hammerfist block to the thug's right forearm. Not daunted by the move, the thug followed up with a left hook. The woman blocked it with a right outside hammerfist strike, which she quickly converted into a right straight punch to the jaw. Thug number two's back hit the wall as his eyes rolled up into their sockets and he slid down the floor, knocked out. The woman expected to follow her move with hooking the head and delivering a blow with her knee, but she can live with one less move at the moment. She quickly turned to face her other attacker.

Thug number one saw the information they received on this part was correct. She was a good fighter all right, at least while she was standing up, but what happened when she was sent to the ground? The thug moved close, hands up like he was going to box with her, and then shot low for a single-leg takedown. The woman moved her right leg (the leg he appeared to be aiming for) back, dropping her right elbow to the base of his neck. As she did the maneuver, she noticed something didn't feel right, so as she hooked her right arm underneath his neck, she took a quick glance back at her right foot. Her flip-flop broke! The part that held the straps to the sole popped out. This annoyed the woman, who tightened her grip even more while her left hand grabbed the thug's left armpit. She stepped back and spun, ripping his throat upward. She lowered her weight into her stance, driving the thug down to his knee. From there, she waited until Thug number one stopped flailing around and lost consciousness. She dropped the body once that was done, and stood up.

She pulled her shoe off her right foot and looked at it. The shoe was ruined; and she just bought them too! In a huff, she pulled the other flip-flop off and walked to a nearby wastebasket, throwing them both in. She plodded back to the front door and closed it, then stood over the two unconscious bodies wondering what to do. With a sigh, she dragged both bodies to the living room, and then sat in a recliner and waited. For what, she didn't know, but it should be interesting.

 

As the five women approached LS's apartment, LS halted to see her welcome mat pushed a little to the side. LS stood there, puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Susan asked.

"You would figure if someone was going to break into your apartment, they would be a little more-"

"Professional?" Betty suggested.

"Yes, the way this mat was left, a blind man would know something was up."

"Unless they didn't care," Kim said.

"Maybe," LS continued. "In either case, stand ready, I am going to open the door."

The door, to LS's surprise, opened freely. It wasn't locked; actually it wasn't even closed all the way. As the crew cautiously walked inside the apartment, they noticed there wasn't much disturbed, aside from a pair of flip-flops in the wastebasket.

"A pair of thongs, I didn't know you owned a pair," Kim said in a low voice.

"I do not," LS replied. "You can see they are not my size."

"If someone was supposed to be lying in wait for you, wouldn't they had jumped us at the front door already?" Betty asked. "That's what happens in the movies, anyway."

"Maybe they're waiting for us in the living room," Janelle joked.

"Well let us go there anyway. We can at least stretch our limbs, and figure out what to do next," LS replied. "If we have a burglar who wore flip-flops around here, they will show up soon enough."

They entered the living room, and saw the unusual sight of a 5'6" muscular Asian woman sitting at the end of the room with crossed legs and a bemused look on her face. At her feet were the unconscious bodies of two rough-looking men.

"Love," she said in smooth English with a delicate British accent, "we need to have a serious talk about the company you keep."

"How about that, someone was waiting for us in the living room," Janelle remarked.

"This is my cousin Cao from China, although she spends so much time over here in the states, she might as well change her citizenship," LS said. "And open door access to my apartment."

"There happened to be a few contests this month; one in particular in Indianapolis. Since it has been a bit since I've seen one of my favorite cousins, I'd make a visit," Cao said.

"I'd figured you'd be beating up your fellow bodybuilders right now," Kim said.

"Oh, I'd already done that. There were two bodybuilders who claimed to be kickboxers. One was a mature fighter with excellent skills; it was an honor to take her on, and a bigger one to defeat her. The other one was some eager beaver who was starting to get a little too big for her britches. Taking her down was a little more, eh, well for her, it was a little more painful."

"I heard the rumors, but I wasn't sure if they were true," Susan said.

"What rumors?" Betty asked.

"About the Event."

"What event?" Janelle asked.

"No, the Event, that's what they call it. According to hearsay, after a female bodybuilding competition is over, some of the bodybuilders and fitness models get together and have a match, pitting their fighting skills against each other. It circulates from place to place in some circles, or it is held after every competition, depending on the contest and such. It's not advertised by media, and that's the way they like it. There are no big cash prizes, just a cheap trophy, and the thrill of victory. I believe that's it," Susan explained.

[Author's Note: And what Susan summed up in a nutshell was The Event, one of my shorter stories (eight pages!), which is also located in my bookshelf. Check it out now. ' Mongoose.]

"Well I'd say you've got it down pat, my dear," Cao replied. "I'm sorry, but my relatives seem to be a little lax in their manners."

"I am sorry, Cao. In the order that they are standing, this is Janelle Edwards, Betty Conrad, and Susan Davidson," LS said.

Cao rose and went to Susan. "I've heard so much about you! It is truly an honor to meet an actual kickboxer of your caliber."

"I didn't know my fame was worldwide," Susan replied.

"LS and Lewis have told me so much about you, and I have even had the chance to see your matches."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we seems to have two men who are taking a nap on LS's rug," Janelle said. "And it looks like one of them is waking up."

"Oh, this one?" Cao said, sitting back down and resting a dainty bare left foot on top of Thug number two's head, then suddenly slamming his head on the hardwood floor, knocking him out again. "We need to talk about that."

"Cao, don't do that so hard!" Kim warned.

"Why, because I might scramble his brain more than it already is?"

"No, because you might damage LS's hardwood floors."

"Oh, don't want to do that."

"Cao, I do not know who these men are, although I have an idea. Why don't we start with what happened to you," LS said.

"I arrived at your place and unlocked the door when these brutes jumped me. And in subduing them, I broke my shoe. Now I have to do without."

"And this comes from a woman who spends all day walking around in her bathing suit," Kim remarked.

"Posing suit," Cao corrected. "In my livelihood, you get so used to them, it's nothing to go about conducting your daily routine."

"Like driving, for instance?" Betty suggested.

"Oh, of course, especially on those hot summer days."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Betty exclaimed. Kim, Susan, and Janelle gave her a stern look.

"You're not allowed. On the drive back home, you're wearing regular clothes like everybody else," Janelle said. "When you become a famous bodybuilder, then maybe we'll let you walk around in public wearing your bikini."

"Yes mother."

Susan started to absently hum the polka-dot bikini song.

"Oh please don't start up that dreadful song," Cao protested. "I had to endure that tune when I started bodybuilding."

"Allow me to summarize what has happened. Wait, the other one is stirring," LS said.

"Are we ready to interrogate them?" Betty asked.

"Not yet."

"Allow me," Janelle said, and performed a lapel choke on the other thug. He was out again.

"You know judo?" Cao asked.

"Yes, black belt. Not as high as LS here, but I'm working on it," Janelle replied. "What about you?"

"A few styles of kung fu. Can't say I'm a master of any of them yet. Susan's style I know, but what about you, Betty?"

"She's my proud pupil in tae kwon do," Kim said, hugging Betty around the waist and smiling. Betty was surprised by the show of emotion.

"So you have a strike force on your hands here. This should be good."

LS explained in a nutshell what had happened, and what she planned to do about it.

"Well I see you have a strike force, what are you going to do for espionage?" Cao asked.

"I am still working on that," LS said.

"I've been thinking so much about the beat down, I forgot about that little detail," Janelle remarked.

"Maybe I can help on that," Cao said, thinking.

"Excuse me for being dumb, but why is espionage needed?" Betty asked.

"For finding proof that the good councilman is behind all this nonsense," Janelle said. "And no, you're not dumb; I can't call anyone who can customize a van like that dumb. A little na#ve when it comes to wearing swimwear in public, perhaps, but not dumb."

"I'll just say thank you for most of that. The Daughters of Athena wear swimwear in public."

"They also shave their heads too. Do you want to do that?"

"So when do we interrogate the prisoners?" Susan asked.

"Good question. Jasmine was the master of that art among the three of us," Kim remarked. "LS and I were always too brutal."

"I would say I find that hard to believe, but after hearing that story about the pressure points, I can see why she would be," Janelle said.

"So what do we do with them?" Cao said to LS. "We know they mistook me for you, so what else do we need to know? We know who sent them."

"Maybe. There is a possibility they could be remnants from one of the gangs you've taken apart," Kim suggested.

"I will wake them and find out what they know," LS said with a sigh.

"I'll question them," Susan said. All five women turned to look at her.

"You?" Betty replied.

"You want to interrogate them?" Kim asked, not sure if she heard correctly.

"You, Miss Sweetness and Light, want to ask these manly men some questions?" Janelle said. "They may ask you out, but I doubt if they'll tell you anything."

"My dear Janelle, you underestimate me," Susan replied, smiling. "I can be most persuasive."

LS shrugged. "It could not hurt. Sure."

"This I've got to see," Janelle remarked.

"Thank you, LS," Susan said. "Now I need two sturdy chairs, no, make that three so I can be seated, a few things moved out of the way, and some rope."

"Do you need a tree too?"

"Nah, three chairs should do it. I also like the three of us to be alone. The rest of you could watch from the hallway if you like."

The crew quickly grabbed a couple of hard wooden chairs that belonged to a dining room set that LS didn't use anymore, along with a comfortable computer chair for Susan. They managed to find some rope, but decided on duct tape instead to bind the men's hands behind them. After they cleared the living room a little, Susan requested a glass of ice water, primarily to drink, but some of it she sprinkled on her captives to help revive them. When the men woke up, they found themselves bound in their seats. They also noticed in front of them a six foot blond woman wearing a sleeveless white T-shirt and blue jean shorts sitting in front of them, her muscular bare legs crossed, sipping a drink.

"Ah, good, you're awake. Now we can begin," Susan said.

"Who are you?" Thug number one said gruffly.

"You don't know who I am? I'm touched. Let's just say for right now I'm a good friend of LS; you know, the woman you tried to attack some time ago. Now I don't plan to keep you long. I just want to ask you a couple of questions. If you answer these questions, you can go, it's that simple. Ready?"

"I don't plan on telling you nothing!" Thug number two replied.

"Uh huh. So, what are your names?"

Neither man said anything.

"Very well, I'll call you Romulus," Susan said to Thug number one, "and I'll call you Remus," she said to Thug number two.

The thugs just gave her a strange look.

"Now let's begin. Romulus, why are you here?"

The thugs gave her a confused look.

"You're Romulus, and you're Remus," Susan said, pointing to each one of them. "Get with the program. Now Romulus (that's you), why are you here?"

"Why are any of us here?" "Romulus" (formerly Thug number one) said, philosophically. "Why are you here?"

"I was invited here. You two weren't. How come?"

"You got me," Romulus said, shrugging.

"I know why I'm here," Remus said. "I think it's to get between those long legs of yours and-"

"Remus! Speak when you're spoken to!" Susan barked. Remus sat back with an amused grin on his face. "Now Romulus, let me ask you one more time. Why are you here?"

"Look lady, neither I nor my friend here are going to answer any of your questions. You're just wasting your time," Romulus said.

Susan rose from her chair and sipped her drink. "Is that your answer?" She asked taking a stride toward him.

"Yeah, that's my answer."

"I see," Susan replied. She took one more step toward Romulus, then suddenly spun clockwise, and landed a right roundhouse kick to Remus. The bare sole of Susan's foot struck Remus's face so hard, he found his face moved to the left, surprised his head was still on his shoulders. The move surprised everyone, including Romulus, who stared in shock, and the ladies watching from the hallway.

"Whoa," Betty whispered, "I didn't see that coming."

"None of us did. I think it did its job," Cao replied.

"I'm impressed," Kim remarked.

"I concur," LS said.

Susan walked back to her seat and sat down, taking another sip of water as she did so.

"Now Romulus, just to let you know, I'm a kickboxer. I've been told my kicks are very powerful. I don't know that myself, I've never been on the receiving end of them, but that's what people tell me. I broke a man's thighbone once. So why are you here, Romulus, and who sent you?" She asked.

"We're both pretty tough guys. It'll take more than a few fancy kicks to make us do anything," Romulus said. Remus was still shaking off the effects of the first kick.

"Would you say you both were paid well?"

"What?"

"Would you say both of you were paid enough money for this job?"

"What's it to you if we're paid enough or not for a "job?'"

"I'm just curious if it covers medical care."

"Why?"

Susan got up, and walked a couple of steps toward Romulus. She suddenly turned and took three steps toward Remus. On the third step, she made a small leap, kicking her left leg high over her head. As she landed on her right foot, her left leg descended, with the left heel landing on Remus' collarbone. A loud blood-curdling scream came from the attacked thug. The ladies were speechless, while Romulus was showing signs of a cold sweat.

"I created that move myself. That's my flying axe kick. I never had an opportunity to try it out in the ring, because I thought it has potentially lethal implications to it. From the looks of your friend, it appears I was right," Susan said, once again sitting down and sipping her drink.

"'Potentially lethal?'" Janelle exclaimed. "Does she realize what she did?"

"That's why she asked if they were adequately covered," Cao replied.

"True, because I am not paying for it," LS said.

The ladies (except for Janelle) stifled a giggle as Susan continued.

"I, I'm still not telling you nothing!" Romulus managed to say, though with not as much bravado as before.

"That's fine; your friend still has some good spots left. Besides, I think it's time for me to work on my punches," Susan replied. "But I did that kick with my left foot. I need to try it with my right foot on the other collarbone. Who sent you, Romulus?"

"It was the councilman! He's the one who-" He was suddenly silenced by Susan's backhand slap. The blow caused even more pain.

"I was not talking to you," Susan said. "Now answer me Romulus, who sent you? Was it this councilman fellow, or was it somebody else?

Romulus was momentarily at a loss for words. "I, I, I," he stammered to say.

"That's not an answer," Susan sang as she got up and headed for Remus.

"Yes it was the councilman! He paid us to beat this woman bad! We were supposed to send her to the hospital. He paid us $500 each. Please don't hurt him anymore!" Romulus blurted out.

Susan stood there and looked at both men. Romulus was still in a cold sweat, while Remus was turning pale and on the verge of passing out.

"What a shame. After I was finished with a few more vital spots, I wanted to work on you next. But if I did, I wouldn't be able to get any answers now, would I?" She said.

"You're crazy, lady," Romulus said.

"No, I'm fine. I could show you what I did when I was really angry, but I don't think Remus is up to it. LS, any other questions?"

LS emerged from the hallway. "No, I think that is all. Kim, could you call 911 and have them send an ambulance to the north alley?"

"Sure, no problem," Kim said.

Romulus was being raised to his feet. "The alley? Why can't we be sent to the lobby-"

Susan's right cross-eliminated any further argument.

"That's why," she said. "LS, could I have another glass of water?"

"Sure," LS said as she and Cao picked up Remus carefully to be taken out the back door to eventually be deposited in the alley below. "Help yourself."

"Susan, was that really necessary?" Janelle asked as she propped Romulus up on her shoulders to take him out. "I believe you broke the man's shoulder!"

As she returned from the kitchen with a fresh glass of water, Susan said, "Janelle, I may be "sweetness and light' when I do my normal affairs. I'm even always respectful of my opponents in the ring, no matter who they are. But when it comes to missing with my loved ones, friends or family, that's a different story."

"Well I'm glad to be your friend," Cao said, smiling warmly.

"Any friend of LS's is a friend of mine. You two need a hand with that guy?"

"No, we just want to make sure he does not wake up on his way to the alley," LS replied. Remus had long since passed out from the pain of Susan's blow. "Just sit down and take a break."

"What made you decide which one to ask for information?" Betty asked as she helped move the furniture back into place.

"To tell the truth, I wasn't sure which one to ask and which to hit, until that man made that rude remark. I figured even a hardened thug would not want to watch his colleague suffer because he wouldn't answer questions," Susan replied.

Kim with growing impatience was waiting on the phone, ready to give a remark when someone answered. "Oh, yes, I need an ambulance," she said as she gave the location of the apartment complex. There's two men hurt, one a little badly; I think they've been mugged, in a gang fight, or something. Oh you can't miss them. By the way, tell Lisa that it's a code 5.2. Thank you."

"What's a code "5.2?'" Susan asked.

"That's LS's height, and also her code to the some of the crew who know her that she sent them another victim. I guess technically it would be more of a 6.0 that clobbered them, but she can explain that to them later."

"You mean LS has connections with the local hospital?" Betty said.

"Also with the mayor's office and the police department," LS said as she and Cao came from the alley. When I worked with politicians, I have made a few friends who agreed with me as far as cleaning up the streets. As long as I do not get out of control, there is no problem. And that is a good thing, because before I am through, there are going to be quite a few going where those two men are."

"What I'd like to know is where did you come up with that kick?" Betty asked.

"Oh that? It actually was an idea I had after I talked with a fellow kickboxer, a featherweight, actually. She is skinny as a rail. Anyway, she is well known for being a knockout artist, though you wouldn't know that from looking at her. On the subject, she told me, "Susan, I may not be able to break boards or do things that require super-strength, but give me a little momentum, and I can be a bullet.' So I tried a little experimenting, and there you go. It's the first time I've done that on somebody. Good to see that it's a success," Susan explained.

"Huh, and I thought that boxer would be built just like me," LS reflected, grinning.

"No Love, everybody knows how powerful you are," Cao said. "Most of what you do doesn't involve striking anyway. Now what can we do about the councilman?"

"I have an idea about that," Betty said.

"Can you make any micro recording devices to put on the man?" Janelle asked.

"That's a little bit out of my area. Now if you wanted his car rigged, I'm your girl."

"It is just as well. I do not think I can come within five feet of the man without trying to hurt him," LS said.

"That won't be necessary either. I'll explain on the way to the dojo. We're still going there, aren't we?" Betty asked, looking over the room making sure it was the same way it was before the interrogation.

"I almost forgot in all the confusion. Yes, we need to go and take care of a few things. Is everybody ready?" LS said.

Everyone loaded themselves into the van and drove to the dojo. LS was glad to see it again, but she noticed something was odd, out of place about the surroundings, but couldn't put a finger on it. She told the other women of her suspicions.

"It could be you just have a busy day," Janelle said. "After your exploits of clearing gangs off the streets, I'd expect you to be an instant celebrity."

"You could be right. We have been increasing in customers, it just looks like we have a lot more than we normally do," LS replied.

Betty parked the minivan and the women made their way to the dojo, only to find their way blocked by three Hispanic men, all about six feet in height, and looking like they came from a spaghetti western movie with long bushy mustaches and long black hair slicked back. They wore saggy, baggy jeans, except for one who wore saggy, baggy khakis, and oversized sweatshirts. The one in the khaki pants swaggered up to the sextet and addressed them."

"Ah, senora Kim and the short one, we meet again," he said.

"Who are you?" Janelle asked, looking at the trio with disgust at their attire.

The three men reared back in a prideful stance. "We are the Capoeria Brothers, senorita, the toughest dudes in the land," one of the other two men said.

Janelle turned to LS and Kim and asked, "Who are they?"

Kim said, "Yes, that's the name they call themselves. They claim to be the toughest fighters in the neighborhood. They also claim to be masters in obviously capoeria."

"Capoeria, great," Janelle remarked. When LS looked at her, she replied, "I have a little issue with that right now."

"Ah yes, Kim told me about that. I liked your solution," LS said.

"Thank you."

"Where is your sister?" The man in the droopy khakis demanded.

"She is at home taking her final exam," Kim giggled.

"What is so funny, woman?"

"I'm just remembering what she did to you last time."

LS turned to the ladies and said, "The last time we tangled, they tried to beat us using some fancy moves they just learned. Jasmine duplicated the same moves and knocked him out. They have been demanding vengeance since."

"Jasmine hasn't given them a rematch?" Betty asked.

"Jasmine hasn't considered them worthy of a rematch," Kim said. "After she beat him, she told the others to go to Brazil where they really know how to practice their art."

"You tell your sister, chica, that I am more than ready for her, and that she will not defeat me again," droopy khakis said.

"Oh drop the "bandito' act, Burt. We know you guys are from here. You're Hoosiers just like LS and I."

"What you three claim to know is an African-Brazilian art, anyway. I don't see what the fake Mexican accents have to do with it," Janelle said. Susan and Betty giggled behind her.

The three men shook with rage. "How dare you!" The third one said.

Cao raised her hand, interrupting the exchange. "Excuse me, but I want a drink of water. Can you just let us by, and we could continue this later?"

"No; there's some unfinished business between us and these two," the lead man, said, pointing at LS and Kim, "and we will take care of it now!"

The lead man suddenly burst into a spinning circular move, almost resembling break dancing, and drawing near to LS. The judoka started to prepare herself when Susan stood in front of her.

"Let me take care of this, it won't take long," Susan said.

Susan walked near to the spinning man, observing him, dodging punches and kicks. She suddenly took a breath, and fired a straight right hand punch into the center of the maelstrom. The result ended up in the man rolling along the sidewalk rubbing his stomach.

"What did you do?" Kim asked.

"I just punched center mass," Susan said. "Besides, his form was so bad, I don't know how he could fight anybody effectively."

As the other two helped their leader, one asked the other, "Do you recognize that woman?"

"Yes, she's the kickboxer," the other said.

"I don't care who she is," droopy khakis replied. "No one does this to me!"

"I do not have time for this!" LS said, "If you three want to take up where we left off, you can wait until we come out. I have business to deal with."

The women walked into the dojo, except for Betty and Cao, who lingered behind for a moment. The Capoeria Brothers were yelling at the women to come back and fight when the two women snuck behind the two other men, and pulled their pants down, revealing their boxers. Laughing, they trotted into the dojo, while the men hastily pulled their pants up, looking around to see if anyone saw their embarrassment.

"You don't know how long I've been tempted to do that," Betty said.

"Since you first saw them?" Cao asked.

"Yeah, that's about right."

The dojo was nicely adorned as far as a dojo goes, but there was one particular wall that had a few holes and marks.

"Those look like bullet holes," Cao said, glancing at the wall.

"That was before I had security pat down gang members at the door," LS replied.

"Why haven't you patched it up yet?"

"It's a reminder."

"Oh, like that little dent I have in my dojo," Janelle said, getting a grin from Susan and Betty.

"I always thought the life of an instructor would be boring. Maybe I should get into a new line of work," Cao remarked.

"I thought you liked strutting around, showing off your physique," Kim said.

"Ah yes, but that's why a few of us attend the Event; we actually get to do something with them."

"Are the rest of your classes always this big?" Janelle asked LS.

"No, and that is what concerns me. I will talk to Rhonda, my second-in-command about this. I like to think enrollment does not increase every time I leave town," LS answered.

Rhonda was leading the class through their regular exercises, and had just finished their last set when she saw LS and company. Upon doing so, she suddenly yelled, "Madam Sensei is here!" Everyone in the room turned facing LS and bowed. LS returned the bow as well as the others, and then motioned for them to be at ease. She motioned for Rhonda to come over. Rhonda motioned to another woman to lead the class, and then padded her way over.

"You have this class whipped into shape, Love," Cao said.

"It was not my idea. Rhonda's father was in the military, so she borrowed a few of their ideas and put them here. A nice bow is good enough for me," LS said. "Rhonda, this is Betty and Susan, who I have told you about. This is Janelle, a fellow judo instructor. Cao and Kim you know."

After giving Kim and Cao a hug, she rushed over and shook hands with the rest, especially Betty.

"I've heard so much about you!" She said.

"I hope you heard about my automotive knowledge as much as my fighting skills," Betty quipped.

"Yes I have; in fact, I have a vehicle I use for work that is acting a little funny."

"Right now, I would like to know how my classes suddenly became so popular overnight," LS said.

"It's strange; the day after you left, we suddenly had an increase of first-timers and visitors for every class. I admit it sounds fishy too, but what can you do?" Rhonda said, shrugging.

"Leave that to me."

LS suddenly walked out to the middle of the dojo floor and clapped her hands. Everyone abruptly stopped what they were doing, and faced the master teacher. For a long moment, she looked them over.

"To all my students, I give you my welcome. To those of you who are visiting, I welcome you as well, and I hope you will join us. There is so much more to learning the art of judo besides throwing people. You will not be disappointed.

"However, it is the other group of people I am addressing who really needs to heed my council today. I know why you are here, and who sent you. The answers you are looking for you will not get from here today. I do not tolerate spies who try to infiltrate my dojo. Leave now, this is your final warning," she said.

While Janelle and Kim looked on impassively, Betty, Cao, and Susan looked on with horror.

"What does she think she's doing?" Susan asked in a low voice.

"They'll think she's off her nut!" Cao remarked.

"Teacher, I don't understand," Betty said to Kim, not even realizing she switched back to teacher/student mode when she set foot in the dojo.

"A good teacher knows her students," Kim explained. "Watch carefully, you'll see." Janelle nodded in agreement.

Betty refocused her gaze on LS. It turned out while she addressed the class, her sights was not at all of them, but at a certain segment of the class. In one corner of the room sat a small group of people who looked out of place somehow. One woman in the group was 5'7" with dirty blond hair and was wearing a yellow tracksuit with a black racing stripe down the side. She always seemed to always have her black duffle bag nearby. She also had a perpetual scowl on her face that would not be expected to be worn by a student. Though her and the rest might have realized they'd been discovered, they made no move to leave. The other students started to realize where their teacher was looking, and started to eye the strangers with suspicion.

Putting an end to the staring contest, LS said, "Jennifer, Paul, Lotus, take your groups and come over to my right against the wall. Anthony, I see you have been given the task of teaching the beginners and visitors today. Take the first four rows and join the others. You there, in the green sweats by the woman with the yellow tracksuit and duffle bag, what is your name?"

"L-Lois," a nervous sounding black woman of average height and build said.

"You can join the others, Lois; I did not mean to accuse you." LS paused while Lois skittered over to the other side. "As you can see, I know who you are, so you can stop pretending."

The six individuals who were left, three men and three women, started to look at each other slowly. The woman in the yellow tracksuit started to finger the zipper of her duffel bag nervously while unzipping her top, revealing a white tank top T-shirt.

"Would should we do now?" One of the men, 6'5" with a blond Mohawk and a bulky upper body said.

"I say we take her out," a black woman of six feet with dreadlocks and a build similar to the first man replied. "Only a few will defend her, the rest will be too scared."

"We lost our chance to walk out of here, we might as well fight our way out," a man of 5'11" with a slimmer build said.

"Just look at her, acting like she's so important; all these jokers worship her. I want to squash the little pipsqueak," replied a 5'8" stocky woman who spent a lot of her free time in the gym.

A 5'7" man silently banging his fists together like he was preparing for a boxing match said, "How do we do this?"

"Just follow my lead," the woman in the tracksuit said as she unzipped her bag and pulled out a katana sword, "but I'm going to filet a little judo instructor first!"

She moved menacingly toward LS, flanked by the other henchmen on each side. LS didn't move.

"Interesting; I have never been attacked by someone with a sword before," LS remarked.

"I'm going to carve you like a turkey," the swordswoman said.

Before the gang, the swordswoman, or even LS could make another move, a small crowd came between the two parties. LS recognized most of them as being from the gangs she took over and reformed.

"You ain't going anywhere with that pig-sticker," a black man in a judo gi with a white belt said.

The man with the blond Mohawk scoffed. "You think we're afraid of a dinky white belt like you?" He said.

"I know I can take care of a no-belt like you. I owe my life to this woman, and you're not going to touch her; now leave."

"Maybe I'll carve up a piece of her for you," the swordswoman said.

Betty found herself performing the unusual task of having to push her way through the crowd to get to a fight. After ducking under two women who had a solid front, she popped up in front of the swordswoman.

"Do you even know how to use that thing?" She asked. "I've seen people hold swords before, and you look like my aunt Josephine trying to use an axe." That gathered a few giggles.

"You little snot, I could cut you so fast, you wouldn't even know you're bleeding."

The next sound that came was a loud crack. Those who were lucky enough to see it saw Betty pull her right hand out of her pocket, slap the swordswoman across the face with it, and place it back in her pocket. The swordswoman and even the henchmen were taken off guard.

"You look so tense," Betty continued. "I know just what you need ' a whack across the head! Normally I would let LS, or even her students handle you, but my friends and I have been pestered by you idiots ever since we got here. I have a burning need to whack someone, and you're elected. Your playmates can help out if you need it, or you can sober up and leave; but the only way you'll use that sword is to cut me first, and that's not going to happen."

The swordswoman shook with anger as she raised her sword. "I need no help to take care of you, you little-" Her words were cut off by a lightning left jab from Betty. She also snapped a left kick into the face of the black henchwoman who came to her aid.

The only thing that kept the whole scene from breaking into pandemonium was some of the crowd calling out their opponents. The blond Mohawk man tried to grab Betty, but the man who spoke first (whose name was Jamie) jerked him away. The blond Mohawk man responded by lunging at him. The one who banged his fists together danced around in a boxing stance against a green belt who wasn't sure how to defend against boxers. Susan came over and politely asked to step in. The green belt, knowing who she was, stepped back and let her take over. The large stocky woman in a sense exchanged one "pipsqueak" for another, taking on a 5'1" Filipino who looked like she would weigh a hundred and twenty pounds if she was soaking wet. Cao didn't want to be left out of the action. She called dibs on "the woman on steroids with a bad haircut." The 5'11" slim man figured the best way was to get out of there. Couldn't these idiots see they're outnumbered? As he ran to the door, narrowly avoiding the flying tackles of some of the students, he practically skidded to a halt when he saw Janelle and Rhonda waiting for him.

"We figured one of you would tell the good councilman what was going on, but we're not ready to let you leave yet," Janelle said.

"Not in one piece, anyway," Rhonda added.

"Rhonda, would you like the honor?"

"No, you're our guests, I insist."

"Okay, where would be the best place to throw him?"

Rhonda pointed to a spot, and as Janelle looked, the man took that opportunity to attack.

Everyone else watched, rooting on their classmate or one of the ladies to win.

One of the biggest lessons Janelle remembered when here sensei taught her, and she in turn taught her students was to never take your eyes off your opponent. Even if you have to look elsewhere, always keep your quarry in your side view. The tall slim man remembered his hands outstretched for Janelle's neck one moment, the next, he was slammed against the wall, the view of the world upside down, to be further aggravated when his head hit the floor.

"Rhonda, my assistant Velvet is an expert with chokes," Janelle said as she walked toward the downed man."

"Really?" Rhonda asked, checking the wall to see if there was a dent.

"Yeah; she can knock a person out just like that. She has a special knack for it. I'm not as accomplished, but I get by."

At that moment, Janelle grasped the tall slim man's head and neck, and applied a rear naked choke. The man struggled hard, but he was out in a few seconds.

"Huh, looks like he still had some life in him when you choked him," Rhonda said.

"Yeah, they always make a fuss before you knock their lights out," Janelle replied.

Being a white belt, Jamie's knowledge of judo self-defense was limited, but he applied what he knew. When the blond Mohawk man attacked him, he converted that attack into a textbook over the shoulder throw. At the end of that throw, he then placed him in a hold that trapped his head and one arm. Not knowing what to do next, he used a tried and true street fighting technique: he punched him several times in the face. His foe was out after the first ten blows. One of the senior teachers came by, and checked his handiwork. Jamie just shrugged and smiled about his last move. The teacher just laughed, patted him on the shoulder, and helped him up.

Before she fought, Susan took a moment to reach into her back pockets, and pull out a pair of fingerless gloves, and put them on. Her opponent grinned.

"That's nice sweetheart, but you won't lay a hand on me," he said.

"Well I still need to protect my knuckles; I have an important fight coming up soon," Susan replied.

"What you supposed to be a real boxer or something?"

"Nope, kickboxer." Susan then delivered a left kick that was only inches from the man's nose. As the man jumped back in surprise, she smiled and said, "Now I'm ready."

The fight that followed was interesting only for the first twelve seconds. The man threw a right jab that Susan ducked. She replied with a left shin kick to the underarm area, a left punch to the solar plexus, and a right cross to the jaw. And that was it.

As he faded into unconsciousness, Susan stood over him and said, "By the way, your guard was faulty, you telegraph your punches, you have no footwork, and you're as fast as a turtle. When you're actually serious, you can look for a rematch."

The green belt, along with several others cheered, and someone yelled, "our new champion!" They wanted to place the kickboxer on their shoulders and carry her around, but Susan refused, saying that others may need their help.

LS was still standing in the center of the dojo, watching the action. She still had a few men and women standing around her acting as her bodyguards. Kim came up to her and asked, "So when did you teach your students to be your bodyguards?"

LS turned to her with a shocked expression on her face. "I did not," she said.

"Wow. So what's the scoop on this one guy who took down the man with the Mohawk?"

LS shook her head. "All I know is he used to be in one of the fiercest gangs I took down. Him, and some of my "guard' here. I will need to ask him myself what I did."

"If these former gangbangers dedicate themselves to you and the cause that much, it gives even further reason why the councilman needs to be put down."

At first glance, it may look like Cao was facing off with a larger, more formidable opponent. As her black foe leaped toward her, she just sidestepped out of the way. When she found out she missed her, in an attempt of intimidation, she struck a double biceps pose, letting her upper body muscles show themselves through her olive drab tank top. Not to be outdone, Cao shed her cover-up and gave a pose that displayed muscle through her whole body.

"Now that we have shown each other what we have, let's have a go of it, shall we?" Cao said.

Being a muscle woman herself, Cao wasn't concerned about the size of her foe's biceps (at least mine are real, she mused to herself). Being a regular participant of the Event, fighting powerful opponents of all sizes was not a problem, especially with her kung fu skills.

Her attacker threw a right punch that Cao knocked to the side with a right outside block. Grabbing the wrist, she used her left hand to deliver a vicious chop to the upper chest. At the same time she delivered that chop, she used her left foot to kick the back of her left foot. As expected, the woman moved her foot to keep it from being bothered, which fell into Cao's trap. As she caught the right leg, Cao shifted her weight forward, dumping her. Stunned, the woman roared back to Cao in response as she scrambled to get up.

"I say old girl, you need to go off the "juice.' You're starting to sound like that Arnold fellow who's governor of California," Cao said.

"Aah! I'm going to rip your arms off!" The woman roared, taking another swing at Cao, this time with her left.

Cao casually blocked the punch, and then delivered a punch of her own to some nerve clusters on her left side around the underarm area. She stepped back and paused, while her quarry stumbled around, trying to regain feeling to her left side.

"Arrgh! Aah!" She said.

"Egad! Did those steroids affect your power of speech as well?"

The woman, deciding not to be deterred by the onset of temporary paralysis, limped her way toward Cao, trying to grab her by the throat with her good hand. Cao stepped around and chopped her on the neck, knocking her out.

"I thought I saw a water fountain nearby; where would it be?" Cao asked a nearby judo student. He pointed to a wall on the other side of the dojo where the device was.

"Thank you good fellow," she said as she walked away, stepping over Susan's foe on the way to the fountain.

There's over a hundred different types of throws in judo, and May, the 5'1" Filipino had so far executed ten of them on her bigger opponent. She was gracious enough to perform her throws at half power, so her foe wouldn't be knocked out on the mat. In return, May had been called roughly every name that made reference to her size, like "gnat," "rat," "ant," "flea," and what must be the woman's personal favorite, "pipsqueak," usually prefaced by "dinky little." But despite her size, May was anything but dinky. While the woman called her names, May maintained a quiet demeanor. But underneath the quiet exterior, May was having the most fun she's had in a long time. When she started taking up judo, she ran into a number of skeptics in her neighborhood, and those who wanted to take her on. After she developed an excellent proficiency of the martial art, no one, not even the worst punks she had on her street wanted to mess with her. After she threw her opponent once again, she slowly shook her head. These were the thugs who were going to beat up her teacher? If so, ten of them wouldn't be enough.

"When I finally get my hands on you, I will tear you apart," the larger woman wheezed as she got to her feet, a little slower than she had been. May sighed. This has been entertaining, but now it's become a little old. This woman has become too predictable, and her tirades had become belligerent and boring. Besides, she had "gotten her hands" on May several times, right before she threw her.

She charged May like a stampeding buffalo, a tactic she used on her several times before (didn't she realize by now this didn't work?). May grasped her arms and threw herself backwards, taking the woman with her. On the way, she shoved her dainty little right foot in her midsection. For a split-second, May noticed from glancing at her foot she needed to repaint her toenails when she got home. Using her momentum, she rolled on her shoulders, pushing up with her right leg, sending the woman flying and landing hard on her back. Having completed the tomonage, or circle throw, May rolled herself onto the large woman and looked at her for a moment.

"You little ack!" The downed woman croaked before May applied a lapel choke on her.

"Shh," May said softly as the woman lost consciousness. "Pipsqueak."

This left one battle remaining, the one between Betty and the swordswoman. Normally, it would be concluded that whoever held the sword had the advantage over the unarmed participant, but such was not the case. In fact, the battle has been mainly one "strategic withdrawal." Betty had pursued the woman, throwing lightning quick punches and kicks at such a furious pace, the other woman had not had a chance to use her weapon. Instead, she found herself backpedaling, maneuvering away from the other judo students as well as Betty. Finally, her back hit something soft and hard. The swordswoman thought it was another student who didn't move out of the way. A quick glance told her it was something worse. It was one of the padded walls of the dojo. She was pinned, trapped; and to add insult to injury, Betty knew it.

"I knew you didn't know how to use that thing," Betty said as she slowly advanced on the trapped swordswoman. "You hold that thing like a caveman uses a club. "Carve me like a turkey,' huh? I don't even think you can carve a turkey! Tell you what, I'll go ahead and sock you now, and when you wake up, you can go watch some episodes of Highlander or some samurai movies on what you can really do with a sword."

"Stay back!" The swordswoman yelled with as much panic in her voice as there was in her swing. As quick as the swing was, Betty was faster, ducking beneath the slashing blow. Or rather, most of her did. A collective gasp rose from the students and teachers alike. Betty herself didn't know what was going on until she noticed something felt different, and the saw a familiar looking long black object on the floor.

It was her ponytail.

Betty looked at the object in horror. It may have been a simple hairstyle, but she liked her long hair, and the ponytail she wore it in. It had also been with her when she officially started her auto garage, and also in the many battles she's fought since then. Granted, it was a part of her until a moment ago, but after going through so much, it became sentimental, like an old friend, sort of.

"Y-you cut my ponytail," Betty said softly, as she backed away slightly, and then bent down to pick it up.

The swordswoman was about as surprised as everyone else that she sheared off a part of Betty's hair. The swing was supposed to keep her back. However, seeing an advantage when she saw one, she gave Betty an evil grin and a low chuckle, meaning it as a warning as she waved her sword menacingly. This though had the opposite effect.

"You cut my ponytail!" Betty said, glaring at her. "You better learn how to use that thing real fast, because after I beat the crap out of you, I'm going to take that sword and stick it ' no, I have a better idea, I'll pin you down and give you a haircut! How would you like that, huh?"

"Get back, I'm warning you!" The swordswoman held her sword in more of a samurai combat pose. She also noticed the exit on the other side of the dojo, and some of the students moving her downed comrades by it. Everyone else was watching them intensely.

The swordswoman decided to deliver a forward slash that should rip Betty's shirt, deliver a sufficient cut, and make a break for the exit. She'll have to deal with the problem of collecting her comrades, duffel bag, and shoes later. Her opponent looked angry enough to spit nails. She started to move her sword, only to get it knocked away by Betty's left backhand. She didn't have much time to mourn the loss of her weapon though, as Betty followed that up with right to the stomach. The swordswoman tightened her stomach muscles in time to soften the blow, but she didn't realize it was a setup for Betty's next move, which came in the form of a flying roundhouse kick. The swordswoman was an excellent dodger though, and that fact was the only thing that saved her jaw from being broken. Meantime, she slammed against the wall, and fell down, face first on the dojo floor. Betty stood over her, waiting for her to get up so she could hit her again.

"Uh Betty, I think she's out. I don't think she'll be getting up anytime real soon," Janelle said.

"If that kick didn't decapitate her first," Kim said with a little smirk.

Betty slowly moved away from the body of the swordswoman, and turned toward Susan as she picked up her decapitated ponytail. "Well, looks like you got what you wanted," she said.

"Not like that," Susan replied.

"Look at my hair, it's ruined! Somebody wake Miss Samurai up so I can knock her out again. I want to show her how I pull teeth without Novocain," Betty ranted.

First, Betty received a round of applause, which surprised her and calmed her down a little. Then LS came forward and placed her hand on Betty's back.

"Do we have some hair stylists among this group?" She asked. Three ladies rose up their hands. Two of them had their scissors and accessories with them and volunteered to help out on the spot.

Betty was a little reluctant at first to receive the sudden aid, but the three hairdressers, normally used to the hesitance of customers when it came to a new hairstyle, grabbed Betty and escorted her to one of the dojo's backrooms. LS came to the visitors and new students.

"I am sorry you had to see this," she said. "This does not normally happen here. If you want to leave and never come back or receive a refund if you just enrolled, that would not be a problem, I understand."

One student, a young man fresh out of high school said, "Are you kidding? I want to sign up right now! Even before the fight, this place was more exciting than the karate place down the street!"

"If you can teach me to keep men like them from bothering me at work, I'm staying," an older woman said.

Lois pointed a finger at May, who was on the other side of the dojo. "I want to learn to fight like her," she said.

LS smiled and said, "May has an encouragement to everyone who joins us. She is known as our "Giant Killer,' because she is very good. She will be up for her second-degree black belt pretty soon. She will also be more than happy to help any of you out with your techniques. Since everyone plans on staying, let me personally welcome you to my dojo. You will not forget the experience; although I think what happened not long ago already left that impression."

After leaving the visitors or soon to be new students, she called the class's attention and ended class early for the day. A large chunk of the students stuck around. Many of them asked Susan for autographs and asked her questions, while some out of curiosity wanted to see what Betty was going to look like after her "transformation."

"Ending class early was a good idea, LS," Rhonda said. "If would've been very hard to regain their attention after all that just happened."

"Speaking of which, what are we going to do with these blokes? Should we let Susan interrogate them again?" Cao asked.

"And ask them what? We know who sent them. I say we throw their carcasses out in the alley and leave it at that," Kim said.

Janelle picked up the katanna sword the swordswoman wielded earlier and brought it to the group.

"I suppose Betty would want this for a souvenir or to break over her knee when she gets finished," she said. "I'm not an expert on weapons, but this sword is a lot less intimidating when you look at it."

"What do you mean?" Kim asked.

"You know when she cut Betty's ponytail off? Well, from the looks of it, that's about all the damage she could do, aside from a superficial cut or two."

LS took the sword and looked at it. "She is right; this sword is a replica."

"A replica? How did she get that?" Cao said.

"You can turn to the back of any martial arts magazine and order one. If you're smart enough to read the not-so-fine print that tells you it's a replica and not the real thing, it's no big deal," Janelle replied. "I take it our "Lady Samurai' over there either didn't read that fine print, or she just wanted to scare LS long enough for the others to get their hands on her."

"That would explain why she was swinging it like a stick when Betty attacked her," Kim said.

"I believe our councilman needs to get his money back. Where is he getting these losers anyway?" LS asked.

"I thought I heard one of them mutter something about New York City, but I'm not sure," Cao added.

"Huh, that woman who Betty is looking for is supposed to be from there. Maybe they have thugs for rent," Janelle joked.

"Well from what I have seen, we do not have much to worry about if that is the case. If they cannot fight, we can take care of this matter in no time. In the meantime, I want to go home. As soon as they finish with Betty, we will need to see about sleeping arrangements and all that," LS replied.

"I already figured that out. Betty and Susan are coming with me, while Janelle stays with you," Kim said.

"And how have you come to that decision?"

"Strikers and grapplers, of course."

"I suppose I could stay at the hotel a few more days," Cao added.

"No need to spend any more money than is necessary, Cao, we have an extra room for you," Kim replied.

"Why thank you, Kim. I'll come by later; there's some more people I'd like to visit."

"If you're talking about Rini and Michelle, they're out doing something."

"Oh. Well, I may come by sooner then."

Susan, along with a few of her fans trotted over to the group.

"Hey gang, I believe it's time for the unveiling," she said.

The three hairdressers ran out of the room, and after humming some fanfare music, opened the door, and after a little prompting, pulled Betty out. The female mechanic tentatively stepped out onto the dojo floor, feeling less confident than she did earlier in battle. The look she saw on everyone's faces did not help either.

"What's ' what's wrong?" Betty asked.

"Nothing's wrong. Nothing's wrong at all," a male student said staring, until he noticed his girlfriend glaring at him.

"Betty, do you remember that remark I said about doing your own thing?" Janelle asked.

"Yes I do." Betty answered.

"Forget it; you look absolutely beautiful."

"Uh, thank you."

"And you are definitely not wearing any swimsuits in the van while driving on the way home. We do not want to contribute to the number of traffic accidents in the Hoosier state."

"Oh thanks a lot. Are you going to be my chaperone too?"

"I thought about it. Of course we'll need to get you some dates for that."

"What?"

"It looks like I was right; you do look like Halle Berry," Susan said, changing the subject.

"Except Halle Berry can't kick butt like you can," Kim remarked.

"I don't know; in that one Bond movie, she looked pretty good," Betty said.

"Ah, they were children playing with knives, though at least they acted like they knew how to use a sword."

"That reminds me, where is that woman, I still have a few things to tell her."

Betty was about to stalk over to rouse the downed swordswoman until LS raised her hand, stopping her.

"That will not be necessary. There is nothing more we need to get from them. Soon, we will throw them out in the alley. I must thank you for two things. I thank you for taking on one of the intruders, and before your ' transformation, those three hairstylists never agreed on anything since they enrolled here. Your plight has brought them together."

"Wow."

"And you do indeed look beautiful. Why have you not tried it before?"

"Well I . . . I don't know."

"Well in the meantime, here is the sword that woman attacked you with. You can keep it or break it over your knee. The choice is yours," LS said, handing the sword to Betty.

Betty picked up the sword, giving it a close look and turning it over. Finally, she said to the rest, "You mean she cut off my ponytail with this?"

"That's about it. You can't even cut your wrists with that blade," Kim replied. "It's a replica."

"I have faced people with real knives, and I come here and I run into some loon with a toy sword?" Betty looked toward the swordswoman who was starting to come to and was about to head her direction before Cao grasped her shoulders.

"Let it go, old girl," Cao said. "You laid her out, let's go on."

"All right," Betty sighed.

"So what are you going to do with the sword?" Susan asked.

"In my shop, I try to use the finest parts made with good materials. I don't have to be a blacksmith to know that this sword isn't much better than tin, unless you sharpen it for half the day. In other words, this thing isn't worthy to hang in my shop. Let her have it," Betty said, handing the sword back to LS, who in turn handed it to one of her students to toss lightly on its owner.

"I need to do a few things before we leave. Jamie, May, could you come over here please?" LS said. As the two came, she said, "May, thank you for your contribution. Once again, another person joined us from your example."

"Domo (Japanese for "thank you')," May said as she bowed quietly.

"Jamie, I thank you as well. I was delighted by your plan of attack. You knowledge of judo is limited at this time, but you used what you knew, plus you were rather ' creative on your finishing move. You will be an excellent student."

"Thank you, sensei," Jamie replied, bowing as well.

"I must ask, though. You mentioned something about "owing your life' to me. All I remember was you used to be in one of the gangs I conquered. Did I miss something?"

"My brother and cousin were in that gang. Both are in prison now. I was headed that same direction. When you took us over, you revealed to many of us that there was more to living your life than standing on the street corner, planning your next heist. One of my buddies, one of the two that escaped, was shot in an attempt to rob a liquor store. He's in a coma now. I couldn't help thinking that could've been me. I started classes at the community college in town, and I now have a part time job along with being at your dojo three to four days a week," Jamie said.

"And many of the others feel the same way?" LS asked.

"Yes, sensei. We knew that you could've taken care of those thugs today, but we didn't think you needed to waste your time with them. We wanted to do it for you."

"Why thank you, Jamie, I am very touched. Thanks again." LS turned to the others. "We need to go. Rhonda, I will see you tomorrow. You know how to take care of the trash."

"That's right, I'll see you tomorrow. Pleasure meeting you," Rhonda said to LS and the group.

On the way out, LS said to Betty, "You said you had an idea regarding surveillance on the councilman. I would be very glad to hear it. I really feel like nailing that man's hide to the wall."

"It's not a problem, LS. All we need to do is to make a visit at the local Radio Shack#.

 

After a visit to Radio Shack#, and dropping off LS, Cao, and Janelle at LS's apartment, Betty, Susan, and Kim drove to Kim's parents house on the outskirts of town. After five minutes of silence, Betty spoke.

"Teacher, uh Kim? I've noticed that when you and LS are together, you seem to be, uh, well uh," Betty struggled to say.

"Happy?" Susan suggested.

"Yeah? Well yeah. I've even seen you smile. You never smile!"

Kim smiled again, further dumbfounding the two women, and said, "LS and I, we bring out the kid in each other, for lack of a better term. One minute we're fussing over something, the next we're-"

"Singing novelty songs in the backseat of the van?" Susan remarked.

"Yeah. Jasmine used to hang around us to make sure we behaved ourselves. It normally worked, except for those times we'd hide her shoes," Kim replied, stifling a giggle.

"You two used to hide her shoes?" Betty said.

"Yes; we'd ' hold it, turn right here!" Kim pointed at a street.

The street led into a pleasant looking neighborhood, with nice houses. They passed by a public playground where some white, but mainly black and oriental children played with each other.

"This was the "rough neighborhood' you, LS, and your sister watched over? It looks fine to me," Susan said.

"It is now," Kim said smugly. "This neighborhood has an unique blend of whites, blacks, and Asian-Americans. For the most part, everyone got along, except for the people we dealt with. It was on its way to being like this by the time we left."

"So where did those gangs that LS got rid of come from?" Betty asked.

"Downtown, where we were. When LS moved down there to be closer to work when she was in politics, she saw the same thing there that she saw here years ago. After banging her head against the wall trying to get politicians to do something, she decided to take care of things the old-fashioned way. And it worked. Turn left here."

"So what brought Lewis to move downtown?"

Kim smiled again. "Because LS moved downtown, or maybe the other way around. Those two have been almost attached at the hip since ninth grade. They wouldn't even move into an apartment complex unless they had two vacancies there."

"And these two are just now seeing each other? I don't get it," Betty said.

"Not many do. But now I can spend a good part of my free time telling her, "I told you so.'"

"Weirder things have happened," Susan reflected.

"Perhaps, but this was too weird. They should have been married a long time ago. Second house on your right."

The residence of Sonny and Jacqueline Chang was a large ranch house, tastefully decorated, particularly the gardens and landscaping outside.

"Nice place," Susan remarked.

"My mother watches all the home and garden channels on satellite TV," Kim said as the van pulled in the driveway. "If it has anything to do with home improvement or gardening, she's seen it and done it. She also made a nice looking deck in the back."

"Wow," Betty replied.

"It also was a nice incentive to leave home."

"How is that?"

"Whenever she started on one of her major projects, she recruited help. Even our father was not safe. We learned to be busy or someplace else when she got the "fever' as one of my brothers called it."

"What did you do?"

"Took off with my dad. I probably have him to thank for getting me into accounting. All that hanging around while my dad worked late got me interested in the career."

"How did Jasmine escape?" Susan said.

"Who said she did?" Kim smiled. "She's not crazy about numbers like I am, and being younger, she didn't have the experience to avoid mom's requests."

"That probably didn't turn out too bad."

"That's a matter of opinion. If you mention mom's latest project to Jasmine, or anything to do with gardening, you can see her slightly cringe. It's very funny."

Kim's parents met them at the front door. Both of them stood the same height as Kim, and were as athletically fit as their daughter, being black belts in tae kwon do as well. Sonny was a handsome mature gentleman with a small touch of gray sprinkling his short black hair. He was still in his business suit, except for his suit jacket that he just took off. He followed the ancient Japanese custom of taking one's shoes off when entering a house as he stood there in his stocking feet. Jacqueline was the older splitting image of Kim, except her hair was long and black, opposed to Kim's hair being medium length and dyed blond. Between home projects and raising the household, Jacqueline worked as a successful realtor. But on this day, she worked as a gardener. She was dressed in a white sleeveless blouse, blue jeans that had some smatterings of dirt and white dust on them, and barefoot. They both greeted Kim with a smile and a hug.

"Daughter, where are your shoes?" Sonny asked Kim, glancing at her feet.

"Why, they're at home, father," Kim replied shyly.

"Just like your mother," Sonny replied, receiving an elbow to the side from his wife.

"So who did you bring with you?" Jacqueline asked.

"This is Susan Davidson, the famous kickboxer, and this is Betty Conrad, the prize pupil I've been telling you about," Kim replied.

"Famous kickboxer?" Susan said.

"Prize pupil?" Betty said.

Both parents reached out and hugged them both, Jacqueline apologizing for her appearance as she did so.

"What project are you working on now, mother?" Kim asked as she looked at her mother's jeans.

"A Zen rock garden. Would you like to see it?"

"Why yes, I'd love to see it," Susan replied.

The group took a brief tour of the backyard, which held a variety of things, ranging from rose gardens to rock gardens to vegetable gardens. A small pathway of smooth stones separated each display.

"My mother does some gardening," Betty said, "though it's not to this much of an extent."

"That's wonderful. You know, it's been said that gardening is wonderful exercise; it builds up your arm strength," Jacqueline said, directing the last part of her remark to Kim.

"She's right, her arms are getting larger than mine," Sunny joked.

"Mother, I teach tae kwon do several times a week," Kim protested. "How much exercise do I need?"

"I think I'll stick with weights; I barely remember to water my fichus," Susan said. "Last year, I killed my cactus."

"I'll think I'll stick with cars, I have more of a green thumb with that, or rather, a greasy thumb," Betty said.

"Ah yes, you're the mechanic. I'd like to ask you about some car advice later on," Sonny said. "Kim, Jasmine couldn't make it?"

"No dad, she had one last exam to take. She'll visit later," Kim answered. "We're here as a favor to LS, so we'll be around for a day or two."

"That's fine. Betty, Susan, you both are welcome here. In fact, we'll be delighted if you would have dinner with us," Jacqueline said. "You can stay in the two guest rooms. Kim, you know the drill."

After they unpacked, the three gathered in Kim's and Jasmine's old room.

"Kim, your mother's backyard is fantastic!" Betty said, then replied in a stage whisper, "I can see why you made yourself scarce, that's a lot of work!"

"And this comes from someone who thinks nothing of overhauling an engine over a weekend," Susan replied. "For me, this has been an interesting day. First, I'm internationally known, then in some circles, I'm known as just "the kickboxer,' and then I come here and find out I'm famous. I guess I should be flattered."

"You have big fans in this household. Before we leave, your visit will be the talk of the neighborhood. I guess we need to be finished before the local news and/or nosy neighbors come by to visit," Kim said.

"Hey, your mom won't . . . put us to work, will she?" Betty asked.

Kim laughed. "Not this time. On your third visit, I'd be careful. It's not all bad, though. You could be staying with LS's parents."

"Why, are they cruel or something?"

"Not at all. Her dad teaches law and history at the local college, but her mother is an English grammar teacher."

"Oh," Susan and Betty both said.

"So that explains why she talks the way she does," Susan commented. "She'll get along great with my mom; just let me leave the room first."

"Your mom is that way too?" Kim asked.

"Not with grammar, but with other things. As I said before, my mom would help God orchestrate the Second Coming if she had a chance."

"One time LS's brother had an argument with his mom. After he argued his case, she pointed out all the grammatical flaws in his argument. He got so flustered, he forgot what he was arguing about."

All three laughed.

"That's embarrassing," Betty said.

"Yeah, but it helped in his choice of a career."

"How's that?"

"He became a lawyer."

The women laughed again when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Kim said.

The door opened, and a young man, a few years younger than Kim, slowly poked his head in. He stood about 5'8", slim, and had long black hair, a strand of it kept falling in his eyes. He wore a plain black T-shirt and blue jeans with cross-training shoes.

"It's okay Jon, you can come on in. Susan, Betty, this is Jon, my youngest brother . . . so far. Jon, this is Susan, the kickboxer, and this is Betty, the mechanic I've told you about," Kim said.

"Hi," Jon said, shyly.

"Jon is our resident mechanic. He loves cars like you, Betty, only he wants to go more into engineering and design, right, Jon?"

"Yeah."

"He spends a lot of his time restoring cars that used to be old wrecks. He'd love to do classics, but they're too hard to obtain."

"Yeah."

"Jon plans to finish the vocational school he's attending, and then he, well he's not sure at this point. He just knows he plans to go into business for himself one day."

"Yeah."

"A man of few words," Susan remarked, giggling.

"Yeah Kim, he talks so much, I can't get a word in edgewise," Betty remarked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kim flushed. "Unlike most of us in the family, Jon is the quiet one in the family. The rest of us siblings used to perform the role of his spokesman. I guess it's easy to fall into that pattern without thinking every time I come home. Sorry Jon."

"That's all right," Jon replied, shrugging.

"I thought Jasmine was the quiet one," Betty said.

"No, she's the second quietest one," Kim corrected.

"Are you working on any cars right now, Jon?" Betty asked.

"Yeah. Somebody sent a 1965 Rambler to the local junkyard, and the owner of the place asked me if I would be interested in tinkering with it. Right now, I'm replacing the upholstery, but I plan on dropping a bigger engine in it, and adding some extra features. Uh, you want to see it?" Jon said.

"Yes Jon, I would love to see it. I didn't see any garage or anyplace you would work on a car around here."

"Oh, it's in a garage I own down the street. We could drive or walk, whichever you like."

"I've drove enough today, let's go for a walk. I'll see you two in a bit," Betty said as the two left the room.

"Kim, what did you mean by the remark, "so far' when you said Jon was your youngest brother?" Susan asked.

"Well as a soon to be married woman, I imagine the experience won't be foreign to you. I just noticed while I was introducing my parents to you, mom was giving dad "the look.'"

"The look?"

"Yeah. Over the years, we've managed to notice the signs, so we've have it down to a science. First, mom would start looking at dad with those long gazes you see in the movies. She doesn't look too long, but just long enough. Then there would be something in the way she speaks to him, a little bit of syrup in her phrases."

"Really? Please go on, this is exciting stuff!" Susan exclaimed.

"Then at the dinner table, everything would be normal except for under the table. Mom's toes would be running up and down daddy's legs. The fact I found amazing is they manage to eat their food as usual while that's going on," Kim giggled.

"How did you find that out?"

"One evening, one of my brothers dropped his fork. Naturally he managed to keep his peace until we finished eating and he told us about it. Then they would sit together on the sofa to watch TV or do whatever for about half an hour, when suddenly, they yawn and say that they're going to bed early. The next morning, they're both a little more tired than usual and smiling a lot."

"Huh, you do have it down to a science."

"If you ask my older brothers and sister, they can tell you when the rest of us came about. I believe I was conceived after one Sunday dinner after church. Jasmine was during tax season," Kim giggled.

"And they follow the same pattern. What happens if one of them has a, a headache or something?"

"My mother has excellent timing. I've known dad to be in the middle of filling out important tax forms, only to practically toss them aside when she comes calling. I can't believe I'm telling you this."

"Well I am an engaged woman, after all. It's nice to ah, take notes for future reference. It's a good thing Betty isn't here right now, her light brown skin would turn a lovely shade of red. Aside from the fight at LS's apartment and the dojo, I'm glad I came. At least I know you smile and laugh like the rest of us," Susan said.

"Hey, I'm an accountant and a martial arts instructor, I'm not allowed to smile," Kim laughed. "I'll need to start being serious again, Betty doesn't know what to make of me."

The two talked about a few other things when Betty returned. "Looks like you two have been doing fine without me," she said.

"What did you think of Jon's handiwork?" Kim asked.

"Pretty neat. Your brother is rather gifted with a wrench. He's pretty cute too."

Kim's expression suddenly darkened. "How "cute?'"

"Well I'm just saying he looks nice, and his uh, personality is sweet; you know, a real nice guy. Susan, help me out here."

"Help you out? I've never seen you go gaga over anything unless it has four wheels and an engine," Susan replied.

"I'm not "gaga,' I just said he was cute, that's all," Betty protested.

"So you think he's "pretty cute,' huh? Is that all you think of him?" Kim drilled Betty.

"No, I mean, he's-" Betty stopped stumbling when Kim suddenly started laughing out loud.

"You have to excuse me, I still suffer from "big sister syndrome' when it comes to Jon," Kim explained. "Everybody in the family has a tendency to look out for him. He has such a sweet personality, everybody wants to hang around with him, including the wrong kind of people."

"He doesn't hit me as that type," Susan said.

"He's not, but that doesn't keep them from trying. Mostly its women who want to hang around with him and be his girlfriend, particularly the wrong kind. We sisters used to screen his dates," Kim continued, looking at Betty.

"Hey, don't look at me; I only said he was cute!" Betty pleaded.

"A few years ago, he called the family together to tell us he considers himself a pretty good judge of character, earning a living, and he's a black belt in tae kwon do now, so nobody needs to stand up for him anymore. We agreed, but it's still hard at times, especially when it came to women paying attention to him," Kim gave Betty another glance as she finished.

"Will you stop that! I just said he was cute, that's all! I didn't say I wanted to bear his children or anything like that!" Betty protested.

"So you're claiming he wouldn't make a fit father?"

"Aaaah! No! And you called me your prize pupil, now I'm the wrong kind of woman?"

"Kim, I can now agree LS was right about you," Susan said, grinning.

"Right about what?"

"You are ornery!"

"That's right, and don't you forget it!" Kim said, laughing.

Susan laughed as well, while Betty considered if it would be proper etiquette to smack your sensei across the head with a pillow outside the dojo.

 

Meanwhile, at LS's apartment, Cao found another relative she could stay with for the duration of the mission (she didn't want to take any chances on the possibility of being "recruited' to help with gardening at Kim's parent's house). After Cao left for the hotel, LS and Janelle returned to the apartment.

"I trust all your days aren't always this exciting, are they?" Janelle asked as they reentered the apartment.

"At an earlier time, I would normally say no. The biggest problem I would get would be getting an occasional challenge from some student who did not think I was for real. After I became a "gang leader,' things have gotten a little more unpredictable. Thankfully, the majority of my days are routine," LS replied. "I hope you find the guest room to my apartment to your liking. I trust you would rather stay here than at my parent's house."

"What's wrong with your parent's house?"

"Oh nothing, they have a wonderful place. My mother is an English grammar teacher."

"Oh I see. I avoided grammar majors when I was college. A friend of mine dated one once. She told me during dinner, she felt like she was back in fifth grade again. Not that I meant-"

"I understand; I had to live with it for many years," LS said, grinning.

"It does explain a few things though."

"Like the way I speak? Thanks to her, I can only speak in contractions when I am angry. It took me a few years to tone down my vocabulary so I would not sound like my father."

"Who is?"

"A college professor of law and history."

"That's fascinating. Hey, did they know that you three used to fight for justice on the streets?"

"No, and we want to keep it that way. Kim's parents do not know either. It was not the easiest secret to keep, but my mother would have my hide if she knew what I did. She would do that if she knew about my gang fighting activities now. Would you like an iced tea?"

"Yes, thanks. Is it sweetened or unsweetened?"

"Oh sweetened of course. Is there any other way?"

"There is if you're from the New England area. After I discovered sweetened tea, I seriously wondered what was wrong with that part of the country."

The women walked into the living room, where both ladies rested their bare soles on the coffee table.

"I must admit, Janelle, as you know, I have heard about Susan's successes in kickboxing, and my cousin is determined to make Betty an urban legend from the way she talks about her adventures," LS started.

"Really? I never would have guessed," Janelle replied. "Then again, I didn't know she smiled or laughed until earlier today."

"Oh, so she had you fooled, eh? Kim is actually a fun loving person. She carries her stern demeanor when she works or teaches so people can take her more seriously. I have to admit I am rather serious myself when I teach. We both blame it on our individual sensei. The one-day mine smiled at me, I thought the world had ended. But Kim and I tend to draw the mirth out of each other when we are close to each other. We were actually rather sedate in the van; normally Jasmine has to keep us in control."

"I never would've known that if I didn't come down here. I thought things would be very serious all day long," Janelle said, brushing her hair back and drinking her tea.

"Which comes to what I wanted to talk about. I have heard and now seen the prowess of the other two, and I've seen Kim fight enough to make an action movie, but I must admit aside from a few things, I do not know much about you," LS said, giving Janelle a curious glance.

"Don't know much about me? Kim never mentions my name?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. I was talking about your combat skills, I know you are a black belt in Judo like myself, and you run a dojo like myself."

"Let me guess," Janelle interrupted, "You're wondering if I've seen some actual "combat time,' is that it?"

"Yes. I am not saying you are incompetent or are lacking, I do not know, er, anything."

Janelle leaned back on the sofa and thought for a minute before she spoke. "I can see you do have a point. I don't suppose Kim mentioned that story about my battle with a Daughters of Athena woman, has she?"

LS slapped herself on the forehead. "I am sorry, she has, I forgot. My apologies, this has been a long day. This was a woman who knew capoeria, was it not?"

"Yeah."

[Author's Note: This epic battle can be found in the latter part of the tale, "Declaration of War," located like the others in my bookshelf. I would say it's a long one, but if you've read this far in this story, I already have it beat. ' Mongoose.]

"From what I was told, it was a pretty big battle."

"First off, I have heard of capoeria, but I have never seen it done, and I never expected to fight against it. The style is so esoteric; it's hard to know what to do with it. I almost had a couple of ribs broken before I came up with a strategy to beat her."

"And you beat her by catching her in one of her movements and throwing her against a wall?"

"It was the best thing I could come up with at the time."

"No, no, I am not criticizing you; that was a good move on your part. It is my understanding in taking on "high flying' opponents, you need to do something to slow them down before you can finish them off. I am sorry for sounding like I doubt your ability. I have heard many things about the Daughters of Athena in my area. I have heard that there are two particular members of that group in an adjoining neighborhood who do the same things I do in cleaning up their neighborhood, except for the gang part. I believe they gather a few of their girls together and decimate any gang that exists. I found out they used my tactics as their model. I must admit that is flattering. Their names are Aurora and Tara, I believe. But I have also heard most of the bad about them. None have come over to my neck of the woods as of yet, but I understand they're strong, and at the very least well-grounded in whatever discipline they use."

[Author's Note: If those two names ring a bell, it's because those two characters are featured in To Find a New Dawn, and To Find a New Dawn, Part Two. The two members of the Daughters of Athena's Elite Guard adopted their strategy for cleaning up their streets from LS. If you want to know more about them, you know where to find them. ' Mongoose.]

"It doesn't surprise me that they have extended over here."

"Well winning a battle like that gives you a "thumbs up' in my book."

"It doesn't in mine," Janelle reflected sadly.

"How is that?"

"Like yourself, I teach judo in its purest form, and that's as a fighting art, particularly in self-defense. On a regular basis if not everyday, I seek to learn more about the art that can help my students and to reach, whatever it is you reach when you become grandmaster. Part of that is running strategies and scenarios in my mind on how to use it against anyone."

"I think I know what you are getting at, but please go on," LS replied.

"I love my friends, and I respect their discipline as much as my own, let me get that out of the way. But I also sit and think, "how would I fight someone like that?' When I see Susan kickbox or Betty use her tae kwon do against someone for example, a part of me asks, "if that was me fighting a kicker, what would be the best way to counter their attack?' When I see demonstrations at the Martial Arts Festivals, I ask that same question. When I come up with an answer, I find a way to teach it to my more advanced students."

"So you play a game of virtual chess in your mind when you see other disciplines. No harm there, I have done it plenty of times myself."

"When I started taking judo, it helped return what I had lost before, my confidence. I've have it told that was one of my more outstanding qualities."

"I believe my sensei told me once, "if you go into a battle believing you lost, you have.' And you had this type of confidence before? What made you lose it?"

"It's a long story. When I fought Huntress that day in my dojo, she attacked me first emotionally. She couldn't effectively insult my intelligence, social standing, or anything else, so she hit the one spot I would be vulnerable ' my boyfriend. And I knew there was no way Ben was going to leave me to run off with her, but she kept saying what she was going to do with him after she beat me and took my dojo."

"Your dojo? To take by combat? That only happens in those kung fu movies they run late at night; what kind of nonsense is that? There are laws preventing that!" LS exclaimed.

"I know that, but back home some years ago, there were some instructors dumb enough to make a bargain like that. Anyway, she had me so rattled; it was all I could do to keep from having my head kicked off. I won, but I felt like some green kid walking into a dojo for the first time. All this stuff about maintaining your composure, and I almost lost it and my ribs to some bald-headed woman who felt cocky enough to take everything away from me."

"Janelle, to hear about this fight from you is a little surprising. I mean, no offense, but you are huge! You could have pulverized this woman with your arms alone. I would think that would be enough to intimidate some people."

"Yeah, you would think," Janelle said quietly.

"So Janelle, why did you come?" LS asked.

"Two reasons; the first one was you needed help, and the idea of some jerk like that in office willing to let the city fall in ruin just so he can gain a higher position in government makes my blood boil. The second reason is to regain my poise, my confidence. I didn't lose it all that day, but sometimes I think about what happened, and ' well, I need some thugs to practice on, to beat up. I have plans to take on the Daughters of Athena, and I can't do a good job if I'm not at the top of my game," Janelle answered, feeling a little out of breath from her explanation. She paused for a moment before taking a sip of tea.

"Attacking the Daughters of Athena? Well one can not say you are not a woman of great ambition, Janelle. I thank you for being kind enough to take time out of your busy schedule to help me, it means a lot. As for your second reason, don't worry, they'll be plenty of punks for you to throw against walls, cars, or anything you like. As for your confidence, do not worry, you did not lose it, you suffered a small setback. You did win in the end, after all. Look, we are roughly the same age, but I have practiced judo since I was a small child. After God, and my loved ones, you could say judo is number three. Those things you went through, I have several times. I faced opponents in pouring rain, near blizzards, and while I suffered from the flu. I had people face me who were my height, two times my height, and armed and unarmed. I have been outnumbered, and before Kim and Jasmine left for college, some idiot thought she would give us a "going away present' by sending opponents against us that she thought would beat us royally. In my case, it was some man who was near seven feet who was supposedly a street fighter and a kickboxer or both. My point of me saying all this is not to blow my own horn, because there were some times I almost lost, but to tell you sometimes in the end, out of all the techniques and strategies you use, confidence is the most important thing you need, because sometimes, it is all you have."

"Thank you, LS. You really fought people in blizzards and with the flu?" Janelle asked.

"Yes; the blizzard was a bit of a challenge because of all the snow the wind swirls around, but your eyes can adjust. I forgot to mention this was at night too. When you get going, being warm was not a problem. In fact, my feet were melting the snow from all the heat I generated."

"Oh, you did this barefooted?"

LS grinned. "You know of a better way to do it? Fighting with the flu is something I would not want to do again. Some moron found out I was sick, and jumped me when I was trying to get back home. It was a mistake for him because when you feel that bad, you want to end it quick. And I did, leaving him on the ground with a dislocated arm. The crazy thing about it was he idolized me, so he thought it would be an honor to defeat me with his own two hands."

"Huh?"

"I do not understand it either. I told him an autograph would have been much easier."

As Janelle laughed, LS continued. "I can offer you a few tips for fighting on the street if you like. I know you teach self-defense like I do, but I have a feeling the foes we'll face will be better trained than your typical mugger or rapist."

"I would be honored to receive some tips from you. You can learn better about war from a soldier who's been fighting in the trenches than the generals directing the deal in my opinion. Changing the subject, I did want to ask you another question."

"Sure Janelle, anything."

"About you and Lewis, how-"

"Except that. I do not know why it took so long for us to get together; I do not know why we never really looked at each other for companionship when it was so obvious. All I know is there are some wealthy people out there who are happy because they won the lottery on whether we would eventually get together, and my cousin Kim who looks at me with that "I told you so' look on her face. The annoying thing about it is she has been right all along and I have to live with it. Now, how did you and Lewis end up together?"

"Er, long story on that one. Some parts are kind of embarrassing. I'll just say we met in college, I saw he was it, I asked him out, and the rest was history."

"Well gee, that takes all the romance out of it. But I am sure you have your reasons, and I will honor them, for now."

"It looks like we'll both need a time to sit down and spend some time talking about how we ended up with our men," Janelle remarked.

"True, but right now, I am hungry. I cannot promise you my cooking is as good as Lewis', but I do okay. Let me heat up some lasagna I made the other night. If you are still with us, I will know it must be some good," LS said as she walked to the kitchen.

 

Despite the "distractions" he had that morning, Councilman Johnson went to work after all. He remembered there were a few things that had to be taken care of that day. The stay at his office would also give him the chance to revive his energies for the night ahead if Storm was planning to wear those hose again. Near the end of his shortened day, he received a call from the local hospital. It was from one of the two men he hired to ambush LS at her apartment. Finding the news less than ideal, he made a discreet visit to find out the details. Truthfully, he expected as much from encountering a superb fighter like LS, but sometimes you have to do some things to keep the woman happy. Claiming to be a "family friend," he made his visit, and received his report.

Later that evening, Stacy was in the kitchen fixing dinner. After her normal workout at the gym, she was humming a happy tune ' until she heard on the TV news about two men who mysteriously appeared at the hospital bruised up, one of them with a broken collarbone. She was about to dismiss it as a slow news day until she realized it was the two men her boyfriend hired to beat up LS at her apartment. Both men claimed they were mugged. In order to relieve some stress, Stacy gave the cook the rest of the night off, and decided to cook dinner herself. Unlike the gym, there wasn't a punching bag around, and there were too many items of value in the councilman's house to be randomly punching walls. While she chopped onions and other vegetables, she pretended she was chopping LS's face.

"Take that, you runt," she said as she diced some more onions.

The councilman came home a little later than the usual time to see his girlfriend in the kitchen preparing food while wearing a very transparent baby blue nightie that displayed her muscular figure very well. She appeared to be rather engrossed in her task.

"Hello," he said. He took a quick glance down at her bare legs and feet. No hose. Maybe I'll be able to sleep tonight, he thought.

"Okay, just say it, my idea was a bad idea," Stacy replied without looking up.

"What was a bad idea?" Johnson asked.

"The idea that sent those two men to the hospital; that idea," Stacy said crossly. "Dinner is in five minutes."

"Actually honey, it wasn't a bad idea after all," Johnson said. "Even though it didn't have the desired effect of LS lying in a bloody pulp, it did tell us a few things."

Stacy halted her mutilation of the vegetables and turned to look at her politician boyfriend.

"Like what?" She asked slowly.

"She's not alone. The first woman they encountered was of Asian decent, but she was taller than 5'2", and she looked like a woman bodybuilder."

"Last time I saw LS, she wasn't a slouch in the muscles department."

"True, but LS looks more like a weightlifter, not a bodybuilder; there's a difference."

"I see."

"Plus this woman wore a bikini underneath a thin cover-up, and flip-flops."

"Okay, there's not a pool nearby that apartment complex, and LS doesn't wear shoes outside, much less inside. So what else did you find out?"

"This woman also knew some type of kung fu that knocked them out. The next thing they knew, they were tied up and they were both interrogated. Interesting method too; ask one person questions, then beat the other person bloody if you give the wrong answers. That's how that one man got his collarbone broken. But here's something else of interest. LS, nor that other woman they mentioned was the one who questioned them."

Stacy put her kitchen knife down and hastily added the finely cut vegetables into her salad. "LS didn't? Was she even there?" She asked.

"Yeah, they finally saw her, or rather one of them did before he was knocked out. But their interrogator was a pretty six-foot muscular woman with long blond hair."

Storm's eyes lit up. "Susan Davidson!"

"We don't know that for sure," Johnson cautioned. "She never gave her name, but she allegedly said she was a kickboxer."

Storm gave him an incredulous look. "A six-foot blond comes by and beats up your two men, and you're not sure who it is? How did that guy's collarbone get broken?"

"Some kind of weird kick. He thought she was going to-"

"It's Susan all right," Storm interrupted. "I felt her kicks before. They aren't something you soon forget."

"Well this puts a new spin on things," Johnson mused.

"Yeah."

"I guess you want a rematch with her too?"

"Not if I can help it."

"No? I know you've wanted to wreak revenge on LS since she gave you a "clinic' some time ago, especially that kick she gave you. Yet at the same time, you don't want to face Susan again?"

"I don't have to face LS in the ring. She's much faster than she looks, and I'm ready for that the next time to meet in a no-holds barred street fight. Susan, on the other hand, I'd rather have something tragic happen to her before I take her on again. Did you know other fighters and some martial artists speculated how powerful her legs are? Some think she could break boards like a karate master can with one good kick. Her breaking a human bone doesn't surprise me. In our match, she stung me good with those kicks. Yet I knew if she let loose with one good kick, she'd break something."

[Author's Note: The last two quotes described some of what happened in a bigger story involving our judoka heroine and our favorite kickboxer. The title is The Thrill of the Hunt, and it's in the same location as the other stories I've mentioned so far, my bookcase. ' Mongoose.]

Johnson paused in thought. "Tell you what, after we take care of LS, let's see if we can implicate Susan of some illegal activity. We could wait until she won her title; that would make the fall more damaging."

"I like that idea. So what are you going to do now, since LS has some help other than her students?" Stacy asked.

"Pour it on, my dear. In cases like this, it's not a bad idea to have a little overkill. I have many of my "troops' if you will ready to descend upon LS's world like a dark cloud. She won't know what hit her. Can we have dinner now? I'm famished."

 

The following morning, it wasn't the alarm clock that woke Kim up, it was her cell phone. Actually, she wasn't expecting any alarm at all, since she took some time off from work with plans on sleeping in. Momentarily forgetting where she was at, she grabbed the phone with the thought that her sister Jasmine ran into trouble on one of her frequent excursions. A quick glance at her surroundings reminded her however that this time, she was the one who left town, and the day her younger sister (who liked to sleep late) ran into something she couldn't handle was a day that would be feared indeed. So who was it calling at this time in the morning?

"Hello?" Kim croaked into her phone.

"Cousin, you are still asleep?" LS asked.

Of course, it was LS. Kim forgot how her cousin woke up at the break of dawn to conduct her morning workout. Her long, two-hour workout.

"Of course I was asleep, not everyone takes all morning to work out like you do," Kim responded.

"Kim, you might want to take a look at the clock. It is morning, but it is not as early as you think. In fact, I am betting your two house guests are up and around, wondering why you are not up," LS said.

Kim rolled over and looked at a nearby alarm clock. The large red digital display glared at her. She moaned.

"Okay, you're right, it's later than I thought," she replied. "What time do you need us to pick you two up?"

"Oh, you do not need to pick us up yet. I just had the feeling you were picking up one of your younger sister's bad habits. Looks like I was right," LS replied. "I will call you when I am ready; goodbye."

Kim looked at the receiver, ready to give a reply, but was silenced by the dial tone. Leave it to her cousin to disturb her sleep just for the fun of it. Still she had to admit, it was later than she thought. Her and Betty and Susan were up quite late last night talking about a little bit of everything. It's been a long time since she had fun like that, but she remembered putting an end to it when she saw what time it was and shooing them out of the room. She wondered if they were up yet. In response to her unspoken question, she heard a tapping on her door.

"Yes," she asked, at least grateful that the croak in her voice was gone.

"Are you up yet, sensei?" Betty asked.

"Rise and shine!" Susan added.

"Come in," Kim sighed. As the two came into the room, she sat up. "LS did me the "favor' of waking me up."

"I thought that was your cell phone," Betty said.

"Your mother wanted to tell you that breakfast will be done soon," Susan said, "but I wanted to know where a person can workout around here. I already did my stretches, and Betty went and tinkered with Jon, I mean they tinkered on his car."

"Regarding workouts, normally I do it before I go to bed, but considering what time we went to bed-" Betty added, ignoring Susan's remark.

"I know, I know," Kim replied, raising her hand. "It's been a long while since I did something like that. I forgot how time flies by. As far as the answer to your question, I'll tell you what. Let me throw a robe on, I'll show you two something that will work you both out, and then we'll eat breakfast."

 

As LS put down the phone, Janelle remarked, "It takes a while to get Kim started in the mornings, eh?"

"Actually my first class is not until almost noon today," LS said. "I just called her because, well, just because I could."

"You two must love each other very much, because I would consider waking somebody up for the heck of it grounds for justifiable homicide."

"I like living dangerously," LS replied smiling.

"I noticed you don't have many weights around here. What do you use, or how do you use what you have for an adequate workout?"

"Regarding weights, I use the best one available."

"What's that?"

"Me. A long time ago, I was a little self-conscious about my shape. One day, my judo teacher told me that if God wanted everybody to look like Barbie, he would have done so. He then showed me how to workout using one's own body weight. He also told me for maximum effect, they needed to be done slowly to build muscle mass. I basically had a choice; I could either struggle to be something I am not, or I could go for power. I decided to go for power, and it turns out it made my body look its best. I did not plan to give you a piece of my life's story there, but each time someone asks me how I workout, I seem compelled to tell them that."

Janelle's eyes widened with interest. "No, actually, I am very interested. Weights get a little boring rather fast, and the tidbit about going slow on the workouts is news to me. Since we have a little time, could you show me your routine?" She asked.

"I would be delighted to. Then you could place your life in my hands a second time as I fix us breakfast," LS said, smiling.

 

At Kim's parent's house, the furniture in the den was scooted over to the side while Kim was looking through a stack of DVD's. Finally she pulled out the one she was looking for. It was a Tae-Bo# DVD with the founder, Billy Blanks, a handsome buff black man with shaved head and boxing attire delivering a side kick on the cover.

"Tae-Bo? Does that stuff actually work?" Susan asked.

"Oh you'd be surprised," Kim answered. "Billy here is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and many people can testify by its effectiveness. Let's see, I think the advanced level would be suitable for us since we claim to know our stuff. So Betty, do you think you can handle this?"

Betty looked aghast at her teacher. "Can I handle it? You're the one who gave me a black belt; of course I can handle it," she said.

"How about you, Susan?"

"Bring it on," the kickboxer said.

Kim inserted the DVD, and the program started with the customary stretches and warm-up movements. Then suddenly, Billy Blanks was leading the class in delivering multiple punches and kicks with lightning-fast speed. Kim had no problems keeping up, but Betty and Susan had to work at it for a bit. Furthermore, these moves were performed with everyone counting, cheering, and yelling "Yeah!" at the top of their lungs. Finally, after the DVD was finished with the major portion of the workout, and entered the cool-down portion, all three women were sweaty and exhausted.

Kim, the least exhausted of the three, said, "Well Susan, what do you think?"

"I think if my next opponent punches and kicks that fast, I'm doomed," Susan replied. "I'll admit, that was a workout."

"The last time I saw anyone move that fast, they were in a car driving on a track," Betty commented. "He's quick!"

"I hope we didn't bother anyone here with all that hooting and hollering," Susan said.

"Oh, that's nothing. There's a neighbor next door who has this Indian aerobic DVD that she plays at six o'clock every morning. Every morning, like clockwork, you'll hear the strains of Indian folk music and people yelling "Balle, balle!' all the time. I think it's called Masala Bhangra, I think," Kim said.

"So I wasn't dreaming about hearing that strange music after all," Betty said.

"Anyway, it's nice to know I can still keep up with him. Besides the general workout, he also has one for building abs, a fifteen-minute workout, and one for building an ultimate butt. Maybe I'll bring these DVD's back with me."

"He has nice buns too," Susan remarked.

"Susan!" Betty exclaimed.

"What, I was just making a comment. David has nice buns too. That's why I like the fact that he jogs everyday. It makes them nice and firm."

Betty held up her hands as if she was warding Susan off. "That's more than I need to know!"

"Good morning," Kim's mother said from the other side of the room. She was wearing an orange tank top covered with a lightweight white sweater, blue jeans rolled up mid-calf, and barefoot. Her hair was put up and held in place with two wooden hairpins. "It's been quite a while since I heard the sound of Billy Blanks echoing through the house. And you're right, Susan, he does have nice buns."

"Mother!" Kim exclaimed.

Mrs. Chang glanced up at the ceiling, a dreamy expression on her face. "Just like your father, he has nice buns too." Then looking back at the women, focusing on the present, "Did Kim ever tell you she had a crush on Billy Blanks?"

"You had a crush on Billy Blanks?" Betty said to Kim, amazed at seeing this side of her teacher/friend that she never saw before.

"Oh yes, she even used to have dreams about him," her mother continued, not giving her daughter a chance to reply. "She would dream that he would drop by our house to come to take her away and live happily ever after. Never mind the fact that he's married with two children. She even had a wall-size poster of him too."

She giggled, and so did Betty and Susan, until Kim gave the two a scorching look.

"Mother, why did you bring that up?" Kim asked, her words slow and deliberate.

"Well it was a childhood crush, no big deal really, and secondly, to level the playing field a little. I know you're always going on about LS and Lewis, wondering why don't they get married already; so I thought I'd tell them a little something about you to show them you're human too. Oh I know you like to carry this serious demeanor, like we Asians are supposed to have, but I know what makes you giggle like a teenager. I believe it was the other day Jasmine told me about this movie you two saw with this actor that looked like you-know-who, and-"

"Mother!"

Betty thought she saw Kim's cheeks slightly red. Could that be she's actually blushing, or was that from the workout? She quickly thought for her self-preservation it would be better not to ask.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop for now. Breakfast will be ready by the time you get cleaned up. Meanwhile, enjoy the remainder of your workout with Billy Buns, er, I mean Billy Blanks." Mrs. Chang said as she left, laughing to herself.

Susan leaned over and said to Kim in a low voice, "Looks like your mother was busy last night."

"I told you," Kim replied.

"So you had a crush on Billy Blanks, huh?" Betty said loudly. "I guess I never would have expected that from you for some reason. I always expected-"

Betty stopped when Kim faced her and raised an index finger to her face. "Tell no one," she breathed. "I am still your teacher, I can make things very difficult for you. And you-" she turned to Susan, "I don't know what I'll do if you tell, but I'll think of something."

Susan raised her hands in surrender. "Don't worry about me; I know nobody can embarrass you like your own mother. I won't breathe a word," she said.

"I can't believe Jasmine told her about that movie. She knew mom would ride me about that. I'm going to get her for that," Kim said.

"Give her a whack across the head, eh?" Betty joked.

Kim gave her a dirty look. "No, you do not give Jasmine a "whack across the head.' She's one of the best fighters around. You can't even sneak up on her, she's that good. There are however, other ways of getting even," she replied with an evil grin.

"Like what?"

"Don't worry, when I plan to do it, you two will be the first to know."

"Okay, that's enough vengeance, what about the rest of our workout," Susan asked, hooking a thumb toward the final stretching sequences on the DVD.

"The morning workout is over," Kim said with finality as she turned off the DVD player. "It's time to get dressed and eat breakfast. One of you can take the shower by my room; the other can take the shower by my parent's room. I'll shower after whoever finishes first. The extra towels are in the hall closet. Let's go."

"No problem, I already grabbed some of those towels earlier this morning after I went with Jon to work on his car," Betty said.

"Is the car the only thing you were working on?" Kim asked.

"Hey, the car was the only thing I worked on! I didn't think of anything else, it never crossed my mind!"

"It better not. Let's hurry up and get ready."

As Betty left to take her shower, Susan turned to Kim.

"Not too protective of your brother, are you?" Susan remarked.

Kim grinned. "Not too much; but since I can't go after my mother, and Jasmine and my cousin are presently unavailable, I needed to rattle somebody's cage. Betty looked like a suitable target," she said.

"Once again, you are ornery!"

"Don't you forget it either."

 

Breakfast went without incident. Since all the children moved out of the house except for one, it was normally a trio who sat at the table, but with the number now doubled, things were livelier. Kim's parents asked Susan about her upcoming championship bout, and Kim and Betty about their respective businesses, as well as telling them how the rest of Kim's siblings were doing. Jon asked Betty a few questions about running a garage, but Betty's answers were short, with a promise to explain later, because each time she spoke to him, she received the evil eye from Kim. Finally the topic of the reason of their visit came up. Kim quickly dismissed it with the explanation that she wanted to introduce Betty and Susan to the family and show them around her hometown. As she expected, her parents didn't dispute such a plausible explanation, and besides, this was something she planned on doing one day anyway, so it wasn't a total mistruth.

"What's Jasmine doing these days, Kim?" Her father asked.

"She's doing fine ' as far as I know. Ask mom, she might know more, since they talked about movies and such, last time they chatted," Kim answered.

"That's about all I got from her," her mother replied, not responding to the hidden barb. "I'm glad she's doing well, but I thought she may tell you more, since you live with her."

"Mother, I'd have an easier time getting secrets from the Russians or finding that nutcase that blew up the World Trade Center. You know how she is; she reveals when she chooses to."

"Has Jasmine always been this . . . secretive?" Susan asked.

"Almost as long as I can remember," Mrs. Chang chuckled.

"Jasmine is our child of mystery, or as we sometimes call her, "the mysterious one,'" Mr. Chang said with a smile.

"Of all our children, she is the most introverted, except for Jon," Mrs. Chang continued, receiving a shy grin from Jon. "I know she's a good child, and has a lot of friends, but you never know what's going on with her. That's not the way with the rest of the brood, especially her," giving a nod toward Kim. "She'll tell you what's going on with her whether you want to know or not."

Kim gave a small grin while there was light laughter around the table. If you only knew about what Jasmine and I really did when we claimed to be playing around the neighborhood, mother, she thought. Out loud, she said, "And what's going on with you, mother and father?"

"You should know as well as I, Kim; recovering from tax season. Other than that, nothing new," Mr. Chang said.

"I'm closing on the sale of a new condo," her mother said, "and you already saw what I did with the garden. A pity Jasmine didn't come with you to see it. I know how much she enjoys yard work."

Betty was a second away from having orange juice come out her nose as she tried to control her laughter. Susan gave a small smile, while everybody else grinned. Mrs. Chang turned to Betty.

"Ah, I see Kim told you," she said, "how I traumatized my daughter's life by having her help me in the garden."

Now better composed, Betty squeaked out a meek "yes" before giggling again.

"Mother, perhaps you should wait when she's here before you say things like that," Kim offered in her absent sister's defense.

"Maybe, but this way is still fun. Besides, you should thank me; if it wasn't for your hiding out from me at your father's workplace, you wouldn't be an accountant."

Kim searched her mind for a comeback, but she couldn't find any. She never could beat her mother at this, especially when she was right. Betty covered her mouth with a napkin pretending to wipe her lips, but it was easy to see she was concealing her laughter by the way she was shaking. Susan was glancing out the window, but she wasn't any better at hiding her amusement either. Mrs. Chang noticed that, and like a trained comedian, it only spurred her on.

"Speaking of which, Kim, do you know what your older brother said the other day?" She started, but was cut short by the telephone ringing. Kim started to feel relieved while Susan and Betty were able to breathe again.

"Tell LS we'll pick her up as soon as we finish breakfast," Kim said to her mom who answered the phone.

"Oh hello LS; apparently my daughter has developed psychic powers since I last saw her. She said they'll pick you up after breakfast. What's that? Okay, I'll tell her. And remind Lewis that he still owes me that box of cookies. You know, those cookies that taste so good, I would sell one of my children for them? Well perhaps not that one. All right dear, I'll talk to you later, bye-bye. Kim, no need to rush; her first class doesn't start until noon," Mrs. Chang said as she hung up the phone.

"Noon? Then what did she wake me up for?" Kim demanded.

"Well dear, it looked like you were going to sleep the whole morning away. By the time you awoke, Betty was helping Jon play around on his car, and Susan was up and about looking for something or someone to take her daily frustrations out on."

"I usually wake up in a good mood; I'm just used to doing a mini-workout before breakfast, and before my bigger one later in the afternoon," Susan said, smiling. "However, I think that DVD took care of the whole day."

"Yes, a little Billy Blanks can do that for you," Mrs. Chang replied, smiling at Kim, who was showing signs of red around the cheeks again.

"Dinner was good as always, mom. I'm going to go to the garage and look for a tool I think I left there," Jon said as he got up, scooted his chair in, and prepared to pick up his plate to place in the sink.

"No need, honey, I'll take care of it," his mom said.

"I agree, breakfast was great, Mrs. Chang. If you all don't mind, I'm going to excuse myself as well," Betty said as she was getting up from the table.

"And where are you going?" Kim asked suspiciously.

"To look at your mother's garden. I think there's some ideas I can share with my mom when I get back home."

Kim pulled out Jon's chair, which was next to hers. "Just come back here and have a seat. The garden will still be there when the rest of us are finished," she said.

Betty reluctantly sat down, giving Kim an innocent look that said, "what?" This time, it was Mr. and Mrs. Chang's turn to hide their amusement. Betty felt like a disobedient student forced to sit in the principal's office as she waited for Kim to finish her breakfast.

Susan hung around and said, "I agree with Betty and Jon, that was a great breakfast," she said. "I want to help with the dishes, and I'm not taking no as an answer."

"Well since you put it that way, how can I refuse? Besides, it takes my husband off the hook," Mrs. Chang said.

"Hey, I have to go to work," Mr. Chang said.

"Excuses, excuses," she said as she got up and kissed her husband on the head. "Maybe you can come home early today."

"We'll have to see about that," he replied, a sudden frog appearing in his throat.

Kim shook her head at the exchange, unseen by either parent, and finished the last of her meal. "Okay, let's go," she said.

"Where are we going?" Betty asked.

"To the garden; that's where you planned to go, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Poor girl doesn't stand a chance," Mr. Chang said as he rose and grabbed his briefcase.

"I don't think Betty was even taking one," Susan replied.

"Well Kim is going to make sure she doesn't think of one," he said as he kissed his wife and headed for the door. "Will you be here this evening?"

"I believe so. Kim and LS did want to show us around this evening."

"Great! Then I'll be seeing you two for dinner. Bye."

Laughing to herself, Susan said to Mrs. Chang, "I thought it was the mother who's the overprotective one."

Mrs. Chang shrugged. "I know Jon, and trust his morals and his judgment. But ever since he matured, he has become something of a "babe magnet.' The brothers realized long ago he could deal with it, but the sisters consider it their sworn duty to protect him from the "evil women of this world.' He might have to move someplace far away so he can date. Oh, and by the way, I love my children very much; and I also love to get on them as well. Especially Little Miss Serious who's supervising Betty's visit to my garden right now. I do that to get them to lighten up. If that makes me seem, seem . . ."

"Ornery?"

"Yes, ornery. If it makes me seem that way, so be it."

"Oh, that's no problem. You should meet my mom sometime. "Little Miss Serious?'"

"Yes, I call her that sometimes because she carries this demeanor like, like that teacher in the movie "The Karate Kid,' with this stern expression. Truth is she giggles a lot, but she doesn't want anyone outside of her family to see that."

"Well I have to admit I never seen her like this when her and LS got together."

"Like little girls, aren't they? Believe it or not, Jasmine hung around the two to keep them out of trouble."

"Jasmine?"

"Yeah. I don't know where she got this grim demeanor that she had the past few years, but I see you and Betty have seen past that."

"Well we knew she was a nice person, plus we attend church with her and all, but I never heard her laugh out loud or stay up late talking, well, girl talk until yesterday."

Mrs. Chang placed a plate in the sink as she chuckled to herself.

"When LS and Lewis finally decided to date each other, she was telling LS "I told you so,' but when it was just the immediate family around, she was bouncing up and down with glee going on about it."

"Kim? With glee? Boy, I'd love to see that," Susan said.

"Do me a favor? Next time you see Kim looking morbid, just say "smile,' and see what she does."

"Okay."

"Well that's enough remarks from an ornery and nosy mother. Let's talk about something else. By the way, I like your shoes."

Susan was wearing a short sleeve blouse with little yellow flowers against a white background, Capri cut blue jeans, and of course, no shoes.

"Thanks! I like yours too," Susan replied, giving a nod toward Jacqueline's bare toes.

Jacqueline giggled. "My parents, especially my mother, would always get on me to put my shoes on. Whenever I went out with Sammy or anyone else, the first thing I would do was pull them off."

Susan gave a mischievous grin. "I once went to high school three weeks without shoes before anyone noticed," she bragged.

"How did you do that?" Mrs. Chang asked, fascinated.

"Long pants and jeans with flared legs wide enough to make them look like I was wearing sandals. I also moved real fast. I did have two friends I told to act as witnesses. I finally got caught though."

"By the principal or a teacher?"

"No, my mom. She suspected, but she didn't know I did it for a whole month before she caught me."

"If it was up to me, I'd go barefoot to church, but my husband would throw a fit. "Why not?' I ask him. "If Moses, Muslims, and Hindus do it, why can't I?' He doesn't have a response for that. The truth is, he won't admit it, but he loves it."

"David does too. He doesn't dare hide it from me."

"Good. Hey, since you're a bride-to-be, let me give you a little marital advice." Mrs. Chang suddenly stopped what she was doing, and whispered in Susan's ear. Susan's eyes widened and her mouth formed an "O" shape. "And he will stop what he's doing, and practically run home."

"And it works?"

"These six children didn't come from nowhere!"

"I don't know if we want that many."

"Sonny and I planned to have two! When I found out I was pregnant with our third one, I remember Sonny and I were sitting in bed. He was ranting and raving, saying how were we going to afford a third child and all that. Something about the way he did it turned me on for some reason. I reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his pajamas, looked him in his eyes, and whispered, "Shut up,' then I kissed him, and you can guess the rest. Nine months later, Angel was born. After that, he never complained about any more kids."

"Mrs. Chang, have you told your kids what you told me? Well I'm sure you have, that was silly."

"Only those who are or soon to be married. I don't want to share my marital advice with those who have no place to use it. They better not, anyway."

"It's good to have someone to share these things with. Kim won't hear a word of it, and Betty starts to blush when I even mention the matter. LS I just met, and Janelle, who you haven't met yet, makes the conversation R-rated."

"Ah yes, this Jasmine sounds like an interesting woman; I look forward to meeting her."

"You'll like her choice in footwear," Susan quipped.

The two shared a giggle when Betty appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey Betty, where's Kim?" Susan asked.

"In the bathroom. When she gets out, we're going to get LS and Janelle," Betty replied.

"I'm almost done here. I'll-"

"Don't worry about it," Mrs. Chang interrupted. "I got it. I'll see you for dinner; and bring LS and Jasmine with you."

"Will do," Betty said.

As they walked back to their guest rooms, Susan asked, "So how was your "solo' trip to the garden?"

"Fine, as long as I didn't use the words "Jon,' "cars,' or anything remotely related to them. Come with me, I want to show you something."

They quickly trotted out to the garden, where Betty pointed out a curious-looking spot surrounded by bushes, and had a footstool situated there.

"Yeah, so?" Susan said.

"Take a seat, quickly," Betty replied motioning to the stool. Susan sat down and found she had a vantage point to the whole yard, without the fear of being seen.

"Kim and Jasmine have a pretty crafty mother," Susan said. "No wonder she knows what goes on with her kids."

"It would make me enjoy gardening."

"Have you told Kim?"

"You kidding? This is a family matter. Let's go before she sees us."

"Hey Betty, remember our little talk back at Velvet's party?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Maybe you should give Jon a try."

Betty stopped and looked at Susan.

"I lead a fairly simple life, peaceful, aside from the occasional fight or two. And as nice as Jon is, and as knowledgeable as he is about engines, I don't think he's worth risking my life for," she said.

"His mom and dad won't mind."

"I'm not talking about his parents, I'm talking about his sister who happens to be my sensei. She can do things in tae kwon do that I haven't even thought of being able to do yet. And you've heard about what Jasmine can do. How can I do anything with those two looking over my shoulder?"

Susan smiled and spoke softly in Betty's ear. "But that's the thing. He lives out of town, so they won't be around to look over your shoulder."

Betty turned to Susan with a dumbfounded expression. "Oh," she said.

"See, it could work; just go out of town to get a few automotive items every now and then, and nobody will know, except me and probably Irena, who'll be happy for you."

"Susan, I still don't know if you're trying to help me or get me killed."

"It's worth a try."

Kim left the house, finding the two in the garden.

"There you are!" She said. "We need to get going, there's a lot to do today."

Shortly, they said their goodbyes to Mrs. Chang and Jon. As they headed back in the house, Betty started the van and prepared to put it in gear when she said, "I'll be right back, I forgot something!"

"Well hurry up," Kim said.

She ran into the house, grabbed one of her business cards, and wrote down her cell phone number. She located Jon and handed him the card.

"I'll still be here for a day or so, but while I'm home, call me if you have any questions about cars . . . or anything else," she said.

"Hold on," Jon pulled out his wallet, and handed her a card.

"You have your own business cards?"

"Business is booming."

"You know it. See you later."

Betty rushed back to the van, jumped in the driver's seat, and said, "Now I'm ready, here we go."

On the way to LS's apartment, Kim was passively looking out the back window while Betty noticed Susan looking and smiling at her.

"Susan?" She said in a low voice.

"Yes?"

"Stop smiling at me."

"Oh, sorry."

 

Later that morning, LS entered the councilman's office. This time, she was dressed more casual than the last time she visited. Normally she liked wearing a kimono with a T-shirt or sports bra, and shorts underneath. Occasionally she would wear a pair of slacks or jeans and a blouse (sans shoes, of course). However, this morning, she wore a navy blue tank top leotard, and an ankle bracelet, while carrying a duffle bag containing her gi, and of course, barefoot.

As she boldly strode through City Hall, LS had two goals to meet by her mode of dress, infuriation and intimidation. Councilman Johnson would be appalled by her very casual garb, yet he would be fearful of her physical stature, especially if she decided to threaten him. The approving looks she received from some of the men she passed by didn't hurt either. The councilman's receptionist surprisingly didn't seem to notice anything different as she welcomed LS and let her enter his office. The councilman though was a different matter.

"How dare you walk half-naked in this office!" Councilman Johnson exploded.

LS wore a sly grin as she sat in the chair across from his desk, and placed her duffel bag on the floor beside it. She crossed one leg over another.

"But I am not half-naked; I'm wearing an exercise leotard. I normally wear a kimono or gi over it, but I was in a hurry, and it is a little warm today," she said. "Lewis always liked this outfit because he thinks it shows off my physique."

With that, LS flexed the pointed toe of her left crossed foot. The muscular definition from years of judo and her strenuous morning workouts revealed a leg that looked like it was sculpted from bronze. The move had the desired effect as the councilman stared at the leg for a moment. He quickly thought of the muscular build of his girlfriend Stacy, and realized while she was built, LS was solid. He also quickly thought of the destructive capability that body contained along with years of judo training, not to mention the carnage she wreaked on her enemies. Johnson made an important mental note; no matter how much she may beg, plead, or demand, do not let Stacy go anywhere near LS again.

"What do you want?" He asked, tearing himself away from LS's power.

LS got up from her chair (which made the councilman flinch slightly), and walked around the office observing the awards and photographs and tributes that decorated the walls.

"I received your little "housewarming present' last night," she said as she looked at a degree from a local college that she knew had to be honorary.

In typical political fashion, Councilman Johnson said, "I don't know anything about that."

LS turned to face the councilman with a smirk on her face. "Oh come on now, councilman; we are both reasonably intelligent people. No one else knows the nature of our little feud, our little war except those we allow to participate in it. So let us not insult the other's intelligence by playing games of denial and speaking in code, shall we?" She said.

"You brought help," Johnson replied.

"Yes I did, although the woman your men attacked was a guest. You are not the only one who knows a lot of people. My connections in the martial arts community are quite extensive."

The councilman leaned back and looked at her skeptically. "Oh really? And how "extensive' is that?"

LS walked to her chair and sat down, tucking one leg under her as she did so. "Quite extensive. In my discipline ' judo, some people have called me a master. It is quite flattering, I will admit, but I know of many who are capable of much greater feats than the things I have achieved."

"Like what?"

"I know of those who can literally throw you across this room with one hand tied behind their back. I know of some who can clamp a painful hold, knock you out, or paralyze you using only the first two fingers and thumb of their hands. There are some who could punch or kick you five times before you had a chance to blink. One person comes to mind that is so powerful, her bare toes can shatter ribs, and her fingers could crush muscle, not to mention punch a hole through you as well. I know well of this last case because she fought her way through a group of gangsters to rescue her grandson. And the fascinating thing was that she was in her mid-fifties when she did it. And this is just family I am talking about; I have not scratched the surface regarding my friends yet."

"As intriguing as this stuff is, you didn't come here to tell me who you know," Johnson said.

"No, I have not. Last night, I was thinking, maybe this was a big misunderstanding. I may have taken what you have told me out of context. So if you do not mind, explain to me what it is you wanted to do?" LS asked politely.

Johnson looked at LS with mild curiosity. An effort to seek a peaceful solution was the last thing he expected with LS on this matter.

"Very well," he said, "I'll repeat what I told you up to the part where you threatened me. My opponent, who is running against me this year, was making the claim that he's responsible for this drastic drop in crime; which was clearly your doing, not his. If you give my son control of his old gang, he could cause just enough havoc to prove his boast a lie. That will plummet his approval rating, causing him to lose his bid. Afterwards, you and my son can quibble over the details of what to do with the gang from there."

LS was silent, as if in thought for a moment, then spoke.

"I believe this was the part where I said it would not be possible even if I wanted to, because your son was not only publicly defeated, but publicly shamed. Also, those who joined me have no more desire to be in a gang," she replied.

"So the answer is still no."

"I cannot even think of a way it could be yes. Tell me, would this "new' gang be up to the same mischief the Royals did last week?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Interesting, since I completely shut that gang down a month ago. Unless they are running operations from a hospital bed, this is not the same gang. What are you really up to, councilman?"

"I believe I just told you."

"So you are now running the faux gangs to make your opponent look bad. Do you have any idea how much trouble you would be in if the authorities found out?"

"I don't have anything to fear from the authorities; rather it's the other way around. I gave them their jobs, and I can take them away."

LS's face scrunched in confusion. "So that is it then. I cannot give you back my gangs to do whatever you want. So that brings up one question, no, two. That addresses the issue of my boyfriend's apartment, my apartment, and my dojo."

"I was trying to get your attention," Johnson chuckled as he leaned back in his chair.

"I do not understand."

"I realized when I asked you to help me, I would receive an answer similar to what you gave me, and so I made plans. I can't control the gang members or rather ex-gang members, but you can."

"Excuse me?"

"You can get your loyal followers to do these deeds. A group I "resurrected' is doing the job, but not as well as your ex-cons can. After it's all over, it's back to business as usual."

LS felt her face begin to turn red, especially at the fact that once you owed the councilman a favor, it's never considered paid off.

"As for those three incidents, consider that a show of my power. That could be your family or loved ones."

LS slowly rose from her chair, which made Johnson lean back a little in his chair. He didn't lean back quick enough. With a speed that was deceptive, LS grabbed the politician by his shirt and jerked him forward so that he was half dangling over the front of his desk, and his face only a few inches away from hers.

"You can threaten me as much as you like, and I can even understand that attack on my cousin in my apartment was a mistake. Not forgivable, but I can understand it. But if you value your life, you do not ever raise a hand against my friends or family," LS breathed in a soft voice.

"Y-you need to put me down, LS, you should know better than to put your hands on me," Johnson replied angrily, but not too convincingly. "I will call security."

LS read his face, and saw him try to hide the fear. "I do not believe you understand the gravity of your situation, councilman." She looked again at his eyes, which were darting downward. "So what do you have in that desk drawer, Johnson? A silent alarm? A gun? Let me show you something."

She quickly removed her hands from his lapel to his shirt collar, jerking it just tight enough for Johnson to start gasping for air.

"LS, for God's sake!"

"I actually might be doing God a favor. This is known as a lapel choke. When applied correctly, you will only have thirty seconds before you lose consciousness. Needless to say, if I hold on just a little bit longer . . . you get the point. Thirty seconds is barely enough time for security to run down the hall and open the door, much less stop me. If I so desired, I could hasten things with a sudden jerk of my hands. If you come even within spitting range of anyone close to me, you will wish I had used that choke. Do I make myself clear?"

Johnson was hard-pressed to verbalize anything, so he just nodded his head frantically.

"Good." She dropped him on the desk.

"You (cough) have made a big (wheeze) mistake," the councilman managed to say.

"Really? I bet there are quite a few people who would be pleased to get rid of you. You and your deceitful business practices, running over innocent souls to promote your addenda; from what I saw of your son, even your own family is suspicious of you. You may be a big wheel in public office, but a total failure at home."

Councilman Johnson made a motion like he was going to backhand LS, but quickly thought better of it.

"Yes, yes, go ahead and strike me. Give me an excuse to tear apart your worthless hide and hang it on the wall, after I take what passes for a backbone in your body and break it in two. The only difference I see right now between you and those gang members I now lead is they knew what they were doing was wrong, and realize they needed to change. You are nothing but a thug who wears a suit."

"G-get out."

"Yes, I believe I will; we are done here. Oh, and councilman? I think you need a drink, your hands are a little shaky," LS said with a small grin on the way out, grabbing her duffel bag on the way to the door.

"LS? The receptionist said as LS left the office. She motioned for the judoka to come close. "I've been trying to find a workout that would give me more muscle, but I'm not really crazy about going to the gym. From what I've seen of you over the years, I see you don't go to one either. Do you have any suggestions?"

LS smiled. "Why sure! I put my workout on disk to those who desire it. Give me your email address, and I'll send it to you as an attachment. It's rough at first, but if you stick with it, you should see results in less than a month."

The receptionist took a notepad, wrote her email address and handed it to her. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"By the way, was everything okay in there? It seemed to get a little quiet before you left."

"All is okay. You know how the councilman can get."

"I can tell you stories."

"I bet you could. Take care."

When LS got back in the van, she put a loose fitting kimono on and asked the group, "Did you get everything?"

"Every word," Betty answered. "There were a couple of times we thought you were going to do him right there."

"The thought had entered my mind, I must admit, but it would have been a little messy," LS replied as she pulled the micro cassette recorder and a few other electronic items out of her duffel bag. "But I think we can edit those parts, can't we?"

"I believe so; I'll do that later today after your practice and before dinner."

"Good; let us pick up Cao and drive to the dojo, I have this overwhelming desire to throw people."

 

To say the councilman was enraged would be an understatement. Enraged and frightened all at once. As LS had observed, his hands were shaking; so bad, he could barely pour himself a drink. It took him another minute before he could put it to his lips and swallow without spilling any of it. Another thing this surprise meeting revealed was any future physical encounters to be avoided at all costs. He did not doubt she would follow through with what she threatened to do. Johnson thought briefly about Stacy wanting a piece of her, but one look into LS's eyes told him she would have no qualms breaking her in two if she got in her way.

There was no doubt about it, this woman had to be stopped and stopped now. He knew LS was going to be a problem in his overall plan, but he just now realized not only was the female street crusader a bigger problem than he thought, if she went unchecked, his overall health and existence would be in danger. Fortunately, he had a plan for that.

The councilman grabbed the phone and made the necessary calls, especially to one person in particular. Things needed to be put in motion now. LS needed to be hurt and hurt bad. Not enough to put her in the morgue, but bad enough to put her in the hospital for a while. It would've been so simple to have her pulled over by one of his "favorite officers" on the police force, and have her arrested for possession of an illegal substance, or some trumped up charge like he's done with other rivals. But she had too many officers on the force who know she's innocent, and worse, would like to see him fall. No, this will have to be done the old fashioned way, his goons against hers; however, he had a bigger pool of resources and a bigger pocketbook to work with. He couldn't lose.

Curse you, LS, you've forced me to do this, you barefoot savage, he said to himself. But at least it'll be over soon, and after she's gone, total victory would soon be his.

 

"Oh, while we're on the way to the dojo, and LS is thinking of how many ways she could break the councilman, let me relay the message from Kim's mom that she has a big dinner planned, and everyone in this van is expected to be there," Susan said, brightening the mood.

"I would hope I'm invited, since I used to live there," Kim replied.

"That is too bad; I was planning to torture Janelle some more with more of my cooking," LS said.

"Your cooking is just fine," Janelle countered. "Just because you're dating a master chef and baker doesn't mean your cooking isn't any good. My cooking on the other hand . . ."

"So that's why you and Benjamin eat out a lot," Betty said.

"Have you talked to him lately?" Janelle asked.

"A little bit at Velvet's party, why do you ask?"

"You called him "Benjamin;' his name is Ben."

"But he said-"

"Why are you listening to him, he's a man! His name is Ben!"

This generated some laughter from the women.

"But," Betty stopped, and rose up her hands in mock surrender for a second before regaining control of the steering wheel.

"I couldn't imagine someone calling my brother "Jonathan' or worse, "Johnny,' that would not be right," Kim remarked.

"What? Who is interested in Jon now, and who would do such a horrid thing?" LS asked.

Betty glanced over at Susan, who only shrugged innocently.

"To give a hint, it's someone who also tinkers with cars," Kim answered.

"Oh you have an interest in Kim's brother? You should've said something!" Janelle said.

"Aaah!" Betty screamed. "I didn't say anything, other than he's pretty cute!"

"'Cute?'" LS repeated.

"I always thought he was rather handsome myself, not "cute,'" Kim remarked again.

"Aaah!" Betty screamed again. "You're all forgetting something."

"What?" Janelle asked.

"I'm the driver here, and I can leave at any time."

That quieted the group, and it brought a slight smile on Betty's face, knowing she won that round.

"Oh great and mighty driver, if it would please thee, I beseech you if I could use one of the laptops to send a message to my beloved?" Susan asked.

"Sure; there's no reason for you to ask for permission, Susan, though your groveling was much appreciated. In fact, I need to call the shop to make sure everything is okay," Betty said.

"I would think once word spreads that you're out of town, business should be fine," Kim replied.

"How do you figure that?"

"Those catfighters who've been challenging you and Irena will stay away for awhile, giving Irena a chance to get more work done. Once you return, unless you want to broadcast it on the news, it will be a while before everyone will know you're back. Nobody will offer a challenge if you're not there."

"What Kim is saying is everything is fine," Susan said.

"I thought I just said that."

"Hey, there's Cao. Since she wasn't in the van when Susan made the announcement, is she not invited to dinner?" Janelle joked.

"Yeah, she's invited, just let her know she doesn't have to do any gardening," Kim replied.

"Gardening?"

"I'll explain later."

Cao entered the van wearing a black oversized sweatshirt over a white T-shirt, black leggings, and barefoot.

"Good morning all. Seeing the lack of shoes in this group, I thought I'd dress accordingly; when in Rome and all that," she said.

"Then it's about time you become "native' like the rest of us," Kim demanded.

"What do you mean, become an American citizen?"

"No, become a barefooter like the rest of us."

"You mean wear no shoes at all?"

"If you can strut around in front of strangers every night wearing only a posing suit and muscles, you can keep those confining things off your feet and experience the true freedom that many of us experience."

"But, but, it gets cold! Surely you don't expect me to-"

"Excuses, excuses! I've seen you wear less than adequate warm clothing when there's snow on the ground. You'll get used to it."

"But what about your sister? She doesn't-"

"My sister is not here!" Kim interrupted. "Besides, we have not given up on her. One day she'll see the light."

"Kim, you just said "we.' Why are you dragging me into this? I gave up trying to "convert' Jasmine a long time ago," LS said.

"That's because she moved away "a long time ago.' We need to rally our forces and try again."

"Gee, Kim, I knew you were one of us, but I didn't know you could speak so convincingly about it. If I wasn't already shoeless, I'd be pulling them off now," Janelle said, giving Kim a high-five."

Cao sat in the van looking at the others. "You all are quite mad, you know that, don't you?" She said.

"And yet, here you are sitting in the van with us, your shoes resting at Aunt Martha's house. I have heard from others that when she was a missionary in Thailand, she liked to do what the natives do and kick off her-" LS started.

"All right, all right! I'll do it! And yeah, Aunt Martha was in her nylons. Uncle Jimmy had to remind her to grab her pumps before she left out the door this morning. I didn't see a hint of leather on those soles at all yesterday."

"Teacher, I mean Kim, would you have tried to uh, change me too?" Betty asked.

"Eventually, but you already were a convert. There's however other things I need to watch out for, as far as you're concerned," Kim said with an evil grin, "regarding my other sibling."

"I don't think "Billy' would like that," Betty said in a quiet voice that was just loud enough for Kim to hear. Kim turned white as a sheet and shut up immediately, while LS started looking out the window, hiding her expression. Susan, who was in the middle of emailing her fianc#e, suddenly had a coughing fit, which was a poor disguise for her laughing fit, and Janelle and Cao were asking the others "What? What?" Betty wore the biggest smile she had in a long time.

"Betty, what did you say?" Janelle asked.

"Why Janelle, I didn't say anything; I'm just driving. Did I say anything, Susan?" Betty replied.

"I don't think so," Susan said.

"Did I say anything, Kim?" Betty asked.

"No, not at all, not a thing," Kim said quietly.

"No, Kim had just realized she had forgotten something, did you not, Kim?" LS asked.

"Yes I did, but that's okay; I remember everything else."

Betty was thinking of all the extra pushups and other exercises and drills she'll most likely be doing the next time she'll attend her tae kwon do classes, but for the expression that was on Kim's face, it was worth it. "Oh, here we are at the dojo ' what on earth is going on?" She said.

The front of the dojo looked like a scene from "West Side Story." A chunk of LS's students, many of them already dressed in their white gi, were facing off against what looked like members of a street gang or gangs, dressed in their various colors. However, this was one of LS's classes that carried many of her students that helped fight the street gangs with her, along with former members of those gangs. So it wasn't long before the unconscious and injured bodies of the opposing forces littered the front of the dojo. Still, there seemed to be a fresh stream of the enemy flowing from somewhere.

"It looks like the dojo is under attack," Janelle said.

"Well this starts the day off with a bang," Cao said.

"You should've heard LS's conversation with the councilman," Betty said. "A few times it sounded like LS was going to punch his ticket."

"Really? A close call then."

"Do not assume anything yet, Cao," LS replied grimly. "The day is still young."

"Your students are keeping things under control at least," Janelle said.

"But it looks like Johnson decided to call off attacking friends and family, and concentrate on hitting your dojo instead," Kim replied.

"He forgot, my dojo hits back," LS said as Betty found a close parking space. "Let us help them clean out the trash."

The sight of LS and company leaving the van did not go unnoticed by the dojo's attackers. As they reached the front doors, a man a little over seven feet tall and built like a linebacker jumped in front of them, knocking some students aside and roaring.

"That's a big bloke," Cao said, unimpressed.

"I will take him; he is big enough to take out my anger on," LS replied.

But before LS could engage her foe, someone jumped on the giant's back. It was May, dressed in camouflage "chocolate chip" fatigues, rolled eight inches above the ankles, a white "wife beater" tank top T-shirt, and barefoot. She clamped a rear naked choke around his neck, and dug her heels in his ribs for support. She looked like a cowgirl riding a bronco as she held on, and her quarry tried to buck her off. She also dodged out of reach of the big man's arms. LS glanced at her student. The look on her face told her that she was actually enjoying this. Finally, after what seemed like a long thirty seconds, the blood flow to the brain ceased, and the big man fell forward like a downed redwood tree. May performed a break fall that left her back on her feet and unharmed.

"Wow!" Betty commented.

"I am impressed, May: very good. Your class is a little later today though if I remember correctly," LS said.

"Yes teacher," May replied, bowing. "But after the attacks we received yesterday, I thought they might try it again, so I took off work today so I could help out."

"Well thank you very much."

"Oh, there's two others in the dojo closet, a man and a woman who attacked me earlier. I had to use more . . . extreme measures on them."

"We'll check on them, as soon as we take care of the rest of these losers," Susan said.

Janelle walked over to May, looking over the unconscious giant in front of her.

"I remember yesterday you were taking on another large opponent," she said. "Don't you pick on anyone your own size?"

May broke into a sinister grin. "Yes, but where's the fun in that?" She replied.

"LS, if you don't have her as part of your gang-breaking team, you should. Where did you get her from?" Susan asked.

"You know, that is the strangest thing," LS replied. "The very first day I opened my dojo, as soon as I opened it for business, there she was at the door. She told me she came here to learn all there was about judo. Ever since then, she has been a regular fixture here, three, sometimes four days a week. And now that I think of it, I still do not know what she does or where she came from."

"Sounds like one of those Clint Eastwood western movies where this man rides into town-" Betty started.

"I love those movies!" Cao exclaimed. "Say, where is May?"

May rushed back into the heat of battle that was starting to form in the alley on the other side of the dojo, only to find herself surrounded by two men and a woman who appeared to be dressed in biker clothes. They trapped the judoka in a triangle pattern, and were closing in.

"I'm on it," Betty said, rushing to help. Cao went with her.

However, their help was not needed. May seemed to shrink on herself for a moment, like she was suddenly frightened. This gave her attackers the assurance they needed to close in ' and to fall into her trap. May whipped around and grabbed the man behind her, delivering an over the shoulder throw to send him down quickly and painfully on the hard ground in front of the other two attackers, slowing them down. She then grabbed the left leg of the woman, slightly lifting her up, and then dropping her on the stunned man. She pivoted and fired a straight punch to the standing man, striking him on the jaw, stunning him enough for May to deliver another over the shoulder throw, landing him on top of the man and woman struggling on the ground to get up. For a finishing move, May saw a large, abandoned door leaning against a wall. She took it, and threw it on top of the man-woman-man sandwich. The whole skirmish, including the door, took roughly a little over twenty seconds. May then trotted toward the dojo; something appeared to catch her attention.

Betty and Cao stopped running when they saw what happened, and turned to LS.

"You know, I really don't know what you needed me for," Betty said. "If you have fighters in your dojo who are this good-"

LS grinned and shrugged.

"Maybe that's why," Susan said, pointing down the street.

 

Inside the dojo, the atmosphere was not what Joseph expected. Joseph, was a 6'5" man of about two hundred pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. He had recently resumed taking classes after a long absence as part of a bargain he agreed to, so he could avoid legal trouble.

[Author's Note: Joseph's close brush with his "legal troubles," and how he avoided them are detailed in a story entitled You Owe Me. You know where you can get it. ' Mongoose.]

In fact, since he had some free time, he thought he'd take an early class. But these strange people attacking in and out of the dojo were not part of the deal. Still dressed in his gi, he grabbed his duffle bag and started toward the exit. He'll return at his regular time or when the war was over.

"Joseph! Where are you going?" A voice said loudly, stopping Joseph in his tracks. He turned around slowly to see May glaring at him just outside the doors of the dojo.

"Are you kidding? I'm going home! This place is turning into a war zone! I'm not going to stay here!" Joseph replied.

"If you take another step toward your car, you'll deal with me," May warned as she stepped toward him, causing Joseph to flinch a little. "Now go back in there and fight for your dojo!"

Joseph was not used to the normally soft-spoken May speaking loudly, and this startled him about as much as the implied threat she voiced to him.

"But I'm not an accomplished black belt like you, Rhonda, or sensei," he pleaded. "Besides, we're straight, remember? I fulfilled my part of the deal."

"Since you're not a black belt, either hook up with one, or get together with the other white belts and work as a unit. This place has done too much for you to abandon it like this. Turn around; this will be over soon. I'll be watching you."

"But our deal-"

"Our deal is over is over when I say it is! Attending a few classes aren't going to satisfy me. I need to see commitment. Go back now."

As May trotted off toward the battle outside, Joseph sighed and went back in the building, feeling like a whipped puppy.

 

The group looked where Susan was pointing, and saw a fresh group of ten men and women walking down the street toward the dojo.

"There must be a sale on henchmen," Janelle said.

"If they're like the others, I'll bet it was a clearance sale," Betty remarked.

"Has anyone noticed that the police had not shown up yet?" Cao asked.

"Yes, and that is to be expected. The councilman probably paid the policemen who patrol this area to drive around the block and look the other way," LS explained. "He has done this before."

"So it is up to us then," Susan said.

"Yes. Again, I will understand if you need to turn away."

"Me, I have dibs on those five over there," Betty, pointing, said for a response. "They need their heads whacked."

"I believe Betty speaks for all of us," Janelle replied. "I believe after this part is over, you have a plan to take him down?"

"Oh yes, there's just a few questions I want answered first. Meanwhile, prepare yourselves," LS said.

Suddenly a car drove down the street, and stopped a few yards away from the advancing mob.

"Oh joy, more of them," Janelle said.

"Hold on Janelle, I recognize this car," Kim replied.

Out of the car climbed two women. One was a 5'5" black woman with light brown skin and wavy dark brown shoulder-length hair. The other was a 5'6" Filipino woman with long black hair. Both had muscular builds, though the black woman had more definition, blue T-shirts with a logo on front and a number on back, and black shorts, though they appeared to be a little dirty. Both were barefoot. The Filipino woman was throwing on some type of holster that held two long sticks in it. They closed the car doors and faced the mob.

"Who are they?" Betty asked.

"Michelle and Rini," Kim said. "Rini is the one with the escrima sticks."

"Okay, let's give them a hand," Susan said.

"Take your time," LS replied.

"What?" Janelle, Cao, and Betty said at the same time.

"Slow down, you're in for a treat," Kim answered.

A few people in the mob barked at the two women who stood in their way, and then one person made the mistake of trying to touch Michelle. The result was a bloody one as the man staggered back holding his face. Half of the gang raised their weapons consisting of knifes, baseball bats, and lead pipes; and that's when Rini went into action, combining the spinning top-like motions of aikido with the sticking power of the escrima sticks. Michelle followed suit, throwing foes left and right with aikido, pausing for a second to sock or kick someone with a jeet kune do move. Soon, all that was left was a woman who wondered how her fellow companions fell so quickly. She turned and ran. Michelle started after her, but Rini put a restraining hand on her shoulder, and mouthed something to her that looked like "watch this." Rini took one of her sticks and threw it. The stick twirled through the air until it struck the fleeing woman in the back of the head. As she fell to the ground, both women exchanged a high-five.

"Whoa," Janelle replied, "I'm impressed."

"Now I'm starting to wonder what I'm doing here," Susan said.

"For your excellent interrogation skills," Cao laughed.

"In Jasmine's aikido class, there were four students who were at the top of the class. Jasmine was one of them. These are two more," Kim said, sisterly pride evident in her voice.

"LS, we came as soon as we could; our receptionists gave us the scoop," Michelle said as the two trotted over to the quintet.

"Good timing," LS replied. "Michelle, Rini, Cao you know; this is Janelle, Betty, and-"

"Susan?" Rini cut in.

"Yes that's me, known worldwide; or at least it seems that way," Susan quipped.

Janelle and Michelle looked at each other in that way that only bodybuilders do for a few seconds. Finally, Janelle asked, "How long?"

"I lost track to tell you the truth. I want to say at least ten years, but I'm not sure. You?" Michelle said.

"I think maybe half that long, but I don't remember either. You compete?"

"Nah, I just like the power."

"Me too."

Both laughed.

"I think you're going to lose those two for a while. Bodybuilders talking shop can be quite lengthy. Cao and Michelle could talk all night," Rini said. "So you're Betty; I've heard quite a bit about you."

Betty, seeing what was coming, remarked, "I work on cars too."

"Yes, Jasmine and Kim make sure to remind me about that part. I'm surprised you're able to get any work done."

"Me too. Hey, how did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That thing with the sticks."

"Well, I've been practicing escrima-"

"No, no, you throwing that stick and knocking that girl out."

"Oh; well it took plenty of practice-"

Michelle gave her a look.

"-and a couple of boring Saturday afternoons. I knew it would come in handy at least once."

"Not to be nosy, but where were you two?" Kim asked.

"Is it me, or was Kim being more subtle than usual?" Michelle said to Rini.

"It must be a slip of the tongue. It won't happen again, I'm sure. Anyway, we were at an intramural fast-pitch softball tourney. We just finished an hour ago," Rini said, smiling.

"How'd you do?" Betty asked.

"Second place, it was close."

"That would explain the dirt," Susan said.

Cao looked at the groaning bodies the duet had left, along with the other bodies of the defeated. "Love, what do we do with them?" She said.

"Leave them. I want to get into my dojo, see Rhonda, and check on two punks that one of my students put in the closet. After that, I want to throw any other thugs out, so we can have class. Kim, could you call your mother?" LS said.

"Already on it, two more for dinner," Kim replied, dialing her cell phone.

"There is much more to explain, but I need time to do it when I am not getting attacked every time I turn around. There are still some missing pieces I need to fill in for this to make sense. Rini, Michelle, did you bring any spare clothes?"

"Yes we did," Rini said.

"Good, because you two are absolutely filthy."

 

Meanwhile, at the house Lewis was staying at, he and all the guys (except Kevin, who was on a date with Loretta) were gathered in the kitchen, watching the master chef at work, and enjoying some lighthearted conversation.

"So that's what spices you use," David said as he watched Lewis make his spaghetti sauce. "I always used oregano, but I was always at a loss to add anything else."

"I always let The Noodle Kitchen take care of that matter," Billy joked.

"I suspect I will need to learn some cooking skills," Benjamin added, "Lest Janelle and I spend a sufficient part of our lives dining out. I guess we could hire a cook."

"If you like, I can give you correspondence lessons, free of charge," Lewis offered.

"You will? Great!"

"No problem. Where on the scale of helplessness are you?"

"Well I know how to boil water, I'm skilled at using the microwave, and I swore never to order pizza for delivery."

"Swore off ordering pizza? How come?"

"Bad things happen when I order pizza."

[Author's Note: To find out what happened the last two times Benjamin ordered pizza, just check out Love Can Be Weird and Declaration of War in my library, of course ' Mongoose.]

"I can attest to that," Jesse said. "Last time he ordered pizza, three muscular bald chicks broke in and tried to make us their love monkeys."

"Love monkeys?" Lewis replied.

"The DOA over here for some reason took an interest in us, and wouldn't take no for an answer."

"The DOA; yeah, I heard they're a little extreme over here."

Benjamin turned to Jesse. "You know, to hear you describe what just happened to us, I barely believe it, and I was there at my place," he said.

"That reminds me, where's Kevin at?" David asked.

"I don't know, he just said he couldn't make it," Jesse replied.

"Maybe one of those "muscular bald chicks' got him," Billy said, laughing.

"If you saw one of them, you wouldn't be laughing too much."

"Well they'd know better than to mess with me."

"Now Jesse, you need to understand, Billy here went to a university where he was surrounded by more, uh, softer women. He didn't run into the hard bodies they have here," Benjamin said, putting an arm around Billy's shoulder. "After we eat dinner, you're going to see a small example of the strong women we have here. David, did you get the matches?"

"Yes I did. I got a few matches of my fianc#e in action, a few Ultimate Fighting Female bouts, and last, but not least, a few matches from the cage matches in Russia," he said.

"Excellent. Billy, I warn you, if you abhor violence, you may not want to see these DVD's; but we hope you do. Let's eat," Benjamin said.

After they ate a delicious meal, the men gathered in the living room to watch the fights.

David held up a DVD. "Gentlemen, welcome to fight night. First, we're going to watch one of my favorite fianc#e's matches," he said.

"Why is it one of your favorites?" Jesse asked.

"Because it actually lasts longer than three rounds. Susan took on a woman who was originally from Mongolia. Her name was Gretta."

"I remember," Lewis said. "They called her "Gretta the Hun.'"

"Janelle told me about her. She called her flexible and deadly," Benjamin replied.

"She looked like she could strike from any angle; like fighting an octopus."

"Yeah, that's what Susan told me," David said. "Here we go."

"'Gretta the Hun'? What a silly name," Billy remarked.

"Shh!" David said as he put in the DVD.

The DVD shown the menu, then featured the fighters who were participating. They shown Susan entering the ring in her standard fight garb: a navy blue sports bra, the same color trunks with two white stripes down each side, and a white ribbon keeping her hair pulled back. She had a neutral look on her face.

Taking a good look at Susan on the screen, Billy said, "Well, I can see why she is so popular."

The lights in the arena slightly reflected off Susan's muscles. She had a small workout before the match, so her skin displayed a light sheen the empathized her fit build.

"At the risk of using a clich#, there's more to my wife than just a pretty face . . . and a hard body . . . and those legs . . ."

"Okay, we got it," Jesse laughed. "Where was this fight anyway?"

"Indianapolis."

"I thought that looked familiar! LS and I were there," Lewis said. "Quite a story behind that one."

"What happened?"

"One day, LS asked me what I was doing that Friday. I told her I had a date. She pulled out two tickets, waved them in front of me, and said "not anymore.'"

"Sneaky!"

"So Friday afternoon, I suddenly got sick and postponed the date for the next Friday. The amazing thing about it was I actually got away with it."

"Look out, we have a smooth criminal in the house!"

"The postponed date went fine, no problems. All I had to do was keep LS away from us so she wouldn't drop any "hints' about what we did that day. Sometimes it got pretty tricky at times," Lewis explained.

"LS wouldn't really do that, would he?" Benjamin asked.

"She would've been tempted to even if that wasn't her intent; she never liked any of my dates," Lewis replied.

"Okay Lewis, let me see if I got this straight; you and LS were close friends, then one day, boom, you're a couple?" Billy asked.

"It's a little bit complicated."

"It always is," Benjamin sighed.

"At least she didn't threaten to beat him up," David teased.

"Oh man!" Jesse said, staring at the TV. "Susan had to fight her?"

"Gretta the Hun" entered the ring. She was an inch and a half shorter than Susan, but she had a bigger frame that was muscular. She had short black hair that went to the back of her neck. The scowl she wore on her face gave a person the appearance that someone was going to die at her hand. She wore a red sports bra and red boxing trunks with yellow trim.

"What a scary face! If I ran into someone like that on the street, I don't know if I would give her all my money, run for my life, or both," Benjamin said.

"That's her game day face," David explained. "We met her after the fight. She has a beautiful smile, and is one of the nicest people you'd meet. Her trainer has her make that face to scare people."

"If you see her again, tell her it works. I'm not going to mess with her," Jesse laughed.

Even for those who saw the match before, it still was exciting. Shouts of "oh," "ah," and "boom!" came from the men after every punch and kick that landed. Finally in the next to last round, Susan managed to fire a front kick, one-two combination that staggered Gretta enough to score a technical knockout.

"Susan was sore for almost a month after that fight," David said.

"I guess that explains why she was kind of scarce afterwards," Benjamin replied.

"She said it was like her feet and fists were everywhere. She was not sure how she knocked her out until she saw tape of the fight. Gretta was one of the higher ranked fighters going for the title; and you can see why. What did you think, Billy?"

"That was brutal, man! I can't imagine two women hitting each other all night like that," Billy said.

"Brutal?" David laughed. "I have some more "brutal' stuff for you right here."

Finally, after showing the other DVD's, David displayed the last one featuring the Russian Cage Matches.

"And now, gentlemen, I now present to you the Russian Cage Matches, featuring our own Irena; our sweet little Irena, who'd never hurt a fly; dear Irena, who could never beat Billy up," he began.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry I said that," Billy said. "Anyway, so you're telling me that Irena took part in these type of fights?"

"Now let me get this straight," Lewis asked. "You're telling me that out of the five men in this room, you don't know this fact, and you're dating the woman?"

"Well we never talked about it much; I thought it was a, uh, less glamorous part of her past, like professional wrestling, or, or-"

"Don't say it man," Jesse warned.

"-mud wrestling or something like that."

"It's a good thing we're having this meeting. We need to save you from yourself," David said. "If she heard you refer to what she did as two bimbos in bikinis squirming in oil, a whack across the head would be the least of your troubles."

"Billy, it's better to ask than to assume, it's part of Basic Relationships 101," Benjamin stated. "Your girlfriend hangs around with other martial artists and semi-professional fighters, people who take their art seriously. I couldn't imagine my Janelle even associating with fake wrestlers, much less a mud wrestler."

"Okay, maybe I made a few assumptions where I shouldn't have," Billy admitted.

"Irena's match isn't until the end of the DVD," David said, "but I think we should see the other matches on it so we can appreciate the atmosphere."

"In other words, you want to see the whole thing," Benjamin said.

"You know it."

"I'm not going anywhere," Lewis replied.

"Yeah, let's do it," Jesse said, then suddenly glanced out the window. "Are we expecting anyone else?"

"It's Irena, she was supposed to pick me up here to go out after dinner. I think we're busted," Billy said.

"No we're not; everything is taken care of," David said as he took the loose DVD's and dropped them in a nearby drawer by the TV.

There wasn't very much straightening up to do, but the men did it anyway, making sure there were no signs that they spent their evening watching female combat. For the finishing touch, David took the remote, and turned off the DVD player. On the TV was the Animal Planet# channel, which had the show "Meerkat Manor" on. Upon seeing the show, David made a strange expression.

Billy went to the door, and opened it when he heard the doorbell.

"Hi honey, I'm ready to go," he said, expecting Irena to address him, say a brief hello to the guys, and go back to the car, then be off to the movies without a second thought.

"Hello William, I'll be ready in a minute," Irena replied, moving past him and to the living room where the men were seated. "Hello gentlemen."

Irena wore a short silk-like Chinese-style black dress with a mandarin collar and white flowers made by needlepoint decorating the side. Along with the gold necklace, she also wore a gold anklet and red toenail polish, which were the only things she had on her feet.

The men greeted her back.

"I've been appointed by the departed ladies to keep tabs on you guys. Is everyone all right? Having a good time?"

The men nodded and agreed.

"Good." She walked slowly through the living room, sensing something was wrong, but she didn't know what.

"You okay?" Jesse asked.

"Yes," Irena replied as she set her gaze on the TV set. "Meerkat Manor" was a cute show, but she somehow couldn't picture a group of grown men gathered in the living room watching it. She looked around the room again and set her gaze on David, the man with the remote. She gave him a quizzical look.

"What? It's a cute show, like watching little people," David said innocently.

"Yes, I agree," Irena replied as she snatched the remote and hit the "previous" button. The TV switched to Lifetime, where a movie version of a Danelle Steele novel appeared. She gave them an even more quizzical look. The men looked at each other.

"Ms. Steele's movies are a little too . . . mushy for my tastes, but different strokes, eh?"

She switched back to Animal Planet.

"I was cooking dinner," Lewis said after a brief silence, "and the rest of the guys were in the kitchen with me. We just came in the living room, and turned on the first thing that sounded interesting."

"Uh huh," Irena remarked as she looked at the TV.

Finally, on a whim, she pushed the "open" button on the DVD player. The tray slid open, and she picked up the DVD and examined it.

"So this is what you gentlemen were watching?" She asked.

The men first looked at the floor, their fingernails, anywhere but Irena's face as she looked at them. Then finally, they started to nod their heads.

"Is this all?"

"There's more in the drawer next to you," David admitted.

As she pulled out the various DVD's and looked at them, Irena said, "So this is what you were watching? I thought it was something you had no business seeing, like porn or something. Why the secrecy?"

Benjamin spoke. "Well Billy-"

"William." Irena corrected.

"Yeah; well he never saw you in action, nor Susan or anyone else, so we were ' initiating him into our group."

"'Our group?'"

"Yeah, the group of men whose girlfriends or future spouses fight or train in fighting for a living."

"I see. William, how come you never asked me about my fighting in the past?"

"Well I thought," Billy began, but Jesse put a hand over his mouth.

"You don't want to know what he thought, trust me," Jesse said.

"So it looks like everything is hunky-dory then," Billy said, removing Jesse's mouth. "Let's go hon, and let the guys watch the rest of the DVD."

"Not so fast. It's been a while since I saw myself in action, or any cage fights for that matter." Irena placed the DVD back on the tray and put it in. "Let's watch it. For the sake of time, let's see my match first."

"No problem," David said, playing the remote. "One question, who watched the TV last and took it off the boxing tournament on ESPN?"

Rather than answer David's question that it was he who surfed the TV while the others were in the kitchen, he escorted Irena to a spot on the loveseat and sat beside her.

The match shown Irena in a silver sleeveless leotard, which had done well to show off her well-muscled body. Her hair was placed back in a pony tail, and black fingerless gloves donned her hands which she banged together in anticipation of what was next. Her opponent was a woman of 5'11" with a similar build with long blonde hair twisted into two ponytails. She wore a black bikini which almost looked like a bra and panty set to any viewer who took a casual glance. She also slammed together her white fingerless gloves, and looked at Irena like she was her next meal.

"Is she in her underwear?" Benjamin asked.

"No, it's a bikini. She did fight a match in her underwear once. I believe that night, the TV ratings were pretty high," Irena said.

"Irena, the cage matches do have weight classes, don't they?" Jesse asked.

"Weight classes? Back then, the opponents were selected by lottery and record. Unless you won most of your matches, there was no telling who you would get."

"And you were undefeated?" Benjamin said.

"Yes, but it wasn't easy, let me tell you. Pause the DVD for a moment. This woman is Irma, otherwise known as Irma the Intimidator. She used to do government work. They say that she can kill a man five ways with just one hand."

"Is that true?"

"I don't know; nobody dared to ask her. I think everybody believed it though."

"Just what did she do for the government?" David asked.

"I don't know, nobody would ask her that either."

"I guess that means it's better if we don't know. What was she doing fighting cage matches?" Jesse said.

"Boredom, I can definitely tell you that," Irena replied.

"Er, honey, what rules did they have in these matches," Billy asked, a little nervous while glancing at the blond amazons' build on the TV.

"No eye gouging, scratching, or biting, no blows to the breasts or crotch, and no foreign weapons on your person. The bouts go on until someone is knocked out, or submits; no judges grading by points. Outside of that, anything goes," his girlfriend replied.

"Oh, well that doesn't leave too much then."

"You'd be surprised. You have a whole gamut of holds, kicks and blows left that should not be permitted in any competition."

"Has anyone been, uh been . . ."

"Killed? No, thank God. I will say there has been a few that would never fight again after some of these matches. This fighter was responsible for a few of them. Okay David, you can resume playing the match now."

With the room suddenly deathly silent, David found himself fumbling with the remote until he remembered he needed to hit the "play" button.

On the screen, the referee was giving last minute instructions. When he finally asked the fighters to touch gloves, a sportsmanlike way of shaking hands, Irena offered hers. Irma stared at her for a moment, then hit Irena's gloves ' hard. Not overly concerned, Irena went back to her corner.

"Friendly sort, isn't she?" Benjamin said sarcastically.

"Believe it or not, she was one of the friendlier ones," Irena said. "Some of them couldn't wait, and they almost knocked the referee out of the way to get to me."

The two combatants circled around each other for a few seconds looking for an opening, then suddenly Irma rushed in with a left-right jab and a right roundhouse kick that could've taken Irena's head off if she was still there. Irena instead went for a front leg takedown on Irma's supporting leg. Irma however was no stranger by this point to leg attacks, so she managed to balance herself and stabilized her balance before she fell. Irena released the hold and went back to circling her opponent. She saw one of Irma's earlier matches where someone did the same thing, and before they let go, became a victim of a chop to the neck, knocking them out and losing the match.

After circling around a few more seconds, Irma rushed in with another kick; this time it was a left Muay Thai type kick to Irena's upper right thigh. She figured with a longer reach and a kick that was aimed toward Irena's middle, she would score pay dirt; and she did. Irena hopped back. The kick didn't hurt, but it stung rather fiercely. If she took a few more kicks like that, her mobility would be severely hampered.

She was close to the cage when Irma charged in and delivered a flying right knee to her left shoulder. The blow stunned Irena, but Irma danced away before she had a chance to retaliate.

"I thought she would've stuck around to deliver more damage to you," David said. "That knee there couldn't deliver that much damage where it hit."

"Theoretically, you're correct; however, you were not the one on the receiving end of them," Irena remarked. "Irma's fighting style in these matches was like a snake. She would run and deliver a seemingly innocent blow to any body part of her opponent. She delivered a lot of power in those blows too. Later in the match, when your body is sore, you'll find it harder to move as fast as you were before, and that's when she'll come in for the kill. If you'll notice, we both did our homework. She's doing more hit and run because she literally doesn't want me to get my hands on her. Me, I have to find a way past her reach advantage."

"But wouldn't she have an advantage there? I mean Irena, she's bigger than you; sorry," Billy said.

"Things are not always as they seem, darling. First of all, Irma is primarily a striker, which means, she punches and kicks. She knows just enough holds to submit someone, but she generally doesn't need them as much. My fighting style is more along the lines of grappling."

"Grappling?"

"Think of it as a more advanced form of wrestling," Benjamin explained. "Boy, you have some serious catching up to do," he added under his breath.

Billy was about to deliver a comment to that last remark, when suddenly something exciting happened on the screen. Irma charged Irena yet again with another mid-level roundhouse kick to Irena's waist. As Irena bent down in pain, she followed up with another flying knee. Irena however, was not as hurt as she claimed, and grabbed the leg that Irma was going to knee her with. Irma hopped around on her remaining leg, trying to wrench her other leg from Irena's grip. Just as she was about to rain blows to the back of her quarry's head, Irena started running around in a circle, making it difficult if not impossible to retaliate. Eventually, the Russian titianess fell to the floor, and Irena immediately dropped the leg and pounced on Irma's upper body. The two spent the next minute sprawling on the floor, with Irena trying to grab her opponents' long limbs to secure a hold, and Irma struggling to break free so she could get on her feet. Irena had her arms pinned so she couldn't strike, and her legs were next to useless except to kick futilely in the air and on the mat.

"Look at her kicking those legs," Lewis remarked. "If one of those lands the way she's going, that would hurt."

"That's why I'm up there," Irena said. "Those knees hurt! She's also making sure I don't grab one of them for a leg lock. It's bad enough she's wiggling like a fish. Size wise, those limbs are making things difficult. I guess it would be like trying to pin Janelle down, they're about the same size."

Benjamin saw the picture in his mind, and shook his head. "I can't see myself do it, and we're almost the same height." He saw Jesse sitting back with a smirk on his face. "And you couldn't do it either; that woman would break your neck without thinking about it."

"Hey, I was trying to see the thing in perspective," Jesse replied defensively. "Besides, it wasn't Janelle I was thinking about."

"Oh?"

"Hey, look at that!" Jesse said pointing at the screen, diverting attention away from himself. This time it worked, for a well-placed forearm struck Irena on the forehead, sending the shorter fighter away from Irma. While Irena was still on her knees, Irma shot up, and delivered a left roundhouse to her head. Irena shifted her head almost in time, but Irma's foot clipped her on the scalp. The blow knocked her off her knees, which she converted into a roll before Irma could take advantage of the moment. The blow hurt a little, but it wasn't bad considering the alternative if she felt the full force of the kick.

"Ooh! It still makes me jumpy seeing that!" Irena explained.

"Irena, I'm a relative newcomer to these sports, but am I imagining things, or is this woman trying to kick your head off?" Benjamin asked.

"I'm glad you asked, because I was wondering the same thing," Lewis said.

"Before the cage fights became more . . . "civilized,' the ruling party over these games wanted the atmosphere to be more like gladiators in an arena, a blood sport," Irena replied.

"Like the movie?" Billy said.

"Yes, something like that. That explains the lack of rules, weight classes, and such. Plus, they didn't like me."

"Didn't like you? What makes you say that?"

"I was the last "good guy' left. I didn't give in to the savagery, and because of that, I was a fan favorite. They wanted to get rid of me pretty bad. So they brought in some heavy hitters, like this one."

On the screen, Irma took advantage of Irena's lapse because of the kick, and tackled her with the intent of pinning her down and pummeling her with her fists. Irena resisted, making it instead a sort of clinch on their knees, and then struggling to their feet. It was then that Irena delivered a left, then a right jab to Irma's face. Irma, who had not received any blows throughout the match, was stunned, but still on her feet. Irena rushed in, bending low, and lifted the large woman up off the floor and over her head before delivering a body slam. While this rattled Irma even more, she still was managing to rise to her feet. Irena grabbed her, and applied a guillotine choke that shortly knocked her out, winning the match.

"I was starting to think she would never go down," Benjamin said as David paused the DVD.

"You're telling me! I remember the thought that went through my mind, "what do I need to beat this woman?' If that choke wouldn't do it, I would've been out of ideas except to try to break something. Anyway, I don't care to stick around for any remarks I gave after the match, so I'm ready to leave. Let's go, William," Irena said.

Billy was still a little overtaken by it all. "You picked up that big woman and threw her down," he commented like someone in a dream.

"Yes I did, and she was big. Bye guys. Come along, William."

Billy staggered after her, barely remembering to wave to the men as he closed the door. The men stood around and grinned at each other.

"So what do you think?" David asked.

"It's easy to say that he'll never look at Irena the same way again," Benjamin replied.

Lewis was laughing, mocking Billy's remark. "'You picked up that big woman and threw her down.'" I've seen LS do it, and she's shorter. Good thing she's not dating her; she would give him a demonstration."

"Hey Benjamin, I never did ask you, how did you react when you saw how built Janelle was?" Jesse asked.

"I can safely say I knew better then to scoff, but I will tell you it took my breath away. I'll admit it scared me a little too. Women like Janelle isn't something you see everyday where I come from. What about you, David?" Benjamin asked.

"We went out for a bit, then one day I was to pick her up at the gym where she worked out. She was running a little late, so she was still hitting and kicking the heavy bag in her sports bra and short shorts. I remember one word came to my mind when I saw the sight that was in front of me, "wow!'" David said. "She had to call my name twice to get my attention."

"With a woman like Susan, I bet you kept your hands to yourself," Jesse remarked.

"I respect women too much to do that, but with women like Susan, you don't dare even think of disobeying that rule; not if you want to chew solid food again."

Lewis sat back shaking his head. "I remember we were invited to this pool party one summer. It was close to my house, so I got there early. I was lounging back and chatting with the host and few other folks when LS appeared. She wore a simple black one-piece, but man, she was solid! I mean here are these skinny girls in bikinis, and a few overweight ones wearing whatever, and here was this one woman who was so built she stood out. Sure you had some Barbie look-alikes, but if they had any muscle at all, it wasn't in the right places."

"Sounds like she attracted attention," David said.

"I won't tell you what would've happened if she started doing those bodybuilder poses by the pool," Lewis continued. "It was already bad enough that the other girls pulled their dates away from the pool. Her date at that time was one happy man."

"So you two were seeing other people at the time?" David asked.

"I wasn't, but she was. Almost got me in trouble too as she came by to talk to me. It was bad enough she came by looking like that; even worse that some women were jerking their men out of the pool and leaving; but it was really bad when she sat down beside me, and asked, "I brought a new swimsuit for this party. How do I look?'"

"What did you say?"

"I made sure I had a hot dog stuffed in my mouth. This man was giving me the evil eye, and everyone else was watching me. I gave her a thumbs up, and left to get a coke before I choked."

"I wonder if she did that on purpose," Benjamin wondered.

"She'll deny it, but sometimes I wonder too."

"When was that, anyway?"

"Our sophomore year of high school."

"Holy -! You mean she always looked like that, even as a sophomore?" Jessie said.

"Well I think she might have gained a few more pounds and muscles since then," Lewis replied. "I heard one girl remark, "I need to start doing judo if it'll make me look like that.' She signed up for lessons the next day."

"I'm surprised as buff as Irena is, Billy never noticed what's up. And someone said math majors were clueless," Benjamin remarked.

"Hey, he has a sister who could kick his head off, and he never thinks about it, what do you think?" Jesse replied.

"Well just in case our boy had recovered from seeing his girl whup somebody, I had another surprise for him ' a second DVD of the Russian Cage Matches," David said, producing a second DVD from his person.

"Yeah, let's watch it, but I first want to see the rest of the other DVD. I want to see what Irena was in for," Benjamin said.

"Should we wait for Billy to get back before we see that second DVD?" Lewis asked.

"Nah, he's still trying to believe the first one," Jesse said. "He can play catch-up when he gets back."

"Yeah; meantime Jesse, you can tell me about you wanting a wrestling match with Velvet," Benjamin said. "I know it was her name you almost belted out. Since I am engaged to her best friend, I could have it arranged."

"You kidding? She'd kill me!"

 

After seeing a spy movie, Irena was driving Billy back to be with the guys. She could tell Billy was still a little dumbstruck about the DVD he just saw.

"You're still thinking about that match you saw, aren't you?" Irena asked.

"Yeah, I never realized it was like that; wow," Billy replied.

"William, I told you about my days as a cage fighter; why are you so much in disbelief?"

"I didn't know it was like that!"

"Ah William, you can be so sweet, so smart, but so clueless sometimes. Did you think I was talking about that farce they call professional wrestling? Or worse, some bikini-clad bimbo wrestling in oil, mud, gelatin, or chocolate pudding?"

Billy almost responded, then gave thought to David's warning. "Maybe you should've shown me the DVD when you told me," he said instead.

Irena paused for a moment. "You are right. Perhaps I should have played the DVD's I have at home for you," she said. "By the fifth fight, you would've got the general idea."

"Honey, I'm an engineer; it would've taken me one fight to figure it out."

"This from the man who almost confused me with a mud wrestler."

"No, I-"

"Pro wrestlers for all their bad acting are in good shape at least (not counting the steroids). Being a mud wrestler doesn't require anything more than a string bikini, big bazookas, and the build of a stick, along with the willingness to roll in the goop like Betty's dog in your backyard. Did you really think I did that?"

"I was thinking something like professional wrestling," Billy slowly said.

"So despite my black belt in Sambo, and collegiate experience, I'm fake instead of silicone, how comforting," Irena replied. "With all this about mud wrestling, it makes me wonder where you really went while you were away at college."

"I never went, but I had friends who did. From what they told me, they're in good shape."

"Bah! All they know how to do is squirm and giggle. I have almost broke a few of them in two myself."

"Broke them in two? When was this?"

"The point is I have been involved with combat sports for a long time, most of my life, in fact. I sometimes forget about those who are outside that world. But I figured with your sister being "the toughest woman in town,' you'd take this matter more seriously."

"My sister? Oh, I don't pay her no mind."

"You might next time she threatens to "whack you across the head.' I've seen her do it, it's not pretty. And I believe I've told you if you have any questions, especially about things like this, just ask. I'll let you know if it's secret."

They drove in silence until they arrived at the house where Lewis was staying. Suddenly Billy broke out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Irena asked.

"I was just thinking about that opening line you gave me the night of that little party my parents threw for me when I graduated college," Billy said.

"And which "line' was that?" Irena asked.

"'Did you know I could beat you up?' I have to admit that had me going for a while."

"Really William, you shouldn't obsess yourself over such a silly question."

"Yeah."

"Of course I can beat you up, William, easily, and with one hand tied behind my back. But that has nothing to do with why I chose you. Ah, here we are. I will be unavailable tomorrow because I have . . . other business to take care of. But I will call you when I am free. Betty's absence has left some paperwork to take care of." She kissed Billy lightly on the lips. "Good night, William."

"Good night," he said. As Irena pulled away and he walked toward the door, he found himself pondering the question of what should you do if your girlfriend says she can beat you up. He'll have to ask the others, he thought.

He returned to the living room, where the guys were watching the end to a hard-fought match between a Russian native and a Native American who could almost pass for the lead character in the Disney movie Pocahontas, except she was tall, and apparently had plenty of muscle as she defeated her opponent in a crushing submission.

"Hey, there's my man! It looks like he made it back in one piece. How was the movie?" Jesse asked.

"Forget the movie, I want to know how the conversation went," Benjamin said.

"What conversation?" Billy asked.

"You know which one."

"Well, the movie was good, I'd recommend it, and regarding the conversation you're talking about, I don't think we're going to talk about it any time real soon."

"You didn't make the mud wrestler comparison, did you?" David said.

"No, I didn't put my foot in my mouth that bad. She just asked me where I was when she told me about her fighting background. That's not all she said."

"Really? This should be good," Benjamin remarked.

"She said she could beat me up easily, with one hand tied behind her back, but that was not the reason she chose me. Then she kissed me on the cheek and left," Billy said.

David paused the DVD, and walked over to Billy. "Billy, let me give you a few facts of reality here. My girlfriend, my fianc#e Susan, is six feet tall, and has the build of a bodybuilder. She can deliver a kick that could dent a car door. Not a little ding, but a kick that would require a body shop to fix. I saw that firsthand. She also has broken the pelvis of a grown man with one of those kicks. Now suppose that was my head. Now Susan is a sweet girl, a God-fearing woman who will help anyone in need, and stays true to her principles. But that does not mean I would be willing to step inside a ring with her. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to step into a ring with any of those women, but you see my point, don't you?" He asked.

"I, I think so," Billy replied.

"My Janelle is almost as tall, and just as strong, if not more so. She is a black belt in judo. She could easily tie me in knots if she wanted to," Benjamin said.

"What about you, Lewis? LS is only about what, 5'2"?" Billy asked.

"Yes, and there are men seven feet tall who are afraid of her. I've seen what she can do. Pretty lethal," Lewis said.

"First off, Billy, your girlfriend is a black belt. A black belt is like becoming an Eagle Scout in the fighting world, okay? It's an achievement not too many people achieve. If you're a black belt in a martial art, you should be able to beat up most people you run into," Benjamin explained.

"And just because your girlfriend can beat you up doesn't mean she wants to. Since I've met Susan, sometimes I run into some guys who can't handle the fact that Susan is built the way she is, and may be stronger than they are. I've also run into some sick folk who would want someone like Susan to beat them up. Every now and then, I hear about some of these women who get off on beating their boyfriend. Susan isn't one of those, and I'm sure Irena isn't either. You're not sporting any black eyes or bruises, so I think you're safe there," David added. "And that time she kicked in a car door, and busted somebody's thigh? That was when somebody was trying to break us up. She could've broke him too, but she didn't."

"Yeah, my LS has always been a kind, sweet girl; except whenever she saw my dates," Lewis joked.

"You're right, I'm just used to, to," Billy tried to spit out.

"That we "macho men' need to be the protector or something like that?" Lewis asked.

"Yeah, that's it."

"Did you get that from your dad?" David asked him.

"Come to think of it, no," Billy said.

"I didn't think so. I met your dad, and I couldn't imagine someone with a mindset like that marrying an engineer and encouraging his daughter to become a mechanic."

"I guess hanging around with some of the guys at school rubbed off on me. Look, I'm going to take off. I'll get back with you guys later on, okay?"

"Sure, take care," Lewis said. The rest of the men said goodbye.

As Billy closed the door, Benjamin turned to David, and said, "Hey that was pretty good, picking up my next point like that."

"I thought you were headed that way, so it wasn't hard to pick up," David replied.

"You think he'll adjust?" Lewis asked.

"No telling," David said. "When I found out Susan was a kickboxer, I thought, "cool,' and went with it. No big deal to me."

Jesse turned to Benjamin. "An "Eagle Scout in the fighting world?'" He said.

"Hey, I had to find some simple way of breaking it down," Benjamin replied. "He is an engineer, after all."

They all laughed.

 

At the dojo, classes went on as usual after the attacks ended. The information from the two people May put in the closet wasn't anything different from what was already known. They promised to answer any other questions they were asked, just as long as they kept "that crazy woman" (May) away from them. They already sported injuries from her initial attack, and it was questionable if they could be treated and released, or sent to the emergency ward. When May said she would help them to the hospital, the two henchmen hobbled as quickly as they could out of the dojo. The one thing of interest they did say was there was going to be a "showdown" of sorts the next day, but they didn't know any more details.

The quintet, plus Rini, Michelle, and Rhonda had a good meal at the Chang's household, and afterwards, everyone scattered throughout the house to relax. Betty and Jon were sitting on opposite ends of the sofa in the den watching the late 1970's movie, "Mr. Majestyk," or to be more specific, watching the cars in the movie.

"Now they did this part well," Jon said. "Charles Bronson's character was smart to take his pickup and go into the watermelon fields. If he didn't, those cars would have caught him."

"I agree; those large sedans had plenty of horsepower, but they were not made for off-road driving," Betty agreed. "Every now and then, Hollywood does something right."

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Kim spoke, suddenly appearing. Before either could reply, she ran and jumped on the sofa between the two of them.

"Watching a movie," Jon said, innocently. "It's "Mr. Majestyk;' you've seen it."

"Yeah, nice gunfighting scenes," Kim replied, then turned and flashed a smile at Betty. Jon shrugged, and Betty contemplated how big a reprisal she would get if she whacked her teacher I the back of the head with the throw pillow she was holding. The opportunity began to present itself when Kim became engrossed in the upcoming shootout. Betty with a sinister grin on her face got the pillow into position. Jon saw what was happening, and pretended to watch the movie. She was just about to strike when LS spoke.

"Ah Betty, there you are!"

Betty dropped the pillow, and sat up like she was shot. Kim and Jon were mildly startled.

"Yes, here I am," Betty replied weakly. Revenge will have to wait.

"We have a few things to discuss. We can go in Kim's room," LS said.

"About dealing with the councilman?" Jon asked, while watching the rest of the movie. All eyes in the room turned to him.

"How did you know?" Kim asked in a hushed voice.

"Oh come on, sis, I'm your brother! I knew what you, Jas, and LS did before you knew I knew years ago. Besides, I'm a mechanic, and I hear things when I work on other people's cars," Jon said.

"What have you heard?" LS asked.

"Today, plenty, so you'll need to round up the gang, and double check that mom or dad isn't anywhere nearby."

"Sorry brother; I've been away so long, I forgot," Kim said. "I'll go and see what mom and dad are doing." She got up and left.

"That's not the only thing you forgot," Jon laughed as Kim went down the hall.

"I am sorry for startling you, Betty, but you do not want to engage Kim in a pillow fight," LS said.

"She's pretty good, eh?" Betty asked.

"Actually, the words that come to mind range between savage and sadistic, I am not sure which. She almost turned it into a martial art."

"Well that's okay; I have Mr. Blanks to refer to."

"And you may never see the outside of her dojo again. Use it sparingly."

"She'll stop when you leave the city limits, and I'm within "safe distance.' I understand that's when she'll switch back into "accountant mode,'" Jon added. "With my sisters always looking out for me, I'm surprised it hasn't gone to my head."

"I tried doing the opposite with my brother, and next thing I knew, my employee ran off with him. She doesn't let me forget it either," Betty said.

[Agony in the Mud, and Irena's Story, just in case you were wondering ' Mongoose.]

Everybody else (except Kim's parents) entered Kim's room. Michelle and Rini smiled at each other, and situated themselves on the floor beside Jon. Kim resumed her seat between Betty and Jon, while everyone else found spots in other chairs, Jasmine's old bed, and the floor. Some of the ladies looked at Jon funny until Kim indicated that he already knew.

"So what is the status on your parents, Kim?" LS asked.

"We won't hear from them for some time. They are in the bedroom watching a movie," Kim said.

"Which movie?"

"Forrest Gump."

"Oh," Jon said.

"Hey, I liked that movie," Betty complained.

"Me too," Janelle replied.

"What Jon means is we'll need to see ourselves out," Rini said.

"Oh," Janelle, Betty, and Susan said.

"One year, someone made the mistake of giving them a three-DVD set of some romantic series," Kim said.

"I don't think we saw them all weekend," Jon finished.

"You may want to talk to Mrs. Chang for some premarital advice," Susan spoke in Janelle's ear.

"I believe I will," Janelle replied, smiling.

"So now that Kim's parents are ' occupied, let us get on with business. Betty, have you been able to listen to the conversation between the councilman and me?" LS asked.

"Yes, about four times as a matter of fact. It's been edited and put on three separate tapes. I'll give the master copy to you," Betty said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. From what I've heard, you have enough to put him away on sending gangs to disturb the city, but it doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't make sense, Betty?" Cao asked.

"Well the whole thing. He wants LS to give up his son's gang? If he wanted another one that bad, he could start a new one. Sending all these thugs after LS is a waste of time."

"Unless," Janelle interjected.

"That's where we're at, Janelle, "unless' what?"

"It's obviously a cover-up for something, but why drag LS into it?" Rini wondered.

"Yes, I am just a humble judo instructor," LS remarked.

"Who just happened to virtually rid our neighborhood of street gangs," Rhonda said. "Plus, the good councilman never liked you."

"Which puts her in good company," Michelle added. "About half the citizens and officials with at least half a brain don't like him either."

"Yet he keeps getting elected," Kim said.

"Is it me, or does this get more confusing the more I think about it?" Susan said. "Mysteries aren't my thing."

"It is not you, Susan; these are some of the loose ends I wanted to tie up before we proceed any further," LS said.

Jon raised his hand. When LS nodded, he said, "Maybe I have something that may help."

"Please, enlighten us," Rini said sweetly.

Kim had a look of suspicion on her face upon hearing the way Rini addressed her brother, but she placed it aside and said, "Yes Jon, we'll take any information we can get."

"Well, when you work on people's cars in the neighborhood, some people feel a need to tell you everything that goes on. I'm sure Betty will agree with that," Jon began.

"Oh yeah," Betty sighed. "I almost never have to watch the local news."

"This new candidate proposes to eliminate local government corruption, I'm told; and the councilman doesn't like that."

"With all due respect, Jon, every candidate who runs for election says that," LS replied, smiling. "Even the corrupt candidates vow to take care of the offices they corrupted."

"That's what I said," Jon responded, "But according to my sources, this guy actually has proof."

"They always say that too, Jon," Michelle said, warmly.

As Kim gave her a funny look, LS asked, "What kind of proof?"

"Documents of people who were wrongly imprisoned, for example. He said if elected, he will imprison those responsible, and set the innocents free," Jon said.

The news of this alone caught everyone's attention, but the heads of Rini and Michelle turned sharply toward Jon.

"Did I hear that right?" Michelle asked. "Those who are innocent will be set free?"

Jon nodded. "In fact, he specifically mentioned her case. I was waiting for the right time to tell you two, and I guess this was it."

"It's almost too much to hope for after all this time," Rini replied, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Betty, Susan, and Janelle noticed the display of emotion by the two women, and they were pondering how to ask why when Kim explained for them.

"Remember when I said that there were four students at the top of Jasmine's aikido and tai chi class? You know the three; the fourth was one of those incarcerated," she said.

"Oh my. What happened?" Janelle asked.

"We ' that's Jasmine, Michelle, Caroline, and I ' were at Michelle's house to watch some movies when Caroline left to get some popcorn," Rini explained.

"So many times I wished I stocked up on that day," Michelle lamented.

"Caroline was leaving the store when she saw a cop ' one of the councilman's hired goons ready to clobber a mother and her teenage daughter with a billy club," Rini continued.

"They were the wife and daughter of a building contractor who used to do Johnson's bidding; until one day he grew a conscience, and stopped. He was told to rejoin the team, or else."

"Caroline threw the cop to the ground using a ' well never mind what throw she used. She then delivered a one-inch punch, and knocked him out," Michelle said. "The two women were able to get away, but the cop's partner who saw the whole thing, called for backup. He kept Caroline at bay at gunpoint until more police came and arrested her for assaulting a police officer."

"That gun couldn't hold her; she could've took care of him easy," Rini remarked. "Fat, doughnut-eating bum."

"But what about a trial? There were witnesses," Betty said.

"The "witnesses' went into hiding, along with any bystanders. It was just her word against the two cops, plus Johnson had the judge in his pocket. She didn't stand a chance."

"I can see why Jasmine never mentions it; if it was me, it would hurt too much," Susan said.

"It depends," Kim replied. "Some days she would cry, and others she would explode with rage."

"I want to go and personally rip the councilman's head off," Michelle growled, "but Caroline made us promise not to do anything."

"Yes, she made the three of us promise not to lift a finger in her defense. She said her deliverance will come," Rini said. "I wish I could say I had that type of faith."

"For someone wrongly imprisoned, she's in great spirits," Cao remarked.

"How long has she been there?" Janelle asked.

"It should be going on four years this fall," Jon said. "I've been told there's a few other examples as well."

[Author's Note: This story is told in more detail in the tale, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. If you obey a fair number of these author's notes, you should be through at least half of my library by now. You'll have mongooses running through your mind at night. Okay, bad joke; get back to the story. ' Mongoose750.]

"That is okay, Jon, we do not need to hear them, but thank you anyway. I have heard more than enough." LS replied. "Unlawful incarceration of citizens is more than enough reason to take him down."

"Tell us, LS, tell us how we're going to take him down. Rini and I will do anything," Michelle said, with Rini nodding in agreement.

"I now wish there was enough time to call Jasmine. Let us put an end to this meeting, go to our homes, and meet again in the morning," LS replied. "I will have a game plan in the morning."

"What I see is a quick trip to the local Wal-Mart#," Kim said. "Michelle, Rini, Rhonda, and Cao are free to go, but you and Janelle aren't going anywhere."

"What?"

"They will have your apartment watched with people ready to attack as soon as you arrive."

"There can't be that many without attracting attention," Janelle argued. "Besides, I think we could take them."

"I agree," LS replied, "besides, neither one of us have fought anyone today."

"True, but both of you have had a long day. Don't you see, this is part of Johnson's strategy, to wear you down. That explains why he's been sending waves of people to attack the dojo. This isn't a gang skirmish, this is war. We need you sharp for tomorrow morning. You can sleep on Jasmine's bed in my room. Don't snore too loud," Kim said as she walked to the hall closet to get fresh sheets.

"I do not snore!" LS replied.

"I can testify to that," Janelle added.

"I don't think it would matter if she did or not, I'm beat," said Betty. "However, I'm up for an emergency trip to Wal-Mart."

Susan looked at Janelle. "Janelle, I believe I have some things that will fit you," she said.

"Yes you do, but I rather get my own personal items such as panties and the like. I will take up your offer if you have an extra outfit to work out in, and an extra pair of pants or shorts, and a loose-fitting top," Janelle replied.

"I think I can accommodate you there," Susan smiled.

"Okay, that's one. Cao, am I dropping you off?" Betty asked.

"Yes, I don't want my aunt and uncle to worry about me," Cao said. "As much fun as a slumber party would be, it has been a day full of excitement. I will need to be at my best to, how do you say it? "Whack some people across the head.'"

Susan laughed. "It sounds much different when you hear it with a British accent."

LS saw Rini and Michelle both talking on their cell phones.

"Who were you calling?" She asked.

"Our assistants; they'll be teaching for us tomorrow. We're staying here," Rini said.

"Very well, the house is big enough. Betty, if I could trouble you to drop by the dojo? I have some spare clothes there."

"No problem. Susan, you coming?" Betty asked.

"No, I'll stay here," she said.

"So that's LS, Janelle, and Cao. Anyone else?"

"I'll tag along," Jon said. "I need to get some stuff."

"We'll come too," Michelle joined in, almost a little too enthusiastically.

Susan looked down the hall. "I think you better go now; I'll hold her off," she said.

"You mean tell her where we went," Cao corrected.

Glancing at Jon, Susan said, "No, I mean hold her off."

"Oh, of course, the "stud muffin.' Don't worry; I'll make sure he doesn't get married off before I go."

They left the house, and returned an hour later to see Susan and Kim sitting on the sofa watching a men's kickboxing match. Both had changed into their nightshirts.

"Have fun?" Susan asked.

"Oh I always get a kick out of buying new bras and panties," Janelle replied sarcastically. "Can't have too many of those."

"LS and I sat in the van," Betty said.

"Wal-Mart was fun," Jon said.

"Fun?" Kim asked coming to life as Rini and Michelle giggled. LS put a hand on her shoulder.

"Anything on the news?" She asked.

"Nope. Total blackout," Kim said.

"That is what I suspected. Betty, what are Jon and the others doing?"

"Playing Scrabble#, of all things. Want to join in?" Betty replied as she sat, or more accurately, plopped into a nearby easy chair.

"Good, that should keep them busy. I do not want to tell them anything yet."

"Why? Michelle and Rini were great this afternoon, and Jon gave us the answer we needed to why we're fighting this man in the first place," Susan said.

"You are right, Susan. I did not spend all my time in the parking lot waiting on those three. Betty and I were discussing this whole thing. I, we, have been played for fools."

"Fools? How?" Janelle asked.

"We are fighting him the way he wants us to fight him, on a playing field of his choosing to keep us busy. And the funny thing about it is we have the knockout blow to take care of him once and for all. So tomorrow, we are going to take the battle to him. Since I am tired, I will wait until the morning to give the whole plan."

"So why are we leaving the others out in the cold?" Janelle asked.

"They will be playing a very important role; just not a popular one."

 

When Irena arrived at the shop that morning, she saw Loretta's truck already parked there. But instead of hearing the sound of hammers, saws, and other construction items, she heard the song, I Could've Danced All Night, delivered by Loretta's mellow alto voice.

"Somebody's happy this morning," she said as she entered the office.

Loretta was sitting behind Betty's desk, her bare feet propped up, and leafing through a magazine of classic Mustangs.

"It's a beautiful day," Loretta remarked.

"Yes it is," Irena replied. I know that tune. Someone had a wonderful time last night.

"Lori Twotrees will come in shortly to do the plumbing. You met her, right?"

"Yes, I have. In fact, when the first snow comes, we have a date to show her the joys of moving through it barefoot. So tell me, Loretta, do you always burst out in robust singing on pretty days?"

Before Loretta could come up with an answer, the phone rang. Irena answered it.

"Barefoot Betty's, Irena speaking. Oh hi, Betty; how are things over there? Non-stop excitement? Sounds like you'll have a story to tell when you'll get back. Over here, life is normal. Lori is coming in to work on the plumbing, and Loretta is singing tunes from Broadway musicals. Why? She tells me it's a nice day." Irena received a light push from Loretta after that last statement. "I don't know, you can ask her. You'll have to go because LS is giving her battle strategy? Whoa, this is big, isn't it? Yes, I will tell everyone hello. Be careful, comrade. Bye-bye."

"Did she say "battle strategy'?" Loretta asked as Irena hung up the phone.

"Yes, she said it's been non-stop action with people attacking the dojo, LS's apartment, and so on."

"Attacking the dojo? That does sound serious. I was going to ask why didn't you mention the fight tonight, but it sounds like she has enough things to worry about."

"Well it's now gotten to the point where we have to fight someone every other day. This thing won't be a big deal. Besides, we have enough people to cover it. You think Lori would be interested in joining the fun?"

"Maybe, but she has a date with someone's commode and sink tonight. As soon as the neighborhood found out she does plumbing, her phone has rung non-stop. People trying to find cheap labor."

"She charges for her services, I hope."

Loretta laughed. "Oh yeah. Not only has she paid the tuition for this year and the next, she's also planning to buy a new car by the end of the semester."

Irena walked to the front window. "I remember in college, the engineering and business majors would laugh at me because I wanted to be "a simple mechanic.' But who was the first one they came to when they couldn't start their cars in the morning? They would ask me why should I charge them. I told them they'll be making plenty of money when they graduate; what should they be worried about?"

"Irena, do you ever miss being in Russia?"

"Sometimes. I miss seeing my friends and family back home every now and then, but I'm also happy here too. I'm working for a nice boss and friend, and I've made more friends over here, and I even have a boyfriend who's pretty bright eighty percent of the time. Don't ask. I know I made a good choice in coming here, even if my long distance bills are expensive," Irena reflected. "Right now, I'm wondering what else besides a beautiful day is enough to make you break out in song."

"Just that, it's a pretty day. Oh look, Lori's here, and your first customer of the day," Loretta said. "I'm going to get started. I want to have this addition ready when Betty gets back."

"Of course you do," Irena said quietly as she left the office to greet Lori and to see what mechanical troubles her customer has this day.

Betty finished her phone call to Irena and sat down on the sofa to let her breakfast settle.

"I think at one time, your mother wanted to be a cook," Susan said to Kim as she patted her belly.

"It's funny, the more people she has to cook for, the more she likes it. You should see her at our family reunions," Kim replied.

"So how are things back at the shop, Betty?" Susan asked.

"Business is fine, Lori is coming in to work on the plumbing, and Loretta is singing," Betty answered, noticing the strange looks on the two women's faces. "I don't know why, she says it's because it's a beautiful day."

"I guess I'm in the wrong profession; nothing about accounting makes me want to sing in the morning. Give me two or three cups of coffee, and I might hum a little," Kim said.

Janelle entered the den, wearing one of Susan's black boxing trunks, and an oversize white T-shirt.

"When they say an army travels on its stomach, I think I know what they mean. With all that food, I should be good to go until dinner," she said. "How are things back home, Betty?"

"Worth singing about."

"Huh?"

"Everything's fine."

"So where is everybody else?"

"Let's see. Cao went to the nearby gym to do a light workout. She'll be here after she finishes; Rhonda is doing some gardening, and she'll be here soon; Jon is at his garage putting in a few parts on a car he's been working on, LS is in Kim's room making calls to a few of her students and Lewis, and Michelle and Rini are doing their tai chi routine in the backyard. The three of us are going to do some Tae-Bo shortly. You're welcome to join us," Kim said.

"No, that's a little too . . . perky for me in the morning. I'll wait for LS to finish so I can workout with her."

Kim shook her head. "Nothing "perky' about her workout by any means. That would put me to sleep."

"Kim, aren't you going to call Jasmine, and tell her what you found out?" Betty asked.

Kim sighed. "I thought long and hard about that. And yes, I discussed it with Rini and Michelle too. I know as soon as I told her, she would drop everything to get here. However, unless she can obtain a private jet, it would take her too long to get here, and even she would not be at her best. If I just called her and told her what I know, yet tell her not to come, if she didn't ignore or argue that part and come anyway, she would spend the whole day thinking about it. Do you see my dilemma?"

"Yeah; no easy answers on that one."

"And knowing Jasmine, she wouldn't be subtle, she would go directly to the councilman's house, and beat him to a pulp until he would do what she wanted."

"I figured Jasmine as more of a methodical person," Janelle said.

"She is, until a loved one of hers is in danger, and then the brakes are off. The only reason she hasn't planned a prison break is because Caroline made her swear not to do anything," Kim replied.

"I guess the best thing to do is not to tell her yet," Susan said, feeling uncomfortable by what she just voiced."

"If we pull this thing off, I can live with her being a little upset at me. Now I'm going to play the DVD, I feel like doing some kicking."

While the three were working up a sweat, Janelle gently knocked on the door to Kim and Jasmine's old room. She heard LS say, "Come in," and she slowly opened the door. LS had just finished her call with Lewis.

"Have you called Benj ' I mean Ben yet?" She asked.

"Not yet, I plan to do it after we workout. He's not an early riser," Janelle said.

"After I workout, I always shower, then trot upstairs to his apartment to have breakfast. Kim's mom cooks a great breakfast, but you know . . ."

"Yes, I know. You miss him, don't you?"

"Like a drowning man misses air. Do you know what him and the men did last night? They watched DVD's of Susan's fights, the old fem-fight matches, and some of the Russian Cage Fights. He said they spent part of the evening explaining things to Billy."

"What's there to explain?"

"Well after Irena caught them in the act, and took Billy out to see a movie, I guess it was quite a bit. He returned to the house looking like a whipped pup."

LS explained to Janelle what Billy's assumptions were of Irena's fighting past. Janelle was wide-eyed. "I'm surprised Irena didn't give him a first-hand demonstration. His sister "whacks people's heads' on a regular basis, and he never got it?" Janelle exclaimed.

"I bet he has it now. I think we better refrain from telling Betty, lest she "whacks' him upon her return."

"Speaking of "whacking,' do you have the plan figured out yet?"

"Yes; as soon as we are finished, and Cao and Rhonda comes over, I will explain it. Well let us get started. Do you have any problems with working out in the backyard?"

"As long as our two tai chi practitioners don't mind. I think Susan won't mind me getting sweaty in this outfit. What's that?"

Kim's cell phone that was left lying by the alarm clock started ringing. Janelle picked it up. "It's Jasmine," she said.

"Oh. Okay, go on out the yard while I think of something to tell her."

 

After everyone had their morning exercises and Rhonda and Cao arrived, LS gathered everyone and had them meet in the den. Sonny Chang went to his job as usual, and Jacqueline had a home to sell, so the whole house was theirs.

"So when are we going to the dojo?" Cao asked.

"We are not going to the dojo," LS replied. "We are going to my apartment."

"Why there?"

"Because the dojo is taken care of, and we are expected to show up there. According to Rhonda, who passed by the neighborhood on her way here, there were so many strange vehicles and strange people hanging around the area, the neighbors are starting to get nervous, and some have been harassed. Plus, that is my home, and no one is going to keep me out."

"I heard that," Betty remarked.

"If we neutralize his forces there, that will take care of the bulk of them, I believe. There will be a number of my students attacking the perimeter," LS continued.

"So you'll be leading the charge on your brownstone?" Cao quipped.

"No Cao, you are."

The bodybuilder looked at her in shock. "What?"

"You'll be co-captaining with one my assistants, Sharon. I also invited May to join in the fun. You two and the others will make sure no thugs come in, and none come out, and to make that point painfully clear, got that?"

"Yes; I have a few moves I've been saving for some of the heavyweights next Event. Now would be a good time to try them out."

"I thought you would like that," LS smiled. "Now there are two ways into my apartment building, the front and the back, that is all. I will lead Betty and Rhonda in for a frontal assault, while Kim will lead Susan and Janelle toward the back. If necessary, call for backup, and stop your opponent short of using lethal force. Any questions?"

"Yeah, what about us?" Rini said.

"We can help," Jon protested.

"And help you will, Jon," LS said. "I need you to take a drive to this address." LS handed him a piece of paper, "but don't park there. I want you to tell me what you see."

"I got you," Jon replied. "I'm going to case the joint."

"What "joint?'" Susan asked.

"What "joint' do you think?" Betty said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh."

"That sounds great, but you didn't answer the question," Michelle said.

"What do we do, LS?" Rini asked.

LS sighed, then paused before she spoke again. "I have not forgotten either of you. In fact, I have a very important job for you both."

"And that is?"

"Protecting my parents. I would not put it past Johnson to try something regarding them."

"LS," Michelle began, "We're flattered that you gave this honor to us, but we thought we could help in a more, uh combative area."

"You two have made a promise, and I do not want to violate that, even though our attack would be a roundabout way of doing it. Besides, I am sure you two will get some action. I will guarantee it, in fact."

"What do we do with them after we beat them up?" Rini asked.

"Bury them, throw their bodies in a dumpster, I do not care. Just do not let my parents know what is going on," LS replied.

"Well, she does know us, so we wouldn't alert them to anything funny," Rini reasoned.

"They will both be at work during the day, but they may come by early."

"Your parents will be in good hands, LS," Michelle said.

"I know. Thank you both. That is it. Rhonda and Cao, the troops are waiting for you, so you will need to go now," LS said.

"Hey Kim, do you know where mom keeps that digital camera she uses to photograph houses?" Jon asked.

"I think she keeps it in the kitchen. You don't think she'll mind, do you?" Kim said.

"Nah, I used it before."

"Hey, do you think he'll try something here?"

"Oh no! I did not think of that?" LS said, hitting her forehead with her hand.

"Don't worry ladies, I have it covered," Jon assured them. "I added a few things to the garage since you last visited, Kim. We'll be fine."

"I guess now would be a good time to say something corny and heroic, but right now, I just want to whack some people across the head," Betty said.

Everyone burst out laughing. Everyone hugged and made plans to return to the house for phase two of the plan, except for Michelle and Rini, who'll be doing guard duty until LS's parents were safe. In a few minutes, the house was empty, except for Jon, who retrieved the camera, checked it, and placed it and the zoom lens in the camera bag. Thinking about it, it was a nice day for a drive, and he knew just the vehicle to do it in. Humming, he walked over to his garage.

 

Later that evening, on the eve of another battle, it appeared that Loretta was right; aside from the foursome that met her and Irena back at the garage, there were at least six to eight more women ' and it didn't look like they were there to watch, unlike the handful of men and women sitting on some homemade bleachers. The place itself was an abandoned barn, or rather, a transformed one. The insides were taken out, and replaced with materials that made it look like a miniature version of the arena in a Roman coliseum.

Loretta was still floating on cloud nine from her date with Kevin, but she knew she needed to curb her euphoria for what was to come. She checked her blue tank top leotard for the third time as they strolled into the "battle barn" as it would later be called. Irena was calm, which was expected, since she had done this scene before ' many times. Her dark blue kimono robe was worn loosely over her sleeveless silver leotard. Normally she engaged in some type of pre-fight conversation with Betty, but she was not there, so she silently looked around, soaking it all in.

Velvet on the other hand, was more like a caged tiger. It was like she had a primal need to let loose, apply all her years of judo expertise on someone who wasn't a hapless student. She first pondered wearing her judo gi, but she reconsidered, deciding it would look out of place. She finally decided on an outfit she saw a bodybuilder wear on a bodybuilding website. It consisted of a black sports bra and track shorts. The funny thing was she bought the outfit with no earthly idea of when she would wear it. Now she knew.

Jasmine stood out like the proverbial sore thumb regarding dress and attitude. Instead of dressing in leotards or the sportswear of bodybuilders, Jasmine wore a white tennis skirt with red plaid, and a short sleeve white blouse complete with a white pearl necklace worn as a choker. In her white tennis shoes, it would be tempting to think she arrived to play a few games at the club instead of a gang fight. While everybody else was seriously trying to put their game face on, Jasmine made a few light-hearted remarks; not enough to incur wrath, but enough to put everyone at ease. The other three kept in mind that despite the unusual appearance, she had done this before. As Jasmine saw the opposition, she also noticed that besides her, Leah and Diana were the only other ones wearing shoes. Typical, she thought.

"They put a lot of work into this place," Jasmine remarked as they entered.

"Whoever did it did it pretty well, I'm impressed," Loretta replied.

"Sadly, I fought professional matches in facilities that weren't as nice as this," Irena said.

"Hey Irena, I've heard that you used to be a champion in Russia in the cage matches, but you never say much about them," Velvet remarked.

"Someday I'll sit down and tell you about them. It's not a pretty tale."

"Is this all you brought?" Diana said as her and Leah came forward to meet them.

"Yeah; now I guess your ladies will draw straws or something to determine who fights who?" Irena commented.

Diana shook her head. "No Irena, that's not the way it works. This is for all intents and purposes a gang fight, and if your gang is much smaller than my gang, that's not my problem. Tell you what though; I'll give you gals a few minutes to come up with a strategy or something."

As the two women walked away, Velvet remarked, "Looks like someone played with a stacked deck."

"Well, we might as well pick out some of our prospective opponents," Irena said. "It looks like I have mine waiting for me." She pointed at Mia and Shelly, who watched her hungrily.

"I'll take the "spokeswoman' of the group, I want to wipe that smug look off her face," Velvet said.

"I'll take the other "spokeswoman,'" Loretta replied. "If you like, Velvet, I could take one leg and you could take the other, and "make a wish.'"

Velvet laughed. "That'll scare them off. What about you, Jasmine?"

Jasmine pointed her finger toward the remaining group of women standing ready.

"Which one?"

"All of them."

"What?"

"Er, Jasmine, you know these women may be a little skilled," Loretta warned.

"Yes, so?" Jasmine replied.

"Ladies, I think she'll be all right. Let's take care of our foes quickly so we can face the next one, and help each other out if needed," Irena said, then turned to Diana and Leah. "Okay, we're ready."

"Very well," Diana said. "Let the battle begin!"

A boat horn from nowhere sounded, startling the four women and a few of the Fight Club participants who weren't used to it yet.

"After I'm finished with this woman, I'm going after the one who blew that horn," Loretta growled.

"Not if I get them first," Velvet replied.

Diana and Leah burst out of the gate with dual roundhouse kicks aimed toward Loretta's and Velvet's head. They both ducked just in time to avoid the early knockout. Having missed with their kicks, the kickboxing duo recovered and started dancing around the two in a circle, moving just fast enough to avoid any takedown attempts. Outside the circle, two of the other girls prowled the perimeter, apparently ready to handle the "leftovers."

"So they're a team," Velvet said through clinched teeth to Loretta.

"Yes, lofty kickboxers against us "lowly grapplers,'" Loretta replied.

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Next kick."

"You know it."

Leah and Diana attempted to throw a few more jabs, then like a precision instrument, they both delivered another roundhouse kick. And that's when Loretta and Velvet made their move.

For Irena, the situation was different. Her two opponents beckoned to her to follow them to a remote part of the barn/arena. A couple of women followed them, but Mia and Shelly gave them a look that told them to go elsewhere.

"Scavengers," Shelly muttered.

"Shelly and I drew straws, and it is I who will be facing you today," Mia said.

"One on one?" Irena asked.

"Of course; anyone can gang up on somebody. Here at least it will be honorable."

"And I was thinking Leah and Diana were the honorable ones," Irena laughed softly.

"Things are not always what they seem," Mia said as the two start to circle. "At least with us, we won't try to beat you too badly."

"I have fought in the cage matches of Russia; neither you nor your friend scare me."

Mia stopped in her tracks. "The Russian Cage Matches?" She asked.

"Yes, undefeated," Irena replied.

"Wait a minute," Shelly said, taking a close look at Irena. "It was you! Who gave us the info on her?"

"It was those accursed slugs who pose as Leah and Diana's boyfriends," Mia spat. "They didn't care about the details, they just want to see us fight."

"Another display of their incompetence," Shelly replied with equal venom. "If we knew it was you, we wouldn't have given you our "game faces' back at the shop."

"As I told them many times, the only reason I haven't broke them is the fact that they're dating my friends. But as soon as they break up, their butt belongs to me."

"And I'll be there with you."

"Excuse me, I'm a little confused," Irena interrupted. "Aren't we supposed to fight?"

"Not with you, you're our idol," Shelly said.

"We watched all your fights on satellite TV," Mia replied. "We were your biggest fans."

"They threw everything at you, and you beat them all."

Irena put her guard down as the two women prepared to leave. "What now?" She asked.

"We're going to call it a night. If we stay here any longer, we may break a promise. Your two friends are holding their own, but they may need your help soon. The woman in the Catholic school outfit seems to be fending them off easily. I guess from the way they're hovering, they think your two friends are easy prey," Mia said.

"Huh," Irena replied, watching the action for a moment.

"We'll have lunch or dinner together, and then we want to hear about all your adventures," Shelly said as she waved.

"Sure," Irena said, waving back. Of all the encounters she'd had, that had to be the strangest. As she looked at the others, she saw they were faring well despite being surrounded. Velvet and Loretta were standing back to back exhibiting excellent teamwork. After Leah and Diana were dispatched with throws that knocked the breath out of them, the surrounding women rushed in to take on the judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists. They would either be thrown or used as a shield or missile to take out the incoming attackers. In a remarkable feat of skill, Velvet threw one woman with one hand, while delivering a spinning backfist with the other. The recipient of that blow staggered for three seconds before falling to the ground out cold.

In all the confusion, no one saw that Irena was without a dance partner. She could see that there was more people running to take on the grappling duet. In a moment, she saw why. Jasmine was tossing women left and right, spinning like a top. It seemed whoever she touched or visa versa, would be thrown to the ground, slammed into another woman, or staggered by the occasional blow when Jasmine occasionally switched from aikido to tai chi when she chose to go on the offensive. Her skirt was spinning so quickly, the plaid was making a mesmerizing pattern, further taking off guard a few unsuspecting victims before they would find themselves thrown. The opponents left standing found themselves so frustrated, they started going over to Velvet and Loretta for at least more of a "fair fight," if ganging up on two women could be considered a fair fight.

Loretta and Velvet found their adversaries have been steadily increasing, and they decided to surround the two to try a more organized assault. Those who could still stand, that is. In the center of the action, Loretta turned to Velvet.

"Velvet, is it me, or have we been fighting a new batch of people every few minutes?" She asked.

"They're coming from somewhere, they're like roaches," Velvet replied.

"Nice backfist by the way; where did you learn that?"

"On TV I saw this UFC fighter named Carter who did it. It did wonders for him. Any ideas on what to do next?"

"Same as we've done before; set them up, throw them down, and choke them out if we can. They've got to run out of people sometime."

Two women in the circle suddenly pitched forward to the ground as Irena trotted over to join the duet.

"Hello ladies, need a hand?" Irena asked.

"Your fight went well?" Loretta said.

"It didn't, I'll explain later."

"I wouldn't mind a hand," Velvet replied. "Any idea where these new girls come from?"

"From Jasmine. After she throws them around a few times, they give up and run over here."

"Jasmine?" Loretta asked.

Keeping a careful eye on the circle of women about to attack them, the three glanced toward Jamine. Her group of attackers had shrunk, leaving only a couple of women standing around stumped on how to fight her. Leah and Diana having strayed from the battle with Loretta and Velvet, started to come at Jasmine from different sides. Leah was delivering a high kick towards Jasmine's head while Diana threw a straight punch to her midsection.

The first thing Jasmine did was grab Diana's wrist, pulling her forward while spinning out of the way. A victim of inertia, Diana kept moving forward until she was where Jasmine used to be. In a matter of milliseconds, both women realized what happened. Diana was now staring at Leah's approaching kick, while Leah saw her target change from Jasmine to her best friend, and there was nothing either one could do about it.

Diana flew back, knocking over two other women before she landed, out cold. The surrounding women froze for a moment while Leah looked at her friend with unbelieving eyes. Jasmine just shrugged. This gesture was not taken very well by the blond kickboxer, who suddenly growled like an animal, and started throwing punches and kicks like a woman possessed.

Irena, Loretta, and Velvet now formed a triangle to best take care of their opponents. Their plan was simple; at least one of the three would need to knockout or subdue every other woman who attacked them. The idea had worked well; even more so when the remaining able-bodied women moved to Jasmine's camp.

"I think I know where the extra women were coming from," Loretta said, pushing away some blond she weakened with multiple belly punches.

"I'm dying to know," Irena replied as she dropped another woman who was victim to a chokehold.

"Look up." The three women looked up at the stands. Only a handful of men remained, watching the fights intensely.

"You mean to tell me we've been fighting the whole freaking stadium?" Velvet exclaimed while she slapped and backhanded a woman with a black Mohawk hair style and a face with multiple piercing.

"Yes, and you can let her go now, she's out," Irena replied.

"She tore my shirt!"

"Oh."

While Leah went on her rampage, Jasmine calmly parried or dodged her blows and kicks. This was starting to become a danger to those around them. Two women thought they'd trap Jasmine by grabbing her wrists. With a flick of those same wrists, those same women ended up in front of Jasmine, and victims of Leah's blind rage. Jasmine then had the idea to let Leah's anger work for her. These random opponents were becoming boring anyway, so why not put them to use? So in-between her parries, Jasmine would grab or lure an unsuspecting fighter into becoming a punching bag. By the time Leah stopped, she saw a number of her comrades downed by her hand (or foot), and the others staying away lest they would be hit by her. She also found herself so exhausted, she could barely move her arms, and her legs were wobbly. Jasmine on the other hand, took the time to adjust her necklace and adjust her skirt. She stifled a yawn. No one wanted to go near her either.

"You . . . hurt . . . my friend," Leah said between pants.

"No, you did," Jasmine replied.

Leah marshaled enough energy to make a final charge. With her forearm, Jasmine performed an aikido takedown that looked similar to a so-called clothesline technique in professional wrestling. The move slammed Leah flat on her back, knocking her out.

Jasmine looked around, and decided to join the other three. As she started walking, she noticed the other women were backing away from her, looking warily. The one exception was a large 6'2" black woman who yelled at her and tried to push her. When she found Jasmine could not be moved despite the fact the aikidoist clearly weighed less than she did, she exclaimed some more before Jasmine pushed her back. The large woman went flying over a barrier, taking three others with her.

All the remaining combatants started backing away from Loretta, Velvet, and Irena too.

"What does this mean?" Loretta asked the other two.

"I think we won," Irena said carefully.

"Good!" Velvet and Loretta breathed.

"Hello ladies, I see things went well on your end?" Jasmine asked as she approached them. It looked like she never broke a sweat, in contrast to the others.

"I think so," Irena said. "Where's Leah? I thought I saw her miss you and hit her friend."

Jasmine pointed. "I took her out over there. Funny, with a name like "Fight Club,' I expected to see more skilled fighters."

"I think we already saw their most skilled fighters when they met us at the shop," Loretta said.

"Well if no one else is going to fight us, let's leave; I'm thirsty," Jasmine commented.

The men in the stands started to grumble, complain, and even brag about what they would do if they came out there. Velvet, who was in front of the group, stopped and looked at them.

"You want some?" She growled.

When they became silent, they turned and left the building. Before they entered their car, a voice said, "You know, they'll probably won't invite you back."

They turned to see Shelly and Mia sitting in back of a pickup truck drinking bottled water.

"No, they'll definitely won't invite you back," Shelly continued.

"Right now, I don't see that as a bad thing," Irena replied.

"What I want to know is what was deal with the audience participation?" Velvet demanded.

"Leah and Diana have . . . a tendency to sometimes make or change the rules as they go along," Mia said. "Sometimes you never know what they'll come up with."

"And you weren't going to join them?" Loretta asked.

"No; some of us have ethics. That's why I wanted to make sure I could take Irena one on one without interruption. That was of course before we found out who she was."

"I have a fan," Irena remarked.

"Fans," Shelly corrected. "I must admit it was pleasing to see one of their plans backfire on them. No, they won't be asking you back anytime soon. And you-" she pointed at Jasmine, "I think they'll be happy if they never see you again."

"Moi?" Jasmine said, pointing a hand to herself.

"Oh yeah," Mia continued. "That was aikido you were doing, wasn't it?"

"That and a little tai chi, yes."

"You know, I remember hearing about one school in Indiana where they taught those two things, and they produced a few students who were considered masters. You wouldn't know about that school, would you?"

Jasmine just gave a sly grin.

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

"So they tell me."

"Forget the promise, those two punks are dead!" Shelly exploded.

"Before you commit homicide on those two guys, why don't you find another er, club to exercise your talents?" Irena asked.

"There is another Fight Club further up the road, but our friends are here too."

"Those same friends who advocate ganging up on people?"

"Good point, but in another month, we'll be voting for new leaders."

"If you're as good as you two seem to be to me, I'd say you need to go elsewhere with your talents," Velvet said. "This nonsense with the audience jumping us is insane. Why are you here, anyway?"

Mia smiled. "Why are you here?"

"Okay, good point, but besides that, shouldn't you be facing off with others on your skill level, than with catfighters?" Jasmine asked.

"She does have a point, Shelly," Mia said. "Maybe we should check out that other club down the road."

A red-haired muscular woman dressed in a green one-piece swimsuit trotted out from the battle barn toward Mia and Shelly. She stopped well short of her goal when she saw the four women talking with them.

"There you are! We were looking all over for you," she said. "Leah needs your help with Diana."

"What's wrong, I thought she was just knocked out," Mia replied.

"She was, but Leah needs some help moving her to the infirmary. Both of the guys strained their back yesterday."

"I bet they did. What about you? All those muscles, and she sent you out here?"

"They wanted to talk to both of you. According to Willie and Cody, you two didn't fight, you just walked out and stood by the sidelines and watched."

"Oh boy. Now they're spying on us too?" Shelly remarked.

"We need to go. I somehow sense a long evening ahead," Mia said. "Please, Irena, take our apology for how we acted the other day. We're really serious about the lunch idea. Right now, we have to see what our majesty wants."

"Don't forget to bow, Mia," Shelly replied.

"Oh yes; bye all."

As the two women walked off, the red-haired woman started to follow them, but Velvet drew her attention.

"You there! I have a question," she said.

"Yes?" The woman said hesitantly.

"Just how many of these "Fight Clubs' are there around here? And are they run the same way?"

"Er, there's quite a few scattered through this state and Indiana. Each one is independent, and is run their own way."

"I see."

Jasmine suddenly turned and said "Boo!" to the woman, who jumped. She quickly excused herself and ran back to the barn.

"What was that for?" Loretta asked.

"She's wanted to get a hold of me when the fight started. After I threw her down a couple of times, she backed off. This is the first time I saw her since then," Jasmine said.

"Oh; hopefully the "Queen' didn't see that," Velvet said. "A prima donna who doesn't fight her own fights."

"I'm curious about these "Fight Clubs,' and why I haven't heard of them before. Right now, I want to try out that new plumbing that Lori installed at the shop today and take a shower. Everybody is invited to the shop to join me in a grape soda," Irena said.

 

Back at the auto shop, everybody showered and changed (except for Jasmine, who barely perspired, much less sweated), and sat around Betty's desk. Irena, now dressed in blue jean shorts and a plain white T-shirt, rested her bare soles on the desk, and took a sip from her soda bottle.

"You know, tonight was a little crazy, but I have to admit, I enjoyed it!" She said.

"It brought back the old days, eh?" Loretta replied, decked out in a worn blue oxford and blue jeans.

"Not exactly, well I take that back; I fought some people who knew what they were doing."

"It did feel good to let loose," Velvet said, wearing gray sweats. "I didn't have to worry about hurting any fellow students. But that woman who tore my shirt, boy, she made me mad!"

"I saw that. I was wondering if she was going to have a head left," Loretta replied. "I think you scared some of the others off the way you kept slapping her."

"Just making sure she didn't forget."

They laughed.

"I don't think that will be too hard to fix. A little bit of sewing, and it'll be good as new," Jasmine said.

"Do you sew, Jasmine?"

"No."

"I'll just send it off to mom; she can do wonders with a needle and thread."

"Well let the record show tonight that we grapplers know how to kick tail," Loretta declared.

"Here, here!" All raised their bottles in salute. Loretta looked at Jasmine strangely.

"What's wrong?" Jasmine asked.

"That thing you do, I don't know if it's grappling, striking, or what. It's definitely unique."

"The tai chi is mostly striking, but I don't use it as much. Aikido is considered grappling; jiu-jitsu is our mother, after all."

"Japanese jiu-jitsu. I think the Brazilian style is further removed."

"Not too far; our arts belong to the same family tree."

Irena, whose discipline of sambo has connections with judo, which was descended from jiu-jitsu, paused from taking another sip. "You're right, I didn't think of that," she said.

"And after all, we grapplers really know how to reach out and touch someone."

After everybody laughed, Irena said, "I'm glad you could come with us, Jasmine."

"Me too, I needed to let off a little steam."

"Man, I hate to see you when you have to let off a lot of steam," Loretta remarked.

"That's not too often. Remind me to tell you what happened after my classes today sometime."

"It's a deal. In the meantime, I want to make another toast."

"To what?" Velvet asked.

"To us, and to our friends in Indiana; to the barefoot heroines!"

"Barefoot heroines?"

"Yes, we have hearts of fire, and soles of iron! The barefoot heroines!"

All, including Jasmine, who wore shoes clinked their bottles.

"Jasmine, you're an honorary member, of course."

"Thank you, it's good to feel wanted."

"Something wrong?"

"I called down there today. They said they have everything under control, but I keep getting that nagging feeling that my sister and cousin hasn't told me everything. It may be nothing, but it could be the fact that I'm not down there helping them too, who knows."

"That reminds me, how did you do on your final exam?" Velvet asked.

"Aced it. Maybe I should've packed the car, and took off as soon as I finished," Jasmine lamented.

"I think they're doing fine. Betty's happy whacking heads, and they'll be through before you know it. Besides, we never got to see you in action. Now I see what Kim was bragging about," Irena said.

"Thanks for the encouragement, Irena. I must say it would've been more exciting if that place had women who knew how to fight."

 

"There's nothing like a drive in the country," Jon said as he cruised the outskirts of town in his candy apple red 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. He had the top down, letting the wind blow through his hair as the tender strains of the Temptation's classic, "My Girl" played on his custom stereo. The car was his pride and joy. Even Betty, who had a rebuilt blue one just like it, marveled at the way he kept it in good shape.

The Whispering Hills subdivision was located in one of the few areas in Central Indiana that has hills worthy enough to earn the definition. Even though Jon had the exact address, he knew these hills would give him a good and safe vantage point to take a few pictures without getting caught. After parking the car on one of the higher hills, Jon grabbed a bottled water, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and aimed the camera lens at the front doors of the councilman's house.

Jon was no stranger to surveillance. A friend asked him once to check up on a girlfriend he was going steady with to see if she's been faithful. Feeling a little bit like a peeping tom at first, Jon reluctantly agreed. Taking a camera and taking pictures, Jon saw that his friend's fears were justified when he saw the woman leave some guys house wearing a flannel shirt ' and not much else. His friend was distraught for a while, but at least he knew this wasn't the woman he should be settling down with. From time to time, an occasional customer would come over to get a car repaired and "to ask a favor." When he started charging a fee for this service along with leaving his name out, regardless of the result, Jon pondered if he should be a private eye as well as a mechanic.

The particular road he was on was not traveled on often. If someone stopped and asked him what he was doing, he'll just tell them he's bird watching.

I'm bird watching, all right, Jon thought excitedly as he adjusted his camera, dirty birds.

The councilor's house was an elaborate three-story mansion, complete with a privacy fence, and a few men walking around the grounds like they had nothing better to do. Jon counted four bored men making their rounds. If she's thinking of breaking in, I don't see how she'll do it without alerting attention, he thought. Looking again, he realized the fence was only covering the front yard. The backyard was only guarded by deep woods; a possible way to get in if they didn't mind getting a little dirty.

Jon thought his work was finished and prepared to walk back to his car when he saw a red sports car pull into the driveway. His curiosity renewed, more by the car than the driver (he was a mechanic after all), he picked up the camera again and took a closer look at the car as it parked. The occupant was a tall, muscularly built woman with short blond hair, wearing a yellow sports bra and matching tight shorts. She waved at the bored men who waved back, and bopped into the house while one of the men got behind the wheel and drove it into the garage.

Is that Storm? Jon asked himself. If so, that answers a lot of questions. Being the councilman's main squeeze can take you a long way in your career in this town. It would definitely explain her quick comeback from that steroid scandal in her fight with Susan.

Jon quickly glanced at his watch. He needed to be going soon. He had cars to work on, and a few arrangements to make at home to later that evening. Ten seconds later, another car pulled up, this one being more of a luxury vehicle. As another bored man got behind the wheel, the councilman walked to the front door, where Storm came back out and gave him a kiss on the lips. She was now wearing a clear see-through short gown that displayed everything and hid nothing.

Yep, no doubt about it, Jon thought, the two have a thing going on. Now to get out of here before this becomes R-rated. He waked back to his car, and as he started it, he checked the number of pictures he taken. As soon as he hooked the camera up to his photo printer at home, he'll have more ammunition for LS to use besides the recordings.

On the way back home, Jon was a little disappointed that his part of LS's plan required him to stay at home. It would've been nice to hang around with Betty, Rini, or Michelle where the action was, but that would mean having to deal with an overprotective sister breathing down his neck. Oh well, he was almost through with his latest project; if things go smoothly, he should be done before the fun begins.

 

"It seemed like it was only yesterday that we've last been to LS's place, and now it may be a potential war zone," Betty said as she drove the van into LS's neighborhood.

"That's because it was yesterday when we were there," Janelle replied. "Wasn't it?"

"Day before yesterday, but I understand," LS said. "I just hope they did not trash the place."

"And remember, I was the one who got the "warm welcome' when I arrived there ahead of you," Cao reminded the crew.

"Sorry Cao. But I know I'd be angry too if somebody did that to my house," Betty remarked.

"She also has a thousand dollar damage deposit that she'd lose if any major damage occurred," Kim said.

"What?"

"That's ridiculous!" Janelle said.

"With all due respect, LS, your place looks nice, I mean it is nice, but not that nice," Susan replied.

"I agree Susan, but this was the best deal Lewis and I could find," LS said. "We finally had to settle on this apartment building that had our apartments right above the other."

"So why would you have to do it that way, having your apartments close by . . . right. Okay, never mind," Susan finished, blushing.

"Tell you what, Susan; after we finish this whole mess, you can play the shrink with my cousin all you want. She stomped me a long time ago," Kim said.

"Your turn is coming, you know," LS remarked, "and the payback will be huge."

"We'll see."

Janelle, looking out the front window, said, "This all looks like a bad spy movie."

"Yeah, your street is never this busy, is it?" Betty asked LS.

"Only around Christmastime," LS replied.

The streets and alleys of the immediate area had quite a few suspicious characters on them. The regular residents either stayed inside, or hurried to their cars, apartments, or homes. There were quite a few phone calls to the police, but no responses were made.

"I think this would be a good spot to get off," Cao said. "I see Sharon and the others waiting to make their move."

"What strategy do you have in mind when you lead the troops?" Janelle asked.

"To phrase what one of your mixed martial artists, Randy Colture said, we're going to go and impose our will on them."

"In other words, you're going to go and kick the crap out of them," Kim said.

"Works for me," LS replied.

"I'm going to let you off right here," Betty said as she pulled over. "You can motion to Sharon and the others to come over, and you can hit this group from behind. They'll have a hard time recovering from that."

"Thanks Betty. Hit them hard, ladies!" Cao jumped off, and immediately waved to Sharon, who already saw her, and motioned to her group to meet her.

"That was pretty good, Betty; I didn't see that," Janelle said.

"There was this world-domination board game I used to play, called Risk, and eventually I learned how to damage the other teams' armies bad enough to eventually conquer their country," Betty replied. "It also had some application for the real world too."

"How good were you?" Susan asked.

"Good enough that the other players knew never to turn their back on me. I always moved slow and steady, and reinforced whatever countries I won. Used to drive my brother nuts."

"Why was that?"

"Because he thought because he was going to be an engineer, that meant he was smarter than everybody else. Plus everybody has this idea that mechanics are stupid."

"And yet he's dating your employee."

"By now I proved to him over and over that engineers aren't the shiniest pennies in the drawer. He may be able to design stuff, but I can put it together. Later, remind me to tell you some stories about some clashes I've had with engineers, along with how I kicked my brother's butt; figuratively, of course."

"Looks like Cao's and Sharon's team have struck already," Kim remarked, looking out the back window. "That should draw some attention.

On the street, Cao, wearing a black tank-top leotard with a blue sash wrapped around the waist, led one half of the team to one corner while Sharon wearing a army camouflage tank top with green khaki shorts were leading a team to the other corner. By the time one woman turned and started to shout an alarm, she received Cao's bare sole in her face. Soon, the sight of flying bodies, and pummeled faces appeared and went, just as quickly as it started. Kim saw Sharon point to another cluster of people who were more aware of them. With battle cries, both women led their army toward the enemy forces.

"Offhand, I'd say we're off to a pretty good start," Kim said to LS, who nodded in agreement.

Next, Betty drove the van to the rear of the apartment complex, where a seldom used back door was slightly open.

"That's definitely a sign that says, "Hey, we bad guys are here, come and get us,'" she said.

"Actually I don't think they care, but that's okay. They will soon enough," Kim replied as she, Susan, and Janelle prepared to climb out of the van.

"We will meet you on the floor of my apartment," LS said. "I imagine we'll both be a little "detained,' so no need to rush."

"Almost like the old days, huh?" Kim remarked.

"Yes, I almost forgot how exciting it was. Never thought I would be leading a gang and have friends fight with me though."

"Well you know, times change, and we need to change with them. Susan, Janelle, come on, we need to teach some people a new meaning of pain."

With some brief farewells (or more like "see you later"), the three ladies left the van and walked toward the back door. Betty finally drove the van to a safe place where it wouldn't be harmed, and her, LS, and Rhonda climbed out and made their way to the front of the apartment.

"Nervous?" LS asked the two women.

"Excited," Rhonda said.

"Same here; I'm just wondering how soon the party will start," Betty replied.

"It could be as soon as I open the door to the apartments, it could be as soon as we reach my apartment. Either way, I imagine I don't need to tell you two to be ready for anything," LS said.

It just so happened there was a group of strangers, men and women hanging around in the lobby. Upon seeing the three women, they stood up in attention, but did not attack. Instead, they stared at them in silence for a moment until a woman ' a woman Rhonda subdued and dragged back to the dojo a while ago when she was a part of Storm's gang [The Thrill of the Hunt ' Mongoose], who just pointed upwards and said, "You're needed upstairs."

"Looks like they made themselves at home already," Betty said.

"No, not up there, upstairs," the woman repeated.

"What do you mean, upstairs? Like on the roof or something?" Rhonda demanded.

"Precisely."

"Oh I see; our showdown is going to be up there."

"Interesting," LS remarked.

"You sure you wouldn't like to come along?" Rhonda urged the woman.

"No, I'm afraid they have first dibs, but I'll tell you what, I'll arrive to take care of what's left after they finished with you."

"Oh I'll have plenty left for you, believe me."

LS touched Rhonda's arm. "Rhonda, as much as you would like to shut this woman up, let us see what they have in store for us upstairs on the roof."

Rhonda looked at LS and nodded. The three entered the elevator and waited for the doors to close.

"Before we do anything, we will stop by my place," LS said.

"You don't think the others are up there already?" Rhonda asked.

"No, but I want to check my place, and put on something a little more combat worthy." She was dressed in a red T-shirt and jeans.

"I was wondering how flexible you were going to be in that getup," Betty remarked.

"I remember Kim told me how well you dressed for fighting, and she was right." Betty was wearing a Khaki olive drab pair of pants that was Capri-cut, a black sleeveless T-shirt, and just for this special occasion, black toenail polish. She also carried a black sweatband in one of her pockets in case the weather or she was warmer than usual.

"Thank you; it's just something I started doing."

Rhonda, who was wearing blue jean cut-offs and a tank top, said, "I'll have to start doing that."

"My mother always told me when you dress for a particular occasion, it should be in a way that makes an impression to strangers, or in other words, makes a statement. I don't think this was what my mother intended, but if you're going to be whacking heads, you might as well look your best while doing it."

"That's it! LS, I know we're different sizes and all, but do you have anything I can wear other than this tired outfit?"

LS laughed and said, "I think I can find you something. Whoever they are on the roof, they can wait. What are they going to do, come down and get us?"

 

"I think we miscalculated a little in our plans," Kim said.

"How's that?" Janelle asked.

"We assumed there would be only one entrance to the main hallway, but LS never takes this way to her place, so she had to make an educated guess. So we actually have two different entrances to deal with."

"And there's three of us," Susan replied.

"Right. So you and Janelle take the one on the right, while I take the one on the left. I'll meet you in the middle." And with that, Kim trotted off.

"So she's going to tackle the thugs by herself on her side while we do it as a team. I don't know if I should feel honored or insulted," Janelle said.

"Well she has done this type of thing before," Susan replied, "so she would be the experienced one. Myself, I'm looking at this as a time to let loose."

"To "let loose?' You mean you don't get enough of your jollies punching and kicking your opponents into unconsciousness?"

"No, it's the fact that I have to exercise my stamina as well as my power, or I'll find myself exhausted, and easy pickings in the final rounds. Plus I'm trying to win, not kill the other woman. The commission, many fans, and fellow kickboxers don't think highly of those who fight like that."

Janelle laughed. "So since we're not in a ring, feel free to punch, kick, and maim to your heart's content," she said.

"That's right. And what about you?"

"I'm going to see how many I can throw, hit, and choke out, that's all. I'm sure the good councilman has adequate medical care for his goons. By the way, I like these boxing shorts, they're really comfortable." The boxing shorts that Janelle wore were black with one thin red stripe down the middle with a red tank top, contrasting with Susan wearing red boxing shorts with a black tank top.

"Thanks, you can have them."

"Really? You'll still have enough of these to get by?"

"A whole suitcase of them."

"Why so many?" Janelle asked.

"The truth is I hate doing laundry. And after you go a few rounds, doing laundry is the last thing on your mind when you get home."

"Never thought of that. Makes sense to me."

They opened the door to the other entrance, and saw a group of men and women hanging around in the hallway. Upon seeing the two women, they stood up and started to advance.

"I guess we'll find out about their coverage," Susan said as she fell into a boxing stance.

 

The three barefooted women warriors opened the door to the roof, where they saw three equally barefoot women clad in black outfits waiting for them.

"At last," one of them said.

"Okay, I can see the councilman getting somebody special for you," Betty said, "but where do Rhonda and I fit in? Did he assign one for each of us?"

"I believe Johnson made the assumption that Kim and Jasmine would be here with me, and these women are supposedly "especially designed' to take us on," LS replied.

"Quite true," the apparent spokesperson of the group said. She stood 5'6," of Asian decent with a short black hairdo. She wore a loose-fitting, thin long-sleeve black top with matching pants. "And we are a match for you; each one of you. We've been trained by the great Qiao herself."

"Qiao, the homeless sensei? I thought she was a myth," Rhonda responded.

"No, she's quite real, and so are her techniques, as you'll soon find out."

"Since I'm not from around here, who is this "Qiao,' and if she's so good, why is she homeless?" Betty asked.

"Qiao is supposed to be a sensei of the highest order who travels around the country, or the world, according to some people, training women in several martial arts, particularly those in need, like recent victims of rape or violent crime. She not only trains them to be efficient, she trains them to be deadly. It is said that once Qiao trains you, you'll never be a victim again. There are allegedly accounts of the former aggressors hospitalized to prove that fact. But if this is true, I cannot see her taking sides with the councilman on this," LS explained.

"All that "honor and virtue' stuff is nice, but it doesn't pay the bills," the spokeswoman said. "Therefore, we went to the Power Broker to sharpen our skills to the biggest extent."

Rhonda looked at LS. "The "Power Broker'?" She asked.

LS shrugged. "You got me."

"I need a book to keep track of everybody over here," Betty muttered.

"I need to track down this "homeless sensei' and have a few words with her."

"All you need to know is that your battle with the councilman ends here," the spokeswoman declared. Perhaps in your remaining bits of consciousness, we'll explain the Power Broker and Qiao to you. But now, prepare yourselves."

"Right. So do we choose a dance partner, or do you have that part handled too?" Rhonda asked.

"I, Qu Lin, will take care of the judoka. I have been specially trained to take care of your close-up attacking," she said as she walked toward LS. "I have heard many things about you, but now it's time to meet your match."

"Myself, I am looking forward to the part where I shut you up," LS replied.

Betty and Rhonda looked at the two remaining adversaries for a moment, until Betty said, "Okay, Kim's not here, but I'm one of her students, so who's my opponent?"

"That would be me, I'm Jody," a 5'5" woman with short black hair and medium complexion said. Her build was similar to Betty's, except it was more muscular. Not quite like a bodybuilder's, but similar to what a collegiate wrestler who's never missed a day at the gym. But what caught Betty off guard was the husky voice she used, like she seemed, nah, not that. She wore a black bikini with a black lace cover-up.

"So Jody, what's with the get-up, you plan on going to the beach afterwards?"

"No, uh, your name?"

"Betty."

"No Betty, I love wearing this lace cover. Sometimes when I wear it, and my friends advised against me doing it, I wear it covering up ' nothing at all."

"Ewww!"

"I was told how attractive Kim was, but oh my, I didn't know she had such an attractive student." Jody ended that remark with licking her lips.

"You must be crazy! We're going to fight, and you want to make a "love connection?' Woman I'm going to ' uh!"

Betty's remark was cut off by a flying tackle from Jody.

"Jody was always an impulsive person, always wanting to jump right in and get started; not much for waiting," the last woman said as she watched the two combatants roll on the ground. She stood about the same height as Rhonda, except she was full-figured with a big muscular frame, a fair complexion and long blond hair. She wore a black leotard with black shorts and what seemed to look like a white thong over that. That last part struck Rhonda's curiosity until the woman answered that unasked question for her. "I'm Tania, and I'm a sumo wrestler."

"A woman sumo wrestler," Rhonda repeated. "I've heard of them, but I've never seen one. Well I'm Rhonda, and you're going to be disappointed. Obviously I'm not Jasmine nor one of her students. I wasn't even one of her classmates. I'm just one of LS's students, a humble judoka."

"Too bad, I was looking forward to taking on the Magician. It would've been interesting to see if she could throw me," Tania remarked.

"Magician, oh that's right, that girl has so many nicknames, it's hard to keep count. Well don't worry, I can throw you a few times if you like; that won't be a problem."

"That's what the last judoka I fought said," Tania giggled.

"Look, you seem to be the most sensible person out of this trio. Why are you playing on the councilman's team?"

"The money's good, plus I get to see some action in-between matches."

"I see. I suppose settling this with a handshake or a hug isn't going to work, is it?"

"Maybe if you surrender, I might listen, but there's no fun in that."

"Very well, let's go."

The two took a moment to bow to each other before engaging each other in battle. By this time, her two partners were already in the thick of battle. Qu Lin was delivering a lightning-fast, sometimes aerial approach to the shorter and stockier LS, who managed to block and parry, but at the moment could not get any closer than arm's length. Betty finally managed to escape from her ground battle with Jody, delivering a side kick to her stomach in the process, but the blow didn't seem to even phase her as Jody stalked the tae kwon do practitioner like a bear cornering a deer.

At this time, the sun was high up in the sky, increasingly making the makeshift battlefield hot and humid.

 

When Susan told Janelle she planned to "let loose," the judoka had no idea about the destruction the kickboxer was about to wreak on her victims. Normally accustomed to seeing her only in the ring, she saw her friend plow through the thugs like bowling ball through bowling pins or like a tornado through a trailer park. The tornado analogy would've been more accurate for the carnage she left behind. The first foe that approached Susan was downed with a hard right to the jaw. The second who came up behind the first one was struck with a left kick to the solar plexus, upon which the person folded up like a lawn chair and fell to the ground wondering if breakfast and lunch would appear. Not every blow Susan struck was a knockout, but with the power behind each blow, they didn't have to be. A rib-shattering punch here, a near leg-breaking kick there took out any who would dare to face her. One man fired a right jab at her, to which Susan avoided the blow, and like a ballerina twirled around on her left foot, delivering enough velocity not only to strike the man's head with her right foot, but to slam that same head into the wall, creating a hole. With a head clearly encased in plaster, the body hung from the hole like some type of macabre gallows.

That last sight left Janelle a little concerned. It also distracted her from seeing a man jumping her. Almost absentmindedly, she nearly dislocated his arm and delivered a chokehold that knocked him out in seconds. Dropping the man, she punched out a female opponent and thrown her hard to the ground as she prepared to address Susan.

"Susan, that man hanging from the wall, don't you think you hurt him too hard?" She asked as she threw another foe high over her back.

Susan finished delivering five punches in two seconds to the face of some woman who was big, husky, and looked like a biker. The tall woman slowly fell to the floor like a downed redwood tree. The man next to her looked at them in shock until Susan delivered a sidekick to his face that sent him bouncing against the wall before he too fell to the floor.

"That guy? No, he's fine. The walls here have cheap plaster. LS and Lewis really pay too much for living here," she said. "When he wakes up, he'll be fine."

"You sure he'll wake up?" Janelle persisted as a man came at her with a flick blade. She caught him in an arm bar, and without hesitation dislocated his arm, then put him in a guillotine choke to shut him up.

"For a very confident woman, you worry too much," she replied as she sent a left hook into the face of another opponent. Blood flew from his face to decorate the wall as he fell down.

"Just want to make sure our stay isn't longer than it should be." Janelle said this after she threw her last foe for a second time on the carpet. The thug rose unsteadily to her feet to attack again, and not being in the mood to throw her a third time, punched her in the stomach and kneed her in the face when she bent over. The woman flew up and fell down, this time staying down.

"If you want to brush him off, I'll check his pulse for you," Susan said as she looked over the landscape of unconscious and wounded bodies lying on the floor.

Janelle wiped her hands and feet on the body of the last person she choked out, noticing for the first time all the plaster dust that started floating around from people hitting the wall. "Never mind."

They started to walk down the hall when suddenly they saw a spike-haired woman with pink hair who was almost their height covered in chains. Rather, it was one big chain with a metal ball at the end. She took a suitable length of chain from around her shoulder, and started twirling it over her head. Without warning, she sent the end of the chain like a snake toward Susan. She hopped out of the way as the ball made a small hole in the wall. With skill, the woman jerked the chain back where the ball returned to its orbit over her head.

"Susan, you remember that movie that had somebody use a weapon like this a few years ago?" Janelle asked, carefully watching the woman with the ball and chain.

"I do, but right now, that doesn't help me any," Susan replied, wondering when the ball was going to strike next.

Glancing around the hallway, Janelle briefly considered hefting a downed thug and throwing it at their opponent, but seeing something else, she had another idea.

"I know just the thing; don't go away," she said.

Janelle jumped forward and went into a modified version of a breakfall, except this time, she appeared on her feet, a foot away from a discarded wooden chair against the wall. As she expected, the woman slung her ball toward the judo practitioner, but Janelle kept her head low and thrust the chair upwards. The ball and chain wrapped around the chair, surprising the user, who tried to jerk it loose. The woman however, wasn't aware of Janelle's arm strength, and inertia working against her. Janelle's sudden jerk won the tug of war, but the other woman wasn't letting go of her weapon, even as she went along with it. Janelle was counting on that, and Susan knowing her cue, waited as the woman came to her so she could deliver a crushing right cross that made stars spin around her head instead of balls and chains.

"Yes Janelle, I do remember that movie, but I wasn't too crazy about it," Susan said as she stood over her downed opponent.

"You weren't too crazy about it, why not?" Janelle asked.

"Too violent."

Janelle turned to give Susan a strange look when Kim appeared at the end of the hallway.

"There you are! What took you so long? We need to get upstairs!" She said.

"How many people did you run into?" Janelle asked.

Kim glanced at the people knocked out and groaning, and said, "About the same number you two did. Let's go!"

This time it was Susan's turn to give Janelle a funny look as they started to follow Kim. Janelle just shrugged. As well as they did, they had to remember that she has done this type of thing before.

 

It's said that besides providing you with strength and balance, judo also provided you with stamina and endurance. At first glance, that's what LS seemed to be using a great deal while fighting Qu Lin. She kept forcing LS back with her flying kicks and punches. To make things worse, the woman would not stop talking! Yet, as annoyed as LS was getting, she didn't attack, not yet. She remembered what her sensei said when someone asked him how you take on a faster opponent.

"Have you ever watched a cat fight a rattlesnake?" The sensei asked.

One person, who lived on a farm, raised their hand.

"The cat jumps out of the way when the snake strikes, then runs around it. Then it waits for the snake to strike again, then dodges and runs around the snake again. The cat keeps this up until the snake is exhausted, then it strikes."

Watching as Qu Lin kept launching her assault, LS noticed that while she had speed, she didn't have accuracy. She had power, but no direction. If she were a novice or a mugger, then Qu Lin could bring her down just by the number of her multiple kicks and punches. But unharnessed power had a way of wearing out its user. So to that end, LS could play this game of avoidance a little while longer. If only she would just shut up!

 

Kim, Janelle, and Susan arrived at LS's apartment to find it empty, though it appeared that one of the three changed clothes.

"Well someone was here, but where did they go?" Kim asked.

Susan found a hastily made sign made out of printing paper with an arrow pointing up. "According to this sign, they went ' up."

"Up where, Lewis' place?" Kim asked.

"The roof?" Janelle suggested.

It was like a light turned on in each of their heads as they turned and ran out of the apartment. They ran to the stairs, and then almost skidded to a halt when they heard the ding of the elevator. They waited patiently and smiled when the kind old lady smiled at them, then shot into the elevator as soon as she entered her apartment.

 

What is it with these wrestlers I fight? That's what Betty thought to herself as Jody raised her up in a bear hug with her arms pinned. First, there was her former gym teacher who actually wanted to have a fling with her, and she was engaged at the time [The Gang's All Here, and Irena's Story, - Mongoose]. Now there's this weird woman who mainly held her and just gazed at her. To make things even worse, she knew she delivered a couple of shots that would have stunned anyone else, but they seemed to have no effect on her.

"I can't wait until this whole mess is over, then I'll take you home," Jody breathed, giving her a hungry look.

And she won't stop making passes at me! Betty thought again. She'd told her several times her doors don't swing that way; maybe they don't use colloquial terms like that here.

"I'm . . . not . . . gay!" She grunted.

"That's too bad. We'll see if we can fix that when this is over," Jody said.

"Let . . . me . . . go!"

"No, I'm not going to let someone like you go. You're just the person I've been looking for."

Betty in the midst of her struggling had pushed her arms out as much as she could to prevent having the air crushed out of her. To make her next move, now was as good a time as any. The woman was awfully strong, and she did not want to contemplate what would happen next after she was squeezed unconscious. Jody had her lifted up in her bear hug so she couldn't use the usual defenses. So it was time to try one of the unusual. . .

She planted the toes of her right foot right above the waistband of Jody's bikini bottoms, and suddenly pushed upward. Betty squirted free from her prison like toothpaste, and tumbled along the floor of the roof to a standing position. Jody looked at her hands as if wondering how her prey escaped, then shrugged and walked toward Betty.

Yeah, come and get it, weird girl, Betty thought. I'm going to whack you across the head so hard! As soon as Jody got within range, she let go with a spinning roundhouse kick. The blow struck Jody on the side of the head, which succeeded in moving it slightly to the left.

Betty was shocked. With that kick, she'd knocked out people much taller and bigger than she was. If not knocking them out, the blow would at least knock them silly. Jody just looked at her and smiled.

"Iron shirt. My chi is stronger than yours," she said.

The battle between Rhonda and Tania was more of a chess match. The two circled around each other, looking for a time to strike. During that time, Rhonda kept wondering. She knew of Jasmine's abilities, and have heard of the amazing things she'd done within her discipline, earning her the nickname "magician" because she always seemed to pull a new move out of her hat. Why would they send a mere wrestler, a sumo wrestler to fight her? She soon found out.

Rhonda seeing her chance dove for a move that would lead to a throw. Tania intercepted it with a reversal and a vicious forearm. The blow knocked Rhonda back, but she was able to recover. Checking her lip to see if it was busted, she said, "You know more than just sumo, don't you?"

Tania laughed. "Of course! You didn't think I could take on a master of aikido by just pushing her around, do you? I'm a mixed martial artist, trained in the arts of kickboxing, freestyle wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I'm trained in enough of those three disciplines to take down anybody, even an accomplished judoka like you."

"We'll see about that," Rhonda replied.

 

"If it wasn't for the fact that it would wear us out, I would've recommended the stairs," Janelle said.

"Why, this elevator is moving fast enough," Susan replied.

"No, it's this stupid Muzak# that's being piped through the speakers. Whoever thought "Stop in the Name of Love' should be played like it's a waltz should be shot."

"I've visited LS too many times to pay any attention to it; but I do agree with you, the arrangement is all wrong," Kim remarked.

Susan was actually humming along with the selection, and even on the verge of saying she liked the arrangement. However a conflict with Janelle's finer appreciation of the arts did not sound like a good idea at the moment. "Well the song's over, and here we are at the top floor," she said. "Kim, do you know where the door to the roof is?"

"Susan, I've never been to the roof of my own place, much less this one. My question is what are they doing up there in the first place?"

"I think they answered both questions for us," Janelle said, pointing at another hastily made sign with an arrow pointing in the direction of the roof door, and a written remark that said, "The bad guys are up here!"

"Then that's where we go," Kim replied as they broke into a trot for the door to the roof.

 

LS stood in the middle of the roof, her bare feet shoulder-width apart while she was bent over about ninety degrees. Draped over her back was the still form of Qu Lin. Her left arm was anchored around the woman's legs, while her right hand had a claw-like grip on her windpipe, shutting off her air supply. LS was also pulling downward, turning what she had into an unique backbreaker hold. Early in her judo experience, LS discovered her height, or rather the lack of it, carried an advantage in producing submission holds. She found that it was a painful experience for taller opponents when she brought them down to "her level."

Qu Lin's mistake among many was she assumed the judoka had never ran into anyone like her before. Anyone who even skimmed the background information knew that LS didn't gain her reputation by fighting only grapplers. Though she was no slouch in the speed department, LS decided to fight Qu Lin with experience. Once the woman's high-flying moves and just plain showing off had slowed down, it was an easy matter to rush in, subdue her with a throw, and finish her off with this wicked hold with her name on it.

"That should shut you up," she said, then dropped Qu Lin to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

She looked around to see how her friends were faring, and to help out if she could. What she saw was a little bizarre.

Betty was throwing just about every punch and kick that was in her tae kwon do arsenal, and maybe a few others at the woman called Jody, yet she kept coming. Betty hit her in so many places with so much force, LS was amazed this woman wasn't injured, knocked out, crippled, or dead. LS wasted no time in trotting over; if this woman was impervious to pain, wore body armor, or a cyborg, they could find some way to beat her.

Suddenly, Jody took a step forward, and fell on her face. Simultaneously, Betty fell to her knees, panting.

"Are you all right?" LS asked.

"I'll be . . . better . . . if she stays down," Betty replied.

"I do not think she will be rising real soon."

"Good."

"You stay here, I am going to check on Rhonda," LS said as she trotted off.

"No . . . problem," Betty squeaked off between breaths.

Rhonda and Tania were locked in a tight battle on the rooftop. Punches, kicks, elbows and knees were thrown at their target, and that was in-between the times they attempted chokes, joint locks, and everything else. To Rhonda, Tania reminded her of a taller version of LS, only meaner. Among the few times she performed a throw, she would run over and deliver a blow or stomp that would've sent Rhonda to the hospital if she didn't have any defense of her own. What Tania didn't have in a wide variety of throws, she made up for them with a wide variety of reversals. That with the sumo training of being immovable, made her a hard person to throw or place in a submission hold. It was like wrestling a tree that kicked like a mule.

Finally, Rhonda clamped a hold that would normally slow the female behemoth down. Tania just grinned, and picked Rhonda up to slam her to the ground. This was the opportunity that Rhonda waited for as she suddenly switched her hold to a guillotine choke. Driving a knee into the solar plexus for emphasis, and to drive any existing air out of her stomach, Rhonda held on for dear life for the proper amount of seconds it took for Tania to become unconscious. As she finally crumbled to the ground, Rhonda slumped to the ground and laid there.

"Are you okay?" LS asked as she approached.

Rhonda turned her head to LS. "The next time somebody get someone who's "custom-made' to fight your cousin, you bring her here, I don't care if you have to airlift her to do it," she said. "The next one is all hers."

"It looks like you did fine enough," LS commented and grinned as she looked at Tania's prone form.

"What I want to know is what was the deal with that woman Betty was fighting. I never saw anyone take that many shots and remain standing."

"She called it "Iron Chest,'" Betty said, walking slowly to where they were. "She said her "chi' was stronger than mine."

"I heard of it, but refresh my memory."

"The "Iron Chest' is something you normally hear in kung fu circles," LS explained. "It involves focusing your chi to where it makes your body more resilient to harm. But you only see this with kung fu masters who have practiced for years. The fact that a young woman has accomplished this is incredible." She looked at Betty, "Unless you are fighting her of course."

"So if her chi was stronger than yours, how did you beat her?" Rhonda asked.

"I figured for her to exercise that much personal power, it must take a lot of concentration. I wasn't going to get anywhere near her lest she grab me, so I did what Kim calls "hammer and chisel.' If she didn't fall when she did, I was going to start sprinting for the exit, maybe find something to bang her on the head," Betty said. "But that wasn't the worst thing."

"What could be worse than fighting someone who can take all your hits?" Rhonda asked.

"She tried to ask me out!"

"Oh."

"There was a woman who approached Kim like that once," LS said.

"What happened?" Betty asked.

"Jasmine and I, and a few others had to hold her back to keep her from killing this woman. I do not remember her ever getting that angry before."

"Well Jody thought I was cuter."

"That might make Kim feel better," Rhonda laughed.

"Doubt it," LS remarked.

Suddenly, the roof door opened, and Kim, followed by Susan and Janelle ran out.

"I thought it was more of these "super fighters' for a moment," Rhonda said. "I don't want to fight right now, I'm beat."

"After this is over, I am going to seek out this Qiao and have some words with her and this so-called "power broker' too," LS replied. "To have her students rented out as common thugs is detestable."

"Looks like you've been busy," Susan said, looking at the bodies. "Are you okay, Betty, I've never seen you so ' exhausted."

"You should see the other girl," Betty replied.

"What's next?" Janelle said, looking curiously at Cody and Tania.

"Hold on," LS said, making a call on her cell phone. "Sharon and Cao have now declared this block safe for regular citizens again. They are to do a little "clean-up,' and that should be it. Let us go back to my place so we can rest for a moment."

"If it's all the same to you," Rhonda said, placing a weary arm around Betty's tired shoulders, "we're going to stay here a bit longer, until we feel our legs again."

"No problem Rhonda, take a rest; you two have earned it. The rest of you, let us go."

"Hey, it looks like two of them are waking up," Janelle said.

"Which ones?" Rhonda asked, suddenly alert.

"The black-headed one and this large blond one."

"Hang on ladies, we're coming!" Betty replied as her and Rhonda suddenly sprang to life, trotting across the roof, and dragging a confused Janelle with them.

"What's the hurry? It's not like you had to fight iron women or something like that," Janelle said.

"Oh you have no idea," Betty remarked.

 

Taina awoke with a headache, and the sight of Rhonda and Betty rushing toward the exit, pulling a taller, larger woman with them.

"Careless, I was careless!" She muttered to Jody, who was slowly rousing. "I should've known she has a black belt in judo for a reason. Next time, I want the Magician!"

"I think I'm in love," Jody said, watching Betty's derriere as she departed from the roof.

 

Back at LS's apartment, LS called Sharon and Cao to tell them that there were a few people in the main lobby of the complex that needed to be taken care of.

"Wait a minute, there's that woman who wanted a rematch with me," Rhonda objected.

"That will need to wait," Kim said. "You look like you went through ten rounds with . . . everybody. You need to rest first, gather your strength, and drink some more water. Betty, that goes for you too."

"No need to tell me twice," Betty muttered as she started to get up to get another drink of water. Janelle stopped her and brought the pitcher to her.

"So this woman, Jody, mustered her concentration to the point of where no blows could hurt her? It sounds hard to believe," Susan said.

"Well believe me, those weren't love taps I was giving her," Betty replied, then took a sip of water.

"I have heard of this "Iron Chest,' and even seen demonstrations of it, but for someone to master it so soon, it was probably to the exclusion of everything else," Janelle observed. "What was her fighting technique?"

"I'm not sure, I've spent most of my time hitting and running. She did have a wicked bearhug though."

"Hey, what about me? I just took on my first mixed martial arts sumo wrestler," Rhonda interrupted. "That woman was mean!"

"And very limber," LS said. "I wish I had your sumo wrestler; my foe would not shut up."

"If you spoke earlier, I would've traded with you."

"There was a reason they lured you to the roof," Kim commented. "They were also counting on you three also becoming dehydrated and tiring early."

"I should have thought of that, but then, my opponent was so occupied with gymnastics and hearing herself speak, I was more than happy to let her burn out," LS remarked.

"Rhonda, I thought that was a good move you did on this sumo woman, but I would've loved to see this fool take on my sister."

"Has she ever taken on anyone this big?" Rhonda asked.

"There is Big Billy," LS replied.

"I think I hear another interesting and exciting story coming on," Susan said.

Kim smiled. "Big Billy Bronson, or BBB as they called him, was 6'3" and 333 pounds. He also liked to throw that weight around. One day he made the mistake of swatting a couple to the floor. For some reason, he had a hatred for bookworms and "geeks,' especially those who date each other. Anyway, Jasmine was nearby when he did this, and demanded he apologize."

"Which of course he didn't," Janelle said.

"Are you kidding? It was said he never apologized to anyone ' until that day. His next mistake was daring to lay a hand on Jasmine. After she nearly broke his wrist, she told him of the error of his ways, and let him go on the condition he'd apologize."

"I got this one, he still wouldn't do it," Susan said.

"Hey, you're learning," Kim continued. "After she let go, he made the third mistake of attacking her. LS, was it five or six times she threw him?"

"Six, I believe," LS replied.

"After throw number six, he begged that couple for forgiveness. He straightened up after that. As for the couple, they got married, and had Jasmine as their maid of honor."

"Who knew our little tenderfoot had such an illustrious history?" Janelle remarked.

"Tenderfoot?" Rhonda said.

"Shoe wearer."

"Oh, good name. It's not fair; I hear all these stories from LS and Kim about Jasmine, but I never got to see her fight except for one time, and that was all of three seconds."

"That's better than us. We live in the same town with her, and none of us seen her in action," Betty complained.

"When we get back home, I'll remind Jasmine to come running the next time we have a situation like this, and to forget the exams," Kim remarked, smirking.

"If it helps, since you seen Rini and Michelle in action, I can tell you the way Jasmine fights is similar, minus the sticks," LS said. "Now that I think of it, her being here would not be a good idea; she made that vow with Caroline too."

[Author's Note: More details on that vow can be read in the story No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. You know where to find it ' Mongoose.]

"So what do we do now?" Janelle asked.

"I'm going to call our troops downstairs and have them return to the dojo. From there, the question will be: pizza or Chinese? They earned it. Then we, this immediate circle, will return to "headquarters' and quickly go over our final plan."

"Headquarters?" Kim asked.

"Your parent's home. Your mother feeds us, so that is our command center."

"Can't fault logic like that," Betty replied. "So teacher, I have to ask, how would you have fought that woman?"

Kim was a little taken back at the sudden change in title, but she recovered and said, "I would've done the same tactic you did except in one concentrated area. Either she'd had to channel to bulk of her chi to cover the weakened area, or from channeling it, her other areas would be exposed. We'll talk more about it later."

"Okay."

"Meantime, we either have to buy you and Rhonda some clean clothes, or sneak you two through the back door. Mother will chase you through the house with a scouring pad."

LS giggled. "She will too."

"Yes, LS could tell you about that. She had a run-in with some punk, only to slip and fall in a puddle after she beat him. When she dropped by our house, mother said that she wasn't leaving without taking a shower and getting some clean clothes. LS tried to explain to her that she'll clean up when she got home, but mom wouldn't hear any of it. Next thing you know, she was chasing LS through and around the house with a washrag and soap. My oldest sister said it was more entertaining than what was on TV that day. Even Jon and Jasmine rode her about it."

"Well you were a kid back then, so she wouldn't do that now," Janelle said.

"I was a senior in high school, about to graduate in a month," LS corrected. "And she moves very fast, let me tell you. I do not know what hold it was she clamped on me, but I could not break it when she dragged me to the shower."

"What did your dad do?" Betty asked Kim.

"What everybody else did, laugh his head off. He knew better than to get in her way," Kim said.

LS slowly shook her head. "I still remember her exact words after she finished, "Your parents will never hear a word of this if you do one thing for me.' If I knew what it was, I never would have done it."

"So what was it?" Susan asked.

"Guess."

They all (except Kim and LS) looked at each other, and then slowly smiled.

"She had you help out in the garden, didn't she?" Susan said.

"Yes, and after that day, I never laughed at anybody in that family sentenced with garden duty again," LS replied.

"I'm going to count my blessings that my mother never thought of punishing me like that," Betty said.

"If you do not mind wearing a gi for a little while, Betty, we can get you cleaned up at the dojo. Rhonda, I know you have a few designer gi to wear, so it should be no big deal for you. I do ask for you, and Cao and Sharon as well, not to eat too much. Kim's mother will still have a big dinner planned for us, and I do not want to face her if I already have a full stomach."

 

Although Johnson was a man who could be bold with his emotions, he generally did not let them show in the form of vulgar vocabulary. When he finally heard the news that LS suddenly had a team come from nowhere and beat everyone to a pulp, he was not happy. When he heard about the three fighters he hired (who wisely decided to be paid up front for their services) were beaten, he hit the roof. With the door to his office firmly closed, and no one but Stacy to hear him, he delivered a profane tirade that was designed to make sailors blush and melt paint off the walls. When he finished, he sat back in his chair breathing heavy.

Stacy, who actually had some office mischief on her mind when she came by, shelved those plans for the moment, and asked the councilman, "So what will you do now?"

"I can't send any more people without the whole community knowing about it. It took time and a good deal of money for the authorities to turn a blind eye, and have the phones tied up, and have reporters chase a newsworthy item on the other side of the city, to keep the public out of it. I do have a trump card to play though," Johnson said.

"What's that?"

"This evening, LS's parents are going to get a little visit. Then I'll contact LS, and we'll make a little deal. She wasn't home when I sent some people over to visit her the other night, but I don't think her mom and dad have any plans for this evening. They won't anyway after we're through. And just to be on the safe side, I'll send someone over to visit her cousin's folks too."

"I think that would've worked better than sending these gangs out to get her."

"I wish I thought about it earlier," the councilman said in reflection, "but it's not a move I like to do too often; besides, the last time I targeted a family, the cop got beat up by an innocent bystander of all the crazy things."

[Author's Note: Again, you'll find that in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished ' Mongoose.]

Stacy came over and started undoing his tie. "Speaking of crazy, I have a few ideas of my own with this office visit," she cooed.

"My word, woman, you've been on fire the last couple of days. Because of you, the last time I got some good night's sleep was during last night's committee meeting."

"What can I say, sugar, you light my fire."

"Well put it out, we're in my office."

"Behind closed doors, with a lust-crazed woman. There's no escape."

"Looks like I have no choice. I'll pull the shades down to cover the windows."

Stacy suddenly grabbed him and practically threw him bodily onto the sofa.

"They won't see you from here."

"You're wearing those hose again, aren't you?" Johnson sputtered.

"Yeah. Something about them puts me in the mood, you know?"

Johnson made a mental note to have a pair of those hose checked to see it the Daughters of Athena or whoever they are somehow put any aphrodisiacs entwined with the nylon. Until then, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.

 

The scene at LS's dojo was reminiscent of a victorious army having a victory feast. Courtesy of the local Chinese restaurant (where the owners were good friends of LS and Lewis), food and soft drink flowed, and talk of how they trashed the enemy almost sounded like the battle of Troy. LS was welcomed by a roaring cheer when she arrived, and it took almost five minutes before she could calm them down to deliver her "victory speech."

"My students, I thank you for all you have done today, because the battle we fought has gone a long way to ensure the future safety of the city. We will still have evening classes tonight, but any classes earlier than that will be canceled for tonight," LS said, receiving more of a rousing ovation. "Later, I will tell you the full extent of what our efforts have done tonight; but for right now, let's eat, drink, and be merry!"

After circulating around the crowd, gradually, LS assembled her initial team, and brought them into her office, along with an addition.

Closing the door, LS asked, "May, have you ate quite a bit?"

"I'm not stuffed, if that's what you mean," May replied.

"Good. First, let me invite you to Kim's mom's house for dinner. Second, I want to include you on a special mission we are doing tonight."

"Tonight? How very cloak and dagger of you, Love," Cao said.

"I'm in, teacher. Do I need to bring anything?" May asked.

"Do you have anything in black?"

"I have something perfect for this occasion."

"Does this mean I need my black gi?" Rhonda asked.

"Yes. Janelle, I know you have something in that color scheme, so we will stop by my space so you can bring it along. Kim, I know you do; Betty, Susan, Cao, how about you?"

The three ladies muttered answers of "yes," "sure," and "I think so," a little confused as to the reason for their clothing's color scheme for that evening.

"Excellent; we will meet around Kim's parent's house around dinnertime, and talk about our plans then," LS said.

 

Later that evening at the Chang's household, dinner was a success, which would be believed without any doubt from Jacqueline Chang's point of view. Her houseguests dug in and ate almost greedily, just remembering their table manners so they wouldn't be perceived as total savages. She wondered about her latest houseguest, May. She came by earlier, dressed in a sleeveless black T-shirt, black leggings, and barefoot (she already liked her taste in footwear). She was polite, well mannered, and sounded like the excellent student that LS said she was. But Mrs. Chang's burning question was she did she put all that food? She knew LS could be a hearty eater, but then again, LS had a stocky muscular build that needed a hearty meal. May on the other hand, was an inch shorter than her teacher, and much more petite, with leaner muscles like a cat. Oh well, that wasn't an important point. The point was her special casserole was a hit! Everybody liked it, and her husband complimented her on it, and gave her one of those "thank you" looks that indicated that he'll be expressing his appreciation for the meal later on that evening.

As for the others, there was not much in the way of conversation, besides asking to pass particular dishes of food to them. But if dinnertime was quiet enough, after dinner was even quieter. Susan stayed behind to help Jacqueline with the dishes, and to glean more marital advice. Janelle, who also had her nuptials coming soon, stuck around to pick up those bits of wisdom. Jon discreetly made his way to his mother's office and had prints made of the pictures he took earlier that day. Betty, Rhonda, and Cao, went to find a spare sofa or bed, and crashed. In fact, Betty was so oblivious to the world, a car race, one of her favorite sporting events, was on TV, but she never heard a thing. Jon, who watches races as well, was kind enough to record the event so she could watch it later or take it with her. May, who normally preferred her sporting events to involve more flesh and blood, regarded the race as no more than background noise as she read a book she brought with her, and performed some flexibility and strength exercises while she was reading it. That left LS and Kim, who were sitting by the garden (or "the dreaded garden," as Janelle started calling it, jokingly). More precisely, LS was sitting in her lawn chair, looking at one of Mrs. Chang's roses, sipping an ice tea, while Kim watched the rose, the surrounding garden, the neighbors next door, and everything else before launching from her chair and pacing about. Finally she stopped in front of LS.

"All right cousin, what are you planning? What are you thinking about?" She demanded.

"Kim, have a seat. We have had a busy day," LS said kindly, gesturing to Kim's chair.

Kim did, but not before she took her chair, and placed it at an angle where she would face her cousin, but not obstruct the view of the rose.

"We have just had a big battle with the councilman's goons, plus some picked to fight you, me, and Jasmine in particular. Then you gave your "troops" a big feast and sent them home, except for May, and your evening classes. Now you want us to dress in black for some occasion that you have told us nothing about. Excuse my impatience, but I'm not sure I can wait until this evening to find out what's happening," she said.

LS turned to her and smiled. "Why I am surprised, Kim. First, I learned not to voice your plans until you have thought them out; that is why I have been silent. Two, for someone who claims to know me even better than my own mother, father, and brother, I thought you knew what I was going to do next."

Kim paused. "Maybe I wanted to hear you say it," she said.

"The councilman had just sent his army to get us, but we won. But you and I both know that this was the battle, not the war. And as great a help you, Betty, Janelle, Susan, and my students have been, we also know we can't spend however long it takes fighting skirmishes with each other. It's time for an endgame, Kim. And since you know me so well, you should know what I'm doing next."

Kim stood up, and slapped herself in the head before sitting back down. "Of course! It's so obvious!" She exclaimed.

"I would say so. May knew what I was doing when I asked her on this mission, and I never invited her on one before."

"I am not questioning your judgment, I'm just curious. Why did you choose May?"

An evil grin spread across LS's face. "Because she's petite and deadly."

"I think I'm satisfied now. I'll just wait until we're all gathered to hear the rest. I'm very curious to hear what you're going to do with the "big' people."

LS lounged her head back in her chair. "I think you will like it."

 

Meanwhile, on seemingly the other end of the world, the men have gathered at the house where Lewis was staying, this time surprising him with bringing what they considered "man food," with big rib eye steaks, and assorted items that goes with it. The master chef was more than pleased to prepare the meal. After the meal was over, the men slumped in their chairs and couches speaking high praise of the feast. After Kevin left (he said he needed to check the library's archives for "something." Actually that something was Loretta who was planning to meet him there for a "library date."), David spoke up, having to excuse himself twice for burping.

"I don't know about you guys, but I miss Susan," he said.

"Well I can't say I miss Susan that much, but I do miss Janelle," Benjamin replied.

"Not as much as I miss Love," Lewis piped up. When the others looked at him funny, he said, "You do know "Love Story' is what her initials stand for, right?"

"Okay, I have to ask, how did your girlfriend end up with that name?" Jesse asked.

"From what I was told, when Love was born, her mother suddenly went blank on what to name her. They had at least a dozen names picked out. But when the nurse asked her what the baby's name was going to be, all the mom could think of was a romance novel she read while she was in the hospital. So the words Love Story came out, except it was in Chinese so it would sound more authentic."

"I can see it's not a name you want to be called by your enemies, or the tax man for that matter."

"Of course it sounds sweet if you're close to her. But the words "Love Story,' plus her middle name, makes for something that takes up some room."

"Really, what's her middle name?" Benjamin asked.

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I value my life, that's why not."

"We don't want anything to happen to you, you grill a mean steak," David said.

Billy, who didn't want to feel left out, said, "Hey, I miss my Irena too."

"Miss her? She's still in town."

"Yeah, but I miss her anyway."

"What's wrong?"

"She put me on "probation,' that's what's wrong. She said I needed some time to put everything in perspective, and she needed some time to cool off so she won't body slam me."

Benjamin looked at him. "You did it, didn't you?"

"Did what?"

"Either said something that made you look really stupid, blabbed out something about her and mud wrestlers, or a combination of the two. We warned you man, we even had you watch DVD's of her in action. But no, you just couldn't leave it alone, could you?"

"Oh come on, Ben-"

"Benjamin."

"Benjamin, I already got a lecture from her, I don't need another one. And what's with the name change, I thought Janelle calls you Ben."

"Well you're not her, so call me Benjamin; unless you want me to call you William."

"Okay, I got the point."

"What I was about to suggest before we found out what's wrong with Billy was to go ahead and give them a call," Jesse suggested.

"Well I already talked to her this morning, but I can talk to her again," David pondered.

"Hey, you can even use my phone," Jesse replied as he tossed his cell phone to David.

The solitary call to Susan turned into a conference call. Janelle, who was close to Susan, wanted to talk to Benjamin, and when they finished, Jacqueline called out to LS that Lewis was on the phone. Besides the three couple's vows of undying love for each other, they also promised to make up for the time they've been apart. LS, realizing it was about time to gather the team together, reluctantly had to end the call. But she wanted to tell Lewis one more thing.

"How dare you watch DVD's of Susan's fights and the Russian Cage Matches without me?" She said.

"Well, I, me and the guys, ah, hey, how did you find out about that?" Lewis sputtered out.

"I am a woman, we always know. And you better have something special fixed for me when I return."

Lewis looked at the men, wondering if a spy was among them, then realized that women have a habit for just "knowing things," like it or not. "I will, Love, don't worry about that," he said.

LS's supposedly harsh tone softened immediately. I will come back to you in a day or less. I must see you."

"Ah, it's because you miss my breakfast in the morning."

"That, and the rest of you. Good-bye, my beloved."

"Bye, Love."

After catching his cell phone tossed back to him by Lewis, Jesse said, "I sure hope that helped you guys. I'm not attached to any of them, and I feel like crying."

"Well apparently Irena reported our activities the other night to the girls. Love just told me not to watch anymore fights on DVD without her."

"Hey, you don't think she told them about what happened to us, I mean Irena and me," Billy exploded.

"No, I don't think she told everybody. Hopefully she didn't tell your sister," David said.

"Why's that?"

"Because when she finds out, she's going to "whack you across the head.'"

Despite themselves, the rest of the men couldn't keep from laughing.

"That's cruel, David," Benjamin said.

"Yeah, but somebody had to say it. Billy, you may want to be scarce when they come back."

"David, Betty is not going to track me down and hit me in front of everybody for, you-know-what."

"You sure?"

"I'm not going to talk about this anymore. When I get out of the bathroom, let's play some cards or something."

As he went to the facilities, Jesse said, "Come on, David, you're being mean."

"Yeah, I know, but he had it coming. When Susan told me she was a kickboxer, I didn't have any idea there was such a league around, but I knew better than to say something silly."

"The day we met Janelle, she won an arm-wrestling contest against some circus strongman; so we already knew how strong she was. You don't make light of things like that," Jesse said.

[Author's Note: And that can be found in Janelle's debut story, Love Can Be Weird ' Mongoose.]

"Yeah, we had no idea," Benjamin reflected.

"I knew LS since my freshman year of high school, and she was already well-built when I met her," Lewis replied.

"Yeah, I still remember that story about her coming to you by the pool and asking you how she liked her swimsuit," David laughed as he decided to grab some desert. "I think she was bound to get you in trouble, dude."

"She almost did, and that wasn't the first time either. I have another story about the day we wore new uniforms in gym class during our junior year. It will have you shake your head."

"I'd love to hear it," Benjamin said, "but we better cool it, our man on "probation' is back."

Billy emerged from the bathroom. "So guys, what game do you want to play, hearts, yuker, spades?" He asked.

"How about "Old Maid?'" David remarked.

"Geez David, chill out! He's been through enough," Jesse said.

"Sorry, that one slipped out."

 

"It was nice of them to call. Now I am even more determined to end this," LS said after she was out of the kitchen and earshot of Mrs. Chang.

"You could've let me get back on the phone so I could've told David not to watch anymore matches of me without ' me," Susan said in mock anger.

"I find it interesting that Ben has taken an interest in female combat," Janelle replied. "Maybe I should've brought him along."

"No, I wanted Lewis to bond with the guys," LS said. "He has heard so much about them, and I wanted somebody to keep him busy."

"In other words, keep him from worrying about you."

"That is correct. I also wanted him safe."

They passed by the den where Jon was engrossed in the race, and May was performing an exercise she regularly did in her judo class, while managing to turn a page in the book she was reading. It was enough to make LS do a double take.

"Huh; I remember her telling someone in class once that she practiced judo almost as often as breathing, but I thought she was speaking metaphorically," LS remarked.

"Looking at her makes me feel guilty, and I did my exercises today," Janelle said.

"I just want to know how she can read while she does that," Susan commented.

"I have practiced judo and those exercises since I was a child, and I do not think I have enough concentration to do that and read a book at the same time," LS observed.

Kim came in from outside. "Hey LS, do you think it's time to ' is she doing an against the wall standing one arm pushup and reading a book?" She asked.

"Your eyes do not deceive you."

"Must be a good book."

"It must be a good race. Jon hasn't noticed," Janelle remarked.

"That's nothing new; Jon can watch a car race for hours, while the house is on fire. LS, do you think it's time to wake the others and get on with what's going on tonight?"

"Yes; the race should be over in another twenty minutes. We will wake Rhonda, Betty, and Cao then, and May should be finished, or at least to the next chapter," LS quipped.

"Well let's go on to the garden then."

A few minutes later, Betty, normally a pretty sound sleeper, awoke, not by sound or anyone rousing her, but by the call of nature. As she staggered down the hallway from the bathroom, she recalled it's been a long time since she's been so exhausted. Then again, it was not everyday she fought indestructible people on blazing hot rooftops either.

She heard the sounds of a car race coming from the den, and saw Jon watching it. Like a moth to a flame, she went to the den.

"Hey Jon, what race is this? My word, May, what are you doing?" She asked, startled by May's latest physical movement.

"I'm reading the latest David Baldachi novel. It's very engaging," May answered in her soft voice.

"No, I mean that other thing you're doing."

"Oh, you mean my judo exercises. I do them all the time. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing them."

"How often do you do them?"

"At a guess, I'd say about five times a day."

Betty flopped on the couch. "You just wore me out again, girl. Jon, what are we watching?"

Jon continued to watch the race.

"Jon?"

The cars rounded a curve. Betty tapped Jon on the shoulder.

"Jon?"

"Oh hi, Betty, I didn't see you," Jon said.

"So I noticed. What race is this?"

"The Paper Chase 500. It's sponsored by the major newspapers in this area. I'm taping the whole thing for you."

"Why thank you, that's very kind. After all I've been through, that's a wonderful gift."

"I'm eager to please," Jon smiled. "By the way, you have bed head."

"Bed head?" Betty exclaimed, feeling her head and desperately looking for a mirror.

"It's true," May added.

"It's not that bad," Jon laughed. "Actually, on you, it looks kind of cute."

"Really?" Betty said.

"Betty? I thought I heard your voice in here," Kim said, arriving in the den. "You saved me the trouble of waking you up. I see the race is almost over, and May, you're finished doing what you were, uh doing. LS needs you by the garden ASAP. And Betty, do something with your hair, it looks terrible."

With a sigh, Betty wearily got up from the sofa to fix her hair in the bathroom. Jon gave a slight shrug to May, who began giggling as they left the den.

"What's so funny?" Kim demanded.

"Nothing," May replied, innocently.

Kim watched her for a moment, then thought no more of it as she walked through the house to find Cao and Rhonda.

When Betty arrived at the garden, everyone was gathered there. Rhonda was standing, but it seemed to be the only conscious thing she was doing, other than yawning a lot. Cao was no less in better shape as she found a nice patch of grass to lay on. Both women, having longer hair than Betty, had a more severe case of "bed head" than she did.

"So Betty, I see you're back with us," Susan said.

"In body at least," Betty replied.

"That's why I didn't take a nap. When I take one, I'm gone."

"Wherever I was, it was a nice place. I'd like to go back to it tonight. LS, I have a question."

"Sure Betty, what is it?" LS asked.

"You were on that hot rooftop like me and Rhonda was. How come you weren't worn out like we were?"

"Now comes the true story about LS's "commando training.'" Kim joked.

"Huh?"

"Years ago, LS, Jasmine, and myself were watching a program on how they train Navy SEALS. Then LS came up with this idea, and said we needed to try some of this stuff."

Rhonda, now more fully awake, said, "And what "stuff' did you do?"

LS was about to answer, but Kim spoke first. "Stuff like sitting in a freezing pond in nothing but your swimsuit. Oh, need I ask it was January when she did this? She also went to the other extreme, getting as hot as she could get. After she did each of those insane stunts, she ran through an obstacle course, provided with some poor man we paid to be thrown at the end."

"Kim, if I may speak please? At the time, we were watching the streets constantly, and just because it was cold outside, it didn't mean the thugs stayed home. I thought those exercises would be an effective way to toughen us. And as I remember, I was not the only "insane' woman who did it," LS said, glaring at Kim.

"Well, I did a little."

"I suppose Jasmine stuck around to make sure you two didn't kill yourselves," Cao replied.

"Actually, she did better on some of those drills than we did."

"So her "chi' was stronger than yours?" Betty joked.

LS grinned slightly. "Yes, you could say that. My cousins thought I was nuts, anyone in the neighborhood who heard about it thought I was crazy; even I was starting to wonder about myself. But it paid off when he had to fight under adverse conditions."

"So that's why a hot rooftop dueling with the "flying ninja' didn't bother you. I was beginning to think I didn't eat my Wheaties# or something," Rhonda said.

"Okay, I have one more question. Kim, how come I had to fix my hair while Cao and Rhonda got to come as they are? No offense, ladies," Betty asked.

"None taken," Cao mumbled, finding a softer spot on the grass.

"I expect my students to look as presentable as possible at all times," Kim replied. "Rhonda is LS's student, so she's her responsibility, and Cao is family, and nothing can be done about that."

"Oh," Betty groaned.

"Hey Kim," Susan said.

"Yes?" Kim responded.

The kickboxer grinned and said, "Smile."

Kim was taken aback. "What?"

"Smile."

The normally unflappable woman was suddenly stunned by the request, and floundered trying to come up with a suitable or stern response. Everyone else though, was rolling on the ground with laughter. Even LS, who tries to keep a serious tone herself, couldn't help giggling.

"Someone thought you needed to lighten up a little, so they had me send you a message," Susan said.

"Mother," Kim breathed with a funny look on her face.

"While my cousin is regaining her composure, I will go ahead and go over the plans with you tonight," LS said. "First, Jon, do you have something for me?"

"I sure do," Jon replied, trotting into the house. The trip only took a minute or two as he came out with a handful of pictures. As soon as LS took them, she started leafing through them.

"Well, this explains things," she said as she quickly went through them.

"Kim, where are your parents?" Janelle asked.

"Oh, this is the time where mom and dad have tae kwon do practice, I forgot to tell you," she said. "She told everyone to have a good time, and don't stay out too late."

"You have nice parents, Kim; especially your mother, who has a beautiful smile," Janelle replied, teasingly.

"Stop that!" Kim barked.

"What do you see, LS?" Susan asked.

"Yes Love, don't keep us in suspense," Cao followed.

"Ah Cao, nice to see you up and around. Susan, do you remember fighting the boxer named Storm?" LS said.

"Yes I do, who was the same woman who had a gang follow you around for a while," Susan replied.

[To be found in The Thrill of the Hunt ' Mongoose.]

"Well, I believe I found the reason why she was able to bounce back so quickly from that steroids controversy."

LS shown Susan the picture of Storm and the councilman kissing in front of their house.

"Yep, that would explain it all right."

As the others looked at the photographs, Janelle asked, "So what are you planning to do, LS? Blackmail him?"

LS pulled from her pocket a copy of the conversation between Johnson and herself. "No, I am going to make him an offer that he can not refuse. I do not care if he sleeps with half the kickboxers in this city; I want him gone. And he will go one way or the other. He has been a plaque in this town long enough, and I will not endure him turning it into a war zone so he can stay there another four years."

"Amen to that," Rhonda replied.

"Before I go on, there is considerable risk in what I am asking you to do. If you do not want to pursue this course any further, I understand, nothing will be held against you if you refuse. You have been a big help to me so far, but I will do this, if I have to do it alone."

Silence settled for a few seconds as LS's words settled in. Suddenly May stepped forward, stared into LS's eyes, and said, "Teacher, tell me whatever you want me to do, and I will do it tonight."

Kim followed by saying, "You already know what I'm going to say, and I already said it several times, so I'm not going to bother."

"Stay behind, and miss all the fun? This is already more fun than that bodybuilding tournament in Cleveland would be," Cao said.

"When is that tournament?" LS asked.

"Tomorrow."

"I am sorry. I did not mean for you to-"

"Think nothing of it! At least I can flash my muscles and pop people in the head for a good reason."

"You know I'm with you on this, LS," Rhonda said.

That left Janelle, Susan, Jon, and Betty. Janelle was studying one of the pictures intensely.

"You'll need someone to neutralize the guards," she said.

"What?" Kim responded.

"I think that's her way of saying yes, she's in," Susan said.

"Do I still have home security?" Jon asked.

"Yes brother. Mother and father may be away, but we don't want any surprises waiting for them. I know they both can handle themselves, but still. . ." Kim said.

"I gotcha. It'll give me a chance to play with my garage's new surveillance system. Not even a cat will walk by the house without my knowing it."

"Good, good. Betty, you're kind of silent over there. I know what happened earlier today wore you out, but if you can help in some small way, that would be great," Kim requested.

It wouldn't be until the mission was over that Betty would catch the urgent plea in her teacher's voice. At the moment however, she was contemplating other things, like what kind of road she'd be driving on, how much traffic would she have to deal with, the closest she could park away from the mansion, how much horsepower the van had for a clean getaway, etc.

"Of course I'm coming, I'm driving the getaway van," Betty replied. "Jon, I need you to tell me everything about those roads, and how close we can get to the mansion without parking on his front doorstep. Does anyone have objections to going through the woods?"

After everyone shook their heads, she pulled Jon alongside, and they started talking amongst themselves.

"I will do this on one condition," Susan said. "If a certain person will do her mother's request and smile."

"Susan, for Pete's sake!" Kim protested.

"I've seen you laugh and joke around, so I don't think one smile is out of the question."

"And you're saying if I don't smile, you won't help?"

"Not completely. I'll just sit in the garage with Jon and perform surveillance."

"All right, I'll do it," Kim breathed, and flashed a smile. It was a rather dazzling smile. Then just as soon as it appeared, it was gone. "Happy now?"

"You have a beautiful smile, Kim," Janelle said. "Why would you want to hide it?"

When Kim was silent, LS told them, "Because she is ornery! Welcome aboard, Susan."

"At your service, ma'am," Susan replied, bowing.

"All right. By what I gathered from Jon's pictures, there are at least five or six patrolling the house," LS pointed out. "That almost balances out to one man for each of us. After Betty finds us a suitable place to drop us off, we will pick one to knock out, and stash under the bushes someplace. That will leave two of us without. I of course, have the councilman, and I guess one will be backup."

"Don't forget Storm," Susan said. "I suppose I could have a rematch with her; I'll just make it quicker."

"No, she's mine," May said aggressively.

"Are you sure?" Janelle objected. "She's a professional kickboxer, and she's almost as tall as ' wait a minute, I forgot whom I'm talking to here."

May just gave an evil grin.

"It is just as well, because she's going in with me. Given her height, it will be easier for her to sneak in the house. The tricky part will be disabling the burglar alarm," LS said.

"Why? You have six guards guarding your house around the clock. Would you even use your alarm even if you had one?" Betty asked.

"I never thought of it that way, but she has a point," Kim said. "I don't think he'll have it enabled."

"But what if he does?" Janelle asked.

"What if he does? By that time, it's too late. Besides, I know enough about electronics to disable any sensors and stuff. I'll already be busy disabling other things anyway," Betty replied.

"'Other things?' Like what?"

"I assume we won't need to, but in case we need to make a quick getaway, I'd like to make sure we won't be pursued, if you get my meaning."

"You're going to slash the tires?"

"Oh come on, Janelle; anyone can slash the tires. To momentarily confuse the car's computers so they won't start right away, that takes someone with skill."

"Then perhaps I should tell you what make of car you'll be disabling," Jon said, as he quickly gave Betty the makes of the cars he saw at the councilman's house.

"Is that all?" Betty responded. "I'll have that done in no time!"

"What about Storm's car?" Susan asked.

"What about it? Storm isn't going to be ready anytime soon to chase us, and I can't see any of these guards getting into her car that quick. If you're about Janelle and Susan's height, getting into a sports car is an act of coordination and contortion."

Janelle raised her hand. "I can attest to that. Ben once thought about buying a sports car, and after an hour of folding ourselves into those things, we thought it would be a bad idea," she said.

"So I gather you already have an idea on how close we can get to his house?" LS asked.

"Yeah, but first we need to stop at Wal-Mart# again," Betty answered.

"We're getting ready to do a major break in, and you want to go shopping?" Cao said.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want branches and leaves getting stuck in my hair; plus we'll need some type of flashlights to get us through the woods, even though it's only a short jog. And you can divvy the guards among yourselves; I'll be a little busy on the grounds."

"Well let us go. We will figure out the rest on the way there," LS said.

 

"You know it's at times like this, I sincerely wish I didn't I didn't make that goofy promise," Michelle said. Her and Rini were sitting on a park bench not far from the house where LS's parents lived. Michelle was decked out in a lime green short-sleeve shirt and blue jean overall shorts. Rini wore khaki pants with the legs rolled up to the knees, and an old blue Oxford long-sleeve shirt untucked with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. As per their usual dress, both were barefoot.

"I agree with you. I wasn't going to make that promise, but Caroline practically pleaded with me to do it," Rini replied. "I'm really not sure why she made us do that."

[Author's Note: That "goofy promise" was made in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, available at you-know-where ' Mongoose.]

After a moment's reflection, Michelle said, "Because she knows we would do it. It, our word, is the only thing keeping the two of us and Jasmine from marching down to City Hall and beating the councilman to a pulp. Hey, do you remember the time we were practicing our one-inch punch, and her sister gave us the funniest look?"

"Yes; I remember what Caroline told us her sister said too. "You martial arts people do some weird things.' I wonder what she's doing now."

"I wish I could tell you. Aside from my regular visits with Caroline, I only visit her family once in a while to see the baby. She moved out, and lives in the city someplace. As bad as it is to say, every time I saw her, I would think of Caroline, and before I know it, I find myself getting angry all over again."

Rini sighed. "Me too. I consider myself honored that we're guarding LS's parents' house, but at the same time, I wish I was out there "in the field.'"

"Maybe we shouldn't have told them about our promise when we first saw her behind bars. Oh that's right, we didn't, Jasmine did. I'm sure she'd be struggling with this decision too."

"Speaking of struggling, did you hear something?"

"Now I do. LS's folks aren't home, right?"

"Right, they have tae kwon do practice tonight. If it's intruders, they would park around the back," Rini commented.

Both women made their way around the back of another house that had a clear vantage point of the house they're guarding. They saw four people, two men and two women approach the house. Two of them circled around to the front.

"Game on," Michelle said. "You want front or back?"

"I think I want the back. I'm dressed more obvious than you are."

"Okay; you going to use your sticks?"

"No Michelle, I'm in more of a mood to tear them apart with my bare hands ' and feet if it comes to that," Rini replied.

"Oh yeah, how much damage?"

"How about we forget about any promises or pledges until after we beat them?"

Michelle grinned. "Works for me."

Quickly, Michelle trotted around the front of the house, where she saw one of the women ring the doorbell of the house.

"They're not home," she said, startling them. The two thugs figured it was one of the neighbors until they took a closer look at Michelle. Michelle recognized them as well.

"Ah, I remember you two, I beat you up earlier," she remarked.

Full remembrance came to the man in the duet, who leaped, attempting to catch her in a flying tackle. Michelle grabbed one of his arms while stepping aside, and guided his ascent into one of the rose bushes on the front lawn. Muted screams and curses burst forth as the man tried to get himself loose from the thorny branches.

The woman tried to catch her from behind, but Michelle turned and delivered one of her one-inch punches directly into her face. Staggering back with a bloody nose, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a knife.

"Yeah, you deserve a handicap," Michelle said. "I'm glad you came, because I have this dire need to beat on someone."

The woman slashed and jabbed madly at Michelle, who backed up a little bit, then blocked the next slash attempt by striking her right forearm against hers. The impact almost caused the intruder to drop her knife, but the next few moments wouldn't matter if she had a knife or not. Michelle spun around to the outside and sent an elbow into her right eye socket, possibly cracking it. She spun again and delivered a right side kick into her kidneys. Screaming in pain, the woman cradled her blade trying vainly to ward Michelle off with it, but Michelle wasn't done.

Normally she would've used the finesse of her tai chi and aikido disciplines, but on this night in her present state of mind, she wanted to use raw power. Going for a frontal assault, she launched a front kick into the woman's left side, knowing her adversary would not be able to strike quickly enough with the knife. The woman gasped in more pain as she felt a rib or two break. Michelle grabbed the wrist of her knife hand, and used the other hand to punch her several times in the head in a few seconds. A turn of the wrist, and the knife fell in the grass. A foot sweep delivered her to the ground, where Michelle mounted her and gave her a few more punches before she slipped into merciful unconsciousness.

The man, with his clothes torn and multiple cuts delivered by the rose bush, finally managed to get himself loose from the rose bush, only to find himself facing Michelle who was out for blood. She delivered a left punch into his solar plexus, and then followed it up with a heel palm blow to the chin. He was out cold.

"Is that it?" Michelle demanded. "Your lady friend put up more of a fight, and she's hurt more than you!"

Making sure to pick up the knife, fold it, and put it in her back pocket, Michelle grabbed the ankle of each person, and dragged them to the back. There might be the slightest chance Rini might need help, she thought, but she doubted it. As she made it around the back of the house, she saw she was right. Rini's bare left foot was placed on a man's head, pushing his face into the ground while she had one of his arms bent in an aikido hold. From the looks of it, the arm was not far from the breaking point. Rini's other hand was clamped around a woman's throat. Sensing the man had enough, she dropped his arm, which plopped to the ground like a dead fish. When she saw the woman was out, she tossed her aside with one arm, landing her among the trash cans.

"I wasn't finished," Michelle lamented, dragging the two bodies along.

"Neither was I," Rini replied.

"Surely they're going to send more people. I still have some pent-up anger to work off. Maybe we could wake one of them up and interrogate them."

Rini lightly laughed. "For what? We already have what we need to know, unless you're talking about the sheer pleasure of beating on them again. How bad did you hurt yours?"

"All together, there are some broken ribs, bruised kidneys, maybe a sprained wrist, and a cracked eye socket. Oh, and some superficial cuts and bruises if you count the rose bush," Michelle replied, ticking them off on her fingers.

"A cracked eye socket? Man, you were brutal. I was afraid if I let myself go, I might do something I might get arrested for."

"I restrained myself; they're still alive, aren't they?" Michelle said defensively. "Besides, one of them had a knife. Hey, do these guys look familiar to you?"

"Yeah; didn't you punch that guy out the other day?"

"Uh-huh. I think one of LS's students hit these two you dealt with. What do we do with them now?"

"I was going to recommend the dumpster down the street, but somebody went "Dirty Harry' on her assailants, and now they're in need of medical attention," Rini ribbed.

"Don't give me that; you know you wanted to hurt them."

"Yes I did, but I was too busy throwing them. Wrenching that man's arm was as far as I got."

"We could throw them in the dumpster, then call an ambulance. Just say it was a street fight; they happen all the time," Michelle explained.

Rini pulled out her cell phone. "I'm going to send a text to LS that her family is safe," she said.

"Could it wait a minute? I'm going to get the car and pull it up so we can throw these punks in the back. The Changs will be back in fifteen minutes."

"Oh you're right! Okay, back it up, and I'll load them up."

The two women took care of the task quickly and quietly, and just in time as LS's parents pulled up in their driveway ' five minutes ahead of schedule.

"Whew! I don't think we could've explained ourselves if they caught us," Rini said as they watched them enter the house.

"Yeah, imagine trying to do it in proper English," Michelle replied.

"I rather not, thank you very much. I believe I will send that message now."

 

Back at the councilman's house, Matt, one of the guards, was watching the night sky. The stars were out, and he could see the constellations and a full moon too. His friends sometimes asked him, what was it like keeping watch for a guy who could be an absolute scumbag. Not bad, he always said. Johnson always paid well, and he liked his shift because nothing happens, aside from a deer, fox, or some stray cat or dog passing through the area.

Seeing that his area was secure, as usual, Matt leaned his bulky 5'10" frame against the house and lit up a cigarette. He lifted it up to his lips and took a puff. He savored it a moment, exhaled, and prepared to take another puff. But as he lifted the cigarette up to his lips, the cigarette was gone. He didn't even remember dropping it. Matt looked down on the ground to see if he could find it. When he didn't see it, he looked to his right side to see if it somehow fell there. The first and last sight he saw was the sole of Susan's foot knocking him out.

"Smoking is bad for your health," Susan said as she stood over the unconscious guard. She wore black boxing shorts, a black T-shirt, and a black scarf with a black domino mask hiding most of her features. When it was suggested that she'd wear the mask and scarf, she felt like she should either prepare for Mardi Gras, or get a cape to complete her getup, like what Batgirl would wear. But LS explained if the councilman saw her, he might be able to make her kickboxing career rather difficult. Susan grudgingly agreed.

"Filthy things," she muttered to herself as she took her bare left foot and grounded out the lit cigarette. She then tied and gagged the guard before dragging him into the woods.

 

Wearing a black sports bra, black scarf, and black yoga pants, Kim moved quickly and quietly through the grass toward her target. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Susan handle her victim. For a woman who never done covert work, she was doing a good job. She'd like to knock her target out like Susan did, but there was a complication. Unlike the other man who was smoking, this one kept on fumbling with his radio. During the struggle, there could be a good chance he might be able to turn it on long enough to summon help. Suddenly Kim came up with a unique idea.

With a burst of speed, Kim shot out of her hiding place toward her target. Before the guard understood what was happening, Kim punted the radio from his hands sending it high into the air. She then spun in the air to deliver a flying roundhouse kick to the head, knocking the guard out. As she landed, she opened her hands wide to receive the radio on its downward decent.

"I still got it," she smiled to herself as she clipped the radio to her pants, and started to tie up her prisoner.

 

Dwayne marched around his area like it was Fort Knox, and he was given the sole responsibility of guarding all the gold. He walked around his area in circles, back and forth, and in what looked like a few geometrical patterns. He never was one for keeping still. The guards on earlier shifts could always tell where Dwayne was patrolling by the indentions in the grass. It drove the gardener nuts. In fact, Dwayne drove his fellow guardsmen nuts too. When one of them told him that during the late shift he could relax a little, Dwayne looked at him as if he was speaking another language. The word "slow" didn't seem to fit in his vocabulary either as he made his patrols in short bursts. Small wonder he was laid off from previous job as a guard for a bank because he made the customers nervous.

As Dwayne made his rounds, he noticed the two other guards who stood still suddenly weren't around. They may have either checked on something or rushed inside the house to use the bathroom; no big deal if they're aren't gone too long. On the edge of Dwayne's area, there was a tree with low hanging branches. About every three minutes, he would go under the lowest one before he walked back to the beginning and started over again. He walked under the branch for the umpteenth time when strong brown arms from above clamped around his neck. Immediately Dwayne swung and elbowed his unseen foe only to discover that his foe wasn't behind him, but above him. Soon his struggles only served to put him to sleep that much quicker. When he went out, those arms dropped him on the ground.

Rhonda swung down from her perch, dressed in a black stocking cap, a black T-shirt and black sweatpants, where she overtook the hyperactive guard. She looked at him with a mixture of relief and frustration.

"Didn't anyone teach you to slow down, boy? It took me forever to get up this tree while you were running in circles like a bunny rabbit," she fumed, and then stopped when she realized she was talking to someone who was knocked out. At least she didn't have to break a leg to keep him from rushing about. But to be on the safe side, she'll bind the legs first.

 

Jon was sitting in his garage, checking over his latest "toy," a closed circuit television camera system. Since he bought it a month ago, he meant to install it in the garage so he could watch for possible intruders when he worked at night (there were a few individuals who were jealous of Jon's prowess with a wrench, so he thought something like this would keep them at bay). Since LS gave the general plan, he bought a few more cameras to survey the house as well. At his improvised "control center" near the back of the garage, he almost felt he had a God's-eye view of every nook and cranny around the garage and home. Nobody would get by him.

Suddenly, he heard the door to his garage open. Startled, he quickly turned around. He saw a woman the same height he was with a thin build. Her black hair was pulled back, allowing her long tresses to hang down to the middle of her back. Her delicate-looking facial features and skin were a few shades darker than Jon's own.

"Hi Jon. What are you doing?" She asked.

"Mai? What are you doing here?" Jon said.

"Yes it's me, Mai, your nosy neighbor. And I always drop by here, especially when the lights are on."

Jon looked over her outfit. She wore a blue long-sleeve pullover blouse and matching pants with elastic around the ankles, and a red slash belt. She wore no shoes.

"Mai, you're barefoot," Jon commented.

"My family is Thai, Jon," Mai said. "It's second nature with us. Besides, why should most of your family and your sister's friends have all the fun? I'm also not at work where I have to wear something on my feet, so now I'm free."

Mai also knew Jon had an attraction to barefooted women, so for this night, she decided to empathize it a little with a gold anklet, blue nail polish, and two gold toe rings. She was pleased (making sure not to show it) that he had noticed. She sat beside Jon, glanced at the multiple screens for a moment, and then turned to him.

"So what are you doing, Jon?" She asked again.

"I'm, I'm just testing out some new security equipment I bought," Jon responded.

Mai sighed and turned herself in her chair so her whole body faced him. "Now Jon, I've been your neighbor for several years now. You should know you can't hide anything from me. Besides, Kim, LS, Cao came over to your house with some buff women I never saw before, and they only stay long enough to eat, not counting the sleepover they had last night. And besides seeing you head out with a camera, I see Michelle and Rini leave, looking like they missed the boat, and you know it's not often you see Rini unhappy; she wasn't even smiling."

Finding that his neighbor had found him out again, Jon gave Mai an abbreviated version of what happened the last few days, and the game plan thus far. Mai nodded, and directed her gaze at the multiple screens on the monitor.

"So LS plans on taking the councilman down," she said. "Good for her. I think she'll succeed where others failed."

"'Others failed?' What do you mean? How do you know?" Jon asked.

Mai turned to him with a slight smile. "Jon, there isn't much that goes on around here or this town that I don't know about. That's something you may want to keep in mind for the future," she replied.

Jon prepared to ask what she meant by that last remark, but Mai interrupted him.

"You missed a spot," she added, nodding at the screen.

"Where? I covered everything," Jon said.

"Let me show you," Mai replied as she made her way to the door, crooking a finger as she went. "By the way, is that one woman pretty good with cars herself?"

"She owns her own garage, and has a few cars she rebuilt."

"She's from out of town as well, right?"

"Yeah."

"Here we are."

In a spot on the ground covered in shadows between the house and the garage was a figure clothed in black, bound in laundry clotheslines. Mai bent down to pull the mask up. It was a woman.

"She was venturing around this area not covered by your cameras, and I asked her what she was doing. She had the nerve to tell me to mind my own business, and called me a bad name, well, a few of them, actually. I told her I was going to tell your folks, and she attacked me. And there she is."

"I, uh, thank you," Jon said.

"No problem, that's what good neighbors do. There's a nice-sized dumpster two houses down if you're not planning to interrogate her, or something. She can sleep it off in there. If you need my help, you know where I am."

Jon looked at the would-be intruder, and then at Mai, who just grinned. "How, how did you do that?"

Mai just giggled and said, "Good night, Jon. I'll drop by to say hello to everyone in the morning."

She walked back to her house smiling at the confused look on Jon's face. They'll be plenty of time to tell him a lot of things once she put her plans in motion; plans in which he will play a big part. One of those little details she'll eventually reveal will be that she's been a practitioner in Muay Thai for the last eight years.

 

Cao remembered when the group went shopping for "covert wear," Kim and LS stressed to get something they would be comfortable in as well as something stealthy. For the professional bodybuilder, that equated to an article of clothing she wore a lot, a posing suit. Since the average department store didn't carry posing suits, the next best thing would be a bikini. That became a problem however when Kim barricaded her from the swimsuit section, and swore under threat of death that she was not going to storm the councilman's mansion in "that getup." She saw LS stifling a giggle, and Betty ready to protest, but neither one wanted to deal with Kim who had a very stern look on her face. Cao decided to strike a compromise, and tell Kim she'll get a one-piece swimsuit instead. That too ran into problems when Kim thought she should get the type of swimsuit they wear in the Summer Olympics, the type that covers the legs as well as most everything else.

"Oh come on, Kim, it's warm outside! Do you want me to melt?" Cao protested.

Kim finally agreed, and Cao bought her swimsuit. Actually the one-piece was very comfortable and very resilient as she found out from her brief trot through the woods. The black swimmer's cap came in pretty handy too. Now her next dilemma was how she was going to take out this guard thirty feet from her.

The problem with an eclectic knowledge of multiple disciplines was the question of which technique does one use in what situation. She remembered Jasmine once told her to use whatever seems right to at the time. Of course this advice came from a prodigy who can very well duplicate whatever style is out there, so how valid could that be?

As she gave it some thought, Cao figured the situation called for a technique from one of the softer disciplines. She thought about those moves her aunt, a tai-chi master had taught her. However, considering the style of tai chi she knew, not only would it knock the guard out, it would also dislocate his jaw and strain his neck to the breaking point. She needed the guard knocked out, not maimed. Then another word of wisdom from Jasmine, LS, Kim, and everybody else (a large congregation in this family) told her: simplicity is king. With that, she sprung in front of the startled guard, and gave him a chop on the neck. He fell to the side like a felled tree.

As she carried the guard away, Cao made a mental note to use that chop at the next Event. It should go a long way toward making her a feared foe among her fellow bodybuilders.

 

Regarding outfits, Janelle decided to pick something reflecting back to her days in modern dance, which was before her days in ballet, which was as far as she was going to go concerning those bittersweet, mostly bitter memories. She chose a sleeveless black leotard, with footless tights, the legs cut mid-thigh, and for an extra spot of color, a red slash tied around her waist. It was the same type of outfit that she wore when she performed modern dance, and her favorite. Just wearing it made her feel like making those graceful leaps and spins she did years ago.

It also reminded her of the time she almost bit Ben's head off when he accidentally saw Janelle's ballet shoes, trophies, photos, and other dance memorabilia that day when they were going on an engagement cruise.

[Author's note: That little incident can be found in The Iron Foot, way back in the achieves of my library. The little dancing detail will be fully explained in a future story, I promise ' Mongoose.]

Pushing the memories out of her mind, she adjusted her ponytail (since her hair was black to begin with, she didn't see a need to bother with toboggans, nylon caps, or scarves), and sized up her opposition. Although she was a dancer, it didn't keep her from feeling like a dancing bear as they trotted through the woods. She felt like she stepped on every leaf and broke every branch that was around. The warning looks of the others didn't help much either. So she was absent that day they taught sneaking through the woods in judo class, it wasn't her fault!

As she prepared herself to attack, stealth was not what she was going to be aiming for anyway. When the guard (who was sitting on a lawn chair) reached down to pick up something, Janelle launched her strike. She ran towards her target, her bare toes churning up the ground. When she reached the proper range, she leaped. The guard turned his head just in time to see a large woman sailing towards him before she grabbed him around the side and neck. She twisted in the air, yanking the man out of his chair, and sending the junk in his pocket flying. Janelle hit the ground first, in a controlled roll, which didn't bode too well for her victim, who landed hard. The man took a second to try to cry out, but that was cut off by a savage lapel choke. Janelle wrapped her legs around his to keep him from kicking anything that might cause a racket. In the space of less than a minute, it was done. As Janelle got up, she was a little proud of herself. She was always pretty good on her chokes, but she had always had problems in the past with executing a good daki wakare, a high lift and separate throw. It wasn't pretty or sneaky, but it got the job done.

 

Still hiding out in the woods, LS, May, and Betty had just watched Janelle subduing her victim.

"She's very good," May said.

"Yes she is," LS agreed. "I have never seen a flying daki wakare before. It has never occurred to be to use it that way. Interesting, she moves just like a dancer. She never told me she had a dancing background. Ah well. I do not see the sixth guard. Could he be ill tonight? I do not think it will matter at this point. Betty, I think your path is clear. If May or I encounter the last guard, we will take care of him."

"Unless they made any recent improvements in the make of these cars, it won't take me long. Besides, I don't think they guard the garage as closely as they do the house; not that there's any to be concerned about now. Here I go," Betty said, quickly sneaking off through the grass directly toward where the garage was located.

Betty was wearing a black tank top and black Capri-cut jeans (because of her new short haircut, she didn't bother with any type of headwear), but while she heard Susan make superhero jokes about her mask, that gave her an idea. When she was little, she would look through her brother's Batman comic books, mainly to get a peak at the Batmobile. The other thing she always noticed was Batman's utility belt. It took a little bit of searching to find exactly what she was looking for, but after taking a black carpenter's belt, a smaller version of the tools she always carried with her, and some Velcro (to keep the tools from banging around), she made her own utility belt. She almost bought a black cape to wear as a joke, but she knew Kim would have a fit, and there was no need to get her more uptight than what she was. Maybe uptight wasn't the word for it; intense was more like it.

More than likely the garage would be locked, but Betty was prepared for that too. A long time ago, she took some lessons from a locksmith to deal with locked cars with the keys still in them. It also included dealing with electronic locks, and the proper use of lock picks.

With all this knowledge, it's a good thing I'm a good girl, Betty thought.

Any problems with the door appeared to be a moot issue, because Betty found the garage door slightly open. Inside it was still dark, except for a dim service light, so Betty whipped out a small flashlight and went in. As she approached the cars, she shone her light on the tires. Jon's suspicions were confirmed. The tires were Titan tires, black, sleek, and virtually invulnerable to punctures. One would have to take a power drill to the tires to make a dent, or an axe to slash them if he or she had all day to do it. The makers of the tires were so confident about their product they offered a lifetime guarantee. These tires were generally used by dignitaries and highly esteemed politicians; particularly those who have people who don't like them. And according to some rumors, drug lords in some countries used them too. On top of that, the tires were very expensive. This councilman evidently had very good connections to get them, and bringing in enough income from who-knows-where to buy them. Fortunately it'll be much easier to lift the hoods of the cars, she reflected, and quietly made her way down the line of cars.

Betty started to hear a strange buzzing noise. At least it sounded like buzzing. It might be no big deal, but then again, it might be some type of silent alarm. It might be a good idea to check it out just in case.

Using her flashlight, Betty continued to follow the buzzing noise to its source. As she rounded a corner, it dawned on her what the buzzing sound was. It was snoring! One of the guards took advantage of his shift and his area to go into the garage and take a nap. Betty laughed to herself. The new plan was to first find "sleeping beauty" and determine if he was a light sleeper, or one of those people who can sleep through an earthquake. Then she can go from there.

Located in a separate room in front of the automobiles was what appeared to be an office, with its own phone lines, a computer, and what looked like a wall of keys. There also was a desk, an office chair, and located on both of them was the sleeping guard. The door was opened only a little, and Betty saw that as a good thing, because the man was loud! If it wasn't for the office, and the size of the garage itself, all five guards would hear him; and probably mistake him for a bear, Betty thought.

This changed things. She could still work her magic on the cars quietly, not that Grizzly Adams in the office would hear her regardless. However, seeing that wall of keys gave her a more simplistic approach. Taking a small pouch from her utility belt, she gauged its size, and then got to work. Quickly but gently, she took each car key and placed it in the pouch. After she did so, she pondered where she would stash it. Smiling, she pulled open one of the front drawers of the desk, making sure not to disturb the guard's siesta, and dropped the pouch in there. Granted, the keys in the front drawer would be easy to get to, but not if you don't know where they are in the first place.

As she walked out of the garage, Betty had to be happy with her success. Without getting her hands dirty, she disabled all the automobiles in the garage, and accomplished this without throwing a punch, kick, or even a confrontation. It almost seemed like a downer in a way, but after fighting idiots with swords, and indestructible women who had the hots for her, it seemed like a small relief. There always was the possibility that he may wake up, but by the time he did so, they'll be done. Besides, how would he explain to the others how the keys were taken under his watch?

 

Maybe there is something about these pantyhose, Stacy thought, as she walked to one of the extra bedrooms where a large bulk of her clothes was stored. She had changed into a nearly transparent baby blue negligee and matching pantyhose. The sex life between her and the councilman had been pretty active before, but since she bought these hose from the Daughters of Athena, it was like she couldn't get enough of it. She already ravaged the man in his office earlier that evening; now after they ate dinner, and she changed into something more comfortable, she wanted to go at it again. It's as if the hose shifted her normally active libido into hyper-drive. Not that she was complaining, but she needed to take care, lest she burn her man out, drive him to an early grave, or having to chase the man when she was in one of those "moods."

Stacy paused on the last frame of that thought. Actually it would sound cool to chase him around the house, and . . . never mind. The way the hose were designed, it also made her less inclined to wear shoes, which also seemed to add more fire to her sexual furnace. She made a mental note to talk to the woman about these hose . . . and then buy ten more pairs.

She walked into the spare bedroom, turned on the light, and then jumped as she saw LS sitting on a bed, legs crossed, decked out in black leggings, a black half-sleeve top, her toes wiggling fiercely.

"It's you!" Stacy said in a hushed whisper.

"Hello Storm," LS replied, looking over her outfit. "Nice lingerie, it displays all your muscles and female form. I will need to look into getting one of those. Anyway, it appears I may have interrupted something. I would apologize, but I am not. I have something to discuss with your boyfriend."

Stacy's expression changed from one of surprise to one of rage. "We have a little something to "discuss' ourselves," she spat. "I received a nasty little bruise on my stomach from our last meeting, and I would like to pay you back."

"Oh, so you are ready for another "lesson' I see. I would be more than happy to "teach' you some more, but I have more pressing business with Mr. Johnson," LS replied calmly. "I do not suppose you could tell me where he is, could you?"

"Why you arrogant little shrimp! The only person you're going to see is a surgeon at the emergency ward. Then I'll have you arrested for breaking and entering, and attempted assault!"

LS stared at her. "And are you going to attempt the first part in that outfit? I do not know if I should be offended or flattered. And as I have tried to tell you, I do not have time for you tonight. But I have not forgotten you, since I found out about your intimate connection with the councilman."

"How did you find out?"

"Not important. I need to go." LS snapped her fingers.

"You expect me to move because you snapped your fingers?"

Ignoring the question, LS went on. "May is an excellent student at my dojo; one of my first students in fact. She is nicknamed the "Giant Killer.' I invited her here for "pest control.' That would be you, by the way."

"What are you talking about, you ' ah!"

Stacy started to look around, and then jumped again when she saw May standing beside her. It was like she came from nowhere.

"How bad should I hurt her, teacher?" May asked in her usual quiet voice.

"Bad enough so she cannot follow us, but good enough to keep her out of the hospital. The idea of my tax dollars paying for her treatment does not sit well with me," LS replied.

"I'll smash you like a cockroach," Stacy hissed to May, "and then I'll do the same to your precious teacher."

"A "cockroach?' No one has called me that before. That's a new one," May smiled.

"Farewell, Storm, or since we are on a more personal level, Stacy. When you are finished healing from what May does to you, if you want me to teach you any more "lessons,' just look me up, and I will be glad to oblige," LS said.

As LS rose and headed to the doorway, Stacy/Storm lunged at her, but found May standing in her way. With a smirk, LS closed the door.

 

After Councilman Johnson set the big screen TV to the right volume, he left to grab a drink from his bar in the dining room. Despite the likely potential for a romantic evening, he was growing a little concerned. He did not hear from the people he sent after the two Chang families, and when he tried to call them, there was no answer. He wasn't crazy about the idea of sending more people, but he may have to.

As he mixed his drink, he walked by a nearby window to watch the night sky as he waited for Stacy. The view was pretty as always, but something was missing. After a moment's thought, he found out what it was. Ian, one of the guards on the night shift, normally occupied that spot. He could've left to relieve himself, but that didn't stop the cold chill creeping along his spine. He ran to the living room window and threw the curtains back. The scene was the same as always, except no guards were out front. Johnson turned and ran toward his office.

"Stacy! Stacy!" He bellowed, but the only response was the TV. There was a tumbling noise, but was that the TV or something else?

If he could get to his office, he could grab the cell phone that he used to summon his personal squad of policemen who obey his whims, and not necessarily follow the letter of the law. As soon as he reached his office, the big screen TV went silent, like someone turned it off.

"Stacy? Is that you?" He said.

The room, which was half-dark, now lit up. LS, Kim, and Cao were standing beside his desk. Rhonda, and Janelle covered the doorway. Susan and Betty stood outside the door.

"You!" Johnson said.

"You remember; I am impressed," LS replied.

"Where's Stacy? What have you done with her?" He demanded.

As if on cue, May entered the room, wiping her hands with a bandanna. Johnson recognized it, belonging to Stacy.

"Her kicks would be more effective if I was taller," May said, almost to herself. "I don't know how she could win very many matches fighting like that."

"You little runt! If you hurt her . . ." Johnson threatened.

May regarded him as if she just saw him for the first time. "I'm sorry, were you talking to me? Your girlfriend will be okay, aside from a headache and some bruises when she wakes up. You will have much worse if you threaten me like that again," she said.

The counter-threat surprised everyone by its utterance and delivery. May's calm, quiet voice did not hide the certainty that she would carry out her threat if pushed. The short judoka sat on the arm of a sofa, her brown eyes boring directly on the councilman.

There was something familiar about May's face, but the councilman couldn't figure out what it was. In any case, his rage finally gave way to reason as he finally directed his gaze to LS.

"Well may I sit down at least?" He asked.

"Oh by all means, go right ahead," LS said, making a dramatic sweep of her hand, pointing to his chair behind his desk. "The king does need to sit upon his throne, after all."

The councilman considered fixing himself another drink, but thought better of it. He wasn't sure what would happen next, but he needed to show them that he was still in control. What he was sure of was that he underestimated LS's tactical savvy. He was so confident that his forces would keep her so busy and exhausted if not beaten, she would be forever on the defensive. For some reason, he never expected her on his very doorstep. A horrible error, but that was alright, he still had an ace in the hole.

"You made it past my guards, impressive," he said, leaning back in his seat. "Now, why are you here?"

Kim, Rhonda, and Cao snorted at this question. Janelle shook her head, while Betty and Susan gave each other a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" May just stared.

"This nonsense, this "little war' you have started between us has to stop," LS said. "It needs to stop now."

"So you think you can break into my house and tell me what to do? You and your friends may be impressive fighting thugs on the street, but this is the real world, where things are different. Let me tell you a little something about power, LS. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how much muscle you have, or to be a master of all these fighting arts. If you don't have power, it means nothing. And LS, my dear, that is what you have, nothing. You have a chance to stop our "little war' before it started. Now it's out of your hands. Request denied. Now is there anything else?"

"Yes; you are to leave your office immediately," LS replied, without missing a beat.

The councilman laughed.

"How stupid do you think I am?" He said. "I now know how stupid you are. And I actually thought you were intelligent. Now get out of my here, you and all your muscle-bound bimbos, before I call the police."

LS pulled out a micro cassette recorder, and pressed the play button.

"My opponent, who is running against me this year, was making the claim that he's responsible for this drastic drop in crime . . . ."

She fast forwarded the tape, and played it again.

". . . give my son control of his old gang, he could cause just enough havoc to prove his boast a lie . . ."

LS fast-forwarded the tape some more.

"I don't have anything to fear from the authorities; rather it's the other way around. I gave them their jobs, and I can take them away."

She pressed the button one more time.

". . . consider that a show of my power. That could be your family or loved ones"

LS stopped the tape. Johnson looked at her, mouth open and wide eyed.

"Now councilman, tell me again about power," LS remarked.

Johnson was stunned for a moment, trying to figure out how that happened. Then it came to him.

"Your gym bag," he said.

LS just gave a grim grin as she thought about how the idea came about.

 

"I suppose we could fix it so the wire could fit under the lapel of your gi," Kim said, as she looked at the tiny microphone and other electronic gadgetry sitting on the table before her.

"No, that would be too obvious," LS replied.

"We could fix it so it would fit around your waist," Janelle offered.

"That is true, but I may not be able to sit down. That might look a little suspicious, plus I might crush the equipment if I do sit down."

Betty who was sitting back all this time, spoke up. "Now I see why politicians are always caught with this "bugging' business. Putting the microphone on strange places on your person, that's bound to attract attention when you're moving funny," she said.

"So what would you propose?" Kim asked.

"I would say the simpler the better. Put it in someplace handy, like your gym bag. Just tape it in place so it wouldn't bounce around, and aim it in the right direction. So simple, it's obvious. It worked for Clark Kent."

"Betty, Clark Kent is a comic book character," Janelle argued. "Someone who took a close look at him with those glasses could tell he was Superman."

"But that's not the only thing. He was a reporter too. The last thing a person being interviewed would think while answering a question about something that just happened was, "Hey, that's Superman!'"

"But Betty, I do not carry my gym bag into most places outside the dojo," LS said.

"No, you normally don't; that's why you would need a distraction."

"What type of distraction?" Kim asked.

"Something that would keep the councilman's mind off what might be out of place," Betty replied. "It doesn't have to be something big."

"I understand what you're talking about now, but I can't think of anything distracting," Janelle said.

"Me either," Kim replied.

LS was looking into the closet of her bedroom, still debating what to wear. "I think I know just the thing," she said, reaching into the closet.

"Oh yeah?" Betty replied.

"Yes; I will be the distraction," she said as she pulled out her exercise leotard. "This should really tick him off."

 

"Someone wise told me that sometimes simple is better. The most obvious can be the most hidden. It works for Clark Kent," LS said.

"What?" Johnson asked.

"You will get it later. In the meantime, you have a few choices regarding your new situation. The first one is you can go ahead and resign your office now; I have mentioned that earlier. The second one if you refuse the first option, I will send this tape, or one of the many copies I made to the local TV media, and hungry newspaper reporters who have been out for your blood for years. Even if you do not end up impeached, your credibility would be shot, and your reelection hopes gone as well. The third option, considering all the trouble you put me through, would be for me to just beat the crap out of you. And there is my personal favorite, and that's for you to resign, I send the tape to the media, and I beat the crap out of you."

"You have presented some interesting choices," the councilman said, stalling. "Let's discuss this for a moment. I'm sure there might be some type of arrangement, or agreement we can come to."

"I already know the scope of your "agreements,'" LS argued. "As far as "arrangements' go, you have just heard them. I do not want your money, I have no desire to even consider running for public office, and a compromise is out of the question. You have your choices. You either choose one, or I will pick one, which will be most likely my favorite."

The councilman breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a cell phone ring. It was Kim's cell phone receiving a text message. It read:

 

Sis,

Nabbed one, no problems, family is safe. Be careful.

Love, your bro, Jon.

 

"Was that your phone, Kim?" LS asked.

"Yeah; it was Jon, telling me everything is all right," Kim replied.

"Good. Now where were we, Councilman? Oh yes, we were about to discuss your resignation." LS's cell phone ringed. "If you will excuse me."

Johnson started to form a smug grin on his face. The lone abductor he sent to Kim's parent's house was only a token gesture on his part, an added bonus. The main prize was the parents of his arch enemy. He wondered how she was going to negotiate now.

The call LS received on her cell phone was also a text message. It read:

 

LS,

The final score is:

Good Guys (the two of us): 1

Bad Guys (the four of them): 0

Your parents are fine, they never saw us. Michelle and I are fine. Two or three of the punks may need medical attention, but that's neither here nor there. The threat is gone, we're going home, see you in the morning.

Love, Rini & Michelle.

 

As she closed her phone, LS's facial features darkened, from a neutral expression to an angry scowl. The councilman saw this, and displayed a large smug smile.

"You dead dog, may your mother curse the day she ever bore you!" She spat out in a hushed stage whisper.

The rest of the women thought the insult was strange, though it sounded like what someone would say in the King James Version of the Old Testament. Cao and Kim however, both had shocked looks on their faces.

"Uh oh," Kim said.

"Now, my little nemesis, I believe the tide has turned," Johnson said. "Now that you have heard from my men who made a visit over to your parent's house, let's talk about those "arrangements' that you didn't want to make."

"No," LS said flatly. "Those were my friends who took care of your men; my parents are fine." As the councilman's face turned ashen, she continued. "You know, a part of me believed that even you would not stoop so low as to attack one's family like a common gangster, but I see I was wrong."

"Maybe we can still work something out." Johnson had started to rise from his chair, and move behind it to use as an impromptu shield.

"Work something out? Oh we are past that? Do you remember what I said would happen if you dared to make a move against my friends and family?" LS started to move forward.

"LS, I wasn't really going to-"

"DO YOU? I believe I was going to make you regret that I didn't take care of things in your office once and for all."

Kim and Cao made frantic hand motions to the rest of the women. From the looks on the faces of the two women, they saw not to argue as they rushed forward. To LS, the rest of the world didn't exist, except for her, and her prey standing in front of her. Johnson saw the look in LS's eyes, and began to realize that his continued existence may depend on what he does in the next few seconds. In his desk's front drawer was a revolver. Nothing fancy, just a registered handgun, something to use in the rare chance that something life-threatening might happen in his house. And that time was now. Fortunately the drawer was unlocked. In a split-second, he could pull the drawer and yank the gun out to keep her at bay at least. The timing had to be just right.

"Now despite the fact I want to rip your head off, councilman, I am a fair woman. I believe you still have a choice to make. What you choose now may make things a little easier, and maybe a little painless. A little, not a lot. What do you choose, Johnson?" LS asked, taking another step.

The councilman thought very carefully. He still had the chair in-between them, and the drawer not far from his right hand. She may have offered him a choice, but he would be crazy to let his guard down now. In the face-off, Johnson made a crucial mistake by directing his eyes toward his desk drawer.

"I knew I could count on you to do something stupid, councilman," LS said.

What happened next took only seconds, though to everyone there, time appeared to slow down. LS ducked low, and with her right hand, flung the heavy office chair out of the way, almost having it roll behind her. With a speed he didn't know he had, Councilman Johnson yanked open the drawer, and drew the gun. But drawing the gun was the only thing he was able to do. With her left arm, LS executed her hand sweep, her hand striking Johnson's legs at the ankles. The councilman then found himself flying backwards. As his back hit the carpeted floor, the revolver took a flight of its own, landing in one of the large potted plants sitting beside the desk.

The other women moved as one toward the two combatants, but Kim and Cao were the only ones who were close enough to matter. As they went after LS, they now had the new obstacle of the office chair that rolled in their way. Kim tripped over it and fell to her knees. With muscles developed from hours of working out in the gym, Cao picked it up and threw it to a corner of the room, just being mindful enough to make sure it avoided the other women behind her. Having removed the chair, Cao dove forward.

At this point, LS sat on Johnson's legs, pinning him down. In pure horror, Johnson looked at LS's face, which was in pure rage, realizing that it may the last sight he would see in this life. A myriad of possibilities flew at light speed through her mind. To take her fists and pound his head until it broke like a pi#ata might be satisfying, but it would take too long. A palm heel strike to the nose, breaking it, and shoving the bones into his brain could do it, but it wasn't always successful. There was a wide variety of judo chokes and strangles she had in her repertoire that could put him down in a few seconds, but that wasn't quick enough. Finally she found the right thing. Forming her hand into the shape of an eagle's claw, she readied it to strike and rip out his throat, or at the very least, dislodge his larynx. The claw wasn't a standard judo technique, belonging more to kung fu, but technique was the last thing on LS's mind at the moment. With a look of rage, she raised her hand to make the fatal strike. Before she did so, she heard a voice cutting through the red haze in her mind.

"LS, don't do it!" Kim cried from the floor where she fell.

LS considered it for a split-second, but then the memory of that attack at Lewis' apartment, the attack at the dojo, the attack at her apartment building, and finally the attack on her family. No, he must pay; this has to stop, she thought, as she finished raising her hand for a final strike.

With anger burning in her eyes, she started her strike, only to find out her hand wouldn't move. She tried again, but it wouldn't lodge. She finally turned to see what the problem was. Cao had two arms wrapped around hers in a desperate death grip.

"Don't do it, Love, he's not worth it," Cao whispered to her.

Kim got up to take LS's other arm, so she and Cao could pull her away. The other women arrived to help; Janelle moved in-between LS and Johnson.

Calm rationality returned to LS, along with the realization that she was just a moment away from ending someone's life.

"You can let me go now," she said. Both women slowly released her arms. She turned and walked around the desk.

Johnson still lay on the floor, his mouth moving like a fish, trying to say something. Janelle turned to face him.

"Shut ' up," she said before walking away.

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. Then LS turned to the others and said, "Let's go home."

"Just wait outside, everybody. I'll go and fetch the van, it won't take long," Betty said as she trotted out of the house and into the night.

Everyone quickly left the room, except for two women, Cao, Kim, and May. Kim and Cao walked back and faced the councilman, who was still lying on the floor. May stayed where she was at in front of the desk.

"Th-thank you," Johnson managed to say.

"What you need to do is to quit your office, pack your things, and leave," Kim said evenly. "Cao and I saved your life tonight. The next time, we may not be able to hold her back. And I'm not sure I'll want to." She turned and left. Cao considered saying something, but since Kim echoed the same sentiments she had, she just turned and followed her cousin. May stood and gave Johnson the same burning stare she had given him throughout the evening. Despite his befuddled state, recognition started to come to the councilman concerning the face that glared at him.

"Wait a minute, I know who you are now, you're-" he started to say, but May turned and walked out the door, following the others.

 

In the morning, at LS's apartment, aside from a "Good morning," LS and Janelle conducted their workout in silence. LS told Janelle that they were going to eat breakfast at Kim's parent's house, to which Janelle told her it wasn't a problem. It wasn't a normal gesture for either woman to turn on the television after their morning exercises, but regarding the events of the night before, it may be a nice idea to see if they made the state's most wanted list. After they showered and changed, LS took her television remote and turned it on.

"Our breaking news story for today is Councilman Michael Johnson has suddenly resigned," the television reporter said. "No explanation was given as to why he did so. His secretary said he came to the office, and handed her his letter of resignation to be read in a press conference. The letter said-"

LS turned off the TV. She had no desire to hear what the letter said.

Though a mighty victory had been won, neither woman was in a celebratory mood. LS turned to Janelle.

"I suppose you see me now as some cruel sadistic monster," LS said.

"Why would you say that?" Janelle asked.

"Janelle, I almost killed a man last night. All I wanted to do was use those tapes to get him out of office, and out of my life. But when I found out he sent some goons out to attack my mom and dad, I lost it. I did not just want his resignation, I wanted his blood. I wanted to finish him as soon as possible. And you know what the scary thing was? I was running all the options through my mind on how I could do it. I wanted to rip his throat out, Janelle. I heard Kim telling me to stop, but when I thought of all the attacks he launched on my boyfriend, my dojo, my cousin, and finally, my parents, I lost it. If it was not for Cao hanging on to my arm for dear life . . . well, I would rather not dwell on that."

"LS, you faced someone who pushed you to the edge," Janelle replied. "I thought about last night, well, I thought about it a lot, actually, and if it was me, I would've done the same thing, except I would either choke him or snap his neck. What was that thing you did with your hand, anyway?"

"Oh, that was an Eagle Claw. One of my relatives knows that style of kung fu, and one day during one of our family reunions, he showed it to me. I guess among our group, Cao would be the only other one to know what it was."

"Okay. Another thing. Do you always deliver curses from the Old Testament when you're really angry?"

LS laughed. "Boy, I must have been really steamed. There is a story about that."

LS's phone rang. She got up to answer it.

"Hello Kim," she said, already knowing whom it was. "Yes, I saw the news. No, I did not hear what the letter said; it was probably some bureaucratic garbage about how he came to that decision, how it pained him to leave, and so on. Yes, we will be over for breakfast. How am I feeling? Ask me that again after breakfast. Oh, have your mom set another place at the table, I will call May and invite her over, it is only fair since she was with us last night. Okay, I will see you soon; bye."

"So how is Kim feeling?"

"I am not sure, but I think "half-dead' might be the word for it. Let us get ready, and I will tell you that story."

 

At the Chang's household, Sonny and Jacqueline were happy about the news, but the women weren't as enthusiastic, mainly because they were half-asleep. Despite some good-natured ribbing from Jacqueline about the evils of staying out late, breakfast went well. May made a brief appearance; she had to get to work before "they realized they missed her," she said. Later on, Cao and Rhonda came over, soon to be followed by Rini and Michelle, the latter two to catch the remnants of breakfast, and to find out what really happened last night. Mai dropped by briefly, as promised, and made Jon introduce her to everyone. After she met the new women, she asked them a couple of introductory questions. Once her curiosity was satisfied, she said her goodbyes and went to work.

"Mai strikes me as a strange bird," Betty said, as her, Janelle, and Susan stood in front of the sink, doing dishes. They figured as much as they ate there the last few days, washing a few plates was the least they could do.

"Yeah, with all those questions, I felt more like I was being probed," Janelle replied.

"I know she asked me a few questions, but then again, considering what I do, I'm used to that," Susan stated. "But she really drilled you, Betty."

"No kidding! She asked me stuff that I only hear from customers and other mechanics. It felt like a pop quiz," Betty said. "I wonder why."

"Who knows? Maybe she has a passing interest in cars. Just as long as she didn't ask me what I was doing last night, it's no big deal," Janelle replied.

"If anyone asks me outside of our group, I'll tell them I went on vacation. But I can't wait to go back to work so I can get some rest."

"Amen to that."

"Hey you two, what did you think about last night?" Susan asked.

"I think we're going to have a meeting regarding that subject," Betty said, "and then you can ask me later."

"Why so late?" Janelle asked.

"Because I'm going to take a nap."

As Betty predicted, LS and Kim entered the kitchen, and told them everybody would be meeting by the garden in a few minutes. When they met, with the exception of Michelle, Rini, and Jon, everyone seemed to drag just a little.

"Before I deliver my remarks, I just want to hear what everybody else's thoughts are about what we have done," LS said.

"From what I've been hearing on the news, we're responsible for one of the biggest news stories of the year in this area; something that will make the history books," Betty said. "Only we can't tell anybody about it; at least not too many people around here. Back home, I, I'm not really sure what to tell them. Part of me still can't believe we did it."

"I think Betty speaks for me as well," Susan replied.

"Same here," Janelle said.

"Michelle and I wanted more people to beat up," Rini joked.

"Rini, Michelle, you have my deepest thanks for what you did last night. I can never repay what you have done," LS said. "And to the rest of you, I thank you deeply. Regarding last night, I would like to apologize for how I acted last night. I have been told by some of you that you would probably do the same thing, but that still doesn't make me feel better. But I believe I can safely say that my days of street justice for lack of a better word are completed. The streets are safe again, and one of the main causes for it is gone."

"LS," Kim began, "I'm not going to go into what happened last night, nor rehash how we could've done things differently. I'm just glad what could've happened didn't happen, because I really don't want to have to split my time coming here to visit you in prison."

"That was a joke, by the way," Jon said.

After that clarification, everybody laughed.

"And people wonder why I don't tell jokes more often," Kim replied.

"Well enough of that. Everybody ready to go home?" LS asked.

After the visiting party said yes, Susan said, "It may take a little while. Our driver wants to nap first."

"That is fine, I need to pack anyway," LS replied.

Rhonda, Cao, Rini, Michelle, and Jon hugged everyone before they had to head their separate ways. Betty drove Janelle and LS back to the apartment, then returned to the house, quickly packed, called Irena at the shop that they'll be home later that day, and then promptly collapsed on the bed, and was out like a light for the next few hours.

 

It turned out Betty's remark about what they achieved being a big news story was an understatement. Repercussions of the councilman's resignation extended statewide. Later that year, Johnson's opponent won easily and almost unopposed. But before that happened, other things occurred as well.

In a more secluded area of town, the Wilson family was sitting in front of their television. Breakfast was filled with the usual conversation about work, how classes were at college, among other things, when the son, Roger, turned on the TV to find some sports scores. Instead, he received news about the councilman's sudden resignation, and called everyone in the house to see the dramatic turn of events.

"Can it be true?" Jessica, the wife and mother said, almost to herself. Self-consciously, she stroked her left temple where one of Johnson's crooked cops struck her with a Billy club.

[Author's Note: The story behind what happened to the Wilson family is documented in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. You should know where it is by now ' Mongoose.]

"If so, then our nightmare is over," Kyle remarked. The last couple of years seemed like they were refugees in Nazi Germany. He had to work out of town a lot, while his son attended a private school, and the daughter, Heather, went to Indiana University in Bloomington, an hour away. Jessica almost became a prisoner in her own home. She had to quit her job, and had to look over her shoulder any time she ventured outside the doors. To that end, a bodyguard, Jake, was hired to make sure no one would approach them. All this was because Kyle refused to play the councilman's games of manipulation and deceit.

The whole family watched the news, double-checking in a way that what they heard was no hoax, and then Heather got up from the sofa. "Come on mother, let's get dressed," she said.

"Get dressed, where are we going?" Jessica asked.

"To the police station. There's a woman in there who saved our lives who's in there for no reason at all, and I want to get her out."

"You are right. Kyle, I must go with her. I don't know what would've happened if it wasn't for her. She sacrificed a lot for us," Jessica said to her husband.

"I understand honey. Still, take Jake with you. He might be gone, but his goons might not know that yet," Kyle replied.

As the two women ran off to their bedrooms to get changed, Roger turned to his father and said, "Dad, will this mean I can go to a normal school again?"

"I hope so, son, that school is not cheap."

"And I won't be surrounded by stuck up people all the time."

"Oh come on, they're not that bad, are they?"

"One of them called basketball a "sport of barbarians,' and suggested that polo should be the sport everybody should play."

"Polo? They're worse than I thought. Don't worry son, by this August, I'll make sure you'll be back in a regular high school with your fellow "barbarians,'" Kyle laughed.

Kyle slowly was starting to feel relieved, relieved that the hell he put his family through was finally going away. He was a promising building contractor who wanted to make sure his family would live well. Johnson saw his eagerness and preyed on it, promising Kyle his family would never want for anything if he would do a "couple of deals.' A "couple of deals' soon turned into almost every deal until he said enough was enough. In time, his family forgave him for his mistake, but it still took twice that long for him to forgive himself. Now at last, he can walk the streets of the town he called home without feeling like a criminal.

 

At the local police station, Chief of Police Daniel Butler was on the phone. He was a black man in his fifties with salt and pepper hair, an average build, and a normally tired face that had brightened up for the first time in years.

"Really? You sure? Well it's about time! You just made my day. Thank you."

He hung up the phone, and smiled at his lieutenant.

"What's going on, chief?" The lieutenant asked.

"Come with me," the chief answered.

They walked over to a desk that was literally covered with paperwork, and not all of it was police business either. Behind the desk sat a 6'6" unkempt police officer sitting back with his feet on the desk and halfway through a box of doughnuts. He regarded Chief Butler with a bored expression.

"Mr. Allen, by the power invested in me as the Chief of Police, and to the relief of all the officers who respect their uniform and badge, I hereby terminate your employment as a police officer, effective immediately," the chief said, trying his hardest not to sound enthusiastic.

"You can't fire me," Matt Allen said, spraying bits of doughnuts everywhere. "The Councilman-"

"The councilman is gone, Allen. He's flown the coop. Now it's time for you to do the same. I'll take your gun and badge right now.

Allen grudgingly handed them over.

"You now have twenty minutes to clean out your desk," the chief continued.

"You can't do this to me! I'll sue!" Allen protested.

"You now have fifteen minutes. If you're not done, I'll personally throw you out. And whenever your slob of a partner comes in, I'll tell him the same thing. And Allen, your dismissal will run through this town like a forest fire. I'll bet there's a number of people who'll want to get their hands on you. So after you leave here, you better run, and run fast, because we might be looking the other way."

The chief turned and went back to his office, but not before he received a standing ovation from his fellow police officers, staff, and even some of the criminals.

[Author's Note: Again, you'll find out more about Officer, or rather ex-officer Allen in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. ' Mongoose.]

 

Normally in things dealing with bureaucracy, the paperwork concerning requests and other things tend to go slowly. However, there were exceptions to the rule. With the sudden absence of the councilman, numerous requests were sent through with lightning speed. Well, lightning speed in comparison to how fast normal requests go through, relatively speaking; this is the government after all. One request in particular ran through the system quickly.

A month later on a Wednesday morning at a woman's correctional facility (or women's prison, to put it bluntly), during a morning recess, the prisoners filled the courtyard. In the center of this courtyard, there was a group of about twenty prisoners performing tai-chi exercises. At the front of this group stood a Filipino woman who stood 5'6 #", with shoulder-length, wavy black hair. Her build when she first entered was athletic-looking, but from the time spent in the prison gym over the last four years, it had became more muscular, particularly in the arms.

Caroline Barusta was leading her "class" through its regular morning tai chi session. Later that day during the afternoon recess, she would teach a slightly smaller class aikido lessons. The guards didn't mind her teaching the inmates these two forms of self-defense; in fact, since she had done so, the number of conflicts between inmates had dwindled considerably. Even some of the guards themselves attend these morning sessions with the inmates. Over the last four years, she became a popular inmate.

Dressed in her standard issue orange jumpsuit, peeled down to the waist to reveal a white T-shirt, and barefoot, she was leading the women through the movement "Pat the Wild Horse's Mane" when she saw two prison guards headed her way. They allowed her to finish the movement and tell her "assistant," Maxine, a 6'2" black woman to lead them into "White Crane Spreads its Wings."

"Yes ma'am?" Caroline asked.

The first guard, a tall blonde woman almost the same size as Maxine, said loudly, "Ms. Barusta, you're needed in the warden's office immediately."

"Sure; what did I do?"

"Nothing!" The second guard, a stocky Hispanic woman the same height as Caroline replied.

"Nothing?" Caroline asked, reaching down to pull her jumpsuit up.

The guards started laughing. "That's right, nothing; you're going home," the tall blond said.

"Going home?"

Maxine stopped what she was doing and turned Caroline around. "Let me break this into words you can understand honey; go home! You're free! Get out of here!"

The Hispanic guard laid a hand on her shoulder. "The councilman resigned, so now all the prisoners he put in here and the men's prison for whatever dumb reason are being set free. Besides, you should get a medal for beating up that stupid cop," she said.

[Author's Note: A reminder; that "stupid cop" you'll find once again in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. ' you know who I am!]

Caroline stood there stunned, like she didn't know what to do next. She knew in her heart that she would be free soon, but she had no idea when that actual date was. Still, regardless of what she knew, it was still a shock to the system to hear those words.

"Permission to kick the prisoner in the butt so she'll leave, ma'am?" Maxine asked the guards.

"That won't be necessary," the blond said, laughing. She and the other guard gently took Caroline by the arm to escort her.

"I'm going home!" She cried to the other inmates, tears running down her cheeks.

And her fellow, now former inmates cheered in approval.

Later, after she packed, or rather threw and stuffed everything that belonged to her in a box, and nearly broke Maxine's ribs hugging her goodbye, she appeared at the warden's office in the clothes she was originally arrested in. The warden, a fifty-something Hispanic woman wearing a smart navy blue business suit, greeted her with a smile.

"See, I told you I'd get you out before your sentence was up!" She said. "Actually, it appeared matters took care of themselves. The councilman quit, so lawyers and everybody are working like mad to get the wrongly accused out of this place. Those two witnesses you saved from bodily harm made their way to the police station not long after the news was broadcast that morning. In fact, the Chief of Police fired those goons soon after. Now they're going after them, since they're now charged with Police Brutality."

Caroline was going to say something, but she couldn't think of anything, except to croak the words, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. By the way, your bunkmate will be out soon too. It may take a little longer since she punched out her ex pretty good, but not much longer. Why are you still standing there, go already!"

Caroline almost ran out of the office, and almost ran out of the prison. As the gates closed behind her, she saw her family, her mother and stepfather, her sister, and little brother, who could now stand on his own, she really started running. They stood there for a while in a long overdue embrace.

"Take me home!" She yelled.

"We're on our way, baby," Sharon, her mother said, as they moved to the car.

 

The crew arrived at Betty's garage later that evening (Betty's nap lasted until early afternoon, but by the time she woke up, she had to rouse a few of the others who were napping. After a short lunch and a thank you to Kim's parents, they finally left). They arrived to a warm welcome from their friends and boyfriends. Susan almost flew out of the van to embrace David warmly for a long time. Janelle did the same with Benjamin, until he pleaded for her to let him go, lest his ribs gave way. LS was a little more deliberate as she hugged and kissed Lewis passionately.

"I missed you, beloved," she said.

"Same here, Love," Lewis replied.

"I am tired, but before I go to Kim and Jasmine's place, let me check out this place that Velvet provided for you to stay while we were gone."

"Okay. The kitchen is a little dirty though."

"That is all right."

She told everyone she'd see them tomorrow, with the exception of Kim and Jasmine, who she would see later that evening. She paused to tell Velvet where they were headed, and gave her a wink. Velvet replied with a thumbs up. Billy saw that last transaction, and asked Kevin (he didn't dare ask Irena) what could be going on.

"So the others were right," Kevin said, shaking his head. From what he gleaned from Loretta and what he noticed, he had some idea.

"What?" Billy asked.

"You really are clueless, aren't you?" He replied and walked away.

"What?"

"What is it now, William?" Irena asked, walking up to him.

"Nothing."

Loretta walked over to Jasmine and Kim, who were talking with Velvet. "Were they going where I think they're going?" She asked.

"Yep," Jasmine replied, "and I'm not going to bed until I hear the answer."

"Then you can wake me up," Kim remarked. "I'm still wore out."

"As soon as you find out, call me; I don't care what time it is," Velvet said.

"That goes for all of us, I believe," Loretta replied.

Betty saw the four women giggling like schoolgirls and said, "Normally I would ask what you four are laughing about, but I'm too tired to care. Irena, I think I'll come in a little late tomorrow." She turned to Susan/David and Janelle/Benjamin. "And you four, break it up! I'm going to my house and sleep for a week. Ladies, gentlemen, I'll see you later." And she started walking toward her house, which was next door.

"I'm not sure, but I think she just threw us out," Jesse remarked.

"Well she does have a point, I'm beat myself," Susan said.

"Yeah, me too," Janelle agreed. "We can resume this tomorrow."

"I agree, the archives wait for no man. Bye everybody," Kevin said, making a point to discreetly wave to Loretta who smiled back at him.

Everyone filtered out, until only Irena and Billy were left. Irena took the opportunity to set some things up for the next day.

"So babe, you want to go out and have a late night snack?" Billy asked, sitting on Irena's desk in the office.

Irena sighed and said, "Sounds nice, but I can't," she said.

"Why not? It's not that late."

"No, it's because you're suspended."

Billy looked at her confused. "Suspended? From what?"

Irena stopped what she was doing for a moment and looked at him. "My past in the fight game was and is something I take rather seriously. And for someone who's supposed to be close to me to be flippant about it upsets me a little. So for a time, you are being disciplined."

"But I said I was sorry! I saw the DVD's, I know what you're about now," Billy pleaded.

"It shouldn't have took the DVD's for you to get an understanding of "what I'm about,' William. You can call me, and we'll get together on group events, but for right now, no going out."

"Now wait a minute, I think I'm an absolute gentleman when we're out."

"This isn't for just you, it's for me too."

"For you too? Is there someone else?"

"No, I'm doing this so when I do see you, I'll want to hug you, and not put you in a headlock and throw you to the ground."

"Hey, that might sound like fun!" Billy quipped. Irena glared at him. "Hey, it's a joke!"

"From those two moves alone, I know a few techniques that could dislocate your limbs or break bone. No, for you, that would not be "fun.'"

"So you're really angry."

"Now you're becoming a little more perceptive. But I'm more hurt than angry."

"How long will this take?"

"It will take longer if you keep asking me. Besides I said earlier you can call me and we can do group events."

"Outside of church, when will the next group event be?"

Irena thought about what her and most of the others saw coming, but she shook your head. "You'll find out. Goodnight, William."

"But-"

"Goodnight, William. I need to lock the door."

For Billy, it was a long walk to his house, even though it was next door.

Meanwhile, as the couple arrived at the house, LS said, "Care to give me the grand tour?"

"Sure. I don't know if I'll do as well as the realtor with the prospective buyers, but I'll give it a try," Lewis replied.

After he showed her around, he turned to LS and said, "Nice house, isn't it?"

"Yes, very nice. I did take a quick look at it before you settled in. Let us sit down, Lewis."

"Sure Love. Why are you smiling?"

"Beloved, do you remember what we discussed back at your apartment?"

"Uh, refresh my memory; so many things happened since then."

"I am referring to our conversation about finding a place to live, and what would happen if we found a particular dwelling, like a house?"

"Ah yes, I remember now. Well this house is real nice, but it's waiting for the prospective buyers to make a decision, so we'll have to look for adjoining apartments again," Lewis explained.

LS just smiled.

"What are you smiling about, Love?"

LS continued smiling.

"We couldn't buy this house if we wanted to, because we're not the prospective buyer."

LS smiled and cocked her head.

"Wait a minute, we're the prospective buyers, aren't we?"

LS's smile brightened.

"Blast it, Love, you fooled me!"

"No beloved, I caught you, fair and square. And do not tell me you do not like the house, because I can tell how much you love it, especially the kitchen. Everything was to both our likings when I surveyed it earlier; the kitchen was the acid test," LS said. "You are busted. Now that we have found a house, and a nice place to live, there are other matters to discuss."

"Like what?"

"Outside or indoors?"

"What?"

 

The wedding was beautiful.

The groom wore a classic white tuxedo with tails, while the bride wore a flowing white kimono and a white floral wreath upon her head. And of course, no shoes. The kimono was long enough to hide that fact to protect the sensibilities of the more squeamish and self-proclaimed officers of the "shoe police." But if they wanted to take a closer look, none of the bridesmaids (except for Jasmine, who adamantly refused) wore shoes either. Instead, they wore sheer white hose underneath their white kimonos. One of them, who's been a bridesmaid before, said that was the most comfortable she's felt in a wedding, not having to deal with shoes that pinched her feet.

The ceremony was held in a gazebo overlooking a lake at one of the prettiest parks in Central Indiana. The bride and groom gazed at each other throughout the whole ceremony. So much so, it was as if they shut out the world around them; the beautiful setting, the large crowd, the nice weather, everything. The only exception was when they broke their concentration long enough to hear the minister's admonition to both of them, and when they said "yes," "I will," and "I do." To make things even more intense, the bride and groom both quoted to each other verses from the Song of Songs, a book of love from the Old Testament. Some people blushed, fanned themselves, and took notes. In the audience, Sonny and Jacqueline listened to the erotic verses and gazed at each other. For them, it would be another early night to turn in. The minister found himself growing a little warm, and he knew about the scriptures beforehand.

Finally the words came that both were waiting for, "You may now kiss the bride." And kiss they did, a light, passionate kiss that spoke of promises to be fulfilled later that night.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Spaulding," the preacher declared. There was light applause, but near the rear of the audience, high-fives were delivered, and money changed hands. Kim reflected on this with a sly grin. She normally wasn't a betting woman, but on this day she knew she would be significantly richer. She knew it would be only a matter of time before her cousin got married to her longtime friend, she just didn't know when. In any case, she looked forward to collecting the winnings after the ceremony was over.

The reception was outdoors as well, with plenty of food, music, and dancing. Betty, wearing a light blue dress, ditched her shoes before the couple's "I do's" were shared. She walked across the lawn preparing to do something she's done only on occasions like this. Her opportunity to dance with Jon seemed to go away when she saw him dancing with another woman. That in itself was no problem until she saw what looked like a small line of women waiting to dance with him, Michelle and Rini among them.

As the two marital art teachers and friends waited their turn, Michelle turned to Rini with a revelation.

"Hey Rini, how long has Jasmine and Kim been living out of town?" She asked.

"A few years, why?" Rini replied.

"So except for them making occasional visits, what's keeping us from our initial pursuit?" Michelle continued, nodding towards Jon.

Rini thought for a moment, and then a warm smile spread over her face. "Why nothing, nothing at all."

Michelle returned her smile. "I think this summer, it's time to declare open season on Jon Chang."

"Effective immediately; and to the victor goes the spoils."

Both women exchanged a high-five, and started plotting to themselves privately when and how they would go out with their longtime crush.

Meanwhile back on the lawn, Betty just shrugged and walked the other way. No wonder his sisters are overprotective of him, she thought. His charisma was so strong, women couldn't seem to leave him alone. It was just as well she wasn't dancing with him; Kim would probably see them and make a big deal about it anyway.

Speaking of Betty's friend and sensei, she found Kim among a group of people collecting money. In fact, the little white purse seemed to be bursting with bills. It took no time at all for Betty to figure out what the wager was placed on.

"Shame on you, making money from your cousin's wedding!" Betty said when the two were alone. "Does she know about this?"

"No, and she's not going to know, is she?" Kim replied, her eyes boring a hole into Betty's.

"Uh, no; not from me," was Betty's response.

"There was some people fool enough to think LS and Lewis would never get married, and some people who were even more fool enough to think LS would never get married. When they came to me with this, and dared to bet me, they didn't figure in one thing."

"What's that?"

"That I'm right."

"Oh. So what are you going to do with the money?"

"Oh I'm not sure, maybe buy a new laptop with everything, maybe put it in a special bank account, who knows."

"Well since you seem to know these things, when do you think Jasmine or Jon will be getting married?"

"I would have better progress telling you who's going to win the next presidential election."

"You know who's running?"

"No. My sister's life is so private, I would've hired a private detective if I knew she couldn't catch him. And regarding my brother, with Jasmine and I living out of town, it would make it hard to screen out potential candidates."

"Potential candidates?" Betty asked.

"Yes, it would be a long and painful process. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll need to put away my winnings before anyone else notices."

As Kim quickly walked away, covering her purse, Betty said to herself surely she's joking about having Jon's lady friends screened. If that was the case, the poor boy may be looking at middle age before he dated again. Maybe he should move out . . .

"Hey Betty, where's Kim going in such a hurry?" A voice asked from behind her.

Startled, Betty sputtered, "She went to her car to put something up. She'll be right back." She then turned to see a 5'9" slim red-haired woman with long hair in a red dress, dangling her sandals from her fingers.

"Oh hi, Crimson, I didn't realize it was you."

"Yeah, it's been a while. And "Crimson' is only my stage name. You can call me Gayla like my good friends do," Gayla said.

[Author's Note: Crimson/Gayla you can find if you go way back in my library to the story An Invitation. I promised myself I would use her again if I get the chance, but it's been a while. In fact, I had to look up the title of the story she was in for this note. How about that? ' Mongoose.]

"Sorry. So Gayla, what's going on?"

"Since I last saw you, I got married myself, private ceremony, cruised the martial arts circuit, and kept my little company ahead of the game. I understood you had quite an adventure with my van."

Betty's jaw dropped open. "That was your van? I had no idea! I-" Gayla held up her hand, stopping her.

"Don't worry about it. You gave it a good road test, which proved to me it was in good shape with all the bells and whistles. Besides, we ended up kind of raw the last time we met, so this was my way of making it up to you."

"Oh, I was just in a weird place that day."

"No, I was giving advice that wasn't necessarily ' necessary. I just met you; I had no reason for saying that."

"Forget it. Do you still have your "Happy Hunting Ground'?"

"Yeah, but I don't use it as much as I would like. The prey has become scarce around here for some reason. I mean that's good, but it's bad, know what I mean?"

"Yeah. You should've gone with us a month ago. I had enough fighting to last me for a long time," Betty said.

"That would've been nice, but I'm domesticated now. I can't have the hubby worrying about me too much. Anyway, I need to take my leave, there's another event I have to attend. I already gave my regards to the bride and groom and the others, so I wanted to say hey to you before I left. I'll drop by the garage sometime."

"Sounds great," Betty replied sincerely.

"One more thing." Gayla pulled a check from her purse. "For all you did to "pimp my ride,' sister."

Betty took the check without looking at it. "I'm eager to please," she said.

"Be seeing you," Gayla waved as she took off toward her yellow Hummer.

Betty waved and opened her little purse to put the check in. Because of the purse's size, Betty would have to fold the check in half. It was then that she saw the actual amount Gayla gave her.

"Wha-what is this?" She barely managed to utter.

"Oh, that's just a little tip on top of the standard amount. Bye," Gayla called back on her way out.

Betty stood there transfixed, staring at the fleeting figure of Gayla, and looking down at her check. A minute later, Irena found her. She was wearing a sleeveless dark blue dress that bared her shoulders, and no shoes.

"Betty, have you seen Gayla yet? She wanted to talk to you about her van," she said. "Are you okay, you look like you've seen a ghost!"

Betty by way of response flashed the check in her face, making sure she saw the dollar amount. Irena whispered the Russian equivalent of "Wow," and looked as ashen as Betty. After a minute or two, she recovered enough to ask Betty a question.

"So what are you going to do with it?"

"I don't know. I think I'm going to put the check in my purse, and put it in the car, and then lock the doors; maybe I'll lock the keys in with the car. Maybe when I come home tonight, I'll believe what happened," Betty said.

"I guess this takes care of our Christmas bonus," Irena joked.

"I think it takes care of the next few Christmas' to come. And in case there was any doubt, hire a third mechanic."

"How do you want to go about that?"

"I don't know. I originally came this way to dance, but I think I'm going to sit down instead. I feel a little faint."

"I think I'll join you," Irena agreed.

In another part of the reception area, not far from where the food and drinks were served, Jasmine was talking to the new bride, and the two future brides-to-be, Susan and Janelle, playing catch-up on what she missed.

"Sounds like I missed a lot," Jasmine said.

"From what you told me, you had some excitement going on yourself," Janelle replied.

"Jasmine, where is Kim? I thought I saw her running to her car," LS asked.

"Oh she's just putting her purse away. It was becoming a burden," Jasmine said, phrasing her answer carefully. She figured she might get a little upset if she found out her cousin made a small mint on her wedding.

"Yeah, give me pockets any day," Susan remarked.

Michelle and Rini appeared, much to Jasmine's relief so she wouldn't have to cover for her sister. Michelle was wearing a sleeveless white summer dress, while Rini was wearing a spaghetti-strap blue cocktail dress with a slit up the sides. Rini looked at Jasmine with a devious grin on her face.

"Hey Jas, guess what kind of shoes I'm wearing?" She said.

"Oh come on, Rini, we all know you don't wear shoes at all if you don't have to," Jasmine started, then stopped as Rini raised up her skirt to reveal blue hose with a lace design, and clear blue slides, otherwise known as mules. Rini and Michelle burst out laughing; Jasmine was speechless.

"In all the years I've know Jas, she has never seen me with shoes," Rini explained. "Today, I had to pull this stunt, plus I wanted to prove that I do own a few pairs. Of course, I had to take them off when I was dancing. How do people move in those things anyway?"

"You got me," Janelle agreed.

"Well I brought some too, but I believe I left them at the dance floor," Michelle said. "I'll get them later, they'll be okay."

Janelle placed a hand on Jasmine's shoulder and said, "You know, you might as well give it up and join us, Jasmine. Kick off your shoes; you don't know what you're missing," she said.

Jasmine just gave her a dirty look.

Kim, who joined the group, said, "Let me guess, once again, you're taking part in the "never-ending' struggle."

"I gave up that struggle a long time ago," LS replied. "The woman is stubborn."

Jasmine gave her a dirty look. "Don't you have a husband around here someplace?"

"Yes, but I let him talk to the guys for a while. I am giving him an illusion of freedom before I take it away forever."

While they were laughing, Susan saw May pouring herself a cup of punch nearby. She wore a purple pastel dress and matching heels. "Hey, there's May our fearless "giant killer,'" she remarked.

"Ah yes, she was a tremendous help for us," LS added.

Jasmine watching her carefully, said, "Yes, I see she's bulked up since the last time I saw her."

"You know her?" LS asked.

"Yes, that's Caroline's sister."

That stopped everyone in their tracks.

"You mean your friend Caroline?"

"Of course; you didn't know?"

"Oh my, I don't know how I missed her; I mean she's changed, but I ' we were even in the same room, how -" Rini sputtered.

"Yeah, what you said," Michelle agreed.

"No wonder she fully agreed to go with us," Janelle said. "I would too if my sister was in the same situation."

"How come you didn't know, LS?" Susan asked.

"I never asked," LS answered. "I try not to make it a practice to ask too many questions on why they join my class. I just know she appeared on my doorstep before I even opened my dojo."

"Well she is an excellent student," Kim said as she saw May take a sip and head their way.

"I apologize for being late, sensei; I had another obligation to attend," May said.

"That is quite all right, May, I am glad you are here," LS replied.

"And my sister Caroline said she wanted to attend, but she wanted to spend the time with her family."

"You mean she's free?" Jasmine asked.

"As of ten this morning."

The group was awestruck for a second, absorbing the news. Then Jasmine rushed forward, kissed LS on the cheek, and said, "It was a beautiful wedding, cousin; I got to go." She ran off toward her car.

"Jas, wait for us!" Rini yelled, pulling off her shoes so she could catch up. "Wait, Michelle, your shoes-"

"Forget the shoes, let's go!" Michelle yelled as she ran after Jasmine.

LS watched them go, and then turned to May. "Goodness, May, I had no idea-"

"You never asked," May replied, "and I never offered. In the long run, it was better that way. I wanted to be known as your student, not Caroline's sister, or "Caroline's sister, who's been thrown in jail for no reason,' and I wanted to know all you knew about judo, not your sympathy on a regular basis. Not that you would intentionally do so, but it would be there. Caroline told me to come to you, because you were one of the best, and judo would be the best discipline for me."

"But to suffer like that for four years; that must be awful," Susan said.

"My sister forbade me from attempting anything; one of the reasons being that she was thoroughly convinced that her deliverance would be soon. I didn't understand it, but I believed her. And today, that day has come."

"Wow," Kim said, an expression that was unusual for her. The others nodded their agreement.

"I want to congratulate the groom," May continued, "but first, I wanted to thank you teacher, for being the main tool in freeing my sister. I must admit, you were more merciful with the councilman than I would've been."

As May walked off to see Lewis, LS said, more to herself, "Yes, I believe you are right."

"I don't think we would've been able to stop her," Kim reflected.

"Yet another reason why Johnson should be thankful he's still able to draw breath," Janelle remarked.

"Well, he is not my problem anymore, so you know what I am going to do? Since I am now a married woman, I am going to get the man of my dreams, and ask him to dance with me," LS replied. "By the way, Kim, you may want to rescue your little brother. He is beginning to look a little tired."

"Really? Who's he dancing with now?" Kim asked.

"Looks like he's dancing with Betty," Janelle observed before she received an elbow from Susan.

"Well we can't have that! And what is that, a line? Time to break things up," Kim went on as she walked off with LS.

Janelle turned to Susan, confused.

"What?" She asked.

 

Epilogue:

 

No one knew for sure where former councilman Johnson went. Some had speculated that he just moved to the more remote corner of town, most likely planning his comeback, others had speculated that he moved to Cuba (Cuba?). In any case, outstanding warrants for his arrest made any type of comeback unlikely. Those who worked for him outside of the legal capacity (who didn't flee town when they had the chance) had been caught and arrested. Story after story appeared on the news on how Johnson set them up, coerced or forced them to this or that, and was responsible for everything short of global warming. To simply matters, Johnson's staff was fired. His secretary, who really was innocent of any wrongdoing, was hired almost immediately by the man who would take Johnson's place. It turned out while the councilman was playing his power games, she did what most secretaries do, and ran the ship smoothly. She later received a card from LS, telling her she was glad that everything was going fine for her. Because of LS's workout tips, she was also looking rather buff as well.

Where some of Johnson's gang fled, or was arrested, some were not so fortunate. Matt Allen, one of his crooked cops, was found by police in the trunk of his car. A phoned-in anonymous tip told them where he was. He was found severely beaten. When he was found, he kept mumbling to the paramedics and police that he was beaten by a group of women, particularly one who kept talking about what he did to her sister. But the police assumed it was probably a gang of people who wanted some payback, and paid no attention to his rants.

After their honeymoon, LS and Lewis moved into their new house in the town where LS's cousins, Kim and Jasmine lived. LS said she accomplished what she needed to do in her hometown, and decided it would be best to leave it and create a new start. One of the first things she did was open a new dojo in a part of town that didn't have many martial arts studios around. After going through the process of moving his "center of operations," Lewis was back to baking, cooking, and running his business again. He started seriously thinking about renting or buying an industrial kitchen to expand it. Outside of that, they spend their time doing what newlyweds do, and living their dream. They have their house, their businesses, and the love of their lives. They don't have 2.5 kids yet, but they're working on it.

Regarding the Changs back in Indiana, Sonny and Jacqueline realized they missed having the kids running through the house like before. That was when Jacqueline dropped a bombshell on him, one that almost made him faint. Jon's garage and schooling went well, but he found his social calendar suddenly busy. It was as if the women who were attracted to him found out his sisters weren't around to chase them off, and started making their move. It made for a wild summer. Eventually, one woman did win the "prize," but that's another story.

The business at Betty's garage started to increase in customers, who came, if anything, to see what the new additions in construction were. Eventually she did hire an additional mechanic; a college student who was working toward a business degree, and who wants to ' you guessed it ' eventually run a garage. The new addition was of Korean decent, 5'6", had a muscular build, built a vehicle practically from scratch, and a black belt in hapikdo.

Betty hasn't received too many challenges since her return, which was good, because she was too busy to fight, her energies more focused on the newer inflow of customers. Every now and then, somebody would come by, challenge her, and she would give them a whack across the head, and that would be that.

After going to LS's wedding, Susan and Janelle hurried even more to put their own wedding plans into action. Janelle told Benjamin they should use the same Bible verses LS and Lewis used, but Benjamin refused, explaining that he didn't want to turn ten shades of red in front of witnesses. Susan stayed with her plans, but there was a championship fight she wanted to win first, as a wedding present of sorts to her husband-to-be.

The taped evidence against Johnson was never turned in; than again, with the rising tide of his wrongdoings being uncovered, it didn't have to be. Just the same, LS still had the master copy, stored in a safety deposit box. By that same token, Betty had her copy placed in a safe deposit box as well. To complete the overkill, Kim also had her copy placed safely away in case Johnson planned to try something against them.

 

A month later after the wedding of LS and Lewis, on the other side of town where they now lived, a longhaired, redheaded woman walked or rather strode proudly out of a nightclub. She received her jollies that evening by flirting with two men, and scaring their dates for that evening into fleeing and hiding in the restroom. After that was done, she gave her number to both men, and told her to call her soon, because she's so hot, she won't be alone for long. She even got a bigger kick from that, because neither guy was her type, and after she turned them down, they'll probably be begging their lady friends for forgiveness, explaining this woman led them astray.

The woman was Sheila, a 6'0" woman who had a large bodybuilder's physique and a perpetual scowl on her face, which some men found enticing. Sheila's stock in trade has been for the time she's been in town was being a full-time bully. That and antagonizing Betty by putting a bounty on her head to reward the first person to beat her up.

[Author's Note: Sheila, Betty's nemesis, can be found in a number of early Betty stories. Two in particular are Fred Again? and The Gang's All Here. ' Mongoose.]

And like most bullies, Sheila was a coward. Not that one would notice, considering how muscular she was. No one, man or woman, dared mess with her, but she received a sadistic joy in intimidating others, particularly those who were smaller and weaker than she was. When she encountered Betty with the plan of beating her up, it didn't take long to realize the mechanic didn't take grief from anyone; along with the fact that she could knock her head off with one of those kicks. So she figured if she could send enough catfighters to wear her down, she could stroll in and finish her off. All the plan did was make Betty mad, and word spread that she was looking for her. Well she could remain scarce until she's ready to deal with her, for find someone who can.

As she left the nightclub and approached her car, she found a heavyset woman sitting on the trunk, right leg crossed over the other, as if she was expecting her. The person in waiting was short, real short in Sheila's opinion, had long black hair, and large black sunglasses. She was wearing a half sleeve leotard, black tights, and barefooted. A small smirk appeared on her face as she saw Sheila.

"Hey, what are you doing on my car, shrimp?" Sheila demanded.

"Waiting for you. I am impressed, it didn't take as long as I thought," the stranger said.

"Well what business do I have with you? I don't deal with shrimps."

"Well I have business with you. Business on behalf of a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yes, her name is Betty."

"What, you want to take her on? That would be good, though I don't think you'd stand a chance against her. My reward is-"

"No, you do not understand; I am here as a gift to take care of you. She did a favor for me, now I do a favor for her."

Sheila laughed. "You're here to take care of me? To beat me up? Me?"

"Yes, and do not be so arrogant. I know all about you Sheila Easton," the stranger replied.

"Wait a minute, how do you know my name? I never told anyone here my whole name."

"How do I know? I myself have connections. You are Sheila Marie Easton, born in New York, particularly in the Irish part of town. After you graduated high school, you apparently were introduced to bodybuilding, and discovered the power it can have over people. You took up some boxing, kickboxing, and wrestling; just enough to take care of yourself when you encountered those who weren't impressed by your build. You became an enforcer for a women's gang, and made quite a reputation for yourself.

"That all fell apart when a rival organization decided your gang did not need to be on the streets anymore. I believe you also owed that group money too, interesting. So you fled here to live with relatives. I find that funny, because that same organization who wiped out your gang is actually stronger here than it was there. The fact that you're hiding right under their noses is either a good plan or a stroke of luck they have not found you yet. Now you spend your time engaging in bar fights, running little protection rackets, and pestering my friend by sending her women whose only form of combat is to bite and claw, like sending puppies against a tiger."

"That's pretty good. Of course, you know I have to hurt you real bad now," Sheila replied.

"I asked myself, how come this woman with all these muscles does not take Betty on herself?" The stranger continued, ignoring the remark. "I realized it is because she fears her. She knows what Betty can do, and does not want to engage her. Why does she mess with her in the first place? So she can be "the toughest girl in town,' and start her reputation here. You are pathetic."

"I'm not scared of anybody!" Sheila exploded. "I'll prove that by kicking your sorry but back to her garage!"

"Well, I am waiting. I hope you do not have any plans for the next week or so, because you will not be able to attend them," the stranger said, stretching her arms wide in a "come and get me" gesture, while still sitting on her car.

Betty must not think too much of me if she has this pipsqueak here on her behalf, Sheila thought. Out loud, she said, "First, I'm going to kick your fat butt off my car."

The side kick hit the stranger in the chest. But instead of it having the expected effect of her flying off the car or her bending over in pain, the stranger looked down at her stomach, brushed the dirt from Sheila's shoe off of it, and slowly got off the car. "Is that the best you can do?" She asked.

A split-second later, Sheila found herself flying over the hood of another car to land on the sidewalk. She scrambled to her feet while rubbing the sore spot on her belly where the unknown woman's bare sole hit it. The author of the kick strolled around the front of the car like someone who had plenty of time on her hands.

"That is how you do a side kick. I think I did that properly, or was "my fat butt' a little too fast for you?" She said. "I could do it a little slower if you like. That one was just right. I didn't want to injure any internal organs yet."

"Why you -! Just because you had a lucky shot doesn't mean you're going to walk away from this one." Sheila's fists were clinched in some form of a boxing stance.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, that was your one shot. You should have aimed for my head - not that you would have scored, you are very slow ' or tried to hit me with your fists. But you did not, so I will now teach you a lesson that is filled with pain."

Sheila by way of reply just growled at the top of her lungs and charged at her smaller opponent. She was going to pound this ant to paste. The idea was still in her mind when she found herself skidding on her back across the car's hood. She had a split-second to brace herself for the landing on the unforgiving asphalt. Upon the rough landing, the revelation appeared that this woman was not some mere pipsqueak who talked tough; this woman had some mad skills, and she wasn't finished yet. So Sheila planned to do one of the things she did best, a strategic retreat. She got up, ready to propel herself to her car door, and, wait a minute! How did she get there so fast?

"Going somewhere?" The stranger asked, standing beside the driver's side door of Sheila's car. "We barely got started! There is so much I need to teach you."

Out of desperation, Sheila threw a combination of a left kick to the stranger's ribs, followed by a right cross to the face. The woman parried the kick to the outside, seemingly leaving her more open to the oncoming punch. Delivering a high block that raised Sheila's right arm up, with a quick pivot, the stranger delivered a short punch to Sheila's ribs. Upon the punch's impact, Sheila realized something didn't feel right. She didn't get to dwell on that point, for the stranger took her right arm, twisted her hips, and gave her a classic over the shoulder throw. Her back exploded in pain when she hit the road, along with aggravating the ribs that the woman hit. She struggled to get up when the stranger slammed her foot on her chest, smashing her to the pavement once more. The next thing she felt was the woman's small fingers clamped around her jaw, pulling her up. The grip felt like someone had clamped a pair of pliers on her head, strong and crushing. The stranger by this time had one knee pinning an arm down, and had her face within six inches of Sheila's. She pushed up her sunglasses, revealing slanted brown eyes that seemed to penetrate her soul. A sudden spasm of fear hit Sheila, and she struggled to hide it. The stranger saw it though, and displayed a small grin that scared her more.

"Now there is a good chance you may not be in the proper frame of mind or conscious to hear this later on, so I will tell you now the crux of this lesson. Stay away from Betty Conrad. I do not want you near her or near the garage. You are not even going to bring your car there for a tune-up or to fix a flat tire. You are not to go anywhere near her assistant, Irena, either. Did you hear me?" The stranger asked. Sheila nodded, as much as she could with the claw hold on her jaw.

"And you are not sending any more tramps to beat her up. Betty and Irena could defeat them with no problem just as I am sure they could each beat you with no problem, but they have other things to do with their time, like work for a living. They do not have time to deal with the likes of you. If you send anyone, I will hear about it. If you dare come within a hundred yards of the garage, I will know about it. And once I found out, the beating you got tonight will be nothing compared to what I will do to you. Understand?"

Sheila again nodded. She was partially grateful that woman's claw hold kept her from visibly shaking.

"Good, I see we understand each other," the woman said, releasing her hold. Sheila's head almost dropped hard on the pavement.

The woman stood up, and Sheila very carefully prepared herself to crawl to her car if necessary. That woman's a killer! Taking care of Betty or getting that title isn't worth that much trouble, it definitely wasn't worth her life, which was what she would lose if she didn't leave now. She carefully crawled her way to the car door, about to reach the handle, when the stranger walked up and kicked her in the side, her bare toes landing under her right arm. The force of the kick landed Sheila on her back, and it did something to her arm. It didn't want to work right. She needed to get some medical help now. She looked at her antagonist.

"Where are you going?" The stranger asked.

"Y-You taught me the lesson," Sheila stuttered. "I won't go anywhere near Betty, Irena, or send anymore people after her, I swear."

"I know that," the woman replied, standing over Sheila, and then kneeling down on her chest, the sudden weight made her ribs scream with pain. "But I did not say the lesson was over. In my experience, people like you tend to be a little hardheaded when you tell them the first time, so I need to give you a little taste of what will happen if you did not heed my warning."

While she was talking, the woman pulled up Sheila's T-shirt and rested her hand on her stomach. Without warning, the hand sunk its fingers into the stomach, making Sheila suddenly whimper in pain. The woman took the other hand and clamped her jaw again. Shaking her head slightly, the sunglasses fell back into place.

"One more thing, that look on your face; that scowl, I do not like it. That will need to be rearranged along with almost everything else on you. Do not worry; you will be able to eat solid food with your own teeth. And you will regain the use of your limbs again, but not for a while. The lesson is about to begin." The stranger released her hold on her jaw, and pulled back that same hand, forming a fist. Sinking her fingers further into Sheila's stomach, the stranger prepared herself to strike a blow.

"Noooo!" Sheila cried.

 

If you have read this far, I hope you liked the story. This isn't my last one; I have plans for more, God willing, but this story was going to be the turning point for several of my characters. Future tales will reveal what those are. Regarding references, I believe I included about half the stories on my bookshelf. If you would like to know the proper order, just check my Reader's Guide to Barefoot Heroines.

Writing this story has been a joy, and a test of endurance and stamina. Plus now I know what regular authors go through when they try to edit what they have. It's not easy trying to keep everything straight.

One thing I can say for sure, and that is this work wouldn't have came about if it wasn't for help and ideas I received leading up to this point. To list a few names, Andrew Rue was very helpful when I first started out with Susan's stories (and Andrew, I'm writing that wedding story, I promise!). Tommy2164 (Bullygirl) was very helpful with character suggestions, like Sheila, for instance, and story ideas for three or four of my early ones. Big Bomber I also have to thank, because if it wasn't for a story suggestion on the writer's board of an short Asian woman who was strong, yet not a bodybuilder, LS never would've came into being. Gaily, I thank you for being the cheerleader in my corner. You don't know how encouraging a little "rah-rah" can be at the right time. A big thank you to the public libraries in my area, and the Net for martial arts research (it's always a good idea to sound like you know what you're talking about; fight scenes take work!). There are others (I apologize for forgetting your names) whose suggestions, complements, and even criticism have been a big help to me. I even thank that one author whose writings I didn't think were very good, which was actually the motivation that got me into this mess in the first place. Woman, this is your fault! At least I think it's a woman. To give a hint who this is, the name starts with V (not "Valkyrie'), and that's all I'll say about that. Of course I give a tremendous debt of gratitude to Diana the Valkyrie, or whatever your real name is, for letting me post all this stuff in the first place.

There are also many writers, from the more popular to the "one-hit wonders" who were helpful for motivation and inspiration. And most of all, I thank you, the readers for even taking the time to explore my part of the library and checking out a tale or two. If I gave you some enjoyment in your day, it was worth it.

That being said, if you have any comments, suggestions, story ideas, new characters, scripts, movies, screenplays, novels, or TV pilots for me to do (ha-ha), then send me an e-mail at shrewsberry@juno.com.

 

#2008, Barefoot Heroines, Inc.