The Triad

Bliss finally meets with the leaders of the Poison Geisha and the Silkworms

By Mongoose750

It was a late Tuesday evening at BIB (Brazilians for an Independent Brazil) as Bliss, the organization's founder and chief executive, performed the thankless duty of doing paperwork. Despite the drudgery of the task, she couldn't complain too much. It was only a week and a half ago that her group of Barefoot Assassins foiled an assassination attempt on presidential candidate Caesar Martin by DOOM operatives. She also employed assistance from a pair of Silkworms and a pair of Poison Geisha, two female assassin guilds. In fact, the discovery of DOOM's plans spared the life of one Silkworm and the two Geisha, for the plans called for framing them with the assassination, then having them executed afterwards.

Of the DOOM agents who were involved in the event, most of them were sanctioned, while the few remaining agents were captured, including the sniper who planned to pull the trigger. The general public was told without any of the specifics that the attempt on Martin's life was made by a secret terrorist organization. The presidential candidate was naturally very thankful for his political career and life being saved, and maintained the platform for which his enemies had wanted him silenced for, a bigger clampdown on covert agencies that were still lingering in the country. Having been at one time a former officer in the Brazilian Secret Service (unknown to the general public), this would be a sure sign this was a political promise he would make good on.

Bliss and her organization were congratulated avidly, but secretly, on their success thus further justifying their existence. Some in the other intelligence agencies considered the Barefoot Assassins nothing more than a group of "eccentric feminist hillbillies," but oftentimes success is the best revenge, and no one could belittle the group's success. As an added compliment, women from the country's other intelligence agencies and military have expressed interest and have sent their applications to BIB to become a Barefoot Assassin. It was rumored even the women custodians and landscapers wanted to be one.

As a result, Bliss had spent a few late nights going through applications and resumes. While she welcomed more potential assassins, she hoped she had enough instructors to teach them. It already looked like another wing needed to be added to the facility. But she thought about the possibilities of what she could do with more assassins. She could place them in different areas of the country. The DOOM problem would be cleaned up quickly. Of course, that would eventually create the problem of what to do with her assassins if there's no foe left to fight, but she'll cross that bridge when she got to it. Right now, she was looking forward to just seeing that bridge. Besides, if what Diya said to her about COIL agents still running around in Brazil was true, affairs have now become more complicated.

Bliss blew a strand of blond hair from her face. All the names, faces, and details were starting to run together. Time to go home. If she left now, she could get home in time to say goodnight to her two children, and spend at least an hour or two with her husband before bedtime. She stretched and started stacking her papers in some type of reasonable order. She could do more of this in the morning.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Bliss' mind went through a quick mental game of "who is it?" before she responded. She sent both her secretaries home a long time ago. The facility, save for security was vacant. Because of their success with thwarting the assassination attempt, she had given the majority of the staff the week off. She suspected in the near future, she would not be able to do that again, especially with this influx of potential assassins wanting to be trained.

Her split second of wondering over, she leaned back in her chair.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened, and four women came in, two middle-aged, two much younger. Bliss had to do a double take to realize it was the Silkworms and Poison Geisha who stood before her. Silkworms like their namesake, generally dress in ' silk; either loose and flowing or form-fitting. Whatever outfit could be made from silk, they wore it. As for the Poison Geisha, to her knowledge, they did everything wearing a kimono. What she saw instead were four women wearing casual tops and blue jeans. Aside from the fact that they all were barefoot, they looked like they were out for a night on the town. They could be, Bliss thought. She had no idea what Poison Geisha and Silkworms do on their days off, but it's probably the same thing anybody else does with their free time.

"Good evening ladies, what brings you here? I figured you'd be out enjoying yourselves," she said.

Diya, the elder Silkworm, and spokesperson of the quartet, stepped forward and said, "We just had a meeting with our mistresses. They would like to have a meeting with you."

When Bliss noticed Diya didn't say this in her normal sparkling demeanor, she grew concerned. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Not as such. My mistress and theirs," Keiko said, motioning toward the Silkworms, "said that they are very thankful and honored by what you have done."

"Then why the sad looks? Is there a catch added to that?"

"No catch, it's just that one never knows what our mistresses are going to do," Hin, the other Silkworm said.

"Is my life in danger?" Bliss said.

Winter, the Poison Geisha who recently joined the ranks of Barefoot Assassins, making her a Barefoot Poison Geisha Assassin, said, "Oh no! They would not do such a dishonorable thing. We are concerned about our status."

"Your 'status?'"

"In short, we like it here," Diya said. "There's a possibility our services will be brought to an end, and we'll be reassigned elsewhere."

Despite herself, Bliss relaxed a little. However, she was concerned about the possible reassignment of her new teachers.

"I'll speak on your behalf," she said.

"Thank you," Winter replied.

"So when and where will this meeting take place?"

"On the island of Hawaii, in the city of Oahu," Diya said. "The time and day would be at your best convenience."

A quick vacation, even if it's a working vacation, sounded good right now. She could let the secretaries and Catalina swim through the paperwork. The husband and kids should be able to survive a day or two without "mommy."

"How does two days from now sound?" Bliss suggested.

"Excellent. A private jet will be waiting for you at the airport at noon. A limousine will be there for you when you land. You'll be taken to a hotel where you'll have a chance to rest and unwind until you're picked up for your dinner with the Triad at eight o'clock."

"The Triad?"

"Yes, it's a combination of all three of the assassin guild leaders."

"Three? Who's the third one?"

"We don't recall; we don't have too many dealings with them, and they're rather new."

"Is it casual or formal?"

"The three will probably be dressed in their official uniforms. It would be wise for you to do the same."

Maybe this working vacation won't be too much of a vacation after all.

"How long am I staying?"

"A day and a half."

"I have to leave it to you ladies, they're very efficient."

"Yes, but you must be careful in dealing with them. When they make a decision, they are like stone. And they have no sense of humor," Diya warned.

"No sense of humor? What do they do for fun?"

The four looked at each other.

"Fun? I do not think they do anything for 'fun,'" Keiko said.

It gets better and better. No wonder these ladies like it here, Bliss thought.

"Very well, tell your leaders I look forward to meeting them," she said.

"We wish you a safe journey and a good meeting," Hin said.

"Thank you."

Two days later, as Bliss traveled to the airport, she couldn't help but notice how efficient both organizations seemed to be. No sooner than she mentioned what day she wanted to go, she was given travel plans, where to stay, etc. Then again, for two organizations that have been around for hundreds of years mainly in secret, some type of order is to be expected. One thing she didn't have to be concerned with is having her life threatened. If they wanted to, either the Silkworms or Poison Geisha could have taken care of her when she was outside her compound. Besides, why would they want to? Her new teachers were paid well, were given tremendous respect, and they were well liked. It also would be insane to compliment someone on saving the lives of a few of your agents, then turn around and kill you soon after that. Both groups were deadly, but not crazy. If anything, it would be a civil meeting; about what, she couldn't say.

The whole affair looked like a statement for women's empowerment. Other than hugging her son and kissing her husband goodbye, she hadn't directly encountered another male on her trip. The private jet had a total number of four, all women. Two shared the piloting duties while the other two covered the duties of a flight attendant. Bliss reasoned from their ethnic makeup and the graceful way they moved that they must be Poison Geisha, wearing the uniforms of a pilot and flight attendant instead of kimonos. Later on, while the plane was in flight, she asked one of the flight attendants if this was so. Instead of expecting something stiffly formal or evading the question, the stewardess warmly smiled and told her this was true, and told her what particular clan her crew was in.

"How many clans do you have?" Bliss asked.

"I'm not sure, I lose count. Sorry," the flight attendant replied.

Bliss discovered that this particular clan of Poison Geisha specialized in transportation. If it flies, drives, sails, or displays some type of motion, they're the ones primarily responsible for moving it. Along with their standard training, this clan receives flying lessons, lessons to move heavy transport, drive large trucks, and if need be, evasive driving for their limo chauffeurs. She learned that some important businessmen hire them when they want something or someone transported safely. As per their custom, the Geisha don't ask too many questions about what the item or person being transported is, they just deliver it or them, while guarding it or them with their lives.

While being kind and gracious like they're trained to, Bliss noticed an extra level of kindness from the crew. She guessed they might have heard of what happened back in Brazil. After the jet landed in the airport in Oahu, a chauffeur ' female, greeted her of course ' dressed in a black mandarin-type dress with slits on both legs. Upon a closer look, Bliss saw that the dress was made of -silk. As for the driver, she originally came from Taiwan, and upon a little bit of prodding, was fifty-six years old. She served as a standard Silkworm assassin, for ten years, then one day decided to get out of wet work and do something else. Taking a closer look at the chauffeur's muscular build, Bliss hoped she would be in that good a shape when she reached that age, which was a little over a decade from now.

Like the flight crew, the chauffeur was friendly, and clearly had no problem carrying Bliss' luggage to the hotel, and the room they provided for her. As a law-abiding government official, she knew she wasn't supposed to steal the towels, but considering how expensive the room was, it was rather tempting. If anyone noticed, the garb she was wore, consisting of a red pullover top with short sleeves, blue jeans, and barefoot, they didn't show it.

After she unpacked, hung everything up, and called her husband and her always-concerned secretaries at headquarters to tell them she's still alive, Bliss fell back on the bed just as she heard a knock on the door. Opening it, she saw a young black woman, clearly African from the darkness of her skin and the robe-like garment she wore, and almost as tall as Bliss. She had the build of a runner; perhaps she was from Kenya, where they produce world champion runners, but where does she fit in? Have the Silkworms extended their boundaries?

"Bliss, my name is Lilly, and I will be your escort for the duration of your trip. Just contact me if you need anything at all. My room is next door. I understand you've been on a long flight, and you're exhausted. So I will let you unwind and get some rest. I will come back around seven-fifteen to help prepare you for tonight's dinner. It's a pleasure meeting you," Lilly said, then closed the door.

"Pleasure," Bliss said faintly to the closed door. Some things never change. She'd ran into similar officers in her own government as well as others, and they were about as . . .quick with their introductions. At least this one had a smile on her face.

Bliss walked over and fell on her bed, and fell asleep wondering if she should set her travel alarm or let Lilly wake her up.

She woke up, feeling a little disoriented by the effect of sleeping in a bed that's not your own. After staggering to the bathroom, she engaged in performing a few exercises to get the kinks out of her body and the fog out of her mind. She thought back to an earlier time when she was an agent for the Brazilian Secret Service, and she spoke with a COIL agent in the hospital. At that time, relations between the two spy agencies and the government were neutral at best, and there was little infiltration. COIL and DOOM fought their little war with each other, but it hadn't yet escalated into the major clashes that involved taking over the government and endangered the lives of innocent people.

The agent was an old friend that COIL recruited for her combat skills. From her hospital bed, she told Bliss about the event that sent her there. In pursuit of a DOOM agent, the armed COIL agents encountered a Poison Geisha on top of a speeding train. Her friend told her how strange the sight looked; three agents dressed in black stealth gear, armed with automatic pistols, facing off with a woman in a blue kimono. The only obvious evidence that she was standing on a moving car was the edges of her outfit flapping in the breeze. The lead officer leveled his gun at her and told her to stand down.

Though the sight of a kimono-clad woman on top of a train looked unusual, none of the officers were very familiar with Poison Geisha, outside of something mentioned here and there. So when the woman slipped her feet out of her sandals, no one thought anything about it.

She raised her hands up in the air, and it was thought that she surrendered. The lead agent was in the middle of saying something else when there was a sudden flick from the Geisha's hand that stopped him in mid-sentence. The two other agents glanced, then looked in horror as they saw one of the Geisha's long wooden hairpins embedded in his chest. It seemed like slow motion as he fell backwards off the train, but nothing could be done for him even if they stopped him from falling off.

Taking advantage of the other two agent's surprise, the Poison Geisha charged forward. Bliss' friend remembered this moment because their foe was so lethal, yet so graceful, like she was performing in a ballet. Her fellow agent trained his gun on her, but it made no difference as the Geisha came upon him and touched his throat with the three fingers of her right hand. It seemed so unreal as he suddenly fell on the roof of the boxcar holding his throat, his one shot firing harmlessly through the trees.

The way the Geisha handled the remaining agent, it was almost like she was an afterthought, a small detail to be taken care of. Without even looking, the Geisha delivered a left side kick to her chest, her socked foot cracking and breaking several of her ribs despite the fact she was wearing body armor. The force of the kick propelled her off the speeding train. The only thing that saved her from certain death were the branches of a tree in a ravine.

From her perch in the tree, the agent saw the Poison Geisha raise her arms, then jump off the top of the train. She first thought she was performing an act of hara-kiri now that her work was completed, but it was no such thing. Her kimono had glider wings attached. As she glided through the air, the agent's blood ran cold. The Geisha wasn't leaving, she was looking for her, to finish her off. Although she was in tremendous pain, the agent didn't dare move or cry out. After what seemed like forever, the Poison Geisha floated off, unable to find her prey. The agent reached for her radio, called for help, and then blacked out.

Bliss asked what will she do next, to avenge her two dead fellow agents or go on another mission. Her friend surprised her when she said after doing some thinking, she was going to quit and work in public service. Her next remark was one that Bliss would always remember.

"I will gladly give my life for my family, my loved ones, and my country; but I refuse to give my life when I don't even know what the cause is for."

That comment forever changed Bliss' thinking about the two covert agencies and their reason for being in South America. She wondered what her friend, now married with three kids and working as a security consultant in Columbia would think. The very foe that wiped out her team are now teaching classes to her assassins.

"Oh Bliss, you could recruit the devil himself to fight for you," her friend once said.

Well here's hoping the devil doesn't take his pitchfork and poke me in the posterior, Bliss thought.

Just as she finished her last exercise, there was a knock on the door. Bliss glanced at her watch. Seven fifteen on the dot, like she said, thought Bliss as she opened the door to let Lilly in.

"Your dinner is at eight; is there anything I can do to help?" Lilly asked.

"Nope, I'm fine. Just make yourself at home, and I'll be finished shortly," Bliss said as she walked toward the bathroom.

A career in the military (as well as sharing a house with three other people) had taught Bliss to shower quickly. The basic uniform she designed for herself, a starched navy blue uniform shirt and uniform pants with the legs cut mid-calf, didn't take much time to put on either. After taking a quick check at her toenails to see if the clear gloss polish was still good, she walked back to the living room.

One of the benefits of being barefoot was you don't have to wonder where you put your shoes, Bliss mused as she met Lilly. The young lady was surprised to see her finished so quickly.

"When you work for the military, you learn to do everything fast," she said. "It's the only good thing I got out of Boot Camp. You ready to go?"

"Yes; let's go," Lilly said.

The same driver from before met them out front, and after the usual niceties, they were on their way. In the car, Bliss asked Lilly her burning question.

"Okay Lilly, you're too young for a Silkworm, and you're obviously not a Poison Geisha, so what are you?"

"I am a Lioness," Lilly said with a smile.

"A Lioness? I can't say I've heard of you, but I guess that's the idea, right?"

"Right, but then again, our base of operations is in a different area of the globe from where your Barefoot Assassins are based."

Before Bliss could ask any more questions, Lilly raised up her hand and said, "I know you have a lot of questions, but trust me, they'll be answered. Here we are now."

The limo stopped at a Japanese restaurant that was one of the nicest restaurants Bliss had ever seen. She had seen her share of fancy eating establishments, but none quite like this place. An excellent job was done of replicating the style and atmosphere of an authentic Japanese restaurant. This was further evidenced as Lilly slid her feet out of her slides like they do at public places and homes in Japan. While she saw a regular staff busy at work, she noticed that the place was empty, except for a table in the far corner, where three women knelt awaiting their arrival.

The Poison Geisha was easy to identify; a woman in her late forties to early fifties, clad in a gold kimono laced with red and silver embroidery. The embroidery created pictures of dragons, tigers, and other creatures along with nature scenes that seemed to run across the fabric landscape. Bliss guessed that they were symbols of the many Poison Geisha clans in existence. For a super ambitious COIL agent, finding someone in such a high level of importance in an organization who had ruined their plans and killed many of their agents, taking her out would be a dream come true. However, Poison Geisha may not be invulnerable, but they were hard to kill.

A good look at the geisha herself told Bliss that this was not a woman to mess around with. In her work with the Barefoot Assassins, Bliss knew how a healthy, lethal woman looked. The way she sat, the way she carried herself, even the way her eyes surveyed her surroundings constantly, despite the fact she may have ate there a hundred times or the place may be heavily guarded. She may not even be aware of her constant scanning, but it's hard to give up a habit that had saved your life on one or more occasions.

Regarding the Silkworm, Bliss wasn't prepared for what she saw. She expected to see an Indian woman of advanced years. Instead, she saw an Asian woman roughly the same age as the Geisha. Her garb was a long white dress of ' silk. While the Poison Geisha's hair was done up, the Silkworm's long wavy hair was let down, hanging down past her shoulders. She was a little more relaxed than the Geisha, but then Silkworms (or the few she seen anyway) were generally relaxed in their demeanor, but no less deadly.

The third woman was in a word ' majestic. She was a black woman who may be the same age as Bliss, or as old as the other two, she wasn't sure. She was clearly taller than the other two women, perhaps a little taller than Bliss was. She had the build of an Olympic athlete; even the flowing purple robes and turban could not hide that fact. She was watching Bliss, taking it all in.

In preparing for this meeting, Bliss felt a number of feelings go through her mind, but now she felt something new; that she was out of her league. The Poison Geisha, according to what she's been told, has at least been around since the time of samurai and ninjas in feudal Japan. They could've been initially trained by ninjas. For all she knew, they could've taught the ninja. The Silkworms were a little more elusive. Diya once told her that while she had a week between assignments back in India, she figured she would occupy herself by going over the Silkworm archives. By the end of that week, the librarian woke her up, because she dozed off in the middle of an account of an assassination of a sultan during a civil war in the early beginnings of the country. Small wonder, Diya said, why the librarian thought she was crazy when she contemplated putting together a book of their exploits. And who knew how long the Lionesses been around. World civilization started in Africa, if that was where they were based.

And here she was, the head of a fledgling operation who's only purpose was to eliminate spies from two covert organizations. What would they want with her?

"Come Bliss, have a seat," the senior Silkworm said. "As you know, in Japan, it's a regular custom to take off your shoes when you enter a building. We figured with that, this environment would make you feel right at home. Also, you've noticed everyone has spoke to you in English. Since it's a universal language, we'd thought we would perform our correspondence in that tongue.

"Thank you," Bliss said as she knelt at the table.

"I noticed you've looked at me a little strangely, is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry, I thought being a Silkworm, you would be, uh, from-"

"From India?" The Silkworm laughed. "That's expected. We Silkworms originated in India, but by token of my country's size, there's more of us from China than anywhere else, with India a close second. Actually, we mainly cover the southern Asian countries, and we're looking at planting a few cell groups in Russia. It's a little chilly for our tastes, but there's a great need for our services there."

"That's quite a large territory to be over, with so many Silkworms."

"Oh, I'm not the head Silkworm per se, I'm one of a number of lead Silkworms. We found it's better that way. Bliss, please forgive my manners, this is Kasumi, mistress of the Poison Geisha clans in South Japan."

Kasumi gave Bliss a polite bow. Bliss returned it.

"And this is Pandora, pride leader of the Lionesses."

"I've heard quite a bit about you," Pandora said, offering her hand and generating a big smile, her bright white teeth a contrast to her dark skin.

"That makes one of us," Bliss said, shaking her hand.

"The Lionesses are an organization similar to us, based mainly in Africa. They are also relatively new," the Silkworm continued.

"How old is relatively new?"

"A couple of hundred years younger than the other two," Pandora laughed.

"I like the name."

"Yes, everyone calls the male lion the 'King of the Beasts,' but the truth is the male lion only mates, eats, and gets fat, while the lionesses do all the work."

"The same could be said for human civilization as well. I'm Mao, head Silkworm for the guilds in East China," she said with a graceful bow.

As Bliss returned the bow, she noticed these three women were rather friendly and outgoing for leaders of assassin guilds.

Almost as if she read her mind, Kasumi said, "Bliss, I sense you're still at unease. Relax, this is a friendly meeting. We brought you here so we can learn some more about us, and we can learn more about you. We probably have a lot in common."

"A lot in common?" Bliss said slowly.

Mao gave another gentle laugh.

"For the rare individual who learns of us, they see us as cold blooded assassins, and that is still our major stock in trade. But as you can see on your trip here, we've gone beyond just performing mere sanctions."

"Like protection and transport?" Bliss asked.

"Precisely! Many years ago, we decided it would be best for us to expand our operations. It has been more profitable for all three of us, with a few exceptions."

"Exceptions?"

"There's still a few Poison Geisha and Silkworm guilds who stick to the old ways, claiming that they're set in stone and should not be changed. Their services are still requested; it turns out they have customers that are old fashioned too, so we let them alone."

"You use the titles 'Poison Geisha' and 'Silkworm' almost interchangeably. Have you two merged?"

"Not at all," Kasumi answered. "Over the years, the Silkworms have become like our mother, and we Poison Geisha are like their daughter. We had many Geisha become Silkworms, and many Silkworms become Geisha, with a few remaining to be both."

Bliss turned to Pandora. "And where do you fit in this family tree?" She asked.

"The same, a sister to the Geisha, and a daughter to the Silkworms. Because of distance, the northern part of Africa works more closely with the Silkworms. Though we interact with each other often, I'm afraid Japan is not prepared to see a black Poison Geisha yet," Pandora said smiling.

This brought a small amount of laughter.

"Give us time, sister, give us time," Kasumi said. "Time, and a few of your lionesses to come up north to see us."

"As Kasumi said," Mao said, "We do have some things in common. I bet you didn't know we have a few moral codes either."

"What are they?" Bliss said.

"First, we don't harm children. Many of us, especially we Silkworms, are mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. We will not stoop so low as to harm in any way a mother's greatest gift."

"Very honorable."

"Second, we don't participate in wars between countries. Since we cover at this table alone at least a quarter of the known world, it would be insane to pick a side when we have women on both sides. Besides, it's usually some spitting contest between men that start these conflicts anyway."

Bliss could not help but smile at that remark.

"Third," Mao went on, "we have an anti-conflict clause between us. Poison Geisha does not attack Silkworm, Silkworm does not attack Lioness, Lioness does not attack Poison Geisha, and so on. There was a time very long ago when we allowed that. It was very messy."

Bliss nodded. Apparently the adage mentioned by some COIL agent that a Poison Geisha or Silkworm would kill their own mother was not a true one. The two Geisha and two Silkworms she knew didn't appear to be that way.

"Aren't those rules a little confining?" She asked.

"Bliss, we have been in existence longer than many countries, and I say that for the three of us. If they want our services, they'll pay for it. If they don't like our terms, that's too bad. We'll still be here."

Mao suddenly clapped her hands. "Let's put our questions on hold, and get some food," she said.

A waitress appeared from nowhere and took their orders. Bliss suddenly remembered that Lilly was sitting quietly beside her. She turned to look at her escort, who just looked back and smiled.

"Lilly has heard it all before," Pandora said, "but while we're waiting for our meals, let me confirm what I've heard about you. About your 'Barefoot Assassins,' is it true they're literally barefoot or is that a metaphor?"

Bliss smiled. "All our assassins in training are required to spend a year without shoes, to toughen the soles. It's amazing how many women are willing to endure the intense weight training and martial arts training, but have problems with that part. After the year is completed though, almost all of them don't go back to wearing shoes."

Pandora leaned back and stroked her chin. "My lionesses generally go barefoot for stealth on a mission, but we're not that blatant about it. What is the purpose of hard soles?"

"It's not merely a matter of hardening the soles, but hardening the body. My philosophy is the more dependent you are on a weapon, like a gun for instance, the more vulnerable you are. If your warriors encounter enough foes like this, you know that to be true.

"I believe in making the whole body a living weapon. It goes everywhere with you, you can always improve on it, and the nice thing about it? It doesn't leave much of a trace."

The table was quiet for a moment, followed by the nodding of heads. The waitress returned with their chosen dishes.

"Many of us Poison Geisha were thinking more of depending more on the 'Geisha,' and less on the 'Poison.' That means of sanctioning via poison has always been risky for effectiveness and to the user. Our martial arts skills have always been more than capable of finishing the task," Kasumi said.

"I have not encountered the COIL or DOOM agents like you have, Bliss. Our warlords complicate things enough, but I understand your wisdom. I have separated enough foes from their weapons to see them stagger around like a blinded man," Pandora agreed.

"We Silkworms agree as well," Mao said.

"That brings up a question I've been wanting to ask, Mao," Bliss said. "These encounters I've heard between your Silkworms and COIL agents, the ones that . . . get . . . a little . . ."

Bliss stopped to see Mao lower her head, slowly shaking it, while Kasumi appeared to look elsewhere, and Pandora and Lilly just giggled lightly. Finally Mao lifted up her head.

"There is a particular cocoon in India where some of our ladies practice in the deadly sensual arts. First, you must understand that we also go through extensive physical training. One day, years ago, a group of Silkworms were rather prideful of their bodies, and studied the ancient texts that involved fatal couplings, lethal tantric moves, and the like. This was our chief means of destroying our enemies before we saw the value of strengthening our bodies and learning the fighting arts. After this, we soon thereafter dismissed using erotic weapons because we saw them as demeaning; I think you can see why. We now believe our bodies are fine temples to be maintained. The order of Silkworms as a whole do not and will not ever approve of using those tactics. However, certain parties, DOOM in particular, would always hire from that particular segment for some reason. For the most part, very few of DOOM's agents even know the rest of us exist. That group is not our most effective cocoon. The fact that you may have heard of us at all was in no small part from the failings of these ladies," she said.

"Well I see why Diya always gave me a dirty look whenever I try to bring it up. It always seemed silly to me."

"Yes, well I can't dismiss that group in India, for they still are our sisters after all, but I can make sure that nonsense does not start in China."

Changing the subject, Kasumi said, "Speaking of DOOM, we once again wanted to thank you for saving our agents."

"Yes, we do thank you," Mao said, regaining her composure. "We suspected it, but we could not prove it."

"We started to notice we were losing more of our own Geisha and Silkworms than what was expected," Kasumi continued. "Upon further inquiry, we found that they were hired by DOOM for routine duties. However, any evidence we had was circumstantial ' until now."

"We were in the process of asking Pandora to have a few of her Lionesses shadow our ladies when Hin and Winter provided us with the evidence we needed, thanks to you."

"So what happens now? What will you do?" Bliss asked.

"DOOM will be taught a lesson," Mao said. "It's still in debate whether this will be a 'permanent' lesson or not."

"We know there are several agencies and government agencies that would like to see DOOM wiped off the face of the planet," Kasumi said. "Some would pay rather handsomely."

"As I said, DOOM hasn't been as big an influence in my country or anywhere else in Africa, but I volunteer to enlist my pride to assist when needed," Pandora said.

"I'm glad I was able to help," Bliss said.

"I'm curious," Kasumi said. "The two of us alone, Geisha and Silkworms also have our fair share of enemies, yet you welcomed us into your presence, even asked us to teach you some of our ways. You could've hurt us, but you didn't; why is that?"

"Because my true enemies are those who desire to rule Brazil," Bliss said. "Your ladies were doing what they were hired to do, and I understand that. The Poison Geisha and Silkworms and I assume the Lionesses are the best in the world at what you do, so who better to learn from? Plus I assume your three clans could've ruled countries or the world by now, but decided otherwise."

The three clan leaders laughed lightly.

"You are a wise woman, Bliss, I sensed that in you," Kasumi said. "Yes, there was a time we considered that, but 'ruling the world' is not as all it's cracked up to be to use an old expression."

"To paraphrase a verse from the Bible, what good is it to rule the world, yet lose your soul?" Mao said.

"And why try to take what you already have?" Pandora added.

A waitress shown up, offering the desert menu.

"Bliss, I would recommend this dish called 'Death by Chocolate.' You'll think you died and went to heaven, it's so good," Pandora said to Bliss. All five ladies ordered the same item, and the waitress went away to fill the order.

"There was a time, and still is, when we was in a position to rule Japan," Kasumi said. "The economy was good, our technology was second to none, and we were highly respected and feared. But upon further reflection, taking over would have more headaches than it's worth."

"We found that this 'ruling of countries' is a man's game, starting wars and bloodshed just to gain a title. We're doing fine without all the politics and power games they play," Mao said.

"Women already control a large part of the world as it is," Pandora said. "Men don't like to think so, but women control a lot of things, from bringing you into this world to advising these men who are in 'power' on what to do," Pandora said as she received her desert. "The men who don't listen to women, well those are the ones we have to deal with."

"I told my husband the other day," Mao began.

"Excuse me, but you're married?" Bliss interrupted.

"Why sure, aren't you? We may be assassins and businesswomen, but we're not nuns, which was another of man's ideas. I did lose my first husband, but a few years later, I met a business executive who thought I had pretty eyes. We confide about our businesses without divulging everything. We agreed on that."

"Oh."

"He had a woman executive who made waves on her way up the corporate ladder. He said, 'If this woman rules the company, we'll be in trouble.' I replied, 'If it wasn't for us women, you'd already be in trouble.' He settled down after that."

"While I'm thinking about it, Diya, Hin, Winter and Keiko wanted me to speak on their behalf. They want to stay in Brazil," Bliss said, taking a bite of her desert. "You're right, Pandora, this is good."

"Are you paying them?" Mao asked.

"Yes."

"Are you treating them with respect?" Kasumi asked.

"Yes."

"Then there's nothing to discuss," Mao said, her grin influenced greatly by tasting her desert.

"I was told you had no ' humor."

Mao and Kasumi laughed.

"We do that to scare the troops. You must never tell them we smile, it'll ruin our image," Mao replied.

"All right, I won't," Bliss laughed.

"Now we have one more piece of business to discuss. Since you're using some of our ladies, now we'd like to use some of yours."

Bliss froze. "Some of mine?"

"Call it an exchange, if you will. Each of us would like one of your barefoot warriors in our training camps for a time. We would feel they would have much to teach us," Pandora said.

"They do not have to be your best assassins," Kasumi said. "We'll take even your worst pupil. They will be treated with great respect."

"We'll give you some time to decide when you get home," Mao said.

"Will they be involved in your missions?" Bliss asked.

"Not if you desire, though in our attacks against DOOM, you'll at least would like them to observe."

"I see," Bliss said, hesitantly.

"In that time you'll take to make a decision, we hope you'll appreciate the gift we have given to you."

"Gift? I don't know what you mean."

"I'm sure the four of our ladies you have are doing an adequate job, but they're originally trained for field work. What we are giving you in exchange is an instructor from each of us to teach your women, or to use in another capacity if you wish. They'll also observe and offer suggestions where needed."

"Thank you, I'm flattered. Why go to all this trouble?"

"As was said, despite a few differences, we are alike. As the newly adopted 'daughter' or 'little sister' of our group, we'd like to help you. Plus you helped us greatly uncovering DOOM's betrayal. We see a lot of potential for your organization," Kasumi said.

"We also would like to extend our non-conflict clause to you as well," Mao said. "We will pull all of our agents out of Brazil, except for those you may need later on. If any other countries in South America fall under your influence, please let us know immediately."

"Your battle with DOOM is in Brazil, while our will be worldwide," Kasumi said. "But if a major conflict occurs near your boundaries, we'd like your help from time to time."

"You have it," Bliss said, seeing the possibilities. "So where are my new 'teachers' you have for me?"

"Right here, they should be finished with their meal. I'll introduce mine first," Mao said. "Adira?"

Shortly, a 5'6" woman appeared, standing before them like a model on a runway. She had light brown skin, and long black hair. Looking at her facial features, Bliss figured she must be of North African or Arab descent. Her body didn't appear overly muscled, so Bliss figured she had one of those builds that hid muscle; however it probably added to the flexibility needed for a Silkworm. She wore an orange halter-top that exposed a taut stomach, and a brown patterned skirt. She had a wooden ankle bracelet decorating the left ankle of her bare foot.

The first two questions out of Bliss' mouth were, "Where are you from, and how old are you?"

Adira laughed and said, "I'm from Tunisia, and I'm thirty-three years old."

"I'm sorry, my geography is a little off."

"It's a small country in North Africa between Algeria and Liberia. Blink, and you'll miss it."

Before Bliss said anything about the other matter, Mao stepped in.

"Let me tell you a little story, Bliss," she said. "Many years ago, the normally peaceful country of Tunisia was plunged into civil war. Upon much searching, it was discovered that the instigator was one of the last of Osama Bin Ladin's officers from the Al Queda regime. Being driven from Iraq, he sought to try to recreate the regime he ruled in down there. In search of a solution, they finally ran across someone who knew of our services. The president and officers thought it would be the ultimate irony, this man being taken out by a member of the gender he trampled all these years, and a 'heathen' too.

"After her mission was completed, the Silkworm was passing through a town on her way back to government headquarters when she ran across a demolished house. Nothing unusual there, the civil war had destroyed a lot of homes and businesses. However, it was from this house that she heard the cries of two children, a girl and a boy, toddlers who saw their innocent parents killed from bullets of the rebels. The Silkworm went to the nearby households to find out about the children, and to find them a good home.

"The parents were simple farmers who had no immediate relatives. They have died defending their land. The people who lived nearby said they were good people and they wanted to take the children in, but they either had enough kids of their own, or were too poor to keep them. As the Silkworm returned to the government officials, she asked them if she could adopt the children. They said yes, and she raised them as her own."

Bliss listened to the story, and read between the lines. "That, that was you?" She asked.

"Take good care of my daughter," Mao said.

"With my life! I don't know why you have given me such an honor-"

Mao raised up her hand.

"It wasn't my idea, she insisted. Ever since she found out about my side of the family business, she wanted to be a Silkworm. Like any mother, I wanted her to find another career, marry a decent man, have kids, that sort of thing, but not her. Anyway, I taught her all I knew, plus she was taught by our finest teachers. After further 'discussion,' we agreed on her being an instructor. You can use her sparingly on the field if you wish, just don't tell me about it."

"Mother!" Adira said.

"And your organization should be perfect for her. Never could keep a pair of shoes on that girl."

"Mom!"

"Well it's true."

If there were any doubts about the sincerity of her hosts in Bliss' mind, that quieted them. There are some things between a mother and daughter that can't be faked.

"So why do you want to go to Brazil?" Bliss asked.

"I heard about your plight. My birth parents died defending their way of life, and I believe your cause is a good one," Adira said.

"What's your son doing?" Bliss asked Mao.

"He's a civil engineer, married with two kids," Mao said with pride. "Adira is also the leader of our new 'junior league.' We decided after all these years, it might be time to start recruiting a little younger."

"Honored mother, this is all well and good, but my recruit is probably getting a little anxious," Kasumi said.

"You are right, Kasumi. Bring up the subject of children, and I can go all day. Very well, let's see her."

"Yumi, come forth please."

A 5'7" Japanese woman came fourth wearing a blue silk robe and barefoot. She had black shoulder length hair, and a facial expression that seemed intense and serious.

"This is Yumi, a master of several styles of karate, and one of our new line of 'Steel Geisha.' Yumi, disrobe please."

Yumi did as she was told, and brought a few gasps of surprise as they gazed upon her. For what everyone saw was hard, well-developed muscle. Her black bikini was more of a posing suit for bodybuilders, and as she flexed her arms, legs, and abs, no one questioned that this woman had power.

"As you can see, Yumi is very strong. But despite that hard muscle, she still has the gracefulness of a geisha. She is an excellent teacher, but you need to have her out in the field at least once."

"Yes, I will," Bliss said. "We have a few Barefoot Assassins who have taken up bodybuilding, but I don't think they're this cut."

"We had some Geisha who wanted to become strong, so eventually we started a new branch. The Steel Geisha have been in great demand. Though they are as hard as steel, they can bend quite well. Yumi, if you don't mind," Kasumi said.

The Steel Geisha performed the splits, then balanced herself on her hands, transforming into a handstand. She then lowered herself back to the splits, and using her hands, spun herself around a few times before springing herself on her feet. All this was done with the same serious expression on her face.

"Any questions?"

"Does she smile?" Bliss asked.

After some light laughter, Kasumi said, "I'm not sure. Yumi, do you smile?"

"Of course I do, I just haven't found anything funny as yet, that's all," Yumi said, putting on her robe. "Your Barefoot Assassins may not have much to smile about after I get through with them."

"Back at her facility, they have a nickname for her . . . 'Miss Hitler,'" Kasumi said to Bliss with a slight smirk.

Yumi overhearing the remark, said, "Hitler was an insufferable fool, letting his petty prejudices and stupidity get in the way of his mission. Then again, it was only his skill as a public speaker that got him that far. He wouldn't know what to do with the world if he gained it."

"Yumi is also a scholar of military history, which could be valuable to you. She is also quite ' outspoken."

"I see," Bliss said. "So Yumi, why do you want to go to Brazil?"

"From what I have heard of your operation, it sounds like you could use the services of a Steel Geisha," Yumi said.

Before Bliss could ask what Yumi meant by that, Kasumi said, "And now she's all yours. And may God have mercy on your soul."

Everyone giggled, except Bliss, who wondered if Yumi would be a handful, and Yumi, who just huffed as she walked back to stand by Adira. There was a slight pause, and then Bliss finally broke the silence.

"Well Pandora, where's your teacher for me?" She asked.

Pandora and the others again laughed lightly as Bliss gave her a puzzled look.

"Why Bliss, she's sitting beside you!" Pandora replied.

Turning to her left, Bliss looked at Lilly, who smiled brightly at her before getting up and following the examples of the other two by going on display.

"Lilly is skilled in our pride's own brand of martial arts, and she's also skilled in the use of some hand-to-hand weapons. Back home, her nickname is the Cheetah because she runs like the wind. That makes her quite powerful in her own right. As you have observed firsthand, she works well in the front office as well," Pandora said.

"I'm quite skilled at multi-tasking," Lilly said.

"Yes, I can see that," Bliss said.

"It wasn't a ruse as you may think. In Africa, Lilly performs other duties beside fieldwork. She teaches our new recruits the finer arts of sanctioning, supervises our seasoned assassins, and in your case, not only was she your escort, she was also your bodyguard in case anyone was foolish enough to attack you, though from looking at you, you strike me as a woman who can take care of herself," Pandora explained.

"Well Lilly, I would have never guessed you did so much," Bliss explained.

"That's the idea," Lilly said. "The most dangerous weapon is the one you keep hidden."

"Regardless," Pandora continued, "Lilly makes an excellent personal assistant and bodyguard or an excellent protector for your family. This is not an idle boast, for she's saved the lives of many, including yours truly on many occasions."

"You ladies can take a seat now with us," Mao said, as the ladies did just that.

"I'm curious Bliss, what are you skilled in?" Pandora asked.

"Aside from my skills of serving in the Brazilian military in intelligence, I'm also a fifth degree black belt in Brazilian Jujitsu," Bliss said.

"I thought you had the build of a grappler. I'm trained in a similar art myself. Tell me about the instructors you have."

"I have tried to find the best that Brazil, or anyplace else has to offer. The latest find I recruited were the Three Sisters."

Everyone looked at Bliss in amazement.

"The Three Sisters?" Pandora asked.

"Their skill is legendary!" Mao said.

"I have always wanted to meet them," Kasumi said. "In fact, I have tried to find them so I could ask them to teach my ladies. They have been very elusive. How did you find them?"

"They do keep to themselves, but they had a close friend who died in the disaster in Rio Branco, which ironically was the event that gave birth to us. I was able to find them; and when I told them what I was planning, they joined wholeheartedly," Bliss said. "They had some other affairs to take care of, but they returned a month ago. They are quite popular with my ladies."

"Very impressive," Kasumi continued. "Remarking on what Pandora said, we had a meeting in the Philippines, at one of the Silkworm's cocoons a few months ago, and there were a few Thai assailants who wanted to add the sanction of some high ranking Triad officers to the resume. Lilly broke into a run to some nearby bushes and subdued all five of them, even though they were heavily armed. The Thai clan leader of course knew nothing about the event."

"Speaking of that, I've noticed that no one from Thailand's group was here. So I take it that they are an entity independent of you?" Bliss asked.

"The Thai are very independent of us. We have tried negotiations with them, but they want no part of us. It's like they feel that there's only room enough for one assassin's guild."

"We suspect they know that we do not approve of some of their practices," Pandora said. "They use children in many of their missions."

"Children?" Bliss said.

"They send their agents on their first mission when they are mere teenagers, tying victims up in their erotic knot business," Mao said. "Although DOOM hired them too, each of our guilds have had conflicts with this group. We advise extreme caution to your agents if you encounter them. They are very dangerous and without mercy."

"We have not had any dealings with them as yet, but I will inform my ladies of that. I am very honored with your 'gift,' but I do have some questions. The first involves putting them on the government payroll."

Mao waved her hand. "We'll take care of their needs. Dealing with governments can be rather tricky at best, especially when it comes to money."

"And there's nothing you want in return?"

"Your friendship, and of course three of your assassins, but that is a loan. I think you'll see that we're good for each other."

"Okay, there's one last thing. As I said earlier, my ladies are required to go barefoot for a year in their training, and it's only fair that in my organization that these ladies do the same."

"We have prepared for that," Mao said. "Ladies, will that be a problem?"

Adira shrugged as she flexed her toes.

"After I conducted one sanction, I walked for two miles barefoot in the snow," Yumi huffed. "Being barefoot in Brazil is nothing."

"I believe that," Bliss said.

"I do my best work without shoes. I'm actually looking forward to leaving them at home," Lilly said.

"And there you have it," Mao said. "I know you have had a long day, so let us conclude our meeting for tonight. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we have."

"Yes I have; I have learned a lot," Bliss said.

"In the morning, you'll have breakfast with your new teachers so you can be better acquainted," Kasumi said. "Then we'll have lunch one last time before you leave."

They all said their farewells, and Bliss and Lilly returned to the hotel. When she reached her room, Bliss called her family and talked briefly to her husband and kids, then she called her office to ask how things were doing. When the secretaries asked her how the meeting went, she told them everything was fine and she'll elaborate on the details upon her return.

After her calls, she unbuttoned and removed her uniform shirt, revealing a plain white T-shirt underneath. She laid back on the recliner in the living room and used the remote control to turn on the television. Bliss still had questions running through her head, like what was she to do with three new teachers, and more importantly, who were the three women she would send to her hosts?

Much to her surprise, Bliss found she had much in common with the leaders of the three assassin guilds. It felt strange, yet somehow relieving. If there was any immediate consolation from the meeting, it was knowing her women would get even more excellent training, and with the possible exception of taking on the Thai assassins, DOOM and COIL were the only opponents to deal with; and DOOM will have their hands full rather soon.

Bliss flipped through the channels until she found a sumo wrestling tournament. She had always been fascinated by the sport of sumo, and soon all her immediate concerns were placed to the side as she watched the matches.

There was a knock at the door, and without giving it a second thought, Bliss said, "Come in, Lilly."

Lilly opened the door, smiling at Bliss' statement. She had changed clothes as well, wearing a loose white cotton blouse and straight leg blue jeans with no shoes.

"Let me first say that are leaders are pleased that you enjoyed the dinner and meeting," Lilly said.

"You can tell them I said thank you for the honor," Bliss replied.

"Before I retire this evening, I came by to see if there was anything else you needed or if there were any questions I could answer for you."

Bliss stifled a yawn. "Sorry about that," she said. "No, I'm fine, thank you anyway. You're welcome to have a seat and watch TV with me if you like."

"I have a novel waiting for me in my room, but thanks." Lilly glanced at the two sumo wrestlers tussling on the screen. "Sumo wrestling, what a fascinating sport."

"Do any of your mistresses have any of those?" Bliss said jokingly.

"As a matter of fact, the Poison Geisha have a division of sumo warriors," Lilly answered smiling.

Bliss turned from the TV to face Lilly. "You mean they have Sumo Poison Geisha?"

"Ah yes. The Poison Geisha are quite diverse. I could get one for you with no problem. They're quite fearsome."

"I imagine," Bliss said. Sumo Geisha?

"I'll leave you with your tournament," Lilly said as she headed toward the door. "Breakfast will be at nine am. Will you need a wake-up call?"

"Yes, call me at seven-thirty."

"Very good. Good night."

"Good night."

After the sumo matches were over, Bliss changed for bed. She almost fell asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Bliss felt refreshed the next morning, and she looked forward to breakfast. While she showered, she came up with a few ideas on where she could fit in her new teachers back in Brazil. As expected, Lilly arrived early and escorted her to the waiting limo. What she didn't expect was an additional figure dressed in a black and silver kimono with mountain peaks embroidered on the front and back. She stood 5'8", had her long black hair put up in the traditional bun with wooden hairpins, and displayed a build similar to one of her own assassins, Natayla, a former Olympic weightlifter.

"Good morning. And you are?" Bliss asked.

"I am Lin Ching, of the Iron Mountain clan of Poison Sumo Geisha. I am honored to meet you, and I am at your service," she said, giving a bow.

Bliss turned to Lilly, who once again flashed that now familiar smile of hers.

"I told Kasumi last night that you were very surprised to hear that the Poison Geisha had sumo warriors. She said then I will send her one so she'll see what one is like. Consider it an additional gift; no change in our agreement," Lilly said.

"You're proving to be quite the assistant," Bliss said. "You'll give my two secretaries a run for their money. Hey, that gives me an idea. Lilly, have you done any personal training?"

"Yes I have," Lilly said.

"I have a secretary who doesn't see the need for working out or learning a martial art discipline. I need someone to convince her otherwise. She's an excellent secretary except for that one thing. Could you convince her?"

"Just point her out to me, I love a challenge. We used to have secretaries who thought the same thing."

The limo shortly arrived at a Hawaiian restaurant, where the other new teachers were waiting.

"Your secretaries at your headquarters, how are they now?" Bliss asked.

"They now can dispatch any intruder with their bare hands, letter opener, or writing utensil. After an enemy tried to take one of them hostage, they never complained about their training," Lilly replied.

"Really? What happened?"

"A former warlord found our headquarters, and seized our smallest secretary to use as a bargaining chip to use as a bargaining chip to get us to comply to his demands. She broke his arm and sliced his neck with a paper clip."

"A paper clip?" Adira said, overhearing.

"Yes," Lilly said. "Even I have never thought of using paper clips as a weapon."

"It makes sense when you think about it," Yumi said. "You can easily hide them, and obviously no one would expect it."

"After she broke his arm that carried the machete, she took the paper clip and told him, 'Now it's your turn to see how it feels,' and got him with one slice," Lilly said. "She's belongs to the tribe of the Bantu Pygmies, and what everyone says of her now is, 'You don't fool around with Tiny Tina.'"

Bliss was captivated by the story, and the possibilities that could be used from it, but she remembered she had to find out one thing.

"Lin Ching, forgive me, but I need to know-" she began.

"Say no more," Lin Ching said as she quickly undid her kimono. Underneath was a white leotard that showed off her figure, which was still womanly, just wide, and solidly muscled.

"Just because we're sumo doesn't mean we let ourselves go," Lin Ching joked.

After everyone, even Yumi, laughed, Yumi said, "Can we eat now? I'm starved from my morning workout."

They entered into the restaurant, which provided typical, but delicious Hawaiian fare. Bliss had another pleasant time getting to know more about the ladies who would be working for her. Her stay in Hawaii ended with a final lunch with the Silkworm, Poison Geisha, and Lioness leaders. They even gave her the invitation to meet with the other leaders in their cocoons, prides, and clans during their regular meetings.

"So Bliss, are you pleased with the women who will be going back to Brazil with you?" Kasumi asked as she sipped her cup of green tea.

"Quite pleased," Bliss replied. "The Sumo Geisha was a nice surprise."

"Yes; in the short time since they were formed, our Sumo Geisha have been quite popular. They are employed either as bodyguards or involved in undercover work. We have one who poses as a housekeeper in the house of a prominent female lawyer."

"How's that working out?"

"There's a good body count of intruders who end up broken outside the mansion grounds. Regarding the lawyer, she's now more respected and feared. Even the mob won't attack her."

Bliss smiled at that. Knowing her success with Natalya posing as a cleaning woman at a hotel, she knew no one thinks of the housekeeper as a deterrent against one's enemies.

"I realize you now have three Silkworms and quite a few Poison Geisha, as opposed to just Lilly. If you would like a few more Lionesses, just let me know," Pandora said.

"Maybe I'll ask for Tiny Tina," Bliss said, smiling.

"Except her. I like her just where she is. She runs the office like a well-oiled machine. You understand the value of a good secretary. Anyone else is at your disposal."

"I've had my two secretaries for years. They're more valuable than my right hand."

"We also wanted to tell you that the 'lesson' has started," Mao said.

"It has? How long ago?" Bliss asked.

"As soon as your party boards our plane, our chapters in the western region of the United States should be paying a 'visit' to a few of DOOM's branch headquarters. I am not sure how this may affect you in Brazil. They may either abandon your country in order to combat us, or they may flee into your country to escape our wrath."

"My ladies are prepared for any possible fallout," Pandora said. "Africa will not become a safe haven for DOOM."

"After what's happened, my ladies will be more than happy to give any fleeing DOOM agents a 'lesson,'" Bliss said. "How long will this 'lesson' last?"

"Until they give us who we want," Kasumi replied, "the leader of DOOM."

"That could take a while."

Mao shrugged her shoulders. "Then that's too bad," she said with a small grin.

As she boarded the plane, Bliss sat back and wondered how the ladies will react to the four new faces sitting in the plane with her. Then another thought suddenly occurred to her. Where will she put these women? Where will they stay?

About the same time in the afternoon at a DOOM branch headquarters in western North America, two ladies walked into the building. One was wearing a blood red silk kimono with a gold dragon embroidered on it, while the other wore a red sari with a matching red hood over the head. This made them quite visible on security cameras, but they did not care.

Guests of this type were not unusual, but the normal sounds of clacking sandals, or jingle of jewelry were not there this day. So it was no wonder that the receptionist was startled when they suddenly appeared in front of her desk.

"Ladies, I didn't hear you approach," the receptionist said. "May I help you?"

"Is Mr. Mason in?" The lady in the sari said.

"Yes he is, but he's in a meeting. Shall I buzz him and tell him you're here?"

The lady in the kimono waved her hand. "He'll see us," she said. Before she turned and went, she leaned closely to the receptionist.

"I'll only say this once, and I say this to you because you have been very helpful to us over the years."

"Yes?" The receptionist asked.

"Get out. Locate your secretaries, bookkeepers, mailroom, and other non-combative personnel, and tell them to leave and don't look back. There will be available transportation for those who need it, and possible employment with us if you desire it, but they must leave within the next ten minutes or we won't be held responsible for the consequences."

The receptionist was about to object, but the look on the face of the two ladies made her blood ran cold. She immediately started cleaning out her desk while she contacted the other departments to give the warning.

The pair boarded the elevator and took a ride to the floor where Mr. Mason held his meeting. There were two guards standing in front of the conference room. The woman in the sari gave one a nerve pinch in his neck, rendering him unconscious, while the other achieved the same result with a karate chop to the neck. Then they opened the doors.

Mr. Mason was in the middle of his presentation when his intercom buzzed suddenly. His frantic personnel assistant told him that people were suddenly fleeing the building. He was demanding the reason for this when he looked up and saw the two women standing on the other side of the room.

"Ladies, what is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

"I think you know," the woman in the sari said.

"All I know is my staff is running scared out of the building. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Let me make it simple for you then," the lady in the kimono said. "Are you responsible for permitting the operations in Bombay, Spain, and Brazil?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"Silkworms and Poison Geisha were hired in those assignments. Silkworms and Poison Geisha were sacrificed there with the exception of Brazil, where a friend revealed to us your plans," the lady in the sari said.

Mason paused for a moment. Brazil was where DOOM agents have gone missing. "What lies have COIL told you about this business?" He said.

"Not COIL," the lady in the kimono said. "We don't trust COIL anymore than we trust you. There's a special government operation there that sanctions agents from either organization."

"So that's what happened! Why haven't you told us before?"

"We've just found out, and hearing this news won't do you much good in this world."

"We do not tolerate betrayal, especially when our sisters pay the price," the woman in the sari said.

Mason realized he couldn't hide the truth any longer. Giving an almost unnoticed hand signal, he decided to stall for time.

"Very well, we may have sacrificed a few of your 'sisters,' but it was for the greater good. Why if-"

A man suddenly fell to the ground, his gun bouncing out of his hand, a throwing star buried in his chest. Another man rose up, but a flash of movement from the kimono-clad lady put another throwing star in his forehead.

"The next one who goes for their weapon will not have a hand to draw it with," the Poison Geisha said.

"You can't take on this whole complex," Mason said.

"Yes we can; this complex is crawling with Silkworms," the Silkworm said. "We decided to deal with you personally."

The Silkworm took off her scarf, seemingly conveying the signal that she let her guard down to the woman agent nearby. She leapt at her, realizing too late that it was a trap. The scarf whipped around the agent's neck, and with a quick tug, broke it.

The agent closest to the Poison Geisha didn't go for his gun, but instead leapt at her with a knife in hand. The Poison Geisha grasped his arm, and using his momentum sent him into the wall, head first. His body hung from the hole in the wall like a macabre wall hanging.

Mason and the surviving two agents went into a secret compartment opened by a button hidden under Mason's side of the table. The door closed in the wall before the two assassins could reach them. Both ladies looked at each other, displaying a slight grin, and then they turned and left the conference room. On the way to the elevator and later out of the building, the two women stepped over the bodies of DOOM agents killed by Silkworms who sneaked into the facility prior to their approach. A Poison Geisha wearing a brown bodysuit awaited them.

"All clear?" The Poison Geisha in red asked.

"All clear. All available agents have been neutralized, and we picked up some of the non-combative personnel. A few have even offered to work for us."

"Hire them. They might have some information that might be useful. Take the rest where they need to go, but have them watched. They could lead us to possible DOOM strongholds."

Just then, a mature looking woman in a black silk jumpsuit with black fishnet socks joined the threesome.

"My sister, are the charges all set, and all items of value obtained?" The Silkworm in red asked.

"Yes, all available media has been taken, and the charges are all placed and set for five minutes, waiting for your word," the other Silkworm said.

"Very well, let's leave."

"Just a moment, honored mother. Have transport leave the area last so the workers can get a glimpse of the explosion," the Poison Geisha said to her subordinate. "Now if you will excuse us, we have some hunting to do."

The secret compartment led to an express elevator that descended to a high-speed mini subway located a floor beneath the lower levels of the complex. Aside from a DOOM contractor, only Mason and the executive agents with high clearance knew about this escape hatch. Even for an organization that relied on many high-tech gadgets, the contractor thought those plans were a bit over the top; a little too "James Bond," but Mason survived this long in the spy game by being careful, and if that meant installing secret compartments and express elevators, so be it.

The high-speed express car ended its run at a wooded alcove five miles away from headquarters. As Mason and his two remaining executive agents climbed out, they saw from the smoke and glowing orange embers in the distance that the place they came from was no longer.

"Our headquarters, it's gone!" The woman agent said.

"I'd like to get my hands on that old witch! Did you see what she did to Alice?" The male agent said.

"Let us remember that this 'old witch' belongs to one of the foremost groups of assassins in the world. I saw what that Silkworm did to Alice, as well as what that Poison Geisha did to Mark, Jim, and Robert," Mason said. "If we didn't escape when we did, we would've joined them."

"I didn't know those two groups even worked together," the female agent replied.

"Well if they didn't before, they are now, and they are mad," the male agent said.

"I've attempted to contact the nearby DOOM outposts and centers. Apparently I was only able to get a hold of one of them, and it sounded like they were under attack as well," Mason said. "For all intents and purposes, we may be the only agents left in this sector. We are about five minutes away from a safehouse, so as soon as we get there, we can sort things out, like who were these people in Brazil who revealed our plans."

"They are called 'Barefoot Assassins,'" a voice echoed from the trees. "They came into being because of people like you who won't stay out of Brazil."

All three agents, like the trained professionals they were, drew their revolvers as one. However, there wasn't anything visible to shoot at. They looked around, waiting for the slightest glimpse of movement, the faintest rush of movement. Mason decided to keep their assailant talking in hopes the source would be located.

"How did you find us?" He said to the trees.

"Why Mr. Mason, we know everything about you," the voice said. "We know about your chief agents and the majority of your facilities, we know your basic strategies, we even know about your safehouses. That little railway you had installed was rather ingenious. You were rather slow in using it. I thought we had to kill a few more agents before you finally got in it."

"How do you know your Intel is legit?" The other male agent said.

"Oh come off it, man, we're not stupid. We double-checked our information before we acted on it," the voice said.

From what Mason gathered so far, the voice belonged to a Silkworm, the same one he and his crew encountered earlier. This wasn't the type DOOM generally hired, the ones responsible for erotic traps as their method of execution, but someone from one of the other clans or "cocoons," masters of camouflage, and more accomplished fighters. He regretted DOOM's decision to hire mainly from one clan. Although he was more enlightened, he knew barely more than the average field agent on other Silkworms.

"What makes you think you can get away with this?" The female agent said, sounding more braver than she thought.

"Why young lady, we already have!"

Over to the agent's right, there was the sound of vegetation being trampled. Automatically, they turned and fired in that direction. Midway through, they realized all they did was chew up bushes and the bark of a nearby tree. The agents found out they fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. A second later, a sudden stinging sensation in their hands caused them to drop their weapons. Three metal balls the size of jawbreakers struck their shooting hands.

"Now it's time for us to play," the Poison Geisha said. Her and the Silkworm appeared from an opening directly in front of the safehouse. Both were now wearing blood red long-sleeved unitards with footless tights. Aside from the darker skin shade and more muscular build of the Silkworm, only their headpieces told them apart; the Poison Geisha wore her customary top knot, while the Silkworm still wore her hood.

"Come on, boy; why don't you show this 'old witch' what you've got," the Silkworm said, beckoning him toward her. To the agent, it was the same as flashing a red cape in front of a bull. He charged forward to engage the elder assassin.

The woman agent made a move to reach for her gun, but she had to block a kick from the Poison Geisha.

The initial attack did not last long as the male agent threw a right punch at the Silkworm. The Silkworm deflected his punch with a block, then quickly grasped that same arm, twisting it slightly and giving it a sudden jerk. The agent howled in pain as his arm was dislocated. The Silkworm gave him a right foot sweep, landing him on his back on the hard ground. The agent yelled from further pain from his arm, but he was silenced as the brown foot of the Silkworm crushed his throat with an ax kick.

Mason couldn't get around his remaining agent fast enough to help her as she fell from a left back fist to the temple. Now he was alone against two representatives of the deadliest assassins on earth.

"Now we can talk," the Silkworm said.

"Then you might as well kill me now," Mason said. "I'm not going to end my life as a traitor to DOOM."

"A traitor? No, Mr. Mason, you're going to be a hero."

"You're going to be responsible for saving thousands of lives," the Poison Geisha said.

Mason was confused. "What are you talking about?" He said.

"We need you to call DOOM headquarters; the one located in Denver should do."

"Who do you need to talk to?"

"Everyone in DOOM. That's why when the receptionist answers, you're going to have your call turned into a world-wide conference call to all DOOM outposts and headquarters, the ones left standing, that is."

"You need to hurry, Mr. Mason; countless lives are counting on you," the Silkworm said.

It started to become clear to Mason what he was asked to do. He reluctantly pulled out his cell phone, and dialed the number to the Denver branch of operations.

"Yes?" A voice said on the other end of the phone.

"This is Mason requesting a level-one Alpha conference," he said. He gave the password and identification number, then waited a moment.

"ID confirmed, ready for message," the receptionist said.

"Now turn the phone this direction so they can hear us," the Silkworm said. When he'd done so, she nodded to the Poison Geisha to begin.

"This message is for all DOOM agents. I am Tori, and my colleague is Pardoot, the leaders for the Poison Geisha and Silkworms respectively, for the west region of the United States. We are speaking from the cell phone of your agent, Mr. Mason. If you want to trace this call, feel free, it will not matter.

"Over the past six months, we have noticed that we have been losing a number of our operatives in various missions you've hired us for. Some of these missions were so routine, it was ludicrous to think we would lose our highly trained women for such exercises. However, we couldn't prove anything.

"Recently, we have received evidence that revealed these so-called missions were a cover, a ruse for a plan that would set the stage for another one of your foolish attempts to rule the world. As a byproduct, we would be the ones who would receive the blame for assassinating world leaders; such as a Poison Geisha imprisoned for an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister in France, and a Silkworm captured for killing a key political candidate in Italy; a sanction she did not commit. There's a Poison Geisha and a Silkworm both who are supposed to stand trial for the near assassination of the president in Spain, along with several others.

"By the way, all of our ladies you have imprisoned have been freed; freed and eager to wreak revenge. Some of us you have framed post-humorously, their deaths under strange circumstances. One of your missions in Brazil revealed your plot to assassinate Caesar Martin, a presidential candidate, and frame one of us for the crime after we were terminated. Thanks to an intervention of a third party, your plot was found out."

Tori gave a nod to Pardoot, and the Silkworm began.

"We are not just mere assassins, we are businesspeople, and we're not just businesspeople, we are a sisterhood. We are not waste to be disposed of," Pardoot said. "Furthermore, we do not tolerate betrayal. We have pulled out all Silkworms and Poison Geisha from any and all DOOM assignments. We will no longer be an excuse for your feeble plans.

"In working with your organization for years, we understand an order for such a plan like this had to be approved from the top. All we need is for you to hand to us the leader of DOOM. If not, then every DOOM agent from the lowliest field agent to the top executive will die. Non-combative office workers are not included.

"Both of our clans are not without mercy. If you hand us the leader, we will stop. For an extra incentive, we will offer twenty million dollars to any woman or man who either gives us solid evidence or can produce your leader dead or alive, though we prefer him very much alive. Until then, we declare war on the DOOM organization."

Pardoot nodded her head, and Tori continued.

"Now for you COIL double agents, and we know you're out there, you need to leave now, this is not your fight. If you can bring us the DOOM leader or any of the top officers, we would be more than pleased and honored to accept your gift, and you will be amply rewarded.

"There may be those of you who may consider this the ramblings of irked servant girls and foolish old women. If so, you are sadly mistaken. We have been around a long time. We have served both paupers and kings. We have seen reigns, empires, countries; even whole civilizations rise and fall. Together we have been active in the majority of the civilized world. We have written the world's history with an unseen hand. We were around when you and COIL were nothing but mere pups fighting each other for mere scraps of territory and recognition, and we'll be around when the last of you draws their very last breath. We have more resources than you can imagine."

With a final nod to the Silkworm from Tori, Pardoot concluded.

"Now you have heard our message. If you heed our demands, no more DOOM agents will need to die. If you do not, prepare yourselves."

The two ladies looked at one another to see if there was anything else to add. When it was confirmed there was not, they turned to Mason and nodded. He broke the connection.

"Thank you, Mr. Mason; you have become the vehicle for the possible safety of thousands of lives," Tori said.

Mason only wished that was true. Using his cell phone, the covert equivalent of World War III had begun. The destruction of his headquarters and the other DOOM outposts in a hundred-mile radius was only a wakeup call. The worst was yet to come. Even he had no idea there was a branch of Poison Geisha and Silkworms in the states.

Now he realized that this was the most stupid and potentially fatal mistake DOOM has made.

"And now I'm afraid your usefulness has come to an end, Mr. Mason," Tori continued.

"Unless you would happen to know where your leader is," Pardoot said.

If he knew, Mason would have turned him in himself. Truth is, nobody knows. But that won't stop them from trying.

"I don't know where he is. I don't even know if he is a he or a she. He's always in motion, so he doesn't have a permanent location or base. I couldn't tell you if I wanted to," he said.

"That's too bad," Pardoot said.

"But for that tip, your demise will be painless," Tori said.

In a way, Mason welcomed death. He spent most of his life promoting the mission of DOOM, while climbing up its corporate ladder. And now it's all gone in one night. He didn't think he wanted to be around for the rest of his kingdom to be reduced to rubble and burnt embers.

For any comments, questions, or story ideas, email the author at shrewsberry@juno.com.